< gadzhetzan >

Talk of the Day -- iPad3 to be launched on Steve Jobs' birthday?

2011-12-25T10:51:00.002+00:00

Speculation has been rife over when Apple Inc. will launch the next generation of its tablet device iPad3.

A local Chinese-language newspaper reported Friday that iPad3 might be launched on Feb. 24 to mark the anniversary of the birth of Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs.

Citing sources close to Taiwanese makers in the iPad3 supply chain, the Economic Daily News said the gadget could be launched in mid-first quarter of next year or by the end of next March.

The paper also said local iPad3 component makers need to keep working during the Lunar New Year holiday to meet the delivery deadline.

The following are excerpts from the local media coverage of the iPad and other tablet-related issues:

Economic Daily News:

After the iPhone 4S successfully took the tech market by storm, the iPad3 is widely expected to be Apple's first hit product to be released next year.

Industry sources said the first shipment of the iPad3 could exceed 4 million units.

Because it is a new gadget, it is taking time for makers in the supply chain to raise their yield rates. The sources said all OEM and ODM makers have exercised great caution in ensuring the smooth operations of their production lines.

To meet the iPad3 delivery date, the sources said, main assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry's iPad division will only allow its employees to take five days off during the Lunar New Year holiday, while staff at the company's other divisions will have a longer holiday.

Casing producer Catcher Technology said that at least some of its employees will have to work overtime during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Other high-end component suppliers such as battery maker Simplo Technology, connector maker Amer International Group and optical lens supplier Genius Electronic Optical Co. are all planning to ask at least some of its employees to work during the Lunar New Year holiday, industry sources said.

Institutional investors said the first quarter tends to be a low season, but Apple's busy suppliers reflect Apple's urgent demand for iPad3 delivery and the likelihood that first quarter sales of these OEM and ODM makers are expected to be robust, market analysts said.

Meanwhile, Google Inc., one of Apple's key competitors in the high-tech market, is likely to launch its tablet gadget in six months.

Market sources said Google may pick Taiwan's Compal Electronics as its partner in producing its brand name tablet computer.

Smartphones winter customer's guide

2011-12-10T15:02:00.001+00:00

The winter holidays are a special time of the year. Christmas lights are going up on homes, carolers are filling the streets, fireplaces are glowing, and we're taking stock of the best smartphones of 2011. Whether you're planning to purchase one of these amazing devices for yourself or a loved one, Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide is your essential source for selecting a handset that best suits your desires and budget.

No doubt, you've already had an opportunity to review our holiday gift guide for 2011. The smartphone buyer's guide is a bit different. Here, we examine the variety of options from each carrier, large and small, along with its most solid alternatives. Those insistent upon QWERTY keyboards will find each provider's pick of the litter, and we also select a high quality budget offering with $80 as the absolute ceiling. Compared to our previous buyer's guide, Samsung is lighting up the scoreboard more than ever -- largely in part to the Galaxy S II, but that isn't keeping other manufacturers from pushing back. The past 12 months have shown amazing development in the smartphone arena, so join us after the break as we round up the most exciting options of the year.

AT&T

With the Skyrocket, AT&T has taken Samsung's wildly popular Galaxy S II platform and added support for the carrier's nascent -- and quite speedy -- LTE network. In the process, it also bumped up the screen size to 4.5-inches, just like its brethren on Sprint and T-Mobile. With little other meaningful differentiation, we're inclined to recommend the Skyrocket over its Galaxy S II ($200) forebear. If network speed or the modest display increase aren't important, you can certainly feel safe with the standard model and save $50 in the process.

Devotees of iOS will be glad to know that Apple's claim is correct: the iPhone 4S ($200 - $400) is easily the best iPhone yet. Although, even with its spectacular camera and Siri integration, we can't help but feel that it's falling behind the curve. Still, if you live and die with the Cupertino crew, we feel that AT&T's iPhone is your best option as it delivers HSPA+ support and allows you to talk and surf the web simultaneously -- unlike its CDMA counterparts found on Sprint and Verizon. Likewise, the HTC Titan($200) is an extremely impressive handset with a large display that makes typing a breeze, and it packs an excellent camera to boot. As it stands, Windows Phone enthusiasts won't find a more compelling option on any carrier.

If a keyboard is what you're after ...

The Captivate Glide is a new -- and very welcome -- QWERTY addition to AT&T's lineup, which easily replaces the Crossover (free) as the network's best Android device with a physical keyboard. We've yet to properly review the handset, although our early impressions have been mostly positive. We found its keyboard to be rather competent, although its price tag may deter some. In this case, the BlackBerry Torch 9810 ($50) is an attractive alternative, which features excellent voice quality and battery life -- although, some users may find frustration with its comparatively limited app selection.

If you're looking to squeeze every penny...

Sure, it's not the first time we've seen dual-cores go for next to nothing, but picking up the Atrix 4G for a single round Lincoln is a fantastic deal. This powerhouse formerly stood as one of AT&T's premiere handsets, and with good reason -- it features a speedy Tegra 2 SoC and an excellent qHD display. We think you'll be hard-pressed to find more for so little, but the deal won't last, so you might want to jump on this one. We're also happy to see that the Infuse 4G ($50) is now extremely affordable, and some will definitely appreciate its massive 4.5-inch display and gorgeous camera. Whichever you prefer, you'll certainly score one for the bank account.

Sprint

Dare we say it, but Sprint's changes to the Galaxy S II resulted in a device that's even more satisfying than the original. In fact, the Epic 4G Touch may be our favorite of the bunch. We're really digging its gorgeous 4.5-inch display, along with the extra battery life and that handy notification light. It retains the speedy Exynos that we love, and the pictures are excellent. The only omission that may dissuade some buyers is the lack of international support. If this is on your list of "must-haves," then the Photon 4G ($200) remains an extremely good candidate, which offers an unlocked SIM slot for roaming abroad. Naturally, this also presents the iPhone 4S ($200 - $400) as an option, although in this case, we still prefer the faster HSPA+ speeds that you'll enjoy on AT&T's network.

If a keyboard is what you're after ...

We'll be very frank by saying that Sprint should've replaced its venerable Epic 4G by now -- and no, theTransform Ultra ($80) simply isn't going to cut it. As a member of the original Galaxy S family, the Epic 4G has been surpassed by more compelling options from other providers. Even worse, the $100 price now feels somewhat steep. Yes, it was once an excellent device, but this is by yesterday's standards. Now, it's a relatively ho-hum offering that you should consider only as a last resort. Our advice? If you really need a keyboard, either wait for Sprint to get off its laurels or jump ship.

If you're looking to squeeze every penny...

We're sad to report that Sprint has increased the price of the Nexus S 4G -- our former budget pick -- to a full $100, which prohibits its consideration for this category. Fortunately, the Conquer 4G is now available online for free, and surprisingly, it runs pure Android (save for a few customizations from Hesse and crew). While nothing about the phone stands out as particularly high-end, it's easily the best value on the Now Network. All in all, it's a rather solid pick with a price that'll stir at least a modicum of excitement.

T-Mobile

We remain infatuated by the Galaxy S II, and yes, that holds true for T-Mobile as well. Sure, it's not quite as speedy as its siblings, but the phone still offers excellent performance combined with a beautiful display and top-notch camera. Given its status as a 42.2Mbps HSPA+ device, it's an extremely competent performer on T-Mobile's AWS network. Sadly, battery life wasn't quite as good on this variant, although it's still very sufficient. If you're looking for the best that the Galaxy S II lineup has to offer, however, we recommend giving the Skyrocket and Epic 4G Touch a serious consideration.

If a keyboard is what you're after ...

The QWERTY landscape changed a bit at T-Mobile after its launch of the myTouch Q ($80), but certainly not enough to unseat the myTouch 4G Slide. Y'all are aware that it's not the most desirable handset we've come across, which is hindered by its slower than expected performance, mushy keyboard and subpar battery life. When compared to the myTouch Q, however, it's redeemed by the higher-res WVGA display and excellent camera that's accompanied by a dedicated two-stage shutter button. If the uninspired keyboard on the myTouch 4G Slide is a deal-breaker for you, feel free to check out the BlackBerry Torch 9810 ($250) and Bold 9900 ($300) -- although we feel both options are priced too high to warrant a whole-hearted recommendation.

If you're looking to squeeze every penny...

Yes please, and thank you. T-Mobile is running a special online promotion right now where the Radar 4Gcan be yours for absolutely nothing. If you're not drooling yet, you most definitely should be. Folks, this is one of the finest Windows Phone handsets under the sun today. We were particularly happy with its vibrant display, quality camera and admirable battery life. What's more, it feels excellent to hold and the build quality is rather superb. If you absolutely insist on an Android phone, you'll be glad to know that the myTouch ($80) has significantly stepped up T-Mobile's value offering, which delivers a 1GHz CPU, a 3.8-inch display and HSPA+ connectivity. We're holding back from an unqualified recommendation, however, as we've yet to review the handset.

Verizon Wireless

Although the Galaxy Nexus has yet to arrive at Verizon, it's easy to quantify why this smartphone is the most desirable of the season. As Google's latest halo device, the phone serves as the launchpad for Android 4.0, otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich. Yes, the Galaxy Nexus is large, but it's also well-proportioned and houses a massive 720p display that's simply phenomenal. Users won't be at a loss for speed, either, as the phone struts a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU and taps into Verizon's LTE network. While we only recently scored a hands-on with this variant, it promises to knock one out of the ballpark on its road to glory -- absent any unforeseen circumstances, anyway.

If a keyboard is what you're after ...

In our last buyer's guide, we were unable to recommend the Droid 3 based on its poor software implementation and frustrating glitches. Fortunately, those problems have since been resolved with Motorola's most recent round of updates. Now, users may experience this QWERTY slider as the manufacturer intended, which features an excellent keyboard and a handsome qHD display. It can be a bit unwieldy for some, however, and the Bold 9930 ($200) remains a fine option for these individuals, which provides superior battery life and a very attractive (though comparatively small) display.

If you're looking to squeeze every penny...

Verizon Wireless hasn't typically been the friendliest network to value-conscious consumers, but fortunately, its recently announced Illusion just barely makes the cut. What's essentially the Conquer 4G(albeit, without 4G and with TouchWiz), this phone isn't likely to turn heads, but its 1GHz CPU delivers just enough oomph that budget users won't feel completely left behind. Still, unless you rely on Verizon for coverage, the same phone can be found for free on Sprint with added WiMAX support. So, why not?

Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile recently launched the Warp as its flagship phone and, what can we say, we like nice things. For starters, the device holds the distinction of being the carrier's sole handset with a WVGA display, which just so happens to be implemented in a roomy 4.3-inch screen. Also, thanks to its 1GHz processor and near-stock implementation of Gingerbread, our interactions with the phone felt quite nimble. And then there's the price. It's often difficult to find a smartphone that offers so much for so little in the prepaid world, and the Warp is one of the rare few that delivers. Sure, some may be tempted by the name recognition of the Transform Ultra ($230), but unless you need a physical keyboard, its low-resolution HVGA display will leave most users begging for more headroom.

C Spire

When Cellular South renamed itself C Spire Wireless, few could've imagined that the regional carrier would be adding one of the year's hottest and most sought after devices to its mix. This is amazing news for the provider's 900,000 customers, which primarily reside in Mississippi, Memphis and the Florida panhandle. Make no mistake about it, it's hard to go wrong with the latest iPhone. While we'd love to see more diversity in iOS devices, the iPhone 4S is an admirable refresh that provides an upgraded A5 dual-core CPU, along with a brilliant camera and the excellent Retina Display, which has many manufacturersstill playing catch-up nearly 18 months after its arrival.

Cincinnati Bell

Thanks to Cincinnati Bell's AWS roots, this regional provider is truly a kindred spirit with T-Mobile. As such, it's sporting variants of some incredibly hot phones that were previously available on the Magenta-clad network: specifically, the Sensation ($200) and G2x ($150). Yes, it's a rematch of T-Mobile's former titans, but you know how the battle ends. We tip our hat to the LG's lovely IPS display, excellent camera and stock Android 2.3 implementation. In truth, both devices are quite excellent, and if you're switching to Cincinnati Bell from another carrier, you can pick up either of them for free. Still, we feel that the Sensation's higher-res qHD display simply isn't enough to undermine our love for the G2x.

Cricket

Cricket's selection of smartphones aren't the most amazing you'll come across, but thanks to its value-driven plans, many customers are willing to forgive the oversight. Leading the pack are the Vitality($150) and Transfix ($160). Both devices are stunningly similar, save for the Vitality being a member of Cricket's Muve Music lineup and the Transfix adding a physical keyboard to the mix. Which handset you choose will depend on your needs and budget. The Vitality's plan costs $65 per month, which is $10 more than Cricket's standard unlimited offering. Of course, this fee provides access to an all-you-can-eat music subscription service. If you think you'll enjoy the tunes, get the Vitality. Otherwise, direct your mitts toward the Transfix and jam out to all those MP3's you've been hoarding.

MetroPCS

If this Samsung handset seems familiar, it should. The Admire ($100) shares the same heritage as the Vitality and Transfix, and delivers the best combination of performance and value on MetroPCS. Sure, the Esteem ($350) is certainly more powerful, which provides a large display and LTE connectivity, but we were underwhelmed when the device was reviewed as the Revolution, and its price seems most difficult to swallow. Even the Wildfire S ($180) can't justify its cost when compared to the Admire -- unless you're really in need of an LED flash, anyway. Consider this one a victory by default.

US Cellular

Folks, this is what we call a no-contest knockout. There's only one phone to consider from US Cellular right now, and it's the Electrify. This handset is essentially a re-branded version of the Photon 4G, which enjoyed a brief time in the sun as Sprint's flagship device. Sure, there's no WiMAX, but the Electrify shines with its excellent performance, pleasing display and quality camera, along with top-notch battery life. Thankfully, it has even retained its world phone capabilities. There's really only one game in town, so even if you have to pinch pennies for a couple of months, get the Electrify and never look back. It's really as simple as that.

Virgin Mobile

We'd really love to see a few of Sprint's top-tier devices on its value-oriented subsidiary, but that's not to suggest Virgin isn't without some quality handsets up its sleeve. Our current favorite is the Optimus Slider, which we were able to get friendly with during CTIA. Thanks to an 800MHz CPU, this QWERTY slider packs a bit more oomph than the similarly priced Wildfire S ($200), and unlike the Triumph($300), it doesn't break the bank. If you detest the idea of a physical keyboard, the Optimus V ($130) remains a reliable standby, although we can't help but feel that it's beginning to show its age.

Unlocked phones

If you're looking for something different -- you know, that's not Android or Samsung -- have we got a choice for you. It's the N9, and dare we say you'll be the only one amongst your friends or family with a phone running MeeGo. The handset itself is one of the most lust-worthy slabs of engineering we've ever come across, which packs a beautiful display and excellent camera. We think you'll be impressed with the battery life, too. What's best, this unlocked phone features pentaband 3G support along with quadband GSM. MeeGo may be going the way of the dinosaur, but you can be sure the N9 will have your back.

The Galaxy Nexus is unlikely to be remembered as quite the game changer as the Galaxy S II, but that's not to deny the phone is an amazing piece of kit in its own right. Leading the charge with Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Nexus holds special notoriety as the first Android handset to include a pentaband HSPA+ radio. This is especially important for its consideration as an unlocked device, which offers 21Mbps support on AT&T, T-Mobile and through the international 2100 / 900MHz bands. Sure, we're a bit disappointed by its middle-of-the-road camera and lack of support for USB Mass Storage, but that's a mere pittance to overlook when compared to the amount of goodness crammed into this beauty.

The Galaxy Note certainly isn't appropriate for everyone, as its massive size will always come across as a bit polarizing. Also, its lack of 3G support for T-Mobile makes it a bit less versatile than the Galaxy Nexus. Still, we're absolutely enamored by this Samsung, thanks to its chart-topping performance and impressive 5.3-inch display. The excellent battery life and top-notch camera are merely additional bonuses when considering this slab can fill the roles of both a smartphone and tablet. Those in the States can access AT&T's HSPA+ network at 21Mbps, along with the 2100 and 900MHz bands when traveling abroad. As it's not currently available from any of the domestic carriers, the Galaxy Note is a surefire way to turn heads and make onlookers weep with jealousy. Can life get any sweeter than that?

Editor's note: There are many outlets that sell unlocked phones, but we recommend includingExpansys, Negri Electronics and NewEgg in your search. They've always treated us fairly and we're pretty sure they'll do the same for you. Also, it's worth mentioning that Apple is selling unlocked versions of the iPhone 4S ($650 - $850) for the first time in the United States. Good luck in the hunt, everyone!

Thanks to www.endgadget.com

Malware in Android Market highlights Google's vulnerability

2011-12-02T17:56:00.001+00:00

Google has removed 21 applications from the Android Market after it was discovered that the apps secretly installed malware. The applications themselves included pirated and renamed versions of legitimate Android software that had been modified to include the malware and then offered for free on the Market. Together, the 21 programs received more than 50,000 downloads over the course of about four days.

The malicious applications sent personal details, including the phone's unique IMEI number, to a US-based server. Worse, it exploited security flaws to root the phone, and installed a backdoor application that allows further software to be installed to the handsets. Though Google has now purged the applications from the Market, the rooting and backdoor mean that the anyone who has run one of the malicious programs should reset their phone to stock conditions to clean it up. The flaw used to root the operating system was fixed in Android 2.2.2 and 2.3, so users of those versions should be able to get away with simply removing the applications. The programs were all (re)published by an entity named Myournet; it too has now been removed from the Market.

A full list of the 21 programs can be found at Android Police, who originally reported the issue, after the republished applications were spotted by redditor lompolo. lompolo investigated the applications after noticing that one of them did not have the publisher he expected; he posted his findings to reddit after noticing that one of the applications appeared to contain exploit code.

Similar malware, dubbed "DreamDroid" has been found in even more applications, with applications from publishers named Kingmall2010 and we20090202 also removed. In total, more than 50 programs have been pulled.

This attack is notable in that it combines a wide range of smartphone issues all into one neatly packaged exploit: we have the lack of governance of the Android Market, the piracy and re-publication that is distressingly common on mobile platforms, the security flaws that allow rooting, and Android's inconsistent updating which leaves machines at risk of security flaws.

Google's Android Market is a free-for-all: unlike Apple's App Store and Microsoft's Marketplace, which both have strict eligibility requirements and mandate that programs are restricted only to a limited set of APIs, in the Android Market essentially anything goes. Google can remove applications that are found to be actively harmful, as it has done here, but this action tends to be reactive, not proactive. The Android Market Developer Agreement does prohibit this kind of application in section 4.4, but Google obviously took no steps to ensure that applications abided by this rule prior to publication.

Apple's strictly regulated store is criticised by many for its inconsistent rule enforcement and the apparently arbitrary decisions made by the those inspecting its applications. This regulation is by no means flawless—theHandy Light flashlight application contained a backdoor to allow iPhones to be tethered, showing that it can indeed be tricked—but it should nonetheless impede similar attacks on that platform. Microsoft's gatekeeping of the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace should similarly serve to stand in the way of such malicious applications. Incidents like this serve to vindicate the approach Microsoft and Apple have both taken to their application stores, and repeat performances could make users increasingly wary of the Android Market.

Application piracy is again an issue found on Apple's platform as well as Google's. Neither company earns much praise for their responses to piracy allegations: though both maintain that they will remove applications that infringe on the intellectual property of others, in practice their responses are slow and inconsistent. One of the developers whose game had been ripped off informed Google of this more than a week before the program was eventually removed—due to its malware—without receiving any response from Google.

Perhaps it is fortunate that that software was pirated, however, as it was this piracy that led to lompolo's closer inspection. Had it not piqued his curiosity, it may have lingered on the Market for weeks or months, quietly infecting users all the while.

The desirability of rooting handsets is also a continued problem. Rooting, to enable custom software and operating system builds to be installed to a device, is a widespread (albeit minority) activity among both iPhone and Android users. It creates an unusual alignment of interests—an exploit that can be used to root a phone is sought by both "good guys" (who just want to install custom firmware) and "bad guys" (who want to install nefarious malware). While the root flaw in this case was already patched, that patch is not widely distributed. This is due to Google's enormous dependence on handset OEMs and mobile networks to package and distribute firmware updates. Even security-conscious users who would like to upgrade to a fixed version can find themselves unable to do so for many months—if ever—due to unavailability of a suitable patch for their particular phone.

Apple, with its vertically integrated approach, has a much more robust response to such issues, as it can publish updates for all users of supported models, regardless of their network, simultaneously. If Microsoft can get the unfortunate teething difficulties in the Windows Phone 7 update process resolved, it too should have a considerable ability to deploy updates.

Android is now a major smartphone platform, estimated to be outselling the iPhone. For many, its openness and flexibility is a virtue, but it comes at a cost: it leaves the platform unusually susceptible to attack. And those attacks will come: just as popularity has made Windows an attractive target, so too will the black hats be drawn to Android. This will place Google in an increasingly uncomfortable position; locking down the platform may be appealing to most users, but it would infuriate and alienate the early adopters and trend-setters who championed the operating system in its early days. However, leaving it a free-for-all could make Android the Windows 98 of smartphone systems: virus-ridden and unsafe.

Press Release: IBM to Produce Micron's Hybrid Memory Cube in Debut of First Commercial, 3-D Chip-Making Capability

2011-12-02T17:38:00.001+00:00

IBM and Micron Technology, Inc., announced Dec. 1, 2011 that Micron will begin production of a new memory device built using the first commercial CMOS manufacturing technology to employ through-silicon vias (TSVs). IBM's advanced TSV chip-making process enables Micron's Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) to achieve speeds 15 times faster than today's technology.

IBM will present the details of its TSV manufacturing breakthrough at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting on December 5 in Washington, DC.

HMC parts will be manufactured at IBM's advanced semiconductor fab in East Fishkill, N.Y., using the company's 32nm, high-K metal gate process technology.

HMC technology uses advanced TSVs-vertical conduits that electrically connect a stack of individual chips-to combine high-performance logic with Micron's state-of-the-art DRAM. HMC delivers bandwidth and efficiencies a leap beyond current device capabilities. HMC prototypes, for example, clock in with bandwidth of 128 gigabytes per second (GB/s). By comparison, current state-of-the-art devices deliver 12.8 GB/s. HMC also requires 70 percent less energy to transfer data while offering a small form factor-just 10 percent of the footprint of conventional memory.

HMC will enable a new generation of performance in applications ranging from large-scale networking and high-performance computing, to industrial automation and, eventually, consumer products.

"This is a milestone in the industry to move to 3-D semiconductor manufacturing," said Subu Iyer, IBM Fellow. "The manufacturing process we are rolling out will have applications beyond memory, enabling other industry segments as well. In the next few years, 3-D chip technology will make its way into consumer products, and we can expect to see drastic improvements in battery life and device functionality."

"HMC is a game changer, finally giving architects a flexible memory solution that scales bandwidth while addressing power efficiency," said Robert Feurle, vice president of DRAM marketing for Micron. "Through collaboration with IBM, Micron will provide the industry's most capable memory offering."

Additional information, technical specifications, tools and support for adopting HMC technology can be found at micron.com.

Little Printer By BERG Prints 'Mini Newspaper' From Digital Content

2011-12-01T09:28:00.001+00:00

The latest product from BERG, a London-based design studio, turns headlines, weather, games and more into a printed "mini newspaper." Dubbed "Little Printer," the device configures digital information from the Internet and delivers it to users in the form of twice-daily, receipt-sized printouts. And it does it all with a smile.

Little Printer users can configure what content they want using the companion app for their iPhone or Android smartphone. Those choices are backed up on the BERG Cloud service, which pushes the data to the device wirelessly via the included Berg Cloud Bridge, which gets attached to the local router.

According to the product's website, the device uses an "inkless, thermal printer," meaning there won't be any expensive ink cartridges to buy.

And although a return to printed products seems backward in today's digital age, the BERG CEO Matt Webb says he believes there is still a place in the world for "physical stuff."

Paper is like a screen that never turns off," Webb writes on the company blog. "You can stick to the fridge or tuck it in your wallet. You can scribble on it or tear it and give it to a friend."

"[It's] the Internet in its simplest form for folks who miss the tactility of paper-based information consumption," according to CNET's Justin Yu.

But Washington Post blogger Elizabeth Flock isn't as convinced that the Little Printer will find its way into busy digital lives of more than a few curious technophiles.

"Much as anyone in the newspaper business welcomes a new concept that involves people reading a physical paper again, the Little Printer seems like little more than a novelty, or a trumped-up to do list," Flock writes.

Out of the gate, BERG has already announced a number of partnerships with companies such as Arup, foursquare, Google, the Guardian and Nike ahead of its 2012 launch.

The Rootkit Of All Evil – CIQ, or "Big Brother" watches over you

2011-11-30T07:25:00.001+00:00

What if clever smartphones trace all our activities? It seems that they are. This is not the one more plot about "big brother" this is our reality. Once xda-developer Trevor Eckhart was digging in codes of Android OS that's been installed to HTC smartphone and he found the program that's been working in a background, hidden from the end user.

It has to be that HTC company builds in its gadgets the software that harvests varied statistics from end user mobile devices and transmits it to mobile operators servers. There is an american company Carrier IQ (CIQ) that made such a software...

The next text is copy-pasted from Trevor Eckhart's blog where he showed how this software works:

"What is Carrier IQ?

Written by Trevor Eckhart

Carrier IQ (CIQ) sells rootkit software included on many US handsets sold on Sprint, Verizon and more. Devices supported include android phones, Blackberries, Nokias, Tablet devices and more.

From carrieriq.com:

Carrier IQ is the market leader in Mobile Service Intelligence solutions that have revolutionized the way mobile operators and device vendors gather and manage information from end users.

Recognizing the phone as an integral part of a mobile service delivery, and using the device to measure key parameters of service quality and usage, the Carrier IQ solution gives you the unique ability to analyze in detail usage scenarios and fault conditions by type, location, application and network performance while providing you with a detailed insight into the mobile experience as delivered at the handset rather than simply the state of the network components carrying it.

From http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/01/htc-sensation-and-evo-3d-revealed-to-be-spying-on-users/

Carrier IQ is used to understand what problems customers are having with our network or devices so we can take action to improve service quality.

It collects enough information to understand the customer experience with devices on our network and how to devise solutions to use and connection problems. We do not and cannot look at the contents of messages, photos, videos, etc., using this tool

Great! Less dropped calls, better network experience. It sounds good on the surface. I was also able to obtain a stock copy of carrier IQ before it gets modified by third parties, and it has surveys users can fill out if they get a dropped call, browser ends unexpectedly, etc. It makes its presence known by putting a checkmark in the status bar. This could potentially be pretty useful information from a network administration standpoint, and is made clear to users its running. Unfortunately this is not always the real world case, it can be modified to be completely hidden.

What does CarrierIQ do?

Carrier IQ is able to query any metric from a device. A metric can be a dropped call because of lack of service. The scope of the word metric is very broad though, including device type, such as manufacturer and model, available memory and battery life, the type of applications resident on the device, the geographical location of the device, the end user’s pressing of keys on the device, usage history of the device, including those that characterize a user’s interaction with a device. (Fromhttp://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20110106942)

Carrier IQ software, which consists of embedded software on mobile devices and server-side analytics applications, enables mobile operators and device OEMs to understand in detail a wide range of performance and usage characteristics of mobile services and devices. These include both network-facing services such as core voice and data offerings, as well as non-network-facing capabilities such as music players, cameras and other side loaded media, in order to assist with product and service development and roll-out. (From http://www.carrieriq.com/company/PR.CIQ-SeriesC.2009-01-27.pdf )

When is information logged?

Gathering information from the training videos, we see everything is broken down into two categories – Metrics and Triggers.

Metrics appears to be what data to log/send when a trigger is encountered. From the functions we have found already on our devices we knew the list was big, but even the below list only begins to scratch the surface.

Triggers appear to be when to collect metrics. For example when a user installs or opens an app any given metric can be called getting information. When a user browses a webpage HTTP header information can be grabbed along with detailed information on the page, or CarrierIQ can log keypresses made on what webpage. When location is changed the phone can report in. When a call is placed or data is started any metrics can be queried. There is alot more, these are just what was shown in public documents. These triggers seem to be menu items shown in the hidden Carrier IQ Test UI.

Known triggers found on HTC Phones:

Key in HTCDialer Pressed or Keyboard Keys pressed:
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.ui01

App Opened –
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.ui15

Sms Received –
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.smsnotify

Screen Off/On –
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.ui02

Call Received –
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.ui15

Media Statistics –
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.mp03

Location Statistics –
Intent – com.htc.android.iqagent.action.lc30

Known Samsung triggers provided by XDA member k0nane :

UI01: screen tapped in any location, or InputMethod (any soft keyboard) key pressed.

NT10: HTTP request read.

NT0F: HTTP request send.

UI11: unknown, located in the View class, which has its own IQClientThreadRunnable subclass.

AL34: loading started in a browser frame – URL.

AL35: loading started in a browser frame – data receive begin and end, page render begin and end.

AL36: data length.
(The above two are also found in LoadListener and WebViewCore classes. Web metrics are not found on the Skyrocket, but are on the Epic 4G and Epic 4G Touch.)

HW03: battery status changed. (Also not found on Skyrocket.)

How does Carrier IQ work?

As mentioned before, Carrier IQ is rootkit software. It listens on the phones for commands contained in “tasking profiles” sent a number of ways and returns whatever “metric” was asked for.

Profile transmission can occur in a variety of ways, including “pushing” the data collection profile to the target device, sending a message, such as an SMS, to the target device prompting it to retrieve the data collection profile, and preparing the data collection profile for download the next time the target device contacts SQP 201 such as when it uploads a metrics package. Such profile transmission to the SQC 402 residing on the target device(s) may be achieved using any of a variety of transport mechanisms and standards including Short Message Service (“SMS”), Hypertext Transport Protocol (“HTTP”), Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure (“HTTPS”), Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”) Push, IP-based Over-the-Air (IOTA) protocol, OMA/DM, or other protocols that are known in the art or that may be developed in the future. From (http://www.patents.com/us-7609650.html)

IQ Insight Experience Manager uses data directly from the mobile device to give a

precise view of how the services and the applications are being used, even if the

phone is not communicating with the network. (From http://www.carrieriq.com/company/PR.Experience_Manager.CTIA-09.090325.pdf )

See the below process flow

So theres a remote portal?

From training documents found we get an insight to the Carrier IQ Portal. Devices are displayed to the portal operator by individual phone Equipment ID and Subscriber IDs. The “portal administrator” can put devices into categories and see devices in California that have dropped calls at 5pm.

The down side to all of this is the “portal administrator” is also able to “task” a single phone with a profile containing any combinations of metric and trigger. From leaked training documents we can see that portal operators can view and task metrics by equipment ID, subscriber ID, and more. So instead of seeing dropped calls in California, they now know “Joe Anyone’s” location at any given time, what he is running on his device, keys being pressed, applications being used.

Why do you keep calling CarrierIQ a rootkit?

The definition of rootkit from wikipedia is exactly what CarrierIQ is.

A rootkit is software that enables continued privileged access to a computer while actively hiding its presence from administrators by subverting standard operating system functionality or other applications. The term rootkit is a concatenation of “root” (the traditional name of the privileged account on Unix operating systems) and the word “kit” (which refers to the software components that implement the tool)

CarrierIQ as seen in real world usage (HTC Devices especially) is nothing like the stock copies shown on the first page. All menus have been stripped, hiding it from users presence without advanced knowledge. The service also runs as user Root in ramdisk. It checks in to a server (or receives commands through other various access) with commands to allow someone undetected access.

Who is using this data?

Verizon has publicly came forward with a statement regarding their usage on Carrier IQ statistics and give users a way to stop them from selling the information outside of Verizon

https://email.vzwshop.com/servlet/website/ResponseForm?OSPECC_9_0_9hg_eLnHs_uhmpJLE

Verizon Wireless will use the following categories of information:

Mobile Usage Information:

Addresses of websites you visit when using our wireless service. These data strings (or URLs) may include search terms you have used
Location of your device (“Location Information”)
App and device feature usage

Consumer Information:

Information about your use of Verizon products and services (such as data and calling features, device type, and amount of use)
Demographic and interest categories provided to us by other companies, such as gender, age range, sports fan, frequent diner, or pet owner (“Demographics”)

Sprint is known to collect carrier IQ data because users have the application running reporting to them, but have no privacy policy, retention policy, or public information on what they use the data for.

Do we have to Opt-In to this collection? Can it be stopped?

Devices are automatically entered into using Carrier IQ. Samsung android devices have an on off switch, but it is not easily accessible or made known to users that it’s even there. HTC android devices have no such off switch. Even if you purchase a phone on eBay completely off of sprint, use it on wifi only, Sprint will still be enabled to task your device with metrics because of no available off switch and Carrier IQs aggressive reporting nature across multiple protocols.

It also should be noted all the surveys and user facing dialogs have been stripped besides the below screenshots which require advanced skills to access.

Samsung screenshots thanks to k0nane on XDA See the full post where he removed carrier IQ here

Detection / Removal:

There are a few advanced methods that can be used to detect Carrier IQ. Logging Test App scanner will detect it in the kernel (use Check Props Feature), as well files used in the regular Loggers scan. This will detect Carrier IQ regardless if you are rooted or not. You can also use this app to bring out hidden menus for known versions of CIQ clients.

The only way to remove Carrier IQ is with advanced skills. If you choose to void your warranty and unlock your bootloader you can (mostly) remove Carrier IQ. Logging Test App can identify files used in logging and you can manually patch or use Pro version to automatically remove."

It must be the accent

2011-11-26T20:49:00.001+00:00

Microsoft’s Craig Mundie shoved his foot knee deep in his mouth this week when he said that Siri was nothing special, and Microsoft’s own voice capabilities have been around for over a year. The reason for Siri’s success? Marketing, of course.

People are infatuated with Apple announcing it. It’s good marketing, but at least as the technological capability you could argue that Microsoft has had a similar capability in Windows Phones for more than a year, since Windows Phone 7 was introduced.

To be fair, Siri isn’t even about the Voice Recognition, it is what the iPhone does with it. The voice recognition is outsourced to Nuance’s engine. The Microsoft Phone barely made it to the point where you could make sense out of what its engine produced.

If you were Microsoft, would you rather Mundie be so out of touch with the technology he is talking about that he can’t tell the difference, or that he’s just flat out shamelessly lying?

A New Blog

2011-11-25T09:28:00.001+00:00

Readers!

I'm pleased to inform you that I have another blog named www.gadget-in-gadget.blogspot.com where I post the articles about new software that is used in new gadgets.

I hope you will like!

The Facebook Phone: It’s Finally Real and Its Name Is Buffy

2011-11-22T19:13:00.001+00:00

After years of considering how to best get into the phone business, Facebook has tapped Taiwanese cellphone maker HTC to build a smartphone that has the social network integrated at the core of its being.

Code-named “Buffy,” after the television vampire slayer, the phone is planned to run on a modified version of Android that Facebook has tweaked heavily to deeply integrate its services, as well as to support HTML5 as a platform for applications, according to sources familiar with the project.

Facebook only recently chose HTC, after also considering at least one other potential hardware partner — Korea’s Samsung. That means the products themselves are still a ways from hitting the market, potentially as long as 12 to 18 months.

Although it has changed scope and leadership, Buffy has been an ongoing area of concern at the social networking giant for the past two years. These days, the project is led by Facebook CTO Bret Taylor, several sources said.

A spokesman for Facebook declined to comment on Buffy directly, but told:

Our mobile strategy is simple: We think every mobile device is better if it is deeply social. We’re working across the entire mobile industry; with operators, hardware manufacturers, OS providers, and application developers to bring powerful social experiences to more people around the world.

HTC also declined to comment.

Mobile is critical to Facebook’s future. And moving directly into the phone business, while fraught with challenges, may well be essential for the company.

Facebook says it has 350 million active mobile users, and relationships with 475 global mobile operators. Although it is one of the most popular applications on nearly every phone for which it is available, the social network generally plays only a supporting role.

In many cases, Facebook is just an app where people can view their friends’ feeds and upload their own photos and status updates. In other cases, Facebook has worked to take things a step further, allowing users to upload photos directly from the picture-taking app, or to integrate Facebook contacts with the phone’s address book.

But the fight for mobile control is only getting more fierce. Google and Apple run the two major smartphone operating systems, giving Facebook little say over its mobile destiny.

Apple has fought to maintain strict control over payments within its mobile apps, even if those apps run off of Facebook’s platform, and it also made Twitter its social partner. Google is increasingly a direct competitor, as it is working to promote and integrate its own social network, Google+, across all its products.

The Buffy project represents a significant shift for Facebook, which has focused much of its mobile work on light collaborations with hardware makers looking to create more socially-oriented phones. The partnership with HTC is the latest incarnation of the long-running project, whose twists and turns we’ll detail in an upcoming story in this series.

HTC is one of several companies that have built phones with a dedicated Facebook button, having introduced the Salsa and ChaCha earlier this year. AT&T has sold a version of the ChaCha, dubbed the Status. Others, including Inq Mobile and Motorola, have also developed phones with dedicated Facebook buttons.

And France Telecom’s Orange unit last week announced a series of Facebook-centric phones aimed at emerging markets in Europe and Africa.

With Buffy, though, the integration will go much deeper, bringing friends and social activities deep into the mobile interface.

“Mobile devices are inherently social,” Taylor himself said at an industry conference earlier this year.

That pronouncement has to be awfully tempting for him to turn into reality.

Gartner Says Sales of Mobile Devices Grew 5.6 Percent in Third Quarter of 2011; Smartphone Sales Increased 42 Percent

2011-11-15T18:06:00.001+00:00

Worldwide sales of mobile devices totaled 440.5 million units in the third quarter of 2011, up 5.6 percent from the same period last year, according to Gartner, Inc. Non-smartphone devices performed well, driven by demand in emerging markets for low-cost devices from white-box manufacturers, and for dual-subscriber identity module (SIM) devices.

Sales into the channel reached 460 million units. Gartner analysts said this increase was because of inventory build-up in the channel partly because of the shipping of new devices late in the quarter but mostly to prepare the channel for the holiday season. Gartner expects most of the build-up to be sold by the first quarter of 2012.

"Our forecast for the end of the year remains broadly in line at a worldwide level as regions such as Asia/Pacific and the Middle East and Africa make up for weaker performance in the Western European market," said Annette Zimmermann, principal analyst at Gartner based in Munich.

Smartphone sales to end users reached 115 million units in the third quarter of 2011, up 42 percent from the third quarter of 2010. Sequentially, smartphone sales slowed to 7 percent growth from the second quarter of 2011 to the third quarter of 2011. Smartphone sales accounted for 26 percent of all mobile phone sales, growing only marginally from 25 percent in the previous quarter.

Strong smartphone growth in China and Russia helped increase overall volumes in the quarter, but demand for smartphones stalled in advanced markets such as Western Europe and the U.S. as many users waited for new flagship devices featuring new versions of the key operating systems," said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner. "Slowdowns also occurred in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa."

"Some consumers held off upgrading in the third quarter because they were waiting for promotions on other new high-end models that were launched in the run-up to the fourth quarter holiday season," Ms. Cozza said. "Other consumers were waiting for a rumored new iPhone and associated price cuts on older iPhone models; this affected U.S. sales particularly."

Despite a drop in market share, Nokia continued to be the worldwide leader in mobile device sales as it accounted for 23.9 percent of global sales (see Table 1). The second quarter of 2011 was the low point for Nokia, and the third quarter brought signs of improvement. Dual-SIM phones in particular, and feature phones generally, maintained Nokia's momentum in emerging markets. Heavy marketing from both Nokia and Microsoft to push the new Lumia devices should bring more improvement in the fourth quarter of 2011. However, a true turnaround won't take place until the second half of 2012.

Table 1
Worldwide Mobile Device Sales to End Users by Vendor in 3Q11 (Thousands of Units)

Vendor	3Q11 Units	3Q11 Market Share (%)	3Q10 Units	3Q10 Market Share (%)
Nokia	105,353.5	23.9	117,461.0	28.2
Samsung	78,612.2	17.8	71,671.8	17.2
LG Electronics	21,014.6	4.8	27,478.7	6.6
Apple	17,295.3	3.9	13,484.4	3.2
ZTE	14,107.8	3.2	7,817.2	1.9
Research In Motion	12,701.1	2.9	12,508.3	3.0
HTC	12,099.9	2.7	6,494.3	1.6
Motorola	11,182.7	2.5	8,961.4	2.1
Huawei Device	10,668.2	2.4	5,478.1	1.3
Sony Ericsson	8,475.9	1.9	10,346.5	2.5
Others	148,990.9	33.8	135,384.1	32.5
Total	440,502.2	100	417,085.7	100

Source: Gartner (November 2011)

Samsung became the No. 1 smartphone manufacturer worldwide as sales to end users tripled year over year to reach 24 million; sell in was high as the channel built inventory. Samsung was the No. 1 smartphone manufacturer for the first time, ahead of Nokia in Western Europe and Asia. Gartner attributes this to the strong performance of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, which now cover a broad range of prices, and a weaker competitive market. Analysts expect more competition in the fourth quarter of 2011, not least because sales of the iPhone 4S, 4 and 3GS will capture share from Android manufacturers.

Apple shipped 17 million iPhones, an annual increase of 21 percent, but down nearly 3 million units from the second quarter of 2011 because of Apple's new device announcement in October. Gartner believes Apple will bounce back in the fourth quarter because of its strongest ever preorders for the iPhone 4S in the first weekend after its announcement. Markets such as Brazil, Mexico, Russia and China are becoming more important to Apple, representing 16 percent of overall sales and showing that the iPhone has a place in emerging markets, especially now that the 3GS and 4 have received price cuts.

The Android OS accounted for 52.5 percent of smartphone sales to end users in the third quarter of 2011 (see Table 2), more than doubling its market share from the third quarter of 2010.

"Android benefited from more mass-market offerings, a weaker competitive environment and the lack of exciting new products on alternative operating systems such as Windows Phone 7 and RIM," Ms. Cozza said. "Apple's iOS market share suffered from delayed purchases as consumers waited for the new iPhone. Continued pressure is impacting RIM's performance, and its smartphone share reached its lowest point so far in the U.S. market, where it dropped to 10 percent."

Table 2
Worldwide Smartphone Sales to End Users by Operating System in 3Q11 (Thousands of Units)

Operating System	3Q11 Units	3Q11 Market Share (%)	3Q10 Units	3Q10 Market Share (%)
Android	60,490.4	52.5	20,544.0	25.3
Symbian	19,500.1	16.9	29,480.1	36.3
iOS	17,295.3	15.0	13,484.4	16.6
Research In Motion	12,701.1	11.0	12,508.3	15.4
Bada	2,478.5	2.2	920.6	1.1
Microsoft	1,701.9	1.5	2,203.9	2.7
Others	1,018.1	0.9	1,991.3	2.5
Total	115,185.4	100	81,132.6	100

Source: Gartner (November 2011)

Intel to launch new CPUs for tablet PCs in 2012

2011-11-14T11:28:00.001+00:00

Intel reportedly plans to overhaul its product roadmap for 2012, with its Medfield CPUs focusing on handset applications, while developing a new CPU lineup exclusively for tablet PCs, according to industry sources. The Medfield CPUs originally designed to target both the handset and tablet PC sectors.

The launch of new tablet processors from Intel aims to take on ARM's CPUs, especially in terms of thermal design power (TDP) and performance, the sources indicated.

The TDP ratings of Intel's new CPUs for smartphones and tablet PCs will be lowered to 10W in the next two years with the manufacturing processes of new chips to be upgraded every year, instead of a span of two years currently, said the sources.

Intel plans to launch 32nm Saltwell, 22nm Silvermont and 14nm Airmont chipsets in the next three years, the sources revealed.

Notebooks players bid on both Intel and ARM

2011-11-14T11:21:00.001+00:00

As ARM has been aggressively cutting into the notebook industry, where Intel has dominated for a while, notebook players are adopting a strategy to bid on both ARM and Intel platforms to help increase their chances of outperforming Apple, while the competition between Intel and ARM will also provide them bargaining chips over quotes and supplies, according to sources from notebook players.

The sources pointed out that Intel is currently focusing on improving the power consumption of its processors, while ARM is enhancing its performance. Since ARM is cooperating with Microsoft, and Intel with Google, multiple choices of platform will mean a single platform will no longer dominate the market, and competition will also force the upstream giants to provide a wider range of options to their downstream partners.

Although ARM is still unlikely to catch up with Intel in terms of processor performance in the next 2-3 years, since ARM's products will eventually catch up with Intel, if Intel is unable to successfully cut into the smartphone and the tablet PC markets, while defending the notebook market with its ultrabooks in the next two years, Intel may face its biggest crisis yet in 2013, about half a year after Windows 8 is launched, the sources estimated.

iPod nano (1st generation) Replacement Program

2011-11-14T11:01:00.001+00:00

Apple has determined that, in very rare cases, the battery in the iPod nano (1st generation) may overheat and pose a safety risk. Affected iPod nanos were sold between September 2005 and December 2006.

This issue has been traced to a single battery supplier that produced batteries with a manufacturing defect. While the possibility of an incident is rare, the likelihood increases as the battery ages.

Apple recommends that you stop using your iPod nano (1st gen) and follow the process noted below to order a replacement unit, free of charge.

Note: This battery issue is specific to the iPod nano (1st gen) and does not affect any other iPod.

Replacement Process

You may order a replacement unit via the web. Click here to begin.

Your iPod nano serial number will be checked to verify that it is eligible for this program. You will receive a replacement unit approximately 6 weeks after we receive your current iPod nano (1st gen).

If you have a personalized iPod nano, you will receive a non-personalized replacement. Make sure to use iTunes to back up any data on your current iPod nano before sending it in for a replacement unit.

Additional Information

Identifying an iPod nano (1st gen):

It has a black or white plastic front and a silver metal back - later iPod nano models have a metal front and back. See images on this web page.

If you need assistance with placing an order, please visit an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) and bring your iPod nano with you for serial number validation.

Your replacement iPod product is warranted to be free from defects for 90 days from the date of service.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime: first 4-cores tablet on the market

2011-11-10T19:16:00.000+00:00

Asus has officially launched the the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, the Zenbook-like tablet/keyboard combo which is the follow-up the the Asus Eee Pad Transformer.

It was less than three weeks ago that Asus CEO Jonney Shih revealed the new tablet on stage at AllThingsD's AsiaD conference, but now Asus has revealed the full list of specs.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be the first device to ship with Nvidia's new Tegra 3 processor, which was also officially launched today, and promises five times the performance of Tegra 2 . The Transformer Prime won't be available immediately as some had expected, but will be hitting stores early next month.

The quad-core Tegra 3 processor will be back up by 1GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. The tablet has also been slimmed down to just 8.3mm but still promises a battery life of 12 hours - or up to 18 hours with the added battery in the new dock.

Other hardware improvements see an 8 megapixel camera on the rear with a flash, f2.4 lens and a back illuminated CMOS sensor - with the ability to record 1080p video. There is also a 1.4 megapixel camera on the front.

The screen has also been given a boost, with the 10.1in 1280x800 display now using Super IPS+ technology which claims to be a lot brighter for better outdoor use. Asus SonicMaster sound technology has also been included.

The dock and tablet have been designed with the Zenbook aesthetic in mind and when closed will look very like a smaller version of the UX21 or UX31. The tablet will come in both amethyst gray (gray and purple) and champagne gold (silver and gold) and is designed to resist water and oil thanks to a hydro-oleophobic coating, making it fingerprint resistant.

Unfortunately there's no Ice Cream Sandwich at launch with the Honeycomb (3.2) version of Android available instead - however Asus has said that the updated version of Android would be available soon after launch.

Pricing is of course a very big issue when it comes to tablets, and the Transformer Prime 32GB edition will cost $499 when it hits shelves in early December while the keyboard dock will set you back a further $149. The larger 64GB model will cost $599.

Nice prices!

Utah-built robot safeguards the workplace

2011-11-07T14:22:00.000+00:00

SALT LAKE CITY -- Visualize a robot that can mirror your exact movements, but with remarkable strength and dexterity.

Utah's premier robot builders have come up with yet another machine that could change the way humans work in dangerous environments.

Engineers at Raytheon-Sarcos in Salt Lake City demonstrated a unique set of tele-operated robotic arms attached to a modified Ditch Witch. With no training at all, one immediately meshes with the feelings and actions of the machine. It mirrored everything one does with their arms, wrists and shoulders.

As Vice President of Operations Fraser Smith describes, "every way you move, your three degrees of freedom in your wrist, the one in your elbow and the three in your shoulder --the slave arms can move the same way you do."

The robot translates movements with what is called "force reflection." In the hands of the machine is incredible strength and agility, depending on what is needed to fulfill the task at hand.

"Anything that slave encounters in terms of force is also fed back to the operator so he can actually feel what's happening in the workspace," said Smith. "With added strength, the operator doesn't need two or three guys trying to muscle something around. This thing just picks it up and dexterously positions the material."

Tele-operating sophisticated robots is not new to Raytheon-Sarcos. Sarcos engineers have been researching these systems for years.

In fact, KSL was on site in 2007 to watch a demo of what is called the Exoskelton. It too mirrored the movements of its human operator, but in this case, he was actually encased in the innards of the machine. As KSL reported then, the Exoskeleton someday might give a soldier more protection, strength and endurance while in combat.

And robots continue to capture our imagination. The new movie "Real Steel," now in theatres, dramatizes how humans train a machine to fight like a boxer in the ring. Smith said while teaching it so it remembers is not quite here, the technology for tele-operating such a robot is already available.

In the real world though, engineers see these kind of robots not as entertainers but as helpmates in the workplace to keep humans out of harm's way.

Imagine assembling heavy pipe to pull radioactive water away from a damaged nuclear power plant. According to Smith, "things like Fukishima or Three Mile Island or Chernobyl are pretty inviting for these machines. There's simply no reason to put people at risk cleaning up these disasters."

The robotic arms can be built to stretch at any length and if needed, the human could operate the machine away from the hazardous site remotely.

"Those same controls used by the operator on-site could be taken off the machine and located in a room five miles away," Smith said. "The person would then be replaced by cameras and microphones that would provide stereo vision and stereo hearing."

In place of magnet hands to move tons of steel, robotic fingers could do delicate work with tiny materials.Versatility is what this technology is all about. In any heavy application, on or off the robot's platform, human strength would no longer be required as a prerequisite for the job. Man or woman could work an eight hour day muscling heavy stuff, and never come home exhausted.

"This opens a lot of jobs to women that otherwise would be closed just based on strength issues. It's a real equalizer," Smith said.

The Raytheon-Sarcos prototype apparently put on quite a show before an enthusiastic gathering of workers during a recent demo at the Newport News Shipyard in Virginia.

Off topics: interesting sites for fun & relaxation

2011-11-02T17:57:00.000+00:00

copypast.ru/holodilnik/calc.php

33radosti.ru/leto.html

button.dekel.ru/

book.fancy.kz/

dreamsboard.ru/

lady.mail.ru/recipe/selection?p.1=295&p.2

bomomo.com/

dl.dropbox.com/u/1926037/neave_imagination.swf

thisissand.com/

www.instantsfun.es/

www.incredibox.fr/- :D

www.colorflip.com/

handsonlycpr.org/symphony/?id=112345679b

totallifeforever.co.uk/ -

www.cesmes.fi/#boxSpin

ru.akinator.com/

oxcom.anarxi.st/chpok.swf

pleasurehunt.mymagnum.com/

www.biglongnow.com/

www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/slide.htm

children.kulichki.net/raznoe/t-reading/thought-readi...

csworld.fatal.ru/oblomov.html

adaptedstudio.com/sketch/airship/

www.maninthedark.com/

lovedbdb.com/nudemenClock/index2.html

cyberanne.livejournal.com/343610.html

www.yaplakal.com//fun/probka/voditeli.htm

www.simonpanrucker.com/beans.swf

Article III: Apple did acquire 3D Mapping company 3D Technologies

2011-10-30T11:29:00.000+00:00

Now, it seems that Apple was indeed the buyer of the company, according to 9to5Mac'ssources .

Sure enough, we have now learned Apple is now the owner of C3 Technologies. Sources say that C3 Technologies CEO Mattias Astrom , C3 Technologies CFO Kjell Cederstrand, and lead C3 Technologies Product Manager Ludvig Emgard are now working within Apple’s iOS division. The leading trio, along with most of the former C3 Technologies team, is still working as a team in Sweden (interestingly, the division is now called “Sputnik”), where the C3 Technologies company was located prior to the Apple acquisition.

C3 Technologies made a big splash at CES 2011 when it began demoing its technology on both Android and iOS devices. The company uses formerly classified missile targeting technology to achieve its impressive 3D mapping effects. The company's official YouTube videos have been pulled, but some examples remain. This video shows a flythrough of Oslo, Norway (video improperly labeled):

Another example of New York City with overlays is on YouTube . And here's a demo of the technology running on an early iPad version:

The technology had also been previously licensed by Yell.com and Nokia .

Apple's interest in the technology is obvious. The company has been dependent on Google's mapping technology for their iOS devices, but has been steadily making acquisitions to replace that technology. Apple has been heavily recruiting for their Geo Team and has even revealed in iOS 5 that they are planning their own full mapping solution.

Article II: 3D Mapping Company C3 Technologies Acquired by...Someone

2011-10-30T11:20:00.003+00:00

Swedish 3D mapping company C3 Technologies appears to have been acquired in July. Saab AB announced in July that it had completely divested itself of its 57.8% stake in the company for approximately $150 million US dollars. Meanwhile, C3's website has since been completely shut down though portions of it remain in Google's cache.

Realtime map screenshot from C3 Technologies

Nyteknik.se reports only that the buyer is a western company.

We have promised not to say who the buyer is. But there are no Chinese or other Asian companies. It is a company in the Western world, says one of Saab today after the deal is worth 1 billion.

That opens the door to one of many companies, but certainly the big players such as Apple, Microsoft and Google are the prime candidates.

C3 Technologies made a big splash in January at CES 2011 when it began demoing its technology on both Android and iOS devices.

Impressive videos include a 3d map of Hoover Dam, and Flythrough of Oslo.

Unfortunately, it's not known which company has purchased the technology, though with the complete removal of C3's website, it seems the buyer has uses for the technology beyond just supplying app developers an SDK for its use. It was only possible to find one link with one Nyteknik.se commenter claiming that they "happen to know it was Apple!".

The final story you can find here or you can read the first article of the series here.

Article I: Ultrasharp 3-D Maps

2011-10-30T11:12:00.000+00:00

Hello, dear Reader!

Here's the first article in the series of articles about technology developed by 3D Mapping Company C3 Technologies (you already can read the second article and third one of this series).

Let's start.

Technology originally developed to help missiles home in on targets has been adapted to create 3-D color models of cityscapes that capture the shapes of buildings to a resolution of 15 centimeters or less. Image-processing software distills the models from aerial photos captured by custom packages of multiple cameras.

The developer is C3 Technologies, a spinoff from Swedish aerospace company Saab. C3 is building a store of eye-popping 3-D models of major cities to license to others for mapping and other applications. The first customer to go public with an application is Nokia, which used the models for 20 U.S. and European cities for an upgraded version of its Ovi online and mobile mapping service released last week. "It's the start of the flying season in North America, and we're going to be very active this year," says Paul Smith, C3's chief strategy officer.

Although Google Earth shows photorealistic buildings in 3-D for many cities, many are assembled by hand, often by volunteers, using a combination of photos and other data in Google's SketchUp 3-D drawing program.

C3's models are generated with little human intervention. First, a plane equipped with a custom-designed package of professional-grade digital single-lens reflex cameras takes aerial photos. Four cameras look out along the main compass points, at oblique angles to the ground, to image buildings from the side as well as above. Additional cameras (the exact number is secret) capture overlapping images from their own carefully determined angles, producing a final set that contains all the information needed for a full 3D rendering of a city's buildings. Machine-vision software developed by C3 compares pairs of overlapping images to gauge depth, just as our brains use stereo vision, to produce a richely detailed 3D model.

"Unlike Google or Bing, all of our maps are 360° explorable," says Smith, "and everything, every building, every tree, every landmark, from the city center to the suburbs, is captured in 3-D—not just a few select buildings."

VIDEO

C3's approach has benefits relative to more established methods of modeling cityscapes in 3-D, says Avideh Zakhor, a UC Berkeley professor whose research group developed technology licensed by Google for its Google Earth and Street View projects. Conventionally, a city's 3-D geometry is captured first with an aerial laser scanner—a technique called LIDAR—and then software adds detail.

"The advantage of C3's image-only scheme is that aerial LIDAR is significantly more expensive than photography, because you need powerful laser scanners," says Zakhor. "In theory, you can cover more area for the same cost." However, the LIDAR approach still dominates because it is more accurate, she says. "Using photos alone, you always need to manually correct errors that it makes," says Zakhor. "The 64-million-dollar question is how much manual correction C3 needs to do."

Smith says that C3's technique is about "98 percent" automated, in terms of the time it takes to produce a model from a set of photos. "Our computer vision software is good enough that there is only some minor cleanup," he says. "When your goal is to map the entire world, automation is essential to getting this done quickly and with less cost." He claims that C3 can generate richer models than its competitors, faster.

Images of cities captured by C3 do appear richer than those in Google Earth, and Smith says the models will make mapping apps more functional as well as better-looking. "Behind every pixel is a depth map, so this is not just a dumb image of the city," says Smith. On a C3 map, it is possible to mark an object's exact location in space, whether it's a restaurant entrance or 45th-story window.

C3 has also developed a version of its camera package to gather ground-level 3-D imagery and data from a car, boat, or Segway. This could enable the models to compete with Google's Street View, which captures only images. C3 is working on taking the technology indoors to map buildings' interiors and connect them with its outdoor models.

Smith says that augmented-reality apps allowing a phone or tablet to blend the virtual and real worlds are another potential use. "We can help pin down real-world imagery very accurately to solve the positioning problem," he says. However, the accuracy of cell phones' positioning systems will first have to catch up with that of C3's maps. Cell phones using GPS can typically locate themselves to within tens of meters, not tens of centimeters.

Read next article of this series.

Updates: iOS vs Android

2011-10-28T09:10:00.002+01:00

Thankfully to a blogger Michael DeGusta you can analyze Android and iPhone update history that means which devices support the newest version of OSs and which are not (degree of devices updatability).

Apple is a winner.

I’m Watch for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, WP7: Price & Specs

2011-10-27T15:32:00.000+01:00

If you are looking for an accessory that not only looks great but also works really well with smartphones, may I take this time to talk about the new I’m Watch by Blue Sky. These Android-based watches by the Blue Sky group look fantastic and are compatible with the iPhone 4, ALL Android devices, Windows Phone 7 (WP7) and BlackBerry devices, the watches do run a customized version of Android (Android 1.6). Personally they could have had a better operating system but hey ho it is a start.

The lowest price of the I’m Watch is 249 euro and for this price you can choose an array of colours such as the i’m White, Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Pink, or Black, these are the affordable models. You can opt for the more expensive I’m watches and these are the Titanium for 599€, Yellow Gold 11.999€, Pink Gold 11.999€, White Gold & Diamonds for a whopping 14.999€, the Black Gold is priced at 11.999€, and would hate to think what the price of the i’m Special version is (only with luxury materials) and you can get price upon request.

The user places this watch on their wrist and can access the application suite via their smartphone, basically a miniature version of your smartphone on your wrist; it uses the same sort of touch-based controls like your smartphone. The screen size is 1.54-inch but allows you to access photos, email, music and much more, comes with a headphone jack and volume controls on the side.

The watch works with the smartphone via Bluetooth connection, you can even access screen calls on the watch, you can receive text message notifications, the watch does not have a keyboard so no typing can be done.

You can pre-order i’m watch select via Blue Sky official i’m Watch website, these will be release top market in November 2011.

The Main Specs Include: Freescale IMX233 CPU, 64MB of memory, run up to 48 continuous hours without Bluetooth use, and 30 hours with Bluetooth use, built-in Li-Po 350 mA battery, 4GB flash storage, this watch does not have WiFi connection, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Android based operating system, 3.5 mm headphone connection, Microphone, Built-in speaker, 1.54-inch (diagonal) colour TFT display, 240×240 pixel resolution, 220 ppi, compatible with iPhone 4, Android devices, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, and much more.

Languages: English (U.S.), English (UK), French (France), German, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Arabic, Thai, Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Indonesian, Malay, Romanian, Slovak, Croatian, Catalan and Vietnamese.

Nokia Lumia 800 vs. iPhone 4S and HTC Titan comparison photos

2011-10-26T17:12:00.000+01:00

Nokia introduced two new Windows Phones today, the Lumia 800 and 710, with the former sporting the N9′s physical design, gorgeous curved screen, and “pillowy” shape. We had to put that slick new contender up against the modern competition and could think of nothing better than the previous headline grabber on the Windows Phone front, HTC’s Titan, and Apple’s ever-popular iPhone (the 4S model, of course). When getting to grips with the Lumia 800, we feel just as comfortable as we did with the N9, and we still consider its rounded profile easier to handle than the iPhone and a few miles ahead of the Titan in terms of ergonomics. The AMOLED display works very well with Microsoft’s black-dominated Metro interface and the live tiles seem to float atop the screen. Pixel density is starkly better than on the Titan, that’s a given, but the effect in person is even more pronounced than in the photos. Still, you’re probably here for the eye candy first and foremost — find it in the gallery just after the break.

Nokia Lumia 800 against the world: specs comparison

2011-10-26T17:01:00.003+01:00

The Nokia Lumia 800 has finally been announced and it's the "first real Windows Phone," as Stephen Elop himself put it. But fancy words aside, what does it really hide under that beautiful pillow-shaped display? The guts are what really matters in the Android world, but even the iPhone has jumped into dual-core territory.

The Lumia 800 however stays single-core with a 1.4GHz Snapdragon MSM8255 processor. Nonetheless, we shouldn't just judge a book by its cover, nor a phone by its specs. We've seen that the first wave of Windows Phone might have seemed underpowered compared to the well specced competition, but still managed to deliver a flawless, buttery smooth experience.

We don't expect this to have changed much in the Nokia Lumia 800, but we couldn't resist the urge to put its technical details alongside its biggest competitors on iOS and Android: the iPhone 4S, the Samsung GALAXY Nexus, the Motorola DROID RAZR and the Samsung Galaxy S II. Do you consider it capable of competing with those heavyweights? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

iPhone 4S Review

2011-10-26T16:57:00.000+01:00

Reviewing the iPhone 4S is in many ways a lot like reviewing the original iPhone 4, except that it’s not. The device, which was just announced at a special event on Apple’s campus, is very much the same phone the company released in June of 2010 — but it’s also something completely new.

While much of that sameness comes from an identical physical appearance, and nearly identical specs (in some places), there’s much that’s fresh here. Besides packing the successor to Apple’s custom A4 CPU (appropriately dubbed the A5) inside, the iPhone 4S also sports an upgraded rear camera, an improved antenna design, and a new internal radio that allows the device to perform double duty on both CDMA and GSM networks.

In reality, however, the hardware is only half the story. Maybe not even half. The introduction of the iPhone 4S marks the introduction of iOS 5 as well. The new operating system is loaded with big improvements, from notifications to how your device connects to your computer. Packed with major features like iCloud integration and an innovative, voice-activated “intelligent assistant” named Siri, it’s not unfair to consider this one of the most meaningful updates to iOS we’ve ever seen.

For a phone that’s already being touted as one of Apple’s fastest-sellers, it’s hard to even suggest that the iPhone 4S won’t be a success. But beyond pure market excitement, is there enough in this new device to stand up to a steady wave of competition — some of which is awfully fierce? I’ll try to answer that question in my review below, so read on for the whole story.

Hardware / design

As I stated pretty clearly in the opening paragraph of this review, there isn’t anything notable about the exterior of the iPhone 4S in comparison with the company’s previous flagship phone. Really, if you’ve ever seen an iPhone 4 or even looked at photos, you will have a crystal clear idea of what this phone is like.

That said, the iPhone 4 design does stand the test of time (or 16 months in this case). Compared with most (if not all) of its Android competition, this industrial design looms tall. Though enthusiasts might be bored of seeing the same hardware for more than a year, this still feels like the phone to beat in the looks department. The glass back — while incredibly prone to shattering on impact — feels as sleek and sexy as ever. The metal antenna and solid, machined buttons feel high-end, expensive even. If this were a car, it would be a Mercedes.

It’s kind of incredible when you think about it. Competing phone-makers have had more than a year (a lot more considering the leaked photos of the iPhone 4 prior to its release) to best this design, and yet no one really has. As frustrating as it is to say this, no other phone on the market comes close to this level of craftsmanship, materials, or considered design.

The iPhone 4S may not be the most resilient phone in the world (I’ve broken two original iPhone 4 backs in accidental drops), but it probably is the most beautiful.

Internals / display

Unlike the exterior, there are obvious improvements when it comes to the phone’s internal components. As I mentioned, the device utilizes the dual-core A5 CPU (the same as in the iPad 2), and based on spec monitoring software on the phone, it’s clocked at 800MHz. That’s not to say it feels slow, however. The device has 512MB of RAM onboard, which came as a bit of a surprise considering that’s the same number as the iPad 2 and original iPhone 4. You can purchase the phone in 16GB ($199 on-contract), 32GB ($299), or 64GB ($399) variations — I tested the 64GB model.

For radios, the phone has that dual-mode CDMA / GSM chipset (most likely Qualcomm’s MDM6600), Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0. The phone also touts a digital compass, GPS chip, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, and three-axis gyroscope. But you knew that already, didn’t you?

The rear camera has been massively improved — and that’s saying a lot considering the original iPhone 4 sensor and lens were a pretty lethal combo. The iPhone 4S now has an 8 megapixel sensor and improved optics which the company claims delivers point and shoot quality photos. The phone is also capable of handling 1080p video. The front-facing camera remains unchanged from the iPhone 4, however, clocking in at a measly VGA resolution. I’ve got more on the rear camera below, of course.

The display on the 4S is Apple’s well regarded 960 x 640 Retina Display, and it looks no less impressive now than it did when the iPhone 4 was first released. One thing I did note, however, was how much less contrast-heavy the screen looks in comparison to the previous model. The iPhone 4S has a noticeably different color tone, and blacks seem far less dark. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; when comparing Dead Space (a pretty dark game) side-by-side, I found the iPhone 4S display more eye-pleasing. Still, the newer screen definitely has a slightly more green-tinted, washed-out look compared with the older device.

Otherwise, the phone is unchanged. I wish there were more to say about the differences between this model and its predecessor, but the changes are simply very subtle. There’s no LTE here, no larger screen, no new body design, no set of stereo speakers, it doesn’t do 3D, and Apple didn’t add a kickstand. Let’s just say it was pretty easy to take this device on the street for testing.

Still, the iPhone 4S is a gorgeous device with impressive specs. On paper, it may not stand up to the latest and greatest Android phone with 4G radios, a massive screen, and a screaming 1.5GHz dual-core CPU — but in use, it’s easily one of the most capable handsets on the market.

Cameras

Apple made a pretty big deal out of the new camera on the rear of the iPhone 4S, and after testing it for a few days, I understand why.

The iPhone 4 has 5 megapixel shooter which — when it was introduced — was touted as being superior to other smartphone cameras. This was thanks to a bigger sensor which let an increased amount of photon information pass through the lens (a point Steve Jobs went to great lengths to explain at WWDC in 2010). There was no question that the iPhone 4 camera was an excellent shooter, but in comparison to the iPhone 4S, it’s old news.

The sensor is not only larger on the new iPhone, but Apple has further tweaked the optics to deliver better results, even in low-light settings. The company has updated the backside illumination sensor, added a fifth lens element, and increased the aperture to f/2.4 — all of which sounds more interesting if you’re a camera fanatic. Even if you’re not, however, the improvements are obvious the second you start snapping pictures.

The iPhone 4S took some of the nicest, cleanest photos I’ve ever seen from a mobile device. If you’ve ever thought about using a phone as a replacement for your point-and-shoot, feel free to start taking that concept seriously. The 4S produced crisp, balanced, colorful photos that were surprisingly low-noise and never over-saturated. The iPhone 4 sometimes seemed to be compensating for its limitations by exaggerating colors, but the iPhone 4S looks and feels like a real camera capturing true images.

You can see by this lower light comparison that the iPhone 4S’ sensor is a vast improvement over the previous model.

The macro focus on the lens was particularly impressive, allowing me to grab subjects (including really gross insects) at extremely close ranges. I did have some minor issues with the focus not wanting to take in some situations, but that may have had more to do with the focal limitations of the small lens than anything else.

As far as video is concerned, it should come as no surprise that Apple has done a similarly excellent job here too. The iPhone 4S captures full 1080p content, and does so with the same crispness and polish that it lends to its still photos. Apple has introduced a number of improvements on the video side, including image stabilization, and it shows when you’re shooting even relatively fast action. There’s not much to say except that Apple has improved on what was already a capable video solution, making it a full-fledged competitor for bulkier point-and-shoots or dedicated camcorders.

Reception / call quality

During the announcement in Cupertino, Apple made a point to call out the new (or rather, improved) antenna design on the iPhone 4S. The company claims the phone can “intelligently” switch between its two antennas providing better call quality (and presumably fewer dropped calls). In my testing, I did seem to be getting more bars more consistently, though it’s tough to say if it made any big difference in terms of call quality. As far as dropped calls were concerned, I certainly didn’t notice any pronounced issues while testing the phone in New York. I did have a few dropped calls, but I also have dropped calls on my Nexus S — so I’m a little more apt to blame the network than the device.

In terms of “death grip” worries, I was able to get the phone to start dropping bars if I tightly held it on both the bottom and top of the device (along the notches in the antenna). This is, of course, a totally absurd way to grip a phone. I never was able to really get the iPhone 4 to show a big drop in signal, so perhaps it requires a special touch.

The long and short of it is that in my testing with the iPhone 4S, I didn’t feel that it exhibited any behavior that wasn’t consistent with the performance of most devices I’ve used on AT&T’s network. On Verizon or Sprint, your mileage will obviously differ.

As far as download speeds are concerned, while Apple may boast about its improved HSDPA 14.4Mbps maximum, I didn’t see much of a boost in most places I tested the phone. At home with four out of five bars on 3G, I never saw my downstream peak above 2.2Mbps, while my upstream held solid at around 1.5Mbps. That’s consistent with other AT&T devices I’ve tested, but paltry compared with LTE devices I’ve used in the same spot. I’m sure there are some locations where you’ll see a bump, but just as with the previous phone, data rates are clearly limited by what the network can provide.

Battery life / performance

As with the iPhone 4, the 4S is definitely no slouch in the battery life department. In fact, Apple claims that the new phone is capable of an extra hour of talk time while on 3G. What the company is less vocal about is the fact that the phone has lost an hour of Wi-Fi browsing time.

In my real world testing of the device, those numbers seemed to balance each other out, and overall I found the battery performance of the phone to be impressive. Even after a heavy day of use (about 16 hours of making calls, browsing, downloading apps, syncing, listening to music, game playing, and more), I still had juice on the phone when I plugged it in before bed. The 4S is more than capable of going through a full business day without needing a charge, and if you’re a lighter user, you’ll rarely have to worry about it.

As far as processor performance is concerned, the iPhone 4S isn’t kidding around… though don’t expect mind-blowing speed differences between this device and its predecessor. In fact, when comparing a graphically intense game like Dead Space side-by-side, I didn’t notice a dramatic difference in frame rates. The 4S definitely had slightly less of the occasional stutter, but it wasn’t night and day.

On the other hand, apps seemed to open a little bit faster, and the camera response time is noticeably improved. The 4S is definitely a snappy device, but if you’re going from the last version to this, it feels like a tweak, not an overhaul. It’s possible that newer software (Infinity Blade 2, for instance) will take better advantage of the A5′s capabilities, but that remains to be seen.

Software

As I said in my intro, the big story with the iPhone 4S isn’t so much about the hardware as it is the software. iOS 5 is a huge update — maybe Apple’s biggest ever — and there’s lots to unpack. It’s also important to note that most of these improvements will be found on the iPad and iPad 2, iPod touch 3rd and 4th generation, iPhone 4, and iPhone 3GS — it’s not just the 4S that’s getting an update.

For starters, don’t expect a completely new look and feel to the operating system. iOS 5 is nearly identical to the last version of the OS, save for some pretty notable improvements in functionality.

The biggest and probably most desired (at least by more tech-savvy users) is improved notifications. Gone are the maddening, intrusive pop-over notifications we’ve been living with since the first version of iOS. Now when you get a message or new email, you see a notification at the top of your screen which doesn’t interfere with what you’re doing on the phone. You can swipe towards the left of the screen on these messages to make them disappear. Needless to say, this is a welcome change from older versions of the software.

Apple also takes a page right out of Android’s playbook and now utilizes an almost identical “window shade” to collect all of your notifications which you can open by swiping downward from the status bar. Inside the shade (Apple calls it the Notification Center), you’ll find updates from your apps (which you can order manually or by most recent), and Apple has even included a couple of widgets for weather and stock information. You can manage your notifications app-by-app, and touching one of the messages takes you to that application.

Apple has also introduced notifications on the lock screen. When an item appears on your list and the phone is locked, you can drag that specific notification across the screen to jump straight into the app. It’s actually pretty handy, though hardly an original concept. Samsung Android devices with TouchWiz do pretty much the same thing.

The company has also included a new messaging component to its standard crop of SMS and MMS messages called iMessage. This service is unique in that it works across devices (so the iPad and iPod touch get the app too), and it syncs your communications on all of the devices you use with the same account. Many people (including yours truly) have described this as a BBM killer — and in use it definitely feels that way.

Not only is the service free and works across 3G or Wi-Fi connections, but it does more than just send texts. You can include photos, videos, locations, and contacts, and it will tell you when messages have been read by the recipient or when they’re typing something back. Oh, and it’s really fast. Messages were delivered almost instantaneously. If you’re a BlackBerry user who’s been reluctant to leave because of BBM, this may be the piece that pushes you over the edge.

Apple has also added some new applications to the mix. Reminders is a to-do list with some extra functionality, like the ability to set locations as triggers for alerts. So you can tell the phone to remind you about something when you arrive or leave a specific location. It’s a pretty neat trick, though it takes some getting used to to make it a part of your workflow. The Reminders app also ties in nicely with Siri (a lot more on that in just a bit).

There’s also a new content app called Newsstand, which is like iBooks for periodicals. At the time of this writing, Apple hadn’t flipped the switch on the service yet, so I didn’t have a chance to test it out. When it is live, you’ll be able to get new issues of your favorite magazine or newspaper downloaded automatically to your device in the background.

The company has also made tons of little nips and tucks all over other pieces of the OS. Twitter integration is now built-in, so you can Tweet links, photos, or videos without having to jump into the app. The photos application has been updated to allow basic photo enhancement, red-eye reduction, and cropping.

Safari has been updated to include tabs in the iPad version, and is generally way faster on the iPhone 4S than pretty much any other mobile browser I’ve used. In a side-by-side comparison with the last generation iPhone, the 4S seems blazing. The new phone scored a 2246.8 in SunSpider, while the original iPhone 4 clocked in at just 3591.3. Apple has also added its own take on Instapaper for the browser called “Reading List,” which lets you save articles to read later in a cleaner text layout. It can also reformat a page you’re viewing in the browser to make it more streamlined (and interestingly, to compact a multi-page article into a single page).

Finally (and mercifully) Apple has cut the cord on syncing by adding Wi-Fi syncing options that let you manage your phone almost entirely without a cable attached. As long as you have the latest version of iTunes, you can sync apps, music, video and settings over your local network without plugging in. You have to set the service up using a cord to start, but then you’re able to access and sync your device whenever and wherever you want (on your network, that is). You can also now set up a new device out of the box with nothing more than an internet connection.

“PC Free” (as Apple calls it) worked mostly without issue for me, though there were times when I couldn’t get my laptop to recognize my phone on the network. A reboot seemed to fix the problem, and it’s possible I was having issues because I was syncing two different phones to the same laptop.

The new software pieces are very welcome, but there are things about iOS that have begun to feel dated to me. In particular, the OS still feels stuck in this mode of use where you’re constantly jumping in and out of applications blindly, either to get information, or catch them up to the present. That can be frustrating when you’re trying to keep up with something like Twitter. Though the app will alert you that you’ve got new messages to read, it doesn’t download your content until you’ve opened up the program and let it refresh. The same is true for mail, and even messages you receive in IM or IRC apps. And I know I’ve said it a million times, but the fact that Apple still doesn’t provide auto-updating icons on its homescreen seems crazy to me. Yes, we now have a weather widget in Notification Center, but why doesn’t the icon change too? I feel like there’s an entirely new market for developers just waiting to make “widget icons” (think realtime clock faces like those just added to the iPod nano), yet Apple seems reluctant to give users more information on their home screens.

That lack of glanceable information coupled with the delay of having to open an app to get information creates a feeling of disconnect for me that I find bothersome. Having been using a Nexus S prior to the iPhone 4S, I couldn’t help but notice the pause — however small — that Apple’s OS puts between you and realtime content. Every time you open an application, even if it’s saved your state, you still feel like you’re moments behind where you’re supposed to be. For the broad user base Apple wants to hit with these products, this will probably never be an issue. But I do think there are places in iOS 5 that still need work.

Siri

The other, major new piece of software on the iPhone 4S (and in this case, only on the 4S) is Siri. Siri, as I said in the intro of this review, is something that Apple refers to as an “intelligent assistant,” and is probably one of the most novel applications the company has ever produced.

Siri’s premise is quite simple. Utilizing a combination of voice recognition, logic processing, and text-to-speech, the software can interpret requests and follow conversations. Through Siri, you can use natural language to get directions, send text messages, schedule reminders or appointments, get suggestions on where to eat, and lots more. Not only does Siri understand what you’re saying to it, it understands the context in which you’re saying it — so for instance, if you try and schedule a meeting on top of another meeting, Siri will warn you and ask if you’d like to change the time of your new appointment, and it’ll listen as you tell it a new time.

Siri can also process and answer basic and not-so-basic questions utilizing the WolframAlpha engine (like, “how many cups are in a gallon”), and the software pulls in Yelp data to help you find things like restaurants or movie theaters. When in doubt, Siri will do a web search based on your questions.

Siri also learns things about you and the people around you. You can tell Siri who your wife or brother is. You can tell Siri where you work and live. The software will read or write text messages using voice commands, and can also take dictation in any field where you can use a keyboard. If you ask it things like “do I need a raincoat today,” it understands and responds as a human being would. You can tell it to wake you up at a certain time and it knows to set an alarm, and if you ask Siri how to get home from somewhere, it’ll give you directions in the Maps application.

The crazy thing about Siri is that it works — at least most of the time — better than you’d expect it to. It understands and responds to you in a way that’s so natural it can sometimes be unsettling. The software even has a good sense of humor. Asking it “what is the meaning of life?” will bring up a number of responses, both serious and not so serious. The first time I asked, Siri simply said “42.” If you ask Siri if there’s a god, the software points you in the direction of the nearest church (oddly, no synagogues, Buddhist temples, or mosques are suggested).

That’s not to say the software (which will be released in beta) is without issues. There’s still clearly a lot of work to be done on the voice recognition side of things, and a lot of pieces you might expect to work aren’t wired up just yet. For instance, you can ask Siri to list movie theaters nearby, but the software won’t tell you specific movie times or help you buy a ticket. Another ding is that in order to figure out questions and answers, Siri has to communicate with Apple’s servers. That’s fine if you’re on Wi-Fi, but there were a few times on 3G that the software seemed to take forever to process a question and deliver results. Apple told me that they were making some changes on the server side during the testing period, so it’s possible that some of that slowness had to do with issues unrelated to the basic tech at play.

Siri can be helpful, but was also frustrating at times. Seeing the software mangle a request or fail to understand what action you want it to take can be maddening, but I think that frustration actually speaks to how advanced the software is. Siri is capable of doing so much that is complex that I started giving it more credit than was probably due. I expected Siri to be smarter than it is right now, because… well, it’s already pretty damn smart.

I think that says volumes about what to anticipate from the software moving forward. Siri may not be finished yet, but it already feels like something straight out of science fiction.

iCloud

The final piece of the iPhone 4S puzzle is iCloud. While not strictly a service just for the new iPhone, iCloud is being introduced along with iOS 5.

So what does iCloud do exactly? Well for starters, it does pretty much everything MobileMe did before it — meaning web-based email, contacts, and calendar. Those three services will also sync to your devices. But iCloud does a lot more than that.

The service promises to keep your photos, music, and settings synced across devices, using the iCloud servers as a way point and container for most (but not all) of your content. Essentially what it does is keep a running tab of content you’ve created, or apps and music you’ve purchased from iTunes. All of that content is beamed up to the cloud, and then back down to your phone, iPod touch, or iPad.

To help you visualize how this works, here are a few use cases:

You take a bunch of photos on your phone. Since you’re using Photo Stream to sync these to iCloud, they get beamed up to Apple’s servers. Later, when you open your laptop and start up iPhoto, the application pulls down all of those photos onto your local storage. The same thing happens when you use your iPad with the same account and Photo Stream turned on.
You buy an app on your iPhone. Later, you want to put that app on your iPod touch. You’ll have access to that app on any of your devices in a list of purchased software in the App Store. All you need to do is download the app to your device.
You buy a new song in iTunes. If you have iTunes in the Cloud turned on, that new purchase will sync down to all of your devices registered with the same account. No fussing with syncing individually anymore. The same goes for video and iBooks content too.
You’re working on a document on your iPad in Pages. With iCloud, that document will be saved on your iPad, then accessible through icloud.com for download, or will be synced to your other devices running Pages. Every time you update that document (unless you’re doing it in Pages on your laptop), it will be synced to the cloud.

Essentially, this is a rather static service which is constantly moving your content from your devices, up into the cloud, and back down to devices. It’s not Flickr or Gmail — it’s a way to keep content and devices in sync without hassle. In its current state, it works quite well, though there are some catches in the service that you should probably make a note of.

For starters, you get 5GB of storage for free, which doesn’t count your apps, music, books, TV content, or Photo Stream images. You can upgrade that storage for a nominal fee (starting at $20 a year for a total of 15GB, up to $100 annually for 55GB of cloud storage). Secondly, the way iCloud handles your photos is that it will keep 1000 photos in the cloud for up to 30 days. If you go beyond 1000, or past 30 days, you start to lose your content unless you move it to a device (say your laptop) or to a folder in your Camera Roll. If that sounds confusing — that’s because it is. Also, there’s no way to view your photos or share them online at this point.

I don’t quite get why Apple is putting a cap on how many photos you can store or for how long. Perhaps I’m just used to services like Picasa or Flickr, but I rather like the concept of having my photos stored somewhere in perpetuity, and I like being able to share those photos to other people easily.

There’s one other issue with Photo Stream that I find a little disconcerting. Once your pics have uploaded to Photo Stream, you have no way to delete individual photos. You can delete all of your photos and turn off the service (thus allowing you to delete on your devices), but you can’t choose single files to delete by hand. The moment you finish taking photos, they’re upped to iCloud where they basically cannot be manipulated. It’s actually a bit upsetting — it feels like you don’t have full control over your content.

By the end of October, Apple will introduce one more component to its iCloud offerings, which is iTunes Match. For $24.99 a year, that service will find every song you’ve ever purchased on iTunes and make it available to stream on your devices, and will also upload or match anything else you have in your collection — whether you’d purchased it in iTunes or just ripped a CD. The flip hasn’t been switched on iTunes Match, so I didn’t have a chance to test it out.

In all, the basic iCloud service (which is free) should go a long way to simplifying the experience of moving content to and from devices. It’s not perfect by any means, but it solves many of the problems that iOS users have struggled with since the introduction of the first iPhone.

Wrap-up

This is the easy part… kind of. If you’re an owner of an older iPhone, or someone looking to switch to an iPhone from a different platform, there’s never been a better Apple device to buy. The iPhone 4S is an astoundingly good phone. Between the hardware (both inside and out) and the software (iOS 5 as well as third party offerings), it’s just kind of an awesome package. The lack of LTE, a larger display, or a new design may put off some buyers, but that won’t change the fact that the 4S is a force to be reckoned with.

It’s not exactly the same story as with the release of the iPhone 4, where you felt like competitors had to go back to the drawing board completely, but Android and Windows Phone device makers will certainly be scratching their heads trying to figure out how to best what Apple is offering.

The iPhone 4S is a great device for some, but what if you’re thinking of upgrading from an iPhone 4? That’s a tougher call. The phone is faster, to be sure, and has an amazing camera. And of course, you can’t get Siri unless you have a 4S… but I just don’t know if any of those reasons are compelling enough to convince previous buyers to upgrade. The concept is a particularly hard sell for Verizon customers. The gap between this year’s model and last year’s model isn’t as wide as Apple would probably like.

For this review, I returned to the iPhone after a fairly long period of using and testing other devices. Spending a week with Apple’s newest phone, I’m reminded again of just what makes the company’s products so special. It’s not specs, services, or apps. This phone is not perfect. Certainly it can be improved. But there is something here, beyond the screen and CPU, beyond iCloud, something under the surface. Some intangible spark.

Is this the best phone ever made? That’s debatable. But I can tell you this: the iPhone 4S is pretty damn cool.

Score: 8.6 / 10

Pros

Camera is stunning
Retina Display is still best in class
Siri software is incredibly cool and surprisingly useful

Cons

iOS is beginning to show its age
Improved 3G speeds don’t seem very improved, especially compared to LTE devices
Glass and metal design is beautiful, but easy to shatter

Nokia Lumia 710: Specs

2011-10-26T16:42:00.000+01:00

Nokia Lumia 710 is also known as Nokia Sabre

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100
	Announced	2011, October
	Status	Announced

SIZE	Dimensions	119 x 62.4 x 12.5 mm, 81.1 cc
SIZE	Weight	125.5 g

DISPLAY	Type	TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	480 x 800 pixels, 3.7 inches (~252 ppi pixel density)
		- Nokia ClearBlack display - Multi-touch input method - Proximity sensor for auto turn-off - Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Phonebook	Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
	Call records	Yes
	Internal	8 GB storage, 512 MB RAM
	Card slot	No

DATA	GPRS	Class 33
	EDGE	Class 33
	3G	HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
	Bluetooth	Yes, v2.1 with A2DP, EDR
	Infrared port	No
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
	Features	Geo-tagging, face detection
	Video	Yes, 720p@30fps
	Secondary	No

FEATURES	OS	Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
	CPU	1.4 GHz processor, Qualcomm MSM8255 chipset, 3D Graphics HW Accelerator
	Messaging	SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
	Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML5, RSS feeds
	Radio	Stereo FM radio with RDS
	Games	Yes + downloadable
	Colors	Black, White (front)/ black, white, cyan, fuchsia, yellow (back)
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
	Java	Yes, MIDP 2.1
		- MicroSIM card support only - SNS integration - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - Digital compass - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/WMA player - MP4/H.264/H.263/WMV player - Document viewer - Video/photo editor - Voice memo/command/dial - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Standard battery, Li-Ion 1300 mAh (BP-3L)
	Stand-by	Up to 400 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)
	Talk time	Up to 6 h 50 min (2G) / Up to 7 h 40 min (3G)
	Music play	Up to 38 h

MISC	Price group	Middle