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HTC One Review: The Beauty Is a Beast (Updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:46:00 +0000

Last year HTC made three excellent phones: the One X, the One X+, and the Droid DNA. This year, it's focusing on a single dominant device: the HTC One.

It's a gutsy strategy—basically focusing all of your efforts on one device that will span across many carriers—but one that worked wonders for Samsung's Galaxy S III last year. And if any smartphone has a shot at repeat that success in 2013, it's this one.

NOTE: Initial testing was conducted with an "international" device. We've posted an update below representing a US version of the phone on AT&T's 4G/LTE network.

Design

The first time you see the One, there's a "Whoa..." moment. And after you hold it, and use it, that astonishment bleeds into awe. The One commands respect. From a hardware design perspective, this phone is unparalleled. It was machined from a solid block on aluminum, each piece taking 200 minutes to carve out. It's pretty light (5.04 ounces) and thin (0.36 inches) but it feels rock solid. The curved back sinks into your palm, while the slightly angled edges help you grip it.

On the front side of the device you find the Super LCD 3 screen nestled under Gorilla Glass 2. It's 1080p (1920x1080 pixels) spread over 4.7-inches, which gives it a heretofore unheard of (in a smartphone, anyway), 468 pixels per inch (PPI), which is excessive bordering on silly. Safe to say, pixels are invisible to the naked eye.

The bezels on the sides of the screen are very thin. Above and below the screen are speaker grates to give you actual stereo sound (more on that in a minute). At the top of the phone sits an 88-degree wide angle front-facing camera, so you don't fill up the frame with your gigantic face when video-chatting. HTC opted to include just two capacitive buttons—Home and Back—though we would have preferred none. The micro USB port on the bottom doubles as an HDMI port (special cable required) for connecting your phone directly to a TV, though you'll also be able to do this wirelessly via Miracast. Speaking of TV, the power button on top the the device doubles as a IR blaster for using your phone as a remote control. All of the hardware buttons are flush (almost too flush) with the phone.

There are a lot of goodies under the hood, too. There's what you'd expect in a contemporary high-end phone: 2GB RAM, 32GB or 64GB storage (unfortunately not expandable), NFC, LTE (on the U.S. versions), Bluetooth, etc. The real star of the show, though, is Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 600. It's a quad-core chip clocked at 1.7GHz, and it's an absolute beast.

There's also HTC's proprietary ImageChip 2 attached to the 4MP rear camera. Yes, just 4MP, that's not a typo. HTC claims it's a totally redesigned imaging system that uses "UltraPixels"—bigger megapixels, basically—which lets in more light. The camera has an f2.0 aperture and optical image stabilization, both of which are impressive for a phone. The battery is a 2300mAh, which is good, but we wish it had something closer to the 3300mAh battery on the RAZR MAXX HD. Then again, that would leave you with a bulkier phone.

Using It

At launch the One is running Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with HTC Sense 5.0 (the company'sthird-party skin) on top. Sense 5.0 is a pretty major redesign from its predecessor, and it has a lot of new features. The most prominent of those, BlinkFeed, aggregates stories from your favorite news sources and social media into a more visually appealing array of tiles, much like you'd find on Windows Phone. It takes up one panel of your desktop, and while it's the default home panel, it doesn't have to be.

There are other changes in Sense 5.0, too, like a more customizable lock screen, an overhaul of the classic HTC clock/weather widget, and a new layout in the app drawer. Visually speaking, it's cleaner, more minimalist, and more attractive than the old Sense, but it doesn't always work the way you want it to. For the full-skinny on Sense 5.0 check out our in-depth review.

The first time the phone makes a noise, it's startling. HTC has claimed that its BoomSound (i.e. the dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amps) gives you "bigger sound with less distortion and more detail." I was sure that was just marketing jibber-jabber. It isn't. It is hands-down the best-sounding phone I've ever heard. Listening to music on a phone's external speaker is generally an awful experience. With the One, you can turn the volume way up and it still sounds excellent (for speakers that size, anyway). You can really hear it on songs that utilize the two channels separately—there's a third-dimensionality that you just can't get from a mono-speaker. It's great for gaming, too.

HTC's camera app is really nice, though it isn't as easy to switch between modes as it is on Samsung's Galaxy S IV. That said, HTC gives you a lot of granular control over the images you take, and the shutter is instantaneous. Viewing the things you shoot is much more enjoyable on the One, as the Gallery app has been revamped. It now shows automatically cut-together slideshows day by day. Basically, it gives you a little preview into the folder before you click into it which ends up being just mostly useless fun. On the video side, not only can it shoot HDR (high-dynamic range) 1080p video, but it records HDR audio. HTC claims that by using two mics tuned to different ranges (one higher, one lower), the One can cancel out distortion. Indeed, recorded audio sounded terrific for a phone camera.

We cannot give a conclusive opinion on reception, call quality, or battery life until we have the U.S. version. That said, our AT&T SIM card-wielding international unit's reception was generally pretty good. We are somewhat concerned about battery life, however. On days with moderate usage, we generally made it until 10pm before we hit 15 percent. The day we used it the hardest (lots of mapping, web browsing, some gaming, constant emailing, a couple phone calls, and even some Wi-Fi hotspotting, all the while in and out of good/bad reception), we still made it until 6pm before it got worrisomely low. This is better than most high-end smartphones perform (though, again, nowhere near the RAZR MAXX HD), but we're nervous about what may happen when LTE gets flipped on, as it's a known battery-muncher. Consider the jury out for now.

Having a high pixel count generally slows phones down, so our speed expectations were low. We were wrong! This thing is absurdly, unprecedentedly fast. How fast? It goes from fully powered off to all booted up and ready to go in eight seconds. EIGHT! Lag is all but non-existant. Apps open faster than we've seen on any other handset. Everything happening instantaneously simply makes this phone a joy to use. It's not just in our heads, either; it's been shattering benchmarksleft and right.

Another pleasant surprise: the camera's UltraPixels actually live up to the hype. In our testing the One performed as well as if not better than the top smartphone shooters out there (check out our comparison). It also took better low-light (read: in bars) photos than any phone I've used, and I was extremely impressed by how accurate the color rendering was. Now, if you're planning on printing your photos on 8x10s, maybe you'll miss the extra megapixels, but who really does that with their phone cam? For the web, you won't be able to tell the difference in resolution, and you will be able to tell the difference in low-light. Take a look at our Flickr gallery for some samples.

Also, in case you hadn't noticed, we love the design. There is just so much attention to detail. The phone is sleek, it doesn't feel bulky in your pocket, it's extremely sturdy, and it's an aesthetic marvel. We also preferred the One's display to that of the Galaxy S IV, finding it just a little sharper, a little brighter, and most glaringly, the colors are more accurate. The little sound system on this thing is second to none.

No Like

As good as the camera is for stills, it takes very lackluster video. The results aren't particularly sharp and details get lost. There's also a watery, warble effect which may be rolling-shutter, or more likely, the optical image stabilization not working quite right. Shadows get very noisy and lose almost all detail. HDR video was even worse. It helped with the contrast issues in some situations, but clarity is even worse, and when light changes (i.e. if you're panning) it makes very harsh jumps up and down in an attempt to adjust the lighting. The 720p 60fps (frames per second) mode is the worst of all. Straight lines became squiggly, there's noise all over everything, and it's totally unusable. The super slow motion mode (768 × 432) is basically just as bad. It's a major disappointment that we hope will be addressed before launch (if it gets fixed, we'll update). HDR video sample is in the Flickr album.

For all the accolades the One's hardware deserves, there are plenty of software disappointments. For starters, it's launching with Android 4.1. By the time this phone actually hits the U.S. (in April, most likely) that version of the OS will be almost a year old. For a flagship phone, you've gotta do better (Android 4.2 was released in November). Then there's Sense 5.0. As almost near-flawless as the hardware feels, the software seems rushed and unfinished, like a public beta. For BlinkFeed, why borrow from Windows Phone's Metro tiles but not copy the most useful elements? Why not include incoming messages, or allow you to set permanent tiles for specific contacts? It's pretty, but it's basically all distraction and no utility. It should be a widget, frankly, not the phone's default home screen.

Then there's the TV app that works with the IR blaster. It's a feature we really like in phones and tablets, but it feels incomplete here. The TV listings fall way short of apps like Peel (which Samsung uses) in terms of layout and utility, and the remote needs to be able to work with more devices (such as Roku) and be more flexible with button layouts.

Then there's the Sense keyboard. How can it still be this bad!? Between weirdly placed punctuation marks, and no spacing when you choose corrections, it's one of the most labor-intensive keyboards we've used. The good news is you can replace it with one of dozens in the Android Market (we prefer SwiftKey 4), and you can banish BlinkFeed and most of Sense's influence by installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher), so these aren't deal-breakers, but the point is that you shouldn't have to tinker that much in order to enjoy your fancy pricey phone.

The hardware underwhelms at times too; there's no expandable storage via micro SD card slot. Yes, 32GB (the smaller size) is a lot of space, but if you start loading your phone with HD movies (and bigass games) for a trip, you may start to feel the squeeze. Also, though we still have to test the U.S. version, we're still disappointed that the battery is only 2300mAh. You can subject the RAZR MAXX HD to all kinds of torture, and it's still nearly impossible to run out of juice before the sun comes up again. That is security, and phone manufacturers still don't seem to get how important that is to people. I'd trade a few dozen PPI for a longer-lasting device any day.

Should I Buy It?

While the jury will remain out until we get our hands on U.S. devices, at this point, all signs point to yes. It's simply one of the most exciting pieces of hardware we've seen in a long time, including the Galaxy S IV. As of this moment, the HTC One is looking like the best Android phone you'll be able to buy for the foreseeable future.

[HTC]

Update April 8, 2012

We've been testing the AT&T US version of the HTC One for several days now so we can report back on battery life and data speeds when the phone is connected to an LTE network. Bottom line: Now that we've had the chance to test an American version of this phone, we're comfortable saying it's the best Android phone you can buy right now.

Of the former, we didn't notice a substantive difference in battery life between the international version and the US version. That's impressive, considering LTE usually really hurts your phone's stamina. If you only use your phone sparingly, a single charge will get you all the way through a 15-16 hour day before you get nervous about your battery. Under heavier use with lots of mapping, gaming, and downloading, you'll get most of the way through your work day at least—but expect to need a charge by happy hour. To give you an idea: one hour of streaming music knocks about 10-percent off the battery.

The phone gets solid data speeds on AT&T's 4G/LTE network. With three bars, the phone averaged a download speed of 7.71 Mbps and 2.2 Mbps uploads. That's fast, but not incredible.

As with other phones, the AT&T version of the HTC One comes loaded with useless AT&T bloatware. Luckily, you can unceremoniously delete most of these apps and widgets without incident. —MA

HTC One Specs

• Network: All major U.S. carriers
• OS: Android 4.1 with Sense
• CPU: 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600
• Screen: 4.7-inch 1920x1080 Super LCD 3 (468PPI)
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 32GB or 64GB
• Camera: 4MP rear ("UltraPixel")/ 2.1MP front
• Battery: 2300 mAh Li-Ion
• Price: $200/32GB, $300/64GB with a two-year contract

via [gizmodo.com]

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera: RAW Video In the Palm of Your Hand for $1000

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:45:00 +0000

The film/videomaking world was set aflame last year when Blackmagic Designannounced its Cinema Camera. It looks like the rogues are back for more with a RAW-shooting, $1000 video camera that fits in your pocket.

Filmmaker John Brawley, Blackmagic's go-to guy for testing and revealing its cameras, has posted on his blog a detailed account of what to expect from the Pocket Cinema Camera. The device sports a super-16 sensor, a size slightly smaller than the one in the current, larger Cinema Camera. It records full HD 1920x1080 (30 fps max) to ProRes or CinemaDNG RAW, and supposedly packs the same 13 stops of dynamic range. As for lenses, the mount is active micro four-thirds, meaning you can not only use all your Olympus and Panasonic glass, but auto-focus and optical image stabilization should work as well.

There are even some advantages in the Pocket Cinema Camera over the original Cinema Camera. The battery is removable, and it records to SD cards (the big brother recorded directly to removable hard drives). Of course, the Pocket version doesn't record 2.5K resolution, but Brawley insists that the difference between the 2 cameras at 1080p is negligible.

If this camera delivers on image quality, it will be a huge deal for consumers. The DSLR market has mauled the field dedicated video-cameras, and to have a device that can provide the kind of cinematic qualities filmmakers drool over at such an accessible price is sure to leave many indy filmmakers grinning. It'll be available this July. We can't wait.

And if tiny video cameras aren't your thing, Blackmagic is also announcing their 4K Production Camera. This is essentially the same as the original Cinema Camera, but with a Super-35 sensor and 4K recording in ProRes or Compressed CinemaDNG RAW—for only $4000! [BlackMagic]

Watch a Navy Laser Gun Blast a Drone Right Out of the Sky

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:44:00 +0000

It may sound like sci-fi, but lasers are definitely the future of war. As are drones. So what could be better than to see them go up against each other in a blaze of explosive glory? Looks like in the rock-paper-scissors game of modern combat, laser beats drone.

This is the future of warfare. And it's so, so cool.

The US military has been toying with lasers for a while now. The Air Force is considering them as weapons on future fighters and bombers, and Lockheed Martin has been working to make them a source of fuel for drones. The Navy? They just like to shoot stuff with 'em.

The Navy has been testing its boringly named Laser Weapons System (LaWS) for a few years now, and this isn't the first time it's ever blown something out of the sky. It is the most spectacular look we've gotten yet, though. In this video released by the Navy today, we see the LaWS using its six-laser cannon focusing on fiery beam of destruction on its poor target. Not something you want to be on the wrong end of.

The real advanatge of a laser weapon system isn't style though; it's cost. Rather the lack thereof. While missles can cost thousands of dollars, a laser shot can be as cheap as $1, according to the Navy's own estimates. That's a drop in the drop in the bucket. Virtually free once you've built the thing.

Peter A. Morrision, program officer for ONR's Sold-State Laser Technology Maturation Program, is about as stoked for giant lasers as anyone out there:

"The future is here. The solid-state laser is a big step forward to revolutionizing modern warfare with directed energy, just as gunpowder did in the era of knives and swords."

These suckers will be rolling out on actual ships for the first time come 2014. Pew pew pew. [US Navy via Reddit]

Google Babel All-In-One Chat Service by Google. Will it be an alternative to Whatsapp?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:41:00 +0000

Rumor has it that Google is planning on unifying all of its chat services into one, single and efficient chat service. The new service was reported to be called “Babble”, however now it appears that the spelling has been modified to “Babel”. Some new screenshots released by TechRadar shows what may in fact be the chat service in action, but of course, the source of the screenshots is unconfirmed, so lets take this news with a grain of salt.

In one of the screenshots, the user is hovering over the feedback button and the message, “What do you think about Babel in Gmail?” message pops up. In another screenshot, it shows that you have to sign into your Google+ account in order to share photos through Google Talk, and you are able to initiate a quick Hangout through the G-Talk chat box. There are also hundreds of emoticons you can choose to express your feelings, or represent your zodiac sign.

The major reason why we’re skeptical about these screenshots is because TechRadar states that the source isn’t able to verify their identity, and he/she sent the screenshots through a generic email address. The source states that he/she is a Google employee and they seem to have in-depth knowledge about Google’s communication services and Babel in general.

Nonetheless, if these screenshots are the real deal, it looks like we’re finally going to have a single application that we can use to chat with all of our Google contacts. There’s also speculation that Google will be purchasing WhatsApp for $1 billion and may be integrating its services into Babel. We’ll most likely hear all about Google Babel and Google’s supposed plan to purchase WhatsApp soon, possibly at the Google I/O conference next month.

[via Android Community]

Motorola Droid Razr HD Verizon release date set for the holiday season

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:55:00 +0000

The Motorola Droid Razr HD Verizon release date details are out and it has been slated for launch during the holiday season along with the Razr HD Maxx. This device brings along a larger touchscreen against the 4.3-inch qHD one found on its predecessor.

Crafted out of DuPoint Kevlar fiber, the handset dons a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and a splash-guard coating. The panel is said to render visuals with 78 percent more pixels in addition to 40 percent lesser power consumption. Shutterbugs will be pleased to know that the device rolls in with an 8MP rear-facing camera that lets users snap up pictures and record clips in full HD. Let’s not forget, there is also a 1.3MP snapper for video chats.

The Motorola Droid Razr HD Verizon brings a 1.5GHz dual core processor and the Ice Cream Sandwich platform under one roof. The CPU is backed up by 1GB of RAM for multitasking. Apart from 4G LTE, the smartphone offers Wi-Fi with Mobile Hotspot, NFC, Bluetooth and GPS. The viewdini application provides access to latest movies, TV shows, videos and much more and it can be downloaded via the Play store.

Similar to other phones from the new Razr family, this one too offers Voice Actions for Android, Google Maps and Google+. In case the overall hoarding capacity proves insufficient, users can expand it up to 32GB via the built-in microSD slot. On a whole, the device is capable of delivering up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge. It can deduce down to 7 hours of YouTube video streaming or around 6 hours of GPS navigation.

The Motorola Droid Razr HD Verizon price is still under wraps. As mentioned above, its release date is slated to fall during the holiday season. Potential buyers will be able to pick up the handset dipped in shades of white and black.

Space Shuttle Endeavour hitching a ride atop a 747 to its new home on September 17

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:52:00 +0000

Space Shuttles Discovery and Enterprise have already settled into their new homes, and now Endeavour is scheduled to depart for its future abode at the California Science Center on September 17th. Taking to the skies atop a modified Boeing 747, the shuttle will make pit stops in Texas and at Edwards Air Force Base in the Golden State before touching down at Los Angeles International Airport on the 20th. During the journey out west, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will buzz certain cities and NASA sites along its flight path at roughly 1,500 feet in altitude. After its voyage, Endeavor will head to the science center on October 13th, but won't be on display until the end of the month. Yearning to catch a glimpse of the historic vehicle before it reaches its final resting place? Head past the jump for its flight schedule andflyover details.

Show full PR text

Ainol releasing dual-core Novo 7 Crystal tablet: Jelly Bean and an IPS display for $139

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:36:00 +0000

Chinese tablet maker Ainol is stepping up from its ICS-running Novo 7 to the Novo 7 Crystal, a new dual-core 1.5GHz model running Jelly Bean for $139. Below the hood is an Amlogic 8726-M6 Cortex A9 processor, a Mali 400 GPU, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The 7-inch touchscreen display sports a 1,024 x 600 resolution, and Ainol chose an IPS panel for wide viewing angles -- that's not exactly common for a tab in this price range. The whole package weighs 0.72 pounds (328 grams) and measures 0.4 inches (11.2mm) thick, and the tablet will be available in black and white.

The Novo 7 Crystal will be WiFi-only (802.11n), though there's room for a 3G modem on board, and connections include a microSD card slot, mini-USB port and mini-HDMI. Notebook Italia says the Crystal will start shipping on September 28th, though we've yet to see any official word on availability. Click through to the source links for more details.

Sony Xperia Tablet S gets the full teardown, shows its NVIDIA heart (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:35:00 +0000

So, you probably didn't even get the cellophane off your Xperia Tablet S yet (for those in the UK at least), but Sony has already beaten the likes of iFixit to the strip-down post. It's one of the firm's own engineers, Takuya Inaba, who takes a knife to the minty-fresh tablet -- revealing its NVIDIA innards for all to see. Of course, we could tell you all about how he opened up the tablet, removing 10 screws, and breaking the splash-proof internal seal, but we gather you'd probably rather see the deed for yourselves. Full gory video after the break, but just remember, don't try this at home or you might as well tear up that warranty, too.

Blackmagic launches Cinema Camera MFT with Micro Four Thirds mount, sans autofocus, for $3K

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:35:00 +0000

Blackmagic Design has thrown its Cinema Camera MFT into the Micro Four Thirds arena, but it will only work with lenses that have manual iris and focus capability. The shooter is otherwise identical to the original Cinema Camera, with a 2.5k, sub-MFT sensor; CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes and DNxHD capture formats; built-in SSD; capacitive touchscreen; and an included copy of DaVinci Resolve color correction software. That means cineasts already on board that format will have another mount for their glass, and MFT's mirrorless aspect will also permit other lens formats, like PL or Nikon, to be added with third party adapters. So, if the relatively low price, claimed 13 stop dynamic range, higher-than-HD resolution and new mount is enough to push your "start" button, check the PR for the entire skinny.

Show full PR text

Gillmor Gang: Silver Bullet Theory

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:33:00 +0000

posted yesterday

2 Comments

The Gillmor Gang — Danny Sullivan, Robert Scoble, Kevin Marks, John Taschek, and Steve Gillmor — handicap the latest entries in the Tablet Stakes. It feels like a game of musical chairs, with three chairs and four tablet platforms. When the music stops, Apple, Amazon, and Google are sitting pretty, with Microsoft missing a business model to finance the Surface.

The iPhone 5 launch next week looms large(r) than life, but all the exciting action is in the 7-inch form factor. Amazon may seem attractive to the reading crowd, and Apple (TV) to the big screeners, but Nexus 7 has turned my iPhone into mostly a hotspot. The Gang seems primed for the move to the sequential device model, but for now the one device for all mirage fits the Silver Bullet Theory, that Clint’s Invisible Chair can win by staying just out of sight.

@stevegillmor, @scobleizer, @dannysullivan, @jtaschek, @kevinmarks

Produced and directed by Tina Chase Gillmor @tinagillmor

Spotify Will Launch A Browser-Based Version

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:32:00 +0000

If you’re wondering why the Spotify desktop software has hardly been updated in a year, it’s because the company is preparing to launch a completely overhauled browser-based version of its streaming music service, multiple sources confirm. Along with moving to the web, the redesign will focus more on discovery, including following the listening habits and playlists of influencers in addition to your friends.

One source even said a lower subscription price for its mobile app could be in the works. With a healthy user base and the record labels’ support, the browser version could help Spotify continue dominating the streaming music spotlight.

SPOTIFY TURNS IT UP

Despite some thinking its current design is inferior to competitor Rdio, Spotify has had a blockbuster year since its U.S. launch a year ago. It came out swinging when Facebook unveiled the Open Graph platform at the f8 conference. One of the first active Open Graph apps, it immediately flooded Facebook’s new Ticker feed with stories about what friends were listening to on Spotify. It took Rdio a few days to get up and running, so even though it was already browser-based, Spotify had already begun to snowball.

Click-throughs led to signups and in just six weeks, Spotify shot up from 1.33 million to 2.4 million daily users, and from 3.98 million to 7.4 million million monthly users according to AppData. Now it’s at a whopping 7.7 million dailies and 22.2 million monthlies, and 4 million of them pay $5 a month for ad-free service or $10 for zero ads and mobile access.

But in that same time, Spotify’s full-sized version’s interface has remained quite stagnant. It has released a mobile app for iPad, beefed up its iPhone and Android versions, plus added privacy controls. It launched an app platform, and importantly began competing with Pandora by releasing afree radio service.

Still, the core on-demand product looks almost exactly the same, and discovery is still pretty crummy. The What’s New section only shows five recommended albums, and eight top tracks your friends are listening to. Rdio’s discovery is much better, especially the Heavy Rotation section that shows what you and friends have had stuck in your heads lately, and intuitive profile pages for diving into someone’s favorites.

Yet Rdio is believed to have a much, much smaller user base, and with MOG selling to HTC for just $14 million, it looks like Spotify is running away with the race. And now it’s poised to amplify that lead.

THE NEW SPOTIFY

Multiple sources close to Spotify confirmed that the company is building out a browser version of its service. We’re awaiting a response from Spotify.

It’s unclear if the browser version will replace its downloadable desktop software or just augment it but either way, it will make Spotify much more accessible. Users will be able to access a massive catalogue of music plus their playlists from any computer they log in to. Removing the download from the onboarding process could also help it sign up more users. One challenge will be making sure it the web version feels just as snappy.

The browser version of Spotify’s on-demand and radio service could put it in more direct competition with Pandora, who are also browser-based. The revelation is another blow to Pandora, whose share price has been hammered by reports that Apple is planning its own radio.

Discovery will also be rewired, I’ve learned. You can currently subscribe to non-friends’ playlists, but there’s no good way to find who you should be trusting for recommendations. People like the idea, though, considering Spotify director Sean Parker’s Hipster International playlist has 514,000 subscribers. Spotify will likely offer some sort of suggested user list of who follow, and may try to recruit big name celebrities, musicians, and DJs to share playlists.

Finally, as smart phones proliferate and networks improve to handle streaming music, Spotify may change its price plans to encourage mobile usage. One source said Spotify is eying a cheaper option, potentially around $8 a month for ad-free and mobile service, but this unconfirmed.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Spotify continued letting existing subscribers pay $5 for non-mobile, but stopped selling new $5 subscriptions. Then it could pitch “upgrade to mobile for $3 a month”, and “as a gift to our mobile subscribers we’re dropping the price” from $10 that seemed a little steep. This would simplify the plans, and squeeze more money out of new conversions and upsell more web-only subscribers.

When Spotify first launched, it might not have had the chops to build on the browser. But it’s abigger, bolder company now. Unshackling from the desktop and offering access to nearly every song in the world from anywhere in the world could get millions more nodding their heads to the Spotify beat.

Meet The Disrupt SF 2012 Hackathon Hackers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:31:00 +0000

sted yesterday

3 Comments

Every Disrupt we like to walk around the hall and meet with the uber-cool hackers who have dedicated their lives to making cool stuff in less than a day. We cornered five hackers and asked them what they were working on, what their biggest problem has been so far, and who would they consider a hacker hero. Their answers appear below, uncensored, unadulterated, and completely candid.

CLAUS C. MOBERG

Claus is from Madison, Wisconsin and is the CEO of ShowShoeStamp.com, a company that is working on ways to turn your cellphone into a key.

He and his team are working on an automatic deadbolt system that actuates when you press your phone up against a unique rubber and metal pad. The hardest part of the hack, he said, was “convincing the Ford guys to loan us their drill.” His hacking hero is Elon Musk.

SUMEET EKBOTE

Sumeet and his buddies arrived at the Hackathon dressed in matching animal balaclavas. I asked them why they were wearing these unique hats and they found it suspect that I wasn’t wearing a hat. It makes one think.

His hacker hero is Edison.

Sumeet works as a developer for Microsoft in Seattle. “We’re having issues fighting with our engine,” he said. He was coy about their project and so we left them to their quiet Ozzie hacking.

JUSTIN ORMONT

Justin is another hat-wearing hacker who sported a jaunty reptilian cowboy hat. His hacker hero is Linus Torvalds.

He and his partner are working on multiple projects at once.

“We’re trying to get as many things done as we can,” he said. “We are planning six or seven small to medium hacks. For example, we’re making an app that tells if friends fly into your area when they check in.”

DAVID HOLLAND LEE

David’s hacker hero is John Resig and he’s a tech consultant from New York. His mustache is obviously quite impressive but he also has some programming chops.

The hardest part of his hack? Getting restaurants to enter their bank information. “We are trying to set up a service to pay for your food item on the spot,” he said. It works, he explained, but restaurants are obviously a bit reticent to hand out account numbers to mustachioed strangers.

RODRIGO VASQUEZ

Rodrigo is a Biz Dev expert with experience in social media management and SEO. His hacker hero is Mark Zuckerberg.

His biggest problem during the Hackathon stems from his inability to type. “We’re building a new app. Its like turntable.fm for dogs mixed with Airbnb with some Uber. The business model is like Facebook’s.”

Rodrigo then began leaking air and deflated into a sad, sullen pile. Hacking, it seems, is hard work.

Who Moved Apple’s Cheese? The Role Of The Knock-Off Effect In Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Chris Hawker, the founder of Trident Design, LLC, has over 20 years of experience developing and commercializing his own and others’ inventions. His most famous product, the PowerSquid, was the subject of a six-part series published in TechCrunch called the Song of the PowerSquid.

As the president/founder of Trident Design, LLC, I’ve been inventing and commercializing products for 18 years, and all the successful ones get knocked-off.

Even the not-so-successful ones are eventually flattered in this way. It’s pretty quick, generally. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a couple years, but if your product is on shelves and people are seeing it, they will be “inspired”. It’s not even necessarily nefarious. It’s human nature. People see a possibility they didn’t see before and it opens their mind: to something very similar to the new innovation. They become blinded by the innovation and can’t see any other possibilities. Sometimes it is ill-willed, however, and companies make intentional rip-offs. Some companies actually specialize in this. The only thing that will discourage them is the threat of patents. So the inventors’ objective is to come up with an innovation that can be reasonably protected with a patent. If the product really takes off, you can try and hold on to your market, at least for a time. However, a patent does not enforce itself and you will have to be proactive to protect your territory. This can get very expensive (over $1 million for a lawsuit), so it will typically only make business sense for big-time products, like the iPhone.

In any case, patents don’t last forever; they expire (20 years for utility patents and 14 for design patents). They exist to encourage innovation by granting inventors the right to own their creations and pursue investment without fear, or at least with recourse, from knock-offs. Market forces will eventually take over, whether or not a patent exists, and the knock-offs will appear; and so will true innovations that actually improve on the original. An “innovation” is what we call a “knock-off” that makes something better rather than just cheaper. That said, the nature of “knock-offs” is always to be cheaper. When is the last time you saw a copy BETTER than the original?

This is how the Knock-off Effect works: someone has an idea for a new product which they release after research, development and investment. Someone else copies it for less money (because that is their nature) and in a much shorter time span as the hard part has already been done. The parties may or may not fight over it in court, but regardless, the premium the innovation commands is diminished. The innovator reacts to protect their market share by going out and making something new (because that is their nature) and the cycle repeats, meanwhile the original innovation is now available to the consumer for less.

The deceptively insightful little book, Who Moved My Cheese? presents this cycle through a rat and cheese analogy: one rat goes out and finds some cheese, other rats join in and once someone moves the cheese, some rats will keep going back and complaining about where the cheese used to be but some rats will go out and find another cheese. The first one there gets the choicest bits of the cheese and the others scramble for parts. You see this scenario a lot with Intellectual Property (IP). Innovators see the new opportunities and the other companies come along to copy it. As an innovator you need to recognize when to move on, and not merely sit back and bemoan the inevitable. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fight when you need to (and it makes sense to) protect your invention in order to maximize your return; but you also need to keep innovating.

When really large amounts of money are involved, as in the case of Apple v. Samsung, it makes sense to fight in court. Apple came out with an innovation that was guaranteed to be imitated by other people who just hadn’t seen the possibilities before. One possibility I see is that once they had seen the iPhone, it’s not that Samsung didn’t want to innovate, but rather that they were blinded by Apple’s design. They simply couldn’t imagine anything else that was equally cool that was not remarkably similar, and so that is what they produced. This is a manifestation of the Knock-Off Effect, and now consumers can get really great smartphones without buying into Apple. The courts decided Samsung walked too close to the line, and the success of those products in question was based on how close to the line they were walking. Hopefully as a result of Apple’s win, companies will try and walk further from that line and we’ll see more product diversity which will benefit the consumers by giving them more variety in their purchase of smartphones. Meanwhile, while Apple is snagging an extra billion dollars from an already old design and dealing a blow to a major competitor, don’t think it is not already moving on to the next innovation.

The truth is, knock-offs happen every day to every innovation. Most Inventors can only watch the value of their IP decline as the knock-offs emerge. But that is the reality of the world we live in (the same world which allows almost anyone to play in the inventing game, so don’t get too bitter). So keep inventing and let someone else pick up the crumbs. Just remember that with the Knock-Off Effect, speed is your best friend. Speed to innovation, speed to market and speed to general awareness in the public eye.

Take for example the pizza cutter: someone first comes out with the wheel blade and stick handle model and that becomes the standard for a long time and a whole bunch of people copy it.

Then Zyliss comes out with the idea that the handle doesn’t have to be a stick, which opens up the mind to non-stick-and-wheel pizza cutters.

Zyliss is selling their pizza cutters and then Alibaba Factory X sees this, and they are already making pizza cutters, so they can replicate the new design easily.

Now Zyliss has to decide to whether or not to pursue a patent lawsuit based the value of their intellectual property and the cost of the legal battle. The knock-offs are on shelves regardless of a lawsuit putting price pressure on your products, this is good for the consumer because now they are getting better prices due to the competition.

Now someone, Trident Design (my company), creates a new innovative pizza cutter, the Pitzo, which improves upon every design advancement made to date. Now we will inevitably go back into the cycle again.

Knock-offs help drive the prices down for the consumer, forcing innovation. It’s all part of the innovation ecosystem. Even though it’s frustrating for the inventors to be copied, they’re innovators by nature, so they are in the best position to respond to it and stay one step ahead. That market pressure is what continues to drive more and more value to the end-users. Today you can buy a pizza cutter that is very effective thanks to the designs that were created due to market pressures brought on by knock-offs in the Cycle of Innovation.

[galley]

Preparation For Apple’s iPhone Event Is Underway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:28:00 +0000

If you’ve been paying attention at all, you know that the next iPhone is right around the corner. Apple has sent out invites to a September 12 event — that’s on Wednesday, by the way — just as we’ve long expected.

The event is to be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, which just so happens to be located right next to the hotel we’re staying at for Disrupt (Hackathon begins today, by the way). In proper Apple fashion, the company has already begun preparation for the announcement event, hanging a massive Apple banner outside of the huge event center.

The banner has the same rainbow-flavored background that Apple’s been using for a while for its events.

The next iPhone will no doubt make a big splash. It’s got a larger screen, marking the first time that Apple has ventured from the 3.5-inch sweet spot. It’ll also have a new, smaller mini-port, along with a two-tone metal backplate and possibly NFC.

We reported earlier this month that Apple will release the next iPhone on September 21, and things seem to be matching up well for this.

Amazon has change of heart, will allow opt-out of Kindle Fire HD ads for $15

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:27:00 +0000

You'd be forgiven for wondering just what Amazon was up to with Special Offers ads on the Kindle Fire HD: we were given the hope that we could opt out from them, only to watch that dream dashed moments later. Amazon must have been listening to frustrations over the mixed messages, as it just let Engadget and others in the media know that yes, you'll have the option to drop the ads after all. Pay $15 after picking up the new tablet and those lock screen promos will disappear forever. There's no sign that there will be a Kindle Fire shipping with ads missing from the get-go, but you know what they say about gift horses. You can find Amazon's full statement to us after the break.

"I wanted to let you know that with Kindle Fire HD there will be a special offers opt-out option for $15. We know from our Kindle reader line that customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out. We're happy to offer customers the choice."

Sony Alpha A99 poses for someone else's camera, no optical viewfinder in sight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:27:00 +0000

Technical details of Sony's rumored Alpha A99 have been overflowing. The actual camera, however, has been elusive until now. A press photo just spotted on Xitek (and passed along to Sony Alpha Rumors) is believed to be authentic and speaks volumes about Sony's pro camera strategy: as shown, there's no obvious space for an optical viewfinder, hinting that the company's full-frame shooter is going with an OLED-based electronic eyepiece like that of its crop-frame A77 precursor. The image doesn't show much more than that and a conspicuous orange ring to remind us that we're gazing upon an Alpha, but it's tough to ignore that more compact (and hopefully lighter) body. Whatever the cosmetics are like, rumors now assert that the 24.3-megapixel, translucent-mirrored A99's early September release has been locked down to September 12th; if that's true, it may give photographers as much reason to be happy that day as phone buyers.

NFL Network, a la carte NFL RedZone Channel are coming to Google Fiber subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:26:00 +0000

It isn't quite ESPN, but sports fans who also happen to love technology -- yes, they exist -- will be happy to know that choosing Google Fiber doesn't mean going without NFL Network and NFL RedZone. All Google Fiber subscribers will get NFL Network, while NFL RedZone will run you $10 a month, but for only four months of the year. Not exactly just in time, though, as you won't be able to subscribe to NFL RedZone until one day after the first Sunday of football on September 10th. Either way, this is huge news if you're a fan of the most popular sport in the US -- but not so much for Timer Warner Cable which is the single biggest cable provider who doesn't carry it, and happens to compete against Google for subscribers in Kansas City.

Show full PR text

Enterprise-D restoration fundraiser goes live: your chance to revive a slice of Star Trek is here

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:25:00 +0000

For sci-fi lovers, it's on. A fan-devised project to restore the Enterprise-D bridge from Star Trek: The Experience is now actively raising cash on Indiegogo with a newly estimated $240,000 target needed to make the dream real. Crowdfunding brings the obligatory perks for larger donations, although they take on a progressively nerdy bent once you get past the t-shirts. It peaks at getting replicas of Captain Kirk's original chair or an LCARS terminal, and you can even get a romantic evening on the deck with "complete privacy until the next morning" -- wink, wink. Outlandish? Maybe, but the project is getting official sponsors and has a shorter-term plan to get Captain Picard's chair ready for display by October. The whole bridge should be ready by late 2013. If you'd wished Paramount had preserved this piece ofThe Next Generation history for the ages, you now have your solution.

Google Nexus Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 06:27:00 +0000

I viewed Google I/O, Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) and the first Nexus tablet as Google's last chance to deliver a knockout in the tablet space before the onslaught of Windows 8 and Windows RT devices later this year. While the show was undoubtedly a success, I don't know that the market for $499+ Android tablets has a life after Windows 8/RT hit. We should see Windows RT tablets at $499, and Ivy/Haswell based Windows 8 tablets will handle the higher price points.

It seems that Google also realized this as the Nexus 7, its first Nexus branded tablet, starts at just $199. There's a huge market for tablets as a primary computing device, and I believe Windows RT/8 offers something unique and compelling for that usage model. At the same time however, there's decent demand for a tablet to augment your existing computing world. It's a far more specific usage model but one that really demands a lower price point. Users are willing to spend a lot for something that does everything in your life, but for something that's more nice than necessity, price matters even more.

The Nexus 7 is aimed at the latter. It's a device for users who need ultra portability and tons of battery life for content consumption. While Apple has been quietly empowering the iPad to be a content creation device, and dockable Windows 8/RT tablets will attempt to replace your notebook, the Nexus 7 is a more traditional ARM based tablet by default.

It's clearly Google that I have to thank because the Nexus 7 is the most solidly built ASUS tablet I've ever used. That's not to say that its predecessors were examples of shoddy workmanship, it's just that the Nexus 7 is damn near perfect. The back has a great grip to it. The whole thing actually feels like a well made book because of the soft touch plastic back. The book comparison is sort of hilarious because it's a feel that Amazon couldn't get right with its overly generic Kindle Fire. The book illusion stops once your hands touch the glass for obvious reasons, but man does it feel nice to hold.

The Nexus 7 feels considerably lighter than the Kindle Fire, but I still had to prop it up on something or hold it in two hands if I was going to use it for a long period of time.

The power button and volume rocker are placed much like they would be on a phone - at the top right edge of the device. The sole buttons on the device do feel a bit ambiguous, something I feel that I would get used to over time. I had the disadvantage of switching between several tablets during this review and never did get used to the position and feel of the buttons on the N7. That's probably the biggest gripe I have about the design of the device. In other words, there's not much to hate.

Gallery: Google Nexus 7

The Nexus 7 features two mics for noise canceling action (likely in support of Google Now). You get NFC, Bluetooth and 802.11n WiFi but there's no LTE option as of now. I know there's internal debate about releasing an LTE enabled version at some point in the future.

ASUS Tablet Specification Comparison
	ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity	ASUS Transformer Pad 300 Series	ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime	ASUS Nexus 7
Dimensions	263 x 180.6 x 8.4mm	263 x 180.8 x 9.9mm	263 x 180.8 x 8.3mm	198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm
Chassis	Aluminum + Plastic RF Strip	Plastic	Aluminum	Plastic + Rubber back
Display	10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 Super IPS+	10.1-inch 1280 x 800 IPS	10.1-inch 1280 x 800 Super IPS+	7" 1280 x 800 IPS
Weight	594g	635g	586g	340 g
Processor	1.6GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 (T33 - 4 x Cortex A9)	NVIDIA Tegra 3 (T30L - 4 x Cortex A9)	1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 (T30 - 4 x Cortex A9)	1.3 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 (T30L - 4 x Cortex A9)
Memory	1GB DDR3-1600	1GB	1GB	1 GB
Storage	32/64GB + microSD slot	16GB/32GB + microSD slot	32GB/64GB + microSD slot	8 GB / 16 GB
Battery	25Whr	22Whr	25Whr	16 Whr
Pricing	$499/$599	$379/$399	$499/$599	$199/$249

Cost is the major selling point for the Nexus 7: for $199 Google will sell you an 8GB version with a $25 credit at the Google Play store, along with some preloaded magazines, books and a movie (Transformers: Dark of the Moon). It's tough to buy a new tablet and not buy apps for it, so the $25 credit is likely to be incredibly useful - making the effective retail price of the Nexus 7 $174. If you want 16GB of storage the price does go up to $249 however. Unfortunately even Google is not above charging $50 for $4 of MLC NAND.

The limited NAND capacity prevents the Nexus 7 from being home to more than a single full length movie or a couple of TV shows. Streaming video content isn't a problem, Netflix works beautifully on the device but there's no hope if you want to keep a ton of content local. Unfortunately USB OTG isn't supported for storage, so you're left with no other option for expanding local storage (short of rooting the device).

In every sense outside of portability, a 10-inch display is much nicer to look at than a 7-inch one in my opinion. There's less zooming in you need to do on web pages or magazines. Text in general is just easier to read and perhaps I'm getting too old, but there's something nice about everything being comfortably bigger.

Does the Nexus 7's form factor make it feel substantially better than using a smartphone? Yes, I'd say so. The same reasons I gave above for a 10-inch tablet being nicer to use than a 7-inch tablet are equally applicable to 7-inch tablet vs. a smartphone. There's this size/usability optimization curve that requires some soul searching to figure out exactly where you land on it. I suspect most people fall into the small smartphone + large tablet dichotomy, but the beauty of this current mobile revolution is the availability of choice. The Nexus 7 in many ways is very much like the 11-inch MacBook Air. A bit impractical for many, but those who crave portability are drawn to it. The Nexus 7 still feels like you're using a tablet, just a small one.

I needn't dwell on the benefits of a 7-inch form factor for portability any longer. If I'm wearing baggy enough pants I can even pocket the Nexus 7, something I simply couldn't do with the iPad. I'm more likely to carry the Nexus 7 with me than I would the iPad, but the comparison isn't quite as open and shut as that. The iPad offers LTE, the Nexus 7 is more portable, the iPad is easier to look at, the Nexus 7 is more affordable...the back and forth is endless.

Google reveals government censorship requests are on the rise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Google's updated its transparency report to show how many times governments worldwide sought to censor search results, drop YouTube videos or look at user data in the second half of last year. Each request is logged and detailed, with the most filings coming from the US, UK and India. The requests varied from censoring a video where a Canadian citizen creatively destroyed his passport (not complied with) through to blogs promoting hate speech and violence (complied with). Mountain View's list makes for interesting reading, but it's not all bad news: where videos were merely critical or satirical of the local authorities, the search giant refused to pull 'em, respecting private citizens right to free speech in a great majority of cases.

Nissan says Leaf charger will start powering homes in July, details new battery (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:24:00 +0000

We kicked the tires on Nissan's Leaf-based EV Power Station in Tokyo a while back, and now the company has announced that Japanese customers will start receiving the home power backups in July. On top of trundling you around town, the EV's battery will supply 6kWh of juice to your house, keeping it powered for up to two days. It also features an advanced charger, which can juice the Leaf to 80% capacity in only four hours, compared to the eight usually required to get to that level. It'll be sold through Nissan dealers and will run 480,000 yen ($6,000), or less with government subsidies -- in addition to the $35K you'd need for the car itself, of course. Roll on past the break for the video details.

Samsung Galaxy S III gets enterprise-friendly version in the US, wears a Pebble Blue business suit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:22:00 +0000

When Samsung launches its all-out blitz on the US with the Galaxy S III, it'll be targeting boardrooms as well as pockets: the Android 4.0 flagship will be the company's first American phone certified for its SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise) program. Regardless of the carrier, the American Galaxy S III will handle 256-bit AES encryption as well as offer better support for Exchange, remote management and VPNs than what you'd normally find coming from a Google-powered device. Samsung describes it as a way to "defragment" Android for companies that want consistent guarantees of how the OS will behave in the office, and the firm is confident enough that it's offering trade-in discounts for those who want to swap an older device for the secure phone, whether or not it's part of a corporate deal. SAFE-ready examples should be arriving by July and could save you from having to bring an ancient company-supplied phone on summer vacation.

InterDigital sells nearly 2,000 wireless patents to Intel, pockets $375 million

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:20:00 +0000

InterDigital (we interviewed its CEO last week) is selling off around 1,700 wireless patents and applications to Intel for $375 million. The company is making good on its promise to monetize its vast portfolio of IP, including technologies relating to 3G, WCDMA, HSDPA, HUSPA, LTE and 802.11 WiFi connections. It's a short in the arm for Intel's burgeoning wireless arm, which recently outed its first handset, the San Diego. It'll also strengthen the hand of the company in any litigation relating to the technology should the lawyers come knocking. So far it's not clear if the company is retaining an interest in the files its sold off, but we've reached out for comment and will let you know when we do.

Update: The company let us know that it's not retaining any interest in the patents that it's selling off. It also mentioned that the 1,700-strong portfolio equates to around eight percent of the company's overall IP holdings -- a number that it generates roughly every 18 months.

Google completes buyout of Magnolia Broadband patents, puts a little extra protection under its belt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:16:00 +0000

Magnolia Broadband revealed that Google was buying some of its patents at the start of June, but to say that its confirmation was brief would be an understatement. It's being more verbose now that the transaction has been cleared: Google now owns over 50 patents for beamforming wireless signals. Magnolia characterizes the techniques as important to making the best use of cellular connections, which could well be helpful to a company that just bought Motorola. Having said this, we can't help but think that the various patentbattles of Google's recent acquisition may play a part; obtaining cellular-specific patents would give potential attackers a reason to think twice.

Face.com acquired by Facebook for an estimated $80 million+, facial tagging clearly at the forefront

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Facebook already dropped the "the," so why not oversimplify and drop the "book," too? All jesting aside, Facebook is continuing its recent buying spree with the acquisition of Face.com for an estimated $80 - $100 million. The Israeli-based startup is being entirely scooped up by Zuckerberg's social network -- talent and technology included -- and it's fairly obvious that the company's heralded facial recognition IP is what Facebook is truly after. To date, Facebook's desktop tagging recognition is ho hum at best, and it's practically an afterthought on the mobile front; 'course, with Camera• now being released, it's high time the company got serious about tagging on the go. For those wondering, Face's blog post on the matter seems to make clear that third-parties currently using its API will continue to be supported, and while there aren't specific plans being laid out, we're told that the "next steps are going to be exciting for all of us." In related news, it's tremendously unlikely that Barnes & Noble lets go of book.com in order to give Facebook the pleasure of owning both ends of the URL spectrum.