HP has no more TouchPads for sale

The HP TouchPad became a bestseller once prices hit rock bottom at US$99. (Credit: HP)
Abandon all hope, ye who are still hoping to get a HP TouchPad for the holiday season.
Those who had signed up for updates about the TouchPad have received notices informing them that the company has run out of stock for the webOS-powered tablet. HP also added that some retailers could still have the TouchPad in stock, but you won't be able to get one directly from the firm.

US retailer Best Buy has announced that it is offering a 32GB TouchPad for US$149.99, but only if you are purchasing a HP or Compaq PC, too.
Meanwhile, the fate of HP's webOS division seems to be in limbo. HP has stated that it will be keeping its PC unit, but its CEO Meg Whitman has also said that the company is looking into Windows 8-powered tablets instead. There have been rumors last week that HP is planning to shut down its webOS unit soon, but this has since been refuted by HP's Todd Bradley. However, he did not offer any reassurances besides saying that HP will "make the right decision".
Do you think that HP should ditch webOS? We'll like to hear your thoughts.
Via CNET

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Uncharted story adapts to big action scenes

The makers of video game "Uncharted 3" built their story around cinematic action set pieces.Sony's "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception" for PlayStation 3 hits stores on TuesdayThe previous two games sold a combined 8 million copiesGame's developers say the creation process starts with a big action scene
San Francisco (CNN) -- When the developers of the "Uncharted" video games sat down to brainstorm their latest adventure, the first thing they decided was that they had to have a cargo plane and a cruise ship.
No matter that they didn't have a story, script or setting yet.
The designers and programmers immediately went to work on what reviewers say are the most memorable scenes in "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception." The PlayStation 3 game, published by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by Naughty Dog, is set to hit stores on Tuesday.
"Yeah, that would be pretty cool. Let's do it," Naughty Dog co-president Christophe Balestra recalled saying then. In an interview this week, he and creative director Amy Hennig offered a look at his studio's unusual storyboarding process.
Their goal at the start of each game's production is to "try to come up with these set-piece moments that aren't just for show," Hennig said. "In many ways, they become the signature pieces of the game."
Those segments also take the longest to plan and build, which is why they need to be conceived as early in the process as possible.
A scene from new adventure game "Uncharted 3."
A memorable scene from "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" was planned in the same way. It involves a firefight atop a moving train, and it's a moment that is often referenced when reviewers compare the Uncharted games to blockbuster action films. Naughty Dog executives have said that the train scene took a long time to get right and that they considered cutting it in order to make Sony's launch deadline.
After determining a game's centerpieces, Naughty Dog's brass then choose where the story will take place. They ask themselves, "Where can we go that's physically different?" Hennig said. Previous games have sent the protagonist, Nathan Drake, to uncharted territories that include jungles and snowy tundras. For "Uncharted 3," the Drake character will explore sand dunes.
Next, Hennig had the unenviable task of figuring out how in the story a giant boat fits together with a desert locale.
"I can't start off with a big script," she said. "I'd rather be given the weird challenge of, 'OK, we're going to do a desert and a cruise ship. Figure out how.'"
Hennig is familiar with atypical assignments. At Electronic Arts in the early 1990s, she was the lead designer for "Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City," a game that placed the basketball great into a Super Mario-style adventure, fiery basketballs in hand. (Hennig dodged working on a sister project called "Shaq Fu," which has ranked on countless worst-video-game-of-all-time lists.)
Naughty Dog takes pride in its games having "character-driven stories," rather than employing mindless action or scattershot plots. Hennig spurns the use of a "silent protagonist." However, character development, which she says is the game's most important element, still has to bend to the parameters set earlier in the development process.
"The story has to be the most flexible thing in the whole production," Hennig said. "It's way more like working on a television show."
Naughty Dog execs Christophe Balestra and Amy Hennig.
It's a show that many people are tuning in to. "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" has sold nearly 5 million copies. That beats the original game, which sold 3 million units, not a disappointment by most standards. The expectations are high for the upcoming game, and the initial reactions have been very positive.
Still, the technical improvements in "Uncharted 3" aren't quite as drastic as the leap Naughty Dog made between the first and second games, Hennig said. The latest edition incorporates features the developer has wanted to have since the original, she said.
"We're pretty run down," Hennig said. "Not only does it get physically harder as you get older, it gets emotionally and spiritually harder."
Naughty Dog doesn't expect to put out another game for at least two years, Hennig and Balestra said. (A different studio is making "Uncharted: Golden Abyss" for the PlayStation Vita.) They said executives haven't decided whether the next game will be part of the Uncharted franchise, or another Naughty Dog series like "Crash Bandicoot" or "Jak and Daxter" -- or something completely new.
Whatever it is, you can bet the development process will begin with an epic helicopter flight or car chase or explosion of some sort.
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A Porsche-designed BlackBerry for sports car lovers

The Porsche Design P'9981.
(Credit: RIM) If you can't quite afford a supercar, you might want to try the Porsche Design P'9981 BlackBerry smartphone instead.
Featuring materials as premium as those found in a Porsche sports car, the phone has a hand-wrapped leather back cover and forged stainless steel finishing. Love it or loathe it, the angular QWERTY keyboard design will definitely turn a few heads.
Under the hood, the P'9981 runs BB 7 OS on a 1.2GHz processor and has NFC capabilities--most of its specs are similar to the Bold 9900. However, the Porsche Design handset has a bespoke UI with specially designed icons and custom Wikitude augmented reality (AR) experience. Wikitude is an app which incorporates AR and location-based search using the phone's built-in compass.
The Porsche Design BlackBerry handset also has an exclusive PIN that starts with 2AA to help identify it to other P'9981 users on BBM. On paper, it seems a lot better than Porsche Design's previous phone.
The phone will only be available at Porsche Design stores later this year. Limited pieces will be sold, priced at an estimated US$2,000, according to Canadian tech site Mobilesyrup.
Between the Tag Heuer Link luxury Android handset and Vertu's phones that come with a 24-hour concierge service, the price tag on this Porsche BlackBerry seems reasonable in comparison.
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iPhone battery drain may be caused by 'Setting Time Zone' function

Having initially pointed out customer complaints about subpar battery life in the iPhone 4S, the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper has followed up with a report about a possible culprit and a possible temporary fix.
The Guardian said yesterday that some 4S users who had griped on Apple's support Web site about the power drain were being contacted by the company and sent diagnostic files that could be sent back to Apple for analysis. Numerous users have been saying their phones are lasting just a few hours, even with minimal use, the Guardian said.
Now the paper reports that a location-based feature in the phone that detects when you've physically moved to a different time zone and then resets the phone's clock accordingly may be the problem.
Apparently, the "Setting Time Zone" feature is polling cell phone towers constantly to determine the phone's location rather than doing so only on occasion. The phone's location-tracking setup triangulates information on the power of cell tower signals in order to situate the device.
The Guardian quotes Oliver Haslam, of iDownloadBlog:
It appears that iOS 5's GM release introduced a bug that causes the Setting Time Zone function to keep the location tracking circuitry running constantly, draining battery power considerably. Switching it off may mean that your iPhone will no longer set its own time zone when you travel, but that's a small price to pay for having your iPhone last more than 12 hours on a full charge...We have tested this method on 4 different iPhone 4S handsets, including an iPhone 4 and an iPhone 3GS. All have reported drastically improved battery life after switching "Setting Time Zone" off..
The Guardian reported that some users have seen little difference after switching off the feature and that Apple itself has not yet weighed in on what the specific issue might be. But Haslam's temporary fix seems worth a shot.
"Setting Time Zone" is found under Settings/Location Services/System Services.
The iPhone 4S launched two weeks ago in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and several other countries, and expanded to 22 additional countries last Friday. It boasts an extra hour of 3G talk time compared with the iPhone 4, while coming in at 100 hours less of standby time, based on Apple's own testing. CNET's own iPhone 4S battery testing with a model on Sprint's network yielded 9.2 hours of talk time on the carrier's 3G EV-DO Revision A network, coming in as the strongest iPhone battery test to date.
The phone continues the trend set by previous iterations, sealing the battery inside to allow for better use of space. As a side effect, users can't swap it out with another battery, as most other phones allow.
A teardown of the iPhone 4S earlier this month by iFixit revealed that the battery in the 4S is slightly more powerful than the one in the iPhone 4 but not by much. Users get an extra .05 WHrs of juice compared with the battery that was in the iPhone 4. The big difference, of course, is that the iPhone 4S sports a dual-core a5 processor.
CNET's Josh Lowensohn contributed to this report.
Via CNET News
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Mona Simpson eulogizes her brother Steve Jobs as 'idealistic'

Steve Jobs The sister of Steve Jobs says that growing up as an only child raised by a single mother, she would imagine her father as "an idealistic revolutionary" who resembled actor Omar Sharif.
"For decades, I'd thought that man would be my father," writes Mona Simpson, a noted writer. "When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother."
In a moving New York Times op-ed piece today, Simpson offers an intimate portrait of the late Apple co-founder, a man she met for the first time in 1985 when she was 25. She describes meeting Jobs and getting to know him, his struggles with his health, as well as his personality quirks.
Simpson recounts how hurt Jobs felt about leaving the company he co-founded after a boardroom struggle for control of Apple in 1985.
"When he got kicked out of Apple, things were painful," she writes. "He told me about a dinner at which 500 Silicon Valley leaders met the then-sitting president. Steve hadn't been invited. He was hurt but he still went to work at Next. Every single day."
She even explains Jobs' famous fondness for black turtlenecks.
"For an innovator, Steve was remarkably loyal," Simpson writes. "If he loved a shirt, he'd order 10 or 100 of them. In the Palo Alto house, there are probably enough black cotton turtlenecks for everyone in this church."
Simpson also talks in detail about how Jobs' life changed as his illness began to take its toll on his body.
"Then, Steve became ill and we watched his life compress into a smaller circle," she says, detailing the everyday pleasures that no longer appealed to Jobs. "Yet, what amazed me, and what I learned from his illness, was how much was still left after so much had been taken away."
She says his death was unexpected and describes the last afternoon she spent with her brother in some detail. "Death didn't happen to Steve, he achieved it," she writes.
Jobs' final words that afternoon: "OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW."
Jobs died October 5 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer and was buried a few days later during a private, non-denominational funeral in Santa Clara County.
Via CNET News
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NAD releases iPhone dock for audiophiles

NAD does deserve credit for the unique design of the Viso 1.
(Credit: NAD)
There's an ample selection of iPod/iPhone speaker docks available in stores these days with the better ones coming from companies with a hi-fi background. NAD, a Canada-based manufacturer of midrange to high-end audio components, intends to add to this select group of audiophile-oriented docks with its Viso 1 iPod Music System.
Joining the ranks of notable makes such as Bowers & Wilkins, Klipsch and Bose, the Viso 1 targets more discerning listeners, who may want an audio experience that could rival entry-level hi-fi setups. The set comes with NAD's very own Direct Digital amplifier technology, a fully-digital system that bypasses the audio circuitry of your iPod or iPhone. The Viso 1 also has Bluetooth connectivity to play back music from other devices. An optical digital input allows external digital devices, such as CD players, to be connected while a component video output sends videos from your iPod/iPhone to an HDTV.
Although NAD hasn't specified the power of the Viso 1, the company claims that this dock will play louder than most other docks while delivering "uncanny smoothness and accuracy". We're inclined to believe this considering that the company has been known for good detail and sonic accuracy with its amplifiers. However, we were slightly disappointed with the Viso 1's lack of AirPlay which could make another high-end dock, the B&W Zeppelin Air, seem like a better choice.
The Viso 1 will be available in the UK from November for 499 pounds (US$800). Those interested can check with distributors worldwide for release dates in other countries.
Via What Hi-Fi
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Steve Jobs final words revealed

Steve Jobs, seen above in his trademark black turtleneck, died earlier this month.Steve Jobs and Mona Simpson did not meet until they were adultsJobs' birth parents gave him up for adoption at birth; his sister was born laterSimpson: "He said he was going to make something that was going to be insanely beautiful"Jobs last words: "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. "
(CNN) -- The last minutes in the life of Steve Jobs were still filled by the epiphanies and moments of inspiration that fed his inventor's mind, according to an intimate portrait provided by Jobs' sister in a eulogy published Sunday in The New York Times.
Mona Simpson's eulogy -- originally read during Jobs' memorial service on October 16 -- is a sister's celebration of a brother she knew only later in life, and a lament of losing a best friend. It weaves in words what she believed were the foundations of Jobs' genius: his humility and hard work, his love of learning and his family.
"I want to tell you a few things I learned from Steve, during three distinct periods, over the 27 years I knew him," said Simpson in her eulogy. "They're not periods of years, but of states of being. His full life. His illness. His dying."
Simpson, a writer, and Steve Jobs did not meet until they were adults. Their early family history was fragmented, but set the stage for what later became a deep-rooted friendship between two estranged siblings. After Steve Jobs' birth, his parents gave him up for adoption. Simpson was born later, and the parents subsequently divorced.
The best tidbits from the new Steve Jobs biography
One day, Simpson said in her eulogy, when she was living in New York and writing her first novel, a lawyer gave her a call to inform her that her "long-lost brother" was rich and famous and wanted to contact her.
"Because we were poor and because I knew my father had emigrated from Syria, I imagined he looked like (actor) Omar Sharif," said Simpson.
"The lawyer refused to tell me my brother's name and my colleagues started a betting pool," said Simpson. "The leading candidate: John Travolta. I secretly hoped for a literary descendant of Henry James -- someone more talented than I, someone brilliant without trying," she said.
The man who came to meet her -- her brother -- was Steve Jobs.
"Even as a feminist, my whole life I'd been waiting for a man to love, who could love me. For decades, I'd thought that man would be my father. When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother," Simpson said in the eulogy as published in the Times.
"When I met Steve, he was a guy my age in jeans, Arab- or Jewish-looking and handsomer than Omar Sharif," she said.
When they first met, Simpson said, she told her brother she had considered buying a computer but had waited.
"Steve told me it was a good thing I'd waited. He said he was going to make something that was going to be insanely beautiful," she said.
Jobs' life was not always a smooth ride, his sister said in her eulogy. He skidded through volatile times with Apple executives and eventually was ousted from the company he had founded.
"When he got kicked out of Apple, things were painful. He told me about a dinner at which 500 Silicon Valley leaders met the then-sitting president. Steve hadn't been invited," said Simpson.
"He was hurt but he still went to work ... Every single day," she said.
Jobs' biographer talks to CNN's Piers Morgan
Simpson said Jobs was sentimental and he spent much time talking about love. He found a partner in life, Laurene Powell, whom he married in 1991, his sister said.
"His abiding love for Laurene sustained him. He believed that love happened all the time, everywhere," she wrote.
When Jobs' struggle with pancreatic cancer took a turn for the worse, he called his sister and asked her to hurry to his Palo Alto, California, home.
His tone, Simpson said, was "like someone whose luggage was already strapped onto the vehicle, who was already on the beginning of his journey, even as he was sorry, truly deeply sorry, to be leaving us."
Belief blog: Are we turning Steve Jobs into a saint?
Even as he struggled physically in his last hours, his sister said, "there was also sweet Steve's capacity for wonderment, the artist's belief in the ideal, the still more beautiful later."
"He was working at this, too. Death didn't happen to Steve, he achieved it."
With his family surrounding him, Simpson said, Jobs' last words were: "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. "
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Facebook now lets you subscribe to comments

Facebook's new comment subscribe button.
(Credit: Screenshot by Steven Musil/CNET) Facebook has added a "subscribe" button to its comments box plugin, allowing users to follow comments made by users who have enabled Subscribers.
The new link allows users to subscribe to commenters with one click, and gives commenters another way to grow their subscriber base, Facebook said. In some cases, it will also show a subscriber count next to the button.
The link will only appear on public comments made by Facebook users who have allowed other users to subscribe their updates.
The move is an evolution of the subscribe button the social-networking giant added last month to user profiles, which gives users the option of subscribing to all, most, or only important updates the other person posts to the site. Those updates show up in the user's news feed.
Facebook is also letting people subscribe to news feeds of users they're not friends with. Upon doing so, they will see the public updates the person has shared on their profile. And like with friends, users will be able to determine how many of those updates they will see in their news feed.
Via CNET News
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China's newest supercomputer is using domestic chips

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

China is stepping up its semiconductor manufacturing efforts and using domestic chips for its latest supercomputer. It's going to be interesting to see how fast China can close in on U.S. supercomputer processor makers Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.

The New York Times reported that a supercomputer called Sunway BlueLight MPP, was installed in September at the National Supercomputer Center in Jinan, China. The details emerged at a technical meeting. The real catch is that China used 8,700 ShenWei SW1600 chips.

Those semiconductors are homegrown and indicate that China is aiming to be a major chip player. The New York Times story was mostly sourced to Jack Dongarra, a computer scientist at the University of Tennessee, but Chinese sites reported on the technical meeting. Dongarra helps manage the list of Top 500 supercomputers. China's previous supercomputers used Intel and Nvidia chips.

Read more on China steps up its semiconductor game with homegrown supercomputer effort from ZDNet.

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Anonymous threatens Mexican drug cartel over alleged kidnapping

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

In a recent video, Anonymous makes a vague threat against the Zetas Mexican drug cartel over the alleged kidnap of one of its members. (Credit: Anonymous) The online collective Anonymous is making threats to a Mexican drug cartel over the alleged kidnapping of one of its activists in Veracruz.

"You made a huge mistake by taking one of us. Release him. And if anything happens to him, you (expletive) will always remember this upcoming November 5th," the group says in a Spanish-language YouTube video that shows buildings being blown up.

November 5 is commonly referred to as Guy Fawkes day in honor of the Brit who tried to blow up parliament in the Gunpowder Plot of 1604. Fawkes was immortalized in the 2006 movie "V For Vendetta" about a freedom fighter who uses terrorist tactics against a totalitarian society.

"We demand his release," says a man wearing a suit and tie and the mask from "V for Vendetta" that has become the symbol for Anonymous. "We want the Army and the Navy to know that we are fed up with the criminal group Zetas, who have concentrated on kidnapping, stealing and blackmailing in different ways."

The video, posted earlier this month, also threatens to expose journalists, taxi drivers, and police who allegedly cooperate with the cartel.

"We can't defend ourselves with a weapon, but if we can do this with their cars, houses, bars, brothels, and everything else in their possession," the video says. "It won't be difficult. We all know who they are and where they are."

The man in the video uses an accent from Spain and Mexican slang, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The video does not identify the missing member of its group, but says he was kidnapped while he was "doing Paperstorm", which is a reference to posting flyers and other printed messages in public spaces.

It's a gutsy move for Anonymous, which typically targets corporations, government agencies, and law enforcement departments that it deems morally and financially corrupt. The U.S. Justice Department says the Zetas cartel "may be the most technologically advanced, sophisticated, and violent" of the paramilitary enforcement groups in Mexico.

Via CNET News

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Up to 51 3D PS3 games available by end November

Here's another reason to purchase a PlayStation 3 (PS3) over a standalone 3D Blu-ray player to go with your 3D TV. A total of 51 3D games are expected to be available for the console by the end of November with 48 of these titles already being sold. This includes download-only versions from the firm's PlayStation Network (PSN), which was recently attacked by hackers resulting in an extended service disruption for its users. Non-gamers can also utilize the PS3 to play back 3D Blu-ray movies in 1080p quality with high-resolution surround sound.
Do note that some of the game titles may not be available in your country. We've marked those with PSN versions with an asterisk.

Facebook to introduce new security features

Facebook is set to announce new security features today that will let people set passwords for third-party apps and get help from friends when they can't get into their account.
When hackers hijack accounts, the first thing they typically do is change passwords so legitimate account holders can't get back in. Instead of going through the rigamarole of verifying that you are the legitimate account owner, Facebook will now let friends vouch for you.
The new Trusted Friends feature, which like App Passwords will available for "testing" in coming weeks, lets you select three to five friends who can be trusted to help get access to a hijacked account. Facebook will send secret codes to the select friends who can then share them with you.
"It's sort of similar to giving a house key to your friends when you go on vacation--pick the friends you most trust in case you need their help in the future", the company said in a blog post due to go live today. CNET has seen an advance copy.
Similarly, Facebook is bulking up security for in-system apps. Your Facebook login already generally allows you to access your Facebook apps, but in some cases you may prefer to use an unrelated and/or unique password for particular apps. And now you can.
To use App Passwords, click on Account Settings, then select Security Tab and the "App Passwords" section. "You can generate a password that you won't need to remember, just enter it along with your email when logging into an application", the company said in a statement.
"There are tons of applications you can use by logging in with your Facebook credentials. However in some cases you may want to have a unique password for that application", the blog post says. "This is especially helpful if you have opted into Login Approvals, for which security codes don't always work when using 3rd party applications."
These moves are Facebook's latest attempts to help people keep hackers and hijackers out of their accounts. In May, Facebook announced a number of security offerings, including a two-factor authentication called Login Approvals that require a code when you log in from an unrecognized device. The site will also generate warnings when links look suspicious or if it senses dubious activity going on behind the scenes of clicks. Facebook also launched a bug bounty program in July.
Via CNET
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Play music with this "lens"

Photographers who enjoy their music on-the-go might want to add this interesting camera novelty item to their collection.
Designed to look like Nikon's 55-200mm telephoto kit lens, this device is actually a portable speaker. Instead of the typical glass optical elements, the gadget sports a speaker driver. It is also capable of playing music from various audio sources such as smartphones, computers and other devices with a 3.5mm stereo minijack.


Apart from control buttons on the barrel to pause, skip and stop audio tracks, the speaker also comes equipped with an inbuilt lithium battery, a USB port (for line-in and charging) and a microSD card slot. The rechargeable battery is rated to last up to 4 hours for music playback.

The Lens Speaker is easily found on eBay at prices ranging from US$19 to US$38.99, and will be bundled with a stereo minijack/USB cable and an instruction manual.
Via Petapixel
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Video finds horror in Facebook privacy fears

Unfriend this man, now. "Take This Lollipop" combines horror movie tropes with online security fears."Take This Lollipop" mines Facebook fears to make a short horror videoIn the viral clip, a creepy, crazed guy peers at your Facebook profileCreator Jason Zada says it shows how online "privacy is dead"As Halloween nears, more than 2 million people have shared the video
(CNN) -- A sweaty, wild-eyed man in a stained undershirt hunches over his computer in a shadowy basement. He's broken into your Facebook account and is reading your posts as his dirty, cracked fingernails paw at the keyboard.
Rage (jealousy? hate?) builds as he flips through your photos and scrolls through your list of friends. He rocks back and forth, growing more agitated as the pages flash past. Then he consults a map of your city and heads to his car ...
So why ... oh, why ... did you include so much personal information -- and your address -- in your profile?
If that all sounds like the stuff of a digital-era horror movie, you're not far off.
"Take This Lollipop" is an interactive short video that's been making its way around the Web as Halloween approaches. Visitors to the site are first presented with an image of a lollipop with a razor blade in it -- don't take candy from strangers, kids -- and asked to grant access to their Facebook account.
Don't worry: The application claims it uses your data only once, then deletes it. But the creepy results just might make you think twice about who else gets access to your online information.
The video uses the developer tool Facebook Connect and features actor Bill Oberst Jr. (whose credits range from "The Secret Life of Bees" to the inexplicably Oscarless "Nude Nuns With Big Guns") as the aforementioned grungy nutjob.
As he stares at his computer, it's actual photos and other information from your page that he's scrolling through. (Note to parents: If you're tagged in pictures of your kids, be ready for those to pop up, too. It ups the ante on creepiness exponentially).
In the weeks since the video went live, viewers have begun sharing it with friends and asking them to video-record themselves while watching it. (This one from YouTube has more than 18,000 views, not to mention a vaguely "Blair Witch Project" vibe.)
Creator Jason Zada, a commercial and viral marketing director who was the brains behind the viral "Elf Yourself" online campaign for OfficeMax, told Porter Gale of Ad Age that he'd been kicking around Halloween ideas and "wanted to do something that messed with people."
He said the clip is definitely meant to spur thought about how much information we share online.
"Our privacy was dead a while back and will never be the same," he said. "Life as a whole has changed. If you look at the video, the scariest part is that your information is in the video. The piece is scary because a person is violating your privacy, not because it's bloody or there's anything jumping out."
As of Thursday morning, nearly 2 million people had "liked" the page. How many of them are at Facebook's headquarters remains unclear.
"I did hear the video project has been polarizing inside of Facebook, and I received a call from Facebook's Developer Relations Team, " Zada said. "They were very nice, respectable, and I explained I didn't want to cross any lines."
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Sony acquires Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson

After 10 years, Sony Ericsson may soon be no more. In a joint press conference held in London today, the Sony Corporation and Ericsson announced that the former will be buying over the Swedish company's 50 percent stake for 1.07 billion euros (US$1.47 billion).
The transaction will also provide Sony with ownership of five "essential patent families" in an intellectual property licensing agreement.
Sony will focus on a "four screen strategy"--namely tablet, TV, PC and smartphone--which actually also incorporates its gaming business. CEO Sir Howard Stringer boasts about making its 350 million devices more connected with this push, boldly proclaiming: "It's more than a name change; it's a game change."
However, the Sony Ericsson brand name will be sticking around in the short term, until a task force in Japan headed by current Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg reaches a decision.
Meanwhile, the Sony-Ericsson relationship continues with a "wireless connectivity initiative…to drive and develop the market's adoption of connectivity across multiple platforms".
Ericsson's CEO Hans Vestberg calls the buyout a "fairly natural step" for his company, as it remains committed to its wireless technologies.
Over the past 10 years, Sony Ericsson has weathered the move from feature phones to smartphones. Currently, Android smartphones account for about 80 percent of Sony Ericsson's handsets. This is set to change, with Sir Stringer announcing the gradual phasing out of feature phones.
When asked if Sony Ericsson might consider buying over webOS at the moment, he said no but added, "Never think never about anything".
Before today's announcement, there had already been murmurs of a buyout. It will help Sony to gain a better foothold on the highly competitive mobile handset market, especially with copyright infringement battles going on now and Google's recent acquisition of Motorola Mobility.
As the deal is expected to be closed by January next year, its immediate impact remains to be seen. As Sony prepares to announce its third quarter earnings on November 2, industry watchers such as Eldar Murtazin have sounded the death knell of the Sony Ericsson brand.
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HP decides to keep PC division

Hewlett-Packard said today that it will keep its personal systems group and that it will continue to sell PCs.
The company added that its strategic review indicated that the supply chain and procurement hit was too much. Meanwhile, HP's PC unit performs well.
When Meg Whitman took over as CEO, she promised a quick decision on the PC division. She delivered.
Overall, HP's move makes sense--at least in the short term. Keeping the PC unit removes a lot of uncertainty for corporate technology buyers who were likely to go with vendors such as Lenovo and Dell. By eliminating that uncertainty, HP can move ahead.
HP's PC unit is profitable, but analysts noted that the business has imploded. In other words, HP couldn't sell the PC division and a spin-off wouldn't have been a boon to shareholders in its current state.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said in a research note this week:

In our global travels we have heard time and time again how your PC business has virtually imploded since the spin-off decision. Local managers in Asia, Latin America, and Europe are powerless to fight the competitive message, and customers fear that you are not committed to the business and therefore are going elsewhere (primarily Lenovo and Dell). We suggest either 1) immediately announce a commitment to the PC business (e.g., multi-year onsite warranties, partner with local banks to finance), or 2) have a private equity firm buy a stake in the company.
In the long run, HP's decision to keep the PC unit isn't a slam-dunk. PCs are still a low-margin commodity business, and it's unclear whether the unit can deliver cutting-edge designs, navigate the tablet market, and generate consumer buzz.
Whitman said in a statement:

HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger.
Whitman's review revolved around how PCs fit into the supply chain. Removing the PC business could mean that HP would lack the scale to get good component deals for its servers.
In a statement, HP said:

The data-driven evaluation revealed the depth of the integration that has occurred across key operations such as supply chain, IT and procurement. It also detailed the significant extent to which PSG contributes to HP's solutions portfolio and overall brand value. Finally, it also showed that the cost to recreate these in a standalone company outweighed any benefits of separation.
Going forward, HP's Todd Bradley, who runs the PC unit, said the company is committed to the PC and intends to improve the business.
Keeping the PC business eliminates uncertainty, but key questions still remain for the unit.
Among the key items:
• How should HP organize its design teams? Misek suggested that HP should separate its design team from the bureaucracy. Better designs would help HP battle Apple and generate enterprise sales as consumerization takes hold?
• Does HP have to dangle carrots in front of IT buyers? HP may have to boost warranties and use aggressive pricing to fend off deals with Lenovo and Dell.
• What's the mobile plan? HP still doesn't have a mobile plan and it needs to partner with Microsoft or Google. The WebOS is a dead end due to the ecosystem.
Here's where HP stands in the PC market.

(Credit: Screenshot by Larry Dignan)
Via CNET
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Google+ now available for business users

Google Apps integration with Google+ allows users to share posts to others in their organizations.(Credit: Google)
Google has finally integrated Google Apps into its Google+ social-networking service, allowing customers to use the same digital identities across both services.
"Google Apps users will have access to the same set of features that are available to every Google+ user, and more", Google Product Manager Ronald Ho wrote in a blog post. "In addition to sharing publicly or with your Circles, you'll also have the option to share with everyone in your organization, even if you haven't added all of those people to a Circle."
Separately, Google added a few other, more consumer-focused features, including What's Hot, which lets users keep tabs on the most popular posts of the moment. The company also has added a visualization tool, called Ripples, that allows Google+ users to see how conversations unfold.
For many businesses, though, the integration with Google Apps is overdue. Workers couldn't use their Google Apps identifications to plug into Google+. Now Google has given corporate tech managers tools to turn on Google+ for their businesses. Ho acknowledge that integrating the two services "took more technical work than we expected".
The goal is to get workers to tap into the services, such as its Hangouts video conferencing feature, as they do their jobs. What's more, companies can create Circles, groups of Google+ users with similar characteristics, of their entire company, or subsets of employees. That way, employees can target their posts to those specific colleagues.
Google has also integrated Google Docs into the service. Now, users can collaborate on the same document while holding a Hangouts video conference. One employee might chat about a fix she's making to a paper while a colleague looks on and offers comments as the changes are being made.
The company listed a handful of universities that are already Google Apps for Education customers that are rolling out the integrated Google+ today, including the University of Washington, the University of Notre Dame, and Arizona State University.
Google+ already has 40 million users, many of whom also have Google Apps accounts. Ho says the company is working on a migration tool to help users move their personal Google+ subscription over to their workplace Google Apps accounts. That should be ready "in a few weeks", Ho wrote. In the meantime, existing Google+ users will have to manage two separate accounts if they want to use the new Google Apps integration.
Google has been racing to add features to the service it launched in June. Last month, it touted the 100th new Google+ feature--open enrollment for all comers.
The new consumer features announced today will roll out gradually, according to a Google spokeswoman. What's Hot offers users the opportunity to see what matters to other Google+ users.
Ripples will let users zoom in on specific topics to see who has contributed most to the conversation around it. They can pull back to see more broadly how that topic is playing over the entire Google+ network. Google Senior Vice President of Engineering Vic Gundotra said in the blog post that Ripples is "still experimental".
Finally, Google+ has added Creative Kit, tools for editing and enhancing photos that users post to the network. It includes familiar tools that let folks sharpen and crop photos. The company has also added the ability to include a little pizzazz to the shot, giving it a vintage hue or putting masks and fangs on people in time for Halloween.
Via CNET
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Why Amazon's Jeff Bezos is the next Steve Jobs

By Matt Rosoff, Special to CNNOctober 27, 2011 -- Updated 1616 GMT (0016 HKT) | Filed under: Innovations Jeff Bezos shares many similarities with the late Steve Jobs, making him the next most dominant figure in the technology industry. Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs share more similarities than differencesAmazon, like Apple, is a powerful source in tablet, technology manufacturingBezos resembles Jobs in both business practices and personal characteristics
(CNN) -- With the passing of Steve Jobs earlier this month, the tech industry lost one of its most revered icons. So where will the industry turn for inspiration now that Jobs is gone?
New Apple CEO Tim Cook will keep the business cranking along, but he's unlikely to inspire the same kind of devotion as Jobs. Facebook leader Mark Zuckerberg has star power, but he and his company are still too young and untested. At Google, Larry Page is too awkward and Eric Schmidt too slick, and a lot of the company's recent products are too unfinished.
But there's one tech leader who just might fit the bill: Amazon's Jeff Bezos.
Bezos runs his business the same way Steve Jobs ran his, with a relentless focus on long-term value over short-term profits and a willingness to place big bets in seemingly unrelated new areas.
Steve Jobs took Apple on a detour from personal computers into music with the iPod, and then into cell phones with the iPhone. It worked, and made Apple into the biggest and richest tech company in the world.
Jeff Bezos is doing the same thing at Amazon.
About five years ago, Amazon noticed it had a lot of spare capacity in its data centers that was only used during the holiday season. So it started renting out some of that capacity to other companies. Now hundreds of high-profile Internet startups, including big names like Foursquare and Yelp, run their businesses on Amazon Web Services.
Somehow, an online bookseller became the most important provider of "cloud computing" -- a fancy term for running other companies' online services.
In 2007, Amazon introduced its electronic reader, the Kindle. The product limped along for a couple of years, then started to take off in 2010 with the third generation.
But next month Amazon will unveil Kindle Fire, a color version that is more like a full tablet computer, with an app store, music store, video store, and new kind of Web browser designed to load Web pages faster. And it sells for $199, which is hundreds of dollars less than Apple's iPad. No wonder Amazon is having to build millions more than it expected to meet demand.
Somehow, an online bookseller could become one of the dominant players in tablet computing.
Bezos not only resembles Jobs in his business practices. He's also got a lot of the same personal traits.
He's a control freak
Google engineer Steve Yegge, who formerly worked at Amazon, accidentally published a post criticizing his current employer and praising Amazon and Bezos. (The post was supposed to be for Google's eyes only.) He said Bezos was a micromanager who "made ordinary control freaks look like stoned hippies." A Portfolio.com profile in 2009 said Bezos wanted to know the details of every contract Amazon signed and had to sign off on how he was quoted in every press release.
He doesn't like dissent
Bezos often tells employees that they're lucky to work at Amazon and leaves sticky notes reminding them who's in charge if they disagree with him, according to Yegge.
He has otherworldly smarts
In a follow-up post, Yegge explained how Bezos was so smart that you could only impress him in presentations if you deleted every third paragraph to keep his brain occupied -- and even then, he'd figure out something you missed. "People like Jeff are better regarded as hyper-intelligent aliens with a tangential interest in human affairs."
He always wanted to change the world
According to a 1999 profile in Wired, a high school girlfriend says that Bezos wanted to make money from an early age, but not to be rich -- he wanted to use the money to change the future.
He is obsessed with secrecy
Some companies are like leaky sieves -- Hewlett-Packard can't keep an internal secret to save its life, and Google and Facebook products leak all the time. The tech press publishes all sorts of rumors about Apple, but most of them turn out to be wrong because the company places a high premium on secrecy. But Amazon is even more secretive than Apple.
He was born in hard circumstances
Jobs was born to a young mother out of wedlock and given up for adoption. Bezos was born to a teenage mother whose marriage to his biological father lasted little more than a year. (Bezos has his adopted father's last name and considers him his real father, just as Jobs considered his adoptive parents his real parents.)
To be sure, there are some major differences between the two men.
Jobs dropped out of liberal arts college Reed and bummed around for a few years before figuring out what to do with his life; Bezos graduated from Princeton and went straight to work on Wall Street. Jobs had a bit of the California hippie in him, practicing Buddhism and trying natural remedies to cure his cancer; Bezos is more of a classic computer scientist, obsessed with space travel and mechanically adept.
Most important, Amazon hasn't yet created many products that inspire the kind of love that the iPod, iPhone and iPad do. There aren't any Amazon fans -- or at least they're nowhere near as obsessed as Apple's.
But give Bezos another five years and a few more new product areas, and that might change, too.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Matt Rosoff.
Copyright © 2011 Business Insider.
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Hands-on: X-mini KAI Bluetooth speaker

A top down look at the familiar-looking X-mini KAI Bluetooth speaker.
Fans of diminutive portable speakers would probably be well-acquainted with Xmi, the Singapore-based company behind the X-mini speakers. Xmi's latest model, the KAI (which apparently stands for Key Audio Initiative), serves as the company's foray into Bluetooth-enabled audio and is also the first in its new Bluetooth-enabled speaker range.
Three X-mini speakers daisy chained. The highlight of the KAI is its Bluetooth connectivity which allows smartphones, tablets or other Bluetooth devices to be paired with the speaker. Users can either control the music playback from their portable devices or via a tiny jog dial on the speaker unit, which allows for basic playback control. There's even a built-in microphone on the KAI which gives it teleconferencing capabilities. Of course, the speaker still retains the 3.5mm input (which Xmi calls the Buddy Jack), 3.5mm cable for connection to non-Bluetooth devices and a built-in battery that's charged via USB. Owners of X-mini speakers with Buddy Jacks can also daisy chain their other speakers for greater audio amplitude.
The X-mini KAI looks nearly identical to the recently launched Rave model that has a built-in FM radio. It has a similar 40mm magnetically-shielded speaker driver and a familiar matte-black color. The differences lie at the base, where there's a jog dial to switch tracks and to play and pause music as well. A small blue LED strip is another way to identify the X-mini KAI. We also noticed some subtle changes to the top of the unit, which is now more rounded at the edges.
We were quite pleased with the simplicity of pairing our iPhone 4 with the KAI. No button holding, pairing codes or special tricks was necessary, just turn your phone's Bluetooth on and viola, you're paired.

The KAI paired with my iPhone.
The sound from the KAI was as good as the X-mini Rave and Happy, the latter is the model with an SD card reader and onboard music player. With a wireless Bluetooth connection, however, we were able to move the speaker around freely and position it for better bass impact. As with most speakers, lower frequencies went a little deeper with placement next to a wall or in a corner. While the KAI sounds amazing for such a small speaker, don't expect thumping bass lines.
Some models from Xmi's current range of speakers. From left: X-mini v.1.1, II, Happy, Rave and the new KAI.

As the KAI is also touted to be capable of teleconferencing, we used it to make a phone call. From our brief test, we found the other party's voice to be clear and adequately loud. The microphone was also sensitive enough for those on the other end to hear when I was about 0.5m away from the speaker. At around 1m though, my voice started to lose some clarity and the other party missed some words spoken.
The X-mini KAI will be available in Asia by December and has a recommended retail price if S$139 (US$110). This seems a little pricey for such a small speaker. However, as portable Bluetooth speakers go, this set is the smallest we've seen to date and does provide a good enough audio experience for all but the most fussy listeners. As a tip, we recommend placing the speaker on a solid wood surface that's near a wall or corner for better bass and sound dispersion.
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PlayStation Vita available in HK and Taiwan this December

(Credit: Sony)
Gamers have known for a while that the upcoming handheld console PS Vita will be arriving in North America next February. However, there's been no word on a concrete release date for the Southeast Asian region--until today. Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong recently announced that two countries in Southeast Asia will be getting a PS Vita a week after its release in Japan: Hong Kong and Taiwan.
SCEH said that the device will be on sale on December 23. The 3G and wi-fi model will cost gamers HK$2,780 ($358) in Hong Kong and NT$10,980 ($368) in Taiwan. The Wi-Fi-only model will cost HK$2,280 ($293) in Hong Kong and NT$8,980 ($301) in Taiwan.
The launch titles available for the system are Army Corps of Hell, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, Dark Quest Alliance, Disgaea 3 Return, Everybody's Golf 6, Katamari Damacy No Vita, Little Deviants, Lord of Apocalypse, Michael Jackson: The Experience HD, Ridge Racer, Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen, Shin Sangoku Musou Next, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Uncharted: Golden Abyss.
No release date has been announced for the rest of Southeast Asia at this point in time.
Via Gamespot Asia
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Tech Buzz gets dressed up for Halloween

Celebrating Halloween? We find five essential tech accessories that will make your costume more authentic or spice up your party.
If dressing up isn't your cup of tea, stay in this weekend instead with our top five "scary" games for the PS3, Xbox and PC.
We also sacrificed our beauty sleep for Singapore's iPhone 4S midnight launch at the three telcos--SingTel, M1 and StarHub. Find out who were the first few proud owners of the Apple handset.
Catch the video after the break.

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Intel chips help to protect your online identity

Intel Identity Protection Technology generates a unique number for the specific PC and a six-digit code that is used to authenticate your computer with your account when logging into a Web site.(Credit: Intel)
Passwords can be phished, and carrying an extra key fob security device for accessing sensitive sites can be inconvenient. So Intel is putting authentication technology into its chips that will allow Web sites to verify that it's your PC logging into your online account and not an imposter or thief.
Intel Identity Protection Technology is being added to the chipsets of some Core and Core vPro processor-based PCs from HP, Lenovo, Sony and others, that began shipping to consumers this summer, according to Jennifer Gilburg, marketing director for the authentication technology unit.
This is two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security so that even if your password gets stolen whoever knows your secret code can't get into your account without offering more identification or proof of account ownership. In two-factor systems, the first part of the equation is what you know--password and username. The second factor is what you have--usually a hardware token, but in this case it's a token that's embedded in the chip.
"My three brothers have had email accounts hijacked. My younger brother gets his Facebook account hijacked like once a month", she said in a recent interview with CNET. "This s a friction-less log in that can't be hijacked or phished or compromised."
Here's how it works. When you visit a Web site that offers this two-factor authentication service you will be asked if you want to use the Identity Protection Technology. If you opt in, you log in with username and password a unique number is assigned to that PC so the site will know it is associated with your account. Thereafter, when you visit that site and type in your username and password an algorithm running on the chipset generates a six-digit code that changes every 30 seconds from the embedded processor that is then validated by the site.
"It's seamless to the user after set up", Gilburg said.
The Web site needs to be using technology that works with the Intel chip to enable this two-factor authentication. For example, VeriSign sites use Symantec's VIP (Validation and Identity Protection) Service technology on their end to communicate with Intel's chip-level technology on the customer's computer. Symantec owns VeriSign.
Some sites will be rolling the service out over the next few months and they will be using a Javacode-based software, according to Gilburg. She couldn't say how many sites are now offering the authentication support, but according to a list on Intel's site they include eBay and PayPal.
"They need to get Amazon, Google, whoever does authentication (on sites) and sells you stuff" on board, said Jack Gold, founder of tech analyst firm J. Gold Associates.
The technology could also be used for activities like downloading songs, he said, adding "It's basically a way of protecting the user and telling the site at the other end that this really is the legitimate user."
If you want to use the authentication but you aren't at your regular computer, some Web sites offer an SMS option in which a code can be sent to a customer's phone.
The new Intel technology comes at a good time, with stolen passwords and hijacked accounts are becoming commonplace and at a time when traditional hardware token-based systems are running into problems. Earlier this year, there was a serious hacker break-in at RSA that prompted some corporations, government agencies and other organizations to replace their SecurID tokens.
"The RSA breach showed the vulnerability of hardware tokens from a disaster recovery perspective", Gilburg said. "It took months to remanufacture, reseed (pair codes with tokens and accounts) and reship out the tokens. Here you can revoke and reprovision in minutes."
The Intel solution is a good one for now, said Charlie Miller, principal research consultant at security firm Accuvant.
"It seems like a pretty natural migration as many security related things are moving from software to hardware to protect them from prying eyes", he said. "As for drawbacks, there might be a privacy issue, but it's hard to think how it would be significantly worse than tying a computer to a website via cookies and other current software mechanisms."
Via CNET
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Windows XP still going strong after 10 years

Microsoft's Windows XP turned 10 this week, but the results of our recent poll on Facebook show that the OS remains popular among users.
Although more than half the respondents are already using the latest version of Windows, a hefty 29 percent of respondents in our informal poll are still using Windows XP. In fact, Microsoft recently celebrated a decade of XP by urging businesses to move to Windows 7.
However, with XP support only coming to an end in April 2014, it's likely that there will be more Windows XP than OS X installs if the world ends in 2012, according to our poll at least.

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Does Sony's smartphone play come too late?

The Xperia Play was Sony Ericsson's big push into the U.S. market. It didn't fare so well.
(Credit: Sony Ericsson) For Sony and its handset ambitions, it may be too little, too late.
The Japanese consumer electronics giant is ending its 10-year marriage with network-equipment provider Ericsson, spending US$1.47 billion to buy out Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson, their mobile devices joint venture.
Sony's hope: That it can move faster alone to revive what was once a healthy business through a tighter integration with its other products and media content.
While many analysts agree Sony's takeover of the business is a positive, they are skeptical that it can actually turn the handset business around. Over the past few years, Sony Ericsson has ceded a significant amount of market share to competitors. It was slow to pounce on the smartphone trend, and even now stands as a second-tier Android player. Its relationship with carriers in the major markets (read: The US) remains weak.
"It's not clear to me that Sony has the juice or the positioning to make a comeback now," said Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies.
Sony Ericsson's rapid decline in the mobile arena is just the latest example of the pitfalls to which joint ventures are often heir. The joint venture is book-ended with struggles, often due to conflicting interests and the frequently halfhearted commitment of its parents.
Once one of the five largest handset vendors in the world by shipments, Sony Ericsson has largely fallen off the radar. In the smartphone business, its share lags far behind its rivals. In the second quarter, its global share of the smartphone market was 3.6 percent, according to Gartner.
In comparison, Apple's share was 18.2 percent, while top tier Android player Samsung owned 15.8 percent of the market. Early Android adopter HTC held 10.2 percent.
Sony and Ericsson got together in 2001 because neither company had a particularly strong mobile devices business. Sony's share in the global market was nearly nonexistent, and Ericsson's own business suffered from major losses. The idea was to wed Sony's consumer electronics expertise with Ericsson's experience in telecommunications and wireless technology while reducing its financial liabilities.
But by 2005, the company had hit its stride by producing a music-centric Walkman-branded cellphone, and eventually following up with phones using the Cybershot camera brand and Bravia television brand.
Sony Ericsson focused on the GSM market, looking at emerging markets such as India. In the US, it had a role at AT&T and T-Mobile USA, but was never part of CDMA-carriers Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel.
Much of the progress made by Sony Ericsson was lost once Apple and its iPhone came on the scene in 2007. The iPhone, followed by the first Android device, the Dream from HTC, which was unveiled in October 2008, put consumers on path to demanding more from their mobile devices.
Sony Ericsson, meanwhile, was struggling to make the transition to the smartphone, finally introducing its first Windows Mobile-powered device, the Xperia X1, in 2008. After some delay, the product hit the market, although it never made a dent in the US market. The device, like other Windows Mobile phones of that period, offered a clunky user interface that fell short of the more sophisticated offerings from iOS and Android.
While Sony Ericsson was fiddling with Windows Mobile, its rivals were embracing Android. HTC was the first, making an early and strong mark in the smartphone business. Samsung was slower, but has since overtaken HTC as the leading Android vendor with its line of Galaxy smartphones.
Sony Ericsson didn't introduce its first Android device, the Xperia X10, until March of last year. At that point, Motorola, HTC and Samsung had all made significant moves to shore up their position.
The Xperia Play, a strange mash-up of a Sony Ericsson phone and Sony's PlayStation controller, was supposed to be its break-out hit in the US. Instead, it flopped as consumers embraced more conventional devices.
The joint venture's slow reaction to the changing industry dynamics may have put Sony too far behind in the game to catch up.
"In short, we don't see a change in the competitive landscape," said Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee.

Sony CEO Howard Stringer speaking at the IFA show in Berlin.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET) The reaction to Sony taking over the joint venture was near unanimous approval.
"Sometimes when a relationship is not being nurtured or developed, it's better to go your separate ways," said Mark Sue, an analyst at RBC Capital.
Sony is expected to move quicker than its joint venture to reposition itself in various markets. Many analysts noted that the company still has a "huge uphill climb" when it comes to markets such as the US, but that Sony could bring quicker improvements in areas where it has been traditionally strong, such as Western Europe and parts of Latin America.
One key to the handset business's revival is the use of Sony's wealth of content, including a significant library of video, music and video games.
"The compelling content makes the most sense as a way for these guys to really differentiate themselves with Android," said Hugues de la Vergne, an analyst at Gartner. "It at least brings them to the table as a competitor."
De la Vergne said the ideal situation would be to offer up exclusive access to videos or games to carriers in exchange for marketing support for its devices.
The use of Sony's PlayStation brand is another option. Sony has been reluctant to directly link the PlayStation to its phones, but with the company taking full control of the joint venture, that is one possibility. While the Xperia Play utilized the term PlayStation Certified games, it didn't truly meld the PlayStation experience into the device. Sony's comments today suggest otherwise.
"We can more rapidly and more widely offer consumers smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions that seamlessly connect with one another and open up new worlds of online entertainment," Sony CEO Howard Stringer said in a statement.
A lot depends on how rapidly Sony can move. Execution is key, and Sony will have to move faster than the typical 12 to 18 month product cycle, as its rivals are continuing to solidify their own market positions. The company will also have to improve its relationship with the carriers. The Xperia Play's lackluster performance likely dented its prospects in the US, creating a significant obstacle for Sony's future offerings.
Even then, it's unclear whether a Sony smartphone will standout in the market to consumers.
"I think Sony has largely missed the smartphone revolution," Kay said.
Via CNET News
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Unthink wants to be the new anti-Facebook

In a promo video, Unthink dubs a Google rep and a Mark Zuckerberg look-alike "greedy giants."New "Unthink" social networking site lets users own their contentFlorida-based startup wants to be everything Facebook and Google+ are notVideo promoting the site calls Facebook and Google "greedy giants"The question is whether users will leave for a site with fewer fellow users
(CNN) -- Call it "Occupy Facebook." Or, perhaps, "UnOccupy Facebook."
Hoping to capitalize on frustrations with the social networking giant, not to mention some of the anti-corporate sentiment bubbling up on Wall Street and beyond, entrepreneurs have launched an upstart site called Unthink.
The Tampa, Florida-based startup wants to be everything that Facebook and rival Google+ are not -- and it has the manifesto and sassy YouTube video to prove it.
"I couldn't wait to tell my story. I couldn't believe that all this was free," says an actress in the video, strutting through Bohemian city streets in an off-the-shoulder T-shirt with the words "Wild and Free" scrawled on it. "But I never knew that I'd be part of some damn puppet show -- that you thought you could own me. Well, you can't own me!"
Later, she confronts a guy in a Google+ T-shirt and another hoodie-wearing character with a striking resemblance to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The video is part of a series of hype-building efforts, along with cryptic news releases promising a "secret project" and "social revolution," that preceded Tuesday's limited launch.
Opened for invite-only beta testing on Tuesday, Unthink says it will offer an alternative to the privacy concerns some people have about using Facebook or Google's new rival network.
Facebook and Google both collect information about users to tailor advertising to them. Privacy concerns have cropped up over various features Facebook has rolled out -- from mobile check-ins to integration with other websites that can make a user's online behavior more public if settings aren't tweaked.
Unthink promises that, under its terms of use, all content will remain the property of the user. After signing up, an app lets users transfer photos and other info from Facebook to the new site.
"We worked hard for more than three years to research people's needs and present them with a solution that will empower them," Unthink CEO and founder Natasha Dedis said on the company's website. "Our mission is to emancipate social media and unleash people's extraordinary potential. Our -- not so covert -- mission is to spark a social revolution. We believe in people."
Dedis said she had the idea for the site when her son wanted to join Facebook and she read what she called the site's oppressive terms of use.
According to TechCrunch, the site is bankrolled with about $2.5 million in investments from venture capitalists.
And its business model for fighting the corporate social-media giants? Corporate sponsorships.
The site will let users either pick a participating business (presumably one they like) to "sponsor" their page or pay a $2 annual fee for the service.
Through much of Wednesday, after tech blogs began reporting on it, pulling up the Unthink site delivered an "over capacity" message.
Unthink isn't the first startup that has hoped to capitalize on anti-Facebook sentiment. Last spring, Diaspora raised $200,000 on crowd-funding site Kickstarter to develop a decentralized networking site. But more than a year and a half later, only an unfinished alpha version has been rolled out and, last month, developers sent out a plea for more money to people who have already signed up.
The question, of course, is whether there's any appetite for yet another social networking platform in a landscape dominated by Facebook, with its 800 million users, and to a lesser extent, Twitter.
Even Google has struggled to pull users away from Facebook where, despite complaints, users have appeared willing to deal with occasional privacy concerns in return for a convenient online hangout populated by all their friends.
But if even a small percentage of those users choose to abandon ship for the "revolution," it may be enough for Unthink to declare victory.
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Nokia shows off a flexible screen device

Kinetic device of Nokia scroll through playlists of music and pictures with its edges are twisted. (Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Multitouch user interfaces, and if a revolution Nokia mobile device, the researchers felt how it is that it breaks the next revolution.
Show Nokia world, Finnish mobile phone maker showed his Nokia device "with kinetic flexible display. Held in both hands, scroll through music collections or albums when twisted. Bow it outward or inward zoomed images and decrease or paused, played music, when you press the corners move between photos.
Although a true computing device with an OLED display, is absolutely not a real product that anyone can buy today. More firmly prototype category was related flexible device looks like a slim remote control; It could be controlled with one hand.
Tapani Jokinen, who began working on a technology two years ago as part of a group whose purpose is to create designs from Nokia Research step earlier, say when it would come to market or how it worked.
But Chris Bower, stationed nearby on "lounge for the future" of Nokia, there were some ideas. He was showing is a pilot with a bunch of tubes with carbon photographic flexible elastomer. Electrical resistance changes as they are stretched, nanotubes, and measurements of change computer to control how the map zoomed in and out. You can use the same access to control a flexible interface.
Jokinen was diluted predict if can make multitouch user interfaces are today.
But he was passionate about her options.
One of them was the ability to play a "blind," in other words, when you look at it. You can reach into your pocket or wallet call voice mail or pause your music.
Can be ordered flexible phone to take a photo when he bent down properly, it is also proposed. I doubt, given the motion of the camera, but he also predicted that progress in stabilizing the image to take care of the problem.
Another idea to scroll through e-mail while walking, when it can be difficult to control precisely the standard user interface.
And – in contrast to multitouch screens-it can be when you are wearing gloves.
I'm a bit skeptical, especially given that it requires two hands. But I can come around, especially if you attract came around. Something flexible would be nice for Pocket pants, too-as long as Chairman not flex your phone and call.
Via CNET
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Nokia and Monster team up on audio accessories

You can also get the Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset in black, blue, and white if you're not fond of pink. (Credit: Nokia)
HTC may have Beats Audio, but now Nokia has Monster.
The companies today introduced two new audio accessories, the Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset and In-ear Nokia Purity Stereo Headset, and announced an exclusive long-term partnership to produce a range of accessories for Nokia's mobile phones.
The news was revealed at Nokia World in London, where the Finnish handset manufacturer also unveiled the Lumia 800 and 710 and the Asha family of phones.

(Credit: Nokia)
Co-designed and co-developed by Monster, the Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset is made from scratch-resistant material and features an on-ear design. The headphones, which come in black, white, blue, and pink, ship with two cables: one specifically for Windows Phone devices, called the ControlTalk cable, and one for Nokia's other handsets. The ControlTalk cable offers dedicated buttons for talking hands-free and controlling the music player.
For those who prefer earbuds, there is the In-ear Purity Stereo Headset. The noise-isolating headphones promise "low bass, clear mids, and crisp highs" and come with five different-size earpieces. The headset's cable also offers phone and music controls.
Pricing and availability for both headsets were not announced at this time.
Via CNET
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RIM hit with Canadian lawsuit over October outage

Research In Motion is facing a possible class action lawsuit in Canada over the global outage that struck BlackBerry customers last month.
The suit (PDF), which seeks class action status, was filed yesterday in Quebec Superior Court "on behalf of individuals who have BlackBerry smartphones and who pay for a monthly data plan but were unable to access their email, BlackBerry Messenger service ("BBM"), and/or Internet for the period of October 11 to 14, 2011", according to a statement by the Consumer Law Group, the Montreal-based law firm that filed the suit.
"The class action involves RIM's failure to take action to either directly compensate BlackBerry users or to indirectly compensate BlackBerry users by arranging for wireless service providers to refunds their customers and to take full responsibility for these damages", the firm said.
RIM representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The outage began October 10 when the company's email, messaging, and Web service went down across the world, starting in Europe, the Mideast, and Africa and eventually spreading to the US and Canada. The company said the outages were caused by a "core switch failure within RIM's infrastructure" and that the failover to a "back-up switch" failed to function properly.
RIM eventually restored service on October 13, and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis issued a video apology to customers, and the company offered its customers US$100 worth of premium apps for free. Enterprise users were also offered one month of free technical support.
The outage--the worst in the company's 12-year history--came at the worst possible time for RIM. It is facing stiff competition from rivals, such as Apple and Google, and it's been losing market share.
Via CNET
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Samsung fails to block iPhone 4S in Italy

Apple's iPhone 4S, which has the clear to be sold in Italy, for now.(Credit: Apple)
Samsung's campaign to keep Apple's iPhone 4S from being sold in Europe has hit a roadblock, with an Italian judge reportedly denying the injunctive effort.
Italian news outlet Agenzia Giornalistica Italia (AGI) today reports that Milan judges denied a request from Samsung filed earlier this month to keep Apple's iPhone 4S from being sold in the country.
The decision came during a hearing on the complaint, which was filed just a day after Apple's latest iPhone was announced and accuses Apple of infringing on two of its patents related to wireless technology.
"Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free ride on our technology", the company wrote in a blog post announcing the legal effort earlier this month. "We believe it is now necessary to take legal action to protect our innovation."
A Samsung Telecommunications America spokesman declined to comment on today's decision, and Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Samsung's two complaints, which were filed in France and Italy, take aim at Apple's use of Wideband Code Division Multiple Access standards, which Samsung holds patents for. "The infringed technology is essential to the reliable functioning of telecom networks and devices and Samsung believes that Apple's violation (is) too severe and that the iPhone 4S should be barred from sales", the company wrote at the time.
The spat is just a part of a larger battle between the two companies in courts around the world. The dispute was kicked off with a US lawsuit filed by Apple against Samsung in April that said Samsung was violating its intellectual property in the design of its mobile devices, specifically the Galaxy series smartphones and tablets. Samsung later countersued against Apple, saying the company was infringing on multiple patents.
AGI says that the Italian court is allowing both companies to bring further information to support their sides for a follo-up hearing that will take place December 16. In the meantime, the current decision allows for Apple to continue its plan to sell the iPhone 4S in Italy by the end of this month as part of a launch that includes 21 other countries.
Via CNET
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Nokia unveils I line of phones

(Credit: Noka)
London--Nokia today throughout the world, the Finnish phone maker has introduced a new series of appliances called I. This name is derived from Hindi, meaning "hope". This refers to its audience of young consumers in emerging markets. I have four new products, 200, 201, 301 and 302, all with OS series 40 (S40) Nokia typically uses for low-cost devices.
300 I have capacitive touch screen with the numeric keypad. It comes with 3.5 g connectivity, and is available in two colors, red, grey. The back is a 5-megapixel camera with VGA resolution video capture capability. There are an estimated price of 85 euro.
Very similar to 300 is 303 I. This handset also comes with a touch screen, 3.5 g camera 5 megapixels. However, instead of a numeric keypad, it has a QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, it is equipped with Wi-Fi so users can get online in hotspots. Additional features added to the cost-303 is a little more expensive on-115 euro.
200 I Nokia phone is dual-SIM and works with GSM networks. It comes in six different colors, QWERTY for text input. Other features include FM receiver and speaker for ?????? our fellow troublesome on the train. Install IV 201 I is a single SIM version-200. Both will be 60 Euro.
In addition to the devices, Nokia talked about additional applications for S40 platform. Folkestone enabled server platforms of different messenger WhatsApp birds angry immensely game for phones I. The devices will be available in Asia Quarterly 4, but not every one of the lead country, so please contact your operator for details.
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5 things to consider before you get the Lytro camera

(Credit: Lytro)
In case you missed it last week, Lytro, a Silicon Valley startup, gave the first public demonstrations of its ultracompact camera that uses a technology called light-field photography. Without getting bogged down in the science of it, the technology allows the camera to shoot instantly without the need to focus first.
Shooting performance is definitely a stumbling block for point-and-shoot cameras, so eliminating that from the equation is certainly a selling point, even at the camera's high starting price of US$399. What you get after you shoot, though, is not a standard photo. Instead, you get what Lytro calls living pictures that allow you to refocus the image over and over again using Lytro's software.
So, while this technology is undoubtedly cool, the Lytro camera might just be too limiting for its own good. Before you get out your credit card for the preorder, here are some things to consider.
All you can do is point and shoot
Before you start tearing into me, I get that quick-and-easy shooting is what this camera is all about. All the reports are true: This camera has no settings for anything. You can adjust exposure by tapping on the touchscreen, but that's it. So, yes, if you don't like that, don't buy it.
Now, while I have no problem with the lack of control over photos while shooting, I do have issues with what comes after you shoot.
You can't edit the living pictures in any way
It's great that the Lytro shoots so fast and you don't have to worry about focus. However, to do anything other than poke around changing focus (which could get old, fast), you have to convert it to a lifeless, tiny 1,080 x 1,080-pixel-resolution JPEG (that's roughly 1.2 megapixels, folks). The desktop software is only for adding captions, rotating pictures, sharing directly to Facebook, and sharing or storing on Lytro.com. You cannot adjust color or exposure, or use your favorite lo-fi filters, or even turn a shot to black and white. And you can forget about cropping out unwanted people or things.
Relies too heavily on software
One of Lytro's big selling points for its first cameras is that they substitute "powerful software for many of the internal parts of regular cameras". It's this, according to Lytro, that gives it faster performance and potentially good low-light photo quality. That's the good part of the software. The bad part is, again, what comes after. You need to offload your photos to a computer--which is Mac-only at launch--and process your photos with the included software. Want to share your living photos on Facebook or anywhere else? You need to upload them to Lytro's Web site first and then do your sharing from there.
The lack of Windows support at launch is funny after years and years of it being the other way around. If you're a Windows user and don't have regular access to a Mac system, I'd hold off till the desktop software is actually available. Lytro's site says it'll be a decent wait till it's available "sometime in 2012". If you choose to ignore this, just be aware that your photos will be trapped on the camera until the Windows version arrives or you buy/borrow a Mac.
Oh, and to answer a question I saw asked several times in comments, you currently cannot have everything in focus. Lytro's FAQ answers this with, "It's definitely possible with the technology; stay tuned!"
No wireless
The Lytro suffers from the same thing that's killing off portions of the point-and-shoot market: There's no fast and easy way to wirelessly get your photos off the camera and onto a sharing site. At least with a regular camera--assuming you have one that doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi--you have the option to use an Eye-Fi wireless SD card for transfers to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
But since the Lytro's storage isn't removable, you can't use one of those, and you can't just pop out a card and stick it in a reader. You have to grab a USB cable, connect to a computer, process your shots with the desktop software, and upload them to Lytro's site before you can share them.
No video
There's really not much to say about this beyond the fact that people like to capture movie clips and a US$399 camera that doesn't do that seems silly. You could argue that people considering this camera likely already have a smartphone that can do video. But that kind of just proves why those people don't really need this. A smartphone's camera has more functionality than the Lytro camera, with the exception of its zoom lens. No, you won't be able to create living pictures, but is that enough?
There are a few other things I could nitpick on, such as the design being ergonomically weird for photography, as well as fairly inconvenient for sticking in a pants pocket. But, as I said up top, the technology is definitely cool and I can see the potential. And a small camera that turns on and shoots instantly and doesn't need to focus is great. You'll catch your dog leaping in midair to catch a Frisbee, your baby's smile, or some other fleeting moment that a traditional point-and-shoot can't.
Plus, when you're tired of looking at your kid, you'll be able to refocus on other things in the photo like a really pretty tree or something.
Via CNET
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LG drops LW9800 3D TVs for Asia

LG LW9800.
(Credit: LG)
It seems like the LW6500-series panels will be the highest-end LG Cinema 3D TVs in Asia for 2011. This is because the Korean chaebol has decided not to launch the recently announced LW9800 models for this region. This leaves the Sony Bravia HX925-series TVs as the only LED-backlit 3D panels available in the local markets. The highly sought-after LED-backlighting with local dimming function enables these Bravia displays to output deep blacks that cannot be achieved by their LED-edgelit counterparts such as the LG LW6500.
Still, there will be more LED-backlit 3D TVs launching closer to the end of the year. We're not allowed to share the information at the moment, but rest assured you'll hear more from us in the coming weeks.
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Twitter quietly testing redesigned timeline

Twitter's redesigned timeline lets users expand conversations and see who and how many people retweeted a message--all from inside the timeline. (Credit: Pinglio)
Twitter is quietly testing an expandable timeline that allows users to see media and related information in the timeline instead of off to the side.
The redesigned timeline, which was first reported by Patrick Bisch of Pinglio, allows users to click on individual tweets to expand conversations, media, and retweets. (See the video Bisch created below.)
Hovering over a tweet produces an "Open" link that allows users to open a tweet to see who retweeted the message, as well as see the entire threaded conversation. Opening a tweet with media such as a TwitPic image or YouTube video will expand the window in the timeline to view the media.
Twitter hasn't commented about the changes on its official feed, but some Twitter users are reporting getting the redesigned timeline.
Via CNET

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What we can expect from Nokia World

A mockup of what the upcoming Nokia WP7 smartphone could look like.
(Credit: Josh Long/CNET)
Everyone's expecting Nokia to announce new Windows Phone 7 devices--even Microsoft has confirmed this when we interviewed a Redmond executive last week. How many, and what sort of handsets, however, is the key question. Luckily, Nokia is apparently terrible at keeping secrets, so we do have some information on what to work with.
So far, we've seen a leaked video showing a Nokia N9 running Windows Phone 7. Codenamed Sea Ray, it's expected to be the flagship model. If you loved the polycarbonate design of the N9, then the Sea Ray should be high on your list of wants. However, if Nokia is planning to recycle the hardware of the N9, the 1GHz processor may not seem a tad lackluster.
We've also heard more rumors of a product called the Nokia Sabre, which packs a powerful 1.4GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. Our guess is that this should be a midrange handset, but we'll be able to categorize this better once we get more info on its pricing.
Lastly, there are rumors of a third device that may or may not sport a QWERTY keyboard. We think this is highly unlikely, but given that Microsoft's WP7 boss Andy Lees did mention something along the lines about Nokia's handsets featuring "differentiation in some of their hardware and software". Expect to see something cool emerge.
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Smartphone detects danger in a heartbeat

Electrode sensors on the skin link to a chip and radio module clipped to a patient's belt sending continuous data to a smartphone.New invention to help doctors respond to heart problems more quickly Lightweight device offers round-the-clock remote monitoring of patientsImages of heart-rate anomalies are sent via text or email to doctor for instant analysis
London (CNN) -- A new medical invention which harnesses the power of smartphone technology could revolutionize the treatment of heart patients, according to researchers in Switzerland.
The autonomous tool -- developed jointly by the Embedded Systems and Telecommunications Circuits labs at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) -- not only automatically identifies anomalies in heart-rate, but also alerts doctors in seconds helping them treat patients more quickly.
"Many of the problems with the heart are not very well understood," says David Atienza, head of the Embedded Systems Lab.
"It's very difficult for doctors to anticipate what is going to happen. This device will provide a better understanding of what is going on," Atienza added.
The small, lightweight monitor consists of four non-invasive electrode sensors attached to the skin which are linked to a radio module and computer chip which clips onto a patient's belt.
Data is fed to the user's smartphone where it can be viewed in real time for anything up to 150 hours on a single charge.
It's very difficult for doctors to anticipate what is going to happen. This device will provide a better understanding of what is going on.
David Atienza from EPFL, Switzerland
Complex algorithms flag up any abnormalities with data sent to a doctor for examination via a picture attachment on text or email.
Watch Atienza explain how the new tool works
"The system collects very reliable and precise data," Atienza says, "but above all it provides an automatic analysis and immediate transmission of data to the doctor, preventing him or her from having to work through hours of recorded data."
It's taken four years to develop and is a leap forward, Atienza says, from more bulky Holter monitors which are generally worn by patients for around 24 hours at a time.
Cardiologist Etienne Pruvot from Lausanne University Hospitals Cardiology Service -- one of two hospitals helping Atienza and his team develop the device -- is excited by its potential.
"Its size, its lightness, its ease of use, the fact that it measures continuously and remotely, which allows analysis to take place anywhere, makes this device very attractive to doctors," Pruvot said in a statement.
Atienza is also confident the tool will find other health-related uses: monitoring athletic performance, perhaps, or assessing diet and physical activity in obese patients, he says.
EPFL's research is part of the wider "Guardian Angels for a Smarter Life" project -- a pan-European project involving universities, research institutions and private companies -- which aims to develop small, autonomous and affordable technology to monitor health and also prevent accidents.
Peter J. Bentley, a computer scientist from the UK's University College London and inventor of the iStethescope app says there is currently a big push for these kinds of technologies.
"Certainly the way medicine seems to be moving is towards ever greater use of mobile devices," Bentley said.
"We are all very excited about the possibilities -- the ability to sample all kinds of different data, store it, transmit it and process it.
"It allows us to monitor different aspects of a patient's health and get data to specialists wherever they are," he added.
We are all very excited about the possibilities -- the ability to sample all kinds of different data, store it, transmit it and process it.
Peter J. Bentley, University College London
Many doctors are already using smartphone apps (there are thousands to choose from) but regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European legislators is looming, says Bentley.
"In some respects this is a good thing because it's going to ensure (portable medical) devices will be effective," says Bentley, who is currently developing a new automated triage system.
"But the downside is that it takes a long time and slows down the rapid innovation we currently have," he said.
The World Health Organization estimates that 17 million people die of cardiovascular disease every year.
Many of these deaths, Atienza says, happen because the type of pathology isn't detected in time.
"The beauty of this type of device is that you can monitor people 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Atienza said.
Not only will this simplify life for heart patients (less trips to the hospital), he thinks, but it could also slash costs for healthcare systems.
Furthermore, Atienza predicts that wearable round-the-clock monitoring devices will bring about new types of analysis, leading to new treatments and ultimately save lives all around the world.
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