Freescale Expands Netbook Presence $200 Netbook Might Be Coming

Freescale expands its netbook ecosystem

Collaboration with top operating system and wireless component providers enables 3G connectivity and additional OS choices

BARCELONA, Spain (2009 Mobile World Congress) – Feb. 16, 2009 – Freescale Semiconductor has collaborated with an impressive lineup of companies to enable 3G connectivity and additional operating system options for netbooks based on its new i.MX515 processor. For OEMs, the expanded ecosystem means faster time to market, greater differentiation and more compelling end devices.

Freescale entered the netbook market in January 2009 with the introduction of the i.MX515 processor and a comprehensive netbook reference design. The solution is designed to enable consumer products that deliver gigahertz performance, eye-popping graphics and eight hours of battery life between charges at extremely aggressive price points.

Developed jointly with Pegatron, the reference design includes Canonical’s Ubuntu operating system based on Linux technology. Freescale now has expanded its netbook ecosystem, adding support for additional operating systems from Android Open Source Project, Phoenix Technologies and Xandros, as well as 3G connectivity capabilities via collaboration with Wavecom and Option. Freescale plans to enable 3G connectivity by providing hardware and software support for data modules optimized for the i.MX515 applications processor.

“Demand from third parties to partner with Freescale in the growing netbook market has been tremendous,” said Glen Burchers, marketing director for Freescale’s Consumer Segment. “Freescale is taking dead aim at the netbook space by assembling an outstanding portfolio of technologies and partners. As a result, we expect that a wide range of netbook models based on Freescale technology will be available for consumers in the second half of this year.”

Freescale’s expanded netbook ecosystem now includes:

• The Android platform: a comprehensive, open software stack that includes everything a manufacturer or operator needs to build a compelling mobile device
• Phoenix HyperSpace: an easy-to-use, instant-on operating environment that enables extended battery life and smart network connectivity
• Xandros customized Linux solutions: new, simple and compelling user experiences with integrated applications and an online digital marketplace, all designed to reduce time to market and costs for OEMs and carriers
• Wireless connectivity capabilities from Option, a leader in wireless broadband technology used by telecom operators and OEMs worldwide
• Wireless connectivity capabilities from Wavecom, a leading provider of embedded wireless technology for machine-to-machine communication

Availability

Freescale’s netbook reference design is available now. The company currently is sampling the i.MX515 processor to tier one netbook customers. Volume production for the i.MX515 device is planned for Q2 2009 to power netbooks designed for the 2009 holiday shopping season. Support for 3G connectivity, as well as for the Android, Phoenix Technologies and Xandros operating systems, is expected to coincide with volume production of the i.MX515.

About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations around the world. www.freescale.com.

Supporting comments from Freescale partners follow:

“The buildout of Freescale's netbook ecosystem demonstrates the broad support that processors based on ARM Cortex-A8 technology offers,” said Bob Morris, director of Mobile Computing for ARM. “Freescale’s i.MX515 processor offers the performance, low-power operation and third-party support required for success in the fast-expanding netbook market.”

“Exciting developments such as Freescale’s i.MX515 processor are beneficial to the netbook sector as a whole,” said Patrick Hofkens, vice president of Strategic Alliances at Option. “3G connectivity will come to be regarded as a standard netbook feature. The i.MX515 processor therefore extends the market opportunity for Option’s versatile embedded 3G connectivity solutions as well as its integration and certification services.”

“Freescale’s outstanding netbook solution positions Freescale and its i.MX515 processor as early leaders in the fast-growing netbook market,” said Jeremy Shu, associate vice president for Pegatron. “Featuring advanced silicon from Freescale and smart, sophisticated design from Pegatron, the Freescale netbook solution sets new standards for performance, style and price for next-generation netbooks.”

“Freescale’s i.MX515 processor and the Phoenix HyperSpace OS work together to deliver exceptional performance and value to netbook OEMs and consumers,” said Surendra Arora, vice president of Business Development at Phoenix Technologies. “The i.MX515 is an ideal netbook platform for showcasing HyperSpace’s all-day computing capabilities, smart network connectivity and ease-of-use.”

"We are extremely pleased at the opportunity to enable 3G HSPA connectivity on Freescale’s i.MX515 platform," said Philippe Guillemette, chief technology officer for Wavecom. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with Freescale to achieve our shared goal of reliable, low-total-cost connectivity for all classes of machines."

“Through the Freescale i.MX515 platform, we can bring a rich user experience and the full power of desktop computing to mobile devices with fast boot, long battery life and always-on 3G networking,” said Ming Poon, acting chief operating officer and senior vice president of Software Development for Xandros.

Source: Freescale Semiconductor Press Release

Tech Support Is About To Get Easier With Intel's Remote PC Assist Technology

Originally announced late last year, Intel's Remote PC Assist Technology enables an equipped PC to make a fast call for help and request remote technical assistance from a service provider in the event that the user encounters a problem with their. The program utilizes a hardware based technology so it works even when the OS, network software, or applications are not functioning,. Allowing a tech support team to quickly and easily diagnose problems from a remote location.

Originally announced and made available in late 2008, Intel Remote PC Assist Technology has been an option on PCs with Intel Core 2 processor with vPro technology using the Intel Q45 Express Chipsets. The program has been undergoing testing and will expand to consumer PCs in 2009. For the consumer PC market, the chipset is a modified version of the G45 chipset with Intel Remote PC Assist Technology added. A broader version for notebooks and desktops is expected to be released sometime in 2010.

The program uses an encrypted Internet connection via the TLS to perform remote diagnostics on your PC over a secure, wired network connection. When faced with a blue screen or non-responsive machine the user presses a simple key sequence that launches the help process. The user would then see either a list of qualified service providers who have the capabilities to help or a dedicated service provider with which your company has an existing relationship.

Once a service provider is selected, the user receives a code to share with the agent over the phone. Using this code, the service representative can then connect to the PC remotely and diagnose hardware and software problems, and in many instances repair software-related issues over the wire.

Where Intel's Remote PC Assist Technology and vPro Technology differ from other available options is that it's an on-chip based solution encoded into the bios. So even when the operating system is down a PC can connect for support. vPro also allows users to configure PCs to connect automatically to receive software updates and patches even if the PC is asleep or powered down and without effecting the PC user.

While I'll admit this sounds a lot like a big brother chip and I could see some potential draw backs. I can see some major advantages for anyone providing support for multiple computers. Imagine how much easier this would make helping out that grand parent that lives across the country with PC issues. Tell grand-ma to type in a short code, connect to your PC and you get a snapshot of the exact issue.

Intel offering Core i7 CPU and SSD bundle

Intel has begun offering up to a 15% discount on the combined price of a their new Core i7 CPUs and and Intel SSD. According to reports in DigiTimes today the company is looking to "increase demand of the two product lines and to clear stockpiled inventory."

The report says Intel is offering a 10-15% discount on the combined price of the CPU and drive as part of the promotion which is mainly targeting markets in China, Europe and North America.

Current pricing of Intel's latest SSD lineup is: X25-E 32GB at $410, X18-M 80GB at $385, X25-M 80GB at $385, X18-M 160GB at $760 and X25-M 160GB at $760. The company plans to launch the X25-E 64GB at $790 later this month.

Earlier this month Intel cut prices on several of their SSDs, however as noted in that report the prices still remain too high for mainstream adoption. The Intel X25-E Extreme SSD is priced $404 at Newegg and the Intel Core i7 920 is $289.99 so slashing another 10-15% off clearly won't put them in what I'd call a mainstream price range but it does make the combo look a little more attractive.

Since this is available to channel partners only it seems unlikely that the combo deal will make its way to end consumers but you could see some pricing cuts reflective of the offering.

The Pirate Bay Trial Day Two

The trial against popular torrent site The Pirate Bay is in full swing with day two holding some interesting changes. The charges of production of copyrighted material have been dropped to focus solely on "making available".

Pirate's founders arrived in court on Monday amidst a huge spectacle which included the pirate bus, Pirate Bay supports totting mega phones and a flood of Tweeting from the court room. Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm, Peter Sunde and Carl Lundström are all charged with facilitating illegal downloads of copyrighted material, charges which they plead not guilty to. That was day one of the long standing fight between The Pirate Bay and the Swedish government.

On day two prosecutor Hakan Roswall arrived in court and amended the original charges. According to the Swedish newspaper The Local Roswall asked the courts to dismiss "complicity in the production of copyrighted material" from the charges. The remaining charge against the four defendants is "complicity to make (copyrighted material) available."

Roswall has confirmed that he now plans to limit the charges to the production of the actual torrent file and not the resultant hard or soft copy. The new charges will be amended to read "complicity to make (copyrighted material) available".

Peter Danowsky, legal counsel for the music companies in the case, said the change would simplify the charges against The Pirate Bay.

“It’s a largely technical issue that changes nothing in terms of our compensation claims and has no bearing whatsoever on the main case against The Pirate Bay. In fact it simplifies the prosecutor’s case by allowing him to focus on the main issue, which is the making available of copyrighted works,” he said in a statement.

For more coverage on The Pirate Bay Trial checkout:

• TechCrunch: Half The Charges Against The Pirate Bay Dropped, But The Circus Ain’t Over Yet
• Ars Technica: Charges Dropped-"making available" now focus of Pirate Bay trial
• CNet News: Some Charges Dropped Against The Pirate Bay
• Torrent Freak: Follow The Pirate Bay Trial On Twitter

Say Goodbye To Unknown Callers With TrapCall

Say goodbye to those annoying anonymous calls with TrapCall, a new service that launched today. TrapCall unmasks those unknown callers allowing you to see who is calling even if the number is caller id blocked.

TrapCall comes from the same guys that offer the SpoofCard Caller ID spoofing service. This new service uses a little know loop hole in the caller id blocking service. Calls to toll-free numbers are not blocked, because those calls are paid for by the recipient so TrapCall loops your incoming calls through an 800 number, finds the callers details and then loops the call back out to your phone.

TeapCall currently offers three service levels, the most basic is the free service which provides basic caller id unmasking as well as a black list for unwanted callers. Then there are the two paid services the $10/mo mouse trap plan which provides the basic service along with voicemail transcription you get your voicemail via sms, missed call alerts, free support and caller id name which gives you the callers name via caller id and sms. The $24.95 bear trap service combines all these features as well as providing a full billing name and address of the incoming calls and the ability to record your live conversations.

Currently TrapCall is only available to AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers, with support for the other major carriers due within weeks, says TelTech president Meir Cohen.

For more details checkout this great article on Wired.com you can also checkout TrapCall on Twitter @Trapcall

LG Electronics, Intel Collaborate on Future Mobile Internet Devices

LG's Focus on Data and Voice Devices Complements Existing Strong Relationship around Notebooks and Netbooks

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, Barcelona, Spain – Feb. 16, 2009 – LG Electronics (LG) and Intel Corporation today announced a collaboration around mobile Internet devices (MIDs) based on Intel's next-generation MID hardware platform, codenamed "Moorestown," and Linux-based Moblin v2.0 software platform. The LG device is expected to be one of the first Moorestown designs to market.

LG and Intel's common goal is to unleash rich Internet experiences across a range of mobile devices while delivering the functionality of today's high-end smart phones. The collaboration on the new design extends a close working relationship the two companies have enjoyed across their respective mobile product lines, which now spans the notebook, netbook and MID categories.

"The MID segment will drive growth at LG Electronics. We chose Intel's next-generation Moorestown platform and Moblin-based OS to pursue this segment because of the high performance and Internet compatibility this brings to our service provider customers," said Jung Jun Lee, executive vice president of LG Electronics and head of its Mobile Communications Business Division. "The collaboration with Intel on the MID platform has been valuable and further extends our longstanding relationship. Our efforts are well on track and we look forward to bringing the MID to market."

LG launched a netbook, based on the Intel Atom processor, in the fourth quarter of 2008, and has been supplying the mobile companion device to carriers and retailers worldwide. LG also continues to ship notebooks based on the Intel Core processor.

MIDs represent an emerging growth category in the industry and are designed to bring a rich, interactive, PC-like Internet experience in pocketable devices. The experience on a MID will help usher in the many new Internet trends performed predominantly on a PC to mobile devices.

"Moorestown" is the codename for Intel's second-generation MID platform, which consists of a System on Chip (codenamed "Lincroft") that integrates a 45nm Intel Atom processor core, graphics, video and memory controller. The platform also includes an input/output (I/O) hub, codenamed "Langwell," that includes a range of I/O blocks and supports wireless solutions.

Intel's "Moorestown"-based MIDs are expected to reduce idle power consumption by a factor of greater than 10 versus today's Intel Atom processor-based MIDs. Additionally, the Moorestown platform will be accompanied by a newer Moblin software version, Moblin v2.0, that is based on the Linux operating system. This software is designed specifically to deliver a great PC-like Internet experience while also supporting cell phone voice capabilities. The "Moorestown" platform is expected to come to market by 2010.

"LG Electronics makes some of the most innovative computers and smart phones in the world, and is known to be a leading-edge player in every market segment they serve," said Anand Chandrasekher, Intel Corporation senior vice president and general manager of the company's Ultra Mobility Group. "We look forward to providing them some fantastic Intel products that will deliver the best Internet experience while dramatically reducing power –contributing to the development of ultra sleek devices that offer superb battery life."

In order to offer a variety of network connections and Internet access, LG is also working with Ericsson to bring 3G network capability to its planned MID. This is an extension of the existing collaboration between the companies. LG has been supplying notebooks and netbooks with mobile broadband modules from Ericsson since the third quarter of 2008.

"We are glad that LG Electronics has chosen Ericsson to provide 3G capabilities in its Intel-based MID. We are working with LG and Intel to deliver industry-leading 3G capabilities on the Moorestown MID," said Mats Norin, vice president and head of Ericsson Mobile Broadband Modules. "Ericsson's unparalleled relationships with global service providers will be instrumental as we define plans with LG to take this MID to market across multiple geographies around the world."

Source: Intel Press Release

Nokia Announces New App Store The Ovi Store

Nokia to deliver highly relevant content with Ovi Store

Nokia will start connecting content providers with consumers through a one-stop shop, the Ovi Store, which will offer consumers relevant, targeted media through their social connections and their physical location information. When it opens in May, the Ovi Store is a scalable media distribution network unrivaled in size and opportunity, with advanced content targeting capabilities and monetization options that allow content providers and application developers to leverage the power of Nokia's global scale in devices. Beginning in March, content providers, developers and the existing Forum Nokia developer ecosystem can begin uploading their content at publish.ovi.com to be the first to distribute their media through the Ovi Store. Content providers can sign up there today for access.

The Ovi Store will consolidate the best experiences from the current content services including Download!, MOSH and WidSets to a single channel, and expands upon Ovi Services to deliver media influenced by the people and places that matter to you. It will amplify content provider and developer opportunities and simplify the consumer content discovery process by offering personally relevant, up-to-the-minute media for their devices. The content will range from applications, games and videos to widgets, podcasts, location-based applications and personalization content for Nokia Series 40 and S60 devices. The Nokia N97, available in June, will be the first device to include the simple and easy-to-use storefront. In addition, tens of millions of existing Nokia Series 40 and S60 users will be capable of enjoying the new service starting in early May.

"The Ovi Store will enable our devices to uniquely surface relevant content for consumers based on the people who matter to them and the particular places they happen to be, bringing a new generation of media services to the fingertips of millions of people around the world," said Tero Ojanperä, Executive Vice President, Nokia Services. "By leveraging our strengths as a company and the assets of our partners, the Ovi Store is a 'smart store' that will change the way our consumers discover and consume content on their mobile devices, ultimately making the experience easier, more fun and most importantly, more relevant."

Unlike traditional mobile storefronts, the Ovi Store, if enabled by the consumers, will target those consumers with tailored content based on Nokia's unique ability to take advantage of and learn from the consumer's location and social connections. From this point on, the media you consume is no longer just about "what" you're buying, but also now about "where," "when," "why," and "who" bought what. Consumers will be able to activate social discovery so that content enjoyed by their social network can be automatically surfaced and made available for download and repeat consumption. Content will also be presented based on location so that consumers will always have the most relevant experience wherever they are in the world. Consumers will be able to choose to pay for content with a credit card or through operator billing. By providing a choice of payment options for consumers, content providers and developers will gain access to consumers in markets where credit cards are not widely available.

"Ovi Store will empower consumers around the world to take better advantage of the power of mobile through a new content discovery experience," said Mauro Montanaro, CEO of Fox Mobile Group. "We are excited to broaden our relationship with Nokia and believe Ovi will enhance our ability to take uniquely innovative content, such as from the upcoming 20th Century Fox release, Ice Age 3, and create unparalleled mobile entertainment experiences across millions of devices."

In utilizing the current Nokia content services, the Ovi Store is expected to launch with an existing addressable device base in the tens of millions while growing the service to an estimate of 300 million consumers by 2012. For content providers and developers, this provides an opportunity to individually reach a universe of potentially hundreds of millions of people, making it the world's largest media network. With the industry's largest footprint of Adobe Flash supported devices, Ovi Store will be the premier distribution channel for applications commissioned by the Adobe and Nokia USD 10 million Open Screen Project fund. Forum Nokia, Nokia's global developer support program, will also continue to support, educate and challenge its more than 4 million registered developers to add to the applications already available for Nokia Series 40 and S60 devices through this single channel.

To enable content providers from all over the world to distribute through the Ovi Store, Nokia is opening publish.ovi.com for content providers and developers to submit their media and choose how to monetize it through an easy and automated process. Once the Ovi Store opens in May, it will also offer content providers and developers dashboard reporting to monitor how well their content is selling on the Ovi Store through publish.ovi.com.

What some of the Ovi Store partners are saying:

"EA Mobile has been successfully pre-loading and offering our broad range of games to Nokia consumers around the world for many years" said Javier Ferreira, VP Publishing Europe, EA Mobile(TM). "We are very enthusiastic about the new Ovi Store as it combines ease of discovery, relevancy and recommendation which are essential in any quality content offering."

"We're very happy to be working with Nokia to bring its consumers a great Facebook experience, and give even more people around the world the opportunity to share and connect on Facebook through their mobile devices," said Henri Moissinac, director of mobile, Facebook. "The Ovi Store will be a great distribution channel that will provide consumers with a simple way to discover new apps, such as Facebook, on innovative Nokia devices."

"Glu is excited to be a part of the new Ovi Store and supports Nokia's efforts to provide consumers with a wide offering of applications, including mobile games," said Jill Braff, SVP global publishing, Glu Mobile. "Glu will deliver a broad spectrum of high quality games to the new Ovi Store and we look forward to bringing consumers yet another way to access top-notch mobile games and continue to drive our business to greater heights."

"We are continually looking for opportunities to integrate MySpace into mobile devices and create a ubiquitous experience for our users," said John Faith, vice president and general manager of Mobile for MySpace. "By making MySpace available through the Ovi Store, we are enabling millions of Nokia handsets on-the-go access to their network in ways that fit their lifestyle."

"Qik is excited to be a part of this significant move by the largest handset manufacturer in the world," said Ramu Sunkara, CEO of Qik. "Inclusion in Ovi Store enables us to leverage the global scale of Nokia and get our application in the hands of hundreds of millions of Nokia users worldwide. We are really pleased to progress our relationship with Nokia by being a featured application provider in this important new marketplace."

Source: Nokia Press Release

NVIDIA Enables The World's First $99 HD Mobile Internet Device

NVIDIA Tegra Brings Full Internet Experience to Always On, Always-Connected Devices

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 09—BARCELONA, SPAIN— FEBRUARY 16, 2009— Today’s users want an always-connected device for social media applications such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as great multimedia performance for recording and watching HD movies and videos on the go.

NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processor, today introduced a new platform, based on the NVIDIA Tegra 600 Series computer-on-a-chip that enables a $99, always-on, always-connected HD mobile internet device (MID) that can go days between battery charges.

This platform will enable OEMs to quickly build and bring to market devices that carriers can offer for as low as $99 —bringing broadband connectivity and all of the Web’s HD content to the masses.

“Mobile internet devices have evolved to provide consumers with the performance and connectivity required by today’s lifestyle,” said Michael Rayfield, general manager of the mobile business unit at NVIDIA. “Until now, consumers could get just another ‘gadget’ with limited functionality or a PC that’s not ‘always on’. A Tegra-based platform combines the best of both worlds.”

The Tegra MID delivers:

• 720p and 1080p video playback
• Days of use between charges
• Full Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity
• Optimized hardware support for Web 2.0 applications for a true desktop-class internet experience
• A complete software solution including Microsoft Windows Embedded CE OS, application viewers, full Internet browser, UI framework, board support package (BSP), software development kit (SDK), Web mail client, and more

“The next generation of smart, connected, service-oriented devices are centered around rich multimedia experiences and enhanced functionality,” said Mukund Ghangurde, Director, CE and Consumer Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “We are pleased to collaborate with NVIDIA to develop platform resources that assist OEMs in quickly bringing these new devices to market.”

In addition, NVIDIA partnered with ST-Ericsson to add 3G communication capability into this new platform, allowing for seamless connectivity, worldwide.

“ST-Ericsson together with NVIDIA have developed a Microsoft Windows Embedded CE implementation using the ST-Ericsson U335 and the NVIDIA Tegra which is ready for customer design development,” stated Jörgen Lantto, Chief Technology Officer, ST-Ericsson. “This solution takes advantage of the high volume, IOT tested and proven U335 modem solution together with NVIDIA which takes multimedia performance to a new level.”

ICD, a leading consumer ODM, also announced support of the new class of devices enabled by this new platform.

“ICD has long believed that there will be a new generation of innovative connected devices. Designing these devices around the Tegra platform will bring carriers an amazing level of functionality at prices as low as $99,” said David Hayes, President and CEO of ICD.

About NVIDIA Tegra
NVIDIA Tegra is the industry’s first single-chip computer capable of the rich high definition and internet experiences we’ve come to expect from our PCs, but on small pocket type devices. NVIDIA Tegra is smaller than a US dime (10-cent piece), designed from the ground up to enable the “visual PC experience” on a new generation of mobile computing devices while consuming the smallest amount of power.

NVIDIA Unleashes Android With Tegra

In a second separate announcement NVIDIA announced that it has worked closely with Google and the Open Handset Alliance to unleash Android, a complete, open mobile phone software stack, with the Tegra series of ‘computer-on-a-chip’ processors. By supporting Android, manufacturers and operators can now easily use a Tegra processor to build mobile phones with advanced user experiences that leverage web and Internet content and provide services such as mobile mash-ups and location-based applications.

“We welcome NVIDIA’s support of Android on Tegra and we look forward to many more Android-based devices that deliver an outstanding consumer experience,” said Andy Rubin, Google’s senior director of mobile platforms.

The new NVIDIA Tegra APX 2600 processor running Android will be on display in the NVIDIA booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in Hall 1, Stand IC34. NVIDIA will be enabling its OEM customers with a highly optimized and accelerated Android port starting in the second quarter of 2009.

“NVIDIA and Google are both working to unlock the visual computing potential of mobile devices and this announcement matches the power of Tegra with the innovation of the Android platform,” stated Michael Rayfield, general manager, mobile business unit at NVIDIA. “NVIDIA will be working within the Open Handset Alliance to continually strengthen the ability of Android to tap into advanced mobile graphics and media acceleration to make interaction with handheld technology more intuitive and instinctive.”

For more information on the NVIDIA Tegra family of applications processors, please visit: http://www.nvidia.com/page/handheld.html.

Source: NVIDIA Press Release

YouTube Offers Paid Downloads But Who Will Pay?

YouTube last week announced a new program that would allow users to offer their videos as downloads for a small fee paid through Google Checkout. The new service would let video creators share videos in the traditional fashion through the YouTube site or they could offer them as either free or paid downloadable content.

Video partners can set prices (so far there is no limit set on fees) and decide which license they want to attach to the downloaded video files. You can choose either non-commercial or various Creative Commons licenses (for more info on the types of licenses, take a look here).

One has to wonder however who would actually pay for YouTube videos?

While the content and quality of videos has increased greatly over the years most of the videos I view aren't good enough for me to want to pay for. Not to mention there are already a large number of third party applications that will grab content from YouTube at no cost.

The later part of that YouTube might be working on. Shortly after the YouTube announcement TechCrunch announced that YouTube killed their video download tool. Jason did say that every other download method he has tried worked fine so far, including a handful of other websites and popular Firefox extensions. So its possible TC was target, but its also possible Google and YouTube are working to block all off site access.

It's possible we could see a new niche video enthusiasts who want to upload original content. We could see film makers creating basement production and using the service to charge a small fee for downloads. However there are alternatives out there that currently offer paid per view opportunities. Sites like Revver.com, Blip.TV and MetaCafe all offer revenues based on views or advertising. So you really have to wonder how YouTube and their pay-to-download service will fit in.

Google Expects A Piece Of The Paid App Pie

Late last week Google announced the opening of the Android Market to paid applications. Starting some time this week we should see developers offering their paid apps for sale for consumers here in the states. However Google isn't offering up there services for free, no Google will take a hefty 30 percent cut on the sales.

Google has said Google Checkout will serve as the only payment and billing mechanism for Android Market. But while Google Checkout typically charges sellers just 2 percent of the sales price they have bumped their fees to a 30 percent transaction fee for the Android Market. While it wasn't clear why they chose 30% the fee is inline with that which Apple charges for inclusion of Apps into the iPhone App store.

According to statements made to Wired.com Google says the company "does not make money" from its application store. "Developers will get 70 percent of the revenue from each purchase and the remaining amount goes to carriers and billing settlement fees," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to Wired.com. "We believe this revenue model creates a fair and positive experience for users, developers and carriers."

It would seem as there is some disparity in the statements. As it stands Apple makes a ton of money from their 30% cut from iPhone apps, so it would be safe to assume so would Google. At least once the Android Market takes off and starts selling. Apple of course has reached the 20,000 apps milestone with more than 500 million downloads so they have a bit of a head start.

Google has always been fairly transparent on the fees they were charging. So the 70/30 split really doesn't come as a surprise. The one question was really why they choose 30%. Apple holds a monopoly on the App Store therefore they also hold developers hostage to any fees they want. Google doesn't need to do so, and really shouldn't. If the fees actually go straight to carriers and other things that's great, if not then you are charging 30% for what?

As Desmond, a respondent at Wired wrote:

Unlike Apple, it would be really nice if Google were to EARN their 30% by doing what Apple clearly doesn't, making sure apps aren't buggy pieces of S**T. I don't mind paying the 30% premium, I DO mind paying a premium for absolutely no added value. To Google and Palm; Earn your percentage, Put Apple to shame, check apps for bugs before letting them into your market..

Asus Raising Prices On All Portable Notebooks & Eee PCs

ARN reported last week that Asus will increase prices on all existing and upcoming notebooks
and Eee Family products effective March 1, 2009. With some models seeing an increase of up to 20 percent.

The current financial climate and an increase in the cost of computer parts and manufacturing operations were cited as reasons behind the price hikes.

The rise in cost of the portable Eee netbook PCs might be the first in a growing trend. The netbook market reportedly increased by 160% from the second to third quarter of 2008 and manufactures might be looking to cash in on the popularity of the devices. We've already seen Microsoft riding the coat tails of the devices popularity by making a strong push for adding Windows 7 to netbooks. So its possible we are seeing a little back sliding by manufactures trying to recoup some of the losses they faced in other segments last year.

Asus reported their first ever loss in the 4th quarter of last year. A drop on PC demand, increasing competition in the netbook market as well as below-expectation shipments of motherboards and graphics cards all contributed to the companies losses.

If thes rumors of a price increase are true it could mean that Asus is riding the netbook wave to boost profits. I really wouldn't be surprised if we see other manufactures trying to follow suite by boosting prices. The key to the netbooks popularity however was the low cost ultra portable design. The market might not hold with even the slightest increase in pricing.

Adobe and Nokia Announce $10 Million Open Screen Project Fund

New Fund to Accelerate Creation of Rich Mobile Content, Applications and Services

BARCELONA, Spain. — Feb. 16, 2009 — At the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Adobe Systems Incorporated and Nokia Corporation today announced a $10 million Open Screen Project fund designed to help developers create applications and services for mobile, desktop and consumer electronics devices using the Adobe Flash Platform. The new fund is a result of the Open Screen Project, an industry-wide initiative of more than 20 industry leaders set to enable a consistent experience for web browsing and standalone applications. Additional Open Screen Project partners are expected to join the fund in the future.

“We are excited about the Open Screen Project Fund and the possibilities it offers to designers and developers worldwide,” said David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president, Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “With close to 40 percent of all new mobile devices shipped with Flash Lite in 2008, the fund will enable more developers to bring their rich content and services to a large number of mobile users.”

“The Open Screen Project Fund encourages the use of Adobe tools and existing developer skills to create exciting and unique Flash applications for millions of Nokia devices,” said Tero Ojanpera, EVP, Nokia Services. “Our end goal is to support these developers with resources, build awareness around the creative possibilities with Flash and help bring these innovative experiences to market through Nokia distribution channels.”

Developers are invited to submit concepts for applications that are based on the Adobe Flash Platform, will run on Nokia devices, and will work on multiple screens, including mobile, desktop and consumer electronics devices. Applications will be reviewed for how innovative and compelling the user experience is, how robust the application or planned implementation is, and how well it exploits the capabilities and features of Nokia devices, Adobe Flash and Adobe AIR™, which enables developers to use proven web technologies to build applications that extend outside the browser.

Projects submitted for development will be reviewed by a group of multi-screen application and services experts from Open Screen Project partners including Adobe and Nokia. Focus areas include: entertainment; social networking; productivity; gaming; news and information. Developers retain all rights to their applications while Adobe and Nokia have the right to evaluate, test and promote the content. For more information and details on how to apply, visit www.openscreenproject.org .

Announced in May 2008, the Open Screen Project is designed to enable a consistent runtime environment across screens. The initiative is dedicated to enable web content, standalone applications and full web browsing across televisions, set-top boxes, mobile devices and other consumer electronics that take advantage of Adobe AIR and Adobe Flash Platform capabilities.

The Adobe Flash Platform is the de facto standard for delivering breakthrough applications, content and video on the web. Flash Player content reaches over 98 percent of Internet-enabled desktops, and over 80 percent of online videos worldwide are viewed using Adobe Flash technology, making Flash the number one platform for video on the web. Adobe Flash Lite delivers rich experiences across mobile devices and other consumer electronics. Adobe Flash Player is a key component of the Adobe Flash Platform, a complete system of integrated tools, frameworks, clients and servers. For more information, visit www.adobe.com/flashplatform.

In a second separate announcement(pdf) Adobe announced that Palm will be joining the Open Screen Project.

The work of the Open Screen Project will help deliver Adobe Flash Player for smartphones on the new Palm webOS platform. The unique capabilities of the web-centric Palm webOS, combined with Flash Player, will enable webOS device users to benefit from the huge amount of Flash based web content for a richer, more complete Internet experience.

“We’re excited that our customers will benefit from the creativity and broad range of Flash content and applications created by the millions of designers and developers using Adobe’s popular tools and technologies,” said Pam Deziel, vice president, software product management, Palm, Inc.

“As an industry innovator Palm will be an important contributor to the Open Screen Project,” said Michele Turner, vice president for Product Marketing, Flash Platform Business Unit at Adobe. “We’re aiming to bring a rich, Flash technology-enabled browsing experience to Palm’s impressive web browser.”

Source: Adobe Press Release

Sony Ericsson Releases The W995 Walkman Phone

Get a complete on-the-move entertainment experience with the W995 Walkman and its optimized video playback style and performance. Debuting on the W995 Walkman is Media Go which transfers, plays and organizes your entertainment, in most file formats, to your mobile phone simply and effortlessly.




Keep amused like never before on one powerful video mobile phone; watch news, TV shows or blockbusters in premium video quality or check out the latest videos from YouTube using Turbo 3G or Wi-Fi. Complete with an 8.1megapixel camera and Walkman player, with clear audio experience, the W995 Walkman is the ultimate mobile phone to keep you entertained when on the bus, lunch break or waiting for a train.

With Media Go it’s easy to bring your media with you. This unique Sony application makes its worldwide debut on the the W995 Walkman and lets you effortlessly and automatically transfer any audio, photos and videos between your phone and computer. You can even find podcasts with exciting content easily from the directory – just two clicks and you’re away, and watch the action in all its glory on the bright clear 2.6” screen.”

“With Media Go there’s no need to worry about format, resolution and ‘frame per second’ anymore.” said Alexandre Cardon, Global Marketing Business Manager at Sony Ericsson. “No longer will the video you transferred from your PC to your phone play in low resolution or bad quality. With Media Go™ and the W995 the experience is as good on your phone as it was on your PC.”

“The W995 Walkman phone brings together the very best music experiences of any phone, augments this with best in class video and sharing capabilities to offer the most complete communication entertainment package to date.” said Alexandre Cardon. “This powerful mobile phone delivers the best possible video resolution that can fit in your pocket and with enough battery stamina to watch two full length feature films. The W995 also comes complete with the award winning clear audio experience and an 8.1 megapixel camera for the highest quality picture and sound available in a mobile phone.”

Set the phone on its built-in stand and watch videos with your friends while you pump up the volume on the powerful built-in stereo speakers. The W995 comes complete with excellent sound for both movies and your favorite tracks. Clear Stereo, Clear Bass and the included HPM-77 premium headphones make music on the move feel like you’re sitting in a recording studio listening to your favorite band live! For the next level of clear audio experience, in selected markets the HPM-88 noise canceling headset will replace the HPM-77.

To complete the entertainment experience get picture perfect all the time with auto focus, photo flash and face detection. Capture images in their true colours with the 8.1 megapixel camera and you can print pictures up to a full A3 size without having to compromise on quality.

The W995 Walkman Anytime is showtime

• Optimized video playback with style and performance – get the best possible video resolution in your pocket
• Videos straight to your phone - Wi-Fi and Turbo 3G – easy video access to YouTube and other entertainment sites
• Clear 2.6” display - with desk stand, powerful speakers or 3.5mm audio jack
• 8.1 megapixel camera – take picture perfect images with Photo Flash and face recognition
• Clear audio experience – enjoy the best sound possible, the way it was meant to be heard
• 8GB Memory Stick Micro – save an inexhaustible amount of photos, video clips and sounds
• Tag a place-name to your memories or stay on track with aGPS and Google Maps™

Media Go Makes it easy to bring your media with you

• Transfer, play and organize – with Media Go™ you can easily transfer music, videos, photos and podcasts between your mobile phone and computer
• Automatic sync – sync your music playlists automatically to keep the phone updated with your new music
• Auto convert – Media Go gives you the best quality playback of multi-media content on a mobile phone. There’s no need to use extra applications to be able to bring your media with you.
• SensMe - create a playlist of songs in your library, you can also sort your music by mood or tempo
• Podcasts – it has never been easier to subscribe and download podcasts. Apart from adding your own favorites, the directory is there to help you to find the new and exciting content.
• Audio CD ripping – Use Media Go™ to burn your CDs and bring your music and audio books with you

The W995 Walkman supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UTMS/HSPA 900/2100. W995 will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colors Progressive Black, Cosmic Silver and Energetic Red. Media Go will be available for all markets from the W995 launch in 15 different languages.




The Sony Ericsson W995 Walkman at a glance

Camera 8.1 megapixel camera Up to 16x digital zoom Photo fix Picture blogging Video blogging Auto focus Face detection Photo flash Video recording Image and Video stabilizer Video light PictBridge	Music Walkman player Clear Stereo Clear Bass Album art PlayNow TrackID SensMe Bluetooth stereo(A2DP) Music tones (MP3/AAC) 3.5mm audio jack Stereo speakers Shake control
Web Access NetFront Web browser Web feeds Photo feeds	Communication Speakerphone Polyphonic ringtones Vibrating alert Video call
Messaging Email Picture messaging (MMS) Predictive text input Sound recorder Text messaging (SMS) Exchange ActiveSync Chat View Instant messaging	Design Picture wallpaper Wallpaper animation Auto rotate
Entertainment 3D games Motion gaming Java FM radio with RDS Video streaming Video viewing Media YouTube Walk Mate	Connectivity Bluetooth technology Modem USB mass storage USB support Synchronization DLNA Certified Wi-Fi
Organizer Alarm clock Calculator Calendar Flight mode Notes Phone book Stopwatch Tasks Timer	Location-based services Geo tagging of photos Google Maps aGPS Wayfinder Navigator (3-month trial version)
Accessories: W995 Battery Battery Charger 8GB Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) USB Cable Stereo portable handsfree Sony Ericsson PC Suite Media Go™ User book	Availability and versions Networks W995: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS/HSPA 900/2100 W995a: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS/HSPA 850/1900/2100 Available in selected markets from Q2 2009.

Source: Sony Ericsson Press Release

Sony Ericsson Launches Entertainment Unlimited

Entertainment Unlimited builds on Sony Ericsson’s leadership in music, imaging, gaming, content services, and applications to deliver unlimited opportunities for consumers to share experiences.

Barcelona, February 15, 2009 – Sony Ericsson today unveiled the next step in its evolution. The Entertainment Unlimited consumer proposition is the pinnacle of what the company has been working towards since the start of the joint venture in 2001 – the true fusion of communication and entertainment.

Bringing together rich content, unique applications and best in class entertainment experiences, the new consumer proposition is based around three key promises:

• Uniting best in class entertainment experiences into one offering such as the Walkman music experience, the Cyber-shot imaging experience, Java gaming and messaging integrated with services and applications.

• Broadening entertainment experiences by seamlessly integrating the mobile phone into other devices in the home letting consumers share and enjoy top quality entertainment content through a variety of channels including TV, PC and Hifi systems.

• Fusing communication with entertainment by removing barriers and offering unlimited sharing opportunities, multiplying the value of people’s entertainment experiences through a host of innovative web applications and Sony Ericsson’s unique Play Now offering.
  
  Sony Ericsson is unveiling the W995 Walkman phone at Mobile World Congress offering the most complete communication entertainment package to date. The launch of this phone exemplifies the excellence that Sony Ericsson has achieved in both the music and imaging categories and enables the evolution into Entertainment Unlimited. The company is also showing a mobile phone under the concept name Idou* giving a glimpse of one of a number of projects that will be launched this year under the umbrella of Entertainment Unlimited.

“Entertainment Unlimited lets us reinforce our position as THE communication entertainment brand,” said Lennard Hoornik Head of Global Marketing and Vice President at Sony Ericsson. “Everything that we have done to date has brought us to this point - we created the music phone category in 2005 selling over 100 million Walkman™ phones and we are now ready to unveil the next chapter in the evolution of the company - Entertainment Unlimited - giving consumers unlimited opportunities to share their entertainment experiences.”

Idou encapsulates the future of mobile entertainment in the palm of your hand delivering visual communication like never before.

Capture moments, talk through pictures and share all your experiences like never before with the 12.1 megapixel camera, intuitive touch features and Xenon flash. Tap directly into your favourite videos and tracks with the full-touch media menu and feast your eyes on movies, TV-series and video clips in true 16:9 widescreen format. Based on what will become the Symbian Foundation operating system, thousands of applications are available online letting you install new applications and download exciting content from PlayNow™ to make the Idou truly yours.

Dick Komiyama, President, Sony Ericsson said, "Entertainment Unlimited is at the core of Sony Ericsson's philosophy, building on the strength of our great entertainment assets such as Walkman and Cyber-shot phones and our unique service and applications integration. Many of the strategic initiatives we've announced in the past year have laid the internal framework to launch this new consumer proposition to the market and Sony Ericsson is now ready to drive the next wave of market development with Entertainment Unlimited."

Idou will be available 2nd Half of 2009.

Source: Sony Ericsson Press Release

3 Arrested In Connection With Heartland Credit Card Breach

The Leon County Sheriff's office in conjunction with the United States Secret Service earlier this week announced the arrests of three area residents -- Tony Acreus, Jeremy Frazier and Timothy Johns -- for allegedly using stolen credit card numbers associated with the Heartland Payment Systems breach.

During this joint investigation, it was determined that Acreus, Frazier and Johns have been using stolen credit card numbers to electronically encode VISA Gift Cards which were then used to make fraudulent purchases at local businesses, including several Tallahassee Wal-Marts. The group would then sell the fraudulently obtained merchandise for cash.

The stolen credit card numbers utilized by the group were stolen in an international computer hijacking of records from the Heartland Processing Center in New Jersey. The total actual and declined fraudulent transaction in Leon County is currently in excess of $100,000. This amount is expected to be much higher as this investigation continues.

Heartland Payment Systems was hit by a massive data breach late last year. The breach led to the theft of more than 100 million credit and debit card accounts.

"This investigation is ongoing and will likely produce additional charges and additional arrests," Leon County Sherriff's officials said in announcing the arrests Tuesday.

Upgrading On A Budget

For the past several months I've been looking at parts to replace an existing PC that was beginning to show some age. Being the geek I am I'm always looking for the best overall price to performance, which often times leaves me waiting until I can get an extremely hot price on my parts. This weekend the planets align just right and I found myself with the opportunity to buy some extremely budget friendly components that will make the most out of my money.

When upgrading I always consider what I've got that can be reused, what I need to replace and what my overall budget will be. In this case I wanted to limit myself to spending $120 max. I'm not looking to upgrade to a high end gaming machine. I'm only looking at add the best parts for the money. I'll be reusing several of my old parts including my power supply, video card, case and drives. Had I not had a decent power supply and a great video card I would have needed to factor this in and increased my budget accordingly.

The old rig:

• CPU: Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Socket 939 processor
• Heat Sink/Fan: Coolermaster Hyper TX2
  
• Motherboard: Foxconn 6150BK8MC
• Memory: 1.75GBs DDR (4 sticks various manuf, and speeds)
• Video Gard: EVGA 9600 GSO (thanks to the guys at F@H Team 111)
  
• Power Supply: Coolermaster eXtreme RP-500-PCAR 500W

As you can see for day to computing this PC has plenty of power. The dual core 3800+ has a slight overclock on it so its running at 2.3ghz which makes it plenty fast for most of the things I do and 1.75GBs of RAM is more than enough for most tasks. Unfortunatly I've noticed a slight slow down when doing some heavy multitasking. The easy fix would be adding more memory but the price for DDR just doesn't make it worth it. Besides I'm ready to hand this one down to someone else in need.

I'll actually be using the old rig to replace and aging Athlon Socket A machine my mom has been using fir several years. This rig should run everything she can throw at it and more.

The new parts:

• CPU: Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz (bought an OEM Version at eWiz for $53 with free shipping)
• Heatsink/Fan: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
• Motherboard: ASUS P5Q SE Plus
• Memory: OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)
• Video card and power supply will be re-used

The price on the CPU was really the catalyst that got this build flowing. The E5200 is by far the best performing chip in its price range. With a decent board and some good cooling the chip can easily be overclocked to perform at or above the level of much higher priced chips. The chip is regularly $73 shipped for the retail version so I was saving $20 right off the bat, a deal I just couldn't pass on.

The heatsink/fan and motherboard were open box items at Newegg, both with considerable savings. Usually I'm skeptical of open box. reconditioned or refurbished items. But I know Newegg and they have an outstanding policy of backing items. Even open box deals.

The prices were $13 for the heatsink (regularly $37), $49.99 for the board (regularly $97). As you can see those prices are very nice and even though I had to pay shipping I still came in well under the best prices I could find anywhere else.

The memory I bought late last year when it was free after mail in rebate, I think the cost after shipping was something like $2, I'm still waiting on the rebate but it's in the works. I've had the RAM sitting in the closet waiting to be used. I've also got 2gigs of Corsair XMS sitting in there that I might add in just to see how much extra performance I get. I the XMS last year as well when it was at a great price.

My total cost for the parts I didn't have was $135.84. As mentioned originally I had set myself with a budget of about $110-120 so as you can see I'm a little over budget. The trade off is I get a much better motherboard and better cooling than I would have gotten had I gone with cheaper parts. There were two or three boards priced $15-20 cheaper however I hope the board I got equates to better overclocking which will give me a better price to performance ratio.

My new parts should arive some time next week. Between now and then I'll try to run some benchmarks on the old rig so we can get a comparison to the new rig and see just how much my upgrades were really worth.

Google Asking Business Owners To Update Maps Content

Google is calling all business owners to edit the content of their existing listing, or to add a brand new listing to Google's local database.

Google wants local businesses to update their listing so Google maps has as much current information on those listings as possible. Using Google's Local Business Center businesses can ensure that basic information is up-to-date. You can also attract more customers by providing additional details, like photos, hours, and coupons.

Microsoft Faces "Downgrade" Lawsuit

A lawsuit has been filed suing Microsoft Corp. over the fee charged to "downgrade" Windows Vista on a new laptop to Windows XP.

The case which has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle, by Los Angeles resident Emma Alvarado seeks the return the fee paid for downgrading a Lenovo PC with Windows Vista Business preinstalled to Windows XP Professional. Alvarado is asking for the return of $59.25 which was added to the cost of her laptop purchased on June 20, 2008, according to the suit.

Alvarado is looking to expand the scope of the lawsuit by inviting others who have paid fees to downgrade to XP to join the suit (PDF) and is requesting refunds for them as well.

As a result of dissatisfaction over Vista many users have opted to "downgrade" their PCs to Windows XP, studies showed approximately 1/3 of Vista PCs had been downgraded.

Many customers who purchased PCs with Vista installed opted to downgrade to XP because they weren't happy with Vista's "numerous problems," according to Alvarado's suit. "As a result, many consumers would prefer to purchase a new computer preinstalled with the Windows XP operating system or at least not preinstalled with the Vista operating system," according to the filing.

According to the lawsuit by charging for those downgrades Microsoft and the OEM manufactures violated Washington state's Unfair Business Practices Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

"Microsoft has used its power to coerce OEMs, Internet access providers, and others into agreeing to restrictive and anti-competitive licensing terms for its Windows XP operating system in order to stifle competition in the market," according to Alvarado's complaint. "Microsoft did so in order to maintain, protect, and extend its market power in operating systems software into the next generation of personal computing, to lessen competition, and to enhance its monopoly position," Alvarado claims.

"Since the introduction of Vista, Microsoft has effectively eliminated competition in the operating system PC market and created a monopoly position for itself in that market," Alvarado claims in papers filed this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Along with a refund of the downgrade fees Alvarado is seeking unspecified damages and wants the court to make her case a class action suit. Microsoft has yet to file a formal response to the allegations. and has yet to comment on the case.

Samsung Goes Green With Blue Earth

Samsung Introduces “Blue Earth” - the First Solar Powered Full-Touch Phone

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today unveiled the innovative solar powered full-touch screen phone “Blue Earth”, alongside Samsung’s vision for environmental sustainability. Under the slogan: “The Blue Earth Dream: Eco-living with SAMSUNG mobile”, Samsung reinforced its commitment to protect the environment through the design of eco-friendly products and a programme of activities for its customers. It will be showcased at Mobile World Congress 2009 for the first time.

Designed to symbolize a flat and well rounded shiny pebble, Blue Earth is the first solar powered full-touch screen phone. By charging with the solar panel located on the back of the phone, users can generate enough electronic power to call anytime anywhere.

Blue Earth is made from recycled plastic called PCM, which is extracted from water bottles, helping to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The device, including charger, is free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate.

The latest in a series of eco-friendly products, Blue Earth comes with a unique user interface which is designed to draw attention to preserving our fragile environment. Simple to set screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth to an energy-efficient mode, this new user interface allows the user to be energy-efficient with just one click of ’Eco mode’. Through the ‘eco walk’ function the user can count their steps with an in-built pedometer, calculating how much CO2 emissions have been reduced by walking as opposed to motor transport. This unique function allows user to calculate the value of this footprint through the number of trees that have been saved.

The packaging for Blue Earth is designed to be both small and light, made from recycled paper, and comes with a 5 star energy efficient charger which uses standby power lower than 0.03W. As part of the Voluntary Agreement of European Commission IPP (Integrated Product Policy) pilot program, Samsung has agreed to start using rating on energy consumption on the no-load mode of the mobile device charger.

“Samsung’s ‘The Blue Earth Dream’ demonstrates our small but meaningful commitments for the future and our environment,” said Mr. JK Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Communication Division of Samsung Electronics. "We are committed to achieving the highest eco-status with our customers and business partners by providing the best eco-products and promoting eco-activities.”

Get in touch with Samsung Mobile! Learn more about ‘The Blue Earth Dream’ and other eco-friendly initiatives at www.samsungmwc.com (The site will be opened on February 16) and visit us at Hall 8, Stand 8a139 at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona.

About The Blue Earth Dream

The Blue Earth Dream conveys hope and sets goals for sustainable growth and life. In increasing environmental awareness, Samsung is developing ways to reduce CO2 emissions and to save energy at every stage of the product life cycle, as an effective response to climate change. Milestones have been put in place to eliminate hazardous substances from handsets and packaging will be designed from recycled materials. Samsung will encourage its customers to recycle handsets at a growing number of special take-back points worldwide.

Source: Business Wire

Garmin-Asus Introduces nüvifone M20

BARCELONA, Spain/February 12, 2009/Business Wire — Garmin-Asus, a co-branded alliance between Garmin Ltd., and ASUSTeK Computer Inc., today announced the Garmin-Asus nüvifone M20, an all-in-one phone, mobile web-browser and premium navigation system with a Windows Mobile operating system. The Garmin-Asus nüvifone M20 will be on display at GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 16-19, 2009, at the Garmin-Asus exhibit.

As the first Garmin-Asus nüvifone powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional with enterprise email, the sleek and colorful nüvifone M20 is designed for on-the-go professionals who want a fashionable and functional smartphone to manage their busy work and personal lives. This powerful device combines a dual-band 3.5G/tri-band GSM phone with Wi-Fi connectivity, desktop-like internet browser, push email, document viewing, multi-media capability, Bluetooth and Garmin sat nav.

The nüvifone M20’s full QWERTY soft keyboard makes it easy to send and receive SMS, MMS and emails. The nüvifone M20 can also be synched with a computer so that contacts and emails are always available. HSDPA wireless connectivity and enterprise grade Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) ensure messages are sent and received quickly, including those with attachments.

Recognizing that location is relevant to every aspect of every day, the nüvifone M20 is designed with location based services (LBS) at its core and has the most advanced LBS experience of any Windows Mobile phone. Navigation functions are linked to frequently used applications such as calendar, contacts, email, internet applications and more, simplifying the nüvifone user’s day as they travel from one location to another.

The nüvifone M20 supports download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps and offers a desktop-style web browsing experience. Users can zoom and pan web pages with their finger as they view the information in either portrait or landscape orientation. In addition, they can easily navigate to an address on a web page with only a few taps of the screen.

The GPS features of the nüvifone M20 usher in a level of sophistication never seen before on a Windows Mobile smartphone. It has the navigation capability of a premium Garmin nüvi sat nav, and comes with preloaded maps and points of interest (POIs) – hotels, restaurants, stores, fuel stations and more – for North America, Eastern and Western Europe, or other regions. Selecting a destination is straightforward and requires limited input from the user. For example, users can search for a destination by typing in the specific name or address of an establishment, search by category, or navigate to addresses in the nüvifone M20’s contact database or on the web. The device then gives turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions and automatically recalculates if a turn is missed along the way. In addition, the nüvifone includes quick access to online points of interest through internet enabled local search. The nüvifone harnesses the power of the worldwide web and information about local merchants and attractions is continually updated.

The nüvifone M20 takes GPS navigation one step further via Connected Services, a suite of online applications and data from Garmin-Asus that adds location intelligence to navigation, phone and browser functions. The expandable list of applications includes content like real-time traffic information, White Pages, weather, flight status, local events, and movie times.

The nüvifone product line also includes Ciao!, a ground-breaking LBS application that helps users stay up to date on their friends’ whereabouts and status by linking numerous location-centric social networks. Through Ciao!, nüvifone users will see their friends’ location on a map and then be able to navigate to that location with ease. Nüvifone users can also choose to have the nüvifone automatically update their social network location information.

The nüvifone M20 has exceptional entertainment capabilities with the combination of a 2.8” TFT touch lens display, built-in microphone and speakers, built-in 4Gb/8Gb My Storage, and ActiveSync for Outlook, Microsoft Office, and multi-media synchronization. The VGA (640x480) display brings action to life when watching video or looking at photographs. The three megapixel camera automatically geotags images with the exact latitude and longitudinal coordinates. Users can then save the image on their phone, email it to a friend, or navigate to where the image was taken.

Garmin-Asus expects to announce the nüvifone M20’s pricing and availability information in the first half of 2009. Journalists should contact Garmin-Asus media representatives to arrange product demonstrations or interviews. Additional information about the nüvifone product line is available at www.GarminAsus.com.

About Garmin-Asus
Garmin-Asus is a co-branded strategic alliance that enables Garmin Ltd. and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. to combine their complementary resources to develop world class LBS-centric mobile phones.
Source: Garmin-ASUS Press Release

$787 Billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Passes, President Expected To Sign By Monday

In a late session held over specifically to get enough votes in to pass the bill the Senate pushed through the $787 billion economic stimulus bill supported by President Obama.

Voting on the bill was held over to after hours so the key vote which was held by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, could be counted. The Senator had been in Ohio attending a memorial service for his mother. In what I'd consider a questionable move, President Obama dispatched a government plain to easy travel for the Senator from his home back to the Capitol.

The bill needed exactly 60 votes to pass and Senator Brown's vote was the swing vote. Had Brown not be there to vote the bill wouldn't have had enough votes to pass. No Republicans voted for the bill in the House on Friday, and just three voted to back it in the Senate.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill on Presidents day, Monday.

Details of the stimulus package were released Thursday night, and it includes billions of dollars that will reach the tech sector. Some of which includes $7.2 billion for broadband programs, $2 billion for health information technology, and $650 million for the digital TV transition.

Google Releases Cross-Platform Software Toolkit

Google has released a new Software Construction Toolkit aimed at helping developers working on cross-platform applications. The new toolkit is built on the Open Source SCons build tool and written in Python.

According to Google it builds on all three major platforms, Windows, Mac, and Linux. For those of you that might be interested Google invites you to o check out the code or an example project.

Google Open Android Market To Paid Apps

Android application developers in the US and UK can now sale their apps in the Android Market. Developers can submit priced applications to Google that will be sold in the Android Market starting next week said Google's Eric Chu in a blog post published today.

Initially Google will only be accepting applications from developers in the US and UK with plans to allow developers in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, and Spain later this year. Similarly Google will only be making paid apps available to end users in the US starting mid week next week, with more countries being added soon.

Google Checkout will serve as the payment and billing mechanism for Android Market. Developers who do not already have a Google Checkout merchant account can easily sign up for one via the publisher website.

For more details checkout the Android Market help page.

$250K Bounty Placed On Conficker Worm

The Conficker worm, also known as Downadup, has spread to millions of PCs world wide with no end in sight. The latest estimate shows the worm has infected as many as 10 million PCs. The numbers and scope of this infection have led several companies to pool resources in an attempt at finding a solution.

Thursday Microsoft announced a $250,000 reward to bring the Conficker malware bad guys to justice. The company said it will also be forming a partnership with several major companies in the effort to stop the viruse from spreading any further. The companies include ICANN, Neustar, VeriSign, CNNIC, Afilias, Public Internet Registry, Global Domains International, Inc., M1D Global, AOL, Symantec, F-Secure, ISC, researchers from Georgia Tech, The Shadowserver Foundation, Arbor Networks and Support Intelligence.

"By combining our expertise with the broader community, we can expand the boundaries of defense to better protect people worldwide," said George Stathakopoulos, general manager of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Group.

"The best way to defeat potential botnets like Conficker/Downadup is by the security and Domain Name System communities working together," said Greg Rattray, chief Internet security advisor at ICANN. "ICANN represents a community that's all about coordinating those kinds of efforts to keep the Internet globally secure and stable."

"Microsoft's approach combines technology innovation and effective cross- sector partnerships to help protect people from cybercriminals," Stathakopoulos said. "We hope these efforts help to contain the threat posed by Conficker, as well as hold those who illegally launch malware accountable."

Earlier this week OpenDNS and Kaspersky Lab teamed up to provide user with tools to track PCs on their networks that have potentially been hit with the worm. The tools work to to fight Conficker using the newly introduced OpenDNS Botnet Protection feature, which provides network administrators visibility into the networks they operate and sends notification if the Conficker Windows worm has successfully penetrated their network. This insight then gives network administrators the knowledge necessary to disable the worm and prevent it from causing damage.

The $250,000 reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Conficker author or authors and Microsoft said it will be available to anyone in any country, subject to local laws.