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| Another proprietary wireless audio system: Sony S-AIR |
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While everyone likes the idea of streaming music wirelessly around their home, in reality it can be less-than-enjoyable because of difficult configurations and network dropouts. Trying to address this common complaint, Sony has introduced its new S-AIR technology, which Sony says can get wireless audio up and running without "IP addresses, WEP keys and pin codes." S-AIR will be featured in several of Sony's home-theater-in-a-box systems, and owners can listen to their music wirelessly in additional rooms by purchasing additional AIR Air Stations ($120, available in March).
Proprietary wireless audio solutions aren't exactly new. Klipsch offers the RoomGroove iPod speaker system and forthcoming CS-700 HTIB, both of which use the so-called KlipschCast method to stream music from room to room. Panasonic has the SH-FX85 wireless audio speaker, which can be added to certain home theater systems. Also, Sonos has essentially built a company around its rock-solid, proprietary wireless audio streaming solution. So while S-AIR might not be breaking any new ground, it will offer prospective Sony home theater system buyers a way to easily add some wireless audio to their homes.
Buy now! |
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posted by GadgetMan @ 11:34 AM  |
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| Are gadgets making our lives easier or just gadgetier? |
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Ever wonder how we got along without cell phones, BlackBerrys, notebook computers, and fax machines? How did we manage to have fun without video games, MP3 players, and DVRs?
Come to think of it, how did we ever survive without the Internet?
I don't know how, but we did. And you know what? I don't remember ever thinking I was missing something. I played records, wrote letters, used the phone book, and shopped at stores.
As for work, well, the business of designing chips was a bit archaic back then. Still, at Texas Instruments we did manage to get our designs done and out the door. In fact, TI's venerable TMS320 Digital Signal Processor--the chip inside most of the world's cell phones--was invented back then in the early '80s. How about that?
You know what else? I had more balance in my life back then. I did things other than check my e-mail, surf the Net, and talk on my cell phone. Sure, I still have non-gadget hobbies today, but I use gadgets to enjoy them. I drink wine out of a glass, but the Internet helps me collect and buy. I admit to listening to my iPod occasionally while hiking and gardening.
I know I'm starting to sound like some technology reactionary, but really, I'm not. It's just that, well, for the longest time, gadgets got increasingly complex and feature-rich, but the interfaces didn't keep up. It was time-consuming to learn how to use them. There was no interoperability, wires were everywhere, and, well, it was a royal pain.
The other day I began to realize that that's finally beginning to change. Check it out:
My new Pioneer Kuro PDP-6010FD plasma TV automatically adjusts the signal to fit the screen. The algorithms are so good I barely notice whether the signal is originally 4:3 or 16:9. It even adjusts for commercials on the fly; I don't have to lift a finger.
My cell phone is now also an MP3 player that syncs my calendar and contacts with Outlook using Bluetooth. It's not even an iPhone, just a Razr. Speech recognition technology and voice commands are getting more sophisticated all the time. Maybe someday we'll be able to get rid of our keyboards.
And for the coup de grace, I now have smart-home technology that, once programmed, uses touch-screen LCD panels and universal RF remotes to control all the electronics in the home--audio, video, security, communications, everything. One touch or click controls a host of devices. It's all intuitive; I didn't have to learn to use anything.
And then, of course, there's wireless technology. It's a beautiful thing. My home is on a wireless network so I can work, access the Internet, even print and scan from anywhere in or around the house. And then, of course, there's Wi-Fi and other broadband protocols. Finally, we're no longer tethered to our desks or our offices.
Wait, I almost forgot: tell me Tivo didn't change your life. It did mine. A little programming and you never have to miss a show again. Now we just need some content worth watching.
Computers are still a pain, but every year the manual, legacy stuff gets more and more buried under wizards and automatic updates that do things for us.
Look, I know a lot of this stuff has been around for a while. But for so many years, I was so aware of the increasing gadget complexity that this ease-of-use thing kind of crept up on me. There finally seems to be significant momentum in the direction of technology making our lives simpler and easier, as opposed to just gadgetier. It's about time.
Posted by Steve Tobak |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 11:30 AM |
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| Print and store photos with 4GB HP portable printer, 115$ |
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The HP A716 churns out snapshots as large as 5x7 (panoramas, too) and comes with 4 gigabytes of internal storage.
The big benefit, of course, is that you can offload photos from your memory card when it gets full, then copy them over to your PC later. Like any good photo printer, the A716 also features card slots for all major memory-card types, support for PictBridge connections directly to cameras, and a good-sized LCD (2.5 inches) for reviewing photos. It can even connect to a TV for big-screen viewing.
Product Features and Technical Details
Product Features
4 x 6-inch photos in as fast as 39 seconds for about 29 cents a print/Up to 4,800-optimized dpi
Print directly from most memory cards, iPods, flash drives and PictBridge-enabled cameras
Antique, sepia and vintage black-and-white photos without having to use a PC
Use the TV viewing feature and included remote control to display a slide show or browse through photos and video clips
3.50 Lbs (WxLxH) 4.50"x 9.90" x 5.00"
Technical Details
Model: A716
Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
RAM Memory Size: 96 MB
device_type: Compact photo printer Unknown modifier
Printer Technology: Ink-jet
printer_output: Color Unknown modifier
Connectivity Technology: Wired
printer_resolution_bw_horiz_max: 1200 Dots Per Inch
printer_resolution_bw_vert_max: 1200 Dots Per Inch
printer_resolution_color_horiz_max: 4800 Dots Per Inch
printer_resolution_color_vert_max: 1200 Dots Per Inch
media_type: Photo paper Unknown modifier, Index cards Unknown modifier
Maximum sheet capacity: 20
Scanner Type: None
networking_feature: None Unknown modifier
Minimum system requirements: Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Apple MacOS X 10.3.9 or later, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Width: 9.9 inches
Warranty: 1 year warranty
printer_interface: USB Unknown modifier
Buy now HP A716! |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 11:09 AM |
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| Sony's new budget AV receivers packed with features |
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When Onkyo released the budget TX-SR605 AV receiver last year, it rocked the industry with its low price and high-end features such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Master Audio decoding. Other manufacturers pretty much had to stay on the sidelines as TX-SR605s flew off the shelf, but it looks as if Sony is ready to fight back with its new line of budget AV receivers. The company's 2008 line of AV receivers includes four new affordably priced models--the STR-DG520, STR-DG720, STR-DG820 and STR-DG920--and they look pretty good from the spec sheet. Here are the details:
The STR-DG520
Key features of the Sony STR-DG520:
5.1 channels, 100 watts of power
Two HDMI inputs
Supports 1080p pass-through at 60 and 24 frames per second
Available in March for about $200
The STR-DG720
Step-up features on the STR-DG720:
7.1 channels, 105 watts of power
Three HDMI inputs
Can handle eight channels of LPCM audio
XM-ready
Available in March for about $300
The STR-DG820
Step-up features on the STR-DG820:
7.1 channels, 110 watts of power
Four HDMI inputs
Onboard decoding for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-High Resolution Audio and DTS-HD Master Audio
Supports x.v.Color
XM-ready with Neural Surround Sound
Includes a Sony Digital Media Port
Available in May for about $400
The STR-DG920
Step-up features on the STR-DG920:
Upscales analog signals up to 1080p over its HDMI output
Features icon-driven menu system, possibly similar to what we've seen on the STR-DA5300ES
Supports x.v.Color and Deep Color
Available in June for about $600
First things first--don't put too much stock in the x.v.Color and Deep Color features. To take advantage of x.v.Color and Deep Color, everything in the signal chain needs to be compliant, including your video player and HDTV, and many components aren't compliant. Then, you also need the program material to be authored using x.v.Color and Deep Color. Considering that no Blu-ray discs are currently out or scheduled to be released with x.v.Color or Deep color, it's just not a very practical feature.
What about the rest of it? While it's nice to see a dual HDMI receiver fall into the $200 range, it looks like the sweet spot is STR-DG820, with its four HDMI inputs, high resolution audio support, and $400 price tag. That's competitive with the aforementioned budget receiver champ, the TX-SR605--that identically priced Onkyo model offers only two HDMI inputs, but it also includes the key convenience of converting its analog video inputs to 480p HDMI digital output. The STR-GD920 offers more advanced upconversion features and a graphical user interface, but with a higher price tag of $600. These receivers certainly look like contenders compared with last year's Onkyo AV receiver line, but buyers might want to wait and see if Onkyo offers even more for less with its 2008 line of receivers.
If you're looking to spend a little more, Sony's ES line of AV receivers remains current, including the Sony STR-DA5300ES, which is currently our highest rated AV receiver.
Posted by Matthew Moskovciak |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 12:52 PM |
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| New Sony Blu-ray players: Better than PS3? |
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Sony has announced two new Blu-ray players scheduled to be released in the second half of the year: the entry-level BDP-S350 and the step-up BDP-S550. We haven't been the biggest fans of Sony's recent standalone Blu-ray players (the BDP-S300 was really slow and the same price as the PlayStation 3). Fresh off its victory over HD DVD, however, the company has announced two new Blu-ray players for 2008, both of which sport considerably more attractive feature sets and prices. Here are the details:
Key features of the Sony BDP-S350:
Supports BonusView, which means it is Profile 1.1 compliant
BD-Live ready, which means it can gain BD-Live capability with a firmware update
Ethernet port for firmware upgrades
Supports 1080p output at both 24 and 60 frames per second
Onboard decoding for Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD
Bitstream output for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
About $400 list price, scheduled to come out this summer
Step-up features on the BDP-S550
Onboard decoding for DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio
7.1 analog outputs
1GB local storage, which should make it Profile 2.0 compliant
About $500 list price, scheduled to come out in the fall
While the BDP-S350 is interesting for its relatively low price point, it's still going to be hampered by the fact that it costs the same as the PlayStation 3--which offers almost all the same functionality (except bitstream audio output for high-resolution soundtracks), plus you get a high-definition game console and a media streamer. On the other hand, we could see the BDP-S550 being a hit with home theater enthusiasts because it offers a couple of key step-ups that make is a particularly solid standalone player--DTS-HD Master Audio Decoding and 7.1 analog outputs. We're betting that the PS3 eventually gets onboard DTS-HD Master Audio decoding--which will make BDP-S550 less attractive--but for right now it looks like a solid option for audiophiles, especially those who plan to use the 7.1 analog outputs. Of course, the BDP-S550 will also have to compete with other step-up standalone players coming out this year and we're betting the Panasonic DMP-BD50 will give it a run for its money.
Sony has announced two new Blu-ray players scheduled to be released in the second half of the year: the entry-level BDP-S350 and the step-up BDP-S550. We haven't been the biggest fans of Sony's recent standalone Blu-ray players (the BDP-S300 was really slow and the same price as the PlayStation 3). Fresh off its victory over HD DVD, however, the company has announced two new Blu-ray players for 2008, both of which sport considerably more attractive feature sets and prices. Here are the details:
Key features of the Sony BDP-S350:
Supports BonusView, which means it is Profile 1.1 compliant
BD-Live ready, which means it can gain BD-Live capability with a firmware update
Ethernet port for firmware upgrades
Supports 1080p output at both 24 and 60 frames per second
Onboard decoding for Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD
Bitstream output for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
About $400 list price, scheduled to come out this summer
Step-up features on the BDP-S550
Onboard decoding for DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio
7.1 analog outputs
1GB local storage, which should make it Profile 2.0 compliant
About $500 list price, scheduled to come out in the fall
While the BDP-S350 is interesting for its relatively low price point, it's still going to be hampered by the fact that it costs the same as the PlayStation 3--which offers almost all the same functionality (except bitstream audio output for high-resolution soundtracks), plus you get a high-definition game console and a media streamer. On the other hand, we could see the BDP-S550 being a hit with home theater enthusiasts because it offers a couple of key step-ups that make is a particularly solid standalone player--DTS-HD Master Audio Decoding and 7.1 analog outputs. We're betting that the PS3 eventually gets onboard DTS-HD Master Audio decoding--which will make BDP-S550 less attractive--but for right now it looks like a solid option for audiophiles, especially those who plan to use the 7.1 analog outputs. Of course, the BDP-S550 will also have to compete with other step-up standalone players coming out this year and we're betting the Panasonic DMP-BD50 will give it a run for its money.
Posted by Matthew Moskovciak |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 12:40 PM |
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| Apple planning iPhone SDK event March 6 |
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Apple distributed invitations Wednesday morning for "an iPhone software road map" event next week, which means we're finally going to hear details on the plans for an iPhone software development kit.
As you might be aware, next week is March, not February, which means Apple will have missed its deadline for shipping the SDK this month. Still, on Thursday, March 6, at 10 a.m. PST the company will hold a "town hall" meeting at its headquarters in Cupertino to discuss the State of the iPhone, and probably answer several questions about how iPhone application development will unfold.
Apple also said to expect details on "some exciting new enterprise features," which at first blush sounds to me like a method of getting the iPhone to work more closely with corporate e-mail software. It's not clear whether the SDK will actually become available next week, or whether Apple is planning to use the occasion to explain what options developers will have for getting their applications on the iPhone. Check out our report on the iPhone SDK and the possibilities for official third-party application development for more background on what might be discussed next week.
Apple will be playing host twice next week, holding its annual shareholders meeting on Tuesday and then two days later having us all trek down I-280 once again for the iPhone event.
Posted by Tom Krazit |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 12:33 PM |
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| Sony to own one-third of Sharp's LCD plant |
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Posted byReuters
Sony said it would take a one-third stake in Sharp's $3.5 billion LCD panel plant set for completion by March 2010, in an effort to meet fast-growing demand for flat televisions.
The move is the latest in a wave of alliances among Japanese flat TV makers as they try to secure enough panels while keeping initial investments in check to fight steep price declines.
Sharp, which offers Aquos LCD TVs, plans to turn the liquid crystal display factory, which would be the world's largest, into a joint venture, with the Osaka-based company owning 66 percent and Sony taking the remainder.
Besides LCD panels, the joint venture will also produce LCD modules, which are display panels equipped with components such as a backlight unit and LCD driver chips.
Sony and Sharp are the world's second- and third-largest LCD TV makers, behind South Korea's Samsung Electronics.
The two Japanese companies plan to hold a joint news conference on Tuesday where Sony President Ryoji Chubachi and Sharp President Mikio Katayama will speak.
"For Sharp, this is a positive step since it means a major buyer that would keep the 10th-generation factory busy," Daiwa Institute of Research analyst Kazuharu Miura said.
Sharp's new factory would use so-called 10th-generation glass substrates, which can yield more panels than earlier-generation, smaller glass substrates, improving production efficiency and helping both firms offer attractively priced flat TVs.
Global LCD TV sales are likely to more than double to 155 million units by 2012, according to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Association.
"Sony needed an extra source of panels because the large-size LCD TV market is growing faster than it had expected. As Sony expands TV production, it is natural to seek to diversify panel sources," said Park Hyun, an analyst at Prudential Investment & Securities.
"Sony is likely to continue the partnership with Samsung.... Therefore Sony's diversification strategy won't have a negative implication for the alliance with Samsung."
Sony, which aims to sell 10 million units of its Bravia LCD TVs in the current business year to March 31, runs another LCD joint venture, S-LCD, with Samsung.
The announcement follows Toshiba's decision late last year to buy LCD panels from Sharp, while Panasonic maker Matsushita Electric Industrial said earlier this month it would spend $2.8 billion to build an LCD plant in the face of robust LCD TV demand and tight panel supplies.
Aggressive investments in panel capacity, however, have raised investor concerns about a potential supply glut.
"The problem will be 2010 and 2011. Just when TV demand is likely peaking, Sharp's 10th-generation plant will come onstream, and so will Matsushita's new factory," Shinko Securities analyst Hideki Watanabe said.
"Today's deal gives Sharp good risk hedging."
Shares in Sony closed up 1.2 percent at 5,200 yen, while Sharp was flat at 2,100 yen. The Tokyo stock market's electrical machinery index IELEC.rose 0.3 percent. |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 10:16 AM |
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| Intel Diamondville shuns dual-core |
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Intel's upcoming low-cost Diamondville notebook processor will break from Intel's multicore strategy of the last few years and be primarily a single-core processor.
(Credit: Asus)In this respect Diamondville is not that different from Celeron, a long-standing design (introduced in 1998) that has been exclusively single-core until very recently. The reason for the single-core strategy is simple: With Diamondville, Intel has a "fanatical focus" on low power and low cost, according to Dean McCarron, founder and principal of Mercury Research. A single core means fewer transistors and lower power consumption.
Diamondville is not Celeron, however. "It's a clean sheet of paper design," McCarron said. It is a tiny 45-nanometer processor that employs a simpler design (called an "in-order pipeline") than standard Intel processors, as spelled out in an ISSCC presentation (PDF) earlier this month. Diamondville also has lower-cost packaging than the Silverthorne processor, which Diamondville is derived from.
Because of this extreme emphasis on cost, Diamondville will appear in ultra-low-cost notebooks and to a lesser extent--at least initially--in desktops. Intel refers to the low-cost notebook design as "netbook" and estimates the pricing for these devices will go as low as $250. The initial thrust by PC suppliers such as Hewlett-Packard and Dell is expected to be in emerging markets. Performance is expected to be commensurate with the Pentium-M processor.
There will be one exception to the single-core designs: a desktop version of Diamondville will be dual-core, according to a source close to Intel. This is backed up by a recent report in Taipei-based DigiTimes that refers to a Diamondville platform as "Shelton'08." That platform will come with two Diamondville processor models: a dual-core CPU, whose specifics are currently unknown, and the 230, a single-core CPU running at 1.6GHz with a 533MHz front-side bus and 512KB cache. The Shelton'08 for notebooks will include a single-core Diamondville, the N270.
On another front, Intel is expected to rebrand the Menlow platform in the very near future, according to sources familiar with Intel's strategy. The Menlow platform is comprised of the "Silverthorne" processor and the "Poulsbo" chipset from which Diamondville is derived, as mentioned above. Centrino is a possible candidate for a part of the brand name. This is a name that carries significant brand equity and may also be applied to the upcoming Montevina platform as "Centrino 2," according to reports earlier this month.
Posted by Brooke Crothers |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 10:11 AM |
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| Apple updates MacBook, MacBook Pro lineups |
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Apple updated its MacBook and MacBook Pro lineups today with Intel's Penryn processors, while bringing multitouch trackpads to MacBook Pros.
The MacBook Pro is available with Core 2 Duo (Penryn) processors at up to 2.6GHz and up to 6MB of cache memory. Storage options have been revised to include up to a 300GB hard drive. In addition, Apple has added Nvidia's GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor with up to 512MB of video memory. The 17-inch model now gives you the option to upgrade the LCD to an LED-backlit unit for $100. That feature is still standard on the smaller 15-inch model.
The MacBook Pro will also now include the multitouch trackpad, first introduced with the MacBook Air. The trackpad lets users rotate photos and browse Web pages using gestures such as pinch, rotate, and swipe.
A MacBook Pro with a 15-inch display, 2.4GHz processor, 3MB of L2 cache, and a 200GB hard disk lists for $1,999. The 17-inch model, with a 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo chip, 6MB of L2 cache, and a 250GB hard drive is priced at $2,799, Apple said.
The MacBook misses out on the multitouch trackpad, but the prices of the three baseline models stay the same while the configurations get CPU and hard-drive bumps. The $1,299 and $1,499 models now come standard with 2GB of RAM. Previously, doubling the standard 1GB of RAM set you back an additional $150. The $1,099 MacBook includes a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo (Penryn) processor, 1GB of memory, and a 120GB hard drive (up from 80GB). The $1,299 model gives you a 2.4GHz chip, 2GB of memory, and a 160GB drive (up from 120GB). The $1,499 black model now comes with a 250GB drive (up from 160GB).
One thing Apple did not announce Tuesday--at least not yet--is an iPhone software developer kit that it had promised for sometime in February.
Posted by Mike Ricciuti |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 10:09 AM |
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| Mapping medieval streets using GPS |
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Staff Writer, CNET News.com
BARCELONA, Spain--I like gadgets as much as the rest of the gang at CNET, but for me to even consider ponying up $400-plus for Nokia's new navigation phone, it will take some convincing.
As a New York City dweller, I don't need an in-car navigation system or even a cell phone that tells me where to go while I'm behind the wheel. But a device that helps me navigate on foot? That might be something I could use.
So when Nokia offered to let me test-walk its new 6210 Navigator phone and Maps 2.0 service, designed for pedestrian navigation, I jumped at the chance.
The updated Maps 2.0 service and 6210 Navigator, which were both announced at the GSMA Mobile World Congress here this week, essentially take navigation out of the car and put it into the hands of people like me, who spend most of their time walking rather than driving.
Maps 2.0 offers visual turn-by-turn directions for pedestrians in addition to the regular in-car navigation. And even though other Nokia phones can use the service, the new 6210 Navigator is specially designed for pedestrian navigation with an embedded compass that points a little red arrow on the cell phone screen in the direction the user is moving.
A rough start
Before the pedestrian tour even officially started, I had a sense that things might not go smoothly. First, the traffic around the Fira de Barcelona, where Mobile World Congress was being held, was a nightmare. For 25 minutes, we sat in gridlock listening to car horns blaring and the English woman on the audio in-car navigation system repeat at least five times that we'd be making the sixth turn in the roundabout.
After a close encounter with an angry cab driver, we finally made our way to the Barri Gotic area, or Barcelona's Gothic quarter. This is the oldest part of Barcelona, where tall stone structures line the narrow labyrinth of streets that are still paved with centuries-old cobblestone. It is a beautiful part of the city that can really be seen only on foot.
So on we marched. I was told before the tour began that we'd use the 6210 Navigator to find a "secret" square within the Barri Gotic. Having spent most of the weekend getting lost in this part of the city, I was intrigued by the idea of finding a part of the old city that I hadn't yet seen.
But somehow, unbeknownst to me and my fellow Nokia travelers, someone had programmed a different path for us on the phone. As our Spanish tour guide, Aida Bencheda , tried to lead us west toward the Gothic Cathedral de la Santa Creu, our trusty 6210 Navigator was determined to take us southeast.
At first, Keith Nowak, Nokia's PR representative, and Bencheda poured over the device trying to figure out why it was pointing in the wrong direction.
"Is the GPS not working?"
" Maybe the buildings are too tall."
"Yes, that must be it."
"Maybe it's just confused. We did turn around a few times."
"Yes, that could be it too. I don't know. I am sure we have to go this way."
"Is the GPS working?"
As I stood on the street looking over Nowak's shoulder to see exactly where the little red arrow was pointing, I thought about how annoyed and disappointed I'd be if I had fired up my new 6210 Navigator on the streets of Barcelona while on vacation only to discover that it didn't work. I'd lament how I should have bought a Nintendo Wii instead.
Just as I was about to write off the 6210 Navigator for good in my thoughts, we decided to trust the phone and follow the red arrow anyway. We soon realized the phone was smarter than we were, and that we were headed to a different destination than we had originally thought.
As we meandered along the Barri Gotic down into the trendy El Born Barrio, I have to admit that I was impressed with how well the little 6210 Navigator worked. With all the tall buildings, narrow streets and skinny alleyways, the phone lost its GPS signal for only a few seconds in certain spots. And when I checked the accuracy of the red dot that marked where I was standing against my actual location, it gave me the exact cross streets.
We walked for about 10 minutes, until I realized we were headed to the Picasso Museum, which is housed in a beautiful Gothic, medieval palace. We passed the museum and headed toward Carrer de la Princesa, a major street that would take us back toward the cathedral. I could see on the phone that we were 25 meters from the intersection, then 10 meters, and finally 0 meters. The little red arrow pointed in the direction we needed to go. We walked farther and again the phone counted down the distance for me as the arrow indicated I needed to make a left turn.
Finally, the phone indicated that we had reached our destination at 28 Via Laietana. I checked the address and sure enough we were there, right in front. Again I was impressed with how accurate the phone's tracking was.
Worth the price?
I've lived in the same apartment in Manhattan for 10 years. So even though Nokia's new phone and Maps 2.0 service impressed me on my little tour, it's safe to say that I don't really need to spend that kind of money on a phone that will help me get around my own neighborhood. But I also see how cool it would be to have while traveling.
It's not just the navigation that makes Maps 2.0 and the 6210 Navigator a perfect device for travelers. It also comes with lots of useful information. On each city map, Nokia has indicated points of interest, such as tourist sites and restaurants. You can click on the mapped icons to set your destination or get more information, such as a phone number or address.
In addition to this map information, which is free, Nokia also offers city guides written by travel guide publishers for about $12 apiece that provide even more detailed restaurant and hotel recommendations, as well as audio and video tours. The Navigator 6210 also comes with a decent 3.2-megapixel camera, so you don't even have to lug a separate camera around.
Even though I was very impressed with Maps 2.0 and the 6210 Navigator, chances are that I won't get one. Why? For one, Nokia isn't yet selling them in the U.S. And when they do, I'd likely have to get an unlocked phone and pay full price. And at around $400, it's a little expensive for me.
That said, Nokia is trying to make it a compelling sell. For example, the company is offering the navigation service on the 6210 for free. While Nokia offers all its maps for free, the company charges users of other navigation-ready devices weekly, monthly or yearly subscriptions for the navigation service. |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 9:53 AM |
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| Counting down to the iPhone development kit |
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We're quickly closing in on the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the iPhone, one that could signal just how far Apple can take its maiden voyage into the smartphone world.
This is supposed to be the week that Apple makes honest coders out of all the software developers who have been busy creating unofficial applications for the iPhone almost since the day it was released last June. Back in October, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the company planned to release an official software development kit (SDK) in February that would allow third parties to create applications that would run directly on the iPhone.
Now it's the last week of February, and anticipation is building to see just what Apple has in mind for third-party iPhone and iPod Touch software development. We might have to wait a little longer, however: over the weekend, Business Week reported that the SDK would be delayed into March. And on Monday, The Unofficial Apple Weblog predicted the initial SDK will be just an alpha or beta release, with a full version coming later this year at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference. An Apple representative said Monday the company had no updates to the plan to release the SDK in February.
What applications do you want to run on your iPhone? What kinds will Apple let you?
(Credit: CNET Networks)Apple loves to make announcements on Tuesdays, so keep your ears and eyes peeled tomorrow for any sign of the SDK or any of the 15 other things rumored for introduction this month. Whether or not Apple releases the SDK this week, the more important subject is how the company plans to treat third-party application development: is it a necessarily evil, or a welcome catalyst for the product?
(Editors' note: As of mid-morning Tuesday, Apple's announcements for the day seem limited to some updates to the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines.)
When Jobs announced the plan to release an SDK, he explained the four-month gap between the announcement and the planned release as necessary "because we're trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once--provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc."
Developers will either be thrilled, annoyed, or perplexed depending on how Apple decides to define "an advanced and open platform." The company has a few choices: it can allow unfettered access to the iPhone to anyone, it can allow anyone to develop applications for the iPhone but only those applications that have been digitally signed by Apple or a certification authority can be installed on the iPhone, or it can be the sole arbiter over who can create applications and what can be installed on the iPhone. There are also shades of gray within those scenarios, which leads to a lot of speculation on what exactly Apple has in mind.
To this point, the company has chosen the most restrictive policy possible, in that only Web applications that don't have full access to the iPhone's underlying technology are authorized. Security and reliability concerns seemed to drive Apple's conservatism in the early days of the iPhone, in that the company didn't want its prize product sullied by poorly written or unsecure applications just as it was trying to build momentum.
Still, Apple was aware that the promise of the iPhone would be quite limited if that was the full extent of access of the iPhone. There's just no way Apple can anticipate--not to mention create--every possible application that might convince someone to buy an iPhone. "We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users," Jobs wrote in October.
In that letter, Jobs hinted that Apple was considering an application development model used by other members of the smartphone community, notably Nokia. This model would require any application bound for an iPhone to carry a digital certificate that would verify whether the application was created to meet certain standards for security and reliability. In this system, if you tried to install an application on the iPhone, the iPhone's OS X operating system would check for that digital certificate and either allow or prohibit the application from being installed.
Symbian, the world's largest smartphone operating system developer owned in large part by Nokia, offers application developers three options (click for PDF) based on different factors such as cost, proliferation, and access to core operating system technology.
For example, smaller developers have a no-cost option to get their applications onto Nokia handsets running Symbian, but they face restrictions on how many phones can install their application and users are warned when installing the application that it has not been verified by Symbian. If they cough up more money, there are no limits on how broadly their application can be distributed but it has to pass tests to guarantee quality, which has the benefit of making their application appear safer to the end user.
Microsoft offers several different options for Windows Mobile smartphones, depending on the requirements of the phone manufacturer or carrier. There's no requirement on Microsoft's part to obtain a digital certificate for an application, but the company will help promote applications that have either been certified to participate in Microsoft's logo certification process, or that have taken the further step of obtaining a digital certificate.
Application developers were not crazy when Apple CEO Steve Jobs told them that Web applications were the limit.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET News.com)And interesting moves are taking place in Silicon Valley as mobile developers evaluate Google's Android SDK. Android is being billed as the most "open" operating system ever created for mobile phones, as it would appear that there is no requirement for digital signatures and any application can be created for the operating system. Of course, Android is not a shipping product, and things may change once the wireless carriers get their hands on Android phones.
Most wireless carriers have historically frowned on the notion of completely open applications for phones on their networks. In fact, until recently Verizon was notorious for controlling almost every single piece of software that ran on devices that connected to its network. The carrier recently changed that stance to permit outside applications to run on phone connecting to its network, and plans to outline its requirements during a developer conference in March. It has yet to say exactly how it will implement that goal, but it would be somewhat surprising for Verizon to veer from a complete lockdown to total openness in the space of a year.
So, expect Apple to implement some sort of digital-signature requirement on iPhone applications. This would be for two reasons: to control the quality of applications that run on the iPhone, and to allow AT&T a chance to approve or deny applications that might compete or hinder its own services.
But if the requirements are too heavy-handed, don't expect developers to cheer that news. Any kind of restriction may be very frustrating to many developers, because while Apple has been hard at work developing the SDK, the iPhone became an open development platform.
One of the biggest stories in the early days of the iPhone has been the hard work of an army of coders in "jailbreaking" the iPhone to run all sorts of independently developed applications that natively access the phone. This includes everything from games to mapping to camera software, and if you think iPhone unlocking is widespread, iPhone jailbreaking is much, much more common.
Since July, a whole set of best practices, and even an "unofficial" software developers kit have been created from scratch by an enthusiastic community of coders looking to unlock the iPhone's potential. Apple has half-heartedly tried to fight this growing tide, releasing firmware updates that wiped applications off iPhones and making changes to the way the iPhone loads applications, but the hackers have managed to stay one step ahead of the company to this point. The latest firmware update to the iPhone, released in January at Macworld, has already been cracked.
An SDK that's seen as less than satisfactory by this crowd might result in two different iPhone development paths: the officially sanctioned model that larger companies might choose to follow, and the unofficial model already in place that will appeal to small developers unwilling to cough up the certificate fee or adhere to Apple's guidelines. Presumably, Apple will update OS X to lock out unofficial applications when the SDK is officially released, but previous updates haven't proven to be a deterrent yet.
And what of the iPod Touch? Will there be two separate SDKs, one more restrictive model for the iPhone that addresses the concerns of wireless carriers, and one more open one that's designed for the Wi-Fi-capable iPod Touch? A more restrictive SDK for the iPod Touch would be a tough sell and would hold back the development of the iPod Touch, which Apple hopes is the model for the future of the iPod lineup.
What might this mean for you, the iPhone owner? A tough development policy could wipe your favorite unofficial application off the home screen and force you to pay for a similar application from an official developer. A lenient one could hook you up with anything you desire, but open you up to security problems.
And a more balanced model could offer you access to powerful applications that dramatically improve your iPhone experience, such as having access to your corporation's BlackBerry e-mail server if RIM decides to get on board. Or Flash-based Web pages with Adobe's support, or cool games that use the iPhone accelerometer and touchscreen to crazy ends.
Apple is walking a fine line between throwing the iPhone wide open to development and locking it down to the point where only a select few friends of the company get to play. The consequences of that decision could play a huge role in determining whether Apple hits its sales targets for 2008, and addressing the larger question of whether Apple really has changed the future of mobile computing with the iPhone.
Posted by Tom Krazit |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 9:44 AM |
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| Bites from the Apple: Slow Week... |
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In its relentless drive to announce or release something every week in 2008, Apple dropped the price of its 1 GB iPod shuffle to $49 and announced that a 2 GB model would be available by the end of February for $69. Well, it's not a MacBook Pro announcment, but at least it's something.
Speaking of super-secret Apple announcement events, it looks like the rumor that Linkin Park would be joining Steve Jobs on stage got squashed this week. Instead, the band played a surprise gig at Apple's Soho store in New York City (with Maroon 5 now scheduled to play on Sunday at the same venue). In other Appley goodness from a relatively slow news week...
Is Apple working on a three-dimensional multi-touch system akin to the one Tom Cruise operated in Minority Report? Ars Technica looks at a recent 80-page patent filing for a custom input surface that can respond to gestural input in three dimensions, as well as automatically adjust to input from one finger, multiple fingers or a stylus.
Speaking of multitouch, LoopRumors says that it's learned through "reliable" sources that a new, more sophisticated touch device is on the horizon for mid-year, which would have a more robust processor that could enable iChat video conferencing via Wi-Fi.
Hard Mac asks, what's happened to the availability of the Airport Express plug-in wireless base stations. Will we see an updated model with 802.11n connectivity in the near future?
Several sites have noted that the BBC announced that it's iPlayer software (which enables viewers in the UK to watch recently televised programming on a PC) will become available for iPhones and iPod touches in the next few weeks. Sadly, this won't help me access the Ashes to Ashes, the sequel to one of my faves, Life on Mars, since the iPlayer requires a UK IP address. But this brings up some interesting possibilities. Currently, the iPlayer software streams in Flash format on Windows PCs (Mac PC compatibility is promised for later in the year). Does that mean that Flash will be coming to the iPhone as was rumored in last week's Bites? Or will the BBC encode its video in the MPEG-4-based H.264 standard, as YouTube had to do when the iPhone first launched? Finally, another plus to be a UK iTunes user: a selection of BBC shows are now starting to filter into the store.
Tip of the week: How to get around the 24-hour rental period applied to iTunes movie rentals.
Woz Watch: Wharton interviews Steve Wozniak in its online business journal, Knowledge@Wharton, and it's a good long read for the weekend covering his prankster side, relationship with Steve Jobs, and teaching computer science to fifth graders.
~Agen G.N. Schmitz |
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| posted by GadgetMan @ 4:43 AM |
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