Breaking: Google Adding Free Voice Search to the iPhone

Google has created an app for the iPhone that will give the handset advanced voice recognition, reports John Markoff from the NY Times. The app can answer location related questions (Finding the nearest Starbucks), give driving directions, respond to generic questions, and even search local data from the address book.

It works by recording a soundbite, uploading it to Google's servers, which will crunch the data and return an answer "within seconds on a fast wireless network". Saul compared the function to that offered on Yahoo's, and found Google's to be more accurate, but still return junk results sometimes. AT&T and Microsoft also have handset voice recognition beyond simple dialing that many other phones offer. The app will be free and might be available to download as soon as Friday. [NYT]

gizmodo.com

American Airlines getting in on that cellphone boarding pass fad

American Airlines has joined its peers at Continental in offering boarding pass barcodes that you can download to and display on your BlackBerry, iPhone, G1, or whatever have you. Presently the airline is only offering the option on domestic, non-stop flights departing from O'Hare -- LAX and Orange County will start on the 17th. Some eastern yanks might be asking, "What, no JFK or Logan? Where's the east coast love, AA?" Don't get too bent out of shape, boys and girls -- tech-savvy business travelers love their BlackBerries, so we could see this pop up just about everywhere before long.

[Via Mobilitysite]

engadget.com

Microsoft debuts Microsoft Store in apparent attempt to sell stuff

Hard to believe that a company the size and stature of Microsoft hasn't had an online store to call its home -- not even a quirky collection of "Bill Gates is my homeboy" CafePress t-shirts and mousepads. The newly launched Microsoft Store solves that, however, with its many store-like properties. Therein you can find all sorts of Microsoft products, like software, peripherals, games and professionally-printed "Bill Gates is my homeboy" t-shirts.* What's particularly notable is that Microsoft is jumping into electronic software distribution here, meaning in addition to traditional physical purchases you can buy a bit of software and download it right there on the spot. Downloaded software can be re-downloaded for as long as Microsoft provides mainstream support -- about 5 years in most cases. We'd prefer forever and always, but we suppose that will have to do. The store is live now, and we'd suggest you head on over before we make some drastically ill-advised enterprise software impulse buys.

*This isn't true.

[Via ZDnet]

engadget.com

ASRock's Instant Boot: 0 to Vista in 4 seconds

ASRock has a ploy to sell more of its motherboards: Instant Boot. The BIOS update for select MoBos promises to boot XP or Vista systems 10 times faster than standard PCs -- in other words, about 3 to 4 seconds from a full shutdown. ASRock achieves this minor of miracles through manipulation of the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface that Microsoft manipulates for its sleep and hibernate modes. At the risk of oversimplification, ASRock appears to add the processing baggage to the backend of the shutdown process, essentially rebooting the OS and then dropping it into a suspended state ready to instantly pop on the next time you hit the power button. Pretty smart actually. Here's the catch: the system you're using must be limited to a single user account without any password protection -- a definite no-no for corporate environments. See what happens when Hugo and George steal Dad's camcorder after the break.

[Thanks, Daniel]

engadget.com

Activision Screws Up Their Own Guitar Hero Compatibility Charts

At first glance, these Activision-made Guitar Hero/Rock Band instrument compatibility charts appear very handy. That is, until you realize that they're completely overrun by inaccuracies. It didn't take long for the Kotaku commenters to rip apart the list, with one reader finding flaws with data on each platform. So we're left with one question:

If Activision doesn't understand the compatibility issues regarding their own games and hardware, how are we as consumers EVER going to get it? If these guys don't figure their shit out soon, I'm so going to start a real band. [Activision via Kotaku]

gizmodo.com

BlackBerry Curve 8900 gets official for T-Mobile Germany

Beep beep, outta the way, incoming RIM product blitz! Seriously, this is like a high-powered corporate executive's dream -- not one, not two, not three, not four, but five major product launches out of Waterloo in the span of a few months' time. Latest out of the gate is the 8900 Curve, successor to the 8300 series featuring a heavily-upgraded 480 x 360 display, microSD support to 16GB, WiFi, 3.2-megapixel cam with autofocus, and integrated GPS. Sadly, network data tops out at EDGE speeds -- but if you really need more, we s'pose that's where the Bold comes into play. No word on any launches outside of Bavaria just yet, but on T-Mobile Germany, the 8900 is available "mid November" (which is basically now) for €4.95 (yes, that's not a typo, 4.95 euros) on a 24-month contract.

[Via IntoMobile]

engadget.com

Intel Core i7-equipped Falcon Northwest Mach V gaming desktop hands-on

Benchmarks and reviews of Intel's Core i7 processors are pouring in, and while mere mortals must wait till later this month to get their hands on the hardware, we spent much of our weekend working overtime with Crysis, Fallout 3, and Age of Conan on an $8,238 Core i7 965-equipped Mach V gaming desktop from boutique PC manufacturer Falcon Northwest. It's got the works and then some: liquid cooling, dual ATI Radeon 4870X2 graphics cards with 2GB of RAM on-board, 12 GB of DDR3 RAM, Blu-ray, HD-DVD (yes, you read that right), and over a terabyte of storage. Based on our dozen or so hours of grueling, utterly boring hands-on tests, all three games were plenty playable maxed out at 1920 x 1080 resolution with 4x anti-aliasing -- only Crysis ever dipped below 40 frames per second, and we never saw Fallout 3 under 60. We sincerely hope you appreciate the backbreaking, soulcrushingly hard work we do for you -- more photos and benchmarks (including Crysis) in the gallery.

engadget.com

This Robot Wants Your Money, Jerks

Here in America, we use paper to pay for things—maybe plastic if we're lucky. But over in Japan, wireless RFID is gradually becoming the rage. And this NEC robot supports the trend of paying for something without feeling like you're actually paying for something.

Using the robot is easy enough. You push the touchscreen on its chest to select, say, tickets for an amusement park. Then you wave your FeliCa-enabled wallet phone (RFID device) over the robot's right hand to, as we can only assume, pay for your tickets and deactivate the robot's deadly laser security system.

Apparently the system could also incorporate facial recognition to identify frequent visitors, or recommend services based upon their age/gender. And while we know that this terminal is just a kiosk shaped like a robot, we can't help but to admire the sincere technoanthropomorphism. [IT Media via Pink Tentacle]

gizmodo.com

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 To Drop Black Friday For $800

Sony's Win-Mo 6.1 Xperia X1 finally has a firm U.S. release date set: November 28, better known as Black Friday. Although unlike most things on sale on that fateful day of darkness, the Xperia will not be a particularly awesome deal at $800 for an unsubsidized, unlocked X1. It'll work on AT&T's 3G network here in the States, though, if you are so inclined. Pre-orders begin tomorrow, and general availability will be at Sony Style stores and authorized retailers. Full release after the jump.

Sony Ericsson Xperia(TM) X1 Available in U.S. for 2008 Holiday Season
November 12, 2008, 8:00 AM

Pre-orders for the premium converged device begin today at SonyStyle.Com

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Sony Ericsson North America announced the arrival of the highly anticipated Xperia(TM) X1 to the U.S. marketplace. The Xperia(TM) X1 delivers a range of multimedia and communication experiences that have long been coveted and in demand by consumers

The Xperia X1 will be available unlocked through Sony Electronics and its authorized retailers beginning on "Black Friday," November 28. Pre-orders of the Xperia X1 will be available through the Sony Style Web site at www.sonystyle.com beginning November 13. This premium device will be sold unlocked for the MSRP of $799.99, giving consumers the freedom to choose their own mobile operator and data plan.

"The Xperia X1 continues the Sony Ericsson tradition of delivering the highest quality experiences and the most advanced technology available today," said Karen Morris, vice president of marketing, Sony Ericsson North America. "The most exciting scenarios enabled by the Xperia X1 will be created by consumers - enabling them to customize and personalize their device and content to fit their lifestyle and personality."

The Xperia X1's unique panel user interface is at the heart of the device's ability to create and adapt consumers' personal choices. With up to 9 panels, it's easy to find and enjoy the information and entertainment content they want. Sony Ericsson is busy working with third-party developers to create a wealth of new applications and new panels that will soon be available for download.

By incorporating the Windows Mobile(R) 6.1 Professional operating system, the Xperia X1 frees consumers from their home and office, allowing them connectivity to their content wherever they are.

"Windows Mobile gives people the ability to easily navigate between their business and personal lives," said Todd Peters, vice president of marketing, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. "The panel user interface found only in the Xperia X1 is bringing unique experiences to consumers who want more from their converged devices."

As Sony Ericsson's most advanced phone to date, the Xperia X1 brings together a large, 3-inch wide VGA display touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard all wrapped into a sleek silver metal- finished arc slider handset. The Xperia X1 supports fast 3G networks, enabling audio and video streaming, high-speed internet surfing, multimedia messaging and email on the go. In addition to delivering 3G mobile broadband speeds, the Xperia X1 supports WiFi to meet the needs of consumers' always connected lifestyles.

In the tradition of Sony Ericsson, the Xperia X1 offers consumers the ultimate multimedia experience with a 3.2 megapixel camera, video streaming, video playback and video recording, and the ability to enjoy all their digital music.

"The Xperia X1 complements Sony Electronics' family of Windows-based devices and leverages the company's heritage of providing beautifully designed, highly functional, portable electronics," said John Kodera, vice president of product marketing, Sony Electronics. "The Xperia X1 delivers the highest quality entertainment, communication and personalization options for consumers."

Sony Ericsson Xperia(TM) X1 - At a Glance

Camera

• Auto focus

• 3.2 megapixel camera

• Photo light

• Video recording

Multimedia

• Bluetooth(TM) stereo (A2DP)4

• Media player

• Music tones

• Windows Media(R) Player Mobile

• 3D games

• FM radio

• Java(TM)

• Video streaming

• Video viewing

Internet7

• Internet Explorer(R) Mobile

• RSS feeds

• Opera(TM) 9.5

Communication and Messaging

• Polyphonic ringtones

• Speakerphone

• Vibrating alert

• Video calling3,8

• Email

• Picture messaging (MMS)9

• Predictive text input

• Text messaging (SMS)9

Design

• XPERIA(TM) panels

• Optical joystick navigation

• Navigation key

• Picture wallpaper

• Touch navigation

Organizer

• Alarm clock

• Calculator

• Calendar

• Document editors

• Document readers

• Flight mode

• Handwriting recognition

• Notes

• Phone book

• Tasks

• Touchscreen

Connectivity

• aGPS

• Bluetooth(TM)4 technology

• Modem

• Synchronization

• USB support

• WLAN

Windows Mobile(R) Operating System

• Microsoft(R) Outlook(R) Mobile: email, contacts, calendar, tasks

• Microsoft(R) Office Mobile: Word Mobile, Excel(R) Mobile, PowerPoint(R) Mobile

• Windows Live(TM)

• Microsoft(R) ActiveSync(R)

• Voice control

• Utility Applications: file explorer, calculator, pictures & video, notes

Facts and Figures

Size: 110 x 53 x 16.7 mm (approx.)

Weight: 145 grams (approx.)

Available colors: Silver

Main screen: 65,536 color TFT

Resolution: 800 X 480 pixels

Size: 3 inches (approx.)

Phone memory5: up to 400 MB

microSD(TM) memory card support

Networks:

GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA 850/1900/2100 MHz

gizmodo.com

Spirit Mars Rover May Be Dead Too Now

More bad bad news. Just two days ago Phoenix Mars Lander sent his last words, and NASA announced the end of the mission because of a storm that covered its solar panels with Martian dust. Today, we have learnt that the Mars Spirit rover may be dying too because exactly the same problem. In fact, according to Bruce Banerdt—the mission manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and part-time Hulk impersonator—he may be dead already:

This is a very dangerous time. If we don't hear from it on Thursday, we'll be extremely concerned.

The culprit, again: A sudden dust storm over the Martian equatorial plains. This storm has covered the solar panels during the last days and, as a result, the Mars Spirit only produced 89 watt-hours last weekend. This is half the amount it needs to keep functioning. Scientists at the JPL have turned off heating for many instruments in the hope that the rover's batteries won't be completely depleted.

In this case, however, the Mars Spirit rover is well passed its expiry date. With five years working in the planet, the mission has vastly exceeded even the wildest dreams of NASA's researchers. Also, keep in mind that Spirit's twin brother—Opportunity—is still working at the other side of the planet.

But still, seriously NASA, how can you send things that run on solar power to the dustiest planet in the Solar System and forget to include some kind of Windex cleaning device all the gear? Couldn't you guys add some kind of mini-Roomba to crawl the panels of the next one? [NASA and Daily Mail and Posts by Phoenix Mars Lander at Gizmodo]

gizmodo.com

Japan's Downsy Medical Bot Teaches Doctors How to Treat Patients

Say hello to Keiko. She's the world's first robot with Down Syndrome. She's designed to help doctors diagnose people who come into the ER with a bad case of the Downs by answering their questions and responding to touch. What's that? She's not supposed to be retarded? Well what the hell is with that forehead then? Come on, Japan. The first retarded medical robot was kind of funny, now I'm worried that I'll accidentally get diagnosed with Downs if I ever end up in a Japanese hospital. [CrunchGear]

gizmodo.com

HTC Fuze (Touch Pro) Now Available on AT&T

Just yesterday the HTC Fuze was spotted for the first time in its AT&T retail packaging and we assumed that the launch was not far off. Fortunately, we only had to wait a few hours. AT&T has announced that the Fuze is now available at stores and online for $299.99 with a two-year contract and a mail-in rebate.

HTC FUZE FROM AT&T FUSES FUN AND FUNCTION WITH
THE ONE-TOUCH POWER OF TOUCHFLO 3D

Powerful New Smartphone Epitomizes Choice With Touch-Screen and Slider Keyboard, Access to Nation’s Fastest 3G Network and Many More Connectivity Options

DALLAS, Texas, and BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 11, 2008 — AT&T customers now have the best of both worlds. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; “HTC”) have announced the availability beginning today of the new smartphone HTC FUZETM. The HTC FUZE provides users with a familiar QWERTY keyboard paired with HTC’s intuitive, graphic-rich TouchFLO™ 3D touch-screen user interface for easy one-touch access to a range of fun and powerful features.

TouchFLO 3D is designed for one-hand operation using simple, gesture-based navigation, allowing customers to simply touch, hold and slide along the screen tabs. A quick slide on the home screen quickly activates the most used features such as e-mail, text messaging, music player and camera. This instinctive interface extends to the powerful Web browser. A useful “zoom in, zoom out” feature makes it especially fun and easy to access the Web via the included Opera browser, which provides for desktop-like Web page renderings and user interactions.

Powered by AT&T’s 3G network — the nation’s fastest — and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the HTC FUZE is a compact yet powerful communications tool with a smooth gloss black finish and a distinctive and unique faceted backplate. The HTC FUZE features a sharp, 262K color 2.8-inch (480 x 640) VGA touch screen for touch-sensitive navigation control, complete with three-dimensional animated transitions. For e-mail, messaging and other data input, the HTC FUZE also comes equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard, which was designed specifically for AT&T and slides out from the smartphone’s side.

Connectivity Options
Beyond AT&T’s robust 3G network, the HTC FUZE provides AT&T customers with a host of other connectivity options. When abroad, AT&T customers can use the HTC FUZE to make or receive a phone call in more than 200 countries and check e-mail, browse the Web or perform other data functions in more than 150 countries, including in more than 60 — such as Japan and South Korea — that have deployed 3G networks. In addition, the HTC FUZE boasts:

* Built-in aGPS — for use with AT&T Navigator powered by TeleNav and other location-based applications such as TeleNav TrackTM and Xora GPS TimeTrackTM.
* Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g) — to connect with home or campus networks or access more than 17,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide, including at thousands of participating Starbucks locations.
* Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) — for simultaneous connection of up to six Bluetooth-enabled devices, including hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits, network printers and other Bluetooth peripherals.
* AT&T Video ShareSM — the first service in the U.S. that allows users to share live video over wireless devices while participating in a voice call.
* Push To Talk (PTT) — via the nation’s largest PTT network.

“The HTC FUZE is a great illustration of AT&T’s commitment to innovation and choice,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Smart Devices for AT&T’s wireless unit. “The HTC FUZE, with its array of connectivity features, provides our customers with the ability to choose the manner in which they communicate using the form factor they deem most appropriate at a given moment — all in a very attractive and sleek package. It’s a fantastic addition to AT&T’s industry-leading Windows Mobile smartphone portfolio.”

Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America, said: “By combining the power of Windows Mobile 6.1 with HTC’s innovative TouchFLO 3D interface, the HTC FUZE ensures that your most important information — from mail to music to images — is never more than a touch away. The HTC FUZE’s range of cutting-edge mobile features, like a desktop-quality mobile browser, paired with AT&T’s lightning-quick 3G network makes it an unbeatable choice for consumers.”

AT&T also offers customers a variety of choices in the types of services available to them when using the HTC FUZE, both during work and after-hours.

Business Use
For business use, AT&T customers will be able to choose from several popular platforms to access their corporate e-mail. The robust Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform offers seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook information including e-mail, contacts, calendar and to-do lists. Additionally, Good Mobile Messaging and BlackBerry® ConnectTM compatibility will be offered later this year, while personal e-mail can easily be taken mobile using AT&T’s popular Xpress Mail service. They can access and edit e-mail attachments using mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. Customers also can choose to tether the HTC FUZE to their notebook computer to wirelessly view e-mail or access the Web. A unique business card application allows users to quickly capture and save contact information with the built-in 3.2 megapixel camera.

In addition, the HTC FUZE supports scores of industry-specific applications as well as Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM), an enterprise-grade mobile device management solution that also provides security, mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) and software distribution for Windows Mobile devices enabled for Windows Mobile 6.1.

For both business and personal use, the HTC FUZE features AT&T Video Share. Business customers, particularly those in such fields as architecture and engineering, can use Video Share to monitor progress on a job site or review the day’s work without having to drive from an office or other site to do so. When not working, users can share moments with family and friends while the moments are happening — everything from weddings or a baby’s first steps to a Little League at-bat or a clearance-sale find.

Personal Time
The HTC FUZE offers many additional uses during personal time. Users have access to AT&T Mobile Music services, an integrated, on-the-go music experience that delivers “your music, your way” by providing simple access to a robust collection of music content, including access to online subscription music content from eMusic®, XM Radio Mobile™ and more. Using the TouchFLO 3D touchscreen navigation, HTC FUZE customers can browse their music with easily accessible tabs sorted by playing lists, artists, albums, songs and genre views. Music as well as favorite contacts and photos can be arranged on-screen with the dynamic TouchFLO 3D interface.

For the visually oriented, CV (Cellular Video) from AT&T gives viewers access to thousands of video clips — news, sports, weather, entertainment, premium HBO MobileSM content and more — via streaming video. Those who prefer full-length streaming video programming can access MobiTV. Or they can use the HTC FUZE’s built-in camera to shoot their own video.

AT&T Video Share, AT&T Mobile Music services, CV, MobiTV and more than 90,000 additional choices are available through AT&T MEdia Mall directly from the HTC FUZE or online.

Backing the HTC FUZE is AT&T’s 3G BroadbandConnect network, which currently is available in more than 320 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and, by year-end, AT&T expects to offer the service in nearly 350 leading U.S. markets. The network’s HSPA-based technology allows users to perform data functions and conduct a phone call simultaneously. In addition to 3G connectivity, the HTC FUZE is also designed to connect seamlessly with AT&T’s nationwide2 EDGE network, which is available in more than 13,000 cities and towns and along some 40,000 miles of major highways.

Pricing and Availability
The HTC FUZE is available now for as low as $299.991 at AT&T retail stores nationwide, online at www.att.com, at select national retailers and through AT&T’s enterprise and small business sales organizations. AT&T voice plans begin at $39.99 with monthly enterprise data plans priced at $45, and personal data plans at $30 per month. Small business customers also can subscribe to AT&T’s new, industry-first BusinessTalk voice plans, which start at $60 a month for five users and 700 Anytime Minutes and can be expanded for $9.99 a line to accommodate up to 40 users and 20,000 Anytime Minutes. AT&T Mobile Music services, AT&T Navigator, Video Share, Push To Talk and MobiTV all require separate monthly subscriptions.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com.

1 With a two-year contract, mail-in rebate, and voice and data plans.
2 Not available in all areas.

gizmodo.com

iriver's wave touchphone hits Korea on March 9th

After teasing us with a touchscreen phone way back at CES this January, iriver has been decidedly mum on the subject ever since, calling what we saw more of a "proof of concept" than a ready-for-market product. Well, that veil has been lifted and we're finally staring at the iriver wave, a touchphone that iriver plans to start shipping in Korea on March 9th of next year with KT, and with other major carriers to follow. Other than a touchscreen, the phone packs WiFi and the traditional kitchen sink approach of Korean PMPs, with multimedia playback, FM radio, e-books and an electronic dictionary. There's miniSD expansion, access to the Bugs Music Service for online music and we're sure a few other perks hidden under layers of Korean spec sheets. Overall the physical design hasn't really changed much from what we saw at the start of the year (looks like that 3-inch, 480 x 272 touchscreen is quite intact), but the software has certainly been refined, and is devoid of many of its original, erm, iPhone-inspired touches.

[Via Hallyu Tech]

engadget.com

Optoma teams with Apple to launch DLP Pico projector in Japan

At long last, an official release date for Texas Instruments' DLP Pico projector. Mark it down, December 1st is the launch (delivered by December 19th) of the "world's smallest / lightest" (51 × 105 × 17-mm / 120g) projector under the Optoma PK-101 branding. And in a smart, hip-by-association marketing move, it'll be sold from the Apple Store in Japan with an iPhone / iPod kit and dock connector for a tax-inclusive price of about ¥50,000 ($511). It'll work with non-Apple gear too, of course. With up to 2-hours battery life, an integrated 0.5 watt speaker, and white LED light throwing a 60-inch, "dazzlingly bright, sharp, vivid video image" packing 480 x 320 pixels from up to 8.5 feet away, Tokyo's Golden Gai district will never be the same.

engadget.com

Limited Edition Wall-E Roomba From Japan Sucks in More Ways Than One

Limited-edition Wall-E Roomba: that brings to mind a certain image of an already-fairly-cute vacuum bot taking on two puppy dog eyes, an adorable electro-babble voice synth and maybe even an inclination to maintain a little nest of sad artifacts it has horded from your waste in an unseen corner of your giant house. Or at least, um, something that looks like the robot whose actual job was to sweep the floor in the movie? Sadly, this limited edition Wall-E Roomba fails on almost every possible count.

Right, all we get here is a regular Roomba 530 with a movie decal slapped on. Cost? ¥84,500 ($850 USD)—about a $550 premium over what the standard 530 will set you back here in the states, sans decal emblazonment. Weeping. Weeping. [Impress Robot Watch (translated)]

gizmodo.com

Nvidia Quadro FX 5800 Claims Most Powerful Graphics Card Ever, Probably Handles Crysis OK

Nvidia has released what it describes as "the most powerful professional graphics card in graphics history"—the Quadro FX 5800, which packs up to 240 of Nvidia's CUDA independent graphics cores for shouldering some of the load normally handled by the main processor as well as 4GB of graphics memory, another claimed first. The 5800 is intended mostly for scientific and medical visualizations, as well as crazy complex 3D rendering. One might imagine it would also play most of your video games at a decent FPS. Price? $3500.

• 
• 
• 

---

New NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 Graphics Card Featuring CUDA Massively Parallel
Processing Architecture; Offers Most Robust Performance and Features to
Date for Oil and Gas Exploration, Medical Imaging, and Styling and Design
Applications

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Professionals searching
for oil, diagnosing illness or styling the next high-performance luxury
vehicle all have one thing in common, the need for advanced visual
computing solutions. NVIDIA Corporation, the world leader in visual
computing technologies, today unveiled the most powerful professional
graphics card in graphics history — the NVIDIA(R) Quadro(R) FX 5800.

"The size and complexity of data is growing at an exponential rate. The
challenge for today's professional is to make sense of the mountain of data
by distilling it into a form they can comprehend, analyze and use to make
impactful decisions," said Jeff Brown, general manager, Professional
Solutions, NVIDIA. "At stake can be billions of investment dollars, or even
people's lives. The Quadro FX 5800 has advanced features to allow massive
datasets to be viewed beyond traditional 3D enabling professionals to make
fast and accurate decisions."

The Quadro FX 5800 graphics card offers unprecedented performance and
scalability to rapidly visualize and interpret massive datasets that until
now were unattainable on a workstation graphics board. Offering up to 240
CUDA(TM) programmable parallel cores and the industries first 4GB of
graphics memory, the Quadro FX 5800 graphics card is ideally suited for oil
and gas exploration, medical imaging, styling and design, and scientific
visualization. Other advanced features of the Quadro FX 5800 graphics card
include:

— Interactive 4D modeling with time lapse capabilities
— Massive memory bandwidth of up to 102 GB per second
— Fill rates that exceed 52 billion texels per second and geometry
performance of 300 million triangles per second
— Support for next-generation OpenGL and Microsoft DirectX 10
applications
— Advanced multi-system and multi-device visualization environments with
Quadro G-Sync II

"Landmark's recently launched GeoProbe(R) R5000 software empowers
geoscientists with an unprecedented ability to visualize large-scale
regional datasets at full resolution from a standard Linux(R) workstation,"
said Nicholas Purday, manager of Geophysical Technologies at Landmark. "The
NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 graphics card has a more powerful GPU and superior
triangle performance, which make it possible for the GeoProbe application
to quickly render large surfaces, and allow us to move many
computing-intensive processes to the graphics card, significantly enhancing
the overall user experience." Landmark is an industry leading software and
technology services brand of Halliburton, one of the world's largest
providers of products and services to the energy industry.

"The advanced textured graphics capabilities of the Quadro FX 5800 are
enabling CyberHeart to provide 3D radiosurgical target visualization and
definition tools for the purpose of treating cardiac arrhythmias," said
Thilaka Sumanaweera, CTO, CyberHeart. "Our applications are processing very
large data sets acquired by the state-of-the-art 64-slice CT scanners using
respiratory- and cardiac-gating. The Quadro FX cards provide us with the
extreme bandwidth necessary to support our cutting-edge technology, and
essentially, save lives." CyberHeart, Inc., is a medical device company
developing a non-invasive radiosurgical system for cardiac applications.

The Quadro FX 5800 GPU features true 10-bit color enabling billions
rather than millions of color variations for rich, vivid image quality with
the broadest dynamic range. Professionals now benefit from viewing their
models with higher degrees of precision and realism never before possible.

"Our customers are making important decisions about future products on
the basis of RTT-powered 3D real-time models," said Ludwig Fuchs, cofounder
and CEO of RTT. "The new Quadro FX 5800 will be the platform of choice to
bring that arena to the next level. Higher levels of realism, physical
correctness and large models are now made possible through a double number
of cores and a generous frame buffer." Realtime Technology AG, is a leading
supplier of real- time visualization technology and virtual prototyping
solutions to the automotive, aerospace, industrial and consumer goods
design industries.

Pricing and Availability

NVIDIA Quadro solutions are widely available through leading PC
manufacturers and workstation system integrators and NVIDIA channel
partners PNY Technologies (US and EMEA), Leadtek (APAC) and Elsa (Japan).
The Quadro FX 5800 graphics board has an MSRP of $3499 USD. For more
information about the full lineup of NVIDIA professional solutions please
visit http://www.nvidia.com/quadro.

gizmodo.com

Navigon launches "uber-premium" 4.8-inch 8100T navigator

In an effort to make sure you're well aware that the 8100T is the most premium possible, even better than ultra- or mega-premium, Navigon has definitively described the aforesaid navigator as "uber-premium." So, now that the bar is set at an unbelievably high level, how's about an outlay of the sure-to-be-phenomenal specs? We're talking a 4.8-inch display, brushed-metal housing, a 3D view using NASA terrain height data, free real-time traffic updates for life, voice destination entry, Bluetooth handsfree support, text-to-speech and an inbuilt lane assistant. The only question left is simply this: is all of that uber enough to warrant the $599 price tag?

engadget.com

iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset

According to a report from NPD, sales of cellphones have shifted in a manner which should shock and stun even a casual observer. Apparently for the first time in years, Motorola's ubiquitous RAZR has been overtaken in consumer sales... by the iPhone 3G. This is a watershed moment for handset sales in the US, marking not only a shift away from the dominant market leader, but a turn towards more complex, full-featured devices. The news comes hot on the heels of NPD's previous findings, which still placed the RAZR in the top spot -- though with ever-decreasing numbers. In that same report, the iPhone found itself in second place, but it appears that flagging interest in the inescapable dumbphone coupled with the recent iPhone PR blitz have put Apple's moneymaker into the top position. The news is also buoyed by recent reports that Apple has overtaken RIM as the number two smartphone vendor, and a J.D. Power study which found affection for the device waxing in the extreme. Overall, however, handset sales fell 15 percent year-over-year, and LG managed to snag the top brand position, with two models in the top five. Still, if there already wasn't a clear indication of the market moving towards both smartphones and touchscreen devices, this should give everyone a clearer picture of both the public's wants, and the power of Cupertino's ad-men. Full PR after the break.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The NPD Group: iPhone 3G Leads U.S. Consumer Mobile Phone Purchases in the Third Quarter of 2008

Overall consumer mobile phone purchases declined 15 percent year-over-year

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 10, 2008 – According to The NPD Group, the leader in market research for the wireless industry, Apple's iPhone 3G surpassed the Motorola RAZR as the leading handset purchased by adult consumers in the U.S. in the third quarter (Q3) of 2008. RAZR had been ranked by NPD as the top-selling consumer handset for the past 12 quarters.

Even with stronger consumer sales of iPhone, and the mobile phone market's normal seasonal uplift after Q2, domestic handset purchases by adult consumers declined 15 percent year over year in Q3 to 32 million units. Consumer handset sales revenue fell 10 percent to $2.9 billion, even as the average selling price (ASP) rose 6 percent to $88.

Top-selling handsets and mobile phone brands

"The displacement of the RAZR by the iPhone 3G represents a watershed shift in handset design from fashion to fashionable functionality," said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for NPD. "Four of the five best-selling handsets in the third quarter were optimized for messaging and other advanced Internet features."

The top handset models in rank order, based on unit sales in Q3, were as follows:

1. Apple iPhone 3G
2. Motorola RAZR V3 (all models)
3. RIM Blackberry Curve (all models)
4. LG Rumor
5. LG enV2

Popular features

When it comes to the specific features that motivated U.S. consumers to purchase their handsets, 43 percent of handset buyers cited the need for a camera and 36 percent noted the ability to send and receive text messages. Mobile phones with a QWERTY keyboard experienced the greatest year-over-year rise in sales; 30 percent of handsets were sold with this feature in Q3 2008, versus just 11 percent the year prior. Also this quarter 83 percent of phones purchased were Bluetooth enabled (versus 72 percent last year), and 68 percent of phones purchased in Q3 were music enabled (versus 49 percent last year).

"A growing data divide continues in cellular handsets," Rubin said. "Those who see the value in wireless Internet access are justifying the investment, whereas voice-centric users have little incentive to upgrade, which is obviously detrimental to operators who seek to sell data plans and media-access services to their subscribers."

Methodology: NPD compiles and analyzes mobile device sales data based on more than 150,000 completed online consumer research surveys each month. Surveys are based on a nationally balanced and demographically representative sample of U.S. adults. Results are projected to represent the entire population of U.S. consumers age 18 and older.

About The NPD Group, Inc.

The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, visit http://www.npd.com/.

engadget.com

Seagate announces larger, faster AES-packing Momentus hard drives

Today's corporate laptops tend to be bristling with security measures, able to uniquely identify your fingers and faces on top of whatever authentication measures your operating system offers. But, without some kind of encryption, the drives inside are left completely vulnerable to anyone with a screwdriver. Seagate has been combating that with its AES-packing Momentus Full Drive Encryption disks for years, finally updating the range with a suite of larger and faster models. The first is the Momentus 5400 FDE.3, a 5400RPM drive with 8MB of cache available in 160GB and 320GB sizes. There's also the Momentus 7200 FDE, coming in the same two capacities but with twice the cache and, predictably, spinning at 7200RPM. Seagate's promising 500GB flavors soon, all with onboard AES encryption that doesn't impact boot times or overall performance. Just don't forget that BIOS password, yeah?

engadget.com

Android Bug Reboots Phone Every Time You Type "Reboot"

The latest big bug discovered in Android has to be one of the craziest that's shipped with a phone. Basically, Android invisibly interprets every word as a command and executes it with "superuser privileges." If you open up your keyboard and type r-e-b-o-o-t, your G1 will, yep, reboot.

(It'll do this with any other command too, so stay away from combinations of rm and rf.) The bug affects any phone with firmware version 1.0 TC4-RC29 or earlier. A lot of people should've had already gotten the RC30 update pushed to them (our phone has), but since they go out sorta haphazardly, you could be stuck with it for a little bit. The hilarity potential of rebooting your friend's phone over and over kinda makes this worth it though. [ZDNet]

gizmodo.com