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Thursday, September 24, 2009

SideWiki: Visitors can Comment on Web Pages

Google has added SideWiki to the Google Toolbar to let Web surfers comment on any Web page. Participants will be able to comment on anything from doctors to Web security next to pages containing information. SideWiki comments appear as a browser sidebar, but it doesn't work with Google's own Chrome browser. Relevant topics will be moved to the top.

Google wants to know what you have to say on everything from medical problems to cities visited. On Wednesday, Google launched SideWiki, a toolbar feature that allows users to add information or thoughts next to any Web page.

Users are being encouraged to contribute insights on important decisions, tips on various topics, background information, and added perspective on new products and technologies.

"Many people visit the same pages looking for the same information, and much of the Web browsing is a one-way experience," said Eitan Bencuya, a Google spokesperson. "Google SideWiki helps open up the Web experience by allowing everyone, from a local expert to a renowned doctor, to share helpful information with others about any page on the web."

SideWiki appears as a browser sidebar once a user downloads the updated Google Tool bar, and is combined with Google Profiles so users can find information about the entry's author.

"Under the hood, we have even more technology that will take your entry about the current page and show it next to Web pages that contain the same snippet of text," wrote Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Michal Cierniak, lead engineer for Google SideWiki, in a Google blog post. "We also bring in relevant posts from blogs and other sources that talk about the current page so that you can discover their insights more easily, right next to the page they refer to."

However, before users share their knowledge on a specific topic or Web page with the world, Google has developed a mechanism to put relevant topics higher in the sidebar. Those entries considered most useful will be listed at the top.

Repeating History

Engineers are not sifting through the entries to decide their SideWiki ranking.

"Rather than ordering entries chronologically, we use a unique algorithm that incorporates various signals about the entries to rank them in terms of usefulness," Bencuya said. "We also use community-monitored flagging as part of the algorithm so that you can vote entries up or down, or flag posts that are inappropriate."

Google has been tinkering with SideWiki for a long time, and observers say this technology has been tried in the past and failed. The free Windows-only Web browser plug-in, Third Voice, was introduced in 1999 and was not well accepted.

"Web-site owners hated it, as it they had no control over users placing content or comments over their content," said Michael Gartenberg, an Interpret analyst. "It will be interesting to see if Google is able to overcome the resistance that had plagued earlier efforts."


By Patricia Resende

http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=69144

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Lenovo Ships Multi-Touch ThinkPad Tablet and Notebook

Lenovo is shipping the ThinkPad X200 Tablet and the ultrathin ThinkPad T400s notebook with multi-touch screens. The enterprise-targeted ThinkPads allow computing by finger gestures, and the T400s has a fingerprint sensor with LED indicators. A SimpleTap application available soon provides hardware access and customized actions.

Lenovo has begun shipping two multi-touch computing devices aimed at enterprise users. The world's fourth-largest PC maker also unveiled a new application called SimpleTap, which promises to bring simplicity to the touchscreens.
Leading the charge is Lenovo's ThinkPad X200 Tablet with Intel's 1.4-GHz Core 2 Duo processor and graphics media accelerator which targets people in sales, health care and education, said Lenovo Vice President David Hill.

"Tablet users can now use two finger touches to perform a variety of gestures, including pinching, zooming and tapping," Hill said. "You can also flick through documents, photos and Web pages with the touch of a finger."

Changing the Way We Work

Users of Lenovo's ultrathin ThinkPad T400s notebook -- which is aimed at professionals performing engineering and design tasks -- can now employ up to four fingers to manipulate objects, move images with two hands, and even have another person touch the screen to collaborate simultaneously, Hill said. "These demanding users can now manipulate four fingers on the T400s screen not only to replace traditional cursor movements, but to change the way they work," Hill added.

The T400s also sports a fingerprint sensor with LED indicators that allows users to view the state of their systems at a glance. "Corporate users, including our employees, have found this to be a convenient feature, since they can verify their PC is locked when they leave their desk," Lenovo said.

Lenovo said the advanced capacitive technology built into its multi-touch displays makes them sensitive and responsive to even the slightest touch of a finger. Moreover, the company says it has optimized the firmware to help compensate for the slightly imprecise taps on the screen that can occur when users close a window or navigate the start menu.

"With touchscreens increasingly becoming part of more devices we use routinely and continued improvement of the technology, including the integration of touch in the upcoming Windows 7 OS, the environment for making touch part of our Tablet PC and ThinkPad T400s laptop experience couldn't be better," said Lenovo Vice President Sam Dusi.

By Mark Long

Intel Outlines Objections to EC's $1.45 Billion Fine

Intel has outlined its objections to the $1.45 billion fine imposed by the European Commission in a case started by rival Advanced Micro Devices in 2000. Intel's Chuck Mulloy said the EC got the facts and economics wrong. Intel also told the EC that AMD increased its market share and profits during the period in dispute.

Regulatory rules have kicked some sand on an anticompetitive case against Intel dating back to 2000. The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, on Monday published a summary of Intel's appeal of the EC's $1.45 billion fine.
Intel officials say they stand by their decision to contest the fine imposed in May. It was the largest ever levied by the EC on a single firm.

The case against Intel began in 2000 when Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices alleged Intel's business practices were anticompetitive. The chipmaker was accused of offering discounts to European computer manufacturers to purchase Intel's processors instead of AMD's. It wasn't until 2007 that the commission decided to fine Intel, and the fine was approved in May.

"We think the decision by the commission was wrong in terms of interpreting the law," said Chuck Mulloy, Intel's director of communications , in a phone interview. "They got the facts wrong; they got the economics wrong."

Proving the Commission Wrong

In the EC's summary, Intel said the commission had not provided evidence to prove Intel was breaking any laws or acting anticompetitive.

First, Intel said, the commission failed to analyze whether Intel's rebate arrangements with customers were implemented in the European community and had immediate, substantial and direct effects within the European community.

Intel also said the commission failed to prove Intel's rebate arrangements were conditional upon consumers buying all x86 CPUs from Intel rather than AMD.

The commission further failed to address evidence showing that during the period of alleged infringement, AMD substantially increased its market share and its profitability and that its lack of success in certain market segments and with certain OEMS was the result of its own shortcomings, according to Intel.

"Prices are falling, capacity is increasing," Mulloy said. "During the period of the case, AMD's prices increased and market share grew," he added. "In fact, during the period in question, AMD's market share grew by fivefold."

Intel's complaints don't end there. Intel also states in its appeal that the commission failed to find a link between conditional customer discounts and the decisions by Intel customers not to buy from AMD.

Finally, Intel contends the commission did not prove the company engaged in a long-term strategy to foreclose competitors.

Lengthy Process

Now that the EC has published its summary, it and Intel will proceed with further steps, which include an ongoing exchange of filings by both Intel and the commission.

"At some point there will be a set of oral arguments before the CFI (Court of First Instance), culminating in a decision anywhere from 18 to 24 months from now," Mulloy said.

The CFI is an independent court attached to the European Court of Justice that hears disputes and appeals relating to trademarks and other issues. CFI is tasked with ensuring that the law is observed in the interpretation and application of the treaties.

Asked whether Intel will come out on top in the end, Mulloy said: "Of course we believe we'll succeed; otherwise, why would we appeal?"

By Patricia Resende

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Do You Know How Much Radiation Your Cellphone Emits?

The U.S. Senate is investigating new research that suggests there may indeed be a link between cellphone radiation and brain cancer. At 0.57 W/k, the BlackBerry Storm is on the low-radiation end among smartphones. The iPhone clocks in at 0.97 W/kg. Among the highest are the BlackBerry Bold and the Curve, at 1.51 W/kg and 1.54 W/kg, and T-Mobile's myTouch 3G, at 1.55 W/kg.

he focus of a U.S. Senate hearing Monday afternoon is the potential danger of cellphone use -- specifically, the risk of brain cancer. That link was suggested as long ago as last decade, when cellphones were slightly smaller than a shoebox and just beginning to become part of the everyday landscape.

As cellphone use became ubiquitous and researchers repeatedly discounted health concerns, the perception of risk faded among the general public.


Under Review

Now, that may be changing. The Senate review was prompted in part by a new report from the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that recently evaluated the top cellphones and smartphones, measuring the levels of watts per kilogram.

The results include a list of top 10 "good" and "bad" cellphones and smartphones, along with tips for safe usage and levels for all currently available and legacy models. Pennsylvania Senator and cancer survivor Arlen Specter is chairing the hearing in the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies, which began at 2 p.m. ET.

A representative from EWG is among those scheduled to testify.

EWG is not the only group to be concerned about the link between cancer and cellphone use, cancer researcher Devra Davis told TechNewsWorld. Davis is also testifying at the hearing.

"There are good strong reasons for concern, which is why Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Israel, India, and some cities in Austria and Brazil have issued warnings for all users," she said.

"We do not have ample evidence that cellphones are safe and urgently need research," she said. "Any assertions that cellphones are safe are misleading. We are especially concerned about our young people and must protect the brains of children which are still developing."

Surprising Range

There have been a number of studies -- mainly conducted overseas -- that do, in fact, show a link between cancer and cellphone use. A joint study by researchers in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, for example, found that people who had used cellphones for more than 10 years had a significantly increased risk of developing glioma, a usually malignant brain tumor, on the side of the head they had favored for cellphone conversations.

In a study of 420,095 Danish adults, it was found that long-term cellphone users were 10 to 20 percent more likely to be hospitalized for migraines and vertigo than people who had taken up cellphones more recently.

The EWG study differs in that it focuses on particular devices and offers some hope that they can still be used, despite the apparent long-term risk.

The group found several phones that emitted less radiation than others. These are the phones, obviously, they recommend.

In fact, EWG was surprised at the wide range of values, Nneka Leiba, a researcher with the group, told TechNewsWorld. A number of phones came very close to 1.6 W/kg -- the standard established by the FCC in 1993.

"We saw some phones emit eight times more radiation than other phones," said Leiba.

The Samsung Impression (SGH-a877) offered by AT&T is the safest cellphone on the market, while the worst is the Motorola MOTO VU204 offered by Verizon Wireless, according to the report.

Lower Signal, Higher Risk

EWG is not expecting consumers to abandon their cellphones, Leiba said. The organization is hoping for more Congressional scrutiny of the standard -- as well as some publicity in promoting safer cellphone use. The first step towards the later is to use a low radiation phone, a complete list of which can be found in the EWG's report.

EWG also wants to focus more study on the impact of cellphone use on children and teenagers. Children's skulls are softer and thinner and thus more vulnerable to radiation, Leiba noted.

Other advice includes urging people to text in favor of making voice calls; to invest in a headset, which emits far less radiation; and to avoid using the phone when signals are low.

"That is when the phone is emitting the most radiation," Leiba said.

By Erika Morphy

Apple creates worldwide NAND flash shortage; China Mobile deal

Apple's iPhone and iPods use so much NAND flash memory that there is a worldwide dearth of memory chips; and negotiations with China Mobile for the iPhone are ongoing.

Flash memory supply prioritized for Apple

In a new report from DigiTimes, Taiwanese memory module makers said there have been a "serious shortage" of NAND flash chips, as companies provide more and more of their supply to Apple. Industry sources said memory providers will limit the supply of memory provided to companies other than the Cupertino, Calif., hardware maker.

"Samsung Electronics has informed Taiwan module makers that it will halve its NAND flash memory to them in September, and Micron Technology has also told some of its downstream customers that no NAND flash chips are available, claimed the sources," the report said. "Toshiba and Hynix Semiconductor are also giving priority to Apple, and are offering limited supply to the spot market, the sources added."

The average price for a 16GB chip was $4.48, up 7.2 percent in the first half of September. 32GB also rose 4.3 percent to $6.80.

Last week, Apple unveiled a new 64GB iPod touch for $399, doubling the capacity of its previous highest capacity 32GB model. In addition, this summer the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS models were introduced.

As Apple has continued to double its available capacities on the iPhone and iPod touch every year, competitors have struggled to keep up. This week Microsoft will release its new Zune HD, available with flash memory capacities of 16GB and 32GB.

If true, the latest report from DigiTimes could suggest that competitors, like the Zune HD, have been unable to offer the capacity of the iPod touch because memory suppliers simply will not provide enough product to anyone other than Apple.

Report reaffirms Apple negotiations with China Mobile ongoing

China Mobile, the world's largest wireless provider, remains in negotiations with Apple to bring the iPhone to its network, a new report from The Wall Street Journal states.

The company's chairman said talks are ongoing, confirming previous reports that Apple is looking beyond its deal with China Unicom. Though Apple entered into a three-year deal with China Unicom last month, that agreement was non-exclusive, paving the way for the iPhone to potentially appear on other carriers.

Of China's estimated 700 million mobile subscribers, China Mobile is by far the largest, with more than 475 million customers. China Unicom has an estimated 141 million subscribers. Later this year it will offer a new model of the iPhone that does not have Wi-Fi. The carrier has plans to offer 3G access in 335 cities before 2010.

Microsoft Adds Visual Images Search To Bing

A new feature called Visual Search has been added to Microsoft's Bing search engine to help users find results by images as well as text. Todd Schwartz, Bing product manager, said research shows that users can process images faster. The visual searches on Bing are powered by Microsoft's Silverlight technology and the feature is currently in beta.

Microsoft has added images to its Bing search engine so search results now return images as well as text. Searches can also be started with preselected images at http://www.bing.com/visualsearch.
A search for "smartphones" produced more than 32 million results and clicking on the Images link produced 1,000 pictures so a phone could be selected by appearance rather than name. Scrolling over a phone image produces the image name and an option to show similar images. Caption details for the images can be turned on or off.

"A study conducted by Microsoft Research shows that consumers can process results with images 20 percent faster than text-only results. So it's clear that images play a big part in helping consumers with a variety of search activities," Todd Schwartz, Bing product manager, wrote on the Bing community blog.

The visual searches are powered by Microsoft's Silverlight technology and require that the browser helper be installed. Currently Bing's visual searches are in the beta stage and limited to categories set by Microsoft.

When potential buyers research products online, Schwartz wrote, images help them gather information. He compared a search for laptops, for example, to searching through an online catalog.

The new visual feature appears to be another way for Microsoft to chip away at Google's search-market share. Currently Google has about 83 percent of the market, Yahoo is second with seven percent, and Microsoft has about 3.5 percent.

In an effort to compete with Google, Microsoft recently reached an agreement with Yahoo under which Bing will become the primary search engine on Yahoo properties. In return, Microsoft gets access to Yahoo's search technology.
By Mike Kent

Avaya Wins Auction for Nortel Unit for $900 Million

Avaya has been chosen to acquire Nortel's Enterprise Solutions business and Diamondware for $900 million. Avaya's deal for bankrupt Nortel still must be reviewed by U.S. and Canadian courts. Verizon Communications and Research In Motion are challenging Nortel's acquisition by Avaya, claiming a threat to U.S. national security.

Avaya is the chosen one. The New Jersey-based company was selected -- instead of Siemens Enterprise Communications -- to acquire Nortel's Enterprise Solutions business and Diamondware, a Nortel-owned business, the company announced Monday.
Avaya will pay $900 million in cash for the voice, data and government systems businesses, exactly double the amount it agreed to pay just two months ago. Avaya also has agreed to offer an additional $15 million for an employee-retention program.

"We are excited to not only complete the process, but more importantly what this does for signaling to the marketplace, to our customers, and to our employees on the path forward," said Nortel Enterprise Solutions President Joel Hackney in a conference call. "We believe the combination provides our current and future customers with investment protection and a clear path forward."

"Our successful bid brings us closer to adding Nortel and its complementary channel, portfolio, research and development, and global presence to Avaya," said Kevin Kennedy, president and CEO of Avaya. "We believe the acquisition brings inherent value to both organizations' customers, employees and partners, and we look forward to its successful conclusion."

Strategic Move

While the long bidding and auction process for the Canadian telecommunications equipment maker, which was under Chapter 11 protection since January, is close to complete, the deal is still subject to regulatory approvals in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Hackney said regulatory proceedings will begin Sept. 15 and expects the acquisition to be complete by late December.

Avaya's victory was no surprise. The acquisition means Avaya will expand its global reach, increase the number of partners, and increase the quality of its products and services, according to the company.

Winning the bid also allows Avaya to better compete against telecom giant Cisco Systems.

The International Nortel Networks User Association has announced its approval of the acquisition.

"Both Nortel and Avaya have been at the forefront of delivering high-quality, innovative products to the market," said Victor Bonhart, INNUA director. "With their strengths now combined, we believe the customers of both companies will be true winners of this deal."

Bonhart also said the group is excited to begin working with Avaya, and is ready to return to giving its members education and other services.

Facing Challenges

INNUA President Steve Ford said he is relieved at the outcome, and added that the group has reached out to Avaya executives and Avaya's user groups to plot a path forward.

"While I cannot tell you with certainty what that path will look like, I can assure you INNUA will continue to deliver the same great value to you," Ford wrote in a letter to customers on Monday.

The win, however, already faces some challenges, predicting a bumpy path forward.

Avaya has faced some challenges from both Verizon Communications and Research In Motion about the deal. Both companies in court filings contested Avaya's bid, claiming Avaya's control over Nortel's business unit would compromise U.S. national security.

Verizon, one of Nortel's largest customers, in a complaint filed with the court claimed its "communications networks are critical to the operation of the federal government, and the defense, safety, health and security of the American public." Verizon fears Avaya will drop Verizon once the deal is complete. Avaya, however, has not commented on its plans for Verizon.

By Patricia Resende

T-Mobile Eyes Sprint Merger To Battle AT&T, Verizon

T-Mobile is reported planning to merge with Sprint Nextel to battle AT&T and Verizon Wireless in the U.S. Combined, T-Mobile and Sprint would battle AT&T for second place in the wireless market. While Sprint's assets are attractive, an analyst said the differing technologies used by Sprint and T-Mobile would create "a mess."


T-Mobile plans to merge with Sprint Nextel to take on AT&T and Verizon Wireless in the U.S., according to Monday's The Daily Telegraph. The rumors come on the heels of a T-Mobile-Orange merger in the United Kingdom.
The Telegraph is reporting that T-Mobile's parent, Deutsche Telekom AG, could submit a bid for Sprint within the next few weeks. Sprint's current market value is $10.8 billion with debt of $21 billion. Sprint shares climbed 10 percent Monday in the wake of the reports .

Sprint is the third-largest U.S. wireless carrier behind Verizon with 80 million subscribers and AT&T with 78 million subscribers. T-Mobile is the fourth-largest. If Sprint and T-Mobile merged, they would battle with AT&T for second place.

Musical Networks

Such a merger would have economies of scale in terms of gross subscriber numbers, but not in terms of networking technology, according to Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis. That's because the two companies promote multiple wireless standards.

Sprint's Nextel brand phones run on the iDEN network while Sprint-branded phones run on CDMA. Meanwhile, Sprint is promoting Wi-MAX for its 4G agreement with Clearwire. T-Mobile uses GSM for 2G and GSM in the 1700 band, which is fairly unique globally, for 3G.

"If T-Mobile acquired Sprint, they'd have a tremendous amount of spectrum assets, but they'd have them all over the place being used with lots of different interface technologies," Greengart said. "Figuring out strategically which ones to keep and which ones to ditch and how to get from point A to point B would be a mess."

According to Zacks Investment Research, T-Mobile's larger competitors deliver services more cost-effectively. The result is that T-Mobile is losing market share. T-Mobile had 15 percent market share in 2007. That declined to about 12 percent at the end of 2008.

Meanwhile, Sprint has struggles of its own in the face of price competition. However, Sprint just unveiled a new pricing model that analysts are betting could help stem the tide of customer defections. Sprint's new model offers unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling from the Sprint network to any wireless phone on any U.S. wireless carrier at any time.

Wireless Industry Consolidation

With a combined market reach of 78 million, analysts agree that a T-Mobile-Sprint tie-up would create a strong AT&T challenger from a numbers perspective. But the network-integration issues could stall any immediate competitive threat.

"It would not help Sprint compete against AT&T and Verizon in the short term," Greengart said. "They'd have so many short-term integration issues that it would be a challenge. But the spectrum assets make it attractive."

Analysts expect to see consolidation in the wireless industry. T-Mobile and Orange are combining to form a wireless powerhouse in the United Kingdom. The companies announced a 50-50 joint-venture company last week that will create the U.K.'s largest mobile operator.

By Jennifer LeClaire

Monday, September 14, 2009

Facebook Takes on Twitter with Facebook Lite, Tagging

Facebook is challenging Twitter with Facebook Lite and Tagging to keep friends linked. Facebook Lite was meant for developing countries but is available first in the U.S. and India. An analyst noted that the stripped-down Facebook Lite is easier for mobile users to access. Tagging lets users tell friends what they're up to.

Facebook is going on the offensive against the rising Twitter star with new initiatives aimed at streamlining social networking. Facebook launched Facebook Lite and Tagging on Thursday to make updating simpler and more social.
As its name suggests, Facebook Lite is a lighter version of Facebook. It was designed for people with slower connections. The stripped-down version loads faster.

Facebook Lite is available in the U.S. and India, and the company plans to roll it out in China, Russia and other countries. That makes Facebook's intentions suspect, since most users in the U.S. have good connections.

However, Facebook issued a statement about the U.S. launch: "We decided to roll out Facebook Lite in the U.S. to give users a simple, expedient alternative to facebook.com, and hope that it will fill this need."

Lite Enough for Mobile

Facebook Lite focuses on events, inbox messages, wall messages, video and photos, and, of course, status updates. The difference between Facebook and Facebook Lite is most obvious in applications. You won't find support for applications on the Lite version, which reminds some observers of Facebook's original version.

"Facebook Lite was intended to be something for developing countries and places where high-speed connections were sparse or entirely nonexistent," said Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence. "However, the company is making it available in the U.S., and thus it now represents a total alternative for people who use or want to use Facebook but don't like all the 'noise' and clutter of the regular site."

Sterling's guess is that most U.S. and Western users won't access Facebook via the Lite version. But he noted that Facebook Lite is easier for mobile users to access with a browser.

Tagging, Tagging Everywhere

Facebook is also offering a new way to tag people and other things Facebook users are connected to in status updates and other posts. Facebook is positioning the amped-up tagging capabilities as a way for its members to let people know who they are and what they are talking about.

"People often update their status to reflect their thoughts and feelings, or to mention things they feel like sharing. Sometimes that includes referencing friends, groups or even events they are attending -- for instance, posting 'Grabbing lunch with Meredith Chin' or 'I'm heading to Starbucks Coffee Company -- anyone want some coffee?'," said Facebook engineer Tom Occhino.

Facebook tagging will soon let users that want to add a friend's name to a status update do so by including the "@" symbol beforehand. As a user types the name of something to reference, a drop-down menu appears to choose from friends and other connections, including groups, events, applications and pages. Occhino said that soon, members will be able to tag friends from applications as well. The "@" symbol will not be displayed in the published status update or post.

"Friends you tag in your status updates will receive a notification and a Wall post linking them to your post. They also will have the option to remove tags of themselves from your posts," Occhino said. "We hope that tagging your status updates and other posts from the publisher will enable you to share in a more meaningful and engaging way, and connect with even more people."

Facebook is rolling out this feature over the course of the next few weeks.

By Jennifer LeClaire

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Apple CEO Steve Jobs Introduces New iPod Lineup

Apple, Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduced an updated iPod lineup at Apple's music event. Apple's new lineup includes the talking iPod shuffle, the iPod nano with a video camera and FM radio, and the iPod touch at $199. Apple also introduced iTunes 9 with new features. An analyst said the lineup should preserve Apple's market share.

Paul and Ringo weren't on hand at Apple's music event Wednesday, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs was there to introduce a new lineup of iPods. Apple rolled out the world's smallest music player -- and the first music player to talk to you -- the new iPod shuffle, priced at $59 with 2GB of storage. Consumers can also opt for a 4GB shuffle for $79.
At the other end of the spectrum, Apple launched the new iPod nano, complete with a video camera, microphone and speaker. That means music fans can shoot video, view it on their nano, and upload it to YouTube.

"iPod nano is the world's most popular music player with over 100 million sold," said Jobs. "And now we've added a video camera to its incredibly thin design, without any additional cost to the user."

Taking a page from the Microsoft Zune playbook, the new nano also features a built-in FM radio with live pause and iTunes tagging, as well as a built-in pedometer. Live pause lets iPod nano users pause and resume playing FM radio shows. iTunes Tagging lets users tag, preview and purchase songs they like when they sync with iTunes. An 8GB nano sells for $149 and a 16GB model for $179.

Touchy, Feely iPods

Apple also rolled out a new iPod touch lineup with a starting price of $199. The iPod touch is similar to an iPhone without the calling capabilities. It offers a multi-touch user interface, a 3.5-inch widescreen glass display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a built-in accelerometer and speaker.

"At just $199 the iPod touch is the most affordable gateway to Apple's revolutionary App Store with more than 75,000 applications that you can wirelessly download right into your iPod touch," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. "You get a great iPod, a great pocket computer with the industry's best mobile Web browser, and a great game player, all in this super-thin beautiful enclosure."

Making the announcements complete, Apple also updated its iTunes software . Apple introduced iTunes 9 with new features such as iTunes LP. iTunes LP combines visual features such as live performance videos, lyrics, artwork, linear notes, interviews, photos and album credits. iTunes 9 also features Home Sharing to allow users to transfer music, movies and TV shows among up to five authorized computers in the home.

"iTunes 9 is a great iTunes release, with innovative features that make using iTunes better than ever and iTunes content richer than ever," Jobs said. "iTunes LP, for example, lets artists share more of their creativity with fans and gives music lovers the feeling of being immersed in an entire album with art, lyrics, liner notes, photos and videos."

The Jobs Impact

Will the new products spur new sales? The excitement surrounding music has dipped in the past year in line with the economy, according to Rob Enderle, principal analyst at The Enderle Group. Although Apple offered some good improvements, he's not sure it's enough to build the necessary buzz to get people to ditch their current iPods for a new one.

"Competitively, I think it's good enough to hold Apple share. I think this will hold up well against the Zune when it comes out in a few days," Enderle said. "But I'm not convinced it's enough to get people thinking about a product like this as opposed to something else they were considering buying. It's a tough market right now."

The bigger news: Jobs doing a long format program -- and doing it well, Enderle said.

AT&T Will Upgrade To Faster 3G Speeds with HSPA 7.2

AT&T says it will double 3G wireless speeds in six major cities by the end of the year and in 90 percent of its 3G service area by the end of 2011. AT&T's upgrade will be to HSPA 7.2 before moving to LTE 4G in 2011. AT&T, the iPhone carrier in the U.S., expects to spend up to $18 billion this year. Competitor Verizon Wireless will deploy 4G next year.

AT&T on Wednesday said it will upgrade its 3G wireless network to double speeds in six major cities by the end of the year. The exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple's iPhone has been heavily criticized for poor network connections.

By the end of next year, AT&T said, it expects to cover 25 of the nation's largest markets and extend the faster service to 90 percent of its 3G coverage area by the end of 2011. The cities to be upgraded this year are Chicago, Ill.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Miami, Fla.; and Charlotte, N.C.

AT&T said the High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 upgrade is necessary before it moves to 4G. It plans to begin 4G trials next year and move to LTE 4G in 2011.

The theoretical peak speed for the HSPA technology is 7.2 Mbps, but the actual speed is likely to be lower, affected by factors such as network load, antenna location, and the device in use. The technology is said to have trouble maintaining a strong signal indoors.

Six new HSPA 7.2 phones will be introduced by the end of the year, AT&T said, along with two new laptop cards. The company said it is also developing LTE devices for its move to 4G in 2011.

AT&T set the cost of this year's work at $17 billion to $18 billion, including expanding its network capacity.

Competitor Verizon Wireless plans to go to 4G this year and deploy it next year.




By Mike Kent

AMD Touts Phenom II X4 Over Intel's New Core i5

Advanced Micro Devices says its Phenom II X4 quad-core processors deliver better price and performance results on desktop PCs than Intel's new i5 processor and P55 chipset. AMD's Matt Davis said Intel users will need a new motherboard and possibly a new GPU, unlike AMD platforms. Davis also pointed to AMD software for its chips.

Intel introduced a new Core i5 750 processor and a single-chip P55 Express chipset on Tuesday that represent the latest challenges to rival Advanced Micro Devices. Priced at $196, Intel's new quad-core chip appears to present a good enough price/performance match to inspire adoption by mainstream desktop PC enthusiasts, beginning this autumn.

But AMD spokesperson Matt Davis said the Intel rival offers Phenom II X4 quad-core processors in the $200 price range that are also performance-oriented. "AMD platforms deliver impressive price/performance and the infrastructure Relevant Products/Servicescompatibility that allows users' PC experience to grow with their changing needs, all at an affordable price," he said.

Several Challenges

Davis admitted Intel's 2.66-GHz Core i5 is an "impressive processor," but said CPU performance alone does not ensure the best PC experience. Intel's new quad-core chip also presents several challenges for end users, he said.

"Consumers are forced to absorb the added cost of a new motherboard, and potentially a new graphics processor unit, in addition to the new processor," Davis said. "Conversely, the AMD desktop infrastructure is backward compatible and can easily help end users minimize the overall cost when upgrading to new AMD processors."

According to Davis, AMD platforms combine CPU, GPU and chipset technologies in a balanced configuration capable of delivering a superior PC experience that meets consumers' needs at an affordable price.

"For example, mainstream users can get an affordable platform that leverages AMD's motherboard graphics technology for a balanced platform that meets their needs," Davis said. "Core i5 PCs require a discrete GPU that adds cost and doesn't guarantee a balanced experience with the best value."

Software Considerations

Intel said its latest Core i5 and i7 processors integrate several key design enhancements, such as the placement of the memory and PCI controllers on the CPU. "As well, we've gone from a two-chip chipset to a one-chip chipset," said Intel spokesperson George Alfs. "This same chipset will be used for our forthcoming Westmere processor, which integrates graphics right on to the processor."

On the other hand, Davis said hardware advancements aren't the only criteria that desktop PC users should consider. Several software applications have been designed to take advantage of all-AMD platforms, such as AMD OverDrive and AMD Fusion Utility for gaming, which enable users to tweak and tune settings to maximize control and harness the performance of their hardware, Davis said.

By Mark Long

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

New Windows Mobile 6.5 Phones Coming in October

The Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system will be released Oct. 6 for new and existing mobile phones. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless will have new phones from a variety of manufacturers. An analyst called the new Windows Mobile 6.5 "mostly a rebranding" and said the variety of manufacturers blurs branding for Microsoft and Google's Android.

The first phones with the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system will be released Oct. 6. Microsoft said the new devices will feature improved interfaces, better browsing, and access to such services as Windows Marketplace for Mobile and Microsoft My Phone.
The worldwide rollout will include new hardware as well as existing models. In North America, new Windows Mobile phones will be released by wireless operators AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, and from manufacturers HP, HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung and Toshiba.

Marketplace, My Phone

Microsoft said the new Internet Explorer Mobile browser has been redesigned and carries a new engine as well as built-in support for Adobe Flash Lite. The redesign will make it easier to do such things as check in for a flight, pay bills, or find directions, according to the software giant.

Two new mobile services will be launched. Windows Marketplace for Mobile will provide a centralized location for finding and downloading "approved and certified" applications. Although Microsoft has said it has more than 20,000 applications for Windows Mobile devices, many users may not have noticed, because the apps have been scattered across a variety of outlets. This follows the trend of mobile platforms to create their own App Store, following the highly successful model of Apple's iPhone.

By Barry Levine

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