LG Electronics LG 47LW5600 47" 3D LED Black LCD Flat Panel HDTV

The LG 47LW5600 more than holds its own in an increasingly competitive 3D TV field. For $1530 (as of April 10, 2011), this 47-inch, LED-backlit set delivers decent image quality, great connected-TV features, and a pleasurable passive-3D experience in an exceptionally eco-friendly package.

You'll find very little to quibble about with this handsome 1080p HDTV. Yes, the image quality could be a little better--in our juried tests, judges weren't superimpressed with its brightness and contrast, and several noted some uneven lighting that can be symptomatic of an edge-lit LED display. Also, the screen gets rather dark when not viewed head-on. Still, all scores were "Good" or better, and the 47LW5600 earned exceptionally high scores on our motion tests, proving that with good motion-handling technology, 120Hz is all you need for the refresh rate.

Also, you get plenty of help if you want to tweak your image quality, including a helpful basic calibration utility that presents you with images to try to match. LG provides seven video presets, including two that are user-customizable, and five audio presets (Standard/Music/Cinema/Game/Sports), plus image and audio presets for movies, gaming, and sports.

We don't do juried testing of 3D image quality, but I very much enjoyed watching Avatar: The Last Airbender on 3D Blu-ray with one of the four sets of polarized glasses that LG includes with the TV. The set immediately identified the content as 3D and switched to the proper format; the glasses are lightweight and fit comfortably over my own specs.

As on so many HDTVs, however, the 47LW5600's audio quality didn't particularly impress. The two 10-watt speakers delivered okay simulated surround sound in my tests with the Blu-ray Disc of Phantom of the Opera, but even turned all the way up, the volume wasn't that loud or enveloping.

In our power consumption tests, the 47LW5600 proved a real superstar, averaging hourly consumption of only 56.4 watts when in use, and no visible consumption when turned off. We see very few sets that use this little power.

The 47LW5600 boasts the good looks we've come to expect in an LG set, with a transparent edge finishing off the black bezel. Touch-sensitive buttons on the bottom front edge let you change channels, inputs, and volume, and power the set on or off. (You can opt to turn off the power-on lighting in the settings.)

LG provides four side-facing HDMI ports and two USB ports (including one for connecting media stored on a USB drive); rear-facing ports include one component, one composite, and one combined (either component or composite) video port. (The latter accommodates either component cables that terminate in a single video and a single audio port, or composite cables that terminate in a single AV port.) You also get a headphone jack, PC audio and RGB inputs, digital (optical) audio out, ethernet and coax ports, plus a wireless control port that connects to an optional LG media box dongle (which lets you reduce cable clutter by connecting your video sources to the media box and beaming the AV signals wirelessly to the dongle).

The set also comes with a Wi-Fi adapter that you can plug into a USB port to connect to your home network, although a wired hookup using the ethernet port is better for most streaming media applications.

LG's Smart TV platform (formerly NetCast) provides plenty of media to stream, starting with an ample lineup of on-demand Web services including Netflix, Vudu, Hulu Plus, and YouTube. You can also access your Facebook and Twitter accounts, check out Yahoo Widgets, and download apps from the LG store. You must create an account with LG to enjoy these features.

LG's support for media playback includes not only the ability to play music, video, and still images stored on USB drives but to stream media from DLNA-enabled computers and other devices on your home network, a feature you don't see on many sets. File format support is robust for video, but image and audio formats are limited to JPG stills and DRM-free MP3 audio.

One highly innovative extra: In addition to its standard, full-size remote, LG provides a separate, so-called Magic Motion remote that works something like a Wii controller, using RF technology to provide easy point-and-click access to connected TV features. In my tests, the shoehorn-shaped device worked pretty well, although at times there was a bit of lag before the on-screen cursor responded to my movements.

The standard-sized remote, meanwhile, offers a full set of controls for all functions, and you can program it to control other devices. A quick-menu button offers easy access to popular on-screen menu items such as aspect ratio, image and audio presets, and the channel editor. The number of buttons can be a bit intimidating, but they are generally large enough to access comfortably, and one button lights them up in a dim room.

LG provides a large printed manual (also available online as a PDF), but it can be a bit difficult to find the information you need since the manual covers a couple dozen models of plasma and LCD TVs. In many cases this means wading through a handful of diagrams for a single task that's handled differently by different sets. The 47LW5600 comes with a separate short printed setup guide (not available online) that at least walks you through basics such as connecting devices.

With its imposing list of connected-TV features, DLNA support, and innovative second remote, the 47LW5600 should appeal to technology enthusiasts who will enjoy its many advanced features, but anyone seeking a moderately priced HDTV set with solid image quality and 3D support should also check it out.

Pcworld

Apple location row exposes smartphones as double agents

Smartphone makers are presenting users with a dilemma over privacy and location services.

According to Steve Jobs, Apple�s mercurial chief executive, the controversy of the last two weeks over the way the iPhone has been quietly logging users� movements was the result of a software �bug� and public misunderstanding.

But the attention garnered by the issue means that despite the deployment of Mr Jobs� famed �reality distortion field� � the facetious term given in technology circles to his uncanny ability to deflect criticism � many more smartphone owners understand that the device in their pocket can act as a double agent. As well as delivering information to them, it can collect information about them.

Mr Jobs was responding to the work of two British researchers, Alisdair Allen and Pete Warden. Tinkering with their iPhones� mapping capabilities, they found a log file that contained coordinates based on which mobile phone masts are nearest, along with time stamps, allowing them to plot their own movements going back a year.

Such a record, stored on both the iPhone and its associated computer, would be invaluable to a jealous spouse or a snooping employer. It was quickly found the data was also being sent back to Apple.

In the privacy firestorm that broke out as soon as Mr Allen and Mr Warden reported their findings on the web, it emerged that specialist digital forensics textbooks had already documented the location log and advised investigators on how to exploit it.

Attention quickly turned to other popular smartphone operating systems.

Sure enough, Google Android devices were found to be sniffing out WiFi networks as their owners wander the streets and storing their locations, albeit for a shorter period than the iPhone.

Android handsets also report the data back to Google, and crucially transmit a unique identifier, so the database effectively knows where each user has been and when. From this it would be a simple matter to work out where one lives or works.

Similarly, it emerged that Microsoft Windows Phone 7 handsets send back packages of WiFi and mobile mast location data to headquarters. They do not store a log on the device, but do include a unique device identifier in their frequent dispatches.

Many ordinary users greeted these revelations with shock, but as evidenced by the textbooks that predated the controversy, police and intelligence agencies were way ahead of them.

British police are now trained to seek out smartphones immediately when they seize belongings. In the past, fingerprints might have been the first forensic priority but today it is the digital traces everyone leaves that investigators seek first. There are few things more helpful to a detective than a complete record of a suspect�s movements � and most smartphones can provide exactly that.

Nevertheless, the main reason why the smartphone firms are collecting WiFi and mobile mast locations centrally is benign. A device using GPS alone can take several minutes to pinpoint its location reliably, but one with access to a database of local wireless networks can do it in seconds. Mapping functions or apps that find you a good restaurant nearby are faster and more accurate as a result.

While Apple insists its records are anonymised, according to Professor Ross Anderson, of the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, that doesn�t mean individuals cannot be tracked by a determined snooper.

�Anyone who knows where you were at a few definite times in the past can identify your location history from among all the millions of other people�s, and then work out where you were at, say, evenings and weekends,� he explains.

As well as the threat to privacy from location data, campaigners also worry about how it could be exploited commercially. Knowledge of where you�ve been could be very valuable to, say, an advertiser hoping to target you with tailored offers or perhaps more disturbingly, an insurance company checking where you park your car.

The question of whether users are giving full consent for their location to be tracked and used is central to the debate. Few read complex and legalistic smartphone privacy policies, and Apple admitted that it had logged the location of even those who had opted out, blaming a �bug�.

For Steve Jobs the issue is simple however: hand over your location data or severely limit your iPhone�s capabilities.

�If people don�t want to participate in things, they will be able to turn location services off,� he told journalists this week.

The Telegraph

Google challenges Apple with video chat service

Google has launched its own video chat service for Android smartphones to compete with the Facetime application on the iPhone.

And unlike the Apple software, the video chat update to Google Talk works over 3G as well as WiFi networks. It uses the front-mounted cameras on high-end Android handsets.

According to the Google Mobile Blog, the new feature will be rolled out to the firm's own-brand Nexus S smartphone "in the next few weeks" as part of the Android 2.3.4 update.

Other smartphones running Google's mobile OS, such Samsung's Galaxy range, will get the update at an unspecified later date.

The service will go up against Apple's Facetime app, which was launched alongside the iPhone 4 last year, as well as third part apps such as Skype and Fring. Google has the advantage of integrating its video chat software with users' Gmail contacts list,

"You can now video or voice chat with your friends, family and colleagues right from your Android phone, whether they're on their compatible Android tablet or phone, or using Gmail with Google Talk on their computer," Google said.

The service will also work on Android Honeycomb tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom. A wave of lauunches is expected over the next few months, offering a stronger challenge to the iPad's dominance.

The Telegraph

Review : HTC Droid Incredible 2

The HTC Droid Incredible was a huge success in the United States when Verizon launched the smartphone last spring, so it makes sense that Verizon and HTC would team up again to deliver the next generation, the Incredible 2. The Incredible 2 doesn't represent a drastic overhaul of the original Incredible's design or specs, but I noticed some nice minor upgrades and refinements in design throughout the phone. One potential dealbreaker for users, however, is the phone's lack of 4G connectivity.

I actually saw the international version of the Droid Incredible 2, the Incredible S, back in February at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona. The Incredible 2 is essentially the same as its international sibling, except that it is built to run on Verizon's global CDMA network, whereas the HTC Incredible S is a GSM phone.

Unibody Aluminum Design

The biggest differences between the Droid Incredible and the Incredible 2 are in the design. The Incredible 2 has a solid unibody aluminum design. This is becoming HTC's trademark for its high-end phones, and I'm all for it. The phone feels tougher, yet more elegant than the somewhat plasticky original Incredible.

The Incredible 2 is an impressively minimalist phone with an all-black color scheme. It has a soft-touch matte rubberized back that not covers both the back of the phone and its spines. The backing is nicely sculpted around the battery and camera lens, much as on the original Incredible. I like the backing of the phone, but I'm not so sure about covering the spines too. It makes the phone look as though it were wearing a permanent bumper. The Incredible 2 isn't the most eye-catching HTC phone, but some people will appreciate its simplicity and solidness.

The Incredible 2 is obviously quite a bit larger than its predecessor, but neither Verizon nor HTC could give me its exact measurements before we published this review. I'll update the review once I get confirmation. The original Incredible measured 4.63 by 2.3 by 0.47 inches thick and weighed 4.6 ounces. You'll find the standard Android touch-sensitive buttons below the display (Home, Menu, Back, and Search). A volume rocker and a micro-USB port occupy the left spine, while the right spine is bare. At the top, you'll find the power button and the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The crisp, bright 4-inch display (bumped up from the original Incredible's 3.7-incher) attractively showcases HTC's Sense custom UI overlay, and the UI moved fluidly throughout the phone. The 800-by-480-pixel-resolution display is marketed as a "super LCD display," which means that it provides an 800:1 contrast ratio and a viewing angle of up to 160 degrees. We've seen this technology in other HTC phones such as the Thunderbolt. The display performs very well indoors; but once you get it outside in bright sunlight, it completely disappears. To be fair, most smartphone displays we've tested have this problem.

Android 2.2 With HTC Sense

Like many other new Android phones we've seen this year, such as the T-Mobile G2X, the Incredible 2 will ship with Froyo (2.2)--not with Gingerbread (2.3). HTC promised an upgrade to 2.3, but hasn't given a solid date as to when that will happen. We've covered Android 2.2 and 2.3 extensively in the past, so check out our hands-on reviews of both versions (linked).

HTC's Sense overlay adds some pretty aesthetics to Android, including a dynamic, playful Weather app; a social network aggregator called Friend Stream; and a revamped Contacts system. My favorite feature, called Leap, serves as an elegant way of navigating through your homescreens. Pinch anywhere on any home screen, and you'll jump to thumbnail versions of your screens. From there, you can go to any one you want by simply tapping on it.

Some people love HTC Sense, while others prefer the plain Android experience. My advice to anyone shopping for an Android phone is to try three different phones: two with overlays (like Sense or Samsung's TouchWiz) and one with vanilla Android. You should quickly get a pretty good idea of how they differ and which you like best.

The Incredible 2 provides quite a few preloaded apps, courtesy of HTC and Verizon, including Adobe Reader, HTC Footprints, City ID, NFL Mobile, and all of Verizon's VCast apps.

Multimedia

The Incredible 2 boasts SRS WOWHD surround sound for videos and music, which I've seen on other HTC Phones like the HTC Surround. I couldn't discern how the sound differed when it was piped through the external speakers. When I put on high-quality headphones, however, my music sounded rich and full, and the surround effect was definitely apparent.

Unfortunately, the plain Android music player is marred by the annoying presence of Verizon's VCast music manager. Every time you try to sync your phone to your PC, the needy Verizon VCast music manager will pop up and tell you that you need an update. At least, that's been my experience with it.

I was quite impressed with the Incredible 2's video playback. Verizon VCast apps played smoothly over 3G with no distortion or stuttering. YouTube videos looked about as good as YouTube videos can--and of course, way better when YouTube HQ was an option.

Camera

The Incredible 2 sports an 8-megapixel camera with a dual-LED flash and received a welcome upgrade to 720p video capture. The camera interface has built-in face-detection software, which registers when you're taking a portrait of somebody and adjusts the camera settings accordingly. This feature worked adequately for me in a normally lit room; but in a darker office with lots of backlighting, the person I was shooting still came out somewhat dark. Photos taken outdoors looked great, with rich color and sharp details. My indoor shots looked good too, though without the flash they had a bit of a dark cast. The flash is powerful, but not too powerful. Unlike a few other phones I've seen, it didn't completely blow out the details in my shots.

The video clips I shot outside with the Incredible 2 looked pretty good. The camcorder handled fast-moving action well, though the sound was a little muddled.

The Incredible also sports a front-facing, 1.3-megapixel camera for making video calls. With no 4G connectivity, however, you may not use this feature much.

Performance

The Incredible 2 is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon processor, the same one that the HTC Thunderbolt uses. We've been hearing so much about dual-core phones that 1GHz seems weak in comparison. But a lot more goes into how a phone performs than just its processor speed. The Incredible 2 did just fine as I opened multiple apps and navigated throughout its interface without any glitches.

To test the Incredible 2's data speeds over Verizon's 3G CDMA network in San Francisco, I ran the FCC-approved Ookla Speedtest app. The Incredible 2 had average transfer speeds of 0.67 megabit per second for downloads and 0.17 mbps for uploads. These speeds are pretty sad when compared to the averages we achieved with the HTC Thunderbolt over the 4G LTE network: In our five-city 4G tests, the Thunderbolt averaged 18.30 mbps for downloads and 7.39 mbps for uploads.

The HTC Incredible 2 has built-in noise cancellation technology, which I put to the test on a busy street corner in San Francisco. My callers on the other end of the line reported that my voice sounded nice and clear, but I had some difficulty hearing them, especially when the wind picked up. I heard a lot of blowback in my earpiece, which made hearing what my friends are saying somewhat difficult. I didn't experience any dropped calls or distortion, however, and I had a strong signal just about everywhere I went in San Francisco.

Bottom Line

The HTC Incredible 2 is an excellent upgrade from the original Incredible in terms of display, design, and specs, but I couldn't help but feel slightly cheated by the absence of 4G support, especially since the phone is so great for watching video. For what it offers, I think it should be priced $50 lower. At $200, it's only $50 less than the HTC Thunderbolt. I would willingly shell out the extra $50 for the Thunderbolt, which lets me switch between 3G and 4G when I need to.

Acer Iconia Tab A500: Android Tablet Impresses, But Still Misses its Mark

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is the latest in the ongoing parade of Android 3.0 tablets, and with a price that undercuts Apple's iPad 2 by $50, the $450 Iconia Tab (price as of 4/23/2011) distinguishes itself in a crowded field. This tablet earns props for its many strengths, such as its inclusion of both a USB port and a microSD Card slot, its support for Dolby Mobile audio, and its custom home screen widgets that help organize applications. However, while the Iconia Tab goes far toward the goal of replacing a laptop, it still falls short--in part due to its own hardware constraints, and in part due to its software.

The Iconia Tab A500 is the largest of the three tablets that Acer has already introduced. The model tested here is Wi-Fi-only and carries the designation A500-10S16u. A 3G-enabled version is coming on AT&T.

Stylish Design

The elegant, two-tone Iconia Tab is one of the bulkier tablets available today. The 10.1-inch multitouch display has a black bezel, plus rounded silver edges and backing made of brushed aluminum. The screen is hardly oleophobic, but then, none of the tablets I've seen so far can actually do effective battle against the fingerprint monsters.

Despite its heft, the Iconia Tab felt surprisingly good in my hands. It's slightly longer and wider than the Motorola Xoom, measuring 10.2 by 7.0 by 0.5 inches, to the Xoom's 9.8 by 6.6 by 0.5 inches.

It is also slightly heavier than the Xoom: 1.7 pounds to the Xoom's 1.6 (to be precise, on the PCWorld Labs scale, the Iconia Tab weighed just 0.05 pound more, at 1.66 pounds to the Xoom's 1.61, though Acer lists its weight at 1.69 pounds). Still, the Iconia Tab actually gave me the perception of being lighter than the Xoom when I held it in hand. I tried the two side-by-side, and consistently preferred the overall balance and weighting of the Iconia Tab to the Xoom's. Neither tablet is something I'd want to hold in one hand for any extended period of time, but of the two, I'd give the Iconia Tab the nod. If weight were out of the equation, I'd even prefer the Iconia Tab to Apple's iPad 2; while the iPad 2, at 1.3 pounds, is the lightest of the three, its 7.3-inch width makes it less conducive for holding in vertical orientation and typing with two hands.

The tablet feels solidly made in other ways. The buttons and ports are all logically situated. The volume rocker and the rotation lock running along the right edge near the top are distinctively contoured and easy to press. Likewise, the power/sleep button is easily found at the upper right corner, and conveniently glows an unobtrusive, alternating red and white while charging. Even the flap that pulls out of the right side to reveal the microSDHC card slot (and the SIM card slot on other models in the A500 series that support 3G) feels sturdy.

The Iconia Tab Inside and Out

In its core specs, the Iconia Tab mirrors the Motorola Xoom. It runs a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 250 dual-core processor and has 1GB of RAM. It also has a 10.1-inch, 1280-by-800 pixel display with a 16:10 aspect ratio (great for high-definition content); 16GB of internal eMMC storage (the Xoom has 32GB); and a microSDHC card for up to 32GB of additional storage.

A drawback is how the internal eMMC storage is configured: In some of the file manager apps I downloaded, including the popular Astro File Manager, the memory is seen as being SD card storage, which makes it confusing to tell the difference between internal storage and actual external storage.

The display looks good--both bright and colorful--most of the time, and the angle of view is adequate (but not terrific--just 80 degrees according to Acer's own specs), but I had a couple of issues. First, a grid is quite visible on the display. Acer says that the grid should be visible only at specific angles, and that it's there because of the touchscreen technology the company uses; I say it's visible all the time, at any angle, and the cross-hatch effect is very disruptive and distracting. It seems to cheapen the high-res screen and makes it harder to enjoy photos and read text (large text sizes and certain fonts help mitigate this feeling). As for photos, color quality varied depending on the app I viewed the images in; the default Android 3.0 experience left me feeling that this screen was better than those of the Xoom and the T-Mobile G-Slate, but it still lacks the natural skin tones and color balance of the Apple iPad 2's display.

The broad-reaching specs also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, GPS, and a compass. It has Bluetooth 2.1 and 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity. The Iconia Tab uses Acer's Clear.fi branding for its DLNA media server support, and a Clear.fi app helps facilitate connecting the tablet to other DLNA sources; but I ended up using it as another way to view my multimedia on the tablet, and had problems sharing the content and grabbing content from other sources.

When held in the landscape orientation, the tablet has its power and headphone jacks at the left edge, toward the top; Micro-HDMI output along the left edge, at the bottom; and a micro-USB port for tethered data transfers and a USB-A port at the lower right edge. Along the top is the flap protecting the microSDHC card slot, and at bottom is the obtrusively bulky dock connector (the dock is an optional $80 accessory that includes an IR remote control).

The Iconia Tab is the first of the Android 3.0 tablets to ship with both a functioning card slot and a full USB-A host port that accepted a keyboard and all the external USB storage I threw at it, including USB flash drives, a USB media card reader, and even a portable hard drive. Having these ports is a huge boon, in light of tablets like the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook and the T-Mobile G-Slate, neither of which have a USB port, or even a microSD card slot.

Unfortunately, the USB port can only go so far, but how much use you get from the ports will be determined by what you're trying to do and what apps you're using. For example, I could get the Gallery and Acer's Photo Browser 3D app to display digital photos from external storage; but I couldn't get a preloaded trial version of Documents to Go to recognize the USB port, let alone access documents off a flash drive. Furthermore, Acer failed to include a file manager app for Android 3.0, and of the three apps I tried, none could access the USB flash drive.

The built-in cameras are, spec-wise, among the better tablet cameras: The Iconia Tab has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera (at the upper right corner, below where the power button sits) for video chat. But once again the hardware underperforms: The rear-facing camera's image quality is surprisingly mediocre; colors were off, and it was slow to focus. Given that this is the third Android 3.0 tablet where I've been dissatisfied with the camera quality, it's hard to tell if it's an Android 3.0 issue or the fault of the hardware.

If it's an Android 3.0 issue, it certainly wouldn't be the only one. As on other tablets running Google's OS, Android 3.0 is prone to crashes, and apps often don't work right, either. And the Gallery app continues to do a poor job rendering digital images, instead showing pictures that lack sharpness and detail.

The issues with image rendering and pixelated text I've observed on all three Android 3.0 tablets (Motorola Xoom, T-Mobile G-Slate, and now Acer Iconia Tab) make me increasingly wonder just how hard it is for Google's OS to properly render these elements. I found it interesting that Acer is the first to offer not one but two alternatives to the Android Gallery app to display images, but one of these (Nemo Player) introduces even more artifacting, and the other (Acer's homegrown Photo Browser 3D), while it shows better colors and slightly better sharpness, still can't approach the crisp clarity of a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch, a RIM BlackBerry PlayBook, or even the Apple iPad 2.

Entertainment Features

For audio output, the Iconia Tab has stereo speakers, situated parallel to one another at the back of the tablet, in landscape mode. I found my hands could block the speakers, but I also had the choice of rotating the tablet so the speakers were situated at top, not bottom, as they would be if you hold it in landscape, with the front-facing camera at the upper left corner in this orientation.

This is the first tablet with Dolby Mobile audio built in, and the advantage that offers quickly became clear. The stereo speakers coupled with Dolby Mobile could translate into big sound, once you futz with the Dolby Mobile equalizer settings. And those settings are, annoyingly, buried in the general settings menu. At the standard settings, the audio sounded miserably tinny; once adjusted, music sounded reasonably good, given its source. I'd still prefer to pair up a Bluetooth speaker like the Aliph Jambox, but the stereo speakers still sounded superior to what I've heard on most other tablets; only RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook can best the Iconia Tab in audio quality.

While the device itself can play only 720p high-definition video, the Micro-HDMI port can output video at 1080p; but to get that quality, you'll have to wait for an over-the-air update due in the second quarter.

Acer says the tablet's two 3260mAh Li-polymer batteries will provide a total of 8 hours of game-play and movie-playback time, or 10 hours of Web browsing over Wi-Fi. We'll update this review with test results from the PCWorld Labs when they're available.

Software: A Light Custom Touch

Like the Motorola Xoom and T-Mobile G-Slate, the Iconia Tab supports Adobe Flash 10.2, but, as on the G-Slate, you'll have to follow a link in the Apps Menu to Flash's Android Market page to download and install the most recent version.

And since there's still no Android 3.0 version of Facebook, Acer's solution is to have a browser link to Facebook, right in the Apps menu. At least Acer calls it a link to Facebook, unlike RIM's approach on the BlackBerry PlayBook (which has app icons for Facebook and other Web services, when those are really just browser links).

Android 3.0 has a lot to like amid its shiny veneer. However, as on the other tablets, the OS has issues once you dig deep and really start using it. That, coupled with the lack of selection of tablet-optimized apps, makes for a limiting experience at this time.

While nothing about this install of Android 3.0 stands out, I appreciated Acer's efforts to customize the Android 3.0 experience.

Instead of wholly replacing the Android 3.0 interface, Acer instead provides its own widgets that appear on the home screen as apps. Ereading, Games, Multimedia, and Social--each of these icons look just like any other app icon. But choose any of them, and you'll find yourself in a bookshelf-style screen with a page for each of these categories. You move among the categories by tapping the left or right arrows at the bottom. And in the main screen of each category are app shortcuts to related content.

Acer kindly gets us started in the eReading section by showing Google Books and the company's LumiRead app, which can read PDFs and ePubs you transfer to the device, but is intended for downloading content in countries where Acer has agreements with publishers (for now, the U.S. market is not one of those). The Social section has SocialJogger, a variant on the SocialJogger software seen in the Acer Iconia notebook, with hooks into Facebook and Twitter; it also has a link to Facebook's home page in the Web browser, and a link to Google Talk.

The Multimedia section is prepopulated with links to Photo Browser 3D (Acer's own app for viewing photos), NemoPlayer (customized by Acer for photos, videos, and music), MusicA, Aupeo!, YouTube, and Clear.fi. And the Game Zone links to the included versions of the games Need for Speed: Shift and Let's Golf. Ready to add apps to any of these pages? Simply tap the big "+" symbol in the upper right, and select the apps you want from among your installed apps.

My experience with the Acer Iconia Tab A500 is mixed, to be sure. As a tablet, the device comes the closest I've seen yet to fulfilling the potential for a tablet--with any operating system--to replace a laptop. It's a great choice if you want the ability to access your content via USB sources, but the current limitations of Android 3.0 and what you can do with that content via USB, coupled with this tablet's display quirks, still make it a qualified recommendation.

If you're set on buying an Android tablet today, the Iconia Tab is one of the best bets at this writing--it tops the Xoom in functionality, and its $450 price is significantly cheaper than the $750 no-contract price of the G-Slate. The Iconia Tab is no iPad-killer, but it does give hints of the power of Android's more open and flexible platform. While I found faults with the Iconia Tab itself, many of my gripes lie with Android 3.0; if Google could only fix that OS's issues and get the native app ecosystem jump-started, Android tablets might be on to something.

Pcworld

Delayed Samsung Droid Charge may show May 3

The Samsung Droid Charge which was delayed as a result of the Verizon 4G outage may arrive next week. According to Android Central, Costco will be getting units on Monday, with a firm �do not sell� message to staff until May 3. The phone was thought to have been delayed so that customers could enjoy the speed of a fully functioning network.

When it arrives, it will be running a 1GHz Hummingbird processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera. It will also have the same Super AMOLED 4.3-inch display seen used in the Galaxy S II. Although it will have the faster 4G LTE-based radio, it is thought to be saddled with Android 2.2.

Electronista

Sony's Bloggie 3D camera now on sale

The Sony Bloggie 3D camera is now on sale at Amazon for $249. The device shoots both 3D video and 3D still images. There is no need for 3D-glasses to view the video or photos on the device as it uses a 2.4-inch glasses-free 3D display for on-board viewing.

The Bloggie 3D shoots video at 1080p and takes still shots in 5-megapixels making the device versatile and quite powerful. It can shoot images in full-screen vertically or horizontally. It is also capable of recording up to 4 hours of 3D or 2D video courtesy of its built-in 8GB of storage.

The device incorporates a Sony Exmor CMOS sensor, and includes an HDMI output. Face Detection and image stabilization technology for video and stills is also built-in. A LED light is also included for helping to illuminate video and stills in low-light conditions.

The videos can be uploaded and shared on YouTube using its flip-out USB arm with users only requiring inexpensive red- and blue-lens glasses to enjoy the 3D effect.

Electronista

Review: AirCurve Play for iPhone 4

The Griffin AirCurve Play simply amplifies the sound of your iPhone. This simple clear polycarbonate case fits your iPhone perfectly and does one job well at a reasonable price.

Sometimes you see a product that looks useless, but once you use it, you discover perfect simplicity. That�s my first and last impression of the Griffin AirCurve Play. When I first received it, I couldn�t imagine why I might want to use it, but after a few minutes, I realized it served my undiscovered needs perfectly. This cradle, for lack of a better term, simply amplifies the sound of your iPhone.

I really like the form factor of the Amplify. It�s a weighty clear polycarbonate case with silver metal hex-screws in the corners, in which your iPhone seats into a rubber gasket. No wires or paraphernalia to disturb your desk or table space. It produces sound that is 10 decibels louder than your iPhone can produce on its own. According to Griffin Tech, it �collects the sound from the built-in speaker of your iPhone, amplifies it in a built-in coiled waveguide, and projects it.� This works like the horns on the antique phonographs, but the �horn� is coiled inside the cradle.

Your iPhone fits securely into a removable rubber housing, so that you can carry the AirCurve Play around without worrying that the device may fall out. All of your ports remain accessible. Although it�s not easy to put in your iPhone incorrectly, it can be done, and that renders the volume buttons useless. An etched outline of your iPhone in the rubber reminds you of the correct placement.

It�s heavy (11.36 oz.), so you would be hard pressed to knock it over. The sturdy metal stand clicks into place in many positions, and it does not collapse. You can orient the display horizontally (landscape) or vertically (portrait). It displays your iPhone perfectly for FaceTime or viewing movies and other video.

It�s not meant to fill a room with sound, but allows you to use your iPhone as a personal listening device. You may need to crank up the volume and turn on the speaker, but once you insert the iPhone, no cables are required.

Deep bass does not reproduce well, it is a bit noisy and that masks the tones. Highs are surprisingly clear and do not suffer from amplification. In some music, it introduces almost a white noise sound, but lowering the volume solves that problem. It works great for phone conversations without distorting the sound. High voice tones reproduce better without the AirCurve Play, but not significantly. I tested it outside and live less than a mile from a noisy major highway and could hear and be heard fine. It is a convenient way to listen to music or watch podcasts.

If you don�t want to run your phone battery down while in use, you can tether it to your computer with your charging cord. The case is just high enough to provide room for the end of the cord to sit in the phone without crunching it against your table or desk, but I recommend you place it horizontally, so that no pressure rests on the cord. While using it in a car may be a bit unwieldy, it certainly beats an annoying device hanging out of your ear; just set it on the dashboard, passenger seat, or console, and you can talk without holding the phone. (Just don't take any fast corners.)

If you need a reasonably priced gift for the iPhone 4 owner in your life, I highly recommend the AirCurve Play. It is a perfect Mother�s Day gift. I can imagine any cook will find it easy to listen to directions while bustling around the kitchen. Buyer beware, the product listed on Amazon is the old model, not this newer iPhone 4 AirCurve Play.

PCmag

Verizon To Put Location Tracking Warning On Phones

Verizon plans to put a removable warning sticker on its handsets to inform users that the devices can be used to track their location, the company said in a letter to Congress released Thursday.

The four largest wireless carriers in the U.S. explained in recently released letters to Congress how they collect and store their subscribers' location data. Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA all said they do not sell the data they collect and that they make all efforts to secure it.

A sample of Verizon's proposed warning sticker read: "This device is capable of determining its (and your) physical and geographical location and can associate this location data with other customer information. To limit access to location information by others, refer to the user guide for Location settings and be cautious when downloading, accessing, or using applications and services."

Verizon noted in its letter that it keeps user's location details and other data for seven years but said it only provides such information to law enforcement when legally requested. The carrier said it does track user habits for internal marketing purposes and collects the location data for "various service and operational purposes."

The collection and storage of user location data on cellphones and other mobile devices has caused a national furor in the last week following the publicizing of a hidden location tracking file on Apple's iPhones by a pair of researchers.

It later came to light that Google was conducting similar location tracking on devices running its Android mobile operating system. Both Apple and Google admitted to tracking users' whereabouts for the purpose of providing location-based services and promised to make changes to allow customers to opt out of the tracking more easily.

But the controversy has incensed privacy advocates and attracted the attention of Congress. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers have demanded to know how location tracking is used on tablets, smartphones and other devices.

But even prior to the media firestorm over Apple and Google, however, legislators had already requested that the big four carriers identify the user data they were collecting, including location data, and how they were using it. Reps. Markey and Joe Barton (R-Texas), co-chairman of the Congressional Bipartisan Privacy Caucus, asked the four companies to supply that information in March.

In those responses, the carriers said they obtain consent from their subscribers before tracking their whereabouts. But the companies also complained that third-party application vendors can also use location tracking data and it's out of the carriers' control.

"While I am happy to hear that carriers inform their customers of the risks of using independent third-party applications, third-party developers can access the location of customers anytime they want," Barton said, according to reports.

"I believe it is time we hold third-party developers accountable, and I am determined to work with other members of Congress to get this done."

The carriers' letters to Congress are available from Rep. Markey's office in PDF form. Following are links to the Verizon Wireless letter, the AT&T Mobility letter, the Sprint Nextel letter and the T-Mobile USA letter.

PCmag

Best Buy: BlackBerry PlayBook Flying Off Shelves

Don't write off Research in Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook just yet. The first media tablets from RIM are flying off the shelves, according to retailer Best Buy.

"Best Buy has had great success selling BlackBerry smart phones in North America, so our sales expectations for the BlackBerry PlayBook were very high," Best Buy said in a statement sent to PCMag Friday.

"To date, we have far exceeded those expectations and we're finding that customers are even more interested in purchasing once they've tested the PlayBook in the store."

Without any figures to back up the statement, it remains to be seen whether Best Buy is engaging in some gamesmanship or perhaps coming to the aid of a key supplier which has been facing tough scrutiny of late.

Still, Best Buy's pronouncement is in line with a recent RBC Capital Markets report that an estimated 50,000 PlayBooks sold on the first day it was available beat first-day sales for both Motorola's Xoom and Samsung's Galaxy Tab.

A Jeffries equity analyst earlier put the figure of first-day PlayBook sales at 45,000.

The PlayBook runs RIM's own BlackBerry OS. The Xoom, Galaxy Tab and Acer Iconia A500 all run Google's Android mobile operating system, while the upcoming HP TouchPad will run the webOS operating system Hewlett-Packard gained with last year's $1.2-billion acquisition of Palm.

Those new and future tablets are seen as the main potential competitors for Apple's iPad and iPad 2 tablets, which currently dominate the burgeoning media tablet arena with as much as an 84 percent share of the market.

PCmag

AT&T Free Updates to Add HSUPA to Inspire, Atrix

AT&T said Friday that it began deploying HSUPA technology to the HTC Inspire, and would add another HSUPA update for the Motorola Atrix "soon".

"Today, AT&T began to deploy an update for the HTC Inspire(tm) 4G that provides, among other features, the addition of enhanced uplink speed technology (HSUPA)," AT&T's statement said.

"An update that adds HSUPA for the Motorola ATRIX 4G has cleared testing and will be deployed soon," AT&T added. "Updates will roll out to customers of both phones over the coming weeks. Users will get a message on their device notifying them of an update and to connect to Wi-Fi to download it. After downloading it, the user needs to only allow the update to automatically install."

The upgrade will allow upload speeds to be increased to 5.76 Mbit/s - probably not critical for the average user of Twitter or Web surfer, but important for those uploading YouTube videos or other content into the cloud. And who's going to turn down additional throughput, hmm?

AT&T announced the HTC Inspire in February. The HTC Inspire 4G is AT&T's answer to big-screen phones like the HTC EVO 4G ($199.99-$449.99, 4 stars) on Sprint and the Motorola Droid X ($199.99-$569.99, 4.5 stars) on Verizon. PCMag.com's review found the 4G speeds uninspiring, for all of the Android power - and, unfortunately, in our tests it dropped more calls than an iPhone.

By contrast, the sexy Motorola Atrix ($199 with a two-year AT&T contract) is at the forefront of a technology revolution, according to a PCMag.com review. This powerful cell phone that transforms into a laptop or a desktop PC shows us what could very well be the future of mobile computing.

At 2.5 by 4.6 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and 4.8 ounces, the Atrix is clad in smooth black plastic with an attractive fade pattern on the back panel. The 960-by-540 screen is sharper than any other you'll find on a phone, with the exception of Apple's 960-by-640 Retina Display. It's also the first of a family, which will include tablets.

PCmag

Microsoft stops NoDo updates to Samsung Omnia 7 phones

Microsoft has stopped shipping updates for Samsung Omnia 7 phones and its Windows Phone 7 OS. The temporary halt was confirmed by Microsoft consumer writer Michael Stroh in a posting in his blog. Stroh gave no specific time frame for when updates would again roll out.

"We've temporarily stopped sending updates to Omnia 7s," Stroh stated in his blog. "The team discovered a technical issue with the update package for this model. The work of fixing and testing the package is nearly done, and the team hopes to resume update deliveries soon."

This was not the first time Microsoft has had problems with its mobile OS and the Omnia. Updating problems were also encountered back in February.

Electronista

Meizu M9 gets Android 2.3 beta

The Meizu M9 smartphone has received the update to Android 2.3 beta, which fixed certain issues with the handset. Namely, international users will no longer have to put up with non-working Google Contacts and Calendar sync, while non-downloadable Market apps have now been fixed. Other detail changes are present as well.

Also expected with the update for the phone are better power management and improved overall performance that would come along with Android 2.3. Meizu CEO Jack Wong confirmed on the company's forums that the update is official and now available.

Early adopters who've installed the software say the home screen page indicator has turned white from blue, with the border removed. The contacts and calendar sync works out of the box and contacts get avatars synced as well. And the apps that couldn't be downloaded before, such as Angry Birds Rio, are now available as well. Another user is reporting an impressive Quadrant score of 1828 points with the new software on the single-core phone. There is also a fair bit of reports that the phone is crashing and freezing.

Electronista

Microsoft posts iPhone to Windows Phone 7 app migration tool

Microsoft has quietly sought to lure over more iPhone developers to Windows Phone 7with a freshly published API Mapping tool. The utility helps iOS coders take a programming call from an app written for Apple's platform and translate it to the equivalent in WP7. The focus so far centers on porting interface, networking, and raw data controls.

Future versions will expand the reach to include media, graphics, security, and other frequently used elements, Microsoft said.

The strategy showed Microsoft more directly trying to court iOS developers. In the run-up to WP7's launch, Microsoft was paying iPhone developers for ports through revenue guarantees and other conditions to get them to port titles. Its new plan would ease the process of converting code itself and shorten the time to port a title over.

Some of the earlier efforts have borne fruit. Some of the best-known apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace are adaptations of iOS apps, while majors like Skype, Spotify, and even previous holdout Angry Birds have been promised once the upcoming Mango update allows them the hardware access they need. In spite of its small device market share, WP7 has about 15,000 apps, more than HP's webOS store and roughly tied with the much older BlackBerry App World.

Electronista

Scandal! White iPhone 4 Is 0.2 Millimeters Thicker

The white iPhone 4 is huge.

That sentence took on literal meaning today as reports poured in from all over the world that the long-awaited variant of the popular smartphone, which went on sale yesterday, is a full two-tenths of a millimeter thicker than the black model.

Why the white iPhone would be thicker than the other model is a mystery, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Senior Vice President Phil Schiller shed some light on the much-delayed albino iPhone in an interview with All Things D. The pair said that coloring the casing white actually ended up introducing many issues with the sensors and the device's longevity, which was the cause of the delay.

"It's not as simple as making something white," Schiller said. "There's a lot more that goes into both the material science of it�how it holds up over time� but also in how it all works with the sensors."

It appears that Apple resolved those issues with some design modifiations, but a side effect may be the slightly increased thickness. Apple's spec page for the iPhone makes no mention of any variance in the dimensions of the phone, however, listing both as having 9.3 millimeter depth. The company didn't respond to a request for comment.

Will the extra girth create any issues? Apart from possibly increasing the weight by about as much as a corn flake, it's possible some cases made for the black iPhone 4 won't properly fit the white one. While a flexible case, such as Apple's bumper, will probably fit either model, something more rigid�like this laser-etched mirror shell from LuxMobile�might not toggle from black to white so easily.

The white iPhone 4 was promised when the product was first unveiled almost a year ago. After numerous delays, it went on sale April 28. Customers wanting some cream with their Apple coffee can get their fix at Apple's Web site, Apple retail stores, AT&T and Verizon stores, as well as retailers like Target and Best Buy. Ship times for online orders are longer than usual, though, at three to five days. (The black model ships in 24 hours.)

There are so far no reports of any users using the increased thickness as an excuse to make a crude joke about how their phone is "bigger" than others'. Or rather, never mind.

PCmag

ABI: iPhone could kick Nokia to third place by end of 2011

Nokia's fall and Apple's rise could be quick enough that the iPhone pushes Nokia to third place in smartphones by the end of the year, ABI Research predicted Friday. Having already slipped behind Android, Nokia's plunge from 40 percent of the smartphone space a year ago to 25 percent in in early 2011 was seen as a sign Nokia would continue to drop just as Apple was climbing. iPhone shipments were up by 15 percent, helped in part by the Verizon iPhone, and at the current rate was growing just as quickly as Nokia was shrinking.

Even with promises of Windows Phone, the decline with the existing Symbian lineup was only likely to accelerate over the next several months, ABI said.

Android was the largest platform overall with a combined 30 million across HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and others, keeping Symbian down to 25.6 million. Apple's 18.65 million iPhones still meant it had gained share and bumped it up to nearly 19 percent. Android growth was mixed; Samsung grew by 16 percent, but Motorola's decline by an equal percentage offset some of those gains.

Collectively, Nokia was expected to drag down growth overall and wouldn't let growth reach 2010 speeds until the summer onwards.

Electronista

MSI intros next-gen AE2070 all-in-one

Taiwanese computer maker MSI has introduced a new all-in-one computer with a 20-inch touchscreen, the Wind Top AE2070. The base model is equipped with a 1600x900 multi-touch screen, a Pentium G620 CPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 500GB SATA II hard drive. An onboard Intel HD Graphics 2000 processor handles graphics. The computer runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit.

Consumers can choose to upgrade to a 3.1 GHz Core i3-2100, 8GB RAM, and a NVidia GeForce GT 540.

Other features include 802.11n WiFi and one gigabit LAN port, an integrated DVD burner, a webcam, and a 6-in-1 card reader. The all-in-one also includes an HDMI out, headphone and microphone minijacks, one open mini-PCI-E expansion slot. The AE2070 has four USB 2.0 ports and two USB 3.0 ports. One USB port is powered even when the computer is off, which allows recharging of portable devices.

Pricing and availability for the MSI Wind Top AE2070 were not released.

Electronista

LG to show off MeeGo phone, tablet prototypes in May

LG is planning to present a number MeeGo OS phone and tablet prototypes in May. The presentation will form one of the sessions at next month�s MeeGo Conference to be held in San Francisco between May 23 � 25. Along with the devices, LG will highlight how they have been able to port the OS across multiple platforms including a smartphone and tablet.

LG has been one of the primary backers of the OS, along with Intel. Intel is looking to enter the smartphone space with its Moorestown platform, which will power the LG devices. Moorestown is a 32nm design, and will be the first chip that Intel will pitch head-on against the currently dominant ARM-based chip designs that feature in most smartphones.

LG has previously shown MeeGo powered devices including the GW990 smartphone at CES this year. The smartphone concept centers on a large 4.8-inch capacitive touchscreen and will provide design cues for potential production models.

Electronista

AT&T makes Blackberry 6 available for Bold 9700, Curve 3G

AT&T has released the Blackberry 6 operating system for customers with the Bold 9700 and Curve 3G. Blackberry 6 brings a performance boost, as well as a cleaner interface. The update corrects what was seen as one of the major flaws in these two handsets.

Rumors of an OS update for the Bold 9700 were circulating as early as last June. Verizon made Blackberry 6 available to its Curve 3G users in late January.

Electronista

Tapose hopes to bring MS Courier two-pane style to iPad

Tapose (Tap-o-SAY) is a project to bring the best ideas of Microsoft's defunct but intriguing dual-screen Courier project and incorporate them into an app for the iPad (and perhaps later for Android tablets) that mimics both the Courier's free-form writing support as well as its two-pane interface. Using the iPad in landscape mode, the proposed app would split the screen, allowing users to run two apps side-by-side: for example, the Camera Roll on one side and Mail on the other, making it easy to drag-and-drop photos as attachments.

An adjustable separator bar would allow users to easily control what app had what portion of the screen, and the bar itself could act as a temporary placeholder for things like images or sticky notes. With stylus and writing support, the two-pane view could also be ideal for studying, making notes or sketching from photos.

The two developers, who go simply by their first names of Ben and Rick, began soliciting for investors just over a month ago and have already exceeded their initial Kickstarter project goal of $10,000 but are still seeking backers to help ensure the project's success. Every pledge of $10 or more earns the investor a free copy of the app when it is eventually released. At press time the project had a total of 419 backers and had raised nearly $12,000.

The original Courier was a Microsoft concept product that was much publicized but ultimately cancelled before it ever made it into production. It was to have been a book-style dual-screen tablet with stylus that allowed for split-screen or dual-screen use, featuring handwriting recognition and e-reading as its main attractions.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer cancelled the project for unspecified reasons, but factors influencing his decision were thought to have included price pressure from Apple's then-just-announced iPad and competing projects from partner companies, such as HP's "Slate" tablet. Two senior Microsoft executives heavily involved in the Courier project eventually left the company in the aftermath of its cancellation, though both denied it was the reason behind their departures.

Work on the Tapose app is currently at the alpha stage and the developers hope to have the initial release of the app ready by late summer.

Electronista

RIM confirms BlackBerry 6.1 is now 7, claims huge update

RIM's co-chief Jim Balsillie in a question and answer call for the company's shipment warning validated rumors and said that it was renaming BlackBerry 6.1 to 7. He was silent on what it would involve but explained it as a reflection of how much had changed. It was "such a big update" that it was more appropriate to give it a whole version number, he said.

Many of the changes are believed to be subtler. Multi-touch should be more pervasive, but it will also bring a hardware-accelerated interface with real OpenGL acceleration both for the OS and for 3D games, which have previously run too slowly on BlackBerry phones. The most overt interface changes will involve deeper home screen customization and voice-guided device searching, both of which would take some cues from Android.

Speculation has maintained that, if it remains true to 6.1, the OS is ultimately just a way to split updates along hardware lines. All current BlackBerry phones can't properly support the accelerated graphics, if at all, and already tend to bog down under the weight of BlackBerry 6. Forking new phones only to version 7 would allow RIM to bring over only some features to older phones as well as create a stronger incentive to upgrade to a new phone.

The company may have more in store when it talks about BlackBerry 7 at the BlackBerry World show in Orlando next week. RIM is expected to show the Bold Touch at BlackBerry World as the first device running the new OS and to ship it in June or July.

Electronista

Flash Player 10.2 final arrives for Android 3.0 tablets

Adobe late on Thursday announced the release of Flash Player 10.2 for Android 3.0 tablets. Like the beta, the Motorola Xoom and other tablets that use Android 3.0.1 need an Android update to take advantage of the latest Flash Player. The release also includes a security update and is now available from the Android Market.

Together with enhancements found in an upcoming Google Android update, Flash Player 10.2 will bring hardware-accelerated playback of 720p high-definition video. The recent major security flaw has also been addressed in this release.

Adobe hasn't said when 10.2 final will be ready for smartphones or given a timetable for other platforms, like webOS.

Update: some have seen a mention of Android 3.1 required. The update is likely the one mentioned by Verizon briefly that adds Widevine support for future YouTube movie rentals as well as direct camera photo transfer support.

Electronista

Motorola confirms Wi-Fi Xoom for Sprint, 4G delaying Bionic

Motorola during the call discussing its winter results confirmed some of its future launch plans. The company acknowledged the existence of a Wi-Fi Xoom for Sprint and expected it to ship sometime in the spring. The tablet will cost $599 and is due to ship May 8.

An explanation was also partly given for the reason behind delaying the Droid Bionic to the summer. Implementing LTE-based 4G was taking longer in Motorola as a whole and was affecting both a decision to move the Xoom's 4G upgrade to the summer as well as the Bionic, it said. CEO Sanjay Jha clarified and said it was software performance at fault; neither Motorola nor Verizon were "comfortable" with how well the 4G was working.

The comments supported beliefs that the Bionic was set back by technical problems and wasn't just being upgraded based on feedback, as it claimed earlier.

In spite of the delays, Motorola was optimistic about its overall results for the spring. It planned to ship more phones and tablets in both areas as well as reducing its losses. Average prices for a Motorola device were also likely to go up from $214 to $229, helped mostly by more Xoom tablet shipments.

Electronista

Android Phones Getting Video Chat, Starting with Nexus S

Google on Thursday launched Google Talk with video and voice chat for Android phones.

The feature will initially be available on the Nexus S, and Google said it will gradually roll out the feature in the next few weeks as part of the Android 2.3.4 update. It will come to other Android 2.3 devices in the future, the search giant said.

Google Talk voice and video chat will work over 3G and Wi-Fi, provided your carrier supports it, according to Google.

"You can now video or voice chat with your friends, family and colleagues right from your Android phone, whether they're on their compatible Android tablet or phone, or using Gmail with Google Talk on their computer," Google said in a blog post.

To access, a video or voice chat button will appear next to the people in your Google Talk friends list; just touch the button to connect. Text chats you receive will be overlayed on top of the screen, so you don't have to leave a video to read them. If you need to check something else, the video will pause but the audio will continue.

Android users have been able to use third-party apps like Fring and Skype to make video calls, but this will be a Google-supported video chat. See more in the video below. Fring on Wednesday actually introduced what it says is the first mobile group video chat for iPhone and Android users.

"Just as Fring was the first to liberate video calls from the PC back in 2009, we are the first to give users the ability to see all their friends on their phone at the same time, anywhere. This video call revolution lets Fringsters be free to get together, wherever," Avi Shechter, co-founder and CEO of Fring, said in a statement.

PCMag

Motorola Xoom gets official camera adapter kit

The Motorola Xoom tablet has now received an accessory that is not yet available online, as part of a larger promised update. The Xoom Camera Kit consists of a proprietary cable that has a micro USB connector on one end and will allow users to transfer photos from compatible cameras onto the tablet. Those interested need to ask Verizon Wireless sales agents to purchase the cable and can't just walk in.

The XOOM Camera Kit, sometimes identified by its MOTMZ600ADPKIT model name, is available for order for $20

Electronista

HTC Flyer with Wi-Fi hits FCC

The upcoming 7-inch HTC Flyer tablet has just shown up undergoing testing by the FCC. The device is due to arrive in Best Buy in the same Wi-Fi configuration as is being tested here. It also appears to have Bluetooth onboard, but as expected lacks a 3G radio.

The device has gone up for pre-order on Best Buy for $499 this past Sunday, though ship dates weren't revealed other than spring. It centers on a 1024x600 resolution touchscreen with both multi-touch and pen support, an aluminum body, a 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor and Android 2.3 preloaded with Sense 3.0.

Electronista

Sony: no PSN credit card info taken, passwords must change

Sony in a Q&A post on Wednesday night tried to reassure PS3 and PSP gamers with more details of what it believed happened during the PSN account hack. It now said it believed there was "no evidence" credit card information had been taken and that the data itself had been encrypted. The warning was solely to say it couldn't rule out a hack entirely, it said, also providing a small comfort that the security code for credit cards wasn't compromised since it wasn't in the system.

The electronics maker did, however, say that a password change would now be mandatory for everyone as soon as PSN was back online A firmware update would go out to PS3s and PSPs to address the issue. More details were coming later, Sony promised.

Most details were a recap of those provided before, including expectations that some services would be back by next Tuesday. Sony made clear that it was talking not just to the outside security firm that was investigating the situation but was talking to police worldwide to try and track down the source. No clues were given as to who any attackers might have been or where they were located.

The PSN breach has escalated in impact and may now be considered the fifth largest such compromise in history through sheer scale. With 77 million total accounts, the gaming network is larger than some major banks and is rare among them in reaching a truly global scale.

Electronista

Xoom update due April 28 with Widevine DRM, camera transfers

Verizon on Wednesday revealed plans for the second update to the Motorola Xoom in as many months. The 28MB update adds support for both HDCP video output and the video copy protection scheme Google bought when it acquired Widevine late last year to help its plans for a mainstream YouTube movie service. Although not explicitly mentioned, it came just as Google was rumored to be launching the service as soon as this week.

Most expect the service to work as it does for the currently independent-only version, where viewers can rent by the title and stream as they would any other YouTube video. Android 3.0 currently doesn't have a major, consistently available movie service but could get one if Google completes a deal.

The patch further brings hooks for Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) uploading and will let owners finally see and upload pictures directly from a camera attached through USB. It reflects what iPad owners have had for over a year but won't need an extra adapter beyond the right USB cable.

Bluetooth is now more useful and can be used both for a wireless mouse as well as for headsets and other peripherals in Google Talk. A shortcut now exists to bring up the Bluetooth keyboard.

Other additions are mostly fixes but still important, including the ability to finally see complete HTML messages from a POP3 server, transfer data over SSL from a website, and use encrypted passwords during boot. Motorola's upgrade should also allow docking the Xoom without interruption, improve proxy support for connecting through Wi-Fi, and allow for using pre-shared keys when creating a 3G hotspot.

The update is due to go live on Thursday and will be available immediately with a manual check and pushed out over the air over time.

by Aceshowbiz

Acer unveils first 27-inch display with 3D over HDMI

Acer has announced the HN274H which it claims to be the first 3D 27-inch back-lit LED monitor equipped with FHD (Full HD) capabilities. The 1920�1080 resolution monitor can play 3D movies at 1080p. It uses NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology to supply the stereoscopic view over wireless glasses.

The response rate is 2ms response rate and the refresh rate is 120Hz. The monitor comes with an integrated IR emitter. This enables the viewer to connect to a set-top box or Blu-ray via HDMI and enjoy 3D broadcasting 3D movies. Other features include Acer's eColor Management to adjust the performance characteristics (brightness, saturation and contrast), and Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM) to dynamically adjust the contrast ratio.

The Acer HD274H will go on sale in the UK in May. Pricing is expected to be �499 ($826 USD). Pricing and availability for the US market has not yet been announced.

Electronista

Sony Says Stolen PlayStation Credit Data Encrypted

Sony is telling PlayStation users that it had encrypted the credit card data that hackers may have stolen, reducing but not eliminating the chances that thieves could have used the information.

Sony Corp. said in a blog post Wednesday that while it had no direct evidence the data were even taken, it cannot rule out the possibility. It did not say how strong the encryption was, and it is possible for hackers to decipher files that are weakly encrypted � it's just more difficult.

"All of the data was protected, and access was restricted both physically and through the perimeter and security of the network. The entire credit card table was encrypted and we have no evidence that credit card data was taken," the company wrote in its blog post.

On Tuesday, Sony had said that account information, including names, birthdates, email addresses and log-in information, was compromised for certain players using its PlayStation Network. In an earlier blog post, the company had said that data had not been encrypted and had been kept in a separate location from the credit card information.

The company said it is in the process of moving its network infrastructure and its data center to a new, more secure location, though it did not give any more details. And it said it is working with law enforcement to investigate who is responsible for the attack.

Sony shut down the network last Wednesday after it said account information, including names, birthdates, email addresses and log-in information was compromised for certain players in the days prior. It said it expects to have some services back up by next Tuesday, though it added it will only restore operations if it is confident that the network is secure.

Microsoft Corp., meanwhile, warned players on its Xbox Live network that they may be the subject of "phishing" attempts while playing "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" online. It said on its support website that it is working to resolve the issue. Phishing scams are attempts to pry personal information out of people, most often through official-looking emails but also other types of messages.

"Phishing is an unfortunate and common threat on the Internet, and this problem is not related to the Xbox Live service. We are aware of the problem and working to resolve," said Microsoft spokesman David Dennis.

He declined to comment on the Sony situation.

Sony says that of the 77 million PlayStation Network accounts, about 36 million are in the U.S. and elsewhere in the Americas, 32 million in Europe and 9 million in Asia, mostly in Japan.

ABC News

Apple vs. Congress: Company Likely to Testify About iPhone Tracking, Jobs Says

A Democratic congressman on Wednesday said he was "pleased" by Apple's response on the iPhone tracking issue, but he still had questions about using that data for targeted ads.

Separately, Apple CEO Steve Jobs told All Things D that a representative from the company will likely be in attendance at a May 10 Senate hearing on the issue.

Earlier this week, Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts expressed concern that the location data collected by Apple might be accessible to sexual predators. Last week, he also sent a letter to Jobs asking for more information about iPhone tracking.

At issue is the location-based data collected by devices running iOS 4. Last week, researchers said that that information was stored in an insecure manner and accessible to anyone who stumbled upon your iPhone, iPad, or the computer with which you synced your iOS device. That prompted concerns that Apple, and anyone who looked at that data, could track your whereabouts.

Apple remained quiet on the issue until today. In a Q&A posted on its Web site, it said "Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so."

Apple did, however, admit that it was storing too much data. "The reason the iPhone stores so much data is a bug we uncovered and plan to fix shortly," the company said. "We don't think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of this data."

Apple also said it will fix a bug whereby an iPhone will continue to update its Wi-Fi and cell tower data even if location-based services are turned off. The next major iOS software release will also encrypt the cache on the iPhone.

In addition, Apple is working on a crowd-sourced traffic database "with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years," the company said.
In response, Markey said he was pleased that Apple would encrypt local information, stop backing up the data when syncing, and ditch data after seven days.

"However, the Apple Q&A raises questions about the use of location information for targeted advertising to iPhone users. I will be following up with Apple to get clarification on this issue," Markey said. "Location information is extremely sensitive and must be safeguarded. By providing these additional consumer controls, using an Apple everyday should help keep the predators away."

Markey's Republican colleagues in the House, meanwhile, have also asked Apple for information about how it uses location-based services, but have also written to Google, Microsoft, Nokia, Research in Motion, and HP for similar information.

Rep. Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as Reps. Greg Walden, Lee Terry, Mary Bono Mack, and Marsha Blackburn, penned a letter asking how the data is accessed, whether it can be transferred, and to what extent a user has control over this data, among other things. They have asked the companies to respond no later than May 9.

In a Q&A posted on its Web site, Microsoft said it "assembles and maintains a database that records the location of certain mobile cell towers and Wi-Fi access points," much like Apple.

Over in the Senate, Sen. Al Franken and the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the matter at 10am on May 10. Representatives from Apple and Google have been invited, and Jobs said Apple will probably be there.

"I think Apple will be testifying," Jobs told ATD. "They have asked us to come and we will honor their request, of course."

Jobs also stressed that the data collected by Apple is "anonymous, crowdsourced information that we collect from the tens of millions of iPhones out there."

He also said that the hysteria over the issue has more to do with a lack of understanding than an actual Big Brother scenario. "As new technology comes into the society there is a period of adjustment and education," he said.

PCmag

SpiderPodium Tablet for iPad 2 and iPad 1 - Review

The SpiderPodium Tablet is probably one of the most unique portable iPad/tablet stand you�ll find. It�s light and flexible, yet study enough to put your beloved device on it. It works with the new iPad 2, the original iPad 1, and other tablet devices.

When you first take out the SpiderPodium Tablet, it may look strange because it resembles a giant spider. There are eight legs that are all flexible. Each leg has three joints that can be bent in any way you need it. The exterior is made of a soft rubber, preventing any scratches on your tablet.

The product�s box will have two photos on it displaying the two main positions the stand can be in. Follow the photos on the box to setup the SpiderPodium stand in either portrait or landscape mode. Once you get it in place, carefully place your iPad/tablet in and bend the end joints to hold it in place. When it�s sturdy, bend and move the legs to the angle you desire.

What�s wonderful about the extra legs on this stand is that it could be wrapped anywhere. Wrap the stand around a car seat or a dashboard. Or even around a pole or stand so you can read your music sheets. There�s many multiple uses for it.

Overall, the SpiderPodium Tablet is a flexible tablet stand that you can set in any angle, any position, and light and portable enough to take anywhere. Just collapse all the legs to put in your bag, and you�re ready to go.

SpiderPodium Tablet is made by Breffo and is available in two colors � graphite and black. It fits most tablets on the market. And is not recommended for children under the age of 3.

Beatweek

Acer Iconia Smart reaches FCC with AT&T 3G bands

The Acer Iconia Smart 4.8-inch Android smartphone has finally reached the FCC. First announced late last year, then unveiled at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona in February this year, little had been heard about it again until now. The FCC has been testing its radiation compliance and the process has revealed that the phone has 850, 1900 and 2100MHz frequencies.

While it is compatible with AT&T�s network which supports the 850 and 1900MHz frequencies, Canada�s Rogers, Bell and Telus also use the same frequencies. Further, Rogers has been selling Acer smartphones over the past year and is a likely candidate for the device. However, it is possible that AT&T could decide to pick up the device as it fills a niche somewhere between a large screen smartphone and a small tablet.

The Acer Iconia Smart is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor matched with 512MB of RAM. It also incorporates an 8 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Ports include a micro-HDMI output capable of 720p, while connectivity includes 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1.

A North American launch date for the device or its pricing is yet to be announced.

Electronista

Samsung Mantra SPH-M340 (Virgin Mobile)

Pros : Simple. Cheap. Inexpensive prepaid plans.

Cons : Very poor camera. Tiny external display. No music, video, or camcorder.

Bottom Line : The Samsung Mantra SPH-M340 is a cheap, decent option for voice calls on Virgin Mobile, but not much else.

At $19.99, the Samsung Mantra SPH-M340 is a very cheap cell phone for Virgin Mobile's equally cheap PayLo prepaid plan. You don't get much for your money, but then again, you aren't really paying much to begin with. If you only need to make calls and are looking for a simple, inexpensive device, the Mantra will do. But if you're looking for anything more than that, you're better off looking elsewhere.

Design, Call Quality, and Bluetooth
The Mantra looks sleek for a basic flip phone. The front and sides are clad mostly in shiny black plastic, while the back is a rubberized grey. It measures 3.8 by 1.9 by .7 inches (HWD) when closed, and opens up to a comfortable 6.9 inches. The hinge is sturdy, and the phone feels solid overall. There's a postage stamp-sized external color LCD which displays battery life, date, messages, reception, ringer, and time. It's useful, but a little too small. Opening the phone reveals a 2-inch, 128-by-160 pixel LCD; it definitely looks low res, but there isn't much to see here anyway. The keypad features large, well-separated keys, and the control pad is simple and easy to use. Texting wasn't a problem, nor was finding my way around the phone's extremely basic UI.

quality was excellent over an Aliph Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset ($99, 4 stars) and the Nuance-powered voice dialing worked just fine without training. Battery life was average at 5 hours and 27 minutes.

Virgin Mobile's payLo plans for the LG 101 are quite inexpensive. A 1500-minute, one-month plan that includes 500 text messages and (a rather measly) 10MB of Web access costs $30. You can also get a 400-minute plan for $20, or pay 10 cents per minute and 15 cents per text message. You activate the phone via a serial number, either through the phone (if you're topping off an existing number) or through Virgin Mobile's Web site (if you're starting from scratch). We'd like it better if each plan didn't expire after one month, though.

Features, Camera, and Conclusions
The main menu consists of nine large icons arranged in a grid. There are links to your contacts, messaging, the Web, and a number of other basic functions. All of the usual low-end phone apps are in place as well, including an alarm clock, calculator, notepad, tip calculator, world clock, and voice memo function.

The e-mail client works fine, but it only supports a limited variety of accounts, with AOL and Yahoo being the two most popular. Gmail is missing. The IM client also works well, but only supports AIM or Yahoo Messenger accounts. Virgin offers direct links to custom WAP pages for Facebook and MySpace directly from the Messaging menu. The pages load relatively quickly, though it all looks rather poor on the phone's limited display.

The Openwave 7.2 browser did a decent job delivering WAP pages. It can't handle desktop Web pages. Since there's just 4.5MB of free internal memory on the phone, the amount of personalization you can do is limited. You can choose from various preloaded themes, wallpapers, and ringtones, or download additional ones through Virgin, but that's it. There's no music player, video playback, or camcorder. There's a mono 2.5mm headphone jack for hands-free headphones.

The 640-by-480, VGA camera is just plain bad. Photos taken had decent lighting, but were otherwise lacking in detail and basically blurred beyond recognition. They look bad on the phone's screen, and even worse off of it. There's no good way to get images off the phone, other than uploading them online or sending them via picture message or e-mail. But it's really not worth the trouble.

Virgin's PayLo lineup doesn't have any great phones; it's really all about the cheap minutes. With that in mind, if all you plan to do is talk, the Samsung Mantra SPH-M340 is a fine phone with which to do it. For much better hardware, you'll have to go to Virgin's more mainstream monthly plans. Our Editors' Choice on Virgin Mobile is the LG Rumor Touch ($99.99, 4 stars), which offers a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a touch screen, and plenty of multimedia power. But it's larger and more expensive at $99.99, and it doesn't use Virgin Mobile's cheapest payLo plans like the LG 101 ($14.99, 2 stars) and LG Flare.

Benchmarks
Continuous talk time: 5 hours 27 minutes

PCmag