Obama’s proposed 2010 budget juices carriers for more cash

There’s no easy answer to erasing a staggering trillion-plus dollar deficit in a federal budget, but you’ve got to start somewhere — and Obama’s looking at the nation’s wireless carriers as cash cows just waiting to be milked. The President’s proposed budget for 2010 calls for an increase in spectrum license user fees from $50 million to $200 million, with further increases to $550 million over the course of the next decade, all of which would be on top of the billions carriers have already shelled out in spectrum auctions. A good way to bring in some extra cash? Yeah, probably, but considering that carriers will be more than happy to pass the increases on to consumers, let’s just be straight: it’s a tax.

[Via El Reg]

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Obama’s proposed 2010 budget juices carriers for more cash originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MyFive: Things the iPhone Does Better Than Other Phones…

This article was written on August 10, 2008 by CyberNet.

CyberNet iPhone 3G.pngAbout a week ago we wrote a MyFive including five things we wished the iPhone 3G had. Among them were more than a 2 megapixel camera, a flash for the camera and video recording, multimedia messaging service, a replaceable battery, and a 32GB option. In the comments, Pieter pointed out that to be fair, we should write another article about five things that the iPhone can do better than other phones. We thought it was a great idea because as iPhone owners, there is a lot we do enjoy about the phones. Today’s MyFive will include things the iPhone does better than other phones out there.

1. Battery Life

The iPhone 3G offers up to 5 hours of talk time on 3G, 10 hours of talk time on 2G, 5 hours of Internet use on 3G, 6 hours of Internet use on Wi-Fi, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback, and 300 hours of standby time. Enough said.

2. Browser

When we had Internet capability on previous phones, we really didn’t use it much. Why? Well, because it was a pain in the butt to use! Apple did an amazing job with Safari for the iPhone which makes surfing the web hassle-free.

Studies have shown that iPhone users are more likely to browse the web on their device, more-so than other phones, simply because it’s easy to do. The device is what we like to call “Internet-centric” — it’s centered around the Internet and thus, people actually use it.

3. 3rd Party Applications

If you take the time to go through the applications that are available, you can find some really nice ones that will help increase productivity, and others that will give you a few minutes of fun. Not all are what we’d consider “quality” apps, but there are some great ones out there. For original iPhone owners, these 3rd party applications almost don’t make it a necessity to upgrade to the iPhone 3G.

4. Usability

The iPhone has a lot of features that other phones offer, but the ease of use is what stands out with the iPhone. Simple features that most phones have like a clock or calculator, are presented in front of you instead of buried with-in menus. And the clock is more than just a clock, it’s a stop-watch and a timer, and has an amazing alarm clock system. This alarm clock system has replaced my stand-alone alarm clock.

The camera is another great example. We’ve had camera phones in the past but this camera (despite the fact it’s 2MP) is easier to use than most cameras on other phones not to mention the fact that sharing those photos with others is great with the nice big touch-screen.

Apple definitely made a phone that their users will want to use, because of the ease-of-use.

5. Overall Experience

The overall experience of the iPhone is amazing. Sure, the new firmware has a few kinks, but the overall experience is what makes the iPhone worth all of the hype and the money. Great battery life, an awesome browser, a selection of quality 3rd party applications, and the ease of use provide the user with an overall experience that is hard to beat.

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Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod

This may look like a beloved iMac, but make no mistake, it’s just a shell of its former self. CGCC forum member Logicdustbin decided to gut the all-in-one and replace its innards with a Sega Dreamcast and 15-inch LCD monitor. The result? The iCast, a beautiful homage to simpler times. Hit up the video after the break to see this Fronk-en-shteen in action, playing a game that’ll assuredly prepare our children for a post-apocalyptic world.

[Via hack a day]

Continue reading Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod

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Apple iMac murdered, reborn as all-in-one DreamCast mod originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Portable unit kicks in when GPS fades

(Credit: Seer Technology)

Ahoy, GPS-stranded motorist. Stop banging the dashboard, and consider this timely reincarnation of dead reckoning to help you find your way out of “GPS-denied environments,” or at least alert others to where you can be found.

Seer Technology is offering a miniature, self-contained, electronic navigation unit called NaviSeer that mixes GPS and DR in a complex gumbo of hardware and proprietary algorithms to deliver user location in real time.

It does this by blending the output from three gyros, three accelerometers (one at each axis,) a magnetometer, and a baro altimeter, and then running it through a Kalman filter.

The result: coordinates accurate to within less than a yard, according to Seer. And no, it “does not require sensors to be worn on the legs or feet.”

Originally posted at Military Tech

$25 billion in electric vehicle loans still waiting for perfect beggars

While the Big 3 seem to be visiting Washington on an all-too-regular basis trying to secure funding for future success, $25 billion in loans set aside to promote electric car usage in America has been sitting untouched for nearly two years. As the story goes, the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan program was established in 2007, but administrations have been toying with ideas about how to use it until present day. Some 75 applications from hopeful companies have been whittled down to 25, but there’s no telling how long it’ll be before we hear who’s getting the cash (and when). Many are irate that this dough is still sitting idle, but we tend to agree with the “let’s wait until we find truly remarkably beggars” approach before it’s just handed out to those without a viable plan. The takeaway? Electric vehicles may still end up progressing as planned despite the current economy, but only if brilliant plans can cut through miles of red tape.

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$25 billion in electric vehicle loans still waiting for perfect beggars originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Endless Ideas launching next-gen WiFi BeBook at CeBIT

Endless Ideas’ original BeBook wasn’t exactly the same smash hit as, say, Amazon’s Kindle, but the company’s hoping to refocus some of the spotlight back on itself next week in Germany. According to a succulent teaser page on the company’s website, it has proudly announced that the next-gen e-reader will be on display at CeBIT, bringing with it WiFi and 3G capabilities, touchscreen navigation and wireless RSS support. Sadly, we’re not giving any pictorial clues, but we are told to expect “a complete redesign.” Consider our interest piqued.

[Via Pocket-lint]

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Endless Ideas launching next-gen WiFi BeBook at CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle to be sold at Best Buy

You’re already buying TVs, washing machines, cheap keyboards and cell phones at Best Buy, why not a $12,000 electric motorcycle? That seems to be the thinking going on at Brammo HQ, where an infusion of cash from Best Buy’s investment arm last year has now led to plans to sell the $11,995 Enertia at five West Coast Best Buy stores in May. Okay, sure, but we’re way less optimistic about plans to let the Geek Squad handle basic repairs and maintenance — we don’t let those fools near our laptops, god forbid Pimples McUpsell touch something that could actually kill us. Eventually Brammo wants to sell bikes at every Best Buy location around the world, but we’ll see how this initial test works out.

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Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle to be sold at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Apple’s Rev. B MacBook Air?

Generally speaking, we wouldn’t bother asking you how you’d change the second iteration of something, but Apple’s MacBook Air is a different beast. Given how Apple maintained a lot of those severe limitations the second go round (see: single USB port, non-removable battery, etc.), we’re extra curious to see how you want the next round of MBA to go. Is it finally time for Apple to downsize into the world of netbooks? Or do you just want a more “pro” oriented MacBook Air? Is 13-inches really the ideal display size here? Would it kill the suits in Cupertino to throw an integrated SDHC card reader on the side? Time to take off the gloves and let it rip!

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How would you change Apple’s Rev. B MacBook Air? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI readying updated Wind U123 for April release

MSI’s Wind U120 has only been available for a little over a month, and already received a minor update of its own, but it looks like the company is already planning on adding a few more digits to the Wind line, with its upgraded Wind U123 apparently on track for an April release. While much will apparently remain unchanged form the U120, the U123 does get a bit of a boost from Intel’s new Atom N280 processor, which has already found its way into ASUS’ Eee PC 1000HE, and from a maximum 2GB of RAM, as opposed to 1GB on the U120. You’ll also be able to get it in your choice of four colors, and with a six or nine cell battery if you choose. What’s more, MSI’s director of US sales reportedly confirmed that the company has both 11.6-inch and 12-inch netbooks “in development,” and that it “can bring that out of the gate,” although he unfortunately didn’t go any farther than that somewhat cryptic statement.”

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MSI readying updated Wind U123 for April release originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbucks Unveils Via Ready Brew Line

Reuters: Starbucks Corp, whose chief executive is trying to fight “misperceptions about affordability” for the coffee chain’s brands, unveiled on Tuesday its new Via Ready Brew instant coffee that sells for less than $1 per cup.

The latest move from the Seattle company, which grew rapidly by selling pricy lattes and other “affordable luxuries,” is another example of how management has changed course since its business succumbed to overexpansion and the world tumbled into recession.

Starbucks now hopes that Via will expand its reach in the $17 billion global coffee market by appealing to travelers, campers, home coffee brewers and other coffee lovers who have their coffee outside one of the company’s 12,000 global cafes.

Starbucks will begin selling Via next month in select markets in the United States and in London. A trio of single-serve Via packets will sell for $2.95 in the U.S. and 12 packets will be priced at $9.95.

“The coffee consumption landscape is ripe for disruption,” Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz said in a statement. “This is a big move for us – an opportunity to reinvent a category, create new rituals and grow our customer base.”

Its latest move would pit Via against best-selling instant coffee brands like Nestle’s Nescafe and Kraft Foods’ Sanka. Kraft distributes products for Starbucks.

Starbucks unveils Via instant coffee [Reuters]