Intel’s Otellini says 35 Atom-based tablets coming in 2011, but smartphones get pushed back (again)

It’s been a long, hard road for Intel in the mobile space, but it looks like things are about to get brighter: speaking at the Barclay’s Capital Global Technology Conference today, CEO Paul Otellini said that some 35 Moorestown tablets running a mix of Windows, Android, and MeeGo would arrive in 2011. (No wonder the company just formed a tablet and netbook division.) What’s more, he provided a handy chart showing the OS breakdown by vendor: Toshiba, Dell, Fujitsu are going Windows-only, while Asus and Lenovo are building both Windows and Android products, and Acer’s going straight MeeGo. (Remember, Acer’s using AMD in its Windows tablet.) That’s pretty much right on schedule, and we’d expect to see several of these at CES, but not all the news is so rosy: Otellini also said that Medfield-based smartphones won’t arrive until “mid-2011,” which is a bit of a delay from the “first half of 2011” we’d been told in June. Sure, it doesn’t sound like the end of the world, but ARM-based competitors like Qualcomm, TI, and NVIDIA continue to push ever farther ahead with multicore designs, and Intel can’t very well catch up with delayed parts. Then again, if Intel can really deliver the performance and efficiency it’s been promising it might not matter — we’ll see what CES has in store.

Intel’s Otellini says 35 Atom-based tablets coming in 2011, but smartphones get pushed back (again) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad band gives new birth to Xmas carols

A community church band uses iPads (and a couple of iPhones) to create an extraordinary Christmas carol concert.

Originally posted at Technically Incorrect

LG pulls back, ‘will evaluate’ upgrading Optimus series to Gingerbread when specs and source code are public

You might remember yesterday’s brouhaha over LG’s seemingly false claim that Android 2.3 Gingerbread requires a 1GHz processor or better, using it as a justification for keeping an official upgrade out of the hopes and dreams of Optimus One owners around the globe — but the good news is that it appears to have been a misunderstanding. Here’s the official statement from LG:

“LG released information prematurely regarding the minimum processor upgrade requirements for the LG Optimus. Google recently announced the Gingerbread platform and has not yet published the Gingerbread Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) or the public branch open source code. Once the CDD and the source code is public, LG will evaluate the upgradability of the Optimus Series. We apologize for any confusion or misunderstanding. We will alert you as soon as more information on this topic is available.”

So they’re taking responsibility for jumping the gun and have committed to “evaluating the upgradability” of the Optimus line once Google’s published Gingerbread’s official requirements and turned loose the source code. Of course, it’s possible they’ll ultimately find another reason for keeping the phones stuck on Froyo — but for now, we’ve got a sliver of hope.

LG pulls back, ‘will evaluate’ upgrading Optimus series to Gingerbread when specs and source code are public originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple posts update for MacBook Air display

Apple offers a fix for MacBook Air displays. It follows several complaints related to the notebook’s screen, including flickering or discolored displays upon waking from sleep.

Originally posted at Circuit Breaker

Is your water bottle trying to tell you something?

Cambridge Consultants unveils its new i-dration bottle, which synchronizes with a smartphone as a “hardware app” to deliver hydration advice and warnings.

Originally posted at News – Health Tech

Guy Tries to Sell Watch for $9.95, Gets $66,100 [Ebay]

That smiling white-haired guy with the wine glass is Bob, a Navy doctor who put his watch for sale on eBay for $9.95. He got it cheap at a Navy Exchange fifty-two years ago. The final auction price: $66,100. More »

Tokyoflash ditches tradition yet again with Kisai Satellite watch

How many different ways can a wristwatch display the time? So many ways, as fully evidenced by the ever-inventive folks at Tokyoflash Japan. Their latest offering is the Kisai Satellite, a USB-rechargeable watch that relies on three flashing “halos” to display the time in a manner that’s slightly less confusing than some of the company’s other watches, but still confusing enough to confound anyone asking you for the time. What’s more, unlike some of Tokyoflash’s concept watches, this one is actually available (for just over $90), and in your choice of black or white with either blue or green LEDs. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and head on past the break for a video.

Continue reading Tokyoflash ditches tradition yet again with Kisai Satellite watch

Tokyoflash ditches tradition yet again with Kisai Satellite watch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cricket Wireless for the holidays

Cricket Wireless reveals its holiday specials through December 25.

Originally posted at Dialed In

JR goes AR with Saigo Samurai app

Remember how we blogged in October over Japan Rail’s controversial use of Saigo Takamori as the mascot the countdown boards marking the time till the new Kyushu Shinkansen line opens?

Well, as part of the same campaign JR has also recruited Kamakura-based Kayac to create Saigoudoon, a free iPhone app that produces augmented reality versions of Saigo, providing you can find him. Taking the form of a kind of quest, you use the app’s map to check out where Saigo is lurking along the Hakata-Kagoshima line. As the train tracks get closer to Hakata, so too does Saigo. Meanwhile his trademark faithful dog waits patiently at Fukuoka.

saigoudoon-kyushu-shinkansen-saigo-takamori-iphone-ar-app

If you then actually head to the location the map tells you that Saigo has reached, the app shows you a “giant” image of the leader through your phone’s camera. You are then meant to tweet your sighting.

The app’s website, however, rather forebodingly states that “Saigou is coming” and with the remaining days until the March opening of the bullet train. Given the rebellious history of Takamori, is that perhaps the best slogan?

beams-tokyo-cultuart-banner-1

Wave officially finds a home with the Apache Software Foundation

It’s official, Wave fans: the Apache Software Foundation has accepted Wave for its incubator program. What’s this mean? Well, the group will oversee future development of the Wave Federation protocols and the Wave In A Box product — and those of you who absolutely cannot live without your Waves won’t be left out in the cold. Rounding out support from Apache and Google are representatives from Solute, Novell, SESI, University Duisburg-Essen, and Wikileaks (OK, we made that last one up). Best of luck to ya!

Wave officially finds a home with the Apache Software Foundation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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