Nov 02

Sony posts $350 million loss in Q2 earnings report, forecasts full-year loss

Posted in: business, earnings, financials, hdpostcross, industry, Japan, minipost, mobilepostcross, money, sales, smartphone, sony, Sony Ericsson, SonyEricsson, Today's Chili, TV
Sony‘s Q2 earnings have just come in and, as you might guess, they’re not particularly glowing. A few days after announcing plans to buy out Ericsson’s stake in Sony Ericsson, the manufacturer posted a quarterly loss of ¥27 billion ($346 million) today, compared with a net income of ¥31.1 billion during the same quarter last year. Last quarter, the firm posted a net loss of ¥15.5 billion, or about $200 million. Sony attributed much of this decline to a stronger yen, lower TV sales and recent flooding in Thailand, which has disrupted its supply chain. On this basis, the company lowered its full year forecast, predicting a net loss of ¥90 billion ($1.2 billion), compared with a net profit of ¥60 billion that it had previously expected. It appears, then, that Sony’s TV division is primed to post an annual loss for the 8th straight year, which would certainly explain those plans for a forthcoming shakeup. Find the full report at the source link, below.

Sony posts $350 million loss in Q2 earnings report, forecasts full-year loss originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 02

Japanese-Mexican Snack Embraces its Spicy Roots

Posted in: marketing, MARKETING IDEAS, Today's Chili

karamucho-mariachi

Japanese snack company Koikeya has long produced the best-selling spicy snack Karamucho, whose name is a mix of the Japanese word “kalai” (spicy) and the Spanish word “mucho” (very). Given the Mexican origin, and similar phonetic sounds in both Spanish and Japanese, Karamucho has created a great commercial shot in Mexico with a mariachi band. Listen closely, and you’ll realize that they’re all singing in Japanese, not Spanish.

Below are the snack themselves along with the original Karamucho mascot “Hi (Hee) Grandma”.

karamucho-spicy-japanese-snack

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Nov 02

Sounfreaq’s Sound Stack Bluetooth speaker sports dual subwoofers, $400 pricetag

Posted in: Android, audio, bluetooth, ios, ios 5, Ios5, Music, sound, Today's Chili
Sounfreaq doesn’t release speaker systems often, but it’s safe to expect something spectacularly sexy when it does. Such is exactly the case with its latest audiophile-aimed creation, the Sound Stack wireless speaker. The company is toting this $400 Bluetooth-enabled HiFi rig as a “2.2” speaker system, thanks to its DubSub design — a duo of active subwoofers pump out lowend in an effort to complement its two other “full-range” drivers. Soundfreaq’s also packed this puppy with its UQ3 processing to keep the soundstage wide despite the unit’s size. Better yet, downloading a free Remote App (available on Android and iOS) unlocks the system’s FM radio — perfect for when you’re feeling nostalgic. If that wasn’t enough, the Sound Stack’s also loaded with an iThing dock and a USB input, both of which can be used to re-juice your devices while streaming. If your Gadget Acquisition Syndrome is already kicking in, fret not, the Sound Stack is available for purchase now. You’ll find more details past the break.

Continue reading Sounfreaq’s Sound Stack Bluetooth speaker sports dual subwoofers, $400 pricetag

Sounfreaq’s Sound Stack Bluetooth speaker sports dual subwoofers, $400 pricetag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 02

Sphero goes up for pre-order, ready to roll its way into your heart

Posted in: augmented reality, AugmentedReality, hands-on, minipost, remote, Today's Chili, toy

Our favorite iOS / Android-controlled toy ball is coming soon to an annoyed cat near you. You can pre-order Sphero now for $130 through Amazon, and it’ll start shipping in December, just in time to remotely find its way into a stocking or two.

Sphero goes up for pre-order, ready to roll its way into your heart originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 01

Hands-on With Firefox Companion for eBay

Posted in: Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on April 30, 2007 by CyberNet.

Last week we mentioned the Firefox Companion for eBay that had just been announced, and at the time it wasn’t yet open for the alpha test program. Recently we were able to download the extension and give it a try. After playing around with it for the last 20 minutes, I wouldn’t say it’s something an occasional eBay user would use, but more for those who either sell, purchase, or watch items frequently.

After installing the Firefox extension, the first thing you’ll want to do is set-up your account.  You can choose whether or not you want Firefox Companion for eBay to automatically connect when Firefox starts or not.  To get the most use out of this, you’ll probably want to select yes to this option.

Ebayfirefox

The companion shows up in the left toolbar, and then there’s a drop-down menu at the top of that toolbar where you can select what you’d like to view: ended, active, bidding, watching, or selling items. I chose to view the items that have ended that I was either watching or selling.  The screenshot below (click to enlarge) shows what this looks like.

You’re given many options to choose from, and there are separate options for watching, bidding, and selling. You can either choose to receive an alert box, or the item will glow in your sidebar.

Settings Ebayendeditems

For example, if you’re watching an item, you can get an alert when it’s going to end soon so that you can determine if you want to bid on it.  Other options include an alert or “glow” if you’ve been out-bid on an item, won an item, or lost.  If you’re selling, you can select the option so that items will glow when they’re ending soon.

Ebayfirefox2Up at the top of your browser, you’ll notice that there are quick links so that you can easily navigate to important eBay pages likes “My eBay, eBay Homepage, Provide Feedback,” etc.

eBay is no stranger to scams, particularly those involving passwords.  To help with this, there’s built in password protection (pictured below).  All you have to do is enter in the password that you use for eBay and PayPal, and you’ll get warned if you begin to enter your password into a site that hasn’t been verified.

Ebaypassword

As of now, it’s available for eBay.com, eBay.co/uk, ebay.fr, and eBay.de, and I’m sure they’ll be adding other sites soon.

I think this could be a great way to promote eBay, but especially Firefox because some of the non-Firefox users may want to get in on what this has to offer.

If you want to sign up for The Alpha test program, click here.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Nov 01

GameChanger is a game-changing, iPad game board that lets you change games

Posted in: app, Apple, apps, game, Games, ios, ipad, Today's Chili, Toys
GameChanger

All joking aside, GameChanger is actually pretty neat. It’s a combination iPad dock and playing board that isn’t limited to a single game. The Apple slate becomes an integral part of play, where you spin a virtual wheel to determine how many spots to move while the app tracks your progress. The board itself comes with different skins (two at the moment: The Magic School Bus and Animal Mania) that have their own particular set of animations, questions and tasks when you select the title from the free GameChanger app. There’s no dice or cards to lose, but you might be wishing for bits of plastic and cardboard when a sore loser tosses your tablet across the room. GameChanger is available now for $80 and a few more details can be spied in the PR after the break.

Continue reading GameChanger is a game-changing, iPad game board that lets you change games

GameChanger is a game-changing, iPad game board that lets you change games originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 01

NASA developing tractor beams, no plans for Death Star… yet (video)

Posted in: laser, NASA, research, science, space, Today's Chili, video

Fully functional LightSabre aside, a tractor beam has to be high on most geek wish-lists; lucky for you NASA has started working on one. Before you drop your sandwich (or whatever that object in your left hand is), this won’t be for sucking up star cruisers, but the more modest task of sample and space dust collection. The basic concept has already been proven, but now NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist has given boffins $100,000 to make the dream a reality. Three potential methods are already on the table, which in lay-terms resemble laser tweezers, a light vortex and a conceptual rippling beam. Once developed, it could signal the end of traditional mechanical sample collecting — and just plain luck — consigning robotic arms to the history books. Check the video after the break for science-tastic mock up of how it might work.

Continue reading NASA developing tractor beams, no plans for Death Star… yet (video)

NASA developing tractor beams, no plans for Death Star… yet (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 01

Rdio gets rechristened ‘Oi Rdio’ while vacationing in Brazil, has plans to visit Germany and Australia

Posted in: germany, Music, Today's Chili

Are you a resident of Brazil and love streaming music? Have a seat, as Rdio’s packed its bags and is headed for a little séjour on the South American continent. Launching later this week, the service will be functionally similar to its US and Canadian counterparts, except it’ll lose gratis ad-free streaming and get a name change to “Oi Rdio.” That joint word-mark is the result of a partnership with Brazil’s largest telco, Oi, which should give the service headway with the former’s 70+ million subscribers. But it’s just an awareness ploy, as non-Oi subscribers can still partake in all the fun. Unlimited monthly access to the 12 million tunes on offer starts at $R8.99 (about $5) for web, or $R14.90 (about $8.50) for those seeking offline-capable admittance on their mobiles. It’s all part of an international expansion, as the service plans to visit Australia and Germany in early 2012. Spotify’s passport is plumper, but hey — you gotta start somewhere.

Rdio gets rechristened ‘Oi Rdio’ while vacationing in Brazil, has plans to visit Germany and Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 01

Android Market v3.3.11 APK now available, adds auto-update by default and other new settings

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, Google, market, mobilepostmini, Today's Chili, update, upgrade

The latest revision of Google’s Android Market app is hitting handsets now, and while it doesn’t bring any new tabs for music, Android Police mentions a few changes you might find notable. Among them are the ability to select auto updating for apps as the default option, as well as a setting to auto update only when connected via to the internet via WiFi. One change stolen from Honeycomb is a setting to automatically add homescreen shortcuts for new apps, while the UI has also been tweaked with a smaller font, new app drawer icon, and voice search button. As usual, it will probably automatically appear on your device eventually, but those who can’t wait can hit the source link and download the ripped APK of v3.1.11 right now.

Android Market v3.3.11 APK now available, adds auto-update by default and other new settings originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nov 01

Tellme vs. Goog411 Compared

Posted in: Google, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on April 17, 2007 by CyberNet.

TellmeTellme which was recently acquired by Microsoft, has released a new 411–like service for people on the go.  You can get information via voice, SMS, or even Mobile Web.

It was just last week when Google announced their Goog411 Service which so far has gotten great reviews. It’s interesting to me that this market is being pursued so heavily. Two new services within a two week time frame almost seems unnecessary to me. On the bright side, it means no more paid 411 services which up until this point have been pricey.

We’ve already reviewed Goog 411, and so here’s a quick explanation of Tellme. Tellme is more than just a business search. They include 8 different categories from which you can get information. Categories like business search, ring tones, stock quotes, a news center, sports, entertainment, travel, and popular shortcuts.

Tell me vs. Goog411

While Tellme offers a lot more information in a variety of categories, it also makes it a longer process to get the information that you want.  The other problem that I ran into is that they set a time limit.  To my surprise, in the middle of my phone call they said that I had exceeded my time limit and the call was disconnected at 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Because they offer such an array of services, it’s not that difficult to reach the time limit.

If I were to use a service like this, I want the information as fast as possible.  I decided to perform a business search on both Goog411 and Tellme (1800–555–tell) to see which one gave me the information I needed the fastest.

The results? After searching for the Target Store in my area using Goog411, I had the phone number and address within 33 seconds. I did the same exact search with Tellme and it took 53 seconds to get the same information.

Sound quality is about the same with both services.  Goog411 is a male’s voice, and Tellme uses a female voice for the main options.  Both voices are clear and easy to understand, and most of the time it really doesn’t sound like the robotic computer voice talking.

Another nice feature with Goog411 is that they will actually connect you for free to the phone number you requested, something that Tellme doesn’t offer.

So, the bottom line: If you’re needing to do a business search, I’d stick with Goog411. If you need any other information like stock quotes or weather, Tellme will get you the information that you want, decently fast. It’s much more than directory assistance. Both services to the benefit of everyone, are free!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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