Oct 13

Panasonic, Tesla rekindle romance, strike supply agreement for Model S batteries

Posted in: car, deal, electric car, electric vehicle, ElectricCar, ElectricVehicle, ev, money, Panasonic, tesla, Today's Chili
Panasonic and Tesla renewed their corporate wedding vows yesterday, with a new supply agreement on lithium-ion batteries. Under the accord, Panasonic will provide Tesla with cells for some 80,000 cars over the next four years, effectively ensuring that the manufacturer will meet its ramped-up production targets for 2012 — including more than 6,000 orders for its Model S EV. As for the batteries themselves, they’ll be made using Panasonic’s nickel-type cathode technology, which, according to the company, will offer the highest energy density known. Of course, we’re still awaiting for the Model S to actually enter full production, but you can whet your electric appetite with Panasonic’s full press release, available after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic, Tesla rekindle romance, strike supply agreement for Model S batteries

Panasonic, Tesla rekindle romance, strike supply agreement for Model S batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Oct 06

Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., leader of TV ratings and market research firm, dies at 92

Posted in: business, money, Today's Chili, TV
Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., the man who turned the A.C. Nielsen Company into a global leader in market research and television ratings, has died at the age of 92. Nielsen’s father founded the company in 1923 and was known for spearheading much of the innovation behind it, but it was the younger Nielsen who led the firm to prominence, after joining in 1945 and taking over as president in 1957. In 1948, he convinced the firm to devote $150,000 to building the first general-purpose computer, the Univac. Building off of his father’s revolutionary TV audience measurement system, he later expanded A.C. Nielsen’s reach to new areas, including the development of a coupon clearinghouse and data-tracking services for magazines and even oil wells. Perhaps his most impressive achievement, however, was his ability to maintain A.C. Nielsen’s position as the nation’s pre-eminent TV and media ratings firm, even amidst the proliferation of cable networks.

Arthur “Art” Nielsen stepped down from his role as chairman of the company in 1983, a year before orchestrating its sale to the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation for $1.3 billion in stock. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he served on the board of more than 20 companies, including Motorola and Walgreen, and advised three US presidents. But his life’s work and lasting legacy could just as well be summarized by a simple proverb he learned from his father: “If you can put a number on it, then you know something.” Arthur C. Nielsen passed away on October 4th in Winnetka, Illinois. He is survived by three children and seven grandchildren.

Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., leader of TV ratings and market research firm, dies at 92 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gawker  |  sourceThe New York Times, The Los Angeles Times  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Oct 04

French court reverses DS flash cart ruling, Nintendo smiles

Posted in: diy, DS, game, homebrew, money, nintendo, Software, Today's Chili

Nearly two years ago, a French court dismissed a lawsuit that Nintendo filed against a group of vendors accused of illegally selling DS flash carts. At the time, the game-maker argued that sales of the cartridges should be halted on the grounds that they could be used to illegally pirate software, but the presiding judge thought differently, countering that the R4-like devices could be used to develop homebrews or other DIY projects. Last week, however, the Paris Court of Appeals overturned the ruling, in a decision that Nintendo has met with understandable delight. In a statement released today, the company confirmed that Divineo SARL and five other flash cart retailers must pay a total of €460,000 in criminal fines, along with €4.8 million in damages to Nintendo, as ordered by the appeals court. Details behind the ruling remain vague, though Nintendo hailed it as a “strong message to French companies… that such activities are illegal and will not be tolerated,” and that convicted vendors will “risk prison terms, face substantial fines and obligations to pay damages.” Sail past the break to read Nintendo’s statement, in full.

Continue reading French court reverses DS flash cart ruling, Nintendo smiles

French court reverses DS flash cart ruling, Nintendo smiles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Oct 04

PayPal to open NYC pop-up store next month, showcase new mobile payment services

Posted in: business, launch, minipost, money, new-york, retail, Today's Chili

The idea of a physical PayPal store may seem somewhat counterintuitive, but that’s exactly what the company is planning to open next month, in Manhattan. As TechCrunch recently revealed, the forthcoming pop-up store is slated to open its doors on November 1st, as part of a campaign designed to promote PayPal’s new slate of in-store technologies. Located at 174 Hudson Street in Tribeca, the outlet will also sport a large QR code on its exterior, which passers-by can scan with their smartphones to find more information on the company’s new mobile payment services. Inside, merchants will be able to better familiarize themselves with PayPal’s commercial offerings, which include location-based promotions, cross-device payment services and real-time inventory checks, among others. The store will be open for about three and a half months, and PayPal’s new features should be making their way to physical retailers in the near future. No word yet on specific partnerships, though the company is expected to announce them soon.

PayPal to open NYC pop-up store next month, showcase new mobile payment services originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTechCrunch  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Oct 04

Apple rejects Samsung’s settlement offer in Australia, seeks to ‘maintain the status quo’

Posted in: Apple, business, ipad, ipad 2, Ipad2, Law, lawsuit, money, patent, samsung, Today's Chili

“Thanks, but no thanks.” That’s essentially what Apple told Samsung today, in rejecting an offer to end their ongoing patent dispute in Australia. Samsung’s proposed settlement, presented on Friday, would’ve allowed the manufacturer to sell its Galaxy Tab 10.1 within Australia as early as this week, despite Apple’s contention that the tablet infringes upon a handful of its patents. The agreement would’ve also resulted in a speedy court decision, but today, Cupertino told an Australian court that the proposal was simply unacceptable. “It is one we don’t accept and there is no surprise,” Apple attorney Steven Burley told reporters. “The main reason we are here is to prevent the launch and maintain the status quo.” Samsung’s lawyers, meanwhile, acknowledged that the rejection now lessens the chances for any settlement at all, arguing that a truce “is not going to be achievable… given the positions advanced by each party,” and that the litigation may extend well into 2012. One of the Samsung’s attorneys, Neil Young, added that his client isn’t in a rush to conclude the dispute, speculating that it may take until March to prepare its defense. “If we can’t get a decision out by mid-October, there is no urgency,” Young explained. Neither Samsung nor Apple have offered official comment on today’s developments, but we’ll keep you abreast of the latest.

Apple rejects Samsung’s settlement offer in Australia, seeks to ‘maintain the status quo’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceReuters  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Sep 30

Pour one out for the Tevatron particle accelerator, because it’s shutting down today

Posted in: government, money, research, Today's Chili
The eyes of the physics community are collectively fixed upon Illinois today, where, later this afternoon, researchers at Fermilab will shut down the Tevatron particle accelerator… for good. That’s right — the world’s second-largest collider is being laid to rest, after a remarkable 25-year run that was recently halted due to budgetary constraints. Earlier this year, Fermilab’s scientists and a group of prominent physicists pleaded with the government to keep the Tevatron running until 2014, but the Energy Department ultimately determined that the lab’s $100 million price tag was too steep, effectively driving a nail through the accelerator’s subterranean, four-mile-long coffin. First activated in 1985, the Tevatron scored a series of subatomic breakthroughs over the course of its lifespan, including, most notably, the discovery of the so-called top quark in 1995. Its groundbreaking technology, meanwhile, helped pave the way for CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, which will now pursue the one jewel missing from the Tevatron’s resume — the Higgs boson. Many experts contend that the collider could’ve gone on to achieve much more, but its ride will nonetheless come to an inglorious end at 2PM today, when Fermilab director Pier Oddone oversees the Tevatron’s last rites. “That will be it,” physicist Gregorio Bernardi told the Washington Post. “Then we’ll have a big party.”

Pour one out for the Tevatron particle accelerator, because it’s shutting down today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Daily Tech  |  sourceSymmetry Magazine, The Washington Post  | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Sep 29

Google to build a trio of data centers in Asia, earmarks $200 million for expansion

Posted in: business, cloud, Google, money, search, Today's Chili, web

IT specialists in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong better start polishing their resumes, because Google is rolling into town. Yesterday, Big G announced plans to build a brand new data center in each of the three Asian locales, as part of an expansion slated to cost at least $200 million. When completed, these complexes will represent the company’s first fully owned and operated data centers in the burgeoning Asia-Pacific region — where, according to Asia policy communications manager Taj Meadows, Google is “seeing large numbers of new users coming online every day”. The facilities in Hong Kong and Taiwan are expected to cost around $100 million each, though the price tag for the Singapore branch remains a mystery. Big G hopes to finish construction in one to two years, though it didn’t say when it would begin — nor, for that matter, whether seawater tunnels would be involved.

Google to build a trio of data centers in Asia, earmarks $200 million for expansion originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Forbes  |  sourceThe Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Sep 28

Google drops cloud computing lawsuit against US Department of the Interior

Posted in: cloud, Google, government, lawsuit, Microsoft, minipost, money, politics, Today's Chili
Last year, Google filed a lawsuit against the US Department of the Interior, on allegations that the government unfairly awarded a $59 million cloud computing contract to Microsoft without conducting a sufficiently competitive auction. Big G won an injunction against the department in January, effectively putting the contract on hold, and it looked as if the company would prevail, with Judge Susan Braden recently declaring that there was a “justifiable basis” for dispute. Last week, however, Google decided to drop the suit altogether, after filing a motion in the US Court of Federal Claims. “Based on the defendant’s agreement to update its market research and then conduct a procurement in a manner that will not preclude plaintiffs from fairly competing, plaintiffs respectfully move for dismissal of this action without prejudice,” the company’s attorney wrote in the motion, filed on Thursday. Federal lawyers, however, responded by claiming that the two sides have not reached an agreement, while confirming that it had no problem with Google’s decision to cease litigation. It remains to be seen whether the two sides have truly reached an agreement, or whether the litigation may wear on, but we’ll keep you abreast of any future developments.

Google drops cloud computing lawsuit against US Department of the Interior originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceInformation Week  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Sep 27

Sprint’s unlimited data plans aren’t going anywhere, CTO confirms

Posted in: business, mobilepostcross, money, smartphone, Sprint, Today's Chili

Sprint may have plenty of changes in store for its upcoming “strategy update,” but it looks like one crucial policy will remain in place — unlimited data plans. Speaking to reporters at Mobilize in San Francisco yesterday, company CTO Stephen Bye confirmed that even though competitors like Verizon and AT&T are phasing out their unlimited plans, Sprint remains committed to providing its customers with infinite data. Doing so won’t come without costs, since, as Bye explained, not all unlimited subscribers eat up the same amount of data. But the exec pointed out that these efforts are counterbalanced by the relative simplicity of managing unlimited schemes, and don’t seem quite as prohibitive when compared with the hidden customer support costs involved with more complex, tiered plans. Yet despite all this optimism, Sprint seems fully aware that some major expenses are on the horizon, especially with a revamped 4G LTE network in the pipeline and, perhaps, with the iPhone 5 on the way. “Is there pressure? Yeah,” Bye acknowledged. “There’s a challenge for all engineers to work on how we get the cost structure down.” Bye went on to reiterate, however, that although a new data network may attract new investors, it’s ultimately Sprint’s unique data plans that will keep its customer base intact.

Sprint’s unlimited data plans aren’t going anywhere, CTO confirms originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceCNET  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Sep 26

NYT: Netflix strikes deal with Dreamworks, will begin streaming movies, TV specials in 2013

Posted in: business, deal, film, hdpostcross, industry, money, Movies, netflix, streaming, Today's Chili, TV

It looks like those rumors of a streaming deal between Netflix and Dreamworks Animation were as good as advertised. Details are still fuzzy at this point, but the New York Times is reporting that the two parties have reached an agreement to stream Dreamworks’ movies and TV projects, as part of a deal worth an estimated $30 million. Under the contract, which replaces a similar pay TV pact between Dreamworks and HBO, Netflix will begin offering exclusive access to the studio’s new films in 2013, with Antz, Kung Fu Panda and other titles from its library slated to become available for streaming sometime thereafter. The company won’t be confined to selling digital copies of Dreamworks’ movies within a specific period, either, drawing a major distinction between itself and HBO, which requires studio partners to halt digital sales outside of an exclusive window. HBO probably isn’t too thrilled to see Netflix strike what Dreamworks chief exec Jeffrey Katzenberg called a “game-changing deal,” but it also has a new partnership of its own with Summit Studios, which it brought on board after letting Dreamworks out of its contract a full two years early. We’re still waiting for official confirmation of Netflix’s latest deal, but we’ll let you know as soon as we get it.

Update: Now with the official press release, included after the break.

Continue reading NYT: Netflix strikes deal with Dreamworks, will begin streaming movies, TV specials in 2013

NYT: Netflix strikes deal with Dreamworks, will begin streaming movies, TV specials in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceThe New York Times  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,