First 'Skype booth' opens at Estonian airport as company reaches 30 million simultaneous users

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Phone booths are old hat, we know that much for sure. But Skype booths? Tallinn Airport in Estonia's capital has become the first site to host a dedicated Skype station, which allows you to video chat with your friends or call them on their phones using Skype credit, exactly as you might do on your computer at home. There's a 22-inch touchscreen up front and a headset nearby, only thing you'll need are some actual friends you want to communicate with. The idea's being put into action by three Estonian companies, all of whom are quite happy to remind us Skype originated in their fine Northern European nation, and the plan is to roll the futuristic-looking booths out to other airports, hotels, shopping malls, hospitals, and the like. In the meantime, Skype usage keeps growing and the company recently recorded 30 million simultaneous users online, breaking its previous record by a trivial three million extra souls.

Visualized: awesome, non-functioning 'robot' made from worthless computer parts

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It might not actually do anything, and it's certainly in no danger of crawling into (or out of, however that metaphor works) uncanny valley, but Mike Schropp's latest creation sure put a smile on our face. All this thing needs is a pair of Pentium Nikes and it'll be truly styling! Get a closer look after the break, and then hit the source link for plenty of glamor shots at the Total Geekdom blog.

Nintendo says 3DS sets day-one handheld sales record, doesn't quantify it

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How many Nintendo 3DS handhelds got sold stateside after Triforce Johnson got one? Enough for Nintendo to boast: "U.S. day-one sales numbers for Nintendo 3DS were the highest of any Nintendo hand-held system in our history," the company claimed today, adding that the volume of tech support calls it received was also "well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches," and that there are no widespread issues with the handheld. That may sound a bit premature, considering Nintendo won't provide actual sales figures until April 14th, but we're willing to consider the possibility that the Virtual Boy's legacy is done: perhaps this time, the only major headaches Nintendo's handheld will create are for the likes of Sony and Microsoft.

Coulomb's ChargePoint app now provides EV charging station status

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There's unfortunately still no Android version, but Coulomb has now rolled out a fairly significant update to its ChargePoint app for iOS and BlackBerry. In addition to helping you locate EV charging stations in the United States, Europe and Australia, the app will now also provide realtime charging status information, including things like the total cost to charge and the current charging station configuration. Other improvements include a new landscape mode, the ability to view your home ChargePoint station, and the ability to just search for nearby ChargePoint stations (within a thousand foot radius). Full press release is after the break.

Videotron parent company tries to push iPhones off its TV network in Quebec

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What happens when a giant media company owns both a wireless carrier and a television network? Shenanigans -- or at least that's what now seems to be going on in la belle province of Quebec, where the parent company of cable and wireless provider Videotron and television network TVA has seemingly decided to throw its weight around a bit. Apparently, some folks from Quebecor Inc. recently realized that a number of television shows produced for TVA featured iPhones somewhat prominently, which just so happens to be a phone that isn't offered by its Videotron subsidiary. Their solution? Ask the shows' producers to feature phones that are available on Videotron instead, like the Nexus One -- provided free of charge, of course. There doesn't seem to be an outright iPhone ban, however, and at least one show has apparently been given specific permission to let its characters continue using their iPhones -- although another show's producer says he "wouldn't be surprised" if such a ban was eventually put in place.

Pioneer's SE-NC31C-K noise-cancelling earbuds are cheap, but are they effective?

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Active noise cancellation's the secret sauce that keeps us counting sheep even when surrounded by the cacophony of crying babies and the dull roar of jet engines -- though we often find the bulky form factor of those serenity-inducing cans unwieldy. Luckily for us, Pioneer has released its SE-NC31C-K noise-cancellation earbuds that promise to remove 90 percent of ambient noise at the flip of a switch on its AAA battery-powered in-line module -- all for around a hundred bucks, which is a far more palatable price than its sound-suppressing brethren from Sennheiser ($320) and Sony ($415). Should you run out of juice, fear not, for you can bypass the noise cancellation features to listen to your tunage as you would with a garden variety set of buds. Given its (relatively) bargain-basement price, we aren't sure how well Pioneer's latest nullifies ambient noise, but there's only one way to find out if they can give the best headset ever made a run for its money. Should you not share our skepticism, hit the source link and grab a pair for yourself.

HTC HD7 finally gets NoDo, WP7 users revel in the splendor of copy / paste

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/3-29-11-htc-hd7-sm.jpg[/img]Last week, Microsoft released a NoDo update schedule for all of its WP7 devices, and it looks like T-Mobile's sticking to the plan. That's right folks, T-Mobile's HTC HD7 owners are officially the first to get a crack at the OTA NoDo download through the Zune software. T-Mo announced on its Twitter feed and website forum that the update has commenced, and our tipsters confirm that some have indeed already received the new software. The announcement states that users will only start getting the update today, and will get a pop-up notification telling them when its available. So if you haven't yet been hit with your dose of NoDo, rest assured that help is on the way.

Update: Quick clarification, T-Mobile customers will be getting OTA notifications, but must download the update using Microsoft's Zune software.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Google hires Java founder James Gosling amid Oracle infringement suit - ah, snap!

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/jamesgoslinggoogle-1301422977.jpg[/img]And the war wages on... We've been reporting on the showdown between Oracle and Google over Java-related patent infringement since its inception, and now El Goog's throwing a little extra excitement into the fray by hiring Java founder, and former VP of Sun Microsystems, James Gosling. When Oracle acquired Sun last year, Gosling, who refused to take part, wasn't shy about expressing his views, calling Oracle's Larry Ellison "Larry, Prince of Darkness." On a post to his blog, which has since crashed, Gosling was vague about his new duties saying simply, "I don't know what I'll be working on. I expect it'll be a bit of everything, seasoned with a large dose of grumpy curmudgeon." That's just the kind of smack talking this scuffle needed to keep things interesting. Long live James Gosling!

Windows Phone 7 getting NFC payments in next update?

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/3-29-11-nfc220.jpg[/img]Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 is still catching up to the competition in terms of apps and basic features, but when it comes to mobile payments it might not be left in the dust -- Bloomberg has two anonymous sources who say that Microsoft will outfit the next version of Windows Phone 7 with software support for near-field communications, and bake NFC tech into WP7 smartphones as early as this year. As we heard earlier this week, Google's reportedly working on a similar plan, complete with partnerships in the credit card space, RIM may or may not be arguing with carriers over its Bank of America trial, and the general consensus around the water cooler is that Apple won't be pursuing contactless payments this year. Yes, it's an exciting time to work in industries that rely solely on money changing hands.

IE9 is the most energy-efficient modern browser, according to Microsoft's own testing

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Of all the battlefields we've witnessed in the browser wars, this one's never really crossed our minds before: energy efficiency. Yes, the power efficiency of a piece of software, not hardware, is being touted by Microsoft as a differentiating feature for its fresh new Internet Explorer 9. It's thrown together the top five most popular browsers and put them through a cycle of benchmarks -- including Microsoft's own FishIE Tank graphics acceleration test, but not the somewhat popular Adobe Flash -- while measuring how much power they use beyond what the underlying Windows 7 system needs to keep itself going. Shockingly, IE9 was the winner each and every time and there's a tenuous conclusion drawn that if you want good battery life, you'll be going with Internet Explorer. Oh well, whether you consider them a good laugh or really valuable buyer's advice, there's plenty more of these power consumption comparisons at the source link below.

Visualized: Mercury

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It may look like a spotty, monochromatic water melon, but we're taking NASA's word on this one -- the image above is the very first taken from an orbiting spacecraft of our solar system's innermost planet. Mercury has been snapped by NASA's MESSENGER probe, which is currently preparing itself to start on its elliptical trajectory around the planet and commence collecting data about it in earnest. Hit the links below to learn more about this bold exploration project.

Super Pong Table serves up four-way retro play, whole lot of awesome (video)

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Sure it's just sliding sticks and bouncing balls, but anyone who grew up playing Atari can tell you that Pong rules. Unfortunately, its earliest incarnation only supported enough 2D fun for two, which is why our eyes just about popped out of our heads when we saw this. The folks over at Instructables are showing off another awesome retro gaming project that makes everyone's favorite game a party pleaser -- it's also a pretty good fix for an old coffee table. The Super Pong Table allows for up to four players and fives balls per game, and enlists 900 LEDs and four Atari paddle controllers to make the thing work. Each player controls his or her own stick and gains or loses a point depending on whether they hit or miss a ball -- the first player to reach 20 points gets their very own "YOU WIN" light up display. Looks like we just found something to do with our weekend. You can check out a video of the table in action after the break or follow the source link for instructions on making your own.

Android Market gets in-app billing, your virtual nickels are now spoken for

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Google said they were coming this week, and here they are -- Android apps can now have their own miniature storefronts for in-app purchases galore. You'll find Tap Tap Revenge, Comics, Gun Bros, Deer Hunter Challenge HD, WSOP3 and Dungeon Defenders: FW Deluxe accept your credit card for microtransactions starting this very instant, and Android developers can start building similar functionality into their own creations right now. Head on over to our source link for instructions on how to shake those extra coins out. Don't want to commit to a full transaction yourself? Hit the break for a quick video refresher of how in-app purchases work. 

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Keyglove ditches QWERTY for one-handed computer control (video)

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We've seen some pretty ambitious hand warmers in our day, but this one takes the cake. Keyglove is an Open Source Hardware (OSHW) project that's intended to eliminate those clunky keyboards and unmanageable mice from the computing process altogether, instead engaging a series of conductive sensors that, when touched together, mimic a keystroke. The mitt's creator says the traditional mobile keyboard is "either too big to be portable, or too small to be easy to use," adding that his solution would eventually become second nature just like touch typing. Keyglove is an Arduino and AVR-powered device that also incorporates an accelerometer to control mouse movements. It's apparently fully customizable and allows for a total of 60 unique touch combinations -- impressive, sure, but it took us long enough to figure out the home keys on the real thing. If you dream of a world full of one-handed typists, check out the video after the break, or follow the source link to find out how you can donate to the project.

Crackle starts streaming all of its free movies to Roku, PS3, Sony TVs and Blu-ray players

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Sony's Crackle has had a more successful life so far than its previous iteration as Grouper, streaming movies, TV shows and shorts to various devices since launching back in '07 and announced today its full library will be streaming to the PS3, Roku boxes, Sony Blu-ray players and Bravia TVs. Expanding full access from just the Google TV (there's also an Android app that currently streams some of the items) it's taking credit as the only provider offering free full length flicks including Ghostbusters, Bad Boys, A Few Good Men and more for free on these platforms. The drawbacks are video that tops out at 480p standard definition and Hulu-style commercial interruptions but if you absolutely must watch Weekend at Bernies II without spending any money it is an option -- at least, as long as the PS3 browser doesn't crash with an out of memory error like it did for us. It did work better on more capable platforms, so check out the full details in the press release after the break.

America's 'panic button' to wipe phones of democracy activists, perturb repressive governments

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/panic-key.jpg[/img]So, here's the scene. You're out at [insert city center here], completely neglecting any and all work duties, throwing Molotov cocktails at the building of the State you've grown to hate. It's a protest in every sense of the word, and you're rallying the troops via Twitter and Facebook. It's actually not an uncommon painting these days, and while America's not into promoting violence, it is into keeping the personal information of democracy activists secure. According to a fresh Reuters report, the US State Department is currently developing a software-based "panic button" that would wipe a phone's address book and beam out emergency alerts to fellow protesters if they were apprehended. The goal here is to protect the privacy of those captured while promoting their best interests, and to let others know that trouble is brewing. There's no clear indication of the status here, but something tells us that it'd be useful yesterday for a certain region of the globe.

Crapgadget: 'blurring the line between comical and offensive' edition

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Just because the flow of Crapgadgets has apparently slowed from an outpouring to a mere flood doesn't mean we haven't been dutifully collecting the worst of the bad over the past few months. Without further ado, we present to you the latest edition, complete with a handful of this quarter's most atrocious / splendiferous gadgets. Frankly, it's a chore just deciding where to start -- should we extol the portable speaker kit with an utterly unnecessary Core i5 label on the outside, or give priority to Thanko's heated mousepad / hand-engulfing cat face? On second thought, maybe it's the real wood stick-on that enables every smartphone owner to literally knock on wood whenever the mood strikes. Unfortunately for us, there's also an iPhone 4 steering wheel to consider, not to mention a stick figure speaker with a questionable audio jack and a retrofied telephone with an integrated reading light. Have a peek at each below, and let us know in the poll below which is most abhorrent. And remember, honesty really is the best policy.

Read - Portable speaker kit, Core i5-powered!

Read - Audiobot, who could use a zippered fly

Read - Thanko's cat face / mousepad / warmer

Read - Knock On Wood iPhone stick-on

Read - iPhone 4 steering wheel (with speakers!)

Read - USB retro telephone (with alarm clock!)

Nintendo teases next gaming console, says it probably won't be 3D

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Nintendo's been denying rumors of a new home console for nearly as long as we can remember, but every so often those crafty execs slip -- accidentally or intentionally letting us know that exciting things are in the works. Well, last we heard from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, a stereoscopic 3D console was on the table, but Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime just swept that notion under the rug. "We've not said publicly what the next thing for us will be in the home console space, but based on what we've learned on 3-D, likely, that won't be it," he told CNN, prompting a legion of 3DTV owners to imagine that their favorite Nintendo characters cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Why would Nintendo dismiss 3D for home gaming on the very same day that its 3D handheld set a sales record? Simply put, the company doesn't think the glasses-free 3DTV market is ready for such applications. Ah well -- guess we'll just have to settle for a Wii HD, then.

Amazon Cloud Player upsets Sony Music over streaming license, Amazon shrugs

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In case you missed the news, last night Amazon gave us a little surprise by launching its free Cloud Player service, which lets you stream your music collection from the cloud to your computer or Android device. While this has no doubt put a smile on many faces (American ones only, for now), Sony Music isn't too happy about Amazon jumping the gun over licensing for streaming rights. The record label told Reuters that it's hoping Amazon "will reach a new license deal, but we're keeping all of our legal options open." Yikes. In retaliation, Amazon responded with the following statement to Ars Tehcnica:

"Cloud Player is an application that lets customers manage and play their own music. It's like any number of existing media management applications. We do not need a license to make Cloud Player available. The functionality of saving MP3s to Cloud Drive is the same as if a customer were to save their music to an external hard drive or even iTunes."

Of course, the bigger story here is that Amazon's free Cloud Player is going head-to-head with Sony's  Music Unlimited streaming subscription service, which was pushed out last month after plenty of money talk with various record labels. Understandably, Sony isn't willing to let Amazon cut through the red tape here without a fight, and this may also affect similar music locker services like mSpot and MP3Tunes, albeit at a much smaller scale. In fact, Sony's already expressed its discomfort with those particular companies' mode of operation, so you can probably expect to see this tension boiling over to some form of legal action before long. Now that a big shot like Amazon's involved, it's almost inevitable.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

iPad 2 sliced up again, this time in the name of radio science

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By now you've probably watched iFixit's recent iPad 2 teardown video several times while drooling profusely, but we just know you're itching to find out what's different with the innards of the WiFi-only, GSM, and CDMA versions. Well once again, iFixit's got you covered -- via an "exceptionally cool" user-contributed post, this time. A grand total of three iPad 2s were sacrificed in this round, revealing variations in case design, antenna count, WWAN board layout, radio chipset choices, and headphone jack assemblies. Besides clearly visible changes like the black antenna window on the 3G models and the microSIM slot on the GSM version, it's interesting to note that Apple made the same design choices with the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4. The CDMA model features an additional antenna over its GSM sibling, and uses a Qualcomm Gobi dual-mode radio which supports both CDMA and GSM -- the latter being unused -- along with an integrated GPS receiver, just like the iPhone 4 for Verizon. The GSM version, meanwhile, uses an Infineon chipset for GSM and a separate Broadcom module for GPS, just like the global iPhone 4. Follow the source link below for more sordid details plus high-resolution pictures.

Google Docs now on Jolicloud Desktop, Joli OS

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It already has one of the cutest names in cloud computing, and now it has Google Docs, too. Following up on its integration of Dropbox, Jolicloud just added support for the online office suite, which means you can access and edit all of your important missives and memos via the Jolicloud Desktop or Joli OS. Setting it up is as simple as clicking a button to link the two accounts -- after that, you can browse, edit, and do whatever you do in Google Docs, and because it's all stored in the cloud, you can pick up on one device where you left off on another. Sound familiar? For complete instructions, follow the source link below.

Lenovo T420s and W520 notebooks hit the streets, one with Quadro Optimus graphics

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You knew they were coming, but today it's time to choose -- will you withstand the temptation of a tricked-out ThinkPad W520 workstation or T420s thin-and-light with Sandy Bridge CPUs? Yes, Lenovo's rolling out the red eraserheads this month for Intel's new chips as fast as it possibly can, with these latest two models hot on the heels of the ThinkPad T420 and T520 and ThinkPad Edge E420s. The $1,199 14-inch T420s distinguishes itself with slightly slimmer construction, a 1600 x 900 resolution and a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M CPU in a package that weighs less than four pounds -- strangely, there's no Core i7 or discrete graphics here -- while the $1,449 W520 workstation comes standard with a 2.7GHz Core i7-2620M chip and an NVIDIA Quadro 1000M GPU with Optimus graphics-switching tech. Of course, the W520 base configuration comes with only a 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 screen, but don't you fret -- an additional cash infusion can get you a 1600 x 900 or even a full 1080p display to render your video with. Go ahead, spec them out to your heart's content, while we wait for an even more groundbreaking rig to drop from the ThinkPad heavens.

Sony's NC-13 buds cancel noise, RF865 cans transmit across a football field

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Given the one-size-fits-few nature of most audio products, it's good to have choices, and Sony happens to have two new pairs of headphones designed for very particular segments of your life. If, say, you're a traveling music lover who doesn't happen to have the disposable income to obtain Sony's premium $300 MDR-NC300D noise canceling buds (which the company claims filter out 99 percent of noise), you'll find a cheaper alternative in the new $70 MDR-NC13, which only make a estimated 87.4 percent of background distractions go bye-bye. C'est la vie. If, on the other hand, you need to throw sound from one end of your mansion to the other for hours on end, the MDR-RF865RK wireless headphones might be the wide receiver you've been dreaming of -- Sony claims they'll play audio up to 100 meters away from their dock, which provides up to 25 hours of playtime after a 3.5 hour charge. No price or availability for the wireless cans, which were just announced in the UK, but you'll find the NC-13 on sale at Sony's online store right now. PR after the break.

Tesla sues Top Gear for libel, New Stig unavailable for comment (update: BBC responds)

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Fans of a particular show featuring three middle-aged men with an unhealthy penchant for cars, plus a fourth individual whose interests are rather more elusive, probably remember a 2008 episode in which the Top Gear crew lambasted the Tesla Roadster. (If not, a particularly low-quality recording is embedded below.) On that show, Jeremy Clarkson could be seen flogging one around the track, complaining about a range of only 55 miles before showing that car being pushed into the garage, supposedly out of charge. Not true, says Tesla, who has filed a lawsuit against the BBC for libel and malicious falsehood. Tesla claims that, among other things, two cars were provided and at all times at least one of them was ready and willing. Beyond that, Tesla knows that neither car ever dropped below 25 percent charge, meaning the whole pushing into the garage thing was, well, staged. It's hard to look at this as much more than a PR move, Tesla waiting over two years to file, but that doesn't mean the complaint isn't legit. Now it's time for the Beeb to roll out its crew of tame racing lawyers. Some say their suits are made of wool, and that their briefcases contain actual briefs. All we know is they're very well compensated.

Update: Well, the hornets' nest has been kicked, and it didn't take long for the swarm to arise. The BBC has dropped a bombshell, saying that it "stands by the programme and will be vigorously defending this claim."

Google Street View invades historic landmarks, makes it unnecessary for you to ever leave the house

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The vagabonds of Google's Street View team have struck again, this time conquering classical French and Italian landmarks for their mothership's immense pictorial collection. As of today, you're able to drop your little yellow avatar in Google Maps right atop such famous locales as the Colosseum of Rome or Florence's Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, whereupon you'll be transported right to it (or, in the case of the Colosseum, inside it) in the same way as if they were any old street addresses. This follows, of course, Google's introduction of an intriguing indoor version of Street View for some of the world's most prestigious museums recently and continues the company's trend of bringing the arts, in this case classical architecture, to a wider audience. We just wonder what reason said audience will have to ever step outside with all this splendor at its fingertips indoors.

Microsoft keeps gunning after Apple's 'generic' App Store trademark, brings in a linguistics expert

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We'd say this was getting silly but that would imply that it wasn't already. Microsoft and Apple are still at each other's throat over the latter's trademark application for the term "App Store," with Microsoft now bringing in a Dr. Ronald Butters, Professor Emeritus at Duke University and a man with a taste for hardcore semantics. He says the compound noun "app store" is perfectly generic in that it "does not merely describe the thing named, it is the thing named." In a wildly geeky turn, he references the potential for someone discovering a use for masers and trying to trademark the term "maser store" in response, which would seem immediately and logically absurd. An app store, says the good doctor, is no more capable of being trademarked than a grocery store or a stationery store or a computer store.

Of course, as with most trademark disputes, what's truly at stake here isn't linguistics, but a big fat wad of consumer goodwill. Having previously been quite uncomfortable with the idea of buying additional software for his mobile phone, Joe Consumer has nowadays grown quite accustomed to dropping little chunks of change on smartphone apps, and the terminology that sets his mind at ease most readily is indeed "app store." Preventing others from using that well established moniker would clearly be a significant competitive advantage for Apple and it's pretty hard to argue with its contention that it's responsible for generating the goodwill that sits behind it. Then again, we reckon Android's Market, webOS' admittedly small App Catalog, and other moves by the likes of RIM, Nokia and Microsoft itself with WP7, haven't done the app store cause any harm either, so in purely ethical terms it still seems a little rich for Apple to be claiming the app store crown all to itself. As to the legal battle itself, it's descending into quite amusing minutiae, but its outcome will be of great interest to most of the aforementioned mobile ecosystem purveyors.

Roku XD player comes directly to Best Buy shelves with no Netgear intervention

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After receiving a boost from Netgear it appears Roku's plans for 2011 include hitting retail under its own name, as it's officially announced the Roku XD (no NTV250 branding) is available at Best Buy, as well as Fry's and Radio Shack. Previously Roku only sold its own player through online but after breaking through 1 million units it's apparently ready for bigger things. We've been informed the Netgear-branded boxes will sell out their inventory and be replaced by these going forward, so those interested in grabbing one for the archives may want to do so quickly. 2011 should see a big charge into retail from Roku as it seeks to stay one step ahead of the media streaming competition and this is just the first step; for now one can only wonder exactly what the next move will be.

Star Wars Blu-ray release date set for September 16, 2011

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Now you can reserve that Storm Trooper uniform. While the Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Star Wars: Original Trilogy and Star Wars: Prequel Trilogy Blu-ray sets were originally announced with a release date of September and later popped up in retailer databases for September 27th, it has settled in for a September 16th arrival. Blu-ray.com points out that's a Friday which should open things up for plenty of retailer events around the launch and leave fans with the entire weekend to tear through the movies and all the extras coming along with them, no time off of work needed. Star Wars.com has also been updated with the new date so we're confident this one will stick, update your calendars and preorder plans accordingly.

Softbank to offer free phones to earthquake orphans, free replacement for lost iPhones

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Following the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, surviving victims from the affected region are going to face a tough time over the coming months, if not years. Many of those who are more fortunate have been actively contributing in one way or another, regardless of distance, to help put Japan on its road to recovery. Back in the country, one such generous person is non other than Softbank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, who's recently visited Tamura, one of the cities most affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. During that trip, Son announced that Softbank will cover a year's worth of living costs (commute and food) and provide job positions for the 1,200 people to be relocated to Takeo in Saga, the prefecture where Son originated. 

Additionally, Son is using Softbank's "Let's Do It" campaign site -- a tracker for his "Let's Do It" tasks posted on Twitter, each accompanied by a completion status indicator -- to crowdsource requests for supporting earthquake victims. So far, these requests are mainly about ways to increase efficiency for donation efforts (like publishing a live list of item shortages for each shelter, and setting up new mobile networks at the shelters), but there were two that caught our attention. Last week, one of Son's followers suggested that Softbank should provide orphaned children free phone credit for a limited time, so that they could contact their friends and other family members. Son then retweeted this idea and announced that all earthquake orphans will receive free phones, along with call costs waived until they reach the age of 18. Another gadget-related initiative came in earlier today with Son promising free replacement for all lost or damaged iPhones due to the earthquake, with details to follow later.

Obviously, anyone providing aid to Japan in any way, shape, or form deserves just as much credit, but Softbank's extra mileage and cunning use of social networking is certainly praiseworthy in its own right. Here's hoping that Son's actions will inspire others for even greater causes.

[Thanks, Tres]

Update: It's worth pointing out that Son said he's also happy to help pay phone bills for earthquake orphans who are already on other networks, including DoCoMo. Good on ya, sir!

Microsoft job posting teases Windows Phone Mobile Studio, requires thinking cap to grok

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/wp7-music.jpg[/img]

A conclusion for Captain Obvious to draw, this is not. As with most mega-corp job postings, the wording in Microsoft's latest is just obfuscated enough to keep us guessing, but a few key phrases have us (as well as ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley) on edge waiting for the next big thing in cloud storage. Judging by the rousing reception seen by Amazon's Cloud Drive, we're guessing that the folks in Redmond haven't forgotten completely about Kin's one positive feature: Kin Studio. Based on a new job request, there's a Windows Phone Mobile Studio brewing, and the leading thought is that this is really Kin Studio... but for WP7 devices. Granted, this may be nothing at all like it sounds -- we could be looking at a future home for apps, or simply another aspect of Zune that'll make music management a wee bit easier. That said, we'd love to see Microsoft bust out a world-class streaming / storage service for its mobile platform, and you can bet we'll be prying for details at MIX next month.

iPad 2 gets wireless 1080p mirroring, fattens up in the process (video)

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/ipad-wireless-mirroring-toppic.jpg[/img]

 

One might say that AirPlay is pretty nifty for shooting content from your iOS device to your TV, but it only works with a handful of apps, and worse still, maxes out at a paltry 720p. Apple offers an HDMI cable for the iPad that allows full 1080p mirroring, but let's face it: being wired is so 2009. One adventurous MacRumors Forums member was able to MacGyver a completely wire-free, completely HD solution using a wireless HDMI transmitter, USB battery pack, and a home-made enclosure that "only adds about two pounds of weight" to the otherwise portable device. Seems easy enough to put together on your own, but here's to hoping there's a Jailbreak solution soon enough that makes the same magic happen without the extra heft (and coin) in the first place.

Dell's Andy Lark bashes the iPad, points out far-fetched figures instead of actual flaws

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/dell-andy-lark.jpg[/img]In business, there's a right way to take on a rival, and apparently, the Dell way. If you're up for taking a lesson in the latter, look no further than the CIO article down in our source link. There, Dell's global head of marketing for large enterprises and public organizations, Andy Lark, attempted to prove why the iPad didn't stand a chance in the enterprise market -- a market where two-thirds of the Fortune 100 are already adopting or piloting the device. The interview meanders on in a few different directions, but the highlight of the whole thing is right here: 

"An iPad with a keyboard, a mouse and a case [means] you'll be at $1500 or $1600; that's double of what you're paying," he claimed. "That's not feasible.... Apple is great if you've got a lot of money and live on an island. It's not so great if you have to exist in a diverse, open, connected enterprise; simple things become quite complex."

Even in Australia, the most expensive iPad 2 (a 64GB model with 3G) runs A$949, and unless Lark plans on bundling an Optimus Maximus and Hela Glider Mouse into the package, we're struggling to see where his estimates came from. In fact, the one thing that major tablet makers have struggled to match the iPad on is price, making the comparison even more galling. 'Tis a shame -- all he would've had to do in order to be taken seriously was point out the lackluster screen resolution, omission of a USB port, the missing SD card slot and disgusting reliance on iTunes. Lesson learned, we guess.

RIM strikes licensing deal with Intellectual Ventures for 30,000 IP assets

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/rim-iv-patents-03-30-2011.jpg[/img]We still haven't heard much out of Intellectual Ventures' latest patent offensive against no less than nine tech companies, but the company founded by former Microsoft CTO Nathan Mhyrvold is now making some news on another front. It just announced today that RIM has followed HTC and Samsung and entered a licensing agreement that gives it full access to Intellectual Ventures' patent portfolio of more than 30,000 IP assets. Details are expectedly light beyond that, but it certainly seems like Intellectual Ventures is doing alright for itself these days -- it was recently reported that it hauled in $700 million in licensing revenue in 2010 alone, and that its total revenue to date is around $2 billion. Full press release is after the break.

In Idea Man, Paul Allen tells his side of co-founding Microsoft without pulling any punches

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These days Paul Allen is largely known for his ridiculously oversized yacht, his lawsuits, and his quest for commercial space flight, but of course it was co-founding Microsoft with Bill Gates that gave him the billions necessary to do all that fun stuff in the first place. Now he's looking back, writing a book called The Idea Man that, according to him, sets the record straight about the past -- starting with the title. Between the covers he alternately praises Bill Gates, saying he's "everything you'd want from a friend, caring and concerned," and lambasts him for his "mercenary opportunism" and for trying to dilute his share in the company, saying Gates was "out to grab as much of the pie as possible and hold on to it." Seems like Mr. Allen may have just burned a few bridges, but when you're worth about $13 billion that's the sort of thing you can get away with.

Big cable-backed broadband bill soars through NC House, one step closer to stifling ISP competition

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/internet-error.jpg[/img]

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Time Warner Cable is made up of some insanely shady folks. And frankly, it's not just TWC to blame here -- CenturyLink, Embarq and a smattering of other big telecom companies are banding together in order to push the ironically-named H129 "Level Playing Field" bill straight into law. Unfortunately, said bill sailed through the clearly oblivious (or "persuaded") North Carolina House this week, with just 37 sane individuals voting against 81 delusional proponents. For those outside of the loop, the bill effectively suggests that commercial entities -- municipal ISPs like Wilson's own Greenlight that provide greater levels of service with lower costs -- are unfairly competing against for-profit monoliths. In short, that's an absolute joke. Rep. Bill Faison nailed it with this quote: 

"This bill will make it practically impossible for cities to provide a fundamental service. Where's the bill to govern Time Warner? Let's be clear about whose bill this is. This is Time Warner's bill. You need to know who you're doing this for."

Yours truly just so happens to reside in the wonderful state of North Carolina, and knows first-hand what it's like to live in a major metropolitan area with a single high-speed broadband carrier. TWC has only recently announced impending DOCSIS 3.0 coverage, but early installations in the heart of Raleigh have been fraught with latency issues and router difficulties. Oh, and it's charging $99 per month for a service with 5Mbps up; for comparison's sake, Greenlight gives customers 10Mbps internet (in both directions), home phone and expanded basic cable for the exact same fare. So, NC lawmakers -- how exactly do your constituents gain access to that "level playing field?"

[Image courtesy of IndyWeek]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc review

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/11x03301500.jpg[/img]

Like all good things Sony Ericsson, the Xperia Arc didn't wait for an official announcement to make itself known. First appearing on a set of teasing posters at CES in January, it confounded us with a ridiculously thin (8.7mm / 0.3in) profile and an unorthodox concave rear, whose sighting was followed up with the revelation of a potent mix of internal components as well. The same 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor and Adreno 205 graphics that you'll find on brandmate Xperia Play are present within the Arc, and are backed by 512MB of RAM (320MB available to apps), 8GB of MicroSD storage, an 8 megapixel Exmor R image sensor, an HDMI output, and a 1500mAh battery. That tightly packed interior is then topped off with a 4.2-inch Reality Display capable of accommodating 854 x 480 pixels. Throw the latest mobile build of Android, Gingerbread, into the mix and you've got yourself a compelling list of reasons for riding aboard this Arc. Nonetheless, spec sheets tell only half the story and we're here for the full disclosure -- what's the Arc like to use on a daily basis, how are its talents harnessed by Sony Ericsson's tweaked UI, and, most importantly, do people think better of us for carrying such a stylish phone? Keep reading to find out.

Google's gigabit fiber network to be built in Kansas City, Kansas; people of Topeka reportedly crestfallen

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We were just wondering what Google was doing with that super-fast gigabit network it promised to set up in one lucky city and here's finally a fresh development. The winner has been chosen and it's Kansas City, Kansas. Having the winning community in its own state will be quite the bitter pill for the people of Topeka to swallow, as they actually renamed their town to Google, Kansas, just to try and appease the Mountain View overlords. Hey, we're sure Google knows best! An agreement has now been signed to roll out the fiber goodness in Kansas City, which should result in gigabit service becoming available to locals in 2012. A press event is scheduled for 1PM ET, which will be livestreamed at the YouTube link below, and you can check out the announcement video after the break while you wait.

Update: That livestream is rolling, folks! Google's reps just said "this is the beginning and not the end." Kansas City, Kansas, will be just the first market where this 1Gbps goodness will be installed. Guess there's hope for the rest of us yet.

Zapd iOS app creates your next website in seconds flat, seriously (video)

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/zapd-website.jpg[/img]

Sure, the end result looks like a highly styled Tumblr, but let's repeat this: it's created on your phone. For those who are flat terrified of coding (or simply don't have the time to stay on top of a so-called "blog"), PressPlane has created Zapd -- a free iOS app that allows the creation of picture-led sites in seconds flat. The app truly is as streamlined as the company advertises it to be; load up a few images (or take a few), select a website style, find a decent web connection, and watch as things are published and shared with your pals on Facebook and Twitter. Enough chatter -- peek the video below to see where we're coming from, and give that iTunes link a look if you're hoping to join what's next. You know, now that your honeymoon with Color is thoroughly over.

MetroPCS lays the TapouT smackdown on Huawei's Ascend... gently

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/metropcs-tapout.jpg[/img]

Is it really, truly possible to market a Froyo-based smartphone -- let alone one from 2010 -- to a demographic obsessed with Cauliflower ear? MetroPCS seems to think so, and its version of the Huawei Ascend just so happens to be "sanctioned" by TapouT. Hailed as the first brand to represent MMA, TapouT's roots are plastered all about the innards of the phone, with this Special Edition handset shipping with ten virtual training center videos, a dozen static wallpapers, six live wallpapers and a host of presumably violent Android applications. You'll also get a pair of interchangeable backs, a 2GB microSD card and support for the company's contract-free $50 / $60 smartphone plans. As for the cost of the phone itself? Free after a suplex + sleeper hold combo on the dude working the desk.

Inside the giant megawatt batteries that will power Russia's Sochi Winter Olympic Games (video)

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Clean and constant power is something that we take for granted here in the Americas. Sure, we've seen rolling blackouts in California before, and that outage in the Northeast back in 2003 was decidedly uncool, but those are the exception to the norm. Right now many Japanese citizens are dealing with power problems in the wake of the devastating tsunami, but in parts of Russia unreliable power is a decidedly reliable part of day-to-day life.

So, what's going to happen when a couple-hundred-thousand fans from around the world swoop into Sochi in 2014, along with a flotilla of international media and all the world's greatest athletes? The Winter Olympics will happen, and the power will flow. It has to, and it will thanks to that unassuming looking shipping container above. It's being assembled at Ener1's facility outside of Indianapolis, and it's actually a giant battery holding an amazing one megawatt-hour of power. That's enough to juice power 1,000 average homes for an hour, or to act as the mother of all UPS's. Join us for a look inside and a video show how each of those packs is made.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: LAVA's geodesic home, solar skyscraper glass and fear of nuclear power

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

 

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/3-27-11-inhabitat.jpg[/img]

This week Inhabitat showcased several groundbreaking feats of high-tech architecture - starting with plans to transform the United States' tallest skyscraper into a soaring solar farm. We also saw a vision for a geodesic home of the future that is popping up in China this year, and we learned that scientists in Qatar are developing a series of solar-powered artificial clouds that will cool the country's stadiums during the 2022 World Cup. 

It was a big week for energy news as well as Germany and Italy announced plans to abandon nuclear power in the wake of the crisis in Japan. Tata & MIT also announced a breakthrough technology for generating power from water, and we saw solar energy reach new heights as Suntech set off to install the world's tallest solar plant on the Tibetan Plateau. Speaking of soaring green designs, we watched a brand new electric vehicle take to the skies as the solar-powered Elektra One airplane successfully completed its maiden flight. 

This week we also showcased several cutting-edge examples of wearable technology including an app that instantly transforms any drawing into a made-to-measure dress. We also learned that Virgin Atlantic now offers passengers bespoke shoes while they wait, and we took a look at a futuristic pregnancy belt that offers an inside look at the womb. Finally, we saw several amazing examples of recycled design - Chinese artist Wing Wah has created a set of scrap metal transformer robots that look just like the movies, and designer Mati Karmin has transformed defused land mines into an edgy set of interior furnishings.

Nokia continues reinvention, details new fonts and branding

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/nokia-pure.jpg[/img]

Nokia's current typeface -- Nokia Sans -- feels like one of the great constants in the consumer electronics industry, a design that instantly screams "Nokia" the moment you see it (for better or worse). That kind of strong, tight brand recognition from something as basic and simple as a character on a screen really isn't something that you can buy -- it needs to be built and cultivated over many, many years -- so we're sure that Espoo's decision to chuck it and start fresh wasn't taken lightly. In fact, we're sure it wasn't taken lightly because the company has published an 800-plus word explanation and defense of its decision to kill off Nokia Sans and replace it with Nokia Pure, a font it describes as the embodiment of "beauty in supreme usability."

Of course, it's no coincidence that the font change comes just as Nokia's trying to go back to the drawing board, both with its hiring of outsider Stephen Elop and its decision to phase out Symbian and add Windows Phone into the mix; sure enough, the company says that it plans to use Pure on its devices and that "it has been designed specially for mobile and digital environments." What do you think?

[Thanks, Esko]

Panasonic Lumix GH2 review roundup: impressive video recording, murky still images

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/panasonic-gh2-03272011.jpg[/img]

In case you're still wondering if Panasonic's mirrorless Lumix GH2 is worth your $900, we've rounded up a handful of reviews to provide a pointer for your next big purchase. While most reviewers agree that this Micro Four Thirds camera appears to be very similar to its predecessor, they universally praise the subtly improved ergonomics, speedy liveview autofocusing, and refined image quality, especially with its 1080p AVCHD video recording (although Digital Camera Resource Page did notice some artifacting in its clips). Noise is also a non-issue up to about ISO 800 or 1600, though it's apparent that the 16 megapixel stills are comparatively dull and, like those from many other MFTs, aren't quite on par with DSLRs -- expect plenty of manual processing work here, as demoed by the good folks over at Digital Photography Review. All in all, the GH2 is a great kit for high quality video capturing, bundled with a pretty good still performance that requires some extra TLC afterwards -- kinda ironic in a way, but hey, this isn't a problem for lovers of video bokeh. Head over to the links below for some in-depth analysis and walk-through before you leave a small dent on your bank account.

Read - Digital Photography Review

Read - Photography Blog

Read - Camera Labs

Read - Digital Camera Resource Page

Read - Let's Go Digital

Sonos Controller for Android delayed until April, heartbreak available now

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/sonos-rocks.jpg[/img]

Is it really the end of March? That's debatable, but if you've been  wondering where Sonos' Controller for Android app is, well... wonder no  more. Rather than cutting it loose within the next week (as promised earlier in the year), the outfit's  vice president of quality has informed the world that it won't be  available until next month. The exact quote? 

"We know you're anxiously awaiting the Sonos Controller for Android.  Unfortunately, testing the app is taking a bit longer than we  anticipated. The latest addition to our free controller line-up won't  arrive until April, but when it does, it is going to rock."

  But will it rock as much as the image above? Time will tell, friends.

Amazon.com lets you play with an Android virtual machine, try apps before you buy them

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/3-27-11-amazon-android-vm.jpg[/img]

When Amazon's Appstore rolled out last week, we glossed over one detail that merely seemed neat. Today, we're inclined to say that Test Drive may be the most significant part of Amazon's announcement that day. Basically, Test Drive allows US customers to take apps for a spin at Amazon.com, with all the comfort that their tried-and-true desktop web browser brings -- but rather than sit you down with a Flash-based mockup of the app, Amazon is giving you a taste of bona fide cloud computing with an Android virtual machine.

In other words, what you're looking at in the screenshot above isn't just a single program, but an entire virtual Android smartphone with working mouse controls, where you can not only try out Paper Toss, but also delete it, browse through the device's photo gallery, listen to a few tunes, or even surf the web from the working Android browser -- as difficult as that may be without keyboard input. Amazon explains: 

Clicking the "Test drive now" button launches a copy of this app on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), a web service that provides on-demand compute capacity in the cloud for developers. When you click on the simulated phone using your mouse, we send those inputs over the Internet to the app running on Amazon EC2 - just like your mobile device would send a finger tap to the app. Our servers then send the video and audio output from the app back to your computer. All this happens in real time, allowing you to explore the features of the app as if it were running on your mobile device. Today, Amazon's Test Drive is basically just Gaikai for mobile phones -- its purpose is simply to sell apps, nothing more. But imagine this for a sec: what if you could access your own smartphone data, instead of the mostly blank slate that Amazon provides here?

HTC Flyer headed to T-Mobile, according to marketing scrapbook?

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Sprint may not be the only US carrier spreading its wings with an HTC tablet this summer, oh no -- promotional materials obtained by PocketNow point to the HTC Flyer launching with T-Mobile as well. Though the marketing mockups don't prove that Madam Magenta will actually be offering the 7-inch Gingerbread tablet with Scribe stylus (or distinguish between T-Mobile USA and its European counterparts, for that matter), the carrier's clearly given it a lot of thought, and HTC's spec sheet for the Flyer has indeed listed the AWS bands necessary to carry T-Mobile USA's 3G data since day one. Sneak a peek at what T-Mobile's in-store tablet kiosks might look like at our source link below.

Switched On: The PlayBook polyglot

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

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When Apple introduced the iPad, it had but a smattering of third-party applications, but the company stressed its own. As Apple iPhone software SVP Scott Forstall stated in the iPad introduction video, "We looked at the device and we decided: let's redesign it all. Let's redesign, reimagine and rebuild every single app from the ground up specifically for the iPad." 

Compare this to the strategy employed by RIM, makers of the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. One year after the iPad's debut, Apple's head start in apps has proven a formidable advantage against the onslaught of slates announced by its competitors in the smartphone world. Some have chosen to latch onto Android and attain backwards compatibility with over 200,000 existing smartphone apps. HP, with its TouchPad as flagship, will circle its wagons of PCs, printers and phones around the webOS platform. However, the announcement this week that RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook will support Android apps says much about how the company sees its position in the tablet wars.

Hanwha unleashes HDMI / USB adapter for iPad, iPhone 4, and fourth-gen iPod touch

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Feel the desire to watch your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch (fourth gen) videos on the big screen, but looking for something with a little more girth than Apple's HDMI solution? Hanwha's latest dongle might do the job. As you can see above, in place of the original adapter's dock connector port is a USB 2.0 socket -- compatible with cameras supporting mass storage connection -- alongside the 720p-friendly HDMI port, but you'll have to use the switch to toggle between the two modes. And that little mini-USB port on the far right? Well, it's there to provide some juice to "reduce battery drain," but probably not enough to charge up your iDevice. If you're still interested and have a friend in Japan, Hanwha's charging ¥5,980 (around $73), which is almost double that of Apple's $39 connector. Is USB support worth such a price jump? Your call.

WSJ: Google teams with MasterCard and Citigroup for NFC payments, also files patent app

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/3-27-11-google-mobile-checkout.jpg[/img]Ever since the Nexus S and its nifty little NFC chip hit the market, there's been speculation that El Goog was planning a foray into the mobile payment arena currently occupied by the likes of Charge Anywhere. Now, it looks like that plan may be in high gear, as the Wall Street Journal reports that Google's secretly partnered with MasterCard and Citigroup to test out just such a system. According to the publication, the early demo pairs "one current model and many coming models of Android phones" with existing Citigroup-sponsored credit and debit cards, and is using the phones' NFC chips with those VeriFone readers we recently heard about. 

What's more, a newly-published patent application from the crew in Mountain View may hint at the software behind such things. The application describes a service that sets up Google as a third-party broker who receives the shopping cart info of customers placing orders via a device (including those of the mobile variety), allows them to select shipping and other options, and provides the total order cost. It then collects payment, coordinates shipment, and forwards order information to the seller to complete the transaction. So companies can have Google handle all their payment-taking needs in return for getting a sneak peek at what folks are buying -- something that the WSJ's sources say might be a component of the setup Google's testing right now -- as opposed to other third-party services, like Paypal, that only obtain and exchange payment info with merchants. Looks like Alma Whitten (Google's Director of Privacy) has her work cut out assuaging the concerns such a system will inevitably create in an increasingly privacy-minded populace.

Sean Hollister contributed to this report.

Android adapter concepts promise to accessorize any headset

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/android-headset-adapter-03-27-2011.jpg[/img]

Well, here's a bit of a twist -- a concept device designed to actually a fund a Kickstarter-like service for concept devices. While that may not exactly inspire the most confidence, these concepts from the folks behind upstart Makible are certainly unique enough to get us interested. They included the standard headphone adapter pictured above, which promises to turn any set of headphones into a proper (and eye-catching) headset, as well as an iPhone headset adapter that will let you use any iPhone headset with your Android phone (check it out after the break). Both will apparently be limited to 10,000 units apiece assuming they get the necessary funding, with the headphone adapter setting you back $20, while the iPhone version runs just $10. Want to see them become a reality? Then you can hit up the link below to get your order in.

Warner Bros. expands movie rentals via Facebook with five more high profile titles

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/inceptionfacebook.jpg[/img]

After dipping a toe in the waters with The Dark Knight, starting tonight Warner is offering five more movies for streaming on Facebook including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Inception, Life as We Know It and Yogi Bear. The deal remains the same, with United States viewers able to pay for a 48-hour viewing window instantly in Facebook credits then enjoy the flick with full functionality on the page, and pause/resume tied to their login on the site. Even with an increasing number of movie titles including recent ones like Yogi Bear that just debuted last week, it's hard to see any VOD service seriously challenging the current video rental incumbents like iTunes and Netflix, especially one that offers only SD rentals viewable on the PC. What it does offer however is a quick way for Warner to monetize the significant Facebook communities around popular movies, which may be enough to keep this program growing for the foreseeable future. Either way, the pages should be live starting at 1 a.m., check the press release after the break if you need more details.

Triforce Johnson gets his Nintendo 3DS first, the legend continues

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There are fans, and then there are fans, if you know what we mean, and Isaiah Triforce Johnson has secured his spot in column number two with a Power Gloved fist -- here he is accepting the very first Nintendo 3DS on the east coast from Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America. Johnson camped out all week in front of Best Buy's Union Square location to be first in line at the launch event, replicating his feat of five years prior when he was first to purchase the Wii. Of course, Japanese gamers have had the autostereocopic handheld for over a month now, but we have to give credit where it's due -- we're already imagining Greg Packer and Triforce Johnson duking it out in a little Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition duel. By the way, we snapped a few shots of the 3DS launch event this morning -- check them out below.

Ainol Honeycomb tablet surfaces with Cortex A9 processor, buttons aplenty

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It's been quite a while since Ainol last popped up on our radar, but it looks like the company is now busy preparing a Honeycomb tablet that might actually stand out from the pack -- for better or worse. According to a couple of teasers that have cropped up in recent days, the tablet will apparently pack an ARM Cortex A9 processor, a 1,280 x 800 IPS display of unspecified size, WiFi and 3G connectivity, a microSD card slot, HDMI out and, most noticeably, a full suite of buttons that adorn what appears to be a somewhat chunky design. Still no indication of a price, but the tablet is apparently due out sometime next month.

LG's 3D-shooting Optimus Pad nabs March 31st retail date in Japan as T-Mobile fiddles

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Japan's NTT DOCOMO just announced a March 31st retail offering of LG's Optimus Pad. The Honeycomb tablet listed as model L-06C is the same 8.9-inch 1280 x 768 pixel slab known as the G-Slate 'round T-Mobile subscribers. Besides its 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor and internationally compatible 3G data and GPS, the Optimus Pad's most noteworthy features are the stereoscopic rear-facing video cameras capable of 1080p 3D capture which can viewed directly on the L-06C with a pair of passive glasses. Unfortunately, NTT DOCOMO is mum on pricing. Remember, although T-Mobile originally hedged with a spring launch (recently rumored for April 20th), LG told us that it'd be arriving on US soil in March. So... T-Mobile, anything you'd like to add before Thursday?

ThinkPad Edge E420s now shipping for $699, E220s coming in April

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Don't tell us you've forgotten about Lenovo's pair of new Edge machines! Sure, they've taken a while to get to market, perhaps having been inconvenienced by a little hiccup with Intel's Core 2011 chipsets, but the first of them is now well and truly on sale and the other is looking eager and ready to go too. The 14-inch E420s is up on Lenovo's web store, starting at $699 with a 2.1GHz Core i3-2310M CPU, while its 12.5-inch sibling, the E220s, is expected on the 8th of April, judging by the roadmap doc we've uncovered below. The E420s touts what Lenovo calls an Infinity Glass display, meaning simply edge-to-edge glass, alongside a fingerprint reader, a fetching new matte black lid, a HD webcam, 4GB of RAM and 250GB of HDD storage at a minimum, and a 48.8Wh battery. A 1366 x 768 resolution is your only option, unfortunately, though you can spruce up performance by quite a bit if you opt for the i5-2410M, which does 2.3GHz at default speeds or 2.9GHz when only one of its two cores is pushed to the limit ... or should that be to the Edge?

[Thanks, Chris and Abdu]

Sony and LG price a swath of 3D HDTVs

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We're still waiting on LG's ginormous 72-inch LZ7900 to make its debut on store shelves, but the rest of CES's primo 3DTV crop is rearing to ride out, with Sony's HX929, HX820 and HX720 series of LED-backlit LCD screens and LG's Infinia PZ750 plasmas now priced at Amazon. 3D-Display-info.com found Sony's locally-dimmed Bravia sets starting at $2,099 for a 46-inch HX720 with Gorilla Glass protection, all the way up to $3,799 for the premium 55-inch XBR-55HX929 with a full-array LED backlight. Meanwhile, the 50-inch LG PZ750 (with Smart TV, naturally) starts out at $1,599, while a 60-inch version of the same thing will run $2,199. Which one fits best in your den? That depends on a number of things, but we will add that the Sony sets are merely up for pre-order, while the LG units are listed as shipping within a matter of weeks.

Atrix 4G's 4.1.57 update spruces up a few things, patches known root methods

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The HSUPA-enabling update? No, not yet. The voice call quality fix? In the pipeline. The mission-critical Bluetooth multimedia experience improvements? Oh yes, we've got those right here! Motorola is preparing to deliver an imminent OTA update to its Atrix 4G super phone, which will fix up battery performance, overall software stability, and car dock, headphone jack, and fingerprint reader performance, but will regrettably leave the two major drawbacks to the AT&T-riding phone untouched. Alas, if you've rooted your Atrix, you'll have to pay a dear price to benefit from these upgrades as users over at xda-developers, who've obtained the pre-release build, report the new 4.1.57 update disables their previous superuser privileges. C'est la vie.

Silicine might be the new graphene, now that it's been physically constructed

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Surely you've heard of graphene, the one-atom-thick layer of pencil lead that has the potential to change the world of computers, batteries and screens? You might want to familiarize yourself with the term "silicine," too. It's basically a version of graphene constructed out of silicon, which doesn't naturally align itself into the same eminently useful honeycomb shape -- but, given a little prod here and a layer of silver or ceramic compound there, can do much the same thing, and with better computing compatibility. First proposed around 2007, it's reportedly been produced twice now by two different teams, which gives physicists hope that it could actually be useful some day. For now, researchers need to figure out a way to easily produce it so detailed experiments can be performed -- from what we understand, the good ol' scotch tape method just won't do the job.

Twimal the Twitter reader reads your tweets, looks adorable while doing so (video)

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If you fancy using Twitter as much as we do, you'll probably scream like a pre-teen when you lay your eyeballs on what toy maker Takara Tomy has conjured up in Japan. Dubbed Twimal, this loveable Pokemon-esque desk companion plugs into your Windows machine via USB and has one reason for its existence -- to read your tweets. Available in blue or white (male or female voice, respectively), these little bots are able to read all sorts of tweets (replies, lists, user-specific, etc.), in what appears to be Japanese only. If you're interested in getting your 140-character messages read in the cutest way possible, look for these toys on digital shelves in Japan on March 31 for ¥2,480 (around 30 bucks). And do yourself a favor; watch the video after the break. You'll thank us later.

SWITL scoops oozy goop with amazing robotic precision (video)

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Look, sometimes, not often, but sometimes we'll miss a truly spectacular and mind bending story that requires a double-back. The SWITL robotic hand is just such a case. The patent-pending technology looks to have been revealed on video back in late October showing the Furukawa Kikou robot deftly lifting a ketchup and mayonnaise mess from a table and then replacing it unchanged from its original shape. The tech was developed for bakeries with the intention of automating the handling of soft substances that were either too malleable or too icky for human hands. Unfortunately, Furukawa Kikou isn't providing any details about the science behind SWITL so we'll just assume that it's Satan's work until otherwise informed. See what we mean in the video after the break.