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Monday, September 10, 2012

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Must See HDTV (September 10th - 16th)

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:36 PM PDT

Must See HDTV (September 10th - 16th)


Must See HDTV (September 10th - 16th)
With football and new TV series premieres, we're ready to call it officially fall. Keep an eye out for brand news shows like NBC's Go On and The New Normal, as well as returning favorites like Glee on Fox and the various talent show competitions. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames. Monday Night Football Football is back, and it's Monday night, so you know what that means. Hank Williams Jr. is no longer a part of the festivities but the action hasn't changes. We've got a doubleheader lined up with Bengals/Ravens followed by Raiders/Chargers, so wrap up those bedtime stories and get in front of the TV. Sons of Anarchy It may not rise to the level of Breaking Bad or Justified but Sons of Anarchy is one of our other favorite cable TV series, and its new season gets started this week. SAMCRO is dealing with conflict from within and, judging from the previews, out side the club as well. We'll see how the addition of Jimmy Smits to the cast affects this show. (September 11th, FX, 10PM) Weeds At long last, the Showtime series comes to an end this weekend. Some might say it should've wrapped up a couple of seasons ago, but if you're still following the Botwin clan and their assortment of friends, enemies and drug-dealing associates it's time to say goodbye. (September 16th, Showtime, 10PM)Continue reading Must See HDTV (September 10th - 16th)Filed under: Home Entertainment, HDMust See HDTV (September 10th - 16th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

10 Great Cars Under 5 Grand

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:36 PM PDT

10 Great Cars Under 5 Grand


10 Great Cars Under 5 Grand
Cars priced right with a little pizazz.

New Nissan minivan uses brake power for lights?

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:03 PM PDT

New Nissan minivan uses brake power for lights?


New Nissan minivan uses brake power for lights?
Filed under: Hybrid, NissanNissan put the new Serena S-Hybrid on sale in Japan recently and now we're learning a bit more about how "smart" and "simple" the hybrid powertrain is. Nissan proudly emphasized those aspects of the powertrain when it first talked about the details of the new minivan, and now we learn that the electric part of the powertrain is used mostly to ... power the tail lights? Nissan's official statement on the subject says the Serena S-Hybrid is equipped with "a simple and compact hybrid system. It mounts an upgraded version of the ECO motor used in the existing Serena, and serves as an auxiliary motor to increase power output and power generation capabilities."Automotive News says the the Serena's S-Hybrid regenerative braking system mostly converts kinetic energy into electricity to power the minivan's electrical systems, like the taillights, and thus lets the engine operate in a more efficient manner. The end result? Improved fuel economy of up to 10 percent, or around $1,900.New Nissan minivan uses brake power for lights? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:03 PM PDT

Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon


Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon
It's a silly name as smartphones go (and one that conjures images of lady-focused razors), but regardless, LG's Intuition is now officially a member of Verizon's lineup. The 4G LTE device, shown off today at the manufacturer's launch event, is nigh unchanged from the South Korean model we reviewed this past July (known as the Optimus Vu). With a 5-inch 1,024 x 768 True-XGA IPS capacitive display, dual-core S3 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, 8-megapixel rear camera, NFC, 2080mAh battery and that Rubberdium pen, the only thing separating this stateside iteration from its SK Telecom cousin is the skinned Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS onboard and $199 on contract price. So how does it fare in this Big Red debut? Follow along as we attempt to find what's been lost, if anything, in translation. Developing...Continue reading Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for VerizonFiled under: Cellphones, Wireless, MobileIntuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 6PM ET

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:03 PM PDT

Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 6PM ET


Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 6PM ET
It's Monday, which means it is time for you to listen into the recording booth when the Engadget HD podcast goes to mp3 at 6PM. Please be a part of it by reviewing the list of topics after the break, then participating in the live chat too.Continue reading Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 6PM ETFiled under: HDJoin the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 6PM ET originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Nielsen: more than half of US teens now own smartphones

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:03 PM PDT

Nielsen: more than half of US teens now own smartphones


Nielsen: more than half of US teens now own smartphones
Yes, we know Android is holding steady at about 52 percent of US smartphone market share. What's interesting is just who's driving growth as a whole. According to Nielsen, 58 percent of American teens between 13 and 17 now have a smartphone -- that's a big jump from 36 percent a year earlier and a sign that the youngest owners have a significant sway over where the market is going. Not that young adults don't have an impact. Although the 25-to-34 crowd isn't making as big a comparative leap, its smartphone ownership has climbed from 59 percent to a dominating 74 percent in the same space of time. No matter how much youth set the pace, it's clear Android is still having an effect. Among the US smartphone buyers Nielsen tracked in the three months leading up to July, 58.6 percent went Google's direction. Most of that gain came from BlackBerry owners switching allegiances, which doesn't bode well when RIM is counting on existing owners to fuel BlackBerry 10 demand. We'd be careful about citing a one-point shrink in iPhone sales as a shift in the balance of power, however -- while it could be part of a trend, it could also represent the habitual lull in Apple's sales during the weeks before a major iPhone introduction.Filed under: Cellphones, MobileNielsen: more than half of US teens now own smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Nielsen | Email this | Comments

Agawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on 'mid-core and hardcor...

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 02:31 PM PDT

Agawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on 'mid-core and hardcore' games


Agawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on 'mid-core and hardcore' games
Cloud streaming provider Agawi (formerly "iSwifter") is making a second major push with its cloud-based game streaming service alongside Windows 8 this October. Beyond the social content it already brings to the iPad -- "more than 12,000" Facebook games -- Agawi's second run at streaming is more focused on what it calls "mid-core" and "hardcore" games. But what does that mean? Executive chairman Peter Relan says "mid-core" means "web-based MMOs with a PC download," versus PC downloads representing the "hardcore." The example video (below the break) shows Agawi working with a variety of games, though none of the titles in the video confirm potential content partners for the service (Relan teases a fourth quarter reveal of more news). And today, Agawi announced it's collaboration with Microsoft Azure, resulting in cloud game streaming across the world of Windows 8 -- tablets, PCs, and even its phones. "Popular AAA games will be made available in the coming months for instant play on Windows 8 devices with no additional work required by developers," the launch PR promises. Input methods for games vary dramatically by platform, and we've already seen what happens when you shove tablet-based touch controls onto a console/PC game (it ain't pretty). "That's a publisher decision," Relan says. "We support the idea of d-pads on the tablet itself. We support pure touch gesture on the tablet. We support point-and-click on the screen -- touch and tap. We support swipe for scrolling. We support a full controller, like an Xbox console controller," he adds.Continue reading Agawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on 'mid-core and hardcore' gamesFiled under: Desktops, Gaming, Tablets, Software, MobileAgawi cloud game streaming headed to Windows 8, focused on 'mid-core and hardcore' games originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Switched On: low flame

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

Switched On: low flame


Switched On: low flame
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. For many products -- TVs and the iPod, for example -- the leap to color displays represented an evolutionary change. But color was just part of the big leap that Amazon made with the Kindle Fire, moving from a reading appliance to a converged device. There was no couching it as "a reader's tablet", the positioning Barnes & Noble had sought with the Nook, even though Amazon now claims that it has the "best content ecosystem." Still, as discussed two weeks ago in Switched On, Amazon still managed to fly well under Apple's radar with an inexpensive, smaller tablet, one that broke a "magic" price point of $200.Continue reading Switched On: low flameFiled under: TabletsSwitched On: low flame originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Agawi Launches Windows 8 Cloud Gaming, Talks Avoiding OnLive’s Pitfalls

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 02:30 PM PDT

Agawi Launches Windows 8 Cloud Gaming, Talks Avoiding OnLive's Pitfalls


Agawi Launches Windows 8 Cloud Gaming, Talks Avoiding OnLive's Pitfalls
Cloud-based gaming provider Agawi, which began life as iSwifter for iPad with a much more narrow focus on delivering Flash-based gaming to Apple's tablet devices, today announced a new collaboration with Microsoft to bring its streaming client to Windows 8 devices. Agawi is looking at any new platforms to address potential gaming deficiencies there with a streamed solution, but CEO Peter Relan explained in an interview why it won't follow OnLive down the garden path.

Google Drive mobile app updated, brings editing to iOS

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:58 PM PDT

Google Drive mobile app updated, brings editing to iOS


Google Drive mobile app updated, brings editing to iOS
The mobile Google Drive app just keeps getting better and better. Are we ready to ditch the desktop web app for its iOS and Android package? Hardly, but with ever decimal point upgrade the disparity between the two keeps getting smaller. The latest round of updates finally delivers document editing to your iPad and iPhone, including the ability to format text and see live changes made by your collaborators. You can also now view presentations, including speaker notes. The Android version also got a few nice tweaks today, most notable being the ability to see and reply to comments on docs. Google is also promising that real-time updates will be coming to spreadsheets very soon -- which should excite on-the-go number crunchers. Check out the video after the break.Continue reading Google Drive mobile app updated, brings editing to iOSFiled under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, MobileGoogle Drive mobile app updated, brings editing to iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Google | Email this | Comments

2nd annual National Plug In Day will feature EVs, free iPads

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:28 PM PDT

2nd annual National Plug In Day will feature EVs, free iPads


2nd annual National Plug In Day will feature EVs, free iPads
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, USA ...and then there were 60. That's how many cities will be celebrating the Second Annual National Plug In Day later this month. The celebration of all things EV, which is being put on by Plug In America, Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association, will take place Sunday, September 23, in cities ranging from the usual suspects - Boston, San Francisco and Austin - to the less-than-usual (for EV enthusiasm) locales like Dallas, Baltimore and Salt Lake City. Additionally, organizers are looking to drum up further enthusiasm with free "ride and drive" opportunities as well as iPad giveaways at 10 of the events. For instance, the Los Angeles-area ride and drive will take place at the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, near Los Angeles International Airport. That event will give people a chance to cruise in a Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Roadster or Mitsubishi i as well as check out cars like a 1947 Chrysler Windsor and a 1957 427 Chevrolet Project X.Last year's first-annual National Plug In Day, which took place in October, was held in 20 locations across the country, including one in Santa Monica, CA (pictured), that featured a parade of about 200 plug-in vehicles. We've got press releases on both the National Plug In Day events and the Los Angeles-area EV "ride and drive" festivities below.Continue reading 2nd annual National Plug In Day will feature EVs, free iPads2nd annual National Plug In Day will feature EVs, free iPads originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Google Wallet to phase out prepaid card, cut-off date set for October 17th

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:28 PM PDT

Google Wallet to phase out prepaid card, cut-off date set for October 17th


Google Wallet to phase out prepaid card, cut-off date set for October 17th
Google Wallet's prepaid card concept has been plagued with its share of security concerns, and though Mountain View seems to have sorted out those issues, it's now phasing out the prepaid card program entirely. The service was intended to make up for a limited choice in debit and credit cards, and now that Google Wallet accepts any and all plastic, the prepaid option is a bit moot. The cut-off date for adding funds to a Google prepaid card is September 17th, and the prepaid option will vanish entirely on October 17th. Whereas users were previously charged $2.00 per month after 180 days without a transaction, they'll get slapped with the same fee after 30 days of no purchases. Google says you can request a refund if you have a remaining balance after the prepaid option kicks the bucket, though it's probably a good idea to just go ahead and spend up those leftover dollars. [Thanks, Chris]Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, WirelessGoogle Wallet to phase out prepaid card, cut-off date set for October 17th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Google | Email this | Comments

With A Major Redesign On Mobile, Feedly Becomes A Social News Magazine

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:28 PM PDT

With A Major Redesign On Mobile, Feedly Becomes A Social News Magazine


With A Major Redesign On Mobile, Feedly Becomes A Social News Magazine
Feedly, as its name implies, is a service that started out as a better way for users to read their RSS feeds. But RSS never caught on in the mainstream, although it powers many of the social news reading platforms we now use, like Flipboard and Pulse. Today, Feedly is taking a big step towards joining the "in" crowd of magazine-style applications with a dramatic redesign of its mobile apps for iOS and Android. The new Feedly apps allow it to straddle the two worlds of social news magazines and RSS readers. In other words, it offers an attractive reading experience, but still allows users to handpick their own sources, and even sync with Google Reader, if they choose.

Insert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangible

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:28 PM PDT

Insert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangible


Insert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangible
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Going back to a physical medium isn't just for vinyl lovers. The Impossible Project (TIP) wants to make our iPhone photos equally concrete through its extra-simple Impossible Instant Lab. Don't worry about setting up AirPrint or otherwise jumping through software hoops: the Lab captures the screen and prints it to Polaroid-compatible instant film as a keepsake. The design is even collapsible and battery-powered in the event you'd like to hand out hard copies on the spot. It's no hobbyist effort, either, with a Leica designer and a former Polaroid factory both involved in making the Lab a reality. TIP is planning to move beyond its initial iPhone 4 and 4S support to include future iPhones and, if all goes well, more commonplace Android hardware. Investing in this Kickstarter project sidesteps novelties like t-shirts in favor of the real product -- and provides a very strong incentive to buy early. Backers quick on the trigger can pay as little as $149 for a Lab with a voucher for free film, or about half the $299 retail price. Pay the full cost and you'll get a special black version with an extra voucher, while $2,000 will provide both a gold edition and a trip to the ex-Polaroid factory in Enschede, The Netherlands. Cameras could be in retro photographers' hands as soon as February, but only if TIP reaches its $250,000 funding goal by October 8th. If your parents would like a little more than a Facebook photo gallery as a souvenir, or Instagram just isn't nostalgic enough, you can hit the source link to show support and make the Instant Lab real.Continue reading Insert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangibleFiled under: Cellphones, CamerasInsert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangible originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Kickstarter | Email this | Comments

Dave Morin Says China Is Path’s Second Biggest Country

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:28 PM PDT

Dave Morin Says China Is Path's Second Biggest Country


Dave Morin Says China Is Path's Second Biggest Country
Path CEO Dave Morin offered some updates on the company's growth while on-stagetoday at TechCrunch Disrupt. Version 2.0 of the journaling/personal networking app launched back in November, and Morin said the momentum from that launch has continued in recent months. A lot of the early growth with Path 2.0 was in Japan and Korea, he said, and Path's second largest user base is in China. Things have been picking up in the United States, too, especially in "these nice metro pockets."

Google To Discontinue Its Prepaid Cards In Google Wallet On October 17

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Google To Discontinue Its Prepaid Cards In Google Wallet On October 17


Google To Discontinue Its Prepaid Cards In Google Wallet On October 17
All good things must come to an end, right? That certainly seems to be the case for Google Wallet's earliest perks -- since the company's mobile payments service first launched almost exactly one year ago, every new user who had the prerequisite hardware and signed up received a free $10 prepaid card to welcome them aboard. Well, not any more. According to an email that just went out to existing Google Wallet users, those prepaid gift cards will be discontinued effective October 17 so you should probably go spend it now before it disappears into the digital ether.

Google Fiber pre-registration program closes in the Kansas Cities

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Google Fiber pre-registration program closes in the Kansas Cities


Google Fiber pre-registration program closes in the Kansas Cities
Gigabit internet speeds are nothing more than a dream for most of us, but for residents of the Kansas Cities, that reality is not far off. The six-week pre-registration program for Google's Fiber network closed yesterday, and at least 180 of the 202 "fiberhoods" earmarked for the upgrade have met their target. That number could rise when all the late entries have been counted, but we won't know until the complete list of areas drops later this week. If yours doesn't make the cut, it's not all bad news: Google's Jenna Wandres told us that although this initial rollout covers Kansas City, KS, and central Kansas City, MO, Fiber will be expanding north and south of the Missouri side in the future. When pre-registration opens for this second round, the 20-some-odd areas that failed to meet the initial criteria will get a second chance to, so start being extra nice to the neighbors if you want to get them on board. Unfortunately, we couldn't confirm even a ball park date for the expansion, but for the 180-plus hoods that qualify on this occasion, it's time to get excited. Any RTS gamer will know the value of getting your openers tight, and El Goog's currently compiling a "build order" so the areas that expressed the most interest in Fiber will have it first. According to Jenna, implementation is coming "very soon," so be ready to repress that hysterical scream when you see a Google truck casing your block.Filed under: NetworkingGoogle Fiber pre-registration program closes in the Kansas Cities originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Kansas City Star | Google | Email this | Comments

How new CAFE rules will force pickup trucks to get cleaner

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

How new CAFE rules will force pickup trucks to get cleaner


How new CAFE rules will force pickup trucks to get cleaner
Filed under: Hybrid, MPG, Legislation and Policy, USA The PDF rules for the just-made-official new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for model year 2017-2025 vehicles that was officially finalized at 54.5 miles per gallon recently are, as previously noted, over 1,200 pages long. We've been reading through them, and found some interesting tidbits regarding the fate of better, cleaner trucks. When it comes to "hybrid electric and other advanced technologies in full-size pickup trucks," the new CAFE rules also offer some incentives, but the details are not yet decided. The general idea, though, is that trucks will have to get cleaner, just not as fast as cars do. Speaking to reporters when the new rules were finalized, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said the difference in economy requirements between cars and trucks mean there are steeper reductions in early years for cars than there are for trucks, because improving the fuel economy for trucks will take a bit longer and the administration did not want to affect work performance for the trucks while pushing them to burn less fuel. The EPA document (PDF) says: EPA is providing a per-vehicle CO2 credit in the GHG program and an equivalent fuel consumption improvement value in the CAFE program for manufacturers that sell significant numbers of large pickup trucks that are mild or strong hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). To qualify for these incentives, a truck must meet minimum criteria for bed size, and for towing or payload capability (page 58). There are more details: Consistent with the proposal, for passenger cars, the CO2 compliance values associated with the footprint curves will be reduced on average by 5 percent per year from the model year 2016 projected passenger car industry-wide compliance level through model year 2025. ... For light- duty trucks, the average annual rate of CO2 emissions reduction in model years 2017 through 2021 is 3.5 percent per year. As proposed, EPA is also changing the slopes of the CO2-footprint curves for light-duty trucks from those in the 2012-2016 rule, in a manner that effectively means that the annual rate of improvement for smaller light-duty trucks in model years 2017 through 2021 will be higher than 3.5 percent, and the annual rate of improvement for larger light-duty trucks over the same time period will be lower than 3.5 percent. For model years 2022 through 2025, EPA is finalizing an average annual rate of CO2 emissions reduction for light-duty trucks of 5 percent per year (page 36). So, truck builders, you better get the technology figured out, but you've got a little bit of breathing room to do so.How new CAFE rules will force pickup trucks to get cleaner originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Is The Next iPhone Already In Patent Trouble?

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Is The Next iPhone Already In Patent Trouble?


Is The Next iPhone Already In Patent Trouble?
At the upcoming Apple event on September 12, the company is expected to release a new iPhone compatible with 4G LTE connectivity around the world. Yet, competitors such as Samsung and HTC are already warning Apple that if it releases a new iPhone with LTE connectivity, they will sue the company for patent infringement and will demand a sales ban in the U.S. When it comes to 4G LTE connectivity, smartphone makers have accumulated patents over the years to be prepared for any patent lawsuit. As Apple has not released a 4G phone yet, it is late to the game. Competitors want to take advantage of the situation and prevent Apple from releasing a 4G LTE iPhone.

Stop-arm cameras taking drivers to school over bus route rules

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Stop-arm cameras taking drivers to school over bus route rules


Stop-arm cameras taking drivers to school over bus route rules
High tech solution to persistent problem.

Editorial: Bring on the ads, Amazon

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Editorial: Bring on the ads, Amazon


Editorial: Bring on the ads, Amazon
Huge week for Amazon, last week. But all that Kindly goodness was nearly upstaged by lock-screen ad nonsense. When I searched on the keyword "amazon" in my RSS tech folder, Friday and Saturday of last week looked like two big parade floats: "OMG, there are ads on the new Kindle tablet!" and "Praise the heavens, you can disable the ads!" Tempest in a teapot, those ads. And Amazon took the wrong approach to removing them.Continue reading Editorial: Bring on the ads, AmazonFiled under: Tablets, InternetEditorial: Bring on the ads, Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Go Daddy acknowledges issues with sites, is 'working on it'

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Go Daddy acknowledges issues with sites, is 'working on it'


Go Daddy acknowledges issues with sites, is 'working on it'
Go Daddy looks to be having a rough one today. Users are complaining of issues with sites and email addresses tied to the popular and oft-controversial domain registrar. For the moment, GoDaddy's own site appears to be working just fine, though the company has acknowledge its woes via Twitter, noting, "we're aware of the trouble people are having with our site. We're working on it." According to TechCrunch, the outage has affected "millions of sites." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Go Daddy acknowledges issues with sites, is 'working on it' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink TechCrunch | Twitter | Email this | Comments

Nielsen: Majority Of Mobile U.S. Teens Now Own Smartphones

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Nielsen: Majority Of Mobile U.S. Teens Now Own Smartphones


Nielsen: Majority Of Mobile U.S. Teens Now Own Smartphones
Nielsen announced in May that more than half of U.S. mobile owners now owned smartphones. Today that metric has grown again, going from 50.4% to 55.5%. But the more interesting figure in the firm's release of July 2012 data is not this incremental increase -- although it's notable as an indication of just how fast the smartphone market is growing. It's the fact that today, the majority of mobile-owning American teens (58%) now own smartphones. That's up from roughly a third (36%) in 2011.

Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G bringing keyboard, longwinded name to T-Mobile Septemb...

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G bringing keyboard, longwinded name to T-Mobile September 19th


Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G bringing keyboard, longwinded name to T-Mobile September 19th
We knew it was arriving soon, but until now, we weren't exactly sure what T-Mobile meant when it said the Relay 4G was hitting in the "coming weeks." Now the magenta carrier is putting the release of the QWERTY handset formerly known as the also verbose Galaxy S Blaze Q at September 19th. The slider will run you and your thumbs $150 with a two-year contract, after a $50 mail-in rebate.Filed under: Cellphones, MobileSamsung Galaxy S Relay 4G bringing keyboard, longwinded name to T-Mobile September 19th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM


Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet Late last year, the Internet went wild with the "news" that each Chevrolet Volt that was built cost taxpayers $250,000. That figure was completely untrue, of course, but the question of how much GM is paying to make each Volt is as close to a perennial one as we have 'round these parts when it comes to the new generation of plug-in vehicles. The latest figures, which come to us via "auto industry consultants who spoke with Reuters," suggest that, currently, each Volt costs GM around $80,000, or at least somewhere between $76,000 and $88,000. That 80k breaks down this way: Each Volt currently has $56,000 in fixed costs - $18,650 in development costs and $37,350 in tooling costs - as well as $24,000 in parts and labor, according to the consultants. With each Volt sold, the $56,000 will drop by a little bit, but it's a slow process. Reuters says GM has invested an estimated $1.2 billion into the Volt program so far and when you divide $1.2 billion by the 21,500 Volts sold in the U.S. so far, you get $56,000. This does not take advertising and marketing costs into account, or the number of Volts (and Opel Amperas) sold overseas. In response, GM issued a statement clarifying just how much Reuters is relying on current sales numbers to get to the $80k number, saying, Reuters' estimate is "grossly wrong." The full statement is available below. What GM isn't saying is how much, exactly, it costs to make a Volt. But Doug Parks, GM's vice president of global product programs, did admit that the Volt is a losing proposition, financially. He told Reuters, "It's true, we're not making money yet. ... [It] eventually will make money. As the volume comes up and we get into the Gen 2 car, we're going to turn (the losses) around."Continue reading Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GMChevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM losing $49G on each Volt sold, according to report

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:23 PM PDT

GM losing $49G on each Volt sold, according to report


GM losing $49G on each Volt sold, according to report
Automaker comes to defense of its plug-in hybrid.

Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:53 AM PDT

Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM


Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Manufacturing/Plants, Chevrolet Late last year, the Internet went wild with the "news" that each Chevrolet Volt that was built cost taxpayers $250,000. That figure was completely untrue, of course, but the question of how much GM is paying to make each Volt is as close to a perennial one as we have 'round these parts when it comes to the new generation of plug-in vehicles. The latest figures, which come to us via "auto industry consultants who spoke with Reuters," suggest that, currently, each Volt costs GM around $80,000, or at least somewhere between $76,000 and $88,000. That 80k breaks down this way: Each Volt currently has $56,000 in fixed costs - $18,650 in development costs and $37,350 in tooling costs - as well as $24,000 in parts and labor, according to the consultants. With each Volt sold, the $56,000 will drop by a little bit, but it's a slow process. Reuters says GM has invested an estimated $1.2 billion into the Volt program so far and when you divide $1.2 billion by the 21,500 Volts sold in the U.S. so far, you get $56,000. This does not take advertising and marketing costs into account, or the number of Volts (and Opel Amperas) sold overseas. In response, GM issued a statement clarifying just how much Reuters is relying on current sales numbers to get to the $80k number, saying, Reuters' estimate is "grossly wrong." The full statement is available below. What GM isn't saying is how much, exactly, it costs to make a Volt. But Doug Parks, GM's vice president of global product programs, did admit that the Volt is a losing proposition, financially. He told Reuters, "It's true, we're not making money yet. ... [It] eventually will make money. As the volume comes up and we get into the Gen 2 car, we're going to turn (the losses) around."Continue reading Chevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GMChevy Volt costs $80K to build. Not true, says GM originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Western Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on early

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:53 AM PDT

Western Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on early


Western Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on early
Those 7mm-thick hard drives you've seen in some Ultrabooks are already looking a tad on the chunky side. Western Digital has started producing sample versions of a hybrid hard drive (you're not yet looking at it here) that measures just 5mm (0.2in) tall, even as it crams in both flash and a 500GB main disk. If you think the slimmer drive is just the ticket for a best-of-all-worlds laptop that's both fast and capacious, you're not alone: Acer and ASUS have mentioned their collaboration in the same breath, which may be a strong clue as to where future Aspires and Zenbooks are going. The remaining question is when they arrive. Sampling isn't the same as mass production, which could leave us with months to go before the 5mm drive lands in future extra-skinny PCs.Continue reading Western Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on earlyFiled under: Laptops, StorageWestern Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on early originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:52 AM PDT

AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50


AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50
The LG Escape, which we saw leaked out yesterday, is now official on AT&T. We can expect to see the budget-friendly smartphone available on September 16th for $50 with a new two-year commitment. It features a 4.3-inch qHD true-color IPS screen, Ice Cream Sandwich, a 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, NFC, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU (most likely the MSM8960 Snapdragon S4, but we've reached out for confirmation) and LTE. It also features 4GB onboard storage with microSD expansion, an above-average 2,150mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, a 1.3MP front-facing camera and a new feature called Skyfire Horizon, which is a browser toolbar extension that promises fast access to social media pages. Check out the press release below for all the info.Continue reading AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, MobileAT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | AT&T | Email this | Comments

AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50

Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:11 AM PDT

AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50


AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50
The LG Escape, which we saw leaked out yesterday, is now official on AT&T. We can expect to see the budget-friendly smartphone available on September 16th for $50 with a new two-year commitment. It features a 4.3-inch qHD true-color IPS screen, Ice Cream Sandwich, a 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, NFC, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and LTE. It also features 4GB onboard storage with microSD expansion, an above-average 2,150mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, a 1.3MP front-facing camera and a new feature called Skyfire Horizon, which is a browser toolbar extension that promises fast access to social media pages. Check out the press release below for all the info.Continue reading AT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, MobileAT&T announces budget-friendly LG Escape, available September 16th for $50 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | AT&T | Email this | Comments