Update: GigaOM has additional pictures of the apps' SMS and visual voicemail functions, along with a pretty strong review.
I am certain this gave Amazon honcho Jeff Bezos one hell of a tingle when he saw the report, but in spite of the repeated mentions of Amazon and Kindle, I'm pretty sure he had very little to do with it himself. Here's why:
The DLC—'scuse me, NDLC—estimates the up-front cost of materials to be around $200, but could fall to $80 by 2012. Since the government now spends about $109 per student on text books, the initial investment seems in line. However, I don't think they're looking at the appropriate model. The Kindle 2's teardown revealed that it costs around $185, but that includes $60 for the 6" screen. Don't these fat cats in Washington know that textbooks only work on the $489 DX (and even then just barely)? Even at cost, I guarantee you're looking at a lot more than $200 per kid for one with a 10" screen.
And don't even get me started on the subject of smashed Kindle screens.
Doing the math here, my numbers are a lot higher t! han the DLC's, and furthermore my estimates on E-Ink's future price drop are way more pessimistic. Especially since the jury (meaning us) is still out on the longevity of E-Ink as an ideal screen technology, and only volume will really drive down the price. Wait a few years, see what happens with LCD, with laptops and netbooks, with iPhones and other smartphone platforms, and then, just maybe, you'll be able to select a decent product to subsidize 56 million times over.
Oh, and dudes, don't go creating terms like eTextbook—we already have lingo for this stuff, and you sound like you just arrived in a time machine from 1996. [DLC via New York Times]
Vincent Paquet, a senior product manager for Google and cofounder of GrandCentral (Google Voice before its name change), announced that Google Voice will be coming to the Android Market and to BlackBerry, although users of the latter will have to download it directly from Google rather than App World for some reason. It'll let you have your Google Voice number displayed on the other end and show transcribed email inside the app, rather than forcing the use of a browser. The invite system of registration, however, will still be in place.
iPhone and WebOS are markedly absent; we can forgive a little tardiness at WebOS because the platform's so new, but iPhone? What gives? Isn't Skype already available? No explanation for the absence was given, but Google assures us it is definitely coming as soon as possible. [CNET]
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Samsung goes bargain hunting with SMX-K40 and SMX-K45 camcorders originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software
Android x86 LiveCD now available, lets you run Android on your desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsPromotion for Harry Potter Half Blood Prince started more than 4 yrs ago; Deathly Hallows more than 3 yrs before movie - http://bit.ly/hkgs4
Photo by TheTruthAbout.
Sethi, author of the I Will Teach You To Be Rich blog, and book of the same name, notes that most credit cards extend purchase warranties to one year automatically, on top of the 30- or 90-day standards included in the box. Car rental insurance is also included in most card policies, and even if the airline tries to stiff you for a "late cancellation," many credit issuers grant their users $1,000-$2,000 per year in trip cancellation paybacks.
Sethi details these perks and others in a recent CNBC appearance, along with a free book chapter and related posts linked below.
What "secret" credit card perks have you discovered, accidentally or through fine print research? Share the hidden wealth in the comments.
We previously peeked at Luminotes when it was a partially free service, but desktop clients, self-hosting, and other features were locked behind a pay wall. Many commenters noted a preference for the already free alternatives like PBWiki, but with Luminotes now free and available for use in browsers, off thumb drives, and from Windows-based clients, it's perhaps a more intriguing package for anyone who wants one place to drop all their thoughts, links, ideas and images, but finds Wikipedia-style markup a bit too intimidating to dive right into.
Gallery: Windows Marketplace taking app submissions on July 27, coming to WinMo 6.0 and 6.1 later this year
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Windows Marketplace taking app submissions on July 27, coming to WinMo 6.0 and 6.1 later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It's a form-factor that doesn't leave much room for creativity, but Samsung's managed to put together a distinctive product with the HMX-U10. The slightly swept design allows for more comfortable gripping than the flat bricks we've all grown accustomed to, and the compact profile—56mm x 103mm x 15.5mm—belies its solid specs, and most notably its ability to record 1080p H.264 video, as opposed to the industry standard 720p. Otherwise, we're in familiar territory here: there's a one-touch YouTube upload button, fixed-focus lens, expandable SD storage and a two-inch LED screen.
Also, with the emphasis on still shooting, I'm noticing a conceptual problem: point-and-shoot cameras have been getting more and more video savvy in the last few years, and now, mini-camcorders are aspiring to be pocket cameras. They're roughly the same size, and assuming a tag of around $200—suspected, but not certain—for the HMX-U10, fall into the same price range. The future won't be pretty for one category or the other, and that's not even considering the increasingly capable imaging capabilities of modern smartphones. Exactly what will kill what (and what we'll be left with) is still up in the air, but you can rest assured the slaughter will be well-recorded. [InfoSyncWorld, Crave]
Notes from the front lines: Facebook advertising metrics and benchmarks76 Views The hardest thing to do in web 2.0 …54 Views The Perfect Babe – Megan Fox (pics)48 Views crispin porter bogusky’s beta site42 Views marketing misconceptions, advertising misconceptions, social media misconceptions39 Views Smaller social networks are losing even the few users they have…34 Views Bing is bigger than CNN, Digg, Twitter? Not so fast!32 Views Branding is still a useful activity? Reach and frequency is still a useful metric?21 Views
A re-refresher, from last time they dropped new hardware:
All Fonera routers are open to all Fonera users, meaning that in exchange for providing Wi-Fi to the occasional Fonera-owning passerby, you get to tap into other Fonera users' connections whenever you're away from home. It's a pretty cool idea, but it's not clear that there are enough Foneras in existence for the concept to work in practice, at least in the US.
The company also has telco partners (albeit mostly overseas), who essentially subcontract hotspots to Fonera users. It's an interesting concept even if it's a little cultlike, and for the price—about $70—the Fonera 2n is a solid deal in strict hardware terms.
The company says the product is now out in "major retailers" in the US, though perhaps tellingly doesn't name any. A full feature list below: [Fonera via Ryan Block's Twitter]
Caters to Web 2.0 with Faster WiFi, Home Network Access, and Manages File Uploads/Downloads - Even With Your PC Off
MADRID, July 14 /PRNewswire/ — FON today introduced the Fonera 2.0n WiFi router in the US market, combining FON's revolutionary WiFi sharing and money making features with seamless integration and management of popular Web 2.0 services such as YouTube, Facebook, Picasa, Flickr, BitTorrent, RapidShare, and other content — even while users' PCs are off. The Fonera 2.0n is on sale now at major retailers. This announcement is significant because anyone can now upload, download and synch ALL of their web apps while away from home, without getting stuck for hours waiting for something to load.
"If there's one annoying aspect of the otherwise great internet, it's the time it takes to upload videos, pictures, or download movies, tv series, games, and software from the internet," said Martin Varsavsky, FON CEO. "The Fonera 2.0n is the first WiFi router that frees up your computer from those tasks. Close your computer, continue uploading and downloading!"
Built around the faster 802.11n standard, Fonera 2.0n has a greater WiFi reach and faster throughput than 802.11g routers, and its more powerful processors and sophisticated software enable it to run parallel applications and simultaneous uploads and downloads. A built-in USB hub and Fonera 2.0 management software allows users to connect external hard drives and other USB devices. This enables users to share data wirelessly, upload videos or photos automatically to YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Facebook, or download* torrents or files directly from BitTorrent, RapidShare, and Megaupload without a computer running at the same time. Additional features include the ability to backup files to a hard drive, print, or access a remote webcam via WiFi, and convert an HSDPA or 3G dongle to WiFi.
Fonera 2! .0n can also help users save money on energy and reduce their CO2 output. A Fonera 2.0n router consumes less than four watts while downloading, instead of a PC that averages 100 watts, so users can reduce their CO2 emissions by 273Kg a year — equivalent to driving an SUV more than 1,500km per year. **
"The deep integration of online file sharing, social networks, and other Web 2.0 content into our already busy daily lives translates into more hours spent at the computer, greater energy use and more greenhouse emissions," said Varsavsky. "By enabling users to handle basic computing tasks from the router instead of the PC, we're taking a small step towards reducing power consumption without limiting functionality."
Fonera 2.0 also maintains all the features of previous FON WiFi routers. Once connected, it creates two WiFi signals, one private and one public, that allow for a secure, wireless Internet connection at home and free access at FON Spots worldwide. Fonera owners can also choose to make money*** by selling FON WiFi access passes or letting guests roam at their FON Spot.
Fonera 2.0n is based on open source and developers are encouraged to create and share additional applications.
For further information about the Fonera 2.0, visit www.fon.com.
About FON:
FON started the free WiFi revolution in 2006 with the first Fonera WiFi router and the goal of free, ubiquitous WiFi for everyone. Today, FON has more than 350,000 FON Spots, over 1.3 million registered foneros, and a growing list of Telco partners who add FON functionality to their ADSL modems. Google, eBay, British Telecom, Index Ventures and Sequoia Capital are investors in FON.
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment
Blockbuster OnDemand en route to Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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