Video Calling Hits Skype for iPhone

Skype for iPhone with VideoWell, looky here-the iPhone version of Skype we wanted all along is finally here: one that does video calls. It works on the iPhone 4, current iPod Touch, iPhone 3GS, and iPad (although you really want the front-facing camera which the 3GS and iPad lack) and permits calls over both 3G and Wi-Fi. And judging from my very brief time with it so far, the quality seems quite good.

Apple's own FaceTime set the standard for simple video calling from a phone, and other options such as Tango are already thriving. but if you're a Skype user calling another Skype user, the new iPhone app couldn't be much simpler-and you can make calls to Windows users, something that's still not possible with FaceTime. (You can't, however, make video calls to Android users-but you gotta think that a video-capable version for Android will come along before too long.)

If you give the new app a try, let us know what you think. Me, I think I'll use it calling my three-year-old nephew and two-year-0ld niece-neither of who own an iPhone 4, oddly enough...

Source PCWorld

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Gigabyte slips out Atom N550-based M1005, Q2005 netbooks

We're guessing we'll see a more official announcement about these soon enough, but for now we'll have to make do with some product pages that have quietly turned up on Gigabyte's website for two new Atom N550-based netbooks: the M1005 and Q2005. As Netbook News notes, the latter of those (pictured above) looks to be remarkably similar to the Jolicloud Jolibook, also based on the same dual-core N550 processor, while the M1005 appears to be a relatively minor update to the company's M1022 model, right down to the same docking station (check it out after the break). Still no indication of pricing or availability for either of them, but you can find the complete specs for each at the links below.

Source Engadget

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RIM: BlackBerry PlayBook battery life is still being optimized, won't cause delays

If you've been keeping an ear to the techie ground, you'll probably have heard some analyst chatter suggesting RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook may be delayed due to issues relating to its supposedly poor battery life. That scuttlebutt has now turned out to be mostly unfounded, with RIM clarifying the situation through a communiqué sent to Erictric:

"Any testing or observation of battery life to date by anyone outside of RIM would have been performed using pre-beta units that were built without power management implemented. RIM is on track with its schedule to optimize the BlackBerry PlayBook's battery life and looks forward to providing customers with a professional grade tablet that offers superior performance with comparable battery life."

To be sure, it's not an outright denial that there may be PlayBooks floating about with disappointing battery performance, but the immaturity of the software on them is clearly such as to invalidate any conclusions drawn. Perhaps more important than the imprecise discussion of battery longevity (what does "comparable" even mean in this context?) is the note that the company is still on track to complete its software optimizations and deliver its first tablet on schedule. Guess we can all quit worrying now.

Source Engadget

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Sharp Galapagos media tablets will bring 3G and EPUB content to US e-reader market in 2011

We like a bit of ambition around these parts and Sharp's plans for entering the US e-reader battlefield reek of the stuff. The Galapagos tablets that recently enjoyed their Japanese debut are going to be retooled, according to the Mainichi Daily News, to include new 3G radios for the internet-addicted US consumer, while the primary content format will also be switched from the proprietary XMDF in Japan to the almost universally compatible EPUB. Content partnerships are said to be brewing as we type, because, quite naturally, Sharp intends to have its own e-bookstore for Americans as well. After the Yanks, the company's said to be looking into bringing its 5.5- and 10.8-inch tablets to China, India, and Brazil. Highly ambitious indeed.

Source Engadget

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Grace Digital adds color displays on new Solo Touch, Bravado X, and Mondo WiFi radios

Can't say we had the best of times with Grace Digital's Allegro, but the dawning of a new year means the dawning of a new effort. Three efforts, in this case. Poised for an official unveiling next week at CES, the outfit's new trio of internet radios have all been upgraded with color displays. Up first is the Solo Touch, a $249.99 device with an expansive 4.3-inch touchpanel, bundled remote, Ethernet connection, RCA outputs and a headphone jack. Stepping down a notch, there's the Bravado X ($179.99), which offers a 2.7-inch color display, RCA in / out and a USB connector. Finally, the $169.99 Mondo packs a 3.5-inch color display, a full-on alarm clock (with snooze!) and a USB port of its own. The whole lot can be controlled via a free iPhone app, and they're each capable of tuning into iheartradio, Pandora, Sirius XM, WeatherBug, CBS Radio, MP3Tunes and more. Now, off to Vegas to see if those user interface quirks have been cleared up... 

Internet Radio Goes Color with Grace Digital Audio's New Product Line Debuting at CES 2011

For the first time ever Grace Digital Audio will unveil 3 new color screen internet radios, including CES Innovations Honoree the Grace Mondo Internet Radio

San Diego, Calif. - (December 30, 2010) – Grace Digital Audio, a leading brand of Wi-Fi internet radios, announces its new line of color screen internet radios. The Solo Touch, Bravado X, and Mondo internet radios will be unveiled next week at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The entire Grace Digital product line includes internet radio services Pandora, Sirius XM Internet Radio, CBS Radio, iheartradio, Live365.com, MP3Tunes, NPR, National Weather Service, and WeatherBug.

Already known for its wide array of internet radio services and superior audio quality, Grace Digital radios are now equipped with a vivid color screen. The flagship of the new line is Grace's Mondo Internet Radio. Already a CES 2011 Design and Engineering Award Honoree, Mondo is the perfect bedside radio outfitted with a 3.5" TFT color display and an audio quality that can easily make a run for best in its class. The Solo Touch, big brother to Grace's original Solo Wi- Fi Internet Tuner, features a 4.3" touch screen color display. Grace's celebrated Bravado Internet Radio also gets a makeover, with the Bravado X adding a 2.7" TFT color display and high quality stereo speakers.

Solo Touch (GDI-IRTSC12)
Compact tuner provides complete control over the world of internet radio directly on your home stereo
• 4.3" touch screen color display • Remote control, Ethernet connection, RCA out jacks, and headphone
connection 
• $249.99

Bravado X (GDI-IRD4500)
Wi-Fi tabletop radio provides powerful sound with a user friendly color display
• 2.7" TFT color display
• Powerful stereo speakers, RCA in/out jacks, USB, and headphone connection
• $179.99

Mondo (GDI-IRC6000)
Perfect bedside internet radio with best in class audio and vibrant color display
• 3.5" TFT color display 
• Snooze control and full alarm clock function 
• Remote control, Ethernet connection, RCA out jacks, and USB connection 
• $169.99

The three new color screen radios join Grace Digital's already award-winning line of audio products. "We are excited to start 2011 off with the announcement of 3 new color radios," says Grace Digital Audio's Chief Marketing Officer, Greg Fadul. "In addition to the new eye-catching color screens and superior audio quality, Grace's new radios also feature the best in class content. Grace radios play nearly every AM/FM and HD radio station from around the corner to around the world in pure digital sound with no static or fading. Whether you want to listen to CBS radio, iheartradio, NOOA, Pandora, Sirius, WeatherBug or the 50,000 plus stations from your local station to international you have it all – with Grace."

Source Engadget

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Santech can't wait for CES, lists a bunch of Sandy Bridge CPUs on new N67 laptop

Man, who needs to go to CES anymore? Intel's frailly maintained secrecy around Sandy Bridge processor identities has been blown to smithereens today by Italian systems integrator Santech. The company lists a now familiar Core i7-2630QM (quad-core, 2GHz) alongside an i7-2720QM (2.2GHz), an i7-2820QM (2.3GHz), and an i7-2920XM (2.5GHz), confirming once and for all that Intel has completely lost its mind when it comes to naming chips. Other specs include up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 750GB of magnetic storage or 160GB of the solid state stuff, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, and a 15.6-inch display that can be either glossy or matte, with a resolution of either 1366 x 768 or 1920 x 1080, depending on your preference and budget. Deliveries are said to start on January 27th and prices range between €1,200 ($1,577) and €3,000 ($3,943).

Source Engadget

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ASUS EP121, EP102, EP101, and EP71 tablets get diagramed in latest teaser

Haven't had enough CES titillation yet? Good. ASUS has apparently been up to some mischief overnight in uploading and then pulling a new version of its teaser video from a week ago, though this time it also included explicit product names attached to some quite informative diagrams. It looks to be the full family of upcoming CES tablets, with the EP121 touting stylus input and a wireless keyboard, the EP102 showing that there will indeed be a slider in ASUS' Pad family, and the EP101 looking like, well, a laptop. There's also a media-centric EP71, whose proportions make it seem likely to be a sort of oversized PMP. Skip past the break for a closer look at them all and don't forget to grace our comments with your theory as to why ASUS feels compelled to have such a segmented product offering.

Engadget

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Samsung's phone division now also in charge of PMPs, Galaxy Player coming in Q2 2011

Yes, CES 2011 will be graced by the presence of Samsung's new 4-inch Galaxy Player, but our pockets, it would seem, might have to wait for it quite a bit longer. The Wall Street Journal today reports that, while Samsung intends to roll out the new Android PMP in its home market of Korea shortly after CES next week, the rest of the world is unlikely to be able to buy it until "the April to June period." Aside from its lack of phone functionality and a Super AMOLED panel, the new Galaxy Player is an almost identical replica of the company's wildly successful Galaxy S smartphone, which apparently has been no accident. The WSJ also lets us in on the knowledge that Samsung's phone division has taken over responsibility for building and selling its portable media player range, hence why we're now seeing such major overlaps between the two categories -- something that might very well continue into the future.

Source Engadget

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Verizon to demo Home Monitoring and Control system at CES, launch pilot in Jersey next month

Looks like home automation may finally be taking baby steps towards the mainstream -- Verizon's just announced that it'll be demoing that long-rumored Home Monitoring and Control system at CES 2011, with a planned beta rollout in New Jersey to follow. The system will allow users to remotely view security cameras, lock doors, and control lights, thermostats, and appliances through their smartphones or FiOS TV boxes -- the same capabilities most other automation systems offer, but with the added benefit of being integrated and installed by Verizon. The pilot homes in Jersey will receive an energy reader, smart appliance switches and thermostats, door and window locks, a power strip, motion sensors, an indoor pan-and-tilt camera, and a fixed indoor / outdoor camera when the system launches next month, but Verizon says that's just the beginning. We're told the system will use Z-Wave wireless control units and WiFi security cameras, so we're guessing there'll be a central box that integrates everything -- and we've got a feeling this whole thing is based on 4Home (pictured above), which was just acquired by Motorola Mobility. We'll find out more at CES -- stay tuned. 


New Verizon Home Monitoring and Control Service Will Make the Concept of the 'Connected Home' a Reality 

Service Being Tested in New Jersey, Offers Home Owners Anytime, Anywhere Access to Lights, Thermostats, Appliances and Monitoring Systems, via Smartphones, Computers and FiOS TV 

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – You're miles from home when you realize that you've forgotten to lock the front door. With a new, fully integrated and customizable home monitoring and control service developed by Verizon, you won't have to panic and frantically call a friend or neighbor. The service, now in the trial phase and expected to be available in the first half of 2011, will enable customers to lock doors remotely; see what's going on at home via networked cameras; and set, adjust and control lights, smart thermostats and appliances -- all by using a smartphone or a computer or through FiOS TV.

Verizon will showcase the new service, Home Monitoring and Control, and many other new technologies, at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, from Jan. 6-9. Verizon's demo will be available in the press room and blogger lounge, located in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will be among the demonstrations in Verizon's booth (LVCC, South Hall #35215) on the show floor.

(NOTE: To take a video tour of Verizon's home monitoring and control offering, visit www.XXXXXX.)

Beginning in January, a pilot program for the new service will be conducted in New Jersey. The homes selected for the program will be outfitted with an energy reader, smart appliance switches and thermostats, a smart power strip, a smart door and window locks, motion sensors, an advanced pan-and-tilt camera, and a fixed indoor and outdoor camera.

"What we'll be testing in these homes is just the beginning," said Eric Bruno, vice president of product management for Verizon. "We're giving customers a remote control for their homes that they can use to cut CO2 emissions and their energy bills and give them anytime, anywhere access and control of their homes. The concept of the connected home has been discussed for many years, and now Verizon's high-IQ networks are making that concept a reality by converting customers' homes into bandwidth-rich ecosystems that enable a wide variety of customizable options."

High-IQ Networks Like FiOS Are Platforms for Innovation

Since launching FiOS, Verizon has pushed the boundaries of TV and broadband speed by introducing innovations that have spurred the industry's evolution.

Verizon is the only major provider to offer ultra-high-speed symmetrical Internet service to customers, and earlier this year the company began offering 150/35 megabits per second Internet service, the fastest speeds available on a mass scale. Consumers can choose from various FiOS Internet downstream and upstream options including 15/5 Mbps, 25/25 Mbps, 35/35 Mbps and 50/20 Mbps. 

Verizon also offers a Media Manager, available to all HD customers, that enables them to access PC-based personal photos, videos and music – as well as search and enjoy online videos from YouTube, blip.tv and Dailymotion. DVR customers can remotely access their DVRs from any broadband connection or Internet-enabled phone. And in November, Verizon launched Flex View, a new feature that allows customers to take their video content with them and purchase, rent or watch videos on TV, online and on select mobile devices.

Source Engadget

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Toshiba NB550D netbook spills specs, including 1GHz AMD Ontario APU and Harman Kardon sound

Looks like the AMD Fusion netbook strategy may be to supplant Intel's Atom wholesale in the leadup to CES, as Toshiba has just become the second manufacturer to swap out an Atom chip for a 1GHz AMD C-50 Ontario APU while leaving the rest of the design practically untouched. Notebook Italia just spotted this 10-inch Toshiba NB550D having a grand old time on the company's German website, leisurely flexing its Harman Kardon speakers and newfound HDMI port, all the while dreaming about ways to upgrade its scant 1GB of DDR3 memory and 250GB of magnetic storage. Interestingly,

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Archos 28, 32, and 70 now available, do not combine to form mythical Archos 130

Archos' line of inexpensive (dare we say "cheap," at times) Android tablets aren't necessarily on your wishlist, but for the budget-conscious, they're hard to beat. And now three new models are on sale, including the 2.8-inch Archos 28, the 3.2-inch Archos 32, and the 7-inch (of course) Archos 70. The first two will put you back $99.99 and $149.99, respectively, while the biggun' comes in both 8GB ($274.99) and 250GB ($349.99) options. What are you waiting for? Honeycomb? You're adorable.

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Gresso classies up the iPad with 18k gold logo and ancient wood case

We'll openly admit we never knew what African Blackwood was until Gresso started applying the stuff to its line of extremely luxurious cellphone mods, but now we can't imagine a new product from the Russian company without the 200-year old timber making an appearance. And sure enough, the Gresso iPad's rear is composed almost entirely of Dalbergia melanoxylon, broken up only by the insertion of an 18-karat gold Apple logo. Strangely, in spite of its extravagant constituent materials, this design is a very restrained, dare we say, classy, affair. It goes on sale on New Year's Eve at an unannounced price, but you know what they say: if you have to ask or you have to work for a living, you probably can't afford it.

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Wicked Audio's 3D headphones aren't what you think, border on unsightly

Okay, so maybe "border" is being generous. Wicked Audio is well known for its -- shall we say, vivacious-- line of earbuds and headphones, but none compare to the outfit's new 3D series of cans. Set to officially debut at CES next week, this line actually has embossed logos on each ear cup, enabling you to "feel" the graphics on the side. Hard to say who exactly this benefits, but for those who love raised artwork upside their noggins, we suppose it's perfect. As for specs? Keep dreaming -- all we know is that you'll be choosing the least offensive design from the three above next month when they go on sale for $29.99 at FYE.

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Olympus XZ-1 and other pre-CES camera rumors from Sony and Panasonic

It's no secret that CES is the stage from which camera companies unleash more compact shooters than you can shake a tripod at -- and preceding those come a glut of rumors, naturally. 4/3 Rumors has heard Olympus will unveil the XZ-1 (pictured), which boasts the LX5's 10 megapixel sensor and a none-too-shabby 28-112mm f/1.8-2.5 lens. The site also heard that a few Panasonic model numbers that at this point really don't tell too grand a story: DMC-S1 and S3, DMC-TS3, FH2, and FH5. Meanwhile at Sony Alpha Rumors, the eponymous company will reportedly launch a number of compact cameras (go figure) including a Cybershot DSC-HX1 successor, some new Bloggies, and new 2D and 3D video recorders... and though no Alpha and no NEX models will be on the show floor, the site is also suggesting the future NEX-7 and Alpha A77 models have 1080p60 AVCHD and a 0.1-second autofocus.

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HTC Thunderbolt with LTE for Verizon pictured ahead of CES unveiling?

So, that lovely 4.3-inch LTE smartphone with Android for Verizon we've been calling the Mecha and theDroid Incredible HD? Looks like it might come to market as the Thunderbolt, so says Droid Life -- and we tend to put some weight on the rumor considering that they've just run twelve leaked shots of the thing. As you can see, this is clearly Verizon's head-on answer to the EVO 4G, featuring similar stylings and, in all likelihood, an LTE modem swapped in for the EVO's WiMAX one. Sure looks like that"controlled" leak from a few days back, doesn't it? More on this at Verizon's press conference next week, we presume.

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Jawbone Jambox vs. Soundmatters foxL v2... fight!

Two portable speakers clamber into the ring, each boasting big, beautiful sound for their diminutive size. Both cost $200. Both have the same technology inside. The Jawbone Jambox and the Soundmatters foxL v2 with Bluetooth each want to be your wireless audio wunderkind, blasting music and taking Bluetooth calls. At best, you're only going to buy one. Which speaker should you choose? Following ourJambox review, we got our hands on a foxL and put the two head to head, and after the break you'll see which one came out on top -- both literally and figuratively. 

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Samsung unveils i-Functional NX11 mirrorless camera, WB700 with 24x zoom (update: pictures)

Just when you thought it'd be a week devoid of notable announcements -- what, with CES less than a week away -- along comes Samsung with two new cameras. The first one is an upgrade to the mirrorlessNX10, naturally called the NX11, that boasts a change in grip design and compatibility with i-Function lens found on the NX100. The other nitty-gritty details for the 14.6 megapixel shooter: a 3-inch AMOLED LCD screen, VGA viewfinder, 720p 30fps HD recording, and an APS-C sensor. Price and date? $649 with a bundled 18-55mm zoom lens, available in February.

In smaller news -- volumetrically, at least -- the 16 megapixel Samsung WB700 sports a 24x zoom (that's 18x optical and 1.3x smart zoom), a 24mm ultra-wide Schneider Kreuznach lens, CCD sensor, and 1080p HD video.

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Thermaltake's Max 5G dual-fan USB 3.0 HDD enclosure cools your platters with style

We know what you were thinking: my external hard drive enclosure is nice and all, but why is it so quiet? Well,Thermaltake is here to fix that with its new Max 5G dual-fan enclosure. Outside the fans and the fancy LED lights (which can be switched off, if you're feeling unextreme one particular morning), the enclosure is pretty great itself, with a smokin' USB 3.0 plug and support for high-end 3.5-inch SATA 3.0 drives. The fans are to promote long life on your hard drive and "data integrity" and all that, but pretty much they just say to your SATA drive: "I care." And isn't that all that matters? The enclosure is available for pre-order right now for $52, no word on release.

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Motorola Cliq 2 pictures hit the outside world?

What, you didn't forget about the Cliq series, did you? The followup to Motorola and T-Mobile's slider's been long rumored -- we heard a few morsels of information back in September -- and now CellPhoneSignal has a few pics of what it claims is the Begonia, aka Cliq 2 (for T-Mobile, naturally). The keyboard here is, well, interesting, to say the least, and there's also apparently a five megapixel camera on the back. We're not really sure how our thumbs feel about the layout, but if this is legit, we'd reckon they'll get to try it out themselves sooner or later. That's what giant gadget trade shows are for, right? Right. More pictures via the source link.

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Fujifilm explains how its X100 hybrid viewfinder works, we nod and pretend to understand

If you just tried to tell us the FinePix X100 was a bog standard digital camera, we'd still probably pay any price for those amazing retro looks, but Fujifilm has more in mind. Specifically, the X100 harbors an all-new viewfinder setup, that can switch between a full-on optical view (something that's currently impossible in similarly sized Micro Four Thirds cameras), and an electronic viewfinder. The optical mode also includes overlaid shooting data, which isn't typical for a straight compact viewfinder (since it's looking through its own lens, not the camera's main lens). You'll have to read Fujifilm's full-on explanation to really know what's going on here -- it gets a little technical

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