Author: Serkadis

-Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles has unveiled a 12-inch action figure that depicts the King of Pop in the 1982 video Thriller……

-Gilbert Arenas’s Top 10 Craziest Moments…..

–Pink, Lady Gaga, and Green Day have been added to the list of performers set to take the stage at the 2010 Grammy Awards Jan. 31……

-Preview pics of James Franco on 30 Rock……

–Cheech & Chong bring their campaign for ganja to Washington….

–Producers Guild of America announces movie nominations……

–The Simpsons 450th episodes!

–Fly Away, a new Broadway musical set to the vocals of Frank Sinatra, will open at Manhattan’s Marquis Theatre this spring…..

-The three oldest Jolie-Pitt kids will inherit a large sum from their late Grandma Marcheline….

-Lil Wayne’s Rebirth Album Delayed — Again!

-Preview Spring 2010 Paris Hilton Footwear Collection…..

-Sandra Bullock will present her The Proposal co-star Betty White with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award during the 16th Annual Screen Actor’s Guild Awards Jan. 23…..

-NBC has picked up a pilot starring comedian Adam Carolla….

-An Ohio woman punched through a McDonald’s drive-through window because she couldn’t get Chicken McNuggets…….

-PBS’ Antiques Roadshow sets a record……

The Department of Justice says the best way to encourage broadband competition is to make many more licenses available for wireless use.

“Given the potential of wireless services to reach underserved areas and to provide an alternative to wireline broadband providers in other areas, the Commission’s primary tool for promoting broadband competition should be freeing up spectrum,” the DOJ wrote to the FCC on Monday. Spectrum scarcity is the “fundamental problem” that the agency must tackle in order to help companies like Clearwire, T-Mobile, and Sprint offer high speed Internet comparable to land line Internet. “Stated simply, without access to sufficient spectrum a firm cannot provide state-of-the-art wireless broadband services.”

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Google makes a lot of money from advertising and the revenue it tapped into when it introduced search ads helped it become one of the most powerful tech companies in the world. Now, it’s looking to do the same with mobile advertising, which it believes will be a huge market in the next few years. Mobile web use is definitely growing fast but if this translates into thriving on the mobile ad market remains to be seen. It is clearly trying all options though and will soon introduce click-to-call ads enabling users to call a company just as easy as they would follow a link.

Search Engine Land revealed that AdWords clients received an interesting notification announcing that sometime later this month “your location-specific business phone number will display alongside your destination url in ads that appear on high-end mobile devices. Users will be able to click-to-call your business just as easily as they click to visit your website. You’ll be charged for clicks to call, same as you are for clicks to visit your website.”

The value of getting a potential customers engaged in a phone call with the advertisers has been recognized for a while now. Google introduced an ad option, which enabled users to leave their phone numbers to be contacted by the company advertising. This didn’t turn out to … (read more)

Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless spectrum in an FCC auction two years ago. The company bid enough to get open-access rules attached to some of the airwaves, but stopped short of actually purchasing any. Two years ago, the prevailing thought in the industry was that Google wasn’t interested in getting into the cellphone business.

Then it introduced its Android operating system. And now the Nexus One handset. It seems Google is looking to make a splash in the cellphone business after all.
The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper, at least — like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 “Flan,” if you’re counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Can the Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review of the Nexus One, we’ll answer all those pressing questions and more… so read on for the full scoop!
Google Nexus One unboxing and hands-on

Note: The unit we have in hand is — by all appearances — a production model, save for the QR code imprint on the back, which is likely an employee-only Easter egg. However, Google is making its official announcement tomorrow, and there could always be differences. If anything changes with the device, or there are revelations about the marketing or sale of the phone, we’ll be sure to update the review with new info.
This normally would be the place where I’d embed the relevant YouTube video. But this is one video Google doesn’t want on its video site, and the company is pulling the footage down as quickly as it can. (This is where I imagine the Viacom guys chortling and rubbing their hands).
If Google’s strategy is successful at getting other carriers to “unlock” popular handsets, it would move the U.S. closer to aligning with European and Asian markets, where consumers typically buy cellphones directly from manufacturers and then connect to any network they choose. This could put pressure on carriers to increasingly improve their network speeds and capacities, since they will no longer be able to lure customers only with the hottest handsets.

Related posts:

1. Nexus One Review, Nexus One Review 2010 Nexus Phone Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless…
2. Google New Phone, Google New Phone Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…
3. Google Nexus One, Google Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…

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Divestiture Enables Company to Focus on Brands and Categories that Leverage Its Global Scale More Effectively

Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) today announced that, after several months of discussions, it has agreed to sell the assets of its North American pizza business to Nestle for a total consideration of $3.7 billion.

The company estimates that its pizza business generated 2009 net revenues of $1.6 billion under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

The sale, which is subject to customary conditions including regulatory clearances, includes the DiGiorno, Tombstone and Jack’s brands in the United States, the Delissio brand in Canada and the California Pizza Kitchen trademark license.

It also includes two Wisconsin manufacturing facilities (Medford and Little Chute) and the right to take on the leases for the pizza depots and delivery trucks. Kraft Foods anticipates that approximately 3,400 employees will transfer with the business to Nestle. The transaction is expected to close in 2010.

“Selling this business now not only delivers an attractive return for our shareholders, but enables us to better focus our resources on priority global brands and categories,” said Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO.

“Nestle is well-positioned to continue building these powerhouse pizza brands, given its strength in frozen foods.”

Rosenfeld continued, “We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our talented employees who delivered exceptionally strong results in 2009 and have helped us build this into the number one frozen pizza business in North America. We’re confident the business will continue to thrive under Nestle’s ownership. We wish them much continued success.”

About Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods (kraftfoodscompany.com) makes today delicious in 150 countries around the globe. Our 100,000 employees work tirelessly to make delicious foods consumers can feel good about.

From American brand icons like Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings, Maxwell House coffees and Oscar Mayer meats, to global powerhouse brands like Oreo and LU biscuits, Philadelphia cream cheeses, Jacobs and Carte Noire coffees, Tang powdered beverages and Milka, Cote d’Or, Lacta and Toblerone chocolates, our brands deliver millions of smiles every day.

Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is the world’s second largest food company with 2008 revenues of $42 billion.

The company is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor’s 500, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index.

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Opel

When Opel showed off a concept version of the next-generation Meriva at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, everyone expected the production version to look much the same. After all, the concept exhibited all the styling cues we’ve seen on other recent concepts from Rüsselsheim. What we didn’t expect was for the B-segment people carrier to retain its door configuration. It is standard practice for designers to use rear hinged suicide doors on concepts because it gives better visibility to the interior as the car spins on the auto show turntable, and it also adds a bit of theater.

For various engineering and safety reasons, these are typically discarded in the transition to production. Not this time, however. The basic design of the concept has been brought to production including the rear-hinged FlexDoors, as Opel dubs them. Such doors can actually make sense with the smaller portals on a car of this size, making entry and exit easier for back seat occupants.

In Europe, the Meriva will launch later this year with a lineup of six available gas and diesel engines ranging from 75 to 140 horsepower. Thus far, we have not received any indication from General Motors that the Meriva will come to the Buick lineup to join the Opel-based Regal and Astra/Excelle. The latter is probably as small as GM wants to take Buick at this time.

The new Meriva will debut in Geneva on March 4, but in the meantime, you can check out the high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.

[Source: Opel]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: Opel releases next-gen Meriva MPV with rear-hinged doors

Geneva Preview: Opel releases next-gen Meriva MPV with rear-hinged doors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cape Wind, the Boston-based developer that for years has been working to launch the development of a 420-megawatt offshore wind farm off Cape Cod, was handed over another challenge with the recent decision by the National Register of Historic Places that the Nantucket Sound is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The decision could lead to more delays as it ensures that significant archeological research are undertaken as part of this already long permitting process.

Or will it…?

Cape Wind, and offshore wind developers in general, have “their man in Washington” in Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, which has made the development of the country’s offshore potential a priority. In a prepared statement, (that was actually sent to us by Cape Wind’s PR department), Salazar says he’s confident Cape Wind and the National Register would come to find agreement by March 1.

What if they don’t?  Salazar said:

I will be prepared to take the steps necessary to bring the permit process to conclusion. The public, the parties, and the permit applicants deserve certainty and resolution.

Since launching the project Cape Wind has faced intense opposition from local regulators and Cape Cod residents, which have passionately opposed the developers plan to build  what actually would be the U.S.’s largest offshore wind farm, in a 24 square mile (62 sq km) area in the Nantucket Sound.

Final contenders for the Cape Wind turbine supply contract are Siemens and Vestas, as GER reported earlier. The impending turbine selection comes as Cape Wind is set to begin negotiations with National Grid to ink a long-term power purchase agreement for the output of the $1 billion power project.

If Google’s strategy is successful at getting other carriers to “unlock” popular handsets, it would move the U.S. closer to aligning with European and Asian markets, where consumers typically buy cellphones directly from manufacturers and then connect to any network they choose. This could put pressure on carriers to increasingly improve their network speeds and capacities, since they will no longer be able to lure customers only with the hottest handsets.
Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless spectrum in an FCC auction two years ago. The company bid enough to get open-access rules attached to some of the airwaves, but stopped short of actually purchasing any. Two years ago, the prevailing thought in the industry was that Google wasn’t interested in getting into the cellphone business.

Then it introduced its Android operating system. And now the Nexus One handset. It seems Google is looking to make a splash in the cellphone business after all.
The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper, at least — like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 “Flan,” if you’re counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Canthe Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review ofthe Nexus One, we’ll answer all those pressing questions and more… so read on for the full scoop!
Google Nexus One unboxing and hands-on

Note: The unit we have in hand is — by all appearances — a production model, save for the QR code imprint on the back, which is likely an employee-only Easter egg. However, Google is making its official announcement tomorrow, and there could always be differences. If anything changes with the device, or there are revelations about the marketing or sale of the phone, we’ll be sure to update the review with new info.
This normally would be the place where I’d embed the relevant YouTube video. But this is one video Google doesn’t want on its video site, and thecompany is pulling the footage down as quickly as it can. (This is where I imagine the Viacom guys chortling and rubbing their hands).

Related posts:

1. Google Nexus One, Google Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…
2. Google New Phone, Google New Phone Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…
3. Nexus One Release Price, Nexus One Release Price Information 2010 Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless…

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If Google’s strategy is successful at getting other carriers to “unlock” popular handsets, it would move the U.S. closer to aligning with European and Asian markets, where consumers typically buy cellphones directly from manufacturers and then connect to any network they choose. This could put pressure on carriers to increasingly improve their network speeds and capacities, since they will no longer be able to lure customers only with the hottest handsets.
Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless spectrum in an FCC auction two years ago. The company bid enough to get open-access rules attached to some of the airwaves, but stopped short of actually purchasing any. Two years ago, the prevailing thought in the industry was that Google wasn’t interested in getting into the cellphone business.

Then it introduced its Android operating system. And now the Nexus One handset. It seems Google is looking to make a splash in the cellphone business after all.
The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper, at least — like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 “Flan,” if you’re counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Canthe Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review ofthe Nexus One, we’ll answer all those pressing questions and more… so read on for the full scoop!
Google Nexus One unboxing and hands-on

Note: The unit we have in hand is — by all appearances — a production model, save for the QR code imprint on the back, which is likely an employee-only Easter egg. However, Google is making its official announcement tomorrow, and there could always be differences. If anything changes with the device, or there are revelations about the marketing or sale of the phone, we’ll be sure to update the review with new info.
This normally would be the place where I’d embed the relevant YouTube video. But this is one video Google doesn’t want on its video site, and thecompany is pulling the footage down as quickly as it can. (This is where I imagine the Viacom guys chortling and rubbing their hands).

Related posts:

1. Nexus One Release Price, Nexus One Release Price Information 2010 Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless…
2. Nexus One Review, Nexus One Review 2010 Nexus Phone Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless…
3. Google Nexus One, Google Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…

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CES is here, even though most of your friendly neighborhood CrunchGear writers are still in their respective home states. (We’ll be arriving in Las Vegas throughout the day today.) First up for me: new camcorders from Canon. Entry-level ones, too, so don’t feel intimidated. You’ve got the HFR11, the HFR10, and the HFR100. They’re basically souped up, HD versions of the previous FS series of entry-level cameras. Nothing wrong with HD.

The HFR11 is the top dog, coming with 32GB of built-in flash memory, while the R10 has 8GB of flash, and the R100 has none, but does has an SD/SDHC card slot to stick in whatever amount of flash you have lying about.

Other goodies: 20X optical zoom, simple to use HD to SD conversion, your standard ports for external mics and headphones, and a setting that makes taking short clips (2, 4, or 8 seconds long) so simple enough a caveman can do it. Hack alert.

Prices: the HFR11 for $699, the HFR10 for $549, and the HFR100 for $499. Those are all MSRPs, of course, so it may be different than what you find at the store.

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Sony Music Japan has announced a pretty unusual product today, the so-called bdporter [JP]. It’s essentially a roll-front cabinet with a set of devices that’s geared toward home theater fans who look for a unique piece of furniture. Buyers will get a Sony Blu-ray player, a WXGA projector, surround headphones, active speakers and a 60-inch projector screen.

Sony Music says the bdporter is ideal for presentations in companies (which can move the cabinet from conference room to conference room). But the company is also marketing the cabinet for private use, as you can see in the picture above. Buyers can choose between four design patterns to make sure the cabinet fits nicely with their existing furniture. The cabinet is sized at 500mm×840mm×750mm.

Sony Music is offering the bdporter for a whopping $7,700. It’s Japan-only at this point.

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Canon is done with navigation nubs on its high-end camcorders. They have been replaced with fancy-pants touchscreens. (Hopefully the cams come with cleaning cloths!) But don’t fret if you just purchased Canon’ previous flagship HD cam. These three new models use the same image sensor as the previous models. It’s mainly the touchscreen that’s different. But they must be cool because all the cool kids love touchscreens.

Along with sporting the same lens and sensor, all three models have dual SD card slots, LANC terminals, hot shoes, and external mic and headphone jacks. The flagship HF 21, however, also has 64GB of internal memory, while the HF S20 only has a 32GB. Don’t ask about the the HF S200, it doesn’t have any persistence storage, only the dual SD card slots.

The HF S21 will hit the market in April with a $1399 MSRP, the HF S20 will be $1099, and the HF S200 will be $999. But because these cams should take the quality video, you may want to look around the Internet around March and April for fire sales on the current models. I, for one, would much rather have a navigation nub, than a touchscreen anyway.

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Looking for a portable projector with a built-in Blu-ray player? Who isn’t? Well, Sony’s new BDPorter is just that.

This rollable cabinet comes stocked with a Blu-ray player, a WXGA projector, surround sound headphones, speakers and a 60-inch screen. It’s aimed mostly for corporate use as a presentations machine that can be carted around to different places, but I suppose you could import one from Japan for your house if you really wanted to. It’s $7,700, however, so I’m going to go ahead and suggest you don’t. [CrunchGear]

Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless spectrum in an FCC auction two years ago. The company bid enough to get open-access rules attached to some of the airwaves, but stopped short of actually purchasing any. Two years ago, the prevailing thought in the industry was that Google wasn’t interested in getting into the cellphone business.

Then it introduced its Android operating system. And now the Nexus One handset. It seems Google is looking to make a splash in the cellphone business after all.
The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper, at least — like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 “Flan,” if you’re counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Canthe Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review ofthe Nexus One, we’ll answer all those pressing questions and more… so read on for the full scoop!
Google Nexus One unboxing and hands-on

Note: The unit we have in hand is — by all appearances — a production model, save for the QR code imprint on the back, which is likely an employee-only Easter egg. However, Google is making its official announcement tomorrow, and there could always be differences. If anything changes with the device, or there are revelations about the marketing or sale of the phone, we’ll be sure to update the review with new info.
This normally would be the place where I’d embed the relevant YouTube video. But this is one video Google doesn’t want on its video site, and thecompany is pulling the footage down as quickly as it can. (This is where I imagine the Viacom guys chortling and rubbing their hands).
If Google’s strategy is successful at getting other carriers to “unlock” popular handsets, it would move the U.S. closer to aligning with European and Asian markets, where consumers typically buy cellphones directly from manufacturers and then connect to any network they choose. This could put pressure on carriers to increasingly improve their network speeds and capacities, since they will no longer be able to lure customers only with the hottest handsets.

Related posts:

1. Nexus One Review, Nexus One Review 2010 Nexus Phone Google’s “open” strategy began with its multi-billion-dollar bid for wireless…
2. Google Nexus One, Google Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…
3. Google New Phone, Google New Phone Nexus One Review 2010 The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper,…

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We’ve seen this done badly so many time that it’s hard to imagine anyone so self serious as Apple taking a crack at it (even if they’ve already done so in the desktop space), but for whatever reason the company picked up this 3D UI patent back in 2008 under the guise of a few French employees. The patent was just released in December, and describes in some detail a method of zooming around in 3D using multitouch. Of course, this picture seems to imply that it’s for jumping through some representative icons on a 3D plane, but the patent seems more concerned with the core mechanics of using multiple fingers at once to get around in 3D space and manipulate 3D objects — and then going to great lengths to cover Apple’s back in regards to multitouch, capacitive touch, and “multifunction” devices. So, this could be something we see in “the tablet,” the next iPhone or even never, but at least we can rest assured that pinch to zoom won’t be the only multitouch game in town forever.

3D UI patent snapped up by Apple in 2008: could be bases-covering, could be life-changing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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