Author: Serkadis

Sony announced during CES 2010 a refresh to their HDD Handycam line of camcorders – similar to the HDR-XR models of 2009. The new models (HDR-XR550V, HDR-XR350V and HDR-XR150) have some great additions inside and out compared to last year and range from $700 to $1400. All of these camcorders will be available in February and are compatible with PC and Mac. We’re really excited about these new models because it is the first time Sony has included the ability to HD video at 24Mbps, which other manufacturers have had in their AVCHD-based camcorders for a while. For those of you tired of limited options in the past, I’m also pleased to inform you that Sony put Memory Stick PRO Duo, Secure Digital (SD), and SDHC storage card slots on each model. We’re also seeing mention of the ability to down-convert from AVCHD to MPEG2, and are seeking clarification on this feature and if its built-in to the device or something external.

The Sony HDR-XR550V High-Definition HDD Handycam Camcorder will be the flagship model at $1400, and features full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps and 12-megapixel still image capture. Sony has also included the 240GB hard drive again this year, which is enormous and probably more than sufficient for most consumers. Within, you’ll have confidence in every shot as the lens is a masterful “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus and is also a Wide Angle G-lens for a 2x larger shooting area. And speaking of shooting area, you will never miss a detail on the extremely large 3.5” touchscreen Xtra Fine TruBlack LCD (921K) with a newer, improved interface.

Like other Handycams this year, the XR550V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. To ensure you remember where you took your video, the XR550V has a built-in GPS receiver with integrated Navteq maps technology that automatically geo-tags content for you.

Aside from the mini HDMI port, USB, and excellent storage card compatibility the XR550V has mic and headphone inputs as well as an assignable dial for manual control (Iris/Shutter/Exposure/WB/Focus).

For nearly four hundred dollars less, the  HDR-XR350V High-Definition HDD Handycam Camcorder is a good alternative that still packs solid features in comparison to the XR550V. It has full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps and 7-megapixel still image capture. Sony has also included a 160GB hard drive in this model, which is about 90GB less than the XR550V but I find it hard to believe that this will be considered a limitation by most people – its a lot of hard drive space.

Within, you’ll have confidence in every shot as the lens is a masterful “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus that also is a Wide Angle G-lens for a 2x larger shooting area. A powerful 12X optical zoom and higher digital zoom allow you to crop that perfect frame, or simply peer far off into the distance. And speaking of shooting area, it will be hard to miss a detail on the nice touchscreen 2.7” Clear Photo LCD Plus screen (230K) with a newer, improved interface.

Like other Handycams this year, the XR350V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. It however does not have the GPS option like the XR550V.

And lastly, we have the $700  HDR-XR150 High-Definition HDD Handycam Camcorder that does an impressive full 1920×1080 high-definition video recording at up to 24Mbps, but is far lower than the other models with only the ability to do 3-megapixel still image capture. Sony has also included a 120GB hard drive in this model and a 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus screen (230K). The high quality “Exmor-R” CMOS sensor with accelerated auto focus and Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 25X optical zoom lens will make this camcorder a strong contender in its price range.

Like other Handycams this year, the XR550V has Optical Steady Shot with Active Mode, from wide to telephoto end. The high-speed BIONZ imaging processor enables some new advanced features such as Golf Shot (renders two seconds of motion into sequence of up to 22 still images) and iAuto (11 optimized settings depending on the scene). Incredible face detection, Smile Shutter, and Face Touch recognizes up to eight faces to auto correct and prioritize a subject with one touch, while also taking photos. It however does not have the GPS option like the XR550V.

In many cultures, arrange marriage persists, but ts strict rationality has disappeared

Western notions of love and marriage are filled with acts of passion and fuzzy feelings. Yet, the divorce rate in the U.S. averages 60%, according to www.divorcerate.org.

Instead, arranged marriages continue to be practical solutions in various cultural traditions. Some critics say that there is a disconnect between arranged matches and current concepts of love. Others cite lower divorce rates, but even this statistic is disputed.

The prevalence of students in or heading toward arranged marriages on the Stanford campus proved nonexistent–but that doesn’t stop students from having opinions.

Many students at Stanford find arranged marriage to be an outdated concept.

“I do not believe arranged marriage is necessarily bad,” said Nishant Jacob ’13. “However, it was more effective before, like in the time of my parents. Now it seems a bit redundant, what with all the ways to socially network. It also seems a little restrictive.”

Some, however, were entirely against arranged marriage, expressing that it limited personal freedom.

“I think arranged marriage is one of the most oppressive institutions,” said Dakin Sloss ’12. “One of the most significant choices we make is choosing who we want to be with. No one should force it on you.”

Quite a few students said that their grandparents, and even some parents, had arranged marriages that ended up quite well. This used to be considered fairly common across many cultural lines.

Nupur Kantamneni ’13 pointed out that arranged marriages have evolved over the years and do not deserve the archaic, oppressive reputation that they are so often given.

“Arranged marriages today are not the same as they used to be,” she explained. “Now it is more like parents know other parents, etc. It is not so different from introducing friends to each other.”

Irteza Binte-Farid ’13 explained that her parents met via this loose definition.

“My parents had an arranged marriage,” she said. “They were both in medical school in Bangladesh and my father liked my mother. They did not know each other too well, but their families arranged for them to go to a movie together.

“They have been married for twenty three years and they may have their ups and downs, but they’re happy,” Binte-Farid continued. “I’m not saying that arranged marriage is for everyone, but it is not the evil that people make it out to be.”

In the long run, how different are relationships now from arranged marriages? Really, the difference may just be in the “courting” period. And perhaps that courting period is where the height of romance is seen.

Maria Del Carmen Barrios ‘13 explained her grandparents’ fairytale love story.

“My grandparents were not arranged but they went through the courting period…They liked each other right away but my grandfather did not speak Spanish and my grandmother did not speak Italian,” she said. “They learned English for each other and my family still has the tapes that they used. They kept in contact through a series of letters and then got married after only seeing each other a few times.”

Our ideas of love may have changed over the years, but the effort that goes into making love work has not. It is not an easy road and it is never perfect. And this uncertainty might be what makes it so bewildering and enchanting.

Wire pull tester for many applications, especially cable joints, solder pins etc.

– Test stand for accurate determination of tensile strength under identical conditions
– Lever operation, max. stroke 85 mm
-Wire pull tester for the following force gauges up to 500 N:
· mechanical – models PS and FB
· electronical – models DPS, DS2, Z2 and ZP
– Delivery includes wedge grip (CW-500N) and wire terminal grip (CH-500N)
– Capacity max. 500 N
– Dimensions 450 x 155 x 182 mm (L x W x H)
– Force gauge is not included

Simplifies Access to Large Data Sets from MATLAB and Speeds Up Statistics and Communications Algorithms

NATICK, Mass. – (17 Nov 2009)

The MathWorks today announced a new version of Parallel Computing Toolbox that now provides an improved distributed array construct to enable MATLAB users to directly access from a MATLAB session data that is stored on multicore computers or computer clusters. In addition, key algorithms in Statistics Toolbox and Communications Toolbox now execute faster when run in conjunction with Parallel Computing Toolbox.

With the new capabilities in Parallel Computing Toolbox, engineers and scientists can make better use of advanced hardware from their desktops. Distributed arrays and the improved set of MathWorks parallel computing tools that work with them enable MATLAB users to easily manipulate large data sets that reside on a computer cluster or multicore computer without significant changes to algorithm code.

“As hardware systems become more powerful, MATLAB users are increasingly presented with data-intensive problems that involve highly complex data sets,” said Silvina Grad-Freilich, manager of parallel computing and application deployment marketing at The MathWorks. “By adding parallel computing capabilities to our products, users can more easily take advantage of the benefits of parallelized applications to operate their large data sets. And because users can remain in the MATLAB environment, the cost is small and their workflow is streamlined, leading to results sooner.”

Parallel Computing Toolbox can now be used with two additional MathWorks toolboxes to accelerate specific algorithms on multiprocessing hardware without requiring users to write or modify a single line of code. In particular, algorithms in Statistics Toolbox have been modified, including the bootstrap and cross-validation algorithms, which are resampling methods that require repeatedly evaluating statistical functions on multiple data samples. Similarly, algorithms in Communications Toolbox have been modified so that you can run computationally intensive simulations of error-rate performance models in parallel. These enhancements build on the existing set of toolbox algorithms that take advantage of parallel operations, such as those in Optimization Toolbox and Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox.

About The MathWorks

The MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of technical computing, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a graphical environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain dynamic and embedded systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these product families to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, electronics, financial services, biotech-pharmaceutical, and other industries. MathWorks products are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world’s universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, The MathWorks employs more than 2,000 people in 15 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit www.mathworks.com.

MATLAB and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. See www.mathworks.com/trademarks for a list of additional trademarks. Other product or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

paperbag was the first of a whole bunch of you to send in CNN’s article on ‘book piracy.’ To be honest, there was so little substance in the article that I didn’t see much of a reason to post it — but since people keep submitting it, it seems that quite a few of you are hoping to discuss it. A lot of folks pointed out Sherman Alexie’s comments complaining about “piracy,” but those quotes were taken verbatim from his appearance on The Colbert Report, which we already discussed.

To be honest, what disappointed me with CNN’s article is that it didn’t challenge any of the obviously bogus statements made in the article. We already covered the problems with Alexie’s, but CNN also notes: “J.K Rowling has thus far refused to make any of her Harry Potter books available digitally because of piracy fears.” Of course, that assumes that it’s the official digital version that gets copied. While I haven’t checked, I would be stunned to find out that all of Ms. Rowling’s work is not already widely available via file sharing sites. Her deciding not to offer up an ebook copy didn’t stop piracy. In fact, it probably encouraged it, because those who want a digital copy now only have the option of using an unauthorized copy. The article also implies (though doesn’t state directly) that Apple iTunes has “solved” the piracy issue in music. Oddly, however, it doesn’t note that, unlike the music industry, at least the ebook industry is starting out with at least some legal marketplace for books. The music industry had to be dragged kicking and screaming to get there.

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2009 had its fair share of crazy controversies, but which among them all topped the list as the best newsmaker? Famitsu handed out a survey, and the result was that the PS3 Slim announcement was the biggest

The era of 3D has finally come home as Sony announced at CES 2010 that they are releasing four complete Bravia HD 3D TV’s for those of you who want to be the first adopters of the 3D revolution. We consider this the all-in-one package because these XBR LX Series Bravia TV’s will come with two pairs of 3D (active shutter) glasses and a built-in emitter. Just about every screen size is covered, as there will be the XBR-60LX900 60-inch model, 52″ (XBR-52LX900), 46″ (XBR-46LX900), and 40-inch (XBR-40LX900) options.  The LCD panel features Edge LED backlighting, which some have criticized but I still believe that it delivers a phenomenal picture that will suite this product well.

Consumers will enjoy silky smooth movement scenes with the integrated Motionflow PRO 240Hz Technology, which assures that no matter what scene that moving images are fluid and have crisp detail. BRAVIA Engine 3 ensures breathtaking picture quality with reduced visual noise, enhanced color and overall image detail.

This is one of the first BRAVIA series to feature the Monolithic Design concept, which can be displayed at a six-degree upward slant, producing the most natural viewing experience, especially with lower TV stands. The new sets’ near-invisible bezel, concealed touch sensors, and combination of both glossy and matte finishes allow them to blend into any décor, adding state-of-the-art style to a home theater. The optional Intelligent Presence Sensor feature will also turn off your TV and save power along with extending its life when your not in front of the TV. I can’t tell you how many times I have left a room and the TV just sits on playing for no one.

Want to experience rich internet content? With a built in Wi-Fi connection, the XBR LX series can easily connect to your wireless network at home which allows you to enjoy BRAVIA Internet Video (YouTube, dozens of streaming content providers and more) and Widgets, such as Twitter, Netflix, and more. Physical connectivity is also covered – with many HDMI inputs, optical audio, and so much more. A USB  port and DLNA photo/music/video playback are also included.

It’s amazing to witness Sony’s first push to put 3D in the living room and we will be watching very closely to see how long it takes content providers to start offering 3D in the home. Fortunately, the PS3 will be 3D compatible through a firmware upgrade and that should help hold people over with movies and games until cable and satellite providers offer 3D channels. However, this is for the true playboys and playgirls out there, as we’ve heard rumors that the 60 inch model will cost a little north of $7,000!

Another very interesting e-Reader having it’s coming out party at CES is the Skiff Reader.  It’s focus seems to be with magazines and newspapers but of course works with e-Books as well.  It looks really nice, has a flexible form factor with a touchscreen surface but be ready for a large footprint.

Check out these photos to see why this e-Reader excites me.  It’s similar to the PlasticLogic Que e-Reader and will compete with the Kindle DX.  Now that I mention it, both of these devices seem to easily beat the Kindle DX (not necessarily the Kindle 6”) with the feature-set as well as the form factor.

 

More Details:

The wireless will be provided by Sprint, will also have WiFi and the device will be sold in Sprint stores.  It’s just over 1/4” thick and touts itself as the thinnest e-Reader announced to date.  It also has a large 11.5”, 1200×1600 pixel (UXGA) display that is touchscreen.  Weight is just over 1 pound.

More info at the Skiff website

via jkontherun

I have this love/hate relationship with format wars.

No, it’s not reality television versus talk shows, or Top 40 radio against “the best of the ’80s — and more!” The wars I’m thinking about pit technologies against one another, usually in a battle to the death of one or more of the contestants. It’s One format to rule them all every time, and the streets are littered with the remains of the losers.

These wars are loathsome because we consumers have to pick a side or else lose out on something awesome, and then the ones who picked wrong have to pay up again for the winning technology. But format wars also keep the carousel of progress spinning and fan the flames of innovation. Join me for a brief look back at the format wars of yesteryear, and a look a head at what will replace them.

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Nothing official yet, but this looks like a pretty good leak. Panasonic loves to do this kind of thing, announcing several cameras at once to distract from the other manufacturers.

Obviously someone made a mistake and leaked this, but it’s bound to happen now that CES is here. No word on pricing or availability yet, but when we see the official release we’ll let you know. And without further ado:

Lumix FP3:
4x Zoom, 3.0″ touchscreen LCD, 14.1 MP, and HD video.

Lumix F3:
4x zoom, 12.1 MP, Face detection, and HD video.

Lumix FH3/FH1:
12.1 MP, 5x zoom, HD 720p video

The original rumor came out of Asia, and was dug up by Photo Rumors.

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Legendary RPG creator Hironobu Sakaguchi is working on a new game for the iPhone. In case you don’t recognize the name, he helped create a few games you might of heard of: Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, Xenogears, and Final Fantasy.

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating the privacy and security implications of cloud computing.

That could be quite an inquiry as the debate is still open about how to actually define cloud computing in the first place.

Sponsor

The investigation should raise some concerns with the enterprise community. Such an investigation could cover aspects of Internet communications that have been in use for years.

How would the FTC distinguish between the rights of the consumer and businesses that also use cloud computing services? What regulations would drift into the enterprise sector?

Any service provider could be viewed as part of the investigation under such a broad umbrella. The obvious parties would include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Rackspace and the other large cloud computing services.

SaaS is a form of cloud computing. That could mean a company like NetSuite, Zoho or Salesforce.com would have a stake in the outcome of such an investigation.

According toThe Hill, the investigation surfaced in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

In the filing, The FTC recognizes the cost savings of cloud computing but has concerns about information being stored remotely:

“However, the storage of data on remote computers may also raise privacy and security concerns for consumers,” wrote David Vladeck, who helms the FTC’s Consumer Protection Bureau.

This statement is puzzling. People have been storing their data remotely since the early 1990s on services that predate the social networks.

The intent of the inquiry is to protect consumer’s privacy. But the repercussions of such a broad investigation will also have reverberations throughout the enterprise community if the inquiry is not narrowed.

According to The Hill, the FTC is holding a roundtable Jan. 28 to focus on privacy protections. It will include specific discussions about cloud computing, identity management, mobile computing and social networking.

Discuss

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Two years after finishing up version 1.0 WirelessHD (WiHD) is still trying to come out on top of the no-cables-necessary high definition streaming dogfight, and it’s going to get a boost in that effort now that the 2.0 standard is available. Backwards compatible with existing WiHD hardware, the bandwidth has been upped to 10 – 28 Gbps (up from initial specs of 4 Gbps with a theoretical 25 Gbps limit) – enough to handle 4K resolutions, Deep Color, a newly specified 3D over WirelessHD set of standards, HDCP 2.0 DRM and even 1 Gbps file transfers between devices. Out of this world specs are just a matter of course for new hardware, but our focus is still on the group’s ability to get the price down this time around if it ever plans on going mainstream. With an investment from Best Buy just announced and a spot in VIZIO’s LCD lineup already confirmed, existing cable manufacturers may want to start developing Monster Air (10x higher transmission speed due to special platinum ionized molecules, of course) to sell sooner rather than later.

WirelessHD 2.0 spec speeds up to 28 Gbps to make room for 4K, 3D, portable devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember when ioSafe unveiled its original Solo right around this time last year? Man, that thing’s looking mighty sluggish now. This year, the company is introducing the Solo SSD, which is hailed as the planet’s first solid state external drive built to protect data from a building collapsing on it. Yeah, a building collapsing on it. It’ll be available with capacities as large as 256GB and will get connected via eSATA or USB, and if you care to know, the ruggedness is due to the firm’s own proprietary ArmorPlate steel outer casing. As for specifics, said tech helps the drive survive 5,000 pound crush forces, 20 foot drops onto rubble and blazing infernos to boot. It’ll be available next month in the US for $499 (64GB), $749 (128GB) or $1,250 (256GB), with the full details / press release hosted up after the break. As soon as we catch some benchmarks on this thing, we’ll be sure to pass ‘em along.

Continue reading ioSafe’s Solo SSD ditches platters, isn’t worried about buildings collapsing on it

ioSafe’s Solo SSD ditches platters, isn’t worried about buildings collapsing on it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apple Corporate

According to Kara Swisher at AllThingsD, Apple may announce the purchase of Quattro for the relative bargain price of $275 million. I say bargain because, as Kara points out, Google paid three times that for AdMob, another mobile ad company. So what? This bit of news, when taken with the ad patent filed by Apple, could suggest they are going to implement some sort of ad system on something. But what? AdMob could be used on Android-powered devices…

How about ads on a tablet device? Ads could help lower the cost of the mythical tablet, especially when those ads are sold by, say, content creators like a newspaper or four. I realize those are a lot of threads to pull together, but all the speculation seems to be swirling around this tablet, the cost and the content that’ll go inside. Traditionally cost has been the Achilles’ heel for an Apple product, but with ad-supported price breaks you could theoretically lower the cost of the product to the consumer while keeping some margins.

Then again, Apple may simply be planning to integrate Quattro into the developers’ toolkits, and provide them with an in-house solution for ad-supported apps. Or maybe they are going to sell an ad-supported OS X for Dell machines. Who knows? As I write this neither company had any comment on the sale or announcement.

TUAWWill Apple buy mobile ad company Quattro Wireless? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just when you thought everyone was all talked out about the Apple Tablet, there comes more news. But today’s news is both odd and interesting for a few reasons.

The big news today comes from a Wall Street Journal article which definitively states in the title: Apple to Ship Tablet Device in March. You’d think WSJ would be opposed to using such a title unless they were sure that it is accurate. But early in their own story, the two authors note that “the device’s ship date hasn’t been finalized and could still change.” Still, I guess that’s forgivable if the company’s current plan is to ship in March. Regardless, this would seem to be yet more fuel to the fire that the device is actually real, and is coming soon. But things get a bit stranger as the article goes on.

The article as it appears now has been rewritten from when it first appeared earlier. I know this because I read both versions, and a simple Google search turns up a number of sentences and phrases that are no longer in the story, but are being quoted by multiple other sites and blogs. It’s not uncommon for blogs to write something quickly if there is a breaking story, and then flesh it out and perhaps even alter it a bit later, but again, this is the WSJ, and not their blog — this presumably is an article that will run in the paper tomorrow morning. Still, they had one version, and then changed it.

So what changed? Mostly it has been fleshed out more, but the wording of a few passages have been altered as well. For example, originally the article had this line in it:

Analysts currently believe an Apple tablet will be priced at about $1,000, possibly including a subscription to a nationwide Wi-Fi wireless service.

That line, which originally was featured prominently (high up) in the story, no longer exists. Instead, farther down we get this new wording:

A key factor for the tablet’s success will be price. Yair Reiner, an analyst for Oppenheimer & Co., said in a research note last month that the tablet would be priced at about $1,000, citing sources. One challenge: Apple’s MacBook laptops start at $999.

And below that, we get:

Richard Doherty, director of technology consulting firm Envisioneering Group, said such a price could include a subscription to a nationwide Wi-Fi wireless service such as those run by AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, which provide Internet access at thousands of hot-spots such as airports, hotels and restaurants.

It would seem that the WSJ wanted to make it more clear that it was specific analysts, and not them, suggesting the $1,000 price tag and the nationwide Wi-Fi idea. And that’s understandable since literally dozens of blogs and traditional media outlets are reporting right now that the WSJ is stating the price is “about $1,000″ with some also noting the WiFi idea as coming from WSJ. And it’s hard to blame any of these sites, since that’s exactly how I read it originally. And tweets like this, from the main WSJ account, didn’t help:

Exclusive: Apple to unveil a 10- to 11-inch tablet later this month for about $1,000. Shipping in March.

Nor did the one from their community Twitter account:

Word is out – Apple to Ship Tablet Device in March, priced around $1,000

You’ll notice the main WSJ Twitter feed tweeted the story again, presumably after it was altered.

Here’s what I’m wondering about all of this: Is Apple itself behind some of this information?

Of course, there’s no real evidence to prove this, so this is all speculation, but hear me out for a minute. Back in June, you may recall that the WSJ broke the story about Steve Jobs’ liver transplant. The news sent shockwaves around the tech community because Apple had done such a good job of keeping it a secret despite the fact that Jobs had to go live in Tennessee for a few months to get it done. And the timing of that story was suspicious, to say the least. The news broke on June 19, a Friday, at night no less, after the stock market had closed for the weekend (leaving the whole weekend for investors to settle down and realize that Jobs was now okay). It also broke two months after the actual transplant had occurred. Oh, did I mention it also broke on the day of a huge and hugely successful new launch for Apple: The iPhone 3GS? Yep. Curious.

And guess who was the lead author on that article? None other than Yukari Iwatani Kane, the lead author of this latest article as well.

So, why would Apple leak some information now? Well, there are a few possibilities. First, Google is holding a big event tomorrow that is presumably for its new Nexus One Android device. The device is widely considered to be the best Android phone yet, and brings the platform closer in terms of hardware to Apple’s own iPhone. The rivalry between those two camps continues to grow, and undoubtedly Apple would have no problem stealing some headlines and buzz away from its frenemy.

Second, CES starts this week. Normally, Apple would be attending the Macworld Expo around now and holding a keynote event to unveil some new products which in recent years have almost completely overshadowed CES. This year, Apple will not be participating in Macworld for the first time, and the event has actually been moved to a later date. Apple is also expected to hold its own event later this month (to presumably show off the tablet), but leaking some of this news now continues the tradition of overshadowing what its rivals are doing at CES.

Third, and most importantly, Apple leaking any information about the tablet in the weeks leading up to the event helps to set expectations — and if they’re doing that, they’re meaning to set them realistically, or maybe more likely, low. The amount of hype surrounding the tablet right now is incredible. About the only thing you can compare it to is the hype leading up to the iPhone three years ago. And this may be getting even bigger. If it gets too big, and Apple underwhelms with what is announced, it will obviously look bad for them.

While it’s certainly possible that the WSJ decided “about $1,000″ was a good price to quote from analysts, there are at least as many people out there suggesting the device would be more like $600 – $800 — a price that would be much more attractive to consumers. With that in mind, and going along with my little thinking-out-loud-speculation here, I don’t think it’s impossible that Apple could have nudged WSJ towards the $1,000 predictors to temper expectations a bit.

The fact that the wording was odd, and it seemed like the WSJ itself was saying the thing would be “about $1,000″ is even better. It’s in people’s minds now that this is how much it will be, and they can ponder that for a few weeks leading up to the event. That way, if the device actually is around that price, people will have been prepared for it when it’s officially announced. It will put the product’s features back into the spotlight, rather than the price, which will have been already known.

Let’s remember, above all, Apple loves its high margins. If this tablet device is really as great as many of us are expecting, it has got to be expensive to build. Apple is not going to sell a device at low margins, they’re just not going to do it. So I certainly would not rule out a $1,000 price tag depending on what it costs to make.

These next few weeks, analysts and pundits will go on and on about how a $1,000 tablet will be a total failure. Of course, they’ve been saying that about iMacs in a time of cheap PCs, MacBooks in a time of cheap netbooks, iPhones in a time of cheap cellphones, etc, for a long time now. Apple has a great track record of defying those rules. Even at $1,000, I would not bet against this device. And if there is any truth to this WiFi subscription service idea (which, again, is a bit odd that WSJ would randomly mention), the thought is that it would be baked into the price of the device — something which Apple would undoubtedly play up. This is similar to how Amazon bakes the cost of wireless service into the Kindle (which has been selling very well despite what many to believe a price tag that is too high).

That said, Kane’s statements in her video follow-up to the article are interesting as well. She notes that “the price could come down really quickly if Apple decided that that’s what they wanted to do.” This is of course what happened with the original iPhone in 2007. Apple launched it at $600 but shaved a few hundred dollars off the price just a few months later to spur sales. And that seems to suggest that Kane, for whatever reason, really believes the device will be around $1,000. Are we really to believe she’s that confident in one analysts’ guesswork?

And there is a flip-side to all of this: Again, going along with my scenario, maybe Apple pointed towards the $1,000 price to set expectations very low in the weeks leading up to the event. That way, if they announce the device at $800, the public will erupt in applause, overjoyed that it’s not $1,000. Classic under promise, over deliver.

This is of course all just speculation, but I’m not so sure it’s that far out there. Certainly, I wouldn’t put any of the scenarios I laid out past Apple, which has a masterful hand when it comes to manipulating the media.

One more thing: A lot of sites are also re-reporting the WSJ saying the tablet will be 10 or 11 inches, with some even saying it could come in both sizes. What they actually said was that it would be 10 to 11 inches. Again, in the video, Kane makes this more clear. That presumably means the tablet will come in one size that is between 10 and 11 inches.  Though who knows what they’re talking about with the two different possible finishes. Maybe one aluminum and one plastic, like the various stages of the iPhone and Macs? Hopefully, all of these things will be answered at the end of this month.

[photos: flickr/tombothetominator and myuibe]

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Congratulations to Peggie Parhas (Guard, Sophomore – Lake Zurich High School) of Harper’s women’s basketball team who received Division III/Region IV Player of the Week honors for January 4th, 2010.

Peggie was recognized for scoring 49 points in games against Waubonsee and Oakton. In the game with Waubonsee, Peggy had 10 assists, 5 steals, 4 blocks, 13 rebounds and was 4 of 4 from the free throw line.

The mobile industry is clearly salivating at the prospect of deep-pocket players, like Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), buying startups, especially after Google dropped $750 million for AdMob.

After early morning rumors, Apple is now expected to announce that it has acquired Quattro Wireless, a mobile ad network that also has a heavy concentration in publishing mobile web sites for existing web properties. After the report, one source reached out to us to say that they heard Apple was paying $270 million for the company. Another source, who also had heard the deal closed, said they hoped that was the correct number. But Kara Swisher’s AllThingsD isn’t hesitating in reporting the acquisition as fact, and wrote in a late post today that “several sources” had confirmed that Apple was set to acquire Quattro for $275 million. The announcement was coming as soon as tomorrow, she added.

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Quattro last raised money in March when it was expanding internationally, including to Western Europe, Australia, South Africa, Asia and India. Although Quattro’s international network had only been live for a few weeks at that time, it was already accounting for 10 percent of the company’s business. Clients included Goal.com, hi5 and MySpace.

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Today we release an update to our Search & Information Access subscription service. (You can download a free sample here.)

After spending the past two months looking at the latest search offerings from twenty-three vendors, we see a distinct move towards more specialized search services. Sometimes search vendors are focused on particular environments (Microsoft, SAP, Oracle) whereas others are vertically-focused (such as Recommind in the legal sector). These orientations have always been there, but in 2009 they grew ever more distinct as vendors struggled (or simply chose not to) break out of their historical niches. We believe that will continue into 2010.

As we also point out in the accompanying press release, search is proving more challenging than ever. While many content managers get pushed to deploy a search offering from a large vendor that’s specialized for a particular environment (like SharePoint or SAP), they’ve learned those tools don’t necessarily extend well to other environments or repositories.

In the latest edition of our research, we explore each vendor’s specializations more deeply, and also assess which vendors have more rapidly developed tools to connect to diverse document types and repositories.

As always, our subscribers will automatically receive their updates.  You can purchase this research immediately via our storefront, or inquire with our customer support team about alternate payment options.