I’ve got a phone interview at 3:30pm today!
đ
Those gifted gents over at the BTStack might just be too clever for their own good. First they blow our minds by sneaking Wiimote support onto the iPhone, and then tickle our productivity-loving souls by hacking in Bluetooth keyboard support. It’s a bit awkward to be typing away on a keyboard then have to reach over and poke the screen whenever you want to do something – wouldn’t it be nice to be able to use a mouse instead?
Yes, yes it would. And the BTStack guys agree.
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
CES is bound to be full of slate computers and e-book readers. But the Skiff Reader might stick out from the rest thanks to its huge 11.5-inch display and very thin bezel. That’s nearly two inches bigger than the Kindle DX, but yet the whole device is only .25-inches thick. Nice, eh? Oh, and it uses Sprint’s 3G network.
The screen is not only large and high-res at 1200 x 1600, but it’s also a next-gen e-paper type based on a thin, flexible sheet of stainless-steel foil. The company claims that’s it’s a lot more durable than the glass kind used in other devices.
Sprint is providing the wireless connectivity and a retail outlet for the reader. It will be available in more than 1,000 Sprint retail locations later this year. Pricing and exact availability wasn’t mentioned in the presser, but hopefully we can nail something down at CES.
Too bad we don’t know yet what content will be featured. Having 3G wireless is a major feature, so it’s probably safe to assume that Skiff has worked out some sort of distribution deal. But with who?
SKIFF AND SPRINT TO PREVIEW FIRST SKIFF READER AT 2010 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
Skiff Service to Deliver Newspapers, Magazines & Books to e-Reader with Thinnest Form Factor, Largest e-Paper Display and Full Touchscreen, via Sprint 3G Wireless Network
Device Is First to Feature âMetal Foilâ e-Paper Technology from LG Display,
Enhancing Durability by Eliminating the Fragility of a Glass DisplayNEW YORK, January 4th, 2010 â Skiff, LLC and Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced that they will preview the Skiff Reader, the first e-reader optimized for newspaper and magazine content, at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas later this week.
The Skiff Reader, the initial dedicated device to integrate the upcoming Skiff e-reading service, is remarkably sleek and easy to use. At just over a quarter-inch in overall height, the device is the thinnest e-reader announced to date. It features the largest and highest-resolution electronic-paper display yet unveiled in a consumer device, at 11.5″ in size (measured diagonally) and a resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels (UXGA). A full touchscreen enables users to intuitively navigate and engage with the newspapers, magazines, books and other digital content they purchase through the Skiff Store, as well as personal and work documents. The device weighs just over one pound and lasts over a week of average use between charges.
âThe Skiff Readerâs big screen will showcase print media in compelling new ways,â said Gilbert Fuchsberg, president of Skiff, LLC. âThis is consistent with Skiffâs focus on delivering enhanced reading experiences that engage consumers, publishers and advertisers.â
The Skiff Reader is designed not just for sleekness but also for durability. It is the first consumer product to feature the next-generation of e-paper display â one based on a thin, flexible sheet of stainless-steel foil. This contrasts with the fragile glass that is the foundation of almost every electronic screen â and a primary source of vulnerability and breakage risk in the devices that incorporate them. Skiff has worked closely with LG Display (NYSE: LPL), one of the worldâs leading display manufacturers and the innovator of the foil-display technology, to optimize and implement this first-of-its-kind non-glass display uniquely for the Skiff Reader.
Skiff has signed a multi-year agreement with Sprint (NYSE:S) to provide 3G connectivity for Skiffâs dedicated e-reading devices in the United States. Plans are underway to have the Skiff Reader available for purchase later this year in more than 1,000 Sprint retail locations across the U.S., as well as online at www.sprint.com. Availability, pricing, additional distribution channels and other details will be disclosed at a later date.
âThe forthcoming launch of the Skiff Reader is an exciting development for consumers who are looking for more and more choice in the arena of embedded devices,â said Dan Dooley, president wholesale solutions, Sprint. âWe have witnessed a strong demand for e-readers in recent years and now Sprint is showing its commitment to Skiff by making this new device available on the 3G network and for sale in Sprint retail stores.â
In October 2009, Sprint announced the formation of its Emerging Solutions Business that focuses exclusively on the rapid delivery of machine-to-machine and mobile computing solutions to businesses and consumers. Sprintâs partnership with Skiff builds on more than 10 years of experience in working with vendors to provision non-Sprint-branded devices to operate on its networks, as well as extensive expertise in operating multiple platforms and assets.
In addition to 3G, the Skiff Reader will also support wireless connectivity via WiFi.
The Skiff Reader will feature the Skiff service and digital store, allowing consumers to wirelessly purchase and access a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, books, blogs and other content from multiple publishers. Newspaper and magazine content delivered by Skiff will feature visually appealing layouts, high-resolution graphics, rich typography and dynamic updates, supporting key design qualities that help publications differentiate themselves and attract subscribers and advertisers.
Besides the Skiff Reader, Skiff is working with major consumer electronics manufacturers to integrate Skiffâs service, digital store and client software into a range of innovative devices. By supporting a variety of devices from multiple manufacturers, and through complementary applications for major smart phone platforms, Skiff will make it easier for publishers to distribute content and advertising across a range of devices and form factors, an increasingly important goal as the e-reading market continues to grow.
About Skiff
Skiff provides a complete e-reading solution that includes the Skiff Service platform, Skiff Store and Skiff-enabled devices. Skiff will sell and distribute newspapers, magazines, books, blogs and other content. Skiff gives periodical publishers tools to maintain their distinct visual identities, build and extend relationships with subscribers, and wirelessly deliver dynamic content and advertising to both dedicated e-readers and multipurpose devices. Skiff will also make it easier for consumers to access content from multiple publishers across a range of devices. Skiff is headquartered in New York City and also has offices in Palo Alto, Calif. Visit Skiff at www.Skiff.com.About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The companyâs customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.About LG Display
LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is a leading manufacturer and supplier of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels, OLEDs and flexible displays. The company provides TFT-LCD panels in a wide range of sizes and specifications for use in TVs, monitors, notebook PCs, mobile products and other various applications. LG Display currently operates eight fabrication facilities and five back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China and Poland. The company has a total of 30,000 employees operating worldwide. Please visit www.lgdisplay.com for more information.###
Skiffâą is a trademark of Skiff, LLC.
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
We all knew this would come one day, especially since the basic technology has been around for some time, and now we have it: A brain activity-powered remote control that can be used without you having to lift a finger. The Hitachi device is unfortunately just a prototype, but at least they’re planning to commercialize it within three to four years.
The technology is being developed not for lazy couch potatoes but for something that actually makes a lot of sense: Hitachi says they would like to see physically handicapped people using the remote control in the future (think about how many times a day you push buttons on your remote when watching TV).
All that users need to do is to think about changing channels or control the volume on a TV to make that happen (the technology can naturally be used for other appliances as well). A headset scans the user’s brain with near-infrared rays, measuring changes in blood flow (which indicate activity) in the brain. It then sends the brain signals to the remote control through optical fiber, making the remote beam infrared signals to the appliance in question.
Hitachi’s brain-machine interface system weighs just 1kg. The company says similar systems are as large as a fridge.
(My apologies for the small picture, which is the only one available at this point.)
Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Flixster just announced that it has acquired Rotten Tomatoes, the popular movie review site, from IGN Entertainment. IGN is a division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. Flixster is one of the world’s most popular movie communities and currently features about 2.3 billion ratings and reviews from its users. Rumors about this acquisition surfaced in late December, when Kara Swisher first reported that a potential acquisition of Flixster by MySpace would hinge upon a merger of Rotten Tomatoes and Flixster, though Swisher’s sources later argued that the deal would look exactly like the agreement the two companies announced today.
Sponsor
The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Combining Flixster’s user-generated reviews and Rotten Tomatoes, which aggregates reviews from top movie critics, seems like a natural fit. Flixster also has a strong presence on social networks through its Facebook and MySpace apps.
Even before this acquisition, Flixster and Rotten Tomatoes already partnered in some key areas. Critic reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, for example, already appeared on Flixster’s site and in the service’s mobile apps.
According to today’s press release, IGN plans to refocus its efforts on building out its game-related and men’s-lifestyle offerings. Rotten Tomatoes clearly didn’t quite fit into this new focus.
Intersted in risky emerging markets, but spooked out about the sovereign credit meltdown that everyone’s talking about?
RBS (via Alphaville) has produced an awesome flowchart to determine, using various national criteria, whether a given country is at risk of a meltdown.
Basically, it starts at the top and divides countries into two camps — those with external debt above and below 50% debt to GDP. Then it looks at other criteria, such as the inflation rate and the volume of external reserves.
Keep going down the flowchart, and you can see where each country is.
Join the conversation about this story »
See Also:
If Apple doesn’t steal the thunder from this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with rumors of a tablet computer, Google may pull a hefty share of the headlines away from the showroom floor with its highly anticipated Google phone. The company is set to hold a briefing about its smartphone plans on Tuesday as competitors show their new wares at CES at a different venue.
After a weekend of leaked information about Google’s plans and its phone, dubbed Nexus One, analysts expect the search giant to offer much-wanted information about features, pricing, carrier and release date for the Android device manufactured by HTC.
Google previously said the phone is designed for developers looking to build applications for the Android application store. But many analysts believe Nexus One will sell on contract through T-Mobile for somewhere around $179, or unlocked for about $530. Google was not immediately available for comment.
What About the Droid?
“A lot of information leaked over the weekend that makes the Google phone sound perhaps a little less interesting than it was,” said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret. “It sounds like a phone that was designed by Google, built by HTC, and will be sold on contract through T-Mobile. That’s nothing particularly new.”
The twist, as Gartenberg sees it, is that Google may offer the device directly to consumers — unlocked. That, he said, would be interesting if Google subsidized the device, but all reports indicate that Google will sell the unlocked phone unsubsidized. As the rumors stand, Google’s pricing model is not shaking up the industry as some expected.
“Certainly, Google is going to realize that selling unlocked phones in the U.S. is not a particularly easy task. All they have to do is ask Nokia,” Gartenberg said. “Maybe the story will be different tomorrow, but the news that leaked…
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, iPhone
Back in 2002, Apple applied to register the iPhone trademark in China, but that application was limited to computer hardware and software, not mobile phones. A year later (three years before the iPhone’s introduction), Chinese manufacturer Hanwang Technology applied for the trademark “i-phone” for a device they briefly sold. I
Since then, Apple has been working to acquire the trademark “i-phone,” and this week they finally succeeded. According to Macworld, the record for the trademark now shows Apple’s name where it used to list Hanwang Technology. On Monday a Hanwang representative stated that Apple has indeed acquired the trademark, but refused to give any details.
The iPhone’s performance in China has been interesting, as the government’s communication restrictions, a bustling black market and cheaper competition in Hong Kong got things off to a slow start. Just last week, China Unicom reported that they had sold 300,000 iPhones, which tripled claims of only 100,000 units sold by the start of December.
TUAWApple gains control of “i-phone” trademark in China originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
BenQ’s Joybook Lite U103 packs an SSD for when you’re feeling frisky, HDD for when you’re not originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Fareastgizmos.com | 
BenQ | Email this | Comments
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Gallery: Skiff Reader press shots
Skiff Reader is largest yet, will be hitting a Sprint Store near you originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Skiff Reader | Email this | Comments
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Thought digital delivery would get left behind in the jump to 3D? Roxio’s CinemaNow 2.0 platform is ready to build on the success of its predecessor — already embedded in many devices and powering the online stores for Blockbuster, Best Buy and Zip.ca — and flip the switch bringing streamed or downloaded 1080p or 3D, plus the ability to add additional background info on each movie or previously disc-exclusive extras like multiple audio tracks, subtitles and more. Also new for 2.0 are plans for access on Android and Windows Mobile devices. We’re still thinking a combo of lower prices, all you can eat subscriptions or a disc tie-in is the logical next step, but we’ll wait for a CES demo to ask about that, and whether the new features will be backwards compatible on old hardware.
CinemaNow 2.0: 3D, 1080p, Android & WinMo get a taste of online movie distribution originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | CinemaNow | Email this | Comments
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Article Tags: ClimateGate, Tim Ball
Itâs beyond belief that the mainstream media canât see the devastating importance of the emails leaked from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) known as Climategate. The blindness cancels the claim theyâre societyâs watchdog. Left wing journalist Amy Goodman said when writing about the Bush administration, âYou know governments are going to lie, but not the media.â Now, with a new administration she is silent, proving there are lies of commission and omission.
Most havenât read the emails or summarily dismiss them because of political bias. Journalist Clive Crook illustrated an open mind, albeit on second look. âIn my previous post on Climategate I blithely said that nothing in the climate science email dump surprised me much. Having waded more deeply over the weekend I take that back. The closed-mindedness of these supposed men of science, their willingness to go to any lengths to defend a preconceived message, is surprising even to me. The stink of intellectual corruption is overpowering.â
The mainstream media willfully ignore the massive deception just as they have the political exploitation of climate science. In fact, most led or joined attacks on scientists who dared to point out the problems. Theyâre still doing it directly or by their silence. Thereâs no excuse for missing the biggest story in history. It proves the adage that there are none so blind as those who will not see.
Source: canadafreepress.com
Apparently some Amsterdam citizen was so good in 2009 that Santa brought him a brand new Mini Cooper. After the Cooper was unwrapped, the citizen left the box outside on the streets, which is considered littering to us so we’re guessing he’ll get a Smart next year.
Okay, enough with corny jokes. The video you’re about to watch is a creative little campaign by Mini Cooper that deserves significant acclaim according to us.
– By: Omar Rana
Source: Creative Criminals (via AutoBlog)
This is going to be a 10 day blast.
Not leaving until April
Art
By this time tomorrow, I’ll be on a plane bound for the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. That means I have to use today to pick and choose the gear that will keep me productive. It’s easier to show what I’m taking on a video, so here’s a look at what’s going with me and why. I often get questions about which bag I use, both for CES and in general, so you’ll get the answer to that one as well. I ended up literally packing my gear bag on camera so you get a feel for what’s there and what the total package weighs. All of my essential gear goes with me on the plane because if doesn’t arrive in Vegas, I’m out of luck for the show! I will tuck extra USB cords and such in my checked bag, but my must-have stuff stays with me.
Keep a special eye and ear out for why you should be following the jkOnTheRun Twitter feed this week too, because I explain the reason on camera. Hopefully, this year will feel even more like you’re right there with us on the show floor! And if you are there and want to carry my gear bag for a while, I won’t say no! 
In case you’re a regular Business Channel reader that doesn’t always check out the other Atlantic Voices, I wanted to highlight a good post by Clive Crook today that you may have missed. He addresses a recent article in the New York Times about Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg’s efforts to rein in banker pay during the bank bailout. He also considers some criticism of Feinberg from Felix Salmon. Check it out!
Zipper Interactive is back from the holidays and as promised, today is the day that they’re launching the open beta for MAG. For those who didn’t get a chance to try out the last beta, or simply
Guest Column By Harper President Kenneth Ender
Like any son, I admired my dad, who passed away 30 years ago. He was a first-generation American who supported a family, built and paid off three homes and several automobiles, and provided a comfortable middle-class lifestyle for my mom and four kids. He did this with a high school diploma and a modest white collar job that no longer exists.
In many ways I envy the era in which he lived, where a high school education, a strong back and a strong work ethic were the only prerequisites needed to live out the American dream. Jobs like my dad’s created and sustained the great American middle class of the 20th century. But the world has changed.
Think about all the middle class jobs our country has lost, especially in the manufacturing arena: the automobile factories, the steel factories, the food processing plants, the glass foundries and more. Think about the financial services jobs and other white collar jobs that have disappeared. In fact, every employment sector in our country has lost jobs, except health care and education.
Those 20th century jobs are being replaced with the new “middle skills” jobs of the 21st century. They include jobs in fields such as medical information technology, forensics and public safety, and jobs in green industries such as renewable energy, green construction and energy conservation. These new economy jobs have several common features:
• Like the old economy, these jobs require a strong work ethic.
• Unlike the old jobs, these jobs require an ability to learn at a post-secondary level and critical thinking skills.
• Unlike the old jobs, these jobs require skills and knowledge that can be certified with a post-secondary credential.
• Unlike the old jobs, these jobs require a lifetime of continuous education and credentialing.
Careers that have these features will be the new family-sustaining jobs of the 21st century. In Illinois alone, it is predicted that we will create more than one million of these new middle skills jobs by 2016.
Where will workers go to train and retrain for these new jobs? The answer is your local community college.
Today, community colleges are at the forefront of building partnerships with local school systems and businesses, to make sure our workforce is equipped with new skills to meet the challenges of competing in a global economy.
At Harper College, for example, we have programs beginning in high schools that lead directly to a career in nursing; our corporate services department offers workforce training programs in businesses and factory floors across the northwest suburbs; and our career programs have advisory boards made up of local professionals in their respective fields to make sure the skills we’re teaching are relevant and up to date.
It is critical that community colleges and businesses continue to forge strong partnerships to make sure workers have the skills to succeed in today’s new economy jobs, as well as access to affordable and relevant training over a lifetime of work. A highly trained workforce that’s able to continually adapt to changing needs is our best competitive advantage to stem the flow of businesses leaving the U.S. and attract new businesses to our respective areas.
Community colleges are on the front lines of a new economic reality, which is the largest overhaul of the workforce in U.S. history. I’m not sure what my father would have thought of this new and different world. But make no mistake about it, the world of my father has changed, and we must change with it.
Dr. Kenneth Ender was installed as president of Harper College in Palatine in November, 2009. Contact him at 847-925-6159.
Hasta el dĂa de hoy, Volkswagen vendĂa sus diferentes vehĂculos en JapĂłn a travĂ©s de una distribuidora creada entre dicha marca y la nipona Toyota que recibiĂł el nombre de DUO.
En el dĂa de ayer, Volkswagen ha comunicado que apartir de ahora mismo comenzarĂĄ a vender sus vehĂculos por cuenta propia. Lo que si mantendrĂĄ serĂĄ sus 250 concesionarios. La ruptura de la alianza con la firma japonesa se debe a la compra por parte de Volkswagen del 20% de Suzuki, convirtiĂ©ndose en un claro rival de Toyota.
Este acuerdo fuĂ© firmado en el año 1991 y les ha permitido dominar el campo de los vehĂculos importados en el paĂs del sol naciente. Dentro de un tiempo veremos si esta jugada la salido bien al Grupo Volkswagen AG.
Related posts:
So if you have been thinking about going to a Regionals Event check out the Regional page, click on the map and choose an adventure that might be closer to home, but with a group of like minded, radically self expressed, wonderful people.
