Category Archives: News

Verizon details its 4G LTE network

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Today Verizon announced that it will be turning on its blazingly fast 4G LTE wireless network on Sunday, December 5.  The mobile operator claims it will be “the fastest and most advanced 4G network” in the country.  They are starting small but the long-term plan is to eventually replace the current 3G network with 4G LTE (or Long Term Evolution).  The network is initially launching in 38 major cities, including New York, Chicago, San Fransisco, and Los Angeles, and in more than 60 commercial airports coast to coast.  They say it will immediately reach more than one-third of all Americans, and they expect the expansion to reach all current 3G areas by 2013.  They are using the 700MHz spectrum for LTE deployment in the US to insure a “high-quality” network with “excellent coverage.”  4G LTE boasts speeds up to 10x times faster than 3G and a response time that’s over 2x faster.  Faster speeds and reduced lag time promise better upload and download times, smoother video streaming and video chat, and sharing options.  Verizon says customers can expect 5-12Mbps on the downlink and 2-5Mbps on the uplink.  That’s pretty damn fast; compare those numbers to current 3G speeds (0.6-1.4Mbps download and 0.5Mbps upload).  It’s also faster than the competition; it bests AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s HSPA+ (1-7Mbps download) and Sprint’s WiMAX (3-6Mbps download).

When Verizon officially launches its 4G LTE network this Sunday, customers will only have the option to use from two USB modems to hook up their laptops wirelessly to the network.  Verizon says “consumer-oriented handsets” (aka cell phones and tablet devices) that will harness the new network will be available by mid-2011 and will be announced at CES.  The LG VL600 (available on launch day) and Pantech UML290 (available “soon”) USB modems will each cost $99 after a $50 rebate and with a new two-year agreement.  The data plan pricing is as follows: $50/month for 5GB monthly allowance, $80/month for 10GB.  You’ll have to pay $10/GB in overage charges if you use up the allowance.  There’s no cap on overages, a nice touch I guess.  Both modems are backwards-compatible with Verizon’s 3G network.  If you lose 4G reception the modem will automatically switch to 3G speeds on the fly.  3G to 4G does not work that way; if you move from the slower network to the faster one the switch will only take place once 3G downloads are complete.

And that about sums up today’s announcements.  When the network goes live on Sunday, Verizon will provide street level coverage area maps so you can find out if you’re blanketed by 4G LTE.  Be sure to look after the break for the official PR which includes a full listing of all cities and airports included in the initial launch window.

Update: It’s been confirmed that Verizon will offer the 4G LTE service off-contract, too.  The monthly rates and overage fees remain the same; what becomes more expensive is the upfront cost for the USB modem.  Instead of paying $99, you’ll be forced to pay$249.99 for a modem if you decide to enter the 4G world contract-less.

[Via Verizon; Engadget] Continue reading Verizon details its 4G LTE network →

Virtual Autopsy Table now available for physicians everywhere

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Today medical technology company Sectra formally unveiled the Virtual Autopsy Table, which is now called the Sectra Visualization Table.  It was previewed and detailed last October.

With Sectra Visualization Table, a 46-inch medical multi-touch display, multiple users can interact collaboratively with the real-size 3D images generated by CT and MRI scanners to gain deeper understanding and insight into the functions and processes inside the body. They can, for example, visualize different kinds of tissues and cut through sections with a virtual knife.

According to Engadget the table is now available “to the masses”.  For more information on the awesome tech, head over to Sectra’s website.  There you’ll find a new video demonstration.  Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Virtual Autopsy Table now available for physicians everywhere →

James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host Oscars

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Today it was announced that actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway will serve as co-hosts of the 83rd Academy Awards.  They follow last year’s hosting duo Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.  Says Oscar telecast producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer: “James Franco and Anne Hathaway personify the next generation of Hollywood icons— fresh, exciting and multi-talented. We hope to create an Oscar broadcast that will both showcase their incredible talents and entertain the world on February 27. We are completely thrilled that James and Anne will be joining forces with our brilliant creative team to do just that.”

Injecting some fresh, young blood into the prestigious award show is a nice way to switch things up, but will Franco and Hathaway’s comedic experience (or lack thereof) prove to be entertaining enough to draw in viewers?  At 32 and 28 years old, respectively, Franco and Hathaway have only dabbled in comedic roles.  Franco is best know for his role as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man films, but he also has Pineapple Express under his belt; and there’s this. Hathaway’s career hit its stride when she starred in The Princess Diaries and she recently shined as SNL host last weekend.  When you think about it these two might just make a hilarious Oscar duo, or it might all go up in flames. What’s interesting is the Franco is a likely contender for Best Actor for his work in the critically acclaimed film 127 Hours and Hathaway has a shot at a Best Actress nom for Love and Other Drugs.  It’ll be fun to see how they handle that situation if it arises.

The Oscars air February 27, 2011 on ABC.

[Via Deadline]

Black Eyed Peas will rock the Super Bowl halftime show into the future

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BEP’s frontman will.i.am confirmed to Rolling Stone that rock-and-roll/future-flow group will perform live at Super Bowl XLV during the halftime show.  “They could have picked anybody…but it says something that they picked us,” will told the magazine.  Not only is this good promotion for the group (The Beginning releases November 30 and a worldwide tour is planned), but it also means I’ll have a reason to tune into the halftime show this year!  Super Bowl XLV will be played in Dallas, Texas on February 6, 2011.

[Via RollingStone]

Peter Jackson will shoot ‘The Hobbit’ using 30 RED EPIC cameras

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Now that Peter Jackson is the official helmer of The Hobbit, production is ready to begin.  Jackson and the creative team have decided to opt for the RED EPIC digital camera to shoot the Lord of the Rings prequel in 3D.  The EPIC is the successor to the RED ONE camera, and it boasts 5K resolution, the highest dynamic range of any digital cinema camera ever made, and can shoot up to 120 frames per second.  According to RED founder Jim Jannard, Jackson will have “at least” 30 EPIC cameras on hand during production.  Jannard says, “The EPIC’s small size and relatively low weight makes it perfect for 3-D – where two cameras have to be mounted on each 3D rig.”  Jackson happens to be a big fan of RED cameras, and you can bet he’s stoked to have 30 EPICs when production on The Hobbit starts in New Zealand early next year.

Have an itch to shoot your own footage using the EPIC?  A whopping $58,000 will get you an EPIC rig consisting of an EPIC-M body, titanium PL mount, Bomb EVF and 5-inch touchscreen LCD, a REDmote, a four-pack of batteries, a charger, and a solid state storage module with a four-pack of 128GB SSDs.  A limited run of EPICs will be made available in December or January for the early adopter filmmakers.  Everyone else who’s interested (and miraculously not affected by the economy) will have to wait until at least April to nab a rig.

[Via Engadget]

RIP Leslie Nielsen

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Comedy legend Leslie Nielsen passed away on Sunday due to complications from pneumonia.  At the time of death in a hospital near his home in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida he was surrounded by family and friends.  He was 84.

Nielsen is a television and film icon who will always be remembered for his deadpan perfection as Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun and Dr. Alan Rumack in Airplane!.

And don’t call me Shirley.

[Via THR]

Adult Swim picks up Paul Scheer’s action parody ‘NTSF:SD:SUV’

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NTSF:SD:SUV.  That stands for National Terrorism Strikeforce: San Diego: Sport Utility Vehicle, and it’s an action parody series coming to Adult Swim.  If you happen to a fan of Rob Corddry’s Childrens Hospital there’s no way you can forget the totally insane mock commercial for NTSF:SD:SUV that aired during a season 2 episode a few months back.  The commercial, directed by Eric Appel, was strong enough by itself to sway the network past the pilot stage and directly to a 12 episode season order.  The show’s mastermind is Paul Sheer (Human Giant) and it follows in the footsteps of Childrens Hospital.  While the Corddry web series turned TV show is an over-the-top self-referential parody of medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and many others, Sheer’s NTSF:SD:SUV promises to play the same game spoofing all the crime procedurals.  Sheer will serve as creator, writer, and star and will executive produce with Jon Stern (Childrens Hospital).  The trailer embedded above features actors Rob Riggle, Brandon Johnson, and June Raphael but they are not confirmed as series regulars.  Expect NTSF:SD:SUV to air on Adult Swim sometime in 2011.  NTSF:SD:SUV.  Sorry, it’s so much fun to say.

[Via Deadline]

Free Tron LiveCycle app looks like fun!

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Today Coca-Cola launched a Tron: Legacy app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners.  But nevermind the Coke Zero sponsership; this game appears to look awesome in theory.  It’s being touted as the “first location-based video game” and the objective is simple: Build a Light Wall as you move about the real world and earn points by forcing other players to crash into it.  The app uses the iPhone’s GPS to track your location and show you on a Grid-themed map where other players are located.  Coke promises to push out updates to the app surrounding the release of the film it’s based on, and you can expect new single and multi-player modes to come with them.  Also, an Android version is on the way.  But enough blabbing; get a better idea of how the game works in the video above and download the *free* app right here.

[Via Gizmodo; TechRadar]

Dell Inspiron Duo available to purchase now, ships December 17

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Dell’s Inspiron duo convertible tablet is finally available to order.  And a final spec sheet reveals its guts: 10.1-inch HD (1366×768) capacitive multitouch display; Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator; Intel Atom N550 dual core processor (clocked at 1.5GHz); 2GB of RAM; 320GB (7200RPM) HDD; 1.3 megapixel camera with digital microphone; two USB ports and one headphone jack; and it comes preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium and Dell’s custom “duo Stage” software.  The Stage software comes into view when the laptop is transformed into a tablet form factor.  Dell is pimping its ability to “provide quick and easy access to your music, movies and photos” using touch input.  The Inspiron duo is on sale now for $549.99 with a preliminary ship date set for December 17.  Right now it’s available in “Foggy Night” (black), but Dell promises “Fastback Red” and “Marlin Blue” will be available at additional cost at an unspecified date.  For $100 extra Dell is offering the attractive hybrid netbook/tablet with an Audio Dock that features an integrated speaker and subwoofer, two USB ports, a 10/100 Ethernet adapter, and a 7-in-1 card reader.  So if you’re planning on hooking this bad boy up to the Internet and want it to double (erm, triple) as a digital photo frame, the splurge is worth it.  Full PR after the break.

[Via Dell; Engadget] Continue reading Dell Inspiron Duo available to purchase now, ships December 17 →

SlingPlayer comes to iPad

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Just one week after previewing SlingPlayer for iPad the developers at Sling Media pushed out the app into Apple’s App Store.  So if you own a SlingBox go and get it!

But not so fast!  There are two stipulations that must be discussed.  First, SlingPlayer for iPad is only compatible with Sling SOLO and Sling PRO-HD boxes; all the rest are left in the dust, unfortunately.  According to Engadget Sling will soon offer a $50 voucher for those who are itching to upgrade to a newer box.  What’s interesting is that SlingPlayer for iPhone has a wider compatibility range; it works with the aforementioned boxes and the SlingBox PRO.  And that brings me to point number two and more bad news.  If you already purchased the $29.99 app for iPhone, you’ll have to shell out another thirty bucks to use the iPad version of the same app.  Well, it’s not exactly the same app since the iPad version is tailored for a larger screen, but still.  Sling assures that users can use the iPhone app to stream content on the iPad in a “Compatibility Mode”, but these users will not experience the “higher quality resolutions” provided in the iPad version.  If I may quote Jigsaw from Saw, the choice is yours.  Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading SlingPlayer comes to iPad →

Apple-1 computer auctions off for $211,000

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Earlier this month it was reported that a rare Apple-1 computer was going to be auctioned off at Christie’s in London.  Italian private collector Marco Boglione offered the highest and took away the ancient Apple-1 for a whopping  £133,250, or about $$211,535.  Back when Steves Jobs and Wozniak manufactured and distributed the Apple-1 it cost exactly $666.66, mind you.  But Boglione is a collector and certainly realizes how awesome it is to own the original Apple computer boxed up by current Apple CEO Steve Jobs back in 1976.  And this is a collector’s item–only 200 of these were made.  Wozniak was on hand at the auction event and signed a letter for the top bidder.  Now he has signatures from both Apple collaborators.  In addition to the computer parts, a letter to the original owner concluded with warm regards from a “Steven Jobs” was included with the auction item.  I still think this item belongs in a museum; oh well.

[Via Engadget; BBC]

Kanye West’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ out today

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At long last, Kanye West’s latest and greatest album has released.  My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has been lauded as Ye’s best album to date; in fact, prestigious music review site Pitchfork awarded it a perfect 10 score. Ryan Dombal’s review in which he makes intelligible comparisons between Michael Jackson and Mr. West makes for a great read after you’ve listened to the album in full.  Snag a copy of the album at the links provided below:

iTunes: standard / deluxe // Amazon: standard / deluxe (“See Me Now” is an iTunes bonus track available on both versions.  The deluxe version comes with the Runaway film.  And I recommend the physical copy; the packaging is aesthetically superb.  If you want to learn more about the five interchangeable album covers read this insightful NYMag interview with artist George Condo.)

Upon listening to Twisted Fantasy all the way through without interruption I experienced a natural high; it’s hard to explain but you’ll see for yourself.  It’s easy to be a Kanye West hater since the rapper producer often provides a basis from which things like this will grow.  But in the end, it all comes down to the music.  And I am happy to say with Twisted Fantasy Kanye West delivers on an unbelievably high level.  The man is a perfectionist, and this album reflects that statement.  From top to bottom, it’s a perfect record.