Tuesday, July 26, 2011

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Sony Walkman A Series Leaks, Shows The Touchscreen PMP Is Far From Dead Top
Meet the upcoming Sony Walkman A series. This little guy appeared on a major UK retailer’s website sporting digs noticeable different from the current generation. It’s actually, dare I say, sexy. As Sony’s top-tier media player, the A series have always existed with the sole purpose of fighting the iPod. That hasn’t changed. The upcoming models feature wireless file and music streaming along with a 3.4-inch OLED touch screen per a Cnet source . It also features an FM radio, various media modes, and the ability to sync with iTunes. According to the retailer, the new series should hit on July 31st with the standard assortment of models: the NWZ-A864 (8GB), NWZ-A865 (16GB), NWZ-A866 (32GB), and NWZ-A867 (64GB).
 
T-Mobile G2X Finally Gets Its Much-Needed Gingerbread Update Top
T-Mobile G2X owners have really gotten the short end of the stick. Granted, dual-core processing and top-notch cameras probably comfort this disgruntled hoard on long, lonely nights, but a 1080p video does nothing to stop the phone from randomly rebooting for… no reason at all. Plus, the phone shipped with Froyo in an increasingly Gingerbread world, which kind of peeves the living daylight out of anyone who truly hearts Android . Anyways, the rant stops now because Gingerbread is on its way. Along with that tasty Gingerbread goodness, the update should also improve battery life, enhance the front-facing camera's operation of Qik Record and Share, and easy disabling of Car Home. Oh, and I almost forgot, the update will also offer a cure for your phone's narcolepsy (about 3 months later than we'd have liked). [via TmoNews ]
 
Five Things I Learned At MySpace That Could Help Google+ Top
Editor's note : This guest post is written by  Tom Anderson , the former President, founder and first friend on MySpace. You can now find Tom on  Facebook ,  Twitter , and  Google+ This is just a guess, but I’d bet money that Vic Gundotra and Bradley Horowitz probably feel like their heads are going to explode. Anyone on the Google+ team who really cares about G+ is probably getting very little sleep, and are annoying their friends and family with their one-track G+ minds. There’s been such an amazing amount of feedback , the Google+ team can’t help but be overwhelmed—and what we see is just on the site and in the press. Imagine what’s coming into that “send feedback” inbox that’s at the bottom of every G+ page? At MySpace I tried to digest that “inbox” and “community” by myself, and that worked pretty well for a few years. It was a little easier back then, but today’s G+ users are an entirely different breed. There are a ton of early adopters, technologists on G+, and they’ve all been through the social networking ringer before. G+ users are offering powerpoint slideshows, illustrated screen mockups and long-winded essays on what needs to happen. There is genuine, high-quality thinking going on in the “free advice” that G+ is receiving from the global community. How can the G+ team cut through the noise and decide what’s important? (Especially when there’s some really high quality noise being directed Google’s way.) Here’s a few things I’d do right now, if I were Google. 1) Start seriously courting the journalists, tastemakers, and celebrities that are using and/or pontificating about G+. This doesn’t mean Google should ignore “regular” user feedback, or even that Google should do what the triumvirate says they should do. It just means they should have a real, personal relationship with those people. During MySpace’s run-up, journalists continually got their facts wrong about MySpace. They wrote story after story about how Facebook was bigger than MySpace when in truth Facebook wasn’t even 1/10th the size of MySpace. Why? Because the journalists’ Ivy League educated children were using Facebook, and journalists have deadlines and other things to think about. If you get to know people, they think of a real human being when they write those stories, and they care a little more. I don’t want to say people are “sheep,” but if the general Internet population believes G+ is happening and here to stay, then they’ll commit the time to try it out. Popular opinion is the biggest “filter” for most people—they don’t have to try something if they’ve already been told it’s not cool. Popular opinion is the ultimate “social search” if you will. This doesn’t just apply to user counts (G+ hits 20 million!), of course. Popular opinion will shape every aspect of people’s G+ perception. 2) Exhaustively think through the privacy issues and tie up any loose/ends that G+ has on this front. I’ve seen multiple people share their phone number with me without knowing it. They may not be wanting to share other things as well, though those things have been less obviously private. I’d make sure that people understand how their posts can be shared/reshared, and how their other Google accounts (profile, Gmail, docs) and content (Youtube, Picasa) are connected to G+. I don’t believe Privacy is a real issue to most people, but most people think it is a real issue to them. As thus, it plays a big role in the psychological justification for defecting from competitors. “Safety” hysteria destroyed MySpace in the press. It got MySpace banned from schools, Apple stores, and by well-meaning parents who had been terrorized by what they were reading. Privacy advocates have tried to destroy Facebook and Google in the past. You need the best PR person in the world on your team, Google, but even more so, you need to make sure the software doesn’t give the privacy hounds something to be rightfully angry about. 3) Move Google’s top analysts (probably focused on monetization right now) onto the Google+ project to form a skunk works team. Mine the data about G+ usage like it’s Gold, because it truly is the future of Google’s long-term revenue and profit growth. (And I actually don’t think there’ll ever be advertising on Google+, theme for another article.) Facebook was really good at understanding their onboarding process, knowing what key activities led to later usage (adding x number of friends, putting up a picture and getting a response, etc.).  Google needs to closely track users who are not adopting the service, those that are, and try to understand what type of user is the one that is ahead of the curve—identify the user who is illustrating the future “common” use case through their pioneering activity. G+ needs to understand all three types of users and develop a plan for each of them. 4) Hire the best product executors & visionaries in the world, something that clearly has not been Google’s forte in the past. (In fact, it seems that some good ones have left , because they felt they weren’t valued at Google).  I’m not referring to run of the mill product managers and UI developers or “social media experts,” but rather that rare breed of people who have demonstrable experience leading users down the path to internet nirvana. Google has the engineering talent and ability to scale the G+ service (more valuable than people understand, right now, I think). But does Google have the product people? Google’s technical infrastructure will allow them to do things that other social sites could not do—in fact, they’re already doing that. They need product visionaries who can understand that. Though I love G+, some parts of G+ are really a mess right now, and two that are incredibly important at this stage are in need of much work: onboarding & photos. 5) There must be one ring to rule them all. One leader making decisions. Maybe that person is already in place at Google; I don’t know the internal hierarchies within the company. But the leader himself, and every employee must understand who this is. Making a website is similar to making a movie—hundreds of people work on it, one person makes the final decision, and they make them every minute of the day. I use the LOTR analogy because there may be 12 extremely important product people (point #4). But someone needs to make the decisions. And to further that analogy, if the ring goes bad, the Hobbits need to throw the ring in Mt. Doom and find a new leader. OK maybe this analogy doesn’t work, but you get the point. All the opinions and analysis will paralyze anyone who is not up to the task. That person has got to bring it all together and make decisions based on his gut and understanding of the overall company’s mission. No that leader won’t always get it right, but the clarity achieved and time saved is crucial. The Internet moves at lightning speed. If you mess up, a resolute leader can iterate and fix. This is worthy of its own dissertation (read Randall Stross on this point about Steve Jobs/Apple vs. Google right here ). You learn a lot when you mess up. I messed up a lot, so these are just a few of the things I learned. By the way, these lessons aren’t just for Google.  They also can be applied to any startup, so good luck everyone. I’m hoping to see you all make your mark on this world. Crunchbase GOOGLE+ Product: GOOGLE+ Website: http://plus.google.com Company Google A Google project headed by Vic Gundotra and Bradley Horowitz, Google+ is designed to be the social extension of Google. Its features focus on making online sharing easy for... Learn more
 
LucidChart Nabs $1 Million From 500 Startups, 2M Companies, And K9 Ventures Top
LucidChart , a web-based diagramming application, announced today that it has raised $1 million in seed funding from 500 Startups , 2M Companies , K9 Ventures , as well as several angel investors. The startup will use its new capital to ramp up hiring efforts and to begin positioning its app as a viable alternative to desktop software. On a basic level, LucidChart combines elements of Excel, Photoshop, and Google Apps all in one clean, easy to use application. Whether you’re a developer, a web designer, or just an average web user, LucidChart allows the creatively-minded to create sexy, yet sophisticated graphs, mockups for websites or mobile apps, flowcharts, diagrams, etc. The startup’s application was built on open standards like HTML5 and javascript, and doesn’t require plugins — all the user needs is the love of a good browser. (Here’s a look at LucidChart on the iPad , for an example.) LucidCharts CEO Karl Sun said that he wants the application to be an example of what HTML5 is capable of today, in that the standard is starting to get to a place in its development in which its rendering and display of visual and graphical applications is on par with desktop software. He hopes LucidCharts can help hammer that point home, visually speaking. But, aside from those who are proponents of HTML5, perhaps one of LucidChart’s coolest features is its realtime collaboration functionality. Any number of users can work together simultaneously on creating a diagram or a mockup, with each user’s additions reflected on partner screens in realtime. There’s also a group chat feature to allow users to easily discuss the project in realtime, while saving a few dollars on those phone bills. Much in the same way Google Apps does for text, LucidCharts is making a play at realtime visual collaboration, and in this way, Sun thinks that LucidCharts can distinguish itself from similar applications, like Visio and Omnigraffle . That being said, compatibility is key, and as the LucidChart team is aware of Visio’s popularity, the application allows users to import their existing Visio documents without losing their place — and continue to update and edit in LucidChart. The team is also in the process of adding compatibility with other applications, including Omnigraffle. From mind maps and organizational charts to website wireframes and UML diagrams, LucidChart has been designed as an application to be used anywhere, any device, and, for users just starting, the application is free. The free version allows two collaborators, 25MB of storage, and 60 objects per document. There are also personal, professional, and team versions, which scale in price up to $25 a month. You can read more about LucidChart’s pricing here . LucidChart also comes with a few nifty features that add some enhancements to the typical user experience one finds in graph and diagram creation tools. Check the video out below for an example:
 
Navigation App Waze Drives Past 5 Million Users; Adds Text-To-Speech Voice Guidance Top
Social mapping and navigation company Waze has hit a big milestone today. The company has accumulated 3 million users in the past 7 months, with 5 million users in over 45 countries. It took just two months for Waze to rack up its last million users. Founded in 2009, Waze offers free apps for the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry and other mobile platforms, that include turn-by-turn navigation for drivers, and at the same time, uses that user data to build out its own maps. If there are issues on the road, such as major traffic jams, all of that information comes in through the apps and can be sent to other drivers. The company is announcing a new iteration of its iPhone and Android app that includes text-to-speech voice guidance (using technology from Nuance), to allows drivers to receive voice alerts upon approaching potentially dangerous events on the road, as well as voice-based street, exit and highway names. Waze is also adding a commuting widget to its Android app will tell users whether it’s a good time to leave or not, with red indicating heavy traffic, and green indicating that traffic is clear. As we’ve written in the past, Waze faces competition from Google with respect to Android device navigation functionality, but the startup brings this technology to a number of mobile platforms and has landed impressive partnerships . And clearly Waze, which just raised $25 million in funding , is growing fast in terms of usage. Crunchbase WAZE Company: WAZE Website: http://waze.com Waze is a mobile application that offers users a free way to get turn-by-turn navigation, while at the same time using that user data to build out its own... Learn more
 
Patent Troll Sues Amazon Over Electronic Checkout Service Top
After slapping Google and PayPal with patent lawsuits, patent troll Purple Leaf is going after Amazon, accusing the e-commerce giant of infringing on its “311 patent” via Amazon’s Payments product. We’ve embedded the complaint below. According to the complaint, Purple Leaf’s 311 Patent generally relates to methods and system for an electronic transaction based on a receipt having payment remittance information. Purple Leaf maintains that Amazon Payments, the company’s payments platform used by online merchants, infringes upon this patent. Specifically, the Purple Leaf patent # 7,603,311 B1 covers a business method for conducting electronic transactions and claims to provide a more effective and efficient way to make a payment over the Internet. Oddly, the examples cited in the patent have more to do with paying government fines and utility bills (“traffic ticket, a citation, a utility bill, a court ticket, a court warrant, hospital receipt”) than traditional e-commerce applications like PayPal, Google and Amazon. As a side note, Amazon holds a number of other patents related to online payment, including its famous one-click payments patent in the U.S. (the company has been denied the intellectual property in Europe). A few weeks ago, the same company also sued Google over the company’s Google Checkout service and PayPal. And Purple Leaf has filed similar patent lawsuits againts Fiserv, JP Morgan Chase, CitiGroup, American Express Company, PNC Bank and SAP America. While its unclear if Purple Leaf’s complaint will hold up in court, patent trolls can actually make a business out of suing companies and extracting licensing agreements over the intellectual property. Look at Intellectual Ventures, which has made $2 billion by licensing its patents. View this document on Scribd Crunchbase AMAZON Company: AMAZON Website: http://amazon.com/ Launch Date: 1994 Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is a leading global Internet company and one of the most trafficked Internet retail destinations worldwide. Amazon is one of the first companies to sell products deep... Learn more
 
The BookBook Case: Because You Always Wanted Your iPhone To Look Like A Little Bible Top
Tired of feeling like people are judging you for gawking at your iPhone all day? Feel like you’re always 10 seconds from some big dude punching you in the face and making your iPhone his iPhone? Enter the BookBook. It’s a case that makes your iPhone look like.. a book. More specifically, it makes your iPhone look like a little itty-bitty Bible. Which is great, because ( almost ) no one can judge you for reading a Bible. And who would steal someone’s Bible? There’s just no need; you can get a free Bible just by walking into a church and saying “Sup guys, can I have a Bible?” The BookBook is the first iPhone accessory out of the guys over at TwelveSouth . If you recall, these are the same guys who made the Apple Keyboard/Magic Trackpad-melding MagicWand . Beyond shrouding your iPhone in a lookalike handbook, the BookBook has another trick up its sleeve: it’s a wallet. It’s got a slot for your ID, two credit cards, and some of that weird papery green stuff I’m told the people of the 90′s called “cash”. One odd bit: as the video below makes clear, there’s no hole cut in the back for your camera to peek through, so you’ll have to pull your iPhone out a bit to snap a shot. You can find the case, available today for $60 a pop, right over here . Or you can wait and see if the Gideons start hiding them in hotel drawers.
 
Does a Cop Have a Right to Your Smartphone? Top
Let’s say I’m driving along and texting even though I know I shouldn’t be. That’s me everyday right there. Now, let’s say I get pulled over, and for some reason the cop asks to see the phone to see what was so important. Do I have to hand it over? If my phone has a password, am I obligated to type it in? If he starts getting pushy with me should I just start videoing the whole encounter as YouTube-revenge-backup-protection? As smartphones have allowed us to have our computers, emails, social media feeds, and a full surveillance systems in our pockets at all time, stories of the law enforcements unease with that have been popping up in the press. And of course, the ones that become viral videos aren’t exactly flattering for law enforcement. I returned as a panelist on last week’s episode of NBC’s Press:Here where we get into what your legal rights are with the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Hanni Fakouri. For the whole episode, including background and examples of cases proving smart phone precedents right now, go here . Below is a clip where we asked Fakouri, EFF’s views on what is legal aside, what you should do if you’re caught in one of these dicey situations.
 
Sequoia, Accel, And Union Square Top SecondMarket's New VC Scoreboard Top
Demand for private company shares declined in the second quarter versus the first quarter but was up sharply year-over-year, according to a new report released today by SecondMarket . The market for private company stock saw $112 million in transactions last quarter, versus $156 million in the first quarter , or down 39 percent sequentially. On an annual basis, however, it was up 120 percent over the second quarter of 2010, which saw $51 million in transactions. And the $268 million worth of transactions in the first half of 2011, was up 75 percent from the first half of 2010 . Some of the tempering of demand over the past couple quarters can be attributed to the fact that two of the previous most popular stocks on the market, LinkedIn And Pandora, went public so investor demand simply shifted to the public markets. Demand for shares from new startups filled much of the gap, but was not enough to keep transaction volumes growing compared to the previous two quarters. Nearly 88 percent of completed transactions were for consumer Web companies, and hedge funds accounted for 22 percent of the dollar value, but only 5 percent of the number of transactions. Individual accredited investors were the largest buying group, accounting for nearly 48 percent of total dollar value and 62 percent of number of transactions. Former employees were the biggest sellers (accounting for 94 percent of transactions). For the first time, SecondMarket ranked the top VC firms based on which ones have the most portfolio companies on its 100 most-watched list. Sequoia tops the VC scoreboard with 11 companies. Accel and Union Square both have 8. Greylock, Kleiner, and Benchmark each have 7. General Catalyst has 6. And Charles River, Khosla Ventures, and First Round each have 5. (See top chart) The top 10 most watched stocks (members can add any stock to their “watch list”) remained pretty stable, with Facebook, Twitter, Groupon, and Zynga in the top four slots. Foursquare moved up to No. 5, followed by Skype, Yelp, Dropbox (new), Gilte Groupe, and LivingSocial (new). LinkedIn and Pandora fell off the list as a result of their successful IPOs. The Rising Stars gaining the most watchers were Kickstarter, PopCap, SharesPost (SecondMarket’s biggest competitor!), LegalZoom, and Lending Club. PopCap was just bought for $1.3 billion by EA, and LegalZoom raised $66 million from Kleiner and IVP. SecondMarket also tracks a group called “Newbies” which are showing early traction in terms of attracting investor attention. The Newbies in the second quarter were SurveyMonkey, Coupons, Hipmunk, Justin.tv, and Yousendit. Finally, the report also pulls out the most watched international companies. These include Skype and Spotify (of course), Rovio, Soundcloud, and the Alibaba Group.
 
Toshiba Thrive Tablet (Almost) Completely Rooted Top
Great news for anyone who fell for the Toshiba Thrive's chunky, full-featured charms! A team from TabletRoms.com (who created the hack) and ThriveForums.org (who tested it) has managed to gain root access on the Thrive's stock ROM, which is the jumping-off point for countless ambitious development projects to come. Well, more or less anyway. Understandably Toshiba didn't want to make things too easy for them. Apparently, while they have superuser permissions on the device, they still aren't able to read or write to the system directory. More interestingly, they haven't been able to get the Clockwork Recovery image to stick very long because the Thrive reflashes its own stock image every time it reboots. Very clever, Toshiba. Still, given that Toshiba's chubby portable has only been available for a hair over two weeks now, this is quite the accomplishment. What makes the whole thing more impressive is the fact that one of the project's main devs, a chap who goes by the handle DJ_Steve, is based in the UK where the Thrive hasn't even been released yet. Feeling adventurous? Full instructions are available on ThriveForums , as well as the specific bits to make it work, but do so at your own risk . Bricking a shiny new toy isn't pleasant, and you don't need to take my word for it. EDIT: Updated to accurately reflect TabletRoms.com’s role in the project.
 
Microsoft Releases New Bluetooth Headset And Media Remote For Xbox 360 Top
The old, white Xbox media remote was often a godsend. Instead of pressing odd buttons on the controller, the media remote let you control Netflix and DVD videos with ease and it was big and unique enough not to get lost. This new media remote, however, looks less like a bar of Dove soap and more like a traditional remote control. Announced on MajorNelson’s blog , the remote will cost $19.99 and will be available in November. Also announced was a little Bluetooth headset for gaming. It costs 59 bizucks and, the best thing, Senor Nelson shows it off below.
 
Design Sales Site Fab.com Hits 350,000 Members, Raises $8M To Celebrate Top
Fab.com , which started out as Fabulis , a social networking site for gay men , has not only recently changed its name but also started from scratch with an entirely new business centered around online flash sales of design items. The startup recently completed a $1 million early-stage round of funding from investor/actor Ashton Kutcher, SV Angel, SoftTech VC and previous backers First Round Capital, Baroda Ventures and The Washington Post. The company has now raised another $8 million in Series A funding, we’ve learned. Menlo Ventures led the round, and several existing investors participated, including First Round, Baroda Ventures, The Washington Post, Fab.com founder and CEO Jason Goldberg, SoftTech VC, SV Angel, Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary and A-Grade Investments, and Zelkova Ventures. A number of angel investors also took part, including Kevin Rose, Jon Anderson, Don Baer, Josh Kushner, Dave Morgan, Ben Ling, and David Tisch. Quite an impressive list of backers, I daresay. Fab.com features daily design inspirations and flash sales at up to 70% off retail. Fab.com membership is free but numbers are restricted in order to maintain low prices. Since launching on June 9, 2011, Fab.com claims more than 350,000 people have signed up for the service, with members placing more than 1,000 orders per day. Earlier this month, Fab.com CEO Jason Goldberg told me the startup was already profitable on $1.3 million in revenue after only 30 days after its debut, with a workforce of around 45 employees. The company says it will use the proceeds of the fresh round of financing to grow its base of designers, expand sales categories and develop more community features. The round brings its total capital raised to about $11.6 million. Crunchbase FAB.COM Company: FAB.COM Website: http://www.fab.com/ Fab.com features daily design inspirations and sales at up to 70% off retail. Fab.com was started by Jason Goldberg, who founded SocialMedian and Jobster, with design industry veteran Bradford Shellhammer,... Learn more
 
Jumio Turns Webcams Into Credit Card Readers – And Why Merchants Will Welcome 'Netswipers' Top
If it were up to Jumio , we’re all going to be ‘netswiping’ to purchase books, clothes, travel, FarmVille crops and whatnot online in a couple of years. The startup has been extensively testing its digital payments service in private beta mode since last year, when Jajah founder Daniel Mattes started teasing whatever they were building. The startup has since assembled an impressive advisory board, including former Google exec Zain Khan, former Amazon exec Mark Britto and Maarten Linthorst, CEO of CSI Communication Systems. And we recently learned that Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and other investors pumped $6.5 million into the startup. Today, Jumio is finally unveiling Netswipe , a technology solution that enables e-commerce site owners and Internet retailers to process online and mobile payments by having customers ‘swipe’ their credit cards using virtually any webcam. Think of it as Square for the Web, without the need to purchase and install additional hardware. Watch the video below to see how it works, in a nutshell. Jumio is introducing three products for online merchants: Netswipe Start, Netswipe Scanning and Netswipe Processing. Additional products, including a mobile solution, will be released later this year. The idea of processing digital payments by scanning credit card information isn’t entirely new, we should note. Last month, for example, saw the launch of Card.io , a startup that is developing mobile applications also capable of scanning credit cards using smartphone cameras, and some other applications like AisleBuyer include similar features. Netswipe will, howevever, allow merchants to securely process payments both on the Web and mobile – and like Card.io, Jumio intends to enable third-party developers to integrate the technology into their own apps and services. It’s also worth noting that Jumio claims its technology is patented. Jumio says credit cards that are used to pay for goods and services via Netswipe are not ‘photographed’ – rather, the scans are made using videostreaming technology, which enables the company to recognize and verify the card details without storing any data on the client side. The main benefits for merchants to implement such a solution are: reducing the time between a customer’s decision to purchase something online and effectively making a transaction, minimize the friction (entering credit card information by typing can be tedious and distracting) and reducing fraud. Jumio CEO Daniel Mattes says that, during the pilot phase, a survey with a focus group showed a decrease in churn rate from 52% to 21%. This may well have been more of an exception than the rule, but for most businesses even a 5 percent decrease would have a big impact on the bottom line. Mattes posits that online retailers and e-commerce site owners can quickly and easily implement Netswipe on their websites, and that the solution doesn’t rival but instead complements existing payment solutions that have usually already been deployed (PayPal etc.). If all this is true, the Netswipe technology solution is one hell of a unique selling proposition for everyone involved – little or no downside and a lot of upsides for sellers and an additional, convenient method of payment for buyers. The proof of the pudding is of course in the eating, as they say, so I’d be very interested to learn from online merchants and e-commerce business owners what their thoughts on the new service are. Crunchbase JUMIO Company: JUMIO Website: http://www.jumio.com/ Launch Date: 5/1/2010 Jumio is Daniel Mattes’ latest startup and is currently preparing the closed beta launch of the site. Jumio simplifies payment. Everyday transactions in a quick, one-click solution for individuals... Learn more
 
There's a Lady Who Knows That There's A Griffin Guitar StompBox For Your iPad Top
This $99, for switch stomp box by Griffin turns your iPad into a shredding machine. It connects to Frontier Design’s iShred LIVE app and allows you to add multiple sounds to your git-fiddle or keyboard. The kit includes a special cable for simultaneous guitar, PA, or amp connectivity along with a cable that jacks right into your iPad. We would not recommend slamming your guitar straight trough the iPad’s glass, but we’re assured it has been tried already and looks totally badass. Also, for some reason, it also works with teleprompters: StompBox is not just for musicians. Its programmable controls also work with Qscript, Griffin’s teleprompter app for iPad. Using StompBox with Qscript you can control text scrolling and other presentation functions with one foot. Product Page via Engadget
 
Irreantum Magellan Is An Acceptably Priced Classic Diver's Watch Top
If you know me, you know I love me some watches. This watch, the Irreantum Magellan, caught my eye because it mixes some of the best of 70s diver style with a modern sensibility and an acceptably strong case and movement. The Magellan, priced at $545, comes in multiple colors and has an ETA 2824-2 movement. It is 45mm wide and comes with a grains of rice band. It’s 500 meters water resistant and for less than $600 it’s priced quite fairly for the features. They’re available now online in black, carbon fiber, blue, and orange. What’s with the wonky name, you ask? Well, apparently it’s named after the Arabian Sea aka, in the olden days, the Erythraean Sea. Product Page
 
Ustream Lands On The iPad, Gives Couch Potatoes The Perfect Soapbox Top
Ustream has landed on the iPad. Today, the streaming video service has launched its first iPad-optimized app, allowing users to view live and recorded content streaming through the service — and to stream their own footage direct from their iPad 2. You can grab the app right here . iPads are obviously well-suited for lounging — and Ustream is expecting that plenty of people will take advantage of the app to stream their thoughts direct from their couches (in other words, don’t be surprised if you see a bunch of new talking head streams pop up as people react to what they just watched on the news or after a sporting event). The iPad version also includes all-important AirPlay support, which lets you stream whatever you’re watching on Ustream to your television. The company launched its Android application on Honeycomb two weeks ago (it’s quite slick, and definitely better than most of the other Honeycomb apps out there), which also supports streaming direct from the tablet. Crunchbase USTREAM, INC. Company: USTREAM, INC. Website: http://www.ustream.tv Launch Date: 3/2007 Ustream is an interactive platform that enables anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to quickly and easily broadcast to an online global audience. Anyone can become a... Learn more
 
Radio Shack Boots T-Mobile, Welcomes Verizon With Open Arms Top
The T-Mobile/Radio Shack affair isn't exactly new news at this point — Radio Shack alleged that T-Mobile "materially breached" the terms of their agreement way back in February. No one short of legal counsel knows exactly what grievances Radio Shack has with their magenta-hued carrier partner beyond lackluster sales performance, but it looks as though things are finally coming to a head anyway. As of September 14, Radio Shack will discontinue their T-Mobile offerings in over 4,300 US locations and on their website. Then, on the very next day, they intend to roll out the red carpet for Verizon. Jim Gooch, president and CEO of Radio Shack, seems mighty pleased stating that "the addition of Verizon Wireless, in combination with our existing carrier partners, positions us to now offer the best assortment of carriers, rate plans, devices and accessories for every consumer need." The implication that T-Mobile hasn't been a terribly good partner is clear, but Gooch is no stranger to talking smack about T-Mobile. During his tenure as Radio Shack CFO, Gooch said rather candidly that T-Mobile's product offerings were "not competitive with other carriers" Harsh words, but it’s the last thing Gooch needs to concern himself with if the transition pans out the way he hopes. [ Full Press Release ]
 
HTC Warms Up To Settlement Talks With Apple Top
Perhaps it's a product of Schmidt's carefree attitude or maybe it's a little tinge of fear after their latest lost , but HTC now appears to be ready to negotiate with Apple . With a win on each side, settlement talks may be the only detour before this patent battle turns into a full-fledged war. In early July, the ITC found Apple in violation of two S3 Graphics patents, which were then taken over by HTC when it acquired the graphics company for $300 million. On July 15, Apple got an ITC win against HTC over two of its own patents. "We have to sit down and figure it out," said HTC CFO Winston Yung in an interview with Bloomberg . "We're open to having discussions." Yung clarified that no formal discussions have occurred since the ITC rulings this month, but merely that HTC was considering settlement negotiations. "We are open to all sorts of solutions, as long as the solution and the terms are fair and reasonable," said Yung. "On and off we've had discussions with Apple, even before the initial determination came out." Both of the initial rulings (Apple in violation of S3 Graphics patents and HTC in violation of Apple patents) are subject to review by the full six-member commission. [via CNET ]
 

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