Microsoft acquires equity stake in Facebook, expands advertising partnership
Updated 3:50 p.m. PDT: It's official: Microsoft will take a $240 million equity stake in Facebook during its next round of financing, valuing the company at a whopping $15 billion.
News.com's Ina Fried in her Beyond Binary blog
reported earlier Wednesday that Microsoft had beaten out Google in the high-stakes bidding war for the slice of tasty Facebook cake. The final deal resulted in a 1.6 percent stake in the social-networking company, notably smaller than the 5 to 10 percent that had been talked about in recent weeks.
"We are pleased to take our Microsoft partnership to the next level," Owen Van Natta, vice president of operations and chief revenue officer at Facebook, said in a statement. "We think this expanded relationship will allow Facebook to continue to innovate and grow as a technology leader and major player in social computing, as well as bring relevant advertising to the more than 49 million active users of Facebook."
In a conference call on Wednesday afternoon with press and analysts, Van Natta and Kevin Johnson, Microsoft's president of platform and services, emphasized that this deal is all about the existing advertising partnership between the two companies, which has been going on for over a year now. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, it should be noted, was not present on the call.
"It's a strong vote of confidence in the innovation that Facebook is doing," Johnson said of the deal, which was signed Wednesday. It's ironic, considering that just earlier this month Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer
brushed off Facebook and other youth-friendly social-networking sites as a "fad."
Under the terms of the new agreement, Microsoft will be the exclusive third-party advertising partner for the Palo Alto, Calif.-based social-networking site, and the Microsoft ads will expand beyond the U.S. to Facebook's international presence. So far, the advertising deal does not appear to have expanded beyond its current 2011 expiration date.
"It's pretty clear that Microsoft wasn't investing in this as an economic move. This is clearly not just about adding a company to your portfolio," Gartner analyst Andrew Frank told CNET News.com. "Microsoft is looking to anchor itself in the emerging ecosystem of social-media advertising, and getting this partnership with Facebook is a good way to get a structural advantage."
Developing a robust advertising strategy is clearly a pressing issue for Facebook, which has come under scrutiny in recent months for showing only lukewarm signs of long-term profitability. Earlier on Wednesday,
Facebook confirmed rumors that it will be making a major advertising announcement on November 6 in New York.
Van Natta and Johnson stressed that Wednesday's deal, at least on the surface, doesn't go far beyond advertising and the "$240 million poke." There won't be any integration of Facebook into Microsoft services, nor will Microsoft's non-advertising properties--like Windows Live Messenger, for example--be worked into Facebook.
But Frank speculated after the call that the partnership could easily grow. "I think (Microsoft) may get more. I think that the language of the press release, which is always rather contrived, emphasizes what they agreed to emphasize at this juncture, but I think they left the door open for a whole lot more stuff down the road," Frank said. "Microsoft will continue to have influence beyond just being an ad platform."
But on the call, Van Natta and Johnson repeatedly referred to it as an expansion of an existing partnership. When asked what had happened with Google, widely rumored to be another major bidder in the Facebook stake competition--and which serves the ads for Facebook's chief rival MySpace--Van Natta answered that it was because the partnership with Microsoft was already in place.
"We were very fortunate to have a lot of folks that were interested in partnering with us around advertising," Van Natta said. "We've been working with Microsoft for over a year now in the U.S., and it's been a partnership that's been really great for both of us."
Speaking to journalists near the end of
Google's Analyst Day, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that "it's not appropriate for us to comment without taking a look." He added that Google is "very happy to work with Facebook and anyone else," but when asked if his company had been in talks to acquire the stake, Schmidt said that he "would rather not talk specifically."
Google co-founder Sergey Brin had more to say to journalists, though he was not specifically speaking about Facebook. "Occasionally we've lost one here, one there," Brin observed. "Some of our competitors might be willing to spend very large amounts of money...and we're really interested in doing sustainable economic deals, so we would rather not participate in those sorts of transactions. But we definitely wish those companies well."
"Overbidding," Schmidt added, "always upsets me, and Sergey calms me down." (Again, Schmidt was not talking specifically about Facebook.) He then elaborated. "Sometimes people include a revenue guarantee, an absolute number, or on a per-ad basis or per customer...a guarantee (that they will pay the publisher)," Schmidt said. "And they do that to enter a market...It's perfectly legal as far as I can tell...It's essentially a subsidy."
Much of the fine print on the Microsoft-Facebook deal has not been disclosed, including the specifics of how the advertising strategy will work--which goes into the question of exactly how much Facebook user data Microsoft will have access to. "User trust is core to what it is that we focus on every day at Facebook," Van Natta said, but would not provide details.
The executives also asserted that there will be no new rules or restrictions on the thousands of developers who have been working with Facebook since the social-networking site opened its platform to third parties in May.
As for the rest of the social-networking world, Gartner's Frank said that even Facebook's competitors should consider the Microsoft partnership a good sign overall.
"Clearly a rising tide floats all boats, and so the fact that Microsoft is making a big commitment to the medium itself will probably help the overall sector because it gives it credibility, and gives it some long-term interest from a pretty serious company," he observed. "The effect on the sector probably outweighs any competitive effects because if the sector grows as fast as Microsoft seems to think it will, there should be a lot of room for growth for a lot of different players beyond Facebook."
But, Frank added, there's still some uncertainty involved. "There are still risks inherent in the category of advertising in social media. I think that no one has figured out the perfect formula for it...There's risk around trust factors and privacy that haven't really fully been explored. I wouldn't say that the market is anywhere near mature enough to call it risk-free."
Posted by
Caroline McCarthyVia Cnet
CNET News.com's Elinor Mills contributed to this story.
Labels: facebook, Microsfot
Macs Not as Popular As Fanboys Think
For Mac fans, there is good news and bad news coming out today from analyst Gene Munster of investment bank Piper Jaffray. The most remarkable aspect of Apple's skyrocketing popularity is the fact that the company shipped 2.16 million Macs in the third quarter of this year. The part of the analyst's report that might give some Mac fanboys a bit of perspective is that even with that tremendous surge in sales, Apple's market share constitutes a mere 3.2% of the worldwide PC market. The remarkable news is that Apple's share of the worldwide computer market was 2.5% six months ago, so there was a 28 percent increase in market share in half a year. But something's fishy about these figures.
According to IDC, Apple's market share is considerably higher, reaching 6.3% at the end of the third quarter of 2007. That's compared to a 5.7% market share at the end of the same quarter last year, a 15.9% gain. Still, that's a tiny sliver of Dell's 28% market share an HP's market share of 24.3%. Either way you slice it, even though in the echo chamber of the blogosphere it seems like Apple is dominating, Macs are still a relatively minor player when it comes to market share.
BY CHARLIE WHITE
via Gizmodo
Labels: apple, Dell, HP, Mac, Mac vs. PC
Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket
The Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket ($379) is a high-end snowsport jacket with an integrated iPod remote control. If you've ever taken a spill and watched your snowboard and MP3 player shoot off in different directions, then the Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket is worth more than a passing glance.
Like most Burton products, the Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket has a very hip design, constructed with materials that are both high-tech and high-style. The jacket employs taped seams, laminated fabric, and resizable fittings to keep moisture from finding its way through to your clothing. Zippered pockets can be found practically everywhere, in sizes large enough to stash away a pair of snow gloves, or snug enough for a pair of earbuds. An interior pocket is built into the field jacket specifically to cradle your iPod. With your iPod tucked away, earbuds can then be threaded through a small port within the jacket's lining and up to the ears.
The Audex iPod remote control can be removed from the Burton Field Jacket's molded rubber compartment.
While the jacket alone is worth the price, what really makes the Burton Audex iPod Field Jacket unique is the iPod remote control integration. The Audex-branded iPod remote comes in two parts: a remote receiver that plugs directly into your iPod's dock connection; and a remote control. Both the receiver and the remote use high-frequency radio signals to communicate with one another, with an expected range of 100 feet. While the Audex iPod remote receiver is basically a nondescript black nub that plugs into your iPod, the remote control has a little more going for it. The pebble-shaped Audex remote features five rubber buttons that control volume, track skip, and play/pause. Although the Audex remote is meant to be operated within the field jacket's custom-molded rubber compartment, it can also be used separately as a go-anywhere iPod remote. We found that the Audex iPod remote system worked flawlessly with both a fifth-generation video iPod and a third-generation iPod Nano.
Taken as a whole, both the Burton Field Jacket and Audex iPod remote system provide an uncompromised solution for sliding down a snow-covered mountain in style. There are other good ways to bring your music onto the mountain, but none that are nearly as cool.
Reviewed by: Donald Bell
via Cnet
Labels: Burton, Burton Audex, iPod, iPod Jacket
Nu CinePlayer PDP100
Nu Technology proudly claims that the CinePlayer PDP100 ($135 list price) is the slimmest standalone DVD player in the world, and that claim is probably true. The CinePlayer PDP100 is only 0.71 inch thick and just slightly larger than the actual size of a DVD, putting so-called "slimline" DVD players to shame. The design is certainly striking, but as you might imagine, there are tradeoffs. There's no HDMI output, and even component video requires a breakout cable that's sold separately. There's also no room for analog multichannel outputs or even a coaxial digital audio output, so hopefully you have a spare optical input on your receiver or don't mind stereo analog audio. Still, even with these drawbacks, the PDP100 is a compelling player, as its small size, PAL output, and gaggle of power outlet adapters make it an excellent international travel companion--although you could always buy a
portable DVD player and get a screen and battery power in the bargain. The PDP100 can't compete with upscaling standalone players in performance or features, but it's a good option for travelers or those who need (or want) an extremely small DVD player.
Design
One of the flat sides of the PDP100 has a reflective, mirrorlike finish (which is why the product image looks a little strange), while the other side has a standard white finish. As we mentioned before, the PDP100 is only 0.71 inch thick, and it measures 5.91 inches wide and 6.42 inches deep. You can position the player on the included stand for vertical positioning, or just lay it flat on its side. If you're really into the PDP100's design, you can even buy a wall mount ($30) to display it next to your flat-panel HDTV. With no front panel controls, you'll definitely want to make sure the remote doesn't go missing. Unlike standard standalone DVD players, there is no DVD tray and discs are loaded via the same kind of slot-loading mechanism found on Mac laptops or the Nintendo Wii. The mechanism works fine, although you have to push the disc almost all the way into the player before it pulls it in on its own, which feels a little strange.
The PDP100 is only slightly larger than an actual DVD.
The included remote is pretty lousy. It follows the credit card-style remote popular on many cheap products, and its slimness isn't a virtue. The buttons are all similarly sized and barely rise off the surface, so you never really know if you've pressed one. The remote is powered by a small lithium cell battery, so you'll want to have a spare on hand for when the battery dies--remember, there are no front panel controls.
We weren't big fans of the credit card-style remote.
Features
Like almost all DVD players, the PDP100 plays standard DVDs and can pass their
Dolby Digital and DTS surround soundtracks to a compatible AV receiver via its optical output. It can downmix Dolby Digital soundtracks to a stereo PCM signal if you don't want surround sound. In addition to DVDs, the PDP100 can also play CDs and DVDs with DivX files on them, as well as MP3s and JPEGs.
A breakout cable is included, enabling composite video and stereo analog audio.
Connectivity, as we mentioned before, is barebones. There's no HDMI output, and component video and S-Video output require breakout cables that are sold separately. The only included cable is also a breakout cable that enables the lowest quality connection: composite video and stereo analog audio. There's an optical digital audio output, but no coaxial digital audio output or multichannel analog outputs. These shortcomings are somewhat understandable given the size, but we really would have liked an HDMI output instead of all the breakout cables.
The PDP100 includes UK/US/AU/EU-type power adapters.
Also included in the box are several different AC adapters, for use with different international outlet standards. If you like to travel a lot, they're a great addition. The PDP100's small size makes it perfect to take on the go and get DVD playback around the globe. This is important, because although a hotel might have a DVD player in it, it might not be a "region 1" DVD player, so your North American DVDs won't work in it. Even more important, the PDP100 supports PAL output, so it will work with international TVs. We tested this on a PAL-compatible Panasonic TH-50PH10UK monitor and it worked as advertised--just hop into the setup menu and change TV output from NTSC to PAL.
Performance
We started off our performance test by looking at Silicon Optix's HQV test suite, using the component video output in progressive-scan (480p) mode. Although the component cable ($13 list price) isn't included with the player, we used it for our testing because S-Video and composite video output of DVD players is largely the same. We weren't expecting much from the PDP100, and we weren't surprised. It failed the initial resolution test, which means that it cannot display all the detail that DVD has to offer. It also did rather poorly on the jaggies tests, displaying more jaggies on test patterns than we see on any of the more expensive upconverting DVD players we test. Moving on to a
2:3 pull-down test, the PDP100 also came up short, showing very noticeable moire in the grandstands behind the speeding race car.
We also took a quick look at some program material to confirm what we saw in the test patterns. The introduction to Seabiscuit is a torture test for video processing and, sure enough, the opening sequence of black-and-white photos had some jaggies. Honestly, we were expecting worse considering its failures on the test patterns, and we've actually seen more expensive players perform more poorly on this sequence. We also tossed in Star Trek: Insurrection and confirmed that the player does in fact have 2:3 pull-down processing, despite failing the harder HQV test. We also took a look at Aeon Flux, and the PDP100 stumbled on rendering the long cables present during Chapter 9--instead of smooth lines, there was moire and jaggies. On other less-demanding scenes, however, the PDP100 did an acceptable job.
We could go on and on about how the PDP100 doesn't satisfy tougher image quality tests, but ultimately it's not designed to offer excellent performance. As a DVD player for traveling or for those unconcerned about image quality, it does an acceptable job and should meet expectations. Those interested in better performance should consult our
Editors' top DVD players and recorders list.
Reviewed by: Matthew Moskovciak
Edited by: David Katzmaier
via Cnet
Labels: Cineplayer, DVD, NU, PDP100
Acer completes Gateway acquisition -- GTW delisted
It's official, Acer
has acquired nearly 90% of Gateway shares bringing an end to Gateway's pioneering independence. The $710 million deal makes Gateway a wholly owned subsidiary of the Taiwanese PC maker and brings an end to the GTW listing on the New York Stock Exchange. With Gateway ready to
gobble up Packard Bell, Acer becomes a solid, global number 3 powerhouse behind HP and Dell.
via Engadget
Labels: Acer, Gateway, merger
The watch that refused to die
Its name may not be as menacing as the "
Radio Active" watch, but this timepiece could be right out of a '50s B-movie in all its grainy atomic glory. Just like the creatures and objects regularly exposed to dangerous radiation levels at drive-ins across America every Saturday night in those days, the "
Superluminova" made by Reactor Watches will glow day and night for a full 10 years.
But rather than the bomb, this watch owes its luminescence to
tritium-filled tubes that need only a few rays of light to recharge instantly, according to Gadget Venue. Other than that spooky feature, it looks pretty much like a conventional analog watch--which, we hasten to add, is a refreshing change from so many
other timepieces we've seen on Crave.
Mike Yamamoto
via Crave
Labels: reactor watch, superluminova, watches
Hitachi breakthrough: 4TB disks by 2011
When Hitachi -- the first disk manufacturer to go
perpendicular and subsequently break the
1TB consumer disk drive barrier -- speaks about advances in hard disk technology, you'd be wise to listen. Today they're touting the world's smallest read-head technology for HDDs. The bold claim? 4TB desktop (3.5-inch) and 1TB laptop (2.5-inch) drives within the next 4 years. The new recording heads are more than 2x smaller than existing gear or about 2,000 times smaller than a human hair. Hmmm, Samsung may have to update their
SSD vs. HDD graph after this, eh?
via Engadget
Labels: 4tb, hard disk, hard drive, Hitachi
Toilet-Shaped House...Now That's Classy
Just because you have the resources to build the world's first toilet-shaped house doesn't mean that you should. Then again, if you happen to be Sim Jae-duck, the chairman of the organizing committee of the Inaugural General Assembly of the World Toilet Association, you may have an interest in such a thing. And a guy with a title that long deserves to get his way.
The 4,508-sq-foot structure features four deluxe toilets—one of which includes a misting device that helps users "feel more secure" and electronic motion sensors that lift and lower the lid when needed. And if that wasn't hilarious enough, Sim Jae-duck is letting patrons rent the house for an absurd $50,000 a day. I would take him up on it, but there's no pool. Where am I going to drop the kids off?
BY SEAN FALLON
via Gizmodo
Labels: House, Toilet, Toilet house
iPod touch now running Mail, Google Maps, and more
We're not looking at general availability yet, but those happy hacking cats unravelling the iPod touch have decrypted the ramdisk and are now busy installing applications. Already, Mail, Maps, and other 3rd party apps are up and running on their
jailbreaked touches. The race is on between the cat and the mouse to see who will release their wares first.
by Thomas Ricker
Labels: iPod, iPod hack, iPod touch
Tree hugging Rice burners rejoice! One Hot Hybrid
The Honda CR-Z hybrid concept is designed to the nines. The reality check, even if this is just a concept, it's a concept built around Honda's current gen hybrid in this generation's Civic Hybrid/Accord. No matter—the LED headlights, body lines, and dash are kind enough on the eyes:
Honda Announces Automobiles to be Displayed at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007
TOKYO, Japan, October 9, 2007-Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that it will exhibit production and concept automobiles and a number of technologies at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show (sponsored byJapan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.), to be held from Saturday, October 27 to Sunday, November 11, 2007, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
The theme for Honda's automobile booth for this year is: "For the endless joy of mobility on our earth". Based on this theme, Honda will display a variety of advanced environmental technologies that address environmental issues such as a reduction in CO2 emissions, together with the fun of mobility.
Two concept models will make their world premiere at the motor show. The CR-Z is a next-generation lightweight sports car equipped with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system which achieves both clean performance and a high level of torque. The PUYO is a fuel cell vehicle which was designed based on out-of-box thinking to provide fun for both the vehicle owner and people around them as well. Also on display will be a model of the i-DTEC next-generation diesel engine, first announced in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which delivers both outstanding environmental performance and engine performance characteristics.
CR-Z'
CR-Z' stands for 'Compact Renaissance Zero'-an expression intended to capture the idea of a renaissance in the design of compact cars that begins anew from fundamentals.
This design research model of a lightweight hybrid sports car features advanced technologies that deliver enjoyable driving for all while reducing the vehicle's environmental footprint.
Exterior design
Designed to be 'Futuristic and Dynamic', the CR-Z combines powerful performance in a compact form with a futuristic image. For its frontal view, an over-sized grill with a high-performance look is offset by openings on each side that lighten the overall feel. In the rear, tube-shaped rear combination lamps ensure better rearward visibility. Design details emphasizing the CR-Z's advanced image include door mirrors that provide high visibility in a stylish form, LED headlights patterned after luminous bodies to convey a sharp impression, and jauntyfin-shaped
Interior design
The key words for the CR-Z's interior design are 'Hi-tech and Sporty'. The goal was to create an all-new sporty interior that fuses the liberating feel of airy spaciousness with an advanced interface that brings out the fun of the drive. Mesh material on a simple framework construction is used throughout the interior to convey a light, sophisticated image without being oppressive. In the cockpit, the meter unit conveys the image of advanced technology ensconced in a piece of glass artwork, offering the functionality of immediate recognition while enhancing the driving experience with a futuristic and exhilarating feeling.
BY BRIAN LAM
via engadget
Labels: Car, Honda, Honda Concept
OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown hits the brakes on jacked cars
Although
OnStar has offered Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance to its subscribers since 1996, the firm is getting set to add a snazzy new enhancement for 2009 vehicles. The feature, dubbed Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, can use GPS to pinpoint a vehicle once it has been reported as stolen, and after OnStar confirms with local police that it has the vehicle within sight, it can then be slowed down remotely. The system actually receives a signal that "interacts with the powertrain to reduce engine power, which will [in turn] slow the vehicle down gradually." Interestingly, customers will have the option of opting out of the service if they so choose, but we'd rather be safe (and potentially paranoid) than sorry.
via Engadget
Labels: general motors, GPS, Lo-jack, On star
24-Inch Syncmaster Monitor from Samsung Has Legs, Supports HDCP
Samsung has brought out another LCD monitor from its Syncmaster range. The 245T is a 24-inch monitor with PiP (Picture in Picture), PbP (that's Picture by Picture), and its Motion Picture Acceleration gives better-quality pics. Also featured is HMDI and 5-Video connections.
At over a million Won (that's around $1,100), the 245T is an expensive option, legs or no legs.
BY ADDY DUGDALE
Labels: 24st, Monitor, Samsung
Art.Lebedev shows Pultius, One helluva remote
At first we were wondering if the
Art.Lebedev Studio was kidding with this design concept for a remote control. Named Pultius, this 20-inch-long clicker solves a problem of designing "a remote control with as many buttons as there are channels on TV." We weren't aware that was an actual problem, but if such a solution were actually needed, this is about the most beautiful way to accomplish that we can imagine. Whatever happened to "less is more?"
This thing is crazy, but awfully pretty.
BY CHARLIE WHITE
Labels: Pultius, Remote control
Artificial corneas could save eyesight
While there's been no
shortage of research surrounding the
saving of one's
eyesight, the EU-funded CORNEA project has now developed an artificial cornea that is showing promise in trials. Reportedly, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam and the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital of Regensburg have created a device that is "based on a commercially available polymer which absorbs no water and allows no cells to grow on it." Put simply, the cornea implant can "firmly connect with the natural part of the cornea, while the center remains free of cells and therefore clear." Apparently, early versions have already been successfully placed in the eyes of rabbits, and if ongoing testing goes smoothly, they'll be headed for humans as early as next year.
Labels: artificial cornea, cornea, eyes
Suit claims Nike, Apple stole idea for Nike+ iPod Sport Kit
A while back we had a tech review of the Nike + iPod series, here is an interesting follow-up to that story...
A little-known athletic company from Utah has filed a lawsuit that names both Nike and Apple, claiming that Nike knowingly stole its decade-old idea for the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit.Brothers Greg and Kenny Anderson of Leaper Footwear, LLC say they invented in 1995 and successfully patented in 1998 a unique breed of footwear which -- like the
Nike+ iPod Sport Kit co-developed by Nike and Apple -- measures locomotive performance parameters such as a user’s walking or running speed and/or distance traveled.
According to their complaint, filed Monday in the United States District Court for The District of Utah Central Division, Leaper’s counsel sent a letter to Nike in 2000 suggesting that the shoe maker take a license to the Anderson's patent (
#5720200) and incorporate their invention into Nike shoes.
Nike reportedly wrote back two weeks later, stating that it had "no interest" in pursuing the idea.
"Six years later," the suit continues, "in May 2006, acting on Leaper’s suggestion but without contacting or seeking permission from Leaper to use the patent, Nike and Apple jointly announced their partnership to launch Leaper’s invention through the 'Nike + iPod Sport Kit'."
The "Nike + iPod Sport Kit" allows Nike+ footwear to communicate with Apple's iPod nano music player. It includes a sensor that fits into a pocket in the inner sole of Nike+ footwear, and a receiver that plugs into the bottom of an iPod nano. Information about time, distance, calories burned and pace is displayed on the iPod screen and audio feedback is announced to the user through the iPod’s earbud headphones.
In their 8-page suit, the Andersons claim that Apple and Nike have achieved "huge success" through unauthorized use of their patent. They recall comments made by Nike chief executive Mark Parker during a conference call last December in which he widely touted the sport kits, stating that users had already logged more than 3 million miles on the devices and that over 3-million Nike+ shoes had shipped.
"We expect that number to double by the year end," Parker added during the call. "Clearly our confidence in this concept has proven to be accurate."
As a result, the Andersons allege, Nike and Apple have generated "hundreds of millions of dollars in infringing sales" of iPod nanos, Nike + shoes, and Nike + iPod Sport Kits, "easily exposing them to liability in the tens of millions of dollars" for their infringement of Leaper’s patent.
"It is further believed that Nike and Apple’s infringement has spawned additional revenues through sales of products related to the Nike + iPod system, such as the Nike Amp + bracelet, " the suite adds.
The last time Nike or Apple provided sales figures for the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit was in September of 2006, when Apple said it had
sold 450,000 units in the kit's first three months on the market.
Leaper's complaint is the second to target both Apple and Nike over allegations that the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit makes unauthorized use of patented technology. In January, Colorodo-based PhatRat Technology filed a
similar suit, charging both companies with infringing on four of its own patents.
By
Kasper JadeLabels: iPod, Nike, nike + iPod
The World's Brightest Cycle Lamp is Called Betty
Betty is a 22-watt, 1400-lumen bicycle lamp that you can buy from
Gretna Bikes. And it's expensive—at 84¢ per lumen, the grand total is $1,185. It is, however, the light of all lights for cyclists— just have a look at what it can do below.
There's a custom-designed lens system for optimal beam quality and seven top-grade LED lights. Its three modes include a low power-consuming emergency mode, which gives you up to two weeks' light using just 0.25W. Using its strongest battery, it will last all night for a month. But is that worth $1,185? Depends how safe you want to be.
Site of the day:
Gretna BikesLabels: Betty, Bike Light, Light, Worlds best light
The Sony Drive XEL-1 OLED TV: 1,000,000:1 contrast starting December 1st
It's here friends, Sony's
Drive teaser is none other than their 3-mm thin, 1,000,000:1
OLED TV, just announced official with a December 1st Japanese retail date. The 11-inch SonyDrive XEL-1 set features a 960 x 540 pixel resolution, terrestrial digital tuner, 2x 1W speaker, and HDMI, USB, and Ethernet jacks in a package measuring 287 x 140 x 253-mm and 2-kg (3.3-pounds). How much? Well, ¥200,000 or about $1,740 -- That's about $160 per inch of OLED. Rich indeed, but so it goes for first generation technology.
Labels: New Sony, Sony TV, tv
"We are pleased to take our Microsoft partnership to the next level," Owen Van Natta, vice president of operations and chief revenue officer at Facebook, said in a statement. "We think this expanded relationship will allow Facebook to continue to innovate and grow as a technology leader and major player in social computing, as well as bring relevant advertising to the more than 49 million active users of Facebook."
