Current News

Mobile DTV Miracle
Nine TV broadcasters in and around our nation's capital have started sending mobile digital-TV signals over the air. Hundreds of Washington-area viewers are watching TV wherever they go, on specially modified Samsung mobile phones and Dell netbooks that are part of a consumer showcase of the new technology. Hundreds of Sprint phone customers responded to an appeal for people who would be willing to give up their mobile phone for four months and trade it in for a similar model that could pick up TV programs. Read more at CEA Digital Dialogue.



Livio Radio rolls out Internet radio app for iPhones
Livio Radio has developed a new application for its Livio Car Internet Radio that lets drivers use their iPhone data plan to listen to Internet radio stations in their car. "This application completely changes how users interact with their car radios, expanding the car antenna worldwide," RadioTime's Bill Moore said. Radio World (5/11)



Best Buy tries smartphone-based customer-tracking system
Best Buy and Macy's are partnering with a firm named Shopkick that has created a smartphone application that tells retailers when certain shoppers are in their stores or nearby. Once the system detects the shopper's presence, it communicates via the smartphone to deliver product information, coupons or other offers. Wall Street Journal, The (4/21)



Industry group eyes Bluetooth breakthroughs
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has revealed that a low-power version of the technology is set to hit shelves later this year, offering new wireless capabilities for a range of small products from wristwatches to toys. Meanwhile, the group's members say they are working to develop a consensus around the future of the technology, including the development of faster, 60-GHz products. Google/The Associated Press (4/20) EE Times (4/20)



Cracking open Apple's lost prototype iPhone 4.0
After an Apple iPhone developer lost a prototype of the iPhone OS 4 at a bar in Redwood City, Calif., Gizmodo opened it up and found a front-facing camera for video chats, a camera flash, a higher resolution display and a micro-SIM, among other changes. Gizmodo (4/19)



"Bionic eye" could restore lost vision
Researchers at Bionic Vision Australia have developed a prototype vision aid that uses electrodes implanted in the eye to restore some sight for people who suffer degenerative vision loss. "It is really designed to give people back their mobility so they can move around their environment and avoid obstacles," researcher Anthony Burkitt says. "We are also working on a second-generation product that will help people recognize faces and read large print." Wired.com/Gadget Lab blog (4/2)



Carriers see value in taking wireless to more CE devices
AT&T this week continued to drive momentum for its emerging-devices business by introducing a series of applications for new network-based gadgets, including a collar that would help owners track lost pets. At CTIA WIRELESS® on Tuesday, operators said they were willing to embrace the gadget business if they retained some control over their networks. "If we let you do anything, you'd have a horrible experience," said Sprint Nextel's Dan Bowman. CNET (3/24), PC World/IDG News Service (3/24)



CEA's Shapiro applauds FCC's broadband proposals
CEA has applauded the FCC for its newly released National Broadband Plan and pledged to work with the commission to make parts of the proposal become reality. Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive officer of CEA, said that the FCC's plan, as well as separate but related work in Congress, "is key to our national competitiveness and the future of technology innovation. We look forward to helping critical parts of this plan come to fruition." TWICE (3/16)



Dell suit accuses 5 firms of fixing LCD display prices
Dell filed suit Friday against Sharp, Hitachi, Toshiba, Seiko Epson and HannStar for alleged price fixing. Sharp and Hitachi already have paid fines elsewhere after admitting involvement. Reuters (3/15), Engadget (3/15)



LA Games Conference
More than 300 of the most influential decision-makers in the games industry gather for the LA Games Conference (April 29) to network, make deals and share ideas about the future of console, PC, online and mobile games. Now in its fourth year, there's a lively and fun debate on timely cutting-edge business topics and demos as well as unrivaled access to some of the most progressive companies in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and beyond. The event is designed to be interactive, like the world we live in, giving delegates the opportunity to share their ideas live at the event via text message and in moderated roundtable meetings. For more information, please visit www.lagamesconference.com.



Report: New iPhone OS will provide multitasking function
Besides the lack of Flash capability, the biggest strike against Apple's iPhone has been the inability to run more than one application at a time. But the next impending OS for the popular smartphone is rumored to to fix that issue. Wall Street Journal, The/Digits blog (3/11)



Devices help TV viewers cut the cable cord
A growing number of people, according to this report, are finding out that they can enjoy just about everything TV has to offer without the monthly bills from their cable company. Thanks to the Internet, iPhone, Xbox and the like, viewers are finding new ways to cut the cable cord without giving up on programming quality. New York Times, The (3/10)



IBM, researchers team up to advance mobile Internet access
IBM, India's National Institute of Design and the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology are collaborating to build friendlier mobile gadgets for the physically challenged and those with learning disabilities. It's all about making the Internet accessible to everyone. CNET/Cutting Edge blog (3/10), Reuters (3/10)



Symantec sees open networks as key to security solutions
Symantec has released new wireless-security products aimed at preventing attacks on carriers' networks even if their customers are using other networks, such as a Wi-Fi hot spot, the company said. "Symantec believes the future of mobile operating systems is openness and open APIs," said John Kelly, a senior technology director. As if to underscore his remarks, reports emerged that a Vodafone HTC Magic phone running Android had been infected with a bot linked to a Spanish hacker group. InternetNews.com (3/9), InformationWeek (3/9)



Google, Dish working on TV and online-video search service
Google and Dish Network are testing a television-programming search service. The service apparently is designed to help viewers find TV shows through Dish or online video sites such as Google's YouTube.Wall Street Journal, The(3/8)



Internet sales tax is a hot topic for many states
Almost 20 states are either considering or enacting laws that require online retailers to collect sales taxes for products bought and sent outside the states the merchants are based in. "I see this as a trend moving along -- a lot of states are considering doing it," said Joseph Henchman, director of state projects at the Tax Foundation. CNET/Politics and Law blog (3/8)



Digital devices keep consumers tied to companies
Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and other technology giants are designing their gadgets, including smartphones, digital music players and gaming systems, so that they are not compatible with their competitors' devices. The deliberate incompatibility is an attempt to keep consumers entrenched into the ecosystem and product set of a particular company. Bloomberg BusinessWeek (3/7)



Judge allows Microsoft to block Waledac "botnet"
A federal judge in Virginia has granted a request by Microsoft to shut down nearly 300 Web addresses that can be linked in a so-called "botnet" to carry out cybercrimes. The software giant's complaint identified the botnet as Waledac and named 27 unnamed individuals as defendants. Wall Street Journal, The (2/25)



Installers prepare for analog sunset on Blu-ray players
As of Dec. 31, manufacturers of Blu-ray players will not be able to introduce any new models with analog ports on the back of their machines. The initiative, which means all high-definition video will have to come through an HDMI connection, is creating something of a "paradigm shift" for CE installers. CEPro.com (2/16)