| TRENDING STORIES IN TECH & GADGETS | | | | | | | ALL STORIES IN TECH & GADGETS | | |
| Microsoft Founder's Rocket Plane Hybrid: One Giant Leap For Mankind | |  If you build it, they will come. That may be something of a cliche these days, but it retains an essential nugget of business sense: you need the infrastructure before you can find the big revenue models. Nowhere is that more true than in the fledgling private space industry. Entrepreneurs have plenty of promising ideas for what we can do in Earth orbit and beyond, but no consensus on how we're going to get there. Tuesday's announcement from Microsoft co-founder (and somewhat reclusive billionaire) Paul Allen could change all of that. Allen is starting a $200 million company, Stratolaunch Systems, that will marry the designs of two of the space industry's most important inventors: Burt Rutan and Elon Musk. Behold, the hybrid rocket plane -- due this decade, larger than any aerial vehicle yet built, it can put anything and anyone in orbit. Rutan is the creator of SpaceShipOne, the world's first commercial spacecraft, which was launched from the top of a light aircraft called White Knight. The plane took care of those crucial first 30,000 feet of a launch, where Earth's hold on us is hardest to break. This is how Virgin Galactic will be sending its first tourists to space in 2013. Musk, the former PayPal billionaire, owns a company called SpaceX, which is building a new breed of rocket called the Falcon in order to deliver commercial payloads like satellites. So why not have a Falcon rocket launching off the back of a White Knight plane? That, essentially, is Paul Allen's plan. There's a little more to it than that; Rutan is creating a giant and far more expensive version of the White Knight, using six engines from Boeing 747s. The wingspan will be 385 feet, wider than that of the previous record holder, Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose. What Allen has done, wisely, is to take two already proven systems and fuse them together. To build even more confidence, he has hired NASA veterans such as the agency's former administrator, Mike Griffin, to sit on the Stratolaunch board. So what will this setup actually launch into space? In a word: everything. Commercial payloads, tourists, satellites, space hotels, International Space Station guests, maybe even unmanned missions to other planets. Given that the only entity that can currently launch all of that for you is the Russian Space Agency -- which charges more than $60 million per passenger -- Allen thinks the industry is wide open to competition. At Tuesday's press conference, he spoke of bringing "airport-like operations to the launch of commercial and government payloads." The company's motto is "any orbit, any time." Sure, it'll be a while before you can hop onto an affordable orbital flight; Stratolaunch has tentatively pointed to 2016 as its first year of operation, and the first clients are likely to be deep-pocketed telecoms companies and governments. But the system seems powerful, light and easily scaled -- a magical recipe for entrepreneurship. It also doesn't hurt to have the resources of one of the world's wealthiest men. Slowly but surely, it's companies like this that will move the needle on the cost of getting ordinary people, everyday things, and all-important infrastructure to space. "I have long dreamed about taking the next big step in private space flight after the success of SpaceShipOne - to offer a flexible, orbital space delivery system," Allen said in a statement. "We are at the dawn of radical change in the space launch industry." As Wordsworth might say: bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young made it very likely you could eventually get a cheap ticket to the heavens. |
| Google Buys a Virtual Assistant, But It's a Far Cry From Siri | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 8:59 PM | Samantha Murphy |
| 
Android owners looking for a fully-integrated response to Apple's Siri will have to wait a little longer. Google announced on Tuesday that it acquired a company called Clever Sense, the maker of the app Alfred, which serves as a digital personal assistant. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mashable confirmed with Google that the Alfred app does not have voice-command capabilities. Similar to Siri, he does search the Internet and provide users with recommendations from restaurant suggestions to bar and nightlife options. Alfred also learns user preferences and tastes over time to make more targeted recommendations. But Siri does that already, and can also answer questions about the weather, news and directions. It's unclear whether Alfred can catch up. Also unclear: whether Alfred was named after Bruce Wayne's confidant and butler in Batman. Clever Sense has s a good chance Google has voice-recognition software in the works for Android -- in which case, Alfred could well be the shell they put around it. Could Alfred take on Siri in the future? Let us know in the comments. |
| Are Young People 'Fed Up' With the iPhone? [POLL] | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 5:18 PM | Peter Pachal |
|  With the release of the iPhone 4S, Apple is selling iPhones hand over fist, but are many of those buyers merely settling for something because they don't see a better alternative? That appears to be the theory from one Nokia executive, who said young people are "fed up" with the iPhone. In an interview with British gadget site Pocket-Lint, Nokia director of product marketing & sales Niels Munksgaard said, "What we see is that youth are pretty much fed up with iPhones. Everyone has the iPhone." The comments are reminiscent of those from the president of HTC earlier this year. Martin Fichter, acting president of HTC America, concluded that the iPhone was for old people, based on an informal survey of his daughter's dormroom friends: "None of them has an iPhone," Fichter said, "because they told me: 'My dad has an iPhone.' There's an interesting thing that's going on in the market. The iPhone becomes a little less cool than it was." If you ask Apple, the iPhone is still pretty cool -- to the tune of 4 million phones sold in just the first weekend after the release of the iPhone 4S. Of course, Apple doesn't break down sales by age. Nokia's Munksgaard didn't single out just the iPhone; he also dissed Android by saying that customers were put off by its "complexity" and "lack of security." He described the market as a "sea of sameness," with customers -- especially young ones -- hungry for services and phones that are different. It's clearly an attempt to drum up attention for Nokia's coming Windows Phones, which Munksgaard believes will differentiate themselves with services like Nokia Mix Radio and the company's well-regarded mapping service. What do you think? Is the iPhone less hip than it used to be? And does that mean you're in a rush to ditch it for something else? Vote in our poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Are Young People 'Fed Up' With the iPhone? |
| How to Pick an Ereader This Holiday Season | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:27 PM | Mario Armstrong |
|  Mario Armstrong is an Emmy Award winning media personality, digital lifestyle expert, talk show host, and public speaker. He's teamed up with Staples this holiday season to spread the word about their extensive tech offerings and provide tips for making gift giving easy this year, and distributes his content through his own website, Twitter, Sirius XM, and on Staples.com. If you plan to give someone you love a great tech gift this holiday season, you can't go wrong with an ereader. Yes, they have been around for awhile, but the technology has changed along with the selection. The great news is that ereaders are still relatively inexpensive, and they're bound to get a ton of use -- really, who doesn't need to read more? A year ago, there were really only two kinds of devices on the market: basic ereaders like the Kindle, the NOOK and the iPad. Today, Amazon alone offers six different versions of the Kindle (twelve if you distinguish the ad-supported versions from the more expensive ad-free models). The choices this holiday season can be overwhelming, but that's why we're here to help you pick the perfect ereader. Understanding the Basics On the lower-priced end, ereader devices use e-ink, a black and white-only display technology that looks like paper and offers amazing battery life, which can be measured in weeks, not hours. However, since the devices are unlit, you'll need a reading light at night just like with a real book, so keep that in mind when shopping. Quick tip: A lighted case makes a great companion gift! Higher-end ereaders with full color screens are essentially seven-inch tablet computers. While some people don't mind reading for hours on computer monitors, others may find that a tablet-style reader fatigues the eyes. I recommend going to a store and test-driving the technology; that way you can get a real sense of how the device operates. Also, be aware of is battery life -- the color versions have about eight hours of juice. On the whole, however, these devices not only offer an exceptional reading experience; they also provide video playback, color magazines, web browsing and email. So how do you choose? First, you need to understand what you're up against. The Contenders Basic Readers: The three basic ereaders all have six-inch e-ink screens, but they feature some important differences. The cheapest is the ad-supported $79 Kindle, a basic WiFi-only ereader with buttons to turn pages. While some may say that ads are tacky (the ad-free version costs $109), the fact is that no other ereader can compete price-wise. Next up is the Kobo WiFi, a similarly configured reader that sells for $99. Like the low-end Kindle, the Kobo WiFi has physical buttons to turn pages and requires a WiFi connection to connect to the Internet and download books. Barnes & Noble remains a huge competitor at this price point: The $99 NOOK Simple Touch offers a touch-screen to help you turn pages and enter text. As an added bonus, B&N devices are all ad-free. Finally, although it gets far less publicity, the Sony Reader WiFi has a special $99 holiday price through Christmas Eve. Sony's reader offers a touchscreen, comes in great colors and offers a stylus as an optional accessory. The Middle Ground: In the ereader middle-ground, things can get confusing. Amazon's Kindle Touch starts at $99 with ads, and $139 without. Additionally, you can get the 3G version for $149/$189 with/without ads. The 3G version is useful for buying and browsing content when you are traveling, commuting or hanging out on the beach away from a WiFi network. In general, though, if web browsing is really important, you need to look towards a tablet to get the best experience, for instance, the Barnes & Noble ereader/tablet hybrid, the NOOK Color. With an 800Mhz single-core processor, the Color is underpowered by tablet standards, but it nevertheless provides a full-color device with a touchscreen. Finally, Kobo's middle-of-the-road option, the Kobo Touch, comes in two options: with ads for $99, or without for $129. High-End Readers: In terms of high-end ereader devices, the Kindle Fire has gotten all the press for good reason, and it's not just due to its $199 price point. Unlike the competition, Amazon not only features a full-fledged bookstore, but also music and video stores. Existing Amazon Prime customers will love the Fire since they'll get free Amazon Instant Video on the device. I've tested the Kindle Fire extensively and am really impressed by the experience and the ease-of-use -- no manual needed to start using. Many people may gripe about not having 3G, 4G or a camera, but you can always add 3/4G later with a mobile broadband hotspot device. And really, the camera is a non-issue for me. Apps Hearing talk about apps? Don't assume that all ereaders can run them. E-ink ereaders might offer you some light web browsing, but you certainly won't be playing Angry Birds on your black and white Kobo WiFi. Both tablets can access Android video apps like Hulu and Netflix, send email, browse the web over WiFi, and let you check in with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and social networks. Beware, however, that while these tabs are great for content consumption, they're underpowered for content creation. That's the exclusive domain of the fully-featured iPad, and its $500 price tag. Consider the Ecosystem Perhaps the single most important question to ask when considering an ereader gift is whether your recipient already uses one of the platforms. Someone who already owns books on the Kindle or NOOK will want to stay within the same ecosystem, rather than re-buy her content in another store. Asking someone to switch from, say, Kobo to Sony is the quickest way get your gift returned. Do your homework, investigate what the recipient needs, and don't assume that just because you like a particular device, your giftee will want to switch over. Avoid Like the Plague Black Friday may be over, but cut-rate deals on media tablets will continue throughout this holiday season. My number one rule: If you are buying a tablet and it costs less than $199, it's not a tablet -- it's junk. At the $199 range, the only two tablets you should be considering are the Kindle Fire and NOOK Color. They're able to offer you serious hardware at reasonable prices because they make money on the sale of content like books, etc. What to Buy I know this is a lot to take in, so I'm going to make it simple. Here are three recommendations that can't go wrong. The discount shopper: The $79 Amazon Kindle WiFi with offers. Sure, it's going to display ads. And no, it doesn't have a fancy touchscreen. Maybe it's not the absolute latest in tech, but the fact is that a lot of people find clicking a button an easier way to read a book than putting their fingers on a screen. It may be the cheapest model, but make no mistake: For its price, the Kindle WiFi can't be beat. Touch It: The $99 Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch. For an ad-free, touchscreen ereader, this thing can't be beat. Barnes & Noble is a major name with a huge selection of 2.5 million books. Plus the device features a newer e-ink display and long battery life (two months for one hour of reading per day). Jaw Dropper: The $199 Kindle Fire. While it's not as powerful as the NOOK Tablet, it's also not as expensive. For under $200, Amazon managed to produce a real tablet computer - no small feat! Just last year a tablet this size cost twice as much. Amazon's device carries a rich ecosystem of apps, music, films and books. The Fire is guaranteed to impress. Images courtesy of Flickr, momotm, krossbow |
| Mobile Gadgets Top the List of 2012 Corporate Security Threats [VIDEO] | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:01 PM | Mashable Video |
|  A recent study suggests mobile devices pose the biggest risk to media companies, especially those companies that allow employees to "bring their own phone." The study, conducted by Deloitte, found that 34% of tech, media and telecom companies surveyed believe mobile devices -- or the sensitive data they contain -- will be the biggest security threat next year. "The ability to access information from anywhere at any time has become part of our daily lives - however, this ability also increases the threat to information security," said Jacques Buith, TMT Security Leader at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. SEE ALSO: How to Protect Your Company's Passwords What do you think will be the biggest corporate security threats next year? Image courtesy of iStockphoto, oonal |
| Kindle Fire Owners: Tell Us Your Story [OPEN THREAD] | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 3:52 PM | Todd Wasserman |
|  The customer reviews are in for Amazon's Kindle Fire and more than a few users feel burned. According to a story in The New York Times that ran on Tuesday, the product is "less than a blazing success" with "many" of the device's early users. The article, which compares the tablet to the Ford Edsel and New Coke, among other failed products, lists a few problems including the lack of external volume control, an on/off switch that's easy to hit by accident, slow-loading web pages, no privacy controls and a touch screen that's "frequently hesitant and sometimes downright balky." (These perceived shortcomings are also cataloged on Amazon's review site for Kindle Firenoted these issues before and reported on a planned update by Amazon, but now we want to hear from you. Do you have any issues with the Kindle Fire? Do you think these concerns are overblown? Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. |
| Why the Higgs Boson Announcement Matters | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 3:33 PM | Peter Pachal |
|  Some of the brightest scientists in the world announced Tuesday that they'd come close to actually discovering a new particle: the Higgs boson. Unfortunately, for a large part of the world, the question of why it's important is far from being answered. In the world of business, even high-tech business, this kind of uncertainty would not stand. Can you imagine Apple holding an event to say it had "strong hints" of the next iPhone? But we're talking about particle physics here, where a major discovery could up-end our understanding of reality itself. Scientists need to tread carefully lest they wade into another cold-fusion fiasco -- where grandiose claims are made, then embarrassingly debunked. That's why Tuesday's news sounds a little wishy-washy. The two main ongoing experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, ATLAS and CMS, both independently saw evidence of a new particle in the expected mass range of the Higgs boson. There were strong signs of the Higgs at 124 and 126 GeV (giga electron volts) -- right where it should be, though not strong enough that it can't be written off as a statistical fluke. "Today, we learned a lot of new information," Pierluigi Catastini, a research associate with the ATLAS experiment, told Mashable. "We learned that the most likely window for the Higgs boson, in terms of Higgs mass, is very narrow. But it's too early to talk about discovery." The scientists at CERN were extremely measured in their words. Fabiola Gianotti, spokesman for ATLAS, said the results "may be a fluctuation," and CMS's Guido Tonelli said that while the data point to the Higgs, it wasn't conclusive. CERN Director General Rolf Dieter-Heuer told the BBC: "We need more solid numbers." Science websites, however, were more bold. The popular physics blog Not Even Wrong says, "It's about what you would expect if a Higgs was there at 125 GeV, highly unlikely to see if there is no Higgs there." Writing for Science 2.0, Tommaso Dorigo went so far as to claim "Firm Evidence of the Higgs boson at last!" So we're well on our way to finding the Higgs. But who cares? What does this unimaginably tiny thing, this "God particle", have to do with the real world? In a word: everything. The Higgs boson is predicted by the Standard Model, which is kind of a user manual for modern-day physics. If the Higgs exists, then the Standard Model is correct, and physics as we know it lives to see another day. If there is no Higgs, the model is clearly incomplete, and new physics will be needed. Many of the more adventurous physicists would actually prefer it if there were no Higgs boson, because it would open up whole new fields of research. "If we don't see that would be an incredible discovery, be cause then the Standard Model doesn't work," says Catastini. "If we do find the Higgs boson, then we fill in the most important piece." Besides giving physicists a reason to feel good about themselves, the Higgs boson's existence would clue us in to how particles acquire mass. It's believed that all of reality is awash in something called the Higgs field, and as particles move through it, they take on mass. It's unproven, but one inevitable consequence of the theory is the Higgs boson. So if we find the Higgs, science will in one fell swoop: Essentially complete and affirm Standard Model particle physics. Show how particles acquire mass. Put the Higgs field on solid ground for further study. Once the Higgs boson is confirmed, which scientists seem to agree will likely happen by the end of next year, it'll be huge -- even though, as scientific discoveries go, it's not as grand a milestone as the confirmation of Einstein's theory of relativity. But just as relativity up-ended classical conventions about physics, the existence of the Higgs will rule out some theories and point us further toward how the universe really works. In a sense, the Higgs will have the opposite meaning of relativity. One consequence of Einstein's theory was that there was no need to imagine an "aether" that permeates the fabric of the cosmos. But the "God particle" will confirm the aether is alive and well, and it's called the Higgs field. So the Higgs may end up showing that the universe is more connected than even Einstein ever thought. BONUS: Slides From the Higgs Boson Announcement |
| Apple at Auction: 5 Collectibles Sold for Big Bucks | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 3:22 PM | Amy-Mae Elliott |
|  As an iconic consumer technology company with a global fan-base, it's easy to understand how vintage Apple items are of interest to collectors. The Apple founding documents recently far surpassed expectations when they went under the hammer at Sotheby's, and we have taken a look at back at some other Apple-themed items that sold at auction. Take a look through the gallery. Let us know in the comments whether you find the prices paid surprising. What item from Apple's history would you be interested in owning? |
| Microsoft Releases New All-In-One Tag, QR and NFC Reader | | Tuesday, December 13, 2011 3:04 PM | PSFK |
|  Microsoft recently launched its updated, all-in-one, QR code and Tag reader, that also has the ability to interact with NFC (near field communication) technology. After the launch of the previous iteration of the reader, 18 months ago, that was designed to only be able to read Microsoft Tags, the tech company noticed a growing frustration from mobile phone users around having to download multiple readers to scan different mobile tags. This confusion defeated the overall purpose of these triggers: to provide easy access to additional information for consumers. Microsoft has responded to this feedback with an integrated, multi-platform reader that makes it simple for phone users -- and offers marketers a full suite of technologies to use in a single place. Marja Koopman of the Microsoft Tag PR team told PSFK: It was important to update the Microsoft Tag platform because there was a need to address the overall market fragmentation in the industry. Our goal was to deliver the freedom for brands to select the recognition platform most appropriate for their customers, and grant customers a single app to launch those experiences. The new Microsoft Tag app can not only scan QR codes and Tags but it also can read Near Field Communication triggers too. |
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