Google provided its first public details of Chrome OS at a special event today. Electronista supplied coverage of the just-ended even; all updates are listed in reverse chronological order. Among the news unveiled are the first public view of the OS, that there will be no beta today and that the platform is being open-sourced early as Chromium OS a year ahead of its planned late 2010 release.
The 27-inch iMac is already a milestone for Apple through its inclusion of a truly greater-than-HD display, but the addition of Core i5 and Core i7 processors transforms it into a near powerhouse. This is the first iMac in recent memory to come close enough to Apple's workstations that it could replace one of them. Our review of the Core i5-equipped iMac will find out how close it comes to that goal and whether it's a worthwhile option for any other prospective Mac desktop owner.
Dell today formally entered the smartphone race by launching the Mini 3. The full-touchscreen phone depends on a customized version of Android and will have different features based on the region. While most details aren't available, the China Mobile version will be limited to EDGE data but use the government-supported OPhone interface and app store. Other countries should get localized 3G and should also have Wi-Fi as well.
Electronista has received one of the first Core i5 iMacs and is putting it through its paces. Since many already are already familiar with the 27-inch iMac in Core 2 Duo form, we'll provide impressions specific to the faster model. We also have some of the first benchmarks of the system, which is Apple's first quad-core system ever outside of its Mac Pro workstations.
(Updated with info from conference calls) AMD and Intel this morning unveiled a surprise deal to end all of their respective antitrust and patent cross-licensing disputes. The move ends AMD's lawsuits against Intel in both the US and Japan as well as its "regulatory complaints" worldwide. In exchange, Intel promises to pay AMD $1.25 billion and to abide by a new set of business practices. The two have also entered into a five-year cross-licensing deal for each other's technology.
Dell this morning officially unveiled its most direct attempt at claiming the ultra-compact desktop space currently held by the Mac mini. Shown after multiple teases, the Inspiron Zino HD occupies roughly the same footprint as its Apple counterpart but uses AMD processors to keep the costs low while still supplying options its rival doesn't have. The micro PC is seen as a home theater PC and comes with native HDMI output as well as options of discrete Radeon HD 4330 graphics and a Blu-ray drive.
RIM is not typically known for revolutionary new phones that are entirely different than previous models. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 certainly stays consistent as it is represents an evolutionary step forward from the Bold and other previous BlackBerries. While it’s apparent that RIM has put a lot of work into perfecting the design, our Bold 9700 review will see if it's perfect for converting iPhone and Windows Mobile users into devotees.
Over the past few days, Electronista has had the opportunity to test Rogers' new HSPA+ 3G service to see whether or not it lives up to the cellular provider's claims and see what T-Mobile USA users can expect in the near future. With peak speeds of about 21Mbps, it's theoretically three times faster than the best anyone has to offer on a national level. We'll find out whether that's the case with Rogers' only USB modem for the service and provide an important tip for Mac OS X Snow Leopard users looking to sign on.
Verizon this weekend stepped up the pressure in its anti-AT&T campaign with three new ads (viewable below). The lead ad, "Misfit Toys," attacks the iPhone's attachment to AT&T and says it belongs on Rudolph 's Island of Misfit Toys for running on a network with relatively low 3G coverage. Unlike the recent Droid ads, the new commercials take care to praise the phone but attack the network, suggesting Verizon is backing away from direct criticism of Apple.
Dell today officially launched the Adamo XPS , the highest-end version of its designer ultraportable. The system is championed as the thinnest notebook ever and measures just 0.39 inches at its thickest point. Dell accomplishes the feat by tucking most of the computer components into the display section and relying on a unique hinge that opens underneath and acts as a built-in prop . In spite of its slimness, the notebook still has a removable battery, two USB ports and DisplayPort output but also weighs slightly more than its MacBook Air rival at 3.2 pounds.
Verizon this morning preceded the launch of the Motorola Droid two expected new smartphones, including its second Android phone. The HTC Droid Eris, also known as the Desire, is Verizon's interpretation of the Hero and comes in an all-black design with touch-sensitive buttons below the 3.2-inch screen as well as a trackball for one-handed use. It still carries the 5-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi, and still uses HTC's original Sense UI layer and built-in web browser Flash.
New York state's Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today filed a lawsuit against Intel that accuses the company of antitrust abuse. The Delaware-based complaint maintains that Intel violated both state and federal laws by allegedly threatening companies with retaliation if they used AMD processors and in some cases paying out billions of dollars in financial incentives disguised as rebates. Intel engaged in "bribery and coercion" to keep its control of the market, Cuomo says.
AT&T on Tuesday sued Verizon for allegedly misleading customers with its "there's a map for that" ads . The complaint argues that Verizon is deliberately exaggerating the gaps in AT&T's coverage through its map of 3G networks, making it seem as though some areas have no coverage at all, not just 3G. The campaign has already had to alter maps after some earlier protests from AT&T.
Nintendo quickly confirmed rumors today by unveiling the DSi LL . Its screens have increased by more than an inch to 4.2 inches each and are seen as better for Internet access as well as for gameplay. It also gets a larger, more comfortable second stylus and a battery life that increases from 2.5 hours to three during active gameplay.
Motorola today officially took the wraps from the Droid , its flagship Android phone and Verizon's primary challenger to the iPhone. The touchscreen slider is the first Android phone anywhere to use Android 2.0 and carries its new web browser, Exchange mail and other boosts. Notably, it also introduces a beta version of Google Maps Navigation, Google's first turn-by-turn app: the service uses voice commands to provide constant, spoken driving directions.
Sprint today set final launch details for the Palm Pixi on its network. The smartphone will ship to the carrier's stores on November 15th and cost $100 on contract after both a $50 immediate discount and a $100 mail-in rebate. It's also now known to work with the Touchstone inductive charging dock but needs both the $80 add-on as well as a $20 back shell to charge without using wires.
Microsoft today reported its third consecutive decline in quarterly revenue. The company's total revenue during the summer dropped a sharp 14 percent year-over-year to $12.92 billion and is attributed almost exclusively to the Windows division, whose own revenue fell 38.76 percent to $2.62 billion. It also saw a decline in the overall health of its Business and Online Services groups.
Nokia on Thursday sued Apple in a Delaware court for allegedly infringing on ten wireless patents. The claim argues that all iPhones violate patents held by Nokia for GSM calling, 3G data and Wi-Fi as well as security. The Finnish company contends that its patents are recognized as key to cellphones and that Apple is enjoying a "free ride" by exploiting technology Nokia has supposedly developed.
RIM today confirmed early slips with a launch for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 . The smartphone is a refinement of the 2008-era Bold with a more compact design but a round of improvements, including a higher-resolution 480x360 screen (up from 480x320), a 3.2-megapixel camera (improved from two), and an optical trackpad in place of the more clog-prone trackball. Wi-Fi calling is new for carriers that support UMA, like Rogers and T-Mobile.
Barnes and Noble lived up to promises today and launched the Nook , its own e-book reader. The device is unique in having both a six-inch E-Ink display and a 3.5-inch color touchscreen LCD that serves to navigate and browse books. Also unlike most other readers in its class, it has both 802.11g Wi-Fi as well as AT&T-driven 3G to download books from Barnes and Noble's online bookstore.
Apple has confirmed the existence of the Magic Mouse , a new Mac controller. The device is said to borrow the multi-touch technology used in iPhones and MacBooks, eliminating the need for a scrollwheel, as well as any mechanical buttons. Users instead perform various taps and swiping gestures, which execute configurable controls.
Fulfilling earlier rumors , Apple has introduced a new base-level MacBook . While still made of polycarbonate plastic, the computer sports a new unibody design, borrowing from the manufacturing technique currently used for MacBook Pros. Also carried over from the Pros is LED backlighting, and an integrated seven-hour battery.
Apple today completely revised its iMac with a new design and much faster performance. The series now switches to wider 16:9 aspect ratio, LED-backlit displays and a new look with edge-to-edge glass and a seamless aluminum body. The displays are also much denser and start at 1920x1080 (1080p) for a 21.5-inch display and an extremely sharp 2560x1440 for a new, largest-ever 27-inch model. Both now use color-accurate IPS (in-plane switching) displays versus the cheaper TN (twisted nematic) panel from the old 20-inch iMac.
Canon tonight finished its last major DSLR update of the past year and launched the EOS 1D Mark IV as its highest-end camera. The new model jumps from a 10-megapixel APS-H (near full-frame) sensor to a 16-megapixel, 1.3X crop unit and upgrades to twin DIGIC IV processors. The boost gives it 1080p video at 30 frames per second, or 720p at 60 frames per second, while still shooting full-quality still images at up to 10 frames per second. It can also match the Nikon D3s ' ISO 102,400 light sensitivity and so can shoot in extremely low light without invoking flash.
The Motorola Droid may have been designed by Google itself in what could be its best attempt to rival the iPhone, an early hands-on with the phone reveals. While Google has been known to provide input on Android devices like the T-Mobile G1, BGR now says the company had a "direct hand" in the Droid and virtually told Motorola what to build. The move suggests Google now wants a "halo" Android phone and is interested in competing more closely with Apple rather than relying on the platform alone.
As promised, Verizon tonight launched a commercial and a matching ad campaign, DroidDoes , that together attack the iPhone. The reveal (video available below) centers on the upcoming Motorola Droid and sets it up as the direct rival to Apple's hardware, offering exactly what its competitor is lacking: as an Android device, the Droid will have customized home screens, multitasking, open development and widgets. It also gets a hardware keyboard and a replaceable battery.
Near-term Apple marketing plans will revolve around countering Windows 7, says the company's senior marketing VP, Phil Schiller. "It presents a very good opportunity for us," he explains, noting that many PCs are still equipped with Windows XP, and will thus require a more elaborate upgrade to carry over files to 7. This can include backing up essential files, reformatting, and/or reinstalling old applications. "Any user that reads all those steps is probably going to freak out," claims Schiller. "If you have to go through all that, why not just buy a Mac?"
RIM today at last released the BlackBerry Storm2 , its second touchscreen phone. The new model has a sleeker design that centers on a much-improved 480x360 touchscreen; rather than slow down users by actually moving the screen inwards, it uses a piezoelectric system that replicates physical feedback but still allows two-finger input. It's also the first Storm to have Wi-Fi and is much faster through carrying twice as much memory as the original.
Apple has successfully recaptured its fourth place spot in US computer market share, according to early estimates from IDC . The Mac creator had slipped in spring but should now have bounced back to claim 9.4 percent of shipments, or about 1.64 million Macs. The number is a rapid 35.2 percent growth in what it had shipped one season earlier and is a rare example of a sharp year-over-year growth in the current climate, as it represents an 11.8 percent boost over Apple's share a year ago, in summer 2008.
Nikon as expected this morning launched the D3s . Its update to the mainstay pro DSLR adds 720p, 24FPS video like the D300s before it but is most notable for its dramatically improved light sensitivity. The 12-megapixel camera is one of the first to shoot up to ISO 12,800 at normal settings but can be manually set to shoot at ISO 102,400 -- four times the original D3 as well as other top tier DSLRs.
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