EA Mobile, part of Electronic Arts Inc., officially announced the availability of their latest title in their epic lineage of soccer titles, EA Sports FIFA Soccer 11. Keeping up with the tradition of their previous releases, EA Mobile is stepping up the playing field, as they’ve included the previous features that fans have grown to love, but also thrown in plenty of new things that players will welcome with open arms. EA Mobile says they’ve unlocked the horse power of the iDevices they are available on, delivering an engaging and genuine soccer experience, right in your hand.
EA Sports FIFA Soccer 11 now features 500 licensed teams, over 30 offiicially licensed leagues, more than 15,000 players, and 35 authentic stadiums for you to play in. The new title now includes a new dual-control option, which lets players control the ball with a level of sophistication, and simplicity, never before seen. The company is priding themselves on the fluid animations you’ll see in the title. Players will get to choose between two modes: picking your favorite team and combating against the entire league, or heading into a tournament knockout.
You can pick up EA Sports FIFA Soccer 11 right now in the iTunes App Store. It’s compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and the iPod Touch line-up. You can buy it for $4.99. Check out the full press release below for more information.
Press Release
GOAL! EA MOBILE SCORES WITH FIFA SOCCER 11
FOR IPHONE AND IPOD TOUCH
EA’s FIFA Soccer 11 Now Live in the App Store
Redwood City, Calif. – September 30, 2010 – EA Mobile™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and the world’s leading mobile games publisher, announced the availability of EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 11 in the App Store™. The popular soccer franchise features over 30 officially licensed leagues, 35 authentic stadiums, 500 licensed teams and more than 15,000 players from around the world for thunderous matches on the iPhone and iPod touch.
“With FIFA Soccer 11 for iPod touch and iPhone, we have tapped into what makes this game so universally loved delivering an engaging and genuine soccer experience for fans and casual players alike,” said Travis Boatman, Vice President of Worldwide Studios for EA Mobile. “With the latest release of FIFA, we’ve unlocked the horsepower of these new devices, stepped forward the expectation of what can be achieved and delivered the best footy experience out there.”
FIFA Soccer 11 features new dual control options providing gameplay sophistication for veterans and simplicity for casual players. The game features unprecedented ball-control and fluid animations with 360° player movement while gesture-driven skill moves dazzle the opposing team with defense-splitting passes, rifling shots, penalty kicks and pro-style tricks.
Players can also pick between two modes, either electing to play as their favorite team and battle the entire league or trying their luck in a tournament knockout. FIFA Soccer 11 features officially licensed teams and the world’s best players enabling gamers to play with their favorite superstars including Real Madrid’s Kaká and Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney.
FIFA Soccer 11 is available today from the App Store for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch at www.itunes.com/appstore/ . Assets and additional press information can be found at http://info.ea.com .
EA Mobile has a solid reputation for its pioneering and market leadership in mobile gaming, and has been a definitive player with the rise of Apple devices as gaming platforms. Popular games include SCRABBLE, Tetris, MONOPOLY and BATTLESHIP, which have consistently ranked among top sellers and, in 2009, The Sims® 3 was the #1 best-selling game on the App Store. For more information about EA Mobile, please visit www.EAMobile.com , join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EAMobile or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EAMobile .
EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA ELITE basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active.
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About EA Mobile
EA Mobile™ is the world’s leading wireless entertainment publisher with award-winning games such as Tetris®, Bejeweled®, The Sims™, and Need For Speed™. The EA Mobile portfolio also includes casual games based on the company’s partnership with Hasbro, Inc. including MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE and SCRABBLE (in the U.S. and Canada) as well as sports blockbusters from the EA SPORTS™ brand, including Madden NFL Football, FIFA Soccer and NASCAR®. EA Mobile develops games for multiple mobile platforms including mobile phones, smartphones, the iPhone®, iPad™ and iPod®. For more information about EA Mobile, please visit www.eamobile.com
Google Earth, while perfectly usable and helpful in its own right for the common user, is something that should be experienced, and not just used. That’s why Google created Liquid Galaxy, which is a set-up consisting of eight 55-inch LCD displays, which show you Earth in all of its digital glory. Google shows off the technology and system at certain trade shows that it attends. If you’ve ever seen it, or had a chance to use the system, then you know it’s pretty fantastic. And now Google has open sourced the entire project, opening it up for everyone. But if you can’t build your own, no worries — Google will let you buy it, too.
Google’s idea of open sourcing an entire project is pretty extensive. They’re even including the Ubuntu sysadmin scripts for the mechanical design for the custom frames. And, to make it easier for support across the board, Google’s released a brand new version of Google Earth that supports Liquid Galaxy. So, if you’re someone who likes to build things on their own, you can use Google’s Quick Start page to get started on the endeavor. You can even buy the parts needed separately, at your leisure.
Or, if you don’t have the time or know-how to get something like this off the ground, you could always just drop your hard-earned money on a whole set-up. Google’s giving people the option of buying the whole rig from their supplier, End Point, who will happily build you your own version, and even set it up for you. The price though, is about $72,000 to $80,000, and you’ll have to pay more for maintenance.
Satellite radio is still around, and enjoyed by thousands. For Sirius XM, introducing new hardware isn’t something worth focusing on all that much, but that’s not stopping them from introducing a brand new piece of tech for all of those out there who may not have a vehicle featuring satellite radio pre-installed. The company labels it as a quick, easy, and simplistic method to get your ears focused on some satellite radio. All you need is an FM radio, cigarette adapter, and the new XM Snap! (which was recently seen at the FCC) and you’ll be good to go.
Unfortunately, the press release is pretty thin on the details. From what we can tell, all you need to do is plug the XM Snap! unit into your cigarette adapter, find a station on your FM radio that’s free to use (meaning, not already playing music and preferably not filled with static), and then adjust your XM Snap! to the right station. From there, you should be listening to your favorite satellite radio stations.
Of course, you’ll also need a Sirius XM subscription. The company says that the XM Snap! will drop into retail outlets beginning in October, and should have a retail price tag of about $59.99. Is this going to be the hot ticket on your holiday shopping list?
Press Release
SIRIUS XM RADIO INTRODUCES “XM SNAP!,” THE EASY-TO-USE, ANYWHERE-YOU-DRIVE SATELLITE RADIO
Latest satellite radio is a snap to install, a snap to set up, and a snap to use
NEW YORK – September 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ – SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today the introduction of XM Snap!, an easy to install, set up and use satellite radio for the vehicle.
XM Snap! will be available at retail nationwide and www.shop.xmradio.com in October 2010 for $59.99.
“XM Snap! is an attractive, easy-to-use radio that makes it easier than ever for more consumers to bring satellite radio into their vehicles,” said Bob Law, Group Vice President and General Manager, After Market Division, SIRIUS XM Radio. “Offering amazing value, the new XM Snap! also gives customers the opportunity to discover what makes SIRIUS XM the ultimate destination for the best in audio entertainment.”
XM Snap! comes with everything you need to listen to XM in the vehicle. Just plug it into the vehicle cigarette lighter or power adapter socket, connect the antenna and listen to XM through the existing vehicle radio with simple, do-it-yourself installation. The fully adjustable stalk allows for convenient placement in the vehicle, easy access to the radio controls and clear view of the high-contrast display. The simple controls make it a snap to use – the large arrow keys navigate through categories, the rotary knob changes channels, and the preset keys store favorite channels for one-touch access. Accessories include the Magnetic Mount Antenna and an Aux-In Cable to facilitate Aux-In connections in vehicles that support this capability.
XM Snap! delivers all channels currently available on XM, including commercial-free music from every genre, featuring a broad array of 24/7 artist-branded music channels such as The Grateful Dead Channel, Eminem’s Shade 45, Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville, “Little Steven” Van Zandt’s Underground Garage and Outlaw Country channels, B.B. King’s Bluesville, Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Place, Elvis® Radio and Siriusly Sinatra; music channels playing all the hits from the ’40s to today; every Major League Baseball® game, play-by-play from the NHL® and NBA, PGA TOUR® events, auto racing, college sports and 24/7 Fantasy Sports Radio; the biggest names in entertainment, including Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O’Donnell, Barbara Walters, Jamie Foxx, Bob Edwards, and Opie & Anthony; news from Fox News, CNN, CNBC and the BBC; comedy and kids’ programming.
Customers can add the “Best of SIRIUS” to receive Howard Stern and his two channels, Martha Stewart Living Radio, every NFL game and NASCAR race, and Playboy Radio.
For more information on SIRIUS XM Radio, please visit www.siriusxm.com.
The Chinese grey market is a lucrative place to find gadgets, and pretty much anything else. Popular items include high-priced gadgets, like many of Apple’s devices, and it looks like the iPhone 4 hasn’t escaped the attention. All over the world where the newest iPhone is sold, it’s a common practice for customers to buy up a large quantity of the devices, and then send them over to China, where they can be re-sold in the grey market. That practice is going strong, as it was revealed today that Apple was forced to close their flagship Apple store, located in Beijing, due to scalpers of the iPhone 4.
Some could argue that, due to the fact that the Beijing location didn’t have a limit on how many iPhone 4s customers could buy at one time, that they were setting themselves up for the disaster that ensued. The original sales limit was two, but at some unknown time, that limit was lifted, and the pandemonium began. Customers rushed the desk and Apple employees, waving their money around. When they finally did manage to get their hands on an iPhone 4, there were reports that people were leaving the store with 20 to 30 boxed iPhone 4s in their possession.
The police were eventually called to the Beijing store, where they were forced to bring some order to the chaos that had erupted. After everything was settled down, it looks like the Apple store figured out what was causing the trouble, and a fix was put in place. Throughout all four Apple locations in China, customers are now required to show their identification card to purchase an iPhone 4. Furthermore, customers are now only able to buy one iPhone 4. The Apple employees will then unbox the iPhone, activate it, and then hand it over to the customer. That keeps the people from selling the iPhone 4 as “brand new,” and making a profit from its sale on the grey market.
So US Cellular just spilled all the beans on its mysterious Belief Project today, and basically, they’ve just rolled up a whole bunch of policy tweaks under one neat, tidy name for marketing purposes. The list of changes is a long (and generally good one), featuring “one and done” contracts — meaning you can get contract benefits forever after you serve out your first two-year contract — along with free phone replacement for accidentally damaged handsets and $100 replacement for lost or stolen ones, three to five percent plan discounts based on payment method and paperless billing, overage caps and warnings, and a new rewards program that lets customers exchange points for discounts and free stuff. Follow the break for USCC’s full press release.
Late last week, we told you about a couple of automatic machines that were created to make the lives of medical employees and caregivers easier. In the case of the hair washing robot, idea was great: free some time for employees who would normally be washing a patient’s hair, by allowing the robot to do all the work for them. The robot was designed to scan and memorize each patient’s skull before starting the wash, and then 16 fingers would begin washing. If you were wondering how that might look, then take a look at the videos after the cut.
Much like the other automatic machine, the hair washing robot was specifically created for the healthcare industry, as well as medical workers. The robot is designed with a hand, built with 16 fingers, and two separate arms. These two arms take 3D real-time scans of the patient’s head, and then the 16 fingers wash the scalp. The 3D scan is designed so that the 16 fingers know just how much pressure to apply, and where the skull is. Three separate motors inside the arms control pressure, swing, and the massage motions make everything run seamlessly and in order. And then, to make sure that nothing goes wrong, there are the power detection sensors that run in real-time, double-checking everything as the process takes place.
Perhaps the most curious part of the video, is that the researchers are sticking dummies into these machines, and not actual people. It’s possible that the video was taken during early testing stages, and therefore no one wanted to put a human in there just yet. What do you think? Would you let this 16-fingered robot wash your hair? Check out the video below.
Today, sources speaking to The Wall Street Journal have claimed that, at an event in New York City, both Microsoft and AT&T will finally pull the curtain off the upcoming Windows Phone 7-based handsets launching on AT&T this year. These sources don’t give out too much information, but there’s definitely a running theme here: October 11th seems like the day of days for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.
The sources claim that AT&T and Microsoft will officially unveil the Windows Phone 7 devices heading to AT&T on October 11th. The devices are said to be from HTC, LG, and Samsung (one from each). The sources go on to say that the devices will be available for purchase beginning the week of November 8th of this year. Simply put, it just seems like the rumors are lining up, as we’ve heard in the past that November 8th would be the official availability date, and that October 11th would be the announcement. And considering Microsoft does indeed have an event planned for October 11th, there doesn’t seem to be any more questions needed. And we’ll be there, live, giving you all the latest information as it happens, so mark the date on your calendar.
The sources weren’t able to give out any more information, but considering we’re only a short term away from getting the official announcement from AT&T and Microsoft, there’s really no more need for any kind of leaks. Though, if you are a fan of seeing things early, the HTC Spark is certainly looking good today. Read the official statement from Microsoft below.
Official Statement
Microsoft Consumer is going to be in New York on Monday, October 11 for our annual Open House event. This holiday season is a big one for Microsoft with the launch of Xbox Kinect and Windows Phone 7, as well as new stuff from Windows Live, new Windows 7 PCs, great shopping services from Bing and more. A few groups will be on hand and would love to set up 30 minute meetings with you to demo the latest technologies and gifts for this season. Are you available on 10/11 from 11:30am – 5:00pm EST to speak with the Mediaroom team? If so, I can schedule these for you. Hoping that the Columbus Day weekend might make it easier to sneak out of the office.
We’re also hosting a party that night, 7-11pm. Should be a fun time with good food, great drinks, interesting people and you can get more hands-on time with the full range of consumer tech from Microsoft.
When Nintendo showed off the 3DS, the handheld gaming console that would let you play 3D games without the need of glasses (and letting you turn it off whenever you want, too), there general consensus was a good one. It seemed, even if Nintendo didn’t have an exact time frame for a launch date (at the time, which they’ve recently fixed), that the company had a winner on their hands. But, immediately following the announcement, and with Nintendo cleverly not including a price tag, the questions began circulating: how much would it cost. Well, it seems Nintendo didn’t have a clear idea either, at the time, but thanks to the positive reports from this year’s E3, and the subsequent “gushing” from the media regarding the device, Nintendo made up their mind. And it was a pricey decision.
Nintendo made it clear that the 3DS is a crowning achievement for the company at is unveiling, and while many may have thought that the device would be expensive, that was out-stripped by the fact that this was Nintendo, and releasing expensive consoles was something they seemed pretty good at avoiding. But, when they announced that the mobile console would launch in Japan for roughly $300, the collective mass all watched as one another’s eye brows shot up. The Nintendo 3DS, packing (probably) a ridiculous amount of technology into the small package, is the most expensive console the company has ever released. And that’s including home consoles, like the Wii, or even the GameCube of yesteryear.
Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s boss, says that there were many factors that went into the pricing decision for the 3DS, but in the end, it simply came down to the positive feedback they were hearing all over the place. From both reporters and readers. Thanks to the positive spin, Nintendo decided that a high price point was perfectly fine for the 3DS, and that it would be bought up regardless. There’s no doubt that the 3DS is impressive, but do you think that the high price tag is the right path for Nintendo to take? Let us know in the comments.
Verizon’s 4G network, based on LTE technology, is set to get kicked off in the United States by the end of the year. And, each time it gets brought up, it looks like Big Red is right on track to getting their next-generation network up and running right on time. And, as we’ve seen in the past, testing for the network are still underway. This time around, a member of the private Beta test group has posted some unofficial speed tests, and the results, reaching up to 27.79Mbps download speeds, are pretty impressive.
The Beta tester posted the results, as well as a few more images, through a friend. He claims that he was using a Thomson TG789vn router, which was linked to an external dome receiver courtesy of an Ethernet cable. Through this set-up, the tester (who is located in Pennsylvania) recorded download speeds of 27.79Mbps, and an upload speed of 5.09Mbps. The ping of 150ms, a relatively high latency, suggests that the user was indeed utilizing a wireless network, and not a satellite.
The Beta tester goes on to say that the private test consists of only 60 people, and is a joint-partnership test between Verizon and DirecTV. It’s rumored to be believed that DirecTV is being used in the testing process so that Verizon does not get any attention drawn to them, as they are still trying to keep the tests quiet. As usual, though, Verizon hasn’t commented on the unofficial numbers. With the service hopefully available in several markets by the end of the year, Verizon customers ready for the 4G revolution will get to test their own hardware soon enough.
There was talk, back at this year’s IFA, that Sony and TomTom had come to some sort of agreement, which would ultimately see the combination of the fan-favorite TomTom navigational unit, and Sony’s Xplod series of in-dash A/V units. And sure enough, it’s finally come to fruition. TomTom and Sony have officially announced the upcoming availability of two different units, packing capacitive touchscreens and plenty of other features.
The TomTom XNV-770BT will give your fingers some room to touch, as it will feature a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen. The XNV-660BT saves some room, and will pack a 6.1-inch capacitive touchscreen display. Both navigational units will also come with pre-loaded maps for not only the United States, but also Canada. They will also include USB ports on the back, so you will be able to connect your favorite iDevice. As well as multi-channel audio playback.
Both units will also offer TomTom’s IQ Routes, MapShare, six million POIs, and Advanced Lane Guidance, making sure you get to where you’re going safely. You’ll be able to get your hands on these navigational units come this November, and it will cost you $1,000 for the XNV-660BT and $1,300 for the XNV-770BT.
Press Release
Sony and TomTom Team Up to Deliver Premium In-Dash A/V Navigation Systems
Two New Models Feature Innovative Navigation Technologies, High-contrast Screens and More
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ — Sony today announced its first in-dash car navigation systems for the U.S. market, featuring technology powered by industry leader TomTom.
Designed to offer drivers the ultimate package of technology, innovation and style, the new XNV-770BT and XNV-660BT A/V navigation systems feature some of the most advanced car audio, video and navigational technologies in market today.
“TomTom’s expertise in navigation and our long-standing tradition of premium audio and video are strongly represented with these new in-dash systems,” said Mike Kahn, director of Sony’s mobile music business. “This unique partnership and exciting product offerings represent a huge step forward for Sony in the mobile electronics business.”
“We are delighted to work with Sony to deliver powerful, feature-rich navigation to their savvy consumers, ensuring a stress-free, enjoyable drive,” said Giles Shrimpton, managing director, TomTom Automotive. “Our joint innovations in this arena will incorporate flexible hardware design with standard interfaces that allow for easy updating in the future.”
Industry-Leading Navigation
Both of Sony’s new systems, the XNV-770BT (7-inch widescreen display) and XNV-660BT (6.1-inch widescreen display) come pre-loaded with TomTom’s extensive map database of both U.S. and Canada roads, with one free year of map upgrades provided at no incremental charge. In the U.S. alone, TomTom maps feature more than 1 million more miles of roads than other GPS brands.
Further, each system will take full advantage of several of TomTom’s advanced navigational technologies, including:
* IQ Routes™ evaluates all route options based on actual traffic speeds rather than posted speed limits, and will recommend the fastest route for the time of day.
* Advanced Lane Guidance™ provides enhanced lane graphics that show which lane to take in complex multi-lane situations.
* Quick GPSfix™ automatically updates satellite locations to get the driver on their way faster.
* MapShare™ from TomTom and its enormous navigation community enables drivers to correct their maps and benefit from changes made by other drivers via your computer and the free software TomTom HOME.
* More than 6 million points of interest including gas stations, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and more.
Premium Car Audio and Video
Each of Sony’s new A/V Navigation systems features a high quality WVGA display that offers one of the brightest and highest contract screens available in market today. The XNV-770BT model is a 7-inch, fully capacitive touch motorized panel display and the XNV-660BT model is a 6.1-inch capacitive touch with several hard keys such as volume and key menu buttons.
Both new A/V systems feature rear USB-1 wire connectivity for simple hookup to iPod®, iPhone® and other digital music players, full Bluetooth capability and a stylish graphical user interface (GUI) that includes large, easy-touch buttons. When listening to a connected device, the music playback screen will display all song metadata and album artwork.
On the audio front, the new XNV-660BT and XNV-770BT models feature multi-channel playback with Center Speaker Organizer (CSO), creating virtual 5.1 channel surround sound throughout the car. The advanced sound engine (ASE) ensures a high-quality, digitally enhanced sound experience and allows users to customize the in-car sound field to match their tastes. Further, Sony’s unique SensMe™ feature has the ability to automatically create custom music playlists and radio channels from a connected music library.
Both the new XNV-770BT and XNV-660BT A/V navigation systems will be available this November for about $1,300 and $1,000, respectively, at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores and throughout the Sony authorized dealer network nationwide.
