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Nokia Starts Shipping Lumia 710 To Asia, Russia; Priced 270 Euros Without Taxes

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:11 AM PST

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Nokia this morning announced that it has started shipping its stylish, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango-powered smartphone Lumia 710 to customers in Taiwan (where it is sold alongside the Lumia 800).

Over the next week, the phone will hit shelves across Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Russia – no other global roll-out details were announced for the time being.

The estimated retail price is 270 euros, excluding taxes and subsidies.

From our original coverage when the Lumia phones were announced:

The 710 (formerly known as the Sabre) is the chunkier of the two, but that doesn't mean it's a slouch when it comes to hardware. It repackages the same 1.4GHz processor as seen in the Lumia 800, and pairs it with a 3.7-inch WVGA screen, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. It's meant to be Nokia and Microsoft's effort to capture a more budget-conscious audience, and it's heartening to see Nokia give it the same performance potential as their more premium offering.

Though the 710 only sports 8GB of internal storage, it beats out its brother by including a microSD card slot that can accept up to 16GB of additional flash storage. It also bears the distinction of being one of the few Windows Phone with physical navigation keys, which is sure to please fans of tactile feedback.

Expect to see it hit shelves in both stealth black and crisp white, with multiple colored backplates to please the chromatically indecisive.

On a sidenote: I’ve been using Nokia’s Lumia 800 for a week now, and it’s pretty bad-ass. More on that later, hopefully this weekend.



Lattice Semiconductor Acquires Chipmaker SiliconBlue For $62 Million In Cash

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:25 AM PST

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Lattice Semiconductor this morning announced that it is to acquire SiliconBlue Technologies, which develops mobile device solutions for the consumer handheld market.

Lattice Semi will pay approximately $62 million in cash for SiliconBlue and aims to close the deal before the end of the year.

Under the terms of the agreement, SiliconBlue CEO Kapil Shankar will join Lattice Semi as Corporate VP of the Mobility Business Unit and will be responsible for its mobility product lines.

Using a single chip ‘Field Programmable Gate Array’ (FPGA) fabric, SiliconBlue’s devices basically enable mobile designers to quickly add features to their mobile platform in areas such as connectivity, memory, storage, sensor management, video and imaging.

The company says its mobile FPGA devices have already shipped “in the millions of units” to major consumer OEMs who produce everything from digital camera to tablets, smartphones, ereader devices, portable media players, netbooks and notebooks.

SiliconBlue says it holds 40+ patents for its technology.

Founded in 2006, SiliconBlue raised over $60 million in funding from private equity firm Atlantic Bridge, BlueRun Ventures, Crosslink Capital, NEA and Apex Venture Partners. Just recently, the company secured $18 million in Series D financing.



Panasonic Announces Android Phone With 4.3-Inch OLED Screen For The European Market

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:04 AM PST

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It took them quite a while, but as reported, Panasonic is finally ready to re-enter the global market for cell phones. After 2005, Big P has been selling handsets almost exclusively in Japan. The company today announced [JP] it will start expanding its mobile business to Europe in March 2012, starting with a yet to be named Android device.

Technical details are scarce at this point, but it seems clear that the biggest selling point will be the phone’s 4.3-inch OLED screen with QHD resolution (960×540). Panasonic also says that it will be NFC-equipped, with a “slim” and water- and dust-proof body (in black or silver).

The company views the European market as the first step to re-internationalize its mobile business: it plans to sell a total of nine million handsets in fiscal 2016 outside Japan (Europe, Asia, the US, China, etc.), plus another 6 million in its home market.

Panasonic hasn’t stated yet when (or if) this handset will hit America, too.



2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Nook Tablet And Kindle Fire Accessories That Are Must-Have

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:59 PM PST

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These new e-reader-tablet hybrids are shaping up to be the hottest gifts of this year. Amazon’s Kindle Fire is flying off both virtual and real-world shelves and Barnes & Noble has offered up a worthy opponent in the form of its Nook Tablet. But even at their relatively low prices, these e-readers might still be a bit pricey.

That’s why we’ve laid out some of the best accessories for the technologically advanced bookworm in your life.

By the way, if you’re on the hunt for some sweet accessories of the e-ink, e-reader persuasion, stay tuned. We’ll give those their own moment in the sun.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Best Case:

As Matt so eloquently explained earlier today, you want your ereader case to do more than just protect your gadgetry. Sure, durability is important. But so is style, especially if the one you love is toting around the hottest ereader on the market. That said, the DODOcase for Kindle Fire is about as awesome as it gets. It’s made using traditional book-binding techniques and sports a bamboo frame and fold-over flap. You can even take it a step further and have this bad boy monogrammed.

At a cool $45 price-point, this is certainly the case to consider when holiday shopping for your Fiery friend.

But perhaps you’re looking for something a bit more mature. Maybe leather (or something like it)? I’ve got just the thing. Proporta has a slick little (almost) leather pouch for the Kindle Fire that is sure to make your loved one feel like Ron Burgundy, smelling of leather-bound books and rich mahogany… Sorry, got a tad carried away. In any case, the Proporta “Leather Style” Cover is made from “the finest quality alternative to leather” (thus the whole “style” bit in the name), and has a nice protective lining to shield from bumps.

Priced at $26.95, the Proporta Leather Style Case for Kindle Fire is a “compelling and rich” option.

The thing about the Fire that makes it so great is that it’s nearly a full-functioning tablet. You can watch movies, play apps, and browse the web just like you would on full-fledged tablet. With that in mind, Marware has a pretty sleek Kindle Fire case that can act as a kickstand for you (or your loved one’s) Fire should the two of you decide to cuddle up and watch a holiday flick. Made of genuine leather, the CEO Hybrid case also features a strap along the back which will allow users to hold the Fire with one hand, even with the added bulk of the case.

Not far off from the DODOcase, the Marware CEO Hybrid will cost you $44.99.

Best Apps:

As I just mentioned, the Kindle Fire’s access to the Amazon Appstore for Android is one of its biggest selling points. I’m actually convinced that what the world needs now is apps, not love. Still, it’d be a mistake to forget the Kindle history behind the Fire.

It’s an ereader just as much as it’s a tablet, and with that said it’s only fair to put Audible for Android at the top of the list. Audible for Android offers up a wider selection of audiobooks, though it will cost around $15 a month (which includes one free book a month) in order for use of the app to be worthwhile.

Gamers will enjoy the Fire just as much as bookworms, which means it’s only fair that we include our favorite Fire-compatible game in the gift guide. Plants vs. Zombies has been around for a while on a number of different platforms, but the special Fire edition is pretty sick. The extra screen real estate really takes this now-famous tower defense game to a new level. And for $3.00, it’s probably one of the cheapest gifts you can get that will still get a genuine thank you.

The 7-inch backlit display on the Fire makes it a great option for video playback, but I had trouble landing on which video streaming app to recommend. Therefore, I’m throwing out Netflix and Hulu Plus. Both services (not the apps themselves) are paid, and while Netflix doesn’t require Wifi the same way Hulu Plus does, that won’t really make a difference on the WiFi-only Kindle Fire. So really, it all comes down to whether your a Hulu Plus person or a Netflix person.

Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet

Best Cases:

The Nook Tablet is a tad more flashy than the Fire, and I usually like to dress up louder designs with more subtle cases. It’s all about balance, people. So when searching for the very best Nook Tablet cases, Speck’s new FitFolio case for the Nook Tablet instantly came to mind. The case combines a precision-molded hard shell case with padded microsuede lining to offer up the ruggedness you need while still feeling comfortable in the hand. In black, the FitFolio case quiets the Nook Tablet’s multi-tonal coloring. However, if that’s the whole reason you got the Nook Tablet you’ll be glad to know that the FitFolio comes in much louder blue and purple flavors.

Speck’s FitFolio case for the Nook Tablet will go for an easy $29.95.

I’d be worried if you had already forgotten that Proporta Leather Style case for the Kindle Fire. Well, after perusing through Nook Tablet cases I have something much more Ron Burgandy for our B&N fans. Etsy, our favorite platform for artists, inventors and creators of all types to sell their wares, has a beautiful wooden Nook Tablet case that I simply couldn’t resist. From the product page: “This beautiful case is made from a wood known as Sapelle which is similar to mahogany.” Mahogany! Yep, this one’s for the anchorman in all of us, especially with that brass buckle. There are also thick felt pads along the inside to keep your Nooky poo safe.

You can pick this guy up for $60 at Etsy.com.

No one has more Nook Tablet case offerings than Barnes & Noble, of course, but the one that seems to catch my eye most is the Tasume. It has two flaps that fold over the front, but can also fold back to offer that same kick-stand functionality we were seeing on Marware’s CEO Hybrid for the Fire. The rather flexible flaps are secured to the back with magnets, making it easy to prop up your Nook Tablet in both portrait and landscape.

Hit up Barnes & Noble’s website and you’ll find the Tasume ready and waiting for a mere $49.95.

Best Apps:

While the Nook Tablet’s app selection doesn’t really compete with that of Amazon’s, I’m finding that just about every one of the Nook apps seem to be high-quality and useful.

A few, however, are absolutely essential, the first of which being Evernote. We all know it (or at least should), we all love it, and there really isn’t a better note-taking app out there. You can jot down notes, pictures, save audio clips and upload images, all of which can be organized into notebooks.

Oh, and did I mention that it’s free?

As far as news consumption goes, I’m really digging Taptu – DJ Your News.

The app lets you customize your news based on the feeds you love, and even lets you put together your own stream of curated news, which can then be shared on the various social networks. The interface is super clean and it offers thousands of news sources for the news junkie in all of us.

Taptu is also free on the Nook Tablet.

Facebook does this cool thing where, even though it’s the most popular social network in the world and one of the most visited sites of all time, they don’t mind waiting a while before launching the Facebook app for a new device. The Nook Tablet is a victim, just like the iPad was. But alas, FriendCaster for Facebook may just do the trick. The app is a perfectly suitable alternative to an official Facebook app, and even lets you pin chat convos to stay connected while using other apps.

Unfortunately, FriendCaster for Facebook is a paid app, but $1.99 is a small price to pay for solid Facebook access on your new tablet.

For some extra inspiration on all things gifty, check out the rest of our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide here.



Exploring Some Implications Of Driverless Cars

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 02:09 PM PST

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Driverless cars have been a popular and fertile topic for research and discussion for years. From the first high-profile Grand Challenge to the more recent work by Google, there has always been activity, though it’s rarely applicable to everyday life. But a few years from now we’ll really need to start pondering the potential effects of these robocars on cities, infrastructure, and markets.

ClockworkMod’s Koushik Dutta has written an interesting little post on Google+ about one potential major change that could come with the automation of vehicles. If a car can drive itself, that drastically increases its potential efficiency, and decreases the number of cars necessary per capita, especially in a city. You better believe the car companies don’t like the sound of that.

The comparison Dutta makes is to commercial fleets of planes, which spend a huge proportion of their “lives” in the air – i.e. in use. Private cars, on the other hand, sit idle 95% of the time. Naturally there are examples of the opposite in each case: private jets sitting in hangars and commercial car fleets being used constantly, but that isn’t really relevant to the comparison. With automation of cars, they could be put to use in much more ways and used collectively instead of independently.

There are already services that are exploring the potential of this model: Zipcar and Getaround, for instance, which attempt to maximize the utility of vehicles. But systematizing that and adding automatic navigation changes the game. What if you could drive to work and then send your car home to pick up your kids and bring them to school? Or if it wasn’t even your car, but one shared by five houses in your neighborhood, and after it dropped you off, it dropped off your neighbor, then took your spouse to the grocery store — and went to charge itself for half an hour while they shopped?

The implication is that if the average car is made even slightly more efficient, that results in a propotional decrease in the number of cars that need to be sold. Sure, there will be inefficiencies like empty cars (though taxis are in a way also empty much of the time) and individual vehicles will wear out faster owing to more constant usage. And, of course, many people will simply prefer to drive. But the amount of work a car can do per joule or hour or whatever could be increased, and if that utility ratio is improved enough, it starts having a serious effect on transportation.

And while at first the idea of driving cars around doesn’t seem like a Google thing to do, don’t forget that the most important part of this whole business, and the part that produces the most efficiency, is the logistics. Tracking the cars, locations, needs, routes, and so on — all information Google would love to sift. Google doesn’t care about the way the cars avoid obstacles – that’s an engineering challenge that researchers around the world are cracking. Google wants to power this network of nodes and be the unseen hand that points at this vehicle in this lot and tells it to go to this location by this route and pick up this person. Google’s forte is flattening deep data, and this would be a great application of it.

Not that I would trust Google to drive my car for me, exactly, at least not in Google Commute Beta, but I would certainly trust them to provide all the information my robocar needs to get where it’s going. And they’re jockeying for that position already, probably a decade before automated vehicles even start to be considered for road use.

That’s really the part of the equation that Google fits into. Where would Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Qualcomm, and everyone else figure? How will cities, and cars themselves, change? Like I said, it’s a fertile topic, and we’ll probably be talking a lot about these things in years to come.

Edit: Koushik does not work for Google, as I originally wrote (and still appears in the URL). Entirely my mistake, not entirely sure why I would even think that. He is an Android developer among other things and heads up ClockworkMod.

[via Hacker News]



Up Close With A 3D-Printed Card Skimmer

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 01:44 PM PST

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I’ve recently fallen into the habit of pulling and tugging at ATM slots before I slide my card through because I fear that someone nefarious has stuck one of these 3D-printed card skimmers over the opening. This skimmer, found in California, was 3D-printed to resemble the real Chase ATM slot almost perfectly.

Wildly enough, there’s a pinhole camera connected to a full PCB hidden under the plate and the ports designed to assist the visually impaired seem to be unimpeded, which means nothing would seem amiss even as this thing grabbed your card account number, PIN, and, presumably, the security code on the back of your card in some cases. The fact that this barnacle of electronics is attached, parasitically, to one of the most secure and human-proof devices in existence is an amazing feat.

Krebsonsecurity writes:

Looking at the backside of the device shows the true geek factor of this ATM skimmer. The fraudster who built it appears to have cannibalized parts from a video camera or perhaps a smartphone (possibly to enable the transmission of PIN entry video and stolen card data to the fraudster wirelessly via SMS or Bluetooth). It's too bad so much of the skimmer is obscured by yellow plastic. I'd welcome any feedback from readers who can easily identify these parts based on the limited information here.

I’ve noticed that since a pair of skimmers were caught in New York City using similar hardware, many of the Chase ATMs here have begun using a different design with blue transparent plastic. I worry that this sort of security by reaction will be a bit shortsighted but clearly Chase has begun the cat and mouse game with these guys. I wonder when those janky ATMs at delis and convenience stores will be hit?



TC Gadgets Needs Interns In Sin City

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 12:16 PM PST

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Heyo! CES is right around the corner and we need some interns to work with us in Las Vegas after the holiday. If you like gadgets, think you can write/edit video, and are free January 10-13 and live in or around or can get to LV, we want to talk to you.

Email me, john@techcrunch.com with the subject line “INTERN” describing your interests, skills, and why you’d make a good intern. Eighteen and over only, please, for various, non-creepy, legal reasons.



New Apple Patent Describes Kinect-Style Control System

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:10 AM PST

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I realize that patent speak is super verbose for a reason, as those applying want every little nook and cranny of their technology/invention protected. But… well, just look at this: “A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented.”

That’s the abstract for a new Apple patent application titled “three-dimensional imaging and display system”. If you can detect from that jumble of words why this patent application is important, you get five gold stars. No? OK, I’ll tell you.

It’s basically Apple’s version of the Kinect, offering up 3D touch-free controls for manipulation of the user interface on what could be your Mac, iPad or iPhone. While much more limited than Microsoft’s Kinect, the Apple patent describes an apparatus containing a high-speed infrared laser and a high-speed photo detector. The laser creates a “volume” of space, from which any movement can be detected.

This would allow for users to use movement-based gestures to control the interface on their iThing.

Of course, this is probably one of many patent applications related to Apple’s new 3D control system. Filed for back in August, it’s very likely that Apple is actually doing some hardcore work on this and we may see more similar patents hit the U.S. Patent Office database in the coming months.

[via SlashGear]



Boingo Offering Free Wi-Fi To Nintendo 3DS Users

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 09:58 AM PST

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If you’re in a Boingo-equipped airport this holiday, be sure to whip out your Nintendo 3DS for some hot head-to-head gaming. The Wi-Fi provider will be free to 3DS users on December 8 and allow them to download games and videos and access the Nintendo Zone (spoooky) via Wi-Fi.

The 3DS already gets free Wi-Fi at various locations including AT&T hotspots, Best Buy, and Simon Malls. You can use the 3DS to browse the Internet using the built-in browser but I wouldn’t depend on it for mission-critical activities. It is, however, a nice feature if you’re thinking of downloading a game during a layover or need to update your Pokedex.

The free service partnership will last indefinitely past the holidays.



A New Tokyoflash Pocket Watch For The Tubercular Steampunk Dandy In Your Life

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 09:18 AM PST

Planning a trip around the world in 80 days? Spending some time with the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? You’re going to need this $149 Tokyoflash, touchscreen pocket watch that, is as far as I can tell, unreadable by mere mortals.

The watch comes in four colors and features a touch display to scroll through the dual-time, date, and alarm features. It’s cased in a nice steel case with mineral crystal cover and, with a bit of patience, you can learn what the heck this thing actually says. It has a back-lit LCD screen that drops into a “natural” color when unlit.

This is a limited-edition model, which makes it slightly more desirable to that special someone on your Christmas list who needs a watch to match their steam-powered mechanical arm, steel top hat, and smoked-glass monocle.

Product Page



Prepare Your Wallets: Razer’s “Blade” Gaming Laptop To Ship Soon

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:02 AM PST

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You know what? 2011 has been a long year. With only a few more weeks to go until we ring in 2012, why not treat yourself to something nice completely ridiculous to finish out the year in style?

According to Kotaku, Razer’s high-end Blade gaming laptop will be going up for pre-order in the next few days, and should be hitting doorsteps by Christmas.

If you haven’t yet heard of the Blade (or if you’re suffering from a sticker shock-induced bout of amnesia), it’s a powerhouse of a gaming rig crammed into an aluminum body that’s less than an inch thick. It’s certainly no slouch when it comes to specs: it sports 2.8 Ghz Intel Core i7, 8GB of RAM, a 2 GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M video card, and an 17-inch LED-backlit display. Oh, and who could forget the 10 context-sensitive touch keys to the right of the keyboard, which change depending on the game currently being played?

In fact, the Blade has only gotten better since last we saw it. Thanks to a considerable amount of media love for the gaming notebook, Razer President Min-Liang Tan says that the company has been able to renegotiate component prices and swapped the 320GB HDD for a 256GB solid-state drive without further inflating the price tag. Is that going to be enough to sway potential buyers? Probably not, but if you have $2,800 to burn, I can think of worse things to blow it on.



Leica Introduces V-Lux 3 Superzoom Camera

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 07:07 AM PST

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Leica has just announced the V-Lux 3 superzoom camera, 12.1-megapixel CMOS camera with 4.5-108mm F2.8-5.2 lens with 1080p60 video capture. Not surprisingly, this thing is actually a rebadged Panasonic DMC-FZ150 which lends truth to the old adage “A fool and his money are easily duped by camera companies.”

While I love Leica’s traditional M-line, this move is such an egregious cash-grab that I would prefer not to comment on it further.



DODOcase For The Kindle Fire Is Ready To Disguise Amazon’s Tab As A Hardbound Book

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 06:42 AM PST

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The Kindle Fire is a hit. Amazon shipped millions of the budget tabs over the last few weeks and will surely ship million more. But all those Fires shouldn’t go unprotected. Enter the DODOcase for Kindle Fire.

Like the iPad, Kindle and PlayBook editions, the $45 DODOcase for Kindle Fire is handmade in San Francisco using traditional bookbinding techniques. It also features the same bamboo frame and and fold-over flap. Monogramming is also available for a bit extra.

DODOcase hit the iPad accessory scene shortly after Steve Jobs introduced the iPad. The company nearly pioneered the “it looks like a book” iPad case. We’ve been a big fan from the beginning having found the cases to be durable and wear like a fine hardcover book. I have one on my iPad right now and Greg famously proclaimed in our official review that this case might get you laid (I can’t substantiate that claim, though).



Amazon Launches $6M ‘Fund’ To Boost Kindle Direct Publishing, Lending Library

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 06:22 AM PST

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Amazon this morning announced that it has set up a $6 million annual fund dedicated to independent authors and publishers. Dubbed KDP Select, the fund aims to let indie authors and publishers “make money in a whole new way”.

Here’s how it works: if a KDP author or publisher chooses to make any of their books exclusive to the Kindle Store for at least 90 days, those books are eligible to be included in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library and can earn a share of the KDP Select fund.

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library is a collection of books that Amazon Prime members who own a kindle can borrow once a month, with no due dates.

Amazon says it expects the fund to be at least $6 million for all of 2012, but has also already allocated $500,000 for December 2011 (the new option is available starting today).

Under the terms of the program, independent authors and publishers can enroll anything from a single, self-published book or their entire catalog (if applicable).

From the press release:

The monthly royalty payment for each KDP Select book is based on that book's share of the total number of borrows of all participating KDP books in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

For example, if total borrows of all participating KDP Select books are 100,000 in December and an author's book was borrowed 1,500 times, they will earn $7,500 in additional royalties from KDP Select in December.

Enrolled titles will remain available for sale to any customer in the Kindle Store and authors will continue to earn their regular royalties on those sales, Amazon adds.



Meet Niklas Zennstrom’s New, Mysterious ‘Free Broadband’ Venture: FreedomPop

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 06:05 AM PST

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I’d never heard of FreedomPop until earlier this morning, when the company announced a partnership with U.S. wireless broadband network operator LightSquared.

FreedomPop, according to the press release and the laughably amateurish landing website, aims to offer ‘free wireless broadband, voice and mobile services for all’. Allllllright!

No word on whether butter cookies are also included in the offering.

It may seem like a joke, but FreedomPop is apparently spearheaded by Skype, Kazaa and Rdio co-founder Niklas Zennström, and backed by his venture capital firm Atomico.

It’s difficult to find any detailed information about the venture anywhere, so we’re left with the superlative-laden tidbits of info that we can find in the press release linked above:

“LightSquared, a wholesale carrier building a nationwide wireless broadband network that will create consumer choice and drive industry innovation, and FreedomPop, a disruptive new company that will offer free broadband and voice services to all Americans, have signed a wholesale network agreement.”

“As LightSquared’s 4G-LTE network comes online starting in the second half of 2012, FreedomPop will use the company’s world-class network to power its mobile broadband service and provide advanced wireless services to customers across the country.”

Poised for a debut in 2012, with ‘underserved markets’ as its initial target, FreedomPop’s self-proclaimed objective is “to ensure that every American has access to fast, free and convenient communication services”. Exactly how they intend to keep it free is the million dollar question.

Says Matt Ingrid, COO of FreedomPop (sidenote: I haven’t found any information about this person on the Web, which is a rare occasion for tech company executives):

“The Internet is a right, not a privilege. With the economic efficiencies delivered by LightSquared’s wholesale business model, we can achieve our objective to deliver flexible high-speed wireless access to anyone at a fraction of the cost and inconvenience seen in today’s market.”

I’m still wondering if this isn’t actually some sort of elaborate hoax.



Nokia Is Looking To Sell Its Luxury Phone Subsidiary Vertu

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 05:04 AM PST

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As Nokia struggles to establish itself as a worthy competitor to Apple and the Android bulldozer in the smartphone segment, the company is looking to sell off its wholly-owned luxury phone brand Vertu, reports the Financial Times.

Vertu, which sells some of the world’s most expensive ugly phones, was originally started by Nokia back in 1998.

Perhaps surprisingly, its business of selling mobile phones – which are priced higher than your average house or Ferrari sports car – has actually proved to be a good one, with annual revenue estimated to be between $268 million and $402 million.

Vertu’s luxury handsets are available for purchase in more than 60 countries, some with dedicated shops. The phones come with a “concierge” button that lets owners easily to speed dial a team of personal assistants to make all sorts of arrangements and reservations.

Other associated services include Vertu City Brief, a series of independent, curated guides to 200 cities around the world, and Vertu.me, an exclusive email account that enables a user’s phone emails, calendar and contacts to be backed up to “ultra-secure Vertu servers”.

According to the FT, Nokia has appointed Goldman Sachs to oversee the sale of Vertu, which may potentially be interesting to luxury goods brands and private equity firms.