Johnny 5 takes driving lessons Researchers at MIT are working to develop a set of algorithms and a robot to help with everyday errands. Intel shows e-reader for the visually impaired On Tuesday Intel started selling a new e-reader that can snap pictures of books and newspapers and then read them back to people who have a hard time reading the printed page. Twisted Pair podcast: Another Apple-heavy Episode Keith and co-host Matt Hamblen (back in action!) chat about the Motorola Droid and it's impact on the iPhone, the iPhone as an e-reader and it's impact on the Kindle, and Steve Jobs as an impact on technology. (47:14) Palm Pixi (Sprint) Smartphone Palm's latest WebOS device, the sprightly Pixi ($100 with a two-year Sprint contract; price as of 11/10/09), is a slimmed-down version of the Palm Pre in both specs and design. The Pixi lacks Wi-Fi, it has a smaller screen with a lower resolution, and its camera is only a 2-megapixel version. Luckily, the Pixi retains a lot of what we love about the Pre, particularly the features in WebOS. Unfortunately, in our tests the Pixi was sluggish in certain instances, and Palm's signature keyboard design desperately needs rethinking. Samsung Blue Earth (Unlocked) The Samsung Blue Earth (unlocked GSM world phone; U.S. pricing not available) is the latest in a new batch of ecofriendly phones, including Samsung's own Reclaim handset. However, the Blue Earth--available in Western Europe for 300 euros now, and in Asia by year's end--is the first green phone with a touchscreen. It is pretty compact and powerful, but a few limitations keep it from shining. HTC Droid Eris (Verizon) The HTC Droid Eris marks the second in Verizon Wireless's parade of the Droids. Also due this week from Verizon, the Droid Eris ($200 with a two-year contract, price as of 11/5/2009) shares the Droid moniker and many features of competing Android phones, but it also adds some touches that improve the experience for business users. RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 (T-Mobile) Smartphone Research In Motion's BlackBerry Bold 9700 ($200 with a two-year T-Mobile contract; price as of 11/4/09) is the finest BlackBerry to date, combining the best of the BlackBerry Tour 9630 and the BlackBerry Bold 9000 in a slim and refined package. People looking for a major update to the original Bold might be disappointed, but BlackBerry fans will appreciate the handset's subtle design tweaks and upgrades. Akvis ArtSuite Makes Photos Framed, Glamorous Simple photo effects program Akvis ArtSuite ($69, 10-day free trial) offers a generally attractive selection of frames and effects that can be used to decorate your pictures. November giveaways Cisco Subnet is giving away free books on VMware vSphere security. Microsoft Subnet is giving away training from New Horizons and free books on Exchange Server 2010. Google Subnet is giving away free books on Android app development. Entry forms can be found on the main contest page. Trivia answers are revealed on each main Subnet page. |
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