Nokia buys controlling stake of Nokia Siemens Networks for $2.2b

That didn't take long -- just hours after Bloomberg reported that Nokia was planning to buy out its German partner, the two firms have made it official: Nokia Siemens Networks is about to become a fully owned subsidiary of Espoo. The €1.7 billion ($2.2 billion) buyout will eventually see the Siemens name dropped from the network, naturally, though Nokia hasn't yet announced what the restructured entity will be called. The transaction isn't a complete surprise, of course -- earlier this year Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser told Down Jones Newswires that 2013 was the year his company would help "NSN to move into a better place," announcing plans to separate from the partnership. Kaeser continued the thought with today's announcement, calling Nokia's new acquisition as "an attractive opportunity to actively shape the telecom equipment market for the future and create sustainable value." Nokia head honcho Stephen Elop echoed the sentiment, speaking highly of NSN's recent financial growth and looking ahead to future ventures. Read on for Nokia and Siemens official press release, complete with quotes, statements and financial specifics.

Show full PR text

Nokia to fully acquire Siemens' stake in Nokia Siemens Networks

Nokia Corporation
Stock Exchange Release
July 1, 2013 at 07.00 (CET +1)

Espoo, Finland and Munich, Germany - Nokia Corporation and Siemens AG today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Nokia acquires Siemens' entire 50% stake in their joint venture, Nokia Siemens Networks. The acquisition has been approved by the Board of Directors of Nokia as well as the Managing and Supervisory Boards of Siemens, and is subject to the customary regulatory approval process.

The purchase price for Siemens' stake is EUR 1.7 billion and the transaction is expected to close during the third calendar quarter of 2013. Upon closing of the planned acquisition, Nokia Siemens Networks will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Nokia.

Stephen Elop, President and CEO of Nokia, commented: "With its clear strategic focus and strong leadership team, Nokia Siemens Networks has structurally improved its operational and financial performance. Furthermore, Nokia Siemens Networks has established a clear leadership position in LTE, which provides an attractive growth opportunity. Nokia is pleased with these developments and looks forward to continue supporting these efforts to create more shareholder value for the Nokia group."

Joe Kaeser, Siemens CFO, commented: "With this transaction, we continue our efforts to strengthen our focus on Siemens' Core areas of Energy management, Industry and Infrastructure as well as Healthcare. The full acquisition of Nokia Siemens Networks by Nokia offers an attractive opportunity to actively shape the telecom equipment market for the future and create sustainable value."

Nokia Siemens Networks was established on April 1, 2007, as a joint venture combining Nokia's Networks Business Group and Siemens' carrier-related operations for fixed and mobile networks. Nokia Siemens Networks has since become a leading global provider of telecommunications infrastructure, deploying networks that help people stay connected in more than 150 countries around the world. The company's focus is in offering innovative mobile broadband technology and services.

Nokia will continue to consolidate Nokia Siemens Networks for financial reporting purposes as well as continue to strengthen the company as a more independent entity.

Accordingly, Nokia plans to retain the existing management and governance structure at Nokia Siemens Networks, with Rajeev Suri continuing as CEO and Jesper Ovesen continuing as Executive Chairman of the Nokia Siemens Networks Board of Directors, which will adjust to the changing ownership structure.

Nokia Siemens Networks' operational headquarters will remain in Espoo, Finland, and the company will continue to have a strong regional presence in Germany, including its major hub in Munich. Nokia supports the current management plan, including the already in-progress Nokia Siemens Networks restructuring plan that remains unchanged as a result of this announcement.

In accordance with this transaction, the Siemens name will be phased out from Nokia Siemens Networks' company name and branding. Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks plan to confirm the new name and brand at the closing of the transaction.

The purchase price totals EUR 1.7 billion, of which EUR 1.2 billion will be paid in cash at the closing of the transaction. The balance of EUR 0.5 billion will be paid in the form of a secured loan from Siemens due one year from closing. Nokia has obtained committed bank financing for the EUR 1.2 billion cash portion.

At the end of the first quarter 2013, Nokia had gross cash of EUR 10.1 billion and net cash of EUR 4.5 billion. Nokia currently estimates that at the end of the second quarter 2013, Nokia had gross cash of between EUR 9.2 billion - EUR 9.7 billion and net cash of between EUR 3.7 billion - EUR 4.2 billion. For comparison purposes, if the transaction to purchase Siemens' 50% stake had been closed during the second quarter 2013, Nokia currently estimates that it would have ended the second quarter of 2013 with gross cash of between EUR 9.2 billion - EUR 9.7 billion and net cash of between EUR 2.0 billion - EUR 2.5 billion, reflecting the deduction of the purchase price of EUR 1.7 billion from Nokia net cash.

How would you change Parrot Zik by Starck?

It's rare that How Would You Change takes a look at headphones, but we think this pair deserves the scrutiny. Parrot Zik by Starck is a $400 pair of Bluetooth cans with NFC, capacitive touch panels, active noise cancellation, head detection and a jawbone sensor for speech. Two of our reviewers put the headset through its paces and found that, sadly, a short battery life, wonky Bluetooth performance and so-so sound quality meant the set wasn't worth the $400 asking price. But what about you? Did you splash out the big bucks on these, and if so, how have you found 'em?

The Weekly Roundup for 06.24.2013

You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Apple OS X Mavericks 10.9 preview

There was no OS XI at WWDC. There was no plan to reinvent the wheel. The takeaway message at the launch event was simple: Apple is committed to OS X. With that in mind we went hands-on with Apple's newest iteration of OS X, Mavericks. Read on for our full impressions.

Windows 8.1 in-depth hands-on: features, apps, impressions and screenshots (video)

The last time we wrote about Windows 8.1, we had lots to talk about, but very little to share in the way of hands-on impressions. Now, after 15 hours with the update, we're ready to give you a full, in-depth hands-on. Click the link above for all of our thoughts and screenshots of Windows 8.1.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active review: a top-tier phone in a water-resistant package

After Samsung's latest product push in London, we have nothing short of a Galaxy S 4 franchise on our hands. The Galaxy S4 Active, a water-resistant phone with a comfortable, attractive design, is a strong option for outdoorsy -- and clumsy -- types. But this newfound durability comes at a price. Read on for our full review.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: hands-on with a 6.4-inch Android phone (video)

The Xperia Z Ultra, Sony's newest addition to the Xperia range, follows the lines of the rest of the Z series. It has the same "OmniBalance" plane, uniform screen surface, but this time it measures in at 6.4 inches across while still running at 1080p resolution. Read our full hands-on up above.

You also might like: Samsung Galaxy S 4 Google Play edition hands-on (video) Editorial: As Google Reader dies, reading struggles to be reborn The Guardian: NSA still collecting Americans' online data under Obama administration

Switched On: Form in the USA

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

The Mac Pro might have been worthy of the "One More Thing" kinds of reveals that Steve Jobs used to do at Apple events. Despite being foreshadowed by Tim Cook as a product the company was going to make in the US, it was virtually carted in from left field at an event that focused broadly on new operating systems before a crowd of developers that could appreciate its power. That said, it will likely require OS X Mavericks, a thematically fitting release for a product that represents a new wave in Apple's design.

Some have said that iOS 7 may be the company's New Coke. The Mac Pro, though, is the new can. Its cylindrical form represents a new design for Apple, albeit one that jibes with the company's affinity for simple, rounded, iconic shapes. Like the new AirPort Extreme, it has a significant vertical profile, but is a fraction of the size of its predecessor designed to accommodate multiple optical drives and hard drives.

The new internals define a beast of a computer, which includes an Intel Xeon E5 chipset supporting up to 12 cores, a four-channel DDR3 memory controller running at 1866MHz, an AMD FirePro workstation-class GPU with up to 6GB of dedicated VRAM and PCI Express-based flash storage. All of this is cooled by a single, quiet fan that expels air through the top via backward-curved impeller blades (like you would be caught dead with forward-curved impeller blades).

The Mac Pro may now be small enough to vie for a place on a desk the way a Mac mini would, but it will be used and priced nothing like Apple's other diminutive desktop. Apple describes it as the most expandable Mac it has ever made via its ports, which include a complement of Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3.0 connectors. In fact, its lighting-identified connectors accommodate up to 36 daisy-chained devices. You can bet that its externally simple design will need to be augmented by at least some external storage for many of its pro users.

The Mac Pro represents a series of revisits for Apple.

Even after dismissing an Apple price premium, those are the kinds of leading-edge components that will allow the type of margin that accommodates American manufacturing; this should have appeal beyond simple patriotism for Apple, a company that maintains meticulous control over each detail of its products. As the East Coast developer of a crowdfunded smartwatch recently explained, having your suppliers nearby makes it easier to react when there are problems; he keeps his no more than a six-hour drive away and praises their quality. The production of the Mac Pro, on the other hand, will cast a wider net, with elements of it occurring in Texas, Kentucky and elsewhere.

The Mac Pro represents a series of revisits for Apple -- a return to the high-end market and to US manufacturing. But its unique place in Apple's lineup may make it the exception in Apple's strongly consumer-leaning product line, where competitive pressure for iOS-based products requires higher prioritization of cost as well as other factors. When details about the Mac Pro are finalized, we will see if the symbolic "Made in the USA" sticker can avoid coming with sticker shock.

Ross Rubin is principal analyst at Reticle Research, a research and advisory firm focusing on consumer technology adoption. He shares commentary at Techspressive and on Twitter at @rossrubin.

Verizon starts selling 32GB Samsung Galaxy S 4 online for $299

Verizon customers -- now's your chance to grab Samsung's latest flagship device with more internal storage. The carrier has started selling the 32GB Galaxy S 4 online, giving buyers another choice besides the 16GB version sold on its website for $199. Shipments aren't promised until July 3rd, but you can buy the 32GB Galaxy S 4 right now for $299 -- assuming you're interested in paying $100 more for storage on a phone that already features expandable memory. If you'd rather shell out more money for an unlocked bootloader, though, Verizon also sells the Developer Edition at the lofty price of $650 each.

The After Math: Microsoft fits new Windows, Sony pushes the limits of a smartphone screen

Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week's tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages.

In recent weeks, we've covered BlackBerry, Google, Nokia, Apple, Sony and (at least gaming-wise) Microsoft, but this week, the Redmond company returned to dominate tech news, showcasing a new version of Windows 8 (and RT) at its annual Build conference. It's tried to fix some of the operating system's early criticisms and make it all a bit more accessible. They even threw in a Start button -- of sorts. Meanwhile, Sony set jacket pockets quivering, announcing its new 6.4-inch smartphone (that's not a tablet), replete with arguably the most powerful mobile processor out there. For a numerical breakdown of the week's news, follow us after the break.

Screen size of Sony's Xperia Z Ultra: 6.4 inches Biggest Android smartphone screen in 2010: 5 inches Screen size of Sony's Windows-running VAIO P laptop: 8 inches BlackBerry 10 devices shipped in the last quarter (Q1 2014): 2.7 million Loss made by BlackBerry in the same quarter: $84 million Number of Lumia 820 phones used to create a digital wall at Build 2013: 200

Keynote attendees at Build 2013 that cheered at the first mention of Bing: 1 Free tablets given to each Build 2013 attendee: 2 Number of side-by-side windows possible on a Toshiba Kirabook running Windows 8.1: 4 (Mis)uses of the word "literally" by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during the Build keynote: 2 New megapixels of satellite photography recently added to Google Maps: 800,000 Meters per pixel within Google's new Maps images: 15 Years of data collected by the NSA so far during the Obama administration: 2 Air miles NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden could have earned in his escapade (Honolulu to Hong Kong to Moscow): 9,988

BSkyB wins trademark case against Microsoft over SkyDrive name

While many can tell the difference between Sky TV services and Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage, that's not necessarily true for everyone. A British court certainly thinks there's room for confusion: it has ruled that SkyDrive infringes BSkyB's trademarks on the Sky name in both the UK and the European Union. The presiding judge didn't believe that Microsoft's use of the "sky" prefix was absolutely necessary, and she showed evidence that at least some of the general public didn't understand which company made what. Microsoft says it plans to appeal the verdict, although there's no guarantee that it will have to relabel SkyDrive if the appeal falls through. Some past trademark lawsuits have led to fines instead of name changes, and we suspect Microsoft would rather pay out than lose brand recognition across a whole continent.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: cardboard bicycle, robo raven and a steampunk Lego ship

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Summer is finally upon us, and polluting companies are feeling the heat as President Barack Obama announced a groundbreaking climate action plan this week that calls for cutting CO2 emissions and building more resilient communities in the face of climate change. Meanwhile, innovators around the world are continuing to tackle some of our biggest challenges. Rust-Oleum launched NeverWet - an incredible new spray that can completely waterproof any surface or object. IKEA unveiled a new solar-powered flat-pack shelter that could be easily deployed as emergency housing. Cardboard Technologies announced plans to mass-produce a $10 bicycle made almost entirely from recycled cardboard. And in one of the week's most exciting green transportation developments, England's Drayson Racing set a new land speed record for electric cars this week, shattering the previous mark by nearly 30 MPH.

It's only July, but 2013 has already been a banner year for Tesla Motors. Now, rumors are starting to circulate that Google will make a bid for the electric car company. In other green transportation news this week, inventor Chip Yates announced plans to fly an electric airplane nonstop from New York to Paris. A Volkswagen Passat TDI set a new world record by achieving 77.99 MPG in a 48-state drive -- the best fuel economy ever for a non-hybrid car. High Speed 2 released the first images of England's new 225 MPH bullet train, and in New York City, Inhabitat speculated on how parked Citi Bikes could be used to generate energy. Inhabitat also teamed up with Linus Bikes to give one lucky reader a bike worth $645.

In an effort to create a better, longer-lasting bike light, Dutch company Rydon created a new solar-powered bike light that can be permanently mounted to any bike frame. Fashion designer Pauline van Dongen unveiled a prototype for a new coat that features a series of solar-powered flaps that unfurl in the sunlight. A pair of researchers at the University of Maryland Robotics Center developed a robo raven that is able to fly by flapping its wings independently of one another. DJ and turntablist Kid Koala released an album that comes with a working DIY cardboard record player that you can assemble yourself. And Lego builder Jason Alleman built a steampunk Lego ship that can crawl around on spiderlike legs.

Mobile Miscellany: week of June 24th, 2013

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, the Galaxy S 4 was spotted in purple garb, a new Windows Phone was outed for AT&T and US Cellular officially welcomed a budget handset from ZTE into its ranks. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 24th, 2013.

Galaxy S 4 Purple Mirage edition surfaces

Call it a case of deja vu, or just catering to a very... specific audience, but thanks to @evleaks, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Purple Mirage edition is no longer a mystery. The handset was first announced -- but not shown -- alongside the Blue Arctic, Red Aurora and Brown Autumn editions of Samsung's flagship smartphone. Whether Sprint is in line for round two is anyone's guess, since the leaked shot lacks carrier branding, but don't let us stop you from dreaming. [@evleaks (Twitter)]

Lumia 520 spotted with AT&T branding

AT&T currently has the high-end and mid-range covered when it comes to Windows Phone, but the latest reveal from @evleaks suggests the carrier is preparing to go after the budget crowd with the Nokia Lumia 520 (or a very similar variant). Seeing that AT&T currently sells the Lumia 820 for just a penny on contract, there's a reasonable chance that this low-cost WP8 device could hit AT&T's prepaid GoPhone lineup. If the carrier's pricing is anything like T-Mobile -- which sells the Lumia 521 for $150 outright -- this Windows Phone could stand as a genuine challenger to its Android counterparts for the month-to-month crowd. [@evleaks (Twitter)]

ZTE Imperial gets official for US Cellular

Budget-minded shoppers at US Cellular now have a new option on the table, as the ZTE Imperial is available on contract for just a penny. As an important distinction, the smartphone supports LTE, which is relatively rare among US Cellular's entry-level lineup. The Imperial combines a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). Rounding out the list of specs, the phone includes 1GB of RAM, 4GB of expandable storage and a rather substantial 2,500mAh battery. [US Cellular]

Other random tidbits The iPhone 5 joined the lineup at Virgin Mobile in the US this week, where the 16GB handset retails for $550 outright. [Virgin Mobile] According to TmoNews, Walmart is now selling the iPhone 5 for T-Mobile from roughly 1,300 of its retail outlets. As a caveat, phone must be purchased outright for $629 -- the same price that you'll find from T-Mobile -- although shoppers can also finance their purchase through Walmart. [TmoNews] Google Play Movies was updated with a new interface and a predictive feature known as Watch Now, which provides suggestions for titles that you might watch next. Some users may view the latest version as a downgrade, however, as Google as removed support for the Nexus Q. [Android Police 1, 2] The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 was outed for arrival at Bell Mobility on July 11th, where it'll retail for $550 outright. [MobileSyrup] Leaked documents suggest the white version of the BlackBerry Q10 will arrive at Bell Mobility on July 5th, priced at $700 outright. [MobileSyrup] The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and LG Optimus L5 II were both named as suitors for Bell Mobility. [@evleaks (Twitter)] The Galaxy Mega 5.8 made its first appearance at the FCC this week, but it's a safe bet that this particular model isn't destined for North American markets. [FCC] Must-read mobile stories Samsung Galaxy S4 Active review: a top-tier phone in a water-resistant package Intel hopes to speed up mobile Atom chip development BlackBerry shipped just 2.7 million BB 10 handsets last quarter (updated) Sprint Vital review: a decent mid-range phone that faces tough competition Verizon reportedly offers more than $600 million to buy Wind Mobile Verizon 4G LTE reaches 500th market, initial network build-out now complete HTC One Google Play edition hands-on (video) Samsung Galaxy S 4 Google Play edition hands-on (video) Sprint shareholders approve Softbank merger Huawei Ascend P6 review: a beautiful handset, but performance is lacking Sony Xperia Z Ultra: hands-on with a 6.4-inch Android phone (update: video)

[Mobile Miscellany photo credit: Thristian / Flickr]

Apple trademarks new FaceTime logo, settles on green

There's certainly been a lot of brouhaha surrounding the new design language Apple introduced for iOS 7 at WWDC. Some (ourselves included) feel it's modern and fresh while others loathe the brighter palette and simpler, flatter icons. A lot can change between now and the launch of iOS 7 this fall, but if Apple's recent trademark filing is any indication, FaceTime's new logo / icon -- which consists of a stylized white video camera inside a rounded-off green square -- fits squarely (ahem) within the aesthetic we saw on stage in San Francisco. Of course, companies often trademark logos, so we can't really say this comes as much of a surprise, either. If you're curious where Jony Ive might have found his inspiration for the pastel colors and thin lines showcased in iOS 7's iconography, check out Otl Aicher's design work for the 1972 Olympics in the "more coverage" link after the break.

Ask Engadget: best (cheap!) video recording goggles?

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from James, who wants to experiment with life-logging on the cheap. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I like the idea of being able to record stuff with your glasses, but not spending $1,500 on Google Glass to do it. Can you and the folks suggest a pair of glasses or goggles that will do the same job for a tiny fraction of the price?"

In our limited experience, Pivothead's Durango is available for $349, but beyond that, the field's a bit limited. ZionEyez Zeyez still doesn't have an ETA for its products and SunnyCam's ultra-low cost recording goggles won't make it to the US until later this year. Let's turn this question over to our audience, who, we're sure will have some better and cheaper suggestions.

University of Michigan activates antimatter 'gun,' cartoon supervillians twirl moustaches anew

At the University of Michigan, an international team of physicists has begun experimenting with its tabletop-sized super laser, modding it into an antimatter "gun." It's not quite a black hole-firing pistol, but we're slightly terrified nonetheless. Up until now, machines capable of creating positrons -- coupled with electrons, they comprise the energy similar to what's emitted by black holes and pulsars -- have needed to be as large as they are expensive. Creating these antimatter beams on a small scale will hopefully give astrophysicists greater insight into the "enigmatic features" of gamma ray bursts that are "virtually impossible to address by relying on direct observations," according to a paper published at Arvix. While the blasts only last fractions of a second each, the researchers report each firing produces a particle-density output level comparable to the accelerator at CERN. Just like that, the Longhorns/Wolverines super-laser arms-race begins again.

Washington Post reveals new PRISM slides, offers greater clarity into the US' surveillance operation

PRISM: The surveillance story that started with four leaked slides from the Washington Post, today gets a bit clearer. The publication has revealed four more annotated slides about the once-secret NSA operation, along with detailing the various levels of scrutiny from the FBI and NSA that happen before, during and after approved wiretaps take place. It seems that many of the measures make sure the warrantless data mining of US citizens occurs to the smallest extent possible and that FISA rules are followed.

Detailing the process further, NSA analysts perform checks with supervisors to be certain intended targets are foreign nationals who aren't on US soil; approval is provided by way of "51-percent confidence" in assessments. During a "tasking process" search terms are entered, dubbed "selectors," which can tap into FBI gear installed within the private properties of participating companies -- so much for those denials. For live communications, this data goes straight to the NSA's PRINTAURA processing system, while both the FBI and NSA scan pre-recorded data independently. Notably, live surveillance is indeed possible for the likes of text, voice and and instant message-based conversations, according to a slide that details how cased are notated.

PRINTAURA is an overall filter for others, with names like NUCLEON for voice communications and MAINWAY for records of phone calls. Beyond that, another two layers, called CONVEYANCE and FALLOUT provide further filtering. Again, all of these checks apparently fine-tune results and help make sure they don't match up with US citizens. Results that return info about those in the US get scrapped, while results on foreigner targets get stored for up to five years -- this includes those that have US citizens' info in them, but restrictions are in place to limit the their exposure. A total number of 117,675 active targets were listed as April 5th, but the paper notes that this does not reflect the number of data that may also have been collected on American citizens in the process. It's likely that even more will be revealed in the coming weeks -- so if you haven't already, now might be a great time to catch up on this whole PRISM fiasco to learn about how it might affect you. You'll find all the new slides at the source link.

Washington Post reveals new PRISM slides, offers greater clarity into the US surveillance operation

PRISM: The surveillance story that started with four leaked slides from the Washington Post, today gets a bit clearer. The publication has revealed four more annotated slides about the once-secret NSA operation, along with detailing the various levels of scrutiny from the FBI and NSA that happen before, during and after approved wiretaps take place. It seems that many of the measures make sure the warrantless data mining of US citizens to the smallest extent possible and that FISA rules are followed.

Detailing the process further, we now know that NSA analysts perform checks with supervisors to be certain intended targets are foreign nationals who aren't on US soil; approval is provided by way of "51-percent confidence" in the assessment. During a "tasking process" search terms are entered, dubbed "selectors," which tap into FBI gear installed within the private properties of participating companies -- so much for those denials. For the live communications this data goes straight to the NSA's PRINTAURA processing system, while both the FBI and NSA scan pre-recorded data independently. Notably, live surveillance is indeed possible for the likes of text, voice and and instant message-based conversations, according to notations that are given to each case.

PRINTAURA is an overall filter for others with names like NUCLEON for voice communications and MAINWAY for records of phone calls. Beyond that, another two layers, called CONVEYANCE and FALLOUT provide further filtering. Again, all of these checks apparently fine-tune results and help make sure they don't match up with US citizens. Results that return info about those in the US get scrapped, while results on foreigner targets get stored for up to five years -- this includes those that have US citizens' info in them, but restrictions are in place to limit the their exposure. A total number of 117,675 active targets were listed as April 5th, but the paper notes that this does not reflect the number of data that may also have been collected on American citizens in the process. It's likely that even more will be revealed in the coming weeks, so if you haven't already, now might be a great time to catch up on this whole PRISM fiasco to learn about how it might affect you.

PSA: Sprint's iDEN push-to-talk network rides into the sunset June 30th

The end of an era arrives Sunday, when Sprint will officially shut the door on its Nextel iDEN push-to-talk service. Subscribers who've held onto the legacy PTT standard with white knuckle grips (and extra fees) will have to switch to its CDMA-based Direct Connect offering for continued chirping capabilities -- or migrate to the likes of Ma Bell's haus. The freed up 800MHz spectrum won't remain idle; if you'll recall, it'll be re-allocated to give a major boost to Sprint's 4G CDMA voice/LTE data rollout for 2014. Hurry up and make that switch if you haven't already and relive some Sprint Nextel memories with us after the break.

Alt-week 6.29.13: DARPA's robot finalists, the IRIS solar mission and empathetic computers

Alt-week takes a look at the best science and alternative tech stories from the last seven days.

Sure, DARPA is slightly sinister, but it's so into robots that we're willing to let that slide. In fact, last year it launched the DARPA Robotics Challenge, and it just announced the top six nine seven teams to advance. But if just the idea of figuring out robotics frustrates you, NC State's face tracking program literally gets that, and NASA just launched the IRIS solar probe from the belly of a transport jet. It's Alt-week, baby.

Remember DARPA's Robotics Challenge (DRC) launched to create 'bots that would look like humans and perform real world tasks? Well, the military's skunkworks division just announced that its winnowed down the original 26 teams to seven after completion of the Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC) phase. To test them, DARPA created a cloud-based simulator, which teams used to simulate vehicle egress and driving, walking on rough, muddy terrain, attaching a hose to a spigot and turning a valve. While DARPA was planning on having six finalists, it turned out that JPL (which already has a DARPA-funded project and its own robot), decided to drop out and donate its resources Lockheed Martin's Trooper entry. At the same time, Team K from Japan and Case Western University pooled their resources and also received a donated ATLAS robot from Hong Kong University. In the spirit of good sportsmanship, DARPA decided after all that to keep seven teams, which will get an actual Boston Dynamics Atlas robot and more funding for the final DRC trials. Since that will no doubt produce the kind of entertainment we saw earlier this year at Engadget Expand, we can't wait.

NASA launches are always a hoot, even its so-called Small Explorer Missions. The IRIS solar observer is one of those, and was lofted into space on Thursday from an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket, which itself separated from the underside of a converted Lockheed L-1011 jet at around 40,000 feet. Now that it's in orbit at about 400 miles, IRIS (Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph) will begin observing solar material that transits a poorly understood region between the sun's photosphere and corona, causing solar winds and driving the million-degree atmosphere. It'll use an ultraviolet telescope built by Lockheed Martin to do that during its two year mission, which one day may improve solar forecasts and explain some of the bizarre tantrums occasionally thrown by our star.

Confused? That's a common issue for students learning computer science, and while in-the-flesh profs can easily see your anxious state, machines have no such empathy. Researchers from North Carolina State University want to change that, so they developed software that tracks facial expressions in order to predict the emotions of students during online tutoring sessions. Called JavaTutor, the program correctly sussed out moods 85 percent of the time and "will not only respond to what a students knows, but to (his or her) feelings of frustration or engagement," according to assistant professor Dr. Kristy Boyer. That'll lead to the next stage of research -- providing both "cognitive and emotion-based feedback to students" during learning sessions, which the scientists claim could have a dramatic effect on retention. Sounds good, but if you put that together with DARPA's project above, the result could be a scary-looking robot that senses your fear.

PSA: Google Play Music All Access $8 promotion ends soon

Listen, we're all for waiting until the last possible minute, but that time is now. If you happen to be looking for a deal on Google's fancy new music service, the clock is ticking. Once June 30th rolls around, Google Play Music All Access's $7.99 price tag will bump up to the standard $9.99 a month. That's a full $2 a month more for access to those millions of unlimited songs. You can sign up at the source link below -- that same page can also hook you up with a free 30-day trial, if not paying money is your thing.

Topographic maps illustrate where Twitter's bird flies highest

Not every Twitter user geotags their musings, but there are enough who do to generate some very insightful data. On its blog today, Twitter shared images from Data Visualization Scientist Nicolas Belmonte, who created topographic maps visualizing the density of geotagged tweets. The result is striking, as tweets clearly correlate with roads, geographic features and even lines of public transit. In addition to the blog's stills, you can futz around with interactive maps of New York, San Francisco and... Istanbul. When you realize the implications of all those tweets from the Bay Bridge, it's frightening enough to consider taking BART across the Bay instead.

Twitter website adds language translation, promptly proves its worth

The threads of the universe are known to intertwine in mysterious ways, and recently they've been tangling themselves around two largely unrelated things: Twitter and Windows Phone. It's hard for us mere mortals to make sense of it, but here's what we know:

1) Twitter.com now supports language translation, courtesy of Microsoft's Bing. You just have to look for the "View Translation" link directly under eligible tweets. Good news for mono-linguists, but it would have been a bigger surprise had we not already spotted the Bing Translator making an early debut in the official Twitter app for Windows Phone. (That's the first tangle, right there.)

2) We stumbled upon this translation feature while trying decipher the specific tweet shown above, which subsequently yielded an interesting tidbit for Nokia Lumia WP8 owners.

Honestly, the mind boggles.

Cox flareWatch beta brings IPTV with 60 HD channels, cloud DVR for $35 monthly

While everyone tries to figure out what the future of TV looks like, Cox Cable has crossed over to offering internet TV service to customers in Orange County. flareWatch beta testers can buy a Fanhattan Fan TV set-top box for $99 (up to three per household) and sign up for a TV package that features 90 live TV channels (60 in HD) and includes the usual favorites like ESPN / ESPN2, AMC, CNN, Nickelodeon and TNT, with video on-demand coming soon. DVR recordings take place in the cloud, with 30 hours of storage available for each subscriber.

There is one notable limitation however, as with cable company provided TiVo DVRs, streaming services like Hulu and Netflix are not available. Cox already cloud based storage under the MyFlare brand name, and a report on Variety mentions the company plans to expand it with music and game services. Other providers have hinted at offering IPTV options and Comcast launched an IPTV test at MIT, but this is the first one publicly available from a major company. If you live in the area, demonstrations are available at several locations, check out the site at the link below and a preview video after the break.

Bell cleared to buy Astral Media, creates a Canadian TV powerhouse

Bell tried to shake up the Canadian media landscape last year by acquiring Astral Media, but it ran into a CRTC-sized roadblock -- regulators didn't want 25 TV stations moving to one provider. After some big concessions, however, Bell has received approval to buy Astral for $3.2 billion. The revised deal gives Bell control of 12 channels that include The Movie Network, HBO Canada's owner. Bell is offloading some important TV content to move forward, though. Corus gets several recognizable channels that include the Cartoon Network and Teletoon, while big stations like Disney XD and MusiquePlus are on the auction block. Not that Bell will complain too loudly when the buyout closes on July 5th, mind you. The merger still gives it 35.8 percent of the English Canadian TV market and 22.6 percent of its French Canadian equivalent, or enough to immediately eclipse rivals like Rogers and Quebecor.

The Daily Roundup for 06.28.2013

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Netflix Max hands-on: Jellyvision's take on your movie queue

Being a Netflix subscriber is almost like being cursed -- sure, you have access to untold troves of streaming TV shows and films, but how do you choose what to watch? The burden of choice weighs heavily on the indecisive Netflix user, trapping them in a labyrinth of enticing categories, familiar recommendations and episode backlogs.

PlayStation through the years: Mark Cerny on the PS4's roots and the brand's evolution (video)

The genesis story: the long-lead up to every console's launch usually leaves one in its wake. Typically, we get some sanitized version, appropriately molded by corporate PR and fed to the public with the crust cut off. But when you're Mark Cerny, lead PlayStation 4 architect, and you've literally grown up with the games industry and the PlayStation brand itself, the tale you get to tell tends to be more truthful, mesmerizing, and chock full of the hard knocks that make success stories so great.

Facebook rolls out hashtag support

Clickable hashtags are a major new Facebook feature, and now the social network is bringing them to the next level by rolling out related searches and mobile availability.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active review

After Samsung's latest product push in London, we have nothing short of a Galaxy S 4 franchise on our hands. While the company unveiled its expected Mini version along with a photography-focused variant, it also took a step in the rugged-device direction by announcing the Galaxy S4 Active.

You also might like: Yahoo shutting down a dozen products, including AltaVista and Axis GameStop Expo puts the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in your hands this August Android 4.3 spotted on Samsung Galaxy S 4, available to test now

Songza introduces paid ad-free service that costs $0.99 a week

Songza joined the ad-free music streaming club today with a club of its own: Club Songza. Like the premium services on Spotify and Slacker, you'll have to cough up a few pennies to belong -- about 99 of them a week, to be exact. Listening to music without commercial interruption isn't the only benefit however; apparently paid subscribers will get additional goodies like twice as many skips and access to more premium content as well. Songza diehards can go ahead and sign up for the service at the source, though we should remind you that there are always cheaper options for your music fix.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 hits the FCC with LTE you probably can't use

The FCC can be cruel sometimes, showing us devices we're unlikely to see in the US without significant changes; this is one of those moments, unfortunately. A Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 has once again surfaced at the FCC, this time as the SM-T315 with built-in cellular access. However, it's not optimized for American use -- while there's AT&T-friendly HSPA data, the LTE inside is only meant for a handful of other countries, like South Korea. As such, this model won't be coming stateside unless there's a frequency change. We're not totally surprised at the lack of US-ready LTE when AT&T already offers the Galaxy Note 8.0, but it would be nice to have a little more variety in our 8-inch LTE slates.

Digg Reader web, iOS apps are open for the public

As we stand on the precipice of the shutdown of Google Reader the search for replacement RSS clients is more frantic than ever, and now Digg has opened access to its app for any users interested. Currently available on the web and as an iOS app (Android coming soon), importing ones Google account is just a few mouse clicks away. The experience as it exists now is pretty barebones, and Digg says it plans to add a "View unread items only" option, "Mark as unread" button and the always crucial "accurate" unread counts for feeds and folders in the near future. Hit the source link below to give it a shot, and then let us know if it's a contender for the throne.

Apple reportedly clinches TSMC chip manufacturing deal

Rumors of Apple switching its chip manufacturing from Samsung to TSMC have persisted for a long, long time. However, they may be more substantial this time around: the Wall Street Journal claims that Apple quietly signed a deal with TSMC earlier this month. The agreement reportedly has TSMC take over some of Apple's chip production in 2014. Technical setbacks kept the agreement from happening any sooner, according to the sources. Neither company is commenting on the accuracy of the story, although few would doubt Apple's incentives to reduce its dependency on Samsung-made silicon -- it's not keen on funding a primary competitor.

Facebook implements new policy to crack down on objectionable ad material

No one really likes ads, but for better or worse, they're a sort of necessary evil when it comes to, you know, making money online. And while Facebook's not likely to stop sprinkling your stream with paid content, the social network announced a new plan today to tackle some of the more...questionable content that's made its way onto the site. Starting Monday, the service will implement a new review process for deciding which Pages and groups will get their own accompanying ads. That process will be manual to start, with an automated version in the future. Facebook plans to have all the offending violent, graphic and sexual content removed by the end of next week.

ITC judge rules against InterDigital in first round of 3G patent case

After two long years, the International Trade Commission has finally come to a decision in favor of Huawei, Nokia and ZTE in a 3G patent case brought by InterDigital in 2011. According to an ITC judge, the three phone manufacturers did not violate the seven InterDigital-owned patents that covers various WCDMA and CDMA2000 technologies used to make their devices. InterDigital even went so far as to request the ban of US sales of these devices pending a decision. The Pennsylvania-based company filed a similar complaint against LG, which chose a settlement instead of going through the courts. Still, this is just a preliminary ruling; the final decision of the case is expected in October.

Yahoo Mail adds simple Flickr photo sharing

Many criticized a pre-Marissa Mayer Yahoo for doing little to integrate acquisitions with its core services, even when they were popular services like Del.icio.us. We can't accuse the company of negligence today, as it just added simple Flickr photo sharing to Yahoo Mail. Those drafting messages just have to tap an arrow to attach files from their photo streams, and they can sign up for Flickr on the spot. While there's only so many of us that could use Flickr sharing right now, Yahoo teases that there are more Mail upgrades in the pipeline -- it's not done fighting Gmail and Outlook just yet.

Engadget Podcast 350 - 06.28.13

We've made it to the big three-five-oh! Watch out, HD Podcast, we're closing in your 355 episode mark. Although the week in tech news wasn't terribly exciting, Brian was so pumped he ran nine blocks in the blistering heat straight to our studio. As such, this episode is relatively short -- might we suggest you check out Distro on your favorite tablet with all that extra time?

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Peter Rojas, Brian Heater

Producer: Joe Pollicino

Hear the podcast:

01:30 - Engadget + gdgt live NYC
05:09 - Ziphius aquatic drone hits Kickstarter, we go hands-on
07:11 - The Engadget Show 44: Education with Google, OLPC, Code.org, LeapFrog, SparkFun, Adafruit and more
09:09 - Microsoft BUILD
09:27 - Windows 8.1 in-depth hands-on: features, apps, impressions and screenshots
11:24 - Windows 8.1 to support 3D printing through native API
12:13 - Microsoft 'approaching' 100,000 apps in the Windows Store, boasts app downloads in the 'hundreds of millions'
13:39 - Microsoft announces Visual Studio 2013 preview: now available for download, 5,000 new APIs in Windows 8.1
13:59 - Internet Explorer 11 to support WebGL and MPEG Dash
15:02 - Microsoft launches Bing platform for developers
18:11 - Microsoft shows off 3D imagery, architecture trivia for Windows 8.1 Maps
20:19 - Apple OS X Mavericks 10.9 preview
23:09 - Samsung Galaxy S 4 and HTC One Google Play edition hands-on
32:12 - Sony Xperia Z Ultra: hands-on with a 6.4-inch Android phone
36:06 - Sprint Windows Phones
37:45 - OUYA hits retailers for $100, promptly sells out at Amazon
37:56 - NVIDIA Shield Delay

Subscribe to the podcast

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).
[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace.

Download the podcast

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)

Contact the podcast

Follow the hosts on Twitter: @bheater @Tim_Stevens @Engadget
Send your questions to @Tim_Stevens
Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005)
E-mail us: podcast at engadget [dot] com

Leeds turning telephone boxes into free WiFi kiosks, crowdsource your memories for posterity

Public WiFi projects don't normally involve antique restoration and historical crowd sourcing, but that's exactly what's going on in Leeds. Local telecoms company aql is renovating Giles Gilbert Scott's iconic red telephone boxes in the area, adding solar panels, networking equipment and giving them a blue paint-job. While the boxes will be locked to keep the wireless gear secure, the company has added touch screens to the outside, letting locals make emergency calls and leave messages that share their memories about the area -- a better fate for the hardware than inspiring this portable monstrosity.

Show full PR text

aql to Deploy 'Blue Box' Free Wifi Interactive Kiosks in Leeds

LEEDS, England, June 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Leeds based telecommunications company, aql, have announced plans to deploy restored 1930s phone boxes in and around South Leeds and the city centre as part of their metropolitan network rollout.

The boxes are 'recycled' classic 'K6' phone boxes as designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott - who was also the designer of Battersea Power station, Waterloo Bridge and Liverpool Cathedral. But with a twist... the boxes will be blue!

The boxes will also be 'green' - in terms of technology rather than colour. They are designed to be a low-impact installation and will be solar powered rather than need to dig up the streets to install mains and network.

Dr Adam Beaumont, aql's CEO says: "We've designed the boxes to house a unique low energy, high bandwidth network, which will allow unmetered, free wifi access to anyone within the vicinity.

"We know Leeds City Council is rolling out free wifi within parts of the City Centre, but we're dedicated to filling in the gaps and to rolling out services within South Leeds to help catalyse growth in the area."

aql have just invested in another site on the outskirts of Beeston which will allow them to roll out connectivity to areas of Hunslet further South. The iconic Blue Boxes will let users know that there is free wifi in the vicinity.

Although you can't actually get inside the boxes because they hold aql's network equipment, they will also allow users to make phone calls via touch screens on the outside, including 999 calls. This also makes them easier to clean and maintain. The boxes will also feature an interactive screen allowing users to leave video blogs and messages to share their memories about the area where each box is located.

Dr Beaumont stated: "The plan is to create an archive of people's memories of important parts of Leeds.The aim is to then make that content accessible online in a similar manner to the Leodis.org photo archive. Our name for the boxes themselves is also to be 'LEODIS'.

Lurene Joseph, Chief Executive of Leeds and Partners, said: "These boxes are a great illustration of Leeds' digital ability and confidence and will be another excellent part of the city's infrastructure. They're forward looking, innovative but rooted in strong traditions and are another example of an ambitious young company driving forward enterprise, jobs and opportunity in Leeds."

PlayStation through the years: Mark Cerny on the PS4's roots and the brand's evolution (video)

The genesis story: the long-lead up to every console's launch usually leaves one in its wake. Typically, we get some sanitized version, appropriately molded by corporate PR and fed to the public with the crust cut off. But when you're Mark Cerny, lead PlayStation 4 architect, and you've literally grown up with the games industry and the PlayStation brand itself, the tale you get to tell tends to be more truthful, mesmerizing, and chock full of the hard knocks that make success stories so great. And that's just what Cerny delivered at Gamelab in Barcelona this week, recounting the whirlwind career that led him to have the heaviest hand in shaping Sony's next-gen platform.

Not familiar with the man's esteemed background? Then sample this bit of historical trivia: Cerny was the youngest Atari employee at age 17 (!). How's that for inspiring? Oh, and what's more, Cerny even fesses up to the egotistical attitude that flattened Sony's PlayStation 3 launch (spoiler alert: it has to do with crushing third-party devs). There's much, much more insider-y goodness packed into the 45 minute-plus video after the break. Go on, now. Watch it. You'll be better for it, we promise.

Blackberry shipped just 2.7 million BB 10 handsets last quarter (updated)

BlackBerry got off to a roaring start with with the Z10, which shipped a million devices in its first three weeks on the market and led many to predict there'd be at least 3 million shipped this quarter (the first full quarter of Z10 availability). That turned out not to be the case, as the company said during an earnings call for Q1 2014 that it managed to get just 2.7 million BlackBerry 10 OS handsets out the door, despite the Q10 having joined the Z10 on shelves for a good part of that period. Those figures make up just 40 percent of its handset numbers, meaning most of the 6.8 million phones it shipped consisted of cheaper last-gen products. They refused to break those numbers down between the Q10 and Z10, so that's all we have to go on at this point -- but taken with its announcement of an $84 million loss, it's far from encouraging.

Update: Apologies, folks. Our original headline said 2.7 million were sold, whereas in fact the figure indicates shipping numbers. The post itself is unchanged and accurate. For reference, BlackBerry's actual sales to end users lagged behind shipments by around 30 percent when they revealed the previous set of figures back in March.

Gmail app for Android returns quick-access delete button following user feedback

Confused by where that delete button went when you updated to the latest version of Android's Gmail app? You weren't the only one. The delete button has now reappeared alongside the archive option for quick access, while the update also improves settings for showing both buttons, accessed through the menu icon on the far right corner. Touching sender images will now let you choose multiple emails in a thread and Google's bundled in a handful of bug fixes too, just weeks since the last refresh.

Dead island that inspired Skyfall comes to Google Street View

It goes by the name of Hashima, or Gunkanjima ("Battleship Island"), or even "The Dead Island", since it inspired the water-locked cyberterrorist HQ in Skyfall. As you can see for yourself, courtesy of the new Google Street View (and official "making of" video) embedded after the break, it's a very a real place off the coast of Japan's Nagasaki Peninsula, and it's even lonelier than its fictional counterpart in the Bond film (which wasn't actually filmed there). There are no tourist offices or giant Oedipus Complexes, as far as we can see, just long stretches of overgrown roads and collapsing apartment blocks that once housed 5,000 people, before they abandoned the island in 1974 following the demise of its coal industry. It took a Google employee two hours to map the place and preserve its crumbling visage for posterity using a special backpack, but don't be surprised if you want to leave it after just a few minutes.

View Larger Map

FCC demands carriers protect customer privacy in declaratory ruling

Privacy has been a hot-button topic of late, no more so than in the area of telecommunications. Perhaps as a response to these concerns, the FCC voted today for a Declaratory Ruling that all carriers must safeguard the private data in their customers' mobile devices. This data is known as customer proprietary network information (CPNI) and consists of metadata like phone numbers, call duration, call locations and call logs. Providers are supposed to protect such data already, but until today that only applied to the network -- now phones are covered under it as well. Carriers are still allowed to collect the information for network support purposes, but all precautions must be met so it's not compromised. It appears that third-party apps and services aren't covered under the ruling, and there aren't any strict regulations on how the CPNI may be gathered or protected. Still, the FCC made it clear that if any of the data is exposed, the carriers would have some serious 'splainin to do. To learn more about the ruling, check out the press release after the break.

Show full PR text

FCC ACTS TO PROTECT PRIVATE CONSUMER INFORMATION ON WIRELESS DEVICES

Washington, D.C. – The Commission today took action to protect the privacy of consumers of wireless services by clarifying its customer proprietary network information (CPNI) policies in response to changes in technology and market practices in recent years. Today's Declaratory Ruling rests on a simple and fundamentally fair principle: when a telecommunications carrier collects CPNI using its control of its customers' mobile devices, and the carrier or its designee has access to or control over the information, the carrier is responsible for safeguarding that information.

Specifically, the Declaratory Ruling makes clear that when mobile carriers use their control of customers' devices to collect information about customers' use of the network, including using preinstalled apps, and the carrier or its designee has access to or control over the information, carriers are required to protect that information in the same way they are required to protect CPNI on the network. This sensitive information can include phone numbers that a customer has called and received calls from, the durations of calls, and the phone's location at the beginning and end of each call.

Carriers are allowed to collect this information and to use it to improve their networks and for customer support. Carriers' collection of this information can benefit consumers by enabling a carrier to detect a weak signal, a dropped call, or trouble with particular phone models. But if carriers collect CPNI in this manner, today's ruling makes clear that they must protect it.

The Declaratory Ruling does not impose any requirements on non-carrier, third-party developers of applications that consumers may install on their own. The ruling also does not adopt or propose any new rules regarding how carriers may use CPNI or how they must protect it.

The Commission can take enforcement action in the event that a failure to take reasonable precautions causes a compromise of CPNI on a device. This clarification avoids what would otherwise be an important gap in privacy protections for consumers.

Today's action is the latest by the FCC to protect consumer privacy as part of the agency's mission to serve the public interest. By taking action in this area, the Commission reaffirms that it is looking out for consumers in the telecommunications market.

Action by the Commission June 27, 2013, by Declaratory Ruling (FCC 13-89). Acting Chairwoman Clyburn and Commissioner Rosenworcel with Commissioner Pai approving in part/concurring in part. Acting Chairwoman Clyburn, Commissioners Rosenworcel and Pai issuing statements.

Netflix renews 'Orange is the New Black' for season two, before season one launches

Netflix is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to building a library of first-run content, tonight announcing it's signed up new series Orange is the New Black for a second season, set for release in 2014. That's particularly notable because unlike Hemlock Grove's renewal last week, this series hasn't even been posted to the streaming site yet. It's not the company's first bold move however, as it signed up for two seasons of House of Cards without seeing anything first, but that had David Fincher and Kevin Spacey attached. This new show is written by Weeds creator Jenji Kohan and follows a woman from Brooklyn sentenced to 15 months in federal prison -- season one debuts July 11th.

Hold onto your orange jumpsuits, #OITNB has been picked up for a second season!

- Orange is the New... (@OITNB) June 28, 2013 Show full PR text

Netflix Renews Original Series "Orange is the New Black" For Second Season

Comedic Drama from Jenji Kohan to Return with All New Episodes in 2014

Season 1 Premieres Thursday, July 11th on Netflix

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Netflix Original Series, "Orange is the New Black," the comedic drama set in a women's prison from creator and executive producer Jenji Kohan ("Weeds") will return with a second season on Netflix in 2014.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101014/SF81638LOGO)

Produced by Lionsgate Television, the hour-long series starring Taylor Schilling, and based on the popular memoir of the same name by Piper Kerman, is set to debut its first 13-episode season on Thursday, July 11 at 12:01 AM PDT in all territories where Netflix is available – U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Latin America, Brazil and the Nordics.

"Jenji and her team have produced a phenomenal series and we're eager to get a second season to our viewers," said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix.

"I am thrilled that Netflix has extended my sentence," said series creator and executive producer Jenji Kohan.

"We're enormously proud of the brilliant work of Jenji, the cast and the entire production team," said Kevin Beggs, president, Lionsgate Television Group, "and we're delighted about this early second season renewal. Netflix has been a great partner on this series and we look forward to our continuing collaboration."

"Orange is the New Black" follows engaged Brooklynite Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon) results in her arrest and 15-month long detention in a federal penitentiary. To pay her debt to society, Piper must trade her comfortable New York life with fiance Larry (Jason Biggs) for an orange prison jumpsuit and a baffling prison culture where she is forced to question everything she believes and form unexpected new alliances with a group of eccentric and outspoken inmates. The series' diverse ensemble also includes Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Pablo Schreiber, Danielle Brooks, Laverne Cox and Taryn Manning.

The second season of "Orange is the New Black" is set to begin production later this summer.

"Orange is the New Black" is executive produced by Kohan. The series is produced by Lionsgate Television for Netflix.

About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix is the world's leading Internet television network with more than 36 million members in 40 countries enjoying more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series. For one low monthly price, Netflix members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. Learn more about how Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is pioneering Internet television at www.netflix.com or follow Netflix on Facebook and Twitter. Netflix's original series include the political drama "House of Cards," which stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright; "Hemlock Grove," Eli Roth's murder mystery series based on Brian McGreevy's gripping novel of the same name; the fourth season of the critically-acclaimed comedy "Arrested Development;" Ricky Gervais's bittersweet 30-minute comedy drama, "Derek," about a group of outsiders living on society's margins; the second season of "Lilyhammer," which stars Steven Van Zandt; and "Sense8" the upcoming global tale of minds linked and souls hunted from the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski.