Hauppauge teases the HD PVR Rocket, a portable game capture box for $169

Hauppauge is taking its considerable video-recording prowess mobile with the HD PVR Rocket. Its 4.3-ounce frame is smaller than the HD PVR 2's and instead of using a computer to store recorded video, it uses USB media. The company estimates that you'll fill a 16GB thumb drive with about four hours of 1080p footage. What's more, the Rocket also features a built-in mic jack and audio mixer for recording commentary and adjusting its volume before you upload to YouTube. This could be the ideal gizmo for capturing your squad's Battlefield 4 shenanigans while you're at a tournament or a friend's house, nixing the need to schlep your laptop in either situation. Even better, unlike other gadgets releasing on November 15th, you'll be able to walk out of Best Buy with this one for a slightly less expensive $169.

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Hauppauge Launches HD PVR Rocket, a Portable Video game Recorder for Xbox, PlayStation and PC Game Systems

HD PVR Rocket is the latest in the line of high definition video game recorders from Hauppauge, and includes a built-in audio mixer to record game commentary

PARIS, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hauppauge Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAUP), the leading developer and manufacturer of HD video recorders, is launching its latest video recorder, HD PVR Rocket, at Paris Games Week in Paris, booth 3H59.

HD PVR Rocket records video game play from PlayStation, Xbox and PC gaming systems in high definition up to 1080p. The HD PVR Rocket is the ultimate portable video recorder: it is small enough to fit in your hand and weighs just 4.6 oz (130 grams). The HD PVR Rocket has a built-in audio mixer and has a USB port where a gamer can plug a USB thumb drive to record game play. A 16 Gbyte USB thumb drive, when plugged into the HD PVR Rocket, can record 4 hours of video game play at an HD resolution of 1080p.

The HD PVR Rocket follows the HD PVR 2, which was introduced in September 2012. While being the highest quality video game recorder on the market, the HD PVR 2 requires a PC or Mac to store video recordings. However, the all new HD PVR Rocket is standalone and does not require a PC for making recordings.

"Many of our gaming customers asked for a high quality game recorder which was portable. The HD PVR Rocket can be carried to gaming events to record game play and game commentary, and does not need a PC or Mac for recording," said Ken Plotkin, President of Hauppauge.

The HD PVR Rocket also has a built-in audio mixer so that gamers can record game commentary along with game audio. Game commentary is used by professional gamers to describe their game moves and strategies, and is one of the most widely used features in high definition video game recorders. A microphone can be plugged into the microphone jack mounted on the front of the HD PVR Rocket, and the built-in audio mixer will record game audio and game commentary. HD PVR Rocket has a control panel which allows gamers to adjust the volume of the microphone.

Once game play is recorded, Hauppauge provides a Windows application called Hauppauge Capture which can be used to upload video game play to YouTube. This application allows users to select their videos and upload them to their YouTube channel. Users can create YouTube channels and record and post their best game moves with game commentary using the HD PVR Rocket. The recordings made by the HD PVR Rocket are also compatible with a Mac for editing in iMovie and uploading to YouTube.

Any game system which uses either HDMI video without HDCP or uses component video can be recorded with HD PVR Rocket, including the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, PlayStation3, WiiU and PC based game systems. Sony has recently announced that the PlayStation4, their new game console which will ship in 2013, will also support game play recording through the HDMI port.

HD PVR Rocket will be available at major retailers throughout Europe starting November 15. The suggested retail price is 169 euros. It will also be available at Best Buy and other North American retailers starting November 15 at a suggested retail price of $169.00

Firefox Beta brings new 'Home' design to Android, desktop version gains Firefox OS app manager

Early adopters know that Firefox likes to put new features through the paces via beta versions of its browser. Accordingly, Firefox today announced some fresh goodies for both mobile and desktop. On the Android side of things, the app has been redesigned with a panel-based layout called "Home," which lets users have easy access to stuff such as browsing history, bookmarks, favorite sites and Reading List. There are also search improvements in tow, including being able to select Bing or Yahoo as the default engine -- the only caveat is that this particular tidbit is limited to folks in the US, Canada and France, at least for the time being.

Meanwhile, Firefox Beta added "Click to Play Plugins" on Linux, Mac and Windows, meaning that "most" plugins (Flash is an exception) will no longer be activated on their own. Firefox says providing the option to choose the ones you would like to enable was key, as outdated plugins are a big source of security vulnerabilities. Rounding things up on the desktop is the Firefox OS app manager, a novel tool for developers to test and tinker with those HMTL5 apps straight from the Firefox browser. All that sound good? Then follow the source links below, where you'll find a way to download each variant of the experimental application.

Apple, Microsoft-backed 'Rockstar' uses Nortel patents to sue Google, Samsung and others

Early last year, the "Rockstar" consortium backed by Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, Sony and Ericsson closed its purchase of thousands of patents previously owned by Nortel for $4.5 billion (around the same time Google, after failing to purchase the patents itself, closed a $12 billion deal for Motorola). That transaction cleared the DOJ as the team agreed to license the tech on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, as well as their commitments not to seek injunctions in disputes involving SEPs." According to Reuters, Rockstar -- along with another company, Netstar -- has picked today to file a lawsuit against Google over seven of the patents, reportedly covering the ability to match internet search terms to advertising. TechCrunch lists other lawsuits filed against cellphone manufacturers including Samsung, LG, ASUS, HTC, Pantech, ZTE and Huawei. All of these companies build Android-based devices, so it appears that despite all the other ongoing lawsuits and license agreements, it's time for another round of patent warfare to start.

Make presents: Raspberry Pi Make:Off competition at Expand!

As if there wasn't already enough fun to be had at Expand, with our incredible lineup of speakers and our Insert Coin competition, we've got another treat for attendees. We're gonna have a Raspberry Pi Make:Off hosted by Matt Richardson of Make Magazine! Here's the deal: two teams of four contestants will spend the weekend building a project with tools and components from our electronics "pantry." The competition will kick off at 10 am on November 9th and a winner will be announced at 3:30 pm on November 10th.

If you think you have what it takes to take home the proverbial gold (note: we will not be handing out any actual gold), you can enter your name here on Facebook. If you're chosen to be one of the eight participants, you'll receive a Getting Started with Raspberry Pi kit and a free ticket to Expand. What's more, the four members of the winning team will be featured in Make in an article by Mr. Richardson himself, chronicling the build.

The submission period ends at 5 pm ET on Monday November 4th, so get your applications in now!

Digitizer makes 3D scanning accessible, but not yet practical

When Bre Pettis unveiled MakerBot's Digitizer, you couldn't wipe the smile off his face. And, upon opening our own unit, it's easy to understand why. When you lift the plastic unit, swaddled in black foam, out of its cardboard box, you feel like you're stepping into the future. 3D scanning isn't exactly new, but the allure hasn't worn off yet. It's the missing ingredient in the Brooklyn-born company's ecosystem. Its printers have improved in leaps and bounds since it first started shipping the Cupcake CNC as a kit back in 2009, it finally has a user-friendly software suite in MakerWare and Thingiverse provides a vast repository of designs for people to download and print. But until now there has been no easy, affordable way for users to turn the objects they already own into printable 3D models. Of course, "affordable" is a relative term. At $1,400 the Digitizer isn't exactly an impulse purchase, but it's certainly cheaper than comparable systems.

And what qualifies as a "comparable" system? Well, we're talking about desktop scanners that capture a full 360 degrees, are largely hands-off and self-contained (i.e., not a DIY kit built around a Kinect or smartphone). That means the Digitizer is actually entering a rather sparsely populated field. The big questions though, are how does it fits into the MakerBot universe and, more importantly, the life of the DIY enthusiast? Does the Digitizer do as advertised and turn your pile of doodads into easily replicateable digital files? You know where to look for answers, after the break.

Digitizer hardware hands-on See all photos

15 Photos

Like we said, even before you power up the Digitizer, it already puts a smile on your face. The simple black plastic body definitely isn't going to win any design awards and it doesn't exactly ooze luxury, but it is playfully futuristic, in a way reminiscent of early '90s children's toys. It's angular, understated and utilitarian, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Oddly there is some assembly required: the four rubber feet used to keep it from slipping about a desktop come packaged in a small zip-top bag. After you pop those little rubber guys in place, you're free to plug the Digitizer into an outlet and your computer's USB port and get going... with the calibration that is.

Just like the replicator before it, the Digitizer needs to be carefully calibrated for effective use. And, while the process is much quicker and less labor intensive (no constant adjusting of knobs here), the scanner actually appears to be much more sensitive and needs more frequent tune ups. MakerBot's instructions call for recalibrating every 20 scans or once a week, but we needed to run the calibration three times in the course of a week and never topped 10 scans before our results started getting funny. But, more on that later.

The calibration process itself involves making sure the filter is placed over the 1.3-megapixel camera at the center of the raised bar on one side, then placing a special calibration tool on the turntable. Over the course of about 10 minutes you'll be asked to place the checkered, three-sided calibration tool in a variety of poses while the MakerWare app takes measurements from the camera and dual lasers that flank it. From there scanning is a relatively straight forward process, so long as you follow MakerBot's words of advice. Those words: avoid anything dark, shiny, transparent, fury or larger than eight inches in any direction. If you do, the results will be decent, if hardly mind blowing. MakerBot's example scan of a gnome figurine is quite a bit clearer than any results we managed to get. Even when we scanned a plain white Munny figure, the model displayed some weird pitting, misshapen ears and webbing between the arms and the body.

Digitizer scans See all photos

5 Photos

The act of scanning an object is about as simple as it gets. Make sure the filter is over the camera (this is /super/ important), place your target in the middle of the turntable and click start scan. The only setting to mess with is adjusting the shade of the object your scanning, between light, medium and dark. Then you've just got to find something to do for about 10-12 minutes and stay out of the way of the scanner. Don't touch it, bump it or even get too close to it. That's not only to avoid screwing up your virtual model, but also to protect your eyes from the laser line generators. Sure, they're listed eye-safe, but they're still pretty unpleasant when they hit your retinas.

Once that's done, you simply crop your model to the proper height and upload your scan to Thingiverse, if you'd like. You can back up your scans privately or share them for others to download, manipulate and print on their own. MakerWare will walk you through sliding the filter off the camera to take a snapshot of your real world target, ask you to log in and upload the scan.

It all seems simple enough, until you hit a snag. Once one thing goes wrong, the whole shebang has a sort of meltdown. When MakerBot says that dark, transparent or shiny objects are not ideally suited to scanning, what they really mean is: don't even bother. (Though, we've been told you can dull the luster on shiny items with cornstarch and achieve better results.) We tried to scan a pair of matte black sunglasses with particularly dark gray lenses, and ended up with something you'd find MoMA. We immediately saw a problem when the scan started updating live on our iMac, so we cancelled it. When we clicked retry the scan simply failed and we had to restart the scanning service to get MakerWare back up and running. This happened almost anytime we had to cancel a scan or put the computer to sleep. Even after we recalibrated the Digitizer the results were still a mess. While we were able to make out the general outline of a pair of glasses, it was buried in a sea of seemingly random shapes. Even some good, usable scans turned up weird anomalies, such as the UFO hovering above Om Nom you see above.

The Digitizer is fun and potentially ground breaking, but it's also occasionally frustrating. The device is as small and unobtrusive as you can reasonably expect and, in the grand scheme of things, not particularly expensive. MakerBot has even succeeded at making the scanner damn-near fool-proof. But, it's hardly perfect. Results are sort of a mixed bag and, if you stray from the suggested ideal conditions, chances are you'll get something completely unusable. It shouldn't come as any surprise that the Digitizer isn't practical for the average user -- it's clearly targeted at tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts. But that doesn't mean things will always be that way. Call us optimistic, but we choose to see the Digitizer as the first tentative step towards something revolutionary.

Nexus 5 bumper case and QuickCover listed as 'coming soon' on Play store

Sure, it's got a protective Gorilla Glass 3 coating, but there's only one way to really protect that new Nexus 5: cases. If you're breathlessly refreshing the Play store for a shot at ordering Google's new handset, you may want to check out the associated bumper case (available in black, grey, red and yellow) and LG's QuickCover case (in white or black) which wraps around to also safeguard that 4.95-inch screen. Both are currently listed as "coming soon," so you won't actually be able to add them to your cart. But if you find either option tempting, know that the bumper case will set you back $35, while the more luxe Quickcover is retailing for $50. That is, assuming, you were able to successfully place an order for the Nexus 5, anyway.

Nikon hurt by falling DSLR prices, but still faring better than Canon

Nikon's finance department has been forced to revise its quarterly revenue forecast in a southerly direction due to the fact that entry-level DSLRs are selling for lower prices than it originally expected. One of the culprits is likely to be the D3200 shown above, which is currently going on Amazon for around $550 with a kit lens, or $150 below its list price. Looking to the future, the company also warns that sales of its Nikon 1 interchangeable lens cameras may shrink in 2014 due to "weak market conditions," despite the splash made by its recent ruggedized ILC, the Nikon AW1. The news isn't all bad, mind you, as the anticipated drops only add up to a few percentage points and Nikon says it's on course to make the same net profit it had previously projected -- a mostly stable outlook that struggling rival Canon can only dream of.

More magazines coming to Flipboard: Time, Fortune, InStyle and People

If you work in new media, there's a sure-fire way to know if you've made it: traditional media starts paying attention. Time Inc. is following in some, ahem, illustrious footsteps after announcing that it's bringing InStyle, People, Fortune and Time to Flipboard. The first two will be arriving on the platform this week, with the latter pairing debuting in December. With specially paginated content, readers will see a "unique brand experience" when you delve into each title -- presumably with plenty of space for benevolent advertisers like Gucci to exhibit their wares.

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Time Inc. Inks Deal With Flipboard: PEOPLE and InStyle First To Launch; TIME And FORTUNE Coming In December

With a digital footprint of 68MM across desktop, smartphones and tablets,Time Inc. will be the largest publisher to join Flipboard's platform.

NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Time Inc. has reached an agreement with Flipboard to make its branded content available on the platform. PEOPLE and InStyle will be the first Time Inc. titles to launch this week, followed by TIME and FORTUNE in December.

With a digital footprint of 68MM across desktop, smartphones and tablets, Time Inc. will be the largest publisher to join Flipboard's platform. PEOPLE's content will focus on celebrity news and red carpet moments and InStyle will feature the latest celebrity looks, fashion trends and beauty how-tos.

The content on Flipboard has been paginated and designed to reflect each title's unique brand experience. Inside of the pages of PEOPLE, InStyle, TIME and FORTUNE on Flipboard will also be full page beautiful advertising inventory for brands around the world interested in reaching these readers. Time Inc. will offer its advertisers sharable full page ads within its Flipboard content. Gucci has signed on as a launch partner to InStyle on Flipboard.

"The demand for Time Inc.'s mobile content has grown exponentially this year, from celebrity and style content to breaking news," said Fran Hauser, President, Digital, Time Inc Style & Entertainment Group. "If you look at the enormous built-in following and influence our brands carry, and combine it with Flipboard's ability to showcase our content and photography so beautifully and make it more discoverable, this is a great place for us to be."

"With this deal the iconic publications of PEOPLE, InStyle, TIME and FORTUNE will bring the important stories, amazing visuals, analytical pieces and pop culture trends of the day to the millions of people on Flipboard. We are very proud to be a part of Time Inc.'s strategy to reach readers everywhere," said Mike McCue, Flipboard CEO.

About Time Inc.
Time Inc., a division of Time Warner, is one of the largest branded media companies in the world reaching more than 130 million Americans each month across multiple platforms. With influential brands such as TIME, PEOPLE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, InStyle, and REAL SIMPLE, Time Inc. is home to celebrated events and franchises including the FORTUNE 500, TIME 100, PEOPLE's Most Beautiful and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S Sportsman of the Year.

About Flipboard
Flipboard is your personal magazine. It's the most popular way to catch up on the news you care about, discover amazing things from around the world, or stay connected to the people closest to you. Inspired by the beauty and ease of print media, Flipboard is designed so you can easily flip through the stories, videos and images on just about any topic imaginable. Start reading your magazine by downloading Flipboard at www.flipboard.com.

MTV Artists iPhone app wants to help you discover new music, provide a deeper connection with musicians

The number of media discovery apps keeps getting bigger by the day, and the latest to join the frenzy is MTV. Simply dubbed MTV Artists, the newly announced iPhone application is loaded with a vast amount of music-focused features, including detailed artists pages and the ability to search for tracks by simply typing in lyrics. What's more, MTV also suited the app with Sound ID, a Shazam-esque function which can quickly identify songs -- this is particularly useful when you're trying to find out who sings a tune that you may be hearing for the first time. MTV tells us that Artists is more than just another music discovery app, noting that the idea is to connect users with artists by way of in-depth profiles, which contain things such as image galleries, videos and tour dates. MTV Artists will only be available for iOS (iPhone-optimized) at launch, but the network did say that an Android version is in the works and set to come "sometime in 2014." MTV Artists for iPhone See all photos

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Daniel Orren contributed to this report.

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MTV LAUNCHES MTV ARTISTS APP EXCLUSIVELY FOR IPHONE

The New Music App Serves as the Starting Point for Seamless Artist and Music Discovery, Access to More Than A Million Artist Profiles and

Exclusive Content Direct from Artists and MTV

New York, October 31, 2013 – Today marks the debut of MTV Artists, a new app,

exclusively for iPhone, that simplifies the process of discovering and connecting

with artists. Brought to you by the original connector of artists and fans, MTV, the

app provides three primary functions to serve the music fan. First, as the starting

point for fans to discover new music and artists drafting off the way fans already

experience music today (through sound ID, lyrics and search), next, as a hub to

learn and establish a connection with artists and finally as a daily destination for

exclusive content and access directly from artists and MTV. MTV Artists is the

mobile extension to Artists.MTV.com that powers MTV/CMT/VH1's 100 million

homes on-air. Pepsi will serve as the premiere launch partner.

DISCOVER NEW MUSIC AND ARTISTS

For music fans, the app will serve as the definitive music companion experience

to quickly identify an artist or song and then provide a deeper dive into the artist,

including a 90-second scan of the artist's top songs. The app features three entry

points for discovery:

• Song Identification: Whether at a party, club or even watching music

videos at home on the couch, the app will quickly identify millions of songs

spanning all decades and genres.

• Lyrics Search: Can't get that song hook out of your head, but can't seem

to track down the song title? By simply typing in a few lyrics, fans will not

only learn the name of the elusive song, but also get the inside track on

the artist.

• Artist Search: Feeling out of the loop when your friends are talking about

new artists like Lorde, Haim and The Ceremonies, or artists with a long,

varied history like Pearl Jam or TLC? One quick click and not only will you

be in the know on that artist, but also be able to provide recommendations

on similar artists.

MAKE A CONNECTION WITH ARTISTS

Whether you've just discovered a new artist and are looking for more info about

them, or you're a superfan looking to watch an interview with MTV News, MTV

Artists has you covered. Building upon the success of Artists.MTV.com, the MTV

Artists app contains more than 1 million artist pages, many of which feature

content direct from artists. Fans will have access to MTV's deep catalog of audio

and exclusive video content spanning Miley all the way back to Duran Duran. At

launch the app, will feature:

• Artist Info At-a-Glance: In a less-than-a-minute, you can read an artist's

bio, learn where they hail from, their genre of music, and the year they

started, or even get a list of similar artists.

• Retro Archive Footage: Want to relive Madonna's proclamations of world

dominance, see TLC discuss the story behind their smash single "Creep,"

or hear Kurt Cobain's assertion that he's not a rock star? MTV Artists is

packed with exclusive interviews and news reports that are not available

anywhere else.

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO ARTISTS

Unlike other music sites and app, MTV Artists has turned the keys over to the

artists to populate and control their own pages so they can communicate as

frequently and in whatever which way they want with their fans. Here's what you

can expect:

• Exclusive Content from Your Favorite Artists and MTV: From

backstage video messages from artists like A$AP Rocky, personal

introductions from artists like Demi Lovato, first listens for new soon-
to-be-released albums from artists like Kopecky Family Band, to live

performances by artists like Jack Johnson, the MTV Artists App will keep

fans and artists connected. Each day, the app will add new content from a

plethora of artists.

• Seamlessly Follow Artists Social Pages From One Place: Getting

dizzy from jumping back and forth between Facebook and Twitter and

still feel like you're missing out on updates from your favorite artist? MTV

Artists streamlines artist's social feed into one place to keep you in the

loop and not out in the cold.

• Access to buy songs and tickets: Like what you hear? The MTV Artists

app easily allows you to buy albums, singles and concert tickets.

Panasonic officially quits plasma TVs, blames Lehman Brothers even after all this time

We may compare Panasonic to the character of Michael Myers way too often, but this Halloween the analogy is particularly relevant given news the company is officially killing plasma TV production. Manufacturing of plasma panels will end in December this year, earlier than the most recent rumor suggested, with the last remaining factories going dark in March 2014 at the same time sales efforts will cease. It's a strategic decision to free up resources, the firm claims, citing low demand for plasma and the impact of LCD development as reasons for its exit. "Severe price competition" as a result of the Lehman Brothers collapse way back in 2008 is also blamed, so when you're left wanting the warm glow of new Panasonic plasma next year, you know who to shake an angry fist at.

Pandora for Android adds Chromecast streaming and a tablet-ready UI

When Google's Chromecast streaming device launched, the company mentioned it would stream stream music from Pandora eventually and now that day has arrived. At least on Android, a new version 5 of the app is available in the Play Store that's flashing a UI ready for tablets, plus that familiar broadcast icon. Not everyone that has downloaded the app has been able to use the feature yet and it's not mentioned in a blog announce post or the changelog, but we got it streaming after using our Chromecast app to remotely force a reboot on the dongle. Everything worked smoothly for us, and the new tablet-optimized UI looks good on the Nexus 7 (2013). We're sure Google has some surprises on the way soon, and hopefully it's not done expanding the features and availability of this popular $35 accessory.

Follow the Saga Google Chromecast Pandora for Android adds Chromecast streaming and a tablet-ready UI

Oct 31st 2013 4:49AM

Google hints at Chromecast expansion as its apps go international

Oct 19th 2013 5:12PM

Amazon now shipping Chromecast orders outside of the US (update: not anymore)

Oct 8th 2013 6:09AM

More Stories >

Web-based Windows Phone dev tool has built 65,000 apps, gets upgraded with NFC

Some gave short shrift to Windows Phone App Studio beta when it launched in August, but its web based development tool is proving to be popular -- developers have already built 65,000 apps. Microsoft hopes to keep that momentum going with a slew of App Studio upgrades that should make these fast-track apps even more powerful. Beta users can now integrate other phone functions into their apps with simple, menu-driven "actions" that include context-aware tasks like dialing numbers. The update also enables NFC for beaming software to other App Studio users, and it's possible to earn money through the official Windows Phone ad kit. Those keen on using any of the beta's new tricks just have to sign into App Studio at the source link.

Official PlayStation 4 FAQ explains what the system can (and can't) do

Sony has built a reputation of releasing numerous updates to its PlayStation platform, and apparently that has carried over to PS4 news ahead of launch. If last week's updates weren't enough, the company posted a massive FAQ (yes, we read all 30 pages, including the list of launch titles) to the PlayStation Blog today, explaining a few details we weren't clear on. For starters, the PS4 can't stream media from your home network like its predecessor could. Sony's next-gen console also won't play MP3s or CDs, and the only way of using your own background music in-game is via Sony's Music Unlimited service. PlayStation's Head of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida addressed concerns about this on Twitter, saying he'd share feedback with the PS4 dev team for future consideration. Whether you still like it or not, you're stuck with your old PSN ID too. Another "can't" relates to cached game data. If you rent Knack and a few weeks later want to buy a digital copy from the PSN Store, you can't simply grab an activation code to use with the data cached to your hard drive, you have to download the full game.

The tech giant also shed new light on a few audio-related aspects of the PS4. Out of the box, you'll be able to output all game audio through the DualShock 4's 3.5mm headset jack. However, it isn't until after the V1.5 Day One patch that "most" USB headsets will be usable with the system. The former likely means audio will be limited to stereo unless the controller is packing some sort of DSP on-board, while the latter presumably enables chat functionality for higher-end cans. We've reached out to Sony for clarification and will update this post if we hear back. Until then, keep the FAQ in an open browser tab -- Sony promised it will keep patching adding to it leading up to and after the PS4's launch.

ASUS and Samsung gain wide swaths of tablet market share in Q3

IDC has posted third quarter market share estimates which show that Android tablet makers had an exceptional summer. Samsung jumped more than two points over its Q2 results, claiming 20.4 percent of shipments; ASUS also thrived during the period, moving up from just 4.5 points in the second quarter to 7.4 percent three months later. Both saw big year-over-year gains, although they didn't grow as quickly as up-and-comers like Acer and Lenovo. It's not hard to see why ASUS and Samsung made such large strides -- both the Galaxy Tab 3 line and the new Nexus 7 launched in the summer.

Things weren't quite as rosy for other tablet designers. While Apple was still the top manufacturer, it slipped below 30 percent in market share. IDC hasn't yet broken down shipments by OS, but it notes that the "others" category -- including Amazon, Microsoft and other small players -- shrank slightly to 35.3 points. The field is very likely to change in the fourth quarter between new iPads, the Kindle Fire HDX and Surface sequels. For now, though, it appears that the tablet market is shifting toward the giants of the Android world.

iCharts

Three to carry iPad Air and new iPad mini in the UK

With the iPad Air but a day away from launching in the UK, it's high time that the nation's cellular networks began crowing about which ones will carry the device. Three is the first to pipe up, saying that you'll be able to snag both the Air from tomorrow and the iPad Mini with Retina when it arrives later in November. The cheapest package will set you back £7.50 a month with 1GB of data on a monthly contract, plus £499 up-front for the 16GB model -- while you can grab 15GB a month if you pony up £25 every four weeks. Don't forget that while you'll initially be stuck with just 3G signals, the network will begin its LTE rollout in December, so factor that in when you make your decision.

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Three to Offer iPad Air in UK on November 1, 2013

UK, London - October 29, 2013 -Three today announced that it will offer iPad Air with Wi-Fi + Cellular in UK on Friday, November 1, and iPad mini with Retina display with Wi-Fi + Cellular later in November. Three will offer these new iPads with a range of attractive data plans that will allow customers to connect to its fast DC-HSDPA+ 3G network and its 4G network that will be available at no extra cost, in December.

iPad Air features a stunning 9.7-inch Retina display in a new thinner and lighter design. Precision-engineered to weigh just one pound, iPad Air is 20 percent thinner and 28 percent lighter than the fourth generation iPad, and with a narrower bezel, the borders of iPad Air are dramatically thinner-making content even more immersive. iPad mini with Retina display brings all the pixels from the 9.7-inch iPad to its 7.9-inch screen, delivering razor sharp text and detail in the same amazingly thin and light design. The new iPads feature the powerful and power-efficient Apple-designed A7 chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, ultrafast wireless with faster built-in Wi-Fi and expanded LTE cellular connectivity, and the newly-designed iOS 7 featuring hundreds of great new features.

Customers can buy iPad Air with Wi-Fi + Cellular at all Three retail shops, online or by calling 0800 358 8460, beginning November, 1. For complete details on pricing and pre-registration, please visit www.three.co.uk.
For more information on iPad please visit www.apple.com/ipad.

Daily Roundup: Tesla's Supercharger Corridor, Sprint Spark, Steam's battle for the living room and more!

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.

Steam now 65 million users strong

Steam now proudly claims 65 million users -- a 30 percent improvement over the past 12 months. Follow the link for more information about Steam Machines, SteamOS and the Steam Controller.

Tesla's West Coast Supercharger Corridor now open

Are you the proud owner of a Tesla Model S? If so, you can now delight in a quick, free recharge, courtesy of Tesla Motors' Supercharger Corridor. At least six of the locations between San Diego and Vancouver are open for business, putting most Californians within just 200 miles of a Supercharger. Continue reading to learn more about supercharger locations and upcoming demonstrations.

Nintendo sells 300,000 more Wii U consoles

Though Nintendo reported a loss for the previous quarter, the company still managed to sell another 300,000 units of the Wii U. It's a far cry from its goal of 9 million units by March of 2014, but it's better than nothing, right? Read on to find out about why we think the handheld market is still Nintendo's best bet for success.

Sprint introduces Spark enhanced LTE

Sprint's looking to shake things up with Sprint Spark, an LTE service that aims to deliver 50-60 Mbps speeds to its users, with potential to get faster over time. The rollout begins today, so click through to find out when, where and on what devices you can expect to benefit from these supercharged cellular waves.

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Facebook exceeds expectations as it tallies 874 million monthly mobile users

Mobile advertising drove Facebook's impressive growth in Q2 as the company continued to increase monthly active user numbers north of the one billion mark. For Q3 2013, the social network beat analysts' expectations once more with $2.02 billion in revenue for the period. Daily active users for the month of September averaged 728 million (a 25 percent increase year-over-year) and monthly active users rose to 1.19 billion. Mobile check-ins grew once more as well, seeing 874 million monthly (a 45 percent year-over-year increase) and 507 million daily users compared to 819 million and 469 million for those sectors during Q2. These numbers show that the gap between mobile and total active users continues to draw closer with each passing three-month period as Facebook continues the mobile push and social media increasingly becomes a chore for handsets and tablets on-the-go.

Those ads on users' daily drivers accounted for 49 percent of all ad revenue in Q3 2013 -- up from 41 percent last quarter. If the current pattern holds, the fourth quarter report could show that over half of the outfit's revenue is coming from mobile advertising. Revenue from ads on the whole is up 66 percent from Q3 2012 totaling $1.8 billion. Of course, the so-called "native" ads that appear as regular posts in the News Feed have become part of the strategy for working in sponsored content. "The strong results we achieved this quarter show that we're prepared for the next phase of our company, as we work to bring the next five billion people online and into the knowledge economy," said founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. When compared to the same quarter last year, net income is also up as it rang in at $425 million in comparison to the net loss of $59 million the outfit saw during Q3 2012. The quarterly earnings call will take place shortly, but we'll be sure to update this post if any newsy bits are mentioned there.

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Facebook Reports Third Quarter 2013 Results

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) today reported financial results for the third quarter, which ended September 30, 2013.

"For nearly ten years, Facebook has been on a mission to connect the world," said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. "The strong results we achieved this quarter show that we're prepared for the next phase of our company, as we work to bring the next five billion people online and into the knowledge economy."

Third Quarter 2013 Operational Highlights

Daily active users (DAUs) were 728 million on average for September 2013, an increase of 25% year-over-year.
Monthly active users (MAUs) were 1.19 billion as of September 30, 2013, an increase of 18% year-over-year.
Mobile MAUs were 874 million as of September 30, 2013, an increase of 45% year-over-year. Mobile DAUs were 507 million on average for September 2013.

Third Quarter 2013 Financial Highlights

Revenue – Revenue for the third quarter of 2013 totaled $2.02 billion, an increase of 60%, compared with $1.26 billion in the third quarter of 2012.

Revenue from advertising was $1.80 billion, a 66% increase from the same quarter last year.
Mobile advertising revenue represented approximately 49% of advertising revenue for the third quarter of 2013.
Payments and other fees revenue was $218 million for the third quarter of 2013.

Costs and expenses – GAAP costs and expenses for the third quarter of 2013 were $1.28 billion, an increase of 45% from the third quarter of 2012 driven primarily by infrastructure expense and increased headcount. Excluding share-based compensation and related payroll tax expenses, non-GAAP costs and expenses were $1.03 billion in the third quarter of 2013, up 40% compared to $737 million for the third quarter of 2012.

Income from operations – For the third quarter of 2013, GAAP income from operations was $736 million, compared to GAAP income from operations of $377 million in the third quarter of 2012. Excluding share-based compensation and related payroll tax expenses, non-GAAP income from operations for the third quarter of 2013 was $987 million, up 88% compared to $525 million for the third quarter of 2012.

Operating margin – GAAP operating margin was 37% for the third quarter of 2013, compared to 30% in the third quarter of 2012. Excluding share-based compensation and related payroll tax expenses, non-GAAP operating margin was 49% for the third quarter of 2013, compared to 42% for the third quarter of 2012.

Provision for income taxes – GAAP income tax expense for the third quarter of 2013 was $301 million, representing a 41% effective tax rate. Excluding share-based compensation and related payroll tax expenses, the non-GAAP effective tax rate would have been approximately 36%.

Net income (loss) and EPS – For the third quarter of 2013, GAAP net income was $425 million, compared to a net loss of $59 million for the third quarter of 2012. Excluding share-based compensation and related payroll tax expenses and income tax adjustments, non-GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2013 was $621 million, up 100% compared to $311 million for the third quarter of 2012. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.17 in the third quarter of 2013, compared to a loss per share of $0.02 in the third quarter of 2012. Excluding share-based compensation and related payroll tax expenses and income tax adjustments, non-GAAP diluted EPS for the third quarter of 2013 was $0.25, up 108% compared to $0.12 in the third quarter of 2012.

Capital expenditures – Capital expenditures for the third quarter of 2013 were $284 million.

Cash and marketable securities – Cash and marketable securities were $9.33 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2013.

Webcast and Conference Call Information
Facebook will host a conference call to discuss the results at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET today. The live webcast can be accessed at the Facebook Investor Relations website at investor.fb.com, along with the company's earnings press release, financial tables and slide presentation. Facebook uses the investor.fb.com website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.

Following the call, a replay will be available at the same website. A telephonic replay will be available for one week following the conference call at + 1 (404) 537-3406 or + 1 (855) 859-2056, conference ID 71787026.

Be a volunteer at Engadget Expand from November 7-10!

Are you the kind of ham who likes to be a part of the show? Does the sound of free tickets strike your fancy? Most importantly, do you like to work hard and have fun? Then you just might be a candidate to volunteer at Engadget Expand New York!

We're taking over the Jacob K. Javits' Convention Center in New York City for four full days, November 7-10 (though the 7th is for us to prepare, and the 8th is open just to press). We're looking for a small army of folks to cover one or more of these shifts:

Thursday - 2pm to 6pm (One day ticket for Saturday or Sunday included.) Friday - 8am to 6pm (Weekend pass included.) Saturday and Sunday - 9am to 6pm (Weekend pass included.)

As a volunteer, we'll likely ask you to help out with tasks such as:

Registration Ticket scanning Helping with giveaways Assisting sponsors with load in/load out Lending a hand with an assortment of errands Feeding someone's pet rabbit

While we'll be asking for preferences on tasks, we can't promise that you'll get what you're after. Conversely, if there are any tasks you can't help with or aren't comfortable doing,let us know and we'll work something out! (And we're kidding about the rabbit).

Once you apply to volunteer at Engadget Expand, we'll confirm your attendance and give more details over email. If you have any questions about volunteering, drop us a line at events AT engadget DOT com.

ZTE launches Blade Q smartphone line in Mini, regular and Maxi sizes

Don't like having to give up (or gain) features just because you want a smartphone in a different screen size? With ZTE's new Blade Q line of entry-level Android phones, that won't be a problem. The 4-inch Blade Q Mini, 4.5-inch Blade Q and 5-inch Blade Q Maxi all offer the same dual-core 1.3GHz MediaTek processor, HSPA+ data, 4GB of storage, 5-megapixel rear camera and IPS-based display technology. The most conspicuous change is the absence of a front 0.3-megapixel camera on the Mini. We've reached out to ZTE for exact launch details, but the company has already confirmed a European release; we suspect budget-conscious buyers won't have to wait long.

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ZTE celebrates success of its Blade series and reveals the ZTE Blade Q Range

* ZTE unveils the ZTE Blade Q range including the ZTE Blade Q Mini, ZTE Blade Q and ZTE Blade Q Maxi
* The Blade series has been one of most popular smartphone series with millions of devices sold globally
* ZTE Blade III, ZTE Blade III Pro, ZTE Blade V and ZTE Blade G now on sale in 23 countries across Europe

30 October 2013, Shenzhen, China – ZTE today reveals the ZTE Blade Q range following the success of its previous Blade products in Europe. The ZTE Blade Q range will join one of the most popular series of smartphones in Europe, with the ZTE Blade III, ZTE Blade III Pro, ZTE Blade V and ZTE Blade G already available in 23 countries in the region.

Mr AO Wen, General Manager of ZTE Handset European Operation Office, said, "At ZTE we believe that smartphone technology should be accessible for everyone. The popularity of the Blade series across Europe proves that there is real consumer appetite for high performance smartphones at a great price. The features available across the Blade handsets redefine 'value for money' in the smartphone market, and we're confident that the ZTE Blade Q range will continue to grow ZTE's position in Europe."

With such a positive response from customers across Europe for the Blade series, the ZTE Blade Q range has been designed with their wishes at the heart. To answer consumer desire for both larger and smaller devices, the ZTE Blade Q range will be the first of the Blade handsets available in three formats; the ZTE Blade Q Mini which offers a compact and efficient device with a 4" screen; the ZTE Blade Q which offers superb design with a 4.5" screen and the ZTE Blade Q Maxi which features a large and bright 5" screen. All screens feature IPS screen technology that prevents screen picture distortion and allows 178º viewing.

ZTE has designed the Blade series to offer more power for its price than competitors and the ZTE Blade Q will be no exception. The ZTE Blade Q range is defined not only by great design but by powerful performance with all devices featuring a dual-core 1.3 GHz processor, 1GB RAM and 21 MB/s HSPA+ connectivity to provide a seamless and effortless experience for browsing the internet, downloading music and apps, streaming videos and music, playing online games and much more.

Like popular predecessors in the Blade series, including the ZTE Blade III, ZTE Blade V and ZTE Blade G, the ZTE Blade Q range boast a 5 MP camera with auto-focus and flash, and a panoramic shooting mode to capture the perfect picture. The ZTE Q range is ready to go straight out of the box, with an array of must-have Google services, popular cloud services like Evernote and Dropbox and a top office suite pre-installed.

Key specifications of the ZTE Blade Q series

ZTE Blade Q Mini specifications:

Operating system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Size: 125.5x63.9x8.9mm

Display: 4' WVGA (480x800Pixel)

Camera: 5 megapixel camera with AF/ Flash

Network: GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz

UMTS 900/2100 MHz

Battery: 1500 mAh

Processor: 1.3 GHz dual core MTK processor

Memory: 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM intern memory

Other: GPS, WiFi 802.11 abgn, Bluetooth 4.0

Mobile Hotspot, HD voice, dual microphone for noise reduction, FM radio

ZTE Blade Q specifications:

Operating system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Size and weight: 135x67x9.5mm

Display: 4.5'FWVGA(480x854Pixel)

Camera: 5 megapixel camera with AF/ Flash

0.3 megapixel front camera

Network: GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz

UMTS 900/2100 MHz

Battery: 1800 mAh Lithium-Ion battery

Processor: 1.3 GHz dual core MTK processor

Memory: 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM intern memory

Other: GPS, WiFi 802.11 abgn, Bluetooth 4.0

Mobile Hotspot,HD voice, dual microphone for noise reduction , FM radio

ZTE Blade Q Maxi specifications:

Operating system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Size and weight: 143x72x9.1mm

Display: 5' FWVGA (480x854Pixel)

Camera: 5 megapixel camera with AF/ Flash

0.3 megapixel front camera

Network: GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz

UMTS 900/2100 MHz

Battery: 2000 mAh

Processor: 1.3 GHz dual core MTK processor

Memory: 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM intern memory

Other: GPS, WiFi 802.11 abgn, Bluetooth 4.0

Mobile Hotspot, HD voice, dual microphone for noise reduction, FM radio

Nike bringing new features to original Fuelband on November 6th

Worried that your first generation Nike Fuelband would be left in the cold in favor of the revamped model? The sportswear company has announced that early adopters will get a firmware upgrade that'll provide better tracking algorithms, double-tap for the time and sessions support. Of course, since the SE now comes with Bluetooth LE, you won't have total feature parity, but at least it'll save you $150 while you wait for the next one.

Google Play launches its first foreign language TV show hub in Japan

Google's brushed up on its foreign language (and content bartering) skills to bring TV shows to Japan, making it only the third country after the US and UK.You'll need a Japanese Google account to see the content, but it's a pretty up-to-date mix of homemade drama, animations and the obligatory American hit, translated and subtitled for its target audience. Google Japan took to its blog to announce the highlights of the TV store, which are a mix of rental and full-purchase media. See if your favorite niche, romantic rollercoaster of a J-drama made the cut at the source link.

Google donates 17,000 Nexus 7 tablets to help New Yorkers still affected by Hurricane Sandy

A year has passed since Hurricane Sandy came ashore, but the northeastern US is still feeling its impact through closed facilities and lost jobs. Google hopes to tackle some of those longer-term challenges by donating 17,000 Nexus 7 tablets to the New York State Community Action Association. The non-profit will primarily hand out the Android slates to community centers, libraries and business development groups for both education and job training. Some devices will go to senior centers, where they'll help older residents communicate with friends and family that would otherwise be out of reach. While the donation won't have as much of an immediate effect as direct aid, it could be useful to New Yorkers who need more than just the basics to get back to normal.

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Governor Cuomo Announces Google's Tablet Donation to Sandy Impacted Communities on 1 Year Anniversary of Storm

Google Has Donated 17,000 Nexus Tablets to Libraries, Senior Centers, and Business and Community Centers in Sandy Affected Areas

Albany, NY (October 29, 2013)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today, on the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, announced that Google has donated 17,000 Nexus 7 tablets to assist New Yorkers impacted by the storm. The tablets, which have a retail value of over $2.7 million, have been placed at central locations in communities affected by Superstorm Sandy, including libraries, senior centers, and business and community centers.

"It has been almost a year since New York went through the worst natural disaster in our history but for many of our state's residents who are still building back the generosity of companies like Google can make a huge difference," Governor Cuomo said. "Private donations like these are critical in aiding local communities in our ongoing recovery. We thank Google for helping New York build back better than before."

"Google is proud to partner with Governor Cuomo and the New York State Community Action Agencies on this hardware donation," said former New York Congresswoman Susan Molinari, Vice President for Government Relations at Google. "We believe that technology can and does play a compelling role in rebuilding communities to make them more resilient and stronger. Increasingly, more and more people are using technology and the internet to educate themselves or provide for their families. Our hope is that these tablets will be a resource to do just that."

"I applaud Google and Governor Cuomo for coordinating a donation that focuses on strengthening our communities," said New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales, who Governor Cuomo placed as Hurricane Sandy Donations Coordinator. "The New York Department of State is proud to have played a role in assisting Google in this donation."

Google has donated the tablets to the New York State Community Action Association (NYSCAA), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that provides services and advocacy to improve the lives of people throughout New York. The State of New York, with the help of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, facilitated initial storage and distribution of the tablets to central locations in Sandy-affected areas. A list of locations receiving tablets is provided at the end of this release. The tablets will support a range of programs:

* Libraries will use the tablets in job training, work skills and English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages classes, and as e-reader loaners in the areas where libraries are not yet reopened
* Small business development organizations plan to integrate tablets into onsite business assistance and training classes. The organizations will also provide assistance to a high school entrepreneurship program run in about 30 underserved schools in New York City by New York State Small Business Development Centers.
* To help combat senior isolation, senior centers will employ tablets in teaching seniors to use video chatting and other electronic communication services as a way to keep them connected to their friends and families.
* Community centers will be able to use tablets in their programs to move young people living in poverty towards STEM and other high-skilled careers, as well as to assist their parents gain and improve technology-based job skills.

NYSCAA was created in 1987 to provide information, professional development, and technical assistance to New York State's community action agencies. NYSCAA has a staff of six and a 21-member Board of Directors made up of the Executive Directors and key staff of member community action agencies. NYSCAA has a long history of enhancing the capacity of local organizations to serve as effective, responsive community resources.

"The community agencies serving people affected by Superstorm Sandy are grateful to Google and Governor Cuomo for this generous donation," said Karla Digirolamo, the CEO of the NYS Community Action Agency. "Recovery and rebuilding is a long and difficult task and NYSCAA is pleased to offer this resource to the programs that are committed to this important work."

Mad Catz announces S.T.R.I.K.E.M keyboard for gamers on the go

Mad Catz is no stranger to gaming keyboards of course, but it had yet to bring its S.T.R.I.K.E branding to the mobile market. That changes today, however, with the launch of the S.T.R.I.K.E.M, a keyboard specifically made for portable devices such as its own M.O.J.O micro console for Android. Like the rest of the company's GameSmart devices, the S.T.R.I.K.E.M keyboard is equipped with Bluetooth LE for low-power connectivity, but it also features NFC technology for quick and easy pairing with compatible products. Frequent gamers will appreciate the micro P.U.L.S.E scissor keys underneath as well as an Optical Finger Navigation (OFN) mouse sensor. Other features include a rechargeable lithium polymer battery, backlighting for those late night gaming sessions and dedicated media keys. The S.T.R.I.K.E.M will be available in glossy black, white and red. We're not sure yet how much it'll cost or when it'll be available, but rest assured it'll likely arrive before the end of the y.e.a.r.

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Mad Catz® Announces S.T.R.I.K.E. M ™ Mobile Keyboard

New GameSmart™ Keyboard Features Bluetooth® and Near Field Communication (NFC) Technologies for Simple Connection to Multiple Devices

San Diego – October 29, 2013 – Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. ("Mad Catz") (NYSE MKT/TSX: MCZ) announced today the S.T.R.I.K.E.M Mobile Keyboard. Expected to ship in time for Holiday 2013, the S.T.R.I.K.E.M features a tablet sized footprint, ideal for mobile use and designed to interface with a wide variety of platforms and smart devices including the Company's forthcoming M.O.J.O.™ Micro-Console™ for Android™.

Part of the Company's range of GameSmart mobile products, the S.T.R.I.K.E.M features NFC technology allowing gamers to connect the keyboard simply by tapping it to a compatible device. For products without NFC compatibility, integrated Bluetooth allows for use with a wide variety of hardware including smartphones, tablets and laptops.

"The S.T.R.I.K.E. range has proven to resonate with passionate gamers, and we are exciting to extend the brand into mobile gaming with a technically advanced product which combines impressive features with striking aesthetics" said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive. "We believe the S.T.R.I.K.E.M fits perfectly with our long-term strategy of designing innovative products for passionate gamers across all gaming platforms."

The S.T.R.I.K.E.M features micro P.U.L.S.E. scissor keys for crisp actuation with a tactile click response and an Optical Finger Navigation (OFN) Mouse Sensor with dedicated mouse buttons. Powered by a rechargeable Lithium Polymer Battery, the S.T.R.I.K.E.M features illuminated backlighting for use in darkened environments, dedicated media buttons with volume scroll wheel and on board memory used for storing multiple macro commands.

The S.T.R.I.K.E.M will be available in gloss black, gloss white and gloss red.

Nao robot to become even more of a chatterbox with new software (video)

You may remember Nao, a charming humanoid robot, for its exploits on the soccer field, dance floor, or even for its love of amateur dramatics. While Nao has enjoyed chatting with us humans since its maker Aldebaran Robotics added Nuance's speech recognition wizardry in 2011, the pair have today reaffirmed their desire to turn the droid into a true conversationalist. Upgraded cloud-based tech from Nuance will apparently "allow people to have truly natural conversations with the robot" in 19 different languages when the new models become available early next year. Furthermore, Nao has a fresh, distinct voice intended to better represent its "personality" -- one that's programmed never to tire of your trivial discussions. A demo of these new features can be seen below, although Nao mostly lets folks from Nuance and Aldebaran take the floor to talk of the partnership and the future of robot interaction. Not before it busts out some new moves, however.

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Aldebaran Robotics and Nuance Revolutionize Human – Machine Interaction

NAO Robot Delivers Truly Natural and Conversational Interactions with Nuance's Powerful Voice Recognition and Text-to-Speech, Driving the Future of Human-Robot Communication

Paris, France and Burlington, Mass. – 29 October 2013 – Aldebaran Robotics and Nuance Communications, Inc, (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced that Aldebaran's renowned NAO Robot will integrate Nuance's conversational voice capabilities to deliver a more natural and compelling experience between humans and robots.

NAO is Aldebaran's successful, fully-programmable and interactive humanoid robot equipped with state-of-the-art motion, vision, tactile and audio capabilities. NAO can walk on different surfaces, track and recognize faces and objects, express and understand emotions, and react to touch and interact by voice. In fact, NAO has integrated Nuance's embedded voice recognition technology to accurately hear and respond to his interlocutor's voice, since 2011.

Aldebaran will now take advantage of Nuance's cloud-based voice recognition and expressive text-to-speech through Nuance's NDEV developer program. Combined, these technologies allow people to have truly natural conversations with the robot, in nineteen different languages. Further, NAO robots will become even further personalized through a custom text-to-speech voice that was specifically developed to match the robot's personality. As a result, Aldebaran will be able to create even more interaction possibilities for future generations of robots, and better develop how they will interact and engage in various settings, including education and special education environments with autistic children, and personal robotics. NAO robots featuring Nuance's Natural Language Understanding and text-to-speech will ship in early 2014.

"Developing natural, conversational interactions with humanoid robots is a challenging and pioneering area of robotics. Our robots have to express and understand emotions and for this, there needs to be expression in their voice that speaks to their personality, and matches their body language," said Bruno Maisonnier, CEO and founder of Aldebaran Robotics at a recent Nuance event. "Nuance and Aldebaran have combined our voice and robotics innovations to showcase what's possible for human-robot communication. Our vision is to create even more intuitive and human-like interactions between man and machine as part of the NAO experience, in turn creating a wealth of new application opportunities for NAO and the next generation of robotic companions."

"Nuance's conversational voice innovations have changed the way people engage their devices, consumer electronics, cars and a variety of applications – and now we're changing the way people can communicate with the world's most sophisticated humanoid robots," said Steve Chambers, president, sales and marketing, and executive vice president, Nuance. "By working with Aldebaran, we're creating unique and compelling possibilities in the space of robotics where people can connect with NAO as if they were connecting with another human being – and that's simply powerful."

Barnes & Noble's Nook GlowLight is lighter, brighter, whiter, with less Simple Touch for $119

As a ketchup bottle once famously said: Good things take time (we're paraphrasing here, of course). Roughly a year and a half ago, Barnes and Noble made its top-notch Nook Simple Touch even better, with the addition of GlowLight. Before the end of the year, however, the company had been outdone by both Kobo and Amazon in that department; the two e-reader competitors launched devices with more uniform and brighter front-lighting technologies. Since then, those companies have both offered up refreshes, Amazon with a new Paperwhite and Kobo with the slick Aura, leaving us wondering why Barnes & Noble had been quiet for so long. Surely issues with its hardware division couldn't be helping matters.

Today, however, things are looking, um, brighter for the company. The latest Nook is available now through Barnes & Noble's site, bringing with it a slew of upgrades and a shortened name. Say "goodbye" to Simple Touch. This time out, it's just Nook GlowLight, a new name for a new look. Gone is the matte black color scheme of its predecessor (not to mention most of the rest of the industry); the company has traded that in for a white design that evokes the Nook HD tablet. It's also easier on the eyes, according to the company, with less of a contrast between the bezel and display. It's still a sizable bezel, of course. B&N didn't shave things down like the Kobo. There's also a rubber bumper running around the perimeter. The company won't actually call it "rugged," but we suspect that'll help it take a tumble a bit more gracefully. Barnes & Noble's Nook GlowLight is lighter, brighter, whiter, with less Simple Touch for $119 See all photos

19 Photos

Gone, sadly, are the physical page-turn buttons Barnes & Noble held onto for so long. And while the touchscreen is plenty responsive, we did always appreciate the option. Also ditched this time out is the concave back we liked on the Simple Touch models. We're told that the company no longer found it necessary in order to provide the most ergonomic experience, though we suspect it just jumped at the opportunity to make the device a bit thinner overall. That said, the reader's a pleasure to hold, thanks in no small part to its light weight. The GlowLight is a mere 6.2 ounces -- 15 percent lighter than the new Paperwhite, as the company happily points out. And indeed, it's an impressive reduction, bringing the heft down to around that of a pocket paperback.

The power button has been moved to the side, presumably to eliminate accidental triggers, though we watched as a rep put the cover on the reader and found him accidentally turning it on several times. The "n" button is still intact, thankfully, and used for both returning home and turning on the front light, which is accomplished when you hold it down for a few seconds. As for the GlowLight technology itself, the company's really upped the ante over the last gen, bringing it on par with the competition. Gone is the blue-tinged and spotty coverage of the first model. You can still see the origin of the lights up top, if you tilt it right, but, well, you have to tilt it to actually see them.

Like with the Aura, E Ink has managed to reduce full-page refreshes here, so there's no flash on the display every six pages or so while reading. Barnes & Noble says it's also done away with text ghosting, and indeed, we didn't see any during our demo. There's no expandable storage, though the on-board amount has been doubled to 4GB (also double that of the Paperwhite). The UI and store, meanwhile, have been simplified to the essentials -- probably the best for an e-reader. All of that is available today through Barnes & Noble's site for $119. The cover, meanwhile, will run you $22. It doesn't add to the reader's bulk, but it also doesn't close exactly, thanks to an absence of magnets. Life is full of trade-offs.