Seth Weintraub

Slashdot has this:

 Internet forefather Vint Cerf has a simple answer for this potential problem: Increase bandwidth exponentially. With sufficient bandwidth, streaming video services of prerecorded content wouldn’t be necessary, said the now-technology evangelist at Google. With sufficient throughput, the entire file of a movie or television show could be downloaded in a fraction of the time that it would take to stream the content. Cerf, speaking at Juniper Network’s Nextwork conference, spoke about the company’s decision to outfit Kansas City with fiber-optic connections that Google claims will be 100 times faster than today’s services. The purpose of the project was ‘to demonstrate what happens when you have gigabit speeds available,’ Cerf said.

In France, they’ve had 100GB Fiber to the home for 5 years.  Meanwhile, I have the same speed Internet I had a decade ago in New York.  Sure, I could bump up to 100GB from Verizon but that’s $149/month before taxes fees and lock-ins.  Cerf is right.  Maybe it is time to move to Kansas City.
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[vodpod id=Video.11585214&w=425&h=350&fv=videoGUID%3D%7BA01AFCB2-7BBC-4801-A79E-0F6322F8EBF9%7D%26amp%3Bplayerid%3D4001%26amp%3BplyMediaEnabled%3D1%26amp%3BconfigURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwsj.vo.llnwd.net%2Fo28%2Fplayers%2F%26amp%3BautoStart%3Dfalse]

If you can keep up with the speed of his words, you’ll hear that he’s not recommending it for mainstream users just yet,

My verdict is that, while the Chromebook is a bold idea that may be a harbinger of the future of computing, it’s too limited and buggy today to be the main computer relied upon by mainstream users. I can’t recommend it over a standard laptop, except perhaps as a secondary machine for techies or early adopters.

…but acknowledges that there is a future in this type of computing.

Google is a smart, forward-looking company and there’s a logic to the Chromebook, which it sees as the first laptop designed for the Internet era. And it does have some attractive advantages over PCs and Macs

We’ll be posting our review soon.

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It seems like a no brainer. Samsung is building 8-inch screens into its refrigerator line.  Of course it is going to use Android so you can have 200,00 apps on your Honeycomb fridge, right?  Even HP picked Android to run its printers (at least until it picked up Palm) -Clearly Android is what everyone wants.

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Nope, it looks like Samsung is using its own proprietary, non-Bada embedded OS.  Likely due to stability concerns, Samsung went to something that Google doesn’t control.  We’ve combed through the 4000 page user manual (PDF) and nary a mention of Android, though some screenshots seem to be reminiscent of its UI (below).  Perhaps Samsung (or some hackers) will get Android on there in a future update.
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Seriously, don’t even look at this game unless you’ve got some hours to kill. Addictive!
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Sprint just tweeted out some fantastic news for EVO users: The Gingerbread update that killed Netflix has now been fixed according to the changelog (that was admirably quick < two weeks).  The fix was announced last week, but Sprint says it should be rolling out now…

Corrects the following introduced in 4.22.651.2

– voicemail notification issue

– hearing aid compatibility menu disappearing

– Netflix compatibility 

Though Sprint says the update should be available now, we’re constantly hitting the update button with no luck.  Anyone else?  Also, we’re not yet seeing Netflix in out Android Market.  Anyone?

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Inglewood, California-based SageTV announced on its website today that it has been acquired by Google.  The rest of the site, besides forums, has been closed down and visitors with questions are encouraged to send emails to sagetv-dev@google.com.

SageTV is a mediacenter and Slingbox type of product in one.  It isn’t immediately certain how Google will use SageTV but adding its Tivo-like recording capability to GoogleTVand the Google Cloud would certainly be interesting.   Placeshifting technology (Slingbox) would also be a compelling technology for GoogleTVs to get into.
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The folks at Fusible have been doing some sleuthing on the possibility of Google putting together a social network based on photos.  They found that Google has trademarked the name Photovine with the following under the following areas:

Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer software
IC 038. US 100 101 104. G & S: Communication services, namely, transmission of visual images and data by telecommunications networks, wireless communication networks, the Internet, information services networks and data networks

IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Non-downloadable computer software

IC 045. US 100 101. G & S: On-line social networking services

Additionally, a company who uses MarkMonitor to anonymously register domain names has bought photovine.com from a private holder.  Google is one of the companies that uses MarkMonitor.

Clearly that spells out a photo-sharing social network.

So, are Picasa/Picnik online services about to get more social under a new brand name?  All signs point to ‘yes’.

(Google Weddings, a mashup of similar Google services pictured above)
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Oracle purchased Sun for $7.4B in 2009.  The deal closed at the outset of 2010 and some wondered why Oracle had outbid IBM for the hardware/software giant.  Today we finally hear how much Oracle is after in its suit against Google over Android’s use of Java: $1.5 – $6 Billion.  That means that Oracle could recover more than half of the purchase price.  Perhaps most?  Just from one intellectual property suit.

Java pioneer and recent Google hire James Gosling gave a hint to what was to come when he resigned from Oracle right after the purchase

During the integration meetings between Sun and Oracle where we were being grilled about the patent situation between Sun and Google, we could see the Oracle lawyer’s eyes sparkle. Filing patent suits was never in Sun’s genetic code.

So, it seems that Oracle always had some Google Java money baked into its purchase price.  That’s why it could outbid IBM so spectacularly. 
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Apparently Apple didn’t take that Samsung request to review the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 too well.  Today, Apple’s added a bunch of phones and terse words to the list of phones that are supposedly infringing on the iPhone’s copyrights, including the Sidekick (right) and the Replenish(left) above.

The original complaint specifically accused the following products of infringement: “the Samsung Captivate, Continuum, Vibrant, Galaxy S 4G, Epic 4G, Indulge, Mesmerize, Showcase, Fascinate, Nexus S, Gem, Transform, Intercept, and Acclaim smart phones and the Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet.”

The amended complaint accuses all of the above plus the Droid Charge, Exhibit 4G, Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Prevail, Galaxy S (i9000), Gravity, Infuse 4G, Nexus S 4G, Replenish, Sidekick, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Galaxy S II (aka Galaxy S 2). It also specifies the accusation against “Showcase” products, naming the Showcase i500 and Showcase Galaxy S.

Why not include Samsung’s refrigerator line as well?

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets a lot of flack for arriving in its newly svelte body late to the tablet game with a 3.1 update.  But it is undoubtedly the best Honeycomb tablet out there.  Immediately, it was my favorite tablet to use, even with its buggy 3.0 software at Google I/O.  With the much improved 3.1 update, The Tab is now a complete system that will only get better.

Rather than do a review, I’m going to answer a bigger question: Why get a Galaxy Tab instead of an iPad 2.  And I’m not going to give reasons like “You are a geek and love the Google ecosystem”.  Here we go:

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Amazon has the Samsung Nexus S 4G for Sprint “unlocked” – (but where else can you use it?) for $439 with free shipping.  Theoretically, it could be used on Verizon’s 3G or even Cricket with some flashing expertise but you’ll likely want it for Sprint customers.

Not bad considering iPhone 4s go for $650 and $750.
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Is Motorola pulling a “Samsung” and going back to the drawing board with their XOOM, prettying and slimming it to match Apple’s iPad 2?  The Verizon ad (screenshot above, video below) seems to suggest just that.  Hopefully that channel inventory is ready to move because who is going to buy a XOOM now that a thinner version is coming down the pike?

Full video below (via Droid Life):
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PocketLint today published pictures of an Android device slider from LG which houses a small screen between keys on the keyboard below the full screen keyboard.  It reminds of the  Kyocera Echo meets Nintendo DS a bit with its extra screen but  that big screen on top isn’t really hitting the edges –  which is where they should be pushing the screens.

When this hits the streets, it ill be interesting to see what, if any, applications have been modified for this screen.

T-Mobile USA has an event/Android launch next week btw.  We’ll soon find out if this is the device on tap.  Another shot after the break.
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Fortune has a great Android article up from the magazine today called 100 million Android fans can’t be wrong.  It is good to see the Android news going mainstream.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06XCmy_cELE]

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available nationwide starting tomorrow. Retail partners include Best Buy online and in-store along with Fry’s Electronics, Amazon.com, Micro Center, Tiger Direct and Newegg.

Press release from last week below:

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From 9to5toys.com:

The original G1 Android phone just hit Heights via Ebay for $137.95 new in the box without a contract. While Google and T-Mobile have long left the G1 off their update lists, the folks in the mod community have it running Gingerbread with many of the fixings.

The T-Mobile G1 weighs 5.6-oz. and features a 480×320 touchscreen LCD, 3.2-megapixel digital camera, QWERTY-style keyboard, 3G support, Wi-Fi, One-Touch Google Search, Bluetooth 1.2, microSD slot, USB connectivity, and Android OS.

A new G1 in the box could also make a keepsake for the nostalgic Android fan.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp56vcQZBhY]

iPhone users aren’t the only ones that are addicted to coffee and Starbucks has just decided to address the other half.  Get your fill here.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyMfpJh3h4A]

Excellent commercial but not enough Galaxy S2.

Related articles

• Samsung Galaxy 2 to land on Sprint with NFC as the Samsung ‘Within’ (9to5google.com)

Google today announced the availability of ChromeBooks from Amazon and Best Buy in the US.  We’re able to order the Samsungs now but Acers don’t appear to be shipping just yet.

In other launch countries, visit google.com/chromebook to find a local retailer.  We’re still loving our Samsung Series 5 and will have a review ready this weekend.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akZ7huEkFRQ]

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8h4bzn8gxU]

Lots of updates today that we highlighted here, here and here.

HTC has thrown in the towel on upgrading its Desire handset because “it also can’t shovel Sense on it as well”.  Wow.

Rather than give its users a Nexus One-type of experience (the Desire is very similar in forma and function to the Nexus One) it will leave its users stranded at 2.2.

Time to call Cyanogen.
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