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Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Logitech Revue Rooted, Full Access To File System Available
The Logitech Revue has been out for a few months now and it’s already been cracked wide open. The new hack allows “root” access, thereby allowing anyone to load their own apps into the box and have access to the full filesystem. The bad news? You need a soldering iron.
The hack uses the Revue’s UART1 port to upload a start-up script. You actually have to solder a set of leads to the mainboard and then connect to the box using a terminal program.
Working past 65: Boomers face job challenges in senior years
The recession has tested our financial savvy on several different fronts, even calling into question the merits of the 401(k) plan itself. Roger Ferguson, CEO of TIAA-CREF, on what changes may be needed in retirement planning.
Cabin Fever Toys: Getting kids and technology some fresh air
Usually the companies I talk to have just launched or are ready to ship. Cabin Fever Toys is different—they’re a TechStars Seattle company, and they’re still an early-stage startup. But they’ve mastered their pitch, and they’ve got big plans for the toy world in 2011.
“We’re working on toys and technology to get kids to play more actively outdoors,” explains Adam Tratt, founder and CEO of Cabin Fever Toys. “I’ve been working on a product concept, I’ve got a provisional patent on it, and I’ve been crafting the pitch. I’m talking to anybody who will listen, who cares deeply about the health of kids and getting kids to play in new, better ways.”
Cabin Fever’s first product is a virtual pet that Tratt describes as “the technology of Nike Plus, with the fun gameplay of a Wii, inside a loveable stuffed animal like a Webkinz.” Instead of having all that technology tethering kids to a screen, the toy spurs kids to run around outside.
Since Cabin Fever Toys is more than software, Tratt is in a unique position to pitch investors. “I’m getting a ton of interest from folks that don’t normally invest in a company like mine,” he says. “But they’re parents, and they understand that one in three kids in the U.S. is overweight or obese and somebody needs to do something about it. So I’m getting a good response in spite of the fact that I don’t fit perfectly into the stereotypical tech startup.”
Indeed, Cabin Fever strikes a chord with people who remember simpler times. According to Tratt, “One of the things I hear a lot from parents is, ‘When I was a kid, my parents had to yell to get me to come inside. Now that I’m a parent, I have to yell to get my kids to go outside.’ That’s the toolset I’m trying to provide, and help parents foster that kind of goodness with their kids.”
Asus kicks off CES 2011 with four tablets
Asus held a pre-CES press conference at the Aria convention centre in Las Vegas today (Tuesday) to unveil four tablet computers, as well as TUF (The Ultimate Force) motherboards "designed to withstand rugged environments" -- they come with a 5-year warranty. Actually, we should probably say that Asus unveiled three new tablets (running Android) and one new slate (running Microsoft Windows).
The tablets start with the Eee Pad MeMO, which has a 7-inch capacitive screen and runs Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) on a Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processor. Asus is bundling it with a stylus for taking handwritten notes.
The Eee Pad Transformer and Eee Pad Slider have 10.1-inch touchscreens and run Android 3 on Nvidia Tegra 2 chips. The Transformer tablet slots into a keyboard dock for serious typing, and it also extends the battery life for a total of "up to 16 hours". The Slider has a sliding keyboard, which makes for a more mobile option. Check the video below to see the sliding action.
Unlike the Apple iPad, both the Transformer and Slider have front (1.2MP) and rear (5MP) facing cameras for taking photos and video chats. The Transformer's dock also has built-in mini-HDMI port so you can play HD movies to a separate screen or TV set.
The Slider looks very cool and it's extremely thin, so it's probably the one most likely to sell. How good it will prove in real life use is another question, of course, but it certainly gets decent marks for both innovation and style.
Finally, there's the Eee Slate EP121, which has a 12.1-inch multi-touch screen, and runs Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium on an Intel Core i5 with up to 4GB of memory and a 32GB or 64GB SSD drive. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and two USB 2.0 ports.
Asus claims the EP121 is "the most powerful tablet ever introduced", though of course it has its roots in the Windows XP Tablet PC that Microsoft promoted when it had tablet fever about a decade ago. The Slate EP121 runs proper business software, works with a Wacom Digitizer pen, and also comes with a Bluetooth keyboard.
Asus showed some US dates and expected prices. The Slate will be available this month at $999-$1,099, with the price being bumped up by the SSD drive. The Transformer should be out in April at $399-$699, with the Slider following in May at $499-$799. Surprisingly, if you want a 7-inch MeMo, priced at $499-$699 you'll have to wait until June. There's no news of UK availability or prices.
New Android Tablets from ASUS
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