Logitech Launches Keyboard for Android Tablets

Logitech is one of the leading brands when it comes to accessories related to computers and tablets.And now they are hoping to continue the success as tablets begin taking a foothold.After recently launching accessories for general Android tablets in a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse and speaker, Logitech is now getting  more specific.Today sees the company announcing an exclusive accessory for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the form of a Bluetooth keyboard/tablet stand and carrying case. Features include an aluminum lid and ZAGG's award winning protection to (keep it secret), keep it safe.
The Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android 3.0 is a keyboard, as well as a stand and has a protective carrying case that protects it against damages that occur during travelling. Logitech claims that the stand is sturdy and combines the best of both the traditional, as well as a laptop keyboard. Speaking at the launch of this Android tablet accessory in India, Subrotah Biswas, Logitech Country Manager for India and South West Asia, said, We know people love their iPads and Android tablets and want to do more with them, whether it is typing emails or writing blog posts. Logitech?s tablet accessories for iPad and Android tablets greatly extend the tabletexperience for people and allow them to conveniently and effortlessly create content on their tablets.?

This tablet keyboard comes with media controls to manage music and entertainment, giving users the ability to play, pause and adjust the volume. The Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android 3.0+ pairs easily with your Android 3.0+ tablet using Bluetooth.

Free Portal 2 DLC Coming on October 4

Valve's first DLC pack for Portal 2 will be free and available for all platforms next week.

>ZoomFriday Valve Software's Doug Lombardi sent over an email (in BIG TEXT) announcing that the first DLC pack for Portal 2 will be free and rolled out on October 4, 2011 for the Xbox 360,PlayStation 3, Windows PC and Mac. Called Portal 2: Peer Review, the content will be automatically downloaded via Steam on PC and Mac -- console owners will need to manually download the add-on via their respective networks.

In "Peer Review," gamers and their friends will continue the story of loyal bots P-Body and Atlas as they puzzle their way through a mysterious new co-op test track and once again match wits with GLaDOS. The DLC also features a single player and co-op Challenge Mode, and leaderboards to compare Challenge Mode scores with friends and the Portal community.

"To hold you over until the release next week, visit here for the final installment of the Portal 2 soundtrack Music to Test By," Valve said.

Valve's first-person puzzle-platform game Portal 2 originally launched on all four platforms on April 19, 2011. Players assume the role of Chell in the single-player campaign, and as one of two robots, Atlas and P-Body, in the co-operative campaign. The Xbox 360 version is the only one that doesn't include Valve's Steamworks distribution platform, leaving Xbox 360 owners out in the cold while gamers on the other three enjoy cross-platform, co-op gameplay.

Diablo 3 Closed Beta Hands-On: Part 3

In this in installment, we take a look at two classes, the Barbarian and the Monk.

>Diablo 3's Barbarian classIn this segment, I’m going to cover two very different classes: the Barbarian and the Monk. As with the prior two (Magician, DemonHunter), this duo doesn’t really shine until after they’ve unlocked their third ability slot at level 6. And like the previous two, one is a bit easier to play than the other. In this case, it should be fairly obvious which one is the true hack-n-slash champ: the Barbarian.

To be honest, I wish Blizzard would let players customize their character. I’m not talking about attributes like strength and dexterity (I’ve already whined about that), but in their general appearance. Many RPGs let us choose faces, hairdos, tattoos and whatnot to give our characters their own individuality. That kind of customization isn’t here in Diablo 3, and in the case of the Barbarian, gamers are left playing one insanely large but ugly dude.

The Barbarian

Diablo 3's Barbarian classThat said, I would have slapped a hockey mask on my Barbarian and called him Voorhees had I known his destructive capabilities beforehand, as this meaty beast can decimate enemies into bloody piles of red pulp and bone without too much effort... much like the famous Camp Crystal Lake slasher. This guy unlocks the sinner in all of us, the one who secretly gets a thrill out of chopping upzombies, or relish bathing in an explosion of snakes that erupt from the bellies of Grotesques after just a few hacks.

But to keep the Barbarian from being too easy, Blizzard has created a unique system for this class that limits the use of certain skills. Instead of regenerating mana, the Barbarian generates fury by using one set of eight skills, or Fury Generators. A second set of skills will use that fury, aka the Fury Spenders, but there’s a catch: the Fury gage will diminish as he grows calmer. For instance, he could plow through group after group of zombies and fill the fury globe to the max, but that level will begin to “drain” if he’s not actively causing chaos. 

Diablo 3's Barbarian classAs of this writing, my level 8 Barbarian has unlocked the Bash, Cleave, Leap Attack and Ground Stomp “Fury Generator” abilities. Currently he’s wielding the Broad Axe of the Raven and the Cleave spell is bound to that weapon. Because he has 0 out of 100 Fury, his Hammer of the Ancients is greyed out and can’t be used -- this costs 20 Fury. The Barbarian’s third ability is Ignore Pain and assigned to the "1" key. This seemingly acts like a temporary shield for five seconds.

On the Fury Spender side, my Barbarian has unlocked the aforementioned Hammer of the Ancients, Threatening Shout, Battle Rage and Weapon Throw. His Ignore Pain ability resides within the Situational group of abilities which may or may not rely on Fury as a source. So far I’m really liking this setup, as he can swing that axe and take out a lot of enemies in one explosive, body-mutilating, limb-shredding swoop. The more experienced he gets, the more destructive he gets.

Simply awesome.

The Monk

Diablo 3's Monk classTo some degree, the Monk is similar to the Barbarian in that he has a set of abilities that generate “spirit” (or mana), and a set of skills that burns spirit energy.  And like the Barbarian, the Monk is proficient in both hand-to-hand and weapon based attacks. But the Monk is more agile, assassin-like, using kicks along with fist-based hits. He reminds me of a character ripped out of Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat or Soul Calibur: a quick, sleek fighting machine with energy-based skills and a superior knowledge of light weapons like Bo’s and katanas.

When I first started to play the Monk, he was different than the previous three in that his method of attack was up-close-and-personal. It felt a little weird at first -- like playing an arcade fighter in an isometric view -- but once he grew in experience, be became a lot easier to play. Compared to the serial killer-like Barbarian, he doesn’t have brute strength backing his blows and kicks, making him a bit more challenging.

Diablo 3's Monk classNow at level eight, my Monk is kicking ass, and it’s actually exciting to see where he’ll be leveled up even more. In one hand he holds the Javelin of the Raven, a magic spear that adds a few points of arcane damage. Bound to this weapon is his Deadly Reach skill which projects lines of pure force. In his other hand, he holds the Club of Winter which inflicts several points of cold damage. His second skill, Dashing Strike, isn’t bound to the club and can be used by right-clicking the mouse. This ability allows the Monk to dash at a target, deal some damage, and then reappear behind the target. In appearance alone, he seemingly disappears and reappears like a ninja, although not quite as instant.

At this point, the Monk has unlocked ten abilities, three that are Spirit Generators, five that are Spirit Spenders, and two listed under “Mantras.” Fists of Thunder, Deadly Reach, and Crippling Wave are his current generators whereas Blinding Flash, Breath of Heaven, Lashing Tail Kick, Dashing Strike and Lethal Decoy are his current Spenders. Mantra of Evasion and Mantra of Retribution are his two out of four Mantra abilities.

Diablo 3's Monk classLooking over his skill set, the Monk could be considered as the party healer/stat booster. Several abilities affect both the Monk and nearby comrades such as Breath of Heaven which is a blast of holy energy that heals the player and all allies within 12 yards (this ability is also my Monk’s third spell, assigned to the “12” key). Mantra of Evasion adds a 30-percent chance to dodge for everyone in a 120-second timeframe, and Mantra of Retribution will cause the Monk and all allies within 40 years to reflect damage. 

Reflecting back on all four characters that I’ve played thus far, it looks like level 30 is the sweet spot, as all abilities and skill slots will be unlocked at this point. My Monk currently still has eleven skills and six slots left to uncover, but given that the beta (demo) only consists of four main quest lines, I doubt any one of my characters will max out until the actual game ships early next year (Q1 2012).

If I didn’t mention this before, the closed beta takes place in Act 1 which is broken up into four main quests: The Fallen Star, The Legacy of Cain, A Shattered Crown, and Reign of the Black King. I have no idea if Act 1 continues beyond the four quests, but the beta does have a nice epic ending that feels like we’re playing a prologue to Diablo 3 rather than the real thing.

One of the great things about playing the beta thus far is that each class brings something new to the table. Even though Act 1 is relatively short in the overall picture, it doesn’t get boring playing the same scenarios over and over again because you’re getting acquainted with someone new: learning their strengths, their weaknesses.

And despite the annoying fact that Diablo 3 MUST have a constant Internet connection, the experience gets even better when friends and strangers alike jump in from out of nowhere at any time. Granted you can play the campaign on your own, the game seems to really shine where co-op is concerned. You can see what other players are doing with their characters which in turn entices you to try out other combinations of weapons and skills.

Next up I’ll be covering the final class and going over other Diablo 3 features like crafting and a few goodies that are new to the Diablo franchise.

Amazon to Sell Kindle Fire Below Cost

There have been some questions why Amazon can sell its Kindle Fire for just $199 and there has been speculation that Amazon may be taking a loss with every Fire sold. IHS seems to confirm those rumors.

ZoomAccording to a teardown conducted by IHS, the fire has a bill of materials (BOM) of $191.65. However, that does not include the cost of assembly. Including manufacturing, each Fire is estimated to cost Amazon $209.63. And even that price does not include shipping and secondary cost such as R&D and marketing and PR. The actual cost of the Fire on Amazon's balance sheet may be much closer to $225 per unit.

IHS said that even if the sale of digital content is factored into the cost/revenue equation, Amazon is likely to make a marginal profit of just $10 on each Fire sold. However, Amazon's interest with the Kindle Fire is not to make profits of hardware or digital books anyway. IHS noted that what Amazon really wants is to get Fire users to "buy shoes, diapers, and every other kind of physical product imaginable." Amazon's retail business generated $34 billion in sales in 2010.

According to the market research firm, the most expensive component in the Fire is the $87 touch screen, followed by a $15 applications processor. IHS said that it will be providing a detailed teardown in the near future.

VIDEO: A Home-made iPhone 5 Prototype

Is this what the new iPhone is going to look like?

It seems like we know everything and nothing about the iPhone 5. Over the last 6-10 months, we've heard countless rumors about design changes, dual-core processors, upgrades to the antenna placement, plans to enlarge the screen and plans to revert from glass back to metal. Now, the unveiling is almost upon us. We'll soon find out what exactly the iPhone 5 involves, and it's exciting.

However, it seems a group of German Apple enthusiasts couldn't wait to find out about the iPhone 5 from Apple. Instead, they took all of the reports and rumors that have been flying around the blogosphere, looked at the leaked cases and hints, and made their own iPhone 5 prototype.

"Based on CAD designs, hardware components, several leaked hints, cases and recent, believable mockups we created a three-dimensional computer model," reads the post on BENM.AT. "This virtual model was then used to build a very detailed, true prototype that you can hold in your own two hands. The process to create this prototype is the same that’s used to create the iPad. The back was machined from a sold block of aluminium, which was later treated with glass pearls to get the same slightly rough touch that we already know from the iPad."

Check out the video below to see for yourself (the fun starts around 2:20):

Giga iPhone 5 Mockup

IBM, Intel Invest $4.4 Billion in Chip Development in NY

IBM and Intel promised to invest $4.4 billion in New York State to promote semiconductor innovation.

>ZoomIBM is investing the lion's share with $3.6 billion to develop chips in 22 nm and 14 nm. There has been no information how Intel will invest its funds other than transitioning from 300 mm to 450 mm wafer technology, but the combined project is estimated to create a total of 2500 high-tech jobs and another 4900 (including 1900 additional construction jobs) that depend on those newly created positions.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo also said that further investment will come from TSMC, Samsung and Globalfoundries. In return, the government agreed to sink $400 million into the State University of New York College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. “This unprecedented investment in New York’s economy will create thousands of jobs and make the state the epicenter for the next generation of computer chip technology,” Cuomo said in a statement.

New York desperately needed this investment as it had to deal with a net loss of 1.2 million tax payers over the past 10 years. According to a government report, those who moved to New York had $3.3 billion less income in 2009 than those who left the state. The total net income loss for the state between 2000 and 2009 is estimated at $37 billion.

Amazon May Purchase Palm/webOS Remnants

HP insiders are claiming that Amazon is close to signing a deal to purchase the remnants of Palm.

>ZoomUnnamed sources within HP are claiming that Amazon may purchase the remnants of Palm. The news arrives after HP kicked out former CEO Leo Apotheker and hired on Meg Whitman as a replacement, and just after Amazon revealed new Kindle devicesincluding a 7-inch, Android-based Kindle Fire tablet.

According to the HP insider, there are a number of entities wanting to purchase what's left of Palm, but apparently Amazon is the one closest to actually finalizing a deal. Currently it's unknown if Amazon will be buying Palm’s hardware business, the webOSplatform, or both. However HP is wanting to get rid of Palm "as soon as possible," so it's quite possible that HP will set up a fire sale similar to the weekend-only $99 TouchPad clearance for anyone willing to buy the former webOs/smartphone maker.

Sources also point out that former Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein currently holds a vague "product innovation" role at HP’s Personal Services Group, but also joined Amazon’s board late last year. There's speculation that Amazon wants to get its hands on webOS so that it can spout Kindle tablets that don't use Google'sAndroid OS, thus separating the Kindle brand from a sea of Android tablets flooding to the market. As it stands now, Amazon has customized "Gingerbread" on the Kindle Fire to the point that it's nearly unrecognizable.

HP's future in regards to webOS is somewhat mixed: some reports claim that the OS is on hold indefinitely, while others claim that HP plans to use webOS on other non-tablet, non-smartphone equipment. Back in July, Rubinstein even hinted to Amazon serving as a partner. There was no talk of selling off the software, but merely licensing the software out to other parties.

"We’d like a partner that would allow us to expand the webOS ecosystem," he said in an interview. "There’s a variety of different sets of a characteristics to qualify as a good partner. I would say Amazon would certainly make a great partner, because they have a lot of characteristics that would help them expand the webOS ecosystem. As to whether there’s been discussions or not… that’s obviously not something I’m going to comment about."

But if Amazon purchases what's left of Palm -- including the hardware and webOS -- the online retailer will be in an excellent position to introduce Amazon smartphones. The company already has Amazon Wirelessup and running in beta form, and what it really needs is its own branded smartphone, complete with exclusive hardware an software.

HP originally paid $1.2 billion for Palm back in 2010. By comparison, Amazon will undoubtedly pay next to nothing.

Gamers Help Discover Two New Planets

Amateur planet hunters are believed to have discovered two new exoplanets orbiting distant stars.

The discoveries were made via the browser "game" Planet Hunters, which provides images taken by the Kepler space telescope. Planet Hunters asks Internet users to review the brightness of stars in the hope that there are dark spots or "transit features" that would indicate that a planet orbiting that star is found.

Kepler adds new images to an archive of already 150,000 stars every 30 minutes, which suggested that a significant number of humans may be able to discover possible stars much faster than software. Planet Hunter enables players to mark certain stars, if they believe that there is a transit feature. Kepler scientists examine a star if a number of players have marked the same star. Citizen planet hunters reportedly discovered two exoplanets so far.

Last week, researchers at the University of Washington announced that gamers of the game Foldit solved the structure of a retrovirus enzyme.

Aladdin's 'flying carpet' concept now a reality

Ever gasped in wonder when you'd watch the funny, almost character-like flying magic carpet in the famous Aladdin - Jasmine tale, Arabian Nights, fly them to lesser known destinations? Despite advancing technologies at our disposal, this concept still remained a distant wonder to most of us, almost impossible to achieve. However, researchers at the Princeton University have given flight to their imaginations, quite literally. Noah Jafferis, the brain behind the success of the concept, is a graduate student, doing his PhD at the Princeton University.

The wondrous concept, is now a reality

While the 'flying carpet' in the famous cartoon series seemed exotic, this one is serious science, and since its a first time attempt, it has its limitations. According to a BBC report, Jafferis's 'flying carpet' is made of plastic, and is a miniature-version of its famous sibling. It is driven by ripple power, i.e. ripples of electric current passing through the sheet send out parcels of air floating underneath the plastic sheet. This movement propels the sheet forward. Also, the carpet, unlike the ones always shown won't fly great heights, in fact, Jafferis' prototype can just lift itself off the ground by a few centimeters, which is as brilliant for a start. Explaining the cause for the same, according to the report, Jafferis stated that the plastic sheet is made to hold on to heavy batteries, by tiny conducting threads. Also that the sheet, Jafferis added needed to be kept as close to the ground, as possible, since only that way the air pumped out by the waves inside would manage to ooze out, keeping the sheet floating. 

Jafferis had studied a mathematical paper written by Harvard University's Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan while he was just starting out with his PhD at Princeton. The paper had appeared in 2007 paper in Physical Review Letters. The report further revealed that Jafferis had dropped his original project plans, which would have him print electronic circuits with nano-inks.