<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-2review.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google on Monday quietly dropped the cost of the controversial Equipment Recovery Fee for the Nexus One to $150. The company's updated Terms of Sale now list a price less than half the $350 it had charged originally. The fee still takes effect within 120 days and stacks on top of T-Mobile's own $200 early termination fee....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/corsairssdsin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Still better known for its power supplies and memory, Corsair has recently introduced two new lines of solid state drives, naming them Nova and Reactor. The 2.5-inch Nova drives are available in 64 and 128GB capacities, while the Reactor can be had in 60 and 120GB versions. The Reactors are faster, with a 128MB cache and read speeds of 250MBps as well as 110MBps write speeds for the 60GB model. The 120GB Reactor musters respective 250Mbps and 170MBps speeds. Reactors also have a mini USB interface in addition to the SATA 3.0Gbps connection....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/briefly0802.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />nova media has released a new sync application for the Mac, FoneSync for LG phones. The utility syncs Address Book and iCal information with a variety of LG devices. Support is currently present for just the HB620T, KF750 and KU990, but more models should be added in the future. In hopes of speeding up the the process a free tool has been released that checks if a phone can be added. FoneSync for LG phones is available online for $20, and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or 10.6.1, plus a Bluetooth-enabled Mac....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ultraspeedin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Wisair on Monday introduced a Wireless USB DisplayDock Set, allowing users to wirelessly connect their MacBooks to a desktop-like setup that include a monitor, speakers, a keyboard and mouse. The device connects to a USB port on any MacBook with Mac OS X Leopard or Snow Leopard. Wisair claims there are no delays in sending the keyboard or mouse commands due to the nature of the ultra wideband radio....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/gallery/sep2009/iphone3gs-black2.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The iPhone 3.1.3 firmware has introduced problems for some people even as it has fixed them for others, say complaints on Apple's support forums. Most critical is an issue with battery life, which can suddenly become erratic. A phone's battery meter may potentially swing wildly, for instance going from 25 to 7 to 10 percent, then jumping back up to 24 percent....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/iphone3g-3sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has clawed back US smartphone market share from RIM's BlackBerry this past holiday, comScore found in a new study. Between September and December, the iPhone's share grew over a percent to 25.3 percent while the BlackBerry dropped by nearly an identical amount to 41.6 percent....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/realsml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />RealNetworks on Monday released a beta version of its RealPlayer SP software for Mac. The utility, which builds upon the features of RealPlayer 11, provides tools for downloading and converting videos into formats compatible with a variety of cellphones and other devices such as iPods and Apple TV. Users can download online videos, from sites such as YouTube, and convert the content or share links via Facebook, Twitter or MySpace....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/iphone2010-leak.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple's fourth-generation iPhone could mark the first significant change in the screen area if a part obtained by repair outfit iResQ is evidence. What's claimed to be the front glass is about a quarter-inch taller than the existing platform and may have a slightly different screen as a result. It also appears to move the proximity sensor to above the top speaker and glues the touchscreen layer to the LCD where the iPhone 3G and 3GS are separate....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/amazonkindle2-2sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Amazon has hinted at a significant change in the philosophy behind its Kindle readers with job listings at its hardware design group Lab126. One, for a Hardware Display Manager, asks for a veteran recruit with experience in the LCD market and suggests Amazon might move away from e-paper displays. It has normally used companies like E Ink (now owned by PVI) exclusively for its e-book readers....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0910/iphone3gsiso.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The unofficial iPhone Dev Team has released PwnageTool 3.1.5, an updated version of its jailbreaking tool for iPhones and iPod touches. As is normal with Apple firmware, the official iPhone 3.1.3 distribution undoes any jailbreaking or unlocking if installed on top of hacked v3.1.2 code. The PwnageTool update allows some devices to retain their hacks while gaining the advantages of the new firmware....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/infocusdisplaylinkin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />InFocus on Monday announced that its DisplayLink Wireless system for connecting notebooks to projectors without wires now has support for the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks and not just Windows, as before. The USB device relies on Ultra Wide Band (UWB) wireless technology from Wisair and can pass through HD video content as well as audio. Mac users will also now have the ability to control the projectors connected using the InFocus DisplayLink Wireless unit....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/ipadedu.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Apple has already acknowledged a willingness to drop iPad pricing, says Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope. Shope notes that he recently met with Apple executives, who explained that iPad pricing could well change should the tablet not attract as many buyers as Apple is hoping for. While a 16GB, Wi-Fi-only iPad is initially set to cost $499, prices will range as high as $829 for a 64GB model with 3G. The first iPads go on sale in March....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-review.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google on Sunday revealed that it could be the first to enable voice-to-voice translation for phones. Using the existing text conversion and voice recognition its search and from Android, the company is developing a system that could recognize a spoken foreign language and recite it back in the user's native tongue. It would sort speech into segments and would analyze both the pattern of speech as well as Google's own translation history to construct a better interpretation....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0912/firefox35-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />It is almost certain that future versions of Firefox, following the recent v3.6 release, will not be compatible with Mac OS X Tiger, suggests Mozilla engineer Josh Aas. The company is now at a point where it must decide to include or exclude Tiger compatibility, and the latter perspective has gained favor. "We would like to take advantage of more modern technologies on Mac OS X and 10.4 support has been a hindrance," says Aas....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/broadcomchipset-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Broadcom today unveiled 3G chips that promise both less expensive smartphones as well as longer-lived 3G for others. As a complete processor, the BCM21553 provides a modern ARM11 chip and 7.2Mbps HSPA, including the 5.8Mbps upload speeds, but in a much more efficient, smaller 65 nanometer process. The hardware has one of Broadcoms's most advanced graphics cores and can render OpenGL ES 2.0 3D as well as process 8-megapixel photos....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/applea4.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Despite popular belief, the A4 processor in the iPad was not designed by people from PA Semi, a "very trusted" VentureBeat source claims. Apple bought the chip design firm in April of last year, and in June it was acknowledged by Steve Jobs that the aim was to produce chips for iPhone and iPod devices. The iPad has been described in the media and by analysts as an oversized iPod touch....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/barnesandnoblenook.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Barnes & Noble today said that the Nook will at last reach its retail shops. While it has had demo units in stores since launch in the fall, the bookseller now says it expects most locations to have units directly available to buy on Wednesday the 10th. Officials didn't say what kind of quantities they would expect....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/canonsx210is.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />As part of its PMA 2010 introductions today, Canon has brought out four new PowerShots that include two particularly advanced models. The SX210 IS is tailored to advanced users and carries an extremely long-range 14X (28-392mm equivalent) lens and a 14-megapixel sensor. It similarly touts a pop-up flash, records 720p video and supports the newer SDXC card format....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/BenQVsm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />BenQ has launched a line of LCD monitors that include the first with a 10,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The new "V" series includes nine models, ranging in size from 18.5 to 24.0 inches. The first to hit the market will be the V2200 models, 21.5-inch diagonal, 1080p monitors with 5ms response time and a 160-degree viewing angle. BenQ claims they will have the extreme contrast but also that they will be the slimmest available in the market, measuring just 0.59in (15mm) thick....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/canonrebelt2i.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Canon this morning launched a slew of camera updates headlined by the Rebel T2i. The successor to Canon's entry DSLR shoots at the same 18 megapixels as the EOS 7D and also inherits its video recording features: it now shoots at a full 30 frames per second at 1080p (versus 20 for the T1i) and has manual exposure control, autofocusing and selectable frame rates. It can shoot as high as 60 frames per second at 720p and has a unique pseudo-telephoto mode that zooms in 7X when recording standard definition video....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0910/12-snow-leopard.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Over the weekend, Apple began seeding a new test build of Mac OS X 10.6.3, developer sources say. Labeled 10D548, the build is said to be little different than 10D538, with similar emphasis on improving the security, compatibility and reliability of QuickTime X, as well as the performance of the Logic audio editing suite. Tweaks are also said to improve compatibility with printers, and apps based on the OpenGL rendering platform....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/samsungi8910-ctiasm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Samsung's integrated touchscreen AMOLED could come attached to a new phone and herald a major change in displays, the company said Monday. The 3.3-inch, 800x480 "Super AMOLED" screen should be unveiled with a new device at next week's Mobile World Congress. It's not known how soon the phone would ship....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/nokian97mini-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Nokia today said it would completely change the role of a key plant in Salo, Finland to boost its position in the smartphone arena. The factor will be entirely focused on building "high-value smartphones," with Europe as the priority. Nokia expects the changes to result not just in a better mix of hardware but a quicker turnaround in making the smartphones themselves....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/zunehd-forza.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Microsoft in the past few days has quietly cut prices on the Zune HD through an at least temporary promo. The touchscreen media player now costs $190 for a 16GB model at Amazon, or $32 less than the original price; the 32GB model has dropped by a similar amount to $250....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-review.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />(Updated with post-Super Bowl confirmation) Google may have a high-profile Super Bowl ad tomorrow, based on a hint from its chief executive Eric Schmidt. He asks Twitter followers this afternoon to pay special attention to ads in the third quarter of the football game and is teasing that it will be a rarity for the company. An observer commented that "hell has indeed frozen over," according to Schmidt....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/zunehd-flowers.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Microsoft may consciously limit Windows Phone 7 in its attempt to compete against Apple, a leak sent out today claims. Echoing some previous reports, a source says WP7 will have a Zune-like interface at many levels but goes on to say this will extend to the underlying framework as well. It would drop multitasking and instead pause apps, using an iPhone-like push notification system to handle new updates....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/macbookpro15.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />A newly discovered Geekbench test appears to have confirmed the upcoming launch of MacBook Pros running Intel's Arrandale platform. The system carries the same MacBookPro 6,1 identifier as seen in a pre-release Mac OS X 10.6.2 build and is listed as running a 2.66GHz Core i7-620M with 4GB of RAM. The processor is Intel's fastest dual-core processor and would be Apple's logical choice for a mid- to high-end MacBook Pro....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/amazonkindledx-sm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Amazon today confirmed that it has put back Macmillan's titles on both the Kindle store and in its regular store. The move follows after Amazon agreed to raise prices on e-books last weekend as the result of a three-day standoff. Amazon had unsuccessfully tried to withdraw books as a negotiating tactic to keep prices at $10....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/ipad-2.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The Austrian division of cellular carrier 3 has unusually claimed that it will subsidize Apple's iPad as soon as possible. National chief Berthold Thoma says his company will be the first to bundle the tablet and will simply use the same strategy it does for notebook data bundles to encourage customers. Those who buy an iPad will get a generic 333 euro ($456) credit if they agree to a two-year data plan worth about 29 euros ($41) per month....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/ipad-3.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The healthcare industry has shown strong interest in tablet computers, however the iPad may be missing several important features requested by physicians, according to a Software Advice survey. Over half of respondents claimed they were very likely or somewhat likely to purchase a tablet sometime in the coming year....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/intelsandybridge.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Intel has reportedly told its corporate customers that the Sandy Bridge CPUs with integrated graphics processors due for release at the end of the year will have vastly improved performance. While the chipmaker quotes a doubling of performance, it does not define what it compares it to, though it is most likely the existing Nehalem CPUs. Intel is otherwise being cryptic about the chips' performance, saying only that the chips have advanced media and graphics capabilities....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0912/logitechsqueezeboxtouch.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The release of the promised Logitech SqueezeBox Touch has again been delayed, according to a Thursday post by a Slim Devices developer on the official Logitech forum board. The last delay promised the touch media server would arrive this month, and Logitech is still keeping mum about why the device has been delayed. Forum members speculate Logitech ran into major software or hardware problems....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/samsungtransparentnotebook.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Samsung could be the first to introduce a production notebook with a transparent display, Samsung America's digital imaging VP Reid Sullivan has revealed. After showing a 14-inch see-through AMOLED screen at CES this year, the Korean company now says that testing suggests the PC could be in shops within the next 12 months. Sullivan expects that "all" Samsung's AV hardware could use the technology soon....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/panelflyipad.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Panelfly and Sugarcube are working together on an iPad version of their comic book app, a preview reveals. The current software makes it possible to buy and read comic books on an iPhone or iPod touch. While functional, it is based on a 3.5-inch screen size, making it difficult to see much detail....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/graphite.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Ashlar-Vellum on Friday released Service Pack 2 for its Graphite 8 software for 2D and 3D wireframe drafting. The update adds support for several large-format printers, along with higher printing resolutions. Users can now access the company's tutorial content directly from the Graphite interface, while a variety of minor bug fixes and enhancements have also been included....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/motodroid-justin.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Google and Verizon today quietly pushed an update to the Motorola Droid that brings multi-touch to the smartphone in limited form. The over-the-air 3.4 upgrade switches on pinch-to-zoom control in Google Maps. Unlike the Nexus One update, though, the change doesn't extend to the web browser or photo gallery....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ipad-jobs.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Following visits to newspapers, Apple chief Steve Jobs has been seen on Friday visiting the offices of Time Inc. The New York City visit is believed to have involved showing the iPad both to the Time publisher's chief executive Ann Moore as well as to a small number of magazine editors. What deals were discussed, if any, isn't known....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0911/adobeflash.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Macs will perform substantially better when running Flash Player 10.1, promises Adobe's chief technical officer, Kevin Lynch. The executive claims that Flash 10 now runs at "almost exactly" the same level of CPU usage on Mac and Windows systems, where previously the Mac suffered significantly. The v10.1 update is set to use CoreAnimation, which Lynch suggests could make Macs faster than Windows in some cases....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/slingplayer-iphonesm.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Sling Media on Friday corrected AT&T's position on the clearance to ship a 3G-capable SlingPlayer for iPhone. While AT&T characterized the remote TV streaming app as "optimized," the Slingbox creator company's John Santoro told Ars Technica that Sling "didn't change anything" in its 3G code, or enter discussions, to satisfy AT&T's demands. The app has always had dynamic bitrate changes to match available bandwidth....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0910/canoneos1dmarkiv.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Canon has announced a new plug-in for Final Cut Pro, EOS E1. Set to appear on Apple's website later today, the software is designed to import video from a handful of Canon's DSLR cameras. The current compatibility list includes the EOS-7D, the 5D Mk. II, and the 1D Mk. IV....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/htcnexusone-2review.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />New...

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0911/iphonesml.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The iPhone is not as secure as Apple would like people to believe, claims a software engineer and security specialist, Nicolas Seriot. Speaking at this week's Black Hat Conference in Arlington, Virginia, Seriot commented that while the iPhone OS theoretically sandboxes apps in order to restrict data access, the rules in place are "way too loose." Apple should not be claiming that one app cannot access data from another, he emphasized....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ipodtouch3g-games.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The iPhone platform is more popular to write games for than the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP, according to a new study from Game Developer Research. Demand for the iPhone has surged to where about 19 percent of all game developers are writing for the iPhone and iPod touch. The figure is more than twice as high as for the DS and PSP and results in three quarters of all mobile game developers writing for Apple's handhelds....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/plasticlogicque-ces.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />PVI chairman Scott Liu today told the press that his company will produce some of the earliest fully touchscreen and motion-capable e-paper displays this year. Current screens often need a separate touchscreen layer and are too slow to show video or other animations, but screens with either feature should be ready by the end of 2010. PVI's touchscreen technique would put the touch underneath the e-paper and eliminate the unintentional dimming of the display, a problem that has affected e-readers from Sony and others....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/0909/vodafone.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The CEO of Vodafone, Vittorio Colao, says he is "very interested" in having the iPad for his company's networks. "I have not, personally, touched one but I really look forward to it," he explains. "I believe it is going to be another important piece of the -- mobile -- data experience. I think anything that improves the customer experience with mobile data is welcome and as such I would be very interested in having it."...

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1001/ipad-2.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The iPad could potentially cause serious havoc for US data networks, say people writing on behalf of the Federal Communications Commission. Updating an official blog, Phil Bellaria, director of scenario planning for the Omnibus Broadband Initiative, and John Leibovitz -- deputy chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau -- observe that the device may put extra strain on already problematic networks. "With the iPad pointing to even greater demand for mobile broadband on the horizon," the pair write, "we must ensure that network congestion doesn't choke off a se...

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/x2itablet.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Relative newcomer X2 Computing today decided to seize on the frenzy surrounding the iPad by launching its own tablet. The conspicuously named iTablet follows "hot on the heels of Apple" and carries a 10- or 12-inch touchscreen; multi-touch will be optional. Rather than use tablet-optimized software, however, the device will use Windows 7 (Windows XP shown for reference) or Linux and should get Flash support as a result....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/ipad-5.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Hachette today followed Macmillan's pricing strategy and said it would raise prices on its e-books. The approach will use the agency model where the publisher, not the retailer, sets the prices. It will notably use the Apple price scheme and ask between $13 and $15 for new and bestselling titles as well as change prices over time, with some older and shorter titles costing as little as $6....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/briefly0402.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />The Consumer Electronics Association has announced that the 2011 CES iLounge Pavilion will feature the largest display of iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Mac related products and services in the shows history. The iLounge Pavilion was a new addition to this year's exhibition, with more than 100 companies. For next year's show, the Pavilion will feature 50,000 square feet of floor space with companies such as iSkin, Mophie, and Scosche displaying new products. The 2011 show will take place in Las Vegas from January 6th to 9th....

<img align='left' src='http://photos.macnn.com/news/1002/remo.jpg' border='0' width='176' height='120' />Remo Software has introduced a new data-restoration application, Remo Recover. The program is available as a Media or Pro edition, each with tools for recovering lost data from computers and external storage devices. The apps also support data retrieval from iPods, allowing users to send the restored files to various devices. The Media edition provides a basic set of tools for recovering photo, video and music files, including RAW photos....