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Thứ Tư, 3 tháng 4, 2013

The first mobile phone call was placed 40 years ago today

A 1973 Motorola DynaTAC prototype.Motorola GraphicsBank

There were no digital cameras, no personal computers, and certainly no Internet in 1973.

But there were cell phones. Well, one anyway.

On April 3, 1973, from a Manhattan street corner -- 6th Ave. between 53rd and 54th -- Motorola’s Martin Cooper placed the world’s first mobile phone call. To his rival, no less.

“I was running the whole Motorola cellular program, I was a division manager at that time, and he was the AT&T equivalent,” Cooper told tech site the Verge last year, on the 39th anniversary of that phone call. “I have to tell you, to this day, he resents what Motorola did in those days.”

Cooper called Joel Engel from Bell Systems to tell him that the race to perfect cellular tech was over -- Motorola had done it first. Cooper's exact words on that call weren’t recorded the way Samuel Morse’s first telegraph message was (“what hath god wrought”) or Alexander Graham Bell’s first phone call (“Watson, come here. I want to see you”). He reportedly said something like, "I'm ringing you just to see if my call sounds good at your end."

The gadget he used is well known, however.

The prototype version that would become the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x weighed 2.5 pounds, had a single-line, text-only LED screen. It would take a decade before Motorola’s DynaTAC finally reached consumer hands.

On September 21, 1983, Motorola made history when the FCC approved the 8000X, the world's first commercial portable cell phone. It cost consumers a whopping $3,995 at the time.

And the hunk of cream-colored plastic and wires Cooper used looks preposterous next to the sleek modern iPhones and Androids today’s consumers rely upon, of course.

Even Cooper has moved on: today he relies on a Motorola RAZR -- or at least he did last year, he told The Verge. Cooper remains a pioneer in cell phones; he told the site he gets a new one every six months.

“I'm being sorely tested lately because the phones are coming out so fast. Each time they get a little better, and I think they're pretty much on a par now — if you know how to use them — with the iPhone,” he told The Verge.

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Thứ Sáu, 29 tháng 3, 2013

New space station crew to launch and dock today in cosmic first

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 35/36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy (right), Soyuz Commander Pavel Vinogradov (center) and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin clasp hands for photographers prior to the sNASA
Large gantry mechanisms on either side of the Soyuz TMA-08M spacecraft are raised into position to secure the rocket at the launch pad on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Liftoff is set for March 28 EDT (March 2NASA/Carla Cioffi

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Three men are poised to make history when they blast off on a rocket ride Thursday, March 28, that will reach the International Space Station faster than any astronauts to fly there before.

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin and Pavel Vinogradov are due to arrive at the orbiting laboratory just six hours after they launch at 4:43 p.m. EDT (2043 GMT). The liftoff will begin a months-long mission in orbit for the three men.

The trio will blast off from the Central Asian spaceport of Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The mission's Soyuz rocket rolled out to the launch pad on Tuesday, March 26, to prepare for today's liftoff.

You can watch the launch live here on SPACE.com's NASA TV feed beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT).

'It's shaping up to be a really exciting expedition — we've got a lot going on.'

- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy

In the nearly 13 years since crews first began launching to the International Space Station, it has taken Russian Soyuz capsules and U.S. space shuttles about two days to reach the orbiting lab after liftoff. Now, NASA and Russia's Federal Space Agency are testing out a new, accelerated schedule. [Soyuz's 1-Day Trip to Space Station Explained (Infographic)]

The quick journey, which takes just four orbits of Earth, has been carried out by recent unmanned cargo spacecraft visiting the space station, but never by a crew.

"The four-orbit rendezvous has the advantage of a very short period of time from launch to docking," Mike Suffredini, NASA's International Space Station program manager, said of the mission. "It reduces the amount of time the crew has to spend in a small environment before they get to ISS."

Cassidy, Misurkin and Vinogradov are planning to join the station's Expedition 35 mission for a roughly six-month stay. The current residents of the outpost are commander Chris Hadfield of Canada, Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, and NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn.

"It's shaping up to be a really exciting expedition — we've got a lot going on," Cassidy, 43, said. "We're very excited to join our friends and colleagues Roman, Chris and Tom on the space station."

The crew's time will be filled with science experiments, space station upkeep, and visits from visiting robotic cargo delivery spacecraft. Both the Russian cosmonauts, and possibly the American crew, will conduct six spacewalks during their mission for space station maintenance.

"It's a very fun and very interesting activity for us," Misurkin said of spacewalking. "During these tasks we are doing to install some scientific equipment outside of the station, and also we are going to prepare some special stuff for the Russian module which will come a little bit later."

Misurkin, 35, will be making his first trip to space, while Cassidy and Vinogradov are veterans. Cassidy flew on the STS-127 space shuttle mission in 2009, while Vinogradov served on two long-duration missions, including a stint on the International Space Station in 2006.

"Going back to the International Space Station feels like going back home," Vinogradov, 59, said. "I recognize the station is completely different from what it was when we were there. I think this is my second favorite place besides my home."

Cassidy, too, said he was looking forward to returning to space, and would relish the chance to see his hometown of York, Maine from orbit.

"Flying over my home town — that, I'm really excited about," Cassidy told SPACE.com in a preflight interview. "I come from a small town in Maine and there are a lot of people watching and that brings me a great amount of pride."

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Thứ Ba, 26 tháng 3, 2013

NBC's 'Today' show exposed: Article shares ugly details of NBC's ratings struggle

NBC’s “Today” show drama reads like a novel. With plot twists and turns and secret villains, New York Magazine dissects the downfall of the “Today” show, providing sordid new details about the ousting of Ann Curry and NBC’s efforts to rebuild. Here are the 10 ugliest revelations from the NY Mag cover story:

1. Bullying Ann
The article paints a tough behind-the-scenes experience for veteran reporter Ann Curry before she even landed her coveted—and short lived—seat on the “Today” show couch.

“In the past, [former ‘Today’ host Katie] Couric would sometimes tease her about her clothes, remarks that Curry took badly. When Lauer and ‘Today’ producers tried to ‘punk’ the rest of the cast one morning… Curry was infuriated with Lauer and retreated to her dressing room. Roker, her longtime friend, was sent to comfort her.”

2. Curry was unprepared
When talks began about ending Curry’s hosting gig on “Today,” she was reportedly caught off guard and not equipped with a proper lawyer and agent to negotiate for her.

“Curry, without an agent, was doing her own bargaining…. Lauer began to do damage control. Over lunch at The Four Seasons, he advised Curry to get an agent so she could resolve her situation and openly worried that the timing of her exit would lead people to believe he’d forced her out during his contract negotiation.”

3. NBC staff not fooled
But Lauer lending Curry a helping hand at the last moment was perceived to be a last-ditch effort to save his own reputation, and even the NBC staff wasn’t buying it.

“Everybody at NBC, everybody at the ‘Today’ show, everybody understood that Ann was kicked out of her position because Matt didn’t want her there,” says a prominent NBC staffer. “That’s why it was so personal between Ann and Matt.”

4. That fateful day
Once Curry knew her days at “Today” were done, she took control of the situation. In a move NBC now likely regrets, they let Curry write her own last lines.

“Curry wrote her own copy, telling [execs] she wanted to ‘speak from the heart.’ That same night, Lauer called in to ask, ‘So when am I taking my cyanide pill tomorrow?’”

5. Holding grudges
After her uncomfortable departure, Curry wasn’t ready to kiss and make up with her former co-host. The tension between Lauer and Curry continued and played out awkwardly.

“In late July, when Curry was assigned to cover the shootings in Aurora, Colorado, she refused to appear on the air with [new host Savannah] Guthrie, believing [producer Jim] Bell was trying to exploit the event for image repair.”

6. NBC’s paranoia
NBC was supposedly so concerned about its image, execs barred Curry from sending an ailing “Good Morning America” host her well wishes.

“When Robin Roberts left ‘Good Morning America’ a month later to get treatment for MDS, Curry asked NBC if she could tweet a note of sympathy for the ABC co-host. NBC said no, afraid she was trying to aid the enemy.”

7. Love for Al Roker
Following Lauer’s tense response to Curry’s ousting, and Al Roker’s seemingly obvious on-air jab at the network for “throwing her under the bus,” viewers gravitated to the bubbly weatherman. Researchers for NBC discovered Roker was quickly gaining a bigger fan base, and subsequently decided to lend him more air time.

“’People told us, ‘I love that Al Roker,’ [producer Alexandra] Wallace told New York mag. ‘So they’re getting more Al Roker. It’s not an anti-Matt thing at all.’”

8. Making it look easy
Since “Good Morning America” has been beating the “Today” show in the ratings, NBC has been carefully trying to make their on-air interviews appear effortless and flawless. The article describes a morning where Matt Lauer seemingly breezily interviews Martha Stewart on live TV.

“But the interview isn’t as tough as it appears. The questions he asks are the ones Stewart was prepared for, and both Lauer and Stewart benefit from the appearance of a sharp exchange.”

9. More changes on the way
And NBC is by no means done doing damage control. The network is working to reshape the show’s image with more upbeat, feel-good stories.

“This summer, ‘Today’ will have a brighter, warmer set, getting away from the smoked-glass-and-taupe stage it has now, which Wallace acknowledged was too ‘cool.’”

10. Backup plan
But if that doesn’t work, or if Lauer decides to ditch the floundering show, network execs reportedly have some contingency plans.

“NBC News executives have already had conversations about who might fill ¬Lauer’s seat if and when he leaves, and there is indeed informed speculation inside NBC that Lauer could leave within the year. -MSNBC’s Willie Geist, the Morning Joe anchor who also appears in the third hour of ‘Today,’ is often mentioned as a replacement, but so are others, including Good Morning America’s Josh Elliott.”

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Chủ Nhật, 24 tháng 3, 2013

7 best smartphones today

If you're ready to drop some money on one of the latest and greatest smartphones, you have some great choices -- too many, in fact.

Turbocharged quad-core processors and wireless charging have nearly become standard on top-of-the-line Android phones. As always, the latest iPhone and its gorgeous screen and vast ecosystem of content is worth your consideration. For those looking to break free of iOS or Android altogether, the underrated Windows Phone 8 awaits.

How can you possibly decide? I've rounded up the 7 best smartphones available and I'll tell you what makes them good.

For a more detailed comparison of these and even more smartphones, you can visit the up-to-date smartphone comparison chart on my site. Don't forget my tablet comparison chart if you're in the market for one of those.

HTC One
Honed from a slab of aluminum, this 4G LTE flagship from HTC wows on looks and specs. It features a high-resolution 4.7-inch screen, 32 or 64 GB of storage, and is powered by a quad-core processor.

HTC also worked hard on customizing the latest version of the Android operating system, Jelly Bean. The BlinkFeed feature gives you a live-updated home screen similar to Windows Phone 8. You pick the social networks and news feeds you want to stay tuned into.

While other phone makers race to up camera megapixel counts, HTC went in the other direction with the One's UltraPixel Camera. It has fewer megapixels, but a bigger sensor than other smartphones. If you love to shoot in low light or at night, you should give the One a serious look.

Cost: Not known yet. Available in April at AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint.

iPhone 5
Apple's flagship smartphone - introduced last September - has a 4-inch Retina screen and the ability to connect to 4G LTE networks from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

Because of the new Lightning dock connector and dual-core A6 processor, the iPhone 5 is notably slimmer than the 4S and twice as fast.

The rear camera's sensor matches the 4S in size, 8 megapixels, but captures much better pictures in low-light situations.

For many users, the iPhone 5's best feature will be access to the App Store, which is rapidly approaching the milestone of 1 million apps.

Cost: $199 (16GB); $299 (32GB); $399 (64GB) with 2-year contract.

Apple also sells an unlocked, contract-free iPhone 5 starting at $649. It only works on GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S.

HTC 8X
Want something different than iOS or Android? The Windows Phone 8 operating system is a good place to look. Its unique "live tile" home screen is a definite winner.

If you want to try it out, the HTC 8X with 4.3-inch display is an excellent choice.

This sleek and compact phone boasts a speedy dual-core processor and 1GB RAM on the inside, which is a big improvement over past Windows Phone units. Plus, it's 4G LTE-capable.

The Windows Phone 8 operating system has far fewer apps available for it, compared to iOS and Android, but you'll stay productive with mobile versions of Excel, Word, OneNote and PowerPoint. The built-in People Hub keeps all your social media feeds organized in handy place.

Non-expandable storage maxes out at 16GB, but that can be extended with Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage service.

Cost: $100 (16GB), with a 2-year Verizon or AT&T contract; $130 with a 2-year T-Mobile contract.

Although thicker and heavier, the Nokia Lumia 920 ($100, AT&T) is another great option for Windows Phone fans.

Nexus 4
Launched last November, this popular unlocked phone from Google and LG has a 4.7-inch display. How popular is it? It's often back-ordered 1 to 2 weeks!

The wait is worth it, though.

The combination of quad-core processor and stock Android Jelly Bean - unencumbered with carrier "extras" - make the Nexus 4 a very snappy smartphone.

Although it's limited to HSPA+ "4G" connectivity, that's fast enough for an average user. Note that it will only work on GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile.

The previous version of the Nexus had a so-so 5MP camera. The 4's 8MP camera is a lot better and more fun, especially when taking panoramas. Both vertical and horizontal images can be stitched into stunning Photo Sphere pictures.

Cost, unlocked from Google: $299 (8GB); $349 ($16GB). T-Mobile is currently selling the Nexus 4 for $50 (Web-only, after a mail-in rebate of $50) with a 2-year contract. Learn how a no-contract phone can save you money in the long run.

Samsung Galaxy Note II
There were a few jeers when Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note II, a "phablet" (phone + tablet) with a gigantic 5.5-inch screen that's includes an advanced S Pen stylus. Despite that, it has become a top choice of many mobile business users who need 4G connectivity and like to quickly jot down notes, make annotations and run two apps side by side.

The Galaxy Note II features a quad-core processor and runs on Android Jelly Bean. You can expand the 16GB or 32GB of internal storage up to an additional 64GB using a microSD card.

Cost: $300 (16GB) with 2-year contract from Sprint, Verizon and AT&T $369 with T-Mobile contract.

Samsung Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy is the phone line that grabbed attention away from the iPhone and shifted it toward Android.

The 4G LTE Galaxy S4 is the best version yet. With its polycarbonate shell available in white or gray, it looks a lot like the S III, but the S4 is lighter and thinner and features an expanded 5-inch HD screen, 13 MP rear camera and faster quad-core processor.

Samsung integrated a ton of useful, customized software features into the 4.2.2 Android Jelly Bean operating system. S Translator allows you to converse in 10 different languages while using email or the ChatOn instant messaging app. With S Health, fitness buffs can turn the phone into a pedometer and calorie-counter. In the car, control the phone hands-free with S Voice Drive.

Infrared technology allows users to tilt the phone up or down to scroll. You can also use your finger like an S Pen, but there's no need to actually touch the screen - just hover slightly above it. A video will pause if you look away from the screen and resume when you look back. The IR capability, by the way, also puts the S4 to work as TV remote.

Choose storage of 16, 32 or 64 GB, which can be expanded with up to a 64 GB microSD card.

Cost: Not known yet. Available in late April at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

LG Optimus G
LG proved it can still make a splash in the smartphone world with the Optimus G, a close cousin of the Nexus 4.

Sprint's version features a powerful 13MP camera, although AT&T's model is no slouch at 8MP. Sprint's model has 32 GB of non-expandable storage, while AT&T's 16GB Optimus can be expanded via microSD card.

Either way, you'll get a blazing fast quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and a nice 4.7-inch display.

Right now, the Optimus G is stuck on Android Ice Cream Sandwich, but it should get an update to the newer Jelly Bean soon.

Cost: $50 ($32GB) with a 2-year Sprint contract, new line only; $100 (16GB) with a 2-year AT&T contract.

Kim Komando hosts the nation's largest talk radio show about consumer electronics, computers and the Internet. To get the podcast, watch the show or find the station nearest you, visit: http://www.komando.com/listen. To subscribe to Kim's free email newsletters, sign-up at: http://www.komando.com/newsletters.

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