Gadget: I-O Data's HDCA-UT3.0K drive offers USB 3.0 and 3TB of storage

I-O Data's HDCA-UT3.0K drive offers USB 3.0 and 3TB of storage
I-O Data just introduced the HDCA-UT3.0K external hard drive, which offers USB 3.0 support and 3TB of storage, which, as the company notes, makes it an ideal companion for TVs with a USB recording mode. Struggling to resist the charm of its blue LED and the possibility of owning more storage than you'll ever need? Look for it in mid-May with a price of ¥26,400 ($324).

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Samsung UN55D8000 55-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED Smart TV

Samsung UN55D8000 55-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED Smart TV
Samsung isn’t focusing entirely on the third-dimension with its new D8000 Series HDTVs: the 55-inch UN55D8000 also promises superlative 2D performance and Smart TV functionality including network streaming, all wrapped up in a wafer-thin bezel.
Still, with a list price of $3,599.99, the D8000 will have to deliver in spades to justify the cost.It has a huge slab of 1080p Full HD capable LCD TFT with a 240Hz refreshes rate, 3D support, and Samsung’s Micro Dimming Plus technology,new 2011 series SSG-3100GB active-shutter 3D glasses,QWERTY keypad and high performance software.

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The Wii 2

The Wii 2
The E3 gaming expo later this year, Nintendo will take the stage and finally unveil its long-rumored (and much-needed) Wii successor. Over the last couple weeks, we’ve been hearing quite a bit about the device, including the possibility of it coming with more powerful specs than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Rumors also suggest that a new controller is in the works that could feature a 6-inch display.
I’m so excited to see what Nintendo has up its sleeve.

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Google's WebM patent pals agree to share

Google's WebM patent pals agree to share
These days, patent lawsuits have become the big guns that tech companies use to battle their competitors. But when it comes to Google's WebM video technology, the company is trying to establish a neutral zone of patent peace.

Today, Google is announcing a program called the WebM Community Cross License initiative designed to dispel patent-related threats looming over freely usable video technology for the Web.
Under the effort, members who join agree to license any WebM-related patents to each other, a move that offers mutual reassurance that the technology is royalty-free in practice as well as in Google's aspiration.

So far Google has signed up 16 other organizations for the effort, some of them obvious allies such as browser makers Mozilla and Opera Software. But other allies, such as Samsung and LG Electronics, have video-related patents one could judge as commercially viable by virtue of their relevance to H.264, WebM's biggest video encoding technology rival.

The effort is an attempt to counter doubts raised about the patent purity of WebM by MPEG LA, which licenses the H.264 patent pool and is investigating the creation of a similar pool for VP8, the video encoding technology that along with the Vorbis audio codec is the core of WebM. MPEG LA has said it believes VP8 violates others patents, though it hasn't revealed any details.

Google hopes the WebM Community Cross License, combined with its own usage of WebM, will allay concerns.

Many important video patent holders such as Microsoft, Panasonic, Philips Electronics, Sharp, and Sony aren't on the list, though--at least yet.

The full list of partners so far is:

• AMD
• Cisco Systems
• Google
• HiSilicon Technologies (for itself and on behalf of its parent, Huawei)
• LG Electronics
• Logitech
• Matroska
• MIPS Technologies
• Mozilla Corporation
• Opera Software
• Pantech
• Quanta Computer
• Samsung
• STMicroelectronics (for itself and its affiliate, ST-Ericsson)
• Texas Instruments
• Verisilicon Holdings
• Xiph.Org Foundation

Google has taken other measures to promote WebM. It's removed H.264 support from Chrome, putting its browser in the Mozilla and Opera camp rather than the Internet Explorer and Safari camp when it comes to HTML5 video built straight into Web pages. It's also begun transcoding all uploaded YouTube videos into WebM--a mammoth task from a computing standpoint--and already has transcoded the most popular videos such that 99 percent of what's seen on YouTube can be seen in WebM.

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Why Google should acquire Pandora?

Why Google should acquire Pandora?
The online radio service has the kind of brand recognition and audience (80 million registered users) that YouTube had when Google acquired the video-sharing site in 2006. Pandora also possesses an established advertising business, something that YouTube lacked and something Google understands. In the first nine months of 2010, about 85 percent of Pandora's revenue, or about $78 million, came from ad sales. Another $12 million was generated from the fees that people pay to join a premium subscription service.

Most importantly, Pandora has music.

According to recent reports, Google is frustrated over the terms the top record labels are asking for music licensing. Wayne Rosso, a long-time digital music industry exec who has recreated himself into a sharp-tongued music-industry critic, wrote last week on his blog that sources told him Google is "disgusted" with the four major labels and the inability to acquire music licenses. While my music industry sources say Google managers haven't indicated that they're ready to pull out of talks with the labels, there's no denying that something is holding up the service.

Nearly a year ago, Google had told music industry execs that it hoped to launch before the end of 2010. Then, Google executives set their sights on debuting the service at the South By Southwest festival last month. That event came and went, with no Google Music. Meanwhile, the technology for Google's service is ready to go.

Two weeks ago, software leaked to the Web that appeared to be an upgraded version of Android Music, equipped with cloud-music features.

Pandora doesn't store music. The company's automated recommendation system selects music to stream to people based on their favorite songs and artists.

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