Consumer Electronics Daily News

AudioEye is Named 2013 Gold Edison Award Winner

AudioEye®, Inc., the creators of the Audio Internet™, the patented audio browsing and automated publishing technology, announced that AudioEye was voted a gold winner for innovation in the category of "Lifestyle and Social Impact; Quality of Life" at an April 25 event at Navy Pier in Chicago.  AudioEye CEO Nathaniel Bradley joined hundreds of senior executives from some of the world's most recognized companies to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of all of the 2013 Edison Award winners. The awards are named after Thomas Alva Edison (1847 - 1931) whose inventions, new product development methods and innovative achievements literally changed the world, garnered him 1,093 U.S. patents, and made him a household name around the world.

"Our judges recognized AudioEye as a true innovator out of the many products in its category," said Frank Bonafilia, executive director of the Edison Awards. The ballot of nominees for the Edison Awards™ was judged by a panel of more than 3,000 leading business executives including past award winners, academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medical. One of the evening's many highlights was the presentation of the prestigious Edison Achievement Award to Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, Chairman and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated. The award honors innovation leaders and business executives who have made a significant and lasting contribution to innovation throughout their careers. The Edison Achievement Award serves as inspiration to future innovators and to the world at large.

MetroPCS Stockholders Approve T-Mobile Merger

MetroPCS Communications, Inc. announced today that its stockholders overwhelmingly voted to approve all of the proposals required for closing the proposed combination with T-Mobile USA, Inc. With today's approval of the proposals by MetroPCS' stockholders, all requisite approvals required to complete the proposed combination have been received. The proposed combination is expected to be completed after the close of business on April 30, 2013.

"We are pleased with the outcome of today's vote and thank all of our stockholders for their support," said Roger D. Linquist, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MetroPCS. "Our combination with T-Mobile will create the value leader in the U.S. wireless marketplace, and we are confident that the combination of these two outstanding businesses is the best outcome for MetroPCS and our stockholders and will maximize stockholder value. We look forward to completing the combination shortly and delivering compelling value to the stockholders and customers of the combined company." 

Upon completion of the proposed combination, MetroPCS' stockholders of record as of the close of business on the closing date, which is expected to be April 30, 2013, will receive an immediate $1.5 billion aggregate cash payment, or approximately $4.06 per share (prior to the reverse stock split that will occur in connection with the closing of the proposed combination), as well as an approximate 26 percent ownership stake in the combined company. 

Approximately 86.21 percent of MetroPCS' total outstanding shares of common stock as of the March 11, 2013 record date for the special meeting were voted. MetroPCS had 369,882,190 shares of common stock outstanding as of the record date for the special meeting. 

Airfone to Shut Down to Boost Capacity for Gogo In-Flight Internet

 Aircell, a leading provider of in-flight connectivity equipment and services to the business aviation market, has completed its acquisition of the Airfone business unit of LiveTV, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JetBlue Airways Corporation. The agreement includes LiveTV's 1 MHz air-to-ground spectrum license, as well as the Airfone in-flight communications service, network infrastructure and back-office operational assets.

"We're delighted to welcome Airfone customers and dedicated employees to the Aircell family," said John Wade, Aircell's Executive Vice President and General Manager.

With a history dating back to the 1970s, the Airfone service currently operates on frequencies adjacent to those utilized by Aircell's Gogo Biz in-flight Internet service in the business aviation market – as well as Gogo in the commercial airline market. To support the ongoing expansion of those services, the Airfone service will be permanently decommissioned on December 31, 2013.

Airfone subscribers can visit www.airfonetransition.com to obtain complete details about the pending network shutdown – including timelines, FAQs, replacement system options, contact information and more.

To help ease the transition for affected operators, Aircell is offering special replacement incentives on a number of its voice and Internet systems. The incentive program – available exclusively to current Airfone subscribers through December 31, 2013 – allows customers to preserve or expand their in-flight communications capabilities at below-market costs.

"In-flight communications have become an indispensable part of the business aviation experience. To ensure operators aren't without needed communications capabilities after the December 31 Airfone service shutdown, customers with MagnaStar units are encouraged to begin planning their transition now," said Wade.

DeLorme Launches Next Generation of its Award-Winning inReach Satellite Communicator with GPS

DeLorme, which makes personal satellite communications and navigation technology, has announced the launch of its newest product inReach SE (Screen Edition). With 90 percent of the world's surface lacking cell phone coverage, inReach SE is essential gear for the traveler or outdoor adventurer to keep them connected and safe anywhere in the world. inReach SE remains the only satellite communication device in its price category that can both send and receive text messages.

The newest generation of inReach builds on DeLorme's award-winning technology to keep outdoor adventurers, boaters, aviators and travelers connected when off the grid or in parts of the world where cellular communications are limited. With the expanded standalone capabilities of inReach SE, users benefit from a color screen, virtual keyboard, slim design and a long-lasting internal lithium battery. In standalone mode, inReach SE provides free-form texting capabilities of up to 160 characters to any cell phone number, email address or social media page.

Using DeLorme's Earthmate app, inReach SE pairs wirelessly with popular smartphones and tablets to access topographic maps and NOAA charts and to make text messaging even more convenient.

With the ability to maintain satellite signal lock even in difficult GPS environments, inReach SE also offers global SOS capabilities, adjustable tracking intervals from 10 minutes to four hours, and remote real-time follow-me/find-me tracking and ping-me locating. In the event of an emergency, the interactive SOS capability of inReach automatically triggers remote tracking and allows users to describe and update their situation so proper resources can be deployed.

"Whether you're deep in the backwoods, floating on a remote lake, or simply travelling abroad, anyone can benefit from the comprehensive functionality of inReach SE," said Michael Heffron, DeLorme CEO. "Over the last two years we have been listening to customer feedback, so the next generation of inReach includes many new features based on their input. The internal rechargeable battery and the on-screen, free-form texting are especially beneficial, making on-the-go communications more convenient and delivering peace of mind to family and friends easier than ever before."

inReach operates over the Iridium satellite network, providing truly global two-way satellite communications, high network reliability and low-latency data links (less than 60 second delivery of messages end-to-end) anywhere on Earth, with no gaps, fringe or weak signal areas.

The follow me/find me tracking feature of inReach provides GPS position updates allowing family and friends to follow the user's trip as it happens. Family and friends can log into a dedicated MapShare page to follow a detailed breadcrumb trail, ping a location, and send messages to the inReach owner. In the event of an emergency, the built-in SOS button can be activated to trigger a distress alert with delivery confirmation and it automatically activates the remote GPS tracking feature. GPS tracking assists search-and-rescue personnel with homing in on the user's location, whether stationary or on the move.

Pairing the inReach SE via Bluetooth with the free Earthmate app turns a mobile device into a global satellite communicator and navigation tool. Real-time GPS location, tracking and text messages are overlaid on the digital maps for easy navigation and position location. inReach owners get exclusive, unlimited access to DeLorme's topographic maps and North American NOAA charts, which can be downloaded via an Internet connection prior to departure and remain available in the Earthmate app even when outside cellular coverage.

Suggested retail price for inReach SE is $299, with annual satellite subscriptions beginning at $9.95 per month. Four-month seasonal and special aviation plans with more frequent tracking intervals are also available.

inReach SE is available at most major retail and online outlets. A list of retailers is available at www.inreachdelorme.com.

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NAB Show to Feature Latest in Mobile TV

The latest developments in live mobile TV broadcasting, which brings local news, sports and popular TV programing to mobile devices, will be highlighted April 8 - 11 in the Mobile TV Pavilion (North Hall 2536 - 2638) at NAB Show in Las Vegas. For the first time, Mobile TV devices will be available for purchase at the NAB Show Store located in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Broadcasters continue to expand the reach and availability of Mobile TV with the "on-the-go" technology now available to more than half the U.S. population. Additionally, consumer demand for live, mobile TV content is driving new products and services, many of which will be demonstrated and available for purchase at NAB Show.

With more than 130 local broadcasters now on-air, Mobile TV's chief advantage is its use of over-the-air digital broadcast signals, which are ideal for delivering video. Conversely, wireless cell phone networks are susceptible to congestion, and users are subject to costly data charges, particularly when accessing video content.

"Mobile TV holds promise for consumers and broadcasters as video on-the-go becomes increasingly in demand and data plan consumption charges become more expensive for consumers," said NAB Executive Vice President Rick Kaplan. "Indeed, broadcasters' one-to-everyone transmission model is the most efficient means of delivering content. As Superstorm Sandy demonstrated, this is particularly true in times of emergency when all the spectrum in the world would still be unable to ensure reliability of wireless networks' one-to-one method of delivery."

On Tuesday, April 8 at 1:00 p.m., the NAB Show Broadcast Management Conference will feature a session entitled "Mobile TV Ready for Prime Time" in which representatives from both Mobile Content Venture and the Mobile500 Alliance will lay out the business opportunity presented by Mobile TV, provide case studies from various markets, examine successful marketing practices and discuss what consumers are saying about Mobile TV.

New devices are coming to market that enable consumers to receive broadcast TV signals via mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Select devices, adapters and applications from Elgato, ESCORT and RCA will be available for purchase at the NAB Store and will be demonstrated for show attendees at a special kiosk in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Products include:

• EyeTV Mobile from Elgato Systems, a compact TV tuner that connects directly to the iPad or iPhone and receives the Mobile TV signal via a miniature antenna (available for purchase during the show);

• ESCORT MobileTV, a miniature mobile digital TV receiver that allows viewers to watch TV on-the-go using iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (available for purchase during the show);

• The RCA Mobile TV Tablet, the first full-function Android tablet also equipped to receive both digital and Mobile TV. With an 8-inch screen, WiFi capability and retractable TV antenna, the Android 4.0 Mobile TV Tablet delivers tablet and TV functions in a convenient multipurpose package (coming soon, and demonstrated at NAB Show).

The Mobile TV Pavilion in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center will also feature broadcast service providers and manufacturers showcasing Mobile TV on cellphones, tablets and automotive receivers. Visitors to the Pavilion will see a range of live, national and local programming and learn more about the rollout of additional stations and services being provided by broadcasters:

Decontis (N2538) is showing a Mobile TV monitoring solution, atscSAM, already utilized at more than 80 Dyle TV stations;

DTVinteractive (N2637) is providing head-end solutions and demonstrating its multi-standard multiplexer, ATSC & ATSC-MH demodulator module for retransmission and central monitoring Mobile TV system;

Dyle (N2536), the Mobile TV service of the Mobile Content Venture of leading networks and broadcast groups, is demonstrating Dyle Mobile TV-compatible apps and devices that enable live broadcasting to mobile devices;

Mobile Emergency Alert System (N2638), fresh from standardization by the ATSC, will demonstrate the advantage of one-to-many broadcast TV architecture that reaches millions with one broadcast. M-EAS leverages Mobile TV broadcasting to provide multimedia alerts in times of natural disaster and during man-made attacks.

Mobile500 (N2539), a voluntary alliance of 52 broadcasters representing more than 435 TV stations, is showing how it is working to accelerate the development of Mobile TV service; and

Rentrak (N2537) is the measurement partner for Dyle and provides Mobile TV audience measurement services to professionals throughout the movie, television and advertising industries. 

Messenger Plus! Supports Skype-Messenger Integration

Yuna Software, the company that develops and designs Messenger Plus! announced the release of its latest version of its application for Skype. Version 1.8 complements the Skype-Messenger merger, initiated by Microsoft, with improved communication between the two platforms.

Following Microsoft's announcement about discontinuing its Windows Live™ Messenger (WLM) service by mid-March, Messenger Plus! has invested efforts to help WLM users smooth their transition to Plus! (for Skype).  To enrich users' Skype experience with enhanced voice, video and instant messaging capabilities, Yuna Software is focusing on bringing the best of Messenger Plus! for WLM features to upcoming Plus! (for Skype) versions.

After users have switched to Skype, Microsoft lets them log in to Skype with their Windows Live Messenger account and communicate with their Messenger contacts.  Users who migrate to Plus! (for Skype) will enjoy the added value of Plus! including  being able to record voice and video calls of unlimited duration, send animations and sounds  and keep track of their conversations, all for free.  Skype-enabled mobile device users can receive Plus! animations (winks) and view video effects even if they do not have Plus! installed.  

Version 1.8 highlights

Custom Sounds: Users can send and search by category from the Messenger Plus! united WLM/Skype online sound archive.

Enhanced interface: The latest version delivers a slick and stylish interface as its default toolbar. You can select other designs or switch over from toolbar to menu mode in just one click.

Let WLM contacts join Plus! (for Skype): When you try to send a wink to a non-Skype contact, Plus! will suggest you invite them to join Messenger Plus! (for Skype) so that they will be able to see winks, hear sounds and enjoy many other features this software provides.

Messenger Plus! (for Skype) 1.8 download: http://www.msgplus.net/Features/Messenger-Plus-For-Skype

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Orbit Research and APH Introduce the World's First Handheld Talking Graphing Calculator

Orbit Research and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) today announced the introduction of the Orion TI-84 Plus, the world's first fully accessible handheld graphing calculator.  Based on the popular TI-84 Plus model from Texas Instruments, the market-leader in calculators and educational technology, the Orion TI-84 Plus represents a breakthrough in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education for students who are blind and visually impaired. 

With the advent of the graphing calculator, mathematics educators immediately recognized its potential for improving both the efficiency and the effectiveness of mathematics instruction by using it to promote exploration, conceptual understanding, modeling and complex problem solving.  Today, literally millions of graphing calculators are used in math and science classes, and are an integral part of the high-school math curriculum.  The most widely adopted graphing calculators are from the TI-8x family. 

However, the popularity and usefulness of graphing calculators also poses a challenge for students who are blind and visually impaired, since none of the models used in classrooms have been accessible thus far.  While some specialized computer software programs for graphing exist for students who are visually impaired, it has been difficult for them to participate fully in classroom activities with other students who are using calculators such as the TI-84 Plus. 

Building upon APH's vast experience in the development of educational products and Orbit Research's expertise in adapting mainstream calculators for accessibility, and its long-term partnership with Texas Instruments, the companies collaborated to develop this unique product.

"Texas Instruments is passionate about helping teachers bring math and science to life for all students and Orbit Research has helped to develop an accessible version of the TI-84 Plus for students who are blind and visually impaired," said Scott Sedberry, Strategic Business Manager for Texas Instruments Education Technology.  "The identical functionality of the accessible and traditional versions of the TI-84 Plus enables students who are blind and visually impaired to use the same device as their classmates, participate in the same curriculum and take advantage of the vast knowledge-base and instructional materials that are already available for this handheld.  We are very excited about the opportunities this creates in STEM education and are committed to continued efforts to level the playing field for this population of students through our partnership with Orbit Research."

The Orion TI-84 Plus consists of a compact accessory that is attached to the top of the TI-84 Plus and enables a user who is visually impaired to interact with the TI-84 Plus using speech, audio, and haptic (vibration) feedback.  All textual and symbolic information on the screen, as well as each key-press is spoken using high-quality synthesized speech.  Most importantly, graphs can be explored using either spoken announcements or the SonoGraph™ audio and haptic feedback.  The user can also review the contents of the screen at any time, including all text and graphical information, without affecting the calculation.

The unit is fully expandable with hardware accessories through a USB port and can also print or emboss graphs when connected to a printer or braille embosser.

The Orion TI-84 Plus will be available through APH's Federal Quota Program and units will ship in time for the 2013-2014 school year.

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Text to Speech Device Helps Literate People Get into the Conversation

Just slightly bigger than a smartphone, the latest text to speech communication device from Toby Churchill has been designed for literate people to help them communicate more confidently and fluently with anyone. It enables users to generate words, phrases and sentences rapidly, to be an active participant in the conversation, and to make themselves clearly heard.

"Conversational analysis has shown that you've got as little as half a second to get a response into a conversation," said Neel Shearer, Product Manager at Toby Churchill. "Lightwriter Swift will allow you to do that."

The Lightwriter Swift has been designed for enhanced interactive conversation with its unique dual screen technology. It delivers high quality sound through dual speakers with responsive, natural-sounding speech from Acapela.

Acapela text to speech turns written messages into a pleasant voice instantaneously. Quick touch controls with joystick access enhance device ease of use and rapid access to 'social sounds' help to get end user's message across within the context of the conversation, providing a perfectly natural and audible output even in a noisy environment.

The new Lightwriter Swift is aimed at people who have lost their speech through stroke, brain injury or cancer as well as those living with conditions such as cerebral palsy and motor neuron disease.

The pocket-sized dedicated device already speaks English (UK & US) and will be soon available in the same range of Acapela voices that all other Lightwriter devices are: Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, French Canadian, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish.

To date, more than 40,000 people around the world have used a Lightwriter to aid their communication. Lightwriters are exported to 23 different countries and are available in 13 different languages.

Best-Selling Author Stephen King Publishes Kindle Single “Guns,” Available Exclusively in the Kindle Store

Amazon.com announced that best-selling and iconic author Stephen King has published a personal essay—“Guns”—available exclusively in the Kindle Store as a Kindle Single. This essay highlights one of the compelling features of Kindle Singles—they allow top authors to publish their works quickly. “Guns” is available now, and exclusively to Kindle customers in the Kindle Singles Store (www.amazon.com/kindlesingles) for $0.99.

“I think the issue of an America awash in guns is one every citizen has to think about,” said King. “If this helps provoke constructive debate, I’ve done my job. Once I finished writing ‘Guns’ I wanted it published quickly, and Kindle Singles provided an excellent fit.”

“It’s exciting to offer a way for a brilliant writer like King to publish quickly, and to reach a large audience of loyal readers and new customers,” said David Blum, editor of Kindle Singles. “King finished this essay last Friday morning, and by that night we had accepted it and scheduled for publication today.”

Like all Kindle books, Kindle Singles are “Buy Once, Read Everywhere”—customers can read them on their Kindle, on the web with Kindle Cloud Reader and on free Kindle reading apps for Android, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Windows 8, PC and Mac.

Launched in 2011, Kindle Singles are typically between 5,000 and 30,000 words. Too long for a magazine article and too short for a book, Kindle Singles allow ideas to be expressed at their natural length. Writers can learn more about submitting their work for consideration at www.amazon.com/singlessubmissions.

New eVerge Two-Way Radios by Vertex Standard Help Customers Improve with Better Communications and Performance

Vertex Standard introduces its new eVerge™ digital two-way radio series. The new eVerge digital radio portfolio includes the EVX-530 series portable radios; EVX-5300/5400 series mobile radios and EVX-R70 repeater for a complete digital system. These new radios are designed to work with existing analog radios for easy conversion from analog to digital for added convenience. eVerge radios are ideally suited for commercial and industrial customers who currently use basic LMR for voice communications and could benefit from better audio quality, better coverage and more privacy.

eVerge radios support easy, efficient conversion from analog to digital operating in both digital and analog modes enabling users to migrate to digital at their own pace to best support their functional and financial needs.

They are also designed to help customers use the right digital protocol, TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), for optimum power and spectrum efficiency. TDMA is compliant with the DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) standard so eVerge digital radios are compatible with more than 74% of digital radios used worldwide. TDMA also maximizes user performance with double the call capacity in one frequency channel to support two simultaneous digital conversations without relicensing or rebanding.

In North America, eVerge two-way radios will operate in VHF (136 – 174 MHz) and UHF (403 – 470 MHz; 450 – 512 MHz) bands. The eVerge portable EVX-530 series and mobile EVX-5300/5400 series are compact in size while designed to deliver more capabilities and flexibility for enhanced communications including:

• Better call quality versus analog. Ultra clear digital signals cut out static and interference and preserve voice quality over a greater range. eVerge radios also feature AMBE+2™ vocoder technology to further improve voice quality in noisy environments.
• Enhanced call management capabilities to control who hears what is transmitted on a channel. Digital delivers the ability to place direct calls to a specific individual or to select groups of radios without distracting others. Text messaging allows users to communicate when unable to talk freely or document a conversation by radio.
• Enhanced privacy when operating in digital mode without the need for extra encryption hardware. Only the intended recipient(s) hears what is transmitted without the risk of impacting voice quality that can be experienced with analog encryption.
• Exclusive Auto Range Transpond System (ARTS) monitoring that enables users to always know their connection status with other ARTS-enabled radios. eVerge also includes ARTS II that operates in both digital and analog modes to alert users when they are no longer in range to communicate.
• EVX-530 series key features include up to 40% longer battery life operating in digital mode and IP 57 fresh water submersible for 3 feet up to 30 minutes plus a complete suite of safety alert capabilities: one-touch emergency, lone worker and Vertex Standard exclusive ARTS

Visit Vertex Standard’s new eVerge website for complete product specifications and digital resources about evolving to better communications: www.everge.vertexstandard.com.