Sharp may be close to receiving a $110 million boost from Samsung (update: deal final)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/sharp-may-be-close-to-receiving-a-110-million-boost-from-samsun/

Japan's Sharp has been struggling very publicly for some time now, and many reports indicate it's been looking outward for interested investors. While it already secured just such an arrangement with Qualcomm in December, rumors indicate attempts to reach a deal with Foxconn are in trouble and now Samsung is tabbed as a potential investor. Reuters and Japan's Nikkei cite sources indicating an official announcement could come sometime today regarding a 10 billion yen ($110 million) investment that would net the Korean electronics giant a three percent piece of Sharp. This deal would be mutually beneficial as Sharp gains a place to sell more of the LCDs it's capable of manufacturing, and Samsung cheaply expands its supply of panels, with a possibility of expanding their arrangement beyond LCDs in the future. We'll wait and see exactly what happens, but those IGZO screens Sharp is working on could be popping up in some unexpected places by the time it's all said and done.

Update: Sharp has just confirmed that Samsung is now indeed a 3.08 percent owner thanks to an investment of 10.4 billion yen ($112 million). It said the deal would "further strengthen the alliance (with Samsung Electronics) and continuously provide a long-term, stable and timely output of LCD panels for large-size TVs and small- and medium-size LCD panels for mobile devices such as! noteboo k computers." For more info, see the PR after the break.

Filed under: Displays, Samsung

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Source: Nikkei, Reuters, Wall Street Journal

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HP Pavilion 20 Linux AIO launches in the UK, ships with Ubuntu for £349

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/hp-pavilion-20-ubuntu/

Ready to take the plunge on a new all-in-one, but not super pumped about tackling Windows 8? You're probably not alone, and it looks like HP's got a solution. The company's entry-level Pavilion 20-b101ea AIO desktop now ships with Ubuntu pre-installed, so if you've been considering a jump to Linux but wanted to avoid dealing with a system refresh, this might be just the opportunity you're after. The alternative rig is shipping to UK customers for £349 including VAT, which roughly works out to $530, for blokes across the pond. Interestingly, the Ubuntu machine has yet to appear in HP's US store, where you're only able to snag the Windows 8 configuration, with pricing starting at $450. Those of you with a mailing address in the United Kingdom are in luck, however -- hit up our source link to snag your very own Ubuntu-equipped all-in-one.

Filed under: Desktops, HP

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Via: Ubuntu (Google+)

Source: HP Store (UK)

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Roku Completely Revamps Its Smart TV Software And Launches A Brand New Set-Top Box

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/roku-3-announced-2013-3

Roku announced today its third-generation set-top box, the Roku 3. 

Not much has changed with the Roku on the outside, but it does have a faster processor and more memory on the inside, so users will notice snappier performance when switching between apps and games. It still looks very similar to the Apple TV, a squarish black box that's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Roku also updated its remote control to include motion gestures for gaming and other tasks, sort of like the motion control on the Nintendo Wii controller. There's also a headphone jack on the remote so you can listen to a show without disturbing others in the room. That feature automatically switches on when you plug in a pair of standard headphones.

But most importantly, Roku completely redesigned its interface to make it easier to find the content you want to watch. 

We got to test out the new Roku interface at a demo with a few members of the development team last week, and it's a huge improvement over the last version. Everything flows naturally to the right using the directional buttons on the remote, so it's easy to jump in and out of apps or games. 

The search feature is also very impressive, letting you search by show or movie title, actor, director, etc. for the stuff you want to watch. Roku's search pulls in data from all sources -- Netflix, HBO, Vudu, Hulu Plus, etc. -- and lets you choose what service you want to use to watch a show or movie.

Roku has been around for several years, and it makes a strong alternative to the Apple TV.

Unlike the Apple TV, Roku lets developers write apps for the set-top box, so you'll find several hundred streaming services and games. That includes the most popular services like Pandora, Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO GO. There are more than 750 apps to choose from, much more than the handful you'll find on Apple TV.

On the flipside, Roku doesn't work as well with mobile devices as the Apple TV does. You can't wirelessly beam content from your smartphone or tablet to your Roku like you can with Apple TV.

The new Roku 3 will cost $99.99 and begins shipping in April. If you own a second-generation Roku, you'll get the new interface in a software update in the coming weeks.

We'll have a review of the Roku 3 in a few days, so stay tuned.

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LG Optimus G Pro review: a phone that lives up to Note-sized expectations

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/05/lg-optimus-g-pro-review/

The large-phone craze is rocking the world like a hurricane, and LG is no stranger to this trend: within the last year, the Korean manufacturer has launched two big-screened smartphones as Optimus Vus (three if you count the LG Intuition on Verizon) to mediocre fanfare worldwide. Given the growing competition in the category -- most notably from its rival Samsung with the Galaxy Note series -- it was inevitable that a stronger campaign, as well as a leader to drive it, was necessary.

This is where the LG Optimus G Pro comes in, taking advantage of a 5.5-inch, 1080p True HD-IPS + LCD panel while pulling in several design and feature cues from its smaller (yet elder) siblings, the Optimus G and Nexus 4. As if the display wasn't enough, LG tops it off with one of the world's first Snapdragon 600 quad-core processors, 2GB RAM and a 13MP rear camera with all the trimmings. It may not be LG's current flagship, per se, but the laundry list of features indicates to us that it's sure acting the part, at the very least. Should its reputation be as large as its screen, or is the Optimus G Pro using that extra size to compensate for something? Follow along as we explore the inner and outer beauty of LG's large-on-life smartphone.

Gallery: LG Optimus G Pro review

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, LG

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Would You Pay For Ad-Free YouTube?

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5988632/would-you-pay-for-ad+free-youtube

Reports from both Fortune and The Guardian indicate that Google is planning to start a subscription music service like Spotify soon. But the craziest little nugget buried in the reports: YouTube might be getting an ad-free option. Imagine no more Vevo ads. Hello, holy grail.

Fortune seems convinced that YouTube—and not the Google Music storage locker—will be the home of the purported forthcoming music service. A subscription to the streaming music would come with the added benefit of ad-free YouTube. We don't know exactly what shape a future service would take, but YouTube, which is owned by Google, did confirm that it's looking into subscriptions as a source of revenue.

But given how annoying YouTube ads are, here's the question: would you pay not to watch them like you pay for ad-free Pandora? How much? [Fortune and The Guardian]

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