Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan

Sharp's AQUOS SH-06D will most probably never leave the Land of The Rising Sun. That doesn't stop us, however, from lusting after its 4.5-inch. This 720p display also manages 3D, spread across a slinky 10mm frame that houses NTT DoCoMo's recently launched NOTTV streaming broadcast system. The device arrives in pink, white and blue options -- all provided with a matching dock and built-in aerial. Like several eastern phones with the ability to tune into live TV broadcasts, the AQUOS SH-06D has its own extendable antenna built into the side. The device, despite its largely plastic build felt solid in our hand, although the minuscule power and volume buttons proved difficult to manipulate at times. The screen technology is still a closely guarded secret, but it aims to bring both 3D functionality alongside a crisp HD display performance during two-dimensional antics. Viewing angles are great -- a welcome trend we've seen on plenty of handsets at this year's MWC -- but the heavily customized Android 2.3 skin took away some of that sheen. Applications are stowed away into several drop-down menus that took some getting used to -- regardless of any language barrier. Sharp hasn't revealed any plans to join its Japanese competitors in the frenzied global smartphone market, but some import options wouldn't go amiss. See why in our hands-on right after the break.

MLB at Bat 2012 app out for iDevices and Android, brings in-app monthly subscriptions to iOS

It's that time of year when the hot stove league gives way to spring training, and people start talking less about things like El Hombre's move to LA and more about batting averages and home runs. Thus, MLB has unleashed the MLB At Bat 2012 app to keep you up to date on your favorite squads and stars, and unlike previous iOS iterations, this time it's free. That gratis version gives users limited info (scores, standings, news, and team content), but those willing to drop $14.99 get full access for the year, which includes audio game casts, live game video look-ins and the game of the day. Additionally, there's a $2.99 monthly subscription option if you find forking over for the full season distasteful. Unlike the iOS version, Android users currently only have the $14.99 option, though the same interface is present in both apps to provide a consistent UX. Subscribers of MLB.tv get all of what At Bat 2012 has to offer for free, with Android users gaining access through the existing At Bat Lite app. Sound good? Head on down to the source and get your download on.

Samsung flexible OLED gadgets incoming this year

Samsung is mass producing flexible OLED displays for products still on track for release in 2012, the company has confirmed, though the exact extent to which they actually bend will depend on more than just the panels themselves. Samsung Mobile Display’s assistant president confirmed the sales plans this week, Asia Economy Park News reports, insisting that “flexible displays will be commercialized within a year.” The initial implementations are expected to include smartphones and tablets.


According to the SMD exec, exactly how flexible the displays end up being will be a matter of the substrate selected, among other things. Although the dream of bendable screens has been a pull-out panel that can offer both a large viewing area and a small gadget size, there are also potential implementations in devices that have wraparound panels or touchscreens that contort to suit the shape of a device.
In fact, Samsung has already experimented with curved screens, with its so-called Contour Display technology as seen on the Galaxy Nexus. That has a slight bend to the lower portion of the screen, intending it to be more easily used with a single hand.
However, what we’d really like to see is something like Nokia’s GEM concept, a phone clad entirely in touch-sensitive display panels, or indeed a production version of Samsung’s own folding MID concept from earlier last year. The company has been pushing the envelope with AMOLED screen sizes in recent months, such as the huge Galaxy Note, and is expected to use another large panel for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III.

iRobot reorganizes, forms new unit focused on Ava and other emerging technologies

iRobot has been branching out from its traditional household and military robots for quite a while, and it looks like it's now officially embracing those activities as a core part of its business. The company announced a reorganization (or "strategic realignment") today that will see it comprised of three different business units: Home Robots, Military Robots and Emerging Technologies. That last group includes things like the Ava mobile robotics platform, which iRobot hopes will eventually be used in everything from healthcare to retail to security applications. Alongside that news, the company also announced a bit of an exec shakeup, with Home Robots President Jeffrey Beck being named Chief Operating Officer, and former COO Joseph Dyer switching roles to become Chief Strategy Officer. The company's official announcement can be found after the break.

AMD buys SeaMicro to enter cloud server business

Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices has announced today that it is buying server startup SeaMicro for $334 million in a bold and surprising move to bolster its server business against long-time rival Intel. AMD has failed to secure a spot in the mobile space and now hopes to double down on its server business with SeaMicro, which specializes in highly dense and power-efficient servers for large-scale cloud computing.


AMD is interested in SeaMicro’s core IP, which has to do with a customized chip that can handle the networking demands of more than 500 chips, all packed into a very tight space. SeaMicro was able to eliminate all but three of the chips on a standard server motherboard, which yielded servers that consumed only a quarter of the power and one sixth of the space of traditional x86 servers. AMD hopes to license the technology to other server vendors.
The acquisition will be a blow to Intel, which had a close partnership with SeaMicro and even developed a special version of its Atom processor for the SeaMicro servers. AMD expects to close the deal in March and will be paying $281 million in cash with the remainder paid in stock.

Samsung Galaxy Beam set for summer 2012 release in the UK

If you found Samsung’s combination of a pico projector and Android smartphone interesting (if not overly utilitarian), you weren’t alone. And sooner than later, you’ll be able to pick one up if you live in the UK. Samsung has announced that it intends to sell the Galaxy Beam starting in July for £385 unlocked, which is just over $600 USD. The company says that it will partner with multiple British cellular carriers to subsidize the phone, but wouldn’t say which ones.

The Galaxy Beam combines a mid-range Android smartphone with a tiny projector recessed into its top side. The lamp is 15 lumens – low by projector standards, but plenty bright enough to see in even moderate indoor light. The 640×480 image can be projected up to 50 inches, with a focus function built into the volume buttons on the side of the phone. The screen on the front is a 4-inch TFT – not huge by Android standards, but big enough. Speaking of Android, the now-outdated Gingerbread runs with TouchWiz on top and a 1.0Ghz dual-core processor underneath. The rear camera is five megapixels with a 1.4 front-megapixel front camera to boot.
The 2000mAh battery is massive by mid-range standards – the better to power the projector. Samsung claims that the lamp inside will last 20,000 hours, much longer than the standard two-year contract. This isn’t the first cell phone to cram a micro-projector into its case (not even the first Samsung cell phone to do so) but it is the first to bring Android along for the ride. And even with a lamp, lens and battery, the profile is still an impressive 12.5mm thin, about the same same size as the original Motorola DROID. Interested? Check out our hands-on look at the Galaxy Beam from Mobile World Congress.

Withings Baby Monitor makes its official, expensive US debut

The Withings Baby Monitor has already been available in the UK for sometime now and recently made a splash over at the FCC. Now the iOS accessory is finally for sale here in the good ol' US-of-A, for the rather staggering price of $299. That's right, this sensor-packed web cam probably costs more than your handset. Then again, that $20 set of audio-only monitors you picked up at Walmart can't keep you abreast of the temperature and humidity in your child's sleeping quarters or let you watch your newborn sleep with the aid of a night vision mode. You can get the associated WithBaby app for free in the iTunes App Store now. The only question is, whether or not you love your baby enough to spend $300 on an iPhone accessory. We won't judge you either way. Check out the PR after the break.