Circuit City announces store closure plans, full list of locations revealed

Yesterday news broke that Circuit City would announce the imminent closure of 155 retail locations, and this morning the company confirmed the news. Detailing its next plan of action in a lengthy press release, the electronics-maker blames "waning consumer confidence and a significantly weakened retail environment" (amongst other things) for the closings, and says that it's considering "all available options and alternatives for the business." In the short-term, this means that we'll see store closings in 55 markets from coast to coast, and the retailer will axe 17 percent of its workforce. The company also plans to begin store closing sales this Wednesday, November 5th, so they're clearly not wasting any time with the process. We've got more info in the read links below, as well as a full list of the closing stores -- if you're an employee, we hope your number isn't on there.

[Via: Engadget ] [Tag: circuit city, CircuitCity, economy, store closing, store closings, StoreClosing, StoreClosings ]

Panasonic and Sanyo change status to "it's complicated"

You know you've heard it from two lovebirds in junior high: "we're not going out, we're just talking." In a completely bizarre way, that's about the best way we can sum up what's apparently going on between Panasonic and Sanyo Electric. According to an unnamed company official "familiar with the negotiations," Panny is already in talks with Goldman Sachs, Daiwa Securities SMBC and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking about snapping up a "controlling stake in its smaller rival." Reportedly, these "talks" are at the so-called preliminary stage, and dialog regarding dollars and cents (and yen, probably) has yet to officially occur. Still, the insider asserts that a formal acquisition proposal will be submitted soon, potentially enabling Panasonic to quickly grab a "world-class" (wait, really?) battery operation and give it a leg-up in the exploding solar energy market. Stay tuned for more -- you know the unpredictable always happens on Saturday nights.
[Via: Bloomberg ] [Tag: acquisition, business, buy, buyout, industry, japan, merge, merger, panasonic, sanyo, sanyo electric, SanyoElectric ]

Microsoft's Device Manners Policy patent enforces "no-talking zones" and more

This is either the best or worst idea ever, depending on your point of view. Microsoft has patented what it calls a "device manners policy" (DMP), a wireless zone-enforced device protocol that allows local operators to turn certain features off (or on) based on local manner and safety policy. Similar to how wireless service on planes can lock out voice but allow data, Microsoft's DMP concept would allow local czars to enforce, for example, "no talking out loud" or "no photography" rules. Audio recording could be disabled at concerts, video recording killed at theaters, and ringers turned off at funerals. Of course, this all requires manufacturers to comply with the DMP protocol in their devices. In the end, we'd be looking at a pre-movie PSA that says "your phone is now being put on silent" rather than "please turn off your cell phone."

[Via: Unwired Review ]
[Tag: ]

iClooly iPod touch stand hopes to be an iMac when it grows up

There you have it, RockRidgeSound's iClooly stand for your iPod touch. The ?4,980 (about $47) accessory features a 90-degree pivot joint, dock-connector cut-out, and headphone extension cable in the box. The perfect little buddy for your iMac skipper when these set sail on June 7th.

[Via: Impress ]
[Tag: iclooly,ipod touch,IpodTouch,rockridgesound ]

Details emerge on Apple's acquistion of chip designer P.A. Semi

There weren't a whole lot of firm details on the reasons behind Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi to be had back when the deal was announced last month, but it seems that a bit of the veil of mystery may now be lifting, at least if the word EETimes is hearing from its unnamed source is to be believed. Apparently, Apple was keen to have P.A. Semi's crack chip-making team design a new chip for them, but P.A. Semi had "more or less burnt through its venture capital funds," leaving them unable to take on the project. According to EETimes source, that meant that the only way to get P.A. Semi involved was for Apple to pay off all of P.A.'s investors and bring the company in-house, something they were able to do for a mere $280 million or so. Of course, as EETimes points out, the big question remaining is exactly what it is that Apple wants P.A. Semi to help it out with, and that's a detail we'd expect to take considerably longer to trickle out.


[Via: Mac Rumors ]
[Tag: apple.chip,chip designer,chip maker,ChipDesigner,ChipMaker,p.a. semi,P.a.Semi,pa semi,PaSemi ]

Details emerge on Apple's acquistion of chip designer P.A. Semi

There weren't a whole lot of firm details on the reasons behind Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi to be had back when the deal was announced last month, but it seems that a bit of the veil of mystery may now be lifting, at least if the word EETimes is hearing from its unnamed source is to be believed. Apparently, Apple was keen to have P.A. Semi's crack chip-making team design a new chip for them, but P.A. Semi had "more or less burnt through its venture capital funds," leaving them unable to take on the project. According to EETimes source, that meant that the only way to get P.A. Semi involved was for Apple to pay off all of P.A.'s investors and bring the company in-house, something they were able to do for a mere $280 million or so. Of course, as EETimes points out, the big question remaining is exactly what it is that Apple wants P.A. Semi to help it out with, and that's a detail we'd expect to take considerably longer to trickle out.


[Via: Mac Rumors ]
[Tag: apple.chip,chip designer,chip maker,ChipDesigner,ChipMaker,p.a. semi,P.a.Semi,pa semi,PaSemi ]

Details emerge on Apple's acquistion of chip designer P.A. Semi

There weren't a whole lot of firm details on the reasons behind Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi to be had back when the deal was announced last month, but it seems that a bit of the veil of mystery may now be lifting, at least if the word EETimes is hearing from its unnamed source is to be believed. Apparently, Apple was keen to have P.A. Semi's crack chip-making team design a new chip for them, but P.A. Semi had "more or less burnt through its venture capital funds," leaving them unable to take on the project. According to EETimes source, that meant that the only way to get P.A. Semi involved was for Apple to pay off all of P.A.'s investors and bring the company in-house, something they were able to do for a mere $280 million or so. Of course, as EETimes points out, the big question remaining is exactly what it is that Apple wants P.A. Semi to help it out with, and that's a detail we'd expect to take considerably longer to trickle out.


[Via: Mac Rumors ]
[Tag: apple.chip,chip designer,chip maker,ChipDesigner,ChipMaker,p.a. semi,P.a.Semi,pa semi,PaSemi ]

Details emerge on Apple's acquistion of chip designer P.A. Semi

There weren't a whole lot of firm details on the reasons behind Apple's acquisition of chip designer P.A. Semi to be had back when the deal was announced last month, but it seems that a bit of the veil of mystery may now be lifting, at least if the word EETimes is hearing from its unnamed source is to be believed. Apparently, Apple was keen to have P.A. Semi's crack chip-making team design a new chip for them, but P.A. Semi had "more or less burnt through its venture capital funds," leaving them unable to take on the project. According to EETimes source, that meant that the only way to get P.A. Semi involved was for Apple to pay off all of P.A.'s investors and bring the company in-house, something they were able to do for a mere $280 million or so. Of course, as EETimes points out, the big question remaining is exactly what it is that Apple wants P.A. Semi to help it out with, and that's a detail we'd expect to take considerably longer to trickle out.


[Via: Mac Rumors ]
[Tag: apple.chip,chip designer,chip maker,ChipDesigner,ChipMaker,p.a. semi,P.a.Semi,pa semi,PaSemi ]

Portable medical scanners built to interface with cellphones

You know those elephant-sized medical scanners? Totally amazing machines, sure, but things like that aren't apt to be shipped into obscure jungles throughout Africa. Thankfully, a team of researchers have developed something that could bring medical scanning to an even larger chunk of the world: a real live Tricorder. Of course, it's not really going by that moniker, but the diminutive scanner is able to interface with a cellphone via USB and utilize its 3G / WiFi access to send raw scan data to servers and receive images back. Granted, you won't get any high-resolution viewing from your average mobile, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: health, invention, medical, medical scanners, MedicalScanners, monitoring, science, star trek, StarTrek, tricorder, ultrasound, x-ray ]

Devotec's portable Solar Charger is minuscule, pretty cheap

We know, it's tiresome scouring the streets for an AC outlet when you've got oodles of sunshine surrounding you. That's where Devotec Industries' Solar Charger comes in. The smallest (and freshest) addition to the company's line weighs in at under 80-grams and measures just 95- x 43- x 10-millimeters, and packed within you'll find an 1800mAh battery. Of note, users can also juice up the device via USB or AC for when cloudy days swoop in, and it comes bundled with a slew of tips to handle the most popular handsets out there. Yeah, it does take a full day of sun (12-hours, to be precise) to get this thing fully charged (or 4-hours by AC / USB), but then again, it'll only set you back £19.99 ($40).
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: alternative energy, AlternativeEnergy, charge, charger, charging, Devotec, green, solar, solar charger, solar power, solar powered, solar-power, SolarCharger, SolarPower, SolarPowered ]

Genius introduces G-Pen M712 / M609 pen tablets

It's been a hot minute since we've seen a flashy new pen tablet from Genius, but the outfit is getting set to unload a new duo onto the market for artists looking to get their penmanship directly onto the LCD. The G-Pen M712 and M609 both arrive with Vista / Mac-compatible software, sport 4,000 LPI resolutions and come with rolling pads at the top for scrolling, zooming and adjusting volume. As for the M609, expect a screen size of 9- x 5.5-inches (wide) / 7.25- x 5.5-inches (standard) and 26 hot keys, while the M712 offers up a bit more real estate at 12- x 7.25-inches (wide) / 9.5- x 7.25-inches (standard) and includes 34 hot keys. Look for 'em both to land real soon for $195 and $249, respectively. Full release waiting after the jump.

Gallery: Genius introduces G-Pen M712 / M609 pen tablets

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GENIUS ANNOUNCES TWO NEW MULTIMEIDA TABLETS FOR THE CREATIVE TYPE
– NOW THAT IS GENIUS!

The G-Pen M609 and G-Pen M712 offer more multimedia functions than most tablets on the market and have a 4000 LPI resolution for the best graphic design and performance


MIAMI – Genius (www.geniusnetusa.com), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced two new additions to the company's extensive line up of digital tablets, the G-Pen M609 and G-Pen M712, for graphic designers and artists. Both are dual-mode and come with extensive multimedia functions that make creativity a breeze. Plug and play ready, both G-Pen's come with both Window's Vista and Mac software. The unique dual-mode feature, which can switch the screen from wide to standard and back again, and the high resolution (4,000 LPI), make these new multimedia tablets the ultimate canvas for serious designers.

Available in two sizes, the G-Pen M609's screen size is 9" x 5.5" (wide) / 7.25" x 5.5" (standard); while the sophisticated G-Pen M712 is a bit bigger with a screen size that measures 12" x 7.25" (wide) / x 9.5" x 7.25" (standard). The G-Pen M712 (34 hot keys) has eight more "fast shortcut keys" than the M609 (26 hot keys). The fast shortcut keys are used to access Office, the internet and Vista or Mac functions. Both come with rolling pads at the top of the tablet (scroll, zoom, volume) and hot keysthat can use when creating, writing and drawing, sketching and signing emails, and both come with stylish design, top class digital, cordless pen.
The G-Pen M712 is priced at $249.00 (MSRP) and comes with PhotoShop Elements 5.0, PhotoImpact 12SE, Macro Key Manager and Office Ink/Free Notes, the G-Pen M609 comes with all the same software, except PhotoElements 5.0, and is priced at $195.00 (MSRP). Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or other retailers and distributors listed at http://www.geniusnetusa.com/buy.php.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: drawing, G-Pen, G-Pen M609, G-Pen M712, G-penM609, G-penM712, Genius, M609, M712, multimedia tablet, MultimediaTablet, pen, pen tablet, PenTablet, tablet ]