LA Microsoft Store not mobbed, but Surface has a following

The Surface Pro

(Credit:
Brooke Crothers)

LOS ANGELES -- The launch of the Surface Pro at the Microsoft Store in LA's Century City was a relatively low-key affair compared with the debut of the Surface RT.

When I arrived just after 10 a.m. there was a small line (see photo). That said, both versions -- 64GB and 128GB -- of the
Surface Pro had sold out immediately.

Of course, no one would say how many units were set aside for first-day sales, and the lines didn't exactly snake around the Westfield Century City mall. So, it wasn't like a Depression-era run on a bank.

And back in October the lines were longer and the atmosphere a bit more frenzied when the Surface RT launched.

On Saturday, there was a small line outside the Century City Microsoft Store near Beverly Hills. The Surface Pro sold out immediately at the store.

(Credit:
Brooke Crothers)

But like the RT rollout, there was a fixation on and interest in the product not unlike what's found at an Apple event. I saw more than a few customers glued to the device for 30 minutes or even an hour.

In other words, Surface has a following. An analogy I would use is the Chevy Volt. Recently in LA, the Chevy Volt is gaining ground, driven by a small but growing (and fervent) customer base.

And Microsoft Store sales reps know what they're talking about. A patient, focused rep gave me a long, hands-on explanation of the
Windows 8 touch interface and demonstrated a new touch-enabled paint app, among other apps.

Finally, note that there are other enticing touch-screen Windows 8 devices at the store, including the 2.3-pound Acer Aspire S7 and the HP Spectre XT TouchSmart. And that's good for Windows 8 overall.

Looking at the line from inside the store.

(Credit:
Brooke Crothers)

The Surface Pro isn't the only cool Windows 8 device on sale at the Microsoft Store. The 11.6-inch Acer Aspire S7 touch-screen laptop is a tempting alternative to the Pro.

(Credit:
Brooke Crothers)

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YouTube to be blocked in Egypt over anti-Islam film

An Egyptian administrative court ordered Google's Youtube suspended for a month as a penalty for broadcasting the controversial film, "Innocents of Muslims," which mocks the prophet Muhammad, according to a Reuters report.

The 13-minute film, originally uploaded to YouTube in July 2012, was a trailer for a movie produced in the U.S. It denigrates the prophet Muhammad as a buffoonish molester, and sparked violence and outrage throughout Muslim countries in September 2012.

At the time of the unrest last fall, Google determined that "Innocents of Muslim" did not violate YouTube's community standards guidelines governing the United States. The company did block the film in countries where it was deemed illegal when riots broke out. According to YouTube:

We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions. This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere. This video -- which is widely available on the Web -- is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube. However, we've restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such as India and Indonesia as well as in Libya and Egypt given the very sensitive situations in these two countries. This approach is entirely consistent with principles we first laid out in 2007.

The video is currently available on Youtube, with the warning: "The following content has been identified by the YouTube community as being potentially offensive or inappropriate. Viewer discretion is advised."

A spokesman for Google stated: "We have received nothing from the judge or government related to this matter." We'll update this story when we have more information.

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Get a Kobo Mini e-reader for $59.99

The Kobo Mini has a pocket-friendly form factor and a touchscreen.

(Credit:
Best Buy)

Tablets are great and all, but if you're mostly into reading, it's hard to beat an e-reader. Eye-friendly screens, ultra-light designs, amazing battery life -- the perks go on and on.

And let's not forget price. Amazon's entry-level
Kindle is now down to $69. But here's an even more wallet-friendly option: Best Buy has the Kobo Mini e-reader for $59.99 shipped (plus sales tax). That's for the white model; the black one literally sold out while I was writing this post.

So that's only a $10 difference, right? And when you factor in sales tax, you're saving almost nothing. But consider this: the Kobo Mini has a touchscreen, whereas the $69 Kindle does not. It's a slightly smaller screen, too (5 inches), meaning it's a bit easier to pocket. And at 4.7 ounces, it's the lightest e-reader currently available.

I also like that it has a removable back cover you can swap for a sold-separately color one. Points for style.

As with other e-readers, you can browse and buy books right on the device (assuming there's a Wi-Fi connection available). You can also stock it with EPUB and Adobe DRM books. That said, you're locked into Kobo's store for bestsellers and the like; the lack of access to an Amazon or Barnes & Noble-caliber bookstore may be a turnoff for some readers.

Indeed, I realize the Kobo Mini is a hard sell. I probably wouldn't buy one myself, though that's largely because I'm pretty vested in Amazon's e-book ecosystem already. But for $59.99, this could make a great gift for someone who doesn't yet own an e-reader.

In any case, check out CNET's review of the Kobo Mini, then hit the comments to let me know what you think. Would you choose this over a non-touchscreen, ad-laden Kindle?

Bonus deal: Game time! For a limited time, Steam has the action-RPG-FPS Borderlands (PC) for $4.99. I've been waiting on this one; the game normally sells for $20. Alternately, get Borderlands Game of the Year Edition for $7.49, which I wish I'd seen before grabbing the other one. You can also score Borderlands 2 for $29.99, a sizable discount -- though it'll no doubt be even cheaper in a few months.

Bonus deal No. 2: Speaking of games, today only, and while supplies last, JustDeals has the refurbished Sony PlayStation 3 Slim 160GB game console for $199.99, plus $5 for shipping. I have growing fondness for the
PS3, which doubles as a Blu-ray player and doesn't charge extra for things like online gaming and Netflix streaming.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

Curious about what exactly The Cheapskate does and how it works? Read our FAQ.

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Sprint CEO: No changes in smartphone pricing expected

Enjoy that unlimited data plan.

(Credit:
CNET)

Sprint Nextel won't be abandoning its unlimited data plan or current pricing structure any time soon.

The company isn't considering any changes to its current offering, CEO Dan Hesse said during a conference call with investors today.

"We always reserve the right to make changes, but we are not anticipating any," Hesse said.

Over the past few years, Sprint has stuck to the unlimited smartphone data plan even as larger rivals such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless moved to plans with limits and family-style data bundles. Hesse considers the unlimited offering to be Sprint's way of standing apart from the pack.

More recently, T-Mobile has encroached on Sprint's turf by offering an unlimited data of its own, including one that doesn't require a contract.

Both carriers lag behind AT&T and Verizon on major financial metrics such as customer growth, revenue, profitability, and earnings, and feel the pressure to offer more to win over customers.

While Sprint offers an unlimited data plan, it's hampered by a slow roll-out of its 4G LTE network and a delay in the progress of its Network Vision plan to upgrade its infrastructure. Hesse conceded that Sprint faced delays in 2012 with its upgrade, and he and his team vowed to catch up to this rivals.

"We're working hard to make up for the delays encountered in 2012," said Steve Elfman, head of network operations for Sprint.

Sprint has 8,000 sites "on air," or running, while it is either preparing for, or in the middle of, upgrading more than 19,500 additional sites, Elfman said.

Sprint's 4G LTE network is in 58 cities with 170 expected to get the faster service in the coming months.

Still, Sprint has gotten knocked for its slower deployment, which has favored smaller cities rather than the larger metropolitan areas such as New York or San Francisco, which CNET reported may not get 4G until March. Hesse admitted Sprint was at a disadvantage when compared with AT&T and Verizon. Even T-Mobile has touted a nationwide 4G network. While it uses a different kind of technology, it's a boast that Sprint can no longer make because it has abandoned the older 4G WiMax network.

Sprint is expected to cover 200 million people with 4G LTE by the end of the year, although Elfman warned that may slip to the beginning of 2014.

Because of the disadvantage, Hesse said he doesn't believe Sprint can raise its prices. He wouldn't consider a price change until the company was in a stronger network position, which he believes will come in the second half.

Sprint, meanwhile, also expects to spur growth through stronger
tablet sales. The company recently got the
iPad, but hasn't had a chance to properly market the product. Hesse said Sprint hasn't had a chance to create marketing materials that meet with Apple's standards, but that promoting the iPad would be a focus of this year. He noted that tablets represent a good portion of AT&T and Verizon's customer growth, and that Sprint could see similar growth from the area.

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Google spends $125 million for e-commerce firm Channel Intelligence

Google has signed a deal to acquire e-commerce-solutions company Channel Intelligence for $125 million in cash.

Channel's parent company, ICG, announced the deal today.

Channel's technologies are designed to boost the sale of products online. The company offers a Facebook platform, product search engines, and other services created for companies looking to improve product sales. Channel, based near Orlando, Fla., claims that it "drives $2 billion in sales annually in referred sales online in computing products, home improvement products, appliances, consumer electronics, toys and a variety of other consumer packaged goods."

Google is obviously no stranger to e-commerce, offering a Shopping page and a Checkout tool for online merchants. It's not clear, however, what it has planned for Channel.

ICG expects the deal to close in the first quarter. CNET has contacted Google for comment on the acquisition. We will update this story when we have more information.

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It's official: Dell being taken private for $24.4B

The Dell XPS 13 ultrabook

(Credit:
Dell)

It's official: Dell is being taken private for $24.4 billion, or $13.65 a share in cash, a transaction that will allow the company to turn itself around away from shareholder scrutiny.

Michael Dell, who owns about 14 percent of Dell's common shares, teamed up with Silver Lake Partners to acquire the company. Microsoft also kicked in a $2 billion loan.

Following completion of the transaction, Michael Dell will continue to lead the company as CEO. He also will maintain a significant equity investment in the company by contributing his shares of Dell to the new company, as well as by making a "substantial" additional cash investment.

Here's what Michael Dell had to say today, via press release:

"I believe this transaction will open an exciting new chapter for Dell, our customers and team members. We can deliver immediate value to stockholders, while we continue the execution of our long-term strategy and focus on delivering best-in-class solutions to our customers as a private enterprise. Dell has made solid progress executing this strategy over the past four years, but we recognize that it will still take more time, investment and patience, and I believe our efforts will be better supported by partnering with Silver Lake in our shared vision. I am committed to this journey and I have put a substantial amount of my own capital at risk together with Silver Lake, a world-class investor with an outstanding reputation. We are committed to delivering an unmatched customer experience and excited to pursue the path ahead."

Shares in Dell have soared since details first emerged about a possible deal. The deal price represents a 25 percent premium over the company's closing price of $10.88 on Jan. 11, the last day before Bloomberg first reported a potential deal.

Dell, which has long been one of the world's largest PC makers, has been struggling of late. The company's stock has lost about a third of its value over the past year as it shifts focus away from its traditional computer market to providing business products in areas such as networking and storage. It has made many acquisitions over the past several years and has said it will continue to do so. However, there are worries about how fast those businesses are taking off.

At the same time, Dell has said it remains committed to the PC market. However, Dell and rival Hewlett-Packard have had trouble competing with up-and-coming Asian rivals like Lenovo and Asus. Lenovo in late 2011 surpassed Dell to become the world's second-largest provider of PCs

Developing ...

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Samsung, LG call off lawsuits in patent dispute -- report

Samsung Display and LG Display have decided to settle their patent disputes through dialogue and not court proceedings, a new report out of Korea claims.

Yonhap News reported today that Samsung and LG executives met at a hotel and Seoul to discuss their lawsuits. After leaving that meeting, Samsung Display CEO Kim Ki-nam told Yonhap that the companies will "resolve the issue one by one." LG Display CEO Han Sang-beom said the executives will continue to hold discussions.

LG Display sued Samsung in September, alleging that one of its chief competitors is violating seven patents it holds related to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. The patent-infringement claims specifically targeted Samsung's OLED panels in the company's mobile
tablets, including the Galaxy S3 and
Galaxy Note.

In November, Samsung responded to the lawsuits, saying that LG's patents "lack innovation" and therefore, should be invalidated by Korea's intellectual property tribunal.

The saga between the companies previously took a darker turn when 11 current and former Samsung Mobile employees were arrested on charges that they allegedly stole and leaked details to LG about Samsung's AMOLED TV. That theft, which reportedly included six LG workers, allegedly occurred in 2010 and 2011.

CNET has contacted Samsung and LG for comment on the patent dispute. We will update this story when we have more information.

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Peek at a Big Game IT 'war room' -- at Domino's Pizza

Ground zero for the greatest single-day migration of pizza pies in history. (Click to enlarge.)

(Credit:
Domino's Pizza)

On Big Game day today, Domino's Pizza is planning to deliver millions of pizzas (it estimates that a total of 11 million slices will be delivered) and 2.5 million chicken wings. According to Domino's execs, the national game day gorge has become more than just a manner of beefing up on drivers, dough tossers, and yes, beef -- it's also quite an undertaking in the information technology department.

According to the Michigan-based company, a third of Domino's orders come though a digital channel these days, and of course even the analog orders run through the corporate network. In 2007, for the first time, Domino's saw the need to put together a game day "defense" team on Big Game day to sit in a conference room and keep an eye on all the information systems.

That first year it was four people making sure Americans got the fuel they needed for their calorie- and beer-filled annual rite of senselessly shouting at a screen. (For the record for all future judgmental-type anthropologists, I feel no shame over the tear I shed when John Elway made that helicopter dive toward the end zone on a fateful day in January of 1998.)

Six years, millions of pizzas, and one iPhone and
Android-powered smartphone revolution later, that team in a conference room in Ann Arbor now numbers more than 50 and the operation resembles something more like a NASA launch.

"It's all hands on deck," Lance Shinabarger, Domino's vice president for IT infrastructure and security tells me. "We have network operations, server administrators, network engineers, site reliability engineers, front-end developers, back-end developers, director of infrastructure, director of development, VP of global infrastructure, VP of online ordering development, VP of store operations, VP of POS development, CIO, and guest star appearances by both our CFO and CEO (all in the room)."

Just a few of the litany of items that the pizza mission control will be focusing on:

Hardware utilization (servers, firewalls, load balancer, routers, etc.)
Bandwidth utilization
Hardware failure
Application health
User experience degradation
Site response times
Security events
Social-media monitoring

Tradition holds that some of those highest-ups aren't actually there to bark out orders as chaos descends upon Domino's servers in the lead-up to kickoff. Last year the information system vice presidents and directors worked in the Domino's test kitchen making dozens of pizzas and wings for the crew.

Domino's representatives told me that preparation for this day actually begins as early as July or August. Load testing and other practice runs are just a few of the ways the team gets ready for a 300 percent spike in inbound traffic to the Domino's system just before kickoff. By the time most of those meals have been delivered, it starts all over again with another, smaller spike in orders at halftime.

"Normally you spread that order load over a four- or five-hour window, but during Super Bowl, it's those two peaks that you spend the entire year preparing for," Shinabarger explains.

The Big Game might not be over yet (although the season was over for me when the Broncos lost in the divisional playoff round), but I'm already prepared to vote for MVP the network engineer who helps enable the delivery of millions of pizza pies in a span of just a few hours.

In preparation for the Big Game, Domino's cooked up an oven-baked stadium. (Click to enlarge.)

(Credit:
Domino's Pizza )

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Building better Super Bowl ads by watching you watch them

A side-by-side test of Apple and Samsung ads.

(Credit:
Screenshot courtesy of Affectiva)

WALTHAM, Mass.--The makers of Wheat Thins cereal may have a hit Super Bowl commercial on their hands.

I believe this because I watched the ad on my computer while another computer watched me watching it over the Internet. The ad combined a box of Wheat Thins, night vision goggles, fear of Bigfoot when there should have been fear of the Yeti, and a thieving neighbor. It seems my "emotional valence" score -- which can be roughly translated to mean my overall emotional reaction -- while watching all this was unusually high, at least once the Yeti and the the thieving neighbor made their appearance.

I had no idea a Yeti and Wheat Thins were a powerful combination, but after running the ad through a Web demonstration by the 3-year-old company Affectiva, I'm forced to conclude that's the case.>

Welcome to the future of advertising, where the wisdom of spending a reported $4 million for a 30-second spot in the Super Bowl doesn't have to be left to the imagination of an ad agency's creative team and the honesty of focus groups.

When you turn on the the Super Bowl tomorrow and watch that game within the game -- no, not Beyonce's performance, I mean the ads -- there's a good chance that at least several of those pieces have been tested using Affectiva's tools, which are being used by both Coca-Cola and Unilever, which owns brands ranging from Dove soap to Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Using a Web camera and with a user's permission (usually commissioned by an ad agency or research firm), Affectiva monitors a person's expressions while watching an ad.

Affectiva provides a topline measurement on a scale from 1 to 10 on something the company calls an Affdex score. That's a combination of involvement, a "feel good" index, and a "minus metric." Behind that, reaction over the length of the ad is monitored and charted. When did someone smile during the ad? When did they frown? When did they drift? It's all tracked and produced on tables.

There's deep science behind that report. Affectiva was founded in 2009 and is based on technology created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab. The technology was originally intended to work with people who have autism. Because people with autism may have difficulty displaying emotional reactions, co-founders Rana el Kaliouby and Rosalind Picard created a mathematical model for monitoring hard-to-perceive changes in their expressions.

"I personally think it could be a standard for advertising," said Stephanie Tilenius, an executive-in-residence at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins. Kleiner was part of a $12 million Series C funding round announced in August. The company was also a big attention-grabber at last month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

If you have a Webcam on your computer, you can run through the Affectiva demonstration yourself right here. You can also test a goat-related ad from Doritos (really, it kind of works), a Hyundai ad with a "don't tell mom" theme, and an already somewhat controversial ad from Volkswagen in which lots of people whom you wouldn't expect to have Jamaican accents sound a lot like Jimmy Cliff.

The first, most viable application for the Affectiva technology was in advertising, of course. But it could one day find its way into everything from medical devices to smartphones. Imagine, for example, if your phone could sense by your expression, pulse, and tone of voice how urgently you need an app or to make a phone call?

Affectiva made a splash after last year's Super Bowl with a public analysis of many of the ads shown during the Giants-Patriots nail-biter. Perhaps their most interesting conclusion was that the follow-up ad to 2011's hit "Vader kid" ad from Volkswagen did not test well among 400 participants. The ad involved a dog trying to lose weight and finally chasing a new, red Volkswagen. But when the ad transitions to a scene from Star Wars' cantina scene (a nod to the Vader kid), interest fell off the map and didn't recover.

An explanation of Affectiva's score.

(Credit:
Affectiva)

Most likely, the ad testing technology will be used in addition to traditional ad testing, rather than replacing focus groups, said Graham Page, an executive at the market research firm Millward Brown. Last year, Millward Brown tested over 400 ads using the Affectiva technology and should use it for more than "several thousand" ads around the world this year.

A tour of Affectiva's technology is a bit of a tour of your own instincts. In seconds, you can see quantified what you already suspected about an ad. In a face-to-face test of Apple and Samsung pieces, for example, neither ad exactly floated my boat. (You can see my overly stern expression while watching them in the screenshot above this article.)

So what else did I learn about my advertising tastes? It appears I really hate commercials in which grown men act like children but I am a hopeless sucker for ads with real children. I've always sort of known this. But thanks to a demonstration of facial-tracking technology here at the offices of a young company called Affectiva I can say, with certainty, that, yes, Verizon, I was seriously annoyed by that dopey ad with the dopey guys playing basketball. But the kids in the AT&T ad? Adorable.

"Your negative reaction to that," said Avril England, vice president of product management and marketing at Affectiva, "was about as negative as it can get."

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Why is the BlackBerry Z10 on sale in the U.K. first?

The BlackBerry Z10 with the UK flag Photoshopped onto its screen

Two days ago, the company formerly known as RIM pulled out all the stops at a super-swanky event in New York to launch two new phones that will either kill or cure the company.

But despite the global launch happening in the US, America is the last of the first batch of countries to see the Z10, BlackBerry's first phone to ship with its new OS, BB10. Americans have to wait until March to buy the phone, but it was available to buy in the UK yesterday. That's six days ahead even of BlackBerry's home market in Canada. On the face of it, this seems like a strange decision -- why release the Z10 in a relatively small country first?

The overriding reason, according to Francisco Jeronimo, Research Manager for European Mobile Devices at IDC, is that the UK is the biggest BlackBerry market in the world. Contrast his figures: in the third quarter of 2012, BlackBerry had a 12% market share in the UK, with Apple at 25%. In the US, BlackBerry accounted for just 2% to Apple's 25%.

Speaking at the UK launch to CNET's Luke Westaway, BlackBerry's Andrew Bocking echoed this point: "the UK has been a key market for us for so long. We have over 8 million BlackBerry users today in the UK and we are very excited for them to be on the leading edge getting access to BB10 on the Z10".

Some of the biggest buyers of BlackBerry phones in Britain are teenagers, partly because the phones are very cheap, partly because of the appeal of BBM, the free instant messenger program. So popular has BBM become in Britain that the 2011 riots in London were blamed on the service by some politicians and members of the police, although its role was likely exaggerated.

Jeronimo argues that it's not just teenagers with BlackBerry phones: "Most companies have their corporate emails running on BlackBerry servers. To change the entire mobile infrastructure is not cheap or something that can be done overnight... when we ask if companies want to move to another platform, it is very clear that the majority don't".

Leaving the size of the UK market aside, market watchers have a few other ideas about why Britain is first up with the Z10. Ian Fogg, analyst for IHS made the point to me that a successful launch in the UK could have more global impact than a US launch, as the owners of UK carriers are present in other countries, whereas the US carriers are more self-contained.

Several analysts made the point to me that they have been impressed with the speed BlackBerry has shipped its phones. Jeronimo says: "I don't remember the last time a major vendor launched a flagship device and made it available in stores the day after. BlackBerry probably didn't get the same support in the USA and therefore decided to launch it later."

Now that the Z10 is shipping, what's BlackBerry's game plan from here? Over to Ben Wood, Chief of Research at CCS Insight:

"Its first concern will be the long-time older BlackBerry owners who initially had a BlackBerry for business and have continued to tough it out in recent years. It must also convince former BlackBerry users, [although] many of these guys will be locked into a contract so it could be some time before they can even consider going back to BlackBerry."

"The final group It needs to nail are the teenagers and 20-somethings who are still hooked on a BlackBerry because of BBM and Facebook. This group is unlikely to be able to afford the Z10 or Q10, so the next milestone in the UK market will be getting some cheaper products available."

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Despite waning demand, Nintendo rules out Wii U price cut

The Wii U's troubles attracting gamers won't be solved by a price cut, Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata argues.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo yesterday, Iwata acknowledged that
Wii U sales disappointed last year, but he didn't necessarily feel that dropping the price of the $300 Basic Set or the $350 Deluxe Set would do the company much good.

"We are already offering it at a good price," Iwata said, according to the Associated Press, which was at the reporter briefing.

Nintendo yesterday announced its earnings for the nine-month period ended December 31. Although it was able to turn a slight profit, the company's revenue was down 2.4 percent. The
Wii U, which was expected to significantly boost Nintendo revenue during the period, was only able to muster 3 million unit sales. The earnings release didn't directly discuss Wii U demand, but Nintendo indicated that some new games for the console, like a Mario Kart and Legend of Zelda, should "help Nintendo regain momentum for Wii U."

In his discussion with reporters, Iwata said that the Wii U needs more and better games to drive console sales, and so far, that issue "has not been solved."

"I feel a deep sense of responsibility for not being able to produce results for our year-end business," Iwata said.

The Wii U's performance was more than a little disconcerting. Although Wii sales during the same point in its lifecycle were only 3.2 million units, they would have been much higher if not for Nintendo's inability to meet its massive demand. For years after the Wii's launch, the device was hard to find on store shelves, and consumers would line up each week in the hopes of scoring one of the few units available at their local retailer.

The Wii U's situation is much different. Nintendo's console is easy to find on store shelves. The trouble is, demand for the console -- especially in the U.S. -- is weak.

Nintendo dealt with a similar issue when it launched its 3DS in 2011. However, the company was able to boost demand and increase sales with a price cut. It appears that, for now, Nintendo won't follow that plan with the Wii U.

Still, Nintendo's console isn't cheap, compared to other hardware it has launched. The Wii, for example, launched for $249.99 -- $50 less than the cheaper Wii U option. Another popular Nintendo launch, the Nintendo 64, was made available for $199.99.

Iwata's argument was bolstered by famed developer and Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. Speaking to reporters, Miyamoto said that Wii U demand will be jumpstarted once people try it out and "see it is fun."

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King's Landing from 'Thrones' gets the Minecraft treatment

Explore one of the 3,000 buildings in the King's Landing area within the WesterosCraft Minecraft server.

(Credit:
Maruku/WesterosCraft)

Do you love "Game of Thrones"? Do you eat, sleep, and breathe to the tune of the epic HBO television series based on George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels?

I know times are tough, especially since the new season doesn't start until March 31. But we might have something to tide you over until then.

Why not spend some time in a virtual recreation of King's Landing as seen on WesterosCraft -- a Minecraft server dedicated to recreating the world of Westeros as seen in "Thrones." In our gallery below, we take a look at the stunning collaborative work done by over 100 builders who assembled a behemoth tribute to the capital city. We even break down some of the major landmarks for those who adore "Thrones" lore.

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RIM to livestream BlackBerry 10 launch tomorrow

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins at a BlackBerry event last year.

(Credit:
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)

Those of you who want to catch RIM's BlackBerry 10 action tomorrow can tune into a live webcast.

Scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. ET tomorrow, the event will run simultaneously in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Dubai, Johannesburg, Jakarta, and Delhi. People who can't make the trip to any of those cities can watch online through RIM's Newsroom page.

The event will see RIM take the wraps off its new BlackBerry 10 operating system and its first two BB10 smartphones. Details on the phones, including their availability, will be revealed at the event.

The two phones have been dubbed the Z10 and the X10, according to rumors. The Z10 would be a touchscreen model, while the X10 would sport the traditional physical keyboard. The Z10 is expected to debut first, reaching consumers sometime in February.

Research in Motion has high hopes riding on its new operating system and phones. The company has been hit hard by competition from the iPhone and
Android devices and needs a jolt to grab customers and win back some of its lost market share.

But analysts have been skeptical as to whether RIM will score enough points with BB10.

"RIM continues to face the twin demons of consumer-driven buying power and a chronic inability to appeal to mature market consumers," Ovum analyst Jan Dawson said in a blog last month. "There is nothing in what we've seen so far of BB10 that suggests it will conquer the second of these demons, and the first is utterly out of RIM's control."

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Porn briefly makes 'Editor's Pick' on Twitter's Vine

The current top result for "Editor's Pick" on Vine.

(Credit:
Screenshot taken by Roger Cheng/CNET)

A pornographic video briefly made Vine's "Editor Pick" list, further raising the question of whether the video-clip-sharing app has a porn problem.

The clip showed up this morning, and was spotted by The Verge, before it was quickly taken down. A video featuring the "I love NY" logo is the current top editor's pick.

The Twitter app, which allows users to share six-second looping video clips, launched last week with a lot of buzz. But just a few days after its launch, videos not suitable for work began showing up on the app. Searches for #nsfw, #porn, and #sex brought up graphic results.

The pornographic clip was behind a NSFW filter, and users had to actively hit the screen to show the video.

Many wonder how long Vine will remain in Apple's store, given the company's strict policy over adult content and nudity. Apple reportedly removed app 500px because it allowed users to share nude photos with each other.

CNET contacted Twitter for additional details, and we'll update the story when the company responds.

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The ultimate gall of a heartless iPhone thief

An object of desire?

(Credit:
CNET)

One should never expect justice in life.

The best one can hope for is poetry.

And yet, just once or twice, both manage to collide with a deliciousness that moves the soul.

Here is the tale of a teenage girl who had her iPhone stolen.

As The New York Times composes it, the girl had her
iPhone 4S ripped from her by a teenage boy in Brooklyn's notoriously difficult Prospect Park.

iPhone theft is rather popular in New York. Indeed, Mayor Bloomberg recently suggested that it's responsible for an increase in crime in the city.

Anyway, the iPhone-less girl collared a couple of policemen, but the miscreant was not to be found.

However, the thief then decided that he'd try to get some money for the phone. So he met a man on a Flatbush street -- as you do.

The man asked to take a look at the phone. Perhaps he wanted to see whether Siri was still inside.

Then, he ran off with it.

Yes, this is slightly poetic. But we've only just begun.

You see, the boy thief was not very happy. After all, he'd had his recently acquired property stolen. So he went off in search of a policeman to report the crime.

I pause for your sound effects.

Thank you.

More Technically Incorrect

The police reacted with unusual efficiency. They corralled both the boy and the man who had taken Siri from him. But they still assumed the boy was the victim.

Are you ready for verse three?

The phone rang. It was the girl trying to do a deal to get her phone back. The police realized something might be amiss here. This seemed to be a miss who actually owned the phone.

So they waited for her to arrive in Flatbush. She recognized the boy's sneakers. They were pink.

I pause for your further sound effects.

The police decided it was time to play Solomon. They would slice the phone in two if one party didn't renounce their claim to the phone.

No, wait. They asked both the girl and the pink-sneakered boy to unlock the phone with the PIN code.

You're already there, aren't you? Both the actual thieves were brought to justice -- the actual kind. And the girl got her phone back.

There are several morals to this story.

One, don't steal iPhones if you're wearing pink sneakers.

Two, if someone does unto you as you have done unto someone else, take it onto the chin. It will help you understand the feelings of others.

Three, if you're the kind of New Yorker who thinks they can always get away with it, well, you can't. Not always.

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Bask in the glow of Zelda: Wind Waker in HD

If you love everything Link, this image should excite your pants off.

(Credit:
Nintendo)

To enhance the appeal of the Wii U, Nintendo plans to re-release several cherished classics, including the epic The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for GameCube, with snazzy high-definition graphics. Below, we present a set of images that show off the HD remastering of the game next to the original version that debuted in 2003.

Prepare yourself for lots of dynamic lighting and bloom when Wind Waker HD hits later this year.

Like the changes or not, the difference 10 years can make may astound you -- nearly everything appears enhanced with the HD remake, including textures, shadows, and the environment overall.

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Get a MacBook Air for $799.99

I've never been more tempted to buy a Mac than I am at this very moment. As you know from my recent rant, I'm none too pleased with Windows at the moment, and I've long considered the MacBook Air one of the most drool-worthy laptops on the planet.

Ah, but the "Apple tax" was always a little too steep for me. I just couldn't justify spending $1,000 for a laptop, even one so super-sexy. Today, however, I might just pull the trigger.

Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Apple MacBook Air model MD223LL/A for $799.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). It's new, not refurbished, and $200 less than what Apple charges. That kind of price break just doesn't come around very often.

This is the 11.6-inch
MacBook Air, stocked with a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, and all the other standard Air amenities. (Also available: the 13.3-inch Air for $999.99!)

Especially impressive, it weighs just 2.4 pounds and measures a scant 0.7 inches thick. Every time I'm around one, I can't help muttering, "The precioussss."

Now, practically speaking, I can still buy an equally powerful Windows laptop for half the price. (Here's an Asus with a touchscreen for $399 when you use this printable coupon.) It won't be as thin or light or lust-worthy, but it'll get the job done.

On the flipside, maybe it's finally time to see if all the "it just works" hype is justified. Quick! Somebody distract Mrs. Cheapskate while I go for the credit card!

Anyway, I suspect this may sell out, as it really is an unusually good deal. If you're in the market for a "preciousss," grab this while you can.

Bonus deal: The game deals just keep on coming! For a limited time, Amazon has the Crazy Action Pack (PC) and 2K Shooter Pack (PC) for $9.99 each. The first bundle comes with Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Darkness II, and Duke Nukem Forever. The second includes BioShock, BioShock II, and Duke Nukem Forever. (Looks like 2K Games will do anything to unload ol' Duke.) Also available: Max Payne 3 (PC) for $14.99. Good heavens, what do I play first?!

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

Curious about what exactly The Cheapskate does and how it works? Read our FAQ.

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Google asks FCC for wireless spectrum, but don't get too excited

Google has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to apparently conduct testing on, well, something. But it's not a new wireless service some have hoped it would be, CNET has exclusively learned.

Steven Crowley, a wireless engineer, discovered the application, which was filed by Google last week. The application asks for permission to test frequencies across the 2524 to 2546 MHz range and 2567 to 2625 MHz range. According to Crowley, those ranges are reserved for Educational Broadband Service and Broadband Radio Service. But here's the catch: Clearwire, a company that Google had owned a slice in until last year, uses the ranges for its mobile broadband service.

Predictably, that has prompted speculation over whether Google is testing its own wireless network. The company currently offers free Wi-Fi service in the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City, and has been dipping its toe in the service waters with Google Fiber in Kansas City.

Google, however, has not provided any details on its plans in the FCC petition. The report is heavily redacted and includes only one exhibit outlining where it will place base stations to test the service in its Mountain View headquarters.

Given the relative inability of concrete information, some circumstantial evidence is being drawn to guess at Google's plans. The filing, for example, was authorized by Google vice president of Access Services, Milo Medin. Google's Access Services handles its Fiber offering and wireless initiatives.

However, the spectrum range in question currently does not work natively with any popular consumer devices. In addition, a source with knowledge of Google's plans, has told CNET that the testing is just that, and at this time, the search giant has no plans to deliver a consumer-facing service with the spectrum.

So, what is Google up to with this testing? At this point, according to the source, it's nothing we'll be using, and falls in line with Access Services' charge of regularly testing wireless technologies.

Google declined CNET's request for comment on the report.

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Google shares soar as analysts chime in on earnings

Google's shares are on the rise following a strong earnings report yesterday.

In early trading, Google's shares jumped more than 5 percent to $740.37. The company's stock price closed the day at $702.87 yesterday.

Google's share jump is due in part to Google's strong fourth quarter. The company beat analyst expectations during the period and posted a $2.9 billion profit on $14.4 billion in revenue. That performance helped Google post its first $50 billion revenue year.

It didn't take long for a slew of analysts to chime in on Google's performance and up the company's 12-month target price. A wide array of analysts, including those from J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and others, increased their price target, saying that they believe Google will have an even stronger 2013. Cowen analyst John Blackledge maintained his "Outperform" rating on Google, saying that he believes Google's revenue will rise 18 percent year-over-year in 2013.

He's certainly not alone in thinking it's time to be bullish on Google's stock. According to Marketwatch, 43 analysts have combined for an average 12-month target price on Google's shares of $804.54.

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Former Microsoft exec does some Ballmer bashing

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at the Windows 8 launch in New York last October.

(Credit:
Microsoft)

There are plenty of critics of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer out there. Some think Ballmer's been too slow to react to market changes. Others think he's been too slow to get rid of problem employees. And then there are some who were the problem employees themselves...

Meet the latest Ballmer critic: Joachim Kempin. Kempin, for those who don't remember him, falls squarely into the group of "problem employees." Kempin definitely helped build Microsoft a software powerhouse. He is also one of the main employees whose actions landed Microsoft in hot water with the U.S. Department of Justice in the late 1990s.

Kempin left Microsoft 11 years ago. But he's back with a new book, entitled "Resolve and Fortitude: Microsoft's 'SECRET POWER BROKER' Breaks His Silence."

(If you're curious about the "secret power broker" part of the title -- or about Kempin's role in Microsoft's Department of Justice troubles -- I'd point you to an article I wrote about him in 1998, entitled "Who is Microsoft's Secret Power Broker.")

Kempin propelled the OEM division at Microsoft to become quite profitable. From my Kempin story:

In fiscal 1997, ended June 30, Microsoft's OEM group contributed $3.48 billion, or nearly one-third of the company's total net revenues of $11.36 billion. Even though Microsoft's financial gurus have warned Wall Street for years that the operating system market, at least for desktops, is close to tapped-out, the OEM division managed to grow its revenue contribution almost 40 percent, from $2.5 billion, in fiscal 1996.

Kempin and his group achieved this by pushing OEMs to license more and more Microsoft technologies and bundle them together to get better prices per copy for Windows. (OEMs don't seem to be the only ones he bullied, either, based on a hunting complaint filed against him in 2000.)

I haven't read Kempin's book (nor even an excerpt, given that the
Kindle version is available only to Amazon UK customers at this point.) But from the description, it seems, unsurprisingly, that his take of past events is different from what OEMs presented at the trial:

Find out how much resolve, fortitude, and perseverance were needed to make that part of the PC revolution come true; what strategies were employed to win the Internet browser war; how IBM was beaten; what drove Apple to the brink of disaster; and how shady politicians and hapless competitors eventually goaded the Feds to ensnare Microsoft in a web of antitrust accusations.

After Kempin left Microsoft, there was -- and continues to be -- a revolving door among OEM chiefs at the company. With Microsoft now competing head-to-head with its OEMs, it's got to be an even more thankless job than usual.

Whether you're in the pro- or anti-Ballmer camp, it's always worth questioning the motives of anyone recounting an event. (I've learned this from sources over the years.) To those with an ax to grind, everything looks like a grindstone.

This story originally appeared at ZDNet under the headline "The latest Ballmer basher: Microsoft's former OEM chief.

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