Men Free Blog

Hope you weren’t really counting on getting yourself one of those Pegasus 210s. In a sudden announcement made today, Dominic Wong and David Langton of Deloitte & Touche LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of Rock Group Plc. In layman’s terms, that means those fellows will be attempting to achieve a sale of the now-defunct company. Reportedly, the failure of Rock is “partly attributed to the cash flow difficulties faced as a result of stock misappropriation by a former employee,” though further details were omitted. As it stands, the admins are currently negotiating with potential suitors in order to place the outfit in more capable hands, but there is still a possibility that no one will bite. For more information on how all of this could affect you (you know, things like warranties and whatnot), check out the full release in the read link below. ‘Tis a sad day folks — Rock is dead (at least for the moment).

[Thanks, Peter]

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Usually it’s not all that noteworthy when a popular product drops one of its features, but when that device is the Treo 680, and that feature is the VGA camera, then it’s certainly notable to your security-conscious businessfolk. Even though this is the Treo that’s supposed to draw in the non-techie consumer — and even though this SKU is barely advertised — Brighthand is reporting that a camera-less 680 is indeed available, although you’ll have to make a few phone calls if you want to to secure one. As usual, you’re gonna pay the same amount whether you want the cam or not, so don’t think you’re gonna save any loot by forgoing the crappy shooter. Hit the Read link for more details, or more specifically, for actual proof that this mythical creature exists (hint: peep the small footnotes at the bottom of the page).

[Via Brighthand]

Hey, remember those ridiculously high Grand Theft Auto IV sales estimates Chart-Track provided for the UK? It looks like they weren’t ridiculously high enough, as the final numbers have now been released. Sales for the first week of GTAIV availability in the UK reached a whopping 926,000 copies (approximately) with 631,000 being sold on the first day, handily topping the original day one estimate of 609,000. Of the 926,000 copies sold during the first week, 514,000 were for Xbox 360 with the remaining 413,000 going to the Playstation 3.

The game also managed to drive console sales, raising Xbox 360 sales by 125 percent and PS3 sales by 127 percent from the previous week. Perhaps most impressive of all, in its first week of sales GTAIV has already surpassed all but the top three UK titles of 2007 (FIFA 08, Brain Training, and Call of Duty 4). Just to clarify, that’s one week sales versus total sales for 2007. One last statistic: GTAIV is now the record holder for one week sales for a multiplatform game in the UK.

[Via Joystiq]

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Well, what do you know? Sometimes even the the most repetitive of rumors finally comes true. Barely 12 hours after the Wall Street Journal reported that a deal between Sprint, Clearwire and just about everyone else was dangerously close to going down, it seems as if the bottom lines have indeed been signed. Details are pretty light at the moment, but we definitively know that Sprint Nextel Corp. and Clearwire Corp. will be merging their “next-generation wireless broadband businesses to form a new wireless communications company.” Quite simply, the new outfit will be called Clearwire, even though Sprint will hold around 51-percent of the firm, while existing Clearwire shareholders will own 27-percent and the new investors will hold 22-percent. New investors? Ah yes, Intel, Google, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks will collectively invest $3.2 billion in the new company, but that figure is “based on a target price of $20 a share of Clearwire’s common stock, and is subject to a post-closing adjustment.”

[Via CNN]

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From the (tiny) desk of the editor:

Yesterday Motorola CEO Greg Brown told board members and shareholders that, among a lot of other bad news, the company is no closer to finding someone to lead the company’s rotting cellphone business (which Moto is in the middle of spinning off as its “Mobile Devices” unit). One shareholder remarked, “You’re not doing your job that you’re paid for. Either put up or get out.” That investor, like the rest of us, has witnessed the slow-mo train wreck that’s been that handset business in the days since the RAZR peaked; the things brought to light in the insider letter I published on Engadget just reinforces the fact that it’s time for a change at the top. Some even suggested that I take over Motorola’s handset business. I thought it over — okay, I’ll bite if Greg does.

The problem with so many American technology companies today — especially in the mobile space — is that while they have no dearth of business acumen at the top of the pyramid, they’re typically dry on vision and foresight. They spend brief periods of time innovating, and then milk a technology, brand, patent, or some combination therein for as long as they can get away with it (or in Moto’s case, way longer). They play it safe and go for the easy money. Motorola’s handset business has come to define this in the gadget world.

I’ll be honest, I’m in no way a professional businessman. I wouldn’t know how to interpret a multi-billion dollar OIBDA sheet, and as the crew at the Engadget network of sites might tell you, I’m probably a better editor than manager. I’m woefully ill-equipped to run a business end-to-end of the scale of Motorola’s handset division. Thankfully there are plenty of suits there to blather on about SarbOx and earnings and compliance, because while I won’t be the person to bring it, what’s clear is that Motorola needs someone at the top who knows what makes a good phone good, and a garbage phone garbage. Somebody that isn’t afraid to say no, and who isn’t interested in flogging a slow-dying brand to pad an earnings report. The company needs someone that’s not entrenched, an outsider with little interest in pandering to internal big company politics and the post-Zander status quo. Maybe someone that’s not afraid to leak some upcoming handsets to Engadget.

Am I serious? Would I really leave my position as editor of Engadget to try my hand at plugging the holes in Moto’s sinking ship? Sure — not that it matters, because let’s be honest, there isn’t a chance in hell that’s going to be happening any time soon. But the right technologist — I didn’t say exec, I said technologist — sure as hell needs to step up, because if Brown plans on installing another out of touch, overpaid, clueless executive in the revolving door, they might as well sell the company off now while they can still fetch a reasonable price. And hey, if that’s the case then maybe I’ll lobby our Time Warner overlords to pick it up and let me try my hand. I doubt I could be much worse than the last guy.

-Ryan

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MARINA DEL REY, Calif.: Time is running out to make the Internet your business and put your name forward to join the global leadership volunteers who help the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers coordinate the polices and process that shape the future of the Internet. “If you want to be a part of ICANN’s exciting work on bringing the languages of the world to domain names, and creating more choice for consumers by allowing for the creation of new Internet extensions beyond the ones currently available like .net or .org, now is the time to let the us know,” said Hagen Hultzsch, Chair of the Nominating Committee (NomCom). “ICANN’s global team of Internet leaders is working on some of the biggest changes to the Internet since it was created – and this is the chance to help make that happen.”
The Nominating Committee is independent of ICANN and is tasked with searching the world for experienced individuals to fill key positions on ICANN’s Board and its Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees. The following positions are being filled this year:

* 2 Board Directors
* 1 GNSO Council member
* 1 ccNSO Council member
* 2 ALAC members (who will represent Europe and North American regions)

“The ICANN leadership team is a dedicated group of volunteers from across the world who have helped shape the Internet used by more than a billion people globally. The coordination work done by ICANN has provided a foundation for businesses across the globe—and fostered operations that rely on the Domain Name System’s ability to connect them to customers and business partners,” said Hultzsch. “We’re looking for volunteers to join this team and work alongside people who come from in the technical field, who are leading policy experts, and even individuals who helped create the very foundations of the Internet.”

The deadline to submit Statements of Interest is 15 April 2008 23:59 UTC.

“Beyond its responsibilities for keeping the Internet secure, stable, and interoperable, ICANN’s mission is to grow and evolve its global multi-stakeholder decision-making process, so it is the individuals who make up the wider Internet community who direct and decide the Internet’s future,” Hultzsch added.

There have been 42 Statements of Interest received so far:

* 40 from men
* 2 from women
* 12 from Europe
* 8 from Asia/Australia/Pacific
* 5 from Latin America/Caribbean
* 12 from North America
* 6 from Africa
* Some candidates count toward more than one ICANN region.

Of the candidates, 34 have declared a willingness to serve on the ICANN Board, 23 have stated they would serve on the GNSO Council, 20 have declared a willingness to serve on the ccNSO Council, and 13 have offered to serve on the ALAC. Some candidates have asked to be considered for more than one position.

ICANN covers travel expenses related with ICANN duties. Information on applying is available at http://nomcom.icann.org/. The 2008 Nominating Committee does not anticipate extending the nomination period as it has done in previous years.

About ICANN:

ICANN is responsible for the global coordination of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers like domain names (like .org, .museum and country codes like .uk) and the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols that help computers reach each other over the Internet. Careful management of these resources is vital to the Internet’s operation, so ICANN’s global stakeholders meet regularly to develop policies that ensure the Internet’s ongoing security and stability. ICANN is an internationally organized, public benefit non-profit company. For more information please visit: www.icann.org .

Media Contacts:

Jason Keenan
Media Adviser, ICANN
Ph: +1 310 382 4004
E: jason.keenan@icann.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

International: Andrew Robertson
Edelman (London)
Ph: +44 7921 588 770
E: andrew.robertson@edelman.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Source: ICANN Announcement - March 20, 2008

 while the 2.4GHz T8300 becomes available on the 6510b and 6710b. Reportedly, the firm’s 8700 lineup will be joining the club within “the next two weeks,” but we won’t blame you if you head elsewhere in the meantime.

[Via CNET]
Read - HP Compaq 6720s
Read - HP Compaq 6820s
Read - HP Compaq 6510b
Read - HP Compaq 6710b

source:engadget.com