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Sunday, April 29, 2012

4/29 Engadget


     
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NVIDIA unleashes GeForce GTX 690 graphics card, loads it with dual Kepler GPUs, charges $1k
April 29, 2012 at 8:57 AM
 

ImageWould you look at that? NVIDIA hinted it would be coming today, and it looks like the tease is living up to the hype. The company stormed into the weekend at its Shanghai Game Festival by unleashing its latest offering, the GeForce GTX 690 -- and oh yeah, it's packing two 28nm Kepler GPUs! Trumping the recently released GTX 680 as the "worlds fastest graphics card," it's loaded with a whopping 3,072 Cuda cores. The outer-frame is made from trivalent chromium-plated aluminum, while you'll find thixomolded magnesium alloy around the fan for vibration reduction and added cooling. Aiding in cooling even further, the unit also sports a dual vapor chamber and center-mounted fan. It'll cost you a spendy $1,000 to pick up one these puppies come May 3rd, and you'll likely be tempted to double up -- two can run together in SLI as an effective quad-core card. NVIDIA claims, a single 690 runs 4dB quieter and handles about twice the framerate as a duo of GTX 680s in SLI -- impressive, but we'll reserve judgement until we see it for ourselves. check out the press release after the break if you'd like more information in the meantime. (...and yes, it runs Crysis -- 2 Ultra to be exact -- at 57.8fps, according to NVIDIA.)

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading NVIDIA unleashes GeForce GTX 690 graphics card, loads it with dual Kepler GPUs, charges $1k

NVIDIA unleashes GeForce GTX 690 graphics card, loads it with dual Kepler GPUs, charges $1k originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA unleashes GeForce GTX 690 graphics card, loads it with dual Kepler GPUs, charges $1k
April 29, 2012 at 8:57 AM
 

ImageWould you look at that? NVIDIA hinted it would be coming today and it looks like the tease is living up to the hype. The company stormed into the weekend in Shanghai at its Game Festival by unleashing it's latest offering, the GeForce GTX 690 -- and oh yeah, it's packing two 28nm Kepler GPUs! Trumping the company's GTX 680 as the "worlds fastest graphics card," it's loaded with a whopping 3,072 Cuda cores Among other materials, it's outer-frame is made from trivalent chromium-plated aluminum, while you'll find and thixomolded magnesium alloy around the fan for vibration reduction and added cooling. Aiding in cooling even further the unit also sports a dual vapor chamber and a center-mounted fan. It'll cost you a spendy $1,000 to pick up one these puppies up come May 3rd, and you'll be tempted to double up as two can run together in SLI as an effective quadcore card. According to NVIDIA, a single 690 runs 4dB quieter and handles about twice the framerate as a duo of GTX 680s -- impressive, but we'll reserve judgement until we see it for ourselves. check out the press release after the break if you'd like more information in the meantime. (...and yes, it runs Crysis -- 2 Ultra to be exact-- at 57.8fps, according to NVIDIA.)

Continue reading NVIDIA unleashes GeForce GTX 690 graphics card, loads it with dual Kepler GPUs, charges $1k

NVIDIA unleashes GeForce GTX 690 graphics card, loads it with dual Kepler GPUs, charges $1k originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Origin PC joins the 11-inch, rebadged gaming laptop party, outs the EON 11-S
April 29, 2012 at 8:01 AM
 

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Last week may have drawn to a close, but the march of Clevo news continues. On the heels of Maingear announcing an 11-inch gaming notebook, Origin PC is throwing its own ultraportable into the ring: the EON 11-S. Though this is a new model for the company (the smallest laptop it's ever sold, in fact), it's not quite fresh to us: this is the same exact Clevo-made notebook Maingear unveiled two days ago, only re-badged under Origin PC's brand and available in a wider range of colors. As far as performance goes, then, that means you can expect Ivy Bridge processors, a 2GB NVIDIA GT 650M GPU, Optimus graphics-switching technology and a battery rated for 6.5 hours of runtime. In Origin PC's case, the laptop starts at $999 (compared with $1,099 for Maingear), though you'll have to head over to Origin's site for a breakdown of what specs you'll be getting at that lower price.

Continue reading Origin PC joins the 11-inch, rebadged gaming laptop party, outs the EON 11-S

Origin PC joins the 11-inch, rebadged gaming laptop party, outs the EON 11-S originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceOrigin PC  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Ask Engadget: best money no object laptop?
April 29, 2012 at 7:30 AM
 

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We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Chris, who simply has too much money to blow on a super-laptop. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I sold my business and I want to replace my laptop [HP Pavilion G6] with a completely unreasonably expensive top of the line machine. I want it to do everything I do (gaming, coding, web design) all at the same time. Apart from the fact I need two hard drive bays, I'm completely open-minded, so what should I be buying? Thank you!"

Quell your gnashing teeth, members of the 99%, he's done well for himself and now he needs our help. We were able to trick out an Alienware M18x to full capacity for $6,700 -- with an over-clocked 4GHz Intel Core i7, 32GB of RAM, two 2GB NVIDIA GTX 675m in SLI mode and 1.2TB of SSD RAID storage. That's the benchmark, folks: who out there can find something more powerful?

Ask Engadget: best money no object laptop? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012
April 29, 2012 at 6:35 AM
 

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we learned that ZTE intends to release a phablet of its own, and Samsung unseated Nokia as the world's largest supplier of mobile phones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 23rd, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is this RIM's BlackBerry 10 development device?
April 29, 2012 at 5:46 AM
 

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You know the drill -- grab yourself a spoonful of Morton's and get ready for another supposed leak of a gadget. This time around, you're looking at what's said to be one of Research In Motion's BlackBerry 10 "Development Alpha" devices that are set to be handed out during next week's BlackBerry Jam -- just like the company promised a month ago. Images of the device first surfaced over at Crackberry's forums and, as the site points out, the touchscreen candy bar seems to share its design DNA with the PlayBook. Keeping in mind that it's likely to remain a testing device for devs, don't bank on it ever hitting store shelves. That said, we're now curious how pivotal a roll RIM's famous tactile keyboards will play on its next-generation phones -- if any. Head over to the sources links below if you'd like to catch more photos from Mr. Blurrycam and extra information in the meantime.

Is this RIM's BlackBerry 10 development device? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceCrackBerry  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal more angles, details
April 29, 2012 at 5:03 AM
 

Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal more angles, details

Well, well, talk about déjà vu! It was just yesterday that a corner of Sony's 16.1 megapixel NEX-F3 leaked onto the interwebs and now more photos have surfaced, along with a previously unannounced shooter, the Alpha A37 SLT. The pictures come courtesy of Yang Canggih, which says it had chance to demo the two devices yesterday at Sony's Partner's Conference in Jakarta (Curiously, the NEX-F3 post isn't live as of this writing, but Sony Alpha Rumors has the images up.) Starting with the F3, the mirrorless camera has last some of the curves found on its older sibling, the C3, adopting the angular edges that once made the NEX-7 the badass standout in the lineup. You'll notice that the shutter button and grip have an uncanny resemblance to the 7's, not to mention that it's clearly gained a pop-up flash -- a first for the lower-end NEXs. Past that, the rumored -- and self-portrait friendly -- 180 degree tilt-screen is also present, which'll likely give the C3 an edge over its siblings when it comes to composing shots. Also worth note, some of the buttons on back have been slightly repositioned.

Moving along, those hoping for a successor to the A35 will apparently have their wish granted with the 16.1 megapixel A37, which is essentially an evolutionary update. According to Yang Canggih, it sports the articulating display from last generation of NEX cams, Auto Portrait Framing (first introduced with the A57), four more effect modes (up from 11) and an ergonomic grip in the vein of the A77. Sadly, that's about all that's currently known, so hopefully we'll get an official introduction to the cameras soon. Head past the break for a shot of the A37 and then check out the links below for even more of both.

Continue reading Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal more angles, details

Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal more angles, details originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Sony Alpha Rumors (1), (2)  |  sourceYang Canggih (translation)  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal all angles, more details
April 29, 2012 at 5:03 AM
 

Image

Well, well, talk about deja vu! It was just yesterday that a corner of Sony's 16.1 megapixel NEX-F3 leaked onto the interwebs and now more photos have surfaced, along with a previously announced shooter, the Alpha A37 SLT. The pictures come courtesy of Yang Canggih, which says it had chance to demo the two devices yesterday at Sony's Partner's Conference in Jakurta (Curiously, the NEX-F3 post isn't live as of this writing, but Sony Alpha Rumors has the images up.) Starting with the F3, the mirrorless camera has last some of the curves found on its older sibling, the C3, adopting some the angular edges that once made the NEX-7 badass standout in the lineup. You'll notice that the shutter button and grip have an uncanny resemblance to the 7's, not to mention that it's clearly gained a pop-up flash -- a first for the lower-end NEXs. Past that, the rumored -- and self-portrait friendly -- 180 degree tilt-screen is also present, which'll likely give the C3 an edge over its siblings when it comes to composing shots. Also worth note, some of the buttons have slightly repositioned on back.

Moving along, those looking hoping for a successor to the A35 will apparently have their wish granted with the 16.1 megapixel A37, which is essentially an evolutionary update. According to Yang Canggih, it sports a articulating display to the last generation of NEX cams, Auto Portrait Framing (first introduced with the A57), four more effect modes (up from 11) and features an ergonomic grip in the vein of the A77. Sadly, that's about all that's currently known, so hopefully we'll get an official introduction to both cameras soon. Head past the break for a shot of the A37 and then check out the links below for even more of both.

Continue reading Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal all angles, more details

Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal all angles, more details originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple and Samsung set to meet May 21st, hug it out over 48 hours
April 29, 2012 at 3:39 AM
 

Apple and Samsung set to meet May 21st, hug it out over 48 hours

These two brawlers were given until July to come together and mediate over their numerous globe-spanning patent lawsuits, but it appears neither side needs to wait that long. According to Foss Patents, May 21st and 22nd have been circled on the calendar of a certain San Francisco courthouse, where Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero will attempt to arbitrate in a calm, soothing voice for two days straight. Presenting himself as a confidant who sits outside of the main litigation being conducted in San Jose, Spero has already asked both parties to open up and provide "candid" statements about the strengths and weaknesses of their own cases, as a first step towards identifying areas of compromise. Fortunately, he still has a few weeks in which to devise further cunning plans.

Continue reading Apple and Samsung set to meet May 21st, hug it out over 48 hours

Apple and Samsung set to meet May 21st, hug it out over 48 hours originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  sourceFoss Patents  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Google TV YouTube app updated for better recommendations, search and sharing
April 29, 2012 at 1:18 AM
 

Google TV YouTube app updated for better recommendations, search and sharing

It only makes sense that the Google TV initiative to increase personalization would extend to videos served up from its YouTube site, and now the official app has been updated to do just that. The new version brings recommendations meant to pull gems you might like out of the ever growing pile of content available, as well as a way to search between the new YouTube channels on your TV. Also users should notice improved video quality since the app will automatically try to play content at the best available resolution from the start, and if they find something interesting, it now supports +1 sharing to Google+. The new app is already live on Google Play, compatible devices should be pointed that way for the new experience.

Google TV YouTube app updated for better recommendations, search and sharing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGoogle TV Blog  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations
April 28, 2012 at 11:33 PM
 

Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations

Two years ago, Google drove its way into a fair amount of hot water when it accidentally (as was claimed) scooped up private data over WiFi while collecting Street View and location data. Now, the Justice Department has cleared the prolific mapsters of the wiretapping violations. The DOJ made its decision not to push for prosecution based on reports from employees and investigating key documents reports Wired. The Wiretap Act (which is the relevant one here) was argued to only pertain to "traditional radio services," by US District Judge James Ware, but neither the DOJ or FCC said they could find any evidence that Google accessed the date it snared. In an extra move of openness, the search giant has also released the entire FCC report on the Street View investigation (redacted to protect identities) which can be found in the more coverage link. So, next time you see the famous camera-topped wagons roll around, you can leave your tin hat in the closet.

Justice Department clears Google of WiFi wiretapping violations originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWired  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Predictably named iPavement puts hotspots into the sidewalk
April 28, 2012 at 9:48 PM
 

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We know what it's like to be in a foreign country without a mobile internet connection. Although there are domestic options making it easier to connect our devices abroad, Spanish company iPavement wants to help confused tourists (and their confused devices) by seamlessly integrating hotspots into tiles -- which are seamlessly integrated into the ground. It's unclear whether users will have open access to the entire world wide web, or only controlled info about the city, but the service is at least free to use. The 24kg (53lb) tiles are slightly larger than normal, installed a maximum of 20 meters (66 feet) from one another and only work at temperatures between 10 - 45 degrees Celsius (14 - 113 degrees Fahrenheit). Touristy cloud apps like maps, coupons, and traffic updates in various languages are also a part of the deal, and you would look like less of a tourist without that huge guide to Madrid. Just lose the fanny pack and you'll be set.

Predictably named iPavement puts hotspots into the sidewalk originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Mobile Magazine  |  sourceiPavement  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Woz: Windows Phone is 'beautiful,' Android 'no contest,' still loves iPhone, ask again tomorrow
April 28, 2012 at 8:09 PM
 

Woz: Windows Phone is 'beautiful,' Android no 'contest,' still loves iPhone, ask again tomorrow

When Steve Wozniak talks mobile, people love to listen. Last time we checked in, he was lauding some of Android's finer points, and now he's raining praise on Windows Phone. In an interview with A New Domain, the Apple co-founder was all too happy to share his recent positive experiences with the Espoo / Redmond collaboration. In particular, Woz waxes about how intuitive the interface is, and how naturally apps lead you around. He goes on to say how there's nothing he's seen that isn't more beautiful (than iOS and Android) on the Windows system, before claiming Android is "no contest" when it comes to the interface. It's not all lemonade and roses, however, as he then admits he's no fan of the voice control functionality compared to the other two platforms. When pushed to admit what he uses as default, it's still the iPhone -- two of them in fact -- but Woz's ability to see the best in all mobile operating systems will be sure to further confirm his status as one of tech's most liked. Head down to the source to hear for yourself.

[Thanks everyone who sent this in]

Woz: Windows Phone is 'beautiful,' Android 'no contest,' still loves iPhone, ask again tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceA New Domain  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Lenovo's Eedoo CT510 motion gaming console to finally hit China, wants your $600
April 28, 2012 at 7:42 PM
 

$600 Lenovo-funded CT510 console to finally hit China, even company director unimpressed

Product delays that push back release dates a full year are never good. What's worse? When that product finally does launch and even someone inside the company votes against it. That's exactly what's going down with the CT510 GameBox, the Eedoo Kinect competitor for the Chinese market. Though it's gone through a fair share of reincarnations before arriving at its current config (it was formerly known as the eBox), the final package has a dual-core CPU, a minimum of 250GB in HDD storage and a 3D GPU, and comes pre-installed with eight games and ten apps. All told, it will cost a cool 3,799 yuan ($600) when it ships on April 29th -- some very ambitious pricing, considering that the imported Xbox with Kinect (the console isn't officially available in China) already sells for about $459 in China, according to M.I.C. Gadget. A director from the Lenovo-backed company seems to agree: in a Sina Weibo poll asking users whether they'd buy the product (pictured after the break), he selected the answer, "No way! Price-to-performance ratio too low." Though to be fair, the gentleman later clarified that it was an honest mistake, and that his company is targeting the high-end family users instead of the core gamers. Well, we shall let the sales figures do the talking.

Continue reading Lenovo's Eedoo CT510 motion gaming console to finally hit China, wants your $600

Lenovo's Eedoo CT510 motion gaming console to finally hit China, wants your $600 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Chinese  |  sourceM.I.C. Gadget, Sina Weibo  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Nokia experiments with location-based white space services in Cambridge, UK (video)
April 28, 2012 at 5:37 PM
 

Nokia experiments with location-based white space services in Cambridge, UK (video)

Following news of the first successful white space trials in Cambridge, UK, Nokia is now touting its research in the area with a demonstration of location-based services for the unlicensed spectrum. Traditionally, proponents of white space usage have positioned this unused portion of the airwaves as a viable, low-cost method of data transmission, but the Nokia folks have now demonstrated its ability to pinpoint one's location with much greater accuracy than either WiFi or cellular networks. Think of it as a counterpoint to NFC, if you will, but in the following clip, we're shown how an individual might move throughout a museum, and as they approach various exhibits, one's smartphone could provide supplemental information for the nearby artifacts. Beyond its use in museums, Nokia also foresees the technology as useful in the retail space, where businesses may provide consumers with promotions as they walk by. Currently, the necessary equipment to make this all possible is much too large to fit within a typical smartphone, but Nokia hypothesizes that the necessary chipsets and industry standards may be in place by 2015. Until then, you can dream of what might be with the following video.

Continue reading Nokia experiments with location-based white space services in Cambridge, UK (video)

Nokia experiments with location-based white space services in Cambridge, UK (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink DailyWireless.org  |  sourceNokia Conversations  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Micromax's Superfone A50 Ninja enters India with AISHA voice assistant, forgets its shuriken
April 28, 2012 at 4:22 PM
 

Micromax's A50 Superfone Ninja enters India with AISHA voice assistant, forgets its shuriken

Hoping to compete with the Siris of the world, Micromax has announced its new Superfone A50 Ninja alongside a novel feature dubbed AISHA -- which is short for Artificial Intelligence Speech Handset Assistant. Similar to Cupertino's personal secretary, AISHA vows to help folks with every-day elements such as making calls, setting up calendar events and even reporting what the weather looks like. Much to our disappointment, however, the A50 Ninja runs a not-so-new flavor of Android -- Gingerbread to be exact -- and Micromax left out any mention of Android 4.0. On the specs front, the dual-SIM Superfone sports a 3.1-inch display (mum's the word on the resolution), a two-megapixel shooter, Bluetooth 2.0 capabilities and an unspecified 650MHz processor. All in all, thanks to its 4,999 rupees (around $95) budget price, we can't imagine you'd complain too much. Be sure to hit up the Micromax link below if you're interested in grabbing one of these.

Continue reading Micromax's Superfone A50 Ninja enters India with AISHA voice assistant, forgets its shuriken

Micromax's Superfone A50 Ninja enters India with AISHA voice assistant, forgets its shuriken originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMicromax  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again
April 28, 2012 at 3:08 PM
 

Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again

Cast your mind back to January if you will. Head full of steamy CES action? Of course, but you may also remember Google teased us about a new tilt-and-roll Maps game. Well, it looks like the creators may have missed the original February deadline, having finally snuck it out this week. The browser-based game is a series of maze challenges, that'll take you through the streets of San Francisco, downtown Tokyo and beyond. All atop Google's iconic 3D textured maps, naturally. Eight levels in total are on offer, making it an ideal lunchtime -- or if the boss is away -- afternoon time kill. Roll down to the source link below to give it a spin, nudge and roll.

Google Maps 'Cube' game rolls out, back, up, back again originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Fusible  |  sourceGoogle Cube  | Email this | Comments
   
   
Canon reports slightly higher profits in Q1, teases new compact cameras on the way
April 28, 2012 at 1:11 PM
 

Canon reports slightly higher profits in Q1, teases new compact cameras on the way

Canon reported its Q1 2012 earnings this week, and things certainly appear to have gone better than the last time we checked in when it replaced the company president. While revenue declined slightly, net profit reached 61.54 billion yen ($766 million), up 11 percent from a year ago. There's no executive moves to report, however on the earnings call executive VP and CFO Toshizo Tanaka noted a unit sales increase of 30 percent for SLR cameras including the new EOS 5D Mark III as well as the cheaper T3i, Mark II and 60D models, combined with strong sales for WiFi-connected point-and-shoots. As far as new products, while its new cinema cameras got a glancing mention the plan this year includes compact cameras "offering the image qualities that approaches SLR cameras", with improved design and network connectivity features. All the numbers and earnings call talk are in black and white at the links below, although we prefer to spend our time speculating about the future of mirrorless cameras.

Canon reports slightly higher profits in Q1, teases new compact cameras on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceCanon Q1 2012 earnings call, Q1 2012 results (PDF)  | Email this | Comments