'Stuff happens with men and marriage': Reese Witherspoon on her toughest role ever

When Reese Witherspoon was young, her grandmother impressed upon her the importance of self-respect and staying strong - valuable lessons that have helped to make her one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses. Now, as global ambassador for Avon cosmetics, she wants to help other women harness their inner strength to escape the trap of domestic violence


The first time I find myself face to face with Reese Witherspoon we are at the Houses of Parliament on a sunny but crisply cold morning. Everyone is swathed in their winter wardrobes, apart from Reese, who is wearing an exquisite – but
bone-chillingly sleeveless – Roland Mouret dress and traversing the flagstones of Westminster Hall in spiky Martin Margiela heels.

It’s the day when the Prime Minister will later, rather embarrassingly, confuse Reese with her friend and fellow actress Renée Zellweger. But actually, when you’ve witnessed full-on Hollywood glamour teleported into the hub of British politics, you can understand why Gordon Brown found himself momentarily flummoxed. It’s not so much that Reese and Renée are both petite and blonde and have names beginning with R; more that Reese and the PM occupy parallel universes. He’s far too dour and serious to cross the threshold into her glitzy world, which begs the question, why is she, as one of the most successful Hollywood actresses of her generation, so eager to dip an immaculately pedicured toe into his?

Now 33, Reese made her name as ditzy Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, but cemented her acting credentials five years ago with her Oscar-winning performance in Walk the Line. Her role as June Carter Cash, wife of the country music legend Johnny, catapulted her to the top of the Hollywood pay league, outstripping Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz, and she commands a reputed $20 million (£12 million) a film.

Like many Hollywood A-listers, she is keen to ‘give back’. Two years ago she became global ambassador for Avon, and it is in this capacity that she is in London, to raise awareness for a new campaign the company is launching with the domestic violence charity Refuge.



In a Westminster committee room, she listens transfixed as Wendy Turner Webster – the television presenter and younger sister of Anthea Turner – speaks about her violent first marriage. It’s a harrowing and sadly all too familiar tale. In her early 20s, Wendy, now 42, spent five years married to a man who beat her and made her feel worthless. She found it difficult to leave him because she felt trapped. As Wendy (who today is thankfully happily remarried with two children) recalls how it felt to be stripped of dignity and confidence, the pained sympathy on Reese’s face is evident.

‘I had tears in my eyes,’ she tells me afterwards. ‘And do you know what really moved me? It was that psychological component – the way that having someone tear down your self-esteem can make you feel immobilised.’

Wendy’s story, Reese says, prompted memories of a friend from her past, who had an abusive boyfriend. ‘He hit her and threatened her life many times. It went on for about two years. I had no idea of what was happening between them until she confided in me. She ended up living with me for a few months – we were only about 20 at the time. She had to move and change her telephone numbers and it was hard. I remember thinking, how can this be happening to this girl who is articulate and educated? I didn’t understand why she hadn’t just left him sooner. And it was only hearing Wendy speaking that reminded me of that.’

‘I don’t have a set of rules about what kind of movies I make, but I am definitely drawn to women who are strong’

We are sitting now in the more familiar surroundings, for Reese at least, of a sumptuous hotel suite. Although she is tiny – 5ft 2in tall – with delicate, doll-like features, she exudes no sense of fragility. Deft and assertive, it is hard to imagine her ever suffering the same crisis of confidence as either Wendy or her own long-ago friend.

Indeed, if you examine many of the women she has portrayed – from Elle Woods, who chases her intellectual snob of a boyfriend to Harvard and discovers she has a bigger brain than he has, to the fiery but grounded June Carter Cash – you quickly identify a common strand of female empowerment. ‘I don’t have a set of rules about what kind of movies I make, but I am definitely drawn to women who are strong,’ she says.

Reese, who was born Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon (Reese being her mother’s maiden name), grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, where her father John is an ear, nose and throat surgeon and her mother Betty is a professor of nursing. At her elite private girls’ school she proved as academically able as her parents, and at home, life for both herself and her elder brother John was privileged and comfortable. She remembers her paternal grandmother, a teacher, being an enormous influence.

In her day, girls could only go to certain colleges, where they were trained to be teachers or nurses, so she urged me to get a good education. She would say, “You can be whatever you want to be.” She taught me to have strength and self-respect.’

Reese’s parents, too, were never anything less than proud, ‘whether I was making my bed or making a movie’. So it is curious that, even today, Reese admits to a fear of being ‘underestimated. I’ve always had the need to prove myself,’ she says. She believes it has nothing to do with her upbringing and everything to do with being a Southern gal. ‘Growing up, a lot of my girlfriends’ ambitions were to get married and be homemakers. And that is completely wonderful for them – it was just never my ambition.’

Reese dabbled with acting lessons as a child, but her earliest aspirations were not for a show business career. ‘I can remember standing up in third grade [aged eight] and saying that I wanted to be the first female president of the United States. I wanted to change the world.’

When she was 12, Reese appeared in a local television commercial, and two years later, when she heard that a film called The Man in the Moon was to be shot locally, she went along with some friends to audition as an extra. The directors plucked her from the melee and cast her in the lead role. Reese seized her chance, delivering a highly acclaimed performance.

By the age of 18 she had eight movies under her belt, but she also finished her schooling and secured a place at Stanford University to read English. A year into her studies, however, she found herself going against her grandmother’s advice when offered a part alongside Paul Newman in the thriller Twilight.

‘I don’t have a lot of regrets, but I do wish I’d finished college,’ she says ruefully. ‘It’s not just about the learning, it’s about discovering yourself. I’ll be telling my own kids to go to college.’

Reese’s first child Ava Elizabeth was born in September 1999, three months after she married the actor Ryan Phillippe. They had a son, Deacon, in 2003. In the past she admitted that she hadn’t planned to be a young mother, but now she sees that parenthood at 23 gave her focus. ‘When you are young, you think you know everything. The older I get, the more I realise I know nothing,’ she says. ‘Yes, my children gave me big responsibilities, but I was never someone who partied. I like being home.’

Reese and Ryan separated four years ago, and she spoke last year about how their subsequent divorce was ‘very humiliating and isolating’. He left her for the Australian actress Abbie Cornish, with whom he now lives. The complex domestic tableau means inevitably that Ava Elizabeth’s and Deacon’s upbringing will be different from Reese’s.



‘But my kids have two great parents, and we balance our schedules so one of us is always with them,’ she says. ‘When you care enough and are determined to make them the focus of your life, then somehow it works. And I’ve had help. Through difficult times I have always found counselling helpful and I don’t think there is anything shameful in that.’

There is something refreshing about the way Reese is prepared to admit to her fallibility. ‘It’s tough being a woman. You are supposed to be self-sufficient, but we all need our sisters. I have three women friends who will drop anything to help me and I will do the same for them. I believe in those female bonds, because a lot of stuff happens with men and marriage and divorce, but family and friends are paramount.’ She’s right, but I wonder whether this might make her a scary prospect for men? ‘No. I love men! I’m still a girl,’ she says, laughing.

The one thing I’ve been told Reese doesn’t want to talk about is her recent split from actor Jake Gyllenhaal (they had been together for two years). All she does say is: ‘Certainly, being in a relationship is important to me.’ It’s the only time in our conversation that I see a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes.

She’s just finished making an as yet untitled film with Jack Nicholson, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd, in which she plays a professional athlete – a role for which she is physically, as well as professionally, well equipped. She runs regularly and loves Spinning. Living in Los Angeles has made her particularly aware though, she says, of teaching her children not about ‘fat and skinny’, but about ‘healthy and unhealthy.

I can remember my own mother struggling with her weight and self-esteem. It was hard for me to watch her, because I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. When we women talk about our bodies and our looks, we have to be mindful of the effect this can have on little girls.’

In truth, Reese confesses, she finds living in LA ‘totally bizarre. I don’t feel I belong – my heart isn’t there.’ At weekends, she decamps to her farm outside the city where she and the children keep chickens, goats and two pigs. ‘Don’t get me wrong,’ she says, ‘I love the sun, and it is where my business is, so it’s right for now – I just don’t think I’ll be there for ever.’

By business, she means her acting and the production company she set up ten years ago to capitalise on her career. It’s called Type A Films – after Reese’s childhood nickname, Little Miss Type A. ‘Taking care of myself financially was something my mother always emphasised,’ she says.

Reese doesn’t talk about her money, but she is smart enough to look after it and encourages other women to do the same. When we finish our interview, we head downstairs to meet a group of Avon’s highest performing representatives. One, Gail Reynolds, a 38-year-old mother of three, is a former accountant who now makes £85,000 a year as an Avon sales leader. Another, ex-factory worker Debbie Davis, 29, earned an astonishing £250,000 last year. They talk to Reese about her recently launched Avon perfume In Bloom; she talks to them about entrepreneurship.

For most actresses, beauty product endorsements are a lucrative sideline. Although Reese is happy to advertise lipstick and mascara, the real attraction that made her sign the deal with Avon, she says, was that it is a company that both professionally and philanthropically is all about empowering women. ‘It dovetailed exactly with my own ideals.’

Across the room, an assistant is signalling it’s time to go. It turns out Reese has been issued an invitation to have tea with Sarah Brown at 10 Downing Street. The girl who once declared to her classmates that she wanted to change the world has become a significant player. Next stop the White House? Who knows? But I wouldn’t underestimate her.

Paula Abdul Will Be Back In 'A Huge Way,' Randy Jackson Promises

'American Idol' judge says Paula-free panel is 'gonna take a little getting used to.'

Since Paula Abdul left "American Idol" back in August, fans have been speculating what her next move might be. Some are still clinging to the idea that she'll make a triumphant return to "Idol" (highly unlikely, since the ninth season kicks off next week), while others are hoping rumors about a job on Simon Cowell's U.S. version of "X Factor" are true.

What does Randy Jackson want for his former colleague? Well, he doesn't know where Abdul will end up, but he's pretty confident she'll land on her feet.

"I know that she's gonna be back in something in a huge way, because she's mad talented," he said when asked Friday (January 8) about the "X Factor" reports. "The thing that I always say about this genre or about anything on the music/entertainment side is, 'Expect the unexpected.' You never know."

Jackson's main concern with all the Paula talk is that viewers might forget what "American Idol" is all about: the singers.

"In terms of the show, I'm sure it's pretty much a distraction, because people get a little sidetracked with that," he said about rumors swirling around the judges. "I mean, there are contestants. 'Wait a minute, this is a singing competition!' [Laughs.] Not to belittle what we do, because I think the show is completely about the four of us judges and Ryan and the contestants, but let's also focus on what we're judging and what the actual more meat of the show really is: It's about finding that next superstar talent."

New judge Ellen DeGeneres is now helping Jackson and company track down that superstar talent, which has made for some surreal moments on the post-Paula panel.

"The whole thing started with me, Ryan, Simon and [Paula]," Jackson said. "She was one of our best friends, and she still is. I miss that. We look down the table and go, 'Wait a minute, where's Paula?' And I expect to hear something from my left ear, and I go, 'Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like Paula!' [Laughs.] It's gonna take a little getting used to. We're really sad about that. But, you know, welcoming Ellen to the fold is a good look."

The ninth season of "Idol" kicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m.

The Switch From iPhone To Android, And Why Your First Impression Is Wrong

Earlier this week we saw the launch of the Google Nexus One, the second very high profile Android launch in as many months. And, as should be expected, the phone is drawing numerous comparisons to the iPhone — it seems you can’t find a related review, blog post, or tweet that isn’t gauging the device based on how it compares to Apple’s juggernaut. That’s as it should be. But for anyone considering making the jump to Android, you need to keep one thing in mind: many of these early adopters have been using their iPhones non-stop for years. And it takes days, if not weeks, to unlearn your iPhone habits and judge Android on its own merits.

Imagine if you took a longtime Windows user and sat them in front of a Mac for a couple days. They’d probably complain about superficial things like the change in mouse acceleration and the “unintuitive” button placement (the Close button is on the opposite side of the window). It’s not until a week or two after you start using a Mac as your primary computer that you overcome these issues and begin to fully grasp some of the benefits it offers. No, it may not be for you, but there’s really no way you can tell for sure without taking the plunge and using one as your primary computer. It’s the same way with Android.

I know, because I had the same experience when I made the leap from the iPhone to Android a few months ago. When I got my Droid, I was initially very pleased with it: the screen is amazing and the device flies. But as the luster wore off, I began to have my doubts. I couldn’t figure out how to access options that should have been readily visible. Menus weren’t where they should have been. All in all, Android made me feel stupid, because much of what I had learned about using the iPhone — habits that had become nearly instinct — no longer applied.

A week or so later, it clicked. When I want an option that isn’t already visible, I hit the dedicated ‘Menu’ button just beneath the screen. Need to jump to a previous screen in an app or the web browser? Hit the dedicated ‘Back’ button. In some ways, these are actually better than the soft buttons located in iPhone apps, because they’re always in the same place. It also saves some screen real estate. Using them has become totally second nature to me. But they aren’t the reason why I’ve decided I prefer Android over the iPhone.

Which brings me to the things that have turned me into a full-time Android user. Gmail on Android kicks the pants off of the iPhone’s Email client — something that I’m not the only person to notice. As someone who does a lot of Emailing, that makes a huge difference to me. Google Voice integration is fantastic. The ability to run multiple applications at the same time is a breath of fresh air. Those three things were enough to seal the deal.

Had I only used an Android device for a few days, these aforementioned pros may have been overshadowed by the fact that the phone felt so unfamiliar. Or I may have been turned off by one of the things Android gets wrong, like that there’s no way to update multiple applications at the same time and the default music player is remarkably ugly. But when it comes to using the phone in real life on a day-to-day basis, those problems aren’t enough to outweigh the productivity benefits Android offers me.

And, really, that’s my point. Many of these iPhone users who are testing out Android for the first time tend to get hung up on things that feel unfamiliar, or are griping about issues that will only affect them once in a blue moon. No, Android isn’t as pretty as the iPhone, and there are plenty of things it doesn’t do as well as it could. But until you’ve taken the plunge to see what lies beneath its less-polished exterior, you haven’t really seen what it has to offer.

TVXQ Breaks Out a new music video teaser!



Much to many fans’ delight (and relief), TVXQ banged out Break Out as a united group last month in Japan; needless to say, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The boys have finally followed up with a dark & enchanting PV, set to be released later this month. You never really realize how much something means to you until you lose it, and it’s gratifying to see these five together in this vid.

Since this PV preview was only mentioned in passing on CDTV, the clip itself isn’t very long, but I’m sure that’ll be enough to delight many of you for now. Without further ado, check out the MV teaser!

Google quietly changes the world again

How two location services launched this week will transform how we all live

Do you remember where you were the day they unveiled Facebook? No? How about Twitter? Amazon.com? Google Search?

Massive, culture-shifting technologies are almost never recognized as such when first announced. They seem unimportant and peripheral at first, but later we find ourselves relying on them every day.

One such technology was rolled out this week. In all the noise and info-clutter of CES, with its endless announcements of new netbooks, smartbooks, tablets and 3-D TVs -- none of which will change how people live -- few noticed Google's unveiling Thursday of two related location services called "Near me now" and "Explore right here."

"Near me now" is an option that appears in a Google search if you have the right kind of phone (an iPhone or Android phone). It uses the built-in GPS to rank searches based on proximity. So, for example, if you search for "pizza," "Near me now" ranks results based on how close they are to you. Nice, but not that exciting.

"Explore me now" sounds innocent enough in Google's description: "Find out more about a place 'right here' with just a few clicks." The idea is that you can check out the street or the neighborhood to see what restaurants, coffee joints and movie theaters are nearby, and get quick access to reviews, operating hours and showtimes -- that sort of thing.

No big deal, right? Wait until you hear where all this is headed.

Google is building HP's 'Cooltown'

Back in 2001, several stories hit the 'net about the development of a concept called "Cooltown Notes." The concept was developed and prototyped by a Bristol University student named Alistair Mann, who collaborated with Hewlett-Packard's labs in Bristol, UK. Part of the larger "Cooltown" concept at HP, the Notes idea was that messages could be associated with location.

Let's say you eat at a restaurant, and want to tell random strangers how great it was. Just step outside, launch an application, and type your review. When you "post it," you would conceptually post it to that location, invisibly in thin air. In reality, it would simply be made accessible to others standing outside the restaurant. Eventually, they imagined, there would be a whole parallel Internet of user-generated content based on location.

A year and a half ago, I wrote in a blog post about the development of "virtual graffiti" or "virtual sticky notes" in development at a variety of research laboratories, including at Microsoft, Siemens, Cornell University, the University of Edinburgh and Duke University.

All these companies and universities invested millions in the development of ideas without turning them into products. Google is the company that's rolling it out for real.

In typical Google fashion, they're moving into the space in a stepwise, limited way. For example, "Near me now" and "Explore right here" are available only on two phone platforms and only in the U.S. Once they work out initial kinks, they'll almost certainly increase the number of phones and countries. They'll also no doubt expand the kind of content that can be associated with location, from private notes to store coupons to emergency messages. Everything is public now, but Google will likely add private and social options in the future.

Rather than set up an entirely new and parallel commenting infrastructure, Google simply links people to restaurant reviews and similar kinds of user-generated data. In fact, almost every aspect of these two new services already exists, from the location awareness in browsers to the ability to rank results by proximity.

Where it's all going

Google sells advertising. As generic advertising to the masses loses its value, context-sensitive advertising will gain in value. Sometime soon, Google will likely add to its location-aware search both advertising and alerts.

Picture yourself walking down the street and, if you've opted in, your phone will beep. Look at the phone, and you'll see a virtual coupon for a free latte at the Starbucks you're in front of. Walk in, show them the phone and get your latte. Keep walking down the street. Your phone beeps again. Your friend Stewart was here two years ago, and left all his family and friends a message that says this is the very spot where he met his wife. Finally you arrive home, and as you're walking up your front walk, the phone beeps again. UPS came by to deliver a signature-required package. Nobody was home, but if you "click here now" they'll try to deliver it by 6 p.m.

Imagine being able to filter just about any online content based on your current location. See only Twitter tweets sent from this location. See all Flickr photos uploaded from this location. See the Wikipedia entry about this location. And a thousand other things we can't imagine yet.

As it does with so many other services, Google gently eases us into transactions where we give up a little privacy and allow Google to show us some advertising. In exchange, we get cool free services.

"Near me now" and "Explore right here" are useful now, but will transform human culture later on.

So where were you when Google rolled out this culture-changing technology? Don't worry if you don't remember. Google knows.

Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5.3 shown off very, very quietly



Say, for a moment, that you're Microsoft and you're on the cusp of releasing a version of the much-maligned Windows Mobile 6.5 that actually made it touch-friendly for once -- but like all WinMo versions before it, you're relying on carriers and manufacturers to wage an inexcusably slow, arbitrary, incomplete upgrade campaign. Wouldn't you think that quietly burying its launch amongst a sea of more interesting (and less controversial) products might be a good idea? Indeed, that appears to be the angle Microsoft is taking at CES by discreetly showing off a Toshiba TG01 and Pharos Traveller loaded with the long-rumored 6.5.3 with "tiles" along the bottom and finger-friendly adjustments throughout the UI. As far as we can tell, this truly is what 6.5 should've been -- in our quick look, we're finally comfortable not having a stylus handy, even on a resistive display. It's still not pretty, but this is a case where function is at least earning its money trying to trump form.





Netizens vote Lee SeungGi and Kim TaeHee as the #1 celebrities who will continue to remain single in 2010

Actress Kim TaeHee and all-round entertainer Lee SeungGi has been voted as the #1 celebrities netizens think will remain solo/single for the year 2010.


During KBS 2TV Entertainment Relay aired on 9th January, about 12,000 viewers did a survey on the poll ‘The celebrity who will remain single this year’.

And Kim TaeHee and Lee SeungGi are were voted #1 for the female and mae celebrity category with 20.3% and 20.4% of votes. Following behind are Lee Hyori and Kim HyunJoong at #2, and Kim HyeSoo and Rain at #3.

At #4 are actors Han YeSeul and Bae YoungJoon, and Son YeJin and Jo InSung at #5.

The results to the poll “Celebrities who will get married this year’ are also announced on the show.

Kim JaeDong, Lee HwiJae and Kim GunMo are voted top 3 on the poll.

Linda Chung admits previously falling in love with Steven Ma and Ekin Cheng

In "A Watchdog's Tale" Linda Chung portrays a vet that is bold, she has received a good response for her role. She has been in the entertainment industry for 6 years and still maintains a simple lifestyle. She still chooses to take the tube. In the past she has been rumoured with Raymond Lam and Philip Ng but she has denied this. She admitted that when she first entered the industry she previously fell in love with series partners Steven Ma and Ekin Cheng.

Meeting a partner on the plane

Since Linda entered the industry her love life has been empty. She said "I am very careful when choosing a boyfriend. I am very serious about it, just like choosing a husband. I hope to date someone outside the industry. If they are within the industry people will know about their past and who they have dated. If they are from the same company then people will focus on everything we do. My parents suggest that I should date someone outside the industry and that it won't be so complicated".

However she has had constant rumours with people in the industry. Linda made it clear and said "I am good friends with Philip Ng. I am definitley not dating Raymond Lam. We have never started. But because the rumours have been going on for so long it's quite awkward. I let fate take its course and I don't know if we have a chance to develop a relationship in the next 3 -5 years".

Linda is currently very busy with work. Does she have time to meet someone outside the industry? She excitedly said "When fate comes, you will meet someone when you're having dinner. Even when you're on the plane. I have read many articles about people meeting their partners on the plane. I often take the flight to work overseas and sit in the business class area. I would be thinking if that guy is the guy sitting beside me? I feel disappointed when sitting in one person seats".

Has Linda fallen in love with any of the male leads? She said "The first year I started shooting series, I didn't know how to release myself. I got into character and the first 2 series I filmed I fell in love with the male leads. Examples are "Virtues of Harmony II" and "Always Ready". I liked Steven Ma and Ekin Cheng. But later I realised it wasn't reality and just acting. (Did the male leads know?) "Of course they didn't know, since then I no longer have such feelings when I shoot series. It's the 3rd time I have worked with Steven and we have never had rumours together".

Insists to take the Tube

Linda is well known for saving money. She will normally take the Citybus and tube. She has previously been reported spending only $24 a day. She laughed "It's impossible to only use $24 a day in Hong Kong. Many Miss Chinese International's who enter the industry will take the Citybus to work at the start of their careers. I was the same, it's normal. As for taking the tube, I feel it's very convenient. I am not someone who needs a lot of face. Convenience is the most important thing in my lifestyle and comfortable. But I won't take the tube during the busiest times and will only choose times when there aren't many passengers".

She will also take the taxi. "I feel very tired after shooting series for a day. I will call a taxi and it's the quickiest way to get home. So that I have enough time to rest. I will spend about $200 a day for a taxi fare. Many people feel it's strange that I take the taxi. I have thought about whether I should buy a nice car and a better house, but my friends say that it's good that I haven't changed otherwise that's not me. This is why I insist to carry on the way I do". (Since becoming a singer has your record company prohibited you from taking the tube?) "No, They are very supportive. They feel that I have a very healthy image".

As well as increase in earnings, Linda stated that she has said farewell to the days of saving up money. She will sometimes spend money to reward herself. "I love brand clothing but I don't want to spend that kind of money. Being an artist you cannot wear the same clothing more than once. Therefore I often borrow clothing. As for handbags and purses, I am willing to buy more expensive ones. I will mostly spend money on travelling and eating out. I will also spend money on Chinese medicine.

Google Android Personal Thoughts

I have issues with Android and Google’s approach to it. I think it’s an amazing concept — people holding hands, skipping down sugar-encrusted roads with pink ponies and colorful rainbows — but the execution falls flat in many ways if you’re a hardcore phone user, and Google has constantly missed the mark in almost every area.

Part of my main issue with Android, and this applies slightly less to HTC Sense UI handsets, is that there’s practically no human emotion with Google when it comes to technology. Everything is statistical and analytical. While you could argue that being this way is way superior to “feeling” and “emotion”– it might be 95% of the time — you still will almost always lose that charm and that amazing feeling of connecting to something. People would die for their iPhones, people would die for their BlackBerrys – and they feel like their lives are in there. People feel connected to their BlackBerrys. Some sleep with them next to their pillow. No one gives a crap about their Android phone, there’s zero emotional attachment. The closest example would be Palm’s webOS. A great concept, besides Apple’s iPhone OS, it’s the most polished, the most friendly, and the most human. Do you see that?

Hello. Fucking. Humans. If you’re going to use that line, at least have the sense to actually make it make sense. Plus, isn’t the point of all this technology to make everything feel more natural and more human? I mean, that’s why we have robotic dogs that learn (shout out to Just Blaze and I for having Sony AIBOs), that’s why our car remembers our personal settings when we enter the cockpit, that’s why our TiVos know exactly what program we want to watch. And yet, with everything moving forward in the technology space, Android continues to feel systematic and clinical.

Andy Rubin is brilliant. To this day, I still compare things to the Sidekick OS because it was so ahead of its time in every way, and it made sense. But Android still feels half baked even after two years. And you can’t prance around smiling without raising the bar. You can take your non-multi-touch device and shove it — it’s inexcusable.

There are so many fundamental issues with Android’s OS that still haven’t been addressed and it really makes my head spin. Uniformity is not a word you’ll find in Android’s dictionary. How about the fact that the application icons aren’t the same size. Uh, why? Since there’s no transparent padding around the icons — you know, something that might be smart — there’s no uniformity in the touch areas when you go to tap on an icon. The fact that the Clock and Camera icons have different touch areas than the Facebook and Email icons is mind blowing. It’s not like you’ll always end up not triggering a touch event if you go to hit the Camera icon instead of the Maps icon real fast, but more than once I’ve had touch events not register due to icons not being uniform in size or at least in touch. It’s a small, but very important point that really reflects how poorly Android is designed in some areas.

Other issues that I can’t live with day to day? How do I copy text from non-editable field like an email, webpage, or SMS, or even a 3rd party application? Oh, I can’t. Say what you want about the iPhone not having copy and paste for two years — a joke — it’s the single best implementation on the planet for a smartphone and Google’s approach is almost as bad as RIM’s with the Storm-series.

Android doesn’t make sense as a whole. It’s fragmented, poorly executed, the Android Market for apps is a mess, and developers still don’t care about it. There’s not one single good IM program that I could rely on day to day (I don’t use Google Talk), the browser is decent at best. It’s faster now, sure, there’s a 1GHz CPU under its ass, but it’s not intuitive, and there’s always erroneous touch events; when I want to hit something I hit another link, button or app by accident.

For a company that’s so smart, and makes so much sense, it’s unbelievable how little sense Android makes in most places. I just can’t see why you’d want to run Android over the iPhone OS? Multitasking? Ok, we’ll have that with iPhone 4.0. What else? App Store limitations? Come on. Plus there’s a chance iPhone 4.0 will be announced in literally weeks away (Apple will up their screen resolution on the iPhone to probably double, and have a new resolution for their “slate”) — you can be sure Apple is going to come out swinging. Android isn’t a game changer. It’s a decent OS, dreamed up by an incredibly smart man, with unlimited resources and unlimited access. That’s why even in Android 2.1, it’s so disheartening to see an operating system that I can’t use daily.

I apologize for comparing this to the iPhone so much, I really didn’t set out to. But I’ve used an iPhone every day of my life since it first came out in addition to every BlackBerry ever available simultaneously, and I actually had an open mind about the Nexus One possibly replacing my iPhone. I felt like maybe I wanted more “freedom” and “flexibility” and not have to deal with Apple’s ridiculous train of thought sometimes. I wasn’t too plugged into the Apple ecosystem. I already paid out the ass to upgrade my entire library to non-DRM status, I use Exchange and Gmail, both are supported on the Nexus One — nothing was really holding me back.

But in the end, I found that the lack of any meaningful applications for Android really made it a no go from the beginning. I’m talking about quality — re-read the word quality — applications, here. The best VNC and RDP applications on Android are a joke. There’s not a single enjoyable Twitter application, and any application that’s on Android that is available on the iPhone pales in comparison. If you can find an application on the Android platform that’s better than the iPhone counterpart, I’ll send you a BGR Ninja hat.

Seriously Google, you take no responsibility for the actual “experience” of this phone, yet you tout it as your tag line. Applications in Android Market don’t work for all devices. They have to be updated, they might not work with a new resolution, or all touch screen display — try using one of those NES/SNES emulators on the Nexus One — the comments and “reviews” on apps are worse than Sidekick user’s AIM screen names, there’s no authority and no accountability in Market, and outside of people that know what they’re doing, you’re basically leading the rest into a forest with wolves in the dark, while they’re bleeding and blindfolded. Why does the VNC application I bought and paid for crash on the Nexus One with a Java.IO error? Because your entire OS is fragmented, poorly driven, poorly policed, and because in typical Google fashion, you’re already on to the next thing before making this an absolutely flawless experience for users. What happened to ferociously making sure the absolute core applications in your package were 100% perfect before shipping? BlackBerry’s email application is flawless. Apple’s web browser is flawless. But there’s not a single application on Android that doesn’t have carbon spots in it. (Look it up)

Here’s another issue on why for the foreseeable future Android won’t be anything like what Apple or another company can offer: coders aren’t designers. It’s really as simple as that and anyone in the business will know exactly what I’m talking about. That’s why Apple’s entire developer ecosystem is different, because believe it or not, Apple’s developers are amazing designers that make beautiful things, and they happen to know how to code. That’s entirely different from someone who’s the best coder in the world and trying to create something that looks, works, and feels great. And so, this is my issue with Android and why you won’t see applications of iPhone-quality on Android aside from any SDK and programming hurdles.

If an app like Tweetie 2 existed on Android, I think the Android Market would literally crash, die, burn, and hang itself by how natural, beautiful, and thoughtful that application is. Now, multiply something like that 5,000 times and you’ll have an idea of why all this Android hype amounts to very little. We have the best Android device ever made in the history of the world, finally! Oh wait, Apple’s event is in 2 weeks and no one will remember this. Until Android 2.2 launches with a new device. Then I’ll write another review.

Is Lil Wayne's Rebirth Album Really Coming Out Next Month?

Confusion clouds release date for Wayne's album.

By now, you may have given up trying to follow the bouncing ball that is Lil Wayne's Rebirth album. The disc has had more than a half dozen release dates and while the latest, February 2, seemed pretty solid, it remains unclear if that is just the latest placeholder until the next one rolls around.

A report earlier this week claimed that the disc had been pushed once again to June 22, based on an alleged post on Walmart's Web site announcing the new date that was quickly taken down, if it had ever been posted at all. But a spokesperson for Wayne's label, Cash Money Records, told MTV News, "Wayne's album is still on schedule for Feb 2nd." A spokesperson for Cash Money distributor Universal Records, however, has not responded to repeated requests for confirmation on the release date of the album.

If the February release holds, the rock-inspired Rebirth will hit shelves just a week before Wayne reports for his one-year sentence on gun charges.

It's also unknown if the version of Rebirth due out next month will be the same as the one that was accidentally shipped last month to 500 Amazon.com customers who had pre-ordered the album (based on its early December release). The disc has since leaked in its entirety online, leading to speculation that Cash Money will rework the official version before it hits stores: Young Money President Mack Maine tweeted last month that "leaked 09 Rebirth isn't going to be 2010 Rebirth." The album's track list has apparently changed, perhaps considerably, since Wayne told MTV News back in June that it was ready to go.

Harrison Ford Says Next Indiana Jones Movie Is 'Full Of Opportunity'

Action veteran is eager to embrace the whip and fedora again before he has to 'do it in a wheelchair.'

The beauty of Indiana Jones is that we always imagine him as being on the verge of another great adventure. It's impossible to imagine Indy sitting back in his porch chair with a glass of lemonade, screaming at kids to get off his lawn. Now, Harrison Ford is eager to pick up the whip and fedora one more time and get "Indiana Jones 5" filmed while he's still a convincing action star.

"I don't think I'll do it in a wheelchair," the legendary actor grinned Friday (January 8). "George [Lucas] is working on an idea, and if it comes to a fruitful stage, all of us are very interested in making another."

In 2008, after a 19-year absence, Ford revisited his classic adventurer alongside Spielberg and Lucas, all three of whom need to agree on any script in the "Indiana Jones" series. By many accounts, "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was a financial success but easily the weakest of the four films. Now, Ford is promising that the idea Lucas has for the fifth film is outrageous.

"Yeah," he said when reminded of a quote he gave saying that Lucas' idea was "crazy but great." Does he want to elaborate? "No," he responded.

"Some of the best ideas are crazy ideas, you know?" he conceded. "Well-wrought, well-manipulated.

"I think it would be interesting to advance the understanding of the character, as we always have had that ambition throughout the series," Ford said of what he needs to see in an "Indy 5" script before he's willing to step on the gas like Short Round in a Shanghai taxi cab. "I think it would be interesting to deepen the relationship between he and his son [Mutt, played by Shia LaBeouf] and play on that relationship. ... It's full of opportunity. The series is full of opportunity."

When talk turned to the biggest character development of "Crystal Skull" — Indy's marriage to Marion Ravenwood — Ford seemed amused by the concept that anyone would find scenes of their wedded life as exciting as the series' trademark stunts.

"Yeah, yeah," he deadpanned. "Really exciting.

"I think [scenes with a married Indy and Marion] would be nice grace notes," admitted the actor, who will next be seen in "Extraordinary Measures," a January 22 drama. "We'll see what we come up with.

"Karen [Allen]'s a wonderful actress, I've always enjoyed working with her," he added. "I'm hoping that there'll be a part for all of us in the next one."

Solbi had her picture taken… naked!

No, this isn’t a Vanessa Hudgens move nor is it in any way related to the pornography video with a Solbi look-a-like two months ago. On a recent episode of QTV’s Determine Women’s Ranks, singer Solbi shared a traumatic experience in which a fan took a picture of her while she was naked.

In her story, Solbi shared, “I was at a public bath [which is an extremely common practice in Korea] exfoliating my body naked when an elementary school student took a picture of me and ran away. Luckily, I caught the kid right away and erased all the photos. However, ever since that incident, I haven’t been to public bath.”

After sharing this disturbing experience, other female celebrities revealed their own horrifying experiences at a public bath. The well-rounded entertainer Hyun Young said, “While at a public bath, I was laying down exfoliating myself with my face to the wall. To my surprise, when I turned my body around, five ladies were standing over me and staring at me!” Sexy singer Chaeyeon also added, “Because I have a sexy image to uphold, going to a public bath is burdensome for me, much so that I haven’t been to once in over eight years.”

And what traumatic experiences those are! During my visit to Korea, it was definitely awkward enough showering naked in front of other females (which is apparently mandatory before and after you go swimming there…and trust me, you’ll be the one sticking out if you try to bathe with your swimming suit on!) but imagine someone attempting to take a picture of you while you’re stark naked! Embarrassing!

If you missed this episode, be sure to catch the reruns tonight (9th) at 11PM KST and tomorrow (10th) at 12PM KST.

'Avatar' continues to dominate the box office with $13.3 mil on Friday

A trio of new releases failed to topple James Cameron’s Avatar, which claimed the top spot at the box office for the fourth weekend in a row. The 3-D epic earned $13.3 million on Friday, bringing its domestic total to a staggering $393.8 million, according to early estimates. By the end of Saturday, Avatar should pass Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which grossed $402.1 million, to become the highest grossing film released in 2009. Additionally, Avatar is likely to soar by Spider-Man on Saturday to become the eighth-highest grossing film of all time domestically.

Second place went to the new Ethan Hawke vampire flick Daybreakers, which drained $5.9 million on Friday. Right behind it was Sherlock Holmes, dropping 66 percent for $5.1 million in its third week. The action film’s domestic take has reached $153.7 million, which indicates, through deductive reasoning, that we should be seeing more of Robert Downey Jr.’s Holmes in the years to come. In fourth place was another holdover, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which earned $3.6 million to bring its cumulative gross to $165.4 million.

The weekend’s two other new releases, the Ireland-set romantic comedy Leap Year and the Michael Cera teen comedy Youth in Revolt, will not be remembered for their box-office prowess. The former grossed $3.3 million for fifth place, while the latter picked up $2.7 million for seventh place. Friday’s figures are below, and check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.

1. Avatar — $13.3 mil
2. Daybreakers — $5.9 mil
3. Sherlock Holmes — $5.1 mil
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel — $3.6 mil
5. Leap Year — $3.3 mil

Katy Perry Shows Off Engagement Ring

Bling, bling!

Katy Perry showed off her engagement ring from Russell Brand in London Saturday night.

Earlier Saturday, she Tweeted, "I love you @rustyrockets (awwwww…barf)" to her fiance.

The singer, 25, and comic, 34, got engaged earlier this month while vacationing in Jaipur, India, UsMagazine.com first reported. Brand confirmed the news to the UK Sun on Wednesday, texting, "It's true. Much love."

A friend tells Us that Perry -- who began dating Brand last September -- has "never connected with anybody like this... She says he makes her laugh like nobody else in the world."

Likewise, Brand is "super into her," the insider adds.

HTC Espresso Sense UI Ported To Droid



Adventurous Droid owners looking for something new can now load their phones up with the yet-to-be-released HTC Espresso's Sense UI update. If you have a rooted Droid, check out this guide for full instructions.

http://alldroid.org/viewtopic.php?f=252&t=1340&start=0

[AllDroid via Redmond Pie]

Inbrics M1 is the thinnest Android slider we've seen, probably everything we ever wanted



We don't know what everybody else in the phone business has been doing lately, but Inbrics has just unveiled what looks to be the near-ultimate Android phone. The Inbrics M1 is a slider handset with a (great) 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, 3 megapixel camera, front-facing VGA camera, 16GB of built-in storage, microSD slot and all the other usual trimmings, but what's particularly stunning is that the phone is not only half an inch thick, but it has a full QWERTY keyboard that's surprisingly clicky and typable. The phone is running Android 1.5 right now, but it should be up to Android 2.0 by the time it hits the market in March. The biggest concern is the 800MHz Samsung processor, the same chip that's in the Samsung Moment, but the interface (as demonstrated in the video after the break) is smooth as butter, and they demo'd it playing back 720p video just fine.

Inbrics actually has a lot of custom UI and software running on top of Android, but the most interesting part is what they're doing with video calling and beaming media from handset to videophone to TV to laptop over DLNA or through an access point device that plugs into the TV over HDMI. Inbrics also has a Cover Flow-style media browser that isn't super deep in functionality, but still puts the stock Android stuff to shame, and some rather sexy custom widgets.

The plan is apparently to get a carrier to bite and rebrand this phone in the US, so price and availability are still pretty hard to pin down, but if this phone can hit the market soon it sure could give the rest of the QWERTY Android sliders out there some body image issues.







"King Of Comedy II" recruitment day attracted over 200 potential stars

Stephen Chow's "King Od Comedy II" held its open recruitment for actors and actresses in Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday. It attracted over 200 applicants. The interview process started at 2pm, but as early as 10am, people were already lining up the street.

Some men disguised as females and others dressed up as past famous actors and actresses such as Bruce Lee and Cecilia Cheung. One guy even put on uncle MacDonald costumes. One family (three generations) came to the event specially from Macau. 54 year old Ms Law came with her 20 year old son and her 4 year old granddaughter. Ms Law dressed up as "Goddess of Mercy". She intended to preach the teaching of Buddha as well as supporting her son Lee Ka Ho who loves acting. Lee works in the casino and he was going to dress up as a girl for the interview. He said he has the advantage because he works in a casino. He is an expert to make people laugh and he is also beautiful when he put his make up on.

29 year old Andy dressed up as Bruce Lee, he was demonstrating "kung fu" to show off. He told reporter "Bruce and I have one thing in common. He was born in the 40s and I was born in the 80s. We both have a "0" in common. My name has a "wood" (木) in it and Bruce's surname also has a "wood" in it.

Liz Ma who had appeared in "Beautiful Cooking" before couldn't make up her mind. One minute she wanted to dress up as Cecilia Cheung, but then she changed her mind, wanting to be Chibi Maruko Chan's Cherry. At the end, she freaked out. She later told the reporter that she felt there were very strong contestants out there that she didn't have to the courage to go ahead and had to pull out.

Jacky Cheung bursts at TVB, award ceremonies are unfair

Jacky Cheung had not release a Cantonese album in 5 years, his latest one will finally release next month. However because of the HKRIA ("Big 4") having copyright disputes with TVB, Jacky will lose another source of promotion. Jacky said that his company has told him TVB is standing firm on this issue, the situation is up to the level where "discussed until there is nothing to discuss anymore".

Break TVB's Monopoly
Yesterday Jacky attended RTHK's new program <A World Without Walls 沒有牆的世界>, speaking of the Big 4 and TVB copyright issues, Jacky expressed that there is no choice, he cannot control anything, only able to do well on his own part. Jacky said that his company has told him about the issue with TVB and that he knows his company had meetings with both i-Cable and ATV. He believes that his company can find a way out of this issue, but for the mean time he has not been notified of anything new. Although Jacky had not attended the award ceremonies for several years, but does he feel that its unfair to those singers who should get awards? He said that television stations do not focus too much on music, at most would be broadcasting MVs here and there, if those MV could be aired on different stations, then it is a benefit to the singers.

Jacky said that he is part of the older generation, where <JSG> had more resources, but now they have less, at most singers are allowed to sing for 3 minutes, he only experienced singing for a minute before having to leave the stage. He said: "I don't know what the world has come to, how big of an impact it is I do not dare to say. How much support does television stations really give the music world? How much are they going to demand in the end? Rights and obligations should be deducted, that is what's relative. Even if there wasn't this incident, in the future something still will happen." Jacky said that award ceremonies is not about fair or unfair, it is about mutual beneficial collaboration, singers need television stations to help them promote, but the TV Station only has little resources to work with, but ask for so much back, this is unfair.

Don't always talk about blocking off
When asked if it was his generation that award ceremonies started becoming unfair? Jacky said: "award ceremonies are not fair, I already said it so many times! Once it is game over, on the basis singers who signed a contract should get support, don't always talk about blocking off. First, the speech needs to change." As for the record companies finding other ways out, is it breaking TVB's monopoly? Jacky said that it is not definite, but it is a good start. He smiled: "There is already nothing else to discuss about, this is pretty funny, what to do?! It is only one station broadcasting? There are many more people out there that listens to music." He felt that music should get more support and not get blocked off.

Regarding Eric Tsang not liking TVB's actions and exposed that the guest stars in their new film <72 Tenant Prosperity> not receiving any pay for their participation. Asked the lead actor if his salary was reduced too? He said that he received the full amount, no less no more. As for TVB artistes not getting anything? Jacky said: "I don't have a contract with TVB, so I don't get any money from them. I heard Eric say that each participating guest will get paid, but if it is fair, I don't know. That you will have to ask TVB artistes to know."

More Ashley Greene Naked Photos: Released (and Body Painted)!

At least Ashley Greene has learned something.

In August, pictures of the very naked Twilight Saga star were leaked online. They've since been removed, but trust us: they were quite bare and extremely X-rated.



Therefore, it's nice to see the actress wearing something over her private parts in a new, nationwide photo spread. Well, sort of.



Greene will be featured in the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. She'll be starring in a series of ads for SoBe and she'll be donning her birthday suit yet again - this time, however, it will be covered by a painted-on body suit.



Seriously. We gave you a sneak peek earlier in the week and we've uncovered a handful of new images below. Check them out. They're pretty cool.


Rumour : Katy Perry Pregnant?

Katy Perry has sparked speculation that she is expecting her first child with fiance Russell Brand after dropping several small hints of pregnancy on Twitter this week.

The 25-year-old singer and the British comic confirmed their engagement earlier this week.

Just a few days ago, she Tweeted: “Let me tell you 2010 is BUMPIN!” On Friday, Katy furthered fueled the rumors when she sent a public message to Brand, saying: “i heard ur prego-ed.”

Katy and Russell, 34, have been dating since September. Russell proposed during a religious ceremony in India over the holidays.

More : Katy Perry: ‘I’ll Turn Lesbian if Russell Brand Cheats’
KATY Perry says she’ll become a lesbian if Russell Brand cheats on her.

Perry — who got engaged to the British comedian during romantic trip to India over Christmas — insists she’ll start dating women if her man is unfaithful.

“I have a soft spot for women… if any of my boyfriends ever fail me, I’ll turn to them!” Perry told Britain’s Daily Star newspaper. “Some women walk into the room, and they’re so beautiful and you’re like: ‘I wanna smell you,’ you know.

“Russell gives me the Christmas Eve jitters — that feeling you had as a child. You’re wiggling your feet under the covers because something exciting is going to happen.”

Google support forums flooded by deluge of Nexus One customer complaints

The Google support forums are awash with customer complaints about the newly released Nexus One smartphone. Consumers buying the device are finding that Google’s level of customer support is limited to email, which is only answered in a day or two – there happens to be absolutely no direct phone support available at all. The main complaint according to Engadget appears to be owners reporting that their device either never switches to 3G, or, it is constantly switching between 3G and EDGE (and 3G coverage debate). It is reported that many of those having difficulties are so frustrated by Google’s lack of response and feedback that some are returning their phones to purchase competing models.



One customer going by the name Roland78 said he was transferred between T-Mobile and HTC four times, spending a total of one-and-a-half hours on the phone with customer service. He wrote, “T-Mobile also said Google hasn’t provided them with any support documents for the phone. Welcome to direct sales Google!”

Another using the name SouthFlGuy was also sent back and forth between HTC and T-Mobile after finding no help from Google. He wrote, “I guess I was under the wrong impression but I thought Google would handle the service on the phone”.

Several people on one thread regarding poor 3G performance on the phone report being told by HTC customer service that the Nexus One doesn’t support 3G, although the phone actually does. Another got an e-mail response in five hours from Google suggesting that the user try restarting the phone to see if that solves the problem. Yes, I’m talking about Google here.

If you’re a newly minted Nexus One owner, share your thoughts and let us know what you think.

Google's Nexus One Costs $174.15

Google Nexus One Carries $174.15 Materials Cost, iSuppli Teardown Reveals


El Segundo, Calif., January 8, 2010-With its new Nexus One, Google Inc. has taken many of the latest smart-phone innovations and combined them in a single product that manages to be both cutting edge and cost competitive, according to a teardown conducted by iSuppli Corp.

The Nexus One, sold with the Google brand name but manufactured by HTC Corp., carries a Bill Of Materials (BOM) of $174.15, based on a preliminary estimate from iSuppli's Teardown Analysis Team. This total comprises only hardware and component costs for the Nexus One itself and does not take into consideration other expenses such as manufacturing, software, box contents, accessories and royalties.

Google is selling unlocked versions of the Nexus One at an unsubsidized price of $529, or at $179 with a two-year service contract from T-Mobile.

"With the Nexus One, Google has taken the most advanced features seen in recent smart phone designs and wrapped them up into a single sleek design," said Kevin Keller, senior analyst, competitive analysis, for iSuppli. "Items like the durable unibody construction, the blazingly fast Snapdragon baseband processor and the bright and sharp Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AM-OLED) display all have been seen in previous phones, but never before combined into a single design. This gives the Nexus One the most advanced features of any smart phone ever dissected by iSuppli's Teardown Analysis Service-a remarkable feat given the product's BOM is similar to comparable products introduced during the past year."

The attached table presents the preliminary results of iSuppli's teardown analysis of the Nexus One. iSuppli will conduct a finalized and more detailed analysis later this month.

Return of the Snapdragon

At the heart of the Nexus One is Qualcomm Inc.'s Snapdragon baseband processor that sports a blistering 1GHz clock speed.

"The Snapdragon was first noted in a previous smart phone torn down by iSuppli-the Toshiba Corp. TGO1-which is based on Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system," Keller said. "However, the Android 2.1 operating system used in the Nexus One better capitalizes on the Snapdragon's fast performance, making the user interface and applications run very quickly.

This processing muscle also gives the Nexus One some advanced capabilities, most notably high-definition 720p video playback."

iSuppli estimates the cost of the Snapdragon at $30.50, making it the most expensive single component in the Nexus One. With the inclusion of the Snapdragon and the associated power-management and Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver chips, Qualcomm commands 20.4 percent of the Nexus One's BOM, giving it the biggest dollar share of any component supplier in the design.

AM-OLED display

One of the Nexus One's signature features is its 3.7-inch AM-OLED display, which is superior to the conventional LCDs used in most smart phone designs in a variety of ways. Compared to LCDs, AM-OLEDs deliver a larger color gamut, a faster response time, a thinner form factor and reduced power consumption.

Prior to the Nexus One, AM-OLED technology appeared in another smart phone, Samsung's I7500, which features a 3.2-inch display. However, the Nexus One uses a larger display, marking the first use of a 3.7-inch OLED that iSuppli's Teardown Analysis Service has seen.

"The 3.7-inch AM-OLED display on the Nexus One delivers a stunning picture," Keller said.

With an estimated cost of $23.70, the AM-OLED display is supplied by Samsung Mobile Display Co Ltd.

Heavenly unibody

The Nexus One also sports a unibody design, which means that the smart phone's enclosure comprises a single part. Such a design approach provides greater structural rigidity, providing more protection to the internal electronics in case the phone is dropped. On the other hand, a unibody tends to drive up manufacturing costs.

Besides Apple Inc.'s iPhone, this marks the first unibody smart-phone design that iSuppli's teardown analysis team has noted.

With the Nexus One, HTC has taken a major cue from Apple in the enclosure design, making it the most "Apple-like" product yet seen from any in the competition, and others are likely to follow suit.

Noises off

The Nexus One also features a dual microphone design used for cancellation of background noise. This feature also was noted in Motorola's Droid, another Android-based smart phone. To implement the noise cancellation function, the Nexus One employs a specialized audio voice processor chip from Audience Semiconductor, the first time iSuppli's Teardown Analysis service has observed a part from this manufacturer in any electronic product.

Lost memories

The Nexus One includes a large quantity of DRAM, employing 4Gbit (512MByte) of Samsung Semiconductor's Double Data Rate (DDR) DRAM. This compares to 1Gbit or 2Gbit for comparable smart phones. The large quantity of DRAM is required to store executable code to support the fast performance of the Snapdragon processor, and allows for better application performance.

While the Nexus One features 4Gbit of internal NAND flash memory, the same amount as the Droid and the Toshiba TG01, it is bundled with a comparatively small MicroSD card of 4Gbyte. NAND flash is used for storage of user content and media on the smart phone. The Droid and TG01 are supplied with 16Gbyte and 8Gbyte, respectively. This allows Google to keep its overall BOM costs down, yet still allows the user to upgrade as needed. And while the 4Gbyte of internal flash pales against the iPhone's whopping 16Gbyte, it has the advantage of expandability afforded by the MicroSD card slot where the iPhone has no external storage facility.

Samsung Semiconductor is the supplier of all the memory in the Nexus One, giving it $20.40, or 11.7 percent, of the product's total BOM.

Synaptics gets in touch

Other notable design winners in the Nexus One include Synaptics Inc., which supplies the phone's capacitive touch-screen assembly. iSuppli estimates the cost of the assembly at $17.50, or 10 percent of the total BOM. While the module and the Android operating system support multitouch input, the capability is deactivated on the Nexus One.

Sprint’s 2010 Roadmap Leaked, HTC WiMax and iDEN Android Devices Included

Some unconfirmed leaked documents made its way down the pipeline into the hands of PhoneArena today, which shows a rather lengthy list of several new devices expected to be headed to Sprint at any point this year. While we don’t know the validity of the information, we still want to let you be the judge of the latest news out there.

There are a few handsets that were to be expected, while a couple took us by surprise. In all its leaked glory, here is the list.

First, HTC is supposedly coming out with the A9292, which is a WiMax-powered candybar. WiMax has been pretty much confined to laptop cards and the Overdrive router up until this point, so it’s nice to see handheld devices coming to Sprint that have 4G attached.

In RIM’s corner, we see the Blackberry Tour 2 (9650) will be coming with WiFi and OS 5.0. This has already been widely speculated and expected to happen. Also to be released is a Pearl Flip with “upgraded features”, whatever that means.

Motorola is planning on a MS400 device that may or may not be on a Microsoft-based OS. Since Motorola has publicly stated it will be skipping the WM 6.5 party to get ready for WM7, not to mention having heard reports that WM7 will be coming out by the end of the year, we expect this MS400 to be Windows Mobile 7.

Lastly on the surprise list is a Motorola Android device that will run on Nextel’s iDEN network, tentatively named the Motorola i1. Interestingly enough, it’s a full touchscreen that’s only running 1.6 and will have a 5 MP camera. Since it will run on 1.6, we certainly hope this is sooner in 2010 rather than later.



Also on the list:
LG LN510: Touchscreen with QWERTY keyboard, in blue, purple and red
LG LN240: texting phone with no EVDO support
LG LS680: Android device similar to GW620
Samsung M350: basic touchscreen phone
Samsung M570: Exclaim 2?
Samsung M910: Moment 2?
Palm C40: no information or rumors available on this one, though it’s been seen in Sprint’s inventory system already
Sanyo 8600: don’t know, don’t care
Samsung Instinct S30 Pink, Reclaim Grey and M330 Blue
Motorola i680: rugged military-grade with 2 MP camera
Motorola i890: no information available

If anyone has any information on any of these new handsets, please let us know. Or if you have opinions, make them heard!

Vic Zhou starts a new Rejoice romance

In September 2009, Vic who acted as flirtarious and uninhibited "ruffian" in "Black and White", came to Thailand, Kanchanaburi to shoot a TV commercial for the P & G's brand product, Rejoice. This time appearance is for Zaizai the first step in the plans with Rejoice, and for this year, he'll be Rejoice's endorser, continuing to show off Rejoice's naturally softening and smoothing abilities.

This time shooting in Kanchanaburi, brings the male lead Vic and female lead Bea Hayden to a train station. Zaizai accidentally encounters a girl with very smooth long hair, the girl's fingers goes through her hair, and with the light wind, the scene makes Zaizai greatly attracted. Then, as Zaizai wants to get to know her, the train is taking her away, lovestruck Zaizai can only run crazily after the train....

Vic and Bea first episode of "little town romance" ends at the view of Zaizai's back still running after the train, then, the continuation of the story will be uncovered with Zaizai and Rejoice cooperation, and appear to the audience.

Zaizai qualities as handsome, easy going, kind hearted were a perfect match with Rejoice looking for softness, smoothness and caring spirit, that was the main reason P & G asked Zaizai to be their new endorser. In the future, Zaizai will continue to express Rejoice's beauty, smoothness and spread Rejoice's care to many more households.

Being pointed as the TW queen of printed ads, Bea used her naturally soft hair to attract attention, and her calm, and pure appearance mix in perfectly with Zaizai's steady and esygoing personality, the two acting out Rejoice's love story.

Talking about the first cooperation with Rejoice, Zaizai stated that he had always liked Rejoice's because they valued natural beauty. "The love stories Rejoice brings are very natural", he says "That's why they were so beautiful."
When asked if he favours long haired girls, Zaizai laughed saying that he really admires girls who take good care of their hair, he feels that it shows they know how to take care of themselves, and thus know how to take care of other people.
About "Miss fingers comb" Bea, Zaizai has only praises, didn't hesitate to say that girls like Bea are the Ideal lover in the eyes of the majority of men.
Who knows if the "train man"'s persistence can move the long haired girl or not ? And how will this new "Beautiful Hair romance" develop ?
Let us look forward to this story about encounter, miss and persistence, then.

Yoon Eun Hye ditches the Love Triangle for Kim Hyun Joong

Sexy fashionista Yoon Eun Hye and SS501 leader / 4-D flower boy Kim Hyun Joong recently paired up for a photo shoot with “Basic House,” wherein Section TV deliberately approached the couple and conducted an interview with them.

The concept of the photo shoot was appropriately known as “couple look.” Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Hyun Joong were coordinated in stripes and shorts, a fashion appropriate for the spring season.

Because it was the first time Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Hyun Joong met in person, they both admitted that the atmosphere on set was pretty awkward. Although the two may have been shy at first, it sure wasn’t noticeable when the cameras were on. They even exchanged compliments about one another as Kim Hyun Joong commented, “She pulls off a school look very well” and Yoon Eun Hye remarked, “He looks like a young prince so anything suits him.”



To lighten the mood, the MC brought along a handful of questions for them to answer.

Kim Hyun Joong was asked “Which Baby V.O.X. member do you like the most?” Not only did he disregard Yoon Eun Hye, who happened to be sitting right next to him, he didn’t even pick a member of Baby V.O.X. In fact, he responded, “I like Fin.K.L better…” (Ouch)

Yoon Eun Hye too was posed with a similar question of “Which SS501 member do you like most?” Returning the SS501 leader the favor, she replied, “I like 2PM better.” (Double Ouch)

Jokes aside, Kim Hyun Joong expressed that he would like to work alongside Yoon Eun Hye in a drama, if the opportunity ever arises. Yoon Eun Hye, on the other hand, wasn’t too fond of the idea. “I am scared to death [of idol groups these days],” she said.

Yoon Eun Hye does make a good point, however. Idols are definitely not like they used to be back in the day, especially the crazy fangirls who would turn the world upside down if their beloved male idol so much as touched someone of the opposite gender.

Despite her phobia of idol groups, the fact still remains that Yoon Eun Hye has already shot a CF with 2PM’s Nichkhun and Taecyeon and now, she has collaborated with SS501’s Kim Hyun Joong for a photo shoot. Yoon Eun Hye gets around fast, but then again, she doesn’t sing Dash Girl for nothing.

Google support forums flooded by deluge of Nexus One customer complaints

The Google support forums are awash with customer complaints about the newly released Nexus One smartphone. Consumers buying the device are finding that Google’s level of customer support is limited to email, which is only answered in a day or two – there happens to be absolutely no direct phone support available at all. The main complaint according to Engadget appears to be owners reporting that their device either never switches to 3G, or, it is constantly switching between 3G and EDGE (and 3G coverage debate). It is reported that many of those having difficulties are so frustrated by Google’s lack of response and feedback that some are returning their phones to purchase competing models.



One customer going by the name Roland78 said he was transferred between T-Mobile and HTC four times, spending a total of one-and-a-half hours on the phone with customer service. He wrote, “T-Mobile also said Google hasn’t provided them with any support documents for the phone. Welcome to direct sales Google!”

Another using the name SouthFlGuy was also sent back and forth between HTC and T-Mobile after finding no help from Google. He wrote, “I guess I was under the wrong impression but I thought Google would handle the service on the phone”.

Several people on one thread regarding poor 3G performance on the phone report being told by HTC customer service that the Nexus One doesn’t support 3G, although the phone actually does. Another got an e-mail response in five hours from Google suggesting that the user try restarting the phone to see if that solves the problem. Yes, I’m talking about Google here.

If you’re a newly minted Nexus One owner, share your thoughts and let us know what you think.

Kristen Stewart Reveals Secret Heartbreak

KRISTEN Stewart says she was “heartbroken” when pictures of the Twilight cast — including Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner – filming sequel New Moon were leaked online.

The actress — who plays Bella in the flick — says the wanted the movie to surprise fans, and the snaps ending up all over the internet ruined it.

“I was heartbroken when pictures were all over the internet,” Kristen told TOTP magazine. “I didn’t want anybody to see certain looks, like Taylor in his wig, because we wanted to surprise people when the movie came out.”

The 19-year-old also revealed she has become “protective” of her big screen alter ego because their lives have progressed in a similar way.

“I feel like Bella has become something that is me, in a weird way. I feel very protective of her,” she said.

“Bella and I have been on a similar ride, in that during the second film she matures a bit. She’s making these drastic life decisions and she knows what she wants.

“She’s got to know herself much better. I think I’ve done the same thing through this project. It’s been a wild ride and there’s been a lot of self-evaluation. I’ve grown a lot, and so has Bella.”

“Inception” Trailer



Warner Bros has released the first trailer for Leonardo DiCaprio’s science-fiction thriller, Inception.

Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan, debuts at the box office in July.

Blake Lively Cast In “Green Lantern” Movie

Blake Lively is stepping out of her small screen stillettos and into the big screen world of superheroes.

Lively — best known for her roles on The CW’s Gossip Girl and in The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants films — has been cast as the female lead in Warner Bros.’ upcoming Green Lantern movie, Variety.com reported Friday.

Lively will play pilot Carol Ferris, the love interest of Ryan Reynolds’ Hal Jordan, a pilot who saves the universe with a green ring. Blake edged out seasoned stars, like Jennifer Garner, Diane Kruger and Eva Green, who were also up for the role. Although producers were initially looking for an older actress, the leggy 22-year-old bombshell impressed them with a stellar audition and her performance in the adult-themed drama The Town.

Green Lantern, based on the classic DC Comics feature, will hit theaters June 17, 2011.

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