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The Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) Echo, a dual-screen Android smartphone on the way from Sprint (NYSE: S), will arrive Sunday for buyers who've pre-ordered the device.

What exactly will they get with the two screens? For starters, there's the ability to run separate apps on each screen simultaneously. They'll also be able to lock the screens together when the phone's opened at 180 degrees to create a tablet of sorts.

In sporting dual screens, the Echo perhaps stands out from the many Androids populating the market.

"I think this is going to be one of those devices that people are going to try to figure out where it belongs," Ramon Llamas, a senior research analyst at IDC, told TechNewsWorld. The curiosity factor might push people to buy the device, he added.

However, you can forget about the Echo as a wannabe tablet, advised Michael Morgan, a senior analyst at ABI Research.

"Don't think of it as one giant screen, but as a two-screen device," Morgan told TechNewsWorld.

Kyocera did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

To Have and Have Not

The most striking thing about the Kyocera Echo is what it doesn't have.

It has only a single camera, and there is no HDMI port for output to a television or other large appliance, although the device can take 720p HD videos.

"There is only one 5MP camera with flash, autofocus, digital zoom and HD camcorder capability," Sprint spokesperson Nichole Cappitelli told TechNewsWorld.

The camera is rear-facing and takes both still shots and video, Cappitelli added.

In a world where two cameras and HDMI output for smartphones are becoming the norm, this might be an issue.

Further, the Echo doesn't have 4G support, which could also cost it dearly in the future.

Sounding Off on the Echo's Tech Specs

The Kyocera Echo has two 3.5-inch LCD WVGA capacitive touchscreens with 800 by 480 pixel resolution each. Combined, they give users a viewing area of 4.7 inches with a resolution of 800 by 960 pixels.

The device has a 1GHz Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) Snapdragon processor. It runs on Android 2.2, aka "Froyo," and users can access the Android Market. Kyocera has also launched an Android developer program, accessible here.

The Kyocera Echo has a removable battery and 512MB of RAM.

The Echo has WiFi hotspot capabilities supporting up to five devices. Sensors include a digital compass, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor and GPS.

The Echo supports stereo Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and WiFi 802.11 b/g. It has a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 32 GB capacity, and it comes with an 8 GB card.

The device comes preloaded with VueQue, an app that lets owners watch a YouTube video on one screen while doing browsing, queuing and buffering additional YouTube videos on the other.

Preloaded Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) mobile services include Google Search, Google Maps, Google Talk instant messaging, Gmail, YouTube and synchronization with Google Calendar. The Echo ha a full HTML Web browser optimized for a dual-screen experience.

Features for the corporate user include Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Exchange ActiveSync and POP and IMAP email access.

Possible Uses for the Echo

The most useful of its modes is where the top screen is slightly bent forward, "kinda like the Nintendo DS," ABI's Morgan said.

The best use for the Echo is where the user is doing different things on the two different screens, he suggested.

That's because there's a line across the middle dividing the screens when they're locked flat into a 180-degree position, something users might find annoying.

"How are you going to play 'Angry Birds,' which is a popular application, with that big line across the middle?" IDC's Llamas asked.

The Echo can be used as a two-screen device or a single-screen one. The second screen slides out and locks into place, said Morgan, who "played with the Echo a bit" at the CTIA conference, held in Orlando, Fla., in March.

Though the Echo's dual-screen design may make it a bit thicker than rival smartphones, size is not an issue with the Echo, IDC's Llamas stated.

"This device is presumably aimed at the younger crowd, which is used to carrying around dual-screen Nintendo DSes and iPads, and their size didn't turn people away," Llamas pointed out.

"The real question is, what's the user experience going to be?" Llamas asked.

GNOME 3, after more than two years of development, has been released into the wild. GNOME 3 is not merely the logical successor of GNOME 2: it is an entirely new project, started from scratch, to create a "completely new, modern desktop designed for today's users and technologies."

The best way to check out GNOME 3's new features -- and it has lots of new features -- is to run a live version of openSUSE or Fedora, or simply head over to the GNOME 3 website and watch the (rather pretty) introductory videos. If you want a synopsis, though, here it is: GNOME 3 looks a lot like Mac OS X, with a healthy dollop of iOSesqueness for good measure, but yet it still somehow retains an underlying feel of Linux.

The overall aesthetic is very simple, very elegant, and despite being slightly out of fashion, there are plenty of rounded corners, too. The main addition, workflow-wise, is the addition of an app-launcher-cum-alt-tab screen, where you can launch apps, or flip through your open windows. For a complete list of the new features and changes, check the GNOME 3 release notes.

Despite GNOME 3 being officially launched, there aren't actually any releases for existing, stable Linux distros -- it's the live CD/USB images, or Ubuntu users will have to wait for the launch of 11.04 for a GNOME 3 PPA, but it will break Unity in the process. Fedora users will have to wait for for the May 24 release of Fedora 15. Of course, if you're feeling crazy, you can always build GNOME 3 from source.

Tags: desktop manager, DesktopManager, fedora, gnome, gnome 3, gnome project, Gnome3, GnomeProject, linux, opensuse, ubuntu, window manager, WindowManager

Nilay Patel, formerly of Engadget writes on his personal blog that, according to Steven Levy?s new book, The Plex, after believing Google copied the iPhone with Android, they hid iPad development from Google CEO and former Apple board member Eric Schmidt.

The acrimony was so deep, we?re told, that Jobs kept the iPad a secret from Eric Schmidt even though Schmidt was still on Apple?s board of directors while it was being developed. (Schmidt would later step down, of course.) It?s juicy stuff, and it nicely feeds right into the current iOS vs. Android narrative of the day.

Prior to the iPhone?s introduction, Android more closely copied the BlackBerry or Windows Mobile Standard look and front-facing QWERTY feel but by the time it launched, post-iPhone, it was a full screen capacitive touch device. What?s not clear is that Apple began work on iPad (reportedly as Safari Pad) prior to iPhone before deciding a smartphone was the better product to introduce first. If Eric Schmidt was in on iPhone, how could he have not been briefed on the Safari Pad/iPad that preceded it?

Patel also delves into the ?murky? issues surrounding Google?s strange journey towards multitouch support:

• Did the first build of Android Steve Jobs saw actually have multitouch frameworks and pinch-to-zoom? The answer, according to Levy, is yes.1

• What happened during the development of Android 2.0 and the original Droid that made Google think shipping multitouch frameworks was okay?

• Similarly, what happened on or around February 2010 that made Google decide that shipping pinch-to-zoom in Android was okay? Did Andy Rubin suddenly decide that using a phone with two hands was cool, or was there a legal reason?

Interesting stuff to say the least. Maybe Steven Levy could write a sequel called ?The *Droid??

[Nilay Patel]

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HP introduced a new lineup of mobile workstations for users who need the performance of a workstation with the portability and convenience of a notebook. The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w feature second-generation Intel Core i7 and i5 dual- and quad-core processors and support up to 32 GB of RAM.

As HP?s most powerful mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8760w features a 17.3-inch high-definition screen, a choice of AMD FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics and up to 4GB of video memory. The EliteBook 8760w also can be configured with three hard drives and RAID 5 support.

The HP EliteBook 8560w features a15.6-inch HD display and supports AMD FirePro graphics for 1 GB of video memory or NVIDIA Quadro graphics for 2 GB of video memory. The EliteBook 8560w and 8760w also offer an optional HP DreamColor display.

As HP?s smallest and lightest mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8460w, starts at only 4.9 pounds and includes a 14.0-inch HD panel. It also has an AMD FirePro 1 GB video memory professional graphics card.

HP Unveils Mobile Workstation Portfolio for Ultimate Performance, Design and Durability

LAS VEGAS, April 12, 2011 - HP today announced a new lineup of powerful mobile workstations, ideal for engineering, power-computing and content-creation customers who need the performance of a workstation with the portability and convenience of a notebook.

HP also unveiled the HP Z210 Workstation, demonstrating its continued investment in the desktop and mobile workstations market, where it holds leading market share.

Building on HP?s ?FORGE? design framework, the HP EliteBook w-series embodies a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. The new products showcase HP?s first-ever industrial design specific to mobile workstations, with distinctive features including a radial-brushed gunmetal finish, backlit jewel logo and orange-colored accents.

The mobile workstations also are certified by independent software vendors to run the most demanding professional applications, helping ensure reliable performance for mobile power users.

• HP?s most powerful mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8760w offers a 17.3-inch diagonal, high-definition (HD) screen, a choice of high-performing AMD FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics and up to 4 gigabytes (GB) of video memory. The EliteBook 8760w also can be configured with three hard drives and RAID 5 support ? a first for HP mobile workstations.
• The HP EliteBook 8560w features a15.6-inch diagonal HD display and supports AMD FirePro graphics for 1 GB of video memory or NVIDIA Quadro graphics for 2 GB of video memory. The optional HP DreamColor display on the EliteBook 8560w and 8760w also allows for more than 1 billion active color possibilities.
• HP?s smallest and lightest mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8460w, starts at only 4.9 pounds and includes a 14.0-inch diagonal HD panel, in addition to an AMD FirePro 1 GB video memory professional graphics card for true on-the-road video performance.

?As the fastest growing segment of the workstation market, mobile workstations continue to provide value to our most demanding design, animation and engineering customers,? said Efrain Rovira, director, Mobile Workstations, Notebook Business Unit, HP. ?The new EliteBook mobile workstations announced today combine innovative design with trusted, workstation-class technology to fuel creativity.?

Durable design and color-critical display

The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w include precision aluminum-alloy hinges and cast titanium-alloy display latches for enhanced durability. Sporting a radial-brushed display cover in a new gunmetal color, the portfolio boasts an aerospace design inspired HP DuraCase and is MIL STD 810G tested for drop, vibration, dust and altitude that might arise during on-the-go computing. The HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w also feature a backlit keyboard for workstation-caliber productivity, day or night.

Additionally, the HP DreamColor display option on the HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w allows for more than 1 billion active color combinations ? 64 times the capabilities of a traditional display ? and uses a 30-bit notebook LCD panel to provide a level of color control exclusive to the EliteBook w-series for consistent color appearance from concept, to design, to production. The HP Mobile Display Assistant and optional HP Advanced Profiling Solution enable more precise control, adjustment and alignment of the DreamColor notebook display to ensure predictable color.

On-the-go workstation-caliber computing

Built to deliver optimized workstation-class processing and support migration to 3-D professional applications, the HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w feature second-generation Intel® Core? i7 and i5 dual- and quad-core processors, offer premium performance and responsiveness with vPro compatibility, and support up to 32 GB of RAM.

With video memory options from 1 GB to 4 GB, the new w-series delivers superior, ISV-certified professional graphics solutions from NVIDIA and AMD for the 8760w and 8560w and from AMD for the 8460w. When equipped with an AMD discrete graphics solution and an optional HP Advanced Docking Station, the HP mobile workstations support AMD Eyefinity Technology for simultaneous support for up to five independent displays.

HP EliteBook mobile workstations also offer a variety of storage capacity options, including SMART SATA, Self Encrypting or Solid State Drives, with up to RAID 5 capability. The mobile workstations are also equipped with a variety of ports, including USB 3.0, eSATA and USB 2.0 charging ports.

Now available on HP mobile workstations, HP Performance Advisor, an intuitive user interface, helps keep applications running smoothly, while optimizing configuration and graphics performance.

The HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w offer an 8-cell primary battery, while the HP EliteBook 8460w offers 6- and 9-cell options for extended battery run time. All models include an HP Long Life Battery option. The mobile workstations also are compatible with the new HP Extended Life Notebook Battery and HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery, which offer external battery supplies for additional run time.

Productivity tools and components

The new mobile workstations offer HP Professional Innovations, including HP QuickWeb 3, HP Power Assistant, HP Connection Manager and HP ProtectTools, which includes standard drive encryption for data protection. SRS Premium Sound also provides optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications and delivers an audio experience for digital content creators or users listening to media-rich content and presenting multimedia-heavy presentations.

Pricing and availability

The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w start at $1,899, $1,349 and $1,299 respectively, and are expected to be available in the United States in May.

More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.

We originally reported on SPDY way back in November 2009, when Google introduced it as yet another experiment in making the Web faster, like Go, Native Client and speculative pre-connections. Over the last 18 months, though, SPDY support has found its way into the stable build of Chrome.

SPDY is basically a streamlined and more efficient version of HTTP. At its most basic, SPDY introduces parallel, multiplexed streams over a single TCP connection -- but at the same time, SPDY allows for prioritization, so that vital content (HTML) can be sent before periphery content (JavaScript, video). All in all, the SPDY protocol can halve page load times, which is obviously rather significant.

The best bit, though, is that SPDY is an open-source project. HTTP 1.1 is a lumbering beast that needs to be replaced before low-latency real-time computing really becomes a reality, and SPDY is one of the best options currently on the table. To be honest, we're not sure why SPDY hasn't received more coverage -- it's awesome in every way. At the moment, though, the only way to help speed up SPDY's proliferation, is with an experimental Apache mod.

As far as actually 'trying it out,' your best bet is downloading Chrome, hitting up some Google sites, and then checking chrome://net-internals to see your active SPDY sessions. SPDY is a transparent replacement for HTTP, though, and as such it's rather hard to see its effects. Google's sites definitely feel fast in Chrome, but there are more technologies than just SPDY at work.

Tags: browsers, chrome, faster, google, google chrome, GoogleChrome, http, http 1.1, Http1.1, spdy, speed, web

Nilay Patel, formerly of Engadget writes on his personal blog that, according to Steven Levy?s new book, The Plex, after believing Google copied the iPhone with Android, they hid iPad development from Google CEO and former Apple board member Eric Schmidt.

The acrimony was so deep, we?re told, that Jobs kept the iPad a secret from Eric Schmidt even though Schmidt was still on Apple?s board of directors while it was being developed. (Schmidt would later step down, of course.) It?s juicy stuff, and it nicely feeds right into the current iOS vs. Android narrative of the day.

Prior to the iPhone?s introduction, Android more closely copied the BlackBerry or Windows Mobile Standard look and front-facing QWERTY feel but by the time it launched, post-iPhone, it was a full screen capacitive touch device. What?s not clear is that Apple began work on iPad (reportedly as Safari Pad) prior to iPhone before deciding a smartphone was the better product to introduce first. If Eric Schmidt was in on iPhone, how could he have not been briefed on the Safari Pad/iPad that preceded it?

Patel also delves into the ?murky? issues surrounding Google?s strange journey towards multitouch support:

• Did the first build of Android Steve Jobs saw actually have multitouch frameworks and pinch-to-zoom? The answer, according to Levy, is yes.1

• What happened during the development of Android 2.0 and the original Droid that made Google think shipping multitouch frameworks was okay?

• Similarly, what happened on or around February 2010 that made Google decide that shipping pinch-to-zoom in Android was okay? Did Andy Rubin suddenly decide that using a phone with two hands was cool, or was there a legal reason?

Interesting stuff to say the least. Maybe Steven Levy could write a sequel called ?The *Droid??

[Nilay Patel]

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Note: Comments must be civil, respectful, and on-topic. If a comment does not add to the conversation, if it contains spam advertising, or inappropriate language or content, it will be removed. Comments containing links may be held for moderation. Relax, enjoy, and share in the discussion.

For serious runners who want to track their progress, a GPS sports watch can be indispensible.

Garmin has outed a number of wrist-mounted trainers over the years, but the new Forerunner 610 is its first touchscreen model. It?s also a bit more attractive than previous members of the Forerunner line.

The 610 can keep track of pace, distance and, with an optional heart monitor, heart rate. It will deliver vibration alerts for when audible ones can?t be heard. Its slim black form also houses ?Training Effect? and ?Virtual Racer? features, for tracking workout intensity and beating your own personal bests. The Garmin Connect online service provides access to additional functions, including an online fitness community and tools for logging run metrics and plotting them in charts and illustrations.

For those who prefer alternating between running and walking, Auto Lap and Auto Pause help keep track of this type of training session.

You don?t need to buy a GPS watch. Tools like the Nike+ GPS app, which run on your smartphone, can do many of the same things. But a watch is less cumbersome than carrying your phone on every run.

We recently took a look at the Nike+ SportWatch GPS, which offers similar run-tracking features. It has a large, bold-numbered display that?s operated by three buttons and an easy to use, intuitive interface.

The Forerunner 610 functions with a combination of buttons and touchscreen taps, which looks like it could potentially be more complicated and less user friendly than Nike?s answer to the GPS watch.

The Garmin Forerunner 610 is definitely designed for the fitness buff, with a price of $350. No word on when it will be officially available for purchase.

Forerunner 610 [Garmin via Crunchgear]

New Hisense Accessories Wirelessly Mirror High Definition Content from Laptops and iPhones to the TV with AMIMON WHDI Technology

HERZLIA, Israel ? APRIL 12, 2011 ? AMIMON, the market leader in wireless HDTV semiconductor solutions, announced today that Chinese Hisense is introducing three new accessories based on WHDI? (Wireless Home Digital Interface?) standard to allow users to connect HD sources, such as laptops, iPhones and other devices, to the TV.

Hisense will demonstrate a WHDI Transmitter Stick, WHDI Receiver and WHDI case for iPhone® at the Global Sources Electronics & Components World Expo, April 12-15 at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.

Visitors to the Hisense booth (#7M26) will observe HD transmission from a notebook computer to the TV via a WHDI Stick. This enables wireless mirroring  on the TV screen of any content available in the notebook, such as games, YouTube, Blu-ray movies, Hulu or any other PC application, including 3D, at resolution of up to 1080p/60Hz.

The demonstration will also include wireless mirroring from an iPhone to the TV. The WHDI wireless transmitter module, integrated with a mobile phone, presents the ultimate solution for wireless connectivity of uncompressed HD video and audio from the phone to any HD display, such as LCDs, plasma displays and projectors.

AMIMON?s WHDI wireless video chipsets provide an excellent user experience from these devices to the big screen with crystal clear picture quality, link robustness and low latency (less than 1mSec) for interactive applications. Uses include CE, gaming, business, network, conference and in-room and multi-room use in the home for sharing HD content with full coverage, through walls, no line of sight required.

"No other technology has been able to meet the same level of performance as WHDI. The affordability of wireless HD mirroring without compressing and without compromising video quality, along with AMIMON?s support and experience in China, make WHDI an excellent choice for the smooth development of HD products for the Chinese market," said Ehud Shchori, Director, Hisense Accessories Division.

"As one of the biggest CE brand names in China and one of the top TV makers, Hisense?s choice of AMIMON for these products is a testament to the quality and performance of our WHDI technology," said Shimon Greenberg, vice president of sales , AMIMON.  "Laptop and iPhone users will now be able to enjoy all their HD content, such as movies, games and apps, on the big screen with exellent user experience ."

The WHDI standard delivers the highest image quality for in-room and multi-room HD wireless connections, including uncompressed 1080p/60Hz HD video, at no delay. WHDI utilizes a 40MHz channel in the 5GHz unlicensed band.  WHDI includes support for the 3D formats required by the HDMI? 1.4a specification and range of over 30 meters (100 feet) through obstacles and walls. WHDI supports HDCP revision 2.0, providing superior security and digital content protection.

I'm getting fat; that's what you see on the screenshot to the right -- my gradual move from chubby to portly. But never mind the numbers, look at the pretty graph!

If you've ever read The Hacker's Diet, this graph should be instantly recognizable. Each point shows the weight for a given day, while the trend line lets you see if you're gaining or losing weight.

When I use my "main" PC, I have a homebrew solution for creating and maintaining this graph. But I've had to find a temporary solution for Android, and Libra is it.

It's a beautifully simple app, very true to the spirit of The Hacker's Diet. You can create a shortcut on your homescreen that brings you right into the data entry screen, so you just tap the shortcut every morning, feed in your weight for the day and hit OK, and then you get to see your progress (or lack thereof) on the graph.

The app remembers the previous day's weigh-in, which makes it easy to enter today's weight (as they're usually not too different). The graph is zoomable and scrollable, and most importantly, you can export the data to CSV so you're not locked into the app.

If you ever need to track your weight using an Android device for any period of time, Libra is one excellent solution.

Tags: android, apps, developer, fat, hacker diet, HackerDiet, libra, the hackers diet, TheHackersDiet, weight loss, WeightLoss

biteSMS has just been updated to version 5.2 which includes integration with TextFreek, a service that provides free SMS messaging between iOS, Android, and Blackberry users. This update to biteSMS also includes iOS 4.3 compatibility. The update also includes a few new features such as remembering contact settings for the bite network and carrier network. Jailbreakers should still keep in mind that even though iOS 4.3 compatibility has been added, there?s still no easy untethered iOS 4.3 jailbreak solution available yet. Click through for a full list of changes.

• TextFreek integration (text for FREE!!!) ? See biteSMS, Settings, TextFreek.
• iOS 4.3 compatibility.
• New feature for the default send method to be ?Remember per Contact?. Especially useful when you?d like to switch to using the biteSMS network for specific friends (say international or not included in your carriers unlimited plan).
• Added ringtone support for iOS 4.2.1 such that biteSMS now interacts correctly with the new iOS per contact ringtone feature.
• For biteSMS Ringtones (packaged or in directory structure) the volume is now reduced by 50% if headphones are plugged-in.
• With privacy set, the [Open] and [Call] buttons should display as active / inactive as expected.
• Fixed up bug when composing a new scheduled message it did not always show the scheduled clock icon.

Anyone download the new version? Let us know of any bugs or issues you experience in the comments!

BiteSMS changelog

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biteSMS has just been updated to version 5.2 which includes integration with TextFreek, a service that provides free SMS messaging between iOS, Android, and Blackberry users. This update to biteSMS also includes iOS 4.3 compatibility. The update also includes a few new features such as remembering contact settings for the bite network and carrier network. Jailbreakers should still keep in mind that even though iOS 4.3 compatibility has been added, there?s still no easy untethered iOS 4.3 jailbreak solution available yet. Click through for a full list of changes.

• TextFreek integration (text for FREE!!!) ? See biteSMS, Settings, TextFreek.
• iOS 4.3 compatibility.
• New feature for the default send method to be ?Remember per Contact?. Especially useful when you?d like to switch to using the biteSMS network for specific friends (say international or not included in your carriers unlimited plan).
• Added ringtone support for iOS 4.2.1 such that biteSMS now interacts correctly with the new iOS per contact ringtone feature.
• For biteSMS Ringtones (packaged or in directory structure) the volume is now reduced by 50% if headphones are plugged-in.
• With privacy set, the [Open] and [Call] buttons should display as active / inactive as expected.
• Fixed up bug when composing a new scheduled message it did not always show the scheduled clock icon.

Anyone download the new version? Let us know of any bugs or issues you experience in the comments!

BiteSMS changelog

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Note: Comments must be civil, respectful, and on-topic. If a comment does not add to the conversation, if it contains spam advertising, or inappropriate language or content, it will be removed. Comments containing links may be held for moderation. Relax, enjoy, and share in the discussion.

Rejoice! No longer will you have to fork over $700 for a Photoshop CS5 license! Adobe has unveiled a new subscription scheme where you can rent the entire Creative Suite, or individual packages, by the month, or for an entire year.

Adobe Photoshop can be yours for $35 per month if you agree to rent it for 12 months, or $49 per month if you require its services for a shorter period. Dreamweaver can be had for even cheaper, at just $19 per month. The entire Master Collection is still rather expensive, though, at $125 per month.

Today, Adobe also ushered in the release of Creative Suite 5.5, and simultaneously upped its release cycle from 18 months to 24 months. This means, if you rent Photoshop for two years, it's actually the same cost as buying it outright. There's no rent-to-own option, though -- so you wouldn't have access to the cheaper upgrade price once Creative Suite 6 rolls around next year. Still, if you need access to Photoshop, After Effects or Premiere for a one-time project, the new rental scheme could be exactly what you're looking for.

In other news, Adobe has announced that it will be launching three rather exciting iPad apps that work in conjunction with Photoshop: Eazel, Nav, and Color Lava. Eazel lets you five-finger paint on your iPad, and export the result into Photoshop; Nav acts as some kind of workspace, brush and menu extension, and the hopefully named Color Lava is a paint mixing palette. The apps are expected to appear in the App Store in the next 30 days.

Tags: adobe, adobe creative suite, adobe photoshop, AdobeCreativeSuite, AdobePhotoshop, apps, color lava, ColorLava, creative suite, CreativeSuite, cs 5.5, cs5, Cs5.5, eazel, nav, windows

Psst, you over there. Come closer. How would you like a brand new, never opened Kindle for $114? Yes, this is the third-generation Kindle, the letters are all in English, and no, it didn't fall off of a truck. What's that, you're still skeptical? Alright, there is a catch. In order to receive the $25 price break, you have to put up with special offers and ads, but hear Amazon out on this one.

Amazon's new "Kindle with Special Offers" is the exactly the same as the regular third-generation eBook reader except that it comes with special offers and sponsored screensavers displayed on the Kindle screensaver and on the bottom of the home screen. Here are some of the special offers Amazon has on tap for the coming weeks:

• $10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
• $6 for 6 Audible Books (normally $68)
• $1 for an album in the Amazon MP3 Store (choose from over 1 million albums)
• $10 for $30 of products in the Amazon Denim Shop or Amazon Swim Shop
• Free $100 Amazon.com Gift Card when you get an Amazon Rewards Card (normally $30)
• Buy one of 30 Kindle bestsellers with your Visa card and get $10 Amazon.com credit
• 50 percent off Roku Streaming Player (normally $99)

You'll also have to put up with ads, not only on the screensaver, but on the bottom of the device. However, Amazon promises they're non-intrusive and won't interrupt reading. What's more, a new app called AdMash gives Kindle owners the ability to vote on which screensavers they'd prefer to see. The ones with the most votes qualify to become sponsored screensavers.

In addition, Special Offers customers can give Amazon hints on the style and types of sponsored screensavers they wouldn't mind seeing, which is accessible from the Manage Your Kindle page on Amazon.com. You can choose whether to see more or less screensavers with certain elements, like landscapes and scenery, architecture, travel images, photography, and illustrations.

"The opportunity to offer custom-designed Kindle screensavers was a natural fit for Buick because Kindle is such a unique device surrounded by a community of intelligent, passionate people," said Craig Bierley, Director of Advertising and Promotions, Buick. "Kindle's high contrast e-ink display eliminates glare and is perfect for emotionally engaging and impactful brand imagery, allowing us to connect with Kindle readers wherever and whenever."

Obviously Amazon is trying hard to put a positive spin on all this, and it's an interesting experiment from a number of angles. It's also a little concerning if you were hoping for another no-strings-attached price break as the tablet market starts to flesh out. At $139 for a Wi-Fi Kindle, it's not as though Amazon's third-generation eBook reader was pricey to begin with, but it does appear that's the lowest it's going to go unless you're willing to contend with ads.

What's your take on all this? Would you be willing to buy an ad-supported Kindle for $114?