webOS netbooks promised in HP carrier training video

We were already expecting that HP is going to release new tablet PCs and smartphones carrying the Palm's webOS platform, and now we have confirmation that it will also produce webOS netbooks, as well. The information comes via an HP carrier training website.

The training video on the site, which anyone can sign up for despite its focus on carrier training (by filling in some fields with faux information) speaks of a friendly little product family consisting of tablet, smartphone, and netbook, all running the same platform and "speaking" to each other. The video says:

That's hot. Love it. Why can't I do all that stuff on my PC?

Maybe you will. That's the big idea.

If I could run webOS on my phone and a slate and a netbook...

And they all talked to each other and shared information.

A friendly little product family...

That connects you to the world in amazing new ways.

I'm in. Let's go

Today, let's start with the phones. Tomorrow will come soon enough.

Perhaps the February 9 webOS event which HP has scheduled will be "tomorrow?" We'll see.

Best Buy's new 'Buy Back' return program gets official

Best Buy has made its new Buy Back plan, which we wrote about earlier, official. The plan allows buyers to trade in their televisions, laptops, netbooks, tablets, or smartphones for a percentage of the device’s original value.

Interestingly, when trading in a smartphone, Best Buy will base the percentage on the phone's retail value. That means the program won't use the subsidized price a consumer may pay for a phone with a contract, but rather the unsubsidized price a consumer would pay without one. This could help soften the blow of an Early Termination Fee (ETF), and Best Buy admits it could even mean a tiny profit for a consumer in rare cases.

In order to utilize the Buy Buy program, a consumer must first "buy into it" at the time of purchase. That means he must pay a fee, ranging from 69.99 for portable laptops, netbooks, and tablets, from $39.99 to $59.99 for cell phones and smartphones, and from $59.99 to $349.99 for televisions.

The refund, payable in Best Buy gift cards, is as follows. For items aside from TVs, the maximum repayment is 50 percent of the original purchase price if the items are returned within six months of purchase. The rate decreases from there to 40 percent within 12 months of purchase, 30 percent within 18 months, and 20 percent within 24 months.

TVs are treated differently, as one might expect, due to their price and expected lifespan. TVs can be returned for up to 48 months after purchase, but only for up to 10 percent of their original price.

Naturally the items must be in good working order. Also, they must be returned with all original parts, including chargers and cables. While Best Buy will recycle and resell the returned devices, it won't stock them in its stores, but instead may use some for parts for refurbished items or sell others in online auctions through its subsidiary Dealtree.

It's true that consumers may actually be able to do better by reselling the devices through eBay or other market, but Best Buy is betting the program will do well because it's easier to return a device to a store than set up an auction and deal with it.

Best Buys' press release is below.

Buy Back Program from Best Buy Helps “Future-Proof” Today’s CE Purchases

Customers can buy new gadgets with added confidence from an upfront re-purchase schedule, instant re-payment on redeemed gear

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) is launching its first-ever Buy Back Program to help customers embrace new technology with greater confidence. Created for people who want to stay current with their gear but who are concerned about obsolescence, the Buy Back Program provides convenient access to upgrades with the help of a Best Buy gift card from ”buying back” past purchases.

“We recognize that technology is changing faster than ever, and our customers tell us they want to enjoy these devices without worrying about when the next or newest version will launch”
Beginning this month, Best Buy customers can purchase the Buy Back Program in-store or online when buying products in one of five popular categories: laptops, netbooks, tablets, post-paid mobile phones and televisions. Customers may purchase the Buy Back Program when they buy their new devices, with pricing based on the product category. For example, Buy Back protection for any laptop, netbook or tablet is $69.99. Best Buy will purchase the product anytime within two years for laptops, netbooks, tablets and post-paid mobile phones, and four years for televisions. Customers may receive up to 50 percent of the product’s original purchase price paid in the form of a Best Buy gift card if redeemed within six months of the effective date to purchase new products of their choice.

Buy Back Program appeal has been validated by a year of extensive consumer research, and most recently in a study conducted by Impulse Research Corporation. In the study, 40 percent of consumers surveyed agreed that concerns about technology becoming outdated have likely prevented them, or would prevent them in the future, from purchasing products such as laptops, mobile phones, TVs, tablets and netbooks. The study also affirmed the appeal of a Buy Back-like program when deciding on where to shop for popular electronics gear in the coming year. It revealed that 30 percent of consumers plan to purchase a TV or laptop in the next 12 months, and that 73 percent of consumers would consider purchasing these electronics from a retailer that offers a re-purchase type of program.

“We recognize that technology is changing faster than ever, and our customers tell us they want to enjoy these devices without worrying about when the next or newest version will launch,” said Brian Dunn, chief executive officer of Best Buy. “We call this ‘future-proofing’ because our customers can now have more confidence that they’re protecting the value of the products they’re purchasing today. With the Buy Back Program, consumers benefit from assurance, convenience and transparency so they can stay current and stay connected.”

Best Buy customers may purchase the Buy Back Program when buying a new product and redeem it at a later time, as long as the device is in good working condition and includes all original parts. Unlike typical retail trade-in programs customers don’t have to wait for re-payment, and can immediately apply money from their Buy Back product redemption to the purchase of new products at any Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile store. Better yet, consumers know what they’ll be paid up front, with a schedule that is available at the time of Buy Back Program purchase and is based on duration of product ownership:

• Redeem your Buy Back within 6 months from purchase effective date, and get up to 50 percent of your purchase price
• Redeem your Buy Back after 6 months to 12 months from purchase effective date, and get up to 40 percent
• Redeem your Buy Back after 12 months to 18 months from purchase effective date and get up to 30 percent
• Redeem your Buy Back after 18 months to 24 from purchase effective date and get up to 20 percent
• For TVs only, redeem your Buy Back within 48 months from purchase effective date and get up to 10 percent

“A program like Best Buy’s Buy Back should encourage higher consumption by early adopters and fast followers that are considering new technologies, because it gives them confidence that the electronic devices they have just purchased will have real value going forward,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for NPD Group.Impulse also found that when purchasing personal electronics, 84 percent of consumers say it’s important to deal with a reputable company who will responsibly re-use and re-cycle their old products. Electronics redeemed through the Buy Back Program will be assessed by its built-in team of Geek Squad Agents, and distributed among Best Buy’s aftermarket, trade-in and recycling programs. To learn more about the Buy Back Program and find the nearest Best Buy store, visit www.bestbuy.com.

Nude image of Graf on Agassi's cell phone helps goose charity auction

Reportedly, to increase the value of an autographed dish for a charity auction in Taiwan, Andre Agassi offered to show the winner a nude photo of his wife on his cell phone. At least Agassi didn't sext the image to the winner.

The dish eventually sold for $4,000. It's unclear how Steffi Graf felt about the auction results. How did this come to light? It all started with a Tweet by Sports Illustrated's Bryan Graham.

The video embedded also seems to show Agassi showing something from his cell phone to the winner. Well, it was all in a good cause, and we hope Steffi saw it that way.

'Butt dialing' incident causes SWAT team to be called out

An incident of so-called "butt dialing" caused Winnetka, Illinois police to call out the SWAT team, after an accidental cell phone call led a woman to believe her husband was being held hostage."

"Butt dialing" is the term used for a call made when a user sits on his cell phone, carried in his or her back pocket, and accidentally dials the last number called. We've seen that is possible to do this with a Bluetooth headset, also, if it has an overly sensitive and easy to trigger redial function.

Winnetka police Chief Joseph De Lopez said,

"You know how when you sit on your phone when it's in your back pocket and it calls the last number that was dialed? His wife was the last number he'd dialed. The conversation led her to believe there was someone holding him hostage."

It wasn't really a conversation, but garbled music lyrics, according to Mark Friedman, interim co-superintendent of the District 36 School District where the man works.

"He was listening to music and he had, I don't know, hip-hop … or music like that, where there were lyrics that were gangster-like. So there were lyrics on the radio as he was driving home, and she listened to it and became concerned."

His wife became so concerned she dialed 911, and she communicated her concern to the point that more than 30 SWAT members and police officers converged on Carleton Washburne School, which also houses the District 36 offices where the man works.

Fortunately, by the time the alarm sounded, the more than 500 middle school students that attend the school had already left for the day. The man was eventually found safe at home by police, ending the emergency, but embarrassing him. Friedman said,

"He's embarrassed. Who wouldn't be? He's taking it hard that it created such a response."

The police determined that there was no intent to deceive police, so no charges will be filed.

The easiest way to prevent "butt dialing" is to lock your cell phone, but a Bluetooth headset's redial function will get around that. There are also apps that will prevent a number from being dialing without a confirmation.

Vizio dishes on Android-powered VIA Phone, VIA Tablet; Google TV products; passive 3DTV offerings

As expected, on Monday Vizio gave out more information on its upcoming products, including the Android smartphone and tablet we wrote about earlier.

The new smartphone, dubbed the VIA Phone, has a 4-inch screen, 802.11n wi-fi, GPS, MicroSD slot, dual cameras and HDMI output. The new tablet, dubbed VIA Tablet, sports an 8-inch high resolution capacitive touchscreen with 3 speakers, and a front-facing camera for video chat.

At the same time, Vizio (and Google) announced its become Google's latest Google TV partner. Vizio's VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray players appear to have a skin on them, however. It's the first time we've seen that Google TV will be skinnable, just like regular old Android, and be able to have UI layers like HTC Sense on top of them.

Both Sony and Logitech's Google TV products shipped with its default user interface. VIA Plus will also allow consumers to pause and resume content across multiple devices, including the aforementioned VIA phones and tablets.

Additionally, Vizio is also introducing a line of “Theater 3D” HDTV sets. They will range in size from 22 to 71 inches. Vizio claims they will produce flicker-free 3D, 2x brighter, and won't require powered glasses, but rather passive glasses which you see in most movie theaters. Those are much cheaper than powered ones (the obvious advantage).

What's unmentioned, of course, is pricing, and exact timing. We expect pricing, however, to be affordable, coming from Vizio.  You can read Vizio's press releases here (1, 2, 3).