NBC announced the premieres of the new comedies “Bent” (March 21) and “Best Friends Forever” (April 4), as well as the comedic hidden-camera series “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” (April 4) to its spring lineup. “Community” also will return to the Thursday schedule starting March 15.

NBC’s spring schedule features the highest percentage of original programs in the network’s history with only 13 total hours of repeat programming from Sunday to Friday through mid-May.

The announcements were made today by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment.

“We are happy to have an unprecedented amount of original content on NBC this spring,” said Greenblatt. “‘Bent,’ ‘Best Friends Forever’ and ‘Betty White’s Off Their Rockers’ are welcome additions to the Wednesday schedule, and we know that the loyal fans of ‘Community’ will be pleased with its return to its home on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.”

“Bent” will premiere on Wednesday, March 21 (9-9:30 p.m. ET) followed by a second episode (9:30-10 p.m. ET). The series will continue with original back-to-back one-hour blocks on Wednesday, March 28 and April 4 (9-9:30 p.m. ET and 9:30-10 p.m. ET both nights). Following the season finales of “Whitney” and “Are You There, Chelsea,” “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” premieres on Wednesday, April 4 (8-8:30 p.m. ET) followed by “Best Friends Forever” which also debuts on Wednesday, April 4 (8:30-9 p.m. ET).

“Community” returns on Thursday, March 15 (8-8:30 p.m. ET) as NBC re-sets the night with “30 Rock” shifting to 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) followed by “The Office” (9-9:30 p.m. ET) and “Up All Night” (9:30-10 p.m. ET). “Parks and Recreation” comes back on Thursday, April 19 (9:30-10 p.m. ET) to finish its season after “Up All Night” has ended its 24-episode original season run in the time period.

“Rock Center with Brian Williams” will also move one hour later on Wednesdays (to 10-11 p.m. ET) starting March 7 for five weeks and then return to 9-10 p.m. (ET) on April 11. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” returns with original episodes on Wednesday, April 11 (10-11 p.m. ET) leading to its season finale on May 23rd.

“Bent” is a romantic comedy about a womanizing, surfer dude contractor and his beautiful, no-nonsense, type-A client, who work together to remodel each other’s lives as they renovate her Venice, California home. The recently divorced Alex (Amanda Peet, “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”) is a high-strung lawyer who is raising her young daughter, Charlie (Joey King, “Ramona and Beezus”) as a single mom. She downsizes into a smaller house and hires charismatic Pete (David Walton, “Perfect Couples”), a free-spirited ladies’ man and recovering gambling addict who desperately needs this gig with Alex to jumpstart his life — and prove that he is no longer a screw-up.

Also starring are Margo Harshman (“Sorority Row”) and Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”). The single-camera comedy is from writer and executive producer Tad Quill (“Scrubs,” “Spin City”) and director Craig Zisk (“Nurse Jackie,” “Weeds”). The series is produced by Universal Television and Rosalita Productions Inc.

“Best Friends Forever,” from executive producer Scot Armstrong (“Old School,” “Hangover 2″), is a new comedy about old friends, new beginnings and awkward situations. Jessica St. Clair (“Bridesmaids”) and Lennon Parham (“Accidentally on Purpose”) star as Jessica and Lennon, best friends who live on opposite sides of the country with the men in their lives. When Jessica is served divorce papers, Lennon convinces her to return home to Brooklyn and back into the apartment they used to share. Soon, the girls fall into old habits: movie marathons and late-night, girl-talk sessions — none of which is good news for Lennon’s live-in boyfriend, Joe (Luka Jones, Upright Citizens Brigade). Stephen Schneider (“Happy Endings”) and Daija Owens also star.

“Best Friends Forever” is produced by Universal Television and American Work, Inc. Along with Armstrong, St. Clair, Parham, Alexa Junge (“Friends,” “United States of Tara”), Fred Savage (“Party Down”) and Ravi Nandan are executive producers. Donick Cary is consulting producer, while Keith Raskin serves as producer on the series.

After a strong sneak-peek debut in January, “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” takes senior stereotypes and blows them out of the water with a cast of sassy septuagenarians who are hip, sexy and ready to party. America’s favorite comedy sweetheart sends a fearless band of senior citizens to the streets to pull shockingly hilarious pranks on the younger generation in this outrageously funny “hidden camera” show. In the vein of “Punk’d,” the show delivers cleverly crafted comedic stunts, candid moments and priceless reactions captured by hidden cameras. Sassy seniors are on a mission, targeting unsuspecting young “marks” with their irreverent behavior.

White, a seven-time Emmy Award winner, stars in and executive-produces the series, adapted from the hit Belgium series “Benidorm Bastards.” Chris Coelen, Matilda Zoltowski, White, Scott Hallock, Kevin Healey, Tim Van Aelst and Tim Gibbons are the executive producers of the series produced by Kinetic Content in association with Hallock Healey Entertainment.

Written by Marcus Dustan and Patrick Melton (Feast, the Saw series), the film stars Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, Chris Zylka, David Koechner, Meagan Tandy, Paul James Jordan, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Hector Jimenez, Adrian Martinez, Clu Gulager, Gary Busey, Katrina Bowden, Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd and Paul Scheer.

Plot

Having awoken from their spring break extravaganza at Lake Victoria, the swarm heads upstream where they look to make a meal out of Big Wet, a local water park where when it comes to fun, nobody does it wetter! Thought they came to get wet, get loaded and get some, the staff and patrons get more than they bargained for when they must face the fiercest, most bloodthirsty piranhas yet. Lead by the strong-willed, studious Maddy and her friends, Barry and Kyle, the trio must dive in and take on these man-eating creatures using every ounce of their being… but can they be stopped?

Android 2.3 is preloaded, as is Swype for quicker text input. There is 16GB of storage space that can be expanded by as much as 32GB thanks to a microSD card slot.

The Galaxy S II will cost $230 after both signing a two-year smartphone-level contract and getting a $100 mail-in rebate. It ships at an undisclosed date.

One difference from the desktop app is more restricted file preview support. iOS options include TXT, DOC, PDF, RTF, and Pages text documents; XLS, XLSX, PPT, Numbers, and Keynote presentations and spreadsheets; and finally webpages, as well as BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and GIF images. The app’s interface lets users manage local archives.

The app is a free download, requiring iOS 4.2 or later. Native iPhone and iPad interfaces are implemented.

The design shares the Note’s concept of bundling a pen, although the phone body is much thinner at 8.5mm (0.33in) thick. Its screen makes it relatively readable outside at 650 nits of brightness, which isn’t as high as the 700 on a phone like the Optimus Black but is high in mobile. A dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an eight-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front camera, and a skinned Android 2.3 make it a close relative of the Optimus LTE.

Every version will have 32GB of built-in storage and a 2,080mAh battery are common to every country. They also get DLNA media sharing, HDMI video, and Wi-Fi Direct, although only South Korea will get T-DMB over-the-air TV tuning.

LG is planning a very quick release and will already have the Optimus Vu shipping to Korea by early March. It hasn’t said when the hybrid will ship to other countries.

Among acquirers from just the past three months, smartphones were now the majority for everyone under age 65, showing that the category was about to reach dominance. Across everyone, 69 percent had bought a smartphone, with that number hitting 80 percent for everyone 34 percent or younger.

As could be expected, income did have a direct impact on whether or not someone owned a smartphone, although the gap varied depending on age. Stratification became clearest from 35 years old onwards, possibly as family duties and familiarity made it harder to justify a smartphone without high income. Among the youngest groups, though, having virtually any full-time job was enough to make smartphone ownership the majority.

Nielsen didn’t choose to break down ownership by the platform, although it’s historically been true that Android skews towards younger buyers where iOS leans towards older buyers. The BlackBerry’s traditional place among workers and often executives has also attached it more closely to an older audience.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be available in a Limited Edition three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with over two hours of special features. The film will also be available as a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and as a single-disc DVD, each with select special features. All Blu-ray and DVD releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Limited Edition 3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
The Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Blu-ray containing the main feature is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Blu-ray containing the special features is presented in 1080p high definition with English audio and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc breakdown is as follows:

Blu-ray (Disc 1)

Feature film in high definition

Blu-ray (Disc 2)

Mission Accepted
Suiting Up In Prague
Heating Up In Dubai
Vancouver Fisticuffs
Impossible Missions
The Russian Prison
Shooting in IMAX
Art Department
A Roll of Film
Life Masks
Stepping into the Storm
The Sandstorm
Dubai Car Crash
Lens on the Burj
Props
Composer
Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by director Brad Bird
Including an Alternate Opening
Trailers

DVD (Disc 3)

Feature film in standard definition

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
The Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Blu-ray in the two-disc combo pack is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the two-disc combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc breakdown is as follows:

Blu-ray (Disc 1)

Feature film in high definition
Mission Accepted
Heating Up In Dubai
Vancouver Fisticuffs
Impossible Missions
The Sandstorm
Props
Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by director Brad Bird
Including an Alternate Opening

DVD (Disc 2)

Feature film in standard definition

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition, plus the following:

Impossible Missions
The Sandstorm
Props
Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by director Brad Bird

African-American Category:

Aspire: Spearheaded by Entrepreneur and NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, in partnership with GMC TV, Aspire is dedicated to delivering enlightening, entertaining and positive programming to African-Americans families. The network will launch by summer 2012.

“Aspire will be a network that encourages and challenges African-Americans to reach for their dreams and will appeal to all generations. Aspire will celebrate our heritage, our groundbreaking achievements and the fearless talent that has shaped American culture. I’m most excited about Aspire creating opportunities for the new voices, new visions and the next generation of storytellers,” said Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

REVOLT: Proposed by superstar and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs and MTV veteran Andy Schuon, this network is designed to have programming inspired by music and pop culture, including music videos, live performances, music news, and interviews and will incorporate social media interaction for music artists and fans. The network has entered into an agreement to launch in 2013.

“REVOLT is the first channel created entirely from the ground up in this new era of social media” said Sean “Diddy” Combs.  “We’re building this platform for artists to reach an extraordinary number of people in a completely different way.  REVOLT will be live, like all great moments in television history.  REVOLT will also be immediate, like today’s social networks.  We know it was a highly competitive process and we want to thank Comcast for this opportunity to truly change television with REVOLT.”

Hispanic Category:

El Rey: Proposed by legendary Hollywood director Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures executives John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa, this network is designed to be an action-packed, general entertainment network in English for Latino and general audiences that includes a mix of programming. The El Rey network will include programming that features Hispanic producers, celebrities and public figures. The network has entered into an agreement to launch by January 2014.

“This partnership with Comcast signals an important moment for the Latino community in this country – we are passionate about creating a wildly entertaining destination that we can be proud of by appealing to both Latino and mass market audiences,” said Robert Rodriguez and CEO of FactoryMade Ventures John Fogelman.  “We engineered El Rey to address a burgeoning opportunity to deliver unique, high-quality and compelling content to a hard-to-reach demographic and are excited to bring more opportunities to generations of talent, storytellers and dreamers through this special partnership.”

BabyFirst Americas: Proposed by Spanish language television veteran Constantino “Said” Schwarz, this network is designed for infants, very young children, and their parents, and emphasizes the importance of early development of verbal, math and motor skills. The network has entered into an agreement to launch by April 2012.

“We are thrilled to partner with Comcast and commend them for recognizing the importance of quality education for young children,” remarked Constantino “Said” Schwarz, CEO and Chairman BabyFirst Americas. “BabyFirst Americas aims to bring the essential academic building blocks for Kindergarten readiness into the home, making it accessible for families all across the U.S.”

Comcast made a series of voluntary public interest commitments in connection with the NBCUniversal transaction, one of which is to launch 10 new independently owned and operated networks over the next eight years. Of the 10 networks, four will be majority African-American owned, two will be majority American Latino owned, two will be operated by American Latino programmers, and two will provide additional independent programming. Ultimately, each of the 10 networks will be added on select Comcast systems as part of the digital basic tier of service.

The Philadelphia-based cable operator said Tuesday that the new service would be called Xfinity Streampix, and will be bundled with certain tiers of Comcast video service, and available for $4.99 per month to other Comcast video customers. Netflix’s streaming-video service costs $7.99 per month.

Comcast’s new service will include such shows as “30 Rock,” from its own NBCUniversal unit and “Lost” from Walt Disney Co.’s ABC, as well as movies like “Ocean’s Eleven,” from Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros. The programs, typically of prior seasons of shows, will be available on the Web and on mobile devices to subscribers in and out of the home, similarly to Netflix’s offering.

The new service, which will launch on Thursday, is separate from Comcast’s existing Xfinity TV offering, which gives a selection of newer shows to Comcast video customers in and out of the home as part of their standard video subscriptions.

Comcast is launching Streampix as competition heats up among potential Netflix competitors. Amazon.com Inc. has been striking deals for its own web-streaming service, which is bundled to customers who pay $79 a year for discounted shipping through Amazon Prime. Verizon also recently struck a deal with Coinstar Inc.’s Redbox to launch another new Netflix competitor.

Comcast finished 2011 with 22.3 million video subscribers, while Netflix reported 21.7 million subscribers to its online-streaming service, making it the second-most broadly subscribed video service in the U.S.

The Kyoto-based firm said the console reached the landmark Sunday, less than a year after its launch on Feb. 26, 2011. It said the number was based on estimates from data it obtained directly from its domestic distributors.

The 3DS was initially snatched up by gaming afficionados but then stumbled badly, forcing the company to suddenly slash its price worldwide less than six months after launch. Nintendo then launched an aggressive sales push for new game titles, a lack of which was a major reason the console initially failed to catch on.

Despite those efforts, Nintendo last month slashed its yearly sales target for the 3DS by 13 percent, to 14 million. The lower price has also cut deeply into its profit margins, and the company is on track for a massive loss in the current fiscal year through March.

Nintendo said the 3DS reached the five-million mark much faster than its predecessors. The smash-hit DS took 56 weeks to sell five million units, while the earlier Game Boy Advance needed 58.

In Japan, the 3DS competes with Sony’s Vita handheld, which is due to launch this week in North America and Europe.

The company is also gearing up for the launch of its next-generation Wii U home console this year, which it has said will be out in time for the holiday season in the U.S., Europe and Japan. The successor to the popular Wii console will feature controllers that are similar to portable consoles themselves, with touchscreens, motion detection and cameras.

Nominees for the 2011 Nebula Awards:

Novel

•     Among Others, Jo Walton (Tor)
•     Embassytown, China Miéville (Macmillan UK; Del Rey; Subterranean Press)
•     Firebird, Jack McDevitt (Ace Books)
•     God’s War, Kameron Hurley (Night Shade Books)
•     Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, Genevieve Valentine (Prime Books)
•     The Kingdom of Gods, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

Novella

•     “Kiss Me Twice,” Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov’s Science Fiction, June 2011)
•     “Silently and Very Fast,” Catherynne M. Valente (WSFA Press; Clarkesworld Magazine, October 2011)
•     “The Ice Owl,” Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November/December 2011)
•     “The Man Who Bridged the Mist,” Kij Johnson (Asimov’s Science Fiction, October/November 2011)
•     “The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary,” Ken Liu (Panverse Three, Panverse Publishing)
•     “With Unclean Hands,” Adam-Troy Castro (Analog Science Fiction and Fact, November 2011)

Novelette

•     “Fields of Gold,” Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse 4, Night Shade Books)
•     “Ray of Light,” Brad R. Torgersen (Analog Science Fiction and Fact, December 2011)
•     “Sauerkraut Station,” Ferrett Steinmetz (Giganotosaurus, November 2011)
•     “Six Months, Three Days,” Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com, June 2011)
•     “The Migratory Pattern of Dancers,” Katherine Sparrow (Giganotosaurus, July 2011)
•     “The Old Equations,” Jake Kerr (Lightspeed Magazine, July 2011)
•     “What We Found,” Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September/October 2011)

Short Story

•     “Her Husband’s Hands,” Adam-Troy Castro (Lightspeed Magazine, October 2011)
•     “Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son,” Tom Crosshill (Lightspeed Magazine, April 2011)
•     “Movement,” Nancy Fulda (Asimov’s Science Fiction, March 2011)
•     “Shipbirth,” Aliette de Bodard (Asimov’s Science Fiction, February 2011)
•     “The Axiom of Choice,” David W. Goldman (New Haven Review, Winter 2011)
•     “The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees,” E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld Magazine, April 2011)
•     “The Paper Menagerie,” Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March/April 2011)

Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation

•     Attack the Block, Joe Cornish (writer/director) (Optimum Releasing; Screen Gems)
•     Captain America: The First Avenger, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely (writers), Joe Johnston (director) (Paramount)
•     Doctor Who: “The Doctor’s Wife,” Neil Gaiman (writer), Richard Clark (director) (BBC Wales)
•     Hugo, John Logan (writer), Martin Scorsese (director) (Paramount)
•     Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen (writer/director) (Sony)
•     Source Code, Ben Ripley (writer), Duncan Jones (director) (Summit)
•     The Adjustment Bureau, George Nolfi (writer/director) (Universal)

 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy Book

•     Akata Witch, Nnedi Okorafor (Viking Juvenile)
•     Chime, Franny Billingsley (Dial Books; Bloomsbury)
•     Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Hodder & Stoughton)
•     Everybody Sees the Ants, A.S. King (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
•     The Boy at the End of the World, Greg van Eekhout (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
•     The Freedom Maze, Delia Sherman (Big Mouth House)
•     The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Rae Carson (Greenwillow Books)
•     Ultraviolet, R.J. Anderson (Orchard Books; Carolrhoda Lab)

“The Marvel Universe line of comics not only clearly lets fans know they’re in for great stories, but also lets parents know where to find great stories to share with their kids” said Axel Alonso, Marvel Comics Editor in Chief. “The Marvel Universe line also includes the best all-ages stories we’ve told recently and we’re bringing them to millions of new fans through ambitious new initiatives. So when you see the name Marvel Universe, you’ll know it stands for the best all-ages super hero storytelling in the world—in print and digital media!”

In Marvel Universe: Ultimate Spider-Man #1, from Men Of Action, Dan Slott, Ty Templeton & Nuno Plati, Peter Parker must balance battling super villains and the drama of high school! But fear not True Believer, there is no menace too diabolical and no test too challenging for Spider-Man!

Then, in Marvel Universe: The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #1, the creative team of Chris Yost and Adam Dekraker, present not one, but two new action-packed Avengers stories to catch you up on the adventures of Earth’s Mightiest through the eyes of Agent Coulson.

Marvel Universe: The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes #1 (FEB120603)
Written by Chris Yost
Pencils by Adam Dekraker
All Ages …$2.99

Marvel Universe: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (FEB120604)
Written by Men of Action, Dan Slott & Ty Templeton
Art by Nuno Plati
All Ages …$2.99

Meanwhile, Digitimes had heard from part suppliers that Amazon had supposedly picked Foxconn for 10-inch Kindle Fire models and would start shipping somewhat later, during the spring. The company wouldn’t be picking its existing manufacturer Quanta, which used the BlackBerry PlayBook as the starting point for the heavy changes that led to the current, seven-inch Kindle Fire.

Neither is confirmed, although corroborating support had Amazon switching suppliers to cut prices, with Foxconn a likely target. E Ink has had color paper in the public eye since at least 2010, although they’ve seen little adoption outside of Japan due to the low color gamut and high prices.

The combination of a color E Ink reader and a 10-inch Kindle Fire would have Amazon branching further away from its focus on reading towards general purpose, more tablet-like uses

The decision to sell was explained as part of a long-term plan by Schmidt to guarantee “individual asset diversification and liquidity,” or to both reduce his dependence on Google stock and give him more tangible funds. Where any new investments were going wasn’t mentioned in the filing, although Schmidt will have to disclose his trading through his nature as an executive.

A sale wouldn’t arrive at peak performance of the stock, but it would come at a relatively strong point and before possible tumult in Google’s value. It has received approval for buying Motorola in key countries, but has yet to formally close the deal and start reflecting this in its structure. Schmidt might also benefit from selling before the post-seasonal slump that affects most companies, even though it’s not as vulnerable to the holiday slump as rivals in the mobile world.

Neither Google nor Schmidt has formally commented on the share change

The demographics were shifting, researchers said. Those who bought only near the end of 2011 were 50 percent more likely to be making just $45,000 or less. A large portion of those were probably unmarried as ownership was 33 percent higher for those younger than 34. It’s implied that some of these may have been the ones buying the Kindle Fire given its $199 price.

Audience shifts were partly visible through the split in usage habits for those using their tablets exclusively for certain tasks. While e-mail, the web, and other tasks all saw more people going tablet-exclusive between February and the end of 2011, gaming saw one of the biggest jumps as gaming went from about 21 percent of owners to 28 percent.

Tablets weren’t quite at the point where there was mass defection from notebooks. They were having at least some effect, with 10 percent skipping a notebook, but research showed that notebooks were still the most popular among fence-sitters, with 26 percent planning to buy one versus 18 percent looking at a tablet instead. Industry analysis VP Stephen Baker believed buyers were “conservative” and decided they would rather have an “array of products” to make sure their uses were covered

The Ring interface also lets users post status updates to popular social networks. Otherwise, the weather widget is being updated, and the lock screen grants access to the quick-launch apps. Photographers will have the option of capturing still images while recording videos, like in some current DSLRs and high-speed compact cameras. New movie and still image edition will be options as well.

Coverage would grow to 8,000 relatively soon afterwards. To help manage the transition, Clearwire was expecting large payments from Sprint for use of its WiMAX network, including $600 million this year and another $300 million in 2013. An extra $87 million from Sprint would help keep the company above water.

The addition of TD-LTE gives it the same network type as both the standard’s co-creator, China Mobile, as well as some Canadian carriers and likely Sprint itself. Many LTE devices are expected to support both TD-LTE and its regular variety. For Clearwire, also presents a path towards LTE-Advanced and real-world speeds that range into the dozens of megabits per second, if not over 100.

Overall, the switch is expected both to catch Clearwire’s network up to those of AT&T and Verizon as well as change its role. Using WiMAX has prevented it from being anything other than a data provider, but Voice over LTE (VoLTE) could see it become a full cellphone carrier with the choices of hardware like a future LTE iPhone and upcoming VoLTE-aware Android phones.

Despite the seemingly accidental slip, company representatives later backtracked and denied that an exact date had been chosen. The company still maintains that the update will arrive sometime in February, however.

The release brings a significant overhaul to RIM’s tablet OS, bringing redesigned calendar, messaging and e-mail utilities. Users will finally be able to run Android apps on the PlayBook, fulfilling a promise that was originally expected last year.

Unofficial sources recently pointed to February 21 for public availability, though Mobile World Congress at the end of the month has also been viewed as a potential venue for the formal debut

The “Take Earth Back” trailer covers the Reapers’ attack on earth and Commander Shepard’s countering arrival. Here’s an early look a some footage from the trailer.

The optical sensor of the M3 operates with precision accuracy at ultra-fast speeds up to 500Hz and 1600 dpi, and the dpi settings can be adjusted to 3 different levels: 400 dpi, 800 dpi, and 1600 dpi. The Teflon mouse sliders provide smooth mouse movements even while performing the quickest gaming maneuvers and the Thumb Rubber Grip is designed to maintain a secure hold throughout. A gold-plated USB connector, extra-long cable, and extra wide mouse wheel provide additional comfort and convenience. The Raptor M3 Gaming Mouse DKT Edition will be available at select retailers March 2012 for $39.99.

Features of the Raptor M3 DKT Edition Include

• Optical sensor up to 1600 dpi with precision accuracy
• 3 levels of  dpi settings: 400 dpi, 800 dpi & 1600 dpi
• Extra-large Teflon mouse-gliders for smooth movement and quick response
• Ergonomic design with soft-touch surface for control and comfort
• 6 buttons mouse with a extra wide mouse wheel
• Rubber thumb grip (left side) for a secure grip during hectic movements

The DLC titled “Forces of Nature” will feature five multiplayer maps, three new locations and two older settings that have been remastered.

“All the maps are themed around that notion of forces of nature — tornadoes, tsunamis, huge fog,” executive producer Rod Fergusson said.

The three new maps — Artillery, Aftermath and Cove — each highlight a specific weather element. In the case of Cove, for example, the map is shrouded by a dense fog. The DLC will also bring back popular maps Jacinto and Raven Down.

This is the fourth and final download featured as part of Gears of War 3′s Season Pass, which allows players to buy the first four pieces of DLC in one package.

The bill, as originally put forward by the US House in December, would require the FCC to auction all the spectrum, once used by analog TV signals, off to licensed users. The agency wouldn’t have had the option of holding back any bandwidth for unlicensed services, including future Wi-Fi or Bluetooth variants. While the technology isn’t as useful in bigger cities, where frequencies can be crowded enough to create interference risks, it could help in less dense areas and rural towns where it’s often expensive to get fast Internet access to a wide area.

The compromise version of the bill could see white spaces curbed, but it would still prevent carriers from getting too much of the spectrum. Google, Microsoft, and other technology firms have been championing white space wireless as a way of spreading Internet access to more people and allowing new uses.

The app helps car owners locate their car if they can’t remember where they parked it. If its within 0.6 miles of the iOS device, the car’s location is displayed on a map. The owner can use Google Local Search to look up local businesses, restaurants, and other services, with details optionally shared to the BMW.

Most models made in 2008 or later can be controlled through the app. Owners of later models can also flash their headlights or blow the car’s horn through the app.

The Imperator gaming mouse sports a 6,400DPI 4G dual sensor system and has a rubberized covering. It has seven buttons in total, including adjustable side buttons, along with onboard memory for programming them without having to save settings on a connected PC. Users can adjust sensitivity in-game, with settings going up to 200 inches per second. It will retail for $80.

The BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboard is entirely backlit, with each key requiring a deliberate 50g of force to trigger. There are five settable levels of backlighting, and users can pre-program 10 profiles for favorite games. Macros can be recorded whenever a user wishes, with the keys sporting 1,000Hz polling and a 1ms response time. An audio output, microphone input, and USB pass-through are convenience features. The keyboard will cost $140.

The Vespula dual-sided mouse mat sports the N7 logo and stripes, mimicking Shepard’s armor, and has a gel-filled wrist rest. One side is optimized for fast mouse movements while the other is made for precision. It will trade for $35 in stores and online.

The ME3 Onza Tournament edition Xbox 360 controller differs from the standard gamepad not just with its look but also the addition of two programmable shoulder buttons. The analog sticks’ tension can be calibrated, and the buttons are backlit. The 15-foot cord is braided for durability. The controller will carry a $60 sticker.

The Chimaera 5.1 wireless gaming headset sports 50mm drivers and volume buttons on the headsets. Users get a choice of three equalizer settings, and the option to attach the included microphone using a 2.5mm cable. It’s said to cost $210 when shipping, and is powered by two AAA batteries.

Outside of computers, a $25 iPhone 4/4S case with the N7 Onyx armor design will also ship, made of silicone. An $80 themed messenger bag is based around a 1680D ballistic nylon shell that is said to be tear-resistant and weatherproof. It can hold notebooks up to 15 inches in size.

All products ship in March, to coincide with the launch of the game itself, which is due to go on sale on March 6 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PCs.

While PC vendors were looking to Ivy Bridge to help drive the next round of PC upgrades and boost sagging sales, it won’t be until the arrival of Windows 8 that first-tier notebook vendors expect to see a stronger resurgence in sales. In the meantime, they are said to be consigned to seeing the tepid demand continue over the first three quarters of 2012.

The news contrasts with Intel CEO Paul Otellini’s claims last October that Ivy Bridge-based PCs would start shipping in the spring. Samples of the chips have also been shipping to manufacturers as early as last November or December. The delay also comes as a surprise given that when Intel launched its Sandy Bridge processors in January of 2011, they were widely available in shipping products soon after.

Ivy Bridge will be the first processor series that Intel has fabricated on a 22nm process. The company claims that its new 3D architecture called Tri-Gate, will boost performance by 37 percent over previous designs. It will also bring with it matching chipsets that will see Intel offer its first native USB 3.0 support as well as a massive, claimed, 70 percent boost in integrated graphics performance.

Civilization V: Gods and Kings adds several fresh features, including nine more civilizations, new technologies and units, and the addition of Religion, where players can create their own religion and use prophets to spread it across the world.

Lead designer Ed Beach says developers Firaxis want Gods & Kings to “really challenge people and change the way they play.”

“It’s not just adding in some units … we really went all out to give a whole new experience to the players,” says Beach.

The expansion also features enhanced combat — notably tweaks to naval warfare — enhanced diplomacy, including the addition of espionage, and new game scenarios featuring the medieval period and the fall of Rome.

For those new to the Civilization series, the PC game lets players create their own civilization and guide them from prehistoric times to the present day, building empires and assembling armies to conquer other lands.

The channel is available to console owners with a $7.99 monthly subscription, which features programming from ABC, Fox, NBC and more.

To use Hulu Plus, Wii owners must download the free application from the console’s shop. A broadband Internet connection is also required.

Nintendo says the service will debut on its 3DS handheld later this year. Both devices currently have access to movie-streaming service Netflix.

Journey, the latest video game experience from Santa Monica development studio thatgamecompany (flOw, Flower) hits the PlayStation Network ($14.99) on March 13.

Creative Director Jenova Chen announced the release date on the PlayStation Blog, noting that the game will kick off the PSN’s annual Spring Fever event.

The new game, which in a first for the studio has an online aspect, into context with thatgamecompany’s past releases: “We want our players to experience something they have never felt before. Our first game for PSN was flOw in 2007, a meditative zen video game haiku. We followed that in 2009 with Flower, our video game version of a poem about the tension between urban bustle and natural serenity. Journey, our third game, is an interactive parable, an anonymous online adventure to experience a person’s life passage and their intersections with other’s.”

This sequel has not been given a green light by Walt Disney Pictures, so it just a big rumor at this point.

Written and directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger, the film hits theaters on April 20