Devices made to recognize white space access would themselves need some form of geolocation, such as through native GPS or by triangulating wireless signals, to access the database and automatically detect which frequencies they can use in a given area.

Actual products and services running on white space bands are still considered distant but have been heavily promoted by technology firms like Google and Microsoft, many of whom see the technology as useful for long-range Internet access on frequencies that can't be licensed and therefore tightly controlled by a carrier. TV broadcasters and others opposed the use of the frequencies ostensibly under concerns that it would interfere with both TV and public safety systems, but critics have charged that they're also motivated by fears of Internet-based services rendering over-the-air TV obsolete.

Th FCC has already concluded that white space devices won't create interference through testing conducted ahead of last year's approval.

Apple has approved Knocking Live Video, the first App Store title to enable live video streaming directly from an iPhone using the 3G network. The utility supports device-to-device connectivity between handsets, rather than uploading videos to web-based portals such as YouTube. Users can set up an account before requesting and "Knocking" friends. The video feed is then transmitted to the recipient, regardless of their proximity to the sender.

Knocking supports the iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS, while iPod touch users can use the app to receive incoming video. Video can be transmitted via Wi-Fi or 3G data connections.

Apple allegedly rejected the developer's initial submission, as the app code integrates private APIs likely flagged by the new screening system, according to Ars Technica. Pointy Head developer Brian Meehan pleaded his case in an e-mail directed to Steve Jobs. An Apple executive, who desires to remain anonymous, contacted Meehan several days later with news that the rejection had been reversed. The decision allegedly came "directly from the top," although Steve Jobs' name was not explicitly mentioned.

"Apple told me they are listening, and truly care about their developers and getting it right," Meehan told Ars. "And I have to say I agree, as they reached back and it was a very positive experience."

Other developers, however, have reported a wide range of frustrating inconsistencies with the App Store review process. Although Apple executives have intervened in a number of cases, the company has been criticized for leaving too much of a gray area and uncertainty in the process. Knocking serves as a perfect example of an app that has been passed through despite blatantly violating the SDK terms.

Knocking is available as a free download from the App Store.

REAL Software has launched REALbasic 2009 Release 5, with numerous upgrades to the software development tool. The program offers object-oriented development for output to Mac, Windows and Linux. The Personal Edition is geared for hobbyists and students, while the Professional Edition is the minimum required for cross-platform compilation. REAL Studio is geared for full-time developers.

Release 5 updates the SQLite component, and also adds support for Ubuntu 9.10. Some 17 features and 68 improvements have been implemented in total, based on user feedback. A full list of improvements can be found in the 2009r5 release notes.

REALbasic runs on Mac OS X 10.3 or higher, requiring 1GB of RAM and a 1GHz G4 processor. Preferred specs include at least Mac OS X 10.4, 2GB of RAM and an Intel CPU. The Personal Edition is $100, while the Professional Edition is $300, and Studio is $1,000.

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Although last in all cities, the ratings are particularly low in New York City (63) and San Francisco (59), both of which have disproportionately high number of users with iPhones and other smartphones. The two urban centers have developed a reputation among these customers for frequently dropped calls as well as slow data that sometimes drops to EDGE or even GPRS. In the past several months since the most recently published study, AT&T; has pledged to improve support in these and other areas by adding the 850MHz band to its 3G coverage as well as adding to the underlying network capacity.

Verizon, meanwhile, has historically been well-rated for call quality and reliability and scored above average in that field, prompting it to launch anti-AT&T; ads highlighting its advantages. While Sprint escaped last place by having a better network, both it and AT&T; were also hurt by perceived poor customer service where T-Mobile's average network was assisted by above average marks for customer support.

Regardless, Consumer Reports has noted that many iPhone users are less likely than any other customer, regardless of network, to leave their devices. In addition to topping satisfaction rankings, the Apple handset has developed a particularly high loyalty rate as 98 percent of American iPhone owners would buy one a second time even if forced to use AT&T; again. Only 79 percent of those with other cellphones have developed a similar level of attachment.

The study appears borne out by AT&T;'s recent quarter, when it activated a record number of iPhones even as its turnover of old customers replaced by new ones has reached a low 1.43 percent. However, it has faced multiple lawsuits from upset iPhone buyers that have claimed AT&T; and Apple misled shoppers about the performance of 3G service.

fring has released a new version of its self-named iPhone application, v3.0.0.4. The software merges access to multiple instant messaging platforms -- such as AIM, Skype, MSN and Twitter -- in a central location, with push notifications where possible. Contact status is displayed in real-time.

The update introduces support for video calls, whether through Skype or fring's own messaging service. The technology is said to be a first for the iPhone, which has normally been limited to VoIP technology. Video is only an option over Wi-Fi however, and it can only be received, due to the outward-facing aim of the iPhone's camera. By contrast, properly equipped Symbian S60 phones can conduct two-way calls.

fring is a free download for the iPhone and iPod touch. Firmware must be at v3.0 or later in order to conduct voice and video calls.

The results are being independently monitored by NetForecast to allay concerns that Comcast might skew the results in its favor. No mention has been made of when the meter will be available to other regions.

The Internet provider's move addresses a longstanding complaint regarding Comcast's official bandwidth cap, which was set at 250GB in August of last year but had no official, reliable means of verifying how close customers might come to breaking that limit. Unlike some providers, Comcast doesn't allow for overage fees and has warned it will cut off subscribers that exceed the cap more than once.

Caps of the sort arrive just as Comcast is seen as increasingly likely to acquire NBC and will have a vested interest in monitoring use of its Internet access for downloading and streaming TV shows.

A new version of Cheetah3D, v5.1, has been published online. The software handles 3D modeling, animation and rendering tasks, including various texturing functions. The update adds a new automatic skinning algorithm, claimed to generate "almost perfect" weight-maps. In the app's timeline, users can now select, move and delete keys for object hierarchies, as opposed to just individual objects.

Cheetah's polygon, edge and point selections can be newly copied and pasted, and all node types can now be previewed. Performance has meanwhile been significantly enhanced, such that scenes may load up to 10 times faster, also consuming as much as a third less RAM. The maximum rendering resolution has been increased to 5000x5000.

Miscellaneous bugfixes and minor improvements round out changes. Cheetah3D 5.1 is $149 new, or $69 as an upgrade from v4.x or earlier. Mac OS X 10.4 or later is required.

All shows would come without ads. Although not stated in the MediaMemo slip, it's implied the cost would give unlimited access to a given show and could theoretically allow "cloud" streaming to non-computer devices that natively handle YouTube, like the iPhone as well as some HDTVs and networked set-top boxes.

It's not said how close a deal may be, though both sides are characterized as "optimistic."

Google is known to be pushing professionally made content and has been offering a small amount of movies and TV shows so far, but has largely limited this to older material and chosen free ad-sponsored versions instead of direct purchases. Dipping into paid content would significantly increase YouTube's commercial component but risks deepening a seeming rift between Google and Apple as the two would produce not just computer and phone operating systems but also content stores as well.

At the same time, Apple itself is rumored to be breaking away from the pay-per-show model and could offer a $30 subscription that would provide unlimited or near-unlimited TV shows each month.

Windows platform has at least five sub-$100 software packages that can acquire HD video (HDV or AVCHD), edit it, author menus for optical disc and build Blu-ray data. Most of them can even do Blu-ray compatible AVCHD, so user doesn't even need Blu-ray burners (or $6 blank discs), but can instead burn up to 1 hour of full HD video on ordinary DVDs for normal playback on most Blu-ray players. To do that on a Mac, you must get Toast 9 and get your iMovie project into Toast for AVCHD Blu-ray DVDs.

Are we EVER going to see an iLife component that will allow us to burn HD optical discs from our iMovie projects? As much as Steve wants everyone to use iTunes Store and AppleTV for HD media, I'm sure he's aware that vast majority of people will only have a Blu-ray player, and the only practical way for sharing with family/friends/school-church friends is via DVD and Blu-ray.

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The panel produces 250cd/m2 in brightness, a 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (1,000:1 static) and a 5ms pixel response time. Its native resolution is set at 1680x1050. The typical power consumption is 23W, but there are two Eco modes, each drawing 17W and 13W, respectively. In sleep mode, the monitor uses 0.45W.

Video connections include one each of VGA, DVI-D and DisplayPort. Otherwise, there is a built in USB hub, integrated speakers and a height adjustable stand with a range of 4.3 inches that can also pivot, tilt and swivel the display.

The EA222WMe will begin shipping later in December for $339.

In contrast, Linux regained some of the web share it had lost in several months and reached an exact 1 percent.

A direct explanation for the Mac's apparent loss isn't given, though as it represents web share and not absolute market share it can be impacted by factors outside of actual computer purchases. Mac use historically experiences a spike in December as users spend more time at home with Apple systems and can sometimes dip when people are most likely to be at work with Windows PCs. Also, Mac owners themselves can contribute to Windows share as they install and run a new Microsoft OS in virtual machines or Boot Camp for the first time.

In web browsers, Microsoft still faced sharp declines and dropped more than 1 percent of Internet Explorer's share to reach 63.61 percent, again its lowest ever, while Firefox now has nearly a quarter of the market, having jumped to 24.74 percent. Safari declined very slightly to 4.36 percent, but Chrome has gained almost half a point to 3.92 percent while even Opera made significant strides to reach 2.31 percent.

Apple and Psystar have agreed to a partial settlement in their long-running legal battle, court documents show. Following a judgment against Psystar, and an Apple call for a permanent injunction, Psystar has agreed to pay an unspecified amount in damages once all appeals have been exhausted. In return, Apple is said to be dropping all trademark, trade-dress and state law claims, removing the need to go to trial.

Psystar had previously been facing the prospect of paying at least $2.1 million in damages and closing its business for good. The company may now be able to continue selling PCs, even if Mac OS X can no longer be bundled; it has submitted a motion to exclude Rebel EFI from any injunction. Although the software can install Mac OS X on PCs in violation of Apple's licensing agreement, Psystar argues that Rebel is sold separately from computers, and does not contain any non-Psystar code.

People buying future PCs from Psystar would thus be required to install Mac OS X on their own. The company suggests however that by extension, the change would make customers immune to Apple legal threats. "Psystar's end users do not engage in commercial use of Mac OS X and their use would qualify as use for 'internal purposes' even under the standards articulated by Apple in its summary-judgment briefing," a filing reads.

The example design has a 3.1-inch, 800x480 capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch support, a 5-megapixel camera on the back with a front VGA camera for video calls, GPS and Wi-Fi. Creative's own experience comes into play through the inclusion of X-Fi audio hardware, and a mini HDMI port gives the phone the ability to play 1080p at its native resolution on a TV.

Along with the device, Creative has also launched ZiiLife, a set of cross-platform services intended to be used in conjunction with Zii-based hardware. The services are highlighted by ZiiMeet, a video conferencing and remote video streaming system that works with Linux, Macs and Windows PCs as well as Zii devices. It also brings ZiiApps, a reference point for Zii-optimized titles like games; ZiiAcademy, a collaborative learning service that can support mixed-media 'books;' and ZiiVue, a content gateway for music and video.

So far, the platform is primarily attracting Chinese partners and doesn't have any named customers. Creative hasn't said what the cost will be for a Zii Trinity device or how soon developers can expect them to ship.

The release underscores Creative's efforts to escape from its previously MP3 player-only past, which contributed to a significant struggle as the company failed to get significant traction against the iPod or more closely-matched competitors like SanDisk's Sansa line. The company released a touchscreen player of its own this year, the ZEN X-Fi2, but comes to the arena about two years after Apple and hasn't produced any widely available devices based on its own Zii platform; it instead is counting on support from other companies, particularly those too small to develop components themselves.

Development of the Ray Pro player has been moved ahead of the Consumer variant, although pricing has yet to be disclosed. The rack-mount device is capable of decoding .R3D RAW files with resolutions of up to 5K running at 30fps, along with 4:4:4 distribution-format files up to 4K. The system also handles up to 12 channels of 24-bit audio.

Four DVI-D and HD-SDI 3G outputs allow users to distribute video into four 1080p quadrants for each connection type, while a single HDMI port provides preview output. A touchscreen on the front panel offers a UI for controlling playback. Several additional slots and connectors are available for connecting storage via eSATA, USB, FireWire and Compact Flash.

The company has provided additional specs on the upcoming Scarlet 2/3" camera, confirming earlier promises of 1080p/60fps video recording and a data rate increase to REDCODE 100. The system is entirely interchangeable with EPIC, while utilizing the same FLUT color, gamma and light features. Users will be able to take advantage of a five-axis sensor plate, three-axis motion sensor, GPS receiver, Wi-Fi control, 3K RAW recording at 120fps, and more.

Upcoming lenses include a prime 18mm Pro, along with mini primes in 6mm, 8mm, 16mm, 25mm and 50mm sizes. The engineers added an internal heater to the Bomb electronic viewfinder, allowing it to be used in extremely cold environments that would cause problems for most other EVFs. The new Redmote Pro interface module features built-in wireless follow focus and several other upgrades compared to the basic model.

A new version of Redcine-X is scheduled for release later this week with a long list of updates. The software features improvements to the user interface, width/height options, caching, OpenGL, frame color, export options, zoom/crop controls, and more.

The Ray Pro is expected to ship sometime in January or February of 2010, with the consumer edition arriving later in the spring or summer. The Scarlet 8x Fixed carries a price of $4,750 for a full kit, while the brain can be purchased alone for $2,750. The Bomb EVF can be added to any system for $3,200. RED warns that its specs and prices are "subject to change as usual."

Even in a more complex device like a flash memory card, the storage could still read at a sustained 60Mbps, again more than three times than a regular card's 17Mbps. The speedup occurs even with a 32 gigabit (4GB) single-layer chip and without affecting power consumption. As a result, it can be used in handheld devices like portable media players and smartphones as well as larger devices like solid-state drives.

Accompanying the faster memory is denser 3-bits-per-cell memory; as suggested by the name, the technique provides about 50 percent more storage in the same space than more ubiquitous 2-bits-per-cell flash. Samsung here doesn't intend for it to be used in speed-intensive tasks and instead favors removable memory.

The 3-bit flash is initially intended for 8GB microSDHC cards and will eventually spread to larger cards and USB thumb drives. Notably, Samsung is silent on the specific purposes for DDR NAND and says only that "major OEMs" are getting the faster memory today.

While not necessarily a candidate, Apple is widely regarded as Samsung's most important customer and is often one of the first to use new flash memory techniques to increase the capacity or speed of iPhones and iPods.

If the report is accurate, the lack of interest is expected to become apparent sometime next year when the platform is formally launched. Although equipment manufacturers such as Quanta, Compal and Gigabyte are receiving MID contracts, sources claim the shipment numbers have so far been unimpressive. Many of the companies have reacted by scaling back MID development.

A recent rumor suggested Apple had rejected Intel's MID platform, known as Moorestown, due to power concerns. The Mac maker allegedly required power consumption levels approximately ten times lower than Intel's components.

The transition away from the MIDIA has been blamed on the increasing popularity of other mobile devices such as smartphones, netbooks, and e-book readers.

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QuickerTek has expanded its line of solar chargers to include new models capable of supplying power to MacBooks. The Apple Juicz chargers feature a flexible solar cell that can be folded for storage while traveling. The 27 watt version unfolds to 41.5 x 30.5 inches and is claimed to recharge a MacBook or MacBook Pro in eight to 12 hours when used in optimum sunlight conditions. A 55 watt model is said to charge a notebook in as few as five hours.

Both chargers include a 3 foot extension cable, MagSafe connector, notebook bag, and a 12V cigarette lighter port. A connector is also provided for attaching external batteries.

The Juicz chargers are compatible with 13-, 15-, and 17-inch MacBooks. The 27 watt version carries a price of $700, while the 55 watt variant costs $1,200.

Technically, it's not clear whether Apple would be inclined to make the move. T-Mobile already uses GSM and EDGE (2G) data, but its HSPA-based 3G operates on the 1,700MHz band and often needs T-Mobile specific network support to function properly. Also, more than one source has suggested Apple may be using a dual-mode Qualcomm chipset that would let the iPhone run on Verizon's existing network as well as AT&T;'s without having to produce an entirely separate device.

Also, T-Mobile is comparatively much smaller than most of the major carriers and would represent a relatively modest expansion for Apple in the US. It has just 33.4 million customers, or less than half of AT&T;'s base, and has been on the decline in recent months in part because of customers switching for the iPhone. Verizon is now larger than AT&T; and potentially gives Apple much wider reach. [via TheStreet]

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The scale appears to be consistent with rough estimates from a week after launch, which used new users and traffic to predict about 250,000 total Droid users in the seven-day span. In the long term, Sue expects Motorola to ship as many as 1.5 million smartphones in the fall, all of which should be Android phones and most of which should be Droids.

If borne out by actual results, the quarter could give the Droid a promising start as a viable competitor to the iPhone and other "halo" phones at other carriers. Apple shipped over 1.1 million iPhones in their first full quarter on the market in summer of 2007, though that device arrived with lesser demand for smartphones than today and without much in the way of significant competition.

Verizon launched the Droid in the midst of much stiffer competition but has also had the advantage of a larger customer base than AT&T; as well as a major marketing campaign that has included a semi-interactive Times Square display. [via GigaOM]

So the ACL was changed, and certain apps don't recognize the change? Sounds more like a problem with the apps than with Windows. Are they accessing the ACLs correctly? Are they checking for changes they shouldn't be? Oh, no, actually it occurs because programs try to change keys in the registry without checking permissions. So let's not blame the lazy programmers lacking the error handling. Let's blame windows (who might be locking down the keys for a good reason, who knows).

And what exactly is the problem or the 'fix' they tell you to download? They don't say. They just say "Download it! It'll fix your issue!" (which it might. Or it might be a trojan backdoor to hack into your system later).

Oh, and reading their 'blog' posting, the guy writes:

If you Google "Black Screen" then you will find a whopping 80Million plus results, mostly dominated by people searching for a fix to this problem.

Really. And did they go through all 80 million to see? Because I seriously doubt that most (as in 50%+) are all about black screens of death in windows.

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ToThePoint has launched an update of its font organizing software, Font Sleuth 2.0. The software groups fonts by customized criteria, and presents WYSIWYG results in a viewer window. Each font can be previewed using sample texts, sizes, colors and alignments. Lists of fonts can be saved and printed.

Version 2.0 adds new viewer and display windows, with a groups list for the former. Search has been improved, and fonts can now be shown in Finder. When sorting, the software can jump to fonts alphabetically, and in lists toggle bold and/or italic versions of fonts. It also adds new copy, paste and drag-and-drop options for moving text.

Font Sleuth 2.0 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. The price is currently listed at $12, but is expected to rise to $15.

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For Cyber Monday 6ave.com has lowered prices on a wide variety of HDTVs like the 37-inch Panasonic Viera X1 series, which is now $495, or the 40-inch Sharp Aquos LC40E77U, which is now $699. RefurbDepot.com is getting in on the act with price cuts on already discounted items like the refurb. 16-inch HP Pavilion G60-455DX notebook, which is now $477.95. The refurbished silver SanDisk 4GB Sansa Clip MP3 player is now $32.99 at eCost.com's Cyber Monday sale. Amazon.com's Gold Box deal of the day for today is on the second-generation 8GB iPod touch which is now only $158.

Arrington has rejected the option and pointed out that the decision, supposedly made under pressure from Fusion Garage's shareholders, amounts to intellectual property theft. TechCrunch had been jointly developing the product and still owns both part of the technology rights as well as the CrunchPad name. The site is filing lawsuits to prevent the sale without its involvement and refuses to accept any counter-offers, comparing it to a contractor betraying its client at the last minute.

"This is the equivalent of Foxconn, [which builds] the iPhone, notifiying Apple a couple of days before launch that they’d be moving ahead and selling the iPhone directly without any involvement from Apple," Arrington wrote.

The project was intended to prove that a web-only, touchscreen device could be made for $300 and was receiving help from multiple sources to reach that price target, including a "major multi-billion dollar retail partner" that would have sold it at cost, steep discounts from Intel for Atom processors, and ad sponsors that would subsidize the cost of the device. It would have carried a 12-inch capacitive touchscreen, run Linux and had just 4GB of storage onboard, instead depending entirely on sites like Hulu, YouTube and others for media and similar features; it could also have theoretically run Google's Chromium OS or even Windows 7.

Many had expected the CrunchPad to stand as an alternative to closed-source and likely more expensive alternatives expected next year that could include, among others, Apple's rumored tablet or a production version of the Microsoft Courier.

The launch of the iPhone in South Korea has so far proven a success, reports say. The number of pre-orders at carrier KT is believed to have to risen from 53,000 to approximately 65,000 by Saturday's release date, significant in a market where 400,000 smartphones were sold in the third quarter. At a special launch event in Seoul, hundreds of people are said to have lined up for as long as 26 hours in order to buy one of the country's first 1,000 iPhones.

The device is considered something of a bargain in South Korea, as dominant phone makers Samsung and LG charge almost twice as much for local versions of their smartphones as they do for their foreign ones. A 32GB iPhone 3GS in contrast costs the equivalent of $317 with a $38 per month, two-year contract, or nothing at all on a $112 per month contract.

Apple's product is nevertheless missing a common feature of Korean smartphones, a mobile TV tuner. While the iPhone can stream video over 3G and Wi-Fi, it does not include a T-DMB receiver. Some analysts suggest the lack of live TV may limit Korean sales.

The source doesn't tell Gizmodo much about the device itself but says it has a "large LCD" and that what we've seen to date of Android isn't the "real" release of the mobile operating system. This future version has also been tested on a notebook, according to the tip, though Google's need to test Android with x86 processors is the most likely cause. Google has already said that Chrome OS is its primary computer platform and that third parties will make systems based on that release rather than Google itself.

A previous rumor had the phone shipping in early 2010 and likely assembled by a Korean firm, even though that company's name wouldn't appear on the device.

Google has always denied claims it would make its own phone and has noted that a device of its own would hurt its partners by creating a conflict of interest. Still, it's suspected the company is at least wielding a more direct influence on phones by steering the Motorola Droid's design and otherwise getting involved beyond just software.

Apple's retail Black Friday traffic may have been up or down this year, depending on which analyst an investor chooses to believe. Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros. claims that field checks show "strong" foot traffic, with high sales of Macs, iPods and iPhones. Though the Black Friday weekend accounts for 10 percent of holiday sales, Wu considers the traffic an important bellwether.

This view is contradicted by Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, who says that a Piper team spent nine hours at three Apple Stores and counted only 8.3 Macs being sold per hour, as compared to 13 an hour in 2008. The analyst considers it "too early" to use the data as an indicator of how December quarter Mac sales will go, and so is relying on an earlier prediction of 2.8 million units. By contrast, Wu suggests that a Kaufman estimate of 2.9 million Macs is liable to be conservative.

Wu also comments that iMacs and the plastic MacBook are absent or in limited supply at Amazon and Best Buy, and that both vendors along with Target and Walmart have been unusually aggressive with Black Friday sales, making cuts as deep as 20 percent instead of a normal 11 to 13 percent. In some cases, gift cards up to $50 for iPods and $150 for Macs have been available. Apple kept to its usual minor discounts this year, no higher than 10 percent, and completely omitting the iPhone.

Most these, 19 million, were sold in Europe. About 6.3 million shipped to the US, while China accounted for 3.4 million and Samsung's native Korea represented 3 million.

The number should make Samsung the largest touchscreen smartphone manufacturer this year. While the calendar year isn't complete, Apple sold about 20.75 million iPhones in its fiscal 2009 and has sold about 33.77 million of the device since it began sales in June 2007. Samsung's quick overtake of its American competitor has been helped both by its sheer reach as well as an emphasis on budget models like the Star and aggressive pricing. In many circumstances, even Samsung's more advanced phones are available for free on a contract in Europe where iPhones usually carry a price close to $200. Most of Samsung's full touch phones are conventional phones rather than smartphones.

Future sales should be helped by a transition away from Symbian and Windows Mobile on its smartphones, eventually focusing on Android and Samsung's own bada platform.

As with a number of other companies, Apple has launched special Cyber Monday online deals. The discounts do not cover Apple's own products, but rather a collection of third-party Mac, iPod and iPhone accessories. Some iPhone gear on sale includes the mophie Juice Pack Air, $8 cheaper at $72, and the MoGo Talk for iPhone, a case/headset combo down $13 to $117.

Vestax's Spin DJ controller is now $225, and the 500GB LaCie Starck USB drive has been cut to $126. A $50 discount remains available on the Home and Student Edition of Office 2008, and Monster's Beats Studio Dr. Dre headphones are $30 less at $270. Three L.A.M.B. bags have dropped in price by between $10 and $40.

The sale also marks the beginning of free shipping for all online orders until 10AM Pacific time on December 23rd. The Cyber Monday promotion ends today at 11:59PM Pacific.

It's been speculated that the bookseller has encountered a problem similar to Amazon's past troubles with the Kindle, where it sold out quickly simply because its initial production run was too small to satisfy demand. However, it has warned that its pre-orders are booked until January and suggest at least strong short-term popularity.

The Nook has drawn attention not just because of its secondary, color touchscreen and its Wi-Fi but also its use of Android at its root. It's the first known instance of an e-book reader carrying a more advanced operating system. Barnes & Noble has said the device could theoretically allow third-party apps, though many native Android apps won't work.

Amazon has also claimed breakthrough Kindle sales and, combined with Nook sales, points to a surge in the e-reader category ahead of possible entrants like an Apple tablet.