Vizio's 'extra-large' holiday HDTV lineup goes from 55- to 70-inches

While Vizio's summer has been all about PCs, set-top Google TV boxes and even the odd ultrawidescreen HDTV, it's getting back into its usual garb for the fall. As is its customs, it's rolling out a few new HDTV models ahead of the big shopping season, which range in size from 55- to 70-inches. Other than the 58-inch CinemaWide ultra widescreen model there are also three representatives from its M-Series, with a 55-inch model for $949, and a 65-inch model that's $1,699 with 3D and $1,499 without. The other two models are in its E-Series line, and are 2D only edge-lit LED sets that feature a new thin bezel / slim frame design. The 60-inch version is priced at $999, while the 70-inch goes for $1,999. They all include the Yahoo Widgets powered Vizio Internet Apps (Netflix, Vudu, Hulu, Amazon etc.)

Maingear welcomes AMD A-Series APUs to its F131 and X-Cube desktop PCs

In a move to make its desktops more palatable to the masses, Maingear is bringing AMD's integrated A-Series APUs to its F131 tower and X-Cube desktop PCs. Upon learning the news, we took a peek at the manufacturer's website and found a customizable X-Cube available with a $649 starting price, which compares favorably to its $939 Intel counterpart. Unfortunately, the company has yet to update its website with AMD customization options for the F131. Regardless, we're told that shoppers can expect to find both standard and Black Edition options for AMD's chips, the latter which should appeal to overclockers. 

SMS Audio outs an on-ear option for its Street by 50 headphones, ships October 7th for $180

If you're a fan of emcee-endorsed headphones, you're in luck. SMS Audio -- the folks behind the SYNC by 50 line -- has just announced another portable audio option that gets the recommendation of Mr. Jackson himself. The Street by 50 moniker now sports a wired, on-ear option to go alongside its current over-ear and in-hear offerings. These cans house 40mm pro-tuned drivers, folding hinges and memory foam cushioning while sporting Shadow Black and Ghost White color schemes. Anxious to snag some? Well, you can pre-order a set now, but they'll start shipping on October 7th -- if you're willing to shell out the requisite $179.99, of course. As for us, we're patiently waiting on the Keenan Cahill model.

MoviePass launches iPhone app and card combo, takes unlimited viewing to all US theaters

While MoviePass was in early beta, it got more than a small amount of pushback from theaters that didn't like someone changing the price formula without their explicit say-so. The company just found an end-run around that conspicuous obstacle. It's releasing both an iPhone app and a reloadable card that, when combined, let MoviePass' effectively unlimited subscription model work at just about any US theater. The app unlocks the card for a specific showing; after that, it's only a matter of swiping the plastic at a payment kiosk like any old credit card. It's not as sophisticated as NFC or Pay With Square, to be sure, but it should keep the rude surprises to a minimum. Both the iOS app and the card require an invitation to the $30 monthly service if you're eager to get watching movies today. If either is too limiting, there's promises of both an Android app and wider availability in the future.

Lenovo building PC production facility in North Carolina

North Carolina is fast becoming a haven for tech behemoths, with Chinese giant Lenovo becoming the latest to plant its flag in the Southeastern soil. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is readying a PC production facility near its US headquarters which will kick off operations next year. Aside from securing bragging rights over competitors which no longer manufacture in the US, the factory is intended to satisfy stateside customers who "demand for flexible supplies and product customization." While it's initially a small operation -- employing slightly over 100 people -- the aim is to expand in the future, meaning that elusive "Made in America" sticker may become a little more commonplace.

Apple's app search engine goes dark, Chomp joins Ping in obsolescence

Ping wasn't the only Apple service to go offline at the tail end of September. Chomp, an app search engine purchased by Cook and Co. earlier this year, also closed up shop. In the spring, the service discontinued support for Android apps, and now its entire website and iOS application have been shuttered. Folks who still have the app installed are greeted with the bad news upon launching it: "Chomp has been discontinued as of September 30. Thanks for being a loyal user." If you're mourning the loss, we hear Yahoo would be delighted to make your acquaintance.

Editorial: Square gets the attention, but credit cards rule

Lower Manhattan, Pearl Street, the Financial District. A Starbucks with broad windows, great for people watching. Sipping my $5 flavored coffee, I watched a homeless man sit on the sidewalk. I liked him immediately: his sharp gaze and thoughtful expression. When I left, I squatted down next to him and put five bucks in his jar, contributing the cost of my first-world coffee to the man's case for survival.

We talked. He knew his tech, this man of no possessions, describing his favorite productivity gadgets of the past decade, scorning Apple for form over function. He had been living on the street day and night for two years. My five dollars was "huge," he said. I knew that was true only microcosmically. He liked cigars. That's where the cash would go.

Meanwhile, Starbucks had recently cut a deal with Square, one of the hottest startup stories of the season, so that people with five dollars to spend on coffee needn't pull out a wallet and ponder their privilege.

Deutsche Telekom mulling T-Mobile / MetroPCS marriage

Well, turns out that rumors of a MetroPCS and T-Mobile merger weren't completely off base. While we wouldn't expect Deutsche Telekom to announce the sale of its US property any time soon, the German giant has confirmed that its holding talks with America's sixth largest mobile operator to combine the two networks. The prospective deal would involve combining the two into a single entity, with Deutsche Telekom as the majority shareholder. Of course there are significant obstacles in the way, including divergent network technologies and distinctly different marketing strategies. This is, of course, just the latest scene in the ongoing piece of corporate theater that almost saw the struggling magenta carrierabsorbed by AT&T. We'll of course be following closely to see if such a move would sit a little better with government regulators.

First non-game titles now available on Steam, game dev tools lead the charge

Valve Software -- maker of the iconic Half-Life series and proprietor of digital storefront Steam -- today released Steam's first non-video game software (originally scheduled to launch in early September). ArtRage Studio Pro, CameraBag 2, GameMaker: Studio, 3D-Coat, 3DMark Vantage, and 3DMark 11 join Valve's own Source Filmmaker in the newly minted software section of the Steam store. All non-Valve software is PC-only for now -- we imagine Mac software will also show up at some point, but nothing's available just yet. Like Steam's games, software titles will receive streamlined updates via the Steam client, and consumers will enjoy similar discount offers to the games section -- the first such sale is already on, with launch day software getting a 10 percent discount until week's end. Bizarrely, the software titles also have Steam achievements. Finally, developers get rewarded for porting their games to Android by something other than crushing piracy!

Oregon Scientific MEEP! tablet ships for $150, gives kids a safe, exclamation-filled place to play

For all the enthusiasm Oregon Scientific put into launching (and naming) its MEEP! tablet, the company has been a bit timid about getting the kid-friendly Android device into the market -- we're just seeing it go on sale eight months after it was first shown to the world. Now that the slate is here, it may be worth the patience from parents. The 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 chip, 512MB of RAM, 800 x 480 screen and 4GB of storage won't have the adults regretting their Kindle Fire purchases, but the MEEP! does come in a smash-resistant form with remote parental control and an allowance-based store that lets kids 'buy' apps with virtual coins. Oregon helps its case through the use of Ice Cream Sandwich, preloaded games likeAngry Birds and a raft of accessories for games and music. The $150 asking price is just low enough that we can see a few families starting their youngest technophiles on a MEEP! before graduating them to igger, badder tablets with less punctuation in the name.

GOWEX bringing free WiFi to French rail stations, starting with Marseille

We take free WiFi at our transportation hubs for granted here in the US. (Heck, we've even got it deep in the bowels of NYC.) In other countries, it's not a given that you'll have high-speed broadband at your disposal while waiting for a train or plane. France is working on it though, with GOWEX signing a deal with the National Society of French Rail (SNCF) to bring wireless internet to rail stations across the nation. The first part of the puzzle will be the bustling Marseille St. Charles in the south of France. At some point in 2013 (though, the company refused to specify when) the switch will be flipped and tourists in and around the Marseille station will be able to enjoy 512Kbps internet for free.

LG launches Optimus G flagship smartphone: quad-core S4 Pro, LTE, 2GB RAM, ICS, 13MP camera (updated)

It's official! Today in Seoul LG is announcing its latest flagship smartphone, the Optimus G. The 8.45mm (0.33-inch) thin handset -- which has been rumored for weeks -- packs Qualcomm's Fusion 3 chipset which pairs a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (APQ8064) with a 2G / 3G / LTE radio (MDM9615). It features 2GB of DDR RAM and a 4.7-inch 1280x768 (320ppi) True HD IPS PLUS display with Zerogap Touch (in-cell touch) technology. A sealed 2100mAh Li-polymer battery rated for 800 charge cycles powers this Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) device. The rear camera sports a 13-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with 1.1µm pixels, an f/2.4 autofocus lens and a single LED flash -- along with a more pedestrian 1.3MP shooter in front. There's 32GB of built-in flash storage, but no microSD card slot. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, NFC and MHL.

Aesthetically, the Optimus G marries LG's Chocolate and Prada design-languages into a sleek 145g (5.11oz) unibody smartphone. The front is all glass with three capacitive buttons while the back indroduces the company's Crystal Reflection process which gives the handset "the ability to display different patterns depending on the viewing angle and lighting". LG's placing a lot of emphasis on how the user experience benefits from the Optimus G's quad-core Krait CPU and Adreno 320 GPU -- something it calls "cross-tasking". This includes capabilties like QSlide Function, Live Zooming, Dual Screen Dual Play, QuickMemo, Screen Zooming, Application Link and Icon Personalizer, plus camera funtionality such as Time Catch Shot, Cheese Shutter, Smart Shutter and Low Light Shot Noise Reduction -- all of which are detailed for your reading pleasure in the PR after the break.