Loaded: Google's power struggle Video

Loaded: Google's power struggle Video Transcript

>> We were right about the new Kindle and we'll show it to you today. Microsoft wants to start its own app store and Google is watching you in your house to find out how much energy you're wasting and it's kind of intrusive -- I'll explain. Its Tuesday, February 10, I'm Natali Del Conte and it's time to get Loaded. ^M00:00:15 [ Music ] ^M00:00:22

>> The rumors were true. It's the Kindle 2. We got to see it yesterday here in New York at Amazon's press conference. We also got to interview author Stephen King about his new Kindle exclusive book. Take a look. How long have you been using the Kindle?

>> Since December of 2007, so it's been about 15 months.

>> It seems like you're a little bit dubious from your presentation at first, is that true?

>> Well, I think that books were always my first love and obviously, there's some uneasiness in the business about Kindles versus books and there's some in my own mind, but I like them both. I mean, I think there's room for Kindles and printbooks and books on audio or CD, the whole nine-yards. I think that it's -- I think that it's all there. The real thing that's important is the story. If it's a good story, the rest is just a medium of delivery.

>> The new Kindle ships on February 24 and will cost $359. Other than the increased storage capacity, more advanced display and thinner body, I really don't see much difference from the first generation and will probably not be upgrading -- probably. I may break down if I see one on the subway that's thinner than mine. Google wants to help you monitor and save power in your home with its new power meter program. It's a web application that shows you how much energy you're using or wasting. Now, how would Google know how long you've been blow drying your hair or running your PS3, it seems a little creepy. The truth is Google doesn't know that or at least I hope they don't unless you have a smart electrical meter which sends that data back to Google. If you do have this meter Google will track the data on the power meter web application, which you will see everyday when you go to iGoogle. The theory is that the more aware you are of your consumption habits the more likely you are to be conservative. Google also launched syncing capabilities for the iPhone, Windows Mobile and phones that support syncML. For iPhone and Windows Mobile it will two-way sync contacts and calendars so that when you make a change to either of them on your phone or computer it will update over the air in both places. It's supposed to be a legitimate push technology. This has been available for the BlackBerry for sometime now. Microsoft is getting in on the app store game. Of course they can't call their's the app store, but it will be some variation of that. Microsoft is not so good on the naming of things, so their's will probably be called something like "Microsoft's location for finding and purchasing the applications for your mobile device live," or something like that -- unofficially. Anyway, it will be a place to find applications for your Windows Mobile device and the Wall Street Journal says it will have a more sophisticated interface. Microsoft is already offering something called MyPhone, which is sort of like Mobile Me and that it syncs information like calendar and contacts from desktop to mobile device. That launched late last week. Acer has announced the 10-inch version of the Aspire One. For the same list price as its predecessor, you can get a larger screen, an Intel Atom N270 processor and Acer claims a battery that lasts 8 hours longer. The unit will retail for $349, which I want to point out is cheaper than the Kindle. Images of a new BlackBerry hit the Internet this week. It's code named Gemini. It looks like a cross between a Curve and a Bold. Here's some speculated specs: 3G of course, larger screen, 3.2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and probably a more rounded keyboard. We don't have a release date or price or even country on this one just yet. It probably won't be called Gemini either, saying these code names are up change. Plus RIM likes the weather-related moniker these days. The new line of Arcos tablets will run Google's Android and apparently double as a phone. We haven't seen photos yet, but Engadget did a little mock-up which is what you see here. It will have a 5-inch screen, up to 500 gigs of storage, 7 hours of playback and flash support. I suspect we'll see photos or videos coming out of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. I hope it's as cool as it sounds. Facebook added a new Like option a la FriendFeed to its News Feed. Starting soon users will have the option of clicking Like when another user posts a link or activity on their Facebook Feed. Not really groundbreaking, but I suspect if you spend most of your day on Facebook you might like this. Get it -- Like. Those are all your headlines for today, but I will see you here tomorrow. Thank you for watching. I'm Natali Del Conte with CNET TV and you've just been Loaded. ^M00:04:36 [ Music ]