So what was it? Did tightened government regulations make operating impossible? Was there some kind of security breach? An issue with the TSA granting a virtual monopoly to a private fast track service? Nope! It was something simpler, and more timely. Cue their goodbye email:

Clear to Cease Operations

Dear xxxx xxxx,

At 11:00 p.m. PST today, Clear will cease operations. Clear’s parent company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations.

After today, Clear lanes will be unavailable.

Sincerely,
Clear Customer Support

Apparently not enough people were willing to spring for the service, which could cost as much as $US199. Looking at the numbers, though, it’s clear obvious that Clear never really took off, spreading to just 20 airports and garnering about 150,000 subscribers.

The company hasn’t yet announced how they plan to deal with those subscribers—an impatient bunch, I’m guessing—but as far as getting any kind of service refund, this sparingly worded announcement doesn’t bode well. [Clear—Thanks, Tom and David]

Apparently, because people were using MMS with the iPhone 3.0 betas, AT&T put an opt-out on all iPhone accounts. So, theoretically, if AT&T manually (yes…manually) removes all of these opt-outs, MMS would work just fine.

As for the tethering delay, BGR also noted that AT&T is still in the process of hammering out a pricing plan—possibly as much as $US70 per month for unlimited data/tethering. None of this is confirmed of course, but $US70 a month for an unlimited data plan with tethering would be way to damn much. [BGR]

How do you qualify for the announced pricing? New customer, new line of service, presumably contract renewal, that sort of thing. Last year, people who owned iPhone Numero Uno got a shoo-in, but apparently that’s not the deal now. To add insult to injury, you’ll even have to pay an $US18 upgrade fee to jump from 3G to 3GS.

Verbiage from some customer mailing:

As a valued AT&T customer, AT&T can offer you an early iPhone upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and an $US18 upgrade fee. You may qualify for a standard iPhone upgrade on 07/12/2009.
$US299.00* – 8GB iPhone 3G (black)
$US399.00* – 16GB iPhone 3G S (black or white)
$4US99.00* – 32GB iPhone 3G S (black or white)

We also just saw these crazy insane prices on Apple’s website, thanks to a commenter mrwizzz, but we can’t see how those numbers are final—at least, we hope to hell they’re not:

For non-qualified customers, including existing AT&T customers who want to upgrade from another phone or replace an iPhone 3G, the price with a new two-year agreement is $US499 (8GB), $US599 (16GB), or $US699 (32GB).

[Wirelessinfo.com; David Chartier on Twitter; other various tips and sources]

The XVT line will use some new Vizio tech to get the sharpest picture possible, including “Smooth Motion” and “Smart Dimming” technology as well as something called “TruLED.” They’ll range from 32-inch to 55-inch and will probably be the priciest in the family.

The M series, with a JAVA design, is modeled after wood picture frames and are a mere quarter-inch thick, clearly attempting to be Vizio’s style line. And finally, the E series is Vizio’s most energy-efficient line yet, as much as 20% below Energy Star standards. Full presser below. [Vizio]

VIZIO America’s #1 HDTV Company Delivers NEW High Performance TV Collection

- Number One shipper of Flat Panel HDTVs in USA unveils wide range of high-
performance, high-value televisions
– Flagship Extreme VIZIO Technology, XVT™ Series advances television’s state of the
art with NEW TruLED™ and 240Hz SPS™ (scenes per second), and Thin Line™ 120Hz
models. (New XVT Models are in 55 – 32″ screen sizes)
– JAVA™ designer collection within the NEW “M” Series combines high style with Full HD
1080P resolution and 120Hz with Smooth Motion™ LCD HDTVs (New M Series Models
are in 47 – 32″ screen sizes)
– “E” Series provide energy efficient EcoHD™ (20% below Energy Star 3.0), essential
performance and exceptional value in small to mid screen sizes (New E Series Models
are in 42 – 19″ sizes)

- All models are energy efficient, meeting and exceeding Energy Star 3.0 requirements
Irvine, CA – June 8, 2009 — VIZIO, America’s #1 HDTV and Consumer Electronics
Company, has unveiled its 2009 TV product lineup, with 31 new models in three product
groups. With a comprehensive range that includes cutting-edge Smart Dimming™
backlight TruLED™ LCD technology, high-style/high performance products, and the best
everyday value HDTVs, VIZIO’s products are energy efficient, with each earning and
exceeding Energy Star 3.0 qualification. Product releases are scheduled throughout the
year, with numerous products now in-store and due to hit shelves soon.

“VIZIO’s 2009 line of LCD HDTVs advances our mission to deliver the most advanced
video and audio technologies to our customers with unequalled value and style,” says
Laynie Newsome, VIZIO Co-Founder and VP Sales and Marketing Communications.
“Our customers have come to expect superior performance and design from VIZIO, and
this new line has unprecedented value in every screen size.”

Superior Performance Video & Audio
This year’s Extreme VIZIO Technology XVT™ series again advances VIZIO performance
with a Full HD 1080p lineup featuring both 120Hz with Thin Line™ stylish designs and
240Hz SPS models using Smooth Motion™ technology, with the most sophisticated
models incorporating TruLED and Smart Dimming™ backlight technology. In all models,
VIZIO has integrated USB video inputs that are enhanced and offer high quality 1080p
video playback, along with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio™ of up to 2,000,000:1 makes
for incredible black levels and almost three-dimensional imagery, they also include
advanced user interface control with picture in picture and picture on picture
functionality. VIZIO XVT models all include a universal learning backlit remote control.

All models have superior audio, thanks to SRS Labs Technology with TruSurround
HD™, which enhances clarity and produces surround sound without external speakers,
and TruVolume™, which eliminates annoying volume fluctuations when switching
channels or when commercials come on and off.

Full HD in New Colours and Styles
VIZIO’s designer lines combine 1080p Full HD performance with distinctive looking
designs such as the VL series brushed JAVA™ colour treatment, and VT series TVs that
resemble luxurious wood picture frames to bring a stylish touch to consumers’ viewing
environments. Select models feature a 120Hz refresh rate with Smooth Motion
technology, as well as VIZIO’s new USB Multi-Media Feature that can display MPEG-2,
H.264 and WMV9 video, JPEG photos, and MP3 music from a thumb drive or FAT32
hard drive. Many models have VIZIO’s new “Pause Live TV” feature, which allows
viewers to pause their programs without the need for a separate cable or satellite box.
VIZIO’s Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio™ of up to 50,000:1 increases contrast ratio and
picture quality, providing incredibly deep blacks. Each model also has multiple HDMI
inputs and many include a side panel HDMI Game or Camera Input Port.

HDTV Value in Every Size
With screen sizes ranging from 19″ to 32″, VIZIO’s “E” series HDTVs provide incredible
value in small to midsized packages with stylish white or black piano coloured bezels.
Many of these sets offer Full HD 1080p performance, and all utilise SRS Labs’
TruSurround technology to provide superior audio. Some models feature VIZIO’s
EcoHD™ technology, which lowers energy consumption as much as 20% below Energy
Star 3.0 standards.

About VIZIO
VIZIO, Inc., “Where Vision Meets Value,” headquartered in Irvine, California, is
America’s HDTV Company and Consumer Electronics Company. In 2007, VIZIO
skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 selling brand of flat panel HDTVs in North
America and became the first American brand in over a decade to lead major categories
in U.S. TV sales. Since 2007 VIZIO HDTV shipments remain in the TOP ranks in the
U.S. and are again #1 in Q1, 2009 with over 20% market share. VIZIO is committed to
bringing feature-rich flat panel televisions to market at a value through practical
innovation. VIZIO offers a broad range of award winning Plasma and LCD HDTVs
including the new XVT series. VIZIO’s products are found at Costco Wholesale, Sam’s
Club, Sears, Walmart, Target, BJ’s Wholesale, and other retailers nationwide along with
authorised online partners. VIZIO has won numerous awards including a #1 ranking in
the Inc. 500 for Top Companies in Computers and Electronics, Good Housekeeping’s
Best Big-Screens, CNET’s Top 10 Holiday Gifts and PC World’s Best Buy among others.
For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit on the web at www.VIZIO.com.

The V, VIZIO, XVT, TruLED, 240Hz SPS, Thin Line, Smooth Motion, JAVA, Where
Vision Meets Value names, phrase and symbols are trademarks or registered
trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks may be the property of their respective
holders.

That the new BlackBerry Storm will be a Verizon phone isn’t surprising, since they carried the first one. The six month outer limit for an arrival date also isn’t that surprising, since we’ve seen early pictures of the device.

The big new here is obviously the Pre, which, although heralded mostly as a savior for a wounded Palm Inc, could also be a boon to an also-ailing Sprint. From Reuters:

Sprint shares were down 18 cents at $US4.89 in late morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange while Palm shares were up $US1.15 at $US11.68 on Nasdaq.

Well, that about sums it up. [Reuters]

The full motion resolution and overall excellent performance places the UN46B8000 at the top of all the LCD HDTVs tested….this Samsung is the first HDTV to deliver the dream of a thin, light weight, bright, clear 46″ large screen HDTV that you can easily hang on the wall like a painting.

Interesting factoid: If you’re watching 24fps content (like a movie), each frame plays 10 times on a 240Hz display. Read that tidbit and lots more in HD Guru’s meticulously detailed review of the world’s new bestest LCD.

AU: Obviously, we won’t get this particular model of TV – if we see it, it’ll have a 200Hz mode, which obviously won’t be quite the same.

[HD Guru]

The loss isn’t actually as severe as they expected, and TiVo execs are playing it down. Thing is, the company isn’t suffering because of some obscure recession-related credit problem or internal restructuring—they’re actually seeing subscriptions decline. Not coincidentally, they expect next quarter to be worse. [CNET]

She’s handed down quite a number of cyberlaw decisions during her career, some of which show the kind of technological awareness that’s utterly foreign to our current geriatric court. According to Wired’s Threat Level, she’s ruled against companies with deliberately hidden or misleading EULAs, limited the powers of the executive to acquire user information and records from ISPs with National Security letters, and widened online publications’ rights to resell freelancers’ content without additional payment.

There’s a catch: her penchant for tech comes from her experience as an intellectual property lawyer, meaning that—though this isn’t conclusive—she could tend to side with organisations like the RIAA and MPAA should the court hear any filesharing-related cases during her tenure, which they almost certainly will.

Say what you want about her rulings, but there’s something to be said for her being the first nominee to the court with any record in cyberlaw. That “internet” thing is getting to be a pretty big deal, I hear. [Wired]