Sprint unveils double-screen Echo

ITS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 8TH. I'M JEFF BAKALAR AND IT'S TIME TO GET LOADED. [*] LAST NIGHT AT AN EVENT IN NEW YORK CITY, SPRINT UNVEILED THE KYOCERA ECHO, A SMARTPHONE WITH TWO 3 AND A HALF INCH TOUCHSCREENS WITH A PIVOT HINGE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE POSITIONED SIDE BY SIDE. THE ECHO WILL RUN ANDROID 2.2 AND COME WITH SPECIAL SOFTWARE FOR ITS UNCONVENTIONAL DISPLAY. IT'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR $200 WITH A 2 YEAR CONTRACT. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE ECHO AS IT NEARS ITS SPRING RELEASE DATE. [*] WHEN CRAIGSLIST CLOSED ITS ADULT SERVICES SECTION, FEW THOUGHT SIMILAR BEHAVIOR WOULD MIGRATE OVER TO FACEBOOK. WELL, A COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR IS CLAIMING JUST THAT, SAYING THAT 83 PERCENT OF PROSTITUTES HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE, AND THAT THE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE IS PRIME REAL ESTATE FOR ONLINE RECRUITMENT. GUYS, BETTER WATCH WHO YOU FRIEND OUT THERE. SHE MIGHT CHARGE YOU. [*] INTEL HAS ANNOUNCED THE COMPANY WILL BEGIN SHIPPING FIXED SANDY BRIDGE CHIPSETS IN MID-FEBRUARY. THE RECENTLY DISCOVERED FLAW CAN EFFECT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF SATA DEVICES, CAUSING THEM TO FAIL OVER TIME. THE DEFECT HAS CAUSED A SLOWDOWN ACROSS THE BOARD WITH MANY PC MANUFACTURERS PUSHING BACK SHIP DATES AND RETAILERS REMOVING SYSTEMS FROM STORE SHELVES. [*] IT'S NO SECRET THAT PRIVACY ON THE INTERNET IS RUNNING SHORT THESE DAYS, AND "OVER-SHARE" MIGHT BE THE NEW NORM. IN AN EFFORT TO PUBLICIZE MORE INTERNET SAFETY, SECURITY FIRM TREND MICRO IS LAUNCHING ITS SECOND ANNUAL "WHAT'S YOUR STORY" CONTEST TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO SUBMIT SHORT VIDOES ON INTERNET SAFETY AND PRIVACY. THE CONTEST IS OPEN TO ANY ONE 13 YEARS OR OLDER IN THE U.S., CANADA AND THE U.K. YOUNG PEOPLE CAN WIN UP TO 10,000 DOLLARS AND ENTRIES ARE DUE APRIL 5TH. FIND OUT MORE AT WHATSYOURSTORY.TRENDMICRO.COM. [*] THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING NEW RULES TO CURB INTERNET PIRACY THAT IT HOPES TO SEND TO CONGRESS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. THE PROPOSAL APPLAUDS THE CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-COUNTERFEITING TRADE AGREEMENT. BUT CRITICS CONTEND THAT THE PROPOSALS DO NOT MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR FAIR USE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS AND LEGITIMATE FREE SPEECH USES. YOU CAN READ THE NEW PROPOSALS ON WHITEHOUSE.GOV. [*] THE CONNECTICUT AMBULANCE COMPANY THAT FIRED AN EMPLOYEE AFTER SHE CRITICIZED HER SUPERVISOR ON FACEBOOK HAS AGREED TODAY TO SETTLE THE COMPLAINT BROUGHT BY THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD. THE N-L-R-B SUED THE COMPANY AFTER IT FIRED AN EMPLOYEE WHEN SHE CALLED HER BOSS A "SCUMBAG" AND MORE DEROGATORY NAMES ON FACEBOOK. THE N-L-R-B SAYS THAT THE REMARKS LEGALLY DISCUSSED WORKPLACE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. [*] THAT IS YOUR NEWS FOR THE DAY, I'M JEFF BAKALAR FOR CNET. COM AND YOU'VE JUST BEEN LOADED.