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• Lodsys shifts in-app purchasing target to Android devs following Apple response
• Tactile Brush uses sensory illusions to let you feel games, movies
• Alaska Airlines ditches paper flight manuals for iPads
• Paypal v. Google: a tawdry tale of trade secret misappropriation
• Visualized: a decade of mapping the universe, and all we got was this bloated JPEG
• PlayStation announces official wireless cans for PS3, stereo frags coming September
• Microsoft manager teams up with teens to build a fusion reactor in his garage (video)
• HP expands laptop battery recall, doesn't want you to feel the burn
• Ask Engadget: best sub-$100 5.1 surround sound system?
• ASUS Eee Pad Slider going on sale 'soon,' price is still anyone's guess
• Leaked AMD roadmap reveals Desna APU, bona fide tablet strategy
• People of Lava invites Android developers to version 2.0 of its app market for TVs
• Arduino, magnet wire, and Android combine to create poor man's NFC (video)
• Engadget Investigates: Samsung Nexus S 4G WiMAX performance issues
• Google Maps 5.5 for Android cops more Latitude, tweaks Places and transit pages
• Engadget Podcast 241 - 05.27.2011
• Hurt Locker lawsuit targets a record-breaking 24,583 IP addresses

Lodsys shifts in-app purchasing target to Android devs following Apple response Posted: 28 May 2011 11:25 AM PDT We figured Apple's firm response to Lodsys earlier this week regarding its claims against iOS devs would prompt the patent holder to move on to its next target, and sure enough, it looks as if said target has been selected. Unfortunately, a group of Android app devs have now found themselves in the Texas-based company's crosshairs, which is citing the same patent infringement that Apple recently addressed, relating specifically to in-app upgrade purchases. As was the case with the last round of letters, Lodsys is demanding licensing fees from small, individual developers, who don't have the resources to fight back. Lodsys appears to be maintaining its trend of ignoring media requests, so we're keeping an eye on the patent troll's blog to see if anyone comes up to the surface to defend this latest round of allegations. In the meantime, plugging your ears while humming and ignoring the mailman might not be such a bad idea... you know, if you do this kind of thing for a living.

Tactile Brush uses sensory illusions to let you feel games, movies Posted: 28 May 2011 10:01 AM PDT Poor arachnophobes -- it's bad enough that 3D movies can make it look like swarms of eight-legged freaks are pouring out of the screen, now Disney wants you to feel the creepy crawlies, too. In a presumed effort to one-up those "4D" chairs used at Shrek's castle down in Orlando, the company has been working on what it calls Tactile Brush -- a chair with an array of 12 vibrating coils that are able to simulate anything from the sensation of speeding around a race track to the delicate drip of rain on your back. Two techniques are used: apparent motion, which triggers two motors in quick succession to create the illusion of something moving over your skin, and phantom sensation, in which two stationary vibrations are felt as a single tingle between the two points. Disney researchers demoed Tactile Brush at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Vancouver using a racing game, but hope to bring it to amusement park rides and movie theaters -- which, in the right hands, should lead to more screaming and at least a few pairs of wet pants.

Alaska Airlines ditches paper flight manuals for iPads Posted: 28 May 2011 08:34 AM PDT The iPad has already gotten the go-ahead from the FAA as a replacement for paper flight charts and maps, and now Alaska Airlines has become the first major US airline to hop on board the paperless bandwagon. While it's not quite ready to ditch paper navigation charts just yet (though that is under consideration), the airline has announced that it will be replacing its traditional flight manuals with iPads, which will be loaded up with the GoodReader app and PDFs of 41 different manuals and other materials. According to the airline, that change will result in savings of about 2.4 million pieces of paper, and it says the cost of the project will be offset by fuel savings from the reduced weight, and additional savings that are expected from "fewer back and muscle injuries caused by pilots carrying flight bags," which can weigh up to 50 pounds. Let's just hope those newly lightened flight bags still have room for a charging cable. Show full PR text Alaska Airlines Pilots Go Lean and Green With iPads First major domestic airline to use iPads to replace flight manuals SEATTLE, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of an ongoing effort to use technology to enhance flight safety, improve efficiency and protect the environment, Alaska Airlines is issuing iPad tablet computers to its pilots. The 1 1/2-pound iPads replace up to 25 pounds of paper flight manuals that pilots are required to carry when they fly. The iPads are being distributed to all Alaska Airlines pilots, a process that will be complete by mid-June. This follows a successful trial by 100 line and instructor pilots and Air Line Pilots Association representatives, who evaluated the feasibility of using iPads as electronic flight bags this past winter and spring. Alaska Airlines is the first major domestic airline to use the iPad to replace paper manuals. "We've been exploring the idea of an electronic flight bag for several years, but never found a device we really liked," said Gary Beck, Alaska Airlines' vice president of flight operations. "When the iPad hit the market, we took one look at it and said this is the perfect fit." The iPads contain an app called GoodReader that is loaded with PDF versions of 41 flight, systems and performance manuals, reference cards, and other materials. The electronic manuals include hyperlinks and color graphics, enabling pilots to find information faster and easier. Updating these reference materials can now be accomplished with one tap on the iPad screen instead of the former, labor-intensive process of replacing individual pages with new ones. The iPad is considered a Class 1 electronic device, meaning it is stowed during takeoff and landing under Federal Aviation Administration regulations. In conjunction with replacing paper manuals, Alaska Airlines is exploring the replacement of paper aeronautical navigation charts with electronic versions on the iPad, eliminating the need for every pilot to carry their own copy. The two initiatives, dubbed "Bye, Bye, Flight Bag," will save about 2.4 million pieces of paper. The cost of the project is expected to be offset by lower paper, printing and distribution expenses and reduced fuel consumption as some weight is removed from the aircraft. Further savings are expected from fewer back and muscle injuries caused by pilots carrying flight bags that can tip the scales at 50 pounds or more fully loaded. Note to media: A high-resolution photograph of an Alaska pilot with the iPad on the flight deck of a Boeing 737 is available in the airline's online newsroom image gallery at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom. SOURCE Alaska Airlines

Paypal v. Google: a tawdry tale of trade secret misappropriation Posted: 28 May 2011 07:06 AM PDT Google and its poached Paypal employees got sued for trade secret misappropriation yesterday, but we didn't know the dirty details until now. A peek at PayPal's complaint reveals there's a bit more to the story. Apparently, Paypal and Google were in talks last year to use PayPal for payments in the Android Market. Osama Bedier was in charge of those negotiations for PayPal in October of 2010, when the deal was supposed to close, but was allegedly interviewing for a mobile payment position at Google at the same time (holy conflict of interest, Batman!). The complaint claims that Bedier initially rebuffed El Goog's advances, told PayPal of the job offer and professed that he would stay, but jumped ship a month later (bringing some PayPal coworkers with him) after being recruited by Stephanie Tilenius and the almighty dollar. Once it hired Osama, Google reportedly put the brakes on the PayPal deal and created Google Wallet. Then Google, Bedier, and Tilenius got slapped with a lawsuit. A brief rundown of the legal claims awaits you after the break. In California, information is a protected trade secret if it's economically valuable, isn't generally known, and its owner has made reasonable efforts to keep it secret. Additionally, contracts preventing employee poaching are enforceable in Cali to the extent that they're needed to protect trade secrets possessed by those employees. PayPal's plans and mobile payment strategies would certainly be valuable to its competitors, and it keeps its institutional info classified with employee confidentiality clauses and customer non-disclosure agreements. So, PayPal appears to have a pretty strong argument for trade secret protection, and its breach of contract claims against Bedier and Tilenius for soliciting PayPal employees are looking good too. Of course, that assumes Osama, in fact, used (and is using) his knowledge of PayPal's mobile payment plans to create Google Wallet -- and that he breached his duty of loyalty when he got himself and others hired by El Goog instead of doing the Android deal. And, if the complaint is to be believed, Ms. Tilenius and Google are on the hook for inducing him to do these dastardly deeds. PayPal paints quite the picture of corporate intrigue, but it'll be interesting to see how the folks from Mountain View respond. The real question is, can Google Wallet pay legal fees?

Visualized: a decade of mapping the universe, and all we got was this bloated JPEG Posted: 28 May 2011 05:03 AM PDT Thousands upon thousands of galaxies. Ten years to complete. A glance at the most complete map of the local universe anywhere in existence. Something tells us Richard Branson's getting a print for his Virgin Galactic headquarters... Show full PR text Astronomers Unveil Most Complete 3-D Map of Local Universe Cambridge, MA - Today, astronomers unveiled the most complete 3-D map of the local universe (out to a distance of 380 million light-years) ever created. Taking more than 10 years to complete, the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS) also is notable for extending closer to the Galactic plane than previous surveys - a region that's generally obscured by dust. Karen Masters (University of Portsmouth, UK) presented the new map today in a press conference at the 218th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. "The 2MASS Redshift Survey is a wonderfully complete new look at the local universe - particularly near the Galactic plane," Masters said. "We're also honoring the legacy of the late John Huchra, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who was a guiding force behind this and earlier galaxy redshift surveys." A galaxy's light is redshifted, or stretched to longer wavelengths, by the expansion of the universe. The farther the galaxy, the greater its redshift, so redshift measurements yield galaxy distances - the vital third dimension in a 3-D map. 2MRS chose galaxies to map from images made by the Two-Micron All-SkySurvey (2MASS). This survey scanned the entire sky in three near-infrared wavelength bands. Near-infrared light penetrates intervening dust better than visible light, allowing astronomers to see more of the sky. But without adding redshifts, 2MASS makes only a 2-D image. Some of the galaxies mapped had previously-measured redshifts, and Huchra started painstakingly measuring redshifts for the others in the late 1990s using mainly two telescopes: one at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory on Mt. Hopkins, AZ, and one at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The last observations were completed by 2MRS observers on these telescopes shortly after Huchra's death in October 2010. Robert Kirshner, Huchra's colleague at the Center for Astrophysics (CfA), said, "John loved doing redshift surveys and he loved the infrared. He had the insight to tell when infrared technology, formerly the province of the experts, was ripe for routine use in a big project." "John was instrumental in setting up the 2MASS telescope at Mount Hopkins, seeing the infrared side of the project through, and making a much more complete survey of the local universe. It's a wonderful tribute to John that his colleagues have finished the infrared-selected galaxy redshift survey that John started," he added. The 2MRS mapped in detail areas previously hidden behind our Milky Way to better understand the impact they have on our motion. The motion of the Milky Way with respect to the rest of the universe has been a puzzle ever since astronomers were first able to measure it and found it couldn't be explained by the gravitational attraction from any visible matter. Massive local structures, like the Hydra-Centaurus region (the "Great Attractor") were previously hidden almost behind the Milky Way but are now shown in great detail by 2MRS. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. CfA scientists, organized into six research divisions, study the origin, evolution and ultimate fate of the universe.

PlayStation announces official wireless cans for PS3, stereo frags coming September Posted: 28 May 2011 02:04 AM PDT Perhaps Sony deemed the Ultimate Weapon too powerful (or too expensive) for PlayStation 3 owners, but these new wireless cans ought to keep your ears warm, at the very least. The new official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset features 7.1 virtual surround sound, a retractable, mutable microphone, and standard embedded volume controls. These proprietary sound-muffs connect via USB dongle, and push headset related status updates (that's your battery status) directly to your TV screen; if you're into that sort of thing. Sony-approved hearing will set you back $100 starting this September.

Microsoft manager teams up with teens to build a fusion reactor in his garage (video) Posted: 27 May 2011 11:02 PM PDT Normally, if a grown man talks about building a fusion reactor and wants your 13-year-old to hang out in his garage, we'd expect you to smile, back away slowly, and perhaps alert the authorities. But, if that man is Microsoft program manager Carl Greninger there's no need to run. The science fanatic recruited a team of teens, as young as 13, and worked with them to build a Farnsworth–Hirsch Fusor -- a (comparatively) simple nuclear reactor that smashes together atoms and produces neutrons. Check out the nearly 20-min video after the break to watch a bunch of high school kids generate ball of ionized plasma. And to think, all that's in your garage is that '65 Mustang you swear you're gonna restore one day.

HP expands laptop battery recall, doesn't want you to feel the burn Posted: 27 May 2011 09:24 PM PDT HP wants to make sure you don't get burned, literally. For the third May in a row, it's issuing another expansion of its voluntary battery recall on laptops produced from July 2007 to May 2008 -- frankly, we're considering a holiday to mark the occasion. May 2009 saw a recall of 70,000 batteries followed by an expansion to cover 15,000 in China, totaling 85,000 affected laptops. It didn't end there though, as further expansion was put in place during May 2010 to cover even more models, and this time around, a sizeable number of lappies have been added to the ever-growing list. About five percent of the models from the aforementioned time frame could have problematic batteries, and HP will be providing replacements for those at risk of getting a little too hot under the collar. If your machine was also part of the previous recalls, HP's saying those should be verified as well, even if you've done so in the past already. The full grid of affected laptops can be perused after the break -- Memorial Day weekend will be full of grilling, but we wouldn't want that to include your skin, okay?

Ask Engadget: best sub-$100 5.1 surround sound system? Posted: 27 May 2011 07:55 PM PDT We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Greg, who needs 5.1 surround sound in the worst, most inexpensive way. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking for a budget 5.1 surround sound system to set myself up with a rudimentary home theatre. I've got a Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U TV, and while the picture's fine, the internal speakers are a bit lacking. I know that almost any sound system, no matter how cheap, will probably be an improvement, so I'm focusing more on saving money than getting mind-blowing audio. Value is the name of the game. Can you give me any good leads? Thanks!" Five years ago, $100 wouldn't get you much in the surround sound world, but today? Today, it's all you need. Toss your assistance in comments below!

ASUS Eee Pad Slider going on sale 'soon,' price is still anyone's guess Posted: 27 May 2011 06:12 PM PDT ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer might still be difficult to track down, but at least all systems are go for the company's other Honeycomb tablet, the Eee Pad Slider. The company confirmed today that the 10.1-inch tablet, originally slated for May, is "coming soon" -- no word, of course, on whether it will ditch Tegra 2 for an Atom Z670 CPU, as rumored. Next up, ASUS, give us a price, capiche? Last time we checked, the company was estimating it would cost between $500 and $800, so your guess is as good as ours as to how sweet a value this will be. Hopefully, we'll get to see this elusive tab again at Computex next week, but in the meantime, hit the source links for some tightly cropped teaser shots of it running Honeycomb.

Leaked AMD roadmap reveals Desna APU, bona fide tablet strategy Posted: 27 May 2011 04:44 PM PDT What's a chip maker to do after successfully hawking five million of its Fusion APUs? Why, expand the line, of course! A leaked slide deck from within the lairs of AMD is showing off quite a bit of the company's upcoming roadmap, and while a good deal of it has already been made public in one way or another, there's one term that's causing all sorts of buzz -- and for good reason. Desna is the name to know, a Z-Series APU that's aimed squarely at the tablet form factor. To date, only a handful of chips have managed to slide into slates, and while we always reckoned that a version of Fusion could really give those ARM-based alternatives a run for their money, it wasn't clear if AMD actually had one that would handle the power and heat requirements. Based on these sheets -- dated this month, for what it's worth -- the Z-Series chip will offer Flash compatibility, DirectX 11 support and IE9 / HTML5 acceleration, and that's just for starters. Head on down to the links below for the full skinny, but make sure you grab a cup of joe and unplug the line first. You'll need a few, to say the least.

People of Lava invites Android developers to version 2.0 of its app market for TVs Posted: 27 May 2011 03:57 PM PDT While Google continues to work on an official Android Market for TVs, Sweden's own People of Lava has announced the second version of the app store for its Scandinavia Android TV. With version 2.0 People of Lava is focusing on attracting developers to create apps specifically for the Android 1.5-powered TVs in order to fill its own app marketplace. Like Google, it has opened up a developer site stuffed with information for anyone interested in developing apps for the TVs, which are currently hand built in 42-, 47- and 55-inch sizes with prices starting at €2500 ($3,564). We wish them well, but with that high price developers may have as much trouble finding a wider audience as current Google TV partners have so far. Show full PR text People of Lava launches the world's first open platform for developers to release Android TV-apps 2011-05-27 11:41 The Swedish premium maker of hand built televisions, People of Lava, have just launched version 2.0 of their TV Application Market for their Android-TV "Scandinavia" TV. The Application Market is hosted and run by SlideME – one of the world's largest Android Application Marketplace. People of Lava created quite stir worldwide one year ago when they launched Scandinavia - the world's first Android-TV – for the first time enabling users to surf the internet freely, use great Apps like Facebook, Youtube, and Google Maps – and download additional Apps from the first Application Market – all from within the TV. "The future of TV-applications is here, and we're making it fast, open and available – for both users and developers" says Mathias Adolfsson, CTO of People of Lava, and continues, "Who knows what the next killer-app will be? Our platform enables any developer with a great App to reach a whole new TV-market, and monetize on it too." Developers who wish to create Apps for the new TV platform are welcome to visit http://www.developer.peopleoflava.com. "Communication and entertainment is a three-window scenario" says Mathias Adolfsson, "People will view their portable device while out and about, and maybe a mid-sized device as they move about the house. But the real screen will always be the television – that's where we meet to see show and share." Scandinavia is now available in Sweden and around the world through the People of Lava authorized distribution network, from Hong Kong to Italy, Norway to Russia and many other countries. The Royal Sweden are hand built in sizes 42", 47" and 55" and consumer prices start at €2500. With the vision of a "Window to the world", the Swedish home electronics manufacturer People of Lava aims to make products that add to the joy and ease of everyday life, and opens new views. Today, People of Lava are world leaders in combining the TV-experience with the connected/interactive experience, being the first in the world to launch an Android-TV in April, 2010. People of Lava are also the world leaders in motorized/remote controlled accessories, such as remote controlled wall mounts, table stands, floor stands and TV-lifts - with their "mMotion"-series of products. For more information, pictures, and an invitation to marvel at the Scandinavia, please contact Martin Ljunggren, Chief Marketing Officer at People of Lava, phone : +46-70-745 28 07, martin.ljunggren@peopleoflava.com

Arduino, magnet wire, and Android combine to create poor man's NFC (video) Posted: 27 May 2011 03:04 PM PDT Jealous of your Nexus S-owning friends and their fancy NFC chips after yesterday's Google Wallet announcement? Well tech tinkerer Joe Desbonnet has whipped up what he dubs "poor man's NFC" using an Arduino, some magnet wire, and any compass-equipped Android smartphone (which is almost all of them). By placing a coil of wire on the phone and connecting it to the DIYer's favorite microcontroller, Desbonnet was able to send data, albeit very slowly, to his HTC Desire running a special app to decode the signals. Granted, you're probably not going to see American Eagle mod their point of sale systems to talk to your phone's magnetometer, but it's still a neat trick. In fact, we'd break out our Arduino right now to give it a try, but our secret lair is strangely devoid of enameled copper wire. Check out the source link for instructions, and don't miss the video after the break.

Engadget Investigates: Samsung Nexus S 4G WiMAX performance issues Posted: 27 May 2011 02:00 PM PDT In Engadget Investigates, we explore major issues, working with tech manufacturers and service providers to improve your experience with the gadgets we've all come to depend on. If you'd like us to look into an issue, please send us a tip, including "Investigate" in the subject line. Samsung's highly-anticipated Nexus S 4G joined the WiMAX family this month, pairing Google's popular Nexus handset with Sprint's 4G network. But with the honeymoon over, customers have noticed that the Gingerbread device isn't living up to Sprint's former flagship mates, such as the Epic 4G, with last year's model besting the new guy on both speed and network reception tests. Customers also noticed issues with battery life, though so far we've found it to be consistent with other WiMAX smartphones. We took both out for a stroll around New York City, and on a quick weekend getaway to Miami Beach, and we're sorry to report that we've confirmed your fears about performance. Sprint and Google have confirmed that they're looking into the performance issues, and we hope they can patch things up with some over-the-air update therapy, but in the meantime, jump past the break to see what we found. Poor Reception Most people don't have multiple WiMAX devices sitting around for speed test comparisons, so it's no surprise that the biggest complaint we've seen relates to poor signal reception, rather than data speed specifically. Forum posters (both on Sprint Community and the Google Mobile Help Forum) reported excellent reception at home but poor or no reception at work, even when colleagues with other Sprint devices were able to make and receive calls in the same office. In New York City, we didn't have any issues making and receiving phone calls, or accessing data in any of our test locations, but we did notice signal strength discrepancies between the Nexus S 4G and Epic 4G. By the window in our office, for example, the Nexus S 4G registered a signal strength of -86 decibel milliwatts (dBm), and two signal bars (out of four), while the Epic 4G registered -65 dBm, and six signal bars (out of six), so there is definitely a discrepancy. We even tried removing the Nexus back plate, just in case the built-in NFC antenna was interfering with reception, but signal strength remained at -86 dBm. We also tried testing in Miami, but were unable to connect to 4G from our hotel in Miami Beach, and weren't able to pick up a consistent signal in downtown Miami, where coverage maps indicate a healthy blanket of WiMAX. Because both phones suffered from poor reception, we can't isolate this specific connectivity issue to the Nexus S 4G. Speed Comparison We conducted 20 consecutive speed tests with both smartphones in each of five different locations -- four 4G tests in New York City, and one 3G test in Miami, as 4G wasn't consistently available. When we averaged the results, the Epic 4G outperformed the Nexus S 4G on every download speed test, even doubling transfer speeds in some cases. Upload speeds between the two devices were generally identical, with the exception of the test from the center of our NYC office. At this location, the Epic 4G offered a 72 percent boost on upload speeds. We tested a different Nexus S 4G handset in San Francisco, comparing results with a WiMAX MiFi, since we didn't have another WiMAX phone on hand. Both devices yielded comparable results in that city, which brings us to conclude either that only some Nexus devices are defective, or that all are defective, but function normally with select WiMAX transmitters. NYC Window Speed Test We noticed the greatest difference in download speeds when testing near a window on the fourth floor of our NYC office. When alternating between devices for 20 consecutive tests, the Nexus S averaged 2,719kbps, while the Epic 4G's average download speed was 120 percent faster, clocking in at 5,994kbps. Upload speeds were consistent between the two devices, with the Nexus S averaging 990kbps and the Epic 4G delivering 1,001kbps. NYC Office Speed Test Moving to a desk in the center of the office, about 100 feet from the nearest window, the Nexus S averaged 3,049kbps down, compared to 4,699kbps with the Epic -- a 54 percent boost. Upload speeds were significantly lower here than by the window, with the Nexus S averaging just 266kbps, compared to 459kbps on the Epic 4G -- a difference of 72 percent. NYC Park Speed Test Naturally, both phones offered the best performance outside, with the Nexus S averaging 4,248kbps down in Union Square Park, compared to 6,178kbps with the Epic 4G -- a difference of 45 percent. Upload speeds were nearly identical, as they were near the window: the Nexus S averaged 979kbps, while the Epic averaged 993kbps. NYC Roof Speed Test We also tested both phones from a residential rooftop two blocks from the World Trade Center, where we generally experience excellent signal reception. Again, the Epic bested the Nexus by 43 percent, averaging 4,496kbps to the Nexus's 3,146kbps. Upload speeds were consistent -- 976kbps on the Epic and 917 on the Nexus. Miami 3G Speed Test You don't have to travel far from New York to find another WiMAX city, but Miami's coverage map looked just as promising as the weather forecast, so both phones came along for a weekend trip to the Sunshine State. We were disappointed to find that Sprint's coverage map doesn't match WiMAX availability, however, and left without capturing a single usable 4G speed test result. 3G access was also hard to come by in parts of Miami Beach, but we didn't have trouble locking on to a signal in downtown Miami. Even on 3G, the Epic 4G offered epically superior performance, averaging 1,121kbps down -- a 92 percent boost over the Nexus's 584kbps average download speed. The Epic performed marginally better than the Nexus on the upload test, scoring 428kbps and 388kbps, respectively. Wrap-Up With the Epic 4G besting the Nexus S 4G on all five of our speed tests, it's easy to conclude that the newer device suffers from some significant network performance issues. We reached out to Sprint when we first looked into the problem early last week, and the carrier and Google have both confirmed that they're investigating the problem. A Sprint representative added: "Nexus S 4G is one of our best selling devices. Most of these customers are very happy with their experience with the device. We are aware of the connectivity reports being brought forward by a small number of Nexus 4G customers. Google, Sprint and Samsung are examining these reports and though we have not yet been able to identify any specific causes, we are working to determine exactly what our customers are experiencing." That said, the Nexus S 4G's speeds are still commendable for a WiMAX device, falling within the carrier's range of advertised performance (3 to 6Mbps). But if having the best-performing smartphone is a priority, then you'll clearly want to give Sprint and Samsung some room to work out the kinks before locking yourself into a two-year contract with the Nexus S 4G. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Google Maps 5.5 for Android cops more Latitude, tweaks Places and transit pages Posted: 27 May 2011 01:39 PM PDT Last month we asked for a "funny pages" display in Google's next release of Maps that shows a thick dotted line depicting where we've traveled, but it appears the folks at El Goog had a different agenda in mind for version 5.5. This time around, we see a few redesigns as well as some streamlined Latitude features. First, check-ins and ratings have now been added to the Places page, giving you one extra point of access; you also now have the option of changing your home or work address within your Latitude Location History, in case you ever move or just like to roam from place to place. Last but not least, Google Maps 5.5 for Android also offers reorganized transit station pages that now list off upcoming departures, transit lines serving that particular station, and links to other stops nearby. Though not a substantial upgrade from previous versions, it's still impressive that Google pushed it out less than a month after 5.4. The new update is available as a free download in the Android Market.

Engadget Podcast 241 - 05.27.2011 Posted: 27 May 2011 12:59 PM PDT It's all about doing new stuff, right? This week, we're doing a lot of new stuff: paying for soda pop with our cell phones, reading books on E Ink displays, and waiting for Duke Nukem Forever. OK, well maybe none of those things are actually new, but we're doing them in new ways this week, kind of. Listen to the podcast, is all we're saying. Host: Tim Stevens Guests: Brian Heater Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: 10yr - Regulate 02:30 - Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video) 03:52 - Barnes & Noble announces new touch-enabled Nook for $139 (video) 13:43 - Barnes & Noble selling Nooks for $99 on eBay 18:03 - Live from Microsoft's Windows Phone VIP preview event! 22:00 - Windows Phone 'Mango' search offers location-specific results, app integration (video) 29:36 - Windows Phone Mango and Bing Vision hands-on 32:05 - Live from the Google Wallet press event! 33:50 - Google Wallet mobile payment service, Google Offers announced 35:16 - Google Wallet vending on Nexus S hands-on 43:21 - Droid Incredible 2 review 48:53 - Spotify and Facebook partner up, send Europe a friend request? 50:55 - Sony makes good, doles out identity protection activation codes for PSN and Qriocity users 51:28 - TweetDeck and Twitter, together at last 54:00 - Duke Nukem Forever goes gold, will meet promised June deadline (really!) Hear the podcast Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast Send your questions to @tim_stevens. Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005) E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot com Twitter: @tim_stevens @bheater This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Hurt Locker lawsuit targets a record-breaking 24,583 IP addresses Posted: 27 May 2011 12:11 PM PDT It's been almost a year since the producers of The Hurt Locker filed a lawsuit against 5,000 alleged pirates suspected of distributing the film via BitTorrent. Now Voltage Pictures has updated its complaint, adding almost 20,000 IP addresses to the list of defendants. That makes it the largest file-sharing lawsuit of all time -- a crown previously held by the company behind The Expendables, according to Wired. The plaintiff has already reached agreements with Charter and Verizon to identify individual users, but no such deal with Comcast, who owns nearly half the supposedly infringing addresses. Linking those addresses with user accounts would let Voltage manage individual settlements -- probably somewhere between $1,000-$2,000 -- rather than continue legal action. All of this eerily echoes the Oscar-winning film's plot, about an adrenaline junkie who couldn't resist downloading just one more movie. Or defusing one more bomb. We're a little fuzzy on the details, but venture into TorrentFreak to scan for familiar IP addresses.

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