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Engadget News |
- AT&T Google Nexus S on sale today, exclusive to Best Buy
- Apple initiates replacement program for 'small number' of iMacs with 1TB Seagate HDDs
- Habey USA's 12-inch panel PC brings that rugged look to your home
- 142 electric vehicle charging stations head to Massachusetts, Nantucket and MV not included
- T-Mobile looks to go back-to-back, offers Angels fans tablet rentals
- BOSS's Micro BR-80 digital multitrack and field recorder fits the band and studio in your hand
- Wall-E meets his Canadian DJ maker, turns into a real robot toy (video)
- Samsung SPH-M930 to give Boost Mobile a keyboard-packing Charge?
- Personal Audio sues Apple again, targets iPhone 4, iPad 2 and newer iPods
- Curiosity rover to land in Mars's Gale Crater to look for life, finally answer Bowie's nagging questions
- Ask Engadget: best USB 3.0 hub on the market?
- Apple Store coming to Grand Central Terminal, travel disruptions guaranteed for next iPhone launch
- CD-shaped mouse is perfect for our physical media-free future
- MSI tablet moseys on through the FCC, exposes its inner secrets
- Gerber Steady multi-tool includes tripod, puts Bear Grylls and Ken Rockwell on common ground
- Mac OS X Lion: what's broken (or working) for you?
- Giant body of water found in space, black hole claims it was just hydrating
- Google acquires PittPatt, wants to know you on a face-to-face basis
- Google Music Manager dusts off tuxedo, makes Linux debut
- Pix-Star FotoConnect HD is a 10-inch digiframe ripe for regifting
- BlackBerry Bold 9790 Bellagio offers unsanctioned tutorial (video)
- LG promises 55-inch OLED TV in 2012, just in time for the next b'ak'tun
- Guitar Hero to be resurrected, retooled, and launch reunion tour
- Purported shot of Nikon's mirrorless mount surfaces, camera remains shy
- Charlie Miller finds MacBook battery security hole, plans to fill with Caulkgun
- Google celebrates Alexander Calder and spinning things with HTML5 doodle
- Atrix gets Gingerbread update, sideloading support, new outlook on life
- Samsung studies 3D viewing discomfort, finds out bloggers don't read
- Apple expands iOS and Mac App Store into 33 new territories, Tuvalu strangely absent
- Panasonic Raboo UT-PB1 e-reader gets official, acts more like a tablet
- Toshiba Thrive review
- Engadget Podcast 249 - 07.22.2011
- iOS 5 beta 4 released, we start the next jailbreak timer (update: time's up!)
- 20th Century Fox to offer digital downloads for Android devices, Blu-ray purchase required
- Trapster 3.0 helps you avoid speed traps, encourages safety first
- LG Thrill 4G up for pre-order today at Radio Shack, ahead of August 7th launch?
- Comscore: Android's UK market share explodes as Apple overtakes Symbian
- Did Google's Photovine sprout from Piictu?
- T-Mobile hawks Micro SIMs for 'free', hopes your iPhone likes EDGE data
| AT&T Google Nexus S on sale today, exclusive to Best Buy Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:56 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple initiates replacement program for 'small number' of iMacs with 1TB Seagate HDDs Posted: 24 Jul 2011 09:48 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Habey USA's 12-inch panel PC brings that rugged look to your home Posted: 24 Jul 2011 08:19 AM PDT  HABEY USA, a leading manufacturer of embedded computer and digital signage media products, today announces its new 12" Touchscreen Intel Dual Core Atom Nvidia ION Panel PC. Features include: 16:9 widescreen 12" touchscreen, HDMI+VGA, 1 Serial Port, 2 mini-PCIe, 4 USBs, 1 eSATA, 1 LAN, 1.3 megapixel camera, and a 100x100 vesa mounting holes for easy installation. Equipped with the efficient Dual Core 1.8GHz Atom and Nvidia ION GT218 graphics card with dedicated 512MB video memory, the PPC-6512 displays full screen blu-ray videos while consuming less than 30W. The 12" widescreen (16:9) carries a 1.3 megapixel camera located on top of the monitor and its slim design with vesa mounts allow for flexible installation in space constraint environments. This green touchscreen Panel PC carries a 2.5" removable hard drive bay fastened by metallic thumb screws for easy removal and can output dual independent displays via VGA and HDMI with max resolution of up to 2560x1600. Providing high I/O flexibility, the bottom panel includes 4 USBs, 1 eSATA, 1 LAN, S/PDIF HD digital audio, and dual internal mini-PCI Express slots for internal wireless, TV tuner, 3G modules, etc. Unique for its serial connector on the bottom panel, the PPC-6512 allows for home automation control and automatic control of peripheral devices suitable for applications from home theaters to digital signage. The PPC-6512 supports Windows XP/7/Embedded/POS and Linux operating systems and can be further customized for OEM orders. Picture, links and datasheet link: http://www.habeyusa.com/EDM/7-22-2011_Habey_PPC-6512_EPR.html Product Datasheet: http://www.habeyusa.com/datasheet/PPC-6512.pdf Expiration Yr. 3-5 years Available at the following online retailers: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005E137E6 Features Intel Atom Dual Core D525 1.8GHz Nvidia ION2 GT218 Graphics w/ 512MB dedicated memory 2 DDR3 SODIMM slots Steel Encased Touchscreen Panel PC 1.3 megapixel webcam 2 mini-PCIe slots (support half and full mini-PCIe cards) HDMI+VGA video output, Dual Independent Display 1 Serial Ports 4 USBs, 1 eSATA, 1 LAN, S/PDIF 2.5" Removable Hard Drive Tray Supports Windows Home/Pro/Embedded & Linux O/S Specifications: Processor: Intel Atom D525 (1.80GHz, dual-core, 800 MHz FSB) Chipset: Intel NM10 Express Chipset Memory: 2x DDR3 SODIMM slots, support up to 4GB Graphics (GPU): Nvidia ION2 GT218 Graphics w/ 512MB dedicated memory Display: VGA+HDMI, Dual Independent Display Storage: 2x 2.5" internal SATA II ports, 1 2.5" SATA removable Hard Drive Tray (thumb screws) USB: 4x Rear/ 2x Internal USB2.0 COM: 1 x COM/RS-232 VGA: 1 x DB15, Display up to 2048x1536 HDMI: 1x HDMI, Display up to 2560x1600 Audio: HD Audio 5.1 Channel, Digital Audio HDMI, 1x SPDIF, 1x Mic-in, 1x Line-out interface Expansion: 2x mini-PCIe slots LAN: Realtek RTL8111D, 10/100/1000Mbps, 1x RJ45 Wireless: Optional via mini-PCIe/USB, not included Power Switch: On/Off button Power Supply: DC +12V, BIOS feature: Power upon AC loss Cooling System: Low-profile heat-sink with Fan OS Support: Windows Embedded XP/7, Windows XP/Vista/7 pro or home, Linux O/S Mechanical & Environmental Operation Temperature: -10 ºC - 50 ºC (14ºF - 122 ºF) Storage Temperature: -40 ºC - 60 ºC (-40ºF - 140 ºF) Relative Humidity: 5%~95%, 40ºC, non-condensing Vibration: 0.5g rms/5~500Hz/ random operation EMC: -- Dimension: 343mm x 235mm x 51mm (13.5" x 9.25" x 2") Net weight: 7.3 lbs Materials: Aluminum + Steel Coating Processes: Aluminum Oxidation Mounting: 100x100 vesa mounts, Wall mount and Panel mount available on OEM order Color: Black/Silver, custom color available on OEM order | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 142 electric vehicle charging stations head to Massachusetts, Nantucket and MV not included Posted: 24 Jul 2011 07:28 AM PDT  Things are lookin' up in New England -- particularly for those who crisscross Yawkey Way with an electric vehicle. A grand total of 142 EV charging stations are slated to hit The Bay State in the coming months, with 25 communities across the commonwealth to get gifted. Boston reports that the majority of 'em will be in "common commuter or traveler spots," places like downtown parking garages, MBTA lots, shopping malls, etc. The bulk of the boxes will be part of the ChargePoint network, and we're told that the rates for recharging will be set by "municipalities on public land and by property owners on private land," depending on where each box is planted. So, is the charging station rollout between NY and MA the new Yankees vs. Red Sox? Nah, but a techie can dream. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile looks to go back-to-back, offers Angels fans tablet rentals Posted: 24 Jul 2011 05:58 AM PDT  T-Mobile Teams Up With Los Angeles Angels Offering Fans Unique Tablet Rental Program Fan experience enhanced with customized content, game-day program, and access to America's Largest 4G Network™ ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that the company has partnered with the Los Angeles Angels to provide fans with a unique tablet rental program, giving fans customized content designed to enhance their experience while watching their favorite team at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. "T-Mobile's Android tablets, combined with America's Largest 4G Network™, give Angels fans customized content for an affordable price when they rent a tablet during Angels games," said Darrin Silveria, vice president general manager, Southern California, T-Mobile USA. "We're always excited to bring T-Mobile customers unique offerings that they can't find elsewhere, and that's exactly what we're doing for Angels fans who rent a tablet." T-Mobile began partnering with the Angels near the beginning of the season, and has been fine tuning the company's network inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim, running a beta program with fans providing feedback on their experience, and building partnerships with content providers, including Zinio and MobiTV, the provider of T-Mobile TV. "There's no question that baseball fans love stats, replays, MLB news and more," said Angels chairman Dennis Kuhl. "We wanted to enhance the fan experience while viewing home games, and we're excited to bring this partnership with T-Mobile to life. We see lots of possibilities and are really just at the beginning of this new offering for our fans." Fans who rent either a T-Mobile G-Slate™ or Samsung Galaxy Tab™ for $10 get the following unprecedented value: - Free game-day program, optimized for viewing on the tablet - an instant $3 added value. - Free content from Zinio magazine app, with the ability to read from a sampling of magazines during the game, including ESPN and many other popular magazines, drawing from Zinio's library of more than 4,500 magazine titles. - Free T-Mobile TV (on the T-Mobile G-Slate only), providing content from popular TV shows. All regular free content, plus the "Select" package, regularly $4.99, is available as part of the game-day tablet rental. - Access to T-Mobile's blazing-fast network, powering fast video chat sessions with friends and family at home, and blazing downloads of rich media content. "This is the kind of unique combination of hardware, fast mobile network speeds and rich content that has the potential to be transformative, not only for Angels fans, but for fans of all sports," said Jeanniey Mullen, global executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Zinio. "We see great possibilities for the future and are looking forward to bringing even more unique offerings to Angels fans as we develop our partnership with T-Mobile over time." Angels fans can choose to rent either a Samsung Galaxy Tab or the 4G T-Mobile G-Slate. Rentals come equipped with a "quick start" guide and a simplified content experience as a result of T-Mobile's partnership with Zinio and MobiTV. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOSS's Micro BR-80 digital multitrack and field recorder fits the band and studio in your hand Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:35 AM PDT  Who needs a recording studio -- or even a full band -- for that next demo? Grab your guitar, BOSS' latest portable Micro BR digital recorder and a fistful of ego for a do-it-yourself session that only a mother could love. The BR-80 lets you record two tracks at once and offers eight tracks of playback along with 64 virtual tracks to mix and master any epics you're dreaming up. For hookup, it's packing aux and 1/4-inch inputs, a headphone out, and even a USB port to interface with a computer. You can also record using its onboard stereo field mics if you lose your cables at a gig. Inside, it's packing four and six-string COSM effects, DNA from its VE-20 to spice up your vocals, and eBand options. There's support for WAV and MP3 formats, but better yet, SD cards up to 32GB giving you a whopping 550 hours of recording time to lay those burnin' licks down. It's currently available and shipping for about 300 bones -- eRoadies not included. Full PR after the break. BOSS SHIPS MICRO BR BR-80 DIGITAL RECORDER Los Angeles, CA, July 21, 2011 - BOSS is now shipping the MICRO BR BR-80 Digital Recorder, an updated and improved version of its popular MICRO BR multitrack recorder. The first MICRO BR, launched in 2006, was a big hit among musicians, offering pro-quality multitracking in a handheld device only slightly larger than an iPod™. With an eight-track upgrade, the latest BOSS guitar and vocal effects, built-in rhythms, onboard stereo mics, fun jamming and practice features directly inherited from BOSS' eBand® JS-8, and a Live Record mode that instantly turns the BR-80 into a stereo handheld field recorder, the BR-80 is sure to become an indispensable companion for guitarists, songwriters, and musicians everywhere. The newest MICRO BR is small enough to fit in a pocket, but packs a host of features for pro-level music production. To start, it offers two tracks of simultaneous WAV-format recording, eight tracks of playback, and 64 virtual tracks for advanced editing and mixdown. High-quality stereo condenser mics are built in for up to 550 hours of recording time (with optional 32 GB SDHC card) for quickly capturing song ideas and rehearsals. Also included are dedicated inputs for connecting a guitar, a microphone, or any stereo line-level device. With a next-generation processor at its core, the BR-80 delivers incredible effects processing with uncompromised sound quality. Onboard are world-class COSM® guitar and bass effects, dedicated vocal effects derived from the VE-20 Vocal Performer, and a powerful suite of mastering effects. As with all BR-series recorders, effects are easy to dial in, letting users capture pro sounds with little effort. Under the hood, power users can tweak the effects in detail via an extensive set of adjustable parameters. To aid in songwriting, the BR-80 has a full complement of backing rhythm tracks in a large variety of musical styles. The rhythms feature top-quality drum and percussion sounds and are organized into patterns designed for use in different song sections. The newest MICRO BR also offers an extensive set of features for music practice and jamming. eBand mode provides a huge library of backing tracks and rhythm patterns to play along with, and users can import their own WAV or MP3 songs. Variable speed playback, variable pitch, and A-B Repeat features enable players to learn riffs and practice songs in different keys and tempos. In addition, the Center Cancel function allows users to minimize the sound of guitar solos and vocals in pre-recorded tracks. A USB port lets musicians use the BR-80 as an audio interface with effects for computer-based recording, and also to import and export WAV and MP3 audio tracks. Powerful software is bundled with the BR-80, including Cakewalk's SONAR X1 LE, the eBand Song List Editor, BR Wave Converter and Rhythm Editor. The BR-80 is available now with a suggested retail price of $299. For more information, please visit: http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=1167 --------- About BOSS BOSS, a division of Roland Corporation, has achieved legendary status among guitarists by offering a diverse, world-leading product lineup that includes compact effects processors, multi-effects processors, digital recorders, rhythm machines, metronomes, tuners, and more. For more information, visit www.BossUS.com. For high-resolution images of this product, please visit: www.RolandUS.com/Media. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wall-E meets his Canadian DJ maker, turns into a real robot toy (video) Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:31 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung SPH-M930 to give Boost Mobile a keyboard-packing Charge? Posted: 24 Jul 2011 12:18 AM PDT  Like Android, QWERTY keyboards, and paying as you go? Boy, have we got the handset for you. This is the Samsung SPH-M930, a Droid Charge-looking slider reportedly destined for the pre-paid world of Boost Mobile. The Gingerbread handset is said to be rocking a 1GHz Qualcomm chip and is a mere FCC approval away from your thumbs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal Audio sues Apple again, targets iPhone 4, iPad 2 and newer iPods Posted: 23 Jul 2011 10:36 PM PDT  Thought the Personal Audio / Apple brouhaha was over? Think again, because everyone's favorite patent licensing company is back, hitting Cupertino with another suit. You'll recall an earlier ruling by a federal jury in Eastern Texas found the CE maker guilty of infringing upon PA's playlist-related IP with an assortment of older iPods. This new filing alleges that newer Apple devices, like the iPhone 4, iPad 2 and modern day iPods -- which weren't part of the original 2009 case -- also violate that same IP, in a move we'd surmise serves to pad Personal Audio's coffers. Not like Apple's apt to feel the pinch should Personal Audio snag another victory, but hey.... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 23 Jul 2011 08:59 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ask Engadget: best USB 3.0 hub on the market? Posted: 23 Jul 2011 07:29 PM PDT  A timely question, indeed. We too have seen USB 3.0 hubs act awfully finicky -- particularly when mixing USB 3.0 and 2.0 HDDs -- so we'd love to hear what one(s) are working out for folks. Shout it out in comments below! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple Store coming to Grand Central Terminal, travel disruptions guaranteed for next iPhone launch Posted: 23 Jul 2011 06:02 PM PDT  It's one thing for Fifth Ave. to get clogged up each time a new iPhone or iPad gets released, but Grand Central Terminal? Avid NYC commuters best plan their vacation days accordingly, as one of the city's biggest transit hubs is about to get a heck of a lot more busy -- and not because White Plains is the new Southampton. The New York Post is reporting that Apple and the MTA have agreed on a decade-long deal that'll see a 23,000-square foot Apple Store take the place of Charlie Palmer's Metrazur restaurant, with Cupertino's rent to be set at $800,000 per year (rising to $1 million after ten years pass). For those curious, that's around $500,000 more than the eatery before it, and Apple's responsible for refurbishing the space. That cacophony of voices you hear? Touristy cheers drowning out local jeers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CD-shaped mouse is perfect for our physical media-free future Posted: 23 Jul 2011 04:15 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MSI tablet moseys on through the FCC, exposes its inner secrets Posted: 23 Jul 2011 01:56 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gerber Steady multi-tool includes tripod, puts Bear Grylls and Ken Rockwell on common ground Posted: 23 Jul 2011 12:24 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mac OS X Lion: what's broken (or working) for you? Posted: 23 Jul 2011 10:28 AM PDT  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Giant body of water found in space, black hole claims it was just hydrating Posted: 23 Jul 2011 09:37 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google acquires PittPatt, wants to know you on a face-to-face basis Posted: 23 Jul 2011 08:51 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Music Manager dusts off tuxedo, makes Linux debut Posted: 23 Jul 2011 07:42 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pix-Star FotoConnect HD is a 10-inch digiframe ripe for regifting Posted: 23 Jul 2011 06:15 AM PDT  Facebook, Smugmug, Shutterfly, Flickr, and MobileMe amongst others, and show off images sent straight to a special e-mail address. It may seem like every other digiframe, but it does have one unique feature -- support for UPnP and DLNA. That means any pictures stored on your home network can easily be beamed to it as well. If you want to be the original gifter, instead of the regifter, you can pick one up now for $189 at Pix-Star.com and Amazon. You'll find the full PR and an additional pic after the break.  Award-winning Pix-Star Introduces Larger 10.4-inch Connected Digital Picture Frame with Wi-Fi, Email and UPnP Support, Ideal for Photo Sharing PARIS, July 22, 2011 -- Pix-Star, which pioneered the concept of "the frame with an email address," recently introduced its newest connected digital picture frame. The Pix-Star FotoConnect HD (PXT510WR02) is the latest addition to the Pix-Star FotoConnect line of products. It features a large high-resolution 10.4-inch LED LCD ratio 4:3 screen. "Our FotoConnect HD proves that bigger is better," said Herve Robin, CEO of Spheris Digital Ltd, which owns Pix-Star, winner of LAPTOP Magazine's award for best web frame in 2009. "It offers all the bells and whistles but is still incredibly user-friendly." This new model features an 800x600 resolution 10.4-inch screen with a 4:3 ratio display, perfectly suited for digital camera photos. What this means for consumers is that not only are images bigger but they are also crisper and brighter to reflect more natural colors. The FotoConnect HD, priced at $189, offers more features for the same competitive price as other products on the market. The new digital frame uses Wi-Fi to access the Internet and has an email address -- and therefore requires no computer to send and receive photo-mails directly from the frame. Anyone who knows the frame's email address can send pictures directly to the frame via computer or from another Pix-Star frame. Mobile phone users may also send photos to the frame -- a convenient solution for business travelers or vacationers. Moreover, free email address hosting is included with absolutely NO monthly fee; users can choose this option when registering the frame. Pix-Star is also the only Wi-Fi frame with a built-in email filter and spam blocker to protect users from unsolicited pictures. In addition, Pix-Star offers comprehensive support for photos stored inside online albums, with access to more than 20 providers directly from the frame, including Picasa, Facebook, Smugmug, Shutterfly, FlickR, MobileMe and more. Another major innovation with the FotoConnect HD is the full support for UPnP-DLNA, making it the first digital photo frame to offer this feature. Users who want to display photos from a Mac, PC or compatible NAS server (UPnP) can do so with no image transfer involved. Users simply activate photo streaming through the Pix-Star menu, browse the available computers on the local network and immediately display the photos stored inside. More important, this product, like all other Pix-Star photo frames, has been specially designed for technically savvy users as well as the layperson. Grandma and Grandpa will find it extremely easy-to-use, while other family members can help them through a dedicated account at http://www.pix-star.com, from which the frame can be remotely controlled. "It will be hard for anyone to top this model," said Robin. "Our name says it all. Pix-Star is proud to be the 'star' in the digital frame market." The Pix-Star website (http://www.pix-star.com/) features more than a dozen demonstration videos explaining various aspects of its products and its website. Videos include a product overview and tutorials on features such as receiving Photo-mail and accessing web albums. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BlackBerry Bold 9790 Bellagio offers unsanctioned tutorial (video) Posted: 23 Jul 2011 03:26 AM PDT Well BlackBerry fans, yet another variation of the Bold is now making the rounds on the internet: it's the 9790, otherwise known as the Bellagio. Although the device was first leaked in late May -- where we learned it would feature BlackBerry 7 OS, 8GB of internal memory, a touchscreen, and NFC -- RIM's latest QWERTY companion has remained below the radar ever since. Now, it's reappeared in some official tutorials, which reveal a familiar user interface. Also, two other videos offer views of the handset's exterior profile and a quick peek beneath the battery cover. Why are Lazaridis and Balsillie prepping this for sale when the Bold 9900 has yet to reach consumers? All we need is one, and the similar hardware and specs aren't building a compelling argument. Sure, RIM said it would be releasing seven upcoming smartphones in the coming months, but haven't its leaders learned that less is more? Follow the source for an extended peek at the redundancy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG promises 55-inch OLED TV in 2012, just in time for the next b'ak'tun Posted: 23 Jul 2011 02:00 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guitar Hero to be resurrected, retooled, and launch reunion tour Posted: 23 Jul 2011 12:29 AM PDT  Stop mourning wannabe rock stars -- Guitar Hero is coming back. We heard the rumors of its demise were greatly exaggerated, but now word has come straight from Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick that the game is currently being reinvented for a modern, more demanding audience. As he told Forbes, "we're going to take the products out of the market, and we're not going to tell anybody what we're doing for awhile... we're going to use new studios and reinvent Guitar Hero. And so that's what we're doing with it now." So there you go -- Guitar Hero's retirement was only temporary. Like any good performer it'll be back before you've even had a chance to miss it. Looks like the franchise will keep rocking out well past its prime. What's the console equivalent of playing a state fair? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purported shot of Nikon's mirrorless mount surfaces, camera remains shy Posted: 22 Jul 2011 10:24 PM PDT  We've already heard plenty of talk about Nikon's forthcoming entry into the world of mirrorless cameras, and it looks like we now have our first real peek at the actual goods. Unfortunately, it's just a look at the mount, not the whole camera (said to be codenamed X810), but it does appear to be the real deal (and was apparently removed from the Chinese forum it surfaced on, Xitek, at Nikon's request). Details on the camera itself are otherwise still fairly light, but it certainly sounds like Nikon has some grand plans for it -- the company's previously boasted that it wants to create a whole new market. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charlie Miller finds MacBook battery security hole, plans to fill with Caulkgun Posted: 22 Jul 2011 08:59 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google celebrates Alexander Calder and spinning things with HTML5 doodle Posted: 22 Jul 2011 07:57 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Atrix gets Gingerbread update, sideloading support, new outlook on life Posted: 22 Jul 2011 06:58 PM PDT  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung studies 3D viewing discomfort, finds out bloggers don't read Posted: 22 Jul 2011 06:03 PM PDT  Scrolling down beyond the abstract reveals the prof's data actually indicated a wider comfort zone than 3D video producers commonly assumed with their percentage rule of thumb. It's a Friday night and you don't have to pick thumbing through dry descriptions of experiments over whatever your plans are, but that's why you have us. Shockingly, companies desperately hawking 3D tech are busy making it better instead of undermining their own products, but you'd have to actually read the study to find out for sure. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple expands iOS and Mac App Store into 33 new territories, Tuvalu strangely absent Posted: 22 Jul 2011 05:18 PM PDT 
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| Panasonic Raboo UT-PB1 e-reader gets official, acts more like a tablet Posted: 22 Jul 2011 04:29 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 22 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT  And in that regard, at least, this 10-inch tablet doesn't disappoint. It has full-sized USB and HDMI ports, an SD card slot, and a removable battery -- all features you'd sooner find on a laptop. It comes with a raft of practical apps already installed, so that you don't have to go hunting for them in Android Market. It's one of the first out of the gate with Android 3.1, an undeniably improved version of Honeycomb. Oh, and it starts at $429, undercutting many of its competitors. Right there, in less than a paragraph, we've laid out why you might want this over any of the other umpteen tabs crowding the market. But should you get one? Well, folks, we'll need more than a paragraph to tackle that. Join us after the break, won't you? HardwareIf the Thrive were a person, it'd be weeping on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry's right about now. Even before it went on sale earlier this month, it was fielding taunts for being something of a fatso. It's a shame, really, given that most of the bullies haven't seen it in person. That's not to say the Thrive is skinny -- at .62 inches thick it is, indeed, chunkier than other slates on the market. Why, that's nearly double the thickness of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, which measures 0.33 inches deep. And at 1.66 pounds, it's a touch heavier than the first-generation iPad, which has since gone on a diet. The thing is, it's not a big deal. In fact, you might even find it feels lighter than you'd expect. Now it's true, after getting some hands-on time with Sony's forthcoming S2 slate, we were reminded that the Thrive is heavier than most. Still, it doesn't feel as dense as the Motorola Xoom, even though the Xoom weighs a whole tenth of a pound less. All told, it's still light enough that we didn't think twice about tossing it in our tote bag and walking around with it all day. And when it comes to web surfing on your couch with it propped up against your leg -- a likely scenario with a WiFi only tablet -- the Thrive's plump derriere makes zero difference. If anything, we take issue with the Thrive's dimensions. At 10.97 x 6.97 inches, it's about as narrow as other 10-inchers such the Galaxy Tab 10.1, but longer. That doesn't make a difference in portrait mode, but it does make holding it in landscape that much more unwieldy.  Even after a week of testing, we had a hard time coming to terms with the Thrive's decidedly inelegant design. The back side is decked out in a rubberized finish that makes it look somewhat cheap (the flimsy port covers don't help). To its credit, though, that soft material makes it near-impossible for your fingers to slip off. The lid's textured pattern reminds us of Toshiba's netbooks, except the lines cross the back side at symmetrical diagonal angles. That lid, too, is removable, as is the battery -- something we'll touch on more in a bit. Although the Thrive comes in black, you can buy swappable, colorful covers in "Blue Moon, "Raspberry Fusion," "Lavender Bliss," "Silvery Sky," and "Green Apple" for $20 a pop. Unlike most tablets, which require you to hold them in landscape mode to take photos, the Thrive placed both cameras along one of the shorter edges, so that you can hold it comfortably in portrait mode while you shoot. As you can see, Toshiba framed them with a metal piece that drapes over the edge of the tablet. On the outward-facing side, you'll find some prominent "With Google" branding, along with the rear camera's 5 megapixel resolution, spelled out. When we previewed the Thrive last month, we noticed more than a few commenters say this metal flourish alone would be a deal-breaker. We disagree, though we think the branding is especially unfortunate-looking. It calls to mind something you'd pick up at a hardware store -- an odd, faux-industrial flourish for a tablet that otherwise feels like a toy.  Normally, we don't have much to say about ports when we review tablets, but in this case, they're the star of the show. Starting on the side with the cameras, you'll find a lock switch for the locking down the removable lid. Moving clockwise to the right side, there's a power button, volume rocker, and lever to lock the screen orientation, with the full-sized SDXC slot sitting at the other end. On the bottom of the tablet (this would be the edge opposite the cameras), there are open headphone and mic ports, along with a covered door behind which you'll find full-sized USB and HDMI ports and a mini-USB socket. Finally, on that last long edge you'll find a covered 30-pin docking connector flanked by small speakers. So, just to re-orient you, if you were holding the tablet in portrait mode with the cameras sitting up top, the docking connector would be on the left side. Given that we occasionally see USB ports on tablets, it's the combination of all these sockets and slots that's really bowling us over. The Thrive is reminiscent of a laptop in one other, more unfortunate way. It has three LED lights built into the bezel so that you can see white-and-orange sparkles when the battery is low, when Bluetooth is on, and, at the very least, when the power is on. Even on our laptops, we like our LED lights hidden, and we feel even more strongly about it with tablets, where we've just come to expect a cleaner design. Display and SoundThe 10.1-inch display crams in 1280 x 800 pixels, matching the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and other identically sized slates. Though it's plenty bright, the viewing angles aren't particularly wide. We had an easy time watching a movie with the tablet placed face-up on a table in front of us, and we were also able to make out the screen while watching from an off-center position. But as we moved further to the side and tried watching from more oblique angles, the contrast ratio started looking more severe. As a bonus, Toshiba threw in the same Resolution+ technology it uses to clean up and upscale video on its laptops, but you'll be hard-pressed to notice the difference on such a small display. If you like, you can disable this feature, though we didn't feel the need to. The small stereo speakers are loud, but never too loud. While watching a movie alone indoors with a noisy air conditioner whirring in the background, we kept the volume cranked to the max, and didn't really feel the need to turn it down. At some point during our testing, a friend joined us while we ran the benchmarks Nenamark 1 and 2 in the background. Ultimately, the sounds emanating from the tests were just loud enough to be distracting, but not so deafening that we couldn't carry on a conversation over them. Aside from volume, Toshiba also included software designed to enrich audio quality -- a feature that doesn't come enabled out of the box. Back when we previewed the Thrive, we said even with this enhancement, we could still detect some tinniness coming out of the small speakers. After a week of testing, we stand by that -- the sound quality doesn't stick out as terrible; it's just not extraordinary. Removable battery We must have looked pretty silly the first time we tried to remove the back cover. The thing is, it's much easier to pry the lid off a phone, when you can cradle it, and bear down on the back cover with your thumbs for leverage. Try doing that with a 10-inch tablet and see how far you get. After much fumbling, we figured out the best way to go about this is to first open the door covering all those full-sized ports. Then wedge your fingernail into the crack underneath that compartment, and pull the lid toward you until the whole thing falls away with a discomfiting snap. (Digging your fingers into the openings near the speakers also works.) Once we got past that learning curve, removing the lid was a cinch. Hopefully, we just spared some of you a bit of frustration. Battery life and power management
The Thrive has a 23Wh, 2,030 mAh battery that's rated for a max of eleven hours. Should you want to carry around a fresh one to swap in, Toshiba sells spares for $80 each. And depending on your lifestyle, you might want to think about getting one. Compared to other products, the Thrive's small battery craps out pretty quickly. It lasted six hours and twenty-five minutes in our test (movie looping, WiFi on, and Bluetooth off), trailing far behind the iPad 2's nearly ten-and-a-half-hour run and the 10.1's roughly ten-hour spin. Even tablets whose battery live we'd call mediocre largely manage to land somewhere in the seven to eight-hour range. That said, with lighter usage patterns we found we could get away with not charging it every night. After an hour of checking email, watching an HD YouTube trailer, tweaking the tablet's settings, glancing intermittently at Engadget and Google Calendar, and downloading three apps, we still had 87 percent charge left. We did notice that web surfing (including some Flash sites), drained the battery life faster than any of those other activities we mentioned earlier. After just ten minutes of browsing, our battery life rating fell five percent. On the bright side, the Thrive sips little power when it's sitting idle: after two hours and forty minutes, its battery life rating fell just two percent.  Nonetheless, the Thrive is far from perfect in the power management department. While testing it, we saw reports that the tablet doesn't always wake from sleep mode -- not unless you perform a cold boot, that is. At first, we said to ourselves, "Sweet! We must be one of the lucky ones." Not so fast. Soon after, we tried to wake up our sleeping tablet, but were left pressing the power / lock button in vain. This always happened after we recharged the Thrive using the bundled AC adapter; it hasn't been an issue when we've left it sitting around unplugged. As of this writing, Toshiba has at least acknowledged the issue and said it'll push out a fix through the Toshiba Service Station app that comes pre-loaded on the tablet. Alas, though, it's unclear when we can expect Toshiba to pull through. Suffice it to say, we see this not as an excuse to ignore the Thrive, but more of a reason to hold off on buying one right now. PerformanceLike so many other tablets on the market, the Thrive runs on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 SoC. A cold boot took about 20 seconds, matching the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, which packs the same 1GHz chip. Once we swiped through the lock screen, the tablet took less than two seconds to bring up Honeycomb. For the most part, the Thrive responded snappily to our taps and swipes, as well as multi-touch gestures like pinching and zooming. Occasionally, though, we noticed a slight pause when we pressed the home button to abruptly minimize applications. All told, we saw the biggest performance drops while browsing websites built on Flash -- an area where we've seen other Honeycomb tablets stumble. The New York restaurant Lattanzi, for instance, only displays four items on its menu at once, forcing you to press a "Next" button to see more. The Thrive struggled with that, leaving us jabbing blankly at the screen before our taps finally took. In another instance, we were perusing Uniqlo.com, and found that when we pulled up an item of clothing to get more details, scrolling suddenly became choppy. At least the Thrive loaded those Flash sites quickly, even if its performance suffered once we started poking around. In any case, we're more inclined to say that Google -- not Toshiba -- could still stand to enhance the Flash experience. On the bright side, typing on the stock Android keyboard felt consistently breezy, with few spelling errors to report after a week of testing. Really, the speed is limited only by your ability to peck out letters. Incidentally, the tablet is narrow enough that typing in portrait mode is easy, even if you do have dainty hands (like some of us). Incidentally, the tablet also comes with Swype installed, if you think dragging a line between letters would be a more ergonomic experience than tapping away with two fingers. Personally, we remain dubious -- after all, isn't the beauty of Swype that you can hold a device with one hand and use those same fingers to type? Still, it's nice that folks have the option of using it. If you're looking for some hard numbers, we ran the Android-compatible benchmarks Linpack, Quadrant, and Nenamark 1 and 2. As you can see, its Quadrant score of 1,584 matches the 1,546 the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 notched after an update to Android 3.1. But Quadrant, of course, is just one piece of the benchmarking puzzle, though we think it's meaningful that the two tablets share the same chip and also happen to be well-matched in real-world tests, such as cold boots. If you're a benchmark junkie, though, you'll find a handful of other scores in the handy chart below.
Cameras In the grand tradition of tablet cameras, the Thrive's 5 megapixel rear-facing one struggles in low light and in situations where your subject is moving. The Thrive does other tablets one worse, though, by casting a bluish tint over pictures. We also found grainy bits in many of our photos, even if we took them with ample lighting, and even when we viewed them in their shrunken, resized form. To boot, this isn't the smoothest picture-taking experience you'll get on a tablet. Remember how we said Toshiba stuck the cameras on one of the shorter edges, so that they'll be on top if you shoot in portrait mode? That's all well and good if you want to frame shots vertically, but if you start snapping pics in landscape, you might find that your mitts accidentally obscure the lens. Not exactly a problem we've had with other slates whose cameras sit on one of the two longer sides. In terms of unwanted tints, we had better luck with the 2 megapixel front-facing camera, though as you can imagine, the sharpness and level of detail aren't good enough for actual, you know, photography. But for video chatting the bright image quality should do just fine. The Thrive also records 720p video, though, any movies you make will be just as susceptible to that faint, blue overcast. You'll also see that motion in these videos isn't very smooth. The clips we shot with the HTC Flyer were much fluid, though to be fair, that camera presented an entirely different set of problems (read: roaring background noise). File storage and transfersFar be it for us to tell you how you should use that full-sized USB port and accompanying SD slot, but suffice to say it'll come in handy for moving files on and off the tablet. Happily, Toshiba made this almost foolproof by bundling its own file manager app dubbed -- wait for it -- Toshiba File Manager. Believe us when we say it's one of our favorite of the Thrive's features, and one of the clearest reasons you should consider this alongside the scads of other Android tablets on the market. Using the app's tabbed interface, decide if you want to poke around the tablet's 8GB to 32GB of internal memory, an SD card, or a USB hard drive. Once you do that, you'll see all the files displayed in a grid, as you would if you were trying to locate something in Windows Explorer or Finder in OS X. Selecting a file to copy, cut, paste, or delete is also idiot-proof. If you just want to work with one file, you can tap and hold it with your finger to see a list of options. Or, if you want to handle a batch of 'em, tap the "Select File" button at the bottom of the screen, at which point each file will be overlaid with an empty box that you can "check off" by tapping it with your finger. If you go that route, options like cut and paste won't pop up onscreen, but will rather appear as boxes in that lower pane. We just walked you through it but really, the app's intuitive enough that anyone can figure it out in about five seconds. As for speed, this is hardly the fastest drive you'll encounter, but it shouldn't keep you waiting too long either. Transferring a batch of photos totaling 951MB in size took about ten seconds. That's not exactly lightning-fast, but given how seldom we take the time to remove clumps of photos from our handset, we don't expect we'd do it that often with a tablet either. Even if you do so more often, you might agree that's fast enough for a $429 plaything. SoftwareRight off the bat, there are two reasons to get excited about the software on this thing. One, Toshiba didn't muck around with Honeycomb's standard UI, so if you're the kind of person who always chooses vanilla Android over, say, Sense, the Thrive will be a slate after your own heart. Secondly, this isn't just a Honeycomb tablet, but one of the first to ship with Android 3.1, the latest tablet-friendly version of Android that brings goodies like resizeable widgets, a new host mode, and Google's new Movies app. If you haven't yet handled a tablet running the OS, you'll find that those resizeable windows are a joy, and make the stock Gmail and calendar apps, among others, a whole lot more useful, even at a glance. The thing is, it's up to developers to bring their apps up to speed, so at this still-early stage you'll find plenty that don't resize. Still, even being able to enlarge the standard Google-made ones is helpful. Apps Oh, and we haven't even scratched the surface on third-party apps. First off, you can download 'em from "unknown sources" (read: places other than Android Market). And, Toshiba pre-installed a whole bunch of popular ones -- some of which are just too useful to be dismissed as bloatware. These include some you'd normally have to pay for, including LogMeIn Ignition ($29.99), Quickoffice ($24.99), and Kaspersky Tablet Security ($19.95 per year). The outfit also tossed in a handful of free favorites such as Angry Birds, and The New York Times. Missing, however, are any Facebook and Twitter clients. Some, meanwhile, do indeed smell like crapware. These mostly include a raft of games, which includes NES Shift, Backgammon, Euchre, Hearts, Spades, and Solitaire. Then there's Toshiba's bland Start Place for news headlines. We're happy never to open it again, and just stick with standalone apps from The New York Times and other favorites. The company also threw in its own e-reader app, dubbed Book Place. It's actually the second reader application that comes bundled on the Thrive, with the second being Google Books. We get what Toshiba is after -- giving low-tech folks like our parents enough apps so that they don't need to download anything or (heaven forbid) ask for help. But we're guessing most of you are a teensy bit more independent than that, and we think you'll enjoy a better selection if you just download Amazon or Barnes & Noble's apps, since they're backed by enormous libraries with lots of current, popular titles.. Perhaps our favorite app -- second only, perhaps, to File Manager -- is PrinterShare, an app that allows you to find nearby printers and print documents, photos, and webpages over WiFi. We fell in love as much with its ease of use as its utility. Just open the app, select an application from which you might want to print something, and then find a list of printable documents (or, in the case of the Gmail app, messages). We wish every tab came with something like this out of the box. In addition to all this, Toshiba threw in its own app store, though it's pretty useless. Although the categories are comprehensive, we counted a max of six apps per section (often, there was just one), and we noticed certain titles appeared in multiple sections -- say, Office and Productivity. Configurations and the competition Don't be scared off by that $579 price listed at the top of this review. That's just for the 32GB version, the highest-end that Toshiba has to offer. The Thrive actually starts at $429 for 8GB and is also offered in a 16GB flavor for $479. For now, it's a plain-Jane WiFi-only tablet, but Toshiba has said it plans to release a 3G version later this year. However you slice it, that's some aggressive pricing. Both the 16GB and 32GB versions undercut the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 by $20. We use these as comparisons because they're our two favorite tabs at the moment. The 10.1, in particular, has the exact same screen size, packs the same Tegra 2 chip, and is also one of the first tablets to ship with Android 3.1. Both are slim and sexy -- something the Thrive simply isn't. To weigh the Thrive against these is to evaluate your priorities: how much are you willing to pay for beauty? And if you had to choose, would you rather go for full-sized ports or a featherweight design? But let's not count out the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer. In a market full of lookalike slabs, the Transformer and the Thrive both try their darndest to be different. In the case of the Thrive, the full-sized ports are the hook. For the Transformer, it's the docking station replete with a full keyboard. It's an interesting comparison, because if you buy the Thrive, you might be keen on plugging in a USB keyboard. We have to say, we'd be pretty tempted to have a more integrated keyboard solution, especially while we're traveling. The problem is, convenience doesn't come cheap. At first glance, the Transformer is cheaper, since the 16GB and 32GB models cost just $399 and $499, respectively. But, if you want to, you know, transform it, you'll have to spring for a $150 dock, rendering any price-saving delusions moot. The point is, the idea of plugging a keyboard into the Thrive should still appeal to people who'd rather not invest that much money in the Transformer. Not to mention -- the Thrive's USB port is good for things other than keyboards, such as connecting external hard drives. For the purposes of this review, we're not going to go on a long tangent about our favorite 7-inch tablets, even though some, such as the Flyer, count among the better ones we've tested. We figure, if you've decided 7 inches offers the perfect compromise between portability and big-screen goodness, the Thrive simply isn't right for you. Wrap-up Inevitably, whenever a new tablet comes out, we find ourselves asking, "Why would you choose this over everything else?" And to be honest, in a marketplace with so many forgettable options it's not always an easy question to answer. In the case of the Thrive, at least, you've potentially got enough built-in reasons to count on both hands. It's got full-sized USB and HDMI ports, not to mention an SDXC slot allowing you to make good use of one of the memory cards you've no doubt accumulated over the years. It comes with lots of useful apps -- some of which cost money -- which means if you'll be up and running immediately (and so will any low-tech person you give this to as a gift). It runs Android 3.1 at a time when most tabs don't. Oh, and it's priced to sell. It starts at $429 for 8GB, making it stand out in a market that absolutely does not need another $500 or $600 slate. We say, get the 8GB version, pair it with an old SD card, and have yourself a party. That doesn't mean it's for everyone. Some of you decided when this thing came out that it was too fat, too ugly. We're sure some of you (no, not you) skipped this review and jumped straight to the comments to reiterate how oogly this thing is. And if that's a deal-breaker, we wouldn't blame you -- it's true, the Thrive does a better job making up for its heft than other tabs (we're looking at you, Touchpad). But why settle for a chunky tablet if you don't give a hoot about the USB port and SD card slot? It's a fair point, and we'd agree that anyone who buys this needs to be enamored with either the price or the port selection. And even then, this is best for people who want the USB socket for storage, in particular; after all, the excellent and ever-popular Eee Pad Transformer renders USB keyboards moot -- assuming you're down with spending $150 on a docking station, of course. All told, there are plenty of thinner, sexier, longer-lasting (and yes, pricier) tablets to be had, with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad 2 coming to mind first. Still, we suspect there are some folks out there who've been waiting for something just like this. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget Podcast 249 - 07.22.2011 Posted: 22 Jul 2011 02:30 PM PDT  Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater Guests: Dana Wollman Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Paradise City 02:44 - Apple Mac OS X Lion available now in the App Store 06:00 - Apple refreshes MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt, and backlit keyboards 08:35 - Apple OS X Lion (10.7) review 17:32 - The MacBook drops from Apple's Store (update: confirmed) 22:37 - Apple updates Mac mini: Core i5 and i7, Thunderbolt, AMD Radeon HD, no SuperDrive 22:55 - Apple rolls out 27-inch Thunderbolt Display with FaceTime HD camera, built-in speakers 23:45 - Apple's Q3 earnings exceed estimates: $28.57 billion revenue, $7.31 billion profit, 20 million iPhones sold 25:13 - Apple outpaces Nokia in global smartphone shipments 28:00 - Nokia Q2 2011: 'clearly disappointing' results as challenges prove 'greater than expected' 32:35 - Motorola Droid 3 review 37:35 - Sony Alpha NEX-C3 review 42:55 - iRiver Story HD review 49:51 - Space Shuttle Atlantis touches down in Florida, won't be going back up again 50:44 - Google 'winding down' Labs, likely due to meddling older sister 51:40 - Listener questions 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 @danawollman This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| iOS 5 beta 4 released, we start the next jailbreak timer (update: time's up!) Posted: 22 Jul 2011 02:06 PM PDT  Interestingly, this is the first version of iOS5 that is said to be able to be applied OTA -- though that particular option comes with the warning that all photos will be deleted should you give it a try. We're guessing that "feature" will not be present in the final release candidate, but we could be wrong. Would certainly make for a fun Easter egg... Update: We're actually having issues applying this on our many and myriad devices, and we're seeing others reporting the same. We'll keep trying, but let us know how you're getting on in comments. Update 2: Looks like we got it. We had to go back to 4.3.4 and then we were able to move up to beta 4. Maybe that'll work for you. Maybe you'll be still stuck in the doldrums of beta 3. Either way, you're still okay by our book. Update 3: Looks like the jailbreak is out in full force. Not too shabby, eh? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th Century Fox to offer digital downloads for Android devices, Blu-ray purchase required Posted: 22 Jul 2011 02:01 PM PDT  [Image credit via 20th Century Fox] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trapster 3.0 helps you avoid speed traps, encourages safety first Posted: 22 Jul 2011 01:23 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG Thrill 4G up for pre-order today at Radio Shack, ahead of August 7th launch? Posted: 22 Jul 2011 01:04 PM PDT  The LG Thrill 4G was announced at CTIA four months ago , but wasn't given its rightful time in the sun due to a much larger elephant in the room. Now the phone's launch is quickly approaching, however, and the AT&T-branded Optimus 3D is ready to get some glory. We were sent not one, but two separate emails this morning from Radio Shack insiders with a few details about the retail chain's rollout of the device. As it turns out, visitors to The Shack can be offered the opportunity to reserve a Thrill -- supposedly gearing up for an August 7th launch -- starting today with the purchase of a $50 gift card. According to the screenshots sent to us, the Thrill can be all yours for $80 with a two-year contract ($550 if you exhibit a fear of commitment). We're hesitant to declare August 7th the official launch date, since history has shown that resellers don't always get handsets at the same time as corporate outlets do. If you find any success reserving one today, however, we'll be [Thanks, Anonymous]  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comscore: Android's UK market share explodes as Apple overtakes Symbian Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:42 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did Google's Photovine sprout from Piictu? Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:26 PM PDT  "Plant a photo, watch it grow." Photovine's tagline is just as catchy as the concept behind its launch -- a mobile app-based picture sharing service that groups images together using common photo-driven themes. These groupings, called vines, let you connect with strangers while sharing photos of everyday items that you wouldn't otherwise have any interest in photographing. You can have a vine focused on Swingline staplers, or magazine covers, or bottle caps. But as clever as this concept may seem, it's difficult to ignore Piictu, which budded several months before the Google app. It's certainly not uncommon for duplicate services to sprout, all based on the same underlying concept. But Photovine doesn't stop there -- the app's design is also remarkably similar to Piictu, down to page layouts and even main category tabs. For Piictu's "Following" tab, Photovine has "Watching." Piictu's "Latest" section is matched with "Fresh," and Photovine didn't even bother searching for a synonym for "Popular," which you'll find in both apps. Jump past the break for a deeper look, along with statements from the makers of both apps. We reached out to both Google and Piictu to discuss the striking similarities between their apps. Piictu co-founder Jon Slimak said that he only recently discovered Photovine, and initially felt flattered. In fact, it sounds like he still does. He also doesn't have any plans to pursue the issue with Google, explaining "we're confident in our product, and we're not focused on any of this. We're just heads down and finishing next iterations and future iterations." Slimak pointed out that since February his designer has been posting progress on Dribbble, a public platform for creative types to share their latest projects. It's possible that the Google designers got a little... inspiration here. A Google spokesperson explained that the Photovine team has been working on its app for quite some time, saying "Photovine is a photo-sharing app built by a few folks at Slide, who conceived and started building the product late last year, long before Piictu existed." It's very likely that the original concept was fresh when Slide, a company acquired by Google last summer, began development. But it's equally unlikely that the app's designers had never seen early versions of Piictu, or the final app. Regardless, it doesn't sound like Piictu and Photovine have any interest in duking it out, Apple / Samsung style, so we expect both apps to move forward as planned. Photovine is currently in a "friends and family" testing phase, so our experience is limited to the photos and video that Google has posted. If you can't wait any longer to start sharing entirely random photos with an entirely random group of strangers, then allow us to direct your attention to Piictu. It's apparently good enough for Google, so it might as well be good enough for you, too. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile hawks Micro SIMs for 'free', hopes your iPhone likes EDGE data Posted: 22 Jul 2011 11:58 AM PDT  |
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