Sponsoer by :

Monday, August 8, 2011

Engadget News

Sponsored

Engadget News

BlackBerry Colt may be RIM's first QNX smartphone, will lack BES support out-of-box?

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 11:32 AM PDT

To many, a colt is a representation of rebirth and a symbol for youthfulness. Research in Motion appears to be in desperate need for exactly that -- a regeneration. It seems appropriate, then, that RIM may be launching the BlackBerry Colt, its first QNX-based "superphone," in the first quarter of 2012. This timeline will ensure the device launches at the expected time, according to rumors by BGR, but there's likely to be a few compromises to ensure it gets pushed out to market faster. The Colt is said to be undergoing internal testing with a single-core chip, contrary to promises of including dual-core CPUs. Additionally, the maiden voyage of the smartphone platform may be completely devoid of BES at the device's launch; it's taken longer than expected to rewrite the proper code to support QNX, and more time's necessary to bring it up to par with RIM's standards. What would the Enterprise customers do in the meantime? The alternative to BES is almost unthinkable: Exchange emails would be accessed by a preloaded version of Microsoft ActiveSync. Will the gamble yield greater returns in the long run, or will it remove the glue that still holds the company together?

Growing Up Geek: Michael Gorman

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT

"Weak! Eye! Double-eye cry! Cheap, to the weak, to the la-la land!" That bit of condescending gibberish was the haunting chorus of victory (or defeat) of many of my childhood football and basketball games in Decatur, Alabama. Often, it was followed by a kind of taunting circle where the winners would dance around chanting in unison "CRY!" (clap, clap... clap) "CRY!" (clap, clap... clap) "CRY!", while the losers fumed and demanded a rematch. I spent time on both sides of that win / loss equation, and the picture you see above is one of the occasions that I came out on top. It's the aftermath of the annual football tournament played among the four fifth grade classes at Gordon-Bibb Elementary for the right to call themselves Turkey Bowl Champions. That's me, the kid in the middle grabbing a knee, and I remember catching a long touchdown in that game in spite of my attire -- stonewashed jeans and turtlenecks were the Under Armor of the 90s, I swear. The bomb was hurled my way by my teammate, Philip Rivers (also kneeling, front left), who you may recognize as the Pro Bowl quarterback of the San Diego Chargers. Needless to say, our win that day was due in large part to his talents, and while he has gone on to professional gridiron glory, my skills were better suited for activities off the field.

In case you weren't aware, football's religion in the deep South, and athletics are a way of life. It's not exactly the most conducive environment for expressing one's geeky nature, and as a southern boy I spent a lot of my days outside (at the prompting of my parents), playing sports, fishing, and riding my bike around with the gang of tiny hooligans that were my friends. Because Alabama can be oppressively hot in the summers, however, I spent my fair share of time in the chilled, air conditioned confines of my home while basking in the glow of the family computer.

I grew up in a family of six, and while my father, a chemical engineer, did quite well for us, we never had access to the latest and greatest electronic gear. Our first family PC was an Atari 800 with an external 5.25-inch floppy disk drive, and it was on that machine where I first encountered the wide world of video games. I spent countless hours playing Q-Bert, Joust, Blue Max, Jumpman Junior, and Buck Rogers. That whetted my gaming appetite, and upon seeing (and playing) the Nintendo Entertainment System at a friend's house some years later, I got addicted to console gaming, never to return to my PC roots. I stayed on the Nintendo bandwagon for many years, and still play my NES, SNES, and N64 on occasion, though a PS3 is my current weapon of choice.


Of course, grade-school gaming wasn't the only way in which I satiated my geek tendencies. Science fiction and space travel have always fascinated me, and I was fortunate enough to get to indulge in both of those interests at a very young age. When I was five, my friend's father built a life-sized (child-sized?) replica of the bridge from the original Starship Enterprise (NCC-1701) in his basement -- I'm talking viewscreens, captain's chair, the whole nine. This naturally fed my fascination with space travel, and living just 20 miles from the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, I briefly considered a career in exploring the cosmos. With that goal in mind, I figured I should get to know my future employers at NASA, and entered an essay contest to win a trip to Space Camp. I don't recall what I wrote, but it was apparently good enough to let me be an 11-year-old amateur astronaut for a week. Alas, as I got older, I realized that my academic strengths lay in the realm of the written word, as opposed to vectors and formulas. So, I put aside my childhood aspirations of working amongst the stars in favor of more, ahem, terrestrial pursuits.


In high school, my family acquired a Dell Dimension P75 minitower, which granted me access to the internet for the first time. My first taste of the world wide web came using Prodigy, but America Online is where I really learned the power of the internet. Literally, the world's information was at my fingertips! Even though it took more digging to find answers online in those days -- AltaVista and Lycos fell to the might of Google for a reason -- and I was limited to a 14.4K dial-up connection, an internet search was infinitely more appealing than consulting books at the local library. I could just as easily research the new stereo I wanted to buy as I could find the locations of all the Tanooki suits in Super Mario 3. Plus, there was Instant Messenger, which got me to abandon my hunt and peck technique in favor of far speedier touch typing (and let me hit on the ladies long after curfew). Not only that, IM got me writing in a conversational tone, instead of an academic one. In short, the internet was a revelation, and it was in that arena that I took the first steps on the path to my current profession.


I eventually got my own computer, a Dell Dimenson XPS, when I left home to study history at Virginia Tech -- Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi! -- and scored my first laptop, a Dell Latitude D610, upon entering law school at Santa Clara University. Even though I had chosen a career as an attorney, I held onto my love of technology and spread my writing wings penning a blog on patent law while getting my J.D. After passing the bar and practicing for a bit, it turned out that blogging in coffee shops and at trade shows suits me more than arguing in courtrooms, so here I am, loving and living the Engadget way.

Michael has spent summers backpacking around Europe and living in Australia -- upon his return to the US each time, the first thing he wanted to eat was a burrito. Should you wish to chastise or chat with him in a public forum, send a tweet his way @Numeson.

Crapgadget: 'after school special' edition

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:35 AM PDT

School can be tough, especially when you're different. So what better way to keep the bullies at bay than to get your craptastic accessory freak on. In this special back to school bonanza of creeper tech, Hong Kong-based watchmaker o.d.m. mashes E.T. with a gummy bunny for a wrist-rocking return to infancy, Strapya World takes you by the baby's hand for iPhone 4 case comfort, while Dane-Elec's E-Razor USB stick goes undercover in a block full of erasing rubber. And if you're looking for a soundtrack throwback to match the solar-powered butterfly you've stuck in your Jansport, Brando's got you covered with its USB Cassette Capture & Player. Take a gander at the roundup below and make sure to vote for the crapgadget most likely to not succeed.

Read - JC / DC Gummy Me!!! (rubber bunny watch)
Read - Strapya World Dokkiri Hand Case for iPhone 4
Read - Fascinations Solar Butterfly
Read - Brando USB Cassette Capture & Player (convert tapes to MP3s)
Read - Dane-Elec E-Razor (USB stick and eraser all-in-one)

Crapgadget: which is the most likely to not succeed?

Bowers & Wilkins C5 in-ear headset review

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Bowers & Wilkins has seriously been ramping up its consumer audio game in the past few years -- notably, with products like its Zeppelin speaker systems for iDevices and its MM-1 desktop speakers. While speakers seem like an obvious choice for a company famous for HiFi systems, you probably wouldn't have thought of B&W for your next set of iPhone-compatible headphones -- that is, until its $300 P5 mobile HiFi supra-aural 'phones released last year. This year, the company has taken a second step into the game with its C5 in-ear headset.

Priced at $180, they're a possible contender for those who'd prefer earbuds to on-ears, or maybe want some B&W headgear at a less expensive price point. We've grown fond of our leather-clad P5s for chit-chatting on the phone and rocking out during the commute, so we were curious to see, hear, and feel what the C5s could bring to the table. Luckily, B&W dropped off a pair of the in-ears on our doorstep, and we got to give them a healthy amount of use while commuting in and out of NYC to find out if they'd also win us over. It's all detailed just past the break.
Bowers & Wilkins C5 in-ear headset review

Hardware
Getting the C5s out of the 12 fasteners in the box was a struggle, but after our mini-battle of human versus packaging we were greeted by two more boxes of goodies: paperwork with free HiFi downloads, a velour hard-shell case, airplane and right angle adapters, and three extra sizes of silicone ear tips.

The bullet-shaped aluminum buds are finished in glossy black with a pavé core comprised of hundreds of super-tiny steel balls (more on this later), and the silicone cabling / ear tips are a smoky silver color. We love the Zeppelin Mini vibe going on here, but we do think the pave's gleam in sunlight will either serve as an added ear candy-factor or a complete detractor for some. After a day's use we noticed subtle paint chips on the earbuds' outer-most edges, but otherwise the build quality is fantastic -- in a sense, boding luxury.

The C5s' IEM-style cable is thick, but still flexible down to its 3.5mm jack. While we admire the rigidness, there's definitely some moderate cable-noise while walking. For those unfamiliar, it's the annoying phenomenon of having buds in your ear and hearing your cables every movement or brush with what's around it. Our music never totally masked it on with the C5s, but that said, we've experienced worse.

Moving up the cord, you'll find a B&W-style in-line controller / mic for iDevices; its buttons have a nice and clicky response with great tactile feel, despite the sometimes slippery glossy finish. After a few phone calls in the backseat of cab with the radio on, our friends' general consensus was that the C5s nearly canceled out the background noise, while still keeping our voice-quality clear.

Fit and Comfort
We know the fit of in-ears is a weird thing in general, and the C5s won't suddenly convert you to the dark side if you've never been privy to jamming silicon in your ear. For those who are, though, B&W's done two interesting things with these: first, there's some extra mass inside of the buds dubbed Tungsten Weighting, which aims to keep them sitting in the ear canal; secondly, an optional "Secure Loop" of extra-padded cable at the buds that contours along the ear's inner cartilage. The silicone tips themselves didn't sit too far into our ears and provided enough cushion for a good fit. Impressively, we were able to shake our head many times until we nearly gave ourselves headaches and the buds simply wouldn't budge. Tugging forcefully on the cable did reset the Loops, but it's a welcome buffer to save from painful pull-outs, or worse, frayed cabling. Putting it briefly, these are some of the most secure buds we've ever used, and we think those who like in-ears will find them fairly comfortable.

Sound
By design, the C5s passively isolate noise. We found it admirable enough to dial down the whine of bus engines or subway cars during our treks, but make no mistake, it's not active noise-canceling. We didn't feel overly plugged up using them and moderate volume killed enough background noise to let us hear our jams just fine, while still letting a sliver of the world around us in (apparently, that's B&W's aim).

How so? You ask. That silver core we mentioned isn't just for looks; it's actually a diffuser -- a feature dubbed the Micro Porous Filter. In theory, it should let the earbuds breath a little, and open up the perceived soundstage sort of of like an open-backed headphone, but without leaking very much. To test the sound quality, we mainly used our iPhone 3GS and iPad 2 -- these are made for iDevices, afterall -- with a variety of file formats and even CDs (you know, those silver discs you need an optical drive to use). At first listen, the sound is a pleasantly open for an in-ear but still retains deep extension in the lows.

More time with them showed that the C5s easily handled dubstep tracks like Bassnectar's "Basshead," providing thick and articulate bass down to the lowest of lows. With that said, they still had enough punch and crispness in the mids to let electric guitars comfortably roar in our ears with tracks like Blink-182's "The Rock Show." The highs, though respectable, tended to be fatiguing at louder volumes. Cymbal hits felt just a little too harsh and swishy, while higher-ranged vocal passes sounded a bit thin at times; most notably in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," where Freddy's signature vocal belts became harsh and his "ts" inflections just a touch more sibilant that we would have liked. Our quips aside, we definitely think the C5s deliver when it comes to sound quality with great instrument separation and a roomy soundstage, even if the highs are a bit bright for our tastes.

Wrap-up
Were we impressed by Bowers & Wilkins second headphone offering? For $180 dollars, the C5s are no doubt a posh, well built, and comfortable set of iDevice-compatible intra-aurals with mostly great sound to boot. Aside from a bit of cable noise, mildly grating highs, and scuff-loving edging, these 'buds are definitely something to be had, noting we've used less fancy buds like Klipsch's $100 S4i that also do an admirable job. Overall, the C5s are a solid option if your heart's set on a micro-sized Bowers & Wilkins kit for listening on the go and making calls. Opulence has its price, you know?

Skype for Mac updates to 5.3, adds Lion and HD video call support

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:35 AM PDT

Mac OS X 5.3
The good folks over at Skype have been mighty busy recently. In the last month (give or take a day) the company has announced integration with Facebook, launched a new version of its Windows client to support the social network, released an iPad-optimized version, and expanded Android support to an additional 17 handsets. Now the video-chat stalwart has update its Mac app with support for Lion and HD video calls -- something Microsoft fans have been enjoying since 2010. You can check out the full announcement and download Skype 5.3 for Max OS X at the source link.

Engadget's back to school guide 2011: speaker docks

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have speaker docks in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here.



Yeah, studying's the hip thing to do, but waking up for class is arguably where success begins. Rather than relying on some ear-piercing tone emitted from one's cellphone, we prefer something more... substantial. Here, we'll be covering the best and brightest in speaker docks, also known as the alarm clock that your grandkids will eventually point at and laugh, mockingly. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details.



On the cheap


Logitech Rechargeable Speaker S315i

She ain't the newest nor the flashiest, but Logitech's $60 S315i packs an awful lot of functionality into a reasonably cheap package. For one, Logi's sound quality at the low end is tough to beat, and furthermore, the rechargeable nature ensures that this one will pass muster in the dorm room and whilst tailgating.

Key specs: Rechargeable, 20 hours of life, 3.5mm aux jack, iPod support, weighs 1.47 pounds

Price: $60 on Amazon



You might also like...


Philips Fidelio DS3000
A speaker dock that looks more like a space ornament than anything else? Here's your sign.

$59 on Amazon

JBL On Stage Micro
Deadly simple, but then again, who would bother stealing it?

$53 on Amazon



Mid-range


Altec Lansing Octiv 650

Graduating up, you say? Altec's Octiv 650 adds a minor twist the common iPod sound system formula by throwing in a video output port, and for those wild and crazy Friday Thursday nights, the Music Mood app should provide all the hallucinogenic visualizations a studious boy / girl can handle.

Key specs: Nested subwoofer, glorious remote, aux input, iPod support, video output, Music Mood app

Price: $189 on Amazon


You might also like...


Soundfreaq SFQ-1
Hello, beautiful! It's sexy on a (relative) budget, and who's not down with that?

$180 on Amazon

JBL OnBeat dock
It's about as cheap as you'll find a worthwhile speaker dock that's hefty enough to hold your iPad.

$150 on Amazon



Money's no object


Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air

Upgraded to your very own apartment? Kudos. Now, grab yourself the most oversized, awkwardly-shaped dock on the market. In all seriousness, the Zeppelin Air does indeed pack world-class audio quality, built-in AirPlay support and an unforgettable (for better or worse) design.

Key specs: Dual 1-inch tweeters, 3-inch mids and a single 5-inch subwoofer, AirPlay support, USB connectivity, iPod compatibility, composite video output

Price: $600 on Amazon


You might also like...


Yamaha TSX-140
It ain't old, but it sure looks the part. And hey, no one ever said well-placed retro was cheap.

$370 on Amazon

JBL On Air Wireless AirPlay
It looks like something you'd find in a beauty parlor, but it'll stream your iPod / iPhone jams wirelessly via iTunes.

$350 on Amazon


Engadget's Back to School Giveaway
Official Rules
No Purchase Required to Enter or Win

Eligibility: Engadget's Back to School Giveaway (the "Giveaway") is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of Weblogs Inc. LLC, AOL Inc., their advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All U.S., federal, state and local and Canadian federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations apply. Void in Quebec, Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law.

Sponsor: The Giveaway is sponsored by Weblogs Inc. LLC, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor").

Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

Giveaway Period: The Giveaway begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011 (the "Giveaway Period"). The Giveaway Period shall be divided into fifteen (15) separate Entry Periods:

Entry Period 1 begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 2 begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 3 begins at 12PM ET on August 3, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 4 begins at 12PM ET on August 5, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 5 begins at 12PM ET on August 8, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 6 begins at 12PM ET on August 10, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 7 begins at 12PM ET on August 12, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 8 begins at 12PM ET on August 15, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 9 begins at 12PM ET on August 17, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 10 begins at 12PM ET on August 19, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 11 begins at 12PM ET on August 22, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 12 begins at 12PM ET on August 24, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 13 begins at 12PM ET on August 26, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 14 begins at 12PM ET on August 31, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 15 begins at 12PM ET on September 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.

Entry: During the Giveaway Period, go to http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/engadgets-back-to-school-2011-sweepstakes-were-giving-away-3/ and add a comment to submit your entry. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person.

Drawing: At the conclusion of the Giveaway Period, Sponsor will select the name of one (1) Grand Prize Winner from each of the fifteen (15) Entry Periods in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during each Entry Period. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the applicable Entry Period. Potential Winners will be contacted via email and asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Non-winning entries from one Entry Period do not carry over into subsequent Entry Periods.

Requirements of the Potential Winners: Except where prohibited, the potential winners will be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") and IRS W-9 form within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release and W-9 form within the required time period, an alternate entrant may be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. In the event the potential winner of any prize is a Canadian resident, he/she will also be required to correctly answer a time-limited mathematical question to be administered by email, mail or phone to receive the prize. Limit one (1) prize per household.

Prizes: Fifteen (15) Grand Prize Winners will each receive a Back to School Prize Pack containing the following items: HP Pavilion dm1z laptop, Sony NEX-C3 digital camera, Samsung 7" Galaxy Tab, Motorola Photon 4G (Sprint) smartphone, Altec Lansing Octiv 650 speaker doc, Bowers & Wilkins C5 headphones, Nook E-reader, Timbuk2 Command Messenger bag, Elgato HDHomeRun TV tuner, Kingston Wi-Drive, 1-year Premium Spotify subscription, Scosche: goBAT II, iMainGo: X, G-Form 11" Extreme Sleeve, Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite, 1-year Premium Skype subscription, Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock, Red Swingline Stapler, Toddy Smart Cloth and Pogo Sketch. Approximate Retail Value of each Prize Pack is $3,151. Subscriptions are subject to issuer's terms and conditions. Activation fees and monthly service fees not included with any smartphone/digital devices. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion of a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize.

General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release, defend indemnify and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action, including without limitation, any third party claim, arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PRIZES AND ALL ELEMENTS THEREOF ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Some jurisdictions do not allow the disclaimer of implied warranties. In such jurisdictions, some of the foregoing disclaimers may not apply to you insofar as they relate to implied warranties.

Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Giveaway Results: To request the names of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Engadget Back to School Giveaway Winners, Zach Honig, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received by September 30, 2011.
comments

HTC Developer site goes live: OpenSense SDK and kernel source offered aplenty

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:38 AM PDT

HTC's flipped the switch on its development website, which was designed to be a "one-stop shop" for a wide variety of SDKs and other resources for developers. As promised, the manufacturer's OpenSense SDK -- which includes a S3D SDK for HTC's 3D stereoscopic interface and pen SDK for its Scribe feature -- is now available for download; there's also plenty of kernel source codes to peruse and access. Finally, the Bootloader Unlock web tool, one of the most highly anticipated pieces of software that the company's promised to unleash, only shows as "coming soon" on the site. There hasn't been any official word on when it'll go live, but we're expecting it to happen later this month as the EVO 3D and the Sensation both get adorned with their unlocks. It's great to see the company follow through completely on one of its promises, eh?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sony intros 200-pound battery to power businesses, government agencies during a blackout

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 08:17 AM PDT

In the five months since a tsunami and 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, we've seen various technology companies struggle to get their manufacturing operations back in order, but Sony appears to be the first to introduce a product seemingly inspired by the disaster itself. The outfit's Japanese division just announced the ESSP-2000, a 90kg (198-pound)battery whose 2.4kWh of power should keep businesses and government agencies afloat for at least a few hours in the event of a blackout or natural disaster. All told, the battery can support a maximum load of 1000VA, and can recharge to 95 percent in about two hours -- not bad, considering the capacity of this thing. Sony also went with olivine-type lithium-ion iron phosphate batteries, which it says will last ten years. With a price of ¥2 million ($25,700), this battery's clearly not meant to be a savior for home users, though for businesses it could be a small price to pay for an uninterrupted power supply.

Cam-wielding RC car used to investigate roadside bomb, saves lives in Afghanistan

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:55 AM PDT


The US military spends billions of dollars each year beefing up wartime tech, but a low-budget hacked RC car recently served as an unlikely hero, saving six soliders' lives in Afghanistan. The home-built rig, which included a wireless security camera mounted on a Traxxas Stampede remote-controlled truck, cost about $500 when it was built in 2007. Since then, Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Fessenden has used it to locate roadside bombs, until it tripped a detonation sensor during a patrol last month, in turn saving Fessenden and fellow troops from coming head-to-head with 500 pounds of explosives. Unfortunately the RC cam didn't survive the attack, so Ernie, the solider's brother who built the first model, is currently working on a replacement. Sure, a half-grand may seem like a laughable sum compared to the Pentagon's annual budget, but if the proven gadget gets enough attention, perhaps Chinese-made toys will play a role in entertaining our kids, and protecting our troops.

Smugglers use zip line and slingshot to sneak iPads into Shenzhen

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:33 AM PDT

smugglers' zip lineChinese smugglers turned to a rather low-tech method for getting a pile of decidedly high-tech iPads and iPhones across the border to Shenzhen, in a scheme to make money off of regional tax differences. The unsanctioned exporters fired a slingshot from a high-rise in Shenzen, dragging a zip line down to a small house just across the Sha Tau Kok river in Hong Kong. They then sent canvas bags loaded with the gadgets flying through the night sky along the projectile-placed cable -- at least until authorities spotted the gear hurtling through the air, that is. Police recovered about $46,000 worth of Apple products (and four culprits) when they discovered the end of the 300-meter line. Check out the video below for a little Chinese-language news coverage of the story and a glimpse an the simple, but ingenious, smuggling rig.




Apple faces infringement lawsuit over fast booting patent once owned by LG

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:11 AM PDT

Apple's facing yet another patent infringement lawsuit -- this time, in Florida, where a company called Operating Systems Solutions (OSS) is taking aim at OS X's fast booting operation. According to court documents, the plaintiff alleges that Cupertino's function (most prominently displayed on this year's MacBook Air refresh) violates at least one protected claim, which details a four-step method for speedy booting, and involves files like config.sys and autoexec.bat (seriously). Interestingly enough, the patent in question was originally granted to LG Electronics, back in 2002, but is currently owned by the little-known OSS. It's still unclear whether or not LG has any involvement with the suit, but we'll bring you the details as soon as they emerge. In the meantime, you can hit the coverage link below to dig in to the full complaint.

[Thanks, Lucian]

Huawei Vision hits the FCC, assaults the senses with a promo video

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 06:49 AM PDT

Huawei this morning offered the world a video sneak peak of the Vision, its "most stylish smartphone yet," and like clockwork, the thing has popped up -- albeit less flashily -- on the FCC's site. The admittedly slick-looking handset packs Gingerbread, a 1GHz processor, and a 3.7 inch capacitive touchscreen into a unibody frame that's 9.9 millimeters at its thinnest. As for that "3D interface" the company's been talking up, you can see that in action after the break.

China loses partial access to Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, Great Firewall to be blamed?

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 06:30 AM PDT

It's a well-known fact that China's Great Firewall isn't particularly friendly with certain foreign online services, and sadly, it appears that we may now have a new victim joining the likes of Facebook, Twitter and, sometimes, Android Market. According to Windows Phone Sauce blogger Kane Gao, many Windows Phone 7 users in China have had limited access to the Marketplace over the last few days -- they can't download any app, but they can still browse content and receive update notifications.

While Microsoft's service has yet to go live in China, Chinese users could still purchase apps by changing all of their profile location settings to the US. Alas, this trick is of no use now, though it's unlikely that Microsoft's the culprit here -- it wouldn't make sense to block genuine US users who are visiting China. Fortunately, Kane had no problem getting to the Marketplace via a US VPN, which is a big tell-tale sign showing that the Great Firewall has decided to barricade WP7's very own app market. The reason? We'll never know, and there's no telling on whether this is a permanent ban, either. Nokia, being a big player in the country, sure hopes not.

[Thanks, JagsLive and Rahul]

Discount education-only iMac appears, makes you wish you'd opened that institute of higher learning

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 06:09 AM PDT

A new $999 iMac popped up on Apple's site this week -- great news if you or someone you love owns an educational establishment. The cheap education-only all-in-one boasts a 21.5 inch display, a 3.1GHz Intel Core i3 processor, and 250GB of storage. As MacRumors points out, however, there's no mention of a Thunderbolt port amongst the specs listed, so maybe this whole running a school thing isn't all it's cracked up to be.

US Cellular Q2 results bring higher revenue, despite small customer loss

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 05:49 AM PDT

With the upcoming introduction of its LTE network and vast fall smartphone lineup, US Cellular's a regional carrier with a lot to look forward to. But its efforts over the second quarter, paired with the hopes of a bright future ahead, weren't enough to keep a few thousand customers from parting ways. While most of the reported figures were quite pleasant year-over-year -- service revenues bumped up three percent to $1 billion, percentage of smartphones sold skyrocketed to nearly 40 percent, ARPU increased to $51.84, and total operating income shot up a whole 61 percent -- the company also experienced a loss of 58,000 customers over the course of three months. The carrier doesn't seem too worried about this particular figure, however, as it stated its excitement about the launch of its 4G service later this year. Will the bleak and cold winter become warm and toasty because of a blazing-hot network? We're eager to find out. Hit the source link for the full quarterly earnings.

Show full PR text
Higher revenue and profits driven by data growth, lower churn and higher roaming revenues; gross additions disappointing

CHICAGO, Aug. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Note: Comparisons are year over year unless otherwise noted.

2Q 2011 Highlights

-Smartphones sold, as a percent of total devices sold, increased to 39.6 percent from 15.8 percent.
-Service revenues were $1,002.0 million, up 3 percent.
-Postpaid ARPU (average revenue per unit) increased to $51.84 from $50.55.
-Postpaid churn improved to 1.38 percent from 1.43 percent.
-Operating income increased 61 percent to $102.4 million.
-Net loss of 58,000 retail customers, reflecting loss of 41,000 postpaid customers and 17,000 prepaid customers; postpaid customers comprised 95 percent of retail customers.
-Cell sites in service increased 5 percent to 7,770, of which 4,400 are owned towers.
Repurchased 918,942 common shares for $45.0 million.


As previously announced, U.S. Cellular will hold a teleconference Aug. 8, 2011 at 7:30 a.m. CDT. Interested parties may listen to the call live by accessing the Investor Relations page of uscellular.com or www.teldta.com.

United States Cellular Corporation (NYSE :USM) reported service revenues of $1,002.0 million for the second quarter of 2011, versus $972.6 million in the comparable period one year ago. Net income attributable to U.S. Cellular shareholders and related diluted earnings per share were $73.9 million and $0.87, respectively, for the second quarter of 2011, compared to $40.8 million and $0.47, respectively, in the comparable period one year ago.

"We continued to increase postpaid ARPU and maintain a low churn rate," said Mary N. Dillon, U.S. Cellular president and CEO, "although our subscriber results continue to reflect the intense competitive environment and the weak economy. This remains our greatest challenge. Our new advertising and marketing strategies are starting to increase awareness among potential switchers, and we're working hard to break through to our target customers and leverage that awareness to improve gross additions.

"Smartphones sales continued to be strong, and we also saw an increase in sales of data plans for feature phones in the quarter. By balancing device subsidies among a wider range of both feature phones and smartphones, we were able to better control our loss on equipment. Overall, operating margins improved in the quarter due to higher ARPU, increased roaming revenue and good expense control, with fewer gross additions contributing to lower sales and marketing expenses.

"We now have 2.3 million customers on our Belief Plans, and we're complementing those plans with some very exciting phones and devices. This quarter we added the new HTC 7 Pro(TM) with Windows Phone 7®, the new Android(TM)-powered HTC Merge™ Global Ready smartphone, and the Motorola Xoom™ tablet. And we have more feature-packed phones, smartphones and tablets on the way. We're also excited about our coming launch of 4G."

Second quarter transactions

U.S. Cellular paid $24.6 million in cash to purchase the remaining interest in a wireless business in which it previously held a non-controlling interest. As a result, the company recorded a $13.4 million pre-tax gain on investments.

Additionally, U.S. Cellular sold $342 million of 6.95 percent senior notes and redeemed $330 million of its 7.5 percent senior notes. The redemption required U.S. Cellular to write off $8.2 million of previously capitalized debt issuance costs related to the 7.5 percent senior notes. The $8.2 million was recorded in interest expense.

Guidance for year ending Dec. 31, 2011

Guidance for the year ending Dec. 31, 2011, as of Aug. 8, 2011, is provided below, compared to the previous guidance provided on May 6, 2011. U.S. Cellular undertakes no duty to update such information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that final results will not differ materially from this guidance.

3D-printed Mario Kart turtle shells race to rescue American economy

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 05:26 AM PDT

As soon as you see these little RC Koopa shells, you know that life can't be that bad. In fact, they've already had a hallelujah-inducing impact on the world of the 3D-printing genius who created them. Ten days ago, Michael Curry (aka Skimbal) was among America's 13.9 million unemployed, having been unceremoniously booted out of his ailing architect's firm. All he had was a $700 MakerBot printer to stop his hands from idling, but he made the most of it. MakerBot saw his stuff and were as bowled over as we are, so they just gave the guy a job. We're dusting off our Wii controllers and even those little plastic steering wheels in celebration.

Seagate's GoFlex Turbo portable hard drive touts USB 3.0, built-in SafetyNet

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Another week, another external HDD from the folks at Seagate. This go 'round, it's the GoFlex Turbo taking the stage, positioned somewhere between the GoFlex Slim and Satellite in terms of depth. It's the outfit's first drive to ship with two free years of SafetyNet, which nets you a single data recovery attempt should something go haywire during the honeymoon period. Tucked within, you'll find a 500GB / 750GB drive (7200RPM), a USB 3.0 port and support for eSATA / FireWire 800 connectors via an optional interface adapter. Per usual, it'll hum along just fine on both Windows and OS X, and can be snapped up today at Best Buy for $119.99 / $139.99, respectively. Full release is after the break, and if you're curious, we managed to see consistent USB 2.0 rates of 30MBps to 40MBps (read / write) during our brief time with it.
Seagate GoFlex Turbo hard drive hands-on
Show full PR text
SEAGATE HARD DRIVES TO FEATURE SAFETYNET DATA RECOVERY SERVICES

An Industry First, The New GoFlex® Turbo Performance Drive Includes a Recovery Plan for Your Data

CUPERTINO, Calif. - August 08, 2011 - Seagate (NASDAQ: STX), today unveiled the GoFlex® Turbo performance drive with SafetyNet™ data recovery services (DRS). SafetyNet data recovery is the first recovery service offering by a hard drive manufacturer to be included as part of the purchase price of an external drive. With the latest super speed USB 3.0 interface and RPMs clocked at 7200, the GoFlex Turbo drive is equipped to handle transfer speeds up to 40% faster than that of its USB 2.0, 5400-RPM siblings. This latest addition to the GoFlex family was developed with the understanding that those who place a high value on their data should have the peace of mind that their data is even more secure regardless of what unforeseen incident might occur to the drive. The new GoFlex Turbo performance drive features two-years of SafetyNet data recovery services and is now available from Best Buy for a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $119.99 for 500GBs and $139.99 for 750GBs.*

"With this new GoFlex® Turbo performance drive, it is our aim to provide more peace of mind for the people who choose Seagate to back up and store their valued digital assets," said Patrick Connolly, vice president and general manager of Seagate's retail product group. "When our products are used as a backup to a primary system or even as supplemental storage, people should know that they can get a further layer of assurance that their data will be there when they need it.

"Seagate is now bringing to market a solution that shelters our customers, who purchase the GoFlex® Turbo with SafetyNet™, from the potential thousand-dollar cost of recovering lost files. Seagate is providing a solution that will no longer cost thousands of dollars to recover files. SafetyNet™ DRS provide an extra layer of protection for your content."

SafetyNet™
SafetyNet Data Recovery Services are included with the new GoFlex Turbo performance drive that provides additional protection in the event of data loss. Many things can contribute to data being inaccessible from a drive and Seagate is now providing a safeguard against mishaps such as: physical damage to the drive, human error and software viruses. The GoFlex Turbo performance drive includes two years of SafetyNet Data Recovery Service, a service which separately often comes with a price tag of hundreds to thousands of dollars. The SafetyNet service covers one recovery attempt on your GoFlex Turbo performance drive within a two-year period. Seagate's Data Recovery Specialists will determine whether remote or in-lab service is the best way to recover the data.*

*The SafetyNet program provides one data recovery attempt in the first two years after date of original purchase. Not all data may be recoverable. For more information, see SafetyNet program terms and conditions at seagate.com/safetynet. SafetyNet service currently is available only to legal residents of US.

GoFlex® External Hard Drives
First introduced in May of 2010, the family of Seagate® GoFlex® drives and accessories have introduced a new level of flexibility to external storage which has changed the way people store, access, enjoy and share their digital content. The GoFlex storage family includes easy, plug-and-play portable and desktop drives, with an array of interchangeable cables and desktop adapters that allow each drive to adapt to the interface or device being used. Seagate GoFlex Turbo performance drive and the entire family of GoFlex ultra-portable drives are the first to meet the new Universal Storage Module (USM™) specification1. GoFlex hard disk drives are also specially designed to provide interoperability between operating systems in order to work with both Microsoft® Windows® and Mac® OS X computers.

Boeing presents first Dreamliner 787 to ANA, flights start in September

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 04:29 AM PDT

Boeing presents first Dreamline to ANA, flights start in September
After years of delays, hacker vulnerabilities, and technical hiccups, Boeing is finally reaching the finish line -- the 787 Dreamliner is ready. The first of the firm's fantasy flyers was presented to executives of All Nippon Airways this week, scoring ANA a dreamy new jet that promises to increase fuel efficiency by 20 percent when compared to similarly sized birds. The 787 owes its fuel savings (and selling point) to a primary structure comprised of 50 percent composite materials by weight; the much larger A380 sits pretty at 25 percent composite, for comparison's sake. Despite the official presentation, the inaugural Dreamliner is still just shy of actual delivery, requiring a few more test flights before beginning domestic service (in Japan) this September.

HP TouchPad 4G surfaces for pre-order on Amazon, wearing $700 price tag

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 03:34 AM PDT

It looks like the HP TouchPad 4G is inching its way closer to the market, now that the webOS tablet has made a pre-order appearance on Amazon. According to the listing, the 32GB slate will retail for a cool $700, sans contract -- about $100 more than its exclusively WiFi, equal-sized brethren. Given HP's recent discount spree, however, it may not be long before that price gets knocked down a few notches. Over the weekend, in fact, the company announced yet another promotion, offering $50 worth of App Catalog credit to users who purchased a TouchPad in the US between July 1 and August 4th. The offer is valid through December 31st, so check out the link below to find out how you can take advantage of it.

[Thanks, Peter]

Blackberry Bold 9900 up for pre-order at Vodafone UK, first official price tag

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:39 AM PDT

RIM was tight-lipped about pricing and availability when we went hands-on at the official launch of their OS 7-equipped Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and Torch 9860 handsets. We still can't be sure exactly when the Torches will hit British shelves, but the Bold 9900 is already standing proudly up for pre-order at Vodafone UK, along with a commitment to arrive at your doorstep in roughly a week's time if you take the plunge. However, just like the leaked T-Mobile USA pricing, it won't come cheap in the UK either: you'll need to swallow a £41 ($67) monthly price plan on a two-year contract before they'll give you the handset for free. Alternatively, you can opt for a monthly contract at half that price and pay a daunting £399 ($650) upfront for the phone. Nevertheless, if you're a BB fan and you're convinced of this form factor, then we predict you'll get on well with 9900's particularly chunky keyboard, high-res screen and top-notch build quality -- or you could just wait for our full review.

Update: It's just been spotted going cheaper at Carphone Warehouse -- free from £31 per month on Vodafone or £500 off-contract, also with an August 12th delivery date. Let the market forces ensue.

[Thanks, Roberto and Anthony]

FBI's Child ID app helps iPhone users find their missing children

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:11 AM PDT

The FBI has just released its very first mobile app, aimed at helping parents deal with their worst nightmare -- a missing child. Known as Child ID, the application allows users to store their kid's photos and identifying information directly on their handsets, making it easier to provide authorities with vital data whenever the little one disappears. Parents can also use the tool to dial 911 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with the tap of a button, and can instantly e-mail their child's details to law enforcement officials, thanks to a dedicated tab. Of course, some may feel uncomfortable with keeping such personal information stored on a smartphone, but the Bureau insists that none of the data will be collected or shared without authorization -- and they're pretty good at keeping secrets. For now, Child ID is available only for iPhone, though the FBI plans to expand it to other mobile devices in the near future. Interested iOS users can download it for themselves, at the iTunes link below.

Tiny RFID amulet stores medical records, makes paramedics' lives easier

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:23 AM PDT

Medical RFIDUsing RFID to store medical records, ultimately making the jobs of paramedics and doctors that much easier, is hardly a new concept. But, for the most part, such devices have been limited to clinical trials. Asahi Kasei Corp. is hoping to change that with the debut of a tiny, 3cm-square charm that can be read by a computer or smartphone. In addition to basic info, such as name, birth date, and blood type, the chip could transmit links to more storage-intensive data like X-rays images. Instead of building out a proprietary system, the company is relying on established technology called FeliCa from Sony. That means the device will enjoy broad compatibility with existing products, and should be inexpensive to produce. Asahi Kasei hopes to begin selling the medical amulets to cities and hospitals within a year, for as little as ¥2,000 (around $25).

HTC Ruby shows its T-Mobile skin, Android aspirations

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 12:33 AM PDT

Well folks, now we know. It looks like the HTC Ruby that was leaked via a series of hyper-sensitive office photos is headed to T-Mobile. You know the one -- a couple weeks back, when someone underestimated the glare of the HTC Flyer and dropped their seemingly harmless photos on Flickr? Yeah, that's the handset in question. Not much dirt on the specs, besides the familiar key layout cluing us into Google's obvious underpinnings.. and just maybe, we'll get some fresh baked Gingerbread goodness. Either way, more info should be on the way soon, but until then, careful to check your reflections, friends.

Android Network Toolkit lets you exploit local machines at the push of a button

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 11:18 PM PDT

Defcon 2011 is in full hacking swing, and Itzhak Avraham -- "Zuk" for short -- and his company Zimperium have unveiled the Android Network Toolkit for easy hacking on the go. Need to find vulnerabilities on devices using nearby networks? The app, dubbed "Anti" for short, allows you to simply push a button to do things like search a WiFi network for potential targets, or even take control of a PC trojan-style. To do this, it seeks out weak spots in older software using known exploits, which means you may want to upgrade before hitting up public WiFi. According to Forbes, it's much like Firesheep, and Zuk refers to Anti as a "penetration tool for the masses." Apparently, his end-goal is to simplify "advanced" hacking and put it within pocket's reach, but he also hopes it'll be used mostly for good. Anti should be available via the Android Market this week for free, alongside a $10 "corporate upgrade." Consider yourself warned.

Laundrino ensures you'll never rely on your washing machine's timer again

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 09:27 PM PDT

LaundrinoWe can't count the number of instances we've started a load of laundry in our washing machine and missed the timer go off, only to later find an odorous and damp pile of what should have been fresh garments. Luckily, the tried-and-trusted Arduino is stepping in to solve yet another first world problem. A fellow over at möp, möp! (apparently, a sub-blog of the Fellowship of Free Software Foundation Europe), had a relatable issue by way of a busted cycle-indicator. Rather than having to check the machine constantly or call a repairman, they decided on the obvious choice: hooking it up to an Arduino Uno and Ethernet shield. Now, the unit is programed to ping a web address over LAN that lets the user know whether the load-cycle is complete, and if so, how long it's been idle for. The poster's even been kind enough to detail the work and source code required, which you'll find by hitting the source link below. "Rinse and repeat" never seemed so fitting.


How would you change ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer?

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 07:33 PM PDT

It arrived but a few months ago, and already ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer has been eclipsed by quite a few of its Android-toting brethren. That said, it's still one of the most uniquely designed Android slates on the market, and those who believe in it seem to be unshakably loyal. If we had to guess, we'd say ASUS is already well on its way to conjuring up the second generation of this here tablet, and we'd love for you to telepathically send over a few tips on how to do it best. Or, you know, drop your suggestions in comments. Would you up the screen resolution? Change the aspect ratio? Tweak the matching dock? Tone down that glossy finish? The floor's yours.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: world's largest skyscraper looks down at solar-powered ice-cream truck

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 05:45 PM PDT

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

It was a monumental week for the field of architecture as Inhabitat brought you a first look at the coming world's largest skyscraper designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, and we saw a sparkling wave of 65,000 discarded compact discs sweep through the streets of Paris. We also learned that plans for Jean Nouvel's massive MoMA 'Death Spire' has been revitalized, and we took a look inside an incredible Mumbai office that looks like something straight out of Star Wars. We also brought you an exclusive video interview with Juergen Mayer H. -- the architect behind the world's largest wooden structure in Seville, Spain.

Green transportation tech heated up this week as well as researchers developed a breakthrough wireless EV charger that is 90 percent efficient and Nissan unveiled a system that lets your electric vehicle power your house. We also learned that it's a bad idea to park your car in a bike lane in Lithuania -- it might get run over by a tank! On the lighter side of things, we showcased a solar-powered ice cream truck that is giving out free organic popsicles, a cool electric touring bus that comes complete with detachable bicycles, and we saw an intrepid inventor transform an old sofa into a water-worthy jet ski.

The world's energy landscape shift towards cleaner sources of power this week as Germany announced it will construct 2,800 miles of transmission lines for renewable energy and Japan rolled out a plant to transform unused rice paddies into solar farms. We also saw Yosemite flip the switch on the largest solar array in a National Park, and we shared six green camping gadgets that are perfect for hitting the trails. Finally, we showcased a crazy-looking brain cap that can control a computer and we spotted several great green gadgets for tech-savvy kids as Amazon announced plans to launch the first tablet computer for babies and Delaney rolled out a solar-powered transformer robot that could give Optimus Prime a run for his money.

Android's Plan B app: an editorial love story

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 04:32 PM PDT

Plan A, we suspect, is not losing your phone. Plan C is biting the bullet and buying a new one. Plan B, on the other hand, is an Android app that helps you locate a missing handset even if you don't have it installed when you misplace the device. Sounds too good to be true, right? Turns out the thing actually works, something an Ars Technica writer discovered the hard way, after his phone slipped out his pocket during a cab ride from the airport. What follows is a wild mobile goose chase -- one, thankfully, with a happy ending. Get the full story in the source link below.

Switched On: When apps meet traps

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 03:02 PM PDT

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

They've gone by many names -- "programs," "executables" and "applications" -- and the development of technologies such as HTML5 calls their nature into question. But the explosion of apps that have set the mobile device market alight over the past several years have been around for almost as long as digital computing has. Disagree with that statement whilst chatting with those who took early programming classes, and you may be staring down a punch card to the face.

In terms of consumer technology, though, apps have migrated from PCs to video game consoles (where they've been long burnt into ROMs) to smartphones and tablets, and now -- perhaps -- back to televisions proper. One thing we've learned over the course of that history is that companies will rarely refuse an opportunity to turn a successful "purpose-built device" into an app platform given enough marketplace success.

Few metamorphoses illustrate that as well as the iPod, which Apple first positioned as laser-focused on music, only to see it become a jack-of-all-media before taking on nearly every app an iPhone can handle as the iPod touch. Other iPod models, though, remain primarily music players. Similarly, the Nook Color has embarked on the app path whereas its grayscale sibling and Amazon.com-developed competition have remained largely task-specific. But two recent devices provide more contrasting perspectives on the challenges of launching an app marketplace:

The Livescribe smartpens: the original Pulse and its follow-on, the Echo -- began as devices that could digitally record text and scribbles as they were written onto paper. Livescribe's first "app" was note-taking with a killer twist. Its pen could play back a point in a recording by tapping on the notes that accompanied it, something that some iPad apps and the HTC Flyer with its stylus are now aping. Livescribe followed up by bottling this feature into a new kind of media called pencasts -- narrations that progress through a drawing that allow someone to explain a process or tell a story.

Livescribe then launched an SDK, hoping to allow developers to leverage the unique mix of processing power, display, and sensors packed tightly into its writing instrument. The Livescribe store lists 114 apps, including Wikipedia, a port of Zork, the seminal work of interactive fiction, and Human Sound Effects, the nature of which shall be left to the collective imagination.

But just a few months after launching its store, Livescribe scrapped the idea of native development. Instead, it turned toward the cloud and decided to focus instead on building connections to popular Web services such as Facebook, Evernote, and Google Docs, each of which are available as smartphone apps as well. Perhaps Livescribe saw greater ease in tying into other well-developed APIs or value in leveraging the power of more powerful devices such as smartphones instead of its own constrained device. Either way, the idea of a pen with native apps has run dry.

While both are now available for less than $100, the Roku Player hardware could hardly be more different than the smartpen. Rather than have its own miniature OLED display, the Roku connects to a big TV and has its own integrated home network connectivity. Like the Livescribe pen, though, the Roku Player started with one "app." That was the playing back of network video, starting with Netflix and now followed by a long tail of niche content.

However, as Livescribe once did, Roku is now branching out to encourage native development. The Roku 2 XS trades in a simple infrared remote control for one that is more like the Wii motion-controller. With it, the company is seeking to attract many of the game developers who have had success with smartphone games to the big screen. Roku's proof of concept is Angry Birds, which is now available just about every platform except for those used by political parties.

The move into games is a natural one for Roku, which has served to help TVs made before the era of integrated WiFi and connected Blu-ray players access a host of web video options. Its update mirrors the migration we are seeing from simple "connected TVs" to "smart TVs." Indeed, it has long been speculated that Apple might make a similar move with its Roku competitor Apple TV. But, as Switched On noted back in May, there are obstacles that stand in the way of the development of smart TV, and in terms of delivering smartphone games to the Roku device, developers may have to work their way around assumptions like that of a multitouch display.

With a large selection of broadband video channels, Roku had adopted a kind of "app store" model even before it moved from video feed to video game. But with the inherent challenges of TV app development and a messy TV platform landscape, the company is making a bet. Its low prices and simple grid interface will seek to convince its Netflixters to engage even as they increasingly have the option of app stores built into their televisions. Roku's latest moves rekindle the question of what devices are good candidates to evolve into platforms for apps versus ones that are destined to lapse.

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

Droid Bionic loses FCC confidentiality, gets updated with pics and user manual

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 02:51 PM PDT

When it rains, it pours, and the latest in the torrential downpour of Droid Bionic news comes straight from the FCC itself: we've got a manual. The user's guide starts by confirming the usual suspects: a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4G LTE, a 4.3" screen and a rear-facing camera capable of capturing 1080p video. The good stuff comes in on page thirteen: the Motorola XT375 supports LTE, CDMA, GSM, and UTMS, a world phone with support for over 200 countries, but unlike its WiMax cousin, the Photon, UMTS support is limited to 2100MHz only. The familial similarities are still there, however, as it seems that the Bionic uses the same connector layout (microUSB / microHDMI) as the Photon, but shifted further down the edge of the phone. This means, unlike the Atrix, the Photon and Bionic just might be able to share WebTop docks and accessories. Need more than just bread and butter? An inductive charging back tagged along on the handset's federal funday, and while there's no indication that it ships with its own charging mat, we'd hazard a guess that it's compatible with existing VZW inductive chargers. Want a closer look? Check out the gallery below for the teardown of your dreams.
Droid Bionic hits FCC, gets teardown

Samsung Hercules confirmed as a T-Mobile Galaxy S II variant

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 01:47 PM PDT

The picture almost says it all: the Galaxy S II is coming to T-Mobile. Except it's slightly more complicated than that. According to TmoNews, you're actually looking at the back of the new Samsung Hercules -- a handset rumored to possess godly specs, which we already knew was heading to both T-Mo and Telus, and which is now confirmed as an honest-to-goodness Galaxy S II variant. It's similar to the original superphone in many respects, but it has a slightly larger 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen like the Infuse 4G, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor that's possibly a Qualcomm instead of Sammy's own Exynos, and a 42Mbps HSPA+ radio. The rounded corners of the back cover also look distinctly similar to the Within -- the GSII variant coming to Sprint. You'll find full-frontals after the break, which also recall the design of the Nexus S. The only thing missing is any mention of NFC, which featured in the initial rumors, but this is still a hotch-potch of the best Samsung phones around and we can't wait for it to arrive.

Archos Arnova 8 G2 tablet makes FCC appearance, gets friendly with metal yardsticks

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 11:48 AM PDT

What's the summer without a sequel or two? Archos's latest entry in the eight-inch Android tablet game hit the FCC this week, sporting Gingerbread, 4GB of storage, an SD slot, and a 1GHz processor. The slate should be available later this month, carrying a price tag of between $180 and $200 -- that's a price bump over its insanely affordable predecessor, but hey, sequels always cost more, right?
Archos Arnova 8 G2 on the FCC
at 12:07 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

My Blog List