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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

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iOS 5 review

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Now well into its fifth year of life, iOS has always been known for its exceptional polish -- and also, its glaring feature holes. But, just like clockwork, each year since its 2007 debut, those shortcomings have been addressed one by one in a sweeping annual update. In 2008, the platform was opened up to developers giving us the App Store, 2009 saw the introduction of copy and paste -- which we'd argue is still the best implementation to date -- and last year "multitasking" finally made a presence. So what has Apple chosen to rectify in 2011? Well, for starters, notifications gets a complete overhaul with Notification Center, tethered syncing dies at the hands of iCloud and messaging gets a do-over with the birth of iMessage.

If you recall, we first got acquainted with iOS 5 in May after downloading the developer preview, but how does the final release stack up? And does it have the chops to compete with the latest from Mountain View and Redmond? After drudging through seven betas, we're ready to conquer all that the final release has to offer, so join us, if you would, past the break.

Overall look and feel


If you were expecting the fifth release to bring forth a visual overhaul, you're going to be sorely disappointed by iOS 5. Sure, there are some visual differences -- e.g., rounded switches, which were previously square, and a little less shadow around message bubbles -- but by and large this is the iOS aesthetic you know and either love or hate.
iOS 5 - Setting up


Notifications


Just because iOS' looks haven't changed radically, that doesn't mean significant work hasn't gone into replacing core components of the operating system. Take notifications, which have been redesigned from the ground up -- a change that couldn't have come sooner, frankly. Gone are the workflow-breaking modal alerts that we've endured since 1.0, replaced by something Apple calls the Notification Center. Instead of interrupting the front-most task, incoming alerts now present themselves with an unobtrusive banner that cube-flips from the top of the device. Functionally, notifications still work the same way, meaning you have two options for interacting with them: you can either address or ignore them, which will either whisk you into the appropriate app or relegate those alerts to an off-screen notification drawer.
iOS 5 - Notification Center


If this sounds familiar, that's because it is. Cupertino's implementation is very similar to how notifications work on Android. And just like Mountain View's system, that drawer of notifications is revealed with the same downward swipe gesture. Once you do that, notifications are split by app, and further organized by time or whatever metric makes sense to you (naturally, you can customize the order of these notifications by playing around in Settings). From here, you can tap a notification, which opens the corresponding application and subsequently clears all alerts in that category. Otherwise, you can dismiss the entire swath of notifications by tapping the "x" across from an app's name.


Among the notifications, you'll also find interactive weather and stocks widgets -- which we presume is Cupertino's answer to the naysayers who've always wanted icons in the springboard to reflect more than sunshine and 72-degree temps. Stuffing this (location-aware!) info into the Notification Center makes more sense, as you can now glance at it any time, as opposed to jumping to and from the springboard. As of now, third-party apps don't have the luxury of placing widgets in Notification Center, which is a shame -- hopefully we'll see this opened up by next year's release.


Another thing you should know about the notification drawer is that it's intentionally tough to open when you're doing something full-screen, such as playing a game or watching video. In these cases, the gesture to open the drawer must be replicated twice, which eliminates haphazard openings -- say, when you're slicing your way to a high score in Fruit Ninja.

So does it work? In a word, yes -- it's certainly far better than its antiquated predecessor (which, curiously, still lives on in Settings, where it's enabled for phone alerts and can be re-enabled on an app by app basis). And yet, we can't help but wonder why Cupertino stuck with the old design for four years before providing us with this. Maybe we were expecting something more radical -- say, notifications that sync across devices -- but we're glad it's here, and boy does it make iOS a whole lot more livable.

Siri

We'll need an iPhone 4S to play around with Siri, so until we get our grubby paws on one, there's unfortunately not much to see here. We can't help but note that Siri is the final evolution in a line of Apple assistants that began almost two decades ago. We fondly remember scribbling sentences into Newton's assistant and watching it decipher them into commands and judging from what we've seen so far, Siri should be all that and then some. We'll update with impressions as soon as possible.

iMessage


Free texting apps, prepare to meet your maker. iMessage could be the prodigy of the old Messages app and BBM -- except they both agreed to not use the latter's ghastly PINs, which are oh-so 1999. The end result here is a messaging app that seamlessly takes the reins from its predecessor, but allows you to skirt messaging fees when chatting up other iPhone / iPad / iPod touch users who also have iOS 5 installed. It's not an earth-shattering concept in and of itself; its brilliance lies in its sleeper execution. Messages are composed just as before, except if the recipient has a phone or email registered with Apple, the device steps around messaging fees. If not, your iPhone will gracefully scale down to SMS (or MMS if you're slinging more than just text) to relay your prose. It's dead simple, and frankly a breath of fresh air over futzing with third-party apps or expending time and effort in telling friends you've switched to a new (Google Voice) number.
iOS 5 - iMessage



So how does the behind-the-scenes magic work? Upon completing the "To" field in the new message, a query is sent to the mothership asking if the recipient supports iMessage. If the receiving party can, their contact (and subsequent message) bubbles are garnished in blue. If not, they'll appear green. From there on out, messaging is just like it's ever been, except that sending both iMessages and conventional texts happens a lot faster than on previous versions of the OS. And because iMessages are sent over data and not the traditional SMS channel, you can send them gratuitously even when you have WiFi access, but little or no cellular connection.


But what if you're messaging someone and you don't know what email or phone number has been registered with Cupertino's servers? Magic, apparently -- when we tried texting a colleague's Google Voice number (which wasn't recognized by the service), our iPad suggested a phone number and an email that was. It's that kind of attention to detail that's always made iOS shine, and iMessage is no exception.


It's also an innovation we welcome with open arms -- after all, texting charges are egregiously high and besides, how often do you see a device and / or OS maker take aim at the carriers that feeds it? While you won't be able to go entirely text-free (at least not until Apple opens up the protocol to others), we have to give Apple props for its audacity alone -- tip of the hat to you, Cupertino.

iCloud


Another marquee feature in this year's release is iCloud -- a free, revamped version of MobileMe that brings some significant add-ons. Mail, contact, calendar and bookmark syncing all remain essentially unchanged -- apart from their new iPad-esque look on the new site icloud.com. But now, various iOS 5 apps can take advantage of the 5GB free locker on Apple's servers. Updated versions of the iWork suite (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) are one such example, as saving a document in those apps now triggers a push to the cloud, with subsequent pushes back down to other devices registered on the same account. Another iCloud-aware app is Photos, which now syncs the camera roll across all registered iCloud devices. It's worth noting, too, that photos slung across iCloud don't count towards your storage quota. Instead Apple's servers will only keep the last 1,000 pictures taken in the last month -- whichever milestone you hit first.

As for the syncing itself, it's pretty much invisible. Documents and photos were flung across our iPhone 4 and iPad almost instantaneously, without any effort on our part.

While iCloud in its current incarnation is nice, we're more stoked for what it could bring in the near future as developers begin to take advantage of that storage locker. In baking this kind of functionality into every iOS 5 device, we hope it won't be long before we start seeing the kind of continuous client apps we've always dreamed of. Say, apps that remember state across devices and the like. Hopefully we aren't too far off from such wizardry, and it shouldn't take long for developers to wow us with things we've never even thought of.


The service also allows iOS 5 devices to back up into the cloud, against that free storage. But be warned: if you're coming from a previous iOS device that 5GB won't go a long way -- especially if you're got over a lot of pictures in your camera roll. You can, of course, fine tune what gets backed up in the Settings app, but having to pick and choose what makes the cut seems to defeat the whole purpose of, you know, backing up. Seems like the 10GB, 20GB or 50GB worth of additional storage might be a more popular choice than we initially thought.

The final piece in this makeover is iTunes in the cloud. It's also the least spectacular, as its been available to iOS 4 devices since the June's WWDC reveal and, let's face it, enabling users to redownload content they've already purchased isn't nearly as tantalizing as other features the service has to offer. Still, it's a nice gesture, and could certainly prove useful when you want an episode of a TV Show or a movie, and are within range of fast WiFi but not your home computer.

Camera & Photos


This year's release brings evolutionary updates to the Camera and Photos apps. Beginning with the former, fans of tactility will rejoice at the ability to now take pictures with the volume up button, in addition to the existing onscreen shutter. But while that sounds great on paper, the placement of the volume button and camera lens on the same end of the device isn't ideal, as it's far too easy to obscure the lens with your fingers when taking photos. Another new feature is the grid option, which overlays a 3 x 3 grid over the screen to help you frame shots and abide by that cardinal rule of thirds. Getting to the camera app is easier now, too, as you can double tap the home button at the lock screen to expose a camera icon for quick access to the app. Most important to photography buffs is the addition of an exposure lock, which you can activate by tapping and holding a section of a photo.
iOS 5 - Camera and Photos



In addition to those upgrades related to the new iCloud roll-out, Photos gains some light editing features, such as cropping, straightening, one-touch enhancements, rotation and red eye removal. The first two are particularly fun as you get to make gratuitous use of the pinch to zoom and rotate gestures while you tweak photos to your heart's content. Happily, edits are also non-destructive, so if you've cropped or enhanced and then tapped "Save," re-entering the edit mode later allows you to roll back the picture to its untouched glory. Naturally, these tools aren't going to replace Photoshop, but they've certainly proven their worth in our short time spent with them.

Safari


Safari has matured with this release, poaching features from its desktop brethren. For starters, iPad users (finally) get tabbed browsing, which streamlines the previously laborious two-tap hoopla into a single-tap, page-swapping procedure. For novices, it should also cut down on the accidental opening of the same website multiple times. You're still limited to a total of nine, though, but at least now you can reorder them.


Other new features are Reader and Reading List. Both carry over from the desktop version of the browser, with the former reformatting content in a streamlined overlay, and the latter helping you save pages to peruse later. If you've ever used Reader on a desktop version of Safari, it works much the same here, stripping content from a page (even stitching multiple pages of pagination in some cases), removing formatting and visual clutter along the way, before presenting it in an easier-to-read overlay. It works, though we suspect you'll make more use of this feature on your iPhone's constrained display than on an iPad.

We were less impressed with Reading List, which is really just a glorified set of bookmarks that keep track of read / unread links and sync these across devices. While we like the underlying concept, you'll quickly bore of its constricting organization and lack of third-party support, especially when compared to something like Instapaper. That, and it becomes infinitely less useful if you don't also use Safari on the desktop.

Twitter


Twitter integration hasn't changed much since when we first played with it back in June. If you're not up to speed, the Share icons littered throughout Apple's stock apps now feature a "Tweet" button which brings up controls for propelling photos, links, et cetera into the Twittersphere. To activate the feature, you'll have to enter your log-in credentials in the Settings app as a one-time setup. Apparently, those credentials will also be used by future third-party Twitter apps as-well, should their developers choose to support it, meaning single sign-on goodness for all. Just make sure you don't have the volume set too high while composing those tweets, as you're likely to be startled by a loud whistle noise that'll sound after you hit send.


From Settings, you can also match Twitter contacts with those in the Phonebook. Which sounds great on paper, but we have to say, it would be a lot more useful with (cough, cough) another social network? We certainly recall seeing builds of the OS with Facebook in the Settings app, so whatever the grudge between Cook-Zuckerberg, let's just bury the hatchet. Please?

Older hardware


After having our iPhone 3G brutalized by iOS 4, we were curious as to how previous-generation hardware would fare with Cupertino's latest OS. In the case of the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2, iOS 5 made these devices feel as snappy as ever. Transitions were smooth, apps loaded quickly and we never felt like new features overwhelmed our device. On the original iPad, much of the same applies. To be clear, iOS 5 didn't make our original iPad run worse than it does on iOS 4, but if you've ever used a first-gen iPad you know it has some obvious RAM limitations, and iOS 5 certainly won't be the cure-all you've been waiting for. That said, the original iPad is usable with Cupertino's latest release -- something we were unable to say during our iPhone 3G's transition to iOS 4.

Miscellaneous

PC Free and WiFi Sync
Combined with iCloud, this snazzy new setup assistant means iOS devices no longer have to be tethered to a computer for setup. From then on, iOS 5 devices sync over WiFi if plugged in and iTunes is open on the host computer.


Split keyboard
It's here and works. iOS 5-toting iPad users can enable it by either dragging the keyboard upwards from the bottom right corner, or by pulling it apart with two fingers. The small keys take a little getting used to, but more choice is better than none, we suppose. You'll also notice some interface weirdness in some apps when you're using the split keyboard -- we're looking at you iMessage, and your vast expanse of grey drab.

OTA Updates
Remember when you had to download an entire 500MB image of iOS, just to plug a security vulnerability? Updates for iOS 5 will be released in delta form, meaning only the parts that change are what has to be downloaded. And because they're smaller, they now come to you over the air and can be installed sans-PC.

AirPlay Mirroring (for iPad 2 and iPhone 4S)
Second-generation AppleTV owners get video mirroring of their iPad 2s without wires. To be verbose, it's the entire UI, not just select content (like a photos or a video) like on all other AirPlay-enabled devices. Think of it as the wireless equivalent of the HDMI or VGA accessory cables for the iPad 2 and something to watch when game developers start exploiting it.

Multitasking gestures (for iPad 2)
You'll recall that developers could enable these on the original iPad back in iOS 4. Three- and four-finger swipes are the name of the game here, allowing you to jump to and from apps without double tapping the home button or making a roundtrip to the springboard.

Mail
Flags and rich text editing make an appearance in this release, but we were most impressed by the gesture that reveals mailboxes when you're using your iPad in portrait mode. Just flick right from the left edge to make managing emails in portrait mode, oh-so much easier.

Reminders app
It's not a looker (maybe we've been spoiled by apps like Flow or Orchestra), but we suppose it gets the job done. The killer feature however, is the location-based alerts, which can be triggered upon arriving or leaving certain places. When combined with Siri, game over.

Newsstand
It's just a centralized place where all your favorite magazines and periodicals live. Those zines have also been relegated to a new section of the store and also gain the priviledge of new updates that download in the background.

Other miscellany we didn't get to play with (yet):

Dictation (4S only)
Android users have been enjoying voice-to-text translation for what seems like eons, and with iOS 5, Apple also supports the feature. However despite being demoed at the "Let's Talk iPhone" event it would appear the feature is only available to iPhone 4S owners -- we'll add impressions here when get to play with it.

iTunes Match
The $24.99 service debuts "late October," so we'll circle back then with impressions on Apple's foray into music subscriptions.

Wrap-up

While the distance between iOS and its contemporaries has shrunk, Apple's baby is certainly more polished and feature-complete than it ever has been. With gripes like notifications and wireless sync behind us, Apple's been able to hone in on breaking new ground with features like Siri, iCloud and iMessage -- all in an extremely refined way.

And that's when it hit us. Other than turn-by-turn navigation, more multitasking APIs and some delectable widgets, there isn't much, headline-wise, left on Apple's hit list for iOS 6. The OS that once was functionally limited, yet smooth and pretty, has blossomed into something that is powerful and yet also slick. It's certainly not the OS for everyone, but from a macro perspective, you really can't argue with it's laser focus on attention to detail.

And with Mango already ripe, it's your move, Ice Cream Sandwich.

Intel may be giving up on smart TVs, ceding market to ARM

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 10:42 AM PDT

Intel Atom CE4100Well, it looks like Intel is throwing in the smart TV towel. As originally reported by AnandTech, and now confirmed by the company itself, Chipzilla is closing down its Digital Home Group and folding the team and resources into its tablet division. Its CE processors, which are found in the Boxee Box and the Logitech Revue, will continue to be sold, but it sounds like the focus will shift away from consumer-facing products. Obviously, that leaves the door wide open for ARM to sweep in. We already know that Google TV will be making the move to ARM-based hardware soon and the Boxee Box started life on Tegra before making the move to an Atom CE4100 (not to mention the A4-sporting Apple TV), so this isn't entirely new ground for the big players. Still, we're a little shocked to see Intel abandon the market just as it seems to be picking up steam.

iOS 5 and OS X 10.7.2 available for download: get your iCloud and iMessage on

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 10:07 AM PDT

iOS 5
Even if you were one of those Apple fans who was less than impressed by the iPhone 4S, there is still reason for excitement -- and that reason's name is iOS 5. If you've got an iPhone 3GS, 4, third- or fourth-gen iPod touch, or either of the iPads you can download Apple's latest and greatest mobile OS right now. That's right, all the fun new features like pull-down notifications, iCloud, iMessage, Find my Friends, Twitter integration and lock screen access to your camera will be at your disposal. Sadly you will not be getting a taste of Siri, which appears to a 4S only feature for now. Still, there's more than enough here to make it a worthy upgrade to your device. So, what are you waiting for? Go hit that update button now.

Update: Just so you're aware, you'll need iTunes 10.5 installed to get the latest iOS. There's also an update to OS X coming down the pipes -- version 10.7.2 -- which officially delivers iCloud to your Mac. Huzzah!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

iPhone 4S claims title of first Bluetooth 4.0 smartphone, ready to stream data from your cat

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 09:41 AM PDT

iPhone 4S
The Bluetooth 4.0 specification may have been finalized in July of last year, but smartphones supporting the standard are just starting to hit the market. In fact, the first such handset is the iPhone 4S. That the 4S is the first to deliver its 4.0 wares to the American public is something that got lost in all the hubbub surrounding its launch. One of the biggest selling points of the latest version of the PAN standard is its low-power mode, though that wont have much of an impact on Apple's device. What it will enable the latest iGadget to do however, is act as a hub -- collecting data from multiple sensors and accessories simultaneously, such as heart rate monitors and cats. Don't expect this to be alone on the market for long, other manufacturers will certainly be squeezing support for the specification into their next flagship device.

Archos 80 G9 review

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT

As far as tablets go, a couple of interesting things are going to happen between now and the holiday season. One, we're going to see a glut of smaller 7- and 8-inch tablets running Honeycomb (like this, this and this) hit the market. And if the Kindle Fire and Acer Iconia Tab A100 are any indication, they're going to be cheaper, making slates palatable to folks who previously couldn't bring themselves to spend $500 on a plaything. The Archos 80 G9, then, is the perfect specimen on both counts. Here you have an 8-inch tablet running Android 3.2 with a kickstand and full-sized USB port -- costing just $300 for the base model ($270, even, on sites like Amazon). So how does it stack up against other diminutive, aggressively priced tablets? Let's see.
Archos 80 G9 review

Hardware


In conversations with Archos before we began this review, we were presented with a choice: we could try either the 8-inch 80 G9 or the 10-inch 101 G9. While we haven't ruled out the possibility of giving the latter a whirl, our gut told us to start with the 8-incher. Why? Well, to be honest, we haven't seen that many of them. 10-inch slates come a dime a dozen, and though we've only tested a handful of 7-inchers, the market will soon be overflowing with them. But 8-inch tablets? Not so much. So here we are, getting acquainted.

Archos' tablets have always strayed from the slab-of-glass look made popular by the likes of the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1. And if you've been following along, you know the 80 G9 isn't that big of a departure from the 70 and 101 tablets we reviewed last year. The large lettering on the back cover has carried over, as have the bezels, which are wider in landscape mode than in portrait. This time, though, Archos traded the brushed metal back for smooth plastic. But, there's more here than meets the eye. Lying just underneath that plastic is a layer of stainless steel, which makes the entire tablet feel rigid. There are two exceptions to that, actually, but they're both understandable. These pieces -- a kickstand and USB slot (more on both in a moment) depress ever-so slightly when you bear down on them with your fingers, and make a faint creaking noise in the process, but otherwise the lid feels reassuringly solid. It's also worth noting that the kickstand feels firmly attached - we tried flexing it backward, like a schoolyard bully bending our fingers the wrong way, and the blessed thing stayed put (you know, like our fingers).


'Round back, you'll find that kickstand -- a fixture on older Archos tablets -- as well as a pull-out slot revealing a full-sized USB port. If you're based in Europe, you an buy can Archos-made USB 3G stick into which you can insert your own SIM (Archos confirmed this won't work in the US). An Archos rep also said the company's working on an LTE, carrier-subsidized version for the states, but for now, third-party USB 3G sticks (for the European market) should work, even if they do protrude awkwardly.

Lingering on the back cover for a moment, you'll find four small, rubberized feet, along with a lone speaker. If you hold it in landscape mode, you'll find most of the action lies on the left edge, which houses the aforementioned USB / 3G slot, a power / lock button, a micro-USB port, microSD reader, headphone jack and a mini-HDMI socket. In fact, with the exception of a volume rocker on the opposite edge, the tablet's sides are blank, making for a (mostly) minimalist look. Ironically, given the abundance of unused space, we wish Archos had placed the volume buttons a touch higher, since they're all too easy to press by accident if you're holding the tablet in landscape mode.

Speaking of minimalist, the 80 G9 has a 720p front-facing camera, but not a rear-facing one -- an obvious trade-off for scoring a Honeycomb tablet this cheap. Given the abysmal image quality we've been treated to in most every other tablet, we can't say we're disappointed Archos dropped this pretense altogether.

All told, the tablet feels light in the hands, though we're finding that the 8-inch form factor is just big enough that typing in landscape mode feels unwieldy in a way it doesn't with 7-inchers.

Display and sound


Like its 10-inch sibling, the 80 G9 has a 1024 x 768 MVA LCD panel, which was bright enough for us to see outdoors on a sunny day. Even without the kickstand, you'll find that the viewing angles are pretty versatile, especially from the sides, though we'd be lying if we said that stand didn't help. Certainly, it's more than just a differentiator, a gimmick -- even in our brief time with the tablet, we found ourselves regularly using it to prop up the tablet on our coffee table or desk while we leaned back and used our hands for other, more pressing things (you know, like typing this review). Particularly given that tablet makers can easily get away with selling an external dock for $30 or even $50, it's nice to have this kind of convenience built in.

As for audio, the sound quality is predictably tinny, though we were more concerned by the volume -- we had to crank it to the max to make our music rise above the whirring of our air conditioner, though if you're listening outdoors you might well be using headphones anyway.

Performance and battery life

The 80 G9 packs the same dual-core 1GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4 SoC found in the LG Thrill 4G. In general, the display felt responsive and the tablet was brisk enough in opening apps and transitioning between menus and home screens. Look hard enough and you'll notice some delay when switching between open apps. (As it happens, the latest firmware update actually promised to address memory management.) If benchmarks tell at least part of the story, its numbers generally trailed the 7-inch, similarly priced Acer Iconia Tab A100, though in some metrics, such as the mobile browsing test Vellamo and the graphics benchmark Nenamark 2, the difference was pretty negligible. By the way, guys, mid-way through working on our review we upgraded the firmware from version 3.2.22 to 3.2.46, but didn't notice any significant difference between either set of benchmark scores.

Benchmark
Archos 80 G9
Acer Iconia Tab A100
Quadrant Crashed with 3.2.22 firmware; scored 1,479 with version 3.2.46 Would not run
Linpack 36.44 MFLOPS (single thread) / 33.51 MFLOPS (multi-thread) 28.38 MFLOPS (single thread) / 55.36 MFLOPS (multi-thread)
Nenamark 1 43.8 fps 57 fps
Nenamark 2 22.3 fps 24.5 fps
Vellamo 1,046 1,057

The 80 G9's battery eked out seven hours and six minutes in our battery rundown, which involves playing the same movie on repeat with WiFi on, Bluetooth off and the display brightness fixed at 50 percent. That's with the latest firmware, mind you -- before we upgraded from 3.2.22, we were getting just five hours and 45 minutes of runtime. In any case, its most recent score is still hours less than what you'll get from an iPad 2, but it more or less matches the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook. It also managed to outlast the similarly sized 7-inch Acer Iconia Tab A100 and the 8-inch Velocity Micro Cruz T408 by about two hours. So, in the grand scheme of tablets, its runtime is mediocre at best, but compared to models in its size class it's downright impressive.

Tablet
Battery Life
Archos 80 G9 7:06
Apple iPad 2 10:26
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 9:55
Apple iPad 9:33
HP TouchPad 8:33
Lenovo IdeaPad K1 8:20
Motorola Xoom 8:20
T-Mobile G-Slate 8:18
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 8:00
Archos 101 7:20
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 7:01
Acer Iconia Tab A500 6:55
Toshiba Thrive 6:25
Samsung Galaxy Tab 6:09
Velocity Micro Cruz T408 5:10
Acer Iconia Tab A100 4:54

Software

Like so many other 7- and 8-inch slates trickling into the market, the 80 G9 runs Android 3.2. (Happily, Archos has upped the specs since it announced the tablets in June, at which point it was touted as running 3.1.) You might also be relieved to know that the company has barely tinkered with the stock Honeycomb UI you're used to. The keyword being "barely." Archos did give Google's native music and video apps a facelift -- a much-needed one, at that. Taking a cue from Cover Flow, the new apps let you navigate your various libraries by swiping through album covers or, alternatively, movie jackets. In the case of both movies and videos, it offers separate folders for internal and external storage as just another shortcut to finding what you want. On top of that, Archos threw in optional widgets that let you scroll through albums and movies right on your home screen. Just tap a thumbnail to start playing something. It's a nice touch, we have to say, and both widgets quickly found a home on one of our secondary home screens. If it's not your thing, you can just ignore it. If only all software tweaks were that simple.


As for apps, you won't find much beyond your garden-variety Honeycomb staples here. We point this out just because some tablets we've tested recently -- the IdeaPad K1 and the Toshiba Thrive, to name two -- have bundled various popular apps (and yes, some bloatware, too) as a kind of value-add. Of course, the Archos 80 G9 is well-made and cheap with acceptable battery life, which makes it plenty valuable already.

Camera


One trade-off you'll make in exchange for walking away with a $300 tablet: this guy has only a front-facing camera for video-chatting / grainy self-portraits. In conversations with the company, an Archos rep reminded us that this is not a camcorder, and that if people want to take photos, they'll use their smartphones. Fair enough, though we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't point out that dual cameras are a staple on pretty much every other tablet on the market.

So how is that lone 720p camera? In some scenarios, the quality is borderline acceptable, but predictably, a dearth in image stabilization means you'd have to hold the tablet very still if you wanted to use it as a camera. And why would you, given that making use of the front-facing lens means holding the display away from you and reaching around to tap the shutter?
Archos 80 G9 sample shots

Configuration options

Remember we said the G9 has a 10-inch sibling? That would be the 101 G9, which was announced alongside the G9 back in June. But in fact, these two come from a much larger family of slates: for each size, you can get one with 8GB of internal flash memory (like the one we tested) or a souped-up version with a 1.2GHz processor and either 16GB of internal memory or a 250GB hard drive. Across the board -- 8- and 10-inch, flash memory and HDD models -- the battery is rated for up to 10 hours of web surfing and seven hours of video. All run Android 3.2 with those video and music player tweaks, and the industrial design -- kickstand and all -- remains the same. In the case of the hard drive models, you'll find a Seagate-made 7mm Momentus Thin inside with 4GB of flash memory for storing the OS. Meanwhile, the HDD contains movies and the like -- a design meant to minimize the time the hard drive's actually spinning.

Model Price
80 G9 (8GB) $299.99
80 G9 (16GB) $319.99
80 G9 (250GB) $369.99
101 G9 (8GB) $369.99
101 G9 (16GB) $399.99
101 G9 (250GB) $449.99

The competition

Small, relatively inexpensive tablets that run Honeycomb? There's only a handful at the moment, but the pool's going to get a good deal more crowded over the coming months, with models like the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, Huawei MediaPad and 7-inch Toshiba Thrive on the way. (The Kindle Fire runs a heavily skinned version of Android, but with a 7-inch display and $199 price tag we'd put it in the same category anyway.) For now, there's the 7-inch Acer Iconia Tab A100 ($330), which also runs Android 3.2, but has short battery life, even for a tablet in this size class. There's also the Galaxy Tab 8.9, which should go on sale in the states soon, but if that rumored $400 price is on the money, whose $470 price tag (that's for 16GB) means you'll be paying a premium for the pinch-thin Galaxy Tab aesthetic (and TouchWiz, if that's your bag). At the other end of the spectrum, you'll find some dirt-cheap 8-inchers such as the Velocity Micro Cruz T408 and Vizio Tablet, but in exchange for spending $50 less, you might well have to settle for something running Gingerbread. Across the board, they lack the kickstand and full-sized USB port that the 80 G9 brings.


Wrap-up


After months of testing Honeycomb tablets with similar specs, we didn't begin our review of the Archos 80 G9 expecting to be blown away. And yet, by the end of our testing period, we had grown rather attached to the thing. Curiously, there wasn't just one feature that bowled us over. The display offers excellent viewing angles, but isn't the most vibrant we've seen. Its performance is snappy enough, but nothing to write home about. It's one of the few tablets we've tested recently without a rear-facing camera.

But none of that matters much when you remember this is a $300 tablet we're talking about. For what it is, its value is unmatched. Here you have an 8-inch slate running (mostly) vanilla Android 3.2, whereas some bargain-basement models costing just $50 less run Gingerbread. While its battery life can't hold a candle to a 10-inch tab, it's still quite healthy for a 7- or 8-incher. Moreover, what other tablet this small and this cheap has a full-sized USB port? Or a kickstand? Yeah, we're coming up short, too.

LG Doubleplay packs dual screens, likes being different

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 08:35 AM PDT

We double-took when we noticed this strange little handset on T-Mobile's leaked fall roadmap under a 'Flip II' codename, and now it's emerged in some press shots with a doubly playful new moniker and a touch more clarity. We can see a five megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a front-facer of unknown resolution, and what's reported to be a 320x480 HVGA main display. We know very little about the secondary display except that it seems to give you quick access to your apps -- although we're hoping there's more to it than that. The roadmap indicated an imminent November 2nd launch for $150 on contract and it surely won't be long before get some hands-on time. Til then, we'll just try to imagine the ergonomics.

Sprint and Verizon confirm iPhone 4S Micro SIM unlock for international travel (update: Sprint remains locked?)

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 08:11 AM PDT

If you own an iPhone 4 on AT&T, using the device while traveling internationally means paying sky-high roaming fees, jailbreaking or limiting data use to when you're on a WiFi network, either with a public hotspot or through a service like Xcom Global. Verizon iPhone 4 owners, however, don't have the option of GSM roaming at all, and can only make calls and use cellular data in countries that support CDMA. All that changes with the iPhone 4S, however -- Macworld has confirmed that Sprint will sell its version of the device with the Micro SIM slot unlocked, with Verizon offering free unlocking to customers after the first 60 days of service. iPhone 4S owners will then be able to purchase a Micro SIM overseas, allowing them to access data and make calls at local rates, for a fraction of what it would cost to roam. AT&T iPhone 4S owners won't have this option, however, so if you make frequent trips overseas, this benefit alone may be enough to justify purchasing the phone through Sprint or Verizon, saving some users hundreds or thousands of dollars in international roaming fees.

Update: Our source article was incorrect, and Sprint has told us that its SIM will not be unlocked, adding that the card will not even be removable.

Our SIM does not come out of the device - I believe the same is true of Verizon's iPhone but you would need to confirm that with them. Customers can sign up for one of our international rate plans and use this phone all over the world. When traveling internationally, there is a setting that must be turned on within the device to connect to GSM. The phone will work with a SIM that is provided within the device out of the box. International voice and data charges are on a pay-as-you-go basis and vary based on the country where the customer is using their phone; a list of rates is available at www.sprint.com/international.

Update 2: We heard from Sprint a second time, which redacted part of its previous statement. The carrier further explained "the SIM is removable and is not affixed to the device," which as you may notice directly contradicts the statement made earlier today. We've reached out to Apple twice and are awaiting further clarification.

[Thanks, Julio]

Mobile devices may outnumber humans in the US, but they can't take our soul

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 07:43 AM PDT

We're not really sure what to make of this, but it looks like Americans may be under siege... from their own cellphones. No, seriously -- according to the latest survey from CTIA, there are now more mobile devices in the US than there are human beings. The trade association's semi-annual statistics show that during the first six months of 2011, the number of wireless subscriptions rose by nine percent over the previous year, to a total of 327.6 million. The combined population of the US, Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands, by comparison, is around 315 million. That translates to a nationwide wireless penetration rate of 103.9 percent, and, not surprisingly, a 111 percent surge in data usage. CTIA says these results highlight "the industry's need to purchase more spectrum from the federal government," as well as our collective need to get a life. You can find more crunch-able numbers in the full PR, after the break.
[Image courtesy of Wrong Side of the Art]
Show full PR text
CTIA-The Wireless Association® Semi-Annual Survey Reveals Historical Wireless Trend

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- U.S. Wireless Subscriber Connections Surpassed U.S. Population for First Time

Wireless Network Data Traffic Increased 111 percent and Highlights Industry Need for More Spectrum

For the first time in history, the semi-annual survey conducted by CTIA-The Wireless Association® shows the number of wireless subscriber connections (327.6 million) has surpassed the population (315.5 million) in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands), which means the wireless penetration rate in the U.S. is 103.9 percent. The survey, released today at CTIA ENTERPRISE & APPLICATIONS(TM) 2011, tracks U.S. wireless trends including subscribership, usage, revenue and investment from January 2011 to June 2011. The survey also showed a 111 percent increase in wireless data traffic. The tremendous increase in data usage, wireless subscriber connections and other metrics from the survey underscore the industry's need to purchase more spectrum from the federal government to meet the significant demands by consumers and businesses so Americans continue to lead the world with the best wireless products and services.
The January 2011-June 2011 wireless survey results are:

Wireless subscriber connections: 327.6 million; mid-year 2010: 300.5 million (9 percent increase).

Wireless network data traffic: 341.2 billion megabytes; mid-year 2010: 161.5 billion megabytes (111 percent increase).

Average local monthly wireless bill (includes voice and data service): $47.23; mid-year 2010: $47.47 (less than 1 percent decrease).

Number of active smartphones and wireless-enabled PDAs: 95.8 million; mid-year 2010: 61.2 million (57 percent increase).

Number of active data-capable devices: 278.3 million; mid-year 2010: 264.5 million (5 percent increase).

Wireless-enabled tablets, laptops and modems: 15.2 million; mid-year 2010: 12.9 million (17 percent increase).

Minutes of Use (MOU): 1.148 trillion; mid-year 2010: 1.138 trillion (1 percent increase).

SMS sent and received: 1.138 trillion; mid-year 2010: 982.9 billion (16 percent increase).

MMS sent and received: 28.2 billion; mid-year 2010: 32.1 billion.

In order to try to meet the demand for wireless devices and services by consumers and businesses, CTIA's provider members continued their investments in their networks and infrastructure to improve their customers' coverage and speeds. From June 2010-June 2011, the annual capital investment increased by 28 percent to $27.5 billion. Since 2001, wireless companies have reported a cumulative total investment of $223 billion. These figures do not include the billions our carrier members paid to the U.S. government for spectrum.

"CTIA's semi-annual survey proves that Americans love wireless and continue to rely on the most cutting-edge and innovative devices and services in the world. Clearly, we're using wireless more every day, and the consensus of experts is that demand will continue to skyrocket by more than 50 times within the next five years. These are the reasons why our members need more spectrum," said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA. "By making underutilized or unused spectrum available for auction, carriers will continue to invest billions of dollars in their infrastructure, generate hundreds of billions of dollars in benefit to our economy and create up to a half a million new jobs while ensuring the U.S. maintains its position as the world's wireless leader."

Wireless annual service revenue was $164.6 billion in the 12 months ending June 2011, up 6 percent from the same period in 2010.

To see a summary of the report or to purchase the full report from the CTIA Research eStore, please visit: http://www.ctia.org/advocacy/research/index.cfm/AID/10316 .

CTIA-The Wireless Association® ( www.ctia.org ) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry's leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

Pioneer AppRadio review

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT


If you drive, and if you read Engadget (which...you do), there's a good chance you've spent some time using an iOS device in the car. You've probably also spent some of that time wishing there were a better way to integrate your phone or pod with the car itself. There have been devices to help you bring Pod and vehicle together in an unholy union of distraction since that first physical scroll wheel hit the scene, from maddening tape adapters and FM tuners to more integral solutions like Ford's Sync system. The whole time, we were kind of just wishing they'd figure out a way to let us mount the thing directly in the dash, and have our way with it as we do in all other situations. Pioneer's AppRadio approaches that -- it looks unapologetically like a bigger iPod in landscape mode, complete with minimalistic physical controls and a laid-back, no-nonsense look about it. Does it, in fact, make the iPhone more useful while you're in the car? Turns out, it's a yes and no kind of thing.
Pioneer AppRadio

Design

The double DIN (180 x 100 mm) module doesn't require an iOS device to work -- you can still use the radio and phone portions without it -- but the real newness here comes when you plug in. Once you've installed the free AppRadio app, your phone or pod becomes the real brain of the system. Almost all of the storage and processing take place on the chip inside your device; the 6.1-inch capacitive in-dash display actually maps its face to that of the iDevice. But the AppRadio app takes control of your device, rendering all other parts of it untouchable.


To browse through your music, you'll have to navigate using the built-in iPod software, which we have big issues with. Instead of being able to flick through the familiar polished lists of songs and artists, you're forced to navigate with big, ugly buttons that make navigating a relative pain -- especially if you're trying to find something while you're driving.


The radio functionality is fairly straightforward, and we like the autoscan / favorites management tools. We do not like the EQ controls, which are buried a few menus in from the home screen, and are far too complicated to adjust on the go -- a must if you're listening to a wide variety of music on shuffle, for example. The Bluetooth functions as it should, automatically pairing with your phone, interrupting music if a call comes in, that kind of thing. If you've seen similar systems in newer Lexuses (Lexii?), it will all seem very familiar.



Apps

The Apps portion is where a lot of the heavy lifting is done: maps, photos, calendar, contacts are all here and work as expected, and everything flows with the smoothness of iOS. The Maps situation is frustrating for a variety of reasons. Just like on the iPhone, Google Maps works, but it won't do turn-by-turn live navigation. If you want turn-by-turn, you'll need to buy the 99-cent MotionX-GPS Drive app on your iPhone. The in-dash extension of MotionX-GPS is slick, and the voice navigation (free for 30 days, then $2.99 / month or $19.99 / year) is much easier on the ears than Android's. But because there's no keyboard entry in any part of AppRadio's entry, you have to set the destination and any other auxiliary information on the phone itself. If you want to navigate your music while you're driving with GPS, you have to do it on the phone itself. And if you want to switch between any apps, you have to do it on the iPhone itself. This isn't liberating; it's juggling. We were using our Android phone tethered to our iPod touch, and if we're adding correctly, that makes three screens to keep track of... not to mention the WINDscreen and the things in front of it. And! You can't listen to the radio and use the navigation at the same time. Ugh.


The INRIX Traffic app does provide some pretty innovative travel features that we ended up taking advantage of, including real-time and history-based estimates for travel time to your destination. The other apps available for AppRadio are Pandora and Rdio, and they are nearly identical to the Pandora and Rdio apps you may already know and love...but with search by text disabled. This abrupt end of the available apps list highlights the fact that it is indeed very short, especially for a product with "App" in its very name. Like most app stores, its shortcomings make us question why it even exists in the first place. Apple has a great app store, and it should just be included wholesale here. Sure, there are legal and safety reasons why it's not included, but that doesn't mean creating an entirely new ecosystem specific to this head unit was a good idea. We're curious to see what types of apps eventually make their way here. We just didn't find ourselves spending much time in the apps section. We spent most of the time listening to the radio, like all normal people do while they're driving. Right?

Execution

While a big touchscreen in your dash may look slick at first, we instantly found ourselves yearning for the big, grabby physical knobs and buttons of our stock head unit. We like being able to adjust the volume with a quick flick of the wrist; AppRadio's rocker-style switch is tiny, flat and slow on the draw. We also missed being able to browse through tracks or radio stations without having to look at the buttons we're reaching for. Other things we missed? Our CD player, and, crucially, our aux input. There's no way to feed external audio into AppRadio, which is a real shame, especially if you're the type that carries your music on multiple devices. Worst of all, there's no clock function on any screen besides the home screen. It may seem like a small issue, but not being able to tell exactly how late you are at all times is a huge pain. This is such an obvious function of an in-dash unit that we're kind shocked it's missing here. And you know what's really, super-duper annoying? Waiting for your car stereo to boot up. It can take a good ten to twenty seconds from turning the car on to actually hearing any music, and you're forced to tap an "OK" button on a disclaimer before you can even access the home screen. Again, doesn't sound like much on paper, but this delay gets truly maddening after a while, and it's not the type of thing you get used to. Also, if you have a sunroof or non-tinted windows, you'll be dealing with a lot of glare on the screen, and it's not really bright enough to be seen easily in direct sunlight.


The video out function does provide a couple of cool perks -- you can stream Netflix and Youtube directly to the screen -- but you'll only be able to use them when you're in park. And, while you're sitting in the parking lot watching Home Alone 3, you'll have a lot of time to think about the 800 x 480 WVGA screen. Let's just say that it's about as far from an IPS display as anything we've seen in recent memory.

Like any first-out-the-gate product, AppRadio is also just plain buggy. Pandora simply stopped working on us for a few days. At one point, the unit itself wouldn't even boot up, so we had to re-boot the entire car. The last day of our time with the unit, the iPod connection wouldn't even work! It felt like a silly and confusing end to a distressed relationship.

Wrap-up


Pioneer's ambitious journey into iOS vehicle integration surveys some important ideas. But on the journey, they've skipped over some of the most vital functions of listening to music in the car. In the end, the whole package still just makes us really, really want to have our actual iPod mounted in the dash, or the option to attach it and mirror its functionality on a larger in-dash screen, maybe with a couple of physical knobs thrown in for good measure. Luckily the universe is rife with intrepid hackers that love their cars as much as they love their code. It must be said that it truly does feel amazing to be able to stream a little classic "David After Dentist" or "Honey Badger" directly to our vehicle console: even if it the car does have to be in park, we still felt like we were peeking into the future. We believe the potential in AppRadio is huge, and hackers' efforts -- or maybe even software updates from Pioneer itself -- will turn AppRadio into a platform that's fun and useful for futurekids of all ages.

The saga of the leaked iPhone 4 prototype comes to an anticlimactic end

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 06:45 AM PDT

iPhone 4 Prototype
It's been a long, weird and winding road, but it appears that the saga surrounding the leaked iPhone 4 prototype that got Gizmodo editor Jason Chen's home raided is finally over. The two men accused of selling the device to Chen, Brian Hogan and Sage Wallower, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of theft of lost property. The two were sentenced to a year probation, 40 hours of public service and told to pay $250 in damages to Apple. The rest of the $5,000 they received for the prototype is theirs to keep. Through it all Chen and Gizmodo have escaped prosecution and, with the two who found and sold the device receiving barely a slap on the wrist, it looks like its time to close the book on this tale. Perhaps crime doesn't pay, but it doesn't appear to cost a whole heck of a lot either.

Engadget Distro is ready for download!

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 06:15 AM PDT

You've been waiting patiently, we've been waiting impatiently, but now all that waiting is over. Engadget Distro is live and we can't wait another moment for you to download and give it a try. If you missed our introduction a few weeks back, Distro is a distilled version of the best feature content each week at Engadget. We know your life is crazy. We know you don't always have time to read everything good that comes through our feed. That's why we've created this. Now, every Friday morning, you can download a new issue to your device and then kick back, take your time and enjoy the best reviews, previews and other long-form content that slipped through your fingers during the week, all reformatted and redesigned in beautiful, magazine-like layout that we think you're going to love.

We're also mixing in some exclusive content found only in Distro, like an editor's letter from yours truly to get you up to speed on the week's news. Don't miss the weekly comic, hand-crafted by a selection of some of the most talented artists in the industry. And, every now and again, we'll be surprising you with a special edition issue just to keep you on your toes.

Now, this first release is iPad only, but trust me when I say we're already working to get this out on other platforms. That doesn't mean you sweet Honeycomb users, playful PlayBook owners and bargain-hunting TouchPad touchers can't get in on the fun sooner. We'll be offering PDF downloads on Friday with each new issue, meaning you can read along on just about any platform you like.

So, we're hugely excited to be offering up Distro. It's a beautiful new way to read Engadget and it's been a massive project, the culmination of many late nights by a team of talented designers, developers and editors, all of whom I personally owe a great deal of gratitude. Their names are listed in the masthead after the break so, before you go download, take a moment and check that out. Then, get your d/l on and enjoy the selection of back-issues (six!) we've provided for you. On Friday, get ready for a fresh edition. They're all free and they all come with love, from Engadget.

p.s. If you're wondering why Distro is not in Newsstand, during development we were told that you can't include free downloads in there, and we definitely want this to be free! It seems like that may be changing, so we'll look to add support there when we can.

p.p.s. We're told the app is crashing on some of the pre-release betas of iOS 5. If that's you, sit tight and wait for the official release. If you are on the official release, or on some earlier version, hit us up at support at engadget dot com with your iOS version.

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BlackBerry outage spreads to US and Canada, continues in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America (update: RIM confirms)

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 06:05 AM PDT

It's day three of RIM's BlackBerry service outage in much of the world, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, Brazil and Chile. But now the problem appears to have spread into Canada -- RIM's home turf -- and we're even hearing reports of some service issues in the US as well. We've reached out to RIM for comment, but we'd like to hear from you. Let us know whether or not you're having issues in the poll below, and jump past the break to sound off in the comments.

Are BlackBerry services down for you?

Update: RIM has posted the following statement to its BlackBerry Service Update page:

BlackBerry subscribers in the Americas may be experiencing intermittent service delays this morning. We are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and we apologize to our customers for any inconvenience. We will provide a further update as soon as more information is available.

Update 2: RIM UK has also posted a statement:

We know that many of you are still experiencing service problems. The resolution of this service issue is our Number One priority right now and we are working night and day to restore all BlackBerry services to normal levels.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung modifies Galaxy smartphones to satisfy Dutch court, plans to resume sales soon

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 05:39 AM PDT

Earlier this summer, a judge in The Netherlands ruled to ban sales of Samsung Galaxy S, S II and Ace smartphones, stating that the devices violated an Apple patent which deals with a "method of scrolling." Well, nearly two months have passed, and Samsung is just now getting around to releasing "upgraded" versions of the affected devices, presumably implementing a non-infringing scroll tool. A Samsung spokesman told Reuters that the three phones will "shortly be available for sale," neglecting to provide an exact release date -- so we wouldn't suggest lining up to get your Galaxy S II fix just yet. This small victory is only the latest in the Apple / Samsung lawsuit saga, which has created quite a stir in a handful of courts around the world. We have yet to hear about a solution to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban in Australia, for example, where fingers are being pointed in every direction.

TeleNav 7.1 for Sprint Android phones: this time it's personal

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 05:19 AM PDT

Sure, everyone loves Google Maps Navigation, it's free, and it comes on every Android handset. However, those wanting a more personal experience from their phone's GPS (and are on the Now Network) should check out TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1. Among the changes from prior iterations of the app are a new home screen with real-time traffic updates and customizable "Home" and "Work" buttons to show your impending commute times. So you can pick the fastest way home (or the most direct route to happy hour) 7.1 also recommends multiple routes to your chosen destination and provides drive times and traffic conditions for each route. As if that weren't enough, you can also download three widgets to put on your Android home screen: a map showing your current location, a search bar, and a widget that shows your home and work commute times. We enjoy celebrities giving us directions and all, but it's good to see some new functional features coming to the GPS game. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 Launches on Android Devices from Sprint

New home screen and features allow drivers to customize their navigation experience to make their lives easier, less stressful, more productive, and fun while on the go

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct 11, 2011 – CTIA Enterprise and Applications 2011 – TeleNav, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNAV), one of the largest global wireless location-based services providers, today announced a more personalized GPS search, traffic and navigation experience for Android devices. TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 goes beyond turn-by-turn directions to help on-the-go people run errands around town, explore and discover what's around them, or commute to work or school.

New Home Screen

TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 uses a new, unique home screen, called "My Dashboard ™," for quick and easy access to what on-the-go people needevery day. The redesigned interface includes a map of the user's current location with real-time traffic overlay and customizable "Home" and "Work" buttons to show current drive times based on live traffic.

Improved Map Options and Customizable Car Icons

TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 also includes smoother and faster map rendering, enhancing features such as live traffic, red light cameras and satellite view map layers. The application includes Multi Routes™, which recommends up to three routes to the destination with distance and estimated drive times based on traffic conditions. Users can review information for each route and select the option that best fits their personal driving needs. To further personalize the navigation experience, drivers have the option to use fun, custom car icons such as a sports car, hot rod, tank, space ship, motorcycle and more.

TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 not only accurately guides drivers to their destination; it also provides people with many useful features along the way to make it easier to drive and arrive with more confidence and less stress. The application includes "Cockpit View," a feature that shows roads and street names that zoom into view for a better navigational experience, and "Junction View," which informs drivers which lane to be in to make complex lane changes simple and easy. When combined with other existing features, such as turn-by-turn directions with street names, 2D and 3D moving maps and traffic avoidance, TeleNav provides drivers with all of the information they need to safely reach their destination.

New Widgets

Also new to TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1, customizable Android widgets have been added for quick access to the information that on-the-go people need and use every day. Three TeleNav widgets are available for download on the Android home screen, including a map of the user's current location, a one-box search field, and navigation with Home and Work commute times. In addition, shortcuts in the navigation and search widgets make it even easier to access popular Places categories and local traffic.

"While other navigation apps tend to only focus on getting you from point A to point B, we believe there is tremendous value in a more personalized navigation experience that is tailored to your daily
needs," said Sal Dhanani, co-founder and vice president of products for TeleNav. "From My Dashboard to widgets, car icons to Multi Routes, drivers are looking for a more personally relevant experience."

Other Key Features

Find out where to go, how to get there and what to do when you get there with TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1.

· Favorite and Recent Destinations: Drive to your favorite and recent destinations more quickly and easily with one-touch access on My Dashboard

· Daily Commute: Current drive times based on live traffic right on the home screen

· Live Traffic: Save time with live traffic updates that automatically reroutes you around traffic jams or road congestion

· Local Search: Search 22 million Places and get user-generated ratings and reviews to quickly decide where to go

· Local Reviews: Rate and review your favorite Place all from your phone

· Gas Prices: Search up-to-date gas prices by location and price to save money

· Voice Search: Stay safe and keep your hands on the wheel with voice-activated commands

· Local Weather: Get real-time weather and seven day forecasts for your current location

· Voice Guidance: Clear, easy-to-understand driving directions spoken by a real human voice

· And much more

Availability

TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 brings personalized navigation and search to Android phones from Sprint running Android 2.3, Gingerbread, such as the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch and LG Marquee, as well as HTC EVO 3D, Kyocera Milano and Samsung Replenish. Tablets from Sprint running Android 3.0 and higher, known as Honeycomb, will also include the app. TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 will be available later this month at no additional charge with Sprint's
Everything Data and Simply Everything plans, with optional premium features such as lane assist, speed trap, red light camera, speed limit notification and commute reports available for an additional $4.99 per month. The custom car icons are available through an in-app purchase for $.99 each. TeleNav expects My Dashboard and other TeleNav GPS Navigator 7.1 features to be available on other platforms in the near future.

Representatives from TeleNav will be available to demonstrate this new technology at CTIA's Pepcom media event this evening from 7:00pm –10:00pm PT at The Marriott Marquis in San Diego, California.

Sony locks 93,000 PSN and SOE accounts due to 'massive' hack attempt

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 04:51 AM PDT

Sony's not having a good morning. In addition to having to recall 1.6 million Bravia TVs, it's also been forced to temporarily lock 93,000 customers out of their PSN and Sony Online Entertainment accounts. You won't be surprised by the reason: an attempt by hackers to "test a massive set of sign-in IDs and passwords" against Sony's network database. Some of the affected accounts showed "additional activity prior to being locked" and are being investigated. On the flip-side, Sony's Chief Information Security Officer, Philip Reitinger, stressed that most of the hackers' details resulted in failed logins and in any case credit card details are not at risk. Users are being told to expect an email if they've been affected, which will contain further instructions. Has Sony finally realized the value of timely communication?

Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 03:45 AM PDT

If you hadn't heard, Google TV is (over)due to get a major boost with Honeycomb and access to the Android Market. We've seen a few compatible apps leak out thanks to Google's early efforts to woo developers, but it's only now that we're getting the final add-on for the Android SDK. It brings a couple of revisions, like better placement options for the action and navigation bars, but more importantly it delivers the message that two-point-oh is almost two-point-here.

Sony to recall 1.6 million Bravia TVs due to melting components (update: not a full recall)

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 02:41 AM PDT

A vast number of Bravia LCD TVs dating from 2007 and 2008 will be recalled after components in some Japanese sets went into meltdown and started smoking. So far only eleven incidents have been reported and it looks like no one has been hurt or experienced any wider damage, but Sony says it wants to take back 1.6 million TVs that were sold in the US, Europe, Japan and elsewhere. No word on exactly which models are affected, but we're expecting further details from Sony imminently.

Update: Looks like this might not be a full recall after all. We can't access Sony's support site right now, but the BBC reports that UK owners of the following models can summon an engineer to inspect their set if they're worried: KDL-40D3400, KDL-40D3500, KDL-40D3550, KDL-40D3660, KDL-40V3000, KDL-40W3000, KDL-40X3000, KDL-40X3500.

Samsung crashes iPhone 4S block party, lures Aussies with $2 Galaxy S IIs

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 02:08 AM PDT

Can't say we didn't see this catfight coming after Apple boldly rejected Samsung's settlement offer in Australia, but man, the latter certainly isn't afraid of striking back in its enemy's front yard. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Sammy's set up a pop-up store merely meters away from Apple's Sydney store, all for just stealing the thunder from the iPhone 4S launch this Friday. The campaign? For the first ten customers each day up to Friday, the Korean giant's offering its Galaxy S II for just $2 sans contract -- no wonder the line's already longer than Apple's, according to the Herald. But of course, Samsung's also effectively funding some of these folks for their iPhone 4S from next door, so it's pretty much a win-win situation for both companies. See? There's always a happy ending, and let's hope that the upcoming Nexus Prime won't add fuel to the ongoing patent dispute.

[Thanks, Kevin]

PhotoFast iFlashDrive now available to pre-order in US and UK

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 01:32 AM PDT

We previewed the PhotoFast iFlashDrive back in June and it's a neat concept: a USB flash drive that also packs Apple's 30-pin dock connector, so you can increase the storage on your iDevice. If that piqued your interest, you'll be glad to know it's available to pre-order in the US and UK. The 8GB flavor will cost you $99.95 (£65), 16GB $149.95 (£95) and for users with a serious need for mobile storage, a 32GB stick is $199.95 (£130). iCloud? Who needs it.
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HyperDrive iFlashDrive - The World's Only USB Flash Drive That Works With Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod

Sanho Partners With PhotoFast To Exclusively Distribute The Only Two Way Storage Device Between iOS and Mac/PC In The United States And United Kingdom

10.11.2011– FREMONT, California - Sanho Corporation (USA), makers of the World's only USB hard drive for iPad is proud to announce its partnership with PhotoFast Company Limited (Taiwan) to exclusively distribute the iFlashDrive in the United States, United Kingdom and other parts of the world. iFlashDrive is the first and only USB flash drive that works with the iPhone, iPad, iPod and supports two way data transfer between computers and different iDevices. A free downloadable companion app is available from the Apple App Store to allow iDevices to perform file management with the iFlashDrive.

The cobranded HyperDrive/PhotoFast iFlashDrive, available in three different capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB, has a USB connector to connect to computers and functions like any USB flash drive in the market in that users can transfer data between their computer and the iFlashDrive. What differentiates iFlashDrive from other USB flash drives is that on the other side of the device, opposite to the USB connector, is an Apple-approved 30-pin dock connector that works with the iPhone, iPad and iPod to perform two way data transfer, like how traditional USB flash drives work with computers.

iFlashDrive works with a free companion app which users will be prompted to download from the Apple App Store when they first connect the iFlashDrive to their iDevice. With the app, users will be able to transfer files between the iFlashDrive and iDevice and access the following features:

- Open any file natively supported by the iDevice
- Option to open files in other third party apps
- Built-in music player, voice recorder and text editor
- Access and import photos/videos from the iDevice library
- Backup and restore iDevice contact list
- File management (create/copy/move/delete/rename)
- Send out files as email attachments

"HyperDrive iFlashDrive is the easiest solution to transfer and share files between different iDevices and computers," says Daniel Chin, President of Sanho Corporation. "iFlashDrive does not require iTunes, Internet or wireless networks to transfer data which makes it perfect for quick instant transfers between different iDevices, when computers or networks are not present like on airplanes, basements or out of signal areas," he concludes.

Specifications
Capacity: 8GB, 16GB and 32GB
Dimensions: 2.66" x 1.39" x 0.41" / 67.5 x 35.4 x 10.4 mm
Weight: 0.71oz / 20g
Compatibility: iOS 4 / iOS 5 / Windows XP / Windows 7 / OS X
Supported iDevices:
iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch 4G (requires iOS 4 & above)
iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3G (requires iOS 5)
File types that can be opened by iFlashDrive app:
Video: M4V, MP4, MPV
Photo: JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, CUR, ICO, XBM
Music: MP3, M4A, AAC, AIF, AIFF, CAF, WAV
Documents: Pages, Keynotes, Numbers, PDF, TXT, RTF, RTFD, DOC, XLS,
PPT, DOCS, XLSX, PPTX, HTML, VCF
System Requirements: Free companion app downloadable from Apple App Store
Transfer Speed: 10MB/s for USB, 100KB/s at iDevice side (due to
limitation by Apple's transfer protocol)

MIT researchers suggest graphene could be used to build a better camera sensor

Posted: 12 Oct 2011 12:35 AM PDT

As you may have noticed from the pace of research over the past few years, graphene is promising to make a whole lot of things a whole lot better. Now, it seems, you can also add camera sensors to the list. A team of MIT researchers recently discovered that graphene can serve as a photodetector over a "very wide energy range," and that it works particularly well in infrared light, where other types of detectors often come up short. That, the researchers say, could open to the door to everything from better nightvision systems to more advanced detectors for astronomical telescopes -- not to mention more inexpensive camera sensors in general, since graphene is cheap to work with. What's more, the researchers also suggest that those same light-detecting abilities could make graphene a good material for collecting solar energy, although they note that there's still much more research needed to determine if it's truly an efficient means of generating energy.

iCloud opens to the masses, iOS 5 lurks near

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 11:29 PM PDT

Desktop or mobile access to Apple's iCloud will still require the absolute latest versions of OS X Lion and iOS 5 that haven't been officially released just yet, but you can get into the website right now. Line jumpers may have noticed the site opened up to all a few hours ago, and now the design has changed, dropping the beta tag for this more inviting storefront. Hit the source link below to check it out for yourself (we've got the full breakdown here), but have your Apple ID and password handy.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Motorola Atrix 2 hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 10:51 PM PDT

Motorola and AT&T are at it again with their Android shenanigans, this time following up the Atrix 4G with something a tad more... Atrix-y. Indeed, we're referring to the sequel of February's smash hit, honorably called the Motorola Atrix 2, announced at this week's CTIA Enterprise & Applications. We had the opportunity to get some brief time with it, and it's a fair device worthy of the family name: the 4.3-inch device feels good in the hand, and closely resembles the Photon 4G, only without the cutout corners. The sequel swaps processors, trading the 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU for a TI OMAP model with the same clock speed, and offers a full gigabyte of RAM to go along with it. Fortunately, the qHD 960 x 540 display looks gorgeous without its predecessor's Pentile clothes. Also gone? The fingerprint sensor. Oh, and don't be fooled by the missing "4G" moniker in the title; this little ditty packs a 21Mbps HSPA+ radio, up from 14Mbps in the first version. All in all, we like what we see here -- we enjoyed the brief time we had with the sequel. It seems as though Motorola learned some important lessons from the original device, but we'll reserve total judgement until our forthcoming review. Check out the full gallery and hands-on video (complete with bonus psychedelic carpet!) below.
Motorola Atrix 2 hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011

Myriam Joire contributed to this post.

Cadillac unveils CUE infotainment system for connected driving excitement in 2012 (video)

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 09:01 PM PDT

Cadillac may be an unlikely exhibitor for a mobile conference, but it is using CTIA as an opportunity to unveil the Cadillac User Experience (CUE). CUE is its new car infotainment system that will debut next year, first in the XTS and later in the ATS, before spreading to the company's entire line. It combines an eight-inch capacitive multitouch LCD and haptic feedback with proximity sensors for a more rewarding user experience. Touch isn't the only input that Cadillac is quite proud of, as CUE also includes voice recognition technology from Nuance. This means users should be able to interact with their phone and car stereo without ever taking their eyes off the road.
Cadillac CUE

Remarkably, CUE has ties to the Linux Foundation and it is based on the namesake operating system. It's built on a tri-core ARM 11 CPU that simultaneously chews through 3D navigation maps and displays BluRay in the backseat with aplomb. Cadillac tells us that it has been working on this system for nearly two years, which supports Bluetooth 3.0, and also adds connectivity with two USB ports and an SD card slot. The folks at Caddy also hinted that more third-party apps will eventually be part of the story, but those details will be revealed further down the road. That said, the CUE already supports Pandora, Stitcher and provides an HTML5-based browser with full JavaScript support. The company also provided a video tour of its latest wonder, which you'll be able to see in greater detail after the break along with the press release.

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Cadillac CUE: Intuitive and Connected Driving in 2012 Integrates interior design with industry-first control, command technologies

Natural voice recognition, fewer buttons, larger icons, greater customization
Central instrument panel features fully capacitive faceplate, vibrant 8-inch LCD touch screen with proximity sensing, multi-touch hand gestures
3.5 times more processing power than current systems

SAN DIEGO – Cadillac CUE, a comprehensive in-vehicle experience that merges intuitive design with auto industry-first controls and commands for information and entertainment data, will benefit consumers by offering personalized, connected driving beginning in 2012.
"CUE will transform personal transportation by simply and efficiently integrating luxury design and instinctive technology with unparalleled levels of customized in-vehicle connectivity," Don Butler, Vice President, Cadillac Marketing, announced at the CTIA Wireless Association's Enterprise and Applications conference.

CUE will debut in 2012 in the Cadillac XTS and ATS luxury sedans and SRX luxury crossover. CUE is designed to be unique for each consumer, from the "simple user" to the fully connected "super user."

"For the tech-savvy, it's everything you want it to be – a full suite of infotainment, navigation and communication tools that keeps you fully connected. For the tech-averse, its power is remarkably simple, intuitive and accessible," Butler said.
CUE which stands for Cadillac User Experience, will pair entertainment and information data from up to 10 Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices, USBs, SD cards and MP3 players with a vehicle infotainment system that reduces complexity through customized information, natural voice commands and fewer buttons and larger icons.

For example, most of today's luxury cars have around 20 buttons controlling the radio and entertainment functions. CUE reduces that to just four buttons.

"CUE doesn't replace your smartphone or your iPod™," said Micky Bly, executive director, Global Electric Systems, Infotainment and Electrification. "Rather it allows consumers to securely store those mobile devices and channeling the information on those devices, along with your navigation tools, weather maps with Doppler radar, AM/FM and XM radio, instant messages and emails, through a central portal in your Cadillac, keeping hands on the wheel and eyes on the road."

The heart of CUE is the 8-inch LCD touch screen, seamlessly integrated into the top of the central instrument panel and a motorized fully capacitive faceplate at the bottom concealing a 1.8L storage area. The vibrant LCD screen displays CUE's home page, which resembles a smart phone's screen by using large, easy-to-target icons to execute commands. Capacitive refers to using electrodes to sense the conductive properties of objects, such as a finger.

"CUE is a very elegant in-vehicle hub of all the information and entertainment in your life. All of CUE's controls use the same design vernacular to create a harmony unique to Cadillac," said Dave Lyon, executive director, Cadillac Interior Design. "Vibrant colors, a piano black face plate, precision-milled buttons, intuitive touch screen placement and sculpted front console provide a spacious, fashion-forward cabin."

To improve simplicity and connectivity for consumers, CUE will feature several auto
Industry firsts:

Proximity Sensing: As the user's hand approaches the LCD screen, command icons appear. Icons can be customized and arranged by consumers to improve ease of use.
Haptic Feedback: Buttons on the fully capacitive faceplate pulse when pressed to acknowledge the driver's commands and helps keep the driver's eyes on the road.

Multi-Touch Hand Gestures: interactive motions (tap, flick, swipe and spread) popularized by smartphones and tablets allow tasks on the LCD screen, such as scrolling lists, zooming maps and searching favorites to be easily accomplished.

12.3 in. LCD reconfigurable gauge cluster (on select models) offers four selectable displays – Simple, Enhanced, Balanced and Performance – that can mix traditional vehicle data such as a speedometer and fuel gauge with navigation, entertainment and 3D vehicle image.


Natural Speech Recognition lets consumers speak logically with fewer specific commands to recall stored media or input navigation destinations. CUE's text-to-speech feature will also allow consumers to receive text messages by system voice and to send recorded text messages in return.

Linux operating system, "open" software platform and ARM 11 3-core processor, each operating at 400 million of instructions (mips) per second. This hardware setup offers 3.5 times more processing power than current infotainment systems, and allow developers to write applications to CUE that be downloaded by consumers.

"It's processing speed and power that make CUE so capable," said Bly.

Connectivity, Control, Convenience

CUE development began in 2008 when Cadillac designers rode with 32 consumers for six months to study driver habits. Engineers and designers then used the data to develop CUE.
CUE's LCD screen features the driver's five most frequently used functions stored along the top of the screen. Along the bottom of the screen, users can select up to 60 favorites from music to points of interest, addresses, maps for weather or directions, phone numbers or system commands, such as "tag song."

Favorites can also be re-ordered and named to be easily recallable.

The steering wheel contains a five-way controller on the right side to navigate the cluster display, a volume control and buttons to cycle through favorites, while the five-way controller on the left side manages cruise control functions, voice recognition, phone hang-up and heated steering wheel.
CUE's customization and control features are further enhanced through OnStar's suite of safety, security and connectivity services , such as Turn-by-Turn navigation, Automatic Crash Notification, hands-free calling and the OnStar RemoteLink mobile application.

Key OnStar features are available through CUE's LCD screen, gauge cluster and steering wheel controls.

AMD FX processor brings eight cores to battle, we go eyes-on (video)

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 09:01 PM PDT

AMD fans have endured a long wait for this, while being reduced to spectators as Intel spews out an ever-increasing horde of Sandy Bridge variants and builds up the hype around its next-gen Ivy Bridge architecture. But the new FX series of processors is finally here and will be available to buy in the next few days, with the top-end FX-8150 priced at $245 in exchange for eight cores, a 3.6GHz base clock speed and easy over-clocking to 4.8GHz using the packaged Overdrive software. Your AM3+ motherboard is crying out for the upgrade, but don't succumb until you've clicked past the break -- we've got details of the full range and pricing, our initial impressions and an eyes-on video that includes a detailed chat with the guys from AMD.


Firstly, let's take a look at the full range of FX variants. Only the eight- and six-core models will be available straightaway, with the four-core options coming at some undisclosed point in the future.


Now obviously we're just talking about paper specs at this point, and these gloss over some key concerns. In particular, having eight cores might not be much of an advantage in most real-world tasks -- at least not until games and other software starts to adapt to the new architecture. Then there's also the fact that the Bulldozer cores are clumped into pairs which share certain resources -- so they're not entirely independent like traditional cores are, and they might not scale up processing speeds in the way adding traditional cores would.


Nevertheless, when you factor in the bang-back ratio, the FX range does look impressive. The FX-8150 undercuts the Core i7-2600 by a good $55, while AMD's own benchmarks suggest it delivers roughly equivalent performance -- at least in certain multithreaded tasks.


It's interesting that the two rivals are so neck-and-neck, despite the fact that the FX-8150 has twice as many cores, 200MHz extra base clock speed and a 100-400MHz faster turbo mode (depending on how many cores are utilized). It just serves to reiterate our cautionary note that broad-brush specs don't necessarily translate into real-world performance in the way you might expect.


Above you'll see the suggested US retail prices for the three different processor variants that will be available at launch. PC builders on a budget can opt for the FX-8120, which looks designed to tackle the Core i5-2500 (currently around $210), or the six-core FX-6100 at $175, which could also prove to be a sensible middle-ground depending on your needs. Ultimately, our PC upgrade dilemmas have just became a whole lot more complicated, and we love it.

Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich / Nexus Prime event back on for the 19th?

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 08:14 PM PDT

This week's CTIA festivities aren't the same since Samsung and Google decided to postpone their new product announcement that was originally scheduled for today, but now we're hearing the Ice Cream Sandwich / Nexus party has already been rescheduled. An inside source tells us the two have moved their plans for the Unpacked event to October 19th in Hong Kong (interested US residents should clear out the evening of Tuesday the 18th, time zones), timed to coincide with the AsiaD: All Things Digital event there next week. Naturally, we'll be in the house, but with not long to go before the potential date, we'd expect to hear something concrete soon.

[Thanks, anonymous]

Lapdock 100 brings a Webtop IQ boost to Moto phones on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 07:39 PM PDT

Looking to harness all the power of your smartphone PC-style? Motorola is looking to help with its Lapdock 100 for a number of devices, including the Atrix 2, Photon 4G and Droid Bionic. The laptop shell sports a 10.1-inch screen (smaller and hopefully cheaper than the Atrix 4G's axed lapdock), keyboard with dedicated Android keys, touchpad, multi-tasking and tabbed web-browsing via WiFi or your phone's data plan. You'll also be able to utilize a full Firefox browser, Adobe Flash, Quick Office, Google Docs and a PC-esque File Manager. Just in case your smartphone's SD card doesn't offer enough storage space, the dock packs two USB ports for all those extra documents you might collect. Looking to stay ultra-portable, the peripheral weighs a hair over two pounds (less than 1Kg) and touts five hours of battery life -- which can also be used to recharge that tired handset if needed. If you're looking to snatch up one of these bad boys, you'll have to wait until October 17... and even then, it'll only hit shelves at AT&T. Verizon and Sprint customers will get their chance "later this quarter" and there's no word yet on pricing. Need more info? Hit that coverage link for product page and get yourself better acquainted.
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Making Your Smartphone Even Smarter

New Motorola LAPDOCK™100 Coming Soon to Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T

Motorola Mobility today introduces the latest smart companion device for its premier line of webtop-enabled smartphones with the arrival of the Motorola LAPDOCK™ 100. Unleashing the full-scale power of select Motorola devices, the new Motorola LAPDOCK 100 gives consumers the ability to reach the ultimate smart mode, play mode, or productivity mode.

Equipped with a bright 10.1 inch high resolution screen, high quality audio, large ergonomically-slanted keyboard with dedicated Android™ keys, touch-pad, multi-tasking capabilities, and desktop-class tabbed web browsing using Wi-Fi or the smartphone's data plan, the innovative companion device is now more affordable, lightweight, and intuitive.

Motorola LAPDOCK 100 supports full multi-tasking - making it easy to respond to an incoming text or take a call while browsing the web, using any one of the thousands of Android™ apps available, viewing pictures, or listening to music.

Owners of supported Motorola webtop-enabled smartphones can view multiple windows simultaneously, watch or share their favorite movie, type long emails or text messages, and even create full documents with a new keyboard and integrated two-finger scroll touch-pad. Motorola LAPDOCK 100 with webtop includes a recently updated full Firefox® browser and Adobe™ FLASH™, delivering broad compatibility across more content and more sites. Work documents can be viewed using the popular PDF format, edited and shared using QuickOffice™ or Google® Docs, or even printed to a long list of supported printers through the integrated MOTOPRINT™ application. Motorola LAPDOCK 100 also includes a PC-like File Manager, making it convenient and intuitive to view, copy, paste, move or delete files on your smartphone or its integrated SD card. And if more space is needed, the device's two USB ports support USB storage, so hard drives or thumb drives can be used to back-up or transfer content such as personal pictures, video, or data to and from your phone.

At a mere 2.2lbs (less than 1Kg), Motorola LAPDOCK 100 is designed to be as mobile as its owners' lives. Compact enough to carry in a back-pack or briefcase, use in the office, in the classroom, at a café or on the couch at home, the device's up to five hour* battery charges the phone so a user never loses their freedom to be mobile.

Motorola LAPDOCK 100 is compatible with multiple Motorola smartphones, including Motorola ATRIX™ 2, PHOTON™ 4G, and DROID BIONIC by Motorola.** It will also be compatible with future Motorola webtop-enabled devices.

The Motorola LAPDOCK 100 will be available online at AT&T on 10/17. It will also be available through Verizon Wireless and Sprint later this quarter.

For more information on Motorola LAPDOCK™ 100, visit www.motorola.com/lapdock100.

*Battery life dependent on adjusted screen brightness, speaker volume and other factors.

**Software update may be required for optimized experience.

Certain features, services and applications are regional and network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and /or charges may apply. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation. Contact your service provider for details.

T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 07:13 PM PDT

CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 has blessed us with a 7-inch tablet by the name of the T-Mobile Springboard. Similar in look and feel to the HTC Flyer, this Huawei-made slate is just as easy to hold, though it's completely sans a fancy pen. The device has a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs on the latest version of Honeycomb (Android 3.2), and offers a 5MP rear camera with a 1.3MP front-facing shooter. We couldn't get any confirmation on pricing or availability, aside from being told to expect the Springboard sometime during the holiday season. That may not narrow the timeframe down as much as we'd like, but at least you know it's an idea for that holiday wish list you've been trying to put together. Head below for a full smorgasbord of pictures and a hands-on video.
T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011


Update: We were informed by T-Mobile at this evening's media event that the Springboard will debut for under $200, though no additional solid information is available yet.

France's eviGroup SmartPaddle surrenders to lower prices

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 06:19 PM PDT

You may remember eviGroup's range of SmartPaddle Windows 7 tablets, the latest arriving back in March with the heavy-duty price of $1,800. Now it's produced a budget-model and rechristened the hefty original as the SmartPaddle Pro. The new SmartPaddle (keep up) has a 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive multitouch screen, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD and a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 that runs Windows 7. Battery life is rated for five hours and the only build-to-order option you have is to squeeze a 120GB HDD in there too -- but they don't recommend you do. The company has stopped talking up its webcam-based gesture controls (probably for the best) and has made the old-school move of including a physical scroll-wheel along one side of the device. It's available to order now, at the comparably bargainacious price of €660 ($900).

[Thanks, Nicolas]

UK Gov wants opt-in system for adult material, imagine a boot stamping on a trackpad, forever

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 05:46 PM PDT

Looks like Prime Minister David Cameron's not content with just shuttering the internet during social unrest (whilst condemning others who do the same). He's declared that four of the UK's biggest ISPs have entered into an opt-in system for adult material. The move is backed by the Mothers Union but has been flatly denied by the ISPs, who insist they're offering McAfee parental controls with new signups rather than Government-level web filtering. (Probably a massive let down to those eagerly waiting to delegate their parental responsibilities.) Of course, given the flaky nature of web filtering, any sanguine word that contained an expletive (the word "arsenal", for example) could be impossible to access until you had an awkward conversation with someone over the phone.

The very light, very electric, very efficient Edison2 eVLC scores 245MPGe rating

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 05:03 PM PDT

Edison2 eVLC
After winning the X-Prize, Edison2 decided the next logical step for its Very Light Car was to put an electric engine in it. Well, what is now known as the eVLC has been put through the EPA-certified ringer and come out boasting a jaw-dropping 245MPGe. Using the latest, more stringent, 5-cycle EPA tests the strange looking vehicle posted a miles-per-gallon equivalent almost 250-percent that of the Nissan leaf. The four-passenger eVLC also scored an impressive 114 mile range on its tiny 10.5 kWh battery (the Leaf gets 117 miles out of its 24 kWH battery) and sucked down a full charge in six hours from a standard 110v socket. For a few more details check out the PR after the break.
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Edison2's Electric Very Light Car achieves 350 MPGe

A new standard is set in automobile efficiency

(Lynchburg, VA – October 10, 2011) – In EPA accredited tests last week, Edison2's prototype electric Very Light Car (eVLC) dramatically raised the bar on automotive efficiency. The eVLC delivered 352 MPGe (miles per gallon gasoline energy equivalent) in the EPA City cycle and 347 MPGe Highway cycle, for a stunning 350 MPGe combined.

Just as impressive, in the same tests the 4-passenger eVLC demonstrated 114 mile range on only a 10.5 kWh battery.

Edison2's breakthrough automotive architecture last year won them the $5,000,000 Automotive X PRIZE, and the core design features are further developed and enhanced in the eVLC. "Our ability to deliver light weight and low drag means the Very Light Car simply takes little energy to move" said Chief of Design Ron Mathis. "This makes electric cars viable."

Redefining efficiency has far-reaching implications, according to Edison2 CEO Oliver Kuttner. "Our electric car will completely recharge in less than 7 hours from any ordinary 110V outlet" he said. "The eVLC removes the need for massive investment in charging infrastructure and minimizes range anxiety". In fact, after running the range tests at Roush Laboratories, it took only 6 hours to fully recharge on a 110V, 20 amp circuit.

EPA test standards are the most stringent in the world, using demanding city and highway drive cycles. Recently they have become even tougher with three additional drive cycles factoring in air conditioning use, cold temperatures and aggressive driving. Using this EPA derived 5-cycle method, the eVLC scored a still amazing 245 MPGe (compared to 99 MPGe for the Nissan Leaf) and a range 10% greater than the Leaf while using a battery only 40% the size. "This result is consistent with what we have observed over and over with the VLC: a 2½ to 3 fold improvement in performance by using our platform, regardless of power-train," said Kuttner.

The achievements of the eVLC and the winning of the Mainstream Class of the X PRIZE stem from the fundamental principles of automobile efficiency: light weight and low aerodynamic drag. With the Very Light Car claiming the lowest drag ever recorded for a 4-passenger vehicle at the GM Aero Lab (cd=0.160) and a weight of 1,140 lb with an electric drive, the eVLC embodies these two absolute virtues. The result is a car that needs only 5.3 horsepower to cruise at 60 mph.

The next challenge for the racing-based Edison2 team, which boasts a combined 20 victories at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona, is to prove that a low-mass car can be a safe car. Using insights and experience from racing is the key, says Kuttner. "We use an architecture that allows us to manage impact forces differently. Our car is shaped like a diamond, with wheels outside the chassis, not just for aerodynamics but also for safety". Ongoing industry standard computer simulations indeed show that meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards is within reach, with actual crash testing scheduled to begin later this year.

Notes: The 352 MPGe, 350 MPGe, and 337 MPGe numbers come from running EPA drive cycles and using the EPA approved MPGe conversion of 33.7 kWh to equal one gallon of gasoline. In order to be comparative with all X PRIZE MPGe measurements, the fuel economy was calculated based on the total energy consumption from plug to wheels.

At Roush Laboratories, it took 5 hours, 58 minutes to fully recharge after the Urban Range test, and only 6 hours, 1 minute to recharge after the highway.

Beginning in 2012, all EPA tested vehicles will have to actually be driven through the 5-cycle fuel economy test. Allowing for an adoption period, all EPA window sticker fuel economy claims between 2008 and 2011 have used a 5-cycle derived method to calculate fuel consumption

Verizon set to drop some LTE on 13 more cities November 17th

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 04:21 PM PDT

Get ready Little Rock, Kansas City, Cedar Rapids and the greater Providence area, because Verizon is getting ready to unleash some serious LTE on all of you. The carrier is expending its coverage by 13 more cities on November 17th, bringing the total to more than 175. That date will also see coverage expansions in five areas, including Minneapolis / St. Paul, Louisville, Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh, and Nashville. Check out a full list of new cities and the accompanying press release after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
  • Little Rock, AR
  • Savannah, GA
  • Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Des Moines, IA
  • Lexington, KY
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Springfield, MO
  • Lincoln, NE
  • Orange County, NY
  • Greater Providence, RI
  • Rapid City, SD
  • Roanoke, VA
  • Appleton, WI

Show full PR text
America's Fastest And Most Reliable 4G Network Expands To More Than 175 Markets On Nov. 17

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and SAN DIEGO - Verizon Wireless announced today at CTIA Enterprise and Applications™ 2011 that its 4G LTE network will be available in 178 markets by Nov. 17. The leader in mobile broadband will turn on its 4G LTE network in 22 new cities and expand the network in four cities on Oct. 20, and will turn on the 4G LTE network in 13 cities and expand in five cities on Nov. 17, making the largest 4G LTE network in the country even bigger.

Consumers and businesses in these cities will be able to access the blazingly fast speeds of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network with any of Verizon Wireless' 13 4G LTE-enabled devices, including the new Pantech Breakout™ and DROID BIONIC™ by Motorola smartphones, and the 4G LTE-enabled Motorola XOOM™.

"When we launched our 4G LTE network just 43 weeks ago, we had an ambitious growth plan because we understood the impact 4G LTE could have on people's lives," said David Small, chief technical officer of Verizon Wireless. "Americans in 178 cities from coast to coast will have access to the nation's most reliable 4G network before Thanksgiving, allowing them to harness the speed and power of the network not only where they live but also where they travel."

On Thursday, Oct. 20, Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network will be available in Birmingham, Ala.; Modesto and Stockton, Calif.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Bloomington, Elkhart, Evansville, South Bend and Terre Haute, Ind.; Sioux City, Iowa; Hagerstown, Md.; Tupelo, Miss.; Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Asheville, N.C.; Bartlesville, Okla.; Jackson and Martin, Tenn.; Greater Hampton Roads and Richmond, Va.; and Green Bay, Wis. Verizon Wireless is also expanding its 4G LTE network in Los Angeles and San Diego, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; and Erie, Pa. the same day.

On Thursday, Nov. 17, the company will turn on its 4G LTE network in Little Rock, Ark.; Savannah, Ga.; Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa; Lexington, Ky.; Kansas City and Springfield, Mo.; Lincoln, Neb.; Orange County, N.Y.; Greater Providence, R.I.; Rapid City, S.D.; Roanoke, Va.; and Appleton, Wis. The company is also making major 4G LTE expansions on Nov. 17 in Louisville, Ky.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Nashville, Tenn.

4G LTE Speed and Coverage

In real-world, fully loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. When customers travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast. Verizon Wireless' 3G network is the most reliable network in the country and allows customers in 3G coverage areas who purchase 4G LTE devices today to take advantage of 4G LTE speeds when the faster network becomes available in their city.

Reliability: In and Beyond Major Cities

As the company with the most reliable 4G wireless network in the country and the first wireless company in the world to broadly deploy 4G LTE technology, Verizon Wireless is committed to building its 4G LTE network with the same performance and reliability for which it has long been recognized. Verizon Wireless' consistent focus on reliability is based on rigid engineering standards and a disciplined deployment approach year after year. The company's 700 MHz spectrum gives Verizon Wireless specific advantages with 4G LTE, including a contiguous, nationwide network license.

Over the past year, Verizon Wireless has also worked to bring its 4G LTE network beyond major cities with its LTE in Rural America program. The company is working with rural communications companies to collaboratively build and operate a 4G LTE network in those areas using the tower and backhaul assets of the rural company and Verizon Wireless' core 4G LTE equipment and premium 700 MHz spectrum. Already, 12 rural organizations have announced their participation in the LTE in Rural America program and have leased spectrum covering, in total, more than 2.6 million people in rural communities and nearly 82,000 square miles. These companies include: Appalachian Wireless, Bluegrass Cellular, Carolina West/Clear Stream, Cellcom, Chariton Valley, Convergence Technologies, Cross Telephone, Custer Telephone Cooperative, Pioneer Cellular, S and R Communications, Strata Networks and Thumb Cellular.

Evolio's 2.2-pound U9 to drop softly in December

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 03:52 PM PDT

We hadn't heard all that much about Evolio until this summer, when the Romanian company caught our attention with the Neura, a device it happily deemed the "most powerful Android tablet." The company has re-entered the scene with another bold claim, touting "the lightest notebook in the world." The 11.6-inch U9 is certainly on the smaller side of things, weighing in at around 2.2 pounds. Inside you'll find some rather netbooky specs, including a 1.6GHz Cedarview processor, 2GB of RAM and an SSD with either 64 or 128GB of storage. According to Evolio, the U9 is set for a December release.

Engadget HD Podcast 269 - 10.11.2011

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 03:29 PM PDT

After a tumultuous week in tech we're back -- but Qwikster isn't. Of course we're giving our two cents on Netflix's stunning reversal, but there's also plenty of non-streaming news too. The newest TiVo DVR is out and about, while DirecTV is also ready to show off its Nomad and HR34 boxes. Microsoft has enhanced the Xbox 360's capabilities with a few new partnerships, while Comcast previews the future of pay-TV with its latest moves. The dawn of Ultraviolet is finally upon us, so are we excited about the possibility of buy once play anywhere? Find out the answer to this question and many more when you press play below.

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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)

Producer: Trent Wolbe

04:45 - Netflix backtracks on Qwikster, will keep DVDs and streaming under the same URL
13:20 - TiVo Premiere Elite now available, but is updated software the big surprise?
22:37 - DirecTV Nomad is ready to launch, transcodes DVRed shows for mobile viewing
31:40 - DirecTV's five tuner, RVU-ready HR34 DVR revealed
38:10 - Microsoft reveals new TV providers including Verizon and Comcast coming to Xbox 360 (video)
44:25 - U-verse on Xbox 360 is getting upgraded in November, but will require XBL Gold
47:13 - Comcast testing pay-per-package, still afraid of a-la-carte
49:55 - Comcast promises Xfinity VOD streaming on more devices, new Xcalibur guide in 2012
54:41 - CinemaNow strikes deal with Intel, adds new movies in 1080p HD
55:30 - UltraViolet 'digital locker' opens for business. Lets you buy once, play anywhere... eventually
01:02:05 - Must See HDTV (October 10th - 16th)

Hear the podcast

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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Anything your regular alarm clock can do, Ben Heck's can do better

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 03:05 PM PDT

If it's a fight between any gadget, console or mode of transportation and Mr. Benjamin Heckendorn, your money should be on the latter every single time. To kick-start the second season of his eponymous show, the man they call Heck takes on difficult to program alarm clocks with their non-standard arrays of tiny buttons and annoying flashes. His solution? Build a universal model with a single rotary wheel control that's so easy to use a pensioner wearing oven mitts could do it. You can check out the episode in its full visual glory after the break.

Show full PR text
Fans show their enthusiasm for first season of the popular online series with nearly 3 million views to date

CHICAGO – Oct. 10, 2011 – element14, the first collaborative community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, and modding guru Ben Heck, put everyday alarm clocks to shame with Attack of the Super Clock, the season two opener of "The Ben Heck Show." Sporting larger-than-life controls and display, this easy-to-use super clock makes waking up on time alarmingly simple for everyone.

"Nothing is worse than knowing you missed your alarm. This was such a fun and useful project idea, and one that I've wanted to build for quite some time," said Ben. "As we embark on season two of the show, I wanted to build something practical and helpful. What could be better than a super clock-it takes all the guess work out of waking up on time and helps foster a good night's rest."

Inspired by his own tardy arrivals due to faulty alarm clocks, Ben walks viewers through the components of the build-from creating LED matrixes for the backlit display, to programming the rotary encoder input devices used to set the time, and building the "brain" of the alarm using a microcontroller and a real-time clock (RTC). Once all the pieces are assembled, the final build is one incredible super clock that fits snuggly into a custom-built enclosure complete with large, easily accessible controls.

"The super clock build is a fun, creative and technically challenging project to begin the all-new second season of Ben's show," said Kevin Yapp, chief marketing officer, Premier Farnell. "We are thrilled with the response to the first season and promise to continue delivering what dedicated fans have come to love: a healthy mix of humor, technical information and creative modding projects."

Fans of the latest episode are invited to join the discussion online at element14to enter for a chance to win Ben's super clock featured on this episode, as well as to send Ben a challenge for a future build or submit videos of their own builds.

Virgin Atlantic launches low-carbon fuel, aims to halve carbon footprint (video)

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 02:31 PM PDT

Richard Branson was in London today to announce "one of the most exciting developments of our lifetime." Right, so that'd be SpaceShipFour, we presume, capable of landing on the moon? No, not quite, but a low-carbon fuel would definitely be our second guess. Virgin Atlantic is partnering with LanzaTech, a company that specializes in carbon re-use technology, to recycle waste gasses from 65 percent of the world's steel mills. In Branson's own words, they'll be "taking much of the s**t from up the chimney stacks and turning it into aviation fuel." By capturing those gases that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, Virgin would be able to reduce its overall carbon footprint without necessarily reducing the carbon output of its individual aircraft. The airline plans to have the fuel ready for commercial use by 2014, and will begin trials on its routes from London to Shanghai and Delhi around that time -- two cities that have become synonymous with pollution. Jump past the break for an audio-less demonstration video -- that's right, there's nothing wrong with your speakers.

Motorola Spyder and Xoom 2 turn up in more leaked shots

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 01:58 PM PDT

We've already seen Motorola's new Xoom 2 tablet(s) and Spyder smartphone (otherwise known as the Droid HD) turn up in a few leaked shots, and we've now received a handful more that are said to show both devices in their near final form. That includes a Verizon logo on both the front and back of the Spyder for the first time (though that's not exactly unexpected), and the Xoom 2 (the 8.2-inch version in this case) is said to be in "better shape" than the earlier prototypes, which had apparently been suffering from some rather serious bugs. As you can see above, the Spyder also has what appears to be a slightly more tactile back, which could well be the Kevlar coating that's been rumored for the phone. Interestingly, our tipster also says that the processor in this particular Spyder is clocked at 1.5GHz, although the final version will apparently indeed be 1.2GHz, as the earlier leaks have suggested. Check out the gallery below for a closer look at both devices.
Motorola Spyder and Xoom 2

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II review

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 01:31 PM PDT

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II review
What else is there to say? Whether in its original, exotic exterior, its lightly changed but rather more accessible AT&T-flavored model, or the decidedly Epic Sprint version, the Samsung Galaxy S II has never failed to impress us. In fact, we called that first release "the best Android smartphone yet" and still, nearly six months later, it sits mighty close to the top of the pile -- if not squarely at the peak, waving its flag proudly whilst taunting the others below.

Here today we're looking at the last of the Three Musketeers: the T-Mobile version. This marks the final US release of the Galaxy S II, unveiled in late-August. At that announcement event the device was curiously locked up in Lucite, but now it's right here in our hands. While we didn't really want to set down this 16GB, 1.5GHz, 42Mbps HSPA+ wunderphone, we gently laid it aside just long enough to write this very review. Join us as we see what sets this latest and final revision apart.
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II

Hardware


Each of the three GS II variants now subsidized at our domestic carriers have received some visual tweaking to differentiate themselves from the original, sliver-thin European model. Like the other two, the T-Mobile version has lost the physical front button, leaving with a set of four capacitive receptors along the bottom of the screen for handling the typical swath of Android tasks.

Beyond that, the differences here are decidedly subtle. Of the US models, this version has the roundest shoulders, though you really need to stack the three up in a pile to tell. (Naturally, we did just that.) A bigger differentiator is the removable battery cover. On the other versions the chin of the device is shiny chrome, but here the entire back of the device has a soft-touch feel. That whole, rubberized plate peels away to reveal the battery, SIM card and microSD slot (the latter of which is vacant out of the box, inviting you to expand the 16GB integrated here).
Samsung Galaxy S II US Family Album

The eight megapixel shooter on the back is vertically aligned with the flash, as was the Sprint version -- rotated 90-degrees from the AT&T and international releases -- but other than a distinct lack of manufacturer branding on its backside (you'll have to turn it over if you forget who made it) this is much the same device.

It's on the front you'll find T-Mobile and Samsung logos, both in discreet chrome embossed above and below the 4.52-inch, WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display. That matches the Epic 4G Touch version on Sprint for size, a slight step up from the (already more-than-adequate) 4.3-inch version AT&T and the rest of the world got. So, if you need a bit more this is it, but that comes at the cost of reduced pixel density -- it's WVGA all the way, regardless of which flavor you choose.

But, we've said it before and we'll say it again: we're happy to give up resolution for the always catching contrast and colors produced by this slice of organic diodes. Viewing angles are as close to 180 degrees as you can get, and straight-on the picture is gorgeous. When cranked to its brightest it'll make you recoil, but as ever readability in direct sunlight is not this technology's forte. Yes, you can read it outside without much bother, but don't expect much in the way of contrast if you do.


The gunmetal chrome ring that makes up the outer extent of this device is punctuated on the upper-right for the power button. The micro-USB port is on the bottom, a volume-rocker on the upper-left, while the 3.5mm headphone jack is up on top. So it's the same basic layout of inputs and ports as the rest -- give or take a few millimeters here or there.

Dimensionally, there are no big surprises to be found. At its thinnest, this GS II measures 9.4mm (.37-inches), but chubs up to 11.5mm (.45-inches) at that chin. You're looking at 69mm (2.7-inches) across and 130mm (5.1-inches) tall. This again puts it within spitting distance of the Epic 4G Touch, which skipped dessert last night and so comes in at just a fraction of a mm thinner. You won't really notice the difference between those two, but you will spot the full millimeter gained over the original. You'll notice the extra heft, too -- 4.87 ounces (138g) according to our scale, which makes it the chunkiest of the bunch.

Perhaps that's to make room for that 1,850mAh battery (also the largest), or the bevy of antennas inside. Here we're looking at quadband GSM plus tri-band UMTS, most certainly including HSPA+ while also including Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11a/b/g/n. And, yes, there's NFC support baked in here as well, though none of the NFC apps we tried could actually read tags. Even worse, Google Wallet isn't even available for download yet.

Software


No surprise that this version of the GS II is running Gingerbread, but it's the highest numbered version of the three, coming out of the box offering 2.3.5. The extra few hundredths of a point don't make a lick of difference here compared to the others, and as ever it's TouchWiz that makes the most striking visual impact the first time you grace this thing with your own touch.

While TouchWiz is what it is, we find ourselves liking many of the customizations you'll find here. This includes a variety of gestures for navigating through the OS and gallery (as we detailed thoroughly in our original review) and a variety of helpful desktop widgets for things like power management and road traffic. There's also the customized applications list, which makes it easy to create folders and groups of applications within the full list. This is, of course, particularly useful for hiding some of the bloatware that this guy comes installed with.

Big Magenta has pre-installed some utility apps, like 411 & More for finding infos and Name ID for displaying information about who's ringing you -- if you're willing to pony up $3.99 a month to make it work. There's obviously a selection of media apps, like T-Mobile TV and Kies air, the latter of which helps you to sync media manually (if you've opted out of Google's own avenues for media syncing). There are a couple of games you likely won't care about, Qik Video Chat is handily pre-installed and then there's the T-Mobile Mall, which lets you buy ringtones for $2.99 a pop.

Remember when people happily paid three bucks for ringtones? Ahh, the days before Ringdroid.

Performance and battery life


A Galaxy S phone can't get by on looks alone, and the GS IIs have all been performers. With its 1.5GHz processor, a step up from the other phones' 1.2GHz chips, this should be the quickest of the bunch, right? Not so fast, dear reader. Those phones used Samsung's dual-core Exynos, while the T-Mobile flavor is instead using the dual-core Snapdragon APQ8060. While that isn't exactly like comparing apples to oranges, these two bits of silicon definitely wouldn't be found in the same section of the produce aisle.

There are many cases where this phone proves slower than its siblings, including a Quadrant score of 2,576 (the Epic 4G nabbed 3,244), Linpack single / multi scores of 42 / 70 MFLOPS, respectively (compared to 55.1 and 79.5) and Neocore hovering at around 57fps (compared to 59.8).

So, T-Mo got the gimped device, then? Oh no, it's never that simple. The SunSpider 0.9.1 JavaScript benchmark, which gives a good impression of how quickly a modern webpage will load and respond, delivered an astonishing 2,407ms. That's a full 1,000ms lower than the previous versions managed and a new Engadget world record.

Of course, none of this matters worth a damn in the real world; it's all about how the phone performs and feels in the hand, and when cradled thusly the GS II won't disappoint. It boots in a respectable 28 seconds and, once there, is very responsive to your every gesture. Webpages load quickly, apps launch promptly and suffice to say this isn't a device that will leave you wanting.

Battery life doesn't disappoint, even though this model doesn't match the heights of the AT&T model, which scored 9.5 hours on the battery rundown test. The Sprint version struggled to keep a video looping for 8.5 hours, while this model made it 7.7 hours. That is, again, despite having the biggest battery of the three. We're not sure whether to blame T-Mo's antennas or the new processor, but still we don't think you'll upset with the longevity here. We found a day of solid usage to be well within the realm of possibility, more if you keep things light.

In terms of network performance this is a 42.2Mbps HSPA+ device and, while we weren't able to test in an area that has that kind of bandwidth available, we've seen results showing 20 - 25Mbps down and 2 - 3Mbps up. Obviously your mileage here will vary considerably depending on network strength, and our own tests in an area T-Mo's coverage map lists as "4G Good" were admittedly less stellar, but still quite good: averaging 9.5Mbps down and 1.8 up. Pings of 700 - 800ms, however, mean you won't want to pipe your COD server through this connection.

Camera


The Galaxy S II has become world-renowned for the excellent camera assembly poking out the back, and this latest revision does nothing to detract from that halo-like status. It's the same eight megapixel sensor and other guts we've come to know and love elsewhere and here it performs admirably. The camera is responsive, focusing and shooting quickly, and the resulting pictures tend to look fantastic.

But, they're not always perfect. As we've noticed before, the narrow dynamic range of the sensor here can create some washed-out images when shooting particularly bright scenes, or very murky ones when the lighting sways too far the other way. You can see that in the motorcycle shot into the sun, where the glinting rays cause everything dark to get a bit pale. Stay aware of this limitation and you'll take some amazing shots on this phone, especially if you take the time to dive into the extensive customizations made possible through the camera app, including exposure compensation, white balance and ISO.


Video has the same, contrast-rich look and records great-looking footage at 1080p, which is plenty enough pixels to keep your new HDTV sated (unless you really went big). The camera is generally quick to adjust focus for subjects near or far, but we did notice a bit of focus-hunting, as we've seen in the past. Also, the dreaded CMOS jelly-vision effect is very noticeable here, so you'll want to keep a steady hand while filming any sunbathing pooches.
T-Mobile Galaxy S II sample pictures

Wrap-up


If you'd been hoping this Galaxy S II with the higher clock speed would wipe the floor with the previous models, we're sorry to say that's not quite the case. It is indeed quicker in web browsing and some other situations, but when it comes to gaming and multimedia it's actually a bit slower. The result is basically a wash, so if you're buying this guy over the others it's going to have to be on its other merits.

There are naturally many merits to choose from here, but none of them vastly out-shine the AT&T or Sprint versions we've already spent a lot of time with. At the end of this proverbial day the T-Mobile Galaxy S II is very much the same its siblings -- and that is a very, very good thing. If you're on T-Mobile or were looking to get a little more magenta in your life this is an incredibly good choice. But, if you're already on Sprint or AT&T and are reasonably happy to stay there, pick up one of those versions instead. Whichever way you swing, you'll be getting a great phone.

Myriam Joire contributed to this review.

Logitech Harmony Link review

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT

A first encounter with a multitouch device gets any active imagination running, so of course a home theater fan thinks it could make for the ultimate remote. But can any of that promise be realized in the dead zone that is the consumer remote control space? The leader of that dead zone is ready to give it a try with the Harmony Link -- a WiFi-to-IR bridge that allows you to control your TV from any room of the house via an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Android device. For $100, it's a setup that promises to blend ease of programming with network connectivity and multitouch control. So exactly how good is Logitech's attempt? We'll reveal that after the break, of course.
Logitech Harmony Link review

Hardware

The Harmony Link fits in the palm of your hand, should blend nicely with most any home theater and at the very least requires a small wall-wart power supply and a line of sight to the equipment it's controlling. The little green light provides the reassurance that all systems are a go without being so bright to the point of being a distraction. There are two IR emitter ports on the back for those who'd prefer to hide their equipment, or the Harmony Link itself, but only one blaster is included. Lastly, there is a USB port, used during the WiFi configuration and when learning new IR codes -- the majority of the configuration is done via WiFi. What's apparently missing is support for a RS-232 port for two-way control, or any optional sensors like power or video-out which could raise the accuracy of macros by confirming equipment is on or off.


Programming

Setup was a cinch thanks to the MyHarmony.com configuration wizard, since it knew all the IR codes of everything we wanted to control (namely, our HDTV, AVR, Media Center and Blu-ray player). You plug the Link into your computer via USB, direct your browser to MyHarmony.com and follow the prompts -- although many browsers aren't supported which can be tricky to determine thanks to the misleading wording of the error.



But this is where we ran into our first problem. Logitech wants you to buy a Harmony remote, but just one, as each remote requires its own MyHarmony.com account, which means hopefully you have as many email addresses as you do remotes. After adding in all the model numbers of your devices, you can create Activities to build macros automatically by answering things like which TV input is your Blu-ray connected to. When you're lucky, things couldn't be simpler, but simple configuration usually means limitations. If things just don't work, the flexibility to add your own discrete HEX IR codes and other miscellaneous fixes just aren't on the table. Other customizations like button layout and look and feel are also not in the mix. We do appreciate the simplicity and the fact that the programming is done via our computer instead on the iPad or iPhone -- especially since our configuration is saved on MyHarmony.com.


Like most remotes, the Harmony Link relies solely on IR, which really exposes it to lots of opportunities for things to get out of sync -- and the dreaded Harmony Help. Its Activities are basically macros and break down if an IR signal doesn't make it to the device or if someone turns the TV on via the power switch or uses a different remote. Although IR is the de facto standard in AV remote control, there are lots of other options available on varies devices like RS-232 and IP control via things like DLNA. While these are not even options on a typical programmable remote, it is a big missed opportunity for a device like the Harmony Link since it is designed to live next to the devices it controls, gets plugged into the wall and is already network connected.

Usability

Both the iPhone and the iPad remote interfaces look great, launch quickly and resume when multitasking, as any good app should. The fact that all you have to do on the iOS device is install the app and login via the same MyHarmony.com account, is greatly appreciated. You get things started by selecting one of the activities, like Watch TV, and then wait as the Harmony Link seems to take a lifetime to emit all the IR codes required. Multiple iPads do stay in sync, though, as you switch activities all the remotes update their screens accordingly -- you can actually use two to control your home theater at the same time. The long delays continue as you try to quickly navigate menus, in fact there's a noticeable lag compared to the remote that came with the device. This combined with the lack of gesture-based control on the iPad version, makes navigating on-screen menus a nauseating experience as you repetitively look up and down.


Now, we absolutely love the idea of using a touchscreen for a remote control, but another big miss by the Harmony Link is its inability to integrate with a traditional Harmony remote. While there are times when nothing beats a touchscreen, there are many others when you can't beat an old-fashioned, wand remote. Theoretically, you could switch back and forth, but with the way the Activities work, you'd pretty much have to turn off your TV and back on to switch between remotes. Or hold your hand over the emitter on the physical remote and let it think it's doing something your Harmony Link already did -- not to mention program them both separately. It would've been really cool if Logitech would've designed the Link to work in cooperation with its other Harmony remotes, but considering that is all done in software, who knows what's to come.

Harmony Link and the iPad

Using your phone as a remote is pretty slick, but you might take a phone with you while someone else wants to watch TV, and the screen isn't exactly big enough to do anything terribly interesting. That is where the iPad app comes in. The first difference we noticed during setup on the iPad is that we were prompted for our TV provider. The reason is quickly revealed as we were presented with a view of what's on TV right now. While that view is inviting, it isn't familiar.


We're always looking for new ways to discover content, but when all else fails we like to go back to the old faithful grid guide, which is glaringly absent. The clip art does look cool, though, but isn't high-quality. You can tap Watch Now on a show and wait while the Harmony Link fires off all the required IR signals to tune to that show, but that's about it. We would've appreciated more show info, links to other shows, like the one in question, or perhaps the ability to share what we're watching with our friends -- like some other iPad apps out there. You can search to see what's on now, but not what's coming on in the future. Due to the one way nature of IR, the app also doesn't know what you're watching right now, can't give you quick access to what's on your DVR or let you quickly record something without navigating on-screen menus. The other big miss -- that we've actually never seen before -- is a sports mode. What we mean is that it would be really cool if you could quickly see all the sporting events that were on right now, their scores and be one tap away from changing the channel to that game without ever knowing which channel it's on.

The one last missing feature, that the competition does have, is integration with services like Netflix or Hulu. The ability to control a set-top or TV with one of these over-the-top services would obviously be very useful, but even a list of all your viewing options that included both shows that were on TV now as well as shows in your queue. Leverage this integration to help you discover content and you could have something really special.

Wrap-up

Like most Harmony products from Logitech, the hardware is fantastic and the software leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, it's easy to program and get up and running, but going outside the box even a little isn't something we'd recommend trying. Combine that with an inability to customize the button layout, no gesture control on the iPad version and the bare-bones touchscreen features, and we can think of other IR-to-WiFi bridges that might be a better option. If all you need is the basics and love how simple MyHarmony.com is to use, then this is still the missing-IR-link for you, but anyone looking for the next great thing in home theater control can keep looking.

ITT unveils GhostRider encryption device capable of securing US Army smartphones

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 12:22 PM PDT

That may look like a Motorola Atrix, but it's actually something known as the GhostRider -- a new encryption device that could go a long way toward securing the Army's smartphones. Developed by defense company ITT, this revamped handset would allow military personnel to transmit secure text messages and phone calls over the Army's network, even if they're out on the battlefield. All they'd have to do is place their personal phones next to the GhostRider, tap and hold its touchscreen to activate the security features and begin texting away. When another GhostRider user receives an SMS, he or she would have to enter a pass code before reading it. The phone's security mechanisms, meanwhile, have been certified by the cryptographers at the NSA, which would certainly help justify its $1,500 price tag. The handset's display, meanwhile, looks awfully similar to the Army's Nett Warrior platform -- an Android-based OS that features a host of mapping functions designed explicitly for war zones. Officials unveiled the latest incarnation of Nett Warrior at the recent Association of the US Army gala in DC, though the platform's creators are still looking for the appropriate commercial device to host it -- unless, of course, GhostRider's software replaces it altogether. "We think Nett Warrior should be something like this," ITT vice president Richard Takahashi told Wired. "This can be the smart device." March past the break for more information, in ITT's jargon-laced PR.
Show full PR text
ITT to showcase aerospace and defense technologies at the 2011 AUSA Annual Meeting

Company to unveil the new ITT Exelis brand in anticipation of the pending spinoff of its defense business from ITT Corporation

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2011 - ITT Corporation's (NYSE: ITT) Defense & Information Solutions business will showcase its industry-leading aerospace and defense products and services at the 2011 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington D.C., Oct. 10-12, 2011.

At the same time, while maintaining its heritage of innovation and customer focus, the company will unveil the new ITT Exelis brand as it prepares to spin-off from ITT Corporation in a previously announced plan to separate into three distinct, publicly traded companies. The separation will be completed Oct. 31, 2011.

With a focus on customer relationships and innovative solutions, the new ITTExelis will deliver products and capabilities in C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance)-related products and services, as well as technical and information services.

ITT Exelis will function as an agile, efficient and reliable supplier of critical systems, components and services for core U.S. government customers and its growing allied international government and commercial customer base. The new company will hold leading positions in the areas of C4ISR-related electronics; air traffic management; secure, integrated data and voice networks; composite aerostructures; and logistics and technical services. The future ITT Exelis will also maintain core strengths in radios, night vision and soldier-protection systems that continue to evolve and serve the warfighter.

"This fall is a particularly exciting time for us as we evolve to become ITT Exelis," said David Melcher, president of ITT Defense & Information Solutions, and future CEO of ITT Exelis. "There's no greater opportunity for us to showcase our new company and brand than at AUSA, the premier land warfare conference for our largest customer. Throughout the week we'll be demonstrating our latest solutions for our domestic and international customers and displaying our capabilities as an agile provider of rapidly fielded, affordable products and services."

Some highlights of the next-generation technologies on display within the ITT Exelis AUSA exhibit include:

§ Displays of the company's new secure GhostRider smartphone and secure GhostWarrior tablet approved for use in secret-and-below applications using commercial-off-the-shelf hardware combined with ITT's National Security Agency- certified secure network processor.

§ A display of the company's Hands-Free Audio Video Capturing and Transcribing Transmission System, the newest in ITT technology combining TASERTM International's AXONTM audio and video capabilities with the ITT Spear Net radio. This innovative merging of technologies enables the end user to focus on its mission while simultaneously capturing information in digital video and audio.

Displays of the Rifleman Radio, a standalone handheld radio designed to communicate sensitive but unclassified real-time, intra-squad communications by the dismounted soldier. The Rifleman Radio allows the soldier to participate in voice networks and automatically transmits position location information to the battlefield with embedded GPS.

Industry-leading sensor-fused night vision goggle technology that provides the warfighter greater situational awareness with the ability to receive imagery into a goggle, allowing the operator to identify friendly locations, decrease fratricide on the battlefield and improve command execution.

Demonstrations of the company's Enhanced Advanced Geospatial Imagery Library Enterprise Access System. It is a deployable, enterprise-ready imagery management and dissemination system supporting contingency operations that dramatically reduces the time needed to deliver crucial geospatial intelligence anywhere in the world.This system helps the warfighter find accurate geospatial data to make fast, effective decisions that impact mission success.

A display of the CRUX(Create, Regulate, Utilize, eXport) on-board vehicle power generator that provides more than double the electricity of conventional alternators.It supplies enough power, even at engine idle, to run the full range of vehicle-mounted electronics. The CRUX generator is the only product that delivers the power of a generator in the footprint of an alternator, saving fuel and simplifying logistics.

Demonstrations of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, the cornerstone technology of the Federal Aviation Administration's Next Generation Air Transportation initiative that will transform the ground-based air traffic control system of today to a more efficient, satellite-based system.

Also on display within the company's exhibit will be an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle featuring:

§ ITT's Global Network On-The-Move Active Distribution, or GNOMAD, a proven Ku-band satellite communications system that extends a robust, secure, mobile network to soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines operating at the forward edge of the last tactical mile.

§ SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System,) with the second channel enabling SideHat radio solution, offers rapid, affordable, and interoperable wideband network communications for Early-Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployments. With more than 350,000 SINCGARS capable of easily adding SideHat, the currently deployed system provides an economical second channel for both mounted and dismounted soldiers on the battlefield to exchange vital voice and data, including video and position location information, simultaneously and in real time.

§ The CREW 3.3 Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED), the next generation of CIED technology development. This new system moves from the current platform-based solutions designed solely to defeat improvised explosive devices to one that also includes data collection and networking sensors.This improves awareness of the battlespace and increases the ability to detect and rapidly respond to threats.

To learn more about ITT Defense programs on display at AUSA, please visit: http://defense.itt.com/ausa2011. The ITT exhibit is located in Hall D/E, booth 6417.

Follow ITT Defense on Twitter to get updates on the latest developments and news at the show @ITTDefense.


Read more: http://www.defenseprocurementnews.com/2011/10/08/itt-to-showcase-aerospace-and-defense-technologies-at-the-2011-ausa-annual-meeting-press-release/#ixzz1aRskurEH

ViewSonic ViewPad 10e coming soon to UK and Netherlands?

Posted: 11 Oct 2011 11:56 AM PDT

Is ViewSonic about to surprise the UK and Netherlands with a new ViewPad? We haven't heard a single peep about the new tablet until the advert you can see above mysteriously leaked, at which point Viewsonic confirmed to Tablet Test that the device not only exists, but will be coming out "soon." The ViewPad 10e gets a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 IPS display (that's the same size and resolution as the TouchPad and iPad 2's display), a 1.3 megapixel camera and it's only 9mm (0.35 inches) thick. We don't know much about what's on the inside, except to say it'll be running Gingerbread solo, rather than the "dual OS" setup of the ViewPad 10pro. There's nary a release date to be found, but we do know that when it arrives, it'll set Europeans back to the tune of €250 (about $340).

[Thanks, Andreas]
at 11:48 AM

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