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- Sony VAIO F Series review (late 2011)
- Siri ported to iPhone 3GS, likes to kick it old school
- Apple Store iOS app adds in-store purchasing, we go hands-on (video)
- AT&T and Intuit square up to... Square (video)
- Jailbreakers unearth hidden panorama mode in iOS 5 camera app
- Behind the glass: a detailed tour inside the Motorola Droid RAZR
- Synaptics shows conceptual trackpad interface with Windows 8, better make it a reality (video)
- Code wizardry turns MythTV into Windows legend
- OCZ ups the IOPS on its RevoDrive 3 Max series
- Nielsen: Soon-to-be seniors adopting smartphones faster than any other age group
- Consumer Reports finds iPhone 4S to have worthwhile antennas, says newer iPhone 4 is still problematic
- Four out of ten Androids prefer the taste of Gingerbread
- Cricket offers global local numbers for $10 per month
- Spotify now available for download on Windows Phone
- LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt SSD review
- Logitech Squeezebox gets MOG personalized music streaming
- NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S II LTE makes way through FCC with swagger
- Canonical gets a little more precise about what's in store for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
- Dish Network's Q3 profits rise 30 percent, but subscriber base diminishes
- Microsoft wants a share of Huawei's Android profits
- Republic Wireless goes live, brings unlimited data, text and calls to LG Optimus users
- Honda's ASIMO robot sheds a few pounds, gets all autonomous on us (video)
- Siri talks to Mac 512k, plays telephone with intermediary computers
- T-Mobile to carry Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus with 4G, available November 16th for $250
- T-Mobile Springboard review
- Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos
- Charlie Miller's latest iOS hack gets into the App Store, gets him tossed out (video)
- Panasonic Toughpad A1 and B1: the tablets you can drop and pick back up again
- ZTE Warp hands-on (video)
- HTC Edge may be the first quad-core smartphone to market
- Nuclear clocks could be 60x as accurate as atomic counterparts, less prone to errors
- Nokia to bear NFC guns in US, create its own mobile wallet?
- Google+ laser hack, Hangout shoots first (video)
- Must See HDTV (November 7th - 13th)
- Nook Tablet's Read and Record hands-on (video)
- Microsoft installs 'biggest Windows Phone ever' in NYC's Herald Square (video)
- Cyberdyne turns its HAL exoskeleton into an anti-radiation suit
- Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM
- Microsoft taps Samsung VP Gavin Kim to be new Windows Phone GM
- Netflix, MGM strike licensing agreement ahead of launch in the UK, Ireland
| Sony VAIO F Series review (late 2011) Posted: 08 Nov 2011 10:00 AM PST  Look and feel Although it doesn't invoke the Camaro-like aggression you see in some of Alienware's rigs, the VAIO F Series is a touch edgier than than Sony's more diminutive VAIO laptops. As a desktop-replacement, it can afford to be a bit wider, bulkier and thicker than the other kids on the block. Its matte black lid closes with a slight underbite, leaving a handful of status LEDs exposed. The wedge shape design is accented with an inwardly angled screen, and a rising palm rest and concave speaker grill. The design is different enough to be eye-catching, yet subtle enough that it won't draw unwanted attention your way. It's a clean, comfortable design with a hint of elegance. Professionally suitable with a touch of cool. We like it. Opening the rig's jaw reveals exactly what you'd expect: a touchpad, keyboard and a row of media controls to headlining whole shebang. The power button hangs over the right edge of the machine, leading the way to the optical drive, a standard USB port and a pair of analog audio jacks. The opposing side holds a VGA port, HDMI-out, an Ethernet jack and two USB 3.0 ports. An IEEE 1394 Firewire port, a WiFi toggle switch and a MemoryStick Pro / SD card reader line the front edge of the machine. Measuring 15.69 x 10.68 x 1.70 inches and weighing in at 7.85 pounds, the VAIO F is a pretty hefty laptop. It tapers toward the rig's front lip (1.31 inches at its thinnest), but this restricts sideline ports to lining up single-file. It would be nice to have room for a fourth USB plug on the right edge, but the existing trio is hardly anything to scoff at. The Ethernet port runs quite a bit farther up the laptop's left side than we expected, and is only a few inches from the machine's front edge -- an odd place for this kind of connectivity port when there's a full inch of unused space hiding behind the machine's optical drive. Display and sound The VAIO's 16:9, 1080p digital window fades to black if you look at it from too far below, and bleeds a dingy yellow if you look down upon it from on high. Unless you're eye level with the keyboard or peering down from a 150-degree angle, however, you won't see anything amiss -- the display's hinge doesn't tilt far enough back to reveal its fault. These nitpicks notwithstanding, the F's LED backlit display boasts sharp, vibrant colors and excellent horizontal viewing angles. There's a slight loss of contrast at perpendicular perspectives, but if you regularly look at your monitor sideways, you've got bigger problems than an offset light / dark ratio. Web videos, Blu-ray movies, video games, documents and webpages all looked marvelous. The display is even fairly readable in direct sunlight, thanks to an anti-glare coating and a bright backlight. We can't complain. Nestled in a recessed groove just south of the display is the rig's discrete speaker / sound bar -- an asthetically pleasing, if ultimately tinny, noisemaker. It's not to say that the VAIO's speakers are bad; they're just unimpressive. When using the rig's default settings, higher pitched sounds can be painfully piercing, and bass feels notably shallow. Filtering the audio through Dolby Home Theatre takes the edge off the high end and strips down the canny tinge, but even this only brings the F Series' speakers up to average. Again, the VAIO doesn't sound awful, but we expected more from a rig with a product page that promised to blow us away with simulated five-channel surround sound and bass boosting speakers; we just didn't hear it. To its credit, the rig exhibits fantastic volume control, with loudness levels varying from door-mouse quiet, to inconsiderate-roommate loud. Still, serious gamers and discerning audiophiles will definitely want to invest in a pair of quality headphones. Aspiring vloggers won't want to rely on the Series F's webcam for capturing their greatest YouTube hits -- at least not unless they're doing a series on white noise. The webcam's microphone picks up loud hazy background noise in quiet spaces, and its high resolution doesn't make up for its grainy picture. We played around with a few different lighting scenarios and wound up with dark, grainy and dimly colored pictures every time. Keyboard and touchpad Although the F Series' keyboard will do just fine for typing, folks hoping to moonlight the rig as a gaming machine might have some minor beef. The standard WASD setup is comfortable enough, but like most laptops, this machine just doesn't consider anti-ghosting a priority. Although we found a few exceptions, don't expect more than two to four simultaneous key presses to register if you're jumping rows. Still, the rig's ghosting keyboard didn't haunt us during our tests, and we imagine that the average gamer won't have any more trouble than we did. You hardcore folks? Stick with that external board -- you already know why you love it.  The F's touchpad is cleanly embedded in a slightly raised palm rest at the foot of the keyboard -- there isn't a single line or seam separating it from the body. Only a light texture of tiny bumps betray its position, making it one of the most elegantly integrated touchpad designs we've seen in some time. The hardware, however, is a mixed bag. Let's start with the good: the touch surface itself is responsive and precise, reading pinch-to-zoom and rotation flicks as accurately as standard cursor movements. Although we typically find ourselves avoiding trackpad gesture control on PCs, the VAIO's pad made this often frustrating feature feel fresh. The trackpad's few faults aren't related to the touch surface itself, but all of the pieces surrounding it. Sure, gestures and pointing work well enough, but actually clicking is a disaster of design. The pad's left and right clickers are crippled by a unibody mouse button, a rocking slab that creates an inch-wide dead zone between the toggles. This sleek single-button look is a prime example of form over function -- not only does the dead-space make it unclear where one button ends and the other begins, but the divide can make reaching for a secondary click a three-inch journey depending on where you rest your thumb. Although reaching a few inches might seem trivial, it becomes increasingly frustrating with every missed click. We often found ourselves missing the thin button entirely, and eventually surrendered to tap-clicking the touch surface full time. The trackpad's raised surface can also be a problem, elevating it just high enough to occasionally brush the bottom of our palms as we typed -- this caused random cursor jumps, errant clicks and general havoc. The trackpad can be disabled with a simple Fn shortcut, but we simply can't see toggling the touchpad on and off every time we want to use the keyboard. Performance and battery life When a rig holds the title of "desktop replacement," you can usually assume a few things: it's probably going to pack a punch, and it's probably not going very far without an AC adapter. Our machine, running a Intel Core i7-2670QM processor clocked at 2.20GHz (3.10GHz with Turbo Boost) and rocking a NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M GPU, didn't disappoint on the former, and predictably lived up to the latter. The VAIO took about 50 seconds to boot, and when it did, we piled 56 open tabs across 5 web browser windows, each with at least one tab dedicated to streaming video content from Netflix, YouTube or SouthPark Studios alongside IRC, chat clients, word processors, a Blu-Ray movie and a fully playable session of Team Fortress 2 running in a window -- the notebook didn't stutter until we tried to throw an instance of GTA IV into the mix. The few hiccups we did hit in our daily usage were usually a result of our own jittery internet connection, or a result of our hands accidentally scraping the trackpad mid-keystroke. The very same dedicated GPU that kept TF2 looking classy probably helped suck the battery dry -- the VAIO F called it quits two hours and seven minutes into Engadget's standard battery test. While gaming? The rig rage-quit after 58 minutes. It's certainly not the worst we've seen in a desktop replacement, but take a hint from its desktop replacment status: don't stray too far from your desk -- you'll need the power.
The VAIO F's benchmark score (see above) may tell a story, but it's a sterile, boring story. Let's boot up some games and get some numerics we can relate to: framerates. Naturally, we dipped into the advance display settings of every title we tried and pushed them to the max, with mixed results. Games running on Valve's Source engine ran the smoothest by far, with Team Fortress 2 clocking a respectable 43 fps, and Portal 2 following just behind it at 37. GTAIV, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Crysis, however, struggled to break double digits without making a few compromises. It only took a few tweaks to get these titles running at playable speeds, but we lost some eye-melting magic. The F Series notebook will get you in the game, but it won't always get you there in style. Even so, everything we tried still looked pretty good running on a hybrid of high / very high and scattered medium settings. Software As with the SB and S Series VAIOs, the F comes packing the brand's swoopy app dock: the VAIO Gate. This program dock headlines the top of the screen, hiding just out of view until its peeking edge meets the users cursor. This shortcut launcher hasn't changed much since the last time we saw it, and neither has our opinion of it: the Gate is inoffensive, but unnecessary. What's docked at the Gate? Among common Windows programs such as Media Player and Internet Explorer, you'll find a handful of Sony specifics, including a media suite perched squarely outside of the realm of standard bloatware. The F Series' pre-installed Sony Imagination Suite 2 includes Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10, Sound Forge Audio Studio and ACID Music Studio 8 -- pared down versions of some of Sony's best media editing and music creation applications. Vegas Movie Studio covers your nonlinear video editing (although we still prefer Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere), Sound Forge is a robust audio editor that will meet the needs of most consumers, and ACID Music Studio promises to be a haven for amateur musicians aching to cobble together a home recording studio. We peeked at how Sony prices these applications on their own, and the bundle rings in at about $200. Even if this suite of programs isn't your cup of tea, it's nice to see some pre-installed software that you might actually want to use some day. If nothing else, this package keeps you from wasting time scouring the internet for freeware alternatives, should you want to edit, remix, or create. Configuration optionsThe F Series' base configuration hits your wallet at $980, netting you an Intel Core i7-2670QM quad-core 2.20GHz processor (3.10GHz with Turbo Boost), 4GB DDR3 / 1333MHz RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M GPU, a 7,200rpm 5000GB hard drive and a rewritable CD / DVD disc drive. Our test unit was essentially that same base rig, but with a few upgrades tacked on: $50 for an NVIDIA GeForce GT 570M GPU (currently free, as a promotion), $70 for a Blu-ray drive and an extra $50 for a 640GB HDD. Looking to knock it up a notch? Feel free to upgrade that processor to a Core i7-2760QM ($150) or Core i7-2860QM ($450). It also wouldn't hurt to top off your memory with either 6GB ($80) or 8GB ($160) of DDR3-SDRAM-1333 RAM. A Blu-ray burner is also available for $170, along with a 750GB hard drive for $90. At its most expensive configuration (replete with $1,380 SSD, $650 16-inch 3D display, $150 Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, $100 battery expansion and 3D-configuration-exclusive glossy black finish), the VAIO F Series can set you back a whopping $4,039.99. Yikes, didn't we start out trying to save money? Let's take a look at... The competitionThere's always another choice, and if you're leaning towards Sony's 3D beast, you might want to take a look at the Toshiba Qosmio x775-3DV78 or the Alienware M17x R3 -- both of these rigs will get you into the 3D game for around $2,000. While you're thumbing around M17x R3's neighborhood, look in on the Alienware 14x, it can either outgun or undercut our headlining rig, depending on how you build it. Wrap-up | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Siri ported to iPhone 3GS, likes to kick it old school Posted: 08 Nov 2011 09:33 AM PST Still clutching that 3GS in a jealous rage over your iPhone 4 and 4S toting mates who've been hooking up with Siri? Qwell your anger, friends, as iOS 5's favorite sidekick has been successfully ported to a 3GS by the same hacking pros (Steven Troughton-Smith included) that got her going on the 4 and iPod touch. Not only does Siri work on the older model iPhone, but the device also is able to connect to Apple servers. Take look at the video to see the action for yourself as we wait for our 3G to help us find the best waffle in Kansas. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple Store iOS app adds in-store purchasing, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 08 Nov 2011 09:07 AM PST  We took the app for a spin, running up a $107.79 tab with an Airport Express. As expected, checking out is painfully simple -- after you launch the app from within a store, a popup window gives you the option for EasyPay. You then hover over the item's barcode using the iPhone's camera, and click through to complete your purchase using the default credit card from your iTunes account. We then walked right out the front door with our purchased Airport in hand. You'll still need to head to the registers to return an item, however, which we were able to do within minutes of making our purchase. Jump past the break to see how it works. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AT&T and Intuit square up to... Square (video) Posted: 08 Nov 2011 08:45 AM PST  Better watch your back, Jack. Smartphone-payment player Intuit has formed an unholy alliance with AT&T to produce Intuit GoPayment for AT&T (these guys love the sound of their own names) in the hope of muscling in on Square's burgeoning smartphone mobile payments game. Time and money-poor small business people just need to insert the reader into the headphone socket of their phone (or tablet) and fire up the app. The partnership is offering faster deposits, no monthly service charge (mind that 2.7 percent commission per use, though) and the backing of a massive telecoms corporation. The service also forwards email receipts to customers and integrates with Quickbooks to save a further job when it's the end of quarter. The partnership thinks that mobile transactions will be in the trillions and, understandably, want in on that action. After the break you can watch an informative video and read all the gory details in the joint press release. Intuit and AT&T Collaborate to Tap Growing Mobile Payments Market; Offer Small Businesses Easy Credit Card Processing on Mobile Devices Intuit GoPayment for AT&T Now Available via AT&T's Nationwide Sales Force and Call Centers; Make Sales Easily and Quickly with Automatic Signup and Pre-approval for AT&T Customers Mountain View , California, Dallas, Texas, November 07, 2011 Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU) and AT&T (NYSE:T) are making it easier and quicker for small businesses to grow their business by accepting credit and debit card payments virtually anywhere, anytime. The two companies have collaborated to offer Intuit GoPayment for AT&T, an easy-to-use mobile application and credit card reader that helps small businesses of all sizes process credit or debit card payments using their smartphone or tablet. Intuit GoPayment for AT&T comes with Automatic signup and pre-approval for the majority of AT&T customers. It is available via AT&T's nationwide small business sales force and call centers. The worldwide mobile payments market is rapidly growing. According to the Yankee Group's 2011 Mobile Money Forecast, the value of mobile transactions worldwide will grow from $241 billion in 2011 to more than $1 trillion by 2015, a compound annual growth rate of 56 percent. Intuit GoPayment for AT&T helps small businesses grow their business, increase sales and attract new customers. The mobile payment app and credit card reader is especially suited for mobile retailers and mobile service providers, such as photographers, hair stylists, locksmiths, and landscapers. It offers numerous potential benefits, including the ability to: Make and save money – Increase cash flow by getting paid as soon as a job is done and giving customers more payment options. The GoPayment application is free along with one free credit card reader. The basic service offers pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly fee. There are no set-up fees, long-term contracts or transaction fees. Save time and improve cash flow – It can take 30 days or more for small businesses to receive payment for goods and services using standard invoicing. With Intuit GoPayment for AT&T, businesses can process payments on the spot and see the money in their account within a few business days. Use existing mobile devices – No need to purchase additional hardware; use the smart phone or tablet you already own and carry. Supports the most popular 3G and 4G smartphone platforms. Key Features and Services Ring up sales quickly by creating and selling from a list of frequently sold items. Swipe credit cards using the card reader hardware instead of entering data manually. Process payments within seconds and have funds deposited into a user's bank account within a few days, eliminating the hassles of invoicing or waiting in bank lines to deposit cash or checks. Feel assured that your customer's sensitive credit card information is protected. Card data is never stored on the mobile device and is encrypted during processing – once via the credit card reader and a second time via the GoPayment app. Keep accounting records up-to-date by syncing transactions directly with QuickBooks®, the best-selling small business financial software in the U.S. used by 4 million users. Enable employees to ring up sales by adding up to 50 users to one GoPayment account. Get 24/7 unified support from AT&T and Intuit, including general customer service, and help with devices, network and mobile payment processing. Look professional by sending text or e-mail receipts with a map of where the transaction took place. Pricing and Availability The basic GoPayment service has no monthly, transaction or cancellation fees, and offers a competitive 2.7 percent discount rate for swiped transactions. For small businesses with higher volume processing needs, a paid version of GoPayment also is available for $12.95 a month and provides a lower discount rate of 1.7 percent for swiped transactions. o This plan is recommended for businesses that process more than $1,000 a month and want multiple employees to process payments using one GoPayment account. o The monthly fee for the paid version of GoPayment will be conveniently rolled into customers' existing monthly AT&T bill. Qualifying customers can purchase Intuit GoPayment for AT&T as part of AT&T's popular All for Less packages, which feature wireless, wired and broadband services, Website hosting, tech support and data backup. Quotes "Intuit GoPayment for AT&T comes with automatic pre-approval for AT&T customers, helping small businesses speed up the on-boarding process and enabling them to make credit and debit card transactions within minutes," said Ebrahim Keshavarz, AT&T vice president of Small Business Product Management. "This offer is just the first step in AT&T and Intuit working together to benefit small businesses by helping them broaden their payment capabilities, save money and, ultimately, better serve their customers." "GoPayment makes it easier for small businesses to grow their business no matter where they are," said Chris Hylen, vice president and general manager of Intuit's Payment Solutions division. "By teaming up with AT&T, we're getting GoPayment into the hands of even more small businesses. Now they too can easily and affordably process credit cards and get paid on the spot, which in this tough economy means increased cash flow and more repeat business." General Information For more information, please visit Intuit GoPayment for AT&T . To watch a video highlighting the solution, please visit the AT&T Business YouTube channel. Small businesses that want more information about all AT&T products and services can visit AT&T Small Business. For free business resources such as webinars, articles, case studies and best practices, they can visit AT&T Small Business InSite. Additionally, real-time information and updates can be found on the AT&T Small Business Facebook page and AT&T Small Business Twitter channel. More information on Intuit's small business products and service is available at Intuit.com. Other Intuit resources for small businesses include Intuit on Facebook, Intuit on Twitter and Intuit Community. *AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jailbreakers unearth hidden panorama mode in iOS 5 camera app Posted: 08 Nov 2011 08:22 AM PST  [Thanks, Charlie] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Behind the glass: a detailed tour inside the Motorola Droid RAZR Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:55 AM PST  At a thickness of 7.1mm, the Motorola RAZR's so thin that you wouldn't think that anything could actually fit in there, but there's indeed plenty of circuitry and silicon crammed into that teeny space. As always, our curiosity was aroused with such a high-profile device, so we once again called upon the talents of Francois Simond (Supercurio) to do some eForensics and clear up some of the mysteries lying between that gorgeous display and tough Kevlar backing. Join us below, won't you? Note: The list you see below is non-extensive and may grow as we hunt down additional details. Here are a few of the nuggets we found buried inside the Droid RAZR: Silicon
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synaptics shows conceptual trackpad interface with Windows 8, better make it a reality (video) Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:33 AM PST  It's pretty obvious from Microsoft's outing of Windows 8 that touch is going to be a real focal point, but on machines that lack a touchscreen, it'll be the trackpad pulling weight. Synaptics, a famed touchpad maker, has just outed a new concept video demonstrating how its products will eventually -- in theory, anyway -- interact with Microsoft's forthcoming desktop OS. We've made no bones about the fact that most Windows-based laptops could use a serious lesson in trackpad awesomeness, and while there's no way to know for sure that the latest Series 7 ClearPad and ClickPad solutions will feel like they need to, the video hosted up after the break sure gives us reason to be optimistic. Synaptics Co-Engineering Partnership with Microsoft Raises the Bar in TouchScreen Technology Synaptics to Demonstrate Innovative Windows 8 Touch Technology Solutions During Microsoft Ecosystem Summit in Taipei TAIPEI, Taiwan, Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications and entertainment devices, will be displaying its latest Series 7 ClearPad™ and ClickPad™ solutions targeted for Microsoft Windows 8 during the Microsoft Ecosystem Summit from November 8-10 in Taipei. One of three official co-engineering partners for the touch interface in Windows 8, Synaptics provides industry leading system level engineering knowledge, combined with its broad portfolio of touch technology, to enhance the touch user experience for Windows 8. Synaptics ClearPad Series 7 recently received a perfect score on Microsoft's official qualification scorecard for both x86 (HID-USB) and ARM (HID-I2C) based implementations. In a private suite at the Microsoft Ecosystem Summit this week, Synaptics will be demonstrating its Series 7 high performance capacitive touch solution that supports both 10.1" and 11.6" touchscreens in "clamshell" notebook and slate form factors. "The time for PC OEMs to design for Windows 8 with touch has arrived. Synaptics is excited to deliver on the promise of advanced touchscreen and innovative TouchPad technology, which will play an important role in how users interact with their Windows 8 PCs and tablets," said Mark Vena, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Synaptics' PC Division. "We're especially enthusiastic about new product concepts like Intel's thin and light Ultrabook which will take special advantage of Synaptics' technology." As an exclusive during the Microsoft Ecosystem Summit, Synaptics will preview a Windows 8 Multi-Touch ClickPad leveraging the InterTouch™ high speed interface, a combination that provides a compelling end user experience. The preferred MetroUX touchscreen experience will utilize a Synaptics TouchPad for fast and fluid navigation, replacing the standard keyboard and mouse that users experience with a typical touchpad. This concept leverages three key Synaptics components: the proprietary Windows 8 SGS (Synaptics Gesture Suite) driver, a large gesture area ClickPad™ with Image Sensing technology and an InterTouch high speed interface. Synaptics believes these are the essential technical ingredients for creating a great user experience. Synaptics Image Sensing technology enhances the Windows 8 platform by providing full-time tracking of up to 10 fingers simultaneously when used with a recommended 100 x 56mm ClickPad. Synaptics InterTouch is a high speed, low cost interface that utilizes an industry standard high bandwidth internal bus for true Multi-Touch "Full-Time Finger Tracking." This technology approach creates the rich, gesture-driven user experience that Windows 8 multi-touch applications are intended to deliver. To learn more about the technology, view the concept video at: http://www.synaptics.com/solutions/technology/windows8/ConceptVideos. Please contact your Synaptics partner to arrange a briefing during the Windows Ecosystem Summit. For up-to-the-minute Synaptics news, follow @SynaCorp on Twitter. For more information on Synaptics' products and solutions, please visit www.synaptics.com . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Code wizardry turns MythTV into Windows legend Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:11 AM PST  There are plenty of myths that surround MythTV: it's for hardcore enthusiasts only, you need a dedicated Linux box and that it's totally incompatible with Redmond's offerings. Whilst Microsoft HTPC users could previously access recordings, they didn't get the live TV, commercial skipping and DVR powers that the software is famous for. That's all changing, thanks to a group of developers who have ported the native front end to Windows. You can either grab a pre-compiled binary of the project, or for those who wish to do it themselves, follow our source link to find all the details. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OCZ ups the IOPS on its RevoDrive 3 Max series Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:45 AM PST | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen: Soon-to-be seniors adopting smartphones faster than any other age group Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:12 AM PST  If your granny recently purchased her very first smartphone, she's not alone. According to the latest Q3 figures from Nielsen, Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 are adopting smartphones at a faster rate than any other age group. Just about 30 percent of all mobile-equipped, soon-to-be seniors now own a smartphone, marking a five percent jump over Q2 of this year. But they still have a long way to go before catching up with the 25-34-year-old population, 62 percent of which wield an OS-equipped handset -- higher than any other age demographic. Overall smartphone penetration stands at 43 percent across US cellphone owners, with Android (still) leading the way with 43 percent of the OS market, and Apple leading all manufacturers, with a 28 percent share. Check out the full report at the source link below, or head past the break for a more graphic demographic breakdown.   | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:59 AM PST  In other words, even the newer samples of the iPhone 4 (perhaps even that one for Sprint?) continue to have antenna quirks, but at least the latest and greatest seems to have addressed 'em. Hit the source link for the full report. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Four out of ten Androids prefer the taste of Gingerbread Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:39 AM PST Another month, another land-grab by Android's now-dominant Gingerbread iteration. The last smartphone-only version now lays claim to 44.4 percent of all Android phones. We'd put this down to continued efforts by the major phone manufacturers to deliver version 2.3 on their new phones, and not the often haphazard attempts at upgrading existing devices. Froyo, which took nine months to grab a majority share, still claws onto a 40.7 percent share, while Honeycomb on tablets (not included above) scrapes together just under two percent of the Android ecosystem. Hopefully ICS will bring harmony to all Google-powered devices, but it'll be a challenge to best version 2.x's high watermark -- it once captured 83 percent of everything Android. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cricket offers global local numbers for $10 per month Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:06 AM PST Cricket Introduces New Suite of International Calling Products ~ New Products Feature Mexico and Global Local Number, Unlimited Global Messaging and New International Rate Plans ~ SAN DIEGO, Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cricket Communications, Inc., a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless services and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP) today announced the introduction of a new suite of unique international calling products including Mexico and Global Local Number, two new unlimited international calling plans and unlimited global messaging global text and picture messaging. The Global Local Number product allows Cricket customers to set up a local number in more than 40 different countries including the U.S. and Mexico. When friends and family in an international location call this in-country local number, they are charged for a local call, and the call rings through to the Cricket customer's phone.. This unique product is available for $5 per month for a local number in Mexico and $10 per month for local numbers in one of more than 40 additional countries. Cricket also announced two new international rate plans, a Mexico rate plan and a global rate plan. Both plans include unlimited local talk and US long distance, domestic and global messaging and mobile web. The Mexico rate plan, available for $55 per month, also includes a Mexico local number, 500 minutes of use per month for calls to a Mexican landline phone and 30 minutes of use per month for calls to a Mexico mobile phone. The global rate plan, available for $65 per month, also features a global local number, 500 minutes of use per month to call an international landline number and 30 minutes of use per month to an international mobile phone. In addition, with the new unlimited global messaging feature, Cricket customers can send unlimited text, picture and video messages to friends and family across the U.S. and the world. To see a full list of participating international carriers, visit www.mycricket.com/globalmessaging. Customers can stay in touch with family and friends around the world for $5 per month as a stand-alone feature. Unlimited global messaging is included in all monthly rate plans priced at $45 and higher and in the $2 PAYGo plan. "These new calling products give our customers multiple ways to stay connected with their family members, friends and business associates outside the U.S.," said Tyler Wallis, vice-president, product management for Cricket. "We believe these new international products are unique to the wireless industry and bring great value to our customers." Cricket's new international calling products are available now in Cricket branded retail stores and dealers and on www.mycricket.com. For more information about Cricket's dynamic device and service plan lineup, visit www.mycricket.com. To follow Cricket's latest news and updates online, go to Facebook at www.facebook.com/cricketwireless and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cricketnation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spotify now available for download on Windows Phone Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:33 AM PST  Good news, Windows Phone wielders -- Spotify is now available for your streaming pleasure. The app popped up this morning as a free download on the Windows Phone Marketplace, though you'll need a subscription if you're looking to get premium treatment. Grab it now at the source link below, or check out our initial impressions from yesterday's hands-on. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt SSD review Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:00 AM PST  Hardware and setupLike many of LaCie's other external storage devices, the new Little Big Disk (LBD) has a ribbed aluminum shell and glowing blue orb on the front that serves as both a power button and drive activity indicator. There's a matching aluminum stand that slides onto the bottom, and around back you'll find a duo of Thunderbolt ports, the power plug and a Kensington lock. Along with the drive itself, you get a power brick, a utilities disc with Intego Backup Manager Pro software onboard and not much else. Unfortunately, you'll have to purchase the necessary Thunderbolt cable separately, but at least it comes with a smattering of plug adapters so world travelers can use the LBD wherever they go. Hooking the drive up is a snap. Simply plug in the power cable, connect it to the Thunderbolt port on your MacBook Pro and let the data flow. We also connected a monitor with a DisplayPort adapter to the LBD, and the video pass-through functionality worked flawlessly from the jump. The drive has quite a small footprint, as it measures just 1.6 inches wide, 5.5 deep and 3.3 inches tall, so odds are there's room for it on even the most cluttered desks. Though you may not be so keen to have it there, as the fan keeping those dual SSDs cool does make a fair bit of noise. Not as loud as a laptop when the fan kicks on at full bore, but it's a noticeable sound that doesn't stop while the drive is powered on. Speed tests  Backup toolThe included backup software from Intego is a flexible tool that's easy to use. Once you've installed the software from the included CD, customizing it to suit your needs is a painless process. There's a standard tool that allows you to select individual files and folders, and you can schedule backups, create rules and exceptions to handle files the way you want. You can even set your system to sleep or un-mount the drive once it's finished safeguarding your data. Of course, the software also lets you create a bootable backup of your system and set up synchronization of folders as well. It's a comprehensive suite, and one we could see ourselves using regularly. Wrap-up | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Logitech Squeezebox gets MOG personalized music streaming Posted: 08 Nov 2011 03:32 AM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S II LTE makes way through FCC with swagger Posted: 08 Nov 2011 03:02 AM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canonical gets a little more precise about what's in store for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Posted: 08 Nov 2011 02:07 AM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dish Network's Q3 profits rise 30 percent, but subscriber base diminishes Posted: 08 Nov 2011 01:05 AM PST  The third fiscal quarter of this year saw the best of times and the worst of times for Dish Network. On the positive side of the ledger, the company saw net revenues grow by 12.3 percent since Q3 2010, reaching $3.6 billion. Profits, meanwhile, jumped by 30.3 percent over the year to $319 million, compared with the $245 million it raked in during the third quarter of 2010. Dish said the jump in revenues could be partially attributed to its acquisition of Blockbuster and the subsequent launch of Blockbuster Movie Pass, which the company hopes to expand and build upon going forward. The report wasn't entirely rosy, however, as Dish Network saw a net loss of about 111,000 subscribers during the quarter (about 20,000 more than analysts had predicted), bringing its total to approximately 14 million customers. By contrast, during the third quarter of last year, the company added about 327,000 users. But this decline didn't stop Dish from doling out a rare $2.00 per share dividend to investors, which may make its less savory results a bit easier on the stomach. Check out the full report, after the break. DISH Network Announces Third Quarter 2011 Financial Results DISH Network Revenues Grow by 12.3 Percent to $3.60 Billion and Net Income Increases 30.3 Percent to $319 Million; DISH Declares Non-Recurring Dividend ENGLEWOOD, CO, Nov 07, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- DISH Network Corporation DISH +2.35% today reported its third quarter 2011 financial results. Revenue totaled $3.60 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2011, a 12.3 percent increase compared with $3.21 billion for the corresponding period in 2010. Net income attributable to common shareholders totaled $319 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2011, a 30.3 percent increase compared with $245 million during the same period last year. Diluted earnings per share were $0.71 for the third quarter, compared with $0.55 during the same period in 2010. DISH Network's net subscribers decreased by approximately 111,000 during the third quarter, and the company ended Sept. 30, 2011, with approximately 13.945 million subscribers. "DISH delivered another quarter of strong growth in net income compared to the same period last year," said Joe Clayton, president and CEO of DISH Network. "Our net subscriber loss improved over the second quarter of this year but continued to be affected by increased competitive pressures, including aggressive competitive promotional offers, discounting and a weak housing market. Going forward, we plan to build on the momentum of our introduction of the Blockbuster-branded programming service which allows DISH customers to stream movies and TV shows as well as receive DVDs by mail." Detailed financial data and other information are available in DISH Network's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended Sept. 30, 2011, filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission. DISH Network will host its third quarter 2011 financial results conference call today at noon ET. The dial-in number is (800) 616-6729. Non-Recurring Dividend On Nov. 1, 2011, DISH Network Corporation's Board of Directors declared a non-recurring dividend of $2.00 per share on outstanding Class A and Class B common stock. The dividend will be payable in cash on Dec. 1, 2011, to shareholders of record on Nov. 17, 2011. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft wants a share of Huawei's Android profits Posted: 08 Nov 2011 12:00 AM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Republic Wireless goes live, brings unlimited data, text and calls to LG Optimus users Posted: 07 Nov 2011 11:29 PM PST  Well, that didn't take too long. As promised, Republic Wireless flipped the switch on its new unlimited everything plan today, offering a smorgasbord of wireless talk, text and data for the flat fee of $19 per month. The trick, of course, is Republic's dependence upon the UMA wireless technology, also employed by T-Mobile. You won't have to open a dedicated app to use the service (currently in beta), though you will need a home connection speed of 80kbps both ways in order to actually hold a call. You'll also need a "Hybrid Calling"-enabled LG Optimus handset (bundled under the company's $199 startup fee), though the provider plans to add more devices in the near future. For more details, hit up the source link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Honda's ASIMO robot sheds a few pounds, gets all autonomous on us (video) Posted: 07 Nov 2011 10:39 PM PST  We've already seen it dance, sing and read minds, but Honda's ASIMO humanoid has now taken that one great leap into decidedly more dystopian territory. The revamped bot, pictured above (and apparently doing its best Herman Cain impression), was unveiled today in Japan, sporting a streamlined physique and scarily adept mind. In fact, Honda claims that its bot is now less "automated" than it is "autonomous" -- all thanks to new behavior control technology that allows it to move and make decisions on its own, independent of human operators. Its external recognition capability and set of onboard visual and auditory sensors enable it to rapidly process information about its environment, which the ASIMO then uses to plot its next move. Combining long- and short-term sensor data, the droid can predict human movements and automatically recognize voices or gestures. Because of this, Honda says, the ASIMO could be more easily integrated within social environments, and peacefully coexist with its human Honda Unveils All-new ASIMO with Significant Advancements 'Honda Robotics' Established as New Collective Name to Represent Honda Robotics Research and All Product Applications Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled an all-new ASIMO humanoid robot newly equipped with the world's first1 autonomous behavior control technology. With a further advance in autonomy, the all-new ASIMO can now continue moving without being controlled by an operator. Moreover, with significantly improved intelligence and the physical ability to adapt to situations, ASIMO took another step closer to practical use in an office or a public space where many people come and go. 1Honda internal research as of Nov. 8, 2011 Since the establishment of the company, Honda has continued to take on new challenges in the effort to create new products and advance technologies with the spirit of utilizing technology to help people. In the area of humanoid robot research, Honda has been developing and advancing the ASIMO humanoid robot to realize a dream to be useful for people and to help enrich people's daily lives. Honda has a newly established collective name, Honda Robotics, to represent all of its robotics technologies and product applications created through its research and development of humanoid robots. While continuing the research and development of humanoid robots, Honda will also focus on applying robotics technologies to mass-produced products and putting product applications into practical use. Based on this concept of Honda Robotics, Honda also introduced an experimental model of a task-performing robot arm that was developed while applying multi-joint simultaneous orbit control and posture control technologies amassed through the research and development of ASIMO. This robot arm can be remotely controlled to perform tasks in unstable places which are difficult for people to access. All-new ASIMO The all-new ASIMO is now advanced from an "automatic machine" to an "autonomous machine" with the decision-making capability to determine its behavior in concert with its surroundings such as movements of people. At the beginning of the development process, the following three factors were identified as necessary for a robot to perform as an autonomous machine, and the technologies required to realize these capabilities were developed; 1) high-level postural balancing capability which enables the robot to maintain its posture by putting out its leg in an instant, 2) external recognition capability which enables the robot to integrate information, such as movements of people around it, from multiple sensors and estimate the changes that are taking place, and 3) the capability to generate autonomous behavior which enables the robot to make predictions from gathered information and autonomously determine the next behavior without being controlled by an operator. With these capabilities, the all-new ASIMO takes another step closer to practical use in an environment where it coexists with people. 1. Advancement of intelligence capability Honda has developed a new system that is a fundamental technology for advanced intelligence, which comprehensively evaluates inputs from multiple sensors that are equivalent to the visual, auditory, and tactile senses of a human being, then estimates the situation of the surrounding environment and determines the corresponding behavior of the robot. With this technology, ASIMO became capable of responding to the movement of people and the surrounding situations. For instance, ASIMO will stop its current action and change its behavior to accommodate the intention of the other party. Moreover, coordination between visual and auditory sensors enables ASIMO to simultaneously recognize a face and voice, enabling ASIMO to recognize the voices of multiple people who are speaking simultaneously, which is difficult even for a human being to accomplish. Further, ASIMO is now capable of predicting the direction a person will walk within the next few seconds based on information from pre-set space sensors and quickly determining to take an alternate path to avoid a collision with the person if the estimated locations of the person and the ASIMO intersect. 2. Advancement of physical capability The combination of strengthened legs, an expanded range of leg movement and a newly developed control technology that enables ASIMO to change landing positions in the middle of a motion has enabled ASIMO to walk, run, run backward, hop on one leg or on two legs continuously. As a result of acquiring the ability to make such agile motions, ASIMO has become capable of more flexibly adapting to changing external situations so that it can, as an example, walk over an uneven surface while maintaining a stable posture. 3. Improved task-performing capability Honda has developed a highly functional compact multi-fingered hand, which has a tactile sensor and a force sensor imbedded on the palm and in each finger, respectively, and which acts to control each finger independently. Combined with the object recognition technology based on visual and tactile senses, this multi-fingered hand enables the all-new ASIMO to perform tasks with dexterity, such as picking up a glass bottle and twisting off the cap, or holding a soft paper cup to pour a liquid without squishing it. Moreover, ASIMO is now capable of making sign language expressions which require the complex movement of fingers. Establishing a collective name, Honda Robotics, to represent Honda's robotics technologies and product applications Studying human beings to understand people and learn from people is the root of Honda's manufacturing. While positioning the humanoid robot research as one of the important pillars in the area of studying human beings, Honda has been working to realize various functions of a human being that is the ultimate mobility with intelligence. Honda newly established a collective term, Honda Robotics, and the logo to represent Honda's robotics technologies and application products created through its research and development of humanoid robot represented by ASIMO. In addition to the all-new ASIMO and the task-performing robot arm introduced today, the previously introduced the walking assist device with stride management system which supports walking for people with weakened leg muscles, the bodyweight support assist system which reduces the load on legs by supporting part of the bodyweight, and the U3-X, a compact one-wheel-drive mobility device that provides free movement in all directions, are examples of product applications resulting from the application of bipedal technology and balance control technology amassed through the research and development of ASIMO. Striving to offer next-generation mobility products which expand the joy and fun of mobility, Honda will continue the robotics research that leads to ASIMO, walking assist devices, U3-X and other technologies. In addition, Honda will also work proactively toward putting such product applications into practical use. Task-performing Robot Arm Technologies developed for ASIMO were applied to an experimental model of a task-performing robot arm, which moves on a self-propelled base and was designed under the assumption of being utilized at disaster sites or other places too dangerous for people to work. Toward this end, the robot arm was made possible to be remotely controlled to approach the object and stably perform necessary tasks even in a narrow space with unstable footing and many obstacles. The stability control technology used for ASIMO's walking and running was applied to stabilize the posture of the end of the arm even on an unstable surface so that the robot arm can exert the necessary power output to perform the task. Moreover, the application of other ASIMO technologies such as the compact layout structural designing technique and multi-joint simultaneous orbit control technology that simultaneously controls as many as 57 motors imbedded in the joints of the arms and legs has enabled the robot arm to avoid obstacles and approach an object even in a narrow space with obstacles such as a complicated layout of pipelines. In the development process, the robot arm is designed to perform the task of opening and closing valves on pipelines; however, it will become capable of performing a variety of tasks by changing the end piece of the arm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Siri talks to Mac 512k, plays telephone with intermediary computers Posted: 07 Nov 2011 09:37 PM PST | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile to carry Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus with 4G, available November 16th for $250 Posted: 07 Nov 2011 08:15 PM PST  We were already expecting to see the WiFi-only version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus make its American debut on November 13th, but it may be worth waiting an extra three days if you'd like to have some good old-fashioned HSPA+ connectivity on T-Mobile. Indeed, the carrier announced its 4G-ified iteration of the tablet will be ready for your purchase on November 16th for a $250 down payment after a mail-in rebate and with a two-year contract. Oh, and that's not the only fine print: you'll need to shell out twenty monthly interest-free payments of $10 in addition to your normal data plan. To sum up the specs, the seven-inch tablet has Android 3.2 preinstalled, runs on a 1.2GHz Exynos CPU, has 16GB of internal storage and takes advantage of a 3MP rear-facing camera and 2MP front-facing cam for video chat. Still intrigued? Read on through the press release to learn more about your potential Tab life. T-Mobile Completes Holiday 4G Tablet Portfolio With the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.0 Plus T-Mobile's newest ultra-mobile 4G tablet delivers a rich entertainment experience anywhere on America's Largest 4G Network. BELLEVUE, Wash. - Nov. 8, 2011 - T-Mobile USA, Inc. today unveiled the ultra-mobile Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.0 Plus, the latest to join the company's portfolio of 7-, 9- and 10-inch 4G-enabled* tablets. Featuring a brilliant 7-inch multitouch display and weighing just 0.77 lbs., less than a can of soda, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is one of the thinnest and lightest 7-inch tablets on the market, making it easy to watch popular TV shows and movies, download full-color magazines, compete in multi-player gaming and more – all while on the go. "Consumers want a selection of affordable, highly mobile tablets that can deliver the content they want virtually anywhere they go," said Jeremy Korst, vice president of mobile broadband and emerging devices, T-Mobile USA. "The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is a perfectly sized, ultra-thin and lightweight 4G tablet that easily fits in a coat pocket or purse and delivers a rich on-the-go entertainment experience." Offering a premium, ultra-mobile entertainment experience, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus from T-Mobile comes with a variety of pre-installed premium content, including the Samsung Media Hub so customers can rent or purchase movies and purchase TV programs and share that content on up to five compatible devices on the same account. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus also comes pre-loaded with WildTangent®, so customers can play premium games for free, as well as rent or purchase games. The Android™ 3.2 (Honeycomb) Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is equipped with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 16 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot that supports up to an additional 32 GB of expandable memory for easy storage of documents, movies, books and more. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus makes it quick and easy to browse rich Web content with support for Adobe® Flash® Player and read books and magazines though services like Zinio®, which offers more than 5,000 full color magazines to browse, and Blio® eReader, which shows eBooks in full color on the brilliant 7-inch screen. Equipped with a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash for photo, and Mobile HD video capture and playback in 720p** as well as a 2-megapixel front-facing camera which can be used to connect with friends and family via Video Chat, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus makes it possible to connect and share life's most important moments while on the go. Availability The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will join the recently announced T-Mobile® SpringBoard™ with Google™ and Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, as well as the T-Mobile G-Slate™ with Google, to offer an affordable and compelling portfolio of 7-, 9- and 10-inch 4G tablets with down payments ranging from $179.99 to $399.99***. Beginning Nov. 16, customers can purchase the T-Mobile SpringBoard for a $179.99 down payment and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for a $249.99 down payment at T-Mobile retail stores. Each require a $50 mail-in rebate, with a T-Mobile Value Mobile Broadband plan, two-year service agreement, and 20 interest free monthly payments of $10 on approved credit. Overage-free Mobile Broadband Value plans start at $29.99 per month, and T-Mobile postpaid voice customers enjoy $10 off their monthly mobile broadband service. For more information, visit http://mobile-broadband.t-mobile.com/tablets. *T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at http://www.t-mobile.com. 4G used in connection with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus product refers to the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is designed with HSPA+ technology. **Playback on device limited to WSVGA (1024x600) ***After mail-in rebate card with a T-Mobile Value Mobile Broadband plan, two year service agreement and 20 interest free monthly payments of $10 on approved credit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Nov 2011 08:01 PM PST  In addition to running on T-Mobile's 14.4Mbps HSPA+ network, it has WiFi and GPS radios, a dual-core 1.2GHz chip made by Qualcomm, 227 pixels-per-inch IPS display, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3 shooter up front, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD slot and support for 1080p playback. We'll return to all those specs in detail after the break, but nonetheless, it's important to get them out of the way from the get-go. After all, there's soon to be a glut of Android 3.2 tablets, and it's worth asking if this one is worth the slightly high price -- or maybe even a two-year marriage to Big Magenta. Hardware This could be an excellent time to pull the trigger on a 7-inch tablet. Sure, there are still some chintzy options like the Iconia Tab A100 and forthcoming Toshiba Thrive 7", but by and large, the Springboard joins a fraternity of attractive, solidly built tabs -- a group that includes the Kindle Fire, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and the steeply discounted PlayBook and HTC Flyer. Even among such fine company, the Springboard instantly establishes itself as one well-made hunk of hardware. At least when it's turned off, the first thing you'll notice won't be its IPS display, but its smooth metal surfaces. With the exception of two plastic bits on the back, that aluminum stretches across the lid, creeps up along the edges and bumps against the screen. Those plastic pieces form two triangles on either end of the back side, with one covering the SIM and microSD slots, and the other housing the rear-facing camera. The effect is quite pretty, but on a practical level we also enjoy how apparently scratch-proof the tablet is, as well as how relatively light it feels, at 390 grams (0.86 pounds).  All told, that aluminum-and-plastic combination is pleasantly reminiscent of the Flyer and other HTC devices, except here, the back side is almost entirely smooth -- save for the spot where the rear camera protrudes slightly. The Springboard is also thinner, at 10.5mm (0.4 inches) thick, and it feels less dense too (the Flyer tips the scales at 0.93 pounds and 13.2mm thick). Then again, the Springboard looks downright chunky next to the 8.6mm(0.34 inch)-thick Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is arriving on T-Mo around the same time. What's more, the plastic bit covering the Springboard's SIM and microSD slots scrapes off in a disconcerting way that can make you feel like you're breaking it the first time you go to insert a memory card. Given the high-quality display and smooth metal chassis, this feels like the one blight on what's otherwise a classy design. It's worth noting that the buttons, too, are made of metal, and these include a volume rocker and power / lock key on the right side (that's if you're holding it in portrait mode, with the front-facing camera up top). On that upper edge, near the camera, you'll find twin speakers, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The bottom side, meanwhile, houses the power port, as well as micro-HDMI and micro-USB sockets. The left side is completely blank. Really, there isn't much else to say about the port except that we really appreciate how the volume rocker was placed toward the top of the right edge, near the front camera, since that means you won't accidentally press it when you're using this thing in portrait mode. Display and sound Audio, on the other hand, isn't the Springboard's strength but then again, does any tab really excel in this area? The sound was loud enough for us to comfortably listen to music alone in our quiet apartment, but the quality was too reminiscent of a transistor radio: songs sounded metallic, distant, restrained. If you use this for music playback, your best bet is to plug in a good pair of headphones. Cameras As we snapped photos in and around Manhattan, we started thinking of what we'd write in this section. "This is one of the best cameras we've seen on a tablet," we imagined saying. "It doesn't blur the foreground in close-ups, and it doesn't struggle with image stabilization to nearly the same extent as other tablets." As it turns out, we were right -- mostly, anyway. Our images looked a lot better on that crisp, vibrant IPS display than they did blown up on our computer screen. But the colors are accurate, and it does indeed take blur-free stills, which automatically catapults it beyond most tablet cameras. But let's not be hyperbolic here. At times, it seemed that some details had been stripped out. Take that shot of the muni-meter up there, or the close-up that features a bunch of tomatoes. Much of their texture gets lost in translation. As you'd expect, the camera also struggles in harshly backlit situations. Still, while this doesn't quite best the main camera on the EVO View 4G / HTC Flyer, it's still among the most usable we've tested recently. And it's a good thing, too. Of all the tablets to have a strong camera, we're glad it was this one -- after all, it's easier to use as a point-than-shoot than a 10-inch slate, and its 3G connection means the chances of you toting this thing around are much higher. As for the 720p video, we were less concerned with the quality (and its slight ghosting) as we were with its puzzling sound quality: the wind noise in the background is one part howl and another part gurgle -- a distracting sound we couldn't escape even on a mild day. Performance and battery lifeWith the exception of the graphics test Nenamark 1, the Springboard bested the Acer Iconia Tab A100 in our usual suite of benchmarks. (To be fair, the margin was small in some cases, such as Nenamark 2 and Vellamo.) Whether it's stronger or just a worthy opponent, that means you can expect brisk performance. The display responds smoothly to swipes and taps, and the 1.2GHz Qualcomm chip did an admirable job keeping up as our digital ADD led us to switch between the browser, Gmail and camera apps. Still, we sometimes noticed a pause when opening the app menu, and browsing, in particular, wasn't as buttery smooth as we would have liked. When we used two fingers to pinch to zoom, we noticed a delay as webpages resized. Other times, we even detected a stutter while scrolling through pages, though by no means did this happen routinely.
The 4,100mAh battery is rated for up to six hours of runtime and indeed, it made it six hours and 34 minutes through our rundown test, which entails looping the same movie off local storage with WiFi on and the brightness fixed at 50 percent. That's an hour and forty minutes longer than the 7-inch Iconia Tab A100, and a good twenty-five minutes better than what the original Galaxy Tab managed. Still, it's almost half an hour less than the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook, which suggests its runtime is respectable for a tablet this size, though not exemplary.
Network speedsIn theory, the Springboard should be capable of max download rates of 14.4Mbps. In practice, we calculated average speeds of 7.01 Mbps down and 1.66 Mbps up. Excepting the extremely low scores from our office (where everyone's cellular service sucks), our download rates here in Manhattan ranged from 5.02 Mbps to 9.47 Mbps, while our upload rates remained more consistent, with a narrower gamut of 1.62 Mbps to 1.73 Mbps. Once we entered Brooklyn, an outerborough of New York City, our rates plummeted, falling as low as 0.54 Mbps down and 0.29 Mbps up when we retreated indoors (compare that to 3.22Mbps up and 1.61Mbps down from the fifth floor of our Manhattan office). We have to say, though: we always -- always -- had a signal, even in an apartment where we normally have to sit in just the right place in order to get Verizon 3G service. In practice, the network speeds were fast enough to load and quickly check websites while waiting for the stoplight to change. And particularly if an LTE radio were to have a negative impact on the battery life, we can see "settling" for a more modest (though very reliable) connection. Still, no amount of "4G" branding can help T-Mobile answer this lingering question: why not just tether the tablet to your smartphone? Or reconsider whether you can get by on WiFi? Software Before the Springboard / MediaPad was announced, Android 3.2 was a build of the OS we had only ever joked about. By now, of course, it's a staple on Android tabs, especially those of the 7- and 8-inch variety. Happily, Huawei didn't muck with the stock Honeycomb UI, though it did clutter up the five home screens with widgets -- all of them removable, thankfully. These include the stock Honeycomb calendar and non-Gmail widgets, as well as YouTube, the native music player and Android Market. But you'll also find widgets for two T-Mobile services: the MobileLife family organizer, as well as a meta Bonus Apps widget that highlights the software T-Mobile pre-installed. Annoying carrier bloatware? Of course it is. But at least these widgets can be chucked in the trash bin, just like any other. So about those apps. The Springboard comes with Blockbuster, Blio, Let's Golf 2, Lookout security software, Zinio, Quickoffice, Netflix, T-Mobile TV, Qello, Qik Video chat, TeleNav GPS Navigator and My Device, where you can peek data usage and billing information and what-not. When the tablet was first announced, we were told it had Facebook pre-installed, but as it turns out, it's just a browser shortcut. Thanks, Huawei! In all fairness, though, many of these apps are useful and even the ones that aren't are at least easy to remove or ignore. The Springboard also comes with Swype as the default keyboard, though you can always revert to the standard Android option if you so choose. As we've discovered with other devices, dragging your finger between letters on the Swype keyword works for spelling out real words; things like passwords and usernames, not so much. In those instances, we found ourselves using Swype as a traditional peck-with-your-thumbs keyboard, which is how we interact with any Swype-enabled device when we know we're about to type something that will cause its algorithm to stumble. Data plansThe Springboard itself costs $179.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Plans start at $30 a month for 2GB of data with no overage fees, though if you're already locked into a T-Mobile voice plan, you're entitled to 5GB of data per month for $20. In fact, voice customers get $10 off any of the available monthly plans. More of a no-strings-attached kind of person? We don't blame you. If that's the case, you'll pay $430 for the device -- slightly more than the $400 the 16GB Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is fetching. From there, you can buy data passes when you need them, starting at 100MB for $10, going up to $30 for a 1GB month-long pass and $50 for a 3GB month plan. Like T-Mobile, Verizon is forgoing any overage fees, and is charging $30 a month for a 2GB plan (you can also get 5GB for $50 a month or 10GB for $80 a month). On the prepaid side, plans start at $20 a month for a 1GB pass, which undercuts T-Mobile's comparable pass by ten bucks. Thirty bucks gets you 2GB of data, not the single gigabyte T-Mo is offering. For $50, you can get a 5GB (not 3GB) monthly pass. Lastly, $80 gets you 10GB for the month -- something you can't even find on T-Mobile. On AT&T, meanwhile, if you were to buy a tablet you'd pay $35 a month for 3GB of service (LTE or otherwise), and you'd be paying $10 per gigabyte in domestic overage fees. On the pay-as-you-go side, you could pay $15 for 250MB with overage fees of $15 per 250MB or $25 a month for 2GB of data with a $10 surcharge for every gigabyte you went pass the limit. Rounding out the list, Sprint is offering a 3GB / $45 a month plan, as well as 5GB for $60 and 10GB for $90. Across the board, you'll be charged five cents for each additional megabyte you gobble up on Sprint's network (the overage fees rise to twenty-five cents off when you're roaming). The competition For awhile there, we found ourselves reviewing 10.1-inch tablet after 10.1-inch tablet, with the occasional 9.7-incher thrown in for variety's sake. Lately, though, we've seen more and more smaller 7- and 8-inch slates -- a trend that's only going to continue for the foreseeable future. So far, most of them are or will be available in WiFi-only flavors, no two-year ball-and-chain required. These include the Acer Iconia Tab A100 ($330), which also runs Android 3.2, but lacks the IPS display, has shorter battery life and rocks a chintzier design. We'd also throw the Archos 80 G9 into the mix, even though its 8-inch display has a 4:3, not 16:9, aspect ratio. It, too, runs Android 3.2 and starts at a similarly low price ($300). In terms of sex appeal, its slick plastic back has nothing on the Springboard, but for the money, we were seriously impressed by its performance, battery life, kickstand and full-sized USB port. The fact that it supports a wide assortment of codecs doesn't hurt either. We'd also be remiss if we didn't compare this to the Kindle Fire. Yes, it's missing 3G as well as any cameras, but for $200, you get a fully functional (albeit, highly skinned) Android tablet with a 7-inch IPS display coated in Gorilla Glass. An apples-to-apples comparison? Not totally, but since this is so aggressively priced and likely to sell like gangbusters this holiday season, it's worth clarifying what the Springboard has that the Kindle doesn't. Cameras, for one, along with the option of riding a 3G network. For what it's worth, the Fire, too, has a solid (if somewhat pared-down) design -- at least that's the impression we got in our brief hands-on.
Then there are the tablets we haven't had a chance to test yet. There's the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, for one -- the clear, long-awaited successor to the original Galaxy Tab. (It looks like those of us in the US might not have the option of choosing its posher sibling, the Galaxy Tab 7.7.) With a 1024 x 600 LCD and 3MP and 2MP cameras, its specs would appear fairly ho-hum, especially given its relatively high starting price of $400. Then again, it supports 21Mbps HSPA, which means if it made its way to AT&T or T-Mobile, it would offer theoretically faster speeds than the Springboard, which would be one way to justify sinking thousands into a two-year contract. Also on our hit list: the 7-inch Thrive, whose price we don't know yet, but which seems about as cheaply made up close as its 10-inch brother. Then there's Sharp's Galapagos A01SH tablet, which should hit the US before year's end with a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 SoC, 1GB of RAM, a 1024 x 600 display, 8GB of internal memory, a microSD slot, 5MP / 2MP cameras and a rated seven and a half hours of battery life. Again, we're pointing out these options mainly to underscore the fact that you've got lots of choices here; we can't in good faith recommend any of these tablets without having tested them. Wrap-up Look up there at that review card, if you haven't already. The Huawei MediaPad -- make that the T-Mobile Springboard -- is a very nice tablet. Before unleashing the world's umpteenth Honeycomb tablet, Huawei made sure it was speedy, well-built and longevous, with a high-quality IPS display and halfway decent camera thrown in for good measure. T-Mobile's reliable HSPA+ network is also a pleasant surprise, though we probably would have liked this tab even without that added perk. If it were us, we'd buy it for $430 off contract and avail ourselves of the pay-as-you-go plans on the rare occasion we planned on traveling and didn't think our smartphones would suffice for web surfing, checking email and a little movie watching. Will you be paying an above-average price? Maybe a little. It costs thirty bucks more than the 16GB Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, and though it's not out yet, we've already been promised the 7-inch Thrive will cost less than $400. And it's definitely pricier than the $330 Iconia Tab A100, though its low price is backed by a chintzy design and short battery life. (That's not even mentioning the price gulf between this and the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet!) As it happens, we haven't reviewed most of these competitors yet, but we can at least say that the Springboard's slightly high price tag comes with fast performance, solid battery life and a truly pleasing design. As for that $180 price T-Mobile will surely be promoting, it's tough to get excited about a tablet that cheap when the only way to get it is to sign a two-year agreement. If we're talking to a narrow, self-selecting group of people who think it's worth it to pay upwards of $30 a month on an always-there Internet connection, we can see why you'd pick this over, say, the HTC Jetstream, which is heavy and costs an insulting $700, even on contract. But for most people, a pretty design and decent battery life simply won't be compelling enough reasons to get shacked up with a carrier. That's why pay-as-you-go plans are such a beautiful, beautiful thing. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos Posted: 07 Nov 2011 07:47 PM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charlie Miller's latest iOS hack gets into the App Store, gets him tossed out (video) Posted: 07 Nov 2011 06:57 PM PST  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panasonic Toughpad A1 and B1: the tablets you can drop and pick back up again Posted: 07 Nov 2011 05:43 PM PST  There's also a 7-inch B1, which we know a little less about at this point, but both are MIL-STD-810G rated to survive drops, dust and water. You know, the sorts of things that most tablet owners buy expensive cases to protect from. But, a starting MSRP of $1,299 for the A1 might make your budget keeper recoil at least a little bit, though the presumably somewhat cheaper B1 is still lacking a price. Both will quite literally drop in 2012, so watch those feet. ANDROID-POWERED TABLETS World's most reliable 10" and 7" tablets deliver the enhanced security, advanced device management and application eco-system required by business and government users Secaucus, NJ, November 7, 2011 – Panasonic, an industry leader in rugged, reliable handheldand tablet computers since 1996, today unveiled the Toughpad™ family of professional-grade Android™-powered tablets (#Toughpad), which includes a 10‖ and 7‖ device. The devices-targeting mission-critical and highly mobile workers-will be supported by an eco-system that includes an enterprise focused app store, peripherals, developer tools, deployment support and more. The 10‖ Toughpad A1, available first, is ideal for highly mobile outdoor workers in markets like aviation, construction, field sales and the public sector, where exposure to extreme environments is a constant challenge and the consequence of a failure is significant. The device can also be used as a tool to optimize business processes as a cost effective pen / paper replacement. The 7‖ Toughpad B1 targets similar markets, but in applications where screen real estate is not as critical and where device mobility and portability are critical. ―Panasonic has been a leading force in the government and enterprise mobile computing space-including tablet, convertible tablet, and handheld devices-for over fifteen years,‖ said Rance M. Poehler, President, Panasonic Solutions Company. ―For many manufacturers this is new territory, but it's currently one of Panasonic's growing product categories. Because of this,we have the unique ability to apply our market knowledge, intellectual property, engineering and R&D resources to deliver an Android-powered tablet that is radically different from the largely consumer-based devices on the market today. The Toughpad tablets are developed from the inside out to address the needs of the business users. As a result, our customers will get the most rugged, reliable and enterprise-appropriate tablets in the world – helping to drive efficiency and productivity in ways that were never possible. The Toughpad tablets will be backed by our world class service and support infrastructure, including our U.S. dedicated hot-line support, 2day or less service turn-time, and our customer facing field engineering staff.‖ Panasonic has created a purpose-built line of Android-powered tablets, designed with enhanced security, long product life, and advanced device management in mind. The Panasonic Toughpad family will allow government and commercial enterprises, as well as SMBs, to realize the true potential of tablet computing without sacrificing security and while delivering a high return on investment. Panasonic Unveils Toughpad™ Family of Professional-Grade Android™-Powered Tablets Enterprise-class SecurityEnterprise-class mobile computing requires an enhanced level of device security that is not available in today's tablet market. To address this need, the new Toughpad family is designed with security in mind. The Toughpad A1 incorporates security embedded at the hardware level and offer technologies like hardware and software encryption, enhanced VPN, dual factor authentication, trusted boot and device management. This enhanced level of device security means the Toughpad A1 will be compliant with FIPS 140-2 for Federal government use and HIPAA ready for healthcare environments. The Toughpad™ family can be managed with a custom set of low level controls that provide IT Administrators with unprecedented power over their Android-powered devices. This level of mobile device management (MDM) is essential for successfully deploying and managing Android-powered tablets in the field. These controls allow IT managers to distribute applications in a one-to-many environment, secure devices from unauthorized use and many other granular features not found in consumer-grade Android-powered tablets. A Rich Application Environment for Government and Enterprise Mobility Besides having access to the existing selection of Android Market™ applications, the Toughpad is supported by the Business AppPortal™, an enterprise-focused app store offering best-of-breed vertical market specific solutions as well as applications addressing broad enterprise concerns, including Mobile Device Management, security and virtualization. This highly secure, cloud-based user storefront allows IT Managers and developers to store,download and test applications for use on their Toughpad devices. Panasonic will also offer private application stores within the Business App Portal, which businesses can customize to meet their specific needs. Purpose-built for Real-world Mobility The Toughpad A1 has a high brightness, 10.1‖ XGA capacitive, multi-touch, daylight-viewable screen so mobile workers, in markets like supply chain logistics, utilities and the military, can easily see critical data and operate the device regardless of lighting conditions. The Toughpad A1 offers a stylus and active digitizer, enabling flexible data entry in the field, as well as signature capture and handwriting recognition functionalities - ideal for sales, customer service and mobile point-of-service environments. Other features include integrated cameras, a serviceable battery, multiple options for peripheral connectivity and battery life that will accommodate a full day of work. The new Toughpad family is designed to meet many of the same durability standards as Panasonic's Toughbook PC product line. The devices have MIL-STD-810G ratings for drops as well as ingress protection ratings for resistance to dust and water. The Toughpad A1 is also rated for use in a wide range of temperatures. This elevated level of durability results in tablets that deliver reliability in almost any environment, assuring maximum mobile worker productivity. The Toughpad A1 offers optional 4G (LTE or WiMAX) mobile broadband as well as Bluetooth®v2.1 + EDR, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and satellite GPS. Panasonic Unveils Toughpad™ Family of Professional-Grade Android™-Powered Tablets Panasonic Toughpad™ A1: Select Features and Specifications Operating System Android™ 3.2 (Honeycomb)Processor Marvell 1.2 GHz Dual-CoreProcessorStorage16GBOptional StorageMicroSD optional up to 32GBRAM1GB LP-DDR2Display500 nit, daylight readable,10.1‖ XGA (4:3), capacitive multi-touch with anti-reflective and anti-glare treatment andbuilt in ambient light sensor Battery Life10 hours (serviceable battery)Weight2.13lbs (without pen)Drop Rating4 ft.Ingress ProtectionIP65Temperature rating14F to 122F (operational)Inputs Micro-USB, microSDHC,micro HDMICamera5MP rear, 2MP front Connectivity/Comms4G (LTE or WiMAX), 802.11a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Hotspot,Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR,Satellite GPS Security Features Hardware-level security, FIPS140-X and HIPPA compliant,cable lock slotDimensions10.5 x 8.3 x 0.67 in. Pricing and Availability The Toughpad™ A1 will be available in the Spring of 2012 starting at $1299. The Toughpad B1will be released later in 2012, with more details coming closer to availability. Both devices can be purchased through authorized Panasonic resellers. Sales inquiries for Panasonic's Toughpad family of Android-powered tablets should be directedto sales.psc@us.panasonic.com or 877-803-8492. The Toughpad family comes standard with the industry's most comprehensive 3-year warranty. Panasonic will offer a full set of professional-grade accessories to support the Toughpad line,including cases, mounts, printers, keyboards, magnetic stripe readers, Smart Card Readers and multi-unit storage and charging solutions. More information on the Toughpad tablets can be found at http://www.PanasonicToughpad.com Images of the Toughpad can be found on the brand's Flickr page; various Toughpad videos can be found on the brand's YouTube page and an article discussing enterprise tablet computer deployment considerations can be found on the brand's blog - Toughbloggers.com. Panasonic Unveils Toughpad™ Family of Professional-Grade Android™-Powered Tablets Follow the Toughpad™ Brand (#Toughpad):The Panasonic Toughpad brand can be followed on various social media channels, includingFacebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Toughbloggers.com. About Panasonic Solutions Company Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology.The company delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises.Products and services within the company's portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook and Toughpad mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD and 3D video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic Solutions Company's full line of products can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/business-solutions. Android and Android Market are trademarks of Google, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Nov 2011 05:00 PM PST  For its moderate price, the Warp certainly feels solid, if a bit plasticky on the front. It's not exactly a premium fit and finish, but it seems well suited for average day to day use. Furthermore, despite its large display (which appeared fairly bright and decently crisp in the dark room we viewed it in), it's is a pleasure to hold in hand, thanks mainly to the textured soft-touch coating on its back plate. Put simply, we didn't sense that phone could easily easily slip out of our hands. On the top of the device, you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack along the center with a power button on the side. Along the top left is a volume rocker, while on the right side there's a dedicated camera button and a microUSB port. Opening up the snap-on battery cover revealed its 1600mAh battery, as well as a single microSD slot. Lastly, on screen's lower portion are four familiar capacitive buttons for Home, Menu, Back and Search.  Aiding the Warp's 1GHz CPU is 512MB of RAM -- overall, the phone seemed snappy on first impression whether we scrolled through and load loaded apps or played video content from YouTube. One area the device clearly had problems with, though, was its camera. While we can't say much yet in terms of image quality, the cam was slow slow startup and shots didn't snap until a few seconds after we pushed the shutter (be it the dedicated or onscreen button) -- its disappointing considering the camera is a key selling point. The cam can also shoot video, although, we didn't have a chance to test it out, nor get details on its resolution. In terms of customization, Boost's loaded the phone Mobile IDs, which essentially let you make make themed homescreens with specific apps. For instance, the demo device we looked at had an ID for MTV music that was filled with an MTV news ticker along with apps like Pandora. Notably, being that the Warp technically runs over over Sprint's network, Google Voice integration is on offer. Sure, the device may not have Ice Cream Sandwich, a front facing camera or Chirp capabilities, but for $200 dollars off-contract with "unlimited" everything at about $50 bucks a month, we'd say this is a delicious piece of Gingerbread for anyone scared of commitment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC Edge may be the first quad-core smartphone to market Posted: 07 Nov 2011 04:53 PM PST  Color us skeptical on this one, but rumors are coming down the pipeline about an HTC phone called the Edge. It's supposedly going to be the first Tegra 3-powered smartphone. According to Pocketnow, the device will supposedly offer a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU, 4.7-inch 720p HD display, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera with f/2.2 lens and Beats Audio. Curiously, no LTE capability was mentioned specifically, though 21Mbps HSPA+ appears to be good to go, and there's a slight possibility of Sense 4.0 being included -- which given its proposed launch window of late Q1 / early Q2 2012, wouldn't be a huge surprise. We'd love to start seeing more quad-core goodness headed our way, so we're definitely keeping our fingers crossed to see a lot more of the above show up at CES and MWC. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nuclear clocks could be 60x as accurate as atomic counterparts, less prone to errors Posted: 07 Nov 2011 04:18 PM PST  For years, atomic clocks have been considered the most accurate devices for tracking the slow march towards obsolescence, a subatomic particle vibrating a given number of times per second with relatively few issues. Now the reliability crown might be passed to the nuclear clock, which in addition to sounding gnarly, could prove to be less susceptible to errors from outside stimuli. It goes like this: although an atomic clock will measure a certain number of vibrations per second, external forces such as ambient electric and magnetic fields affect the electrons used in atomic clocks, causing mishaps. The particles used in nuclear clocks that are measured for vibrations -- and thus timekeeping -- can be excited with a relatively low-energy ultraviolet light, allowing for fewer variations from the aforementioned fields. To wit, Corey Campbell and colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta have devised a scheme that uses lasers to carefully control the spatial orientation of the electron orbits in atoms. A nuclear clock containing a thorium nucleus controlled in this way would drift by just one second in 200 billion years, the team claims. Before nuclear clocks become a reality, researchers must identify the precise frequency of light needed to excite thorium nuclei; but this is what grad students are for, right?[Image credit: University of Colorado / Science Daily] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia to bear NFC guns in US, create its own mobile wallet? Posted: 07 Nov 2011 03:33 PM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google+ laser hack, Hangout shoots first (video) Posted: 07 Nov 2011 02:41 PM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Must See HDTV (November 7th - 13th) Posted: 07 Nov 2011 02:06 PM PST  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 The king is back. The Modern Warfare series has reigned over the console shooter pile for the last few years and it's no secret why. A combination of fast-paced action and precise controls make it the online game of choice for many (some prefer the Battlefield games, it's a matter of taste). This year's edition once again hails from the offices of Infinity Ward, birthplace of the best this series has to offer so this one is a must-buy. The only thing giving us pause? A new "Elite" feature, (November 8th, $56.99 on Amazon) UFC on Fox CBS tried bringing MMA fighting to network TV a couple of years ago but hasn't had any bouts in a while, opening the door for this weekend's heavyweight match on Fox. Cain Velasquez is one of the scariest human beings alive, but he appears to have a worthy competitor coming for his title in Junior Dos Santos. We've been fans of UFC for a little while, if expensive PPV matches and reality TV-styled The Ultimate Fighter have been the only thing keeping you on the outside, this could be the one that makes you a fan -- or disgusts you beyond words. Check out a trailer embedded after the break. (November 12th, Fox, 9PM) Death Valley Looking for a a zombie alternative to The Walking Dead (which actually improved this weekend -- apparently someone finally told the writers that less is more)? You've found it. MTV's Cops-style mockumentary follows officers around an alternate reality Los Angeles populated by werewolves, vampires and more otherworldly creatures with a campy sense of humor throughout. Beware however, here anyone can become a meal for the people they're pursuing, including members of the camera crew. (November 7th, MTV, 11PM) Blu-ray & Games
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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nook Tablet's Read and Record hands-on (video) Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:38 PM PST  The multimedia features on the new Nook Tablet mean more than just watching video and listening to music -- they actually give a bit of a boost to the reading experience, as well. One of the best implementations of this is the new Read and Record feature, an update to the Nook Color's Read and Play feature, which takes advantage of the Tablet's new mic to let users (parents in most cases, we assume) record narration to children's books. It's a simple but clever addition that certainly drives home the product's value for families. The feature lets you record custom narration on each page of compatible texts, offering up the words as a script. Once recorded, the text can be saved with a simple icon, so kids can play it back themselves -- in the case of our hands-on demo, it was a gingerbread man (fitting, perhaps, given the OS we're working with). The feature is equally simple to use on both sides of the equation, and is a nice little bonus for parents who, for whatever reason, can't always be around to read to the kids. Video after the break. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft installs 'biggest Windows Phone ever' in NYC's Herald Square (video) Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:17 PM PST  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cyberdyne turns its HAL exoskeleton into an anti-radiation suit Posted: 07 Nov 2011 12:56 PM PST  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM Posted: 07 Nov 2011 12:44 PM PST  It's Monday, and we're still here to help by letting you peek into the recording booth when the Engadget HD podcast goes to mp3 at 5:30PM. We're back at our regular time, so take a peek at the live stream, chat and list of topics after the break. CBS boss reveals why the company is 'against joining Apple TV' (or Hulu) Zediva ordered to permanently shut down operations, pay $1.8 million to MPAA Blockbuster Express kiosks hike rental rates to keep offering new movies Netflix, MGM strike licensing agreement ahead of launch in the UK, Ireland NYT: Disney, YouTube strike new content partnership, will launch kid-friendly channel Plex hops on the Google TV train, finds it has plenty of room to stretch its legs Google might offer TV / phone service over its fiber network Rogers Cable tries on flexible channel packages in Ontario, will customers like the fit? DirecTV adds more subscribers than ever, will push live streaming, HD UI, and multiroom DVRs TWCable TV app in development for Android, should drop before the season's first 3-pointer (updated) Motorola Corvair 6-inch Android 2.3 tablet outed, destined for the home automation set? Sony posts $350 million loss in Q2 earnings report, forecasts full-year loss Samsung, RealD pact for ZScreen passive glasses 3D TVs falls apart DuPont's AMOLED HDTV tech licensed by... someone, will likely be used to build HDTVs RED makes the Scarlet official, 5K stills and 4K video for $9,750 Peter Jackson reveals the Red Epic secrets behind The Hobbit (video) BBC celebrates 75 years of 'high definition' TV this weekend Must See HDTV (November 7th - 13th) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft taps Samsung VP Gavin Kim to be new Windows Phone GM Posted: 07 Nov 2011 12:19 PM PST  The last Windows Phone General Manager, Charlie Kindel, may have been a longtime Microsoft vet, but the company's looked beyond Redmond for his permanent replacement. As BGR reports, Microsoft has snagged Samsung's VP of of consumer and enterprise services, Gavin Kim, to lead the Windows Phone product team. In describing his new role, Kim tells BGR that he'll "be responsible to help set the future direction for the Windows Phone platform and to accelerate Microsoft's trajectory to win the hearts and minds of consumers, carriers, device manufacturers, developers and partners." At Samsung, Kim most recently worked on the company's various Galaxy products, and he unsurprisingly remains complimentary of the company, noting that it has a "very bright future ahead of itself," and that he expects a "tremendous amount of synergy between Microsoft and Samsung." BGR's full interview is at the source link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Netflix, MGM strike licensing agreement ahead of launch in the UK, Ireland Posted: 07 Nov 2011 11:56 AM PST  Netflix and MGM Announce Multi-Year Premium Pay TV Window Agreement in the United Kingdom and Ireland Starting In Early 2012, Netflix Members in the UK And Ireland Will Enjoy Instantly Watching High-Quality Films From MGM And Its Distribution Partners BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. today announced a new multi-year licensing agreement that will make Netflix the exclusive subscription streaming service in the UK and Ireland for most first-run feature films from MGM. MGM titles will be available for Netflix members in the UK and Ireland to watch instantly in the pay TV window on their televisions, tablets, game consoles, computers and mobile phones, for a low monthly price. Netflix announced last month that it would launch its service in the UK and Ireland early in 2012. Appearing exclusively on Netflix within one year of their theatrical release will be such films as "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again," the highly-anticipated prequels to the Academy Award-winning "Lord of the Rings" trilogy by Peter Jackson, "Zookeeper" starring Kevin James, "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters," with Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton, and "21 Jump Street," featuring Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Ice Cube. An extensive selection of great MGM catalogue titles will also be available on Netflix in the UK and Ireland, including "Capote," "Fargo," "The Usual Suspects," "West Side Story" and "The Amityville Horror." "We are delighted to be entering the UK and Ireland with a legendary studio like MGM at our side," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer. "And we are excited to be extending our relationship with MGM from the U.S. to these important markets and proud to be the exclusive home for their films in the traditional Pay TV window." "We are thrilled to grow our partnership with Netflix as they expand into the UK and Ireland," said MGM Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum. "Developing this relationship further will help us bring our films, both old and new, into the homes of our loyal audiences with the great ease Netflix offers customers," said Roma Khanna, MGM's President Television Group and Digital. |
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