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Friday, December 30, 2011

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Verizon's $2 convenience fee inconveniences the FCC

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 10:12 AM PST

Just like hard working humans, giant companies like to get paid consistently and on time for services rendered. But Verizon's method for motivating customers to pay up -- in the form of a $2 convenience fee -- isn't sitting so well with consumers, or the FCC. A Federal Communications Commission official confirmed that the fee hasn't gone unnoticed, saying "on behalf of American consumers, we're concerned about Verizon's actions and are looking into the matter." The $2 "payment convenience fee" is scheduled to hit consumers beginning on January 15th, but if the FCC doesn't step in before then, you can still skip the toll by signing up for AutoPay, or making your way to a different carrier.

Editorial: How FAA-certified gadgets could improve air travel and eliminate the Terrible 10,000 Feet

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 08:35 AM PST

Boeing
If you're reading this now and have experienced the wonders of modern air travel then you have surely suffered through what I call the "Terrible 10,000 Feet." This is the period between the clunk of the cabin door closing and the bong of the cabin indicator, the chime signifying arrival of the magic altitude where "approved electronic devices" can then be used again. The first half of the worst part of the flight is then over -- the latter half to commence as soon as the plane dips again below that gadget ceiling.

This is the loudest part of the flight -- engines throttled up, flaps and gear hanging in the breeze and scared kids doing their best to drown all that out with screams and shouts. It's exactly when you most want to use your portable music player, and exactly when you aren't allowed. We've been told that this is for safety reasons, to prevent interference from the myriad devices carried by a cabin full of passengers, but that's never quite felt satisfactory to me. (Why is it okay to use those very same devices over 10,000 feet? Why can pilots use iPads but I can't?)

So many questions, but I'm not here to second-guess the people whose jobs it is to keep me safe as I schlep myself, my roller bag and my personal item across the country yet again. I'm here to propose a very simple solution: a certification program in which manufacturers submit devices for testing and the FAA charges a (possibly hefty) fee for their approval. It could not only improve the lives of frequent travellers like myself, but could also stand to provide millions in funding to the FAA, funds that could be put toward its unfortunately named NextGen air traffic control system. Win win? Read on and decide for yourself.
Targus

There was a time, not all that long ago, when laptops didn't need to be removed from bags. Those were halcyon days of fast-moving security lines staffed by friendly attendants who smelled of lilac and cinnamon.

Let's start by taking a step back. There was a time, not all that long ago, when laptops stayed snug in their bags. Those were halcyon days of fast-moving security lines staffed by friendly attendants who smelled of lilac and cinnamon. Or, at least, that's how I remember them. In 2007, TSA restrictions tightened and it was decided your luggables needed to be scanned a little more closely; an unobstructed view required. So, all laptops had to come out, and those lines dragged to a crawl.

Frequent fliers yelled and, after enough complaints, "checkpoint-friendly" bags arrived. These TSA-approved cases could flip open, leaving your laptop perfectly exposed to the prying rays of a security scanner. Problem solved? Not exactly -- the authorized bags tend to have compromised designs or crazy prices. Few have bothered to buy them and so they've hardly greased the wheels at JFK's many and messy bottlenecks.

Hardly a success, then, but it is a case of a safety-minded government agency making a concession for your convenience. FAA-approved devices could be seen as a similar concession, but a far more successful one if done right. Let's start by looking at the problem most cited when explaining why a given device can't be used: interference. It's debatable whether modern devices are actually liable to interfere with an aircraft's communication, navigation or control systems, but there's no doubt that there are some devices out there that could interfere with some aircraft.

Boeing

Indeed, a 2006 Mythbusters episode found that unshielded cockpit instrumentation used in older aircraft could be affected by GSM cellphones. A Boeing report cites multiple cases of odd in-flight behavior caused by interference and, recently, Honeywell cockpit displays started blanking out when subjected to WiFi interference -- something increasingly common as services like Gogo continue their lethargic rollouts.

Just like the TSA has approved certain bags for use in security checkpoints, so too could the FAA approve certain devices.

Scary stuff, but all very isolated. The question is which devices effect which systems, a task that seems impossibly huge. But, look at it from another perspective and things get a little easier: you don't need to test every gadget anyone could bring on a plane, just find out which avionics components are vulnerable to what sorts of interference. These are tests already performed in many cases, but what's missing is a central repository to track which frequencies and emissions levels are problematic for which systems.

The population of such a database, perhaps done with help from the FCC, would be slow and expensive, but it would be the key to the creation of a certification program that would allow us to keep on gadgeting at any altitude. Just like the TSA has approved certain bags for use in security checkpoints so too could the FAA approve certain devices.

FCC

The first and biggest component of the certification would be looking to see whether the device in question emits troubling interference within the already identified ranges, a process that could piggyback on the FCC's current testing. For an additional fee, our favorite communications commission could specifically target those known electromagnetic trouble spots and certify that a given device plays nice with all the pilot's many toys up in the cabin.

But that wouldn't be all. Additional testing would be needed to ensure the device has an easily accessible airplane mode, silencing any radios not allowed for use in-flight. Finally, it would ensure that the size and composition of any lithium or lithium-ion batteries fall within the FAA's regulations.

The FAA could charge for the service, and ask a pretty penny if it liked.

Since this would be a separate, optional certification, manufacturers could choose whether or not to apply. It would also mean the FAA could charge for the service, and ask a pretty penny if it liked. Hiring a testing facility and consultants for FCC certification usually costs between $5,000 and $20,000, depending on the nature of the thing. It's reasonable to assume that the optional FAA interference testing would at least double this. There would also be additional costs for FAA personnel to verify those other metrics, like battery size and composition.

Overall cost to the device producer? Why not a flat $50,000 fee to the FAA -- rather expensive for upstart rapid fabricators but, for your Amazons and your Apples of the world, a drop in the bucket. Top-shelf devices would be the first approved and that "FAA Flight Certified" stamp on the box would be a strong selling point, encouraging other manufacturers to get their latest and greatest devices certified -- also encouraging consumers to upgrade their aging tech to something new and approved. Approved devices could be used at any time during the flight, while anyone owning anything else would have to sit patiently through the Terrible 10,000 -- though it might make sense to suspend their use during the security briefing.

Gogo

But what, then, is to stop someone from using a non-approved device during takeoff and landing? Absolutely nothing -- just like today. I don't know how many times I've reached into my pocket at 10,000 feet to pull out my phone, only to realize I never turned it off in the first place. More often than not I'll accidentally leave a tablet turned on in my bag and, frankly, once the flight attendants take their seats for takeoff there's nothing stopping me from pulling out my laptop and getting to work if I really wanted to. Enforcement of the current rules lies mostly with you and me.

So today's system is largely based on passengers playing by the rules, and this certification program would still heavily rely upon that. Fliers would have to voluntarily put aside their uncertified devices because there's no way flight attendants could spot the difference between an unapproved Galaxy S II and a properly tested Galaxy S III. Would passengers play along? In my experience most seem to willingly follow today's rules, but it isn't that hard to envision taking this a step further down the road, requiring that any certified device sport a purple LED that blinks into life when airplane mode is enabled. Those harried attendants could then spot with a glance who's playing by the rules.

Whether entirely trust-based or aided by a blinkenlight, this sort of certification would help raise awareness and provide insight into the true risks of in-flight EM interference, make the FAA some much-needed money and, most importantly, let me keep my Spotify playlist going throughout the entire duration of the flight. And, if we can find a way to get Gogo enabled at takeoff, I'll be all the happier.

Engadget Podcast 270 - 12.30.2011

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 07:30 AM PST

Happy The Engadget Podcast New Year's, everybody! You know what to do. Don't forget to date your checks right.

Host: Brian Heater
Guests: Richard Lawler, Terrence O'Brien
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: We Found Love

04:47 - Verizon experiencing nationwide data outage? (update: Verizon confirms)
09:00 - Verizon confirms latest LTE outage restored, again claims 3G operated normally
12:28 - Toshiba Thrive 7" review
21:10 - Tech's biggest misfires of 2011


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Verizon offers vague statement, no apology for LTE downtime

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 06:34 AM PST

Earlier this week, you may have noticed that your Verizon Wireless LTE smartphone couldn't do inconsequential things like update your inbox, or pull up a webpage. This happened once. Then twice. And finally a third time this month. And what's the root cause? "Growing pains," according to the carrier's latest statement. And since growing pains are a natural consequence of adolescence, there's no reason for Verizon to issue any kind of apology to its paying customers, who naturally expect such inconsistencies from "the most advanced 4GLTE wireless network in the world." Now, some of you also reported issues connecting to the 3G network, which Verizon reps claim didn't experience any downtime. Instead, your hiccups were a result of being "unable to connect to the 3G Network as quickly as [Verizon] would have liked." Have any questions? Of course you don't. Such can be expected from any carrier, just like the requirement to fork over two bucks for the convenience of paying your monthly bill.

Engadget Distro's 2011 Year In Review is here!

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 05:15 AM PST

As yet another year of spectacular technological gains and enormous losses comes to a close, we present to you our best attempt at a comprehensive look back: Engadget Distro's Year In Review. In "Technology_In_2011.zip" we'll provide a compressed month-by-month timeline of just a few of the year's standout stories and announcements. We'll also bring you the year in corporate mudslinging with a collection of the most outrageous "CE-Oh No He Didn't" moments and present "The Top 10 Crappiest Crapgadgets of 2011," as selected by our readers. Looking ahead, we have our predictions of what's to come at CES 2012, TechnoBuffalo's Jon Rettinger gives us some insight into his distaste for OS wars in "Q&A" and Don Melanson offers up his list of the year's must-reads. So, in the interest of retrospection, hit that download link and let's reflect.

Distro Issue 20 PDF
Distro on the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Android Market
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

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

ComScore: Android up, RIM down, water wet

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 03:31 AM PST

Stop us (oh, oh, oh stop us) if you've heard this one before, but in the world of cellphone market share: nothing's changed -- or at least almost nothing. The quarterly data from ComScore say you all still love Android and iOS only slightly more than you used to. Of the 91.4 million smartphones in the US, Google gained the 3.1 percent of the market that RIM lost, and is now inching toward controlling half the nation's phones with 46.9 percent, whilst Apple swallowed the modest gains that Microsoft and Symbian lost. Samsung remains top manufacturer in a report where the only surprise is that 72.6 percent of users send text messages, so what do the other 27.4 percent do when they've been delayed or way-laid?

[Thanks, Wilson]

Show full PR text
comScore Reports November 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

One-third of Mobile Subscribers Access Social Networking on Mobile Device

RESTON, VA, December 29, 2011 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending November 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.6 percent market share. Google Android continued to capture share in the smartphone market to reach 46.9 percent market share.

OEM Market Share
For the three-month average period ending in November, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers (up 0.3 percentage points), followed by LG with 20.5 percent share and Motorola with 13.7 percent share. Apple strengthened its position at #4 with 11.2 percent share of total mobile subscribers (up 1.4 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.5 percent share.

Smartphone Platform Market Share
91.4 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in November, up 8 percent from the preceding three month period. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 46.9 percent market share, up 3.1 percentage points from the prior three-month period. Apple maintained its #2 position, growing 1.4 percentage point to 28.7 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 16.6 percent share, followed by Microsoft (5.2 percent) and Symbian (1.5 percent).

Mobile Content Usage
In November, 72.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, up 2.1 percentage points. Downloaded applications were used by 44.9 percent of subscribers (up 3.3 percentage points), while browsers were used by 44.4 percent (up 2.3 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 2.1 percentage points to 33.0 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 29.7 percent of the mobile audience (up 1.2 percentage points), while 21.7 percent listened to music on their phones (up 1.0 percentage points).

Ed Hardy headphones hope to ink up your ears

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 01:45 AM PST

Celebrity headphone endorsements are very à la mode right now, and we've seen Ed Hardy's trademark tattoo stylings defacing gadgetry before, so, if you were the one lamenting the glaring omission that was Hardy-branded cans, then he obviously got your letter. The new "Stereo" range evidently refers to the two designs available thus far: Skull and Bones for the over-ears ($66), while your in-ears get some Tiger power ($29). The in-ears also feature a microphone, presumably so you can call for help from the fashion police. Both are available now.

Quadrocopters don creepy eyes, build synthetic Christmas tree of envy (video)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 11:50 PM PST

First we let them play music, then they started juggling. Now quadrocopters are feeling emotions as well; namely, jealousy. One of Flying Machine Arena's dainty quadrocopters, nicknamed Juliet, was compelled to build its own synthetic Christmas tree after spying an authentic fir through a glass window. Sure, stacked bricks of festive foam seem innocent enough, but look into those ping-pong ball eyes and tell us you aren't a little worried that next year's "war on Christmas" will be the machine's war on humans. Fly past the break to see Juliet's envious construction project for yourself.

IBM wins diet monitoring and reward patent, celebrates with sip of Spirulina

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 10:36 PM PST

Does your employer offer a "wellness rebate program?" No? Then you can't be working for IBM, which has been bribing its staff to eat healthier since 2004. It's a Watson-worthy idea, because what the company pays out in incentives it recoups in lower healthcare costs. Now, after a decade of toing and froing with the USPTO, IBM has finally patented a web-based system that makes the whole process automatic. For it to work, a person must use a micro-payment network to buy food, which allows their purchases to be monitored and compared against their health records. If they've made the right choices, the system then communicates with their employer's payroll server to issue a reward. Completing the Orwellian circle, the proposed system also interacts with servers in the FDA and health insurance companies to gain information about specific food products or policy changes. You can duck the radar, of course, and buy a Double Whopper with cash, but it'll bring you no reward except swollen ankles. This is IBM we're talking about; they've thought of everything.

[Photo via Shutterstock]

Google, Apple, other vaguely familiar tech names top Nielsen's 'Tops of 2011' list

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 09:12 PM PST

Those perpetual rankers over at Nielsen unveiled their "Tops of 2011" list this week, revealing the most popular brands and products across all manner of categories. There's nothing particularly shocking over on the digital side of things -- Google topped the list of Top US Web Brands, followed by Facebook. Perhaps a bit more surprisingly, Yahoo managed to hold its own in 2011, rounding out the top three. Over on the smartphone side, Apple came out on top with a 29 percent marketshare in data pulled from August to October 2011, followed by HTC. Despite a fairly tough year, RIM managed the number three spot. On the social side, Facebook scored number one, followed by Blogger and Twitter, while some site called "YouTube" was ranked number one in video. Check out the rest of the results in the source link below.

ESPN's bowl coverage swaps out the telestrator for augmented reality GameView

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 07:58 PM PST

We dug into ESPN's use of the Xbox 360 and EA Sports games to power its Virtual Playbook segments last year, but in preparation for this round of BCS bowl games it's upgraded the system with a bit of augmented reality. The new GameView system uses a tabletop 70-inch touchscreen LCD, a copy of NCAA Football '12 and four dedicated workstations to blend everything together and create a simulation for viewers to see the analysts move virtual players around the field. It should at least be more interesting than CNN's previous election coverage implementation, although we're mostly wondering when a combo of Kinect, Surface and old school electronic football will bring the experience directly to our living rooms to play around with. Check out the gallery for a few more screens and expect to see this implemented more during the upcoming big time bowl games -- no, there's no secret code Desmond Howard can input to get a national championship game between two college football teams that haven't already played each other, we asked.
ESPN GameView Augmented Reality
Show full PR text
• GameView was developed to address the complexities of the Virtual Playbook remote shoots which had lengthy
setup times, weather issues and was not easily utilized by analysts.
• This solution brings the virtual field to the analyst, enabling control over the breakdown of a team matchup by
scaling, moving, and rotating the field.
• Also included with the GameView technology is the ability to breakdown multiple plays simultaneously.
Previously, only one play could be loaded at a time. GameView can now show a play that has a predetermined
outcome (e.g. a blitz resulting in a quarterback sack), and provides the ability to rewind and rerun the play while
detailing how adjustments to the play may contribute to a different outcome.

Equipment utilized:
• 70" multi-touch touchscreen
• Four top-of-the-line graphics workstations to render virtual elements
• EA SPORTS NCAA Football '12 game
• Jib rig to allow camera shots that accentuate the 3D rendering, and enable changing viewing angles.

About ESPN Technology:

Lenovo Ideapad S110 may be blazing the Cedar Trail, ditching netbook moniker

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 06:44 PM PST


Between the line of Cedar Trail notebooks marching their way through the FCC and Intel's recent shipping announcement, it's high time manufacturers started parading out next year's kits. Today's tease hails from Lenovo, which has outed the Ideapad S110 in no less than four fabulous colors. Although the outfit's promo video doesn't touch on hardware specs, a Pro Vantage product page claims the setup sports an Intel Atom 2600 processor. The self titled "mini notebook" features a 10.1-inch "HD display," presumably rocking the same 720p resolution as the rig's optional 2 megapixel webcam, if not the full 1080p Intel says the N2600 supports. Buyers will also be able to opt for an optional 3G radio, though USB 3.0, Lenovo quick start "instant on," and a 98-percent full-size chiclet keyboard all come standard. The video didn't pack an official press release, but we hear there's a major trade show right around the corner that's just perfect for announcing products.

Nevermore: Beyond Oblivion fades off into... oblivion

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 05:26 PM PST

For Beyond Oblivion, the end (see: tomorrow) is nigh -- the sun is setting on the service, the curtains are drawing close on its operations and that final, flickering flame of funding is about to be extinguished. But there's no need to slug through the five stages of mourning here, this fledgling iTunes competitor never really stood a chance. With a unique business model that paid rights holders for every track played, the company bled more cash than it raked in, ultimately leading to a shuttering of its public beta. So, enjoy that last dance 'round your room rocking out to BO's library of cloud-streamed tunes. And while you're at it, lay out a nice black outfit, will ya?

How I Met Your Robot Mother: a Qbo 'First' (video)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:15 PM PST

Is consciousness programmable? Do robots feel? Would Kubrick have approved of Spielberg's handling of AI? While you wrap your mind around those conundrums, set aside a bit of free grey matter to soak in another Qbo milestone. When last we left the little bot, it was just coming to terms with its place in the grand scheme of things and recognizing its reflection. Since, robotic hangers-on and the geeks that love'em have been pelting The Corpora (the brains behind the operation) with questions pertaining to the self-awareness of this artificially intelligent machine. The outfit's reply? A Qbo meet-cute with a "female" member of the automated species that highlights the droid's understanding of individuality. It's a far cry from a Lady and the Tramp-style nose nuzzle, but these bots don't have to touch -- a random series of nasal flashes serve to indicate their distinctiveness and, once that's done, polite flirtation ensues. Don't believe us? You can see the sparks of android love for yourself in the video after the break.

Iconia Tab A200 and A700 slates head to CES, make a pitstop in Russia

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST

Acer already spilled the beans on its Iconia Tab A200, a 10.1-inch slab powered by NVIDIA's 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, but whatever happened to that Tegra 3 touting A700? It went to Russia, of course. According to NoMobile.ru, the A200's slimmer, but more powerful brother will debut at CES 2012 next month. The Ruskie site pegs the tablet's 1920 x 1200 resolution screen at 10.1-inches, which is bordered by SIM and micro-USB slots, a dedicated rotation lock switch, the standard volume rockers, an audio jack and a micro-HDMI port. On its rear they found a textured back garnished with a five megapixel camera sporting a built-in flash -- the whole unit weights 650 grams (1.43 pounds) and boasts a ten hour battery life. When can we see it? At CES, says NoMobile.ru, or in stores if you're willing to wait until March. We'll poke around Acer's offerings next month and let you know what we find. Can't wait? Follow the source link below for a few more pictures.

[Thanks, Erik]

Facebook Messenger client for Windows slips out for download (Update: Official download available)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 01:56 PM PST

We've already had an early peek at Facebook's yet-to-be-released Messenger client for Windows, and now you can give it a shot yourself courtesy of a leaked copy that's turned up on the TechIT website. Not much in the way of surprises here, but if you're the sort that prefers desktop applications to websites or mobile apps, you'll be glad to know that it provides access to not just Facebook chat, but status updates and notifications from your friends as well. You can find the download at the source link below (Windows 7 is required).

Update: Facebook has now made an official download available -- you can grab it here, and find additional details on the application here.

[Thanks, Avi]

The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM!

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 12:30 PM PST

No Tim this week, sadly, but that won't stop this runaway podcasting freight train. Darren and Terrence will be joining Brian to discuss the biggest news of this post-holiday / pre-CES lull, but mostly we'll be talking about the year that wasn't -- join us in the chat below or send a note to podcast (at) engadget (dot) com to share your thoughts on the biggest tech misfires of the year.

Apple applies for facial recognition patent, wants to let iDevices get to know you better

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 11:41 AM PST

Your momma always said your handsome mug would take you places. Now it might allow you to access your iPad. An Apple patent application released today describes a facial recognition system that requires minimal computing power, and works whether you're indoors or out -- we don't use our tablets and phones in a photo booth, after all. The technology works by comparing a current image of your mug to a reference model user profile made using "high information" portions of the human face, like eyes and mouths. Translation: it'll take a picture, compare it against the pictures associated with various user accounts on the device and decide if the two images are similar enough to grant you access. Because this is just an application, it's safe to say we won't be seeing this kind of facial recognition in iOS anytime soon, but let's hope it works better than the ICS version if it does.

Update: An important thing to note is that Apple applied for this patent long before Android's Face Unlock debuted a few months back. The paperwork was first submitted on June 29th, 2010 -- it's just now being disclosed to the public.

British training 'Xbox generation' soldiers with tweaked games

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 10:51 AM PST

Austerity means the military can't afford the big-budget training exercises to battle-harden new recruits, so it's relying more on computer simulations. Sadly, Virtual Battlespace 2 can't compete with the Hollywood-style excitement of Modern Warfare. That's why it's buying in game engines from the studios (VB2 was based on tech licensed from the makers of Operation Flashpoint) and cutting out the unrealistic physics -- such as rifle bullets flying three miles and vehicles that don't obey gravity. It's hoped the project will keep the attention of death-match hardened trainees and encourage them to play it in their own time: the team were told that two soldiers learned enough skills to stay alive during combat thanks to marathon sessions in the game. If you've just unwrapped an FPS for the holidays, you can now tell disapproving family members that it's educational.
at 12:07 PM

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