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Sunday, January 22, 2012

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TouchTV comes to LG Smart TV, iPads: catch news clips at home, on the go

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 10:04 AM PST

If you swing past your local Best Buy and pick up one of those new-fangled LG Smart TVs, you'll find TouchTV's news-clip collection platform available inside. That way you'll be able to watch the trendiest (or at least the most watched) current-affairs clips without having to wait the twenty seconds or so before your rolling news channel of choice displays similar. TouchTV also announced today an iPad app that'll let you grab those newsy clips from your Apple-based slate of choice. The app's available gratis from the store (link below) and we've got the official words and pictures from the company about both products after the interval.

Jose Andrade contributed to this report.
Show full PR text
LG Electronics Announces Partnership With Touchtv

TOUCHTV TRANSFORMS THE TV WATCHING EXPERIENCE

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics & Touchtv today announced their global partnership with Touchtv to be integrated into LG Smart TVs.

Touchtv will be available to tens of millions of viewers on their LG Smart TVs. With Touchtv, LG Smart TVs offer viewers innovative capabilities such as watching the biggest trending events at any time. Touchtv and LG also plan to share more product details as the newest LG Smart TVs become available later this year.

"With LG's constant innovation, remarkable product quality, and focus on incredible customer experiences, we're very excited to be a partner of LG," said Kevin Pomplun, SkyGrid's CEO. "We're delighted to have designed such a remarkable product together and to be available for the launch of LG's newest Smart TVs."

Custom designed for LG Smart TVs, Touchtv gives viewers around the clock access to watch the most exciting trending events.

LG Smart TVs with Touchtv will be available to customers in Q1 2012; additional details to follow in local markets.

---

Touchtv Launches World's First TV for iPad

NSPIRED BY THE MAGIC OF TV AND DESIGNED FOR iPAD, TOUCHTV TRANSFORMS THE TV WATCHING EXPERIENCE

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Created by SkyGrid, who Apple® just named a Best News App of 2011, Touchtv introduced the world's first TV for iPad today.

Touchtv also announced the immediate availability of its Touchtv App for iPad™, that lets viewers watch their favorite programs anytime, anywhere. With Touchtv, viewers can watch their favorite sports, entertainment, politics, and news channels.

"With over 1.7 billion people watching TV every day, TV is the biggest media there's ever been, and now it's available on the fastest growing device in history, the iPad," said Kevin Pomplun, SkyGridʼs CEO. "Touchtv not only gives you the most captivating programs anywhere, it actually makes TV light enough that you can hold it in your hands. It's amazing." Custom designed for the iPad, Touchtv gives viewers their own personal TV to watch their favorite channels effortlessly. Simply launch Touchtv and "touch" any channel to start watching. From the Home Screen viewers can add more channels and personalize their TV.

Touchtv puts a world of programming in viewer's hands, with the best channels from sports, entertainment, politics, and more. It updates automatically and seamlessly delivers the latest programs from the exact channels viewers want.

Touchtv is available for free at www.touchtv.me or from the App Store on iPad or at www.itunes.com/apps/touchtv.

Researchers turn your smartphone into a virtual projector

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 08:37 AM PST

Pico projectors are an easy way to increase the screen real estate of your mobile phone, but what if you'd rather not carry one around in your pocket or bulk up your phone's slim profile with a slip on solution? Well, a team of intrepid researchers may have come up with an elegant solution to your problem that can work with any smartphone and external display: virtual projection. The system works by using a central server that constantly takes screenshots of the external display and compares them with the images from the phone's camera to track its location. It then replicates what's on the handset's screen, while allowing you to add multiple image windows and position and rotate them as you see fit. Additionally, multiple users can collaborate and virtually project pictures or videos onscreen at the same time. Intrigued? See it in action for yourself in the video after the break.

Mobile Miscellany: week of January 16, 2012

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 07:11 AM PST

This week may not have been incredibly packed with news in the mobile world, but it was still easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of January 16, 2012:

Verizon adds LTE to more cities, expands coverage

In what's become essentially a regular monthly occurrence, Verizon Wireless added five more cities to its rapidly growing LTE coverage map on January 19th: Glens Falls and Utica, NY, Brownsville and McAllen, TX and Lawton, OK. Additionally, the next-gen service is expanding in Atlanta, Houston and Spokane. [PRNewsWire]

Samsung introduces the Star 3 and Star 3 Duos



Samsung has a couple new featurephones coming out around the end of the month, the Star 3 and Star 3 Duos. They both only operate on GSM / EDGE and offer 3-inch displays with 320 x 240 resolution, 3.2MP cameras, FM radio, WiFi and Bluetooth. The only difference between them is the dual-SIM capability found in the Duos. The first market to receive the phones is Russia, followed by Europe, Latin America, Africa, CIS, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. [Electronista]

Samsung Galaxy S II HD coming to the UK

In what may be great news for Great Britain, the Samsung Galaxy S II HD popped up on UK online retailer MobiCity for a short period of time. While its availability in that market still hasn't been announced by Samsung yet, this little slip-up on MobiCity's part was enough to instill confidence within our souls that we'll be seeing more of this device in the UK soon. The phone, much like its Korean counterpart, will likely feature a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Scorpion CPU, a 4.65-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED screen, a 1,850mAh battery, 1GB of RAM and Android 2.3 with TouchWiz. [MoDaCo]

ASUS sneak attacks the business world with 12.5-inch B23E laptop

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 05:55 AM PST

ASUS was plenty busy at CES last week, but it held back at least one product on us -- the B23E. This 12.5-inch business laptop packs a Core i5 or i7, up to 8GB of RAM and a maximum 750GB hard drive in a magnesium-aluminum alloy case. Other expected Pro-series niceties are also in tow, including a fingerprint reader, spill-proof keyboard and an anti-shock mounted hard disk. Looking at the spec sheet though, it's not all gravy for this 3.4-pound PC. For one ASUS doesn't state how long it will last on a charge, but we can't imagine the three-cell 4,400mAh battery is going to impress with its longevity. We're also sad to see resolution top out at a pedestrian 1366 x 768. For more details hit up the product page at the source link.
ASUSPRO B23E laptop

European Union retailers to be required to accept e-waste without charge, says Parliament

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:29 AM PST

OrcaM sphere constructs detailed, digital 3D models of wares while you wait (video)

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 01:50 AM PST

Ever wanted a 3D digital copy of all those Little League trophies? Well, the NEK has whipped up something to lend a hand that's a bit larger than another recent scanner. Enter the OrcaM, an Orbital Camera System capable of producing an accurate, digital 3D model of objects up to 80cm (about 31.5 inches) wide and weighing up to 100kg (around 220lbs). Making use of seven shooters simultaneously, the system photographs the object while projecting various light and shadow combinations in order to determine the ware's geometry. The OrcaM is able to reproduce high-quality digital reproductions with a geometric accuracy less than millimeter (nearly .04 inches). As if that wasn't enough, it produces complete color, texture and reflectivity maps so that every minute detail is accounted for. Once your to-be-copied object has been loaded, the OrcaM takes over and is automatic, churning out the completed rendering shortly after the requisite photos are taken. Hit the video up top for a look at the beast in action.

Snapdragon-toting Sony smartphones to get extra global positioning help from The Other GPS

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 11:19 PM PST

Frustrated by the performance of GPS on your current Sony Ericsson phone? Well, if you've got the latest software and a device carrying Qualcomm's Snapdragon S2 or S3 processor, you're in luck. Alongside bright new darlings like the Xperia S and Xperia ion, all will be able to hook up to GLONASS, Russia's very own interpretation of GPS. Support on another global positioning network will increase the total of satellites orbiting around you from 31 to 55 -- more ways to find exactly where you got lost. GLONASS support has already launched on smartphone luminaries such as the iPhone 4S and the pocket-stretching Galaxy Note, but we're very happy to hear that the extra functionality will arrive on older Xperia handsets. According to the developer's own testing, the GLONASS assistance often improved accuracy by as much as 50 percent and should similarly reduce the chances of us being outed as map illiterates. You can grab more info on all the GLONASS goodness at the source below.

Sensixa e-AR duplicates the inner ear, knows if you've fallen and can't get up

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 09:52 PM PST

No, it's not a Philippe Starck-designed hearing aid, although we kind of wish it were. What you're actually looking at is an over-the-ear sensor, dubbed the e-AR, made to mimic the human vestibular system. In layman's terms, this 3D accelerometer-equipped device, crafted by Sensixa, is capable of recording real-time information related to posture and orientation, much like the inner ear does, which is then relayed via an embedded low power radio to a remote receiver. The tech, which we spied passing through the FCC's gates, has already undergone several trials for sports and is now being eyed for use in geriatric care. (Take that, Life Alert pendants.) Interest piqued? Then feel free to peruse the rest of the filing and provided user's manual at the source below.

Three COWs descend on Lucas Oil Stadium, courtesy of Verizon Wireless (video)

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 07:59 PM PST

When you think of Super Bowl Sunday, many images likely come to mind: malty beverages, nachos, high-budget commercials and -- oh, yeah -- football. Even amongst us mobile fanatics, however, cellular coverage rarely crosses the mind. Fortunately, that's not how Big Red rolls. The company has brought three of its LTE cell-on-wheels rigs to Indianapolis in anticipation of the Big Game, which is expected to draw 85,000 attendees. Amongst other things, Lucas Oil Stadium is now wired to the teeth with $69 million in Verizon gear to ensure that all subscribers will be able to tweet along with each touchdown, fumble and botched call -- like the Giants / Packers game, for instance. In addition to the COWs, the equipment includes 400 mobile antennas inside the stadium to carry voice and data, along with 600 WiFi stations to support a total of 28,000 simultaneous connections. The folks at GottaBeMobile have an excellent spread of how all this came together, but if you're more of the visual type, you'll find a quick video after the break.

[Thanks, Josh]

Ask Engadget: Are there UK-based Voicemail to SMS / email alternatives?

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 06:30 PM PST

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Nish, who needs to replace his voicemail to SMS/email system due to Ribbit Mobile's forthcoming closure. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"Hi there, I've been using Ribbit Mobile for the past few years for voicemail -- the voicemail to SMS/email function is brilliant. However, the beta trial is ending on the 31st January with no immediate plans to go live. Do you know of any UK-based alternatives for voicemail to SMS/email systems I can switch to? Thanks!"

So guys, come help out a brother from the motherland with your suggestions for digital telephony transcription, any Brits out there find Google Voice to be the answer? Is there something only a few of you know about that'll change the world? If you're in an animal home, sat down on your own, why not share your knowledge in the comments below.

Google Sky Map boldly explores open source galaxy

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 04:21 PM PST

Via its Research Blog, Google has announced the donation of the Sky Map project to the open source community. Originally developed by Googlers during their "20% time," the stellar application was launched in 2009 to showcase the sensors in first generation Android handsets. Four years and over 20 million downloads later, Sky Map's code will be donated to the people -- with Carnegie Mellon University taking the reins on further development through "a series of student projects." Hit the source link for the official announcement and a bit of nostalgia from Google.

Engadget Mobile Podcast 122 - 01.21.2012

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 03:33 PM PST


This podcast is all about vision, which proves that the Engadget Mobile Podcasters were not completely blinded by the light of the Consumer Electronics Show. They got close, though (despite relentless Wookie attacks).

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:01:37 - Huawei Honor review
00:31:05 - ZTE Tania arrives in the UK: a budget phone for budget buyers
00:32:00 - ZTE pays Microsoft around $27 for each Windows Phone made
00:44:36 - Editorial: Don't call it an ultrabook
01:01:36 - Google's Matias Duarte reveals design standards for Android 4.0 at CES 2012
01:16:48 - AT&T to adjust data plans January 22nd, offers more gigs for more money
01:27:38 - Virgin Mobile targets March 23rd to throttle data, take candy from children
01:28:45 - Samsung wasn't interested in buying RIM, still isn't interested in buying RIM
01:30:05 - Samsung's Bada - Tizen merger still looking pretty likely
01:31:24 - Verizon to sell $200 Droid RAZR, 16GB microSD card not included this time
01:36:05 - HTC EVO 3D: poof, no more Carrier IQ software
01:39:30 - Skype exec confirms that Windows Phone product is 'coming soon'
01:44:27 - KDDI and Kyocera create speaker-free smartphone, we go hands-on (video)
01:46:10 - Nokia Lumia 900 coming to retail on March 18?
01:46:25 - Texas Instruments demos first OMAP 5, Android 4.0-based reference design, promises it in laptops next year (video)
01:47:35 - SpareOne cellphone claims 15-year battery life, we go hands-on






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NES controller lets you stomp Koopas, save Princess Peach in capacitive fashion (video)

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 02:37 PM PST

Is your NES controller in another castle? Maybe you're just pining for your smartphone's capacitive game controls for some reason. Regardless, here's a little piece of tech that just might put the fire in your flower: the capacitive touch NES controller. This sucker is milled from a copper board using a device called the MezzoMill, which -- besides making turtle-stomping peripherals -- also can be used to produce guitar effect pads, virtual keyboards, bicycle rim lights and all sorts of circuits that might tickle your fancy. Unfortunately, the creator isn't as well-funded as this inkjet-based control circuit project so he's trying to raise money through Kickstarter to make the mill in a large enough run to lower costs. Given how Kickstarter generated nearly $100 million in funding last year, maybe he's got a fighting chance. See the buttonless controller work its capacitive magic after the break.

Absinthe A5 Jailbreaker for iPhone 4S / iPad 2 now available for Windows

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 01:24 PM PST

When the Absinthe A5 untethered jailbreak solution hit yesterday it opened Apple's iPhone 4S and iPad 2 for more creative uses by their owners -- as long as they were on OS X. Now the team has returned with a version of the tool built for Windows users who enjoy iLife mixing and matching. All the usual restrictions, warnings and directives apply, but you know what you're here for -- hit the source link below to download a ZIP file straight from greenpois0n's servers and get going, or check the other links for more information on the exact steps to follow.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

HTC and IBM hooking up to charm commercial clients

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 12:34 PM PST

HTC is looking to turn green to blue: it's banking that its hardware expertise will meet the needs of IBM's long list of commercial clients to become a big enterprise player. At the start of IBM Lotusphere, the former PC maker showed off "smart business" applications that ran on the smartphone maker's gear. HTC's David Jaeger has set a sales target of 100 million devices, hoping that whenever big blue is "talking about Android or tablets, HTC is in the conversation." The 'lil green phone company has reportedly taken great pains to ensure its gear is secure and that the Scribe software used in the HTC Flyer and Jetstream plays nice with all of IBM's business-kit. Our tip? It might think about lowering the price on those $80 styluses before it goes schmoozing cash-strapped IT Buyers.

Ice Cream Sandwich update for original Transformer coming 'mid-February,' says ASUS

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 11:15 AM PST

Last we heard, the Ice Cream Sandwich update making its way to the O.G. Transformer was still "in the process of being approved" by the G-men. Although we've heard rumors that the holo-coated upgrade would come in February, nothing's been confirmed until now. ASUS replied to a life long fan's Facebook post, revealing that the update should arrive "mid-February." We know hearing the news that you'll have to keep waiting might not stop you from rolling on the floor and throwing a temper tantrum, but hey, you could not be getting one at all.

[Thanks, Udupa]
at 11:43 AM

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