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- London's Eco-Routemaster launches today, magical mystery tour ends in Clapton
- AT&T service in the works to let app developers pay for users' data use
- Panasonic, DoCoMo, NEC and Fujitsu create IP for multi-standard LSI chip; supports LTE, GSM, W-CDMA and HSPA+
- Intel's Xolo X900 by Lava hands-on
- FBI deactivates about 3,000 GPS tracking devices, loses sight of your car
- Motorola pits Voice Actions against Siri, claims to take the title belt (video)
- Orange Santa Clara packs Intel power, we go hands-on at MWC 2012 (video)
- That 7.7-inch Toshiba tablet we saw at CES? It's called the AT270, and it runs Tegra 3
- Lava brings Intel-based smartphones to India with the XOLO X900
- Intel details Medfield plans, announces a trio of phone-friendly Atoms
- Visa certifies Intel's Smartphone Reference Device, payWave hits Medfield
- Elpida files for bankruptcy protection as debts of $5.5 billion are revealed
- Invoxia AudiOffice hands-on (video)
- Engadget Giveaway: win one of nine GameCom 780s, courtesy of Plantronics!
- ZTE PF200 hands-on
- AT&T HTC One X hands-on
- ZTE PF112 hands-on
- Meego 1.2 arrives for Nokia N9 users today
- Sonnetar 25mm f/1.1 lens coming with Micro Four Thirds mount
- AT&T announces global coverage via a single SIM at MWC, makes dual-wielding a thing of the past
- Apple scores temporary ruling in Motorola battle, can keep selling iPads, iPhones in Germany
- Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots -- feast your eyes (update: GigaPan them!)
- Xperia U, HTC One X and One S coming to Orange UK
- Lumigon T2 hands-on at MWC 2012 (video)
- ZTE 910 hands-on at MWC 2012
- Panasonic Eluga hands-on
- Starz Play movies disappear from Netflix streaming this week
- Carrier IQ opens up IQCare diagnostics platform to smartphone users
- ZTE Mimosa X hands-on
- Samsung's Exhilarate $50 AT&T LTE phone hits the FCC
- Qualcomm's Gobi modem chipsets combine 84Mbps HSPA+, LTE-Advanced
- ZTE's quad-core Era hands-on
- Panasonic Eluga Power: hands-on at MWC 2012 (video)
- ASUS Transformer Pad 300 hands-on
- Nokia Lumia 610 hands-on (video)
- Fujitsu quad-core phone hands-on (video)
- ZTE Orbit is (another) budget Windows Phone: 4-inch display, 1GHz processor, 4GB storage
- Panasonic and Red Bend Software announce Android security partnership at MWC
- Opera announces revamped Store, Mini Next and Mobile 12 at MWC (video)
- ASUS Padfone hands-on (video)
| London's Eco-Routemaster launches today, magical mystery tour ends in Clapton Posted: 27 Feb 2012 10:49 AM PST  Very lucky commuters using the number 38 between Victoria and Hackney will find themselves touring the nation's capital on the first of London's new Eco-Routemasters. The first paying passengers journey aboard the vehicle at midday today, which was designed in London and built in Ireland, ending a process that started in July 2008. A further seven of the hybrid buses will arrive at a rate of one every fortnight until the fleet (of eight out of the 68 needed for the route) is complete at the end of May. The fuel-efficient vehicle gets 11.6mpg, nothing to your average Prius, but a miracle to a city whose buses normally average half that. It will also mark a return for the good old Bus Conductor, except all they'll be responsible for is ensuring people board and exit safely from that legendary rear door -- if you want a ticket, you'll still have to talk to the driver. |
| AT&T service in the works to let app developers pay for users' data use Posted: 27 Feb 2012 10:27 AM PST  AT&T has been making news all over MWC in the past couple of days. The most recent report from The Wall Street Journal says that Ma Bell is planning a service that will enable app devs and other content providers to pay the carrier for subscriber's data usage. AT&T's head of network and technology said today that "A feature that we're hoping to have out sometime next year is the equivalent of 800 numbers that would say, if you take this app, this app will come without any network usage." Donovan goes on to say that interest is swirling from companies that offer services like streaming music and video that feed on a steady diet of data and that the carrier's rollout of LTE would make the new service possible. Imagine if your Spotify habit didn't eat up a chunk of your precious monthly allotment. Sounds pretty good, eh? We're going to withhold judgment to see what mobile services adopt the new plan and continue to keep our Yacht Rock playlist(s) to a minimum. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 10:05 AM PST  Marvell was first to introduce a single-chip LTE world modem with support for multiple mobile standards late last year, and now Panasonic Mobile Communications, NTT DoCoMo, NEC and Fujitsu have developed intellectual property (hardware and software) for something similar of their own. Specifically, the quartet has gone further with the chip aspect, though. They've tested an "engineering sample" of a the large-scale integration chip (pictured) for modems in mobile devices, and claim that it uses twenty percent less juice than larger two-chip designs. That consolidation, also makes it cheaper to produce. Past that, the chip has successfully provided "interconnectivity between the mobile networks of major vendors," getting it a step closer to production. The silicon lets modems play nice with FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, GSM, W-CDMA and HSPA+, specifically, and LTE-Advanced support is in the cards for the future. Although Panasonic, DoCoMo, NEC and Fujitsu are the main partners, other "major players" are said to be on board for a "joint venture," with the goal of commercializing it in countries outside of (and including) Japan. The word's mum on when we can expect the chip to make it past the sampling phase, but in the meantime, hit up the press release after the break for more knowledge. DOCOMO, NEC, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Fujitsu Jointly Develop LSI Intellectual Property for Multi-standard Modem R&D TOKYO, JAPAN, February 24, 2012 --- NTT DOCOMO, INC., NEC Corporation, Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. and Fujitsu Limited announced today that they have jointly developed the software and hardware intellectual property for a single large-scale integration (LSI) chip that will enable small, energy-efficient modems to support the GSM, W-CDMA, HSPA+ and LTE mobile standards. Performance evaluation of the LSI engineering sample chip was completed previously, and as of today, all testing required to confirm interconnectivity to the mobile networks of major vendors has also been completed. The development means that modems in future mobile devices will require just one chip, rather than two chips required in many conventional cases, in order to operate on multiple mobile standards. The single chip reduces power consumption by about 20% during both communication and stand-by, as well as decreases the production cost for mobile devices. All mobile broadband standards supported by the chip meet 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications. The LTE standard supports FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing) mode adopted by DOCOMO and TDD (Time Division Duplexing) mode expected to be adopted for LTE networks in China and other markets, which will help to further the development of advanced mobile devices by manufacturers worldwide. The four partners, in addition to other major players in the mobile technology field, working through a joint venture currently being planned, aim to commercialize the chip in Japan and other countries as quickly as possible in response to market demands for smaller and more affordable mobile devices. The group additionally plans to pursue development of a multi-standard chip that is also compliant with the LTE-Advanced next-generation transmission standard. |
| Intel's Xolo X900 by Lava hands-on Posted: 27 Feb 2012 09:47 AM PST  Before you even notice the Xolo's design, your eyes (should you be an Android purist) will be immediately struck by the stock Android 2.3 UI. Indeed, in this cluttered age of OEM skins, we're clearly unused to seeing the OS ushered in by the Nexus S. It's a refreshing change of step and one we heavily clamor for. Still, we understand that the mobile industry needs to keep pushing things forward and to Intel's credit, the Xolo has been running ICS just fine -- it's actually up to the OEMs to push that update when they're ready. Belying its angular design is the device's surprising lightness and that's in part to the mix of materials at use. The back of the phone is a smooth, matte plastic case that peels away to reveal the 1,460mAh battery and microSD slot -- here loaded up with a 2GB card. That amount of juice may not seem like much, but according to the company's claims, it's rated to last up to 14 days on standby, six hours with continuous 1080p video viewing and eighth ours for talk. Wondering how the chipmaker engineered that feat? Thanks to a proprietary power management system that's integrated into the microprocessors, the phone is able to step down the use of its charge, essentially isolating processes and even going so far as entering a sleep state when the screen is powered off. Let's get back to the build, though. On the front face, there's a chrome trim bordering the 1024 x 600 LCD display and a 3 megapixel camera residing up top, while four capacitive keys stretch across the base. A sleek power button is located up top, followed by a dedicated camera key (no double detente, here) sits on the lower right with volume controls occupying the opposite side. There's also ports for HDMI out and covered micro SIM slot along the edge. Around back, you'll find the usual Intel Inside logo reassuring consumers and accompanied by an 8 megapixel shooter with single LED flash above. In regard to customizations, one area where Intel's really made some interesting tweaks to an otherwise plain affair is the camera app, itself. Using the company's burst shot mode, a series of ten successive pics can be snapped automatically at 15fps. Video playback is also refreshingly instantaneous, as a sample we watched not only loaded briskly, but required minimal buffer time when jumping back and forth to different timestamps. The Medfield Z2460 CPU, clocked at 1.6GHz, is admittedly only single-core, but, regardless, performance continues to keep pace with finger swipes, loading applications fluidly, if not always speedily. For what it's worth, Intel is prepared to offer a higher 2GHz version of the chip, but again, the decision to ship with that onboard lies with the OEMs. You can really see the company's baby work its magic when games, bolstered by the 400MHz GPU, load up on the device. In the snowboarding demo we witnessed, frame rate ranged between 60 to 80fps. As it stands, you'll have to make a trip to India to snag this handset when it launches in Q2 of this year on Aircel and Airtel. In the meantime, let's hope that Intel's along with a willing OEM are cooking something up for us statesiders. Sean Cooper and Mat Smith contributed to this post |
| FBI deactivates about 3,000 GPS tracking devices, loses sight of your car Posted: 27 Feb 2012 09:41 AM PST  Following a January ruling by the US Supreme Court, the FBI has deactivated some 3,000 GPS units that were potentially infringing on the Fourth Amendment. The decision seems to be making waves in the U.S. Justice Department. Andrew Weissmann, FBI General Counsel, says some of the devices have been difficult to retrieve, as the vehicles they were once tracking now move undetected. The FBI has sought temporary permission to reactivate some of the devices to locate and retrieve the hardware. Weissmann says the FBI is also developing new guidelines regarding the legality of its agent's actions -- from the application and use of tracking devices, to the extent a suspect's garbage can be searched before the agent is committing trespass. In short, the FBI is working really hard not to violate your legal right to privacy. If you happen to find something weird under you car, give 'em a call. They'd probably like it back. |
| Motorola pits Voice Actions against Siri, claims to take the title belt (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 09:11 AM PST  |
| Orange Santa Clara packs Intel power, we go hands-on at MWC 2012 (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 09:03 AM PST  In the hands, the device is smooth, but unfortunately plasticky -- which at leas makes it very light. The 4-inch screen's resolution and picture quality is also (perhaps obviously) lacklustre compared to the flagship competition, but that's certainly not where this phone is pitched at; it's aimed at the same people that invested in Orange's preceding own-brand handsets, but it's hard to ignore the shaky build quality. The device is manufactured by Gigabyte -- as several of Orange's previous partners have now decided to go it alone, with an eight-megapixel auto-focus camera at the back. It's able to handle 10 photos per second in its very own burst-mode -- something that Intel had a hand in creating on its premier mobile chip series. There's a camera button, but it's unfortunately the one-stage affair, while a microHDMI port will port HD content (there's 16GB of built-in storage) across to the big screen with another microUSB port for charging and data transfer. There's also a volume rocker and power switch decorating the 10mm perimeter. Any Android fans fearing that the change in chipset will affect compatibility with Google's app library can rest assured that it ran several third-party games -- including Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds -- without a hitch. The phone will be released in a few months, initially on Orange's network in the UK and France. We'll be looking forward to testing those battery life credentials when it does. Sean Cooper contributed to this report |
| That 7.7-inch Toshiba tablet we saw at CES? It's called the AT270, and it runs Tegra 3 Posted: 27 Feb 2012 08:41 AM PST  To explore NVIDIA's booth here at Mobile World Congress is to play a game of duck-duck-goose. For the most part, you'll see the Transformer Prime (the first quad-core tablet, don'tcha know) outputting video and 3D games. But look closely and you'll find something a little less expected. Hidden among all those spun metal Primes is an unannounced Toshiba-made tablet, one with an odd, in-between screen size we haven't seen it use in its Thrive line. Specifically, it's that 7.7-inch prototype we saw at CES, only the fact that it's here at NVIDIA's booth makes us think it would be too late for Toshiba to change its mind and pull the plug on this. Certainly, it's far enough along that it now has confirmed specs. According to an NVIDIA rep, this has a 7.7-inch, 1280 x 800, Super AMOLED (!) panel, and runs NVIDIA's 1.5GHz Tegra 3 chip. And while NVIDIA isn't exactly broadcasting the name, a quick glance at the settings confirmed its current alias is the AT270, which would certainly make for a logical followup to the AT200. (A quick glance at the settings also confirms it's running ICS -- a vanilla version, at that -- but any self-respecting tech writer would know that instantly.) It would also seem that Toshiba is feeling pretty confident about the design we saw at CES, because barely anything has changed. For starters, it's thin -- thin on the level of the 10-inch AT200. Which is to say, it's skinny in the wide world of tables, but especially so next to one of those chubby Thrives. The build quality also seems to have improved. Gone is the ridged plastic backing that makes the Thrives so recognizable, and in its place there's... more plastic. Still, it manages to not feel chintzy or poorly made -- think of the kind of finely textured plastic you'll find on the back of any Samsung Galaxy handset. Also on board: dual cameras of unknown resolutions, as well as an exposed microSD slot, volume rocker, 3.5mm headphone jack and USB socket. So there you have it. We've got spy shots below, so you can refuse to be surprised when this thing finally makes it to market. |
| Lava brings Intel-based smartphones to India with the XOLO X900 Posted: 27 Feb 2012 08:34 AM PST  Intel has already announced a partnership with Orange to bring the first Intel-based smartphone to Europe, and it's now also announced a deal with Lava International to bring a similar phone to India. Like the Orange phone, this new XOLO X900 is based on Intel's reference design, and packs a 1.6GHz Atom Z2460 processor, a high-res 4-inch display (presumably the same 600 x 1024), front and rear-facing cameras, support for HSPA+ networks, built-in NFC, and HDMI connectivity -- plus what appears to be stock Android 2.3 for an OS, with no mention of a possible ICS upgrade just yet. Still no firm word on launch details for the phone either, but Intel says it's expected to be available early in the second quarter of this year. Lava First to Deliver New Smartphone Based on Intel Technology to Fast-Growing India Market Lava Launches XOLO Brand, Bringing Best of Intel Computing to Mobile Users in India MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, Barcelona, Spainand New Delhi, India, Feb. 27, 2012 - Intel Corporation and Lava International Ltd., one of India's fastest-growing mobile handset companies, announced that the companies are collaborating to launch the XOLO X900 -- India's first smartphone with Intel Inside®. The XOLO X900 from Lava is based on Intel's smartphone reference design featuring the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology and supporting HSPA+ with the Intel XMM 6260 Platform. Lava is a successful and growing mobile phone brand in the Indian market. In order to bring a high- performance and differentiated smartphones to the market, Lava has collaborated with Intel to introduce its first Intel-based smartphone under the brand XOLO. The XOLO X900 Android smartphone is expected to hit retail shelves in India early in the second quarter this year and will support all major 2G and 3G networks. "We are proud to partner with Intel on XOLO to bring a superior smartphone computing experience to customers in India," said Vishal Sehgal, co-founder and director, Lava International. "Over the last two and a half years, we have built our business in the feature phone segment where Lava has been the brand of choice for nearly 10 million Indian customers. With XOLO, we intend to now serve the discerning and fast-paced smartphone customer, which is where this collaboration with Intel is critical to us." "India is one of the fastest-growing smartphone markets with the world's second-largest mobile subscriber base," said Mike Bell, Intel vice president and general manager of the Mobile and Communications Group. "We are pleased to be working with Lava to bring the best of Intel computing to the India market. Lava's XOLO X900 device is a great result of our collaboration. It also demonstrates how innovative and compelling products can be brought to market through strong partnerships by using Intel's smartphone reference design as a foundation." The XOLO X900 is powered by a super-fast 1.6 Ghz processor and comes equipped with a 4.03-inch high-resolution LCD touch screen for crisp text and vibrant images. The smartphone delivers a fast application, Web browsing and multitasking experience, and also features two cameras for advanced imaging and video capabilities, including burst mode that allows individuals to capture 10 pictures in under a second with 8-megapixel quality. The smartphone also supports HDMI®, NFC and HD video playback. As service providers roll out 3G services and connect more cities in India, the smartphone market will grow as more people access the Internet from their phones. The smartphone opportunity in India for 2012 stands at 19.1 million units which is a 78 percent growth year-on-year over 2011, according to Deepak Kumar, research director for Telecommunications and Mobile Phones, IDC India. About Intel Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com. About Lava Lava international is one of the fastest growing brands in Indian mobile market today. The organization started operations only 30 months back and is rapidly growing its market share. "Get the power in your hand"- with this motto as the guiding principle, Lava embarked on its journey to empower people with innovative products. Today the brand has a wide range of handsets in its portfolio. The company has already expanded its operations in all the states of India and has a network of 1,000 distributors and presence in ~50,000 retail counters. Intel, Atom and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. Lava, Xolo and Lava Xolo are trademarks of Lava International Ltd. * Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. |
| Intel details Medfield plans, announces a trio of phone-friendly Atoms Posted: 27 Feb 2012 08:31 AM PST  Intel Expands Smartphone Portfolio: New Customers, Products, Software and Services Posted by IntelPR on Feb 27, 2012 9:21:29 AM Announces Smartphone Device Engagements with Orange*, Lava*, ZTE* and Visa* Discloses Range of New Smartphone SoCs and Communications Products MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 27, 2012 – Intel Corporation President and CEO Paul Otellini today detailed a number of announcements and plans aimed at expanding the company's smartphone product portfolio and customer ecosystem, including strategic new engagements with Orange*, Lava International Ltd.*, ZTE*, and Visa*. "We are very pleased to add new, important customers and capabilities to our phone offerings today. We remain focused on delivering exciting new features and outstanding performance to smartphone customers around the world." said Otellini. Otellini made the announcements during an Intel news conference at Mobile World Congress. He also highlighted the company's plans to expand its smartphone SoC and communications product roadmaps for the performance and value smartphone market segments. New Smartphone Customer Engagements Building on strategic engagements with Motorola Mobility Inc.* and Lenovo*, Intel detailed new device relationships with Orange, Lava International Ltd. and ZTE. Yves Maitre, Orange senior vice president of Mobile Multimedia and Devices, joined Otellini to discuss a new Orange smartphone based on the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 reference design. Housed in a sleek body, the design enables rich entertainment experiences and Orange services, including Orange TV, Daily Motion, Deezer, Orange Wednesdays and Orange Gestures. The Orange smartphone will be available in the United Kingdom and France later this summer. Intel also announced plans to enter the high-growth market for smartphones in India through an alliance with Lava International Ltd., one of the fastest-growing Indian mobile handset companies.Vishal Sehgal, Lava co-founder and board director, announced the launch of XOLO Smartphone by Lava. The XOLO X900 is based on Intel's smartphone reference design and will be the first Intel technology-based smartphone in the India market. The device will be available from top retail outlets early in the second quarter of 2012 and will support major Indian cellular networks. Similar to its previously announced partnership with Motorola Mobility, Intel also announced a multi-year mobile device collaboration across smartphones and tablets with global handset maker ZTE. Mr. He Shiyou, executive vice president and head of the Terminal Division of ZTE, discussed how his company's alliance with Intel will enable ZTE to move faster and create unique and differentiated products for wireless operators. He also announced that ZTE's first Intel-powered mobile device is scheduled to debut in the second half of 2012. Expanding Smartphone SoC and Communications Roadmaps Building on its ecosystem engagements, Intel announced plans for three new smartphone SoC products that expand the company's portfolio from the performance-to-value market segments. Extending the leading performance and energy efficiency of the Intel™ Atom® processor Z2460, formerly codenamed "Medfield," Intel announced that the platform will now support speeds up to 2GHz. Intel also announced the Atom™ Z2580 processor that doubles the performance of the Atom processor Z2460, and features an advanced multimode LTE/3G/2G solution. Intel will sample the Z2580 in the second half of the year with customer products scheduled in the first half of 2013. Addressing the growing handset opportunity in emerging markets where consumers look for more value at lower prices, Intel disclosed plans for the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2000. The Z2000 is aimed squarely at the value smartphone market segment, which industry sources predict could reach up to 500 million units by 20151.The platform includes a 1.0 GHz Atom CPU offering great graphics and video performance, and the ability to access the Web and play Google Android* games. It also supports the Intel® XMM 6265 3G HSPA+ modem with Dual-SIM 2G/3G, offering flexibility on data/voice calling plans to save on costs. Intel will sample the Z2000 in mid-2012 with customer products scheduled by early 2013. Building on these 32nm announcements, Otellini discussed how the Atom™ processor will outpace Moore's Law and announced that Intel will ship 22nm SoCs for carrier certification next year, and is already in development on 14nm SoC technology. In 2011, Intel shipped in more than 400 million cellular platforms. Building on this market segment position, Intel announced the XMM 7160, an advanced multimode LTE/3G/2G platform with support for 100Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink, and support for HSPA+ 42Mbps. Intel will sample the product in the second quarter with customer designs scheduled to launch by the end of 2012. Intel also announced that it is sampling the XMM 6360 platform, a new slim modem 3G HSPA+ solution supporting 42Mbps downlink and 11.5Mbps uplink for small form factors. Building Better Experiences on Intel Architecture Intel's strategy is to create and enable engaging, consistent, aware and secure user experiences across a range of mobile devices. An emerging trend is the use of mobile devices to enable secure online and retail commerce. Otellini welcomed John Partridge, President, Visa Inc., who announced a strategic multi-year alliance to develop mobile commerce solutions tailored to consumers in developed and developing countries. The effort includes collaboration across a range of Visa mobile services and Intel® Atom™-based smartphones and tablets to deliver compelling and secure user services. As a first step, Partridge announced that Intel's smartphone reference design is now certified for Visa payWave* mobile financial transactions. This means that customer products based on Intel's smartphone reference design will have time-to-market support of Visa mobile services. Building on its collaboration with Google, Intel continues to work closely with ISVs to help ensure the majority of Android apps run on Intel Atom processor-based devices. Otellini discussed how Intel has all the right tools and expertise to support the robust mobile application developer ecosystem. About Intel Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com. Intel, Atom and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. * Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. * Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. |
| Visa certifies Intel's Smartphone Reference Device, payWave hits Medfield Posted: 27 Feb 2012 08:26 AM PST  Visa and Intel Form Strategic Alliance to Advance Mobile Commerce Multi-device, Multi-year Agreement to Develop Mobile Commerce Solutions for Smartphones and Tablets; Intel Smartphone Reference Device Certified for Use with Visa payWave Barcelona, Spain, February 27, 2012 - Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and Intel Corporation today announced a strategic agreement to develop mobile commerce solutions tailored to consumers in developed and developing countries. During a press conference at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the companies outlined plans to collaborate to ensure consumers enjoy a consistent, streamlined, secure mobile commerce experience across Intel® Atom™-based smartphones and tablets. "Visa's agreement with Intel paves the way for financial institutions around the globe to offer their account holders mobile payments and financial services using innovative mobile devices and technologies designed by Intel," said John Partridge, President, Visa Inc. during the press conference. "This is another example of how Visa is making mobile payments broadly available across devices and operating systems and is ensuring that mobile commerce applications are aligned with existing technology and security standards established by the global payments industry." The initial phase of the agreement between Visa and Intel includes: Visa has certified Intel's Smartphone Reference Device powered by the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 for use with Visa payWave, Visa's mobile payment technology that enables consumers to make fast and secure payments at retail locations by simply waving their mobile phone in front of a payment terminal. This will enable turn-key implementation for OEMs delivering NFC-enabled smartphones. The Intel Smartphone Reference Device will host the Visa payWave payment application and features NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, the short range communications standard that enables mobile phones to securely transmit payment information to a payment terminal. When used in combination with a Visa-compliant UICC, smartphones based on the Intel Smartphone Reference Device handset can be enabled to connect to Visa Inc.'s mobile provisioning service providing financial institutions and mobile operators the means to securely download Visa payment account information and the Visa payWave application "over the air" to a secure chip on an NFC-equipped smartphone. The connection to Visa's mobile provisioning service can be enabled by a Trusted Services Management platform, such as Giesecke & Devrient's (G&D) platform. "Intel's strategy is to enable more secure and compelling user experiences across a range of Intel-based mobile devices. Our alliance with Visa builds on this strategy and brings worldwide mobile payment and commerce solutions to Intel-based devices," said Mike Bell, Intel Vice President and General Manager of the company's Mobile and Communications Group. "Our work with Visa also extends to our customers designing products based on Intel's Smartphone Reference Device." The agreement combines Visa's expertise in payment processing, account holder authentication and global network reach, with Intel's expertise and leadership in developing innovative technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, from February 27th to March 1st, the companies will showcase Visa mobile services on the new Intel mobile device, including V.me by Visa, Visa's new digital wallet service featuring the Visa payWave application; Movida, Visa's new payment service in India; and Visa Mobile Prepaid, Visa's new mobile-based product tailored to consumers in developing countries. Product demonstrations will be on display at Visa's booth in Hall 1, stand 1B19, and Intel's booth in Hall 8, stand B192. |
| Elpida files for bankruptcy protection as debts of $5.5 billion are revealed Posted: 27 Feb 2012 08:02 AM PST  DRAM Maker Elpida has petitioned for a corporate reorganization (the equivalent of Chapter 11 or Administration) as the company has revealed it is close to collapse. President Yukio Sakamoto is expected to resign as the scapegoat for the calamity as it files for protection at the Tokyo District Court. The company, founded in 1999 as NEC Hitachi Memory Inc. has produced DRAM Products since 2000. It founded three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Tera Probe, which conducted wafer probe testing, Akita Elpida Memory Inc. which handled the back-end processes of DRAM production and Rexchip Electronics Corp, which handled the front-end. After a blockbuster period of invention, a fall in prices and the global recession in 2006 forced the company to enter restructuring with a 30 billion Yen ($372.54 million) Government-backed loan. That swathe of cash was used to pump more money into investment and R&D, but the combination of strong Yen and the Thailand flooding has once again forced the company to come clean about its finances. It revealed today that it had debts of 448,033 million Yen, or $5.5 billion and without the protection of the court wouldn't last too much longer. Times of Japan points to the strength of Samsung's memory offerings as being a big contributor to Elpida's collapse, with president Sakamoto saying that DRAM is now as cheap as a "rice ball." |
| Invoxia AudiOffice hands-on (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 07:30 AM PST  It's not what it looks like. We know, we know: it would seem that Engadget traveled all the way to Mobile World Congress only to get hands-on with a desktop phone, but fortunately for our pride, this device is quite the opposite. Though that earpiece would suggest otherwise, Invoxia's AudiOffice is actually just a speaker dock for your iPhone or iPad, meant to boost the audio quality when you're making VoIP or even regular cell phone calls. (You can also connect a non-iOS device using the built-in Bluetooth radio.) In particular, the company hopes the dock will appeal to small businesses forgoing land lines, though we could also see someone plugging a laptop into the USB port or adding a Bluetooth keyboard -- essentially, making the iPad the centerpiece of a more stationary setup. But is all that worth $299? Check out our hands-on photos and brief demo video and you be the judge. Let's start with aesthetics. The AudiOffice looks awfully similar to the NVX 610 desktop VoIP phone we saw last fall, which is to say it comes in one color (white) with a quirky, colored piece of rubber cradling the receiver. All told, it's a clean, striking and aggressively minimal design. Some people are going to stop reading right here, if they even got past the lead image. There's not much to the dock in terms of openings and sockets, but you will find one USB 2.0 port 'round back, which you can use to make this your PC speaker -- a convenient setup if you happen to make more VoIP calls from your desktop than your mobile. Otherwise, though, we imagine you'd spend your three hundred dollars on speakers that weren't so iDevice-centric and didn't eat up so much space. Heck, you might not even spend three hundred dollars at all. On the front, you'll notice a self-explanatory volume dial, which doubles as a button: push it to turn on the speakerphone. If your phone's connected to the dock, you can also answer calls by pressing that button, which will automatically put your friends on speaker. (In a purely aesthetic flourish, that button glows blue when the phone is ringing.) Want to keep the call discreet? You can also answer by picking up the receiver (duh) or lifting your iPhone out of its cradle (double duh). Sadly, there was only so much we could do to test the audio quality on the middle of the show floor, but suffice to say we were able to hear a caller on speakerphone, even above the din of the convention hall. All in all, this seems to be one pretty, smartly designed and decidedly pricey speaker dock. Want to learn a little more? We're re-posting the company's own promo video, which gives a fuller overview than our demo of the calling aspect. |
| Engadget Giveaway: win one of nine GameCom 780s, courtesy of Plantronics! Posted: 27 Feb 2012 07:01 AM PST  Our weekly giveaways are going strong, and they just keep coming! This time it's the folks at Plantronics doing the honor, and there's plenty to offer here. Nine awesome (and awesomely random) readers will earn themselves a fancy new Gamecom 780 surround sound gaming headset for the actual retail price of one comment. It's worth much more than that, of course -- those interested in grabbing one with their own cash are looking at shelling out $80 per pair. The usual rules apply, which coincidentally can be found below. May we wish you the best of luck in gaining the favor of the random winner generator. The rules:
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| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 06:33 AM PST  ZTE's newly announced PF200 was also on hand at MWC 2012, though, unfortunately this handset wouldn't boot up. Powered by a Qualcomm 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, running Android 4.0, with a 4.3-inch qHD display, 8 megapixel af camera, WiFi, DLNA, and even NFC. The PF200 like the N910 if obviously showing its inexpensive price point through the size and quality of the housing and the choices in construction materials. While it isn't outrageously bulky, it too could do with a little slimming down, and again the back and its diamond patterned plastic feels terrible to hold. Catch a glimpse of its lack of glory in the gallery just below. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 06:26 AM PST  |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 06:07 AM PST  ZTE's other handset launch of note at MWC this year was the PF112 (pictured at right next to SGS 2.) First take away here was the 4.5-inch 1028 x 720 HD display which was really bright and clear -- and again we were a little shocked by the dichotomy in build quality of the sets we're seeing from ZTE. Quad-band GSM radios, triple-band HSPA+ were on hand as well as an 8 megapixel rear-facing cam, all the wireless connectivity one could ask for and even an FM radio thrown in for good measure. Housing quality is fine, bezel size about on par with its neighbor in the pic above and fit and finish also looking sharp. Follow the break for some more pictures of this Android 4.0 device. |
| Meego 1.2 arrives for Nokia N9 users today Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:56 AM PST  Nokia N9 users, if you've yet to activate your beloved device today, then do so post-haste. It looks like our army of faithful tipsters found PR 1.2 ready to roll this morning. The 284MB update should be available worldwide, although a few users in Saudi Arabia are yet to see any goodies. Video calling, folder functionality and copy and paste should all be available in this release, but we'll let you get elbows-deep in the update and stop spoiling the surprises that are in store for you. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Sonnetar 25mm f/1.1 lens coming with Micro Four Thirds mount Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:51 AM PST  |
| AT&T announces global coverage via a single SIM at MWC, makes dual-wielding a thing of the past Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:28 AM PST  Tired of switching out those SIM cards when you travel abroad? AT&T is about to relieve that burden. At MWC, the company has announced a new platform that offers global internet, WiFi, satellite and Ma Bell network coverage via a single SIM. In addition to the hardware, the new tech offers worldwide diagnostic, monitoring and alert / response features for management purposes from AT&T Control Center -- backed by Jasper Wireless. Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Segments notes "Lessons learned by market leading manufacturers suggest that a single carrier supplier with a single SIM solution is often preferred over working directly with multiple regional wireless carriers." Coverage for globetrotters will be provided in more than 200 countries via hundreds of carriers to keep you connected -- with a few less components in tow. If you're looking for a few more details, hit the full PR below to read on. One-Stop Global Mobile Broadband Platform Within Reach for Makers of Connected and M2M Devices AT&T Offers Device Manufacturers Single SIM Access to a Global Platform Offering Service Management, Application Development, Professional Services, and Support Dallas, Texas, February 27, 2012 Wirelessly connecting, managing, and supporting connected and M2M devices is about to hit global proportions – all through a single source, no extra effort needed. Today at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona, AT&T announced a significant addition to its global portfolio – a worldwide platform solution featuring a single SIM offering expansive global coverage. The SIM, along with a world-class service management platform, AT&T Control Center powered by Jasper Wireless, arms connected and M2M device manufacturers with the ability to manage global wireless device deployment and operations across markets with advanced diagnostic tools and smart process automation. Today, device manufacturers across the globe are wirelessly enabling thousands of new connected and M2M device applications in myriad of industries, but their basic, global deployment needs are the same: they require broad, readily accessible wireless and mobile broadband coverage in each target market, and a wireless single SIM solution suitable for scalable deployment across the world markets. AT&T, a premier global connected devices carrier, has enabled several of the world's largest device deployments by remaining singularly focused on expanding global wireless coverage, adding global-ready platforms and recruiting to acquire the right mix of global expertise to support multi-national enterprise customers and consumer electronics manufacturers. "Lessons learned by market leading manufacturers suggest that a single carrier supplier with a single SIM solution is often preferred over working directly with multiple regional wireless carriers," said Glenn Lurie, president of emerging segments, AT&T. "Managing multiple relationships becomes increasingly complex and costly with each additional target market. With our single SIM dedicated exclusively to the Global M2M Offering, the benefit comes from a single solution, backed by an industry leading well managed platform. AT&T has made and will continue to make significant strategic investments with the world's finest platform providers." "We've remained strategically important to our enterprise M2M customers due to our focus on providing the right combination of product, sales expertise, professional services, hardware and applications to support a global M2M deployment," said Chris Hill, Vice President, Advanced Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business and Home Solutions. "We are committed to building the systems and business relationships required to support our customer global needs, whether that business construct is roaming, or some other business relationship." The AT&T worldwide value proposition for device manufacturers is strong: · Nearly 10 years of experience supporting Connected Devices product deployments · Accomplished track record of supporting complex, multi-year deployments in a wide range of industries, including consumer products, automotive telematics, healthcare, fleet, industrial equipment, heavy equipment, and shipping · Global wireless access allowing broad network coverage in all regions of the world, with service in more than 200 countries and access to hundreds of carriers worldwide[1] · Proprietary single SIM solution backed by a world-class service-management platform, AT&T Control Center powered by Jasper Wireless, with powerful global diagnostic, monitoring, and alert/response capabilities proven to help automate operations and reduce the total cost associated with globally connected consumer devices and M2M deployment · AT&T M2M Application Platform allows developers to build, integrate, and scale global M2M applications in a highly secure environment and to link devices and assets to applications using the customer's choice of communication methods (Internet, WiFi, satellite and the AT&T network) · Mobility Solutions Services provides a range of professional services to build & deploy customized solutions for customer needs · An M2M Center of Excellence business development team specialized in assisting customers with pulling together the right ecosystem partners to deliver the solution as they envision it AT&T provides world-class connected and M2M device support and professional services to many of the world's largest device manufacturers and global exporters of wireless-enabled equipment. AT&T has certified and supports nearly 1,200 varieties of connected devices, with labs dedicated to bringing new devices to market, global roaming and integrated SIM provisioning, billing and reporting tools. In 2011 Current Analysis honored AT&T with the highest possible competitive ranking in M2M services[2]. Principal Analyst Kathryn Weldon wrote, "AT&T continues to add value to its M2M solutions...AT&T has made a number of recent alliance announcements with application platform providers, which adds to its arsenal of solutions." AT&T was also named by Connected World Magazine as No. 1 in connected devices in 2011. |
| Apple scores temporary ruling in Motorola battle, can keep selling iPads, iPhones in Germany Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:05 AM PST  |
| Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots -- feast your eyes (update: GigaPan them!) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 05:05 AM PST  Update: Our very own Andy Yang of Engadget Chinese slapped a few of these shots on GigaPan for your zooming pleasure -- check it out after the break. You can also grab the originals (a 31.8MB download) from Nokia Conversations. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Xperia U, HTC One X and One S coming to Orange UK Posted: 27 Feb 2012 04:39 AM PST  Orange, the only cellular network that's also one of your five-a-day has announced that it'll be releasing Sony's Xperia U, HTC One X and One S to smartphone demanding Britons in the second quarter of the year. Depending on your point of view, it's either fantastic or terrible that the network bagged the white edition of Sony's handset as an exclusive, but it's going to tempt some of you to the citrus-side of the force. There's no word on pricing, but we'd expect them to cost something we've heard called "money." While you wait for them to arrive, why not decide on which handset you'd rather purchase by reading our splendid hands-ons with each of the handsets? Xperia U / One X / One S. |
| Lumigon T2 hands-on at MWC 2012 (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 04:32 AM PST  We've been waiting for Lumigon to get around to launching its Android opus for a while now. Fortunately, MWC is precisely the right kind of place for a new company to catch the eye of the mobile press. With Ice Cream Sandwich and Bang and Olufsen involvement, we had to take a look at the Lumigon T2 for ourselves. First impressions are after the break, with a video run-through of the stainless-steel lined phone thrown in for good measure. Lumigon's really focused the design on its latest handset. Android 4.0 was a pleasant surprise, but it was all about the build quality, which was satisfyingly solid, with stainless steel sides and a soft-touch plastic finish on the back. Lumigon's CEO Lars Gravesen told us that this is likely to get a harder coating ahead of the retail launch but we liked the existing tactile finish -- it was a pleasure to hold. However, the weight of the phone, despite the handy 3.8-inch Gorilla Glass-coated screen size, remains quite substantial. Those that bemoan the lightweight feel of plastic-based will likely relish the heft on the Denmark-based device, but it's a noticeable weight in your hand. There's also an extra hardware button above the screen that's customizable to your favorite functions and apps, although we'd need to try this out in real-life before we see whether it'll really shake up our typical phone use. The Lumigon T2 isn't playing the processor power game, but runs on a respectable single-core Snapdragon S2, clocked at 1.4GHz, with battery life purported to be around a day. In use, the phone is suitably swift, although there are a few software hiccups left to be worked out -- its two-stage camera button but it seemed unwilling to work on our demo device. The camera itself has an auto-focus 8-megapixel sensor, capable of 1080p video capture, while the UI is a restyled version of stock ICS -- there's nothing earth-shattering here. Audio is where Bang and Olufsen's ICEPower came in and gave the T2 plenty of oomph from its loud speaker, with a respectable amount of bass -- for a smartphone. The phone will also arrive boxed with in-ear headphones to maximize that Bang and Olufsen know-how. We were also particularly taken with the remote app, which made use of the IR blaster at the top of the device, capable of "learning" your own remote's functions and replacing them. You can also assign accelerometer-based gestures to scroll between titles -- as we saw demonstrated with Apple TV at today's event. If the combination of Gorilla Glass, Bang and Olufsen and stainless steel gets your pulse racing, you shouldn't have to wait long -- the T2 is set to launch before the end of this half of 2012, priced at around 500 euros. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 04:25 AM PST  ZTE's LTE FDD, CDMA, EVDO-enabled N910 -- we've also seen it referred to as the N91 -- also popped up at Mobile World Congress, so we gave it a quick once over. The spec sheet isn't bursting with this set but it does pack an 800 x 480 display, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, a 1080p capable front-facing lens, WiFi, Bluetooth, and of course its running Android 4. The N910 is a pretty thick handset as its posterior is a rounded affair, though, it feels hollow, and is impossibly light. Unfortunately for us -- and you -- it refused to power on during our brief visit, even after 10 minutes or so of charging. We will swing back around and see if we can't capture a bit of video, but until then the following gallery will have to do. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 04:17 AM PST  There's no denying it: the Eluga is built to impress. From the deep blacks on its 4.3-inch qHD 960 x 540 OLED display to the sophisticated curve of the unit's smooth, matte back, this is one phone you'll want to brandish in public. Weighing only 3.6 ounces (or 103 grams), its 7.8mm thickness registers lightly in the hand and would make for an almost perfect grip were it not for the front's sharp edges. And keeping in step with the latest mobile trends, Panasonic's also imbued its beauty with a combo of water- and dust-proofing, in addition to NFC. The front face is a suitably subdued affair, with an inobtrusive Panasonic logo sitting just above the capacitive buttons for menu, home and back at the base. As an added bit of visual drama, three tiny LEDs light up beneath these keys in accordance with the ambient light sensor. The placement of the earpiece is a curious choice, located just off to the upper left of the screen, as opposed to its typical central position. Due to the water-resistant nature of the build, ports for micro-USB and microSIM slot access lie covered up top and surround the 3.5mm headphone jack. While, smallish hard keys for power and volume are nestled on the unit's right side and stick out just enough out the from the tapered casing to be easily depressed. Unsurprisingly, viewing angles are remarkably excellent and the colors pop with just the right amount of contrast and brightness. As we mentioned earlier, Panasonic's solidly succeeded in regard to the phone's aesthetic appeal, but where its performance -- well, it's borders on disappointing. Powered by a 1GHz dual-core OMAP 4430, and running a heavily skinned version of Android 2.3.5, navigation across the five homescreens chugs when you'd expect it to zip. Things were much improved when loading applications and even the app drawer, itself, but we'd have liked to see that performance boost evident throughout. In terms of customization, we noted that the four dock icons can be swapped out using a long press. Without access to the phone's innards, users are left to make the most of an integrated and underwhelming 1,150mAh battery, as well as 8GB of internal storage. So, if you intend to make heavy use of the device or that 8 megapixel AF rear shooter, you'll need to keep a close eye on your consumption habits. And speaking of the camera function, we didn't have much time to fully test it out, but from what we gleaned, it appears photos taken with the module appear pleasantly crisp and clear. Panasonic may already have a bigger, ICS-equipped handset in the making -- the Eluga Power -- but that's no reason to overlook this gem of a handset. And with Android 4.0 set to hit the phone sometime this summer, users who opt-in for this purchase won't have to worry about feeling left out. Crafted with an acute focus on industrial design, this is one smartphone that should have Sony's NXT series staying up at night. |
| Starz Play movies disappear from Netflix streaming this week Posted: 27 Feb 2012 04:15 AM PST  That means subscribers have until midweek to enjoy Toy Story 3, Tangled or about 800 (mostly somewhat lesser-known) other movies that may be kicking around in their queues. While Netflix breaks out the Starz Play titles on its site, TVandMoviesNOW has put together a list of all of them, sortable by release date, rating, genre and other items including the 50 or so that are viewable on Amazon's Prime streaming service. We probably won't dive in too deeply since the movies lack HD res and surround sound, but if you haven't seen Party Down yet then this is the time. |
| Carrier IQ opens up IQCare diagnostics platform to smartphone users Posted: 27 Feb 2012 04:04 AM PST  Carrier IQ has announced the extension of its IQ Care platform to enable mobile operators to share the insight gained with its customers. The analytics software measures diagnostic information on your phone relating to network usage, battery life and dropped calls. Previously it's only been available to customer care agents as they remotely diagnose your phone during a support call, but the platform is now being opened up so that data can be viewable on open customer service portals. It's hoped that people will learn how to resolve network issues, the company remarking that 40 percent of smartphones are returned, only to be found not to have any faults at all. It'll launch in the second quarter of the year and you can find out a whole heap more if you head on past the break. Carrier IQ Enables Mobile Operators to Deliver The First Ever Quality of Experience Consumer Dashboard Empowering Consumer Understanding of Device and Network Issues Mobile World Congress 2012 BARCELONA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Carrier IQ, today announced the extension of their IQ Care platform to enable mobile operators to provide consumers with direct insight into their personal mobile experience. Available in Q2 2012, this new module will enable mobile operators to include customer experience analytics in their customer service portal. The platform will allow consumers to better understand and resolve issues regarding the health and performance of their device, applications, battery life, network coverage and dropped calls. "By extending our technology through operators' self-help portals, consumers will be able to identify and resolve issues with their device without ever calling for support." Previously, IQ Care was available only to customer care agents at mobile operators who used the platform to diagnose customer problems when they were called for technical support issues. IQ Care provides mobile operators with diagnostics on what is actually wrong with the device or the network, thus reducing technical support calls by up to 10 minutes per call. By applying expert system rules to the data, IQ Care can quickly identify why battery drain is occurring, where call quality is below average and when a device is actually faulty and should be returned. Now, IQ Care will include a customer service consumer portal. "Customer Care is the fastest growing cost for many mobile operators, despite the fact that most consumers really don't like calling for help because it takes so long to figure out what is wrong," said Larry Lenhart, CEO, Carrier IQ. "By extending our technology through operators' self-help portals, consumers will be able to identify and resolve issues with their device without ever calling for support." Industry figures suggest that smartphone users are twice as likely to call for support as feature phone users, but two-thirds of smartphone users would prefer self-help tools to calling into customer care. Further, smartphones have a much higher no-fault-found (NFF) return rate than feature phones, accounting for up to 40 percent of returned devices. Carrier IQ's technology allows mobile operators to identify and solve issues relating to an individual device, and reduce no-fault-found returns by understanding if a device is truly faulty. About Carrier IQ Carrier IQ was founded in 2005 to improve the quality and reliability of mobile networks and handsets by delivering detailed diagnostics and analytics on customer experience. Deployed on over 150M devices, today Carrier IQ is the leading provider of Mobile Intelligence solutions that use mobile devices to deliver insight into the mobile experience for Network Operators and Device Manufacturers. Carrier IQ takes consumer privacy very seriously. Anonymization and consumer choice through opt-out are important and included capabilities of Carrier IQ systems. Services are delivered to network operators through an encrypted environment. Carrier IQ acts as a service provider to network operators and device manufacturers, and makes no independent use of data from Carrier IQ enabled mobile devices. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Carrier IQ is a privately held, venture-backed company with offices in the U.S., UK, Korea and Malaysia. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:58 AM PST  ZTE's oddly named -- like most of its sets, honestly -- Mimosa X doesn't bring to mind bubbly champagne breakfast drinks, but it does have a glossy display and Android 4. Packing niceties such as a Tegra2 1.2Ghz processor, 4.3 qHD 960 x 540 display, 8-megapixel camera with 1080p vid recording capability, and HD voice it seems a pretty well aligned device as far as specs go. We immediately noticed that the housing quality is a little weak -- specifically the handset's textured rear -- though, we're hopeful that will be reflected in its sticker price. Speaking of pricing, nothing was mentioned, though we can look to this to land sometime in Q2. |
| Samsung's Exhilarate $50 AT&T LTE phone hits the FCC Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:45 AM PST  Samsung's Exhilarate was first announced back at CES as AT&T's first sub-$50 LTE phone. It also apparently meets a variety of sustainability and environmental standards, but the FCC wasn't concerned about if it was made of bamboo when it shredded the handset for the public's good. Our boys in blue lab coats were more preoccupied with the internals and despite the small on-contract cost of the device, it's certainly packing some hardware. Beneath that 4-inch super AMOLED display are GSM, WCDMA, LTE Bands 4 and 17, HSPA, GSM, GPRS and EDGE modems as well as the GPS, NFC, Bluetooth and WiFi modules we expect all self-respecting handsets to carry. Given that this emerged from Washington this morning, we can imagine this to start arriving in stores very shortly. |
| Qualcomm's Gobi modem chipsets combine 84Mbps HSPA+, LTE-Advanced Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:37 AM PST  Multiple goodies on a single chipset? Yes, it's Qualcomm again, this time spreading word at MWC of its new Gobi modems. These will be the first to support both HSPA+ Release 10 (84Mbps on dual carriers) and LTE-Advanced, while two of the new Gobis (the MDM9225 and MDM9625) will additionally support true LTE Category 4 with carrier aggregation, for increased bandwidth across multiple radio channels and speeds of up to 150Mbps. The chips also boast lower power consumption thanks to their 28nm fabrication process, and are backwards compatible with older standards like GSM, EV-DO Advanced, TD-SCDMA and both FDD and TDD types of LTE. Hungry for more 3LAs? You'll find plenty in the press release below. Qualcomm Third Generation LTE Chipsets Are First to Support HSPA+ Release 10, LTE Advanced with LTE Carrier Aggregation BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its next generation Gobi™ modem chipsets, the MDM8225™, MDM9225™ and MDM9625™ chipsets, will begin sampling in Q4 2012 and will be the first to support both HSPA+ Release 10 and the next-generation of the LTE mobile broadband standard, LTE Advanced. The MDM9225 and MDM9625 chipsets are also the first to support LTE carrier aggregation and true LTE Category 4 with data rates of up to 150 Mbps and give network operators increased broadband speeds across their LTE service areas. Implemented in a 28nm manufacturing process, the chipsets will feature significant improvements in performance and power consumption from previous generations and provide support for multiple mobile broadband technologies to deliver a best-in-class mobile broadband experience for smartphones, tablets, ultra-portable notebooks, portable hotspots, dongles and CPEs (Customer Premises Equipment). LTE carrier aggregation is an important technology that combines multiple radio channels within and across bands to increase user data rates, reduce latency and enable Category 4 capabilities for operators without 20 MHz of continuous spectrum. The MDM9225 and MDM9625 chipsets are the only mobile broadband chipsets currently supporting carrier aggregation that allow OEMs to build devices that can take full advantage of LTE Advanced networks. The MDM9225 and MDM9625 chipsets are Qualcomm's third generation of LTE modem chipsets. In addition to supporting both LTE Advanced (LTE Release 10) and HSPA+ Release 10 (including 84 Mbps dual carrier HSDPA), they are backward compatible with other standards including EV-DO Advanced, TD-SCDMA and GSM. The chipsets contain the industry's only modems to integrate 7 different radio access modes on a single baseband chip: cdma2000 (1X, DO), GSM/EDGE, UMTS (WCDMA, TD-SCDMA) and LTE (both LTE-FDD and LTE-TDD). This will allow OEMS to design mobile devices that can operate on the increasingly diverse set of radio network deployments and configurations used worldwide. "Our newest generation of Gobi modem chipsets will allow mobile device OEMs to design products that can operate on nearly any mobile broadband network worldwide," said Cristiano Amon, senior vice president of product management, Qualcomm. "In addition to supporting the latest mobile broadband technologies, these chipsets improve over Qualcomm's previous 7-mode 28nm LTE chipsets (MDM9x15) by offering a reduction in power consumption and overall board area, enabling OEMs to design smaller, sleeker devices with longer battery life." The third-generation Gobi modem chipsets also have an integrated application processor and hardware accelerators with a feature rich, Linux-based application development environment and optional mobile access point software stack. Customers can differentiate their MDM8225/9x25 chipset based devices by using the application development environment to create value-added applications. When paired with the Qualcomm Atheros AR6003 or AR6004 chipsets, the mobile access point software stack enables customers to design high performance, low power portable and fixed 802.11n routers. These routers would deliver up to 150 Mbps data connections to Wi-Fi-capable devices. The MDM8225 chipset supports UMTS only devices, the MDM9225 chipset supports LTE and UMTS devices and the MDM9625 chipset supports LTE, UMTS and CDMA2000 devices. All three chipsets are expected to begin sampling in Q4 2012. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:21 AM PST  |
| Panasonic Eluga Power: hands-on at MWC 2012 (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:19 AM PST  |
| ASUS Transformer Pad 300 hands-on Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:19 AM PST  On paper, at least, it's a slightly emasculated Prime, with a 10-inch IPS (but not Super IPS+) display and 16GB of storage, not 32GB or 64GB. Otherwise, the key specs remain the same: a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, 1GB of RAM, Android 4.0, 1280 x 800 resolution and dual 8MP / 2MP cameras. (Some models will also have an LTE radio, but that's something we'll have to revisit in a full review.) In any case, we wondered if the 300 would be identical to the Prime in looks as well (those fancy press shots don't always tell an accurate story). Surprisingly, it isn't! Check out the photos below and see if you can spot the differences, and then follow past the break for some quickie impressions. Though it does resemble the other tablets in ASUS' lineup, the company has clearly tinkered with the design as it presumably positions this thing as more of a lower-end device. Next to the new 8.5mm-thick Infinity Series (essentially, the TF700T with an LTE radio and optional Snapdragon S4 chip), the 9.9mm 300 feels thick and weighty -- to the extent that any of ASUS' Prime tablets are really chunky. And though it has a spun finish, the texture of the plastic back is rougher than on the Infinity or the original Prime; the ridging just isn't as fine. Inside that slightly bigger frame is a battery that promises 10 hours of runtime -- just like the others. Just don't expect longer battery life in exchange for a less svelte design. As for the display, we're undecided as to whether you'll notice the step down to IPS from Super IPS+ (that's a 600-nit panel, for those of you not up on your marketing jargon). Indoors, at least, we were still able to view the screen at a wide assortment of angles. Obviously, though, if you buy into the Transformer lineup, you're presumably doing so with the hopes of buying that signature keyboard dock too. Use that and you'll enjoy the tablet head-on without having to place it flat on the table. In that sense, the 300's viewing angles are promising simply by virtue of its ergonomic design. In any case, though, that won't be a sufficient answer for those of you who plan to use this outside. If we can get one in to review, we'll take that and our original Transformer Prime outdoors and see which display is easier to make out. So will this pared-down Prime come with a lower price tag? We'll have to wait on country-specific pricing and availability details, but tentatively, we'd say we'd be willing to sacrifice a little thinness if the performance and battery life remain equal and the display remains stunning enough. That's a lot of ifs, of course -- uncertainties we hope to revisit in a full review. Zach Honig contributed to this report. |
| Nokia Lumia 610 hands-on (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:10 AM PST  Why could such a simple smartphone make waves at a show crowded with star-studded beauties like Nokia's own 808 PureView or the HTC One X? Because it's among the first to feature Microsoft's latest Windows Phone build. Contrary to our expectations coming into the show, it's not being referred to as Tango -- something that perplexed us during our liveblog of Nokia's event this morning -- but rather a minor refresh that will reach out to every Windows Phone. The update, still considered part of Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango), opens the door for devices running on 256MB of RAM and offers a few other goodies, such as allowing ringtones, videos, audio files and multiple JPEGs on one MMS. The update will also bring compatibility to Chinese mobile operators and plenty more regional availability. That's a major reason why the Lumia 610 is getting so much attention -- it may be the first Windows Phone experience for several regions that don't already have the OS. It may be obvious that the specs are nothing to write home about. Quite opposite, in fact. But that's not what Nokia's gunning for with the 610, is it? Nay, this one is ever so humble, with its 800MHz Snapdragon S1 CPU, 5MP rear AF camera with LED flash, 3.7-inch WVGA TFT display, 1,300mAh battery and quad-band GSM / EDGE / WCDMA. The build is definitely inexpensive plastic, with chrome edges and a soft-touch back. In other words, keep a firm grip on it at all times. All in all, it feels rather comfortable to hold, though. Its overall performance is precisely on par with the intended price range here. But don't just read our words about the phone -- behold with your own eyes the Lumia 610 with the help of our photos and videos below. Myriam Joire and Zachary Lutz contributed to this hands-on. For more coverage of Mobile World Congress, head here. |
| Fujitsu quad-core phone hands-on (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 03:04 AM PST  The hardware is very light -- almost uneasily so. The 4.6-inch display that dominates the phone is bright and crisp and Fujitsu has finally cemented more of the specifications; we've been told it's a full HD (1080p) display, although the spokesperson was unable to confirm the screen technology, we suspect it's a high resolution LCD display. Fujitsu's NX UI is a very lightly skinned version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, with some addition features courtesy of the "human-centric engine." In a bid to differentiate itself from legions of other smartphone manufacturers, it adds Fujitsu's own type of voice canceling processing, alongside dual mics, while a "slow voice" mode adds spacing in the gaps between speech. Unfortunately, we weren't able to try this functionality out -- the phone wasn't connected to networks here in Barcelona. Another feature that looks to be aimed squarely at the hearts of the older smartphone shopper is frequency adaptation. This adjusts the output of the speaker so that it's easier to hear when audible hearing frequencies start to thin out. There's also some Sense-like functionality also included here; the phone should turn off its screen when it realizes it's not in your hand. The fingerprint sensor found on the device has been given some extra skills too, and can be used to "lock down" corporate apps and other compatible stock apps. Fujitsu's own Milbeaut image processor adds some (post-processing) extras to the 13.1-megapixel camera, including fish-eye lens, infinity burst mode and even glare removal when the camera senses a whiteboard (which should eliminate those issues with your corporate smartphone-based espionage). The camera UI generally retains that ICS stock sensibility, meaning that it's simple and uncluttered. There's still some things that Fujitsu is attempting to ready for its new flagship, including a possible Fujitsu-powered cloud storage provision and a fast-charging dock; a real possibility given the contacts for charging on the waterproof device. It's still no completely finalized on the software end; we found the keyboard was particularly sticky and caused a lot of problems when we attempted to type anything out. The phone is still being pitched to phone carriers across China, Europe and the US, and hardware changes could occur depending on carrier interest. At the moment, the demo model included an 8GB microSD card, but we were told that details like this could certainly change before it arrives this summer in Japan. The phone's being readied for a Q4 release in its other target markets -- hopefully with a name in tow. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report. |
| ZTE Orbit is (another) budget Windows Phone: 4-inch display, 1GHz processor, 4GB storage Posted: 27 Feb 2012 02:51 AM PST  The ZTE Orbit joins the ZTE Tania smartphone in the company's portfolio of Windows Phone-based devices. The ZTE Tania is commercially available in the UK and Sweden and other countries around the world. "Microsoft is excited to continue partnering with ZTE to bring new Windows Phones to market. We look forward to the availability of ZTE Orbit in major markets around the world in the second quarter of 2012," said Mark Linton, Senior Director of the OEM Division, Microsoft. "The Windows Phone platform is as powerful as it is intuitive, enabling us to create and deliver exciting new devices that meet real consumer demand," said Mr. He Shiyou, Executive Vice President and Head of the Terminal Division of ZTE. "Our partnership with Microsoft is a key component of our strategy to grow our share of the smartphone market. ZTE is proud to be at the forefront of device manufacturers who are using the Windows Phone platform." The ZTE Orbit is based on the latest version of Windows Phone and comes with 4GB of memory, HD Voice, and a 5Mpx autofocus camera with LED flash. The ZTE Orbit will be available in the second quarter of this year. At the same time, ZTE announced the MF668A data card which takes advantage of Microsoft's Mobile Broadband Class Driver in Windows 8. ZTE's MF668A data card is being demonstrated at Mobile World Congress for the first time. The data card, which supports RAW IP and high-speed transmission, is based on the new MBIM v1.0 specification, recently approved by the USB-IF, and natively supported in Windows 8 without additional software. Launched on 18 January, the ZTE Tania is a chic Windows Phone device, with a chassis measuring just 10.7mm in depth, 4GB internal storage and a 4.3 inch touch screen. The 1GHz processor and ultra-sharp cinematic WVGA 800 x 480px screen make responding to emails, editing documents and browsing the internet fast and intuitive. The first Windows Phone-powered smartphone launched by ZTE, the ZTE Tania is expected to be available in stores in the UK in early April at tariff points in the £10-20 range. The full portfolio of ZTE Windows Phone devices is being demonstrated at Mobile World Congress at the ZTE booth (Hall 8, Stand B145). |
| Panasonic and Red Bend Software announce Android security partnership at MWC Posted: 27 Feb 2012 02:43 AM PST  Panasonic wants you to feel secure in its gentle embrace, which is why it's paired up with Massachusetts-based Red Bend Software to secure your cellphone's personal data. Pointing to the open nature of Android as a weakness when it comes to device security, the partnership created a safe folder isolated from the operating system that is only accessible by password or smart card. The clever part is Red Bend were able to get vLogix Mobile Linux to work as an independently virtualized OS yet run at the same time as Android runs cleanly -- with your personal data encrypted inside the ROM to prevent software reverse-engineering. The company isn't saying how it's planning to implement the feature or if it'll be generally available, but if you're looking for a safe place to store those confidential emails you should read all the gory details after the break. Panasonic Develops New Solution to Protect Personal Data on AndroidTM Smartphones Collaborating with Red Bend Software Osaka, Japan - Panasonic today announced the development of a new solution to protect personal data such as photos, videos, documents and e-mails stored on Android smartphones. Developed in collaboration with Massachusetts-based Red Bend Software*, this solution enables to prevent leakage of personal data from lost smartphones or unintended behavior of downloaded applications. Panasonic plans to incorporate this solution into its future smartphone models. As smartphones are increasingly used to perform many tasks, including photo and video shooting and e-mailing, a lot of personal data have come to be stored in smartphones today. Therefore, the loss of a smartphone can lead to the risk of leaking personal information. In addition, a variety of networkable-applications are now available, and smartphone users can download them to access cloud-based services. On the other hand, these applications can present security risks, such as an unintended transfer of information and data on the smartphone via the network. In the case of traditional phones such as feature phones, terminal manufacturers have incorporated a protection mechanism called "secret mode" or "privacy mode" in their phones by developing dedicated application software and dedicated content file formats as a set. However, with the spread of smartphones, application software is now developed by third-parties in an open environment. This made it difficult to realize personal content protection with a set of dedicated application software and dedicated content file formats in an open environment like Android, since a variety of applications freely developed by third-parties started to be downloaded and executed. In the new solution, a new mechanism was constructed to configure a folder to protect and store personal data. This protected area inside the smartphone is isolated from the Android platform, using a virtual machine. This enables to control access to the folder containing the personal contents via the menu on the smartphone and application software on Android. Therefore, the solution will enable to protect the personal contents by combining with personal authentication such as the use of passwords or an IC card. This technology has the following features. A folder with protection function, which is virtually isolated from Android platform and accessible from application software on Android platform, is configured under lock/unlock control. Because the Android platform itself has not been modified, standard Android application software can be used normally. Since the folder to store data is locked and unlocked just like a safety box, many kinds of content file formats such as private photos, videos, memo pads, or other documents can be protected. Regarding e-mails, they can also be easily protected by assigning message folders to this folder with protection function. It has been achieved using the following key technologies: (1) Multiple OS implementation technology on a single CPU by means of virtualization software By utilizing Red Bend's mobile virtualization software, vLogix MobileTM, it is possible to enable the coexistence of multiple OSes running on a single CPU. In this cooperation, Panasonic and Red Bend have introduced an environment in which a Linux-based OS and the Android platform coexist. The collaboration has led to a rapid decrease in development costs. (2) Implementation of a folder with protection function on Linux OS which can be accessed with authentication from application software on Android platform Information which a user wants to protect is stored in a folder which is not on the Android platform but on the Linux OS, and the folder is disclosed to Android platform under a certified condition only. Previously, dedicated application software was required for each OS when multiple OSes are running on the virtualization software. However, by utilizing the new technology, Android applications can be used normally. Furthermore, this technology can even be applied to the various applications developed by third-parties. (3) Protection technology for OS executable codes by encryption Not only the important information but also the entire Linux environment including authentication services is encrypted in ROM (Read Only Memory). This increases the level of security by preventing reverse engineering of an authentication service process or preventing attacks that try to modify this code. |
| Opera announces revamped Store, Mini Next and Mobile 12 at MWC (video) Posted: 27 Feb 2012 02:14 AM PST  Opera's crying "mobile" and letting slip the dogs of browsing here at MWC 2012 with a slew of announcements to please serious web-users. Opera Mini and Opera Mobile 12 have been released today -- the former designed to run on Java-based feature phones, now includes deeper integration to Facebook and Twitter to provide fully-featured social networking for those incapable of downloading apps. Meanwhile, Opera Mobile 12 now includes Ragnarök, the company's HTML5 parser to provide better web apps and advanced functionality as well as WebGL for Android Phones -- which now also get an infinite-scrolling speed dial front page for regularly visited websites. At the same time, it's pushing out a revamped App store based on technology acquired when Opera bought Handster back in September. It's the fifth largest app store by quantity, with 55,000 apps available, although its currently in trouble for offering developers apps to other platforms without the developers permission. After the break we've got a short video and some PR for you to peruse, like carrion men, groaning for burial. Opera Mini Next - Smarter and more social Also available now: Final version of Opera Mobile 12, with WebGL and record-setting HTML5 scores Barcelona, Spain - February 27, 2012 Opera Mini is the mobile web browser that turns any feature phone into a smarter device. Now, with Opera Mini Next, a preview version of what's next for Opera Mini, feature phones get even smarter with advanced social media functions. The web doesn't stop evolving, and Opera Mini evolves with it. Introducing the Smart Page, a new feature previewing in the Opera Mini Next series of browsers for feature phones, to be launched on all Opera Mini browsers for feature phones later this year. The Smart Page will take its position alongside Opera's famous Speed Dial shortcuts and give feature phones smarter access to social networks, the latest news and more. With social integration of Facebook and Twitter right in the first screen of Opera Mini Next, feature phone users get even closer to the social web of their lives and a smarter online experience. In smartphone versions of Opera Mini Next, the Smart Page will not make an appearance in this version. For smartphones, we've focused on improving the web experience itself. Android users of Opera Mini Next will get a smoother browsing experience, with hardware acceleration and a revamped Speed Dial. The revamped Speed Dial screen, with an unlimited number of Speed Dial shortcuts, debuts in all versions of Opera Mini Next for easy access to all your favorite websites. "When people think of using social networks on the go, they often imagine a smartphone with the latest apps installed. At Opera, we know that's not the way a majority of mobile phone owners access their social networks," says Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. "That's why we've made 'ordinary' phones smarter, by making it easier to use the most popular social networks right in the first screen of Opera Mini for feature phones. Just because you're on a more basic phone, doesn't mean you can't be a active social networker." The Opera Mini Next series is for those who like to stay ahead of the pack, and try out the latest features in Opera Mini. All the Opera Mini Next browsers install alongside the regular Opera Mini browser, and are distinguished with a white Opera icon as opposed to the red icon for the stable version. Mo' mobile in Opera Mobile 12 Opera Mini Next isn't alone, entering the stage of the MWC. Launching in its final version today, Opera Mobile 12 will bring more goodies to owners of Android and Symbian smartphones. In the goodie bag for Opera Mobile 12, you'll find: WebGL on Android phones, for all things 3D and web. With WebGL on mobile, it'll be even easier to make games cross platform and to distribute them. "Opera have contributed significantly to the development of the WebGL specification and now Opera Mobile is playing a leading role in the roll-out of GPU-accelerated WebGL on Android," said Neil Trevett, Khronos president and vice president of mobile content at NVIDIA. Ragnarök, Opera's HTML5 parser support, meaning better web apps and increased compatibility with websites. More HTML5 means more advanced web functionality. Support for camera use in the browser. More possibilities for customizing the Speed Dial of Opera Mobile, including entering as many Speed Dial entries as you like. Get the final version of Opera Mobile 12 in the Android Market, or at http://m.opera.com. If you're at the Mobile World Congress and would like to experience the Opera Mini Next with Smart Page in person and the Opera Mobile 12, come over to Hall 1, Booth C44 and visit us. To download the Opera Mini Next browser to your phone right now, visit this link with your mobile phone: http://m.opera.com/next. --- A new and improved Opera Mobile Store San Mateo, Calif., and Barcelona, Spain - February 27, 2012 Opera Software today announced a revamped Opera Mobile Store at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona with better distribution and monetization capabilities for developers, and better customization for white-label marketplaces. The Opera Mobile Store is based on the app store technology of Handster, acquired by Opera in September 2011, and also comes with an improved user interface that makes it easier to discover and download new apps. The Opera Mobile Store is accessible to more than 160 million users of Opera's Mini and Mobile browsers through a Speed Dial link on the browser start page. Armed with more than 55,000 apps, the Opera Mobile Store is the fifth-largest mobile app store in the world offering free and paid apps on most devices and platforms, including Android, Java, Symbian, BlackBerry and iOS. This widening reach will give app developers an avenue to distribute and monetize their apps on all platforms and geographies where the store has a strong presence. Sign-up for developers is easy. Visit http://publishers.mobilestore.opera.com/ to get started. The Opera Mobile Store is also offering more customization features for carriers and OEMs who want to set up their co-branded or white-labeled app stores using the Opera Mobile Store platform. The store will provide carrier billing integration with the Opera Payment Exchange in the near future. Here are some latest growth numbers for the Opera Mobile Store: More than 30 million monthly app store visits Page views per user increased 63 percent over last year (now close to 5 page views per user) Time spent on site increased 199 percent over last year with now over 4 minutes per visit 130 million monthly page views More than 45 million monthly app downloads Average daily downloads per unique visitor jumped 101 percent compared to last year For a demo of the new and improved Opera Mobile Store, visit the Opera Software booth at Mobile World Congress at Hall 1, Booth C44. We will also be at the WIPJam developer event on March 1 at MWC. |
| Posted: 27 Feb 2012 02:08 AM PST  We're here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and ASUS just formally unveiled the shape-shifting Padfone -- just like it said it would. Even more than raw specs, what makes the phone striking are its accompanying accessories. Sure, you could use it as a standalone 4.3-inch handset, but i will also be sold with a so-called station that effectively turns it into a 10-inch tablet -- not unlike how you can slip certain Moto handsets inside the company's netbook-like Lapdocks. It will also be sold with an optional keyboard dock (just like the Prime) and -- get this -- a stylus that doubles as a receiver for when you receive phone calls. We elbowed our way to the front of a pack of voracious tech journalists, and stole a few minutes of hands-on time with both the handset and its various accoutrements. Join us past the break for some early impressions and a duo of videos. Funny how a 4.3-inch device can feel petite, huh? If you're a proud member of the "bigger is better" camp we'll let you show yourself to the door now; as for the rest of you, we think you'll appreciate how lightweight and well-made this 8.9mm-thick device feels. Unlike, say, some of the recent Samsung Galaxy phones we've reviewed, it feels unassuming without ever resorting to cheap plastics. The back is made of metal with a spun finish, identical to what you'll find on the Transformer Prime (excuse us, Transformer Pad) tablets. All told, it still feels like a premium handset, but without the excess gravitas. Flip the phone back around and the star of the show is that 4.3-inch, qHD Super AMOLED display. Okay, it's not the 720p beauty inside the HTC One family, and we can already hear some of you grumbling about the PenTile bit. In a sense, then, you should know what to expect: don't care for PenTile? You'll hate this phone! Think it's stunning nonetheless (hear, hear)? You'll be happy to show this thing off. Inside, the phone is powered by an Adreno 225 GPU and Snapdragon's dual-core S4 chip, which has been making a cameo in many phones announced in Barcelona this week. We'll spend a week with it before we fully weigh in, but at first blush the display seemed responsive to our every touch, and the phone was nimble at bringing up menus and launching apps. On board, you've got Ice Cream Sandwich, as you'd expect of a flagship phone launching in 2012. The device we handled was peppered with widgets, but nothing you couldn't remove with a little dragging and dropping. So far as we can tell, ASUS has made few, if any, irreversible alterations to Android 4.0. Take a tour around the device and you'll find some predictable ports, including a micro-USB socket, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD slot, which you can use to augment the 16GB to 64GB of internal storage. Also on board: Bluetooth 4.0, a gyroscope, compass and GPS with A-GPS support. Connectivity options include WCDMA (900, 2100 MHz), EDGE / GPRS / GSM (850, 1800 and 1900 MHz) and HSPA+, with theoretical download speeds topping out at 42Mbps. Obviously, a few minutes with the device indoors isn't ideal for testing all that, but we will once we give this the full review treatment. AccessoriesAlso on display were the accompanying accessories, though so far the docks we've seen have been locked down, so that you can't slide the latch, open the door and stick the phone in. (Good thing we saw a demo at CES!) From an industrial design perspective, it has a rubbery, not spun metal finish, and feels surprisingly weighty in the hands, even without the phone inside. Call us shallow if you must, but we think it's important to stress that the Padfone plus the station does not equal a makeshift Transformer Prime. The keyboard, though, should bring no surprises: it's the same size as the one accompanying the Prime, and has similar dimensions. As for the stylus headset, we saw ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih do a quick "One more thing"-style demo during the company's press conference, but we haven't yet found a live demo in the hands-on area where journalists are invited to try out the new products. We'll update this post with more impressions if we do get the chance to try it out for ourselves today. Update: We promised we'd let you know if we stumbled across a live demo of the accessories, and we've done just that. The video above now shows an ASUS rep giving a brief overview, though we sadly weren't able to find a fully functioning stylus headset. As always, we'll hit you back with more video if we find one. Zach Honig contributed to this report. |
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