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Sunday, March 4, 2012

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Audi's 'Visions' will pimp your ride, light up the neighborhood (video)

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 09:24 AM PST

We don't think there is such a thing as Racing stripes "2.0", but if there was, this is what it might look like. Audi's "Visions" project brings the OLEDs we know and love to the outside of the not-so-humble automobile. Like something out of Tron, the fancy light array in the concept we see here hints at how external lighting on cars might look in the near future. Stephan Berlitz, Head of Lighting Electronics for the car maker, states that we're still some way out from OLED surfaces replacing front and brake lights, due to low currents and the temperature ranges the diodes can presently operate under. We might, however, see it replacing tail and side lights before too long. If you watch the video after the break, you may have a few ideas for those pseudo-screens of your own.

FCC puts Dish Network's LTE plans on hold, opts for a longer review

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 08:18 AM PST

In a bit of bad news for Dish Network, the FCC has decided against issuing a waiver for it to start using the spectrum it's acquired from DBSD and Terrestar over the last year or so right away. Company chairman Charlie Ergen that waiting might make it too risky for the company to try and roll out wireless services at all. We'll see if that is truly the case, as the FCC's decision is to opt for a longer "rule-making" process that could take until the end of the year to wrap up before Dish can get started on delivering LTE services. While it seems unlikely Dish is going to get the LightSquared treatment, what exactly this means for its wireless broadband plans, or even the potential of a rumored purchase by AT&T, is unclear at this point.

HTC may not have PureView, but it does have ImageSense

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 06:58 AM PST

Not to be outdone by the Nokia 808's appearance at MWC, HTC has released sample shots taken using the ImageSense camera module that comes in its One X and One S phones. In many ways they're normal-looking stills, with nothing like PureView's 41-megapixel oversampling (which is claimed to result in a superior 5-megapixel still), and certainly no over-sized 1/1.2-inch sensor. However, if you look closely, you can see the benefits of some of HTC's improvements. Top among those is the faster f/2.0 lens, which will allow for shorter exposures and clearer moving subjects -- like the skateboarders above. Such images will also likely benefit from the 0.7-second time window for capturing an image and the 0.2-second auto-focus when shooting continuously. Whatever you make of the sample shots in the gallery below, HTC can also claim one key advantage over PureView: camera technology that still fits into a regular-sized smartphone.
HTC ImageSense sample photos

HTC Titan aka Triumph to become China's first official Windows Phone

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 05:50 AM PST

Look who just beat Nokia, ZTE and Lenovo to launching the first official Windows Phone in China? At the opening of HTC's first Chinese flagship store in Beijing yesterday (pictured after the break), Sina Tech's Zāng Zhì Yuān noticed that the company's already accepting pre-orders for the 4.7-inch Titan, which is priced at ¥4,399 or about $700 sans contract -- very much in the high-end of the market, surprisingly enough. In fact, we had already heard HTC's managers claiming to have the first Chinese Windows Phone at MWC last week, except they couldn't comment on the actual timing.

Judging by the sign above, the only noticeable difference here -- depending on your Chinese literacy -- is that the phone's dubbed Triumph locally; but additionally, HTC informed us that its first Chinese Windows Phone will be powered by WP7.5 Tango, with its Facebook and Twitter integration replaced by the likes of Sina Weibo, Tencent Weixin and SkyDrive to play the local rules. If you'll recall, such localization is very much what Nokia's Stephen Elop had confirmed in our Engadget Show interview back in November. So, any bets on who's next in line to climb over the Great Wall?

GO Launcher comes to Android tabs, frees you from fixed grid tyranny

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 04:46 AM PST

Got an Android tab and don't like its government manufacturer-issue UI? Then why not join the ranks of the launcher rebel alliance. GO Launcher EX for phones has been around for a while, but now it's been upscaled for Honeycomb 3.0+ slates under the GO HD moniker. It's only a beta release, and with that comes the normal caveats on functionality -- such as a lack of fancy transitions -- but you can still make other tweaks to your tab's interface, such as alter the grid size and customize your dock. Ready to cross enemy lines? Then launch your browser toward the source for the download.

Audi R18 Hybrid spotted in the flesh, sounds as good as it looks

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 02:32 AM PST


Remember that gorgeous looking R18 hybrid from Audi that raced into our hearts earlier this week? Well, we found this video of it in action. If you can look past the flock of applauding suits, you'll get a sneak-peek at this beast on the track. Sadly we'll have to wait until Le Mans before we can really smell the rubber, but in the meantime, there's a gallery of renders below to keep you going.
Audi R81 Hybrid
Audi R81 Hybrid

Pentax offers 'special edition' K-5 DSLR kit: silver body, 40mm slimline lens, $1,600

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 12:29 AM PST

It's good to see a special edition that may actually deserve its name, for once. When the silver version of the popular K-5 came out last year, it was priced at $1,700 body-only. This new kit, which will be limited to 1,500 units worldwide and available from April, will cost just $1,600 including the bundled lens. And it's decent glass: an ultra-thin, Marc Newson designed beauty with a 40mm fixed focal length and f/2.8 aperture -- just like on the mirrorless K-01. The only thing missing? There's no sign of a "Limited Edition" stamp anywhere on it, but luckily we're too modest to notice.
Show full PR text
DENVER, CO March 1, 2012... PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION is pleased to announce the launch of the PENTAX K-5 Silver Special Edition.

Available only as a limited edition of 1,500 sets worldwide, the package consists of the PENTAX K-5 digital SLR camera body matched with the new, ultra thin smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 XS lens.

The exclusive package combines the PENTAX K-5 - the flagship model of the PENTAX K series of digital SLR cameras - with the smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 XS lens - the world's thinnest unifocal lens*.

Marc Newson, one of the world's most renowned industrial designers, masterly designed this lens. Both the camera body and the lens barrel feature the same elegant silver finish, assuring that this package is a high-performance imaging tool that also boasts maximum visual harmony. Meticulous attention has been paid to every detail of the package, including a specially designed package, while the camera's firmware has been updated to the latest version (Ver.1.13).

* The world's thinnest interchangeable lens for lens-interchangeable digital SLR cameras, as of February 25, 2012 (based on PENTAX's research).
Note: The specifications of the camera body (except for the firmware) and the lens are same as those for the standard K-5 model. The K-5 Silver Special Edition package will be available in April 2012 for $1599.95 USD and will be available exclusively through the PENTAX Web Store (www.pentaxwebstore.com) and Ace Photo (www.acephoto.net).

AT&T urging customers to upgrade to 3G, possibly killing off 2G

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 10:39 PM PST

2GIn a move that is sure to surprise no one, it appears AT&T is getting ready to send its trusty 2G GSM network riding off into the sunset. MarketWatch is reporting that some Ma Bell customers have received letters, urging them to upgrade to a 3G or (gasp) 4G device and warning that service may degrade in some areas as spectrum is repurposed. While the letter stops short of saying the 2G network is being shut down, it seems the writing is on the wall. With the collapse of the T-Mobile acquisition and Verizon's sizable lead in the race to acquire spectrum, AT&T is left with little choice but to use its GSM channels for HSPA+ and LTE service. So far the notices have only gone out to customers in the New York metro area, but it seems safe to assume other locales will follow. The only question is whether the carrier will lean on hold-outs the same way it did when the time came to kill off TDMA -- with a tax on primitive technology.

CircuitLab brings schematic design and sharing to the browser (video)

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 08:32 PM PST

The designs for all those wonderful Arduino and electronics projects don't create themselves, sadly. No, a person needs to put in time and effort laying out the circuits and carefully arranging the components, often by hand, but sometimes with aid of a software tool. A new player in that field is CircuitLab, a surprisingly full featured app for sketching out schematics and simulating them that lives entirely in the browser. It's also amazingly user friendly and simple for even the novice hobbyist to dive into. Finally, once you've finished with your project you can make the design public and share it with others. Check out the quick intro video after the break and sign up at the source.

T-Mobile's next myTouch to come from Huawei?

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 07:12 PM PST

The Magenta carrier's pumped out its fair share of myTouch handsets in the past months, and we can't blame you if you're confused by the fact that different OEMs have had their turn making the devices. Now, if a report by PocketNow is to be believed, the next phone maker in line is the same one that brought you that T-Mobile Springboard. And, if we take into consideration Huawei's recent push towards the US market, it wouldn't surprise us to see T-Mo's future myTouch lineup coming from the Chinese outfit. Allegedly, the device(s) will come in two Gingerbread-packing flavors, one of which is said to be sporting physical QWERTY keys -- à la the 4G Slide. While we know some of you are ready to part ways with the ol' timer 3G variant, it may be a while before the purported U8680 and U8730 are the real deal. Good news is MWC isn't exactly giving you a shortage of options.

Ask Engadget: best Android PMP?

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 06:19 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 Livebriand who wants the Android equivalent of an iPod Touch. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"What would be the best Android PMP (basically, an Android iPod Touch) to get? I don't want a data plan and I'm normally within WiFi, so I just want to run apps and surf the internet from it. The best thing I've found so far is the Galaxy Player, but that's only got Gingerbread. What suggestions do you guys have?"
If we're honest, we're not sure if he'd just be better off with a small tablet, but his wish is our command. A PMP-class device that runs Honeycomb or better, that's a more attractive prospect than the Gingerbread-running Galaxy Player? Does such a device exist, or would it be better just to get the ROMs out and pimp one of Samsung's devices that way? You know the answers dear friends, don't let us down.

PSA: PlayStation Network goes down for maintenance tomorrow, will last around 15 hours

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 04:55 PM PST

We know that it's become all too easy to assume that the PlayStation Network is getting hacked again whenever it goes down. That said, consider this another heads-up in long line of previous friendly reminders: Since being postponed last Thursday, Sony's announced that the PSN will go down for "significant maintenance" tomorrow, March 4th starting at 2 3 PM EST until approx 5 AM on Monday, March 5th. Unlike February's fixin', you'll still be booted offline even if you've logged-in with your SEN ID prior to the scheduled maintenance window. This means you won't be able to hop into a game of Domination on MW3, along with being restricted from accessing your account, the PlayStation Store, Home etc., as per usual. You can stay glued to PlayStation on twitter to get the official word on when everything's back up, but may we suggest it could be a good chance for a lazy Sunday stroll? Hey, consider it an excuse to try out Near if you were one of the 1.2 million to snag yourself a PS Vita -- oh wait, that requires being logged into the PSN, too. Sigh.

Mobile World Congress 2012: best of show

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 03:30 PM PST

Mobile World Congress 2012 was a massively exciting show and true to form brought us so much new kit to be excited about in early 2012. From Intel's Medfield launch, a 41-megapixel smartphone, a new generation of personal hotspots and even engineered metals using micro arc oxidation, there was never a dull moment. Highlighting what was best, most innovative, or interesting is a tough nut but we've done our best to point out the highlights using our impressions -- and the occasional arm-wrestling match -- to chose the finalists amongst the products and our Editor's more notable achievements. Fly through to the next page and have a look at our takeaways from this, the most intense mobile tech show of the year.

Best Smartphone: HTC One X

HTC's One line of handsets were impressive from the One V to the micro arc oxidized One S and while they impressed the One X stole the show. While it almost took fisticuffs to pick the winner, the One X came out on top because of its stellar camera, beautiful 4.7-inch 720p Super LCD 2 non-PenTile display, quad-core Tegra 3 processor and the unibody polycarbonate housing. The One X is running Sense 4.0 with ICS and despite that it absolutely flies. Surprisingly the usual sluggishness of Sense is all but gone, though we know HTC has lightened and fine-tuned its overlay, the Tegra 3 CPU no doubt does loads to help give it that silky smooth UI feel. The Beats Audio profiles, rendered via both hardware and software were a lot of fun and do add a great twist to one of a handset's most popular functions. The camera is also very impressive both in image quality and features, though a dedicated camera button certainly would make it even better.

Best Tablet: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

We knew that Samsung planned to launch the Galaxy Note 10.1 at Mobile World Congress, but we didn't know just how huge its presence and push would be at the booth. It is safe to say that between sketch artists, and Adobe's Touch apps the super Note was Samsung's flagship launch at MWC 2012 easily taking up 40% of the booth and a lion's share of the attention. While not drastically different then the Note we reviewed, the increased screen real estate, perfect scrolling and build quality makes this our choice. Samsung also pushed out two new Galaxy Tab 2 devices -- in both 7.0 and 10.1 sizes --, but this second S-Pen toting iteration of the Touch line still won out.

Best Device Design: Panasonic Eluga

Thin? Check. Lightweight? Check. Completely waterproof? Check. A thing of beauty to gaze upon? Absolutely. Panasonic's oddly named Eluga set was a stand out for the simple reason that we all agreed it was without question simply the nicest looking set of the show. Its 4.3-inch AMOLED qHD 960 x 540 display is crisp and bright, svelte 7.8mm thinness, and curved edges made it really comfortable to hold. Heck, even if it should slip from your grasp and fall in the fish tank it is waterproof and therefore as happy submerged as not. Sure, it didn't pack ICS or the biggest display but Panasonic's Eluga somehow finds a perfect balance of style and features.

Best Connectivity Device: Option XYFI

Option reappeared at MWC 2012 with the XYFI, the 'world's smallest' personal hotspot and first device we've seen from them in some time. What makes it so diminutive is that it can live with or without its massive 4000mAh battery, plug into your car or home via clever - and frankly very beautiful - adapters to deliver all your 3G or WiFi connectivity. The version we had a chance to play with only featured HSPA+ speeds up to 14Mbps, but LTE and quicker versions are in the works. Other notables? Clicking the button on the top of the device pops the USB port open in pure West Side Story switchblade-style, what more could you want?

Best Innovation: Nokia PureView 808

The Nokia PureView 808 actually packs a couple feature worth mentioning: its monster 41 megapixel camera and the Rich Recording audio feature. The camera steals the show with touch-free continuous autofocus at 1080p, 4x zoom with the swipe of a finger, and the magical interpolation it does to render 4 or 5 pixels into one to reduce file sizes. Snapping a picture of a piece of fabric at full resolution yields zoomed images where you can quite literally count the individual fibers. Videos recorded in extremely low light are clean with little to no noise. Nokia's Rich Recording finally fixes the other half of video quality we've never really poked fun at: clipping and distortion. The system can record levels up to 145dB - a jet and hearing damage is in the 140dB level at 100 feet - with no loss of quality. To say it is an astounding effect is a wild understatement. A sample from a Rammstein concert we saw on one of the 808s we saw is almost surreal, it is literally as clear as if you were there. We're really excited to get our hands on this Belle OS device for an in depth look.

Best of the rest: Intel's Medfield and Asus Padphone

It's always nice to see a new entrant in the chipset world which ultimately yields us new devices, and in this case we saw two showing off Intel's Medfield-based Android offerings: Orange's Santa Clara and the Xolo X900. The demo focused on device speed, how well it rendered HTML, scrolling speed and the like and both sets delivered. The Xolo X900 - perhaps best name in show - is bound for India and the Santa Clara will debut in France and the UK on Orange. Asus' PadPhone was unique at the show in that it morphs from a 4.3-inch slab into a 10-inch tablet, quite like the Atrix did. Earth shattering? No, but the PadPhone is more that the sum of the parts: including its display, metallic accents, and range of accessories definitely helped it stand out.

Best Japanese Interview: Mat Smith

Matt wowed NTT DoCoMo with his Japanese when we peeked at the Sharp AQUOS SH-06D. Enough said.









Most Locked Out of his Apartment at 2 A.M: Brad Molen

Brad managed to mangle a door lock in the wee hours of the morning last week. Kudos for him for not looking like a thief and convincing the neighbors to open up and let him in.






Best Surprisingly High-Pitched laugh: Dana Wollman

Dana made at least one editor jump -- and the fondue forks vibrate -- when she laughed while we feasted on every type of fondue imaginable. Honorable mention: Runner-up in the annual innuendo contest.







Best use of a Google slide on Video: Myriam Joire

Our intrepid leader Myriam attacked all things Android at the Google booth, sipped smoothies and even talked to the designer of a robot that was making housings for handsets. Honorable mention: Best use of 'weeeeee' while traveling down the Google slide.






Best impersonation of every accent imaginable: Joseph Volpe

Joseph had everybody from Engadget in attendance at MWC in stitches with his madcap antics and perfect accent imitations. Honorable mention: Best effort at restoring moods through comedy at the show. Of note, his Arriana Huffington and insane Spanish traveler are worth hearing.







Best and most frequent demonstrated love for the Galaxy Note: Zach Honig

A fanboy among fanboys, Zach's tireless pimping of his true tech love, the Galaxy Note never failed to raise a smile and a wee dram of derision.








Best and most graceful fall down some stairs: Zach Lutz

After an extremely long eve of dinner and planning meetings, Zach somehow managed to fall down the stairs but recovered well and was thankfully mostly unscathed.







Best example of how not to do video segments: Sean Cooper

Yeah, struggled a bit but we won out with amazing help from our fine vid fellows. Many thanks to the tireless work of Guy, Rob, and Glenn. Also, thanks for not giving up and going home.

Mobile Miscellany: week of February 27th, 2012

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 02:02 PM PST

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen a major shakeup in the world of mobile payments and we were thoroughly teased by Rogers, which launched a curious pre-order promotion for the Lumia 900. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 27th, 2012.

Rogers offers a dark surprise with Lumia 900 pre-orders


Earlier this week, Nokia announced that Rogers would be the exclusive Canadian provider of the LTE-enabled Lumia 900. Now the carrier's capitalizing on the announcement, and to that end, it's offering a mystery gift to those who pre-order the device. For sleuths in the making, Rogers offers the following hint: there's a hero rising out of the darkness. So Batman, what's your guess? [MobileSyrup]

Huawei takes a seat on Tizen's Board of Directors

It seems that Huawei is looking to reinvent itself in more ways than one. In addition to its release of the high-end Ascend D Quad smartphone, it took a place on the Tizen Association's Board of Directors this week and has announced that it'll create devices for the nascent platform. The news coincides with the release of Tizen's beta source code and SDK, which now features an updated UI framework and web API's. [SlashGear]

Now available: Sprint TV for iPhone


Sprint's mobile TV service became available for iPhone users this week, who may now enjoy free offerings from networks such as ABC, CBS, ESPN and NBC. As the freemium service goes, those willing to pay an additional $10/month can take advantage of additional offerings from content providers that include Comedy Central, FOX News, MTV and Nickelodeon. [SprintFeed]

Dolphin Browser HD gets Sonar voice functionality


Dolphin Browser HD reached version 7.4 this week, which brought a new voice-control feature known as Sonar. Now, users may search the web, share links and navigate the browser with simple speech commands. Perhaps nicest of all, no interaction with the screen is necessary: the voice command can be initiated from within the browser with a simple shake of the phone. [GigaOM]

ZTE Fury spotted for Sprint


A new budget handset is said to be coming soon to the Now Network. Known as the ZTE Fury, it'll pack a 1GHz CPU, a 3.5-inch touchscreen and Android 2.3. Also in the mix is 4GB of internal storage and a 5MP camera. These are rather middling specs, to be sure, but perhaps the $20 price tag (after $50 mail-in rebate) will be sufficient to attract a few purchasers. [SprintFeed]

Vodafone to launch mobile payment platform in partnership with Visa

A major shakeup in the world of mobile payments came this week when Vodafone announced a partnership with Visa that'll bring NFC-based payments to the mobile carrier's large number of subscribers. The Vodafone-branded service will initially launch in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the UK, but will eventually spread across Vodafone's entire footprint in areas where mature payment infrastructures exist. Consumers will be able to establish prepaid accounts for their purchases, and Vodafone is also seeking partnerships with Visa's network of authorized issuers. The carrier is also looking for partners in the retail, transportation and utility sectors, each which may integrate their loyalty, promotion and payment services with the mobile wallet application. [Vodafone]

Amazon Publishing to sell series of ebooks outside the Kindle Store

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 12:33 PM PST

It remains to be seen if it's a full-on change of policy, but it looks like Amazon is at least shifting it stance when it comes to where some of the ebooks put out by its Amazon Publishing division are sold. As you may recall, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers recently pulled print editions of Amazon Publishing books from their store shelves because the ebook versions were only sold in the Kindle Store, a stance that B&N said "undermined the industry as a whole." Now, Amazon has confirmed that its latest addition to the Amazon Publishing roster, a series of short biographies edited by James Atlas, will indeed be sold outside of the Amazon ecosystem in both print and ebook form. Whether B&N and other bookstores will actually carry them remains to be seen, of course, but an Amazon spokesperson told The New York Times that its "intention is to distribute these books as broadly as possible." That change was further clarified by PaidContent, which was told by Amazon that "the books will be available to be sold everywhere in all formats."

Engadget Mobile Podcast 128: MWC 2012 - 03.03.2012

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 11:35 AM PST

As we bask in the afterglow of Mobile World Congress, let's take a few hours to gather all of our thoughts in one semi-lucid, sleep-deprived Engadget Mobile Podcast. We weren't able to coax the Abbey Road-caliber recording from our setup this time around as we crowded around a single microphone in a Catalonian hotel room, and for that we apologize, but we hope you'll take the journey with us anyway, audio warts and all.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen, Joseph Volpe, Sean Cooper
Guest: Mat Smith
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:03:05 - Samsung announces Galaxy Note 10.1 at MWC (update: hands-on photos!)
00:06:07 - Samsung unveils new Galaxy Beam smartphone / projector combo with dual core CPU
00:12:53 - LG Optimus Vu officially revealed ahead of MWC with stylus, 1.5GHz CPU (Updated)
00:16:00 - LG Optimus 4X HD hands-on (video)
00:20:54 - Nokia announces 808 PureView: Belle OS, 4-inch display, 41-megapixel camera(!) -- we go hands-on (video)
00:39:33 - Nokia Lumia 900 in white hands-on
00:43:06 - Nokia unveils Lumia 610, arriving Q2
00:46:30 - Hands-on with Nokia Asha 202, 203 and 302 at MWC (video)
00:53:25 - Huawei Ascend D Quad (hands-on)
01:00:28 - Sony's 2012 Xperia series gets together for awkward family portrait
01:09:42 - HTC One X announced at MWC 2012
01:15:30 - HTC unveils One series camera upgrade, gets dedicated chip, f/2.0 lens, 0.7-second startup
01:17:50 - HTC One V: we go hands-on (video)
01:19:08 - HTC updates Beats Audio, makes it work with any third-party app
01:25:00 - HTC unveils One S, arrives with dual-core power, engineered metal finish
01:28:03 - ZTE Era flagship phone brings Tegra 3, 4.3-inch qHD display, 7.8mm chassis
01:31:10 - Option XYFI is 'world's smallest' personal hotspot -- we go hands-on!
01:32:30 - Panasonic Eluga Power: 5-inch 720p display, 9.6mm thin, S4 processor
01:34:40 - Intel's Xolo X900 by Lava hands-on (video)
01:35:40 - More specs of the Acer CloudMobile revealed, we take a second look (video)



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ASUS claims it may be among first to get Android 5.0, confirms Jelly Bean moniker

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 10:11 AM PST

We've seen some pretty incredible smartphones and technologies at MWC, but it goes without saying that one of the hottest topics at the show was Android, and speculation over the release and alias of its next-gen operating system. Based on Google's update schedule, it's within reason to expect Android 5.0 to hit within the next year -- but which popular confection will bear the honor or representing the latest OS flavor? There's been little doubt that the jelly bean will fill that role, and now ASUS has confirmed to TechRadar not only that delectable moniker -- Jelly Bean -- but also that the company will likely be among the first to get the new OS. That claim came from VP Benson Lin, who said "Asus is very close to Google, so once they have Android 5.0 I think there will be a high possibility that we will be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update." So, there you have it. Now go get to scooping up every variation of the Je!!y 8ean domain.

Adéu, Barcelona: Mobile World Congress 2012 comes to a close

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PST

The mobile world's biggest players have exhausted themselves again, taking us with them in the process. While HTC and Nokia seemed to grab a lot of the attention, Samsung stayed quiet -- at least for now -- there was still a veritable pile of devices and news to cover from everyone else. Let's take a look at what caught our attention during the week.

HTC

HTC One X hands-on
HTC One S hands-on
HTC One V: we go hands-on

Nokia

Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots
Nokia Lumia 610 hands-on
Nokia Asha 202, 203 and 302 hands-on

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Beam hands-on
Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G hands-on
Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 4.2 hands-on
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) hands-on
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 hands-on

Sony

Sony Xperia U hands-on
Sony Xperia P hands-on

LG

LG Optimus 4X HD hands-on
LG Optimus Vu hands-on
LG Optimus 3D Max hands-on
LG Optimus L-style series hands-on

Google

Google Android booth at MWC 2012

Intel

Orange Santa Clara hands-on
Intel's Xolo X900 by Lava hands-on

Liveblogs

Live from the Nokia press conference at MWC 2012!
Live from Microsoft's Windows 8 press event at Mobile World Congress 2012!
Live from the HTC press conference at MWC 2012!
Live from Sony's Mobile World Congress 2012 press event!

Interviews

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop
Nokia VP of Industrial Design Stefan Pannenbecker
Nokia Lead for Imaging Experience Damian Dinning
RIM VP of Enterprise Alan Panezic

The best of the rest

Acer CloudMobile hands-on at MWC 2012 (more impressions)
ASUS Padfone hands-on (video)
ASUS Transformer Pad 300 hands-on
Huawei Ascend D Quad hands-on
Mozilla Boot to Gecko hands-on
Option XYFI personal hotspot hands-on
Panasonic Eluga hands-on
Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on
TI's wireless, ultrasonic stylus and touchless gestures hands-on
ViewSonic ViewPad E70 and G70 hands-on
ViewSonic ViewPhone 4s hands-on
ViewSonic's ViewPhone 4e hands-on
ZTE's quad-core Era hands-on

Sony Google TV update rolling out, if you want to root your time is now

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 06:46 AM PST

Looking to get some unblocked Hulu or other Flash streaming action on your Sony Google TV hardware? It may be in your best interest to grab the cracked software right away The folks at GTVHacker warned an update blocking the security hole exploited by their downgrader tool would be on the way, and now it has appeared, sporting an ambiguous "operating system stability" reason for existing. Hit the source link to find out everything that can be achieved with a modified kernel and what it will take to get things running on your TV or Blu-ray player.

Authorities decrypt laptop without defendant's help, Fifth Amendment need not apply

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 05:02 AM PST

Constitutional junkies have had their eyes on Colorado for awhile now, because a federal judge there ordered a woman to decrypt her hard drive in a criminal trial. This, despite her cries that doing so would violate her Fifth Amendment right to be free from self-incrimination. The argument is now moot, as authorities have managed to access the laptop's data without any aid from the defendant, thereby obviating any Constitutional conundrums. Who knows if the feds found the evidence of bank-fraud they were looking for, or whether it was brute force or a lucky guess that did the trick, but at least we can say it's the last of the laptop-related Fifth Amendment court cases for awhile, right?

Smartphones spread out: Pew says 46 percent of US adults now own one

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 02:40 AM PST

Our master plan is slowly working, and soon every man and woman in our great nation will own a smartphone. Pew Research Center reports that just under half of adult Americans, or 46 percent, own smartphones currently, meaning that smartphone owners now outnumber their feature phone counterparts by five percent. Pew polled multiple demographics to get its numbers, and there was growth across the board over the last nine months. Of particular interest is the rise in ownership in the study's lowest income demographic -- under $30,000 a year -- which spiked 12 percent to 34 percent. Additionally, it showed that Android and Apple are neck and neck, with 20 and 19 percent market share of mobile owners, respectively, and Blackberry ownership declined from ten percent to six percent. The largest growth came from the 18-24 age group, up 18 to 67 percent. (Who do you think is doing all that checking in on Foursquare?). Of course, you know what they say about statistics, so head on down to the source for a full accounting and form your own opinion of what they mean.

Virgin Media TiVo rolling out Red Button interactive TV services for Premier League and more

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 12:07 AM PST

While there's no doubt that Virgin Media customers have taken well to the company's TiVo HD DVR offering, so far switching has meant giving up certain interactive TV services supported elsewhere. they're getting one back now, as the company announced it's kicking off the rollout of Red Button interactivity to the TiVo on Sky Sports HD, letting footy fans catch more extended highlights of Premier League games. There's more on the way too, with support planned for the upcoming F1 channel and BBC services in April. Check out the press release after the break for more details on what will be supported and when, assuming one will be watching the games on TV instead of diving into hooliganism, or whatever it is fans of football do, we'll keep our handegg thank you very much.
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Sky Sports Interactive Red Button services start to roll out on TiVo

Virgin Media today started the roll-out of next generation red button services for its TiVo-powered digital TV service.

With 2012 promising to bring Brits a stunning year of sport, customers with Virgin Media's TiVo service will now able to take advantage of a whole host of sporting extras, including multi-screen services becoming available through the red button. Red Button interactive services form part of an exciting roadmap of new features and functionality destined for TiVo throughout the year.

Leading the line-up of services through TiVo are interactive Sky Sports Red Button services. From today Sky Sports* and Sky Sports HD** subscribers on TiVo will be able to take full advantage of interactivity provided by multiple background events, allowing customers to enjoy more of their favourite sports through alternative views. On Saturday 3rd March Football First also makes its debut through the Red Button on TiVo, giving die-hard footy fans the ability to catch extended highlights from Premier League games.

Following the launch of Sky Sports Red Button services on TiVo, further interactive services will be added over the coming weeks and months. Sky has also developed interactive Red Button services for the launch of its Sky Sports F1™ channel which Virgin Media digital TV customers will also be able to take advantage of.

Simon Hunt, Product Director of TV at Virgin Media said: "With so much excitement building for the biggest sporting events this year we know our customers are going to love the extra dimension these interactive services will bring. From clips and interviews to selectable camera angles and even red button exclusive shows, we're thrilled to offer Sky Sports subscribers on Virgin Media new ways to experience their favourite sports with even more depth than ever before."

Virgin Media is working with a variety of partners for a range of new apps and next generation interactive services to make the most of the advanced features and connectivity built into the TiVo service. For further information about Virgin Media's TiVo Service visit www.virginmedia.com/tivo.

Apple crosses 25 billion App Store downloads, thanks all the little people

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 09:29 PM PST

If you've ever downloaded an app from iTunes then congratulations, you are a part of history. Just a few minutes ago Apple notched its 25 billionth download, thanking all involved for getting there, and of course (like it did for 10 billion, and 1 billion), gifting the lucky individual who crossed the line with another $10k gift card. Not sure what you would buy with $10,000 in App Store bucks? That's ok, since you probably don't have it, but don't forget -- our official Engadget and Distro apps are free, and will love you back all the same. Remember way back in 2008 when all this was fresh and new? Relive the iPhone SDK press conference via our liveblog right here.

[Thanks, Sam]

YouTube Android app update brings HD video streaming to 'capable' 2.2+ devices

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 07:11 PM PST

Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich Android-running hardware has had access to HD resolution YouTube streams since launch (as seen above), but an update to the app that rolled out yesterday finally brings HD to some devices running Froyo or Gingerbread. The catch is that YouTube HD res won't work on every Android 2.2 or 2.3 phone or tablet, as we're told it is set dynamically based on screen size and resolution. Another quirk is that some devices still won't install the updated version directly from the Market, like our Epic 4G Touch. Still, assuming you can snag the update -- through official or unofficial means -- if you have the pixels to spare you should see upgraded video quality from now on.

[Thanks, Gideon]

Nintendo says it refuses to 'succumb to patent trolls' as it wins Maryland case

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 05:47 PM PST

Nintendo issued a fairly terse press release earlier today, announcing that it has prevailed in a US patent lawsuit for the "third consecutive time this year." That particular case concerned Nintendo's Wii Balance Board accessory and Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus software, which a company called IA Labs said infringed on one of its patents (No. 7,121,982); a claim that was dismissed by the Maryland District Court judge in the case. IA Labs was also more or less dismissed as a company by Nintendo's senior vice president of legal and general counsel Rick Flamm, who said that "we vigorously defend patent lawsuits when we firmly believe that we have not infringed another party's patent," and that "we refuse to succumb to patent trolls." The company's full statement can be found after the break.
Show full PR text
Nintendo Prevails in Maryland Patent Suit

U.S. District Court Judge Says No Need for Jury Trial

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For the third consecutive time this year, Nintendo has prevailed in a patent litigation in the U.S. A Maryland U.S. District Court judge has summarily dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nintendo brought by IA Labs CA, LLC. IA Labs had alleged that the Wii Balance Board accessory and Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus software infringed on one of its patents (U.S. Patent No. 7,121,982).

"Nintendo has a passionate tradition of developing innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others. We vigorously defend patent lawsuits when we firmly believe that we have not infringed another party's patent. We refuse to succumb to patent trolls," said Rick Flamm, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of Legal & General Counsel.

For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 620 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company's website at http://www.nintendo.com.

Note to editors: Nintendo press materials are available at http://press.nintendo.com, a password-protected site. To obtain a login, please contact Deanna Talamantez at 213-438-8742 or dtalamantez@golinharris.com. Users can receive instant Nintendo information by subscribing to the site's RSS feed.

ITC to review its decision on Microsoft, Motorola patent case

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 04:25 PM PST

Remember back in December when the International Trade Commission ruled on a Microsoft complaint from 2010 that Motorola's Android products infringed on seven of its patents, siding with Microsoft initially on one of them? Since that's so hard to forget, it probably comes as no surprise to hear that the ITC announced today it would review the decision in part, as Motorola noted in its press release at the time. Don't expect a final ruling for another month or so (we'd keep that NFL Draft window clear if we were you), but if you're looking for details, FOSSPatents has the notes on which segments are under review. Don't worry if you miss a step though, we'll be sure to let you know once it's all over (hint: it will never, ever be over.)

Nokia keeps it 'amazing everyday' in the US, gives Lumia 710 owners free colorful covers

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 04:02 PM PST

If you've snagged one of those Mango-packing Lumia 710s but were quietly wishing to add some colorful spice to it, Nokia's got something in the works for you. That's if, you live in the States, and can bust out a mighty proof of purchase. Once those credentials are in order, you'll need to head over to the promo site and pop in a bit of personal info along with the must-have IMEI digits. The Finnish freebies will let you grab a single Xpress-on cover that comes in a variety of colors, including cyan, fuchsia, yellow and white. There's no word as to when, or if, the nice gesture will hit folks from other countries. That said, those of you meeting the requirements can take advantage by giving the source link below a quick click. And, be sure to let us know how it all worked out.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance sets a fire in the FCC

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 03:08 PM PST

Where you may see GT-I9070P, we see a variant of Samsung's Galaxy S Advance that's been pushed through the FCC's sausage machine and lived to tell the tale. We gave the mid-range handset a thorough going-over at MWC, where we found it to be attractive for a phone of its modest stature. It's got the usual array of GSM/GPRS/EDGE and vanilla-HSPA bands we'd expect a budget handset to include, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC. Now that it's emerged from the FCC, we can start hoping a domestic version of the device will arrive, but it's more likely this is just for those weary travelers from far-flung lands.

Apple name-drops Corning as iPhone glass manufacturer, we feign surprise

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 02:27 PM PST

For a company so focused on secrecy, Apple never really did all that good of a job keeping its connection with Corning under wraps. We've always suspected that the company enlisted the Gorilla Glass maker for the iPhone, though it didn't really go out of its way to admit it -- even going so far as omitting the New York-based company from its 2011 suppliers list. Cupertino offered it a little love today, however, giving Corning a nod in its chipper job creation report. While it didn't actually mention Gorilla Glass by name on the page, Apple was happy to talk up the "Corning employees in Kentucky and New York who create the majority of the glass for iPhone."

ASUS Eee PC Flare 1025C netbook up for preorder, ships March 10th for $299

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 01:47 PM PST

If netbooks are your cup of tea and you've been waiting to get your hands on an ASUS Eee PC Flare 1025C like we did back at CES, you're in luck. Matte Black and White color options are up for preorder now from Amazon. Get ready to part with $300 for one of the available schemes, as the kit is set to ship out next week. If you recall, the 10.1-inch netbook packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N2600 dual-core processor, 1,024 x 600 LED display, 1GB of DDR3-1333 memory, a 320GB 5,400RPM hard drive and weighs-in at just under three pounds. The PC's six-cell, 56WHr battery touts a 12.5 hour life span, giving you ample time to submit those TPS reports sans outlet. If you're looking for all the fine details, hit the coverage link below before committing.

WSJ: Target, Walmart, other retailers teaming up to take on Google Wallet

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 01:09 PM PST

Google's certainly not alone in its vision of a future in which the smartphone makes credit cards go the way of the Palm Pilot. The software giant may have gotten a bit of a head start on some of the others, but it's already got some stiff competition in the form of the carrier-led Isis and a slew of new initiatives unveiled at MWC. According The Wall Street Journal, the field may soon be getting even more stiff competition. Walmart and Target have reportedly joined two dozen or so fellow retailers to develop a mobile payment system to call their own. While most of the participants have yet to be named, the list includes a pretty broad spectrum of companies, including fast food joints, big box retailers and drug stores. Google, for one, welcomes such competition, telling the paper, "We think it's great that there are other companies innovating in the payments space. This will create more choice for consumers, and in the end we believe choice is a good thing." No word on when exactly the initiative is set to launch.

Engadget Podcast 283 - 03.02.2012

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 12:37 PM PST

Sorry to be forward, but we think we know you pretty well, and it seems like you haven't had enough MWC or Windows 8 or iPad 3 chat in your life, and we just wanted to help, so we did this! Enjoy.

Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guest: Michael Gorman
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Orbital - Never

00:03:45 - Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview detailed impressions
00:30:45 - Sony Xperia U hands-on (update: video!)
00:32:00 - Sony Xperia P hands-on (video)
00:34:04 - AT&T HTC One X hands-on
00:37:05 - ASUS Padfone formally unveiled: 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon S4 CPU, ICS, HSPA+, coming in April
00:42:55 - Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on (video)
00:48:45 - Mozilla Boot to Gecko hands-on (video)
00:53:30 - iPad 3 rumor roundup




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

Splashtop THD lands on ICS Tegra 3 tabs, ready to stream full-screen Skyrim

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 12:02 PM PST

Splashtop is one of the premier remote desktop apps out there and, at CES, we got a pretty sweet demo of it pushing full screen games and HD video from a Windows 7 PC to a Tegra 3 tablet. Now that version (THD) is available for download in the Android Market for $6.99. Of course, you'll need a Tegra 3 slate running Ice Cream Sandwich to take advantage, while playing Skyrim in full screen has the added requirement of PC sporting a GeForce GPU. Once you've gotten those basic requirements out of the way you'll still want to make sure you've got a solid and quick wireless connection -- all the processing power in the world won't be able to compensate for a lack of bandwidth. Check out the video after the break to see it in action and hit up the source link to buy it yourself.

Ford Focus gets EPA rating: 105 MPGe, 76-mile range

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 11:35 AM PST

The EPA has finished its usual gauntlet of tests and has found that this year's Ford Focus Electric is the most efficient five-seater in America. The agency certified that it gets 105 miles to the electric equivalent to the gallon (divided between 110MPGe in the city and 99MPGe on the highway), which is better than Ford's own claim of just 100MPGe. The company's found cause to celebrate the milestone and throw a few jabs at its closest rival, the Nissan Leaf. In fact, you could say that the House that Henry built has a bit of a complex about the leafy EV -- in the press release we've got for you after the break, it mentions the rival vehicle no less than nine times.
Show full PR text
Ford Focus Electric Becomes America's Most Fuel-Efficient Five-Passenger Vehicle with 110 MPGe EPA Rating

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certifies the 2012 Ford Focus Electric as America's most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle with a 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city rating

Focus Electric achieves a combined rating of 105 MPGe, topping Nissan Leaf by 6 MPGe while also offering more motor power, passenger room and standard features

Customers can make more use of this efficiency with Ford's faster charging technology that can recharge Focus Electric in about half the time of Nissan Leaf

Ford gives customers the power of choice with 10 fuel-efficiency leaders across segments and powertrain technologies

DEARBORN, Mich., March 2, 2012 – Ford's all-new Focus Electric is now officially America's most fuel-efficient five-passenger car with a certified 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city rating and 99 MPGe on the highway.

Focus Electric also has been certified by the EPA to offer 105 MPGe combined, beating Nissan Leaf by 6 MPGe while offering more motor power and more standard features. Focus Electric's 99 MPGe highway certification bests the 92 MPGe rating for the Leaf.

Focus Electric bests Nissan Leaf in other ways, too – more passenger room and a faster charging system that allows for a full recharge in nearly half the time of Nissan Leaf.

The Focus line soon will be joined by the new 2013 Ford Fusion – aiming to be America's most fuel-efficient gas- and hybrid-powered midsize sedans – to help create one of the industry's most fuel-efficient car lineups. The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is projected to become the world's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan by achieving more than 100 MPGe in electric mode.

"Ford is giving customers the power of choice for leading fuel economy regardless of what type of vehicle or powertrain technology they choose," said Eric Kuehn, chief nameplate engineer, Focus Electric. "The Focus and Fusion are great examples of how we transformed our fleet of cars, utilities and trucks with leading fuel efficiency."

The EPA-approved Focus Electric label also certifies that the car has a range of 76 miles on a single charge compared with the 73-mile range of the Leaf. The Focus Electric can be driven up to 100 miles on a single charge depending on driving habits. The average driver drives 29 miles a day, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website.

The approved label also will say customers could save $9,700 in fuel costs over the course of five years compared with the average new vehicle. Comparative savings could go even higher if the current trend of rising gas prices continues. In California alone, the cost for a gallon of gas rose 20 cents in a seven-day period that ended last week.

Fuel-efficiency champs
Focus Electric is the flagship of Ford's transformed lineup that features 10 vehicles with leading fuel economy. Ford's other fuel-efficiency leaders include:


2013 Fusion 1.6-liter EcoBoost: Projected 37 mpg highway that would make it America's most fuel-efficient non-rechargeable midsize sedan
2013 Escape 1.6-liter EcoBoost: Expected to be the most fuel-efficient crossover of its kind with 33 mpg highway
2013 Taurus 2.0-liter EcoBoost: Expected to deliver best-in-class 31 mpg highway
2012 Edge 2.0-liter EcoBoost: Delivers 30 mpg highway, besting all SUVs its size or larger and even some cars such as the Honda Civic Si
2012 Explorer 2.0-liter EcoBoost: One of the most fuel-efficient seven-passenger SUVs on the market, delivering 28 mpg highway
2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: Aiming to become the world's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan with a projected 100 MPGe rating
2013 Fusion Hybrid: Expected to become the world's most fuel-efficient non-rechargeable midsize sedan with 47 mpg
2012 Fiesta: Offers up to 40 mpg highway and class-leading 33 mpg combined rating
2012 F-150: The most fuel-efficient full-size pickup, with V6 models delivering best-in-class 23 mpg highway and 17 mpg city

"We've been working for three years to make the Focus Electric America's most fuel-efficient vehicle of its kind," said Chuck Gray, Ford chief engineer of Global Core Engineering Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. "The entire group feels like a sports team that has just won a major championship. It's a good feeling to be at this point now."

Unlike competitors that have designed electric and hybrid vehicles from scratch, Focus Electric benefits from being based on the fuel version of Ford's global C-segment car.

"Focus Electric shares many of the same premium components and features as its gasoline-powered counterpart while delivering distinct efficiencies and a uniquely exciting driving experience," said Kuehn.

In addition to boosting quality, Ford's strategic decision to electrify vehicle platforms – instead of creating one-off vehicles – allows the company to offer customers more choices as part of its fuel-efficient product lineup.

Elec-tech
Focus Electric features an advanced charging system that allows the car's battery to fully recharge in four hours – nearly half the time of Nissan Leaf – using available 240-volt outlets that can be installed in residential garages.

Faster charging with 240 volts also can extend range as drivers can more quickly recharge between stops – up to 20 miles per charge hour – so they can significantly improve a car's range during a busy day of driving by recharging multiple times.

For those who need to charge up while away from home, the number of charging stations continues to rise. In the last 10 months the number of charging stations in the United States has risen from 750 to 5,507, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

To cut charging costs at home, a unique value charging feature powered by Microsoft is designed to help owners in the U.S. charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates, which can make charging the Focus Electric less costly than charging the Nissan Leaf.

Other standard features on Focus Electric include Ford's Rear View Camera System, MyKey®, rain-sensing windshield wipers and Reverse Sensing System.

Tech sharing
Many of the technologies in Focus Electric are shared across Ford's electrified vehicle lineup. Some of the shared or soon-to-be-shared features include:


SYNC® with MyFord Touch® offers multiple ways – including voice commands – for customers to manage and control their phone, navigation, entertainment and climate functions. Plug-in hybrids and all-electric models have additional options for monitoring information like battery state of charge
MyFord Mobile enables access via smartphone or Web-based interface to perform key tasks, such as monitoring a vehicle's state of charge and current range or locating charge stations and planning routes to find them
SmartGauge® with EcoGuide provides instantaneous fuel economy so drivers can adjust driving behavior accordingly if needed
Regenerative braking captures and reuses more than 95 percent of the braking energy normally lost during the braking process
Hybrid transmission, designed by Ford engineers in-house, is capable of operating at high speeds and in a smooth, fuel-efficient manner at the same time
Lithium-ion batteries – the lithium-ion battery pack in Focus Electric is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile component warranty
Charge port (for electric and plug-in vehicles), conveniently located on the driver's side and near the front of the car, activates a light ring that illuminates the port twice when plugged in. The light ring then illuminates in quadrants as the car charges. Each quadrant represents 25 percent of the maximum battery charge
Recycled fiber made from 100 percent post-consumer and post-industrial content is used in the seat fabric with the equivalent of 22 plastic, 16-ounce water bottles in each car

Official Roku remote app rolls out for Android

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 11:04 AM PST

After delivering its official remote app for iOS in December, Roku has quickly followed that up with a version for Android. Claiming compatibility with any Android 2.1+ device, it appears to have all the latest tweaks from the iPhone version already included, with a D-Pad and shortcuts to popular apps. Users can also do the same basic functions like add / remove / rate channels, control playback, and control multiple Rokus. Hit the Android Market at the link below to snag the free app for yourself or head over to Roku's blog to let it know if this is truly better than the numerous unofficial apps already available.

LG's MWC 2012 booth tour (video)

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 10:39 AM PST

MWC's over for this year, but while all those HDTVs, tethered phones and Android costumes are lovingly stored for the next big tech event, we reckon you need to feel what the biggest mobile event of the year encompasses. So we braved another packed product booth to give you a taste of what the week's been like. LG's getting the treatment this time, with visits to the Optimus Vu, Optimus 4X HD and the Optimus 3D Max. Move on after the break for the full guided tour.

at 11:46 AM

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