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- RIM's Thorsten Heins answers Globe & Mail readers' questions, is 'absolutely committed' to new timeline
- Nokia Lumia 910 pops up in developer tool, has us chasing phantoms
- Engadget emblem in Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor makes uncontrollable VTs more stylish
- Verizon Galaxy S III has locked bootloader (but it's been rooted anyway)
- BitTorrent Torque alpha puts file seeds on the web, makes desktop apps look stale
- Georgia Tech scientists developing biology-inspired system to give robot eyes more human-like motion
- Apple pulls out of EPEAT green registration, may not be able to sell computers to federal agencies
- Japanese group transmits electricity through 4-inch concrete block, could power cars on roads
- Samsung finds exploding Galaxy S III was due to 'external source', owner says it was a 'mistake'
- nTelos starts selling iPhone without contract, Apple's prepaid sphere grows a little larger
- 100 million smartphone owners in China getting free VoIP through messaging app Weixin
- Mozilla giving Thunderbird the (effective) axe, leaving its fate to the community
- Google Nexus 7 tablet gets mid-July arrival dates from Staples in US and Canada
- Prometheus Blu-ray extras leak reveals Second Screen app and 15 minutes of deleted scenes
- PSA: Samsung Galaxy S III for AT&T now in stores
- JBL's extra-tiny Soundfly BT wall outlet speaker gets spoiled by the FCC
- Furby gets a reboot for 2012, we go hands-on (video)
- ITU wants to bring smartphone makers to peace talks, hash out patent wars
- Facebook's App Center pokes its way into the UK, now available to you and your friends
- Samsung gets temporary stay on Galaxy Nexus ban in US while waiting for Apple response
- Droid Incredible 4G LTE review: Verizon gets an excellent smaller-sized Android phone
- Facebook and Yahoo! friends again, agree to patent cross-license
- Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET!
- Twitter brings search autocomplete to the web, helps find Biebs tweets in record time
- Scientists take mind-controlled robot for a stroll (video)
| Posted: 07 Jul 2012 11:03 AM PDT RIM CEO Thorsten Heins did a fair bit of talking to the media following the company's latest dose of bad news (in addition to penning his own op-ed), and he's now gone one step further by responding to some readers' questions for The Globe & Mail. While there's expectedly not a whole lot in the way of surprises, he did talk a bit more about the reasons for the BlackBerry 10 delay, noting that he "could still see some of the seams," and appears to have ruled out any further delays, saying that he is "absolutely committed" to the new timeline. He's also assured folks that the company will continue to support BlackBerry 7 devices "into the future," but reiterated that upgrading those devices to BB10 was out of the question. You can find all of his answers (10 of them) at the source link below. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia Lumia 910 pops up in developer tool, has us chasing phantoms Posted: 07 Jul 2012 09:41 AM PDT The often rumored Nokia Lumia 910 has proven to be an ephemeral spirit so far. If the company's Remote Developer Access tool is an indicator, though, it may become corporeal before too long. A Nokiapoweruser reader has spotted the phone's name hanging out as one of the selectable devices. Unfortunately, we're not getting much more than that: there's no hardware specifications lurking about that we know of. Earlier rumors had it being a slight spin on the Lumia 900 with a 12-megapixel camera and even a Verizon edition, but the lack of hard evidence outside of the name may leave us all wondering for some time yet as to what Espoo's flagship might get in a refresh. We won't be shocked if any future overhaul waits for Microsoft's latest and greatest platform to arrive. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget emblem in Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor makes uncontrollable VTs more stylish Posted: 07 Jul 2012 07:26 AM PDT Fans of the Steel Battalion series will remember fondly showing off that massive, 40 button controller to their friends and, for a time, feeling like the most hardcore gamer on the planet. Those days are sadly gone, that amazing controller not compatible with the Xbox 360, but of course these days you are the controller. Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor is the latest, Kinect-powered entry to the series and if you look around you'll find the above, your very own Engadget logo that you can plaster all over your Vertical Tank. While we've had limited time with the game, we have to echo the sentiment of our friends over at Joystiq who conclude that the controls are, well, broken to put it mildly. But hey, dig that logo! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verizon Galaxy S III has locked bootloader (but it's been rooted anyway) Posted: 07 Jul 2012 05:04 AM PDT Based on Samsung's hacker-friendly track record, you'd generally expect one of it smartphones to come with an unlocked bootloader, making it easy to update or tweak with unofficial ROMs. That's not the case with Verizon's imminent version of the Galaxy S III, however. As the folk at XDA know only too well, this particular iteration of Sammy's flagship comes with a sealed bootloader, which makes it resistant (though not impervious) to hackery. Of course, Sammy has nothing to gain from snubbing the modding community in this way, so it stands to reason that VZW pushed the Korean manufacturer to supply them with a locked bootloader -- despite the fact that all other variants have been left open. We've reached out to Big Red for comment, but in the meantime a clever soul over at Rootzwiki claims they've already found a workaround for root access. (At this point, though, we'd better provide our usual disclaimer: be very careful before you poke around in there, because going up against a locked bootloader can be risky. The apparent safety of modern life is just a shallow skin atop an ocean of blood, guts and bricked devices.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BitTorrent Torque alpha puts file seeds on the web, makes desktop apps look stale Posted: 07 Jul 2012 03:16 AM PDT Almost without fail, BitTorrent downloads have had to spread through a dedicated client, whether it's on the desktop or a router. Thankfully, BitTorrent Torque has just come in alpha form to liberate the peer download service from its software chains. All that's needed now is a web browser that can parse a JavaScript app. Going the new route gives some freedom to enable sharing that hasn't always been practical: among the tricks in the company's Torque Labs are drag-and-drop sharing, conversion of torrents into traditional downloads and easing the burden on a server for video streaming. The alpha stage leaves Torque with awhile to go before it's ready for the limelight, but experimenters can hit the source link to start tinkering with distributed file sharing today. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech scientists developing biology-inspired system to give robot eyes more human-like motion Posted: 07 Jul 2012 01:12 AM PDT Having difficulty getting your robot parts to work as planned? Turn to nature -- or better yet, look inside yourself. After all, where better to find inspiration than the humans that the machines will one day enslave, right? Researchers at Georgia Tech have been working to develop a system to control cameras in robots that utilizes similar functionality as human muscle. Says Ph.D. candidate Joshua Schultz,
The team recently showed off their work at the EEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics in Rome. When fully developed, they anticipate that the piezoelectric system could be used for MRI-based surgery, rehabilitation and research of the human eye. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple pulls out of EPEAT green registration, may not be able to sell computers to federal agencies Posted: 06 Jul 2012 11:18 PM PDT Apple has withdrawn all its laptop and desktop computers from the EPEAT environmental rating system, including older MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. According to iFixit, who recently tore down a MacBook Pro and its retina screen, that's likely related to a design direction favoring smaller, lighter notebooks and longer battery life. Doing so required them to glue the cells to the aluminum shell, making it impossible to recycle the case and other parts -- iFixit couldn't pull the batteries out without spilling the (highly toxic) battery guts all over. Cupertino's decision means that many federal agencies might not be able to buy those products, since 95 percent of its electronics purchasing must conform to the EPEAT standard. On top of that, many educational institutions that require the certification would also need to opt out of Mac purchases, as well as large corporations like HSBC and Ford. Currently, iPhones and iPads are exempt from that certification, but considering recent ads from Apple specifically touting its conformance to EPEAT, the company might have some 'splaining to do. [Image credit: iFixit] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japanese group transmits electricity through 4-inch concrete block, could power cars on roads Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:58 PM PDT The decision to invest in an electric vehicle would be much easier to justify if the car in question offered unlimited range. That appears to be the concept behind a Toyohashi University research group's wireless power prototype, which can successfully transmit electricity through a 10 centimeter-thick concrete block. During a demonstration in Yokohama, Japan, the team sent between 50 and 60 watts of power through a pair of concrete blocks to two tires, which then juiced up a light bulb (you can see the rig just above). The project is called EVER (Electric Vehicle on Electrified Roadway), and could someday be used to keep cars moving along a highway without any need to pull over for a recharge, thanks to a constant stream of electricity coming from below the road. There are some serious obstacles to overcome before EVER can get some wheels turning -- namely, a need to pump nearly 100 times the current maximum load through concrete that's twice as thick as what they've managed today, not to mention improving undisclosed efficiency levels -- but the group reportedly said that it's up to the task, making us fairly optimistic that such a solution could one day get us from A to B without petrol. Until then, you'll probably want to plan out a pit stop or two before you leave the garage. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung finds exploding Galaxy S III was due to 'external source', owner says it was a 'mistake' Posted: 06 Jul 2012 08:36 PM PDT Remember the melted Samsung Galaxy S III that surfaced in an Irish forum a few weeks ago? Samsung said they were looking into it and, along with a third party investigation, have decided it occurred as a result of "external energy" being applied to the device, not anything from within the phone itself. The damage is apparently consistent with the phone going in the microwave. The original poster dillo2k10 has posted an update on Boards.ie, indicating it was a mistake by someone else in an attempt to recover the phone after it got wet. The Samsung Tomorrow post linked cites a report from Fire Investigations UK finding that the phone itself was not responsible for generating the heat that caused the damage, so GSIII owners (and the pockets of their skinny jeans) should be able to breathe easier. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| nTelos starts selling iPhone without contract, Apple's prepaid sphere grows a little larger Posted: 06 Jul 2012 08:33 PM PDT Virginia's nTelos was part of a big regional carrier push for the iPhone in April. At the time, though, the only real option at the carrier was to spring for one of the company's full-fledged smartphone plans, usually on-contract -- not a bad value at $80, but a tougher case to make when there's Cricket and Virgin Mobile iPhones available with a cheaper rate. As of today, nTelos is offering a much sweeter deal for the commitment-phobic. If the $550-plus full price of an iPhone 4 or 4S stays palatable, the option is now open to go prepaid at $55 a month for unlimited voice, messaging and data with nTelos' FRAWG Nationwide Unlimited Everything plan. You'll still want to reside in the state for nTelos to truly make sense, but if you regularly cheer the Hokies with pride, going the Apple route just got a lot more flexible. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 100 million smartphone owners in China getting free VoIP through messaging app Weixin Posted: 06 Jul 2012 07:27 PM PDT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mozilla giving Thunderbird the (effective) axe, leaving its fate to the community Posted: 06 Jul 2012 06:19 PM PDT Mozilla's Thunderbird mail client just hasn't enjoyed the same level of stardom as its Firefox cousin. Their developer must be feeling this discrepancy more than most, as the company has confirmed plans to take the organization out of active Thunderbird development. The shift is officially being spun as an adaptation that lets the Foundation center its energy on Firefox OS and the usual browser plans, but when Mozilla proper will only be handling bug fixes and security updates for a client that's "not a priority," we'd say it's putting Thunderbird on ice. Accordingly, leaked details from TechCrunch show Mozilla moving some of the team out of the project at some point; any new features will have to come from the community, which suggests the future upgrade schedule will be more than a bit unpredictable. The writing is on the wall soon enough that existing owners could have food for thought well before a final strategy is due in early September. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Nexus 7 tablet gets mid-July arrival dates from Staples in US and Canada Posted: 06 Jul 2012 05:22 PM PDT It's no secret that both the 8GB and 16GB variants of Google's Nexus 7 have been set to ship in two to three weeks from pre-orders placed at its Play store. While retailers like Gamestop are also remaining mum on specifics, Staples has stepped up with actual arrival dates on its US and Canadian websites for the 16GB model. Apparently, fast fingers within the United 50 that lay out $250 to reserve one of the Jelly Bean-loaded slates by July 10 can expect it to arrive as early as the 13th -- that said, Staples notes that this "limited quantity" of initial stock is set to ship "between July 12th and July 17th." Heading to Staple's site for the Great White North, the tablet is listed to hit shelves in-stores and online on the 23rd for 259 Canadian dollars, however, there's no word on when online orders might ship. We'd still advise you to take these dates with some NaCl at this point, but it's likely a safe to bet that you'll have yours before August if you place an order soon. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prometheus Blu-ray extras leak reveals Second Screen app and 15 minutes of deleted scenes Posted: 06 Jul 2012 04:47 PM PDT While Ridley Scott's Prometheus is still in theaters, it's been available for preorder on Blu-ray 3D since before the flick debuted, and now Amazon France has exposed the full list of extras on the way. The bad news, pointed out by Movies.com and Prometheus Forum, is that those anticipating a classic Ridley Scott Director's Cut to fill in plot holes appear to be in for a disappointment -- while there are 15 minutes of extended / cut scenes, there's no indication that you'll be able to watch the movie with them reinserted. There are a lot of other extras, including a director's commentary, extensive making-of featurettes, many of the short viral videos that were posted previously and production materials, along with a Second Screen iPad app. The specific set listed includes the other Alien flicks, but since we're sure you've already snagged the Anthology with its MU-TH-UR interactive mode you'll probably be looking for a more limited release. The release date for the set remains October 9th, hit the source link for the listing or check out the full list of features and a trailer after the break. Disc 1 (Prometheus 2D) (+150 minutes of bonuses): Disc 2 (Prometheus 3D): Disc 3 (Bonus material): | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PSA: Samsung Galaxy S III for AT&T now in stores Posted: 06 Jul 2012 04:14 PM PDT Samsung's current US trinity is now complete: the AT&T Galaxy S III is sitting on store shelves. After the somewhat bumpy launch, it's possible to traipse by any of Big Blue's stores and pick up the Android 4.0 flagship in marble white or pebble blue for $200 on a contract. It's the definitive GSM version for the US, with LTE giving it an edge over the HSPA+ T-Mobile model; we just wish there was an AT&T variant with 32GB of storage built-in, although that's nothing a microSD card won't fix. We just need to wait for US Cellular and Verizon to complete the launch and put Nature UX in seemingly every pocket. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| JBL's extra-tiny Soundfly BT wall outlet speaker gets spoiled by the FCC Posted: 06 Jul 2012 03:46 PM PDT JBL is known for its portable speakers, but an FCC filing has revealed that it's willing to make speakers that are almost inconspicuous. The Soundfly BT would represent your everyday Bluetooth speaker save for the very uncommon ability to optionally plug directly into a wall outlet, skipping the power cord. Shades of the previous-generation AirPort Express, anyone? There's not much mystery in other areas, but the 20W stereo output is unusually powerful for something small enough to hang off of a hotel room's power port. Between the manual and live photos, about the only riddles left are the Soundfly BT's official release date and price. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Furby gets a reboot for 2012, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 06 Jul 2012 02:58 PM PDT Of all the childhood toys to update for the early 21st century, the Furby seems like a no-brainer. After all, the hairy ball of amalgamated animal strangeness packed in electronics so baffled the general public that it managed to get itself banned from the Pentagon as a threat to national security. After the Furby was first decommissioned in 2000 (managing to sell an impressive 40 million units in its first three years), Hasbro attempted to revamp the line in 2005 with Emtro-Tronic Furbies, bigger versions of the toy that brought increased facial emotions and voice recognition, failing to recapture the success of the original line. The latest addition to the line marks a much more significant update for our old furry pal, bringing him up-to-date for a generation growing up with smartphones and tablets, with revamped aesthetics, new innards and an appetite for Apple's iPad. We managed to get our hands on the squirming and verbose little Mogwai-esque creature -- four of them in fact -- for a bit, when Hasbro popped by our office with a furry blue army packed in a duffel bag. Check out some impressions of the reborn furball after the break.
It's immediately clear, right off the bat, that we're not dealing with your older sister's Furby here. Those big, white, glowing eyes get you immediately. In place of those familiar plastic spheres are two big LCDs that comprise roughly a third of Furby's body. The new eyes significantly contribute to Furby's range of emotions, allowing Hasbro to design different dot matrix pupils for different moods like anger and innocence. Graphics are in the mix as well, with images of things like rainbows and two-finger peace signs cycling through the mix. As with his predecessor, this Furby's got eyelids, though they play a fairly limited role, like opening up when it wakes up from sleep mode. Beyond the eyes, Furby looks largely similar to earlier units, if "slightly larger," according to Hasbro's measurements. Our unit was covered in thick, neon blue fur. At launch, it will be available in six colors, that number jumping to 10 by the holidays. His tail, plush feet and moving pointed plastic ears are all a slightly lighter shade. In the middle of its forehead is a black marking -- it doesn't actually serve a particular function, instead serving as a "legacy" design, where the toy's IR sensors once lived. Just below his eyes is a yellow beak that opens and closes as it speaks. Inside is a red tongue. Pressing down on this starts Furby chewing as though it were being fed. Furby's also got capacitive sensors in its head, stomach (also home to its internal mic), back and sides that react to touching such as tickling. A mechanical tilt switch lives inside of it, so Furby knows when you're jostling it around or holding it by the tail. These sort of interactions will alter Furby's character, sending it into a transformation with flashing eyes. We saw a slew of different moods between the four units Hasbro brought in, including an angry one with pointed pupils that sings Sabbath-like riffs and an extroverted Valley Girl-esque mood. Furby's mood is also affected by speech (be it from you or fellow Furbies). The more you speak, the more chatty it becomes -- speak enough and will begin incorporating more English words into its speech. For those having trouble with the famous Furby language, there's an app for that. The free Furby iOS app (available this month) offers up a translator that will listen to its speech and spit out its English equivalent. The app also features a dictionary and meals for Furby, which are served up by flicking them in its general direction. Unlike, say, a Tamagotchi (or, you know, a real animal), Furby won't die if you don't feed it -- though it may get cranky. Furby also has no OFF switch, so the potential to drive parents nuts is fairly high. Leave it alone long enough, however, and it'll get tired, start snoring and eventually just fall asleep. You can rouse it back with a little bit of interaction.
Furby's certainly a fascination. All those who saw us playing with the creature were immediately transfixed, be it due to nostalgia for Furbies gone by, or fascination with this strange new creature. Interacting with the toy is pretty all encompassing off the bat, trying to get it to run the full cycle of mood swings -- we managed to turn it from angry to precocious in the space of a few minutes. And certainly the addition of smartphone / tablet interactivity helps. However, unless you're willing to spring for a couple to keep each other company and are under the age of, say, 10, you might want to learn the Furbish word for "bored." The new, tech-savvy Furby will run you $60 when it hits this fall.
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| ITU wants to bring smartphone makers to peace talks, hash out patent wars Posted: 06 Jul 2012 02:44 PM PDT The United Nations defines the stereotype of a peace broker, so it's not that far-fetched to hear that its International Telecommunication Union (ITU) wing is hoping to step in and cool down the rapidly escalating patent world war. The organization plans to convene a Patent Roundtable on October 10th -- in neutral Geneva, Switzerland, of course -- to have smartphone makers, governments and standards groups try and resolve some of their differences. Those mostly concerned about Apple's actions won't be happy with the focus of the sit-down, however. Most of the attention will surround allegations that companies are abusing standards-based patents, which will put the heat largely on a Google-owned Motorola as well as Samsung. Still, there's hope when the the ITU's Secretary-General Dr. Hamadoun Touré talks of desiring a "balancing act" between what patent holders want and what customers need. Our real hope is that we don't have to hear talk of customs delays and product bans for a long while afterwards. [Image credit: Patrick Gruban, Flickr] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook's App Center pokes its way into the UK, now available to you and your friends Posted: 06 Jul 2012 02:19 PM PDT It's been nearly a month since we saw Facebook officially introduce us to its newly minted App Center, and now Zuck & Co. are taking the application-loaded service to internet grounds over in the UK. Facebook's App Center in the Kingdom (or, as UKers call it, App Centre) won't be much different in comparison to its American counterpart, thus you'll still be able to grab all those big-name apps like the network's own Instagram, Draw Something, Spotify and Pinterest -- of course, there's over 600 others to choose from. In addition to these, though, there are some Euro-specific additions to the application mix, including Deezer's music streaming goods. Eager to find out what all the App Centre fuss is about? Then head over to the source below, where you'll be able to poke around it yourself. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung gets temporary stay on Galaxy Nexus ban in US while waiting for Apple response Posted: 06 Jul 2012 02:08 PM PDT Samsung is getting just a bit of respite from the ban on the Galaxy Nexus, after all: Judge Lucy Koh has granted Samsung's request for a temporary halt to the ban while waiting on Apple's response on the subject, due July 12th. That's not much of a break, but it lets Google resume selling the phone on Google Play for several more days before there's a more definitive consideration on the merits of a preliminary injunction. We're still seeing the Android 4.1 phone listed only as "coming soon," but it may just be a matter of hours before Jelly Bean lovers get another taste. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Droid Incredible 4G LTE review: Verizon gets an excellent smaller-sized Android phone Posted: 06 Jul 2012 01:31 PM PDT It's hard to underestimate the value of brand loyalty. Just ask Verizon Wireless. It's with satisfied Incredible and Incredible 2 owners in mind that the carrier is promoting the Droid Incredible 4G LTE, a 4-inch, $149 device that -- as you may have guessed -- rides along VZW's fast LTE network. More InfoInterestingly, the Incredible 4G LTE is landing at a time when many consumers might have preferred, say, the HTC One X. In fact, though, Verizon's decision to instead update the Incredible (also made by HTC) introduces a rather enviable proposition to Verizon customers. Remember that in a short matter of time, the Samsung Galaxy S III will soon make its debut at Verizon, at which point, it's expected to become the network's premiere smartphone. Still, its large size will deter many shoppers, and when viewed through this lens, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE begins to make sense. Put simply, it's a compact handset that stands as the antithesis to the assumption that size equals power. While the handset doesn't quite approach the capabilities or elegance of the One X (or the One S, for that matter), the latest Incredible is a worthy successor and deserves consideration as your next smartphone -- regardless of your current provider. Read on to learn why. Hardware
Go ahead and raise your hand if you were surprised that the Rezound wasn't christened as part of the Incredible lineup. Given the cosmetic similarities, you'd be forgiven. Perhaps it was the phone's larger 4.3-inch display that ultimately dictated its fate, but Incredible fans will be pleased to know that the industrial design of the Droid Incredible 4G LTE is remarkably similar to its forebears. The phone maintains roughly the same dimensions and weight as the previous iterations, and features bold, beveled lines around back. Purists will appreciate that the original Incredible's red accents have returned, which are evident on the front speaker grille, the power button and camera pod. Thankfully, the latest Incredible is remarkably more comfortable to hold -- especially in comparison to the first generation -- as the beveled edges now flow into gentle curves along the side that allow the phone to fit naturally in one's palm. The soft-touch rear cover has also gained a nice textured finish, which adds to the overall visual appeal and makes the handset easier to grip. HTC has also updated the capacitive navigation buttons, which now fall in line with the scheme of the One lineup. While the external changes to the Droid Incredible 4G LTE are rather modest, the real story lurks within -- and it's a thriller. Based on the Snapdragon S4 from Qualcomm, the phone sports a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and an Adreno 225 GPU. We'll discuss performance details a bit later, but quite simply, the phone offers a lot of power in a little package and feels every bit as snappy as the dual-core One X and Galaxy S III. It's very impressive. Naturally, a smartphone is only as good as its display, and the Droid Incredible 4G LTE doesn't disappoint. While some may be put off by its smallish size, just as many will view the 4-inch screen as the phone's most compelling feature. Like the HTC One S, the Incredible offers a qHD (960 x 540) display, and while the resolution isn't exactly cutting edge, it's a great fit for a screen of this size. The end result is a pixel density of 275ppi, which is slightly better than the One S. Thanks to the S-LCD screen, text is very sharp and crisp, viewing angles are admirable and color reproduction is solid. The display is also reasonably usable in direct sunlight. Only in comparison to the S-LCD 2 screen of the One X does the new Incredible appear to be anything less than excellent. Sadly, you won't find anything like the Infinity screen on the One X and One S, which gently drapes over the phone's edge. Here, your fingers will rub against the phone's frame. While the Droid Incredible 4G LTE is a solidly built phone, small touches like this reinforce the impression that it doesn't reach the fantastic engineering heights of the One lineup. That said, the design is also more functional, as the device offers an accessible 1,700mAh battery and removable microSD storage. Users will need to handle the rear cover gently, however, which includes a built-in NFC antenna along with raised contact points that appear somewhat fragile. While the stock rear cover doesn't support inductive charging, the phone contains the necessary contact points. FCC documentation also hints at the functionality. So, perhaps we'll see HTC introduce a separate cover to make inductive charging possible. In terms of amenities, you'll find the power button, 3.5mm headphone jack and a secondary microphone up top (which allows users to record sound in stereo), a volume rocker on the right-hand side, the primary microphone on the bottom and an MHL-capable micro-USB port situated on the left-hand side. There's also a handy charging / notification light, which is hidden just above the Verizon logo on the face of the phone. Positioned to the right of the camera pod on the rear is a speakerphone.
Performance and battery life Don't be fooled by the small size of the Droid Incredible 4G LTE, because this one runs with the big dogs. Like the US variants of the One X and Galaxy S III, the phone includes a wicked fast Snapdragon S4 from Qualcomm. Granted, the dual-core CPU within the latest Incredible runs at 1.2GHz -- compared to 1.5GHz in its larger brethren -- but it contains the same Adreno 225 GPU and real-world performance is comparable. Benchmark tests reveal a similar story. For example, within Quadrant, the new Incredible's slower CPU is evident, but it also boasts significantly faster memory that helps it best even the mighty Transformer Prime tablet. In Vellamo, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE outperformed the quad-core HTC One X -- which features NVIDIA Tegra 3 internals -- and fell just behind the dual-core One X and Galaxy S III.
As we've alluded to, the real-world performance of the latest Incredible is buttery smooth: boot times are quick, apps are summoned without hesitation and the web browser is utterly fluid. Put simply, it's a joy to use. The story with Verizon LTE is generally consistent and two-fold: excellent data speeds and miserable battery life. While we never experienced the insanely fast speeds that many have come to expect (performance averaged 13Mbps down and 6Mbps up) the latest Incredible offers battery life that's a refreshing departure from the norm. In our standard rundown test, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE eked out a solid seven hours and 15 minutes of runtime, which matches the excellent longevity of the Droid 4. Similarly, the phone managed to get 52 hours of uptime from a single charge with moderate use. While the Incredible's battery life doesn't approach the high mark set by the Droid RAZR Maxx, it offers a respite from the constant search for power outlets. And at the end of the day, that's all that really matters. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE is a remarkably solid performer as a phone. While it doesn't quite approach landline quality, it's easily one of the better experiences we've had with a mobile device in quite some time. In all cases, voices were remarkably clear -- even at low volume -- and we were able to carry on a natural conversation without straining to hear the caller or struggling to properly position the earpiece. Similarly, others commented on the clarity and depth of our voice. With respect to navigation, we're happy to say that the latest Incredible was able to detect GPS satellites nearly instantaneously. Software If you're familiar with Sense 4, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE offers very few surprises. The skin was developed by HTC independent of Google's work with Android 4.0, and while it remains a significant departure from Ice Cream Sandwich, the overall experience is attractive, intuitive and responsive. For the purposes of this review, we'll focus on the software that's specific to the latest Incredible, but if you're unfamiliar with Sense 4, be sure to check out our full review of HTC's latest skin. Upon first boot, you'll be greeted by a setup wizard that prompts first-timers to select their default language, configure Verizon's Backup Assistant Plus service (a freemium offering, which can be skipped), setup various email accounts and enable their Google account. As you'll see, the setup wizard also beats users over the head with the fact that their phone can be used to track location. Indeed, in the next step you'll be asked to configure which location services -- Verizon, GPS and Google -- to enable. Lastly, users are given the option to view basic tutorial videos. Once that's out of the way, you'll be delivered to the home screen, where the default wallpaper is quick to remind users that this is, indeed, a Droid. As you'd hope, you can easily switch to HTC's own themes, but by default, it's all rather heavy-handed with Verizon's own brand. The phone even goes so far as to play the familiar "Droid" sound with each new message. It's a not-so-subtle way of turning users into walking advertisements. Fortunately, Verizon exercised restraint with its bundled apps. That's not to suggest that the phone is pristine, however, as you'll discover a few applications that essentially amount to advertisements. These include two games, Let's Golf 3 HD and Real Racing 2, along with Amazon Kindle, Amazon MP3, Slacker Radio and Slingbox. With respect to the games, these are merely shell apps that weigh in at less than 1MB and immediately prompt users to download approximately 600MB worth of data. As a bit of an insult, both games are merely playable demos, so it's hard to argue that they add any value to the phone. Slingbox is a similar story, as the included "app" merely prompts users to sign up for the paid service and download the software. With respect to Verizon's own software, you'll find My Verizon Mobile for quick account access, NFL Mobile, V Cast Tones (for those who still pay for ringtones), Verizon Video, visual Voicemail -- a $1.99/month service -- and VZ Navigator. There's also a Mobile Hotspot app, which more or less exists for those who can't find the toggle within the settings menu. Those who need to keep close tabs on their data usage will also find a small widget from Verizon for this purpose, which links to the My Verizon app. None of the bundled apps can be uninstalled, but HTC's software allows users to selectively disable unwanted titles, which keeps them out of the launcher. In this sense, it's rather unoffensive as each application's footprint is so small, but several of the apps are annoyances just the same. Camera We've good news and bad news to share with respect to the camera in the Droid Incredible 4G LTE. First, the bad: this phone's camera isn't the same as you'll find on the One X and One S. It's inferior. On the upside, however, the camera is still quite excellent in its own right. While the One X features an f/2.0 lens, you'll find an f/2.2, 28mm setup here. Both 8-megapixel cameras contain backside illuminated sensors and are rather comparable with respect to daylight and indoor photography, but the One X is noticeably better when it comes to low-light scenes. All told, the camera captures an impressive amount of detail with admirable color reproduction and delivers fantastic results at the press of a button. Most users will be rightfully thrilled by this camera, and our only nitpick is an excessive amount of sharpness that's discernible when images are viewed at full size. The greatest differentiator between the camera of the Droid Incredible 4G LTE and the One lineup is the exclusion of HTC's ImageSense processor. While you'll find roughly the same set of software features, the real magic of HTC's imaging capabilities happen on the processing level, and it's absent on the latest Incredible. Not only does ImageSense affect overall image quality, but it has a bearing on the camera's real-world functionality as well. For example, while the Droid Incredible 4G LTE can capture roughly three images per second, the HTC One series can process twice this in the same amount of time -- all thanks to its hardware. In terms of software, you'll find the same set of shooting modes, which include the ability to capture HDR imagery, gyroscope-assisted panoramas, close-up and low light scenes, along with landscape, portrait and a few others. You'll also find the ability to apply Instagram-like filters to images, along with basic crop and rotation tools.
The Droid Incredible 4G LTE once again impresses with its 1080p video capture, which records at a smooth 30fps with stereo sound. We would like to see more refinement with respect to the image stabilization feature, however, and while the auto-focus during recording is a nice feature, you'll likely need to tap-to-focus during the clip in situations where you transition between close-up and distant subjects. Like with the One X and One S, you'll find the ability to easily capture widescreen (3,264 x 1,840) images while recording 1080p video. Wrap-up At first blush, it's easy to say that Verizon made a crucial misstep by excluding the One X from its lineup. While it's difficult to quickly dismiss that claim, the Galaxy S III will no doubt satisfy a large number of customers in search of a large and powerful smartphone. And besides, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE is a strong addition to Verizon's lineup, as it offers nearly all of the power and functionality of a premiere Android superphone, except in a smaller form factor. As is, the purchasing decision for Verizon customers is now clear and distinct: those who want a best-of-breed smartphone with a large display should choose the Galaxy S III, while those who want nearly the same level of performance within a smaller enclosure should choose the Droid Incredible 4G LTE. Naturally, the Galaxy Nexus remains a solid option for those who insist upon stock Android above all other considerations, and the Droid RAZR Maxx is a competent performer for those who demand maximum battery life. While the One X would still be a welcome addition at Verizon Wireless, the carrier now has an incredibly strong portfolio of Android smartphones that cater to a wide variety of desires. If you're currently on the hunt for a compact smartphone that offers world-class performance, you've reached your destination. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook and Yahoo! friends again, agree to patent cross-license Posted: 06 Jul 2012 01:20 PM PDT Yahoo! and Facebook Launch Strategic Alliance and Resolve Patent Dispute July 06, 2012 Under the agreements, which include a patent portfolio cross-license, the parties will work together to bring consumers and advertisers premium media experiences promoted and distributed across both Yahoo! and Facebook. Yahoo! and Facebook will also work together to bring Yahoo!'s large media event coverage to Facebook users by collaborating on social integrations on the Yahoo! site. "We are excited to develop a deeper partnership with Facebook, and I'm grateful to Sheryl and her team for working hard together with our team to develop this dynamic agreement. We are looking forward to building on the success we have already seen to provide innovative new products and experiences for both consumers and sponsors," said Ross Levinsohn, interim CEO of Yahoo!. "Combining the premium content and reach of Yahoo! as the world's leading digital media company with Facebook provides branded advertisers with unmatched opportunity." "I'm pleased that we were able to resolve this in a positive manner and look forward to partnering closely with Ross and the leadership at Yahoo!," said Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook. "Yahoo!'s new leaders are driven by a renewed focus on innovation and providing great products to users. Together, we can provide users with engaging social experiences while creating value for marketers." Since the launch of the original multi-year partnership between Yahoo! and Facebook that allows users to discover and connect news and information on Yahoo! sites and share them with their Facebook friends, Yahoo! has integrated the feature called "Social Bar" on more than 100 of its properties globally, and more than 90 million users have implemented it. As a result, Yahoo! has the largest active user base among all news sites that have integrated with Facebook's Open Graph platform, making Social Bar the world's leading social news application. Going forward, Yahoo! and Facebook have agreed to work more closely and collaborate together on multiple tent-pole and anchor events annually over the next several years to provide unparalleled experiences for consumers and world-class sponsorship opportunities for advertisers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET! Posted: 06 Jul 2012 12:55 PM PDT Lots of fireworks and a dearth of crazy developer summits this week doesn't mean it can't make for a very interesting podcast. Episode 145 is upon us, so please join Myriam, Brad and Joseph as we talk about the week that was wireless! July 6, 2012 5:00 PM EDT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Twitter brings search autocomplete to the web, helps find Biebs tweets in record time Posted: 06 Jul 2012 12:32 PM PDT Twitter had been hinting at a big search update today, and that's just what it delivered. Instead of the (quite frankly clunky) search results page, a search box at top now provides autocompleting search results that split into keywords and people. The system is smart enough to check for spelling gaffes and related searches, and results can drill down just to followed users rather than the entire social network. Autocompleting has been a mainstay of the Android and iOS apps for some time, but we're glad to hear that web users can now track down their favorite recently graduated teen pop stars faster than ever. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scientists take mind-controlled robot for a stroll (video) Posted: 06 Jul 2012 12:11 PM PDT What if you could control a robot -- wait, don't answer yet -- with your mind? Pretty great, right? That's what the Virtual Embodiment and Robotic Re-embodiment (VERE) group is working on, and it's made some pretty good, you know, strides. New Scientist details a test utilizing fMRI brain activity-sensing technology to control a robot in France from a laboratory in Israel. The volunteer was able to perform tasks like walking around a room, following a person with the small 'bot and locating a teapot, using visuals from a camera embedded in the robot's head. There's a "small" delay in the technology, but researcher Ori Cohen insists that it's possible to anticipate and compensate for it. The technology, which one scientist compared to Avatar, naturally, has some truly beneficial potential applications, and the scientists have plans to test it out with paralyzed subjects, giving them the opportunity to control a surrogate with their mind. The fMRI technology, meanwhile, may be swapped out for an electrode-based electroencephalogram system, and the scientists plan to try things out with a Japanese robot that is roughly the height of a human for future testing. Check out a video of the project in its current state after the break.
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