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Engadget News |
- LG's Optimus G caught on camera, flexes quad-core muscles
- Video of protein movement within a neuron shows how our brains renew themselves
- AllThingsD: 'iPad Mini' to get its own event in October after new iPhone reveal
- Meet the OwnFone: a customizable mobile phone that epitomizes simplicity
- Breaking down Apple's $1 billion courtroom victory over Samsung
- The Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine: paper sketchbooks and journals get connected
- ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700KL coming to Germany, that's L for LTE
- ITU approves NHK's Super Hi-Vision as 8K standard, sets the UHDTV ball rolling very slowly
- Hisense building budget-friendly Google TV set-top box, will put Android in your living room for under $100
- Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 now working on Linux through Google Chrome, more or less
- Harvard makes distortion-free lens from gold and silicon, aims for the perfect image (or signal)
- Lexibook kids-tablet coming to the US, makes fifth-graders dream of an Aakash
- Apple, Samsung respond to the jury's decision; September 20th court date set for injunction hearing
- Twitter set to become the newest addition to the Linux Foundation
- Jury finds Apple did not infringe on Samsung's patents, awards no damages
- Apple v. Samsung jury finds Apple's patents valid, awards it nearly $1.05 billion in damages
- ITC decides Apple didn't violate Motorola WiFi patent after all, tosses case back to judge
- Samsung Galaxy Stellar rumored to hit Verizon for $100, hopes to lure you in with Amazon apps
- Evernote introduces Evernote Business, updates iOS application to version 4.4
- Engadget Podcast 307 - 08.24.2012
- Wall Street Journal to offer free WiFi hotspots in NYC and San Francisco during September
- IRL: ASUS Transformer Prime, Verbatim Dual USB Power Pack and V-Moda's Crossfade LP headphones
| LG's Optimus G caught on camera, flexes quad-core muscles Posted: 25 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT So, it seems that all those airborne clues about LG's new superphone are slowly coalescing into something more concrete. In fact, according to the folk at AndroidMx, so concrete they've actually had a go with one. Most of the specification they report chimes with what we'd already heard. The 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4, the 2GB of RAM, the 4.7-inch IPS display, Android 4.0.4 and 13-megapixel camera, all present and correct. The screen resolution actually claims to be 1,280 x 768 if the grabs are to be believed, but AndroidMx does remind us that this is all pre-production hardware, so final details might change. This makes sense, especially given the video tease we saw yesterday, which hinted at a slightly more rounded design. Hopes are, that we'll be put out of our misery come IFA, but with other potentially big announcements also in the pipeline, it's going to be a busy week in mobile-land. |
| Video of protein movement within a neuron shows how our brains renew themselves Posted: 25 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT
If, like us, you spend most of your time wondering exactly what's going on in other people's heads, then this video is for you. Okay, so it might not reveal the reason why that jerk cut you off at the junction, or why that co-worder didn't show up to your date exactly, rather, it's a little more literal than that. This is video footage of proteins moving within a single neuron. The USC researchers were able to capture this video by using bioluminescent proteins from a jellyfish to visually track their movement. Not only is this mind-boggling to the layperson (just think how small these things are) it's also mind-revealing. By that, we mean it gives scientists an opportunity to observe how these tiny, yet vital, cerebral elements restore themselves. Which, when you're constantly worried about the amount of grey matter you were blessed with in the first place, can only be a good thing. |
| AllThingsD: 'iPad Mini' to get its own event in October after new iPhone reveal Posted: 25 Aug 2012 09:17 AM PDT After refreshing its computer range, Apple's gearing up for two events for its new phone and tablet hardware, according to sources at AllThingsD. Given the excitement welling up behind its next iPhone, many have noted (including Daring Fireball's John Gruber) that it would make a whole lot of sense to furnish both the phone and the heavily rumored smaller tablet with individual events -- and that is, apparently, what's going to happen. Unfortunately, the anonymous sources weren't revealing anything further -- Apple's yet to confirm that posited September 12th event date, let alone any secondary event. But when it does, be assured that we'll be there to cover both of them. |
| Meet the OwnFone: a customizable mobile phone that epitomizes simplicity Posted: 25 Aug 2012 08:43 AM PDT The OwnFone is neither smart nor world-friendly, and yet it's managed to grab our attention just the same. Designed for use only in the United Kingdom, it represents a rather novel take on the mobile phone with its customizable nature and simplistic design. Before ordering, owners must select among two, four, eight or a dozen contacts, and it's highly recommended to include emergency services among that bunch -- there's no option to dial actual numbers, as every contact is programmed and stored in the cloud. In its current incarnation, contacts are represented by their names, but it will soon be possible to customize a phone with either photos or Braille. While owners can update a contact's phone number with a simple call to customer support, it's more cumbersome to replace a contact, as you'll need to order a decal to affix over the former friend. Due to its limited functionality, the OwnFone is best positioned as a backup or secondary phone, although its simplicity makes it particularly well-suited for children and some elderly individuals. As another nice touch, one's phone number is printed on the back of the OwnFone. You'll find it available today for £55, and all those curious to discover the customization options can check out the various colors, patterns and photos on OwnFone's website. |
| Breaking down Apple's $1 billion courtroom victory over Samsung Posted: 25 Aug 2012 07:45 AM PDT With a 20-page verdict form and 100 pages of instructions to explain it, many figured it would take longer for the jury to render a decision. But, the tech trial of the century has concluded, with Apple scoring a not-quite-flawless victory over its rival Samsung. While the company didn't win on every count, its cadre of lawyers did convince the nine jurors to award Apple over $1 billion in damages for Samsung's IP transgressions. Join us after the break and we'll hit you with the legal math that gave Apple a ten-figure bump to its bottom line -- and served as a shot across the bow of every other mobile phone manufacturer. The jurors were tasked with determining if Samsung's devices at issue infringed Apple's IP, and whether Samsung Korea induced its US subsidiaries to sell those infringing devices. Additionally, the jury had to decide if Samsung did so willfully, as such a finding gives Judge Koh the discretion to triple the damages and award attorneys fees to Apple. Lastly, the nine jurors had to make a call as to whether Apple's patents were even valid -- if a patent isn't valid, then it doesn't matter, damages-wise, whether it's infringed. Apple brought three utility and four design patents to bear against Samsung. Patent number 7,469,381 is for the bounce back that occurs when you scroll beyond the edge of a webpage or document in iOS. Patent number 7,844,915 is for single-finger scrolling and two-finger zooming, while number 7,864,163 claims tap-to-zoom technology. As for the design patents, D618,677 claims the iPhone's edge-to-edge glass, speaker slot and display border, while D593,087 claims its rounded corners and home button, and D604,305 claims the grid-style icon layout in iOS. The last design patent, D504,889 is for the iPad's edge-to-edge glass, rounded corners, and thin bezel.
Apple hit a home run with the '381 bounce-back patent -- the jurors found that all 21 Samsung devices at issue infringed and that Samsung Korea induced its subsidiaries to sell those infringing devices as well. As for the the '915 and '163 zooming and scrolling patents, team Cupertino was also successful, albeit not completely: the jury found that most, but not all of the devices infringed and that Samsung Korea was, once again, guilty of inducement. Apple enjoyed similar success with its design patents, with the jury finding that every Samsung phone at issue infringed the D'305 iOS icon grid patent. Meanwhile, the D'677 edge-to-edge glass patent was infringed upon by every handset except for the Galaxy Ace, and the D'087 rounded corners patent was infringed by the Galaxy S, Galaxy S 4G, and the Vibrant. The D'889 patent turned out to be Apple's sole loser, as the jury found that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi and 4G LTE didn't infringe the iPad's design. To top things off, the jury found that all of the infringement was willful except for the infringement of the D'087 patent, and that all of Apple's patents are valid. Apple's patent portfolio didn't provide its only victory, however, the company also won on a trade dress claim. As a (very) brief refresher for those not familiar, trade dress is a means of protecting a business's image and overall appearance and how that image is perceived by consumers. The most common example used to explain trade dress is the shape and design of the Coca-Cola bottle: people recognize the bottle and associate it with Coke. Similarly, consumers see the design of the iPhone and associate it with Apple. The jury had to determine if Apple's iPhone and iPad had protectable trade dress, and if their designs were famous enough to have their value diluted by Samsung's devices. Once again, the jury found in Apple's favor, deciding that the iPhone 3G's (but not the iPad's) trade dress was valid and that several Samsung handsets had diluted Apple's brand. As for Samsung, well, it struck out. On everything. It alleged that Apple was infringing five of its patents, and while the jury found those patents to be valid, it decided that Apple wasn't infringing them. So, it had no wins to offset its considerable losses, which resulted in a resounding courtroom victory and a $1,049,393,540 windfall for Tim Cook's crew. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine: paper sketchbooks and journals get connected Posted: 25 Aug 2012 06:30 AM PDT Evernote has trotted out an update to its iOS app and accompanied the software release with an announcement of a collaboration with Moleskine. Yes, you read that correctly. The digital note-taking application has teamed up with the analog sktechbook maker to produce the Evernote Smart Notebook. Designed specifically for the refreshed iPhone and iPad software, the notebooks allow users to snag written notes or drawings right off the paper and archive them with the app -- making them searchable and organized for future reference. So where exactly does the tech angle come in? First, pages are lined using a dotted pattern that is optimized for the upated mobile software. With the new Page Camera feature, photos of pages are shot and automatically given a proper contrast adjustment. The add-on also finds the aforementioned dots are corrects a skewed photo. Last but certainly not least, each Smart Notebook comes with a set of Smart Stickers. Evernote will now recognize each of these and apply the appropriate tags before sorting. While the stickers come with pre-defined tags, they are customizable to accomodate your particular sensibilities. These pseudo-digital Moleskines will be available in both pocket (3.5 x 5.5 inches / 8.89 x 13.97 cm) and large (5 x 8.25 inches / 12.7 x 20.96 cm) sizes, carrying $25 and $30 price tags when they hit shelves October 1st. If you can't contain your excitement, head on to the coverage link below to pre-order yours now. |
| ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700KL coming to Germany, that's L for LTE Posted: 25 Aug 2012 04:41 AM PDT If you've ever had the pleasure of cruising on Germany's Autobahns, you'll know the locals like to go fast. This hold true for technology too, it seems. A recent press release from Vodafone has revealed that the LTE variant of the TF700 Transformer Pad will be joining its equally 4G-enabled sibling in the land of beer and wurst. No word on whether it'll be showing up on other networks just yet, but if you want a slice of the action you'll have to open up the Vodafone präsentiert Hardware-Neuheiten zur IFA Neue LTE-Geräte für das Hochleistungsnetz von Vodafone Ein Highlight auf der Messe ist das Samsung Galaxy S III LTE. Dank LTE kann es im Vodafone-Netz Daten mit Geschwindigkeiten von über 50 Mbit/s empfangen. Das Smartphone ist mit einem 1,4 GHz Quad-Core Prozessor und einem internen Speicher von wahlweise 16, 32 oder 64 GB ausgestattet. So können auch rechenintensive Anwendungen ohne Einschränkungen genutzt werden. Das 4,8 Zoll große HD super AMOLED Display zeigt Bilder und Internetseiten gestochen scharf an. Eine 8 Megapixel Kamera, GPS, W-LAN und NFC runden die hochwertige Ausstattung des Smartphones ab. Das Galaxy S III LTE wird voraussichtlich Mitte Oktober in allen Vodafone Shops angeboten. Der Preis für das Smartphone steht noch nicht fest. Neben dem LTE-Smartphone präsentiert Vodafone auf der IFA mit dem Asus TF 700 KL LTE auch ein neues LTE-fähiges Tablet. Das Gerät bietet neben einem 10,1 Zoll großen Display mit einer Auflösung von 1.920 x 1.200 Pixeln auch eine 8-Megapixel-Kamera. Es hat eine Bauhöhe von nur 9 Millimetern und kann mit einem optionalen Keyboard-Dock wie ein Notebook genutzt werden. Das Asus Tablet ist ab sofort zum Preis von 819,90 Euro (mit Datentarif ab 169,90 Euro) in allen Vodafone-Shops erhältlich. |
| ITU approves NHK's Super Hi-Vision as 8K standard, sets the UHDTV ball rolling very slowly Posted: 25 Aug 2012 02:37 AM PDT We'd heard that the International Telecommunication Union was close to approving Super Hi-Vision as an Ultra High Definition TV standard, and the UN agency hasn't waited long to confirm the rumors. The recommendation to use NHK's 7,680 x 4,320 format has gone unopposed and should define the parameters for incredibly detailed 8K video worldwide. This shouldn't lead anyone to return that 4K TV just yet -- once again, it's important to remember that NHK still won't start any kind of wider testing until 2020. That's also assuming that the first 8K sets are down to Earth instead of the incredibly expensive 145-inch variety. |
| Posted: 25 Aug 2012 12:45 AM PDT |
| Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 now working on Linux through Google Chrome, more or less Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:30 PM PDT A Holy Grail of Linux gaming has been an Unreal Engine 3 port. Getting one for the OS would unlock a world of games that has been the province of, well, just about any other mainstream platform. Thanks to Google preserving Flash on Linux through Chrome, that dream is alive in at least a rudimentary form. Experimenters at the Phoronix forums have found that Chrome 21 has support for the Stage 3D hardware acceleration needed to drive Epic Games' Flash conversion of UE3. Tell Chrome to enable support as well as ignore a graphics chip blacklist, and suddenly you're running Epic Citadel from your Linux install. When we say "running," however, we're taking a slight amount of poetic license. Performance isn't that hot, and certain configurations might not show the medieval architecture in all its glory. We've confirmed with Epic that it works, but it's still firm on the stance that there's no plans for official UE3 support on Linux "at this time." It's still promising enough that maybe, just maybe, gamers can embrace an open-source platform without having to give up the games they love. |
| Harvard makes distortion-free lens from gold and silicon, aims for the perfect image (or signal) Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:00 PM PDT Imaging has been defined by glass lenses for centuries, and even fiber optics haven't entirely escaped the material's clutch. Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences might have just found a way to buck those old (and not-so-old) traditions. A new 60-nanometer thick silicon lens, layered with legions of gold nanoantennas, can catch and refocus light without the distortion or other artifacts that come with having to use the thick, curved pieces of glass we're used to -- it's so accurate that it nearly challenges the laws of diffraction. The lens isn't trapped to bending one slice of the light spectrum, either. It can range from near-infrared to terahertz ranges, suiting it both to photography and to shuttling data. We don't know what obstacles might be in the way to production, which leads us to think that we won't be finding a gold-and-silicon lens attached to a camera or inside a network connection anytime soon. If the technology holds up under scrutiny, though, it could ultimtately spare us from the big, complicated optics we often need to get just the right shot. |
| Lexibook kids-tablet coming to the US, makes fifth-graders dream of an Aakash Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:00 PM PDT French educational tech maker Lexibook is bringing its eponymous kiddy-tablet to the US from next month. It's not talking specs or price, but we're expecting it to be close to the Lexibook First currently available in Europe. The seven-inch slate packs a 600MHz processor, 256MB RAM, 4GB storage (expandable to 16GB with an microSD card), parental controls and 802.11 b/g WiFi. The FroYo-running device retails for £150 ($237) over the pond, but if the company tries something similar over here, we suspect people might plump for something a little more powerful, or less expensive, or both. Lexibook® Tablets Launch In USA NEW YORK, Aug. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexibook®, Android® educational kids tablet leader, is delighted to announce the official launch of its new tablets for kids nationwide from September 15, 2012. With a preview launch at Toys' R Us stores across the country, parents will discover tablets with content tailored to the needs of the new generation. With a high definition tactile screen and a kid friendly interface, the tablets offer an unprecedented content offer for toddlers to pre-teens. The educational content is adapted to the curriculum with 500 sheets of general education, tests and interactive quizzes. School Zone™ apps and 200 pre-loaded e-books are also included to complete the educational offer. Children will discover their favorite stories, rhymes and Susie Tallman's top songs and karaoke videos. For even more fun, 25 games and 52 discovery activities are included as well as a camera with photo editing software. Wireless internet browsing through a high speed built-in Wi-Fi connection is kept safe through embedded parental control, while kids can still download more than 10,000 must-have apps on the Lexibook® Market including Pig Rush™, Angry Birds®, Fruit Ninja®, Pandora®, Skype®, and learn while having fun with educational apps adapted to every age group. With the Lexibook® Videostore by Kabillion™ and Spotify® music portal, cartoons, music, and other favorite videos are available in one click! Lexibook® Tablets are a concentrate of educational, multimedia and interactive activities allowing children to finally have a tablet just for them. Parents and children will share amazing moments and kids will learn fast in a fun way. Great accessories will also be available: tablet skins, cases, stylus, keyboards, headsets and more. Aymeric Le Cottier, CEO, comments: "We're really excited to present this new innovative range that will enable kids to change the way they learn and play. Our great content and fantastic features bring an immediate unique user experience and the built-in gaming and apps download center bring endless possibilities for kids." |
| Apple, Samsung respond to the jury's decision; September 20th court date set for injunction hearing Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 PM PDT Well. The verdict for the tech industry patent trial of the week is in, and the jury agreed with Apple's version of the events enough to award it a billion dollars and change in damages while awarding Samsung... nothing. Naturally, the two companies differ in their viewpoints on this ruling, with Apple celebrating a decision that supports its originality and innovation, and is "sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn't right." Samsung, on the other hand, claims it's all about standing up for the consumer, who it believes will be the true victim here, forced to pay more for fewer choices and less innovation now that one company has "a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners." Before we get to the inevitable appeals, Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction against Samsung's infringing products and Judge Lucy Koh has set September 20th as a date for the hearing. Apple has until the 29th to file its motion, which Samsung will have 14 days to respond to, before Apple has two days to craft a response of its own. While we all take a breather before the lawyers get back at it, you'll find the statements from both companies after the break. Update: As expected, Samsung has indicated it will appeal the ruling. Wall Street Journal's Evan Ramstad tweets that it plans to file post-verdict motions to overturn the decision and if those are unsuccessful, it will take its case to the Appeals Court. Apple:
Samsung:
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| Twitter set to become the newest addition to the Linux Foundation Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:49 PM PDT The Linux Foundation's been racking up big-name brands since its early days, and one of the latest is mostly everyone's favorite rapid-blogging service, otherwise more commonly known as Twitter. Following in the steps of chip-maker NVIDIA and that Platinum-leveled Samsung, the Blue Bird recently announced it'll be joining the open-source association come next week, with the official revelation set to take place in a few days at the LinuxCon North American gathering in California. Twitter's Manager of Open Source, Chris Aniszczyk, says that by doing so "we can support an organization that is important to us and collaborate with a community that is advancing Linux as fast as we are improving Twitter." Needless to say, this is a win-win situation for all parties involved. |
| Jury finds Apple did not infringe on Samsung's patents, awards no damages Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:26 PM PDT The jury in Apple v. Samsung dealt a big blow to Samsung by finding that it did infringe on some of the Apple patents at the center of the case, and it didn't have any better news for the company when it came to Samsung's own claims that Apple infringed on some of its patents as well. The jury found that Apple did not infringe on those in all five cases (the so-called utility patents), although it did rule that the patents were valid. That also, of course, means no damages awarded to Samsung. |
| Apple v. Samsung jury finds Apple's patents valid, awards it nearly $1.05 billion in damages Posted: 24 Aug 2012 03:44 PM PDT The federal court jury in the patent infringement lawsuit between Apple and Samsung has presented its verdict after deliberating for just 21 hours and 37 minutes following the three week trial. This particular case started with Apple's lawsuit last April and now the jury's decision is that Samsung did infringe on Apple's '381 bounceback patent with all 21 of its products in question. For the '915 patent on pinch-and-zoom, the jury ruled all but three of the devices listed infringed, and more damningly, found that Samsung executives either knew or should have known their products infringed on the listed patents. The jury has also found against Samsung when it comes to Apple's contours on the back of the iPhone and its home screen GUI. The Galaxy Tab, was found not to have infringed upon Apple's iPad design patents. The bad news for Samsung continued however, as the jury decided that not only did it willfully infringe on five of the seven Apple patents, but also upheld their validity when it came to utility, design and trade dress. The amount of the damages against Samsung is in: Update: Both companies have released statements on the matter, with Apple stating via the New York Times the ruling sends a loud and clear message that "stealing isn't right." Samsung has its own viewpoint calling this "a loss for the American consumer" that will lead to fewer choices, less innovation and high prices. You can see both in their entirety after the break. Apple:
Samsung:
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| ITC decides Apple didn't violate Motorola WiFi patent after all, tosses case back to judge Posted: 24 Aug 2012 03:17 PM PDT Trouble looked to be brewing for Apple last April: an International Trade Commission judge made an initial ruling that Apple infringed on a standards-essential Motorola WiFi patent, raising the possibility of a trade ban if the verdict held true. The fellows in Cupertino may have caught a big break. A Commission review of the decision on Friday determined that Apple didn't violate the patent, and it upheld positions that exonerated the iPhone maker regarding two others. Apple isn't entirely off the hook, however. The ITC is remanding the case to the judge to review his stance that Apple hadn't violated a non-standards-based patent, which still leaves Apple facing the prospect of a ban. However, having to revisit the case nearly resets the clock -- we now have to wait for another ruling and a matching review, and that likely puts any final decision well into 2013. Google-owned Motorola isn't lacking more weapons in its arsenal, but any stalled proceedings take away bargaining chips in what's become a high-stakes game. |
| Samsung Galaxy Stellar rumored to hit Verizon for $100, hopes to lure you in with Amazon apps Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:12 PM PDT Regardless of the situation, it's relatively safe to say Samsung will never, ever run out of Galaxy monikers. Now it's the Korean outfit's Galaxy Stellar making the internet rounds yet again, though there's a little more information attached this time around. Per Droid Life, Sammy's purported Verizon-bound Galaxy Stellar will be joining the carrier's LTE-equipped smartphone lineup with a $100 price tag (of course, that's assuming you sign a two-year deal) and is, as you can see above, said to be carrying an "easy-to-use" Starter mode to help folks get started, plus a compact design that "fits comfortably in hands." Most notably, however, are the tidbits flaunting Amazon apps rather than, say, the Android maker's Play offerings -- an interesting plug, to say the least. At this point nothing's quite set in stone, so we'll have to wait for more details to spill before making any assumptions. |
| Evernote introduces Evernote Business, updates iOS application to version 4.4 Posted: 24 Aug 2012 01:40 PM PDT Having already conquered the general consumer market on multiple platforms, Evernote's now taking its handy software tools to a more biz-oriented audience. Earlier today, the company proudly introduced Evernote Business, which, according to CEO Phil Libin, is "the same Evernote that's great for individuals, except now it's optimized so that you can use it in your small and medium-sized business environment." The newfangled Evernote Business will be launching later this December, with the note-taking outfit accepting early applicants on its website as we speak. That's not all the news, however, since Evernote's also updated its iOS application for the second time during August; bringing page and multi-shot camera features to the mix, while faster download times and improved PDF support on iPads can also be found inside the fresh 4.4 version. You'll find both the sign-up and download links gravitating below.
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| Engadget Podcast 307 - 08.24.2012 Posted: 24 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT  We almost called this episode of the Engadget Podcast Mr. Biggs And The OnDead, but our boss said she'd take away our tickets to IFA if we did that, so we'll go with the traditional numeric structure. Just know that we tried. Hey, at least it's Friday, right? Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater 03:11 - OnLive hits reset after being dragged down by expensive servers, confirms service will continue Subscribe to the podcast
Download the podcast ee This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Wall Street Journal to offer free WiFi hotspots in NYC and San Francisco during September Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:27 PM PDT Oh New Yorkers and their marvelous, no-cost WiFi access points. Only a few days after Google Offers and Boingo happily announced they'd brought gratis wireless connectivity to additional underground locations within the city, The Wall Street Journal is now let it be known it too will be kind enough to gift the NYC crowd with some WiFi hotspots of its own. The nice gesture will bring around 1,300 network units to areas such as SoHo, Greenwich Village, Union Square, Chelsea and, naturally, the renowned Times Square during the month of September -- all in hopes of giving "people the opportunity to sample The Wall Street Journal." Meanwhile, folks in San Francisco can also grab the internet-friendly freebies in a couple of different places, including Nob Hill and Fisherman's Wharf. And don't worry, there won't be any donkeys involved here. |
| IRL: ASUS Transformer Prime, Verbatim Dual USB Power Pack and V-Moda's Crossfade LP headphones Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.  You love your gadgets because they're awesome. Or maybe you love them because you spent $500 and decided you'd better learn to like them. Whatever the case, chances are you've learned to forgive their flaws and enjoy them enough as they are, force-quits and all. That about describes this week's IRL, in which three Engadget editors make peace with their imperfect gadgets: an occasionally crash-prone Transformer Prime, the easily scratched V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones and Verbatim's Dual USB Power Pack, with its short little charging cables. ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime It's been seven months, and much of that initial amazement still remains. After playing games like Grand Theft Auto III and the Tegra 3-enhanced Shadowgun, I'm convinced we tech enthusiasts live in an exciting time. Yet for all its technical prowess and flexibility, something's always nagged me about the TF Prime. I just don't trust it. Apps can randomly crash and the OS doesn't always respond to my inputs with the speed I'd expect of a quad-core device. Some apps also don't respond well if I attach the keyboard dock during use (e.g., mistaking a space bar press and an Enter key command). In those cases, I have to close down the app, attached the dock and then restart whatever program I was using. I generally avoid doing anything hugely important or time-sensitive on my Prime for fear that something will crash at the worst possible moment. That lack of trust significantly diminishes its usefulness as a work companion, but I have few complaints about the Prime as a purely recreational device. Movies look great, the screen remains usable outdoors (in Super IPS+ mode) and the fact that I can plug in a wired Xbox controller to the keyboard dock is icing on the cake. So, no, it's not the perfect, all-in-one device I was hoping for, but the Transformer Prime remains hugely impressive. I'd still take it back in time with me and amaze our ancestor with my quirky, but fun, transforming buddy. -- Philip Palermo Verbatim Dual USB Power Pack If I have a niggle, it's that recharging the battery pack through its mini-USB port is an overnight job through, and various cables supplied in the box are just too short. But beyond that, I keep this in my bag nearly all the time to make sure that I never have to be "that guy" aimlessly hunting around for an open socket at the local coffee house. -- Dan Cooper V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones In terms of its build, the Crossfade LP feels pretty solid -- you can flex the steel frame headband and it still retains its shape. The memory foam cushions used in the earpieces also feel soft and comfortable, with the headphones offering a tight, snug fit overall. Admittedly, the fit might be a tad too tight for some folks, as it makes it a bit tough to use with glasses. When traveling, you can't just take it off and rest it around your neck because it feels like you're being choked by a toddler. The fact that you can't rotate the ear cups affects ease of storage as well. Upon closer inspection, I've also noticed some faint hairline cracks around a few of the of the screws that connect the ear cups to the headband, though they're more of a cosmetic issue at this point. Despite those niggles, I really like how V-Moda's Crossfade LP headphones sound. When using it with a player with an EQ, you'll definitely want to fine-tune your settings so you get the proper separation between ranges as opposed to muddy base overload. Get that EQ adjustment right and the Crossfade LP sounds pretty darn good -- you can push the volume on these headphones and likely blow out your ears without noticing any speaker distortion. Add in the fact that you can get the Crossfade LP for about half of the original $200 price and it's worth a look for bass junkies. -- Jason Hidalgo |
First things first, let's explain a little bit of the law that's put Samsung on the hook for such a sizable sum. A company's liable for patent infringement under Title 35 of the US Code, Section 271, for making, using or selling a patented invention in the US without authority from the patent owner. So, Samsung's US subsidiaries were accused as direct infringers for selling phones and tablets here in America. Samsung Korea, however, doesn't do business in the US, but is still liable under another part of Section 271. The pertinent statutory language states that "whoever actively induces infringement of a patent shall be liable as an infringer."
The 
What's the single greatest way to end mobile device range-anxiety? How about a battery pack (nearly) capable of recharging the 11,666mAh battery nestled inside the new iPad. 
A couple of years ago, I got my grubby paws on a pair of | You are subscribed to email updates from Engadget News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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