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- PlayStation 3 Slim review (late 2012): is the third time a charm?
- Windows 8 defaults direct cash payments for music and movies, puts Microsoft Points on backburner
- Google Play Music and Movies purchasing reaches Google TV, patches a media strategy hole
- Sprint network outage leads to flight delays with Alaska Airlines
- Sprint lets you make your name your phone number for $3 a month
- Purported Nexus 7 with 32GB of storage gets accidentally delivered in Japan
- T-Mobile makes LG Optimus L9 official, carries big-yet-budget Android this fall
- Slickdeals' best in tech for October 8th: Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 and Canon wireless all-in-one printer
- Samsung creates F2FS file system for NAND flash storage, submits it to the Linux kernel
- Cisco reportedly drops sales pact with ZTE after claims of roundabout Iran dealings
- Nordic retailers list a Galaxy S III 'Mini,' insider info or wishful thinking?
- Just Mobile talks about working with Apple and why it manufactures in Taiwan exclusively
- BBC announces YouTube original content channels for science, nature
- Samsung Galaxy Note II review
- Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you're running instead of walking
- Native Facebook app for Android is in the final phases of internal testing
- Apple begins shipping its Lightning to 30-pin adapter at the speed of... freight
- BBC launches iPlayer Radio: a separate radio-only mobile app and web UI
- Samsung releases Galaxy Note II source code, gives modders a big fish to fry
- Feel the Force: Angry Birds Star Wars coming November 8th to iOS, Android, WP, Kindle Fire and computers
- Engadget UK Giveaway: win a Samsung Galaxy Note II courtesy of MobiCity
- UK engineers developing harpoon that could help space junk meet a fiery end
- HTC announces Q3 2012 financials, net profit down again to $137 million
- Huawei and ZTE 'cannot be trusted' in the US, says Congress report
- YouTube advances cash for 60 more original channels in Europe and the US
- How would you change HTC's Titan II?
- Refresh Roundup: week of October 1st, 2012
- Watch the SpaceX Dragon capsule lift off, live (video)
- Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite gets torn-down, promptly put back together (video)
- Switched On: Hail to the hybrids
- Skullcandy unveils Navigator on-ear headphones, we take a first listen to the Aviator's petite "sibling"
| PlayStation 3 Slim review (late 2012): is the third time a charm? Posted: 08 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT More InfoWhat else can be said about the PlayStation 3 at this point that hasn't already been said? Since launching in 2006, there have been approximately 400 different permutations of the console: variations on hard drive sizes, functionality, physical shape and, of course, price. The latest model, the PlayStation 3 Superslim, is no different. It comes in just two permutations: 250GB ($270) and 500GB ($300). With the latter launching at the end of October, we've spent the last week with the already available 250GB model. Is it time to finally jump in to the PlayStation 3 party, or upgrade that aging 2006 model? Head below to find out. Hardware Weighing in at just over 4.5 pounds, the PlayStation 3 Superslim lives up to its name, shedding nearly three pounds from the Slim and 6.5 from the original (monstrous) 11-pound console. Sadly, the clean, classy matte finish of the Slim model has been replaced with the glossy, fingerprint-prone plastic that Vita, PSP and first-gen PS3 owners have come to know and loathe. You may not notice the glossy facade at first, however, as the biggest hardware change in the new PS3 is where you insert disc-based media: a top-loading slider gets moved to the left, revealing a space for your brand new copy of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Game of the Year Edition (bundled with the 250GB console). Aside from being the most notable change to the new PS3, it's ... well, it looks and feels terrible, to put it plainly. Not only is the new design unfriendly to home entertainment centers (where most PS3s reside, we'd argue), but it feels cheap and unstable -- a distinct step down from the previous two models' front-loading tray design. That statement can be applied to the entire redesign; despite Sony touting a 20 percent decrease in size and a 25 percent reduction in weight, nothing about the redesign feels like an improvement over the last model. The lightness only serves to accentuate the console's feeling of cheapness and the build quality drives that point home. An audible hollow rattle can be heard when you place the console on a hard surface -- that's the flimsy disc bay cover up top, reminding you that your brand new, nearly $300 console looks and feels like a piece of electronics from the 1970s. Internally, the same RSX GPU drives the newest model PS3, and the 45nm Cell processor from the Slim returns. The only difference we've seen in teardowns is a smaller Blu-ray drive (which still spins at 2x for BD, 8x for DVD and 24x for CD) and a rearrangement of internals -- both of which make way for the volume and size reduction. The 250GB HDD can be swapped like with previous models, and all it takes is a small Phillips head screwdriver, your hands, some confidence and about two minutes. In terms of rear-facing ports, the new, even slimmer model is identical to the Slim, offering Ethernet, HDMI, Optical out, RCA, and a spot for the AC adapter. Unfortunately, the sad tradition of not including an HDMI cable with high-definition, HDMI-enabled consoles continues here, with only a (standard def) RCA cable included in the box. Remember, folks: Amazon is your friend. What's missing
Also like the last model, the Superslim features no backwards compatibility with the PlayStation 2 -- a feature we're still sore about losing in the last PS3 redesign. Sure, PSOne support remains, but we'd really, really like to play our old PS2 games on the PS3 rather than buying HD re-releases of PS2 games on Blu-ray (ahem). The same two USB slots sit up front (down from four on the original), and the SD card reader from the first model remains stuck in the past. Similarly, the Superslim won't allow a Linux or OtherOS install -- admittedly, not a widely used feature -- but it's yet another example of how starkly different the current model PS3 is from the original console. What's differentThe familiar hum of a game console -- from the Harrier jet noise of the original Xbox 360's fans to the nigh-imperceptible din of the last-gen PS3 -- is hard to escape. The new PS3 manages to make approximately zero noise; it is without a doubt the quietest home console we've ever heard (er, not heard, rather). That's likely due to the ubiquity of air vents found all over the machine, not to mention three hardware iterations and years of R&D. An entire horizontal half of the rear is dedicated fan space, and the bottom is framed by openings, giving the internals plenty of space to breathe. The button arrangement up front has once again been reconfigured, eschewing the touch-sensitive styling of the original PS3 and the clicky, large buttons of the PS3 Slim in favor of one long plastic panel that pushes in at either end (left for opening the disc tray, right for powering on the console). Like the top-loading disc tray, the buttons feel remarkably cheap and flimsy -- another confusing choice for the new console. Wrap-up At $270 -- a full $20 more than the already existing 120GB model, albeit with the addition of a year-old game and $30 in virtual money for a free-to-play shooter that isn't available yet -- the PlayStation 3 redesign is hard to suggest. Barring the price, the generally cheap feel of the hardware and sheer unattractiveness galvanize our position: you're better off picking up the older, less expensive, more attractive (and functionally identical) PS3 Slim. And that's without mentioning awkward design choices like a top-loading disc tray, or the return to glossy black plastic that holds fingerprints and dust so dear to its heart. If you're in the market for a new PS3 -- and honestly, who are you people? -- we can't suggest the Superslim. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Windows 8 defaults direct cash payments for music and movies, puts Microsoft Points on backburner Posted: 08 Oct 2012 11:37 AM PDT Microsoft's real money to "Points" conversion has always been a point of contention among consumers, but that may all be about to change -- if the Windows 8 Zune Marketplace is any indicator, that is. Movies and music purchased via Windows 8 no longer default to the bizarre indirect system Microsoft set in place years ago with its Xbox Live platform, instead allowing actual currency for payment as well as MS Points (Windows 8 exclusively used the MS Point system for media purchases throughout beta). In fact, the system even automatically selects hard currency as the standard, reports The Verge. The MS Point system converts 80 MS Points to $1, and points much be purchased in a minimum of 400 point blocks -- a practice criticized as both deceptive and consumer hostile. Points were first implemented on Microsoft's Xbox 360 for purchase of games and associated content on Xbox Live Marketplace; the practice has since expanded to Microsoft's Zune music and movie platform, as well as Xbox.com. Direct payment is available as well, but only for select content, such as Games on Demand. As of this morning, the change hadn't affected the Xbox 360 Marketplace, though rumors earlier this year indicated that MS Points may be wholesale phased out by the end of 2012. Microsoft had yet to respond to a request for comment as of publishing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Play Music and Movies purchasing reaches Google TV, patches a media strategy hole Posted: 08 Oct 2012 11:14 AM PDT It's been one of the more conspicuous omissions in the media hub space: despite Google Play being the cornerstone of Google's content strategy, you couldn't truly use the company's music or movie services through Google TV without depending on content you'd already paid for elsewhere. As of a new upgrade, the ecosystem has come full circle. Viewers with Google TV boxes can at last buy or rent directly from Google Play Movies and Google Play Music, and the content will be indexed in the TV & Movies section alongside third-party video services and traditional TV. The upgrade also helps Google's TV front end play catch-up with its mobile counterpart by adding automatic app updates and subscriptions. While device owners may have to wait a few weeks as the upgrade rolls out, the addition signals a big step forward for a platform that has normally leaned heavily on others for help. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sprint network outage leads to flight delays with Alaska Airlines Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:49 AM PDT A network outage that leaves folks without data for a few hours is one thing, but some Sprint problems today are causing some bigger issues than usual in one part of the US. Alaska Airlines is reporting flight delays at several airports, including Portland International Airport, as a result of the outage that is says began at 7:30AM Pacific time when a fiber cable was cut in Wisconsin. The AP is further reporting that Alaska Airlines President and CEO Brad Tilden says the airline expects to have a full resolution by 5PM local time, and that it may have a partial solution by noon. The reports that we've received from Sprint users also suggest that the outage is largely confined to the Northwest. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sprint lets you make your name your phone number for $3 a month Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:23 AM PDT What if, instead of handing over some hard to remember combination of 10 digits when it came time to exchange numbers you could just give someone your name? Sprint is actually willing to let you enjoy the luxury of having your own vanity phone number, so long as you're willing to fork over $3 a month for the privilege. This isn't the sort of service enjoyed by businesses, though -- no one will be dialing 1-800-Joe-Schmoe. Instead the carrier is offering "StarStar" numbers from a company called Zoove. So now, friends will just punch a couple of asterisks into their handset followed by your name, Twitter handle or anything else you might desire to get in touch with you. Of course, in the age of smartphones, we're pretty sure memorizing phone numbers isn't a skill anyone actually uses anymore. So might be that your $3 a month and clever new number will never be recognized by anyone. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purported Nexus 7 with 32GB of storage gets accidentally delivered in Japan Posted: 08 Oct 2012 10:03 AM PDT Back when Google ecstatically unveiled its 7-inch Nexus tablet a few months ago, the company decided to keep things simple by only introducing 8GB and 16GB models -- much to the dismay of folks who prefer a device with a bit more storage space. One lucky customer in Japan, however, claims to have unexpectedly received a Nexus 7 loaded with more built-in storage than Mountain View currently advertises, having been delivered Google's Jelly Bean-packing slate with 32GB instead of the 16GB unit that was ordered. Interestingly enough, the surprise delivery comes at a time when Google is rumored to launch a new, more spacious 32GB model as soon as October 24th -- though only time will tell if that's actually going to be the case. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile makes LG Optimus L9 official, carries big-yet-budget Android this fall Posted: 08 Oct 2012 09:34 AM PDT We knew it was coming -- we just didn't expect official news quite so soon. T-Mobile has confirmed that its edition of the LG Optimus L9 will be available this fall. The magenta network's supersized yet entry level Android 4.0 phone won't be significantly different than its international cousin in hardware outside of the necessary 3G frequency switch, but the American GSM variant will support WiFi Calling, allow five-device hotspots and ship with a preloaded copy of Slacker Radio. Any pricing and an in-store date will have to wait; even with that 4.5-inch screen and 2,150mAh battery, though, it's easy to picture the L9 costing less than many of T-Mobile's smaller smart devices. LG AND T-MOBILE ANNOUNCE STYLISH, POWERFUL LG OPTIMUS L9 · Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich · 4.5-inch qHD Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 Display · T-Mobile Blazing-Fast Nationwide 4GNetwork · Sleek, Stylish Design and Slim Profile · Powerful 1 GHz Dual-Core Processor · LG QuickMemo™ · 5-megapixelCamera with LED Flash · True-to-Life 1080p HD Recording · Simultaneous Video/Photo Capture · Long-Lasting 2,150 mAh Battery Additional Features: · Wi-Fi® Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n/a · Wi-Fi Calling: Make calls via your Wi-Fi connection in areas with little to no coverage, such as a basement · T-Mobile Smartphone Mobile HotSpot: share a 4G data connection with up to five compatible wireless devices with a qualifying rate plan · Bluetooth® Version: 3.0 + HS · SmartShare: share media wirelessly to DLNA®-enabled devices · Slacker Radio: create personalized music, news, sports and comedy on the go - Video Player with Touch Lock, Dolby® Mobile,1 and Resume Play Function; Supports DivX®, WMV, MP4, 3GP, and 3G2 Formats · Cheese Shot: simply say "cheese" to take a picture · Shot Mode: choose from Normal, Panorama, and Continuous shot · Customizable Scene Mode, Brightness, ISO, White Balance, Color Effect, Silly Faces, Backgrounds, Timer, and Shutter Sound | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Slickdeals' best in tech for October 8th: Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 and Canon wireless all-in-one printer Posted: 08 Oct 2012 09:14 AM PDT Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we'll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You'll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won't stick around long. If you weren't able to get all of your gadget shopping done this weekend, a handful of new tech deals could do the trick. A 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad laptop and Canon PIXMA wireless all-in-one printer might be just what you need to enhance that home office setup with just a few clicks. There's also three more links eager to accept your funds, so head on past the break to take a look. Remember to watch out for those coupon codes and rebate forms. Snag one of these from TigerDirect. Use the rebate form found here. Get one of your own over at Lenovo. Grab this discount from Staples. Take advantage of this deal over at Amazon. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung creates F2FS file system for NAND flash storage, submits it to the Linux kernel Posted: 08 Oct 2012 08:43 AM PDT Has the lack of NAND flash storage-optimized file systems been bugging you? Then you've got something in common with Samsung, which has developed F2FS (or "Flash-Friendly File-System") for the memory of choice for mobile devices and its specific "internal geometry." It's based on a log-structured method, but tackles problems associated with older file systems intended mainly for retro, spinning-disk storage. The company isn't keeping its hard work behind lock-and-patent either -- it's gone open-source and submitted the file system to the Linux kernel, meaning you could see it implemented in Android hardware of the future. It's nice to see Sammy contributing code for the greater good, and if you've got the skills to understand it, a low-down of F2FS is available at the source below. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cisco reportedly drops sales pact with ZTE after claims of roundabout Iran dealings Posted: 08 Oct 2012 08:14 AM PDT ZTE might already be feeling heat from Congressional suspicions, but the company could soon take a more direct hit to the pocketbook. Cisco has reportedly dropped an already rocky seven-year deal with ZTE after it learned that the Chinese firm had been selling Cisco's networking gear to the Telecommunication Company of Iran as recently as July of last year. Being implicated in an end-run around US trade sanctions isn't great for business, as you'd imagine. While Cisco CEO John Chambers wouldn't directly confirm the severed link in a chat with Reuters, he noted that we would "not see that [sort of deal] happen again" -- an indication that his company at least isn't happy with the current state of affairs. ZTE isn't waiting for any public acknowledgment to voice its frustration and says it's "highly concerned," although it's not helped by allegations from its own US general counsel that there was an attempt to cover up the Iranian link. Nothing is definite until the investigations go public, but the Iran connection could make it that much harder for ZTE to keep US customers regardless of its distance from the Chinese government. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nordic retailers list a Galaxy S III 'Mini,' insider info or wishful thinking? Posted: 08 Oct 2012 07:49 AM PDT While it's not as complex as one of the region's twisty crime dramas, the story surrounding the Galaxy S III Mini has taken another turn. Retailers in Europe's northernmost countries are now listing such a device with the codename GT-I8190 in blue and white, with or without an NFC chip, for $540 and $560, respectively. Given that the company is planning an announcement about a "little sensation" on Thursday, it's certainly less likely that we'll see the Galaxy Ace III turn up. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Just Mobile talks about working with Apple and why it manufactures in Taiwan exclusively Posted: 08 Oct 2012 07:11 AM PDT For the average Joe that have managed to stay out of the Apple circle, the Just Mobile brand might not immediately ring a bell, but chances are you would've come across one of its peripheral designs at some point. The only problem is unless you knew the company in the first place, you'd easily assume that the aluminum or even plastic knock-offs are just based on generic designs, because there are simply too many of them. It's no wonder Just Mobile co-founders Nils Gustafsson and Erich Huang take imitations of all forms very personally (especially the ones they and their lawyers see at CES), but fortunately, we were spared from prolonged ranting when we visited the duo's office in Taichung, Taiwan recently. What we were treated to instead was an insight into how an accessory maker works with Apple and why Just Mobile manufactures exclusively in Taiwan, as well as getting a preview of the upcoming AluRack, HeadStand and AluBase that are due out this month.
Here's a little background on Just Mobile: the company started off as a PDA (mainly Windows Mobile) accessory OEM in around 2005, with Huang taking care of procurement plus manufacturing, and his talkative friend Gustafsson, an ex-banker, overlooking European sales. The Just Mobile brand was barely known in the market, and the company found it hard to follow and to provide great support for the rapidly-changing devices. But two years later the iPhone arrived. "Everything changed when Steve Jobs made the iPhone. It made us put other projects aside," said Gustafsson. The change in direction led to the birth of Just Mobile's iconic and popular Xtand for iPhone, and contrary to popular belief, its iMac-like design was actually approved with enthusiasm by the relevant Apple staff when Gustafsson double-checked with them at WWDC; and of course, Apple also sells the Xtand. This was followed by the UpStand for iPad which, much like the original Xtand, was also designed in-house. But to fight the abundance of Apple accessories in the market, Huang and Gustafsson realized that they needed to go further in order to stand out. Luckily enough, they met Tools, a Denmark-based design house that specializes in elegant kitchen accessories by Eva Solo. "They are our exclusive designers for computing because they don't do anything like that anywhere else, so that's a big advantage for us," said Gustafsson. "We do like and appreciate that a lot because it brings fresh air. It's not an industrial designer who designs for mobile phones for generations and runs out of fresh ideas. They really have, sometimes, some very strange ideas and they don't give up on them." Consequently, Tools and Just Mobile delivered many award-winning products together, including: Encore, Slide and Horizon iPad stands, AluPen and AluPen Pro styli, Lounge iPhone stand and Alupad mouse mat. We won't go through the entire list, but a couple of them did catch our attention due to their unique appearances and mechanisms. For instance, the Encore features a flat aluminum ring with a hinged, curved arm that stands a tablet up against a rubber lip on the other side of the ring, and it looks nice even when not in use. Then there's the Slide (pictured above) which relies on interesting physics to support the iPad: a heavy high-friction rubber cylinder is pulled out of its tubular compartment under the metallic slope, and it can be placed anywhere on the slope to support the iPad at any desired angle, up to somewhere around 70 degrees -- you can see it and the others in action in the earlier video. Simple and unique designs like these are what Just Mobile strives for, but it is also constantly improving its portfolio through market feedback -- the addition of the pouch and stand for the AluPen is an example. Taking things down to a deeper level, Huang and Gustafsson revealed part of the key to successfully getting Apple's thumbs-up for their products. For anything that involves electronic parts, manufacturers need a "Made for iPhone" or "Made for iPod" certification in order to be featured by Apple, the application for which costs just several hundreds of dollars each time. That obviously contributes very little towards the so-called "Apple tax." Instead, the main culprit of the price hike is actually this stern requirement: certified products are required to use parts made by Apple's approved suppliers, like Foxlink for the iPod dock connectors, for instance. Gustafsson said other suppliers could be up to 50 percent cheaper, but as with many of the big players out there, the relationship with Apple is priceless. Not so much because of the exposure in the Apple shops, but it's more about the plentiful feedback and hints that Apple provides. One such example is that just months before the Lightning connector became official, Just Mobile launched the AluCable Twist which bridges the classic 30-pin iPod dock connector to USB, but at one point Apple actually hinted at the manufacturer to avoid investing too much into cables. Now we all know why. But even without Apple's requirements, Just Mobile proactively spends more in order to churn out what it believes to be better products. For one, the company takes the odd route and gets all the manufacturing done in Taiwan exclusively, despite the 20 percent hike in production costs compared to that of China. But in return, this makes it easier for the company to control production quality, as well as to make it harder for Asian copycats -- Gustafsson said you just don't know if a contractor sets up a second line to produce clones. A more important factor is that some nearby factories around Just Mobile's Taichung office actually produce components for Apple, including the aluminum parts, so Just Mobile's able to obtain the absolute identical grade and finish of aluminum as used by Apple, which is obviously a "crazy advantage." Speaking of which, Huang and Gustafsson used to source from a big Austrian company that manufactured aluminum parts for Bang & Olufsen, but nothing went smooth due to the slower pace over there: Gustafsson, who is a German, said them Europeans have too many long vacations, and consequently people were often not at their desks when he or Huang needed to get in touch. On the other hand, everything in Taiwan is faster and more efficient. That's not enough to win customers over, of course, so there's always the "one more thing" that Just Mobile tries to throw into all of its products. In the case of his Gum series external batteries, Huang is proud of the fact that they use good quality cells from Sanyo (which is part of Panasonic) and Sony, while many competitors use non-branded cells which are less reliable. And on the outside, again, some effort has been put towards making users feel at home: there's a black belt sandwiched between two aluminum covers, which is very much like the backside of the unibody MacBooks; and at the press of a button, the green battery level indicator shows up in the same manner as those on some Apple laptops. Interestingly, these batteries are Just Mobile's only line of electronic products. "We focus on pure products. We try to stay out of electronics as long as we can," said Gustafsson. The same rule applies to Just Mobile's three upcoming products, all of which consist of mainly aluminum. The AluRack (left) is designed by the famed Jakob Wagner from Denmark, and by securing it onto the back of any aluminum iMac or Cinema Display, it becomes a simple rack and lets you keep your laptop out of sight. Similarly, the AluBase (right), also a Wagner design, lets you stand your laptop up vertically in order to maximize your desk space, and it comes with interchangeable sleeves to fit the various Apple laptops (we actually think this works better than Twelve South's BookArc, though it's not necessarily as good-looking). And finally, the HeadStand in the middle is merely for hanging your headphones, while the gap between the two aluminum discs at the base lets you coil up the cable. Each of these will cost $49 in the US, €49 in Europe and £44 in the UK, and you should see them pop up at some point this month. One final question we threw at Gustafsson and Huang towards the end of the interview was what they think of Apple under its new leadership. To our surprise, Gustafsson candidly said he's worried, as he could already sense a change through his frequent dealings with Apple. However, Gustafsson also emphasized that his company's not limited to making just Apple accessories. In fact, Just Mobile could be designing furniture or even lamps in the future. But for now, it's literally mostly Just Mobile for him and his Taiwanese buddy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BBC announces YouTube original content channels for science, nature Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:41 AM PDT Hot on the heels of YouTube's launch of 60 new original content channels, the BBC has announced that it will be partnering with Google's video service to present two of those. The UK broadcaster said it will introduce a nature channel, with content coming from its BBC Earth Productions unit, and a science channel featuring Top Gear presenter James May "and his crack team of scientists." The new portals will come online in 2013, and "Auntie Beeb" has also redesigned its six current YouTube stations and added new clips from Top Gear (season 18) and other original programs, too. All that comes along at the same time as the refreshed iPlayer -- another way the company's been creative with technology, lately. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:20 AM PDT More Info Samsung's first crack at a smartphone larger than five inches came last year in the form of the Galaxy Note. It was wildly different than most phones we'd seen before: it was massive, for one, and involved the use of a
Hardware To gaze upon the newborn Galaxy Note II is to take a crash course in Samsung's preferred design language. Whereas the original bears the same overall look and squarish corners as the Galaxy S II, its successor is -- you guessed it -- just as inspired by nature and "designed for humans" as the Galaxy S III. We wouldn't rule out the possibility of you mixing them up (the size difference is a dead giveaway, but the phones look quite similar otherwise). Indeed, Samsung is now in the habit of changing things up on a yearly basis, which may seem more boring than once every couple months. By adopting an annual design cycle, however, devices like the Note II likely get pushed through the initial stages of development much faster than they would otherwise. We also imagine that the company's new strategy of consistency will have a significant impact on Samsung's brand recognition. While we all want our smartphones to stick around for a long time, the matter of build quality is extremely important here, given the fact that the phone's size makes it more prone to drops. That's why we're happy with the company's decision to use a polycarbonate chassis, similar to the one on the Galaxy S III. After handling the Note II on a regular basis, we're confident that Samsung's crafted a durable, solid device. (As an aside, you can find a few drop tests circulating the web. Spoiler: it holds up extremely well.) The front is frankly the busiest part of the phone; Samsung professes a policy of minimalism the rest of the way around the Note II. There's a power button on the right, volume rocker on the left, S Pen holder and micro-USB charging port (with MHL capabilities -- more on that later) on the bottom and 3.5mm headphone jack up top. Even the back keeps relatively quiet, sporting the 8-megapixel camera module and LED flash just barely above the singular Samsung logo, as well as a speaker grille that hangs out near the bottom. The battery cover lies completely flat across the back of the phone (with the exception of the slightly raised camera and speaker) and curves inward as it prepares to meet up with the edge. A design decision we've always appreciated from Samsung is the removable battery, which has been increased to 3,100mAh (up from 2,500mAh on the original Note). Above it you'll see slots for micro-SIM and microSDXC cards as well as contacts for NFC and wireless charging.
Display The Note II's display has earned a whole section unto itself because it's, well, a little different. And we're not just talking about the fact that the newer version uses a larger panel with even fewer pixels than the original: there's more to it than meets the eye (the naked eye, at least). First, a little background: when the sequel was announced with a 1,280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED panel, we naturally assumed that it would be sporting a PenTile matrix. After all, that's exactly how this type of display has been laid out in other handsets, so it's easy to break out the 'ol jump-to-conclusions mat. However, the microscope (and Samsung's spokespeople) tell us that this isn't the case at all. Software The Galaxy Note II is the first Samsung device to ship with Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.1, to be exact). All of the OS' new and enhanced features have been worked into TouchWiz UI. This includes Google Now (long-press the menu button to activate it), expandable notifications and predictive keyboard -- heck, even the Jelly Bean easter egg is there. It also includes the laundry list of new services Sammy introduced on the Galaxy S III, such as Smart Stay, S Voice, AllShare Cast and S Beam. (S Beam, by the way, adds the ability to transfer Note II docs to other Note II devices, but since we only have one tester phone, we haven't had the chance to try this out.) Popup video, which allows your selected video to "hover" over other apps, allowing you to multitask, also makes a repeat appearance here, and it's definitely a better experience when you have such a large screen to use it on. Samsung's set of motion controls are much improved from the old Note to the new, with the sequel now matching (and exceeding, in a couple cases) the Galaxy S III's functionality in this department. To recap, you can scroll to the top of a screen by double-tapping the top edge of the phone; tilt to zoom in and out of the screen in the gallery or browser; pan the phone to move icons on the main screen; shake your phone to look for updates; turn over the phone to mute sounds; directly call whatever contact is displayed on the screen; and more. There are a few newcomers to the Samsung fold: quick glance shows you a few basic notifications when you wave your hand over the proximity sensor and there are a few new advanced settings to adjust the level of sensitivity required to trigger motion when panning or tilting your device. S Pen The crown jewel of any Note device is its accompanying stylus (we know, we're not supposed to call it that), also known as the S Pen, and Samsung continues to improve on it with each new version. Indeed, the original Note, Note 10.1 and Note II all have somewhat unique pens, but they all have the same overarching design and can work interchangeably. That's handy information for anyone who loses their Wacom appendage, though there's one drawback: not all S Pens are shaped the same, so they don't all fit interchangeably in each other's cradles. The original Note pen fits loosely inside the Note II's cradle, and we wouldn't count on it staying in for very long before popping out. We suppose it shouldn't come as a revelation that the second Note's S Pen and Wacom digitizer have more in common with the Note 10.1 than the original Note. First, the device recognizes when you've removed the pen from its holster and, smartly assuming you'll imminently be using it, takes you to a special page with several pen-optimized apps. (It also lets you set an alarm that activates if your S Pen and Note get too far away from each other.) Also, much like the tablet, the Note II is capable of recognizing up to 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, a four-fold increase over the OG Note's 256. As a result, we noticed an improvement in accuracy and precision when using the pen for writing, sketching and other activities. What's more, the screen does a much better job of calculating how much pressure you're applying. Next up on the list of hover-friendly additions, you can now use your S Pen to scroll up and down on a page or list. In other words, it's now just a matter of holding the pen directly above the top or bottom of the scrollable screen. Sure, it seems gimmicky and unnecessary, but we discovered that we used this feature more often than we thought we would. The scrolling action is a little slow, so it's doubtful you'd want to use this on a lengthy website, but it's handy when you just need to go down the screen a little bit at a time -- say, in a settings menu or Twitter feed. Earlier we mentioned that Popup Video is available on the Note II, but that isn't the only thing that pops up -- you can do the same thing with Popup Note, which is activated by holding the S Pen button and double-tapping on the screen. This is basically a miniature version of the S Note app, which takes up less than half of the screen real estate. This means you can take notes and watch videos simultaneously. (Popup Browser is also available.) This is the best example of true multitasking that we've ever seen on a smartphone, and there were no lags, coughs, stutters or any sign whatsoever that the quad-core Exynos processor was buckling under the load. If this is only the beginning of what these phablets are capable of with the right engine under the hood, color us impressed. We're not done quite yet, multitasking fans. Samsung advertises another feature called Multi-Window that parallels -- nay, exceeds -- the aforementioned Popup Note in awesomeness. We recently saw an implementation of this in the Galaxy Note 10.1, and it's back, here in the Note II as Multi-Window. The implementation is a little different this time around, with a long press on the back button brining up a side bar of apps to choose from. On its tablet incarnation, this consisted of a choice of six. This time we have much more to choose from, including YouTube, ChatOn, GMail, Maps, Internet and, well, you get the idea. This list is also customizable so you can cut the ones you don't want, and bring your faves to the top. In practice, it works well. We had videos running while we checked our email, and happily scoured Google maps whilst we kept some restaurant reviews open in the other pane. Likewise, it's nice to see that you can use this in both orientations, with the phone's buttons being applied to the window that is currently in focus (sounds obvious, but anything's possible). We'd be interested to see how this might scale down onto something with a little less display going on, but the Note II's ample square-inchage certainly makes this a feature worth using. If you've ever used a dual-monitor setup for your desktop, you'll understand the massive productivity boost such a feature could bring to your smartphone -- especially given the amount of screen space the Note II offers. Quick Command is another new feature that takes advantage of the S Pen's gesture prowess. It's activated by pressing the button while dragging the pen up from the bottom. A familiar-looking handwriting box shows up, prompting you to write a command symbol followed by a keyword. For instance, write "@ Susie" to send an email to Susie; "? [search term]" performs a web search; "# Joseph" tells the phone to call Joseph, and so on. On the surface, this doesn't seem particularly useful when S Voice or Google voice search can do the same stuff, but here's the kicker: it's fully customizable, and you can add in whatever commands you want -- and these commands can open up applications or perform a set of automated tasks (think SmartActions or Tasker). You could program it to turn WiFi, GPS and Blocking Mode on just by drawing a "C," if that's what floats your boat. S Voice makes a return appearance, despite the existence of similar functionality in Jelly Bean. Not a surprise. What did take us aback is that it now includes S Pen handwriting recognition. This is definitely an interesting addition; from our perspective, it doesn't make much sense to write down a phrase that we could easily speak in less time -- not to mention the fact that Quick Command already addresses this capability, albeit in a separate app. This seems like a feature that Samsung threw in just because it could. Yet it's there if you want it, and we suppose there are a few folks that are gushing at the idea. Finally, Samsung has released version 2.2 of its S Pen SDK, which gives third-party developers the ability to beef up their apps with support for hovering, new brushes, special effects and context awareness. There's no guarantee your favorite app will magically have cool new S Pen features, but the option is there for devs to put in a little extra spice if they're interested. Camera Given what we already know of the Note II's similarities to the Galaxy S III, would it be much of a shocker to see the two sporting nearly identical cameras? Thanks to a little help from Supercurio, we did some digging and discovered that the two phones use the exact same rear camera modules (known in the code as the s5c73m3). Yes, both utilize maximum resolutions of eight megapixels (3,264 x 2,448 resolution), f/2.6 aperture and 3.7mm focal length in stills, while allowing for 1080p video capture. The front-facing cameras are the same as well: they max out at 1.9MP and are capable of 720p video recording. (Warning: they default to 1.3MP, which is 1,280 x 960. The 1.9MP setting offers 1,392 x 1,392 pixel resolution.) As mentioned, the Note II is capable of capturing 1080p video in MPEG-4 format. A quick perusal of the specs shows that it uses AVC profile 4.0, has a bitrate of 17 Mbps (the GS III is 17 Mbps, while the HTC One X is 10 Mbps and the ASUS Padfone is 20 Mbps) and offers a frame rate of 30fps. You're given the option of taking high-res (3,264 x 2,176) stills as you record your movies, but if you wait until playback to grab that precious shot, the pixel count will match that of the vid it was taken from. Performance and battery life By stating that the Note II has a shiny 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 running the show with 2GB RAM and a Mali-400MP GPU to help things along, the performance section almost writes itself. We've always been fond of Exynos, but it's especially wonderful to see it pushed to new frontiers -- in this case, four cores on a smartphone. As per our usual practice, let's first see how it holds up in our benchmark tests.
We were expecting to see out-of-this-world results, but even then, we ended up pleasantly surprised: some of the Note II's scores shattered anything we've seen before, especially in tests that stress the capabilities of the CPU and GPU. Four of the benchmarks produced results that easily bested anything else currently available on the market, with the other two being among the highest we've recorded. Samsung's music player offers a full listing of various EQ settings, as well as a few other methods of enhancing your tunes (3D, reverb, bass boost, concert mode and plenty of others). Also, when plugging in a pair of headphones, the phone recognizes that you're ready to get serious about multimedia and shows you a specialized home page with various options that would most likely appeal to you. Overall, we were satisfied with how our music sounded -- we could pick out all of the highs and lows without any shrill or overbearing areas. You shouldn't have any problem loading up most audio formats, including MP3 / WAV / eAAC+ / AC3 / FLAC. (For movies, you'll have success with MPEG-4, DivX / XVID, WMV, H.264 / 263, MKV, FLV and AVI.) Wrap-up To answer the question we posed at the beginning of this review, this thing is the real deal, and it's decisively better than the device that began the whole phablet craze. With SIM-free versions starting in the ballpark of £530, it's a bit on the pricey side, but for good reason: it offers best-in-market performance, an S Pen experience that blows its predecessor out of the water, a solid OS in Jelly Bean and plenty of other features that will make this a tempting offer to even the most petite-handed individual. To do so in a package that's actually thinner and narrower than the first Note is a tremendous accomplishment, and one that'll be hard to match. Get ready to have your cake and eat it too. James Trew contributed to this review. Special thanks to Negri Electronics for providing us with a review unit! This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT In case you haven't noticed, fitness gadgets are having something of a moment right now. The past year alone has seen the launch of Nike's FuelBand, the ill-fated Jawbone Up and a refreshed line of Fitbit trackers. Now another product is arriving that promises to do basically the same thing -- namely, track your activity, sleep patterns and food intake using a wearable gadget and mobile app. That thing you see up there is called Larklife and for now, at least, it works exclusively with iOS devices. It's a splash-resistant (but not waterproof) band that has a pedometer inside, counting your steps throughout the day. It can also tell how long you sleep each night, as well as how long it takes you to nod off. There's even a vibrating alarm built into the band -- something we first saw on the Up earlier this year. (As it happens, Lark's earlier products were sleep aids, so the inclusion of this feature actually makes a lot of sense.) As for monitoring your dietary habits, Larklife doesn't automatically track your food intake, but the app does include a food diary where you can manually enter your meals. Additionally, Larklife uses Bluetooth Smart to automatically sync with your iPhone so that you don't have to plug the band into a PC just to update your fitness stats. (The new Fitbit trackers work this way this too.) Additionally, the band uses a proprietary technology that can discern when you're running or walking, which means the app will log workouts even if you forget to enter them. The last intriguing bit is that the app dishes out smart, contextually aware advice. Didn't get much sleep last night? Larklife will remind you to eat more protein than usual at breakfast, so that you have enough energy to get you through the day. The app also rewards good behavior in the form of iOS notifications and colorful on-screen badges, though competing products admittedly take a very similar approach when it comes to keeping users motivated. Larklife is up for pre-order starting today, and is priced at $150 -- a rather large premium over the new Fitbit One, which will sell for $100. As for precise availability, all we know is that retailers will start stocking Larklife "before the holidays." Whether that means Halloween, Thanksgiving or some gift-giving celebration will be revealed some other day.
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| Native Facebook app for Android is in the final phases of internal testing Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:38 AM PDT Remember when Mark Zuckerberg said that Facebook's HTML5 Android app was a mistake? Well, one of our tipsters, embedded deep inside the Social Network, has let us know that the native version for Google's mobile OS has entered final testing. As such, it won't be long before the software is ready for consumption by the public at large, give or take an angry Winklevii or two. [Thanks, Anonymous] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple begins shipping its Lightning to 30-pin adapter at the speed of... freight Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:22 AM PDT iPhone users with a flotilla of 30-pin devices, desperate to restore connectivity with their newest handset's natty connector, can rest easy. Cupertino has contacted several Australians who pre-ordered the 30-pin to Lightning adapter to tell them they can expect the first units to arrive tomorrow. The Stateside store is still promising a generic "October" launch, but it can't be too far away if the Antipodeans are getting theirs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BBC launches iPlayer Radio: a separate radio-only mobile app and web UI Posted: 08 Oct 2012 05:00 AM PDT No one can accuse the BBC of neglecting radio in its quest for streaming nirvana -- not when the number of radio listeners on iPlayer has shot up 56 percent in a year (and 300 percent on tablets). Nevertheless, from tomorrow morning, iPhone users will find a brand new way to listen to their favorite content: a dedicated radio app with a spinning dial which -- compared to the regular iPlayer app -- will put much greater emphasis on live shows rather than catch-up. There'll also be mobile-friendly features like an alarm clock which will wake you up to your choice of show, reminders for shows you just can't miss, and the ability to identify current and recently-played songs at a glance. The app will reach Android too, as soon as some Flash-related difficulties have been ironed out, and its alarm function will benefit from slightly better multi-tasking on Google's OS, so you won't have to leave the app open before you fall asleep. If you don't want to wait or if you're outside the UK, check out the desktop iPlayer at the source link, or the gallery below, and you'll see just what the Corporation's philosophy about treating radio differently -- rather than as "TV minus video" -- actually looks like. BBC launches iPlayer Radio: a new home for BBC Radio across PC, mobile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung releases Galaxy Note II source code, gives modders a big fish to fry Posted: 08 Oct 2012 04:28 AM PDT If you've managed to stretch your hands around a Galaxy Note II smartphone already, but were hoping to get a custom ROM on it, there's good news: Samsung has just released the source code. It's now been posted for the international GT-N7100 model, giving developers a peek at the 5.5-incher's inner workings and allowing them to get to work on new mods. The company has been faithfully posting its Android code for handsets like the Galaxy S III shortly after they've gone on sale, letting developers like CyanogenMod release custom ROMs scant weeks afterward. So, if you get tired of TouchWiz or want root control of the pen-enabled behemoth, you can be sure someone's on the job right now. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 08 Oct 2012 03:46 AM PDT Rovio teased a certain film-inspired Angry Birds picture
ANGRY BIRDS & STAR WARS JOIN FORCES NEW YORK – (October 8, 2012) –Rovio Entertainment and Lucasfilm Ltd. announced today a new blockbuster entertainment franchise collaboration; Angry Birds Star Wars. Launching worldwide on November 8, the unique partnership will combine all the fun of the classic Angry Birds and Angry Birds Space with the characters, stories and settings of the epic space fantasy, Star Wars. From the deserts of Tatooine to the depths of the Death Star – the game and merchandise will feature the Angry Birds characters starring as the iconic heroes of the beloved Saga. "This is the best Angry Birds game we've ever done. It's the best parts of Angry Birds with all new cutting-edge gameplay set in in a galaxy far, far away," said Peter Vesterbacka, the Mighty Eagle and CMO of Rovio. "As a big Star Wars fan myself, I'm really excited about this new universe. The Force is definitely strong with this one." In addition to the game, this fall will also see the unveiling of a massive retail launch for Angry Birds Star Wars. Merchandise ranging from Halloween costumes and apparel to action figures and collectible plush toys will be available at select retailers, starting October 28. "Both Star Wars and Angry Birds share the instant and irresistible appeal of hands-on fun," said Colum Slevin, Vice President, Head of Studio Operations for Lucasfilm Ltd. "People seem to instinctively know what to do when handed a lightsaber or a bird in a slingshot, so this is a natural combination." In the coming weeks, fans can expect additional new videos, characters, and much more exciting content to be revealed. The game will be available on iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle Fire, Mac, PC, Windows Phone and Windows 8. For more information about Angry Birds Star Wars, visit www.angrybirds.com/starwars and watch the teaser trailer at www.youtube.com/user/RovioMobile. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget UK Giveaway: win a Samsung Galaxy Note II courtesy of MobiCity Posted: 08 Oct 2012 03:00 AM PDT Samsung's Galaxy Note II is one of the biggest phones this year, both figuratively, and literally. The OG Note stretched palms when it arrived last 12 months ago, with its 5.3-inch display, and it proved so popular that Samsung did it all over again -- and a little bit more. Not only is it hot off the production presses, we've also got one to give away to a lucky UK reader, courtesy of the kind people at online retailer MobiCity. That's where to send the thank you card if it's your name out of the hat. And if it's not? Well perhaps peruse their many SIM-free handset deals and treat yourself all the same. Want to know if you're eligible to win? Head south for the rules, and then get involved! The rules:
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| UK engineers developing harpoon that could help space junk meet a fiery end Posted: 08 Oct 2012 02:21 AM PDT Sure, we can pull space junk out of orbit with lasers or use it to cobble together new satellites, but if engineers at space firm Astrium UK have their way, space trash could be disposed of with the help of harpoons. Currently in a conceptual stage, the system is designed to shoot defunct satellites or other debris with a harpoon mounted on a "chaser satellite" and use a tethered propulsion pack to send the rubbish in an atmospheric descent where it'll burn up. Since the projectile could shoot straight through targets and result in even more garbage, it's been fashioned with a crushable portion to reduce its speed upon impact. There's no concrete word on when the outfit's solution might be put in action, but they'll present their work on Wednesday at the 63rd International Astronautical Congress in Naples (Italy, not Florida, mind you). If you can't wait to see the harpoon at work, head past the break to catch tests of an Earth-based prototype.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC announces Q3 2012 financials, net profit down again to $137 million Posted: 08 Oct 2012 01:29 AM PDT HTC has released its third quarter financials, with the same trend continuing from the last quarter: lower net revenue. The company said it gained NT$70.2 billion total ($2.4 billion), with pre-tax net income at NT$4 billion ($137 million), a nearly 50 percent drop from the $250 million it earned last quarter. All that is a far cry from its salad days last year, and the company will have to hope that its new Windows Phone 8X launch along with a new flagship One X+ will reverse its fortunes. HTC RELEASES UNAUDITED RESULTS FOR 3Q 2012 Taoyuan, Taiwan–Octoboer 8, 2012: HTC Corporation (TWSE: 2498), a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announces unaudited consolidated results for 3Q 2012. For the third quarter of 2012, total revenues reached NT$70.2 billion. Unaudited operating income was NT$4.9 billion, net income before tax was NT$4.0 billion, net income after tax, excluding minority interest, was NT$3.9 billion, and unaudited earnings per share after tax were NT$4.70 based on 831,227 thousand weighted average number of shares. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huawei and ZTE 'cannot be trusted' in the US, says Congress report Posted: 08 Oct 2012 12:23 AM PDT A Congress committee will today publish the results of an 11-month investigation into ZTE and Huawei and the alleged risks these companies pose to US national security. Somehow, Reuters has already gotten hold of a draft of the report and, judging from the conclusions that have now been made public, it's anything but diplomatic. The document accuses both Chinese manufacturers of refusing to cooperate with the US's investigation, of failing to properly explain their ties with the Chinese government, and – at least in the case of Huawei -- of being the subject of "credible allegations" of "bribery, corruption, discriminatory behavior and copyright infringement." Many details seem to have been reserved for a longer, classified version of the report, but the Intelligence Committee's chairman, Mike Rogers, has already appeared on 60 Minutes to tell Americans to "find another vendor" rather than do business with either company – a stance that could potentially affect their handset sales as well as their telecoms infrastructure operations. In response, ZTE has complained that it "should not have been the focus of this investigation to the exclusion of the much larger Western vendors" and says it "profoundly disagrees" with the findings. A Huawei spokesman has described the Congress report as a "baseless" attack that will "recklessly threaten American jobs and innovation." Indeed, it published the same arguments in greater depth three weeks ago, when it was clearly anticipating (and no doubt dreading) today's headlines. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| YouTube advances cash for 60 more original channels in Europe and the US Posted: 07 Oct 2012 10:33 PM PDT Google pulls in nearly $2 billion a year in YouTube advertising revenue, but that's still a drop in the bucket compared to the $60 billion earned by broadcast networks. To rely less on viral cat videos or "Gangnam Style" breakouts, the company has announced that it's advanced funds to content producers like Jamie Oliver and Michael Cera to create 60 new original channels in France, the UK, Germany and the US. That's in addition to the 100 channels it already created last year, and Mountain View also said it would take that original launch up a notch in 2013 by providing even more funds to the most successful efforts by artists like Jay Z and Amy Poehler. The company didn't say exactly how much cash would be raining down to all those channels stateside or abroad, but considering the amount it recently spent just marketing them, you may want to pull the trigger on that new cinema camera, after all. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How would you change HTC's Titan II? Posted: 07 Oct 2012 07:57 PM PDT Let's imagine you shunned purchasing a Lumia 900 in favor of HTC's Titan II, the company's final Windows Phone handset before its colorful reinvention. You were probably drawn to that 16-megapixel camera, but given the tight restrictions imposed by the operating system, there's little else to separate it from its kin. The question is, what would you have done differently? How Would You Change asks you to share what you'd wanna see, should the company ever build the Titan III. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refresh Roundup: week of October 1st, 2012 Posted: 07 Oct 2012 06:00 PM PDT Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates
Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery
Refreshes we covered this week
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| Watch the SpaceX Dragon capsule lift off, live (video) Posted: 07 Oct 2012 05:25 PM PDT There's nothing like a good ol' fashion rocket launch to spice up a lazy Sunday evening -- the SpaceX Dragon capsule is ready to soar. Following a successful docking test back in May, NASA has approved Dragon for a series of delivery missions, carting a thousand pounds of cargo to astronauts on the International Space Station. Today, at 8:35PM ET, the capsule is scheduled to ride a Falcon 9 rocket into orbit -- the first of what should be a series of round-trip delivery missions. Barring bad weather or engine problems, it should be a good show -- join us after the break to enjoy the launch right here. Update: Dragon made it into orbit -- check out the instant replay after the break. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite gets torn-down, promptly put back together (video) Posted: 07 Oct 2012 04:41 PM PDT Now that you've been fully acquainted with Amazon's new Kindle Paperwhite, perhaps it's time to get to know it on a deeper level -- and what better than a tear-down to do just that? The folks over at Powerbook Medic took their own unit apart piece by piece on video, highlighting what appears to be a simple process, mostly done by dealing with screws. The trickiest part seems to be pulling off the bezel, as it's held in place with glue. Unfortunately, the repair shop doesn't analyze the e-reader's internal components in the iFixit fashion, but it has gone full-circle and provided a second video on how to put it all back together. Curious to see this Kindle's e-ink-filled guts? You'll find both videos after the break.
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| Switched On: Hail to the hybrids Posted: 07 Oct 2012 02:30 PM PDT Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In the world according to Apple, there are OS X-based Macs and iOS-based iPads. As it stands now in the era of disparate kitchen appliances, never the twain shall meet, even if they tend to borrow features from each other. Point the finger of blame at synthetic pointing devices that offer precision at the expense of intimacy. Google has played it a little looser with its two-pronged operating system strategy. It has reserved Chrome OS for such traditionally touch-deficient computing form factors as desktops and notebooks while allowing Android to support keyboards and mice. However, as Switched On noted nearly a year ago, we've seen few pure clamshells that use Android. Microsoft, however, has thrown these distinctions out the window, or at least with Windows. The latest release of its PC operating system seeks to dissolve the interface differences between laptops and tablets. It will appear on both types of devices as well as touch-enabled all-in-ones and desktops. But Windows 8 -- with its tablet-friendly face and ability to run traditional productivity applications -- will also turn more PC manufacturer attention toward portable devices that live somewhere between a completely unadorned tablet and a notebook. We can expect two main kinds of these hybrids. Convertibles Convertibles lie closer along the spectrum to notebooks than tablets in that their keyboards remain attached, but PC vendors will primarily employ a range of hinge tricks to allow the devices to be held like a tablet. These devices will tend to have larger screens and because of the inability to detach the keyboard, will be heavier. Some of the earliest Tablet PCs embraced this design philosophy, many with a single rotating hinge upon which the display was twisted to convert from closed clamshell to exposed display. This also allows the device to be used for presentations in open clamshell mode, although this has always seemed like the computing equivalent of the goofy Blind Man's Bluff poker game where players keep a card on their foreheads. Back at CES 2012, though, Lenovo showed off one of the first Windows 8 convertibles -- the Yoga. The unassuming laptop uses a 360-degree hinge to fold the keyboard behind the screen, which disables input from the keys and trackpad when so positioned to prevent accidental entries. Meanwhile, Dell has beefed up the processor and screen size from its Inspiron Duo netbook to create the 12-inch XPS Duo designed for Windows 8. Detachables PC vendors consider these tablets -- and they can certainly function as one. However, they will also be bundled with detachable keyboards, some of which may have the ability to charge the tablet when docked and many of which will lock into the tablet for a secure carry unlike many iPad options. The ASUS Transformers have pioneered this approach with Android, but such a path will be less of an exception among Windows tablets. Indeed, HP has already shown off the Envy X2 detachable tablet that locks into a matched keyboard. It's a convincing ultraportable notebook impersonation given away mostly by a bit of a hump at the hinge. As always with PC tablets, just as with today's iPads and Android tablets, you'll be able to roll your own combinations as well, piecing together cases, stands and Bluetooth pointing devices and keyboards. But there should be less need to do so for those who want to seamlessly switch from desk to duvet. Indeed, these kinds of devices may be the best showcases for Windows 8. The iPad was introduced as a device that bridged the gap between smartphones and notebooks. Hybrids don't really aim to fill the one between tablets and notebooks, but rather extend each to serve more of the use cases of the other. Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is principal analyst at Reticle Research, an advisory firm focused on consumer technology. Views expressed in Switched On are his own. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Oct 2012 01:20 PM PDT Believe it or not, what you're looking at above is a set of headphones -- let's explain. It's no secret that Skullcandy has been working to improve its tattered repertoire with headphone junkies for the past two years. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to hear generally favorable opinions about its Jay-Z-endorsed Roc Nation Aviators ($150), and the company has apparently taken notice. Aiming to build on the success it's had blending sunglasses with headphones, it's now ready to let loose a "smaller sibling" into the lineup -- and we've been able to get an exclusive first look and listen. Without further ado, say hello to the Navigator. Priced at $99, it features a similar aviator-esque style to Jay-Z's model, albeit in a petite on-ear package -- we'd say the design direction this time is even better looking, too. The cans have collapsible earcups with flat earpads and metal construction (just like you'd find on sunglasses), with a faux leather-wrapped headband and a flat tangle-resistant cable (detachable) which houses an iDevice-compatible three-button remote and microphone. Skullcandy is being light on technical details at the moment, but we do know that the headphones will come in a choice of black or black with blue We've gotta say it, the build quality of the Nav is right on par with that of high-end sunglasses, and the earcups adjust into position along the headrails with secure and satisfying clicks. That said, the earcups have almost no articulation, and we had to actually bend the "frame" into shape a bit before we got a useable fit. Sure, this is normal for actual glasses, but needing to torque a brand set of headphones into position did feel disconcerting. We still haven't been able to the get the fit just right, but we're optimistic that we'll get there with a bit more patience and tweaking. Aside from that, the plastic "lenses" on the outsides of earcups pick up up fingerprints ultra quick, but they don't standout too much thanks to the black finish-- we'd imagine it might be easier to see on the blue model. The Navigator to feels very lightweight on the head, and the earpads do a fairly good job of keeping things cushy. This editor did experience cartilage cramps near the backs of his ears after an hour or so of wearing the cans, however -- a niggle at best. We'd have no issue using these for short commutes, but for longer listens we'd probably advise you to go for the larger Aviators if you're heart's set on this style. We never dealt with the cable tangling up or transferring loads of cable noise into the earcups, and we're very impressed with the feel of the inline remote. It's very tactile, allowing for operation without fumbling or accidentally hitting the wrong button. You may have noticed that the Navigator's box has the phrase "Supreme Sound" on it. As we touched on earlier, Skullcandy's been using this as a motto to highlight its focus on better audio quality -- and not just making fashionable headgear. That in mind, we're happy to report that the cans sound solid for the price point. The voicing is expectedly on the slightly muddy side of things with a very narrow soundstage, but the tonality is mostly smooth (read: not extremely harsh or fatiguing). Better yet, the drivers don't seem to distort aggressively with the volume jacked up. It's not boom-heavy sound by any means, but the highs are definitely a veiled due to the bass emphasis. If you like dubstep these will do the trick, all while maintaining just enough bite so that the throaty top-end of bass lines -- like that of Mike Dirnt's on Green Day's album Dookie -- don't get totally drowned in the mix. The headphones also provide a fair amount of isolation, so they'll spare you the need to crank the volume excessively in the likes of subways. Speaking of, we had no issue driving them with our iPhone 5, and found they were slightly louder than Logitech's $99 UE headphones at the same volume setting. For perspective, Logitech's offering does sound a bit more balanced with clearer highs, but from a usability standpoint the Navigator is more compelling option for day-to-day use (the UEs don't fold up, for example). Of course it'll take more listening to make a definitive call, but we don't think you can really go wrong with the Navigators as it stands, so long as your expectations are in-line with the price -- and try not to confuse them for your shades. Skullcandy Introduces The Navigator Exclusively to Apple Stores PARK CITY, Utah –October 7, 2012 – Skullcandy, Inc. (Nasdaq: SKUL), a high-growth, performance lifestyle audio brand, today announced the launch of the Navigator - a streamlined sibling to the brand's iconic Roc Nation Aviator packed into a sleeker, more refined form factor. Offering a perfect blend of style and performance, the Navigator is the answer for consumers that have fallen in love with the Aviator but are looking for their Supreme Sound to be delivered in low profile package without sacrificing their style. This new on-ear headphone launches exclusively at Apple stores nationwide today, October 7st, where it will be displayed on listening stations for consumer demos. The Navigator is the next generation evolution of a highly successful concept from Skullcandy. Featuring the brand's custom styled drivers and highest grade materials, these on-ear headphones push the Attacking Bass, Natural Vocals, and Precision Highs consumers have come to expect in every new Skullcandy release. "The new Navigator offers the perfect balance of premium audio performance and unmatched style d in a convenient and portable package that you won't find anywhere else," said Nate Morley, Skullcandy's VP Marketing. "To add to that, we've included the full gamut of Skullcandy's innovative features to create an all-encompassing audio experience for any audiophile." Featuring the Mic3 functionality, users have full control of volume, pause/play, tracking and the ability to have clear, crisp phone conversation direct through the unit. Additional features include an ergonomic design designed specifically to fit the shape of the users head and ears, soft leather touch ear pillows for optimal comfort and detachable cable input to eliminate tangled cords. For more information about Skullcandy, please visit: www.skullcandy.com/navigator | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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