|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dreamhack's record breaking 120Gbps connection was fast enough to replace a certain household appliance, but next to what's Norway's cooking up it looks almost antiquated. The Gathering, Norway's annual week-long LAN party, plans to set a new world record for the "fastest internet access in the universe" with a 200Gbps connection. "No way we would let the Swedes keep the lead on this," says Gathering head of information Simon Eriksen Valvik, "we didn't just raise the bar a little, we moved it a story up." The connection is reportedly faster than the combined bandwidth of Thailand, and will be capable of downloading 5,120 songs a second. Don't bee too envious though, the ludicrously quick network is only temporary. Representatives from Altibox, the Norwegian network that's partnering with The Gathering to break the record, say that Norway simply doesn't have the capacity to support these kinds of speeds on a day to day basis. The gap is being filled with foreign internet capacity, piped in by Level 3. Tickets for the event are already sold out, so speed freaks desperate for the fastest internet in the universe will just have to settle for the fastest internet in the neighborhood. At least until next year. The Gathering 2012 to bring world's fastest internet to Norway, leave Swedish laundry out to dry originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Digi.no |  The Gathering | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sure, CES and MWC brought along a plethora of Ice Cream Sandwich slates this year. So what sort of harm can adding one more to the pile do -- especially if it claims to be the most powerful sub-£200 Android slab on the globe. Enter Storage Option's Scroll Extreme, which sports a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display, 1.2GHz Cortex A8 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in storage with an option to expand via microSD. Also included in the £189.99 ($303) deal are front 0.3 and 2-megapixel rear shooters, as well as allowing you to output regular and 3D content (because it knows you'll only watch Hugo on the big screen). It's also worth mentioning that your app needs have to be fulfilled by the SlideMe store (we don't blame you if you're unfamiliar), since this beast lacks the right credentials to access the Android Market. If you're brave enough to put its claims to the test, you'll have to wait until April and live in the UK to do so. In the meantime, you can flip through the glammy press shots below to catch all of its revealing angles. Continue reading Storage Options intros Scroll Extreme, says it's 'world's most powerful tablet under £200' Storage Options intros Scroll Extreme, says it's 'world's most powerful tablet under £200' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 01:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Storage Options | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Suffice it to say, March 2012 is a notable month for Canon. Not only does it mark the 25th anniversary of the first EOS SLR, but it's also ushering in Canon's latest addition to its full-frame DSLR lineup. That gorgeous beast your eyes are feasting upon is the company's new EOS 5D Mark III. That's right folks, this isn't a replacement for the Mark II, but rather an updated variant meant to sit between the workhorse of four years and the company's soon to arrive EOS-1D X. At a glance, the shooter is nearly indistinguishable from its older sibling, although a closer inspection reveals a new name badge, improved weather- and dust-resistance and some slight tweaks to its top-mounted info display and buttons on the back. Don't be fooled, however, as there are obviously major changes here worthy of the new moniker. Key specs include a larger 1,040,000-dot 3.2-inch rear LCD, Digic 5+ processor, 22.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, 61-Point High Density Reticular autofocus with 41 cross types (all of which are borrowed from the 1D X), dual memory card slots (SD and CompactFlash) an extended ISO range of 50 to 102,400 (100 to 25,600, natively), OVF with 100 percent coverage (vs 98 previously), and a maximum 6 FPS burst speed. Naturally, the 5D Mark III is no slouch in the video department: it can capture h.264 footage at up to 1080/30p or 720/60p , with an effective ISO range of 100-128,000. Better yet, not only does it allow for real-time control of your audio levels during filming, but also monitoring, being the first EOS-series DSLR to come equipped with a headphone jack (!) -- something sorely missing in the world of ILC cameras. We've only skimmed the surface, however, so join us past the break for further details and a quick video overview. Continue reading Canon announces EOS 5D Mark III: 22.3MP full-frame sensor, 6 fps, 102,400 max ISO, yours for $3,500 (video) Canon announces EOS 5D Mark III: 22.3MP full-frame sensor, 6 fps, 102,400 max ISO, yours for $3,500 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In a change of conversation that would make Don Draper proud, Netflix has picked up its blogging pen and accentuated the positive, even as hundreds of titles provided by Starz Play blinked away this week. The first bit of good news? Content that's coming instead of going includes several movies that scored trophies at last weekend's Academy Awards,including Best Picture winner The Artist, and Best Documentary winner Undefeated that will arrive "later this year, plus Best Animated Feature Rango that goes live on the service March 31st. That extends to movies in theaters too, as last weekend's top two, Act of Valor and Good Deeds, are pay-TV window exclusives for Netflix. The other positive note is that it achieved a goal of offering closed captioning on 80 percent of the hours streamed by the end of last year, and notes 90 percent of streaming is now done on devices that have been updated to support optional captions. The bad news there is that some embedded TV and Blu-ray player software might not be able to be updated for captions, and progress on adding captions for that last twenty percent of content may be slower since it's content that isn't viewed as often. So, is the red envelope company doing enough to keep you hanging around, or are you going to blow through the last few eps of Lillyhammer and pull the eject button? Netflix Watch Instantly's life after Starz includes Academy Award winners, more captions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Netflix (captions), Netflix (Oscars) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If you thought RIM's decline would inject a need to give its handsets a major makeover, think again. The folks from BGR have smudged their fingertips all over an India-bound BlackBerry device and, well, it shamelessly resembles just about every member of the Curve family. The purported 9320 is said to come sporting OS 7.1 at its core, along with a 2.44-inch, 320 x 240 qVGA+ display, 512MB of RAM as well as a 3.2-megapixel rear shooter. Allegedly, the BlackBerry is also rocking a BBM button on its left spine, which should come in handy to those who love some Berry-specific instant messaging. Word is the Curve 9320 will be ready to hit the streets next month for around 12,000 Rupees (or around $245). Hopefully by then you haven't spent your cash on one of those shiny new talkers we saw in Barcelona. BlackBerry 9320 leaks out, looks like every other Curve originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink MobileSyrup | BGR | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If you were lucky enough to snag the free Facebook app for the PS Vita last week while it was briefly available, you probably found its performance balky, at best. Shortly thereafter, Sony unsurprisingly it pulled from the PlayStation Store, noting issues stemming from Facebook side of town. Well, good news just came in from Sony's PlayStation Twitter account -- Zuckerberg's app is "fully restored" and ready for your downloading pleasure. Facebook's relationship with Vita OS will, hopefully, be less "complicated" this time around, but let us know how it's working for you in the comments. PS Vita Facebook app officially resurfaces, available for download (again) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PlayStation (Twitter) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The folk at Sandia Labs work on all sorts of interesting projects, and the latest thing to fan our utopian dreams is this experimental smart power outlet. Unlike most monitoring set-ups, it can measure and control electric load without being connected to a central management system. The outlet comprises four receptacles, each with voltage and current sensors and a small computer which shuttles data over an Ethernet bridge. This autonomous style of operation could lead to more intelligent power grids that self-monitor, adapt and integrate with other grids without complex infrastructure updates. Other benefits include removing large points of failure, desirable in any network, and simpler home power monitoring systems. Sandia Labs' prototype could also improve effectiveness of variable output energy sources such as wind and solar, thanks to its ability to compensate for flux in energy production -- which might come in handy. Sandia Labs develops self monitoring smart outlet, still needs you to plug it in originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Sandia National Laboratories | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mobile World Congress is a dignified affair held yearly in Barcelona that companies take very seriously. For example, unlike CES, there are lots and lots of suits -- after all, this is a congress. Here, some of the most unique and desirable handsets meet the eyes of press, analysts and buyers for the very first time. Accordingly, anxieties were high among company leaders as they put their best foot forward and held their breath for the first round of impressions. This year's show has been a wild ride, and we've seen many devices stretch the boundaries of our imagination. There were more than a few stunners, and as the dust settles, companies such as HTC, Nokia, LG, Huawei and Asus can all hold their heads high. Join us after the break as we reminisce the most notable smartphones from Mobile World Congress. Continue reading Mobile World Congress 2012: smartphone roundup Mobile World Congress 2012: smartphone roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2012 is still young, yet it's already shaping up to be a bad year for privacy and security on the mobile front. Apple found itself embroiled in a bit of a brouhaha over the iPhone address book and an app called Path. And, of course, Google was put under the microscope when mobile Safari was found to have a security flaw that its mobile ads were exploiting. Then, earlier this week, it was discovered that granting iOS apps access to your location could also expose your photos. Now it's been discovered that Android also exposes your images, though, it's doing so without asking for any permissions at all. While Apple was masking photo access with other permissions, Google is simply leaving your pics vulnerable as a part of a design quirk that came from the OS's reliance on microSD cards. Both companies have acknowledged the flaws and have said they're currently working on fixes. We're just hoping things start to quiet down soon, though -- our mobile operating systems are running out of personal data to expose. Check out the source links for more details. Android and iOS expose your photos to third party apps, promise fixes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | NYT 1, 2 | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Google may have had to deal with some less- than- positive Google Wallet news last month, but it was able to announce some progress of a different sort in the past couple of days. The first is an update to the Android app, which adds the ability to handle PO Boxes for prepaid card top-ups, along with a number of other fixes and improvements. The second, more significant news comes out of Mobile World Congress, where Google Wallet and Payments VP Osama Bedier revealed that the mobile payment service would be heading to "at least 10 additional phones" on Sprint this year -- no word on those specific phones, though. Details on any expansion plans beyond that also remain a bit light, with Bedier only saying that Google remains in talks with other carriers and device manufactures. Google Wallet Android app updated, headed to 'at least' ten more Sprint phones this year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Appolicious | FierceMobileContent, Android Market | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Silence is golden, so there are plenty of times when it'd be awfully convenient to mute those around us, and a couple of Japanese researchers have created a gadget that can do just that. Called the SpeechJammer, it's able to "disturb remote people's speech without any physical discomfort" by recording and replaying what you say a fraction of a second after you say it. Why would that shut up the chatty Cathy next to you? Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) is based on an established psychological principle that it's well-nigh impossible for folks to speak when their words are played back to them just after they've been uttered. SpeechJammer puts the power of DAF in a radar gun-style package that uses a directional mic and speaker, distance sensor and a trigger switch to turn it on, plus a laser pointer for targeting purposes -- so you simply point and shoot at your talkative target, and enjoy the silence that ensues. Piggy, your new conch has arrived, and this one can make Jack keep quiet. SpechJammer gun gives loudmouths a dose of their own medicine to keep 'em quiet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Technology Review | arXiv.org (PDF) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Facebook's gently unveiled a raft of changes to its policies to boost advertising on the social network. It unveiled Timeline for pages, meaning that companies can now start uploading baby pictures and changing the cover photo every day. While adverts have been traditionally restricted to the right-rail of the site, now they'll be jammed in at will -- including in your mobile app (which the company conceded it wasn't "monetizing"), timeline and log in / out pages. Advertisers will also have access to a reach generator: once your brand reaches a set (unspecified) number of fans, you can pay to contact up to 75 percent of them with your adverts each month. Finally, there's offers: a way for businesses to share discounts and promotions with users that can then be whipped out at the store on your cellphone, which is certainly cooler than slicing out sections of the penny saver. [Thanks, Chris] Continue reading This Week in Facebook: Offers, Ads and Timeline for Pages This Week in Facebook: Offers, Ads and Timeline for Pages originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink ZDnet | Facebook | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The NSA decided it wanted to have its own go at producing a secure Android smartphone that could encrypt communications to levels necessary for national security. Project "Fishbowl" constructed 100 handsets from off-the-shelf components that were secure enough that staffers could use them without speaking in code. All conversations are conducted across an IPsec VPN with a secure, real-time transport protocol for encrypting the voice at both ends, with the VoIP server being housed inside an NSA facility. It's part of a program to get handset makers to build this kit so the Information Assurance Directorate doesn't have to navigate the interoperability hurdles between each company's tech. The agency has launched a how-to for any manufacturer looking for a large Government contract to produce Fishbowl phones on a larger scale, although they'll probably have to change the name to something more threatening like MK-Ultraphone or the Phoneadelphia Experiment.NSA builds own model of Android phone, wants you to do the same originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink MIT Technology Review | NSA | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It may be starting out fairly small, but Google has just made its first push into the airline reservation business. That comes courtesy of its 2010 acquisition of ITA Software, which has already resulted in the Flight Search service and OnTheFly app, and has now also produced a new reservation system for Massachusetts-based Cape Air. That may not look all that different from other airlines' systems on the surface, but Google says that there's plenty different going on under the hood, noting that it was built from "scratch using modern, modular, scalable technologies." That last bit is perhaps the key one, with Google further noting that the system is "built to scale to support airlines of all sizes." In other words, it seems safe to assume that Google has its sights set a lot higher than small regional airlines. Those interested in trying out the system or booking a New England trip can do so now on Cape Air's site linked below. Continue reading Google puts ITA acquisition to use again with new airline reservation system for Cape Air Google puts ITA acquisition to use again with new airline reservation system for Cape Air originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PC World | ITA Software Blog, Cape Air | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Generally, when we talk hybrids, we're talking about a car that either powers itself on batteries at low speeds, only firing up the internal combustion engine when a little extra giddy-up is needed, or an electric car that turns the gas-powered piston pusher inside into a glorified power plant. Audi's e-tron quattro is a little different, though. The R18 sports a four-wheel drive system that powers one axle with an electric motor, while the other gets its juice from a 510 hp V6. The e-tron quattro also has a sibling, the Audi R18 Ultra, which seeks to compensate for the added weight of a hybrid drive train by using extremely lightweight materials, like carbon fiber, wherever possible -- including the gearbox. Both cars will be making their debut at the Le Mans 24 Hour on June 16th. For more details check out the PR after the break. Continue reading Audi goes hybrid and ultralight with R18 Le Mans racers Audi goes hybrid and ultralight with R18 Le Mans racers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Good news today for Android tablet owners with OnLive Desktop envy: the cloud-based service, which recently hit the iPad, is coming to select tablets running Gingerbread and higher. The app uses the company's remote gaming technology to bring a number of desktop apps to the tablet, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Reader. It comes in a number flavor, including free, Desktop Plus ($4.99), Dekstop Pro (starting at $9.99) and an enterprise version. OnLive Desktop'll work with Acer Iconia Tab A500, ASUS Eee TF101, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 and HTC Jetstream. More info after the jump. Continue reading Onlive Desktop comes to Android tablets, brings Microsoft Office along for the ride Onlive Desktop comes to Android tablets, brings Microsoft Office along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Remember how proud Google was when it unified all of its services under a single privacy policy? Well, Big G's excitement was tempered when the EU asked it to hold off on the policy's implementation while it investigated the changes. And its enthusiasm is likely all but extinguished now that EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding has declared the policy to be in breach of European law. She found fault with the fact that the EU wasn't consulted in the policy's formation, the policy doesn't meet transparency requirements, and it allows Google to give people's private data to third parties. No word on what Europa's governing body will do with such findings in hand, but it seems certain that the crew in Mountain View's got some policy revisions to make. Guess simplifying those privacy policies wasn't so simple, was it? EU: Google's new privacy policy breaches European law originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Reuters | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's TI's time to brag. We first met OMAP5 when the company's VP of the OMAP division, Remi El-Ouazzane, unveiled the developer's reference platform on our stage at CES. While there, he boasted OMAP5 as "the greatest platform on Earth right now," but we were given only a few insights into the platform's capabilities. Now, TI is back with a new wave of demos that better show the prowess of OMAP5 -- a system-on-chip design that houses a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU clocked at just 800MHz, two Cortex-M4 cores for low-power processes, along with a PowerVR SGX 544 GPU that handles 3D compositions, and a number of accelerators such as TI's IVA-HD, which supports both video encoding and decoding and plays 1080p video at a whopping 60fps. We were shown a demo of all these capabilities humming in unison on a 1080p display, along with a complex HTML5 mashup that adds credence to the company's latest benchmark report. Photography geeks should know the system supports up to 14 megapixel cameras, and is able to process ten shots per second at that setting. We're told to expect devices based on the OMAP5 platform by the end of the year, and if you're anything like us, it's going to be one hell of a wait. Hop the break for the demo. Continue reading Hands-on demo with TI's OMAP5 platform at MWC (video) Hands-on demo with TI's OMAP5 platform at MWC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Anyone hoping for a truly unlimited "unlimited" data plan is still out of luck, but AT&T has announced some changes (or a clarification, as it puts it) to its throttling procedures today that will at least give you a bit more room to work with. For customers on an unlimited plan with a 3G or "4G" phone (i.e. HSPA+), you'll now be able to enjoy full data speeds up to 3GB, after which you'll then see your speeds decrease until the start of the next billing cycle. If you have a 4G LTE phone, however, you'll have a full 5GB to play with before the throttling kicks in. That's as opposed to the roughly 2GB of full data speeds that was available in both cases before -- and, as with the throttling that was imposed originally, these changes only apply to those still on an unlimited data plan, not those on AT&T's tiered data plans. AT&T announces throttling changes, now kicks in at 3GB or 5GB for LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AT&T | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Anyone hoping for some truly unlimited "unlimited" plans is still out of luck, but AT&T has announced some changes (or a clarification, as it puts it) to its throttling procedures today that will at least give you a bit more room to work with. For customers on an unlimited plan with a 3G or "4G" phone (i.e. HSPA+), you'll now be able to enjoy full data speeds up to 3GB, after which you'll then see your speeds decrease until the start of the next billing cycle. If you have a 4G LTE phone, however, you'll have a full 5GB to play with before the throttling kicks in. That's as opposed to the roughly 2GB of full data speeds that was available in both cases before -- and as with the throttling that was imposed originally, these changes only apply to those still on an unlimited data plan, not those on AT&T's tiered data plans. AT&T announces throttling changes, now kicks in at 3GB or 5GB for LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AT&T | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Anyone hoping for some truly unlimited "unlimited" plans is still out of luck, but AT&T has announced some changes (or a clarification, as it puts it) to its throttling procedures today that will at least give you a bit more room to work with. For customers on an unlimited plan with a 3G or "4G" phone (i.e. HSPA+), you'll now be able to enjoy full data speeds up to 3GB, after which you'll then see your speeds decrease until the start of the next billing cycle. If you have a 4G LTE phone, however, you'll have a full 5GB to play with before the throttling kicks in. That's as opposed to the roughly 2GB of full data speeds that was available in both cases before. As with the throttling imposed originally, these changes only apply to those still on an unlimited data plan, not those on AT&T's tiered data plans. AT&T announces throttling changes, now kicks in at 3GB or 5GB for LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AT&T | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Texas Instruments is helping to lead the way when it comes to mobile computing -- when we want an early look at what's to come months and even years down the road, TI is always one of our first stops. At this year's Mobile World Congress, the semiconductor leader wasn't shy about showing off its latest innovations, including those from its manufacturing and design partners. Today's demo focused on wireless video streaming -- a concept that engineers are approaching from every imaginable angle, and that is bound to make its way to consumers in a very big way within the next few years. TI's flavor is based on WiFi, and offers a dual-connection solution, letting you pair a tablet with a TV using peer-to-peer while also creating a second link between the tablet and a wireless router for Internet.
We took the tech for a spin using one of TI's development platform tablets and an external WiFi dongle (shipping versions will be integrated), and everything worked as described, though the video stream was noticeably choppy and compressed. TI reps explained that they dialed down the bitrate in order to maintain a connection at the MWC expo hall, which, as you might imagine, probably had a wireless signal density greater than any other room in the world. The tablet we saw was running a very slick context-aware UI that displays one of three home screens based on your current location -- there's one for work (that displays your calendar), one for home (media and home automation controls) and another for travel (restaurant reviews and weather). Pushing content from the tablet to the TV seemed to be seamless, and while both the UI and wireless functionality may appear to be ready to make their way into your home, TI isn't making any announcements about availability. There's no need to wait for a teaser, however, which you'll find just past the break. Continue reading Texas Instruments dual WiFi module lets your tablet connect to your TV and the web simultaneously (hands-on) Texas Instruments dual WiFi module lets your tablet connect to your TV and the web simultaneously (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Always Innovating appears to be living up to its name, making significant progress on that clever HDMI Android dongle that we first heard of way back at CES. Now the company's TI OMAP4-based television companion is rockin' some Ice Cream Sandwich madness, drawing curious Mobile World Congress attendees into the Texas Instruments booth for a look. We happened upon the device on the last day of the show, and we couldn't help but be impressed. The premise here is quite simple: your "dumb TV" (i.e. one that isn't Internet-enabled) gives up one HDMI and one USB port (for power), in return connecting you to the wonderful world of Android 4.0. Think web browsing, tweeting, gaming (yes, even Angry Birds), video streaming -- that same experience you'll get with any Android tablet can now be had on your aging flat-screen TV.
Always Innovating isn't feeling inspired enough to take the lead on manufacturing, instead licensing the technology to third parties, but with some agreements signed and others on the way, this ICS solution on a stick may be hitting stores just in time to become this holiday season's ultimate stocking stuffer. Pricing is of course up to the manufacturers, but TI reps suggested that we might see these things pop up later this year in the $50-99 range, finally making Google on every TV a much more reasonable proposition. Care to take a gander at this stick-based wunderkind? Jump past the break for our hands-on. Continue reading Always Innovating HDMI Android dongle gets an ICS update, we swing by for a taste (video) Always Innovating HDMI Android dongle gets an ICS update, we swing by for a taste (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What's thin, pale and sexy as hell? If you answered Twiggy you're close, but wrong. The answer we were looking for is the AT&T version of the HTC One X, which appears to have just swung through the FCC. There's not much to reveal here that we didn't already know. The phone is capable of connecting to AT&T's HSPA+ and GSM networks thanks to the 850MHz and 1900MHz radios, but it'll also be riding along on LTE bands 4 and 17 for some 4G action. The documents also offer radiation levels for the dual-channel 802.11n and Bluetooth radios, as well as provide us with a model number: PJ83100. The final clue to its identity was buried in one of the forms that revealed the phone is running version 4.0.3 of an unidentified firmware -- we'd say it's safe to assume that's in reference to the particular edition of Ice Cream Sandwich on board. If you're a fan of charts, graphs and numbers, hit up the source link. HTC One X hits the FCC bound for AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Today the Munich I Regional Court handed down a decision awarding Apple an injunction against all Motorola products that violate a patent on "portable electronic device[s] for photo management." That overly broad-sounding claim appears to apply specifically to the bouncing over scroll animation found in the company's photo gallery application, so a small tweak to the existing software could quickly and quietly put this issue to rest. Still, according to Florian Mueller, there is a small (and we do mean small) chance that Apple could choose to enforce the ban which could require Motorola to destroy all existing products that violate the claim. This includes items already on shelves, which would have to be recalled.
Developing...Apple wins injunction against Motorola in Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FOSS Patents | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In the increasingly complex world of gaming mice, we'd be happy with one that doesn't scrape the paint from the top of our desk. Still, if your ambitions are a little loftier, Roccat's unveiled the Savu gaming mouse in anticipation for its big day out at CeBIT. Named after an Indonesian province, its the first mouse to include a trophy system (nope, us neither) that rewards "gaming feats" when you reach the milestone of having clicked your right button a thousand times in an hour, or something. The 4,000 DPI optical sensor device has the company's usual clutch of features including Easy-Shift+ and customizable colors and it'll be available in May where you can customize it to your whimsy for an as-yet unspecified price. Continue reading Roccat unveils Savu hybrid gaming mouse ready for CeBIT Roccat unveils Savu hybrid gaming mouse ready for CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The last time we saw the Novero Solana, we were prowling Intel's booth at CES in search of prototypes. Because it was Intel, not Novero, showing the device, the emphasis was on that Cedar Trail processor inside, as well as that kooky form factor -- a netbook with a titling, easel-like touchscreen. What we didn't know then was that the Solana also runs Android, and that it's actually about ready for prime time: it's expected to hit Europe and North America within the next two to three months, priced at about €699 or $799, respectively. We had a chance to play with some more polished hardware here at Mobile World Congress, and also see the machine running Gingerbread. Follow past the break for some early impressions or, if it's too early in the US to stomach reading, just have a gander at our quickie demo video.
Continue reading Novero's Solana is an $800 netbook running Windows 7 and Android, we go hands-on Novero's Solana is an $800 netbook running Windows 7 and Android, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This isn't the first time you've heard of EPOS or XTR, but it's been quite some time since we've checked in with either of the outfits. So, imagine our surprise as we stumbled on new developments from each company as we perused the Texas Instruments booth at MWC. In the case of EPOS, we're shown a stylus that, in addition to offering traditional physical touch input, also allows users to interact with a device via ultrasound. The system is built upon TI's OMAP4 platform and requires that four microphones be placed at the corners of the screen. In this demonstration, we're shown how users can manipulate objects on a 3D plane via the Z-axis by pulling the pen away from the display. Next, we're shown a new application for the touchless gesturing system that XTR first debuted back in 2010. In this scenario, it's demonstrated how tablet owners could use the front-facing camera (at merely QVGA resolution) to flip through pages of a cookbook without worry of getting ingredients on the device. The concept software was developed by a French outfit known as Stonetrip, and also allows users to zoom and pan through the pages. You'll find demonstrations of each technology in a video after the break. Continue reading Hands-on with wireless, ultrasonic stylus and touchless gestures at MWC (video) Hands-on with wireless, ultrasonic stylus and touchless gestures at MWC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It wouldn't be MWC without us spotting a phone manufacturer that's blatantly channeling the design spirit of another. You may remember Konka's appearances at trade shows past, but this year its new (but not completely finished) Falcon device was on the showfloor in Froyo and Gingerbread forms. Both white and black color options were on hand for us, packing the same GSM (850/900/1800/1900) and WCDMA (900/2100) radios and a 3.75-inch 480 x 360 display. With a three-megapixel camera on the back, paired with a VGA shooter on the front, Konka caught our attention with promotional posters using a font that's more than a little similar to Nokia's own, regardless of the fact that the name itself is just one letter change and reshuffle away from the Espoo-based phone titan. Fortunately, the phone's sharp styling betrayed those middling specs, with a sturdy build and a screen that performed pretty well on the show floor. There's no Android capacitive buttons -- you'll have to use the physical buttons beneath those staple symbols. Take a look for yourself in the gallery below, which also includes Konka homages to both HTC and Samsung.
Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.Konka Falcon 3G hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It wasn't just Polaroid's tablets getting showing at MWC. The former photographic powerhouse has been readying a selection of Android-powered handsets that it's trying not to get confused with its HD camera seen at CES. Polaroid's Pro phone range seem to be pitched at the Alcatel side of the smartphone spectrum and ironically, given its heritage, the models on show brandished slightly lower-specced camera modules than the final versions. The Pro X11B's 1.3-megapixel camera will increase to two, while the 3-megapixel Pro A12 steps up to a 5-megapixel sensor. Unfortunately, the series' flagship 4.3-inch model displayed in Polaroid's smartphone brochure missed its flight to Barcelona, while, bizarrely, the working mid-range model was running HTC Sense. However, we were told that this software build was apparently there to demonstrate the (poor) screen technology. Build quality is similarly depressing and felt plasticky and out-of-date already. We were told that final models would arrive a little skinnier, but that's only the start of a whole raft of improvements needed here. Polaroid's distribution plans and pricing are still a little blurry, but until we hear more, you can check out our gallery for some close-up details. Polaroid's Pro smartphone series hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Polaroid hasn't got much more than Lady Gaga going for it at the moment and even that partnership is questionably fruitful at best. So, when we stopped by the company's booth here at MWC to check out its Spectrum line of Android tablets, our bar was already set quite low. Turns out, there's room for it to drop even lower as that family of 7-, 8- and 9.7-inch slates seems more of a KIRF attempt than true product line from a former imaging heavyweight.
Which brings us to a very curious spec given the company's mission statement: the rear camera on what we presume is its 10-inch flagship is capable of a measly VGA resolution, despite indicating 2 megapixels. It's a baffling hardware miss and could've been the one bright spot amongst the cheap plastic build and software experience saddling these tabs. On a minor upswing, the OS across the capacitive tabs is stock ICS, with Froyo relegated to the resistive ones. Performance is sluggish and uneven at best considering the array of processors and clock speeds employed: from a 1.5GHz CPU in the auto-stereoscopic 7-incher to an 800MHz processor for the lower-end units to a 1GHz ARM11 in the 9.7-inch, TouchPad-like slab. It's a wonder the outfit even bothered with category, as the entirety of this lineup smacks of a half-hearted stab. You can check out the full array of lackluster tabs in our gallery below.
Mat Smith contributed to this report.Polaroid Spectrum tablet family hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | There's no doubt that the smartphone is a truly empowering device, but for individuals unable to afford such high-end gear, Nokia believes it has the solution with its latest line of Series 40 handsets -- the Asha 202, 203 and 302. Like the previously-released Asha 200, the Asha 202 features dual-SIM functionality and the ability to hot-swap the secondary SIM card. Sadly, its connectivity is limited to 1800MHz / 900MHz GSM. The Asha 203 is similar in every way to the 202, save for its single SIM design, better battery life and quadband GSM support. Both feature rather unresponsive 2.4-inch QVGA touchscreens, 2 megapixel cameras and up to 32GB storage expansion via microSD.
Meanwhile, the Asha 302 is a non-touchscreen device that offers a physical keyboard, 1GHz processor, 2.4-inch QVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, quadband GSM and pentaband WCDMA support with 14.4Mbps HSPA connectivity. Even as feature phones, none of the offerings are terribly impressive. Still, Nokia hopes the internet capabilities of each handset will be instrumental to help connect the "next billion consumers" to the world at large. So join us as we delve into an extended video tour of the Asha 202 and 302, where we'll explore the features and functionality of each device.
Continue reading Hands-on with Nokia Asha 202, 203 and 302 at MWC (video) Hands-on with Nokia Asha 202, 203 and 302 at MWC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Want a taste of Mobile World Congress whimsy? You've come to the right place. Like every year, Google's Android booth is the closest you'll get to experiencing Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory in real life here at Fira, and we're gonna take you on a tour. Join us as we enjoy smoothies and ice cream sandwiches, robots and Swarovski crystals, plus a trip down the rabbit hole -- in our video after the break. Continue reading Google Android booth at MWC 2012: smoothies, robots, slides, oh my! (video) Google Android booth at MWC 2012: smoothies, robots, slides, oh my! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Today, DSGI ( Currys, PC World) and Rovi launch a UK-based VOD service under the retail giant's Knowhow paid-support brand ( think: Geek Squad with more overcharging). You'll be able to buy and download movies and TV to your Windows PC or stream them to a Mac using Rovi's DivX technology with adaptive streaming. The platform is promised to swell to include smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, tablets, consoles and smartphones across the forthcoming year. You'll be able to register up to five devices with the service and switch between them as you wish, as long as everything's connected to the internet. Selected movies are available to rent for around £3 ($5), or can be bought in SD/HD for £13 ($21) / £18 ($29). Just as an FYI for consumers planning on signing up: most of the titles are available to buy on DVD for around two-thirds of that price, if you can bear to wait a couple of days. Currys launches 'Knowhow Movies' VOD service / money-pit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink HDTVUK | Knowhow Movies | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Today, Dixons Retail plc ( Currys, PC World) and Rovi launch a UK-based VOD service under the retail giant's Knowhow paid-support brand ( think: Geek Squad with more overcharging). You'll be able to buy and download movies and TV to your Windows PC or stream them to a Mac using Rovi's DivX technology with adaptive streaming. The platform is promised to swell to include smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, tablets, consoles and smartphones through 2012. You'll be able to register up to five devices with the service and switch between them as you wish, as long as everything's connected to the internet. Selected movies are available to rent for around £3 ($5), or can be bought in SD/HD for £13 ($21) / £18 ($29). Just as an FYI for consumers planning on signing up: most of the titles are available to buy on DVD for around two-thirds of that price, if you can bear to wait a couple of days. Currys launches 'Knowhow Movies' VOD service / money-pit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink HDTVUK | Knowhow Movies | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
