|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Unfortunately, Samsung's Galaxy Note won't join the Galaxy S II with its own upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich in Q1 as originally announced, since the company has now scheduled its arrival for Q2. It will however, arrive worldwide as part of a "Premium Suite" software upgrade packed with exclusive apps meant to highlight its S-Pen stylus. One of them is S Note, which combines notes and sketches with other apps like Shape Match and Formula Match which are also included to assist recognition of geometric shapes and hand drawn formulas. The final app packed in is My Story, designed to create personalized cards. We're not sure how much use you'll get out of those unless you're a math professor, project manager or just love sending e-cards, but there's one more treat in the form of an exclusive Angry Birds Space level and free access to 30 "Danger Zone" levels for a limited time. Press play on the video above for a peek at the apps -- and the Note's TouchWiz-styled flavor of Android 4.0 -- or check out the press release after the break. Continue reading Galaxy Note ICS upgrade pushed back to Q2, adds exclusive set of stylus-ready apps (video) Galaxy Note ICS upgrade pushed back to Q2, adds exclusive set of stylus-ready apps (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Samsung | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Owners of Sony's Tablet S and Tablet P can look forward to receiving Android 4.0.3 next month, at least in Japan. Beyond the latest and greatest Google-provided underpinnings, the update will also expand their photo capabilities with activation from the lock screen and the ability to take panoramic pictures, plus a new "Recopla" app for viewing DVR'd TV programs from its Blu-ray recorders. They'll also have an enhanced "Small Apps" feature that lets users multitask more efficiently, pulling up a windowed web browser, calculator or remote control app. Finally, if the only thing keeping you from the dual-screen Tablet P was its 3G radio and associated data plans, Sony has also announced a WiFi-only version due April 21st with optional color panels for 50,000 yen ($600 US). There's no word yet on hardware or software availability over here, or further details on Ice Cream Sandwich for the Xperia line, but more details and pics can be found at the source links below. Sony Japan announces ICS for tablets in late April, WiFi-only Tablet P April 21st originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  AV Watch, Engadget Japan, The Verge | Sony 4.0.3 Update, Tablet P | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's been two years since Adobe unveiled a new version of Photoshop, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company's engineers have been toiling away behind the scenes on a major update. The outfit's clearly ready to start showing off the fruits of its labor, though, as it just unveiled the beta version of CS6. All told, the outfit's added 65 user-feedback-inspired features, including a new crop tool, expanded video editing options, auto recovery and the ability to search for specific layers. Fans of the dotted lines in Illustrator now get the same vector tools in Photoshop. Additionally, every slider for the Camera Raw 7.0 plug-in (exposure, contrast, etc.) has a freshly tweaked algorithm. And for anyone who's ever looked on helplessly as Photoshop locked itself up during a long file save, projects can now save in the background while you work on other things. Looking for more info? A brief rundown of the beta and a full list of new features awaits just past the break.
Continue reading Adobe unveils Photoshop CS6 beta with redesigned UI and 65 new features, download it for free today Adobe unveils Photoshop CS6 beta with redesigned UI and 65 new features, download it for free today originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Adobe Labs | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Color us unsurprised at the notion that the world's most populous country would one day be home to the greatest number of smartphones. That hasn't happened quite yet, but we're getting close per analytics firm, Flurry, who's measured China's surpassed the United States in combined iOS and Android activations. That's a predictable upset from the beginning of 2011, when China held the 10th spot in the firm's rankings, before rising to an impressive second place by the end of that calendar year. And as you'd expect with growth trending in China's favor, it's now only a matter of when, not if, before it snatches the install-base crown from the current smartphone king, the US of A. But before jostling amongst yourselves on exactly when that'll happen, we'd recommend hitting that source link for a chart-filled run-down. Go on, it's fun for the whole family. Flurry: China's surpassed US in iOS and Android activations, but not smartphone install base (yet) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Flurry | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The 1983 laserdisc classic Dragon's Lair is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade. That much we knew. What has us excited is that it'll come with a new control scheme, one that relies not on well-timed button mashing, but well-timed body flailing. That's right, whenever it does make its way to virtual shelves, the updated playable cartoon will sport Kinect support. Now, instead of making sure you press the button (yes, the one and only button) or flick the joystick in the right direction, you can mime sword swipes and swing from imaginary ropes. We can hardly wait. One more screen shot after the break. Continue reading Dragon's Lair landing on XBLA with Kinect support, lets you act out your princess-saving fantasies Dragon's Lair landing on XBLA with Kinect support, lets you act out your princess-saving fantasies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq | PlayXBLA | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If you're looking for somewhere to house all those high ISO shots you just took, then perhaps one of these new NAS drives from Synology will see you right. The DS412+ will be the one appealing to the big data hoarders, with four bays each capable of storing a 4TB drive (for a max total of 16). The box itself being is powered by a 2.13 GHz chip and 1GB RAM, which gives it top read / write speeds of 202.63 MB/s and 179.15 MB/s. A built-in redundancy mechanism comprising two 92 mm system fans should help prevent losing all your precious media. If you're not needing quite so much back-up, then the DS112 might be more your thing. A max capacity of 4TB ticks over with 1.6GHz processor and 256 RAM, and will take 3.5" or 2.5" drives. Both have USB 3.0 and eSata ports and run the firm's DSM4.0 operating system. You can start pouring your data inside them today, assuming you've got the $720 or $380, respectively, needed to pick one up. Continue reading Synology outs DS412+, DS112 NAS drives, feeds the data hungry Synology outs DS412+, DS112 NAS drives, feeds the data hungry originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SlashGear | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | When on the hunt for ancient civilizations, it's not all about Pyramids and monuments. Archaeologists have developed a method of spotting smaller human settlements using spy-satellite photos from the 60s, digital maps and modern multi-spectral images of the planet's surface. The Scientists are looking for "anthrosols" which are left by decayed organic matter and mud-brick buildings. Containing a higher levels of organic matter, anthrosols impart a different texture and appearance to untouched soil, giving it a distinct visual signature. Software is used to spot these visual fingerprints from images over a 50 year period. Data from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission is also used to determine the volume of the matter, and therefore the likely length of survival of the settlement. To give an idea of how prolific the system is, it's believed to have discovered 14,000 settlement sites in a 23,000 square kilometer area of Syria alone -- none of them Atlantis. Satellite images reveal 8,000 years of civilization, rooftop pranks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Nature | PNAS | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | So, now that Rdio's got itself a fancy redesign, it's time for Spotify to fire back, right? The Swedish streaming service announced a new round of third-party apps, including selections from some big industry names, like Warner, Def Jam, Domino and Matador Records. The list also includes Classify, an app designed to help users discover classical music on the service, The Complete Collection, which offers up supplementary images, lyrics and liner notes and Fitr, which lets you build playlists based on Facebook friends. Also new is Hot or Not, which offers a song-based take on the internet voting site and [PIAS], which provides some curated playlists. In all, the site is rolling out a dozen new apps. Check the press release after the break for more info. Continue reading Spotify welcomes new apps from Warner, Def Jam, Matador, more Spotify welcomes new apps from Warner, Def Jam, Matador, more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Now that the third generation iPad has hit the streets even more apps are pushing out upgrades for its high-res display, and among the latest is Netflix. Version 2.1.1 adds not only high-res artwork but also fixes for VoiceOver, improved playback on external displays and other more minor tweaks. Better yet, for when you're actually watching your movies and old TV shows, the official Twitter account promises HD video streaming is on the way. Not rocking one of the fruit logo-branded tablets yet? You still may notice some changes, as HackingNetflix points out the homepage has been revamped once again recently, with a design that feels smoother and faster, featuring a floating red bar that follows as you scroll down. However, as Netflix giveth, Netflix taketh away, and streaming-only customers have lost the ability to even view or rate DVD-only titles in this new version. Take a peek at the latest changes for yourself and let us know in the comments below how they strike you. Netflix iPad app upgraded with Retina quality icons and images now, HD video soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink @Netflix (Twitter) | iTunes | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Looking to grab a keyboard case for those heavy typing duties on your new iPad? CruxCase has revealed the latest version of its Crux360 built for the most recent Apple slate with some new features to boot. First, the clamshell now features a snap in front design that allows for quick access when the case isn't needed. There is also a "window cover" that now fully protects the rear panel of the iPad; however, if you really want to show off that Apple logo, the cover can easily be removed to do so. Connecting should be quick and easy too, as this model's power and Bluetooth buttons are one touch instead of the usual press-and-hold type deal. Magnets keep the folding kit shut -- preventing the case from opening up and exposing that precious Retina display to potential hazards. Keep in mind: the Crux360 features a hinge that allows you to rotate your slate all the way back on the keyboard for regular ol' tablet mode and everything in between. Need a bit more info before dropping your $150 on one? Hit the source link below, where you can preorder a unit for before the May 12th ship date. [Thanks, Brian] Crux360 keyboard case for the new iPad ships May 12th, preorder now for $150 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | CruxCase | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Let's say you're trying to have a gander at Facebook, but given that you've well over twenty thousand friends and associates, keeping up with your news feed has become something of a challenge. Today, The Social Network is introducing a tool that'll make it easier to add friends to your Acquaintances list, and moreover, see fewer of their mundane posts without having to unfriend (read: embarrass) them. When asked for comment, San Marino's own Valentina Monetta (shown above) quipped: "Facebook, uh, oh, oh... everybody loves you so." If you're confused, head on past the break and press play. Please. Seriously. Continue reading Facebook helps you see less from mere 'Acquaintances,' Valentina Monetta approves (video) Facebook helps you see less from mere 'Acquaintances,' Valentina Monetta approves (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Facebook | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gogo isn't just tossing its mid-air wireless goodies toward Virgin and American, with US Airways being the latest to join the extra perks party. Per today's announcement, the airline is stuffing Gogo WiFi in a few more planes, including the Airbus A319, A320 and Embraer 190. A couple of shorter (and much smaller) aircraft, the Embraer 170 and 175, are also getting the in-flight WiFi treatment. Meanwhile, a quick peek at the PR below reveals Gogo is quietly launching its Vision service, allowing passengers to watch movies, shows and have access to " exclusive" shopping deals -- though, you'll have to shell out $1 to $6 more for the privilege. Maybe now you'll actually want to seek out Express flights rather than avoid them, since you'll have far fewer passengers to fight for bandwidth. Continue reading Gogo WiFi lands in more US Airways Airbuses and Embraers, intros Gogo Vision Gogo WiFi lands in more US Airways Airbuses and Embraers, intros Gogo Vision originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PRNewswire | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Wolverines may have concocted the "most intense" laser in the universe back in '08, but it's a group of grinners at the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California that can now lay claim to firing the planet's first two-megajoule ultraviolet laser. Earlier this week, a 1.875-megajoule shot was fired into the target chamber, but it broke the two-dot-oh barrier after passing through the final focusing lens. Reportedly, this matters for more than just bragging rights, as scientists have long since sought to get past 'ignition' in order to "coax fusion energy from a tiny frozen fuel pellet." If we had to guess, we'd say both Nerf and Mattel are somehow trying to commercialize this thing prior to the holidays. (And yeah, we hope they're successful.) World's first two-megajoule ultraviolet laser fired in California: no, you can't buy one originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gizmodo, Physorg | Nature | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Can't say we noticed an extraordinary amount of blowing from our XPS 13 Ultrabook review unit, but for those with an optioned Core i7 model, you may want to give the source link a look. Down there, you'll find a download link to the A03 BIOS update, which delivers "an updated thermal table which dictates fan speeds and trigger temperatures." Evidently, these machines have a tendency to kick the fans into high gear prematurely (it's okay Dell, we all get excited sometimes), but thankfully, a 4MB package is all that's required to remedy it. 'Preciate it, technology. Dell issues BIOS update A03 for XPS 13 Ultrabook, gets a handle on fiesty fans originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web | Dell | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Here's a question: did Broadcom get a 50 percent discount for acquiring a company that already had "Broad" in the name? Hard to say at this point, but regardless of semantics, the aforesaid company has snapped up BroadLight in a bid to extend its fiber access portfolio. In lay terms, it's hoping to use BroadLight's inroads to roll out next-gen fiber networks across the globe -- perhaps even through the arctic. In semi-related news, Broadcom has also chosen today to reveal a new location architecture, which will reportedly provide "more responsive outdoor and indoor positioning capabilities for smartphone devices." The new system opens the door for even more indoor GPS locks, and it relies on a minty fresh Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) chip that "significantly reduces time-to-first-fix (TTFF) for outdoor positioning applications." The full deets on both can be found in the source link, but sadly there's no word on when the fancy new positioning tech will meander into your next handset. Broadcom extends fiber reach with BroadLight acquisition, intros new location architecture originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Broadcom (1), (2) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The ad game is all about targeting: demographics, locations, keywords -- and really, few companies are more equipped to target users than Google. In case you were worried that the search giant doesn't have enough information to harvest, a newly surfaced patent outlines the company's interesting utilizing environmental conditions, including things like temperature, humidity, sound, light or air composition, in order to serve up advertisements to devices. Of course, as with other interesting ad patents from the company, the fact that Google applied doesn't necessary mean we'll be seeing this specific technology rolling out any time soon -- or ever, for that matter. Google patent outlines ads targeted to 'environmental conditions' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PC World | USPTO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Yeah, an optical drive. You know, for folks who still appreciate the passing fads of life. Bitterness aside, Commodore is following up its retro-fabulous C64x with a new small-form-factor PC, the Amiga Mini. While not much of a looker, this box houses a potent 3.5GHz Core i7-2700k CPU, 16GB of DDR3 memory, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 430 (1GB), a WiFi radio and a 1TB HDD that can be swapped out for a 300GB or 600GB solid state drive. There's a slot-loading Blu-ray drive by default, internal space for a pair of 2.5-inch drives and a predictable Amiga logo burned right onto the front panel. Unfortunately, the well-specced base model tips the pricing scales at $2,495, but that does include a copy of its Commodore OS Vision. The company's also revealing the C64x Supreme, the new VIC mini and a more powerful VIC-Slim keyboard computer (which now includes an HDMI output), all detailed in the presser past the break. Continue reading Commodore Amiga Mini PC revealed: Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive Commodore Amiga Mini PC revealed: Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Commodore | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's not a done deal just yet, but Bloomberg is reporting that Google could be about to make some big changes to the way it does business with Google Wallet. Citing people with knowledge of the project, Bloomberg says that Google is considering sharing revenue from Google Wallet (specifically that from coupons and special offers) with carriers in an effort to boost adoption of the service, which hasn't exactly taken off as quickly as Google may have hoped (and is also seeing some increased competition). In addition to that, Google is also said to be considering a move that would side-step the carriers and focus more heavily on in-store terminals -- something Bloomberg says could involve additional hardware and software in stores that would work in conjunction with software on Google's own servers. For its part, Google didn't have much to say on the matter, simply noting in a statement that it continues to "work hard to develop Google Wallet and build the partner ecosystem to make it possible for everyone to pay with their phones and get great deals while shopping." Google reportedly rethinking Google Wallet strategy, may share revenue with carriers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Bloomberg | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tired of singers over pro-ho-ho-ho-nouncing every vowel? Perhaps the solution is to just remove their ilk from the equation altogether. That's the idea behind Yamaha's new Vocaloid Keyboard, which transforms the Vocaloid software into a ready-to-play device. 16 keys represent consonants, vowels and the types of voicing marks used in Japanese, while at the same time selecting a tone on the keyboard. An LED display prints out each letter as its plays, ensuring that you aren't making any playing errors (or should that be "typing errors?"). Experienced musicians who have used the device found that they were able to produce nursery rhymes after three hours of practice, but sadly the company isn't planning to press it into production. Instead, as the chip inside is "removable," it might contemplate licensing it t another interested party, Simon Cowell, perhaps. Continue reading Yamaha's singing keyboard makes X Factor even more redundant (video) Yamaha's singing keyboard makes X Factor even more redundant (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Diginfo | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Let's temper our excitement -- the FCC is merely considering these proposals at the moment but, if either are adopted, it could permanently change the mobile broadband landscape. First up, the commission is considering reassigning the 2GHz band from MSS (Mobile Satellite Service) to AWS (Advances Wireless Service). If adopted, the new rules would clear the way for Dish to launch its LTE network and enter the 4G market. It will also irk AT&T, which has been trying to tie up the spectrum following the collapse of the T-Mobile merger, most likely because the carrier hoped to use the 2GHz band itself.
Secondly, and perhaps even more important, is a proposal that would place new interoperability rules on the 700MHz spectrum used by both Verizon and AT&T for their LTE service. Until now concerns over interference have kept most 700MHz devices from being able to hop between the different blocks of spectrum. This is a particularly big issue for small and rural carriers which own some chunks of real estate in the band, but lack the buying power to convince big OEMs to make handsets for their networks. Obviously, there's still some haranguing to do before either of these proposals become law and you can bet AT&T will do its best to derail both efforts. Still, it's a good sign to see the FCC even taking up the issues. You can watch the entire debate at the source link.
[Tower photo via Shutterstock] FCC weighs Dish 4G network and 700MHz interoperability originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Okay, okay -- landlines are still useful. But rapidly growing, they are not. That said, Verizon is caving to congressional pressure in a relatively minor way, announcing that it'll be banning certain third-party charges on landline bills. In political circles, the process is known as "cramming," where customers (oftentimes unknowingly) submit their number to certain third-party add-ons that have generated some $10 billion in revenue over the past five years. Sen. Jay Rockefeller from West Virginia is applauding the move, and also encouraging Congress to make this commonplace across all carriers. Curiously, there's no mention of mobile blocking, where consumers are regularly duped into subscribing to recurring fees via text-based competitions and contests. Perhaps when we've all moved on to telepathy, the feds can get right on that. Verizon halts dubious third-party billing on landlines, years after landlines were 'in' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web | The Hill | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ah, celebrity-endorsed headphones -- whether it's Beats by Dre or Soul by Ludacris, you've always gotta wonder whether their actual sound-reproduction chops will match up with the steep price tags and fashion-focused designs. Oftentimes, shocker of shockers, the answer is a resounding "no." One of the newest entrants into this game is SYNC by 50, stemming from a long collaboration between Sleek Audio SMS Audio and none other than Curtis James Jackson III -- 50 Cent, of course. Unlike the partners' $250 Street offering, these headphones have the unique selling point of offering both wireless and wired operation, a convenience for which you'll pay a staggering $400. Although they don't offer active noise-cancellation like competing models, these headphones are banking on Kleer's tried-and-true wireless audio technology, which touts 16-bit CD-quality resolution. We spent several weeks testing these spendy sound-blasters, so continue on to our full review to learn whether they live up to the hype or could us to a second trip back to the studio for remastering. Continue reading SMS Audio SYNC by 50 wireless headphones review SMS Audio SYNC by 50 wireless headphones review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Google Maps has long sported 3D models of major world landmarks. Some of them, however, left something to be desired. For example, the Piazza del Duomo in Florence was missing its signature domes. Now it's been drastically improved with a series of smooth shaded roofs. Plenty of other landmarks have also been revamped, including the Sydney Opera House, White House and the Petronas Towers. Sadly, there's word as to when or if the new models will land in the mobile version. To check them out yourself hit up the source link. Google Maps improves 3D models of major landmarks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PC World | Google Lat Long | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | After adding live TV streaming features to the DirecTV iPad app last fall, the company is expanding the feature today by pushing an upgrade that lets viewers watch video (but no live TV, yet) even when they're away from home. Dubbed DirecTV Everywhere, it follows up on the company's promises of more video for customer's mobile devices, offering "selected" video on-demand programming for on the go viewing. The Solid Signal Blog has an early preview of the new features with more screenshots and a video, revealing that available content at the moment consists of premium movie channels (HBO networks, Starz, Sony Movie Channel) and DirecTV's own Audience Network. While we wait for more content, other new features include the What's Hot social module pulling from your Twitter and Facebook friends to see what they're watching, and social checkins with Miso. We haven't gotten any official info from DirecTV on the upgrade beyond the changelog, but for now you can check out iTunes for the details. Continue reading DirecTV iPad app adds (some) TV and movie streaming 'Everywhere' DirecTV iPad app adds (some) TV and movie streaming 'Everywhere' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | iTunes, Solid Signal Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Believe it or not, there are still things that have yet to be put on the internet. That has included most of Albert Einstein's archives, a portion of which has previously been available, but which now has a greatly expanded online presence courtesy of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (and a grant from the Polonsky Foundation UK). The first phase of that expansion includes some 2,000 digitized documents, ranging from personal correspondence to scientific papers, which are fully searchable and able to be examined right down to the finest detail. Additional documents will continue to be added over the course of 2012, with the ultimate goal being to get all of the 80,000+ items in the university's own archives online (they've all already been cataloged). No word on any future plans for tablet apps or the like, but you can dive into the new website right now at the source link below. Einstein Archives website rolls out first phase of project to get 80,000 documents online originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CBC News | Einstein Archives | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Historically, Instagram has been the definition of closed. It's only available on one platform (iOS), and no third-party services were allowed to port content in via an API. According to Fast Company, that's changing today. It's bruited that Instagram will be opening its doors ever-so-slightly to one Hipstamatic, enabling users of the latter to tag their photos with lenses and filters, and then push them into the Instagram universe. It's being likened to Foursquare users pushing their check-in information to Facebook and Twitter, and it's bound to increase the visibility (and revenue) of Hipstamatic. Hopefully it's just the first deal of many to be cut, but on the real -- we're pretty sure an Android version of Instagram should've taken priority over this. Just sayin'. Instagram and Hipstamatic to announce photo-sharing partnership originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Fast Company | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Samsung's Galaxy Tab series boasts seven distinct models. Throw in all of the variants of each one -- LTE, WiFi, WiMAX and even the Galaxy Note 10.1 if you want to be picky -- and all of a sudden the number of tablets produced by the Korean electronics giant over the past sixteen months shoots up to exceed twenty. In a vast sea of incredibly similar-looking Android slates, there's one model that dares to be different: the Galaxy Tab 7.7, an oddly sized tablet with a stunning Super AMOLED Plus display.
Last month, we were given the opportunity to review the global version, and definitely liked what we saw. It's an understatement, then, to say that we were ecstatic to give Verizon's LTE version a run for its money (which, at $500 with a two-year commitment and $700 without, is a lot). What did Big Red choose to tweak? How's the battery life once you factor in that next-gen network? These answers and more are coming your way after the break.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (Verizon Wireless LTE) Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (Verizon Wireless LTE) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fifteen months and 10,000 American sales later, Nissan is preparing a 2013 overhaul of its Leaf EV. What green and fresh bounties can we expect? Leather seats, a "darker" interior and more efficient heater, which could let the EV go up to 20-25 miles further in cold-weather conditions. Sounds minor to our comfortably warm ears, and there's no specific mention of inductive charging (depicted above) either. On the other hand, the 2012 model already hiked up prices and Nissan probably has to stick closely to the current $35,000 bracket or risk being run down by another all-electric, all-emotional hatchback that's also due next year. Nissan Leaf to get minor range boost, prove Moore's Law doesn't apply to EVs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Detroit News | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Christopher Hill isn't your typical video producer. The youngster whipped up the clip after the break controlling his array of Macs almost entirely with a single switch. Chris has cerebral palsy, a severe motor function impairment that makes it all but impossible for him to interact with a computer through a traditional keyboard and mouse. Instead, a button is mounted behind his head on his wheel chair, which connects to a Discover Switch. That blue and green USB peripheral, which looks quite a bit like the Staple's Easy Button, allows him to manipulate anything on the screen with nothing more than the back of his head. The one thing Chris left to someone else in the clip below is the subtitles. While he could actually type them himself, it would have taken a very long time, so he graciously accepted some help from his father. Click on through for a nice heart-warming tale about the power of modern technology. Continue reading Even cerebral palsy can't stop this dedicated video creator Even cerebral palsy can't stop this dedicated video creator originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Chris Pirillo (Google+) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | After recently announcing plans to launch a new over-the-top internet based TV service in the UK Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch has revealed its name, Now TV, and what it will bring to customers. Speaking at the Media Guardian Changing Media Summit in London, Darroch indicated Now TV would operate as its own brand, targeting the 13 million UK homes that don't pay for TV from any provider, offering instant access to movies this summer with sports and other entertainment coming soon after, with access by monthly subscription or PPV across a variety of devices. It will be different from the existing Sky TV service, and all of its online tie-ins like Sky Go by focusing on flexibility and "spontaneous access" Constantly complaining about a lack of access to programming like, say, Game of Thrones without a traditional pay-TV package? It sounds like this should be right up your alley, so while details like exact pricing are still TBA, feel free to hit the source links below for all of the info currently available including a transcript of his speech, or head to the Now TV website directly to sign up for updates. Sky dubs upcoming internet TV service 'Now TV', chases those currently without pay-TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Sky, Jeremy Darroch (PDF), Now TV | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  No, not the sensation you get when you have gulped your ice cream too fast. SUGAR Freeze is the a new propulsion concept developed by Boeing that aims to revolutionize air travel. Standing for Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research, the NASA-commissioned project (codenamed "N+4") looks at immature technologies in the hope of kickstarting research for the future. It's reportedly 60 percent more efficient than the equivalent Boeing 737-800, thanks to a very experimental propulsion system. Cryogenically stored liquified natural gas (hence "Freeze") is burned in a pair of unducted fan engines while also powering a solid-oxide fuel cell as an aft-thruster. With LNG projected to remain abundant, more environmentally friendly and cheap well into the century, it makes an ideal substitute to current aviation fuel, which is none of those things. Currently it's far too unsafe a design to contemplate building, and there are concerns about methane in the natural gas production process, but hopes remain that the kinks will be ironed out well before the 2045 deadline. Boeing's SUGAR Freeze is a cool way to power a plane originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Dvice | Avaition Week | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rumor had it, and rumor was right. This morning, HP officially announced an organizational realignment that's set to "improve performance and drive profitable growth across the entire HP portfolio." Corporate speak, sure, but what's happening is that the Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) and Personal Systems Group (PSG) are joining forces to create the Printing and Personal Systems Group. The newly merged entity will be headed up by one Todd Bradley, who has served as the executive VP of PSG since '05. Vyomesh Joshi, executive VP of IPG, seems to be getting the better end of the deal, cashing in his "retirement" card after 31 years at the company. In related news, HP's Global Accounts Sales organization will join the newly named HP Enterprise Group, and it will "unify its Marketing functions across business units under Marty Homlish, executive vice president and chief marketing officer." Lastly, the company is sliding its Global Real Estate function from Finance into Global Technology and Business Processes, which is bound to befuddle precisely no one. For the full chair rearrangement, head on past the break. Continue reading HP's imaging / printing group combines with PC group, Printing and Personal Systems Group emerges HP's imaging / printing group combines with PC group, Printing and Personal Systems Group emerges originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | HP | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | How many SIM cards do you have in your stash? If your answer is less than three per operator -- of every network provider -- then you may have trouble sympathizing with the apparent plight of some Vietnamese. Proposed legislation from the Ministry of Information and Commerce would effectively regulate each citizen to a maximum of three SIMs per carrier, leading to a theoretical limit of 18 SIM cards per individual, as the country as six operators. The draft law is intended to curb unauthorized distribution in that nation, where SIM cards with student discounts and the like are re-sold without carrier knowledge. The proposal could affect businesses too, limiting each company to a maximum of 100 SIM cards -- but there's no word on whether this cap is per network or absolute. Meanwhile, industry officials insist that a limit of five SIMs per operator would be more reasonable, given the number of SIM-enabled devices available to consumers. What's most clear, though, is that Vietnam is awash in marketing opportunity -- just imagine how popular Nokia could be with a mobile phone that supports 18 SIM cards.
[SIM cards via ShutterStock] Vietnam considers limiting SIM card access, suggests 18 per person is enough originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Unwired View | VietNam News | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Retailer Game, owner of the Game and Gamestation chains has entered administration. The chain has 1,270 outlets in Europe and Australia and rumors have circulated for months concerning unrest at the highest levels of the chain. It was unable to agree deals with publishers Capcom and Electronic Arts for the latest titles, meaning it had to turn away customers looking to buy Mass Effect 3 during its blockbuster opening weekend. After the board informed shareholders that "it's uncertain any of the solutions [...] being explored by the board will be successful," the company's share price fell by 71 percent. A week later, the company withdrew its share listing from the London Stock Exchange as its share value collapsed to from 62p a year ago to 2.39p. The company had made an overture to US Rival Gamestop for a rescue package, but it appears no buyer will appear until it's clear there's something worth salvaging. UK Retailer GAME goes into administration originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Game | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The $19 all-you-can-eat smartphone service that seemed great, then not-so-great, then great again is about to re-open public beta testing. We're told that the first phase of the beta is "going very well", to the point where Republic Wireless feels it can "skip the baby steps" and offer its hybrid VOIP/cellular goodies to another batch of experimental folks starting in June. The provider also promises a new handset as early as April, a smoother transition between WiFi and cellular calling (on Sprint's frequencies) in May, and a full-on public launch at some point in the undeclared or undecided future. Not ready to abandon your Big Cell provider just yet? Then Republic Wireless makes one more promise: a way for customers with other carriers to save money on their bills even before they make the leap. Consider us intrigued!
[Thanks, Ryan]Republic Wireless to open next beta of hybrid VOIP service this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Republic Wireless | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Samsung's follow-up to the Galaxy SII is one hotly anticipated release, and amongst the swathes of design student mock-ups and plain old rumor, is the occasional word from the horses mouth. Speaking at Samsung Forum 2012 in Beijing, chief exec Kim Young-ha let slip that we'll possibly see the phone land in April, and not May as initially believed, stating "In order to increase sales of the Galaxy S3 as well as the Galaxy Note which is already very popular in China, the company is considering rescheduling the roll-out of the Galaxy S3 from May to April." So if you're impatience was making you consider alternatives, it might be worth holding out just that little bit longer. Samsung China Exec suggests Galaxy S III could land in April originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SammyHub | MK | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  LG's Optimus M has lingered around metroPCS' phone catalogue for over a year now and it looks like it's finally getting a similar-looking, but improved, replacement. Unfortunately, the Optimus M+ isn't quite enough to confer the title of carrier flagship. Incremental changes include a new 5-megapixel camera and a screen that's been boosted from 3.2 to 3.5 inches. According to Pocketnow, it's powered by a pretty meager 800MHz processor, which should be just about enough to handle the Gingerbread OS. Those middling numbers hopefully mean it shouldn't upset the ol' bank balance too much, but we'll have to wait for metroPCS' official nod for confirmation on pricing and availability. LG Optimus M+ adds some minor hardware improvements, coming to metroPCS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Pocketnow | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | One of the most thrilling things about human existence is that you never know what's lurking around the corner. It could be a newborn baby, a sweet job, a delicious churro -- doesn't really matter, because it's a surprise, and surprises are fun and surprising. Just don't tell that to the doldrum dwellers over at MIT, because apparently, they don't agree. The same team that created a camera with light-speed shutter rates has now expanded upon their project, with a camera capable of seeing around corners. Literally. To do this, the system uses a so-called femtosecond laser to send out extremely short light pulses -- so short, in fact, that their entire lifespan is measured in quadrillionths of a second. To capture an object lurking around a corner, the device aims its laser at a nearby wall, thereby allowing the light to bounce around the room before eventually landing on the concealed object. Once it hits the jackpot, the light will reflect back onto the wall, and eventually return to a detector, which can gauge the exact location of the object based on the distance the laser traveled. This happens over and over again at different angles, meaning that the system will ultimately be able to get a general idea of the hidden room's layout. Researchers hope that their system will eventually be used in emergency rescue situations, or to help drivers see what's around the bend, though there's no telling when any of that could actually happen. For a diagrammatic rundown, check out the video after the break. Continue reading MIT's laser-powered camera can detect objects hidden around corners (video) MIT's laser-powered camera can detect objects hidden around corners (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 07:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink USA Today | MIT | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Orange made a bold pledge to the future of Europe's "digital economy" yesterday, promising to bring 4G / LTE networks to all EU markets by the year 2015, and reaffirming its commitment to Africa and the Middle East. The France-based carrier outlined its plan during an event in Brussels, where CEO Stéphane Richard and European Commission digital chief Neelie Kroes met to discuss the Commission's "Digital Agenda for Europe." Orange laid out ten commitments in total, including a promise to make FTTH available for 15 million households and 80 percent of all businesses in France by the year 2020. It also vowed to bring 3 million NFC-enabled handsets to the EU this year, and 10 million by the year 2013. Perhaps most salient to Kroes' agenda was Orange's promise to offer customers a privacy "dashboard" by the year 2015, allowing them to more directly control their personal data. In Africa and the Middle East, meanwhile, the company is looking to roll out its 3G network by the year 2015, in the hopes of providing 80 percent of the population with mobile services. For more promises and optimism, check out the full PR after the break. Continue reading Orange says it'll bring LTE to all of its EU markets by 2015 Orange says it'll bring LTE to all of its EU markets by 2015 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Orange | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lending a bit of credence to the notion that it'll have life beyond LightSquared, an insider at FreedomPop is now suggesting that it'll debut a case for the iPhone 4 / 4S that features a WiMAX radio, hotspot capabilities and delivers a free (albeit, limited) data service. This rumored accessory would complement the company's two previously known devices, which include a USB dongle and a dedicated hotspot. For those unfamiliar, FreedomPop aims to take on a role similar to NetZero -- it's said the company will offer each customer 1GB of free data per month, where each megabyte consumed beyond that limit will cost one penny. That's not to suggest that everything is free, however: the insider also states that customers will need to front a $100 deposit for this alleged case, although that money can be retrieved at any point, so long as the product is returned in good condition. Naturally, the utility of FreedomPop's service will be sorely limited if it's only available via WiMAX networks, but we've got a hunch that a few iPod Touch owners might find it quite useful in their attempt to skirt the carriers. FreedomPop rumored to introduce iPhone case with free WiMAX service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TechCrunch | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | There's a good chance you don't remember the Le Pan III. The Ice Cream Sandwich tablet succumbed to the deluge of fellow Android slates when it was announced back in January during CES, but perhaps it'll get a bit more attention now that it's gotten the FCC's governmental stamp of approval. Perhaps. In the meantime, the 1.5GHz tablet is still listed as "coming soon" on Le Pan's site. Le Pan III hits l'FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
