|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sony isn't wasting much time getting regulatory approvals. Just a few weeks after it brought the Xperia Go into the world, it's passing the toughened-up phone through the FCC for Uncle Sam's rubber stamp. Before you get visions of picking one up for Facebook updates on a canoe trip, be aware that it's the international version we're looking at: it can run on GSM and EDGE with US carriers, but the 900MHz and 2,100MHz HSPA bands are meant for 3G in other corners of the world. All the same, it does put the phone on the fast track to its scheduled international release in the summer. There's always importing if you've just got to have some weather-hardened Android 2.3 for a California vacation. Sony Xperia Go makes a trip to the FCC, doesn't bring suntan lotion originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 01:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Popular newsreader Flipboard is finally officially available on Android, coming out of beta and Galaxy S III exclusivity. As seen in the latest test version, it now supports integration of shared articles from your Google+ feed (with sorting by circle, etc.) alongside Twitter and Facebook feeds, and has also added support for YouTube video feeds. Beyond the Google Play app market, it's also available in the Amazon Appstore, Nook Store and Samsung Apps, so slinging the APK to your Android device of choice should be too difficult. We gave the final release edition a quick run through ourselves and found it just as smooth on a Samsung Galaxy S II as it has been on any iPhone or iPad, and being ICS-ready out of the gate is a nice touch, although we couldn't force it to switch to landscape viewing. Another handy toggle is the option to go full screen with no menu bar up top, if you need a few extra pixels, while article sharing is here and like other Android apps, shares to any services you have installed, not just Twitter or Facebook. The final update is news that Flipboard is launching fully localized editions for Germany, Korea, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, in addition to the existing localizations for Japan, France, China, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. All of the details are in the press release after the break, or you can check out pretty much any app store to give it a try yourself. Flipboard officially launches on Android, in multiple app stores and for more countries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  If you've been missing out on the graphics card wars of late, then here's a quick rundown. AMD launched its high-end $549 Radeon HD 7970 at the end of last year, and it reigned comfortably for a few months until NVIDIA came out with the masterful GeForce GTX 680. That would have been the end of the matter, at least for this product cycle, except for one crucial factor: time. Having reached the market so much earlier, AMD has now had six months to not only tweak its drivers but also its 28nm silicon. That process has already culminated in 1GHz cards at the low- and mid-ranges, and today it leads to the (slightly predictable) announcement of a Radeon HD 7970 'GHz Edition' -- priced at $499 and expected to be available from a range of board makers from next week. To keep you amused in the meantime, there's plenty of detail in the gallery below and after the break. Continue reading AMD launches Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, demands rematch with NVIDIA AMD launches Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, demands rematch with NVIDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Folks holding their breath for a "3DS Lite" might want to exhale -- Nintendo has decided to go a different route. Company head honcho Satoru Iwata revealed the 3DS LL these evening on Nintendo Direct, featuring a 4.88-inch and 4.18-inch top and bottom screens, respectively. The new hardware adds over an inch to the current 3DS' display, and ships with a 4GB SD card, to boot. The oversized handheld doesn't adopt the Circle Pad Pro's second analog input, however, retaining just a single thumbpad on the console's port side. Japanese gamers will be able to pick up a 3DS LL in white, as well as in two-tone red / black or silver / white on July 28th for ¥18,900 (about $235). In the US, of course, the handheld will be rebranded as the 3DS XL, just like its predecessor's supersized variant, hitting Yankee shores (in red and blue, no less) on August 19th for $200. Nintendo announces $199 3DS XL with 4.88-inch top screen, available August 19th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 23:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Joystiq | Nintendo Direct | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Folks holding out for a "3DS Lite" might want to exhale -- Nintendo decided to go a different route. Company head honcho Satoru Iwata revealed the 3DS LL these evening on Nintendo Direct, featuring a 4.88-inch and 4.18-inch top and bottom screens, respectively. The oversized handheld is doesn't adopt the 3DS Circle Pad Pro's second analog input, however, retaining just a single thumbpad on the console's port side. In the US, of course, the handheld will be rebranded as the 3DS XL, just like its predecessor's supersized variant, and will hit Yankee shores on August 19th to the tune of $200. Developing... Nintendo announces $199 3DS XL with 4.88-inch top screen originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 23:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Android fans have been largely cut out of the Nike+ ecosystem, but that changes tonight: the shoemaker has kicked off a major redesign by giving the Google faithful their own version of its GPS-based run tracking app, now called Nike+ Running. Both it and an ample version 4.0 remake for iOS make starting a run that much quicker, and the whole experience has been tuned to compare runs and set goals without having to squint too closely at a phone that should be far from your mind. Facebook's Open Graph steps into the arena to share run data and track friends; even if you're not a social networking maven, you can tag your shoes to find out if that worn out pair of cross-trainers is holding you back. Both app versions are free to grab, so you've got an easy avenue to loading up your Galaxy S III (or iPhone) and shedding a few pounds. Continue reading Nike+ Running comes to Android with Facebook Open Graph, iOS lands a big update to match Nike+ Running comes to Android with Facebook Open Graph, iOS lands a big update to match originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 23:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Play, Nike+ Experience, App Store | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It didn't land in the Marketplace yesterday as announced, but Amazon's Audible audio book app for Windows Phone 7.5 is now available for download. This Metro-fied version of the app is free to install (including some short samples to get you started), and signing in with your Amazon account lets you purchase any books that the service has on offer. Media can be controlled using a swipe gesture interface, and there are even varying levels of badges to reward how much of a book-worm you become. All that said, we haven't been able to use the voice control functionally shown off by Microsoft at its Developers Summit in our tests to be found here, so it's sure seemingly like its most highlighted feature might be a WP 8-only affair. If you're eager to get your literary listening on, you'll find a download source and more info about the app at the source link below. Amazon Audible hits WP 7.5: gesture controlled audiobooks, but no voice control originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink addictivetips | Windows Phone Marketplace | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Acer's quad-core tablet effort is now available to buy, direct from the manufacturer itself. Alongside NVIDIA's Tegra 3 processor, the Iconia A700 packs a substantial 1920 x 1200 resolution display, while 5.1-channel surround sound is packed in to complement a big screen-friendly HDMI port. The 32GB version rings up at $450, but if it's any consolation, that does include free overnight shipping. You can hand over your order (and your cash) at the Acer link below. PSA: Acer Iconia Tab A700 shipping now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Acer | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  If you thought live streaming was the obvious next step for the Pivothead video glasses, you're not alone. We, for one, thought it immediately upon donning the HD-recording eyewear and the company's Zach Barbitta couldn't agree more. The proud rep was on hand at tonight's Pepcom event demoing a brand new prototype accessory that will hopefully hit the market in three to five months and enable you to stream video straight from your 8MP sunglasses to the web, anywhere there's a WiFi signal. The device is so early in the development stage that we don't have many details about it. The final package should be roughly the size of a small portable hard drive -- tiny enough to slip into a pocket, provided you're not a skinny jeans fan. You'll have to connect it to the glasses via USB, which could potentially prove unwieldy, but we're sure some creative paths for passing the wire around your torso could easily solve that. Continue reading Pivothead live streaming and WiFi Drive hands-on (video) Pivothead live streaming and WiFi Drive hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We can sympathize -- your task-master Mac is hurting for PCIe expansion and more storage. Fortunately, Netstor has just announced several new products to boost your computer's ego and add either item via those newly christened Thunderbolt ports. The TurboBox NA211TB will lend three extra PCIe slots to any Mac that has the 10Gb/s port, while the NS780TB Desktop Storage will use it to bolt on 16 bays of disk storage. The company's rackmounted NA333TB Mac Mini Server, meanwhile, gives you 16 removable storage bays along with most RAID array options, and the aforementioned PCIe upgrade integrated to boot. Shipping dates and pricing weren't announced, but if you're looking to transform that Macbook Air into a video-editing behemoth, you may want to check all three options at the source. Netstor rolls out Thunderbolt-powered PCIe and storage expansion options for Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 20:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Netstor (1), (2) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Custom PC builder Maingear had something pretty nifty up its sleeve at Pepcom tonight: versions of its desktops configured to run Saitek's flight-simulation hardware -- in this case, with a full cockpit setup. In partnership with Mad Catz, the company developed configurations of its Potenza, F131 and SHIFT desktops optimized to work with the Saitek line of flight-sim systems. Tonight we saw the Shift paired with some pretty heavy-duty hardware: we're talking 18 USB connections for the full Saitek cockpit. Maingear's pro-certified system packs a Core i7 CPU clocked at up to 2.9GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 graphics (with four GPUs), and with an experienced pilot behind the wheel, that translated into a smooth landing in Flight Simulator X. Maingear says the whole setup -- hardware controls plus the Shift desktop -- will go for $5,500 starting tomorrow. That's the top-of-the-line configuration, mind you; if your piloting aspirations are more modest, you could opt for the more affordable Potenza, which starts at $1,000. Check out a video demo below. Continue reading Hands-on: Maingear Shift running Saitek flight-simulation hardware (video) Hands-on: Maingear Shift running Saitek flight-simulation hardware (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 20:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Pumped to use Microsoft's upcoming Surface and Windows Phone 8 devices to help you bolster your gamerscore? Sit tight -- SmartGlass development starts now. Microsoft is now making the Xbox SmartGlass Software Development Kit available to partners with agreements to develop content for the Xbox 360. Approved developers can download the SDK from the Microsoft Game Developer Network, replete with a SmartGlass JavaScript library, the Xbox SmartGlass Studio and a sample application. Redmond hopes the SDK will give developers a head start on building applications for the technology before it launches later this year. Of course, if you can't wait to see what developers are cooking up, you can always just check out our hands-on again. Microsoft releases SmartGlass SDK to developers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Microsoft Game Developer Network | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We were worried that Microsoft might wind up with frenemies in the PC industry after introducing its Surface tablets. There hasn't been a lot of backlash so far, but the Windows 8 tablets clearly rankled some Acer executives -- they're lashing out at their OS partner in a very public fashion. Acer's EMEA senior VP Oliver Ahrens is accusing Microsoft of trying to copy Apple's business model and thinks the Surface line will struggle to get any traction. It could lead to a "defocus" at Microsoft as the software giant forgets the PC builders that got it to the top, he says. Meanwhile, frequently outspoken company founder Stan Shih isn't even convinced that Microsoft is serious about the whole affair. To him, Surface is just an attempt to spur tablet designers into action that will fade away if and when Microsoft deems it a success. It's entirely possible that either executive is right knowing Microsoft's very mixed track record in hardware. Just consider the source before you cast too much doubt of your own: Acer isn't exactly great with tablet market predictions. Acer is skeptical of Surface tablets, thinks Microsoft isn't playing nice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Reuters, Digitimes | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  T-Mob's variant of the Galaxy S III made its in-store debut on this very day, and we just had a chance to go hands-on with the flagship smartphone. The carrier brought the handset down to the Metropolitan Pavilion for Pepcom's baseball-themed shindig and we just had to get our greasy paws all over its shiny Pebble Blue shell -- and it is a serious fingerprint magnet. Aside from that, though, it's hard to take issue with such a slim and marvelously engineered device. The plasticky build quality does leave something to be desired, but it's something we've become accustomed with Samsung devices. We've also got to give it to Sammy for getting carriers, including T-Mobile, to leave well enough alone. Other than the innocuous logo on the back there are no physical differences between this version of the S III and its 4.7-inch cousins on other networks. There's no keyboard, redesigned corners or rejiggered buttons. Truth is, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between Big Magenta's variant and the international version. The only obvious changes come once you fire the device up, and you'll have to dig around a bit to find them. T-Mo has added a few apps to the standard Samsung Suite. Most of them are relatively inoffensive, but if you're the type who was taken aback when you discovered My Verizon Mobile on your LTE Galaxy Nexus, you might not be a happy camper. On board you'll find T-Mobile TV, Name ID, Access T-Mobile, Mobile HotSpot and Visual Voicemail -- pretty standard additions. Our brief time with the device turned up no surprises. Performance was snappy -- apps opened without a hitch and webpages loaded as fast as the congested wireless in the room would allow. If you're a Carly Foulkes fan with an upgrade on tap you could do worse than to pick up the Galaxy S III (which is available today) for $279.99. Though, that price tag is, admittedly, a bit hard to swallow. Be sure to check the video after the break. Continue reading T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on (video) T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Though we've already seen HP's 23-inch 2311xi IPS LED backlit monitor -- the first of its consumer monitors to feature in-plane switching technology -- it's getting a second turn in the spotlight today as the company fleshes out its new line-up of displays. Accompanying the 2311x is the 20-inch 2011xi IPS LED backlit monitor, which for $170 offers 178-degree viewing angles and a 1900 x 600 resolution. Both versions will start shipping in the US on June 24th. HP is also updating its selection of LED-backlit LCD monitors. The 20-inch W2071d and 23-inch W2371d sport resolutions of 1600 x 900 and 1920 x 1080, respectively, and both include VGA and DVI-D inputs. The 20-incher will go for $140, while the 23-incher costs $200 -- no word on availability yet. HP unveils 2311x IPS LED-backlit monitor and two new LCD displays: prices start at $140 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Along with outing its new IPS displays, HP is announcing an 18.5-inch internet monitor today. The Passport 1912nm is targeted at businesses such as hotels and cyber cafes, allowing users to access the web via Firefox and access photos, video and music via a simple five-icon home screen. There's an ARM CPU, 2GB of Flash RAM and 1GB of DDR2 memory under the hood, and the 1366 x 768 is bundled with a USB keyboard and mouse. Connections include five USB ports, Ethernet and a 4-in-1 media card reader. The Passport 1912nm goes on sale today for $259, though you're probably more likely to encounter the internet monitor in an airport or store than to shell out for a web kiosk of your own. HP Passport 1912nm internet monitor: coming to hotel lobbies and airports near you originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We'll spare you the puns and meme references here. (Besides, how many Xzibit jokes can you take?) INSTEON has decided that simply saving you money on your electric bill isn't enough anymore. If you're going to cough up nearly $30 for an LED lightbulb, there better be some value added features. So, the company stuck a proprietary dual-band wireless receiver inside each of its eco-friendly lights allowing them to connect to a home automation system. There is a dedicated remote you could buy, but why bother when there's an app available for both Android and iOS that lets you turn on, off and dim the lights from the comfort of your touch screen. You can even create custom "scenes" for preset lighting levels. Unlike most remote lighting solutions, though, all the necessary hardware is built into the bulbs themselves. In fact, each one acts as a signal repeater, passing along instructions both wirelessly and though the powerlines to make sure ever corner of your home is covered. For more check out the PR and video after the break. Continue reading INSTEON says apps are better than switches with networked LED bulbs INSTEON says apps are better than switches with networked LED bulbs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CNET | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Knowing that Huawei's just announced the Ascend P1 XL for power users alike, we swung by the company's booth at Mobile Asia Expo to see how much bulk the 2,600mAh battery adds to the body. In fact, at 9.9mm thick, the Android 4.0-powered XL is almost as thick as the original P1's thickest point, and in terms of weight the extra 930mAh of battery juice adds another 25g on top of the P1's 110g, which isn't all that noticeable when we fiddled with the new phone. Leaving the thickness and the camera shape aside, the XL is otherwise identical to its sibling device. We'll let you see the external differences in our hands-on photos below. Huawei Ascend P1 XL hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Every time we boot up a browser there appears to be a new iPad mount or Arduino project on Kickstarter, but just how many projects have there been to date? How many were successful? And how much might that microfunding startup be netting in commission cash? You can find all those answers through a new Kickstarter stats page (and some number crunching on a calculator), updated daily with key raw data that's tallied, and broken up by category as well. To date, 60,786 projects have launched, of which 24,986 (44 percent) were successfully funded, 31,722 failed and 4,078 are currently active on the site. Of the $261 million that's come in, $219 million has been in the form of "successful dollars," representing $10.95 million in income for the company itself based on a five-percent commission rate -- roughly the same amount raised for Pebble, a single project. Speaking of million-dollar-plus projects, there have been a total of seven, including one in the Music category, three in Games, two in Design and one in Comics (Pebble falls within the Design category, not Technology). There are plenty more stats to comb through if you've been hankering for a peek behind the scenes at Kickstarter -- it's all at our source link after the break. Kickstarter pledges more transparency, publishes project stats page with daily updates originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Kickstarter Stats | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sprint has a tradition of carrying white EVO models, and based on its own inadvertent pre-advertising, this isn't about to stop. Assuming it's not just a hasty palette swap, a banner tempting customers over to the network is spoiling a white-and-silver EVO 4G LTE -- very different than the black model we know and (mostly) love. The carrier hasn't officially confirmed that the new hue exists, but we're reaching out to find out whether it's real or just wishful thinking on a marketer's part. We'll let you know the full details if HTC's Ice Cream Sandwich flagship really does come in an ice cream color.
[Thanks, Klaus] Did Sprint just spoil a white HTC EVO 4G LTE? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Sprint (while it lasts) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Gigapixel cameras aren't exactly hot-off-the-presses, but a few wizards at Duke and the University of Arizona may be close to getting that sort of technology into your future point-and-shoot. Reportedly, electrical engineers with gobs of free time and an imagination the size of Coach K's ego have managed to synchronize 98 minuscule cameras in a single device, creating a prototype 50 gigapixel monster. The real kicker here is the hope for the future: these same researchers feel that "within five years, as the electronic components of the cameras become miniaturized and more efficient, the next generation of gigapixel cameras should be available to the general public." The prototype itself measures a whopping 2.5-feet square and 20 inches deep, but only around 3 percent of it is made of optical elements; the vast majority is circuitry needed to calculate the stupefying amount of information captured in 50,000 megapixels. University researchers develop 50 gigapixel camera, hope it hits the mainstream in five years originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Nature, TG Daily | Duke | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  You may recall that ZTE unveiled its Snapdragon MSM8960-powered Grand X LTE handset (pictured right) just a few days ago, but as it turns out, the original Mimosa X design is still very much alive under that new Grand X moniker, and we were able to play with both Android 4.0 devices at Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai. In fact, there were three models in total, as the Grand X comes in two flavors in China: the U970 for China Mobile comes with 1.2GHz Tegra 2, TD-SCDMA radio, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage and a five-megapixel camera; while the identical-looking N970 for China Telecom packs a 1.5GHz MSM8660A, CDMA2000 radio, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, microSD expansion and an eight-megapixel camera. With all the phones attached to various cords we weren't able to get a good sense of their ergonomics, but they were all surprisingly light. In terms of build quality ZTE didn't disappoint, either (at least the casing is certainly a big step up from the Skate), and their 4.3-inch qHD LCDs looked good as well. Oh, and the vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich build flashed onto these devices ran smoothly during our brief hands-on, so hopefully they'll stay that way in the hands of buyers. Help yourself to our photos below. ZTE Grand X (U970 and N970) and Grand X LTE (T82) hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sometimes all you want are just the cold hard numbers. With electric vehicles, this means EPA rating. The Tesla Model S just got officially measured up, and scored a reasonable MPGe of 89 (combined), 88 (city) and 90 (highway), plus an impressive single charge range of 265 miles. This isn't all that far off the manufacturer's own (albeit optimistic) early estimates. To get that range, you'll have to trump up $69,900 for the fully loaded, 85-kWh battery totin' version, but if you're planning that once-in-a-lifetime journey, it's probably money well spent. Tesla Model S rolls by the EPA, keeps on going, and going originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Autoblog | Environmental Protection Agency | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  GSMA, also known as the entity that produces Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo each year, seems to be onto something. And by "something," we mean "getting 24 carriers around the globe to agree on a single point." That's no easy feat, mind you, and the latest release from Shanghai asserts that 24 operator groups have agreed to implement new measures in order to better inform jetsetters about data roaming rates when they land. America Movil, AT&T, China Mobile, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom-Orange, Hutchison 3 Group, SoftBank Mobile Corp., Verizon Communications, VimpelCom and Vodafone Group (among others) are all onboard, with the following measures to go into effect by the end of 2012. For one, texts will be sent to remind customers of their data roaming tariffs when they arrive in another country, and there will also be a monthly data roaming spending limit paired with the ability to "temporarily suspend" one's data when usage exceeds said threshold. Of course, alerting users to how they're about to be hosed only seems like part of the issue. Till that's addressed, we'll keep carrying an Xcom Global MiFi or hunting for a local SIM upon arrival. Continue reading 24 wireless operators agree on data roaming alert mechanisms, do nothing about actual roaming rates 24 wireless operators agree on data roaming alert mechanisms, do nothing about actual roaming rates originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's been a bit of a waiting game for TiVo users with Android tablets, ever since the company released an app for iOS. As of today, however, that wait is over. The TiVo app is now is arriving in the Google Play today store for tablets, bringing with it remote control functionality, a show guide, search and programming / actor info. The the app also helps you monitor your recording storage and organize your Season Pass recordings with drag-and-drop functionality. You can check out a complete breakdown of the features in the source link below. TiVo releases Android app, countless tablets to be lost under couch cushions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TiVO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We commonly associate extreme secrecy around a product design with Apple, but it now looks to be in vogue with all the major technology companies: just days after Samsung revealed the Galaxy S III's secret sauce, Microsoft has explained to TechRadar that it developed its surprise new Surface tablets under a similarly tight watch. A special wing of Microsoft's hardware unit initially worked in an "underground bunker," according to the division's Stevie Bathiche, before moving to a more conventional building with an 'airlock' door -- the company was just that concerned that Bob from Accounts Receivable might spoil the whole thing. As we all know by now, that level of secrecy proved effective almost until the last minute and let Microsoft design to its heart's content; we still don't know if other PC builders were aware. The practice is a sharp break from Microsoft's tendency to telegraph its strategy well in advance, and it emphasizes just how much importance Redmond places on its self-developed Windows 8 hardware. Microsoft: Surface was developed in an 'underground bunker' at first, we can play the secrecy game too originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TechRadar | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  You know what's happening next week in Android land? Yes, it's Google I/O, and we'll be there to give you the all the details, of course. Leading up to the event, Google's just given its Android developer site a fresh new "streamlined, simplified, and refocused" look. The redesign touches on three aspects of the app development lifecycle -- design, development and distribution -- in the hopes to entice developers to "build beautiful, powerful, successful apps". Want to find out more? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for the PR. Continue reading Google entices Android developers to 'build beautiful, powerful, successful apps' with site refresh Google entices Android developers to 'build beautiful, powerful, successful apps' with site refresh originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android Developer Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We can count on one hand the number of times a waterproof camera was the only suitable option for any given photo shoot, but drizzle and even flash monsoons can strike at any moment, especially in some locales. Most clothing and other analog gear can survive such attacks of mother nature nearly unscathed, but smartphones and cameras are another story altogether -- unless they're coated in head-to-toe weather sealing, of course. Pentax may not be a top player in any digital imaging category, but the company does have a few serious DSLR contenders, and should be taken seriously for anyone in the market for a new ILC. The manufacturer's latest swappable-lens model, the K-30, is quite a respectable beast, and a fairly solid value at $900 with an 18-55mm kit lens. Beneath that steel and polycarbonate black housing there's a 16.3-megapixel APS-C sensor with shift-based stabilization, a 100-percent FOV optical viewfinder, a color-adjustable 921k-dot 3-inch LCD and a bevy of manual control options, for stills and video alike. We put the K-30 through its paces during a half-day shoot around NYC. There was no rain, sand or snow in sight, but the brutal heat and humidity didn't take any toll, with the camera offering consistent performance and excellent battery life for hours on end (we captured nearly 700 stills with live view and a few minutes of video with plenty to spare, and you can also swap in four AA lithiums for up to 1600 shots). We spend much of our time shooting with mirrorless cameras these days, but when absolute portability is less critical, there are obvious benefits to lugging around a full-size DSLR like the K-30. The camera was able to shoot with perfect exposure and white balance in almost every situation and images captured with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens were sharp and vibrant. Video performance was sufficient as well -- most of our clips were captured at 720/30p, but 720/60p and 1080/30p are also on offer. Focus wasn't the fastest we've seen (the Olympus E-M5 still holds the title), but the lens adjusted accurately even in low light, especially when aided by the green illuminator. High-ISO performance didn't blow us away with noise reduction deactivated -- noise was visible at a 25-percent view at ISO 12,800 and a 12.5-percent view at the ISO 25,600 extended setting, but the sensor-shift stabilization mode enabled us to capture sharp handheld shots at 1/40 second, so it's not terribly difficult to avoid venturing into that high-sensitivity zone. Pentax also added a unique Astrotracer mode, which moves the sensor precisely for long night-sky exposures, using an optional GPS module to provide location and direction information (there was no way to test this feature in NYC, where the city lights never sleep). We did have a chance to test out that weather sealing, however -- the camera functioned just as well while under a running water fountain as it did on dry land. Overall, we were quite impressed with the K-30 -- it's one of the best sub-$1,000 DSLRs we've used to date, and if you've made an investment in Pentax KAF2 glass (or you're ready to load up now), you can expect to be pleased. Click past the break for a sample gallery and video. Continue reading Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  At the tail end of Microsoft's marathon Windows Phone Summit keynote, the company's own Kevin Gallo said the following: "Everyone in the Windows ecosystem benefits." He was waxing poetic about the myriad new features coming to the outfit's latest and greatest mobile operating system, and nothing about his quote was incorrect. Developers will adore the shared codebase. Users will adore the new additions to the software framework. Carriers probably won't shun the opportunity to push yet another platform this holiday season. But the one word in there that sticks out most to me is this: "Windows." I've been wrestling with the ecosystem issue for some time, but the gravity of it has never been so evident. Starting in 2008, one could argue that it stopped being purely about hardware. Purely about design. Purely about software. Purely about partnerships. Particularly when it came to smartphones. Slate-style handsets were en vogue years ago, with design changing extremely little and software becoming ever more of a factor. But it wasn't just software in the simplest sense -- it was how the software was interconnected to every other piece of the digital ecosystem. Phones were no longer standalone devices; they were simply the most convenient entry into a rabbit hole that Microsoft's going to have a tough time digging people out of. Allow me to explain. Continue reading Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems? Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Samsung's US Galaxy S III launch is turning out to be quite the muted affair. Along with news of staggered Sprint and T-Mobile releases, AT&T is now adding that its Galaxy S III version likely won't make June 21st at all. Pre-order customers who were promised the phone this week are instead being told to wait until June 25th; they might get it early, should the smartphone stars align properly. If you're having pangs of regret for not pulling the trigger earlier, you'll have to wait up to 10 business days before before that Marble White or Pebble Blue beauty shows at your door. AT&T is pinning the delay on short supply, much like its fellow American launch carriers. Not that the lack of handsets is stopping Samsung from kicking off an elaborate launch campaign of its own. Along with the usual celebrity and Times Square stunts, the Korean corporation is starting up a curated media hub, Beacon, and placing NFC-equipped Share-to-Go Stations: those in the happy position of carrying a Galaxy S III in their hands can download free content just through swinging by a kiosk. You can catch the full details of Samsung's escapades after the break. Continue reading AT&T says Galaxy S III pre-orders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways AT&T says Galaxy S III pre-orders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Phone Scoop | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Crowdsourcing map data itself isn't a surprise; it's been the cornerstone of OpenStreetMap and is about to get a big boost through iOS 6. Crowdsourcing actual positions is still a relatively untapped resource, however, and Google thinks that it might just be the ticket to getting a device's location when GPS alone doesn't cut it. Much as your current phone uses triangulation between cell sites to help speed up a position lock, a technique in a new Google patent application uses the physical distances between nearby devices to get a complete picture, even if GPS is completely on the fritz. The peer-to-peer technique still needs an internet connection to reach the central service piecing information together -- there isn't much help if you're in areas where reliable internet access isn't always guaranteed. Likewise, there's no certainty that Google will use the patent in a future build of Android or Chrome OS. If it does, though, at least some of us may say goodbye to the days of our map positioning going haywire the moment we drive through a tunnel or step into an office without WiFi. Google files for a patent on peer-to-peer location finding, says cell tower triangulation is for chumps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For 27 years he ate what he wanted and avoided exercise like the plague. Can an arsenal of fitness gadgets make this human healthier in just eight weeks?  From the snake oil salesman to the Thighmaster(TM), science and technology have promised the end of obesity, ill health and lethargy for centuries. Today, weight loss gadgetry is all around us, with affordable commercial systems available from Nintendo, Nike, Adidas and countless other manufacturers, all promising their technology will turn us into paragons of healthy virtue. How is it then, that for all of this, we live in an age where a quarter of the American population is obese? Do any of these seemingly endless health aids actually work? Will a $200 wristband or a $100 pedometer cause you to banish microwave dinners and saturated fats, take up regular exercise at the gym at least three days a week and sleep well with no bad dreams? Or has the health industry made technology another ineffective distraction that only provides you with a vague sense that you're doing something positive? Is the real answer what it's always been: go for a walk in the trees and eat your greens? Continue reading Fitter, Happier: an eight week exercise in using technology to help lose weight Fitter, Happier: an eight week exercise in using technology to help lose weight originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Google lets users surf the web in 40-plus languages, and its Translate service accounts for 57 different tongues, but those numbers are dwarfed by the grand total of 7,000 currently existing languages. On its official blog today, the company announced the Endangered Languages Project, a website dedicated to preserving at-risk dialects by providing information via audio, video and text samples. Google collaborated with the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and Eastern Michigan University to compile research on the 3,000 languages at risk of dying out, and each language's profile includes results drawn from Google Books. Click through to the source link to check out a global visualization of these tongues -- it's mind-boggling that there are 52 endangered languages in Brazil alone. Google launches Endangered Languages website to save 3,000 at-risk tongues originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Google Official Blog | The Endangered Languages Project | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Steven Spielberg's Minority Report, based on the Philip K. Dick short story, opened in North American theaters 10 years ago today. It was preceded by the director's A.I. a year earlier, which was famously a pet project of Stanley Kubrick's for decades prior, and was followed up by Spielberg's version of War of the Worlds a couple of years later. Together, they formed an unofficial trilogy of sorts that represented a turn to darker science fiction for a director noted for his more optimistic excursions into the genre. Of the three, Minority Report was the best-received out of the gate, both as a film and as a detailed vision of the near-future unlike any since Blade Runner.
That reputation has largely held up in the decade since (while A.I.'s has grown quite a bit), during which time it's also become a sort of technological touchstone. For all its bleakness, the future of Minority Report was one that we could recognize, and one that we were reaching towards -- at least when it came to the technology. Human-computer interaction would be more natural than ever, advertising would be everywhere and more personalized, and smart cars would deliver us to our smart homes. Today, it's almost as common for a new technology to be described as Minority Report-like as it is to be described as Star Trek-like. That was hardly just the result of good luck. Continue reading Minority Report at 10: a look at technology from today to 2054 Minority Report at 10: a look at technology from today to 2054 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  3D silicon is all the rage, and now nanowire transistors have further potential to keep Moore's Law on life support. Researchers at A*STAR have found a way to double the the number of transistors on a chip by placing the atomic-scale wires vertically, rather than in the run-of-the-mill planar mode, creating two "wrap-around gates" that put a pair of transistors on a single nanowire. In the future, tech could be merged with tunnel field effect transistors -- which use dissimilar semiconductor materials -- to create a markedly denser design. That combo would also burn a miniscule percentage of the power required conventionally, according to the scientists, making it useful for low-powered processors, logic boards and non-volatile memory, for starters. So, a certain Intel founder might keep being right after all, at least for a few years more. Researchers take nanowire transistors vertical, double up on density originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Phys Org | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
