Gartner's latest bundle of smartphone stats has just hit the wires, bringing with it some encouraging news for the folks in Cupertino. According to the firm's Q4 report, Apple finished 2011 as the world's top smartphone vendor by market share (19 percent), thanks to a Q4 that saw the company grab 23.8 percent of the market. During the quarter, Apple sold some 35.5 million handsets to end users, marking a mildly insane 121.4 percent increase from Q4 2010. This surge also helped Apple overtake LG to become the world's third largest seller of all mobile phones, with a 7.4 percent market share last quarter, trailing only Nokia (23.4 percent) and Samsung (19.4 percent). Nokia, in fact, saw some of its lead wither away during Q4, with sales dropping 8.7 percent over the year, to 111.7 million units. On the OS front, meanwhile, Android continues to dominate Q4 with 50.9 percent of the smartphone market, but that's slightly down from the previous quarter, when it grabbed a little less than 53 percent. Gartner attributes some of this to increased sales of the iPhone 4S, though it expects iOS' share to decline over the next "couple of quarters," as fewer users upgrade to the company's latest handset. For more insight and analysis, check out the full press release, after the break.
Google says it's fixed a Wallet security flaw that potentially allowed a phone thief to spend a user's prepaid balance. The ability to provision new prepaid cards had been suspended pending the update, but has now been restored. Things aren't quite back to normal in the Big G's world of mobile money, however. Users still find themselves caught between two competing arguments over an entirely different vulnerability, which involves a 'brute-force' attack on rooted devices. Google insists that this isn't a major concern, so long as Wallet users refrain from rooting, and that the system still "offers advantages over the plastic cards and folded wallets in use today." On the other hand, the company that discovered this issue -- zvelo -- has come back at Google with an equally blunt response. It acknowledges that a handset must be rooted to be vulnerable, but crucially its researchers also say that a device doesn't have to be rooted before it's stolen. In other words, they allege that a savvy thief can potentially steal a phone and then root it themselves, and they won't be happy with Wallet until it requires longer PIN number. Whichever argument sways you, it's worth bearing in mind that there's no evidence that anyone has yet managed to exploit these weaknesses for criminal purposes. Google Wallet gets prepaid security fix, but 'brute-force' issue still hangs in the air originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google, zvelo | Email this | Comments
When last we heard from GE and its Morpho-butterfly inspired sensors, all the talk was about detecting chemicals. And, with $6.3 million in funding coming from DARPA, we're not surprised. In the latest issue of Nature Photonics, however, the company's researchers show that the wing-like structures are just as good at detecting heat as they are ricin attacks. By coating them with carbon nanotubes the team was able to create a sensor sensitive to temperature changes as small as 0.02 degrees Celsius with a response rate of 1/40 of a second. The sensors could eventually find their way into imaging devices and medical equipment, and are expected to cost just a fraction of similar technologies currently on the market. Of course, since DARPA is still involved with the project, there are some potential security uses as well -- such as screening devices and fire detection. Head after the break for a video and some PR. Continue reading GE turns butterfly-inspired tech into cheap, accurate thermal sensors (video) GE turns butterfly-inspired tech into cheap, accurate thermal sensors (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | GE | Email this | Comments
It's not everyday that an MVNO decides to offer up unlimited data courtesy of Clearwire's WiMAX network, but H2O's latest entrant known as Bolt makes us wish the practice were far less frequent. The $50 no-contract service essentially replicates Clear's own offering at the very same price point that's been available to customers for years. Furthermore, both companies share Best Buy as their most significant retail channel. Now, for whatever reason, H2O's Bolt Flash (the $100 USB modem) and Bolt Spider (the $150 mobile hotspot) will sit side-by-side Clear's own offerings at the big box retailer, where it'll be up to those in Smurf shirts to explain the difference -- there's none. You'll find the PR after the break, but if you're living in Detroit, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Louisville, New Orleans, Memphis or Albuquerque, none of this even remotely matters. Frustrating, isn't it? Continue reading H2O Bolt promises unlimited 4G internet for $50, pretends it's never heard of Clear H2O Bolt promises unlimited 4G internet for $50, pretends it's never heard of Clear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments
It seems that the hard workin' folks at Verizon Wireless may soon have a special phone to call their own. That's the word from Android and Me, which reports that Big Red's staffers are being offered exclusive versions of the Droid RAZR (16GB, $99) and RAZR Maxx (32GB, $199). In addition to a distinctive red and black pattern on the handset's rear, a unique number will be engraved within the camera pod and the words 'Limited Edition' will appear next to Verizon's logo on the front. Employees will also score a free dock with their purchase and can expect the handsets to arrive in April -- which is a good indication of when these things should hit Craigslist. Limited edition Droid RAZR and RAZR Maxx appear, exclusive to Verizon employees? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkDroid Life | Android and Me | Email this | Comments
Companies and schools that have bought into the whole iPad thing need a place to store and charge their tablets without running miles of extension chords and power strips. Dukane clearly sees an untapped market here, and has launched the MCCD1 and MCC1. Both are caster-mounted, fire and drill resistent cabinets designed to dock and lock piles of iPads. The MCCD1 has space for up to 32 of the iOS tablets and can both charge and sync them while keeping them organized and safe. The MCC1 holds just 30 and can't sync the slates, but it will keep them juiced and locked down between uses. The MCCD1 is available starting at $2,250 while the MCC1 is a slightly more affordable $1,260. Looking for more info? Hit up the source to download PDF fact sheets. Dukane launches mobile charging carts for piles of iPads originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkMacNews | Dukane (1) (PDF), (2)(PDF) | Email this | Comments
Sammy isn't taking its foot off the handset-making accelerator anytime soon. The company announced it's bringing three of its galactic machines along for an Indian ride, and while we'd previously met the dual-SIM packin' pair, the Galaxy Ace Duos is seeing life for the first time in its double-threat form. Sporting the same 832MHz CPU as its siblings, as well as a 3.5-inch display, 1650mAh battery and GSM / CDMA capabilities, the newcomer isn't much more powerful, but at least offers more screen real estate and an extra pinch of juice to get you through the day. All members of the family are rockin' Gingerbread and will start off at around $212 for the Y Duos and its Pro variant. As for the Ace, a mere $324 will let you unleash its GSM / CDMA powers.
Many of us have seen this coming for some time now, but the FCC issued a statement late today that it intends to reject LightSquared's bid to create a wholesale LTE network on the basis that interference with existing GPS devices is unavoidable. The news follows a similar recommendation from the NTIA that was delivered to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski today, which concluded "there are no mitigation strategies that both solve the interference issues and provide LightSquared with an adequate commercial network deployment." For its part, the upstart wireless provider responded that it "profoundly disagrees" with the NTIA's conclusions and that it remains committed to finding a solution.
We've seen the Large Hadron Collider running at a record-breaking 7 TeV for short periods, but now CERN is turning it up a notch (to 4 TeV from 3.5) for the rest of the year. The decision comes after an annual performance workshop last week in Chamonix and a report from the CERN Machine Advisory Committee (CMAC). The increase may seem modest compared to the knee-trembling levels of 7 TeV, but it's all part of a broader optimization strategy. Scientists state the new approach should increase the data collected in 2012 to 15 inverse femtobarns -- a three-fold jump from 2011. Even more encouraging is a statement from CERN's Research Director, Sergio Bertolucci, who claims that we should finally know for sure about the existence of the Higgs boson -- either way -- before the LHC enters a temporary shut-down period at the end of the year. Beam yourself over the break for the full press release. Continue reading Large Hadron Collider to increase beam energy: Higgs boson can run, not hide Large Hadron Collider to increase beam energy: Higgs boson can run, not hide originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkPhysOrg | CERN | Email this | Comments
Microsoft recently outed a preview of MS Office 15, so it's fitting that the Document Foundation has taken the wraps off the next major release of Office's open source competition, LibreOffice. Among the new features is a bundle of upgrades for its word processor, including a built-in grammar checker and a real-time word count window. Its PowerPoint equivalent, Impress, received the ability to embed multimedia and custom color palettes among others upgrades, while the spreadsheet software, Calc, now supports up to 10,000 sheets per workbook. Version 3.5 also reintroduces an online update checker to make it easy to keep LibreOffice up to date. All total, 30,000 code commits went into the improvements, so if you're on the open source office suite bandwagon, don't let that hard work go to waste -- check out the fruits of their labor at the source link below. LibreOffice updates to version 3.5, brings grammar check, bigger Calc workbooks, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkSlashdot | The Document Foundation Blog, LibreOffice | Email this | Comments
It's not another alternative for individual authors looking to self-publish (at least for now), but professional publishers looking to create and distribute interactive e-books now have a new option to consider in the form of Inkling Habitat. Initially available to select publishers in an early adopter program (a broader rollout is planned for later this year), the platform promises to make producing interactive e-books at scale more affordable, with the program itself completely free provided publishers agree to sell their books through Inkling's store. As mocoNews notes, however, Inkling isn't asking publishers for exclusive rights, so they'll also be able to sell them elsewhere if they choose -- the iPad is the initial target platform, with HTML5-based web publishing also planned. The system is also cloud-based, meaning that a group of folks in various locations will be able to collaborate on a single book, something that Inkling hopes will distinguish it further from Apple's own iBooks Author; its CEO even went as far as to use the analogy of Habitat being the Final Cut Pro to iBooks Author's iMovie.
We're back with 2012's first post-football Engadget HD podcast. How will we survive in these harsh, unforgiving lands? We're not sure, but there's still plenty of news to discuss including the latest rumors from Google and Apple, and pricing info on some of 2012's most anticipated HDTVs. Not happy with your current cable company-provided DVR? Announcements from Virgin Media and Arris have some good news/ bad news for you, but for all that and the rest, just press play.
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After expanding its live TV streaming from iPads to iPhones, Time Warner Cable is going in the other direction and offering the service on PCs. The PC version of TWC TV launched today in beta -- still no word on streaming to Android devices or HDTVs yet -- but the Silverlight player will work on Windows and OS X, in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Chrome. According to the official blog it has more than just streaming, with remote control over compatible set-top boxes and DVR scheduling also included. Of course, the same restrictions still apply here as they have on tablets and phones, with playback only while connected to your home network. If you're a Time Warner customer, hit the link below to sign in and try it out, or hit the blog for more details on what works where. Time Warner Cable's TWC TV launches for PC, brings live TV streaming to the desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TW Cable Untangled, TWC TV (beta) | Email this | Comments
How do you improve on the phone we described as "one of the cheesiest Android devices we've ever handled"? If you're Alcatel, you switch from a sliding to candybar form factor, ditch the large, candy-colored buttons and add a touchscreen. That about sums up the OT-915, a budget handset that's slated to make its official debut at Mobile World Congress later this month, but whose existence Electricpig claims to have confirmed weeks in advance. That press shot up there, if accurate, speaks for itself: what we have here is a full QWERTY device whose button layout and style borders on BlackBerry KIRF. Other specs include a 2.8-inch, 240 x 320 touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera, WiFI, FM radio, 11.9mm-thick profile and Android 2.3 as an OS. Electricpig, based in the UK, reports the phone is headed to Blighty at some unspecified date, though it's unclear what other (typically non-US) markets it'll reach. For now, we leave you with that one photo up there, but you know if we see this thing on the show floor at Barcelona we'll hit you back with more details and the requisite hands-on treatment.
If you fancy yourself a power user, HP's got a "world's first" trick up its sleeve that might lure you in. Earlier today, the Palo Alto outfit took the wraps off its newest all-in-one, the HP Z1. This workstation is a mere distant cousin to HP's consumer-focused Omni and TouchSmart lines -- not that that's a bad thing. The machine comes sporting a 27-inch, 2560 x 1440, IPS display, the back of which snaps open for easy access when making hardware tweaks and, if you wisely choose to take the premium road, you could be walking out with a quad-core Intel Xeon CPU and NVIDIA Quadro graphics, as well as your choice of a 160GB or 300GB SSD for storage. Needless to say, it all depends on how much dough you're willing to part with. HP says the Z1 is expected to ship around April, with the lowest-end model starting at $1,899. It'll be a while before you can get your hands on one, but in the meantime you can keep yourself entertained by checking out those glossy press shots below.
If you fancy yourself a power user, HP's got a "world's first" trick up its sleeve that might lure you in. Earlier today, the Palo Alto outfit took the wraps off its newest all-in-one, the HP Z1. This workstation is a mere distant cousin to HP's consumer-focused Omni and TouchSmart lines -- not that that's a bad thing. The machine comes sporting a 27-inch, 2560 x 1440, IPS display, the back of which snaps open for easy access when making hardware tweaks and, if you wisely choose to take the premium road, you could be walking out with a quad-core Intel Xeon CPU and NVIDIA Quadro graphics, as well as your choice of a 160GB or 300GB SSD for storage. Needless to say, it all depends on how much dough you're willing to part with. HP says the Z1 is expected to ship around April, with the lowest-end model starting at $1,899. It'll be a while before you can get your hands on one, but in the meantime you can keep yourself entertained by checking out those glossy press shots below.
If you've been relying on a satellite modem for your daily dose of the Internet, you're probably all too familiar with sub-1Mbps download speeds and an overall painful experience. That's exactly why we've been so impressed with ViaSat and its new 12Mbps down, 3Mbps up Exede residential satellite broadband product. Yesterday, we journeyed deep into Camp Pendleton near San Diego to test out those 12/3Mbps speeds on the go-anywhere SurfBeam 2 Pro Portable, and now we're back to play around with the enterprise setup's more stationary sibling, the SurfBeam 2 Pro. The modem functions in much the same way as ViaSat's less-expensive household version, though there's a bit more horsepower under the hood.
The sample we saw at the company's Carlsbad, CA headquarters is also provisioned for faster service, delivering throughput in excess of 40Mbps down, letting you transfer files from the web at speeds you'd typically only be able to meet with a fiber connection. That may be a bit excessive for regular web use, but if you need to download software, movies or other large files in remote areas, that extra speed will likely be more than welcome. Join us past the break for a quick look a Exede, followed by a demo of the enterprise version and its 40Mbps downloads.
Since it was announced last August, we've anxiously been waiting for Sony's flagship Walkman Z (the first to feature Android) to hit US shores. (It made it here well after the holidays passed. Better late than never, right?) While Sony is billing the Z as a Walkman first and foremost, its spacious 4.3-inch display and 1GHz Tegra 2 SoC ensure it's powerful and well-sized for playing games and generally making the most of Gingerbread. The device will be available in a variety of flavors, with up to 32GB of storage ($330), though for the purposes of this review we've been rocking the entry-level 8GB model ($250). Although we haven't exactly been charmed by similar devices vying for a piece of the iPod Touch's market share, the Walkman Z has plenty of promise. The question is, does it deliver? And does it deserve your $250 when it goes on sale in March? Let's find out.
Boom. Just as promised, the large beast that is Samsung's don't-call-it-a-tablet handset has hit available status in the Land of the Maple Leaf. Canadian carriers Bell and Telus have the Galaxy Note up for grabs now on their respective sites at the cost of $199 with a whopping three-year contract, while anything's yet to pop up on Rogers' page (we'll let you know as soon as it does). The launch comes a few days ahead of its expected release on US shores, where it'll require less of a commitment but carry a heavier price tag. Still pondering if the galactic 5.3-inch device is the right fit for you? Give our review one last glance before you decide to make the enormous jump.
Emmys? Check. Grammys? Check. Engadget Awards 2011? Almost there. Now that we've gone through the nomination process, it's time for you to let us know who deserves to be crowned king of its category, which in some special cases, might not be something to be completely proud of. The clock's ticking and you have until 11:59PM ET on Monday February 20th to drop your precious ballot in. We'll let you know soon thereafter who's walking away a winner and who's heading back to the shelves empty-handed, as well as who earned our Editors' Choice picks.
Who's got your vote? Fill us in by hitting up our voting page here.
If you don't mind your Gingerbread a bit stale, the ZTE V9A Light Tab 2 is now available in the UK. To jog your memory, for £235 you can snag the 7-inch, Android 2.3 slate complete with a 1.4GHz single-core processor, dual cameras, WiFi and 3G connectivity (no word on service providers). You'll also be getting 4GB internal storage alongside a microSD slot for added space. If you're looking to splurge in hopes of a tasty OS upgrade, there's still no word on ICS for the tablet. More details await in the full PR below.
We've all heard about SlingBox, that nifty bit of kit that lets you stream your cable or satellite television to the mobile device of your choice, and now a new company called Aereo aims to provide a similar service for OTA broadcast television. The service costs $12 dollars a month and will launch March 14th, but is only available to folks in New York City. It'll stream all the major networks, and also offers a cloud-based DVR service on the internet connected device of your choosing, whether it's a phone, tablet or TV. Aereo is powered by large devices containing tons of tiny TV antennas connected to the cloud, and each antenna corresponds to an individual user -- giving each the ability to tune into one channel at a time. Intrigued as much as we are? Learn all about Aereo's new service at the source link below. Aereo puts an antenna in the cloud, streams OTA television broadcasts on the internet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkNew York Times | Aereo | Email this | Comments
Intrigued by Samsung's new petite smartphone? Well, those not gearing up for quad-cores and high-definition screens can now spy some dizzying label placement details and more from its recent FCC visit. Expect the Galaxy Mini 2 to pack both 850 and 1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE radios, meaning it'll be compatible with both AT&T and (EDGE-only) T-Mobile networks. The radios are accompanied by Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and NFC functionality. While the filing adds an extra dose of credence to that mooted February release, US fans may have to wait a little longer; an FCC appearance doesn't always equate to a release on American shores. Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 spotted at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkFCC | | Email this | Comments
Yep, it's Valentine's Day. We weren't sure what to get the tech fan who has everything (you're all loaded up on Lumia 710s, right?), so we decided to put together an amazing show for you. And if you're in New York City this week, you can join us live at the Times Center in midtown.
This month, we'll be welcoming DJ Spooky who will discuss his new book, The Book of Ice and perform using his iPad own app. We'll also by stopping by Mountain View to pay a visit to Google's headquarters, swinging by a pinball museum in Asbury Park, NJ and checking out all that Toy Fair 2012 has to offer. Did we mention some hands-on time with the biggest gadgets of the month and lots and lots of giveaways? No, well, we should have, because that's all happening.
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We're already counting down the days until these bad boys find themselves in your local cafe and airport terminal. Sony is working on power outlets that are able to identify a user and determine their permissions at that particular socket. With the quick tap of a card, phone or other NFC device your authentication info is passed to a server over the powerline itself. The tech could be used to manage power consumption or prevent theft, but the more obvious and immediate use will be to make a quick buck. The chips at the heart of the platform are compatible with Sony's FeliCa NFC payment system -- which means travelers waiting at Narita International Airport could soon be paying for both WiFi and to keep their laptop juiced when their flight is inevitably delayed. On the other hand, perhaps being able to charge for a charge will convince New York City Starbucks to give us our outlets back. Check out the source link for some machine translated PR. Sony prepping power outlet that demands payment, identification originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkThe Verge | Sony (translated) | Email this | Comments
You've already seen it unboxed on board the International Space Station, and now you can watch as the crew of the ISS activates Robotnaut 2. The robot was turned on just before noon Eastern, but there's still plenty more to see -- head on past the break for the live stream. Naturally, you can also keep up with its progress on its Twitter feed.
This is one of those little projects you wish you could just play with the second you've seen it. Greek Artist Petros Vrellis coded an interactive light and sound show into Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night -- that you can control with your fingers. With a swipe of a single digit (or hand) you can pull the particles of the artists paint daubs to redirect the swirling mass of night sky in any direction, making music as you do so. After the break we've got video that you really, really should watch -- and afterward start begging the creator to get this onto people's iPads as soon as he can manage it.
Valentines Day might have passed you by, but for many it's a day of conflicting emotions. Some of you may be screaming EB Browning's Sonnet 43 from the rooftops, others talking about how much you hate smug couples. Either way, if you're tweeting your feelings then (innovative marketing firm Imperial Leisure's) Love Will Conquer will record it. Geotagged tweets are being mapped, in real-time onto a 3D Earth, where an perpetually growing tree maps out who's feeling what and when. If you tell someone you love them freely and the tree will swell with red leaves, whereas hate causes cold blue ones to sprout instead. If you want to watch the world venting its ardor, point your WebGL browser (Chrome and Firefox 10.1 both work) at our source link.
It's a world's first coming from a company you've never heard of -- if you live outside of China, anyway. Taking Google's newly minted OS and slipping it into an affordable chassis, Ainovo's Novo 7 Basic could very well be a sleeper hit among the tech-obsessed masses. Sure, it may lack the brand equity and tidy content ecosystems that are part and parcel of Amazon and Apple's offerings, but thanks to that $99 price, users may find themselves seduced by the temptation of Ice Cream Sandwich alone. Apart from a small fraternity of devices including the Galaxy Nexus and ASUS Transformer Prime, few devices have officially played host to Android 4.0, lending this 7-inch tab a distinct advantage over the more expensive, Gingerbread-packing Kindle Fire. With a 1GHz Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor based on a MIPS XBurst CPU, an 800 x 480 LED display and VGA front-facing / 2-megapixel rear cameras, this no-frills slate could blaze a bargain trail past Bezos and Co. So, does it manage to hold its own against its well-known competitors? Or will all that corner-cutting reveal this low cost tablet to be just another below-the-bar offering? Follow on past the break as we deliver the answers to these and other burning questions.
B&W will soon have something new for every corner of your media consumption shrine. The six-year-old M-1 compact monitor is getting improved drivers, offering "enhanced full-range performance," while the PV1D subwoofer benefits from a more complete redesign. It now boasts the same digital platform as the flagship DB1, a new OLED display and other fresh specs including a dynamic EQ circuit and a low 7.5Hz cut off. The only component of the Mini Theater range that'll keep its old guts is the ASW608 subwoofer, which is now available in matte white to match that option with the M-1s. Look to spend $250 on each monitor, $1,700 on the PV1D and $500 on the ASW608, but check the press release first for more details and bundle options. Availability starts "early 2012." Continue reading Bowers and Wilkins refreshes M-1 speaker and PV1D subwoofer, new Mini Theater bundles coming soon Bowers and Wilkins refreshes M-1 speaker and PV1D subwoofer, new Mini Theater bundles coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments
C'mon, admit it -- if you won one of many lotteries, you'd be purchasing a legitimate tilt-shift lens right after picking up a new Ferrari and buying a chocolate factory. Given that said scenario is highly unlikely to pan out, Lensbaby is stepping in to make the letdown a bit easier to stomach. The Edge 80 Optic is the latest in the outfit's growing Optic Swap system, which is compatible with the Composer Pro, Composer, Muse, Scout and Control Freak, and it's capable of transforming those bodies into "a tilt lens that delivers a slice of sharp focus through an image that falls off to a soft blur." There's a 12-blade adjustable aperture (f/2.8 through f/22), and when not shifted, it's fully capable of taking flat (read: standard) photographs. As the name implies, there's an 80mm focal length, but macro lovers should be aware that you'll need at least 17-inches to focus on your subject(s).
We've been toying with one on our D3S over the past few days, and it certainly does what it says; moreover, it's far easier to justify at just $300. (For those unaware, dedicated T-S lenses can easily top $1,500.) And if you're already invested in the Optic Swap system, it makes even more sense. Granted, it takes some work to compose a shot. You'll need to rely on manual mode, and you'll need to tweak your ISO to match your desired aperture and available light. Leaving the ISO too high while using f/2.8 in broad daylight will result in white captures, while not boosting the ISO enough after dark will leave your shot murdered out. Once you've got your settings right, though, the lens couldn't be easier to operate, and the shift + lock mechanism is as smooth as butter. We threw together a gallery of our favorites taken recently in Hawaii and French Polynesia, so dive in below to see if this piece of kit is deserving of your attention.
Not content with its Foursquare badge from the International Space Station, NASA is now setting its sights closer to the moon, with plans for a deep space outpost near our celestial neighbor. NASA is looking at setting up an outpost near the recently filmed far side of the moon that could serve as a jumping point to other more exotic destinations like lunar space, asteroids and Mars. The waypoint could even serve as a place for assembling and servicing satellites and large telescopes, as well as robotics research on crashed Transformers. The leading location so far is "Earth-moon libration point 2," a more gravitationally stable area in space that serves as an ideal parking spot for space craft. Echoing recent talk by Russians about a joint moon base, NASA also hopes to get by with a little help from its friends -- well, actually a lot of help from the international community -- by using the partnerships it has formed through the International Space Station. NASA eyes waypoint near moon, Orbital Drop Shock Troopers not in plans ... yet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | SPACE.com | Email this | Comments
Nintendo beefed up its proprietary arsenal yesterday, with the acquisition of Mobiclip -- a Paris-based video codec provider. As Gamasutra reports, the deal was actually finalized back in October, but only became public this week, when Mobiclip confirmed its new ownership on its website. The company already has a history with Nintendo, having lent a hand with video rendering and playback on the DS and Game Boy Advance. Now that it's officially under its wing, Mobiclip will reportedly collaborate with Nintendo on its forthcoming Wii U, as suggested by a recently posted job listing for a "console software engineer."
Here's some news that'll brighten up your day: the Facebook client for Windows Phone has just been updated to version 2.3, bringing with it a host of enhanced features. Precise details remain a bit fuzzy at the moment, though in an announcement on its Facebook page, the app maker confirmed that the refresh will bring a redesigned profile and panoramic design, along with "news feed performance improvements," including support for filters. Other "focus areas" include support for Facebook Groups, pages and banner images, which can now be changed directly from a user's handset. The update is supposed to be available today, though at the time of this writing, it has yet to appear on the Marketplace. Once it hits, you'll be able to grab it from the coverage link below.
Here's some news to brighten up your day: the Facebook client for Windows Phone has just been updated to version 2.3, bringing with it a host of enhanced features. Precise details remain a bit fuzzy at the moment, though in an announcement on its Facebook page, the app maker confirmed that the refresh will bring a redesigned profile and panoramic design, along with "news feed performance improvements," including support for filters. Other "focus areas" include support for Facebook Groups, pages and banner images, which can now be changed directly from a user's handset. The update is supposed to be available today, though at the time of this writing, it has yet to appear on the Marketplace. Once it hits, you'll be able to grab it from the coverage link below.
There's no need to worry: your eyes aren't deceiving you, and the year most certainly isn't 2015. Still, that isn't stopping Mattel from teasing the iconic hoverboard at the New York Toy Fair. First made famous by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II, the product became something of Hollywood lore when the movie's director, Robert Zemeckis, insisted the contraption was real. While the claim later proved to be a prank, the desire for a genuine hoverboard has lived on. Now, following in the footsteps of McFly's MAG shoes from Nike, Mattel suggests it'll begin accepting preorders for the hoverboard replica next month. While the toy doesn't actually fly (but rather glides), it's said to emit a whooshing sound so that riders can pretend they're surfing through the air. Should Mattel solicit enough interest, the product will ship by year's end -- otherwise the company will merely scrap the idea and return to churning out Barbies. Mattel's hoverboard keeps McFly planted on terra firma, away from water originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkSlashGear | MattyCollector, Toyark | Email this | Comments
That Cisco's always been prescient. Three years ago, the networking giant predicted a 66-fold increase in worldwide mobile data traffic -- a surge that was expected to dovetail with the spread of 4G networks. With us so far? Sounds pretty obvious sensible, right? Well, the company's got more wisdom to share from its crystal ball: the outfit's just released its annual mobile data traffic forecast, and the marquee stat is that there will be an estimated 10 billion mobile connections by 2016. And though Cisco expects the bulk of these (8 billion) to take the form of cell phones, it also foresees a rise in tablets: there will be 5 billion of them, the company says, and that's not even counting all those WiFi-only models floating around (Cisco tallies WiFi traffic in a different forecast, released later in the year). If the market does indeed swell to 5 billion cellular-connected tablets, that would represent a 25 percent jump over today's global figure. Moreover, Cisco estimates that by 2016 21 percent of those 5 billion tablet owners will be relying solely on mobile data to get their internet fix.
All told, whatever the mix of smartphones and tablets, we're going to be chugging down an insane amount of data: 10.8 exobytes per month, worldwide, or 130 exobytes annually -- a lofty figure that breaks down to 33 billion DVDs, among other cutesy equivalents. One last stat before we sent you off into a statistic-laced coma: 4G will account for only six percent of mobile connections by 2016, but is expected to generate 36 percent of mobile data traffic. We'll let you newly minted LTE adopters chew on your piggy data-hogging habits; the rest of you can find more numbers in the PR after the break.
The invites haven't even been sent out and yet the frenzied speculation about what Tim Cook will whip out on stage at next month's purported announcement has begun. The Wall Street Journal believes Cupertino's planning to produce a smaller, 8-inch slate to partner its 9.7-inch flagship. Unnamed sources at the company's suppliers say it'll pack a screen with a resolution close to the 1024 x 768 display on the current model. This jibes with what we've heard about the iPad 3 toting a retina display -- unless the smaller unit is aimed at budget buyers. The report claims test panels are being produced by AU Optronics and LG Display and that this model might also run on LTE. It's probably fair to point out that Apple is famous for producing prototypes in a wide variety of sizes that will never see the light of day, so don't get your hopes up too soon.
It's a familiar scenario. You're traveling with a friend and she poses in front of a famous monument. You're ready to take her picture with your phone but there's a constant stream of people and vehicles getting in and out of your shot. What are your options? You could wait for the right lull in traffic to press the shutter key or you could use Remove -- Scalado's patented new object removal technology. Remove captures several images in a row, analyses them and automatically creates a composite photo devoid of unwanted details. Better yet, it highlights potential objects and lets you eliminate them manually. The folks at Scalado -- best known for such camera innovations as zero shutter lag and Rewind -- are planning to showcase Remove at Mobile World Congress later this month but luckily for you, we got an exclusive first look at an early build of the Remove app for Android.
We installed the app (designed for Gingerbread) on two of Samsung's flagship devices -- our Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ and our global Galaxy S II. The primary UI is simple and looks pretty much like any other basic camera app. Just tap the on-screen shutter key and Remove quickly takes several pictures in a row (the Nexus is about twice as fast as the GS2 here, interestingly). You can touch a second time to stop capture or let the app finish on its own. Remove then magically displays the resulting composite shot which you can save to the gallery by tapping the checkbox at the top right corner of the screen. There's also a toggle in the same location which lets you switch to a secondary UI that allows you to pick which unwanted details to remove (or keep) from each frame. Of course you can load and re-tweak previous captures at any time to restore (or eliminate) objects after the fact.
Remove introduces a completely new way to capture special moments, and while we experienced occasional issues with the responsiveness of the UI and noticed a couple minors bugs, the app is relatively intuitive and works rather well for a prototype. Take a look at our gallery of sample images and screenshots below and hit the break for the full PR treatment, including Scalado's concept video.
It's a familar scenario. You're traveling with a friend, she poses in front of a famous monument, you're ready to take her picture with your phone, but there's a constant stream of people and vehicles getting in and out of your shot. What are your options? You could wait for the right lull in traffic to press the shutter key or you could use Remove -- Scalado's new object removal technology. Remove captures several images in a row, analyses them and automatically creates a composite photo devoid of unwanted objects. Better yet, it highlights potential unwanted details and lets you remove them after the fact. The folks at Scalado -- best known for such camera innovations as zero shutter lag and Rewind -- are planning to showcase Remove at Mobile World Congress later this month but, luckily for you, we got an exclusive first look at an early build of the Remove app for Android.
We installed the app (designed for Gingerbread) on two of Samsung's flagship devices -- our Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ and our global Galaxy S II. The primary UI is simple and looks pretty much like any other basic camera app. Just tap the on-screen shutter key and Remove quickly takes several pictures in a row (the Nexus is about twice as fast as the GS2 here, interestingly). You can touch a second time to stop capture or let the app finish on its own. Remove then magically displays the resulting composite shot which you can save to the gallery by tapping the checkbox at the top right corner of the screen. There's also a slide switch in the same location which lets you switch to a secondary UI that allows you pick which details to remove (or keep) in each captured frame. We experienced occasional issues with the responsiveness of the UI and noticed a couple minors bugs, but Remove is relatively intuitive and works rather well for a prototype app.
Take a look at our gallery of sample images and screenshots below and hit the break for the full PR treatment, including Scalado's concept video.
It's a familar scenario. You're traveling with a friend and she poses in front of a famous monument. You're ready to take her picture with your phone but there's a constant stream of people and vehicles getting in and out of your shot. What are your options? You could wait for the right lull in traffic to press the shutter key or you could use Remove -- Scalado's new object removal technology. Remove captures several images in a row, analyses them and automatically creates a composite photo devoid of unwanted details. Better yet, it highlights potential unwanted objects and lets you eliminate them manually. The folks at Scalado -- best known for such camera innovations as zero shutter lag and Rewind -- are planning to showcase Remove at Mobile World Congress later this month but luckily for you, we got an exclusive first look at an early build of the Remove app for Android.
We installed the app (designed for Gingerbread) on two of Samsung's flagship devices -- our Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ and our global Galaxy S II. The primary UI is simple and looks pretty much like any other basic camera app. Just tap the on-screen shutter key and Remove quickly takes several pictures in a row (the Nexus is about twice as fast as the GS2 here, interestingly). You can touch a second time to stop capture or let the app finish on its own. Remove then magically displays the resulting composite shot which you can save to the gallery by tapping the checkbox at the top right corner of the screen. There's also a toggle in the same location which lets you switch to a secondary UI that allows you to pick which details to remove (or keep) from each frame. Of course you can load and re-tweak previous captures at any time to restore (or eliminate) objects after the fact.
Remove introduces a completely new way to capture special moments, and while we experienced occasional issues with the responsiveness of the UI and noticed a couple minors bugs, the app is relatively intuitive and works rather well for a prototype. Take a look at our gallery of sample images and screenshots below and hit the break for the full PR treatment, including Scalado's concept video.
Chinese manufacturing giant Huawei has been calling Plano, Texas its North American home since 2010, but now it seems the company's ready to explore a different business territory. Huawei's just announced its Research and Development squad -- in which it invested about $3.6 million dollars last year -- is setting up shop in Silicon Valley in a move that could certainly be seen as an effort to rub elbows with the big players this side of the pond. According to the Dallas Business Journal, the company piled up $30 billion in sales last year, and while the new 600-plus human R&D operation will be calling California home, Huawei's Honorary headquarters won't be moving away from the state where "everything's bigger" anytime soon. Huawei R&D department gets new home, sets up shop in Silicon Valley originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkFierce Wireless | Dallas Business Journal | Email this | Comments
On the list of dangerous humanoid bots DARwIn is easily topped by the bow-happy iCub. Still -- we don't trust this thing one iota. While we haven't seen it pick up any weaponry just yet, our friends to the north are teaching it one of man's most notoriously violent sports: hockey. Researchers at the University of Manitoba have managed to train the former RoboCup star to stay upright while shuffling about on skates. Smacking a puck into a goal, on the other hand, has proven somewhat trickier. Eventually Jennifer, as the autonomous hockey-bot has been dubbed, managed to get the hang of it, but we don't think the Flyers or Rangers will be offering her the big bucks just yet. And, honestly, before this little guy gets too good and turns into a bully on the ice, we'd get it to switch games -- curling suddenly seems like a perfectly acceptable past time. Check out the video after the break. Continue reading DARwIn-OP learns to skate, contemplates NHL career (video) DARwIn-OP learns to skate, contemplates NHL career (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. PermalinkIEEE Spectrum | | Email this | Comments
It's the end of another era at NASA, although this one was perhaps more inevitable than others. Chief Information Officer Linda Cureton announced in a blog post over the weekend that the agency's last mainframe computer was shut down this month, marking an end to decades of room-filling computers. Of course, that last mainframe was considerably more recent than that pictured above. It was an IBM Z9 (pictured at the source link below), still quite a behemoth and useful for certain applications, but deemed unnecessary by NASA in the face of other more flexible alternatives. Feeling nostalgic or curious about those days gone by? You can find a bit of mainframe history at the links below.
