|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Just last week, rumors regarding the BBC's purported iTunes competitor were making the rounds. Now, thanks to Director-General Mark Thompson, we can confirm that it is indeed in the works. Currently known around the British offices as "Project Barcelona," the service is expected to be an à la carte media offering, allowing you to "purchase a digital copy of a program to own and keep for a relatively modest charge." Speaking of which, movies, TV shows and specials are expected to start at £1.89 and may be available minutes after they're broadcast on TV, though we've yet to hear an official word on pricing. The Broadcasting Corporation chief went on to say this isn't "a second license-fee by stealth or any reduction in the current public service offering from the BBC, it's the exact analogy of going into a high-street shop to buy a DVD." He didn't, however, give any deets on when we can expect the service to launch. BBC's Director-General confirms instant video on-demand store is coming originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  The Next Web |  The Guardian | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ever needed to grab a bottle of water only to find the vending machine you've spotted is without power? The folks in Japan have, especially in the period immediately following natural disasters. The solution? Easy. A hand-cranked vending machine that still affords you the option of your desired food or beverage even during an emergency when the power is down. Sanden, a Japanese vending outfit, has developed the system that would allow the country's 5.5 million machines to run sans electricity or solar power and rely on good ol' fashioned muscle. You'll just need to dish out 70 cranks, in addition to the cost of your selection, and in about 20 seconds the kit powers on. The machine shown here will dispense around seven bottles before needing a full re-crank and there's no word on what the additional cost per vending unit will be. For look at the tech in action, hit the video above and prepare for a bicep workout. Hand-cranked vending machine offers products sans power, refreshments during emergencies (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CNET, BoingBoing | CScout Japan | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If the engineers in Waterloo have their way, your future mobile handset may be able to recharge itself on-the-go with the help of fuel cells. A new patent from RIM describes a method of manufacture that sandwiches a fuel cell assembly between the keyboard and printed circuit board, wherein the fuel cell ventilates through the keyboard (and likely, channels in the keys themselves). The claims describe the PCB as being formed on the fuel cell -- perhaps in effort to reduce size -- to which a fuel tank is then located beneath the printed circuit board. It seems that users will be able to initiate the fuel cell assembly in some manner, as the claims also describe a conductive, metallic plunger on at least one of the keys that's able to fit through a hole within the fuel cell. One omission we've spotted right off the bat is a lack of description of how the fuel tank is filled, so perhaps we'll learn that tidbit another day. RIM gets funky, patents fuel cell manufacture for mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We were so busy fondling gaming machines and touchscreen Ultrabooks at CeBIT last week that we missed that tablet you see up there. That would be the Prestigio Multi 9.7, which -- surprise, surprise -- sports a 9.7-inch display. What's intriguing to us (besides the fact that we're generally obsessed with this sort of thing), is that we don't see nearly as many budget 10-inch tablets as we do 7-inchers. As you can see in the video below, it has a nice, fingerprint-resistant rubber back, along with an IPS display and Ice Cream Sandwich as an OS -- not too shabby for what's clearly a low-end device. Then again, the specs are appropriately modest: it has 8GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD) and runs on a single-core 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 chip, bolstered by 1GB of RAM. According to Notebook Italia, it'll hit Italy in May for €199, though it's unclear if it will be available in other countries as well. Head past the break to find a video of it in action (skip to about 1:30 in), and hit that source link for more pics. Continue reading Prestigio's Multi 9.7 Android 4.0 tablet has an IPS display, arrives in May for 199 Euros Prestigio's Multi 9.7 Android 4.0 tablet has an IPS display, arrives in May for 199 Euros originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | After releasing a teaser earlier today, Archos is now shedding a tiny bit of light on its upcoming G10 xs series. As slides from its recent Paris presser show, the upcoming tabs, of which little is known, will reportedly measure in at only 7.6mm thick, besting the silhouette of Apple's newest iPad; a figure that bumps up to only 11mm when paired with its companion keyboard dock. The convertible slates are set for a retail debut sometime this year and, despite not sharing the hinged design of ASUS' Transformer Prime, look to be aimed squarely at that same market space. No information was given as to the lineup's OS of choice (presumably, Android ICS) or specs, but we do know the devices will retail between 200 to 400 Euros, depending on the configuration. Hop on past the break for a brief video glimpse of this next generation in French-made tablet tech. Continue reading Archos outs G10 xs tablet line, readies Transformer Prime contenders Archos outs G10 xs tablet line, readies Transformer Prime contenders originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | ArcTablet | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The Canadian government made a major announcement on telecom policy late this afternoon, revealing a change that opens the door to more foreign ownership of wireless companies -- an issue that's been a point of contention for some time. As The Globe & Mail reports, the new rules will allow for 100 percent ownership of companies with a market share of ten percent or less -- something that can then grow beyond ten percent, so long as it's not done through mergers or takeovers. Previously, total foreign ownership in telecom companies has been restricted to 46.7 percent. Along with that news, the government also confirmed that the anticipated 700MHz spectrum auction will take place in the first half of 2013 (with a 2500 MHz auction to follow within a year), and that there will be caps in place that are said to "effectively ensure that new wireless entrants and regional providers have access to prime spectrum." The auction will also have some conditions intended to bring service to rural areas, and there will be a block of spectrum reserved for public safety use. All of this, the government says, is intended to "provide Canadian families with more choices at low prices," although we'll naturally have to wait and see if that last bit pans out. [ Tower photo via Shutterstock] Canada relaxes rules on foreign ownership of wireless companies, plans spectrum auction for first half of 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Industry Canada | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Since it's been more than 24 hours since the last bit of news in the ongoing legal battle between Samsung and Apple, we figured you could do with another litigation revelation. Late last year, the Hague shot down Sammy's request to prevent iPads and iPhones from being sold in the Netherlands. Today, the Dutch court went a step further, telling the Korean company that it can't pursue any other injunctions based upon its FRAND 3G patents as long as Cupertino's willing to talk about licensing them. Not only that, it went on to hold that those patents don't apply in Sammy's case against the iPhone 4S due to the theory of patent exhaustion. The allegedly infringing bits in the handset are made by Qualcomm, who licensed the technology directly from Samsung -- granting Apple protection under the license as a third party beneficiary -- and Apple prevailed using arguments not unlike those it made in a suit it recently filed against Motorola. Score one more legal victory for Tim Cook and company, but as you already know, the war is far from over. The Hague to Samsung: no injunction for 3G patent infringement if Apple's willing to FRAND license originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Electronista | de Rechtspraak (translated) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Blu-ray's been atop the home entertainment mountain, with only fleeting competition from HD-DVDs, ever since its introduction. Since then, home internet connections have gotten faster and the quality of downloadable content has improved such that iTunes can offer 1080p versions of your favorite movies. But, does iTunes really provide the crystal clear quality we're accustomed to seeing from its disc-based competition? The good folks at Ars Technica decided to find out using the film 30 Days of Night, and results were mixed: text and color reproduction were virtually indistinguishable, but the compressed iTunes version showed warts when dealing with bright spots and dark gradients. Highlights in the downloaded movie were a little blown out and lacked the detail of their Blu-ray counterparts, and banding was visible in the downloaded movie during a darker scene. So, it seems that supreme video quality still comes via optical drive, but if you're willing to sacrifice a smidge, the iTunes alternative is still pretty darn good. Don't take our word for it, though, there's lots of photos detailing the difference at the source below. iTunes movies in 1080p: less than or equal to Blu-ray image quality? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Ars Technica | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PayPal has been helping us pay for those impulse purchases for a long time, but now its forthcoming Digital Wallet could see it popping up on our bank statements a whole lot more. Speaking with eBay Ink, PayPal's Sam Shrauger gave a quick demo of some of the new features. As well as the regular payment handling, you'll be able to register gift vouchers, coupons, loyalty points and store credit cards all under one account. This sounds tidy, but more interesting is the ability to change how you pay for something (say, from credit to debit card) up to seven days after the fact. If you want to keep those big purchases on the Amex, that's no problem either, with configurable rules letting you assign different cards to different spending situations, including setting your own custom payment plans. It's not all about buying either, with savings also getting the digital treatment, that's if you haven't doled it all out on gadget rarities. The service is expected to land in May, in the meantime see the new features via the videos after the break. Continue reading PayPal's Digital Wallet, lets you decide how you empty yours (video) PayPal's Digital Wallet, lets you decide how you empty yours (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | eBay Ink | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PayPal has been helping us pay for those impulse purchases for a long time, but now its forthcoming Digital Wallet, could see it popping up on our bank statements a whole lot more. Speaking with eBay Ink, PayPal's Sam Shrauger, gave a quick demo of some of the new features. As well as the regular payment handling, you'll be able to register gift vouchers, coupons, loyalty points and store credit cards, all under one account. This sounds tidy, but more interesting is the ability to change how you pay for something (say, from credit to debit card) up to seven days after the fact. If you want to keep those big purchases on the Amex, that's no problem either, with configurable rules letting you assign different cards to different spending situations, including setting your own custom payment plans. It's not all about buying either, with savings also getting the digital treatment, that is, if you haven't doled it all out on gadget rarities. The service is expected to land in May, in the meantime see the new features via the videos after the break. Continue reading PayPal's Digital Wallet, lets you decide how you empty yours (video) PayPal's Digital Wallet, lets you decide how you empty yours (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | eBay Ink | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You've come a long way, Big Red. For a network that launched a little over a year ago, VZW's LTE service is about to hit a high water mark, blanketing 203 markets come tomorrow's planned expansion to an additional seven territories. But the nation's top wireless dog isn't taking this milestone as a moment of respite; the carrier's aiming to double its current footprint by end-of-year 2012, boosting its tally to a potential 400-plus areas. As for the grand honor of being the 200th to come under the operator's 4G breadth, well, that distinction goes to a little town by the name of Dothan, Alabama. Sadly for those local folks, no festivities, fireworks or even service discounts are planned. Check out the PR after the break for the full list of cities joining the 700MHz brigade. Continue reading Verizon lights up its 200th LTE candle, plans to double 4G coverage by year-end Verizon lights up its 200th LTE candle, plans to double 4G coverage by year-end originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Researchers at the University of South Wales have developed a new type of atomic clock that measures an atom's neutron orbit instead of the electron's flight path. This method is apparently accurate to 19 decimal places, with several lasers shifting electrons in a certain way, allowing Professor Victor Flambaum to measure the "pendulum" motion of the neutron. It's purportedly close to 100 times more precise than its predecessors -- all with no freezing involved. These existing atomic clocks may be accurate beyond 100 million years, but for this new breed of hyper-accurate timekeeping, you'll only need to reset the clock once every 14 billion years. And we have no idea how they calculated that. New single ion clock is '100 times more precise' than existing atomic models originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | News.com.au | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We're back in familiar surroundings for the 31st episode of the Engadget Show, and boy do we have a lot planned for this month. Some might say it's too much. To those people we shake our heads disapprovingly. We're pushing the limits this time out, testing the latest GoPro and Contour rugged camcorders in the deserts of Nevada and the skies above them. We'll be taking a trip to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and swinging by iRobot's Massachusetts headquarters. And we'll talk to media theorist Douglas Ruskoff about his book Program or be Programmed and Sony Electronics president Phil Molyneux. We've also got some sweet giveaways and, as always, we'll be taking a look at the month's hottest new gadgets. Best of all, we've still got a few tickets left. If you're in New York City, you can be a part of the live show -- just fire off an email to engadgetshow [at] engadget.com. And if you can't make it in person, fear not, we'll be streaming live at 6PM on Friday. Just bookmark this here URL. Here are the deets: o. The event is all ages. o. We'll open doors and begin seating at 5:15pm on March 16th, and the taping begins at 6:00PM. We'll be closing the doors at 5:50PM. o. A limited number of tickets are available, first come first serve. We will also have a limited stand-by list available. o. Please bring a photo ID with you to the taping. o. The show length is around an hour. If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. Subscribe to the Show: [ iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [ Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [ RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. The Engadget Show returns Friday, March 16th with Douglas Rushkoff, Sony, iRobot, MWC and air combat originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As NVIDIA readies its 28nm family of Kepler graphics cards, more and more details are starting to trickle out. Just yesterday, NVIDIA teased an Acer Ultrabook packing a mysterious new GT640M card based on the Kepler architecture. Today, we're seeing information about the GTX 680 surfacing on multiple sites. China-based PCOnline posted specs it claims to have received from an internal NVIDIA source, including a 1,536 CUDA core count, 1,006MHz core frequency and 6Gbps memory. If it turns out to be true that it supports 2GB of 256-bit GDDR5 VRAM, that would fall short of AMD's Radeon HD 7970, whose 384-bit bus serves 3GB of GDDR5 memory. However, the GTX 680 is also said to have a 195W power draw under load, which would be considerably lower than the 7970's 300W. Then again, these specs don't quite match what was previously rumored, so perhaps there's still room for some surprises. No word on a release date or price, so for now you'll have to make do with parsing those source links. Rumored NVIDIA GTX 680 specs surface online, photos prove it does indeed exist originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Chiphell, PCOnline | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As NVIDIA prepares to release its next-gen Kepler family of 28nm graphics cards, more and more details are starting to trickle out. Just yesterday, NVIDIA teased an Acer Ultrabook packing a mysterious new GT640M card based on the Kepler architecture. Today, we're seeing information about the GTX 680 surfacing online. China-based PCOnline posted some specs it claims to have received from an internal NVIDIA source, including a 1,536 CUDA core count, 1,006MHz core frequency and 6Gbps memory. If it turns out to be true that it supports 2GB of 256-bit GDDR5 VRAM, that would fall short of AMD's Radeon HD 7970, whose 384-bit bus serves 3GB of GDDR5 memory. The GTX 680 is also said to have a 195W power draw under load, which would be considerably lower than the 7970's 300W. Then again, these specs don't quite match what was previously rumored, so perhaps there's still room for some surprises. No word on a release date or price, so for now you'll have to make do with parsing those source links. Rumored NVIDIA GTX 680 specs surface online, photos prove it does indeed exist originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Chiphell, PCOnline | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Looks like Vietnam ain't the only place that got an early taste of the new iPad, which is due out this Friday. Hong Kong magazine PCM just informed us that it got hold of a 4G flavor of Apple's latest tablet, courtesy of a very mysterious person (especially considering the 4G version isn't yet available in this region). Within the little time it spent with the new iPad, PCM managed to do plenty of comparisons with the tablet's predecessor, particularly with their camera and graphics performance. While pretty much everything's been beefed up, PCM claims that the new lens isn't as wide as before, and it also notes that the extra 50g is pretty noticeable -- obviously we shall see for ourselves on Friday. Hands-on video and sample video clip embedded after the break, and head on over to the source link for more comparison shots. Continue reading Apple's new iPad shows up in Hong Kong, teases with sample photos and video clip Apple's new iPad shows up in Hong Kong, teases with sample photos and video clip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Engadget Chinese | PCM | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Looks like Vietnam ain't the only place that got an early taste of the new iPad, which is due out this Friday around the world (unless you're super tight with your delivery man, of course). Hong Kong magazine PCM just informed us that it got hold of a 4G flavor of Apple's latest tablet, courtesy of a very mysterious person (especially considering the 4G version isn't yet available in this region). Within the little time it spent with the new iPad, PCM managed to do plenty of comparisons with the tablet's predecessor, particularly with their camera and graphics performance. While pretty much everything's been beefed up, PCM claims that the new lens isn't as wide as before, and it also notes that the extra 50g is pretty noticeable -- obviously we shall see for ourselves on Friday. Hands-on video and sample video clip embedded after the break, and head on over to the source link for more comparison shots. Continue reading Apple's new iPad shows up in Hong Kong, teases with sample photos and video clip Apple's new iPad shows up in Hong Kong, teases with sample photos and video clip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Engadget Chinese | PCM | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If you somehow haven't heard, Apple's new iPad officially goes on sale this Friday. As such, it's not surprising to find out that at least one US Best Buy location has already received its stock of the Retina display-loaded slates. Thanks to an anonymous tipster, we've received photos showing short-stacks of the pads just waiting to be given new homes. If you'll recall, Apple's online store has already sold out of its arrival day shipment stock for home delivery, with newer orders now set to go out on the 19th. That said, if you haven't reserved one and have to it come March 16th, you'll likely have another option for a retail camping adventure aside from your local Apple, AT&T and Verizon stores.
[Thanks, Anonymous]New iPad inventory shipments spotted at Best Buy, backroom eye-candy until Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If anyone was still skeptical about the power of Kickstarter, they should pay attention. We'd lined up the Digital Bolex for a forthcoming episode of Insert Coin, but the project managed to surpass its $100,000 funding goal within 24 hours of going online. The camera is the brainchild of Joe Rubinstein and the antidote to most HD video snappers, which record footage in compressed and often interlaced formats that make editing unwieldy. The Digital Bolex, however, shoots its footage as uncompressed RAW files with a native resolution of 2048 x 1152 in Super 16mm mode. The aim is to provide a low-cost (around $3,000) way of getting this technology into the hands of filmmakers who are into their pistol grips. The project fund has swelled to an impressive $245,726 and there's still 28 days left -- would it be possible for them to make a million? If you fancy adding to the tally, shoot the source link and start hoping they can pull this off. The power of Kickstarter: Bolex Camera project raises nearly $250,000 in a single day originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Kickstarter | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Despite getting served by a mighty squad of TV networks, Aereo's keeping its original plans of launching on March 14th. However, the broadcast-streaming service will only be available to folks living in the Big Apple -- at least for now. If you're unfamiliar with the startup's offerings, $12 a month gets you all major network and local TV channels on any Cupertino-born device ( iPad, iPhone, MacBook Pro, etc) and Roku boxes, though with HTML5 support you can tune in on most anything with a modern browser. Meanwhile, native support for the green robot army is said to be "coming soon." Aeroe's letting all newcomers in on a 90-day day free trial, so those of you in the land of bridges and tunnels can head over to the source link below. Continue reading Aereo TV broadcast-streaming service launching today... in NYC Aereo TV broadcast-streaming service launching today... in NYC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Aereo | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Did you take umbrage with Barnes & Noble's efforts to hoard all your Nook Tablet storage for its own content? Well, the book seller has made good on its promise to reassign a portion of your 16GB hard drive, opening up 8GB for personal content and leaving 5.5GB for Nook Shop content. As we said before, you'll need to physically take your Nook Tablet to the bricks and mortar outlets to get the storage tweak. Readers that decided to go for other Android-laced tablets have also been gifted with a Nook app update, adding support for comics and related graphical literature -- just make sure that the slab is running Android 2.2 or higher. PSA: Nook Tablet can be repartitioned in-store, Android app adds comic support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Nook for Android (Google Play) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RIM has been promising an HSPA+ capable BlackBerry PlayBook for over a year, and it looks like it's now one step closer to actually being released. A tablet from Research in Motion recently made its way through the FCC's approval process and, if the test reports are any indication, it's a tablet with built-in HSPA+ connectivity. Unfortunately, the FCC hasn't revealed much else just yet, but earlier rumors have suggested that the new tablet will also see speed bump of another sort: an upgrade to a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, as well as the addition of NFC. A leaked RIM roadmap that surfaced earlier this year also suggested that the tablet would be released in mid-2012. Update: And just like that, an LTE version has now also turned up on the FCC's site, operating on frequencies that could indicate support for either AT&T in the US or any of the big three carriers in Canada. HSPA+ BlackBerry PlayBook hits the FCC (update: LTE too) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC (1), (2) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RIM has been promising an HSPA+ capable BlackBerry Playbook for over a year, and it looks like it's now one step closer to actually being released. A tablet from Research in Motion recently made its way through the FCC's approval process and, if the test reports are any indication, it's a tablet with built-in HSPA+ connectivity. Unfortunately, the FCC hasn't revealed much else just yet, but earlier rumors have suggested that the new tablet will also see speed bump of another sort: an upgrade to a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, as well as the addition of NFC. A leaked RIM roadmap that surfaced earlier this year also suggested that the tablet would be released in mid-2012. HSPA+ BlackBerry Playbook hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We're not sure how many head-mounted displays you've had your follicles on, but generally the answer around the Engadget compound is, "quite a few." If you've ever played with such a wearable gadget though, you'd know that head-tracking, while intuitive, isn't always the most accurate way to control a device. Samsung has patented an alternative method that lets you keep wearing those silly goggles, but uses your cellphone almost like a gyroscopic mouse to pilot a pointer. Rather than use a gyroscope or accelerometer (both of which are present in many modern smartphones), Samsung's patent turns to the camera -- a feature found in even the lowliest dumbphone. The primarily software-based solution would require that both the phone's sensor and the display have an agreed upon background marker to help line up the motions. If you're the type that loves to dig through the minutiae of patents there's something seriously wrong with you, but you'll find what you're looking for at the source. Samsung patents using a phone as a pointer while wearing a head-mounted display originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Android on a mainstream digital camera? Yes, you will live to see the day. We're at Samsung's Korean headquarters this week, where we had an opportunity to sit down with the company's research and development team to talk about the past, present and future of digital imaging. Much of those discussions were off the record, but we have secured permission to touch on one detail that we found quite fascinating: an "open" camera operating system. One rep offered up that "we are considering Android-based because our smartphone is Android-based," which means that the OS could (and likely will) be Android. The company shied from flat-out confirming that an Android-based camera would be hitting the market later this year, but they did hint at such. What we know is that Samsung R&D has been researching bringing Android to its digital cameras -- a move that would be far from shocking, considering that development teams do tend to collaborate, and the company clearly has experience with the Google OS. And while there are likely to be such "open OS" prototypes buried deep within Sammy HQ, they're mere experiments at this point -- at least from a production perspective.
What exactly would an OS like Android mean for digital camera users? It could be a major breakthrough from a usability standpoint, opening up the in-camera ecosystem to third-party developers. We could see Twitter and Facebook apps that let you not only publish your photos directly with a familiar interface, but also see photos shared by your friends. A capacitive touchscreen would let you type in comments directly as well. You could publish to web-based services, utilize apps that enable post-capture creativity or receive firmware updates directly over WiFi. That hotshoe or USB port could accommodate a variety of different accessories, like a microphone or 4G modem that could be used with several models, including those from other manufacturers. While there's nothing making Android integration impossible from a technical standpoint, there are obvious disadvantages as well -- especially for camera makers. Stability would become an issue -- your camera could need a reboot just as often as your smartphone -- and such a powerful imaging device could theoretically cannibalize tablets and smartphones, though on a limited scale. Sadly this is merely educated speculation at this point, pending a product announcement from Samsung, though we wouldn't be surprised to come to fruition -- perhaps even before the next CES. Samsung researching Android-based digital camera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Android on a mainstream digital camera? Yes, you could live to see the day. We're at Samsung's Korean headquarters this week, where we had an opportunity to sit down with the company's research and development team to talk about the past, present and future of digital imaging. One interesting bit of discussion: Samsung is considering an "open" camera operating system. It's still early days and nothing is confirmed but, given the company's support for Android on other platforms, that OS would be a logical choice. What we know is that Samsung R&D has been researching bringing Android to its digital cameras -- a move that would be far from shocking, considering that development teams do tend to collaborate, and the company clearly has experience with the Google OS. And while there are likely to be such open OS prototypes buried deep within Sammy HQ, they're mere experiments at this point -- at least from a production perspective.
What exactly would an OS like Android mean for digital camera users? It could be a major breakthrough from a usability standpoint, opening up the in-camera ecosystem to third-party developers. We could see Twitter and Facebook apps that let you not only publish your photos directly with a familiar interface, but also see photos shared by your friends. A capacitive touchscreen would let you type in comments directly as well. You could publish to web-based services, utilize apps that enable post-capture creativity or receive firmware updates directly over WiFi. That hotshoe or USB port could accommodate a variety of different accessories, like a microphone or 4G modem that could be used with several models, including those from other manufacturers. While there's nothing making Android integration impossible from a technical standpoint, there are obvious disadvantages as well -- especially for camera makers. Stability would become an issue -- your camera could need a reboot just as often as your smartphone -- and such a powerful imaging device could theoretically cannibalize tablets and smartphones, though on a limited scale. Sadly this is merely educated speculation at this point, pending a product announcement from Samsung, though we wouldn't be surprised to come to fruition -- perhaps even before the next CES.
Update: Samsung reached out to us asking to clarify that this is simply something under consideration; nothing is confirmed yet. We've updated the post above to match. Samsung considering Android-based digital camera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Suffice it to say, if you're still using Google+ you've probably noticed that it hasn't exactly had an expansive feature set for organizing photo albums. According to Isaac Sparrow, a self-described "engineer on the Google+ Photos team," a great number of folks have expressed the desire for better functionality in this area. Thankfully, in response, he also announced some a quartet of features that have just been set live on the site to help you keep your candids in check. Within the Options menus of your albums you'll now find an Organize tab which'll let you select and delete a multiple images, move and copy them to other albums and resort them by date or any order you choose. Sure, it's far from the likes of Facebook's Timeline, but we'd imagine anyone with backlog of photos on the site will surely appreciate the new digs. You know the drill -- hit the links below for all the details. Google+ updated with photo album organizer, batch delete and sorting functionality in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink @stsshank (Twitter) | Isaac Sparrow (Google+) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Amazon today announced a deal that will bring a slew of content from Discovery Communications to its ever increasing selection of streamable Prime videos. The partnership includes content from such properties as the Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet, amongst a handful of others, with shows like Dirty Jobs and Whale Wars coming along for the ride. At present, the total selection of videos on the service is up to more than 17,000 titles, which can be viewed for free by Amazon Prime members in the US. Press info can be found after the break. Continue reading Discovery shows hit Amazon Prime Instant Video, because it's 'Dirty Jobs,' but someone has to stream it Discovery shows hit Amazon Prime Instant Video, because it's 'Dirty Jobs,' but someone has to stream it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The new iPad and Apple TV are not only finally official, they're also both full HD-ready for the first time. As such, they're leading off this week's (slightly late-arriving, hopefully that hasn't completely ruined your scheduled listening plans) podcast, while we round out our Apple coverage with a look at the new iCloud-enabled wrinkle applied to the iTunes Digital Copy feature. Samsung and Panasonic are rolling out their newest HDTVs, Blu-ray players and audio systems, while Plex and MythTV continue to push new versions of their media player software. Of course, we're still not sure what the future could hold for Netflix and Big Cable, or Google's plans for Motorola's cable box business, but we'll consider the possibilities and much more in this week's podcast.
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)
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00:08:30 - The new iPad is official, with Retina display
00:15:45 - Super High Aperture: it's why the new iPad's Retina display is so dense
00:17:55 - Apple reveals 1080p Apple TV: $99, arrives March 16th
00:25:00 - Netflix on new Apple TV supports 1080p, all boxes get integrated signup and pay via iTunes
00:29:00 - Apple TV update takes Digital Copy to the iCloud
00:37:50 - Fox and Universal titles blocked from Apple TV's iCloud, HBO is the culprit
00:48:19 - NCAA March Madness Live app comes to iOS, Android by tourney tip-off
00:53:15 - Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs
00:57:34 - Panasonic prices 2012 Blu-ray lineup, high-end units due in May
00:59:00 - Samsung details pricing and availability for its 2012 Smart TV lineup
01:00:17 - Samsung unleashes Smart Touch Remote and Wireless Keyboard
01:06:10 - MythTV turns 0.25, is actually ten in human years
01:08:03 - Netflix is in talks to partner with cable providers for bundles
01:17:30 - Google Play replaces Android Market, new source for apps, books, movies and music
01:19:27 - Plex Media Server upgraded, Google TV app gets a reboot
01:23:11 - Google reportedly considering sell-off of Motorola's set-top box business
01:28:26 - Must See HDTV (March 12th - 18th)
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LISTEN (AAC) Engadget HD Podcast 290 - 03.14.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Getting a little bit antsy in your respective Apple Store queue? Don't worry, Cupertino let it be known that its new iPad is on-track for an 8AM debut this Friday. The "resolutionary" (Apple's fault, not ours) tablet will be reaching Apple Stores on March 16th at 8AM local time in ten countries: the US (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK. Here in the States, the iPad will also be hitting a number of retailers, including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart. The tablet starts at $499, the line starts around the corner and the relevant press info starts after the break. Continue reading New iPad still coming to Apple Stores at 8AM on Friday, don't worry New iPad still coming to Apple Stores at 8AM on Friday, don't worry originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | They're not center-stage right now, but Android tablets are still predicted to overtake the iPad within the next three years, according to IDC. The forecasters noted that Apple's worldwide share of the tablet market is shrinking with each new lower-priced Android competitor. Even as iPad sales continued to grow in 2011, surging 50 percent between Q3 and Q4, its market share fell during the same period, from 61.5 to 54.7 percent. That gives the iOS slate a weaker lead going into 2012 than suggested by earlier figures. Of course, the iPad remains an individual starlet in front of a troupe of Google dancers, so Apple's position as the upper-most vendor isn't under threat. In fact, IDC predicts it will remain the market leader in terms of revenue beyond 2016, which ought to put some fire in Amazon's belly. IDC: Android tablets will overtake iPad by 2015, despite everything originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PCWorld | IDC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | To all T-Mobile users that've privately longed to wield the Galaxy Note, yet've remained deterred by its nasty EDGE speed limitation, we've just one thing to say: welcome to flavor country. A new workaround designed specifically for AT&T's LTE variant of the monolithic smartphone (and ostensibly, Canadian versions, but not the international model), has successfully enabled HSPA+ support for AWS networks. Just like the Galaxy S II Skyrocket hack, the process is fairly straightforward; users must simply enter a SIM unlock code and then flash one of three radio files to the handset -- feel free to experiment and pick the most reliable of the bunch. While all functions are said to work properly, your phone's battery life may take a hit, as reports indicate that signal strength isn't quite up to par. For those wanting to proceed, just be sure to obtain a stock copy of your phone's radio file before diving in -- otherwise, once the new baseband's in place, you'll be unable to access Ma Bell's LTE network. Isn't compromise the greatest? Galaxy Note LTE gains access to T-Mobile's HSPA+ network with custom radio originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Android Community | xda-developers forum | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This year's SXSW isn't all about fancy rides and Instagram teasers, also in the mix is eBay's fresh iPad app, dubbed Watch With eBay. The free goodies will let you spend some cash (at least eBay's hoping you will) on bits related to what you're watching on TV, which is made possible by a zip code-based guide within the app. For example, you can snag a jersey that'll show your true colors while you bask in the majesty of Anthony Davis' unibrow during March Madness. Among other features are the ability to browse through most recently watched shows, bid on items and an option to "shop like your favorite celebrity." So, perhaps you could end up with one of those ugly sweaters from Community. Watch With eBay is live now, and you can grab it by hitting up the App Store on your Cupertino slate or directly from the source link below. eBay launches Watch With eBay iPad app, lets you 'shop like a star' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | App Store | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We've seen power assist technology designed to help people walk, bike or just tote luggage around, and now we've for the Human Grasp Assist aka Robo-Glove. Under development from GM and NASA, the project takes inspiration from technology designed to give Robonaut 2 a hand capable of using tools designed for humans to embed actuators in the top of the glove that provide additional grip for the hands of meatbags. Once its pressure sensors detect the wearer is picking up a tool the synthetic tendons retract, holding them there until the sensor gives the signal to release. Current prototypes still weigh about two pounds and run off of a belt-mounted lithium-ion battery, although we still find the idea preferable to humanoid replacement like the impervious-to-baseball-bats DLR Hand System. By reducing the amount of force factory workers need to hold a tool from 15 to 20 pounds to just 5 to 10 pounds its expected to cut down the risk of repetitive motion injuries -- we'll wait for the fourth generation model to see what they can do for bloggers or Lee Evans. Until then, check after the break for a press release and quick demonstration video. Continue reading NASA, GM working on a 'Robo-Glove' to assist astronauts and autoworkers alike NASA, GM working on a 'Robo-Glove' to assist astronauts and autoworkers alike originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | GM | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | So what's cooler for '80s geeks than a Lego set, a Game Boy or a Transformers robot? Why, a Lego Game Boy Transformer, of course. At least, that's the idea behind the latest pièce de résistance from building-block lover Julius von Brunk, who not only got the touch but also got the power to create his very own Game Boy-inspired Lego Transformer. The "Domaster" -- no relation to the exercise machine for perky thighs -- borrows heavily from fan favorite Soundwave and even features a Tetris cartridge that transforms into a little birdie that looks like Laserbeak. Two fake AA batteries double as blaster cannons so folks can mutter "pew-pew" at pictures of Michael Bay and Shia LaBeouf. Yes, it isn't as big as China's Optimus Prime and it can't play Super Nintendo games like this Game Boy costume. On the plus side, at least this thing won't ruin your precious childhood memories. Lego Game Boy Transformer uses blocks for more than Tetris originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink DVICE | MOCpages | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Is an all-in-one more your style? Looking to welcome a new one to the fold? If so, Maingear is looking to oblige. The PC maker has just added all-in-ones to its arsenal with the Solo 21. A 21.5-inch 1080p LED backlit display packs a 3.3GHz Intel Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB HDD with 32GB of SSD caching out of the box. However, the company has rolled out the upgrade options allowing you to spring for a 10-point touchscreen display, i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB of memory, and a HDD of up to 2TB. You'll also be able to choose between six stock colors or a custom scheme for the chassis of your machine -- we're opting for Citrus Fire. Pricing for the base model starts at $1000 and heads north for the kit that's estimated to ship March 23rd. For more details, peak at the PR below or to get your order in, hit the source link to make your selections.
Continue reading Maingear reveals Solo 21 all-in-one, customize your 21.5-inch machine starting at $999 Maingear reveals Solo 21 all-in-one, customize your 21.5-inch machine starting at $999 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Maingear | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Turntable.fm may not be as much of a household name as some of the other music streaming services out there, but it's certainly doing its best to catch up. After launching in June and releasing an iPhone app in September, the company has now taken another step toward the big leagues, thanks to a quartet of high profile licensing agreements. As Billboard reports, Turntable.fm has officially inked licensing deals with all four of the major music labels, confirming rumors that had been circulating last week. Founders Billy Chasen and Seth Goldstein made the announcement at SXSW yesterday, during their Turntable.fm panel. Details on the terms remain fuzzy, but both sides are already gushing over each other, with the labels seeing the service as a potential platform for talent, as well as a tool to drive purchases and subscriptions. Chasen, in return, lauded the labels for being cooler than he expected. "We felt that from the get-go the labels were absolutely different from what I'd been led to believe," he explained. "They gave us a lot of time and attention. Compared to their user base, we're a tiny service in the broad scheme of things." It remains to be seen whether Turntable.fm can join the ranks of Spotify and its ilk, but according to Goldstein, the service should stand out in at least one respect. "We're really focused on how we can improve the user experience, and we want to associate these brands as bringing value and talent for our consumers," the co-founder said, adding that the site won't feature any "traditional advertising." Turntable.fm inks deals with major music labels, promises 'no traditional advertising' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CNET | Billboard | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
