|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A visual recap of the day's articles Feb 16th 2011 | 57 Articles http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/siemens-creating-portable-sensor-to-warn-about-asthma-attacks-b/ Siemens creating portable sensor to warn about asthma attacks, breathe deeply until it ships http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/desk-pets-tankbot-hands-on-video/ Desk Pets TankBot hands-on (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/new-york-city-turns-to-sewers-for-energy-solutions/ New York City turns to sewers for energy solutions http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/kinect-hack-turns-controlling-the-tv-into-light-aerobic-exercise/ Kinect hack turns controlling the TV into light aerobic exercise (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/fuel-cells-get-stronger-potentially-cheaper-with-graphene-ito/ Fuel cells get stronger, potentially cheaper with graphene, ITO http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/vodafone-announces-webbox-gives-internet-access-to-the-developi/ Vodafone announces Webbox, gives internet access to the developing world http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/recon-6-0-programmable-rover-hopes-to-make-coding-appeal-to-the/ Recon 6.0 Programmable Rover hopes to make coding appeal to the younger set (hands-on) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/exclusive-sony-s1-brings-qriocity-to-9-4-inch-honeycomb-table/ Exclusive: Sony 'S1' brings Qriocity to 9.4-inch Honeycomb tablet http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/android-tablets-bring-touchscreen-connectivity-to-indian-bus-rid/ Android tablets bring touchscreen connectivity to Indian bus riders -- still no $35 slates in sight (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/rim-adding-bbm-app-gifting-to-blackberry-app-world/ RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/gemalto-puts-facebook-on-a-sim-chip-zuckerbergs-plan-for-world/ Gemalto puts Facebook on a SIM chip, Zuckerberg's plan for world domination coming along nicely http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/dell-employees-arrested-for-poor-decision-making-skills/ Dell employees arrested for poor decision making skills http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/motorola-xoom-vs-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-vs-lg-g-slate-batt/ Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/the-stylus-isnt-dead-more-pen-based-tablets-and-apps-coming-th/ The stylus isn't dead: more pen-based tablets and apps coming this year http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/windows-phone-7-connector-for-mac-os-goes-gold-hits-the-app-sto/ Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac OS goes gold, hits the App Store http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/motorola-droid-x-2-leaks-more-details-emerge/ Motorola Droid X 2 leaks, more details emerge http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/nokia-shareholders-and-unions-fight-back-against-microkia/ Nokia shareholders and unions fight back against Microkia http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/windows-phone-7-camera-settings-keep-going-to-default-microsoft/ Windows Phone 7 camera settings keep going to default, Microsoft says it was 'a decision by the team' http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/htc-flyer-vs-galaxy-tab-vs-ipad-fight/ HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight! http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/nec-uses-active-noise-cancellation-for-quieter-zooming-into-your/ NEC uses active noise cancellation for quieter zooming into your future memories http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/toshiba-satellite-r830-r840-and-r850-laptops-unveiled-at-mwc/ Toshiba Satellite R830, R840, and R850 laptops unveiled at MWC http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/game-gripper-going-bluetooth-just-needs-a-little-funding-video/ Game Gripper going Bluetooth, just needs a little funding (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/keyport-slide-can-now-store-your-files-open-your-beers/ Keyport Slide can now store your files, open your beers http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/samsungs-tango-stealth-robo-vacuum-is-a-quiet-intruder/ Samsung's Tango Stealth robo-vacuum is a quiet intruder http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/bookeen-shows-off-fmv-on-a-standard-e-ink-pearl-display-video/ Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/htc-flyer-tablet-hits-amazon-de-for-669-euros/ HTC Flyer tablet hits Amazon.de for 669 euros http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/developer-gets-kinect-working-on-android-rains-on-microsofts-w/ Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/the-engadget-interview-microsofts-aaron-woodman-talks-windows/ The Engadget Interview: Microsoft's Aaron Woodman talks Windows Phone 7 and Nokia http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/lg-revolution-dumps-tegra-2-chooses-1ghz-snapdragon-msm8655-ins/ LG Revolution dumps Tegra 2, chooses 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 instead http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/qualcomm-demos-alljoyn-peer-to-peer-sharing-gaming-technology/ Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/qualcomms-flashlinq-long-range-peer-to-peer-communications-tech/ Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech demoed at MWC (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/lg-starts-shipping-new-flicker-free-3d-tvs-with-passive-glasse/ LG starts shipping new 'flicker free' 3D TVs with passive glasses http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/samsung-captivate-on-atandt-gets-android-2-2-all-that-froyo-hasn/ Samsung Captivate on AT&T gets Android 2.2, all that Froyo hasn't melted yet http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/huawei-ideos-s7-pro-tablet-sneaks-out-coming-this-spring/ Huawei IDEOS S7 Pro tablet sneaks out, coming this spring http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/plex-media-center-app-comes-to-android-windows-server-on-the-wa/ Plex Media Center App comes to Android, Windows server on the way http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/microsoft-zune-is-dying-long-live-microsoft-zune/ Microsoft Zune is dying, long live Microsoft Zune? http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/motorola-xoom-price-official-799-unsubsidized-on-verizon-600/ Motorola Xoom price official: $799 unsubsidized on Verizon, $600 for WiFi-only http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/skype-happy-to-offer-jobs-to-any-finns-who-might-be-in-need/ Skype happy to offer jobs to any Finns who might be in need http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/google-announces-one-pass-payment-system-for-online-content-vid/ Google announces One Pass payment system for online content (video) http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/visualized-googles-perpetual-conveyor-belt-of-android/ Visualized: Google's perpetual conveyor belt of Android http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/nokia-says-it-can-customize-the-heck-out-of-windows-phone-wont/ Nokia says it can customize the heck out of Windows Phone, won't do anything that would delay updates http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/sony-releases-statement-on-ps3-hacking-surprisingly-comes-out-a/ Sony releases statement on PS3 hacking, surprisingly comes out against it http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/intels-otellini-insists-company-is-committed-to-meego-says-he/ Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/voip-inc-sues-google-alleges-theft-of-trade-secrets-for-click/ VoIP Inc. sues Google: alleges theft of trade secrets for click-to-call ads http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/confirmed-samsung-will-launch-an-11-6-inch-9-series-laptop/ Confirmed: Samsung will launch an 11.6-inch 9 Series laptop http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/borders-files-for-bankruptcy-plans-to-keep-operating-but-close/ Borders files for bankruptcy, plans to keep operating but close 30 percent of its stores http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/nokia-plan-b-was-just-a-hoax-all-along/ Nokia Plan B was just a hoax all along http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/warner-packages-movies-as-ios-apps-starting-with-the-dark-knigh/ Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/the-engadget-show-returns-tomorrow-with-gm-head-engineer-micky-b/ The Engadget Show returns tomorrow with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more! http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/capcom-denies-rift-with-apple-over-smurfs-village-in-app-purcha/ Capcom denies rift with Apple over Smurfs' Village in-app purchases http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/apple-details-call-related-differences-between-cdma-and-gsm-ipho/ Apple details call-related differences between CDMA and GSM iPhones http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/engadgets-next-reader-meetup-happens-february-25th-in-san-franc/ Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event! http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/google-details-some-of-the-honeycomb-features-coming-to-ice-crea/ Google details some of the Honeycomb features coming to Ice Cream: action bar, 'hologram' visual style http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/dells-2011-smartphone-and-tablet-lineup-leaked-android-ice-cre/ Dell's 2011 smartphone and tablet lineup leaked: Android Ice Cream, WP7 sliders, and a slate running Windows 8 http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/lightsquared-says-it-has-signed-up-five-companies-for-its-wholes/ LightSquared says it has signed up five companies for its wholesale LTE service http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/motorola-pushes-up-atrix-4g-launch-to-feb-22-shoves-xoom-pre-s/ Motorola pushes up Atrix 4G launch to Feb. 22, shoves Xoom pre-sales back to Feb. 20th? http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/16/watson-wins-it-all-humans-still-can-do-some-other-cool-things/ Watson wins it all, humans still can do some other cool things Top stories on Engadget Be (original) at MWC 2011 Other news of import Don't you dare miss The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Driving RC cars never gets old, but driving them over the internet is truly something magical. Welcome to the RixRover, the creation of Quebecer Pierric Gimmig. It's a cheap RC truck fitted with big knobby tires that's had its ABS body removed, replaced by an Arduino board and a netbook. The car itself cost about $45, the Arduino about $30, and Eee PC 1005-series netbook about $200. But the result, being able to drive the car over remotely via streaming video, why that's quite simply priceless. Video after the break and, if you want to try your hand at this, there's some source code on the other end of the source link. Continue reading RixRover is the cheap RC car controlled by a rather more expensive Arduino and netbook combo (video) RixRover is the cheap RC car controlled by a rather more expensive Arduino and netbook combo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  RixRover | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Windows Phone 7 is getting a lot of extensions this year and, while we wouldn't say Kinect interoperability is anywhere near as important as third-party multitasking, it could be fun. Still, we haven't seen proper Kinect interop, the sort that would see you controlling WP7 games with a Kinect -- the sort that is apparently possible on Android. YouTuber HirotakaSter has managed to hook a Kinect up to Android hardware, what looks to be an Armadillo 500 FX development platform, and get everything to play nice. He's using openFrameworks and, while at this point the software isn't doing much other than showing a video stream from the camera, the possibilities from here are quite simply infinite.
[Thanks, Muhammad Ali]Continue reading Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video) Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Geekword | KirotakaSter (YouTube) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In case you missed it, Watson won again tonight. He even got the Final Jeopardy question correct this time, a multi-layered reference to Bram Stroker that he bet $10k on. His final score over the two rounds ended up at $77,147 (Watson has this thing for betting strange amounts that usually end in a 7), while Ken Jennings got $24,000 and Brad Rutter did $21,600 -- both humans saving a bit of face after last round's stunning defeat. Watson will be giving his $1,000,000 winnings to charity.
So, a few things:
- We're totally surprised, in a larger theoretical sense, that a computer could win at Jeopardy.
- We're totally not surprised that Watson, the system built by IBM over the past few years at the expense of millions of dollars, actually succeeded at winning at Jeopardy.
- Computers have better reflexes than humans, as it turns out.
- Deal with it.
If you can't tell, we're having a little trouble processing all the emotions brought on by a Jeopardy win from IBM's Watson supercomputer. It's obvious that IBM's DeepQA research program has developed some of the most sophisticated natural language AI known to man. At the same time, Jeopardy questions aren't really that hard. As evidenced by watching these Watson-dominated matches, all three contestants knew the answer most of the time, but Watson was just quicker on the draw. Of course, it's no surprise that computers have quicker reflexes (even with the "handicap" of having to mechanically press the same style of clicker as Meatbag 001 and Meatbag 002), so why shouldn't Watson get to use his inbuilt advantage to the utmost? It seems like a fair fight to us.
The question of "who is better at Jeopardy" aside (trust us, it's Watson), the larger implications for the human race and our computer sidekicks are still unclear. Watson can currently answer simple trivia questions, sometimes couched in puns or minor riddles, with a decent level of accuracy. The answers themselves are no more than a high school student with Wikipedia access could pull off, and Watson has no way of knowing for sure when he's right. He lacks a solid, computer-readable database of "facts" like a Wolfram Alpha, or the incredible reasoning abilities of a human, instead relying on statistical analysis of vast amounts of text. When it comes to Jeopardy, it turns out to be Good Enough, which is actually a pretty incredible achievement in the world of AI, and we're sure we'll be finding out soon what other applications IBM thinks Watson Good Enough at -- they're thinking everything from healthcare to the financial industry. Still, we're sure some of us clicker-speed-nit-pickers will remain unimpressed. Make sure to check out the Engadget Show tomorrow, where we'll be chatting up the creators of Watson about all this, but for now... 01000011 01101111 01101110 01100111 01110010 01100001 01110100 01110011 00100001Watson wins it all, humans still can do some other cool things originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Google's no stranger to the courtroom, and while their litigation with Oracle and Viacom has gotten all the publicity of late, VoIP Inc. -- perhaps in a move to help pay off its bankruptcy creditors -- has joined in the litigious fun by suing the search giant for stealing trade secrets. VoIP alleges Google entered a license agreement with one of its subsidiaries in 2005 for technology that allows users to click online ads to call the advertiser directly over the internet -- because, you know, the unwashed masses are just dying to chat with the makers of PajamaJeans. Google later said that VoIP violated its nondisclosure agreement by talking about the deal and killed the relationship, but VoIP claims the boys and girls in Mountain View used its tech to create click-to-call ads in a 2006 deal with eBay and Skype. The litigation is just getting started, so we've yet to see the complaint or Google's response, but we feel certain VoIP has asked for a princely sum as punishment for these transgressions. Time will tell if Google decides to cut a check, so stay tuned. VoIP Inc. sues Google: alleges theft of trade secrets for click-to-call ads originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Electronista | Reuters | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The best laid plans of Motorola may be in disarray, as we hear the device manufacturer is shuffling release dates for its hottest new Android devices. Supposedly, AT&T customer service reps are getting the above message in their inbox, which suggests the modular Atrix 4G smartphone may arrive more than a week earlier than planned, while a Best Buy memo (image after the break) pegs Xoom tablet pre-sales for February 20th, three days after the date originally communicated. Still, we haven't heard anything to suggest that the Xoom won't be 100 percent ready for purchase on February 24th, so you should be just fine saving your eight Benjamins for then.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Continue reading Motorola pushes up Atrix 4G launch to Feb. 22, shoves Xoom pre-sales back to Feb. 20th? Motorola pushes up Atrix 4G launch to Feb. 22, shoves Xoom pre-sales back to Feb. 20th? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  In an interview with Nokia VP Niklas Savander at Mobile World Congress, Phone Scoop probed a bit more on the company's plans to rework the Windows Phone user experience -- a user experience that's been essentially closed to OEMs thus far apart from the occasional tile here or added menu item there. Turns out (or at least Savander claims) that Nokia's essentially being granted carte blanche for deep customization of the platform, though it's likely only to do that by pushing changes back to Microsoft for inclusion in future releases that would be available to every manufacturer, not just Nokia. What's the logic in that? Well, he says that they don't want to do anything to the software that would put the company at risk of getting delayed updates -- not unlike what's been happening with skinned UIs in the Android world for the past year and a half. Good call, Niklas. Meanwhile, more rapidly-deployed customizations would be relatively superficial, probably along the lines of HTC Hub if we had to guess. All told, it seems like the strategy is going to put even more pressure on Nokia to deliver differentiation and innovation on the hardware side -- and to be fair, they've risen to that challenge plenty of times in the last decade, so let's keep our fingers crossed.Nokia says it can customize the heck out of Windows Phone, won't do anything that would delay updates originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Phone Scoop | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Clear your calendars everybody, because tomorrow, February 17th at 7:00pm, the Engadget Show is back in a big way! GM's head engineer Micky Bly (the man responsible for the Volt) will be on hand for some frank conversation about the future of cars and a bunch of mind-blowing demos to go with it. Oh, and GM says they have a big announcement that they will be making exclusively on the Engadget Show, so be a part of tech history and come join us, won't you? Engadget auto editor Tim Stevens will be joining the fun and we'll also have a very special guest from IBM's Watson team, fresh off the game-show-playing supercomputer's three-day run on Jeopardy. It will be a night to remember, with some incredible chiptunes music by Note! with visuals from Batsly Adams. As usual, we'll be streaming live at 7:00PM from SIR's Stage 37 (a new venue!) and we've got around 350 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis if you want to join us in person. Also, trust me when I say that the giveaways for this taping are going to absolutely blow. your. mind.
REMINDER: The Show will be taking place in a lovely new venue, the SIR Stage37 (ie. not the TimesCenter or Cooper Union), located in Manhattan at 508 West 37th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.
Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Also, because of the nature of the space, we won't be able to do assigned seats so the seats will be first-come, first-served as well (we know, just after you got used to assigned seating!). Here's the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know:
- There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- Ticketing will begin at the SIR Stage37 at 5:00PM on Thursday, February 17th, doors will open for seating at 6:15PM, and the show begins at 7:00PM
- We can't do assigned seating in this venue, so remember that your ticket guarantees you entry into the show, but where you sit is up to you.
- You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
- Seating capacity is limited (we've got room for approximately 350), and once we're full, we're full
- The venue is located at 508 West 37th St, between 10th and 11th Avenues. (map after the break)
- 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.Continue reading The Engadget Show returns tomorrow with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more! The Engadget Show returns tomorrow with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Taken a look at our AllJoyn hands-on here at Mobile World Congress? You should, and then pick up here. Back? Good. Qualcomm's FlashLinq is a quasi-extension of AllJoyn, but unlike the latter, this is a proprietary solution that actually requires Qualcomm hardware to run (for now anyway; licensing deals could be in the works). Basically, this wireless technology allows FlashLinq-enabled devices to sense up to 4,000 other FlashLinq devices within a radius of up to 1km, which puts things like WiFi and Bluetooth to shame. Of course, that's under "ideal" circumstances, but even in subpar situations, the range should still beat out existing short-range alternatives. Why develop a solution like this? For one, businesses will be all over it; imagine a Yelp! instance that specifically hones in on businesses that have a FlashLinq-enabled device in their store, which is advertising deals for those who stop in and mention that FlashLinq sent 'em. Secondly, social networking / Latitude addicts will be head over heels for something like this. Once a connection is made, there's a steady 15Mbps beam available between the users -- that's more than enough for videochats, media streaming and multiplayer gaming.
The major difference between this and WiFi (aside from the range) is that unlike WiFi -- which operates in unlicensed spectrum -- FlashLinq requires licensed 5MHz TDD spectrum. That enables control over interference, which in turns boosts range and device density. Moreover, this system uses dramatically less power than BT or WiFi to sense other devices -- you're only using power for discovery two percent of the time, we're told. Beyond that, a lot remains up in the air. The company is still hammering out which chips will ship with FlashLinq support, and it'll be waiting for results from its SK Telecom trial (which starts in April) before committing to a commercialization date. Sadly, none of this can be retrofitted into older devices, but the good news is that it's hardly limited to mobiles. FlashLinq-enabled televisions, laptops, in-car infotainment systems, etc. could all be used to create a discoverable network of interactive goodness, but of course, it's hard to say how much success Qualcomm will have in a world already loaded down with connectivity options. The technology itself is fairly fascinating, though, as is the social networking demonstration that's embedded just past the break. Hop on down and mash play, won't you?
Continue reading Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech demoed at MWC (video) Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech demoed at MWC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's simple, but highly complex. You dig? Qualcomm's AllJoyn demonstration here at MWC was quite the eye-opener, but it's hard to say how much traction it'll gain in a world already inundated with short-range transfer protocols. Bluetooth, Infrared, Wi-Fi Direct... the list goes on and on (and on). Essentially, AllJoyn is an open-source software system that doesn't actually have to run atop Qualcomm hardware; if implemented in a particular app, it can enable peer-to-peer sharing with others based on location. If you're standing near someone who also has an AllJoyn-enabled application, you two (or more) can interact -- if you're both using Bluetooth, the range will be around 30 feet, but if you're both using Wi-Fi, it'll obviously be greater. Qualcomm's hoping to entwine its homegrown FlashLinq (more on that in a separate article) in order to let people use this while being up to 1km away from one another.
The company describes AllJoyn as a software framework for developers that enables easy P2P access; rather than an app developer having to write this functionality in from scratch, they can simply grab Qualcomm's code and integrate it. Currently, the spec only supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but Wi-Fi Direct and FlashLinq support it in the works, and those will hopefully be added by the end of the year. We're told that the company's also working to create a constant link between devices, which could one day (soon) enable streaming support. There's C++, Java and Javascript models available, with Qualcomm's goal being to have developers port this all over the place. The demo (embedded after the break) involved a foursome of phones sharing photographs with one another, while a nearby laptop was shown engaging in a multiplayer game with two smartphones. We were told that the company's currently in talks with a number of large gaming firms to get this ingrained in future titles, but no specifics were available. Another application would be within a social network, enabling AllJoyn apps to alert users when a friend is nearby. A huge boon there is that this doesn't require data, so international groups who'd like to keep tabs on one another's location will be able to do so without roaming on a foreign network. So, any app developers considering bundling this in with your next update?
Continue reading Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video) Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Qualcomm | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  LightSquared has faced something of an uphill battle in getting its wholesale 4G LTE network off the ground -- even including accusations that it's a threat to national security -- but it looks like it's having fairly good luck attracting some customers. According to Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben, LightSquared has signed agreements with five companies so far, including two carriers, one website, a national retailer, and a device manufacturer -- none of which it's able to name, of course. Boulben also revealed that the company, which plans to compete with the likes of Verizon, AT&T and Clearwire, is finished raising money for the "short term," and that it plans to begin trials later this year in Las Vegas, Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix once it finishes its lab testing in Dallas. LightSquared says it has signed up five companies for its wholesale LTE service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | BusinessWeek | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Online rentals and purchases of movies is still just a tiny fraction of the overall pie, but Warner's latest effort to expand that is coming from an unusual direction, offering its highest profile flicks as apps for iPhones and iPads. The Dark Knight and Inception are the first two releases out of the gate, offering free apps with some bonus content and the first five minutes of the movie, then charging $9.99 and $11.99, respectively to unlock the rest. According to Warner, it offers a different experience than simply purchasing the flick over iTunes because of the extras which include Twitter and Facebook integration among the extras, plus the ability to offer the digital version in countries where iTunes doesn't sell movies yet, like China, Brazil and the Netherlands. There's a video demo and press release after the break, but the downside of being locked to portable devices is keeping us from clicking the buy button for now.
Continue reading Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Inception, The Dark Knight | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Wrigley, Hancock, Millennium, Gallo, Sterling, Rosemount, Silver Oak, Peju and Opus One. What are we rattling off? Oh, just the list of codenames from one of the largest leaks we've ever seen out of Dell. WPCentral and Android Central got their hands on the capsized company's full 2011 smartphone and tablet roadmaps, detailing the company's plans for devices running operating systems that have yet to be formally announced, including Android Ice Cream (yes, Ice Cream!) and Windows 8 as well as the tablet-friendly Honeycomb. Here's the full rundown.
Smartphones: - Things look pretty boring (and by boring, we mean beautifully curvy) until approximately mid-April of this year, when the Venue Pro gets some "additional features and enhancements" which we're pretty sure we can name.
- Then, Q3 brings the Wrigley, what looks like a vertical QWERTY slider identifying itself as "Windows Phone 7 Next Gen," and sporting a 1GHz CPU, 4-inch 800 x 480 screen, and a 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording. Nothing out of the ordinary, as far as we know.
- By September, things should get very interesting as Android Ice Cream will apparently be out, and Dell's Hancock will scoop it onto a a 4-inch qHD screen with dual cameras, dual-core processing and 1080p recording.
- Starting Q3, would-be Hancock buyers will have a multimedia slate-phone alternative, as the Millennium drops the keyboard for a larger 4.3-inch screen and DLNA support (though the front facing camera is only VGA, for some reason).
Tablets: - Dell's Streak 10 won't keep us waiting for long: come April, the Gallo will reportedly be chomping away at some tasty Honeycomb. But that's not all -- Dell lists a handwriting update for the Gallo in October or thereabouts. There's also a Streak 7 update scheduled for July -- we imagine that's the point when Dell believes it can shoehorn Android 3.0 onto its older brother.
- Meanwhile, Dell's 10-inch Windows 7 slate, internally known as Rosemount, is slated for June, with a 1366 x 768 resolution that should allow for native playback of 720p video.
- We can't tell you what the Sterling is, but it's likely a mid-sized one, as it's slated to take over the Streak 7's duties in or about October with Android Honeycomb on board.
- Finally, come CES 2012 in January, we now expect Dell to drop three new tablets at once: the Opus One and Silver Oak running Android Honeycomb, and the Peju with Windows 8. (The Streak 10 / Gallo will apparently soldier on.) Numbers on the left of the charge suggest that the Opus will be small, the Silver Oak mid-sized, and the Peju large.
As noted at the head of the slide, all details here are subject to change, but we're sure as heck a lot more confident that Dell still has tablets and smartphones on the brain. One more chart after the break!Continue reading Dell's 2011 smartphone and tablet lineup leaked: Android Ice Cream, WP7 sliders, and a slate running Windows 8 Dell's 2011 smartphone and tablet lineup leaked: Android Ice Cream, WP7 sliders, and a slate running Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android Central (1), (2), WPCentral | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Did Apple take Capcom to task over the in-app purchase fiasco in the company's Smurfs' Village game for iOS? That was the rumor going around earlier today, after Pocket Gamer reported that it had heard from a "well placed source" who said that Apple had some "strong words" for the game maker. Capcom has now come out and denied any such rift, however, saying in a statement that "we are in frequent communication with Apple, and at no point have they expressed any displeasure to any representatives of Capcom Mobile in regards to our handling of in-app purchases within Smurfs' Village." Interestingly, Pocket Gamer's original report also claimed that Apple was considering a change to its current 15 minute password window to reduce inadvertent in-app purchases, and Capcom says that it would welcome such a move -- although it's now aware of any impending change. Capcom denies rift with Apple over Smurfs' Village in-app purchases originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Pocket Gamer (1), (2) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | That's right human beings -- it's happening again! The Engadget crew is getting together their best party outfits and shipping out west for another installment of our fabulous reader meetups. Our last event in NYC drew loads of people and was an all around blast, and the San Francisco installment is sure to be just as explosive (or maybe more? c'mon... show us what you've got). This time around we're partnering with Sprint, as well as Sony PlayStation, HP, Roku, Samsung, VUDU, RIM, Sling, Sonos, HTC, Corning, Sphero, and loads of other players in our industry (we're still adding to the list!) to bring you a night of gadget geeking, giveaways, delicious foodstuffs, and some awesome music (provided by none other than our podcast producer, Trent Wolbe). Also, a whole mess of the Engadget editors will be on hand and entertain and inform, so if you have any pressing questions -- jot them down!
The all ages shindig will take place at City View at The Metreon, which is located conveniently in downtown SF. If you're a nerd in the city, you most likely already know what we're talking about. The doors will open at 6:30PM, and capacity is limited to 1200 people -- so if you want to get inside, get there early!
Hate standing in lines? Enter the Engadget Reader Meetup Sweepstakes for your chance to win an all expense paid trip for 2 to the meetup in San Francisco on February 25th! Click here to enter now! (rules apply, read them after the break)
We're going to be flooding the interwaves with more information soon, but for now, mark the date on your calendars, and get ready to party.Continue reading Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event! Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Google has already confirmed that its Honeycomb and Gingerbread iterations of Android would be combined in the next version of OS -- dubbed Ice Cream by all accounts -- and it's now also providing a few more details about what Honeycomb features will be carried over to smartphones. Speaking to Phone Scoop, Google Android Engineering Director Dave Burke said that the contextual "action bar" at the top of the screen on Honeycomb tablets will be used on phones as well, but that the system bar at the bottom of Honeycomb might not make the transition. You can apparently expect the so-called "hologram" visual style of Honeycomb to carry over though, along with the multitasking app switcher that provides a snapshot of each app running. That's about all the details there are at the moment, but you can be sure we'll be digging for more. Google details some of the Honeycomb features coming to Ice Cream: action bar, 'hologram' visual style originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Phone Scoop | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Listen up New Yorkers, those hot nuts you just swallowed could be used to light the signs on Broadway. Okay, so that's a stretch, but the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) just issued a plan to turn the stuff you flush, along with rest of its wastewater, into renewable energy. New York City produces about 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater daily, yielding 1,200 tons of biosolids that can be harvested to procure methane -- already accounting for 20 percent of the city's energy -- and butanol, a clean gasoline alternative. The plan, which also includes wind and solar projects, aims to use gas, converted by large digesters, to "power wastewater operations, meet on-site heat and electricity needs, and, where feasible, sell excess energy to the market." As the DEP points out, the plan isn't far fetched -- we've seen a couple of solutions for turning human excrement into usable energy, and a project already under way in Greenpoint is estimated to procure enough methane over the next year to heat 2,500 homes. Now, if that doesn't give you a newfound respect for the porcelain throne, we don't know what will. New York City turns to sewers for energy solutions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Inhabitat | Department of Environmental Protection | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | That's right, that little green blob in the upper left hand corner of that built-in touchscreen is indeed the Android logo, and that display does indeed belong to a tablet of unknown origin, currently riding around on the back of a headrest on a bus somewhere in India. We're not entirely sure who's funding this project or which bus line the tablets can be found on, but the login screen you see here does give us a little bit of insight: "As per government policy, we need to record details of the person using the Internet on this device." The service is apparently free and unlimited, and if this is a government program, it would be right in line with India's democratic outlook on technology. Sure, Indian college students are still awaiting the storied $35 tablets, but we suppose if they have enough scratch to ride the bus all day, these headrest slates could do in a pinch. For a look at what Android tablets look like on public transit, check out the video after the jump.
[Thanks, Kartik]Continue reading Android tablets bring touchscreen connectivity to Indian bus riders -- still no $35 slates in sight (video) Android tablets bring touchscreen connectivity to Indian bus riders -- still no $35 slates in sight (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Smart card guru Gemalto is going to help Mark Zuckerberg take over the world! Ok, not really, but the company has made it possible to put Facebook on just about every GSM phone on earth by running it on a SIM chip. This allows every poke, friend request, and wall post to be transmitted by SMS -- meaning no data plan required -- so that the non-smartphone crowd can access Facebook on the go too. Gemalto, using only the brightest and most creative marketing minds out there, has named the solution "Facebook for SIM." Users get a free trial for an undisclosed period of time before a subscription for the service becomes necessary -- carriers are positively salivating at the prospect of all that extra SMS traffic lining their already deep pockets, no doubt. We knew that Mark had big plans for putting Facebook on phones, but we didn't figure that dumbphones would get to join in the social networking fun. Finally, a chicken in every pot and a Facebook phone (or three) in every home.Gemalto puts Facebook on a SIM chip, Zuckerberg's plan for world domination coming along nicely originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Register | Gemalto | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SmartLab's Recon 6.0 Programmable Rover is an interesting little toy-gadget we found while perusing the floor at the International Toy Fair. Designed as a teaching tool for basic programming skills, this little bot comes with an owner's manual that'll teach your little tyke basic programming concepts in an easy-to-use package. All coding is done right on the front panel itself using easy-to-understand arrows and symbols, and you can make it do things like deliver sodas, guard a bedroom, or recite pre-recorded messages to unknowing family members or pets. We wish it had a video camera up top rather than just a microphone and speaker, but maybe letting Junior start out with just the basics isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's available now for around $60, so if you've had enough dominos maybe give this a once-over.
Recon 6.0 Programmable Rover hopes to make coding appeal to the younger set (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | There's been a lot of chatter about a "Nokia Plan B" over the past 48 hours -- the site was put up by "nine young investors" who outlined an audacious plan to rally shareholders, get themselves elected onto Nokia's board, and radically change the company's direction by firing Stephen Elop and committing massive resources to MeeGo. Needless to say, it resonated with many of Nokia's now disenfranchised fans and employees, and it made some serious waves -- enough so that Plan B was picked up by several major news outlets, including this morning's print edition of the Wall Street Journal.
There's just one problem, though: the "nine young investors" don't really exist -- according to the last tweet on the @NokiaPlanB Twitter account, it was all a hoax perpetuated by "one very bored engineer who really likes his iPhone." Ouch. That explains why the now-defunct site abruptly gave up the cause this morning after just 36 hours of existence, and it definitely explains why we never got any response to our emails trying to get further information. We'll award points for bravado and for doing a better job of rallying the troops than Nokia itself, we suppose, but we're sure quite a few Nokia fans are going to be crushed at this news. On the bright side, Plan B did inspire the excellent NokiaPlanS.com, which is sure to bring a smile to even the loneliest hearts in Espoo.Nokia Plan B was just a hoax all along originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | @NokiaPlanB (Twitter) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Although we've only gotten a glimpse of a TankBot as a render, we were more than interested to see this robot toy doing its thing in the real world. We spotted these tiny desk pals at the International Toy Fair and got to take a look at some working prototypes. As we reported earlier, the TankBots have three functioning modes -- autonomous, maze solving and iOS controlled. The bots feature LED eyes and two infrared transmitters -- that's how it solves the mazes. Charging is done by plugging in the USB dongle found on the rear of the tank and you'll get 15 minutes of battery life after a 30 minute charge. And if you're wondering how your iOS device will play with the TankBots, a free app will be available to download and each toy will come bundled with an infrared dongle. You can grab TankBots from stores for 20 bucks come June. Head past the break to see some cute, yet impressive maze-solving in action.
Continue reading Desk Pets TankBot hands-on (video) Desk Pets TankBot hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In the wake of recent developments in Sony's war on Geohot, the company has released an "Official Statement Regarding PS3 Circumvention Devices and Pirated Software," which reads, in part: Consumers using circumvention devices or running unauthorized or pirated software will have access to the PlayStation Network and access to Qriocity services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.
To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems. In other words: get caught with custom firmware, find yourself banished from the PlayStation Network forever. Seems rather reasonable. More reasonable than, say, filing a motion in court for the usernames and IP addresses of everyone who posted comments on Geohot's YouTube video. Read the entire statement at the source link. Sony releases statement on PS3 hacking, surprisingly comes out against it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PlayStation Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We heard the news was coming, and now it's official -- Borders, the second-biggest bookstore chain the U.S., has filed for bankruptcy. As expected, the company will continue to operate while it restructures, but it will hardly be the same company it once was. It's being forced to close around 200 (or 30 percent) of its stores, and it may need to close another 75 if it's not able to gain some concessions from landlords, according to Bloomberg. This is news on Engadget, of course, because Borders has also been trying to compete with Amazon and Barnes & Noble beyond its core brick-and-mortar bookselling business in recent years (and not exactly succeeding). While the company hasn't produced its own e-book reader, it has partnered with Kobo to sell its device, and it has established its own e-book store that's also used by its various e-reader apps for smartphones and tablets. There's no indication as of yet that the bankruptcy will affect those endeavors. Borders files for bankruptcy, plans to keep operating but close 30 percent of its stores originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Bloomberg | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Can you handle one more Android tablet? Let's find out. That one up there is Huawei's IDEOS S7 Pro, which is not to be confused with its new IDEOS S7 Slim. The Pro didn't get a formal introduction here at MWC 2011, but it was lounging around the Huawei booth with a placard revealing its specs. Unfortunately, this one won't be launching with Honeycomb -- it packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 2.3, HSPA+, WiFi 802.11bgn, and two cameras. The metal model on display seemed to be just a mockup, and despite the LED buttons lighting up, it wouldn't actually boot. We overheard a company representative say that it would be launching this spring and our comrades at Engadget Spanish have also heard that it will launch at 10-inch version later in the year. You know what that means? Yep, even more Android tablets! Huawei IDEOS S7 Pro tablet sneaks out, coming this spring originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Engadget Spainsh | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We've already seen some evidence that Intel was still pushing strongly ahead with MeeGo despite Nokia's deal with Microsoft, and now CEO Paul Otellini has chimed in on the matter to reassure folks that the company is still committed to the mobile OS. Speaking with Bloomberg at Mobile World Congress this week, Otellini said that he doesn't see that "Nokia changing its strategy changes the industry strategy," and added that "operators still look for an open, operator-friendly operating system." Otellini further went on to say on a panel discussion that he "understood" why Nokia made the decision it did, and even said that if he were in the same position he would have made "the same or a similar call." That doesn't mean he wasn't disappointed by it though -- in fact, he revealed that he used a word that Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz "has often used" when he first received the news from Stephen Elop himself (we'll let you look that up if you don't know it). Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Mobileburn | Bloomberg, PC World | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Everyone's other favorite spinoff from the XBMC family tree has some major news this week, as Plex has released a Media Center app for Android that mirrors most of the functions already available for iOS devices. Available now on the Android Market for $4.99, it brings local and streaming media to the phone over WiFi, or 3G from a Mac (and now, Windows PC) running the server software, but users will have to wait a few weeks for an upgrade adding remote functions (or use any of the 3rd party apps already on the Market.) With plugins for apps like Netflix, Hulu and BBC iPlayer it's a formidable competitor in the mediastreamer market out of the gate; throw in support for PCs plus integration into LG's 2011 HDTVs and Blu-ray players and we're ready to pick Plex as the platform to keep an eye on this year. Check out the details in the press release after the break, we'll toss in a link to the Windows server once we find it / it's posted.
Continue reading Plex Media Center App comes to Android, Windows server on the way Plex Media Center App comes to Android, Windows server on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android Market, Plex | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You know those sushi places that have the pre-packaged rolls hypnotically scrolling by your face endlessly on a little conveyor belt? Well, picture exactly that... but with virtually every major Android device ever made instead of sushi. That was just one of the many visual treats we experienced at Google's Android booth at Mobile World Congress this year -- along with a dozen or so brightly-painted giant Android statues and a fully-functional slide from the second floor down to the first. We'd estimate there were perhaps 200 phones and tablets on the belt, ranging all the way from the original T-Mobile G1 up to prototype versions of the HTC Desire S and Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. We'll admit, it was nigh impossible to resist grabbing at the clear acrylic capsules as they slid silently by, but fortunately, you won't have that problem when you check it out on video -- a safe distance from Barcelona -- after the break.
Continue reading Visualized: Google's perpetual conveyor belt of Android Visualized: Google's perpetual conveyor belt of Android originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hello, Moto -- no wait, Samsung... or is it LG? Three of the world's biggest smartphone makers have leapt at the opportunity to serve up Google's brand new Honeycomb build of Android, however their selection of menu items looks to be somewhat lacking in diversity. Motorola's Xoom matches Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in both screen size and resolution (1280 x 800), while LG's Optimus Pad / G-Slate offers only marginally smaller measurements with an 8.9-inch display spanning 1280 x 768. More than that, all three tablets run the bone-stock Honeycomb UI and are built around NVIDIA's 1GHz Tegra 2 system-on-chip, leaving little room for differentiation on the basis of user experience or internal performance (LG would have you believe its 3D camcorder is a big advantage for its slate, but we're not so sure). Most choices between the three, then, will come to things like brand loyalty, ergonomics and pure, basic aesthetic appeal. To help you judge the latter of those three points, we've prepared an exhaustive barrage of side-by-side photos below -- we expect you to view every last one of 'em... at least twice.
Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Over 1,000 disgruntled Nokistas walked off the job last week and, while presumably all of them showed up punctually on Monday morning, it remains to be seen how many will get proverbial pink slips as Elop starts making cuts. When that time comes Skype is happy to say that they'd like to hire as many as possible. CEO Tony Bates has no qualms about making the best of this situation, saying the following to Reuters:
There is going to be tremendous talent out there... "Our primary engineering focus just so happens to be somewhere between Finland, Estonia and Stockholm, so you can imagine that's a great opportunity and we're hiring. Hear that, shunned Nokia elite? Now turn that frown upside down.Skype happy to offer jobs to any Finns who might be in need originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Yahoo! News | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Thinking of wading into the fast paced world of publishing in the digital age, yet balking at the thirty percent cut Apple is taking for its in-app subscription model? Fret not, would-be Hearsts and Murdochs: Google One Pass is here. The PR-speak promises "an open and flexible platform" for "publishers, journalism and access to quality content." Sure, but what is it, exactly? A user authentication, payment processing, and administration system for folks who want to sell content on the web. Google only takes ten percent off the top, and you even get access to customer data -- something Apple is unwilling to do. Intrigued? Check out the video after the break. [Thanks, John] Continue reading Google announces One Pass payment system for online content (video) Google announces One Pass payment system for online content (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Wall Street Journal | Google | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In all the Microkia hub-bub of late, as the best of Redmond and the pride of Tampere hold hands and blaze a trail to smartphone domination, the word "Zune" never once came up. This didn't escape the notice of many, including MS guru Paul Thurrott and ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley, who inquired to someone at Microsoft about just what's going on -- whether indeed the brand is indeed being killed off. This is the non-denial that came back:
We're not 'killing' any of the Zune services/features in any way. Microsoft remains committed to providing a great music and video experience from Zune on platforms such as Xbox LIVE, Windows-based PCs, Zune devices and Windows Phone 7, as well as integration with Bing and MSN. It's unclear what exactly is happening, especially when it comes to dedicated Zune hardware and services like Zune Pass, but it certainly seems like "Zune" as a brand is on its last legs. Feel free to share your favorite memories below, and try not to cry, because our hearts... our hearts will go on.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Continue reading Microsoft Zune is dying, long live Microsoft Zune? Microsoft Zune is dying, long live Microsoft Zune? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Windows Phone Secrets | ZDNet, Paul Thurrott | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | There have been a lot of phone and tablet announcements here at MWC 2011, but laptops? Not so much. Toshiba's not following the crowd here, though. Instead, it's touched down in Barcelona with three fresh Satellites -- the 13.3-inch R380, 14-inch R480, and 15.6-inch R580. Aesthetically, they should look very familiar as Toshiba's basically refreshed its Portege R700 series with Intel's latest Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge processors and enhanced its cooling system. The company was a bit vague on specific configuration details (though, we took some shots of the system properties in the gallery below), but its press release does list that the rigs will be available with up to 8GB of RAM and 640GB of hard disk storage, SSDs, and USB 3.0. The R380 (pictured above) is still one of our favorites, and like the R705, it is made of magnesium, only weighs 3.2 pounds, and still has a optical drive. The R480 and R580 have been slightly retooled with subtlety striped lids, which we are told of made of a high stiffness resin. Both models have chiclet keyboards and regular touchpads with two mouse buttons, though the 14- and 15-inchers have pointing sticks. All three models will be hitting in April, but Tosh is keeping quiet on pricing. Hit the first gallery for a few shots of the rigs and the second for a look at the special copper airflow cooling system Toshiba's cooked up.
Continue reading Toshiba Satellite R830, R840, and R850 laptops unveiled at MWC Toshiba Satellite R830, R840, and R850 laptops unveiled at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Consider it a mystery solved. Throughout the week here in Barcelona, we've spent an inordinate amount of time chasing down suits from LG, Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Verizon Wireless to answer one simple question: "What's up with the processor in the Revolution?" If you'll recall, NVIDIA actually sent one of its own to Verizon's LTE press event at CES 2011, specifically to bust out a Revolution and gloat about the Tegra 2 chip within (video's after the break if you don't believe us). As it stood, it seemed as if the Thunderbolt and Revolution would be butting heads from a CPU standpoint, with the former definitively sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655. And then, came the confusion. We showed up at Qualcomm's booth here at Mobile World Congress to see which phone it was using to demonstrate the recently unveiled Netflix-on-Android support -- lo and behold, LG's Revolution was the handset of choice. Obviously, there had to be a new Snapdragon processor within, as only the newest of the new will have the necessary DRM libraries at a hardware level that are necessary to pass muster with the MPAA.
After venturing over to LG's booth, we were also able to confirm that the only Revolution it knew of was boasting a Qualcomm CPU, and the shot above (which was sourced from there) proves it. We also confirmed with Verizon Wireless' paperwork that the version it's expecting in the next month or so will ship with Qualcomm inside. Finally, NVIDIA refused to comment on the matter, simply suggesting that we contact LG for more details. Put all of that together, and we're able to come to two main conclusions. First off, it seems as if LG yanked support for the Tegra 2 at some point between CES and MWC -- right around four weeks. Hard to say if there were reliability issues, an unsatisfactory amount of power drain, or just irreconcilable differences between the two CEOs (joking, of course). Secondly, it's reasonably safe to assume that Verizon's Revolution will be the first Android handset on Big Red to stream Netflix directly, which may please those who were planning on buying one but weren't looking forward to going without Netflix thanks to the Tegra 2 that was (presumably) slated for inclusion. Qualcomm 1, NVIDIA 0.
Vlad Savov contributed to this report.Continue reading LG Revolution dumps Tegra 2, chooses 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 instead LG Revolution dumps Tegra 2, chooses 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 instead originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Think for a second, what major consumer electronics company doesn't have a tablet to show? Right, Sony. In fact, the rumor womb has been conspicuously barren of salacious Sony tablet tattle ever since Apple's iPad was announced back in 2010. Oh sure, Sony's owned-up to the development of prototypes that fill a "very important position" somewhere in between its own Vaio PC lineup and the Xperia Play byproduct of its Ericsson commingling. But beyond that: zilch, nada... until today.
We have a couple of tablets we'd like to tell you about, starting with a 9.4-inch honeypot of an Android 3.0 tablet. Details of which have been confirmed by two highly trusted and independent sources. Known by its "S1" codename internally, Sony is busy customizing Matias Duarte's Honeycomb interface to its own specification. Although, we're skeptical of Sony's software capabilities, we've been assured that Sony's work is cutting edge stuff created by a talented engineering team spanning Sony's VAIO, Reader, PlayStation, and Sony Ericsson product groups. The team is lead by the VAIO organization but will probably launch as a Sony product without VAIO branding, according to one source. Sony's custom-built transitions and UI elements have created a user experience that rivals and at times improves upon the iPad's renowned experience. The tablet itself, we're told, is 100 percent focused on Qriocity, Sony's music, games, ebooks, and videos on demand service that's just been launched in Europe. It comes preloaded with Sony PS One games, a Bravia Media Remote, and yes, PlayStation integration -- though it's unclear if that'll be limited to Remote Play or if the Android tablet will be PlayStation Suite certified. One source speculates that it could very well get the PlayStation gaming seal of approval by the time it ships -- but that's just an educated guess.
So what about that curvaceous mockup above? A design described to us as "beautiful, the best thing" one source has ever seen from Sony. Click through the break and we'll explain.Continue reading Exclusive: Sony 'S1' brings Qriocity to 9.4-inch Honeycomb tablet Exclusive: Sony 'S1' brings Qriocity to 9.4-inch Honeycomb tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
No comments:
Post a Comment