Saturday, September 10, 2011

IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 10/09/2011





Vodafone Xone R&D center opens its doors in Silicon Valley, wants to help startups grow
Verizon's doing it, so why not Vodafone too? That's right, folks, the big red telco from abroad has decided to get into the swing of things in Silicon Valley with its new Vodafone Xone R&D center in Redwood City, California. Unlike VZW's Application Innovation Center just a few miles north in San Francisco, the Xone is focused on identifying startups with potential and putting their ideas on the fast track to proof-of-concept trials. In order to do so, the center provides technical expertise, business advice and access to its lab to ensure that products are compatible with Vodafone's global 2G, HSPA, and LTE networks. This R&D center is also aligned with Verizon's facility in Massachusetts, so budding entrepreneurs have access to stateside LTE infrastructure, too. We got a chance to check out the new business incubator ourselves, so read on for more.

Gallery: Vodafone Xone
Continue reading Vodafone Xone R&D center opens its doors in Silicon Valley, wants to help startups grow
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ZTE Sprint International Mobile Hotspot does CDMA in US, GSM abroad
We love mobile wireless hotspots, and we especially love when they work internationally -- which until today, has left Sprint's CDMA/WiMAX devices out of the mix. This latest variant gives some love to the world traveling crowd, however, with domestic support for EVDO Rev A, and international support for GSM/GRPS/EDGE as well as WCDMA/HSDPA/HSUPA. There's no word on what you'll expect to pay for your data abroad, but Sprint does include an "unlocked SIM" in the box, along with international power adapters. A built-in display indicates battery life and connectivity, so you know when the device is ready to beam the web to up to five WiFi devices on CDMA, or a single device while roaming on GSM. Available now, the hotspot will run you $50 after a $50 rebate and with a two-year contract, provides a range of up to 130 feet, and can pump out a wireless signal for up to four hours (sadly WiMAX is not supported). Jump past the break for the lowdown from Sprint.
Continue reading ZTE Sprint International Mobile Hotspot does CDMA in US, GSM abroad
ZTE Sprint International Mobile Hotspot does CDMA in US, GSM abroad originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PhoneScoop  |  sourceSprint  | Email this | Comments

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Xbox Live Fall 2011 Dashboard update preview: Bing search, voice control, and a Metro overhaul
Autumn is fast approaching -- and you know what that means: it's round about time for an Xbox Dashboard update. Sure, we got a peek of Microsoft's upcoming harvest back at E3, but the good folks from Redmond invited us to take a closer look at what they're calling the "most significant update to the Dashboard since NXE." Senior project Manager Terry Ferrell was on-site to walk us through an early engineering beta and show us how an updated Metro UI, Bing search and deeper Kinect integration is going to change the way folks manage their entertainment content.
Continue reading Xbox Live Fall 2011 Dashboard update preview: Bing search, voice control, and a Metro overhaul
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HTC Vigor hits the FCC with a dose of Verizon LTE
Verizon's LTE lineup just keeps looking better and better all the time. The oft-rumored HTC Vigor is the latest device to pass through the halls of the FCC whilst sporting Big Red's 4G frequencies, along with a handy dose of CDMA / EVDO. HTC's still keeping an uber-tight lid on all of the details of this phone, however, mandating that all of the juicy secrets remain confidential for now. The Vigor's rumored to have a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, but we're still in the dark despite the phone's fancy new badge of approval. We're just another baby step closer, folks, so feel free to peruse the numbers and graphs in the source link.
HTC Vigor hits the FCC with a dose of Verizon LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments

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Engadget giveaway: win a white T-Mobile G2x prototype!
We just wrapped up a couple of crazy giveaways in August, so that means we're done throwing free stuff at you for a while, right? Wrong! LG's hooked us up with a white T-Mobile G2x prototype, and we're embracing the opportunity to pass it on to one fortunate reader. We must warn you: getting your paws on a gadget that virtually nobody else owns might elevate you to a certain level of geek legacy you could never dream of attaining -- 'course, even a free smartphone in and of itself is reason to enter. The usual rules (and gallery) are below, so leave a comment and good luck!

Gallery: White LG G2x hands-on
Continue reading Engadget giveaway: win a white T-Mobile G2x prototype!
Engadget giveaway: win a white T-Mobile G2x prototype! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Engadget Podcast 255 - 09.09.2011
As a lover of all things nostalgic and good, you'll certainly appreciate the dulcet tones of Peter Rojas, Engadget founder, major proponent of All Things Good With Tech, and the original voice of the Engadget Podcast, on this edition of the Engadget Podcast. There's a lot of thought work to be done on the week's news, fraught with patent kerfuffles, Android editions, and listener questions, and we do believe we've done the heavy lifting -- with Peter's help. Come join us.



Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater

Guest: Peter Rojas

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Music: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out





01:30 - Droid Bionic review

10:00 - Droid Bionic arrives at Verizon tomorrow, we go hands-on today (video)

20:00 - Motorola Droid Bionic finally available on Verizon, angels sing in chorus

41:08 - Is this Nintendo's 3DS joystick add-on?

47:35 - Shareholder calls for RIM to sell itself or its patents, in critical open letter

51:25 - HTC sues Apple with help from formerly Google-owned patents

55:25 - Eric Schmidt: Ice Cream Sandwich coming in October or November

57:51 - Listener questions















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Twitter: @tim_stevens, @bheater, @peterrojas
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Engadget Podcast 255 - 09.09.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iFixit picks the Droid Bionic to disassembled pieces
What do you do with a shiny and new dual-core LTE phone? You rip it to shreds and then poke around in its guts, like any respectable techie would. At least, that's what the folks over at iFixit got up to with Verizon's day-old Motorola Droid Bionic. By now, you should be well familiar with its slightly revamped Droid X2-ish casing and usual micro-USB / micro-HDMI ports. Pop off that back, however, strip out the internal barrier of stickers, screws and clips, and you'll be treated to a silicon underworld of EMI shields, motherboard components and that hump-making 8 megapixel rear shooter. Of course, seeing is believing. So, go ahead and hit that source link below to get your rubberneck on.
iFixit picks the Droid Bionic to disassembled pieces originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sprint rumored to retain unlimited data with iPhone 5 launch, prove unicorns are indeed legit
Here's the word straight from Bloomberg's unnamed sources: Sprint's not only getting the elusive iPhone 5 -- it's keeping an unlimited data plan around just to sway buyers who may otherwise spring for the AT&T / Verizon Wireless variants. Furthermore, these folks in-the-know have good reason to believe that it'll be launched "next month," which gives Apple a shockingly small amount of time to invite us over for a west coast reveal. As it stands, the only folks who'll get limitless data with an iPhone 5 on its existing US carriers are those with grandfathered plans; any new customers on Ma Bell or Big Red will be forced to select one of many tiered options. Not surprisingly, neither Sprint nor Apple are commenting on the story, but if it all proves true, Sprint can definitely hang its hat on having one serious competitive advantage.



[Thanks, Prhime]
Permalink   |  sourceBloomberg  | Email this | Comments

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FCC Fridays: September 9, 2011
We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up all the raw info you may want (but probably don't need). Enjoy!



Phones



Read - Samsung T679

Read - Samsung GT-S5360B

Read - Samsung GT-S5360L

Read - Samsung GT-S7250D (Wave M)

Read - Samsung GT-E3217B

Read - Samsung SCH-I405 (Stratosphere)

Read - Huawei C2835

Read - Amgoo AM85

Read - Mobo Colore

Read - Kyocera C5121 (Milano)



Peripherals



Read - Huawei K3773
FCC Fridays: September 9, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia
Not only is Apple shipping the most smartphones, it's also shipping the best smartphones -- if you believe the stats in J.D. Power and Associates' latest US customer satisfaction survey. It gave the iPhone a score of 838, versus HTC's handsets in second place with 801 and an industry average of 788. Sammy got a disappointing 777, but we guess it might have fared better if the Galaxy S II had been quicker to cross the Atlantic. Hapless RIM got shunted into fifth place, having come second in 2010. You'll find plenty more factoids in the PR after the break, including evidence that people just love 4G. Well, we could have told you that.
Continue reading Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia
Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Droid Bionic gets extended battery treatment, proudly struts its freshman 15 (video)
As you're aware, the Droid Bionic features a 1735mAh battery that provides a slight bump in capacity over its competition -- namely the Droid Charge and Thunderbolt. Still, if you plan to push this LTE powerhouse beyond moderate usage, you'll likely find yourself in a feverish hunt for wall outlets before the day is through. Now, Android Central gives us a peek at the Bionic's extended battery, and so long as you're willing to live with the (super obvious) protrusion, you'll find the latest Droid riding high with a 2760mAh cell. Perhaps it's not the sleekest solution in the world, but hey, at least it's not quite so insulting as the extended battery on Verizon's first LTE handset -- take a peek at the video after the break for a comparison.
Continue reading Droid Bionic gets extended battery treatment, proudly struts its freshman 15 (video)
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Fring launches Playgrounds for group video chat with friends or randoms (video)
We all remember kicking it in anonymous chat rooms masked behind the safety of a screen name, but today Fring announced a new way to engage with randoms -- this time with video. Playground lets users start their own video chat or join an existing room based on topic, with friends or complete strangers. We've seen four-way video from the app before, but the new feature takes it a step further -- similar to joining a Hangout in Google+, only on a mobile phone. Although it does sound creepily Chatroulette-ish, it's free (unlike Skype's group video calling) and works on iOS and Android Phones -- so go ahead, take a peak and see what's actually going on in "Voldemort's Death Eater" channel. Check out the demo and full PR after the break.
Continue reading Fring launches Playgrounds for group video chat with friends or randoms (video)
Fring launches Playgrounds for group video chat with friends or randoms (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceFring  | Email this | Comments

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Google set to introduce Dart, a new structured programming language
It's a bird, it's a plane -- it's Dart, Google's soon-to-be-released computer language for structured web programming. Having hoarded dart-related URLs for the past couple of months, Google's confirmed the (previously) secret project on the Goto International Software Development conference website. A couple of Mountain View's finest will make the announcement official in the keynote at the event on October 10th, when presumably we'll find out what it can do. Dart makes a nice addition to Go, JavaScript and Python in Google's coding bag-o-tricks, but there's room for one more -- we're looking at you, Spot.
Google set to introduce Dart, a new structured programming language originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Extreme Tech  |  sourceGoto Conference  | Email this | Comments

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Bit.ly quantifies internet impatience, old links get no love
Oh internet, we love your animated GIFs and sad Keanu websites, but how much attention are we really giving each link? According to a recent study by URL shortener Bit.ly, a standard link is clicked for an average of three hours until traffic subsides by 50 percent, eventually fading away into oblivion. If we're talking about a super timely news story like an earthquake hitting the east coast, well, its half-life was a paltry five minutes. When URLs are shared on social networks, they last around 3.2 hours on Facebook and 2.8 hours on Twitter, but those on YouTube persist more than twice that long. There, link half-life is 7.4 hours -- probably because it's home to phenom bomb memes like the one found after the break.
Continue reading Bit.ly quantifies internet impatience, old links get no love
Bit.ly quantifies internet impatience, old links get no love originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink New York Times  |  sourceBitly Blog  | Email this | Comments

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German court upholds injunction against Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple wins nationwide ban
A German court has weighed in on Apple's seemingly interminable patent battle against Samsung, and it isn't looking good for Galaxy Tab users. In a ruling issued today, a Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court upheld last month's preliminary injunction, banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 within Germany. Citing the slate's "minimalist, modern form," presiding judge Johanna Brueckner-Hoffmann determined that Samsung's tablet bears a "clear impression of similarity" with the iPad 2, thereby meriting a nationwide ban. "The court is of the opinion that Apple's minimalistic design isn't the only technical solution to make a tablet computer," Brueckner-Hoffmann explained, "other designs are possible." Earlier this week, as you may recall, Apple won a separate injunction against the Galaxy Tab 7.7 in Düsseldorf, though Samsung can still appeal that decision in a lower court. The court stopped short, however, of calling for an EU-wide injunction against the 10.1-inch slate, arguing that "it could only be competent to order a Europe-wide ban for a firm headquartered outside the European Union if this firm has a German subsidiary." Samsung, meanwhile, plans to appeal the ruling in a higher court, with a company spokesman issuing a now all-too familiar statement: "We are disappointed with this ruling and believe it severely limits consumer choice in Germany."
Permalink Computer World  |  sourceAFP  | Email this | Comments

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Dell jams a terabyte of SATA3 SSD storage into Precision M6600 laptop
Dell Precision M6600 and M4600
Dell is tweaking some of the options offered on its Precision M6600 and M4600 mobile workstations. You can now choose to add 512GB SATA3 SSD drives and (in the case of the M6600) a 4GB NVIDIA Quadro 5010M card. The interesting thing though, is that the 6600 has space for three drives: two full size and one mini-card slot. That means you could outfit this 17.3-inch beast with a pair of 512GB SSDs and one 128GB SSD, for a grand total of 1.1TB of solid state storage. Of course, with each half-terabyte drive adding a whopping $1,120 to the price of this professional lappy it's not exactly for those on a budget. But, we wouldn't be shocked to see this trickle down to high-end, portable gaming rigs (we're looking at you Alienware) relatively soon.
Dell jams a terabyte of SATA3 SSD storage into Precision M6600 laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 06:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDell  | Email this | Comments

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Superconducting sapphire wires are as cool as they sound
Copper wire's relatively cheap, pliable and can conduct electricity, but it's hardly ideal. Powering cities requires cables meters wide and the metal loses a lot of energy as heat. Fortunately, a team from Tel Aviv University thinks it's solved the problem. Borrowing a fiber of sapphire from the Oakridge National Lab in Tennessee, it developed a superconducting wire barely thicker than a human hair that conducts 40 times the electricity of its copper brethren. Cooled with liquid nitrogen, the sapphire superconductors carry current without heating up, which is key to their efficiency. The team is now working on practical applications of the technology -- because it's so small and pliable (unlike previous superconductors) it could replace copper in domestic settings and its cold efficiency makes it perfect to transmit power long distances from green energy stations. The wire's going on a world tour as we speak and will touch down at the ATSC conference in Baltimore in October. Anyone who makes jokes about wires and Baltimore will be asked to leave, politely.
Superconducting sapphire wires are as cool as they sound originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Slashdot  |  sourceAF Tel Aviv University  | Email this | Comments

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Windows 8 to feature drastically reduced boot time, shown off in video


Watch the above video closely, because you might just miss the moment: according to the latest post on MSDN's Building Windows 8 blog, Microsoft's next-gen desktop OS will see a hugely improved boot time thanks to a clever technique. Rather than closing both the user session and the kernel session like in a traditional shutdown, Windows 8 will preserve the kernel session on the disk, thus creating a "hiberfile" that's much smaller than that of the usual Windows hibernation -- see the diagram after the break for a clearer idea. The result? An amazingly fast system bootup -- even with the battery removed to begin with -- that claims to be 30 to 70 percent faster than most systems tested by Microsoft. We're itching to test this feature on an SSD ourselves, but until then, you can head over to MSDN's blog for the full technical explanation.
Continue reading Windows 8 to feature drastically reduced boot time, shown off in video
Windows 8 to feature drastically reduced boot time, shown off in video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Next Web, WinRumors  |  sourceMSDN  | Email this | Comments

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US Senate passes patent system reform bill, Obama expected to sign into law
Think it's time to change our patent system? So does Congress. Yesterday, the Senate approved the America Invents Act by an 89-8 vote that could bring about the most drastic changes to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in five decades. Under the bill, which the House approved back in June, patents would be awarded not to the first person to invent a technology, but to the first one to actually file with the USPTO, bringing US policy in line with protocol adopted in most other countries. It also calls for a streamlined application process and would allow the USPTO to charge set fees for all apps. The revenue generated from these fees would go directly to a capped reserve fund, allowing the office to retain the lion's share of the money, rather than funneling much of it to Congress, as had become the norm.



Supporters say this extra revenue will give the USPTO more power to chip away at its backlog of some 700,000 patent applications, while a new third-party challenge system will help eliminate patents that should've never received approval in the first place. Opponents, meanwhile, criticized the bill for not eliminating fee diversion altogether (an amendment that would've placed more severe restrictions was ultimately killed, for fear that it would jeopardize the bill's passage), with Washington Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell questioning the legislation's impact on small businesses, calling it "a big corporation patent giveaway that tramples on the rights of small inventors." But Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who sponsored the bill, argued that yesterday's approval marks a major and historic inflection point in US patent policy:
The creativity that drives our economic engine has made America the global leader in invention and innovation. The America Invents Act will ensure that inventors large and small maintain the competitive edge that has put America at the pinnacle of global innovation. This is historic legislation. It is good policy.
The America Invents Act will now make its way to President Obama's desk, where it's expected to receive his signature. For more background on the legislation, check out the links below.
US Senate passes patent system reform bill, Obama expected to sign into law originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Electronista  |  sourcePC World  | Email this | Comments

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Movea MoveTV platform delivers motion control options to TV and set-top makers
Movea MoveTV Remote
In case you've been living under a rock: motion controls are all the rage these days. And it's not just console makers who want in on the action. ASUS, Philips and Hillcrest Labs have all launched their own takes on the tech. Movea is a company that's well versed in the field, and now plans to start offering its wares direct to TV and set-top box manufacturers. The MoveTV platform offers not only remote control tech to OEMs, but opens up the company's tools to developers for building games and apps. Movea even announced its first partners: C&M Media, a major cable provider in Korea, and Remote Solution. Remote Solution will be licensing Movea's SmartMotion and integrating MoveTV into the set-tops provided to C&M. Soon enough using gestures to change channels and playing arm-flailing renditions of Angry Birds on your cable box could be the norm. Check out the video, PR and one more pic after the break.
Continue reading Movea MoveTV platform delivers motion control options to TV and set-top makers
Movea MoveTV platform delivers motion control options to TV and set-top makers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google details its carbon footprint in new report, makes you think twice about Rickrolling someone
The folks in Mountain View have always been obsessed with performance, but until now, Google had never come clean with the nitty-gritty surrounding power usage. A new report published by the company tells all, revealing that the search giant emits 1.5 million tons of carbon annually; a figure roughly on par with the UN's operational footprint, or slightly more than the amount produced by the entire country of Laos. The docket also breaks down the carbon emissions by activity, too: individual searches yield 0.2g, ten minutes of YouTube emits 1g and the average Gmail user produces 1.2kg of CO2 over a year -- which on average equates to a grand total of 1.46kg of CO2 per plebe across its properties. According to Google, that's a figure that would have been higher had it not custom designed its data centers, achieving a fifty percent reduction in energy usage versus the industry average. Plenty of infographical delight awaits you at the source below.
Permalink The Guardian  |  sourceGoogle  | Email this | Comments

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Auckland amps up free WiFi for Rugby World Cup
Just in time for play-by-play tweets about the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Auckand has instituted a fully-integrated WiFi network across its Link public transit system. According to officials, buses and some trains will get the free internet treatment, giving passengers up to three 30 minute sessions a day between September 1 and October 31st. Powered by Tomizone and sponsored by Localist, the network promises 2 - 6Mbps downloads and is based on point-to-point links around town using fiber assets for backhaul. If that wasn't enough connectivity, CallPlus and Slingshot are dishing out some gratis WiFi of their own with an additional thousand hotspots sprinkled throughout the city. Hopefully, the added infrastructure will mean WiFi access par excellence year round for maximum non-Rugby related tweetage. Check out the full PR after the break.



[Thanks, Scott]
Continue reading Auckland amps up free WiFi for Rugby World Cup
Auckland amps up free WiFi for Rugby World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Computer World  |   | Email this | Comments

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Sprint's BlackBerry Curve 9350 will be delayed until October
Well, it looks as if Sprint's going to miss tomorrow's launch date for the BlackBerry Curve 9350. A representative of the Now Network confirmed the news to us today, stating that the phone will not arrive until next month due to "unexpected circumstances." While the company has yet to announce a new target date, the anonymous tipster who initially outed the story tells Phone Arena to expect an October 2nd arrival. Seeing that Sprint already sells two BlackBerry models that are appreciably better than the Curve 9350, we hope you won't lose sleep over the revelation. Still, if you've got a personal grudge against touchscreens, you'd best reset that countdown timer, starting... now.
Sprint's BlackBerry Curve 9350 will be delayed until October originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Phone Arena  |  sourceSprint  | Email this | Comments

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LG Univa pictured in the wild, may be the Optimus One's young Padawan
You, kid, have got what it takes. The LG E510 -- also known as the Univa -- may be the apprentice of the massively-popular Optimus One, learning the tricks of the trade and mastering the art of winning the hearts of millions across the globe. Norwegian site Mobili nabbed some quality hands-on time with the new device and gave it high marks. The Univa is rumored to feature an 800MHz CPU and Adreno 200 GPU, 512MB of RAM, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a 1,500mAh battery, and will come with Android 2.3.4 installed. The spec sheet isn't enough to stand up to the Droid Bionics and Nexus Primes of the world, but it's certainly capable of holding up the lower end of LG's Android lineup for the next year, likely picking up right where the aging Optimus One left off. The device still isn't official, which means this is all pure speculation for now, but undoubtedly the manufacturer has something in mind for this newbie. Check out more pics in the gallery below.
Gallery: LG Univa E510
Continue reading LG Univa pictured in the wild, may be the Optimus One's young Padawan
LG Univa pictured in the wild, may be the Optimus One's young Padawan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceMobili.no (translated)  | Email this | Comments

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AppSpeed Monster Truck is controlled by your iPad, iPad, iPad (video)
What Dexim's tiny AppSpeed Monster Truck lacks in actual car crushing prowess, it makes up in Apple device compatibility -- and that's gotta account for something, right? The little RC car can be controlled by users' iPhones, iPads or iPod touches, with the help of the company's iOS app, utilizing the devices' built-in accelerometer for 360 degree control of the Monster Truck. The car will be available for $69. As for the app, that will be offered for free through iTunes. Video and PR after the break, break, break.
Continue reading AppSpeed Monster Truck is controlled by your iPad, iPad, iPad (video)
AppSpeed Monster Truck is controlled by your iPad, iPad, iPad (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDexim  | Email this | Comments

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Google acquires Zagat: good news for foodies, bad news for Yelp?
Long before Yelp, there was Zagat -- a point-based restaurant rating guide, compiled from the best (or worst, depending) crowdsourced reviews. Today, Google has acquired the brand and plans to integrate Zagat's now expanded shopping, eating, drinking and hotel tips into both search and maps. For gastronomes, travelers and locals, that means crowdsourced tips for superb noms and activity recommendations from around the world. Sounds great, guys, as long as your new found friendship helps us find the best bacon-flavored ice cream cone, we're all for it.
Google acquires Zagat: good news for foodies, bad news for Yelp? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceThe Official Google Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Opel shows off all-electric One Euro Car concept
It's saving most of the details for the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, but GM subsidiary Opel has now offered up the first glimpse of its all-electric One Euro Car, which seems bound to turn a few heads on the show floor. The car's name comes from the company's promise that the it will consume just one Euro's worth of energy (or about $1.40) for every 100 kilometers, though there's no indication of a price for the car itself other than that it'd be "affordable" -- if it ever goes into production, that is. Otherwise, the company's only saying that it will boast a top speed of 120 kilometers (or 75 miles) per hour, room for two, and a total weight about a third that of a modern compact car.
Opel shows off all-electric One Euro Car concept originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAutoblog Green  | Email this | Comments

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Motorola throws Italia a smartphone curveball with splash-resistant Wilder (video)


Ciao bambini! Motorola just lifted the veil on its latest ruggedized phone, the Wilder, which is destined for Italian shores later this month in all its underpowered glory. The GSM dual-band phone packs a 2.8-inch QVGA display, a two megapixel camera with 15fps video, and 5MB (yes, MEGABYTES) of on-board storage -- so it's not going to be blowing anyone away with lightning-fast performance. Moto is rather light on specs, with no mention of processor speed, OS, or 3G support, but there's nothing here to imply that this thing has been sprinkled with even the slightest amount of Google dust. However, we do assume it's powerful enough to run pre-loaded Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and YouTube apps, and browse the web with Opera Mini. There's also a secondary notification display, expandable storage (up to 32GB), and some embedded games like Tetris and Need for Speed. The Wilder may only be available in Italy initially, setting you back a cool €89 (about $126), but based on these specs, your dough may be better spent on a few kilos of splash-resistant spaghetti.
Continue reading Motorola throws Italia a smartphone curveball with splash-resistant Wilder (video)
Motorola throws Italia a smartphone curveball with splash-resistant Wilder (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google Maps update adds top-rated reviews, photos to Places
Updates can be somewhat of an addiction to the Android faithful -- just peep those XDA forums. And even though this particular Google upgrade isn't exactly the Ice Cream Sandwich of our Autumn dreams, it's still a noteworthy bump to the oft-used Maps app. Bundled up in version 5.10.0 are two minor, but useful tweaks that'll display your four and five star rated Places, as well as letting you tack a photo onto your review. We managed to download the update directly to our phone, but last we checked, the web-based marketplace still hadn't refreshed with the latest offering. Make sure to hit the source link below to keep your Gapps up to snuff.
Google Maps update adds top-rated reviews, photos to Places originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony brings new media streaming box and updated Google TV hardware to CEDIA
Yesterday was the big day for Sony's 4K projector (still no exact price, but reps mentioned it would be sub $25k -- we know you can afford that) and the US debut of its funky 3D helmet, but now that the CEDIA show floor is open we stopped by its booth and got our hands on a couple of other treats. In one corner we've got its Google TV hardware, updated with a near-release upgrade to Honeycomb and showing off some highlighted apps picked by Google. Over in the other, we have its new SMP-N200 streamer. Check the gallery for a few snaps of us pawing the SMP-N200 (smaller than a bread box, way bigger than a Roku 2) and after the break, a live demonstration of Google TV running Honeycomb -- it's not much, but consider this a taste before Google delivers the Market and other goodies around the end of this month.

Gallery: Sony CEDIA 2011 booth
Continue reading Sony brings new media streaming box and updated Google TV hardware to CEDIA
Sony brings new media streaming box and updated Google TV hardware to CEDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung High Fidelity Position app gives Mango GPS a Russian boost
Using your phone's GPS to guide you down city streets can sometimes be a harrowing experience, especially in signal blackspots (or when there's a mild breeze). Fortunately, there's a fancy new solution -- for some of you at least. High Fidelity Position is an app specifically for Samsung Mango phones that supercharges the GPS module with two upgrades to help positioning. The first leverages the on-board accelerometer and compass to help the Windows 7 device orient itself on congested city streets. Second is that it will now access GLONASS -- Russia's equivalent to GPS -- pinpointing your location to within a few feet. When installed, the app is only visible in the settings menu, where you will need to activate it. We can also expect to see more of GLONASS in the future, since Russia's imposing import taxes of about 25-percent on any device that's incompatible with the Soviet standard, and manufacturers won't want to take a hit of that magnitude on a feature they can use. Samsung WP7.5 owners who want every excuse to celebrate the triumphs of Gagarin, Sputnik and Laika can find the app available at the source link below.
Samsung High Fidelity Position app gives Mango GPS a Russian boost originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Robopocalypse coming soon to a theater near you, Spielberg to smother it in PG
The Robopocalypse is coming -- just not in the way you'd feared. DreamWorks and Twentieth Century Fox have joined movie-making forces to reanimate Daniel H. Wilson's fictional (for now) literary account of a future, robot-helmed doomsday. The studios have thrown some guy named Steven Spielberg behind the lens of this cinematic cautionary tale, and plan to scare the bejeezus out of us all when it premieres July 3, 2013 -- that's if we make it past the Mayan end of the world. No casting was mentioned in the project's announcement, so we'll continue to cross our toes in the hopes a certain daytime show couch jumper and film star-turned-pilot don't join in on the blockbuster fear-mongering.
Continue reading Robopocalypse coming soon to a theater near you, Spielberg to smother it in PG
Robopocalypse coming soon to a theater near you, Spielberg to smother it in PG originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Vestel, Extent bring Android games to TVs, with 'all-you-can-eat' subscription service
Just last week Vestel was busy showing of its BitTorrent Certified Television, and now the company's teaming up with Extent to deliver Android games to your boob tube -- and it's doing so by playing off your love of a bottomless buffet. Described as "the world's first all-you-can-eat Android TV game subscription service," GameTanium allows users of Vestel's Smart Box set-top box to access a suite of TV-optimized games in the comfort of their living rooms, using their Android phones as controllers. What's more, the service lets them switch between their PC, cellphone, tablet or TV without ever losing their place in a game. The service will be debuted at this week's IBC, but if this announcement has left you hungry for more, there's always the Golden Corral. Full PR awaits you and your belly after the break.
Continue reading Vestel, Extent bring Android games to TVs, with 'all-you-can-eat' subscription service
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Windows 8 will deliver Hyper-V virtualization tech to all, power users rejoice
Hyper-V
Hear this nerds? Windows 8 will ship with Hyper-V virtualization software integrated into the OS. Until now Hyper-V was limited to Microsoft's server products, but now consumers (whether they care or not) will be able to fire up virtual machines without the need to download VirtualBox or some other VM software suite. Now, the average person probably won't care too much, but power users will be thrilled. And, if virtualization can be integrated seamlessly to enhance security (through sandboxing) and compatibility with legacy apps (say, via an included XP license), it could be a huge boon to casual users -- even if they don't realize it's there. For more details about Hyper-V from the Windows 8 devs, including a nice demo video, check out the source link.
Windows 8 will deliver Hyper-V virtualization tech to all, power users rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Cricket intros the Samsung Vitality, the first Android to offer Muve Music
If executed properly, Muve Music could be a pretty nifty idea. But up until now, the all-you-can download music service from Cricket Wireless has been offered on the Samsung Suede featurephone... and that's it. Fortunately, the Samsung Vitality will come to the rescue as the prepaid carrier's first smartphone to provide the beats. We've seen this device before as the Admire, which runs on Android 2.3, has a 3.5-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display and is powered by an 800MHz CPU. The phone also includes a 3.2 megapixel cam, 1,600mAh battery and a 4GB microSD card. It may not sound all that tempting, but the price could turn a few heads: the Vitality will be available for $200 -- that's sans contract, folks -- and requires a $65 plan which will hook you up with unlimited data, voice and music. Sounds like this Muve Music feature has sprung back to life. Follow the break for the full press release.
Continue reading Cricket intros the Samsung Vitality, the first Android to offer Muve Music
Cricket intros the Samsung Vitality, the first Android to offer Muve Music originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tursion TS-102 is an Android computer disguised as a pico projector
Tursion TS-102
This pico projector is more than meets the eye. Underneath that bland, plastic exterior the Tursion TS-102 is actually a dual-core Android computer. That pair of 624MHz cores is pushing the surprisingly outdated Eclair through a lamp that can project an 800 x 600 image up to 100-inches in size at 20 lumens. While you can hook the TS-102 up to another device, there is no need to. It's capable of displaying media stored on the internal 8GB of flash or on a microSD card, and you can navigate apps with the integrated touchpad. Tack on a WiFi radio and an 80-minute rechargeable battery and you've got the makings of a pretty awesome little toy. You can order your own now on Amazon, but the luxury of owning your own pocketable, big-screen computer (and the bragging rights that go with it) will set you back a steep $449.
Tursion TS-102 is an Android computer disguised as a pico projector originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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G-Technology demos dual-drive 8TB G-RAID HDD, with a dash of Thunderbolt
Not to be outdone by Seagate's 4TB GoFlex Desk, Hitachi's G-Technology unit has now unleashed a jumbo-sized external HDD of its own, with the 8TB, dual-drive G-RAID. Demoed at this week's IBC conference in Amsterdam, the company's new storage house consists of two 4TB drives nestled within an aluminum enclosure, each of which clocks in at 7,200 RPM. Configured for OS X, the G-RAID also sports a Thunderbolt port that offers transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps, though it can also support Windows with some simple reformatting. G-Technology will begin shipping its 4TB drives in October (with eSATA, FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 ports), whereas its "4TB-based" Thunderbolt-equipped drive won't hit the market until Q4 -- though it's still unclear whether either model will ship as single drives, or as a two-headed, 8TB beast. Pricing remains a mystery for the moment, but you can find more details in the full PR, after the break.
Continue reading G-Technology demos dual-drive 8TB G-RAID HDD, with a dash of Thunderbolt
G-Technology demos dual-drive 8TB G-RAID HDD, with a dash of Thunderbolt originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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JVC shows off projectors with 4K precision, but not quite 4K pixels
JVC first brought 4K home with its $175k DLA-RS4000 and now it's back with four new models with greater than HD resolution at much easier to swallow prices. You'll note the term used is "with 4K precision", because strictly speaking these don't project over 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution, coming in at a still impressive 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. While this is still about four times the number of a standard HD image, it's less than say, Sony's VPL-VW1000ES. Filling in the difference is JVC's e-Shift technology, which was originally developed for its 8K projector. It works by creating two 1080p frames, with one shifted down diagonally and alternated at 120Hz to create the effect.



The scheme is not far off from the old wobulation technology featured in some "1080p" DLPs once upon a time, but this time there are no moving parts as it's all being done electronically. Shown off with an HD resolution source the upscaled image was still impressively sharp to us, even up close, while it also handles native 4K feed. While JVC may not be winning on raw pixel count, what it does have is a serious price advantage. Sony indicated its hardware would be available for "less than $25,000" but the top of the line JVC has an MSRP of just $12k, while the cheaper model will be $7,999 when they all ship in November. Check out the press release after the break and images in the gallery for details, including those so rarely seen native contrast ratio measurements.

Gallery: JVC CEDIA 2011
Continue reading JVC shows off projectors with 4K precision, but not quite 4K pixels
JVC shows off projectors with 4K precision, but not quite 4K pixels originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google Music Beta crosses the aisle, launches for iOS via web app (hands-on)
We know, we know -- you're anxiously awaiting the public launch of iTunes Match, but what if you're one of those people? You know, the crowd that dips their toes into both Google and Apple offerings. It's clearly not as blasphemous as you may have been led to believe, as the fine folks in Google's mobile department have just produced an iOS-specific web app for Google Music Beta. For those who've forgotten, Music Beta was launched a few months back at Google I/O, giving audio archivists the chance to upload 20,000 of their favorite jams into the cloud; now, as you might imagine, it ain't just Android users tapping into those libraries. Predictably, the Music Beta iOS web app enables iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users to login to their accounts and stream at will, and if you're down to give it a go, the download link is just below -- you'll need to have been accepted previously into the beta, though.



We gave it a quick whirl on the iPad here at Engadget HQ, and it works beautifully. As you'd expect, the actual graphical elements are a bit lacking compared to the Android app, but all of the core functionality is there. Swiping left / right cruises through Artists, Albums, Songs, Playlists and Genres, and the track currently playing remains in a top bar regardless of what main window you're in. The search function works as advertised, and on a basic cable connection our results populated within two seconds of getting the third letter down. All in all, it's a fairly nice spread (see for yourself in the gallery below), but not quite as nice as we're envisioning a dedicated app to be. Still holding out for one? Heh... we never said Google was that generous.

Gallery: Google Music Beta web app on iPad (hands-on)
Google Music Beta crosses the aisle, launches for iOS via web app (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Fujitsu's waterproof Arrows Tab LTE F-01D to launch on DoCoMo next month
First rule of expensive electronics 101 is don't get'em wet. For the Japanese, however, a waterproof gadget option's a welcome value-add to time spent soaking in that ofuro. We first got a sneak peek at DoCoMo's H2O-resistant LTE Fujitsu tablet just last week, and now the company's making the announcement official. Joining the Arrows Tab LTE F-01D on the carrier's new 4G Xi (read: Crossy) network is our good Samsung friend, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE SC-01D. Both slates are set to hit the operator's Japanese airwaves next month, with Sammy's bowing in early October and Fujitsu's model landing a few weeks later. While we're already privy to all the internal guts and glory of the former tab, we finally have some spec confirmation on the Arrows. The 10.1-incher boasts a WXGA display, dual-core processor running Android 3.2, 1.3 megapixel front-facing / 5 megapixel rear camera setup, up to 32GB of storage and that ever useful waterproofing. Try not to be too jealous, statesiders -- there's always that glimmer of FCC filing hope.
Continue reading Fujitsu's waterproof Arrows Tab LTE F-01D to launch on DoCoMo next month
Fujitsu's waterproof Arrows Tab LTE F-01D to launch on DoCoMo next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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