IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 3/22/2012

Le Pan III hits l'FCC

There's a good chance you don't remember the Le Pan III. The Ice Cream Sandwich tablet succumbed to the deluge of fellow Android slates when it was announced back in January during CES, but perhaps it'll get a bit more attention now that it's gotten the FCC's governmental stamp of approval. Perhaps. In the meantime, the 1.5GHz tablet is still listed as "coming soon" on Le Pan's site.

Le Pan III hits l'FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast's Xfinity TV app updated with Android 4.0 support

Good news for those saddled with still using Comcast: its Xfinity TV app was just updated to support Android 4.0. The new build brings compatibility to all existing Ice Cream Sandwich devices (tablets and phones), while also patching up a smattering of undistinguished bug fixes. Eager to grab your own copy? Hit the Play store on your device, or point it to the source link below.

Comcast's Xfinity TV app updated with Android 4.0 support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Wallet supports prepaid cards once again, afflicted users get $5 in compensation

Google Wallet's prepaid experiment hasn't been the smoothest of endeavors, but the company wants to make up for all the headaches -- with cash. A few weeks ago, Google disabled a feature that allowed users to add a Google Prepaid Card to their wallets after either removing it, or resetting their apps. The move came in response to mounting security concerns, but those issues have been allayed with the latest version of Google Wallet, meaning that users can now re-add their prepaid cards and hoover up all the money that was previously on them. To make up for the "inconvenience," Google has added an extra $5 to every prepaid card, and sent an email out to all its customers to let them know about it. So if you count yourself among the legions of inconvenienced, be sure to add your card and spend that $5 on something sublime.

Google Wallet supports prepaid cards once again, afflicted users get $5 in compensation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's nano-SIM proposal draws fire from Motorola, Nokia, RIM

Giesecke & Devrient's nano-SIM design is fueling quite the standards battle over in Europe, with Apple sitting in one corner, and the troika of Motorola, Nokia and RIM looming in the other. That's according to the Financial Times, which reports today that Cupertino is leading a charge to push its own nano-SIM proposal through Europe's standards body, ETSI, much to the chagrin of its competitors. According to FT's sources, Apple's version of the nano-SIM would call for a "drawer" to protect it, much like the designs already featured in the iPhone and iPad. Though the standard would be available to all manufacturers under license, there's a lingering fear that Apple may eventually own all the patents pertaining to its proposal. Plus, its rivals would have to re-engineer their handsets to meet Apple's proposed design, even though Nokia claims its solution offers "significant technical advantages." ETSI is slated to vote on the proposals next week, but FT claims that the company has already garnered support from most of Europe's providers. Just to be sure, though, Cupertino is applying to become the largest voting member at ETSI, and is looking to register a full six European subsidies under its name. Each subsidy can wield up to 45 votes, meaning that if approved, Apple would overtake Nokia as the organization's largest voting body. Nokia, for its part, has filed a document in protest.

Apple's nano-SIM proposal draws fire from Motorola, Nokia, RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eventbrite unveils At The Door Card reader, turns iPads into ticketing terminals

Square may see the iPad to as an excellent retail tool, but Eventbrite thinks Apple's tablet a box office boon, which is why it created the At The Door app and card reader solution. Eventbrite's a self-service ticketing platform and its new dongle, which connects via Apple's 30-pin connector, lets indie event promoters take reader-encrypted credit card payments with any iPad. Meanwhile, the app lets you see on-site and online ticket sales, keep track of customer contact info and balance the books as well. Plus, any payments taken through the app are service fee-free, meaning users only pay for credit card processing. Not only that, you can wirelessly print tickets and receipts via a compatible printer (should you be willing to buy one), too. But before you go planning your personal Woodstock, perhaps you'd like to know how much this ticketing bonanza costs? Well, the app's free and the reader's 10 bucks, with Eventbrite handing out 10 dollar account credits in return for those who jump on the bandwagon. If that sounds like something your into, hit the PR after the break for more info or pick one up from the source below.
Continue reading Eventbrite unveils At The Door Card reader, turns iPads into ticketing terminals

Eventbrite unveils At The Door Card reader, turns iPads into ticketing terminals originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's bigger and better HDTVs for 2012 start hitting store shelves

Right on schedule, Sharp let us know it's begun shipments of Aquos 7-series LED HDTVs in 60- and 70-inch sizes. With MSRPs of $2,300 and $3,300, respectively, the 745U models have edge LED lighting, 3D, WiFi and SmartCentral UI built in featuring apps including Netflix, Hulu and Facebook. The 8-series models will bring the company's latest Quad Pixel Plus 2 Quattron tech when they start shipping towards the end of this month as well as full-array LED backlighting and an ultra-slim bezel design. Check after the break for sizes, specs and prices, and let us know if these models have shown up in your neck of the woods yet.
Continue reading Sharp's bigger and better HDTVs for 2012 start hitting store shelves

Sharp's bigger and better HDTVs for 2012 start hitting store shelves originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaked Sprint memo reveals upcoming Direct Connect Now app for Android

It's been nearly a year since The Now Network ditched iDEN and unveiled its CDMA push-to-talk menu, the latter of which could see a major boost in the near future. A recently leaked doc would suggest Sprint's got a Direct Connect Now Android app in the works -- one that wouldn't have you rockin' some ruggedized hardware. The memo also reveals the application is set to "launch in 2012," with the Samsung Transformer Ultra being the first device to carry it. Naturally, the alleged PTT goodies will adjust to touchscreen handsets, bringing new controls alongside group calling and support for both Sprint and Nextel's Direct Connect services. Let's just hope Sprint doesn't bail on this like it did on QChat...

Leaked Sprint memo reveals upcoming Direct Connect Now app for Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xperia Neo L will be Sony's first ICS phone, but only for China?

While your Xperia might not have gotten its planned Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade just yet, Sony's come clean on its first phone to wield Google's latest straight from the factory: the Xperia Neo L. Appearing on the company's Chinese website, we wouldn't expect a redux of the mostly 2011 hardware to go on a world tour anytime soon. Those buying will be treated to a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) screen that's a smidge bigger than the original yet still carries a 1GHz worth of Snapdragon coupled to 512MB of RAM. Unlike the archetype, though, the camera gets downgraded to a 5 megapixels in the rear while retaining the same VGA shooter in the front. Naturally there's no word on price or availability, but at least for diehard fanboys can have their ice cream and eat it too.

Xperia Neo L will be Sony's first ICS phone, but only for China? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Xperiablog, Engadget Chinese (translated)  |  Sony (translated)  | Email this | Comments

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New undersea cables planned for arctic passageways, frozen gamers dream of lower pings

Hot on the heels of our own reporting of cables in the South Pacific (or the lack thereof), in flies a report that at least two new undersea cables are being planned for the arctic. According to New Scientist, a pair of lengthy fiber optic wires will be laid through the Northwest Passage above North America, connecting Japan to the United Kingdom. Moreover, a third cable is planned along the Russian coastline, with the longest of these links to purportedly become "the world's longest single stretch of optical fiber." A number of outfits are on the list to help out, and when complete, the latency between Tokyo and London should be reduced between 168ms and 230ms. The cost for such luxury? An estimated $600 million to $1.5 billion for each line. In other words, totally worth it.

New undersea cables planned for arctic passageways, frozen gamers dream of lower pings originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget HD Podcast 291 - 03.20.2012
We've got a few special treats for you this week, as podcast listener and frequent commenter Andrew Beck joins us on the show. Later on, we have an interview with DTS VP of Corporate Strategy and Development David McIntyre stops by to discuss the latest developments with Ultraviolet and the Common File Format. Of course, there's also a lot of HD news to cover this week, as the 1080p Apple TV arrived, Dish launched its latest multiroom DVR and Aereo's streaming TV service jumped in the game. There's plenty more to talk about, so press play and bask in the sound of a (welcome) third party's opinion.

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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)
Guest: Andrew Beck (@arbeck)

Producer: Trent Wolbe

00:24:17 - Walmart in-store disc to digital UltraViolet conversion gets official
00:34:57 - Dish Network starts rolling out Hopper / Joey multiroom DVR setup today
00:45:07 - A closer look at Apple TV's software update and 1080p movies
00:48:00 - iTunes movies in 1080p: less than or equal to Blu-ray image quality?
00:51:00 - Apple TV (2012) gets torn down, confirmed to have 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage
00:53:17 - Apple to announce plans for its $100 billion cash reserves tomorrow morning
00:54:30 - Pioneer launches its 2012 VSX AV receivers lineup, available now starting at $249
00:59:14 - HBO GO teases vocal controls via Kinect, coming soon to Xbox 360
01:02:42 - Discovery shows hit Amazon Prime Instant Video
01:05:20 - TiVo co-founder, CTO Jim Barton resigns
01:06:32 - Google gets go ahead to provide video services to all Kansas City residents
01:08:21 - Intel plans branded IPTV service, could launch by end of 2012
01:10:28 - Time Warner Cable brings 26 local NYC channels to iOS app, website
01:12:07 - Sky Sports for iPad 2.0 launches with live TV streaming, F1 Race Control companion
01:13:55 - Aereo TV broadcast-streaming service launching today
01:15:05 - Must See HDTV (March 19th - 25th)
01:27:33 - David McIntyre

Hear the podcast

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)

Engadget HD Podcast 291 - 03.20.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google adds spam explanation to Gmail, steers clear of enlightenment

Why is this message in spam? It's a question we find ourselves asking our Gmail boxes almost daily, when messages that really should have made it through to the inbox end up in electronic pergatory instead. So why does Google's algorithm choose to filter certain legitimate messages, while letting the vast majority arrive unscathed? The answer can now be found atop each message filed as spam, presented with the simplest of explanations, that generally fails to provide any actual insight as to the email's assigned delivery. Such worthless gems as "It's similar to messages that were detected by our spam filters," "It contains content that's typically used in spam messages" or "Many people marked similar messages as spam" now await you above each note -- seemingly assigned just as casually as the emails themselves.

Google adds spam explanation to Gmail, steers clear of enlightenment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Surprise! Study finds internet worth a lot of money, is responsible for 4.7 percent of US economy

Ever wondered how much the interwebs contribute to the Uncle Sam's bottom line? Thanks to the Boston Consulting Group, now you don't have to. It's estimated the net contributes a cool $684 billion is to the US gross domestic product. That's roughly 4.7 percent of US GDP, the same tranche as its effect on Japan's economy, but less than the 5.5, 7.3 and 8.3 percent clocked in by China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, respectively. And per the report, the internet is just getting started, with future growth expected to hit eight percent on average by 2016 for developed countries, and well north of 20 percent in booming economies like those of Argentina and India. Hit the source for the full report.

Surprise! Study finds internet worth a lot of money, is responsible for 4.7 percent of US economy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Mobile USA's text and data services are out across the USA
As customers of Sprint's contract-averse MVNO have probably noticed, Virgin Mobile has been having a national outage of its text and data services for at least several hours now. While we're hearing from some customers it's been out all day, acknowledgement of the disruption only just became Facebook official. There's no word yet when it will be resolved however, as we're only getting the "engineers are working to resolve it" boilerplate for now. Until then we'd suggest enjoying the few activities that are still possible without wireless internet access, if those are even still a thing.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Virgin Mobile USA's text and data services are out across the USA originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aereo countersues broadcasters over its internet TV streaming service

Now that Aereo has launched its antenna TV-over-the-internet service it can devote some attention to its legal issues, and today countersued the TV networks suing it (Fox, PBS, Univision, WPIX and WNET) in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. It's already filed another suit against Disney, CBS, NBCUniversal and Telemundo, as they wrangle over whether or not its scheme -- using an individual "microantenna" for each subscriber and streaming to that person over the internet, as long as they're in the broadcasting area -- violates their copyright. According to Aereo, it's merely relocating the equipment from the customer's home to its remote facility. We'll see if that argument works out any better than it did for Zediva, which announced last week that customers wouldn't be getting their money back after it was sued out of existence last year.

Aereo countersues broadcasters over its internet TV streaming service originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GSMA and WBA team up to develop WiFi roaming framework for cellphones, tablets
Many phones have WiFi, and there are hotspots in all sorts of places these days, so wouldn't it be cool if you could use them for roaming, regardless of provider? Well, if a new collaboration between the GSMA and the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has any say in the matter, one day you might be able to do just that. The goal is to simplify how cellphones can connect to those hotspots, by developing a technical framework for seamless WiFi roaming. The new standard will be based on the WBA's "Next Generation Hotspot" initiative and the WiFi Alliance's "Passpoint certification" system, taking cues from the GSMA's established roaming experience. The basic principles have already been laid down, and just require network formalities such as security and billing to be taken care of. No peep on when we might start seeing dividends, alas, so for now your subway ride can continue in (relative) peace.
Continue reading GSMA and WBA team up to develop WiFi roaming framework for cellphones, tablets

GSMA and WBA team up to develop WiFi roaming framework for cellphones, tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comics iPad app gets Retina-friendly update, 'POW!' bubbles now much POWier

ComiXology is usually keeping up with the latest-and-greatest, and it's doing so yet again by rapidly updating its Comics app to meet the new iPad's Retina-sized needs. In addition to the CMX-HD comic books coming to the 2048 x 1536 screen, the updated application also includes novel social sharing features via Twitter, Zuck's network and email. Among other bits worth noting are a handful of nondescript bug fixes as well as stability improvements. Best of all, the refresh won't cost you a dime and it's available now in the App Store, linked just below for your convenience.

Comics iPad app gets Retina-friendly update, 'POW!' bubbles now much POWier originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo iOS app updated to v1.9 with a few new features, Android tablet app on the way

The TiVo iOS app has been updated v1.9, and whether you're on iPad or iPhone there's a slew of new fixes and tweaks available. On both platforms, the Facebook login has been streamlined, there's To Do List / Season Pass management for Series3 DVRs, ability to create a WishList search and more. The iPad version features a new full-screen Browse UI (shown above) and collapsible folders while the iPhone receives high res retina display quality images. Zatz Not Funny mentions those higher quality pics will come to the iPad as well in the next few weeks, while TiVo's blog post mentions all of these features will arrive in its Android app(s) this summer. We say apps plural, because that's including a specialized Tablet version due in the springtime. For now however, the changelogs for the iOS versions are available at the links below.

TiVo iOS app updated to v1.9 with a few new features, Android tablet app on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC and Sprint ready to show off a new 'collaboration' April 4th, might be the One X

We just got invited to a special party put on by Sprint and HTC on April 4th to witness the latest collaboration between the two companies. Could this be the LTE-capable One X we heard about yesterday? No matter what it is, Dan Hesse and Jason Mackenzie will be there, so you know it's going to be kind of a big deal. We'll join the two head honchos there as well -- and we're definitely looking forward to it.

Update: TechoBuffalo has it on good authority that it'll be the One X (dubbed "Jet") unveiled in New York City, and will almost certainly boast LTE. Then again, so will Sprint's eventual edition of the Galaxy Nexus, which is growing more and more dated with each passing hour.

HTC and Sprint ready to show off a new 'collaboration' April 4th, might be the One X originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Drive gets full offline access, Maps / Transport also updated

For the smattering of hardcore argonauts on staff here at Engadget (guilty as charged), we've clung tightly to Android when it came time to navigate on the move. Why? Google Maps Navigation, that's why. To date, there's simply no better all-around navigational app from a global perspective -- one that gets updated daily in the cloud gratis, and one that provides at least basic roadways in pretty much every nation that's fit to visit. Slowly but surely, Nokia and Windows Phone have been building a formidable opponent, and today's updates to Nokia's trifecta of navigational tools might be just the thing Google loyalists needed to cast a glance in Microsoft's direction.

For starters, Nokia Drive is seeing a monumental update -- one that supports a completely offline experience. Anyone who has traveled overseas and been forced to find a local SIM (or worse, eat roaming charges) in order to navigate understands just how crucial this addition is, and we're hoping that Nokia's inclusion will force Google to take its own offline offering to the next level. Moving right along, Nokia Maps has seen an update that makes sharing favorites a bit easier, and you'll also get live traffic in a slew of countries. Public commuters will appreciate the overhauled Transport app, which is now capable of providing walking / mass transit directions for over 510 cities in 46 countries. The new kit is available in the Windows Phone Marketplace today for those lucky enough to own a Lumia.

Nokia Drive gets full offline access, Maps / Transport also updated originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oracle's final damage claim against Google well under $100 million

My, my, my, how the mighty have fallen. In this case, the mighty is the roughly $6 billion Oracle initially sought in its suit against Google. By September of last year that number had dropped to a comparatively paltry $2 billion, which was still too high for presiding Judge William Alsup. Now that has plummeted precipitously, with Oracle's new starting figure sitting at $32.3 million. Of course, the final total for the damages will likely be higher than that, but we'd be mighty shocked if the ultimate settlement was even close to $100 million. Google's own estimates put the valuation at between $37.5 million and $46.6 million -- a far cry from the $100 million starting point Alsup had suggested in July of last year. Now all that's left is for this sucker to actually go to trial. Hit up the source to read the full filing.

Oracle's final damage claim against Google well under $100 million originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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14-inch Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook review (NP530U4B-A01U)

Samsung unveils 13- and 14-inch Series 5 Ultrabooks, starting at $899 (hands-on)

Samsung unveils redesigned Series 5 laptops with 13- and 15-inch displays, starting at $1,399

Toshiba shows off 14-inch Ultrabook, we go hands-on

Pop quiz: which of the following is being marketed as an Ultrabook? Behind door number one, we have a 2.5-pound wisp of a laptop with a 13-inch screen, Core i5 CPU and 128GB SSD. Next up there's contestant number two, a 3.94-pound notebook with a 14-inch display, 500GB hard drive, and DVD burner. If you guessed the latter, well, congrats on reading that headline correctly, though we'd understand if you said that first option sounds like the Ultrabook.

Indeed, Samsung's Series 5 Ultrabooks are a tad plumper than most, and look especially oversized next to the Series 9, that other ultraportable we've been describing. But it's not just Samsung using loose parameters to decide what counts as an Ultrabook. If Intel's own forecast is correct, half of the 75-plus models that go on sale this year will have 14- or 15-inch screens, and we've already seen a sampling of contenders from HP, Acer and Toshiba. The idea, say PC makers, is to lure in a more old-fashioned kind of customer, shoppers who aren't quite ready to ditch their DVD drive, and who aren't keen on stepping down to a too-small screen. At the same time, these laptops are thinner and lighter than similarly sized laptops, last longer on a charge and hold the promise of faster performance -- three reasons manufacturers can get away with charging more than they would for a plain 'ol laptop.

In a nutshell, that's the value proposition behind the 14-inch Series 5, which costs $949 and comes bearing a Core i5 processor, 500GB hybrid hard drive and, of course, a DVD burner. But do the benefits of a bigger Ultrabook outweigh the annoyances? And how does it compare to regular 14-inch laptops that aren't classified as ultraportables (and that don't command the Ultrabook tax)? Let's find out.

Gallery: 14-inch Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook review (NP530U4B-A01U)

Continue reading 14-inch Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook review (NP530U4B-A01U)

14-inch Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook review (NP530U4B-A01U) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonos' new controller apps now available for kicking out those jams

Remember those revamped Sonos apps the company teased last week? Now they can be yours whenever you choose to update the software on your OS X or Windows computer. As well as a refreshed user interface, you'll get unified search, drag-and-drop functionality and one-touch party mode -- although it turns out, that last one doesn't suddenly make a party appear in your house. Shame, that.

Continue reading Sonos' new controller apps now available for kicking out those jams

Sonos' new controller apps now available for kicking out those jams originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei MyTouch for T-Mobile, meet Mr. Blurrycam

So the rumors about Huawei pushing out a duo of T-Mobile MyTouch devices just got a little beefier, now that the real deal has actually been given the Mr. Blurrycam treatment. Above and below are images grabbed by TmoNews that show off the non-QWERTY model, which are expected to come running on Android 2.3.6 and taking advantage of a WVGA display. While the two mid-range devices will be the next in line to bear the MyTouch name, they'll also be known as the U8680 and U8730 elsewhere. If you enjoyed these pics, don't wait to click on the source link for more.

Continue reading Huawei MyTouch for T-Mobile, meet Mr. Blurrycam

Huawei MyTouch for T-Mobile, meet Mr. Blurrycam originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera's TV browser strides into Berryville, population one

The lips of Intel's PR team have barely delivered the final superlative about its new Berryville set-top silicon, and already software houses are confirming support. In this case it's Opera, who has been quick to announce that its TV-based WebGL browser plays nice with the new Atom Media Processor CE5300 (to give it its full name), which given Opera's cross-platform proliferation, isn't surprising really. We're sure a slew of others will follow soon, but for now you can rest easy knowing that one of the internet's oldest living browsers will work on tech you don't even have yet.
Continue reading Opera's TV browser strides into Berryville, population one

Opera's TV browser strides into Berryville, population one originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AllThingsD: HP to fold Imaging and Printing division into Personal Systems Group

HP might have at one point considered ridding itself of its high revenue but low earnings computing division, but AllThingsD has it on good authority that its profitable printing group will now be folded into it. Under the guise of consolidation, the union of both should streamline operations, as both currently expend sizable efforts targeting the same business and home consumers alike. It'll also mean the current Imaging and Printing Group head-honcho, Vyomesh Joshi, is on the outs with the absorbed unit reporting to existing Personal Systems Group head, Todd Bradley. Enough about the kerfuffle, ultimately the shakeup means we're one step closer to owning the webOS printer of our dreams, right?

AllThingsD: HP to fold Imaging and Printing division into Personal Systems Group originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Win a chance to ride along with Engadget for a private briefing on Panasonic's 2012 home entertainment lineup!

As you probably know, we're in a lot of exclusive, behind-closed-doors briefings of products that won't find their way to retail availability for months to come. We do our best in every post to give you the full experience and virtually bring you along with us, but for the first time we're doing something different. Next week, Panasonic will be giving the media an up-close look at some of its biggest home entertainment products shipping later this year, including the 55-inch WT50 IPS LCD and the VT50 plasma (successor to last year's HDTV of the Year). This time, we've been given permission to take a lucky few of you along for the ride.

The event takes place next Tuesday, March 27th in New York City at 7:00pm. To get a chance to attend, you need to email nycevents [at] engadget.com with your full name. If you make it, we'll respond back with details on the event, but it'll be up to you to find your way to Manhattan.

Winners will not only get to check out Panasonic's 2012 line of cameras, HDTVs, Blu-ray players and other home entertainment products but a few particularly lucky attendees will get to take some of them home. Yes, there will be giveaways, and they'll be good ones.

Here are the deets:

• The event is open to those 18 and older.
• The event begins at 7:00pm and will run for approximately two hours.
• This is not first-come-first-serve, so there will be no need to line up.
• Please bring a photo ID and your confirmation with you for admission.

Send those emails in soon, and we hope to see you next week!

Update: We've received more than enough entries, so we're halting acceptance of new ones for now. We'll let you know if we need to re-open the flood gates!

Win a chance to ride along with Engadget for a private briefing on Panasonic's 2012 home entertainment lineup! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beats Audio is buying MOG music streaming service

Looks like the rumors were all too true -- according to All Things D, Beats Audio is picking up MOG. For those unaware, MOG is yet another music streaming / subscription service, and while the feature set bests even the vaunted Spotify in many ways by including a Pandora-like playlist generator, it's had a tough time procuring the same hype machine. Regardless, there's no more hiding under the radar now, and you can bet that anything with a Beats label on it will soon be using MOG as a musical pillar (hello, HTC Sense?). We're reaching out for comment and will update when we can.

Beats Audio is buying MOG music streaming service originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone Tango ROM leaks out, reveals support for more background tasks

Rumors point toward a probable Tango launch in China on the 21st of the month, but folks over at the XDA forums already have their eager palms on a "world first" ROM. The leaked Windows Phone goodies show support for more multitasking apps, getting a boost from the five that are currently supported in Mango to eight. Additionally, Tango (8773) seems to use less no-task memory than its older 8107 sibling, while it also brings Delivery Confirmation and Acknowledgment to its MMS settings. More secrets are bound to shell out over the next few hours, and you can keep yourself entertained by checking what else slipped through the cracks at the XDA site by clicking our source links below.

Windows Phone Tango ROM leaks out, reveals support for more background tasks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Arena  |  XDA-Developers (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

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Apple snags a patent for the Smart Cover's magnetic know-how

No, it doesn't cover the totality of the Smart Cover itself (or any case that folds into a triangle), but Apple has now managed to obtain a patent for one of the accessory's key bits of functionality. First filed in July of 2011 and published by the USPTO today, the patent described as an "accessory device with magnetic attachment" details how magnets can be used in a particular manner to attach a cover to a device (like an iPad) and secure it in place, yet still allow it to be easily released. Again, that doesn't cover all cases that use magnets -- just magnets used in this very specific way. Hit the source link below for all the details in patent-speak.

Apple snags a patent for the Smart Cover's magnetic know-how originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: free apps drain 75 percent more power, badly built advertising to blame

It's often said there's no such thing as a free lunch and that's doubly the case for free apps. A team from Purdue University found that nearly three quarters of the power used when you run an app like Angry Birds is actually used for adverts. It developed eprof, an app that investigates what processes are draining from your battery. Loading it onto the very old-school Android-powered myTouch 3G and Nexus One (not to mention a HTC TyTn II running Windows Mobile 6.5). Drilling down into those Angry Birds figures: the game itself only consumes 18 percent of the power, while advertising platform Flurry has 45 percent and GPS location tracking a further 15 percent. Project leader Abhinav Pathak lays the blame at the feet of poorly coded apps that need to be made significantly more efficient. He's now working with Microsoft to bring his software to Windows Phone and will present his findings at the EuroSys conference in Bern next month. If you don't think you'll be able to give up free apps, just remember to shut down GPS before you start smashing those pigs.

Study: free apps drain 75 percent more power, badly built advertising to blame originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink New Scientist, Cult of Mac  |  Abhinav Pathak, (PDF)  | Email this | Comments

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Zinio finally hits the PlayBook, becomes your Berry own magazine stand

Zinio's had a comfortable spot sitting on the Android and iOS stores for months, but up until now, it'd been steering clear of a certain App World. Fast forward to today and the digital magazine service is staying true to its tweet, at last making its way to that 7-inch BlackBerry slate. The PlayBook flavor brings along the usual traits, including over 5,000 mags in 33 different languages, multiple device syncing, as well as full subscriptions or à la carte issues . Early adopters have already taken the app for a spin, giving it mixed reviews, and you can do the same directly from your two-dot-oh slab or via the source link below.

Zinio finally hits the PlayBook, becomes your Berry own magazine stand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileSyrup  |  App World  | Email this | Comments

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Porsche 918 hybrid supercar rolls out of our dreams, onto the tarmac

Concepts, concepts, darned concepts. Teasing us with their curvy lines, and never-to-be-seen futuristic promise. Every once in a while, though, one pops out from the drawing board and into reality -- the Porsche 918 hybrid supercar being one such example. We'll admit we drooled a little when we saw the initial shots, and trembled slightly at the real world concept outed at the Geneva Motor Show 18 months ago. So, knowing it's finally made it out on the track filled us with more than a little glee. It seems development is coming along just fine, with three test versions out in the wild, and our friends over at Autoblog were lucky enough to get a ride in one of them. Sure, it was "only" at half power, so not the full roar of that 770 horsepower engine, but we're still pretty jelly. The $845,000 price tag might make you wince a little, but tears of joy will wash any pain away 3.1 seconds later, as you hit that magical 60mph. You've got until September 18th next year to save up the pennies, or ogle the gallery below.

Gallery: Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 hybrid supercar rolls out of our dreams, onto the tarmac originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple: don't worry about hot iPad reports, it's cool

All this talk about overheating iPads isn't getting Apple all that excited, apparently. The company issued a fairly noncommittal response on the matter, stating that in spite of the tablet's LTE support, fast processing, battery life and resolutionary display magic, it still "operate[s] well within [Apple's] thermal specifications." That said, if anyone happens to have concern with regards to an overheated lap, "they should contact AppleCare." There may be a chance, after all, that you've been holding it wrong.

Apple: don't worry about hot iPad reports, it's cool originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Times nears half-million online subscriber mark, halves free article allowance to celebrate

The New York Times just gave you more reason to consider making the jump to a paid online subscription -- beginning in April, that free article allowance will see a 50-percent cut, from 20 monthly articles to just 10. This modification comes one year after NYTimes.com launched its infamous content paywall, and following an announcement that the publisher has signed up 454,000 digital subscribers. Paying readers will receive a 12-week subscription that they can gift to anyone on the fence about swiping for access, and smartphone and tablet app users will continue to have access to the "Top News" sections for free. You'll also be able to read articles linked from other sites on the web, including your inbox, and can access five free posts a day that appear in search engine results. Completely unfettered access will range in price from $15 to $35 per month -- you'll find full details in the PR just past the break, and at the source link below.
Continue reading New York Times nears half-million online subscriber mark, halves free article allowance to celebrate

New York Times nears half-million online subscriber mark, halves free article allowance to celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Giveaway: win a new iPad, courtesy of Kabam!

What could be better than our usual Monday morning giveaway? Why, a Tuesday morning giveaway of a new iPad, of course. If you missed the pre-order madness or can't be bothered to hit your local bricks and mortar to pick up a new iPad, no sweat, Kabam's got you covered. Celebrating the launch of its first iOS title, Kingdoms of Camelot: Battle for the North, Kabam decided to gift one of Apple's newest toys for you to make the most of its free game. Entering is as easy as dropping a comment in this post -- and reading the rules. But don't sweat it if you miss out on winning this iPad as Kabam's giving one away each day until the 31st of March for just playing the game. Good luck!





The rules:

• 
  Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. Duplicate entries will be filtered out and discarded, so adding additional comments won't increase your likelihood of winning.
• 
  Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• 
  Winners will be chosen randomly. One winner will win a new iPad.
• 
  If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• 
  This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Apple, Kabam and Engadget are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service.
• 
  The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
• 
  Entries can be submitted until March 21, 2012 at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!

Engadget Giveaway: win a new iPad, courtesy of Kabam! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon updates Revolution with Remote Diagnostics, HTC turns to LogMeIn

Both Verizon and HTC are experimenting with remote diagnostics and tech support. Big Red will be offering the tool to owners of the LG Revolution first. The VS910ZV8 update delivers a number of changes, but the most notable new feature is the integration of Verizon Remote Diagnostics. Now, when a customer calls support, the technician (or script follower, as the case may be) on the other side can take control of the user's device to troubleshoot or demo apps. And, just in case you're paranoid about handing over the keys to your handset, the tool only collects info such as battery temp, OS version and what apps are installed -- your contacts and other personal data are safe from prying eyes. HTC plans to offer similar capabilities on its phones, but through LogMeIn Rescue. Future handsets from the company will come with the app preinstalled so that HTC's own technicians can diagnose issues and tweak settings. For more details on the Revolution update hit up the source link and check out the PR after the break for the low down on HTC's initiative.

Update: It looks like the Droid Charge will also be getting an update soon that will install Verizon Remote Diagnostics. This could be a pretty quick roll out.
Continue reading Verizon updates Revolution with Remote Diagnostics, HTC turns to LogMeIn

Verizon updates Revolution with Remote Diagnostics, HTC turns to LogMeIn originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deezer music streaming service rolls out offline mode, still not available in the US

While Stateside folks are still waiting for the service to land, tune-streaming Deezer is keeping itself and its current groupies occupied. During today's London Web Summit, the company announced a new feature simply dubbed "off-line mode," which will be up for grabs to any Premium+ subscriber. The fresh bit allows paid subs to download their tune collection onto a desktop or laptop machine and have access to it offline, something rival Spotify's been doing since its beginnings. Worth noting is the feature will only work on the Big G's browser during its initial launch, though support for others is said to be coming "very soon." Enjoy. We'll just have to keep awaiting.

Deezer music streaming service rolls out offline mode, still not available in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VMware's WSX promises to bring virtualized desktops to the web browser with HTML5

It's not quite ready for widespread use just yet, but it looks like we could soon have yet another way to virtualize one computer desktop on another device. Tentatively dubbed WSX, VMware's latest option relies on HTML5 to do away with plug-ins or dedicated applications altogether (a "lightweight Web server" acts as an intermediary), which means that you'll need nothing more than a web browser to run Windows or other operating systems on any capable device. As of now that includes laptops and desktops running Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, as well as iPads, but not Android devices (though that is apparently in the works). What's more, while it's still described as experimental, it apparently offers "near-native quality and framerates" when viewing 720p YouTube videos, and VMware is already toying around with optimizing it for the new iPad's Retina display. Those interested in a sneak peak can try it out with VMware's Workstation Tech Preview for Linux, although there's no word yet on a wider release.

VMware's WSX promises to bring virtualized desktops to the web browser with HTML5 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon D800 studio samples posted at DPReview (update: 5D Mark III studio sample added)

Nikon faced some backlash following the announcement of its D800 DSLR, due both to the camera's potentially excessive 36.3-megapixel resolution and its relatively limited top sensitivity of ISO 25,600. Then, less than one month later, Canon revealed its own mid-range full-frame cam -- the 5D Mark III -- with a 22.3-megapixel sensor, and an option to shoot at ISO 102,400. Both models appeal to the same market of professional photographers, but with vastly different specs, which is the better pick? Low-light shooters will likely base part of that decision on high-ISO capabilities, and after reviewing samples from both cameras, there appears to be a winner.

DPReview spent some time with the D800, and we took the Canon for a spin last week. We scaled the D800 sample down to 22.3 megapixels to match the 5D, then pasted a 300-by-400 1:1 pixel section from each camera side-by-side in the image above. The D800 JPEG (on the left) appears to be the noisier of the two, which seems logical, considering that Nikon opted to boost the camera's resolution instead of its sensitivity. Still, the cam's top-ISO is quite usable, and if you plan to shoot in a studio setting or can live without a six-digit sensitivity, the D800 will likely suit you just fine. Hit up our source link for samples shot at the full ISO range, including full-res downloads, to make that call for yourself.

Update: We've replaced the Canon sample with a studio shot from DPReview, which provides a more accurate comparison. You can find images from both cameras at our source links below.

Nikon D800 studio samples posted at DPReview (update: 5D Mark III studio sample added) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  DPReview (Canon), DPReview (Nikon)  | Email this | Comments

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AMD has a server chip for the cheap seats: the 'desktop-like' Opteron 3200
So, AMD's 2012 rampage continues. Having outed a full stack of Radeon HD 7000-series graphics cards on the consumer side of things, it's now ready release the next in its line of Opteron enterprise server chips. Like the 4200 and 6200 series before it, the Opteron 3200 is based on the Bulldozer architecture. It comes in four or eight-core configurations, with 45W to 65W power consumption, plus a 2.7GHz base frequency that gets a 1GHz adrenalin kick in Turbo Core mode (which prioritizes half the cores and shuts down the other half). However, the 3200 series is designed to offer cloud and web hosting server functionality in a cheaper, "desktop-like infrastructure", which means these processors squeeze into a regular AM3+ socket and undercut comparable Xeons by up to $90. Can we expect server builders like SeaMicro to switch to these processors instead of Intel? Oh, you can count on it.
Continue reading AMD has a server chip for the cheap seats: the 'desktop-like' Opteron 3200

AMD has a server chip for the cheap seats: the 'desktop-like' Opteron 3200 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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