Friday, June 22, 2012

IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 22/06/2012





Tesla Model S rolls by the EPA, keeps on going, and going
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/21/tesla-model-s-epa-rating/
Sometimes all you want are just the cold hard numbers. With electric vehicles, this means EPA rating. The Tesla Model S just got officially measured up, and scored a reasonable MPGe of 89 (combined), 88 (city) and 90 (highway,) plus an impressive single charge range of 265 miles. This isn't all that far off the manufacturers own (albeit optimistic) early estimates. To get that range, you'll have to trump up $69,900 for the fully loaded, 85-kWh battery totin' version, but if you're planning that once-in-a-lifetime journey, it's probably money well spent.
Tesla Model S rolls by the EPA, keeps on going, and going originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Autoblog  |  sourceEnvironmental Protection Agency  | Email this | Comments

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Twitter confirms 'on-going' site issues, millions resort to verbal communication
Twitter confirms site issues, millions resort to verbal communication
Sorry microbloggers -- looks like we're not fully out of the woods yet. After confirming that its users "may be experiencing issues" via its Status Blog roughly an hour ago, Twitter has added that the concerns are "on-going." Don't worry, though, engineers are on the case, so your #followfriday plans should be largely unaffected.
Twitter confirms 'on-going' site issues, millions resort to verbal communication originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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24 wireless operators agree on data roaming alert mechanisms, do nothing about actual roaming rates
24 global wireless operators agree on data roaming alert mechanisms, do nothing about actual roaming rates
GSMA, also known as the entity that produces Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo each year, seems to be onto something. And by "something," we mean "getting 24 carriers around the globe to agree on a single point." That's no easy feat, mind you, and the latest release from Shanghai asserts that 24 operator groups have agreed to implement new measures in order to better inform jetsetters about data roaming rates when they land. America Movil, AT&T, China Mobile, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom-Orange, Hutchison 3 Group, SoftBank Mobile Corp., Verizon Communications, VimpelCom and Vodafone Group (among others) are all onboard, with the following measures to go into effect by the end of 2012. For one, texts will be sent to remind customers of their data roaming tariffs when they arrive in another country, and there will also be a monthly data roaming spending limit paired with the ability to "temporarily suspend" one's data when usage exceeds said threshold. Of course, alerting users to how they're about to be hosed only seems like part of the issue. Till that's addressed, we'll keep carrying an Xcom Global MiFi or hunting for a local SIM upon arrival.
Continue reading 24 wireless operators agree on data roaming alert mechanisms, do nothing about actual roaming rates
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TiVo releases Android app, countless tablets to be lost under couch cushions
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It's been a bit of a waiting game for TiVo users with Android tablets, ever since the company released an app for iOS. As of today, however, that wait is over. The TiVo app is now is arriving in the Google Play today store for tablets, bringing with it remote control functionality, a show guide, search and programming / actor info. The the app also helps you monitor your recording storage and organize your Season Pass recordings with drag-and-drop functionality. You can check out a complete breakdown of the features in the source link below.
TiVo releases Android app, countless tablets to be lost under couch cushions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google Play lets top devs reply to user reviews, smack down trolls
Google Play lets top devs reply to user reviews, smackdown trolls
Are you an Android developer with an app in Google Play? Do you have a Top Developer badge? Well rejoice, because starting right now Google will let select developers reply to user reviews right from the safety, warmth and comfort of the Android Developer Console -- perfect for when you need to put the smackdown on those undeserving trolls give feedback to your beloved customers or share information about a new feature. Users are then notified by email about replies to a review and have the option to contact the developer directly. "Google continues to make investments in Google Play and we are excited to engage with our users through this new feature" said Autumn Brown, Android Account Director at EA. Google plans to extend the functionality to additional developers in the future. Isn't dialogue wonderful? Screenshot and PR after the break.
Continue reading Google Play lets top devs reply to user reviews, smack down trolls
Google Play lets top devs reply to user reviews, smack down trolls originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Developers Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Microsoft: Surface was developed in an 'underground bunker' at first, we can play the secrecy game too
Microsoft Surface was developed in an 'underground bunker,' we hope they've seen sunlight
We commonly associate extreme secrecy around a product design with Apple, but it now looks to be in vogue with all the major technology companies: just days after Samsung revealed the Galaxy S III's secret sauce, Microsoft has explained to TechRadar that it developed its surprise new Surface tablets under a similarly tight watch. A special wing of Microsoft's hardware unit initially worked in an "underground bunker," according to the division's Stevie Bathiche, before moving to a more conventional building with an 'airlock' door -- the company was just that concerned that Bob from Accounts Receivable might spoil the whole thing. As we all know by now, that level of secrecy proved effective almost until the last minute and let Microsoft design to its heart's content; we still don't know if other PC builders were aware. The practice is a sharp break from Microsoft's tendency to telegraph its strategy well in advance, and it emphasizes just how much importance Redmond places on its self-developed Windows 8 hardware.
Permalink   |  sourceTechRadar  | Email this | Comments

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Google entices Android developers to 'build beautiful, powerful, successful apps' with site refresh
Google entices Android developers to 'build beautiful, powerful, successful apps'
You know what's happening next week in Android land? Yes, it's Google I/O, and we'll be there to give you the all the details, of course. Leading up to the event, Google's just given its Android developer site a fresh new "streamlined, simplified, and refocused" look. The redesign touches on three aspects of the app development lifecycle -- design, development and distribution -- in the hopes to entice developers to "build beautiful, powerful, successful apps". Want to find out more? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for the PR.
Gallery: Android developers site refresh
Continue reading Google entices Android developers to 'build beautiful, powerful, successful apps' with site refresh
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Developers Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video
Pentax K30 weathersealed DSLR handson with sample photos and video
We can count on one hand the number of times a waterproof camera was the only suitable option for any given photo shoot, but drizzle and even flash monsoons can strike at any moment, especially in some locales. Most clothing and other analog gear can survive such attacks of mother nature nearly unscathed, but smartphones and cameras are another story altogether -- unless they're coated in head-to-toe weather sealing, of course. Pentax may not be a top player in any digital imaging category, but the company does have a few serious DSLR contenders, and should be taken seriously for anyone in the market for a new ILC. The manufacturer's latest swappable-lens model, the K-30, is quite a respectable beast, and a fairly solid value at $900 with an 18-55mm kit lens. Beneath that steel and polycarbonate black housing there's a 16.3-megapixel APS-C sensor with shift-based stabilization, a 100-percent FOV optical viewfinder, a color-adjustable 921k-dot 3-inch LCD and a bevy of manual control options, for stills and video alike.
Gallery: Pentax K-30 DSLR hands-on
We put the K-30 through its paces during a half-day shoot around NYC. There was no rain, sand or snow in sight, but the brutal heat and humidity didn't take any toll, with the camera offering consistent performance and excellent battery life for hours on end (we captured nearly 700 stills with live view and a few minutes of video with plenty to spare, and you can also swap in four AA lithiums for up to 1600 shots). We spend much of our time shooting with mirrorless cameras these days, but when absolute portability is less critical, there are obvious benefits to lugging around a full-size DSLR like the K-30. The camera was able to shoot with perfect exposure and white balance in almost every situation and images captured with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens were sharp and vibrant. Video performance was sufficient as well -- most of our clips were captured at 720/30p, but 720/60p and 1080/30p are also on offer. Focus wasn't the fastest we've seen (the Olympus E-M5 still holds the title), but the lens adjusted accurately even in low light, especially when aided by the green illuminator.
High-ISO performance didn't blow us away with noise reduction deactivated -- noise was visible at a 25-percent view at ISO 12,800 and a 12.5-percent view at the ISO 25,600 extended setting, but the sensor-shift stabilization mode enabled us to capture sharp handheld shots at 1/40 second, so it's not terribly difficult to avoid venturing into that high-sensitivity zone. Pentax also added a unique Astrotracer mode, which moves the sensor precisely for long night-sky exposures, using an optional GPS module to provide location and direction information (there was no way to test this feature in NYC, where the city lights never sleep). We did have a chance to test out that weather sealing, however -- the camera functioned just as well while under a running water fountain as it did on dry land. Overall, we were quite impressed with the K-30 -- it's one of the best sub-$1,000 DSLRs we've used to date, and if you've made an investment in Pentax KAF2 glass (or you're ready to load up now), you can expect to be pleased. Click past the break for a sample gallery and video.
Continue reading Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video
Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems?
Editorial Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems
At the tail end of Microsoft's marathon Windows Phone Summit keynote, the company's own Kevin Gallo said the following: "Everyone in the Windows ecosystem benefits." He was waxing poetic about the myriad new features coming to the outfit's latest and greatest mobile operating system, and nothing about his quote was incorrect. Developers will adore the shared codebase. Users will adore the new additions to the software framework. Carriers probably won't shun the opportunity to push yet another platform this holiday season. But the one word in there that sticks out most to me is this: "Windows."
I've been wrestling with the ecosystem issue for some time, but the gravity of it has never been so evident. Starting in 2008, one could argue that it stopped being purely about hardware. Purely about design. Purely about software. Purely about partnerships. Particularly when it came to smartphones. Slate-style handsets were en vogue years ago, with design changing extremely little and software becoming ever more of a factor. But it wasn't just software in the simplest sense -- it was how the software was interconnected to every other piece of the digital ecosystem. Phones were no longer standalone devices; they were simply the most convenient entry into a rabbit hole that Microsoft's going to have a tough time digging people out of. Allow me to explain.
Continue reading Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems?
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AT&T says Galaxy S III pre-orders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways
AT&T says Galaxy S III preorders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways
Samsung's US Galaxy S III launch is turning out to be quite the muted affair. Along with news of staggered Sprint and T-Mobile releases, AT&T is now adding that its Galaxy S III version likely won't make June 21st at all. Pre-order customers who were promised the phone this week are instead being told to wait until June 25th; they might get it early, should the smartphone stars align properly. If you're having pangs of regret for not pulling the trigger earlier, you'll have to wait up to 10 business days before before that Marble White or Pebble Blue beauty shows at your door. AT&T is pinning the delay on short supply, much like its fellow American launch carriers.
Not that the lack of handsets is stopping Samsung from kicking off an elaborate launch campaign of its own. Along with the usual celebrity and Times Square stunts, the Korean corporation is starting up a curated media hub, Beacon, and placing NFC-equipped Share-to-Go Stations: those in the happy position of carrying a Galaxy S III in their hands can download free content just through swinging by a kiosk. You can catch the full details of Samsung's escapades after the break.
Continue reading AT&T says Galaxy S III pre-orders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways
Permalink   |  sourcePhone Scoop  | Email this | Comments

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Google files for a patent on peer-to-peer location finding, says cell tower triangulation is for chumps
Google files for a patent on peertopeer location finding, says cell tower triangulation is for chumps
Crowdsourcing map data itself isn't a surprise; it's been the cornerstone of OpenStreetMap and is about to get a big boost through iOS 6. Crowdsourcing actual positions is still a relatively untapped resource, however, and Google thinks that it might just be the ticket to getting a device's location when GPS alone doesn't cut it. Much as your current phone uses triangulation between cell sites to help speed up a position lock, a technique in a new Google patent application uses the physical distances between nearby devices to get a complete picture, even if GPS is completely on the fritz. The peer-to-peer technique still needs an internet connection to reach the central service piecing information together -- there isn't much help if you're in areas where reliable internet access isn't always guaranteed. Likewise, there's no certainty that Google will use the patent in a future build of Android or Chrome OS. If it does, though, at least some of us may say goodbye to the days of our map positioning going haywire the moment we drive through a tunnel or step into an office without WiFi.
Permalink   |  sourceUSPTO  | Email this | Comments

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Fitter, Happier: an eight week exercise in using technology to help lose weight
For 27 years he ate what he wanted and avoided exercise like the plague. Can an arsenal of fitness gadgets make this human healthier in just eight weeks?
DNP Fitter, Happier
From the snake oil salesman to the Thighmaster(TM), science and technology have promised the end of obesity, ill health and lethargy for centuries. Today, weight loss gadgetry is all around us, with affordable commercial systems available from Nintendo, Nike, Adidas and countless other manufacturers, all promising their technology will turn us into paragons of healthy virtue. How is it then, that for all of this, we live in an age where a quarter of the American population is obese?
Do any of these seemingly endless health aids actually work? Will a $200 wristband or a $100 pedometer cause you to banish microwave dinners and saturated fats, take up regular exercise at the gym at least three days a week and sleep well with no bad dreams? Or has the health industry made technology another ineffective distraction that only provides you with a vague sense that you're doing something positive? Is the real answer what it's always been: go for a walk in the trees and eat your greens?
Continue reading Fitter, Happier: an eight week exercise in using technology to help lose weight
Fitter, Happier: an eight week exercise in using technology to help lose weight originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google launches Endangered Languages website to save 3,000 at-risk tongues
DNP Google launches Endangered Languages website to preserve atrisk tongues with
Google lets users surf the web in 40-plus languages, and its Translate service accounts for 57 different tongues, but those numbers are dwarfed by the grand total of 7,000 currently existing languages. On its official blog today, the company announced the Endangered Languages Project, a website dedicated to preserving at-risk dialects by providing information via audio, video and text samples. Google collaborated with the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and Eastern Michigan University to compile research on the 3,000 languages at risk of dying out, and each language's profile includes results drawn from Google Books. Click through to the source link to check out a global visualization of these tongues -- it's mind-boggling that there are 52 endangered languages in Brazil alone.
Google launches Endangered Languages website to save 3,000 at-risk tongues originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Google Official Blog  |  sourceThe Endangered Languages Project  | Email this | Comments

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Minority Report at 10: a look at technology from today to 2054
Minority Report at 10 a look at technology from today to 2054
Steven Spielberg's Minority Report, based on the Philip K. Dick short story, opened in North American theaters 10 years ago today. It was preceded by the director's A.I. a year earlier, which was famously a pet project of Stanley Kubrick's for decades prior, and was followed up by Spielberg's version of War of the Worlds a couple of years later. Together, they formed an unofficial trilogy of sorts that represented a turn to darker science fiction for a director noted for his more optimistic excursions into the genre. Of the three, Minority Report was the best-received out of the gate, both as a film and as a detailed vision of the near-future unlike any since Blade Runner.

That reputation has largely held up in the decade since (while A.I.'s has grown quite a bit), during which time it's also become a sort of technological touchstone. For all its bleakness, the future of Minority Report was one that we could recognize, and one that we were reaching towards -- at least when it came to the technology. Human-computer interaction would be more natural than ever, advertising would be everywhere and more personalized, and smart cars would deliver us to our smart homes. Today, it's almost as common for a new technology to be described as Minority Report-like as it is to be described as Star Trek-like. That was hardly just the result of good luck.
Continue reading Minority Report at 10: a look at technology from today to 2054
Minority Report at 10: a look at technology from today to 2054 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Datel wireless controllers borked by Xbox 360 update, patch coming soon
datel-wireless-controllers-borked-by-xbox-360-update
Woke up to a buggy Datel wireless controller? Don't worry, you didn't overdo that Street Fighter session last night. A June 20th Xbox update has caused issues with some of the company's controllers including the TurboFire 2 and Wildfire 2. Microsoft's support site claimed the controller maker had posted a fix, although currently there's only a note saying that a patch is "still being tested." It also advises to check regularly, so feel free to click the source links below as often as you want for more info.
Datel wireless controllers borked by Xbox 360 update, patch coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 09:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceXbox Support, Code Junkies  | Email this | Comments

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Facebook adding 'Like' to Open Graph, will connect the internet in approval
Facebook brings Like to mobile
Facebook is bringing its "like" functionality to Open Graph that'll enable developers to add the action to their applications. Press the heart-shaped button and it'll trigger an alert on the site, voicing your approval for your friend's most awesome Instagram snap, amongst other things. As with the desktop version, likes will be collated in your news feed, but only once you've authorized the third-party app to access it.
Facebook adding 'Like' to Open Graph, will connect the internet in approval originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 09:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Researchers take nanowire transistors vertical, double up on density
researchers-take-nanowire-transistors-vertical
3D silicon is all the rage, and now nanowire transistors have further potential to keep Moore's Law on life support. Researchers at A*STAR have found a way to double the the number of transistors on a chip by placing the atomic-scale wires vertically, rather than in the run-of-the-mill planar mode, creating two "wrap-around gates" that put a pair of transistors on a single nanowire. In the future, the tech could be merged with tunnel field effect transistors -- which use dissimilar semiconductor materials -- to create a markedly denser design. That combo would also burn a miniscule percentage of the power required conventionally, according to the scientists, making it useful for low-powered processors, logic boards and non-volatile memory, for starters. So, a certain Intel founder might keep being right after all, at least for a few years more.
Researchers take nanowire transistors vertical, double up on density originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePhys Org  | Email this | Comments

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Google+ adds profile updates, learns from the competition
Google adds profile updates, learns from the competition
Your Google+ profile has just been given some convenient upgrades, in a bid to make it a little friendlier to anyone used to another social network. You're now able to post to your feed directly from your profile page, which now packs the same share box as the Google+ hub. You'll also be able to refresh the look of your profile with some new stock cover photos and galleries, while any new photos added will be automatically resized and (vertically) adjustable in their new home. Any new cover photos will also be stored in their own gallery at full size. The updates, a result of feedback from its users, have now rolled out across the whole network. Presumably, automated facial tagging is still on Google's shopping list.
Google+ adds profile updates, learns from the competition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Next Web  |  sourceSarah McKinley (Google+)  | Email this | Comments

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Lantronix announces xPrintServer Home Edition: print your iPhone photos, high scores wire-free
Lantronix announces xPrintServer Home Edition print your iPhone photos, top scores with ease
Sick and tired of all those suits hogging the iDevice wireless printing fun? Or your original alternative finally conked out? Then Lantronix's new "Home Edition" of its iPhone / iPad friendly xPrintServer is for you. If you already have a USB printer, simply plug the little guy into it, and hey presto, you can print from you iOS device. Lantronix says you don't even need the host computer to be switched on. While there's support for up to two networked printers, the added bonus is that it'll make your old USB beast appear like one too (handy for the laptop). What does the office-like experience cost? Just 99 expensable dollars. Print off a pre-order via the source.
Continue reading Lantronix announces xPrintServer Home Edition: print your iPhone photos, high scores wire-free
Permalink   |  sourceLantronix  | Email this | Comments

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Sony, Sumitomo push laser projectors forward with a new, more powerful green laser diode
Sony, Sumitomo codevelop a more powerful green laser diode for projectors
As cool as lasers are, so far there are precious few commercially available display devices available that use them. That may change with this new green semiconductor laser diode announced by Sony and Sumitomo, capable of the brightness necessary to replace the more expensive light sources used to fill in the middle of the RGB setup. According to the two companies, it's the world's first one capable of over 100mW power at 530nm, which they think will make it a fit for both advanced projectors and compact light projectors. Check after the break for more details on how the technology came to be -- drawing heavily on Sumitomo's production techniques and Sony's GaN laser technology developed with Blu-ray -- we'll let you know when there's a LaserVue or REDray setup priced for general consumption.
Continue reading Sony, Sumitomo push laser projectors forward with a new, more powerful green laser diode
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Sony Xperia S (finally) gets its own Android 4.0 update (video)
Sony Xperia S gets Android 40 update
Sony's new flagship smartphone has finally caught up with its predecessors. Android Ice Cream Sandwich is now available on the Xperia S starting today. New features include the ability to display visuals during music playback, an updated calendar overview and notifications drop-down menu from the lock screen. The settings screen has been redesigned for a stronger stock Android feel, alongside Face Unlock and the camera lock screen shortcut we saw on the Galaxy Nexus. A new streaming movies app is also thrown into the update to make the most of that high-definition screen, while a new album app will offer an Ice Cream Sandwich-tinged interface for all your photos, videos and Facebook albums. Take a tour of the refresh after the break and check the source link more details -- Sony says the 200MB update will start rolling out today, but it will differ depending on carriers.
Continue reading Sony Xperia S (finally) gets its own Android 4.0 update (video)
Sony Xperia S (finally) gets its own Android 4.0 update (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceSony Mobile  | Email this | Comments

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Calxeda benchmarks claim that its server chips are 15 times more power efficient than Intel's
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Calxeda may have been given the bum's rush by HP's Project Moonshot, but the company isn't taking it lying down. It's released benchmarks for its ARM-based server technology that claims it's 15 times more power-efficient than the comparable Intel Xeon. Rigging up a 1.1GHz Energycore ECX-1000 with 4GB RAM against a 3.3GHz Xeon E3-1240, the former consumed only 5.26 W compared to the 102 W of Intel's high-spec chip. While it certainly wasn't faster, power efficiency is a key concern for data centers looking to keep costs down, and if the trend continues, Santa Clara will come to regret AMD's recently announced love-in.
Permalink Phoronix  |  sourceCalxeda (Arm Servers)  | Email this | Comments

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Sony suspends PlayStation Store for PS3 in Korea, blames new law about selling to minors
Sony suspends PlayStation Store for PS3 in Korea, blames new law about selling to minors
Sony has been caught unawares by a legal change in South Korea, which prevents under-18s from being asked for their names or ages for the purpose of account authentication. No sooner had the company announced a half-price sale at its PS Store and then it was forced to pull the whole thing down in order re-work the interface and make it compliant. It's expecting to reopen it sometime "this year," but in the meantime the Store is strangely still accessible to PSP and Vita users of any age, while multiplayer and other PSN functions will continue to run on PS3. There must be a lawyer somewhere for whom this all makes complete sense, and hopefully they work for Facebook.
Permalink Joystiq, Gamasutra  |  sourceSCEK  | Email this | Comments

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Screen Grabs: Continuum scrubs the Acer off an Iconia W500
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.
Screen Grabs: Continuum scrubs the Acer off an Iconia W500
TV producers always think they can sneak a fast one by us and our eagle-eyed readers. Little do they realize that together we are a near unstoppable force, capable of spotting, identifying and mocking nearly every use (and misuse) of tech on TV. A tipster caught this un-branded tablet on a recent episode of Continuum and, after a little bit of sleuthing, we were able to identify it as the Iconia Tab W500. Without the company's branding it was a little tough to pick out exactly what this slate was, but the off-center placement of the Windows logo and unique looking webcam gave its identity away. Sorry Canadian television, you'll have to try harder to sneak a device by us.
[Thanks, Reece]
Screen Grabs: Continuum scrubs the Acer off an Iconia W500 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 06:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BBQ Guru releases the CyberQ remote temperature control, lets you fry those steaks from a distance
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Fire. Meat. Beer. The recipe for a barbecue has barely changed since the start of recorded time, but that doesn't mean technology can't get in on the party. BBQ Guru has released the CyberQ WiFi, a wirelessly enabled temperature control that lets you fiddle with your griddle using a mobile device. You can relinquish your spot in charge of the fire but still control how rare your steak will come out (when someone else goes and gets it). Even better, if you nod off during the Superbowl, it'll send you an email alert thanks to its built-in web server. It'll install onto most standard grill / smoker types and will set you back $295 with an additional fan and grill adapter and is available from today.
Continue reading BBQ Guru releases the CyberQ remote temperature control, lets you fry those steaks from a distance
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ESA team builds self-piloting rover in six months, tests it in Chilean desert
ESA team builds self-piloting rover in six months, tests it in Chilean desert
Chile's Atacama Desert might not be true Martian territory, but it's close enough for the European Space Agency's new rover. Built by a crack engineering team in just six months, the Seeker rover was created to autonomously roam 6 km of Mars-like terrain and trace its way back. The Seeker just wrapped up a two week gauntlet in the Chilean wasteland using ol' fashioned dead reckoning and stereoscopic vision to find its way, compiling a 3D map of its surroundings as it puttered along. The full-scale rover wandered the arid terrain on its lonesome until temperatures forced it to stop after trekking 5.1 km. The red planet won't welcome an ESA rover until 2018, but those jonesin' for news from Martian soil should keep their eyes peeled for Curiosity's August touchdown.
ESA team builds self-piloting rover in six months, tests it in Chilean desert originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 05:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Gizmag  |  sourceEuropean Space Agency  | Email this | Comments

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Apple fined $2.29 million over '4G iPad' claims in Australia
Australia's federal court has fined Apple for "deliberately" misleading customers on local 4G capabilities of its latest iPad. The Cupertino-based company recently agreed to the terms, which included AU$2.29 million fine and a cool AU$300,000 in costs. Despite its 4G claims, Apple's new iPad can't connect with existing Antipodean next-generation phone networks, although it can hook up to US-based networks. Apple offered refunds for any customers that felt deceived and even adjusted its advertising to reflect its cellular capabilities, but the judge still deemed that the company had contravened Australia's consumer law in the ensuing confusion. Fortunately, Apple still has plenty left in the bank.
Apple fined $2.29 million over '4G iPad' claims in Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 04:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Amron Experimental 'Rinser Toothbrush' is back, now with more fountain (video)
Amron Experimental 'Rinser' toothbrush is back, now with more fountain
The original Rinser Toothbrush was a dental delight. Now, Amron Experimental has updated its classic "Brush & Rinse" for the modern mouth. So, what's new in 2012 for the revolutionary chomper-washer? First of all: Power Fountain. No more lowly trickle of water to chase, this time a proud stream of H2O leaps upwards from its center. Secondly, the heads are now replaceable, meaning you can keep your Brush & Rinse in service much longer. Still have the taste of "unconvinced" in your mouth? Watch the tap of awesome flow in the video after the break. Think this is what your morning routine has been missing? Then head to the source where you can pre-order now for a minty-fresh $22.
Continue reading Amron Experimental 'Rinser Toothbrush' is back, now with more fountain (video)
Amron Experimental 'Rinser Toothbrush' is back, now with more fountain (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 04:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAmron Experimental  | Email this | Comments

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UK pins the slow move to LTE on carriers, Australia targets auctions for April 2013
Everything Everywhere
Aussies and Brits have been waiting awhile for either a truly broad LTE launch or to get any LTE at all. That wait is coming to an end, but not without some grousing. UK Minister for Culture Ed Vaizey has alleged that any slow movement stemmed from carriers that have "threatened to sue" regulator Ofcom if it's too hasty and does something they frown upon. Needless to say, that remark has ruffled a few feathers: one of the earliest expected British LTE providers, Everything Everywhere, tells Pocket-lint it has "no appetite" to take Ofcom to court and drag 4G deployments through the mud. Things are going a little more smoothly in Australia, if on a later timetable. The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, now expects Australia to auction off 700MHz and 2.5GHz wireless frequencies in April 2013. That could lead to a very long wait for wider 4G service in the country, but at least the 700MHz support will be good news for device makers that don't want to be mired in disputes over LTE devices they've brought over from the US.
Permalink The Register  |  sourcePocket-lint, Senator Stephen Conroy  | Email this | Comments

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Drobo debuts a duo of Thunderbolt drives: the 5D for desktops and the Mini for road warriors
Drobo debuts a duo of Thunderbolt drives the 5D for desktops and the Mini for road warriors
Drobo's been delivering quality desktop storage for businesses and prosumers for awhile now, but previously, the company hadn't dipped its toe into Thunderbolt waters. But that's about to change with its two new units. The 5D is a BYOD desktop offering with two Thunderbolt ports and one USB 3.0 socket for connecting up to five hot-swappable, 3.5-inch drives to your Mac or PC. It also has an mSATA SSD for data-caching quickness and a variable-speed fan to keep things cool and quiet. We don't know exactly when the 5D will go on sale -- Drobo's not telling until July -- but it'll cost under $850 when it does, and that price includes a Thunderbolt cable.
Gallery: Drobo Mini and 5D press shots


Meanwhile, the Mini is the first Drobo meant to be taken on the road. It packs up to four 2.5-inch drives in its front bays, plus, like the 5D, there's an mSATA SSD nestled in its underside that serves as a caching tier to speed up your main storage -- all in a 7.3 x 1.8 x 7.1-inch package weighing three pounds when fully loaded. All the drives are hot-swappable, a process made simple and easy with a trick, spring-loaded mechanism (patent pending) that lets users swap drives as they would SD cards. As for connecting the thing to your computer, dual Thunderbolt ports (for daisy chaining) and one USB 3.0 port reside round back along with the power plug and two vents for the Mini's variable-speed fans. Ringing the front face of the Mini are five LED strips that serve as drive indicators and capacity meter to let you know when a drive has failed or you're running out of space. Intrigued? Well, we got a sneak peek at the Mini and a little history lesson about its origins at Drobo HQ, so join us past the break for more.
Continue reading Drobo debuts a duo of Thunderbolt drives: the 5D for desktops and the Mini for road warriors
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SwiftKey 3 for Android out of beta: smarter auto spacing, $1.99 today (video)
SwiftKey 3 for Android out of beta: bigger spacebar, smarter auto spacing and more video
"Lleasexqllme." SwiftKey 3 won't see that as gibberish, but as "Please call me," thanks to its new spacing prediction that has been repeatedly tweaked since the beta first came out in April. The final version is now available at the Google Play link below with a temporary half-price offer. It also promises a bigger space bar, a dedicated comma key, new themes, smarter punctuation and special character prediction, support for Android backup so you'll never lose the database of learned phrases, and overall less teeth-clenching while you're typing.
Continue reading SwiftKey 3 for Android out of beta: smarter auto spacing, $1.99 today (video)
SwiftKey 3 for Android out of beta: smarter auto spacing, $1.99 today (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Play  | Email this | Comments

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SNES-001 Advance gives two retro gamers a screen to play, guarantees no fights for TV time (video)
SNES001 Advance gives two retro gamers a screen to play, guarantees no fights for TV time video
There's been no shortage of SNES mods with built-in screens. They almost always tend to overlook one fundamental problem, however: with only one screen, gamers have to either share one tiny LCD or play solo, and neither option will make that Street Fighter II nostalgia trip a pleasant one. Frequent console modder Downing has offered a fix with a key trade-off. Although his Super Famicom-like SNES-001 Advance is decidedly non-portable, each gamepad has its own LCD to show what would normally go to one screen, even with audio. Both controllers are custom-molded creations that still plug in the old-fashioned, wired way. Downing certainly isn't hoarding his creation, despite it being one of a kind. An auction for the console (with a $500 buy-now price) is still well underway as of this writing, making sure that at least two Double Dragon fans will be happy without cutting into their less sentimental roommate's Netflix marathon.
Continue reading SNES-001 Advance gives two retro gamers a screen to play, guarantees no fights for TV time (video)
Permalink Hack A Day  |  sourceDowning, eBay  | Email this | Comments

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast fireside chat, live at 2:15AM!
Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast fireside chat, live at TKTK pm!
Today was a big day for the wireless world, and we definitely want to discuss it as soon as humanly possible while it's fresh on our minds. Myriam and Brad are going to chat it up about Windows Phone 8 and the other crazy happenstances from this week, so we hope you can join the Engadget Mobile crew for this late-night edition of the weekly podcast!
Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast fireside chat, live at 2:15AM! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 02:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung's SmartStay replicated by ISeeYou Android app, keeps screens on while you're watching
Samsung's SmartStay replicated by ISeeYou Android app, keeps screens on while you're watching
If you're not joining the Galaxy S III bandwagon and aren't keen on feeling completely left out, the ISeeYou app can give you a hand. Mimicking Sammy's SmartStay feature, the app prevents your ICS device from slipping into sleep mode when you're staring at its display. Springing $0.99 for the app nets you control over the frequency and length of the peeks taken by your phone's front-facing camera -- helpful for coordinating with a handset's sleep settings and presumably for optimizing battery life. A free version can be taken for a spin, though it doesn't allow for such fine tuning. Yearning to simulate part of the Galaxy S III experience? Mosey over to Google Play for the downloads.
Permalink Talk Android  |  sourceGoogle Play (I See You Pro), (I See You Lite)  | Email this | Comments

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United Nations launches My Life as a Refugee Android app (video)
DNP New Android app designed by the United Nations asks if you could survive as a refugee video
As the great Tom Petty once said, you don't have to live like a refugee, but one UN agency is hoping you'll at least download its new app to see what it could be like. My Life as a Refugee is designed to raise awareness about the plight of millions of people living in conflict-ridden places around the globe, and it's available right now for free on Android (coming soon to iOS). We found the app to be only marginally interactive, with users simply encouraged to click through a litany of facts. However, you do get to choose one of two possible options before time runs out as each situation unfolds. You can only "play" a certain amount each day, which means you get some cliffhangers, and of course you can "share your experience" on Facebook right from the app. You can learn more there in the source link.
Continue reading United Nations launches My Life as a Refugee Android app (video)
United Nations launches My Life as a Refugee Android app (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Sony Xperia Product Blog  |  sourceUNHCR  | Email this | Comments

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Verizon 4G LTE service arrives in 46 new cities, expands coverage in 22 others
DNP Verizon enters into 46 new cities, and expand coverage in 22 others
Unlike many of our friends in Europe, loads more Verizon Wireless customers are about to get turbocharged in time for their new Galaxy S III smartphones to arrive. Big Red is deploying its latest 4G LTE network tech in 46 new cities and expanding coverage in 22 others -- and it's all going down tomorrow. That'll bring VZW's total up to 304 cities across the land of the free two full weeks ahead of the July 4th holiday, giving many people one more reason to celebrate a Hump Day without work. And really, couldn't the world use more reasons to celebrate? Full PR after the break.
Continue reading Verizon 4G LTE service arrives in 46 new cities, expands coverage in 22 others
Verizon 4G LTE service arrives in 46 new cities, expands coverage in 22 others originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 23:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePR News Wire  | Email this | Comments

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Google to pay $0 in damages to Oracle, wait for appeal
Google to pay $0 in damages to Oracle, wait for appeal
After watching Judge Alsup strike down its patent and Java API infringement claims, Oracle seems to be cutting its losses, agreeing to accept $0 in damages from Google. Confused? So was the Judge, who reportedly responded to the proposal by asking, "is there a catch I need to be aware of?" No catch, but Oracle isn't giving up, stating that it's taking its case to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. If successful, the appeal could put the two firms back in Alsup's courtroom, perhaps asking for somewhere between the previously proposed $32.3 million and today's sum total of zilch. We'll let you know when the drama comes around again.
Google to pay $0 in damages to Oracle, wait for appeal originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Ars Technica  |   | Email this | Comments

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Huawei brings out Ascend P1 2600 mAh XL for battery junkies, throws in E5151 hotspot
Huawei brings out Ascend P1 2600 mAh XL for battery junkies, E5331 hotspot
Huawei's presence at Mobile Asia Expo this year has a distinct flavor of RAZR Maxx about it. The Ascend P1 is getting a fresh 2600 mAh XL variant that does exactly what it says on the tin: throw almost 56 percent more battery power at the previously skinny Android 4.0 device. Along with this and a TD-SCDMA variant of the P1 for China Mobile fans, the other standout is the (not yet pictured) Mobile WiFi E5151, which brings a rare Ethernet jack to the 3G hotspot world for hoping onto the Internet in a more traditional form. It's radio silence on the E5151's release, but those in Huawei's native China can look forward to buying the lengthily-titled Ascend P1 2600 mAh XL in the summer -- just don't assume it will cross the ocean anytime soon.
Continue reading Huawei brings out Ascend P1 2600 mAh XL for battery junkies, throws in E5151 hotspot
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Sprint Guardian now available, allows parents to limit texting and keep tabs on a kid's location
Sprint Guardian now available, allows parents to limit texting and keep tabs on a kid's locationSprint Guardian has been in the oven for some time now -- we actually heard about it during our interview with John Tudhope and David Owens at CTIA 2012 -- but now, at long last, the service is available. Concerned parents nationwide can locate Guardian on "many" Sprint Android-powered phones through the Sprint Zone. The program itself features apps from Safely and Lookout, enabling parents to "protect their phone-carrying children through location checks and limits on texting while driving or at school." In other words, you can prevent a child's phone from being able to call or text whilst the user is driver, and lost phones can be located more easily. Naturally, such luxuries don't come free: Sprint Mobile Controls, Sprint Drive First and Sprint Family Locator are available as a Family Safety bundle for $9.99 per month for up to five lines on the same account. Or, you know, just give your youngin' a Hamilton each month for not acting like a lunatic with phone in hand.
Permalink   |  sourceSprint (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

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Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T gets Android 4.0, leaves Sprint left to go
Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T gets Android 40, just Sprint left to go
We've seen T-Mobile roll out Android 4.0 for its Galaxy S II variant, and now another American carrier is joining the pack. AT&T has started pushing out Android 4.0.3 (no 4.0.4, oddly) to its near-reference version of Samsung's 2011 range leader. We wouldn't brace for any surprises over the conservative OS updates seen elsewhere in the world, but it will at least give you Chrome for Android without turning to custom firmware. The odd man out among the major US carriers is Sprint's Epic 4G Touch -- it's still humming along on 2.3 for now, and neither Sprint nor Samsung has given any further signs that they're ready to make the leap.
[Thanks, Tom]
Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T gets Android 4.0, leaves Sprint left to go originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Central, XDA Developers  | Email this | Comments

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