Sunday, July 22, 2012

IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 22/07/2012





United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps
It won't be enough to cancel out the Engadget editor using in-flight WiFi to upload photo galleries (sorry, guys), but it should make web surfing from coach a little less tedious. United has just announced that it will be upgrading its Gogo in-air WiFi service to take advantage of Gogo's enhanced ATG-4 service, which promises to bump speeds from the current 3.1 Mbps to 9.8 Mbps using directional antennae, dual modems and EV-DO Rev. B. Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that United has so far only committed to retrofitting its premium service fleet, which includes 13 planes that fly between New York's JFK and either LAX or SFO.
Continue reading United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps
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Star Wars-themed GPS steers Japanese geeks away from the dark side
Dinos Star Warsthemed GPS steers geeks away from the dark side
As if George Lucas wasn't already milking his money-printing franchise for all it's worth, comes this GPS gem out of Japan. To the (presumed) delight of fanboys everywhere, navigation maker Dinos has inked a licensing deal with Lucasfilm that conjures up an all-out, Star Wars-themed car nav system. From the orchestral theme music at startup to the voice guidance performed by the original Japanese VO actors (Darth Vader and C-3P0 only), the 5-inch LCD mount is pretty much the memorabilia stuff of a grown-up, scifi geek's wet dream. There's even a mode selection option to let users pledge their allegiance to either the "Empire" or the "Rebels," in addition to 20 different custom vehicle indicator icons. Sounds fluffy enough, but the unit also does double duty as a OneSeg TV tuner and can even be used as a standalone set. It's on sale now for 39,800Yen (US$507), but unless you're living in the Land of the Rising Sun, this import's just kitsch for kitsch's sake.
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Star Wars-themed GPS steers Japanese geeks away from the dark side originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 00:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jelly Bean now available to Nexus S via OTA download, we coat our phones in more sugar
Carriers begin feeding Jelly Bean to Nexus S, we coat our phones in more sugar
It's already possible to force Android 4.1 onto your Nexus S without much trouble, but for those of you that prefer life on easy street, then kick up those heels: many carriers have now made Jelly Bean available for OTA installation. The good news comes from Google itself, which has listed T-Mobile, Three, Rogers and Vodafone among the carriers. It doesn't stop there, however, as MobileSyrup also reports that Mobilicity and Wind users are also receiving a similar bit of Android 4.1 love. We've confirmed the rollout here in the US with T-Mobile, where the 114MB download is currently only available for download via WiFi. Seeing that it's Friday night, seems like a perfect opportunity to take Google Now for a spin, no?
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Permalink Android Central, Mobile Syrup  |  sourceNexus (Google+)  | Email this | Comments

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Nokia Drive 3.0 arrives with My Commute, your Lumia is no excuse for being late (video)
Nokia Drive 30 arrives with My Commute, your Lumia is no excuse for being late video
Nokia gave us a hint of Nokia Drive 3.0's commuter-friendly additions all the way back at Mobile World Congress in February. It's been quite the wait, but the update is at last lurking in the Windows Phone Marketplace. Although developed at the same time as Google Now, the Drive update will feel like a small slice of Android 4.1 for Lumia owners through its predictive routing: it can learn when you leave for work and how driving habits will affect the trip, giving a heads-up about traffic jams before you turn the ignition. Windows Phone reasserts itself through the option of pinning favorite destinations as tiles on the home screen, and an automatic switch between day and night modes is just as new. Drive's My Commute feature will initially work only in the US, but it should be available within the next day or two for any Lumia owner -- so those being denied Windows Phone 8 still won't have any justification for being late to the office.
Continue reading Nokia Drive 3.0 arrives with My Commute, your Lumia is no excuse for being late (video)
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Did the Galaxy Note II's impressive benchmarks briefly get leaked?
Did the Galaxy Note II's impressive benchmarks briefly get leaked
Well, Samsung has something up its sleeve, we know that much. Whether or not we're looking at a new Note remains to be seen, but it's safe to assume Sammy will update its phablet line as it approaches its first birthday. So it's no wonder people's suspicions were piqued when a mysterious device made a brief appearance at GLBenchmark.com with the model number GT-N7100. The original Note was N7000, so obviously many are guessing this unnamed Ice Cream Sandwich device is its successor. All the details have since been pulled, but PhoneArena managed to snag a screenshot. Whatever it turns out to be, we know it's got a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 processor with Mali-400 graphics -- the same you'll find inside the Galaxy S III. The one spec that does leave a bit of doubt however is the resolution, which is listed at juts 1280x720, instead of the 1280x800 of the original. In the benchmarks it manages to eke out scores slightly higher than the GSIII, which makes sense thanks to its higher clocked CPU. Now it's just time to sit back and play the waiting game.
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Did the Galaxy Note II's impressive benchmarks briefly get leaked? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 19:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Electronista  |  sourcePhoneArena, GLBenchmark.com  | Email this | Comments

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Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7
Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7
Comcast subscribers who have already received their Nexus 7 tablets or are sporting Android 4.1-powered phones should cast an eye towards Google Play for an updated version of the Xfinity TV Player app. Version 1.0.2.001 adds beta support for Jelly Bean in general and the Nexus 7 tablet specifically. It also fixes a nasty bug that would leave users stranded after upgrading their operating system, and promises a UI designed for 7-inch tablets in the next update. We saw Netflix get a compatibility update for Jelly Bean the day it launched, and Sky Go only just made the jump to supporting Ice Cream Sandwich, whether or not you have access to this app, have early adopters spotted any other laggards that might stop working when a long-awaited upgrade hits devices?
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Sprint's rumored LG LS860 'Cayenne' shows up once more, reveals hint of ICS
Sprint's rumored LG LS860 'Cayenne' shows up once more, reveals hint of ICS
Well, look who decided to make a sudden appearance yet again. Not long after receiving a quick, unexpected visit from the legendary (and very crafty) Mr. Blurrycam, the purported Sprint-bound LG LS860 has decided it was due for another showing. This time around, though, the Cayenne's a little more revealing than during its previous exhibition, flaunting its powered-on 4-inch, WVGA screen and what appears to be a flavor of Android 4.0 running on the background -- this would allegedly be paired alongside a dual-core, 1.2GHz S4 CPU, which is a slight change from what we'd previously heard. As far as whether or not LG's Cayenne will be involved in the next wave of LTE-enabled slabs headed to The Now Network -- for that, our friends, we'll have to wait to find out.
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Sprint's rumored LG LS860 'Cayenne' shows up once more, reveals hint of ICS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Android Police  |  sourceevleaks (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments

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FCC Fridays: July 20, 2012
FCC Fridays July 20, 2012
We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!
Continue reading FCC Fridays: July 20, 2012
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FCC Fridays: July 20, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall
Ford's 2013 CMax Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, will cost you $26k when it arrives this fall
There's no question America's favorite Motor Company faces a hefty amount of competition in the eco-friendly cars department, but the outfit is hoping to lure some green humans away from its adversaries with the upcoming C-Max Energi series. Interestingly enough, but not surprisingly, Ford's touting the 2013 Energi's cheaper price tag -- when compared to something like a Toyota Prius V -- as one of the ride's features, though it's also hoping its combined 550-mile range (PHEV-20) and expected 95 MPGe are good enough reasons for you to spend a cool 26k ($25,995, to be exact) amount of cash on this plug-in hybrid. Ford says dealers are now taking your orders, and that the C-Max Energi will be ready to hit the streets in a few more months.
Update: As one of our dear readers pointed out, the $25,995 price is for the C-Max Hybrid. Meanwhile, we're still waiting to hear just how much the Energi will cost at the time of launch.

[Thanks, Lauren]
Continue reading Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall
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Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer Aspire S5 review: is this innovative Ultrabook worth $1,400?
Acer Aspire S5 review
With dozens and dozens of Ultrabooks on parade, you'd be forgiven if one skinny laptop with an ultra-low voltage processor started to look like the next. Even so, it's tough to forget the Acer Aspire S5: of all the ultraportables we've seen these last nine months, this is the only one with a motorized port cover. Yeah, that one. It's an intriguing product, to be sure, and the stakes are especially high given that $1,400 price: you'd have to really enjoy that form factor (and everything else) to choose it over some less expensive ultraportable. So is it worth it? Is that drop-down door anything more than a gimmick? Questions for the ages, and ones we'll tackle in our full review after the break.
Continue reading Acer Aspire S5 review: is this innovative Ultrabook worth $1,400?
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Acer Aspire S5 review: is this innovative Ultrabook worth $1,400? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Digg to get a complete redesign, relaunch in August
Well, that was fast. Not two weeks after Digg was bought out by Betaworks (parent company to Bit.ly, among other startups), we're learning the crowd-sourced news aggregator is poised to relaunch as soon as August 1. In a blog post, the 10-person engineering team promises an overhaul of the site, once a litmus test for what was popular on the internet. Most interesting, perhaps, is the revelation that while Digg will not be a rebadged version of News.me, the aggregation app already owned by Betaworks, the two services will eventually be folded into one product. And while the team isn't revealing how, exactly, the new Digg will differ from the old, they did promise it would eventually receive personalization features similar to what News.me already offers. Other than that, Betaworks didn't share any specifics, but luckily, you'll only have to wait two weeks to find out what's in store.
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Digg to get a complete redesign, relaunch in August originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceRethink Digg  | Email this | Comments

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Nintendo's Iwata says being first in next-gen race is 'not important at all,' pricing is
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata recently talked about how the Wii U's second screen was nearly scrapped due to cost concerns, so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to once again hear him talk about the importance of pricing. While unfortunately not divulging a specific number, Iwata tells Gamasutra that the "pricing of Wii U is going to be one of the most important elements when it is going to be launched," adding that "the environment is different. Wii U is going to be launching in a different environment than when the Wii was launched." He also talked about the timing of the console's release (coming well before Microsoft's and Sony's next-gen consoles), saying that "being first in the next generation race is not important at all." So why now? Iwata says somewhat immodestly that "one of the reasons we believe this is the time for Nintendo to launch the Wii U is it's going to be important for the world," adding that its "focus is on how we can make our new console different" than its competitors.
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Permalink GameIndustry International  |  sourceGamasutra  | Email this | Comments

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5pm ET!
Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5pm ET!
Miss us last week? We missed you, too -- but last Friday's loss is today's gain, as we've compiled a whole pile of interesting mobile news that need to go through the podcast gauntlet. Myriam, Brad and Joseph are back on the mics for episode 146, ready to rant and rave about a whole bunch of stuff. Don't miss it!

July 20, 2012 5:00 PM EDT
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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5pm ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and our sanity (video)
Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and sanity in the process video
Qantas just upped the ante for its Australian counterparts Jetstar and Virgin in the airline tablet wars. Following an earlier trial, the transporter plans to hand out free iPads to all of its passengers -- not just the high-flyers in business-class, like with Jetstar's iPads or Virgin's Galaxy Tabs -- on every Boeing 767 aircraft in the fleet. The rollout, which starts in the last quarter of the year, will let those bored in the back seats watch an equally free 200 hours' worth of QStreaming audio and video. Don't confuse the gesture with a sudden bout of altruism on Qantas' part, however. The pound-and-a-half weight of a current iPad sheds the tremendous amount of weight that would normally be needed for a conventional in-flight entertainment system built into the headrest, which on a typical 375-seat 767 could see the iPads pay for themselves within years, if not sooner. The option will give many Aussies something to look forward to for their domestic summer vacations. In the meantime, hop past the break for a Qantas video explaining how QStreaming worked during the original trial run.
Continue reading Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and our sanity (video)
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Apple's third-gen iPad now available in China, gets a peaceful introduction
Apple's third-gen iPad now available in China, gets a peaceful introduction
Just as we'd heard earlier this month, today's finally the day Cupertino starts offering its renowned, pixel-packed "new" iPad in Chinese territory. Of course (unless you've been living under a mighty rock), you'd know the launch comes a tad bit later than expected, after months of dealing with Proview's trademark conundrum -- and despite having those imperative certifications since way back in March. All legal kerfuffles aside, Apple's third-generation slate has arrived, opening the glass doors to anyone in China looking for 2048 x 1536 reasons to spend their hard-earned yuans. Notably, word on the internet is there's no fresh eggs being thrown this time around, so you should be a-okay if you do end up in one of those fancy retail shops.
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Apple's third-gen iPad now available in China, gets a peaceful introduction originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Verge  |  sourceApple Store (China)  | Email this | Comments

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Samsung set to reveal next US Galaxy device on August 15th
Samsung set to reveal next US Galaxy device on August 15th
We just received a "save the date" email from a Samsung US representative that revealed a new Galaxy device will be seeing the light of day on August 15th. We didn't receive any details on what it could be, though this is most likely a US-bound device -- the email says "please join Samsung Electronics America for a major announcement and unveiling of the newest Galaxy device." With that tidbit in mind, we have a couple ideas: first, it may be the Galaxy S Blaze Q, since internal docs pin the phone's release on same exact day. With that being a T-Mobile exclusive for now, however, we're unsure that it'll be the recipient of so much pomp and circumstance. There's also a possibility that we'll see the Galaxy Note 10.1, which was announced at MWC in February and previewed in March. While we'd love to see the Galaxy Note 2, the odds of it being the mystery device are incredibly slim since the phablet is rumored to launch on the worldwide stage at IFA 2012 later in the month. Gotta love the guessing games that leave us in suspense and keep us on our toes, right?
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Samsung set to reveal next US Galaxy device on August 15th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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KDDI unveils ICS 'Smart TV Box' for cable providers in Japan, available later this year (video)
KDDI unveils ICS 'Smart TV Box' for cable providers in Japan, available later this year
We've seen a fair share of Android-powered set-tops in our time, but KDDI (with the help of Panasonic) has taken a slightly different entertainment route with its recently unveiled Smart TV Box. Similar to some Google TV boxes, which the Smart TV Box isn't, KDDI plans to bring this one to cable providers in Japan to act as the main unit in living rooms, with the testing phase set to commence as soon as next month. KDDI's Smart TV Box is powered by an undisclosed dual-core chip and feeds off of a tasty bite of Mountain View's Ice Cream Sandwich. As far as ports and other features, there's HDMI and three USB ports on board, while Ethernet (WiFi, too) keeps you connected and a built-in hard drive takes care of all your DVR needs. Like we said earlier, trial runs will start in August, but the Japanese company expects to have the brick officially up-and-running in a number of households later this fall. In the meantime, though, there's a soothing video for your viewing pleasure just past the break.
Continue reading KDDI unveils ICS 'Smart TV Box' for cable providers in Japan, available later this year (video)
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Samsung denied a second time, Galaxy Tab ban stands
Samsung denied a second time, Galaxy Tab ban standsYou can't blame 'em for trying, but it's no surprise that Samsung's second attempt to put a hold on the impending American ban of its Galaxy Tab failed. Judge Koh has already say the preliminary injunction could not wait while the Korean company pursued an appeal, and now the Court of Appeals is backing her up. To make matters worse, the court has also refused to expedite the appeal process, potentially prolonging the time the flagship slates are missing from the shelves. Now Sammy will just have to wait for the trial to start on July 30th and hope for a victory, or go back and redesign its tablets to look less like an iPad. We hear that triangles might be the ticket.
Continue reading Samsung denied a second time, Galaxy Tab ban stands
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Samsung denied a second time, Galaxy Tab ban stands originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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IRL: Canon EOS 7D, Snapseed for iOS and Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TS4 rugged camera
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

And we're back! Most of us Engadgeteers are freshly returned from a staff retreat to the countryside, and for whatever reason, we're in the mood to gab about cameras. This week, Steve explains his love for Canon's 7D, Darren makes a case for Snapseed and Dana takes Panasonic's rugged TS4 shooter into the Puerto Rican rain forest.
Continue reading IRL: Canon EOS 7D, Snapseed for iOS and Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TS4 rugged camera
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IRL: Canon EOS 7D, Snapseed for iOS and Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TS4 rugged camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry 10 gets voice commands in latest dev update (video)
BlackBerry 10 gets voice commands in latest dev update
Those lucky enough to have their hands on a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device were treated to a nice little software update this week. While some were having trouble just getting it installed, others were able to fire it up pretty quick and found a nice surprise waiting for them -- voice controls. Hold down the play/pause button on the side and you'll be prompted to speak a command and offered a unified search interface. Sound familiar? It should, Android and iOS have both hopped on the speech recognition bandwagon, and its becoming an expected feature of a modern mobile OS. The fine folks over at N4BB were able to give the suspiciously familiar sounding virtual assistant a run through and, lets just say it's a bit rough around the edges. Of course, thanks to the limitations of the alpha quality software there wasn't much to actually test anyway. To see it in action check out the video after the break.
Continue reading BlackBerry 10 gets voice commands in latest dev update (video)
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BlackBerry 10 gets voice commands in latest dev update (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google acquires Sparrow, the Apple-focused email app maker
Google aquires Sparrow, the Applefocused email app maker
Well, we can't exactly say we saw this one coming. Sparrow, maker of popular email apps for iOS and Mac OS X, has just announced that it's been acquired by Google. Expectedly, details on the acquisition are being kept under wraps at the moment, but company CEO Dom Leca has confirmed in a blog post that Sparrow will be joining the Gmail team at Google to "accomplish a bigger vision." Fans of the company's apps will be glad to know, however, that the team will "continue to make Sparrow available and provide support for our users" while also working on new things at Google. That does sound like most of their attention will be focused elsewhere, though. You can find Leca's full statement on the matter at the source link below.
Update: The Verge was able to get some notion of a cost for this deal, with "under $25 million" being a figure assigned to this, a figure that wasn't inflated due to a bidding war. (That should answer those wondering if maybe Google bought this out from under Apple.)
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Google acquires Sparrow, the Apple-focused email app maker originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 12:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 9 to 5 Mac  |  sourceSparrow  | Email this | Comments

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ASUS Transformer Prime, TF300 and Infinity TF700 getting Jelly Bean in 'the coming months'
Hot on the heels of HTC confirming a Jelly Bean upgrade for select handsets, ASUS released a statement (pasted after the break) assuring tablet owners that all of the company's new tablets, at least, will be upgraded to Android 4.1. So far, the outfit is committing to updating the Transformer Prime, along with the Transformer Pads TF300 and TF700. Though ASUS is careful to say it's considering other devices, it's still not promising to upgrade the original Transformer or Eee Pad Slider. No word, exactly, on when users will get a taste of Project Butter and Google Now, except that it should happen within "the coming months." Hopefully, of course, that's just an outside estimate: after all, ASUS isn't known for saddling its tablets with heavily customized skins, which can bog down the upgrade cycle.
Continue reading ASUS Transformer Prime, TF300 and Infinity TF700 getting Jelly Bean in 'the coming months'
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Lenovo CEO spreads the wealth, distributes his $3 million bonus to lower level employees
Lenovo CEO spreads the wealthThe list of CEOs and other execs in the US that have accepted multi-million dollar bonuses for lording over the crash and burn of a company (or even an entire economy) is staggering. And we can guarantee you that most of that money went towards fancy cars and golden toilet seats. Lenovo's Yang Yuanqing, on the other hand, received a sizable $3 million bonus for actually being good at his job. The additional bonus was a reward for steering the company to record shipments and profits despite a weakening PC market. And what did Mr. Yuanqing do with that money? He gave it back to his employees. That second bonus was broken down into 10,000 discrete chunks and dispersed to line workers, assistants and other lower-level employees. I think that officially makes Yang Yuanqing our new favorite CEO in tech.
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Permalink The Verge, ZDNet  |  sourceCNN  | Email this | Comments

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Dell M4700, 6700 documents leak, ruins the surprise for laptop fans
Dell M4700, 6700 manuals leak reveals
If you've had an eye on a new Business-focused Dell laptop but wanted to see the inside of one before purchasing, now you can. The company has (prematurely) outed documents for its rumored M4700 and M6700 portables well before they've been officially announced. The owners manual for the latter includes detailed teardown information that shows you how to disassemble the unit -- much like what we saw for the XPS 13. It's almost as if Dell knows we're watching, the naughty tease.

[Thanks, Duy]
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Dell M4700, 6700 documents leak, ruins the surprise for laptop fans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDell (PDF), (2) (PDF)  | Email this | Comments

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Ikea beefs up 2013 catalog with companion AR app, doesn't translate Swedish furniture names (video)
Ikea beefs up 2013 catalog with an ARtinged app
While many might reckon the days of paper-based catalogs passed with the advent of the web, Ikea's clinging onto its tome for yet another year, but will dust its latest issue with augmented reality. It looks like its 2013 catalog app will arrive with some new camera-centric features on both phones and tablets -- the brief preview video shows a pair of devices that look decidedly iPhone and iPad-esque. The app uses image recognition software from Metaio (avoiding the jarring monotones of QR codes) to identify specific pages and throw in some lightweight extra content, from cutaway views of furniture to "inspirational" video shorts. The agency behind the app has much loftier ideas for the future, including streaming live cooking shows or concerts into Ikea's imaginary rooms. Take a preview tour after the break, but sorry, no meatballs (or hotdogs) at the end.
Continue reading Ikea beefs up 2013 catalog with companion AR app, doesn't translate Swedish furniture names (video)
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Permalink   |  sourceCreativity Online  | Email this | Comments

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iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater
iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater
Not quite ready to leave wandering the briny depths up to robots, but still crave some undersea tech? The freshly released iGills Smart Diving System can help. With a polycarbonate housing and free companion app, the setup turns your iPhone into a fully featured recreational dive computer and logbook that can plunge up to 130 feet into the drink. Once connected to the waterproof case's 30-pin dock, handsets gain access to depth and temperature sensors in addition to six buttons for in-app navigation. Not only does the software provide vital dive information, it also allows users to take stills and videos of their underwater excursions through a glass camera port. If you're pining for an iOS-assisted diving experience, the iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S-compatible rig will set you back $330. Check out a quick clip of the accessory, complete with requisite rock music, after the break.
Continue reading iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater
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iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink iLounge  |  sourceiGills  | Email this | Comments

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Amazon, Warner deal brings Fringe, The West Wing to Prime Instant Video exclusively
Amazon deal brings Warner TV shows including Fringe, The West Wing to Prime Instant Video exclusively
The battle between Amazon's Prime Instant Video and Netflix Watch Instantly continues to heat up, with Amazon following up a slew of rollouts on new devices like the Xbox 360 and the addition of a queue by locking up some exclusive TV content from Warner Bros. According to the press release (included after the break) Amazon's agreement means episodes of Fringe and The West Wing will be "On Prime Instant Video First" and not on other streaming services for the summer. Stats show and Netflix has repeatedly indicated that subscribers view more TV content than movies on these types of services so content exclusives may become even more important differentiators. Other shows specifically named include Dark Blue, Alcatraz and The Whole Truth, hit up the Prime site to see any other less prominent names that may have escaped mention.
Continue reading Amazon, Warner deal brings Fringe, The West Wing to Prime Instant Video exclusively
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Distro Issue 49: a visit to the craft and hackerspace at Artisan's Asylum
Distro Issue 49 a visit to the craft and hackerspace at Artisan's Asylum
While Yahoo was busy hiring its new CEO away from Google, we were hard at work crankin' out this week's edition of Distro to help feed your slate reading desires. Let's just say that if a C&C gantry router that implements a Wiimote piques your interest, you're in for quite the treat this time around. We head north to Massachusetts to visit Artisan's Asylum for a glimpse of the craftiness and general hackery that takes place in an old office supply warehouse. We throw down the review gauntlet for the Nintendo 3DS XL, LG Optimus 4X HD and Sony VAIO T13 and offer some detailed reactions on said trio. AllThingsD's Mike Isaac has a go at the Q&A, "Switched On" discusses the next Office, Steam's annual sale occupies "Reaction Time" and "IRL" returns. As you might expect, all of the requisite download links await your clicks below.
Update: Make sure you're downloading the newest versions of the Distro app when they're made available. This will allow you to keep tabs on all of the content and functionality packed into each issue.
Distro Issue 49 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro APK (for sideloading)
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Distro Issue 49: a visit to the craft and hackerspace at Artisan's Asylum originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camera, cites added cost
ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camera, cites cost
Google's Nexus 7 tablet may be receiving OnLive Universal Controller support soon. What the Jelly Bean-flavored device won't be getting, however, is a rear-facing camera. Now ASUS is offering an explanation for the omission -- and no, it isn't to prevent users from looking like a doofus when snapping photos in public. ASUS apparently faced two options for a rear-facing camera: go cheap or go for quality. The company says it decided against sticking a lower-end camera at the back of the device because it would compromise the user experience. Adding a high-quality rear camera, on the other hand, would increase costs too much, so that proposition was nixed as well. The good news is that apps such as Instagram are finding ways to make things work with just the Nexus 7's front-facing camera. In the meantime, here's a little ditty from Google that just might help put a smile on your face.
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ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camera, cites added cost originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink TechnoBuffalo  |  sourceSlashGear  | Email this | Comments

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Rdio Android app updated with playlist and search improvements, puts new releases in grid view

Rdio Android app updated with playlist, activity stream and search improvements, puts new releases in grid view
Much like its desktop counterpart, Rdio's Android app is constantly being tweaked -- adjusting its style, adding features and generally doing the whole mobile update dance. Among a slew of standard bug fixes, the streaming music service's latest app update promises playlist editing improvements, including the ability to jump directly from a song in a playlist to its parent album, clickable activity stream URLs and more complete search results. The update boasts some user interface improvements as well, placing new releases in a grid view. Ready to upgrade? Hit up the Google Play at the source link below.
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LG outs IPS7 Series monitors: 23 or 27-inch IPS, minimal bezel, MHL mobile link, 8-bit 1080P
LG outs IPS7 Series monitors 23 or 27inch IPS, minimal bezel, MHL mobile link, 8bit 1080P
LG has announced a new series of IPS monitors, the 23- and 27-inch IPS7 series, with a mishmash of specs aimed at mobile, HD and professional users. Foregoing WQHD resolution in favor of plain jane 1920 x 1080, the panels feature a so-called Cinema Screen design with a 1.2mm (.025-inch) bezel, half-inch depth, a mobile high-definition (MHL) link, fast response times and color calibration software for professionals. If it's trying to to tap the pro market, the monitors lack some features like dual-link 2560 x 1440 resolution and 10-bit, 1.07 billion color graphics like the Dell U2711 or HP ZR2740w, for instance -- but then they could turn out to be considerably cheaper than those rivals. We'll just have to wait to find out the pricing.
Continue reading LG outs IPS7 Series monitors: 23 or 27-inch IPS, minimal bezel, MHL mobile link, 8-bit 1080P
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T-Mobile USA gives black HTC One S to hard-working staff, leaves other Americans turning green
TMobile USA gives black HTC One S to hardworking staff, leaves other Americans turning green
International HTC One S buyers might look at the black version like it's humdrum, but if you're an American who's had no realistic choice but to get the gray T-Mobile edition, black is a rare and coveted thing. T-Mobile knows this all too well, and it's using the micro arc oxidized hue as an incentive for loyal employees: work diligently enough, and a black One S with native T-Mobile HSPA+ is yours. There's no word from the TmoNews tipster as to whether or not the color will ever reach the buying public, which could make it a rare collector's item for Android lovers -- not to mention a mild form of torture for HTC enthusiasts. The optimistic among us are hoping that it's a sign of phones to come and that both black as well as gray can live in harmony on T-Mobile shelves.
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Nintendo 3DS gets first downloadable titles next week: Super Mario and Brain Training sequels
Nintendo 3DS gets first downloadable games next week Super Mario and Brain Training sequels
As Nintendo attempts to get its eShop up to speed with Sony's PS Vita provision, it's finally announced a July 28th launch date for its first two downloadable games. Alongside the in-store release of the 3DS XL, the full versions of both Super Mario Brothers 2 and the latest iteration of Dr. Kawashima's Brain Age / Training will be available for online purchase in Japan, priced at 4,800 yen (around $61) and 3,800 yen ($48), respectively. Nintendo already offers a mixed bag of retro titles and demos to download, but this is the first time it'll wheel out fully-fledged 3DS games.
Continue reading Nintendo 3DS gets first downloadable titles next week: Super Mario and Brain Training sequels
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DirecTV and Viacom deal brings MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and the rest back on the air
After a week or so of increasingly contentious negotiations Viacom and DirecTV have come to some sort of agreement, returning the missing channels to satellite TV subscribers as of... now. Naturally, each side is sticking to its guns, and even with a long term deal inked they still disagree on the number of channels involved.
So who won? The exact financial numbers have not been revealed, but you can check out the dueling press releases after the break. The contested Epix package is an option (but not a requirement) for DirecTV, while the satellite broadcaster is happily adding access to Viacom content on mobiles, PCs and "other media devices" as a part of its DirecTV Everywhere service. Thanks to support from other pay TV providers, DirecTV is taking the more aggressive position, but we'll wait for the inevitable "people in a position to know" to chime in with some dollars and cents figures before calling a victor.
Update: As expected, Bloomberg reports "people with direct knowledge" claim the new agreement is another seven year contract priced at more than $600 million per year, about 20 percent more than what Viacom was getting before. At least one analyst called it a win for both sides -- we'll see how subscribers fared if (when) there's a rate hike any time soon.
Continue reading DirecTV and Viacom deal brings MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and the rest back on the air
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Samsung Jasper for Verizon leaks on Twitter, dual-core Snapdragon and ICS in tow
Samsung Jasper for Verizon leaks on Twitter, dualcore Snapdragon and ICS in tow
Such is the natural order of things. First the blurrycam, then the FCC sighting (albeit the Sprint version) and if you're lucky, a final juicy leak. This is the story of the Samsung Jasper for Verizon. Details of the mid-range chin-heavy phone just showed up on Twitter, and claim the device will have a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon MSM8960 processor, a mediocre 800 x 480 display and Android 4.0. The skinning looks lighter than some other Samsung attempts, and the buttons along the bottom are also a deviation from other recent big hitters. While the DNA all seems a bit familiar, it seems Verizon will finally have a version to call its own.
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Samsung Jasper for Verizon leaks on Twitter, dual-core Snapdragon and ICS in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 05:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Comcast reportedly prepping 305Mbps internet service, aims to put FiOS in its place
Comcast reportedly prepping 305Mbps internet service, aims to put FiOS in its place
Sure, at 300Mbps Verizon's FiOS Quantum is lightning fast -- but reports say that Comcast is prepping a new tier that's just a little faster. According to Broadband Reports sources, Comcast's Neil Smit told employees that the company would be introducing a 305Mbps downstream tier in Verizon FiOS territories "soon," but neglected to mention a strict timetable. Details regarding pricing and data caps are similarly scarce, of course. Comcast has yet to comment on the rumor, but we'll let you know if we hear anything official.
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Got a GSM Nexus S and some flash skills? Get your Jelly Bean today
Got a GSM Nexus S and some flash skills Get your Jelly Bean today
While many Nexus S owners are still hanging on for their bit of tooth-rot, folks in other places have already started receiving OTA Jelly Bean updates. If you can't wait, and if you own a GSM Nexus S (either I9020T or I9023), then you can find the full and official ROM file linked up at the XDA thread below. For the time being, if you have a Sprint Nexus 4G then you'll unfortunately just have to chew on something else.

[Thanks, Onel]
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Got a GSM Nexus S and some flash skills? Get your Jelly Bean today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sky Go for Android adds support for Ice Cream Sandwich, Samsung's Galaxy S III, Nexus and Note
Sky Go for Android adds support for Ice Cream Sandwich, Samsung's Galaxy S III, Nexus and Note phones
When v2.0 of the Sky Go for Android app arrived earlier this month it promised another update would follow soon with support for Android 4.0 and more phones, and now it has arrived. We're not seeing it in Google Play yet, but the press release (included after the break) indicates the app is ready to run on the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Note from Samsung, and is also finally Ice Cream Sandwich compatible on those devices and the HTC Sensation / Sensation XE. That brings the total supported device count for the video on-demand player to a round 11, which is less than the "all" we're looking for but still more than the zero supported prior to February.
Continue reading Sky Go for Android adds support for Ice Cream Sandwich, Samsung's Galaxy S III, Nexus and Note
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HTC confirms Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for One X, One XL and One S, includes AT&T, T-Mobile and Rogers models
HTC confirms Jelly Bean for One X, One XL and One S
Remember yesterday's rumor from down under about Jelly Bean coming to select HTC One handsets? Well it's now fact. HTC has just confirmed that the One X, One XL and One S will be getting upgraded to Android 4.1 at some point in the (hopefully near) future. Here's the company's statement:
"We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google's latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean."
We've also learned that in addition to the aforementioned global models, carrier versions of the One X and One S for AT&T, T-Mobile and Rogers will also be receiving Jelly Bean. No word yet on timing, or whether the One V, EVO 4G LTE and Droid Incredible 4G LTE are included in those update plans.
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Leaked EOS M photo looks like Canon's long-awaited mirrorless camera
Leaked EOS M photo looks like Canon's longawaited mirrorless camera
At this point, after strong hints and even patents, a Canon mirrorless camera is all but certain. The only question is what it'll look like and how it'll compete with other Micro Four Thirds and APS-C shooters like the Olympus E-M5 and Samsung's NX range. The image above may at least help to answer the first part of that question, if it isn't a masterful photoshop. It was reportedly leaked by retail sites and captured by Digicame-info, and it appears to show an unknown model called the EOS M (shown in the top left corner) -- which does indeed look like a thin and lightweight mirrorless ILC. MirrorlessRumors also notes the presence of an entirely new mount: the EF-M -- which may mean that Canon is moving away from the inbetween sensor size it used in the G1 X and possibly towards full APS-C. An official announcement is expected on July 23rd, so we'll know plenty more then.
Update: Some more pictures have surfaced, this time not glossy press photos, but some IRL shots. Check 'em out below and at the more coverage links.
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Leaked EOS M photo looks like Canon's long-awaited mirrorless camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 03:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink MirrorlessRumors, CanonWatch  |  sourceDigicame-info  | Email this | Comments

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