LG's 55-inch curved OLED TV hits Germany for 8,999 euros this week
Following its availability at several Best Buy locations across the US, LG's 55-inch curved OLED TV is finally making its way to Europe. The company today announced that it'll arrive in Germany this week for 8,999 euros (roughly $12,000), with wider availability and pricing set to be announced in Q4. LG notes that it stands as the first to offer this type of kit in both the US and the EU, though, we're sure Samsung won't lag too far behind as usual. Full press release after the break.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Comments
Read More ...
Ask Engadget: best device locator?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Eric, who needs help overcoming a memory condition with regards his wallet. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"Hello! I've got a problem whereby I can forget things, and I've lost my wallet on more than one occasion. Naturally, the lack of technology makes it difficult to find, so is there a way I can add a tether (to alert my phone when it goes out of range) or a GPS tracker to save yet more tedious calls to cancel my credit cards? Thanks!"That's an interesting puzzler, and certainly one that we think we should throw straight out to the wider community. What have y'all seen that'd help our friend Eric overcome his burdens and keep his wallet close to hand? You know where to leave your comments.
Filed under: GPS
Comments
Read More ...
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 19th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a free TV streaming service for Bell subscribers, the arrival of NFL Mobile to BlackBerry 10 and little bit of Windows Phone love from General Motors. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 19th, 2013.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Comments
Read More ...
Yahoo buys image recognition firm IQ Engines to reorganize Flickr
Flickr is a killer resource for photographers of all stripes, but navigating through its massive photo catalog is far from elegant. Hopefully, Yahoo's purchase of IQ Engines can change that. According to the image recognition startup's website, IQ will be applying its skills to improving photo organization and search functionality to the online photo repository. Maybe its first order of business will be arranging all of Yahoo's new logos.
Filed under: Internet
Comments
Via: Tech Crunch
Source: IQ Engines
Read More ...
Pegatron employee spies a pile of iPhone 5Cs, all warming up for September
When we spotted this photo on French blog NoWhereElse, we were close to dismissing this as just a bunch of iPhone 5C knock-offs (the shanzhai industry works very fast), just as the site also speculates. But after digging around the original poster's Sina Weibo profile, we deduced that this spy shot came straight out of Pegatron's Shanghai plant, which matches what we've read in the recent China Labor Watch report on Apple.
According to her posts, the cheeky employee -- or more likely an ex-employee at this point -- in question joined the company's quality control department around mid-July. In an earlier comment, she also hinted that her plant is responsible for the latest Mac mini as well. The above photo was published yesterday, and it only came with the following caption:
"The low-end iPhone 5C to be launched for Chinese consumers in September doesn't look much different than the Xiaomi Phone 2, right?"
While it doesn't explain what's going on in the image, this appears to be a warm-up procedure (likely just with small batches for quality control) to make sure the devices are fully functional before they are boxed up. We've seen this in factory tours before, but no photography was allowed in the production lines; which makes us wonder how this shot came out of a supposedly well-guarded environment. September couldn't come any quicker for leaky Apple.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Comments
Via: NoWhereElse
Source: Sina Weibo
Read More ...
Engadget + gdgt Live is hitting Seattle next week!
Get excited, Seattle -- we're just a week out from our latest event in your fair city. And while tickets have been moving quickly, we've still got some spaces left. If you want to come hang with us at the Showbox SoDo on August 31st, all you've got to do is sign up at the source link below. We'll have lots to keep you busy, like exhibits from folks like Outlook, Nokia and Logitech and a few editors on-hand to talk tech. We can't wait to see you guys in a week!
Filed under: Announcements
Comments
Source: Events
Read More ...
Facebook kills physical Gifts in favor of digital redemption codes
Not even a year after its inception, Facebook is killing physical Gifts. According to TechCrunch, the social media giant is ending its intermediary role for sending teddy bears, wine and chocolate (sounds romantic, no?) from its partners. Instead, it's focusing on its own gift card, as well as redemption codes for iTunes credits and the like. Why? Well, aside from the cash the company will save, users simply weren't buying physical Gifts all that much. The new Gift page will begin rolling out to ten percent of the site's US userbase over the weekend, and the entire stateside population should see it within two weeks. It's a little less personal, sure, but at least you won't have to worry about getting your loved ones gift receipts.
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Comments
Source: TechCrunch
Read More ...
EA COO Peter Moore: 'We don't ship a game at EA that is offline' (video)
Electronic Arts is a mainstay in the game industry. From early days on the PC, pre-game consoles, to its current role as one of the world's largest game companies, the EA name's been synonymous with gaming. To stay in such a position, the publisher's had to adapt to changing trends in gaming, as games moved from home PCs to game consoles, and now to the internet. The next console generation is no exception, with EA promising two of its largest franchises -- Battlefield and FIFA -- for the launch of both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this holiday. And that's to say nothing of EA's investment in a nascent game studio composed of the people responsible for the Call of Duty franchise, Respawn Entertainment -- a pretty major coup considering that those folks previously worked at EA's main competitor, Activision.
It's with all this in mind that we sat down to speak with EA Chief Operations Officer Peter Moore at Gamescom 2013, not long after Moore held press attention captive in an hour-long presentation. He said his company's current dedication to online functionality in its games is unmatched: "We don't ship a game at EA that is offline," he told us, an echo of his competition's claims about the next generation of game consoles. Head below the break for a lengthy discussion with Moore on all things gaming in 2013.
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD
Comments
Read More ...
Bing intros robust product results for snappier impulse shopping
If you can't even remember when you've last used Bing, you'll find a deluge of new features next time you visit. The latest among these perks is a more elaborate result page for product searches, making the engine a potentially dark and dangerous place for chronic spenders. When you look up a product term such as "DSLR cameras" or "smartphones," you'll now see a list of the most popular models in that category. That's not the deepest end of the rabbit hole, however, as searching for a particular model rewards you with a summary of its specs, links to reviews and a list of alternative items. Microsoft will also equip the page's ads with product images in case none of the things in those lists wins you -- or your credit card -- over. Unfortunately, you'll need to rein in the call of your inner shopaholic for now -- the update's not yet available for everyone, but outgoing CEO Ballmer and Co. will roll it out in the coming months.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Comments
Via: The Next Web
Source: Bing
Read More ...
Instagram chases better video editing with Luma acquisition
According to TechCrunch, Instagram has just acquired Luma for an undisclosed amount to help bring its video service to the next level. In addition to basics like video stabilization and adjustments for brightness and saturation, Luma will bring its "Infinite Filter" tech into the fold. What does this do? Well, with it you can add or remove filters to video clips at will once the footage is in the can. If you're one of Luma's existing users, the company is shutting its doors come December 31st, so consider this your fair warning to grab your clips before then. A revamped platform certainly couldn't hurt Instagram's video ambitions -- after all, the competition isn't showing any signs of slowing down.
Filed under: Facebook
Comments
Source: TechCrunch, AllThingsD
Read More ...
Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker HD Wii U Deluxe bundle leaked, teases gold trim
Waiting for the Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker HD before picking up a Wii U? You're in luck -- the company seems to be prepping a bundle specifically for Hylian-minded buyers. NeoGAF users have salvaged an image of the special edition console from a trailer Nintendo posted to its YouTube channel and then immediately pulled. The video, which showed off the game's "hero mode" difficulty setting, teased a black Wii U gamepad decorated a golden Triforce and other Zelda inspired accents. The leak doesn't say much else about the hardware, but it's probably safe to assume that the black console matches the 32GB internals of the standard deluxe edition. Price, availability and additional information will have to wait until Nintendo makes this bundle official, but curious folks can find a mirror of the leaked trailer at the source.
Filed under: Nintendo
Comments
Source: Destructoid, NeoGAF
Read More ...
Alleged Motorola Droid 5 pics suggest the QWERTY slider still lives
Fans of hardware keyboards have at least one reason to keep rooting for Motorola's Droid line, and these leaked pics suggest it will continue on. Posted on Weibo, these supposed Droid 5 pics show a QWERTY slider that seeming drops the capacitive buttons of its predecessors, and brings wireless charging, NFC and a "shockproof" water / dust resistant design. The laser cut 5-row keyboard we appreciated on the Droid 4 appears to be intact, along with a screen in the 4.3-inch to 4.5-inch range. The conveniently placed Verizon 4G LTE logos also places it as a higher-end companion to the just-announced LG Enact as Android options for fans of hardware keyboards. Any other details are still up in the air, if you have a login for the Chinese social networking service you can check out the source for yourself at the links below.
Filed under: Mobile, Verizon
Comments
Via: NewCellPhonesBlog
Source: Weibo (1), (2)
Read More ...
Engadget Podcast 357 - 08.23.13
The PS4 launches this November -- are you ready? Aside from recapping Gamescom, Brian, Dana and Peter mull over the week's biggest tech stories and rumors of a champagne iPhone. All that and more in this episode of the Engadget Podcast. Stream it below.
Hosts: Brian Heater, Dana Wollman, Peter Rojas
Producer: Joe Pollicino
Hear the podcast:
Filed under: Podcasts
Comments
Read More ...
Google tightens Android app rules for device interference and in-game purchases
Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent or shady behavior in Android apps, and we're witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company's new guidelines more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can't modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can't install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won't necessarily stop rogue code from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Google
Comments
Via: The Next Web
Source: Google Play Support
Read More ...
iFixit teardown of Moto X finds it plenty repairable
Mere hours after the Moto X made it to stores, the iFixit guys have already torn it apart, revealing its innards to all. The guts of the American-assembled
handset aren't entirely a surprise: under the hood we've got a
motherboard, 16GB of eMMC NAND storage, the usual rear and front camera
modules, inductive charging coils and a 3.8-volt 2200mAH lithium-ion
battery. The disassemblers praised the replaceability of various
modular components, as the tablet uses only one type of screw
throughout. Its taped-in battery, display-fused digitizer and sticky
adhesives took the Moto X down a few pegs, but its final score of 7 out
of 10 still makes this one of the more easily repairable smartphones on
iFixit's list. To have a look at just how Google and Motorola's
lovechild was put together, hit the source link below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, GoogleComments
Source: iFixit
Read More ...
Daily Roundup: Camera buyer's guide, Droid Ultra review, Steve Ballmer stepping down, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Comments
Read More ...
YouTube raises limits on video use in third-party apps
YouTube launched its Data API to let developers integrate online video into their apps, but the modest caps on daily use have limited the potential of those apps. As of today, YouTube is offering much more breathing room: developers now have 10 times more transaction units each day, and uploads require 10 times fewer units. The extra headroom should lead to apps that not only include many more YouTube videos, but also call more frequently on clip data. While it will likely take some time before we see software that takes advantage of the higher limits, we wouldn't be surprised if our favorite apps become multimedia extravaganzas in the near future.
Filed under: Internet, Google
Comments
Via: TechCrunch
Source: YouTube for Developers (Google+)
Read More ...
Rdio for iOS updated with Station Tuning feature, new design for Collections
Rdio's used the past few months to bring an array of improvements to its iOS app -- some functional and some cosmetic. To keep the momentum going, the company today released yet another update, including a Station Tuning feature that lets listeners "adjust any station to play more familiar or more adventurous tracks." Additionally, the app's Collection tab now sports a redesigned look, which makes for an easier, better-looking way to view album artwork. Rdio says search within has been improved as well, while other undisclosed, under-the-hood UI enhancements are also part of this version. Per usual, we've included the download link below.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Internet, Software
Comments
Source: App Store
Read More ...
The Daxian N100i is a phone you can literally plug into the wall (video)
Gone are the days of bizarre phones with some special practical use, but not all hope is lost. Earlier today, this author stumbled upon a shanzhai Android 4.0.1 phone with a built-in power plug! It's a bit awkward, though, as you have to take off the back cover to flip up the Type A plug -- we're assuming it has a world-friendly voltage rating, but we'll double check. Should you wish to juice the phone up the old-fashioned way, the micro-USB port is still there.
Externally, this Daxian N100i seems to be very much "inspired" by the Xiaomi Phone 2 or 2S. Given the HK$599 (about US$80) price point (or about US$40 each in bulk), don't expect too many goodies from this outlandish candy bar: there's a dual-core 1GHz MT6517 chipset, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 TN display, 4GB of storage, a microSD slot, an 1,800mAh cell (plus a spare in the box) and dual-SIM slots -- but for GSM 900/1800 only. The front and back cameras both have a resolution of just 3.1 megapixels, and it was hard to judge the picture quality on that horrible screen. Still intrigued? Then check out the flip plug in action in our video after the break. %Gallery-slideshow73411%
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Comments
Read More ...
Editor's Letter: Back to school
In each issue of Distro, Executive Editor Marc Perton publishes a wrap-up of the week in news.
There was a time when gearing up to go back to school meant little more than picking up a new backpack, some clothes and the latest HP calculator. Those days, of course, are long gone, and even fifth-graders can expect to start the school year with a new smartphone and laptop.
In this issue of Distro, Engadget's annual back to school guide presents our latest recommendations for everything from tablets to TVs to gaming gear. And if you're a US resident over 18 (sorry fifth-graders), there's still time to enter our Back to School sweepstakes, where we're giving away tons of great gadgets, including laptops, e-readers and smartphones.
Filed under: Misc
Comments
Read More ...
Google reportedly working on its own car, considering autonomous taxi service
It's no secret that Google has been slowly but surely finding its way into the automotive industry, as it's already been working with manufacturers to build self-driving cars for quite some time. However, according to Amir Efrati, a former star reporter for the Wall Street Journal, the software giant is looking to drive a few extra miles down that road by designing and building cars of its own. The company has been in talks with component suppliers like Continental AG and Magna International in the hopes that it could put together an entire car under Google's command. The idea, Efrati says, is to put more pressure on car brands to develop autonomous driving tech, regardless of if Google is directly involved or not.
So what would Google do with such a vehicle built under its direct supervision and brand? One idea on the drawing board is a "robo-taxi" service, which is exactly how it sounds: a self-driving car would come and pick you up and drop you off at your destination; at first, a human would need to be behind the wheel just in case, but that could easily change as the tech progresses and becomes more reliable. Steer toward the source link for a few more details about the thought process behind Google's efforts.
Filed under: Google
Comments
Source: Jessica Lessin
Read More ...
Facebook tweaks News Feed, adds new algorithm to serve up high quality content
The usefulness of Facebook's News Feed ranking algorithm may not be universally agreed upon, but the social network's dedication to improving it is unquestionable. Today, FB has updated that ranking system with a newly developed algorithm meant to better surface "high quality content" from pages users are connected to at the top of News Feed. To do so, the algorithm makes determinations about what content is timely, relevant, from trusted sources and is likely to be shared -- and also identifying content that users complain about seeing or attempts to "game News Feed" distribution with solicited likes. These signals were informed by the results from surveying a few thousand users, and after implementation in a small scale test, Facebook found folks sharing, liking and commenting on more stories, and hiding fewer of them. As such, we can all expect to see the update in the next few weeks, so brace for a Facebook flood of insightful stories, funny cat videos, or whatever else it is you're into.
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Comments
Source: Facebook for Business
Read More ...
DOJ offers to cut injunction time in Apple e-book case, stays firm on key points
The US Justice Department was insistent that its proposed injunction against Apple for alleged e-book price fixing was the proper remedy earlier this month, but it's now willing to budge on that somewhat. As Reuters reports, the DOJ has offered to cut the length of the injunction from ten to five years, and ease the restrictions on Apple striking new deals with book publishers -- it now suggests Apple hold staggered negotiations with publishers starting in two years. The DOJ continues to insist on the need for an external monitor to keep an eye on the company, however, which remains a non-starter for Apple.
The company also drew some particularly harsh criticism from the DOJ, which stated in a filing that "Apple wants to continue business as usual, regardless of the antitrust laws," and that "this court should have no confidence that Apple on its own effectively can ensure that its illegal conduct will not be repeated." For its part, Apple isn't commenting on the DOJ's latest proposal.
Filed under: Apple
Comments
Source: Reuters
Read More ...
Unlocking Moto X with the Motorola Skip (hands-on video)
Motorola's new Skip NFC smartphone key is quite possibly the simplest gadget we've covered at Engadget. But simple as it may be, Skip is a time saver for Moto X
users. The tiny device, comprised of an NFC tag, a small piece of
fabric and a pair of magnets for securing to an article of clothing,
such as a pants pocket or shirt sleeve, ships for free with all Moto
Maker orders, and is available as a $20 add-on
if you've purchased your Moto X directly from a carrier. It's also
bundled with three NFC-enabled stickers that you can affix to your car, a
piece of furniture or a personal accessory, like a purse or wallet.
Setting
up Skip takes only a few seconds. Assuming you have NFC enabled, tap
the Moto X to the Skip or one of the bundled Skip Dots, and a
configuration screen will pop up prompting you to pair your device with
the tag. You'll enter your password to complete the process, then any
time you need to unlock your phone in the future, all you need to do is
tap the two together. Skip might not be the best fit if you keep
confidential corporate data on your handset, but assuming your password
serves mostly to keep prying eyes away from personal email or text
messages, it should do the trick. Catch Skip in action in our hands-on
video after the break.%Gallery-slideshow73405%
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, GoogleComments
Read More ...
Available Tags:TV , Yahoo , iPhone 5 , iPhone , Engadget , Facebook , EA , EA , Bing , Motorola , Google , Android , YouTube , iOS , Apple ,
No comments:
Post a Comment