Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nokia confirms intent to bring unlocked 808 PureView handset to North America (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/nokia-confirms-pureview-808-coming-to-us/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/nokia-confirms-pureview-808-coming-to-us/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/nokia-confirms-pureview-808-coming-to-us/#comments

Nokia's major focal points within the US market may currently be its Lumia 900 and Windows Phone, but that doesn't mean it's planning to leave its other notable offerings outside of Uncle Sam's borders. Speaking with PC Mag, Nokia executive Chris Weber explained that the company aims to offer its current Belle-rocking, imaging-champ, the 41-megapixel 808 PureView, north of Mexico in the "next couple of months." That's rather unsurprising, considering it recently passed through the underground testing-chambers of the FCC. Unlike the Lumia, however, this mega-phone will only be sold unlocked, naturally sporting AT&T bands (possibly others, too. See the update below) for connectivity. While we're still eager to find out more detailed availability information, you can now rest assured that you'll soon be able to capture highly detailed photos of your freedom fries to post on Tumblr.

Update: PC Mag's Sascha Segan wrote in the comments below to clarify this device's likely connectivity options:

Weber said he was sure the phone would support AT&T. He didn't refer specifically to any frequency bands or say the phone wouldn't support any other carrier. I presume it's going to be the international model, so it'll be any carrier the international model supports.

Nokia confirms intent to bring unlocked 808 PureView handset to North America (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>41 megapixel41 mp41Megapixel41Mp808808 PureView808Pureviewattavailabilitymobilepostcrossnokianokia pureview 808NokiaPureview808north americaNorthAmericapureview 808Pureview808symbianuncle samUncleSamunited statedunited states of americaUnitedStatedUnitedStatesOfAmericaunlockedusus availabilityusaUsAvailabilityFri, 11 May 2012 15:14:00 EST<![CDATA[HP's most popular laptop screen sizes: 15-inch in the US, 14-inch in China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/hp-popular-laptop-screen-sizes-us-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/hp-popular-laptop-screen-sizes-us-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/hp-popular-laptop-screen-sizes-us-china/#comments Image

Here's another interesting tidbit from today's HP event in Shanghai: according to Kevin Frost, Vice President and General Manager of Consumer Notebooks Business Unit, 15-inch is currently the most popular laptop screen size in the US, while the folks in China prefer 14-inch offerings. Oddly enough, Kevin wasn't keen on explaining this phenomenon, but he added that 17-inch laptops also do well in Europe and the US, but not in China.

HP's most popular laptop screen sizes: 15-inch in the US, 14-inch in China originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinaeuropeGlobal Influencer SummitGlobal Influencer Summit 2012GlobalInfluencerSummitGlobalInfluencerSummit2012hpKevin FrostKevinFrostlaptoplaptop screen sizelaptop sizeLaptopScreenSizeLaptopSizescreen sizeScreenSizeshanghaiusWed, 09 May 2012 12:44:00 EST<![CDATA[LG launches LG Cloud, blows raspberries at S-Cloud]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/lg-cloud/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/lg-cloud/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/lg-cloud/#comments Image

Four days before the purported launch of Samsung's cloud service, Korea's other technology giant has unveiled LG Cloud. The eponymous service offers 5GB free space as standard, while owners of LG's Smart TVs or smartphones will get 50GB free for six months. It'll push content between your devices, appropriately compressed for the medium, so high definition images on your TV will be slimmed down to save your phone's data cap. The free beta begins in South Korea and the US from May 1st, with a global rollout pencilled in for next year -- but don't worry, the company made it clear you'll be able to use it on your holidays, if you can find a signal.

Continue reading LG launches LG Cloud, blows raspberries at S-Cloud

LG launches LG Cloud, blows raspberries at S-Cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>50GB5GBCloud ServiceCloudServiceGoogle DriveGoogleDriveiCloudKoreaLGLG CloudLG-CloudLgCloudmobilepostcrossReal Time TranscodingRealTimeTranscodingRTSs-CloudsCloudSmart TVSmart TVsSmartphoneSmartTvSmartTvsStreaming MediaStreamingMediaUSMon, 30 Apr 2012 08:18:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: HTC One S arrives today at T-Mobile, $199 on-contract after $50 rebate]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/25/psa-htc-one-s-arrives-today/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/25/psa-htc-one-s-arrives-today/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/25/psa-htc-one-s-arrives-today/#comments HTC One S on sale today

If you haven't already smuggled a carrier-free version of HTC's One S into the US, you can now sign up two years of your wireless life for T-Mobile's flavor. Largely undiluted by the Big Magenta, the dual-core phone arrives today for a single dollar shy of 200 -- after a $50 mail-in rebate. The online store at the source below is waiting for your order, or you could hit up your local bricks-and-mortar for some instant retail gratification.

PSA: HTC One S arrives today at T-Mobile, $199 on-contract after $50 rebate originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>htchtc one sHtcOneSmobilepostcrossOn Saleone sOneSOnSalePSAt-mobileUSWed, 25 Apr 2012 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Obama cracks down on Iran and Syria's surveillance of dissidents]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/23/obama-cracks-down-iran-syria-surveillance/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/23/obama-cracks-down-iran-syria-surveillance/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/23/obama-cracks-down-iran-syria-surveillance/#comments Obama cracks down on Iran and Syria's surveillance of dissidentsPresident Obama may be quite cozy with tech -- what with his predilection for the iPad and those town hall meetings on Facebook -- but he's well aware of its dark side, too. Today he announced that the US will freeze assets and cancel the American visas of Iranian and Syrian agencies tracking dissidents and pro-democracy groups via satellite, computer and phone networks. Among the entities getting the blacklist treatment are the Syrian cellphone company Syriatel, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian internet provider Datak Telecom. Amid election-year pressure to confront Iran, Obama addressed the ongoing threat of the country acquiring nukes, but also paid lip service to social media's role in democracy. "These technologies should be in place to empower citizens, not to repress them," he told an audience of 250 people, according to Reuters. Still, given the limited impact of previous sanctions against Iran, it remains to be seen just how much of an effect Washington's actions have on the human rights situation in either country.

Obama cracks down on Iran and Syria's surveillance of dissidents originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Barack ObamaBarackObamacellphoneDatak TelecomDatakTelecomIraniranianobamaObama AdministrationObamaAdministrationpoliticssurveillancesyriasyrianSyriateluswhite houseWhiteHouseMon, 23 Apr 2012 19:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Huawei Ascend G312 (U8680) lands at FCC, unsurprisingly sports T-Mobile myTouch moniker]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/huawei-ascend-g-132-lands-at-fcc-unsurprisingly-sports-t-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/huawei-ascend-g-132-lands-at-fcc-unsurprisingly-sports-t-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/huawei-ascend-g-132-lands-at-fcc-unsurprisingly-sports-t-mobile/#comments Image

It's far from a secret that T-Mobile has been cooking up its next myTouch handset with Huawei (also known as the Ascend G312), and now a phone bearing the same moniker has landed at the door of the FCC. According to the label location diagrams, it plays nice with HSPA, UMTS, GPRS, GSM and Edge, but there's no indication of whether this Huawei U8680 is the QWERTY variant we spotted at the company's headquarters. If you'll recall, Huawei has this 4-inch (WVGA) device pegged to ship with Android Ice Cream Sandwich, running atop a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255T SoC with 1GB of RAM that's supplemented by 4GB of on-board storage. Of course, this doesn't leave us with any more information about when T-Mobile will officially debut this next-gen myTouch, but for now, you can can view the currently available FCC documents at the source link below.

Huawei Ascend G312 (U8680) lands at FCC, unsurprisingly sports T-Mobile myTouch moniker originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 01:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255T1.4ghzQualcommMsm8255t4-inchandroidandroid 4.0Android4.0BuddyfccG 312G 312 QWERTYG312G312 QwertyG312QwertygoogleHuawei G 312 QWERTYHuawei G312 QWERTYHuaweiG312Qwertyice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichmobilepostminimy touchmytouchqisu8680t-mobile mytouchT-mobileMytouchtmobileu8680uswvgaSun, 22 Apr 2012 01:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Acer Iconia Tab A510 now available, 10.1 inches of Olympian ICS and Tegra 3 for $450]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/acer-iconia-tab-a510-now-available-android-ics-tegra3/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/acer-iconia-tab-a510-now-available-android-ics-tegra3/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/acer-iconia-tab-a510-now-available-android-ics-tegra3/#comments

Ah, Acer's Olympics-themed Iconia Tab A510. If you'll recall, after months of staying quiet about its A500 successor -- which was already viewable in public -- Acer finally made the 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) slate official when it went up for pre-order last month. Fast forward to today, and the company's US website is now listing the tablet as in-stock and ready to ship. Notably, the A510 is Acer's first tab loaded with NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 SoC and Android Ice Cream Sandwich (slightly modified) -- a duo of delicacies seldom found together in tablets up for grabs as of late. To refresh your memory, its $450 price tag also gets you 32GB of storage with 1GB of RAM, your choice of a white or black bezel and other goodies, including a 1-megapixel front-facing camera and an auto-focusing 5-megapixel shooter on back. Not too shabby for device that can reportedly handle 12 hours of video playback. Sweet tooth tingling? Hit up the source link below for all the details.

[Thanks, Daryl]

Acer Iconia Tab A510 now available, 10.1 inches of Olympian ICS and Tegra 3 for $450 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10.1-inch1280x800a510aceracer iconia tab a510AcerIconiaTabA510androidavailableice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichiconia tabiconia tab a510IconiaTabIconiaTabA510north americaNorthAmericanvidianvidia tegra 3NvidiaTegra3olympicson saleOnSalequad coreQuadCoreslatesoctabletusTue, 17 Apr 2012 20:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Space Shuttle Discovery to make final in-air appearance in 1,500-foot DC flyover]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/10/space-shuttle-discovery-washington-dc-flyover/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/10/space-shuttle-discovery-washington-dc-flyover/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/10/space-shuttle-discovery-washington-dc-flyover/#comments ImageFolks lucky enough to be in the nation's capital next week will have one final opportunity to gawk at Space Shuttle Discovery as the decommissioned spacecraft makes its way to its final resting place in Washington D.C. The shuttle is scheduled for a 1,500-foot flyover between 10 and 11 next Tuesday morning, passing over the National Mall and Reagan National Airport atop NASA's modified 747-100. The craft will then land at Dulles Airport before making a land-based journey to the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Center, where it will replace the Enterprise shuttle, which is destined for the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan. That prototype shuttle is scheduled to land in New York City a few days later on April 23rd, where it will touch down at JFK mounted to what's likely to be the same Shuttle Carrier Aircraft scheduled to make the Discover delivery in D.C., though there's sadly no word of a similar photo op in NYC.

Space Shuttle Discovery to make final in-air appearance in 1,500-foot DC flyover originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aircraftaltcapitaldcdiscoverydistrict of columbiaDistrictOfColumbiaflightflightsfly overfly oversflyoverFlyOversnasanationnationalnational mallNationalMallshuttleSmithsonianspacespace craftspace shuttleSpace Shuttle DiscoveryspacecraftSpaceShuttleSpaceShuttleDiscoveryunited statesUnitedStatesuswashingtonwashington dcWashingtonDcTue, 10 Apr 2012 13:17:00 EST<![CDATA[US government sticking with BlackBerry, appreciates RIM's focus on security]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/05/us-governement-rim-blackberry-smartphones/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/05/us-governement-rim-blackberry-smartphones/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/05/us-governement-rim-blackberry-smartphones/#comments US government sticking with BlackBerry, appreciates RIM's focus on security
Just when you thought RIM couldn't catch a break, The Washington Post is reporting the US government doesn't plan to jump smartphone ships anytime soon. According to the publication, Casey Coleman (chief information officer at the General Services Administration) says that while the agency may have handed out iPhone and Android phones to the staff, a big chunk of the 12,000 agency-issued handsets are BlackBerry devices. The main reason behind the choice of Berries is RIM's focus on security, which Coleman notes "is paramount for government use." Still, the GSA officer isn't ruling out switching to a different OS in the distant future, as platforms like iOS and Android start to become "equally secure." For RIM's sake, we hope the refocusing on enterprise pays off.

US government sticking with BlackBerry, appreciates RIM's focus on security originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberryenterprisegeneral services administrationGeneralServicesAdministrationgovernmentGSAmobilepostminiResearch In MotionResearchInMotionrimsecuresecurityunited statesunited states of americaUnitedStatesUnitedStatesOfAmericausUS governmentus govtusaUsGovernmentUsGovtThu, 05 Apr 2012 11:33:00 EST<![CDATA[BBC Olympic coverage to include 24 live HD channels available on TVs, phones, PCs and tablets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/bbc-olympic-coverage-includes-24-live-hd-channels/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/bbc-olympic-coverage-includes-24-live-hd-channels/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/bbc-olympic-coverage-includes-24-live-hd-channels/#commentsBBC Olympic coverage to include 24 live HD channels available on TVs, phones, PCs and tabletsThe BBC has home field advantage for the 2012 Olympics, and it's revealing more details about how it plans to broadcast over 2,500 hours of live sports on 24 channels that viewers can watch pretty much anywhere. Director Roger Mosey indicates it started out as a way to watch all 24 streams on the BBC Sport website via PCs or mobile devices, but has been expanded to offer the streams through television operators as well. So far Sky and Freesat are confirmed in, while Freeview users can punch up two extra channels via the program guide or red button. On this side of the Atlantic, the most recent news is that NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) will be right alongside the broadcast NBC channel (which has its own streaming plans in combination with YouTube) with a "record" amount of Olympic coverage. It could air as many as 300 hours of content from London, as well as some of the Olympic Trials. Hit the source links below for more details, we'll probably be hearing much more before the Olympic Flame makes its way to the stadium July 27th.

Continue reading BBC Olympic coverage to include 24 live HD channels available on TVs, phones, PCs and tablets

BBC Olympic coverage to include 24 live HD channels available on TVs, phones, PCs and tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 Olympics2012OlympicsbbcfreesatfreeviewhdhdpostcrossLondon OlympicsLondonOlympicsnbcnbc sportsnbc sports networkNbcSportsNbcSportsNetworkolympicsred buttonRedButtonskysportsstreamingukusversusWed, 04 Apr 2012 18:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Paramount flicks are coming to YouTube and Google Play despite Viacom lawsuit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/paramount-google-play-youtube-android-rental/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/paramount-google-play-youtube-android-rental/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/paramount-google-play-youtube-android-rental/#comments Image

While its corporate parent Viacom continues to tussle with Google over who is liable for user uploaded content, Paramount Pictures has struck a deal to offer its movies for rental on YouTube / Google Play in the US and Canada. According to Google that adds up to around 500 new movies becoming available on the service over the next few weeks including hits like Ferris Bueller and The Godfather. Those catalog titles are currently available on 48hr joypasses for $3.99/$2.99 (HD/SD) each, while newer titles like Hugo are $4.99/$3.99. Also worth noting is that now the folks at Mountain View can count five of the six major studios (Fox is still out) among their offerings. We'll see if this signals a thawing relationship between Google and the studios upset that pirated copies of their content are so easily found via Google's searches (doubt it), but at least Android users can look forward to more easily accessible content.

Paramount flicks are coming to YouTube and Google Play despite Viacom lawsuit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>android marketAndroidMarketcanadaferris buellerFerrisBuellerfoxgooglegoogle playgoogle tvGooglePlayGoogleTvhdpostcrossinternet videoInternetVideolawsuitmobilepostcrossmoviesparamountparamount picturesParamountPicturesrentalusviacomvideo on demandVideoOnDemandvodyoutubeWed, 04 Apr 2012 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T now accepting Lumia 900 pre-orders, only those seeking cyan or black need apply (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/atandt-now-accepting-lumia-900-pre-orders-only-those-seeking-cyan/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/atandt-now-accepting-lumia-900-pre-orders-only-those-seeking-cyan/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/30/atandt-now-accepting-lumia-900-pre-orders-only-those-seeking-cyan/#comments Image
Friendly reminder here, folks. As expected, AT&T has opened the pre-order floodgates for the Nokia Lumia 900 today ahead of its April 8th release in the US. Interested parties can secure their reservation for the Window Phone 7.5-loaded device at AT&T's retail or online stores. While you'll be able to snag one in either matter black or cyan blue, we'd be remiss not to point out that the white version (slated for an April 22nd release) isn't yet on offer. If you'll recall, parting with $100 and agreeing to a two-year contract is all it'll cost ya' to get in on the action. Be sure to let us know if you plan on reaching for the "light" in the comments.

Update: Wowza, if $100 wasn't already easy on the wallet, Walmart is offering the device up for only $50 with a two-year agreement -- online only, though. You'll find more info at the source link below.

Update 2: Ready for more good news? According to AT&T's website, Lumia 900 pre-orders are currently slated to "arrive on or before April 6th" -- a full two days before its official launch.

Update 3: This bad boy's free after a $100 online rebate for new AT&T customers. That's a serious play for signups.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]

AT&T now accepting Lumia 900 pre-orders, only those seeking cyan or black need apply (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attatt pre-orderAttPre-orderblackcyanlumialumia 900Lumia900microsoftmobilepostcrossnokianokia lumia 900NokiaLumia900pre-orderpreordersmartphonesmartphonesuswindowswindows phonewindows phone 7.5WindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7.5WP7Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Nielsen: Smartphones account for nearly 50 percent of US mobile phones as of February]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/nielsen-smartphones-account-for-nearly-50-percent-of-us-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/nielsen-smartphones-account-for-nearly-50-percent-of-us-mobile/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/nielsen-smartphones-account-for-nearly-50-percent-of-us-mobile/#comments Image
Nielsen Mobile Insights' latest statistics are in -- and would you look at that. It's the rise of smartphone owners crossing paths with the decline of those still clinging to their feature-focused devices. According to its latest Smartphone Penetration report, as of February 2012, 49.7 percent of US mobile phone owners now sport the "smarter" types (up from only 36 percent a year ago). On a unsurprising note, Nielsen also found that two-thirds of mobile phone buyers in the last three months purchased smartphones over dumbphones. According to its latest report on Smartphone OS shares, of those smartphone purchases, 48 percent of buyers went with Android, 43 percent landed iOS a close second and five percent helped RIM scrape the bottom of the barrel with the remaining four percent listed as "other." That said, it's a only slight deviation from January's numbers, when 51.7 percent of folks went with Android, while 37 percent went for the route leading to Apple. Don't take our word for it, though, there's another graph past the break and full details at the source link below.

Continue reading Nielsen: Smartphones account for nearly 50 percent of US mobile phones as of February

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Nielsen: Smartphones account for nearly 50 percent of US mobile phones as of February originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidapplebbblackberryblackerberrydumb phoneDumbPhonefeature phoneFeaturePhonegoogleiosmicrosoftmobilepostcrossnielsennielsen mobile insightsNielsenMobileInsightsoperating system shareOperatingSystemSharepenetrationresearch in motionResearchInMotionrimrim bbRimBbsmartphonesmartphone penetrationSmartphonePenetrationUSThu, 29 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell leaves its US phone plans blank after ending sales of the Venue and Venue Pro here]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/dell-leaves-its-us-phone-plans-blank-after-ending-sales-of-the-v/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/dell-leaves-its-us-phone-plans-blank-after-ending-sales-of-the-v/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/dell-leaves-its-us-phone-plans-blank-after-ending-sales-of-the-v/#comments While Dell may still be releasing Streaks and Venues in other countries, a company spokesman tells PC World that its last remaining phone stateside, the Venue and Venue Pro are no longer on sale. While the short lifecycle of mobile products was cited in the pair's time with us drawing to a close, the lack of replacements means Dell is out of the smartphone game in this country less than two years after entering with the Aero and Streak 5. While the spokesperson confirmed Dell would introduce more mobile devices in the US later this year, they could not say whether or not phones would be among them. We're not sure what the reboot of its product lines will entail -- other than a lack of connection to departed section head Ron Garriques -- but at least it still has those Thunder, Smoke, Lightning and Flash names in their pocket whenever something new arrives.

Dell leaves its US phone plans blank after ending sales of the Venue and Venue Pro here originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcellphonesdellmobilepostminiphonessmart phonesSmartPhonesusvenuevenue proVenueProwindows phone 7WindowsPhone7Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gogo WiFi lands in more US Airways Airbuses and Embraers, intros Gogo Vision]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/gogo-wifi-vision-us-airways-airbus-embraer/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/gogo-wifi-vision-us-airways-airbus-embraer/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/gogo-wifi-vision-us-airways-airbus-embraer/#comments Gogo WiFi lands in more US Airways Airbuses and Embraers, intros Gogo Vision
Gogo isn't just tossing its mid-air wireless goodies toward Virgin and American, with US Airways being the latest to join the extra perks party. Per today's announcement, the airline is stuffing Gogo WiFi in a few more planes, including the Airbus A319 and A320. Other shorter (and much smaller) aircraft, the Embraer 170, 175 and 190, are also getting the in-flight WiFi treatment. Meanwhile, a quick peek at the PR below reveals Gogo is quietly launching its Vision service, allowing passengers to watch movies, shows and have access to "exclusive" shopping deals -- though, you'll have to shell out $1 to $6 more for the privilege. Maybe now you'll actually want to seek out Express flights rather than avoid them, since you'll have far fewer passengers to fight for bandwidth.

Continue reading Gogo WiFi lands in more US Airways Airbuses and Embraers, intros Gogo Vision

Gogo WiFi lands in more US Airways Airbuses and Embraers, intros Gogo Vision originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Airbus EmbraerAirbusEmbraerairplaneairplanesairwaysgogogogo visiongogo wifiGogoVisionGogoWifiin flightin flight wifiin-flightin-flight wi-fiin-flight wifiIn-flightWi-fiIn-flightWifiInFlightInFlightWifiplaneplanesusus airwaysUsAirwayswi-fiwifiWed, 21 Mar 2012 18:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon halts dubious third-party billing on landlines, years after landlines were 'in']]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/verizon-cramming-congress-charges/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/verizon-cramming-congress-charges/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/verizon-cramming-congress-charges/#comments ImageOkay, okay -- landlines are still useful. But rapidly growing, they are not. That said, Verizon is caving to congressional pressure in a relatively minor way, announcing that it'll be banning certain third-party charges on landline bills. In political circles, the process is known as "cramming," where customers (oftentimes unknowingly) submit their number to certain third-party add-ons that have generated some $10 billion in revenue over the past five years. Sen. Jay Rockefeller from West Virginia is applauding the move, and also encouraging Congress to make this commonplace across all carriers. Curiously, there's no mention of mobile blocking, where consumers are regularly duped into subscribing to recurring fees via text-based competitions and contests. Perhaps when we've all moved on to telepathy, the feds can get right on that.

Verizon halts dubious third-party billing on landlines, years after landlines were 'in' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billcongresscrammingfeefeesgovernmentlandlinemobilepostcrosssenatesurchargesurchargesthird-partyususaverizonverizon communicationsverizon wirelessVerizonCommunicationsVerizonWirelessWed, 21 Mar 2012 14:27:00 EST<![CDATA[AU Optronics found guilty of US price fixing, appeal already in the works]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/au-optronics-guilty-price-fixing-fine-court/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/au-optronics-guilty-price-fixing-fine-court/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/au-optronics-guilty-price-fixing-fine-court/#commentsAU Optronics has had its name bandied about in the courtroom before, most recently in a 2009 group suit where it was targeted for LCD price fixing. 'Course, LCD price fixing has been quite a popular pastime for a smattering of outfits, but it looks like AUO will be seeing the wrong end of the decision process here in the States. A US court found the Taiwanese company guilty in a case that could see it hit with a fine totaling as much as $1 billion. Yeah, with a b. As it goes, the outfit was charged as part of an alleged price-fixing group that operated between 1999 and 2006, but it was the only Asian LCD maker in that lot to plead not guilty. This here ruling comes after LG agreed to pay a $400 million fine in 2008, while Samsung talked itself into an early deal to sidestep prosecution. A pair of AUO execs were also found guilty, but its former CEO L.J. Chen (who is still hanging around in the top brass) was not. We're told that the company plans to appeal -- a process that could last as long as a year -- but that hasn't kept its stock price from sinking in the interim. First comes sliding LCD margins, and now the looming thought of a $1 billion slap on the wrist; suddenly, your woes don't seem so bad, huh?

AU Optronics found guilty of US price fixing, appeal already in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appealAU OptronicsAuOptronicscourtcourt roomCourtRoomdisplayguiltyillegallcdpanelpricingususaThu, 15 Mar 2012 02:38:00 EST<![CDATA[SAFFiR: the autonomous, firefighting humanoid robot]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/11/saffir-autonomous-firefighting-humanoid-robot/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/11/saffir-autonomous-firefighting-humanoid-robot/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/11/saffir-autonomous-firefighting-humanoid-robot/#comments It took six years, but at long last, Anna Konda has a formidable firefighting partner. SAFFiR, also known as the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, is being shaped by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory. As the story goes, it's a humanoid robot that's being engineered to "move autonomously throughout the ship, interact with people, and fight fires, handling many of the dangerous firefighting tasks that are normally performed by humans." Outside of being stoic (and brawny) from tip to tip, it's also outfitted with multi-modal sensor technology for advanced navigation and a sensor suite that includes a camera, gas sensor, and stereo IR camera to enable it to see through smoke. We're told that its internal batteries can keep it cranking for a solid half-hour, while being capable of manipulating fire suppressors and throwing propelled extinguishing agent technology (PEAT) grenades. Wilder still, it'll be able to balance in "sea conditions," making it perfect for killing flames while onboard a ship. Of course, it's also being tweaked to work with a robotic team, giving it undercover powers to eventually turn the flames on the folks that created it. Paranoid? Maybe. But who are we to be too careful?

Update: Turns out, the same Dr. Hong that we had on The Engadget Show is responsible for this guy as well. It's the next step in evolution of the CHARLI humanoid, and the two photos seen after the break are credited to RoMeLa: Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory, Virginia Tech.

Continue reading SAFFiR: the autonomous, firefighting humanoid robot

SAFFiR: the autonomous, firefighting humanoid robot originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fireFirefightinggrenadehumanoidmilitarynavalNaval Research LaboratoryNavalResearchLaboratorynavyNRLPEATresearchrobotsafetySAFFiRscientistscientistsShadwellshipboardUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversityOfPennsylvaniaususaVirginia TechVirginiaTechwarwargadgetSun, 11 Mar 2012 19:22:00 EST<![CDATA[T-Mobile to debut unlimited mobile-to-mobile plan next month?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/11/t-mobile-to-debut-unlimited-mobile-to-mobile-plan-next-month/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/11/t-mobile-to-debut-unlimited-mobile-to-mobile-plan-next-month/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/11/t-mobile-to-debut-unlimited-mobile-to-mobile-plan-next-month/#comments T-Mobile to debut unlimited mobile-to-mobile plan April 4?Here's a juicy little rumor that's sure to excite the T-Mobile faithful. Retail training materials, acquired by TmoNews, indicate that the nation's fourth largest wireless provider may launch an "Unlimited Any Mobile" add-on early next month. The feature can be tacked on to existing T-Mo plans (with some exceptions) for a paltry $10 a month. Once added, you're free to call any US mobile without having to think about minutes, and there's no contractual commitments to the package. Sprint patrons have enjoyed this luxury for quite some time, and AT&T users can get the same, with the adoption of an unlimited text messaging plan. If this does materialize, maybe it'll help woo some of those customers back.

T-Mobile to debut unlimited mobile-to-mobile plan next month? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Add-oncallingdomesticfreeM2Mmobilemobile-to-mobilemobilepostminiplanT-MobileTmoNewsUnited StatesUnitedStatesUnlimitedUnlimited Any MobileUnlimitedAnyMobileUSSun, 11 Mar 2012 08:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Qantas trials in-flight WiFi between Australia and US]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/qantas-trials-in-flight-wifi-between-australia-and-us/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/qantas-trials-in-flight-wifi-between-australia-and-us/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/qantas-trials-in-flight-wifi-between-australia-and-us/#comments

While plenty of US domestic flights have their WiFi provisions sorted, international connectivity remains pretty rare. Attempting to bring another time-killing option alongside all those middling in-flight Marvel movies, Qantas has started testing wireless internet on its 14-hour flights between Los Angeles and Australia. The trial will run for eight weeks across six of Qantas' A380 super-jumbos. Access during the trial will be free, however it'll be limited to first and business class passengers, with data allowance currently capped at a weedy 100MB for laptops and 32MB for mobile devices. Well, at least you're not walled inside an online store.

Qantas trials in-flight WiFi between Australia and US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aircellairlineairline industryAirlineIndustryairplaneairplanesaustraliainflight wifiInflightWifiinternational in-flight wifiInternationalIn-flightWifiminipostqantasUSwifiThu, 08 Mar 2012 07:48:00 EST<![CDATA[PS Vita Facebook app officially resurfaces, available for download (again)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/ps-vita-facebook-app-officially-resurfaces-available-for-downlo/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/ps-vita-facebook-app-officially-resurfaces-available-for-downlo/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/ps-vita-facebook-app-officially-resurfaces-available-for-downlo/#comments If you were lucky enough to snag the free Facebook app for the PS Vita last week while it was briefly available, you probably found its performance balky, at best. Shortly thereafter, Sony unsurprisingly pulled it from the PlayStation Store, noting issues stemming from Facebook's side of town. Well, good news just came in from Sony's PlayStation Twitter account -- Zuckerberg's app is "fully restored" and ready for your downloading pleasure. Facebook's relationship with Vita OS will, hopefully, be less "complicated" this time around, but let us know how it's working for you in the comments.

PS Vita Facebook app officially resurfaces, available for download (again) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appfacebookMark ZuckerbergMarkZuckerbergPlayStationPlayStation Storeplaystation store usplaystation vitaPlaystationStorePlaystationStoreUsPlaystationVitaps vitaPsVitasceasocial networkingSocialNetworkingSONYusvitaThu, 01 Mar 2012 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation Vita Facebook app pulled for repairs, Sony blames house of Zuckerberg]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/playstation-vita-facebook-app-pulled-for-repairs-sony-blames-ho/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/playstation-vita-facebook-app-pulled-for-repairs-sony-blames-ho/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/playstation-vita-facebook-app-pulled-for-repairs-sony-blames-ho/#comments After a short, two day stint on Sony's next generation portable, Facebook's Vita app has been pulled from the PSN store. According to a post on the official PlayStation Forums (EU), users were encountering an error code while trying to log into the popular social network, forcing them to close the application. Community team leader PadPoet says the error is a "Facebook specific issue (on their side)," and that the two outfits are working on a solution. "We will announce further details when ready," a Sony rep told Joystiq. Hopefully the app will make a triumphant return shortly, though it's absence doesn't make cripple the handheld's social aspiration's completely -- after all, there's always Twitter.

PlayStation Vita Facebook app pulled for repairs, Sony blames house of Zuckerberg originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appfacebookMark ZuckerbergMarkZuckerbergminipostPlayStationPlayStation Storeplaystation store usPlaystationStorePlaystationStoreUsps vitaPsVitasceasocial networkingSocialNetworkingSONYusvitaFri, 24 Feb 2012 17:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook PS Vita app hits US PlayStation Store]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/facebook-ps-vita-app-hits-us-playstation-store/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/facebook-ps-vita-app-hits-us-playstation-store/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/facebook-ps-vita-app-hits-us-playstation-store/#comments Although the PlayStation Vita's official US launch brought with it the pleasures of LiveTweeting, WiFi-only Netflix access and Flickr's photo-based networking, its Facebook, Foursquare and Skype apps were curiously absent. Today that's partially changed, however, as Sony's announced that the service that Zuckerberg built is now available as a free 12MB download from the PlayStation Store (on the wall of its PlayStation Facebook profile no less). We've gained access to the social network without a hitch, so be sure to let us know how it goes on your side of the screen in the comments. Hopefully it's more pleasing than AR table soccer.

Gallery: PS Vita Facebook app screenshots (US)



[Thanks, Mauricio]

Facebook PS Vita app hits US PlayStation Store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appfacebookMark ZuckerbergMarkZuckerbergminipostplaystationPlayStation Storeplaystation store usPlaystationStorePlaystationStoreUsps vitaPsVitasceasocial networkingSocialNetworkingSONYusvitaWed, 22 Feb 2012 22:43:00 EST<![CDATA['Select' PS Vita apps hit the US PlayStation Store: Netflix, LiveTweet and Flickr (Update: video hands-on)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/select-ps-vita-apps-hit-the-us-playstation-store-netflix-liv/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/select-ps-vita-apps-hit-the-us-playstation-store-netflix-liv/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/select-ps-vita-apps-hit-the-us-playstation-store-netflix-liv/#comments Did you just brave the lines of a midnight launch party and snag yourself a PS Vita in the US? Good news ye early adopters, Sony's PlayStation.Blog.US has just announced that select free apps will be available as part of today's PlayStation Store update. Currently, you'll find Netflix, LiveTweet and Flickr, but there's still nary of trace of Facebook or Foursquare among the bunch (nor any official word on release dates for that matter). We gave each app a download and quick spin prior to them being officially listed without much in the way of hiccups -- however, Netflix does take its sweet time to start-up. Disappointingly, Vita's 20MB cap on 3G data is totally in effect on Netflix, as switching to our cellular connection denied us any access to the service. We're giving the apps some extended use to bring you our initial impressions shortly, but for now, you'll find more info at the source link below.

Update: We've added gallery below and a brief video hands-on just past the break to let you grab a taste of each app before downloading them for yourself.

Gallery: PS Vita apps: Netflix, LiveTweet and Flickr (US)

Continue reading 'Select' PS Vita apps hit the US PlayStation Store: Netflix, LiveTweet and Flickr (Update: video hands-on)

'Select' PS Vita apps hit the US PlayStation Store: Netflix, LiveTweet and Flickr (Update: video hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsflickrgaminghands-onlive tweetlivetweetnetflixplaystationplaystation blogplaystation blog usplaystation storeplaystation vitaPlaystationBlogPlaystationBlogUsPlaystationStorePlaystationVitaportable gamingportableaudioPortableGamingps vitaps vita appsPsVitaPsVitaAppssceasonytwitterusvideoWed, 22 Feb 2012 01:31:00 EST<![CDATA[NHTSA issues 'distraction guidelines' proposal for in-vehicle electronics, MyFord Touch frets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/nhtsa-issues-distraction-guidelines-proposal-for-in-vehicle-el/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/nhtsa-issues-distraction-guidelines-proposal-for-in-vehicle-el/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/nhtsa-issues-distraction-guidelines-proposal-for-in-vehicle-el/#comments
With companies like Tesla and Ford replacing tactile, in-dash systems with touchscreens and gizmos, the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration wants to set "distraction guidelines" for how automakers implement factory-installed in-car electronics. Nearly a year after discussing the possibility of bringing restrictions to in-car information, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled phase one of a (potential) three-part, "first-ever federal proposal" loaded with suggestions for keeping driver's eyes and attention on the road. Notably, these voluntary guidelines take aim at "communications, entertainment, information gathering and navigation devices or functions that are not required to safely operate the vehicle." According to Reuters, though, the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers claims that "elements" of the guidelines have been in practice for nearly ten years.

The ideas range from ensuring that one hand is always left free for steering and restricting the entry of text, such as an address, unless the your car is in park, to limiting in-dash text prompts to "no more than 30 characters of text unrelated to the driving task" so that your eyes can't wander off of the road for too long. Passengers, of course, would be free to do whatever they wish. Vehicles under 10,000 pounds are said to be the primary focus, with the NHTSA noting that electronic warning systems will not be on the radar as they intend to help drivers, well, drive. Before the proposal spins into action, beginning in March it will be up for public comment for 60 days L.A., Washington D.C. and Chicago. Depending on how the phase one guidelines pan out, phase two will focus on devices brought into vehicles, like cellphones, while phase three would set its sights on voice controls. If you're curious about all of the specifics, you'll find more info in the press release after the break and the full proposal draft at the source link below.

Continue reading NHTSA issues 'distraction guidelines' proposal for in-vehicle electronics, MyFord Touch frets

NHTSA issues 'distraction guidelines' proposal for in-vehicle electronics, MyFord Touch frets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>department of transportationDepartmentOfTransportationdotelectronicsgovernmentNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministrationnhtsaobamaproposalray lahoodRayLahoodtransportationTransportation SecretaryTransportationSecretaryunited statesUnitedStatesusus dotusaUsDotFri, 17 Feb 2012 06:20:00 EST<![CDATA[WTO ruling revives debate over China's rare earths trade]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/31/wto-ruling-revives-debate-over-chinas-rare-earths-trade/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/31/wto-ruling-revives-debate-over-chinas-rare-earths-trade/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/31/wto-ruling-revives-debate-over-chinas-rare-earths-trade/#comments
China suffered another setback at the WTO yesterday, thanks to a ruling that could spell trouble for its controversial rare earths industry. In a decision issued Monday, a WTO panel determined that the Chinese government has been acting in violation of international trade rules, due to export restrictions on a number of raw materials. These restrictions, the panel said, allowed Beijing to inflate global market prices, while giving an advantage to domestic producers. As a result, China will likely have to adjust its trade policies to comply with WTO regulations. In a statement, the country's Ministry of Commerce said it "deeply regrets" the decision, but confirmed that the People's Republic will adhere to it. This week's ruling applies to materials like bauxite, coke, magnesium, manganese and zinc, but, most notably, does not apply to rare earths -- a group of 17 elements critical to the production of tablets, smartphones and myriad other gadgets.

China has maintained a rather tight grip over the world's rare earths market, thanks to a slew of export controls, quotas and government-erected barriers to entry. The country has come under intense international pressure in recent years, with the US, EU and Mexico filing complaints with the WTO, arguing that China's price-inflating restrictions violate international trade agreements. Beijing, for its part, has long maintained that its export controls are designed to minimize the environmental impact of rare earth mining, while meeting the country's surging domestic demand. It's an argument that's come up a lot during this debate but one that the WTO, on Monday, deemed illegitimate, stating that China has thus far been "unable to demonstrate" the environmental benefits of its policies. The decision won't have any immediate bearing on these policies, but some observers are hopeful that it may be a sign of things to come. Michael Silver, CEO of rare earth processor American Elements, told Reuters that the ruling "confirms the existence of the two-tiered price structure that has caused so much concern," with EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht adding that the decision should force China to remove restrictions on both the aforementioned raw materials and rare earths, alike. Others, however, aren't so optimistic, pointing out that, with a full 95 percent of the rare earths market under its aegis, China could realistically afford to ignore any decisions handed down from the WTO in the future.

WTO ruling revives debate over China's rare earths trade originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinadecisionenvironmentEUexport controlsExportControlsexportsfree tradeFreeTradeMexicorare earth mineralsrare earthsRareEarthMineralsRareEarthsraw materialsRawMaterialsrestrictionrulingtradeUSworld trade organizationWorldTradeOrganizationwtoTue, 31 Jan 2012 10:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Visualized: futuristic AMELIA aircraft (theoretically) soars through NASA wind tunnel]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/amelia-airplane-nasa-test-future-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/amelia-airplane-nasa-test-future-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/amelia-airplane-nasa-test-future-flight/#comments It's the Advanced Model for Extreme Lift and Improved Aeroacoustics, and it's the brainchild of many, many intelligent beings planted at California Polytechnic State University. The aircraft has been in design courtesy of a grant from NASA, touting engines above the wings and the ability to achieve shockingly short takeoffs and landings. And did we mention it looks sexier than a freshly-washed 787? Yeah.

Continue reading Visualized: futuristic AMELIA aircraft (theoretically) soars through NASA wind tunnel

Visualized: futuristic AMELIA aircraft (theoretically) soars through NASA wind tunnel originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Advanced Model for Extreme Lift and Improved AeroacousticsAdvancedModelForExtremeLiftAndImprovedAeroacousticsair forceAirForceairplaneameliafuturemilitarytesttestingtransportationtunnelususaVisualizedwargadgetwind tunnelWindTunnelMon, 30 Jan 2012 11:31:00 EST<![CDATA[US government rules three Barth patents invalid, sends Rambus scrambling]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/us-government-rambus-barth-patents-invalid-ruling/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/us-government-rambus-barth-patents-invalid-ruling/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/us-government-rambus-barth-patents-invalid-ruling/#comments Suing's easy. It's the "winning" that trips folks up. Such is the case with Rambus, who has been relying oh-so-heavily on the so-called trio of Barth patents to actively pursue just about every technology company on the planet. For those unaware, Rambus has christened itself as a "technology licensing company," but with the last of three patents used to win infringement suits against NVIDIA and HP being declared invalid, it's probably scrambling for new tactics. According to a Reuters report, an appeals board at the US Patent and Trademark Office declared the patent invalid a few days back, with the previous two being knocked back in September. A couple of months back, Rambus' stock lost 60 percent of its value after a court decision led to the loss of a $4 billion antitrust lawsuit against Micron and Hynix, and we're guessing things won't be any happier when the markets open back up on Monday. The company's next move? "We're evaluating our options," said spokeswoman Linda Ashmore.

US government rules three Barth patents invalid, sends Rambus scrambling originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Barth patentsBarthPatentsdramgovernmenthpinfringementinvalidmemorynandnvidiapatentpatent infringementPatentInfringementpatentsramrambusstorageususaMon, 30 Jan 2012 07:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Shocker! New RIM CEO targets existing BlackBerry users for upgrades]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/shocker-new-rim-ceo-targets-existing-blackberry-users-for-upgra/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/shocker-new-rim-ceo-targets-existing-blackberry-users-for-upgra/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/shocker-new-rim-ceo-targets-existing-blackberry-users-for-upgra/#commentsAll of new RIM CEO Thorsten Heins' fresh ideas will apparently still be revealed to the company's board in a couple of weeks, but he's already dropped some gems in interviews with the Wall Street Journal and Reuters (update: and Bloomberg). First item on the agenda? Getting current users upgraded to the latest and greatest BlackBerry hardware. Citing internal statistics that indicate 80- to 90- percent of the company's customer base aren't running BlackBerry 7 hardware yet, it will work closely with US carriers to promote upgrades until the new BB10 devices hit later this year. There's no word on what the carrier deals include, but he hinted at device or preloaded app bundles. He also promised an LTE version of the PlayBook would arrive this spring, with LTE connected handsets also planned for the BlackBerry 10 lineup. Is that enough to turn around RIM's fortunes in the US, where he acknowledged the company is "a turnaround candidate"? We'll find out, but as obvious as the need to placate the already BBM-addicted may be, execution of the plan is everything.

Shocker! New RIM CEO targets existing BlackBerry users for upgrades originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bb7BlackBerryblackberry 10blackberry 7blackberry osBlackberry10Blackberry7BlackberryOscarriersltemobilepostminiplaybookrimshockertabletThorstenHeinsupgradeusFri, 27 Jan 2012 22:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Hawaii's proposed online tracking law comes under fire from ISPs, civil libertarians]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/hawaiis-proposed-online-tracking-law-comes-under-fire-from-isps/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/hawaiis-proposed-online-tracking-law-comes-under-fire-from-isps/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/hawaiis-proposed-online-tracking-law-comes-under-fire-from-isps/#comments
There may be some trouble brewing in paradise, thanks to a seemingly draconian law currently under consideration in Hawaii's state legislature. If passed, H.B. 2288 would require all ISPs within the state to track and store information on their customers, including details on every website they visit, as well as their own names and addresses. The measure, introduced on Friday, also calls for this information to be recorded on each customer's digital file and stored for a full two years. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the bill includes virtually no restrictions on how ISPs can use (read: "sell") this information, nor does it specify whether law enforcement authorities would need a court order to obtain a user's dossier from an ISP. And, because it applies to any firm that "provides access to the Internet," the law could conceivably be expanded to include not just service providers, but internet cafes, hotels or other businesses.

Democratic Representative John Mizuno is the lead sponsor of the bill, though his support already seems to be waning. Not long after H.B. 2288 was introduced, Republican Representative Kymberly Pine told CNET that she would be withdrawing her support for it, adding that her intent was not to track Hawaiian web surfing, but to simply protect "victims of crime." "We do not want to know where everyone goes on the Internet," Pine explained. "That's not our interest. We just want the ability for law enforcement to be able to capture the activities of crime." Pine went on to acknowledge that the proposal has come under fire from many civil libertarians and internet companies within the state, and that the measure will likely be revised. In retrospect, she said, the concept of storing personal information "was a little broad," and Hawaii's lawmakers "deserved" the criticism they received during today's hearing.

Hawaii's proposed online tracking law comes under fire from ISPs, civil libertarians originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessconstitutiondemocratfourth amendmentFourthAmendmentgovernmenthawaiiinternet service providerInternetServiceProviderISPlawlegislationpoliticsprivacyrepublicantrackingUSwebFri, 27 Jan 2012 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/stat-alert-more-connected-phones-than-computers-in-key-markets/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/stat-alert-more-connected-phones-than-computers-in-key-markets/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/stat-alert-more-connected-phones-than-computers-in-key-markets/#comments There are obvious stats, bizarre ones, and then the good old informative ones. New data from Google revealed by Ad Age, falls into the latter category. According to Goog's numbers, more people have a mobile internet-capable device than a PC or laptop in the five key markets it tested (US, UK, Germany, France and Japan). In the US, this figure is nearly 10% more, some 76% against 68%. The numbers were taken in September and October last year, which means any impact Christmas may have had won't be taken into account. The trend away from feature phones towards smartphones is also drilled home, but that won't be news to many people 'round these parts. No matter how you connect these days, any savvy netizen will tell you: it's quality, not quantity that counts anyway.

Update: The complete report is now up online and, while smartphone and tablet use is skyrocketing, it doesn't appear to be eating into PC sales. Check out the more coverage link for all the slides.

Stat Alert: More connected phones than computers in key markets, says Google (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adagedatadesktopdesktopsfeaturephoneFeaturePhonesFranceGermanygoogleinternet usageInternetUsagejapanlaptopsMobile internetmobile internet accessMobile Internet DeviceMobileInternetMobileInternetAccessMobileInternetDevicesmartphonesmartphonesstatisticsUKUSWed, 25 Jan 2012 09:56:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's proposed spectrum transfer mapped out in T-Mobile magenta]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/att-tmobile-spectrum-transfer-map/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/att-tmobile-spectrum-transfer-map/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/att-tmobile-spectrum-transfer-map/#comments
Wondering what AT&T's proposed spectrum transfer would mean for T-Mobile? Check out the above graphic, from GigaOM. Created by a reader named Andrew Shepherd, this map displays which regional coverage T-Mobile will gain from the transfer, which was submitted to the FCC this week following the companies' failed merger. As you can see, AT&T is poised to sacrifice some of its AWS spectrum in some key markets, including Boston, Seattle and the Bay Area. According to Shepherd, however, the carrier only gave up enough AWS spectrum in areas where it had enough 700MHz capacity to fill the gap, without posing too great a risk to its LTE expansion. For a closer look, check out the source link below.

AT&T's proposed spectrum transfer mapped out in T-Mobile magenta originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10mhz20Mhz700mhzattawsbusinesscarriercoveragedealfccgraphicindustryLTElte-advancedmapmobilepostminimoneynetworkspectrumspectrum transferSpectrumTransfert-mobileUSUSAwirelessWed, 25 Jan 2012 08:33:00 EST<![CDATA[EU online spending estimated to grow 16 percent, reach €232 billion in 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/eu-online-spending-to-reach-232-billion/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/eu-online-spending-to-reach-232-billion/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/eu-online-spending-to-reach-232-billion/#comments Pardon us Americans as we act surprised, but it turns out that we have one more thing in common with our Euro brethren: a growing number of us dislike shopping in stores. According to Kelkoo estimates, online spending in the European Union is projected to continue its upward trend, which is said to reach somewhere in the neighborhood of €232 billion before year's end. If the estimate holds, this would be a 16 percent increase over the €200 billion raked by e-tailers during 2011, and is naturally assumed to come at the expense of traditional brick and mortar outfits, whose growth is projected to increase by a mere 1.8 percent.

The data gathered also suggest there's significant room for expansion, however, as online spending accounted for just 7.8 percent of all EU retail sales in 2011, with the UK, Germany and France being responsible for a whopping 71 percent of that tally. The 16 percent projected growth is a slight decline from 2011, which saw EU online spending grow by 18 percent -- although, Europe's growing habit for click-and-ship continues to outpace the US, which grew by only 12.8 percent in 2011. Now, since you've crammed all these numbers, why not check the funny pages?

[Shopping button via Shutterstock]

EU online spending estimated to grow 16 percent, reach €232 billion in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112012consumer spendingConsumerSpendingenglandestimateestimateseueuropeEuropean unionEuropeanUnionforecastfrancegermanykelkooonlineonline salesonline shoppingonline spendingOnlineSalesOnlineShoppingOnlineSpendingretailsalessales figuresSalesFiguresshoppingspendingukunited statesUnitedStatesusFri, 20 Jan 2012 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[ZTE reaches for the sky, aims to double phone shipments in 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/zte-double-shipments-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/zte-double-shipments-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/zte-double-shipments-2012/#commentsTalk about a New Years Resolution: ZTE's head of handset strategy Lv Qianhao, in an interview with Reuters, mentioned that in 2012 his company expects to double the number of smartphone shipments made last year, as well as expand its Windows Phone efforts. While we're not completely certain as to what that specific number was, Lv stated that it far exceeded its target of 12 million. Regardless of how much it shipped last year, we can't imagine it would be terribly easy to double it, but it signifies ZTE's intent to grow and expand in markets like the US and China. This news seems to coincide with the company's plans to introduce high-end LTE-capable smartphones in the US market in the middle of this year. Does this mean the OEM will be pushing hard to gain more acceptance from stateside carriers? If it results in new top-notch devices coming into the market, then we sure hope so.

ZTE reaches for the sky, aims to double phone shipments in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012chinaexpansiongoalsltemobilepostminismartphonesuswindows phoneWindowsPhonezteTue, 17 Jan 2012 22:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Gobandit Live with WiFi offers thrill-seekers quicker sharing, speedier self-indulgence]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/gobandit-live-gps-camcorder-with-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/gobandit-live-gps-camcorder-with-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/gobandit-live-gps-camcorder-with-wifi/#comments Two years ago, the Gobandit GPS HD brought an action camcorder to the masses that actively tracked location, speed and altitude. In the same tradition, the Gobandit Live brings an expanded set of features geared toward adrenaline junkies, which include a gyroscopic sensor, 1080p capture at 30fps, a 170-degree f/2.8 wide angle lens and -- oh yeah, WiFi. While this last feature certainly won't be usable on the mountain or along the trail, it allows clips to be uploaded instantly once the camera is back within range. For those who'd rather do without WiFi, the Gobandit Race provides an otherwise similar feature set at a lower price. Both will be available in the US and Canada beginning March 1st, and will retail for $419 and $319, respectively. The full PR is just beyond the break, though if you want to learn more, check the company's website instead.

Continue reading Gobandit Live with WiFi offers thrill-seekers quicker sharing, speedier self-indulgence

Gobandit Live with WiFi offers thrill-seekers quicker sharing, speedier self-indulgence originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080paction camActionCamavailabilitycamcordercanadagobanditgobandit livegobandit raceGobanditLiveGobanditRacehelmet camHelmetCamlivepricingraceuswifiThu, 12 Jan 2012 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[China Telecom eyes network expansion in France, Germany and US]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/china-telecom-network-expansion-france-germany-us/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/china-telecom-network-expansion-france-germany-us/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/china-telecom-network-expansion-france-germany-us/#commentsThe world's largest CDMA mobile operator, China Telecom, is looking to further expand its network footprint in Europe. With wireless assets already secured in the UK, Bloomberg reports that France and Germany may be next on the communication giant's proverbial hit-list. CT hopes to win the wireless business of jet-setters and Chinese citizens living outside of The People's Republic with competitive international roaming rates and its familiar brand. A separate report states that the company's interest is not confined to the Euro Zone and China Telecom may try and bring its services to the US sometime in 2012. Something tells us AT&T won't make a play to buy 'em, though.

China Telecom eyes network expansion in France, Germany and US originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CDMACellularChinaChina TelecomChina Telecommunications CorpChinaTelecomChinaTelecommunicationsCorpexpansionGlobalGlobal RoamingGlobalRoamingmobilepostminiNetworkolympicsRoamingTelecomTelecommunicationsUKUnited KingdomUnited StatesUnitedKingdomUnitedStatesUSWed, 04 Jan 2012 23:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon offers vague statement, no apology for LTE downtime]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/30/verizon-offers-vague-statement-no-apology-for-lte-downtime/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/30/verizon-offers-vague-statement-no-apology-for-lte-downtime/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/30/verizon-offers-vague-statement-no-apology-for-lte-downtime/#comments Earlier this week, you may have noticed that your Verizon Wireless LTE smartphone couldn't do inconsequential things like update your inbox, or pull up a webpage. This happened once. Then twice. And finally a third time this month. And what's the root cause? "Growing pains," according to the carrier's latest statement. And since growing pains are a natural consequence of adolescence, there's no reason for Verizon to issue any kind of apology to its paying customers, who naturally expect such inconsistencies from "the most advanced 4GLTE wireless network in the world." Now, some of you also reported issues connecting to the 3G network, which Verizon reps claim didn't experience any downtime. Instead, your hiccups were a result of being "unable to connect to the 3G Network as quickly as [Verizon] would have liked." Have any questions? Of course you don't. Such can be expected from any carrier, just like the requirement to fork over two bucks for the convenience of paying your monthly bill.

Continue reading Verizon offers vague statement, no apology for LTE downtime

Verizon offers vague statement, no apology for LTE downtime originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g4g lte4gLtecomedydatadata connectiondata networkdata outageDataConnectionDataNetworkDataOutagehumorltemobilepostcrossnetworkoutagepsaUSverizonverizon outageverizon wirelessVerizonOutageVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 30 Dec 2011 10:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon confirms latest LTE outage restored, again claims 3G operated normally]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/verizon-confirms-latest-lte-outage-restored-again-claims-3g-ope/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/verizon-confirms-latest-lte-outage-restored-again-claims-3g-ope/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/verizon-confirms-latest-lte-outage-restored-again-claims-3g-ope/#comments Verizon Wireless appears to be standing behind its claims of operating "the nation's largest, most reliable 3G network and the nation's largest 4G LTE network," following this month's latest nationwide data outage. A Verizon spokesperson wrote in to inform us that "the 4GLTE issue was resolved overnight. 3G operated normally; calling, texting were unaffected." We were unable to access data on both LTE and 3G CDMA networks with our Galaxy Nexus yesterday, however. Verizon may be working furiously to add cities to its LTE coverage map, but with repeated outages and little clarification this month, it may be a very long time before the carrier can include 4G reliability in its corporate maxim.

Verizon confirms latest LTE outage restored, again claims 3G operated normally originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g4g lte4gLtedatadata connectiondata networkdata outageDataConnectionDataNetworkDataOutageltemobilepostcrossnetworkoutagepsaUSverizonverizon outageverizon wirelessVerizonOutageVerizonWirelessvzwThu, 29 Dec 2011 09:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon confirms LTE data services fully restored, 3G never affected]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/verizon-confirms-lte-data-services-fully-restored-3g-never-affe/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/verizon-confirms-lte-data-services-fully-restored-3g-never-affe/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/verizon-confirms-lte-data-services-fully-restored-3g-never-affe/#comments Several hours after service issues were first reported this morning, Verizon Wireless has confirmed that 4G LTE service has been restored throughout the country, and that 3G CDMA services were never affected. So that miserable half-day of reliving the pain of 3G speeds is now behind us, hopefully never to return.

Verizon confirms LTE data services fully restored, 3G never affected originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g4g lte4gLtedatadata connectiondata networkdata outageDataConnectionDataNetworkDataOutageltemobilepostcrossnetworkoutagepsaUSverizonverizon outageverizon wirelessVerizonOutageVerizonWirelessvzwWed, 21 Dec 2011 14:17:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Verizon users reporting data outages across the US (update: back up)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/psa-verizon-users-reporting-data-outages-across-the-us/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/psa-verizon-users-reporting-data-outages-across-the-us/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/psa-verizon-users-reporting-data-outages-across-the-us/#commentsIf you're having trouble getting a data connection on your Verizon-branded handset this morning, you're not alone. We've been receiving a bevy of tips from disgruntled Verizon customers, due to an apparently widespread outage across the carrier's mobile data network. Based on what we're seeing on Verizon's @vzwsupport Twitter feed and forums (linked below), it looks as if both 3G and 4G networks have been affected. We tested some handsets in the San Francisco area, and can confirm that data connections there are indeed down at the moment. We've reached out to Verizon for comment, and will let you know as soon as we hear more.

Update: Verizon's 3G CDMA network appears to be up, but 4G LTE services are still unavailable. Meanwhile, Verizon reps confirmed to us that the company is looking into the outage.

Update: LTE users in New Jersey are reporting that the service is back up, and we're online in New York City as well.

Update (again): And now for something completely different: a statement from Verizon.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service is returning to normal this morning after company engineers worked to resolve an issue with the 4G network during the early morning hours today. Throughout this time, 4G LTE customers were able to make voice calls and send and receive text messages. The 3G data network operated normally.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

PSA: Verizon users reporting data outages across the US (update: back up) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g4g lte4gLtedatadata connectiondata networkdata outageDataConnectionDataNetworkDataOutageltemobilepostcrossnetworkoutagepsaUSverizonverizon outageverizon wirelessVerizonOutageVerizonWirelessvzwWed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 EST