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[Google updates Flight Search for Android, iOS]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/google-updates-flight-search-for-android-ios/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/google-updates-flight-search-for-android-ios/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/google-updates-flight-search-for-android-ios/#comments Remember when Google launched its desktop-only Flight Search service back in the fall? Well, now it's made the travel checking tool both Android and iOS friendly. All the key flight-finding features of the desktop version are present: search, discover by location, filter by price, airline and calendar view, and have been optimized for the small screen. Bear in mind that this isn't a native app, El Goog has just tweaked the web-service for the respective mobile browsers, hoping to make those spur of the moment travel plans less taxing. Hit the source link below for further info.

Google updates Flight Search for Android, iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlineandroidapplebookingdurationflightgooglegoogle flight searchgoogle travelGoogleFlightSearchGoogleTravelinterfaceiosITAitinerarylaunchmobilemobilepostminionlineplaneplane ticketPlaneTicketpricepurchasesearchsearch engineSearchEngineserWed, 22 Feb 2012 07:23:00 EST<![CDATA[It's okay to peek: phone size comparison tool reveals how your equipment stacks up]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/phone-size-comparison-tool/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/phone-size-comparison-tool/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/phone-size-comparison-tool/#comments It's okay to peek: size comparison tool reveals how your phone stacks upSee any trend emerging here? Yes, we agree that Google's phones are getting hotter with each generation, but that's not the answer we're looking for. Here's a hint: if you examine the above image really closely, you might also discover a progression toward larger handsets. In all seriousness, the above comparison was generated by phone-size.com, a website that's quite useful to study the relative proportions of different smartphones. But wait, it gets even better. At the top of the webpage, you'll also find a toolbar to plug in the size and aspect ratio of your display. Once you jump through this minor hoop, the utility produces accurate, life-size depictions of the smartphones -- go ahead and hold your slab up to the screen, it really works. Before you dive in, however, be sure to hop the break: we've put together an entertaining look at the Xperia Mini, Titan and Streak 5 that you won't want to miss.

Continue reading It's okay to peek: phone size comparison tool reveals how your equipment stacks up

It's okay to peek: phone size comparison tool reveals how your equipment stacks up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>comparisonfuninternetmobilepostminionlinesizesmartphonesmartphonestooltoolsutilitywebsiteThu, 26 Jan 2012 14:06:00 EST<![CDATA[European Commission unveils new online privacy rules, aims to protect consumer data]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/european-commission-unveils-new-online-privacy-rules-aims-to-pr/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/european-commission-unveils-new-online-privacy-rules-aims-to-pr/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/european-commission-unveils-new-online-privacy-rules-aims-to-pr/#comments
As SOPA's aftershocks continue to ripple across the US, a slightly different brand of techno-political drama is unfolding over in Europe, where the European Commission today announced a new set of online privacy regulations. The new legislation, unveiled this morning, was crafted with the intent of giving consumers more control over their online data, and places more pressure upon private companies to protect user information. According to Reuters, offending firms could be fined at rates of up to two percent of their yearly turnover. The laws, designed to overhaul the 1995 Data Protection Directive, will also make it easier for users to access their data, giving them the power to demand that their personal information be deleted, as long as there are no "legitimate reasons" for a company to store it. Companies, meanwhile, will be required to inform authorities of a data breach as soon as possible, "if feasible, within 24 hours."

Though the rules have raised some concerns among web companies, EC privacy commissioner Viviane Reding wasted no time in heralding them as the foundation of a safer and more prosperous digital environment. "The protection of personal data is a fundamental right for all Europeans, but citizens do not always feel in full control of their personal data," Reding explained. "A strong, clear and uniform legal framework at EU level will help to unleash the potential of the digital single market and foster economic growth, innovation and job creation." If approved by the European Parliament and all EU member states, the laws would probably go into effect toward the end of 2013.

European Commission unveils new online privacy rules, aims to protect consumer data originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dataECEUeuropeeuropean commissionEuropeanCommissioninternetlawonlinepoliticsprivacywebWed, 25 Jan 2012 07:30:00 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[Google launches PSA-style 'Good to Know' ad campaign, wants to keep us safe]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/google-launches-psa-style-good-to-know-ad-campaign-wants-to-k/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/google-launches-psa-style-good-to-know-ad-campaign-wants-to-k/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/17/google-launches-psa-style-good-to-know-ad-campaign-wants-to-k/#comments Google's no stranger to privacy-related controversy, which may explain the motivation behind its latest ad campaign. On Tuesday, the company will launch a series of ads across major newspapers, magazines and billboards, as part of its new "Good to Know" initiative, designed to make the internet "a safer, more comfortable place." According to Google, these ads will offer tips and advice on how to secure your personal information online, including details on how to protect your passwords from web predators. The entire campaign has a distinctly PSA flavor to it, though there's also a different subtext at work here, since Google is effectively branding itself as "the one you can trust." There are certainly some who would dispute that, but at a time when most privacy concerns are focused squarely on the government, it may be a good time for Google to crank up its PR machine. Find out more at the links below.

Google launches PSA-style 'Good to Know' ad campaign, wants to keep us safe originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ad campaignAdCampaignadvertisingawarenessbusinessgood to knowGoodToKnowgooglegoogle good to knowGoogleGoodToKnowindustrymagazinemoneymountain viewMountainViewnewspaperonlinepasswordprivacypsasafetysecuritysopaTue, 17 Jan 2012 14:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Nevermore: Beyond Oblivion fades off into... oblivion]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/nevermore-beyond-oblivion-fades-off-into-oblivion/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/nevermore-beyond-oblivion-fades-off-into-oblivion/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/nevermore-beyond-oblivion-fades-off-into-oblivion/#comments For Beyond Oblivion, the end (see: tomorrow) is nigh -- the sun is setting on the service, the curtains are drawing close on its operations and that final, flickering flame of funding is about to be extinguished. But there's no need to slug through the five stages of mourning here, this fledgling iTunes competitor never really stood a chance. With a unique business model that paid rights holders for every track played, the company bled more cash than it raked in, ultimately leading to a shuttering of its public beta. So, enjoy that last dance 'round your room rocking out to BO's library of cloud-streamed tunes. And while you're at it, lay out a nice black outfit, will ya?

Nevermore: Beyond Oblivion fades off into... oblivion originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beyond oblivionBeyondOblivionBOclosingdigital contentdigital storeDigitalContentDigitalStoredownloadable contentdownloadable musicDownloadableContentDownloadableMusicmusicmusic servicemusic storemusic streamingMusicServiceMusicStoreMusicStreamingonlineshutteringstreamingThu, 29 Dec 2011 21:26:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's 4G LTE network is live in San Francisco]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/atandts-4g-lte-network-is-live-in-san-francisco/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/atandts-4g-lte-network-is-live-in-san-francisco/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/atandts-4g-lte-network-is-live-in-san-francisco/#comments New York City by the end of 2011? How's about San Francisco by the end of December 8th? We can't say for certain that it's lit up for good ("testing," you know), but at least for now it's absolutely screaming on our LTE-equipped AT&T handsets in downtown SF. Seeing similar? Let us know how it's going for you in comments below, and feel free to stick your tongue out in the general direction of the Big Apple. (They won't see you.) Video after the break.

[Thanks, anonymous]

Continue reading AT&T's 4G LTE network is live in San Francisco

AT&T's 4G LTE network is live in San Francisco originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g4g lte4gLteattbreaking newscaliforniacarrierinternetliveltemobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternetmobilepostcrossnetworkonlinesan franciscoSanFranciscowwanThu, 08 Dec 2011 21:17:00 EST<![CDATA[HP to launch another Touchpad fire sale this weekend, because it's cold outside (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/hp-to-launch-another-touchpad-fire-sale-this-weekend-because-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/hp-to-launch-another-touchpad-fire-sale-this-weekend-because-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/hp-to-launch-another-touchpad-fire-sale-this-weekend-because-it/#comments
And really, it's no surprise. Considering the wild success it enjoyed with its first Touchpad fire sale, why wouldn't HP try to recreate that magic in time for the holiday shopping rush? According to a release the company sent out to employees this week, the redux will kick off on December 11th at 7 PM, on HP's eBay Store. There, consumers will be able to get their hands on a refurbished 16GB or 32GB model for $99 and $149, respectively. They'll also have the chance to get a case, charging dock and wireless keyboard as part of a $79 bundle, though the sale isn't entirely lawless, with each buyer limited to a maximum of two Touchpads. Interested parties should get their clicking fingers on the ready -- before the British invade.

December 11, 2011 7:00 PM EST

Update: The slates in question have curiously appeared on HP's eBay Store with their original $499 and $599 pricing. Still, there's roughly an hour to go before HP's self-imposed deadline.

Update 2: And it's live! Did you make it all the way through? Let us know in comments.

Update 3: Looks like they're gone. We're getting "Invalid item" errors on all four listings.

HP to launch another Touchpad fire sale this weekend, because it's cold outside (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>discountebayebay storeEbayStorefire salefiresalehewlett-packardholidayholiday saleHolidaySalehphp ebay storehp firesalehp touchpadHpEbayStoreHpFiresaleHpTouchpadminipostonlinepromotionsaletablettouchpadtouchpad firesaleTouchpadFiresalewebosThu, 08 Dec 2011 09:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell halts online sales of Streak 7 tablet, turns toward a new mobile future]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/dell-halts-online-sales-of-streak-7-tablet-turns-toward-a-new-m/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/dell-halts-online-sales-of-streak-7-tablet-turns-toward-a-new-m/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/dell-halts-online-sales-of-streak-7-tablet-turns-toward-a-new-m/#comments
You might wanna pause for a moment of silence, because it looks like Dell has just discontinued its Streak 7 tablet. As the folks over at Streak Smart recently noticed, the Android slate has mysteriously disappeared from Dell's website, replaced only with a note to confirm that it's no longer available online. Dell, which axed the smaller Streak 5 back in August, provided us with the following statement:

Dell remains committed to the mobility market and continues to sell products here and in other parts of the world. Streak 7 delivered a unique experience for customers who wanted a larger screen-size yet the freedom of staying connected to their personal and professional content while on the-go. It continues to be available in many markets through retail, distributors and carrier partners such as Optus in Australia. A 10-inch version of the tablet, Streak 10 Pro, is currently offered in China, offering the ultimate digital divide between work and life. The Venue and Venue Pro devices, as well, continue to earn accolades for performance, design and functionality around the world. We also recently launched the Latitude ST, a 10-inch Windows 7-based touch-screen tablet designed for vertical markets such as education, finance and healthcare in November of this year. We remain committed to expanding our reach beyond PCs with a targeted set of open, standards-based mobility solutions and services designed for commercial and mobile professional customers.

So Dell isn't leaving the mobile space entirely, and it doesn't look like the Streak 7 is completely dead, though based on the above statement, it certainly seems to be on its way to pasture.

Dell halts online sales of Streak 7 tablet, turns toward a new mobile future originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbusinessdelldell streakdell streak 7DellStreakDellStreak7discontinuedindustryinventoryonlinesalesslatestreakstreak 7Streak7tabletwebsiteMon, 05 Dec 2011 07:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell posts inaccurate graphics card comparison, promptly removes it and apologizes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/25/dell-posts-inaccurate-graphics-card-comparison-promptly-removes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/25/dell-posts-inaccurate-graphics-card-comparison-promptly-removes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/25/dell-posts-inaccurate-graphics-card-comparison-promptly-removes/#comments
Dell's latest attempt to promote its high-end GPUs has fallen flat among online consumers, all because of a rather misleading comparison. The snafu stems from the above image, originally posted on the company's "Help me choose" feature -- an online assistant designed to help users customize their Optiplex desktops. At left is a desktop with a normal graphics card, juxtaposed with an identical machine packing Dell's "high-end" GPU. Both are displaying a Windows desktop at the same resolution, but the render on the left looks noticeably blurry. As many Reddit users soon pointed out, even the most prosaic of graphics cards would be able to transmit a blur-free Windows desktop, implying that the PC manufacturer may have taken some unfounded liberties with its imagery. PC Pro notified Dell of the discrepancy, and the graphic has since been removed. The company also issued the following apology, claiming that it had no intention of bending the truth:
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Dell endeavours to help customers to make the best decisions regarding their purchases. It was never our intention to mislead customers, and we apologise for any confusion caused. We have now removed the image from our Global sites. Dell remains committed to delivering the best possible experience to all our customers.

Dell posts inaccurate graphics card comparison, promptly removes it and apologizes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisementcomparisondellDell OptiplexDellOptiplexdesktopGPUgraphicsgraphics cardGraphicsCardimagemanufacturingonlineOptiPlexPCpromotionwebwindowsFri, 25 Nov 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PayPal Facebook app lets you send money and greetings to friends, only takes 2.9-percent cut of your 'free' e-card]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/17/paypal-facebook-app-lets-you-send-money-and-greetings-to-friends/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/17/paypal-facebook-app-lets-you-send-money-and-greetings-to-friends/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/17/paypal-facebook-app-lets-you-send-money-and-greetings-to-friends/#comments Well, this certainly seems like a no-brainer for PayPal. The company just launched a Facebook app that lets you send money to anyone on your friends list, with the usual list of terms and conditions in tow. After logging into Facebook and authorizing the app, you'll be able to use PayPal to transfer funds to individuals that you're connected with (who also have PayPal accounts, of course), adding a layer of security to the notoriously fraud-laden online payment service.

Payments are free to send and receive, but only if they're funded using a bank account with both parties in the U.S. Want to use a credit or debit card instead? PayPal will collect 2.9 percent (either from the sender or recipient), with a 30-cent processing fee to boot. And if you're sending funds abroad, fees range from 0.5 to 3.9 percent, depending on a variety of factors. A rather comprehensive collection of e-cards helps soften the blow if a fee applies, and includes selections for just about every occasion. Fourth of July coming up? Let's top up that fireworks fund. So dig up those account and routing numbers and get ready to stick some virtual cash in a virtual card -- just one week 'til Thanksgiving!

PayPal Facebook app lets you send money and greetings to friends, only takes 2.9-percent cut of your 'free' e-card originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappsfacebookfacebook appfacebook appsFacebookAppFacebookAppsinternetinternet paymentInternetPaymentonlineonline paymentOnlinePaymentpaypaymentpaypalpaypal apppaypal paymentPaypalAppPaypalPaymentThu, 17 Nov 2011 17:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple's US online store begins selling unlocked, contract-free iPhone 4S: $649 and up]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/11/apples-us-online-store-begins-selling-unlocked-contract-free-i/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/11/apples-us-online-store-begins-selling-unlocked-contract-free-i/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/11/apples-us-online-store-begins-selling-unlocked-contract-free-i/#comments You can't expect to see one for "one to two weeks," but those hellbent on holding out for an unlocked iPhone 4S here in the US of A can finally snag one without jetting off to Australia (among other places). Nearly five months to the day after Apple started selling the iPhone 4 in unlocked fashion in the States, the iPhone 4S is joining the club, with a 16GB model going for $649, a 32GB model for $749 and a 64GB variant for $849. Just so you're aware, the unlocked phone enables you to use any micro-SIM from any GSM carrier worldwide, but it won't play nice with CDMA carriers "such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint." And yes, both the black and white versions are up for order. Hit the source link to part ways with your chosen amount of cash.

[Thanks, Hicham]

Apple's US online store begins selling unlocked, contract-free iPhone 4S: $649 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebreaking newsglobalgsmios 5Ios5iphoneiphone 4sIphone4smobilepostcrosson saleonlineOnSalesalesalesunlockunlockedFri, 11 Nov 2011 09:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Google puts the Dead Sea Scrolls in the cloud, promises they won't dissolve when you touch them]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/26/google-puts-the-dead-sea-scrolls-in-the-cloud-promises-they-won/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/26/google-puts-the-dead-sea-scrolls-in-the-cloud-promises-they-won/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/26/google-puts-the-dead-sea-scrolls-in-the-cloud-promises-they-won/#comments You think your finger grease does bad things to your smartphone's touchscreen? Just imagine the horrors it would wreak on some ancient documents. As promised, Google has saved history the heartbreak of succumbing to your grubby paws by digitizing the Dead Sea Scrolls. Like pretty much everything else these days, the software giant has added the oldest known biblical manuscript to the cloud. Five scrolls are now available as hi-res images, which really you give the feel of their long-dead animal skin parchment. Google is also offering up English translations of some of the documents and is letting users add comments, because apparently historians weren't too keen on letting people pencil in the margins of the real thing.

Continue reading Google puts the Dead Sea Scrolls in the cloud, promises they won't dissolve when you touch them

Google puts the Dead Sea Scrolls in the cloud, promises they won't dissolve when you touch them originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clouddead sea scrollsDeadSeaScrollsgoogleisraelmulti-spectral imaging technologyMulti-spectralImagingTechnologyonlinetranslationvideoMon, 26 Sep 2011 12:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Dublin City University adopts Chromebooks -- time to go streaking through the quad!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/15/dublin-city-university-adopts-chromebooks-time-to-go-streaki/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/15/dublin-city-university-adopts-chromebooks-time-to-go-streaki/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/15/dublin-city-university-adopts-chromebooks-time-to-go-streaki/#comments Instead of handing out cheap mugs (or iPads... or iPods) and sending students on their merry way, administrators at Dublin City University will be showering incoming freshmen with free Chromebooks -- in doing so, it'll become the first European higher-education institution to adopt the device. As you probably recall, Google's always-connected laptops have gone through various incarnations throughout the years, but they've always included a dash of WiFi or 3G and a pinch of hasty boot -- intentionally ditching local storage for the cloud. The Google Chromebooks for Education partnership is said to support DCU's commitment to make 80 percent of its classes partially or fully online by 2013, allowing coeds to stay in their Scooby Doo pajamas or attend class from Pi Kappa Delta HQ. Now, if only the dining hall supported online ordering...

Dublin City University adopts Chromebooks -- time to go streaking through the quad! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3Gchromechrome osChrome OS netbookchromebookChromeOsChromeOsNetbookDCUdublindublin city universityDublinCityUniversityeducateeducationgooglegoogle chromebookgoogle chromebooksgoogle chromebooks for educationGoogleChromebookGoogleChromebooksGoogleChromebooksForEducationirelandlearningonlineschooluniversityWiFiThu, 15 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Google launches Flight Search service, Kayak shrugs it off (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/google-launches-flight-search-service-kayak-shrugs-it-off-vide/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/google-launches-flight-search-service-kayak-shrugs-it-off-vide/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/google-launches-flight-search-service-kayak-shrugs-it-off-vide/#comments
Google's DOJ-approved acquisition of ITA has finally borne fruit, in the form of Flight Search -- a new tool that aims to streamline the chaos that is online travel booking. The Mountain View contingent unveiled the interface yesterday, with an "early look" at what appears to be a fairly straightforward service. Once you enter your starting point, destination, price range and duration, a list of results will appear in ascending order of fare and duration, below a map displaying each flight's trajectory. From there, you can filter your results by airline, number of layovers or specific departure times, before booking your itinerary on the carrier's site (Google was careful to point out that flight selection and results will not be "influenced by any paid relationships"). At the moment, the service is restricted to a select group of US cities and only features round-trip economy class flights, but Google says future updates and expansions are on the way. We're eager to see how the company dresses up this relatively bare bones platform and, perhaps more importantly, how competing travel sites react to it. Kayak, for one, responded with confident nonchalance to Flight Search, explicitly describing it as an inferior product. "We're confident in our ability to compete, and we believe our flight search technology is superior," the company said, in a statement. "We recognize Google is a formidable competitor but they haven't been successful in every vertical they've entered." Let the games begin. Demo video after the break.

Continue reading Google launches Flight Search service, Kayak shrugs it off (video)

Google launches Flight Search service, Kayak shrugs it off (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlinebookingdurationflightgooglegoogle flight searchgoogle travelGoogleFlightSearchGoogleTravelinterfaceITAitinerarykayaklaunchonlineplaneplane ticketPlaneTicketpricepurchasesearchsearch engineSearchEngineservicetickettraveltravel bookingTravelBookingtripUIuser interfaceUserInterfacevideovoyagewebWed, 14 Sep 2011 15:04:00 EST<![CDATA[HP Pre 3 now available for purchase on official European store]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/hp-pre-3-now-available-for-purchase-on-official-european-store/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/hp-pre-3-now-available-for-purchase-on-official-european-store/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/hp-pre-3-now-available-for-purchase-on-official-european-store/#comments
Pop quiz: what's the best way to launch a phone that's left us waiting with anticipation for seven months? HP's answer is to quietly release it on its European store without any pomp or circumstance. We have no idea why the company chose to start selling the Pre 3, its new flagship phone, without any media buzz; the important thing here, however, is that the SIM-free device is now available for purchase on the Palm Eurostore. The phone can be all yours for £299 -- the equivalent of $490 in the US -- which is a respectable price point for a no-commitment smartphone of its caliber. So far we've only seen the phone get pushed out across the pond; European retailers Clove and Box are following HP's lead by offering the Pre 3 as well, just in case the official store runs out of stock. It's probably not too likely, given the company's lack of marketing efforts on this particular launch, but we could always be surprised. After all, we've been waiting for seven months.

Update: PreCentral just received an official statement from HP confirming that the Pre 3 is indeed launching in Europe, and more information will be available for the US soon. Here's the full quote:
HP is excited to begin its regional rollout of Pre3, the only phone today that offers users a slide-out keyboard coupled with a large touchscreen and the fastest speed (1.4GHz processor - the fastest on the market). We expect to share additional information for U.S. customers soon.
So that's it -- a four-line announcement to launch the Pre 3. But hey, it's at least something.

HP Pre 3 now available for purchase on official European store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>availableeuropehandsethewlett packardHewlettPackardhphp prehp pre 3HpPreHpPre3launchmobilepostcrossonlineonline storesOnlineStorespalmpalm pre 3PalmPre3pre 3Pre3releaseresellersretailerswebosWed, 17 Aug 2011 02:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung Conquer 4G pre-orders begin at Walmart, early adopters rewarded with a sale]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/samsung-conquer-4g-pre-orders-begin-at-walmart-early-adopters-r/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/samsung-conquer-4g-pre-orders-begin-at-walmart-early-adopters-r/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/samsung-conquer-4g-pre-orders-begin-at-walmart-early-adopters-r/#comments
We're not keeping a countdown timer for the Samsung Conquer 4G, nor have we met anyone who is. Still, if you lifted your head off the pillow this morning with perfect knowledge that only eleven days remain before the handset wanders onto Sprint shelves, this bit of news may be of great interest. Walmart's offering the inexpensive WiMAX handset on pre-order -- not $100, not even $50, but completely gratis. Not bad for a 4G phone that hasn't even made it into stores yet, eh? The internals are hard to turn down: a 1GHz CPU, 3.5-inch display, a 3.2MP shooter on rear and 1.3MP up front, 512MB of RAM, and a 1500mAh battery all help the phone keep a modest (yet appealing) reputation. It's no Epic 4G Touch, but at least the price is right.

[Thanks, Joshua]

Samsung Conquer 4G pre-orders begin at Walmart, early adopters rewarded with a sale originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4gbudgetconquer 4gConquer4gd600mobileonlinepre orderpre-orderPreOrdersalesamsungsamsung conquer 4gsamsung d600SamsungConquer4gSamsungD600sprintwalmartwimaxWed, 10 Aug 2011 06:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Photon 4G ready for order on Sprint's site]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/28/motorola-photon-4g-ready-for-order-on-sprints-site/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/28/motorola-photon-4g-ready-for-order-on-sprints-site/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/28/motorola-photon-4g-ready-for-order-on-sprints-site/#comments Between the quarterly earnings and the LightSquared agreement, it's been an roller coaster day for Sprint and high noon is still nigh. Adding to the craziness, the Motorola Photon 4G -- officially in stores on July 31st -- is now available for order on Sprint's online store. Early adopters from coast to coast can get their grubby hands on the device for $200, which will give you a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 CPU, 1GB of RAM, Android 2.3 pre-installed, and 4G connectivity (among plenty of other goodies). 'Course, the Now Network's evident 4G switchover may dissuade a few of us from committing to WiMAX for a full two years, but we digress.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Motorola Photon 4G ready for order on Sprint's site originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1GB RAM1gbRam4g8 megapixel8MegapixelAndroid 2.3Android gingerbreadAndroid2.3AndroidGingerbreadavailablegingerbreadmobilemotorolamotorola photonmotorola photon 4gMotorolaPhotonMotorolaPhoton4gnvidianvidia tegra 2NvidiaTegra2onlinephoton 4gPhoton4gqhdsprinttegra 2Tegra2wimaxThu, 28 Jul 2011 10:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Netswipe turns your webcam into a credit card reader, brings POS payments to the desktop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/26/netswipe-turns-your-webcam-into-a-credit-card-reader-brings-pos/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/26/netswipe-turns-your-webcam-into-a-credit-card-reader-brings-pos/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/26/netswipe-turns-your-webcam-into-a-credit-card-reader-brings-pos/#comments
Credit card fraud costs the banking industry billions of dollars every year, and with companies yet to find an entirely secure system for processing payments online, there's no end in sight for unauthorized transactions. Jumio hopes to bring both security and convenience to the world of online payments, however, with its webcam-based Netswipe secure card reader solution. The system replicates the point of sale (POS) transactions you experience when making in-store purchases, prompting cardholders to scan the front on their credit card, then enter their CVV code using a tamperproof mouse-controlled interface. We're not sure how the software is able to distinguish a physical credit card from, say, a photocopy of a card, but it certainly sounds more secure than the standard input form we use today. It also reduces card number theft from insecure forms and website spoofing, by verifying details through a live video stream. Jump past the break for the full press release, along with video overviews of Netswipe and Jumio, which recently secured $6.5 million in initial funding and is backed by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

Continue reading Netswipe turns your webcam into a credit card reader, brings POS payments to the desktop

Netswipe turns your webcam into a credit card reader, brings POS payments to the desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>creditcredit cardcredit card fraudCreditCardCreditCardFraudEduardo SaverinEduardoSaverinFacebookfraudinternetinternet shoppingInternetShoppingjumionetswipeonlineonline paymentonline paymentsOnlinePaymentOnlinePaymentspaymentspoint of salePointOfSalepossecuresecurityshoppingsoftwarevideoTue, 26 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ZTE emerges from carrier shadows with direct sales strategy in UK]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/zte-emerges-from-carrier-shadows-with-direct-sales-strategy-in-u/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/zte-emerges-from-carrier-shadows-with-direct-sales-strategy-in-u/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/zte-emerges-from-carrier-shadows-with-direct-sales-strategy-in-u/#comments In spite of Nokia still reeling from its direct sales-induced hangover, ZTE is pursuing this very sales model with hopes of bolstering its brand recognition -- and it's going to start with the tea and crumpets crowd of England. Following a recently-inked deal, unlocked ZTE handsets will be sold to British consumers through Brightpoint's online and retail distribution channels. While far from mainstream (despite 60 million units sold in 2010), the Chinese manufacturer is looking to escape its private-label shackles and "become a household name synonymous with high quality smartphones and tablets." Of course, the company must contend with a trending consumer preference for carrier-subsidized handsets, blamed by the bigwigs in Espoo as the reason for Nokia's direct-to-consumer pains. Still, if the Shenzhen-based company finds any luck, Londoners will soon discover scores of Amigos, Blades and Skates popping up on the Tube. Hungry for more details? Just follow the link after the break for the full PR.

Continue reading ZTE emerges from carrier shadows with direct sales strategy in UK

ZTE emerges from carrier shadows with direct sales strategy in UK originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agreementbrightpointbritishdistributionenglandeuropemarketingmobileonlinepartnerpartnershipretailsalessmartphonesmartphonesukunlockunlockedzteMon, 18 Jul 2011 20:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Visualized: a zettabyte]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/visualized-a-zettabyte/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/visualized-a-zettabyte/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/visualized-a-zettabyte/#comments Remember the good old days when a gigabyte was considered a lot of space? Improvements in hard disk technology have allowed the humble magnetic drive to reach the dizzying heights of multiple terabytes of storage, but Cisco foresees a future that's a few orders of magnitude more impressive. Pinpointing 2015 as the commencement of what it calls the zettabyte era, the company has put together a handy infographic to show us just how much data can be fit into one: you can alternatively think of it as the equivalent of 250 billion DVDs, 36 million years of HD video, or the volume of the Great Wall of China if you allow an 11oz cup of coffee to represent a gigabyte of data. So "zetta" must be Greek for one hell of a lot, but what Cisco expects is that we'll be pushing that much information around the web each year by 2015. Any bets on how many exabytes of it will be to stream videos of cats diving into cardboard boxes?

Visualized: a zettabyte originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015bandwidthciscodatadata consumptionDataConsumptionfutureinfographicinfographicsinternetnetworknetworkingonlinethroughputtraffictransfertransfersvisualizationvisualizedwebWed, 29 Jun 2011 15:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype gets Congressional approval, will help Representatives stay in touch with the common people]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/skype-gets-congressional-approval-will-help-representatives-sta/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/skype-gets-congressional-approval-will-help-representatives-sta/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/skype-gets-congressional-approval-will-help-representatives-sta/#comments Look, Capitol Hill is a nice place to be, okay? There are interns eager to please, lobbyists keen to buy you dinner, why would you ever want to leave? Unfortunately for US Congressmen and women, the schleps who elected them insist on getting face time with their supposed representatives, which means a regular schedule of commuting getting in the way of some critically important foot massages and aromatherapy treatments. Never fear, though, Skype has come to the rescue. Microsoft's latest acquisition has scored a stamp of approval from the House of Representatives, permitting Congresspersons to use it to interact with constituents, attend virtual town hall meetings, and collaborate with other members of the House. All fun-making of lawmakers aside, this strikes us as a step in the right direction and Skype promises that it's done its homework on keeping communications secure. Let's hope so.

Skype gets Congressional approval, will help Representatives stay in touch with the common people originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>approvedcommunicationcommunicationscongresshouse of representativesHouseOfRepresentativesinternetonlinepoliticsskypeteleconferencingususawebWed, 29 Jun 2011 03:04:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft Starter Edition lets you reach lvl 20 for free, Night Elf Mohawk still only available to Mr. T]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/world-of-warcraft-starter-edition-lets-you-reach-lvl-20-for-free/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/world-of-warcraft-starter-edition-lets-you-reach-lvl-20-for-free/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/world-of-warcraft-starter-edition-lets-you-reach-lvl-20-for-free/#comments If there was one thing, one thing, keeping humanity safe from total enslavement to the grind of World of Warcraft, it was the fact that you have to pay to play the game for longer than a couple of weeks. Well, now we're all doomed. Blizzard is replacing its 14-day WoW trial with a so-called Starter Edition of the massively multiplayer life usurper, which lets you reach level 20 without shelling out a penny. Of course, like any good gateway drug, this freebie is capped at the thoroughly insufficient 20 number and is sure to agitate folks into buying the full product. One small step for a software company, one giant leap forward for global obesity rates.

Continue reading World of Warcraft Starter Edition lets you reach lvl 20 for free, Night Elf Mohawk still only available to Mr. T

World of Warcraft Starter Edition lets you reach lvl 20 for free, Night Elf Mohawk still only available to Mr. T originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle.netblizzardfreegamesgaminginternetmmommorpgonlineonline gamingOnlineGamingvideo gamesVideoGameswebworld of warcraftWorldOfWarcraftwowTue, 28 Jun 2011 20:29:00 EST<![CDATA[What do you love, asks Google with a new portal to its many web services]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/what-do-you-love-asks-google-with-a-new-portal-to-its-many-web/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/what-do-you-love-asks-google-with-a-new-portal-to-its-many-web/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/what-do-you-love-asks-google-with-a-new-portal-to-its-many-web/#comments Say hello to your new online friend, wdyl.com. An eagle-eyed TechCrunch tipster spotted this freshly launched Google portal, whose purpose it seems to be to gather up all of the company's multifarious web services under one umbrella. A Google search for Google products, in other words. Punching in a topic brings up its popularity in Google Trends, lets you set up Google Alerts, plan related events in Google Calendar, email someone in Gmail, or hit up Picasa, YouTube or Google News with the same query. You get the picture. It hasn't yet been made official and hitting up the site without the "www." prefix throws up a bad URL error at the moment, but it's there and seemingly fully functional. Give it a try and let us know which search terms bring up the most humorous results.

What do you love, asks Google with a new portal to its many web services originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 02:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>googlegoogle searchgoogle servicesGoogleSearchGoogleServicesinternetonlineportalsearchservicessitewdylwebweb searchWebSearchwebsitewhat do you loveWhatDoYouLoveTue, 28 Jun 2011 02:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Sega's online Pass hacked, 1.3 million user passwords stolen]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/segas-online-pass-hacked-1-3-million-user-passwords-stolen/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/segas-online-pass-hacked-1-3-million-user-passwords-stolen/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/segas-online-pass-hacked-1-3-million-user-passwords-stolen/#comments Let's bid a bitter welcome to Sega, the latest entrant to the newly founded club of hacked online communities. Sega Pass, the company's web portal, suffered a breach of its defenses on Thursday, which has now been identified to have affected a whopping 1.29 million users. Usernames, real names, birth dates, passwords, email addresses, pretty much everything has been snatched up by the malicious data thieves, with the important exception of credit / debit card numbers. We'd still advise anyone affected to keep a watchful eye on his or her banking transactions -- immediately after changing that compromised password, of course. In the meantime, Sega's keeping the Pass service offline while it rectifies the vulnerability; it'll be able to call on an unexpected ally in its search for the perpetrators in the form of LulzSec, a hacker group that boasted proudly about infiltrating Sony's network, but which has much more benevolent intentions with respect to Sega. What a topsy-turvy world we live in!

Sega's online Pass hacked, 1.3 million user passwords stolen originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breachcrimecriminaldatadatabasehackhackedhackinginternetonlinepasswordpasswordsprivacyprivatesecuritysegasega passSegaPasswebMon, 20 Jun 2011 05:41:00 EST<![CDATA[DARPA setting up a $130 million 'virtual firing range' to help battle cyber attacks]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/darpa-setting-up-a-130-million-virtual-firing-range-to-help-b/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/darpa-setting-up-a-130-million-virtual-firing-range-to-help-b/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/darpa-setting-up-a-130-million-virtual-firing-range-to-help-b/#comments The US government is serious about online security, just ask any one of its cyber commandos. Adding to its arsenal for battling the big bad hackers, Reuters reports that DARPA is working on a National Cyber Range, which would act a standalone internet simulation engine where digital warriors can be trained and experimental ideas tested out. Lockheed Martin and Johns Hopkins University are competing to provide the final system, with one of them expected to soon get the go-ahead for a one-year trial, which, if all goes well, will be followed by DARPA unleashing its techies upon the virtual firing range in earnest next year. The cost of the project is said to run somewhere near $130 million, which might have sounded a bit expensive before the recent spate of successful hacking attacks on high profile private companies, but now seems like a rational expenditure to ensure the nuclear missile codes and the people crazy enough to use them are kept at a safe distance from one another. DARPA has a pair of other cleverly titled cybersecurity schemes up its sleeve, called CRASH and CINDER, but you'll have to hit the source link to learn more about them.

DARPA setting up a $130 million 'virtual firing range' to help battle cyber attacks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cybercyber securitycyber warfareCyberSecurityCyberWarfaredarpaexperimentationfiring rangeFiringRangehackhackinginternetjohns hopkinsJohnsHopkinslockheedlockheed martinLockheedMartinnational cyber rangeNationalCyberRangeonlinepentagonresearchsecuritytrainingususavirtualwargadgetwebMon, 20 Jun 2011 03:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns (Update: iOS 5 supports WebGL, sort of))]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/microsoft-decides-to-pass-on-webgl-over-security-concerns/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/microsoft-decides-to-pass-on-webgl-over-security-concerns/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/microsoft-decides-to-pass-on-webgl-over-security-concerns/#comments WebGL Attack Well, it looks like Microsoft is taking those warnings about WebGL pretty seriously. The company has decided not to support the web-based 3D standard because it wouldn't be able to pass security muster. Highest on the list of concerns is that WebGL opens up a direct line from the internet to a system's GPU. To make matters worse, holes and bugs may crop up that are platform or video card specific, turning attempts to plug holes in its defense into a game of whack-a-mole -- with many players of varying reliability. Lastly Microsoft, like security firm Context, has found current solutions for protecting against DoS attacks rather unsatisfying. Lack of support in Internet Explorer won't necessarily kill WebGL and, as it matures, Microsoft may change its tune -- but it's still a pretty big blow for all us of hoping the next edition of Crysis would be browser-based.

Update: As is usually the case Apple and the Windows folks are on opposite sides of this one. In fact, the Cupertino crew plans to bring WebGL to iOS 5 with one very strange restriction -- it will only be available to iAd developers. Now, chances are it will eventually be opened up in mobile Safari for everyone, but for the moment it seems browser-based 3D graphics will be limited to advertisements on the iPhone. Still, that's another big name throwing its support behind the burgeoning standard.

[Thanks, Greg]

Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns (Update: iOS 5 supports WebGL, sort of)) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>denial of serviceDenialOfServiceDoSflawgpugraphicsgraphics cardGraphicsCardhackhackinginternet explorerInternetExplorerkhronosmicrosoftonlineonline securityOnlineSecuritysecurityvulnerabilitywebglFri, 17 Jun 2011 01:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Google helps you manage your online identity, justify those vanity Alerts]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/google-helps-you-manage-your-online-identity-justify-those-vani/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/google-helps-you-manage-your-online-identity-justify-those-vani/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/google-helps-you-manage-your-online-identity-justify-those-vani/#comments You know that Google Alert you set up to ping you every time someone mentions your name on the internet? Don't worry, that wasn't self-centered or anything, you were just protecting your online identity. Google today is encouraging the growth of vanity Alerts with its "Me on the Web" feature, a new segment of Google Dashboard dedicated to managing your online identity and finding out what people are saying about you on the global bathroom wall that is the world wide web. The feature makes it easy to set up alerts with your personal information and includes links to tools for identity management and content removal, because the seven billion other people on this planet don't need to know exactly what happened at your office's last Christmas party.

Google helps you manage your online identity, justify those vanity Alerts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alertdashboardgooglegoogle alertgoogle dashboardGoogleAlertGoogleDashboardidentitynameonlineonline identityOnlineIdentitysearchThu, 16 Jun 2011 12:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Today's World IPv6 Day: Google, Bing, Facebook and others test out new addresses for 24 hours]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/todays-world-ipv6-day-google-bing-facebook-and-others-test-o/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/todays-world-ipv6-day-google-bing-facebook-and-others-test-o/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/todays-world-ipv6-day-google-bing-facebook-and-others-test-o/#comments Described as a "test flight" of IPv6, today marks the biggest concerted effort by some of the web's marquee players to turn us all on to the newer, fancier web addressing system. Internet Protocol version 4 has been the template by which we've addressed everything connected to the web so far, but that stuff's now nearing exhaustion, so the future demands a longer, more complex nomenclature to tell our smartphones, tablets, printers, and other webOS devices apart. For end users, June 8th won't really feel too different from June 7th -- this will be a change that occurs mostly behind the scenes and there's an IPv4 fallback option if you can't connect in the modern way -- but Google does warn that a very limited subset of users may experience connectivity issues as a result. Hit the links below to see how well prepared for the future you are.

Today's World IPv6 Day: Google, Bing, Facebook and others test out new addresses for 24 hours originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bingfacebookgoogleinternetinternet protocolInternet Protocol version 6internet societyInternetProtocolInternetProtocolVersion6InternetSocietyipv4 exhaustionIpv4Exhaustionipv6ipv6 dayIpv6Daynokiaonlineoviovi browserOviBrowsertest flightTestFlightwebyahooWed, 08 Jun 2011 04:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype goes down globally again, Microsoft starts wondering if it bought wisely]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/skype-goes-down-across-europe-microsoft-starts-wondering-if-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/skype-goes-down-across-europe-microsoft-starts-wondering-if-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/skype-goes-down-across-europe-microsoft-starts-wondering-if-it/#comments Uh oh, Skype's experiencing its second big outage in the space of just a couple of weeks, as we're hearing reports from the UK, Netherlands, and yes, even Bulgaria, claiming the online communications service is down. Our own Skype clients are currently unable to move past the "Connecting..." status note, both on Mac OS X and Windows 7. While we've confirmed it in Europe, the issue seems to be affecting people all over the world. Nonetheless, Skype believes only "a small number" of us have been hampered by whatever's ailing it, and further details should be available soon.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Our comments indicate issues are also being encountered in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Brazil, Belarus, and Croatia, among other places. Notably, we've also heard reports of Skype functioning in the UK, so it's not down universally -- that supposedly small number of affected users must simply be spread out very sparsely across the globe.

Update 2: Skype is now saying that the "situation is improving," and we have also confirmed that the service is back up in at least some places where it was down before.

Skype goes down globally again, Microsoft starts wondering if it bought wisely originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chatcommunicationcommunicationsdowndowntimeinternetonlineoutageskypevoipwebTue, 07 Jun 2011 07:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype goes down globally, investigation underway (update: restored)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/26/skype-goes-down-globally-investigation-underway/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/26/skype-goes-down-globally-investigation-underway/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/26/skype-goes-down-globally-investigation-underway/#comments There's a pretty widespread outage of Skype going on right this minute, judging by the explosion of tweets relating to it. It's not universal, as we've been able to log in and use the internet communicator for both text and video chat, but something's definitely gone wrong. So far, we've noticed our OS X machines are ticking along just fine, but our Windows computers are not. Importantly, we had to upgrade one of our Windows desktops to "break" Skype, which indicates it could be a fault contained in the latest version, but then again, it could have simply been just a case of terrible timing. The iPhone and Android apps look to be unaffected, but skype.com is down and out. Skype is on the case right now and will have more details for us "soon."

[Thanks, Manthan]

Update: Skype has a solution for bringing tech savvy users back online. It requires deleting the shared.xml file, instructions for which are available for Windows 7, XP and Mac OS X (so yes, Apple computers have been bitten by the same bug too). A simpler fix is said to be in the works as well.

Update 2: Looks like Skype is back to normal now. Phew!

Update 3: If you're still experiencing issues, a Windows software update is now out and a Mac update will follow tomorrow.

Skype goes down globally, investigation underway (update: restored) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newscallschatcommunicationcommunicationscrashcrasheddesktopdowndowntimeinternetonlineoutageskypewebThu, 26 May 2011 08:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese prisoners forced to produce virtual gold, real profits for their guards]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/26/chinese-prisoners-forced-to-produce-virtual-gold-real-profits-f/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/26/chinese-prisoners-forced-to-produce-virtual-gold-real-profits-f/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/26/chinese-prisoners-forced-to-produce-virtual-gold-real-profits-f/#comments The virtual goods economy of massively multiplayer online games may be thriving, but it's also stimulating an undesirable side-effect: exploitation. A former detainee at a prison in Heilongjiang province, China, has told the Guardian about how he was habitually forced into playing MMOs like World of Warcraft for the collection of loot, which the prison guards would then resell online for as much as ¥6,000 ($924) per day. Such totals would be the product of up to 300 inmates working 12-hour daily shifts, though predictably they saw none of the profits themselves. The unnamed source was at a "re-education through labor" camp where the usual toil would involve actual, rather than virtual, mining. The profitability of the online market has seemingly inspired prison bosses to move with the times, however, with business being so brisk that the computers "were never turned off." A Chinese government edict from 2009 is supposed to have introduced a requirement that online currencies only be traded by licensed entities, but it's believed that the practice of using prisoners in this fashion continues unabated.

Chinese prisoners forced to produce virtual gold, real profits for their guards originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 05:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachineseexploitationforcedforced laborForcedLaborgaminggold farmingGoldFarminggrindinginline gamesInlineGamesinternetlaborlabor campLaborCampmmoonlineonline gamingOnlineGamingprisonerprisonerssocietyvideo gamesVideoGamesvirtual goodsVirtualGoodswebworkThu, 26 May 2011 05:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson's Canadian online store hacked, more than 2,000 customers' data taken]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/25/sony-ericssons-canadian-online-store-hacked-more-than-2-000-cu/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/25/sony-ericssons-canadian-online-store-hacked-more-than-2-000-cu/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/25/sony-ericssons-canadian-online-store-hacked-more-than-2-000-cu/#comments The hackers just won't give poor Sony a break, will they? Following the infamous PSN breach last month and an attack on the company's Greek online music service earlier this week, Sony Ericsson has now seen another intrusion that extracted personal data of more than 2,000 Canadian Eshop customers. Fortunately, the company claims that passwords taken were encrypted and no credit card details were lost, but this is still worrisome nevertheless. Right now, the Eshop service has been taken off line -- for the sake of Sir Howard and his Japanese chums, let's just hope that this will be the last Sony breach we hear about.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sony Ericsson's Canadian online store hacked, more than 2,000 customers' data taken originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 03:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attackbreachcanadaEshophackhackerintrusiononlineonline storeOnlineStoreprivacysonysony ericssonSonyEricssonwebsiteWed, 25 May 2011 03:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Lady Gaga uses Chrome, and here's the 91-second film to prove it]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/lady-gaga-uses-chrome-and-heres-the-91-second-film-to-prove-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/lady-gaga-uses-chrome-and-heres-the-91-second-film-to-prove-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/lady-gaga-uses-chrome-and-heres-the-91-second-film-to-prove-it/#comments One of the world's most (in)famous names has picked a side in the browser battles -- last night saw the debut of a new Google Chrome commercial, starring Lady Gaga and her "little monsters." Spanning a minute and a half of Gaga and her fans singing and gyrating their way through her latest single, the ad is intended to illustrate the power of the web and its creative new modes of interaction. To be fair, said interaction is mostly Lady Gaga saying "jump" and a crowd of YouTubers doing it without bothering to ask how high, but hey, the result is fun to watch. You just need to disable your sense of shame for all humanity and click past the break.

[Thanks, Daryl]

Continue reading Lady Gaga uses Chrome, and here's the 91-second film to prove it

Lady Gaga uses Chrome, and here's the 91-second film to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadvertadvertisingbrowserchromecommercialedge of gloryEdgeOfGloryfanfansgagagooglegoogle chromeGoogleChromeinternetlady gagaLadyGagaonlinesocialsoftwarevideowebweb browserWebBrowseryoutubeSun, 22 May 2011 16:23:00 EST<![CDATA[US lags in broadband adoption and download speeds, still has the best rappers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/21/us-lags-in-broadband-adoption-and-download-speeds-still-has-the/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/21/us-lags-in-broadband-adoption-and-download-speeds-still-has-the/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/21/us-lags-in-broadband-adoption-and-download-speeds-still-has-the/#comments US Ranks #9 U, S, A! We're number nine! Wait, nine? At least according to a recent broadband survey by the FCC, yes. The good ol' US of A ranked ninth (out of the 29 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) in fixed broadband penetration on a per capita basis, and 12th in terms of pure percentage -- behind the UK, South Korea, Iceland, the Netherlands, and plenty of others. Though, granted, these nations lack the sprawling amber waves of grain that America must traverse with cables. The US also trailed in wireless broadband adoption, ranking ninth yet again, behind the likes of Ireland, Australia and Sweden. Worse still, even those with broadband reported slower connections than folks in other countries. Olympia, Washington had the highest average download speeds of any US city with 21Mbps (New York and Seattle tied for second with 11.7Mbps), but was easily topped by Helsinki, Paris, Berlin, and Seoul (35.8Mbps). Well, at least we beat Slovenia... if only just barely.

US lags in broadband adoption and download speeds, still has the best rappers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessbandwidthbroadbandbroadband adoptionbroadband penetrationbroadband speedsBroadbandAdoptionBroadbandPenetrationBroadbandSpeedsdatadownload speedsDownloadSpeedsFCCfiguresgovernmentinternetnumbersoecdonlineOrganization for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentOrganizationForEconomicCo-operationAndDevelopmentresearchspeedspeedsstatisticsstatssurveyUSUSASat, 21 May 2011 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Key pattern analysis software times your typing for improved password protection]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/key-pattern-analysis-software-times-your-typing-for-improved-pas/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/key-pattern-analysis-software-times-your-typing-for-improved-pas/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/20/key-pattern-analysis-software-times-your-typing-for-improved-pas/#commentsThe recent pilfering of PlayStation Network passwords and personal info shows that having a strong passcode doesn't always guarantee your online safety. However, key-pattern analysis (KPA) software from researchers at American University of Beirut may be able to keep our logins secure even if they're stolen. You create a unique profile by entering your password a few times while the code tracks the speed and timing of your keystrokes. The software then associates that data to your password as another means of authentication. Henceforth, should the magic word be entered in a different typing tempo, access is denied. We saw a similar solution last year, but that system was meant to prevent multiple users from accessing subscription databases with a single account. This KPA software allows multiple profiles per password so that your significant other can still read all your email -- assuming you and your mate reside in the trust tree, of course.

Key pattern analysis software times your typing for improved password protection originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 00:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>American University of BeirutAmericanUniversityOfBeirutcadencecredentialsinternet securityInternetSecuritykey pattern analysiskey-pattern analysisKey-patternAnalysisKeyPatternAnalysiskpaloginloginsonlineonline securityOnlineSecuritypasscodepasswordpasswordsprotectionresearchRhythmsecuritytempotypingFri, 20 May 2011 00:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Galaxy Tab 10.1 goes up for pre-order at J&R, joined by Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/galaxy-tab-10-1-goes-up-for-pre-order-at-jandr-makes-june-8th-see/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/galaxy-tab-10-1-goes-up-for-pre-order-at-jandr-makes-june-8th-see/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/galaxy-tab-10-1-goes-up-for-pre-order-at-jandr-makes-june-8th-see/#comments Remember that little GT-P7510 project Samsung seems to have on the backburner? You know, the ultraslim Tegra 2 tablet that makes Honeycomb finally feel ready for public consumption? Yeah, well, that's gotten its pre-order papers now, courtesy of J&R. Pricing of the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab 10.1 matches the $500 for 16GB and $600 for 32GB that Samsung announced in March, and though delivery dates aren't listed, we'll go ahead and assume the promised June 8th launch remains on track. Also ready for pre-order at J&R today are Samsung's 8GB Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0 media players, priced at $270 and $220, respectively, though the only info about availability that's provided is a boilerplate "coming soon" note. Check out the source links for more details.

Galaxy Tab 10.1 goes up for pre-order at J&R, joined by Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 03:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-inchandroidandroid 3.0Android3.0galaxy s wifigalaxy s wifi 4.0galaxy s wifi 5.0galaxy tabgalaxy tab 10.1GalaxySWifiGalaxySWifi4.0GalaxySWifi5.0GalaxyTabGalaxyTab10.1GT-P7510honeycombj and rJAndRjronlinepre-orderpre-orderssamsungsamsung galaxy tabSamsungGalaxyTabslatetablettegra 2Tegra2Wed, 18 May 2011 03:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix seals deal to stream Miramax movies, starting in June]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/netflix-seals-deal-to-stream-miramax-movies-starting-in-june/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/netflix-seals-deal-to-stream-miramax-movies-starting-in-june/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/netflix-seals-deal-to-stream-miramax-movies-starting-in-june/#comments Netflix has just gone and scooped up another big content deal for itself. The movie streaming service has tied the knot with Miramax on a multi-year agreement to allow streaming of films from the latter's extensive library. Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Kill Bill, and hundreds of others will be added to the Netflix Watch Instantly catalog on a rotating basis, starting next month. This marks the first time Miramax flicks have been available on a digital subscription service. An agreement between these two companies was last rumored in March, with a five-year term and $100 million price being mooted as the likely parameters for getting it done. Neither outfit would disclose the cost to Netflix, but the benefit to you, dear subscriber, is pretty obvious. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Netflix seals deal to stream Miramax movies, starting in June

Netflix seals deal to stream Miramax movies, starting in June originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 05:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agreementbreaking newscontentcontractdealdigitaldistributionfilmsinternetmiramaxmiramax filmsMiramaxFilmsmovie streamingmoviesMovieStreamingnetflixofficialonlinestreamstreamingsubscriptionwebMon, 16 May 2011 05:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Japan won't allow Sony to turn PSN back on until it's assured it's safe]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/japan-wont-allow-sony-to-turn-psn-back-on-until-its-assured-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/japan-wont-allow-sony-to-turn-psn-back-on-until-its-assured-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/japan-wont-allow-sony-to-turn-psn-back-on-until-its-assured-it/#comments Sony may be busy flipping the PlayStation Network switch back to the "on" position around the globe, but one locale where it won't be doing so just yet is its homeland of Japan. The Dow Jones newshounds report that the Japanese government refuses to allow Sony to reactivate its ailing network until satisfaction is reached on a couple of outstanding issues. The first is that the company's promised counter-hacking measures announced on May 1st have not yet been fully enacted -- though details of what has or hasn't been done yet are understandably unavailable -- and the second is that Japan wants to see further preventive measures taken to ensure users' credit card numbers and other private data won't be exposed through their use of Sony's online services again. These sound like rational demands to us, and Sony is already in talks with the authorities to make sure it lives up to their expectations.

Continue reading Japan won't allow Sony to turn PSN back on until it's assured it's safe

Japan won't allow Sony to turn PSN back on until it's assured it's safe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activationdown jonesDownJonesgaminggovernmentinternetjapannetworkonlineonline gamingOnlineGamingplaystationplaystation networkPlaystationNetworkpsnreactivationrestartrestorationsecuritysoesonysony online entertainmentSonyOnlineEntertainmentMon, 16 May 2011 01:53:00 EST<![CDATA[WebGL flaw leaves GPU exposed to hackers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/webgl-flaw-leaves-gpu-exposed-to-hackers/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/webgl-flaw-leaves-gpu-exposed-to-hackers/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/webgl-flaw-leaves-gpu-exposed-to-hackers/#comments WebGL attack Google spent a lot of time yesterday talking up WebGL, but UK security firm Context seems to think users should disable the feature because it poses a serious security threat, and the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) is encouraging people to heed that advice. According to Context, a malicious site could pass code directly to a computer's GPU and trigger a denial of service attack or simply crash the machine. Ne'er-do-wells could also use WebGL and the Canvas element to pull image data from another domain, which could then be used as part of a more elaborate attack. Khronos, the group that organizes the standard, responded by pointing out that there is an extension available to graphics card manufacturers that can detect and protect against DoS attacks, but it did little to satisfy Context -- the firm argues that inherent flaws in the design of WebGL make it very difficult to secure.

Now, we're far from experts on the intricacies of low-level hardware security but, for the moment at least, there seems to be little reason for the average user to panic. There's even a good chance that you're not vulnerable at all since WebGL won't run on many Intel and ATI graphics chips (you can check by clicking here). If you're inclined to err on the side of caution you can find instructions for disabling WebGL at the more coverage link -- but come on, living on the cutting edge wouldn't be anywhere near as fun if it didn't involve a bit of danger.

[Thanks, Tony]

WebGL flaw leaves GPU exposed to hackers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>certcodecontextdenial of serviceDenialOfServiceDoSflawGPUgraphicsgraphics cardGraphicsCardhackhackingkhronosonlineonline securityOnlineSecuritysecurityUS CERTUS Computer Emergency Readiness TeamUsCertUsComputerEmergencyReadinessTeamvulnerabilitywebglThu, 12 May 2011 15:49:00 EST