We know Computex will involve nothing less than a deluge of new laptops, but if we believe Bloomberg, it's going to be a Windows 8 tablet-topia as well. Hot on the heels of the Windows 8 Release Preview, it's claimed by the ever-present "people with knowledge of the matter" that Acer, ASUS and Toshiba will all be showing tablets with the new OS at the Taipei show. ASUS will reportedly get the star treatment at Microsoft's keynote and show off Transformer-style Windows 8 tablets that we suspect are hinted at in ASUS' slightly cryptic trailers. Processor loyalties could be split across the wider group, though: ASUS is said to be spreading the love by showing both an Intel-based tablet as well as one using NVIDIA's ARM-powered Tegra line, but Acer's previously rumored tablet is poised to go the Intel-only route, and Toshiba's may exist solely in a TI OMAP-based ARM camp. It's not apparent if anyone else will join the Windows 8 tablet frenzy, although Qualcomm is expected to show yet another Snapdragon-running test device. We'll be on the ground at Computex next week, so you can be sure that we'll give you the full rundown on Windows 8's opening salvo.

Tips have Acer, ASUS and Toshiba showing Windows 8 tablets at Computex, color us unsurprised originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung buys Nanoradio, hints at very low-power WiFi in your next Galaxy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A week and change after it announced Viewdini, Verizon has it ensconced in the Google Play store. If you're on Android 2.2 or greater and have a 4G LTE plan, you can install the app at no charge, and start your search by typing in the name of a movie, actor or genre you want to see. The app will scurry off and check net-based providers like Hulu, mSpot and Netflix, along with cozy new chum Comcast's Xfinity, and bring back relevent titles along with their price and availability. Further pawing will reveal critic reviews and ratings, filmographies, related picks and other info -- just keep one eye on that data limit.

[Thanks, Artem]

Viewdini hits Play to help find video, if you're on Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We'll call it -- in 10 years' time, tablets are gonna make desktops and laptops niche products. In the three years since the iPad fell from the sky, these humble devices have become ideal ways to surf the internet, play games, and, most importantly, create. Here's three of the best for you to enjoy over the summer, with the notable exception of the Galaxy Note 10.1. We're excited to see the stylus-centric slate in action, but it's still not ready for primetime, so we have to hope it's here before the new school term. Read on past the break to take a look at our current warm weather selections.

Continue reading Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: tablets

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Intel first unveiled its grand plans for Ultrabooks at last year's Computex, many of the fireworks were consciously reserved for Ivy Bridge-based variants in 2012 -- well, they're here. This year's show in Taipei will show off the third generation of the skinny, MacBook Air-inspired platform, and Intel is toughening up the design requirements in the process. The thickness requirements are the same as last year, at 18mm for systems with screens under 14 inches and 21mm for bigger machines, but high-speed ports are now mandatory to get that coveted "Ultrabook" label and the full marketing weight of Intel's $300 million Ultrabook Fund: if a PC doesn't have either USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, it's out of the running. Intel also wants security built-in, rather than optional, as well as guarantees that a system is quick and responsive when it's fully awake. Not that this would be terribly hard with the low-voltage Ivy Bridge processors launching at the same time, mind you.

Just to reinforce the importance of it all, Intel is noting that the flood of Ultrabooks is about to pick up in a big way as the category hits the mainstream. We were promised 75 Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks this year in a presentation back at CES; that number's now up to 110, 30 of which will be Windows 8-friendly touchscreen models and another 10 opting for the convertible tablet route. At least some of those lightweight portables should pop up at Computex next week, and you can be sure we'll be investigating as many of them as we can to see just how well Intel's partners have advanced the game.

Intel to show third-gen Ultrabooks at Computex, makes USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt a necessity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We all know the coffee shop WiFi routine: crack open the laptop, visit a splash page, and dutifully wait until you're logged in before you get to Twitter. Through a new deal between Intel and DeviceScape, you won't even have to think about it. Intel's Smart Connect tool will soon automatically sign in your Ultrabook to a curated list of quality, open WiFi hotspots, even if the PC is fast asleep. This last trick might need Windows 8's Connected Standby mode to live up to Intel's expectations, but the dream is to have your email and social feeds updated and waiting before that laptop or tablet screen has even blinked into life. Intel is leaving some gaps in the story, such as whether or not gadget owners will pay a premium for the fast access. We'd guess that Intel is counting on higher computer (and more importantly, processor) sales to make up the difference.

Intel teams up with DeviceScape for automatic public WiFi, will hook up your Ultrabook in the background originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple's current iPad is already cleared for China in WiFi trim, but those of us who've wanted to roam through Kunming on care-free 3G haven't had any officially approved choices. That's ending soon, as the Chinese government just gave the cellular version (A1430) the all-clear. Like in most parts of the world, Apple's slate won't use LTE given the lack of any established network in the area; HSPA's as good as it will get. The clearance is slightly odd given that the State Administration for Industry and Commerce is leaning in Proview's direction when it comes to iPad trademark ownership. With the iPad still legally available in the country, though, it's safe to say that official 3G iPad carrier China Unicom is happy to prepare for a rush of customers who want to buy a cellular iPad without using the zipline delivery method.

China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Lenovo has offered few hints (if unsubtle ones) that the IdeaTab S2109 was on the way, but it's now in the US in earnest. As we saw early on, some of the Android 4.0 tablet's specs read like those of an iPad 2, down to the 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 IPS panel, 1.3-pound weight and ever so slightly thicker 8.9mm unibody shell. Lenovo is catering more to the movie-watching set, though: a four-speaker system and 1080p video over micro-HDMI make us see it as a couch-surfer's Netflix machine. We're a bit less enthused with the aging dual-core, 1GHz TI OMAP 4430 inside, but we won't complain about the $349 asking price. If the balance is appealing, both Lenovo and Office Depot will be ready to serve it up in early June.

Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 makes a splash Stateside, offers a lightweight slice of Android 4.0 for $349 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're seeing rear cameras on smartphones and tablets get better all the time; what about at the front? OmniVision might have that side tackled through the OV2722, a 1080p-native CMOS camera sensor. It won't allow for magnum opuses of photography like the company's own 16-megapixel behemoth, but it's just big enough and thin enough (at 3mm deep) to give a serious upgrade to the 720p-or-lower front cameras that prevail today, including webcams on Ultrabooks. The new sensor is both thinner and better in low light than an earlier iteration, so we'll hopefully see fewer instances of blurrycam self-portraits and video calls. The OV2722 is in mass production now for unnamed clients, although we're worried that the resolution jump will show us a little too much detail in that chat with Aunt Mildred.

Continue reading OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see

OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Futulele has come a long way since we saw it in March; it's now on the App Store and has put on a lot of sheen in return for slipping past the original April release target. Along with a few more flowers to reinforce the Hawaiian vibe, Amidio's definitive ukelele app has since gained the requisite support for the new iPad's graphics and a fully automatic mode, just in case you're not yet a virtual Jake Shimabukuro. If your ambitions do involve playing for yourself, you still have access to the promised maximum 132 chords (12 per set) with the flexibility to adjust chorus, delay, EQ and reverb in addition to recording those plucky creations. We're still waiting on the Futulele Remote app (and matching case) to choose chords more like we would on the real deal, but you can do it all on the iPad for now if you're willing to spend a fiver at the App Store. A flower necklace and an impressionable young lover are optional.

Continue reading Futulele goes live for iPad, ukelele serenades just went multi-touch (video)

Futulele goes live for iPad, ukelele serenades just went multi-touch (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Amazon has decided that offering 3G-capable Kindles isn't enough of an involvement in the cellular world -- it's now getting into the business of offering the bits themselves. Through a tie-up with NTT DoCoMo-using MVNO Japan Communications, Amazon is selling prepaid SIM cards for LTE data. Each slice of plastic and circuitry will provide a 500MB block of sweet, sweet 4G for ¥1,980 ($25). There's a very good chance we'd burn through that in a day, but it'll let you get an NTT DoCoMo-ready smartphone or Arrows Tab online in a pinch. The Japanese can snap up the cards later in the month, while those of us in the US will just have to hope that Amazon can make a similar (if hopefully cheaper) deal closer to home.

Amazon offers prepaid 4G LTE data in Japan, gets you online 500MB at a time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 21:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iOS device security has regularly been a concern of the government, but locking down one of Apple's devices for the government is still fresh. Precise Biometrics hopes to have the problem licked through the Tactivo, a combo fingerprint and smart card reader for the iPhone 4 / 4S (and the iPad, in the summer). Either method keeps data inside an app away from prying eyes, and while they won't tighten the security around the built-in apps, they do make sure a third-party app's data meets US and international government privacy specs without having to use a BlackBerry. We're not surprised that the Tactivo needs to engulf the iPhone in a full case to work its magic, although there's a micro-USB port to keep it powered and synced up. It's all a bit much if you're just trying to make sure your list of high school crushes stays a secret, and the price reflects that -- at $249 a pop, the Tactivo is really meant for agencies and companies for whom losing the data on an iPhone would cost a lot more. Still, if you're running an outfit encouraging BYOD phone use or just really, really want your secret passions to stay private, both the iPhone case and a BioSecrets app are ready today.

Continue reading Precise Biometrics' Tactivo for iPhone, iPad locks data by fingerprint and smart card, is overkill for your diary (video)

Precise Biometrics' Tactivo for iPhone, iPad locks data by fingerprint and smart card, is overkill for your diary (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're very used to Apple prototypes showing up on eBay. It's not often that we see unreleased iPads get the auction treatment, however, which makes a new listing that much more interesting. A 16GB WiFi version of the original iPad has popped up sporting a second dock connector on its side, a feature that we'd previously only spotted in Apple design patents. The advantage, of course, would be to keep the iPad powered and synced while it's playing a favorite movie in landscape mode. While we don't know how one aaps69 managed to get hands on the tablet, there's some clear signs that the seller didn't just carve an extra hole in the aluminum for kicks: the slate is running the familiar SwitchBoard tool that Apple uses for in-house diagnostics, and there's a raft of old and incomplete part details that suggest this particular iPad was never meant for store shelves. We'll likely never know why Apple left us in a land of solo dock connectors, but we'd take a peek at the source link before it's gone, as more recent Apple prototypes at auction tend to return to the source quickly.

OG iPad prototype with dual dock connectors hits eBay, teases us with convenience we never had originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To all the executives out there, consider what you have hanging on the walls of your office. Perhaps it's a fine work of art -- maybe even an original -- but it most certainly isn't an 80-inch Windows 8 computer. That curious distinction belongs to Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, who has eschewed use of his phone, notepad and a more practical email solution in the name of awesomeness (or, perhaps compensation for those lagging Windows Phone sales.) Initially said to be a machine that'd be marketed and sold by Microsoft, the company has since clarified that no such effort will take place -- although the door remains open for independent vendors to step in and sell similar behemoth Windows 8 setups. Unlike most tablets, we've a hard time imagining ol' Steve throwing this one under his arm as he scoots out of the office... but then again, the man can afford some mighty good chiropractors.

Steve Ballmer's Windows 8 rig measures 80 inches, so... does that do anything for ya? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 07:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Drops, shocks, heavy vibrations, dust, water and temperatures in the extremes -- just the kind of punishment you'd expect a DRS Armor slab to put up with, and the firm's latest do so without the briefcase-like look. With MIL-STD 810G certification and an IP65 rating, the 7-inch multi-touch slates can withstand some rough and tumble -- though there's no word if they can pass the tesla coil benchmark. At 1.3 pounds, the Android 3.2-loaded X7ad squeezes out eight hours of battery life with a 1GHz dual core Tegra 2 processor. Its Windows-minded doppelganger, the X7et, holds a six-hour charge, sports an Atom Z670 processor and tips the scales at just under 1.5 pounds. If the chunkier look strikes your fancy, the 12.1 inch X12kb has you covered -- though at 5.5 pounds, it's the lightest MIL-STD-810G certified convertible tablet currently available. The swivel screened slate has up to eight hours of battery life, a Core i5 560UMCPU processor, a polarized LCD glass display, a spillproof keyboard and touchpad in addition to a one-click stealth mode that disables light and sound for "covert operations." With GPS, WiFi and Gobi Wireless Broadband options, all three of these are ready for missions at home and abroad, however you might need that stealth function to find out the (currently unspecified) pricing.

Continue reading DRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavors

DRS unveils trio of ruggedized tablets in Windows and Android flavors originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 03:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cisco had grand plans for a Cius tablet on every fast-paced executive's desk, but those dreams appear to have been dashed not long after getting off the ground. Senior VP OJ Winge says the company will "no longer invest" in the design, leaving the already rather creaky Android 2.2-based, 7-inch tablet to an eternal slumber outside of occasional specialized orders. It's not hard to see what hastened the Cius to its early demise, as Winge pins it on companies and customers encouraging a BYOD (bring your own device) strategy that likely brought more than a few iPads and beefier Android tablets into the space Cisco wanted to occupy. Before existing Cius owners start videoconferencing with themselves out of sheer despondence, though, there's a silver lining: the company now expects to take the Cius' firmware all the way from Android 2.2 to 4.0 in one fell swoop near the end of the summer. You may not be living Cisco's 2010-era vision, but at least you'll have Chrome for Android.

Cisco drops Cius tablets after the BYOD crush, plans upgrade to Android 4.0 out of kindness originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumors of a Dell Peju tablet shipping with Windows 8 made the rounds last year, but they died down when the mystery device turned out to be the Windows 7-powered Latitude ST. Time to reignite the hype: NeoWin got its hands on a slide that shows a Dell Latitude 10 slate running Windows 8. The tablet is listed as having a 10.1-inch screen, which isn't to say that other form factors could be in the works. Other listed specs include a dual-core Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, up to a 128GB SSD and a fingerprint reader. NeoWin has word that the Latitude 10 will get six to eight hours of battery life with the base battery and up to 12 hours with the larger one. The tablet looks quite similar to the Latitude ST, but then again we're going off of one slide here.

Slide shows Dell Latitude 10 tablet running Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Android developers are all too familiar with not-so-hot emulator performance, so it's a relief that there's now an system image in a native x86 for testing. While you'll still likely want to test on ARM, the x86 image will both help ferret out bugs specific to Intel's architecture as well as provide a much faster experience debugging apps now that the ARM-to-Intel translation isn't needed on top of running a whole second operating system. It's not perfectly up to date, running on Android 4.0.3, but it's close enough that the environment will mimic much of what users see -- and a big help if you're jumping into writing specifically for Intel devices. If speed is of the essence, or you're not keen on importing a Lava Xolo X900, you just need to update the SDK Manager to start testing with an Intel-flavored green robot.

Intel posts x86-friendly Android 4.0 image, lets you feel the need for speed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If we believe Japan's Nikkei, the decision by Hon Hai Precision Industry (that is, Foxconn's daddy) to buy a stake in Sharp was really just the start of a long, torrid love affair in LCD production. While Hon Hai is getting the rosy side of the deal for Sharp's TV-oriented Sakai plant, it's now thought to be paying Sharp for display technology that would go into a new factory in Chengdu for small- and medium-sized LCDs used for smartphones and tablets. If all dovetails as nicely as the two would like, the joint venture would see advanced mobile displays manufactured on the cheap -- the best of both worlds. Suffice it to say that there's a few companies that might be interested, as clients like Apple are no strangers to Chengdu. Before you let visions of IGZO-based LCDs on every iPad and iPhone dance through your head, though, remember that neither Hon Hai nor Sharp has confirmed anything -- and that the plant wouldn't be up and running until 2013 at the earliest, even if everything's in sync.

Sharp reportedly getting cozy with Hon Hai Precision, helping to make phone and tablet LCDs in Chengdu originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did you see the Google+ 2.0 update for iPhone and wonder if Google's attention had drifted away from its own baby? Don't fret, as the Android app has just been given similarly loving treatment. The interface shares the reworked stream look that we saw on iOS while keeping the swipe-to-switch category filters that Google+ has used from the start. There's even small rewards for having to watch your iPhone friends go first: you can now start a Hangout video chat from the main menu, get ringing Hangout notifications, download photos directly from conversations and edit your posts after the fact. The new look has already proved polarizing, but if you're the sort who revels in the purity of a Google social network running on a Google platform, you can now try the overhaul for yourself.

Google+ on Android gets its turn at a UI remake, extra Hangout and photo features in the bargain originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft triggered some weeping and gnashing of teeth with its decision to keep Flash out of the Metro environment's Internet Explorer 10 browser in favor of HTML5, and it looks like that outpouring of grief has produced a compromise -- albeit with a catch. Leaks of the upcoming Windows 8 Release Preview purport to show Flash running on IE10 in the new interface, but only for certain popular sites (such as Disney's) that can be trusted with Flash and don't have an easy HTML5 fallback. The company hasn't confirmed the change, but it's thought that Microsoft has skipped the familiar plugin route in favor of just coding Flash support for a few sites at a low level. If that's what we see when the Release Preview goes public in June, it could serve as a bridge for parents worried their kids will miss out on Where's My Water? games while preserving a browser that's overall leaner, meaner and safer. We wouldn't hold out much hope for Windows 8 RT tablets running ARM chips, though, knowing that backwards compatibility doesn't exist and that Adobe might not be keen to revive Flash-on-ARM support it's trying to wind down.

Windows 8's Metro version of IE 10 may keep Flash for edge cases originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When NVIDIA's Jen-Hsun Huang talked of $199 Tegra 3 tablets, we were nothing but skeptically hopeful. Now, it seems those were more than just words. During a recent stockholder meeting, VP of Investor Relations, Rob Csongor, revealed the firm's strategy to deliver on this budget quad-core promise. Announcing the "Kai" platform, Csongor stopped short of giving specifics, but implied that the architecture or hardware borrows much of the "secret sauce" from Tegra 3, and will enable lower-priced higher-performance devices. Jump on the source link, and listen in from about 33 minutes, if you want the full spiel.

NVIDIA outlines Kai platform, hopes to make good on $199 quad-core tablet promise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Acer has been known to celebrate the Olympic Games with special-edition tech, so we weren't exactly surprised when the company launched a festive version of the Iconia Tab A510 this April in anticipation of the Summer Games in London. Now that the event is just two months away, the Tab is preparing to make its UK debut. According to the Inquirer, it will be available through Carphone Warehouse in June. To jog your memory, this version has the same specs as the original Iconia Tab A510, including a 10.1-inch IPS display, Android Ice Cream Sandwich and a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 CPU. There's also the same 5-megapixel camera and 32GB of onboard storage. The main difference, of course, is that this version sports an engraving of the five Olympic rings, and Acer also pre-loads a trial of Eurosport channels so users can get coverage during the Games. When the Iconia A510 Olympic Tab launches next month, it will reportedly go for £350 (about $552) without a SIM.

Acer Iconia A510 Olympic Tab to launch in UK next month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 02:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft has been going into very exacting detail as to how Windows 8 works, but one area it hasn't explored much is what happens before you even see the Start screen. As user experience manager Chris Clark notes, the days of mashing F8 repeatedly to reach a pre-boot configuration are (mostly) over: you can invoke it either through an "advanced startup" in settings, through Start menu shortcuts or, if your PC is truly sick, let it show automatically. At least on systems blessed with UEFI instead of an aging BIOS, you'll get a lot more to tinker with as well, including going straight to the command prompt, recovering from a system image or booting from external storage. The emphasis on choosing your environment before you hit the power button is virtually necessary. A Windows 8 PC with a solid-state drive leaves just a 200-millisecond slice of time for any user input, and Microsoft would rather not have users caught in an infinite loop of restarting their systems as they unsuccessfully try to boot from USB drives. You'll likely discover the pre-boot space first-hand when the OS ships later this year, but for now you can check the source for more.

Microsoft details Windows 8's pre-boot world, helps you skip the F8 F8 F8 routine originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 23:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We love finding out how things work, and arguably one of the most important parts of the smartphones and tablets we thrive on is the accelerometer gauging our device's orientation. Imagine our delight, then, when we see the University of Illinois' Bill Hammack (i.e. The Engineer Guy) giving a visual rundown of how accelerometers work. Although it's certainly the Cliff's Notes version of what's going on in your Android phone or iPhone, the video does a great job of explaining the basic concepts behind three-axis motion sensing and goes on to illustrate how MEMS chips boil the idea down to the silicon form that's needed for our mobile hardware. Hammack contends that it's one of the coolest (and unsung) parts of a smartphone, and we'd definitely agree; you can see why in the clip after the break.

Continue reading Engineer Guy shows how a phone accelerometer works, knows what's up and sideways (video)

Engineer Guy shows how a phone accelerometer works, knows what's up and sideways (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 20:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Verizon is clearly looking to make itself the front door for Internet video this year. Bolstering its tie-ins with Color and Redbox, it's now kicking off Viewdini, a carrier-specific Android app that will help you find video across multiple services: along with Internet-only providers like Hulu Plus, mSpot and Netflix, it will sift through the online component of Comcast's Xfinity brand, taking a little bit more advantage of that cross-sales deal coming out of the proposed spectrum handover. Even Verizon's own FiOS video will be late to its own party, coming "soon." Viewdini will only be available for 4G LTE-equipped Android phones and tablets later this month, with "other operating systems" and services due in the future -- given the currently very short list of non-Android 4G devices, we have a few ideas as to where the app might go next. Either way, get ready to collide with bandwidth caps faster than usual if you love what Verizon plans to offer.

[Image credit: AllThingsD]

Continue reading Verizon's Viewdini for Android hunts streaming video on Comcast Xfinity, Hulu and Netflix, strains our 4G

Verizon's Viewdini for Android hunts streaming video on Comcast Xfinity, Hulu and Netflix, strains our 4G originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung started making 2GB low-power mobile memory last year, but as the 1GB-equipped phone you likely have in your hand shows, the chips weren't built on a wide-enough scale to get much use. The Korean company is hoping to fix that now that it's mass-producing 20-nanometer, 4-gigabit LPDDR2 RAM. Going to a smaller process than the 30-nanometer chips of old will not just slim the memory down by a fifth, helping your smartphone stay skinny: it should help 2GB of RAM become the "mainstream product" by the end of 2013, if Samsung gets its way. New chips should run at 1,066Mbps without chewing up any more power than the earlier parts, too, so there's no penalty for using the denser parts. It's hard to say whether or not the 20nm design is what's leading to the 2GB of RAM in the Japanese Galaxy S III; we just know that the upgraded NTT DoCoMo phone is now just the start of a rapidly approaching trend for smartphones and tablets.

Continue reading Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones

Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Some call it diversity, some call it fragmentation. However you slice it, there's a lot of Android devices out there. OpenSignalMaps has tracked a staggering 3,997 unique phones, tablets and other Google-powered gadgets, and has put them into a chart weighted by popularity. Not surprisingly, it's powerhouses like Samsung's Galaxy S II and HTC's Desire line that dictate the platform, while that Concorde Tab you bought in Hungary sadly doesn't have much traction. The normally signal mapping-oriented crew is careful to warn that the actual variety might be less: there's 1,363 one-timers in the group, and some of those may be custom ROMs and the endless carrier-specific variants that OEMs are sometimes eager to make. There's even more to look at through the source, including Android 2.3's continuing dominance and the mind-boggling number of Android screen resolutions, so click ahead for an even fuller picture.

Visualized: Android's device diversity cut up into 3,997 little pieces originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The last we heard, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 was in pre-order limbo at Office Depot. Now we have official word that the slate will launch at that outlet -- and also at Amazon, Best Buy, Tiger Direct and others -- on May 13th. As expected, the 16GB WiFi version will go for $400, and if you've followed our coverage, you'll know it's a solid dual-core slate that nonetheless doesn't make huge spec improvements over the original Tab 10.1 (barring that Ice Cream Sandwich OS, of course). The Galaxy Player 4.2 will also make its debut this Sunday, for an asking price of $200. Android-loving moms: rejoice.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Intel has typically kept its cool in responding to Windows 8 on ARM, but that war of words (and chips) just got a little more heated at an investor meeting. CEO Paul Otellini saw his more mobile-oriented competition facing a "big uphill fight" without the presence of legacy Windows app support. That's a big drawback for corporate buyers that have legions of traditional apps they want to keep running, the executive said. He also used the opportunity to rib ARM over a lack of any existing Windows hardware. There's certainly no question that Intel has a head start in Windows 8 support, but the remarks do come with a degree of irony. Intel is cutting into ARM's territory with Atom-based Android phones, and while it won't have as much of a problem with legacy OS support as ARM will with Windows, Intel has a lot to prove on its own.

Intel knocks ARM's legacy app dilemma in Windows 8, says it has a 'big uphill fight' ahead originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wireless power has until now been closely associated with the Wireless Power Consortium's Qi standard. There's now a second proposed common ground in the Alliance for Wireless Power, or A4WP. Samsung and Qualcomm, along with some help from Powermat, SK Telecom, Ever Win Industries, Gill Industries and Peiker Acustic, are making an alternative that allows for "spatial freedom" between your gadget and the charging source, although whether or not that's better than the 1.6-inch distance of the updated Qi spec is left to the imagination. The strategy doesn't just let your device avoid French kissing the charger: it lets you power up through a material besides a metal plate, and it reduces the cost by eliminating repeaters. A4WP should power everything from low-power headsets through to smartphones and tablets, although with partnership talk just getting started at CTIA Wireless 2012, we wouldn't hold off on buying wired-power gadgets in the near future.

Continue reading Samsung, Qualcomm start up Alliance for Wireless Power to take on Qi

Samsung, Qualcomm start up Alliance for Wireless Power to take on Qi originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 04:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking to get your goods on a BlackBerry smartphone or tablet now that the new OS has been shown off? If so, you're in luck. Mippin, the app creation platform, has announced that it will power the BlackBerry App Generator -- transforming content into full-blown apps for BlackBerry smartphones and PlayBook tablets. In a matter of minutes, users will be able to use their info, photos and what not to build applications without bothering with registration or submission fees. Software created via the generator can be fully integrated with BBM for sharing and other social experiences with fellow BlackBerry users. Martyn Mallick, VP Global Alliances and Business Development at RIM noted, "With the launch of BlackBerry App Generator Mippin and RIM are tearing down the barriers and finding new ways to encourage content publishers to create apps." Currently, applications can only be created for devices running BlackBerry 5 OS and higher. Don't fret, though, the outfit says support for BB10 will be on the way in no time.

Continue reading BlackBerry App Generator makes app building a breeze for smartphones and PlayBook tablets

BlackBerry App Generator makes app building a breeze for smartphones and PlayBook tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The iPad was made to do many things, but windowed multitasking wasn't one of them. Leave it to the Cydia Store to provide a new app that delivers individual, rotatable, scalable, untabbed windows. Quasar, from developer Pedro Franceschi, let's you do just that across multiple apps -- without relying on home button double-taps or tricky multi-finger gestures. The video below makes it seem pretty magical, so take a look and let us know what you think.

Continue reading Quasar gives the iPad untabbed windows for ten dollars and a jailbreak (video)

Quasar gives the iPad untabbed windows for ten dollars and a jailbreak (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of April 23rd, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of April 23rd, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Software updates can only get you so far, and in the case of ASUS' Transformer Prime, they didn't even get it down the street. The Taiwanese tablet has been fighting satellite blindness since its inception -- it was only a matter of time before the Tegra 3 slab caved in and got a prescription. The Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit was quietly announced on ASUS's member site, a freebie Prime owners could snag for registering their slates. The accessory's promised mid-april shipping date arrived, and so did the kit: read on to see what our newly equipped tablet could see.

Gallery: Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit hands-on

Continue reading ASUS Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit hands-on

ASUS Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Remember those GPS issues that hobbled ASUS' quad-core tablet? Now, after the company announced a free module to fix this, Land of Droid has managed to snap the first pictures of the Transformer Prime GPS Extension kit, adding that it looks likely to get an official reveal sometime today. This not-particularly-subtle add-on apparently improves GPS performance noticeably and attaches to the base of the tablet, meaning that you won't be able to juggle both keyboard typing and location functions. The source below packs several more blurry shots of the dongle on its own -- if you're into that sort of thing.

Transformer Prime GPS dongle spotted, won't play nice with keyboard dock originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 hands-on (video)

Amazon Kindle Fire review

There's an age-old saying: "If a tree falls in the forest and no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound?" We're tempted to posit that question to Samsung as it clears room in its crowded product portfolio for yet another Galaxy Tab. One month after announcing it at Mobile World Congress, the outfit's bringing its 7-inch sequel to the masses. As if Sammy's Galaxy Tab lineup weren't already overflowing, this guy comes bearing internals that make it near-identical to the OG Galaxy Tab and 7.0 Plus that have come before it.

A few specs, though, have seen downgrades: the front-facing camera now has VGA resolution, and the dual-core TI OMAP processor powering it is clocked at a lower 1GHz. Still, the 1024 x 600 TFT LCD display remains intact, as does the 3-megapixel rear camera, microSD slot and IR blaster. It's a puzzling hardware refresh ushering in modest tweaks to a proven design, with the biggest change of all being the move to Ice Cream Sandwich (with TouchWiz, of course). Is that software upgrade alone compelling enough to warrant an entirely new piece of hardware in Samsung's lineup? Maybe, maybe not. It all comes down to price, and at $250 this WiFi-only tablet could give consumers with Kindle Fire ire something to talk about. Follow past the break to see what we mean.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Toshiba AT300 gets Excited at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.