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Droid Bionic loses FCC confidentiality, gets updated with pics and user manual
When it rains, it pours, and the latest in the torrential downpour of Droid Bionic news comes straight from the FCC itself: we've got a manual. The user's guide starts by confirming the usual suspects: a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4G LTE, a 4.3" screen and a rear-facing camera capable of capturing 1080p video. The good stuff comes in on page thirteen: the Motorola XT375 supports LTE, CDMA, GSM, and UTMS, a world phone with support for over 200 countries, but unlike its WiMax cousin, the Photon, UMTS support is limited to 2100MHz only. The familial similarities are still there, however, as it seems that the Bionic uses the same connector layout (micro-USB / micro-HDMI) as the Photon, but shifted further down the edge of the phone. This means, unlike the Atrix, the Photon and Bionic just might be able to share WebTop docks and accessories. Need more than just bread and butter? An inductive charging back tagged along on the handset's federal funday, and while there's no indication that it ships with its own charging mat, we'd hazard a guess that it's compatible with existing VZW inductive chargers. Want a closer look? Check out the gallery below for the teardown of your dreams. %Gallery-130126%
KnightHawk 3G network-in-a-box breaks soldiers' backs, helps them get online anywhere
While it's easy enough to envision soldiers scaling battlegrounds with portable hotspots in tow, it's a useless solution for warriors deployed to remote areas that have patchy service to begin with. Enter the KnightHawk 3G, a rugged network-in-a-box that cooks up connectivity in otherwise uncovered areas. The self-contained WCDMA network runs over the 2100MHz spectrum, promising download speeds as fast as 14.4mbps and max upload rates of 5.76mbps. It has capacity for up to 60 simultaneous voice calls and can handle 14 HSPA connections at a time. And it'll help keep our troops in top shape -- you can't tell from the photos, but that thing weighs 45 pounds. %Gallery-121824%
Japan planning intelligent road systems
Finding real-time traffic data is becoming less unusual thanks to nav units popping up more frequently in vehicles nowadays, but real-time data about about potential road hazards, pedestrians in the way, and other random tidbits that could prevent a serious headache (or worse) isn't quite there yet. Japan's National Police Agency is on the ball, however, and hopes to take the currently installed Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS) to the next level (and make sure that more than 10 percent of the population actually takes advantage of it). The Driving Safety Support System (DSSS) is being developed by the Universal Traffic Management Society of Japan (UTMS), and aside from creating a maze of acronyms to keep track of, it plans on utilizing two-way infrared beacons -- installed about 5.5 meters above the street -- to analyze real-time information about street conditions, hazards, and pedestrians who aren't paying attention. The beacons will reportedly beam the data to your in-car navigation system, and depending on your specific location, will be tailored to address intersections and crossroads that you are actually approaching. Approximately 20 types of subsystems could be installed by 2008, with 5 of these currently being tested -- the beacons are placed in "accident-prone" areas, and are each designed to help prevent a certain type of mishap, be it a rear-end collision, right-turn fender bender, or flattening of an innocent bystander or two. While this sounds like an excellent way to curb vehicular chaos in a nation where traffic is becoming a serious issue, we can't exactly envision this taking off like the UTMS probably hopes -- it's going to take quite awhile before a significant amount of drivers can rock navigation systems in their rides, and who's to say that all this pertinent information demanding the driver's attention won't become a hazard in and of itself?[Via Pink Tentacle]
