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Sprint's snazzy, speedy 4G iPad case
You bought your iPad, now you need a case. And since you decided to purchase a Wi-Fi iPad instead of waiting for the 3G model, you're trying to figure out how the heck to connect to the Internet on those occasions when you're away from Wi-Fi. Sprint is coming to your rescue. Their new 4G case for iPad is really just a nice case with a special pocket for one of their Overdrive 4G (US$349, less with rebates and 2-year activation) routers, which gives you a really fast connection to the Internet in those locations where Sprint has rolled out their 4G WiMAX service (see the Sprint site for details). How fast is really fast? 3 - 6 Mbps, which is considerably faster than the 600 Kbps - 1 Mbps you'll get with 3G service. You have to purchase the Overdrive separately at a Sprint or Best Buy store, and of course the iPad doesn't come with the case, but if you have a need for speed and a new, naked iPad, this is a pretty nice solution. If you're not currently in a 4G service area, the Overdrive 4G router also works well with Sprint's 3G data service. You'll also gain a lot of new friends when you share your 4G connection with up to four other people. [via Electronista]
Sprint's iPad '4G case' features an Overdrive pocket, oodles of irony
Listen Sprint, we get it, you want the whole US drooling over an iDevice hitting the internet at 4G speeds. First you extolled the virtues of WiMAX in an ad featuring the iPhone, and now you're going so far as to give away a special "4G" iPad case for free with the purchase of an Overdrive from Best Buy -- and yes, to be sure, the tote features a special pouch for your new mobile hotspot. No word yet on if placing a 3G iPad in the case creates some singularity from which no nearby object can escape (or get reception, for that matter). Update: Don't take the playful tone personally, we actually love the concept. More so, we just think Sprint is being funny here. We'll have some detailed test results of our time with Overdrive / iPad soon! [Thanks, John]
New Sprint ad shows iPhone using WiMAX... via Overdrive
Your existing iPhone (yeah, even the original) can surf the information superhighway at 4G speeds. Today. Who knew, right? Sprint's Overdrive -- which creates a WiFi hotspot that enables nearby devices to cruise on Clear's 4G (or 3G, if you're not in a 4G locale) network -- can theoretically enable any WiFi-capable phone to surf on WiMAX, but Sprint's taking a pretty bold approach by actually touting the feature in a new spot. Befuddled? Hop on past the break and mash play. Too bad this is about as close the iPhone will ever get to Sprint's shelves...
Sprint features iPhone in 4G ad
Sprint has released an ad that features the iPhone with its Overdrive 3G/4G Hotspot mobile router. The Overdrive allows you to use Sprint's 4G network with any WiFi capable device. The ad features "Matt" and the appropriately-named iPhone-owner "Steve." "My friend Steve's iPhone is cool, but it's limited to AT&T's 3G speeds," Matt says. "So I'm going to use the Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot to make it up to ten times faster. And while that's happening, I'm going to enjoy this tasty snack," at which point Matt pulls out an apple and takes a bite. Steve connects to the Sprint 4G WiFi network on his iPhone and quickly begins streaming a music video which leads him to exclaim, "Whoa. Done." The ad ends with Matt asking, "What can you do with 4G?" before the narrator chimes in, "Whatever you do, do it up to ten times faster than 3G with 4G from Sprint." Sprint was one of the first to attack the iPhone but now, like most wireless providers, wants to be an official iPhone carrier. Last September Charlie Rose asked Sprint CEO Dan Hesse how the Pre was stacking up against the iPhone, to which he replied, "It's... it's doing well, but you can almost put the iPhone, to be fair, in a separate category. The Apple brand and that device have done so well, it's almost not... it's like comparing someone to Michael Jordan." Well, if you can't beat the star, why not make some sweet accessories to go along with those Air Jordans?
Switched On: I, hotspot
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. One of the conundrums facing device makers today is how to add wireless connectivity to their products. E-readers such as the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook use internet access primarily for selling you more content, so it can be completely subsidized. Laptops, on the other hand, can consume large amounts of data, and so plans can run $60 per month and have capped bandwidth, even at that price. Apple and AT&T's iPad pricing scheme attempts a compromise: a $15 prepaid for a minimal 250 MB per month that could serve the needs of many users (especially with a Flash-less browser and sideloaded video delivery), along with the option of a $30 unlimited plan. For many users, though, there is another option: bring your own broadband. Last year, Novatel Wireless's MiFi, launched in the U.S. by Sprint and Verizon Wireless, opened up the possibility for virtually any WiFi device to access the internet over 3G connections. Laptops without 3G cards could access the web from a car and the iPod touch became a functional iPhone -- and in some parts of AT&T's alleged network coverage, more functional than an iPhone.
Engadget Mobile Podcast 030: Friday @ CES 2010 - 01.08.2010
Chris Ziegler. Sean Cooper. Together, again, at last - and this time, even in the same goshdarn room! Get the raw, uncensored take on new mobile communications technology developments from companies like Palm, LG, Samsung, and Sony! Almost live and direct from the showroom floor: It's the Engadget Mobile Podcast, CES Edition 2010, Volume 1.0. Live it, breathe it. Get inside that new-phone smell. Become your mobile dream. Hosts: Chris Ziegler, Sean CooperProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Solvent - Devices and Strategies (Ghostly International)01:55 - HTC Smart hands-on10:43 - Motorola Backflip hands-on17:17 - Live from Palm's CES 2010 press event18:30 - Palm Pixi Plus: WiFi-equipped and heading to Verizon19:17 - Palm introduces Palm Pre Plus: 16GB, coming to Verizon on January 25th25:24 - Palm gets serious about 3D gaming on webOS27:57 - Palm swings open doors to App Catalog's innards30:37 - Rogers and HTC give up: Magic will see Android 2.1, but Dream gets a pass32:25 - Sony Ericsson's 'Robyn' pops into the limelight -- an X10 mini?37:50 - Samsung Bada S8200 and Galaxy2 may match Nexus One's specs40:10 - Parrot AR.Drone hands-on: a quadricopter for the rest of us41:30 - LG Rumor Touch launches for Sprint41:40 - LG Lotus Elite hops from a Las Vegas billboard right to Sprint retail44:00 - Sprint Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot unboxing and hands-onSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)Contact the podcastpodcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.
Sprint Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot unboxing and hands-on
We just grabbed a Sprint Overdrive 3G / 4G mobile hotspot and put it through some quick tests. If you're used a MiFi, you know the drill here -- you boot it up, it connects to either WiMAX or EVDO, and broadcasts a WiFi signal for up to five devices. Two things make it far more awesome than a MiFi, however: first, the LCD, which displays the numeric wireless password and data throughput; and second, the bandwidth, which peaked at around 4mbps down over WiMAX here in Vegas. (Uploads were slower at around .8mbps, though.) Yes, we're in love -- we've been testing Clear WiMAX here in Vegas and finding it pretty spotty, so the ability to seamlessly drop down to EVDO on the fly is much appreciated. We're going to throw the Overdrive right into the fire and use it as a part of our mobile CES workflow tomorrow, we'll let you know how it goes. %Gallery-82117%
Sprint Overdrive hands-on
If you were worried that packing WiMAX into a MiFi-like device would end up bloating it by a thousand percent, we're very happy to report that you'd be wrong. The Overdrive's only marginally bigger than a MiFi and takes on a diamond-cut square shape (as opposed to the MiFi's rectangle) while adding a monochrome LCD up front that can be triggered on by touching (but not pressing) the power button. Other than that, you've got a micro-USB port, a microSD slot... and, well, that's about it. For something designed to slide into your pocket, we'd have it no other way. %Gallery-81857%
Sprint Overdrive 3G / 4G router officially announced
We saw the Sprint Overdrive 3G / 4G mobile hotspot leak out last week, and now it's official -- Sprint just announced it here at CES. It's pretty much what you'd expect: the Sierra Wireless-built box connects to Sprint's WiMAX network and shares that connection with up to five devices over WiFi -- and if the 4G connection drops, it'll seamlessly switch to EVDO. You're looking at $99 after a $50 rebate with a two year $59/mo service agreement when it goes on sale January 10 at Best Buy and Sprint stores. Looks like the MiFi just got shown up, eh?
Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot leaks into the wild (update: $50 U301 on contract?)
Move over, MiFi -- this Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot that just hit our inbox has taken over as our new object of broadband desire. Our tipster says internal training on the Sierra-built device has already begun, and that the unit itself features a microSD slot, support for location services, and has a 100-foot Wi-Fi range -- but sadly we don't have pricing or availability deets to share yet. We're hoping we find out more at CES -- and we'd bet that new dual-mode U301 WiMAX modem that leaked a couple weeks ago makes an appearance as well. Fingers crossed. Update: The same tipster that sent us the information to start with is back with a few tidbits on the U301. According to the anonymous individual, that USB modem will be launching in February for $49.99 on contract. Also on the horizon? A WiMAX home desktop modem with a special price plan of its own.
ATI Radeon HD 5970: world's fastest graphics card confirmed
ATI just announced its latest greatest polygon cruncher on the planet: the previously leaked Radeon HD 5970. The new card card is also one of the first to support Microsoft DirectX 11 and Eyefinity multi-display (driving up to three displays at once for a 7680x1600 maximum resolution) with ripe potential for overclocking thanks to the card's Overdrive technology. Instead of relying upon a single GPU like the already scorching Radeon HD 5870, the 5970 brings a pair of Cypress GPUs linked on a single board by a PCI Express bridge for nearly 5 TeraFLOPS of computer power, or a mind boggling 10 TeraFLOPS when setup in CrossFireX. Naturally, the card's already been put to the test by all the usual benchmarking nerds who praise the card as the undisputed performance leader regardless of game or application. It even manages to keep power consumption in check until you start rolling on the voltage to ramp those clock speeds. As you'd expect then, ATI isn't going to offer any breaks on pricing so you can expect to pay the full $599 suggested retail price when these cards hit shelves today for retail or as part of your new gaming rig bundle.
Sony announces Reader Daily Edition, free library ebook checkouts
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Sony_announces_Reader_Daily_Edition_free_library_ebook_chec'; It flew under the radar until a quiet leak this morning, but Sony's just announced the Reader Daily Edition, as well as updated Mac-compatible eBook Library 3.0 software and a new library content service. The Reader Daily Edition has a seven-inch touchscreen with 16 levels of gray as well as a AT&T 3G modem, enabling it to pull content wirelessly -- it'll launch in December for $400, and the 3G access will be free, but limited to accessing the Sony eBook store. Yeah, sorry -- no web browser here. We're a little more geeked about the library finder service, which enables you to check out ebooks and other digital content from your local public library on any of the Readers -- for free. The New York Public Library is the flashy public launch partner, but there are "thousands more" looped in through a partnership with Overdrive.com -- check out the huge selection of top-tier content you can get through the Chicago Public Library, for example. Interestingly, the library buys a fixed number of "copies" of each title and "checks out" the licenses, so you're on a time limit -- licenses will revert after 14-29 days depending on your local branch's rules. Yeah, it's a little DRM-y and there's a lot of interesting new media and copyright implications there, but it's still a pretty amazing idea, and it's definitely a major advantage over the Kindle. We're gunning for more info now, we'll let you know as soon as we find out more -- until then, check two more images after the break. Update: We're told that partnerships with university libraries were "only a matter of time," but sadly there's no timetable for a European launch at the moment. Read - Sony Reader Daily Edition PR Read - Overdrive.com partnership PR
Electro-Harmonix Overdrive pedal just became a Rock Band 2 necessity
The avoirdupois of the world rests on your shoulders as you await the mind-numbing riffs of Painkiller. You wonder how you'll prevent yourself from engaging in overdrive prematurely as your locks bang to and fro. Then you look down and see EHX's Overdrive pedal a stone's throw from your left foot. Exhale.[Via Boing Boing]
LCD "overdrive" gets explained, lamented
There's plenty of well known problems that plague LCD monitors, but the folks at bit-tech.net have set out to bring some attention to one of the decidedly lesser known issues, somewhat deceptively dubbed "overdrive." That is a technique some LCD manufactures use to artificially boost response times by increasing the voltage used to make liquid crystals change state, which does in fact increase the response time, but also has the nasty side effect of input lag and what's known as "inverse ghosting." While both likely go unnoticed by the majority of users, they are each able to be easily demonstrated and, as they say, once you see it, you likely won't be able to unsee it. The good news is that each issue can be easily tested, and Bit-tech commends LG in particular for switching to a new technique known as "Through Mode," that actually increases response time while also eliminating lag. Be sure to hit up the link below for the complete rundown, complete with plenty of helpful pics and videos.
AMD launches "unlocked" Phenom 9600 Black Edition CPU
The fury has really been unleashed over at AMD, as the cats in 2nd place take aim at the pocketbooks lowdown, dirty overclockers. Feeling like getting into it? Then you'll probably want to get your hands on the extra-special Phenom 9600 "Black Edition" quad-core processor, which allows brave souls to tweak (i.e., overclock) to their hearts content by utilizing the company's OverDrive utility. It's not all rainbows and unicorns, however, as these chips apparently contain a bug which under extreme conditions can cause the CPUs to perform in a less than stellar manner. AMD says that it hasn't witnessed any of its production installations exhibit the errata, and that only its internal stress-tests have pushed the processor into the danger zone (cue Loggins). If you're really concerned, a BIOS patch will circumvent the issue, but may suck away 20-percent of your delicious speed. The choice is yours.[Via TG Daily]
MTV hosts game designers roundtable
MTV News' Stephen Totilo somehow managed the Herculean task of getting four major game designers -- Harvey Smith (aka Witchboy; Deus Ex), Will Wright (The Sims), David Jaffe (God of War), and Cliff Bleszinski (aka CliffyB; Gears of War) -- to sit down and talk to each other ... during the week of E3. The roundtable took place at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight amidst the backdrop of their currently running I AM 8-BIT art show. Though it begins with more input from host Gideon Yago, it quickly evolves into a conversation between the four designers, running the gaming gamut from design to violence in games to the art question, all with a healthy sprinkling of (the outspoken) David Jaffe's trademark pottymouth.While MTV only ran an edited version, MTV's online-only Overdrive channel is hosting the whole shebang. It's unfortunate that MTV decided this didn't deserve to be aired on television even though they've managed to make room for another half-dozen airings of the Gears of War promotional special. But seriously, if MTV's doing this, what does G4 do nowadays?[Warning: Ever attuned to the pulse of the younger generation, MTV had the foresight to recognize that nobody under the age of 34 uses Mac OS and, accordingly, they've made their Overdrive site only compatible with Internet Explorer running on Windows.]