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Nokia Champagne handset spotted on Windows Phone app, dancing the Tango?
Has a Windows Phone app just popped the cork on a new Nokia handset? It very well may have, based on the above image. Extracted from the "I'm a WP7" app and first identified by the folks over at WP Central, this screenshot purports to reveal a Nokia device codenamed "Champagne" -- a rather delectable moniker that, until now, wasn't even on our radar. At this point, little else is known about this mystery phone, though according to WP Central, it's running Windows Phone 7.10.8711 -- suggesting, perhaps, the presence of Tango, the Mango successor for low-end devices. Could this be a mythical, LTE-equipped Lumia 900 / Ace handset for Verizon Wireless? Could we see it at this year's CES? Only time will tell, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear more.
Tango video calling app prances its way into Windows Phone Marketplace
We were expecting to see Tango pop up for Windows Phone users this week and, sure enough, here it is. The video calling service finally hit the Marketplace today, more than a year after launching on iOS and Android, and barely a month after expanding to PCs. Compatible with Windows Phone 7.5 or higher, Tango for Mango allows users to make free phone and video calls over 3G, 4G and WiFi connections, including free international calls to fellow Tangonians. Users can also chat with Tango members across other operating systems and platforms, which should help tide them over until that Skype integration becomes a reality. Loquacious legions can download the app now, from the source link below.
Tango video calling service for Windows Phone Mango set to roll out November 7th
We've already seen Tango video calling demonstrated on a Windows Phone Mango handset, and the company has now confirmed that it will indeed be the first video calling service available for the OS. The app is slated to roll out on November 7th, and it will include both some tight integration with the operating system (aided by some input from Microsoft) and hardware acceleration for smoother video calls. It will also apparently come pre-loaded on at least some of the forthcoming Mango-based handsets, although Tango isn't ready to specify exactly which just yet. Naturally, all of this now puts some considerable attention on Skype, which Microsoft acquired earlier this year for the tidy sum of $8.5 billion, but it still has some catching up to do with Tango on the Windows Phone front -- a spokesperson tells Forbes that it "does not have anything to announce at this time regarding Skype on Windows Phone."
Microsoft to keep Windows Phone monogamous with Qualcomm's chipsets, for now
Microsoft may not be jumping on the dual-core bandwagon just yet, but it does place a high amount of emphasis on making sure its phones run smoothly. To do so, Windows Phone President Andy Lees stated to Bloomberg that it would continue to keep Qualcomm as its exclusive chipmaker, and has no plans to work with any other company. According to Lees, the monogamous relationship was made to allow Microsoft to use specific technical details, ensuring a smoother experience on all Windows Phones across the board. Lees also mentioned that the kind of production volume generated by such an agreement also allows production costs to dip down, which makes the platform even more appealing to OEMs. If any of you have dreamed of a Windows Phone with NVIDIA or TI running the show, don't try to pinch yourself -- you may be dissatisfied with the results.
Tango releases video calling on PCs, we go hands-on (video)
It's been exactly a year since Tango's free video calling service hit iOS and Android smartphones, and the startup is marking its anniversary with another big release: Tango for PCs. We had a chance to catch up with CTO Eric Setton and the crew, and gave Tango's latest a test-run -- let's just say it's been a very good year for these guys. Earlier this month, Microsoft teased Tango as the harbinger of video calling for Mango, and, since its debut, the outfit's drawn in over 23 million users. So how did Tango fare in its move from the handset to the desktop? We'd say it's a smooth transition -- perhaps too smooth. Check out our first impressions after the break.
Tango video calling demoed on Mango-based HTC Titan (video)
Looks like Mango's got yet another trick up its sleeve -- at least, a trick that'll be noticeable on HTC's looming Titan. Windows Phone Director Aaron Woodman -- the same Aaron that stopped by our own Engadget Show a few months back -- recently paused to show off a Tango video calling application on the aforementioned handset. We knew good and well that the front-facing Titan camera would be put to use by something, and now you know. 'Course, the "demo" looks pretty well scripted -- don't expect an accurate representation of video quality over a crowded 3G network -- but it sure serves to make the wait that much harder. Have a peek yourself just after the break. [Thanks, Stephen]
Windows Phone Apollo to feature speech-to-text for email, low-end Tango gets split in two
If this hodgepodge of sorta, kinda official confirmation is to be believed, Windows Phone users can look forward to deeper integration of voice command functionality built-in to the Apollo update. Nokia US' CEO, Chris Weber, first spilled the speech recognition beans in an interview with VentureBeat back in early August, referring to the tech as a killer WP feature. Now, a report over on ZDNet backs up that leaked info with resume tidbits from former MS Windows Phone / Mobile Communications team members that had a hand in creating the so-called "Voice-Compose" and "Read-Aloud" features for native email clients-- even tipping us off to a possible Windows 8 and WP 8 convergence. There's also mention (gleaned from a company job listing) of MS' lower-end mobile OS splitting into two separate versions -- Tango1 and Tango2. We know what you're thinking. It's hard to get excited about far-off OS updates when we're still waiting on Mango's release. Still, it's good to know Ballmer and co. aren't just resting on their Windows laurels.
Tango video calling en route to Windows Phone Mango?
Good news, folks -- Tango is about to reach Windows Phone. No, not that Tango. We're referring to the video calling service that's already popular on iOS and Android devices, but has had absolutely no presence on Microsoft's platform at all. Of course, there's a blatantly obvious reason for that: the OS didn't support front-facing cameras until Mango came along. At this week's unveiling of HTC's first WP7.5 devices, someone perusing the Radar's software happened across a Tango app in the Start menu, indicating users will have more video chatting options to choose from than just Skype. Better yet, it appears to offer cross-platform compatibility to ensure you can see your Android-toting pals and your iPhone-equipped in-laws up close and personal. We're ecstatic to see the feature finally ready to go with Mango's debut, but unfortunately it's only a matter of time before the name confusion settles in.
Engadget Mobile Podcast 101 - 08.27.2011
After the two most craziest weeks ever in the history of the mobile technology news universe, it's important to step back and just take stock of everything: a survey course, if you will. That's why we've created Engadget Mobile Podcast 101, your first stop on the road to an otherworldly state we call CMA: Complete Mobile Awareness. Come along, won't you?Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad MolenProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Daestro - Light Powered (Ghostly International)00:02:23 - Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple00:10:00 - Tim Cook: Who is Apple's new CEO?00:25:27 - iPhone 5 coming to Sprint, other carriers in mid-October?00:27:27 - App logs reportedly confirm dual mode CDMA / GSM iPhone 5 in testing00:41:15 - Apple to release cheaper, 8GB iPhone 4 within weeks?00:49:58 - Samsung Galaxy S II not coming to Verizon after all? (update: confirmed)00:53:25 - Sprint's Epic Touch 4G may be first US-bound Galaxy S II, arriving September 9th?00:55:39 - Trio of US Samsung Galaxy S II models get together for a group photo?01:04:05 - Samsung debuts new Galaxy lineup, refines naming strategy along the way01:11:46 - Nokia announces Symbian Belle alongside three new devices01:21:28 - Microsoft: Windows Phone Tango will be minor update, is meant for low-end handsets01:25:35 - Microsoft: front facing cameras, Skype integration coming with Mango update (video)01:26:05 - HTC Omega blessed with renders, revealing its front-facing camera01:31:15 - Blackberry Curve 9360 hands-onHear the podcastSubscribe 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.Follow us on Twitter@tnkgrl @phonewisdom @engadgetmobile
Microsoft: Windows Phone Tango will be minor update, is meant for low-end handsets
It looks like we have our Windows Phone roadmap filled out for at least the next year, as Tango has been confirmed by Microsoft as next year's minor update preceding Apollo (aka Windows Phone 8). As mentioned at a MSDN seminar in Hong Kong, the successor to Windows Phone Mango will indeed be made for handsets in developing countries -- a key method to make these devices more affordable. These targeted nations have been neglected to this point, the company said, and the Tango update would bring more Bing services to them at a lower cost. Will such a move help Ballmer & Co. achieve greater market share against Apple and Google? It's hard to tell -- we certainly don't see this update coming to Vertu anytime soon, so we imagine that's probably a good sign.
Windows Phone 'Tango' may be Mango's successor, geared toward less-expensive handsets
Windows Phone's Mango update was released to manufacturers for testing two weeks ago, and you know what that means -- it's time to speculate on what's lined up after the still-unreleased refresh. Mary Jo Foley's dishing out some juicy rumors from sources that the next version of Windows Phone is codenamed "Tango," and has a few tricks up its sleeves. The new OS would have a tighter focus on Nokia's desire to bring lower-priced phones to the fold; it'll also apparently target the Asian market "largely or even exclusively." This prediction sounds as though Tango would only be pushed to inexpensive handsets, effectively turning Windows Phone into a two-tiered platform -- but as many rumors go, we're still waiting for a little more meat to chew on before making such a conjecture. If the new codename sticks, however, we expect to see a video chat service that won't be too happy with the news. We'll grab the popcorn and get a good seat for the (lopsided) duel that's sure to come.
Tango brings video calling to desktop PCs -- giant baby head not included
Back when we first laid eyes on Tango, the startup was sticking strictly to mobile, serving up free video calls over 3G, 4G, and WiFi to both iOS and Android devices (with front-facing cameras, of course). Now the company's thinking big -- quite literally -- with the announcement that it plans to bring its video calling service to PCs sometime later this summer. As of now, it looks as if this will be a Windows-only affair, and will remain free of charge -- as before, you won't need to register to get your videophone on. We've yet to see Tango at work on the big screen, but from what we gather from the press stills, the desktop edition will bring a bit of the old Apple to your PC. Full PR after the break.
Samsung 'TangoView' vacuum surveillance camera will bring you to your knees
In a new milestone testing the limits of convergence, Samsung has just released a WiFi-connected robotic vacuum cleaner with an integrated "TangoView" home monitoring system onto the unsuspecting families and pets of Korea. Like LG's Hom-Bot, first seen at CES in January, Samsung's latest Tango cleaner (model VC-RL87W) features an integrated video camera that lets PC, smartphone, and tablet owners treat the vacuum as a remote controlled surveillance camera when not sweeping the floors. The relatively quiet vac operates at 48dB and features a microphone and external lighting. Why? Why not, we say, assuming you can get past the KRW799,000 (about $711) price tag. %Gallery-119083%
Samsung's Tango Stealth robo-vacuum is a quiet intruder
Special forces can leave no trace and make no sound, but Samsung's Tango Stealth vacuum does them one better: not only is it quiet but it picks up the traces others have left. It's the latest in a long line of robo-vacs from the company and it's the quietest, making just 50db of noise while dutifully looking for targets of opportunity on your hardwood. It'll start shipping in Korea soon at a price of 750,000 Won -- about $670. Special faces do cost more than normal ones.
Screen Grabs: Tango supplants FaceTime for Big Bang Theory videocall
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com. It may not share the same level of name recognition as FaceTime (or heck, even Fring), but Tango's multi-platform videocalling app is still a very real alternative. So real, in fact, that it was just used in an episode of The Big Bang Theory as a highly fictional (and severely busted) character makes an outlandish videocall to a mythical group of friends. Or was it all just a dream? Hop on down to the source link (and fast-forward to the 13th minute) to find out. [Thanks, Sowmitra] %Gallery-115778%
Tango updated to support iPod touch
This is going to be a great holiday gift for many of our readers. Tango Video Calls, the app that lets you do free video chats with friends over 3G as well as Wi-Fi, has been updated to work on the 4th generation iPod touch. Rather than use the app for registration, you can register via email. The update, which also applies to the iPhone 4, gives the contact list a new look and feel and also has improved resolution on the Retina Display. Check our previous review for details on how Tango works, and if you have a newer iPod touch, well, get over to the App Store.
Sharp brings quartet of phones to India, maintains some of their Japan-ness
Think this phone looks like a device destined for the Japanese domestic market? Not quite -- its manufacturer is Japanese, but this puppy's an export. That's right: Sharp has announced four phones that'll be going on sale in India later this year, ranging in price from Rs. 6,499 up to Rs. 17,999 (about $146 to $404). Cheapest is the Blink, a simple clamshell with dual SIM support; stepping up a notch is the Alice, a low-end full touchscreen phone. Up another notch from that, though, is where things start to get interesting: pictured above is the awesomely-named Cyborg, featuring the pivoting clamshell design made famous in Japan with a 3.2 megapixel camera on board. Finally, you've got the Tango, featuring 3G support -- 3G is just starting to go live en masse in India, remember -- and a 5 megapixel camera. Hard to say whether any of these would sell in the US, but heck, we wouldn't mind if Sharp gave it a shot.
Shinji Mikami to develop games for Bethesda, as Zenimax acquires Tango
Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami isn't cooling his jets after completing work on the chaotic sci-fi shooter, Vanquish. Zenimax Media has acquired his Tango Gameworks studio in Tokyo and repositioned it as a division of Zenimax Asia. As creative lead at Tango, Shinji Mikami will oversee development of games for the Bethesda Softworks label. "It's refreshing to find a publisher who understands, trusts, and supports the development of blockbuster games and works to make it a collaborative effort," Mikami said of the announcement. "The library of AAA franchise titles ZeniMax owns speaks for itself. We are very excited to be joining ZeniMax and working with a company that is dedicated to creating the best games ever made." Shinji Mikami's games also speak for themselves, usually in gruff and scary voices. In a profile posted on the Tango website, Mikami described his goal as "making games from the viewpoint of the creator," and producing something that would "unify everyone's love of games around the world." With famous Japanese creators like Tomonobu Itagaki, Suda 51 -- and now Shinji Mikami -- forging deals with the likes of THQ, EA and Zenimax, it seems that a strong Western partner is becoming crucial in achieving that. [Image: Tango Gameworks]
Tango app dancing to a happy tune
That was fast. The Tango video chatting app for the iPhone has topped one million downloads in the ten days since it launched in the iTunes store. The free app allows phone-to-phone video chat, but unlike the Apple FaceTime app, Tango doesn't require WiFi. It works just fine over 3G networks, and also unlike FaceTime, it allows chatting with people on many models of Android phones too. The company reports 40% of the downloads of the app are from the U.S., but users in 125 countries have grabbed Tango.
Want FaceTime on 3G? Try Tango
Tango is a video and audio chatting app that does what FaceTime should have done. It works on a 3G (or a 4G) network. This free app was released last week and I have been testing it over the weekend. It performs pretty much as advertised using it on my iPhone 4. You can make and receive calls over either a WiFi network, or over the cellular network. Even better, the app works with a variety of Android phones including the Droid, HTC Hero, Evo and Nexus One so you're not stuck with just iPhone users. When you get the app you register for a free account. Your name and email address is all that's needed, and the Tango contact list will instantly display friends who have signed up. Contacting them is as easy as clicking on their name. You have the choice to do an audio-only call or a video call. Both iPhone 4 cameras are supported, and just like FaceTime, you can switch cameras while a call is on progress. How well does it work? I tried a call to an Android phone running Tango and it worked fine. An acid test was a call from a friend visiting China. He called me from the Great Wall, and the video was passable and audio was fine. He said he was in an area with intermittent 3G and Edge, and his connection kept switching, but given the conditions it did work well. If the Tango app notices network issues, it puts up a warning on screen. Eventually the video locked up and the call dropped, but it was better than expected under challenging international conditions.
