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First ARM Cortex-A57 processor taped out by TSMC, ready for fab
Your current smartphone just took another spin backwards on the obsolescence cycle thanks to a new landmark from ARM and TSMC: the first Cortex-A57 has reached the "tape out" stage, meaning it's ready for mass production. The new chip will use TSMC's 16nm FinFET technology (though the transistors will be 20nm for the A57) and will bring up to three times the CPU power of current chips for the same battery life -- or a maximum of five times the battery life at the same speed. The companies said they ramped the chip from design to tape out in a mere six months, though there's no timetable for its arrival in specific devices. When it does start hitting next gen phones and slates though, expect the performance charts to get singed.
Following the TSA's lead, the NTSB drops Blackberry for iPhone
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB, may join the growing number of government agencies that plan to ditch the BlackBerry in favor of the iPhone. A notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website announces that the NTSB is working with Verizon Wireless to supply iPhone 5 handsets to the agency. In a PDF justification for the "sole source" declaration regarding Verizon and the iPhone 5, the NTSB says that the agency "requires effective, reliable and stable communication capabilities to carry out its primary investigative mission and to ensure employee safety in remote locations." The agency pointed out that BlackBerry handsets "have been failing both at inopportune times and at an unacceptable rate." The NTSB noted that iPhones are the best solution going forward as they are compatible with the agency's fleet of iPads and can be supported by the existing IT and messaging infrastructure in place there. The NTSB is getting a substantial discount on the iPhone 5 handsets in consideration of the expenditures already incurred to buy BlackBerry units from the carrier. This isn't the first government group to drop the BlackBerry. Earlier this year, the Defense Department announced it was accepting proposals for an iOS or Android-based software security system for mobile devices. This contract could eventually support up to 8 million devices, says a report in USA Today. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed in September that it would switch its 17,676 mobile users to the iPhone because the BlackBerry could "no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency"; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms made a similar move earlier in 2012. The Transportation Security Administration also announced in May that it would drop both BlackBerry and Windows mobile devices and replace them with Apple products in a deal worth $3 million. Despite these setbacks, beleaguered RIM says it still has "1 million government customers in North America alone who depend on BlackBerry, and more than 400,000 government customers worldwide upgraded their devices in the past year." [Via WSJ and USA Today]
Nightline uses Find My iPad to sting sticky-fingered TSA officer
Oops! It seems the folks at ABC News set up a little sting with TSA agents and wayward iPads. Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well for the agent (warning: auto-play video at that link). The iPad, however, survived both the abduction and the "generous" pat-down. The news show Nightline intentionally abandoned an iPad at an Orlando, Fla., checkpoint (among others). They then used Apple's Find My iPad app to track its movements once it had been recovered. Unfortunately, it traveled to a TSA agent's home, where it remained for two weeks until a camera crew and reporter arrived to retrieve it from a much chagrined employee. This was just one story from an investigation that had Nightline leave 10 iPads at security checkpoints in major airports across the US. The full story will air on Nightline this evening.
Ask Engadget: best carry-on electronics bag?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Ben, who needs a stylish way to carry around his electronics haul. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hey Engadget, I'm looking for your help in picking a new travel bag. Ideally, I'd like something that's in a messenger format, but I'm open to other options if you can suggest them. Currently I've got a 13-inch laptop (and charger), iPad, noise cancelling headphones and the various bits and bobs that go with them. Any help you can provide would be great, thanks!" This week, we're revisiting a topic from January 2010, but given how much has changed since then, it's well worth keeping it up to date. We've heard good things about the Timbuk2 Commute Messenger that we gave away as part of our Back to School sweepstake, but your humble narrator is still toting around a cumbersome (and less useful) Lowepro Fastpack 250, which the TSA doesn't take kindly to. Still, that's why we'll open this up the floor and find out what you're all rocking when it comes time for that gadget-laden cross-country jaunt.
US TSA eyeing Macs, iOS devices to assist mission
America's favorite frisking and body scanning team -- the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) -- is about to go Apple. NextGov is reporting that the TSA has put out a request to possibly purchase any number of Apple products to "support specific areas of TSA's Risk Based Counter-Terrorism mission." TSA's Office of Acquisitions is planning to enter into several contracts over the next three years to buy Apple products and services with a maximum value of US$3 million. They're not just looking at Macs and iPads; according to a TSA document (PDF), "The proposed procurements may include any products currently within or added to the Apple line of products to include but not limited to: Apple computers/laptops, Apple iPads, Apple iPhones, Apple iPods, Apple TV, Apple OS (sic), Apple App Store applications, Apple peripherals and accessories such as monitors, mice and keyboards, and such services as installation, software updates, extended warranty and repairs, including AppleCare, required to support the Apple product line in an enterprise/production environment." The document goes on to describe why TSA is looking to sole-source the Apple line, stating that it "requires the hardware, software and licenses to support a greater diversity of devices and operating systems as we follow the public driven demand for more mobility." TSA states that they'll be issuing a separate document for "Google Android" hardware, software and services to cover another "TSA capability gap."
British airports now beaming holographic security agents (video)
They've brought you presidential election coverage and promoted worldwide access to PCs, and now they're telling you to take off your belt and throw out your hairspray. Starting today, London Luton and Manchester airports will beam in images of holographic agents to prep passengers for the security line. Holly and Graham -- you heard right -- and Manchester's Julie and John are meant to cut queues, as well as human inconsistency. According to Luton's Glyn Jones, "Holly and Graham are not going to have a hangover; they're not going to have a row with their partner the night before." Just what we need: an army of holographic squares taking our jobs and making us all look a drunken mess in comparison. Thanks, technology. Update: So it appears these aren't traditional holograms -- they're actually huge sheets of glass that are cut out in the shape of people, with the projection beamed on them. It's the same tech that Gorillaz use on stage, made by a company called Musion. Check out another video where the camera moves around the side.
Clear security lanes reopen in Orlando, coming soon to Denver
There's just nothing quite like a promised kept, you know? Back in May, we heard that the financially troubled Clear would be making a comeback this fall, and lo and behold, the first Clear security lanes in quite some time have opened up in Orlando International Airport (MCO). Just as before, customers angels who fork out $179 per year and pass a litany of personality tests (we kid, we kid... sort of) will be able to breeze right through a dedicated security lane, enabling them to show up just moments prior to takeoff, claim their seat and simultaneously draw the ire of every other nearby passenger. In the next few months, Clear will roll out a family plan that enables the $179er to add members at $50 a pop, and during the introduction period, all members will receive a free month. Best of all, those who used Clear before can have their cards reactivated once it returns to their home airport. The company intends to open lanes in Denver later this month, but expansion plans beyond that remain a mystery. Feel free to get amped by watching the video just past the break.
TSA: 11.6-inch MacBook Air is checkpoint-safe
The US Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, has officially stated that travelers passing through US airport security with the 11.6-inch MacBook Air will not have to remove the little laptop from their bags for inspection. Unfortunately, that's not the case with the 13-inch model. Size is the differentiating factor. According to the TSA blog, any electronic device considered to be of a "standard laptop" size or larger must go through the x-ray machine solo. Apparently, the cutoff point is at or very near thirteen inches. The iPad, Kindle, Nook and other small devices, including the entry-level MacBook Air, may remain stowed away during screening. As if travelers needed another reason to lust after the thing. [Via The Mac Observer]
11.6-inch MacBook Air cleared to remain packed through security, but we'd remove it anyway
Really, TSA? Are you honestly so stoked to disappoint? If you'll recall, the American Transportation Security Administration got up close and personal with a first-generation MacBook Air after wrongly assuming it was an Apocalypse-bringer, and even after adjusting rules so that iPads, netbooks and other smaller electronics could fly through carry-on screening equipment without being unpacked, we've still heard of (and personally experienced) occasions where agents have demanded that tablet PCs be ran through naked. If there's a lesson to learn here, it's that the TSA is consistently inconsistent, and you're probably better off putting everything you own in a separate grey bucket for the sake of covering your bases. The same applies to Apple's new 11.6-inch MacBook Air, which is cleared to undergo TSA scanning while packed under the aforesaid amended rules. In theory, you shouldn't have to remove it from your backpack as you struggle to reach your gate, but if we had to guess, we'd say you'll be ask to take it out and re-run it if you try. But hey, you're only being victimized and scrutinized in the name of security, so it's all good. Trust us.
Scottevest's Carry-On Coat houses all of your portable electronics, stolen hotel shampoo bottles
Truth be told, it's been awhile since we've seen a gadget-laced jacket that really caught our eye. There's the occasional winter coat with a built-in iPod slot, and there's a few unaffordable threads that don't much matter to the vast majority of you, but it's difficult to think of a single overcoat that's as connected as this. Teased by Scottevest, the forthcoming Carry-On-Jacket is as functional as it is delightful, with an internal pocket made specifically for touchscreen devices so you'll never even have to reach inside to skip tracks. There's also an internal Personal Area Network (PAN), a dedicated BlackBerry (or any smartphone, really) holder, passport pouch, a digital camera compartment, iPad pocket (er, "PadPocket") and a separate area made specifically for those zip-locked liquids that you'll need easy access to at the TSA screening zone. Needless to say, the avid traveler with a pinch of geek lust should be grinning from ear-to-ear just gazing at this masterpiece, and honestly, we could see this converting even the hardest of hardcore Rollaboard warriors. Now all we need is a price and release date, STAT.
Clear security lanes storming back to airports, principled travelers high five one another
Don't call it a comeback. Or do, because that's precisely what this is. After Clear shuffled its final incorruptible passenger through a speedy security lane in June of last year, the company closed up shop and forced even the nicest of travelers to re-join the herds. Thankfully for us all, Alclear has decided that life's simply no good without a hasty security option at airports, and it has plopped down $6 million in order to acquire the assets of Verified Identity Pass out of bankruptcy protection. According to our hombres at Gadling, that purchase price doesn't include individual airport contracts, so it'll be an uphill battle getting these lanes back into the places in which they're needed. If all goes well, we could see the first Clear avenues reopen this fall, with pricing set at $179 per year for unlimited individual use or $229 per year for unlimited family use. Head on past the break for more details on reactivating old subscriptions and the full presser.
TSA: Netbooks, e-readers and iPads can be kept inside bags during airport checks
The American Transportation Security Administration has used its blog, of all things, to inform the good people traveling to, from, and within the USA that portable computers smaller than "the standard sized laptop" need not be removed from their bags. What is the standard sized laptop, you ask? Well, we're not exactly told, but Kindles, iPads, Sony Readers, Nooks, and "Net Books" are explicitly named as being exempt from the annoying requirement to unbag your computer for the airport's prissy X-ray scanners. There's still the disclaimer that staff might want to take a second look at anomalous-looking gear, but for the most part you'll be just fine leaving that Eee PC in your backpack while making the barefoot jaunt through security.
TSA: Keep your iPad in the bag, please
The pleasure in visiting a US airport can be found in drinking pricey stale coffee and navigating the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) security checkpoint. Typically, electronics must be pulled from bags and placed on a conveyor belt for scanning. Fortunately, iPads are an exception. Usually. The TSA ruled on Tuesday that iPads may remain in their bags for scanning. Since they're relatively small with no bulky AC unit (no word if this needs to be scanned separately), cables, external drives, etc., they're just as easy to examine while inside your bag. You could be asked to remove it if the agents can't get a clear picture, so don't bury it under a heap of socks and underwear. Conversely, laptops must always be removed from their bags and scanned separately (at least that's the rule at BOS). As for your shoes and belts, well...expect to drop them into the tray, too. [Via Ars]
Ask Engadget: Best TSA-approved laptop bag?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Addison, who now needs a shiny new laptop bag to house that shiny new laptop that arrived for Christmas. The kicker? TSA approval is passionately desired. "I was lucky enough to receive a new Laptop (ASUS UL80Vt-A1) this Christmahanukwanzaakah. Hurray! The only problem is, my old LL Bean Messenger bag just isn't going to cut it anymore now that I'll be carrying around my precious laptop along with school books and a whole gaggle of cables. Perhaps your readers could suggest to me a replacement? I would prefer a messenger / shoulder style bag, but if there is an especially cool backpack out there, I wouldn't turn my nose up at it. TSA compliance would be an added bonus since I have to fly quite a bit nowadays. What do you think, could you and the hive-mind give me a hand?" Air travel just gets worse and worse these days, so we're emphasizing that "TSA-approved" bit for Addison's own good. We know the bulk of 'em ain't that pretty, but for the jetsetters out there who have had a chance to weed through and pick the best, we're hoping they'll share their secrets down below.
Video: GE bringing 3D HD baggage screening to airports
Certain airports have already taken the whole "walk through the metal detector" thing to the next level, but things are about to get stepped up once more thanks to TSA certification on a new product from GE Security. The CTX 9800 DSi, which happily sits in the company's explosives detection systems (EDS) line, is now free to waltz into airports in order to "protect travelers with advanced high-definition 3D imaging baggage screening technology." We're talking 360 degree, finely-detailed views of baggage contents, which will undoubtedly cause immense embarrassment when a given TSA agent sees your prime selection of underwear, nose hair trimmer and pink nail polish. Here's hoping this won't slow security lines down even further, and if you're interested in seeing what all this thing can do, just mash play on the video above.
TSA-approved Solo CheckFast messenger bag caters to netbooks
So, you're tired of removing and replacing your netbook each and every time you waltz through an airport (or a different terminal at Sky Harbor International -- great planning there, Phoenix), but the current crop of TSA-friendly bags are simply too large for your tastes. Clearly, Solo has felt your pain, as the CheckFast Netbook messenger bag is only big enough to handle netbooks 11-inchers or smaller. Our good pals over at Gadling were able to take it for a spin, and even being avid travelers, they were mighty impressed. The build quality was top-shelf, there was plenty of extra storage room and the $35 price tag was found to be downright delectable. Still in need of a last-minute gift? You may have just found it.
Cellphone boarding pass gets tested, experience gets journaled
The biggest problem with a new scheme -- particularly one involving you, technology and the TSA -- is the very real fear that introducing something fresh into a traditional system will create more havoc than good. As Grant Martin of sister blog Gadling discovered, there's a reason that belief exists. Upon realizing that he could utilize a mobile boarding pass on his flight from Detroit to New York, he excitedly pulled up a one-time use QR code on his iPhone and shuffled through to security. Upon reaching the checkpoint, he was greeted by a less-than-enthusiastic boarding pass checker who seemed to take entirely too long to send him onward; at the next step, the agent seemed miffed and discomposed by the fact that the passenger couldn't simultaneously rid himself of all electronics and keep his boarding pass on his person while passing through the metal detector. In the end, Mr. Martin concluded that the system holds a lot of promise, but it's still going to take some time before everyone else working at the airport adjusts to the year 2008.
Mobile Edge 'fashion-inspired' TSA-friendly laptop bags for her are not very inspiring
We've seen Mobile Edge's ScanFast line of TSA-approved laptop bags before, so it was only a matter of time, we suppose, until there was a spate of the cases specifically for women. What does it mean, then, to be a laptop bag that is "designed for women by women?" Well, it helps to be pink or have faux alligator skin (or is that croc?) detailing, we can tell you that much. Regardless, the company is announcing three "fabulous" products: the Onyx Briefcase, the Onyx Backpack and the Element Briefcase, each coming in the three different color / style schemes. They're going to be available later this month, and sell for $99.99 each -- Chihuahua named Princess Sparklepants wearing a ballerina costume not included.
Time-saving Belkin FlyThru laptop case now available
We've already seen a few laptop cases that are compliant with the TSA's new time and stress-saving rules but, if you still haven't found one to your liking, you may want to consider Belkin's new FlyThru case, which is now available to make your travels a tiny bit more bearable. As with other TSA-friendly bags, this one packs separate, easily-accessible compartments for your laptop and accessories, and it'll accommodate laptops up to 15.4-inch in size. At just $60 it's also a good deal cheaper than something like the $220 Tom Bihn laptop bag or Skooba's long-promised Checkthrough bag which, coincidentally, is now finally shipping as well and will set you back $140.[Via Engadget Spanish]Read - Belkin FlyThru laptop caseRead - Skooba Checkthrough
Tom Bihn's Checkpoint Flyer laptop bag in the wild, reviewed
We could tell from the press shot that this here laptop bag was far and away the most beautiful of the TSA-approved bunch, and a recent review over at Gadling confirms it. Put simply, the Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer is "fantastic," and even the reviewer found himself startled at just how much he dug it. The build quality was remarkable, the ease of use was commendable and the design itself was obviously worthy of praise. The only real rub is the bloated sticker; the price of admission is a stiff $220, and that's before you add in any useful straps or extra packing cubes. 'Course, you're probably wondering how this thing fared in real-world use, and we're happy to report that no cavity searches were required when passing through security on a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam. Check the full writeup and a hands-on gallery in the read link.
