AT&T users in New York City suffering partial phone outage (update: restored)
August 4, 2011 No Comment
We’ve been inundated with a flood of tips from Big Applers this morning, and we just confirmed ourselves — a large sect of AT&T users in New York City aren’t receiving calls. Even the ones who aren’t just holding it wrong . It seems as if outgoing calls operate just fine, but folks trying to dial in are greeted with eternal ringing. As in, it doesn’t even go to voicemail. We’re assuming the engineers at Ma Bell are all over this as we speak, but be sure to let us know how wrecked your Big City life is due to this in comments below. Update : Right on cue, AT&T pinged us to say everything should be back to normal. The formal quote is below: “Wireless voice service has been restored and is back to normal now after a software issue occurred during routine maintenance which caused some customers on Long Island and in parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan to experience voice service disruptions this morning. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers.” [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] AT&T users in New York City suffering partial phone outage (update: restored) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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A gunman has been reported near a Virginia Tech dining hall, officials said Thursday. Virginia Tech says officers did not find anyone matching the man’s description. (Aug. 4)
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Let’s do a roll call, shall we? Who doesn’t have a Honeycomb tablet to shill in the states? Acer, ASUS, Motorola, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba all have something to their names, with Dell possibly bringing its China-only Dell Streak 10 Pro here too. Until now, we could think of just one glaring omission: Lenovo. The company already had a head start selling the LePad tablet in China, but it was only last month that it announced not one, but two Honeycomb slates for the US market: the IdeaPad K1 for mainstream consumers, and the ThinkPad Tablet for business users (and a fair share of geeks, too). Now, we could easily roll our eyes at how saturated the market for Android tablets is becoming, but Lenovo isn’t just any old OEM. The brand has won such an avid following that we bet the company could have essentially slapped its name on a plain-Jane black slab and waited for loyal fans to line up. In fact, though, you’re in for a bit more than name recognition. The K1 goes after mainstream consumers with a winsome design, sure, but also a software package designed to make Honeycomb easier to use, and to help ensure that flummoxed, low-tech users don’t have to spend too much time downloading apps out of the box. What’s more, it ships with Android 3.1 and has a two-cell battery that promises up to ten hours of battery life. Oh, and the 32GB model rings in $499, undercutting the 32GB iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 by $100. But is that enough for it to stand out? Let’s see. Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad K1 review Lenovo IdeaPad K1 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Remember Pioneer’s Kuro brand of HDTVs? The high-end plasma line became the benchmark for the home theater market, leaving a rather large void in the hearts of the HD obsessive after it kicked the bucket two years ago. Now, Sharp is bringing back some of the technology used in that line, while leaving the Kuro name to rest in peace. The Elite branding will remain, however, with the new line of LED LCD TVs. Available in 60-inch and 70-inch flavors, the new Elites will only be available through high-end retailers, and will be priced at $6,000 and $8,500, respectively. The Pro-60X5FD will ship in the US next week, and the Pro-70X5FD will hit stores later this month. Among the sets’ features, Sharp promises excellent contrast ratios, high color fidelity, and very low black levels, thanks to zone-based local dimming. The company claims a frame rate of “about 720hz,” thanks to 240Hz quadrupling and scanning backlight technology. The TVs also include Sharp’s quad-pixel technology, complementing the typical RGB pixel arrangement with a fourth, yellow sub-pixel. This sounds similar to the company’s Quattron technology , though Sharp doesn’t appear to be using that name with its new Elite line. There’s also 3D functionality, and Internet connectivity, with pre-loaded Netflix, Vudu, and social media apps. The TVs also include Elite Advantage Live, for real-time remote technical support. We’re at the Elite event in New York City, so stay tuned for more details and a full hands-on later this morning. Continue reading Sharp resurrects Elite line of LED LCD TVs, pricing starts at $6,000 Sharp resurrects Elite line of LED LCD TVs, pricing starts at $6,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple’s inductive charging patent application finally puts its earbuds to good use
August 4, 2011 No Comment
How seriously is Apple considering the possibility of adding inductive charging to its line of iOS devices? Seriously enough to submit some crudely drawn images to the USPTO, at least. The company’s application for “Using an Audio Cable as an Inductive Charging Coil” surfaced today, featuring some interesting solutions to the problem of inductive charging . The first looks a bit like an iPhone scratching post. It’s a big monolith you wrap an audio cord around several times, effectively turning the cable into an inductive receiving coil. The earphones in the example have a metal mesh that serve as a contact for charging the device. Another proposed system also puts the earphones to work — though without the need for that giant charging post. Instead the headphones slip into an acoustic charger, which cause their speakers to vibrate, creating a current that charges the device. As ever, just because a patent application surfaces doesn’t mean a final product will ever see the light of day — and these methods (particularly that big charging post) do seem like a long way to go to shave off the precious millimeters that inductive charging traditionally brings. But hey, Apple’s all about the svelte devices, and stranger things have certainly happened. Gallery: Apple inductive charging patent surfaces Apple’s inductive charging patent application finally puts its earbuds to good use originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Facebook’s facial recognition feature probably won’t find too many smiles in Germany, where federal regulators are challenging the social network to change its ways, or face the consequences. On Tuesday, Hamburg’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) sent a letter to the company, advising it to obtain user permission before harvesting biometric data, as outlined by EU privacy laws that require consumer consent. As it stands right now, users can opt-out of the photo-tagging function by tinkering with their privacy settings, but the DPA claims that’s still too invasive, and has “repeatedly” asked Facebook to shut down the feature altogether. Zuckerberg & Co. now have two weeks to respond to the letter, and could face a fine of up to €300,000 (about $427,000) if a compromise isn’t reached. In a statement, company spokeswoman Tina Kulow said, “We will consider the points the Hamburg Data Protection Authority have made… but firmly reject any claim that we are not meeting our obligations under European Union data protection law.” Germany challenges Facebook on facial recognition, citing EU privacy laws originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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T-Mobile USA issued its Q2 earnings statement today and, while the outlook isn’t quite as bleak as it was during the first quarter of this year, there’s still some cause for concern up in Bellevue. According to the report, the carrier lost a total of 50,000 customers last quarter, which is actually an encouraging sign, considering it dropped a whopping 99,000 during Q1, and 93,000 during the second quarter of 2010. Total revenues, however, dipped slightly to $5.1 billion from the $5.2 billion reported for the previous quarter, with service revenues holding firm at $4.6 billion — a 1.7 percent decrease from Q2 2010. President and CEO Philipp Humm blamed the numbers on a “challenging market,” but was quick to point out the brighter aspects of T-Mobile’s statement, including the carrier’s expanded 4G coverage, and the fact that a full 29 percent of its customers are using 3G or 4G smartphones — an “all-time high.” Skip past the break for more numbers and acronyms. Continue reading T-Mobile loses 50,000 customers in Q2 2011, revenue dips slightly T-Mobile loses 50,000 customers in Q2 2011, revenue dips slightly originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Google, the service so great it became a verb, can now add security risk to its roster of unintended results. The search site played inadvertent host to remotely accessed Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition ( SCADA ) systems in a Black Hat conference demo led by FusionX’s Tom Parker. The security company CTO walked attendees through the steps required to gain control of worldwide utility infrastructure — power plants, for one — but stopped short of actually engaging the vulnerable networks. Using a string of code, unique to a Programmable Logic Controller (the computers behind amusement park rides and assembly lines) Parker was able to pull up a water treatment facility’s RTU pump, and even found its disaster-welcoming “1234″ password — all through a Google search. Shaking your head in disbelief? We agree, but Parker reassured the crowd these types of outside attacks require a substantial amount of effort and coordination, and “would be extremely challenging to pull off.” Panic attack worn off yet? Good, now redirect those fears to the imminent day of robot-helmed reckoning . Google search opens SCADA systems to doomsday scenarios originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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How can this be? Sony’s new handheld console already passed through the FCC and was even leaked on a UK Blockbuster flyer that stated an October release date. Yet apparently these clues count for nothing, because Bloomberg reports Kazuo Hirai has saying that the Vita won’t launch in the US and Europe until early next year — with only Japan getting the device before Christmas. Why would Sony be content to miss out on all that festive trade? We have no idea. Sony Playstation Vita handheld will miss Christmas in US and Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 05:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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An updated version of Skype just appeared on the Android Market sporting a crucial improvement: it now supports two-way video calling on a wide range of current Android handsets, rather than the meager four that had previously received preferential treatment. If you have a recent phone from HTC, Samsung or Sony Ericsson (excluding the Arc), then you’re probably in luck. Oh, and LG Revolution (Verizon) and Acer A5 owners can get their vogue on too. Running Gingerbread is a must, though, because Froyo will only let you use your device’s rear camera, which is obviously quite difficult to pose for. Check out the source link for the full list of supported handsets and let us know if you run into problems. [Thanks, Nathan] Skype two-way video chat finally arrives on more Android handsets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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