Sure, Rogers will soon be launching its flagship Samsung Galaxy S II LTE , but sometimes you just gotta have a tangible keyboard. That’s where the Galaxy S Glide comes in: the folks at MobileSyrup were able to take a brief tour of the device, and discovered that this previously unannounced phone has a four-row QWERTY with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and 8MP rear / 1.2MP front-facing cameras. Not quite up to par with its 4G-equipped older brother, but anyone not needing the fanciest toy on the market but craving high performance may find this option particularly intriguing. It’s expected to show up sometime between now and the end of the year ( that narrows down the timeframe quite a bit) and has no established price point as of yet. We could see the device hovering around the mid-range for now, at least, and will likely be much more popular than the tragically-unrelated Samsung Glyde . [Thanks, TheMetrix] Rogers getting Samsung Galaxy S Glide in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The medium is the message. That’s really all you need to know about this junk food marketing . Integrated ad agency RedPepper , which prides itself on communication via “human-centered, highly-spreadable ‘things’,” assembled a group of stoners employees to answer the age-old question: can cookies convey QR codes ? No, never pondered that ultimate mystery before? Well, bust out the smartphone and get to scanning this collection of 441 black and gold Oreos for the answer. We won’t ruin the URL-directing surprise for you, but prepare to be minorly underwhelmed — it’s not like the company’s heralding the return of glorious trans fat. Curiosity piqued? Then head past the break for the how’d they do that ? hyper-speed video and its Daft Punk backing track. (Disclaimer: No cookies were harmed in the filming of this project, only consumed.) Continue reading QReo is for cookie, that’s good enough to scan (video) QReo is for cookie, that’s good enough to scan (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On , a column about consumer technology. In the decade that WiFi has blanketed home networks across the United States, several technologies aimed at using existing wiring in the home have met with limited success. These have included MoCA (Multimedia over Coax, which has been adopted by some service providers for implementing multi-room DVRs) and HomePNA (originally for phone lines but later expanded to coax cable as well). At least three dueling standards have also sought to bring high-speed connectivity over electrical wiring. HomePlug , the most successful of these, has had several iterations. The latest – HomePlug AV – is rated at a theoretical throughput of 200 Mbits/sec. However, power line technologies have been held back by high prices and occasional interoperability problems. But a new approach seeks to be the one protocol to rule them all, operating over phone lines, power lines or coax. Dubbed G.hn , the ITU standard promises up to 1Gbps theoretical throughput, with real-world usage over electrical lines expected to reach between 250Mbps and 400Mbps. If that sounds appealing to you, you’re not alone. Service providers like the idea of G.hn since it allows them more flexibility than previous efforts. In fact, they like it so much that — despite G.hn’s capacity — they have insisted on quality of service standards that could limit or prevent consumers from installing it themselves after they buy adapters from retailers. Continue reading Switched On: No new wires, one new caveat Switched On: No new wires, one new caveat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 20:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Murata wants to take couch potatoes by the hand and do the remote control twist
September 25, 2011 No Comment
We’ve seen Murata’s marketing future and it involves either Chubby Checker, or that ’90s Helen Hunt movie. The Japanese electronics maker’s cooked up a flexible sensor device that’ll let you twist and shout bend your way to remote television control. Dubbed the Leaf Grip Remote Controller, the prototype UI design makes use of a special pyroelectric effect-free piezoelectric film that translates twisting into channel changing, rapid twisting to swap video inputs, bending for volume control and rapid bending to power the set on / off. The company’s also outfitted the non-clicker (which we’ll henceforth refer to as “the Twister”) with a photovoltaic cell, giving it the ability to charge — from your man cave ? Kinks in its planning aside, sample shipments are expected to be delivered sometime next spring. But, before they rush this product out to market, may we suggest the inclusion of a sports-induced rage-proof mode? Murata wants to take couch potatoes by the hand and do the remote control twist originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Inhabitat’s Week in Green: Solar Decathlon, hydrogen jet and a solar LED installation
September 25, 2011 No Comment
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green. This week an incredible crop of sun-powered prefabricated houses popped up in Washington DC for the 2011 Solar Decathlon , and Inhabitat was on the scene to bring you exclusive coverage of this year’s stunning homes! We took a look at all 19 of this year’s ultra-efficient projects , we rounded up seven stellar teams set to take the competition by storm, and we’ll continue to keep you posted as the results roll in, so stay tuned . We also highlighted several inspiring projects from MIT’s $1,000 house challenge , we saw a massive solar LED installation light up the night in Croatia, and we spotted plans for a futuristic floating island paradise at sea . Green transportation got things rolling this week as Chicago launched a lush green subway car filled with plants, and Edison unveiled an electric version of their X-Prize winning Very Light Car . Two-wheeled transportation took off as well as an all-electric Tron Lightcycle hit the streets for the first time and researchers developed a nylon bike that is as strong as steel using satellite technology. We also took a spin in the 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid and we showcased plans for a Lockheed Stratoliner hydrogen jet that can travel anywhere on earth without refueling. As September winds down schools across the county are now in session, but if you’re still scrambling to pick up a few last-minute supplies don’t miss our roundup of 14 green gadgets for back to school and ten solar-powered designs to charge your life. We also saw eco-fashion go high-tech as researchers developed a smart t-shirt that can monitor hospital patients’ vital signs, designers created a motion-sensing interactive window display and a Star Wars fan made a remarkably realistic stormtrooper helmet entirely from Adidas sneakers. Finally, we shined a light on a Swedish daycare center’s plans to track kids with GPS tracking devices . Inhabitat’s Week in Green: Solar Decathlon, hydrogen jet and a solar LED installation originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Motorola’s Xoom 2 tablets pair up for a portrait, both at around 9mm thick
September 25, 2011 No Comment
There’s nothing like a family portrait, and the Xoom 2 brothers have paired up for this year’s Christmas card shot — or at least for an anonymous tipster’s latest leak. These pictured tablets give us a better look at the rear-facing buttons we heard about last week, which appear to be a power button and a volume rocker. The smaller sibling sports the same “Fleming” moniker we saw in yesterday’s images , the same 8.2-inch screen size as previously reported, and appears to be about as thick as a 9.3mm iPhone 4. Combining with This is My Next’s intel, it appears that both tablets are of very similar thickness. Around back? A few stickers, again spelling out the smaller tablet’s codename and outing LTE compatibility. Interestingly, our tipster tells us that both slates share the Fleming codename, along with Android 3.2 goodness and five-megapixel HD cameras on the rear, though both prototypes are also “buggy as all hell, with frequent reboots and crashes.” This could mean that we’re still some time away from seeing the original Xoom’s successors, so for now, check out our gallery below to get an eyeful for yourself. Update: Our tipster has confirmed LTE for both devices. [Thanks, Anonymous] Gallery: Motorola’s second-gen Android tablets leaked Motorola’s Xoom 2 tablets pair up for a portrait, both at around 9mm thick originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Aw, this little cutie is so adorable — until she denies you pizza and cheese fries. Autom , the 15-inch talking droid we first caught a glimpse of last year, is back and available for pre-order. Using the LCD touch screen, hungry dieters are prompted to enter daily calorie consumption and exercise habits — to which the robot will respond kindly to keep you motivated. With face-tracking capabilities and a killingly sweet death stare, Autom is always watching, which might just make you feel guilty enough to skip the dip. The lady bot costs $195 for the deposit, $668.46 for the device and another $79.95 monthly, though early birds can get 6 months free and ten percent off the monthly charge for ordering on the company’s website. Slated to ship in 2012, apparently aiding the impending robot apocalypse doesn’t come cheap. Check out little Autom in action after the break. Continue reading Autom lady-bot will help you lose weight, love you regardless Autom lady-bot will help you lose weight, love you regardless originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Aw, this little cutie is so adorable — until she denies you pizza and cheese fries. Autom , the 15-inch talking droid we first caught a glimpse of last year, is back and available for pre-order. Using the LCD touch screen, hungry dieters are prompted to enter daily calorie consumption and exercise habits — to which the robot will respond kindly to keep you motivated. With face-tracking capabilities and a killingly sweet death stare, Autom is always watching, which might just make you feel guilty enough to skip the dip. The lady bot costs $195 for the deposit, $668.46 for the device and another $79.95 monthly, though early birds can get 6 months free and ten percent off the monthly charge for ordering on the company’s website. Slated to ship in 2012, apparently aiding the impending robot apocalypse doesn’t come cheap. Check out little Autom in action after the break. Continue reading Autom lady-bot will help you lose weight, love you regardless Autom lady-bot will help you lose weight, love you regardless originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Since its debut in April, Samsung claims to have moved 10 million Galaxy S IIs — not quite iPhone numbers (which sold 20 million units in Q2 alone), but still quite impressive. It’s especially noteworthy since, at the end of July, only five million had passed into customers’ hands. In just eight weeks the number of Galaxy S IIs sold has doubled, and Sammy’s flagship device has yet to even make a dent here in the US. At this rate the S II is set to far eclipse its ubiquitous predecessor’s sales figures, which took over seven months to hit the same milestone . Check out the self-congratulatory PR after the break. Continue reading Samsung moves 10 million Galaxy S IIs, pats itself on the back Samsung moves 10 million Galaxy S IIs, pats itself on the back originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with LTE is now getting some very minor plastic surgery, with what appears to be a simple maintenance update. [ Droid-Life ] Not the biggest fan of your buggy keyboard, Motorola Droid X users? The latest bug fix update, eloquently called 4.5.605, resolves keyboard stability and usability issues that have affected a large number of users. [ Droid-Life ] Owners of the HTC Sensation on O2 should be enjoying an enhancement to Android 2.3.4 soon, as the rollout has already begun. [ Pocket-Lint ] How ’bout that Motorola Xoom WiFi? Android 3.2.1 (aka build HTK55D) is rolling out to devices now; we imagine the update’s a minor bug fix of some kind, but we haven’t seen any change log on it yet. [ Droid-Life ] Telus is cranking out Gingerbread to the Samsung Fascinate 4G. [ AndroidCentral ] The HTC Droid Incredible 2 is now on the receiving end of build 4.08.605.3, a minor refresh that improves server connections for email sync, enhances Visual Voicemail stability as well as other minor bug fixes. [ Droid-Life ] Rogers customers are now reporting that the Samsung Captivate is now seeing an upgrade to Gingerbread. [ MobileSyrup ] The Sony Tablet S came shipped with Android 3.1, but it’s already getting the bump to 3.2. [ AndroidCentral ] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery Remember Android 2.3.6? You know, the update that blocked tethering on the Samsung Nexus S? It appears that the Nexus One is due for the infamous build. If you don’t care to wait for the refresh to pop up OTA, you can download and install it on your own. No word on if tethering is blocked on this update as well, but we can’t imagine it being different from the Nexus S. [ Redmond Pie ] Android 2.3.5 has leaked for the Samsung Infuse 4G in the form of build I997UCKI4. Such a leak causes us to suspect the official rollout should be heading our way in the near future. [ AndroidCentral ] XDA’s rooted the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch, and has published a full tutorial on exactly how you can do it. It’s no SuperOneClick, of course, but it’s certainly bound to get you to the same destination — as long as you follow the instructions precisely. [ XDA-dev ] An early preview version of CM7.1 for the LG Optimus Black is available for download. Keep in mind that it’s a test build, and won’t be completely polished. [ AndroidCentral ] The first deodexed ROM for the Motorola Droid Bionic is now downloadable. Follow the link to get the full set of instructions. [ Droid-Life ] If you desperately want to have Gingerbread on your HTC Thunderbolt, a RUU for build 2.11.605.2 is all yours. [ Android Police ] Other platforms SFR France indicated this week that they’re ready to push the Mango update out to the HTC 7 Trophy, though it didn’t specify exactly when it will begin. Vodafone Romania and Telus (Canada) also let it slip that they’d be rolling out the update to their phones to Mango by the end of this current month. No date for the latest version has been officially set. The Nokia N950 is a bit of a rarity as it is, but that doesn’t mean it can’t receive continued support. The MeeGo-run device just received a beta of its latest firmware boost, and appears to be available for download. [ NokiaHD blog ] Refreshes we covered this week Existing Windows Phones to get Mango within the next two weeks Sony Ericsson Xperia Play finally gets HD video capture Mango bumps NoDo, rolls the update train to Dell’s Venue Pro Samsung Nexus S 4G updated to Android 2.3.7, brings Google Wallet support Telstra won’t be Gingerbreading the HTC Desire after all Refresh Roundup: week of September 19, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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