Samsung Stratosphere, Motorola Droid RAZR to be first Verizon LTE phones with Micro SIMs?
October 23, 2011 No Comment
Looks like Verizon’s got a hardware-crush on teensy 3FF Micro SIMs . The carrier’s two latest 4G handsets, Samsung’s Stratosphere and Motorola’s Droid RAZR , both appear to make do with the diminutive cards. Neither, however, would be the first, as that honor was bestowed upon the carrier’s version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 . If you’re eager to call one of these devices your own, but already sport Big Red’s LTE service, then get set to bust out the scissors for a little SIM card arts and crafts. Further pictorial proof of these itsy, bitsy modules awaits you at the source. Samsung Stratosphere, Motorola Droid RAZR to be first Verizon LTE phones with Micro SIMs? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 08:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s hard to believe, but it’s been exactly ten years since the iPod was first unveiled, ultimately changing the music industry forever. The iPod wasn’t the first, it wasn’t the smallest, it didn’t have the largest hard drive, but it did have an iconic style and simple to use interface that led march away from CDs. When the history of Apple is written the iPod (perhaps more than the iMac , OS X or the iPhone ) will be credited with helping spearhead the company’s second coming. Over the years the music player has seen countless iterations and redesigns, and an expansion of the product line to include smaller devices and touch screens — but for most it’s the scroll wheel and white earbuds that define the iPod. Sure, what is now called the iPod classic hasn’t seen a serious update since about 2007, but it still holds a special place in our hearts, especially for those of us who don’t measure their music collection in a few dozen iTunes downloads. The iPod turns 10, celebrates a decade of destroying physical media originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Sony’s Personal 3D Viewer’s finally found its way off the showroom floor and on to the shelves of Harrods? That’s right, the dual screen 1280 x 720 0.7-inch OLED sporting headset’ll initially be a limited exclusive to the well-heeled UK retailer, with a general country-wide release set for later this month. US gamers will have to hold out just a few more days until its end of October launch, but if you’re super impatient, there’s always that import option. Think you can shell out for the
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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 Given up on the HTC Thunderbolt’s mystical Gingerbread update? HTC’s still insisting that it’s on its way, despite multiple delays . This time, however, the OEM isn’t giving a timeframe for ETA. [ Droid-Life ] The T-Mobile G2 was boosted to Android 2.3.3 in July , but we’re glad to see the device getting yet another refresh. This time the G2 is getting hooked up with 2.3.4, which promises better battery life and improved data roaming, among other minor fixes. [ AndroidCentral ] What other device is getting 2.3.4 this week? The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc , that’s what. It’s only rolled out to parts of Europe and the Middle East, so be patient if you haven’t seen an update show up for your unit yet. [ AndroidCentral ] Up north, the LG Shine Plus on Telus is getting Android 2.3.3. [ MobileSyrup ] Anyone using a Motorola Atrix or Milestone 2 in the UK should expect to have an update to Gingerbread sometime next month. [ Unwired View ] Motorola mentioned on its Facebook page that the Droid Bionic will receive Ice Cream Sandwich, though it wouldn’t share details on when. [Thanks, Grant] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery Amazingly enough, the Samsung Epic 4G is still missing Gingerbread (officially, at least). In hopefully what could be considered another step forward, Sammy’s pushed out the kernel source for Android 2.3. Keep those fingers crossed, Epic 4G owners. [ AndroidCentral ] Motorola released the kernel source for the Droid Bionic . [ AndroidCentral ] Speaking of kernel source, HTC’s also gone ahead and released code for the myTouch 4G Slide , Desire (Gingerbread), and the Raider 4G. [ AndroidCentral ] Three days after its kernel was made public , T-Mobile’s version of the Samsung Galaxy S II has now been successfully rooted. [ Phandroid ] Looking down at your HTC Sensation 4G (or any other Sense 3.0 or higher device) filled with Dre envy? Wish you had the cool Beats that’s starting to trickle out to the latest HTC handsets ? Leave it to XDA to find a way to port the new audio functionality over to any Sense 3.0 or 3.5 phone without having to ditch your current ROM. [ Droid-Life ] Anyone frustrated by the news about the HTC Thunderbolt above and is savvy to the rooting world may want to check out a new Gingerbread RUU just leaked for the device. [ Android Police ] Other platforms Select Symbian Anna devices are currently getting a bug fix. Sadly, it’s not Belle. [ Unwired View ] The Windows Phone Team has reported that the Mango update is available to nearly everyone now. [ Windows Team Blog ] The iPhone Dev Team brought out a new version of Redsn0w, 0.9.9b7, which was designed to significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to jailbreak your iDevice. [ Pocketnow ] Refreshes we covered this week HP TouchPad gets webOS 3.0.4 update Kindle 3 gets software upgrade, ready to soar into the cloud Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich roundup Android 4.0 now official, includes revamped design and enhancements galore HTC: we’re reviewing ICS and determining future plans Motorola RAZR to get ICS in early 2012 ICS unofficially ported to Samsung Nexus S 4G Sony Ericsson bringing ICS to Xperia handsets? ASUS: Android 4.0 tablets coming by end of this year HTC’s new audio API beats OpenSense into developers Refresh Roundup: week of October 17, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …AmtrakConnect WiFi now available on at least one Northeast Regional train
October 23, 2011 No Comment
Okay, so it’s a little later than expected , but we’re happy to report that at least some Northeast Regional trains have now been augmented by AmtrakConnect. This (free) WiFi has been available on Acela trains for some time now, and in a few lucky Regional trains in the Northwest. Amtrak still hasn’t confirmed the existence of this connectivity, so we can’t say for sure just how many of its trains have been suitably augmented, but we know that at least number 69, the Adirondack, has it, because we’re using it right now. Connectivity is a little rough and speeds are decidedly low — problems that can certainly be applied to this particular railway relic as a whole. AmtrakConnect WiFi now available on at least one Northeast Regional train originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Georgia Tech spies on nearby keyboards with iPhone 4 accelerometer, creates spiPhone
October 23, 2011 No Comment
Ever plopped your cellular down next to your laptop? According Georgia Tech researchers, that common scenario could let hackers record almost every sentence you type, all thanks to your smartphone’s accelerometer. They’ve achieved the feat with an impressive 80 percent accuracy using an iPhone 4 , and are dubbing the program they’ve developed, spiPhone. (Although the group initially had fledgling trials with an iPhone 3GS , they discovered the 4′s gyroscope aided in data reading.) If the software gets installed onto a mobile device it can use the accelerometer to sense vibrations within three-inches, in degrees of “near or far and left or right,” allowing it to statistically guess the words being written — so long as they have three or more letters. It does this by recording pairs of keystrokes, putting them against dictionaries with nearly 58,000 words to come up with the most likely results. The group has also done the same with the phone’s mics (which they say samples data at a whopping 44,000 times per second vs. the accelerometer’s 100), but note that it’s a less likely option given the usual need for some form of user permission. Furthermore, they explained that the accelerometer data rate is already mighty slow, and if phone makers reduced it a bit more, spiPhone would have a hard time doin’ its thing. The good news? Considering the strict circumstances needed, these researchers think there’s a slim chance that this kind of malware could go into action easily. Looks like our iPhone and MacBook can still be close friends… For now. You’ll find more details at the links below. Georgia Tech spies on nearby keyboards with iPhone 4 accelerometer, creates spiPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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No. 2 Alabama routed Tennessee 37-6. Texas Tech upset No. 3 Oklahoma 41-38. No. 15 Michigan State stuns No. 4 Wisconsin on game’s final play. No. 7 Stanford won in a rout and No. 9 Oregon crushed Colorado. (Oct. 23)
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No. 2 Alabama routed Tennessee 37-6. Texas Tech upset No. 3 Oklahoma 41-38. No. 15 Michigan State stuns No. 4 Wisconsin on game’s final play. No. 7 Stanford won in a rout and No. 9 Oregon crushed Colorado. (Oct. 23)
Continue reading …No. 2 Alabama routed Tennessee 37-6. Texas Tech upset No. 3 Oklahoma 41-38. No. 15 Michigan State stuns No. 4 Wisconsin on game’s final play. No. 7 Stanford won in a rout and No. 9 Oregon crushed Colorado. (Oct. 23)
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Coby’s latest in budget slates hit the federal testing tables on Friday, getting the customary teardown and tell-all photo shoot. The Coby Kyros MID7012 comfortably fits a 800Mhz processor, 256MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, WiFi and a microSD card slot into its case. The seven-inch Gingerbread tablet hasn’t landed on Coby’s US website yet, but nimble fingered Googlers can find the slab for about $100. Coby Kyros MID7012 tablet gets an FCC teardown, flaunts a roomy case originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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