Sprint begins iPhone briefings, exact model number remains questionable
September 15, 2011 No Comment
Are you a Sprint subscriber? Super stoked about possibly getting your hands on an iPhone ? It seems as though you’re finally about to be in business. After a chat with a freshly-briefed, forthcoming sales associate, TUAW is reporting that the carrier will start offering an Apple device of some sort next month alongside existing data plans — providing some confirmation for the recent Wall Street Journal report . Things get a bit cloudy after that in regards to exactly which handset the carrier will obtain, but the sales force is currently getting familiar with the iPhone 4. Regardless of which iPhone Sprint ends up procuring, it’s getting fairly impossible to shake the (seemingly) obvious. We’ll see in a month, eh? Sprint begins iPhone briefings, exact model number remains questionable originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 02:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …JetStreamHD starts shipping, leaves iPad media streaming vapor trails in its wake (video)
September 14, 2011 No Comment
With Pogoplug Video out of the picture, Nuvyyo’s JetStreamHD is ready to become your default iPad media streamer. The tower plugs into your router and delivers streaming content like hi-def videos, music and photos from your home network to your Apple tablet. And the free JetSteamHD iPad app makes it easier to sort through your content, while promising the best available resolution for seamless entertainment streaming. The device is shipping now, for a suggested price of $199. Video and PR after the break. Continue reading JetStreamHD starts shipping, leaves iPad media streaming vapor trails in its wake (video) JetStreamHD starts shipping, leaves iPad media streaming vapor trails in its wake (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …PlayStation Vita’s slick augmented reality demoed in Reality Fighters, we go hands-on (video)
September 14, 2011 No Comment
Back in January, we caught a glimpse of a hilarious PS Vita title dubbed Reality Fighters , and as the name suggests, it’s a Street Fighter-like game that makes use of the device’s augmented reality feature. Well, SmartAR , to be precise, which has already been proven to deliver slick AR in large space without the need of a marker, and that’s exactly what we experienced earlier today at TGS 2011 . What happens in this game is that you can first create your own fighting avatar — not only does it let you map your face using either camera on the Vita, but there’s also a whole range of body shapes, facial features, weapons and fashion accessories to add to your character. Once you have your fighter ready, you then have three options: use the current surroundings as your battle backdrop, or use one of the many default backdrops (and the final version of the game will allow players to create their own backdrop), or use a marker. We only managed to try the first two AR modes with the brief hands-on time we had, but both worked seamlessly for us — see for yourself in our hands-on video above. Surprisingly, this game only uses just one of the four CPU cores on the Vita! But then again, we’ve already seen SmartAR running smoothly on the Xperia Arc, which goes to show how relatively little number crunching power is required for SmartAR. Expect to see this funny game to come out in February. PlayStation Vita’s slick augmented reality demoed in Reality Fighters, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 01:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year’s end
September 14, 2011 No Comment
Sprint’s been making mondo policy changes over the last two weeks in the form of increased fees , so what’s a few more cuts? We’ve received tips over the last day or so that suggest the Now Network up to its shenanigans again, making immediate changes to its return policy and soon putting the kibosh on its Premier program. Effective tomorrow , Sprint’s trimming its return period from 30 days to 14 and the risk-free trial offer — which ultimately allows you to walk away from your service within a month without being charged a penny — is vanishing into thin air. Reaching out for confirmation from a carrier spokesperson, we were told: “Beginning Sept. 16, Sprint is updating its return policy for new lines of service, upgrades, accessories and devices. We will share more details of the new Sprint Satisfaction Guarantee at a later date.” This doesn’t fully answer our query, of course, but it at least confirms that the return policy will fall victim to a few adjustments on Friday. We also began receiving tips today foretelling the upcoming demise of the Sprint Premier program — the company’s two-tiered VIP program that offers annual upgrades and other perks. Premier members will apparently be notified as early as tomorrow (or as late as October) that they have until year’s end to cash in on their remaining benefits. The only reasoning given: “to help us focus on the areas that customers value the most, such as unlimited data plans.” Interpret that how you will, but ginormous things are going down in Overland Park, and we haven’t even heard the wondrous news about the carrier’s “Strategy Update” yet. Unless, of course, it’s all tied together somehow… [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Continue reading Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year’s end Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year’s end originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year’s end
September 14, 2011 No Comment
Sprint’s been making mondo policy changes over the last two weeks in the form of increased fees , so what’s a few more cuts? We’ve received tips over the last day or so that suggest the Now Network up to its shenanigans again, making immediate changes to its return policy and soon putting the kibosh on its Premier program. Effective tomorrow , Sprint’s trimming its return period from 30 days to 14 and the risk-free trial offer — which ultimately allows you to walk away from your service within a month without being charged a penny — is vanishing into thin air. Reaching out for confirmation from a carrier spokesperson, we were told: “Beginning Sept. 16, Sprint is updating its return policy for new lines of service, upgrades, accessories and devices. We will share more details of the new Sprint Satisfaction Guarantee at a later date.” This doesn’t fully answer our query, of course, but it at least confirms that the return policy will fall victim to a few adjustments on Friday. We also began receiving tips today foretelling the upcoming demise of the Sprint Premier program — the company’s two-tiered VIP program that offers annual upgrades and other perks. Premier members will apparently be notified as early as tomorrow (or as late as October) that they have until year’s end to cash in on their remaining benefits. The only reasoning given: “to help us focus on the areas that customers value the most, such as unlimited data plans.” Interpret that how you will, but ginormous things are going down in Overland Park, and we haven’t even heard the wondrous news about the carrier’s “Strategy Update” yet. Unless, of course, it’s all tied together somehow… [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Continue reading Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year’s end Sprint changing return policy tomorrow, nixing Premier program at year’s end originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Yamaha is now ready to shout about its updated AV Controller app for Android, which it quietly launched on the Market a couple of weeks back. It lets you power up and control networked AV receivers from your phone or tablet, including switching inputs and selecting media from iPods and other devices connected to the receiver via USB. It also provides limited play, stop and forward control over compatible Blu-ray players. Some users report problems but most seem content, so it’s worth a spin if you have one the devices listed in the PR after the break. Continue reading Yamaha updates AV Controller Android app for its networked devices Yamaha updates AV Controller Android app for its networked devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Alright, so check this out — that thing above is both a 5W LED light bulb and a 10W wireless speaker. Around the edge is a ring of glowing diodes with a four-stage dimmer, while the center is a 2.25-inch driver that speaks to a dock via 2.4GHz wireless. The AudioBulb from GiiNii is a fairly unique way to kick out the jams anywhere in your abode and they disappear into practically any lamp. A basic setup of two bulbs, a dock and a remote will set you back a surprisingly steep $299, but you can add on up to six more bulbs for $99 a pop. Speaking of rooms and bulbs, you can configure the speakers to work in stereo pairs or in mono, and set up two zones with different volume levels. The dock is a chintzy feeling piece of plastic with an integrated iPhone/iPod connector and around back you’ll find an auxiliary jack for the non-Apple fans. The dock can connect to the speakers from up to 100 feet away, depending on the environment, and comes pre-paired with the bulbs in the box. Adding additional speakers requires just the push of a button on the base and bulb simultaneously to get the party started. It was tough to hear the tunes over the din in the hall at Pepcom’s event, but we’re confident it can’t quite compare with the Play 3 . They did, however, give off enough light to keep their little corner of the convention well lit. Check out the gallery below as well as the PR after the break. Gallery: GiiNii AudioBulb hands-on Continue reading Giinii AudioBulb hands, eyes and ears-on Giinii AudioBulb hands, eyes and ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Sprint shone some light on the latest mystery handset from LG earlier today — and what a bright light it is indeed. The Marquee’s four-inch NOVA display is one of the brightest on the market — it’s a sort “we can’t technically say it’s the brightest, but it’s certainly up there” situation. Screen aside, this is a slick and skinny Gingerbread handset. It’s got a large display, but it feels nice in the hand. There’s a 1GHz processor inside, so it’s certainly not the most powerful phone we seen, but it felt quite zippy during our time with it. The carrier will be offering the phone up for pre-sale on September 20th — those who get in early will start receiving their phones on September 29th. Everyone else will have to wait for October 2nd. The handset will run $100 with a two-year contract. Check out a hands-on video after the jump. Gallery: LG Marquee hands-on Continue reading LG Marquee for Sprint hands-on (video) LG Marquee for Sprint hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album
September 14, 2011 No Comment
If you’ve been waiting for the hits of the ’60s to lapse into the public domain, prepare to be disappointed. The European Union has agreed to extend the term of protection for sound recordings — which previously lasted for 50 — to 70 years. That means the White Album won’t be free to own until 2038. The extension was granted to guarantee income for performers in their old age who would otherwise lose out, such as impoverished multi-millionaire Sir Paul McCartney . Opinions are divided, with record companies praising the move and open-rights groups being a lot less enthusiastic. An interesting point to note is that the move was done in spite of government-funded research to the contrary . Either way, ever increasing copyright legislation means it’s far more likely we’ll see even more extreme anti-piracy adverts, just like the one after the break. Continue reading European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sphero the smartphone controlled ball gets ready to roll out, we go hands-on (video)
September 14, 2011 No Comment
The plucky little white ball that first rolled its way into our hearts back at CES is back, and now it’s getting ready to continue its journey onto store shelves. Sphero is a little plasticLED-lit orb that can be controlled using a number of smartphone applications. The toy’s makers like to refer to it as a “real-world Wii,” letting users control it either via a phone’s touchscreen or with gestures, using the handset’s accelerometer. The ball itself is palm-sized — it feels like a standard toy ball, until you give it a bit of a shake, feeling its insides jiggle. At present, the company is showcasing three apps — one for standard driving in real-time, one that lets the user draw paths with their fingers and a third “golf” app, that offers the most Wii-like interaction, with the user swinging their smartphone like a club to move the ball. The apps are straightforward and let you change Sphero’s color. All in all, the company seems to have come a ways since first showcasing earlier prototypes back in January. You can expect to see Sphero start shipping before the end of the year, for $129 a pop. It will be compatible with both iOS and Android. We hand fun with the thing, but who knows how long it will take to get sick of it. Thankfully, it will launch with three to six apps, with more coming soon. Hands-on video after the break. Gallery: Sphero hands-on Continue reading Sphero the smartphone controlled ball gets ready to roll out, we go hands-on (video) Sphero the smartphone controlled ball gets ready to roll out, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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