We’ve already heard that the Federal Trade Commission is pushing for a “do not track” button of sorts to stop cookies from watching your every move, but it looks like it isn’t stopping at the usual, non-edible definiton of a “cookie.” Speaking at a press conference on Friday, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz also dropped the rather interesting tidbit that it’s been talking with Adobe about what it describes as “the Flash problem.” As Paid Content reports, newly-appointed FTC Chief Technologist Ed Felten later clarified that the problem in question is actually so-called “Flash cookies,” or what Adobe describes as “local shared objects.” As Felten explained, those can also be used for tracking purposes, but they usually aren’t affected by the privacy controls in web browsers — Chrome is one notable exception. For it’s part, Adobe says that Flash’s local shared objects were never designed for tracking purposes, and that it has repeatedly condemned such practices — the company also added that it would support “any industry initiative to foster clear, meaningful and persistent choice regarding online tracking.” [Image courtesy dopefly dot com ] FTC says its talking to Adobe about the problem with ‘Flash cookies’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You know those voice minutes you’ve been coaxed into buying for, like, ever? Now would be an awesome time to bid ‘em adieu. Out of nowhere, Viber has swooped in to crush the dreams of Skype and every other VoIP provider out there, and if these guys can reach critical mass, avid iPhone users will certainly be able to buy a mobile plan with fewer minutes. It works as such: install the free app on your iPhone, provide just your phone number (no “registration” is necessary) and then fire it up. Viber uses your existing contact and favorites list, and you can make Viber or standard voice calls from within the app; naturally, a Viber logo pops up beside any contact who is also a user, making it easy to see who you can VoIP call for free. As our brethren over at TUAW point out, there’s simply no catch to be found — well, except for those of you counting your kilobytes on AT&T’s newer, metered data plans . Call quality was said to be excellent over 3G and WiFi, and potentially best of all, gratis SMS and an Android version are both on the way. Head on past the break if you need any additional convincing, and tap that iTunes link to get your download on. So, AT&T, what’s the value proposition on those “rollover minutes” again? Continue reading Viber VoIP iPhone app: 3G calling, no registration, and totally free Viber VoIP iPhone app: 3G calling, no registration, and totally free originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 22:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Samsung may have missed its promised September (and November ) ship dates for Froyo on the Galaxy S range, but at this point, we’re just pleased to see any progress at all. Sprint’s Epic 4G has just become the first US Galaxy S phone to nab an official Android 2.2 (v2.2.1, in fact) build, with the requisite files populating Google’s servers this evening. If you’ll recall, a near-final build actually leaked out around three weeks ago, but the DK28 version making the rounds at xda-developers looks to be the real deal. Head on over to get your update going, and be sure to let us know how everything turns out in comments below. Official Android 2.2 (Froyo) update emerges for Sprint’s Epic 4G originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s hardly a surprise that there’s a cadre of individuals who aren’t too fond of Google’s seemingly omnipresent Street View fleet, but the ending of this dispute is downright absurd. Back in 2008, Aaron and Christine Boring were looking for a little excitement , and decided to find it in a courtroom; the duo sued Google for trespassing on their property while collecting photographs for Street View. According to them, Google’s Street View car ignored the “No Trespassing” sign planted out front, and while they noted that that would’ve accepted a simple apology letter , they had no qualms pushing for damages when that wish fell upon deaf ears. The payout? A single dollar. Let’s repeat that: 100 pennies. A buck. Barely enough to buy a Whopper Jr. in Portland, and definitely not enough to do so across the way in Vancouver. We suspect both parties are eager to put the whole mess behind ‘em, but if you’ve been looking for a story to prove that America actually isn’t as aimlessly litigious as the world thinks they are… well, this one ain’t it. Street View Shocker! Google pays Boring couple $1 for trespassing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …ComScore: Android keeps chugging, BlackBerry falters, world awaits Windows Phone 7′s numbers
December 4, 2010 No Comment
Compared to last month’s report , it’s more or less business as usual in ComScore’s latest smartphone market share numbers for the three-month period ending in October, but there are a few interesting points worth calling out. Most notably, RIM’s decline seems to have accelerated — they’ve lost a claimed 3.5 percent of the US market in the latest period compared to 2.8 percent prior, which means they’re now down to 35.8 percent. Of course, that’s still more than enough to keep them comfortably in first place, but it’s a situation they’re going to want to reverse sooner or later — hopefully with TAT’s help . Meanwhile, Apple’s tacked on a slightly larger slice of the pie, but they’re still holding fairly steady; Google, meanwhile, continues its stratospheric rise, tacking on another 2.1 percent since last month’s numbers to hit 23.5 percent — nipping on Apple’s heels, we’d say. The most intriguing story, though, would have to be Microsoft: they’re lower than before at just 9.7 percent of the market, but these figures don’t include Windows Phone 7 yet — and clearly, no one’s buying WinMo 6.5 gear at this point. Should start to get interesting in the next month or two on that front. ComScore: Android keeps chugging, BlackBerry falters, world awaits Windows Phone 7′s numbers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Even for a renowned outlet like Art Lebedev Studios , it’s hard to get quirky, design-centric products out in a commercialized, race-to-the-bottom world. Far too often, dreams die at the production line, and some of the best designed gear in the world stalls on the drawing board. Somehow or another, Sherwood Forlee and Mihoko Ouchi have managed to overcome the traditional production limitations and bring this particular fantasy to life. If you’ll recall, we heard about The.’s Speak-er back in January of this year, and while we knew plans were in place to start shipping ‘em to end-users before the dawn of 2011, we maintained a healthy level of skepticism — there’s nothing quite as heart-wrenching as having your bubble burst after ratcheting your hopes up too high, you know? Today, we’re thrilled to say that the Speak-er is now shipping to those with $99.95 to spare, and if you care to hear what we think about the most awesome set of desk speakers this planet has ever known, head right on past the break. Gallery: The. Speak-er hands-on Continue reading Speech bubble-shaped Speak-er now on sale, we take a listen Speech bubble-shaped Speak-er now on sale, we take a listen originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Lufthansa launches in-flight WiFi on intercontinental flights, ushers in ‘the future’
December 4, 2010 No Comment
There’s just no two ways about it: what Lufthansa has managed to accomplish here is nothing short of incredible. While avid jetsetters have been enjoying in-flight WiFi on (select) domestic routes for a few years now, the in-flight fun has been coming to an abrupt halt when boarding a flight requiring a passport. The dream of long-haul in-flight internet has felt like a distant one, but it seems that the future is indeed happening today. The carrier’s FlyNet service has been relaunched this week, and with assistance from Panasonic and the 802.11n gods that be, it’s now offering broadband internet access on intercontinental routes. At first, the service will be limited to select North Atlantic routes, but access should be available on “nearly the entire Lufthansa intercontinental network by the end of 2011.” No specific performance figures are being released, but the company does call it “extremely fast” and quick enough to open large attachments “without delay.” Better still, the airline will be enabling cellphone data access (GSM and GPRS) in the spring of next year, giving highfalutin’ bigwigs the ability to send and receive the most expensive text messages of their life. Deutsche Telekom will be providing the actual internet service, with pricing set as such: €10.95 (or 3,500 miles) for one hour or €19.95 (or 7,000 miles) for a 24-hour pass that also allows patrons to access the web on “on all Lufthansa connecting flights equipped with a hotspot during the period of validity as well as after the flight in Lufthansa lounges.” Oh, and did we mention that it’s totally free through January 31st, 2011? It is. Gallery: Lufthansa FlyNet in-flight WiFi service Continue reading Lufthansa launches in-flight WiFi on intercontinental flights, ushers in ‘the future’ Lufthansa launches in-flight WiFi on intercontinental flights, ushers in ‘the future’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple’s iPhone 4 (legitimately) on sale for the first time: $50 off at Radio Shack
December 4, 2010 No Comment
Missed out on Black Friday ? Good on you. Now, still in the market for an iPhone 4 ? If so, you should probably point your vehicle to the nearest Radio Shack, STAT. For the first time since going on sale in June, Apple’s iPhone 4 is legitimately on sale from a retailer that actually exists and won’t sell your personal information to some goon in an offshore paradise you’ve never heard of. (No, Walmart’s $2 savings doesn’t count.) We’re told that the $50-off sale is being done to ramp up awareness surrounding Radio Shack’s (admittedly low-key) wireless business, and if we had to guess, we’d say it’ll probably work to perfection. Ever since the handset began shipping this summer, the going rate was $199 (on contract) for the 16GB model or $299 (also on contract) for the 32GB flavor; this deal hacks $50 from each, and there’s even an 8GB iPhone 3GS for $49 if you’re looking to take things even lower. Better still, The Shack ‘s offering a $75 trade-in credit on any functional / non-cracked iPhone 3G as well as $125 for a 3GS in like condition, meaning that you could walk in today, hand over your 3GS, and walk out with an iPhone 4 for $25 (plus activation fees). Naturally, the deal’s only available in brick-and-mortar locations (read: not online), and the fun comes to a close on December 11th. So, who’s in? [Thanks, Anonymous] Apple’s iPhone 4 (legitimately) on sale for the first time: $50 off at Radio Shack originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Android Market update brings long-awaited ‘Related’ tab, similar app suggestions
December 4, 2010 No Comment
Remember that “Related” / “Similar” tab we spotted in Google’s own Gingerbread video ? Looks as if you won’t have to wait for Android 2.3 to enjoy the spoils of having El Goog sort out what similar apps you may like after you download one. This morning, waves of Android loyalists are finding a new tab in their Market, with a Droid 2 and Nexus One both seeing the update here at Engadget HQ. Naturally, it works just like the App Store’s equivalent, but it remains to be seen just how accurate the advice is. When looking at ‘Related’ for the (also recently updated) Engadget app, we’re finding items we’d prefer to be listed first about a page or so down, but we’re sure the mix-and-match engineers in Mountain View are already fine tuning things as we speak. You know, during the brief moments they aren’t preparing for Tuesday’s big Chrome reveal . [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Gallery: Android 2.2 Market update brings ‘Related’ tab Android Market update brings long-awaited ‘Related’ tab, similar app suggestions originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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At this point, there’s essentially nothing that we don’t already know about the Nexus S … except when it’ll be officially revealed, of course. But up until now, we haven’t had a good look at what exactly the impending smartphone’s camera sensor could do. Thanks to an unsuspecting Picasa stream, we’re now being treated to a handful of images captured by a Samsung GT-I9020 — or in other terms, a Nexus S. Better still, someone uploaded a brief video clip of its HD motion capturing abilities, and that’s embedded just past the break (horizontal and portrait versions, to boot). Have a peek yourself and see if you’re impressed. [Thanks, Anonymous] Continue reading Nexus S shows off its camera, video recording abilities Nexus S shows off its camera, video recording abilities originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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