iOS 4.2 supports new tech to reduce network congestion, Nokia Siemens says
December 1, 2010 No Comment
One of the world’s top suppliers of cellular infrastructure, Nokia Siemens , has dropped some juicy knowledge today that Apple’s new iOS 4.2 update supports a technology called network-controlled fast dormancy that better optimizes how the phone connects to the network. The company touts that it’s a win-win — better battery life, less unnecessary network utilization — and also points out that Nokia implemented the technique in all of its smartphones starting earlier this year. Since network-controlled fast dormancy is a feature that benefits the network itself as much as it benefits the individual user, knocking out two power players like Nokia and Apple (over half of new smartphone sales, NSN points out) should make a big dent. Interestingly, NSN seems to have arrived at this discovery through “tests” it conducted, not by working with Apple on implementing it. Sure, we don’t pretend to know all the interactions that occur between manufacturers, carriers, and suppliers during a phone’s development, but it certainly seems to us that Apple would benefit by engaging infrastructure companies early and often as these baseband updates come together — particularly as it seeks to keep a tight lid on the very congestion issues that network-controlled fast dormancy is designed to help eliminate. Either way, it’s interesting to see how quick Nokia Siemens was to probe for the change this time around. iOS 4.2 supports new tech to reduce network congestion, Nokia Siemens says originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Verizon launching LTE on December 5th, two sexy 4G USB modems hitch a wild ride
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Sure, Verizon’s holding a press conference tomorrow , but unless they’ve got a secret LTE smartphone or tablet (we can only hope) we’ve got a fairly good idea what the company will say. We’re hearing Verizon will flip the switch on its LTE network on December 5th, unveil a pair of hot new USB modems to take advantage of those supposedly stellar speeds, and launch the SIM cards required to make LTE function in the first place. The gadgets include the LG VL600 thumbstick we’ve seen before , but also this marvelous-looking Pantech UML290 key, which has not only a slick swiveling case but another dual-jointed USB port beneath. We doubt we’re going to have any trouble getting this one plugged into even the slimmest of port-abhorring slimline computing machines. See where one of the SIM cards goes in the gallery below. Gallery: Verizon LTE announce and modem leak [Thanks, Anonymous and JT] Verizon launching LTE on December 5th, two sexy 4G USB modems hitch a wild ride originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Been looking for the perfect thing to boast to your iPhone-owning friends about? Well brace yourself, because doubleTwist has just gone wireless with its latest update, introducing a feature called AirSync which allows Android users to keep their media collection sympatico sans cabling. The new app for PC and Mac boxes couples with its Android counterpart (along with a new AirSync component) and lets you do most of your management without needing a wire between your phone and computer. The desktop application and DoubleTwist player for phones won’t cost you a thing, though AirSync itself is $0.99 on the phone for the first 10,000 buyers, and then jumps to $4.99 a shot. Setup is relatively painless, requiring just a passcode from your phone which is input on the PC side. From then on, whenever you’ve got the app open and your device in range, the content stored on the phone will appear in your DoubleTwist list just as if you’d plugged the phone in (similar to the Windows Phone 7 / Zune wireless sync). We took AirSync for a ride with our Mac and Droid Incredible, and everything seemed to work fine, though we did notice a few bugs (one that was pretty major) that need worked out. Firstly, you’ll probably want to just start fresh with syncing your collection — we made the mistake of trying to pick up where we’d left off and accidentally wiped the content stored on the phone. We also noticed issues with the application trying to sync or update your database while listening to music; more than once our playback abruptly stopped when the app was attempting to talk to the phone. Syncing can also be pretty slow depending on your connection — really slow if you’ve got a big collection. Despite those complaints, AirSync (and both the doubleTwist Android app and desktop client) are incredibly slick solutions to a problem plaguing lots of smartphone users. The company obviously has just begun its work with the app — and it’s clear that there are kinks to work out — but the dream of a wireless future for Android users just got a lot closer to reality. AirSync for doubleTwist brings wireless syncing to Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We can’t get enough of the world’s first Tegra 2 smartphone, the LG Star , so if the 4-inch diva wants a closeup while parading about Tel Aviv, who are we to argue? GSM Israel somehow managed to obtain the same dual-core Android 2.2 handset we glimpsed earlier this afternoon , complete with 8 megapixel camera and HDMI port. Though we don’t have the foggiest idea what they’re saying in the video after the break, the LG-P990 certainly seems to be a speedy little machine in side-by-side webpage load tests with the fan-favorite iPhone 4, though we seem to detect a hint of hesitation when the Star’s capacitive touchscreen gets brushed. Chalk it up to faux embarrassment, we suppose. Video after the break. Continue reading LG Star struts its stuff on film, toys with an iPhone 4 (video) LG Star struts its stuff on film, toys with an iPhone 4 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve got word from one loyal reader that his HP Slate is en route from Shanghai, and he even provided us PDF proof of that fact, just to quell any doubts. We’re not sure if that’s some little slip on HP and FedEx’s part, or a sign of larger things to come (be sure to let us know in the comments if you’ve received similar notice), but for now all we know is that something enterprisey is scheduled to show up on one Dave P.’s doorstep on December 6th. Godspeed, dear tablet. Godspeed. [Thanks, Dave P.] HP Slate beginning to ship? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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So we were lucky enough to sit down with Sir Richard Branson at this morning’s launch of his iPad-only Project magazine , and just like the last time we hung out , our conversation was both entertaining and illuminating. The highlight? In addition to telling us that Project would eventually hit both Android tablets and other devices, Sir Richard was totally candid in saying that he had “no f**king idea why” Project was only on the iPad and not on the web — although he did say Project was “proper magazine” and not “just thrown together for the web.” (Ouch.) Sir Richard was also excited about the possibilities for advertising, saying that the new medium can “bring advertising alive.” We’ve definitely got our doubts about limiting content to one platform without any robust sharing options — and we obviously think it’s possible to do high-quality content on the web — but there’s no doubt that Sir Richard is an extremely charming pitchman, so make sure to check out the whole interview. The Engadget Interview: Sir Richard Branson on Project and the iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Microsoft reiterates copy and paste is Windows Phone 7′s first update, ‘additional updates delivered in the future’
November 30, 2010 No Comment
Chris Walsh — one of the forces behind the ChevronWP7 app sideload hack for Windows Phone 7 — went on record earlier this week saying that the first platform update coming early next year would be “massive” with so many improvements and new features that “they could have called it Windows Phone 8.” That’s a pretty bold statement, and it’s been making the rounds so fiercely today that Microsoft felt the need to lay down the law with an official statement — albeit not a very strongly-worded one: “Microsoft is committed to delivering regular updates to the Windows Phone experience. Our first update will make copy & paste available in early 2011. In addition to this first update, all Windows Phone 7 users should expect to see additional updates delivered in the future as part of Microsoft’s ongoing update process.” So it sounds to us like priority one in Redmond is to get copy and paste up and running (which is basically the message they’ve been delivering for a while), though we should expect plenty more through future updates. When you figure in the size of the team Microsoft has built for engineering this platform — and the fact that they’ve now got the initial retail release out of the way — we’re hoping they’ve got nothing better to do than to churn on some of these pain points users have identified over the next few months. Should be a heck of a year coming up, eh? Microsoft reiterates copy and paste is Windows Phone 7′s first update, ‘additional updates delivered in the future’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Venue Pro makes brief appearance on Dell’s website: $150 on-contract, December 14th launch?
November 30, 2010 No Comment
There’s no sign left of it now, but it looks like none other than the Venue Pro made a brief appearance on Dell’s website earlier today, complete with a few key details about the device. Namely, that it will apparently run $150 on a two-year contract or $500 off-contract (which is a bit different than the asking price was at Microsoft stores), and that it will start shipping on December 14th. Of course, it’s entirely possible that Dell pulled the page in order to make some changes to those details — and considering the Venue Pro launch so far , that might even be likely. Venue Pro makes brief appearance on Dell’s website: $150 on-contract, December 14th launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Just in time for CES , eh? We knew it was happening at some point in January , and Motorola has just announced that it’ll formally be split into two companies as of January 4th, 2011. Actually, that’s not technically accurate: Motorola Mobility — the phone and set-top box guys — will be spun off into their own entity, while the parent company will change its name from Motorola to Motorola Solutions, responsible for the company’s infrastructure businesses. Shareholders of the current company as of December 21st will receive one share of Mobility for every eight shares they’ve got in their possession right now, while the remainder of the company will enact a 1-for-7 reverse split; as of the 4th, you’ll be looking at two stock symbols: MMI for Mobility and MSI for Solutions. So… who’s buying? Follow the break for the official press release. Continue reading Motorola split wraps up on January 4th Motorola split wraps up on January 4th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Bell Mobility launches Netgear Turbo Hub, sends juicy HSPA+ to your WiFi and Ethernet gear
November 30, 2010 No Comment
Canada’s Bell appears to be taking advantage of Netgear’s partnership with Ericsson on this one, putting its 21Mbps HSPA+ network to good use. Not to say that phones aren’t a great use for high-speed data, of course, but that’s enough bandwidth to realistically replace a home internet connection or two — and that’s exactly what the so-called MBR 1210 Turbo Hub sets out to do, spreading an incoming Bell data signal over up to 15 devices connected via WiFi and Ethernet. Interestingly, it also allows users to use the HSPA+ hookup as an automatic fallback in case your primary connection (say, DSL or cable) fails — perfect for us “blog or die” types. You’ll pay CAD $149.95 (about $147) on a two-year deal to put a Turbo Hub on your shelf, or CAD $299.95 ($294) sans contract; plans, meanwhile, range from CAD $35 to $60 ($34 to $59) for between 3GB and 10GB of data (no metric / English conversion necessary there) with a $10 surcharge to gain access to the 21Mbps signal — you get 7.2Mbps otherwise. It’s a pretty creative plan structure, and we’re sure folks would appreciate an unlimited option… preferably without any extra speed fees. Follow the break for the full press release. Continue reading Bell Mobility launches Netgear Turbo Hub, sends juicy HSPA+ to your WiFi and Ethernet gear Bell Mobility launches Netgear Turbo Hub, sends juicy HSPA+ to your WiFi and Ethernet gear originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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