It’s not every day that a new HTC phone with CDMA and WiMAX support swings through the FCC’s labs — so even though we don’t really know what this is, we thought we’d better point it out. Odds are it’ll be headed to Sprint considering the unique combination of technology, and the test report lists it as a “Smart Phone” — Windows Phones from these guys usually say as much, so we’re thinking this is probably Android. The elephant in the room would have to be the Knight / EVO Shift 4G we’ve been hearing about lately… and considering that there are mentions of tests in the “slide off” and “slide right” configurations, we wouldn’t doubt this is it. Any crazy theories out there? HTC phone with CDMA and WiMAX hits the FCC: the EVO Shift 4G, perhaps? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We do hate to play into wily PR folks’ attention-grabbing campaigns, but when they’re quite so nutty, we can’t help but admire them. UK network Three is trying to promote its hotspots (we think) by having dudes wearing full-body underwear running around with “Human Hotspot” signs and what looks like part of the Engadget logo throughout London. We don’t get it, but we do love it. Thomas: “I can look up your WEP.” Vlad: “Please note, dressing up as a Trojan won’t protect you from actual trojans.” Nilay: “Touch my junk and I’ll have you arrested.” Darren: “I’m probably working… even if the tube drivers aren’t.” Richard Lai: “My SSID is quite well hidden, if I may say so.” Carlos: “I’m hot… or not?” Tim: “I knew that Fantastic Four movie was a bad career move. Time for a new agent.” Ross: “Ask about where I keep my SIM card.” Myriam: “Spot the hotness.” Sam: “The Blue Man Group member that never was.” Caption contest: publicity stunt generating publicity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s not the Kindle lending feature that Amazon has in the works, but the company has just rolled out another fairly big Kindle feature for those feeling a bit generous this holiday season. That comes in the form of a new “give as a gift” option now present on Amazon.com, which will let you send an e-book to anyone with an email address, who can then read it on the Kindle-friendly device of their choice (or an actual Kindle, of course). As Amazon is all too happy to point out, it’s the first major bookseller to offer such a service, but we’ve got to guess it won’t be the last. Amazon introduces Kindle book gifting just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve always had a soft spot for Altec Lansing’s wide array of speaker docks — these guys have been embedded in that space for an awfully long time, and the quality has always seemed up to snuff in our eyes. Er, ears . For whatever reason, it looks as if Altec is trying to replicate that success in the earbud market — a market that’s been growing increasingly crowded over the past couple of years as the portable media player and smartphone sectors have exploded. These days, a set of third-party headphones are nearly a requirement to fully enjoy whatever media player you’ve ended up with, and thus, hordes of companies have flocked to cater to the demand. The Ultra MZX606 earbuds ($99.95) popped onto the scene just two months ago, and now we’ve had a solid weekend to push the latest Underoath, Happy Body Slow Brain, Kanye West and Otis Redding jams through here. Hop on past the break for our impressions. Gallery: Altec Lansing Muzx Ultra MZX606 earbuds hands-on Continue reading Altec Lansing Muzx Ultra MZX606 earbuds review Altec Lansing Muzx Ultra MZX606 earbuds review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’re hoping he wasn’t speaking out of turn here, but for what it’s worth, Palm developer advocate Josh Marinacci has said on stage at webOS Developer Days today in New York that webOS 2.0 will be coming to “all” Palm devices in “the coming months.” Now, we’re going to go ahead and assume he’s not talking about your Treo 650, your Palm III, or your LifeDrive, but we’re taking that to mean that Pre, Pixi, Pre Plus, and Pixi Plus owners on all carriers around the globe can expect official upgrades for their phones — and hey, considering how mild of an upgrade the Pre 2 is (and the fact you can’t get it on some of the older devices’ launch carriers), that’s fantastic news. Follow the break for Marinacci’s full presentation from the event. Continue reading webOS 2.0 coming to ‘all’ Palm devices in the coming months webOS 2.0 coming to ‘all’ Palm devices in the coming months originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sony Ericsson France CEO says Windows Phone 7 handsets aren’t likely, neither is a tablet
November 19, 2010 No Comment
Still have your hopes up about a Windows Phone 7 slider from Sony Ericsson? Then you might want to dial back those expectations, at least according to Sony Ericsson France CEO Pierre Perron. He recently told French newspaper Les Echos that while Sony Ericsson has indeed been in talks with Microsoft about Windows Phone 7, the company is not likely to pursue it because it would ” run the risk of standardizing our smartphones,” adding that (roughly translated), ” we would be obliged to fight only on design and price, which we want to avoid.” Perron also seemed to outright dismiss the idea of a tablet from Sony Ericssson (be it Android or otherwise), flatly stating that the company doesn’t want to be the “24th” tablet on the market. Of course, it could well be a different story a few months or a year down the line, but it certainly doesn’t sound like Sony Ericsson will be straying far from its current strategy at the moment. Sony Ericsson France CEO says Windows Phone 7 handsets aren’t likely, neither is a tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …RIM’s Jim Balsillie says ‘you don’t need an app for the web,’ rejects Apple’s appification of the internet
November 19, 2010 No Comment
It’s no secret that RIM doesn’t exactly agree with Steve Jobs’ characterization of the company’s prospects, and Jim Balsillie has some more to say on the Apple vs. RIM front, particularly where it comes to apps. It’s hard to imagine RIM catching up with Apple’s 300,000+ apps, but Jim doesn’t think that’s the point: “We believe that you can bring the mobile to the Web but you don’t need to go through some kind of control point of an SDK, and that’s the core part of our message.” The statement was made at the Web 2.0 Summit a couple days ago, and on further prompting Jim made it clear he rejects Apple’s “appification” of the web. RIM’s strategy is obviously riding on highly portable Adobe AIR apps and Flash support in the browser (much like Microsoft’s Silverlight app strategy for Windows Phone 7), and we look forward to seeing just how well that playbook plays out in the PlayBook. Of course, “there’s not an app for that, but our browser is fully capable of performing that functionality” isn’t quite so catchy… RIM’s Jim Balsillie says ‘you don’t need an app for the web,’ rejects Apple’s appification of the internet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The iOS App Store might already have its fair share of addictive and compelling games on offer, but when John Carmack comes calling with his latest megatextured shoot-em-up, you’ve got to sit up and pay attention . Rage HD: Mutant Bash TV isn’t so much a full-fledged game in its own right as it is a teaser for the forthcoming Rage FPS for the PC, and yet even in its pretty limited running time, it managed to woo and thrill us with its visceral gameplay and arresting visuals. It’s easily the best-looking game we’ve yet seen on a mobile device and provides a fine demonstration of just how far Apple’s hardware — on the iPhone 4, iPad, and fourth-gen iPod touch — can be pushed when some appropriately adroit hands are at the graphical controls. But, of course, games are supposed to be fun to play, not just to look at, so why not join us after the break to see how well Rage HD handles its mutant-bashing duties? Gallery: Rage HD screenshots Continue reading Rage HD review (iPhone) Rage HD review (iPhone) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Verizon’s Droid lineup available at Amazon for a penny per handset with no activation fee
November 19, 2010 No Comment
Yeah, retailers are always undercutting carrier pricing, sometimes pretty dramatically, but Amazon’s taking things to the limit this weekend. You can score any of Verizon’s major Droid phones for a penny, and Verizon is also fronting the $35 Verizon line activation fee. Of course, you’ll have to sign up for a two year contract, and you’d better not think about canceling out of it: Amazon has a $250 per device cancellation fee on top of Verizon’s own hefty charge. Ah, the price of free. Verizon’s Droid lineup available at Amazon for a penny per handset with no activation fee originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide ! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today’s bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the holiday season. Photos make great mementos for important moments, but a picture of your kid taking her first step or writing his first blog post isn’t quite as meaningful as a full-motion video of the event in question. That’s why a video recorder of some sort is a must-have, and while your average compact camera is capturing better footage than ever, sometimes you need something a little more dedicated. That’s when you need a camcorder, and this year we even have a bunch of 3D models to choose from. Which ones are right for you and for your budget? Click on through to find out. Continue reading Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide: Video Cameras Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide: Video Cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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