Move over Skype, calling from Gmail now supports 38 languages and cheaper calls
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Kon’nichiwa, hola, and bonjour says Google, as it expands Gmail calling to support a total of 38 languages and four currencies including Euros, British pounds and Canadian / US dolla dolla bills y’all. The calling feature allows Gmail users to call landlines and mobile phones from within their Gmail browser for next to nothing, making the email center a one-stop shop for IMs, emails, video and voice calls. The year-old service is lowering its call rates to $0.10 per minute to mobile phones in the UK, France, and Germany, $0.15 per minute to Mexico, and $0.02 per minute to any number in China and India. Calling landlines is even cheaper — which would be fantastic if you actually knew someone that still used one. The expanded language support and cheaper calls adds another piece of ammo to Google’s arsenal as it goes head-to-head with Skype (which charges $0.18 – $0.25 per minute for calls to UK mobile numbers), after the company conveniently partnered with Google+’s arch nemesis for calls from within the social network. But hey, at least those late-night arguments won’t cost the former nearly as much as it once did. Continue reading Move over Skype, calling from Gmail now supports 38 languages and cheaper calls Move over Skype, calling from Gmail now supports 38 languages and cheaper calls originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Motorola Droid Bionic specs revealed: TI OMAP 4430 dual-core CPU, Android 2.3.4 on board (update: wrong model number)
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Can’t wait to get those mitts on a Droid Bionic , but still wondering what lies beneath? Seems as though the Motorola mobile of mystery can’t hold its secrets forever, since the specs of the Bionic are now up for perusal on Motorola’s developer site. Here’s the skinny: it’s got a TI OMAP 4430 1GHz dual-core CPU bundled with 1GB RAM (twice the amount in the Droid 3 ), a 4.3-inch qHD display with 960 x 540 resolution, HDMI 1.4 , 8 megapixel rear camera accompanied by a VGA front-facing shooter and 1080p HD video capture, webtop capabilities, and the obvious LTE radio. Unfortunately, the specs confirm the Bionic’s lack of GSM / EDGE — essentially turning it into a fancy PMP when traveling abroad — and doesn’t bother mentioning battery size (or life, for that matter), the most confounding question still lingering aside from the release date. C’mon, Motorola, can we at least get a hint ? Update: A keen-eyed tipster alerted us to one minor snafu in the above image: it shows the Motorola XT865 — the original Droid Bionic unveiled at CES 2011 last January — instead of the XT875, which belongs to the new and redesigned model. We can’t be sure if this is an typo on the site or if it really is the old version. Either way, we’ll keep a close eye on the story and update if we hear anything else. Motorola Droid Bionic specs revealed: TI OMAP 4430 dual-core CPU, Android 2.3.4 on board (update: wrong model number) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Groupme , the little group messaging service that made a bit of a splash at Google I/O , turns 3.0 today. There are some shiny new features on board, including a simpler way to exchange private messages and “Questions” for sparking conversations when you’re not sure who to talk to. But, the big news — Groupme 3.0 is now platform and nation agnostic. With the latest update, the service will be available in 90 countries and add Windows Phone 7 to its list of supported OSes, alongside iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android. Even if you’re sitting in front of your desktop you can still take part in the mass messaging fun. The website has been overhauled and now sports all of the same features, like photo-sharing and group management, as the mobile apps. Check out the source link to get the latest version for your handset of choice — provided you’re not a Symbian fan — and don’t miss the gallery below. Gallery: Groupme 3.0 Groupme 3.0 goes international and cross-platform, questions everything originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …AT&T to launch BlackBerry Torch 9810 this month, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900 later this year
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Research in Motion has had better days — and years , for that matter — but it’s always had a loyal partner in AT&T, a company that’s cranked out BlackBerry products faithfully for the past twelve years. The tradition continues, as the GSM giant has announced its intentions to bring the 4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 (aka the Torch 2 ) to stores sometime this month, followed by the 4G BlackBerry Torch 9860 and 4G Bold 9900 “later this year.” No specific dates or prices were given on any of the devices. The Torch 9810 comes with a 1.2GHz CPU, 3.2-inch touch display, a total of 8GB internal memory (with microSD expansion up to 32GB), and a 5 megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture. Oh, and about the “4G” in the title? An AT&T spokesperson confirmed to us that the moniker is simply referring to HSPA+ , capping at 14.4Mbps. It’s definitely a step up from the original Torch 9800 , at least, but our appetite for 4G of the LTE variety runs deep. Will this be too little too late for the Canadian manufacturer, or can this year’s fall lineup be enough to keep the company healthy until QNX rolls into town? [Thanks, Gary] Continue reading AT&T to launch BlackBerry Torch 9810 this month, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900 later this year AT&T to launch BlackBerry Torch 9810 this month, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900 later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …RIM launches BlackBerry Torch 9810, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900, we go hands-on!
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Here they are folks. Months after we first got our hands on pre-release Torch and Bold Touch handsets, RIM is finally ready to show off its latest hardware . They’re all powered by a 1.2GHz processor, have 768MB of onboard RAM and — most importantly — run the latest operating system BB OS7. RIM claims its new OS is 40 percent faster at browsing compared to OS6-based smartphones, and 100 percent faster than OS5 handsets. It also supports RIM’s Liquid Graphics technology, which uses a dedicated graphics processor for smoother scrolling, zooming and panning. Hands-on impressions and video follow after the break. Gallery: Blackberry Torch 9810 hands-on Gallery: Blackberry Torch 9860 hands-on Gallery: Blackberry Bold 9900 hands-on Gallery: BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860, 9810 press shots Continue reading RIM launches BlackBerry Torch 9810, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900, we go hands-on! RIM launches BlackBerry Torch 9810, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900, we go hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …BlackBerry PlayBook will run Android apps by ‘late fall,’ later than expected
August 3, 2011 No Comment
RIM previously announced that its PlayBook tablet would be able to run Android apps by the summer, but we’ve just heard something to the contrary. A reliable source told us that this highly anticipated feature of the BlackBerry slate now won’t arrive until “late fall.” With RIM struggling against ever-stronger competition, delays like this are bad news — the PlayBook needs this new lease of Android life as soon as possible. BlackBerry PlayBook will run Android apps by ‘late fall,’ later than expected originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Google’s Chrome 13 brings ‘Instant Pages’ to the masses, saves precious seconds of your life
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Google just wouldn’t be Google if it wasn’t wringing out every last iota of performance from its products. The latest Chrome release is no different, ushering Instant Pages out of the dev channel and into the hands of the proletariat. The headline feature uses an algorithm to “guess” where you’ll click next, pre-fetching and pre-rendering the result if it’s confident enough. Mountain View says it’s the only “high-profile” site to support the tech, but interested web masters can can partake of the instantaneous Google goodies by peeping the more coverage link below. Tweaks to the Omnibox — which now returns URL and title history results based on partial queries — and the addition of print previews for Windows and Linux round out the 13th version of the popular browser. Video of the
Continue reading …Editions iPad app: yet another way to ingest your technology news (and Engadget!)
August 3, 2011 No Comment
You’ve seen us on Flipboard , Boxee , Roku and even the world wide web. And now, you can see even more of us, slotted between some of the world’s greatest technology sites in Editions. It’s a snazzy new iPad news app, taking its place alongside a smattering of formidable alternatives while presenting a highly customizable view. Upon first launch, you’re presented with a veritable plethora of options, enabling users to create an “Edition” consisting of local news, technology, business, politics, etc. You’re even able to add and subtract actual news sources from within a category, amongst other subtle personalization tweaks. Of course, you can download our app on a handful of platforms, but if you’re looking for a bit of variety (and really, why wouldn’t you be?), hit the source link to give ‘er a go. It’s free, after all. Update : Seems to be US-only for now, but we’re told it’ll hit the UK and Canada “in the coming months.” Disclaimer: This app was created by AOL, who keeps the lights on around here. Editions iPad app: yet another way to ingest your technology news (and Engadget!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Facebook burns a little cash, buys group messaging and digital book outfit
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Facebook gone and done some serious damage to the company credit card, but thankfully, it’s being used for more than replacing chimneys and repairing pool liners. Zuck’s prized possession has just snapped up Push Pop Press and Beluga, with the former being best known for creating interactive digital books, most notably gadget junkie Al Gore’s “Our Choice” book for iPad. Beluga on the other hand, gained lots of attention for its group messaging app built for iOS and Android. Push Pop Press co-founders (and former Apple engineers) Mike Matas and Kimon Tsinteris were quick to say that Facebook has no plans to publish digital books; they did confirm, however, that “the ideas and technology behind Push Pop Press will be integrated with Facebook, giving people even richer ways to share their stories.” Mysterious. Could the Push Press Pop acquisition be the key to the fantasmical iPad app we’ve yearned for since the dawn of the new millennium? Beluga confirmed the future of Facebook mobile messaging when it said, “we’re excited to build our vision for mobile group messaging as part of the Facebook team.” Equally mysterious. Unfortunately, no concrete details are being made available, with each site’s homepage simply confirming that It’s Complicated. Facebook burns a little cash, buys group messaging and digital book outfit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …OutRun AR project lets you game and drive at the same time, makes us drool
August 3, 2011 No Comment
Cool game, or coolest game ever ? That’s the question we were asking ourselves when we first came across Garnet Hertz’s augmented reality-based OutRun project — a concept car that weds Sega’s classic driving game with an electric golf cart, allowing players to navigate their way around real-life courses using only arcade consoles. Hertz, an informatics researcher at the University of California Irvine, has since brought his idea to fruition, after outfitting the system with cameras and customized software that can “look” in front of the car to automatically reproduce the route on the game cabin’s screen. The map is displayed in the same 8-bit rendering you’d see on the original OutRun, with perspectives changing proportionally to shifts in steering. The cart maxes out at only 13 mph, though speed isn’t really the idea; Hertz and his colleagues hope their technology can be used to develop game-based therapies for disabled users, or to create similarly AR-based wheelchairs. Scoot past the break to see a video of the car in action, and let your dreams converge. [Thanks, Stagueve] Continue reading OutRun AR project lets you game and drive at the same time, makes us drool OutRun AR project lets you game and drive at the same time, makes us drool originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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