Microsoft’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype hasn’t closed yet, but it looks like Redmond is already working behind the scenes to make the service even more ubiquitous. According to some anonymous sources interviewed by TechCrunch , Facebook is going to introduce video chat next week, and that service will be powered by none other than Skype. And while the service will be browser-based, it’s also said to include a desktop component. We’d say none of that sounds too fantastical — video calls would be a logical extension of Facebook chat, a nd let’s not forget about the $240 million Microsoft invested in the site back in 2007. What’s more, Facebook sent out invites for an event next week, where Mark Zuckerberg was clear the outfit would unveil a new product from its Seattle team. That’s in Microsoft’s backyard, of course, the invites themselves have chat icons on ‘em, and, most tellingly, that Seattle office has been snapping up engineers specializing in desktop software. All told, that adds up to a likely true story to us, but we won’t know for sure until the long, beachy weekend is through. Facebook to launch in-browser video chat powered by Skype? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The scan above purports to show a Verizon customer brochure that will appear in stores next Thursday, revealing nothing beyond the detailed leaks we’ve already reported but at least providing some reassuringly crinkled corroboration of the salient details. New customers will barred from the happy land of unlimited data, and will instead have to cough up tiered monthly fees ranging from $10 for 75MB up to $80 for 10GB, plus an extra $20 for tethering rights. In a separate turn to this tale, we hear that customers who want to tether to a 4G handset will have to pay $30 per month to keep Big Red happy. This might come as a shock if you’ve been living it up on the free tethering offer that ends next week, but we had a strong inkling it was coming. Besides, it’s not all bad: those 30 bucks will get you unlimited data on the fastest LTE network around, whereas $20 crew must make do with a mere 2GB monthly. [Thanks, Verizon Guy] Verizon data charges leak continues, $30 tethering for 4G customers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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For the past several years one of the strangest and most interesting platforms with an app store all its own was the Livescribe series of smart-pens. Now, it’s just another ditch to be dug in the development graveyard. After three years it will be closing up its SDK shop on July 22nd, and no more submissions too its app market will be accepted. The store will remain open for the time being, but the company won’t guarantee compatibility with future models or firmware updates. Instead it will shift focus to cloud services like Livescribe Connect . But, don’t get too worried, we’re sure the healthy hacker community will keep you knee deep in text adventure ports . Livescribe axes developer program to focus on the cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Back in April, Samsung slapped back at Apple’s claims of patent infringement with a healthy helping of ten claims of its own. Now Bloomberg is reporting that Samsung quietly dropped its counter suit against the Cupertino-based company on June 30th, in an attempt “to streamline the legal proceedings.” Of course that doesn’t mean the saga is over: Apple’s smartphone infringement accusations stand, as do legal battles in South Korea, Japan, Germany, and the UK Samsung says it will also continue to fight Apple’s accusations in the US in the form of a counter-claim. One down, one to go? Samsung drops counter suit against Apple — Apple’s still got a bone to pick originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Happy birthday, dear Global System for Mobile Communications! 20 years ago today, on July 1 1991, the world’s first GSM call was made by Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri. The historic call used Nokia gear on GSM’s original 900MHz band. Today GSM is all grown up and ruling the world — connecting 1.5 billion people in 212 countries and serving 80% of the planet’s mobile market. GSM gave us a number of firsts. It was the first fully digital cellular system using TDMA to cram more information into less spectrum and provide better sounding, more reliable calls using less power. It introduced the Subscriber Identity Module ( SIM ), the idea of switching handsets at will (something carriers have sought to subvert by locking phones), and the reality of international roaming. Short Messaging Service ( SMS ) was first launched on GSM networks, along with packet data ( GPRS and later EDGE ), which made internet access practical on mobile devices. Eventually, GSM expanded to the 400, 800, 1800 and 1900MHz bands and evolved into WDCMA-based UMTS (3G) and later HSPA and HSPA+, followed by LTE (4G) networks. So next time you’re at the coffee shop sipping on that latte while uploading that video to YouTube at 10Mbps using your LTE phone, remember to be thankful for that first GSM call 20 years ago — that’s when the mobile revolution really started. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] GSM turns 20 today, still rocking the world originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Skype 2 video chat unofficially enabled on the Galaxy S II, Sensation, and others
July 2, 2011 No Comment
The latest Skype update for Android is available to everyone, but it only enables video chat on four specific handsets . Fortunately, impatient modders have gone some way to correcting this profound injustice, by creating APKs that activate video calling on other handsets too. So far we’ve heard of successful ports on the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Sensation, Thunderbolt and EVO 4G. If you’ve got some other handset with Android 2.3, a little experimentation with the APK might also be worth your while. However, we just tried it on an Xperia Arc and didn’t get very far: the app ran, but efforts to communicate with an Xperia Neo resulted in one-way video, a locked landscape mode and plenty of awkwardness. Let us know if you fare better — you’ll find a Thunderbolt-specific download at the DroidLife source link, and a more general APK at TechPetals . [Thanks, Rashid and JT] Skype 2 video chat unofficially enabled on the Galaxy S II, Sensation, and others originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Here’s a bad idea: announce a beta run for your discount subscription movie ticket service, but neglect to inform the 21 San Francisco-based theaters listed that they’re part of the fun. That’s essentially what Landmark, AMC, Camera Cinemas, and Big Cinemas are claiming MoviePass did earlier this week, and boy has the corn begun to pop. According to The Wrap and Variety , the chains weren’t pleased to find out that MP had worked with mutual partner MovieTickets.com to set admission prices without their consent; the intriguing tidbit here is that despite the low cost for consumers, the theaters would still be paid full admission. MoviePass had been hoping to gain more support with the test phase, but it looks like that’ll be on pause for a good while. No word on whether the beta will see a rescheduling, but you’ll find the full details in the links below, and a PR rebuttal from AMC past the break. Continue reading MoviePass gets kicked out of theaters before it can get a ticket MoviePass gets kicked out of theaters before it can get a ticket originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 11:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple seeks preliminary injunction on Infuse 4G, Galaxy S 4G, Droid Charge, and Galaxy Tab 10.1
July 2, 2011 No Comment
Drama. Rather than leaving well enough alone — at least long enough for its lawyers to properly enjoy the Independence Day weekend — Apple has seemingly kicked its ongoing legal battle with Samsung up a notch. According to a filing discovered by FOSS Patents , the perturbed in Cupertino have filed a motion for a preliminary injunction with the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Interestingly, the motion hones in on just four devices: the Infuse 4G, Galaxy S 4G, Droid Charge, and Galaxy Tab 10.1. It’s a pretty bold move on Apple’s part — if this thing holds, and it’s determined that the aforesaid products may well indeed be infringing on Apple’s rights, Sammy could be forced to yank those products from US shelves within a couple of months. If it falls through, however, Apple’s entire case will likely take a serious hit. We’d ponder why everyone can’t just get along, but at this point, we’re guessing the act of forgiveness has become a foreign concept for both parties. Apple seeks preliminary injunction on Infuse 4G, Galaxy S 4G, Droid Charge, and Galaxy Tab 10.1 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 10:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Windows Phone Marketplace now populated by 25,000 apps, speeding up rate of growth
July 2, 2011 No Comment
It’s not just Apple’s App Store striding past milestones today, Microsoft’s Windows Phone Marketplace has also rounded a notable marker in its development. Specifically, it’s now reported to have passed 25,000 apps by one site tracking comings and goings within it, though that figure’s up for debate as the other WP7 apps tracker still lists the total at just under 25k. The main point is that the WP7 ecosystem is growing, and faster than previously at that — it took until the end of March to accrue 11,500 apps , a span of five months from its launch , whereas the last 13.5k have come in the brisker period of three months. Provided this acceleration continues, and there’s no reason to expect it’ll slow down with Mango on the horizon, Microsoft’s mobile OS reboot promises to be in pretty competitive shape in time for its first anniversary — a notable feat considering how far behind WinMo had fallen. Perhaps RIM can use this as an instructive example? [Steve Ballmer image courtesy of Reuters ] Windows Phone Marketplace now populated by 25,000 apps, speeding up rate of growth originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Modder outfits Nexus One with an Arduino-powered, pager-style display — of course
July 2, 2011 No Comment
Not satisfied with a Sony Ericsson LiveView as a secondary display for your Android phone, or a dual-screen device like the Kyocera Echo ? Then you might want to consider something like this decidedly more homebrew approach from modder “follower,” which uses the Android Open Accessory protocol to connect the Frankenpager-type contraption you see above to an otherwise ordinary Nexus One. Of course, that two-line display does limit things somewhat , but it will at least let you see the time and any incoming text messages without forcing you to leave your game. Hit the source link below for all the details and software you need to build your own. Modder outfits Nexus One with an Arduino-powered, pager-style display — of course originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 06:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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