Samsung updates Galaxy S II, speeds up Swype and fixes auto-brightness issue
May 15, 2011 No Comment
Samsung’s Galaxy S II superphone didn’t have many issues to begin with, and we’re hearing there’s one fewer annoying quirk today — Android Community reports that a new firmware update (available via Kies) addresses the overzealous auto-brightness setting that continually irked us during testing. The i9100XWKE2 revision also apparently increases the responsiveness of the Swype software keyboard — which is always a plus — so unless this update also fries handsets or something, it sounds like a desirable one. [Thanks, Fayez] Samsung updates Galaxy S II, speeds up Swype and fixes auto-brightness issue originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 May 2011 05:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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These two smartphones probably couldn’t be any different if they tried — on the left, we’ve got the tiny 2.6-inch HP Veer with webOS on board, and on the right is Samsung’s Infuse 4G , a giant 4.5-inch Android that costs twice as much on contract. They do have two important things in common, however: they’re both available on AT&T right now, and you can read our reviews of each before tossing any money down. Enjoy! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Samsung Infuse 4G and HP Veer 4G now on sale at AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 May 2011 01:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Google I/O 2011 T-shirt puzzle solved, reveals the droid you’ve been looking for
May 14, 2011 No Comment
If unsolved Google puzzles keep you up at night, you now have one less reason to go sleepless: the Google I/O T-shirt enigma has been unraveled. The picture above contains a series of dots and dashes, which our friends at MobileCrunch recognized as Morse code. Using the line breaks as spaces (new characters), the code then reads: …. – - .–. –. — — .-.-.- –. .-.. .- ….- -.-. -…. …– —-. That translates to a URL, which we’ve linked to below. We won’t spoil where it leads, in case you’re feeling noble enough to try decoding it for yourself. Google I/O 2011 T-shirt puzzle solved, reveals the droid you’ve been looking for originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Same ‘ole, same ‘ole? There’s no doubt that Apple’s newest MacBook Pro looks awfully similar to the models that have come before it, but the engineers in Cupertino still managed to shake a few things up on the early 2011 model . Aside from throwing an AMD GPU under the hood, pairing that with Intel’s integrated HD 3000 chipset and implementing Sandy Bridge, there’s also an entirely new I/O port: Thunderbolt . But was that really enough? For those of you who couldn’t escape the upgrade bug, we’re curious to know if you’ve been satisfied with the upgrade. If you had control of things, what would you change? Add a few more USB ports? Insist that native USB 3.0 support be added? Throw in a Blu-ray drive? Maybe add a couple of palm rest stickers? Toss your ideas out in comments below — but let’s keep it civil down there, cool? How would you change Apple’s Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …RIM recalls at least 900 faulty BlackBerry PlayBooks, here are the serial numbers
May 14, 2011 No Comment
We found the BlackBerry PlayBook to be a pretty solid piece of hardware, but it seems there was a problem batch — an inside source tells us that nearly 1,000 faulty tablets were shipped to Staples, and now they’re being recalled. We’re hoping that Staples (and any other affected retailers) will reach out to customers and inform them of the problem right away, but just in case that doesn’t happen, we’ve compiled a searchable spreadsheet of all 935 alleged serial numbers for you to check against your own. Find it right after the break. Continue reading RIM recalls at least 900 faulty BlackBerry PlayBooks, here are the serial numbers RIM recalls at least 900 faulty BlackBerry PlayBooks, here are the serial numbers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 21:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mopho DJ uses your iPhone to track turntable movement (instead of your movements)
May 14, 2011 No Comment
We have to admit, we never thought of this one — and it’s pretty, pretty slick. Instead of using time-coded vinyl to interface your turntable with your computer as with Final Scratch Pro or Serato Scratch, Nicholas J. Bryan’s Mopho DJ uses an iPhone. That’s right, our man at Stanford University literally affixes his smartphones to his decks via a perspex disc and some sort of adhesive. The smartphones each run an app which sends accelerometer and gyroscope data to a computer, which then adjusts playback of your music accordingly. It’s still a work-in-progress at the moment, but if you’re in Oslo the first week in June make sure you check it out at the NIME (New Interfaces for Musical Expression) conference. This is definitely the kind of iOS location tracking we can get behind! Check it out on video after the break. Continue reading Mopho DJ uses your iPhone to track turntable movement (instead of your movements) Mopho DJ uses your iPhone to track turntable movement (instead of your movements) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 19:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …PlayStation 3 system update 3.61 available now, PSN still not ready for games
May 14, 2011 No Comment
Ladies and gentlemen, your PS3 may technically be able to connect to PlayStation Network now, but we’re not through the woods yet — today, Sony is issuing a mandatory System Update (v3.61) which will prepare your game machine for that magical day when the company actually throws the switch. In the meanwhile, Sony says the update will prompt you to change your PlayStation Network password, which will likely rank among the easiest decisions that you’ve ever made. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] PlayStation 3 system update 3.61 available now, PSN still not ready for games originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 19:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Powermat’s Power Matt proclaimed his cord-cutting capabilities to the people while bearing a striking resemblance to Superman. And now, just as the Kryptonian joined the Justice League, Power Matt has teamed up with the Wireless Power Consortium to benefit all mankind — or at least get us closer to universal contactless chargers. With the pun-loving hero embracing the power of Qi , we’re just a Touchstone away from induction charging nirvana… and the next great action flick, too. Power Matt joins the Wireless Power Consortium, gains the power of Qi originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 16:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Clearwire ditches plans to produce phones, satisfied Sony Ericsson drops logo lawsuit
May 14, 2011 No Comment
We thought Clearwire might have had a chance at legal victory against Sony Ericsson , but the wireless carrier has apparently dropped out of the ring. Clearwire told a federal court it no longer plans to produce a smartphone — which basically nullified Sony Ericsson’s worry that upcoming Clearwire handsets would oh-so-similar swirling orb logo. As a result, Sony Ericsson’s reporting today that it’s dropped the trademark infringement lawsuit, which sounds good for all involved, except it leaves Clearwire not producing much of anything now. Clearwire ditches plans to produce phones, satisfied Sony Ericsson drops logo lawsuit originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 18:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Solar Impulse completes first solar-powered international flight, Captain Piccard returns to earth
May 14, 2011 No Comment
We’re big fans of charming, ungainly Solar Impulse , and of Captain Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg’s quest to circumnavigate the globe in a solar-powered plane. In case you missed the live stream : the Swiss flier just got a little closer to that goal by completing its first international flight, taking off near Berne, Switzerland and landing in Brussels, Belgium, just under 13 hours later. That’s half the flight time of an earlier test , in which the craft’s 200-foot wingspan, covered with 12,000 photovoltaic solar cells, kept it aloft for 26 hours. Of course, a controlled test flight is one thing — making solar-powered flight commercially viable means proving your plane can successfully navigate busy airspace. To see Solar Impulse come in for a smooth landing, peep the video after the break. Continue reading Solar Impulse completes first solar-powered international flight, Captain Piccard returns to earth Solar Impulse completes first solar-powered international flight, Captain Piccard returns to earth originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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