iZettle’s chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video)
April 28, 2011 No Comment
Everyone seems to be getting on board with Square’s iPhone credit card reader — Apple started selling the device in its stores last week, and even Visa has taken a financial interest in the company. However, due to the popularity of fraud-fighting chip-enabled smart cards on the other side of the pond, Square’s offering doesn’t quite fit the bill. iZettle has a similar solution for Europe that includes the ever-so-necessary smart card reader, which the company is launching in Sweden this June. Not only does it enable you to accept credit card payments from friends or customers, the app adds a social twist. Merchants can email a photograph and receipt to buyers, who can then share their latest spoils on Facebook . Of course, if this starts to catch on, it could make explaining that “awesome deal” you scored on a new laptop that much more difficult when it pops up on your significant other’s news feed. [Thanks, David] Continue reading iZettle’s chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video) iZettle’s chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Good news for Android users who hate paying for stuff: according to new numbers from Netherlands-based mobile analytics group Distimo, there are now more free apps available for Google’s mobile OS than the iPhone, at 134,342 to 121,845. There are a few things to consider here: first, when one adds free iPad-only apps, the total number of gratis iOS apps increases to a more competitive 132,239. And then there’s Apple’s sometimes rigorous vetting process, which has probably played a role in its numeric slippage — after all, this report doesn’t highlight things like legality, repetition, or the overall number of apps dedicated to making farting noises . Also, Apple has a lot more premium apps, giving it the overall lead at 333,124 to 206,143 — but between Android’s rapid growth and what the report terms iOS’s relative stagnation, Distimo expects Google to take the top spot in five months’ time, outnumbering iPhone and iPad apps combined — a rough scenario for Cupertino to stomach, no doubt, but at least the company will still have Windows Phone to kick around a while longer. [Source link requires registration] Shocker! Free Android apps outnumber free iPhone apps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve gotten multiple clandestine clues that Sprint would sell the Xoom — a calendar entry here, an accessory there — but there was nary a confirming peep from the Now Network itself. Until today, when it announced that it would join the legion of retailers peddling the Wi-Fi version of Motorola’s tablet for $599.99 on May 8th. That’s right, the carrier will start selling folks the sweet Honeycomb slate soon enough, but a Xoom sans Sprint cellular data is a bit of a letdown. One question, Mr. Hesse , when will we get one with WiMAX? PR’s after the break. Continue reading Sprint starts selling Motorola Xoom WiFi (not WiMAX) May 8th for $600 Sprint starts selling Motorola Xoom WiFi (not WiMAX) May 8th for $600 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Android 3.1 gets namechecked by Adobe Flash Player 10.2, will be required to enjoy accelerated 720p video
April 28, 2011 No Comment
Remember how Adobe said Flash 10.2 wasn’t living up to its full hardware-accelerated potential on Honeycomb thus far? Well, it seems the company’s found a solution by the name of Android 3.1. We’ve been inundated with tips (and have confirmed with Adobe) that there’s a sticky-sweet new build of Android on the way for the recent crop of slates that OEMs and carriers are rolling out, and that — just like last time — you’ll need that software to take advantage of all the hardware rendering and compositing that your Tegra 2 silicon can afford. With any luck, 720p playback won’t burn our eyeballs this time around . [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Android 3.1 gets namechecked by Adobe Flash Player 10.2, will be required to enjoy accelerated 720p video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Microsoft announces record Q3 earnings: $16.43 billion revenue, $5.23 billion net income
April 28, 2011 No Comment
Well, it looks like the record quarters from tech companies just keep on coming — this time it’s Microsoft, which just reported $16.43 billion in revenue in its third-quarter results, a jump of 13 percent from the previous year, and well ahead of analysts’ expectations. Net income clocked in at $5.23 billion, a whopping 31 percent increase from the previous year, with Microsoft citing strong sales of Office 2010, Xbox and Kinect as key driving factors. The company also reiterated that it’s sold a staggering 350 million Windows 7 licenses so far, and said that its Entertainment & Devices Division has grown a full 60 percent year-over-year — again, largely fueled by those record-setting sales of Kinect and continued strong sales of Xbox 360 consoles and Xbox Live. As for Windows Phone, Microsoft unfortunately isn’t providing much in the way of specifics — on its earnings call, it only went as far as to say that “product reviews are good” and “customer satisfcation is high,” and that developer interest has increased following its announcement of the Nokia partnership. It was unsurprisingly a bit more eager to divulge specifics for its gaming business, though, and revealed that it has sold 2.4 million Kinect sensors in Q3, along with 2.7 million Xbox 360 consoles — the latter of which is a new third quarter record for the company. Continue reading Microsoft announces record Q3 earnings: $16.43 billion revenue, $5.23 billion net income Microsoft announces record Q3 earnings: $16.43 billion revenue, $5.23 billion net income originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s Thursday, and you know what that means: tomorrow’s Friday! Also, it’s podcast time! The Engadget Podcast kicks off at 5:00 EST, despite Darren being somewhere lost in the desert. Seriously, we’re not sure where he is. Despite that, tim will be joined again by Myriam and, for the first time, Associate Editor Brian Heater will bring his considerable podcasting expertise to bear on your ear holes. Talk of smartphones, the allure of tablets tablets, and the woes of data leaking await, so join us after the break, won’t you? P.S. – If you’re on the move but don’t want to miss out on the live banter, Ustream has mobile clients for Android, iOS and Windows Phone . Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! Filed under: Podcasts The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Android 2.3.4 heading to Nexus S over the air, bringing video and voice chat to Gtalk
April 28, 2011 No Comment
For an update with such a modest name, this is actually quite a major step forward. Google’s about to start delivering Android 2.3.4 to Nexus S devices out in the wild, and in among all the bug fixes and optimizations, users will find the addition of video and voice chat to Google Talk. You’ll be able to do it anywhere you can get a web connection going, whether by virtue of WiFi, 3G, 4G, or the force , and other Gingerbread handsets are expected to get the same improvements in time. For now, however, Google’s own-branded device is the only one enjoying the very freshest Gingerbread around. Continue reading Android 2.3.4 heading to Nexus S over the air, bringing video and voice chat to Gtalk Android 2.3.4 heading to Nexus S over the air, bringing video and voice chat to Gtalk originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …US Supreme Court says companies can force arbitration on class-acting consumers
April 28, 2011 No Comment
Before today, Californian consumers were free to ignore the arbitration clause tucked in the fine print of every AT&T service contract because state law had declared them unconscionable — which kept the courthouse doors open to class-acting consumers. However, in a ruling that no doubt pleases AT&T and others of its ilk, the highest court in the land has stripped the states of their power to so avoid arbitration with its ruling in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion . In an opinion penned by Justice Scalia (pictured), the Supremes said that the Federal Arbitration Act was passed to promote arbitration’s quick and easy dispute resolution, and they couldn’t have California (or any other state) contradicting the will of Congress by allowing lengthy group litigation when parties already agreed to private arbitration. That means companies are free to force customers to arbitrate their claims individually instead of joining together to file high-dollar class-action lawsuits, no matter what state laws say. Guess those large-scale litigation lawyers will have to look elsewhere to find the funds for their next Ferrari. US Supreme Court says companies can force arbitration on class-acting consumers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Chrome OS machines leaked in bug reports: Acer netbook and touch-friendly Seaboard
April 28, 2011 No Comment
Plowing through bug reports is a reliable way to dig up juicy morsels of info, and thanks to that timeless tactic we’ve got some specs on a pair of unannounced Chrome OS devices. First up is a netbook from Acer codenamed ZGB which, according to a recently filed report, will have a 1366 x 768 panel, presumably in the 10 to 12 inch range. We also know that you can hook up an external display to it via an HDMI port powered by an encoder chip from Chrontel. Since AMD’s Fusion netbook platform supports HDMI natively, we can also safely assume that the ZGB will be running the web-only OS on an Atom processor. That’s where the details end for now but, hey, it’s better than nothing. The other device, Seaboard, has been floating around the Chrome OS flaw depot for some time, but reports are finally starting to reveal some tantalizing details. We now know that it is powered by a Tegra 2 and sports a touchscreen — the perfect place to test out those finger-friendly tweaks we’ve heard so much about. There are also mentions of a “lid switch” and a physical keyboard, indicating it may be a convertible or something in the vein of the Eee Pad Slider rather than a pure slate. The hybrid form factor would make perfect sense since it will house a pair of USB ports and an HDMI jack, which could make for a rather chunky tablet. Obviously, neither of these devices are confirmed yet (and Seaboard is most likely being used for internal testing only) but at least we’ve got a better idea of what to expect when the browser-based OS comes to consumers later this year. Chrome OS machines leaked in bug reports: Acer netbook and touch-friendly Seaboard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The new integration that lets Sprint users tie their accounts even tighter with Google Voice — make your Sprint number work through Google Voice without porting it over or just make your Google Voice number show on outgoing calls or tests from your phone — appears to be live, judging by reports from tipsters and our own account shown above. While there’s been a limited rollout and beta testing going on already, as soon as we logged in to Google Voice today we were teased by the ability to check our eligibility for Sprint integration. As shown in the screenshot above, going with option number one appears to be a one way trip that will result in the eventual deletion of your Google Voice number, so make sure that’s what you want before clicking through. Option two can be reversed later so feel free to toggle (given a ~15 minute delay) at will. Still not sure how this all works? Check out our video demo from CTIA embedded after the break. Gallery: Sprint / Google Voice integration [Thanks, Jason, Victor] Continue reading Sprint, Google Voice tight integration is live (hands on) Sprint, Google Voice tight integration is live (hands on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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