Everything’s coming up Jack Dorsey these days. Last week Apple started stocking Square’s iPhone credit card readers in its 235 US retail locations, and now, according to Reuters, Visa has put its plastic where its mouth is. The credit card giant has invested in the personal payments startup, scoring itself a spot on Square’s advisory board in the process. No word on how much Visa is actually dropping on the company, but one thing stands to reason: it probably didn’t make the deposit via Verifone . If you would like to invest in a Square reader, it’ll cost you a lot less — the company is still offering smartphone plug-ins for free on its site. Square gets financial backing from Visa, asks to see some ID originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Westminster Abbey has been declared a Tweet-free zone. Event organizers have arranged for signal-blocking technology to be set up in Westminster Abbey in order to prevent Royal Wedding guests from Tweeting details about the ceremony (not to mention dishing dirt on other guests). The ban will be in effect from early Friday morning and throughout
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HTC’s been riding high on its smartphone success as of late, and now it looks like its ready to cruise into the automotive market. That’s right, the world’s third most valuable smartphone manufacturer is seeking to add a North American “automotive business development director” to its team. According to a job post that appeared on the Taiwan-based company’s website, HTC is looking to hire an “experienced leader in the automotive electronics industry” to “develop business in the automotive market.” Does that mean we’ll be seeing an HTC-branded EV hitting the pavement stateside in the near future? We doubt it, but we suspect this could mean an uptick in HTC in-car accessories and built-in console computers this side of the pond. [Thanks, Brian] HTC job post reveals intention to make a mark on American cars originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sony update on PSN / Qriocity outage: "some services up and running within a week"
April 27, 2011 No Comment
As the PlayStation Network / Qriocity outage stretches into its second week, over on the PlayStation Blog rep Patrick Seybold has just posted an updated Q&A based on the inquiries of concerned users. Beyond the security of our personal information, the most important question is when service might be restored and he reiterates Sony expects to have “some services” up and running within a week from yesterday. When it comes to the most important personal information like credit card numbers, there are assurances that the credit card database was encrypted and there is no evidence anything was taken, but that’s a possibility that still cannot be ruled out completely. To keep things secure, Gamasutra reports game developers are getting new SDKs with updated security features as well. When the service comes back up, expect a mandatory system update that requires a new password before getting back to your Mortal Kombat or Portal 2 -related plans. Sony update on PSN / Qriocity outage: “some services up and running within a week” originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Google Docs gets an Android app, we go hands-on with tiny spreadsheets (video)
April 27, 2011 No Comment
Staring at spreadsheets crushed down to unreadable sizes on a 4-inch phone screen is far from pleasurable but, clearly there is a demand. In fact, we’ve been clamoring for a proper Google Docs app for ages, even though sometimes we’re not entirely sure why. It was only a matter of time before Google finally got around to appeasing us mobile workaholics and put an official app in the Android Market. Well, our masochistic prayers were answered — the Mighty Goog unleashed the new, native Google Docs for Android app and we rushed on over to the Market, clicked the install button, and gave it a whirl. Gallery: Google Docs for Android hands-on Continue reading Google Docs gets an Android app, we go hands-on with tiny spreadsheets (video) Google Docs gets an Android app, we go hands-on with tiny spreadsheets (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …MIT’s genetically modified viruses boost solar-cell efficiency by herding nanotubes
April 27, 2011 No Comment
The wizards of MIT have done it again. Having checked artificial leaves and Operabots off the to-do list, they’ve moved on to improving the efficiency of solar cells. Their technique combines a genetically modified version of the M13 virus with carbon nanotubes, which have already been shown to increase efficiency. Unfortunately, some nanotubes enhance solar cell performance, while others inhibit it – and both types tend to clump together, negating their benefits. The modified M13 virus, however, can separate the two types as well as prevent clumping; we’ve seen similar use of the Tobacco mosaic virus to build better electrodes . Adding virus-built structures to dye-sensitized solar cells increased power conversion efficiency by almost one-third and, with only one additional step in the manufacturing process required, the new approach could be rapidly taken up by existing production facilities. MIT: proving once again that viruses are good for more than just smiting your enemies. MIT’s genetically modified viruses boost solar-cell efficiency by herding nanotubes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nikon’s D5100 impresses, captures children’s birthday parties with incredible clarity
April 27, 2011 No Comment
We’re not the only site to put Nikon’s new mid-range DSLR through its paces. Plenty of others have taken the D5100 for a spin and we thought you might like to know: they’re all pretty impressed. The new 1080p30 video mode was much appreciated as was the larger, higher resolution swivel screen around back. The biggest props generally went to the improved high-ISO performance (which was already quite respectable on the D5000 it’s replacing) and the boost in autofocus speed, especially when using the LCD as a view finder in Live View mode. Oddly, the built-in effects also garnered a lot of attention. The Miniature Effect (a tilt-shift simulator) and Selective Color mode impressed reviewers the most with their surprising level of sophistication for in-camera processing. All of the effects can also be used when shooting video, so you can make your HD footage look like black and white 8mm by turning on Night Vision. Criticisms were relatively minor and applicable to most mid- and entry-level DSLRs — primarily that the body is plasticy and there is a slight lag in focus and shutter performance. The D5100 is an obvious upgrade over the D5000 and more than holds its own against its competitors, but if you want to dig deeper check out our review and the ones below. Read – DPReview Read – Photography Blog Read – CNET Read – Nikon Rumors Read – Pocket-Lint Read – Pocket-Lint (2) Nikon’s D5100 impresses, captures children’s birthday parties with incredible clarity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Verizon has ‘determined the cause’ of LTE outage, working to restore service
April 27, 2011 No Comment
Yeah, we know, 3G data is so last year. If you’ve already made the jump to LTE and are totally bummed about today’s outage , know that there’s a fix coming. We have an official statement from Jeffrey Nelson from VZW Corporate Communications, who indicates that the company has “determined the cause of our issue” and is “working with our major vendors to restore connections.” We’re guessing that doesn’t actually mean plugging something back in, but maybe it does. The full statement is after the break, but what you won’t find is an ETA on when things will be live again. Continue reading Verizon has ‘determined the cause’ of LTE outage, working to restore service Verizon has ‘determined the cause’ of LTE outage, working to restore service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The saga of the Notion Ink Adam is a tale like many we could name — it’s the story of a tiny company struggling to bring a vision to market, facing friction from investors, factories and the march of time itself. The difference is that the Adam captured the imaginations of gadget fiends like ourselves with ideas that were fantastic from day one and are still novel now that it’s finally been released, including a paneled UI, full USB host functionality, and of course that Pixel Qi screen. But does the Adam deliver on the promises of unifying form and function with such technology? In two words: Not really. Gallery: Notion Ink Adam unboxing and hands-on Continue reading Notion Ink Adam review Notion Ink Adam review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …LG Optimus Big brings a 4.3-inch NOVA display and 1GHz dual-core to the superphone party
April 27, 2011 No Comment
What’s big, mostly white, and set for a Korean launch tomorrow? that’s right, the LG Optimus Big! This 4.3-inch whopper, LG’s largest handset to date, touts a 1GHz dual-core processor, a slightly skinned Android 2.2 as its OS, HDMI output, a 5 megapixel camera, and 16GB of bult-in storage. That spec sheet sounds mighty close to the elder Optimus 2X that launched earlier in the year, though a couple of items have also been borrowed from the still unreleased Optimus Black . They are the NOVA display , which can crank all the way up to 700 nits of brightness, and WiFi Direct , which allows for wireless inter-device communication without the need for an intermediary WiFi access point. This big, delicious spec sandwich is hitting its home market on April 28th, but there’s sadly no word on when and where else it might show up. Just keep an eye out for it, shouldn’t be that hard to spot. LG Optimus Big brings a 4.3-inch NOVA display and 1GHz dual-core to the superphone party originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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