We just got home from this little massive US mobile industry event you may have heard about called CTIA Wireless . It took place in Orlando this year (instead of Las Vegas as usual) and we can definitely say that Sprint was the star of the show with its HTC EVO 3D , HTC EVO View 4G , and Google Voice integration. Samsung also delivered some goodies with the Galaxy Tab 8.9 , a redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1 , the Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint, and the Android-powered Sidekick 4G for T-Mobile. LG re-badged the Optimus 2x as the G2x on T-Mobile, and the Optimus 3D as the Thrill on AT&T. The HTC HD7 made a comeback as the Super LCD-equipped HD7S on AT&T, and Nokia gave us the Astound , nee C7, for T-Mobile. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg — so if you missed the action this past week, we’ve got you covered with all the nitty gritty in the links below. Major news / product releases: AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion Google Nexus S 4G with WiMAX announced for Sprint: coming this spring for $200 Sprint, Google Voice getting tight integration, will let you use your number without porting it AT&T launches HTC HD7S with WP7 and LG’s 3D-enabled Thrill 4G Android phone Sprint’s BlackBerry 4G PlayBook portal goes live, still on track for a summer release LG’s T-Mobile G2x announced, available ‘later this spring’ (update: preloaded with Tegra Zone) T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate priced at $529.99 with a two-year contract HTC EVO 3D officially announced for Sprint Sprint makes EVO View 4G tablet official: 1.5GHz, WiMAX, 7-inch screen, and a stylus to boot LG gets official with WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad, fails to provide pricing Samsung’s CTIA press conference posted online, skinny new Galaxy Tabs shown off (video) Hands-on / previews: Nokia Astound for T-Mobile coming April 6th for $80 (hands-on with video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Play for Verizon hands-on (video) T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract, we go hands-on Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and new Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on: thinner than the iPad 2, dual-core power, TouchWiz 4.0 T-Mobile G2x from LG hands-on (video) HTC EVO 3D vs. EVO 4G… fight! HTC EVO 3D first hands-on! (video) Sprint’s HTC EVO View 4G hands-on (video) HTC HD7S hands-on AT&T’s LG Thrill 4G hands-on (video) T-Mobile G-Slate bundled apps tour (video) Cricket teases CDMA-only Samsung Indulge, Huawei Ascend 2 at CTIA (hands-on) T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot hands-on Wysips wants to turn your phone’s display into a solar cell (hands-on with video) ZTE’s Style S and LTE tablet coming to the US during the second half of the year Kyocera pictures a world of deeply understanding phones Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video) Google Voice for Sprint hands-on (video) Samsung’s original Galaxy Tab 10.1 renamed the Tab 10.1V, thicker Galaxy Tab 8.9 no more than a trade show dummy Everything else: LG’s T-Mobile G2x spied at CTIA Cobra Tag Bluetooth key tagging system to ship in July, iRadar and PhoneLynx coming to Android Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 specs and Honeycomb UI tweaks leak out before its official launch EVO 3D specs confirmed: 1080p 2D video, 720p 3D, dual cameras, 1.2GHz dual-core CPU HTC EVO 3D and EVO View 4G tablet spotted — on Sprint’s website, where else? Live from CTIA’s day one keynote with FCC chairman Julius Genachowski Live from Samsung’s CTIA event! Live from Sprint’s CTIA event! Verizon says 4G LTE network will cover ‘at least’ 147 US cities by the end of 2011 HTC’s WiFi-only Flyer launching exclusively with Best Buy ‘this spring’ Kyocera launches developer program for dual-screen Echo smartphone Best Buy signs up for LightSquared’s wholesale LTE service Femto Forum publishes API specification for femtocell apps, places focus on ‘awareness information’ Blio e-reading software still alive, will come preloaded on T-Mobile Android devices Samsung’s original Galaxy Tab 10.1 renamed the Tab 10.1V, thicker Galaxy Tab 8.9 no more than a trade show dummy And if that’s still not enough, be sure to listen to our CTIA 2011 podcast and take a look at our CTIA 2011 page right here . CTIA 2011 wrap-up: EVO 3D, G2x, skinny new Galaxy Tabs, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms’ software piracy
March 27, 2011 No Comment
Microsoft’s pirated software police have been going after companies abroad for years , but getting those far-away folks into US courtrooms isn’t easy. What is easy, however, is suing the folks in your own back yard — which is why Microsoft is lobbying to get laws passed in several states that’ll put US businesses on the hook for the pirating ways of their foreign suppliers. For example, if a manufacturer uses pirated software in the “manufacture, distribution, marketing, or sales” of products sold in Washington, Microsoft could sue the vendor of those products and get an injunction to stop the goods from being sold. So Washington widget retailers would be liable for the piracy of their foreign widget manufacturers, even if the illicit act was merely creating the sales invoice on a counterfeit copy of Word. The Washington state Senate and House have already approved different versions of the bill, and the legislature is in the process of merging the two together for final approval. Louisiana passed a similar law last year, and analogous bills have been proposed in Oregon and several other states as well. Numerous companies — including Dell, IBM, Intel, and HP — oppose the laws, as they see them giving Microsoft the power to not only drag them into court, but also futz with their supply chains. (There’s bound to be some counterfeit software being used in Shenzhen, right?) As Microsoft’s latest anti-piracy scheme unfolds, there should be plenty more legislative action to come. Evidently the crew in Redmond doesn’t see piracy as a problem to be fixed by lowering prices . Microsoft asks state lawmakers to make domestic companies pay for foreign firms’ software piracy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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No one keeps carbon nanotubes down — especially not these ones. The always popular allotropes have been enlisted by researchers at Rice University to create a composite material that gets stronger under pressure. When combined with polydimethylsiloxane, a rubbery polymer, the tubes form a nanocomposite that exhibits self-strengthening properties also exhibited in bones. During testing, the team found the material increased in stiffness by 12 percent after 3.5 million compressions. Apparently, the crew is stumped on why it reacts this way, but is no less eager to see it working in the real world — discussion is already underway to use the stuff as artificial cartilage. And here we thought aerogel was cool. Full PR after the break. Continue reading Self-strengthening polymer nanocomposite works best under pressure Self-strengthening polymer nanocomposite works best under pressure originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 06:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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When Qatar , an insanely wealthy Arab emirate roughly the size of Connecticut, won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup , one of the stipulations was that its newly constructed open-air soccer stadiums would be air conditioned. Of course, this is Qatar we’re talkin’ about here, so the solution would have to be as extravagant as its insanely wealthy Arab emirate status implies. That’s why it was no huge shock when The Peninsula reported plans to cool at least some of the nine stadiums by using a fleet of solar powered “clouds,” designed and constructed by a certain Dr. Saud Abdul Ghani and his team. Dr. Ghani, the head of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Qatar University, said that the aircraft (more accurately described as really, really slow drones) will be operated by remote control, made of 100 percent light carbonic materials, and will initially cost half a million dollars each. But, really, what’s a few million dollars when it’s for a good cause? Qatar building fleet of remote control ‘clouds’ for World Cup 2022 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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LanSchool’s iPad app has been out for a tick, but the latest update adds an extra that should please both teachers and pupils alike. It’s a testing feature that enables professors to send tests of up to 100 questions to students who are running the LanSchool iPad Student application; from there, the test results can be shot back and displayed in real time on the teacher’s console and come back graded with the ability to export or print the results. Those in charge can establish true / false, multiple choice or short answer questions, and graphics have a green light as well. Tests have to be built out using a Mac or PC, but after that, they can then be sent to iPads, computers or thin clients. You can hit the source link to download the program for free, but you’ll need a current classroom license for LanSchool to get anything accomplished. Whatd’ya — A for effort? Continue reading LanSchool iPad application shoots out, sends back test questions LanSchool iPad application shoots out, sends back test questions originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It may not look like much, but this little modular robot’s got the stuff to give Keepon a run for its money — oh yeah, and according to its creators, iMobot’s got big implications for the field of robotics too. Sporting four degrees of freedom, two rotating joints, and a pair of faceplates that act as wheels, the patent-pending device can crawl, drive, and potentially act as an autonomous camera platform. The surprisingly agile hunk of machinery was developed by two UC Davis professors who say their versatile invention could aid in search and rescue, as well as education and research. We think it’s super cool that iMobot could be a hero, but really, we just want to see it bust a move. Check out a video of our new robo love after the break. Continue reading iMobot creeps, crawls, cranes its way into our hearts (video) iMobot creeps, crawls, cranes its way into our hearts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung’s 11.6-inch 9 Series laptop official at $1,199, still comes with 64GB SSD
March 26, 2011 No CommentAn Italian demonstrator gave us hope, but now we’re empty inside — the exceptionally thin 11.6-inch version of Samsung’s 9 Series laptop will indeed come with a puny 64GB solid state drive. Well, perhaps empty is a bit of an exaggeration, as the machine’s gorgeous duralumin curves fill our hearts with joy, as does the comparatively inexpensive $1,199 price tag that Sammy just confirmed on its website. And hey, we know of an Engadget editor making do with just 60GB of storage in his notebook, so it’s not an untenable thing — but when Samsung’s marketing materials proudly boast that “You’ll have room to bring it all with you with the 64GB drive,” it’s hard to repress the tears. That said, if “portable” is your middle name, you’ll find all the pre-orders you need at our source link. [Thanks, Brian] Samsung’s 11.6-inch 9 Series laptop official at $1,199, still comes with 64GB SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Earth Hour 2011 starts at 8:30PM your local time, wants you to switch off for a bit
March 26, 2011 No Comment
In what has become an annual tradition now, the WWF’s Earth Hour is presently sweeping across the globe, getting people to switch off non-essential lights and appliances for a sixty-minute kindness to Ma Earth and her finite energy resources. All you’ll need to do to participate is power down the old World of Warcraft questing station, turn the TV off, and maybe take a walk outside so your lights don’t have to be on, starting at 8:30PM tonight. Half the world’s already done its bit and it’s now coming around to those in the UK, Portugal and Western African countries to do the same. Will you be part of it? Continue reading Earth Hour 2011 starts at 8:30PM your local time, wants you to switch off for a bit Earth Hour 2011 starts at 8:30PM your local time, wants you to switch off for a bit originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Although this is not the first time we’ve seen an efficiency increase in blue OLEDs, it’s worth noting that their proposed cap of productivity up to this point was a lowly five percent. It’s exciting to learn, therefore, about a breakthrough by professor John Kieffer and graduate student Changgua Zhen from the University of Michigan, which has resulted in them successfully increasing azure diode power efficiency by 100 percent. The duo, accompanied by some bright minds in Singapore, manipulated performance controllers by rearranging OLED molecules in a computer model, improving material characteristics. In simple terms though, we’re still looking at a measly ten percent efficiency, so we’ll see where they take it from here. Scientists improve blue OLED efficiency, don’t promise everlasting light originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Harry Winston’s Opus Eleven watch: mechanical masterpiece / bank breaker (video)
March 26, 2011 No Comment
It’s been a while since we gave Harry Winston’s Opus watch any play, but some timepieces are just too lavish to pass up . Case in point: the Opus Eleven, designed by temporal taste-maker Denis Giguet of MCT. Aesthetically speaking, it’s probably a touch too steampunk for some, but the way it tells time is straight up fascinating. Giguet points out the movement enlists 566 parts, a good deal of which are exposed in the main face — the center piece displays the hour, while the upper right disc shows off the minutes. Now, it might look like a relatively minimal watch for Harry Winston, but its case is made of 18k white gold and sapphire crystal, and the Opus Eleven’s definitely got a Winston-worthy price tag, ringing in at about $250,000. So if you’ve got a quarter of a mill just laying around, this is a definite contender for that stack of cash. Want to see all those tiny pieces in action? Check out the video after the break. Continue reading Harry Winston’s Opus Eleven watch: mechanical masterpiece / bank breaker (video) Harry Winston’s Opus Eleven watch: mechanical masterpiece / bank breaker (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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