Ericsson delivers HD voice on CDMA, crystal clear calling coming to a network near you
March 18, 2011 No Comment
Smartphones continue to improve in the “smart” areas: better screens, faster processors, more memory, etc., but there’s not been a lot of innovation in the phone aspect of those devices. HD voice technology can change that, but since its introduction in 2009 , hi-fi calling was only available on GSM networks… until now. Ericsson has just made the first HD voice call via CDMA — made possible by a new Enhanced Variable Rate Codec Narrowband-Wideband (EVRC-NW for the awkward acronym-loving crowd). The codec delivers sound in the 50Hz – 7000Hz range, which makes traditional calls limited to the 300Hz – 3400Hz spectrum sound like they’re coming from a drive-thru attendant at your local Mickey D’s. So far, the tech’s limited to the lab, but here’s hoping Ericsson lets it roam free to deliver the dulcet tones of our friends and family sooner rather than later. Continue reading Ericsson delivers HD voice on CDMA, crystal clear calling coming to a network near you Ericsson delivers HD voice on CDMA, crystal clear calling coming to a network near you originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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LG, you big tease! T-Mobile must be feeling a tinge of regret for hooking up with the Korean hardware manufacturer lately, as TmoNews reports both the G-Slate tablet and a new G2X smartphone (believed to be the US moniker for the Optimus 2X ) won’t be coming Stateside for at least another month. Neither will be exactly late, mind you, since both feature dual-core Tegra 2 chips and the G-Slate runs Google’s freshest Honeycomb software, however a launch date of April 20th does put LG a step behind its direct competitors. Motorola has already rolled out its own Xoom and Atrix alternatives, while Samsung is making noise about its new Galaxy devices , which might well beat LG’s wares to the market. Rumor is we’ll get an official date out of T-Mobile at CTIA next week, so keep your eyes peeled for that one. T-Mobile G-Slate and G2X dual-core smartphone coming on April 20th? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve already seen Evoluce toy around with Kinect hacks and multitouch displays , and it’s now inevitably managed to combine the two. The company has just announced its new I-Voluce display, which fuses a standard 46-inch LCD with some integrated “3D depth sensing technology” that’s apparently not simply a repurposed Kinect — exact details on it are light, but it will apparently work from a distance of up to 13 feet, and it relies on Windows 7 for an OS. That’s obviously not designed for home use, but Evoluce does see plenty of potential for the displays in public spaces like museums, as well as in office and education environments. For those that prefer a more hands-on approach, Evoluce also has an updated version of its Surface -style multitouch table, the Evoluce Two, which also packs 3D depth sensing technology and can accommodate up to six users simultaneously. Of course, neither exactly come cheap — look for prices to start at €3,995, or about $5,600. Continue reading Evoluce announces 46-inch display with built-in 3D sensors Evoluce announces 46-inch display with built-in 3D sensors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …WebM components for IE9 bring further video compatibility to Windows, end to codec conflict?
March 17, 2011 No Comment
We’ve been reporting on the drama over Google’s WebM ever since Microsoft compared the video format to Esperanto earlier this year, but despite a war of words, Google and Microsoft seem to be playing nice as of late. What originally appeared to be a mere WebM plug-in for IE9 , has turned out to be a full set of components for the Microsoft Media Foundation (MF) API, which means even more compatibility within Windows. Because the components are installed directly to the operating system, you’ll be able to watch WebM videos in other programs that support MF, such as Windows Media Player 12 for Windows 7. We suppose this could be the signal for some sort of a truce over disputed video formats, but, really, what’s the fun in that? WebM components for IE9 bring further video compatibility to Windows, end to codec conflict? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sprint announces Overdrive Pro 3G / 4G by Sierra Wireless, available on March 20th
March 17, 2011 No Comment
Road warriors riding the Sprint WiMAX 4G truck will be pleased to know that there’s a new mobile hotspot device in the house. Dubbed the Overdrive Pro 3G / 4G, users can now simultaneously connect up to eight devices — as opposed to just five previously — to the web via this little 802.11n router from Sierra Wireless. Better yet, Sprint has halved the price for this new model to $49.99 after a $50 rebate with a two year $50 service agreement, yet you still get the usual goodies like microSD expansion and built-in GPS support to boot. You can pick one up at Sprint stores starting on March 20th. [Thanks, r0fl] Continue reading Sprint announces Overdrive Pro 3G / 4G by Sierra Wireless, available on March 20th Sprint announces Overdrive Pro 3G / 4G by Sierra Wireless, available on March 20th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You can’t have a 9.0 magnitude earthquake without breaking a few factories, particularly ones that produce fragile liquid crystal screens, and this week Toshiba, Hitachi and Panasonic are each reporting damages that have forced them to close LCD production facilities affected by the tsunami and quake. Panasonic isn’t sure when its plant in Chiba prefecture might resume carving up the glass sandwiches , telling Bloomberg that “there has been some damage, though not a fire or a collapse,” but both Hitachi and Toshiba will reportedly halt some assembly lines for around a month to deal with damages. It’s probably still too soon to talk about panel shortages — though they seem likely soon — but we’ll let you know how things progress. Toshiba and Hitachi LCD plants damaged, will shut down for a month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Porsche gives 911 GT3 R hybrid more power, less weight — swears it wasn’t fat or anything
March 17, 2011 No Comment
There are two ways to make a car go faster, add power or subtract weight, and Porsche has done a little bit of both to its new 911 GT3 R hybrid racer in preparation for this year’s N
Continue reading …Visualized: Smart Cover magnets can turn your Apple tablet into a FridgePad
March 17, 2011 No Comment
Has the iPad 2 not proven its versatility to you yet? Well, buy one of those ” don’t call it a case ” Smart Covers that Apple launched with it and you’ll be able to turn your new dual-core slate into a bona fide FridgePad . Just add fridge. Visualized: Smart Cover magnets can turn your Apple tablet into a FridgePad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …T-Mobile demos new Sidekick opening mechanism, promises mobile hotspot and tethering support
March 17, 2011 No Comment
So what do you think of the first touchscreen Sidekick ? A desperate attempt to keep an archaic brand alive with unrelated hardware or a modern retelling of a successful retail story? Either way, T-Mobile’s keeping the popular name alive, albeit with an Android 2.2 foundation and Samsung-built guts. The new slider mechanism, which replaces the popular 180-degree swivel that was the hallmark of Sidekick devices, has now been treated to a neat video demo, where it’s assured upwards thrust gives us cause to be cautiously optimistic. Phone Scoop has also received confirmation that Android’s built-in mobile hotspot and USB tethering functions will be supported on the new device, along with MicroSD memory expansion — 1GB of storage on board will be supplemented with a 2GB card in the box — WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Video follows after the break. [Thanks, Brandon and Timothy] Continue reading T-Mobile demos new Sidekick opening mechanism, promises mobile hotspot and tethering support T-Mobile demos new Sidekick opening mechanism, promises mobile hotspot and tethering support originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Forty years ago today is considered by many to be the birthday of the first computer virus . Of course, in the early 1970s they weren’t called computer viruses, but that doesn’t make Bob Thomas’s handiwork any less special. Creeper (named after a character in the old Scooby Doo cartoons) spread from BBN Technologies’ DEC PDP-10 through Arpanet, displaying the message: “I’m the creeper, catch me if you can!” and messing with people’s printers. One notable difference between this and the majority of viruses was the fact that it it deleted old versions as it replicated itself. Incidentally, that would make 2011 the fortieth anniversary of the first antivirus software: called, appropriately enough, Reaper. Creeper, the first computer virus, is 40 years young today originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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