After debuting on the iPad and iPhone, Comcast has finally released its Xfinity TV app for Android. Right now it only supports basic features like remote controlling cable boxes, scheduling DVR recordings and searching the VOD library but other features like video streaming to the app and tuning to VOD on the TV will be add later, just like on iOS. Unfortunately right now it’s optimized for phones, according to the notes it should work on tablets too but official support isn’t ready yet. Features on their way to both platforms include recommendations and better filtering of watchlists and personalized TV listings. Other than having to turn our cable box off and on at first, we got it to work without a hitch, for now it’s at least one more option to use a cool new device when you can’t find the regular remote — have you looked on top of the refrigerator? Gallery: Xfinity TV app for Android Continue reading Comcast releases Xfinity TV remote control app for Android devices Comcast releases Xfinity TV remote control app for Android devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Voodoo founder Rahul Sood has never shied from controversy — he famously cut a cake with a MacBook Air during his tenure at HP — and today he’s expressing his love for Apple hardware from his pulpit as a Microsoft exec . “Every executive in the PC industry should use an Apple notebook,” Sood tweeted today, implying that they were of higher quality than those that come with Windows by default. That certainly sounds a bit like a shot at Microsoft, but according to ConceivablyTech he may actually be pointing at his former employer HP, as a series of private status updates point to HP’s unwillingness to compete at the high end of the laptop marketplace. “We could have done it – just need a few years of patience, and investment in our tooling/process,” the message reportedly reads, “We really could have done it. …especially with webOS, what a combination that would have been.” We’re actually pretty happy with our Envy 14 — lack of Radiance Display aside — but we can’t help wondering if it coulda been a contender with Voodoo DNA on board. Microsoft’s Rahul Sood says every PC industry exec should use a MacBook originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HP derides BlackBerry PlayBook OS as a ‘fast imitation’ of webOS, RIM says it’s just good UI design
March 1, 2011 No Comment
It’s not rare to hear talk of other operating systems employing webOS -like elements — we’ve been asking to see its elegant notification system in iOS for years — but RIM’s BlackBerry Playbook borrows so heavily from the UI concepts of the software built by Palm and now owned by HP that it could easily be confused for a webOS tablet. It handles multiple concurrent applications using a card view and allows you to shut down unwanted apps by swiping them off the screen, a multitasking implementation that exhibits “uncanny similarities” in HP’s eyes to its own TouchPad tablet. Still, the Hewlett Packard team insist that they’re focused on their own products and will “keep innovating, we’ll keep honing and those guys hopefully will continue to see the value in it and keep following us by about a year.” Ouch. RIM’s response, as espoused by Jeff McDowell, has been to say that “when you’re trying to optimize user experience that juggles multitasking, multiple apps open at once and on a small screen, you’re going to get people landing on similar kinds of designs.” This essentially sidesteps the issue by throwing a subtle compliment HP’s way, but it brings up an interesting question — shouldn’t companies aim to make the best software possible, in spite of it potentially looking like a ripoff of someone else’s work? HP derides BlackBerry PlayBook OS as a ‘fast imitation’ of webOS, RIM says it’s just good UI design originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Google’s notoriously generous at developer events, tossing out free devices like candy on Halloween, but here at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco it’s letting them flow like wine. Each attendee at Google’s Web Developer Day yesterday got a free Cr-48 laptop , and today the company dished out even greater prizes — either a free Motorola Xoom tablet or a Nexus S smartphone to every soul listening to some exceedingly well-attended technical sessions on Android. That’s certainly one way to attract game developers to your platform. Google gifts Xoom tablets to game devs at GDC 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It may not be the first to produce an Android-based in-car infotainment system, but Saab is diving headlong into the fray with its new IQon platform that it’s just unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. It not only packs the usual navigation and entertainment features, but is tied into a network of sensors in the car that measure everything from vehicle speed to inside and outside temperatures to the position of the sun. While that’s fairly impressive on its own, Saab is also going the extra mile and making all of that information to third-party developers though an API, which they’ll be able to use to produce their own applications — which will (you guessed it) be made available through Saab’s own app store. Unfortunately, it’s not clear when the new system will actually be available to consumers, but Saab is already using it in a fleet of test cars, and it’s now showing it off in its new PhoeniX concept car in Geneva. Head on past the break for a brief teaser video. Continue reading Saab shows off Android-based IQon in-car infotainment system Saab shows off Android-based IQon in-car infotainment system originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Verizon targeting mid-summer for tiered data plans, doesn’t yet know what kinds of tiers they’ll be
March 1, 2011 No Comment
Verizon’s made no secret of the fact that $30 unlimited smartphone data wouldn’t last forever , but CFO Fran Shammo just made things a little more interesting today at the same Morgan Stanley conference Sanjay Jha rocked yesterday : turns out they’re targeting “mid-summer” to rearrange the carrier’s data pricing. Interestingly, Shammo says they’re still working through the details and that they don’t yet know whether the tiers will be based on speed, bit buckets, or some combination of the two. Of course, Verizon’s already dipped its toes in the tiered game with a $15 / 150MB option that evaporated around the time that the CDMA iPhone launched. Speaking of the iPhone, Shammo notes that the unlimited data plan was kept around to draw users into the iPhone fold — iPhone users tend to consume a lot of data, after all — so it’d seem that they might comfortable with that one-time conquest before parting ways with unlimited for good. Verizon targeting mid-summer for tiered data plans, doesn’t yet know what kinds of tiers they’ll be originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Unless you’re eagerly anticipating your IT department handing one of these to you, something tells us the Stylistic Q550 isn’t the tablet you’re looking for. Why’s that? Everything about the experience screams “corporate,” starting with our time at Fujitsu’s booth earlier today where business dealings to deploy the tablet in some corporate environment were literally happening before our very eyes. There was only one unit in the vicinity — and the suits were relentless in trying to get their paws on it — but we spent just long enough with it to figure out that there are far, far better-suited consumer options out there; as far as we can tell, that’s exactly how Fujitsu wants it. That opinion was further reinforced by the presence of a smart card reader on the side (for secure logins), a fingerprint scanner on back, and old-school pen input, which Fujitsu tells us that legacy tablet users (read: medical personnel and field data entry folks) still want. It can take fingers, too, but we felt like the quality of the display is compromised a bit for the dual-mode support. Interestingly, there’s no place to store the pen in the tablet anyway; you’ll need the accessory case for that. The company is talking about its custom Windows 7 skin as a key differentiator. The build they had on the demo unit was a little buggy, but at any rate, we came away with the impression that it’s basically just a finger-friendly view to launch apps; fortunately, the full Windows experience — which is just as non-touch-optimized as ever — is just a tap away. We were hoping the Oak Trail guts would keep everything snappy, but the pre-release code here was actually lagging pretty badly as we navigated from screen to screen. Don’t get us wrong: we’re sure these are precisely the specs that some enterprise customers are looking for… but as an individual, gadget-loving, tablet-wanting human being, we’re pretty sure they aren’t the specs that you’re looking for. Gallery: Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 hands-on at CeBIT 2011 Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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There’s really no telling what could happen tomorrow at Apple’s little event. Sure, the company could talk about its success with iOS devices, how well the iPad has sold, and then introduce a brand new version of the wildly popular tablet… but maybe there’ll be surprises too. We can’t say for sure at this point, but that’s okay, because come 10AM PST ( 1PM EST ), we’re going to be delivering all the news as it happens with the industry’s best liveblog right here on Engadget. If you want to follow along with the action, tune into this URL right here at the times below tomorrow. Just make sure you’ve got the popcorn and sodas ready — this is going to be a fun one. 08:00AM – Hawaii 10:00AM – Pacific 11:00AM – Mountain 12:00PM – Central 01:00PM – Eastern 06:00PM – London 07:00PM – Paris 09:00PM – Moscow 11:30PM – Mumbai 03:00AM – Tokyo (March 3rd) 05:00AM – Sydney (March 3rd) We’re liveblogging from Apple’s iPad 2 event tomorrow… be there! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Trillian gets there first, brings Continuous Client features to latest build
March 1, 2011 No Comment
Well this is rather awesome. Cerulean Studios may have just become the first company in the world to implement some of the ideas I hatched in an editorial I wrote about a little something called the Continuous Client . If you need a refresher you can read the article here , but the gist of my argument is that the work you’re doing in applications on your phone, tablet, or PC should follow you around. You shouldn’t have to restart each conversation or refocus your Twitter stream or re-open applications and load up files you were working on. Your devices (and their clients) should talk to each other so that you can placeshift your session from screen to screen. Well, believe it or not, someone took this to heart. The makers of the super-popular chat client Trillian have implemented Continuous Client features in the latest beta build for Windows (5.0 build 30). Amongst the new features added is the ability to share chats between devices “in realtime,” allowing you to switch from PC to phone to iPad without losing the thread. Using “presence technology” the client can make logical guesses about when you’re at (and not at) your PC or phone, and reroutes your notifications accordingly. The company has a blog post on all of the features of the new build, but of course, the best way to experience it is to download the software and try it out for yourself. We’d love to see your reactions and find out if it’s making life easier, so sound off in the comments below. Trillian gets there first, brings Continuous Client features to latest build originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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After setting its LED pricing for the year to come , Panasonic has finally set its plasma HDTV info in stone. Again matching the information leaked from retailers, the MSRPs (before any retailer discounts) range from the 65-inch TC-P65VT30 sticking at $4,299 down to the $599 720p TC-P42X3. Also of note is the inclusion of not only the previously announced S30 series without 3D technology or the new Infinite Black 2 panel (unlike the step-up ST30 models) but there will also apparently be a V30 line without the 3D fittings, although there’s no specs, prices or ship dates mentioned. Last year the only top of the line model available was the VT25, although there was a 2D only V20-series plasma available in Australia and other regions. 3D or no, things appear to be looking up for plasma TVs, with shipments jumping nine percent last year. Check the press release after the break for all the details, but we’ll have to wait until the TVs to arrive to find out if Panasonic is going to be able to hold onto its crown again. Continue reading Panasonic celebrates higher plasma TV sales for 2010, sets prices for 2011 Panasonic celebrates higher plasma TV sales for 2010, sets prices for 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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