Mobile Miscellany: week of September 19, 2011

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 19, 2011:

This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 19, 2011:

• 
  Opera Software, builder of the popular mobile browser, announced it was acquiring Handster, an app store platform that supports Android, WP7, BlackBerry, and Symbian. [TechCrunch]


• 
  Samsung unveiled three new HSDPA feature phones destined for India: the Champ 3.5G (S3770), Primo (S5610) and Chat 527 (S5270). [UnwiredView and SammyHub]


• 
  A leaked image indicates the HTC Hero S will be coming to US Cellular in the near future. The device appears to be the Kingdom, and is expected to feature a 1.2GHz single-core Qualcomm CPU, 768MB of RAM, a 4-inch qHD display and Gingerbread. [PocketNow]


• 
  Speaking of US Cellular, the Motorola Electrify officially became available for purchase online this week (expected in stores on September 26th), and can be yours for $200 after a $100 mail-in rebate. [AndroidCentral]


• 
  Wirefly accidentally outed press renders of the Samsung Stratosphere -- on the retailer's Pantech Breakout page. The images have since been removed. [OwenJohnston]


• 
  A white version of the Samsung Galaxy S II is making the rounds in the UK, but we learned this week that Bell Canada will be launching it well before the holidays. Interestingly, the device in the image (seen above) has retained the global version's three-button layout, a stark contrast to every other Galaxy S II device we've seen in North America so far. [MobileSyrup]


• 
  Among the barrage of new phones Sprint's releasing on October 2nd is the BlackBerry Curve 9350, according to another leaked employee memo. The price will likely be $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate. [CrackBerry]


• 
  T-Mobile MVNO Simple Mobile announced a new unlimited prepaid plan for BlackBerry devices for $60 / month, which includes access to T-Mo's HSPA+ network. [N4BB]


• 
  Huawei appears to have outed press images of the Honor, which is said to have a 4-inch FWVGA LCD, Gingerbread, 1.4GHz CPU (no specifics known yet), and an 8MP rear camera accompanied by a front-facing cam (again, no details on the resolution here). [EuroDroid]


• 
  A member of the iPhone Dev Team has released a new version of Redsn0w, its popular iOS jailbreaking software, known as 0.9.9b1. Check the link to get the full list of new features. [Technobolt]

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 19, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZTE Skate launches worldwide, attempts to stick landing in the US

ZTE Skate launches worldwide, attempts to stick landing in the US:

The ZTE Skate -- spiritual sucessor to the Blade and current flagship -- is pushing on with its global roll-out and it looks like it may reach the US. Now on sale in Hong Kong, Brazil and Spain, the Skate is rolling down the French Alps and into France and the UK, where the Orange-branded Monte Carlo (a Skate in phone network clothing) is already available. With a different ZTE device set to arrive on Cricket soon, the electronics giant also intends to bring this 4.3-inch phone to the US in the near future, though there's nothing concrete on dates and prices just yet. According to ZTE's executive VP He Shiyou, the company is set to launch "a total of 30 smartphone models" by the end of the year. We fear the company may run out of flat-shaped names before the end of November. Head on over to our Chinese site for some hands-on shots.

Continue reading ZTE Skate launches worldwide, attempts to stick landing in the US

ZTE Skate launches worldwide, attempts to stick landing in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 06:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Card.io launches visual credit card scanner on Android, shares the mobile payment love

Card.io launches visual credit card scanner on Android, shares the mobile payment love:

Already in use on iOS, Card.io offers a lightweight alternative to Google Wallet, using your phone's camera to glean payment details; and it's now winging its way to your Android phone. It may not have that phone-tapping appeal of Google's contactless payment system, but the app SDK (available now) skips the laborious process of entering your details number-by-number, booting up your camera and delivering your precious banking details to third-party merchants. You can check the video after the break for a (really brief) walkthrough, or click on the source below to give the Android demo a go.

Continue reading Card.io launches visual credit card scanner on Android, shares the mobile payment love

Card.io launches visual credit card scanner on Android, shares the mobile payment love originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wisconsin library loans iPads for at home e-reading

Wisconsin library loans iPads for at home e-reading:

If you thought hitting up the local library was far too Web 1.0 for your avant-garde lifestyle, you may want to check out the Eau Claire public library in Wisconsin -- it's not only lending books, but also, iPads. Each one of the 44 available tablets will be stuffed to the digital gills with 1,000 books, ten audiobooks and various apps for your reading (or, not reading) pleasure. Although other houses of learning have launched similar programs, this is the first of note to go with Apple slates for its e-reading experiment. If you're the proud owner of a library card and have less than $10 in fines, you too can get in line for one of the loaners. We wonder, does the old saying "you break it, you buy it" apply here?

Wisconsin library loans iPads for at home e-reading originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amtrak to finally launch free WiFi for regional trains on October 1st?

Amtrak to finally launch free WiFi for regional trains on October 1st?:

Rumor 'round the Twitterverse has it that Amtrak may finally be implementing free WiFi on October 1st -- finally seeing the bet laid down by various plane and bus companies over the past couple years. The casual conversation between conductor and passenger yielded the information that the system is finally ready to extend beyond Acela, apparently "ready to roll and it's just a matter of 'flipping the on switch.'" This comes as great news for commuters who spend their mornings and evenings stuck on slow, old, often curious smelling Regional trains. Unfortunately, other than the tweet, there's no word (official or otherwise) whether net surfage will be possible beginning next month. Regardless, looks like the "I didn't have internet access" excuse is still valid for a little while longer for all you nine to fivers.



Update: To be clear: Amtrak Acela trains by and large already have WiFi, as do some regional trains in the Northwest. This latest addition would be for Northeast Regional trains.



[Thanks, @melanierenzulli]

Amtrak to finally launch free WiFi for regional trains on October 1st? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola's Atrix 2 (Edison) flaunts qHD display, hands-on reveals no PenTile matrix

Motorola's Atrix 2 (Edison) flaunts qHD display, hands-on reveals no PenTile matrix:

It seems that Motorola's successor to the original Atrix has emerged in the streets of Chicago prior to being officially unveiled by AT&T. The crew at The Verge recently scored some hands-on time with the device, and in the process, cleared up much of the speculation regarding Ma Bell's upcoming Atrix 2 -- also known as the Edison. First, we know the device will indeed have a qHD display, although unlike Moto's other 960 x 540 screens, this one discards the PenTile matrix and features properly proportioned sub-pixels, which delivers crisper text in the process. Additionally, there's now further evidence that the handset will not be a member of AT&T's LTE lineup, and thus will be limited to its HSPA+ network. Notably, this revision adds a shutter button along the right edge of the handset, although like the Photon, it's only a single-stage mechanism, which is quite a bummer. Similar to the Bionic, it features a dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP CPU and delivers comparable benchmarks in the process. Looks like it'll be a fine contender for battle with the biggies from Samsung and Apple, eh?

Motorola's Atrix 2 (Edison) flaunts qHD display, hands-on reveals no PenTile matrix originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy

Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy: Back in 2005, Bruce Logan and his team of Penn State researchers developed a microbial fuel cell capable of converting poop into power. Now, Logan has refined his system to the point where it can produce hydrogen from wastewater or biodegradable organic materials without using a drop of grid electricity, and without emitting even a hint of carbon dioxide. His approach, outlined in the September 19th issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involves something known as reverse-electrodialysis (RED) -- a process that harvests energy from the ionic discrepancy between fresh and salt water. Logan's bacterial hydrolysis cell (pictured left) features a so-called RED stack that's comprised of alternating positive and negative ion exchange membranes, which it uses to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Normally, this process would involve about 25 pairs of membranes, but by using RED technology in conjunction with electricity-producing exoelectrogenic bacteria, Penn State's team was able to extract hydrogen with just five membrane pairs. All told, Logan's cells proved to be about 58 to 64 percent energy efficient, while producing between 0.8 to 1.6 cubic meters of hydrogen for every cubic meter of liquid that passed through the system. The researchers' results show that only one percent of that energy was used to pump water through the cells, which are completely carbon neutral, as well. According to Logan, this breakthrough demonstrates that "pure hydrogen gas can efficiently be produced from virtually limitless supplies of seawater and river water and biodegradable organic matter." Somewhere, the US Navy is taking scrupulous notes. Full PR after the break.



[Image courtesy of Penn State / Bruce Logan]

Continue reading Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy

Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 07:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Edison2's Very Light Car is now very electric, too

Edison2's Very Light Car is now very electric, too:

When we caught a glimpse of Edison2's Very Light Car earlier this year, we were told to expect an electric version of the X-Prize winning featherweight in the near future. Well, here it is. Known as the eVLC, this "supremely aerodynamic" concept car is powered by a 10-kWh battery pack and, believe it or not, can comfortably seat four passengers. The plug-in has yet to go through the EPA's official round of mileage testing, but Edison2 claims that the eVLC is far more fuel efficient than the Nissan Leaf and believes it could even receive the highest MPGe rating ever awarded. There's still no word on when this little critter could hit the market, but you can check out Autoblog Green's gallery (at the source link below) for a more extensive tour of what Edison2 calls the "inevitable future of the automobile."

Edison2's Very Light Car is now very electric, too originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Raider 4G arrives bearing South Korean LTE, looks a lot like the Holiday

HTC Raider 4G arrives bearing South Korean LTE, looks a lot like the Holiday:

HTC has bestowed a sparkly new handset upon its South Korean customers today, with the release of the Raider 4G. Sporting a 4.5-inch qHD display, this Gingerbread-coated device is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and boasts 1GB of RAM, along with 16GB of internal storage. Graced with what appears to be HTC's Sense 3.0, the Raider also features an eight megapixel camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter and supports 1080p Full HD video recording, as well as the usual smattering of WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS capabilities. When connected to a South Korean LTE network, this handset can reportedly achieve downstream / upstream speeds of 100Mbps and 50Mbps uploads, respectively, with HSPA downloads clocking in at 21Mbps and uploads at 5.76Mbps. The manufacturer hasn't revealed any plans for an international release, though rumor has it that this Holiday-like device may be heading to AT&T at some point. Trot past the break for the machine-translated press release, along with an extra image.

Continue reading HTC Raider 4G arrives bearing South Korean LTE, looks a lot like the Holiday

HTC Raider 4G arrives bearing South Korean LTE, looks a lot like the Holiday originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers convert soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, silence no longer golden

Researchers convert soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, silence no longer golden:

Researchers in Japan and Germany have converted energy from soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, trapping a magnetic "spin current" between metal layers. In the experiment, when sound waves are directed at an interface between the thin metal layer and magnetic material, electrical signals are generated at a pair of electrodes attached above. When the soundwaves reach the magnetic material, this creates a spin current that gets picked up by three layers of metal. This is where the exercise class-sounding reverse spin Hall effect kicks in, transforming it into an electrical voltage.



Not to be confused with Orange's Sound Charge T-Shirt, scientists believe that it should be possible to generate that mystical electromagnetic energy from any material in the future. At the moment, the project is looking into materials that are able to eke out more voltage from the process -- perhaps a few years later screaming at our phones will give their batteries a boost? Watch the video after the break for more technical details and close-ups of the equipment.

Continue reading Researchers convert soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, silence no longer golden

Researchers convert soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, silence no longer golden originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists attempt to give spark of life to all-synthetic metal cells

Scientists attempt to give spark of life to all-synthetic metal cells:

Just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it can't; at least that's what a Scottish research group is hoping as it attempts to create reproductive synthetic cells made completely from metal. At this stage, the idea of sentient metallic life remains a distant sci-fi dream, but researchers at the University of Glasgow have already birthed iChells -- inorganic chemical cells. These bubbles, formed from the likes of tungsten, oxygen and phosphorus, can already self-assemble, possess an internal structure, and are capable of the molecular in-and-outs expected of its biological counterparts. Researchers are still tackling how to give these little wonders the ability to self-replicate, and possibly evolve -- further cementing our doom post-Robot Apocalypse. Check out our future synthetic overlord's first steps in a video after the break.

Continue reading Scientists attempt to give spark of life to all-synthetic metal cells

Scientists attempt to give spark of life to all-synthetic metal cells originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CyanogenMod 7 update brings WiFi, sound and accelerometer support to TouchPad (video)

CyanogenMod 7 update brings WiFi, sound and accelerometer support to TouchPad (video):

Oh, sure -- HP's webOS may be one of the most sophisticated tablet operating systems in existence, but with a permanently stagnant market, The CM Team has decided that your fire sale TouchPad may be better off running Android. You know, from a long-term perspective. All jesting aside, the crew has been pounding the pavement on a new (and vastly improved) CyanogenMod 7 for Android, with this build providing functional WiFi, access to the Android Market, audio (albeit a bit fast) and an operational accelerometer. There's no code being released just yet -- the team's still working to cull the aforesaid Hamsterdance effect -- but you can catch a sneak peek of everything in action just above.

CyanogenMod 7 update brings WiFi, sound and accelerometer support to TouchPad (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Liliputing, Netbook News | greentheonly (YouTube), RootzWiki | Email this | Comments

Honeywell and Opower team up for cloud-connected smart thermostat

Honeywell and Opower team up for cloud-connected smart thermostat:

Normally we wouldn't get too excited about a thermostat, even a so-called smart one. But, unlike what normally passes for a "smart" home heating solution, Honeywell's upcoming touchscreen devices are going to be paired with some real brains courtesy of Opower. Details of the partnership are still a little thin, but we do know that customers will be able to program and monitor energy usage, not just from the thermostat itself but, via internet connected devices like smartphones. Opower will even provide suggestions for trimming energy bills. The first trials are expected to begin in the next few months through utility companies, but Honeywell eventually expects to offer the devices through broader retail channels. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Honeywell and Opower team up for cloud-connected smart thermostat

Honeywell and Opower team up for cloud-connected smart thermostat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eyes-on with Thunderbolt on Windows at IDF 2011 (video)

Eyes-on with Thunderbolt on Windows at IDF 2011 (video):

Sure, you've seen the announcement of Thunderbolt on the PC, the chips that'll power it and a bevy of compatible accessories, but how about actual proof of Thunderbolt working on Windows? Hidden deep in the recesses of IDF's technical showcase, we found just that and immortalized it on video for all to see. Essentially the same Chipzilla demo as when we first witnessed the interconnect on Macs, we watched the playback of four 1080p streams devour over 700MB of throughput off a PCIe attached SSD. You know the drill, serious bit slinging awaits in the gallery below and video after the break.



Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Gallery: Eyes-on with Thunderbolt on Windows at IDF 2011

Continue reading Eyes-on with Thunderbolt on Windows at IDF 2011 (video)

Eyes-on with Thunderbolt on Windows at IDF 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Illusion gets pictured on Verizon, convincing us it's not a figment of our imagination

Samsung Illusion gets pictured on Verizon, convincing us it's not a figment of our imagination:

We can't put all of our focus on Verizon's LTE lineup, lest we forget that there's plenty of 3G phones that need some attention too. The one shown above is a leaked image of the Samsung Illusion, also known to some as the Viper or the SCH-I110, a conceivably lower-end Android device with Gingerbread. It's difficult to pin down any more hard details on the device, as the components inside the phone seem to be even more of a hallucination than the phone itself; speculation, however, points to at least an 800MHz CPU, a 480 x 320 HVGA smaller-screen display and a few eco-friendly features (as indicated by its Sustainable Product Certification). Persuaded yet? Yeah, we didn't think so.

Samsung Illusion gets pictured on Verizon, convincing us it's not a figment of our imagination originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo on price reduction: no glasses required to see 3DS sales boost

Nintendo on price reduction: no glasses required to see 3DS sales boost:

The Big N has today confirmed our suspicions: people buy more things when they're cheaper, and in turn, the laws of economics are still sound. The longer version is after the break.

Continue reading Nintendo on price reduction: no glasses required to see 3DS sales boost

Nintendo on price reduction: no glasses required to see 3DS sales boost originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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mLogic mDock blocks select MacBook ports while extending others, leaves us mBaffled

mLogic mDock blocks select MacBook ports while extending others, leaves us mBaffled:

If you're trying to make a name for yourself in the incredibly crowded portable storage space, you can innovate and create something totally awesome, or you can do this. The mDock from mLogic is an external hard drive, port extender and port blocker all rolled into one pricey coffin-like chamber of fail. $219 will net you an eternal resting place for 500 gigs of data, while $299 ups the ante to an entire terabyte. Plus, with a pair of front-facing USB ports, you can add a third-party portable storage yokel for the less-than-princely sum of 50 bucks. If you haven't already gathered, the mDock is designed for mMacbook Pros, but there's also the iMac-mountable mBack (curiously not the iBack), designed with Apple's familiar desktop flavor in mind. That variant is slightly more affordable, with pricing ranging from $169 for 1TB to $349 for 3TB, but you'll forgo the dock-like USB hub and headphone jack. There's no word on when to expect these life-changing devices in stores, but it's never too early to dust off the mChair iChair and park yourself on 5th Ave.

mLogic mDock blocks select MacBook ports while extending others, leaves us mBaffled originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 09:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Marquee caught on candid camera, is this Sprint's Optimus Black?

LG Marquee caught on candid camera, is this Sprint's Optimus Black?:

Is this a case of smartphone identity crisis, or just a repurposed chassis? Whatever the case may be, LG's got a Marquee handset ready to shore up Sprint's future line-up. The leaked shot comes courtesy of a now private video spotted by Android Central, and was taken at a Dallas-based Radio Shack Business Summit. It's evident from the one Mr. Blurrycam screen cap on display that the phone's currently running a vanilla build of Gingerbread, and sports a minimalistic design that's reminiscent of the Optimus Black. We can't be certain the two are indeed twins, however that leaked roadmap did indicate a stateside October bow for the Optimus Black -- this could simply be a rebrand for the Now Network.

LG Marquee caught on candid camera, is this Sprint's Optimus Black? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corsair Flash Voyager, GT, Survivor get a USB 3.0 boost

Corsair Flash Voyager, GT, Survivor get a USB 3.0 boost:

Call us jaded, but most USB flash drives just don't get the juices flowing like a new tablet or smartphone. Nonetheless, they've become a critical component of many a workflow, and for a device where speed is key, a USB 3.0 boost is certainly welcome. And Corsair did just that with its Flash Voyager, Flash Voyager GT, and "adventure-proof" Flash Survivor lines. The entry level Voyagers ship in 8GB ($17) and 16GB ($24) capacities, while the premium model offers 32GB and 64GB of storage, for $59 and $129, respectively. 8GB ($28) and 16GB ($35) drives in the ruggedized Survivor series are constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum and are water-proof all the way down to 200 meters -- that algae-covered Survivor you found 650 feet down at the bottom of the ocean floor? Yup, it probably still works. The new drives are shipping now, and you can find the full scoop from Corsair just past the break.

Continue reading Corsair Flash Voyager, GT, Survivor get a USB 3.0 boost

Corsair Flash Voyager, GT, Survivor get a USB 3.0 boost originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists build WiFi hunter-killer drone and call it SkyNET... Viene Tormenta!

Scientists build WiFi hunter-killer drone and call it SkyNET... Viene Tormenta!:

You'd think scientists would proscribe certain names for their inventions -- you wouldn't be taken seriously if your supercomputer was called HAL 9000, WOPR or Proteus IV would you? Well, a team from the Stevens Institute of Technology isn't listening, because it's developing an aerial drone and calling it SkyNET. A Linux box, strapped to a Parrot A.R. Drone, can fly within range of your home wireless network and electronically attack it from the air. Whilst internet-only attacks are traceable to some extent, drone attacks are difficult to detect until it's too late -- you'd have to catch it in the act and chase it off with a long-handled pitchfork, or something. The team is working on refining the technology to make it cheaper than the $600 it currently costs and advise that people toughen up their domestic wireless security. We advise they stop pushing us ever closer towards the Robopocalypse.

Scientists build WiFi hunter-killer drone and call it SkyNET... Viene Tormenta! originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 05:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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