| Flipboard beta coming to all Android devices soon, hopes to handle resolution variety with poise May 30th 2012, 12:22  Eagle-eyed readers might remember that Flipboard's long-awaited port to Android started with a fair amount of confusion; it showed up (seemingly at random) on Samsung's Galaxy S III, but soon after, we learned that it would only be available for that very phone over on the Android side of things. Recently, we uncovered the story of why, and what the company's planning for the future. Put simply, that "device diversity" that keeps developers on their toes is at the forefront of the issue here. For those unaware, Flipboard is quite the polished app over on iOS, and the outfit didn't want its product to offer a subpar experience on competing platforms. In order to gain a better grip on the app's appearance in the land of mobile desserts, it teamed up with Samsung to focus on a single screen, and a single screen resolution. Naturally, it's expecting a huge amount of GSIII shipments, so that's certainly not a bad device to start on. But in the effort of understanding Flipboard's future on Android, it's important to note that whole "start" phrase. Turns out, the company's eerily close to having a build ready for the rest of the Android smartphone universe. But, smartly, it's planning to release it to a small subset of users with a clear 'beta' label. The idea here is to offer it up to savvy Android users who understand the art of sideloading an APK, giving them the tools to submit bug reports and help polish up Flipboard on the many, many variations of devices out there. Truth be told, we wish more app makers would give this approach a try. Tossing that 'beta' label on there keeps expectations in check, and allowing early adopters to chime in with bugs enables the final product to be that much more stable across a wide gamut of screen resolutions. We weren't able to nail down a specific launch date, but Android aficionados hoping to get a few flips in shouldn't have to wait too many more months before that beta offering is made public. In the meanwhile, there's always the renegade method -- but of course, we'd caution that you proceed at your own risk. Flipboard beta coming to all Android devices soon, hopes to handle resolution variety with poise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Nokia Lumia 610 launches in the UK, starts on £15 per month contracts May 30th 2012, 12:04  Nokia's latest Windows Phone addition might not stack up to the polycarbonate glory of its forebears, but at this price, it's hard to complain that much. While the reduced RAM specification is proving tricky with some apps, the Lumia 610 has some strong points, arriving with WiFi tethering out of the box and a raft of Nokia's impressive home-made apps. We're putting the phone through its paces for review now, so you can expect our verdict pretty soon. The Lumia 610 will be available across Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and Three, in a choice of white, cyan, magenta and black finishes. Phone sellers Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4u will also be more than willing to take your money and if you'd like to hear Nokia wax lyrical on its tiniest leading light, take a look right after the break. Continue reading Nokia Lumia 610 launches in the UK, starts on £15 per month contracts Nokia Lumia 610 launches in the UK, starts on £15 per month contracts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 08:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Creative announces Sound BlasterAxx wireless speakers with mics May 30th 2012, 11:49  In a departure from its traditional sound cards, Creative has just unveiled a line of Bluetooth speakers with built-in mics, called the Sound BlasterAxx range. Yes, these are the pun-heavy ones we anticipated last week, but now we have a lot more detail. There are three different sizes of speaker, but only the larger two (the SBX-20 and SBX-10) are Bluetooth -- the smaller and cheaper SBX-8 must be tethered. All contain the new SBAxx-1 hardware processor, and even the SBX-20 can be powered over USB from a mobile device (with sufficient current output) or a power pack. The speakers are designed to bring Creative into the Internet Age with a number of voice-enhancing features for video chat apps like Skype. These include highly-focused directionality and noise reduction, to frame out peripheral sounds, and also Smart Volume, which automatically adjusts audio levels as you move closer to or further from the mic. There's also some quirky stuff like comic voice effects, just in case you're not embarrassed by how you sound on a mic already. The SBX-8 and SBX-10 will be available in the UK from early July for £80 and £130 respectively, while the flagship SBX-20 will arrive in August for £180. Continue reading Creative announces Sound BlasterAxx wireless speakers with mics Creative announces Sound BlasterAxx wireless speakers with mics originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 07:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Remote-controlled Aquabotix HydroView takes underwater HD video, Mrs. Puff calls insurance agent May 30th 2012, 11:17  Using an iPad to control your music system? Been there, done that. Using an iPad to control a submersible that also records underwater video in 1080p? Oh, the possibilities. Aquabotix is giving Jacques Cousteau wannabes the ability to shoot the watery depths all the way down to 150 feet as its underwater doohickey -- the HydroView -- officially goes on sale. Measuring 14.6 x 19 x 7 inches and weighing nine pounds, the submersible comes with LED lights, a three-hour battery and a top-side box that connects with a cable tether. The box also allows users to communicate with the HydroView via an iPad, Mac or PC. Besides getting video proof of, say, which swimmers ate too many bean burritos for lunch, the submersible can also take pictures and gather data about water conditions. Top speed for the submersible is five knots -- one knot when going in reverse. Just make sure you don't channel your inner SpongeBob while remotely driving the thing. Although it's not in the same league as Rinspeed's submersible Elise, the HydroView still doesn't come cheap at $3,995 a pop. Check out the official PR and, uh, low-def video of the diminutive diver in action after the break. Continue reading Remote-controlled Aquabotix HydroView takes underwater HD video, Mrs. Puff calls insurance agent Remote-controlled Aquabotix HydroView takes underwater HD video, Mrs. Puff calls insurance agent originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 07:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  PRWeb |  Aquabotix | Email this | Comments | |
