| Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review Apr 2nd 2012, 18:00 Maybe you've noticed, maybe you haven't, but the Galaxy S 4G no longer exists at T-Mobile. Just one year ago, it replaced the Vibrant -- the carrier's first Galaxy S handset -- and now the Galaxy S 4G has similarly felt the cold embrace of Father Time. Fear not, though, because it has a replacement, and it's really quite admirable. Folks, let us introduce you to the Galaxy S Blaze 4G. If you're curious about the rationale behind the Blaze nomenclature, its meaning is actually two-fold: first, it's capable of accessing T-Mobile's speedy HSPA+ 42Mbps network, and second -- get this -- it packs the same dual-core processor as T-Mobile's Galaxy S II. Despite these two enhancements, the Galaxy S Blaze 4G stops short of encroaching on premium territory -- instead preferring to straddle the line between middle-of-the-road and high-end. Similarly, it retails for $200 on contract, before a $50 mail-in rebate. With such a lofty price, it'll undoubtedly instigate comparisons to the Galaxy S II and, soon enough, the HTC One S. Most importantly, though, is the question of whether the Blaze 4G can stand on its own as a quality smartphone; we're fully aware that prices change, and a vexing purchase today could become a wise decision tomorrow. With this in mind, join us after the break as we explore the latest that Samsung has to offer for T-Mobile. Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | UK planning second snooping bill, proxy servers to sell out shortly Apr 2nd 2012, 17:39 The UK Government revealed on April Fools' Day that it's planning to offer law enforcement agencies unprecedented access to private communications. British Cellphone operators and ISPs will be required to harvest packet data -- containing the parties to all calls, emails and social media communication, as well as the time and duration of each message. The proposals will be officially unveiled on May 9th, as part of the Queen's Speech, despite a similar bill being opposed by the current administration whilst it was in opposition. It has already drawn bitter criticism from backbench members of the Government, civil liberties advocates and privacy experts, who believe the move is fundamentally flawed. It's currently timetabled to be added to the statute books by 2013, unless, you know, common sense gets in the way. UK planning second snooping bill, proxy servers to sell out shortly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Guardian, (2) | Email this | Comments | | HCL intros trio of Android 4.0 tablets aimed at Indian classrooms Apr 2nd 2012, 17:21 HCL, previously known for launching those budget-friendly MiLeaps, is now getting ready to take its low-cost approach to the tablet market. Earlier today, the Indian outfit announced a trifecta of ICS-packed slates, all of which are aimed squarely at the education sector. Aside from running the freshest version of Android, these 7-inch (800 x 480) slates feature an unspecified 1GHz CPU alongside 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD) as well as full and mini-USB ports. Additionally, the K-12 and HE MyEduTabs are being bundled with bonus educational content, including free NCERT books and an extra SD card on the former. The trio is set to hit the shelves later this month in India, with the ME U1 priced at 7,999 rupees (approximately $162), while the K-12 and HE are 11,499 and 9,999, respectively. [Thanks, Rakesh] HCL intros trio of Android 4.0 tablets aimed at Indian classrooms originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Wizard Journal | IBNLive | Email this | Comments | | US Navy shows off its new LASR autonomous robot testing facility Apr 2nd 2012, 17:00 All the fun of the desert and the rainforest from the (relative) comfort of home? Sign us up. That's the promise offered by the admittedly awesomely named Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research (that's LASR, for you abbreviators out there), first announced last month. The robotics lab, housed in a $17.7 million building at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC, offers up around 50,000 square feet, a portion of which is aimed at reproducing some of the Earth's more extreme ecosystems to test out naval robotics. The facility is home to firefighting robots, swimming 'bots and hydrogen fuel cell-powered unmanned aircrafts, to name but a few. The Naval Research Laboratory opened the doors of the massive facility up to members of the media today, and Engadget was on-hand along with a moderate sized gathering of fellow reporters. Included in the tour were two simulated environments. The Tropical High Bay is designed to mimic rainforest terrain, with flowing water, fog and climate controlled temperature and humidity. The Desert High Bay is a bit let complex in its environmental simulation, limited to a sand pit, rock way, and adjustable light, smoke and wind. Meanwhile, an on-site indoor pool is used to challenge aquatic vehicles. Testers demonstrated the Pectoral Fin Swimmer - an autonomous bot inspired by the biological movements of fish, in order to access areas not reached by more traditional propel driven robots. Also on hand was Lucas, a Mobile, Dexterous, Social (MDS) humanoid robot [ pictured above] with a Segway base. The laboratory demonstrated how the robot was capable of reasoning in a simulated firefighting scenario - and, equipped with an extinguisher, was capable of putting out a very real fire on the floor of the facility. We'll have a more in-depth tour of the facility in the near future. In the meantime, check out a sneak-peek of what we saw in the gallery below. Continue reading US Navy shows off its new LASR autonomous robot testing facility US Navy shows off its new LASR autonomous robot testing facility originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Renault's Twizzy EV for 16 year-olds comes too late for Justin to skip the DMV queue Apr 2nd 2012, 16:59 Renault's planning to take advantage of a change in the law that'll enable 16-year-olds to drive vehicles on the roads without a license by releasing the Twizzy EV. The futuristic golf-cart will have a top speed of 28mph and give budding Dominic Torettos the chance to drag-race each other in mall car parks every night. Unfortunately, environmentally-friendly road-raging will come at a price, with the Twizzy expected to retail at £6,200 ($9,940) and teenage insurance premiums being a further £4,000 ($6,400). At the same event, the company's Andy Heiron mentioned that the high cost of ( sister-company's) Nissan Leaf was responsible for the sluggish sales in Blighty, and that Nissan is considering letting buyers rent their EV batteries in order to lower the initial cost of their enviro-whip to more manageable levels. Otherwise, it won't just be the kids fighting over who gets to do that extra paper-route. Renault's Twizzy EV for 16 year-olds comes too late for Justin to skip the DMV queue originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink green.autoblog | Autocar | Email this | Comments | | Fujitsu buys out Toshiba's stake in mobile joint venture, division now called Fujitsu Mobile Communications Apr 2nd 2012, 16:43 April 2, 2012: a great day to officially wash your hands of an unprofitable business. On the heels of Philips stuffing its TV biz into a joint venture, Fujitsu announced it has bought out Toshiba's stake in Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications (just like we knew it would). Fujitsu already had a controlling 80.1 percent interest in the company, so this doesn't exactly mark a seismic change in management. Still, with that final 19.9 percent it's now a fully owned subsidiary of the Fujitsu Group, and has been rechristened Fujitsu Mobile Communications. We've got the PR below, but unless you want to know how much capital the division has (¥450 million, to be exact), we think we've got you covered on the facts. Continue reading Fujitsu buys out Toshiba's stake in mobile joint venture, division now called Fujitsu Mobile Communications Fujitsu buys out Toshiba's stake in mobile joint venture, division now called Fujitsu Mobile Communications originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
