| PSA: Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE up for pre-order today, May 18th release date hinted at Wirefly May 7th 2012, 16:23  In case you took a pass on that Sprint-branded GNex or the LG Viper 4G in order to wait it out for HTC's EVO 4G LTE, well, now's the time to get your wallet ready and unleash the cash. As promised, The Now Network has the LTE-friendly EVO priced at $199.99 (50 bucks less on Wirefly) with a beloved two-year contract, while those ineligible for an upgrade will have to shell out around $550. That being said, chances are you won't get to surf those Long Term Evolution waves when you get device, but at least you'll be all set once the rollout finally commences. While Sprint's yet to give an official release date, Wirefly (somewhat reliable in the past) does say the ICS / Sense 4 slab will be shipping on May 18th. Be sure to hit either of the source links below to get your pre-order on. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Continue reading PSA: Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE up for pre-order today, May 18th release date hinted at Wirefly PSA: Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE up for pre-order today, May 18th release date hinted at Wirefly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Sprint, Wirefly | Email this | Comments | | Clarion Next Gate brings iPhone apps (and distractions) to your windshield May 7th 2012, 16:05  Clarion is primarily known for its aftermarket car audio and navigation solutions, but it's increasingly moving into the realm of smartphone integration. Looking to court iPhone users who'd appreciate the connectivity and convenience of Pioneer's AppRadio, but don't care to fuss with the installation, Clarion's Next Gate can be easily mounted to one's windshield. It offers access to popular apps such as TuneIn and Pandora, along with navigation, hands-free calling and voice-dialing functionality. Scarily enough, users will even be able to access Facebook and Twitter via the voice-activated Vlingo app -- please, just promise to keep your focus on the road. The display itself is a 7-inch, WVGA affair, and as you'd expect, the unit is powered by the vehicle's 12 volt accessory jack -- otherwise known as the cigarette lighter receptacle. Similarly, the Next Gate connects to the iPhone via Apple's dock connector, which means that users will need to manage a bit of cable clutter. All in all, the Clarion Next Gate could certainly be a compelling solution for some, and its $270 price is within the realm of reason. While we're a bit concerned about what it entails for driving distractions, the unit shouldn't be any worse of a diversion than the ol' smartphone itself. In fact, we're most disappointed that there's no support for Android. Those in the privileged iPhone community will be able to purchase the Next Gate as of June 1st, and you'll find the full PR after the break. Continue reading Clarion Next Gate brings iPhone apps (and distractions) to your windshield Clarion Next Gate brings iPhone apps (and distractions) to your windshield originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Color announces Verizon partnership, preaches the dream of streaming HD May 7th 2012, 15:12  Color founder Bill Nguyen describes the startup's early life as being "in the wilderness," a state, he adds, that can also be used to describe past projects he's helmed (a point we can't exactly argue). Of course, Lala finally found its way -- eventually being scooped up by Apple. And now Color, an app that's already lived through its share of lives, has a big name on its side. The company has partnered with none other than Verizon to help soup up its life-streaming service. The two sides have signed an exclusivity deal that promises to harness Big Red's zippy LTE. The version of the app which will be exclusively available to subscribers of that carrier brings with it some much welcomed upgrades, including sound and a higher frame rate. Color was pretty insistent that such things weren't key to the app's functionality when it first launched, but it has apparently seen the error of its ways. As Nguyen told us, simply, "we were wrong." Now, thanks to Verizon's 4G technology, it's now able to offer up a product closer to an ideal streaming situation -- a scenario Nguyen apparently decided upon after playing around with a Red camera at CES. The dream now is live HD streaming. More after the break. Continue reading Color announces Verizon partnership, preaches the dream of streaming HD Color announces Verizon partnership, preaches the dream of streaming HD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Nielsen: Over 50 percent of US mobile users own smartphones, Android and iPhone sitting pretty May 7th 2012, 15:00  Smartphones crossed an important milestone in March, based on Nielsen's estimates. Just over half of cellphone owners in the US -- 50.4 percent, to be exact -- had a smartphone of some kind, making dumbphones the minority for the first time. The smartphone tale of the tape shows that the OS split has largely tapered off since February. Android has only moved slightly and still sits atop the heap, claiming 48.5 percent of users, but Apple hasn't had to worry given that 32 percent of smartphone owners use an iPhone. As is increasingly becoming the familiar story, other platforms trailed well behind: RIM's BlackBerry sat at 11.6 percent, while Windows Mobile, at 4.1 percent, was more popular than its Windows Phone successor's 1.7 percent. Apple can still claim to be the top-selling individual smartphone maker in the country, suggesting Samsung hasn't translated its worldwide lead to the US just yet. Nielsen: Over 50 percent of US mobile users own smartphones, Android and iPhone sitting pretty originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Nielsen | Email this | Comments | |
