| Rhode & Schwarz anechoic test chamber waves-on May 9th 2012, 20:43  We're oft treated to fantastic news by the FCC while devices are tested in its immense labyrinth of labs but what we've not seen much of is the type of equipment contained within them. While the smaller Rhode & Schwarz TS8991 that we had a peek at today is used more for antenna design purposes and not by the FCC, it still offers some interesting -- and frighteningly complicated -- insight into the world of those who make your handsets work. The MIMO test we watched involved two theta positioners (which can be seen in the picture above) that rotate about the handset on the pedestal which also turns to add the azimuth in the test run. Each theta positioner has a quad ridged horn antenna, which -- aside from likely being the greatest sounding antenna name ever -- capture the signal from the handset and eventually allows the AMS32 management system to generate a 3D pattern of the radio emissions. The system will test 2G, 3G, 4G, WiFi, and Bluetooth sets and rings in somewhere above $1,000,000. Follow on for a video and a pretty detailed explanation that is mostly pretty user friendly. Continue reading Rhode & Schwarz anechoic test chamber waves-on Rhode & Schwarz anechoic test chamber waves-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Alcatel OneTouch 995 hands-on May 9th 2012, 20:14  Alcatel's OneTouch 995 first graced our pages back in November, which promised pumped-up specs and a departure from the company's traditional low-end lineup. We've now managed to lay our hands upon the device, and while it sports only Gingerbread (which contradicts those Ice Cream Sandwich rumors), it's really quite nice -- especially given the low price. While the hardware is relatively unassuming, that's not a bad thing. Instead, the OneTouch 995 manages to include just enough quality components to make the handset both attractive and functional. It features a 1.4GHz CPU, along with an admirable 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 IPS LCD display and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash. We were also pleased to see a stock Android 2.3 interface, and Alcatel's addition of a micro-HDMI port with DLNA support is most definitely welcome. The enclosure itself is quite plasticky, but it's also comfortable to hold. We're told the OneTouch 995 will arrive on the market in the near-term, and will sell in the neighborhood of $270. As an important feature for some, it'll also be available in a variety of colors. To see the company's finest handset to date, be sure to check out our gallery below. Sean Cooper contributed to this report Alcatel OneTouch 995 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | AT&T cancels plans to release Samsung Skyrocket HD, likely setting sights on Galaxy S III May 9th 2012, 19:09  Remember the Samsung Skyrocket HD for AT&T? Great, now forget it. According to Sammy, the largest GSM carrier has decided to forego the mysteriously absent device, announced all the way back at January's AT&T Developer Summit, in order to focus on other products. This move adds credence to our suspicions that this particular handset wouldn't have a distinct place in the lineup alongside the carrier's version of the Galaxy S III, which hasn't been officially announced for US availability yet. We reached out to Samsung, and here's the company's official statement on the matter: "AT&T and Samsung have agreed to cancel plans to offer the Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD. We are concentrating resources on other products to bring exciting experiences to consumers." Not too much of a surprise, but those eagerly awaiting this device shouldn't get too frazzled -- if you can't wait for Samsung's newest flagship, at least we're hopeful that a few carrier-branded prototypes will leak out on eBay to whet your appetite. AT&T cancels plans to release Samsung Skyrocket HD, likely setting sights on Galaxy S III originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Unnecto Quattro hands-on (video) May 9th 2012, 19:07  It's Italian for the number four and also the name of a certain German auto, but Unnecto's latest device bearing that very moniker has little to do with either. In fact, the star feature of this low-end Android 2.3.5 handset, shown off on the CTIA 2012 show floor, is its ability to accommodate dual-SIMs. Yes, much like the touchscreen-only TAP that preceded it, this phone offers users with multiple lines the option to pack two SIMs -- full-sized and micro -- for easy account switching. Spec-wise, the 4-inch handset's not much to get hot and bothered about, loaded up as it is with a middling 800 x 480 TFT display, VGA front-facing / rear 5 megapixel cameras, 4GB of storage (augmented by a pre-loaded 8GB microSD) and a 1,400mAh battery. There's no dual-core running under the hood either, just a lone 650MHz MediaTek 6573 processor and it shows given that our brief hands-on with the preliminary software was riddled with lags and stutters. Keep in mind the phone's still a work in progress and that mostly stock UI will eventually ship sometime this June with a customized overlay. An upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich is also purportedly on deck for Q4, but we're somewhat skeptical the single core handset could even support it. As for the price, well that all important bit is still up in the air, although we've been told it should retail between $150 to $200. If you're interested in buying what Unnecto's selling, check out the gallery below and hop on past the break for a brief video demo. Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report. Continue reading Unnecto Quattro hands-on (video) Unnecto Quattro hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
