Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
Panasonic's 2013 Q1: things are looking up with a $164 million profit
Jul 31st 2012, 07:33

Panasonic's

Panasonic's financial year runs from summer to summer, so its first-quarter results for 2013 just hit the wire. The figures proudly show that the company has managed to turn around the losses it suffered so badly in the previous period -- with $23 billion in turnover generating a tidy profit of $164 million. While sales dropped by six percent compared to the first three months of the year, it's been reducing fixed costs and restructuring each segment of the business to ensure a return to profit making despite the worsening financial crisis in Europe. The company's even been able to stick some cash into the savings account, tucking $16.6 million into the piggy bank for a rainy day.

Filed under:

Panasonic's 2013 Q1: things are looking up with a $164 million profit originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 03:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePanasonic (PDF)  | Email this | Comments

Bing search lets you tag Facebook friends, forces them to Google 'Bing'
Jul 31st 2012, 06:34

Bing search lets you tag Facebook friends, forces them to Google 'Bing'

Microsoft has already made its "decision" engine get all buddy-buddy with Facebook and Twitter, but now it's taking the integration one step further. You'll now actually be able to tag your friends in searches. Why, pray tell, would you need to do such a thing? Perhaps you've got a buddy who grew up in Paris and need suggestions for where to eat while you're visiting. Or maybe you've spotted an awesome hiking trail and want others to tag along. Just enter the question in the Bing side bar then tag the appropriate people. The search will show up on your timeline and others can pitch in. Of course, you could always just ask these same people via Facebook message, text or (gasp!) in person. But why would you want to simplify matters? Check out the source for more info and the video after the break.

Continue reading Bing search lets you tag Facebook friends, forces them to Google 'Bing'

Filed under:

Bing search lets you tag Facebook friends, forces them to Google 'Bing' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 02:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBing  | Email this | Comments

Nexus 7 dock and covers leak, promise high style in small sizes
Jul 31st 2012, 05:47

Nexus 7 dock and covers leak, promise high style in small sizes

There have been teases here and there that Google's Nexus 7 was going to get a full, official accessory treatment from ASUS, but actual details have been scarce. Consider ASUS' cover blown, almost literally. Presentation files finding their way to Nordic Hardware show the known Smart Case-like, $20 Travel Cover that's already lurking on the ASUS and Google websites, but they also spoil a leather Premium Cover that will reportedly cost $40. As for a cradle to round out the set? While the company had previously confirmed that a dock was coming, we're now getting a glimpse of the $50 Nexus Dock's super-simple wedge design and audio output. With the exception of the Travel Cover, the accessory bonanza is pegged by the slides as arriving in late August -- just in time for that last-gasp summer vacation.

Filed under: ,

Nexus 7 dock and covers leak, promise high style in small sizes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 01:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Droid-Life  |  sourceNordic Hardware  | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
Republic Wireless reopens its unlimited $19 per month beta, starts offering Motorola Defy XT
Jul 31st 2012, 04:34

Republic Wireless reopens its unlimited $19 per month beta, starts offering Motorola Defy XT Android phone

Republic Wireless is finally ready for more customers on its low price cellphone service, announcing today that it's reopening signups for its beta and offering customers a new phone. The new hardware is the Motorola Defy XT, an Android 2.3 device with a 3.7-inch display, 1GHz CPU, 1650 mAh battery, 5MP camera / VGA front camera, 1GB of ROM and microSD slot. It can be your for $249, which may seem pricey for a Gingerbread phone in 2012, however Republic Wireless' truly unlimited $19 / month plan hopes to make up for it on the back end. Those who signed up for the service and are slotted in Wave B are welcome, while Wave A customers rocking the launch LG Optimus are being offered $100 off the price of an upgrade to the new phone. Check out a few more details after the break in the press release.

Continue reading Republic Wireless reopens its unlimited $19 per month beta, starts offering Motorola Defy XT

Filed under:

Republic Wireless reopens its unlimited $19 per month beta, starts offering Motorola Defy XT originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceRepublic Wireless, Republic Wireless  | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy S Duos details make the rounds, bring Galaxy S III vibe to the dual-SIM world
Jul 31st 2012, 04:05

Samsung Galaxy S Duos makes the rounds, bring GS3 vibe to dualSIM world

Fans of Samsung's Duos phones wanting 2012 updates have had to make do with last year's looks so far. From what's surfacing through multiple Indian sites, though, Samsung must want to spread some of the Galaxy S III's modern, nature-influenced style to the Duos' twin-SIM audience. The Galaxy S Duos S7562 won't make its bigger sibling jealous with a 4-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz Snapdragon MSM7227A chip or 512MB of RAM, but they're not the point. As always, the highlight is that pair of SIM slots for carrying both home and work phone lines -- or simply mixing and matching prepaid plans. The rest of the hardware falls in line with what's likely to be a much less expensive smartphone, including a 5-megapixel back camera, a VGA front camera and 4GB of storage. Buyers will be glad to know that Android 4.0 should still be coming along for the ride in addition to that stone-inspired look. We've asked Samsung for more official details; there's talk of an Indian launch before the end of the summer, which (if true) could give the crowds in Bangalore and Mumbai more to look forward to in the fall than just cooler temperatures.

Filed under:

Samsung Galaxy S Duos details make the rounds, bring Galaxy S III vibe to the dual-SIM world originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GSMArena, Sammy Hub  |  sourceMobilePhone.co.in, MySmartPrice  | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video)
Jul 31st 2012, 02:41

XRHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet video

By far the greatest challenge for robots with legs is staying upright when the going gets rough. A team at the University of Pennsylvania's Kod*lab has a hunch that we don't need extra smarts to make that happen -- just an extra appendage. The upgraded X-RHex Lite (XRL) carries a tail that will swing in the right direction to keep the robot upright if it's caught out by a fall, much like a cat. That's impressive for a nearly 18-pound robot (the previous Tailbot was 0.4 pounds), but we're pretty sure no feline has six springy legs; the XRL can crash to the ground and still get back up like it ain't no thing, which gives it a fudge factor others don't have. We don't know if the hexapod critter will lead to more than further experiments. If there are fewer stuck rovers on future exploration missions, though, we'll know who to thank.

Continue reading X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video)

Filed under: ,

X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink IEEE Spectrum  |  sourceUniversity of Pennsylvania  | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
Huawei Ascend G 302D goes public in FCC docs
Jul 31st 2012, 01:19

Huawei Ascend G 302D

It's a curious thing to have gold signify the low-end, but that's just what Huawei's done with its G series smartphone line. That bottom-dwelling, budget tier, first announced at this past Mobile World Congress, has already seen a couple of category cousins come out into the open (see: Vodafone's G 300 and T-Mobile's G 312), so color us unsurprised to find yet another single-core, Googlefied device crop up at the FCC. The associated docs leave little to the imagination, treating us to unobstructed images of the Ascend G 302D -- presumably, a 4-incher. We're not quite sure what software the phone'll run when it ships, though from the looks of those very ICS-like capacitive keys, we wouldn't rule Android 4.0 out. Spec-wise, we have the included manual and some RF testing to go off of, revealing two different sized batteries -- a 1,350mAh and 1,500mAh -- support for Bluetooth, WiFi b/g/n and AT&T-compatible radios. That's not to say this lil' guy's guaranteed an official U.S. slot on that carrier's lineup, but it should make for a decent import option. Hit up the source below for additional shots of this mobile minor leaguer.

Filed under: ,

Huawei Ascend G 302D goes public in FCC docs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments

Samsung Retina-like 11.8-inch tablet in the works according to court docs
Jul 31st 2012, 00:25

Samsung Retinalike 118inch tablet in the works according to court docs

If you've been following the Apple vs. Samsung case even casually, you're probably aware that today marked the start of the patent trial in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, with Judge Lucy Koh presiding. And while the proceedings themselves won't necessarily justify an Olympics-level play-by-play, several interesting bits are sure to come to light. Today's nugget relates to Samsung's tablet roadmap, revealing that a Retina-like tablet may be in the works. The P10, as it's been labeled internally, packs a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel, 11.8-inch display, along with WiFi and LTE connectivity. Details are thin beyond that, and it's still possible that Samsung may not have a high-res tablet for us this year -- though with the company's mysterious New York City event coming up in two weeks, followed by IFA later in the month, there are plenty of opportunities in August alone for such an official reveal.

Philip Palermo contributed to this report.

Filed under: ,

Samsung Retina-like 11.8-inch tablet in the works according to court docs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceThe Verge  | Email this | Comments

Archos' ICS-loaded 97 Carbon tablet now up for sale, priced at $230 for a limited time
Jul 30th 2012, 23:57

Archos' ICS-loaded 97 Carbon tablet now up for sale, priced at $230 for a limited time

Its brief, mandatory appearance at the FCC a couple of weeks ago certainly let us know it'd be ready to take anyone's cash sooner rather than later, and surely enough, the 97 Carbon's now making itself available to all. Just as we'd heard, Archos is pricing the Ice Cream Sandwich slate at $250, though the company's currently running a deal where it's parting ways with the Elements slab for $20 less than MSRP -- naturally, this is a "limited time only" offer, and thus it could change at any given moment. Either way, that amount of greenbacks snags you an eye-pleasing 9.7-inch, IPS display with a run-of-the-mill 1GHz, single-core CPU and 16GB of built-in storage. Obviously the spotlight's still shining high on Google's Nexus 7, so we're interested to find out how many of you think this is enough to make you look past the Jelly Bean sweets -- do let us know in the comments below.

Filed under:

Archos' ICS-loaded 97 Carbon tablet now up for sale, priced at $230 for a limited time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceArchos  | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
Must See HDTV (July 31st - August 5th)
Jul 30th 2012, 23:11

Must See HDTV July 31st  August 5th

London 2012 Olympics
If TV broadcast tape delay and streaming restricted to pay-TV subscribers isn't entirely ruining your experience, the first week of the 2012 Games has started off with a bang. There's plenty of sporting action to go around and the world records have already started falling. Live coverage is early in the day for US time zones, while NBC is keeping some of the more anticipated events off TV and only online until its prime time airing later.

For viewers we have a few tips, like using Google to search Olympics + [sport] to get a minute by minute schedule of the events in your local time so you don't miss 'em on the live stream. Also, check your cable or satellite provider, most have expanded options to help you catch all the sports, while Cox and DirecTV are doing the multiview thing, Comcast has added Olympics specifics filters to its remote apps, and Time Warner Cable has added more channels to its streaming iPad app.
(All week, NBC channels and online)

Total Recall (Mind-Bending Edition)
The Paul Verhoeven / Arnold Schwarzenegger classic is back on Blu-ray and should be better looking this time around. So, why opt for this one instead of a ticket to the remake this weekend? Beyond the obvious reasons, it's also cheaper, currently listed at $7.99 on Amazon.
($7.99 on Amazon)

NFL Preseason
It's finally time for football again, and while it's just preseason action, we'll be ready to see the Saints take on the Cardinals Sunday night from Canton Ohio. Also worth checking out, the HOF induction ceremony Saturday night as DB Jack Butler, C Dermontti Dawson, DE Chris Doleman, DT Cortez Kennedy, RB Curtis Martin and T Willie Roaf take their place among the other all-time greats.
(August 5th, NFL Network, 8PM)

Continue reading Must See HDTV (July 31st - August 5th)

Filed under:

Must See HDTV (July 31st - August 5th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue
Jul 30th 2012, 22:41

AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue

In February, at Mobile World Congress, AT&T announced a new program that would rate its various devices on their environmental-friendliness. Now that system is finally getting its in-store debut alongside the impressively green Pantech Renue. The Eco-ratings, which grade devices based on their use of recycled materials and toxic metals such as mercury and lead will give those more concerned with protecting the Earth than having the latest and greatest tech an easy way to determine the device that's right for them. Pantech for its part hopes the Renue, with its 67-percent recycled components and Energy Star-compliant charger will draw at least a few interested parties who wander in to AT&Ts shops. The rugged messaging device doesn't rock Jelly Bean, or any other smartphone OS for that matter, but it does have a slide out QWERTY keyboard for SMS addicts. Check out the video and PR after the break for more details.

Continue reading AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue

AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Thermaltake cures clamminess with $80 Cyclone Edition gaming mouse
Jul 30th 2012, 22:07

Thermaltake cures clamminess with $80 Cyclone Edition gaming mouse

Just when we needed a modern-day equivalent of sailing down the Nile while being fanned by Assyrian slaves, Thermaltake gives us this: the Black Element Cyclone Edition gaming mouse, which has a 6,000 rpm rotor directed right at the point where slick skin meets plastic. Pictures of the device have been floating around the web for a while, but we've just heard it'll be available in US stores any day now (or officially, "in August") priced at $80. The patent pending design promises to keep noise down to a sub-environmental 21.7dB, while delivering an airflow of 2.6 cubic feet per minute -- which, if you're lucky, should be enough to not only keep your digits dry but also reach your palm. The fan can alternatively be removed, in which case you'll be left with a 6,500 dpi laser sensor, an adjustable weight of up to 22.5 grams, "military-grade" grip coating and an abundance of natural oils.

Filed under: ,

Thermaltake cures clamminess with $80 Cyclone Edition gaming mouse originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTT eSports  | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
Engadget
The Joy of remote-controlled Cooking: LG's Lightwave oven makes mealtime mobile-operated
Jul 30th 2012, 21:42

LG Lightwave oven

Advances in oven technology are more the province of Jack Donaghy's former GE overlords, but over in South Korea, LG's taking a real-world stab at making the fictional CEO proud. An update to its Lightwave line, this new, next-gen kitchen appliance employs halogen heaters to cut down on traditional cooking time, a range of menu pre-sets to accommodate your meal-making and, most worrisome of all, a wireless connection for smartphone control. With that last tidbit of information, you should be either horrified by the opportunities for absent-minded, accidental pants pocket activation or pleased and at ease with the convenience it affords (which means you likely have children and can now tend to that bottle of red undisturbed from the couch). So, what exactly can you do from the comfort of your own phone? For starters, you can set the timer while you're away, adjust the temperature and even activate the steam cleaning feature. It's not clear if all of this remote action's restricted to the company's own devices, but if you're living in the company's home territory and have a fancy for haute-tech cuisining, this one's for you.

Filed under: ,

The Joy of remote-controlled Cooking: LG's Lightwave oven makes mealtime mobile-operated originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocket-Lint  |  sourceWhoWired (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Two sources talk of Apple iPhone event around September 12th, part sales back it up (update: one more clue)
Jul 30th 2012, 21:15

iPhone 2012 shell

Apple's plans for its next iPhone refresh may be getting very tangible, very quickly. It all started when iMore heard that Apple was preparing to hold an event unveiling the new hardware on September 12th, with a launch the following week on September 21st. Although the relative newcomer to the iPhone release date rumor game is still building its track record, that claim may have just gotten some extra meat: AllThingsD is joining in the chorus and touts its own sources pointing to an event in the same timeframe. While it's almost a month earlier in the year than Apple's iPhone 4S event was in 2011, it's supported by an Apple filing with the SEC showing a sharp uptick in supply purchasing during the spring, which it would need to start production for the fall. All of it is still rumor, of course, but past experience suggests that iOS fans may want to plan any September camping trips for the Apple Store line late in the month, not Labor Day weekend.

Update: Jim Dalrymple at The Loop, who's well-known for his accurate one-word confirmations and denials of rumors, just posted his trademark "yep."

Filed under:

Two sources talk of Apple iPhone event around September 12th, part sales back it up (update: one more clue) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceiMore, AllThingsD  | Email this | Comments

Researchers prove your grandmother right, modern music is louder and all the same
Jul 30th 2012, 20:51

Researchers prove your grandmother right, modern music is louder and all the same

Are your elders always complaining about loud and monotonous music? Or perhaps you've started to feel similar sentiments? The Artificial Intelligence Research Institute in Barcelona says it's not just a matter of opinion. The team analyzed data on loudness, pitch and timbre from just under half a million tracks spanning 55 years, finding the average volume of recordings has increased in that time -- said to be the doing of record labels so songs stand out amongst other radio noise. But, they report that little has changed in the actual music, and whilst there are obviously differences in composition, most melodies are created from just ten popular chords. Variations in timbre, or tone quality, have also dipped since the 1960s, which the team attributes to the experimentation of shredders from that era. Creativity in music is obviously still abundant and it's important to point out only Western pop music was included in the analysis, but Gran was never really into the progressive stuff anyway.

Researchers prove your grandmother right, modern music is louder and all the same originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Economist  |  sourceScientific Reports  | Email this | Comments

Strategy Analytics: Android lost US market share in Q2, isn't losing sleep just yet
Jul 30th 2012, 20:28

Strategy Analytics Android lost US market share in Q2, isn't losing sleep just yet

Android is most definitely on the upward march when it comes to the world stage. But you might be surprised at how it's faring in the US: it's down, according to Strategy Analytics' estimates. As of the second quarter, Google's market share dropped from 60.6 percent a year earlier to 56.3 percent. No one would call it a moment of crisis for Android, but it implies that Apple was drawing in more of the customers jumping ship from other platforms -- the iPhone climbed to 33.2 percent while RIM and others lost ground. The real tests of where the market is going, we imagine, will come in the second half of the year. Apple will have to survive an American summer full of Galaxy S III variants, while Samsung and the rest of the Android camp may have to cope with a bigger than usual iPhone update as 2012 heads into the sunset.

Filed under:

Strategy Analytics: Android lost US market share in Q2, isn't losing sleep just yet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceStrategy Analytics  | Email this | Comments

MacBook Pro review (13-inch, mid-2012)
Jul 30th 2012, 20:00

DNP  MacBook Pro review 13inch, mid2012 how does the refreshed MBP fare with a new Ivy Bridge chipset

When the MacBook Pro with Retina display is in the game, Apple's "regular" Pros may seem a bit like also-rans. After all, why would you choose them when you could get a brilliant 15-inch 2,880 x 1,800 IPS panel and a Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor? Well, price, for one thing. While we walked away from our Retina MBP review mighty impressed, that model starts at $2,199. The latest crop of Pros, meanwhile, keep the same pricing scheme as last year's models ($1,199 and up), but step up to Intel's third-generation Ivy Bridge processors. We took the entry-level 13-incher for a spin to get a feel for how the dual-core Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM and Intel HD Graphics 4000 stack up to the competition. Read on to see how it fared.

Continue reading MacBook Pro review (13-inch, mid-2012)

Filed under:

MacBook Pro review (13-inch, mid-2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions