Archive for June, 2010.
We’ve seen our fair share of Samsung Galaxy S phones in the past few weeks, but the Sprint Epic 4G version (or the Galaxy S Pro, as we’d previously suspected it would be known) looks like it could take the cake. The phone has all the same specs as the others family members — including a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor, 5 megapixel cam, a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, and Android 2.1 — but it also boasts a front facing camera and a physical keyboard. So, is the new slider as epically amazing as we’ve been imagining? We got to spend some time with a unit this afternoon, so hit the break for some early impressions and a quick video.
Continue reading Samsung Epic 4G preview
Samsung Epic 4G preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BGR appears to have nabbed a document being distributed by Apple corporate to AppleCare reps tasked with handling iPhone 4 customers miffed with the antenna performance fiasco — and for the time being, the recommendations are focusing on managing expectations, not fixing the problem. In a nutshell, reps are being instructed to pass on a more politically correct version of Steve’s email by telling customers that they should “avoid covering the black strip in the lower-left corner of the metal band.” Interestingly, they agree that bumpers might fix the problem, but they’re emphatic in saying that they “ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON’T promise a free bumper to customers.” And yes, that statement is complete with caps and bold in the source document, so they mean business, it would seem. If it’s any consolation, Apple says that “the iPhone 4′s wireless performance is the best [they] have ever shipped,” but let’s be honest: for those zapping their calls into the afterlife every time they brush their phone the wrong way, it’s not much consolation at all.
Apple telling reps to smooth over iPhone 4 reception complaints, not to offer free bumpers? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Looks like the Moment‘s over for Samsung and Sprint — check out these these leaked shots of the SPH-M910 Intercept, said to be the carrier’s new mid-range Android slider. Screen size is said to be the same at 3.2 inches, and the keyboard certainly looks much nicer, but we can’t help but be bummed to hear this thing will launch Froyo-free with Android 2.1 — a 2.2 update is said to be a “high probability,” but it took Samsung and Sprint some seven months to update the Moment to 2.1, so we’re not holding our breath. The rumored launch date is July 11, so we’ll see how much of this is true around then — for now, we’re betting Samsung will be doing its best to keep us focused on Galaxy S sets like the Epic 4G.
Samsung Intercept to replace the Moment on Sprint? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We’ve been seeing hints here and there that the iPad versions of Apple’s iWork apps will eventually trickle down to the iPhone and iPod touch, and now it looks like we’ve got some definitive proof: 9to5 Mac has published a thorough screenshot walkthrough of Pages. As you’d expect, it looks a lot like a smaller version of Pages for the iPad, but there are some interesting tidbits here and there: all documents sync over the air with all your iOS devices, there’s integration with the oft-forgotten iWork.com, and you can export in .doc and PDF in addition to Pages format. Interesting stuff, to say the least — hit the read link for the complete set of shots.
Pages for iPhone gets a full walkthrough originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The community-driven Quirky website has already managed to bring products like the
Space Bar and
DigiDude camera mount to market, and it’s now offering what may well be its most useful product to date: the Pivot Power strip. That, as you can probably surmise, is a power strip that pivots, which lets you plug in up to six power adapters or chargers of any size (within reason). This being Quirky, however, things are done a bit differently that your usual retailer — only 960 units are available for pre-sale right now, and you can “commit” to buying one for $23. If all those are sold, the Pivot Power will go into production, and its designers and top “influencers” will receive a small percentage of each sale. That goal should be easy enough to meet in this case, though — more than half of the pre-sale slots have already been snapped up as of this writing. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and head on past the break for a video and the complete press release.
Continue reading Community-developed Pivot Power strip now available to order
Community-developed Pivot Power strip now available to order originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A set of PowerPoint slides that appear to contain details about the next version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system surfaced Monday. The slides indicate that Microsoft plans to tackle the long-running problem of Windows’ slow start-up time, in addition to placing cutting-edge technology such as facial recognition in the new operating system. Questions remain, however, about the authenticity of the material. The slides, dated April 2010, first surfaced on the Italian Web site Windosette.
The Obama administration on Monday released a new space policy for the U.S. that emphasizes international cooperation and the advancement of the commercial space industry. “No longer are we racing against an adversary; in fact, one of our central goals is to promote peaceful cooperation and collaboration in space, which not only will ward off conflict, but will help to expand our capacity to operate in orbit and beyond,” President Obama explained. Debris and other hazards associated with satellite technology were another concern Obama mentioned.
These are not your grandpa’s greenhouses. Anyone familiar with common plastic-enclosed passive solar structures designed simply to hold plants over cold seasons or grow flowers and less-hardy fruits might be surprised about how these humble buildings have transformed into today’s dynamic hydroponic “bio-structures.” The modern high-tech greenhouse represents the timely convergence of some of the most sophisticated scientific know-how available from a variety of industries — agriculture, horticulture, energy, greenhouse manufacturing, hydroponics and more.
Sadly, it is now impossible to do a review of the iPhone 4 without mentioning the antenna and the reported issues when you hold the iP4 — which is a shame because there is so much more to the iP4 than the antenna. That is not to make light of the potential issue — I just want to point out there is much, much more to the iP4. To start, there is the Retina Display, which is “clearly” the best screen on any smartphone, period. Then there is the improved 5 MP camera with a flash on the back, and the new front-facing camera.
Google is getting ready to launch a brand-new social network called “Google Me,” according to a rumor circulated Saturday on Twitter by Digg Founder Kevin Rose. “Ok, umm, huge rumor,” Rose wrote in his tweet. “Google to launch facebook competitor very soon ‘Google Me,’ very credible source.” Google did not respond by press time to TechNewsWorld’s requests for confirmation and comment. “Any time Kevin Rose speaks, I listen,” Lon Safko, social media entrepreneur and coauthor of The Social Media Bible, told TechNewsWorld.
