Just one year ago, HP officially introduced the TouchPad, Pre 3 and Veer to its lineup. Much has happened in the 365 days since that time, which marked the end of the Palm brand, the discontinuation of the company’s webOS hardware development and the decision to open source the crown jewel, webOS. Today, we hope you’ll join us after the break as we bow our heads, sing some praises and remember the final three members — for now, anyway — of HP’s webOS lineup. We’ll have fireworks at the end.

Continue reading HP Veer 4G, Pre 3 and TouchPad celebrate a melancholy birthday

HP Veer 4G, Pre 3 and TouchPad celebrate a melancholy birthday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink webOS Nation  |   | Email this | Comments

Mattel thinks it has the secret to succeeding where so many others have failed in bridging that divide between the virtual and the physical — and it might be right. While plenty of other toy companies have tried pairing hunks of plastic with apps in the past, Mattel has gone the extra mile, incorporating its recognizable brands and partnering with top tier developers. Later this year the company will launch Apptivity, a line of toys made from conductive plastic that interact with iPad games — some which you’re already quite familiar with, like Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja and, of course, Angry Birds. The games will get an update when the toys hit the market with new features and play modes specifically designed to utilize the physical pieces. Other brands, including WWE, Batman and Hot Wheels will also be part of the first batch of toys designed to be played with on your iPad screen.

None of the apps or the toys themselves were quite ready for prime time yet, but Hot Wheels, WWE, Fruit Ninja and Cut the Rope were all at least playble. The Apptivity mode in Cut the Rope and Fruit Ninja are pretty intuitive, but it took a bit of practice to get the hang of Hot Wheels. We had trouble finding the sweet spot on the screen that kept our car speeding along while leaving room to see upcoming obstacles. The line of toys will launch exlusively in Apple Stores in May with Hot Wheels (which will cost $20), followed by the rest in July. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break for a few more impressions.

Continue reading Mattel Apptivity hands-on (video)

Mattel Apptivity hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

It was mere weeks since we saw NEC’s last smartphone that will probably never take the plane ride away from Japan, but contrary to its recent financials, the company doesn’t appear to be letting up. The NEC Medias LTE N-04D, arriving on NTT DoCoMo, is a little chunkier than its predecessor, but that 11.6mm shell manages to squeeze in 4G connectivity and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor Along LTE credentials, the specification reads like the majority of Medias phones we’ve already seen recently. This includes a waterproof shell, 4.3-inch 720p LCD screen, mobile wallet and TV tuner. It’ll also join the handful of smartphones compatible with Casio’s Bluetooth-connected G-Shock, adding mail and call notifications to your wrist. The phone will arrive February 15th in the tangy orange and black guise seen above. Japanese residents can now preorder theirs (while the rest of us gaze on wistfully) at the source below.

NEC Casio Medias LTE N-04D launches in Japan next week originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akihabara News  |  NTT DoCoMo  | Email this | Comments

German court dismisses Motorola’s patent lawsuit against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  FOSS Patents  | Email this | Comments

We’re here at the Tesla Design Studio in Los Angeles, where Elon Musk just unveiled his startup’s third vehicle: an SUV it calls the Model X. The ‘ute sports some rather unique looking double-hinged “falcon wing” doors which it make loading people and things even easier in tight parking spaces than traditional gullwing doors — Mercedes 300SL and DeLorean owners can chime in on their usefullness here. Powered by the same drivetrain as the Model S, it still clocks in at a 4.4 seconds to go from 0-60MPH — that’s the same amount of time as the Model S’ most performant variant mind you. GigaOm scored an early ride along, and mentions the $50,000 to $70,000 vehicle will seat 7 people and first deliveries of the “Signature Series” will arrive in 2013, with mass production beginning in 2014. Those interested can begin reservations on Tesla’s website tomorrow at noon.

…developing

Tesla unveils Model X SUV, wants to be your all-electric crossover originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  GigaOm, Tesla  | Email this | Comments

Details are still fairly light at the moment, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Google could be about to make big push into the hardware business. Citing people briefed on the company’s plans, the WSJ says that Google is now developing a home entertainment system that would stream music wirelessly throughout the home (including to web-connected devices and “Google-made speakers”), and be able to be controlled using a smartphone or tablet — making it sound a whole lot like a Sonos competitor. What’s more, unlike current Android and Google TV devices, this system will reportedly be marketed under Google’s own brand. An attempt to really turn it up to eleven, perhaps?

Google reportedly working on wireless home entertainment system to be sold under its own brand originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink AllThingsD  |  The Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

If Nikon thought its 36-megapixel D800 would be the king of the resolutions this week, they were wrong. Sigma, it seems, didn’t get the memo and has crashed the party, updating its DP1 and DP2 compacts with whopping 46-megapixel sensors. Okay, so technically it’s three 15.3 megapixel layers (that also being the effective resolution), but we’ll play along with the marketing spin. Rebranded as the DP1- and DP2-Merrill in honor of the sensor’s co-creator, the refresh sees the compacts sporting the same imaging innards as the firm’s flagship SD1 Merrill SLR. The LCD screen also gets a bump from 2.5 to three inches, which, we suppose, is to do better justice to those massive pictures you’ll be taking. Sigma’s keeping price and availability under wraps for now, but hit the PR after the break for more info.

Continue reading Sigma DP1, DP2 get 46-megapixel makeover

Sigma DP1, DP2 get 46-megapixel makeover originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |   | Email this | Comments

Symantec said that folks running its pcAnywhere utility were at an “increased risk” when it revealed that the company had been hacked and its source codes pilfered, and advised customers to stop using pcAnywhere for the time being. Sage advice, as a hacker with the handle YamaTough — who’s affiliated with Anonymous — helped do the deed and has now published the code for all the world to see. Apparently, the hacker and hackee had attempted to broker a deal for $50,000 to keep the code private, but neither side negotiated in good faith — YamaTough always intended to release the code, and law enforcement was doing the talking for Symantec to catch he and his hacking cohorts. The good news is, Symantec has released several patches to protect pcAnywhere users going forward. As for the stolen code for Norton Antivirus, Internet Security and other Symantec software? Well, the company’s expecting it to be disclosed, too, but because the code is from 2006, customers with current versions can rest easy.

Hacker spites Symantec, puts pcAnywhere’s source code out in the open originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CNET  |  Reuters  | Email this | Comments

Google Chrome update brings speedier browsing, enhanced security, joy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  Google Chrome Blog  | Email this | Comments

Since 1993, the FCC has held the ability to restrict bidders’ participation in spectrum auctions based on their current spectrum holdings, needs and dominance in the marketplace. Given that wireless spectrum is a public resource, the current law tasks the FCC with the responsibility to ensure competition in the marketplace and prevent monopolies and duopolies from forming. A new proposal contained within the JOBS Act, H.R. 3630 — a sweeping bill that primarily addresses the extension of unemployment benefits — threatens to strip the FCC of this authority and return spectrum auctions to the freewheeling wild west era. The bill is so controversial that former FCC chairman, Reed Hundt, recently called this proposal “the single worst telecom bill” he’d ever seen, and, “a repudiation of the smartest auction theorists in the world.” Today, the CEOs from many of the US’s smaller telecoms — which include Sprint, T-Mobile, Cricket, C Spire and Bluegrass Cellular (among others) — officially lodged their objections to this proposed bill based on the notion that, left unrestricted, AT&T and Verizon Wireless could start bullying smaller carriers in the race to acquire more spectrum.

While the majority of the bill deals with making additional spectrum available, Section 4105 of Title V — the controversial bit in question — is ostensibly the work of lobbying efforts on behalf of AT&T and Verizon. Are the nation’s top two carriers legitimately concerned that the FCC will limit their ability to participate in future auctions? Sprint contends that the current law has worked rather well for both top dogs, which together control approximately 73 percent of the spectrum under 1GHz. There’s no doubt that spectrum is the bread and butter of the wireless industry, but as a public resource, it deserves to be allocated in a way that promotes competition and best serves the citizens. Regardless of your gut reaction, it seems that the topic deserves some legitimate debate. If the proposed bill hits the Congressional floor and is mired down amongst discussions of unemployment benefits and flood insurance reform, just how much of this important discussion will fall on deaf ears?

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

AT&T and Verizon lobby for less FCC spectrum control, Sprint and other carriers respond originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  CEO’s joint letter to Congress (PDF), H.R. 3630 (PDF)  | Email this | Comments