Facebook's gettin' uncool - http://bit.ly/1MHxhP; previously Facebook's going DOWN - http://bit.ly/l6Ljx
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Droid experiencing external speaker problems, could be a software issue?
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/15/droid-experiencing-external-speaker-problems-could-be-a-softwar/
It's no reason to panic just yet, but apparently a good amount of people are having trouble with the external speaker on their Motorola Droid cutting out for no reason. It seems to be software-related, and sometimes a reboot fixes it temporarily, but it's a scary problem for people relying on the handset as an alarm clock (or, you know, to receive calls), since you never know when it will strike next. For its part it seems that Motorola is replacing handsets that have the issue, though that's no guarantee of escape from the clutches of silence. Let's hope Motorola updates us with a software patch or some other serious solution soon -- people need to hear that robotic "Droooiiid" alert sound -- and meanwhile let us know if you've been seeing a similar issue.[Thanks, Bryan]
Filed under: Cellphones
Droid experiencing external speaker problems, could be a software issue? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsThis Is How an Earthquake Propagates Through the Entire Planet [Graphics]
In the first one, you can try to see how earthquakes propagate through the entire planet in three dimensions. I say "try" because, while the graphic looks very cool, the interpretation of all those information layers is not easy in 3D space. In this case, a classic bi-dimensional cut—using the latest scientific data—would do a much better job at explaining what is basically a symmetric movement through the planet's core. The only better technique would be to add time through animation.
The slicing of Earth's atmosphere has the same problems. It may be fun, but not necessarily clearer than the old 2D version:
The crosscut would show distances more accurately, and the whole representation would be easier to interpret than the fake 3D video. Not to talk about one undeniable fact: I like the Flash Gordon spaceships better. [Wired]
7 Ways for Best Buy to Make Its 24-Hour Store Kick the Apple Store's Ass [Advice]
1. Capsule Hotel
Say you're in Union Square, it's 4am, and you're drunk. Far too drunk to figure out how to get back to Queens on the subway. Well, why not go and crash in the capsule hotel at Best Buy for $15? And when you get up, you can make a quick video game impulse purchase to help nurse your hangover with.
2. Pay by the hour video games
Best Buy has tons of huge, beautiful TVs. They also have boatloads of video games and consoles. Why not use all that gear? If they set up Xboxes on those big TVs, they could charge people by the hour to play on them late at night. Say, from 11pm-6am. I'm sure they'd make a boatload of cash from semi-drunk people paying $20 to kill each other in Call of Duty before going home after the bars.
3. Food
Of course, you've gotta have food late at night. Might I suggest a make-your-own sundae bar? Just make sure you've got enough wet naps on hand to keep all of your nice products from being covered in sticky fingerprints.
4. Skee-ball
Everybody loves skee-ball!
5. Karaoke
Again, this would be a great way to showcase your TVs as well as the big musical instruments section that this new flagship Best Buy is going to have.
6. Hot Tubs
Look, if you want to get people into your store late at night, you've gotta offer incentives. And there are few better incenti! ves than a hot tub on a cold night. Combine this with #2 and I'd practically live there.
7. A Bar
Why only settle for people shopping after they've been out drinking when you can sell them their drinks as well? Do you know what the profit margins are on booze sales? Enough to make you rethink being an electronics retailer, that's what.
Editorial: Hey, AT&T -- drop lawsuits, not calls
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/editorial-hey-atandt-drop-lawsuits-not-calls/
- Verbiage on Verizon's site suggests that swaths of its 3G network are still running at EV-DO Rev. 0 speed: false. In fact, 100 percent of Verizon's 3G coverage has been Rev. A since 2007 -- the wording refers to 1xRTT, which is the transport technology in use where EV-DO hasn't been deployed.
- You can't distinguish between EV-DO and 1xRTT on Verizon's coverage map: false. Turns out Verizon has one of the more comprehensive coverage browsers among top-tier carriers. The technologies aren't called out by name, but they're there -- they list compatible features in different coverage zones, ostensibly to reduce customer confusion since your average Joe (not to be confused with our own Joe Flatley) doesn't know or care what "1xRTT" means.
- EDGE approaches the "low end" of EV-DO Rev. A: false. At the top end of the specification, EDGE can theoretically approach 500kbps in a cleanroom environment -- but in reality, it runs at a fraction of that and suffers more severe latency issues in practice (which is sometimes a greater detriment to a mobile web browsing experience than raw speed) than UMTS and EV-DO. Heck, AT&T itself claims 75-135kbps. Meanwhile, we got 823kbps on the downlink in real-world modem use on Verizon's Rev. A.
- AT&T's 3.6Mbps and 7.2Mbps deployments are significantly faster than EV-DO Rev. A: true, but only in theory. We're getting downlink speeds ranging from the low 100s -- yes, 100s -- to the high 800s in Chicago and New York; Chicago's got a trial 7.2Mbps network that's live, but even if we're not connected to it (hard to say), we should still be on 3.6. We seriously have no idea what AT&T's doing behind the scenes with these rollouts, but in urban areas, at least, they're not helping. At all. And that's assuming we can help ourselves from dropping down to EDGE.
- AT&T's service is augmented by the nation's largest WiFi network: we won't even justify that with a rebuttal.
- Verizon's gaming the system by comparing only their 3G networks: the truth hurts, AT&T. Verizon's commercials would have you believe that by comparing only 3G coverage, Verizon wins by a country mile. And guess what? They do. To AT&T's credit, the 3GPP's WCDMA technology path is considerably more advanced and extensible than EV-DO Rev. A is, but beyond UMTS's simultaneous voice / data capability, the end user's experience is pretty similar in day-to-day use. We go where the faster real-world speeds (and the reliable calls) are.
- Verizon is "defending steep losses" with its anti-AT&T, anti-iPhone commercials: false. Verizon added 1.2 million net customers in the most recently reported quarter, excluding acquisitions.
- LTE is "still years away from viable use" on Verizon: false. They'll have 20-30 markets commercially live in 2010, which is 20-30 more than AT&T will have. It's not nationwide coverage by a long shot, but it gives the carrier a notable lead in the 4G transition since AT&T has sparsely detailed its LTE plans and isn't expected to go live with any markets until 2011 at the earliest.
So listen, AT&T, we're sorry Verizon made you upset, but the solution's actually pretty simple: compete. Fix your network, keep scoring hot exclusives, and get hungry again -- because in a year or two, no one's going to give a damn that you used to have an exclusive on the iPhone.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
Editorial: Hey, AT&T -- drop lawsuits, not calls originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsION Cube case mod wins NVIDIA design contest
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/ion-cube-case-mod-wins-nvidia-design-contest/
We haven't seen a ton of ION-based case mods just yet, but it looks like NVIDIA itself has kick started the scene in a pretty big way with a case mod design contest, and it's now crowned a winner. Built by Bill Owen of Mnpctech.com, the so-called ION Cube draws on a few fairly obvious influences, and makes use of a combination of CNC milled sheets of aluminum and laser cut pieces of acrylic which, combined with the rest of the build, apparently took over a hundred hours to complete. On the inside, and one of the impetuses for the contest, is the ZOTAC ION ITX 330 motherboard, which is intended for small, low-power systems just like this (and less flashy ones, too). Head on past the break a video, and hit up the link below for a look at the build.
Continue reading ION Cube case mod wins NVIDIA design contest
Filed under: Desktops
ION Cube case mod wins NVIDIA design contest originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsHP dm3t review
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/hp-dm3t-review/
Continue reading HP dm3t review
Filed under: Laptops
HP dm3t review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsT-Mobile launching BlackBerry Bold 9700 on November 16 for $199.99
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/t-mobile-launching-blackberry-bold-9700-on-november-16-for-199/
Filed under: Cellphones
T-Mobile launching BlackBerry Bold 9700 on November 16 for $199.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsioSafe Solo hard drive places a 2TB bet on all kinds of disasters
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/iosafe-solo-hard-drive-places-a-2tb-bet-on-all-kinds-of-disaster/
It's Friday the 13th, and ioSafe couldn't have chosen a better time to update their Solo fireproof and waterproof hard drive line with a 2TB model. Sure, it'll cost you $399 for a USB 2.0 connection instead of eSATA, FireWire 800 or USB 3.0, but you'll never know when your yacht sinks or burns down, sending that precious Kenny G collection to oblivion. Don't go thinking you can just get the $149 500GB model and upgrade it yourself either -- you'll have to destroy the waterproof seal to get to the hard drive, as demonstrated before. Yeah, life's tough.
Filed under: Storage
ioSafe Solo hard drive places a 2TB bet on all kinds of disasters originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsViewSonic heats up phone collection, V901 spotted on Microsoft China site
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/13/viewsonic-heats-up-phone-collection-v901-spotted-on-microsoft-c/
In just one week, ViewSonic has gone from a glint of a 3G phone maker to having two models prominently on display. We've already seen VPC08 Windows XP phone, and now up to bat is the V901, found in the pages of Microsoft China's official site. The Windows Mobile 6.5, apparently TouchWiz-skinned device has a 3.6-inch, 480 x 800 touchscreen, a Marvell PXA310 processor, 128MB RAM and 256MB ROM storage with microSD expansion, 5 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, all hailing to the wavelengths we call CDMA EV-DO Rev. A. Launch is Q4 2009, so sometime very soon -- but we get the feeling this is China-only, at least for now.[Via iTech News Net]
Filed under: Cellphones
ViewSonic heats up phone collection, V901 spotted on Microsoft China site originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this |&n! bsp;CommentsHow would you change Garmin-Asus' nuvifone G60?
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/14/how-would-you-change-garmin-asus-nuvifone-g60/
Filed under: Cellphones
How would you change Garmin-Asus' nuvifone G60? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsNetflix hitting internet-capable Sony BRAVIA sets today
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/14/netflix-hitting-internet-capable-sony-bravia-sets-today/
Good news for folks who against all odds don't have a home theater Netflix streaming option yet, and yet inexplicably own an internet-connected Sony BRAVIA TV: Netflix just went live. It just takes applying the latest software update and you're in business. BRAVIA owners were promised the update back in July, and let us be the first to point and laugh insensitively at PS3 owners who have use a "DVD" to get Netflix working on their Cell-powered supermachines.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
Netflix hitting internet-capable Sony BRAVIA sets today originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsHallods F43 MP4 player packs a 4.3-inch 720p screen, outed in Japan
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/14/hallods-f43-mp4-player-packs-a-4-3-inch-720p-screen-outed-in-ja/
[Via i4u]
Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Video
Hallods F43 MP4 player packs a 4.3-inch 720p screen, outed in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsITG's xpPhone gets options for larger screen and Windows 7, loses sense of identity
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/14/itgs-xpphone-gets-options-for-larger-screen-and-windows-7-lose/
It makes sense to release your mostly-theoretical (so far, anyway) desktop OS-based slider handset with the world's newest and best version of Windows, but when your slider handset is dubbed "xpPhone" things become a bit more muddled. But that's the word from Pocketables, who's been in touch with ITG and learned that the MID / phone will not only ship with a Windows 7 option, but also be available in 4.3-inch, 4.8-inch and 7-inch screen sizes. There's also rumors of price ranging from $500 to $700, but what we'd really like at this point is a bit of a demo of this thing in action -- especially now that there's a similar ViewSonic-branded device breathing down its neck.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
ITG's xpPhone gets options for larger screen and Windows 7, loses sense of identity originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | ! CommentsCrunchPad is 'steamrolling along,' will cost between $300 and $400
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/15/crunchpad-is-steamrolling-along-will-cost-between-300-and-4/
[Via UMPCPortal]
Continue reading CrunchPad is 'steamrolling along,' will cost between $300 and $400
Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs
CrunchPad is 'steamrolling along,' will cost between $300 and $400 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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