Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/12/samsung-vibrant-4g-appears-in-leaked-docs-touts-21mbps-hspa-ca/

Samsung did say it's ready to supply all US carriers with 4G phones, not just Verizon, and we may already be looking at one of those devices before us. Billed as a T-Mobile exclusive, the Vibrant 4G looks to be a gentle refresh of the current Vibrant handset, with the notable upgrades being the inclusion of 21Mbps-capable HSPA+ connectivity -- to speed your mobile broadband up into T-Mobile's definition of 4G speeds -- and a front-facing camera paired to Qik video chat software. The onboard version of Android is 2.2 and internal specs seem to generally match the earlier-released namesake. Speaking of the original Vibrant, these leaked docs also show it's sold over one million units in its time in the US and is the nation's best-selling Galaxy S variant. Great, now can someone please leak it to Samsung that Android 2.3 is already out?

[Thanks, Brian]

Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intuit now offering GoPayment service without fees through February, also throws in a free card reader

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/12/intuit-now-offering-gopayment-service-without-fees-through-febru/

Perhaps just to show that it is not hip to be a Square, Intuit has rolled out a serious incentive for businesses to jump on the GoPayment bandwagon. Since we last saw the mobile payment service, the company has decided to offer customers a free card reader (while supplies last) and no monthly service fees in an effort to expand its user base. Primarily aimed at those processing low sales volume, the deal includes $0.15 per-transaction fee. That's half the $0.30 fee for high-volume users, who still get the complimentary reader for signing up, but have to pay $12.95 monthly for the privilege. The offer is exclusively available to new customers, and the gratis reader only works with some phones (far fewer than the number of phones that work with the app itself), but hey, free is free. Let's just hope Intuit's system doesn't suffer from the security problems of its rival.

Continue reading Intuit now offering GoPayment service without fees through February, also throws in a free card reader

Intuit now offering GoPayment service without fees through February, also throws in a free card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 05:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/verizon-iphone-first-hands-on/

We just got a look at the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. Guess what? It's just like an iPhone 4! There's no custom pre-loaded Verizon software (like VCAST or some such bloatware), just that mobile hotspot tweak in the settings menu. There's also no Verizon branding on the phone, though that's hardly a surprise given Apple's hatred of all logos that aren't its own. The only real physical difference we can find are those tweaked CDMA-compatible antennas running around the edge -- four in all, placed symmetrically and bumping down the volume / mute buttons. Interestingly, the phone is running iOS version 4.2.5, so perhaps that mobile hotspot functionality will make its way over to other iPhones when they sync up on iOS updates. We did try a speed test, clearing the cache and loading various sites simultaneously on the Verizon phone and our AT&T device, and while there were variations in the load times, there were too many external factors to really make a judgment call just yet.

Gallery: Verizon iPhone 4 detailed comparison shots

Gallery: Verizon iPhone 4 full hands-on

Continue reading Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)

Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/velocity-micro-cruz-watch-hands-on-preview/

We've always liked the idea of having a Bluetooth watch streaming feeds from our phones, because deep down inside, we all want to act like special agents in the public. Sadly, there aren't many of these wearables to choose from in the present market. In fact, with the inPulse smartwatch for BlackBerry seemingly stuck in limbo, what we have left is the Europe-only Sony Ericsson LiveView for Android, and maybe something nice from Fossil as well if its concept design gets picked up. To seize this opportunity, Velocity Micro is now working on its own connected Android watch -- currently known as the Cruz Watch -- that's destined for the sub-$200 market in mid-Q2 2011.

Here's what we learned about this cool-looking prototype during our exclusive hands-on at CES: in many ways, it's conceptually identical to the LiveView -- it's a watch, it's a Facebook feeds reader, it's a multimedia remote control (for Android's music app and Android-powered TVs), and it can show you incoming caller IDs. While the Cruz Watch may be a bit of a lightweight when it comes to apps, its hardware certainly bests SE's offering in several ways: for starters, it has a full touchscreen that takes swipe and tap gesture inputs (instead of using navigation touch controls on the bezel), and it sports a 1.8-inch LCD instead of a 1.3-inch OLED display. There are also a few software features that we dig, especially with the interchangeable clock face: two analog, two digital; and the incoming call notifier pulls the caller's profile photo from your contact list, which is something that the LiveView can't do. We're told that since this watch is powered by Android 2.0 (and possibly something different on retail units), Velocity Micro might be able to implement app installation in the near future, so we shall see. Video walkthrough after the break.

Gallery: Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview

Continue reading Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview

Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feature-length film, The Trashmaster, made entirely in Grand Theft Auto IV

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/feature-length-film-the-trashmaster-made-entirely-in-grand-the/

If you're familiar with The Sims-style gaming, where actual life, art, and the game can easily blur, this little story may not come as a huge surprise to you. Grand Theft Auto IV player / enthusiast Mathieu Weschler spent two years making The Trashmaster, a feature-length 'film' made entirely in the game, about a garbage man who has another gig on the side. Now, we'll freely admit that we did not watch the entire thing (yet), but from what we have seen, it actually looks fairly engaging! The film is embedded after the break.

Continue reading Feature-length film, The Trashmaster, made entirely in Grand Theft Auto IV

Feature-length film, The Trashmaster, made entirely in Grand Theft Auto IV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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