Droid Incredible OTA update said to be bringing mobile hotspot, 720p recording

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/droid-incredible-ota-update-said-to-be-bringing-mobile-hotspot/

Well, it looks like Droid Incredible owners might soon be rewarded with more than a $25 gift card -- Droid Life is reporting that the phone is set to get an OTA update that will add some of the most oft-requested features. That includes mobile hotspot functionality, 720p video recording and, last but not least, the familiar Droid red eye boot animation that's been curiously absent. No word on a rollout date just yet, but Droid Life's tipster has provided some pics, and a video of that boot sequence (check it out after the break).

[Thanks, Dustin]

Continue reading Droid Incredible OTA update said to be bringing mobile hotspot, 720p recording

Droid Incredible OTA update said to be bringing mobile hotspot, 720p recording originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google acquires ITA for $700m, dives headfirst into airline ticket search

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/google-acquires-ita-for-700m-dives-headfirst-into-airline-tick/

Look out, Kayak / Bing Travel -- you both are about to have your respective worlds rocked. While Google has managed to stay on top (or close to the top) when it comes to almost everything search related, the company has curiously allowed smaller niche brands to handle the travel side. Even amongst the hardcore Googlers, avid flyers typically head to a place like Kayak to weigh their options, while vacation planners either do likewise or turn to Bing Travel. In a few months time, we suspect some of that traffic will be diverted back to El Goog. The company has just announced plans to acquire Cambridge-based ITA Software for a cool $700 million, which will put one of the world's most sophisticated QPX software tools for organizing flight information into the hands of the planet's most dangerous search ally. According to Google, the pickup will allow consumers to search and buy airline tickets with less hassle and frustration, though it's quick to point out that it has "no plans to sell airline tickets [directly] to consumers." For the travel junkies in attendance, there's a high probability that you won't find any better news coming your way today than this.

[Thanks, Matthew]

Continue reading Google acquires ITA for $700m, dives headfirst into airline ticket search

Google acquires ITA for $700m, dives headfirst into airline ticket search originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1&1's 7-inch SmartPad is the most unlikely Android tablet you'll ever see

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/02/1and1s-7-inch-smartpad-is-the-most-unlikely-android-tablet-youll/

We knew at Computex that tablets were on track to completely take over the world, but now it's official: a German internet provider has just revealed that it'll soon be offering a branded tablet PC of its own. You heard right -- a German ISP is making a tablet. The delightfully named SmartPad is a 7-inch, touchscreen-based slate that'll eventually support Android 2.2 (v1.6 will be pre-installed), and there's also inbuilt WiFi and an optional 3G module for those looking to "stay connected." It seems as if the company is still hammering out the final specifications, but we are told to expect an SD card reader (2GB will be included), a USB socket, a 500MHz ARM11 processor, 256MB of RAM and a proprietary app store that'll undoubtedly enrage you. According to the promotional video hosted just past the break, it should ship later this month for precisely nothing so long as you pick up a data plan to go alongside of it. 'Course, getting one outside of Deutschland is another challenge entirely...

Continue reading 1&1's 7-inch SmartPad is the most unlikely Android tablet you'll ever see

1&1's 7-inch SmartPad is the most unlikely Android tablet you'll ever see originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chase Bank Customers Can Deposit Checks Using an iPhone App [IPhone Apps]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5578069/chase-bank-customers-can-deposit-checks-using-an-iphone-app

Yeah I know, checks—antiquated money-form. I closed a bank account recently, and they sent me a check with the remaining balance—but £2.16 just doesn't seem worth the effort involved. If I banked with Chase, though...

Well, I wouldn't be banking with Chase, as I'm in the UK (where we call checks "cheques"), but for anyone who has a Chase account their updated iPhone app is definitely worth your download. Or it would be, if you can find it on the App Store—there seem to be some issues at the moment with people not being able to find it.

Once Chase/Apple irons out any bugs preventing it from showing up, you'll then be able to take a photo of the check with your iPhone, and deposit it through the app reportedly, with 9to5Mac's Seth saying that it worked perfectly for him, but it only allows deposits of $1,000 a day, and $3,000 a week.

The technology isn't exactly new, as USAA (a privately-held bank and insurance company) added the functionality to its app last year. Chase, to my (UK)-knowledge, is a much larger bank (part of the "big four," along with Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo), so therefore it's a pretty big step and could really help out their customers, who like me, are too lazy to walk to the bank to deposit a $3.28 check. [iTunes via 9to5Mac]

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Japanese Not Excited About Being Told to Buy 3DTVs [3dTv]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5578115/japanese-not-excited-about-being-told-to-buy-3dtvs

A survey of 8,957 Japanese consumers found they're not thrilled about the entertainment industry demanding they upgrade TVs again, with nearly 70% saying they have "no plans" to buy a 3DTV for their homes.

"Television makers' expectations for 3D are high but looking at the degree of interest among consumers, there is a big gap with the enthusiasm of manufacturers" said Tsuyoshi Kamada, from survey-taker Kakaku.com. The main reasons given for the negativity were the expense, the silly glasses, the expense of the silly glasses and the clear current lack of 3D content. [Reuters via VG247]

Image Credit: LG's Flickr (yes, we know LG is Korean, but that's a lovely photograph)

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