Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

drag2share: Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/google-tv-2-0-app-developers-get-final-add-on-for-android-sdk/

If you hadn't heard, Google TV is (over)due to get a major boost with Honeycomb and access to the Android Market. We've seen a few compatible apps leak out thanks to Google's early efforts to woo developers, but it's only now that we're getting the final add-on for the Android SDK. It brings a couple of revisions, like better placement options for the action and navigation bars, but more importantly it delivers the message that two-point-oh is almost two-point-here.

Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Sony locks 93,000 PSN and SOE accounts due to 'massive' hack attempt

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/sony-locks-93-000-psn-and-soe-accounts-due-to-massive-hack-att/

Sony's not having a good morning. In addition to having to recall 1.6 million Bravia TVs, it's also been forced to temporarily lock 93,000 customers out of their PSN and Sony Online Entertainment accounts. You won't be surprised by the reason: an attempt by hackers to "test a massive set of sign-in IDs and passwords" against Sony's network database. Some of the affected accounts showed "additional activity prior to being locked" and are being investigated. On the flip-side, Sony's Chief Information Security Officer, Philip Reitinger, stressed that most of the hackers' details resulted in failed logins and in any case credit card details are not at risk. Users are being told to expect an email if they've been affected, which will contain further instructions. Has Sony finally realized the value of timely communication?

Sony locks 93,000 PSN and SOE accounts due to 'massive' hack attempt originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Sprint and Verizon confirm iPhone 4S Micro SIM unlock for international travel (update: Sprint remains locked?)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/sprint-and-verizon-confirm-iphone-4s-micro-sim-unlock-for-intern/

If you own an iPhone 4 on AT&T, using the device while traveling internationally means paying sky-high roaming fees, jailbreaking or limiting data use to when you're on a WiFi network, either with a public hotspot or through a service like Xcom Global. Verizon iPhone 4 owners, however, don't have the option of GSM roaming at all, and can only make calls and use cellular data in countries that support CDMA. All that changes with the iPhone 4S, however -- Macworld has confirmed that Sprint will sell its version of the device with the Micro SIM slot unlocked, with Verizon offering free unlocking to customers after the first 60 days of service. iPhone 4S owners will then be able to purchase a Micro SIM overseas, allowing them to access data and make calls at local rates, for a fraction of what it would cost to roam. AT&T iPhone 4S owners won't have this option, however, so if you make frequent trips overseas, this benefit alone may be enough to justify purchasing the phone through Sprint or Verizon, saving some users hundreds or thousands of dollars in international roaming fees.

Update: Our source article was incorrect, and Sprint has told us that its SIM will not be unlocked, adding that the card will not even be removable.

Our SIM does not come out of the device - I believe the same is true of Verizon's iPhone but you would need to confirm that with them. Customers can sign up for one of our international rate plans and use this phone all over the world. When traveling internationally, there is a setting that must be turned on within the device to connect to GSM. The phone will work with a SIM that is provided within the device out of the box. International voice and data charges are on a pay-as-you-go basis and vary based on the country where the customer is using their phone; a list of rates is available at www.sprint.com/international.

Update 2: We heard from Sprint a second time, which redacted part of its previous statement. The carrier further explained "the SIM is removable and is not affixed to the device," which as you may notice directly contradicts the statement made earlier today. We've reached out to Apple twice and are awaiting further clarification.

[Thanks, Julio]

Sprint and Verizon confirm iPhone 4S Micro SIM unlock for international travel (update: Sprint remains locked?) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: LG Doubleplay packs dual screens, likes being different

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/lg-doubleplay-packs-dual-screens-likes-being-different/

We double-took when we noticed this strange little handset on T-Mobile's leaked fall roadmap under a 'Flip II' codename, and now it's emerged in some press shots with a doubly playful new moniker and a touch more clarity. We can see a five megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a front-facer of unknown resolution, and what's reported to be a 320x480 HVGA main display. We know very little about the secondary display except that it seems to give you quick access to your apps -- although we're hoping there's more to it than that. The roadmap indicated an imminent November 2nd launch for $150 on contract and it surely won't be long before get some hands-on time. Til then, we'll just try to imagine the ergonomics.

LG Doubleplay packs dual screens, likes being different originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Archos 80 G9 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/archos-80-g9-review/

As far as tablets go, a couple of interesting things are going to happen between now and the holiday season. One, we're going to see a glut of smaller 7- and 8-inch tablets running Honeycomb (like this, this and this) hit the market. And if the Kindle Fire and Acer Iconia Tab A100 are any indication, they're going to be cheaper, making slates palatable to folks who previously couldn't bring themselves to spend $500 on a plaything. The Archos 80 G9, then, is the perfect specimen on both counts. Here you have an 8-inch tablet running Android 3.2 with a kickstand and full-sized USB port -- costing just $300 for the base model ($270, even, on sites like Amazon). So how does it stack up against other diminutive, aggressively priced tablets? Let's see.

Gallery: Archos 80 G9 review