LG outs diminutive Bluetooth headset with 8 hours of battery life

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/30/lg-bluetooth-headset/

LG's big ticket items may take up most of our attention span, but the South Korean firm's latest Bluetooth headset solution has caught our eye. Coming in at roughly the size of a matchbox (35.9 × 50.2 × 19.2mm), the BTS1 boasts an 8 hour battery life, features a built-in clip, supports the aptX codec and packs on-board controls for volume, pause and play, sifting through songs and handling phone calls. With the help of Bluetooth 3.0, the pack connects to smartphones, laptops, tablets and even TVs -- yes, even those in LG's 2013 line-up -- with the wireless standard baked in. Of course, you could always lean on a Roku 3 if you're hankering for a wire-free television experience for your earbuds. There's no word of a US release, but if you find yourself in PSY's homeland, you'll be able to score one for 59,000 won (roughly $53).

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, HD, Mobile, LG

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Source: LG (translated), LG (Flickr)

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University of Texas students send yacht off-course with GPS exploit (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/30/university-of-texas-yacht-hack-experiment/

Students from the University of Texas gave us another reason not to mess with the Lone Star state: they'll hack your yacht. In cooperation with a luxury boat's owners, the Longhorns manipulated their $80 million vessel's nav system, covertly guiding it off-course -- all without the crew ever suspecting foul play. By transmitting spoofed global positioning system signals toward the craft, the students tricked its drivers into correcting a non-existent, three-degree course deviation, thus leading them off track. With their work done, the Texans believe this shows exactly how easy it is to exploit civil-band GPS signals. College kids may have conned the helm this time, but it isn't too far-fetched to think pirates could do the same. Our timbers are shivering just thinking about it.

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

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Source: The Houston Chronicle

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Android 4.3 supports TRIM, improves performance on Nexus devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/30/android-4-3-supports-trim-improves-performance-on-nexus-devices/

It's no secret that many Android phones and tablets show a decrease in performance over time. Nexus devices are not immune -- it's particularly noticeable with the original Nexus 7. Our friend Brian Klug over at AnandTech discovered an interesting tidbit while testing the new and improved Nexus 7: Android 4.3 supports TRIM. What this means is that Google's mobile OS can now instruct the flash storage controller when to collect / recycle unused data pages / blocks. The net result is that devices running Android 4.3 will no longer become sluggish with time -- in fact, existing Nexus handsets and tablets will see performance improve after the update. It also looks like Jelly Bean invokes TRIM maintenance once within a 24-hour window (after one hour of inactivity), and only if the battery is 80% full (30% when charging). Follow the source link below for all the details.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google

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Source: AnandTech

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Toshiba adds Haswell to refreshed Satellite U and M laptops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/29/toshiba-haswell-refreshed-satellite-u-m-laptops/

While Toshiba already outed its Haswell plans, the company has chosen today to unveil a few more PCs. The outfit's refreshing its Satellite U and M range in the UK, with the U50t being equipped with a 10-point touchscreen and Windows 8 onboard. The Satellite M50D and M50Dt, meanwhile, boast AMD's latest APU processors and Radeon graphics. The whole line (which is slated for dispatch in Q3) ships with Intel's fourth-generation processors and HD 4400 graphics, while those needing a bit more oomph on the pixel pushing side can opt for NVIDIA's GeForce GT 740M. As you'd expect, Intel's WiDi and Miracast technologies are infused, and each machine arrives with a full-size HDMI port, Bluetooth 4.0, an SD card slot and a pair of USB 3.0 sockets. Tosh isn't talking pricing just yet, but you can dig into the specification list just after break.

Gallery: Toshiba's Satellite U and M laptops (mid-2013)

Filed under: Laptops

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Source: Toshiba

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Samsung reportedly looking to engineer new ARM-compatible Exynos processor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/29/samsung-new-arm-compatible-exynos-processor/

It's a material world, and Samsung's just living in it. And, evidently, it's tired of doing things in the same manner it has been. According to a report from ETNews, the aforesaid company is looking to produce an Exynos processor using a "redesigned ARM core platform" that'll be whipped up in Samsung's Austin, Texas-based R&D facility. If the plans materialize, it'll mark the first time that Samsung has engineered an Exynos chip "based on its own architecture platform by redesigning the ARM cores." For those unaware, Qualcomm and Apple are amongst the precious few that have concocted their own platforms after inking an architecture licensing deal with ARM, and it sounds as if Sammy's tired of being on the outside looking in. The report also states that development is expected "to be completed early next year," and you can bet that future Galaxy and Note products will be the first to benefit.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: Android Beat

Source: ETNews

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