Dish and Sprint to trial fixed LTE broadband in Texas
Dish may already be testing wireless broadband in Virginia, but it’s not content to stop there. The TV provider has just partnered with Sprint on an upcoming trial of fixed LTE service in Corpus Christi, Texas. Both companies are shy on details, although they expect to use both indoor and outdoor routers when the test run begins in mid-2014. Service will expand to more areas in the future, although Dish and Sprint aren’t being more specific; we’ve reached out for further details. Whatever they do next, the experiment is good news for those who want more (or at least faster) rural broadband in the US.
Filed under: Wireless, Networking, Internet, Sprint
Source: Dish
Kindle for Android adds Collections to help organize your e-library
If you’ve bought quite a library of Kindle books for yourself, you might have a chore scrolling through the lot to find the one you want. Thankfully for Android users, you can now organize your reading material into Collections with a new Kindle app update. What goes into a certain Collection is entirely up to you — you may group them by genre, type or whatever category strikes your fancy. As you’re choosing which book goes where, you can filter them by author or title, and unlike your physical library, a single book can be assigned to multiple Collections. Just like your reading progress, those Collections can be synced across multiple devices as long as you’re logged in. The Kindle update brings a number of other goodies to the table as well, like accessibility support for Android’s Talkback and Explore By Touch features so you can flip a page simply by reading aloud and the ability to toggle publisher fonts on or off. You’ll also now be prompted to offer a star rating for a book once you’re done reading it. So if you’re a die-hard Kindle fanatic with an Android device, snag the update and lord it over your Collection-less iOS brethren while you still can.
Source: Google Play
Mac and iOS users can now gift iBooks
Your chances of buying tangible gifts for the holidays may be fading fast, but your digital options are now wider than ever. Apple has just enabled full gift support on the iBookstore for both iOS and Mac users; you can buy someone a specific book rather than giving them iTunes credit. As with apps and media, it’s simple to either time the gift delivery or attach a message. An iBook may not be quite as elaborate as a present under the tree, but we doubt that many iPad-toting readers will mind.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5 Mac
[Download] Minor Ingress Update to v1.42.1
In its second release in three days since coming out of Beta on Dec 14, Ingress has updated the scanner to v1.42.1. This update includes (per Play Store description):
- Updated OPS tab design.
- Special support for the Founder’s medal.
- Reduced memory usage.
- Bugfixes.
Check out the new tab design.
As always, updates are rolled out periodically to agents. If you haven’t received the notification yet and have ants in the pants for it naows, you can download the APK HERE.
BLU unveils two budget Android phones with 3G on more North American carriers
BLU Products’ unlocked smartphones have only been truly useful in North America when using bigger carriers like AT&T and Rogers, but the company is giving us a few more choices today. Its new Advance 4.0 and Studio 5.0 II both support HSPA+ data on smaller networks like T-Mobile, Solavei and Wind Mobile; if you want to jump to a cheaper provider, you won’t have to give up 3G in the process. The handsets are otherwise modest. Both Android 4.2 devices come with a dual-core 1.3GHz MediaTek processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of expandable storage, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a front VGA camera. You’re mostly left deciding between the Advance 4.0′s 4-inch TFT display and the Studio 5.0 II’s 5-inch IPS panel. Whichever phone you choose, it won’t cost much. BLU is offering the Advance 4.0 today for $89 outright, while its Studio 5.0 II cousin sells for $139.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: PR Newswire
Source: BLU Products (1), (2)
Daily Roundup: Samsung’s sound lab, the gadgets of 2013, HFR movies and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung is reshaping its identity, one note at a time
Samsung treats sound as key to its identity — a melody or a water drop is as important as the company logo. But why does the company feel that way, and what is it doing to improve its audio experience? We visited its Sound Lab to find out.
On the Gadget Table: the products that defined 2013
The past year has been chock-full of technology launches, ranging from game systems to smart eyewear to tablets. Which ones will we still be talking about next year, however? We’ve brought back a classic Engadget Show segment, On the Gadget Table, to reminisce about the most memorable devices of 2013.
The Desolation of Smaug shows Peter Jackson still hasn’t perfected HFR
Peter Jackson pioneered high frame rate (HFR) movie-making techniques with the first part of his Hobbit movie trilogy, but his approach left plenty of room for improvement. The Desolation of Smaug promises to fix that with a more film-like quality. We went to the theater to learn whether Jackson has solved HFR’s technical woes.
Microsoft will have a new CEO ‘in the early part of 2014′
Microsoft said that it would find a replacement for Steve Ballmer by August next year, but we likely won’t have to wait that long. The crew in Redmond now expects to have a new CEO in early 2014, and it’s down to 20 candidates for the top spot.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Home Entertainment, Software
Opera Max beta compresses most of the data going through your Android device
Opera’s mobile browsers are quite popular because of their ability to compress data, but it’s unfortunately been limited to just that — the browser itself. This becomes less and less useful as smartphones continue to evolve, since our data usage patterns encompass so much more than just the simple browser: many of us are constantly streaming music, uploading and downloading images and apps, and so on. To lighten the hefty load we inflict on our monthly data allotments, Opera has launched a beta of its new Android app called Opera Max, which compresses most of the information that goes through your device — websites, images, videos and many of your usual apps (Instagram and Vine immediately come to mind, but the possibilities are wide open).
Opera makes this happen by setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that measures all of the data coming through your device. Data requests are then sent through Opera’s servers, though the company tells us that it only measures how much data you use and how much you save — in other words, it says your information is safe. There’s no guarantee on how much data you’ll save, but if you’re a gulper like us, we suspect it’ll be a significant amount. While the company hasn’t specified how many beta testers are allowed, it does say that room is limited; if you’re into the idea, you’ll need to join its Google Plus Community, opt in to the beta and then download the app from the Play Store.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google
Source: Opera
Apple to Require New App Store Submissions to be ‘Optimized for iOS 7’ on February 1 [iOS Blog]
Apple has published a new announcement for developers on its dev center website notifying them that all new App Store submissions must be built with the latest version of Xcode 5 and optimized for iOS 7.
Starting February 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built with the latest version of Xcode 5 and must be optimized for iOS 7. Learn more about preparing your apps by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.
The new rule goes into effect on February 1, 2014 and means that any apps built on older versions of Xcode or non-iOS 7 optimized apps will be rejected from the App Store.
In addition, this also applies to app updates, providing some inspiration for developers to update their developer tools and optimize their apps for iOS 7 as the updates will be rejected otherwise. Optimizing an app for iOS 7 does not necessarily mean it needs to look different, but that the underlying construction of the app must be optimized for the new OS.
Earlier this month, Apple’s App Store usage numbers indicated that iOS 7 had been installed on 74 percent of devices connected to the App Store. The new rule indicates Apple is eager to get developers to take advantage of iOS 7′s high adoption rate and make their apps compatible with it to ensure higher user satisfaction.
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Bamboo backed Moto X set to ship in January
We all knew the real wood backed Moto X customization was on the way and now you have the chance to get your order in for the first, of what will be many, variants of the custom wood option. You can pick up a Bamboo backed Moto X. You will need to go through Moto Maker to get your order placed of course.
You still get all the other awesome customization options that have always been available. The Moto X in Bamboo comes out at $199 with a two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. You can always go Unlockled and get some killer financing terms with 0$ down.
Shipping is listed on the site for the Bamboo back as ”Shipping Delayed” with the Moto Blog stating they will ship in January. Anyone down to place an order now and wait a month?
Via Moto Blog
Relightable Dome creates interactive images where you control the light source
Stitching together a bunch of images to create a single picture is hardly a new concept. Panoramas are old hat, and Google is even using 360-degree photos to help guide your shopping decisions. But a team of students at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, with the help of a few others, are taking a slightly different approach. The Relightable Dome, or Relightable Photobooth, uses Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) technology which captures an object or person under a variety of lighting conditions then combine it into a single, interactive photo. Inside the box is a concave surface studded with 81 LED flashes. A custom microcontroller inside triggers each flash in sequence and a camera mounted at the rear captures an image at each stop. And, while the enclosure is custom, the camera doesn’t need to be. At the back is simply a bracket that practically any shooter can be mounted on, though in this case it was a Canon DSLR. The pictures are then stitched together on a laptop using a piece of open source software and a special algorithm to create an interactive image where you control the light source. The whole process, from triggering the first flash to final file takes less than five minutes.
The effect is quite different than a 3D model where you manipulate the object. In fact, we can only describe it as dramatic. Museums were among the first to make use of the tech for capturing detailed imagery of stone inscriptions, textiles and manuscripts. Shifting the light source exposes subtle nuances in the texture and illuminates even the deepest crevices, without creating a sterile flat image. While the uses for retailers and museums are obvious, something even more stunning happens when you stick your face inside. By simply shifting the angle of the light source you can bring emotion to an otherwise expressionless face. A flash from a high corner may cast menacing shadows and create the illusion of a frown or scowl, while one closer to face and slightly beneath the mouth may make it appear as if you’re smiling.
The project was partially inspired by Yang Jiang’s background in photography, and her obsession with lighting and the way shadows can play with the perception of the human face. Along with Peiqi Su, Liu Jing and Liao Wei, she worked to create this project for ITP’s Winter show, where it drew a lot of attention — almost every time we walked by someone was crouched with their head inside. The next step is potential commercialization. Right now, the only way to view the files is either with a desktop RTI viewer, or through the web view on the Relightable website. Eventually the group plans to build an embedable widget for viewing the images, but for now you’ll have to go to their site and upload images of your favorite Engadget editors directly.
Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
Filed under: Cameras
AIVAnet 