Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Go Get Your @Outlook Email Address Quick Before Someone Else Does [Psa]
OUYA partners with Square Enix, names Final Fantasy III as launch title
We've been saying for a while now that a large deal of the success of Kickstarter blockbuster OUYA will hinge on the console's game selection. News just got a fair bit brighter on that front -- particularly for RPG fans. The company announced via its Kickstarter page (as per usual) that it has partnered with Square Enix. The first fruits of that burgeoning relationship will be Final Fantasy III, making the game a launch title for the console. The company is promising that the title will be "updated to exploit OUYA's high-definition resolution in glorious graphic detail" -- and, as is OUYA's M.O., players will be getting a free demo of the game. Oh, and for those keeping track, the product's Kickstarter page is currently at a mind-boggling $5,820,345 with eight days to go.
Filed under: Gaming
OUYA partners with Square Enix, names Final Fantasy III as launch title originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Huawei Ascend G 302D goes public in FCC docs
It's a curious thing to have gold signify the low-end, but that's just what Huawei's done with its G series smartphone line. That bottom-dwelling, budget tier, first announced at this past Mobile World Congress, has already seen a couple of category cousins come out into the open (see: Vodafone's G 300 and T-Mobile's G 312), so color us unsurprised to find yet another single-core, Googlefied device crop up at the FCC. The associated docs leave little to the imagination, treating us to unobstructed images of the Ascend G 302D -- presumably, a 4-incher. We're not quite sure what software the phone'll run when it ships, though from the looks of those very ICS-like capacitive keys, we wouldn't rule Android 4.0 out. Spec-wise, we have the included manual and some RF testing to go off of, revealing two different sized batteries -- a 1,350mAh and 1,500mAh -- support for Bluetooth, WiFi b/g/n and AT&T-compatible radios. That's not to say this lil' guy's guaranteed an official U.S. slot on that carrier's lineup, but it should make for a decent import option. Hit up the source below for additional shots of this mobile minor leaguer.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
Huawei Ascend G 302D goes public in FCC docs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google brings NYC subway alerts to Maps, makes public transit a little more bearable
Google has offered up New York City subway information via Maps for some time now, but as anyone who's navigated the 100-plus-year-old transit system will happily tell / complain to you, such information is only so useful without info on the requisite service changes -- a lot of work goes into maintaining something that old. Google's upping its game by bringing services changes to Maps for Android and its web-based counterpart. Clicking on one of the 468 stations in Maps will bring up relevant maintenance information, as well as step-by-step instructions for navigating around it. Until Boingo rolls out WiFi to more stations, however, you might want to check your status before going underground.
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS
Google brings NYC subway alerts to Maps, makes public transit a little more bearable originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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MICROSOFT MILLICOM INTL CELLULAR MOBILE TELESYSTEMS NANYA TECHNOLOGY
Sony 'Xperia Tablet' details leak - Tegra 3, splashproof glass and a keyboard cover
Since the launch of the Tablet S and Tablet P last year, little has been heard from Sony on the subject of future tablet plans. However, that changes today with the leak of a massive cache of slides detailing the company's next-generation "Xperia tablet." The slides first appeared in an XDA forum post, where the poster said the tablet would come to market in time for the holidays.
The new tablet will be "positioned as part of the Xperia family," which includes Sony's range of Android smartphones. Externally, the leaked slides indicate a thinner, lighter design, while keeping the Tablet S's trademark "wedge" design and 9.4-inch screen size. Tentative specs list the thickness as 8.8mm at the bottom of the wedge, and 11.85 at the top. The device is said to weigh 570 grams, down from 598. And in contrast to the plastic chassis of Sony's earlier tablet, the new model will be constructed of anodized aluminum-magnesium alloy and splashproof glass. Screen resolution looks set to remain at 1280x800 pixels (WXGA).
Internally, the Xperia tablet will apparently sport an NVIDIA Tegra 3 CPU with 16, 32 or 64GB of storage, and the camera specs have been bumped up to 1MP on the front and 8MP around the back. Battery life is estimated at 10 hours of Wifi browsing, on a 6000mAh battery. Interestingly, the OS version is marked as "ICS or later," suggesting the possibility that the Xperia tablet will ship with Jelly Bean at launch.
In addition to Android 4-point-something, you can expect the full Sony Entertainment Network suite, including PlayStation support and access to the Sony Reader store for e-books. A range of third-party apps are mentioned in the slides too, including the likes of Netflix, Hulu, Picasa, Box.net, Skype and Facebook, which may be pre-loaded.
A range of accessories is promised too, including stands, carrying cases, and a Microsoft Surface-style keyboard cover (though there's no indication of whether this works the same as Microsoft's offering). Tentative pricing starts at $449.99 for the 16GB version. 32GB is set for $549.99, and 64GB for $649.99.
With the IFA show just around the corner, and Sony confirmed to be in attendance, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for a possible unveiling in Berlin late next month. For more details, check the slides after the break.
Source: XDA; via: XperiaBlog
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/zps0qoHjXbE/story01.htm
The Reason Why Your Email Address Has an @ in It [Email]
IntoNow App Now Includes Real-Time Meme Generator
Whether you’re watching the Olympics or your favorite prime-time drama, you’re probably using a smartphone or tablet to look up information about the competition or show, and the people who appear onscreen. Yahoo recognizes our desire to cross-reference televised content with online content, so it updated its “second screen” TV companion app with new real-time features.
And, oh yeah, you can use the newly overhauled app to auto-generate meme fodder as well.
Yahoo’s revised IntoNow app features group chats about shows, the ability to identify the songs playing in the background of a show (just like Shazam), and a tool that creates meme-worthy images from screen grabs of live TV. Prepare for an onslaught of Olympic memes, because they’re coming.
The technology behind IntoNow’s “CapIt” image generator is impressive. The app listens to a show’s audio, just like the song-identifier app Shazam. It then uses the audio from the show to determine what you’re watching. Once this happens, the CapIt tool presents a stream of still images from the live broadcast or show. After choosing an screencap, you can add captions to the top and bottom of the image (think LOLcats), and then share your new meme candidate on Twitter and Facebook at will.
Unfortunately, the CapIt feature only works with shows that are currently being broadcast. So, if you didn’t grab a still from Sunday night’s True Blood episode while is was playing, you missed the boat for vampire-related lulz. At least until one of HBO’s many repeat showings is aired.
The app will still be able to determine what you’re watching by the audio of the show, regardless of how (or when) you are watching it — you just won’t be able to acquire one of the CapIt screen grabs. Also, regardless of whether your TV content is live or recorded, the app will still showcase Twitter streams relevant to the show, CapIt images that others have taken, discussions about the show, and trivia quizes. To accomplish this, IntoNow maintains a database of 266 million minutes of television. That’s the equivalent of watching 200 TVs simultaneously playing different shows for six years.
In addition to recognizing every episode of Alf and Airwolf, the app is also able to determine the music playing in the background of a show. Because of dialogue and other noise, the Music Sync feature isn’t perfect. But according to Yahoo! vice president of product Adam Cahan (he founded IntoNow, which was eventually purchased by Yahoo!), the feature has a 90 percent success rate.
The app itself is a fun companion during TV watching, and delivers most of the information relevant to shows being viewed. And we found it’s especially helpful during the Olympics, providing information on medal counts and the competing athletes. But, really, the meme-generating CapIt tool is the money feature. And if CapIt were’t enough, Cahan told Wired that Yahoo! is investigating a feature that creates animated GIFs from still images of TV shows.
IntoNow 3.0 update is available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad for free.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Samsung Product Chief: ‘It’s Unreasonable That We’re Fighting Over Rectangles’
The Apple v. Samsung trial that begins in a San Jose federal courtroom on Monday could emerge as the most important patent dispute of the decade. Apple and Samsung are accusing each other of infringing on a number technology patents, while Apple also claims that Samsung’s Galaxy phones and tablets wrongfully copy the look and feel of the iPhone and iPad.
The outcome of the battle could have far-reaching ramifications across the consumer electronics and mobile industries. Kevin Packingham, Samsung’s Chief Product Officer, knows what’s at stake, having previously worked as an executive at Sprint Nextel before launching a start-up that helped China’s Huawei bring its phones and tablets to the United States.
Ahead of the trial, Packingham stopped by Wired’s newsroom in San Francisco to talk about Samsung’s role in the ongoing patent wars that have spawned dozens of lawsuits across the globe, involving not only Samsung and Apple, but also HTC, Motorola and Microsoft, among others. For its part, Samsung owns more than 100,000 patents worldwide, so it’s certainly no stranger to the patents game, and all the litigation it involves. Here is the edited conversation.
Wired: How does Samsung reconcile being both a business partner, with its components division, and a litigant, with its products division, against rivals such as Apple?
Kevin Packingham: The two parts of the company, they’re extremely isolated. There are times when I’m absolutely appalled that we sell what I consider to be the most innovative, most secret parts of the sauce of our products to some other manufacturer — HTC, LG, Apple, anybody. And they [the components groups] are like, ‘Look, that’s none of your business. You go make your mobile phones and if you’d like to use our components, that’d be great.’ But you know, we also use Qualcomm components, and we source from other component manufacturers as well.
Wired: It seems most of the patents that Samsung is either licensing to other folks, or using against competitors in patent suits, are related more to technology than design — 3G technologies and other wireless technologies, for example. But what’s used against Samsung most often focuses on design. Does Samsung just not have a ton of design patents? Or is it just impossible to patent a rectangular piece of glass with a touchscreen, which every smartphone and tablet has today, and is under dispute in the Apple trial?
Packingham: In terms of patents, we have a made lot of contributions in the design space as well. I would say the patents we’re struggling with — where there’s a lot of discussion and litigation right now — are around these very broad design patents like a rectangle. For us, it’s unreasonable that we’re fighting over rectangles, that that’s being considered as an infringement, which is why we’re defending ourselves.
Hopefully the entire industry is in the position now where we have to defend ourselves and say, “Look, it’s unreasonable for us to be in the position of claiming that there is design, claiming that there is some sort of protected property, around a rectangle.” So I would say, yeah, we have design patents as well, but they’re not as simple as the rectangle. And so that’s where I think you see a little bit of this challenge.
In some cases, for most of us in the industry, it’s defying common sense. We’re all scratching our heads and saying, “How is this possible that we’re actually having an industry-level debate and trying to stifle competition?” Consumers want rectangles and we’re fighting over whether you can deliver a product in the shape of a rectangle.
Logically, as an engineering and manufacturing company, it makes more sense to focus on the things that are really relevant and we think are truly intellectual property. They are truly unique, and have come intrinsically out of the investments we made in R&D. A rectangle did not come out of R&D investment that we’ve made. Some of our products happen to be in the shape of a rectangle, but I wouldn’t consider that to be an art or a science that we’ve created.
Wired: It seems the patent system is broken. Injunctions are imposed and lifted all the time. Is there a way that Samsung can take a leadership position in all this to stop the fighting? Because nobody is doing that right now.
Packingham: In general, this isn’t a Samsung issue. This is an industry issue that we need to collectively solve. We are all trying to make sure that we are creating products and services that can be successful in the marketplace, and are interesting to consumers. So we need to find a way in which we can have healthy competition and not try to stifle competition with patents that aren’t particularly unique, and really don’t represent intellectual property.
Wired: Maybe leadership isn’t the right word then. Maybe peacemaker is the right word. Samsung is a leader in terms of having a ton of patents on the books. But these patents are sometimes used as weapons against other companies, and others are using their patents to fight back.
Packingham: In the current environment, there’s just one company that’s firing the first shot consistently. Most everybody else seems to be getting along really well. There are a few areas where there has been some contention recently, but if you look at those areas of contention, they were legitimate and people were able to come to terms, business terms, that were reasonable. That’s the way the system should work.
We should be able to have a good, healthy dialogue about how we’re going to advance technology, how we’re going to advance the consumer experience. Not around how we’re going to isolate our companies and prevent innovation from entering the marketplace.
Wired: How does Samsung deal with the uncertainty of which patent suits may or may not come your way upon a new product launch?
Packingham: We always do everything we can to make sure that when we’re implementing technology, that we’re licensing everything that should be covered, particularly under suppliers where we are leveraging technology that doesn’t originate from Samsung.
But at the same time there are things where we don’t necessarily have awareness of an entire space. So you always have some things where you know there’s probably going to be some additional conversations required after launching a product, but that’s natural and in the past it’s never been a barrier to us introducing new products.
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/07/samsung-chief-product-officer-q-and-a/
TECHNITROL TAKETWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE SYNTEL SYNTAXBRILLIAN
Microsoft outs Bluetooth-enabled Sculpt Touch Mouse, matching Sculpt Mobile Keyboard
Lots of hardware news coming out of Microsoft today. No, not that kind of hardware; just a lot of mice (and keyboards, too). In addition to that spiffy Wedge mouse and keyboard, the company just announced two products as part of a new "Sculpt" line. First up, there's the Sculpt Touch Mouse, which isn't all that different from this, except it works over Bluetooth, as opposed to a USB dongle. Unlike last year's Touch Mouse, which got a software update today, this doesn't have a full touch surface so much as a touch strip, so complex three-fingered gestures are out. Still, you can use it to swipe up and down, and from side to side. And, like other products in Microsoft's lineup, it has BlueTrack technology, which allows it to be used on almost any surface. Interestingly, you'll need Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows RT to use it, meaning Vista users are outta luck. Meanwhile, the Sculpt Mobile Keyboard is similar to last year's Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 5000, only this time around it has hotkeys specific to Windows 8. Both products will be available "soon," and will retail for $49.95.
Filed under: Peripherals
Microsoft outs Bluetooth-enabled Sculpt Touch Mouse, matching Sculpt Mobile Keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/microsoft-sculpt-touch-mouse-sculpt-mobile-keyboard/
Microsoft’s New Mouse and Keyboard Are Actually Quite Lovely
Microsoft announced new keyboards and mice today: the Wedge Touch Mouse and Wedge Touch Keyboard, and the Sculpt Touch Mouse and Sculpt Touch Keyboard. The Sculpt products, though quite nice, are iterative updates of existing gear, but the Wedge Touch Mouse and Wedge Touch Keyboard are truly cool, and offer further evidence of the Microsoft’s renewed commitment to great design.
Both Wedges (and, indeed, all four devices) depend on Bluetooth, so there are no cables to connect. The Wedge Touch Keyboard comes with its own cover that doubles as a multi-angle stand for a tablet. Take the cover off, and you can prop a tablet up on it, and adjust the angle via a joint in the center. When placed on the keyboard, however, the cover automatically powers the keyboard down.
The underside battery compartment is designed so that when it’s flipped upside down and held against a tablet surface (so that the covered keys are against the tablet screen) it grips easily in your fingers. The keypad itself, meanwhile, is delightfully compact, but doesn’t feel too cramped. It also has novel hotkeys across the top for launching new Windows 8 menu functions — the Charms that appear from the right side of the screen.
The Wedge Touch Keyboard will retail for $80 and is available “soon.” The Wedge Touch Mouse is similarly compact and striking-looking. It offers four-way touch scrolling and Bluetrack technology that lets you mouse on just about any surface. It will retail for $70. These look to be great mobile devices. Clearly, Microsoft is thinking of consumers who are going to buy a Windows 8 tablet that isn’t a Surface (which already has its own dramatic keyboard that doubles as a case).
The Sculpt Touch Mouse and Sculpt Touch Keyboard — both of which are $50 — are larger and more full-featured than the Wedge models, if not as exciting. The keyboard also features Windows 8 hotkeys.
But the big story here is Microsoft design. Windows 8, Windows Phone, the Surface tablets and now these input devices are all evidence of a company firing on all cylinders at once, putting design first and foremost. These are thoughtful hardware releases. It’s great to see from a company that once put so little emphasis on human-focused design.
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/07/microsoft-wedge-sculpt-keyboard-mouse/