Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com Engadget Mobile http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Hulu still silent on PS3, Windows Mobile blocking - but there's a free solution]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/07/01/hulu-still-silent-on-ps3-windows-mobile-blocking-but-theres/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/07/01/hulu-still-silent-on-ps3-windows-mobile-blocking-but-theres/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/07/01/hulu-still-silent-on-ps3-windows-mobile-blocking-but-theres/#commentsFiled under: , ,


A few days after blocking PlayStation 3 users, Hulu has yet to respond to questions concerning the change which has only helped to fuel rumors it is related to the Microsoft ad campaign currently featured on the site, but that seems less likely now that we've confirmed it also began blocking the Flash-enabled Skyfire browser on Windows Mobile devices at the same time. Whatever the cause is, if you prefer a homegrown hack over something like PlayOn or TVersity, Eric over at ypass.net has put together a simple enough walkthrough for creating an "unblockable" workaround by setting up a locally connected PC running Linux or Windows with the freely available Squid proxy server software that will make your PS3 look like appear as a PC running a Firefox (or whatever you prefer) browser to any website that asks. Of course, just like the other solutions your computer will need to stay running to keep you connected, but we figure it's a small price to pay for enjoying relatively low res Flash video running on an HDTV.

Read - Got a PS3? Want Hulu Back? Easy enough...
Read - Squid-setup for Windows NT /2k /X

Hulu still silent on PS3, Windows Mobile blocking - but there's a free solution originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockedbrowserflashhulumozillaplaystation 3Playstation3proxyproxy serverProxyServerps3squidstreaminguser agentuser agent stringuser agent string utilityUserAgentUserAgentStringUserAgentStringUtilityWed, 01 Jul 2009 18:08:00 EST<![CDATA[NVIDIA Tegra smartphone due from a "top five" manufacturer before 2010?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/30/nvidia-tegra-smartphone-due-from-a-top-five-manufacturer-befor/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/30/nvidia-tegra-smartphone-due-from-a-top-five-manufacturer-befor/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/30/nvidia-tegra-smartphone-due-from-a-top-five-manufacturer-befor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

NVIDIA Tegra smartphone due from a
If you want to get HD in your handheld, NVIDIA's Tegra processor is the hot way to do it at the moment, and we've got reasonably concrete sounding rumors from disparate sources that a handset containing one of the chips is currently under development by a "top five" smartphone builder (we're guessing it's not Apple), and that it'll be out sometime before the end of the year, selling at T-Mobile and AT&T for just $199. The details of the device beyond that are scant, with Android being a possibility but Windows Mobile looking more likely, and a continued pledge of battery life of rated for "days and days" of mobile multimedia. We like the sound of that.

Read - NVIDIA Tegra phone due from "big five" firm
Read - Rumor: NVIDIA Tegra phones in Q409?

NVIDIA Tegra smartphone due from a "top five" manufacturer before 2010? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidhdhd smartphoneHdSmartphonenvidianvidia tegraNvidiaTegrarumorsmartphonetegrawindows mobileWindowsMobileTue, 30 Jun 2009 06:56:00 EST<![CDATA[FLO hopes to cut mobile TV costs by going straight to the customer]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/24/flo-hopes-to-cut-mobile-tv-costs-by-going-straight-to-the-custom/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/24/flo-hopes-to-cut-mobile-tv-costs-by-going-straight-to-the-custom/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/24/flo-hopes-to-cut-mobile-tv-costs-by-going-straight-to-the-custom/#commentsFiled under:


Besides the very real possibility that the average person isn't all that into the idea of watching live television on a screen the size of a few fingernails, there are two totally quantifiable reasons that MediaFLO-based mobile TV services offered on AT&T and Verizon have yet to sell like gangbusters: poor device selection and wallet-busting pricing strategies. It's already been known that FLO looks to solve the first problem by creating accessories that can give more phones access to the signals -- and it turns out they're looking to knock down pricing, too, by bypassing its carrier partners' services and going straight to subscribers. FLO doesn't control how AT&T and Verizon price their services even though it's responsible for the common backbone that powers both of them, and it figures that if it can get service out of the door for under $10 a month on an annual plan, it has a better chance of succeeding than the $15 and higher that's being charged currently. Of course, $10 is still a lot to pay for non-on-demand programming on a really small handful of channels, but it's a step in the right direction.

[Via mocoNews]

FLO hopes to cut mobile TV costs by going straight to the customer originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flomediaflomobile tvMobileTvWed, 24 Jun 2009 22:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Qik now available on Android]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/23/qik-now-available-on-android/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/23/qik-now-available-on-android/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/23/qik-now-available-on-android/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Qik, the live mobile video streaming service pioneered on S60, has always set out to tackle as many phones and platforms as it possibly could -- and the latest to get hooked up today is Android, which means you can push video to the world anywhere you've got a T-Mobile signal on that G1 of yours (and all the better if you're in one of those AWS 3G markets). The software's actually already available in the Android Market, so go ahead and test it right now; just put some pants on first, alright? Please, this is a family service.

Qik now available on Android originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsBreakingNewsqikTue, 23 Jun 2009 15:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon's VCAST TV service expands to three new markets]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/22/verizons-vcast-tv-service-expands-to-three-new-markets-2/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/22/verizons-vcast-tv-service-expands-to-three-new-markets-2/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/22/verizons-vcast-tv-service-expands-to-three-new-markets-2/#commentsFiled under: ,

FLO had promised that it would waste no time rolling out new markets just as soon as old analog TV spectrum started to free up, and sure enough, that's exactly what they're doing. Verizon -- whose VCAST TV service runs on FLO's backbone -- has officially announced expansion into the San Francisco, Cleveland, and Milwaukee markets, meaning the select few with a VCAST TV-capable phone (read: not the enV Touch) can start enjoying a handful of made-for-mobile boob tube channels in the new regions immediately -- provided they plunk down for the monthly fee ranging from $13 to $25. Just how badly do you wanna see Late Night from the warm glow of your phone, eh?

Verizon's VCAST TV service expands to three new markets originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flomediaflovcast tvVcastTvverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwMon, 22 Jun 2009 11:19:00 EST<![CDATA[FLO TV to add 39 markets following DTV transition]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/10/flo-tv-to-add-39-markets-following-dtv-transition/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/10/flo-tv-to-add-39-markets-following-dtv-transition/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/10/flo-tv-to-add-39-markets-following-dtv-transition/#commentsFiled under:


If we're using availability across AT&T's and Verizon's lineups as a benchmark, we'd venture to guess that FLO isn't doing terribly well -- but be that as it may, the Qualcomm subsidiary is rearing to expand its coverage just as soon as the remainder of the nation's analog television stations go dark on June 12. In fact, they're really, really serious about it: 15 new markets will go live the moment the analog signals turn off, adding Boston, Houston, Miami, and others, while another 24 will tack on by the end of the year. Existing live markets like Chicago and New York will enjoy expanded coverage, too, but the question remains -- where's FLO's meal ticket? More hardware helps, but it might ultimately take a transition to free services before mobile TV takes off.

FLO TV to add 39 markets following DTV transition originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analog tvAnalogTvdigital tvDigitalTvdtvdtv transitionDtvTransitionfloflo tvFloTvmediaflotransitionWed, 10 Jun 2009 19:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed: Palm Pre's iTunes support is very, very hacky]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/04/confirmed-palm-pres-itunes-support-is-very-very-hacky/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/04/confirmed-palm-pres-itunes-support-is-very-very-hacky/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/04/confirmed-palm-pres-itunes-support-is-very-very-hacky/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Careful analysis of a Pre's identity to its host system when connected via USB has now confirmed what's been suspected for a few days now -- the way it hooks to iTunes is very shady indeed. Turns out that the Pre identifies itself as an iPod when it's in Media Sync mode, but only on the system's mass storage interface; the root USB node still comes through as a Palm Pre, which Apple could easily tease out and block if it so chose. We're still up in the air on whether Cupertino would actively move to do that, but regardless, you've got to give a tip of the ol' hacker hat to Palm for its wild ways on this one.

Confirmed: Palm Pre's iTunes support is very, very hacky originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackitunesitunes supportItunesSupportpalmpalm prePalmPrepreThu, 04 Jun 2009 16:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia's Bluetooth BH-905 is 'the best headset ever made']]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/02/nokias-bluetooth-bh-905-is-the-best-headset-ever-made/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/02/nokias-bluetooth-bh-905-is-the-best-headset-ever-made/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/06/02/nokias-bluetooth-bh-905-is-the-best-headset-ever-made/#commentsFiled under: ,

Pretty strong words from Nokia calling its new BH-905 headset "the best headset ever made." The claim comes as a result of a partnership with Wolfson Microelectronics to add its 10-microphone "feed-forward" active noise-cancellation technology to the headset -- 8 mics for capturing background noise, 2 for your voice. The headset can connect wirelessly over Bluetooth or via a selection of plugs for your home stereo, MP3 player, or airplane jack. It also features high-performance speakers with stainless steel audio controls on one can, phone controls on the other. They'll hit globally in August for a steep pre-tax price of €285 / $403. Hey, that's not bad for the best ever.

[Thanks, Stephen R.]

Read -- Announcement
Read -- Microsite with video

Nokia's Bluetooth BH-905 is 'the best headset ever made' originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bh-905bluetooth headsetBluetoothHeadsetheadphonesheadsetnoisenoise cancellationnoise cancellingNoiseCancellationNoiseCancellingnokiawolfsonwolfson microelectronicsWolfsonMicroelectronicsTue, 02 Jun 2009 06:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena movie download service ready for June launch]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/29/sony-ericssons-playnow-arena-movie-download-service-ready-for-j/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/29/sony-ericssons-playnow-arena-movie-download-service-ready-for-j/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/29/sony-ericssons-playnow-arena-movie-download-service-ready-for-j/#commentsFiled under: ,

Everybody's getting into the mobile movie sideload business -- just ask Samsung -- and following an MWC unveiling earlier this year, Sony Ericsson is gearing up to launch movie content starting next month as part of its existing PlayNow Arena service. Direct on-phone downloads over WiFi or 3G would be awesome, but as most of these services tend to operate, PlayNow Arena will require that users select and download movies on their PCs, cable up their phones, and transfer the media the old-fashioned way, at which point they'll be playable on the device for 90 days. You'll be able to select from about 15 movies at any given time with content being cycled monthly -- ridiculously meager, yes, but when you consider that the service is bundled with certain phones (up to 60 movies a year), it's hard to pitch a fit. Look for it to launch on the W995 slider in Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK in June; support for Sony Ericsson's newly-announced Satio and Aino (among others) is expected later in the year.

Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena movie download service ready for June launch originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 29 May 2009 03:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ericssonmoviesplaynowplaynow arenaPlaynowArenasonysony ericssonSonyEricssonw995Fri, 29 May 2009 03:29:00 EST<![CDATA[iTunes support confirmed for Palm Pre]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/28/itunes-support-confirmed-for-palm-pre/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/28/itunes-support-confirmed-for-palm-pre/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/28/itunes-support-confirmed-for-palm-pre/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


We'd already heard through the gravevine that iTunes support would be baked into Palm's forthcoming Pre, but now it's official. During Palm's D7 keynote today in Carlsbad, Paul Cousino showed attendees that non-DRM music, photos and videos could be synced with the Pre via iTunes (on Mac and Windows, naturally). In his words: "It shows up in iTunes just like a regular device."

Update: So, Palm has issued an official press release detailing the new webOS features shown today at All Things Digital. The so-called media sync feature is straight up designed to "synchronize seamlessly with iTunes," giving users the ability to use Apple's media management software for transferring all non-DRM media. Furthermore, the Pre is engineered to act as a "mass storage drive," letting users side-load content on the fly. The full release also details the App Catalog and Twitter in Universal Search.

iTunes support confirmed for Palm Pre originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 28 May 2009 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all things dall things digitalAllThingsDAllThingsDigitaldd 2009D2009d7itmsiTunespalmpalm prePalmPrepreThu, 28 May 2009 15:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Palm Pre said to sync up nicely with Apple's iTunes]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/28/palm-pre-said-to-sync-up-nicely-with-apples-itunes/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/28/palm-pre-said-to-sync-up-nicely-with-apples-itunes/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/28/palm-pre-said-to-sync-up-nicely-with-apples-itunes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


There's been no direct confirmation just yet, but Fortune has it that Palm's hotly anticipated Pre actually syncs with iTunes. Yeah, iTunes. According to the report, the Pre works "seamlessly" with iTunes on a Mac, with the only notable limitation being that it can't handle older DRM-laced files from the sad, sad days of our past. Even wilder, we're told that the iTunes Store "treats the Pre just as it would an iPod or an iPhone" save for the aforesaid exception, which leads us to wonder how Apple will react. There's little doubt that this factoid sweetens the Pre value proposition for diligent Mac users, but is this functionality kosher with the software's creator? We already saw Tim Cook glance sternly at Palm while uttering that if anyone else "ripped off its intellectual property, it would go after them," and we highly doubt he plans on backing down if push comes to shove. If true, this could definitely trigger an interesting chain of events -- we'll know soon enough, now won't we?

[Via TUAW]

Palm Pre said to sync up nicely with Apple's iTunes originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 28 May 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleaudioitunesmusicpalm prePalmPreprerumorsmartphonesoftwaresprintsyncThu, 28 May 2009 10:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Palm Pre camera used, results shared at long last]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/27/palm-pre-camera-used-results-shared-at-long-last/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/27/palm-pre-camera-used-results-shared-at-long-last/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/27/palm-pre-camera-used-results-shared-at-long-last/#commentsFiled under: ,


Palm's official Twitter account just tweeted about testing out yfrog, the image / video sharing site -- and as you might expect from a manufacturer, it wants to share pictures snapped with its own equipment. Thanks to some helpful EXIF data parsed out by the site, we know the image you're looking at here was taken using a Pre, apparently smack in the middle of enjoying a few 5-cent horsey rides. As far as we can tell this is the first shot we've seen posted from the Pre's camera, and we're cautiously optimistic about what the 3 megapixel sensor has managed to do here. Sure, blowing the image up to full size reveals some nasty artifacting and muddy details, but when you get right down to it, that's what cameraphone shots are all about, right?

Palm Pre camera used, results shared at long last originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 27 May 2009 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camerapalmpalm prePalmPrepreWed, 27 May 2009 18:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia's Ovi Store overwhelmed at launch, apology issued]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/27/nokias-ovi-store-launch-largely-deemed-a-failure/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/27/nokias-ovi-store-launch-largely-deemed-a-failure/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/27/nokias-ovi-store-launch-largely-deemed-a-failure/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Where's the fail whale when you need it, right? Early yesterday morning, Nokia flipped the switch on its Ovi Store, claiming that it's app market would potentially reach some 50 million users around the world. Unfortunately for Nokia, it seems as if all 50 million attempted to check things out at the same time. Web-wide, users were griping that things just weren't working out, and we're not talking about small packets of flustered users. In fact, Nokia was forced to admit that "shortly after launching, it began experiencing extraordinarily high spikes of traffic that resulted in some performance issues," and judging by reactions, we'd say "some" is now a front-runner for understatement of the year. Have things smoothed over for you today? Are you even bothering to check?

Update: Nokia has apologized for the gaff and has reportedly added server capacity to handle the demand. Question is: is the fix working?

Nokia's Ovi Store overwhelmed at launch, apology issued originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 27 May 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>errorissueissuesNokiaNokia OviNokia Ovi storeNokiaOviNokiaOviStoreOviovi storeOviStoreproblemWed, 27 May 2009 12:43:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/25/iphone-movie-and-tv-show-downloads-revealed-in-rogue-ad/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/25/iphone-movie-and-tv-show-downloads-revealed-in-rogue-ad/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/25/iphone-movie-and-tv-show-downloads-revealed-in-rogue-ad/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While direct movie and TV show downloads on the iPhone certainly seems like a reasonable enough proposition (over WiFi, at least), we're not completely convinced that a rogue ad in the Twitterfon app is the first place such a feature would leak out. According to a report on Open Salon, however, that's just what has happened, and there's even a few not immediately dismissible pics to back it up. Of course, the ad in question is now seemingly nowhere to be found, but it supposedly did once point to some movie and TV show listings broken down by genre, and even to the individual, non-working titles that would apparently be available. Head on past the break for a glimpse of the ad itself, and feel free to let us know if you happened to see it yourself.

[Via Yahoo! Tech]

Continue reading iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad?

iPhone movie and TV show downloads revealed in rogue ad? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 25 May 2009 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleiphoneitunesitunes storeItunesStoremovie downloadsMovieDownloadstv show downloadsTvShowDownloadsMon, 25 May 2009 01:12:00 EST<![CDATA[SlingPlayer coming to Pre "at or near launch"?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/22/slingplayer-coming-to-pre-at-or-near-launch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/22/slingplayer-coming-to-pre-at-or-near-launch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/22/slingplayer-coming-to-pre-at-or-near-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


webOS' web technology-based app architecture seems to become less and less of an issue by the day; most of our fears were allayed the moment we saw Classic break cover, and this is another strong sign that the Pre's going to be able to handle just about any multimedia-rich stuff we throw at it. A Sprint-sourced page out of a Pre slide deck entitled "The Pre Application Story" lists a series of "showcase apps" that the carrier thinks (or, at the very least, optimistically hopes) will be available around the time of the phone's launch, and the most interesting thing on here has to be a listing for Sling Media -- you know, those cats making Slingboxes and SlingPlayer builds. Beyond that, we don't have anything -- it could be 3G or WiFi-only (though the fact that this is on a Sprint slide gives us hope that they'll leave EV-DO enabled), it could launch next month or next year, and for all we know, it only works with boxes that aren't even out yet. It'll be kind of cool to see this app running as a card on the Pre's interface, won't it?

[Thanks, sdafdsfasdf]

SlingPlayer coming to Pre "at or near launch"? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 22 May 2009 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>palmpreslingsling mediaSlingMediaslingplayerslingplayer mobileSlingplayerMobilewebosFri, 22 May 2009 15:56:00 EST<![CDATA[MicroSD-to-USB Mobidapter is a smartphone's best friend]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/21/microsd-to-usb-mobidapter-is-a-smartphones-best-friend/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/21/microsd-to-usb-mobidapter-is-a-smartphones-best-friend/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/21/microsd-to-usb-mobidapter-is-a-smartphones-best-friend/#commentsFiled under: ,


Okay, so maybe it's just a microSD-equipped smartphone's best friend, but you get the idea. Unlike traditional [insert flash format here]-to-USB adapters, Elan's Mobidapter provides a direct bridge from your microSD slot to your external USB hard drive. The result? Dead simple phone backups and file transfers, all without the use of a PC in the middle. Elan asserts that the currently unpriced device will begin shipping in mid-June, and if you're still baffled about how this thing operates, check the yawn-inducing demonstration vid after the break.

Continue reading MicroSD-to-USB Mobidapter is a smartphone's best friend

MicroSD-to-USB Mobidapter is a smartphone's best friend originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 21 May 2009 03:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adapterelanflashflash memoryflash storageFlashMemoryFlashStoragemicroSDmicroSD to usbmicroSD-to-usbMicrosdToUsbMobidapterusbThu, 21 May 2009 03:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia responds to Ovi Share rumors, service effectively on ice]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/14/nokia-responds-to-ovi-share-rumors-service-effectively-on-ice/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/14/nokia-responds-to-ovi-share-rumors-service-effectively-on-ice/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/14/nokia-responds-to-ovi-share-rumors-service-effectively-on-ice/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's been some chatter today that an earlier Reuters report -- stating that investment in Nokia's Ovi Share service has been halted -- was false, so we reached out to Nokia for an official comment. In essence, it looks like Reuters was correct; a Washington-based office working on Ovi Share services is set to be shuttered, and while the media-sharing system will continue on in its current state, no further development is planned. It can be a little tricky to read through the corporate-ese, but the bottom line appears to be that Nokia's preferring to drop time, energy, and cash into building out its third-party APIs that allow more established sharing services to plug into Ovi rather than trying to pimp its own service; makes sense, really, since there are plenty already in the game and there's not much sense in Nokia trying to win. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, as they say. Follow the break for the official statement.

Continue reading Nokia responds to Ovi Share rumors, service effectively on ice

Nokia responds to Ovi Share rumors, service effectively on ice originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 14 May 2009 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nokiaoviovi shareOviShareThu, 14 May 2009 19:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson launching stuff on May 28]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/14/sony-ericsson-launching-stuff-on-may-28/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/14/sony-ericsson-launching-stuff-on-may-28/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/14/sony-ericsson-launching-stuff-on-may-28/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It seems that Sony Ericsson has lined up a shindig in London on May 28 to announce... well, something related to its Entertainment Unlimited multimedia strategy. It's unclear exactly what that'd be, but the company's been essentially mum on the Entertainment Unlimited-enabled Idou since its MWC unveiling earlier this year -- and we've established that an X1 follow-on is basically a lock at this point, so this could end up being a blockbuster event for the high end of the company's 2009 lineup. We'll know more soon enough.

[Via Mobile Phone Helpdesk]

Sony Ericsson launching stuff on May 28 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 14 May 2009 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>entertainment unlimitedEntertainmentUnlimitedericssoneventlaunchsonysony ericssonSonyEricssonThu, 14 May 2009 13:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Orange bringing Comes With Music-equipped Nokia 5800 XpressMusic to UK]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/13/orange-bringing-comes-with-music-equipped-nokia-5800-xpressmusic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/13/orange-bringing-comes-with-music-equipped-nokia-5800-xpressmusic/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/13/orange-bringing-comes-with-music-equipped-nokia-5800-xpressmusic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

What a difference a year and a half makes, eh? It was August of 2007 when Orange first got all weird on Nokia over the then-wild concept of a manufacturer-owned and operated music store -- bear in mind the iPhone hadn't launched very widely at that time -- and look how far we've come. The two companies have just announced that the venerable Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be available starting May 29 loaded up with Comes With Music, Nokia's all-you-can-eat service that brings endless downloadable tracks through its Music Store. In Orange's case, Comes With Music will be available on any of five special plans starting at £25 a month (about $38), meaning that you'll be able to nab music for the duration of your two-year contract. As long as DRM's in the mix, you're basically locked into your contract for as long as you want the definitive Bryan Adams collection that you've downloaded -- so we're hoping Nokia nixes that nightmare sooner rather than later. And hey, congrats, Orange customers -- you're the first Brits to officially be offered this through a carrier, and you'll be getting it in an "exclusive" black / silver color combo.

Orange bringing Comes With Music-equipped Nokia 5800 XpressMusic to UK originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 13 May 2009 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>58005800 xpressmusic5800Xpressmusiccomes with musicComesWithMusicnokiaorangeorange ukOrangeUkukWed, 13 May 2009 05:31:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T issues official statement on SlingPlayer's 3G blackout for iPhone]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/12/atandt-issues-official-statement-on-slingplayers-3g-blackout-for/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/12/atandt-issues-official-statement-on-slingplayers-3g-blackout-for/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/12/atandt-issues-official-statement-on-slingplayers-3g-blackout-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Sweating bullets over network saturation, are we? AT&T's obviously taking a good helping of heat today over Sling's rock-and-a-hard-place decision to remove 3G streaming capability from its SlingPlayer Mobile build for the iPhone -- a decision that gets at the very heart of several hot-button issues plaguing AT&T and Apple alike -- and the carrier understandably felt the need to release an official statement to address the situation. Unfortunately, it prompts as many questions as it offers answers. It starts off simply enough, stating that apps like SlingPlayer could create congestion on the network that denies services to others -- and while a truly trivial number of users own Slingboxes, we understand what they're getting at; no amount of tweaking or fudging of a modern HSPA network can withstand the traffic onslaught generated by wildly popular streaming video services.

Here's where we start to lose our way, though. AT&T cites a portion of its wireless terms and conditions -- "Applications like this, which redirect a TV signal to a personal computer, are specifically prohibited under our terms of service" -- and says that it considers "smartphones like the iPhone to be personal computers in that they have the same hardware and software attributes as PCs." Sure, guys, but a RAZR shares 85 percent of its DNA with a PC and an iPhone shares 87 percent, so we're splitting hairs here -- never mind the fact that you've inexplicably labeled the S60-powered Nokia 6650 (which can run SlingPlayer, by the by) a dumbphone simply because it lacks a QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, AT&T specifically points out that it doesn't restrict users from downloading streaming videos, which is the very problem SlingPlayer generates -- the upload from the user's TV on the far end is the ISP's concern, not AT&T's, and we figure that the network pressure generated by the download is roughly equivalent to watching a whole bunch of YouTube videos. It doesn't add up.

Next, the carrier uses the opportunity to pimp its extensive WiFi network and says that you're welcome to use SlingPlayer there; that's all well and good, and yes, it's cool that AT&T gives iPhone users free access to the hotspots, but it's no substitute for the mobility of streaming Sling over the WWAN, which works really freaking well -- just ask countless BlackBerry, S60, WinMo, and Palm users who are using SlingPlayer as you read this. The only material difference is that they can't be touched -- not as easily, at least, as iPhone users who are bound to the whim of Apple's singular, all-powerful clearinghouse.

Look, AT&T, just tell it like it is: you're saying your 3G network would fold like a cheap suit if these apps took off. Thing is, it already has in some places -- trust us, we've experienced it firsthand -- so let's make sure the blame gets distributed appropriately here.

Follow the break for AT&T's full statement.

Continue reading AT&T issues official statement on SlingPlayer's 3G blackout for iPhone

AT&T issues official statement on SlingPlayer's 3G blackout for iPhone originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 12 May 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attiphoneslingsling mediaslingboxSlingMediaslingplayerTue, 12 May 2009 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone coming shortly: $29.99, no 3G support]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/12/slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone-coming-shortly-29-99-no-3g-supp/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/12/slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone-coming-shortly-29-99-no-3g-supp/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/12/slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone-coming-shortly-29-99-no-3g-supp/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

After what has become one of the longer (and certainly one of the highest-profile) App Store approval delays, SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone has finally gotten Apple's blessing -- with some serious changes under the hood. Most importantly, 3G access has been disabled, meaning you'll only be able to get your Sling on over WiFi -- a serious blow to the app and a huge change from the way SlingPlayer Mobile works on other platforms -- and likely a verification that either Apple or AT&T took serious issue with the bandwidth load imposed by this type of app on the HSPA network. Despite the restriction, Sling will be charging a whopping $29.99 for the download; in exchange for your troubles, though, they've decided to lift the ban on older Slingboxes, with the caveat that they won't be officially supported if you run into trouble.

We've had a chance to play with the app, and it certainly gets the job done -- we just wish it worked a little better. Even on WiFi, control feels laggy, and there's no native guide (though there's an icon to quickly pull up your set-top box's guide). When you're in letterbox mode, you've got black bars around all four sides of the image, meaning that the app isn't taking full advantage of the phone's display; we're hopeful this'll be fixed in a future release, though. Happily, we think Sling really nailed the app's UI -- the on-screen translucent controls are pretty cool and generally work well without obscuring the view. Look to grab your own copy some time between 12:01AM and 6:01AM EDT tomorrow morning, and in the meantime, check out our gallery.

Update: The app's now available, so get ready to part with $30 (and to not part with your 3G bandwidth -- you certainly won't need it here). Thanks, everyone!

Gallery: SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone hands-on

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone coming shortly: $29.99, no 3G support originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 12 May 2009 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebreaking newsBreakingNewsiphoneslingsling mediaslingboxSlingMediaslingplayerslingplayer mobileSlingplayerMobileTue, 12 May 2009 12:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Trent Reznor rips Apple, rates Smartphone OSes ]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/04/trent-reznor-rips-apple-summarizes-current-smartphone-oses/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/04/trent-reznor-rips-apple-summarizes-current-smartphone-oses/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/04/trent-reznor-rips-apple-summarizes-current-smartphone-oses/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Why should you care about what Trent Reznor has to say about Apple or smartphones in general? Well, for one thing, the front-man for Nine Inch Nails is a digital music visionary who's gone it alone and found gold in the deep coffers of the Internet. And that little device in your pocket just happens to be the future of mobile computing and converged media players.

The story begins last week when Apple rejected an update to the official Nine Inch Nails iPhone application on the grounds of "objectionable content" (read: too many F-bombs). In this case, as it was in the rejected Tweetie update, the offensive content isn't actually part of the application; Apple's concern is with the song "The Downward Spiral" that can be streamed to the updated NIN iPhone App. The stupidity of this is palpable, but the hypocrisy is best described by Trent himself in a forum post over at NIN.com. Steel yourselves: unlike Apple we haven't censored the material -- so if naughty words can hurt you then by all means, don't click through to the full quote after the break. But Mr. Jobs, old pal, if you're listening... Trent may not be Bob Dylan, but he is the voice of the digital music generation.

Continue reading Trent Reznor rips Apple, rates Smartphone OSes

Trent Reznor rips Apple, rates Smartphone OSes originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 04 May 2009 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeappleapplicationapprovalAppStoreninnine inch nailsNineInchNailssoftwaretrent reznorTrentReznorMon, 04 May 2009 03:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Video iPhone to feature iMovie App?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/01/video-iphone-to-feature-imovie-app/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/01/video-iphone-to-feature-imovie-app/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/01/video-iphone-to-feature-imovie-app/#commentsFiled under: ,

Apple rumors seem especially rampant in this year's run-up to the Worldwide Developers Conference. While all the recent fuss has focused upon a rumored 10-inch device that fits somewhere in between Apple's MacBooks and iPod touch, these poor ol' iPhone rumors just can't get any attention. Riiight. The latest has BusinessWeek offering further testimonial that video recording will be heavily featured in the summer release of the 3.0 firmware and presumed third generation iPhone. According to a source familiar with Apple's plans, the next iPhone will make shooting video super simple and feature an iMovie App that enables on-phone editing and uploads direct to YouTube. If true it would certainly be a welcomed update for first and second gen iPhone users and something we'd expect Apple to tout loudly as a major new feature on a new device or two sporting beefier cameras.

[Via MacRumors]

Video iPhone to feature iMovie App? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 01 May 2009 03:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.0appleimovieiphoneiphone 3.0Iphone3.0rumorFri, 01 May 2009 03:13:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's "new" video streaming terms are a non-issue]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/atandts-new-video-streaming-terms-are-a-non-issue/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/atandts-new-video-streaming-terms-are-a-non-issue/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/atandts-new-video-streaming-terms-are-a-non-issue/#commentsFiled under: ,

There's an awful lot of hubbub going around today about "new" terms in AT&T's wireless contract agreement that seemingly forbid streaming video from your television to your PC or your phone -- in other words, using a Slingbox -- which would seem to be a rewrite of language added and pulled a few weeks ago. Here's the problem: the terms aren't new, and they don't forbid video streaming. One of our editors has a month-old hard copy of AT&T's terms that were mailed to him after agreeing to a new contract, and they're exactly the same -- word for word.

Furthermore, the language in question is this: "This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, redirecting television signals for viewing on Personal Computers..." but the problem is that the examples given here are referring to earlier language. In that language, we see that AT&T is more concerned about "server devices or host computer applications" -- that's subsection (i), if you're interested. In other words, AT&T's trying to stop you from uploading a television stream using its connection, not downloading -- and frankly, that sounds like the most painful operation ever conceived by man anyway, so we don't think we're going to get too many violators here.

In other words, rest easy; we still don't know whether the now-overdue SlingPlayer for iPhone will ultimately be approved, but if it's not, it shouldn't be because of this.

[Thanks, Mike and Tieguy]

AT&T's "new" video streaming terms are a non-issue originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attcontractslingslingboxslingplayerstreamingtermsvideo streamingVideoStreamingWed, 29 Apr 2009 19:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia Music veep addresses slow Comes with Music sales in the UK ]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/nokia-music-veep-addresses-slow-comes-with-music-sales-in-the-uk/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/nokia-music-veep-addresses-slow-comes-with-music-sales-in-the-uk/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/nokia-music-veep-addresses-slow-comes-with-music-sales-in-the-uk/#commentsFiled under: ,

After some rather disheartening (albeit unconfirmed) estimates last week that Nokia's Comes with Music service had snagged only 23,000 subscribers in the United Kingdom, Rob Taylor, vice president of Nokia Music says that the company is pretty "happy" with what its learned there so far. He admitted that the UK launch (the service's first) devices -- the 5310 Xpress Music and the 8GB N95 -- were "slightly out of date" at the time pointing out that the service was doing much better in subsequent markets, which all boast the 5800 as their hero device. Taylor said he also recognized that Nokia needed more retail partners to help move units, and that the company is not "giving up" on the UK as a market for CwM, adding that they'll be bringing the 5800 there in the future. No word on when that might happen yet -- but we're going to keep out eyes peeled for you.

Nokia Music veep addresses slow Comes with Music sales in the UK originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5800cellphonesmusicmusic download servicesMusicDownloadServicesnokianokia 5800nokia comes with musicNokia5800NokiaComesWithMusicrob taylorRobTaylorsalesukxpress musicXpressMusicWed, 29 Apr 2009 11:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft reiterates what we knew: no first-party handset, no Zunephone]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/microsoft-reiterates-what-we-knew-no-first-party-handset-no-zu/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/microsoft-reiterates-what-we-knew-no-first-party-handset-no-zu/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/29/microsoft-reiterates-what-we-knew-no-first-party-handset-no-zu/#commentsFiled under: ,

While avoiding the juicier questions surrounding the mystery of Project Pink and its potential ties to Verizon for maximizing Pink's launch, a Microsoft spokesperson has issued new comments that reiterate the stance Redmond has held from time immemorial: there's no Zunephone, and furthermore, there won't be any Microsoft-branded phones.

Of course, the devil could lie in the precise wording, and the exact quote was as follows: "Microsoft is not going into the phone hardware business. Microsoft is not building a Zune-specific phone." Just because there's not a "Zune-specific phone" doesn't mean you can't steal some Zune tech for the phone business, and we have every reason to believe that Microsoft would want to be building Zune-esque features into Windows Mobile -- you can start to see tiny slivers of that in 6.5 with the home screen design, for example -- so we're still pretty confident that Pink (or another project) will ultimately marry portions of the technology and branding. In other words: Zunephone, no; Zune on Windows Mobile, though? Yeah, sure, why not?

Microsoft reiterates what we knew: no first-party handset, no Zunephone originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftwindows mobileWindowsMobilewinmozunezunephoneWed, 29 Apr 2009 02:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Nokia's Comes With Music not selling very well in the UK]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/22/report-nokias-comes-with-music-not-selling-very-well-in-the-uk/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/22/report-nokias-comes-with-music-not-selling-very-well-in-the-uk/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/22/report-nokias-comes-with-music-not-selling-very-well-in-the-uk/#commentsFiled under: ,


After hearing initial reports that Nokia's Comes With Music subscription service was doing "okay," word on the streets is now... even less good. According to estimates released by Music Ally at an Association of Independent Music conference in London, Nokia's gotten about 23,000 subscribers to the service since it launched last October. That's not a great number, if it's anywhere near accurate... though Nokia has "refused to confirm" whether or not it is. Tim Grimsditch, head of Nokia's product marketing division added that it's "a very new business model, we're live in five markets and the numbers only mention one. We're going to continue to develop the model and fine tune how we market it." That said, the report can't be terribly heartening either way you slice it, and is rather reminiscent of N-Gage's niche market status if you ask us.

Report: Nokia's Comes With Music not selling very well in the UK originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiocomes with musicComesWithMusicindustrymusicmusic subscriptionMusicSubscriptionnokianokia xpressmusicNokiaXpressmusicsalessubscriptionsubscription servicesSubscriptionServicesxpressmusicWed, 22 Apr 2009 17:31:00 EST<![CDATA[MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/20/mobitv-demonstrates-mixtv-mobile-dtv-service/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This one is still only in the very earliest stages, but it looks like MobiTV has taken advantage of the big National Association of Broadcasters Show in Vegas this week to show off a new mobile DTV service that it's developed in partnership with Sinclair and PBS, which it hopes will eventually find its way to a few interested cellular carriers. The service itself is a combination of free over-the-air DTV broadcasts (from PBS and the CW, at the moment) and subscription-based on-demand content, which would apparently be made available for a seven-day window and be delivered via mobile WiMAX. Unfortunately, there's no indication whatsoever of a potential roll-out, but it looks like MobiTV will be working hard during the next few days to woo some additional partners, so there's at least a slight chance that we could be hearing a few more details before the show wraps up later this week.

[Via Phone Scoop]

MobiTV demonstrates mixTV mobile DTV service originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cwdtvmixtvmobile dtvmobile tvmobile wimaxMobileDtvMobileTvMobileWimaxmobitvNABNAB 2009Nab2009over-the-airpbssinclairtvwimaxMon, 20 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Washington DC announced as first MPH mobile TV market]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/20/washington-dc-announced-as-first-mph-mobile-tv-market/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/20/washington-dc-announced-as-first-mph-mobile-tv-market/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/20/washington-dc-announced-as-first-mph-mobile-tv-market/#commentsFiled under:

In the 22 city-strong foot race to get a live MPH-based mobile TV network up, running, and available to anyone who wants it, it looks like Washington DC's poised to come out on top. Raleigh has already deployed a handful of transmitters for the benefit of bus-goers, but the Open Mobile Video Coalition has announced that Washington DC's local CBS, PBS, NBC, and Ion affiliates plus a Fox-owned independent will all be ready to roll with MPH transmissions by late summer; of course, what remains to be seen is what sort of hardware will be ready to take advantage of the tech by then. We can likely count AT&T and Verizon out for offering MPH-enabled handsets seeing how they're still trying to figure out how to profit from their MediaFLO-based networks, so T-Mobile and Sprint's decisions to take a wait-and-see approach to the mobile TV phenomenon may really end up working in their favor here. Moving beyond the phones, it's said that Dell will be showing some sort of netbook this week with an integrated MPH tuner at the NAB show in Vegas this week, while Kenwood has in-car solutions in the works. As long as the broadcasts stay free -- which by all accounts they will -- the standard has a fighting chance at relevancy, assuming hardware comes to the table.

Washington DC announced as first MPH mobile TV market originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dellkenwoodmobile tvMobileTvmphnetbooktvwashington dcWashingtonDcMon, 20 Apr 2009 03:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Object-based media project brings iPhone and RFID together]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/15/object-based-media-project-brings-iphone-and-rfid-together/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/15/object-based-media-project-brings-iphone-and-rfid-together/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/15/object-based-media-project-brings-iphone-and-rfid-together/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


RFID technology has turned up in plenty of surprising places, but there hasn't exactly been the explosion of iPhone-related development that you may have expected. The lack of an easily accessible RFID reader may have something to do with that, but that doesn't seem to have stopped the folks behind the Touch research project, who rigged up a not-so-discreet RFID reader and put it to some fairly inventive tasks. That includes assigning various media to different objects, like a Bob the Builder video clip that's linked to a Bob the Builder toy, a clip of Chuck Norris kicking a car in the face that's linked to a Chuck Norris action figure (which doesn't even have an RFID chip), and a dynamically-updated MAKE podcast that's linked to a slightly nerdy fellow. Of course, all of this is primarily a proof of concept, and the researchers behind the project see plenty of potential for other applications, including everything from gaming to marketing. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

[Thanks, Thorleif]

Continue reading Object-based media project brings iPhone and RFID together

Object-based media project brings iPhone and RFID together originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diyiphoneobject-based mediaObject-basedMediarfidtouchtouch research projectTouchResearchProjectWed, 15 Apr 2009 02:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Raleigh, North Carolina buses get on-board DTV]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/14/raleigh-north-carolina-buses-get-on-board-dtv/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/14/raleigh-north-carolina-buses-get-on-board-dtv/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/14/raleigh-north-carolina-buses-get-on-board-dtv/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Planning to hop on a bus in Raleigh, North Carolina anytime soon? Then there's a chance you could be treated to an added distraction during your trip, as the city has just rolled out its first CAT bus equipped with mobile DTV, which looks to be one of the first projects resulting from those MPH tests that took place last year. This little bit of magic also comes courtesy of a little help from LG and Harris Corp., who are supplying the displays and mobile transmission equipment for the pilot program, which will be expanded to five buses by August, with another 20 planned for the second phase that'll run though August 2010. Of course, your viewing options will be somewhat limited, with a simulcast of local station WRAL apparently the only channel on tap, along with some weather information and, of course, a healthy dose of advertising.

[Thanks, Dana]

Raleigh, North Carolina buses get on-board DTV originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>busbusesdtvharrisharris corpHarrisCorplgmobile dtvMobileDtvraleighTue, 14 Apr 2009 17:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Orange's streaming TV app for iPhone goes live in France]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/13/oranges-streaming-tv-app-for-iphone-goes-live-in-france/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/13/oranges-streaming-tv-app-for-iphone-goes-live-in-france/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/13/oranges-streaming-tv-app-for-iphone-goes-live-in-france/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Free, unlimited live TV's coming to the iPhone for anyone who wants it one way or another, we just didn't necessarily expect carriers to be supporting the movement. Actually, it's a stretch to call Orange's new "TV from Orange" app "free" since you're only getting unlimited use on roughly 20 of the 60-odd available channels -- and even then, only if you subscribe to one of Orange's new Origami Star for iPhone plans starting at €42 (about $55) per month -- but it's a start. French subscribers should find the app in their local App Store, and if they'd rather pay on an a-la-carte basis, there are add-on TV packages available for €6 and €9 a month, data usage at 1 cent per 10KB, and session usage at 50 cents per 20 minutes, depending on the plan you're rocking. Orange says it'll work on anything from EDGE up (though we doubt the experience is that great on EDGE) and boasts "high definition mobile quality," which feels like a sketchy phrase. Your mileage may vary, naturally.

[Via mocoNews, thanks Mike]

Orange's streaming TV app for iPhone goes live in France originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeappleAppStorefranceiphonelive tvLiveTvmobile tvMobileTvorangetvMon, 13 Apr 2009 04:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson's MS410 speaker makes up in portability what it lacks in style]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/13/sony-ericssons-ms410-speaker-makes-up-in-portability-what-it-la/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/13/sony-ericssons-ms410-speaker-makes-up-in-portability-what-it-la/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/13/sony-ericssons-ms410-speaker-makes-up-in-portability-what-it-la/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When you think of fun, what do you picture? A gentle summer breeze on the porch, a cool libation in your hand. Round after round of hyper-competitive UNO keeping everyone on the edge of their seats; Reverses and Wild Draw Fours are flying left and right like there's no tomorrow. The woman to the right of you -- whose name you can't seem to recall at the moment, unfortunately -- certainly seems to be enjoying herself, owing in no small part to the whippets and the brilliant playlist you've selected for the occasion. You've elected to channel those indescribably rare Wham! bootlegs through your Sony Ericsson W205, conveniently attached to the just-announced MS410 speaker stand; how you came across an MS410 already is anybody's guess, since it's not available until later this quarter -- but any casual, innocent talk of corporate theft faded into oblivion two or three Tequila Sunrises ago. Now, all that matters is how you're going to dig out of that 61-point UNO hole you've found yourself in, how you're going to get another Wild Turkey without getting out of your seat, and how you're going to covertly jog your memory of that girl's name before things get awkward. And if the Wham! runs out before that all happens, God forbid, it's just a damned good thing the MS410 works as an FM antenna, too.

Sony Ericsson's MS410 speaker makes up in portability what it lacks in style originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ericssonms410sonysony ericssonSonyEricssonspeakerstereostereo speakerStereoSpeakerMon, 13 Apr 2009 00:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Qualcomm developing FLO TV accessories for iPhone OS 3.0, other smartphones]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/09/qualcomm-developing-flo-tv-accessories-for-iphone-os-3-0-other/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/09/qualcomm-developing-flo-tv-accessories-for-iphone-os-3-0-other/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/09/qualcomm-developing-flo-tv-accessories-for-iphone-os-3-0-other/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Qualcomm's fledgling FLO TV service might be on to something this time. President Bill Stone's announced plans to offer mobile broadcast to phones via add-on peripherals, including an iPhone 3.0-compatible antenna /chip accessory that's currently in the works, although without an estimated release window (Business Insider suggests it'll be ready sometime next year). The company's also looking into accessorizing Windows Mobile phones, either with a plug-in or some device that connects over Wi-Fi / Bluetooth. Seeing as the latest comScore statistics say less than one percent of all phone users watch mobile broadcast TV, which at the moment has to come built-in, this could prove to be a boon for the service -- assuming Q or the carriers can do something about those excessive pricing plans or fierce competition from Sling.

[Via Electronista]

Qualcomm developing FLO TV accessories for iPhone OS 3.0, other smartphones originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill stoneBillStonebroadcast tvBroadcastTvfloflo tvFloTviphonemobile broadcast tvmobile tvMobileBroadcastTvMobileTvqualcommtelevisiontvThu, 09 Apr 2009 17:21:00 EST<![CDATA[AU Mobile's iida pico projector for G9 handsets unveiled to a chorus of cheers]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/07/au-mobiles-iida-pico-projector-for-g9-handsets-unveiled-to-a-ch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/07/au-mobiles-iida-pico-projector-for-g9-handsets-unveiled-to-a-ch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/07/au-mobiles-iida-pico-projector-for-g9-handsets-unveiled-to-a-ch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Unless you're in the thick of it here in the Engadget organization, you can't possibly realize how many desperate (and sometimes, just plain odd) emails we get in the average day. The high weirdness can, at times, become staggering -- dire warnings of robot apocalypse come to mind -- but we do take our responsibility as media darlings and role models very seriously. Case in point: many of you have been asking, "what's up with that iida pico projector for the G9 phone?" Well, we dug up some more details for you, and if you're anywhere near Japan (or Okinawa) you just might want to check this bad boy out. The device boasts approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes of charge time, projects and image anywhere from six to sixty-three inches, and features a 0.5W (mono) speaker. In case this particular handset isn't on your short list, the proj is also compatible with AU S001, VA001, H001, W63CA, W63H, W62CA and W62H series phones. You're welcome.

[Via Pico Projector Info]

AU Mobile's iida pico projector for G9 handsets unveiled to a chorus of cheers originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aug9kddikddi aukddi au design projectKddiAuKddiAuDesignProjectpico projectorPicoProjectorpocket projectorPocketProjectorsony ericssonsony ericsson g9SonyEricssonSonyEricssonG9Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Jabra HALO hands-on]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/03/jabra-halo-hands-on/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/03/jabra-halo-hands-on/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/03/jabra-halo-hands-on/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Finding awesome stereo Bluetooth hardware is challenging. There are a few good reasons for that: one, you've got to somehow pack a battery inside the headset itself, two, you've got radio circuitry in there, and three, it's all got to last a bunch of hours between charges. We're not saying that Jabra's just-announced HALO is for everyone, but it's an awfully interesting product -- probably one of the best A2DP sets we've seen -- and unlike most on-ear sets, it folds small enough to carry with you pretty much everywhere you go. The jury's out on audio quality and fit until we get our hands on an actual review unit (they're showing some pretty loose pre-production prototypes at CTIA) but considering how the HALO looks and works, we're cautiously stoked that this is going to end up being one of the better multimedia accessories of the year.

Gallery: Jabra HALO hands-on


Jabra HALO hands-on originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a2dpctiactia 2009Ctia2009haloheadphonesheadsetjabrastereo bluetoothStereoBluetoothFri, 03 Apr 2009 02:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Jabra intros HALO stereo Bluetooth headset, SP200 speakerphone]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/01/jabra-intros-halo-stereo-bluetooth-headset-sp200-speakerphone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/01/jabra-intros-halo-stereo-bluetooth-headset-sp200-speakerphone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/01/jabra-intros-halo-stereo-bluetooth-headset-sp200-speakerphone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Jabra's making the wireless music game just a little bit more interesting today with the announcement of its stereo Bluetooth HALO headphones, featuring six hours of playback time on a single charge, AVRCP support, Jabra's Noise Blackout circuitry for improved clarity when making calls, and micro-USB charging. Conveniently, the HALO folds for storage, which also toggles the set's power. Staying in the Bluetooth theme, the company is also showing off its SP200 speakerphone -- a great way to avoid the fuzz, we figure -- with 10 hours of talk time, 23 days of standby, and active noise reduction. The HALO hits in May for $129.99; the SP200, meanwhile, gets real in April for $59.99.

Gallery: Jabra intros HALO stereo Bluetooth headset, SP200 speakerphone


Jabra intros HALO stereo Bluetooth headset, SP200 speakerphone originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a2dpctiactia 2009Ctia2009halojabrasp200speakerphonestereo bluetoothStereoBluetoothWed, 01 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PrimeTime2Go brings full-length TV episodes to BlackBerry Bold, Curve 8900]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/01/primetime2go-brings-full-length-tv-episodes-to-blackberry-bold/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/01/primetime2go-brings-full-length-tv-episodes-to-blackberry-bold/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/04/01/primetime2go-brings-full-length-tv-episodes-to-blackberry-bold/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Ah, so the rumors were true. As BlackBerry App World descends upon the masses today, a particularly unique service is launching alongside of it: QuickPlay Media's PrimeTime2Go. Unlike options from Sprint and AT&T, this alternative delivers video only over WiFi, though this arrangement does enable it to work on all carriers. The app will bring full-length television shows to certain BlackBerry smartphones, and with deals inked with NBC, CBS and MTV, we'd say the selection should be pretty good. As for details, it'll run users $7.99 per month, though it will only operate (initially, at least) on the BlackBerry Bold and Curve 8900, sold by AT&T and T-Mobile, respectively. So, is this the break that mobile TV has been waiting for? Or is this yet another option that better get used to being shunned?

PrimeTime2Go brings full-length TV episodes to BlackBerry Bold, Curve 8900 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app worldAppWorldBlackBerryBlackBerry app worldBlackberryAppWorldCTIACTIA 2009Ctia2009mediamobile tvMobileTvmultimediaPrimeTime2GoQuickplayQuickPlay MediaQuickPlay Media IncQuickplayMediaQuickplayMediaIncRIMtvWed, 01 Apr 2009 11:41:00 EST<![CDATA[SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry exits beta, iPhone version submitted to App Store]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/03/26/slingplayer-mobile-for-blackberry-exits-beta-iphone-version-sub/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/03/26/slingplayer-mobile-for-blackberry-exits-beta-iphone-version-sub/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/03/26/slingplayer-mobile-for-blackberry-exits-beta-iphone-version-sub/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Get ready, BlackBerry users, because your days are officially about to become less productive (or, at the very least, your mass transit commutes). You too, iPhone types -- not to say you didn't already have enough time-wasting apps cluttering that 8 to 16GB wasteland you call "storage" in your pocket -- because SlingPlayer Mobile is destined for both of these platforms. BlackBerry's already had it since December in beta form, but they're now at a stable 1.0 release; and speaking of 1.0 releases, that iPhone version Sling's been talking up for a while now has now been submitted to Apple's App Store for approval, so we hope we'll be seeing that on the open market shortly. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some Dora to watch on the Bold.

[Via TUAW, thanks Digitac]

Read - BlackBerry
Read - iPhone

SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry exits beta, iPhone version submitted to App Store originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberrybreaking newsBreakingNewsrimslingsling mediaSlingMediaslingplayerslingplayer mobileSlingplayerMobileThu, 26 Mar 2009 18:51:00 EST<![CDATA[New high-end ARM processors could be powering cellphones by year end]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/03/23/new-high-end-arm-processors-could-be-powering-cellphones-by-year/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/03/23/new-high-end-arm-processors-could-be-powering-cellphones-by-year/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/03/23/new-high-end-arm-processors-could-be-powering-cellphones-by-year/#commentsFiled under:

ARM has been talking up its Mali-200 and Mali-400 processors for a little while now, but according to the company's graphics product manager, Remi Pedersen, they're now finally on track to land in some actual products, and the first cellphones using 'em could show up as soon as winter 2009. While Pedersen unfortunately didn't have anything to say about those phones themselves, he did make some pretty bold claims about the processors, which are able to run OpenGL ES 2.0 and can supposedly pump out 16 million triangles per second and 275 million pixels per second. Those numbers apparently apply to both the Mali-200 and Mali-400, although the later is multicore scalable (up to quad-core at 300MHz), and even able to produce 1080p resolutions. To bring all that home, ARM has whipped up a port of the original Project Gotham Racing game to demo at GDC, which reportedly runs just like the original Xbox game performance-wise, but "feature-wise it looks like an Xbox 360 title."

New high-end ARM processors could be powering cellphones by year end originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armcellphone graphicsCellphoneGraphicsmalimali-200mali-400processorMon, 23 Mar 2009 14:58:00 EST