Tom Glocer's Blog

T-Mobile confirms Full Monty subscribers are capped at 1Mb/s, risqu� plan becomes tame

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:13:00 GMT

Uh-oh. Looks like T-Mobile's Full Monty subscribers in the UK will be getting much less than they'd originally bargained for. T-Mo's British support unit recently confirmed that the carrier has capped speeds on its "all-in" unlimited plan at a rather dismal 1Mb/s -- in other words, this Full Monty act doesn't really go all the way. Perhaps T-Mobile representatives were too caught up in the moment at the launch event and merely forgot to reveal this little tidbit? Our Magic 8-Ball says, "Don't count on it." You'll find the confirmation tweet immortalized after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile confirms Full Monty subscribers are capped at 1Mb/s, risqu� plan becomes tame

T-Mobile confirms Full Monty subscribers are capped at 1Mb/s, risqu� plan becomes tame originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Coolsmartphone | @TMobileUKhelp (Twitter) | Email this | Comments

Google TV 3.2 update enhances HLS video streaming support, Plex update takes advantage

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:52:00 GMT

The Google TV update that rolled out to Sony units earlier this week (no word on the Revue, yet) brought tweaks to Chrome and support for Blu-ray 3D playback on the player, but that's not all. The bump to Android 3.2 also improved hooks for developers to access channel listings in their apps, enabled hardware acceleration and last but not least, improved support for HTTP Live Streaming. That last detail is particularly important to those streaming video from their PCs using Plex, since additional HLS tweaks were necessary to allow viewing of files transcoded from otherwise-Google TV unfriendly formats. Also supported as in the Plex update is selection of alternate audio streams, subtitles, more channels and a few other fixes. Check out a Google+ post from Les Vogel of the Google TV team for all the Honeycomb 3.2 (API Level 13) details you can stomach, the Plex blog for more info on its software, or just make sure you're running the latest updates and take a look around yourself.

Google TV 3.2 update enhances HLS video streaming support, Plex update takes advantage originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Les Vogel (Google+), Plex | Email this | Comments

Nike+ FuelBand's internals get splayed at the FCC

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:37:00 GMT

All of these wrist-mounted fitness gizmos are pretty nifty, but we always wonder how they get those rigid circuit boards into such an unsuitable form-factor. Well, thanks to those scalpel-happy boffins at the FCC's underground bunker, wonder no more. Nike's FuelBand was wheeled in on a trolley and torn (quite literally) to pieces, and we felt we just had to share the pictures with you. A long peruse of the user manual revealed that the two metal extender links (for bigger-wristed enthusiasts) have to be swapped out using a sizing tool -- but the manual notes that if one isn't to hand, a bent paperclip will suffice. The documents also revealed that it's using a TI CC2564 Bluetooth radio and a stack provided by Stonestreet One. The monopole antenna is etched directly into the substrate of the flexible circuit board -- ensuring it'll bend around your bones and still operate. We also learned that once connected to your cellphone, it'll sit in a low-power "sniff mode," for two minutes and if there's no further activity it'll shut down. Of course, what's interesting to you (and us, honestly) is all the pictures in the second gallery, so get looking!

Gallery: Nike+ Fuelband External Images

Gallery: Nike+ Fuelband Internal Images

Nike+ FuelBand's internals get splayed at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix teams with eyeIO to lower bandwidth use on movie night

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:44:00 GMT

Kicking up a fuss about Netflix hogging all your bandwidth? Perhaps the company's latest partnership could induce a rapid change of heart. The streaming service has paired up with eyeIO in hopes of keeping bandwidth usage during streams to a minimum, which they claim won't affect the content's overall quality. While the joint venture just became official, the startup's "ultra-low-bandwidth" encoding technology -- that allegedly can reduce usage on a 720p HD stream by more than 50 percent -- began its testing phase on the streaming-giant's offerings months ago. Although eyeIO's service has already been implemented by Netflix, it's worth mentioning this isn't an exclusive deal, thus it's possible for its competition to jump on the bandwidth conservation bandwagon in the future. More importantly, we're interested to find out if you have noticed any difference in your streams lately, so drop us a line in the comments below.

Continue reading Netflix teams with eyeIO to lower bandwidth use on movie night

Netflix teams with eyeIO to lower bandwidth use on movie night originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Techland | eyeIO | Email this | Comments

Xbox co-creator channels arcade classics at mobile-game startup

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:15:05 GMT

The correlations between classic arcade games like Centipede and popular mobile games like Angry Birds are undeniable: they're simple, fun, and addictive. Seamus Blackley has hired a slew of old-school game developers to try to cash in on that fact with his company Innovative Leisure.

Micron CEO dies in plane crash, industry stunned

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:58:19 GMT

BOISE, Idaho/SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 3 - Micron Technology Inc Chief Executive and Chairman Steve Appleton died in a small plane crash on Friday, a major loss for a U.S. memory chipmaker already struggling with sluggish computer sales and declining prices.

ComScore: Android and iOS gallop ahead, US smartphone usage approaches 100 million

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:03:00 GMT

The latest report is in from ComScore, and as you might expect, the news is sunshine and roses for the crews at Google and Apple. Both companies platforms charted some worthwhile month-over-month gains, as Android is estimated to account for 47.3 percent of smartphones in the US, while iOS runs a strong second with 26.9 percent. Meanwhile, former BlackBerry fans continue to scatter, as the platform now accounts for 16 percent of smartphone users. Similarly, Windows Phone (and whatever's left of Windows Mobile) have taken it on the chin, and have fallen to just 4.7 percent market share. Without ever gaining much traction in the US, Symbian now makes up 1.4 percent of the smartphone pie. You'll find a quick look at the manufacturing side of the equation, along with the full ComScore press release, after the break.

Continue reading ComScore: Android and iOS gallop ahead, US smartphone usage approaches 100 million

ComScore: Android and iOS gallop ahead, US smartphone usage approaches 100 million originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oops! Motorola sold refurbished Xooms without deleting previous owners' data

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:52:00 GMT

Usually, when passwords and personal information are exposed, it's because someone hacked a company's not-so-secure system. Motorola, however, managed to put people's info at risk without such malfeasance when it failed to wipe the memory of a batch of refurbished Xooms. The tablets in question were sold by Woot.com between October and December of last year, and Moto is claiming that it made the mistake on only small number of slates. Of course, we don't know exactly how many Xooms were shipped with previous owners' data onboard, but we do know that the company is actively attempting to make amends. Moto's offering two years of Experian identification protection services to those whose info was exposed and owners of affected Xooms are getting a little something too. Just send the device back to Motorola on the company's dime -- where it'll be properly reset and sent back to you, along with a $100 American Express gift card for your efforts. Wondering if you're among the unlucky? Hit the PR after the break for more info, and those with Wooted Xooms can plug in their slate's serial number at the source link below to find out for sure.

[Thanks, Scott]

Continue reading Oops! Motorola sold refurbished Xooms without deleting previous owners' data

Oops! Motorola sold refurbished Xooms without deleting previous owners' data originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Chicago Business | Motorola | Email this | Comments

Games for football lovers on iPhone and Android

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:16:00 GMT

The big game is this Sunday and I've put together a collection of games for both iPhone and Android that let you play the role of different players on a football team.

Firefox 11 to get add-on sync

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:46:00 GMT

Changes are a-foot again for Firefox. The beta channel can now sync add-ons, the Aurora channel completes a smoother update process, and work on the faster native UI for Android continues.

webOS Enyo 1.0 now available to all, just requires patch and patience

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:18:00 GMT

HP's Enyo framework is an essential ingredient for allowing new apps to work on webOS devices with different resolutions, but due to some sort of ethnocentric hiccup, v1.0 hasn't officially reached all international webOS phones and tablets. Fortunately, WebOS Internals has prepared a nice little Preware install package that anyone, anywhere can enjoy. At this point, adding Enyo will only provide access to a few extra apps, but at least the world will be reunited in its preparedness for a glistening future, right?

webOS Enyo 1.0 now available to all, just requires patch and patience originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink webOSNation | webOS Internals (Twitter) | Email this | Comments

Military, government officials could get secure Android phones

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:12:00 GMT

CNN reports that U.S. civilian and military officials are testing the use of secure Android smartphones that could be capable of transmitting confidential documents.

Ford Edge Ecoboost a harbinger of the new efficiency

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:25:03 GMT

CNET tests the 2012 Ford Edge with its Ecoboost engine. With only 2-liters of displacement, this engine produces more than adequate horsepower while getting excellent mileage.

Are composite pickup trucks in our future?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:42:01 GMT

Transportation design firm Motive Industries released sketches of what a pickup made of composite material could look like.

Europe says aims to double e-commerce by 2015

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:52:16 GMT

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - European Union competition ministers supported plans on Friday to remove barriers to electronic trade in a bid to spur economic growth and jobs by expanding the single market to the digital world, officials said.

WiFi Kindle Touch gets its passport, now available internationally

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:21:00 GMT

Ever since Amazon unveiled its cheap-as-chips Kindle Touch, the thing's been selling like mad here in the US. However, our friends on other continents haven't been able to enjoy swiping and tapping its multitouch E Ink display -- until now, that is. Amazon failed to alert the masses with a press release, but a quick gander at the WiFi Touch's product page shows there's an option to ship one just about anywhere on the globe. Unfortunately, people in parts of the world with country-specific Amazon portals like Germany, France and the UK must still settle for the button-dependent Kindle 4. We're glad to see Bezos broadening his touchscreen e-reader's horizons, but let's not keep our friends across the pond Kindle Touch-free for much longer, OK?

WiFi Kindle Touch gets its passport, now available internationally originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The eBook Reader | Amazon | Email this | Comments

AT&T seeks to impose conditions on Dish LTE network, FCC to settle wireless squabble

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:44:00 GMT

You know the saying, second place is the first loser? Well, it looks like AT&T, which recently saw its attempt to absorb T-Mobile thwarted, is living up to that adage by petitioning the FCC to impose an "overly aggressive buildout" of Dish's planned mobile network. In a recent filing to the Commission, the satco countered this request for "LightSquared-like" requirements, defining its operation as a strictly retail endeavor, one that faces entirely different hurdles than that of its wholesale competitor. If granted, however, these conditions could see the fledgling network rushed to the marketplace before the completion of an LTE-Advanced standard and widespread availability of compatible devices -- both key elements of the MVPD's service strategy. The company also goes on to contest interference issues surrounding its 700MHz holdings, stating that it has no current plans to repurpose the spectrum for mobile broadband use, despite AT&T's claims to that effect. We'll keep you posted as this wireless battle plays out. In the meantime, hit up the source below to peruse the dense legalese.

AT&T seeks to impose conditions on Dish LTE network, FCC to settle wireless squabble originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink dailywireless, FierceWireless | FCC | Email this | Comments

GloSpex glasses light up, freak people out

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT

The GloSpex Kickstarter project is destined to be a darling among ravers. The specs feature one-way illumination. The lens glow outwardly, but don't shine in the wearer's eyes.

Cryoscope lets you feel your forecast

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:02:05 GMT

Robb Godshaw, an industrial design student at Rochester Institute of Technology, demonstrates a haptic weather forecaster called the Cryoscope.

Mozilla preps the Web to push

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:29:03 GMT

Mozilla's gestating a new project that takes its cues from the mobile world: site-specific push notifications. Could this be a next-generation RSS?

Reading this kitchen scale takes on new meaning

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:33:00 GMT

The Taylor Book End Scale stores upright on a bookshelf. A thin design and protective cover add to the appeal.

Verizon Galaxy Nexus loses Google support?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:48:05 GMT

The CDMA version of the phone gets dropped from the Android developer site.

A hydrogen fueling station powered by the wind

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:57:00 GMT

By building a wind turbine to power a hydrogen production and fueling station, a little hamlet in Long Island is positioning itself a bellwether for carbon-neutral transportation.

Apple cleans App Store of high-profile lookalike apps

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:59:02 GMT

Apple has quietly removed a number of iOS games that could readily be mistaken for their popular counterparts and that had climbed up the charts as a result.

Verizon's ZTE Jetpack flies through FCC, arrival time still unknown

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:01:00 GMT

Do you wish you had your own personal Jetpack? Well, you may not have to wait much longer for ZTE's version -- the EuFi I890, announced at CES last month -- to come out, if its entry into the records of the FCC are any indication. It may not be the kind that you strap onto your back, but at least this one takes advantage of Verizon's LTE, and it happens to add in CDMA / EVDO and AT&T-compatible 3G radios. We knew the 4G-packing MiFi was going to hit stores in "the coming weeks," so this is essentially just one step closer to achieving that goal -- unfortunately, we still don't have a solid date yet. Hit the source link if you're into digging through government documents.

Verizon's ZTE Jetpack flies through FCC, arrival time still unknown originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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