Hasta La Gadget!

UK phone retailer Phones 4u has scooped itself a short-term but enviable exclusive — it’ll be the only place in the UK where you’ll be able to buy Samsung’s Galaxy S II in April. The 1.2GHz dual-core Android superphone has already been announced for wide availability in the Queen’s Kingdom on May 1st, but Phones 4u will get you one as early as April 27th, plus it’ll throw in a free 8GB microSD card if you pre-order one now. The Galaxy S II will be available for free on two-year contracts costing £35 per month and above and there’ll be a choice of carriers. Only Orange’s tariffs are listed at the moment, but we imagine the others will be showing up soon as well. Jump past the break for the press release.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S II to arrive in UK on April 27th, but only through Phones 4u

Samsung Galaxy S II to arrive in UK on April 27th, but only through Phones 4u originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rejoice, brothers and sisters, for the Froyo has been delivered! Verizon’s Fascinate was up until today weirdly stuck in its Android 2.1 gear, but the carrier has finally figured out whatever needed figuring out and is currently beaming out an Android 2.2 update over the air to expectant users. Now that we’ve put this long wait behind us, can we maybe jump to 2.3 in a slightly more sprightly fashion, Verizon?

[Thanks, Jason]

Verizon starts delivering long overdue Froyo update to Fascinate users originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Michigan State Police fires back at accusations by civil-liberties group that it is using data-extraction devices to secretly collect data from people’s cell phones during routine traffic stops.

Originally posted at News – Security

Back in February, General Motors debuted its MyLink smartphone integration for the Chevy Volt and Equinox on the Engadget Show, letting drivers control their iOS, Android, and BlackBerry smartphone apps via voice or touchscreen. The company announced today that it will be offering the same technology — albeit rebranded as the tongue-twisting IntelliLink — on several 2012 Buick and GMC models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Verano, and the GMC Terrain. IntelliLink offers up a fairly similar feature set as its Chevy counterpart — connecting to iPhones and Android handsets via Bluetooth or USB, and leveraging Nuance voice recognition and Gracenote databases to control the likes of Pandora and Stitcher Radio. Autoblog reports that IntelliLink will hit the Buick Verano first, followed by the LaCrosse and Regal, though you might be more interested in the Terrain — owners will also be able to control their vehicle’s rear-view camera with IntelliLink, and who doesn’t like manipulating megapixels in the name of pedestrian safety?

Continue reading Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity

Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Those of us in Tokyo are not looking forward to the prospect of the typically humid local summer minus the air-conditioning. Energy-saving measures are so far averting any more rolling blackouts, but it’s going to be a different ballgame when the hot months come and offices and stores will have to restrict their usual methods of cooling everyone down.

UNQLO might just have the answer. Back in March 2010 it launched the Silky Dry and Sarafine range, the summer version of its bestselling Heat Tech series, designed to keep you cool and absorb moisture (=sweat). The “innerwear” collection for both men and women includes t-shirts, boxer briefs and leggings. Putting on more layers sounds like a bad idea in the summer but UNIQLO insists you won’t feel the extra clothes, since the fibers are so thin and comfortable.

The chain today opens in Ikebukuro station a special pop-up store dedicated to the range. For a limited two-month period commuters will be able to stock up on cooling clothes, and also knowing that UNIQLO is going to donate ¥100 to earthquake relief efforts with every sale.

The pop-up follows on from the brand’s success with Heat Tech stores in Tokyo last year, designed by UNIQLO collaborator favs Kashiwa Sato and Masamichi Katayama. The two shops in JR Shinjuku and Shinagawa hit their 200,000 items sales targets and, considering that Ikebukuro sees an average population of 55,000 commuters passing through daily, UNIQLO will surely replicate those achievements this sizzling summer.

Just in case you are too hot and dripping to extract the right coins from your wallet, you can even use your SUICA train pass e-money card to pay for your purchases at the pop-up store, much like other shops and kiosks located in Tokyo stations.

It’s going to be very interesting how consumers and retailers react to restrictions on electricity usage over the next few weeks. Already adverse effects of the looming energy shortfall include reports of sales for LED light bulbs jumping nearly three times and in particular convenience stores had, not surprisingly, a bumper month in March, an increase of 7.7% on last year.