Hasta La Gadget!

So, summertime it is. Not only is the livin’ e-zee, but staying connected at an even higher rate of speed should be as well for those situated on Ma Bell’s network. AT&T has just confirmed that a duo of HSPA + / LTE WWAN devices will be shipping within the next few months, with the USBConnect Momentum 4G offering plug-and-play access to both high-speed networks and the Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G acting as a liaison for up to five nearby WiFi devices. The former is nothing more than a rebranded Sierra Wireless AirCard 313U — the same oversized (and we mean oversized) device that launched on Rogers’ own LTE network just days ago in Canada. Aside from being large enough to double as a cricket bat, the dongle features a microSD card slot, works with Mac and PC platforms and supports roaming in over 200 nations — not that you’ll be silly enough to actually take advantage, though. Moreover, those using the card will get gratis access to AT&T’s growing WiFi network if using a post-paid data plan.

Moving on, the carrier’s first 4G LTE mobile hotspot device (yeah, that’d be the AT&T Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G) will include a 1.77-inch display for showing just how few megabytes you have left on your plan, support for five simultaneous connections and the ability to seamlessly hop between HSPA+ and LTE. AT&T will begin selling the AT&T USBConnect Momentum 4G for $49.99 with two-year contract after a $50 mail-in-rebate, while the Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G will be available for $69.99 with a similar deal. The company’s not going any further than stating a “summer” ship date, and despite our pleading, we can’t get anything more solid out of ’em. Naturally, it’ll be folks in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio enjoying the LTE spoils first, with ten more cities to be blessed by the end of the year. Too bad it’s still not saying what kind of scratch will be required on a month-to-month basis.

Continue reading AT&T shipping HSPA+ / LTE USBConnect Momentum 4G and Elevate 4G this summer

AT&T shipping HSPA+ / LTE USBConnect Momentum 4G and Elevate 4G this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Panasonic unveiled the Toughbook H1 tablet last year, it at least got the tough part down pat. This Windows 7 slate had a magnesium alloy chassis and met the military’s MIL-STD-810G standards for shock, dust, heat, water, and cold resistance — comforting claims for construction workers, soldiers, and pretty much anyone used to working in the wild (or, at least, standing up). The problem was, it ran on a dinky Atom processor, and left the rugged types using it with just one miniature port for attaching peripherals. Clearly, Panny agreed those were some serious shortcomings, because the brand new H2 goes a wee bit beyond mere spec bumps. The latest generation leaps forward to a 1.7GHz Core i5-2557M ULV processor with Intel’s vPro technology, along with USB 2.0 and serial sockets, and space for either a second USB port or an Ethernet jack. At the entry-level (!) price of $3,449, you’ll get a 10-inch (XGA), 6,000-nit display, 4GB of RAM, a removable 320GBGB 7200RPM shock-mounted hard drive, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 radios, and twin swappable batteries that promise up to six and a half hours of runtime. After that, the list of possible add-ons runs long for corporations and government agencies with deep pockets. These include up to 8GB of memory, a 128GB SSD, Gobi 3G or 4G radio (the latter’s coming in the fall), GPS, barcode or RFID reader, 2 megapixel camera, an insertable or contact-less SmartCard reader, or a fingerprint sensor. Good thing the boss is treating, huh?

Update : Lots of you are asking about the weight. Here’s your answer, folks: it’s 3.5 pounds, compared with 3.4 pounds for the last-gen H1.

Continue reading Panasonic intros rugged Toughbook H2 tablet, steps up to Core i5 and full-sized ports

Panasonic intros rugged Toughbook H2 tablet, steps up to Core i5 and full-sized ports originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The latest creation from modder extraordinaire Benjamin J. Heckendorn? This mashup of an Xbox 360, Maker Faire-provided Arduino board and a Sony CD changer lets gamers play their entire collection without ever needing to leave the couch again. The latest episode of The Ben Heck Show takes viewers through the build process in a bit under 19 minutes, but leaves the device still needing a bit of polish in the end. Sponsor element14 is offering motivated viewers a chance to with this and finish it off properly as they see fit, removing the hassle of L.A. Noire disc swaps once and for all without buying a PS3. The video, and press release with details on how to win the as-yet unfinished project for yourself, can be found after the break.

Continue reading Ben Heck’s Xbox 360 automatic disc changer mod targets lazy gamers (video)

Ben Heck’s Xbox 360 automatic disc changer mod targets lazy gamers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybe you’ve wanted to step up your iPhone listening-game with Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones Maybe its $300 price tag or supra-aural fit just weren’t appealing. Well then, maybe you’ll be pleased hear about the company’s new and extra-mobile $180 C5 noise-isolating in-ear headset. Crafted mostly from aluminum, its bullet-shaped earbuds look like a posh blend of the Zeppelin Air and Mini geared for mobile. The ‘buds come equipped with an iDevice compatible inline remote / mic to get a handle on phone calls or swap though playlists, and have a few unique features to boot. To ensure a proper fit on-the-move, you’ll find Secure Loops that can be adjusted to hug the inner cartilage of your ear, along with added heft (Tungsten Weighting) near the inner-ear side for a tight seal. Internally, there’s a Micro Porous Filter to widen the perceived soundstage, while also preventing any leakage to folks around you. We’ll be checking these out in due time, but for now, audio lovers will find full specs at B&W’s website linked below.

Continue reading Bowers & Wilkins C5 headphones ooze luxury into your ear canals for $180

Bowers & Wilkins C5 headphones ooze luxury into your ear canals for $180 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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App is a simple database-style app with searchable notes that can lead you to that forgotten name that’s just on the tip of your tongue.