Hasta La Gadget!

I think that a bunch of people here in the United States and in other countries that would gladly cancel the cable subscription if they could get HBO Go programming as a separate subscription. However, in the US and everywhere else HBO only allows access to its online streaming HBO Go service if you have a qualifying cable subscription. HBO is reportedly set to change that for some viewers.

Nordic fans of HBO shows such as Game of Thrones will be able to subscribe to HBO Go without having to pay for a subscription on their cable network or satellite provider. The move by HBO is seen as an attempt to go head-to-head with Netflix and will certainly raise the hopes of fans in the US that a similar deal may be offered. The official announcement came from a press conference yesterday held in Stockholm where HBO Nordic AB announced that the streaming subscription offer will launch in the middle of October.

HBO will launch a website called HBONordic.com and will offer online subscriptions for under €10 per month. The service will also be available as an add-on to basic pay-TV subscriptions in the region. Sadly, and HBO spokesperson said that the launch in the Nordic region doesn’t reflect a change in company policy and any of its current markets.

That means just because the Nordic region can get HBO Go with no cable subscription doesn’t mean fans in other places will be able to. Honestly, I’ve had very bad luck streaming anything from HBO Go. The streaming quality is significantly worse than Netflix in my home to the point that HBO Go is simply unwatchable. The HBO Nordic AB service will offer subtitled versions of the same programs available in the US. It will also feature content from rival networks in the US such as Showtime and Starz, which is very odd.

[via Variety]

Nordic viewers can get HBO Go with no TV subscription is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’ve been following our IFA coverage this morning (and shame on you if you haven’t), the Creative D5XM’s name ought to ring a bell or two. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that we were telling you all about the Creative D5 Air. The D5XM, however, while similar in name, is a decidedly more serious deal than the AirPlay speaker bar. Creative is hyping the product as “the world’s first self-calibrating modular wireless speaker” — it’s a mouthful, but its certainly a cool prospect. The rectangular speaker can be used alone or as part of a larger speaker system, communicating with other D5XM devices and the DSXM — coincidentally, “the subwoofer for the world’s first self-calibrating modular wireless speaker.” What are the odds?

You can string up to three D5XMs together and two of the subwoofers, if you’re really, really into low-end. No word on pricing for these guys yet, but we imagine that such a set up would get fairly costly, fairly fast. Creative’s referring to the three-at-a-time deal as “party mode,” in which all three devices are playing the same thing simultaneously — you can also split them up into discrete channels, using a mobile device (iOS or Android). That communication (which occurs via Bluetooth) happens thanks to the chip in the speaker — the same as the one we saw on the Sound BlasterAxx. Click on through for more info and a video.

Continue reading Creative’s D5XM self-calibrating modular wireless speaker gets previewed at IFA (video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Creative’s D5XM self-calibrating modular wireless speaker gets previewed at IFA (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 06:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in the day TDK was one of the big names in blank cassette tapes used for recording songs. I’m sure anyone that grew up in the 80s had a bunch of these tapes laying around the house with their favorite songs recorded in dubious quality. Now that cassette tapes are a thing of the past, TDK has made the switch to digital media and other devices for its product mix such as the company’s new line of Life on Record audio products.

TDK has announced that the Life on Record products now feature Bluetooth technology allowing wireless audio for portable devices on the go. One of the more interesting products looks like a modern 80s boombox fittingly called the Life on Record Wireless Boombox. It supports wireless streaming with Bluetooth 2.1, has an integrated rechargeable battery, 2.1 stereo configuration, and an integrated FM tuner. It also comes with remote control and has a 3.5 mm input. The device sells for $399.95.

The next product is the Life on Record Wireless Weatherproof Speaker. This device looks more like a sound bar for a notebook computer but is made to be able to survive spills and rain on the go. It features Bluetooth 2.1, an integrated rechargeable battery, and has a weatherized design that is IP64 compliant. It also has an integrated microphone and a 3.5 mm stereo input it will sell for $249.95.

The Wireless Sound Cube has a different shape than the other devices, but shares most of the same features, including Bluetooth, adjustable equalization, an auxiliary input, and remote control. It will sell for $299.95. One of the other products is the Wireless Charging Cube selling for $399.95. This device and is a speaker cube with integrated Bluetooth but also has a Qi induction charging pad on the top. That means you can lay your compatible smartphone or other device on top to charge while you listen to music. It is also weatherized with an IPX3 compliant design.

TDK unveils quartet of new Life On Record speakers is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Apple’s next-gen iPhone, if the rumors are true, is expected to feature 4G LTE connectivity. After all, the Cupertino company’s latest iPad has 4G LTE, so it is not a complete stretch of the imagination to think that the next-gen iPhone will sport LTE connectivity as well. That being said while we’re sure that many iPhone fans will be pleased if the rumors are true, it seems that Samsung is already prepared for such an eventuality and according to the Korea Times, Samsung has confirmed that they will immediately sue Apple should they release future products that make use of LTE technology.

As most of you guys are aware, Samsung and Apple are still duking it out in the courts, with the latter gaining a rather prominent victory in the US courts where Samsung has been ordered to pay Apple a little over $1 billion in damages. In any case since the next-gen iPhone has yet to be announced, it is hard to say if it will come with 4G LTE, and if it does, we have to wonder if Samsung’s statement about suing them might have gotten Apple a little bit worried.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung SGH-I547 stops by the FCC with AT&T’s LTE radios on board, AT&T rumored to be testing Galaxy Nexus with LTE,

Alongside its new Emotion UI, Huawei debuted a handful of new devices in Berlin this week, including this; the 4.5-inch Ascend G600. Slotting in below the existing Ascend P1, but above the rest of Huawei’s phone range, the qHD screen is accompanied by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and Android 4.0.4. There’s 4GB of built-in storage, while the micro-SD slot can add up 32GB of extra space. The phone’s shell is coated in a glossy finish similar to the Ascend P1, while the screen is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass. Beneath that, Huawei has plumped for a 2,000 mAh battery inside the 300 euro (around $375) device, while removing the cover reveals an NFC chip embedded behind it. We got our hands on the phone here at IFA — skip after the break for our hands-on video and first impressions.

Continue reading Huawei Ascend G600 announced: 4.5-inch qHD screen, dual-core processor, mid-range price (hands-on)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Huawei Ascend G600 announced: 4.5-inch qHD screen, dual-core processor, mid-range price (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 06:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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