HTC’s Windows Phone 8 press event now available to watch online (video)

HTC's Windows Phone 8 press event now available to watch online

Love you some Windows Phone? Big fan of HTC? Well, then, we imagine this has been a good week for you! If you missed our coverage from New York as it happened, first of all, shame on you. But, we’ll forgive you, and as a special treat even point you to a video of the whole event online. Simply head past the break for the goods, and if you don’t want to know what happens, don’t click on any of the earlier links in this post. Too late for spoilers? Okay, they announce new phones!

Continue reading HTC’s Windows Phone 8 press event now available to watch online (video)

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HTC’s Windows Phone 8 press event now available to watch online (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 15:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[REVIEW] 3 Brando USB 3.0 hubs tested

We agree with Brando’s claim when they say USB 3.0 is poised to become mainstream. The company sent us 3 hubs to play around with and check if they are worth their salt.
These USB 3.0 4-Port Hubs are all offering 4 extension ports (backwards compatible with both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0). All three devices are compatible with both PC and MAC, except for the square model (middle one in photo above) they come with an additional power supply.
 
Why could you use one?
Good question! First off the …

Rotary-Dial iPhone Dock is Now Doubly Obsolete

Now that I’ve got my new iPhone 5, I either have to wait for some new docks to come out, wait for my Apple lightning-to-30-pin adapter to show up sometime in October, or buy a dock that supports AirPlay and don’t worry about charging while docked. This dock solves absolutely none of that, but I still like it.

rotary dial iphone dock 1

What you’re looking at here is an iPhone dock that’s made out of an old rotary-dial telephone. It’ll charge your phone via either USB or your Apple wall adapter (not included). Remember those? Heck, I don’t even have a landline anymore. But it’s still kind of a fun way to charge up your iPhone or iPod Touch, plus it’s got a pair of 3w speakers built in. Yes, that’s right, this thing is a stereo.

rotary dial iphone dock 2

These docks are made by Bryan Sharp over at Rotary Revival, and they come in a variety of colors and phone styles (basically whatever old junk phones Bryan can source), and some even have a wireless remote with pause/play and volume controls. They sell for $125 to $199 (USD) over on Etsy.

rotary dial iphone dock 3

It’s too bad the rotary dial doesn’t do anything. It’d be cool if you could use it to adjust volume or change tracks. But before I demand Bryan adds that feature, I just want my 8-pin Lightning connector.


Do You Use Your Phone At Concerts? [Chatroom]

In some ways, it’s a cardinal sin. In other ways, it’s understandable. There’s a whole world of difference between tweeting between sets to try and inflame your friends’ jealousy, and holding your gargantuan phablet above your head for three or four songs at a time, blocking the view of those behind you, and capturing video that is so low quality that no one will want to watch it. Ever. You might wish you’d never even bothered to shoot it in the first place. More »

Twitter CEO reveals plans for interactive tweets, content curation, reinforces belief in syndication

Twitter CEO reveals plans for interactive tweets, content curation, reinforces belief in syndication

Twitter has ruffled a few feathers recently, so when CEO Dick Costolo took the stage at the Online News Association conference in San Francisco, he took the opportunity to put some minds at rest. First he dismissed the idea that the service would become a media company by forcing users to the site or official app for content, before reasserting his belief in syndication. Costolo then went on to imply that the reason behind the tighter (and unpopular) API controls was ensuring quality — stating that Twitter would reach its full potential now there’s more control over how tweets are delivered. With boots strapped, we can look forward to some new features, such as the option to curate messages that are published (such as during live events) plus tweets with interactive features like polls during live sports games. The famous 140 character limit is to remain, but will also serve as a “caption for additional functionality.” Perhaps of most interest to disenfranchised developers, however, was the mention of application functionality in tweets, where short messages could contain small interactive apps. Something for devs to get potentially get back on board with? We hope so. But until further details unfold, we’re still left considering our options.

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Twitter CEO reveals plans for interactive tweets, content curation, reinforces belief in syndication originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Map Disasters, Real-Life Warp Drive, Cam Girl Secrets, And More [The Best Stories Of The Week]

This week we finally witnessed the arrivial of the iPhone 5, but it brought with it a pretty questionable and sometimes horrifying map app. But that’s not all, NASA is working on warp drive, we delve into the bleak world of Internet cam girls, we caught a peek of (maybe) the iPad Mini, and watched a rapper lose his Google-virginity. Catch up below. More »

AmEx, Starbucks announce plans for Passbook integration: both live by end of the month

AmEx, Starbucks announce plans for iOS 6 Passbook integration both live by end of the month

When it launched with iOS 6 this Wednesday, Apple’s Passbook mobile-ticketing feature boasted a handful of high-profile partners — including Fandango, Live Nation, Lufthansa and Ticketmaster — but that list still leaves plenty of room for fleshing out. According to Venture Beat, AmEx is launching integration with Passbook later today. The credit card company’s Passbook functionality will include notifications for new account transactions, along with the ability to view your current balance and redeem membership rewards points. The service can also use smartphones’ location to verify charges flagged as suspicious.

Starbucks, which was featured in an early Passbook demo at WWDC, also announced the timeline for its integration with the service, tweeting today that an “update is coming at the end of the month” and offering no further details. Judging by Apple’s earlier previews, Passbook will let customers pay with a Starbucks card. The coffee chain’s Passbook functionality looks to be quite similar to its partnership with Square, which will be the go-to mobile payments option for non-iOS customers when it launches this fall.

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AmEx, Starbucks announce plans for Passbook integration: both live by end of the month originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Is What Happens When You Glue an iPhone 5 to the Ground [Video]

So you’ve got a new iPhone 5, but what are you going to do with it. Well, you could destroy it, or just use it. Or, if you’re feeling particularly mischevious, you could glue it to the ground in a public square. That’s what iPhone5.nl did with (what they claim to be) the first one in the Netherlands. The results are pretty amusing. [The Next Web] More »

Alibaba spins out Aliyun team with $200 million investment, pep talk

Acer CloudMobile with Aliyun

You can imagine that the team building Alibaba’s Aliyun mobile OS must have hurt feelings following Google’s accusations that Aliyun is just a corruption of Android. Alibaba chief Jack Ma is keen to restore some of that wounded pride, at least on the surface. The CEO has used a since-confirmed staff memo to spin out Aliyun as a separate entity that will “safeguard the healthy growth” of the platform and Alibaba’s mobile strategy. It’s not solely an instance of tough love, either: Alibaba is putting $200 million into the new firm and will use executive Wang Jian as a link between the two sides, having him serve as the CTO for both companies. With that in mind, Ma’s ultimate intentions aren’t clear. While the separation may be a sign of a tighter focus on software, it also reduces the impact for Alibaba if anything drags Aliyun down — and either motivation would be helpful for a company devoted to the web before anything else.

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Alibaba spins out Aliyun team with $200 million investment, pep talk originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is there really a good reason for Samsung and Apple fans to hate each other?

A war is brewing in the mobile space.

No, that war isn’t Apple against Samsung or Google versus Microsoft. Those battles have been raging for months, and chances are, they won’t end anytime soon. The latest – and perhaps most vicious battle – is now being waged between Apple fans and Samsung fans.

If you’ve been following the mobile space lately, you know that Apple fans have taken it upon themselves to target Samsung smartphone fans, discounting their choice in product, hammering the Android operating system, and criticizing them in nearly every way imaginable. In some forums across the Web, even Mama jokes aren’t off the table.

The trouble started last week after Samsung released an ad showing the differences between its Samsung Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5. The company claimed that its product comes with all of the bells and whistles Apple’s alternative doesn’t, making it the better choice for consumers.

Apple fans, of course, responded with outrage, taking aim at every Samsung fan they could. They argued that Android is a loser, Samsung “copies” Apple’s products, and the only reason any company has been able to make some cash in the mobile market is because of the iPhone maker’s innovation in 2007. Without Apple, the fans say, there would be no Samsung or Android.

“It’s clear that a real war is on”

Of course, the Apple reaction to Samsung’s fan charges is nothing new. For years, Apple’s fans have been taking anyone to task that would even come close to criticizing their favorite company. What has been most surprising, however, has been the swift and vicious attacks Samsung has leveled against Apple, making clear that a real war is on.

But does that war make much sense? Sure, Apple’s fans believe the iPhone 5 is the best smartphone on the market. And while there are countless Android-based devices, Samsung’s faithful fully believe that the Galaxy S III is tops. Both sides are loyal. And they are flanked by millions.

Still, the fact remains that if you buy an iPhone 5, you’re going to be pleased with the device. And if you pick up a Samsung Galaxy S III, you’ll be just as happy with that product. If either side is getting anything right, it’s that the products they support really are the best in the world.

So, why fight so hard for something that, at the end of the day, just doesn’t matter? Apple fans can’t change the minds of Samsung fans, and vice versa. For some people, Apple’s products, no matter how nice, will never grace their homes. For others, the same holds true for Samsung devices. And believe it or not, it’s fine if people disagree on the smartphone they most desire.

Call me insensitive to the plight of iPhone owners, but I think there are much bigger problems in the world than dealing with the oh-so-awful Samsung Galaxy S III owners.

So they like a different device than you. Who cares? It’s not like they’re espousing the values of owning a BlackBerry.


Is there really a good reason for Samsung and Apple fans to hate each other? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
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