The Weekly Roundup for 07.22.2013

The Weekly Roundup for 12032012

You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Comments

iPhone Lite Allegedly Pictured With FCC Approval

iPhone Lite Allegedly Pictured With FCC Approval

Its all very confusing, to be honest. There have been rumors that Apple will release a low cost iPhone this year, we just don’t know what it will ultimately end up being called. Many monikers have been speculated, such as the iPhone Mini and even the iPhone 5C. There’s one faction that believes it will be called iPhone Lite. So for now, we’ll go with iPhone Lite. A picture has surfaced online which shows off the device’s back that contains all the relevant certification markings, including that of the FCC.

The FCC needs to approve a device before it can be sold, that’s why we often get to see rumored devices pop up in FCC filings. That gives us an idea of what to expect. No such filing for a cheap or low cost iPhone has appeared as yet, those this picture makes it seem like the FCC has already approved Apple’s budget iPhone. The shell of the device itself is identical to the ones that have previously leaked, and its in line with all of the rumors that we’ve heard. Nevertheless, there still exists the possibility that what we see here is actually not what Apple is going to be unveiling. Apple is rumored to announce both the iPhone Lite and iPhone 5S at an event on September 6th. [Image via Electronista]

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | iPhone Lite Allegedly Pictured With FCC Approval original content from Ubergizmo.

    

Dad’s perfect gift for son: A 737 cockpit simulator in his bedroom

Looks real, doesn't it?

(Credit: SudOuest Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

“Where shall we fly today, son?”

“How about Sydney?”

“OK. Strap yourself in. And don’t crash the plane like you did yesterday, alright?”

This might be the typical evening conversation in the Aigon household. For Laurent Aigon, from Lacanau, France, has just spent the last five years building something few other dads have done: a 737 cockpit simulator, which he’s placed in his son’s bedroom.

I am grateful to Gizmodo and its use of Google Translate for discovering this lovely story from the French publication Sud-Ouest.

At the very least, you might imagine that Aigon is a pilot, or perhaps an engineer.

He’s actually a waiter, who simply dreamed of being a pilot. He admits, though, that he was lazy at school.

[Read more]

Related Links:
When the Wright brothers and their ‘flying machine’ were new
Solar Impulse soars over Atlantic on last leg of historic flight
Aboard America’s Doomsday command and control plane
Restoration of famed WWII bomber Memphis Belle flies high
Hooked! X-47B comes in for a carrier landing

    

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Specs ‘Confirmed’ By South Korean Publication

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Specs Confirmed By South Korean Publication

There have already been a lot of rumors about Samsung Galaxy Note 3 specs. This device is no doubt one of the hotly anticipated releases from Samsung in the second half of 2013. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, but there have been a plethora of rumors and most seem to reiterate the same things over and over again. A South Korean publication claims to have ‘confirmed’ Galaxy Note 3 specs. The device is said to come with Android 4.3 pre-installed, is likely to have a 5.7 inch full HD screen and 3GB of RAM.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the device will reportedly have support for LTE-A. In markets where conventional LTE is not even available, a Galaxy Note 3 variant powered by the new Exynos 5 Octa 5420 processor might be released. Samsung recently announced the mass production of its high-performance 3GB mobile RAM modules, it is now widely believed that Note 3 will indeed have 3GB of RAM. Recent rumors also suggest that three variants of Galaxy Note 3 with three different display sizes are being tested, it is possible that multiple variants of this phablet will be released this year.

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Specs ‘Confirmed’ By South Korean Publication original content from Ubergizmo.

    

A Shark Sharpener Makes Knives Extra Menacing By Association

A Shark Sharpener Makes Knives Extra Menacing By Association

Maybe scary things just go together? Why else would this shark and knife look so right? Created by the design studio Propaganda, this sharpener is aptly named "Jaws" and has a no-slip bottom for stability. It may not be super heavy duty, but if you just have a few kitchen knives it’s a good option for giving them a refresh every few months.

Read more…

    

Next Nexus 7 Might Be Manufactured By LG

Next Nexus 7 Might Be Manufactured By LG

For over two years now Google has collaborated with ASUS to manufacture the Nexus 7 tablet. Its big brother, the Nexus 10, has been developed in conjunction with Samsung. It is now being said that Google might ditch ASUS in favor of LG, and that the next generation Nexus 7 tablet might be developed alongside the South Korean company. This prediction has been made by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, well known in the technology circles.

Kuo cites a number of reasons why Google is likely to make this switch. Not only will this move allow Google to increase its collaboration with LG, with which it has already developed the Nexus 4, it will also allow Google to launch yet another major player in the global tablet market. It is also believed that increasing its partnership with LG will increase Google’s footing in the touchscreen market. LG is one of the biggest players in the touchscreen market, right alongside Samsung. Boosting LG would mean that Samsung’s dominance in that particular market can be controlled. Last but not the least, having LG on board will give Google access to important tablet technologies such as GF2 touch and in-plane switching display technology. Both companies are yet to issue an official statement on this matter.

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | Next Nexus 7 Might Be Manufactured By LG original content from Ubergizmo.

    

Moto X Rumored To Have Magic Glass, Laminated Aluminum And More

Moto X Rumored To Have Magic Glass, Laminated Aluminum And More

Despite the fact that Motorola’s official event is only a few days away now, rumors just keep coming in regarding its upcoming device, the Moto X smartphone. It is now being said that this device will have Moto Magic Glass, a structure made out of laminated aluminum and Dual LTE MIMO smart antennas. The information comes from Taylor Wimberly, a well connected source that has been right about the Moto X in the past as well.

(more…)

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | Moto X Rumored To Have Magic Glass, Laminated Aluminum And More original content from Ubergizmo.

    

Lie-Down Laptop Stand Lets You Work Like an Astronaut in Bed

If you find yourself lying in bed trying to read emails or get some work done, you know it can be tricky to hold your laptop in the right position if you want to lie down. Now, thanks to this gadget, you can use your laptop while lying flat on your back.

lying down laptop stand

It’s unclear how the stand holds onto your laptop when lying upside-down, but the image above suggests that you might need a bungee or rubber band of some sort to hold it in place. There’s definitely a lip that holds the front edge in place.

adjustable laptop stand 2

In addition to the configuration shown above, Uncaged Ergonomics‘ highly-adjustable WorkEZ Executive stand can be used in a wide variety of positions, as a standing desk or even as a tray table in bed. The aluminum stand can hold items up to 22 inches-wide, and can stand up to 2 feet-tall. it’s also got ventilation holes built into the bottom to help keep your computer cool.

adjustable laptop stand 3

Best of all, the WorkEZ Executive laptop stand sells for just $65(USD). It’s available over on Amazon, where it’s available in black, blue, silver or even pink.

[via CRNCHY]

What’s The Most Water Damage You’ve Ever Done To A Gadget?

What's The Most Water Damage You've Ever Done To A Gadget?

I think we all know the drill by now. When you drop your phone in the toilet or get pushed into a pool with it in your pocket, it has to go in a bowl of rice. And then there’s the moment of truth where you try to power it on and it either works or it doesn’t. Dems da breaks until more gadget makers wake up and waterproof.

Read more…

    

Google has a ‘near perfect’ universal translator — for Portuguese, at least

Google aims to make a universal translator like the one from Star Trek, sans the flashlight form factor.

(Credit: CBS Television Studios / Screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET)

Google continues its efforts to bring us the world of “Star Trek” and life on the U.S.S. Enterprise four centuries ahead of schedule — minus the really hard stuff like the warp drive. The company’s latest effort along these lines, according to Android product guru Hugo Barra, is a real-time universal translator.

Barra told the U.K. Times that “several years” from now, he envisions devices (likely Android phones or something similar) that allow people to travel around the globe without having to be concerned about language barriers. Barra also spoke of the ability for calls to be translated from one language to another in real time, so that a person on one end of the call might speak in English, and that speech would then be instantly translated into Portuguese for the person listening on the other end in Sao Paulo.

In fact, English and Portuguese was one language pairing that Barra specifically cited as already providing “near perfect” translations on Google’s prototype devices. Translation from Mandarin to the recently extinc… [Read more]

Related Links:
Google’s Nexus 7 brings high-def Netflix to Android for first time
Google Nexus devices are first to get Android 4.3
Duolingo brings free language courses to the iPad
Chrome for Android gets much-sought built-in translation
Google boosts handwriting feature in Google Translate