Sinch takes aim at headphone tangles, we go hands-on

The Sinch is not much to look at, we’ll give you that, but it is rather an interesting little thing. Intended to keep your headphone cable a little more tidy, it’s just a couple of slender magnets encased in a rubber band with a hole punched on one end. It’s a remarkably simple design, and a surprisingly effective one, too. We got a chance to wrap our cables around one, so read on for some quick impressions.

Continue reading Sinch takes aim at headphone tangles, we go hands-on

Sinch takes aim at headphone tangles, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kanex’s MHL HDMI adapter brings your smartphone content to an HDTV near you

Want to get content from your Samsung Galaxy S II to your HDTV, but don’t want to shell out for the fancy new Toshiba Regza? Shortly after yesterday’s announcement of the Australia-only WL800A, Kanex unveiled its $29 adapter, letting users connect their MHL-capable handsets to HDTVs via the HDMI port. The adapter is available now — full PR after the break.

Continue reading Kanex’s MHL HDMI adapter brings your smartphone content to an HDTV near you

Kanex’s MHL HDMI adapter brings your smartphone content to an HDTV near you originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ Says Apple’s Trying to Kill the Cable Industry

Here’s something mysterious: amid the WSJ’s report on Tim Cook’s ascension, they say Apple’s “working on new technology to deliver video to televisions, and has been discussing whether to try to launch a subscription TV service.” That could be huge. More »

TiVo talks cable, satellite deals in Q2 results; DirecTiVo exposed! (video)

TiVo’s results for the second quarter are here and there were a few tidbits that let us know where its products are going in the future. Despite reporting a net loss for the quarter, its cash position was up after receiving the first $300 million payment from its settlement with Dish Network. Things appear to be going well with Virgin Media in the UK where it reported 50,000 TiVo’s live by the end of July and ONO is closing in on a launch in Spain, while closer to home RCN is almost ready to officially offer a whole-home DVR setup based on the quad-tuner TiVo Premiere Q. Charter and DirecTV are mentioned as “progressing towards launch”, but the company seems particularly excited to see the current state of patent warfare going on, trumpeting its 210 issued patents and 389 applications.

Speaking of the DirecTivo, an apparent training video has leaked. ZatzNotFunny has more information, but it reveals the hardware and UI, which disappointingly harken back to the days of older Series3 hardware instead of the updated HD menus on the new Premiere boxes. Check out the video and Q2 press release after the break.

Continue reading TiVo talks cable, satellite deals in Q2 results; DirecTiVo exposed! (video)

TiVo talks cable, satellite deals in Q2 results; DirecTiVo exposed! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Time Warner Cable will pay for your Slingbox, in exchange for love

If you’re a faithful Time Warner Cable customer, your next Slingbox purchase could be on the house. Yesterday, the provider announced that it will offer full rebates to any Wideband internet subscribers who buy the $300 set-top box, as part of a promotion due to launch sometime in September. Jeffrey A. Hirsch, TWC’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, told the New York Times that the offer is geared solely toward promoting his company’s $99 Wideband service, though it’s hard to ignore the move’s larger symbolism — especially in light of that ongoing legal battle with Viacom over live streaming content to the iPad. Time Warner has yet to pinpoint a launch date for its new promotion, but we’ll let you know as soon as we get word.

Time Warner Cable will pay for your Slingbox, in exchange for love originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast’s Xfinity app debuts on Blackberry, updated on iOS

It may not have live TV streaming yet, but Comcast has been at the forefront of expanding the cable TV experience to phones and tablets with its Xfinity app and pushed further recently, updating the iOS version and releasing an edition for Blackberry phones. On Blackberry it brings the usual set of features, including Comcast.net email access, remote DVR scheduling and trailers for VOD selections. On iOS, v1.60 adds a “previously played” button that can return the TV to previously watched channels, or start playing VOD content on the mobile devices right where you last left off. Check the official blog for more details or just download from iTunes or Blackberry App World.

Comcast’s Xfinity app debuts on Blackberry, updated on iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 06:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Worst Cable Horror Story We’ve Ever Heard

Cable companies! They are about as fun to deal with as your parents divorce. We offered you a chance to vent by telling us your horror stories. Here’s the rock bottom of the coaxial carnival ride. More »

The Cable Customer’s Bill of Rights

Over the past few days, we’ve received more than 1,000 horror stories about bad cable experiences: tales of bad techs, terrible service, and troubling billing practices. We used those to build a cable customer’s bill of rights. More »

Why the Cable Guy Can’t Keep an Appointment Like the Rest of the World

Your new pad is ace. All it needs now is cable. Easy! You’ll be all set in no time; just take a vacation day and wait for some dude to show up and run a line to a box. What? More »

Gizmodo Wants to Fix Cable With Your Help

Gizmodo wants to fix your cable. All this week, we’re going to take a long-hard look at the cable industry, and how to improve it. We want to fix cable, and we need your help to make it happen. More »