Microsoft’s first international store set to open this fall in Canada

Microsoft's first international store set to open this fall in Canada

Living it up in the True North and wishing there was a Microsoft Store near you to take advantage of that subsidized Xbox 360 deal? Or, you know, give Windows Phone a run for its money? Well, if all goes according to plan, you might be able to do just that pretty soon — this fall, to be exact. According to Canadian Reviewer, Redmond’s own Tedd Ladd has told the site his company’s about to open up one of its decorated retail shops in the Land of Poutine later this year, with Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto being chosen as the place to help kick things off internationally. Currently, all of Microsoft’s 20 B&M stores are in the US of A, so this would mark the outfit’s first outside of the States — and surprisingly enough, Ladd also mentioned this will be the 31st when it opens, perhaps hinting that there’s some more on the way.

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Microsoft’s first international store set to open this fall in Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google’s Nexus 7 discovered to have Smart Cover-like magnetic sensor

Google's Nexus 7 discovered as having Smart Coverlike magnet sensor

You won’t find this on its official specs list, but Google’s Nexus 7 tablet apparently has a magnet-enabled sensor that’ll automatically set the display to sleep — it’s hard not to think of the iPad’s Smart Cover. YouTube user wwscoggin was able to discover and pin-point the functionality near the bottom left of the device by gliding a magnet along its bezel. As Android Police notes, this appears to be the only Android tablet with such a feature, yet there’s no word on whether ASUS’ decidedly Smart Case-esque cases will make use of it. We’ve been able to replicate the action on our end, but don’t take our word for it, catch the video after the break.

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Google’s Nexus 7 discovered to have Smart Cover-like magnetic sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starbucks Android app gets caffeinated update, also launches in UK and Canada

Starbucks Android app gets caffeinated update, launches in UK and Canada

Americans have enjoyed the freedom to choose between Starbucks apps on both iOS and Android for over a year, and now the Google-flavored iteration is now finally going abroad, launching in both the UK and Canada today. The launch coincides with an app update for all users on the North American continent and across the pond. You’ll now be able to connect your phone to your Starbucks Card payment account, seek out nearby caffeine outlets and gleefully obsess over rewards and balances. The refresh also adds a widget for your presumably otherwise bare homescreen. This first global rollout now totals over 14,000 locations to use your Starbucks Card to pay, with PayPal functionality also rolled into both the US and Canadian iterations. Hit up the PR after the break for the nitty-gritty.

Continue reading Starbucks Android app gets caffeinated update, also launches in UK and Canada

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Starbucks Android app gets caffeinated update, also launches in UK and Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 08:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T Atrix HD priced at $99: coming July 15 (video)

While we’ve already stared down the specifications, AT&T’s announced that it will bring Motorola’s big and skinny slab to the US later this month, while Bell will do the honors in Canada “this summer.” Priced at $99, the Atrix HD will tie together LTE connectivity with a 4.5-inch 720p display, available in both Modern White and Titanium colors. Better still, it’s all arriving later this week, on July 15. If you’re thinking about becoming an early adopter then you’ll want to move quickly, as a free Vehicle Dock will ship with each one for a “limited time”, designed to work perfectly with the included Smart Actions. Finally, this is the first phone to feature Motorola’s “circle widget” on the home screen, designed to take owners directly to their AT&T account info, displaying data usage, battery status and more. Check after the break for a quick video walkthrough from AT&T plus a press release with all of the specs and details.

Continue reading AT&T Atrix HD priced at $99: coming July 15 (video)

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AT&T Atrix HD priced at $99: coming July 15 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink BGR  |  sourceBell, AT&T  | Email this | Comments

Refresh Roundup: week of July 2nd, 2012

Refresh Roundup week of July 2nd, 2012

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of July 2nd, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of July 2nd, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jul 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Nexus 7 tablet gets mid-July arrival dates from Staples in US and Canada

Nexus 7 gets midJuly arrival dates from Staples in North America

It’s no secret that both the 8GB and 16GB variants of Google’s Nexus 7 have been set to ship in two to three weeks from pre-orders placed at its Play store. While retailers like Gamestop are also remaining mum on specifics, Staples has stepped up with actual arrival dates on its US and Canadian websites for the 16GB model. Apparently, fast fingers within the United 50 that lay out $250 to reserve one of the Jelly Bean-loaded slates by July 10 can expect it to arrive as early as the 13th — that said, Staples notes that this “limited quantity” of initial stock is set to ship “between July 12th and July 17th.” Heading to Staple’s site for the Great White North, the tablet is listed to hit shelves in-stores and online on the 23rd for 259 Canadian dollars, however, there’s no word on when online orders might ship. We’d still advise you to take these dates with some NaCl at this point, but it’s likely a safe to bet that you’ll have yours before August if you place an order soon.

Google Nexus 7 tablet gets mid-July arrival dates from Staples in US and Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceStaples (US), (Canada)  | Email this | Comments

Tim Hortons bringing free WiFi to 90 percent of its locations by September

Tim Hortons bringing free WiFi to 90 percent of its locations by September

It’s already toyed around with offering free WiFi at a few of its locations, but Tim Hortons has now finally committed to making the service available at most of its restaurants across Canada. That’s being done through a partnership with Bell Canada, which Tim Hortons says was selected after a “rigorous six-month testing process,” and it looks like the WiFi has already been turned on at quite a few of its locations (you can search for those near you using the store locator on its website). All told, the company expects to roll the service out to more than 90 percent of its restaurants (not including gas stations, kiosks, and the like), or over 2,000 locations, by this September — a number that Tim Hortons says will make it the largest free WiFi network in Canada.

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Tim Hortons bringing free WiFi to 90 percent of its locations by September originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC picks former AT&T exec Mike Woodward as North American president

HTC picks former AT&T exec Mike Woodward as North American presidentHTC has been fighting to get a better relationship with US carriers lately, and it may have just chosen a clever (if roundabout) approach: hire one of their executives. As of today, AT&T’s former phone portfolio VP Mike Woodward is now HTC’s president of its North American division, reporting directly to worldwide sales head Jason Mackenzie. The new position won’t necessarily get him any privileged access, but it certainly gives HTC someone who’s well versed in what carriers want out of a device launch. We’ll have to wait awhile to see what Woodward’s strategy will be; suffice it to say that the company wants more One X-level anticipation and fewer of those bumpy, Inspire 4G-like releases.

Continue reading HTC picks former AT&T exec Mike Woodward as North American president

HTC picks former AT&T exec Mike Woodward as North American president originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany week of June 25th, 2012

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you’re like us and really want to know what’s going on, then you’ve come to the right place. This past week, Samsung introduced its first Windows Phone for China and both HTC and Samsung each chimed in about Android 4.1 — the sweet treat better known as Jelly Bean. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the “best of the rest” for this week of June 25th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Raider 4G LTE available on Rogers today, Bell’s version coming soon

Now that both Rogers and Bell have alive and kickin’ LTE networks, it’s high time we see a full lineup on them, right? HTC’s doing its part, at least, by offering the Raider 4G LTE (aka Holiday), a device we’ve seen announced in Korea and Australia so far. Curiously, Rogers lists the device as having a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, a downtick from its Asian counterpart, though everything else appears to be the same: it offers a 4.5-inch qHD (960 x 540) display, a full gigabyte of RAM, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 1080p video capture, a 1.3MP front-facing cam for video chat and runs with Android 2.3.4 and HTC Sense 3.0 installed. Rogers will be the first in Canada to get the phone out the door, since it’s available in stores and online today for $150 with a three-year commitment, whereas Bell has it listed as “coming soon” on its official site with no actual pricing indicated (MobileSyrup says it will likely be sold for $170). If your heart goes pitter-patter for this Raider, go ahead and pick one up — just keep in mind that the lost ark is not included.

HTC Raider 4G LTE available on Rogers today, Bell’s version coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileSyrup  |  sourceRogers, Bell  | Email this | Comments