Hasta La Gadget!

It’s been just over a week since Mophie quietly intro’d updated Juice Packs at IFA, and now — as we’ve reacquainted with our offices — the company’s given us a sneak peek at its Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition. Aside from a special olive drab and orange colorway, the charging case itself is your standard $100 iPhone 4 Juice Pack Plus. So what’s the big deal, you ask? This Pack’s bundled with Mophie’s Outdoor Navigation app (a collaboration with NeoTrecks) positioning itself as an alternative to pricier handheld GPS units. Purchased separately, said app’s slated to sell for $30 along with optional desktop access priced at $20 annually, while you’ll get the software and that first year included out of box with the OE.

The app works using your iPhone’s GPS to provide highly detailed maps and a robust suite of options to get you where you’re going, even if you’re offline for most of the US — sorry, Alaska. We checked out an early build of the software showcasing its three modes for tracking, downloading new maps, and a library you can check back on. The maps feature hand-shaded topography for extra clarity and a unique “grid-mode” for downloading new sections, although it appears you’ll be stuck there while you wait for it to finish. The software also pulls up points of interests and you’ll be able to track your trips, allowing you to then view your statistics or even share the details over the web. Mophie’s expecting to have these available sometime in October with full details forthcoming, but in the meantime, there’s a brief demo on how it’ll help you navigate your local trail past the break.

Continue reading Mophie intros Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition for adventure loving iPhone owners (video)

Mophie intros Juice Pack Plus Outdoor Edition for adventure loving iPhone owners (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The National Labor Relations Board has weighed in on the role of social networking at the office, determining that employees can’t be fired for what they post on Facebook — as long as they use the platform to talk about improving their workplace. The NLRB’s ruling, announced on Wednesday, stems from an incident last year, when an employee at the Hispanics United of Buffalo non-profit organization went on Facebook to complain about a co-worker who accused her of slacking off at the office. Other colleagues soon chimed in on the woman’s wall post with a slew of profanity-laced comments, before the targeted employee noticed the thread and reported it to a supervisor. Citing the agency’s zero-tolerance policy on cyber harassment, the boss fired the five employees who participated in the online discussion — including one who went on to file a complaint with the NLRB.

Last week, administrative law Judge Arthur Amchan finally issued a verdict in the case, determining that the employees retained the right to talk about “their terms and conditions of employment,” as stipulated under the National Labor Relations Act. Because this particular Facebook thread involved discussion of “job performance and staffing levels,” Amchan ordered Hispanics United to reinstate the employees. The decision marks the first time that an administrative judge has ruled on a Facebook-related workplace case, though the NLRB says it’s received “an increasing number of charges related to social media in the past year” — so it likely won’t be the last. You can read the Board’s statement in full, after the break.

Continue reading Judge rules in favor of employees fired over Facebook post, orders them back to work

Judge rules in favor of employees fired over Facebook post, orders them back to work originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like most other mobile companies out there, it appears Meizu is looking to branch out from cellphones to tablets. It’s a little too early to say for sure what the manufacturer’s plans are, but a recent patent filing by Jo Young Soo, Meizu’s lead designer, with China’s SIPO (State Intellectual Property Office) gives a hint that a slate may be in the works. The application isn’t for a tablet, per se, but for a protective case that holds a tablet and keyboard. Now, it’s quite a leap from case to tablet, but Meizu doesn’t seem like the type of company to suddenly jump into the third-party iPad accessory market. Obviously we’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but don’t be shocked if the Chinese manufacturer hops into the Honeycomb fray soon.

Meizu tablet case patent application hints at slate plans originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So you spent all of that money on an iPhone 4 — do you really want to cover it up with some discount protection? Graft Concepts’ new case is nearly as snazzy as the handset it was designed to protect. The Leverage is made out of polycarbonate with a matte finish and features a metal latch that secures it to the handset. The case is up for sale now, at a fittingly pricey $60. You can pick up additional backplates for $7 a piece.

Continue reading Graft Concepts’ fancy Leverage iPhone case is probably fancier than your fancy case (video)

Graft Concepts’ fancy Leverage iPhone case is probably fancier than your fancy case (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There may be more than a few fake Apple Stores in China, but for the moment, Cupertino’s anti-KIRF crusade seems focused squarely on New York City. According to Reuters, Apple has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against two stores in Queens, alleging that they sold unauthorized cases, headphones and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In the complaint, the company claims that the products in question were all emblazoned with its familiar fruit logo, along with the phrase, “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” The suit also demands that one of the stores, called Apple Story (seriously), change its name to avoid confusion with the real retail outlet and that both vendors disclose full lists of people who both supplied and purchased the goods.

It all began when company representatives visited the Chinatown-area stores on “multiple occasions over several weeks,” where they bought and examined the items, described in court records as “exact duplicates” of their authentic counterparts. On July 27th, Apple executed a few ex parte seizure warrants, which allowed authorities to seize any goods bearing its logo. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto has already granted an injunction to stop the stores from selling the alleged knockoffs, but hasn’t yet decided whether Apple Story will have to change its name. The complaint also seeks undisclosed monetary damages and asks that all existing counterfeit goods be destroyed, though court documents suggest that both sides are close to reaching a deal. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the accusations, but we’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.

In the meantime, check out this KIRF “iPhone 5” we found in Beijing — a Java-powered handset that’s slimmer than the Galaxy S II and a bit laggy, but boasts a multitouch capacitive screen. Asking price? ¥680, or about $106.

Apple cracks down on counterfeit products sold in NYC, files lawsuit against Queens vendors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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