Hasta La Gadget!

While MoviePass was in early beta, it got more than a small amount of pushback from theaters that didn’t like someone changing the price formula without their explicit say-so. The company just found an end-run around that conspicuous obstacle. It’s releasing both an iPhone app and a reloadable card that, when combined, let MoviePass’ effectively unlimited subscription model work at just about any US theater. The app unlocks the card for a specific showing; after that, it’s only a matter of swiping the plastic at a payment kiosk like any old credit card. It’s not as sophisticated as NFC or Pay With Square, to be sure, but it should keep the rude surprises to a minimum. Both the iOS app and the card require an invitation to the $30 monthly service if you’re eager to get watching movies today. If either is too limiting, there’s promises of both an Android app and wider availability in the future.

Continue reading MoviePass launches iPhone app and card combo, takes unlimited viewing to all US theaters

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, HD

MoviePass launches iPhone app and card combo, takes unlimited viewing to all US theaters originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The One X+. You have to reach for the Shift key just to type it out, but as names go it’s neither unexpected nor inaccurate. In fact, it paints just the right picture, because this is still the same global (i.e. non-US) One X we’ve come to know and respect, but its matte black shell also contains important additions that secure its rightful place at the top of HTC’s Android range. In fact, it’s even better news than that earlier XDA leak suggested.

On the hardware front, the One X+ has a faster Tegra 3 variant that clocks in at max of 1.7GHz (versus 1.5GHz on the original), an enlarged 2,100mAh to keep the engine turning over, a capacity boost to 64GB (versus 32GB on the global One X and just 16GB on AT&T’s handset), and — self-portrait artists rejoice — an upgraded front-facing camera that promises 1.6 megapixels and better image processing. Most other specs stay the same, including the 8-megapixel rear camera, 1GB of RAM and the lovely 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 Super LCD 2 display. The UK handset we played with was also stuck on 3G, leaving it unable to party on the emerging British LTE scene, but there’s an LTE global variant too that could potentially touch down on these shores in the future (although HTC wouldn’t confirm that outright).

In terms of software, HTC’s skin (now called Sense 4+) has been modified to work on top of Jelly Bean and brings a host of subtle improvements from both Google and the manufacturer. All in all, we reckon this new contender works hard enough to become desirable rather than merely incremental, and if you check out the video and hands-on impressions after the break then you might just agree.

Continue reading HTC shows off One X+ in the UK, we go hands-on (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

HTC shows off One X+ in the UK, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We all know about the central issue surrounding iOS 6. For the suits and ties among us, however, there’s a potentially more glaring problem with Exchange support. Some users quick to upgrade to Apple’s latest mobile OS report losing automatic push delivery of their email, requiring that they check for themselves to get any fresh messages. The issue isn’t carrier- or device-specific, and attempts to reboot, reconfigure or restore devices are at best temporary fixes: what flows smoothly at first runs dry several hours later. Apple technicians are aware that the flaw exists, but it’s tough to know if and when engineers will have a fix — the company typically waits until it has a solution in hand before it goes on the record. We’ve reached out to Apple for a possible comment all the same. In the meantime, let us know if your Exchange access (or push data as a whole) is going awry.

[Thanks, Daniel]

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Tablets, Mobile

Early iOS 6 adopters report problems getting Exchange push email: are you affected? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC meetings can be momentous occasions under the right circumstances, although it’s seldom the case that we see the agency pass two potentially far-reaching measures in one sitting, like we just saw on Friday. To start, regulators have voted in favor of a proposal that will review spectrum sale rules and might drop the case-by-case determinations in favor of a more consistent screening mechanism. The reexamination will also consider a change to the ownership rules surrounding wireless frequencies that treats bands below 1GHz differently than those above — the better to address a chorus of smaller carriers that don’t like all the prime spectrum going to the companies with the most existing clout, namely AT&T and Verizon. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argues that reform could spur innovation through more competition, although dissenting Commissioner Robert McDowell is worried that consistent rules will somehow create “uncertainty.”

Side-by-side with the review, the FCC is proposing an incentive-based reverse auction strategy to have TV broadcasters voluntarily give up their spectrum for cellular and data use. The multi-phase approach would have TV providers set the price at which they’re willing to sell their spectrum to the FCC; those that just can’t bear to part with their airwaves would be corralled into a tighter band range to make for larger available frequency blocks in the auction that follows. As with other FCC proposals, there’s likely to be a long interval between the auction vote, the review and any definitive rulemaking, let alone an impact — auctions by themselves can take years to play out. Still, any success with the measures could head off spectrum crunches while simultaneously preventing any solutions from consolidating too much power and creating their own problems.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disappointed that your country or favorite carrier missed the initial cut for the iPhone 5 launch? Odds are that you’re all good now. Worldwide, 22 more countries have joined the mix as of today, including wide swaths of Europe as well as New Zealand; you’ll find the full list in the release here. Americans also don’t have to turn to the big carriers, as they can now opt for prepaid carrier Cricket in addition to a slew of extra providers that include C Spire as well as regionals like GCI and nTelos. In some cases, you’ll even snag a discount by going with one of the smaller networks. If you bagged an iPhone in Barcelona, or caught one on Cellcom, let others know how it’s going in the comments.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

PSA: iPhone 5 available in 22 more countries, on Cricket and US regional carriers galore originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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