Hasta La Gadget!

Those who have been following the development of BlackBerry 10 might like to know that a new device has arrived at the FCC. Its model number is RFH121LW, but other than that, we don’t know much about this phone. The documents that accompany the filing are merely an exposure report and its appendices, along with some letters and a test report. This means we don’t get any images and hardly any idea of the phone’s specifications.

So, we’ll just have to use our imaginations for another month or so. The RFH121LW could possibly be one of the phones RIM plans to unveil during its BlackBerry 10 launch event next month, so we may see more of it then. Whatever happens there, we know it’s going to be big, as RIM has to blow the socks off everyone if it wants to make an impact and get people to pay attention to the new mobile operating system meant to bring the company back from the brink.

We’ve seen our share of BlackBerry 10 handsets before this, though. Over the weekend, new images of what’s reportedly the BlackBerry X10 leaked out, following numerous leaks of the BlackBerry Z10. RIM will be offering all-touch BlackBerry 10 devices alongside phones that retain the famous BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard, so there should be something for all kinds of smartphones lovers when it comes to BlackBerry 10.

So far, we’ve been hearing pretty good things about BlackBerry 10. RIM has been citing an enthusiastic response from developers and retail partners alike, so there’s a chance that the company could knock it out of the park with this release. We’ll be seeing all of what BlackBerry 10 has to offer in no time at all, as RIM is set to host its launch event on January 30. Stay tuned.

[via Engadget]

Mysterious BlackBerry 10 device arrives at FCC is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

At the end of January next month, we will be seeing at least one very cool new smartphone in the market, where you can say that it is RIM’s last stand where their Blackberry brand name is concerned. The BlackBerry 10 platform will be launched then, and we do hope to see some pretty cool hardware end up as part of the equation. Well, the folks over at the FCC have apparently put an unnamed BlackBerry device that sports a RFF91LW model number through the paces, while giving their collective nods of approval for it to play nice with AT&T’s LTE and GSM bands, in addition to a few other international frequencies, of course.

This handset’s label sample has been censored (how convenient), but the FCC reports do point that there were, at a minimum, three different devices from RIM which were powered by BlackBerry OS 10.0.9. Could these FCC-approved handsets actually be the “L-series” BlackBerry Z10, or is it a false lead in the sense where it is part of the Dev Alpha device range that RIM dished out to developers? Stay tuned to find out.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Instagram Launches New Year’s Eve Site Showcasing Users’ Celebration Photos, FCC Filing Outs ZTE Wombat For T-Mobile,

Bit by bit, flying is getting a little more tech friendly. First, the FAA started reconsidering its total ban on electronic device use at takeoff, and now the FCC is making it way easier for airlines to get in-flight Internet. The future looks bright. More »

For now, airlines have to go through a lengthy hassle in order to get in-flight Internet access established. The airline has to get the FCC‘s go-ahead to utilize the satellite-delivered airwaves that bring wifi to aircraft, as well as approval from the FAA. To decrease the red tape and streamline the process, the FCC has approved an application process that will let airlines more easily get licensing.

According to some critics of the current process, the hassle involved in obtaining licensing for in-flight wireless Internet is the reason why it is not more widely available. According to the FCC’s Chairman Julius Genachowski, once the application process is in place, the amount of time it takes for an airline to get in-flight Internet approval will be cut in half.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires in-flight wireless Internet to be thoroughly tested for possible navigation/piloting interference. Says the Washington Post, while the FAA acknowledged that the FCC’s application process will indeed speed up the time it takes to get an in-flight wifi system in place on planes, it did not specify anything pertaining to its own involvement and requirements.

This comes at a time when the FAA has been reviewing its regulations about the use of certain devices that do not interfere with the safe operation of an aircraft, such as ereaders. Internet and gadgets are becoming a staple of society, and as such, both airlines and government agencies are being forced to adjust to keep pace. Says the FCC, “Whether traveling for work or leisure, Americans increasingly expect broadband access everywhere they go.”

[via Washington Post]

FCC loosens its grip, makes it easier to get Internet in-flight is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

As silly as it seems to use 20,000 pounds of potatoes to test wireless signals, there’s absolutely a good reason behind it and the FCC announced today new rules that will help get more potatoes into the seats of decommissioned planes.

Actually, today’s news will help speed up the process of deploying Internet services onto aircraft by defining ESAA, or Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft which are used to provide in-flight Internet services, as a licensed application that would allow for airlines to test and receive approval as long as their system doesn’t interfere with the aircraft’s systems.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski shared what exactly the organizations news rules would mean to the average passenger:

“These new rules will help airlines and broadband providers offer high-speed Internet to passengers, including by accelerating by up to 50 percent the processing of applications to provide broadband on planes.”

I don’t know about you, but the more Internet there is on my flight, the less anxious I feel about flying as I have become one of those people who need constant Internet access wherever they go. Let’s just hope today’s news doesn’t create a spike in potato demand as I won’t agree to trading in a constant flow of french fries for the chance of my flight having Internet any time soon.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Send Your Christmas Tree Into Space, Instagram Denies Reports Of 25 Percent Drop In Users After ToS Drama,