Hasta La Gadget!

Previously we had reported how the FAA had decided that it would be OK for passengers to use their personal electronic devices (PEDs) during all stages of the flight. However there were limitations, such as the type of device being used (laptops were a no-go), and that calls were not allowed to be placed, although in the case of Southwest Airlines, they will provide WiFi so presumably VoIP is still good to go. In any case it seems that in light of this recent development, the US FCC is considering lifting restrictions on placing calls and allowing cellular voice to be used above 10,000 feet, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

This proposal is expected to be presented at a meeting in December, and assuming it is approved, airline companies will be able to allow passengers to use their devices to place calls mid-air. However it seems that despite the possibility that this rule could be relaxed, not all airline companies are enthused by the idea as they claim that this could affect passenger comfort, such as having to deal with a passenger yakking on the flight non-stop for the next 3-hours. Airlines would also be required to install special equipment to communicate with cell towers, which is an added expense that they might not deem to be worth it. Either way we guess we will just have to wait and see, but in the meantime are you for or against this proposal?

FCC Considering Allowing Cellular Calls To Be Placed In-Flight original content from Ubergizmo.

While the FAA has cleared the use of electronics on US passenger airplanes at all stages of flight, there’s still one major restriction in place: you have to shut off all cellular access. That rule may not exist for much longer if the FCC has its way, according to sources for the Wall Street Journal. The agency will reportedly use its December meeting to propose letting passengers make phone calls and use cellular data whenever they’re flying above 10,000 feet. Don’t be too eager to start chatting in mid-air, though. The FCC hasn’t publicly confirmed the proposal, and any new policy wouldn’t be mandatory — carriers could still ask for radio silence, and special equipment would need to be installed in order for each plane to communicate with towers on the ground. If implemented, though, the relaxed rules could make your phone’s airplane mode seem like more of a relic than a necessity.

Update: Chairman Tom Wheeler has issued a statement about the earlier report:

“Today, we circulated a proposal to expand consumer access and choice for in-flight mobile broadband. Modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, the FAA, and the airline industry on this review of new mobile opportunities for consumers.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Wireless, Mobile

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Source: Wall Street Journal, FCC

Lenovo is certainly no stranger to creating tablets as they recently released its Yoga Tablet, which was released in both an 8-inch and 10-inch version that attaches a rather large 6000mAh and 9000mAh battery on the the tablets, respectively. It looks like the Yoga Tablet won’t be the last tablet Lenovo plans to create as an 8-inch ThinkPad 8 looks to be on the way. (more…)

Lenovo ThinkPad 8 Makes Its Way Through The FCC original content from Ubergizmo.

Smartwatches seem to be growing to be a popular device purchase for many a gadget enthusiast, although it has yet to make that kind of mainstream impact as with a smartphone. After all, how many of you would say that your life would be totally different without a smartwatch? Surely many of us would claim that life without a smartphone would be extremely difficult to go through, but not so with a smartwatch. Well, we have seen some smartwatches go through our “radar” in the past, and this time around, here is yet another potential model that ought to arrive soon, especially when you consider how it has already arrived over at the FCC. I am referring to the Kronoz ZeWatch.

The Kronoz ZeWatch hails from a Swiss watch manufacturer, so you can be quite confident in the timekeeping as the Swiss have always been well known for their timepieces and expertise in the world of horology. The Kronoz ZeWatch will also feature Bluetooth connectivity, allowing it to synchronize flawlessly with Android- and iOS-powered devices. However, it will not be too different from other smartwatches that are already in the market, as the ZeWatch would offer users with notifications as and when they come in, not to mention the ability to take full control of your music playback accordingly. If you want to play the role of Dick Tracy, then the integrated microphone would definitely come in handy.

Kronoz ZeWatch Arrives At The FCC original content from Ubergizmo.

Those on our side of the pond who’ve been lusting after LG’s intriguingly flexible handset might’ve seethed with jealousy after finding out it’s heading to Asia and Europe later this year. Thankfully, the US will get its very own version of the LG G Flex as well, if this FCC filing is any indication. The document reveals an LG D959 — the G Flex’s model number — with LTE band 17, a sure sign that the phone is headed to the Ma Bell network. Other tidbits gleaned from the listing suggest that the G Flex also has quad-band GSM support, 802.11a/ac/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and GPS, most of which we already knew. At last, it seems that we’ll be that much closer to seeing how LG’s bendy smartphone compares to its curvy competitor.

Update: It appears the FCC document also listed LTE Band 4 (AWS), which means it might head to T-Mobile as well.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG

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