Sharp sends another Galapagos tablet through the FCC, keeps all the pertinent details to itself

Over the past six months, we’ve gotten scant few details about when, exactly, Sharp’s Galapagos tablets will at last make the long trip stateside. When they do, though, it might be an even bigger family than we were expecting. We took note when the 10.8-inch EB-WX1GJ slipped through the FCC, making reference to another slate — the 5.5-inch EB-W51GJ — in its user manual. Now, yet another slate has passed the FCC’s battery of tests. It’s called the EB-W71LJ-H, and based on Sharp’s naming convention thus far, we suspect it could have a 7-inch display, which would be a nice, just-right complement to the 10- and 5-inch models we already knew about. Based on the test results, we also know it has a 802.11b/g/n WiFi radio, but other than that, the report is devoid of specs, as Sharp asked the FCC to refrain from playing show-and-tell with its trade secrets. For now, though, you at least don’t have to wonder where the company plans to slap that requisite label.

Sharp sends another Galapagos tablet through the FCC, keeps all the pertinent details to itself originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku 2 line passes through the FCC with modest hardware updates and a reset button

Roku 2 XS

It hasn’t even been a year since Roku last updated its line of streaming media players — but nine months is a long time in the gadget world. So it was pleasant, though not entirely surprising, to spot a trio of new devices from the IPTV pioneer sauntering through the FCC bearing the model numbers 3000X, 3050X, and 3100X. Eventually the three boxes will likely be sold as the Roku 2 HD, XD, and XS respectively. We’ll have to wait to see if there’s anything new on the software side, but we can tell you there have been a host of hardware changes, even if they don’t amount to a major upgrade.

First off, the new models are more rounded and much smaller than their predecessors. Judging by the label affixed to the underside — which we know is 44.65mm x 44.65mm (about 1.7 inches) — the latest Rokus are about the size of an Apple TV, and perhaps a bit smaller. Inside that tiny case is a new Broadcom 2835 SOC, an 802.11n radio, a MicroSD slot, Bluetooth, and (most exciting) a reset button — no more unplugging when Hulu freezes up. Oddly, only the XS retains the Ethernet jack, though the top of the line model ditches support for dual-band WiFi. The primary difference between the HD and XD models still appears to be the latter’s ability to push out 1080p video, while the XS adds a USB port and gets a spiffy new RF remote, which we’re hoping takes a cue from the Boxee clicker. While you impatiently await important information, like pricing and release date, check out the comparison chart after the break.

Continue reading Roku 2 line passes through the FCC with modest hardware updates and a reset button

Roku 2 line passes through the FCC with modest hardware updates and a reset button originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why is European broadband faster and cheaper? Blame the government

Rick Karr is a journalist and frequent contributor to The Engadget Show.

If you’ve stayed with friends who live in European cities, you’ve probably had an experience like this: You hop onto their WiFi or wired internet connection and realize it’s really fast. Way faster than the one that you have at home. It might even make your own DSL or cable connection feel as sluggish as dialup.

You ask them how much they pay for broadband.

“Oh, forty Euros.” That’s about $56.

“A week?” you ask.

“No,” they might say. “Per month. And that includes phone and TV.”

It’s really that bad. The nation that invented the internet ranks 16th in the world when it comes to the speed and cost of our broadband connections. That’s according to a study released last year by Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society on behalf of the Federal Communications Commission.

Continue reading Why is European broadband faster and cheaper? Blame the government

Why is European broadband faster and cheaper? Blame the government originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia’s N950 splayed by FCC, 12-megapixel camera lurking within

Our friends over at the FCC have somehow both scored and already torn asunder Nokia’s new flagship MeeGo development phone. Slicing and dicing Espoo’s latest confirms the watered-down N9 specs we’d previously heard about, except for one: a 12-megapixel camera. An intriguing addition, as the N950’s official specs list an 8-megapixel shooter, which the Finnish firm touted as “different” than the unit in its brother. Perhaps different means the additional 4-megapixels we spotted earlier this year? Sure, last minute component changes aren’t unheard of, but if you ever manage to convince the Finns to throw one your way, do us a favor and let us know what it’s packing. Ok?

Nokia’s N950 splayed by FCC, 12-megapixel camera lurking within originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo’s retail plans for quad-tuner Premiere DVR revealed in FCC filing

If your TiVo-loving heart was crushed last week when we found out the new Premiere Q DVR was only for cable companies with no plans for retail sales, allow us to put the pieces back together. Zatz Not Funny has dug up an FCC filing, dated June 7th, indicating TiVo will bring the quad tuner Premiere Elite DVR with 2TB of hard drive space to retail. The purpose of the filing? To get the FCC to waive requirements that the Elite — which is designed for digital cable reception only — contain an analog tuner that it claims would increase costs by $80 – $100. There’s no word on price or timing but it’s clearly intended as a high end product that TiVo plans to offer online, through custom installers or specialty outlets like Best Buy’s Magnolia stores. If it gets approved we could still see the Elite set-top box this year, assuming the FCC has its approval stamp ready and inked.

TiVo’s retail plans for quad-tuner Premiere DVR revealed in FCC filing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford’s V2V tech talks to other cars, may or may not temper road rage (video)

You know we’re headed safely into the future when Ford starts trotting out ‘talking car‘ technology. It’s highly unlikely that your next-gen Taurus will start criticizing your outfit selection anytime soon, but it will alert you to potential unseen collisions. The V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) communication powering this auto evolution differs slightly from existing peer-to-peer tech — wedding GPS with a dedicated WiFi network, these autobots are only five years away from giving K.I.T.T. all sorts of company. Toss in a bit of FCC-channel security, add a dashboard of flashing-red LEDs, and you’re looking at a car that’ll aggressively bleep and bloop you out of harm’s way. Rest easy Big Brother types, Ford says the cars won’t be automagically controlling themselves — you still have to rely on those well-honed ninja reflexes for that.

[Image courtesy CNET]

Ford’s V2V tech talks to other cars, may or may not temper road rage (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple AirPort Extreme refresh outed by the FCC, lends credence to Time Capsule rumors

The FCC just trumped Cupertino’s plan to sneak out an updated AirPort Extreme wireless base station with the outing of an Apple 3×3 802.11n access point, model A1408. It’s not clear what’s changed over Apple’s existing dual-band router but its arrival in the FCC database coincides nicely with a 9to5Mac rumor calling for the imminent launch of new AirPort Extreme at a lower price point. And hey, if you’re lucky, it’ll also arrive with support for the new three-stream standard for 450Mbps over both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands — but that’s just speculation on our part. We should also point out that the appearance of the AirPort Extreme lends credence to 9to5’s other rumor of cheaper 2TB and 3TB Time Capsules. And guess what? Today’s Tuesday, Apple’s favorite day to launch new gear, so don’t be surprised to see Apple updating its store sooner rather than later.

Apple AirPort Extreme refresh outed by the FCC, lends credence to Time Capsule rumors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp Aquos Phone SHI12 visits the FCC, flaunts its 3D camera in drawings

It’s rare that we see Sharp’s Aquos phones here in the US, but one model, at least, could be making the long journey stateside. A handset dubbed the CMDA SHI12 just cleared the FCC, and after comparing the drawings in the report to shots of devices already on the market, we’re pretty sure it’s the IS12SH that Sharp announced for Japan a few weeks back. Though the report is typically terse when it comes to specs, it does confirm that the phone has an 8 megapixel 3D rear-facing camera, Bluetooth, FeliCa, GPS, and tri-band CDMA (B0 / B3 / B6) connectivity. And though it’s not in the filing, if this is indeed the IS12SH, then it also has a 4.2-inch qHD display and runs Android 2.3 (or so we’d hope, anyway). Of course, an FCC filing doesn’t mean this will ever reach a carrier or go on sale in the US, period. But in case it does, don’t say we didn’t give you a heads up.

Continue reading Sharp Aquos Phone SHI12 visits the FCC, flaunts its 3D camera in drawings

Sharp Aquos Phone SHI12 visits the FCC, flaunts its 3D camera in drawings originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos Arnova 7 hits the FCC, brings new hope to penny-pinching tablet enthusiasts

Archos Arnova 7 hits the FCC, brings new hope to penny-pinching tablet enthusiasts

For those who like their Android tablets cheap, it looks like Archos is ready to unleash yet another budget-friendly addition to the Arnova family stateside. The Arnova 7 slate has just graced the FCC, accompanied by the requisite confidentiality requests, which means we won’t get any real-deal shots of the thing, nor a full list of specs, but we did get a rather nice sketch of the WiFi tablet via the good old label-placement diagram. If that outline’s got you all worked up, the Arnova 7’s already received some pricing and spec details overseas, rocking a €99 price tag, 800×480-pixel display, and Android 2.2. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how that translates when the Arnova 7 makes its way across the pond.

Archos Arnova 7 hits the FCC, brings new hope to penny-pinching tablet enthusiasts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Kingdom soars into FCC’s database, WiMAX radio signals a Sprint release

Up until now, all we’ve had to go on were leaked Blurrycam photos and a few morsels “from the inside.” Now, however, HTC’s going to have an awfully difficult time denying the existence of its so-called Kingdom, known to the FCC as PH44100. The filing itself doesn’t reveal a whole heck of a lot beyond what we already knew — a 4.3-inch qHD display, namely — but the presence of both a CDMA and WiMAX radio assures us that it’ll be heading for Sprint sooner rather than later. A qHD contender for The Now Network? Yes, please.

HTC Kingdom soars into FCC’s database, WiMAX radio signals a Sprint release originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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