We test speeds on EE, the UK’s first LTE network! (video)

We test speeds on EE, the UK's first LTE network!

Formerly known as Everything Everywhere, also known as the union of Orange and T-Mobile’s UK networks, it’s now going under the name EE and (finally) bringing LTE to the British Isles in the coming weeks. We decided to see what that means by running Speed Test on the device — and it’s looking good. Upload speeds averaged around 20Mbps, while downloads peaked around 38Mbps — consistently above 25Mbps. If you’re wondering what this means for how you’ll normally use your phone, Angry Birds’ 20MB-plus app download rocketed down from the new network and this very site appeared in an instant. See for yourself after the break.

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We test speeds on EE, the UK’s first LTE network! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 06:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Intuition Hands-on

It’s time to take another look at the LG version of the in-between segment of smart mobile devices sometimes known as the “phablet” here in the Verizon-carried LG Intuition. We’ve got our hands on one of these lovely devices today after a short intro by LG in New York City where they’ve been so kind as to host us and a collection of other publications with the idea being that you’re assured the full LG story. The full LG story here is a play-by-play of the abilities and intents of this device as LG wants you to be aware – we’ll let you know this as well as the rest in a full review – for now, let’s have a hands-on look at the device here in its final form.

What you’ve got here is a rather boxy look at the smart device that, though it’s not the most elegant smart gadget on the planet, it certainly does appear and feel unique here in 2012. LG’s recent efforts have been in devices that have rounded corners and odd shapes – like the LG Lucid with its smooth back and tiny size. There’s also the LG Nitro HD with one of the most high-definition display-having devices on the planet at this very moment and a rubbery grip back. What we’ve got here with the Intuition, on the other hand, is a beast with a pen – a “Rubberdium” pen – and another rubbery grip back so you can hold tight!

The LG Intuition is currently the largest display-having smart device on Verizon that’s not considered a tablet, with the 7-inch Galaxy Tab line from Samsung being next up with a vibe that’s decidedly tablet-like. With the LG Intuition you’ve got a working machine rather than a play machine – tablets being mostly for play, no matter what anyone tells you. On Verizon this device has no parallel – on the greater smart device market, you’ve got the Galaxy Note and soon the Galaxy Note II, also both from Samsung. Until the Galaxy Note II (or Galaxy Note 2, however you want to type it) reaches Verizon – and it very well may, given the unconfirmed news from earlier today – this LG device has no competitor on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

You’ve got ultra-fast data speed, a massive display, and a beast of a motor under the hood. LG has chosen the Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 dual-core processor to run this device, and it’s looking and feeling really nice here in our first few hours in general work and play mode. This isn’t the newest Snapdragon processor line – that’s the S4 – but it’s still lively – we’ll see if it continues to keep up in our full review.

Have a peek here at benchmark scores from the device right out of the box. Note also that there’s really no device that this can be compared to fairly with its display being the unique size that it is. It’s also always a good time to note that benchmark tests such as those used here on Android only really truly compare devices with one software build against the same devices with different software builds – or in some cases, the same devices with different processors.

Next have a peek at a few Speed Test scores from right here in New York City, and note that we’ve found almost exactly the same scores from downtown Brooklyn to JFK Airport back to LaGuardia over the past few weeks with several different Verizon 4G LTE devices. Have a peek at our review of the Motorola DROID RAZR M to see additional speed tests with Verizon in the Twin Cities in Minnesota as well as NYC and stay tuned to see if this LG device has the same results – our guess is that they’ll be essentially the same.

STAY TUNED FOR SPEED TESTS FROM AROUND NYC TODAY!

We’ll be doing a more extensive review of this device later this week – this week is also being run over by an Apple press event in which they’ll likely release the iPhone 5, this meaning there will be a LOT of news coming down from Apple. To make sure you’re able to see the LG Intuition in full before it’s inevitably pummeled down off the front page no matter when it’s posted, stick to our LG tag portal.

Meanwhile have a peek at the timeline below to see additional hands-on and feature posts on this device (and its international edition) and get pumped up about its final release!

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LG Intuition Hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon (video)

Intuition by LG hands-on

It’s a silly name as smartphones go (and one that conjures images of lady-focused razors), but regardless, LG’s Intuition is now officially a member of Verizon’s lineup. The 4G LTE device, shown off today at the manufacturer’s launch event, is nigh unchanged from the South Korean model we reviewed this past July (known as the Optimus Vu). With a 5-inch 1,024 x 768 True-XGA IPS capacitive display, dual-core S3 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, 8-megapixel rear camera, NFC, 2080mAh battery and that Rubberdium pen, the only thing separating this stateside iteration from its SK Telecom cousin is the skinned Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS onboard and $199 on contract price. So how does it fare in this Big Red debut? Follow along as we attempt to find what’s been lost, if anything, in translation.

Continue reading Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon (video)

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Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony and Simon Cowell intro X-Factor-themed MDR-X10, celebrity headphones officially jump the shark for $300

Sony and Simon Cowell intro XFactorthemed MDRX10, celebrity headphones officially jump the shark for $300

We’re still wrapping our heads around this, but Sony and Simon Cowell have officially decided to join the celebrity-endorsed headphone bandwagon. Dubbed as the MDR-X10, the X-Factor-themed cans are certainly late to the party, but the vibrant red and silver color theme will ensure they get noticed — and we’re not saying that’s a good thing. $300 snags you the extra-sparkly circumaural earmuffs, an even more sparkly case and a duo of flat, tangle-resistant locking cables (one of which features a “made for iDevice” inline remote and mic). Unsurprisingly, the X10 is geared toward pumping out gobs of bass, being essentially a re-badge of the likes of Sony’s XB800 from its Extra Bass headphone lineup. We had the opportunity to give Cowell’s new headgear a fair amount of listening time, so jump past the break where we’ll judge its brief audition.

Continue reading Sony and Simon Cowell intro X-Factor-themed MDR-X10, celebrity headphones officially jump the shark for $300

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Sony and Simon Cowell intro X-Factor-themed MDR-X10, celebrity headphones officially jump the shark for $300 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blackmagic launches Cinema Camera MFT with Micro Four Thirds mount, sans autofocus, for $3K

Blackmagic MFT

Blackmagic Design has thrown its Cinema Camera MFT into the Micro Four Thirds arena, but it will only work with lenses that have manual iris and focus capability. The shooter is otherwise identical to the original Cinema Camera, with a 2.5k, sub-MFT sensor; CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes and DNxHD capture formats; built-in SSD; capacitive touchscreen; and an included copy of DaVinci Resolve color correction software. That means cineasts already on board that format will have another mount for their glass, and MFT’s mirrorless aspect will also permit other lens formats, like PL or Nikon, to be added with third party adapters. So, if the relatively low price, claimed 13 stop dynamic range, higher-than-HD resolution and new mount is enough to push your “start” button, check the PR for the entire skinny.

Continue reading Blackmagic launches Cinema Camera MFT with Micro Four Thirds mount, sans autofocus, for $3K

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Blackmagic launches Cinema Camera MFT with Micro Four Thirds mount, sans autofocus, for $3K originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 06:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHK 8K Super Hi-Vision camera captures native 120Hz footage, we go eyes-on at IBC (video)

NHK 8K Super HiVision camera captures native 120Hz footage, we go eyeson at IBC video

We’ve seen plenty of 4K cameras, and we’ve even heard a whisper or two about 8K, but the quality of a viewing experience isn’t tied only to resolution — frame rate also comes into play, especially with fast-moving subjects. NHK’s prototype Super Hi-Vision camera doubles the capture rate from the standard 60Hz to a much speedier 120Hz, yielding sharper motion. While the difference isn’t noticeable with static or slow-moving scenes, it certainly comes into play when filming rapid-motion sporting events or panning the camera. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s latest model was on hand at IBC in Amsterdam, and the advantages of a 120Hz cam were immediately crystal clear.

Filming a rotating image that paired ordinary objects and cityscapes with letters and numbers, you could see the difference instantly, with the 120Hz image on the right side yielding far shaper details, while the left side was often a blurry mess. There’s no software smoothing on hand here — because the higher frequency comes directly from the source, it appears perfectly natural, and much more pleasant. We captured a video demonstrating the expo floor rig, but because our camera doesn’t sport the same spec, you won’t notice a difference in the hands-on clip after the break. You can see the difference in our stills gallery below, however, and you can take us on our word — the improvement is quite dramatic.

Continue reading NHK 8K Super Hi-Vision camera captures native 120Hz footage, we go eyes-on at IBC (video)

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NHK 8K Super Hi-Vision camera captures native 120Hz footage, we go eyes-on at IBC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Liquipel launches retail store in Hong Kong, spreads the hydrophobia for gadgets

Liquipel launches retail store in Hong Kong, spreads the hydrophobia for gadgets

Over the years we’ve come across many hydrophobic coating technologies aimed at electronics, but sadly, none of those were made directly available to consumers. The closest one was Nokia’s nanocoating demonstration we saw last October, though the company recently said to us that it’s still “currently a research project,” and it never mentioned plans to offer a service to treat existing devices. On the other hand, Californian startup Liquipel recently opened its first Hong Kong retail store, making it the second Liquipel service center globally after the one located at the Santa Ana headquarters. Folks in the area can simply call up to make an appointment, and then head over with their phones or tablets to get the nanocoating treatment. So how does this funky technology work? How does it cover both the inside and the outside of gadgets? And is Liquipel’s offering any better than its rivals? Read on to find out.

Continue reading Liquipel launches retail store in Hong Kong, spreads the hydrophobia for gadgets

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Liquipel launches retail store in Hong Kong, spreads the hydrophobia for gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JVC’s $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming (hands-on)

JVC's $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming handson

After its mid-summer reveal, JVC’s entry into the booming action sports camera market is now shipping and we got to spend some time with the questionably-named GC-A1 ADIXXION at the company’s CEDIA booth. To compete with offerings from GoPro, Sony and our most recent favorite, the Contour+2, the GC-A1 brings its “Quad Proof” housing that makes it waterproof (to 5M) and shockproof (for falls of up to 2M), dustproof and freeze-proof, as well as built-in WiFi, integrated microphone, image stabilization and a 1.5-inch LCD on the side. It can use WiFi to make a video link with nearby Android or iOS devices as well as PCs so the wearer can check where the camera is pointing, and even stream video directly to Ustream via a hotspot, no PC necessary. For the $349 asking price a goggle mount, flexible mount, two lens protection covers, USB cable and a single battery are included. We didn’t have a motocross track or snowmobile handy on the show floor, but in-hand it felt every bit the ruggedized, compact device that its advertised to be and the LCD was decently viewable. Check out a few more pics of it in our gallery below and some sample footage in the video embedded after the break.

Continue reading JVC’s $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming (hands-on)

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JVC’s $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dijit NextGuide hits the iPad and hands-on

We’re having a look at Dijit’s brand new iPad app called NextGuide today, seeing first hand how This app environment is made to fuse together the universes of live TV listings and streaming connections, and with it you’ll be working with all of your favorite media sources at once. Inside you’ll find standard TV listings, recommendations for the shows and movies that are appearing on your connected streaming apps, and a lovely bright and easy to work with user interface.

This app has you log in once and does not require an account to use, but you’ll benefit from having one. You’ll select from local TV listings with your ZIP code, iTunes, Netflix, and Hulu Plus. When you’ve made your selections, you’ll have a fully-activated set of panels that show you what’s on currently in each of your choices and what will be on soon as well – recommendations come for Netflix as well depending on what’s new. Once you’ve found the program you want, tap it.

Once you’re inside a listing for a show or movie you’re interested in, you’ll get a ton of information on the program as well as the actors in it – connections between shows exist as well, and sharing pops up all across the interface. If you find an episode of a show you want to see, or a movie you’ve been meaning to view, you have only to hit the “watch now” button to make it happen. Depending on the availability of the media, you’ll have the option of going to Netflix, Hulu Plus, the iTunes store, and hopefully more in the near future.

At the moment you’re essentially stuck with just Netflix and Hulu Plus, but we’re expecting that such choice services as HBO Go and Crackle will appear sooner than later. You can pick NextGuide up from the iTunes app store right this minute for free – it’s worth a tap or two if you’ve got Netflix or just want a snappy looking TV guide sort of situation – and don’t already use TV Guide, of course.


Dijit NextGuide hits the iPad and hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)

EchoStar HDX410 settop box runs native Android 40, supports terrestrial broadcasts handson video

You may be familiar with EchoStar’s satellite-based (Dish Network) and Sling Media (Slingbox) products, but the company also manufactures set-top boxes for third-party providers, as well as free-to-air services in the UK. It’s this last grouping that’ll be able to take advantage of the Android-based device we saw today, assuming it does in fact make its way to market. The HDX-410 runs native Ice Cream Sandwich, and is available in two versions — one supports IP content and local storage exclusively, while a second can also accept terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) programming, letting you play back live TV shows in addition to content from a local server, pulled from the web or stored on attached media or an inserted microSD card. It connects to the web using Ethernet or WiFi, and includes USB ports on both the front and the rear, Bluetooth, HDMI out, digital audio out and a standard-definition connection. It’s also paired with a QWERTY keyboard-equipped remote manufactured by Philips with gyroscopic or directional-pad curser control, along with pinch/zoom gesture capability.

We had a chance to check out the ICS box at EchoStar’s IBC booth today, where the device was running Android 4.0.4 and an early version of the company’s hybrid app, which groups “favorited” content alongside terrestrial channels, letting you use the standard channel up/down button to navigate through stored TV shows, IP content or live programming quite seamlessly, as if all of the media was playing from the same source. It’s clearly not yet ready for primetime, but the interface was sleek and speedy — the set-top box performed very well overall. EchoStar reps were unable to confirm whether or not the HDX-410 would be coming to market at all, but they did add that the solution may be made available to third-parties in the future. Click past the break to take a closer look in our hands-on video.

Continue reading EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)

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EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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