Hasta La Gadget!

While we weren’t busy kicking up dust on the CES floors, we sat down with Taiwan-based Yantouch to have a fiddle with its latest product, the Black Diamond. When not in use, it really is just a gorgeous spherical black diamond, or at least its faceted front half is; but slip in an iPhone 4 with the Black Diamond app enabled, and you get a funky sound sensitive mood lamp. On top of that, the dock also charges up your iPhone while it shows off its colors, and somewhere at the bottom there’s some black magic that channels out amplified audio from the phone, although actual speakers would be even nicer.

Ultimately, Yantouch sees the Black Diamond as a developing platform for potential applications like an outdoor temperature indicator, or some sort of caller ID color tagging tool for seeing from afar who’s calling. If all goes well, Yantouch will even consider making an Android version, but we’re not sure if the $79 price tag will immediately catch on. Anyhow, check out our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Yantouch Black Diamond 3D ambience iPhone dock hands-on

Yantouch Black Diamond 3D ambience iPhone dock hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We just got a look at the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. Guess what? It’s just like an iPhone 4! There’s no custom pre-loaded Verizon software (like VCAST or some such bloatware), just that mobile hotspot tweak in the settings menu. There’s also no Verizon branding on the phone, though that’s hardly a surprise given Apple’s hatred of all logos that aren’t its own. The only real physical difference we can find are those tweaked CDMA-compatible antennas running around the edge — four in all, placed symmetrically and bumping down the volume / mute buttons. Interestingly, the phone is running iOS version 4.2.5, so perhaps that mobile hotspot functionality will make its way over to other iPhones when they sync up on iOS updates. We did try a speed test, clearing the cache and loading various sites simultaneously on the Verizon phone and our AT&T device, and while there were variations in the load times, there were too many external factors to really make a judgment call just yet.

Continue reading Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)

Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The leaks suggested that the Verizon iPhone would have slightly relocated buttons, and it’s true — as you can see in the photo above, the newly revised CDMA antenna notch has pushed the volume and mute controls down a hair from GSM version. That means a lot of cases — Apple’s current bumpers included — won’t fit properly on the Verizon version, although many third-party cases feature an open slot for the buttons that might still work. Either way, we’d bet Apple and third-party manufacturers are scrambling to have compatible cases in stores before the February 10th launch date — just make sure to check yours first if you’re switching from AT&T.

Verizon iPhone has relocated buttons, might require new cases originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is an iPhone 4, an iPhone 4? Not quite, now that Verizon has launched a CDMA version of the device — in fact, there are a number of notable differences that you’re going to want to consider before buying either model (or making the jump from AT&T to Big Red). We wanted to dig in and see exactly what has changed — how does pricing compare, for instance? What features have been added or removed? In light of both Verizon’s and AT&T’s harping on 4G data in the past week at CES, do either of these phones support it? Let’s have a quick look!

Continue reading AT&T iPhone 4 vs. Verizon iPhone 4: what’s changed?

AT&T iPhone 4 vs. Verizon iPhone 4: what’s changed? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’ll probably be subject to an additional fee as usual, but Verizon and Apple have just revealed that the new CDMA iPhone 4 will act as a mobile WiFi connection for up to five devices. It’ll come with an iOS-specific version of the Verizon 3G Mobile Hotspot that folks have been enjoying on their Droids for many moons now. That should allowing for laptops, tablets and the like to get online via iPhone without a pesky cord, and almost certainly make the long-verboten iPhone – iPad tethering connection finally attainable. Joy to the world!

Update: Verizon called it an app, but getting hands-on we can see that’s not the case at all — Personal Hotspot is built right into the CDMA iPhone 4’s build of iOS 4.2.5. Perhaps we’ll see it migrate to other devices as well?

Verizon iPhone 4 will have 3G mobile hotspot (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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