Hasta La Gadget!

Two new lovely JBL docks have been revealed this week by Harman with the ability to connect to the newest wave of Apple mobile products – lighting style. These devices are the JBL OnBeat Micro and the JBL Venue LT, both of them ready for not just the iPhone 5, but the new iPod range, the updated 4th generation iPad, and the iPad mini as well. One is tiny, the other is slightly larger than tiny – both are high quality in both looks and sound.

The JLB OnBeat Micro starts at $99 USD and will be bringing on the smaller of the two dock sizes. This device is made to be small enough to fit into your purse or backpack and works with both an (included) AC adapter and batteries for wireless action. This dock charges any of the smaller Apple mobile devices on the market while they’re docked, but anything from the iPad mini and up is going to have a tough time as the shape does not allow. This device also has a built-in USB connector for powering and playing other portable devices as well.

The JBL OnBeat Venue LT works with a “hidden” lightning dock behind the JBL logo at its base. This unit is made to work with all of the Apple mobile devices in the newest range and has been described as “ideal” for the iPad mini and iPad 4th gen by Harman. This device works with Harman TrueStream Bluetooth wireless streaming technology, too – this means it’s able to connect with up to eight devices – like magic! This larger of the two devices will cost you $199 USD straight from the online JBL store.

Both devices are available immediately if not soon from your favorite JBL retailer and would be fabulous for that iPhone 5 owner friend of yours this holiday season. Keep that in mind, too, folks: we’re ramping up on the holiday season for 2012, this meaning we’ll be inundated with products left and right from here until the end of the year. Exciting times for all those who love gadgets galore!

JBL speaker docks go Lightning for iPhone 5 and iPad mini is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Apple faces a second attack on its use of FaceTime, with web software firm VirnetX dragging the Cupertino firm back into the courtroom over video calling tech in the iPhone 5, iPad mini, and other hardware. VirnetX, which scored a $368m win against Apple earlier this week, claims the new smartphone and 7.9-inch tablet – as well as the 4th-gen iPad with Retina display, the 5th-gen iPod touch, and the latest batch of Macs – are just as guilty of infringing its networking-based patents as earlier iOS gadgets.

“Due to their release dates, these products were not included in the previous lawsuit that concluded with a Jury verdict on November 6, 2012″ VirnetX said in a statement today, explaining its double-dip legal strategy. The company is hoping for damages and injunctive relief; last time around, it sought around $700m, though the judge granted roughly half of that.

Four US patents – Nos. 6,502,135, 7,418,504, 7,921,211 and 7,490,151 – are at the heart of VirnetX’s complaint, referring to how VPN connections are established for secure point-to-point communications between devices. In general that technology is used for businesses to share files securely with remote workers, but VirnetX successfully argued that Apple uses the same, patented technology when it establishes FaceTime video calls.

Apple, unsurprisingly, argued that the smaller company is chasing cash for something that it didn’t create. “VirnetX is not entitled to money for things they did not invent” Williams, Morgan & Amerson lawyer Danny Williams said as part of his final closing statement at the last trial. “The VirnetX technology, if used, is a small part of very large, complex products.”

No trial date for the new case has been confirmed, and Apple is yet to comment on the extended allegations.

Apple faces second FaceTime lawsuit over iPhone 5 and iPad mini is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

NFC might only be available on a select number of Android devices, but that doesn’t mean other smartphones and tablets can’t join in on the fun. A company called Flomio is looking to shake things up a bit with their FloJack NFC reader for iOS devices. The company is currently trying to raise money on Kickstarter to put the NFC reader into production.

FloJack is a small dongle that plugs into the 3.5mm headphone jack of your iOS device, and Richard Grundy, founder of Flomio and who has over 12 years of experience working with embedded systems, says that the company is “extremely excited to invite iOS customers to the NFC party” and “since Apple didn’t include NFC in its latest iPhone version—that’s where we [Flomio] come in. The possibilities are endless.”

Flomio has already raised a little over $16,000 from 241 backers with 18 days to go. Their goal is $80,000. The FloJack is compatible with most newer iOS devices. This includes the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5, the iPod Touch 4th gen and 5th gen, and all iPad models except for the 1st gen.

Currently, $49 will get you a FloJack NFC dongle and five “Zapps”, which Flomio is naming their NFC tags. If Flomio reaches their goal, it’s expected they’ll start shipping the product in March of 2013. We’re not sure how well a separate NFC dongle for iOS will catch on, but it makes us wonder why there isn’t an iPhone case with embedded NFC, which would be far more popular on our books.

Flomio unveils first NFC reader for iOS devices is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

I’ve seen what seems like a million-and-one iPhone docks over the years – some good, some bad, and some just plain weird, but most of them have one thing in common – they aren’t particularly portable. Stycom’s Dock Card doesn’t have this problem.

At just 2.1″(w) x 3.3″(d) x 0.2″(h), this compact dock can easily fold down and fit in your pocket. When opened up, it can work in either landscape or portrait mode, and has a pop-up 30-pin dock connector. That little red part is a short cable which can be connected to your iPhone’s wall charger or your computer’s USB port.

It’s even got a little drawer with enough room to store an SD card, a spare SIM and a SIM removal tool. Pretty nifty, eh?

They’re available in three colors: white with red accents, red with white accents, and black with silver accents.

So what’s not to like? Well I can only come up with one thing – there’s no 8-pin Lightning connector version (yet), so those of us with the iPhone 5 or the latest iPod Touch are out of luck for now. But if you happen to have an iPhone 3/3GS/4/4S or an earlier iPod Touch, head on over to Amazon, where you can buy the Stycom Dock Card for $29.99(USD).

Most video walls would be just a tad too large for the average living room, but the Tokyo University of Technology might have a clever technique to make them travel-sized. Its new Pinch interface joins mobile devices (currently iOS hardware) into a single display simply by making the namesake gesture between at least two gadgets: WiFi keeps them in sync and recognizes the relative size and orientation. While we probably wouldn’t resort to a wall of iPads in place of a large TV, there’s clear practical uses like extra-large creative apps, communication and very local multiplayer games. The best news may be that the university isn’t keeping the technology to itself. It wants developers to borrow Pinch for their own apps, which could lead to a legion of smartphones and tablets getting extra-cozy.

Continue reading Tokyo University of Technology’s Pinch interface creates ad hoc video walls from mobile devices (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Tablets

Tokyo University of Technology’s Pinch interface creates ad hoc video walls from mobile devices (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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