Hasta La Gadget!

While being able to schedule DVR recordings from your mobile device is nice, an update currently being pushed to some Comcast DVRs is adding the ability for users to check exactly what shows are stored there from an app or web browser. Previously the only remote info users could get from their DVRs was the percentage of storage currently in use and what recordings were scheduled to take place, but now users can see individual recordings, choose to watch any of them now, change their deletion priority, or even delete them remotely. Hopefully that doesn’t lead to any unintentional interhousehold griefing as users manage the often inadequate hard drive space in their cable DVR, but it can certainly put ones mind at rest to know The League (or whatever your show of choice might be) was successfully archived.

The update is quietly being pushed out as a software update for the DVR itself, and should appear automatically for users on the web or in their iOS app’s DVR manager (Android users can access it as well, but via the browser). We noticed the change after our Motorola DVR got an update that also made the name of a channel appear under the number when typed in from the remote. It worked well, although a few much older recordings were not listed online every new one was, which could explain the quiet rollout that Comcast confirmed to us just began yesterday. One other change taking place at the same time is a new Xfinity TV Player app for iOS that is focused solely on streaming VOD, mirroring a similar app already out on Android. While the Xfinity TV app on the platform has handled streaming duties since 2010, the dedicated player has a different menu and even player interface, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the feature excised from the general app eventually.

Continue reading Comcast quietly updates DVRs with ability to list stored programs from the web, mobile apps

Filed under: Tablets, Software, HD, Mobile

Comcast quietly updates DVRs with ability to list stored programs from the web, mobile apps originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia has ended one of the more significant chapters in its tumultuous history: the Finnish phone giant has finished divesting Vertu to private equity firm EQT VI, shedding direct control of the definitive luxury phone brand. The formal switch lets Nokia keep a 10 percent stake and move 1,000 staffers to the newly independent company. Where Vertu goes next may be more intriguing, however. There’s no official word on any change of direction, but that hasn’t stopped tipsters from claiming to TechCrunch that there’s a big shakeup ahead. Supposedly, former Nokia VP Anssi Vanjoki will finally get the phone maker CEO position he’s been looking for through a Vertu spot, and he won’t simply follow in his former employer’s footsteps — upcoming Vertu phones may use Android, not Windows Phone. While it’s a very unconfirmed rumor, a switch-up wouldn’t be completely surprising when Vertu is still an all-Symbian house that needs more than just a few extra jewels to stay relevant.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

Nokia finishes offloading Vertu, rumors claim Vertu plans a matching switch to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A recent scan by Android Police through the latest Google 3.9.16 APK for its Play Store has revealed that wish lists are coming along very well, thank you, and that Mountain View will likely introduce a malware scanner soon too. The latter hasn’t appeared on our radar before, and it looks like the search giant will soon be able to scope all the apps you’ve already installed and also bar the door to any suspicious-looking software before it can sully your smartphone or slate, unless you specifically request otherwise. So, perhaps you’ll feel a bit safer once the Google Play portal is being watched from both sides.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Google

Google Play Store gets good cop / bad cop APK update, will add wish lists and malware scanner originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If good things come to those who wait and good things come in small packages, then the Galaxy S III Mini must be pretty special indeed. If you’re in the market for the junior edition of the company’s blockbuster flagship, independent retailer Phones4U is now accepting pre-orders. The first 350 of you to register your interest will also get the added sweetener of one of the company’s Pebble MP3 players, and the company promises it’ll begin shipping on November 2nd, free on plans of £25 or more.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Phones4U begins taking UK pre-orders for Samsung’s Galaxy S III Mini originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just as the air begins to chill, NTT DoCoMo has announced its forthcoming lineup for release in November and December, including nine smartphones, four feature phones and a tablet. As the Japanese populace would no doubt demand, all of the bigger smartphones — from the 4.7-inch Arrows V F-04E through to the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II — come with 1,280 x 720 displays, a healthy degree of water- and dust-proofing, plus decent quad-core credentials. The new Aquos Phone Zeta SH-02E stands out for its low-power 4.9-inch IGZO panel and 16-megapixel camera, while the Arrows Tab F-05E 10-inch tablet packs a 1,980 x 1,200 display and what sounds like the latest 1.7GHz iteration of Tegra 3 (as seen in the HTC One X+). It’s also interesting to a see a Korean-style variant of the Galaxy S III (the Alpha SC-03E) packing a souped-up 1.6GHz Exynos chip and 2GB RAM. In related news, NTT has also announced that it’s partnering with Mastercard PayPass and will offer the contactless payment system for Japanese customers travelling abroad by fall next year — and indeed all the new smartphones are NFC-equipped. Click the first source link below for the full run-down.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

NTT DoCoMo unveils winter lineup, pushes big displays, LTE, quad-cores and NFC payments originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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