Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve seen companies like Microsoft help out low-income people by dropping prices on its hardware and software in the past, and now India’s prime minister’s allegedly taking a similar approach but with mobile handsets being the focus behind this nice gesture — and better yet, at no cost whatsoever. Per the Times of India, sources have told the publication Manmohan Singh’s got a plan in the works that’d bring one mobile device to “every family living below the poverty line,” with said “Har Hath Mein Phone” scheme expected to be announced as early as next week. Notably, if all goes according to the purported plan, this would help over 6 million Indian families, most of which are currently lacking any sort of communication device in their household. There’s still a few days until we find out whether the project is indeed real, for now let’s just hope our friends in India don’t experience some more power outages anytime soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

India’s prime minister reportedly working on giving free handsets to low-income families originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google only launched detailed 3D maps in Google Earth for a handful of cities, but it’s branching out to provide that extra dimension to a wider swath of the public. Today, it’s Denver and Seattle: Android and iOS app users can immediately see the dense, textured 3D City View in their respective western cities. The updates probably won’t let Seattle residents spot their hometown coffee brand without going into Street View, but it will let them thread the eye of the Space Needle while their friends in Denver spin past the State Capitol. We can’t help but think that Google also enjoys offering some Microsoft staffers a little taste of what they’re missing.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

Google Earth adds detailed 3D imagery for Denver and Seattle, might not render the local Starbucks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 02:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If staring at the incoming callers’ visage just wasn’t enough, Current’s Caller ID might worth a try. The utility app adds a raft of extra detail to your smartphone when it rings, from recent tweets and status updates through to weather conditions and even location data. After loading up the app, you can connect to your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles, which Current Caller ID combines with your existing contact list. Based on your use history, the app will even offer up a time to return missed calls. There’s the nice addition of some metrics between you and your phonebook, visualizing that precarious balance between text messages and calls with your significant other — or a timegraph of when you call Mom. These stats are possibly more useful than the caller ID features, and while the design does jar a little with the typical Android aesthetic, it’s hard to complain when the app’s free. If you’re willing to forgive those minor visual flaws, the download awaits at the source below.

Continue reading Current Caller ID app adds social info, weather details, suggests a good time to ring back

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

Current Caller ID app adds social info, weather details, suggests a good time to ring back originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need a throw-away phone number? It’s now available as the Burner iPhone app, from a company called Ad Hoc. There’s no explanation for how it works technically, but using it looks easy: you pay $2 for the app, which gives you a new phone number that lasts for 20 minutes, 60 texts or seven days. The new digits become your caller ID, and afterwards, you can hit the “burn” key to permanently wipe it from the company’s servers, then score additional credits plus a new number, if needed. The company sees it being used for things like Craigslist transactions and dating, but if you have less above-board purposes in mind, be aware — the privacy policy says it “may disclose your personal data if required by law.” Check the source below or the Apple store to get it.

Continue reading Burner turns your iPhone into a disposable, lets you be faux-shady

Filed under: Cellphones

Burner turns your iPhone into a disposable, lets you be faux-shady originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Putting Google’s latest candy-coated OS update on the very first Android phone? We’ve got a guy for that. Jcarrz1, the same wizard from XDA-Developers who ported Ice Cream Sandwich to the HTC G1, has managed to port a buggy build of CyanogenMod 10 to the handset — which puts Jelly Bean on the oldest hardware possible. Sadly, the old handset isn’t up to Project Butter’s 60FPS interface, but brave tweakers can still use the device’s touchscreen for apps, CM10 features and a partially functional Google Now. WiFi is also up and running, but cellular data is MIA. Check out the video above to see the pre-alpha build in action, or try it out for yourself at the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC G1 auditions CyanogenMod 10, runs Jelly Bean at a snail’s pace (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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