Samsung’s new Android 4.3 update will bring Galaxy Gear compatibility to the S3, S4 and Note 2, instead of just the Note 3. Good news if you enjoy looking like Inspector Gadget.
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We knew Audi’s 4G-enabled rides were coming, but not exactly when. That changes now, as the company has announced that the S3 Sportback is hitting dealer lots in Europe starting today. Us Yanks will have to wait until next spring to use long term evolution speeds with the Audi Connect infotainment system, and even then it’ll be in the A3 sedan, not its sportier cousin. According to GigaOM, Europeans can access LTE from any carrier they choose, whereas domestic options remain ambiguous. The German automaker said that stateside, 4G connectivity will most likely be tied to a specific operator, similar to how smartphones are optimized for each carrier. Negotiations as to which “carrier or carriers” will supply mobile broadband are still up in the air too, with an announcement promised for a later date. We’d like to have pricing info then, too.
Filed under: Transportation
Audi was late to the party with an in-car hotspot, but it may have beaten the competition to built-in LTE. High-speed mobile broadband is now a feature available to S3 Sportbacks from July (you’ll need to provide your own SIM), with other A3 variants catching up in November. The company’s Audi Connect infotainment system benefits from this boost, and that LTE connection can be shared with passengers looking to stay under their data caps. No matter what kind of speed freak you are, you’ve now got a data connection to match the car’s quarter-mile prowess.
Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation
Via: Autoblog
It was a year ago at Computex that Acer unveiled the Aspire S7, a skinny sliver of a thing that turned out to be one of our favorite Ultrabooks of 2012. Now, 12 months later, the company is unveiling… the Aspire S7. A much-improved S7, to be precise. Going into the second half of the year, there’s only to be a 13-inch version (the 11-incher’s been discontinued), and it has much the same industrial design, with a lightweight chassis and Gorilla Glass lid. The difference is that it will now be offered with a 2,560 x 1,440 screen, which will be standard in certain regions, like Europe. (Elsewhere, a 1080p IPS panel will continue to be the base option.) As you’d expect, Acer’s upgraded the S7 to Haswell CPUs (Core i3, i5 and i7), but it also squeezed in a bigger battery — 47Wh, up from 35Wh. Between that bigger cell and new chipset, Acer is rating the battery life at seven hours, which, if true, would correct one of the OG model’s biggest shortcomings. Rounding out the list, Acer moved the mics to the front, and also updated the cooling system with the promise of less fan noise.
Meanwhile, Acer thoroughly revamped the mid-range S3 Ultrabook so that it looks more like the S7. The main differences are that this has no Gorilla Glass on the lid, and the entire machine is noticeably heavier (1.67kg vs. 1.3). Part of the reason for that chunkier shape is that it will be offered with beefier components, including optional NVIDIA GT735M graphics and a 1TB hard drive (you can also get it with an SSD). Additionally, the S3 steps up to Haswell CPUs, along with a 1080p IPS touchscreen — the same kind that the S7 had when it first launched. Design-wise, as we said, it looks like the S7, particularly with the lid shut, and it’s now made from one piece of aluminum, instead of several. The keyboard looks different from the S7’s, though, and is also a bit clackier, for whatever reason. In Europe, at least, the Aspire S7-392 will start at €1,450, and the S3-392 will go from €999. Both will arrive in July. No word yet on US pricing. For a closer look, check out our hands-on photos and video, both embedded after the break.
Update: US pricing for the S7 will start at $1,400 and go up to $1,700, depending on the configuration.
Starting to get bored of the ThinkPad’s classic look but not keen on the Edge series? Then we have good news for you! Earlier today we received a couple of photos that show off two upcoming Lenovo Ultrabooks: the 13-inch ThinkPad S3 (codename “Labatt”) and the 15-inch ThinkPad S5 (“Guinness”). As you can see above and after the break, both aluminum laptops feature a new “floating design” that might have taken a page out of Samsung and Vizio’s book: shaving off the front outer edges of the bottom side to create that slim and floating illusion. Also, these will apparently come with either a black or silver lid.
Some folks on Sina Weibo have received other teaser photos of the ThinkPad S5, with one confirming the presence of JBL stereo speakers. The funny thing is Chinese website Yesky reported on a charity auction that actually sold limited editions of the S3 and S5 earlier this month, but those unannounced Ultrabooks went under everyone else’s radar. If you’re curious, Yesky speculates that a launch is due in China at the end of this month, but you’ll have to stay tuned for the prices and specs.
If you’re a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan who bypassed seasons one and two waiting for the pivotal third season to arrive on Blu-ray, you can finally get a taste of the experience in high definition. While you’re enjoying memories of the Borg, season-ending cliffhangers and all the other highlights of season three with this new trailer, you can also check out an updated version of the PADD app that’s out on iPhone and iPad. Originally launched in 2011 to bring home a database of Star Trek info in true TNG form, version 2.0 brings an additional 170 entries, Siri-powered voice search, messages from Starfleet, a smaller size and the ability to live update content in the future. Check after the break for the trailer and beyond the source link for the apps (still $4.99 on iPad / $1.99 on iPhone.)
Continue reading Star Trek: TNG Season 3 Blu-ray trailer appears, PADD iOS app gets an update
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Star Trek.com (1), (2), iTunes
We got really excited yesterday when we heard there would be a miniaturized Galaxy S III coming. Our excitement didn’t last long, because a second rumor hinted that the specs wouldn’t be anywhere close to the original S III. More »
Amazon’s S3 cloud service has proved a popular proposition, with many large web enterprises happily depending on it (most of the time) to serve up its content. Now, the internet retail giant is offering a similar product, aimed squarely at archives, called Glacier. The idea seems pretty simple, starting from a penny, you can store 1GB of data on the firm’s servers for one month. You’ll only pay for what you store, and there are no upfront costs. Thinking this sounds like a cheap way to host your website? Well, maybe not, as retrieval requests are sent to a queue, and won’t be available to download for a few hours. There’s no limit on the amount of data you can store though, which is not surprising, but each individual archive does have a 40TB limit — so those DNA back-ups are off the menu. Retrieval is priced differently, with 5 percent of your storage (pro rata) downloadable for free, but beyond that you’ll have to pay. The service is available from today, with storage locations in the US, Europe and Japan. Full details of pricing can be found via the source.
Filed under: Internet
Amazon launches Glacier archiving service, a cheap way to put your files on ice originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Samsung Galaxy Note is among a rare breed of smartphones that need no introduction. It’s polarizing, memorable and single-handedly responsible for the popularization of the term “phablet.” It’s also the indisputable king of that category, having recently defended its throne against LG’s Optimus Vu. Aside from the Note’s sprawling display, much of its appeal lies in the tight software integration with the S Pen stylus, which endows the phone with notepad-like functionality.
The first (and second) time we reviewed the Galaxy Note, it featured Android 2.3. Since then, it’s received an update to Android 4.0, along with a new set of productivity apps dubbed the Premium Suite. Now as the phone arrives at T-Mobile (for $250 with a contract and after a $50 rebate), we’re taking the opportunity to review not just the new variant, but in this case, the latest OS as well. You already know much of the Galaxy Note’s story, but now the question remains: just how much of the text has been re-written? Let’s find out.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Note for T-Mobile review
Filed under: Cellphones
Samsung Galaxy Note for T-Mobile review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The last we saw some colorful headphones from Klipsch was when it introduced the purple Lou Reed X10i in-ears last holiday season. Just in time for the summer, the headphone maker is unleashing a rugged version of its S4i earbuds — and in four vibrant finishes, no less (red, yellow, orange and blue). Although this water-resistant S4i variant seems practically identical to the S5i Rugged in-ears, we’re told that internally they pack the same 8.5mm dual magnet drivers as their namesake. Naturally, the in-ears feature an iDevice-compatible inline remote / mic, but you’ll merely get a basic case in place of the flashlight-equipped version reserved for the S5i. The S4i Ruggeds are set to go sale before the month’s out, and best of all they’re just priced at just $99. Hit up the press release after the break for more info in the meantime.
Continue reading Klipsch gets vibrant, intros S4i Rugged in-ear headphones
Klipsch gets vibrant, intros S4i Rugged in-ear headphones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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