The iPhone 5 is pretty good, and for most folks, its Wi-Fi is actually very good. It was in our tests. But a lot of people have been reporting in that the Wi-Fi is actually awful, and can’t hold a signal at all. This should fix that right up for you. More »
Western Digital only just broke into the networking field this spring, but it’s already settling in as a regular with a quick performance upgrade. The company’s fledgling My Net router line is making the leap to bleeding-edge 802.11ac WiFi through the release of the AC1300 (above), which sees the expected boost to a quick 1.3Gbps and supposedly outpaces its rivals with a unique horizontal 3-by-3 antenna layout. Whether or not that lead is real or just marketing bluster, WD isn’t as concerned about the symbolic link to its storage brand this time around — it’s relegating any hard drive sharing to two USB 2.0 ports and relies on either the fast wireless or four gigabit Ethernet ports for local media. Going with the AC1300 will carry a typical 802.11ac premium at $190, but there’s also a more focused $150 My Net AC Bridge (pictured after the break) for those who just need four or fewer of their Ethernet devices linked over extra-speedy WiFi.
Filed under: Networking
Western Digital My Net router leaps to 802.11ac speeds, gets a bridge to keep it company originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
RIM’s BlackBerry 10 launch isn’t scheduled until January 30th, but BBM faithful can try out a new feature on their existing handsets — voice calling. Brand new for BBM 7 it lets users bypass the text chat their thumbs have been used to and directly talk via the service, as long as they’re connected to a WiFi network, no 3G / 4G allowed. That connection restriction takes some of the shine off, but BlackBerry users traveling to / living in far locales with minute-restricted SIM cards or less reliable infrastructure make make the most use of it. Voice allows for direct initiation of calls, switching from text chat to a call, using both in split screen and has an indicator to let users know when their friends are open for a chat. That’s not the only BBM 7 upgrade however, as the service is now deeply integrated with one BlackBerry ID, which backs up their profile, groups and contacts for easy switching to a new device. Currently BBM 7 is available in beta for BlackBerry OS 6 or higher smartphones, with support for BlackBerry 5 planned “at a future date.” If you’re interested, hit the Beta Zone to sign up for access at the link below, or check out the press release after the break for more details.
Continue reading BBM 7 beta is open now, adds Voice feature for free calls over WiFi
BBM 7 beta is open now, adds Voice feature for free calls over WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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There are a lot more folks digging the YouTube Leanback experience these days, what with most many more sets packing Google TV than ever. Today, team YouTube has released an update to its Android app that makes it easier than ever to find videos on your phone and watch them on your GTV-equipped television. All that’s required is for your TV and phone to be on the same WiFi network, and the app automatically pairs them. Then, simply tap the TV icon that appears, and presto, the video starts playing on your big screen — no muss, no fuss. Naturally, the standard YouTube remote controls are still present, plus multiple devices can connect and add new videos to the playlist. Want to see the goods for yourself? The fresh code’s available now for both Android and GTV, so let the updating begin.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Google
YouTube Android app lets users find videos on their phone, play ’em on Google TV with one click originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Geanee Japan outs to day a very affordable Android 4.0 Tablet with the ADP-703. Announced at around 9850 Yen, or 10,000 Yen cheaper than the Nexus 7, the ADP-703 may not offer you the necessary raw power to compete with the Nexus 7, but if you are looking for a very affordable and compact tablet, you have to admit that it will be tough to offer better. Indeed! Despite its price the ADP-703 comes with a 7″ 800×480 screen, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of NAND Flash, 0.3Mpix Camera, microSD Card …
Gogo’s test plane isn’t your typical jet: it seats just nine passengers, and there’s no bathroom; just a closet in the back stacked with networking gear. The company, easily the biggest name in in-flight WiFi, uses the aircraft as a flying lab, where it can test everything from throughput speeds to the log-in experience. It’s a small plane that flies out of a small airfield, Aurora Municipal Airport in Illinois, and it’s normally just Gogo staffers onboard. Today, the company invited a few reporters aboard to test its newest air-to-ground WiFi service, ATG-4. As you can imagine, newer means faster: ATG-4 is rated for max download speeds of 9.8 Mbps, up from 3.1 Mbps with the last-gen service. (It helps that video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Go are now blocked.)
As it happens, ATG-4 is already live on approximately 40 planes run by US Airways, Delta and Virgin America. (United has said it plans to introduce the service on select flights in the first half of 2013.) In theory, then, the best way to test ATG-4’s performance might be to slip unnoticed onto a commercial flight, and see what it’s like to share bandwidth with 20 other people. What’s neat about the Gogo test plane, though, is that it can toggle back and forth between ATG and ATG-4, making it easier to compare performance between the two. What’s more, though the test plane seats nine, Gogo is able to simulate a crowded plane, with 20 to 30 passengers, all attempting to use the internet at once. After 90 minutes of flying over Illinois and Missouri, we’ve got some first-hand impressions and also some pics, if aviation porn is your cup of tea. Read on for more.
Filed under: Transportation, Wireless
Engadget tours Gogo’s flying test plane, tries its improved ATG-4 in-flight WiFi (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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While we don’t own a Windows Phone 8 device ourselves (yet), it seems that there have been some complaints from Windows Phone 8 owners over a particular WiFi bug. This bug it seems will disable WiFi whenever the phone gets locked. Some presume it’s a way to help conserve the battery of the phone, but we can only imagine how annoying this might be while downloading or while waiting for videos to load. In any case Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore recently took to Twitter and announced that an update will be arriving soon that will fix that issue. Exactly when this update will be released remains to be seen, but for the sake of current Windows Phone 8 owners experiencing this issue, we hope it will be soon! Any WP8 owners out there experiencing this bug but managed to find a workaround? Let us know in the comments below!
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Skype Preview for Windows Phone 8 now available, Verizon will be taking pre-orders for Windows Phone 8 devices today,
We’ve seen a few TVs with thin bezels in our time — some affordable, some not so much — but they usually sell at prices that have many of us turning to less than elegant screens. If Hisense has its way, the lines between higher style and lower budget will blur with the unveiling of its T770 series. The 42- and 52-inch sets in the range both have extra-narrow 7mm bezels yet cost an entirely reasonable $800 and $1,200 respectively, according to a spokesperson. For the cash outlay, the two TVs share the common foundation of a 1080p LCD with edge LED lighting, active shutter 3D and 120Hz refresh rates. They likewise share a quartet of HDMI ports, WiFi and the seemingly obligatory local media support through DLNA sharing and USB. Although Hisense might not lure some viewers away from bigger or simply more elaborate screens once the T770 is in stores sometime in the undefined near future, it may have given us a friendly reminder that interesting design and sane prices don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Continue reading Hisense T770 takes thin-bezel 3D TVs to the masses from $800
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Hisense T770 takes thin-bezel 3D TVs to the masses from $800 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 06:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Drift has launched a new wearable sports camera, the Drift HD Ghost, aiming to film every last detail of your awesome extreme adventures. The new model adds integrated WiFi for streaming directly to – and being controlled by – a smartphone, as well as a five minute video buffer which automatically caches the most recent view from the camera whenever it’s powered on, and allows you to retroactively save it should you realize something dramatically exciting has happened.
The new camera is also waterproof, to a depth of nine feet, with an optional diving case extending that to up to 180 feet down. There’s a useful two-way remote, which can be used to start and end recording, and which also has indicator LEDs to show when the camera is active and in what mode; particularly handy if it’s strapped to your helmet or the top of your car. The remote has a 30 feet range.
Drift has addressed the serious stuff, too, with a new seven-element lens and 1080p video paired with simultaneous still photography. There’s a 1,700 mAh rechargeable li-ion battery good for up to 3hrs of recording per charge, and digital noise reduction for the integrated microphone. A 3.5mm jack supports external mics.
On the side, there’s a 2-inch camera with a Gorilla Glass cover, for instant review of footage and photos you’ve shot. The Drift HD Ghost will begin shipping from November 19, with pre-orders being taken from today at $399.
Drift HD Ghost adds WiFi and clever two-way remote to action-cam is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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While 4G LTE networks are certainly as fast as some broadband connections, using too much would mean possibly going over your data limit, which in turn could lead to a pretty expensive phone bill, which is why it is not surprising to see smartphone owners try to connect to WiFi hotspots whenever available. That being said, the folks at the Wireless Broadband Alliance published a report not too long ago based on data compiled by research company, Informa Telecoms & Media, which revealed that for the first time, smartphone-based hotspot connections now outnumber laptops.
According to the data gathered by Informa, hotspot connections from smartphones sit at 40%, followed extremely closely by laptops at 39%, with tablets still sitting pretty low at 17%. While surfing on a laptop is definitely a much more pleasant experience, especially with a larger keyboard and display, the fact is our smartphones fit in our pockets and don’t require us to boot it up, or wait for it to shut down, which makes searching for a piece of information a quick and painless experience. What do you guys think? Do you agree with the report?
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: No WiFi calling on T-Mobile’s Google Nexus 4 is not carrier’s fault, Metapaper wallpaper prevents Wi-Fi theft,
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