Hasta La Gadget!

We can always count on the good ole Federal Communications Commission for a sneak peek at the latest wireless-communicating gadgets ahead of launch. Sometimes our probes are met with full-on spec sheets and user manuals to peruse, while often we’re greeted with a simple model name and number, and perhaps a hint of said wireless capabilities in a test report. That’s what we have today — most of the information available is listed in that product label above, including confirmation that we’re looking at a Sony Reader with the model number PRS-T2. Additionally, the report reveals that the device will sport 802.11b/g/n WiFi (but not 3G), along with a microSD slot for external storage. For now, that’s all we have to share, but you’re welcome to do some digging of your own at the FCC link below.

Sony PRS-T2 Reader drops by the FCC, teases e-book lovers ahead of launch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 08:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While it’s been in the pipes for a while, and some lucky stations got an early arrival, Virgin Media has confirmed that 41 stations in total are now lapping from the bowl of sweet, sweet free WiFi. Considering that a million tweets, Facebook updates, and emails were delivered in the first week, and over 100,000 commuters have logged on in the last four, appetite for the service is high. While use is free at the moment, and TFL travel info will remain without charge, non Virgin Media customers will have to start paying up, once the Olympic Games are over. By then the full expected 120 stations should be plugged-in and switched on. For the current list of connected stations, head past the break.

Continue reading Virgin Media WiFi in London goes deeper underground, 41 stations now hooked up

Virgin Media WiFi in London goes deeper underground, 41 stations now hooked up originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If it never occurred to you to plug all kinds of peripherals into your ear cans — including the media player making the sound — a new patent from Redmond’s brain trust might give you pause. The headphones are shown as a catch-all, with receiving spaces for snapping in devices like rechargeable battery packs, storage, Bluetooth or WiFi reception modules and media players — such as the Zune-like one sketched in above. The headset could also have controls to operate those peripherals, as well as an optional boom mic and USB ports, according to the document. All this is claimed to allow for numerous configurations, letting you pimp your headset to fit your own needs, and interface with games, movies or music in various ways. If they ever get to market, you might start thinking of humble headphones as full-blown entertainment centers instead of mere accessories.

Microsoft patent imagines headphones as accessory docking motherships originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lennox has proudly introduced its latest product in the form of the icomfort Wi-Fi thermostat. As its name suggests, this thermostat supports Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to monitor and adjust your home’s temperature from your iOS and Android devices. You just need to install a free icomfort App on your iOS or Android devices and connects the thermostat with your home network. This app will provide you access to the most detailed features and information. What makes the icomfort more interesting is that it has a bezel that can be customized to match with your room decor. Unfortunately, there is no info on pricing at this moment. [Product Page]

Just in case GPS and GLONASS didn’t make for enough of an acronym soup, BAE Systems wants to add one more to the navigation broth. NAVSOP (Navigation via Signals of Opportunity) uses some of the basic concepts we know from cell tower triangulation and WiFi location-finding to lock down a position, but goes much further to geolocate from nearly anything that pushes out a signal, such as nearby radios and TVs. It doesn’t even need to know what kind of signal it’s looking at, and it can get its position in places there’s no GPS to work from, whether it’s in an urban canyon or the natural kind. BAE is most excited about the prospects of ending GPS jamming against soldiers and UAVs, once and for all: not only is the new technology mostly impervious to attempts to block its signal, it can use the jamming attempt itself to get the position fix. Thankfully, the company’s roots in defense aren’t precluding use for civilians, so there’s a chance that future smartphones might never have to use guesswork to get their bearings — provided that governments around the world sign off on the idea, that is.

BAE Systems’ NAVSOP does positioning without GPS, makes sure the only jammin’ going on is yours originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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