Hasta La Gadget!

While Sprint’s iDEN network is getting the axe in favor of a new CDMA setup, AT&T will soon be sprucing up its near absent push-to-talk services. Targeting a November release with plans starting around $30, Ma Bell’s enhanced PTT will be compatible with smartphones running Android 2.3+, BlackBerry 7, Windows Phone 8 and even Java-powered feature phones. In addition to playing nice with a variety of mobile platforms, this new service will also work across laptops, tablets and smart cars.

Continue reading AT&T ready to battle Sprint for push-to-talk supremacy starting in November

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

AT&T ready to battle Sprint for push-to-talk supremacy starting in November originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bluetooth speakers continue to proliferate, and with wireless sound no longer sufficient to wow on its own, companies like CUBEDGE are turning to audio quality to try to eke out an advantage. The EDGE.sound, despite having an oddly punctuated name, does at least do its best to hit all the right points on the frequency range, with the battery-powered block delivering 40HZ-20kHz audio.

That’s not quite the same as the average human hearing range, which kicks off at around the 20Hz point, but the top end is roughly the same. Somewhat lacking bass frequencies are to be expected in a portable speaker, however, so we can probably forgive the EDGE.sound that.

Connectivity is via Bluetooth 3.0 – CUBEDGE claims it hooks up 90-percent faster than Bluetooth 2.1 can – and there’s an integrated microphone for hands-free calling. The integrated battery is good for 10-14 hours of runtime off a single charge, it’s promised, comfortably exceeding the 8hrs Jabra promises for its Solemate.

It can even be charged up – at least partially – via an optional solar panel, and the whole thing is finished in sturdy rubber. It’s on sale now, undercutting the Solemate at $149.

CUBEDGE EDGE.sound Bluetooth speaker boots Solemate for battery life is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you’re like us and really want to know what’s going on, then you’ve come to the right place. This past week, C Spire Wireless activated its first LTE networks and we discovered strong indication that Isis will leverage the GSMA’s SIM-based NFC standard for its mobile payments system. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the “best of the rest” for this week of September 10th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of September 10th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 10th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s time again to see what Google’s Project Glass creators are up to, this time with them showing off their abilities at Fashion Week with a 3.5 minute video shot entirely with the device. This device is indeed called “Glass” as it has been for some weeks, appearing recently also at Google I/O 2012 in an amazingly daring live skydive video feed – such a fabulous experience it was! This week they’ve teamed up with the folks at the DVF Spring 2013 show at New York Fashion Week – see what they saw now!

This footage you’re about to see was, again, filmed entirely with the current iteration of Google Glass. That is to say that it’s not exactly what you’ll be getting when the Google Glass glasses come to the market, but judging by what we’re seeing here, impressive things are certainly ahead!

Google included the following “official” text to go along with this project that you’ll want to read as well. Note how Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) has gratefully brought Google aboard for the journey that not many average citizens are allowed to see!

“Celebrated fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg tried on Glass for the first time a few months ago at a conference that she attended with Sergey Brin. She immediately loved it and they agreed to bring Glass to New York Fashion Week. Diane is a champion for innovation and effortless design, so it’s unsurprising that Glass fit seamlessly into her production. In the week leading up to her Spring 2013 show in New York, and during the show itself, everyone from stylists and models to Diane herself used Glass to capture never-before-seen footage of the creative process. This is the first time any video has been shot entirely through Glass and we’re so excited to be able to share it with you.”

This project, you should note, has been confirmed by both DVF and Google to have been an “organic decision” rather than a sponsorship – they’ve made double-clear, in fact, that it’s not a sponsorship in any way. They’ve also noted that, somehow or another, the colors of the test Glass units matched the DVF collection perfectly even though they did not plan for it – and they didn’t change the colors based on the line, either!

Let us know if you’re into all this fashion stuff while we’re at it – last time we got anywhere near this kind of couture was when HP had us speaking with Project Runway’s Anya Ayong Chee – winner of Season 9, OMG!

Google shows first 100% Glass-shot video demo is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Samsung’s got a new Galaxy in town, and it’s the Victory 4G LTE on Sprint. Available on the Now Network this upcoming Sunday, the device packs Android 4.0 (ICS), a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 Lite SoC, 1GB RAM, Google Wallet and a 5 megapixel camera paired up with a 1.3MP front-facing cam. Additionally, the phone takes advantage of a 2,100mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, 4GB internal storage and a microSD slot. It also throws in a few features seen on the Galaxy S III, such as S Beam and AllShare Play. Lastly, the Victory weighs 4.9 ounces and is a ghastly 12.7mm thick. The price? $100, after a $50 mail-in rebate. We don’t see this thing selling like pancakes at that pricing tier, so what is it a victory over, anyway? Check the press release below the break for more info.

Continue reading Sprint announces Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE, available September 16th for $100

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Sprint announces Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE, available September 16th for $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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