Hasta La Gadget!

Nestled near an entrance inside Grand Central Terminal, Bose just unveiled its latest two portable audio creations: The SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker (A2DP) and QuietComfort 20 noise-cancelling in-ears. Measuring in at 2 x 7 x 2 inches (slightly larger than palm-sized), the aluminum-wrapped SoundLink Mini is slightly larger and heavier than a JawBone Jambox. Like its bigger brethren, the Mini has dual-opposing passive bass radiators and a two custom neodymium drivers for mids and highs. Bose claims these new drivers will output twice the volume of other, similar speakers.

While the unit will bust out the jams for seven hours, it sadly uses a proprietary charging dock. Thankfully, however, the Li-Ion battery is user replaceable. All the controls rest as a strip of silicone buttons on the top, while the side features a 3.5mm input jack. We’re digging the look of the naked metal, though, rubber covers and a nylon carry pouch will be on offer for protection. The unit’s audio quality was very pleasing, without any notable harshness. We noted an acceptable level of bass on the lowest notes of dubstep tracks and there wasn’t too much distortion when cranked up. Join us past the break for more info on the in-ears, as well as all the pricing and availability details for both items.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless

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Oh, Canada. Just one day after we received word of the CRTC’s new wireless code, Industry Canada — its government’s equivalent of the FCC — announced further postponements of the country’s pending 700MHz spectrum auction. Already delayed from the first half of this year to November, IC is pushing the auction back yet another two months to January 14th, 2014, while the application deadline has been reset for September 17th of this year. The main reason for the setback? This morning, the government denied Telus’ request to transfer AWS spectrum from Mobilicity — one of the most important factors in the potential merger of the two networks. As a result, IC decided to allow more time for the affected companies to figure out what to do next; more than likely, Telus will need the extra two months to pull an AT&T and rethink its acquisition strategy. Read the release below for a few more details behind the rationale.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Via: MobileSyrup (1), (2)

Source: Marketwire

Eye-Fi, provider of SD cards that allow users to wirelessly transfer images, did some research and discovered two things: the first is that people want to wirelessly transfer photos from their camera to their mobile device, and the second is that they would more often use their camera if they could do this. Such data compelled Eye-Fi to create the Mobi card, which it has just announced.

Eye-Fi says the Mobi card replaces a digital camera’s standard SD card, and that after inserting it two more “simple steps” are required before users can wirelessly transfer images from their camera to their iOS or Android mobile device. It doesn’t specify what those steps are, although we’re guessing one of them is downloading the Eye-Fi app from your respective app store and installing it, and the other is virtually identifying your device so the camera knows where to send things.

The Eye-Fi Mobi is aimed at being simple to use, with that being hailed as one of its best features. Users are not required to create an account or to have a computer, and cloud usage isn’t needed. Once the app is downloaded and the card is paired with the app, images can be transferred to your mobile device of choice. Likewise, there is no limit on the number of mobile devices you can pair with the Mobi card, meaning your smartphone and tablet and any others you have can all receive images.

Obviously, the full quality of images and videos that are stored on the Eye-Fi Mobi are transferred to the mobile device, something that is done automatically, no fiddling necessary. The Mobi will hit shelves soon, but is already available online in 8GB and 16GB capacities for $49.99 and $79.99, respectively.

Eye-Fi’s CEO Matt DiMaria said: “Unfortunately, smartphones fall short for life’s many moments that require zooming, high-speed shooting, low light and other features that make digital cameras superior. Mobi is our simplest card yet, designed to provide photo lovers a no-compromises solution: the great quality pictures and videos of a digital camera and instant access on the smartphone to enjoy and share.”

SOURCE: Eye-Fi

Eye-Fi Mobi allows photographers to wirelessly send images to iOS and Android is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

In case it wasn’t already obvious that Sprint sees Dish’s attempt to buy Clearwire as rather rude, the carrier made its irritation perfectly clear today. Sprint just sent a letter to Clearwire’s board of directors that claims the latest Dish buyout proposal violates Delaware laws relating to board control. Moreover, some of the proposal’s terms would reportedly need Sprint’s permission — which, as you’d imagine, isn’t exactly forthcoming. We’ve reached out to Dish for a response, although we’re not expecting the satellite giant to simply accept Sprint’s interpretation at face value. If Sprint is right, however, the objection could at least force Dish back to the drawing board.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Via: Wall Street Journal

Source: Sprint

This week the folks at Microsoft have let it be known that Windows 8.1 hasn’t yet spilled all of its details, coming in with Miracast wireless display support standard. This is an implementation of the standard technology that Google introduced with Android 4.2, also working with Miracast, here bringing the technology to every PC able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 – with implementation of the software as made real by the manufacturer.

To make Miracast wireless display technology work, one needs a Miracst-certified source device and a Miracast-certified display device. Microsoft’s announcement of Miracast integration makes it clear that they intend Windows 8.1 PCs to work at source devices. What’s not clear at the moment is if manufacturers will seek the approval of the Wi-fi alliance to make their machines Miracast-certified display devices as well.

The Wi-fi alliance maintains an official list of both sources and displays that are Miracast-certified, including devices such as the HTC One and Samsung GALAXY S 4 on the source side of things and a variety of smart TVs and specialized Miracast dongles on the receiving end. We spoke about this list back when Miracast was introduced with Android 4.2, warning that it certainly wasn’t an extensive enough cross-section of devices that it was safe to head out and pick up just any old “wireless display capable” machine on the market.

Since then, this list has expanded significantly. With both Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 supporting the ability to work with Miracast, manufacturers are sure to adopt at a much quicker rate than we’ve seen thus far.

Microsoft’s implementation of the technology includes notes that pairing future Windows 8.1 devices with Miracast will be as easy as connecting with Bluetooth or NFC – the end product still requires both devices to be on the same Wi-fi network, but the pairing should be a snap.

SOURCE: Microsoft

Windows 8.1 Miracast tap has Microsoft join the wireless display party is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.