May 19

iPhone OS 4.0 beta 4 hints at LED flash, camera for iPad, iPod, iPhone

Posted in: Apple, apple ipad, AppleIpad, AppleIphone, camera, flash, ipad, iPhone, ipod, Today's Chili

We’ve yet to see concrete proof that Apple’s portable media players will ship with a camera, but the new iPhone OS 4.0 beta shows Cupertino’s at least considering the notion for the iPod touch and even the iPad. It seems AT&T tethering wasn’t the only thing hidden in iPhone OS 4.0 beta 4 — 9to5Mac found a variety of telltale references to an a flash when pouring through the update’s source code. Does that mean that the iDevices will actually get cameras, let alone supporting light fixtures? It’s too early to tell… but we did spot an LED flash on that early iPhone HD, and a recent Vietnamese leak proves that Apple at least prototyped an iPod touch with a camera — though no flash, sadly — as well. Is Apple simply updating their error messages, or is there something to this? You make the call.

iPhone OS 4.0 beta 4 hints at LED flash, camera for iPad, iPod, iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 15:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 19

ATT Sees No Threat in a Verizon iPhone

Posted in: Apple, att, iPhone, Phones, Today's Chili, verizon

AT&T says it’s unfazed by persistent rumors of a Verizon iPhone debuting this year.

The telecom company’s CEO Ralph de la Vega said this morning during the JP Morgan investors conference that discounted plans would retain customers.

70 percent of AT&T’s subscribers are on family plans, and it would be difficult to transition multiple devices, he explained. Additionally, 40 percent of subscribers are part of corporate plans, and employers are unlikely to switch company-owned devices for a new carrier. (There is some overlap between the two types of plans.) The CEO added that “churn” rates (i.e., a measure of customers leaving) for AT&T are staying at record-low rates, so he expects that iPhone customers will remain loyal.

Verizon iPhone rumors gained heat in March when The Wall Street Journal published a story citing sources who claimed Apple was preparing to produce a CDMA-compatible iPhone in September. CDMA is the standard used on Verizon phones.

Many tech observers have wondered whether a Verizon iPhone would compel a large number of AT&T customers to switch to the rival carrier. AT&T has been the exclusive carrier for the iPhone since its release in 2007, and the touchscreen handset has been a major source of revenue for the carrier. Incidentally, many dissatisfied iPhone customers have complained about the performance of AT&T’s 3G network since the release of the iPhone 3G in 2008.

Though AT&T is likely talking tough to impress investors, I’d lean toward agreeing that a hypothetical Verizon iPhone probably wouldn’t pose great threats to AT&T for the reasons cited by de la Vega. Some peeved customers will probably switch over, while others cling on to see if the network improves as a result of people leaving. The parties who should feel nervous about a Verizon iPhone are those already offering smartphones through Verizon: HTC and Google.

Via Business Insider

See Also:

Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com


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May 19

Undercover Chinese reporter exposes Foxconn working conditions (update: full English translation)

Posted in: Today's Chili

Some time in April, Chinese news site Southern Weekend sent its intern, Liu Zhiyi, on a 28-day undercover mission at Foxconn’s Shenzhen factory, as part of an investigation on what could’ve led to this year’s numerous suicides in one of China’s largest factories. While the report doesn’t comment on the company’s management and support networks (or the lack of) for front-line workers, it appears that the real problem lies in Chinese workers’ definition of a “good factory” — one that pays more by means of offering overtime hours. It’s clear what’s causing this perception — there’s the sub-standard minimum wage in Shenzhen, and then there are the companies abusing this fact to lure workers with overtime hours above the legal limit.

Update: Thanks to Southern Weekend’s exclusive permission, we’ve now published the full human translation of the Chinese report.

Continue reading Undercover Chinese reporter exposes Foxconn working conditions (update: full English translation)

Undercover Chinese reporter exposes Foxconn working conditions (update: full English translation) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 15:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 19

Aaxa’s L1 laser pico projector: Nice features, high price

Posted in: Today's Chili

Aaxa’s L1 laser projector uses cutting-edge projection technology and has some excellent features, but its picture quality isn’t any better than that of cheaper pico projectors.

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May 19

Google’s Larry Page says there’s ‘something wrong’ if your Android phone’s battery doesn’t last all day

Posted in: Android, Google, phone, Today's Chili

Cellphones and batteries. It’s an eternal struggle, but one that Google’s Larry Page says should at least be manageable. That topic arose at the recent Google Zeitgeist forum, where Page responded to a question about battery life on Android phones by saying that he actually found it to be “pretty good,” and that “if you are not getting a day, there is something wrong.” That prompted Google CEO Eric Schmidt to chime in and explain that the main culprit for excessive battery use on the phones is the transmit / receive circuit, which he says some apps are “not particularly smart about” using.

Google’s Larry Page says there’s ‘something wrong’ if your Android phone’s battery doesn’t last all day originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 19

Nokia E73 ‘Mode’ coming to T-Mobile next month?

Posted in: exclusive, nokia, qwerty, rumor, symbian, t-mobile, t-mobile usa, T-mobileUsa, Today's Chili

This is totally out of the blue, but we were just hit up with a screen shot suggesting that T-Mobile USA will be launching a portrait QWERTY handset from Nokia on June 16 known as the E73 ‘Mode.’ As is evidenced with the Nuron, T-Mobile has a tendency to assign trademarkable names to Nokias in its lineup that are known elsewhere in the world by their model number only, so we imagine that this phone will end up launching globally simply as the E73 as it takes over the E72’s throne as Espoo’s top productivity beast. More on this as we get it, but in the meantime, check out a bigger shot of the phone after the break.

[Thanks, Spenny]

Continue reading Nokia E73 ‘Mode’ coming to T-Mobile next month?

Nokia E73 ‘Mode’ coming to T-Mobile next month? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 14:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 19

HP data center fueled by hopes, dreams and… cow dung

Posted in: green, HP, power, research, Today's Chili

We’ve seen data centers use excess heat for greener purposes, but how’s about injecting a little green into the other side of that equation? HP Labs is on that very wavelength, going so far as to publish details on how these centers could be partially powered by none other than cow manure. Yeah, cowpies. The essential thought process went a little something like this: “Data centers need a lot of energy. Dairy farms create a lot of methane. Let’s make it happen.” Purportedly, 10,000 dairy cows could “fulfill the power requirements of a 1-megawatt data center — the equivalent of a medium-sized data center — with power left over to support other needs on the farm,” and heat generated by the data center could “be used to increase the efficiency of the anaerobic digestion of animal waste.” The stomach-twisting details can be found beyond the break, but we can’t be held responsible for any images you conjure up. Remember — once your third eye sees it, you can’t un-see it.

[Thanks, Bob]

Continue reading HP data center fueled by hopes, dreams and… cow dung

HP data center fueled by hopes, dreams and… cow dung originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 19

Undercover Report From Foxconn’s Hell Factory [Suicides]

Posted in: Apple, Today's Chili, top

Chinese newspaper Southern Weekly sent 20-year-old reporter Liu Zhi Yi undercover in Foxconn’s factory in Shenzhen, China. For 28 days, he experienced dreadful conditions that the factory’s 400,000 employees endure, churning out iPods, iPads, and iPhones for Apple nonstop. More »

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May 19

Are BW MM-1 PC speakers worth $500?

Posted in: Today's Chili

We found a lot to like about the BW MM-1 multimedia speakers, but their $500 price tag gives us pause.

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May 19

Cerevo Cam live! packs on-board USTREAM support

Posted in: camera, streaming, streaming video, StreamingVideo, Today's Chili, wifi
Japan’s Cerevo already has a fairly unique product on its hands with the 3G-enabled Cerevo Cam, but it looks like it’s now managed to pull one more trick out of its hat: built-in support for USTREAM live streaming. That comes in the form of the Cerevo Cam live!, which is otherwise identical to the company’s previous Cerevo Cam (it’ll get USTREAM support in a firmware update), and is available with an optional USTREAM kit that includes a wide-angle conversion lens, a mini tripod, and a 4GB microSD card. As for the camera itself, while livestreaming is limited to 352 x 288, you’ll of course still be able to capture video up to 720p resolution and snap 9-megapixel still images, and you’ll be able to upload video directly from the camera over WiFi in addition to 3G. Still no indication of a release over here, but it looks like this one’s already available in Japan for a downright reasonable ¥19,999 (or about $216).

Cerevo Cam live! packs on-board USTREAM support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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