Pee-ew! MacBook Air Factory Stench Could Cause Shipment Delays

Shipments of MacBook Airs could be slowed a bit due to a factory closure in eastern China. That in itself isn’t all that newsworthy. It’s the reason for the closure: The factory is really, really smelly.

Local residents complained to local authorities of a “strange odor” coming from Catcher Technology’s factory, so it was partially closed, Wall Street Journal reports.

The factory is a supplier for the aluminum casing of Apple’s MacBook Air, as well as casings for iPods and iPod shuffles, and some HTC smartphones. Catcher and the more popularly known Foxconn factory are two of the world’s largest producers of metal casings for electronics.

“Shipments to our customers will inevitably be affected,” Catcher President Allen Horng said of the malodorous situation.

The plant won’t be able to resume normal operation until the government has inspected the facilities, so the closure could continue through October or November. The factory closure is mostly bad news for Catcher, but could delay shipments of MacBook Airs and HTC devices.

Catcher customers were advised to “make adjustments to their (casings) procurement.” Hopefully they responded with, “That stinks.”

via The Giz


Camera showdown: iPhone 4S vs. iPhone 4, Galaxy S II, Nokia N8 and Amaze 4G (video)

Siri’s sweet and all, but for many of us that new eight megapixel sensor and f/2.4 aperture lens are what really makes Apple’s iPhone 4S an appealing upgrade. We spent the weekend shooting around New York City with the iPhone 4S, along with some other top smartphones — the iPhone 4, Samsung Galaxy S II, Nokia N8 and HTC’s Amaze 4G — in order to determine just which phone’s camera reigns supreme. And in order to capture video and stills with consistent framing among all five devices, we secured each smartphone to that homemade quintuple cameraphone mount that you see above — it may be an early prototype, but it got the job done. Jump past the break to see the results, and check out our comprehensive iPhone 4S sample gallery below.

Continue reading Camera showdown: iPhone 4S vs. iPhone 4, Galaxy S II, Nokia N8 and Amaze 4G (video)

Camera showdown: iPhone 4S vs. iPhone 4, Galaxy S II, Nokia N8 and Amaze 4G (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlueSLR dongle arrives for BlackBerry and (some) Android phones

Offering to play matchmaker between your high-end camera and smartphone, XEquals has extended support for its BlueSLR remote control beyond iOS. Yes, Blackberry and Android users can now download their respective app and pair this Bluetooth dongle to their (still Nikon-only) DSLR. The compatible dongle and free app will land later this month, but before you lay down the requisite $149, it’s worth checking that both your camera and phone models are supported. As it stands, compatible Android phones are limited to some HTC or Samsung models. While Android support is likely to expand in the future, there’s no word on a Pre 3 version.

Continue reading BlueSLR dongle arrives for BlackBerry and (some) Android phones

BlueSLR dongle arrives for BlackBerry and (some) Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITC judge says Apple did not infringe on HTC’s patents in initial case, more rulings still to come

HTC has since lodged some additional patent infringement complaints with the International Trade Commission, but an ITC judge has now ruled on HTC’s first complaint against Apple from back in May of 2010, finding no violation of the patents in question on the part of Apple. As FOSS Patents notes, however, the ruling hardly puts an end to the dispute between the two companies, and HTC certainly seems to be in it for the long haul. Its general counsel told CNET that “this is only one step of many in these legal proceedings,” and that, “we are confident we have a strong case for the ITC appeals process and are fully prepared to protect our intellectual property.”

ITC judge says Apple did not infringe on HTC’s patents in initial case, more rulings still to come originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4S hits four million in sales after first weekend

How did you spend your weekend? If you’re Apple, the answer is simple, really: selling a whole lot of iPhones. Cupertino this morning announced that iPhone 4S sales have reached four million — quite an impressive number compared to what its predecessor was capable of, a fact no doubt helped by the addition of some carriers, like Verizon and Sprint here in the States. The handset is currently available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the UK, with plenty more countries coming by the end of the year. Press info can be found after the jump.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading iPhone 4S hits four million in sales after first weekend

iPhone 4S hits four million in sales after first weekend originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: As Siri gets serious

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Nearly 15 years passed between Apple’s first foray into handheld electronics — the Newton MessagePad — and the far more successful iPhone. But while phones have replaced PDAs for all intents and purposes, few if any have tried to be what Newton really aspired to — an intelligent assistant that would seamlessly blend into your life. That has changed with Siri, the standout feature of iOS 5 on the iPhone 4S, which could aptly be described as a “personal digital assistant” if there weren’t so much baggage tied to that term.

Siri is far more than parlor entertainment or a simple leapfrogging the voice control support in Android and Windows Phone. At the other end of the potential spectrum, Siri may not be a new platform in itself (although at this point Apple has somewhat sandboxed the experience). In any case, though, Siri certainly paves the way for voice as an important component for a rich multi-input digital experience. It steps toward the life-management set of functionality that the bow-tied agent immortalized in Apple’s 1987 Knowledge Navigator video could achieve.

Continue reading Switched On: As Siri gets serious

Switched On: As Siri gets serious originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free Kaspersky AntiVirus after $50 Rebates!

This article was written on March 30, 2007 by CyberNet.

KasperskyAmazon (only in the United States) is currently offering the Kaspersky Antivirus for free (actually $-0.01) after you mail in two rebates that are each worth $25. I know, rebates are a pain but it might just be worth it knowing that you are using one of the highest rated antivirus applications available. Amazon also offers free shipping on this item and you’ll actually be receiving a boxed version of it…not just a download link.

The rebates from Amazon will both be valid on purchases until April 7, 2007 so you still have a little bit of time to think about it. They’ll need to be postmarked (a.k.a. mailed out) within 30 days of your purchase which means you can’t just put it on the backburner and forget about it for a few months.

If you don’t mind having a limited feature set you could always download the always free AOL Active Virus Shield which is powered by Kaspersky Antivirus. That will give you great protection, but you will have to find a way to survive knowing you have an application by sponsored by AOL on your computer. :)

Note: There is an update available on Kaspersky’s website so that the antivirus software works with Windows Vista. The version that Amazon is offering only says that it is XP compatible but the update will also make it compatible with Vista.

Get Kaspersky Antivirus for free from Amazon

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Best Buy Gets Two Weeks of Apple TV all to Themselves

This article was written on March 22, 2007 by CyberNet.

BestbuyappleSomehow, Best Buy managed to persuade Apple into giving them two weeks of the Apple TV all to themselves! As we mentioned yesterday, Apple TVs just started shipping. The deal that Best Buy formed with Apple gives them two weeks to sell the unit before any other retailer (other than the Apple store of course)!

However, during this initial two weeks of exclusivity, Best Buy will be given a limited number, only 3,000 units. With over 800 stores and only 3,000 units? Hmm… I’ll let you do the math with this one. If you’re really wanting an Apple TV, and you don’t have an Apple Store nearby (most people don’t), you’re probably better off purchasing online. Chances are, your Best Buy will only be given one or two, if any.

Source: News.com

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Chipworks throws an iPhone 4S under its infrared microscope, finds Sony-sourced image sensor

Look closely. Can you spot it? That gray abyss is actually an infrared image by Chipworks revealing an iPhone 4S‘ Sony-branded, 8 megapixel CMOS sensor. Looks like Howard Stringer wasn’t bluffing to Walt Mossberg back in April, after all. At the time, it was reported that Apple’s usual sensor supplier, OmniVision, was experiencing production delays, prompting speculation that Sony would eventually usurp the position. While the iPhone 4S that Chipworks looked into seems to confirm this, it’s pointed out that Apple does have a habit of “dual sourcing” components (with its contacts saying this should be no different), so Sony may not be the sole supplier this time around. What ever the case, there’s no denying that the iPhone 4S takes some stellar shots. You’ll find more information — including X-rays of the 4S — at the source link below.

Continue reading Chipworks throws an iPhone 4S under its infrared microscope, finds Sony-sourced image sensor

Chipworks throws an iPhone 4S under its infrared microscope, finds Sony-sourced image sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint buyback ad deems HTC Arrive too old, iPhone page lightly suggests you chuck it (update: official response)

Ready to trade in that phone you just got? Sprint thinks you are, teasing you from its iPhone landing page to “go green and get green” by recycling your probably still in-contract HTC Arrive. Sure, its $73 buyback kickback might help you subsidize something fresher, but you aren’t tired of Metro already, are you?

Update: We just received word from Sprint, mentioning that the HTC Arrive was chosen at random and that no actual connection exists between it and the BuyBack program.

Sprint buyback ad deems HTC Arrive too old, iPhone page lightly suggests you chuck it (update: official response) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 13:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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