What does it mean when the world’s largest PC manufacturer quits? Some say it’s the death knell for PCs. That may be the case, but only because companies, like HP, are turning tail and running rather than fighting back. Don’t. More »
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day — we dig deep into each topic’s history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com.
The quality of a mobile phone’s display is arguably the most important factor to consider when you establish a relationship with a handset. It’s inescapable, really. Whether you’re playing a rousing game of Robot Unicorn Attack or (regrettably) drunk-dialing an ex, it’s the one interface element that you’re consistently interacting with. It’s your window to the world and your canvas for creation, and if it’s lousy, it’s going to negatively influence everything you see and do. Today, we’re delving into the world of mobile displays, where we’re aiming to entertain and edify, and hopefully save you from making regrettable decisions — when it comes to purchasing new phones, anyway.
In this edition of Primed, we’ll be examining the different qualities and underlying technologies of several displays, starting with the ubiquitous TFT-LCD and moving through the nascent realm of glasses-free 3D and beyond. We’ll also be addressing the importance of resolution and pixel density. Finally, we’ll be scoping out a handful of upcoming technologies — while some are thoroughly intriguing, others are just plain wacky. Go ahead… buy the ticket, take the ride, and join us after the break. It’s Primed time.
Continue reading Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal
Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP introduced the TouchPad tablet in February. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com
It certainly wasn’t poorly performing software that killed the TouchPad.
Sources at The Next Web reports that HP’s webOS team hacked an iPad 2 to run the software — and it ended up running more than twice as fast on Apple’s tablet as on the TouchPad.
Even before the TouchPad tablet or Pre smartphone were officially released, the webOS developer team was so fed up with HP’s lackluster hardware that they “wanted them gone.”
HP rocked the tech world yesterday when it announced the company would no longer be producing webOS hardware, including the TouchPad tablet and Pre smartphones, after acquiring Palm last year for $1.2 billion. The webOS software could still be licensed to third-party manufacturers. HP CEO Leo Apotheker cited lack of traction in the marketplace as a major reason for abandoning the mobile operation.
The team of developers also deployed webOS within the iPad’s Mobile Safari browser and got similarly speedy results. The TouchPad features a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with A8 architecture, while the iPad 2 houses a dual-core A5 chip based on the faster Cortex-A9 architecture.
According to The Next Web:
The hardware reportedly stopped the team from innovating beyond certain points because it was slow and imposed constraints, which was highlighted when webOS was loaded on to Apple’s iPad device and found to run the platform significantly faster than the device for which it was originally developed.
I personally checked out the HP Veer when it debuted, and I found webOS to be really refreshing and intuitive. My main issues with the device were definitely hardware-based: not enough memory, and not a powerful enough processor.
Well, it’s been less than two weeks, and Apple’s already pumping out another iOS 5 beta build. Those of you holding Apple developer credentials can now mosey on over to the source link below, and get your hands on iOS 5 beta 6. As you might expect, this slice of Apple pie brings with it new betas for iTunes, XCode, and Apple TV. As per usual, we’ll keep our eyes out for anything noteworthy, but if you’ve already got the new build going, give us a holler in the comments below.
[Thanks, Michael]
iOS 5 beta 6 fresh out of the oven for your downloading pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We haven’t had a chance to head on down to The Hague to have a look-see for ourselves, but Dutch tech site Webwereld spotted some more inconsistencies in Apple’s Samsung lawsuit filings. This time the culprit is a shrunken Galaxy S, standing side-by-side with an identically tall iPhone 3G — when in reality the Samsung phone is seven millimeters taller than its Apple counterpart, and slightly wider as well. The image, filed in the Netherlands, is part of an intellectual property suit against Samsung, and came to light just days after accusations that Apple manipulated photos of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that it submitted to a German court. While misleading, this latest error isn’t nearly as concerning as last week’s shrunken Tab — which could easily be described as image manipulation, considering that the tablet included in that filing represented an incorrect 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Samsung device has a 16:10 display.
Update: The phone pictured above is the Samsung Galaxy S, not the Galaxy S II.
[Thanks, Florian]
Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S in Dutch lawsuit filing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We haven’t had a chance to head on down to The Hague to have a look-see for ourselves, but Dutch tech site Webwereld spotted some more inconsistencies in Apple’s Samsung lawsuit filings. This time the culprit is a shrunken Galaxy S II, standing side-by-side with an identically tall iPhone 3G — when in reality the Samsung phone is seven millimeters taller than its Apple counterpart, and slightly wider as well. The image, filed in the Netherlands, is part of an intellectual property suit against Samsung, and came to light just days after accusations that Apple manipulated photos of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that it submitted to a German court. While misleading, this latest error isn’t nearly as concerning as last week’s shrunken Tab — which could easily be described as image manipulation, considering that the tablet included in that filing represented an incorrect 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Samsung device has a 16:10 display.
[Thanks, Florian]
Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S II in Dutch lawsuit filing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We’re still trying to wrap our heads around yesterday’s sounding of what will most likely be the death knell for webOS. The fine folks over at The Next Web have offered some insight, and it seems that hardware was the problem. It’s no secret that the TouchPad was released with a single-core chip in an age of dual-core tablets and super phones. As we noted in our review, the device simply couldn’t keep up with the competition. According to TNW’s sources, developers actually managed to port webOS over to the iPad 2 for testing purposes, and it ran “over twice as fast.” It’s not terribly surprising that Apple’s dual-core A5 chip was able to outpace the single 1.2GHz core found inside the TouchPad, but It may seem strange that the 1.2GHz chip inside the TouchPad was so easily outclassed by the slower clocked A5, but Apple’s chip is sporting faster Cortex-A9 architecture, while HP relied on Qualcomm’s slower A8-based Snapdragon. It seems that the hardware constraints were ultimately what did in the Linux-based mobile OS.
Update: This article incorrectly stated that the TouchPad shipped with a single-core processor. It was in fact a dual-core Snapdragon APQ8060.
Was webOS tested on an iPad, HP done in by its slower hardware? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
There may be more than a few fake Apple Stores in China, but for the moment, Cupertino’s anti-KIRF crusade seems focused squarely on New York City. According to Reuters, Apple has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against two stores in Queens, alleging that they sold unauthorized cases, headphones and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In the complaint, the company claims that the products in question were all emblazoned with its familiar fruit logo, along with the phrase, “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” The suit also demands that one of the stores, called Apple Story (seriously), change its name to avoid confusion with the real retail outlet and that both vendors disclose full lists of people who both supplied and purchased the goods.
It all began when company representatives visited the Chinatown-area stores on “multiple occasions over several weeks,” where they bought and examined the items, described in court records as “exact duplicates” of their authentic counterparts. On July 27th, Apple executed a few ex parte seizure warrants, which allowed authorities to seize any goods bearing its logo. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto has already granted an injunction to stop the stores from selling the alleged knockoffs, but hasn’t yet decided whether Apple Story will have to change its name. The complaint also seeks undisclosed monetary damages and asks that all existing counterfeit goods be destroyed, though court documents suggest that both sides are close to reaching a deal. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the accusations, but we’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.
In the meantime, check out this KIRF “iPhone 5” we found in Beijing — a Java-powered handset that’s slimmer than the Galaxy S II and a bit laggy, but boasts a multitouch capacitive screen. Asking price? ¥680, or about $106.
Apple cracks down on counterfeit products sold in NYC, files lawsuit against Queens vendors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Since that whole Revue thing didn’t go over so swimmingly, it looks like Logitech’s going back to its accessory roots, with a manic hope that tablet add-ons are the future. The company just announced a fold-out keyboard for the iPad 2 that’s pretty much what it sounds like: a keyboard split in two whose halves flip out and connect to form a full QWERTY. As you can see in those shots below, you can still use your magical, candy-colored Smart Cover when your iPad is docked. At $129.99, it’s hardly a cheap doo-dad and frankly, we would have hoped for higher quality. In our brief hands-on, the keys felt unstable and stiff — an ideal combination for anyone who thought their iPad needed more chintz. Pre-order it at the source link if you must, though you might do just as well gawking at our pics below.
Logitech announces $130 fold-out keyboard for the iPad, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We’ve all tripped on power cords, sending laptops or other precious items tumbling to the ground. With the introduction of the MagSafe connector, back in 2006, Apple fixed the problem for clumsy MacBook owners, but has since left plugged-in iPad users up a creek. Cupertino was awarded a patent yesterday to integrate the magnetic (trip-safe) cord into future iOS devices like the iPad, potentially solving the dilemma for good. The Haus of Jobs also snagged patents for magnetic assembly and a “securing system,” whatever that means.
Update: Oops! While the patent does mention the possibility of integrating this technology into a “tablet computer” or “cell phone,” what we’re looking at isn’t actually a MagSafe patent specifically for iOS devices — it’s a movable magnetic coupling.
Apple snags MagSafe patent for iOS devices (update: it’s a movable magnetic coupling) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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