Hasta La Gadget!

We’re admittedly using our Jump To Conclusions Mat a little bit here, but we’re pretty sure Apple’s Magic Trackpad (or whatever they’ll end up calling it) just got FCC approval — and considering how tightly Apple usually manages its FCC dealings, this could mean it’ll be announced as early as this week. A device known only by its model number A1339 is the culprit here, described as a “Bluetooth Device” used in conjunction with a MacBook without any associated filings for WiFi or WWAN networks. The ultra-rough label location diagram is definitely the right shape for the accessory, and what’s interesting is that the test report was completed way back in October of 2009. Has Apple seriously been sitting on this thing for the better part of a year? Keep a close eye on the Apple Store for this one, folks.

Update: It’s been pointed out to us that the previous leak shows a model number of A1339… so yep, there you have it. Thanks, Eric!

Update 2: In case you needed any more evidence, page 45 of the test report specifically identifies the product being tested as a “Bluetooth Trackpad.” Thanks, Tobias!

Apple’s Magic Trackpad gets FCC approval? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shocking as this might sound, there are no only a few games in which iPhone and Android users can go at each other in live multiplayer mode. Exploiting this vast void is Social Gaming Network, whose Skies of Glory aerial dogfighting title has been ported to Android (2.0 and above) while retaining the ability to communicate with iOS devices over WiFi, 3G or Bluetooth connections. Frankly, we can’t think of a better game to get the cross-platform multiplayer movement going: fAndroids and iPhoneys gunning each other down while talking smack to themselves should prove therapeutic for both parties. On a more serious note, given the tireless growth that both platforms are showing, this kind of thing should hopefully tend toward being the rule rather than the exception.

Update: Our readers have sagely reminded us that Raging Thunder 2 and Homerun Battle 3D have done the cross-platform dance already. The more the merrier, we say.

Continue reading Android versus iPhone live multiplayer gaming made possible in SGN’s Skies of Glory

Android versus iPhone live multiplayer gaming made possible in SGN’s Skies of Glory originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s just a tablecloth and a piece of paper, until you pull out a Nexus One, at which point it magically becomes an arena where toy robots fire off punches. Augmented reality isn’t anything new, of course, but Qualcomm seems determined to bring it to cell phones in a big way — launching an AR game studio, sponsoring a $200,000 developer challenge, and announcing a free software development kit (which will see open beta this fall) all on the same day. The company partnered with Mattel to build the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots proof-of-concept you see above using that very SDK, and you’ll find a hilarious video of grown men pretending to have the time of their lives with it right after the break.

However, augmented reality is only half of Qualcomm’s mobile gaming plan — a rep told Pocket-lint games like Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots are only financially viable if they can work across platforms. To that end, the company also demonstrated a simple three-player peer-to-peer title, but with — get this — a Nexus One (over Bluetooth), a Nokia N900 (over WiFi) and a Dell Latitude laptop all playing the same synchronous game. To commemorate this mishmash of awesome, the company funded another video; listen to an individual with a ludicrously bad accent give you the play-by-play after the break. Oh, and find some press releases, too.

Continue reading Qualcomm demos augmented reality and peer-to-peer tech, tries to punch cellular gaming’s block off (video)

Qualcomm demos augmented reality and peer-to-peer tech, tries to punch cellular gaming’s block off (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So much of our lives is on our cell phones now that being without your phone can leave you feeling helpless. If you struggle to get through the workday when you leave your phone at home, consider the Brignrr. This tiny gadget does one small but essential task: it alerts you when you forget your phone.

The Bringrr plugs into your car’s power outlet and communicates with your phone via Bluetooth. You leave the Bringrr plugged in, and when you start up your car it checks to see if your phone is present. If so, no problem. But if it doesn’t detect the phone, it gives you an audible alert. There’s no additional software and nothing to charge. The $34.99 list price is a little high, but for some it’ll be completely worth it.

IOS4 will let you use a Bluetooth keyboard to type on your iPhone or iPod Touch and control various other functions. I’m writing this post on a latest-gen iPod Touch with an Apple Wireless Keyboard and it works great: The brightness buttons, volume and iTunes keys all do what you’d expect. This is a headline feature of the new iOS, shown off by Apple right there on the about pages.

What you may be surprised to learn is that the iPhone will also work when forced into the iPad Keyboard Dock, as tested by internationally-beloved technology pundit Andy Ihnatko. Once squeezed onto the dock connector, you get all the same functionality as you would with a Bluetooth keyboard, with the added danger of busting your iPhone due to the tight fit (the slimmer iPod Touch should work a lot better).

You might remember that you can also hook up a keyboard to the iPad via the USB camera connection kit. I can’t test this as mine is still on back-order, but Ihnatko tried it out an the answer is a big “no”. The iPhone flashes up its non-compatible accessory warning. Ah well.

I can’t say typing long-form text on the tiny screen is any fun, but it would certainly be better than typing long-form text on the iPhone’s screen. Even so, Apple’s minuscule Bluetooth keyboard is still large when compared to the iPhone. Perhaps this will kick-start the market in foldable, rollable keyboard accessories?

The iPad Keyboard Dock works with the iPhone 3GS! [CWOB]

See Also:

• iPad Keyboard: Pricey and Awkward, But a Must-Have for …
• Video: Neo Keyboard Hooked up to iPad
• USB Typewriter Turns iPad Into Paper
• iPad USB Camera Connector Works With Keyboards, Audio In-Out …