Line2 brings phone functionality to iPad for 10 bucks a month (video)


Remember that ridiculous Steven Slater rap video promoting Line2’s in-flight texting app? Well, the VoIP company just dusted off the point-and-shoot and hopped back over to YouTube, this time peddling a complete telephony solution for iPad. Launching July 28th, the service will let you place phone calls using a wired headset or the built-in speaker and mic, listen to voicemail, and send texts from a single HD interface. After a one-week trial, you’ll pay $10 per month (or $100 per year) for the privilege, though with free number porting and unlimited domestic calling that’s a fairly solid deal. Many of us barely use our cell phones to place phone calls anymore, but if you’re looking to extend that little-used functionality to your tablet, then Line2 for iPad may be ringing. We haven’t had a chance to go hands-on just yet, but click past the break for a comprehensive video demo, complete with in-app email and an iTunes-like contacts carousel.

Update: Line2 says the app also supports Bluetooth calling on the iPad 2 with any device that features HFP 1.5. Apple restricts functionality, however, so you’ll only be able to use the headset for audio — you’ll still need to place and receive calls directly on the iPad.

Continue reading Line2 brings phone functionality to iPad for 10 bucks a month (video)

Line2 brings phone functionality to iPad for 10 bucks a month (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceLine2  | Email this | Comments

Evolio’s Neura making a foolio of other Android tablets (video)

Have you heard of Evolio? Neither have we, but it might be time we all start paying attention to this Romanian start-up if its grandiose claims of tech stardom prove true. Heralding it as the “most powerful Android tablet” — and the one ring to rule them all — the Neura is a 1GHz dual core Tegra 2 processor-packing, 9.7-inch full HD displaying, Flash-capable slab of Eastern European engineering. Since its been (self-)declared king of the little green robot OS hill, the company’s aiming this market entry squarely at Apple’s iPad 2 — hoping its powers of 1080p and expandable memory can best that category titan. Unfortunately, the company’s proud boast only covers its hardware specs, leaving Froyo to underpower what could be a truly premium experience. A September update to Honeycomb is loosely mentioned, but with 3.2 already rolling out to Xooms, this baby’s starting to look dated. If owning an exotic tablet strikes your cooler-than-thou fancy, get your credit card set to import mode on July 25th. Informational video and its excellent Romanian-electro intro after the break.

Continue reading Evolio’s Neura making a foolio of other Android tablets (video)

Evolio’s Neura making a foolio of other Android tablets (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceEvolio  | Email this | Comments

New iPhone Software Beams FaceTime Video Calls to TV

With iOS 5 Beta 3, you can mirror your FaceTime call onto a larger display

FaceTiming into your iPhone (or iPad 2) is great, but sometimes it’d be nice to see your friend or loved one on a bit of a larger screen.

For those anxiously awaiting that day, it’s almost here.

iPhone owners testing the new iOS 5 beta (version 3) discovered a new feature: AirPlay mirroring. If you’ve got an AirPlay-enabled device, you can mirror your FaceTime chat on a larger screen (like your TV).

FaceTime, a feature which was introduced with the iPhone 4, has gotten a lot of press since its debut. FaceTime is just one of many companies offering video conferencing software, including a dramatically revamped version of AIM and similar features on competing products. Between FaceTime and services like Skype, video chatting is quickly becoming the de facto way to stay in touch with friends.

Unfortunately, as seen in the image above, the AirPlay mirroring functionality isn’t perfect (yet). It looks like the VGA resolution front facing camera causes the image to be a bit blown out when it’s ported to the big screen display. But it could still make a cheap, convenient video conferencing tool for businesses.

Perhaps, if this feature isn’t cut from the final version of iOS 5, we could expect the iPhone 5’s front-facing camera to get a significant upgrade to fix that problem.

Apple’s official version of iOS 5 is due for release this fall.

iOS 5 Features: AirPlay Mirroring for FaceTime [TiPb via Slashgear]


Apple may be looking to add another iPad manufacturer

iPad

We’ve heard that the next iteration of the iPad will be thinner, have a Retina Display, and will bring peace to the Middle East. Here’s a rumor that’s a little more mundane, and much more likely to be accurate though — Apple may be adding another manufacturer, alongside Foxconn, to produce its tablet. According to a DigiTimes source the explosion at the company’s Chengdu plant in May has created some serious supply issues. Additionally, tablet sales are expected to grow even higher this year, according to the IDC, and the Cupertino Crew already has trouble keeping up with demand. It seems there’s little choice but to bring on board the likes of Quanta Computers or Pegatron Technology, the two front runners for the orders.

Apple may be looking to add another iPad manufacturer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDigiTimes  | Email this | Comments

Steve Jobs impersonator officiates mock keynote, hawks Taiwanese tea (video)

Well, there’s clearly no better way to legitimize any new product than to have a faux Steve Jobs hawking it on-stage, in front of dozens of applauding mock journalists, with a 20-foot iPad 2 projected behind. The Jobs / John Stamos hybrid dropped by to pitch a Taiwanese company’s vast selection of tea, of all things, for a TV advertisement that’s apparently currently airing in Taiwan. Decked out in light jeans, a black mock turtleneck and sneakers, the impersonator even matched Steve’s hair color, rimless glasses, and current weight. The only thing missing was an actual Apple product — and months of media speculation. The “keynote” even ended with “one more thing,” as they often do: Tea drinkers will have a shot at winning a bonafide iPad 2 with each purchase of oolong, milk, or Apple-infused Tong Yi Cha.

Continue reading Steve Jobs impersonator officiates mock keynote, hawks Taiwanese tea (video)

Steve Jobs impersonator officiates mock keynote, hawks Taiwanese tea (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink DVICE  |  sourceYouTube  | Email this | Comments

Crayola ColorStudio HD app for iPad swipes its way to your child’s heart

The iPad is not childproof. It’s fragile and expensive and we can’t imagine why you’d want to hand it over willy nilly to your kids. That said, if you’ve got money to burn and don’t mind letting small hands tool around with high-end consumer products, then this should tickle your parental fancy. Announced as a collaboration between Griffin Technology and Crayola, the Crayola ColorStudio HD app for iPad matches a marker-shaped digital stylus — the inventively titled iMarker — with your child’s LCD-colored imagination. The chunky, kid-friendly stylus mocks the tip of a pen, crayon, marker or paintbrush as your doe-eyed youngin’ swipes along 30 plus animated pages — all while sitting too close to the screen. If free is the key to your heart, go ahead and grab this now on the App Store — it’s the marker clone that’ll set you back 30 bills. That said, it’s a small price to pay for your child’s happiness. Also, digital Burnt Sienna — need we say any more?

Update: Turns out our friends at TUAW have already had the chance to sample one of these in the wild. Check out their impressions.

Continue reading Crayola ColorStudio HD app for iPad swipes its way to your child’s heart

Crayola ColorStudio HD app for iPad swipes its way to your child’s heart originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 06:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGriffin Technology, iTunes  | Email this | Comments

Apple iOS 4.3.4 software update may fix iPhone hole, block PDF jailbreak


Remember that PDF exploit from last year that JailbreakMe 2.0 was using to unlock your iPhone with just a few taps? Well, Apple patched it. And now it’s apparently back. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple acknowledged the exploit, and is working on an update at this very moment. In addition to the JailbreakMe 3.0 hack that came to light last week, the hole can also be used for some not-so-noble efforts, like grabbing your contacts database, accessing saved passwords, or activating your iPad or iPhone’s built-in camera. And nobody wants that. For one reason or another, German authorities have taken the lead on encouraging Apple to investigate, and have also warned all users to avoid opening PDF docs from untrusted sources. And we’re happy to echo that rather solid advice, given the implications. Ironically, JailbreakMe includes a patch for the very hole that allows it to function in the first place, so if you’re terrified that rogue PDFs will take over your devices, that’s an option to consider in the meantime.

Apple iOS 4.3.4 software update may fix iPhone hole, block PDF jailbreak originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Aluminum Keyboard Buddy Case cloaks your iPad 2 in a MacBook Air duvet

Your friends may think that’s a MacBook Air sitting on your coffee table — but they’d be wrong and would deserve to be ridiculed. Taking its aesthetic cue from the Zaggmate, MIC’s new Aluminum Keyboard Buddy Case brings both a protective shell and a (nearly) full QWERTY set to your iPad 2. When pressed against the tablet face-to-face, the Buddy Case’s magnets will automatically put your iPad to sleep, with its curved back guarding your precious slate from dirt, scratches and Hun invasions. To transition into keyboard mode, all you have to do is slide your ‘Pad into a slot and let your fingers roam free. Powered by a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, this $50 peripheral also allows users to control their iPad’s brightness and media playback. Unfortunately, though, it’ll only hold your slate at one, fixed angle, so make sure you have a neck before buying one.

Aluminum Keyboard Buddy Case cloaks your iPad 2 in a MacBook Air duvet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wired  |  sourceM.I.C Store  | Email this | Comments

iPad makes up one percent of global web browsing, magic

This is surely the sort of thing Apple likes to see — it might not be the prettiest graph in the world, but it certainly drives home the fairly consistent growth of the iPad’s global web browsing share. Back in April of last year, we reported that the company’s “magical” tablet had nabbed 0.03 percent of global web traffic in its first week. The decimal point has moved a couple of places, according to NetMarketShare, with the device now making up more than one percent of worldwide web browsing. That number is even higher in the US, at 2.1 percent, with the iPhone and Android devices pulling in 2.9 and 2.6 percent, respectively. As for Apple’s share of tablet traffic — well, there’s not a heck of a lot to report on that front.

[Thanks, Alan]

iPad makes up one percent of global web browsing, magic originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Mashable  |  sourceNetMarketShare  | Email this | Comments

Jailbreak your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch with official JailbreakMe 3.0 release

Yesterday we got a preview of a new web-based jailbreak that worked with devices running iOS 4.3.3. But that version of JailbreakMe was unofficial and actually a leaked beta. Still, some users didn’t want to wait the extra few days for the official launch, so one developer named Ryan Vanniekerk got it working on his […]