Hasta La Gadget!

The story goes like this: Apple offered Verizon first crack at its upcoming handset. Verizon either balked at the offer–or just flat out refused (perhaps due to the company’s then more pronounced need to load up phones with proprietary software like VCast)–so Cupertino went with AT&T, thereby consummating what has proven one of the most profitable partnerships in mobile history.

Verizon, naturally, regretted the decision almost immediately, and has been stewing in its own juices, waiting for the incredibly lucrative contract between the companies to run out.

Now that Verizon actually has the phone, the carrier’s CEO is telling his side of the story. Verizon was never actually offered the phone, Ivan Seidenberg tells Charlie Rose in an excerpt from an upcoming interview.

“Apple decided that it wanted one carrier in every major market,” Seidenberg explains. “So Apple and AT&T consummated a deal three years ago. And because Apple was more focused on a single technology–the GSM technology–they chose AT&T. We had good discussions with them, but it was clear to us that they weren’t looking to make a device for both sets of technologies”

Discussions opened up a bit once Apple opted to open up to a second carrier in other markets. “Now, over the course of the last three years, particularly if you go to Europe and some of the Asian countries, Apple expanded to a second carrier,” explains Seidenberg. “And it was time for them to expand to a second carrier here. So yeah, we did have a lot of discussions with them over the last couple years. We even installed antennas on their campus, and they tried our technology. When they were ready to make a decision to add a second carrier, we made sure that they had a favorable impression.”

A game currently in development by Mattel will let you play Angry Birds in real life.

The iPhone and iPad game has been near or at the top of the Apple App Store’s “most popular” list for months, and has been downloaded more than 50 million times. It’s been praised for its realistic physics engine, which lets you fling virtual birds at wooden and glass fortresses containing little green pigs. And it’s ridiculously addictive.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that Rovio, the makers of the game, is partnering with Mattel to make a game that lets you do all this in real life. It’ll be available in May, 2011 for $15.

Game play is simple: You pick a card and build the structure shown on it. Then your opponent uses a little catapult to fling little plastic birds at the structure, scoring points for knocking it down.

What could be easier? I like the way this game takes a classic kids’ activity — knocking down your sister’s tower of blocks — and turns it into a constructive group game. I only wish the blocks, birds and catapult were a little bit bigger. As it is, the plastic pieces are too small and lightweight. In my house, they’ll probably get batted under the couch by the cat or swallowed by the dog in no time.

Until then, though, this game promises to be just as fun as, and less socially isolating than, the iPhone version.

Akai SynthStation49 dock / giant keyboard combo is less portable than its predecessor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen countless individuals integrate their phone, PMP or tablet into their whip, but for years, we’ve all been thinking the same thing: “There has to be an easier way.” Turns out, there is. One Mr. Romin has seemingly unearthed the solution, which involves a Lilliput FA1042 touchpanel, a Belkin AV dock adapter cable and a critical piece of software by the name of Centrafuse. Working in conjunction, he has enabled his monitor to actually control the iPhone, and when firing up a YouTube video, the content plays back on the big screen while the controls remain visible on the handset. It’s a nifty setup, for sure, and we’re downright excited to see this rig get installed in a vehicle far too small for American roads in a fortnight or so. For now, catch it working in action just past the break.

Continue reading Centrafuse leads to iPhone control via touchscreen, carputer dreams come to life (video)

Centrafuse leads to iPhone control via touchscreen, carputer dreams come to life (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want some help with your newfound choice of iPhone carrier? Let T-Mobile break it down for you in an entirely unbiased and dispassionate fashion. The pink carrier’s latest hit piece commercial highlights the fact that, whether on Verizon or AT&T, the iPhone only has recourse to 3G connectivity, painting the two carriers as a pair of grey suits distinguishable only by the color of their ties. It’s a cute way to promote your own 4G network, sure, but it conveniently disregards the fact that Verizon’s enriching its LTE (Lightning! Thunder! Electric!) network with some true superphones while AT&T is similarly committed to a 2011 LTE rollout. So, really, the only thing under critique here is Apple’s rapidly aging 3G wonder. Skip the break to see the video ad.

Continue reading AT&T and Verizon are the same bag of 3G hurt for iPhone owners, says T-Mobile (video)

AT&T and Verizon are the same bag of 3G hurt for iPhone owners, says T-Mobile (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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