HTC announces September meetup event on Facebook, new phones on the way?

It looks like HTC may have some news in store for us on September 1st, when the company holds one of its public meetups in London. The folks over at Pocket-Lint noticed the event on HTC’s Facebook page today, where the manufacturer posted an open invitation for the public to “come party” and “see what’s next.” At this point, it’s hard to tell whether or not HTC will actually unveil anything in the way of new hardware, though there have been rumors swirling around a possible September release date for its Ruby and Bliss handsets, coupled with leaks of its forthcoming Puccini tablet. Plus, as Pocket-Lint observes, HTC’s last public meetup came in the wake of the Sensation‘s release, so recent history suggests there may be something afoot this time, as well. We’ll have to wait and see how it all shakes out, but you can hit up the source link for more information on attending the event, which is open on a first-come, first-served basis.

HTC announces September meetup event on Facebook, new phones on the way? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia gifts Museum of London with NFC tags, makes you tap for more info (video)

Make sure to grab your C7 next time you visit the Museum of London. Nokia took the liberty of installing NFC tags at the museum’s coolest attractions (like the Lord Mayor’s coach and a sweet medieval brooch) — showing us there’s more to the technology than just mobile payments. So far, museum-bound Brits can use their NFC phones to get more exhibit information, buy things like prints and check-in, tweet or “like” what they see. Go on people, tap away, and in the meantime check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Nokia gifts Museum of London with NFC tags, makes you tap for more info (video)

Nokia gifts Museum of London with NFC tags, makes you tap for more info (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 03:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The View From the London Olympics’ Diving Board Looks Piss-Your-Speedos Scary

Another London 2012 Olympics venue’s been checked off the list, and Zaha Hadid’s aquatic center is quite simply the most stunning yet. All swimming events, plus diving and water polo will be held here in front of 17,500 spectators. More »

UK teen arrested for illegal BBM, social media crackdown gains steam

Lending further gravity to the proposed crackdown being bandied about in British parliament, an Essex teen has been arrested for sending a BBM that ran afoul of the Serious Crime Act of 2007. The 18-year old, now free on bail, allegedly used the service to encourage copycat attacks of the violent rioting that’s swept London, and is set to appear in court on September 1st. It’s the second known case to put RIM’s private messaging service — “popular among urban teenagers” as a cheap texting alternative — in the UK’s legal hotseat. For its part, the Canadian electronics maker has since reached out to police, promising to aid the investigation “in any way [it] can.” Although no decision has yet been made to extend law enforcement’s powers over social media services, such as Twitter and Facebook, arrests like these seem to indicate a murky free speech future.

UK teen arrested for illegal BBM, social media crackdown gains steam originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK Prime Minister exploring social media crackdown in wake of London riots (video)

As Londoners continue to pick up the rubble and carnage from this week’s riots, UK Prime Minister David Cameron is exploring new ways to maintain order — including, apparently, a government crackdown on social media. In a speech to members of Parliament today, Cameron made clear his belief that law enforcement officials should be able to curb and monitor the use of social networking sites under certain circumstances, lending credence to the theory that mechanisms like Facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry played a critical role in inciting the recent violence:
“Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence we need to stop them. So we are working with the Police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality.”
There’s a fine line separating issues of national security from the rights to free speech, but it’s a line that Cameron seems willing to toe. And, though he and his Conservative government are only mulling the idea, it’s difficult to ignore the irony in his statements. Keep in mind that this is the same man who roundly condemned Hosni Mubarak for shutting down Egypt’s internet at the height of its revolution, calling for the now-ousted leader to fully respect the “freedom of expression and communication, including use of telephones and the internet.” Cameron, of course, isn’t calling for anything nearly as drastic as what Mubarak orchestrated, nor is he facing anywhere near the same level of domestic turmoil. But the fundamental narrative remains the same: in the face of social upheaval, a national leader instinctively reaches for a digital muzzle as a stop-gap measure, while (perhaps) ignoring the larger, longer-term ramifications of his actions. Fortunately for the UK, though, Cameron is already doing one thing that Mubarak apparently never did — he’s thinking about right and wrong. Head past the break to see Cameron’s speech, in its entirety.

Continue reading UK Prime Minister exploring social media crackdown in wake of London riots (video)

UK Prime Minister exploring social media crackdown in wake of London riots (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scenes from a Riot: Electronics Stores Sacked by British Looters

While the majority of the damage caused by rioters and looters was contained to London, the madness spread to Liverpool, Birmingham and other English cities, with electronics chains being the worst hit. More »

Virgin Media to roll out free WiFi in London, bums with iPads rejoice

Fancy some free municipal WiFi, London? Yeah, we know, the service has been promised several times before, but that’s not stopping Virgin Media from giving it the ol’ college try. In his address to investors, CEO Neil Berkett announced plans to piggyback the gratis service on its existing cable backhaul “in the not too distant future,” shoring up the gap left by operators’ unreliable 3G coverage. Seems the media conglomerate’s cable network runs mostly idle during the day — a fact revealed during last week’s earnings call — and with only four percent market share, Virgin could certainly handle the extra traffic. The move is a straight shot at BT’s similar, albeit partially free offering, and would provide download speeds of 0.5Mbps to the general public, with the truly blazing 10Mbps reserved for the company’s own internet subscribers. But don’t expect this business extension to break Virgin’s bank, costing only a “few million pounds,” this free-of-charge WiFi network’s just a drop in its two tonne bucket. All that’s left is a few permissive nods from the city’s councils and you Londoners can keep up with the latest TOWIE drama wherever you go.

Virgin Media to roll out free WiFi in London, bums with iPads rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London’s Olympics Medals Are the Heaviest Bling Yet

Designed by the model-maker for Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, the 2,100 medals created for the 2012 Olympics are the heaviest medals that’ll ever hang around a summer games athlete’s neck yet, at 400grams each. More »

Virgin Media testing 1.5Gbps internet for lucky Londonites

Virgin Media

Jealous of Comcast customers with their 105Mbps cable hook ups or those lucky residents of the Kansas cities relishing in Google’s 1Gbps service? Well add Londonites to the list of people that drive you to indulging in one of the seven deadly sins. Virgin Media has finally started testing its DOCSIS2-powered 1.5Gbps network in the heart of merry ol’ England. Right now it’s being enjoyed by a group of test sites around Old Street that also get a 150Mbps upload connection. Virgin claims it’s the fastest broadband in the world, which may be true if you’re not counting lab experiments. The really good news is that it’s based on the same tech already delivering 100Mbps to residents across the country so, if the trial goes well, it should be trivial to deliver these mind numbing speeds to the rest of its customers. PR after the break.

Continue reading Virgin Media testing 1.5Gbps internet for lucky Londonites

Virgin Media testing 1.5Gbps internet for lucky Londonites originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London’s E-Health Cloud program will send patient records to the stratosphere next month

You’d think that the recent spate of high-profile cyberattacks would’ve deterred the healthcare industry from sending patient records to the cloud — but you’d be wrong. Beginning next month, all data on patients at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital will be stored in a centralized database, accessible from any computer, smartphone or tablet. Under the National Health Service’s pilot program, known as E-Health Cloud, patients will be able to decide which doctors, nurses or family members can view their records, allowing them to easily share their data with other specialists. Flexiant, the Scottish software company that developed the platform, hopes to eventually expand it to other treatment phases, including assisted living, and insists that its system will help the NHS save money in the long-term. Security, however, will likely prove critical to the program’s success. Users will have to pass multiple ID checkpoints to access the database, but privacy-wary Londoners might demand protection a bit more robust than an automated bouncer. You won’t need to adhere to a dress code to view the full PR, available after the break.

Continue reading London’s E-Health Cloud program will send patient records to the stratosphere next month

London’s E-Health Cloud program will send patient records to the stratosphere next month originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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