Mobiado’s Grand Touch phones ditch the Nexus S plastic for a precious metal finish

Nothing quite screams money to burn like last year’s tech gilded in pricey, CNC-machined metals. Purveyor of mobile extravagance, Mobiado, has recently rolled out the red carpet for two new additions to its Grand Line — the Grand Touch and Grand Touch GCB. These high-end exercises in wireless hauteur are merely gussied up versions of Samsung’s Nexus S, sporting the same ol’ 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 16GB of storage, 512MB RAM, 4-inch Super LCD display and front-facing VGA / 5 megapixel rear camera. Available in either anodized aluminum or solid brass with gold plating (take a guess which is costlier), the sapphire crystal-backed duo comes unlocked with quad-band GSM, and tri-band UMTS / HSDPA radios, so you can stay connected aboard that yacht in St. Tropez.

Mobiado’s Grand Touch phones ditch the Nexus S plastic for a precious metal finish originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Mobile Burn  |  sourceMobiado  | Email this | Comments

The Engadget Interview: HP’s Stephen DeWitt discusses the state of webOS

The last time we spoke with Stephen DeWitt, the head of HP’s webOS global business unit was on the defensive about the TouchPad. In spite of — or perhaps because of — the anticipation of the device, the first webOS tablet received a lukewarm reception at hands of reviewers. DeWitt vigorously defended the slate against the critics, suggesting that technology writers had been approaching the product the wrong way. A lot has happened since that conversation, of course, including reports of unmoved stock and, more significantly, yesterday’s news that HP would effectively be discontinuing production on its webOS devices, the TouchPad included.

There’s been a good deal of confusion around precisely what yesterday’s announcement means for both the company and the mobile operating system that it picked up with its purchase of Palm back in April of last year. In spite of his understandably packed schedule, DeWitt sat down with us to set the record straight and shed some light on the future of webOS — a future both he and the company remain rather optimistic about.

Read on for the full interview.

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: HP’s Stephen DeWitt discusses the state of webOS

The Engadget Interview: HP’s Stephen DeWitt discusses the state of webOS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iOS 5 beta 6 fresh out of the oven for your downloading pleasure

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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Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause

In Japan, a certain hallowed distinction has been garnered by all ephemera cute and pretty. So, it goes without saying that this pair of oblong flip phones, with their familiar animated sponsors, should have the Harajuku hordes rushing in with charm straps at the ready. For its particular crack at kawaii, Panasonic’s P-06C gets an understated splash of Snoopy cool, visible only through two available built-in themes. The clamshell entry comes with a 3-inch display, 5.1 megapixel camera and retails for about 28,560 yen (or $375). But, let’s face it folks, the real stunner of the two is the Softbank-designed model Ms. Kitty-chan adorns. The Antique Berry-shaded 007SH KT packs a 3.4-inch display, 16.1 megapixel camera and Android 2.3 into a 180 degree foldable handset, and can be yours when it goes on sale next month. Be sure to jump past the break for a double dose of this wireless adorability.

Continue reading Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause

Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceSoftbank (Translated), Engadget Chinese (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S II in Dutch lawsuit filing?


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.

Permalink Computerworld  |  sourceWebwereld (translated)  | Email this | Comments

Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S in Dutch lawsuit filing?


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.

Permalink Computerworld  |  sourceWebwereld (translated)  | Email this | Comments

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.

Permalink Pocket-lint  |  sourceFacebook  | Email this | Comments

BlackBerry sucks at making fan videos

Wow! BlackBerry just released, and subsequently pulled, an awesome new video (which can be seen in full after the break) showing off its new Torch running BB 7 OS and sporting… an Android home button?! Man, that new Torch looks so awesome, particularly 15 and 27 seconds in, it hardly even looks like a BlackBerry at all.

Continue reading BlackBerry sucks at making fan videos

BlackBerry sucks at making fan videos originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Bionic gets 4.3-inch display, yours for $299 on September 8?

Droid Bionic Flyer

The Droid Bionic may be the most hyped phone in the history of gadgetdom. The latest round of spy shots come from a Best Buy flyer, a tips and tricks manual and a pic purported to come from Verizon’s Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) system — all of which lead us to believe launch is right around the corner. Most of the info here is not terribly surprising (an 8 megapixel camera, 1GHz dual-core processor, etc…), but there is one detail that threw us for a loop — the screen is only 4.3-inches. Rumor had it that the Bionic had been bumped to a 4.5-incher, and photos of it next to a Charge seemed to bear that out. Well, that was primarily an illusion created by the large bezel and a pair of very petite hands. This also means the Droid HD is packing a 4.3-inch screen, which may disappoint those hoping for a truly expansive 720p display. On the plus side, we can tell you the Bionic will support WebTop, wireless printing, and ZumoCast for streaming media from your home PC. And per Droid Life, it’ll be priced at $299 when it goes on sale September 8th. Now, we just have to wait for Verizon and Motorola to make it all official. Head on past the break for two images, and check the source links for even more.

Continue reading Droid Bionic gets 4.3-inch display, yours for $299 on September 8?

Droid Bionic gets 4.3-inch display, yours for $299 on September 8? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTechnoBuffalo (1), (2), PhoneArena, Droid Life  | Email this | Comments

Editorial: Engadget on the death of HP’s webOS devices

WebOS, where did things go wrong? One moment you’re worth a “double-down” investment by HP valued at $1.2 billion, and the OS of choice for future tablets, computers and even printers; the next, you’re discarded like yesterday’s crusty old oatmeal. Today, HP announced — among other things — that it’s chosen to discontinue operations for its webOS lineup, and that the company “will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward.” So what does this all mean for the future of webOS? Have we seen the last of webOS? Join us past the break for our thoughts.

Continue reading Editorial: Engadget on the death of HP’s webOS devices

Editorial: Engadget on the death of HP’s webOS devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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