Aug 15

BlackBerry Bold 9930 now available from Verizon for $250, on contract

Posted in: availability, BlackBerry, money, on sale, OnSale, price, qwerty, RIM, smartphone, snapdragon, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

We’ve already seen Verizon’s BlackBerry Bold 9930 rear its head in a leaked video and now, it looks like it’s finally gone all official on us. The slim, QWERTY-equipped handset has just popped up on Verizon’s site, where users can now order one for $250 on a two-year contract, or $510 sans contract. Its specs, meanwhile, coincide with what we’ve already heard, including that 2.8-inch, 640×480 VGA touchscreen, 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and .41-inch thickness. The 9930 also comes equipped with BlackBerry 7 OS, bringing voice-activated search and speedy browsing capabilities to the palm of your hand. No word yet on when the phone will arrive in actual stores, though rumor has it that August 25th could be the big day. For more details and ordering information, check out the source link, below.

BlackBerry Bold 9930 now available from Verizon for $250, on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 03:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 12

Cirque’s GlidePoint NFC trackpad makes online shopping even lazier (video)

Posted in: money, nfc, notebook, tablet, Today's Chili, touch, touchpad, video
We’ve seen NFC technology pop up in everything from smartphones to windshields, but a company called Cirque has now expanded it to desktops, as well, with its GlidePoint trackpad. Cirque’s system is relatively straightforward, consisting of its GlidePoint module (with an onboard NFC antenna) and a simple touch sensor. With these two elements working in harmony, users can scan a compatible card by hovering it over the module, while simultaneously using the trackpad to execute onscreen functions. The company has applied the same concept to its proprietary glass touch panel, as well, which could be integrated at payment terminals, or within tablets and touch-based smartphones. It remains unclear whether we’ll see this kind of technology pop up on the commercial level, but for more details, check out the demo video after the break, followed by the full press release.

Continue reading Cirque’s GlidePoint NFC trackpad makes online shopping even lazier (video)

Cirque’s GlidePoint NFC trackpad makes online shopping even lazier (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 11

LG, Sony drop patent infringement lawsuits, strike cross-licensing agreement

Posted in: lawsuit, LG, money, patent, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, smartphone, sony, Today's Chili
The testy patent battle between LG and Sony has finally come to an end, now that the companies have decided to lay down their arms and call a truce. In a statement issued today, an LG spokeswoman declared that the two parties have “agreed to drop patent infringement lawsuits against each other,” adding that they’ve struck a cross-licensing deal on the TVs, smartphones and other gadgets in question. A Sony representative confirmed this, but did not offer further details. The spat began back in December, when Sony filed a complaint with the ITC over a handful of allegedly patent infringing LG mobile devices. The Korean manufacturer later struck back with an ITC complaint of its own, targeting Sony products like the Bravia and PlayStation 3. Now, however, the two have apparently learned how to play nice, though details on their settlement remain scarce. As soon as we have them, we’ll pass them along.

LG, Sony drop patent infringement lawsuits, strike cross-licensing agreement originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 10

Australia’s first mobile network celebrates 30th birthday with a quiet night in

Posted in: car, handheld, mobile, money, network, phone, price, Today's Chili

Why is this phone staring at the ground in dismay? Because it can’t believe that it’s been 30 years since it made history. On this day three decades ago, this 14 kilogram beast was used to place the very first call on Australia’s very first mobile network — the Public Automatic Telephone System, operated by Telstra (or Telecom, as it was known at the time). Back then, the network could only support 1,000 users at once and provide coverage for the greater Melbourne area (things have since changed for the better). The device, meanwhile, was known simply as The Mobile Phone and, in retrospect, wasn’t all that mobile; the carphone system included a 45 centimeter handset, a transceiver and rooftop antenna — all for a little over $5,000. It could also store a whopping 16 phone numbers and would notify users of incoming calls by sounding the car’s horn and flashing its headlights. The Mobile Phone’s Australian reign, however, would be relatively short-lived, with the DynaTAC 8000x ushering in a new handheld era, just two years after Telstra’s inaugural call. Dial past the break for a Wagnerian commercial that’ll tell you everything you always wanted to know about antiquity, but were too afraid to ask.

[Thanks, Vincent]

Continue reading Australia’s first mobile network celebrates 30th birthday with a quiet night in

Australia’s first mobile network celebrates 30th birthday with a quiet night in originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 07:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 09

What a Market Crash Means for Your Gadgets

Posted in: business, money, Today's Chili, top

Last week the stock market finally reached the apex of its clickety-clack roller coaster ascent. Now it’s begun the free-fall into financial oblivion. So what does that mean for you, gadget enthusiast? More »

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Aug 08

The Best Apps for Surviving This Economic Clusternut

Posted in: AndroidApps, apps, IphoneApps, money, Today's Chili, top

The economy sucks. Our country is in a rut. The market dropped another 600 points today after the 500 point drop last week. It’s just a terrible time not to have money. So be responsible and save! Yeah, I know it’s hard. Where do you start? Do you put it under the mattress? Nope! Just follow the advice of these six apps to multiply your bank account. Mo’ money, less problems. More »

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Aug 08

HP TouchPad 4G surfaces for pre-order on Amazon, wearing $700 price tag

Posted in: 4G, amazon, HP, money, pre-order, PreOrder, price, tablet, Today's Chili, touchpad, webos
It looks like the HP TouchPad 4G is inching its way closer to the market, now that the webOS tablet has made a pre-order appearance on Amazon. According to the listing, the 32GB slate will retail for a cool $700, sans contract — about $100 more than its exclusively WiFi, equal-sized brethren. Given HP’s recent discount spree, however, it may not be long before that price gets knocked down a few notches. Over the weekend, in fact, the company announced yet another promotion, offering $50 worth of App Catalog credit to users who purchased a TouchPad in the US between July 1 and August 4th. The offer is valid through December 31st, so check out the link below to find out how you can take advantage of it.

[Thanks, Peter]

HP TouchPad 4G surfaces for pre-order on Amazon, wearing $700 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 05

6 Tools to Help Keep Money in Your Wallet

Posted in: money, Today's Chili, top

The global economy is crapping out as we speak. Unemployment is still an issue. And whether you’re in a financial pinch or not, you should spend wisely right now. Here are 6 tools to help cut costs: More »

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Aug 05

Viatag NFC system pays parking lot fees with an RFID tag, saves lives

Posted in: car, germany, money, nfc, Today's Chili

Paying for parking isn’t exactly a fun experience, but Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute is doing its best to make it slightly less painful, with Viatag — an NFC system that allows you shell out your hard earned cash without even reaching for your wallet. The setup is relatively simple, consisting of a small RFID tag, compatible transceivers and a centralized database. Once attached to your car’s windshield, the tag communicates with the transceivers installed within a given parking lot, alerting the system whenever your vehicle enters or leaves. An application running on the central server, meanwhile, keeps track of how much time you spend in the lot, and charges your debit card accordingly. Researchers have already installed Viatag at car parks in Essen, Duisburg and Munich, and are hoping to expand it to other locations. It might not be as sophisticated as some of the other automotive communications systems we’ve seen, but it could come in handy during those moments when you really don’t feel like swearing at a parking meter. Cruise past the break for the full PR.

Continue reading Viatag NFC system pays parking lot fees with an RFID tag, saves lives

Viatag NFC system pays parking lot fees with an RFID tag, saves lives originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 04

T-Mobile loses 50,000 customers in Q2 2011, revenue dips slightly

Posted in: 4G, business, earnings, financial, financials, industry, money, t-mobile, t-mobile usa, T-mobileUsa, TMobile, Today's Chili
T-Mobile USA issued its Q2 earnings statement today and, while the outlook isn’t quite as bleak as it was during the first quarter of this year, there’s still some cause for concern up in Bellevue. According to the report, the carrier lost a total of 50,000 customers last quarter, which is actually an encouraging sign, considering it dropped a whopping 99,000 during Q1, and 93,000 during the second quarter of 2010. Total revenues, however, dipped slightly to $5.1 billion from the $5.2 billion reported for the previous quarter, with service revenues holding firm at $4.6 billion — a 1.7 percent decrease from Q2 2010. President and CEO Philipp Humm blamed the numbers on a “challenging market,” but was quick to point out the brighter aspects of T-Mobile’s statement, including the carrier’s expanded 4G coverage, and the fact that a full 29 percent of its customers are using 3G or 4G smartphones — an “all-time high.” Skip past the break for more numbers and acronyms.

Continue reading T-Mobile loses 50,000 customers in Q2 2011, revenue dips slightly

T-Mobile loses 50,000 customers in Q2 2011, revenue dips slightly originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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