Hasta La Gadget!

Not satisfied with the smattering of LTE products announced at CES thus far? Why not build your own with Bug Labs‘ modular components? Yes, the open-source hardware manufacturer has teamed with Verizon to offer pre-certified wireless modules once again, though this time they take advantage of the new LTE hotness rather than Verizon’s EV-DO network. No word on when we’ll be able to sign up to prototype our own phones nor how much they’ll cost, but know that even just the base platform will slurp $500 out of your wallet. PR after the break.

Continue reading Bug Labs gets cozier with Verizon, announces LTE module for speedy DIY devices

Bug Labs gets cozier with Verizon, announces LTE module for speedy DIY devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘Tis the season for manufacturing deals? Sure seems it. Merely hours after Sony announced its intentions to buy back Cell chip fabrication facilities from Toshiba, it looks as if Tosh is about to enter into yet another agreement. In this case, it’ll be outsourcing the unprofitable production of semiconductors to rival Samsung, which will be responsible for churning out the brains behind a number of smartphones, televisions and digital home appliances. Numerous sources have explained that Toshiba is interested in realigning its focus onto the blossoming memory chip business, and moreover, its hoping to evade costly facility upgrades that would be necessary to remain competitive in the system LSI business.

In other words, the company is dodging investment costs and placing a greater emphasis on a sector that’s already profitable (NAND flash production, for those curious), and after the Oita plant is handed off, it’ll be used to make image sensors in digital cameras. The Nagasaki plant, as we heard earlier, will be handed over to Sony. Toshiba’s stocks were sent northward after investors welcomed the news, but of course it remains to be seen what kind of consumer impact this will have. Whatever the case, we certainly hope Toshiba never runs into any trouble with Sammy — it’s not like its top brass can be touched, regardless of infraction.

Toshiba outsourcing semiconductor production to rival Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Dec 2010 14:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do you “have enterprise sales experience and an existing knowledge of the mobile market and the technologies that support it?” Do you “have strong IT knowledge in the areas of enterprise messaging and collaboration, VPN, WiFi and enterprise security technologies?” And most importantly, do you “possess the ability to work without direct supervision or detailed direction?” If so, you might just be suitable for Apple’s latest and greatest job listing. The HR team in Cupertino is apparently looking for a Verizon iPad system engineer, primarily to work with Apple’s sales team and legions of business partners in order to “drive the adoption of iPad in enterprise accounts.” What’s interesting is the Verizon angle; if Apple simply wanted nondescript iPads in Corporate America, why hire someone familiar with Big Red? Moreover, this certainly says something about Apple’s relationship with Verizon — namely, that it’s growing, and we’re guessing that the pleasantries will eventually extend far beyond a tablet. So yeah, it’s no real shocker that Apple and Verizon are in cahoots on some level, but this kind of invitation usually comes with one or two undercover intentions. Any upstanding gentleman attached to his better half would understand.

Apple job listing calls for Verizon iPad engineer, hints at a lot more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hold your horses, Bubsy. While it looked like there were but a few Is to dot and Ts to cross before Comcast’s takeover of NBC Universal was official, folks in high places are now shaking their heads at a recent decision by the carrier. As the story goes, Comcast and NBC Universal are still in talks with the government over the proposed takeover, and it seems that a few wires were crossed in recent days; Comcast decided to announce a new management slate for NBC Universal just a few days ago, despite the fact that the takeover hasn’t actually been green-lit. According to an inside report over at The New York Times, one unnamed official in Washington had this to say: “For a deal this large, and one that hasn’t been approved, Comcast’s behavior is presumptuous and arrogant.” Of course, it’s not like this trigger-pulling in and of itself is reason for the whole deal to collapse, but it certainly won’t make things any easier on either company. So much for taking on those new roles (and accompanying raises) prior to Turkey Day, huh?

Regulators perturbed by Comcast’s executive reshuffling, NBC Universal takeover to blame originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tired of going at it alone, eh WiGig? The aforesaid Alliance has just teamed up with yet another organization — a mere six months after doing likewise with the Wi-Fi Alliance. For those unaware, WiGig’s 60GHz multi-gigabit technology has already begun to penetrate the higher-end AV market, particularly in devices that shoot 1080p from source-to-display sans cabling. But as we’ve seen, the adoption rate there isn’t anything to write home about, and it seems as if the entity is branching out in an effort to broaden its potential profit portfolio. The newest partnership is with VESA, and the most important aspect of it (from a consumer standpoint, anyway) is summed up here: the two will be working to create a certification program for wireless DisplayPort products. The goal, as you may imagine, is to create a new spate of products that’ll connect PCs and handhelds to monitors, projectors and HDTVs, all without wires and with gobs of bandwidth. Sadly, no time table is being revealed just yet, but we’ll be cautiously expecting a few prototypes at CES. Right, dudes?

Continue reading WiGig and VESA team up, promise wireless DisplayPort gear

WiGig and VESA team up, promise wireless DisplayPort gear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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