Nokia uses Lumia 900 as a hammer in a torture test, makes us wince (video)
As much as we're familiar with mobile device torture tests, they're normally inflicted by us or otherwise not-so-voluntary. Nokia, however, has stepped up to the plate and doled out the abuse to the Lumia 900 itself with a hammer and nail, all based on a wager that the Windows Phone's use of Gorilla Glass would hold up to Sonim-level punishment. The company's Chris Ruble and Mike Meyers (not that Mike Myers) used a Lumia 710 as a dry run before an on-camera demo that not only saw the 900 assaulted with the hammer, but used as a blunt instrument itself -- all without a crack or scratch. We imagine that other toughened-glass phones would survive the hit, and there's every possibility that smacking the polycarbonate plastic would leave more than a scuff mark. Nokia's test still proves that its pride and joy can withstand more than just a casual roughing up, and you can see the slightly cringe-inducing test in the video below.
Continue reading Nokia uses Lumia 900 as a hammer in a torture test, makes us wince (video)
Nokia uses Lumia 900 as a hammer in a torture test, makes us wince (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 04:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Alternative Wii U controller design makes brief appearance on Twitter, goes into hiding
Excited for Nintendo's new tablet-esque controller? So are the kids in TT Games' QA department. An over-excited tester tweeted out an image of a slightly different Wii U slab than the one we laid hands on at E3 2011, teasing "look we what we have at work!" Answering the call does indeed reveal something worth looking at -- a somewhat wider looking Wii U slate featuring two full-sized analog sticks (as opposed to 3DS-like circle pads), a pair of unmarked button-like squares, and a new starboard home for the controller's plus and minus buttons.
The tweet was summarily pulled, of course, but not before our friends at Joystiq nabbed a screenshot. Naturally, the rumor mill started right up, churning out speculation of developer specific slabs, early prototypes and late redesigns. The truth? We'll probably need to wait until E3 to find out, but we reached out to Nintendo for a comment all the same. We'll let you know if we hear anything more than the usual "Nintendo doesn't comment on rumors and speculation" line.
Alternative Wii U controller design makes brief appearance on Twitter, goes into hiding originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 02:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Ottawa’s Museum of Science and Technology Racy Exhibition Epitomizes Governments’ Wastefulness
To cut governments’ wasteful spending, we must force governments to develop plans yearly to lower their total budgets.
Microsoft patent application outlines system to recommend and transfer apps across devices
Ready for your latest tour through the dense and meandering wording of patent applications? Well, dig in, because it's Microsoft's turn to confuse lawyers the world over with this latest USPTO doc, submitted in November of 2010. The filing describes a computer-based program that would, essentially, analyze a primary device's installed applications, cross-reference it with a different device and then either migrate that software batch or suggest similar apps to download on a secondary unit. Sounds a lot like a potential Windows Phone Marketplace recommendation / app transfer engine to us, but what exactly Redmond intends to use this pending patent for is anyone's guess. As always, if you care to sacrifice a few minutes of your life to mind-numbing legal jargon, then by all means hit up the source link below.
Microsoft patent application outlines system to recommend and transfer apps across devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 22:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy S III for T-Mobile hits FCC, brings future-proofed HSPA+ for good measure
There's been hints of it coming as early as February, but we now have a smoking gun at the FCC: the Galaxy S III is coming to T-Mobile. A Samsung SGH-T999 has popped up at the agency sporting newly added 1,700MHz AWS support that's the telltale sign of a T-Mobile device, along with the T999 name itself (the T989 is the network's Galaxy S II). It also totes 850MHz and 1,900MHz WCDMA bands being used for HSPA+ data rather than just voice, a clue that the phone is ready for refarmed GSM spectrum. Just in case there was any remaining doubt, we've further spotted a related T999V entry at the Bluetooth SIG with a rather familiar-looking image as well as a Samsung-hosted T999 user agent profile on the web that matches what we know about the Android 4.0 hardware. We have yet to get a look at whether or not the T-Mobile version is any different on the outside, but with the FCC's help, there's not much left to know before the expected summer US launch.
Samsung Galaxy S III for T-Mobile hits FCC, brings future-proofed HSPA+ for good measure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 20:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Facebook Co-Founder Eduardo Saverin Bravely Renounces US Citizenship Ahead Of IPO
The original co-founder of Facebook is permanently relocating to Singapore shortly following Facebook's IPO
Apple, HTC ordered by judge to sit down, try and make nice on August 28th
There's a trend starting to emerge of judges wanting Apple to talk settlements with others rather than duke it out in the courtroom. Just two weeks after Apple and Samsung were steered towards talking about a potential deal, a Delaware court has ordered Apple and HTC to meet on August 28th in the hopes that they could shake hands and put an end to an increasingly hectic legal battle under the eyes of a mediating judge. Whether or not that happens is very much up in the air. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he's not a fan of lawsuits, but he hasn't showed indications that he would take them legal action off the table just yet. Likewise, HTC is no doubt eager to eliminate phone shipping delays stemming from Apple's court wins, but the lack of immediate pressure and the hopes of winning countersuits might lead it to hold off. Still, if the court's ideal vision of the world comes to pass, you could see HTC's Cher Wang shopping in an Apple Store without staff giving her the evil eye.
Apple, HTC ordered by judge to sit down, try and make nice on August 28th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM ET!
Tim and Brian are back in the same makeshift studio as last week. What sorts of shenanigans can we expect? A new couch, perhaps? Only one way to find out!
Continue reading The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM ET!
The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New Differences Between Anorexic and Obese Brains Discovered
Researchers have discovered new differences between the reward systems in anorexic brains vs. obese brains.
Dragon Racing Set To Abandon Lotus For Indy500 – Developing On Twitter
The concept of a group of truly competitive cars in a third engine offering seems to be disappearing.
T-rays produce 3Gbps short-range wireless, make WiFi pout in the corner
The last time we saw T-rays, they were busy scanning bodies for tumors and security threats. Six researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology are now aiming the terahertz-level frequencies at a less organic target: fast wireless. Running at 542GHz, a rate that makes 60GHz ultra wideband look pokey, the scientists are sending data through the ether at about 3Gbps. The speed isn't as fast as the 7Gbps peak of WiGig, and the bandwidth runs dry at just 33 feet away, but it comes out of a resonant tunneling diode measuring 0.04 square inches -- definitely small enough to fit into a smartphone. The speed could magnify using higher frequencies and power levels, too, with 100Gbps being the dream. Knowing that it can take years for academic papers to translate to real products, we're not holding our breath for T-ray routers anytime soon. Still, the technology could make wideband a realistic option for handhelds and put the mere 1.3Gbps of 802.11ac WiFi to shame.
[Thanks, Andrew. Image credit: Deborah Miller and Warren Scott, Connexions]
T-rays produce 3Gbps short-range wireless, make WiFi pout in the corner originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Flipboard brings the noise in NPR-ified app update, Britta will be pleased
Do you loathe the sound of silence? Check out the latest update to Flipboard, bro. The most recent update to the social app now includes an audio selection that'll pump out NPR podcasts and SoundCloud tracks, amongst a litany of others, at will. The update will also benefit the visually impaired, as it now includes VoiceOver features to enable it to read your social media offerings out loud. Hopefully those features will be included as standard when it makes a more, ahem, legitimate arrival on Android.
Continue reading Flipboard brings the noise in NPR-ified app update, Britta will be pleased
Flipboard brings the noise in NPR-ified app update, Britta will be pleased originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HTC "SuperPhones" Banned on Entering The U.S.?
HTC's One X And HTC Evo 4G LTE Cannot Be Sold In The U.S.?
