T(ether) is a bit like that amazing Reality Fighters game we saw on the PS Vita, except it’s more tranquil and it works slightly differently. The tablet-based technology uses motion capture cameras to track users’ heads and the orientation of the device itself, building a 1:1 spatial connection between real and virtual coordinates and allowing “intuitive interaction with volumetric data.” As you’ll see in the clip after the break, this equates to some pretty neat tricks. And, if you throw in multiple users wearing motion-tracked gloves, things get even more Eastside.

Continue reading Hey yo, T(ether) technology tracks rap gestures in 3D

Hey yo, T(ether) technology tracks rap gestures in 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been a long, weird and winding road, but it appears that the saga surrounding the leaked iPhone 4 prototype that got Gizmodo editor Jason Chen’s home raided is finally over. The two men accused of selling the device to Chen, Brian Hogan and Sage Wallower, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of theft of lost property. The two were sentenced to a year probation, 40 hours of public service and told to pay $250 in damages to Apple. The rest of the $5,000 they received for the prototype is theirs to keep. Through it all Chen and Gizmodo have escaped prosecution and, with the two who found and sold the device receiving barely a slap on the wrist, it looks like its time to close the book on this tale. Perhaps crime doesn’t pay, but it doesn’t appear to cost a whole heck of a lot either.

The saga of the leaked iPhone 4 prototype comes to an anticlimactic end originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pandigital hasn’t made much of an effort to swathe its Supernova tab in mystery. When the 8-inch LCD slate swept through the FCC earlier this summer, we were privy not only to images of the device and its internals, but also to the apps that’d be pre-loaded on purchase — GetJar and Barnes & Noble’s Nook app amongst others. So, what can you expect for $230 when it lands this month? Well, the company’s forsaken Honeycomb for the soon-to-be outclassed Gingerbread OS, tossed in a single-core 1GHz A8 processor, 4GB of storage (expandable to 32GB via microSD slot), WiFi and Bluetooth. It’s a cheap, me too Android tablet entry, for sure. And with the recent outing of a certain budget-priced, ecosystem-friendly tab, we might suggest you hold off for the higher-specced goods. Official PR after the break.

Continue reading Pandigital Supernova available mid-October for $230, is an eReader in Android tablet disguise

Pandigital Supernova available mid-October for $230, is an eReader in Android tablet disguise originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Swedish-designed Penclic Mouse has already been making the rounds in Europe for a little while, but it looks like it’s now finally ready to make the jump to North America. While there’s still no firm word on pricing or availability, Prestige International has confirmed that it will be bringing the device to both the US and Canada, where it will be available at Best Buy, Walmart and other major retailers. As you can probably surmise, the device itself is quite literally a combination pen / mouse (the two pieces remain attached), which the company says provides a “relaxed working position and advanced precision.” As in Europe, the device will be available in both wired and wireless versions, and it’s Mac and PC compatible. Check out the gallery below for a closer look.

Continue reading Penclic Mouse pointing device set to roll out in US and Canada

Penclic Mouse pointing device set to roll out in US and Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pantech Breakout shows its darling face in the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 06:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did you splash out extra on the LTE version of Verizon’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 only to suffer the indescribable horrors of an unstable 4G connection? Then listen up: an OTA update including “enhanced data connectivity” is in the works that could be just the fix you need. It also promises a bevy of smaller improvements, including making the device recognizable to your Mac, zapping some EAS email bugs and adding data roaming alerts. There’s unfortunately no sign of the TouchWiz upgrade that has already graced the WiFi version, and no Honeycomb 3.2 either, but if everything happened all at once there’d be nothing left to live for.

Verizon preps update for LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1, promises ‘enhanced data’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Official Android updates

• Verizon was spitting out new refreshes left and right this week, as we saw Gingerbread begin to roll out as OTA downloads on the Motorola Droid 3, HTC Droid Incredible, and — get this — even the Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 edition. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
• Interestingly enough, Android 2.3 for the Droid 2 Global was already getting pushed out, but was pulled just a couple days later after a Microsoft Exchange encryption issue was discovered. We’ve been told the updates will resume “soon.” [via Droid-Life]
• Finally, Verizon also pushed out one other software upgrade — this time on its 4510L LTE MiFi. (Thanks, Matt)
• HTC continues to expand its bootloader unlock tool to more phones, region by region. This week the company enabled support for the EVO 3D in Canada and Europe. [via Phandroid]

Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery

• The Motorola Droid 3 and Droid X both now have access to an SBF — System Boot File — to act as a safeguard for anyone who manages to brick their phones. [via Droid-Life (1) and (2)]
• Recently we heard about the Honeycomb ROM for the HTC Flyer getting leaked by MoDaCo, but no screenshots were available at the time. This week, however, someone successfully grabbed a few images to share with the world (shown in the above image). The ROM appears to run on Android 3.2 with HTC Sense 1.1 for tablets as the featured UI. [via AndroidBugle -- thanks, Dennis]
• Let’s talk a little more about leaked Sense ROMs. We’ve already seen Sense 3.5 working on the Desire HD, and now we have another device to add to the list: the EVO 4G. [via XDA]
• The first kernel for unlocked bootloaders on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is now waiting for your download, so head over to the link for instructions. [via XDA]
• If you’ve been waiting and hoping for CyanogenMod 7 on your HTC Sensation or EVO 3D so you can shed the Sense UI, that time may be very close at hand. According to a member of the CyanogenMod team, an early alpha build for both devices may be available by the end of this weekend, so keep an eye out. [via Phandroid]

Other platforms

• Two new unofficial ROMs — one for Windows Phone Mango and another for NoDo –are now available for the Samsung Omnia 7. The Mango ROM improves the device’s radio, camera drivers and motion sensors, in addition to a few other enhancements. [via WPCentral]

Refreshes already covered this week

• Vizio rolls out Tablet software update, promises performance boosts aplenty

Refresh Roundup: week of September 5, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whoever got a hold of this device over at MaxPDA seems to think it’s the BlackBerry Bold 9980. We’re more inclined to believe it’s a prototype of the still reasonably fresh 9900, given that it sports the same battery as well as the same layout for ports, sensors and buttons. But who knows, it could also just be an elaborate KIRF. Whatever it is though, it sure is interesting looking (to put it politely). It’s boxy, sports sharp lines, an out-of-character silver front and a black, textured back plate. Oddest of all though, is the word “proceeding” emblazoned in large letters across the top of the device. We’ve got one more pic after the break but, if that doesn’t quench your thirst, there’s tons more at the source link.

Continue reading Mysterious BlackBerry surfaces on forum, possibly 9900 prototype

Mysterious BlackBerry surfaces on forum, possibly 9900 prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 07:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You may have suspected that something was up after Viewsonic failed to meet its promised “early Q2″ ship date for the Boxee-powered TV it showed off at CES, and you would have suspected correctly. GigaOM is now reporting that Viewsonic has indeed ditched its plans for the device, apparently due to a combination of high costs and a lack of interest in Smart TVs from customers. It is still keeping its options open for further down the road, however, noting that it will “stay involved with the various technology developments and consider them in the future as they become available.”

Viewsonic abandons plans for Boxee-powered TV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like Sammy’s prepping to bring one of its big Galaxy guns to AT&T’s 4G race. The mystery handset, bearing the model number SGH-i727 and FCC ID A3LSGHi727, just popped up on the Commission’s databases giving us a glimpse into its guts and bolts. While we can’t quite speculate as to the phone’s screen size, the filings do show it packing the orange-colored carrier’s 850 / 1900 WCDMA and HSPA bands, in addition to its particular brand of 700MHz LTE and (surprise) LTE AWS — you know, should that T-Mobile acquisition get pushed through. Of course, there’s the usual WiFi and Bluetooth mention in the docs, with the device powered by a 1500mAh battery. Could this be one of the OEM’s recently announced wunderkind Galaxy R devices, or just a 4G update to its premiere S series? We’ll keep an eagle eye out for this one’s inevitable in-the-wild debut.

Samsung i727 shows off at the FCC, confesses its AT&T LTE secrets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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