Continue reading Amped Wireless gives your WiFi 1.5-mile range: never lose signal in the garden again

Amped Wireless gives your WiFi 1.5-mile range: never lose signal in the garden again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Google made a big splash when it revealed plans to offer Chromebooks to enterprise and education customers under a subscription model. What’s not clear is how much of a splash it actually made in those markets. While the notion of paying a monthly fee for three years, instead of buying a machine up front sounds like a game changer, some people just like the comfort of the familiar. To that end Google is now offering those same customers the option to purchase a Chromebook (with a year of support included) in one lump sum — $449 for the WiFi model or $519 for the 3G to educational customers, while business are looking at $559 and $639 respectively. After that first year is through, customers have the option to sign up for a monthly support contract, at $5 a month for education and $13 a month for enterprise.

Chromebooks now available to enterprise and education customers with a pay-once option originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Christian, who seems to be into the idea of traveling sans wires. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I am looking for some AirPlay-enabled speakers that I can use to travel with. They should support 110 to 240 volt and have WiFi built-in so I don’t have to carry around an AP. Also, it would be cool if this WiFi could connect to the hotel network, if possible. Thanks!”

It’d also be cool if you share any relevant advice down in comments below. Cheers!

Ask Engadget: best AirPlay speakers for travel? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Here’s a little souvenir for Twitter addicts eyeing the upcoming PS Vita: at today’s debut event in Hong Kong, we got to see said console’s Twitter app in action for the very first time, and we were also fortunate enough to get some exclusive hands-on time with Sony’s in-house software. As you can see in our video after the break, the overall design feels very much in line with Twitter’s standard ID: the same shade of blue, the usual tabs on the left column, slick elastic scrolling in the timelines, and support for geotagging, hash tags plus photo attachment while tweeting. No surprises here, but hey, the app worked well for us.

That said, we were told that the app wasn’t quite finished yet, and Sony still couldn’t confirm whether this — along with the other dedicated apps like Skype, Foursquare and Facebook — will be ready for download by the time the Vita launches in Hong Kong on December 23rd (just a tad later than Japan’s launch on the 17th). In case you’re wondering, the Vita there will cost HK$2,280 (US$290) for the WiFi version and HK$2,780 (US$360) for the 3G flavor, both unsubsidized but cheaper than their Japanese counterparts. Of course, given that the console isn’t region-locked, feel free to go do some shopping in Hong Kong then — just save some for the locals, OK? Also, check out our gallery below for some close-up shots of the Vita’s music and video apps.

Continue reading PS Vita’s Twitter app shown off in Hong Kong, we go hands-on (video)

PS Vita’s Twitter app shown off in Hong Kong, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

PlayStation Vita is coming February 22nd, start saving now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Tired of seeing TouchPad Android demos that you can’t quite get your hands on? Buck up buttercup, CyanogenMod 7.1.0′s unique flavor of Gingerbread has finally made its way to HP’s disowned slate; but beware — they’re calling this one the “lower your expectations” edition for a reason. A new video and forum update belabors the point that the alpha is an early, buggy build that is not intended for the general public. However, if you’re brave enough to install CyanogenMod anyway, you’ll wind up with a neat assortment of usable features, including multiboot support, ten-point multitouch, functional WiFi, camera support for video chat, limited GPU acceleration and a ton of other features that are either working now, or are near completion. The team says there are too many nonfunctional features to properly list at the moment, but advise brave testers to expect app incompatibility and poorly optimized power consumption. Ready to throw caution to the wind? Hit the source link below, as it’s chock full of cautionary tales, installation instructions, and download links.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

CyanogenMod for TouchPad alpha released, is surprisingly functional (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Looking to harness all the power of your smartphone PC-style? Motorola is looking to help with its Lapdock 100 for a number of devices, including the Atrix 2, Photon 4G and Droid Bionic. The laptop shell sports a 10.1-inch screen (smaller and hopefully cheaper than the Atrix 4G’s axed lapdock), keyboard with dedicated Android keys, touchpad, multi-tasking and tabbed web-browsing via WiFi or your phone’s data plan. You’ll also be able to utilize a full Firefox browser, Adobe Flash, Quick Office, Google Docs and a PC-esque File Manager. Just in case your smartphone’s SD card doesn’t offer enough storage space, the dock packs two USB ports for all those extra documents you might collect. Looking to stay ultra-portable, the peripheral weighs a hair over two pounds (less than 1Kg) and touts five hours of battery life — which can also be used to recharge that tired handset if needed. If you’re looking to snatch up one of these bad boys, you’ll have to wait until October 17… and even then, it’ll only hit shelves at AT&T. Verizon and Sprint customers will get their chance “later this quarter” and there’s no word yet on pricing. Need more info? Hit that coverage link for product page and get yourself better acquainted.

Continue reading Lapdock 100 brings a Webtop IQ boost to Moto phones on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T

Lapdock 100 brings a Webtop IQ boost to Moto phones on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Doug, who seems pretty fed up with those troubling WiFi dead zones in his abode. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I have a Wireless-N router, but it had to go in the basement. As a result, there are a few areas that get little or no signal in my home. What can I do to fill those deadspots?”

So, networking gurus of the world — what’s your repeater setup like? We’re aiming for something simplistic, something that a consumer could toss together without having to hire the equivalent of a Geek Squad. Any swell repeater / router recommendations for a brother in need?

Ask Engadget: best WiFi repeater setup for killing wireless dead zones? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Just two months to go, and gamers of the Sony persuasion can get their thumbs-on the PS Vita. While we were getting comfy with the available list of this PSP successor’s dos and don’ts, out comes further info to rain on our anticipated PlayStation Suite parade. According to a report from ASCII, game downloads over 3G connections will be limited to a max of 20MB. What does that mean for you, prospective buyer? Well, kiss that 500 – 600 strong library of PSP titles goodbye, and say hello to a catalog of minis. Sure, you could always hook up to some decent WiFi to purchase and play those old favorites uninterrupted, but that kind of defeats this portable’s on-the-go design. Rest assured, this download cap could still change before the handheld launches in the US and UK. And anyway, you didn’t think you were going to get far on that three to five hour charge, now did you?

Sony PS Vita caps 3G downloads at 20MB, encourages extensive mini play originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

We waited nearly the entire summer for the Acer Iconia Tab A501 to break daylight. Now that it’s finally shone its uber-glossy face, we were anxious to see if the “4G” HSPA+ model is worth the extra coin (or two year ball-and-chain, should you go that route) over the standard A500. If you have little fear of commitment, signing the dotted line will get you one 16GB slate for $330 — plus the added cost of a capped data allowance or a pay-as-you go plan. Not down to hitch up to the contract wagon? Cool with us… but you’ll pay $150 more to get your hands on one of these. So is settling down for two of the Earth’s rotations with the same tablet a wise move? Are you better off sticking with the WiFi-only model? Read on to see what we discovered when we took the A501 for a spin.

Continue reading Acer Iconia Tab A501 for AT&T review

Acer Iconia Tab A501 for AT&T review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink