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It's no mere coincidence that folks have been able to pick up Brigades this week, because Verizon's chosen today to officially light up retail availability of its latest in the long-running G'zOne series from Casio. The landscape QWERTY clamshell features a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with video capture, microSD expansion, EV-DO Rev. A data, mil-spec 810F compliance for resistance to just about all the bad stuff you could possibly come in contact with during an average day, and a pair of displays: WQVGA on the inside paired with a 128 x 96 monochrome OLED up front. It runs $249.99 on contract after $50 rebate and it's available today, so start planning your next dusty, wet, cold, rocky activity where you can put this thing to the ultimate test.

Casio G'zOne Brigade now officially available on Verizon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It looks like T-Mobile's webConnect Rocket USB modem will be released right on schedule, even if you currently have to be in Philadelphia to enjoy those HSPA+ speeds (then again, if you're in Philadelphia you probably deserve a break). Accordingly, folks jumping on that March 14 release date can expect to pay $99 with a two-year contract that entitles you to monthly charges of $50 for 5GB or $20 for 200MB -- with a $0.20 / megabyte overage charge. Fun! Additionally, the kids at Mobile Burn got their hands on a unit for a review and were generally quite impressed with consistent download speeds ranging from 1780Kbps to 2797Kbps "on a couple of [DSLreports.com] East Coast servers." Hell, after moving to a location with "prime, perfect signal (-51dbm)" things picked up considerably, with, on average, 6480Kbps downloads and 2160Kbps uploads. Not bad, eh? Hit the source link to get into the nitty gritty. PR after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile webConnect Rocket available March 14, already blowing minds in Philly

T-Mobile webConnect Rocket available March 14, already blowing minds in Philly originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera's Mini 5 beta finally hit Android in the wee hours of this morning and, while writing about what it looks like is nice, we thought a little walk-through to demonstrate the impressive speed of the thing was worthwhile. So we have a short video for you below, with a comparison against the stock Android browser, plus some impressions of just how it is to use. So, click on through, won't you?

Continue reading Opera Mini 5 on Android mini review

Opera Mini 5 on Android mini review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android for Windows phones -- simple concept, simple enough installation, but awesome results. The good people behind the XDAndroid project have been working hard to allow you to get your Google juices flowing nice and freely on your WinMo device and the latest build looks to have all but completed the task. Demonstrated on a Touch Pro 2 -- a phone that recently got itself Ubuntu-ized -- the Android installation experiences no difficulty in making calls, sending SMS or email missives, or browsing the web. There are still limitations, mind you, with GPS, Bluetooth and "other key functions" not yet available, but for the most part you're looking at the full Android experience on devices that weren't initially meant for it. Check it out on video after the break or hit the source link for detailed instructions on how to load this up on your own phone.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading HTC Touch Pro 2 gets a new lease of Android life, loves it (video)

HTC Touch Pro 2 gets a new lease of Android life, loves it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whatever happened to that dreamy Line 6 / Apple tie-up? Who knows, right? While those two sort out their future behind the scenes, Paul Reed Smith Guitars is stepping up to take advantage of an obvious market opportunity. The newly announced Guitarbud is a simplistic accessory that allows axe slingers to jack their guitar into an iPhone or second-generation iPod touch, all while providing a headphone output in order to keep the noise making to yourself. We're told that the device works with pretty much any recording-supported app (even Apple's own Voice Memos), though PRS obviously recommends that you check out its JamApp guitar amp simulator / tuner / training tool. Best of all, it's available today for £29.95 (or $29.95 here in the States), putting you just a few yard mowings away from securing your own personal aural sanctuary. Too bad the reviews from early adopters aren't so promising...

PRS Guitarbud jacks your axe, ego into iPhone / iPod touch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alright, you ultrafast mobile broadband zealots, whip out your calendars and draw a big red tick around the middle of 2011. Verizon's CTO Anthony Melone has identified next summer as the carrier's release window for its first LTE handset, which should be preceded by the 4G service being rolled out by the end of this year. If you're wondering what you'll be using on that "faster than 3G" network while waiting for the vanguard handset, we saw plenty of LTE-equipped gear at CES and let's not forget about that 1080p-decodin' NVIDIA tablet that was teased during the show. The one bit of bogus news from Melone was the statement that contracts with "as much data as you can consume is the big issue that has to change." Verizon seems resolutely set on introducing some type of tiered or metered price plans, which is unfortunately the same path AT&T is headed down. The message from the networks is therefore clear: with great (downloading) power comes great (bill-paying) responsibility.

Verizon promises first 4G handset for next summer, foretells end of unlimited data plans originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia VP, David Rivas, was in San Francisco yesterday touting Symbian^3 improvements. While we've heard and seen plenty about Symbian Three's enhanced user experience already, it's still worthy of another look considering Symbian's dominant marketshare. Besides, David provides a very detailed look as he walks us though elements like the customizable (and more finger friendly) homescreens meant to provide quick access to call features and at-a-glance data. Rivas also reiterates speed improvement claims over existing S60 5th devices (about a 3x improvement in graphics performance) that should "very very pleasantly surprise" users. Naturally, a faster UI coupled with a Symbian device running on something better than ARM 11 will also help here -- Nokia's only Cortex A8 device is the N900 running Maemo, not Symbian. David takes a veiled shot at Microsoft's new WP7 platform when discussing Symbian's true multitaking capabilities without any "tricks" -- apps are actually running in the background, not just freezing their state until you return. Multitouch screen control on capacitive and resistive (really?) touchscreen displays with Cover Flow-like album art navigation? Yup, it's all in there, as are hundreds of usability improvements (and fewer nags!) that should bring Symbian^3 up to the level of what everyone expects from a modern smartphone, according to Rivas. In other words, we'll have to wait for S^4 on early 2011 devices to see any real innovation. While the live demo was run on a laptop, we suspect it won't be long until Nokia starts showing off its live OS on a production handset. Until then, check the video after the break -- it's all we've got.

[Thanks, Rafael C.]

Continue reading Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video)

Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Though its pure Java and BlackBerry counterparts had gone live late last year, Opera's Android version of the Opera Mini 5 beta has been missing in action -- until now. As far as we can tell, the new cut is a dead ringer for its cousins on other platforms, bringing all of 5's new features including the so-called "speed dial" bookmark browser, tabbing, and an integrated password manager. We've had just a little bit of time to check it out so far, and our initial impression is that it's wicked fast and renders just like you'd expect Opera Mini to, but the downside -- and this is a big one for Android users on newer devices -- is that it doesn't appear to support multitouch. The new version is available for download today.

Opera Mini 5 beta comes to Android originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey, who needs Flash anyway? Google's had dedicated YouTube apps available for both S60 and Windows Mobile for a solid year now, and today they've announced re-upped versions with a handful of new features that help 'em keep pace with their built-in Android and iPhone counterparts. The biggest change is the addition of support for your individual user account, meaning you can check your favorite videos, subscriptions, and playlists on the road. You've also got a new home screen layout that's supposedly optimized for larger screens -- a trend that's certainly picked up steam since these apps were initially introduced -- and search suggestions as you type (the suggestions for "engadget" are rather fascinating, by the way). Both versions are available for download now.

Google pushes YouTube app to version 2.4 for S60 and WinMo devices originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Motorola_s_Android_phones_to_use_Bing_search_in_China'; Uh, whoa. When we heard Google's threatened pullout of China had prompted Motorola to seek out an alternative search provider for its China-bound handsets, we can't say we were expecting a partnership with Microsoft to result. But here we are, staring at a press release announcing the Bing search and Maps will be the default on Moto's Chinese Android phones starting in Q1 -- and the partnership is described as "global," so there's a chance it could spread. That's just one more slap in Google's face from Moto, following the release of the Yahoo-powered AT&T Backflip -- and another step away from the tight relationship that produced the Droid. And does this mean Motorola might yet build a Windows Phone 7 Series device, despite a very public commitment to Android? We'd say Eric and Sanjay have some unresolved differences to work through.

Motorola partners with Microsoft, will use Bing search and maps on Chinese Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Before this fancy-sounding LU2300 that we've been hearing about rolls in, LG's got another Android-powered phone in mind for its domestic market -- but we would've never guessed it'd be a rehash of a tired model that's been sold internationally for several months now. Indeed, the KH5200 "Andro-1" is little more than a remix of the GW620 QWERTY slider -- a phone known as Eve to its Canadian buyers -- with a 3-inch HVGA display and 5 megapixel cam on board. It's said the phone could launch on KT as soon as next week for around 600,000 won ($531), but what might make it more palatable is chatter that they'll get the sucker down to a nice, round 0 won on plans of 45,000 won or higher. If true, that would make the Andro-1 KT's first free-on-contract smartphone, ushering in an exciting new era of indentured servitude for Korea's wireless subscribers. Welcome to the club, guys!

LG Andro-1 is a GW620 with a Korean keyboard, funnier name originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've been slipped some additional information on Motorola's imminent Android-powered i1 for iDEN networks today -- actually, one correction and one interesting note. First, the correction: we're now being told (by the same tipster as before) that it's actually got a 5 megapixel camera on board, a nice upgrade from the 3 we'd previously been told to expect. More interestingly, though, we're also hearing that Opera Mini has been tapped as the i1's default browser -- a move that Moto is more than welcome to make since this is a Blur-powered, non-"Google Experience" device. It's also a possible admission that third-party Android browsers are currently outperforming Google's own, something Microsoft has long dealt with on Windows Mobile as companies like HTC ultimately ended up bundling Opera Mobile with virtually every model they sold. So, Sprint Direct Connect and Boost Mobile customers, you getting excited about this thing or what?

Motorola i1 gets clearer: 5 megapixel cam, Opera Mini default browser? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unwilling or unable to wait for the next major trade show (CTIA in two weeks), LG showed off a king's ransom worth of new devices to a bunch of journos in the Netherlands this week; most of it appears to be pretty low-end fare, but there were a few notables in the lot. First up, the Cookie Music extends the Cookie brand with Dolby Mobile tech on board (something LG's been doing pretty frequently lately), a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a tweaked design that looks a little more futuristic than Cookies of old. Viewty was starting to feel like a forgotten marque, but not so -- we've now got a GT400 Viewty Smile here featuring a 5 megapixel cam and scratch-resistant display. As QWERTY dumbphones go, we'd thought that the GT350 was the KS360's true successor, but not so -- there's a new KS365 in the mix with revised styling but seemingly very little in the way of upgraded specs. The rest of the lot looks like pretty forgettable stuff -- and seeing how LG operates, they'll all be forgotten and replaced with revised models within a few months' time anyhow. You know, Circle of Life and all.

LG shows off Cookie Music, Viewty Smile, other goodies to Dutch press originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enthusiasts have had plenty to cheer about with the convergence of electronics and bicycling over the years, from bikes that pedal themselves to the various devices and apps that assist them with their training. And for those of us who just want to get from one place to another? Google Maps has added bicycling directions to its walking, car, and public transport options -- with travel times calculated to include things like the number of hills and fatigue over time. But that ain't all! The company has also partnered with Rails-to-Trails to provide information on bike trails in more than 150 cities. According to Google, thousands of miles of trails in the US have already been added to the map, with more to come. For the time being, however, only those planning trips in their home or office need apply: while available on the web, those using a Google Maps smartphone app are being excluded for the time being. So much for "mobile first," guys. Video after the break.

Continue reading Google Maps adds bicycle directions, turns out its nothing like 'Quicksilver'

Google Maps adds bicycle directions, turns out its nothing like 'Quicksilver' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, we'd already had a pretty clear indication that the HTC HD2 would be launching on T-Mobile on March 24th (or possibly the 23rd), and Laptop Magazine is now reporting that a "very close T-Mobile source" has confirmed that the 24th is indeed the date, and that the phone will run $199 on a two-year contract (or $449 off-contract). The March 23rd date that recently cropped up is apparently just the day the MobiTV software will go live. Just as notably, Laptop also says that it has confirmed that the phone won't be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7 Series -- although, at this point, we'll have to hear that first-hand to truly put an end to the speculation. Thankfully, that should happen in just a few days.

HTC HD2 said to be launching March 24th for $199, no Windows Phone 7 support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That certainly was a timely review, wasn't it? Dutch site Tweakers.net is reporting through a number of its forum members that previously ordered HTC Legends are being scheduled for delivery as early as today, beating the phone's announced early second quarter availability by a solid three weeks. That's great news for anyone comfortable sticking with a lower-res display and a middle-of-the-road processor in exchange for one of the slickest, most metallic shells on the market today -- but for those hoping for something a little more... ahem, Desire-able, the wait continues. And yes, we'd like to apologize profusely for that pun.

HTC Legend already trickling into customers' waiting hands? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/HTC_Legend_review_Engadget'; After four three flavors of the HTC Hero, the Taiwanese mobile giant has finally brought back the chin with an additional lick of aluminum and a similarly quirky name -- the Legend. If this alone isn't of much interest to you yet, just bear in mind that this is HTC's first Android 2.1 device with Sense UI. It didn't take much for us to fall in love with this Android phone at MWC -- HTC convinced us of its unibody toughness by banging it against the wall, and needless to say, the vibrant AMOLED screen caught our eyes, too. However, there are still some questions to be answered before we can decide whether the Legend lives up to its name, especially on battery life, wireless reception, camera quality and software performance. Unless there have been major tweaks, we'll try not to bore you with features already seen on the Hero -- so please, won't you join us?

Continue reading HTC Legend review

HTC Legend review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Target's announced it is launching a scannable mobile coupon program -- the first of its kind. The opt-in program will provides Target shoppers with a customized webpage on their mobile phones, with all offers scannable at checkout via a single barcode. Target's no stranger to innovative marketing -- its gift cards are well known for their cute, gadgety ways -- and while this new program is essentially a text message driven sale (meaning it could quickly become a mere annoyance), anything that minimizes our interactions with fellow humans gets our stamp of approval, so the ability to scan your own barcode at the register? Thumbs up. The full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Target launches first scannable mobile coupon program, frugalistas going wild

Target launches first scannable mobile coupon program, frugalistas going wild originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sci-fi movies often present us with omniscient villains who are able to track the most minute actions of their underlings and foes. Rarely do we get a glimpse into their surveillance systems, but you have to imagine that some of the more rudimentary "employee evaluation" hardware will not be too far off from KDDI's latest. The Japanese cellphone giant has unveiled a new system, built around accelerometers, that can detect the difference between a cleaner scrubbing or sweeping a floor and merely walking along it. Based on new analytical software, stored remotely, this should provide not only accurate positional information about workers, but also a detailed breakdown of their activities. The benefits touted include "central monitoring, "salesforce optimisation," and improvements in employee efficiency. We're guessing privacy concerns were filed away in a collateral damage folder somewhere.

KDDI concocts snooping mobile phones, line managers rub hands with glee originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guys, guys, look: unboxing is our job. We know it's fun and we know it brings eyeballs to your site, but we think your customers would be better served if you just concentrated on shipping the mighty X10 rather than teasing them with a product they can't yet have. Apparently, Sony Ericsson just took delivery of its first commercial samples of its inaugural Android device, so to kick off the occasion in style, a couple staffers have unboxed them in glorious high definition for us -- both the white and black versions, mind you -- using none other than their own Vivaz to maximize the meta factor. There's not a lot to the video, really (even the captions are disappointingly accurate), but if you're truly desperate for X10 eye candy as you wait for the retail launch, it's worth a gander. Full video after the break.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson X10 unboxed by -- who else -- Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson X10 unboxed by -- who else -- Sony Ericsson originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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