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- 4G LTE: Does long term evolution live up to the super speed hype?
- Swype 3.0 beta released: plays nice with Android Honeycomb tablets
- Why the HTC Desire Android 2.3 update was cancelled
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 to use Tegra 3 processor, powered by Windows 8?
- HP webOS cloud-based music service: an iCloud competitor is born
- Samsung Chromebook teardown shocker: materials alone are worth £196
- The history of 3D in five parts: Boom, bust and porn
- Ricky Gervais talks tech, new MacBook Air and Nokia beats Apple: Lunchtime Lowdown
- New MacBook Air rumoured: what do you want to see?
- HP NFC webOS tablets and phones planned
| 4G LTE: Does long term evolution live up to the super speed hype? Posted: 14 Jun 2011 09:52 AM PDT
In the US, Verizon Wireless has created the only nationwide 4G LTE network. T-Mobile USA and AT&T are planning a similar roll out, but for the time being rely on HSPA+ as their 4G technology. Meanwhile Sprint's 4G WiMax network was the first on the scene. In raw numbers, WiMax is theoretically capable of 70Mbit/s. In practice this largely depends on your proximity to the tower (>50 km) as well as the density or thickness of the building. In our experience, WiMax regularly delivers 6500kbps (6.35Mbit/s) down and 1100kbps (1.07Mbit/s) up — indoors with a strong signal. T-mobile's 21Mbit/s HSPA+ network scored even faster. Delivering download speeds between 5Mbit/s and 9Mbit/s. Upload speeds were similar to what we experienced with WiMax, hovering in the neighborhood of 1 to 1.25Mbit/s. While both WiMax and HSPA+ deliver great speeds, both pale in comparison to our 4G LTE tests.
In an average coverage zone with three of five bars, we consistently broke 11Mbit/s down and 6Mbit/s up. When we moved to full coverage those speeds doubled, jumping to 23Mbit/s down and 11Mbit/s up. These are the types of speeds we imagined when 4G became such a marketing buzz word. Without a doubt, 4G LTE delivers. The speed boost over EDGE, EVDO Rev A., and HSDPA is mind boggling. When compared to HSPA+ and WiMax, LTE stands alone as the fastest of the current "4G" technologies. Certainly there's room for improvement. T-Mobile is converting its 21Mbit/s HSPA+ network to 42Mbit/s, but at the same time LTE and WiMax will increase their own capacities. If there's one thing we've learned in our tests it's that no one stands still and if you want to ride the wave of the future, Long Term Evolution will get you there — faster than the competition. Related posts:
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| Swype 3.0 beta released: plays nice with Android Honeycomb tablets Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:30 AM PDT
Swype 3.0 beta supports both landscape and portrait mode in Android Honeycomb. In addition to sliding your fingers across the screen, letter can be tapped out individually to use the keyboard's predictive text function. Another nice touch is the keyboard can be resized much like the virtual keyboard found on webOS for the HP TouchPad. There’s also three positions to choose from: left, center, right. According to early reports, Swype 3.0 beta is running a bit slow on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. It's unclear whether this is a device specific issue or a bug affecting all Honeycomb tablets. Since the keyboard is in beta, we can't say we're shocked, but we still recommend signing up for the beta. The only way the team will be able to iron out the kinks in the armor is with user feedback. Out Now | Swype | Free Related posts:
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| Why the HTC Desire Android 2.3 update was cancelled Posted: 14 Jun 2011 07:58 AM PDT
Yeah, that’s not happening anymore. Here’s why.
HTC has just taken to its Facebook page to outline why it’s decided to bin an Android 2.3 update for the HTC Desire.
That sounds like a challenge to all the Android hackers out there – and in fact HTC fans are already posting links to YouTube videos with 2.3 running on the Desire in the comments of the post (one is embedded below). People have been putting Android 2.3 in one form or another on the HTC Desire since January, but it seems HTC’s custom launcher requires just too much processing power. Still, at least the HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z have been promised updates: fingers crossed HTC doesn’t renege on them. Out Never | £TBC | HTC Related posts:
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| Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 to use Tegra 3 processor, powered by Windows 8? Posted: 14 Jun 2011 07:45 AM PDT
The rumored Transformer 2 will be both lighter and thinner than the current model, possibly on par with the iPad 2. The shocker is that in addition to an Android version, Asus will reportedly offer a more expensive Transformer 2 running Windows 8. The premium price attached to the Windows 8 version is due to licensing the software from Microsoft. ITPortalPro believes the Transformer 2 will keep the same form factor as the original, but internally there will be a significant hardware upgrade. A quad core Tegra 3 processor clocked at 1 GHz and 3G connectivity are two upgrades they expected to see in the second generation slate. Coming Soon | Asus | TBD Related posts:
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| HP webOS cloud-based music service: an iCloud competitor is born Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:45 AM PDT
HP's webOS cloud service is not a one-trick pony, it will feature music, movies and TV show streaming. According to Billboard magazine, HP is in discussion with a number of record labels to bring their libraries to webOS devices. For now a release date on the HP webOS cloud service is unknown. We'd imagine it will take some time before the company can line up its ducks in a row. If we've learned one thing about the record industry in light of Apple's iCloud announcement, it's that deals take months — and more often than not, years. via TFTS Related posts:
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| Samsung Chromebook teardown shocker: materials alone are worth £196 Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:05 AM PDT
"The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is every bit a full-sized notebook PC," said Wayne Lam, senior analysts, competitive analysis, at IHS iSuppli. After hearing the components (other than the dual-core Atom processor) are typical of a standard laptop, the cost of the parts is a little easier to swallow — nearly £196 before factoring in the manufacturing cost. In the US, the Samsung Chromebook is available for pre-order with a retail price of $499 (£349). Factor in the manufacturing cost and each notebook is $334 (£204) to produce, leaving just $115 (£145) in profit. So how exactly did Samsung distribute the cost of the components? The single most expensive subsystem is the motherboard which represents 26 percent of the cost. This is due to the price of the 2GB DDR3 memory. Following behind in a close second is the 12.1-inch LCD display with LED backlight technology. Made in-house by Samsung, the display is able to achieve 300nit brightness and rightfully carriers 17.5 percent of the cost. The remaining components breakdown as follows: battery 14.5 percent, 3G wireless module 12.9 percent, keyboard/touchpad assembly 12.2 percent, solid state disk 8.4 percent, WiFi/web cam modules 5.4 percent and AC power adapter 3.1 percent. via DigiTimes Related posts:
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| The history of 3D in five parts: Boom, bust and porn Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:05 AM PDT
4. The second coming The 1960s and 70s saw new incarnations of 3D technology, such as Space-Vision 3D and Stereovision. The former printed two images over each other on a single strip, so only needed a single projector, doing away with some of the previous synchronisation issues. A film called The Bubble was the first to use it – it was panned by the critics, but the audiences loved the new 3D effect. Stereovision, meanwhile, squeezed two images side by side on one piece of 35mm film, using an anamorphic lens to widen the image using Polaroid filters. The Stewardesses, a softcore sex romp, was the first film made using the tech – it went on to gross over $27 million in the US, though whether that was down to the technology or the subject matter is open to debate. Despite these successes 3D in the cinema didn't get anywhere near its 1950s heyday, with third dimensional movies remaining a genre of their own. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, it found its biggest success in the IMAX theatres, with documentaries including Into the Deep and Wings and Courage. Potboilers like Jaws 3D, Friday the 13th Part III, and a short called Captain EO (starring Michael Jackson, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, shown only in Disney theme parks) helped put the nails in the mainstream 3D coffin. Related posts:
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| Ricky Gervais talks tech, new MacBook Air and Nokia beats Apple: Lunchtime Lowdown Posted: 14 Jun 2011 05:09 AM PDT
First up, we had an unusual exclusive: award winning comedian Ricky Gervais penned a post, telling us about his take on tech and some of the things he’s learned the hard way. On the Apple side of things meanwhile, the new MacBook Air rumours are really starting to heat up, while the company agreed to stump up to Nokia in its long-running licensing dispute. Finally, more rumours abound around those Amazon Android tablets. Apparently, they’ll lure you away from the iPad with the promise of free movie streaming. Nice. Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to ti all as it breaks. Related posts:
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| New MacBook Air rumoured: what do you want to see? Posted: 14 Jun 2011 03:35 AM PDT
Rumours about a new MacBook Air are hotting up. Taiwan’s Economic Daily claims today that Apple is set to start selling the new MacBook Air at the end of this month with 380,000 units ready to rock just in time for the arrival of Mac OS Lion. Other reports claim we could see the new MacBook Air drop tomorrow. All this chatter has got us wondering: what do you want to see in the next generation of the MacBook Air? While popping a Thunderbolt port in there seems certain to be at the top of Apple’s list, what else would tempt you to upgrade? We’d definitely like to see a backlit keyboard fitted in somehow. Hit the headline and head for the comments to share your ideas and we’ll round up the best suggestions. Out TBC | £TBC | Apple (via Reuters) Related posts:
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| HP NFC webOS tablets and phones planned Posted: 14 Jun 2011 03:03 AM PDT
With HP Veer out in the wild and the HP TouchPad on the horizon, HP is hard at work on its next generation of webOS tablets and phones and the rumours are starting to leak out. And they revolve around an ever more familiar term – NFC. Businessweek claims two sources have told it that the next generation of webOS devices will follow in the footsteps of the Google Nexus S and Google Wallet by adding NFC. It claims we could see the new devices before the end of this year…
HP apparently plans to create an entire ecosystem for users to receive coupons and other rewards directly from NFC-enabled ads. Quite how it will encourage retailers to sign up to its plans with Google Wallet vying for attention and Apple heavily rumoured to be working on iPhone 5 NFC plans is unclear. As with most of the NFC rumours doing the rounds, the problem for HP is getting all the partners together it would need to make such a system work. Google has the clout to make a stir and Apple clearly has a platform thanks to the App Store, iPad and iPhone. WebOS doesn’t quite have that clout right now. Out TBC | £TBC | HP (via Businessweek) Related posts:
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