The Hippest Phones » wireless

EVO 4G gets 802.11n WiFi by changing two lines of code

Sean Hollister — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:25:00 +0000

The EVO 4G has a lot of weight in the smartphone arena thanks to WiMAX and that 4.3-inch screen, but though its Broadcom BCM4329 silicon also technically supports 802.11n WiFi over 2.4GHz, the protocol was disabled for some reason. Thankfully it's just a matter of ten characters to enable greater throughput, as the fine folks at xda-developers recently discovered. Better yet, you don't even have to edit those characters yourself -- if your EVO's nice and rooted and the word "brick" doesn't inspire fear, you'll find instructions and flash-ready ZIP files at our source link.

EVO 4G gets 802.11n WiFi by changing two lines of code originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How-to: stay connected while traveling internationally

Darren Murph — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:02:00 +0000

It's a harsh reality that every avid traveler faces, and unless you're fortunate enough to have been born in a generation where you're not expected to check your inbox every half-hour, glance over Twitter updates every 7.23 ~~minutes~~ seconds and tell the world where you're at this very moment via Foursquare, you've probably found yourself wondering how on Earth you're going to remain connected once your swipe that passport and leave the comfy confines of a native network. Staying connected while traveling abroad is no easy task, and while the internet may feel ubiquitous to tech-savvy smartphone owners who remain planted within the borders of their home nation, the world wide web suddenly becomes a whole lot less easy to track down once you plop down on foreign soil. Looking to splurge on a little international travel this summer, but can't figure out how you're going to (affordably) upload those Twitpics and YouTube videos once you get there? Fret not, young jetsetter -- we've got the keys to keeping you connected whilst overseas just beyond the break.

Continue reading How-to: stay connected while traveling internationally

How-to: stay connected while traveling internationally originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile USA CEO Robert Dotson announces his departure

Laura June — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:09:00 +0000

It's been a really uproarious week for CEOs in the tech community -- and it looks like the fun is not quite over yet. Early this morning T-Mobile USA announced the departure of CEO Robert Dotson after 15 years with the company. His resignation will take effect in February of 2011, and he'll stay on the company's board until May, with former T-Mobile Deutschland CEO Philip Humm stepping in to fill his shoes. There aren't many other details available regarding the reason for his departure, but we'll keep our ear to the ground for you. The full press release follows.

Continue reading T-Mobile USA CEO Robert Dotson announces his departure

T-Mobile USA CEO Robert Dotson announces his departure originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 May 2010 12:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality

Vladislav Savov — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:04:00 +0000

And the good Froyo news just keep flowing in. TechCrunch have flexed their exclusive muscle this morning in revealing their discovery that Android 2.2 will come with built-in tethering and WiFi hotspot support. That means you'll be able to use your phone's 3G internet connection to hook your laptop up to the worldwide webosphere, with a choice of wired or wireless methods. Of course, this dreamy scenario will be subject to the big bad network operators permitting -- or at least not forbidding -- you to do such awesome things with your hardware, but at least we know the goods are being baked into this forthcoming release from Google. Frozen yogurt for all!

Android 2.2 'Froyo' to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC task force seeks to squash ‘bill shock,’ give you the 411 on impending overages

Darren Murph — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:33:00 +0000

Call us crazy, but it seems as if the FCC has been earning its keep of late, and the toiling continues today with an effort meant to address "bill shock." For those unaware, bill shock is a phenomena on par with bitter beer face in terms of significance, and it typically occurs when you accidentally roam internationally, text well beyond your monthly limit or burn through your minutes within the first week of your billing period. 'Course, some would argue that you -- as a functioning human being -- should keep tabs on how often you use your own mobile, but we wouldn't kvetch with a heads-up here and there so long as these alerts are cheap and easy to implement. As of today, the Consumer Task Force is listening for solutions, and while some carriers already ping you when you leave the country and are about to incur severe roaming charges, that practice is far from uniform. Too bad such a service would essentially nix your ability to play the ignorance card when you get back from that jaunt to Mexico, eh?

Continue reading FCC task force seeks to squash 'bill shock,' give you the 411 on impending overages

FCC task force seeks to squash 'bill shock,' give you the 411 on impending overages originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobilicity gets the green light from CRTC, looks to launch in Toronto soon

Darren Murph — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:32:00 +0000

Right on cue, the artist formerly known as DAVE Wireless has been given approval to begin operations in Canada. Just as we heard earlier in the year, Mobilicity is looking to add some much-needed competition in the mobile operator space up north, and as predicted, the CRTC has given the initial stamp of approval needed for it to move forward with business operations. The company has to make a few minor changes up the ladder in order to appease the Canadian overlords that regulate this stuff, but the outfit's top brass have stated that they have "no issues" whatsoever in complying. If all goes well, the carrier plans to start up service in Toronto before the summer swings in, with Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa to get covered later in the year. Here's hoping those blasted three-year contracts vanish for good, eh?

[Thanks, Adam]

Mobilicity gets the green light from CRTC, looks to launch in Toronto soon originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 May 2010 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft headset available for purchase

Dave Freeman — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:30:27 +0000

While we reviewed it a few weeks ago, Creative's World of Warcraft headset hasn't been available for purchase until today. Time to get your geek on!

Et tu, Nokia?

Scott Merrill — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:30:35 +0000

In the US we have a somewhat myopic view of cell phones. We have iPhones and Blackberrys and now Androids and Nexuses for smartphones, and a whole bunch of feature phones from manufacturers like LG and Motorola and Samsung. Notably absent from most wireless stores in the U.S. are Nokia, which is odd since Nokia owns more of the global cell phone market than its next three competitors combined. Part of this discrepancy is no doubt due to the market differences between U.S. carriers and wireless carriers in the rest of the world. But a large part of this can be explained by Nokia's sheer arrogance.

Wi-Fi school bus keeps kids quiet

Doug Aamoth — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:00:14 +0000

A school district in Arizona has outfitted one of its school buses with a $200 mobile 3G Wi-Fi router and $60-per-month access. And guess what? Instead of punching each other and yelling all the way to school, the kids quietly tap, tap, tap away on their laptops.

Review: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 Wireless Speaker System

Jimin Brelsford — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:00:09 +0000

The Short Version: You’ll be hard pressed to find a higher fidelity desktop audio rig than this. But the wireless capability is rather limited in its application, and the price runs a little high for a 2.1 system. Features: 2 satellite speakers and 1 subwoofer THX certified 2.4 GHz wireless transmitter Aux in / headphone out ports MSRP of $199.00 Pros: Excellent sound [...]

The InFocus DisplayLink Wireless system cuts the cord between Macs and InFocus projectors

Dave Freeman — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:30:09 +0000

One of the most frustrating things about using a projector is setting up all the cords. You have to connect the video, probably the audio (at least in a business setting) and get the whole thing up and running. If you have a Mac, life gets even more complicated due to the lack of an HDMI or DVI port, which is the industry standard for projectors. InFocus is fixing all that with their new DisplayLink wireless technology.

TDK announces wireless (Kleer) headphones

Serkan Toto — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:00:11 +0000

TDK's main business is producing not too sexy electronic materials and data-storage media, which means the company announcing [JP] new headphones today is a rare occasion. The TH-WR700, to be marketed under Imation's "TDK Life on Record" brand, are wireless headphones (2.4GHz) that are based on Kleer (not Bluetooth) technology.

Haier shows off wirelessly-powered TV

Doug Aamoth — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:00:30 +0000

The future will be wireless. That’s what they keep saying, anyway. And while smaller devices are relatively easy to charge inductively, this TV from Haier is actually being wirelessly powered altogether. The technology comes from MIT spinoff WiTricity, which specializes in “wireless electricity delivered over distance.”

Tivit promises to bring Mobile DTV to the iPhone and other WiFi-equipped mobile devices

Ross Miller — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:42:00 +0000

The Mobile DTV standard is official, sure, but the device selection at this point isn't what we'd call plentiful or even appealing -- so leave it to CES to attract a virtually unknown company with an attractive alternative. Dubbed Tivit, the pocketable box is a said to be a bit smaller and lighter than a deck of cards and claims to stream television to a number of WiFi-enabled devices, including Windows laptops, Motorola Android phones (no clue why other Android devices wouldn't be in the running here), WiFi-equipped BlackBerrys, and even iPhone 3G / third-gen iPod touch (software via related App Store download). One charge gets you three hours of reception, and while that $120 price tag isn't too terrible a fee for keeping the phone you like, when the dongle launches in Spring, it better hope the channel selection is more interesting. Press release after the break.

Continue reading Tivit promises to bring Mobile DTV to the iPhone and other WiFi-equipped mobile devices

Tivit promises to bring Mobile DTV to the iPhone and other WiFi-equipped mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Handheld PS3 device for fanbois to cuddle at night

Dave Freeman — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:30:43 +0000

So here's a somewhat interesting gadget. Instead of converting a PS3 into a hand-held device, a crafty modder named techknott built a custom transmitter. The transmitter allows a player to not only control their PS3 remotely, but also to view the output on a small video screen.

GSM call encryption code cracked, published for the whole world to see

Vladislav Savov — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:18:00 +0000

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/security/GSM_call_encryption_code_cracked_published_for_the_world'; Did you know that the vast majority of calls carried out on the 3.5 billion GSM connections in the world today are protected by a 21-year old 64-bit encryption algorithm? You should now, given that the A5/1 privacy algorithm, devised in 1988, has been deciphered by German computer engineer Karsten Nohl and published as a torrent for fellow code cracking enthusiasts and less benevolent forces to exploit. Worryingly, Karsten and his crew of merry men obtained the binary codes by simple brute force -- they fed enough random strings of numbers in to effectively guess the password. The GSM Association -- which has had a 128-bit A5/3 key available since 2007, but found little takeup from operators -- has responded by having a whinge about Mr. Nohl's intentions and stating that operators could just modify the existing code to re-secure their networks. Right, only a modified 64-bit code is just as vulnerable to cracking as the one that just got cracked. It's important to note that simply having the code is not in itself enough to eavesdrop on a call, as the cracker would be faced with just a vast stream of digital communications -- but Karsten comes back to reassure us that intercepting software is already available in customizable open source varieties. So don't be like Tiger, keep your truly private conversations off the airwaves, at least for a while.

GSM call encryption code cracked, published for the whole world to see originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TeliaSonera launches world’s first LTE network, awaits phones eagerly

Vladislav Savov — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:14:00 +0000

TeliaSonera has today flicked on the green light for its LTE networks in Stockholm and Oslo, officially starting the countdown for LTE-enabled phones. For the moment, keen mobile webstronauts will only be able to hook up their laptop or other USB-equipped device via the Samsung-provided 4G modem, but 100Mbps download speeds on the world's first commercial LTE network are still nothing to sniff at. This rollout is in fact slightly ahead of schedule, and the other major cities in Sweden and Norway are likely to soon get treated similarly well, while TeliaSonera makes a point to mention it has a license to do similar damage to Finland's 3G operators. The US might not be too far behind, either, given that the modem in use in Scandinavia recently cleared the FCC. Now if only we had phones that could ride these massive waves we'd be all set.

TeliaSonera launches world's first LTE network, awaits phones eagerly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC starts up white spaces database, devices now inevitable

Vladislav Savov — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:06:00 +0000

White space devices seem likely to play a major part in the FCC's solution to the wireless spectrum crisis. Operating in the buffers between frequencies used by television broadcasts, these devices will be able to exploit TV's airspace without interfering with the incumbent users' traffic. The unlicensed utilization of white spaces has been approved going on for a year now, but really important government stuff has gotten in the way of making that vote a reality. It was only recently that Claudville, Virginia got the very first such network, and initial results show that it hasn't disrupted any of the fine, fine programming percolating the local airwaves. The only issue we see is that your WSD will need to be capable of both identifying its own position by GPS and hooking up to the database to find out what bands it may use, but then it's not like anyone sells smartphones without these capabilities nowadays, is it?

FCC starts up white spaces database, devices now inevitable originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blinking LEDs to give QR codes a run for their (ad) money

Darren Murph — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:59:00 +0000

We're still waiting for this so-called QR code revolution to hit North America, but our contemporaries across the Pacific are already looking to develop the next big thing. Reportedly, a smattering of mega-corps (including the likes of Toshiba and NEC) are joining hands in order to concoct a rivaling technology that requires even less effort to get content from billboards, books and posters to one's mobile. The heretofore unnamed system utilizes blinking LEDs to send data to phones, and so long as an ad has enough room for a minuscule light, consumers can come within five meters of it and receive the associated information by simply pointing their handset in the direction of the light. If all goes well, the technology will be ready for commercialization by 2013, or just after phase one of the Robot Apocalypse.

Blinking LEDs to give QR codes a run for their (ad) money originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung pays Qualcomm $1.3 billion to secure wireless licenses

Vladislav Savov — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:11:00 +0000

Filed under: Samsung, CDMA

Samsung and Qualcomm have wrapped up a cross-licensing deal with ten figures of US currency in it, which will permit the Korean giant to continue producing 3G- and 4G-enabled wireless devices for the next 15 years. In exchange, Samsung is letting Qualcomm make use of its own 57 patents on mobile technology and splashing out a further $1.3 billion as a down payment. Further royalty payments are involved, but not detailed, but just as a reference point, that's more than the new Dallas Cowboys stadium and its ultra-huge scoreboard cost to build. The move is a renewal of the two companies' current arrangement and Samsung has boldly claimed the terms of the new contract are more favorable to it, but we get the feeling the champagne will be flowing in San Diego this week.

[Via MobileTechWorld]

Samsung pays Qualcomm $1.3 billion to secure wireless licenses originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon jumps on prepaid data bandwagon

Doug Aamoth — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Oh pretty netbook lady, you go about your daily life with your face buried in the goings-on of your hectic corporate lifestyle, unwilling to avert your gaze from the tiny 10.1-inch screen that dictates your graceful movements for even a mere moment in time.

Klipsch ProMedia speakers rock the wireless

Dave Freeman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:30:27 +0000

Klipsch announced their new ProMedia 2.1 speakers today. Designed for use with a laptop system in mind, these THX-certified speakers are ~~totally~~ mostly wireless.

Nintendo considering adding Kindle-like wireless access to future DS

Nicholas Deleon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Amazon Kindle the first device to launch with built-in wireless (that is, cellular data) access? You know, you pay for the device, and then you don't have to pay monthly wireless access because it's already included in the cost of the device? It's pretty neat, I think I can say without too much grief, and is a model that's been copied by other e-book readers. Now it looks like Nintendo is considering such a model for future versions of the Nintendo DS (and not necessarily the XL, mind you). Exciting!

Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10

Darren Murph — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Filed under: Peripherals, Sprint, EV-DO, CDMA, WiMAX

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? Or better yet, when a leaked roadmap doesn't get delayed in the slightest? After months upon months of waiting, broadband-lovin' citizens in the North Carolina Triangle and Triad will be celebrating alongside DFW residents and Chicago natives as Sprint's 4G WiMAX service rolls into town. As of right now (that's today, junior), consumers in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Charlotte, NC; Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas and Chicago, Illinois can roll into a Sprint store and snag a U300 3G / 4G WWAN modem on a $69.99 monthly data plan. We're told that San Antonio and Austin will get lit up later this month, while Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Oregon and Seattle, Washington will join the fray before 2010. Oh, and did we mention that Palm's favorite carrier finally snagged itself a WWAN-equipped netbook? 'Cause the Dell Mini 10 is available starting today for $199.99 at select Sprint stores in the metropolitan Baltimore area.

Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triangle
Read - Sprint WiMAX in the Triad
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Charlotte, NC
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
Read - Sprint WiMAX in Chicago, IL
Read - Sprint's first netbook is Dell Mini 10

Sprint lights up WiMAX in NC, Chicago and Dallas, launches subsidized Mini 10 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung and TeliaSonera bringing LTE to vikings in 2010

Vladislav Savov — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:06:00 +0000

Filed under: Peripherals, Samsung, LTE

Scandinavian folks tend to be a pretty cheerful bunch during the summer, and now Swedes and Norwegians will have reason to smile through the cold dark winters as well, with Samsung announcing an agreement to provide TeliaSonera with "mobile broadband devices for commercial service next year." This agreement relates to Sammy's Kalmia 4G USB modem and adds to the Swedish operator's LTE push, which already counts Ericsson and Huawei among the contracted hardware providers. So that's 100Mbps mobile broadband, coming to a snow-covered nation near you within the next dozen months or so. All we would ask of our viking friends now is that they remember their world-conquering ways of the past and start spreading that goodness globally. Come on, it's our right! Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Samsung and TeliaSonera bringing LTE to vikings in 2010

Samsung and TeliaSonera bringing LTE to vikings in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Buy announces the launch of Rocketfish Rocketboost

Dave Freeman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:30:55 +0000

No, it's not a new type of pet disposal system, it's a wireless whole house audio delivery system. Rocketfish takes the audio output from your device, and the transmits it to the strategically placed speakers throughout your home.

Bose hops on the wireless streaming bandwagon

Jimin Brelsford — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:45:50 +0000

Wireless has always been the new exciting thing in consumer electronics. Remote controls, game console controllers, Sony's <a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/05/sony-develops-cord-free-power-transfer-system-for-home-electronics/"wireless power transfer, and now Bose is getting in on the action. The latest in their Wave System series, SoundLink allows you to stream audio to the unit from your computer.

Tiny $80 travel router does wireless N

Doug Aamoth — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Take it from me: a good, inexpensive, small travel router is hard to find. This $80 pocket-sized wireless N-compatible router may be just what the doctor ordered, assuming your doctor is progressive enough to write you prescriptions for computer peripherals.

TENQA rolls out three new Bluetooth audio devices

Dave Freeman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:00:34 +0000

Bluetooth is a really versatile technology, and despite the fact that it has been out for years, we're still seeing new stuff come out that uses it. That's where this latest example comes in from TENQA.

Toshiba announces universal wireless docking station

Dave Freeman — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:30:41 +0000

Toshiba announced a new wireless docking port station. It's designed to provide a connection to a full size keyboard, mouse, and monitor, docking stations previously required users to physically place their laptop or notebook computer on a connection.