Tag Archives: ctia2012

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live from CTIA 2012!

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If you've been following all of the latest coverage from New Orleans at CTIA Wireless 2012, you may be anxious to hear what we have to say about the stuff we've seen. Fortunately, you'll get to enjoy a full crew of Engadget Mobileteers gathered around one single microphone, ranting and raving about whatever comes to mind. So join us for an impromptu Engadget Mobile Podcast, live in just a few minutes!

Featuring: Myriam Joire, Brad Molen, Sean Cooper, Joseph Volpe, Zachary Lutz, Terrence O'Brien

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live from CTIA 2012! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 00:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nyx Mobile Twist Connect hands-on

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Nyx Mobile Twist Connect hands-on

It's not often that we write about a feature phone, but we were charmed by the Twist Connect's unique design. The dual-SIM device prides itself on its integration with Nyx Messenger, social networks like Twitter and it's MP3-playing abilities. It's the music playing features that caught our attention. The whole bottom of the phone rotates, switching from a full QWERTY keyboard, to a set of dedicated music controls. In messaging mode the keypad is angled out on a chin to make typing easier, while keeping the screen in a better position for visibility -- it wasn't the greatest display, easily getting washed out at even slight angles under the conventions center's lights. Give it a twist (hence the name) and the keyboard gets stuck to the rear, exposing a pair of stereo speakers and a set of controls to raise and lower the volume, skip tracks and, of course, play and pause your tunes. Otherwise, the bulky and plasticky handset holds little allure, but we'll cheers Nyx Mobile for their special twist on the MP3 phone. Check out the gallery below for a few pics.

Gallery: Nyx Mobile Twist Connect hands-on

Nyx Mobile Twist Connect hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 23:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clarity Pal hands-on, a new phone for senior citizens

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Clarity Pal hands-on, a new phone for senior citizens

In a perfect world, your grandparents wouldn't need a lick of help getting the most out of a smartphone, but let's face it: the devices are complex, and if you don't have the proper motivation, they can be a bit difficult to learn. You've previously seen the C900 from Clarity, and tonight we stumbled upon its second generation of handsets for senior citizens known as the Pal.

Similar to the predecessor, the phone features a panic button on the back that'll call and text message up to five people in the case of an emergency. Other features consist of a backlit keypad that can read aloud the numbers that are pressed, along with a talking caller ID and up to 26dB of amplification for the earpiece. We received a quick demo of this last feature, and the volume was sufficient enough to cut through a noisy room while allowing us to hear everything that was said -- in other words, we have no doubt that the Clarity Pal will be perfectly suitable for those with moderate hearing impairment. The phone is compatible with GSM networks in the US and Canada, and for more ambitious seniors, it features SMS functionality and Bluetooth for pairing with Clarity's headset. Fortunately, the company has gone through a good amount of effort to refine and simplify the menu scheme, which is quite helpful for those wanting only the basics. The Clarity Pal will be available on May 28th through the company's website and will sell for $99. If you've got someone in your life who might need a simpler phone, take a peek at the gallery below.

Gallery: Hands-on with the Clarity Pal, a new phone for senior citizens

Sean Cooper contributed to this report

Clarity Pal hands-on, a new phone for senior citizens originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 22:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget interview: Mozilla Chief of Innovation Todd Simpson at CTIA 2012 (video)

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The Engadget interview: Mozilla Chief of Innovation Todd Simpson at CTIA 2012 (video)

Today at CTIA Wireless in New Orleans we got the chance to spend a few minutes with Todd Simpson, Chief of Innovation at Mozilla. We talked about the company's "pivot into mobile" -- more specifically Firefox for Android and Boot to Gecko -- and what it means for Mozilla's future. Is there a Firefox for Windows Phone in the works? Will Boot to Gecko migrate to other platforms, like laptops? We're not going to spoil the fun for you -- just watch our video interview.

Brad Molen contributed to this report.

The Engadget interview: Mozilla Chief of Innovation Todd Simpson at CTIA 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 21:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eyes-on with Jabra Supreme UC Bluetooth headset

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Coming next month from Jabra, you'll find the Supreme UC Bluetooth headset in its arsenal. In addition to featuring dual microphones for noise cancellation that'll benefit your friends, it also leverages a sizable 24mm speaker to incorporate noise cancellation on your end, too. As you'd hope, the Supreme UC is quite lightweight, and the microphone can even be folded to conserve space. We're told that its battery will give users up to six hours of talk time and between eight to fifteen hours of standby. The downside? It'll set you back $149. Then again, for those who care about the audio quality of their calls, it could be money well spent.

Gallery: Eyes-on with Jabra Supreme UC Bluetooth headset

Sean Cooper contributed to this report.

Check out our event hub to keep up with all the action at CTIA Wireless 2012!

Eyes-on with Jabra Supreme UC Bluetooth headset originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 21:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia City Lens augmented reality browser hands-on (video)

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It warms the heart to see Nokia's Beta-Labs delivering goods we actually want on our handsets -- and even more so when we really want the handsets themselves. Espoo's revered Lumia line has been treated to a new toy and it costs not one red cent: Nokia City Lens. Using an augmented reality browser, the user is offered a virtual view through walls and buildings of various points near you that can be browsed by categories such as food, nearby, sights or searched for with text. Better still, searching for AT&T WiFi will find access points nearby and all you then need to do is hoof it in the direction shown by the small icon on the display. Sound neat? We agree. Follow the break to see a video of it all in action then take your Lumia owning self on over to Beta-Labs to grab a copy.

Continue reading Nokia City Lens augmented reality browser hands-on (video)

Nokia City Lens augmented reality browser hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 21:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei 10-inch MediaPad hands-on (video)

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Sadly, when this gorgeous slab of glass and silicon was unveiled at MWC, Huawei wouldn't let us put our greasy hands on it -- and with good reason, the spectacular panel on the MediaPad 10 is a bit of a fingerprint magnet. But, we're happy to report that the company trotted out the goods for Pepcom's event at CTIA. We took the device for a pretty thorough spin and, despite being saddled with software still in the development stage, came away thoroughly impressed. The 10-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS display is one of the most gorgeous screens to ever grace a tablet. Sure, it's not quite "new" iPad levels of pixel density, but it certainly puts most of its potential competitors to shame. The primarily aluminum body feels great in the hand, striking a great balance between weight and a premium feel. At only 8.8mm thin it's no surprise that it comes in at just 13 ounces (roughly), all while packing a 6,600 mAh battery.

The in-house developed 1.5Ghz quad-core K3 Balong CPU inside is given a pretty decent workout by the rough built of Ice Cream Sandwich on board, that was mostly stock but had the sporadic OEM flourish such as different icons and keyboard. Most actions, such as playing back HD video and launching the browser were smooth enough, but we did notice the occasional stutter and pause. We took some time to put it through a few of our standard issue benchmarks, and turned up some mixed results. The 2,696.7ms it took to chug through the SunSpider benchmark left us standing around awkwardly at the Huawei table, while the 2,737 on Quadrant and 30.1 fps in NenaMark 2 were respectable, though not mind-blowing. But, again, we'll stress that this is still running a development version of the OS. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break for a full tour.

Gallery: Huawei Mediapad hands-on

Joseph Volpe contributed to this post.

Check out our event hub to keep up with the latest action from CTIA Wireless 2012!

Continue reading Huawei 10-inch MediaPad hands-on (video)

Huawei 10-inch MediaPad hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 20:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Energizer’s Universal Multi-Port and Portable chargers

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Hands-on with Energizer's Universal Multi-Port and Portable chargers

You know the drill: it's Friday night and your smartphone's battery is down to a mere three percent. Here's the twist, though -- if you had Energizer's Universal Multi-Port or Portable Smartphone Charger handy, it wouldn't be a problem. The company is preparing to unleash both of these products this fall, and we quite like 'em. The Universal Multi-Port Charger ($76) carries a 5,000mAh battery, packs two USB ports and is able to deliver a total of 15W output, which means -- yes -- it supports quick charging. Meanwhile, the Portable Smartphone Charger ($55) holds 2,500mAh in its reserves, though it only has one USB output and will deliver 5W max. Both products feature a very nice soft touch, satin-like finish and the cables feature magnets for simple management of the clutter. Curious to see more? Just check the gallery below.

Gallery: Hands-on with Energizer's Universal Multi-Port and Portable chargers

Sean Cooper contributed to this report

Hands-on with Energizer's Universal Multi-Port and Portable chargers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T small cell site pilot due between late 2012, 2013

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AT&T has been hinting for a while that it's getting closer to implementing small cell sites in its network, and at CTIA Wireless 2012 gave a stronger clue as to when and how the mini network hubs will operate. Executive technology VP John Donovan clarified to Reuters that a pilot is expected to start late this year and should run into 2013. If all runs smoothly, the below-tower-sized sites will be clipping on to lamp posts and other parts of the urban landscape to strengthen coverage in places where wide-area WiFi alone won't do. While Donovan didn't venture deep into the infrastructure at the trade show, Cisco had previously said that AT&T would be using sites incorporating 2G, 3G, 4G and WiFi when the provider did start experimenting with small cells. If so, there's a chance subscribers could get AT&T WiFi without having to turn to an airport, landmark or coffee shop.

AT&T small cell site pilot due between late 2012, 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 20:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plum Mobile lineup at CTIA 2012 hands-on

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Little-known Plum Mobile appeared at CTIA with the four dual SIM Android sets pictured above and the Might, a Galaxy Note twin we had a peek at a little earlier today. From the top left we have the Debut, which is a 7-in WVGA tablet -- that can be used as a phone -- with Android 2.2 powered by an 800MHz CPU, a 5-megapixel camera and a 4250mAh battery. Pricing for the Plum Debut is somewhere in the neighborhood of $180. The $90 Plum Capacity runs Android 2.2 with a 650MHz CPU, it also offers a 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, and comes in "several" color options. The Wicked 3G is a quadband GSM dualband 3G set with a 3 megapixel camera around back, personal hotspot, and a 2.8-inch resistive display. Rounding out the set is the Android 2.3 Plum Orbit, this $50 dollar set lacks 3G but does have a quadband GSM radio, a 2 megapixel camera and a 3.2-inch display.

All of Plum Mobile's sets are fairly low cost but the materials and build quality were decent. The Wicked 3G -- aside from having the best name of the group -- was somehow our favorite of the bunch. Sure it is pretty shiny plastic but the shape was just great to hang onto which is something of a rarity in our world of giant slabs. We doubt that we'll be seeing these phones in any brick and mortar stores on these shores, so we thought we'd treat you to some glossies of them all. Check the gallery just below.

Gallery: Plum Mobile lineup at CTIA hands-on

Zachary Lutz contributed to this report

Plum Mobile lineup at CTIA 2012 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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