Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone hands-on

Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone handson

Sure, you've been tempted to strap your iPhone to that ski helmet for a homemade action cam solution, but ultimately, you respect Apple's warranty, as limited as it may be. Mophie's new Outride ruggedized case equips your fragile smartphone with a ruggedized shell, protecting the device while also serving as a helmet / bicycle / flat-surface mount. The thick plastic case includes a raised lens module, and is available in both water-resistant and above ground flavors. That first version is still undergoing testing, according to Mophie reps, so we don't know just how far it can dunk with letting down its guard to condensation, but we do know that it will retail for $149. A land-only version will also be available for $129, and unlike the sealed model, your iPhone's display will still be exposed, giving you full access to the device. Both cases include a dedicated shutter release, which works in camera mode, letting you snap away under the sea. They also ship with a trio of mounts for your helmet, handle bars or a flat surface. Catch a closer look at Outride in the gallery below.

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Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola’s latest ITC complaint against Apple targets newer iOS devices and Macs, messaging and sync

iPhone 4S and Motorola

Motorola filed its most recent ITC complaint against Apple so late into last week that the court system couldn't immediately provide more details; we're only just seeing documents now that the weekend is over. As it stands, the case involves seven patents that mostly touch on staple technologies of the modern mobile world, such as syncing messages between devices and bookmarking media playback on one device to resume on another. Does that last technique sound familiar? You might recall it being a cornerstone of the movie and podcast support that Apple has implemented since 2005. Despite reaching that far back into history, Motorola is just as eager to modernize the targeted hardware list to keep its complaints relevant -- the current iPad, the iPhone 4S and other devices are at risk of a trade ban, posing more of a threat to Apple's bottom line than the dust-covered (and near-finished) initial legal challenge from October 2010. Before coming to any conclusions, though, remember that the newer complaint isn't likely to have any speedy resolution of its own. Past ITC cases have usually taken a year and a half to complete, which could leave most or all of today's technology as another distant memory.

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Motorola's latest ITC complaint against Apple targets newer iOS devices and Macs, messaging and sync originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple reportedly price matching iPhone discounts from carriers and other retailers

Apple reportedly price matching iPhone discounts from carriers and other retailers

According to a leaked screengrab hosted up at MacRumors, Apple retail shops now have the authority to price match carrier and rival retail discounts on iPhone. Specifically, the note informs employees that prices from Best Buy, "carriers," Radio Shack and Target can be matched, with $49.01 seeming to be the savings across the board. Curiously, places like Wirefly, Amazon, Negri Electronics and even Walmart aren't mentioned, so we wouldn't recommend trying to work the price down based on ads seen from any of those. The note also mentions the iPhone 4 and 4S exclusively, and we're fairly sure this sort of goodwill won't ever been applied to iPad, Mac hardware or pretty much any other Apple kit. Of course, crazier things have happened. We've reached out to Apple for comment, and will update this article should it choose to reply.

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Apple reportedly price matching iPhone discounts from carriers and other retailers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: smartphones

Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're tapping away on our brand-new smartphones -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here!

Engadget's back to school guide 2012 smartphones

It's a good time to be a student. Last year, there were some solid picks, but it was still very clear that those willing to scrimp and save a little longer had a much better experience. This year, it's a people's revolution. Thanks to cutthroat competition, there are some exceptional phones out there, even for those of you hoping to avoid eating ramen noodles for a month. Software has taken a leap forward too, with many phones now offering a vital way to remember when that term paper is due... or to procrastinate at the pub. We have nine choices of phones in our shortlist, spread out across three categories to serve everyone from the I-just-need-a-phone freshman to the overloaded doctoral candidate. While you're eying the selection, don't forget to enter our giveaway and potentially ease the burden -- who knows, you may get a phone you want rather than the one dictated by your student loan.

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Engadget's back to school guide 2012: smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redesigned Digg iOS app downloads stories before you leave the house

Digg iOS app gets redesigned, downloads stories before you leave the house

Launching alongside the monochrome hues of Digg's site redesign, its iOS app has been given a similarly-colored treatment. The update is available to download now and adds several mobile-centric features, including offline reading. Under new ownership, Digg's renovated app plays nice with both Facebook and Twitter, while a new 'Paperboy' feature will detect when you're at home (once calibrated) and help ensure you never leave the front door with old news. However, you'll have to be willing to hook up your Facebook account to bookmark and share between your phone and the standalone homepage. There's also no sign of a corresponding Android version just yet, but you can take the iOS app (and the refreshed site) for a spin at the sources below.

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Redesigned Digg iOS app downloads stories before you leave the house originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 08:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple reveals ‘Purple’ phone prototype in court filing, to prove it didn’t copy Sony

Apple reveals 'Purple' phone prototype in court filing, predates Sonyesque design

The previous batch of sketches revealed during Apple v Samsung suggested the iPhone may have actually borrowed ideas from Sony, but a new filing goes back even further into history to show that's not the case. The Verge spotted that the latest raft of paperwork includes a "Purple" prototype [above left] that was made around August 2005 and bears several hallmarks of the iPhone that finally appeared. The Sony-styled prototypes came later, and were apparently just an "enjoyable side project." AllThingsD has also drawn together around 100 prototypes from Apple's deposition, which offers some interesting insights into what the iPhone could have looked like.

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Apple reveals 'Purple' phone prototype in court filing, to prove it didn't copy Sony originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 02:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple v. Samsung court filings reveal Sony-inspired iPhone, kickstand-equipped iPad and other prototypes

There's no telling how much more we'll see once the big Apple vs. Samsung trial finally gets underway in a San Jose federal court next week, but today has already seen the release of a swath of new documents full of surprises. Most notably, that includes a range of previously unseen Apple prototype devices, including various renderings of both the iPhone and iPad. One standout is an iPhone 4-esque device that quite literally wears its Sony influence on its sleeve (in one instance with the logo changed to "Jony," a la Apple's Jony Ive). According to the filing, it was designed by Apple's Shin Nishibori, and was apparently up against another more metallic, iPod-style device at one point (ultimately winning out despite some protestation).

But those are far from the only iPhone prototypes that have been revealed. There's also an elongated device identified by the codename N90, seemingly with a small screen and space for a keypad or input area of some sort below, plus a device with squared off corners somewhat reminiscent of the Motorola Photon 4G. Another prototype goes in the opposite direction, with sharp corners and a slightly rounded back. As for the iPad, we've gotten a look at some more recent prototypes than the early 2000-era model that surfaced earlier this month. While there's no stylus in sight, there are a couple of iPad prototypes with kickstands built into the back of the device, and a number of considerably different designs than what Apple ultimately settled on. Dive into the galleries below for a closer look at the whole lot.

Michael Gorman contributed to this report.

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Apple v. Samsung court filings reveal Sony-inspired iPhone, kickstand-equipped iPad and other prototypes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater

iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater

Not quite ready to leave wandering the briny depths up to robots, but still crave some undersea tech? The freshly released iGills Smart Diving System can help. With a polycarbonate housing and free companion app, the setup turns your iPhone into a fully featured recreational dive computer and logbook that can plunge up to 130 feet into the drink. Once connected to the waterproof case's 30-pin dock, handsets gain access to depth and temperature sensors in addition to six buttons for in-app navigation. Not only does the software provide vital dive information, it also allows users to take stills and videos of their underwater excursions through a glass camera port. If you're pining for an iOS-assisted diving experience, the iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S-compatible rig will set you back $330. Check out a quick clip of the accessory, complete with requisite rock music, after the break.

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iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FreedomPop jumping from WiMAX to LTE by year’s end, iPhone sleeves intact

FreedomPop

Followers of FreedomPop's saga have seen the fledgling data-only provider make a few audacious claims: providing free bandwidth, for one, and basing its 4G device lineup as much on iPhone sleeve cases as on traditional access points. Add another one to the list -- the MVNO is planning to switch from Clearwire's WiMAX network to Sprint's LTE before 2012 is over. While FreedomPop is still planning to go forward with WiMAX for the initial deployment, it's now looking to use tri-mode EV-DO, LTE and WiMAX modems and phone cases just months later. We'll see if that leads to existing iPhone 4 and 4S owners getting an LTE fix without having to spring for a new phone; marketing VP Tony Miller wouldn't tell GigaOM more. Either way, it's a mixed blessing for data addicts that might find themselves crashing that much faster through the 500MB regular cap on free data.

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FreedomPop jumping from WiMAX to LTE by year's end, iPhone sleeves intact originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Noise Free Wireless alleges Apple is tone deaf over sound reduction patent, files lawsuit to match

Noise Free Wireless alleges Apple is tone deaf over noise reduction patent, files lawsuit to match

Apple faces litigation claiming that it's using patented technology all the time, often from small patent holding companies with dollar signs in their eyes. Noise Free Wireless has just filed a patent lawsuit against Apple whose allegations are considerably, well, louder. The firm maintains that it had been pitching its patented noise cancellation to Apple in periodic meetings between 2007 and 2010, only to watch as 1 Infinite Loop used Audience's technology for the iPhone 4 instead -- and supposedly handed some of Noise Free's work to a competitor. An Apple patent filed the same year borrows some of that work, Noise Free insists, in addition to the iPhone in question. Neither side is talking about the details to outlets like Macworld, although we'd be cautious about accepting either company's position at face value. However much Apple may protest its innocence regardless of circumstances, Noise Free certainly has a vested interest in retribution after losing out on such a big contract.

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Noise Free Wireless alleges Apple is tone deaf over sound reduction patent, files lawsuit to match originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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