NVIDIA intros 3D Vision 2 glasses with brighter field of view, comfier design

NVIDIA's 3D Vision is impressive and all, but one trade-off you'll have to accept when you put on those active shutter glasses is a markedly dimmer field of view than what you'd get if you settled for plain-Jane 2D gaming. Well, the outfit just unveiled the second generation of the technology -- appropriately named 3D Vision 2 -- and this go 'round it promises not to strain your vision quite so much. These shutter glasses have a lens that's 20 percent larger, promising a brighter experience. As an added perk, the frames have been rejiggered to be lighter and more flexible so that you can comfortably wear headphones without pinching your lobes. As for the newest 3D Vision monitors and laptops, those panels promise reduced ghosting, as well as 120Hz 2D gaming. In tandem with today's announcement, NVIDIA announced that a trio of products -- the Toshiba Qosmio X770 / 775, Toshiba Satellite P770 / P775 and ASUS's 27-inch VG278H 1080p monitor -- will support now 3D Vision 2. If a new rig's not in the cards, the company also assures us that these glasses will be backward compatible with older 3D Vision panels. Look for them this month in the form of either standalone frames ($99) or as part of a $149 kit

Samsung's Korea-bound Galaxy S II HD LTE pops up in FCC filings

We'll have to brush up on our foreign languages to decipher the full battery label, but the Samsung SHV-E120L (aka the Galaxy S II HD LTE, thanks David_DK!)-- home to a 4.65-inch HD screen and dual-core 1.5GHz processor according to specs leaked last month -- has passed through its FCC testing.

All News Reviews Reviews Colorware spills its inks on your iPhone 4S, charges dearly for it By Joe Pollicino posted Oct 16th 2011 at 5:17AM You didn't think the latest iPhone would be saved from Colorware's paint-dipped hands, did you? Lo and behold, the company's swatches are currently ready for application on the 4S. Similar to its iPhone 4 treatments, you'll be able to spice up your device -- and its earbuds -- with a mixture of glossy, metallic and soft-touch coatings (excluding mainly the front face, which remains stock black or white). Colorware'll gladly sell you a fresh 16 or 64GB model for a whopping $1,500 or $1,700, respectively, or you can mail yours in to get a Benetton-esque makeover for just $250. sourceColorware 386 Leave A Comment 51 US leads global LTE adoption, rides Verizon's coattails By Billy Steele posted Oct 16th 2011 at 2:02AM There's no doubt the demand for mobile broadband has skyrocketed worldwide, but the US is leading the LTE charge(s) -- plural, 'cause you know, battery life sucks on a... nevermind. According to Pyramid Research, by the end of the year, the United States will claim 47 percent of LTE subscriptions globally. This is thanks in large part to three mobile operators: Verizon, MetroPCS and AT&T have created seven million connections across the country. Combine that with the fact that 71 percent of all LTE handsets will be in the pockets of Yanks by year's end, and you've got a formula for domestic LTE domination. It comes as no surprise that VZW is the largest LTE operator in the US as it's been making money hand over fist lately -- which has allowed it to expand its high speed network at a dizzying pace. We salute you, Big Red, for carrying the banner for the ol' US of A, blazing the trail littered with dead batteries and over-worked phone chargers. Phone Arena sourcePyramid Research 274 Leave A Comment 19 Ask Engadget: what's the best dual-SIM phone on the market? By Darren Murph posted Oct 15th 2011 at 11:11PM Feature We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Damian, who just ain't satisfied with only one SIM in his handset. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I've looked and given up, so I'm chiming to the oracle. What is the best dual-SIM phone?" We're going to need some serious input from our international readers on this one. Dual-SIM handsets just aren't "a thing" in America, and even finding one is a bit of a chore. But for those elsewhere, what's your preferred device for toting around SIMs from two nations? 201 Leave A Comment 76 Siri gets lost internationally, promises to do better next year By Sean Buckley posted Oct 15th 2011 at 8:46PM Siri gets lost internationally, promises to do better next year The iPhone 4S' Siri integration may be a potential game changer, but she's not quite the world traveler some of us would like her to be. In fact, it seems she's as lost outside of US borders as any unprepared tourist. Looking for a pub in London? Better find a traditional map. Need to know the time of day in Canada? Siri admits she has no idea, go buy a watch. Business search (via Yelp), directions, and traffic data search all appear to be US-only features for now, and Wolfram Alpha only works in English-speaking countries. The automated assistant's international failings aren't too big of a surprise, however -- Apple's own Siri page outs the service as a beta, noting that some features may vary by area. Stuck with sub-par international support? Sit tight, it's coming: Apple's Siri FAQ states that additional language support (including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian and Spanish), maps and local search content are set to go international in 2012. Update: Wolfram Alpha works outside the US in English speaking countries, thanks to everyone in the comments for the clarification. TUAW sourceApple, MacStories, reneritchie (Twitter) 1234 Leave A Comment 148 Google Voice pulled from App Store following iOS 5 crash By Zach Honig posted Oct 15th 2011 at 6:33PM What once was there now is gone. Earlier today, Google Voice was just two clicks away in the iOS App Store. Now, all that remains is a page cache (at the source link below) and versions of the app that were already installed on iPhones and iPod touches. Vincent Paquet, Senior Product Manager for Google Voice confirmed that the app had been pulled, explaining "our last update of this week had a bug that caused the app to crash at sign in. We removed it so it did not affect additional users until the fix gets published." We've been using the most recent version -- 1.3.0.1771 -- on an iPhone 4 running iOS 5 without issue, but recent reviews cite the reported crashing, so it's definitely affecting at least some users. We don't have an ETA for when you can expect the app to return, so if you don't already have it installed, you'll need to hang tight for the time being. The service should function normally otherwise, assuming your phone number has already been registered, though you won't be able to begin new text threads or make outgoing calls using your Google Voice number. sourceGoogle Voice (cache) 497 Leave A Comment 66 CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 wrap-up: Springboard, Atrix and CUE By Brad Molen posted Oct 15th 2011 at 5:29PM And that's all she wrote, folks -- warm and sunny San Diego was a wonderful host for this year's CTIA Enterprise & Applications, but now it's time to head on home. The show was tremendously affected by the news of Samsung canceling its much-anticipated Nexus event, but there were still a few gems we were able to grab. AT&T got the show started off right by announcing a grand total of five new smartphones, not the least of which was the Motorola Atrix 2 (no "4G" in the title, interestingly enough). T-Mobile also unveiled the Springboard, a 7-inch tablet that's sure to make a splash. So if you're finally catching up with the week's gadget news, we've compiled a list that'll make your reading much more convenient. Here's our full CTIA coverage in all its glory. We're live from CTIA! Wilson Electronics debuts the AWS 70 Live from CTIA's day one keynote with Dan Hesse, Dan Mead and Ralph de la Vega T-Mobile Springboard hands-on (video) Motorola announces the LapDock 100 for Atrix 2, Droid Bionic and Photon 4G Cadillac unveils CUE infotainment system Motorola Atrix 2 for AT&T hands-on (video) TeleNav 7.1 for Sprint Android phones: this time it's personal Samsung Stratosphere for Verizon hands-on (video) Pantech Pocket for AT&T hands-on (video) Samsung Transfix for Cricket hands-on (video) Navigon demos MobileNavigator for iOS, WP7 and Android The Engadget Mobile Podcast, CTIA edition! LG Optimus Slider for Virgin Mobile hands-on (video) Kyocera DuraMax for Sprint hands-on (video) EcoATM offers instant money for your old phone A look inside Verizon's test car 13 Leave A Comment 12 iPhone 4S lacks "Enable 3G" switch By Christopher Trout posted Oct 15th 2011 at 2:54PM If you're among the teeming masses holding a brand new iPhone 4S in your hands, you may be surprised (as we were) to find there's something conspicuously absent from the Network Settings menu on your new device: specifically the ability to manually shut off 3G data. After receiving word, and a screenshot, from a helpful tipster, rocking a 4S on Vodafone's network, we found the same option missing from our own AT&T iteration. Of course this isn't the sort of thing that's likely to have an impact on most users, but if you're the type that likes to squeeze every last bit of juice out of that Apple, the omission could cause some frustration. We gave Apple support a call to see what they had to say, and were told AppleCare has no official response on the matter. If you're lamenting the loss of the 3G flip-switch sound off in the comments below. Update: A few of our readers are reporting that the original Verizon iPhone 4 also lacked the 3G switch, which means the absence is most likely on a carrier-by-carrier basis. [Thanks, Chris and Charlie] 0 Leave A Comment 7621 web coverage Apple Support Communities Windows 7 overtakes XP globally, Vista found weeping in a corner By Dante Cesa posted Oct 15th 2011 at 1:23PM According to StatCounter, it's taken roughly two years for Redmond's latest to surpass XP and become the world's most popular operating system. October 2011 marks the first time that Windows 7 has overtaken XP globally, with a 40 percent share of the market versus the latter's 38. As for Vista, it's been holding steady at around 11. Not that it's much of a surprise, as in North America, Windows 7 took the crown back in April of this year. Rounding out the top five, are OS X (though it's not clear whether that captures all of Cupertino's beasts) and Linux, which come in at 7 and 0.82 percent respectively. But don't take our word for it, hop on over to the source links and get your interactive chart on. [Thanks, Pipera] WinRumors sourceStatCounter (1), (2) 1089 Leave A Comment 128 HTC Amaze 4G review By Joseph Volpe posted Oct 15th 2011 at 12:00PM Review What do you do when you've already created a Sensation? If you're HTC, you repackage that lightning in a slightly different chassis, turn the volume (read: speed) up to 11 and borrow a bit of optical wizardry to add that new smartphone smell. All key elements that can be found in the DNA of the company's latest imperatively named product offering -- the Amaze 4G. Clearly, HTC's throwing caution to the fickle consumer winds here, raising the bar for Android users' expectations and mixing in just enough razzle dazzle to win over those hard earned geek dollars. So, what's the hook this time 'round? No, not Beats -- that's for its Euro stepcousin, the Sensation XE. Here, the main attraction is this handset's ability to surf along T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42Mbps network. That's right, Magenta's tiptoeing into LTE speed territory and you've got Sense 3.0 to help pilot that wireless ride. Join us after the break as we peel back the layers of this unibodied mobile onion. HTC Amaze 4G review READ MORE 620 Leave A Comment 29 Mobile Miscellany: week of October 10, 2011 By Brad Molen posted Oct 15th 2011 at 11:18AM This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the ... Read the full post on mobile.engadget.com 9 Leave A Comment 8 Motorola Lapdock 100 hits Sprint October 21st, earns employees extra scratch By Sean Buckley posted Oct 15th 2011 at 9:24AM Ready to play PC with your smartphone? If you aren't picking up a Lapdock 100 from AT&T on the 17th, you won't have to wait very long -- Motorola's faux-laptop phone dock has been outed for a October 21st launch date for Sprint via an employee rewards email. Passing the Lapdock 100 Sprint Rewards Me training quiz nets employees $10 in Sprint scratch and the opportunity to sell you a rig that lets a handful of devices play netbook. The laptop shell gives users a full Firefox browser, Quick Office, Google Docs, Adobe Flash, a PC-like File Manager and a luxurious 10.1-inch screen. Still no word yet on just how much this ultra-portable peripheral will set us back, but we'll keep hoping that it's cheaper than the Atrix 4G's axed lapdock. [Thanks, David] 87 Leave A Comment 6 Girl Scout merit badges get a 21st century facelift, focus on science and technology By Terrence O'Brien posted Oct 15th 2011 at 7:29AM Think only Boy Scouts can earn badges in bad-ass activities like robotics and video games (whatever happened to wood carving and fire building)? Well you are wrong sir (or ma'am). The ... Read the full post on alt.engadget.com 71 Leave A Comment 17 Nintendo sells over 50 million DS units, 3DS sales fall flat in comparison By Mat Smith posted Oct 15th 2011 at 5:23AM Nintendo's twin-screen wonder has seen almost as many reinventions as Lady Gaga, so it may not come as a huge shock to hear that the DS (in all its guises) has now sold over 50 million units in the US. The home entertainment maestros are still chasing similar success for its three-dimensional sibling, the 3DS, however. Nintendo has managed to sell almost half a million three dee units units after its weighty price cut, but there's now some very potent competitors seeking their own slice of the (portable) gaming pie. Good luck, Nintendo, you're probably going to need it. READ MORE Joystiq 303 Leave A Comment 13 Seeser laser pico projector is always in focus, powered by Android

We've seen our fair share of pico projectors, so takes a bit to actually get us excited about one, but the Seeser from ESPlus is showing a lot of potential. Inside the tiny black box is a laser-based projection system which, unlike traditional lamps, doesn't need to be focused and can output a 25-lumen, 800 x 600 image up to 100-inches in size. There's an SD card slot around the side, which appears to be of the micro variety and it has an integrated 1seg tuner for pulling in broadcasts. All of this is powered by a 1GHz processor running Froyo -- so there's no actual need to hook up an external content source. Sadly it doesn't appear that it boasts access to the Android Market though, without a touchscreen, you wouldn't be able to make good use of the apps anyway. The Seeser should be available in Korea soon, but there's no word yet on how much it'll cost.

Sirius XM Lynx receiver leaks out courtesy of Best Buy

It's since been removed, but a listing for the tidy little package you see above was on Best Buy's website long enough this week to provide most of the details on Sirius XM's still-unannounced Lynx satellite radio receiver. As you can see, it relies on a touchscreen interface for the most part and, even more interestingly, it apparently runs some sort of custom version of Android -- although we wouldn't recommend getting your hopes up about Android Marketplace access or the like. You'll also get a microSD card slot to load it up with your own music, and it can be used in conjunction with your choice of a car kit, home kit or portable speaker dock (not included). Assuming nothing's changed, you can expect this one to set you back $250, although there's unfortunately no indication of a release date.

Sprint buyback ad deems HTC Arrive too old, iPhone page lightly suggests you chuck it (update: official response)

Ready to trade in that phone you just got? Sprint thinks you are, teasing you from its iPhone landing page to "go green and get green" by recycling your probably still in-contract HTC Arrive. Sure, its $73 buyback kickback might help you subsidize something fresher, but you aren't tired of Metro already, are you?

How would you change HP's TouchPad?

Not like it matters much now, but hey -- why not, right? HP's TouchPad was tossed into the closeout bin just over 40 days after it initially went on sale, and it actually served to be a spark for the eventual webOS fire that still seems to be smoldering. When we tested it -- and before we knew HP was about to demolish its operating system in the consumer realm -- we found tons of promise. That said, we also found lackluster hardware and a relatively barren application store, but we held out hope that the latter would blossom. These days, our readers are using fire sale TouchPads for all manners of tasks, but if you had the chance, how would you change yours? Toss in a different CPU / GPU? Give webOS the overhaul HP never did? Swap Touchstone for Qi? Let us know in comments below -- those who need to hear, will.

LG DoublePlay makes its official intro on T-Mobile, offers dual-screens and split keyboard

Where have all the split-keyboard phones gone? It's been roughly six years since the days of the Nokia E70, a messaging device with an innovative form factor, but handsets with a similar mold have become extreme rarities in the market -- if they even make it to the market at all (remember the MotoSplit?). LG's hoping to gain some ground in this area by officially announcing the DoublePlay, a unique Android 2.3 handset with dual touchscreens and split QWERTY. Here's the scoop: the DoublePlay's powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU and offers a 5MP rear-facing camera capable of capturing 720p HD video. Where it gets interesting, however, is in the DoublePlay's design -- it uses a 3.5-inch display on top, sliding out to reveal a 2-inch internal screen sandwiched in between both halves of the keyboard. As it turns out, both screens can be used separately or in tandem with each other, depending on your needs. No pricing or availability was specifically announced, but the presser appears to coincide with the 2011 National Texting Championship beginning October 26th, so the phone will likely launch around the same time. Perhaps we have a device here that'll be a legend in another seven years?

Bose's OE2 and OE2i on-ear headphones pack brand recognition, little else

Bose may be best known for its active noise-cancelling headphones, but that doesn't mean it's a stranger to the plain ol' passive types. Take for instance its latest duo of supra-aurals, the $150 OE2 and the $180 OE2i (which merely adds an iDevice compatible inline remote / mic for those extra Hamiltons). Put simply, these cans are an evolutionary update to the company's TriPort OEs, promising a more comfortable fit from memory foam padding, and improved sound quality. As you'd expect, there's absolutely no mention of specs, but frequent travelers will be joyed to know that the headphones can fold up for storage inside an included carrying case. The OE2s are currently available for purchase from Bose in a choice of black or white colorways -- a perfect match for that en route iPhone of yours

Giant tablet lets commanders control war with the swipe of a finger

America's armed forces have added some major tech to their arsenal lately, from smartphones for soldiers to giant surveillance blimps. And now, AAI has unveiled a new tool for battlefield commanders in the form of giant touchscreen tablet. Its screen is three feet by two feet and employs surveillance information to give those in charge an overhead view of a war zone that shows the position of both good guys and bad. Icons represent troops, air support, and spy drones, which are then deployed by tapping and dragging them on the touchscreen. Such input doesn't actually control battlefield assets, but it does send orders to the appropriate personnel so they can be executed, and soldiers confirm receipt of the order via instant message. The company's still trying to sell the system to the Army, but we'd imagine that such drag and drop warfare will appeal to Uncle Sam. Who knows, perhaps all those hours spent honing your Starcraft skills can soon be put to good use defending the country.

MobiUS smartphone ultrasound hits the market two years too late for relevancy

Mobisante's MobiUS smartphone ultrasound system scored FDA approval back in February, a big step towards getting the product out the door. Now the brainchild of former Microsoft bigwig Dr. Sailesh Chutani is finally available to order, the only problem is that it's based around two-year-old tech. At the heart of the MobiUS system is a Toshiba TG01 (it of Windows Mobile 6.5 stock) a now hopelessly outdated handset. Still, the probe and phone together cost $7,495, just a tiny fraction of what traditional ultrasound systems cost. We're sure there are small clinics, especially in poor and remote parts of the world, that are already eyeing Dr. Chutani's solution and, if his company scores enough orders, he hopes to cut the price in half. Maybe they can put some of that money towards developing a system that works with smartphone platforms people actually use -- like Android and iOS.

AT&T's Ralph de la Vega: LTE phones to be leaner, retain charge longer

Could this turn out to be a wireless case of the tortoise and the hare? According to Ralph de la Vega, that answer is a resounding yes. In his keynote address at CTIA, the AT&T Mobility CEO announced plans to bring a line of thinner, less power-intensive smartphones to its recently launched, true 4G network. How's that possible? Utilizing a technology described as "circuit switch fallback," phones running on the operator's network will make use of a single radio to ride along the LTE waves, and default to a "circuit switch-based 3G" signal when out of range. If these claims pan out, it'd give the slow-to-market, second place operator a leg up on industry rivals Verizon and Sprint, which incorporate separately powered 3G / 4G radios in their next-gen handsets. We'll know whether or not to call de la Vega's bluff later this year when the first batch of LTE phones are destined for consumer release. Until then, it's just executive grandstanding at its best. Handsets or it didn't happen, Ralph.

Microsoft and Quanta ink patent licensing agreement, Android continues to print money for its rival

Microsoft's crossed yet another name off its patent licensing hit list, and this time the big red target lands squarely on Quanta. Under the undisclosed terms of the agreement, Android and Chrome-based devices manufactured by the Taiwanese OEM will be protected by Redmond's vast patent portfolio. Of course, this means MS'll receive royalties for granting access to its treasure trove of related IPs -- of which it has no dearth of at the moment.