Saturday, November 10, 2007

Apple posts firmware v1.1.2 -- goodbye jailbreak!

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Looks like Apple just published firmware v1.1.2 for the iPhone; hit the download link to grab it yourself because iTunes hasn't yet gotten wise to the fact that it's out. Details to follow, but don't expect jailbreak or the unactivated Safari workaround hack to still be functional, ok? (... aaaand we're watching our download speed drop as our readers are grabbing the file. Rockin'.) Update: TIFF jailbreak exploit is dead. Sorry people. More below.


Update: Ok, We're "sacrificing" an iPhone for you people. We'll let you know what we find.
  • Extracting software... restarting... iTunes successfully upgraded to 1.1.2.
  • The "slide for emergency" slider flashed through different languages while it was waiting to be plugged in again.
  • It's activated, pulled the backup data, and restarted -- success! Officially on 1.1.2.
  • Testing jailbreakme.com... looks like they broke jailbreak! Yep, it's broken alright.
  • Not really finding any new features -- certainly no new icons, no voice memos, nothing obvious about disk mode. Anyone else finding anything?
  • Looks like international keyboards are finally enabled! Score one for everyone overseas who can't use their now-relocked iPhone.
  • A few reports are coming in that their iPhone is "much faster now" (not that we remember ours being slow at all before). Maybe Apple made some performance tweaks this update.
  • Can anyone confirm whether TurboSIM is working with this update?
To those scouring the internets searching for a changelog or support sheet on Apple's site, don't keep it to yourself, ok?

[Thanks, Brett]

Download - iPhone1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw, 160MB

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[via] Engadget

Apple posts iPod touch 1.1.2 update -- already hacked

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As you'd expect, Apple has released version 1.1.2 of the iPod touch firmware hot on the jailbreak-breaking heels of its iPhone update. Early reports on MacRumors indicate a new "Add Event" functionality in the Calendar -- something that should have been included in v 1.0. Anyone else getting dirty with the firmware who wants to share changes? We'll keep you updated of course as this and the iPhone 1.1.2 status develops.

Update: Whoa, TUAW's in-house hacker -- Erica Sadun -- is reporting that v1.1.2 is already hacked on the iPod touch. That bodes well for opening up your new UK and German iPhone, eh readers? Oh, and that's a screenshot up there -- proof of the deed since that functionality is only available from your friendly third party development community.

Download - iPod1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw, 158MB

 

[via] Engadget

LaCie Hub gets reborn, goes USB-only

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No need to fix something if it isn't broken, right? Apparently LaCie is feelin' said mantra, as its latest version of the Hub differs very little from last year's iteration in the design department, but it certainly shows preference for the tried and true Universal Serial Bus. The revamped Hub sports a totally round base for maximum wobbling, but maintains the white polycarbonate finish and strung out ports just like last time. If you'll notice, however, each of the seven cables are some form of USB 2.0, and no, there's not a production line snafu to blame. LaCie is betting that some of you out there would actually prefer an all-USB Hub, and if you just so happen to fit that mold, you can grab one now for $79.

[Via Electronista]

 

[via] Engadget

Solar-powered ferry could be headed to San Francisco

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A DIY nuke detector won't be the only oddity out in the San Francisco Bay before too long, as we're hearing that Hornblower Yachts is currently lobbying for Coast Guard approval to operate a solar-powered ferry in the area by 2009. The sails (but not the actual vessel) would be created by Australia's Solar Sailor, which already has a sun-lovin' boat that cruises around the sunny Sydney Harbor and utilizes eight solar sails to dramatically decrease its consumption of diesel. Furthermore, the firm is planning to deliver a set of sails to a ginormous passenger boat in Shanghai and could be close to landing a contract for four 100-person ferries in Hong Kong. If you're wondering just how much coin you'd have to cough up to snag a few solar sails for personal use, we're told that $1.5 million of the estimated $8.5 million reserved for the San Fran boat will be headed straight to Solar Sailor, so yeah, only the affluent need apply.

[Image courtesy of Solar Sailor]

 

[via] Engadget

Eee PC heads to the desktop in 2008

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Like your Eee PC do ya? Good, how about a desktop version to go with it? With the unexpected success of their new ultra-portable, Asus is looking to RAZR that momentum with a desktop version of the Eee PC. Jonathan Tseng, Asus president of marketing, says that the new Eee -- Easy to learn, Easy to play, Easy to Work -- will launch in 2008. Good news for us consumers but likely unwelcome tattle for Redmond. As you may have noticed, the recent onslaught of low-cost, low-powered, low-speced (Lll?) PCs are all Linux-happy slabs in order to avoid those heavy Microsoft licensing fees.

 

[via] Engadget

Sony's Stringer: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD battle a "stalemate"

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Things have been a bit rough for Blu-ray lately. Those massive price cuts gave HD DVD a boost in market share and Paramount's abrupt departure was certainly a tad, shall we say, embarrassing. So we wonder, just what does Sony's boss, and figure-head of the smack-talking Blu-ray Disc Association, have to say about the state of the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD war? It's a "stalemate," according to Sir Howard Stringer. He goes on to downplay the winner as nothing more than a matter of prestige while lamenting the lack of a unified standard. A far cry from the BDA's boastful claim of victory just 11 months ago.

[Thanks, Andrew]

 

[via] Engadget

ETRI's Rabie terrifies children like Frank The Rabbit

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Come on ETRI, at least make Rabie look like Smurfette or something a bit more cuddly. And "Rabie?" Do you really have to name your latest robot after a fatal viral disease? Perhaps that name is a clue to how this robot intends to "play" with the kids it's designed for. Rabie is a networked bot which transmits video of your children wetting themselves in fear direct to your mobile phone. Good times. Watch Rabie in action after the break. Only you'll have to suffer though about 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds of the arguably more interesting, Kobie the killer koala first.

[Via B2Btv]

Continue reading ETRI's Rabie terrifies children like Frank The Rabbit

 

[via] Engadget

Fujifilm intros GPS-based Tape Tracker to prevent data mishandling

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It would only take one case of having your precious data "mishandled" while in transit to spend some dough on a tracking mechanism for future shipments, and while we've certainly seen a number of options in the past, Fujifilm's alternative is quite clever in its own right. The recently announced Tape Tracker takes the form of a standard 0.5-inch data tape cartridge, but rather than housing gigabytes of sensitive material, it hides a GPS system that enables data managers to "monitor important data assets in real-time or locate misplaced / stolen tapes instantly." Furthermore, users of the device will have access to a secure, web-based application (aptly dubbed FujiFind) that can track several data tape shipments simultaneously, even through rural areas, within vehicles and inside warehouses. No word on a price just yet, but those willing to pay anything for peace of mind can look forward to a Q1 2008 release.

[Via SpaceMart]

 

[via] Engadget

A few hundred Germans become Europe's first "official" iPhone owners

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After handing out hot coffee, tea and pretzels for those waiting outside, T-Mobile's well lubricated and exceptionally tanned staff in Cologne threw its doors open to Europe's first "official" iPhone owners. Of course, people the world-over are already toting Apple's finest courtesy of those firmware hacks and unlocks. In fact, the 1.1.2 firmware found on the UK and German iPhones is already hacked. Judging by the buzz in the Hackint0sh forums, the new Jailbreak is seemingly just hours away from release. Fanatics of the hardcore persuasion can check the orderly mayhem in the video after the break.

[Via Pocket-lint, image courtesy of iFun.de]

Continue reading A few hundred Germans become Europe's first "official" iPhone owners

 

[via] Engadget

AMD sued by worker whose child has birth defects

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A former AMD clean room worker has filed suit against the chipmaker in Texas, alleging that her exposure to dangerous chemicals while working in a chip fab resulted in her son Ryan's birth defects, including cognitive disabilities and an undeveloped right arm. Maria Ruiz worked for AMD from 1988 to 2002, and when she discovered she was pregnant, she approached both her doctors and AMD and was allegedly not warned of any risks she faced in the workplace. Maria is now claiming that her exposure to ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate and 2-ethoxyethyl acetate during her pregnancy caused Ryan's birth defects, and she's suing AMD and her doctors over their failure to keep her safe. According to her lawyers, Maria "did not realize that 'clean rooms' are designed to keep damaging dust particles from semiconductor wafers during manufacturing, not to protect men and women exposed to a spectrum of hazardous chemicals and fumes." The case is still in its very early stages, so none of the allegations have been proven and AMD hasn't formally responded yet, but either way we have nothing but sympathy for the Ruiz family.

 

[via] Engadget

Reachgood is the nano-est of all: the 5.5mm PMP

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It was just yesterday we saw that 5.6mm (.2 inch) MP3 player from Ixing, and already little-known Chinese manufacturer Reachgood has gone and topped it with this 5.5mm-thick stainless steel PMP. While you'll probably never notice that .1 millimeter difference, you will notice the inclusion of a 1.8-inch OLED screen and AVI video support. Sadly, this shiny wonder is listed simply as "MP4 player," so it's hard to track down additional details like pricing and availability, but rest assured we'll be seeing it again when it gets rebranded.

[Via PMP Today]

 

[via] Engadget

Sprint and Clearwire call off WiMAX plans

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You could almost feel this one unraveling, but any remaining hope that Sprint and Clearwire would work something out has apparently been lost. Reportedly, the two have given up on trying to finalize an agreement to jointly build a nationwide WiMAX-based network, citing "complexities of the transaction and the departure last month of Sprint Chief Executive Gary Forsee" as primary reasons for the plan's deterioration. 'Course, Sprint still has a few options left, but it's fairly safe to say that what was the most promising one is seemingly out of the picture, at least for now. Interestingly, it wasn't noted as to whether the two would hook back up and give this one more go in the future, but there were suggestions that a number of big timers (Intel, Nokia, Samsung, etc.) would possibly "inject financing into Clearwire to help keep its WiMAX project on track." And here we thought this was only the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

[Via PhoneScoop]

 

[via] Engadget

Bullet DVR video recorder: for Speedy, not Rex Racer

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Got Trixie at your side and Racer-X breathing down your neck? Hot, you'll need this then, the $749 Bullet DVR. Just bolt the solid state MPEG-4 recorder to your Mach 5 to capture lap times, jetting, gearing, suspension, and fuel consumption data for later playback in front of Mifune Motors' board of directors. Go speed racer, go!

[Via The Red Ferret Journal]

 

[via] Engadget

Bird Electronics unveils palm-sized DJ5 micro mixer

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For the DJ looking to stuff his / her entire setup into an array of cargo pockets, we've found your mixer of choice. Bird Electronics' DJ5 is the likely successor to the overly simplistic DJ4 that we saw earlier this year, but this beauty packs a bit more functionality into a not-too-much larger package. Set to go on sale next week, the palm-sized unit features a pair of 3.5-millimeter input and output jacks, left / right headphone volume and a slide switch for Line 1 / Line 2 / Mix. Best of all, you can power this thing with just a trio of AA cells, so there's no need to fret if that AC plug is chillin' out on the opposite side of the room. Get set to mix things up real soon for ¥15,000 ($132), and click on through for a few more shots.

[Via Impress]

Continue reading Bird Electronics unveils palm-sized DJ5 micro mixer

 

[via] Engadget

Samsung no longer selling flat panels, other wares in Japan

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Yeah, we're still scratchin' our noggins too, but even after we rubbed our eyes and adjusted the bifocals, it still looks as if the AP is reporting that Samsung will stop selling flat panel televisions and "other consumer products" in Japan. Hot on the heels of Hitachi pulling the plug on RPTVs on this side of the pond, Samsung is citing "poor profitability" as the reasoning behind its dramatic move, and it noted that LCD TVs, DVD players, DAPs and "other items" would no longer be sold to individuals in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was, however, stated that the outfit would continue selling flat screen computer monitors directly to businesses along with memory chips, LCDs and mobile phones to Softbank, but considering that last year less than one-percent of the firm's total sales in the country were made up of consumer electronics sales, we guess it's a little easier to wrap our head around the decision. Nevertheless, there's no reason for us to think that Sammy will be pulling back the reins in any other regions of the world, but it'll be quite strange in Tokyo with no signs of Sammy in the CE realm.

 

[via] Engadget

Microsoft's Surface taking a while to, you know, surface

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While the tech demos are always sure to draw a crowd, Microsoft's Surface is still having trouble making it past the prototype stage. Originally slated to show up in a few commercial venues this year, applications of the tech have been pushed back to next spring at the earliest. Microsoft has plans to build devices for Sheraton hotels, Harrah's casinos and T-Mobile retail spots, but CNET reports that all the custom software needed and a lack of a one-size-fits-all solution for customers has Microsoft struggling to ship anything just yet. That said, there's still plenty of interest in Surface -- Microsoft says it's received 2,000+ inquiries from companies around the world and in many industries -- and while initial versions of the tabletop device are going to range from $5,000 to $10,000, Microsoft hopes to have a consumer-affordable version in three to five years.

 

[via] Engadget

Tree-inspired PC wins Dyson design award

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One of the main arguments that Windows users offer during those habitual debates with Macheads is that PC boxes are much easier to upgrade; instead of buying a new machine every year, you can simply swap out components ad hoc. Well a graduate of Ireland's National College of Art and Design imagines taking this convenience a step further, with a tree-shaped rig -- known as Cultivate - the Sustainable Living Computer -- whose CPU, RAM, hard drive, and other swappable parts extend from the motherboard-packing "trunk" inside removable "branches." Designer Laura Caulwell won a cool €2,000 $2,929) for her concept, and also earned the right to compete for January's annual International James Dyson Award in Australia, which offers up £15,000 ($31,476) in prizes.

[Via The Register, photo courtesy of Electric News]

 

[via] Engadget

Rogers Wireless expecting iPhone home for the holidays?

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TUAW has posted up a potentially sweet holiday tidbit with the Canadian Apple store showing an iPhone in its holiday gift guide. Of course, as some clever reader has pointed out, the Italian Apple store is also showing an iPhone with a bit of cut and paste wizardry, could this be a case of just a template mistake on Apple's part? We know iPhone's coming to the Great White North -- or at least are pretty sure -- and the holidays do make sense, but until we hear something official, we'd lean toward error on this one. Check your local site and post back with your findings, make a game of it.

[Via TUAW]

 

[via] Engadget

DataWind's PocketSurfer 2 rumored to be coming to T-Mobile

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We haven't heard much about DataWind's PocketSurfer 2 lately, but it looks like MobilePlanet may have gotten a bit more information on a possible release for the device, as its now has the handheld up for pre-order for $310. What's more, the site also says that a T-Mobile data plan is required for the device to function but, unlike the free GPRS for a year plan in the UK (up to 20 hours a month), those in the US will apparently have to drop $30 per month to get their web browsing done on the device. For those yet to be acquainted with the the device, be sure to check out Pocketables at the link below for a couple of better pics of it than we've seen before, and hit up the read link if you want to take a chance with that pre-order.
[Via Pocketables]

 

[via] Engadget

Jensen's NVXM1000 Rock'N'Road XM / GPS system on sale now

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Given that the last time we heard about Jensen's NVXM1000 was nearly 11 months ago, we won't hold it against you if you just can't bring back the memories of this well-spec'd XM mini-tuner / navigator hybrid. The $799.99 Rock'N'Road, as it's so affectionately dubbed, is finally ready to take to the streets, and it's packing a 4.3-inch color touchscreen, support for XM Instant Traffic, weather, sports and stocks, 11 million POIs, an 8GB hard drive, wireless FM modulator, an integrated media player / photo viewer, USB connectivity and a SD expansion slot. And if you just so happen to find yourself in a participating GM, Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Hyundai dealership, you can get hooked up with the rebadged Advent ADV800XM for the same amount of dough. Now, whether or not this thing's actually worth all eight Benjamins is another story, but it's available today for those who adamantly feel it is.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[via] Engadget

Crazy new Wolf King gaming keyboard hits the FCC

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It looks like those that prefer their keyboards as unconventional as possible could soon have a new option to consider from Wolf King, which has just seen its latest less-than-ergonomic wonder pass through the FCC. From the looks of it, this one boasts a good deal of similarities to the Wolf Claw keyboard we saw a while back, minus the full-size QWERTY keyboard. That gets replaced by a jumble of keys that could probably be used to actually type something in a pinch, although we're guessing you'll want to have another keyboard as a backup. According to the manual, you can also expect a pair of extra USB ports, seven customizable hotkeys and, of course, some blue backlighting to really make it stand out on your desk. No word on a price or release but, as you can see above, it sure looks about ready to roll out the door.

 

[via] Engadget

Toshiba unveils Japan's "most eco-friendly" super toilet

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Apparently you don't have to be a weakly-premised NBC show to go green this week: Toshiba's joining in on the fun with its "industry's most eco-friendly" toilet. Of course, this is Japan, so that means bidet action, and Toshiba's new model can instantaneously heat up water for that purpose, instead of running continuously to keep a stash of water warm. The seat, which is of course heated as well, is also designed to prevent heat loss, and Toshiba claims 55% overall energy savings over competing products. If that wasn't enough, the lid automatically opens and closes when a sensor is tripped, and there's even a remote control so you can do your business touch-free. While we'd applaud Toshiba for its commitment to sustainability and innovation, we're really just too busy being jealous of how awesome Japanese toilets are.

 

[via] Engadget

SK Telecom effectively taking over Helio

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We knew Earthlink and SK Telecom were both planning on reinvesting up to $100M each into struggling joint venture Helio back in July, and it looks like all that recent talk about "revised governance" was on point -- the deal will effectively shift management control of Helio away from Earthlink and to SKT for the first time in Helio's history. SKT has already allocated $70M to make the move, and it's also committed an additional $100M to future handset development and marketing. No word on what other changes SKT plans to make, but we'd happy to see Helio score a much-deserved second chance.

[Via MobileTech News]

 

[via] Engadget

Asus R700 GPS unit gets official

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We first got to know the Asus R300 and R700 GPS units back in September, but now Asus is finally ready to spill the rest of the sordid details on its well-specced R700 model. The Asus R700 runs a 4.3-inch touchscreen, with RDS / TMC traffic info, a hands-free Bluetooth kit, microSD port and all the trimmings inherent in Windows CE 5.0 -- including a lovable collection of media playback codecs. There's text-to-speech built in for reading street names, but the real twist comes from the ability to vocalize your text messages over Bluetooth. This model will be hitting Europe in December with a set of 3D maps and iGO 8 software for 400-500 Euro ($586-$732 US).

[Via NaviGadget]

 

[via] Engadget

Paramagnetic paint lets you change your car's color on a whim

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Sure, the whole "temporary vehicle paint" idea was a fine concept if you adored hassles, but Nissan's got a much cleaner approach for those who appreciate easy. Yep, the same folks who dreamed up that self-healing paint some two years back are now talking up their paramagnetic concoction, which purportedly enables motorists to change the color of their ride at the press of a button. The secret is a "special polymer containing paramagnetic iron oxide particles," which is applied to the whip's exterior; an "applied electric current then adjusts the spacing of small crystals within the iron oxide particles, and therefore affects their ability to reflect light and change color." Essentially, vehicles could rock a default color when turned off, and then your imagination could go wild once you turned over the ignition. If all goes well, expect to see commercial applications ready to roll by the time Fast and the Furious: 10 Times 2 Many hits theaters (or 2010, whichever comes first).

[Via Autoblog]

 

[via] Engadget

Nigeria opts for Linux on Classmate PCs after all

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We're not sure if Mandriva CEO François Bancilhon's recent rant on the matter had anything to do with it or not, but it seems that Nigeria will be using the company's Linux distribution on the 17,000 Classmate PCs it purchased after all, despite earlier reports that it had switched to Windows. According to IDG News, an unnamed government official said that "we are sticking with that platform," although the official added that they reserve right to switch to another platform in the future. It appears that the situation might not be entirely settled just yet, however, as Microsoft is reportedly claiming that Nigeria is "still demanding Windows," and that it's still negotiating a deal that would give TSC (the company handling the laptops) $400,000 for "marketing activities around the Classmate PCs" once they've switched to Windows.

 

[via] Engadget

Samsung SGH-T578H: world's first TD-SCDMA HSDPA / GSM multi-mode handset

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We knew NXP and T3G were working on an automatic handover between TD-SCDMA and GSM, and now both firms are buddying up with Samsung to gloat about the unveiling of the "world's first" TD-SCDMA HSDPA / GSM multi-mode handset. The celebrated mobile is being dubbed the Samsung SGH-T578H, which is equipped with a software-defined modem capable of achieving data transfer rates of 2.8Mbps. TD-SCDMA network deployments have already been completed in ten major cities in China, and it should be upgraded to support Release 5 (HSDPA) of the TD-SCDMA standard in time for users to enjoy streaming content from the Beijing Olympics. Regrettably, there's no mention as to when the aforementioned mobile will be released, but we're sure this trio won't let it go unnoticed should that day come.

[Via MobileTechNews, image courtesy of 163]

 

[via] Engadget

Instructions posted for downgrading iPhone from 1.1.2 to 1.1.1

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It looks like those having regrets about upgrading their iPhone to the 1.1.2 firmware now have a means of bringing their prized device back to the comforts of 1.1.1, although the process is apparently not without its faults. According to the instructions recently posted on the Hackintosh forums, you'll first need to snag a copy of the 1.1.1 ipsw firmware file, then you simply follow three relatively easy steps to dial things back to 1.1.1, after which you'll have to follow a couple of additional steps to re-activate the phone itself. On the downside, it appears that IPSF won't work on an iPhone downgraded using these measures, although an update to fix that particular problem certainly doesn't seem to be out of the question. Hit up the read link below for the complete step-by-step details.

[Thanks, Jurgis S]

 

[via] Engadget

Know Your Rights: Does T-Mobile really own magenta?

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Know Your Rights is Engadget's new technology law series, written by our own totally punk copyright attorney Nilay Patel. In it we'll try to answer some fundamental tech-law questions to help you stay out of trouble in this brave new world. Disclaimer: Although this post was written by an attorney, it is not meant as legal advice or analysis and should not be taken as such.

Hey, does T-Mobile really own magenta? I was just about to redesign my blog, and that was going to be the main color.

Really? Maybe T-Mo should sue you.

Come on, I've been hearing this everywhere. 1265 Diggs can't be wrong.

Well, they're not wrong, they're just less than right. T-Mobile's disclaimers certainly do say that "the magenta color" is a T-Mobile trademark.

So there you go! That's so stupid! The system is broken! Everyone is corrupt! How can a corporation own a color?! I've already skipped down and begun flaming!

Chill out, Sparky. T-Mobile doesn't "own" anything here, least of all a color. That's the part everyone seems to have missed. T-Mobile has what appears to be a German trademark on that specific magenta color (RAL 4010, specifically) as it relates to their branding, but that doesn't really affect the average consumer.

Besides, this isn't some radical new development. Lot of other companies have registered color trademarks -- Owens-Corning has a trademark on the use of pink for insulation, Tiffany & Co. has a trademark on that certain blue color it uses for jewelry boxes, and UPS has a trademark on brown. Interesting you haven't seen UPS suing Microsoft over that itty-bitty Zune thing, no?

Continue reading Know Your Rights: Does T-Mobile really own magenta?

 

[via] Engadget

How would you change Asus' Eee PC?

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The Eee PC's journey from introduction to mass production hasn't been filled with too many surprises, and aside from the obligatory price / release date speculation, unexpected Russian review and even more chatter over the almighty pricetag, it's been a pretty smooth ride. Granted, everyone and their long lost cousin was buzzing about the potential of getting a fully-featured machine in their laps for under two bills, but as these things always seem to go, final figures (for individual consumers, at least) managed to creep up a fair bit. Price hikes or not, it didn't seem to matter much come launch day, as dear ole NewEgg managed to sell right out of its initial allotment, though we're left to wonder if it didn't really have a few more to go around.

Regardless, just about everyone who managed to get ahold of Asus' little darling came away impressed, if not thoroughly pleased, with how much functionality was stuffed into a sub-$400, two-pound ultraportable. Of course, critics were not hesitant to admit that the bugger wasn't perfect, and we've all ideas that a number of you early adopters out there share similar sentiments. So without further ado, why not give the world a piece of your mind on the matter? How would you meliorate the Eee PC? Make it more functional, more fashionable or just (even) more affordable? Chime on in below with your recommendations for the Eee PC Rev. B -- it's not like we don't already know it's coming.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[via] Engadget

AOTS builds "world's largest arcade machine"

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We've never really watched much of Attack of the Show, but we hear it's hosted by some nerdy types that are somehow better looking than us -- which simply can't be correct. All that aside, those (debatably) sexy nerds have taken it upon themselves to build the world's largest arcade machine, and even invited over the Guinness Book of World Records folks to check it out on tonight's show. The arcade machine stands more than 13-feet tall, sports a 70-inch or so screen, and probably runs Doom. The show airs tonight at 7PM on G4, where hopefully they'll unveil the specs behind this bad boy.

Gallery: AOTS builds "world's largest arcade machine"

 

[via] Engadget

24 in 1994: the "lost pilot"

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How did Jack Bauer ever get by without his magical Treo? We figure it must've involved a whole lot more eyeball threatening than he usually manages to cram into a season of 24. Also, according to CollegeHumor's "unaired 1994 pilot" episode, it involved a pager and some really bad early 90's hair. Consider yourself warned, video is after the break.

Continue reading 24 in 1994: the "lost pilot"

 

[via] Engadget

Femtosecond laser pulses could safely destroy viruses, bacteria

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The world is already well aware of just how potent (and useful) femtosecond lasers are, and a recent study conducted by a team of Arizona State University physicists explains how pulses could be used to dismantle viruses and bacteria without harming a single innocent cell. Rather than follow in the footsteps of indiscriminate laser treatment options, the group of Sun Devils reportedly figured out a way to "produce lethal vibrations in the protein coat of microorganisms," which has the potential to at least treat "blood-borne diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis." The technique, dubbed ISRS (Impulsive Stimulated Raman Scattering), has shown to not harm healthy human cells while fighting the good fight against viral pathogens, and while there's no easy way to surmise how quickly we'll see this in action, we're gonna wait for a bit more proof before getting our hopes up.

[Via Switched]

 

[via] Engadget

Checking in with the pundits on Android / the Open Handset Alliance

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It already seems like an eternity ago, but Google's big Open Handset Alliance / Android announcement was arguably the biggest news of the week, and it inspired a number of tech pundits and bloggers to weigh in -- and Steve Ballmer to talk some major smack. Since no one really knows how any of this is going to play out, we thought we'd round up some of the more interesting viewpoints for easy reference -- and maybe some easy laughs -- when we get our hands on the first "GPhone" in late 2008.

We gotta start with John Dvorak, who cut straight to the point and said "The Google phone is doomed." Additional money quotes include "Google is actually not a charismatic company that can make this new platform happen in a big way," and "When I see a bunch of joiners jumping on some unknown, unreleased unfinished pipe dream, I actually laugh." He even roped in the iPhone, calling it more of a "photo album than a phone." Actually, Dvorak's whole column is a great read even if just to experience the man's naked anger towards every phone ever made.

Not to be outdone at the contrarian game, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer came out swinging as well, saying "Their efforts are just some words on paper right now." Actually, he does have a point there -- although Google and HTC may have been developing that "Dream" prototype, the real news will come in late 2008 when Android devices start shipping. How does that compare to WinMo, Steve? "They have a press release, we have many, many millions of customers, great software, many hardware devices and they're welcome in our world."

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[via] Engadget