Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has just made public his own Kangaroo TV operations, but the end product is something far different than just in-stadium televisions. The FanVision handheld (shown above) has been reportedly shopped to every single NFL team, but only a dozen of ‘em decided to take Mr. Ross up on his offer (along with the University of Michigan, curiously enough). Essentially, this here handheld works only while within the stadium, enabling fans to view instant replays from multiple angles, out of town games, real-time stats from around the league, NFL Red Zone, live fantasy football updates, on-demand video from your home team, a cheerleader cam (yeah, seriously), highlight reel of the game and the actual network telecast of the event that you’re at. ‘Course, this type of fan customization isn’t exactly new — the Mariners have been offering something similar to Nintendo DS owners for awhile now — but given the high absurd price of front row seats, we’ll take any extra angles we can get. FanVision will be available within the stadiums of the signed-on teams (listed after the break) for $199 without any activation or recurring fees, though the MSRP is tagged at $259. Sure beats paying for PSLs, huh?

Continue reading FanVision handheld makes NFL nosebleeds far more bearable

FanVision handheld makes NFL nosebleeds far more bearable originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands up if you’ve ever heard of BridgeCo. No? Us neither, but that’s about to change following a CNBC report detailing the company’s relationship with Apple. BridgeCo is in the business of embedding its network media processor and software stack into its partners’ audio equipment to enable wireless streaming. Now, according to a CNBC interview with BridgeCo CEO Gene Sheridan, Apple decided sometime last year to make BridgeCo an AirPlay launch partner. As such, any vendor that embeds BridgeCo’s newest tech will be able to accept streaming audio (and its metadata) from an iTunes library or handheld iOS 4.2 device — there’s no mention of video or picture streaming although AirPlay supports both. According to CNBC, audio gear should start arriving with the BridgeCo software in time for the holidays allowing iTunes users to “mix and match their favorite equipment with a common software.” What that means isn’t exactly clear, though BridgeCo does offer the ability to link systems into a distributed home audio network that includes a “party mode” where all speakers are synced to play from a common source. Importantly, according to Sheridan, this is the first time that Apple has opened up its iTunes software to a third party, giving it a glimpse at the source code. Exclusively? That’s the big question.

When Apple announced AirPlay, it listed Denon, Marantz, B&W, JBL, and iHome as “featured” partners. Coincidentally, in a blog post published two days after Apple’s fall music event, BridgeCo listed all of these brands, with the exception of Marantz, as partners of its own. If you’ll recall, the “Made for iPod” licensing program has provided a steady stream of revenue for Apple since 2005. And in the last few years, Apple has relied upon a proprietary authentication chip to authorize device compatibility and to unlock features such as video streaming. Apple undoubtedly seeks similar control over the expected rush of AirPlay-enabled devices in order to ensure a consistent user experience while making a few bucks on every third party accessory sold.

So is BridgeCo the new chip and software behind a “Made for AirPlay” accessory certification program? We can’t say for sure. Sheriden does let on that the Apple deal’s impact is “immense” and should provide more than half of the company’s revenues. Needless to say, the idea of combining systems from multiple brands into a unified whole-home audio network is certainly attractive. Sonos and Squeezebox, your approach to whole-home wireless audio is officially on notice.

Is BridgeCo the foundation for ‘Made for AirPlay’ Apple accessories? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At last, T-Mobile just went official with its G2 QWERTY slider. As expected, this Android 2.2 device ships with Qualcomm’s MSM7230 “Snapdragon” silicon optimized for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network with an 800MHz CPU and second generation application co-processor. Other specs include a 3.7-inch “screen,” 4GB of internal memory with pre-installed 8GB microSD card (supporting up to 32GB cards), Swype keyboard, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, and 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and 720p HD video capabilities. Oh, and web browsing is supported by Adobe’s FlashPlayer. Look for this successor of the T-Mobile G1 to go up for pre-orders sometime later this month.

Continue reading T-Mobile G2 comes out from hiding, pre-orders begin later this month

T-Mobile G2 comes out from hiding, pre-orders begin later this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s okay if you’ve never heard of wireless broadband bonding. The technology hasn’t exactly caught on, even if it gets us all excited in our download place. The basic idea is to take a suite of wireless broadband adapters and plug them all into a single router, aggregating their power like shotgun modems did in the dial-up days. Mushroom Networks is the leader in this space and it has announced a new, “heavy duty” version of its PortaBella bonding device, joining its Porcini and Truffle models. The new PortaBella combines the connections of up to four wireless modems, even from different carriers, and works at temperatures ranging from 4 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit — which sadly doesn’t quite meet the extremes experienced on an average day at the Engadget Lunar Outpost. It seems our heavenly bloggers above will have to keep sharing that single modem for now.

Continue reading Mushroom announces durable PortaBella wireless bonding device, continues adorable naming scheme

Mushroom announces durable PortaBella wireless bonding device, continues adorable naming scheme originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ready to get swept away into the wild, wild abyss known as quantum computing? If not, we’re certain there’s a less mentally taxing post above or below, but for those who answered the call, researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have a doozie to share. A team of whiz kids at the institution have developed a minuscule optical device that’s built into a silicon chip, and it’s capable of reducing the speed of light by a factor of 1,200. If you’re wondering why on Earth humans would be interested in doing such a thing, here’s the long and short of it: the ability to control light pulses on an integrated chip-based platform “is a major step toward the realization of all-optical quantum communication networks, with potentially vast improvements in ultra-low-power performance.” Today, data transmitted along optical fibers must still eventually be converted to electronic signals before they’re finally understood, but the promise of an all-optical data processing system could obviously reduce inefficiencies and create communication networks that are far quicker and more robust. There’s still no telling how far we are from this becoming a reality — after all, we’ve been hearing similar since at least 2006 — but at least these folks seem to be onto something good… even if it’s all too familiar.

All-optical quantum communication networks nearly realized, ‘Answers to Life’ airing at 9PM originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The 2009 BCS National Championship game showed us the potential of 3D sports broadcasts but now it’s 2010 so while Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow have taken their game to the NFL, ESPN 3D has made it a reality for viewers at home. Last night’s Boise St./Virginia Tech matchup was the first of 13 the network plans to air including the next BCS Championship game so we didn’t waste any time plugging in a 3DTV and taking a look. Check after the break for our impressions and a bit more explanation on 3D technology (Still not up to speed? Check out our post-CES breakdown of 3D tech for the home right here.)

Continue reading ESPN 3D review: college football kickoff

ESPN 3D review: college football kickoff originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our eyes were drawn to an FCC filing this morning from a California start-up by the name of Zelfy; a quick glance at Zelfy’s site reveals that they’re in “stealth mode,” but the picture of a woman using an iPhone to control her TV should give you an idea of what these guys are up to. Indeed, digging through the filing shows a product called “Peel” whose central component, the “Peel Fruit,” is a small, battery-powered sphere of an IR blaster that connects to your home network router. Next, you download the Peel app onto the iPhone (or iPod touch) of your choice and control the Fruit over WiFi. The filing reveals little in the way of UI or functionality, but the product’s tagline is “every remote and TV guide now on your phone,” so we would assume that you’ll have access to your cable provider’s lineup and schedule from the app. More on this one just as soon as Zelfy decides to emerge from stealth mode, we suppose.

Zelfy Peel might be the iPhone remote you’ve been looking for originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By now you’ve probably seen the reviews of the other Galaxy S phones — the Epic 4G, Captivate, or Vibrant — or at least gotten an idea of what Samsung’s push into the Android market is all about in 2010. After hitting every other major US carrier with like-minded devices, the company has finally seen fit to unleash the Fascinate on Verizon. Up until this point, the Android offerings on Big Red’s network have been varied, but not all particularly attractive beyond the Droid lineup. The Fascinate is arguably the first handset that gives something like the Droid X or the Incredible a proper run for its money. Of course, those are pretty high stakes in game that changes on an almost daily basis, and Samsung’s options are not without their… idiosyncrasies. That truth is nowhere more pronounced than on its latest handset. So is the company poised to hit the market where it hurts with this final puzzle piece, or is this an incomplete picture? Read on to find out in our full review of the Samsung Fascinate!

Continue reading Samsung Fascinate review

Samsung Fascinate review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony just released its 3.42 software update for PlayStation 3 owners. As a mandatory update, PS3 jockeys must accept it if they want to continue accessing the PlayStation Network or PlayStation Store. While Sony’s American mouthpiece isn’t saying much about the release, Sony Japan says that it fixes a “hardware security issue,” and that’s it. Sounds like a patch for PSJailbreak and its open-source variants to us.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

PS3 3.42 software update reportedly patches jailbreak, hates fun originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do you have two hours to spare? Maybe you’re taking a road trip. Maybe you have an hour commute and can listen to one half on the way to work and one half on the way back. Maybe you’re a marathon runner. Whatever. Obviously, there was a ton of stuff to talk about this week in the World of Tech and the Engadget Podcasters have got it all covered – just for you. Complete with Neo Geo, TurboGrafx 16 and Atari Lynx + Jaguar references.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Monkey Wrench

00:03:40 – Live from Apple’s fall 2010 event
00:04:04 – The new Apple TV for $99
00:10:40 – Apple’s AirPlay music streaming coming to third party speaker docks, receivers, and stereos
00:12:45 – iHome teases first AirPlay-compatible portable speaker dock
00:18:50 – Amazon streaming 99-cent ABC and Fox shows… right now (update: purchases, not rentals!)
00:19:20 – Roku lowers prices across the board: HD box now $69, $99 HD-XR to get 1080p support
00:21:15 – Apple claims 50 percent of portable gaming market, iPod touch ‘outsells Nintendo and Sony combined’
00:23:00 – Apple TV (2010) first look / hands-on! (updated with video)
00:25:00 – Apple TV vs. the competition — how does it stack up?
00:29:19 – iPod nano redesigned: smaller, lighter, better and costing $149 for 8GB or $179 for 16GB
00:29:51 – iPod nano (2010) first hands-on! (update: video!)
00:36:00 – Apple announces redesigned iPod shuffle, brings the buttons back
00:35:26 – iPod touch gets revamped: retina display, FaceTime, HD video recording
00:37:28 – iPod touch (2010) first hands-on! (update: video!)
00:38:52 – Sony Bloggie Touch preview: an actually simple ’simple camcorder’
00:44:33 – Confirmed: the iPod Classic is alive and well
00:44:55 – Apple announces iTunes 10 with Ping social network
00:45:55 – iTunes 10 (with Ping) mercifully becomes available for download (update: iOS 4 has Ping, too)
00:46:10 – Why did Apple take Facebook Connect out of Ping?
00:46:47 – All Things D: Facebook blocked Apple’s Ping service for unauthorized use
00:52:50 – We’re live from IFA 2010!
00:53:00 – Samsung Galaxy Tab preview
00:56:30 – Samsung Galaxy Tab rooted, just for bragging rights
01:00:14 – The Samsung Galaxy Tab: more relief on the go
01:02:40 – Samsung Galaxy Tab reported to retail at €699 and €799 in Europe (update: O2 Germany pricing)
01:04:18 – Galaxy Tab with WiMAX coming to Sprint this November?
01:12:18 – Toshiba Folio 100 preview
01:18:00 – ViewSonic 10-inch dual boot ViewPad preview
01:25:13 – Archos unleashes five (five!) new Android Froyo tablets, we go hands-on
01:27:55 – Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today
01:37:55 – Windows Phone 7 goes gold master, begins rolling out to partners for final launch preparations
01:40:05 – Clearwire’s Rover service goes live, offers $5/day 4G service
01:44:00 – Verizon officially announces prepaid smartphone data packages
01:47:52 – Shocker! Google’s Android logo boosted from Atari Lynx title ‘Gauntlet: The Third Encounter’

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Filed under: Podcasts

Engadget Podcast 211 – 09.04.2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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