info gadget

Sprint details Q4 CDMA Direct Connect launch plans and handsets, quietly waves goodbye to iDEN

We're guessing that this isn't the riveting Q4 announcement that Dan Hesse promised us last week at Sprint's Kansas headquarters, but it's a shock to the system nonetheless. The outfit's legacy iDEN network is still kicking around (and in turn, eating up valuable resources to run it), and while we're told that those push-to-talk users are some of the most loyal, it looks as if 2012 will be the year they're forced to try something new. The company's CDMA-based Direct Connect alternative is officially slated to launch this winter, with those who...

Casio's Bluetooth 4.0 G-Shock is water and shock-resistant, FCC-approved

The latest G-Shock watch from Casio boasts the usual array of shock and water-resistant claims, and now it can add FCC acceptance to the list, having passed through that government agency's approval process. So, why did this wristwatch hit the FCC in the first place? Well, the rugged little timekeeper is packing Bluetooth 4.0 in its bag of tricks, which lets the wearable gadget communicate with your smartphone. No word on a release date, but Casio did mention a fairly broad "some time in 2011" window when it was first announced back in March....

Canon's second quarter profits dip 20 percent amid supply constraints, strong yen

Canon had some good news and some bad (but not unexpected) news in its second quarter earnings released today. On the upside, the company has raised its profit outlook for the rest of the year, and says that the recovery from the earthquake that forced it to halt camera production has been "quicker than expected." That halt to production did take a considerable toll on the company, however, and contributed to a 20 percent drop in net profits to ¥53.86 billion, or $685.7 million, compared to a year ago -- a figure that was compounded by a strong...

Microsoft sued for patent infringement over Kinect controller tech

Microsoft is being sued for patent infringement over motion-sensing technology used in its blockbuster gaming accessory, the Microsoft Kinect. Ohio-based Impulse Technology has filed a complaint alleging that Microsoft’s Kinect controller infringes on seven of its technology patents. One patent referenced in the lawsuit covers "wide variety of games where the movement of a player is tracked in three dimensions…and certain exercise games where the motion of the player is tracked to effect movement of a virtual avatar, and the exertion of the user...

Apple releases iOS 4.3.5, inches towards iOS 5

Less than ten days after iOS 4.3.4 parachuted in to fix that nasty PDF exploit, Apple's gone and dropped another. So what'll Cupertino's latest fix today? Build 8L1 -- or 8E600 on 4.2.10 if you're rocking CDMA -- apparently nixes a vulnerability with "certificate validation," or you know, Apple's just really fond of keeping all you hackers on your toes. Either way, time to fire up iTunes, unless of course, you're already living in the future. Update: Turns out you can still (tethered) jailbreak with Redsn0w. Peep the more coverage link below.Source:...

Apple’s Siri-based iOS voice controls dubbed ‘Assistant’

It has been about 15 months since Apple acquired Siri for a reported $200 million, and it looks as though we won’t have to wait much longer to see the deal bear fruit. In line with earlier reports, 9to5 Mac has been sent evidence that Apple will introduce voice controls in iOS 5. At present, the voice control features within iOS are lumped together in a service called “Assistant,” though this is not confirmed to be the launch name. A screenshot said to have come from an iPhone test unit shows a toggle to activate the Assistant service — and old...

Redsn0w Can Jailbreak iOS 4.3.5 On iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad, iPod touch. Here’s How To Use It! [Tutorial]

Apple has unexpectedly pushed out an incremental update for iOS 4.3.x, and it is dubbed as iOS 4.3.5. This minor release is no more than a security update, aiming to patch issues with certificate verification. The good news is that we have tested it and can confirm that the current version of Redsn0w can jailbreak the just released iOS 4.3.5 on iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad 1, and iPod touch 4G/3G. But it will be limited to tethered boot, which means you will have to reconnect your device to your computer every time you reboot your iOS device. iPad 2...

Download iOS 4.3.5 For iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad 2, 1, And Pod touch [DIRECT LINKS]

Just months before iOS 5 is released and ten days after iOS 4.3.4 came out, one wouldn’t expect to ever hear about iOS 4.3.5. It now turns out that yet another update for iOS 4.3 has been uploaded to Apple’s servers, allegedly fixing a critical security issue. No concrete information about this update has been provided about this update, other than it seems to fix an issue with certificate validation, as pointed out on Apple’s change log: A security issue has been resolved with certificate verification. iOS development has been on fire lately,...

HTC Bliss leaked image confirms our report of female-focused Android phone

We had a very strong feeling that the Bliss (or what the TIMN staff calls HTC's Lady Phone) was indeed a real handset when we first reported on it back in May, but we also had doubts that HTC would specifically design a phone for the XX chromosome set. Well, the picture above of the so-called Bliss, dug up by PocketNow, pretty much puts all our doubts to rest. Matching our initial description to a T, the phone in the leaked picture is adorned in a sea foam green (remember it's supposed to be "calming!") and is said to be released...

Mac mini review (mid 2011)

For those familiar with last year's Mac mini, what you're peering at above isn't likely to strike you as jarring. Heck, it may even seem somewhat vanilla at this point. In truth, Apple did exceedingly little in terms of design changes with the mid 2011 Mac mini, but given the relatively recent cosmetic overhaul, it's not like we were genuinely expecting anything above a top-to-bottom spec bump. And that, friends, is exactly what we've received. The mini remains quite the curious beast in Cupertino's line -- it's the almost-HTPC that living room...