26Jan

Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch Gets Stripped Of Carrier IQ

FILED IN gadgets No Comments

Sprint Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

Sprint has been spending the past few weeks quietly pumping out software updates that remove Carrier IQ from affected devices, and now it looks like Sprint’s flagship Android device (for now) will be able to run wild and free.

Thanks to an update that started making the rounds yesterday, Samsung’s Galaxy S II variant the Epic 4G Touch joins a handful of Sprint devices to get the Carrier IQ cleanup treatment.

Aside from giving Carrier IQ the boot (which Sprint refers to as a “security update”), the new build also includes updated modems and a fix for an issue involving multiple calendar alerts. The only other notable addition in the new update is support for the Commercial Mobile Alert System, which allows Sprint to push out critical public safety updates to customers in the event of an emergency.

While this release is the first official one that removes Carrier IQ from Sprint’s Galaxy S II, Samsung has been working on a clean build for some time now. To wit, a Carrier IQ-free software build for the Epic 4G Touch was leaked one day prior to Sprint’s announcement that they would discontinue use of the oft-maligned diagnostics tool.

If your Epic 4G Touch hasn’t yet been graced with the update, it’s only a matter of time — according to Sprint, the OTA rollout will should be complete within 10 days. Of course, if you’re really impatient, you could always load up a flashy new custom ROM and be done with Carrier IQ for good.



View full post on TechCrunch » Mobile

, , , , ,

13Jan

Dragon Thrashing: ‘Epic Metal’ Cover Of Skyrim Theme

FILED IN Entertainment No Comments

skyrim-cosplay.jpg

Note: Picture not really related — White Witch of Narnia. *whispering* Oh for real?! Female Thor (kidding — NOW STOP EMAILING ME).

This is an ‘epic metal’ cover of the main Skyrim theme by German metal band Equalibrium’s guitarist/keyboardist René Berthiaume. Not gonna lie, it kinda got me pumped up about getting out there and laying some f***ing dragons. “You mean slaying?” What do you think? “Well, you don’t have a sword or pants on so…” *wink*

Hit the jump for the music your mother warned you about. View full post on Geekologie – Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome

, , , , , ,

05Jan

New Details Emerge For White Epic 4G Touch, White Galaxy Nexus

FILED IN gadgets No Comments

white-phonez

Long-time readers may know that I’m a sucker for white phones, so today is something like Christmas Part Two for me. New details have surfaced about two new pearlescent phones: the white Epic 4G Touch and the white Galaxy Nexus.

Sprint’s (unfortunately named) Galaxy S II Epic Touch variant is the more imminent release, as the white model will be hitting all of the company’s sales channels on January 8 with a $199 price tag.

We’ve talked about the GSIIE4GT in-depth before, but in case you were wondering, it sports a 1.2 GHz Exynos processor, a 4.52 Super AMOLED Plus display and a heaping helping of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. Sprint’s a little late here – AT&T and T-Mobile have already rolled out their white GSII variants — but more chromatic choices are always welcome.

Meanwhile, a white Samsung Galaxy Nexus will see the light of day in Europe before this year’s Mobile World Conference kicks off on February 27 according to Pocket-Lint,. Online retailer Handtec has already opened pre-orders for the pearly handset, with the 16GB model going for £496.79 ($770). The international Galaxy Nexus comes with full support for AT&T and T-Mobile’s data networks, so I don’t expect it to be too long before people with too much money snag a white GalNex to flaunt around town.

Fan though I may be of Samsung’s Android 4.0-powered gray monolith, I’m hoping against hope that the white model will officially make its way stateside. It’s been rumored that the GSM Galaxy Nexus will soon hit AT&T, and a white Nexus S with support for AT&T’s 3G bands surfaced not too long after the original Nexus S debuted. It’s a tenuous connection at best, but hey — a guy can hope right?



View full post on TechCrunch » Mobile

, , , , , ,

04Jan

Video: Massively Epic Lego Machine Just Amazes

FILED IN gadgets No Comments

By David Ponce

I really felt like making that headline sound even more hysterical, but then you might think I put something in my Cool-aid. So I kept it relatively level headed, knowing you’d appreciate my composed approach. See, not much is known about the video above aside from what you can see in it: the most awesome Lego creation on the planet! No, really… you have to watch it to believe it. It’s this Rube Goldberg-like device that shuttles oodles of little plastic soccer balls around this incredibly complex track in a seemingly endless sequence of mind bending Lego engineering. It’s just too beautiful to dare put any more words than this to it.

So just watch and come back here and tell me to my face that you even noticed 8 minutes go by.

VIA [ Geek.com ]



View full post on OhGizmo!

, , , , , ,

03Jan

Keep The Spark Alive With BeCouply’s Epic Date Night Subscription Service

FILED IN gadgets No Comments

BeCouply Logo

Imagine a candlelit dinner, a private art gallery tour, and round-trip black car service for you and your significant other. Now imagine how nice it’d be if you didn’t have to plan any of that awesome date. BeCouply is a new subscription service for couples where each month they get a unique, all-inclusive date set up for them. It’s like ShoeDazzle for romantic experiences. With pre-seed funding from Mitch Kapor, BeCouply Dates launches today in San Francisco with plans to expand to more cities and a mobile date idea app soon.

BeCouply was founded by real-life couple Becky Cruze and Pius Uzamere (an MIT computer science grad) after they had difficulty coming up with fun new date ideas. The 2-person company solves a big problem for more financially secure couples, and especially guys who are often tasked with impressing their significant others. These couples have the money to spend on the occasional big night out, but don’t have the time or creativity to plan memorable dates.

Users sign up for BeCouply Dates, and each month’s $149 per couple fee covers fine dining, drinks, an experience, and black car transportation. That means no reservations or designated drivers necessary. For its first package, “Couples will visit local food purveyors in San Francisco’s Mission District, meet the chefs, owners and industry experts while noshing on their artisan specialties.” Future packages hinted at include helicopter tours and spa visits. Some are more intimate experiences for two, while others include several couples in a group format.

BeCouply is considering launching its dates service in NYC, LA, Chicago, and more cities. It’s also taking early beta registrations for a mobile app which suggests date ideas and lets you capture and share romantic moments.

I think there’s a startup opportunity wherever a lot of people are willing to spend but the friction comes in decision making and lack of expertise. That’s why fashion subscription startups like ShoeDazzle, BeachMint, and Swag Of The Month are proliferating — people can’t be bothered to shop.

BeCouply’s success will depend on a great user experience that generates word-of-mouth buzz. If you add up a $50 dollar dinner, $20 in drinks, and $30 in car service, couples could be getting a great deal on a unique experience. However, they’ll only pay up if the dates seem really exciting, and I think its initial “meet the chefs” package doesn’t quite cut it. If BeCouply can get to scale and establish strong partnerships with experience vendors, I see lots of couples subscribing to stress-free, fun-filled date nights.

The first 100 couples that sign up using the promo code “TECHCRUNCH” will get $100 off the individual date package.



View full post on TechCrunch » Mobile

, , , , , , , ,

TOP