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Monday, February 25, 2013

LG Shows Off Wireless 4K Streaming, From Phone to TV

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5986642/lg-shows-off-wireless-4k-streaming-from-phone-to-tv

LG Shows Off Wireless 4K Streaming, From Phone to TV LG has been showing off the first example of wireless Ultra HD steaming at MWC: it can take video from a phone, playing at 1080p, upscale it on the fly, and show it off at 4K on a TV.

The technology uses Wi-Fi and Miracast to mange that, essentially mirroring phone content on a big screen, be it video, games, or whatever. According to the Verge in the video below, the streaming is pretty smooth, with only extreme panning causing frame rates to drop. Still, it's early days for this kind of streaming—and this already looks pretty damn promising. [Verge]

Samsung hands out paper invitations to Galaxy S IV launch at MWC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-invite/

Didn't receive an emailed invitation to the Galaxy S IV event in Manhattan? You're not alone. It looks like Samsung is shaking things up a bit this time around, handing out paper invitations to the NYC shindig at its decked-out booth at Mobile World Congress. The note confirms the earlier news: March 14th is the big day, and unlike last year's kickoff, which was held in London to coincide with Olympics coverage, 2013's flagship will make its debut at 7PM ET at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. And we've got the golden ticket. We'll be liveblogging the event, of course, so mark the date!

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy SIV invite

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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General Dynamics locks down Android, demos ultra-secure LG Optimus 3D Max

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/general-dynamics-locks-down-android/

General Dynamics doesn't exactly make the sexiest gear in the world. But, it sure has this secure gadget thing on lockdown. The NSA contractor is moving to ensure that Android is as snoop proof as can be with its new GD Protected software. The heart of the system is a sandboxed virtual instance of Android that delivers the sort of security features demanded by governments and the military (and some particularly paranoid businesses). That isolated OS runs alongside a standard Android install that you can use for personal purposes, while keeping your sensitive data on the secure side -- not unlike BlackBerry Balance. There's two layers of encryption separating the virtual install from the standard one, along with hardware security provided by Fixmo. The company has worked with LG, the DoD and the USMC to build a customized version of the Optimus 3D Max to showcase how the software works. The device even has a dedicated button that lets you quickly and seamlessly switch between the personal and secure personas, indicated by green and red borders, respectively. If you're not really keen on equipping your foot soldiers with last year's mediocre LG handset (and have no need for super secure stereoscopic snapshots) then you'll probably be happy to hear that General Dynamics will be bringing GD Protected to the Galaxy S III as well. The platform has been integrated into Samsung's own security solution, dubbed KNOX, and will be available ! sometime in Q2 of this year. For a few more details, check out the video demo and PR after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

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Duracell Powermat adding mesh network, scaleable power to its wireless charging plates

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/duracell-powermat-mwc-features/

Duracell Powermat is announcing a pair of new features to encourage sales of its wireless charging gear. The first is "Mesh Network," a set of controls that let multiple hotspots be centrally monitored -- so if you're stealing all the juice in the Wall St. Starbucks, central office can cut you off. On the upside, those same network features will enable you to find another charging hotspot on your smartphone, including Madison Square Garden and Jay-Z's 40/40 club. The second feature is that the latest mats will be able to vary the power on offer between 5 and 50 watts, making them capable of recharging smartphones, tablets and (potentially) Ultrabooks. Now all we have to do is work out how to power all of our electronics without arousing the suspicions of Jay-Z -- we'd hate to add a 100th problem to his worry list.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

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Huawei Ascend G526 hands-on: a midrange 4.5-inch LTE handset

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/huawei-ascend-g526-hands-on/

The Ascend P2 is getting the bulk of the attention at Huawei's booth at MWC 2013, but the Chinese company has a history of hiding an unannounced phone or two in less-visited corners of the booth. This time around it's the Ascend G526 that blends into the background, hanging out with a few other LTE-enabled devices. The G526, which hasn't been assigned any pricing or timeframe for availability (we've reached out to Huawei for more information), features a 4.5-inch qHD IPS display, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Additionally, it enjoys a 5MP rear camera and VGA front-facing cam, as well as a 1,950mAh battery and WiFi Direct support. There appears to be three variants of this device -- L11, L22 and L33 -- each one offering different frequencies for various carriers and markets. More details are forthcoming, but we'll update this post as we hear more.

The phone, which measures 133 x 67.5 x 9.9mm, is actually rather comfortable to hold in the hand. It's about par for the course when it comes to midrange handsets, with a slick plastic back that curves inward on each side so as to hug the edges. A 3.5mm jack can be seen up top while the power and volume buttons are on the right. Tragically, the micro-USB charging port is located on the upper left side of the phone, which is an incredibly awkward place when you're trying to use the device whilst it's chained to an outlet. We have a full gallery of images of the new device below.

Gallery: Huawei Ascend G526 hands-on