Unity to bring Qualcomm optimization to its game engine

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/unity-to-bring-qualcomm-optimization/

Unity already supports development for (nearly) all mobile platforms and now the game engine maker's working on an optimized version for those with Qualcomm processors -- ie, quite a chunk of them. On the heels of freshly announced competition, it announced that it's collaborating with the chip-maker to release a new version of its multi-platform engine "in the coming months" to speed up Unity-authored games for Android and Windows Phone 8 devices powered by most flavors of that CPU. So far there are over 1.5 million registered developers building games for around 770 products that pack the necessary Snapdragon / Adreno combo, according to Unity -- meaning there's a decent chance you'll soon see some extra oomph in one or another of the games you play, whether you're in Redmond or Mountain View's camps. Hit the PR after the jump for more.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Mobile

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What's the Best iPhone Data Plan?

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5992452/whats-the-best-iphone-data-plan

T-Mobile has the iPhone now. It's only a hundred bucks! There's no contract! Unlimited everything! But before you get too excited about the prospect of jumping ship for forgotten carrier, let's take a look at how exactly that its iPhone 5 data plans compare to the other big dogs.

Following is a chart that compares individual device plans across on-contract iPhone carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, as well as unsubsidized vendors with national scope like Virgin Mobile and Walmart's Straight Talk Wireless. Everyone has their own needs, obviously, but the bottom line is that if you use a lot of data, you should definitely start looking beyond AT&T and Verizon .

Click to embiggen!

Over a reasonable two-year lifespan of the iPhone 5, you're looking to spend $2,120 with Sprint versus $2,260 on T-Mobile and $1,730 on Straight Talk. How that compares to AT&T and T-Mobile depends on how much data you use, but even if you stick with just 1GB/month you're looking at $2,240 on AT&T over two years and $2,360 on Verizon.

Other considerations obviously come into play; Verizon will have better reception than AT&T, AT&T will let you do simultaneous voice and data while Verizon won't, T-Mobile doesn't have a functional LTE network yet, Sprint is... Sprint. But in terms of pure value, T-Mo made a strong case for itself today.

Or, you know, just pick up a Virgin Mobile iPhone 4S and save yourself a grand.

Additional reporting by Robert Schoon. Data plan info provided by Apple. AT&T Mobile Share costs were used for more accurate comparison with Verizon's Share Everything plans.

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Google Image Search Has Never Looked So Good

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5992448/google-image-search-has-never-looked-so-good

Stop what you're doing right now and start scrolling through this Tumblr of colorful images of planes and bridges and mats and packaging and other everyday items morphing into each other. It's called I'm Google, an ongoing art project that finds beautiful patterns in otherwise benign and boring images Google Image search results.

Dina Kelberman, the artist behind the Tumblr, explains that it's an "ongoing stream of consciousness," where batches of images "move seamlessly from one subject to the next based on similarities in form, composition, color, and theme." Seriously, take a few minutes and watch the pictures just melt together. You won't be able to stop scrolling. [I'm Google via This Is Colossal]

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T-Mobile's HD Voice Hands On: A Sweeter-Sounding iPhone

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5992454/t+mobiles-hd-voice-hands-on-a-sweeter+sounding-iphone

T-Mobile just announced its very own iPhone 5 and no-contract plans. One of the little subplots was that this would be the first iPhone to support HD Voice. We just went ears-on with to see if it's a difference you can actually hear.

Calling from one T-Mobile iPhone to another, my caller's voice came through loud and clear. You know how sometimes cell-to-cell voice calls can sound a little fragmented? Like little bits of sounds are being dropped? This didn't have that. It was a much more natural sounded call. It was a bit richer, and definitely fuller. I wouldn't say it was like night and day, but it's definitely a noticeable improvement. I then used the same iPhone to call an HTC One on AT&T and it sounded, y'know, like a typical cell call. It was very slightly broken up, and definitely didn't have as much dynamic range.

It's important to note that this isn't brand new technology; T-Mobile's iPhone 5 HD Voice sounds just like Sprint's Evo 4G LTE HD Voice from last year. But it's definitely the clearest tone you'll find on any iPhone out there, for those rare moments you actually use your iPhone as a phone phone.

Obviously, a noisy environment isn't the ideal testing ground, but for a snap impression, HD Voice is definitely better. We look forward to spending more time with it in the future, though, so we can do a fuller evaluation. HD Voice is also (or will be) available on the Galaxy S III, the Galaxy S IV, and the HTC One to name a few.

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BlackBerry Z10 live on T-Mobile website: $100 down payment or $532 up front

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/blackberry-z10-live-t-mobile-website-100-on-contract-/

Just ahead of T-Mobile's event in New York City, we've noticed that the carrier has already listed the BlackBerry Z10 on its website. It looks like the smartphone will be available for a $100 down payment with a $18 monthly installment for 24 months, though the UnCarrier also lists the BB Z10 for $532 up front. Notably, the handset's page says it supports 4G LTE -- and we imagine we'll hear a good deal more about T-Mobile's network plans when the event kicks off in just a bit.

Update: The BB Z10's arrival on Big Magenta is official, with CEO John Legere announcing the previously mentioned smartphone pricing on stage.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, T-Mobile

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Source: T-Mobile

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