Acer Iconia W3 reportedly leaks, mates an 8-inch tablet with Windows 8

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/acer-iconia-w3-reportedly-leaks/

Microsoft has repeatedly told us that we'll see smaller Windows 8 tablets, but all that talk has amounted to precious little walk. If the latest rumor is accurate, though, Acer might be the first to take action: French site Minimachines claims to have images and details of the Iconia W3, which could be the first 8-inch tablet on Microsoft's newer platform. The slate wouldn't be a barnstormer with a 1.8GHz Atom Z2760 and 2GB of RAM, but performance also wouldn't be its selling point -- the W3 would be small enough to fit in one hand while carrying the full software support of a PC. It will reportedly include front and rear cameras as well as a possible microSDHC slot, and the accessories we see in the purported leak involve both a tiny keyboard dock and a cover that doubles as a kickstand. We don't know if there's any truth to claims of a launch around the back to school season in September, although that would certainly be appropriate timing for what could be a welcome backpack companion.

[Thanks, Pierre]

Filed under: Tablets, Acer

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Source: Minimachines.net (translated)

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Cricket intros $40 per line family plan with unlimited talk, text and data, updates iPhone plans

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/cricket-wireless-new-family-plans/

Cricket's already firmly established itself as one of the more budget-minded carriers in the US, and it's now tweaking some of its plans a bit further in the hopes of attracting more customers. Leading those changes is a new family plan that will give you two lines for $40 apiece per month, each with unlimited talk, texting and data -- the catch, as is becoming increasingly common, is that the data gets throttled to a slower speed after 1GB. On top of that, the carrier has also now brought its iPhone plans in line with its Android offerings, giving folks the same options as that family plan for $50 a month. More demanding users can also opt for 2.5GB of unthrottled data for $60 or 5GB $70, both of which also add unlimited international messaging to the mix.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Phone Scoop

Source: Cricket

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Huawei A199 outed with 5-inch 720p display, 1.5GHz CPU, 2GB RAM

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/huawei-a199/

Huawei kicked off the year by introducing its 5-inch Ascend D2 and 6.1-inch Ascend Mate flagships, and after a few months of catering for smaller hands, it's revisiting larger screens with the A199. The new handset shares a handful of specs with the Ascend D2, and although it's not as equipped, you wouldn't call it a low-end device. Behind the 5-inch, 720p IPS display, you'll find Huawei's own quad-core 1.5GHz K3V2 CPU paired with 2GB of RAM and eight gigs of internal storage, expandable via a microSD slot (up to 32GB cards supported).

Weighi! ng in at roughly 160g (5.6 ounces) with a 2,150mAh battery on board, the 8.9mm (0.35 inch) thick handset has an 8-megapixel main camera, a 1.3-megapixel shooter up front, and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as standard. We're inclined to believe the A199 will be destined for China and emerging markets only given the phone's dual-SIM support (GSM / CDMA / EV-DO), a feature popular in these regions. The device does, however, bear similarities in both specs and design to an Ascend G710 that was detailed in a leak back in February. Maybe, then, the A199 will make its way to the US eventually, albeit with a fresh name and brushed metal disguise.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: The Droid Guy

Source: Huawei

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'Eye gestures' spotted in Google Glass app code, hints at wink-based photography

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/eye-gestures-code-google-glass/

While perusing the code for Google Glass's companion Android app, Reddit user Fodawim chanced across several lines of code that could offer up some interesting navigation options for your Glass. Titled 'eye gestures,' it looks like the wearable's built-in sensors should be able to detect eye activity and integrate that into device input. Two lines of code mention enabling and disabling eye gestures, suggesting it'll be an optional feature, while other lines hint that it would have to be calibrated to your wink before use. Get your well-timed slow-wink at the ready, however, as the final line spotted suggests that a wink gesture can command the 5-megapixel camera to capture whatever you're looking at. Google was already granted a patent for unlocking a screen using eye-tracking information, although wink-based commands sounds a shade easier to deal with -- as long as it doesn't think we're blinking.

Filed under: Wearables, Google

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Via: Glass-apps

Source: Reddit

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Google Earth gets Leap Motion support, lets you explore the planet with touch-free control

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/google-earth-leap-motion/

How are you celebrating Earth Day? If you're one of 10,000 Leap Motion devs with an early unit, you could very well be exploring Mount Everest or venturing through the Amazon, just by waving your hands. Google's Earth app, which has reportedly been downloaded more than a billion times, just scored a refresh today -- version 7.1 -- delivering Leap Motion gesture control to your desktop. Both the free and paid versions now support touch-free navigation through the USB desktop device, which is expected in stores next month. The update, however, available for Windows, Mac and Linux, is yours for the taking now.

Filed under: Peripherals, Google

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Source: Leap Motion (YouTube)

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