In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

On average, North American consumers will spend a lifetime total of five days on failed attempts to pair their dock connector cable with an iPad or iPhone. Yeah, that's not true, but we can certainly sympathize with frustrated device owners -- fitting a tiny connector to any gadget can be a chore, especially in the dark. Scrap Pile Labs' CordLite sets out to point the way to a successful connection with its built-in LEDs. The illuminated cable is quite simple to use -- with no buttons or switches to fuss with, the connector lights up when you touch the aluminum plates, and powers off the moment it's secured to your device. There's really not much else to it -- CordLite functions identically to an Apple-manufactured cable, though the dock connector itself is significant larger than the OEM variety, at least in its current prototype form.

The design team has turned to Kickstarter to get their project funded, with a $70,000 goal. If all goes to plan, they expect to ship black or white CordLites beginning in September at $35 a pop, but as always, getting in during the "pre-order" phase will net you a hefty discount. The first 200 backers can get an early-bird cord in the color of their choice with a $25 pledge, with the required amount jumping up to $30 from there. A $45 pledge gets you an exclusive laser-etched model, while $50 will be met with a pair of early-bird cords. As you may have gathered from the picture above, the first version will only function with Apple devices, though a microUSB cord is also said to be in the works. See it in action in the video demo just past the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video)

Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a battle of epic proportions over a microscopic piece of plastic, but the warring sides appear to be working together to find a compromise. We're referring to the fight between Apple and a coalition formed by RIM, Motorola and Nokia as each group attempts to make their own nano-SIM design the ETSI standard. Neither entity has seemed willing to extend an olive branch and come up with any compromise -- until recently. RIM and Motorola have updated their design proposal in an effort to reach middle ground with Cupertino, and it appears that they were more than accommodating in the chip's refreshed look (seen above).

So how different can two nano-SIM designs be? Worlds apart, it turns out. For instance, RIM and Motorola have insisted from the beginning that a notch is necessary to allow for "push-push" mechanisms (push to lock the chip in place, push to pop it back out again); Apple, on the other hand, has been entirely anti-notch -- not a surprise, given the fact that the company uses SIM trays on the iPhone, therefore making the concept of a notch completely irrelevant. In its redesign, however, RIM and Motorola took elements from both sides of the fight and combined them. The new look retains Apple's simple rectangular style, but still makes room for a low-key notch on one side. It's difficult to say whether this move will be enough to gain the affection of Tim Cook's company and sway the vote -- Apple is still hard at work modding its own design, after all -- but it's nice to see both factions playing nice with each other prior to the next ETSI meeting on May 31st. Head to the source to see the difference between the original designs and the latest version.

RIM and Motorola modify nano-SIM proposal, hope to meet Apple halfway originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 00:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After the most recent quarter Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer was proud to let us all know that there are now 365 million iOS devices "in play," with over 50 million sold just in Q2. With the iPhone now available in 100 countries on 230 carriers and the new iPad shipping in over 40 countries, the continued growth isn't much of a surprise. Obviously, as the number of devices in the hands of users increases, so does the number of apps, and in this quarter the iTunes app store topped 600,000 apps -- including over 200,000 specifically designed for the iPad. The iPad in particular was singled out as being a driver for growth. Tim Cook said that 67 million iPads have been sold since the first model debuted. By contrast, he claims it took 24 years to sell that many Macs. Oppenheimer said that the education market was increasingly turning to the tablet, purchasing them by a margin of almost two-to-one over Macs. The San Diego school district in particular ordered 10,000 this quarter and has plans to purchase 15,000 more. Even the government is getting in on the action, with the air force using them as flight guides. For more details from Cupertino's earnings call check out our live blog.

365 million iOS devices 'in play,' iPad taking off in education and government markets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT's Media Lab is chock-full of cutting-edge tech projects that researchers create, then often license to manufacturers and developers. One such project is called NewsFlash, and uses high-frequency red and green light to transmit data to the built-in camera on a receiving device -- in this case Samsung's Epic 4G. The concept is certainly familiar, and functions in much the same way as a QR code, generating flashing light that's invisible to the human eye instead of a cumbersome 2D square. In the Media Lab's implementation, an iPad is used to display a static news page with flashing colored bands at the top, representing just a few vertical pixels on the LCD.

As the device presents the standard touch experience you're already familiar with, it also broadcasts data that can be read by any camera, but flashes too quickly to be distracting or even noticeable to the naked eye. A NewsFlash app then interprets those flashes and displays a webpage as instructed -- either a mobile version with the same content, or a translation of foreign websites. As with most MediaLab projects, NewsFlash is simply a concept at this point, but it could one day make its way to your devices. Jump past the break to see it in action.

Continue reading NewsFlash uses high-frequency light to transmit data from iPad to smartphone, we go hands-on (video)

NewsFlash uses high-frequency light to transmit data from iPad to smartphone, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The amazing three day iPad giveaway campaign continues, and we're only halfway through. Day two is already here, and it's time to enter to win another new iPad. This time it's CloudOn (iTunes link) that's hooking you up with the opportunity to nab a 16GB WiFi-only version, as a way of celebrating Tuesday's release of its latest update in the App Store. The free app gives you the ability to create, edit and share Office docs with Dropbox, Adobe Reader and Box synchronization as well as a few other goodies.

This time around, you'll need to answer a specific question in the comments as part of the entry process: what are two things you'd like to see on your iPad to help you stay productive while on the go? Good luck!

Continue reading Three iPad giveaways in three days: day two, courtesy of CloudOn!

Three iPad giveaways in three days: day two, courtesy of CloudOn! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Three iPad giveaways in three days: day one, courtesy of Wonders of the Universe!

Three iPad giveaways in three days: day one, courtesy of Wonders of the Universe! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung, now the world’s biggest-selling smartphone maker, says it expects to see its profits double for the first three months of the year.

AT&T has gotten a good amount of attention lately for unlocking off-contract iPhone handsets, but a recent report from MacRumors suggests that the carrier is extending the same privilege to members of the US military currently serving overseas. While we haven't been able to verify the report, we'd like to believe that news of AT&T's goodwill gesture is indeed genuine. Naturally, we're rather curious to know whether this policy extends to AT&T's entire range of handsets. So, if you or a loved one is on active deployment, be sure to give this a try and let us know your experience in the comments below.

[Military photo via Shutterstock]

AT&T purportedly unlocks in-contract iPhones for deployed military personnel originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: AT&T now unlocking out-of-contract iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM, the maker of the popular BlackBerry smartphone today said it was postponing its earlier scheduled disclosure of the latest company financial figures, preferring to go ahead first with the release of its awaited new BlackBerry 10 models.

Springtime is here. It's a season of renewal, and similarly, an ideal time to replace your aging phone with one that you'll adore. With this in mind, we give you Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide -- your one-stop resource for selecting the best handset that fits your desires and budget. This time around, we're doing things a bit differently. In addition to naming the top phones for each provider, you'll now find more comparisons across carriers. This should help you find the best possible handset -- regardless of network -- if you're willing to make the switch. Also, you'll no longer see limited-time offers as our budget picks -- they'll still get a mention, but now, only phones that commonly retail below $80 will qualify for this coveted spot. Naturally, new smartphones are always coming onto the market, so before you make your final selection, be sure to consult our reviews hub for the very latest recommendations. With that in mind, read on as we round up the best smartphones of the season.

Continue reading Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition

Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In these need-to-feel-better times, you should feel good knowing that your smartphone cameras can save you a lot of money if you want to do a good photo-taking job and have lots of fun without having to buy yourself one of those expensive, high- end digital cameras.

We know that Apple can be OCD-ish about dictionaries at times, but is any brave Cupertino intern ready to step up and run the gauntlet? Apple's definition of itself in its own Dictionary application is looking dusty, while all it really needs is a quick mention the company's latest gifts to the world -- and we don't just mean the Patent Wars.

[Thanks, Ishmaeel]

Apple needs to redefine itself, but that shouldn't take long originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know those heady dreams of a new Samsung product launch today? Well consider them punctured. There's no new gadgets to announce, but instead a teaming-up with UK retailer Phones 4u, offering a dedicated space for Samsung to dip its toes into retail waters. Located on London's Oxford Street -- and just around the corner from an Apple Store -- the shop-within-a-shop displays all of the Korean makers' big hitters, with several tables housing Galaxy Tab 10.1s, Galaxy Notes and Galaxy S IIs. The rest of that expansive galactic family dot the periphery of the room, but then you'd probably come here primarily to test-drive the aforementioned flagships. The tables themselves are dressed down; no pricing or carrier information clogging up the surfaces, just the devices and some Galaxy branding. Samsung's claimed the whole top floor and the shop is already training up dedicated Samsung staff to answer pressing questions like what's the point of the Galaxy Ace Plus whether that phone has Gorilla glass and when we can expect to see a Galaxy S III in the flesh.

Apple has Apple Stores, Samsung has... this! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 07:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Fair Labor Association has released its findings from the lengthy investigation of working conditions at Foxconn's Chinese plants where Apple products are made. While the PR and report largely avoid over the top rhetoric and direct condemnations of the companies, they hardly paint a rosy picture. The watchdog found that in the last year all three factories violated not just FLA code for hours worked, but Chinese legal limits of 36 hours of overtime per month. During peak periods, employees worked more than 60 hours a week on average and many more than seven days in a row. But, to its credit, the group has extracted an agreement out of both Apple and Foxconn to drastically improve conditions at the factories.

Foxconn has agreed to meet FLA and Chinese legal codes by July of 2013, including cutting the number of monthly overtime hours from 80 to 36. To compensate for the lost work hours the manufacturer will boost wages and plans to hire thousands of new workers to help maintain current production levels. A concerted effort is also planned to improve the safety and health conditions at the plants and their accompanying dormitories. The moves may be felt here in the US as small increases in the cost of electronic goods, but the price will be easy to swallow considering the weight it'll help lift off our conscience. Hit up the source link to read the full report for yourself and check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Apple and Foxconn agree to drastically improve working conditions following Fair Labor Association report

Apple and Foxconn agree to drastically improve working conditions following Fair Labor Association report originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Siri, turn on the flash and take three pictures with my camera after waiting two seconds." Apple's intelligent voice control system has been wildly popular amongst consumers in the U.S., and abroad, but Siri could be making her way to other devices in the future, including iPods, cameras and other consumer electronics. "Okay, Rock God, I will take your picture in two, one..." A patent by Apple filed in 2010 but published today describes a scenario in which you could control a secondary electronic device using your voice, with all of the backend processing passing through a connected smartphone or computer. According to the patent:

One embodiment may include a first electronic device communicatively coupled to a server and to a second electronic device. The second electronic device may be a portable electronic device, such as a digital media player, that includes a voice user interface. The second electronic device may be capable of accurate speech recognition, but may not include additional computation hardware and/or software for training the speech recognition engine. As such, the bulk, weigh, and cost for manufacturing the second electronic device may be reduced, resulting in a more portable and affordable product.

In other words, you could have Siri-like control of virtually any device, with all of the required hardware and software residing on an iPhone or MacBook, linked with other devices over WiFi or Bluetooth. Voice control wouldn't be practical in all situations, but it could be enormously helpful for certain operations, like adjusting settings or reviewing images. Instead of scrolling through hundreds of images, you could simply say "Siri, show me pictures from last Thursday," and see exactly the shots you were searching for. As always, this is one of thousands of Apple patents, and it quite possibly may never come to fruition as described. But here's to hopping it will. "Siri, show our readers the patent application" -- you'll find it at the source link below.

Apple patents Siri-like system for controlling cameras, PMPs through a computer or smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Cook's visit to China this week marks his first as Apple's CEO, but what originally appeared to be a casual jaunt to Beijing with possible carrier meetings on the agenda, has turned out to be a carefully orchestrated visit, including appointments with top government officials to talk economic development and intellectual property rights. Xinhua, the country's official press agency (and therefore not the most objective of sources), reported that Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang stated that the country will "strengthen intellectual property rights protection" and "pay more attention to caring for workers." Typical of state-sponsored releases, the report failed to expand on either statement, but even if nothing comes of this particular meeting, Keqiang is in line to take over as Premier next year, making him a solid addition to Cook's rolodex. There's a Chinese-language video of the encounter waiting just past the break.

Continue reading Tim Cook meets Chinese Vice Premier in Beijing, talks IP law, worker rights

Tim Cook meets Chinese Vice Premier in Beijing, talks IP law, worker rights originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sometimes, you have to go all-in. Why not sue all the leading smartphone makers at once? That's what Graphics Properties Holdings is doing, channeling the ghost (and intellectual back-catalogue) of Silicon Graphics. Filing six cases against Apple, Samsung, RIM, HTC, Sony and LG, the lawsuits reference floating point calculations for rendering graphics, something that the company received patent approval for only yesterday. GPH claims that several phones, including the iPhone, Galaxy S II and BlackBerry Torch, infringe on its intellectual property. Layman legal types can sniff around the patent in question at the source below.

Apple, Samsung, HTC and Sony sued over graphics rendering patents originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're guessing it's just coincidental timing here, but it looks as if Apple has been granted a patent surrounding "ejectable component assemblies" that are designed to be "flush with the external surfaces of the housings of the devices, despite variations in their manufacture." In other words, a SIM card tray. Granted, there's no specific verbiage in the independent claims of this one letting us know what exact size we're talking about, so it's highly unlikely that a patent application filed in December of 2010 (but granted today) would be directly referencing the nano-SIM war that's currently ongoing. That said, the description most certainly sounds like the tray that we've seen throughout the iPhone's life cycle, and if Apple's trying to go small in future handsets, there's a better than average chance that the ejection mechanism will be all too familiar. Legalese lovers can find the usual load down in the source link.

Apple patents ejectable SIM card tray as nano-SIM battle rages on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you hadn't heard, there are two rival nano-SIM designs going around, but only room for one of them to become an industry standard. Nokia, Motorola and RIM sit together in one corner, and we've already covered why they think their design is superior. On the other side of the ring sits Apple, which has its own tactics for bringing ETSI, the European Telecoms Standards Institute, over to its way of thinking. According to a legal letter shown to FOSS Patents by a "perfectly reliable source", Apple is prepared to license its nano-SIM design royalty-free, so long as it becomes the new standard and all other nano-SIM patent holders reciprocate the gesture. Such a gambit may not appease Cupertino's rivals and it certainly doesn't address their technical concerns, but it might show that Apple isn't looking to profit out of this particular format war and is simply continuing its quest for greater clarity on FRAND licensing terms. Then again, it could all just be lawyer-speak.

Apple ready to license its nano-SIM design for free, on one not-so-nano condition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Initially the two companies were placing the releases of their new smartphones in the second half of the year. Meanwhile the things have changed and the new Apple and Samsung smartphones are expected to be launched in the first part of 2012.

China Unicom saw a 14 percent bump in profits for 2011, with company execs attributing much of that gain to its exclusivity deal on the iPhone. Despite the increased income, China's second largest network still fell short of analyst estimates, with much of the blame being pinned on the carrier's need to increase capital spending. New customers means network expansion and more handset subsidies, and the firm's augmenting its spending by 30 percent to 100 billion Yuan (about $16 billion) to keep up. This extra expense caused stock in the network to cool a little, falling 3.1 percent after the announcement. Not so good news then, considering what's around the corner.

China Unicom says partnering with Apple was a good thing, we feign surprise originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the wake of the Path address book fiasco, Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) have followed up their initial query to Apple about privacy issues by contacting the people and companies behind 34 iOS apps. The list includes Tim Cook (again), concerning Apple's own Find My Friends, Mark Zuckerberg and Path's CEO Dave Morin, among others. The letters themselves are open for viewing on the Committee on Energy and Commerce's website, and include questions about exactly how many times the apps have been downloaded, what information they transmit back from user's devices and what happens to that data. The devs have until April 12th to respond, and while we're not sure what will happen after that, we're pretty sure this ends with someone's Hall of Fame consideration in doubt despite seven Cy Youngs and more than 4,000 strikeouts.

Congressmen ask devs of 34 iOS apps about user privacy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heads up, RIM. The bad news train is coming to your backyard and only Mr. Heins can get you off the track. It appears not even local loyalties are enough to bolster the BlackBerry brand back into its former hometown glory. According to research provided by Bloomberg and IDC, Waterloo's Canadian prospects are dimming, as that chunk of revenue, which amounts to about seven percent of its total earnings, has begun to wither, putting the company in second place behind Apple. Last year alone, iPhone shipments in the region outstripped BlackBerry by nearly one million and its recently reported fiscal performance isn't helping to brighten the picture, either. With its 3rd quarter domestic sales down 23 percent and US revenue plummeting by almost half, the once prominent king of the smartphone sector has a long uphill battle ahead. For the company's sake, let's hope its annual BlackBerry World showcase, less than two months away, and anticipated BB 10 devices can turn its financial frown upside down.

[Image credit via Life of an Architect]

iPhone shipments overtake BlackBerry in Canada, RIM now runner-up in its hometown originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't you hate it when the biggest wars can be started over the smallest things? This time around, we're referring to this in a very literal sense, as Apple has been putting the heat on (no, not that kind of heat) against an alliance formed by Nokia, Motorola and RIM regarding nano-SIM standards. With the ETSI gearing up for a vote on various proposals next week, the two sides are locking horns, determined to prove theirs is the best. Last we heard, concerns were flying left and right that Apple was planning to move ahead with its nano-SIM unilaterally, snatch up a smorgasbord of patents along its path and seize control of the governing body by registering six subsidiaries to vote. Considering Nokia is the current vote leader and claims its design has "significant technical advantages," we can understand why the Finnish giant would be worried. But how, exactly, is its design any better off?

A Nokia representative gave some more clarity to The Verge about the perks its version offers. The company claims Apple's standard doesn't meet the ETSI-approved requirements, which if true would make it incredibly difficult -- in theory, anyway -- to win over votes. Also, unlike Cupertino's version, Nokia's card doesn't require a tray or drawer, which equates to more space, allows for more design innovations and decreases the cost of manufacturing in comparison. Lastly, Espoo also argues that its competitor's proposal wouldn't be backwards-compatible with micro-SIM slots. Sounds legit, but we'd love to hear the opposing team offer its rebuttal before next week's vote. As it stands, we doubt this is the last round in the war of words before everything is settled. For now, head over to the source to see the explanation in its entirety.

Continue reading Nokia to Apple: don't cha wish your nano-SIM was hot like ours?

Nokia to Apple: don't cha wish your nano-SIM was hot like ours? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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