Slashtop has a proven track record of bringing the full desktop experience to mobile devices, and now its expertise has come to Windows Phone 8 with the launch of the Splashtop 2 app. The remote desktop client for Redmond's latest mobile OS is free to download until August 31st, and promises to connect you with any PC or Mac running its Splashtop Streamer software. If you want to access computers on your home network, then a Slashtop account and the right software is all you need, but if want to get at your desktop from the road, it'll cost $1.99 per month for the privilege. We had a brief tinker with the app running on a Lumia 720, so jump past the break for our impressions.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft

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Source: Windows Phone blog, Windows Phone store

Kyocera kitted us out with toques, touch-sensitive gloves and giant black faux-fur coats -- well, Brad chose white -- and led us all into a bar made entirely of ice to launch its new handsets here at CTIA. Kyocera, playing off the tough-guy thing, had the Hydro Xtrm and Edge laid out on slabs of ice in a pretty frosty environment for us to handle with our gloved hands. Both handsets will be priced toward the lower end of the spectrum, with the Hydro Edge being the least expensive and most modestly specced of the two. Both devices are decent as far as material choices go, though the Edge was perhaps our favorite even if the Xtrm beats it out in the display department somehow. There weren't any water tanks to test out both sets IPX5 / IPX7 specs so we'll simply have to take Kyocera's word for it.

The Edge and Xtrm build on the previously launched Hydro specs but with upgrades across the board. The Edge sports a dual-core 1Ghz CPU, tempered glass (instead of acrylic), 5-megapixel camera, 4-inch 233-ppi display and Android Jelly Bean. The Xtrm adds LTE to the connectivity list also touts a 5-megapixel shooter, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, the same display as the Edge, and Bluetooth 4. The Xtrm launches on US Cellular May 24th with the Edge joining the fun on Boost Mobile and Sprint during "Summer 2013." Check out the cool blue-hued pics in the gallery below.

Gallery: Kyocera at CTIA 2013

Myriam Joire and Brad Molen contributed to this report.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Hot on the heels of yesterday's rumors, Yahoo and Tumblr have jointly announced a "definitive agreement" for the former to acquire the latter for $1.1 billion. The agreement makes it clear that Tumblr will be "independently operated as a separate business" with its own branding and line of development. A frankly worded press release says that this arms-length arrangement will help Yahoo "not to screw it up" and promises that the 300 million monthly visitors to the blogging site will continue to experience Tumblr's "irreverence, wit, and commitment to empower creators." Those who have allegedly fled to WordPress already, for fear of Tumblr being shut down, may have slightly jumped the gun.

Filed under: Internet, Mobile

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Source: BusinessWire ( via Yahoo)

Stitcher just announced a new car mode for its iPhone app, bringing a simplified interface that works in both portrait and landscape positions. Accessible by tapping the Stitcher logo at the top of the screen, car mode offers a pared-down version of the app's standard UI, with bigger buttons and only the essential audio controls. It's nowhere near as flashy as Stitcher's BMW integration, mind you, but the point is to keep your eyes on the road and off your iPhone's screen. The app gets a few other updates this time around: a front page with top headlines, one-tap access to shows and podcasts you're searching for and improved playback when you're picking up in the middle of a show. Head to the source link below to give the app a spin, and drive safely!

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Source: Stitcher Blog, Stitcher Radio (iTunes)

Amid the bevy of phones outed in NTT DoCoMo's summer lineup, the Japanese carrier snuck in a tablet: Sharp's Aquos Pad SH-08E. A 7-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IGZO display dominates the front of the Android 4.2 device, while a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and a 4,200mAh battery are tucked inside. When it comes to imaging, the slab totes an 8.1-megapixel shooter on its rear, and wears a 2.1-megapixel cam on the front. The hardware's also been kitted out with WiFi, NFC and TV tuning capabilities, along with waterproofing and dustproofing, to boot. As the slate's outfitted to work with DoCoMo's Xi LTE network, it's capable of sucking down 100Mbps and uploading at 37.5Mbps. There's no word on how much it'll empty wallets, but it's penciled in to be available in Japan by the end of July.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: NTT DoCoMo (PDF)

The folks at NTT DoCoMo have just paraded out their roster of handsets for the summer season, and tucked in among the phones is the waterproof Aquos Phone Zeta SH-06E, which packs a 1080p IGZO display. Behind the 4.8-inch screen, the Android 4.2 handset totes a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, NFC, WiFi, a TV tuner and a 2,600mAh battery. As for cameras, the Sharp-made hardware -- which comes in blue, red and white hues -- packs a 13.1-megapixel rear shooter and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing cam. Since the device operates on the network's Xi LTE service, it's rated to pull down 100Mbps and upload at 37.5Mbps. As for a release date, the smartphone is slated to hit Japanese streets on May 24th. There's no telling when this cellphone or its 1080p IGZO display will arrive in other territories, but our eyes sure hope it's soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: NTT DoCoMo (PDF)

Just as promised, Time Warner Cable has delivered a new version of its TWC TV app for Android users that includes access to live TV streams of certain channels while away from home. That new feature is accompanied by several other tweaks, including TV mini guide filtering and expanded device support for devices running Android 2.2 and higher. Out of home streaming is still more limited than that provided by solutions like Slingbox or Cablevision's Optimum, and streaming over cellular connections are restricted to Verizon only (for now.) Despite the restrictions, the app is out now and will hopefully see them loosened in the future, subscribers can grab it now at the link below.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile

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Source: Google Play

Jealous of the Lumia 925's flashy new imaging software? At Nokia's London event, Jo Harlow has promised that other Lumia owners won't be left out in the cold. The company will be pushing out "Amber," an update that'll bring Smart Cam, amongst other apps, to the company's wider range of Windows Phone 8 devices. There's no word on when Amber will actually arrive beyond a vague mention of "summer," but the company's Stefan Pannenbecker hopes it'll be ready in time for your next vacation.

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In the US, you'll be able to pick up the just-announced Nokia Lumia 925 on T-Mobile. In T-Mobile's press release it lists all the specs of Nokia's 4.5-inch device, but no details on pricing or release date.

Follow along with on our live blog for all the updates as they happen.

Developing...

Filed under: Mobile, Nokia

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Source: T-Mobile

Facebook Home and the First phone to ship with it on board were revealed just over a month ago, and in the time since, the Home team has been hard at work improving the platform. Today at Facebook HQ we got to check in with Cory Ondrejka, Director of Mobile Engineering and Adam Mosseri, Director of Product to see how Home has been doing since its debut, and to hear what's in store for Home moving forward.

Thus far, Home's been installed on almost a million phones, which has given Facebook some clear insight about the ways it needs to be improved. Most complaints thus far have centered on Home's failings as an app launcher -- when you install Home on any phone, it rearranges your apps because there's no folder support and no app dock. Well, Mosseri and Ondrejka feel your pain and assured us that those two features will be rolling out in the coming months, and they plan to continue to iterate to make Home a robust launcher. Facebook also has plans to roll out a new buddy list feature that'll show up as an overlay on top of Cover Feed with a simple swipe. This lets users start conversations directly from Cover Feed instead of having to open up the messenger app to start chatting. That's not all Facebook has in store, however, so join us after the break for more.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Facebook

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It's a cold day in you know where when our two mobile editors are lost for words. If you thought this week might be any different, think again. If anything, a brief hiatus means they're literally finding words just for the show. Inscrupilous of them, we know.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen

Producer: James Trew

Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

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Filed under: Podcasts, Mobile

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Samsung's latest flagship, the Galaxy S 4, comes in two distinct flavors -- and they're both good. One uses the much-hyped Exynos Octa-core chip, while its identical twin takes advantage of the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600. In either case, the availability depends on where you live: the Exynos-powered I9500 is difficult to find in North America (at least for now), but our friends at Negri Electronics, an online retailer currently stocking the Octa-core device, gave us the opportunity to play with a unit for a few days. During our time with the device, we were able to get a solid feel for how this particular version of Samsung's flagship compares to the Snapdragon 600-powered model. So how does it hold up against its Qualcomm brother in terms of performance and battery life? Read on to find out.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S 4 I9500 (Exynos)

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung

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New phones usually enjoy a big comfortable seat in the limelight when they land. This week, however, there's a lot less elbow room thanks to the recent deluge. But, despite much more muscular competition, that cheeky Nokia 210, still manages to get in there first. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen, Joseph Volpe

Producer: James Trew

Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

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Filed under: Podcasts, Mobile

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It looks like everyone loves stickers, because following its last update, Path is growing -- fast. The social app is now pulling in a million users a week and has recently topped nine million. It's picked up most of its new chroniclers and message-senders from English and Spanish speaking regions, particularly in South and Central America. In fact, 500,000 Venezuelans decided to start trying the app over a single weekend. According to Path's co-founder, Dave Morin, search features added at the start of the year have increased user traffic by 50 percent, while the addition of extra stickers and filter purchases has meant its making its way up the top-grossing charts too. The chief exec adds that the growth appears to be organic, with users largely split equally across iOS and Android, although there's nothing just yet on Google Glass user numbers .

[Image credit: Sticker Robot]

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile

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Source: WSJ Digits

You can now scratch one more big name off the list of apps not available on Windows Phone. Tumblr has just released its official app for Microsoft's mobile platform (the latest version of it, at least), offering all the key features found in its iOS and Android counterparts with a distinct Windows Phone flavor. That includes the ability to swipe left and right to switch between the dashboard and "explore" options, and the option to add the latest images from your dashboard to your lock screen or live tiles. You can also rest assured that animated GIFs will remain animated while you scroll.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft

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Source: Tumblr, Windows Phone Blog

As promised, Geeksphone is offering both of its Firefox OS smartphones starting today. While the Firefox orange-tinged Keon will set you back $119, the slightly more upmarket Peak is priced at $194 -- check out both of them in action after the break. The online retailer is willing to send both developer devices to anywhere in the world, so if you're looking to be part of the next billion smartphone users, place your order at the source.

[Thanks, Kyle]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: Geeksphone

If life were a pop quiz, our mobile editors would surely ace the cellphone round. However, Myriam might do well to consider ditching Brad when it comes to the Star Trek section. Those who want to take his place, tune in for the question to see if you know better. Post your answers directly to Brad.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen

Producer: James Trew

Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

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Filed under: Podcasts, Mobile

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In response to a customer's question about Windows Phone plans, US Cellular used its official Facebook page to proclaim its intent to launch a WP8 device in the near future. While the representative specifically mentioned Windows 8 (sans "Phone"), we reached out to US Cellular for clarification. A company spokesperson confirmed our suspicions, stating that a device running the mobile platform will indeed be launching. We'll have to wait until next month to get additional details about it, but USCC customers biding their time for a WP8 smartphone will soon have the opportunity to grab one for themselves without making the move to a different carrier.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Microsoft

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Home is where the heart is. No doubt that's a sentiment we're sure Facebook would likely agree with. What, however, do our trusty mobile editors think on the matter? Brad and Myriam might only have one appendix between them, but as always, opinions are plentiful.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen

Producer: James Trew

Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

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Filed under: Podcasts, Mobile

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Hungry for the fruits of Twitter's latest acquisition? According to AllThingsD, you won't have to wait long. The usual unnamed sources have told the outlet that Twitter's new music app is due out this Friday, April 12th. True to We Are Hunted's roots, it's said the app will focus on music discovery, suggesting tunes and artists based on various factors, including who you follow on a certain social network. Soundcloud, iTunes and Vevo will apparently do the heavy lifting when it comes to music and video playback, though -- the app won't be a digital music store. Twitter itself is mum on details at this point, but we'll let you know if a little bird tells us anything.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

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Source: AlllThingsD

We knew Samsung was planning more devices, but we didn't expect the arrival of two Galaxy Mega smartphones . The 6.3-inch model has an 'HD display' (we're chasing the precise resolution) alongside a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, Android 4.2 and an 8-megapixel camera. Software features like Air View, Multi Windows, Pop-up Play will make sure you have plenty to do on that giant screen. The Galaxy Mega arrives somewhere between Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note II, although we're hoping it'll be priced slightly more humbly than either neighbor. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 houses LTE and HSPA radios, while you'll get GPS and GLONASS to aid any location-based antics. There's a 3,200mAh battery and internal storage that can be expanded by microSD up to 64GB, with 8 or 16 gigs (there's two models) to start you off with.

The HSPA-only Galaxy Mega 5.8 reduces the size -- and pretty much all the other specs. The resolution drops down to qHD (960 x 540), while it packs a lesser 1.4GHz dual-core processor. It has the same 8-megapixel camera, while the smaller, er, Mega, only comes as an 8GB model. No word on pricing for either yet, but Ubergizmo has already got the chance to handle the Korean manufacturer's 6.3-inch goliath. Take a look at their first impressions at the More Coverage link.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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The past year and a half has been a period of big changes for the Engadget Show, eschewing our longstanding studio format for a new kind of program that's given us the freedom to travel the world, in search of bigger, deeper stories. We spent the year speaking to some of tech's top minds -- abstract thinkers like Douglas Rushkoff and DJ Spooky, representatives from leading companies like Google and Sony, modders like Ben Heck and researchers at top universities including MIT and Carnegie Mellon. We hung with Wayne Coyne and LeVar Burton, got animated with John Hodgman, flew drones with Chris Anderson, went behind the scenes at Improv Everywhere, rode some crazy hacked bikes in Boston, played classic pinball, spoke to a disembodied robotic head, went ghost hunting, solved a few mysteries and even discovered the true meaning of the holidays (it's presents, by the way).

All in all, we thought we had a good year -- and it's nice to know the folks at the Webby Awards felt the same. We're hoping you enjoyed it too (after all, as fun as the past year's been, we're not just doing this for ourselves). If so, now's the time to let us know. The voting for the People's Voice Award opens today, so we're asking you, dear viewer, to show us some love with a quick vote over at the Webby site (where you can also catch a quick reel to relive some of 2012's highlights). Thanks everyone for helping us make the Engadget Show better than ever (and thanks in advance for voting). We'll see you again soon on the small screen.

Filed under: HD, Mobile, Alt

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Source: Webby Awards

In the wake of T-Mobile's recently unveiled Simple Choice plans, Virgin Mobile is capitalizing on the shakeup by playing a value card of its own. Now through May 31st, the Sprint-owned MVNO is offering $100 credit to all T-Mobile subscribers willing to port their number to Virgin Mobile. Study the numbers for yourself and the deal seems a no-brainer, as Virgin matches T-Mobile's unlimited scheme with a monthly bill of only $55, which rings in $5 less than the UnCarrier's $60 (2.5GB) alternative. Naturally, that's where Virgin Mobile hopes the conversation ends, but we don't need to tell you that there's quite a difference in speed between Virgin's EV-DO / WiMAX service and the speedier HSPA+ / LTE alternative from T-Mobile. That said, if your inner cheapskate is tingling, you'll now find an extra $100 incentive to make the switch.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Via: Electronista

Source: Virgin Mobile

We've seen US-based wireless operators offer low-cost calling to Mexico before -- and frankly, creations like Google Voice and Skype have made it cheaper than ever to make a cross-border voice call -- but it's not everyday that you see an MVNO launch a dedicated calling plan to MX. That said, Boost Mobile is today introducing a $15 per month add-on that allows its users to phone up every single landline and mobile number in the country immediately south of America, assuming that it's added on to a monthly unlimited plan.

Curiously, the offer is only designed to stand through June 6th, and the company isn't mentioning what that sum will rise to after said date. For those who indulge, that $15 also includes limitless calling to landlines in over 45 nations (including Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Colombia), unlimited calling to Canada, unlimited international text messaging worldwide from the United States and reduced calling rates to over 200 other destinations. Of course, this is assuming you still communicate via voice, which may or may not be true at this stage.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Boost Mobile (1), (2)