Toys & Gadgets

At this point we’re fairly certain we’ll see updated iPods at Apple’s event on Wednesday, but we’re still in the dark when it comes to that updated iOS-based Apple TV — we know it’s in the works, but we don’t know if it’s coming this week. But if you’re feeling optimistic, a new Apple iTunes customer survey seems to offer a tiny little hint — it lists “Titles are available to watch instantly” as a reason you might totally love watching video on the iPad. Of course, you can’t watch iTunes videos “instantly” right now — the iPad requires the entire video file to download before playback begins, and the current Apple TV requires a fair bit of buffering — so this could be a big hint that instant streaming is coming quite soon. On the flipside, this could just be a mistake or oversight and actually mean nothing at all, but honestly, where’s the fun in that?

[Thanks, PeteO]

Apple survey hints at iTunes streaming video service coming soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re but a few days away from Apple’s music-related “special event,” and naturally the bloody rumors are being tossed into the water, frothing up into quite a feeding frenzy. Last week came talk of new iPod touch and nano models, and now we have even more cases and accessories that seem to back up the belief that there’s a fourth-generation touch and a sixth-generation nano coming. The nano is rumored to have a 3 x 3cm touchscreen (presumably this one) and room on the bottom for a proper dock connector, ensuring compatibility with the millions of iPod cradles and whatnot out there. The new cases we’re seeing certainly back up that idea, with a dock-sized cut-out along with room for what’s said to be a headphone jack, volume controls, a hold button, and a clip ’round the back. At the moment we know rather less about the new touch, but we can hazard a guess as to what it’ll look like.

[Thanks, Hobbsy101]

Next-generation iPod touch and nano accessories and rumors continue to surface originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This new white Apple inspired QWERTY keyboard comes with a stand for your device and a standard 30-pin dock connector that fits the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Features: Compact & Portable: measures: 11.5 x 6.0 x 1.0cm QWERTY Design Plug and Plau, comes with 30 pin dock connector, just plug and you can input [...]

Supposed next-gen iPod touch, nano / shuffle cases surface online originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s a big difference between the iPhone 4 and Galaxy S. No, not iOS vs. Android 2.1 or even Retina vs. Super AMOLED. We’re talking batteries: one is removable and one isn’t — guess which is which? This perennial iPhone “feature” has spawned as entire industry of device-specific accessories that sate the need for more juice while simultaneously killing the form (and aesthetic) of an otherwise pocketable gadget. But hey, it’s your only choice when you’re either too busy (CES) or unable (intercontinental flights) to tether yourself to a power socket. And guess what? Those curvy battery packs that hugged your iPhone 3G/3GS won’t work with the boxy iPhone 4. So, here’s the latest, and one of the first iPhone 4 cases with an extended battery pack to ship. The Mili PowerSpring 4 starts shipping today for £54.99 (or $85 on Amazon). It claims to be the world’s thinnest iPhone 4 battery pack to double your battery life thanks to a 1600mAh capacity Li-Pol battery. That makes this roadwarrior necessity just a bit less evil.

Continue reading Mili PowerSpring 4 doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4

Mili PowerSpring 4 doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We knew this was coming and here it is: the Netflix application, heretofore reserved only for iPad users, has trickled down to iPhone and iPod touch devices. Version 1.1.0 makes the TV show and movie streaming app universal — so long as your universe is known as iOS — and looks to massively expand the available audience for Netflix’s mobile effort. What are you waiting for, go get it already.

[Thanks, Michael A.]

Continue reading Netflix adds iPhone and iPod touch compatibility in latest app version

Netflix adds iPhone and iPod touch compatibility in latest app version originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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digg_url = ‘http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/21/apple-attempts-to-patent-kill-switch-that-roots-out-unauthorized/’; Just about every mobile operating system manufacturer can remotely delete apps from the smartphones they help provide, but if a recent patent application is any indication, Apple’s looking to lock down the whole enchilada on future devices. The basic concept is as simple as the diagram above — certain activities trigger the phone to think it’s in the wrong hands — but the particular activities and particular remedies Apple suggests extend to audiovisual spying (to detect if a user has a different face or voice than the owner), and complete remote shutdown. While the patent mostly sounds targeted at opt-in security software and would simply send you an alert or perform a remote wipe if your phone were stolen or hacked, jailbreaking and unlocking are also explicitly mentioned as the marks of an unauthorized user, and one line mentions that cellular carriers could shut down or cripple a device when such a user is detected. Sounds great for securing phones at retail, sure, but personally we’d rather devices don’t determine our authority by monitoring our heartbeat (seriously, that’s an option) and we’re plenty happy with the existing Find My iPhone app.

Apple attempts to patent kill switch that roots out unauthorized users, detects jailbreaks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While many hacks we feature on these virtual pages are terrifyingly complex, this one is anything but. Even more surprising, it’s actually useful. Mark Bog decided to tether his Magic Trackpad to the sweet, endless power supply of his computer over USB, instead of swapping out AAs endlessly. To do this he merely pulled out the black and red power wires of a USB cable and attached them to a battery-shaped dowel, which slots easily into the Trackpad. The best part is that this seems basically non-destructive to the trackpad (if the 5 volts coming from the USB cable isn’t too much for its precious internals), so Mark shouldn’t have much trouble switching back if he suddenly misses the wireless freedom for a stationary desktop object that so far seems lost on him.

Simple hack turns the Magic Trackpad into a USB-powered affair originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leave it to Apple to make the process of building software to work with new third party iPhone hardware sound like some Kafkaesque nightmare. Here’s the basic gist of it: Apple, just like always, has to approve any third party hardware that plugs into one of its iOS devices over the 30-pin dock connector. What’s new is that before only the first party manufacturer could build software that works with that hardware, but now Apple is allowing that manufacturer to act as a gatekeeper for third party apps that would interoperate with its hardware. That means exciting times for app developers that are raring to mix with the likes of Line 6’s MIDI Mobilizer (pictured) and AKAI’s SynthStation 25, but it’s also a far cry from the land of computers where anybody can build a plug-and-play USB MIDI device, and anybody can build software that speaks to it. It also means juggling proprietary SDKs, NDAs, and other agreements, which could become very difficult for developers if or when the hardware availability balloons. Hopefully we can get something more elegant before it comes to that. Hit up the source link for an in-depth discussion of this issue.

The iPhone gets third party apps for third party hardware, but the proprietary SDKs make the future sad originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here’s a simple way to allow the backseat passenger in your car to enjoy his or her Apple iPad while keeping both hands and legs free. The installation won’t take more than three minutes. Features: Custom-made for Apple iPad, 100% fit. Easy to Mount: Only takes you 3 Mins to mount. Easy to use: Simply [...]