As much as we’re familiar with mobile device torture tests, they’re normally inflicted by us or otherwise not-so-voluntary. Nokia, however, has stepped up to the plate and doled out the abuse to the Lumia 900 itself with a hammer and nail, all based on a wager that the Windows Phone’s use of Gorilla Glass would hold up to Sonim-level punishment. The company’s Chris Ruble and Mike Meyers (not that Mike Myers) used a Lumia 710 as a dry run before an on-camera demo that not only saw the 900 assaulted with the hammer, but used as a blunt instrument itself — all without a crack or scratch. We imagine that other toughened-glass phones would survive the hit, and there’s every possibility that smacking the polycarbonate plastic would leave more than a scuff mark. Nokia’s test still proves that its pride and joy can withstand more than just a casual roughing up, and you can see the slightly cringe-inducing test in the video below.

Continue reading Nokia uses Lumia 900 as a hammer in a torture test, makes us wince (video)

Nokia uses Lumia 900 as a hammer in a torture test, makes us wince (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 04:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Borders. Here at the Engadget Mobile Podcast, we’re so over them. That’s why we let former Engadget Mobile CEO-in-chief Chris Ziegler come back and hang out on our side of the fence for a few hours, no matter where he comes from. You know who’s NOT over border? The United States Border Patrol, Division of Potential Patent Infringements on Apple Intellectual Property. Be a fence-sitter with us for a little while: it’s not so bad up here (and we get great reception).

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Guest: Chris Ziegler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho – Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:01:06 – Best Buy expects EVO 4G LTE to land May 23rd, HTC remains cautious
00:03:00 – Apple, HTC ordered by judge to sit down, try and make nice on August 28th
00:07:00 – HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE delayed at customs due to ITC exclusion order (updated)
00:13:15 – HTC EVO 4G LTE for Sprint review (updated)
00:30:00 – T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm issues memo discussing restructuring plans, more jobs affected
00:48:06 – HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4
00:51:30 – NTT DoCoMo’s Galaxy S III to ship with 2GB RAM?
00:59:27 – LG shows off UI 3.0 for Ice Cream Sandwich devices, says it’s ‘unobtrusive and simple’
01:06:22 – Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell ‘em direct
01:15:48 – Verizon CFO says grandfathered unlimited plans on the way out
01:18:07 – WSJ: Apple moving towards larger iPhone screens
01:30:05 – Report: Apple dumping Google for own Maps app in iOS 6 (update)

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Engadget Mobile Podcast 138 – 05.19.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you’re like us and really want to know what’s going on, then you’ve come to the right place. This past week, Verizon Wireless brought its LTE service to 28 new markets and expanded its reach in 11 additional areas. We also saw Straight Talk introduce the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim, and it appears that Rogers will soon offer the HTC One S. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the “best of the rest” for this week of May 14th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 21:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Going by Microsoft’s Greater China COO Michel van der Bel, the launch of Windows Phone in China is off to an auspicious start — enough to give Apple the shakes. He claims that devices like the Nokia Lumia 800c have helped Windows Phone reach seven percent of the Chinese market, or just enough to get past the six points of the iPhone. We’re waiting on hard data before we take van der Bel’s word: the top smartphone makers worldwide aren’t depending much or at all on Windows Phone, and the iPhone has a thriving gray market in China that masks some of its real numbers. Having said this, we’ve seen signs of Windows Phone enjoying a bit of a surge even in an iOS- and Android-loving Europe, so we’ll be watching to see if there’s an uptick in the number of buyers saying ni hao to Microsoft in the near future.

Continue reading Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China

Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Going by Microsoft’s Greater China COO Michel van der Bel, the launch of Windows Phone in China is off to an auspicious start — enough to give Apple the shakes. He claims that devices like the Nokia Lumia 800c have helped Windows Phone reach seven percent of the Chinese market, or just enough to get past the six points of the iPhone. We’re waiting on hard data before we take van der Bel’s word: the top smartphone makers worldwide aren’t depending much or at all on Windows Phone, and the iPhone has a thriving gray market in China that masks some of its real numbers. Having said this, we’ve seen signs of Windows Phone enjoying a bit of a surge even in an iOS- and Android-loving Europe, so we’ll be watching to see if there’s an uptick in the number of buyers saying ni hao to Microsoft in the near future.

Continue reading Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China

Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to a new report from the Associated Press, Chinese officials have finally given the Google-Motorola deal their blessing.

The final significant roadblock to Google’s buyout of Motorola has been cleared, as Chinese regulators have just given their rubber stamp. Their approval follows a few months after the simultaneous American and European clearances, and virtually all that’s left now is to formally close the deal and start integrating the two mobile giants. It might still come too late for the combined entity to present a united front at Google I/O, but at least they won’t have any awkward glances at each other across the room. We’re just trying to decide on whether or not Googorola is the best name for the loving, $12.5 billion-dollar Android union.

China clears Google acquisition of Motorola, eliminates last barrier to Googorola bliss originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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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