Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Switched On: Form in the USA

Switched On: Form in the USA data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20642854' !== '') ? 'bsd:20642854' : ''; var postID = '20642854'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"apple",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"ross-rubin", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Switched On: Form in the USABypostedJun 30th, 2013 at 5:45 PM 0

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

DNP Switched On Form in the USA

The Mac Pro might have been worthy of the "One More Thing" kinds of reveals that Steve Jobs used to do at Apple events. Despite being foreshadowed by Tim Cook as a product the company was going to make in the US, it was virtually carted in from left field at an event that focused broadly on new operating systems before a crowd of developers that could appreciate its power. That said, it will likely require OS X Mavericks, a thematically fitting release for a product that represents a new wave in Apple's design.

Some have said that iOS 7 may be the company's New Coke. The Mac Pro, though, is the new can. Its cylindrical form represents a new design for Apple, albeit one that jibes with the company's affinity for simple, rounded, iconic shapes. Like the new AirPort Extreme, it has a significant vertical profile, but is a fraction of the size of its predecessor designed to accommodate multiple optical drives and hard drives.

The new internals define a beast of a computer, which includes an Intel Xeon E5 chipset supporting up to 12 cores, a four-channel DDR3 memory controller running at 1866MHz, an AMD FirePro workstation-class GPU with up to 6GB of dedicated VRAM and PCI Express-based flash storage. All of this is cooled by a single, quiet fan that expels air through the top via backward-curved impeller blades (like you would be caught dead with forward-curved impeller blades).

The Mac Pro may now be small enough to vie for a place on a desk the way a Mac mini would, but it will be used and priced nothing like Apple's other diminutive desktop. Apple describes it as the most expandable Mac it has ever made via its ports, which include a complement of Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3.0 connectors. In fact, its lighting-identified connectors accommodate up to 36 daisy-chained devices. You can bet that its externally simple design will need to be augmented by at least some external storage for many of its pro users.

The Mac Pro represents a series of revisits for Apple.

Even after dismissing an Apple price premium, those are the kinds of leading-edge components that will allow the type of margin that accommodates American manufacturing; this should have appeal beyond simple patriotism for Apple, a company that maintains meticulous control over each detail of its products. As the East Coast developer of a crowdfunded smartwatch recently explained, having your suppliers nearby makes it easier to react when there are problems; he keeps his no more than a six-hour drive away and praises their quality. The production of the Mac Pro, on the other hand, will cast a wider net, with elements of it occurring in Texas, Kentucky and elsewhere.

The Mac Pro represents a series of revisits for Apple -- a return to the high-end market and to US manufacturing. But its unique place in Apple's lineup may make it the exception in Apple's strongly consumer-leaning product line, where competitive pressure for iOS-based products requires higher prioritization of cost as well as other factors. When details about the Mac Pro are finalized, we will see if the symbolic "Made in the USA" sticker can avoid coming with sticker shock.


Ross Rubin is principal analyst at Reticle Research, a research and advisory firm focusing on consumer technology adoption. He shares commentary at Techspressive and on Twitter at @rossrubin. when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Alt-week 6.29.13: DARPA's robot finalists, the IRIS solar mission and empathetic computers

Alt-week 6.29.13: DARPA's robot finalists, the IRIS solar mission and empathetic computers data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20642753' !== '') ? 'bsd:20642753' : ''; var postID = '20642753'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"steve-dent", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Alt-week 6.29.13: DARPA's robot finalists, the IRIS solar mission and empathetic computersBypostedJun 29th, 2013 at 5:30 PM 0

Alt-week takes a look at the best science and alternative tech stories from the last seven days.

Altweek 62913 Darpa's robot finalists, IRIS solar mission launch and computers that feel your pain

Sure, DARPA is slightly sinister, but it's so into robots that we're willing to let that slide. In fact, last year it launched the DARPA Robotics Challenge, and it just announced the top six nine seven teams to advance. But if just the idea of figuring out robotics frustrates you, NC State's face tracking program literally gets that, and NASA just launched the IRIS solar probe from the belly of a transport jet. It's Alt-week, baby.

Remember DARPA's Robotics Challenge (DRC) launched to create 'bots that would look like humans and perform real world tasks? Well, the military's skunkworks division just announced that its winnowed down the original 26 teams to seven after completion of the Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC) phase. To test them, DARPA created a cloud-based simulator, which teams used to simulate vehicle egress and driving, walking on rough, muddy terrain, attaching a hose to a spigot and turning a valve. While DARPA was planning on having six finalists, it turned out that JPL (which already has a DARPA-funded project and its own robot), decided to drop out and donate its resources Lockheed Martin's Trooper entry. At the same time, Team K from Japan and Case Western University pooled their resources and also received a donated ATLAS robot from Hong Kong University. In the spirit of good sportsmanship, DARPA decided after all that to keep seven teams, which will get an actual Boston Dynamics Atlas robot and more funding for the final DRC trials. Since that will no doubt produce the kind of entertainment we saw earlier this year at Engadget Expand, we can't wait.

NASA launches are always a hoot, even its so-called Small Explorer Missions. The IRIS solar observer is one of those, and was lofted into space on Thursday from an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket, which itself separated from the underside of a converted Lockheed L-1011 jet at around 40,000 feet. Now that it's in orbit at about 400 miles, IRIS (Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph) will begin observing solar material that transits a poorly understood region between the sun's photosphere and corona, causing solar winds and driving the million-degree atmosphere. It'll use an ultraviolet telescope built by Lockheed Martin to do that during its two year mission, which one day may improve solar forecasts and explain some of the bizarre tantrums occasionally thrown by our star.

Altweek 62913 DARPA's robot finalists, IRIS solar mission launch and computers that feel your pain

Confused? That's a common issue for students learning computer science, and while in-the-flesh profs can easily see your anxious state, machines have no such empathy. Researchers from North Carolina State University want to change that, so they developed software that tracks facial expressions in order to predict the emotions of students during online tutoring sessions. Called JavaTutor, the program correctly sussed out moods 85 percent of the time and "will not only respond to what a students knows, but to (his or her) feelings of frustration or engagement," according to assistant professor Dr. Kristy Boyer. That'll lead to the next stage of research -- providing both "cognitive and emotion-based feedback to students" during learning sessions, which the scientists claim could have a dramatic effect on retention. Sounds good, but if you put that together with DARPA's project above, the result could be a scary-looking robot that senses your fear.

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

University of Michigan activates antimatter 'gun,' cartoon supervillians twirl moustaches anew

University of Michigan activates antimatter 'gun,' cartoon supervillians twirl moustaches anew data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20642624' !== '') ? 'bsd:20642624' : ''; var postID = '20642624'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"science",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"timothy-j-seppala", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});University of Michigan activates antimatter 'gun,' cartoon supervillians twirl moustaches anewBypostedJun 30th, 2013 at 2:06 AM 0

Scientists create tabletop antimatter 'gun,' cartoon supervillians twirl mustaches anew
At the University of Michigan, an international team of physicists has begun experimenting with its tabletop-sized super laser, modding it into an antimatter "gun." It's not quite a black hole-firing pistol, but we're slightly terrified nonetheless. Up until now, machines capable of creating positrons -- coupled with electrons, they comprise the energy similar to what's emitted by black holes and pulsars -- have needed to be as large as they are expensive. Creating these antimatter beams on a small scale will hopefully give astrophysicists greater insight into the "enigmatic features" of gamma ray bursts that are "virtually impossible to address by relying on direct observations," according to a paper published at arXiv. While the blasts only last fractions of a second each, the researchers report each firing produces a particle-density output level comparable to the accelerator at CERN. Just like that, the Longhorns/Wolverines super-laser arms-race begins again. when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Ask Engadget: best (cheap!) video recording goggles?

Ask Engadget: best (cheap!) video recording goggles? data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20630829' !== '') ? 'bsd:20630829' : ''; var postID = '20630829'; var modalMNo = '93302252', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cameras",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"daniel-cooper", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93302252", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93302258", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Ask Engadget: best (cheap!) video recording goggles?BypostedJun 29th, 2013 at 10:19 PM 0

Ask Engadget best cheap! video recording goggles

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from James, who wants to experiment with life-logging on the cheap. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I like the idea of being able to record stuff with your glasses, but not spending $1,500 on Google Glass to do it. Can you and the folks suggest a pair of glasses or goggles that will do the same job for a tiny fraction of the price?"

In our limited experience, Pivothead's Durango is available for $349, but beyond that, the field's a bit limited. ZionEyez Zeyez still doesn't have an ETA for its products and SunnyCam's ultra-low cost recording goggles won't make it to the US until later this year. Let's turn this question over to our audience, who, we're sure will have some better and cheaper suggestions.

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

PSA: Sprint's iDEN push-to-talk network rides into the sunset June 30th

PSA: Sprint's iDEN push-to-talk network rides into the sunset June 30th data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20642908' !== '') ? 'bsd:20642908' : ''; var postID = '20642908'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"joe-pollicino", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});PSA: Sprint's iDEN push-to-talk network rides into the sunset June 30th MobileBypostedJun 29th, 2013 at 7:32 PM 0

The end of an era arrives Sunday, when Sprint will officially shut the door on its Nextel iDEN push-to-talk service. Subscribers who've held onto the legacy PTT standard with white knuckle grips (and extra fees) will have to switch to its CDMA-based Direct Connect offering for continued chirping capabilities -- or migrate to the likes of Ma Bell's haus. The freed up 800MHz spectrum won't remain idle; if you'll recall, it'll be re-allocated to give a major boost to Sprint's 4G CDMA voice/LTE data rollout for 2014. Hurry up and make that switch if you haven't already and relive some Sprint Nextel memories with us after the break.

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Apple trademarks new FaceTime logo, settles on green

Apple trademarks new FaceTime logo, settles on green data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20643051' !== '') ? 'bsd:20643051' : ''; var postID = '20643051'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"software",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"myriam-joire", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Apple trademarks new FaceTime logo, settles on green MobileBypostedJun 30th, 2013 at 5:33 AM 0

Apple trademarks new FaceTime logo, settles on green

There's certainly been a lot of brouhaha surrounding the new design language Apple introduced for iOS 7 at WWDC. Some (ourselves included) feel it's modern and fresh while others loathe the brighter palette and simpler, flatter icons. A lot can change between now and the launch of iOS 7 this fall, but if Apple's recent trademark filing is any indication, FaceTime's new logo / icon -- which consists of a stylized white video camera inside a rounded-off green square -- fits squarely (ahem) within the aesthetic we saw on stage in San Francisco. Of course, companies often trademark logos, so we can't really say this comes as much of a surprise, either. If you're curious where Jony Ive might have found his inspiration for the pastel colors and thin lines showcased in iOS 7's iconography, check out Otl Aicher's design work for the 1972 Olympics in the "more coverage" link after the break.

when.eng("eng.perm.init")

Mobile Miscellany: week of June 24th, 2013

Mobile Miscellany: week of June 24th, 2013 data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20642995' !== '') ? 'bsd:20642995' : ''; var postID = '20642995'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"cellphones",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"zachary-lutz", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store Hands On More Betterer HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Mobile Miscellany: week of June 24th, 2013 MobileBypostedJun 29th, 2013 at 9:30 PM 0

Mobile Miscellany week of June 24th, 2013

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, the Galaxy S 4 was spotted in purple garb, a new Windows Phone was outed for AT&T and US Cellular officially welcomed a budget handset from ZTE into its ranks. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 24th, 2013.

Galaxy S 4 Purple Mirage edition surfacesMobile Miscellany week of June 24th, 2013

Call it a case of deja vu, or just catering to a very... specific audience, but thanks to @evleaks, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Purple Mirage edition is no longer a mystery. The handset was first announced -- but not shown -- alongside the Blue Arctic, Red Aurora and Brown Autumn editions of Samsung's flagship smartphone. Whether Sprint is in line for round two is anyone's guess, since the leaked shot lacks carrier branding, but don't let us stop you from dreaming. [@evleaks (Twitter)]

Lumia 520 spotted with AT&T brandingMobile Miscellany week of June 24th, 2013

AT&T currently has the high-end and mid-range covered when it comes to Windows Phone, but the latest reveal from @evleaks suggests the carrier is preparing to go after the budget crowd with the Nokia Lumia 520 (or a very similar variant). Seeing that AT&T currently sells the Lumia 820 for just a penny on contract, there's a reasonable chance that this low-cost WP8 device could hit AT&T's prepaid GoPhone lineup. If the carrier's pricing is anything like T-Mobile -- which sells the Lumia 521 for $150 outright -- this Windows Phone could stand as a genuine challenger to its Android counterparts for the month-to-month crowd. [@evleaks (Twitter)]

ZTE Imperial gets official for US CellularMobile Miscellany week of June 24th, 2013

Budget-minded shoppers at US Cellular now have a new option on the table, as the ZTE Imperial is available on contract for just a penny. As an important distinction, the smartphone supports LTE, which is relatively rare among US Cellular's entry-level lineup. The Imperial combines a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). Rounding out the list of specs, the phone includes 1GB of RAM, 4GB of expandable storage and a rather substantial 2,500mAh battery. [US Cellular]

Other random tidbitsThe iPhone 5 joined the lineup at Virgin Mobile in the US this week, where the 16GB handset retails for $550 outright. [Virgin Mobile]According to TmoNews, Walmart is now selling the iPhone 5 for T-Mobile from roughly 1,300 of its retail outlets. As a caveat, phone must be purchased outright for $629 -- the same price that you'll find from T-Mobile -- although shoppers can also finance their purchase through Walmart. [TmoNews]Google Play Movies was updated with a new interface and a predictive feature known as Watch Now, which provides suggestions for titles that you might watch next. Some users may view the latest version as a downgrade, however, as Google as removed support for the Nexus Q. [Android Police 1, 2]The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 was outed for arrival at Bell Mobility on July 11th, where it'll retail for $550 outright. [MobileSyrup]Leaked documents suggest the white version of the BlackBerry Q10 will arrive at Bell Mobility on July 5th, priced at $700 outright. [MobileSyrup]The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and LG Optimus L5 II were both named as suitors for Bell Mobility. [@evleaks (Twitter)]The Galaxy Mega 5.8 made its first appearance at the FCC this week, but it's a safe bet that this particular model isn't destined for North American markets. [FCC]Must-read mobile storiesSamsung Galaxy S4 Active review: a top-tier phone in a water-resistant packageIntel hopes to speed up mobile Atom chip developmentBlackBerry shipped just 2.7 million BB 10 handsets last quarter (updated)Sprint Vital review: a decent mid-range phone that faces tough competitionVerizon reportedly offers more than $600 million to buy Wind MobileVerizon 4G LTE reaches 500th market, initial network build-out now completeHTC One Google Play edition hands-on (video)Samsung Galaxy S 4 Google Play edition hands-on (video)Sprint shareholders approve Softbank mergerHuawei Ascend P6 review: a beautiful handset, but performance is lackingSony Xperia Z Ultra: hands-on with a 6.4-inch Android phone (update: video)

[Mobile Miscellany photo credit: Thristian / Flickr]

when.eng("eng.perm.init")