If you want to be ripped like those NFL guys you're going to have to workout. Like all the time. You shouldn't even be reading this post. Quit your job and download an NFL player's workout app. Or if you're in Canada, go after a hockey puck. Forget it, I know we're all just gonna sit around and play video games on our iPhones. More »

A new mobile gaming startup that's yet to release a single game isn't the sort of thing we'd normally cover 'round here, but the story behind Los Angeles-based Innovative Leisure is anything but ordinary. The man behind the company is the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley, and he's brought with him eleven industry veterans that he calls "the dream team from Atari," including the likes of Van Burnham, Ed Logg, Rich Adam, Tim Skelly, Owen Rubin, and Ed Rotberg. While those names may not be familiar to everyone, you'll surely recognize some of the games they were responsible for: Asteroids, Centipede, Gauntlet, Missile Command, Battlezone, S.T.U.N. Runner, Major Havoc and Space Duel, to name a few.

Speaking with VentureBeat, Blackley describes mobile devices as "the new arcade" and 99 cent games as the "new quarter," adding that he's aiming to carry on where Atari left off, "focusing on innovation in gameplay." To help with that, the company has secured backing from THQ, which has reportedly agreed to an initial slate of ten games, seven of which are now in development (with only the iPhone and iPad mentioned as supported platforms so far). Unfortunately, details remain light beyond that, with Blackley only offering late summer or fall as an estimated release date for the first titles. In the meantime, you can find more of the backstory at the links below (THQ's press release can also be found after the break).

Continue reading Xbox co-creator brings together Atari 'dream team' for mobile gaming startup

Xbox co-creator brings together Atari 'dream team' for mobile gaming startup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Canalys: More smartphones than PCs shipped in 2011

Canalys: More smartphones than PCs shipped in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a successful morning for Motorola in Germany. So far they've managed to secure a permanent injunction against Apple's iCloud, as well as seeing the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and first-gen 3G iPad removed from the online store. More »

There's another legal brouhaha brewing in Germany, where Motorola today won an injunction against Apple's iCloud. In a decision handed down from the infamous Mannheim Regional Court this morning, Judge Andreas Voss issued a permanent injunction against Cupertino's cloud-based service and any devices that use it, following a complaint that Motorola originally filed in April of last year. The two companies, as you may recall, have been going at each other rather aggressively in Germany, where Motorola scored a similar victory, back in November. At issue in today's ruling is a European Patent that outlines a "multiple pager status synchronization system and method," upon which iCloud, Motorola claims, infringes. The injunction, as FOSS Patents explains, targets Apple's Ireland-based European distribution branch, but it only applies to the German market -- not Europe, as a whole. And while it's technically "permanent," it's still "preliminarily enforceable," which means Apple can (and likely will) appeal. Motorola, meanwhile, can seek to enforce it, if it's willing to post a €100 million bond. Apple had been seeking a bond of €2 billion, but was ultimately denied. For more of the legal nitty gritty, check out the source link below.

Update 1: Citing a statement from Apple, Germany's Deutsche Presse-Agentur news agency is now reporting that the company has pulled the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3GS, and the iPhone 4 from its German online store, along with any 3G/UMTS-enabled iPads. The move appears to come in response not to today's ruling, but to a decision issued in December, when Motorola won an injunction against Apple, on the grounds that its 3G/UMTS technology infringes upon one of Moto's European patents. According to FOSS Patents, Apple presumably lost its appeal to the Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court, after Motorola sought to enforce the injunction.

"All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple's online store in Germany shortly."

Motorola wins permanent injunction against Apple's iCloud in German court (update: ban lifted) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There may be a number of options for budding iPad Scorseses, now you can add Avid's "Studio" to that list. Conveniently launching at the same price as iMovie, Avid's intention to woo Apple's users is clear. Those five bucks get you a tidy storyboard solution, "precision" editing, the usual array of transitions and effects, plus multi-channel audio support (including access to your iTunes library). Video can be shot from the device itself, of course, and camera kit owners can import footage from your archives. The final results can then be rendered in either 480p, 540p and 720p or shared via the usual social options. Most importantly, projects can also be finished off in the desktop version -- handy, if they start getting into Titanic territory. It's available today, just focus your iPad at the app store (or the source link below).

Continue reading Avid Studio rolls onto iPad, treads on iMovie's toes (video)

Avid Studio rolls onto iPad, treads on iMovie's toes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still looking forward to a world where cell phone cameras don't suck? So is STMicroelectronics, and it hopes to hurry along a photogenic future with the help of a new supercapacitor-powered integrated camera flash. STCF04, the outfit's new integrated camera flash and torch controller, gives its LED flash module over 40 Watts of power, reportedly allowing it to give off the same level of brightness as an outdoor security floodlight -- handily blinding your friends and family with each merry burst of the bulb. STMicroelectronics says this luminescent overkill helps high-megapixel camera sensors absorb more light, cutting down on the need for longer exposure time and hopefully resulting in less image blur when shooting indoors. The sensor packs in eight user-selectable flash levels, and features up to 12 levels of brightness for torch (you know, flashlight) use. Phone or camera manufactures who want in on the action will be able to order the chip for $2 a pop later this year -- if they're willing to risk giving Mr. Blurrycam a break, that is. Hit the break for a flash of the chip's official press release.

Continue reading New LED flash controller promises to give floodlight brightness at cell phone size

New LED flash controller promises to give floodlight brightness at cell phone size originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The old guard's attempt at a social TV companion just got real with the launch of ConnecTV in open beta for iPad, PC and Mac -- smartphones and Android tablet versions are coming soon. The idea is you'll load up this app while watching TV and find a whole new way to discover details of your favorite content while at the same time share with your friends. The app uses a mic to detect what you're watching just like IntoNow and links up with both Facebook or Twitter (it'll also work on its own). Overall we were underwhelmed and quickly realizing that the other startups are way ahead in both release date and functionality. For starters, there are plenty of channels missing and not a single channel number. You can't even search for your favorite shows or channels. But even when it did manage to figure out what we were watching, we felt like we were being forced fed useless data like trivia and ads rather than having useful information like actors or players names at our finger tips. There's no doubt in our mind that the app was designed more to make us discover certain content rather than discover shows based on our actual tastes. Then again, this is the first version out of the gate, but somehow we think ConnecTV's business model will get in the way of ever making anything truly useful.

Continue reading ConnecTV social companion beta launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on)

ConnecTV social companion beta launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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