Beaten, twisted, sprayed and sat on: how Samsung stress tests its phones

Just treated yourself to a new Samsung Galaxy S III or a Note II but wondering how the plastic body will stand up to the rigors of daily life? The manufacturer's showing off a smorgasbord of tests its smartphones go through in the labs while being prepped for prime time. These experiments are engineered to see how sample and prototype devices fare when subjected to use and abuse -- including having their buttons mashed thousands of times, being twisted, splashed with water, and tossed in a churning pot of killer corn to gauge scratch resistance. One test even plonks a fake, denim-clad posterior onto unsuspecting phones, attempting to bend them out of shape. Sammy's hardly going to smash things in its own marketing, but you may still glean some sadistic pleasure from the video after the break -- and understanding Korean is optional.

[Source: Engadget]

Samsung Galaxy Camera reaches Canada on December 7th with carrier-independent 3G

Canadians won't have to race to the border or gamble on an import if they're jonesing for a Samsung Galaxy Camera to call their own. As of December 7th, they'll find the Jelly Bean-touting shooter sitting either in a local Black's Photography store or the official Samsung store in Burnaby, BC. The Canuck model keeps the HSPA+ data we've seen in the AT&T version, but the similarity in networks up north works to a budding photographer's advantage: a data micro-SIM from any of the larger carriers will be enough for some 3G photo sharing. Samsung is oddly silent on just how many toonies it will take to buy the Galaxy Camera, although a near-perfect parity in currency suggests the Canadian price won't be too far from the $500 US sticker.

[Source: Engadget]

Hack gives HTC Droid DNA the bootloader unlock that Verizon took away

Custom ROM fans were briefly teased with the prospect of Verizon loosening its anti-modding stance when the HTC Droid DNA first arrived: in the pre-release days, the official HTCDev portal allowed unlocking the DNA's bootloader. While the carrier unfortunately clamped down and denied the option by the time the giant smartphone was in stores, that hasn't stopped Android Police and Sean Beaupre from keeping the dream alive through very unofficial means. A special backup file, a carrier ID generator app, a shell script and judicious use of ADB tweak the carrier information to trick HTCDev and let the unlock work once again. To call this a risky procedure would be an understatement, however -- venturing past a certain point raises the real possibility of bricking the device, and HTC's bootloader tool already puts limits on post-unlock support even when it's blessed by carriers. Should the urge to liberate the Droid DNA overwhelm a sense of caution (or a wait for the Deluxe), you'll find both the hack and unofficial help through the source links.

[Source: Engadget]

ComScore: Black Friday online spending rings in at a record $1.04 billion

Considering the parody-worthy dangers of America's busiest shopping day, it's no surprise to hear that online consumerism is on the rise. According to ComScore, 57.3 million Americans took their wallets to digital storefronts on Black Friday, spending a record $1.04 billion in the process. "With Black Friday online sales up 26 percent and surpassing $1 billion for the first time, coupled with early reports indicating that Black Friday sales in retail stores were down 1.8 percent, we can now confidently call it a multi-channel marketing phenomenon," stated ComScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni. The organization also noted that digital content sales are on the rise, too, citing a 29 percent increase in the category over the same period last year. Finally, Fulgoni projected Cyber Monday sales in excess of $1.5 billion, based on observations culled from the years past. Read on for ComScore's official numbers.

[Source: Engadget]

Samsung announces Galaxy Note II has moved 5 million units worldwide

Well, that was quick. We started off this month with word from Samsung that its 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II passed three million in sales, and now the company is announcing it's moved two million more in less than a month. Now available on North American carriers the stylus-packing smartphone is apparently experiencing popularity in all regions, with no sign of slowing down. It's even had the rite of passage of being included in an Apple lawsuit, and a new ad focusing on using the stylus to become an internet meme. It may not be ready to challenge the smaller Galaxy S III for the company sales crown just yet, but with five million out the door and more every minute, XL-sized handsets are clearly here to stay.

[Source: Engadget]

Minecraft Reality for iOS finds a home for our blocky dreams in the real world

While it's possible to translate the hours and hours spent building worlds inMinecraft to real objects, we wouldn't say the results always match the initial vision -- they're more likely to involve either a miniature 3D printout or the time and money spent on a whole lot of Lego. Mojang and 13th Lab have developed what's arguably a smarter solution with their new Minecraft Reality for iOS. After scanning the environment, the app can insert anyone's uploaded cuboid masterpiece into a perspective-correct augmented reality for viewing from any angle. Interaction is mostly limited to resizing objects, but the title will display the handiwork of anyone nearby and take a shareable screenshot for posterity. There's no word of an Android version just yet; if that's no obstacle to making dreams a (virtual) reality, however, the $2 to pay for Minecraft Reality is a much cheaper and faster alternative to a mountain of plastic bricks.

[Source: Engadget]

Raspberry Pi says it'll run Minecraft, demos upcoming 5-megapixel, 1080P, $25 camera

The Raspberry Pi will soon be able to see all, thanks to an upcoming camera board that will mate with unused CSI pins on the $35 hobbyist board. The new 5-megapixel camera (in the video after the break) will be capable of 1080P, 30fps video, and though the prototype being shown at Electronica 2012 is attached using scotch tape technology, the Pi foundation promised it would come with a proper mount when it ships in the new year for $25. In other news, the group has also announced a new port from the Notch gaming group called "Minecraft: Pi edition." You'll be able to play the game, of course, but if you're feeling more ambitious it'll also support several programming languages, letting you "modify the game world with code" to boot. The group promised you'll be able to download it next week at the source.

[Source: Engadget]

'Father of digital imaging' Bryce Bayer dies aged 83

Bryce Bayer, former Eastman Kodak scientist, and inventor of the Bayer Filter -- found with most modern digital image sensors -- has sadly recently passed. Bayer's work with Kodak left an indelible mark on almost every digital image you see today, both figuratively, and literally. His eponymous color filter, developed in 1976, used a mosaic layout of red green and blue filters that enables light sensors to create full color images. The design imitates the way the human eye perceives color, with twice as much green as red or blue, and the resulting output is then interpreted with "demosaicing" algorithms to produce an accurate, RGB image. Bayer's work also included significant contributions to other areas of digital photography, including storage, enhancement and printing. Bayer died on November 13th in Bath, Maine aged 83. So, next time you're enjoying your digital memories, spare a thought for the man who helped make them all possible.

[Source: Engadget]

Game of Thrones Season Two Blu-ray set arrives February 19th

While waiting for season three of Game of Thrones to start airing March 31st, fans of HBO's series will be able to snag the second season on Blu-ray February 19th. Even if you've already seen it (whether on TV, via a borrowed HBO login or...other sources) there should be some new elements with Blu-ray exclusive "HBO Select" features including an interactive "War of the 5 Kings" guide to keep track of who is doing what / where / when, animated histories, in-episode guides with more information on characters (like the iPad companion app did) as they appear and "dragon egg" surprises. Check the press release after the break for a full account of features, or hit Amazon to preorder the 7-disc set (w/ digital copies) for $55.99.

[Source: Engadget]

Sony coats Xperia P in 24-carat gold, keeps up tradition of so-so phones in luxury shells

Outside of custom projects, the cardinal rule for draping phones in exotic materials is that they must never, ever be truly high end devices: at best, they should involve mid-tier hardware that could be eclipsed by a garden-variety smartphone at a fraction of the price. Sony's maintaining that all too time-honored tradition by producing a gold-coated, 24-carat version of... the Xperia P. Yes, rather than spruce up a flagship like the James Bond-approved Xperia T, Sony has instead given the luxury treatment to a smartphone with a strictly middling 4-inch display and dual-core 1GHz processor. In fairness, the company sees this as an experiment rather than a Vertu-like business model, with the intent strictly to emphasize the unibody design. A maximum 15 have been built as a result -- and rather than count on impulse purchases from oligarchs, Sony hints that it's offering at least some of its gold Xperia P stock to followers on Facebook. As long as there's no pretenses of living the high life with what's really a very ordinary phone underneath, we're satisfied.

[Source: Engadget]

Huawei Ascend G 330 lands on UK shores through TalkTalk

Huawei left us wondering whether the Ascend G 330 would venture beyond mainland Europe with its tempting blend of solid specs and a low price. The smartphone is spreading its wings -- if only just, with a launch on TalkTalk in the UK. When it ships to the carrier in December, the 4-inch, 1GHz dual-core smartphone will be tuned for British audiences with preloaded BBC iPlayer and news apps as well as EA's Sims Freeplay for some casual gaming. Most of the appeal may come from a cheap-as-chips price, as the G 330 will be free on contract for as little as £10 ($16) per month. If you can bear going without an all-out flagship like the Ascend D1 Quad XL, it's a tempting lure.

[Source: Engadget]

Google's 'gallery for everyone' lets you take over Times Square, say thank you for...

What would be a neat trick to round off a perfect holiday with friends, family, and -- if you're lucky -- some bargain-priced tech? How about getting your smug, contented face up on the screens in Times Square? Not got the big corporate budget? No worries, as Google's here to pick up the tab as part of a Chromebook promotion, and possibly make it happen for you. Submit a picture at the source link, along with a snappy "For... " caption, and you could find yourself, your mom, your cat, or football team up there for all to see. We were going to submit one of our own, but, well y'know, we're still wearing the t-shirt.

[Source: Engadget]