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If Pandora for Android is your go-to service for music streaming while you're out and about, you're in for a bit of a treat. The internet radio outfit has updated it's app for the Google OS with a number of enhancements that should make spinning those Music Genome Project selections even more satisfying. First, a redesigned UI and navigation takes some cues from the Android design standards in order to liven up the aesthetics. A retooled song history allows users to review, rate and bookmark their previously played tracks for future reference. When a particular artist is playing, album art can now be minimized to reveal bio information, song lyrics and Pandora's regular similar artist / track recommendations. If you're jonesin' to grab the new look for yourself, hit the source link below to update.
Filed under: Software
Pandora Android app update: new UI, song history and song lyrics for impromptu cubicle concerts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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As if updating and expanding its in-ear headphone lineup wasn't enough, Klipsch has gone ahead and unveiled its revamped Image One on-ear set here at Irving Plaza in NYC. As we're told, the new Image One is acoustically similar to its predecessor, but now it has a more stylish and robust design that should hold up better over time. Notably, the headphones only have a single cable leading into the left earcup (rather than splitting into both cups like the original), and it's also of the flat variety to prevent tangling. The earcups can still fold flat, but now they can fold into the headband as well, making a smaller footprint for storage in a stuffed bag. In terms of comfort, the leather earpads are now a totally flat to provide an improved seal and better comfort. Beyond that, an Apple-certified inline remote / mic will help you control your music and calls on the go. An airliner converter, a 1/4-inch adapter and soft-shell carrying case are naturally included, and best of all, pricing still remains set at 150 bones.
Rather than just tweaking the original, however, Klipsch has decided to finally enter the wireless headphone game by offering a $250 Bluetooth-equipped variant for those who hate cords. This version looks nearly identical, with the subtle tweak of having the playback and volume controls positioned as buttons on the outside of the right earcup. The Image One Bluetooth also sports a built-in rechargeable battery, yet the set only gains 10 grams of weight (180 grams total) on top of its wired sibling -- should the battery die, a detachable cable allows for passive functionality. What's more, audiophiles will pleased to know that aptX and A2DP are both baked-in for high-quality lossless audio streaming. If your ears are already tingling with excitement, the new Image One and Image One Bluetooth are set to hit shelves by the end of the month. We're already putting both sets of cans through their paces here at the event, so check back soon as we'll be updating this post with our initial impressions.
Update: You'll find images of the headphones below and our brief ears-on after the break.
Filed under: Wearables
Klipsch revamps Image One series headphones, intros first Bluetooth variant (update: ears-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We love WiFi Direct, we do, but there's no denying the standard has failed to take the world by storm. The WiFi Alliance is going back to the drawing board and looking to streamline its system of connecting devices. A new Wi-Fi Direct Services task group was formed last month, charged with building new tools for helping apps and devices work together. The plan is to have what amounts to a complete revamp of the WiFi Direct standard within 12 to 18 months. One of the keys will be exposing the feature more directly to end users. Often it hides in the background, but the alliance is working on a way for apps to advertise their capabilities to each other and consumers. Developers have also struggled with poorly defined hooks that often lead to incompatible products. Will 2013 finally be the year that WiFi Direct takes off? Who can say. Considering the break-neck pace our technological world moves at, something better may have come along by the time the WiFi Alliance gets its act together.
Filed under: Networking
WiFi Direct headed for a revamp: simpler integration, better support originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 02:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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