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As the browser becomes the driving engine behind several operating systems, extensive hardware controls are landing as built-in HTML5. The latest developer's build of Firefox Aurora can now record by default video from your camera and audio from your microphone.

Firefox 20 Aurora (download for Windows, for Mac, for Linux, and for Android) has the new hardware API getUserMedia enabled by default, which means that you won't have to use a plugin to record directly from your local camera or mic. In her blog post announcing the update, Maire Reavy, Firefox's product lead on media, provided an … Read more

Prepaid carrier MetroPCS is rolling out a new line of wireless plans that it's dubbing "simpler" 4G LTE plans. All three plans offer unlimited data and are available on several of the smartphones MetroPCS offers.

The cheapest plan is $40 per month and includes unlimited data with the first 500MB of data running at 4G LTE speeds. The next unlimited data plan is $50 per month and the first 2.5GB of data runs on 4G LTE. And the final $60 per month plan offers complete unlimited data at 4G LTE speeds. All three plans include unlimited … Read more

T-Mobile has finally made the big leagues.

The wireless carrier has has signed a deal with Major League Baseball to beef up certain stadiums with its own brand of wireless technology.

Coming up to bat will be a new wireless "on-field communication system" connecting managers in the dugouts with their coaches in the bullpen. The carrier will replace the old-fashioned wall-mounted phones with new cell phones, giving managers greater flexibility. The dugout-to-bullpen system will start to roll out to select stadiums this year.

As part of the multiyear MLB deal, T-Mobile will also tap into its growing 4G … Read more

T-Mobile unveiled a program today that allows consumers who buy certain laptops or tablets to access a free cellular connection.

The program, called 4G Connect, includes a built-in connection in select laptops, Ultrabooks, and tablets. The cell connection is free, but there are some catches. Consumers only get 200 megabytes of data each month, and free cellular connection lasts 12 or 24 months, depending on the manufacturer.

The Dell Inspiron 14z Ultrabook and the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion dm1 are the first two devices to get 4G Connect.

4G Connect represent a new way to sell wholesale capacity to companies. Manufacturers are … Read more

T-Mobile USA said today that it had enhanced its coverage in several cities, allowing unlocked iPhones to tap into the network's highest speeds.

The carrier said it has built out its HSPA+ network in four cities -- Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, and Virginia Beach, Va. -- utilizing the 1900MHz spectrum. That's important because the iPhone is compatible with 1900MHz, but not the other frequencies that T-Mobile uses.

In total, T-Mobile's 1900MHz footprint covers 46 metro area and about 126 million people.

T-Mobile also fast-tracked the carrier's 4G LTE plans and plans to cover 100 million … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Call it a minor upgrade, but that's what G-Technology has to offer this year at CES.

The storage vendor, which is now part of Western Digital, announced at CES 2013 that it now ships all of its popular G-Technology G-Drive Mini and G-RAID Mini external storage products with high-speed 1TB, 2.5-inch 7,200rpm hard drives.

Thanks to this, the G-Drive Mini, a compact single-volume external drive, now offers up to 136MBps performance speed. The drive offers both USB 3.0 and FireWire 8000 connection types and is bus-powered. It's preformatted for Mac and is now available … Read more

LAS VEGAS--With its new Sleek 4G, Wilson Electronics brings some long-needed interoperability to cell phone signal boosters.

Debuting at CES, the Sleek 4G supports 4G LTE networks from all major U.S. carriers. And expect for Sprint's WiMax, it's also backwards compatible with existing 3G and 2G voice and data networks.

The Sleek 4G is very welcome since Wilson's 2012 products, the Sleek 4G-V and the Sleek 4G-A, supported the LTE of Verizon Wireless and AT&T respectively, but they weren't interchangeable.

Designed for use in the car or in your home or office, the … Read more

InterDigital is on the patent warpath again.

The company, famous for holding a boatload of patents on wireless products, filed a complaint yesterday with the United States International Trade Commission against the usual round of tech players.

Citing infringement against seven of its patents, InterDigital wants the ITC to ban the U.S. import of products made by Samsung, Nokia, ZTE, and Huawei.

Specifically, InterDigital alleges that the companies in question have engaged in unfair trade practices by selling certain 3G and 4G wireless devices that violate the seven patents. Without naming any specific products, the complaint points to mobile … Read more

Research In Motion and InterDigital have extended an existing patent licensing agreement to cover 4G LTE technology.

Under the deal announced today, RIM will be able to use InterDigital's patents in its upcoming line of BlackBerry 10 products, which are set to debut later this month.

The deal comes just a few weeks after RIM settled a patent dispute with Nokia. In that case, RIM agreed to a one-time payment to Nokia and ongoing royalties for the use of its technology.

RIM is clearing the decks of any complications as it focuses on what is possibly the most important … Read more