IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 24/03/2010

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo completes maiden flight

Virgin Galactic's VSS Enterprise suborbital aircraft made its first captive carry test flight yesterday in Mojave, California. As shown in the above photo (courtesy of Mark Greenberg), the craft remained attached to the VMS Eve mothership for the entirety of its 2 hour and 54 minute flight, reaching an altitude of 45,000 feet in the process. If all goes according to plan, the spacecraft -- which we first peeped in December -- will start commercial operations late next year. Looks like it's time to start saving up those Velocity Points, kids! In the meantime, check out CNET's gallery of shots from the flight by hitting that ever lovin' source link.

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo completes maiden flight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation Move bonus round: Move Party hands-on and interview with Anton Mikhailov

Alright, so you've seen the PlayStation Move insanity from the Engadget Show, but we've got a little extra treat for you. After the show we were able to play through a game of Move Party with Sony's own Anton Mikhailov, who actually coded a lot of the tech demos we saw during the show (some of them the night before!). After getting thrashed by him in mini game competition we were able to have a quick chat with Anton where we expressed our undying love for what he does for a living, learned the difficulties (but potential gold mine) of hacking the controller for use with a PC, and found out what sort of games he'd like to see built with this technology he's had a hand in creating. It's not to be missed; check out both videos after the break.

Continue reading PlayStation Move bonus round: Move Party hands-on and interview with Anton Mikhailov

PlayStation Move bonus round: Move Party hands-on and interview with Anton Mikhailov originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eye-Fi X2 series of 802.11n Class 6 cards ships today, AT&T WiFi hotspots added to the fold

The new Eye-Fi "X2" series we saw at CES is hitting store shelves and FedEx trucks today, bringing with it 802.11n radios, Class 6 SD card speeds, an "Endless Memory" mode, and expanded storage. What's perhaps even more interesting, however, is the fact that all Eye-Fi cards with an active hotspot account can now use AT&T's WiFi, which includes Starbucks and McDonald's in its ever-expanding grasp. The pricing tiers are pure Eye-Fi, of course, with the $50 Connect X2 offering JPEG uploads to sharing sites like Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube, along with 4GB of storage; the $100 Explore X2, which chews 8GB of capacity, and includes geotagging, uploading to the user's own computer over a WiFi network, and a year of free hotspot service; and finally the Eye-Fi Pro X2, with 8GB of storage, JPEG and RAW uploads, and support for creating ad hoc WiFi connections with a computer, all for the low, low price of $150. All the cards are available today at major retailers, PR is after the break.

Gallery: Eye-Fi 802.11n Pro X2 hands-on

Continue reading Eye-Fi X2 series of 802.11n Class 6 cards ships today, AT&T WiFi hotspots added to the fold

Eye-Fi X2 series of 802.11n Class 6 cards ships today, AT&T WiFi hotspots added to the fold originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dual Electronics iPod touch GPS cradle review

The notion of an iPod touch GPS cradle has two big factors working against it from the start. For one, dedicated navigation units are readily available for as little as $100 (or less) and, in general, get the job done quite well. Secondly, more and more cellphones are becoming more and more capable as navigation devices and, again, are relatively inexpensive (phone contracts aside). On the other hand, a lot of people have iPod touches, and most of them really like their iPod touches. So, in that respect, there is a potentially big market for something like Dual Electronics new iPod touch GPS cradle. Will it actually help carve out a new niche in the crowded navigation market? Read on to find out.

Gallery: Dual Electronics iPod touch GPS cradle review

Continue reading Dual Electronics iPod touch GPS cradle review

Dual Electronics iPod touch GPS cradle review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kyocera Zio M6000 joins burgeoning Android ranks with high-res affordability

You know your mobile OS is going places when people start resurrecting their smartphone divisions just to throw out their own spin on it. Kyocera's approach with the new Zio M6000 has been to marry an 800 x 480 display to some rather middle of the road components and to sell that package at a significantly lower price point (between $169 and $216 unsubsidized) than most Android-infused communicators on the market. You know, for the people that like to have a handsome high-res phone, but don't need it to have the firepower to run Quake. It's still not a terrible slouch, coming with a 600MHz MSM7227 CPU from Qualcomm, 512MB of onboard app memory, and 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Look out for its US arrival in the second quarter of this year.

Gallery: Kyocera Zio M6000

Kyocera Zio M6000 joins burgeoning Android ranks with high-res affordability originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from CTIA 2010's day one keynote with Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin!

We've just been seated in an extraordinarily large keynote hall -- as big as anything you'll find even at CES -- for CTIA 2010's first day keynote session featuring AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin, president of Samsung's mobile business. It should be an interesting shindig, so keep it locked!

Continue reading Live from CTIA 2010's day one keynote with Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin!

Live from CTIA 2010's day one keynote with Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app

BlueAnt's been slinking along in the shadows of the (thankfully) dwindling Bluetooth headset market for years now, and aside from that one voice-controlled V1 that popped two years ago, we haven't seen much from the outfit that really got our juices flowing. Until today, naturally. The rugged, May-bound T1 headset ($79.99) doesn't look drastically different (or smaller) than the aforesaid V1, but it's the firm's first to feature Wind Armour Technology -- something that's engineered to "deliver clear audio in wind speeds up to 22mph." It's also built to withstand the occasional drop and bout with dust / moisture, and in case that's not enough, it'll also audibly announce who's calling so long as they're in your address book. As you'd expect, A2DP streaming audio is fully supported, as is multipoint (which allows it to remain connected to two phones at once and respond to whichever rings first). In related news, the company also announced its new Q1 app for Android (due April 1st), which helps Q1 headset users by reading text messages aloud to you via a presumably flawed text-to-speech system. Hit up the source links for the fully skinny on each, or just hop on past the break for a pair of superbly informative videos.

Gallery: BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app

Continue reading BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app

BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint announces seven new WiMAX markets, says 'Let AT&T and Verizon yak about maps and 3G coverage'

Sprint's just announced some more markets for its planned 4G expansion, among them Los Angeles and Miami, plus Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. That's right: WiMAX is coming to penetrate the Steel Curtain. In addition to the markets previously announced at the end of February (New York, San Francisco, Boston, Denver, Kansas City, Houston, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC), the list is starting to look a lot like that "many markets" we've been promised. While we're still not getting launch dates, it's clear that Sprint's on an aggressive path here -- and an apparently leaked internal email we just got from a tipster confirms that pretty blatantly. Supposedly penned by Joe Whited, the Manager of Corporate Communications at Sprint, the email appears to have been aimed at pumping up Sprint employees based on this morning's announcement: "Let AT&T and Verizon yak about maps and 3G coverage, we're moving forward with what customers really want -- lightening [sic.] fast internet and uncapped 4G service." Fighting words, friends -- and the addition of major markets like Los Angeles and Miami are surely an upping of the game. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Sprint announces seven new WiMAX markets, says 'Let AT&T and Verizon yak about maps and 3G coverage'

Sprint announces seven new WiMAX markets, says 'Let AT&T and Verizon yak about maps and 3G coverage' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo 3DS to come with '3D control stick,' vibration, and Sharp's parallax barrier 3D LCD?

You had the hard news for breakfast, so how's about some less official, but still pretty robust, fodder for brunch? Asahi in Japan offers the first word on how the 3DS achieves its 3D-ness by suggesting that the new portable game machine with feature a parallax barrier LCD from Sharp. The tech has apparently already been deployed in a few cellphones over there and is described as "unsuitable" for large-screen TVs. This is corroborated by Nikkei, which suggests that the screens on the new device will be smaller than 4 inches diagonally, placing it closer to the DSi than the 4.2-inch DSi XL / LL. Other news from the latter source include so-called 3D control stick(s), though it's not entirely clear whether this'll be anything massively new or just a pair of analog nubs for us to push around. Either way, Nintendo is said to have secured patents for the new control methodology in Japan late last year. The Nikkei article also mentions improvements in WiFi transfers and battery life, as well as a new vibration function. Now that we've got all that out of the way, can someone please tell us if this thing has Tegra inside or not?

Nintendo 3DS to come with '3D control stick,' vibration, and Sharp's parallax barrier 3D LCD? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Show - 007: Nicholas Negroponte, PlayStation Move exclusive demos, Dr. Richard Marks, Joystiq's Chris Grant, and more!

Well kids, this was one for the record books. If you didn't catch the live stream of the show (or you weren't there in person), here's your chance to get in on the action. On one of our biggest shows ever, Josh sits down with visionary technologist (and the man behind the OLPC project and MIT's Media Lab, amongst others) Nicholas Negroponte for a chat, tries to figure out why we can't get train schedules on our phones with new correspondent Rick Karr, and Paul and Chris Grant grill Dr. Richard Marks about the PlayStation Move. Oh, and it's not just talking -- we demo the Move in-person, even checking out some never-before-seen demos Sony has whipped up. All that, and music from minusbaby and visuals from notendo. Did we mention the hundreds of giveaways? No? Okay... just watch the thing!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Special guests: Nicholas Negroponte, Richard Marks, Christopher Grant
Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm
Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger
Edited by: Glenn Gapultos
Music by: minusbaby
Visuals by: notendo
Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 007 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 007 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted)

Subscribe to the Show:

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Gallery: The Engadget Show - 007

Continue reading The Engadget Show - 007: Nicholas Negroponte, PlayStation Move exclusive demos, Dr. Richard Marks, Joystiq's Chris Grant, and more!

The Engadget Show - 007: Nicholas Negroponte, PlayStation Move exclusive demos, Dr. Richard Marks, Joystiq's Chris Grant, and more! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to the world, Arduino Nano 3

Hello, there, little guy. The new Arduino board's just been outed, and it's not kidding about the 'nano' part. The Arduino Nano 3 boasts an ATMEGA328, breadboard capabilities plus Mini USB support built-in, and a bunch of other tweaks -- like moving the power LED to the top -- have been made in the interest of saving energy and space. Other features of this new kid on the block include an automatic reset during program download, auto sensing / switching power input, ICSP header for direct program download, and a manual reset switch. Hit up the source link for a bit more info... or to get ordering -- you can grab one up for $34.99.

Welcome to the world, Arduino Nano 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm moving to Android to stay alive? Not according to Palm

You may be seeing a rumor doing the rounds today about Palm throwing in the towel and moving to the Android platform as a means of survival -- but just hang on. Most reports are citing an email that made its way to the inbox of what looks like every major tech outlet, stating that CEO Jon Rubinstein issued an internal memo to software developers at the company about the switch. The supposed memo quotes Jon as saying, "While Palm is incredibly proud of our engineers who spent timeless work and effort to bring us this advanced operating system, consumers simply have not caught on. To provide a better future for ourselves and our customers, the only logical choice is to transition our hardware and software to the Android platform." The plan -- according to this email -- would be to create a kind of Sense UI-ish webOS interface on Palm devices, while leveraging Android's market footprint. The anonymous emailer went on to say that the full memo would be made available on Wikileaks at midnight last night.

But guess what? Not only did the memo not appear at the stroke of 12, but when we picked up the phone and actually spoke to Palm, they had a pretty quick response. Their answer? Our sources at the company essentially laughed when they heard this news, and they emphatically stated that there was no memo, and no move internally towards Android. Furthermore, many of the reports are citing a bunk piece of news from Monday which erroneously stated that Palm had halted production -- that news has also been refuted by the company. Admittedly, our minds reel at the concept of Android with a webOS UI, but until we get some real, verifiable evidence of that (and not just a random email), we're going to assume it's not happening. You should do the same.

Palm moving to Android to stay alive? Not according to Palm originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiltFX from Codejunkies makes a PSP respond to your every move (video)

We all lean when playing racing games and sit up in our seats when jumping in action games, but so far most PSP games have stoutly ignored all that nonsense. The TiltFX from Codejunkies might finally make those uppity consoles a little more responsive with a "G Sensor" -- a three-axis MEMS gyro that clips onto the lower-left of a PSP 1000, 2000, or 3000-series console. (Sorry, Goers, left out again.) Once plugged in you can simply tilt the console in the direction you want your character to go, something that we could definitely see enhancing the experience of games like Archer McLean's Mercury or or Loco Roco. And, for just £14.99/$19.99, it's certainly a better value than some other PSP accessories we've sampled in the past. Video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading TiltFX from Codejunkies makes a PSP respond to your every move (video)

TiltFX from Codejunkies makes a PSP respond to your every move (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony ICF-C71PJ projecting clock radio to hit stores in April

We've seen a few projecting clocks over the years, and we're guessing that we'd have seen plenty more if people actually bought the things! But maybe you live in a windowless box, or in Alaska, or someplace else where it is dark for depressingly long stretches and you need the cheerin' up that only an extra projecting light source can provide -- then this may be the timepiece for you. A product of Sony, the ICF-C71PJ projecting clock radio lives up to its name on all counts: It's a clock. It's a radio. And it will project the time on your ceiling if you so desire. This bad boy also features an input for your MP3 player, and the LCD display has adjustable brightness controls, which is pretty nice for a clock radio. And if that weren't enough, wait'll you get a load of the five different soothing nature sounds and the thermometer! Available in April for a price TBA.

Sony ICF-C71PJ projecting clock radio to hit stores in April originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China partially blocks Google search results from Hong Kong, the saga continues
You didn't think that just because Google started redirecting its Google.cn domain to its Hong Kong site, we were coming to a neat compromise to the big brouhaha between the search giant and China, did you? Oh no, brother, this thing is far from over. China has now responded by whipping its state computers into a filtering frenzy, blocking and censoring out content it considers objectionable from Google's HK-based search results. Adding to its show of strength, it's expected the Chinese government's influence will also result in China Mobile canceling a deal to have Google as its default search provider on mobile handsets. We suppose it's Google's turn to respond now. How about offering a friendly game of badminton to settle their differences?

[Thanks, Colin]

China partially blocks Google search results from Hong Kong, the saga continues originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Aero is 'the lightest' Android phone yet, poses for pictures

AT&T's teaser site for the Dell Aero has gone live and we can now fill in a few more gaps in our knowledge about this forthcoming handset. It's looking every bit the renamed Mini 3 we thought it was, so click here and here to get a closer look at the body of the device. The official web mouthpiece confirms a 3.5-inch screen with nHD resolution -- which may or may not signify the same 640 x 360 as on the Brazilian and Chinese versions -- and one definite point of departure, a 5 (rather than 3) megapixel camera on the back. Claimed to be the lightest Android smartphone yet, the Aero will also come with WiFi and GPS built in, though its biggest attraction will undoubtedly be the thoroughly tricked out Android UI, which promises Picasa, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitpic integration right out of the box. Check out the gallery below for some hints of what that willl look like.

[Thanks, Chilko]

Gallery: Dell Aero

Dell Aero is 'the lightest' Android phone yet, poses for pictures originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera Mini for iPhone submitted to Apple for approval (video)
Can you feel the tension? Opera is now in the throes of the App Store approval process. The wait is on to see if Apple will loosen its grip and approve the fast (very fast) Opera Mini browser for iPhone app that we checked out at MWC. Remember, Opera Mini relies on Opera's servers to render and compress pages before sending them back to the iPhone for display. As such, there's no code interpretation being done by the software -- a definite no no for approval. So the only thing that could cause Apple to reject the app would be a perceived duplication of core iPhone functionality even though it already approved several WebKit-based browsers. Whatever happens, this is going to be good.

Update: Opera just threw up a counter tracking how long the approval process has taken. You know, 'cause everyone likes to be backed into a corner. Makes you wonder if Opera is serious about this or just doing it for the publicity -- one of several angles we mulled earlier.

Gallery: Opera Mini for iPhone submitted to Apple for approval (video)

Continue reading Opera Mini for iPhone submitted to Apple for approval (video)

Opera Mini for iPhone submitted to Apple for approval (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Germany keeps spreading the browser hate, warns against Firefox

Remember back when Germany's Federal Office for Information Security said that Internet Explorer just wasn't good enough for its citizens? The Office is doing its civic duty once again, this time warning against that formerly lean and mean upstart competitor: Firefox -- for a little while, at least. The Office "recommends the use of alternative browser until Mozilla has released Firefox version 3.6.2," due one week from today, and while it doesn't make a recommendation on which browser you should be using in the interim, we're thinking Lynx users can keep on surfing with confidence.

Update: Just as this post was going live Mozilla released the 3.6.2 Firefox security update that Bürger-CERT was looking for. Their press release has been changed to recommend updating your browser to the new version ASAP, and if you really did jump over to Lynx we would recommend closing that terminal window and getting back to reality ASAP.

Germany keeps spreading the browser hate, warns against Firefox originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's Symbian^3 touchscreen flagship leaked?

What does that look like to you? Sure looks like a probable Nokia flagship candidate for the upcoming launch of Symbian^3 to ride. Remember, we've already heard about a N8-00 said to be sporting a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, 12 megapixel camera, and HDMI-out. This unnamed device features a 12 megapixel camera with Xenon flash and Carl Zeiss optics, an HDMI jack next to a top-mounted 3.5-mm headphone jack, and a bottom-loading battery allowing the phone to keep a unibody design (a la the HTC Legend). The screen is big, at least 3.5 inches and possibly hovering around 4 inches. Oh, and a QWERTY is nowhere to be found. So Nokia, got anything you'd like to announce?

Update: Eldar Murtazin, a man who knows a thing or two about pre-production Nokia devices, says the N8-00 is real and due in September.

Gallery: Nokia's Symbian^3 touchscreen flagship leaked?

Nokia's Symbian^3 touchscreen flagship leaked? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIA introduces VX900 media processor, sets sights on Broadcom's Crystal HD (video)

We like little computers, but we also like big-bitrate video content, and thanks to media accelerators like Broadcom's Crystal HD we can have our proverbial cake and proverbially eat it, too -- at least up to 720p. We've had issues with 1080p on that chip and, while that may be due to troublesome Flash betas, VIA is saying its upcoming VX900 media system processor suffers from no such limitation. A back-to-back video captured by Netbooknews seems to back that up, embedded below and showing a VX900 running the 1080p Avatar trailer at a higher frame rate with lower CPU utilization than Broadcom's option could manage the 720p version. It then goes on to play a massive 80Mb/s bitrate 1080p file with nary a stutter. This wasn't on perfectly equivalent hardware so it's a bit early to draw too many conclusions, but we're eager to see what this chip has to offer when it starts hitting VIA-powered laptops and nettops, supposedly at Computex later this summer.

Continue reading VIA introduces VX900 media processor, sets sights on Broadcom's Crystal HD (video)

VIA introduces VX900 media processor, sets sights on Broadcom's Crystal HD (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple increases gaming share at the expense of DS and PSP

Apple's intentions to dominate handheld gaming were already pretty clear back in March of 2008 as game studio after game studio lined up behind the iPhone (and iPod touch by extension). Now look at the graphics above. Yeah, based on the report from Flurry Analytics, Apple's casual gaming approach is carving out a nice slice of the US revenue pie related to gaming software. The PSP was hit especially hard dropping from a 20% share in 2008 to just 11% of US revenue last year. Numbers that highlight just how ridiculous John Koller's spin maneuver was after the iPad launch. Speaking of which, you have to wonder how these numbers might be affected once developers have a chance to spread out on the iPad, looming Nintendo 3DS or not. Especially with early data showing robust pre-sales and games accounting for almost half of the iPad apps being tested. See that chart after the break. Mmm, pie.

Continue reading Apple increases gaming share at the expense of DS and PSP

Apple increases gaming share at the expense of DS and PSP originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 06:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mozilla halts Firefox development for Windows Mobile, won't offer it on Windows Phone 7 without NDK
Color us resolutely unsurprised at the news that devs are starting to abandon the Windows Mobile platform in favor of, well, longer-lived opportunities. Firefox's maker, Mozilla, has come out with a statement that it's ceasing development of its WinMo builds and -- perhaps more importantly -- it's also curtailing work on a Windows Phone 7 offering until Microsoft opens its new platform up to native apps. So basically, no Native Development Kit from Microsoft equals no Firefox for Windows Phone from Mozilla. The browser maker does express hope, however, that Microsoft will make it possible to deliver the popular IE alternative in the future, pointing out that the underlying Windows CE 6 architecture suits Firefox well and the company is "well positioned to have an awesome browser on Windows Phone 7." For now, the focus in Mozilla's mobile HQ remains on bringing out a great product on the less restrictive Android and MeeGo platforms.

Mozilla halts Firefox development for Windows Mobile, won't offer it on Windows Phone 7 without NDK originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 06:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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D-Link DWM-351 turns the doorbell into a 3G video intercom
In lieu of a cost-effective, consumer-friendly home automation standard being available, products like the D-Link 3G Door Phone have emerged to address ad hoc automation needs. This suped-up, waterproof doorbell allows home owners to monitor the front door over a 3G cellphone or PC via the unit's integrated 0.1 megapixel camera, SIM card, speaker, and mic. Home owners can then see the visitor as a snapshot or over one-way 3G video while interacting over a two-way voice call. Unfortunately, it won't allow you to remotely unlock your door; for that you'll need something like a Schlage lock and a fussy Z-Wave network to go with it. Alternatively, devices like the Siemens Gigaset HC450 intercom has the option to control your electronic door lock from your home landline (accessible via your mobile phone) but lacks video and direct 3G data access. Hey, nobody said home automation was going to be easy.

D-Link DWM-351 turns the doorbell into a 3G video intercom originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 05:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba and Bill Gates-backed TerraPower discussing small-scale nuclear reactors

It would seem that Toshiba hasn't given up on its dream of producing a nuclear reactor for the home, and its latest potential partner counts quite the big name among its backers. Run by a former Microsoft exec and partially funded by Bill Gates himself, TerraPower is said to have opened preliminary discussions with Toshiba regarding a possible joint venture between the two companies. The aim is, predictably, to make safer, smaller, more socially acceptable, and just plain better reactors. TerraPower boasts its tech can run without refueling for up to 60 years on depleted uranium and Bill Gates has gotten enthusiastic enough about the whole thing to give a 30-minute talk on the matter. Click past the break for the video.

Continue reading Toshiba and Bill Gates-backed TerraPower discussing small-scale nuclear reactors

Toshiba and Bill Gates-backed TerraPower discussing small-scale nuclear reactors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 05:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bang & Olufsen announces BeoVision 10 North American Tour

You're probably a little too old to rock out like you used to, and besides your hearing isn't exactly what it was when you first saw Purple Fudge open for Hendrix at Cafe Wha? in the village. That's okay -- we found something for you and the missus now that the kids don't come around as much as they used to. Bang & Olufsen have announced that its BeoVision 10 -- the 40-inch behemoth currently available overseas -- will be making its way to showrooms stateside this spring. To commemorate, the company is taking the the thing on tour, with dates including Chicago on March 18, New York on March 25, and LA on April 8. To keep up with your forever escalating tastes, guests who attend the events can check out a special edition Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black (with Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS audio system) and enter to win a bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage 2000 champagne. You've certainly come a long way from sipping Narragansett draft at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, huh? Prices start at $6,248 and climb skyward rather quickly. PR after the break.

Continue reading Bang & Olufsen announces BeoVision 10 North American Tour

Bang & Olufsen announces BeoVision 10 North American Tour originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo announces 3DS -- the glasses-free 3D successor to the DS
Whoa, now this is a whopper coming (almost) out of nowhere. Nintendo has just slipped out a press release in Japan informing the world that all-new 3D-capable portable hardware is coming, with a full unveiling set for E3 2010 this June. Tentatively titled the 3DS, this glasses-free 3D wonder is pitched as the successor to both the DS and DSi, and will use a "compatible cart" that should ensure backwards compatibility with your vast library of favorites from the older consoles. Nintendo expects to launch the 3DS into retail "during the fiscal year ending March 2011."

Update: Unofficial reports from Japan suggest the 3DS will have a parallax barrier 3D LCD from Sharp, a vibration function, and a "3D control stick." Read about it all here.

Nintendo announces 3DS -- the glasses-free 3D successor to the DS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InVisage envisions a world where cell phone cameras don't suck, embraces quantum dots

The invention of nanocrystal semiconductors -- more commonly called quantum dots -- has spurred scientists to create everything from precisely-colored LED lamps to higher-density flash memory. There's also been some talk of applying a solution of the tiny crystals to create higher sensitivity cameras, and according to a company named InVisage, that latter utility is almost ready for commercial production. By smearing light-amplifying quantum dots onto the existing CMOS sensors used in cell phone cameras like so much strawberry jam, InVisage claims it will offer smartphone sensors that have four times the performance and twice the dynamic range of existing chips by the end of the year, and roll out the conveyor belts in late 2011, just in time for the contract to end on your terrible new cameraphone.

[Thanks, Matt]

InVisage envisions a world where cell phone cameras don't suck, embraces quantum dots originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JooJoo finally shipping?

Do our eyes deceive us? Can it be that JooJoo -- the CrunchPad that wasn't -- has progressed from pre-order status to shipping? Sure seems that way. Two days ahead of the revised March 25th launch date we see that the JooJoo is now taking proper orders for their Ion-based $499 Atom tablet with 12.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, in the US anyway. So, did anyone get a revised delivery status?

[Thanks, Marquel G.]

JooJoo finally shipping? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'The Panel' rechargeable LED monitor sentences you to a more productive life

"It would let me set up shop at that posh cafe down the street." That's how you justified your laptop purchase -- but as you sat, gently sipping your macchiato, you realized it would never work without your decidedly non-portable 24-inch Cinema Display's extra real estate. We've been there many a time, and apparently so has a startup named MEDL Technology, which has just finished prototyping the answer to our telecommuting (and portable gaming) woes. Going above and beyond the average, tiny secondary display, "The Panel" is an honest-to-goodness 13.3-inch LED-backlit monitor that's less than an inch thick, but packs incredible connectivity (DVI, VGA, Component, S-Video, mini-HDMI and USB) in addition to a sweet folding stand and up to five hours of rechargeable battery life. MEDL told us that should they secure funding, the firm's looking to launch The Panel in Q4 2010, and is hoping to first sway business users with a sub-$350 price point. To work surrounded by coffee -- without being employed by Starbucks -- that's a small price to pay.

Gallery: METL Technology's 'The Panel' portable monitor

'The Panel' rechargeable LED monitor sentences you to a more productive life originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hypersonic-PC powers down for the last time

In 1997, Hypersonic joined the likes of Voodoo, AlienWare and Falcon Northwest in the gamble that gamers would buy what were then gut-wrenchingly expensive (think $10,000) custom PCs. Ten years later, it was gobbled up by memory manufacturer OCZ, and soon came to our attention for selling a chic, tiny, but somehow nicely specced 12.1-inch laptop. Today, the company is no more. The Hypersonic website reads that the firm is no longer accepting orders, and Techgage -- speaking to OCZ's chief marketing office Alex Mei -- reports that while OCZ will honor all warranties, the company is ceasing marketing and sales support for the Hypersonic brand. Sad, yes, but at least it's one fewer temptation to lure us extreme gamers into bankruptcy.

Hypersonic-PC powers down for the last time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dish Network countersues DirecTV over signal reliability claims
Oh, don't act surprised. As is the norm with these things, Dish Network has filed a countersuit against DirecTV. Last month, the latter company filed suit, claiming Dish's "Why Pay More" ads were false and misleading. The countersuit, unsurprisingly, is also false and misleading advertising -- in this instance, the claim "nothing comes close to the reliability and quality of DirecTV." Dish asserts its signal reliability is exactly the same, 99.9 percent. Better strap yourself in, it's gonna be a long and bumpy ride through the court system.

Dish Network countersues DirecTV over signal reliability claims originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola i1 first hands-on!

We're shmoozing with Motorola's team and Mike Rowe -- yes, the Dirty Jobs guy, who's been fittingly selected as the rugged i1's spokesperson -- and we're starting to get our first fleeting moments with Motorola's first Android-powered iDEN handset in the flesh. Believe it or not, it might be the best-feeling Android phone from Motorola to date, besting the CLIQ XT and Droid with a tasteful mix of black chrome and rubber around the edges; if it weren't for the lack of bona fide 3G, we could realistically see putting this in our pockets over, say, a myTouch 3G, Hero, or Behold II. We've been able to confirm that they've basically taken the UI look and feel introduced by Blur and subtracted... well, the things that actually make it Blur, namely the integration with Blur servers that brings social service aggregation into the fold. Will it appeal to the iDEN demographic? Hard to say, but Mr. Rowe certainly seems amped on it. Check out the gallery below!

Gallery: Motorola i1 first hands-on!

Motorola i1 first hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint to announce 'groundbreaking new device' (HTC Supersonic?) tomorrow

Sprint Premier customers are being treated to a rather tantalizing account alert tonight: "Visit us tomorrow for an exciting announcement about a groundbreaking new device." No other details provided, but if we had to make an educated guess, we'd say all signs are pointing towards HTC's Supersonic, the long-rumored WiMAX smartphone with a 4.3-inch screen and Android 2.1 with Sense UI. A 4G device would certainly fit the billing as "groundbreaking," and we've already heard of plans to unveil the phone at CTIA, which officially kicks off tomorrow. A web chat transcript found on the Sprint Community seems to corroborate, but we can't at this point verify the validity of the screen capture. You can view the entirety of the purported web chat after the break. If we do wake up tomorrow to a shiny, large-screened WiMAX phone, care to take bets on what Sprint CEO Dan Hesse is gonna talk up in his Wednesday keynote?

[Thanks, Jackson R and Aggrey J]

Continue reading Sprint to announce 'groundbreaking new device' (HTC Supersonic?) tomorrow

Sprint to announce 'groundbreaking new device' (HTC Supersonic?) tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Active Media Products ships 100MB/sec eSATA flash drives, shrugs off USB 3.0 noise
Who needs 200MB/sec when you've got... 100MB/sec? Nah, Active Media Products' newest flash drives aren't quite as snappy as those few USB 3.0 keys that are making their way out, but for folks who aren't quite ready to upgrade (or are just dying to make use of that otherwise empty eSATA port), this here unit is the ticket. Outfitted with 16GB or 32GB of MLC NAND memory, these units boast sequential read and write speeds up to 100MB/sec and 55 MB/sec, respectively, and in case you cruise over to a legacy machine that lacks eSATA, a mini USB 2.0 port is also provided for universal access. 'Course, a USB cable is still required in the eSATA port for power, but hey, at least you'll be "with the times," right? Check 'em right now on Amazon for $69.95 and $109.95 in order of mention.

Active Media Products ships 100MB/sec eSATA flash drives, shrugs off USB 3.0 noise originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget is live from CTIA 2010!

We're live from CTIA Wireless once again, ready to bring you pretty much non-stop coverage of the goings-on in Las Vegas until we collapse, the show runs out of goods, or we get completely lost in the embrace of some heretofore unannounced handset. So what are we expecting to see, exactly? We've already seen Motorola's i1 pop up, heard rumors of a potential HTC Supersonic appearance, and the Samsung Galaxy S is a possibility as well, but that's just scratching the surface -- the other big names in the industry will likely make a showing, and we'll be covering everything as it happens. We've set up a special CTIA 2010 page to help you keep track of the never-ending barrage of coverage, so have a look and get ready for an action-packed week!

Engadget is live from CTIA 2010! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler says all-electric Fiat 500 will carry Americans, American Touristers in 2012

Curvy, sumptuous concept and prototype electric vehicles are definitely easy on the eyes, but if you've been searching for something a touch more "real," fresh-out-of-bankruptcy Chrysler has one car that's not going back to the drawing board. Our compatriots over at Autoblog report that the all-electric Fiat 500 EV -- which saw a limited run of 100 in Europe and made a cameo at this year's Detroit Auto Show -- will actually be produced and sold in the US starting in 2012. Since the automaker's not talking specs, it's hard to say how it'll compare to a Volt or a Leaf, but history (peek the 'More Coverage' link down below) tells us the original electric Fiat 500 got up to 120 miles on a charge. We'd caution you not to get too worked up by that hot hatch action, though -- despite the fact that the Peapod made it briefly to market, this isn't the first time Chrysler's told us to expect a commercial vehicle we can charge. Here's hoping for better results this go 'round.

Chrysler says all-electric Fiat 500 will carry Americans, American Touristers in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magellan's new eXplorist GC for geocachers is far too easy to find

There's certainly plenty of GPS devices that are well-suited to geocachers, but Magellan is claiming that its new eXplorist GC is the very first such device that's been "designed exclusively for geocaching." That means you'll get loads of pre-loaded geocaches, a free 30-day premium membership to Geocaching.com (which the device links to), and even some merit-based awards that will let you boast about your geocaching skills. Of course, the device will also handle your other GPS needs, and includes all the usual features like waypoint creation, a worldwide basemap, and a trip odometer. Sadly, it won't be much of an adventure to find the device itself -- it'll be available from all the usual sources next month for $199.99.

Magellan's new eXplorist GC for geocachers is far too easy to find originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung to announce Galaxy S smartphone, content initiatives this week

We've just received a veritable cornucopia of information around Samsung's supposed announcements out at CTIA this week -- and seeing how this is the biggest wireless show the US has to offer, you might imagine that the reveals are fairly US-focused while still hanging onto some global relevance. Here's what we know:

• The company's so-called "Smart Life" philosophy for smartphone design and differentiation -- something we've heard referred to as S Life in the past, including here at CTIA -- will be formally introduced. It won't so much be a product or a smartphone platform (as far as we can tell) so much as an overarching strategy.
• A 1GHz applications processor will be announced as the "new standard" in Sammy's premium smartphone segment for 2010; in all likelihood, this is the Cortex A8-based core announced in the middle of last year.
• A huge content push will be announced (US market mercifully included) with full-length movies and shows that are "optimized" to take advantage of the company's new Super AMOLED displays. You'll also see some book and magazine deals get struck for straight-to-mobile delivery, but it sounds like we won't get the straight dope on how it'll all work (and who's involved, exactly) this week.
• Kicking off S Life from the hardware side will be the Galaxy S, Samsung's big phone announcement for the week. As far as we can tell, it'll be an Android device taking advantage of Super AMOLED and the company's homegrown 1GHz core -- and it'll be available in the US this year.

That's all we've got so far, but Sammy's mobile prez J.K. Shin has a keynote tomorrow morning along with an event immediately afterward, so we expect to get this fleshed out in the next day or so. Stay tuned!

Samsung to announce Galaxy S smartphone, content initiatives this week originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Apple now offering iPhones contract free (updated: not unlocked)

We heard from 9 to 5 Mac that Apple was due to begin selling a contract-free variant of the iPhone in the near future "at list price." And guess what happened when we inquired to an Apple store? That's right folks -- you can now pick one up for $499 (3G), $599, or $699 (3GS). We've confirmed this info at no less than five stores, so you should be hearing the same message at your local Appletorium. Given the current unfriendly climate between Apple and Google, this could be seen as nasty jab, though the devices are still carrier-locked to AT&T, so you're not being given much freedom... and it's certainly not much of a statement. In many parts of Europe (France and Poland, for example) you can pick up the carrier-unattached device (and we mean totally unlocked), but that doesn't appear to be the case here.

Update: We're getting mixed reports on the unlock status of these phones. One store says yes to the unlock, while others are saying they're still AT&T-locked devices being sold off contract. We're digging for more info on this now, so stay tuned.

Update 2: It's looking like those initial reports of unlocked devices are inaccurate. It sounds like these devices are still locked to AT&T -- so you're just looking at an off contract pricing scheme. Which is also totally lame.

Official: Apple now offering iPhones contract free (updated: not unlocked) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget giveaway: win some Beatles MusicSkins

Happy Monday, everybody! We thought we'd start off this week with a nice little give away to prove our affection... the kind folks at MusicSkins have provided us with five special edition Beatles Abbey Road MusicSkins to give to you. These particular MusicSkins are for iPhone or iPod touch so if you're in the market for one of these, read the rules and get commenting. (The full rules are after the break).

Special thanks to MusicSkins for providing the gear.

Continue reading Engadget giveaway: win some Beatles MusicSkins

Engadget giveaway: win some Beatles MusicSkins originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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