Saturday, March 27, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 27/03/2010



Accessory listings hint at Samsung NX5 digital camera
Well, it looks like Samsung's NX10 hybrid DSLR may be about to get some company. While everything is still far from official, at last one online retailer is now listing a number of accessories that are apparently compatible with both the NX10 and a hereto unheard of NX5 camera, which would presumably be a less expansive, possibly more compact version of the NX10 (pictured above). That's backed up somewhat by a rumor that K-rumors has heard, which suggested that the NX5 would lack a built-in EVF and run between $499 and $599 depending on your choice of lens.

Accessory listings hint at Samsung NX5 digital camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | sourceKropf Multimedia, K-rumors | Email this | Comments
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FaceVsion rolls out 720p FVexpress webcam combo kit
FaceVsion already debuted its TouchCam N1 Skype HD webcam at CES, and it's now followed that up with its new FVexpress Combo kit, which is apparently tailored specifically for Google Talk users. That kit includes the company's FV TouchCam L1 HD webcam (pictured above), as well as an FVexpress ExpressCard that does hardware H.264 encoding of the video before streaming it over the internet with the included QuLives communication manager software (which is itself fully compatible with Google Talk). All of that expectedly pushes this kit past the usual cost of a webcam, but the $149.95 asking price isn't exactly too extravagant considering what you're getting.

FaceVsion rolls out 720p FVexpress webcam combo kit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | sourcePR Newswire | Email this | Comments
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Firmware corruption probe implicates at least one RealSSD C300
We don't know too many folks who shelled out the dosh for Crucial's RealSSD C300, so perhaps it's no surprise that we haven't heard too many complaints about the the thing. We do know at least one high roller who got his hands on one, however, and for him things are definitely not going so swimmingly. In fact, our friend Anand is apparently the proud owner of one such device that just "decided to up and stop working one day." That's not good! While the cause has yet to be determined, Crucial has been in contact and seems to think that errors in the firmware tables have resulted in a a drive that is now very, very slow at powering up. It's not clear whether or not this is going to be a common problem, but if the same thing happens to you perhaps you can sleep easily that at least there's the possibility of saving your data. Or maybe you're just kicking yourself for spending $800 on an SSD. Either way, Mr. AnandTech shares insight into this -- and more, including poor performance after TRIMing the LBAs on his replacement SSD and more. Exciting, huh? Hit the source link to see for yourself.

[Thanks, Aristo]

Continue reading Firmware corruption probe implicates at least one RealSSD C300

Firmware corruption probe implicates at least one RealSSD C300 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceAnandTech | Email this | Comments
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USB mass storage support coming to Xbox 360 on April 6th
We had a pretty firm idea that this was happening, but now Major Nelson has gone and made it official: mass storage is coming the Xbox 360 at long last. There will be a system update on April 6th, which will allow up to two simultaneous USB flash drives plugged into the system, which will be capable of storing profiles, game saves, demos, "and more." The maximum size supported is 16GB, and even though regular USB hard drives will be supported, they'll be up against the same size cap, and performance will suffer as well. You'll have to manually format a USB device for use in this way when plugging it into the 360, but Microsoft will be partnering with SanDisk for a branded drive in May that will come preconfigured. Also tweaked is the new memory management screen (what convenient timing!) which should make shuffling around these files less of a chore. Check out some screenshots below.

[Thanks, Jeff]

Gallery: Xbox 360 mass storage screenshots

USB mass storage support coming to Xbox 360 on April 6th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceMajor Nelson | Email this | Comments
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Pioneer's new CD deck and mixer feature MIDI integration, USB for external storage
If you're looking for a product designed to "transform novices" (that is, you) into "the next generation DJ" (that is, Sven Vath) you're in luck: Pioneer has just announced a CD deck / mixer combo that includes the usual compliment of features (looping capabilities, a visual beat display, BPM lock, so on, and so forth) as well as some computer-friendly touches, including MIDI integration -- allowing you to use either as a control surface for your fave DJ software. The CDJ will also play music off your thumb drive, and the mixer itself accepts external USB storage device for saving your mixes as WAV files. Sure, in our day all one needed were two turntables and a crossfader to rock the party -- but that was a long time ago, kids. The CDJ-350 and DJM-350 will be available in June 2010 for $850 and $750, respectively. We've only scratched the surface here, however -- peep the PR below for all the vital details.

Continue reading Pioneer's new CD deck and mixer feature MIDI integration, USB for external storage

Pioneer's new CD deck and mixer feature MIDI integration, USB for external storage originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miyamoto says that Wii is 'honored' to be in such great company as Move and Natal
While Sony might be doing its best to heat things up with its Wii-baiting "realistic movements" ad campaign, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto is taking the high road. Elaborating on recent comments that he made about the threat posed by rival motion controllers (or lack thereof), the elder statesman, whose career stretches back to the beginnings of the video game industry and includes everything from Donkey Kong to The Legend of Zelda and beyond (don't forget Nintendogs), said that "[c]ompeting with other companies" in a specific product category was "never our top priority." Rather, the company will continue to do what it does best: creating "unique and unprecedented entertainment." So how does he feel about PS Move, then? "The user experience we have created is going to be intensified by the advent of new machines from other companies. It's a new experience that we originated. So we really see it as a great honor." Class act, that guy. We'll see how he feels when we beat him to market with our Engadget Vitality Sensor.

Miyamoto says that Wii is 'honored' to be in such great company as Move and Natal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | sourceCVG | Email this | Comments
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Pentax Optio I-10 reviewed: 'perfectly average compact camera' in a decidedly stylish case
Pentax Optio I-10 reviewed:
We had high hopes for the Pentax Optio I-10, a little compact camera that breaks out of the brushed metal box and delivers a style reminiscent of a '70s SLR. Unfortunately, initial hands-on reports weren't encouraging and, now that we've had a chance to read a full review, it seems this one lacks the performance to back-up its looks. Neutralday.com put this 12.1 megapixel, 5x zoom model through its paces and found that it delivers thoroughly average images in most situations, with highlights being its compact size and fast startup, but low-points including inaccurate auto-focus in low light and poor ISO performance. Ultimately it's not a bad camera and we're certainly not opposed to paying a little extra for a gadget that makes you feel warm inside, but if you're strictly looking for the best performance you can save money by choosing a model without faux leatherette styling.

Pentax Optio I-10 reviewed: 'perfectly average compact camera' in a decidedly stylish case originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceNeutralday.com | Email this | Comments
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Vertu reminds us it's still alive with million-Yen phones, still tasteless as ever
What's a distinguished person of taste and refinement to do when smartphones nowadays are all so bulky and, well, ubiquitous? He or she should go take a look at Vertu's store, of course, which has today been populated for the first time with a new, even more exclusive Signature collection, composed of four models -- one for each season. There's a load of talk about delicate hand-crafting and latest technology with these, but the truth of the matter is that you'll be buying one solely for the purpose of puling it out of your carefully pressed, kerchiefed Armani suit in the hope of impressing any and all nearby members of the opposite sex. What this phone will then say, nay, scream, about you is that you have the money to buy things that are neither functional nor physically appealing -- the surest way to signal wealth and prestige. How much money? Try a million Yen for each handset, which roughly translates to $10,830.

Update: Our sage readers have noted a failure in our machine-translated pricing. The handsets in fact cost 20 million Yen a piece, which equates to $216,600. So sorry to have misled you if you were heading off to the bank to get that 10 grand.

Gallery: Vertu Daigo, Nishiki Akira, Kikusui, and Southern handsets

Vertu reminds us it's still alive with million-Yen phones, still tasteless as ever originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceWatch Impress | Email this | Comments
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EnergyStar program certifies 'gasoline-powered alarm,' other imaginary abominations
It'd be pretty difficult for you to reach Engadget without having seen the EnergyStar logo on something along your way here. Whether it was as part of your motherboard's bootup sequence or on the box of your new TFT monitor, EnergyStar certification has become a de facto standard for most electronics being manufactured nowadays. What you might not have known -- but probably could have guessed -- is that the process for obtaining that sticker is far from bulletproof. The American Government Accountability Office has recently done a bit of spy work by putting forward imaginary products and false claims to the validating authority, and regrettably found its bogus items "mostly approved without a challenge." The auditors' conclusion was that the program is "highly vulnerable to fraud," and the stuff they've had certified would seem to corroborate that verdict. Hit up the Times article for the full story of governmental incompetence while the Department of Energy -- the body responsible for running the program -- tries to get its act straightened out.

[Thanks, Adam]

EnergyStar program certifies 'gasoline-powered alarm,' other imaginary abominations originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceNew York Times | Email this | Comments
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Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video)
Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video)
A week after becoming a reality, Microsoft's LifeCam HD-5000 webcam has been given the review treatment by Mobile + Netbook and, while it delivers what looks to be generally excellent quality video, it doesn't score perfectly high marks. For one thing, this cam does not feature onboard hardware encoding, which resulted in 40 percent CPU utilization for this tester when recording at 720p on a Core i5 750 processor -- ouch. This also means that the cam will not be usable for Skype HD, as that service requires onboard hardware encoding. But, other than some slow focus issues, the camera delivered quite good quality and color and, at just $50 MSRP (we're seeing them for $40 online), it's still quite a bargain.

Continue reading Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video)

Microsoft's budget 720p HD-5000 LifeCam reviewed (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceMobile + Notebook | Email this | Comments
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Samsung's fancy 3D glasses up for Amazon pre-order
If you're into looking like Dog the Bounty Hunter, Lisa Loeb, or a child required to wear a crash helmet by his insurance company then Samsung's got the 3D specs to suit your style. Moving around the clock starting at the lower lower-left in the image above, we've got the $149.99 SSG-2100AB, $199.99 SSG-2200AR, and pink and blue $179.99 SSG-2200KR for kids or hipsters with tiny tiny heads. The latter two models feature rechargeable batteries unlike the battery-powered SSG-2100AB. All are up for pre-order on Amazon, and will have you puttering about the third dimension in no time... just as soon as a release date is announced.

Samsung's fancy 3D glasses up for Amazon pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink 3D Display Info | sourceAmazon (SSG-2100AB), SSG-2200AR, SSG-2200KR | Email this | Comments
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Panasonic's HDC-TM700 and HDC-HS700 HD camcorders get priced and dated for US
Spring has arrived here in the States, which means that nearly every single one of those camcorders introduced at CES this year will be shipping out in time for you to capture Little Billy's summer league baseball, Tiny Tom's first dip in the ocean and Merry Maggie's (eighth) wedding ceremony. Included in that bunch is Panasonic, which has informed us that its HDC-TM700 and HDC-HS700 1080p 3MOS camcorders will be available in the middle of next month (that's April, for those without a Gregorian calendar nearby) for $999.95 and $1,399.95, respectively. You know capturing Bashful Brad's Bar Mitzvah in the finest of quality is worth it.

Panasonic's HDC-TM700 and HDC-HS700 HD camcorders get priced and dated for US originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Simavita's electronic underpants TXT you when they're wet
Simavita's electronic underpants TXT you when they're wet
People like to joke about incontinence when it happens to someone else, but for nursing staff or those taking care of the elderly it's simply another duty that must be managed. The SIM cycle system from Australian company Simavita makes things a little easier with text messaging. The system, which is now being deployed at nursing homes following successful clinical trials, involves a replaceable pad with electronic leads that detect moisture. Those leads are run to the SIM box, which sends a text message to the resident nurse when it's, uh, changing time. This should enable the staff to spend less time peeking in unsightly places and more time helping those who need it. Meanwhile, reports can be generated from the system to keep track of incontinence problems -- which could also be useful for parents trying to monitor their kids' World of Warcraft marathons.

Simavita's electronic underpants TXT you when they're wet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Physorg | sourceSimavita | Email this | Comments
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HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 on April 26th in home country of Taiwan
We're past mid-March and rapidly approaching the early Q2 launch estimates for the Android 2.1 update for HTC's Hero. Now Engadget Chinese has tipped us to an official HTC release date issued on Plurk (a very popular, local Twitter-like social service) in HTC's home country of Taiwan: April 26th. So we should see the update go hot globally, with the latest version of the Sense UI in tow, at about the same time. You know, if you haven't grown tired of waiting and already hacked it in.

HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 on April 26th in home country of Taiwan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Chinese | sourcePlurk | Email this | Comments
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Samsung's Galaxy S has four times the polygon power of Snapdragon
Samsung's Galaxy S has four times the polygon power of Snapdragon
When we got some hands-on time with the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S, it was painfully apparent that the thing has some serious power under the hood. Now we have a better idea of just how much power, with reports indicating that it has the graphics oomph (thanks to its PowerVR SGX540 GPU) to push 90 million triangles per second. Compare that to the Snapdragon platform, which manages 22 million polygons, and the iPhone 3GS's 28 million from the earlier SGX535, and you get a feel for the muscle lurking behind that gorgeous Super AMOLED screen. Of course, polygon counts aren't everything when it comes to graphical power these days, and 300 million triangles won't help you if your handset gets laggy after you install every single Bejeweled clone in the Android Market, but forgive us if we're a little excited about the rapidly brewing mobile GPU war.

[Thanks, Robert]

Samsung's Galaxy S has four times the polygon power of Snapdragon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceAndroid and Me | Email this | Comments
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Mitsubish i MiEV gets a job as an oil-scented taxi in Tokyo
Good to see the i MiEV is adding to its résumé -- which already includes the job of ferrying Geek Squaddies about the place -- with a new position as a specialist taxi service in select districts of Tokyo. Launched yesterday, this new Zero Taxi initiative aims to attract customers with its zero emissions (from the car, the electricity used might still be produced in a polluting way) appeal, aromatic oil-scented cabin, and primarily female drivers who'll be trained to provide local area and tourist info. We're just reporting here, don't blame us for the Hinomaru Limousine Company's belief that a man can't be as good a tour guide as a woman. It's a humble beginning since the company's only deploying two i MiEVs for now, but local competitor Nihon Kotsu is also preparing to join the fray, and is currently testing out a Better Place battery-swapping station that should keep its cars where they need to be -- on the road.

Mitsubish i MiEV gets a job as an oil-scented taxi in Tokyo originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceAutoblog Green | Email this | Comments
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Taurus concept adds a touch of bullish masculinity to personal transportation
Ah, the old electric two-wheeler, a dream of so many ecologically conscious geeks and yet never popular enough to achieve its Gaia-saving objective. Enter designer Eric Lanuza, with his own spin on the idea, who brings in a few exciting curves straight from the world of motorbikes, but keeps the self-balancing antics of the concept's progenitor. Setting aside the cute toro theme, we reckon the addition of a seat will be one of the biggest differences, since -- though they may not be wiling to admit it -- most people don't consider something a vehicle unless they can sit in or on it. Hit the source for a photo gallery, though we'd advise against holding out any hopes for this making it past the concept drawing board.

Taurus concept adds a touch of bullish masculinity to personal transportation originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wired | sourceAtCrux | Email this | Comments
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AT&T redirecting 911 calls from Salt Lake City to Seattle, working on a fix (update: fix is in)
Ready for a surreal way to start your day? Salt Lake City's KSL News has a report out this morning detailing the baffling experience of AT&T subscribers trying to access emergency services in the city. Instead of being routed through to their local dispatcher, the urgent calls somehow found their way to Seattle's 911 response center. Brought to the news team's attention by one Tony Sams, this issue was originally thought to originate in his iPhone's GPS system, as he was being identified as being located in the Seattle area, but then his local police also tried dialing their own number only to find themselves chatting it up with their Emerald City colleagues. Until they figure this out, we'd recommend using your landlines -- if you still have one of those antiques -- or just yelling at passersby for help. Hit the source for the full video report and the 10-digit direct number for Salt Lake City general dispatch.

Update: AT&T has been very nippy in getting this routing problem sorted out, and proper service has been restored. The company is now investigating the cause of this problemo.

[Thanks, Ryan]

AT&T redirecting 911 calls from Salt Lake City to Seattle, working on a fix (update: fix is in) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceKSL | Email this | Comments
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Ovi Music Unlimited replacing Nokia Comes with Music branding
We can't say that we'll miss the awkwardly named Comes with Music service branding from Nokia. Of course, we're making the assumption that India's recently christened Ovi Music Unlimited store will be making its way global as Nokia continues to tighten up its service offerings in the race to compete in the era of modern smartphones. It's certainly consistent with the new Ovi Music naming convention so why not. Otherwise, it looks like nothing else about the all you can eat (for a year) music offering has changed -- particularly the DRM that locks "your" music to your PC or CWM OMU handsets for life-ish.

Ovi Music Unlimited replacing Nokia Comes with Music branding originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ZOMG its CJ | sourceNokia India | Email this | Comments
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Fan-made Pre ad gets the point, why can't Palm? (video)
We've already talked (at length) about Palm's failure to properly present its wares to the public. Using promotional campaigns that have fluctuated between gimmicky and creepy, the company has never allowed its superlative WebOS its time to shine. As if to illustrate our point to perfection, a loyal Pre user has put together his own, extremely professional, advert for the device, which manages to achieve -- in a mere 30 seconds -- what Palm has been struggling with for nearly a year. It shows off the handsome device, the effortless multitasking, the variety of apps, integrated services and video capabilities, and, most importantly, emphasizes the sheer beauty and ease of use of WebOS. See the video after the break.

[Thanks, Chris F]

Continue reading Fan-made Pre ad gets the point, why can't Palm? (video)

Fan-made Pre ad gets the point, why can't Palm? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceYouTube | Email this | Comments
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Google Voice is now your real-time pusher (on Android)
Once upon a time, Google undercut its own infant OS by offering rival platforms some of the best features of Android. Those days are long gone, and once again -- as much as we love Google Maps Navigation -- the poster child for only-on-Android functionality (in the US) is Google Voice. That's because as of this week, the Android version supports push notification of incoming messages in real time, as well as a neat interface for your reply (as evidenced by the above pic). Feel free to tease your iPhone and Pre-addicted friends, people; multitasking or no, they're not going to get a heads-up of incoming voicemail transcriptions with plain ol' HTML5.

Google Voice is now your real-time pusher (on Android) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PC World | sourceGoogle Voice Blog | Email this | Comments
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Geohot teases untethered jailbreak that 'will probably work on iPad' (video)
Is it April 1st already or does Geohot actually have something real to show? There's no way to be certain that what the self-promoting master of iPhone (and PS3) hacking is demoing is what he says:
"The jailbreak is all software based, and is as simple to use as blackra1n. It is completely untethered, works on all current tethered models(ipt2, 3gs, ipt3), and will probably work on iPad too."
Given his track record, we'll play along for now. The only thing we can say for sure is that the chosen music accompanying his iPod touch theatrics makes us want to break something, jailtime or not. See it go down after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Geohot teases untethered jailbreak that 'will probably work on iPad' (video)

Geohot teases untethered jailbreak that 'will probably work on iPad' (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceGeohot | Email this | Comments
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ASUS cramming USB 3.0 into Eee PC line, N Series laptops, loads more
USB 3.0 is slowly but surely popping up on more and more new machines, but finding a rig with SuperSpeed support is still a chore. ASUS is working hard to make sure that finding the good stuff is easy when looking at its wares, and judging by the support it has already shown for the protocol, we actually have reason to believe 'em. The company has just issued a rather gloat-filled press release extolling the virtues of supporting USB 3.0 in every facet of their product line, but it's the breakdown that really has us interested. We already heard that the Eee Box 1510U and 1210U would support the format, along with the N Series of laptops and Eee PC 1018/1015/1016. There's also a full slate of mainboards that have joined the party, and we get the impression that every Eee PC from here on out will do the same. Imagine that -- the company credited with sparking the netbook revolution, now sparking the USB 3.0 netbook revolution. Fitting, no?

ASUS cramming USB 3.0 into Eee PC line, N Series laptops, loads more originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceASUS | Email this | Comments
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SweetSpotter keeps your music coming at the right angle, regardless of flailing
For years now, home theater and / or entertainment rigs have been built so that your sofa, recliner or aged bar stool was right in the sweet spot when it came to audio distribution. In short, you built your system around your seating arrangement. With the introduction of Nintendo's Wii, Sony's PlayStation Move and Microsoft's Project Natal, folks aren't staying put in the same place as often, and that -- friends -- has created a problem in search of a solution. The fine gurus over at TU Dresden believe that they have the answer, and even if it fails miserably (highly doubtful, mind you), who could really harsh on a product called the SweetSpotter? The software is designed to work in conjunction with your webcam (or console camera, in theory), and as the sensor tracks your movement in real time, the code "adaptively adjusts the sweet spot of your stereo play back system to your current listening position." In short, it results in "correct stereo phantom source localization independent of your listening position," and frankly, it just might change your life. The code itself can be downloaded for free down in the source link (it's open source, so pass it along while you're at it), and if you end up creating a plug-in to use this in your favorite gaming scenario, be sure to drop us a line about it.

SweetSpotter keeps your music coming at the right angle, regardless of flailing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceSweetSpotter | Email this | Comments
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Apple job posting hints at LTE for a future iPhone?
What could possibly come after the iPhone 3GS? The iPhone 3GSS, of course! Joking aside, turns out Apple's already dropped the 4G bomb on one of its job postings in May 2009 while seeking for a "Cellular Technology Software Manager" with "expert knowledge of... WCDMA/UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE etc." That's right, LTE. Now, we're not saying this means a 4G-powered iPhone is next in line in the annual product cycle, nor does this listing confirm Apple's favored 4G radio (be it a decoy or an eventual change of heart), but given AT&T's interest in LTE plus its prolonged love affair with Cupertino, it's pretty hard to not consider LTE as a realistic option on future Apple portables. Frankly, it won't be the end of the world if a 4G iPhone fails to turn up this summer -- most of us here would rather have something with improved battery life, real multitasking, and 720p camera over those insane data speeds. No, really.

[Thanks, Bryan]

Apple job posting hints at LTE for a future iPhone? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceApple | Email this | Comments
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CTIA Wireless 2010 draws to a close
Ah, Las Vegas... we hardly knew ye! Okay, that's categorically untrue -- CTIA Wireless 2010 actually marks our third official visit to Sin City in as many months, which means it's nothing short of a miracle that we're not lying in a ditch somewhere in the sun-scorched outskirts of town, penniless and near death. As always, the show brought us a fair bit of mobile news; sure, Sprint's HTC EVO 4G stole the show, but that's just scratching the surface of the pocketable wizardry we saw this week. Don't believe us? Let's dig back through the archives:

Liveblogs
Live from CTIA 2010's day one keynote with Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin!
Live from Sprint's CTIA 2010 press event
Live from CTIA 2010's day two keynote with Dan Hesse

Hands-ons
LG Cosmos hands-on
LG Remarq hands-on
Motorola i1 first hands-on!
AT&T's Palm Pixi Plus and Pre Plus hands-on
HTC EVO 4G is Sprint's Android-powered knight in superphone armor, we go hands-on
Samsung Galaxy S hands-on with video
HTC EVO 4G vs. HD2 and Desire... fight!
Motorola i1 video tour
Verizon vs. AT&T: Pre Plus edition
Dell Aero first hands-on!
SanDisk 32GB microSDHC vs. SanDisk 4GB microSDHC... fight!
Ventev EcoCharge whacks vampire draw, charges two devices for the price of one
iWonder Android tablet fixes major bug: the logo is right-side-up
Cell-Mate headset heads-on
Vitality GlowCap hands-on
OpenPeak's OpenTablet 7 hands-on: Moorestown has found a friend
Netcomm MyZone hands-on
Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on
LG Air Sync hands-on
Bitbop hands-on: is this the Hulu of mobile?
Qualcomm MSM7x30 development unit hands-on

News
Official: Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus for AT&T 'in the coming months'
Dell Aero is AT&T's second Android phone
LG Remarq combines QWERTY, not being mean to the environment in one package for Sprint
Motorola makes i1 official, melds Android and push-to-talk this summer on Sprint
BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app
Samsung announces Galaxy S Android smartphone
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with T-Mobile webConnect launches tomorrow, $199.99 on contract
HTC EVO 4G is Sprint's Android-powered knight in superphone armor, we go hands-on
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 shipping April 1st with integrated Clear WiMAX
T-Mobile USA reiterates that 'breadth' of 3G footprint will get HSPA+ this year
Samsung trots out Modus Bluetooth headset, complete with dual mics and multipoint
MetroPCS bringing LTE to Las Vegas this year, Samsung doing infrastructure and first LTE handset: the SCH-r900
AT&T announces deals with OpenPeak, Zeebo, American Security Logistics
Verizon launching V Cast Apps on March 29th, RIM devices get first dibs
AT&T 3G MicroCell starting nationwide roll-out in mid-April
Verizon talks commercial LTE deployment details: data devices first, smartphones in '1H 2011'
Verizon to blanket 'one third' of America with LTE this year, double coverage in 15 months
Verizon 'wrapping up' Boston and Seattle trials, 'friendly user' ones coming this summer
Verizon Wireless: 'all' 4G WWAN devices will support 3G, too
Clearwire CEO mentions that WiMAX could join LTE as one, Verizon Wireless CTO says no way
Lenovo adds Sprint 3G, 4G support across ThinkPad line
Skiff partners with Samsung to deliver e-stuff, someday
Samsung debuts U820 QWERTY slider at CTIA, no one notices

Scoops
Motorola's Android-powered i1 launching at CTIA
Samsung to announce Galaxy S smartphone, content initiatives this week

And on that note, we depart Vegas with a heavy heart -- but not all's lost! CTIA Wireless' sister event in Fall, CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment, will be in action in early October in lovely San Francisco -- and naturally, we'll be there. Now if you'll excuse us, just one more hand of blackjack before we head for the airport.

CTIA Wireless 2010 draws to a close originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: Best Bluetooth gamepad for the PC?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Herbert, who would "blow up the [PC accessory] market if he had millions of dollars." Right. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"Look, where are all the amazing Bluetooth gamepads at? There are plenty of great options when it comes to Bluetooth mice, Bluetooth keyboards and Bluetooth headsets, but so few gamepads are out there for PC gamers. I don't want some other form of wireless, and I don't want a gamepad for the PS3 or Xbox 360 -- I want PC! Help!"
PC gamers are a tight-knit bunch, and we've heard that they never, ever let each other down. We suppose we'll see just how true that is based on the replies down in comments below.

Ask Engadget: Best Bluetooth gamepad for the PC? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New glasses-free 3D tech uses per pixel prisms for zero crosstalk, audience flexibility
Try as manufacturers might, attempts at autostereoscopic (glasses-free) TV have been subpar; existing tech typically makes for messy images due to ghosting, only provides a 3D effect if you're standing in one of a very few predetermined spots (usually 8-10 viewing angles, though we've heard of 64), and reduces display resolution -- all because only some pixels can be seen from each spot. With the occasional exception, it's not terribly impressive. Scientists at the National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan are looking to change that. Rather than block light with a parallax barrier, their screen uses a matrix of specially cut prisms to reflect it, reducing ghosting to nil and maintaining display resolution by sending the same image to each viewer. Though there are still a fixed number of viewing zones, the prisms are so tiny that manufacturers can simply add more prisms to each pixel to increase that number -- with 11 prisms per pixel, researchers say such a system could support 100 simultaneous 3D moviegoers. We've no word on whether the tech is affordable or when we'll see it, but we expect it to handily beat cyborg eyeballs to market.

New glasses-free 3D tech uses per pixel prisms for zero crosstalk, audience flexibility originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourcePhysOrg | Email this | Comments
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Sony's VAIO CW draining the battery while asleep?
Thinking of picking up a VAIO CW over the weekend? You might want to hold those horses just a bit, at least until Sony (or someone) figures out what exactly is causing the batteries on these to zap themselves while asleep. Based on a raft of complaints -- nine pages strong and growing -- over at Notebook Review, it sounds as if the batteries within the outfit's new CW series (at least those with Core i3 CPUs and the 330M GPU) are fading inexplicably quick while resting, leaving many with next to no juice once they crack open the lid the next morning. All sorts of theories are flying, but one in particular seems to note that a bundled Sony battery management application could be causing cells to only charge to a certain percent even when the machine is "off." For now, some folks are actually flipping the battery out for a fraction of a second and popping it back in after putting it to sleep for the night in order to prevent the drain, but we get the feeling that a less janky fix should be in order. Right, Sony?

Sony's VAIO CW draining the battery while asleep? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceNotebook Review | Email this | Comments
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3D hockey nets positive reviews, biggest surprise of the night was a Rangers win
The secret behind MSG's surprise 3D broadcast of last night's Rangers/Islanders hockey game? It came together in a two week turnaround which repurposed equipment laying around between stops at a recent Black Eyed Peas concert and next month's NAB show in Las Vegas. Judging by the reviews it was worth the effort with more than a few indicating an interest in buying 3DTVs to check things out at home next time -- while it aired on Cablevision, all the reports we found were based on the screens located at the arena itself. Not everyone agreed on the best aspects of the new production: Christopher Botta of Fanhouse preferred a lack of "reaching through the screen" gimmicks while the New York Times report asked for more opportunities to feel like the players are popping out at the viewer, even though they found the standard HDTV feed "flat, underlit and distant" in comparison. We couldn't find any complaints regarding those ever-present 3D glasses, though issues like someone walking in front of the camera or on screen graphics appearing to leap off the screen revealed there's still a few kinks to work out (camera placement may be further adjusted during an upcoming renovation.) The appeal of 3D sports for fans has already been established, we're wondering if playing in a more 3D-ready arena might be used to convince Lebron or other stars to play home games at MSG, in the meantime, check out all the reviews and a few behind the scenes videos embedded after the break.

Continue reading 3D hockey nets positive reviews, biggest surprise of the night was a Rangers win

3D hockey nets positive reviews, biggest surprise of the night was a Rangers win originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceBroadcasting and Cable, NHL Fanhouse, New York Times | Email this | Comments
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Bitbop hands-on: is this the Hulu of mobile?
Fox Mobile unveiled its Bitbop venture this week that promises to provide a wealth of TV and movie entertainment from a variety of top-tier studios, and if you can get past the fact that you're actually going to have to pay for this content, it's shaping up to be a pretty promising system when it launches later this year. There's no live programming -- just a database of show episodes and movies that you have your choice of either streaming or downloading for later consumption over 3G or WiFi -- which makes it a little bit like using an on-demand service from your cable company. Bitbop was only demoing the BlackBerry version of its app at CTIA this week, but it looks like there'll be iPhone and Android versions on the way; at any rate, video quality looked plenty good on the Bold's 480 x 320 display. Initially, there'll be just one plan -- $9.99 a month for access to shows, while movies will be pay-per-view exclusively -- but we got the impression that the company is leaving the door open for other payment models down the road. Great, just what we needed: another really cool way to kill productivity. At least we'll be able to catch up on Gossip Girl in the process, we suppose! Follow the break for video.

Gallery: Bitbop hands-on: is this the Hulu of mobile?

Continue reading Bitbop hands-on: is this the Hulu of mobile?

Bitbop hands-on: is this the Hulu of mobile? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Air Sync hands-on
We got a peek today at the new "3-way" synchronization service from LG that the company is calling Air Sync; it's only available on the GD880 Mini right now in the UK, but they're looking to expand it across Europe and Asia before too long and -- if we're lucky -- North America eventually. So what is it, exactly? Basically, it's a synchronization service for text clipping, photos, videos, contacts, and the like that integrates with your PC using a downloadable client. After it's installed, you get a few new context menu items that let you fast-track content to your phone via the cloud, and we were pretty amazed at just how quickly the transfers consistently happened -- within a few seconds, a dialog pops up on LG's demo Mini notifying you that the goods have been received. It sounds like LG will be looking at deploying this with a subscription model in most markets, so don't expect gratis awesomeness -- but if you transfer tons of pictures from your desktop to your mobile, this might be the way to go. Follow the break for video.

Gallery: LG Air Sync hands-on

Continue reading LG Air Sync hands-on

LG Air Sync hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on
We got a glimpse at Spracht's new Aura EQ Bluetooth headset back at CES this year, but in reality, we sort of didn't -- what was being shown back then didn't constitute final ID, turns out. The company's back at it here at CTIA showing something closer to what you'll be seeing on store shelves later this half -- though they only had one, and it wasn't in final retail packaging -- so we took a minute to check it out. It's using the same tricky earbud that we saw before, but the front of the unit has changed significantly -- gone are the matte ridges, replaced with a glossy black surface broken up by a few bumps that represent the range of the capacitive volume slider. If "understated" is the look you're going for, the Aura EQ is generally going to do the trick -- and even if you like something a little more edgy, it's got those funky points on the front and rear. Quite the crowd pleaser, eh?

Gallery: Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on

Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eclipse Litetouch wireless touchscreen keyboard clears the FCC, on its way to retail (video)
OK, dudes -- we don't want to freak you out or anything, but the Wireless Litetouch Keyboard has cleared the FCC. Brought to you by Mad Catz, this bad boy (and its wired companion) was first unveiled at CES this year. Featuring an programmable LCD touchscreen with three different sets of "buttons" (number pad, media mode, and the user configurable MyEclipse mode) the latest entry to the Eclipse line has is sure to get admiring looks from the drone in the cubicle across the aisle. Compatible with Mac OS X as well as your many flavors of Windows, this bad boy will be out soon -- wireless for $129, or wired for $99. Jaw-dropping video after the break.

Continue reading Eclipse Litetouch wireless touchscreen keyboard clears the FCC, on its way to retail (video)

Eclipse Litetouch wireless touchscreen keyboard clears the FCC, on its way to retail (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceFCC, Mad Catz | Email this | Comments
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Google cutting in Android carriers, manufacturers on ad revenue?
Free, ad-supported phones have long been a rumored endgame for Android, but the way that model ends up playing out may not happen the way everyone thought. mocoNews is citing "multiple sources who are familiar with the deals" in saying that Google has been sweetening the pot for both manufacturers and carriers of Android devices by tossing in a cut of the ad revenue generated from their services -- search, Maps, and the like. This would certainly explain Android's stratospheric rise through the ranks in carriers' lineups around the globe, and -- more importantly for consumers -- gives them more wiggle room to slap huge subsidies on handsets (assuming the trickle-down economic effect kicks in at all). For competitors, Google offers a unique value proposition here that can't really be met by anyone except perhaps Microsoft -- and with Redmond looking to reestablish its relevance in the mobile space this year more than any other in recent memory, we could definitely see the two sparring to line Verizon's and AT&T's pockets with the most green. Naturally, all the parties involved have clammed up -- no one's saying a peep about whether this is true, or to what extent -- but we certainly wouldn't be surprised.

Google cutting in Android carriers, manufacturers on ad revenue? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop | sourcemocoNews | Email this | Comments
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Qualcomm adding the kitchen sink to Gobi, including EV-DO Rev. A, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE
The whole point of Gobi is that you can buy one device and use it with multiple network technologies or carriers, but apparently Qualcomm isn't kidding around about the idea. It just announced a slew of data chipsets (voice still isn't part of the picture) with all sorts of new goodies. New technologies supported include EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (the five people on earth using Rev. B will be thrilled), HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+ (which looks to be the evolutionary end of HSPA), and LTE. The mother of all these chipsets is the MDM9600, which can do LTE up to 100 Mbps, dual-carrier HSPA+ up to 42Mbps, HSPA+ up to 28Mbps, and EV-DO Rev. A / Rev. B. Qualcomm also says it's moving Gobi beyond just laptops, with USB modems, e-readers, and "gaming devices" now in the cards. No word on when they'll start showing up, but much of it will have to do with carrier rollout as much as Qualcomm's ability to ship these out the door.

Qualcomm adding the kitchen sink to Gobi, including EV-DO Rev. A, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceQualcomm | Email this | Comments
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Synology DS410 NAS will back up your files, won't incite a passionate response
The last time we laid eyes on Synology's DiskStation line it was in the form of the DS409Slim -- a diminutive NAS without the 'zazz of lots of your flashier network storage solutions. The newly announced DS410 also keeps it pretty simple: features include four bays of RAID-5 storage, 256-bit encryption, Amazon S3 cloud backup, Apple Time Machine integration, media streaming, print server, and web hosting with PHP/MySQL. Don't worry, you Big Brother-types don't get left out either: the included Surveillance Station 4 software allows the deployment of multiple IP cameras and support for H.264 video. Available now for $500.

Synology DS410 NAS will back up your files, won't incite a passionate response originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Spanish | sourceSynology | Email this | Comments
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BPhone netbook / smartphone hyrbid now available to order
Why carry around a netbook and a smartphone when you can have a netbook / smartphone? Why indeed. Especially when you can have something as sensible as the BPhone, which is now finally available for the completely reasonable price of $569.99 (unlocked, of course). That will get you a not-quite-pocketable convertible device with a 5-inch touchscreen, along with a 624MHz Marvell CPU, ARM Linux 2.6 for an OS, 256GB of flash storage, built-in Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS, and quad-band GSM connectivity on the "phone" side of the equation. Sound like just the thing you've been looking for? Hit up the link below to get your order in.

[Thanks, BrianB]

BPhone netbook / smartphone hyrbid now available to order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PMP Today | sourceChina Grabber | Email this | Comments
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Mobinnova Beam netbook spotted running Android, sporting other improvements
Mobinnova had already mentioned that it planned to ditch Windows CE in favor of Android for its Beam netbook before the device was actually released, and it looks like it's now finally made the jump, as evidenced by Laptop Magazine's recent hands-on with the netbook. Whats' more, the 8.9-inch device was also seen sporting a few other minor improvements, including some new media playback keys on the keyboard, and CinemaNow pre-installed on the system for downloading movies. Expectedly, you won't have access to Android Market, btu Mobinnova says it will include some games that "leverage the Tegra chip's multimedia prowess," and that it's even working on its own app store for the device.

Mobinnova Beam netbook spotted running Android, sporting other improvements originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink I4U News | sourceLaptop Magazine | Email this | Comments
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China Unicom won't use Google's search engine on Android phones
Oh, brother. This just keeps getting better and better, and by "better and better," we mean "uglier and uglier." Google's abrupt decision to stop censoring results in China and redirect users on the mainland to the outfit's Hong Kong portal has stirred up all sorts of tense feelings around the globe, and if you thought this whole war would be confined to the desktop, you were sorely mistaken. China Unicom, which is gearing up to present its customer base with a few more smartphone options with Android loaded on, recently announced that it wouldn't be using Google as the search engine on those very phones. Lu Yimin, president of the operator, was quoted as saying that his company was "willing to work with any company that abides by Chinese law," but that it didn't have "any cooperation with Google currently." Granted, this is just the latest in a series of blows to Android's proliferation in the world's biggest nation, but you can really tell it's getting personal now. C'mon guys -- can't we just hug it out?

China Unicom won't use Google's search engine on Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceMarketWatch | Email this | Comments
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