IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 15/04/2010

Simon the robot gets upgraded with voice and face recognition, still loves organizing blocks

The last time we checked in on Simon, he was moving pretty slowly, moving some blocks from one bin to another, and while he was creepily silent, we still had high hopes for his future. Well, Simon's seemingly come a long way -- if recent footage of him and his creator, Georgia Institute of Technology researcher, Andrea Thomaz -- are to be believed. Simon's host of new features now include voice recognition (he's got a Stephen Hawking-style voice of his own), facial recognition, sound localization, plus he's way speedier now. All of this helps Simon learn how to do things on his own without constantly being commanded. And in case you were wondering -- Simon the robot is no fanboy -- his various software programs run on Windows, Linux, and Mac machines. Hit the read more to view the video.

Continue reading Simon the robot gets upgraded with voice and face recognition, still loves organizing blocks

Simon the robot gets upgraded with voice and face recognition, still loves organizing blocks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Mexico Rail Runner train gets lit with WiMAX, sets a good example
Oh sure, we've seen the occasional big city train get their own WiFi / WiMAX installation, but when a state like New Mexico steps up and does it, we take notice. The New Mexico Rail Runner, which travels some 95 miles between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, is now lit with WiMAX along the entire route, and the service is being provided gratis for all who ride. Better still, the New Mexico Mid-Region Council of Governments has no intentions of ever charging patrons in order to recoup the $2.4 million investment. We're told that users can expect download rates of up to 6Mbps and upload speeds nearing 4Mbps, and we're desperately hopeful that other states will take notice and attempt to get with the program. America's already way behind most every European nation when it comes to rail travel, but toss a "free WiMAX!" sign on the door and you just might coax these car-lovin' Yanks into going mass transit.

[Thanks, Ben]

New Mexico Rail Runner train gets lit with WiMAX, sets a good example originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget app updates: BlackBerry Storm is a go, Android widget fix is in!

Hey everyone -- a few quick updates for you on the Engadget apps. Firstly, for everyone who has been waiting for it (and we know you have), we now have a BlackBerry Storm-compatible version for you, which you can go and download right here. Thanks for your patience with the wait! Secondly, as a lot of you know we updated our Android app yesterday and were having some widget issues. That problem has been resolved and an update is now available in the Market. You can find a QR code for the app right here on our download page if you're too busy to click your icon. That's all for now -- thanks!

Engadget app updates: BlackBerry Storm is a go, Android widget fix is in! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DXG's 3D View sacrifices HD, but makes 3D video recording pocketable

It's not a trade that we'd ever willingly make -- dropping to standard definition for the sake of some 3D shenanigans, but DXG is offering you the choice anyway. The budget cam maker has just announced its 3D View stereoscopic shooter, which interestingly comes with a separate 7-inch LCD display (800 x 480 resolution) for playing back your recorded footage without requiring glasses -- thanks to some parallax barrier magic. We might be tempted to spend the $400 this package costs just to get a preview of what the Nintendo 3DS -- based on the same spectacle-free technique -- might look like, but retail availability isn't expected until June, which is just that tiny bit too far out for our limited attention span.

DXG's 3D View sacrifices HD, but makes 3D video recording pocketable originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Combi Chef 6 microwave has a USB port, nothing else matters

Apparently these combi-ovens are all the rage in Europe, thanks to their terrific versatility and obvious good looks. So what's got our gadget-craving attention this time? Why, it's a bona fide USB port, replete with menu-creating software too! We can feign excitement all day long about this, but in actuality it's rather a neat option to be able to program the mode and time of cooking for your favorite meals -- porridge, three minutes; grilled cheese sandwich, till melty -- and then store them on a USB drive. Hell, the intended audience of restaurant chains might find that even more useful. Our only remaining question before June is, will it have the power to charge an iPad?

[Thanks, Darryl]

Combi Chef 6 microwave has a USB port, nothing else matters originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Onda VX560 looks like a slate, acts like a PMP, outputs 1080p

The kids at Onda have had a sideline in nondescript PMPs for years now, but that doesn't mean they lack dreams and aspirations, no sir! The VX560 shows 'em taking a cautious step up the evolutionary ladder with a 7-inch touchscreen slate that rocks 1080p video output via HDMI, support for a plethora of video formats (including H.264, AVI, MOV, MPG, and FLV), a 800 x 480 display, an array of ebook formats (including PDF, PDB, and CHM), and text-to-speech -- although exactly what language it will be reading in is anybody's guess. You know what else is "anybody's guess?" When it will be released, and for what price.

Onda VX560 looks like a slate, acts like a PMP, outputs 1080p originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple issues software update for new 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros

Apple would seem to have been optimizing its code in the time between sending its latest MacBook Pro models into mass production and yesterday's launch, as we've just come across a software update for the brand new 2010 laptop models. Specifically aimed at the 15- and 17-inch machines -- which differ from the 13-incher with their Core 2010 CPUs and automatically switching graphics subsystem -- the patch is aimed at improving "graphics stability for high-performance video and gaming applications" while also squashing a variety of bugs. That hardly sounds like you'd be in danger if you didn't update, but we'd still advise swallowing the 258MB pill just to keep your aluminum-clad investment safe.

Apple issues software update for new 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Droid Incredible shows up on official Verizon preview page -- coming April 29th (updated)

18diggsdiggOfficial announcements be damned -- Verizon's just thrown up a "coming soon" preview page for the HTC Incredible. While we didn't necessarily need any more evidence this guy was real -- we've read its user's manual, we've spied shots of it in Verizon's system, and we've seen it in the wild enough times to sketch it quickly from memory with our eyes closed -- it's still exciting news to know that the inevitable unleashing of this beast is nearly upon us.

Update: They've changed up this page already (as you can see from our updated image) -- giving us the date of April 29th. And yes, they're calling it the Droid Incredible.

Update 2: You'll want to hit the read more and check out some photographic evidence of the Incredible making its way to T-Mobile via Costco stores -- it appears to be showing up in inventories now -- we'll keep you posted.

Update 3: And now the website is password protected. That's okay: we know what it said.

[Thanks, Ryan and James]

Continue reading HTC Droid Incredible shows up on official Verizon preview page -- coming April 29th (updated)

HTC Droid Incredible shows up on official Verizon preview page -- coming April 29th (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ODROID tablet sports Hummingbird application processor, shows off naked dev edition on video

Time to add another candidate for the tablet portion of your gadget budget. The ODROID tablet -- being developed by Hardkernel, the folks behind the ODROID portable console -- has at its heart a 1GHz Samsung S5PC110 application processor. Also known as Hummingbird, this chip can drive 1080p video at 30fps according to Samsung, and its ability to deliver a flawlessly smooth user experience was demonstrated in our Galaxy S hands-on. It is an extremely promising core to build around, and the 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1,366 x 768 resolution and Android 2.1 inclusions are nothing to sniff at either. For now, all we have is the demo video after the break -- starring your favorite tech blog -- but we'll surely keep an eye out for developments with this device. Particularly if the bezel matches the thin metal frame we're seeing right now.

Continue reading ODROID tablet sports Hummingbird application processor, shows off naked dev edition on video

ODROID tablet sports Hummingbird application processor, shows off naked dev edition on video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game Gripper puts your Droid's D-pad where it belongs (video)

There's nothing better than a simple solution to a complex problem, and for Droid owners that problem is a keyboard that's not exactly well-suited for gaming. Having a D-pad is great, but having it on the wrong side is a bummer. The Game Gripper moves it over to a more appropriate position on the left and adds another eight buttons to boot, instantly converting one of the best Android handsets on the market into one of the best gaming handsets. From what we can tell the Gripper buttons simply press the keys below on the keyboard and, while we're guessing resulting button feel doesn't live up to professional gamer standards, we're decidedly intrigued -- especially for $15. If you're not convinced, check out the demo video after the break, but be prepared to be humming the Super Mario World theme to yourself all day before clicking that play button.

Continue reading Game Gripper puts your Droid's D-pad where it belongs (video)

Game Gripper puts your Droid's D-pad where it belongs (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad international launch delayed until the end of May

24diggsdigg Uh oh. Looks like all that US popularity has taken Apple by surprise and the European arrival for the iPad will be shifted back from the earlier promised "late April" to the end of May. Citing more than 500,000 tablets sold in the first week of American availability, the Cupertino brain trust urges its international audience to look forward to May 10, which is when availability and pricing for the rest of the world will be specified.

Update: Rogers has come forward and confessed that it'll be offering the 3G iPad "from the end of May in Canada," though it's keeping monthly price points close to the chest for now.

iPad international launch delayed until the end of May originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TVLogic introduces a pair of 15-inch OLED monitors, one does 3D

Hot on the heels of Sony dazzling us with its 7.4-inch, $3,850 PVM-740 monitor comes TVLogic, introducing not one but two professional OLED sets that are each twice as large -- and probably at least twice as expensive. Both are 1,366 x 768 with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, apparently based on LG's 15-inch panel, but only the TDM-150W is 3D-capable. This makes it seemingly the first 3D OLED display on the market, and so it's poised to intrigue those looking to shoot the next Avatar. Again, no mention of pricing, but they won't be cheap -- the company's 17-inch LCD monitors already clock in at $3,500, and adding that O on the front should result in a big premium.

TVLogic introduces a pair of 15-inch OLED monitors, one does 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel unveils Atom-based Queensbay system-on-chip, in-car infotainment, China Mobile partnership
Can't get enough of Intel's Atom? Try the new Tunnel Creek system-on-chip flavor that the company has announced. It's part of the Queensbay platform, something of a Menlow successor that's better suited for MIDs and the like thanks to its greater RAM capacity (still only 1GB), PCIe bus (opening the door to Ion), and integrated gigabit LAN. All that with a consumption of just 5TDP leaves our friend Chippy from UMPC Portal to say the platform could be "the natural choice for simple, low-cost MIDs." As Intel ramps up for its Developer Forum the company is also touting its partnership with the Chinese auto manufacturer HawTai to produce a MeeGo-based infotainment system that, wait for it, also runs on Atom. And, finally, China Mobile is looking to rely on Intel chips for "targeted platforms powering its wireless networks" and to "provide our broadband wireless network the benefits of world class energy efficiency." Next up: Atom-based pacemakers, espresso machines, and puppy dogs.

Intel unveils Atom-based Queensbay system-on-chip, in-car infotainment, China Mobile partnership originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA and GM's humanoid Robonaut2 blasting into space this September (video)

Remember Robonaut2, the gold-headed robot that first flexed its biceps back in February? He's been called up -- way up. NASA has given him a one-way ticket to the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on a departure that's currently scheduled for September. It's not entirely clear what he'll be doing up there beyond making awe-inspiring poses like the one shown above, but he is slated to help during spacewalks and will be the first humanoid robot to leave the atmosphere. We just want to know whose shirts he'll wear.

Update: Thanks to Joe at the Johnson Space Center we now have a video commemorating this achievement after the break.

Continue reading NASA and GM's humanoid Robonaut2 blasting into space this September (video)

NASA and GM's humanoid Robonaut2 blasting into space this September (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Strax iPad SoundSleeve prototype case rocks a NXT flat-panel speaker, little else (video)

We've seen NXT flat-panel speakers applied to everything from cars to laptops to gallery art. Now the audio tech has been smartly applied to a first generation prototype iPad case from Strax. The iPad SoundSleeve features a 3.5-mm plug and fold-out stereo speaker exposed when propped up on a table for landscape viewing. The obvious design flaw is that the speaker is facing away from the viewer. Better than the stock iPad speaker, we guess, especially if you hate bass. Look for it to launch around June for an expected $69 commitment. See it in action after the break courtesy of our brethren at Engadget Chinese.

Continue reading Strax iPad SoundSleeve prototype case rocks a NXT flat-panel speaker, little else (video)

Strax iPad SoundSleeve prototype case rocks a NXT flat-panel speaker, little else (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Home Tab Mod 1.7 for Sense 2.5 breathes new life into Windows Mobile (video)

Ready to customize your custom Windows Mobile skin? HTC's already thoroughly tricked out Sense UI has received the modding treatment courtesy of Co0kieMonster and his team over at xda-developers, and user feedback has been exultant about the results. What you're getting with the Home Tab Mod, and particularly in this latest version 1.7, is a litany of custom arrangement options to suit all tastes. Whether you want your weather and expandable appointment list front and center or you prefer extra quick links to your favorite applications and notifications of new calls, messages or emails, you'll find a layout to suit you. There are even options for loading up the lock screen with Sense elements, if that's more to your liking, and we've grabbed a video walkthrough of the new UI after the break. To get on board, you'll need a HTC device with Sense 2.5 and the clicking power to hit up the source for the download and full instructions.

[Thanks, ran]

Continue reading Home Tab Mod 1.7 for Sense 2.5 breathes new life into Windows Mobile (video)

Home Tab Mod 1.7 for Sense 2.5 breathes new life into Windows Mobile (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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microRemote DSLR focus controller uses iPhone for visual readouts (video)

Got a first-gen iPhone with nothing to do and nothing to hope for? Don't throw it out just yet, you might be able to recycle it as an extremely fancy readout display for the Redrock Micro "focus control system." The microRemote is, fundamentally, a focus ring detached from the DSLR it controls. It can operate all by its lonesome, but the big attraction here is adding an iPhone or iPod touch to provide visual clues to the aspiring focus master. You get aperture, zoom, and some focusing assists on the display, and then make your selection using some familiar twirling action on the knob to the side. Starting at around $1,000 this summer, this setup can hardly be considered an impulse buy, but we're sure somebody somewhere has a usage scenario that would justify the cash layout. Check out the microRemote on video after the break.

Continue reading microRemote DSLR focus controller uses iPhone for visual readouts (video)

microRemote DSLR focus controller uses iPhone for visual readouts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telstra's landlocked T-Hub tablet phone launches in Australia

A few years back, Telstra -- synonymous in Australia with "communication" -- told Apple it had no business making a cellphone. Look how that turned out. To make a long story short, the company has since repented, and is on the verge of releasing an app-filled touchscreen phone of their own, the Telstra T-Hub, on April 20th. Thing is, this tablet stays plugged into your wall. Marketed as a "family organizer," the T-Hub stores contacts, surfs Facebook, plays YouTube, displays photos, accesses personal bank accounts and even sends text messages like a smartphone, but does it all while connected to a landline telephone jack -- albeit with cordless handset as backup. While existing Telstra customers can get the device for $300 AUD, the company would of course prefer you get it for $35 with a 24-month service agreement... for a minimum total cost of about $1980 AUD with 2GB data per month. We're not Australian, but compared to US iPhone pricing, that doesn't sound terribly fair.

Telstra's landlocked T-Hub tablet phone launches in Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung AMOLED Beam SPH-W9600 projector phone is not what we've been waiting for

Remember Samsung's impressive 3.7-inch Super AMOLED Beam projector phone running Andriod? This isn't it. Instead, Samsung is launching its far less impressive 3.3-inch AMOLED (what, no Super?) Beam SPH-W9600 we previewed back in January into its South Korean home. So yeah, it's the same 5 megapixeler with T-DMB TV, Microsoft Office and DivX codec support, and improved DLP pico projector that replaces last year's W7900. But if it's all the same to you Sammy, we'll be waiting for the true projector phone successor -- your Beam i8520, codenamed Halo -- said to be launching this summer.

Gallery: AMOLED Beam

Samsung AMOLED Beam SPH-W9600 projector phone is not what we've been waiting for originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo escapes patent troll in appeals court -- thanks to Sony

About, oh -- four years ago -- a little Texas company called Anascape sued Nintendo and Microsoft for ostensibly violating its controller patents. Microsoft settled. Nintendo didn't. Anascape won. One $21 million judgment, two years and countless legal bills later, Nintendo has finally emerged victorious over the patent troll. This week, a Federal Circuit Court overturned two earlier decisions, ruling that Nintendo's GameCube, WaveBird and Wii Classic Controllers don't violate Anascape's six-degrees-of-freedom patent, because Anascape only added that 6DOF claim to its patent in 2000... making Sony's original DualShock controller -- released in 1998 -- prior art. Game, set, match.

Nintendo escapes patent troll in appeals court -- thanks to Sony originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile DTV gains national mobile content service, broadcast group support

If there's one thing a fledgling technology needs, it's good marketing. That aside, the next most vital thing is industry support. Today, an even dozen broadcast groups have banded together in order to back the soon-to-launch Mobile DTV format (ATSC-M/H), with Belo, Cox, E.W. Scripps, Fox, Gannett, Hearst, ION, Media General, Meredith, NBC, Post-Newsweek and Raycom forming a joint venture to develop a "new national mobile content service." The service will utilize the broadcast spectrum already set aside in order to allow member companies to "provide content to mobile devices, including live and on-demand video, local and national news from print and electronic sources, as well as sports and entertainment programming." That's pretty big news for a tech that's been struggling to gain acceptance in America, and if all goes to plan, Washington, DCers will get a chance to indulge first when it goes live in the nation's capitol on May 3rd. A showcase on that date will demonstration a Mobile DTV-capable Samsung Moment and Dell Mini 10 (amongst others), though we're still having a tough time digging up firm pricing for any of those. Get ready, folks -- Pimp My Ride is about to get a huge second wind.

Mobile DTV gains national mobile content service, broadcast group support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba crams Core i3, i5 and i7 options into business-like Tecra M11

There's no mistaking the fact that this understated machine is aimed primarily at those rocking suits more often than pajamas, but just because the all-new Tecra M11's outfit ain't flashy, that doesn't mean there's not a party raging on the inside. In an effort to keep with the times, Toshiba has equipped its newest spreadsheet warrior with Intel's Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors, and just in case your company has yet to evolve its operating system, a copy of WinXP is thrown in alongside Windows 7. Other specs include up to 3GB of DDR3 RAM, integrated Intel HD graphics (or an NVIDIA NVS 2100M on the $1,229 model), a 320GB hard drive (7,200rpm), dual-layer DVD writer and a 14-inch LED backlit panel (1,366 x 768). You'll also get a webcam, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, WiFi, audio in / out, an ExpressCard slot and a three-year warranty, all for the low, low starting price of $899. Oh, and it's available today, junior!

Gallery: Toshiba Tecra M11

Continue reading Toshiba crams Core i3, i5 and i7 options into business-like Tecra M11

Toshiba crams Core i3, i5 and i7 options into business-like Tecra M11 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel wraps up 'best first quarter ever' by teasing new dual-core Atoms for Q2
Android support for Moorestown isn't the only morsel of Intel news to come out today. In an earnings call today that kicked off with word of a 288 percent year-over-year net income increase -- its "best first [fiscal] quarter ever" reportedly -- Intel CEO Paul Otellini said, "the next innovation coming out on Atom is dual core, which comes out in the second quarter." Given dual core Atoms already exist for nettops, we're gonna guess he's referring specifically to netbooks. That jibes pretty well with what we heard about the supposed D510 remake as N500. Guess we've got something to look forward to in the netbook category over the next few months.

Intel wraps up 'best first quarter ever' by teasing new dual-core Atoms for Q2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble Nook now up for order at Best Buy's website

Our watches may be off by a few hours or so, but April 18th it ain't. Evidently that matters not, as Barnes & Noble's Nook is now up for order on Best Buy's website, a full five days earlier than we were expecting it. 'Course, in-store pickup still isn't available, but those who plunk down the plastic online should see it ship out within a day or so. If you're still fond of these e-reader things, and you're kosher with a few quirks, the big yellow sticker would be happy to craft a shipping label with your name on it for $259.99.

[Thanks, Absolution]

Barnes & Noble Nook now up for order at Best Buy's website originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spring Design Alex starts shipping tomorrow

We'd gripe about the wait, but given all the e-book readers we saw at CES that've fallen off the radar or been delayed to oblivion, we're actually pretty proud of Spring Design for shipping the Alex at last. Orders will start going out tomorrow for the $399 dual screen reader. Not sure it's worth the price? Well, we're not positive either. Check out our review for a bit of help deciding.

Spring Design Alex starts shipping tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony to release 'affordable' 35mm digital cinema camera to fend off RED and Panasonic

While RED ushered in the revolution, the camera wars are really just starting for the film industry, with Sony showing off at NAB today one of its upcoming 35mm (full frame) digital cinema cameras after ARRI hogged the spotlight last week. Sony's 35mm roadmap already had the industry atwitter, but news that the camera will be "affordable" is news indeed. Of course, affordable is a relative term: think in the $10k to $20k range, for a rough guess. What's great is that, with the addition of the Panasonic AF100 unveiled yesterday, it's clear that manufacturers are finally starting to glom onto this idea of taking these wonderful DSLR-style sensors and putting them into camcorder bodies. The 5D Mark II is great and all, but it was really just pointing to a bigger trend. The Sony camera is due to be released around this time next year, and you can check out a video of the unveil after the break.

Continue reading Sony to release 'affordable' 35mm digital cinema camera to fend off RED and Panasonic

Sony to release 'affordable' 35mm digital cinema camera to fend off RED and Panasonic originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: Engadget on Microsoft Kin

If you've been following our reports, you know that Microsoft's Kin aren't your average smartphones. They don't have a big, bright screen, a particularly fast processor or a robust app store filled with thousands of third-party programs. They're just a pair of interestingly-designed phones with high-res cameras, running a MOTOBLUR-like OS that aggregates your social networks into a neat stream, while smartly documenting every picture, video and status update in cloud storage for future reference. What does that juxtaposition mean for the cellphone market? Honestly, we can't quite agree -- so we're going to let the roving, mobile minds at Engadget HQ speak for themselves.

Continue reading Editorial: Engadget on Microsoft Kin

Editorial: Engadget on Microsoft Kin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viewsonic rolls out energy-efficient VT2300LED LCD TV
Well, it's taken quite a while since its debut at CES in January, but Viewsonic has now finally managed to get its 23-inch VT2300LED LCD TV out the door. While there's not exactly a ton of stand-out features here, the side lit LED backlighting does apparently help to deliver energy savings of 30 to 50% over traditional LCDs, and you'll get some decent specs all around, including a full 1080p resolution, a 5 ms response time, an ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner, and three HDMI ports, among other standard fare. What's more, while this one has a list price of $399, it looks like some retailers (including Amazon) are already selling for it as little as $299.

Viewsonic rolls out energy-efficient VT2300LED LCD TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget app for Android gets updated to 1.0.2 -- now with more widgets!

If you're a fan of the Engadget Android app (and let's be honest, you are a fan), then we've got some good news for you today. The app has been updated with some minor fixes, and one not-so-minor addition... a homescreen widget! Included in this release (besides your new favorite widget) is a fix that enables the Android status bar, built-in sharing for articles and galleries, a refresh button for article views, and other assorted tweaks that will make your Engadget experience even more delightful. Don't sleep on this one -- go get the update!

Update: We know there's an issue with the space the widget takes up, we're working on it!

The Engadget app for Android gets updated to 1.0.2 -- now with more widgets! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FLO TV to offer time-shifted viewing, pay-as-you-go, web-based content later this year

It looks like FLO TV is about to get a little more interesting. Alongside your automobile and your various smartphones, you'll soon be able to turn to your smartbooks, e-readers, and tablets to access your mobile TV service. The diabolical plot begins when the company launches "new applications that integrate video with web-based content" for distributing "live mobile TV and rich mobile media services to a range of new devices." What does all this mean, exactly? Aside from some additional interactivity for advertisers, the service is planning on announcing pay-as-you-go and pay-per-view billing, as well as time-shifted viewing (you know, like a DVR). We don't know what existing hardware will be able to take advantage of this, but we're sure that a combination of pausing shows and pay-as-you-go would make new devices much more attractive to the casual user. Look for things to start happening the second half of this year. PR after the break.

Continue reading FLO TV to offer time-shifted viewing, pay-as-you-go, web-based content later this year

FLO TV to offer time-shifted viewing, pay-as-you-go, web-based content later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entelligence: Think Pink - First take on Microsoft's Kin

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It has been a project shrouded in mystery and speculation that sparked imaginations about just what Microsoft was doing. Its codename was Pink, referring to the premium mobile experience group, and yesterday Microsoft finally revealed its Pink story. It's called Kin and it's pretty impressive. At its heart, Kin is centered around two devices called Kin One and Kin Two. Both the hardware and software were designed by Microsoft, and while Kin is a Microsoft brand, Microsoft is still not getting into the phone business. Built in conjunction with carrier partner Verizon, Pink is an extension of the company's mobile strategy, something that complements and co-exists with its larger ambitions with Windows Phone 7.

In many ways, Kin is the extension and spiritual descendant of the Sidekick (which was a product of Danger, founded by the father of Android, Andy Rubin, and later acquired by Microsoft). At its core, the Kin philosophy is guided by the proposition that one size device doesn't fit all, and specific demographics have different mobile needs.

Continue reading Entelligence: Think Pink - First take on Microsoft's Kin

Entelligence: Think Pink - First take on Microsoft's Kin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Arc Keyboard now available in white exclusively from Amazon

Microsoft's Arc Keyboard was already quite an eye-catcher in its original black, but we may just have to give the edge to this new white version with lime green accents, which is now exclusively available for pre-order from Amazon. Of course, the color is the only thing that's changed here, with the keyboard still sporting the same slim, arched design, the same tiny 2.4GHz USB transmitter and, unfortunately, the same $59.95 price tag. Still no exact release date just yet, but the keyboard will apparently start shipping out sometime in June.

Microsoft Arc Keyboard now available in white exclusively from Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bits from Bytes' new 3D printer extrudes with the best of 'em

We've seen a number of 3D printers lately, and this time we have a budget model for you (that is, if $3,000 is "budget" -- and we suppose it is, compared to the $20,000 and more some of these bad boys can cost). Bits from Bytes has recently announced the BFB 3000, available with up to three print heads, an SD card reader, a printing area of 320mm x 300mm x 200mm, and a max print speed of 15mm3 per second. Available soon for about £2,000. We suppose you'll be ordering a couple, right? Either way, get a closer look in the gallery below.

Gallery: BFB 3000 3D printer from Bits for Bytes

[Thanks, TMoney2007]

Bits from Bytes' new 3D printer extrudes with the best of 'em originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Show: Inside the mind of Yves Behar

Lots of tech companies would like you to believe that they're responsible for the design of its best looking gadgets, but in reality most of them hire outside groups for all that non-spec stuff. And well, if they're smart they get leading industrial designer Yves Behar and his FuseProject team to dream up something incredibly groundbreaking and head-turning. Having birthed the designs of the OLPC XOs and Jawbone headsets we've always been incredibly fascinated by Behar and his knack for coming up with eye-pleasing technology, so naturally we caught up with him when he was in NYC last month and shot some footage of his studio. Uh, so what are you still doing here? Watch it now! Hit up the video after the break!

Host: Joanna Stern
Special guests: Yves Behar
Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm
Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger
Edited by: Michael Slavens
Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - Segment 006 (HD) / The Engadget Show - Segment 006 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted)

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
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Continue reading The Engadget Show: Inside the mind of Yves Behar

The Engadget Show: Inside the mind of Yves Behar originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's Snapdragon-powered LU2300 Android handset gets official

This one's been floating around for a while now and just spotted in the wild last week, but LG has finally come clean with its new LU2300 Android handset, albeit in a somewhat roundabout way on its official UK blog. The biggest news is that LG has confirmed that the phone does indeed pack a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and Android 2.1, along with some other fairly impressive specs to match, including a 3.5-inch AMOLED capacitive display, a 5-megapixel camera, built-in WiFi, DivX support and a DMB TV tuner -- that last feature of which likely indicates that this one won't be available over here anytime soon. There's also still no indication of a price or a firm release date, although it will apparently be available in Korea sometime this month or next.

Update: It looks like LG's UK blog may have been a bit too eager to get word of the LU2300 out, as it has now clarified that the phone won't have an AMOLED display and may or may not come with Android 2.1.

LG's Snapdragon-powered LU2300 Android handset gets official originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Backflip now scheduled to get Android 2.1 update in Q3

Decide to go with Motorola's unconventional Backflip over an Android phone with a more traditional form factor? Then it looks like you'll have to wait a bit longer than most to get the Android 2.1 firmware update. According to a newly published timeline from Motorola itself, the Backflip is now scheduled to receive the update sometime in the third quarter of this year, compared to the second quarter for the CLIQ and now-ish for the Droid -- the Devour upgrade is apparently still "under evaluation." Of course, all of this can still change and, given Motorola's past history with Android updates, it probably will.

[Thanks, Tony]

Motorola Backflip now scheduled to get Android 2.1 update in Q3 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC 'continues to assess' developing its own smartphone OS, Palm says 'hey, assess this'
Failing a Palm acquisition, there might still be justification for HTC to build out its own software platform for many of the same reasons that buying Palm would make sense -- the company's getting bigger and more important to the market by the day, after all, and being left at the mercy of Google and Microsoft to produce cohesive platforms of their own might not sit well with Chou's team ad infinitum. The HTC Smart could be regarded as its first baby step toward that goal, though the handset -- based on Qualcomm's Brew MP platform -- is actually a featurephone that won't fly with the same kinds of consumers that are cross-shopping Android and Windows Phone products. To that end, Bloomberg says that HTC's CFO revealed in an interview that his company continues "to assess [developing its own smartphone operating system], but that requires a few conditions to justify." Naturally, he went on to clam up when nudged about the Palm sitch -- and he never got around to laying out what those "few conditions" were that would spur HTC to pull the trigger on any of this -- but it's starting to seem inevitable that this is all going to go down one way or another.

HTC 'continues to assess' developing its own smartphone OS, Palm says 'hey, assess this' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Day in the Life: Kin-less

46diggsdigg If you were near an internet display terminal yesterday, you might've tragically stumbled upon one of Microsoft's Kin promo videos. Sure, the product might be slightly condescending to its supposed target market, but the promotional videos are outright MTV-gone-bad, full of hipster shorthand and fake "reality" bits. The "Day in the Life" videos are particularly egregious, featuring a guy on a road trip to burn a box of mementos from his ex while accompanied by his two new girlfriends, a terrifying parade comprised of facial hair and Williamsburg-esque terror, and a tragically-near-30 couch surfer trying to remember a drunken night of excess through pictures. Strikes a bit close to home, we must say. So, in case you missed the spots you can check a couple out after the break, but to wash the palate we've also provided our very own "Kin-less" spin on the concept, with the help of a Windows Mobile 6.5 handset we just happened to have lying around.

Continue reading Day in the Life: Kin-less

Day in the Life: Kin-less originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple granted design patent for original iPhone, iPod touch

29diggsdigg

Apple may have enough patents and patent applications to wallpaper its entire Cupertino campus, but we're guessing this is one it's been especially eager to get: a design patent for the original iPhone and iPod touch. That, of course, covers the "ornamental design" of the devices and not their functionality, which means that any other devices that look a little too similar are now treading on even more dangerous territory than before. As with other Apple patents, you'll find Jonathan P. Ives and Steve (no "P") Jobs listed among the fourteen inventors, and you'll also find plenty of references to earlier patents and other relevant devices -- including a pointer to none other than one of our posts on the infamous Meizu M8.

[Thanks, Fabian]

Apple granted design patent for original iPhone, iPod touch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo Gone Wild! Features detailed, companies come on board at IDF 2010 (updated)

Wow, the MeeGo news is flying fast and furious today! Our first stop is the Intel Developer Forum, where a recent talk detailed feature lists for netbooks and handhelds running (presumably) 1.0. For the former, you can expect to see it rockin' Chrome (or Chromium), and overhauled social messaging, media, camera, email, and calendar apps. That's in addition to touch and gesture support. As for handhelds, Fennec with Flash support popped up on the slides (probably a carry-over from Maemo, since they already have Mozilla with Flash), VOIP (at least until the carriers get involved), instant messaging, social networking, location-based services, cloud data syncing, and portrait mode support -- not to mention "the Intel app-store framework that can be used to make branded 3rd-party app stores." But that ain't all! According to some freshly minted PR, the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco will be lousy with developers starting Wednesday when the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit begins in earnest. To be announced at tomorrow's keynote are a host of companies that are throwing their lot in with the mobile OS, including: EA Mobile, BMW Group, Acer, Gameloft, Novell, ASUS, and more. Which is all well and good, but the question remains: when are we finally gonna get our hands on an LG GW990? PR after the break.

Update: We added a couple shots of the very in-progress UI from Intel's slide show. See more after the break.

Continue reading MeeGo Gone Wild! Features detailed, companies come on board at IDF 2010 (updated)

MeeGo Gone Wild! Features detailed, companies come on board at IDF 2010 (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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