IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 15/05/2010

Motorola Ruth / Flipout leaks again, due in June?

We're still not quite sure to make of this odd little square of a Motorola, but it certainly looks like it's coming our way soon: Italian site Zumo says the Ruth (or Flipout, as we've seen it called) is actually the Moto MB511, and it's due out sometime in June. We're also told that it'll have WiFi, GPS, and a memory card slot, but that's pretty par for the course -- what we're really curious about it how this thing actually works in person. We'll just have to wait and find out.

Motorola Ruth / Flipout leaks again, due in June? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford, U-M students send socially-connected Fiestas on cross-country roadtrip, aim to become Mayor of the USA

Ford is certainly no stranger to internet-connected cars, but it looks like it's now truly stepped up its game with a little help from some University of Michigan students, who have teamed up to send two Fiestas on a socially-networked, cross-country road trip. The two cars (part of the American Journey 2.0 project) apparently each pack a similar trunk-full of gear -- including both WiMAX and EV-DO modems, and a 2.6 GHz PC with an 80GB SSD hard drive -- and they'll each be testing out a number of different applications developed by Ford and the students. Those include the UMich-developed Caravan app, which allows the two cars to communicate with each other during the trip, and three different Ford-developed social networking apps, which will let the cars blog and tweet their progress and, yes, even check in on Foursquare each time they make a stop. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and be sure to hit up the Autoblog link below for a closer look at the cars themselves.

Continue reading Ford, U-M students send socially-connected Fiestas on cross-country roadtrip, aim to become Mayor of the USA

Ford, U-M students send socially-connected Fiestas on cross-country roadtrip, aim to become Mayor of the USA originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Motoroi getting Android 2.1, bound for UK?

There's no word yet on when the Motorola Motoroi will make it to T-Mobile (in the industry we call that "the T-Motoroiola rumor") but there has definitely been a good deal of chatter concerning this handset. The latest has Pocket-lint confirming a UK release with Moto itself. Offering similarities to Taipei's HSPA-lovin' XT701, users in Ol' Blighty (and the rest of the UK) can look forward to an 8-megapixel camera (with a Xenon flash), support for 720p video, mini HDMI, and an unspecified processor boost. In addition, Android 2.1 is likely to be part of the deal. We have neither a timeline nor a price, and the veracity of this rumor is yet to be established (although it does seem like a no-brainer), but if this all goes down as Pocket-lint says it will you can color us Yanks mighty jealous.

Motorola Motoroi getting Android 2.1, bound for UK? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GSM Arena | Pocket-lint | Email this | Comments
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BlackBerry Bold 9800 slider coming next month as an AT&T exclusive?

We've still got thousands of unanswered questions (well, maybe not thousands, but definitely dozens) about RIM's upcoming BlackBerry 6 platform -- and it's starting to look like we might be answering those questions at retail by way of this Bold 9800 slider that's been making the rounds lately. BGR claims that the handset is lining up for a mid- to late-June release on AT&T, with the carrier having placed a substantial million-plus unit order to lock it up as an exclusive for some undetermined length of time (much as Verizon has managed to do both with the Storm and the Storm2). We hate to point out the obvious, but from a PR perspective, June's not the best month to be announcing and / or releasing anything that isn't an iPhone -- and when you look at the 9800's form factor and the baby steps that BlackBerry 6 seems to make toward boosting consumer appeal, we don't think you can make an argument that this is a sufficiently different market segment the same way you could with, say, the 9700. In other words: we wouldn't be shocked to see this date slip a bit, assuming the rumor pans out.

BlackBerry Bold 9800 slider coming next month as an AT&T exclusive? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 196 - 05.14.2010

What's up, yo? Oh, sorry, we meant, what's up, FroYo? The Engadget Podcasteers dig deep on the new version of the Android Cellular Telephone And Other Connected Devices Operating System as the line between telephone and computer becomes less and less important. And Joanna Stern, Supreme Laptop Knowledge Warrior Princess, becomes the first and last female to ever be on a technology podcast in the Great Tech Journalist Civil Rights Movement of May 14-15th, 2010.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Special guest: Joanna Stern
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Never Gonna Give You Up

Hear the podcast

02:57 - Android 2.2 'Froyo' and Flash run like butter on Nexus One (update)
07:22 - Android 2.2 'Froyo' to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality
10:28 - Sprint selling HTC EVO 4G on June 4 for $199
11:35 - Sprint's HTC EVO 4G put through its bandwidth-sucking paces
21:55 - NPD: Android ousts iPhone OS for second place in US smartphone market
28:45 - HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod
29:22 - HTC's complaint against Apple examined
38:00 - AMD promises better battery life and thermals with new Neo CPUs, more power with Phenom II platform
42:15 - Lenovo officially rolls out new IdeaPad Z Series
43:14 - HP unleashes seven new ProBooks, cuddles up with AMD
44:10 - HP Envy 14 and 17 officially official, Envy 13 slowly waves goodbye
46:25 - Sony VAIO P Series gets an accelerometer, touchpad (Updated: starts at $799)
49:45 - Archos 7 Home Tablet review

Subscribe to the podcast

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Download the podcast

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Contact the podcast

1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.

Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Podcasts, Tablet PCs, Wireless, Internet

Engadget Podcast 196 - 05.14.2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google changes Nexus One plans, will stop selling handsets online

20diggsdigg Although Google launched the Nexus One with grand plans to radically change the way consumers purchased phones and service, it looks like the experiment has fizzled to an end -- the company just announced that will eventually stop selling handsets online and instead partner with carriers to sell the N1 in-store while using its website to promote "a variety of Android phones available globally." Google says customers simply want a hands-on experience before buying a phone, but we'd say the lack of subsidies from any carrier except T-Mobile and some serious customer service issues probably played in killing Google's original sales strategy -- and of course, both Verizon and Sprint essentially refused the N1 in favor of the bespoke Incredible and EVO 4G. We'd also say that Android as a whole will remain unaffected, since the Nexus One was never a huge seller, but it's still rare that a company simply gives up a business model like this, and we don't know if Google will ever follow up with a successor to the Nexus One. The Google Phone is dead, people -- long live the Google Phone.

Update: We just asked Google about future devices and support for current Nexus One owners, here's what they said:

On the future: We will continue working with our partners to bring cutting-edge new Android handsets to market, but we have nothing to announce right now.

On support: This announcement doesn't have any immediate impact on support for consumers who purchase Nexus One through the web store.

Google changes Nexus One plans, will stop selling handsets online originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brando has the $100, VGA-res, interchangeble lens camcorder you're looking for

Sure, Sony's new series of camcorders with interchangeable lenses might look nice and have "good specs," but are they available right now for under $100? No, but this thing is. Running just $99 from everyone's favorite retailer of the cheap and bizarre, Brando, this Vivikai-branded camcorder boasts an impressive VGA resolution, 32MB of built-in memory, an SDHC card slot for expansion, and a single interchangeable "telescope" lens, which promises to add 8x the zoom and 8x the crazy. Hit up the link below to get your order in -- assuming you didn't already dash off to do so at the first sight of it.

Brando has the $100, VGA-res, interchangeble lens camcorder you're looking for originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink OhGizmo | Brando | Email this | Comments
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BeBook Neo e-reader deemed solid, well designed, expensive

Hey kids: Sick of e-readers yet? If not, the kids at trusted reviews just got their hands on what they consider one of the nicest thus far. This 6-inch display-sportin' bad boy has some heft to it -- the reviewers felt that at .66 pounds it might be too much e-reader for some people. Still, it seems well-built and designed for holding for long periods of time. All in all, it's not earth-shattering, as much as "a well thought out refinement" of devices the reviewer has seen before. On the other hand, there is no finger input, MP3 playback is still not supported (an issue to be dealt with on a future firmware release, apparently), the much-ballyhooed Wacom pen notations, while nice, are only available on certain docs, and the UI (which relies on a jogwheel) is counter-intuitive, at first. So, it's pretty damn nice... but is it £238.29 (about $350) nice? Hit the source link to decide for yourself.

BeBook Neo e-reader deemed solid, well designed, expensive originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype's group video calling beta now available for Windows

Mac and Linux users are still being asked to hold their horses, but Windows loyalists can begin testing out that hotly-anticipated group video calling feature today. Skype's latest beta, which was detailed earlier in the month, is now available to download for those willing to take the risk, with Skype 5.0 Beta adding support for "group video calls with up to four people." Hit that source link to get things rolling, and be sure to drop us a line once you and your four besties have had a chance to give 'er a go.

Skype's group video calling beta now available for Windows originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocket-lint | Skype | Email this | Comments
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LG's $400 BX580 network 3D Blu-ray player ships in a month or two
Staying on that cutting edge, are we LG? In a world starstruck by HDMI 1.4, internet connectivity, DLNA, 3D and 1080p, LG's latest deck has it all, and now we know precisely -- er, almost precisely -- when she'll ship. The BX580 has just found itself a slot on Amazon's website, priced at $399.99 and proudly listed as the company's first network 3D Blu-ray player. Aside from having the ability to handle forthcoming 3D Blu-ray titles, it also ships with NetCast Entertainment Access, giving users the ability to enjoy web connected content without bothering with an HTPC. 'Course, that "usually ships in one to two months" could stand to be a little more precise, but we'll take what we can get at this point.

LG's $400 BX580 network 3D Blu-ray player ships in a month or two originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Novero's Bluetooth headset doubles as neckwear, savings destroyer

74diggsdigg Can't say we've ever heard of Novero before today, but after watching the undoubtedly mesmerizing homescreen loop linked there in the source, we can safely say we'll never (ever) forget about 'em. From what we can gather, this company specializes in overpriced jewelry, and given that Bluetooth headset use is rising stratospherically, seeing a new necklace-slash-BT headset hit the market just makes perfect sense. All sarcasm aside, the new Victoria line actually is fairly edgy, and if the light hits you right, it's actually palatable. The collection consists of the Victoria Lapis, Pearl, Stripes, Wave and Victor, all of which purportedly boast the same innards but different exteriors. Specifications are unsurprisingly hard to come by, but considering some of the more blinged out models are priced at around $120,000, it's not likely to matter. Video's past the break, richy.

Continue reading Novero's Bluetooth headset doubles as neckwear, savings destroyer

Novero's Bluetooth headset doubles as neckwear, savings destroyer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iBuyPower compromises on nothing with Lan Warrior II

Desktop case connoisseurs will recognize the above as NZXT's Vulcan enclosure, and they'll also know it comes with two 120mm fans, at front and top, plus the option to add in a 200mm (that's eight inches, folks!) blower under the mesh side panel. Mind you, you'll be needing all the cooling you can get if you opt to run two of either the Radeon HD 5970 or GeForce GTX 480 in tandem, which this beastie can handle with its 1,200 Watt PSU. In terms of other specs, the Lan Warrior part deux will service you with anything up to an Intel Core i7-980X, 24GB of DDR3 RAM, and up to two terabytes of SSD storage. We decided we'd max those options out and got ourselves a blood-chilling $11,658 quote. Hit the source below to try and spec out a more reasonable rig, we're sure it's possible.

Continue reading iBuyPower compromises on nothing with Lan Warrior II

iBuyPower compromises on nothing with Lan Warrior II originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's entry-level A290 DSLR smiles for the camera

Sony hasn't seen fit to fully announce the successor to its current entry-level Alpha model, the A230, but Tinhte forum member dt0306 has posted what looks to be conclusive proof of its existence -- not to mention shots at every angle and detailed specs. This re-designed model now packs a 14 megapixel CCD with a BIONZ image processor, along with the same maximum 3200 ISO, 2.7-inch LCD, and 2.5fps maximum shooting speed of the A230. Storage is handled by Memory Stick or SDHC, and there's even a price mentioned: 9,990,000 VND, or about $530 including the 18 - 55mm lens that the A230 comes mated to. There's no telling what the domestic MSRP will really be whenever this kit releases here, but we're not sure that a couple of extra megapixels and a new body warrants much of a premium.

Sony's entry-level A290 DSLR smiles for the camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Sony Alpha Rumors | tinhte | Email this | Comments
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Self-assembling DNA circuits could power your next computer
Sick of silicon? It is getting a bit played, so maybe it's time to shift some paradigms, and Duke University engineer Chris Dwyer thinks that pure proteins deoxyribonucleic acids are where it's at. He's demonstrated a way to force DNA to create shapes all by itself, a process he likens to a puzzle that puts itself together:

It's like taking pieces of a puzzle, throwing them in a box and as you shake the box, the pieces gradually find their neighbors to form the puzzle. What we did was to take billions of these puzzle pieces, throwing them together, to form billions of copies of the same puzzle.

Right now the waffle-shaped structures he can form aren't particularly useful, but going forward the hope is that nearly any type of circuitry could be made to build itself in massive quantities at next to no cost. It sounds exciting, promising, almost utopian -- exactly the kind of research that we usually never hear of again.

Update: We've had a few people commenting on the inaccuracy of the word "proteins" above, so it's been fixed and we hereby invite all you armchair molecular biologists to get back to curing cancer already.

Self-assembling DNA circuits could power your next computer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hackers can remotely disable your car's brakes, create sensationalist headlines
We think you're going to be hearing a lot about this one over the next few days... or weeks. A team of researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California San Diego have determined that, with physical access to your car's ECU, a hacker could "adversarially control a wide range of automotive functions and completely ignore driver input -- including disabling the brakes, selectively braking individual wheels on demand, stopping the engine, and so on." For example, the team was able to connect a computer to a car's ODB-II port, access that computer wirelessly, and then disable the brakes in the first car while driving down the road in a separate vehicle. The conclusion is that these in-car systems have few if any safeguards in place and, with physical access, nearly anything is possible. The solution, of course, is to prevent physical access. So, if you see a hacker hanging around in your car looking all shady, or a laptop computer sitting in the footwell that totally wasn't there before, well, you know who to call.

Continue reading Hackers can remotely disable your car's brakes, create sensationalist headlines

Hackers can remotely disable your car's brakes, create sensationalist headlines originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 09:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Student moves quadriplegics with Wiimote wheelchair control (video)

There were certainly a couple whiz kids at Intel's International Science and Engineering Fair this year, but high school senior John Hinckel's a regular MacGyver: he built a wheelchair remote control out of a couple sheets of transparent plastic, four sliding furniture rails and some string. A Nintendo Wiimote goes in your hat and tells the whole system what to do -- simply tilt your head in any direction, and accelerometer readings are sent over Bluetooth. The receiving laptop activates microcontrollers, directing servo motors to pull the strings, and acrylic gates push the joystick accordingly to steer your vehicle. We tried on the headset for ourselves and came away fairly impressed -- it's no mind control, but for $534 in parts, it just might do. Apparently, we weren't the only ones who thought so, as patents are pending, and a manufacturer of wheelchair control systems has already expressed interest in commercializing the idea. See the young inventor show it off after the break.

Continue reading Student moves quadriplegics with Wiimote wheelchair control (video)

Student moves quadriplegics with Wiimote wheelchair control (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red dot sight for hotshoes makes shooting tangos a viewfinder-free experience

If you've been playing Modern Warfare 2 so much that you've studied Arabic just to learn what the OpFor team is saying, yet you're more interested in photographing birds than capturing flags, this is the hotshoe accessory for you. Thanks to Brando it's easy to make your camera a little more lethal looking with the Tactical Four Reticle Sight, an adapter that screws into a camera's hotshoe and then enables the addition of an included sight, which has four separate crosshairs, two colors, and three laser strengths. Yes, we know people have been doing this for years on their own, but this is the cheapest ($45) and easiest way we've seen to get such a thing secured on your SLR. Oh, and "Tango sakat?" It means "tango down," duh.

Gallery: Tactical Four Reticle Sight

Red dot sight for hotshoes makes shooting tangos a viewfinder-free experience originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Firearm Blog | Brando | Email this | Comments
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High school senior builds walking robot, the VSR-2: Talos FG (video)

These days, you don't have to be a whiz kid to build robots in your basement: off-the-shelf microcontrollers, Arduino boards and Lego Mindstorms can take care of the hard work. Adam Halverson, however, is the real deal -- he built his first robot at the age of twelve, and after six years of failed attempts, he's crafted a full-size humanoid that can walk. Filed with pistons, servos and an assimilated laptop, the VSR-2:Talos FG cost the South Dakota high school senior $10,000 to build with fellow student Anthony Winterton; he claims he could reconstruct it for half now that he's done. The hulking metal machine won him an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose, where he's competing for up to $75,000 in prize money. We'll be watching to see if he recoups his investment -- awards will be announced this afternoon. See how the Talos FG's gears mesh in our gallery, or watch the bot take its first steps after the break.

Gallery: VSR-2: Talos FG at Intel ISEF 2010

Continue reading High school senior builds walking robot, the VSR-2: Talos FG (video)

High school senior builds walking robot, the VSR-2: Talos FG (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad Supreme Edition: worth its weight in smug

It's that time again, the time when excess ruins a perfectly functional device. You can thank Stuart and Katherine Hughes for creating this 22ct "solid gold" iPad Supreme Edition slathered in 53 gems. A cookie for the first person to wear this £129,995 (about $190k) monstrosity from an iPad Chain.

iPad Supreme Edition: worth its weight in smug originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 07:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foxconn chairman 'has sought the aid of an exorcist' to stop suicides

Um, suicide is not funny. Especially when it's the eighth attempt -- this one resulting in death, sadly -- in three months by employees at a Foxconn facility in China. Yes, the very same factory we reported on last month that produces the gadgets we love so dearly. But check this little snippet from DigiTimes, translating the original Chinese language site Jinbw:

"Terry Guo, chairman of the Foxconn Group, has sought the aid of an exorcist in an attempt to put an end to the recent run of negative incidents at the plant."

Seriously? And here we thought that improving working conditions might better serve employees. Engadget Chinese did some digging and confirms reports that Foxconn will bring in a monk(s) to perform a religious service meant "to bring peace to employees" -- not necessarily meant to ward off evil.

In other news Foxconn just announced consolidated net profits of US$568.73 million for the first quarter of 2010, up 34.8 percent on the year.

Foxconn chairman 'has sought the aid of an exorcist' to stop suicides originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 06:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | DigiTimes (suicide), DigiTimes (profits) | Email this | Comments
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Samsung preparing for 42-inch OLED TV trials in 2011?

It's approaching mid 2010 and you know what's missing. Jetpacks. Jetpacks and those 30-inch and larger OLED TVs we were promised. Hell, the largest OLED TV available for retail currently is only 15-inches... if you can both find and afford it. Now OLEDNet claims that Samsung Mobile Display -- you know, the cellphone AMOLED guys -- is purchasing equipment in preparation for bringing its 5.5 generation facility on-line in the first half of 2011. That should give Samsung the ability make 42-inch AMOLED TVs on a trial basis by the end of the twenty-eleven. But with relatively cheap LCDs steadily closing the gap on OLEDs size, contrast, and power savings advantages, well, we'll believe it when we see the first big screen OLED TVs in our living rooms. And with 3D LCDs (and plasmas) all the rage amongst distracted and financially-vested television manufacturers, we don't see that happening anytime soon.

Samsung preparing for 42-inch OLED TV trials in 2011? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 06:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gold-dispensing 'Gold to Go' ATM is itself a gold-plated marvel

"Damn thing ate my dollar."

"A dollar, you say?"

Gold-dispensing 'Gold to Go' ATM is itself a gold-plated marvel originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 05:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lian Li's T1 Mini-ITX Spider case escapes on May 21

The Lian Li T1 Spider is not meant for the average consumer. Then again, you aren't the average consumer are you? The T1 is an open-air test bench for quickly assembling and disassembling Mini-ITX systems for benchmarking purposes. As such, it's built to handle components like a standard Mini-ITX motherboard on the top, a 5.25-inch slim CDROM, 3.5-inch hard disk, and an ATX PS/2 power supply unit. But man, we think it's a fine looking creature regardless. Available May 21st for an expected ¥13,800 (about $149) in black or ¥15,800 ($170) in fire-ant red.

Gallery: Lian Li's T1 Mini-ITX Spider case escapes on May 21

Lian Li's T1 Mini-ITX Spider case escapes on May 21 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 04:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Impress | Lian Li | Email this | Comments
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Boeing's unmanned Phantom Ray makes dramatic video debut, set to take off this December

118diggsdiggThe big new trend among wargadget makers seems to be the elimination of the fleshy operator, and we're seeing it happening with helicopters, boats, and even space shuttles. The Phantom Ray is Boeing's take on how we can do the same to jet fighters, and it's had its official unveiling in St. Louis this week. Primarily intended to serve as a reconnaissance and intelligence drone, this 36 foot-long airborne robot will be able to cruise at speeds of up to 614mph, and will even do a bit of suppression fire when you need it to. It's designed to be undetectable by radar and offers a minimal heat signature for missiles to lock on to, as its engine is buried deep within the body. Sounds ominous indeed, but the Phantom Ray will serve as the testbed for even more advanced technologies and will take its first flight in December of this year. See its grand debut on video after the break.

Continue reading Boeing's unmanned Phantom Ray makes dramatic video debut, set to take off this December

Boeing's unmanned Phantom Ray makes dramatic video debut, set to take off this December originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 03:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Coolest Gadgets | Boeing | Email this | Comments
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Sharp ships 1GHz IS01 developer's edition in Japan, minus all the goodies

Hoping to get your hot little hands on the tinker-friendly edition of Sharp's Snapdragon-powered IS01 Android MID? If you live in Japan, today's your lucky day -- assuming you're willing to overlook the possibility that the developer's version has been thoroughly neutered. According to a Japanese press release, JN-DK01 dev kits are now shipping, but apparently sans cellular modem (no phone calls, no 3G data) and without API support for FM and 1Seg connectivity. You'll still get to play around with that 960 x 480 mulittouch LCD, experiment with IrDA and download Android Market apps over WiFi, but we're not quite seeing the point of working with a cheap-feeling Android 1.6 device stripped of its coolest toys.

Sharp ships 1GHz IS01 developer's edition in Japan, minus all the goodies originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocketables, SlashGear | Sharp | Email this | Comments
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Google dishes out giant Froyo parfait (video)

Google takes Android product codenames literally -- that's why you'll find a giant Eclair, Donut and Cupcake chilling on the GooglePlex lawn. This week, they were joined by the object tastefully pictured above. Frozen yogurt, anyone? You might not care to eat this one, as it's probably made of foam, but Engadget will likely bring you a spoonful next week when we attend Google I/O. Video after the break.

Update: And just like that the video has been set to private. Not like video of a stationary object really adds much value anyway. Nevertheless, it already arrived at the GooglePlex where it's currently hanging out -- under wraps -- with its foam siblings.

Continue reading Google dishes out giant Froyo parfait (video)

Google dishes out giant Froyo parfait (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 01:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wi-Fi Sync app rejected by Apple, headed to Cydia for $9.99

15diggsdigg Can't say we're surprised to hear that Apple rejected Greg Hughes' Wi-Fi Sync app. You know, the app that allows you to wirelessly sync your iPhone / iPod touch with iTunes without having to USB tether to your computer. Messing with Apple's synchronization technology is a pretty big no-no as demonstrated by Palm's webOS bluff. Here's the rejection as explained by Greg from an unnamed Apple rep over the phone:

"While he agreed that the app doesn't technically break the rules, he said that it does encroach upon the boundaries of what they can and cannot allow on their store. He also cited security concerns."

So while you won't find it in Apple's App Store, it's available now on Cydia for a cool $9.99. You have jailbroken your device haven't you? Don't make us get all MuscleNerd up in here.

Wi-Fi Sync app rejected by Apple, headed to Cydia for $9.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: what's the best 13-inch Core i5 / i7 Wintel ultraportable for running OS X?

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 Dan Murphy [great name!], who needs to know which ultraportable on the market today is best equipped to roll both ways... if you know what we're sayin'. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"Real simple: what's the best Core i5 or Core i7 13-inch laptop (with discrete graphics) for running both Windows 7 and Mac OS X? I'm a video and photo guy who does marketing work for a university, and while I've been using a Dell M1330 to operate on both sides of the fence, I'm in dire need of a hardware upgrade. I'm not fussed by the Windows vs. Mac debate and use both on a daily basis, but I need as much power as possible in an ultraportable form factor in order to handle both of these operating systems (sorry, 13-inch MacBook Pro, but you aren't cutting it). Here's hoping your readers can help out!"

We'd sure the master Hackintoshers out there would love to help out, and we're sure Apple will weep when realizing they'd have a sale if they would've crammed a Core i5 into their 13-inch MBP while refreshing the other guys last month. Go on, folks -- let this guy in on your secrets in comments below.

Ask Engadget: what's the best 13-inch Core i5 / i7 Wintel ultraportable for running OS X? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 23:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hulu's new player now in the wild, guided tours available

You already read this morning about Hulu's thoughts on HTML5 -- they were subsequently stricken from record but have since returned. By now, however, it looks like everyone should be able to move on from the discussion long enough to see the actual updated player. Here's some things you'll notice: 25 percent increase in viewing space, hidden controls when being played, and some reshuffling of key buttons. On the backend, there's also adaptive bitrate streaming, ad volume normalization (for quieting those overtly-loud commercials), and a few other neat tricks. Looking for something quite meta this evening? A Hulu video showing off the new Hulu video is after the break.

Continue reading Hulu's new player now in the wild, guided tours available

Hulu's new player now in the wild, guided tours available originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell CEO: Streak coming next month to Telefonica O2, 'later this summer' to AT&T

You know who can't stop talking about (or showing off) the Dell Streak / Mini 5? Company CEO Michael Dell, that's who. The man once again returned with his Android-powered 5-inch display of choice, showing it off on stage at the Citrix Synergy conference this morning. Sure, we've seen the handset ad nauseum at this point -- we're even a proud owner of one prototype -- but here's the quote that piqued our interest: "this [phone] will be available starting next month, first with our partner 02 Telefonica [sic] in Europe, then later this summer with our pretty good partner here in the United States, AT&T." He couldn't be much more direct, and we couldn't get it from a more knowing source. Excited for the near future yet?

Dell CEO: Streak coming next month to Telefonica O2, 'later this summer' to AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is likely NTT DoCoMo's best selling smartphone -- ever

Japan's wireless networks have a longstanding, legendary reputation for existing in some parallel plane that's technologically light years ahead of the rest of the world, but that reputation's unquestionably in greater danger today than in any point in the past fifteen years. Why? Though the featurephones offered by NTT DoCoMo, SoftBank, and KDDI are ultra high-spec beasts, they're still featurephones at the end of the day -- and this comes at a time when smartphones are finally becoming true cultural phenomena across the remainder of the developed world (and, in some cases, the developing world).

There's no greater evidence of this than the word this week that Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 -- a phone that's been met with lukewarm reviews, including from Engadget Japanese's own Ittousai -- has allegedly become NTT DoCoMo's best-selling smartphone in history, a fact that would seem completely inexplicable in any other market globally. What makes it possible in Japan, of course, is DoCoMo's historically lame selection of true smartphones, a lineup that currently includes localized versions of the HTC Magic, and the original HTC Touch Diamond and BlackBerry Bold. What's more, many of these devices integrate poorly with popular carrier services on account of their super-tight control of the operating systems running across the featurephone lineup, something they've got less control over with a device running Android or Windows Mobile.

In other words, when it's reported that DoCoMo had sold 100,000 X10s in its first 20 days -- and a third-party retailer claims that the Magic-esque HT-03A is the next best seller at 80,000 units in 10 months -- it seems plausible, if not likely (and Ittousai agrees). Yeah, even though the localized device has been plagued with performance problems and bugs, incompatibilities with DoCoMo's i-mode push email, and so on. It's hard to say what it's going to take for these guys to make an honest-to-goodness transition to the brave new world of open platforms and freewheeling third-party development, but they're clearly not there yet.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is likely NTT DoCoMo's best selling smartphone -- ever originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba updates Satellite Pro line with Core i3 / i5, Athlon II-based models

New laptop processors mean new laptops, and Toshiba has now joined the party with four new Satellite Pro models packing Intel's latest Core i3 and i5 processors and AMD's new dual-core Athlon II. Those include the 15.6-inch C650 / C650D, the 13.3-inch L630, the 15.6-inch L650 / L650D, and the 17.3-inch L670 / 670D, all of which are available with Intel Core i3 or Core i5 processors, while those with a "D" suffix pack an Athlon II. Otherwise, each boast either a 1,600 x 900 or 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit display, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5145 or integrated Intel GMA HD graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, an optional Blu-ray burner, and Toshiba's own Media Controller software to let you stream content to other networked devices, among other standard fare. Still no indication of pricing or availability over here, but the whole lot should at least be available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa sometime in the second quarter of this year. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look at the complete, nearly identical-looking lineup.

Gallery: Toshiba updates Satellite Pro line with Core i3 / i5, Athlon II-based models

Continue reading Toshiba updates Satellite Pro line with Core i3 / i5, Athlon II-based models

Toshiba updates Satellite Pro line with Core i3 / i5, Athlon II-based models originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer to launch Chrome OS devices at Computex?
Acer said it would be first to market with a Chrome OS netbook, and it's looking like it may meet that lofty goal. Sources told VentureBeat that the company will debut multiple new products featuring the cloud-based operating system at Computex in June, less than three weeks from now. Then again, Chrome OS has been slated for the second half of 2010 for some time, so Acer may not be alone in introducing insanely-quick boot times at the show. We could even see devices earlier; we've been invited to an Acer press event in NYC on the last week of May, and it's not too late for Samsung, Asus or Verizon to show off a partner device at Google I/O. It's going to be a exciting few weeks, eh?

Acer to launch Chrome OS devices at Computex? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Moment update to Android 2.1 available at long last?

Sure, it's been leaked already -- but is Moment-gate 2010 finally about to draw to a close? Quite possibly, because folks running the firmware update executable found on Sprint's site are apparently ending up with a phone powered by Android 2.1 when all is said and done. Considering the fact that the Moment runs stock Android, the update feels long overdue -- but Eclair updates are still pretty hard to come by no matter what kind of phone you're using, so we're just delighted to see it finally happen. Moment owners: can you do us a solid and check this out (assuming you're brave enough) and let us know how it goes in comments?

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung Moment update to Android 2.1 available at long last? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony posts another huge annual loss, but PS3 sales are up

215diggsdigg Sony just posted its yearly results today, and while a ¥40.8 billion ($439 million) loss is never a good thing, it's at least a marked improvement from last year's staggering $1 billion drop into the red, which was the company's first loss in 14 years. LCD TVs and cameras were Sony's big electronics sellers, while PS3 sales went up to 13 million from 10.1 million last year -- and hey, Sony's console actually became profitable at the end of the year as production costs have gone down. Now for the bad news: PSP sales were down to 9.9m from 14.4 last year, with game sales dropping to 44.4m from 50.3m units, while PS2 hardware went down to 7.2m from 7.7m units and PS2 software fell sharply from 83.5m units to 35.7m units. That's not completely unexpected, as the PS2 can't last forever and the PSP is getting long in the tooth, but it means that Sony faces some serious pressure to hit its target of 15m PS3s sold this year to pick up the slack and help it hit its goal of posting a ¥50 billion ($541 million) profit next year. Let's hope that Move controller lives up to the hype, right? Sony's also counting on 3D to help it get there, and wonder of wonders, it also expects Sony Ericsson to hit profitability, so that X10 mini pro had better be a big improvement over the Xperia X10. We'll see if Sir Howard can keep all these various ships going in the right direction while still keeping the rest of Sony's diverse operations (like its profitable life insurance business) in line -- it should be an interesting year.

Sony posts another huge annual loss, but PS3 sales are up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell pumps out a pair of new UltraSharp 1080p IPS LCDs, asks a pittance

Dell rarely disappoints with its wallet-friendly LCDs, and the new 21.5-inch U2211H and 23-inch U2311H don't look to be changing any trends. The two UltraSharp screens go for $280 and $300, respectively, and they've got that viewing angle-friendly, color accurate IPS tech all the kids are rocking these days. DisplayPort, DVI, 1,000:1 contrast ratio... eh, who are we kidding, you stopped reading after we listed the price, didn't you?

Dell pumps out a pair of new UltraSharp 1080p IPS LCDs, asks a pittance originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bing turn-by-turn navigation for Windows Mobile gets taken for a test drive

Microsoft certainly added all the right features to its Bing navigation app for Windows Mobile, but does it actually deliver the goods in real world use? It does according to the folks at PocketNow, who have put the app through its paces and kindly provided a quick demo video of it running on an HTC HD2. While there's nothing too shocking or surprising, it looks like the voice input works well, and the turn-by-turn directions seem to be at least up to par with your average navigation device -- it even has a few nice touches like being able to tap on the screen to repeat the instructions. Head on past the break to check it out the video and, if you're still unsure, you can always take the app for a spin yourself -- it is free, after all.

[Thanks, Keenan I]

Continue reading Bing turn-by-turn navigation for Windows Mobile gets taken for a test drive

Bing turn-by-turn navigation for Windows Mobile gets taken for a test drive originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung CL80 will come with three months free Boingo WiFi, oh joy

While we're still waiting for Sammy's 14 megapixel, WiFi-enabled point-and-shoot to make its stateside appearance, it seems it won't be lacking for software when it crosses the pond -- this week, ubiquitous hotspot host Boingo announced that its service will be preinstalled on every new Samsung CL80 and ST5500, and the cameras will come with three free months of use. After that point, you'll still be able to upload your pictures from Starbucks, never fear -- you'll just have to pay $8 monthly for the privilege. PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung CL80 will come with three months free Boingo WiFi, oh joy

Samsung CL80 will come with three months free Boingo WiFi, oh joy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu's curved plasma displays make Roman columns look a little dated
What, your plasma display is flat? How very quaint! Fujitsu would like to make you feel a little less adequate by showing you the wonder that is a curved PDP, seen here stretched around a column for the sake of providing digital signage. Yes, it's perhaps a somewhat boring duty, and not quite as awe-inspiring as the company's massively curvaceous installation at Kansai airport. But, if you're looking for a way to show off orange silhouettes on a field of light blue, baby it doesn't get much better than this.

Fujitsu's curved plasma displays make Roman columns look a little dated originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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