Thursday, August 12, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 12/08/2010



Sam's Club soon offering free WiFi in all US locations
Sam's Club soon offering free WiFi in all US locations
Hit a Sam's Club on a weekend afternoon and you'll notice not everyone is there to stock up on raisin bran and Fruit Loops. Some come to sample the wares; running to toaster ovens staffed by kind old ladies and tearing freshly warmed Hot Pockets from their arthritic hands. Soon shoppers will have another thing to pilfer: the internet. Sam's Club is working with AT&T to add free WiFi to all its stores by November, allowing shoppers to tell their Facebook friends how many bulk packs of toilet paper they can stuff in those giant shopping carts. The store will also enable connectivity for its IPTVs so that customers can sample Pandora on the like before deciding which set to take home. No word on whether stores will feature associates pulling WiFi access codes out of toaster ovens in batches of 10 at a time, but we sure hope so -- that kind of thing just adds to the fun of the hunt.
Sam's Club soon offering free WiFi in all US locations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink DailyFinance  |  sourceYahoo! Finance  | Email this | Comments
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Researchers make progress with better, safer aqueous lithium-ion batteries
Claims of better, safer lithium-ion batteries aren't exactly hard to find, but some researchers from Shanghai's Fudan University have now made some progress in an area that has previously proven to be particularly tricky for battery makers. They've managed to create an aqueous lithium-ion battery that substitutes most of the oxygen in the battery for water, which the researchers say not only makes them less flammable, but cheap to produce. As you might have guessed, that's been tried before, but previous attempts have only resulted in a battery that can hold 50 percent of its charge capacity after a hundred cycles -- these new batteries, on the other hand, hang on to 90 percent of their capacity after a thousand cycles. Unfortunately, the researchers still have a ways to go on increasing the actual capacities of the batteries, but they seem confident that they'll eventually be a viable alternative to traditional, more explosion-prone lithium-ion batteries.
Researchers make progress with better, safer aqueous lithium-ion batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Ars Technica  |  sourceNature Chemistry  | Email this | Comments
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Razer serves up shockingly green Orca headphones, envy comes free
At first glance, you may think you're eying Razer's Carcharias above. And in many ways, the new Orca ($59.99 / €59.99) is exactly like its perceived predecessor, thought two prominent differences set 'em apart. For one, there's no microphone arm on the Orca, so those who like to chat it up while deathmatching should look elsewhere. Secondly, the Orca is green. Really green. It's also designed for on-the-go use, with a shorter, standard braided cable accompanied by a two-meter extension cord. Internally, you'll find 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets, a 15 - 21,000Hz claimed frequency response and a conventional 3.5mm headphone plug. We'd encourage you to look for these later this month, but with a paint job like this, just glancing around aimlessly should do the trick.
Gallery: Razer Orca gaming headphones
Continue reading Razer serves up shockingly green Orca headphones, envy comes free
Razer serves up shockingly green Orca headphones, envy comes free originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceRazer  | Email this | Comments
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LG debuts washer and dryer that play 'tunes' for problem diagnosis
LG's just outed an updated washer-dryer combo that might get us interested in learning how to do our own laundry yet. Equipped with a new tech called SmartDiagnosis, the appliance (when not functioning properly) prompts the user to punch in a specific combination sequence on the device. The washer or dryer then plays aloud a series of tones, which a technician can use over the phone to determine what the problem is. This method, it would seem, trumps having to describe what's going on to someone over the phone, and can help troubleshoot any issues that might be solvable sans housecall. They're not the cheapest laundry machines we've ever seen -- about $2,000 each -- but we'll take two, please.
LG debuts washer and dryer that play 'tunes' for problem diagnosis originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Oh Gizmo!, Wired  |  sourceLG  | Email this | Comments
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ZTE Racer review
In a battlefield now abundant with Android handsets, there's only one easy way for a young smartphone brand to grab our attention: make a seriously dirt cheap handset. And we're not just talking about a free phone chained to a pricey 18-month contract (like the Vodafone 845); we're looking for a Pay & Go smartphone tagged with a standalone dumbphone price, so even the £200+ ($316+) "budget" HTC Wildfire and Sony Ericsson X10 Mini / Mini Pro are out of the question.

This is where Three UK's ZTE Racer comes in: priced at just £99.99 ($158) or for free on various contracts, this Android 2.1 handset has quite rightly stolen the paper crown from the 845. But don't let that price tag fool you -- this 14.5mm-thick device still comes with a fairly modern 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset (as featured on the Aria and X10 Mini / Mini Pro), garnished with a 3.2 megapixel camera (sans flash), HSDPA 7.2Mbps connectivity, 2GB microSD card, FM radio, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and a Skype app for free Skype calls within the UK. There is just one caveat: you'll have to live with a 2.8-inch QVGA resistive touchscreen. So, is this an immediate deal-breaker? Can the other features make up for this flaw? Read on to find out.
Gallery: ZTE Racer review
Continue reading ZTE Racer review
ZTE Racer review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Disney converting Droid Eris into GPS tour guide?
If you shed a tear when Verizon put the Droid Eris out to pasture, it's time to dry your eyes; it seems the handset's found greener fields in Florida, at Epcot Center to be precise. That's right, Walt Disney World is reportedly testing out Verizon's HTC Hero as a GPS navigator and tour guide for the entire park, complete with shopping discounts, special bonuses and up-to-the-minute wait times for rides. How or when you'll get your hands on one is presently up in the air, though the man who snapped these shots told Mickey Updates the phones may be an inexpensive addition to your vacation -- perhaps like the $10 BREW-based Mobile Magic application Verizon and Disney introduced last year. Here's hoping that chunky case includes an extended battery -- there's no way a stock Eris could last as long as Nintendo's guide.
Gallery: Disney Droid Eris field testing

[Thanks, Durango Jim]Continue reading Disney converting Droid Eris into GPS tour guide?
Disney converting Droid Eris into GPS tour guide? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  source@djlexus (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments
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Archos 32 Internet "Tablet" hits the FCC, pictures and manual in tow

It was just last week the Android-powered Archos 32 spontaneously burst into existence with a premature sale, and thanks to the FCC we can say today that we also know what it looks like. As you can see in the picture above, the "minidroid" appears to be a completely capacitive affair, with dedicated buttons and directional controls surrounding that 3.2-inch screen. The full filing also reveals built-in GPS, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Archos' trademark kickstand alongside Bluetooth and WiFi. While it does have a microphone as originally reported, there's strangely no mention of a camera in the user's manual, which actually suggests that circle on the back of the device may be the integrated speaker. (Here's hoping we're proven wrong.) On the connectivity front, ARCHOS seems to have the usual host of accessories planned including a 720p-capable DVR dock, but frustratingly the unit also requires a proprietary connector to transfer data and charge. Should the original leak be accurate, expect to see this one at e-tailers in the coming months for a penny under $150, an excellent price should the build quality equal the company's codec support.
Gallery: Archos 32 Internet Tablet first pics
Archos 32 Internet "Tablet" hits the FCC, pictures and manual in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Wireless Goodness, Liliputing  |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments
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DARPA enlists NVIDIA to build exascale supercomputer that's '1000x faster' than today's quickest
At this point, it's pretty obvious that GPUs will soon be playing a huge role in modern day supercomputers -- a role that may just rival that of the tried-and-true CPU. Virginia Tech is gleefully accepting $2 million in order to build a GPU and CPU-enabled HokieSpeed supercomputer, and today DARPA is handing out $25 million to NVIDIA in order to develop "high-performance GPU computing systems." Specifically the Defense Department's research and development arm is aiming to address a so-called "crisis in computing," and if all goes well, the four-year project will eventually yield a "new class of exascale supercomputers which will be 1,000-times more powerful than today's fastest supercomputers." That's a pretty lofty goal, but NVIDIA will be aided by Cray, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and a half-dozen US universities along the way. And yeah, if ever anyone's ego was prepared to topple Moore's Law, it'd be this guy.Continue reading DARPA enlists NVIDIA to build exascale supercomputer that's '1000x faster' than today's quickest
Permalink   |  sourceDARPA  | Email this | Comments
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Apple offers first generation iPod nano replacements in Japan
After two years of pushing and shoving by the Japanese government, Apple has finally relented, agreeing to replace those first generation iPod nano music players sold in Japan at risk of overheating. The player exchange goes beyond the battery replacement program already in effect for consumers concerned enough to complain directly to Apple. According to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, of all the plastic black and white iPod nano players sold between September 2005 and December 2006, it confirmed 27 overheating incidents that occurred during recharging, including 6 fires that left four people with minor burns. On Sunday, Apple added 34 other "non-serious" overheating incidents to the tally -- a delay in disclosure that Japanese officials called "truly regrettable." Of course, today's news begs the question of how Apple will handle this issue for all the affected iPod nanos sold outside of Japan.
Apple offers first generation iPod nano replacements in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink AFP  |  sourceBloomberg, Apple Japan [translated]  | Email this | Comments
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Japan takes vending machines to their logical, 47-inch touchscreen extreme
Time for us to admit another entrant into the hall of unnecessary, but cool inventions. Installed at Tokyo's Shinagawa Station yesterday, this latest spin on the vending machine dispenses with those silly windows unto what you're buying and furnishes its user with a 47-inch touch panel from which to make his (or her) selection. An embedded camera will recognize your gender and age, allowing the machine to recommend a beverage suitable to whatever stereotype is attached to your particular circumstances. And don't worry, it'll store your purchasing history too, so you can be freaked out by tailored ads every time you use it. 500 more of these WiMAX-equipped units are planned to be installed in and around Tokyo over the next two years, with operating company JR East expecting them to tally up 30 percent more sales than their analog brethren. More bling equals higher revenue? Sounds about right.

[Thanks, Kyle]
Gallery: Japan takes vending machines to their logical, 47-inch touchscreen extreme
Japan takes vending machines to their logical, 47-inch touchscreen extreme originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNikkei, Impress  | Email this | Comments
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Nikon D3100 bundle pops up in Best Buy database with September 18th release?
We still don't know for sure what Nikon has planned for its August 19th press event -- if we did, there wouldn't be much of a reason to have a press event. Whispers, murmurs, and other rabble rousing point to a D3100 digital SLR capable of 1080p video with continuous autofocus -- and now Best Buy is apparently lending credence to such talk. According to Nikon Rumors, SKU 1222817 has popped up in the retailer's database along with the description "Nikon D3100 DSLR w/ 18-55mm v" and a September 18th availability date (no pricing details mentioned by the site). We haven't seen the entry for ourselves yet -- and unreleased product listings in retail databases shouldn't be taken as gospel anyway -- but forgive our excitement as we look for more ways to both keep our Nikon quota and oust the aging D3000 from our arsenal.
Nikon D3100 bundle pops up in Best Buy database with September 18th release? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNikon Rumors  | Email this | Comments
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Verizon Motorola Droid 2 sales begin (update: product walkthrough video)
Is it tomorrow already? Must be because the Droid 2 is now up for sale on Verizon. $199 plus a two-year commitment takes home this Android 2.2 (Froyo) QWERTY slider with 3.7-inch 480x854 WVGA display, 8GB of internal memory plus another 8GB on microSD, and 5 megapixel camera. And unlike the original Droid just updated with Android 2.2, Verizon hasn't crippled the 3G mobile WiFi hotspot capability this time, instead offering it as a $20 / month add-on. Order now if you can't wait for Thursday's in-store availability or the R2-D2 edition slated to arrive next month.

Update: Hey, it looks like our ol' pal Derek is back, this time walking us through the finer points of Motorola's new Droid 2. Hop on past the break for his refreshingly enthusiastic take.

[Thanks, Jeffrey]Continue reading Verizon Motorola Droid 2 sales begin (update: product walkthrough video)
Verizon Motorola Droid 2 sales begin (update: product walkthrough video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceVerizon  | Email this | Comments
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Apple Peel 520 gets a white finish, odds placed on beating white iPhone 4 to market
If you're gonna proverbially bear hug your iPod touch into a working cellular device, might as well get it in the trendiest color available, right? The Apple Peel 520 has now been shown off in white, a more stylish option for those wanting a case, extended battery, and freedom from the shackles of limited SIM options (at the expense of some functionality and ease of use, naturally). Still in production with no release date, but hey, if you're the sort who likes to live on the outer fringes of consumer electronics, keep this import in mind. No promises it'll work with whatever Apple has up its sleeve next, though.
Permalink M.I.C. Gadget  |  sourceCNMO  | Email this | Comments
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Motorola Droid Android 2.2 Froyo OTA updates are go
Judging by the deluge of tips that just hit our inbox, it looks like Verizon just pulled the trigger and released the Android 2.2 Froyo over-the-air update for its venerable Droid handset. At least it has for some lucky owners. So tell us, did you get yours?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Motorola Droid Android 2.2 Froyo OTA updates are go originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Motorola XT806 Android flip phone strikes a pose on Chinese website
You'd think Motorola would be done for the summer after pushing out the much anticipated Droid 2, but no -- apparently it has yet more Android handsets to deliver before it could head to the beach. Spotted on a Chinese regulatory website is this XT806 flip phone, which is destined for China Telecom's CDMA2000 network. Like the other MING handsets, the main selling point here is the Chinese handwriting input on the 3.6-inch 854 x 480 LCD screen -- no word on touchscreen type, but we'd be surprised if it isn't resistive. The phone -- powered by a 600MHz TI OMAP3430 chip -- also comes with microSD explansion, FM radio, Bluetooth, WLAN of some sort, and a 5 megapixel camera that does 720p video. As for which version of Android, no idea, but we'd still pick the MT810 over this newbie any day.
Motorola XT806 Android flip phone strikes a pose on Chinese website originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Engadget Chinese  |  sourceTENAA  | Email this | Comments
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HTC EVO 4G Froyo .6 update starts OTA rollout for early adopters
Sure, XDADevelopers has had an unofficial fix for a few days, but we understand your hesitation -- installing custom firmware is how you got burned in the first place. Thankfully for you, HTC is now beaming the official EVO 4G patch over the airwaves, which updates your tainted 3.26.561.3 dairy dessert to a more toothsome 3.26.561.6. Just scoot on over to Settings > System Updates and invoke the download -- assuming Sprint is being nice in your area -- or wait it out and your handset might even update itself.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC EVO 4G Froyo .6 update starts OTA rollout for early adopters originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceSprint Community  | Email this | Comments
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webOS 1.4.5 finally coming today on Sprint? (update: it's out!)
Looks like a long-overdue maintenance release is inbound for Pre and Pixi users on Sprint -- and if the changelogs on Sprint's site are accurate, it's getting pushed as soon as... well, right now. webOS 1.4.5 doesn't bring any exciting new features, per se, but it's got a handful of bug fixes that should make your life a tad more pleasant -- including something called "battery optimization," which is always a good thing when it comes to a power-chugging smartphone like the Pre. For the record, this particular build was supposed to have hit in early July, but for whatever reason, it fell off the map -- let's hope the same doesn't happen with webOS 2.0, yeah?

Update: And now we're getting numerous reports that the update is rolling out to the Sprint Pre faithful. Anyone feeling left out?
webOS 1.4.5 finally coming today on Sprint? (update: it's out!) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PreCentral  |  sourceSprint (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
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Fiber optics get political in Australia as opposition party vows to scale down national broadband plan
When Australia goes to the polls on August 21st, citizens will vote for more than men and the traditional issues they represent -- the ballots cast will directly impact the country's national broadband plan. Where Australia's ruling Labor party had pledged A$43 billion for an up-to-100Mbps fiber optic network fed directly to 90 99 percent of homes (and agreed to pay A$11 billion to Telstra) over the next seven to eight years, the opposing Liberal-National coalition says if elected, it will scrap that notion in favor of a cheaper A$6.3 billion plan. That money would create a fiber-optic backbone by 2017 but actually connects homes with hybrid fiber-coaxial connections, DSL and about A$2 billion worth of wireless, with a minimum promised speed of 12Mbps. The coalition says these services would cover 97 percent of Australians, with satellite coverage for the final 3 percent, and that those networks receiving funds from the project and connecting to the backbone would have to compete based on pricing (set by the country's Competition and Consumer Commission) and pledge open access. Having never lived in Australia ourselves, we don't know what's best, but we're pretty sure we wouldn't be satisfied with the 12Mbps end of the Liberal-National stick.

Update: Labor plan is to bring 100Mbps to 99 percent of the population, not 90 percent as originally stated.
Permalink   |  sourceLiberal Party of Australia  | Email this | Comments
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Microsoft Research reveals RearType, puts QWERTY back where it belongs
We've seen a few wacky split keyboards in our day, and even the occasional back-typing peripheral, but Microsoft Research has just congealed the core ideas into a why-didn't-I-think-of-that device for mobile use. Dubbed RearType, the QWERTY solution literally sticks a three-row keyboard on the back of a tablet PC, allowing users to have the same physical sensation as on laptop or desktop without taking up valuable touchscreen real estate. While there's still a few kinks to be worked out of the system (like how to set it down without triggering input) and no plans yet for commercial availability, a brief study showed users could attain 15WPM speeds on average with a single hour of training, and one participant managed to eke out a healthy 47WPM in the same timeframe. We imagine a certain Motorola device is feeling a mite jealous right about now. See the front of the (non-Microsoft) tablet right after the break, and read the full study at our more coverage link.Continue reading Microsoft Research reveals RearType, puts QWERTY back where it belongs
Microsoft Research reveals RearType, puts QWERTY back where it belongs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceZDNet  | Email this | Comments
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iPod touch coming in a 'few weeks' with dual cameras and Retina Display, suggests John Gruber
The sun will rise, pigeons will annoy, and Daring Fireball's John Gruber will get inside scoops on Apple product releases. So it goes. This time he's touching on, erm, the iPod touch, making an offhand (though firmly declarative) comment on a post about the Dell Streak: "if you wait a few weeks to buy the Touch, you'll get one with a Retina Display and dual cameras." The man's not one to fool around with such matters, so we tend to believe him here. It also helps that nothing he's saying would be really surprising -- a new iPod in September? With features trickled down from the most recent iPhone? Then again, that camera has proved elusive before.
Permalink   |  sourceDaring Fireball  | Email this | Comments
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University of Calgary succeeds in building a neurochip out of silicon, human brain cells
39diggsdiggScientists at the University of Calgary have teamed up with the National Research Council Canada to put a network of human brain cells on a microchip -- in effect creating a (tiny) brain on a chip. Until now, when scientists wanted to monitor brain cells, they could only monitor one or two simultaneously, but with this new neurochip, large groups of cells can be placed on the chip and observed in detail, as they go about their business "networking and performing automatic, large-scale drug screening for various brain dysfunctions," according to PhysOrg. But that's just the beginning! This sort of advance could someday lead to neurochip implants for driving artificial limbs, treatments for strokes and brain trauma, and more. The Globe and Mail even mentions the possibility that living neurons could be combined with silicon circuits to create an "organic computer." From that point it's only a matter of time before you're jacking into cyberspace with your Dixie Flatline ROM.
Permalink   |  sourcePhysOrg  | Email this | Comments
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Samsung's Galaxy Tab said to be debuting at IFA next month
We'd already heard that Samsung's 7-inch Android-based tablet (apparently known as the Galaxy Tab) would be rolling out sometime in the third quarter of this year, and it looks like we now also know when it'll be making its official debut. According to South Korea's JoongAng Daily, an unnamed "high-ranking official" at Samsung has confirmed that the device will be officially unveiled at IFA, which kicks off September 3rd in Berlin. No more new details beyond that, unfortunately, but previous reports have suggested that the device will match its smartphone counterpart with an AMOLED display, and boast some decent specs across the board, including Android 2.2, a 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor, 16GB of on-board memory, and both WiFi and 3G connectivity.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab said to be debuting at IFA next month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink OLED-Display.net  |  sourceJoongAng Daily  | Email this | Comments
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Intuitfocus HF-IF1 enables 'handsfree' follow-focus on DSLRs
Given that even the professionals are swapping in DSLRs for those bulky, pricey camcorders, it's about time Intuitfocus solved a century-old problem: touching the focus ring to focus. In an effort to eliminate the focus puller from your payroll while also placing more control of a shot in the hands of a single filmmaker, the HF-IF1 handsfree, electro-mechanical follow-focus system enables DSLR focus to be altered by simply thumbing through a wheel. The rig can be used to dictate focus, zoom or aperture on all DSLRs with lenses from 14mm to 600mm, though the company does mention that not every single lens will play nice. As you'd expect, this essentially eliminates shake introduced by having to touch the focus ring, and it ships with a foursome of various rubber belt sizes for various lens diameters. It's scheduled to ship next month at an undisclosed amount, and we're desperately hoping that the company chooses Dancing Pigeons to showcase its magic. A boy can dream, right? Promo clip follows the break, should you find yourself interested.Continue reading Intuitfocus HF-IF1 enables 'handsfree' follow-focus on DSLRs
Intuitfocus HF-IF1 enables 'handsfree' follow-focus on DSLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDP Review  | Email this | Comments
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Plastic Logic kills QUE, 'shifts focus' to second-generation ProReader
And just like that, with the swing of a virtual axe, she's all dead and buried. Plastic Logic has been stuck in a world of perpetual delays ever since wowing the universe with its QUE ProReader at CES, and rather than delaying it again, the company is simply cutting its losses and moving on. To quote CEO Richard Archuleta: "We recognize the market has dramatically changed, and with the product delays we have experienced, it no longer make sense for us to move forward with our first generation electronic reading product." To that end, the company plans to "shift its focus to bring to market a second-generation ProReader plastic electronics-based product," but absolutely no details regarding form factor, pricing or an estimated ship date are given. Wilder still, those rumors about a company sale have coincidentally (or not?) flared up again, with the Financial Times stating this go 'round that Plastic Logic could sell a "significant stake" of itself to Rusnano, a Russian state-owned nanotechnology corporation. We're told that the two are currently "in discussions," and that if a deal is reached, Plastic Logic's production facility for this elusive next-gen product would have to be based in Russia. We can't say we're completely shocked at the outcome here, but we're man enough to shed a tear at our loss. Rest easy, QUE -- at least we had our times.Continue reading Plastic Logic kills QUE, 'shifts focus' to second-generation ProReader
Plastic Logic kills QUE, 'shifts focus' to second-generation ProReader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Good Reader  |  sourceFinancial Times  | Email this | Comments
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Report: Amazon building prototype hardware other than Kindle

The New York Times' Bits blog is reporting that "people with direct knowledge" of Amazon's plans say that Lab 126 -- the division of the company which designed the Kindle -- is currently looking into other hardware, i.e. devices that are not the Kindle. One unnamed source reports that such devices would be a "means to an end," meant to enable easy purchasing of Amazon's content, which currently includes music, movies, and digital books. The source said that CEO Jeff Bezos' intent for Lab 126 was initially to build multiple devices -- including apparent discussions to enter the mobile phone market -- but that the Kindle eventually became the main hardware focus. The report also notes that Amazon's hardware division currently has about 80 job openings, which would lend credence to the idea that more devices could be on the way.
Report: Amazon building prototype hardware other than Kindle originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceBits  | Email this | Comments
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Mercedes SLS AMG and Isle of Man take center stage in 'world's fastest 3D car film'
Frankly, you could've stopped at "Mercedes SLS AMG" and "Isle of Man," but toss in ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, a litany of 3D cameras, helicopters and a closed section of the Mountain Road... and well, you've got magic in the making. The crew here set out to create the "world's fastest 3D film," and honestly, we aren't in any position to doubt 'em. We're also guessing that this 4 minute and 2 second masterpiece will be looped in Benz dealerships around the world, and for good reason. Word has it that the clip will be shown on Sky 3D across the pond, but there's no telling when it'll grace three-dee screens in North America and beyond. While we wait, feast your senses on the 2D version just beyond the break.Continue reading Mercedes SLS AMG and Isle of Man take center stage in 'world's fastest 3D car film'
Permalink NitroBahn  |  sourcePiston Heads  | Email this | Comments
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Is this the Samsung NX100 interchangeable lens camera?
Samsung's been dishing quite a few pocketable cameras of late, but it seems as if its NX100 may have slipped out a few moments before showtime. The screen capture you're looking at above was snagged from the end of a new National Geographic promo video -- one that was uploaded on August 5th but has already been pulled back. Rumor has it that the white device there on the right is a forthcoming NX100, which would make it the latest in Sammy's promising NX line of interchangeable lens cameras. There's obviously no telling what kind of components lie beneath the shell, but the grab does give us reason to believe at least a few new lenses are also on the horizon. We'd say that this lines up nicely for an official reveal at Photokina, but you already knew that, didn't you?

Update: And now we're hearing that the NX100 will make its official debut at IFA in just under a month. Huzzah!
Is this the Samsung NX100 interchangeable lens camera? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Engadget Spanish  |  sourcePhoto Rumors  | Email this | Comments
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Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices able to get just about anything online
Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices to get your game console, laptop, or just about anything online
Is your wireless adapter pumping out signals using a letter designation lower than N? If so, think of all that delicious speed you're missing. Buffalo is here to give you a taste with three new Wireless-N devices, priced such that they'll fit into most budgets. First up is a fairly standard router, the WCR-GN, sporting 802.11n WiFi and four Ethernet ports in a cool white design for a mere $40. Then there's the WLAE-AG300N, a dual-port access point designed for making a pair of wired game consoles or the like wireless. That is a little more pricey, at $80, but the final product, the smallest of the bunch, brings us back down to $40. It's the WLI-UC-GNM, a USB 2.0 802.11n adapter that is barely bigger than the port it fits in, poking out just far enough for you to pull the thing back out again. All three are pictured in the gallery below, and all three should be shipping soon.
Gallery: Buffalo Wireless-N Devices
Continue reading Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices able to get just about anything online
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Saudi Arabia pleased by RIM's concession, says BlackBerry messaging can stay for now
The forty-eight hour deadline came and went, but Saudi Arabia didn't pull the plug -- citing a "positive development" in RIM's efforts to appease Saudi regulators, the country has allowed BlackBerry messaging services to continue for the time being. Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) didn't specify what the aforementioned "development" was, but thanks to well-placed anonymous sources we can hazard a guess: "CITC will now be able to monitor communications via messaging services," one Saudi telecom official told the Wall Street Journal, and Reuters reports that RIM will hand over BlackBerry decryption codes to the country. That's all for now, but expect this issue to bubble back to the surface again in the United Arab Emirates come October.
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Dell Streak on sale August 13 for $300 on AT&T contract, $550 without
17diggsdigg After a brief delay in getting the ball rolling stateside, Dell's finally ready to start selling its Streak this Friday to all comers. If you go for a new two-year contract through AT&T, you'll be paying $299.99; if you value your freedom, though, you'll be looking at $549.99 out the door -- oh, and if you signed up for the pre-sale, you'll be able to place your order a day earlier on the 12th. Unfortunately, we don't have any indication that it'll be launching with anything newer than Android 1.6, so let's hope that juicy 2.1 update with 720p video capture wastes no time getting rolled out. Follow the break for the full press release.Continue reading Dell Streak on sale August 13 for $300 on AT&T contract, $550 without
Dell Streak on sale August 13 for $300 on AT&T contract, $550 without originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Screen Grabs: EVO 4G captures illicit in-progress surgery on The Closer
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

The Sprint badge on our EVO 4G definitely isn't lit up in florescent yellow, but the logo on Sgt. David Gabriel's sure is. During last night's episode of The Closer, Brenda's right hand men were instructed to bust out their cellphones in order to videotape a crime in progress, with the "crime" being the removal of a rapist's heart for transplant into a young, innocent lady back at the hospital. We'll spare you the gory, sticky details, but suffice it to say this 8 megapixel shooter definitely proved valuable when it came time to show and tell. Oh, and didn't 4G just go live in the Los Angeles area? Man, talk about a timely appearance...
Gallery: HTC EVO 4G appears on The Closer
Screen Grabs: EVO 4G captures illicit in-progress surgery on The Closer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Engadget's back to school guide: docks and alarms
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got docks and alarms in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides.



Whether you're simply looking for something to put on your bedside table or considering an iPod dock to replace a bulky stereo, you now have more devices than ever to choose from, which can be a tad overwhelming if you're trying to stay on budget and still get something decent. As usual, however, we're here to help, and have rounded up a range of docks and alarms that should more than satisfy at any price point.Continue reading Engadget's back to school guide: docks and alarms
Engadget's back to school guide: docks and alarms originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP tells employees webOS tablet coming Q1 2011
We've been trying to find out when HP would launch a webOS tablet since the company first bought Palm, and we're now hearing from several trusted sources that it'll be calendar Q1 2011. We're told Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley mentioned the date during an all-hands employee meeting yesterday, and that the project is indeed known internally as "Hurricane." (We're assuming this is what that PalmPad trademark filing was for, but we can't confirm that.) Shipping a killer tablet would be one way to change the subject from ex-CEO Mark Hurd's recent troubles, we suppose -- but we're definitely wondering if HP is actually going to support three different tablet operating systems after it launches the Windows 7-based Slate for the enterprise and the Android-based Zeen e-reader tablet for consumers as well. We'll see -- Q1 could be mighty interesting.
HP tells employees webOS tablet coming Q1 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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WSJ: Google 'agonizing' over user privacy, 'vision document' suggests selling data
It was just last week that the Wall Street Journal reported Microsoft's decision to limit private browsing in IE8 as part of its ongoing series on online privacy, and today the focus is on Google, which is said be "agonizing" over the balance between user privacy and advertising opportunities. It's a long piece that you should read in full, but essentially the WSJ claims that Larry Page and Sergey Brin have gone from strictly forbidding any efforts to track users online to a more subtle interpretation of their famous "don't be evil" motto which allows them to leverage user data and sell finely targeted ads without "exploiting customers." According to the WSJ, the change in attitude came with the rise of upstart ad firms that lacked Google's scruples and the search giant's purchase of DoubleClick, which led to Google's first use of cookies. What's more, once at Google, former DoubleClick exec Aitan Weinberg produced a seven-page "vision document" that outlined several strategies to profit from user data, ranging from building a "trading platform" for user data to allowing users to pay directly and get rid of ads all together. (Google says the document was for "brainstorming" and that some of the proposals are "complete non-starters.")

The WSJ also says Google's working hard on that rumored social networking service to go head-to-head with Facebook, complete with a "like" button it can put across the web to build an even better profile of your likes and dislikes, and that the company is considering mixing user data from across services like Gmail and Google Checkout to make those profiles even deeper, all while trying to balance privacy, security, and legal interests. This balance appears to be causing significant tension between everyone at Google, Larry and Sergey included: the WSJ says the two founders have had shouting matches over things like selling "interest-based" ads, and that Sergey has been more reluctant than Larry to take advantage of user data. Like we said, it's a good read, so hit the source link and get to it.
WSJ: Google 'agonizing' over user privacy, 'vision document' suggests selling data originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Clear iSpot review
Lately, the notion of getting Apple's ever-growing line of mobile devices connected to 3G and 4G networks is attracting a lot of attention from carriers that aren't AT&T -- take Sprint's Overdrive case for the iPad, for instance -- but not in a million years did we think Clear would go so far as to create a mobile hotspot designed exclusively for them. In some ways, that's taking respect for the Apple ecosystem to a whole new level. Of course, even the most die-hard Apple fanatics probably own a WiFi-capable device or three that doesn't hail from Cupertino, so the usefulness of Clear's iSpot is definitely limited -- by design, of course. In exchange for the gimping, you pay just $25 a month for unlimited, blazingly fast WiMAX data with no contract, which is insanely cheap by modern standards -- especially in an era when many carriers are moving to data caps.

So just how useful is the iSpot? Does it work as advertised? And perhaps more importantly, can it be used to... ahem, do things it's not intended to do, if you catch our drift? Read on.
Gallery: Clear iSpot review
Continue reading Clear iSpot review
Clear iSpot review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Toshiba Wipe deletes your encrypted data so you don't have to
Toshiba announced a new self-encrypting disk technology today, which is sure to be welcome news to the those of you who work with sensitive data, wish to keep your extensive True Blood fanfiction collection under wraps, or are just plain paranoid. The imaginatively named Wipe ships with the company's TCG-spec'd Self-Encrypting Drive models, allowing sysadmins to securely erase user data when a machine powers down, when an encrypted HDD is removed from the system, or when a leased machine is returned to its owner. And this ain't just for PCs -- the system is also designed to work with your copier and / or printer system. Interested? Of course you are! Check out the PR after the break -- it's primo stuff.
Continue reading Toshiba Wipe deletes your encrypted data so you don't have to
Toshiba Wipe deletes your encrypted data so you don't have to originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A week under surveillance: Logitech Alert Video Security System review
A week under surveillance: Logitech Alert Video Security System review
Logitech dropped its Alert Video Security System on our laps just before we were allowed to tell the world about it -- not nearly enough time to put it through its paces. Since then we've spent a week beneath its piercing gaze, afraid to scratch inappropriately lest that movement be recorded forever onto the cold, merciless memory of network-attached storage. In that time we found living with Alert to be generally entertaining, sometimes frustrating, and occasionally disconcerting. How so? Read on to find out.
Gallery: Logitech Alert Digital Video Security system
Continue reading A week under surveillance: Logitech Alert Video Security System review
A week under surveillance: Logitech Alert Video Security System review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Metamaterials used to focus Terahertz lasers, make them useful
Forget old and busted X-rays, T-rays are the future, man! It was only recently that we were discussing Terahertz lasers and their potential to see through paper, clothes, plastic, flesh, and other materials, but that discourse had to end on the sad note that nobody had managed to make them usable in a practical and economically feasible way. The major hurdle to overcome was the diffusion of Terahertz radiation -- which results in weak, unfocused lasers -- but now researchers from the universities of Harvard and Leeds seem to believe they've managed to do it. Using metamaterials to collimate T-rays into a "tightly bound, high powered beam" will, they claim, permit semiconductor lasers (i.e. the affordable kind) to perform the duties currently set aside for sophisticated machinery costing upwards of $160,000. Harvard has already filed a patent application for this innovation, and if things pan out, we might be seeing body scanners (both for medical and security purposes), manufacturing quality checks, and a bunch of other things using the extra special THz stuff to do their work.
Metamaterials used to focus Terahertz lasers, make them useful originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Notion Ink Adam delayed, this time investors are to blame (updated!)
The last time we brought you news of Notion Ink's long awaited Adam things weren't looking good, but we had some hope since its CEO Rohan Shravan assured us that it would hit some markets in Q3. He also promised that a pre-order page for the Tegra 2-powered, Pixel Qi-sporting slate would launch soon. It really does pain us to say this, but it doesn't look like any of that's going to be happening anytime soon -- we've received word that the company has lost a great deal of cash and that some of its major investors walked away a few weeks ago. As we've heard it, the company missed its July / August timeline to ramp up manufacturing because of a very big loss from an early investor. As such, the India-based company had to look for new funding, and apparently seek out a new manufacturer. We're told they've secured more cash now, but things are on shaky ground. Shravan wouldn't comment on the news, but he did tell us that he still plans to bring the Adam to market before the end of 2010. We admire that persistence and certainly believe the Adam is one of the more innovative tablets out there, but we're gonna hold on to these tissues until we see an order page and some real evidence that things are turning around for the start-up.

Updated: Slashgear has an in-depth rundown of Notion Ink's saga. We've still been told that the company has been delayed in bringing the Adam to market because of funding issues, though it has now acquired more cash. Apparently, if all goes as planned, it will begin manufacturing in November and ship later that month or in December. That lines up with what Shravan told us, but again, we will believe it when we see it.

Update 2: Here's Shravan's official statement...
"We will have the device before the year ends. It will be introduced at a major event after which you can order it online. It has to be placed strategically, as this is our maiden effort. Whatever has happened cannot be changed, but with the support we are getting from all, we might just become a part of the history. Also on the pricing, all the 3 devices will be lower than even the basic model of iPad."
Notion Ink Adam delayed, this time investors are to blame (updated!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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مرسلة بواسطة Abdalrhman Albayyat
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