Thursday, September 2, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 02/09/2010



Live from Sony IFA 2010 press event
We just landed at Sony's IFA 2010 press event. You know what that means: put on your 3D specs. In fact, just in case we didn't get the subtle hint of the 3D glasses sitting on our chair, there's a 3D intro video playing right this very second to put us in the mood.Continue reading Live from Sony IFA 2010 press event
Live from Sony IFA 2010 press event originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse seriously, finally, officially announced, doesn't ship until December
After the overt teasing, leaking, and then more leaking, Microsoft's finally ready to spit out the details on its Arc Touch Mouse, which at the end of the day is really just... a mouse. As we've seen, the peripheral has an incredibly unique design -- the flat device arches its back to click into a mountain shape, which actually ends up powering the little rodent up. So, where does the whole "touch" factor come into play? Well, very similarly to the Mad Catz Eclipse mouse, the Arc Touch has a capacitive touch strip with sensor pads between the mouse buttons that can be used for scrolling and customizable shortcuts. We've got you covered with some hands-on impressions and video after the break, but that's about all you'll be getting for a while since the press release below says the $69.95 mouse won't hit the market until December. Yep, December! That's a bit odd to us, but they'll be taking pre-orders today so hit the break to finally see this thing push the cursor around.
Gallery: Microsoft Arc Touch mouse press shots
Continue reading Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse seriously, finally, officially announced, doesn't ship until December
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Samsung is still down with PMP, announces YP-Q3 and YP-U6 players (video)
Samsung is still down with PMP, announces YP-Q3 and YP-U6 players (video)
Lots of companies are moving their focus to more capable devices, but Samsung is still here to fulfill your simple media playback needs with a few new PMPs. First is the YP-Q3, shown above, a compact and stylish player with support for plenty of formats (H.264, WMV, Xvid, MP3, OGG, etc.) and also packing an FM receiver and voice recorder. No word on pricing or capacity, but it will be offered in a variety of colors and has a highly-customizable UI, shown in the oontzy video after the break. Then there's the rather more compact YP-U6 MP3 stick, pictured after the break with its wee display that can show either the currently playing track or, apparently, how many calories you've burned -- presumably through some accelerometer trickery. No price on this one either, but we expect to be getting some quality time with both at IFA in very short order.Continue reading Samsung is still down with PMP, announces YP-Q3 and YP-U6 players (video)
Samsung is still down with PMP, announces YP-Q3 and YP-U6 players (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple's fall event happens today at 10AM PT / 1PM ET, and we'll be there live!
So it's just around the corner. What are we going to see? Some new iPods? A revamped Apple TV? Updates to iTunes? iOS 4 for the iPad? A fix to your heartbreaking antenna problem? New, brightly colored iShoes? Or all of the above? It's hard to say, but luckily Engadget will be covering Apple's latest event live with up-to-the-minute coverage. As usual, we'll be providing the best liveblogging in the business, so you can just kick back with a cool drink and enjoy the show.

Tune in at this URL at the times below today for all the action!

07:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
02:00AM - Tokyo (September 2nd)
Apple's fall event happens today at 10AM PT / 1PM ET, and we'll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lenovo launches AMD-packing IdeaPad U165 ultraportable in Czech Republic, nowhere else?
Lenovo launches AMD-packing IdeaPad U165 ultraportable in Czech Republic, apparently nowhere else
We weren't particularly impressed with the IdeaPad U160 when we recently reviewed it, giving it a score of five out of 10 thanks to disappointing battery life and a high price. Lenovo, it seems, looking to bridge that gap to a perfect score has announced the U165, which is apparently five more. It ditches the U160's Intel internals, going for AMD Athlon II processors and ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics. Other specs remain similar, including the 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 display, up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, 802.11n WiFi, and Bluetooth. The U165 is shipping now, but curiously it appears to be only available in the Czech Republic, where it's selling for 9990 CZK -- about $520. Compared to the $1,149 U160 that seems like a smoking deal to us.
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Fujifilm ships second-gen Real 3D camera, calls it W3
Fujifilm ships second-gen Real 3D series, calls it W3
W2? We don't need no stinkin' W2. Fujifilm skipped right over that for W3 when deciding what to call its second-gen Real 3D camera. The W1 model didn't exactly fare well in the hands of reviewers, but hopefully the rather more sleek looking W3 can do the deed, offering a larger, 3.5-inch glasses-free 3D LCD display along with HDMI 1.4 output and dual 10 megapixel sensors. Yes, the same number of pixels as before, but this version can make better use of them, stepping up to 720p video recording from the former's VGA. You'll get all that for the same price as the old one: $499.
Fujifilm ships second-gen Real 3D camera, calls it W3 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ViewSonic ViewPad 7 video hands-on
We just got a chance to mess around with ViewSonic's upcoming ViewPad 7 (one of possibly four tablets they plan to release this year), and while it is indeed a plastic rebadge me-too Android tablet, we mean that in the best sense. Let's take these one by one:
  • Plastic: It looks and feels enough like metal / glass that we won't fault ViewSonic for the cost savings here.
  • Rebadge: ViewSonic has an exclusive on this design for its particular markets (Europe), while the OlivePad is doing its version over in India.
  • Me-too: This might be the biggest knock, since ViewSonic is dropping the ViewPad into a world that's going to be up to its knees in 7-inch Android tablets in a few month's time.
ViewSonic wins points for an above average build quality, better than crappy LCD (it's not great, but we've seen a lot worse, and the capacitive response is just fine), passable processor (a 600MHz Snapdragon won't win any bake-offs, but it also makes Android 2.2 completely usable in our opinion), and better-than-Augen Google blessing. Check out our video hands-on after the break.
Gallery: ViewSonic ViewPad 7 hands-on
Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 7 video hands-on
ViewSonic ViewPad 7 video hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Boxee Box QWERTY remote hits the FCC, its innards splayed asunder
It's been a long, long time since we first got our hands on the Boxee Box QWERTY remote. Since then the device went through something of an existential crisis before suffering a sad delay. Now we have some encouraging news for its planned November release date: the QWERTY remote has hit the FCC. Called simply the "Remote controller" (model numbers DSM-221, DSM-22), it looks to have passed with flying colors, the FCC celebrating by ripping it to bits and photographing every piece of exposed silicon. Want to see the cruel results? We have a taste after the break, but for the rest of the grisly photos you'll have to hit that source link.Continue reading Boxee Box QWERTY remote hits the FCC, its innards splayed asunder
Boxee Box QWERTY remote hits the FCC, its innards splayed asunder originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Logitech takes its wireless Z515 and tethered Z305 speakers on the road
Sure, that laptop you're staring out might have been purchased by your company's IT department, but who hasn't snuck on a film or game to fill the desperate void between PowerPoint presentations and time sheets? Problem is, those teeny tiny tinny laptop speakers aren't exactly immersive. That's where Logitech comes in with its new Laptop Speaker Z305 ($99.99, pictured above). A compact USB speaker that hangs off the open display to deliver 360-degree audio that will "fill the room," according to Logitech -- no additional software required. Otherwise, why not untether with Logitech's Wireless Speaker Z515 (pictured after the break) when it arrives for $59.99. The Z515 offers a range of about 50 feet (15 meters) over a 2.4GHz USB dongle with up to 10 hours of life from its rechargeable battery. Both will be available for purchase in the US and Europe begining this month. See the pitch in the video after the break.Continue reading Logitech takes its wireless Z515 and tethered Z305 speakers on the road
Logitech takes its wireless Z515 and tethered Z305 speakers on the road originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceLogitech (Z15), Logitech (Z305)  | Email this | Comments
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LG teases world's thinnest (2.9mm) OLED television, other goodies ahead of IFA
We didn't catch any glimpses of an Optimus Pad or anything even close to the monstrous 180-inch plasma we've been hearing about, but a quick stroll through LG's still-under-construction facilities at IFA today revealed the kiosk for its insanely thin 31-inch 3D OLED television, whose price (if it ever even hits retail, that is) is likely to make even Black Card holders squirm. All told, LG's booth consumes an entire floor of one of Messe Berlin's many halls, so it's a big one; the emphasis is clearly on its flat panel TVs, though there are dedicated areas for its Blu-ray gear and store kiosk solution as well. More on all this after the show opens on Friday, no doubt!
Gallery: LG teases world's thinnest (2.9mm) OLED television, other goodies ahead of IFA
LG teases world's thinnest (2.9mm) OLED television, other goodies ahead of IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sprint adds Boston, Daytona Beach and Providence to its 4G coverage map
Sprint's treating the East Coast to a shot of adrenaline-fueled mobile internet today, with Daytona Beach in Florida, Providence in Rhode Island, and Boston (you know the state, right?) all getting the green light for 4G activation. Notably, this takes the number of markets Sprint has now lit up in sexy WiMAX airwaves beyond 50 and ratchets up the states that have at least some coverage up to 21. It's also jolly good news for any residents of those three cities that were lustily eyeing the Epic or EVO 4G but felt they couldn't justify it without an actual 4G network to hook up to.

[Thanks, Nick]Continue reading Sprint adds Boston, Daytona Beach and Providence to its 4G coverage map
Sprint adds Boston, Daytona Beach and Providence to its 4G coverage map originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We're live from IFA 2010!
You may not be familiar with the Internationalen Funkausstellung Berlin -- better known as IFA -- but it's a positively massive consumer electronics trade show with a European slant, and this year marks its 50th in the game. 3D television technologies and Android tablets are the early favorites to be the big themes at the show, but with LG, Samsung, and Sony all figuring prominently into the equation, it's anybody's guess what kinds of surprises we're going to see over the next few days. Though the show officially kicks off this Friday, some press conferences actually start today -- so keep a keen eye out for coverage!

Protip: Use our "ifa2010" tag for all the IFA news this week!
We're live from IFA 2010! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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XF105 and XF100: Canon's smallest professional camcorders yet
Be clear on this, Canon's XF105 and XF100 camcorders are for professional videographers. Sure, they're compact enough to temp any new father... just as long as he's interested in recording his princess' first steps to hot-swappable Compact Flash cards in either 1080/60i/30p/24p or 720/60p/30p/24p using Canon's MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps XF codec. Although crowned Canon's smallest professional camcorders, both manage to feature infrared and stereoscopic 3-D shooting capabilities (using OIS Lens Shift to optically align a pair of XF105 or XF100 shooters), a DIGIC DV III Image Processor, and a Full HD CMOS sensor for native 1920 x 1080 HD video. The two models differ only in support for HD-SDI output: the XF105 has it, the XF100 doesn't. Look for them at retail sometime in the first quarter of 2011.Continue reading XF105 and XF100: Canon's smallest professional camcorders yet
XF105 and XF100: Canon's smallest professional camcorders yet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PS3 homebrew jailbreak released into the wilds
Poor, poor Sony. First PSJailbreak splayed wide the PS3's security model, now PSGroove has arrived calling itself the "open source PSjailbreak." The code must first be downloaded and installed onto a $30ish AT90USBkey or a $25ish Teensy++ USB development board. After that, homebrew enthusiasts can then execute unsigned third-party apps and games on their PS3. At the moment, the ability to boot ISO files (read: pirated or "backup" games) is temporarily disabled. But we're sure that some of the internet's more nefarious types will find their way around that. Cat, welcome to the world outside of the bag.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PS3 homebrew jailbreak released into the wilds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Creative's new gaming headset can tell up from down
Creative's latest cans may not have the pizazz of a wireless World of Warcraft rig, but they've got one feature guaranteed to make hardcore PC gamers swoon -- they claim to be the very first to offer truly three-dimensional surround sound. Embued with the latest revision of Creative's THX software collaboration (dubbed THX TruStudio Pro) the Sound Blaster Tactic 3D series "delivers a 360 degree surround sound gaming experience so gamers can hear sounds clearly from the front, back, above and below." There's also a set of customizable audio profiles so you can tune all the other presumably-more-powerful TruStudio algorithms just the way you like, though it's not clear whether Creative's included on-board memory or just has a desktop app. In terms of hardware, the $60 Tactic 3D Alpha comes with 40mm drivers, a USB audio adapter and a detachable noise-canceling microphone, while $90 buys you the Tactic 3D Sigma with larger 50mm drivers and a steel headband as well when both debut later this month. We have to admit, we're curious to hear for ourselves whether they work as advertised -- they sound like just the thing for a nice, relaxing Portal speedrun. Full PR after the break.Continue reading Creative's new gaming headset can tell up from down
Creative's new gaming headset can tell up from down originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video)
Good news for UK mobile addicts: Orange's long-anticipated HD Voice service has officially made it to the Land of Hope and Glory. Starting today, British customers can pick up a HD Voice-enabled handset -- including the Nokia 5230, X6, E5 and Samsung Omnia Pro at launch -- from Orange, and start buttering their ears with "crystal clear" phone calls while within the carrier's 3G coverage. Prior to the launch, we were fortunate enough to try out the new service on a couple of Nokia E5 prototypes in Piccadilly Circus, and boy, that was some pretty impressive stuff there -- the wider speech bandwidth really added a lot of clarity to the caller's voice, and additionally, the noisy traffic from the caller's end was well suppressed at where it'd otherwise crackle over a normal call. Perhaps the easiest way to put it is that this is much like jumping from a bad FM radio broadcast to some sweet CD audio, thus making conversations a lot easier to interpret, even if the recipient is in a noisy environment or has hearing problem (as proven by Orange's public trial). As always, hearing is believing, so do check out our sample audio clips after the break.

While Orange remains a dominant driving force behind this mobile revolution, the carrier assured us that it expects other companies to pick up this open standard. That said, it's rather disappointing that current owners of the aforementioned handsets won't be getitng a software patch for the HD upgrade (we were told that no extra hardware is involved), but we can understand -- the manufacturers do need to sell new phones to stay alive in this rapidly changing market. Anyhow, here's hoping that the forthcoming flagship Android and Windows Phone 7 devices will also get a taste of this crystal clear call quality.Continue reading Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video)
Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Motorola Milestone 2 arrives, 720p HD video, Android 2.2, and Motoblur Enhanced in tow
Even without yesterday's premature video promo, you had to know Motorola wouldn't leave its international audience without a successor to the Milestone, so today -- surprise, surprise -- we're being treated to the Milestone 2's launch. The first thing to be said here is that if you've handled a Droid 2, you've also handled a Milestone 2 -- the new phone follows Moto's tradition of being a simple rebadge away from the Verizon-friendly Droid naming scheme, which means it retains the same 1GHz OMAP SOC, 512MB of RAM, 5 megapixel camera, 8GB of integrated storage (plus an included 8GB MicroSD card), and Android 2.2 as the default, albeit Motoblured, OS. Also, we got this straight from the Motohorse's mouth: Motoblur's not going anywhere, it's the company's "Android solution" and is here to stay.

One advantage over the Droid 2 here is the addition of 720p video recording. It's still the exact same imager as on the back of the first Milestone, but now you can catch moving visuals in HD resolution. Moto were keen to point out the 5-device hotspot capabilities (courtesy of Froyo) on the Milestone 2, but they showed it off using a wired connection since the demo handset's O2 SIM card wouldn't permit wireless tethering. Well, that was a grand demonstration of how vulnerable our Android 2.2 goodness will be to the whims of mobile carriers. The Milestone 2's expected to launch around Europe in Q4, with carrier-dependent pricing as per usual.

Update: Hands-on video now available after the break.
Gallery: Motorola Milestone 2 hands-on
Gallery: Motorola Milestone 2 press pics
Continue reading Motorola Milestone 2 arrives, 720p HD video, Android 2.2, and Motoblur Enhanced in tow
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Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance
Remeber the Motorola i1? Moto has just added its second rugged(ish) Android handset in the 3.7-inch Gorilla Glass-fronted Defy. It's dust-, scratch-, impact-, and water-resistant. Matching up to the IP67 durability spec means it's expected to resist being submersed in up to a meter of water for up to half an hour -- making it a pretty awesome option for taking your Android to the beach, 854 x 480 is your screen resolution, backed up by an OMAP 3610 chip running at 800MHz (there had to be some tradeoffs, right?). Android 2.1 is another slight disappointment, we're not clear on why Froyo had to be left off the table, but at least Motorola has bundled Swype as the default input mechanism. Should be a boon for some, we suppose. The Defy is expected to launch across Europe in Q4 2010.

Update: Hands-on video now available after the break.
Gallery: Motorola Defy hands-on
Gallery: Motorola Defy press pics
Continue reading Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance
Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HTC Peep cooked, served a l'orange by Twitter's new authentication scheme
It's been known for some time that Twitter would be moving away from basic authentication to OAuth for third-party apps; in fact, they'd already officially pushed back the drop-dead switchover date once to mid-August before finally pulling the plug this week. Be that as it may, it makes sense that a bunch of lesser-known, less-maintained apps would fall by the wayside once the old security mechanism got shut down -- but HTC's Peep? Really? Sure enough, we've been able to confirm on our own Desire that the Twitter app HTC bundles with its Sense UI for Android is no longer working this morning, giving users an "incorrect username or password" error when they try to connect. We're not sure if they'll be able to fix this with a Market update across the board or if it'll take a bunch of firmware updates to get everyone back on the up and up, but either way, something tells us Twitter isn't going to flip the switch back on for these guys.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC Peep cooked, served a l'orange by Twitter's new authentication scheme originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PlayStation Move review
The PlayStation Move. It's funny to think just 15 months have passed since Sony first unveiled its motion controller, and now we're mere weeks away from hitting the retail market. To be sure, it's not like the company didn't have waggle on the mind already -- patents dating as far back as 2005 reveal as much, and of course the incredible success of Nintendo's Wii proved there's a market for more physically exerting gameplay. And it's not just PlayStation; Microsoft's got its controller-free Kinect motion camera system coming this November. So, in the year where all major game consoles now ask you to get off the couch and earn arm muscle, how does Move fare? Read on for more!
Gallery: PlayStation Move review
Continue reading PlayStation Move review
PlayStation Move review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony slims down, speeds up, and adds touch to its entire Reader family
With Amazon and Barnes & Noble both unleashing new e-readers under $150 it pretty much goes without saying that Sony's got to step it up, and its refreshed Reader family is what we've been expecting. Just like we'd heard and heard again, Sony's tweaked its entire Reader line up -- the Pocket, Touch, and Daily editions -- by adding improved optical touchscreens, speeding up page turns with E Ink Pearl displays and slimming down the brushed aluminum hardware. Beyond that, it's also updated its Daily Edition with WiFi -- there's still no connectivity options for the other two. We got to see all three a few days ago, so hit the break for our hands-on impressions and details on pricing and availability.
Gallery: Sony Pocket, Touch, and Daily editions hands-on
Gallery: Sony Pocket, Touch and Daily Edition press shots
Continue reading Sony slims down, speeds up, and adds touch to its entire Reader family
Sony slims down, speeds up, and adds touch to its entire Reader family originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Augen planning its next generation of tablets, not giving up without a fight
Everyone deserves a second chance, right? In the world of cheapo tablets, sure! Or at least that's our attitude when it comes to a company like Augen. Sure, it was just about a month ago that it released its $150 GenTouch78 at Kmart, but it's planning some future tablet products and hoping to right all those previous wrongs. According to the statement put out by the company, this new set of "Espresso" tablets will be unveiled at CES 2011 and will span from 7 to 10 inches diagonally. They'll still be aggressively priced and range from $200 to $400, but at least this time around it's planning for some with capacitive touchscreens. Other specs are of the fairly cookie cutter mold: WiFi, an accelerometer and more storage space. No word on what version of Android they'll run, but there's mention of a new "human friendly input." That all sounds much better than the previous GenTouch products we've seen, but by the time January rolls around there's no telling what the tablet landscape could look like. We'll be following this one to see if Augen can keep the caffeine in its system, but hit the break for the full statement and one more render.Continue reading Augen planning its next generation of tablets, not giving up without a fight
Augen planning its next generation of tablets, not giving up without a fight originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Corsair sails into gaming headset waters with noise-isolating HS1 cans
For some people, the association of Corsair and quality PC components is so strong that they'd buy anything that bears the triple sail logo. It makes perfect sense, therefore, for the company that made its name by producing memory sticks to diversify its portfolio even further, this time into gaming headsets, with the introduction of the HS1. It's a USB headset offering multichannel audio via 50mm drivers, a noise-isolating closed design, noise-cancelling and articulating mic, and inline volume and microphone mute controls. Aside from the larger than usual drivers, we're not seeing anything particularly unique here, but that ethereal quality component is rarely apparent on black and white fact sheets. Availability is said to be immediate, though our quick pricing investigation threw up only a UK pre-order for £84 ($129). So yeah, Corsair's certainly pricing the HS1 as a premium product.

[Thanks, Mark S.]Continue reading Corsair sails into gaming headset waters with noise-isolating HS1 cans
Corsair sails into gaming headset waters with noise-isolating HS1 cans originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP Mini 210 and Mini 5103 officially announced with dual-core Atom power
Netbook makers like Lenovo, Gigabyte and ASUS have been quietly releasing new systems with Intel's new mobile, dual-core N550 processor, but HP's not keeping its use of the fresh chip in 10-inch netbooks a secret... anymore. Just as we've previously heard, the professional-aimed $399 Mini 5103 will be getting a dual-core 1.5GHz processor option, which HP tells us can improve benchmark performance by up to 20 percent without a significant impact on battery life. It's also been updated with a new "espresso" color and will have HP's Day Starter instant-on OS -- no WebOS buried in there yet.

On the consumer end, the HP Mini 210 has also been refreshed -- actually, more like gutted -- with a new design. The 10.1-inch netbook is now available in a bunch of cleverly named colors, including crimson red and ocean drive, and has been revamped with a new back that integrates the battery into the bottom of the chassis. Don't worry: the battery is still swappable and you can open the bottom cover to replace the RAM and hard drive. It still has that chiclet keyboard we like so much, the rather hit-or-miss ClickPad touchpad and a Broadcom Crystal Accelerator option for 1080p playback. The Mini 210 will start at $330 with a single core Atom CPU and six-cell battery, but will be available with the N550 processor for a bit more (we're guessing around $75). The full release is after the break and some snazzy hands-on pics are below.
Gallery: HP Mini 210 and Mini 5103 press shots
Gallery: HP Mini 210 and HP Mini 5103 hands-on
Continue reading HP Mini 210 and Mini 5103 officially announced with dual-core Atom power
HP Mini 210 and Mini 5103 officially announced with dual-core Atom power originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP Wireless TV Connect streams 1080p video, hits Intel WiDi where it hurts
We have to say it's a bit odd for HP to be announcing its own wireless streaming peripheral -- it seems like something more up IOGEAR or Belkin's alley -- but the $199 Wireless TV Connect is exactly what we've been waiting for in some respects. Sure, the box that you have to connect to your laptop via HDMI and USB for power is a bit on the large side, but it's capable of streaming 1080p content, including Blu-ray movies or protected content, to your TV and there's absolutely no lag when controlling the desktop on the big screen. We're not exactly sure what technology HP's using here -- we're thinking WHDI, though the company wouldn't confirm -- but the two box set can be used with any laptop on the market that has an HDMI port. Take that Intel WiDi! This is one we're absolutely planning to test out, but in the meantime check out the pics below.
Gallery: HP Wireless TV Connect hands-on
Continue reading HP Wireless TV Connect streams 1080p video, hits Intel WiDi where it hurts
HP Wireless TV Connect streams 1080p video, hits Intel WiDi where it hurts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP unleashes Envy 17 3D, HP Envy 14 Beats edition and specially-cooled Pavilion dm3
We know, it feels like it was just a few months ago that the new Envy 14 and 17 hit the market, but HP isn't quite finished tinkering with its aluminum laptops. First up is the new Envy 14 Beats edition, which just like the previous Envy 15 Beats has a totally different black and red design than the rest of the Envy line along with a a pretty awesome red backlit keyboard. Apart from the different aesthetics and bundled Beats headphones, it's essentially the same as the regular Envy 14, although the $1249 starting price is for big fans of beats or Dr. Dre only. The Envy 17 gets the most interesting update, though: it'll be available sometimes this holiday season with a 17.3-inch 3D Ultra BrightView display and active shutter glasses. Powered by AMD's 3D technology, the Envy 17 will also support 3D Blu-ray discs, and by that we mean Avatar when it finally hits in November. We got a chance to check it out a few weeks ago and the 3D content looked pretty, well... three-dimensional. HP says the rig will be priced south of $2,000 and claims it's been working very hard on improving viewing angles.

On the much-more-thin-and-light end of the spectrum, HP's also unveiling the improved Pavilion dm3. Starting at $549, the 13.3-inch dm3 will be available with Intel Core i3 and i5 processors and boasts HP's new CoolSense technology, which the company says combines hardware and software to keep the entire chassis cool. Beyond all that, the laptop is less than an inch thick and has been given a major makeover -- it has a very soft-to-the-touch lid and the same chiclet keyboard and ClickPad as the Pavilion dm4. We're planning to review a few of these, but until then head below to check out some hands-on shots and the full press release after the break.
Gallery: HP Envy 14 Beats, Envy 17 3D and Pavilion dm3 hands-on
Gallery: HP Envy 14 Beats, Envy 17 3D, Pavilion dm3 press shots
Continue reading HP unleashes Envy 17 3D, HP Envy 14 Beats edition and specially-cooled Pavilion dm3
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Amulet voice-activated Windows Media Center remote hits the FCC
Amulet Device's intriguing voice-activated remote for Windows Media Center has long since missed its original ship date, but it just popped up at the FCC, complete with product shots and the user manual. Besides providing typical universal features like IR learning, as a package the rechargeable battery-powered controller, USB dongle, and companion Windows Media Center Plugin will allow users to operate their home theater by simply speaking commands to the remote's built-in microphone. Like any good robot servant, the remote will also audibly respond to questions such as "what song is playing" and even distinguish when you're talking to it versus just chatting with friends, thanks to nifty advanced positioning sensing technology. Sadly taking dictation isn't in the cards and there's still no word on an official launch date, but that hasn't stopped the budding emperor in us from hoping it arrives soon.
Amulet voice-activated Windows Media Center remote hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments
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Sony's scheming a streaming music and video subscription service, too?
Perhaps you've heard that Apple's investing in digital video distribution at the moment? Perhaps you've read that Amazon's working on a subscription video network, too? Sony makes number three, as the Financial Times is reporting the electronics giant is looking to launch a multimedia platform of its own. Starting with the PlayStation 3 and PSP, and then later extending to internet-connected Sony TVs, Blu-ray players, Vaio computers and phones, the service will reportedly offer both music and video sometime next year in what's no doubt an attempt to work out deep-seated guilt at the death of Connect. You won't have to wait nearly that long, however, to find out what's what -- the publication says Sir Stringer intends to preempt Apple's six-string reveal by announcing the PlayStation Network-based service from IFA 2010 in Germany. Call us crazy, but this sounds like a perfect fit for the Sony's out-of-the-blue $130 Netbox.

[Thanks, dedparrot]
Sony's scheming a streaming music and video subscription service, too? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Kotaku  |  sourceFinancial Times  | Email this | Comments
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Amazon planning subscription video service to challenge Netflix and Hulu?
Looks like one company's not ready to let Apple claim the spotlight with tomorrow's rumored $99 iOS-based Apple TV launch -- the Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon has a subscription-based streaming video service in the works. Reportedly focused on older content more easily pried from the iron fist of traditional media (similar to Netflix Watch Instantly and Hulu Plus), the service is aimed at the usual array of internet-connected devices -- the Xbox 360 was called out specifically -- and one anonymous source told the publication that Amazon intends to get the connected entertainment party started by Yuletide. Mind you, Amazon's not exactly new to the streaming video game. Remember Unbox? The day the company turned that service into Video on Demand it came with 40,000 programs -- a good 11,582 more than today's Hulu Plus. So, if the rumors are true, we imagine that over two years and many integrated systems later, Amazon might still have a decent leg up.
Amazon planning subscription video service to challenge Netflix and Hulu? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments
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Samsung Galaxy Tab falls into FCC hands with GSM radio frequencies, 5GHz dual-band WiFi
When Samsung's 7-inch tablet finally sees the states, it might indeed be more than a giant Galaxy S -- for one thing, it may have Froyo, but for another, it could have faster, more building-penetrating WiFi than most comparable devices on the market. That's because when the Galaxy Tab hit the FCC by the name "SHW-M180S," it came loaded with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi capable of speeds up to 150Mbps. It also intriguingly sports the GSM 1900 radio frequency, meaning an AT&T launch might be in the cards alongside the CDMA one rumored for Verizon. Browsing through the WiFi Alliance databases in an attempt to track the tablet down, we spotted both a "GT-P1000T" and a "GT-P1000L," each with dual-band WiFi, suggesting that there are multiple versions in the works... and the Global Certification Forum shows one of them actually has quad-band GSM and HSDPA connectivity. Not bad, Samsung. Now, let's hear about battery life.
Permalink Wireless Goodness  |  sourceFCC, Global Certification Forum  | Email this | Comments
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Exmovere shows off Exmobaby biosensor pajamas for babies, coming to retail in 2011
Baby monitors have become quite commonplace over the past 20 years or so, and come in many variations. Exmovere (a company that previously produced the wearable Chariot) has debuted a new type of monitor, however, which are actually part of the baby's pajamas, and which are said to help monitor heart rate, emotional state and behavior. The outfit -- called Exmobaby -- uses the Zigbee wireless standard, effectively connecting the baby to the home wireless network, enabling the parents (or you know, whoever's around) to track the babies various states via icons on their mobile phones. Sound great? Well, it's heading to limited retail in 2011, though no pricing has been announced yet. Full press release is below.Continue reading Exmovere shows off Exmobaby biosensor pajamas for babies, coming to retail in 2011
Exmovere shows off Exmobaby biosensor pajamas for babies, coming to retail in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Commodore USA to relaunch Amiga brand with series of AROS desktops
Barry's back, kids! The CEO of Commodore USA just informed us that, in addition to slapping Commodore stickers on various all-in-one PCs, he has acquired the rights to the Amiga name (we only hope that the process went a little smoother this time around). The plan is to sell machines that fully support AROS -- an open source variant of AmigaOS 3.1 that the kids seem to go crazy for. We can't wait to get a look at these bad boys, but for now it looks like we'll have to do with the picture of an old Amiga 3000 he inexplicably included with the PR. The PR, that is, that can be seen in its entirety after the break.
Continue reading Commodore USA to relaunch Amiga brand with series of AROS desktops
Commodore USA to relaunch Amiga brand with series of AROS desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple to livestream its fall event
Hey, do you hate reading? Well, finally Apple is feeling your pain. Tomorrow at 10AM PT, Apple will stream its fall event directly to your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod as it unfolds. Of course, if you're a Windows user or you're wielding some kind of satanic Android device, you'll be out of luck apparently. Unless we're misreading this line: "Viewing requires either a Mac running Safari on Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard, an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 3.0 or higher, or an iPad."

At any rate, you can tune to the livestream at apple.com, or if you really care about an untainted and supremely intelligent take on the proceedings, you'll follow along with our liveblog right here.
Apple to livestream its fall event originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceApple PR  | Email this | Comments
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Businessweek says new Apple TV to include Netflix streaming, WSJ says 99-cent TV rentals from Fox and ABC
Well here's an interesting wrinkle to the next-gen iOS-based Apple TV rumors in the leadup to tomorrow's event: Bloomberg Businessweek says the new box will offer Netflix streaming, presumably in addition to whatever cheap TV content deals Apple's planning to offer through iTunes. That would be a first of sorts for Apple; although Netflix has apps for the iPhone and iPad, Steve Jobs isn't exactly in the habit of preloading services that compete with iTunes. That said, Netflix does have critical mass, and it makes a certain amount of sense for Apple to try and leverage that subscriber base to generate momentum for its own product -- a lot of people might buy a $99 Apple TV just for Netflix and wind up hooked on Apple's other offerings like apps, movie rentals, and purchased content. We'll see what happens tomorrow -- won't you join us?

P.S.- Businessweek also says a new iPod Touch with a higher-resolution screen and a revamped version of iTunes are due tomorrow, but like, duh.

Update: And just to add to tonight's rumorfest, the Wall Street Journal now says Apple will in fact announce 99-cent TV show rentals from Fox and ABC tomorrow as well. ABC seems like a obvious partner, since Jobs is on the board of corporate parent Disney, but the Fox angle is a little more interesting: the WSJ says not everyone at Fox is so happy about the deal, and the network's offerings will be limited to shows that it both produces and broadcasts. That means nothing from Fox's cable networks like FX, and no shows like American Idol to which Fox doesn't hold all the rights. So why the partnership at all? The WSJ says it's because News Corp wants Apple's help with the iPad version of the WSJ itself and other digital news projects. Clever, Rupert -- clever.
Permalink   |  sourceBloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments
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LG's C900 Windows Phone 7 handset resurfaces with 1GHz Snapdragon, metal frame? (update: not 1.3GHz)
We imagine that LG's security forces are combing Poland as we speak, because Android.com.pl has just provided us with yet another high-end handset leak. This LG C900 (last seen combing AT&T trenches) reportedly joins LG's E900 in housing a 1GHz QSD8650 Snapdragon chipset under its sliding-QWERTY hood. Though our first look at the device suggested a plasticky matte frame, our erudite Polish informants tell us the phone's mostly metal inside -- despite a comparatively teensy 3.2-inch capacitive screen, they say it weighs about as much as an original Motorola Droid. A 3.5mm jack and a miniUSB port will play nice with headsets and charging cables respectively, and the site says it'll run 1,100 zloty (about $350) if or when LG's marketers recover from the shock of these leaked details and decide to ship. Find a video after the break and a host of similarly excellent pictures at our source link.

Update: Did we say 1.3GHz? We meant 1.0. As it turns out, Google Translate enjoys adding the letter "A" to acronyms immediately preceding a Polish comma, which made a 1GHz QSD8650 SoC look like a 1.3GHz QSD8650A to our tired eyes. Apologies! [Thanks, Anudeep]Continue reading LG's C900 Windows Phone 7 handset resurfaces with 1GHz Snapdragon, metal frame? (update: not 1.3GHz)
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BeamAtic Premium headlights let you keep your high beams on all night long
It looks like the highways of Japan could soon get a bit brighter -- at least if these new BeamAtic Premium head lights from Ichikoh Industries ever catch on. Developed by France's Valeo SA, the headlights make use of an on-board camera and some image processing software that tracks oncoming vehicles, and some movable dousers attached to the headlights that are able to deflect the light so it doesn't bother other drivers; the idea there being that you could simply leave your high beams on all the time without worrying about blinding anyone. No word on any plans for a release over here, but you'll apparently be able to get them in Japan next month, and the company is also reportedly looking to talk some Japanese automakers into offering them as a factory-installed option.
BeamAtic Premium headlights let you keep your high beams on all night long originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceTech-On!  | Email this | Comments
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Prepaid Droid, BlackBerry and Palm phones coming to Verizon? (update: confirmed, box spotting)
We'd heard a few rumors of some new prepaid offerings from Verizon recently, but it now looks like the carrier could really be about to expand things in a big way -- at least if some purportedly authentic leaked documents are any indication. Apparently received by Android Does from a helpful tipster, the documents list a whole new lineup of prepaid phones, including a slew of BlackBerrys, the Palm Pre and Pixi Plus, and just about every Android-based phone Verizon offers (including all of the Droids and even the yet-to-be released Samsung Fascinate -- again listed for September 9th). While there's no indication of prepaid pricing for the phones themselves, they would apparently be available with an unlimited $30 a month data plan, which would have to be tacked on top of a minimum $45 a month voice plan. Yeah, that's pretty aggressive for Verizon any way you slice it -- maybe too aggressive to be true?

[Thanks, Bryan]

Update: Well, it looks like this chances of this happening just got a whole lot better -- head on past the break for a shot we received of a Verizon Prepaid BlackBerry Curve box. If you look closely at the back of the box, you'll also notice that the pricing matches up with the leaked documents, including monthly plans from $45 to 75 a month, and unlimited email and web for $30 a month. What's more, while there's no shots just yet, we're hearing that the prepaid Droids are also a go (with the same plans), and that at least the Droid 2 has been specifically mentioned.

Update 2: As if that wasn't enough, we've also now gotten a handful more tips confirming that this is the real deal, and that it will apparently include BlackBerry, Android and Palm phones only (at least when it comes to smartphones).

Update 3: And just in case you still don't believe us, we just got screenshots of Verizon's inventory system listing all the current Droids, the LG Ally, the Motorola Devour, the Palm Pre / Pixi Plus, and a host of Blackberrys as pre-paid capable phones. Check it in the gallery.
Gallery: Verizon pre-paid smartphones
Continue reading Prepaid Droid, BlackBerry and Palm phones coming to Verizon? (update: confirmed, box spotting)
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Does  | Email this | Comments
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HP Labs teams up with Hynix to manufacture memristors, plans assault on flash memory in 2013
The memristor's come a long way since being hypothesized back in 1971. If you ask HP Labs, the history of this particular memory technology didn't hit its next milestone for almost four decades, when the company produced the very first memory resistor chip. Just last month, the Labs group proved its little transistor could handle logic and data storage, and as of today, the company's announcing a joint development agreement with Hynix Semiconductor, with a goal of bringing these chips to the market -- and rendering flash memory obsolete.

That challenge against flash (not a very popular naming convention these days, it seems) was thrown down by HP Labs Senior Fellow Stan Williams, who posits that the memristor is "an universal memory that over a sufficient amount of time will replace flash, DRAM, magnetic hard disks, and possibly even SRAM." But onto the immediate, albeit aspirational goal (i.e. not a commitment, which he stressed on multiple occasions): Williams hopes to see the transistors in consumer products by this time 2013, for approximately the price of what flash memory will be selling for at the time but with "at least twice the bit capacity." He also claims a much smaller power requirement of "at least a factor of 10" and an even faster operation speed, in addition to previously-discussed advantages like read / write endurance.

With Hynix on board, the goal is to make these "drop-in replacements" for flash memory, whereby the same protocols and even the same connectors will work just fine. For HP, however, Williams says there'll be an initial competitive advantage for the company due to its comfort level with memristors' unique properties, but that other companies will be encouraged to license the technology and experiment with new possibilities in hardware design. Williams wouldn't give any specific product examples where we might initially see the memristor, except to repeat that it'll be anywhere and everywhere flash memory is. Fighting words, indeed. We normally don't get excited about minute hardware components -- not often, at least -- but we gotta say, the seeds of the future look mighty interesting. Can't wait to see what germinates. Highlights from our talk with Williams after the break.
Gallery: HP Labs' Memristor Milestones
Continue reading HP Labs teams up with Hynix to manufacture memristors, plans assault on flash memory in 2013
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iFixit goes beige with RCA Studio II teardown
The RCA Studio II is already a pretty rare sight as is, but rarer still is a detailed look inside what's been described as one of the worst game consoles of all time. Thankfully, the folks at iFixit have now come through once again, and followed up their dissection of the Magnavox Odyssey 100 with a teardown of the circa-1977 "Home TV Programmer." In addition to an abundance of beige, the team also discovered a considerable amount of solder that's characteristic of 70s electronics, and even a few surprises like some white chip packages that are rarely (if ever) used these days. Hit up the link below for the complete blow-by-blow, and keep en eye out for even more vintage gadget teardowns during the rest of the week.
iFixit goes beige with RCA Studio II teardown originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Resort uses augmented reality to pair virtual girls with actual nerds
You've heard of this Love Plus thing, right? This Nintendo DS-based "dating simulator" is apparently a big deal in Japan, giving Otaku the opportunity to chat up (and kiss) girls the only way they know how: on a hand-held game console, with a stylus. To promote the latest version of the game (Love Plus +), Konami has developed an Augmented Reality iPhone app that players can take to the coastal city of Atami, allowing them to interact with their virtual girlfriends at any of thirteen romantic spots. One can even book a room at the Ohnoya hotel which, according to Discovery News, offers futon beds and a "barcode panel that allows the men to visualize their girlfriends in a flattering summer kimono." Over 2,000 virtual lotharios visited the resort town during the campaign, which began on July 10 and ends today. Check out the trailer for the game (in Japanese, which doesn't diminish the enjoyment for our English readers one bit) after the break.Continue reading Resort uses augmented reality to pair virtual girls with actual nerds
Resort uses augmented reality to pair virtual girls with actual nerds originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink William Gibson  |  sourceDiscovery News  | Email this | Comments
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