Wednesday, September 29, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 28/09/2010



Purported HTC Spark Windows Phone 7 ROM leak suggests Vodafone home, Trophy doppelganger
It's been decades, in internet years, since we caught wind of a 4.3-inch, 1.3GHz HTC Mondrian via a leaked Windows Phone 7 ROM. The sun rises, the sun sets, life returned to normal, and yet... here we are again. This ROM comes care of a purported Vodafone leak and sports the name (so much as the filename hints) HTC Spark, a render of which bears striking resemblance to the Trophy we espied last week. Spark itself popped up as recent as early August on a sheet that cliamed a 3.7-inch 480 x 800 display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB RAM, and a 5 megapixel camera. Can all these loose threads tie together to form one cohesive smartphone sweater? Not yet, but it's getting there.
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Blue Watchdog Bluetooth proximity alarm: 100 decibels of aural terror in a credit card-sized package
While we've seen (and reviewed) a few Bluetooth proximity alarms in our day, these guys are still pretty a much a niche product. The premise is pretty straightforward: paired with your handset, the device emits a shrill alarm on the event that the two are separated. Of course, this depends on you keeping the thing on your person, and not in the backpack or laptop bag in which your phone resides -- something that's presumably more likely to occur with the credit card-sized Blue Watchdog by Secu4 than it is with other solutions we've seen. Selling for €70 (about $95), is small enough to fit inside your wallet, and features a stand-by time of 120 hours, thanks to a 3.7 volt LiPo battery. It can be charged via recharger or USB, sports a 100 decibel alarm, and can be configured to go off if separated from your handset anywhere from one to thirty meters. On sale now from the company's website (which also has a complete list of compatible phones), but not so fast: you'll want to see it in action first, right? You're in luck! There's a video after the break.
Continue reading Blue Watchdog Bluetooth proximity alarm: 100 decibels of aural terror in a credit card-sized package
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Fujitsu K supercomputer will do 10 petaflops in 2012, eat Crays for breakfast
10's a nice round number, isn't it? Round, yes, but also wildly impressive when you put the word "petaflops" behind it as Fujitsu has done with its upcoming K supercomputer, which will be able to crunch through 10 quadrillion operations every second. Compare that to the current champ of processing farms, Cray's Jaguar, which can handle only (only!) 1.75 petaflops of workload and you'll know that we're talking about a seminal leap in performance. Japan's Riken Research Institute is the fortunate addressee on the crates of ultrafast SPARC64 VIIIfx processors that Fujitsu is now shipping out and the current plan is to have everything up and running by 2012. In total, there'll be 80,000 CPUs, each possessing 8 cores running at 2.2GHz, which will be housed within 800 racks. So yes, there'll be a machine somewhere on the Japanese isle with 640,000 processing cores at its disposal. Feeling safe?
Fujitsu K supercomputer will do 10 petaflops in 2012, eat Crays for breakfast originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Galaxy Tab Bluetooth Stylus emerges, up for £49.99 pre-order
It's been a month since we caught our first glimpse of the Galaxy Tab's Bluetooth Stylus and today, although still seemingly unofficial, it's appeared in its first pre-order listing. Priced at £49.99 ($79) by UK online specialist Play, this capacitive stylus will facilitate handwriting recognition for those of us not served well enough by the Tab's generally excellent soft keyboard. It's also capable of hooking up to two Bluetooth devices at a time and has the extra intelligence thrown in to receive and reject phone calls -- whether on the Tab or on your phone. It's an intriguing piece of kit, maybe Samsung should go ahead and make it official now, eh?
Galaxy Tab Bluetooth Stylus emerges, up for £49.99 pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Logitech's F540 gaming headset connects to three consoles, wirelessly
Logitech's F540 gaming headset connects to three consoles, wirelessly
Look at you, you platform agnostic, making room for three current gaming consoles in your entertainment center, looking down with a rueful smile upon those who would waste time arguing about superiority. All three receive your equal love, and so shouldn't all three get equal share of your ears? They could if you had the F540 Wireless Gaming Headset from Logitech, a new entrant that, at $150, costs about the same as the G930 we recently enjoyed, but does so with mere stereo instead of 7.1 surround. Here you're paying for the inputs instead of the outputs, with a base containing 3.5mm and RCA plugs enough for three separate sources, plus the necessary outputs to pump voice chat to an Xbox 360 and a PS3. The headset itself has volume and mute controls built-in and charges over USB, offering up to 10 hours of disturbance-free playtime. You can pre-order yours now ahead of an October shipment domestically, or November for European followers of Thomas Huxley.
Gallery: Logitech F540 Wireless Gaming Headset
Continue reading Logitech's F540 gaming headset connects to three consoles, wirelessly
Logitech's F540 gaming headset connects to three consoles, wirelessly originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world's lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it
Panasonic's Toughbook line hasn't only been impressing in extreme durability lately, but also in extreme weight-loss. Joining the 3.2-pound Tougbook C1, is the newest 12.1-inch Toughbook S9, which weighs just three pounds. And yes, Panny's claiming it's the lightest 12-incher with an optical drive, and our quick research seems to prove that claim right. Even more impressive is the power that's packed into the featherweight chassis -- it's got a Core i5-520M processor, 2GB of RAM, and a shock-mounted 320GB hard drive. Thought that Panasonic gave up the durability for that weightage? You'd be wrong -- the magnesium alloy case can still withstand a 2.5-foot operating drop, meets all the Mil Spec 810-G drop procedures, has a spill-resistant keyboard, and can take more than 220 pounds of pressure on its lid and base. It does sound great for when someone drops it off the airport security belt, but that's until you hear about the physical beating it'll take on your bank account -- it'll retail for $2,499. Yeah, we wish we had better news to end on, but perhaps the press release and pictures below will turn that frown upside down.
Gallery: Panasonic Toughbook S9 press shots
Continue reading Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world's lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it
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Kindle for the Web overhauls Amazon's online book previews, adds sharing and embedding features
It's been forever and a day since Amazon first offered its users access to the opening few pages of a book on its web store, but now that feature is being codified under the Kindle umbrella as a new Kindle for the Web service. It'll allow external sites to embed book samples right into their content stream, while users get a new Share button for spreading the good word about Chuck Palahniuk's visionary writing across their social networks. Font sizes, line spacing, and even background color are adjustable too. Hit up the source link to try it out for yourself.Continue reading Kindle for the Web overhauls Amazon's online book previews, adds sharing and embedding features
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A grand tour of nanotechnology at Nokia Research Center, Cambridge
We've all seen what a bumpy ride Nokia's had over the last few months -- disappointing profits, the departure of a couple of old friends, and the slight delay of the forthcoming N8. Despite all that, Espoo seems to have at least one stronghold that remained unshaken throughout the storm: its research center in Cambridge, UK. Yep, we're talking about the magical place where Nokia and University of Cambridge co-develop the core technologies for the futuristic Morph concept. Actually, "futuristic" might be too strong a word here, as we were fortunate enough to see some of Nokia's latest research at the heart of Morph -- namely flexible circuitry and nanowire sensing -- demonstrated live yesterday. Curious as to how well the demos went? Then read on -- you know you want to.
Gallery: A grand tour of nanotechnology at Nokia Research Center, Cambridge
Continue reading A grand tour of nanotechnology at Nokia Research Center, Cambridge
A grand tour of nanotechnology at Nokia Research Center, Cambridge originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Levytator claims to be the world's first bendy escalator, has the patents to prove it (video)
You've seen conveyor belts before, most probably at your local airport ferrying beaten-up luggage in circles, but for some reason the same tech doesn't seem to have been applied to people yet. Leave it to City University London prof Jack Levy to correct that oversight with his eponymous Levytator -- an escalator that follows freeform curves (but not convention!) and offers a better "cost per usable step" than your typical moving stairs. Patented in Europe, the USA, and even China, all this thing needs is the gentle push of a kindly investor -- see the video after the break to determine if it's worth your cash.

[Thanks, Conrad]Continue reading Levytator claims to be the world's first bendy escalator, has the patents to prove it (video)
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LG's Optimus 7 gets previewed by Korean newspaper, has voice to text feature?
You know how we abhor machine translation, but this rumor was too juicy to pass up -- the Korea Economic Daily reportedly got hands-on with LG's Optimus 7 (aka E900) way ahead of release, and if we're reading this right, the Windows Phone 7 device will be capable of writing your text messages, emails and status updates just by hearing you speak. The publication also reports it's got a 3.8-inch, 800 x 480 screen (rather than the 3.5 or 3.7 inches we've heard before), a 1500 mAh battery, 16GB of built-in storage and a 1GHz processor. There's also apparently "automatic panorama" feature where you simply pan the camera to take stills and stitch them together, which sounds a lot like the Sweep Panorama dealie Sony recently added to its Cyber-Shot lineup. Can we expect a US version to have these features? Hard to say. Even should this preview be wholly legit, speech-to-text would probably need quite the overhaul to tell English from Korean -- and let's not even get started on Engrish.
LG's Optimus 7 gets previewed by Korean newspaper, has voice to text feature? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceKorea Economic Daily  | Email this | Comments
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Tokyoflash reaches new heights of unreadability with latest concept watch
Technically speaking, the maze-like aray of diagonals you see above is actually showing you the time. But, as is Tokyoflash's wont, the point here isn't so much about time itself as it is about the journey of figuring it out. Well trained ninjas might be able to decouple the numbers from their unhelpfully similar background, but for the rest of us this "Optical Illusion" LED watch will be an enigma of random black lines wrapped inside a lime green mystery. Thankfully, it does come with a button to clear away the mists of confusion if you ever need to, you know, actually tell the time. The watch remains a concept for now, but if enough people vote in favor of its unnecessarily convoluted design, Tokyoflash might just go ahead and build a few. So why not jump off the fence and make your voice heard in the source below?
Tokyoflash reaches new heights of unreadability with latest concept watch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Wired  |  sourceTokyoflash  | Email this | Comments
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Motorola's wraparound S10-HD Bluetooth headphones: for the Usain Bolt in all of us
Clearly, introducing one Bluetooth headset in a single day just isn't enough for Motorola. In addition to the Oasis, the outfit has also let loose the new S10-HD, a wraparound set that is marketed as Bluetooth headphones rather than a BT headset (though it's fully capable of acting as either / both). As expected, these guys are designed to withstand all sorts of sweat beads, enabling fitness junkies to keep on rockin' in the free world regardless of how steamy the conditions may be. We're also told that the speakers are recessed in their housing with a new ear cushion interface and hydrophobic acoustic mesh (fancy!), and silicon seals are in place around all of the electrical components. Should you receive a call while streaming tunes, it'll gently pause the music until your call is done, and afterwards it'll resume automatically. The S9-HD's proper successor will be landing in Best Buy locations starting October 24th for $79.99.Continue reading Motorola's wraparound S10-HD Bluetooth headphones: for the Usain Bolt in all of us
Motorola's wraparound S10-HD Bluetooth headphones: for the Usain Bolt in all of us originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceMotorola (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
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Apple TV jailbreak confirmed, done via same exploit as other iOS 4.1 devices
The Shatter exploit that was discovered for iOS 4.1 devices has, predictably enough, been found to function on the latest Apple TV as well. Though a jailbreak fit for distribution is still brewing for all of Apple's iOS wares, this will be welcome news to folks interested in trying to add a little extra functionality to Apple's hockey puck of a media streamer. Then again, even the best of apps might not make up for it being a 720p media device in a 1080p world.

[Thanks, Jawad]
Apple TV jailbreak confirmed, done via same exploit as other iOS 4.1 devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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OCZ debuts SandForce-driven Onyx 2 SSDs, priced as low as $1.58 per GB
Tired of waiting for SSD prices to hover anywhere near HDD prices? Join the crowd. Regrettably, we're still no closer to that actually happening, but OCZ Technology is doing its darnedest to bring solid state storage to more of the masses with its newfangled Onyx 2 range. Available in 120GB and 240GB capacities, these SandForce-based drives offer 270MB/s read, 265MB/s write, and up to 10,000 random write IOPS (4k aligned), all without the higher costs that are generally associated with similar multi-level cell (MLC)-based solutions. For those looking to swap out their aging hard drive for an SSD that's not diminutive in terms of storage space, the 120 gigger is listing for $189.99, while the 240GB model is going for $439.99. Hit the links below for more of those nitty-gritty tech details.Continue reading OCZ debuts SandForce-driven Onyx 2 SSDs, priced as low as $1.58 per GB
OCZ debuts SandForce-driven Onyx 2 SSDs, priced as low as $1.58 per GB originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 04:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony Ericsson LiveView acts as a 1.3-inch remote control for your smartphone, requires Android 2.0
You've been asking for someone, anyone, to please kick out a tiny remote control display that can save you from having to whip your smartphone out for every little thing and Sony Ericsson, it seems, has listened. The 1.3-inch OLED screen above is a new Bluetooth accessory for Android 2.x phones that's said to function very much like a desktop widget. There's an app you can install on your phone that'll get it to communicate with the 128 x 128 pixel grid, which can then be used to read messages, find your phone, control music playback, and receive those precious social networking updates from your friends. We know by now you'll be crying foul over Sony Ericsson releasing an Android 2.0 accessory when its handsets are stuck somewhere below that marker, but the plan is to dish this "micro display" out in the last quarter of the year, after that messianic Android 2.1 update has arrived. Fingers crossed.
Gallery: Sony Ericsson LiveView press images
Continue reading Sony Ericsson LiveView acts as a 1.3-inch remote control for your smartphone, requires Android 2.0
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Pixel Qi turns into ideal 10-inch companion display with wired and Wireless USB, 1.5W power needs
Pixel Qi has today announced it's taking the next step in its quest for global domination of sunlight-readable displays. Partnering up with German outfit Display Solution AG, the company is about to start selling its 10-inch, 1024 x 600 panels as standalone units, which you'll be able to hook up to your computer or smartphone via USB, either the wired or Wireless version. Power consumption maxes out a measly 1.5W with the LED backlight turned on, meaning that one USB tether will be sufficient to feed it both power and data. We don't know exactly how long we've waited for a secondary screen with this sort of flexibility, but it's sure been a while. Look for Display Solution to start selling these hotcakes next month.Continue reading Pixel Qi turns into ideal 10-inch companion display with wired and Wireless USB, 1.5W power needs
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LG's Xnote A510 3D laptop mocks your virility
Looking for a strategy to promote a 15-inch slab of drab plastic laptop? If you're LG then you slap in some 3D gimmickry and roll on the scantily clad product waif. LG's Xnote A510 comes packing a Full HD LED backlit 15.6-inch panel powered by your choice of a Core i7 840QM or 740QM quad core processors and 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics. It ships with polarized 3D glasses including clip-on 3D lenses for your existing specs. Don't worry if you can't find 3D content to view because LG's preloaded the A510 with TriDef 2D to 3D conversion software. You'll also find an HDMI 1.4 jack, Blu-ray optical disc drive, and fingerprint reader when this guy ships to Asia, South America, and the Middle East and Africa sometime in October.Continue reading LG's Xnote A510 3D laptop mocks your virility
LG's Xnote A510 3D laptop mocks your virility originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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U.S. officials push for broader internet wiretapping regulations
The NSA may have its ominously named Perfect Citizen program to guard against potential cyber attacks, but it looks like the U.S. government still isn't quite satisfied with its surveillance capabilities in the age of the internet. As the New York Times reports, federal officials are now pushing for some expanding wiretapping regulations that would require any communications service -- including everything from encrypted BlackBerry messages to Skype to social networking sites -- to be "technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order." That, officials say, is necessary because their current wiretapping abilities are effectively "going dark" as communications move increasingly online. While complete details are obviously a bit light, the officials do apparently have a few ideas about how such a radical change might be possible, including a regulation that foreign-based companies that do business in the US be required to install a domestic office capable of performing intercepts, and a flat out requirement that "developers of software that enables peer-to-peer communication must redesign their service to allow interception." Of course, the specifics could still change, but the Obama administration is apparently intent on getting a bill of some sort submitted to Congress next year.

[Image courtesy PBS]
U.S. officials push for broader internet wiretapping regulations originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 review
Sure, the word is that ultraportables - or 11- to 13-inch laptops - aren't selling particularly well, but that hasn't stopped Lenovo. In fact, the company's had a particular obsession with 11.6-inch lappies over the last six months or so, but sadly each has massively disappointed. Adamantly claiming not to be a netbook, there was first the ThinkPad X100e, which we found to be great in terms of design and size, but seriously hurting (literally!) in thermals and endurance. Then there was the IdeaPad U160, which packed Core i7 CPU power, but had a rather dreadful three hours of battery life. But the third time's got to be the charm, right? The ThinkPad Edge 11 has the same chassis as the other Edge laptops, which hold a special place in our heart, but is powered by an ultra-low voltage 1.33GHz Core i3 U380 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. It's not too shabby for its $549 starting price (the AMD-powered version starts at $449), but has Lenovo learned from the past? Is this the 11-inch notbook (our new term for a machine that looks like a netbook, but is way more powerful) to rival the rest? Read on to find out in our full review.
Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 review
Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 review
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 announced with Intel and AMD options, denied US citizenship
Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise! Lenovo's expanding its ThinkPad Edge family once again, and this time it's adding the 11.6-inch Edge 11. Just like the X100e, the "notbook" -- our word for an ultraportable that looks like a netbook but isn't as slow and weak -- is available with AMD's single and dual-core Nile platform, and also Intel Core i3 / i5 processor options. Certainly you're thinking it sounds and looks like a nice laptop, but Lenovo's not planning to release it stateside anytime soon. Apparently, the X100e will continue to be the 11-inch option in the US, while the Edge 11 will be spreading its wings overseas -- the AMD version will start at $450 and the Intel version at around $550. Of course, we could keep telling you about what the machine is available with and without, or we could just point you in the direction of our piping hot review. Although, before you jump over to a new tab you may also want to check out the full press release after the break or peruse some of the glossy press shots below. How's that for options?
Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 press shots
Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 announced with Intel and AMD options, denied US citizenship
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Acer unveils AMD-infused Aspire Z3100 AIO, Revo 3700 nettop now available for $349
Can you smell it in the air? Autumn is most assuredly here. Sure, you can deduce as much from equinoxes or changing leaves, but if you ask us, it's almost just as precise to go by a new, pre-holiday product cycle. Acer's taken the cue with two new desktop SKUs -- one each in the nettop and all-in-one categories. First with the latter: the 21.5-inch AZ3100 all-in-one (pictured). A tier lower than the AZ5700, this one lacks the multitouch and TV tuner, and instead utilizes a 2GHz AMD Athlon II 170u processor, NVIDIA GeForce 9200 graphics, 3GB RAM, and 500GB HDD. Add in a DVD drive, webcam, HDMI, six USB 2.0 ports, Windows 7 Home Premium, and a side chassis for "cable management." It does best its older brother in the price category, though, at just $599 -- about five Benjamins lower.

As for the Aspire Revo 3700, it was actually announced earlier this month, but now we've got the skinny on this book-sized nettop's price and availability. That'd be $349 for the tag, and a street date of approximately... now, according to the press release. Speaking of which, all pertinent paperwork can be found after the break.
Gallery: Acer Aspire Z3100 AIO and AspireRevo AR3700 nettop press photos
Continue reading Acer unveils AMD-infused Aspire Z3100 AIO, Revo 3700 nettop now available for $349
Acer unveils AMD-infused Aspire Z3100 AIO, Revo 3700 nettop now available for $349 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer releases Predator AG7750 and AG5900 gaming desktops into unsuspecting US homes
We've made a conscious decision to stop talking about the Acer Aspire Predator's unique design, because every time we stare deep into those orange ridges, we feel a bit of our psyche writhing. If you're made of sterner stuff, however, you should know that Acer's got a couple of new models coming down the pike. Remember that Predator AG7750 with the liquid-cooled 2.8GHz Core i7-930 processor, 12GB of DDR3 memory, NVIDIA GTX 470 graphics, and room for 3-way SLI? Having successfully weeded the population of Canada, it's ready to feast upon the US today at $1,999. If that's more beast than you can handle, there's also the infinitesimally-less-creepy $1,350 AG5900 you see above, which brings a Core i7-870 CPU, 8GB of memory and a ATI Radeon HD 5850, plus a pair of hot-swappable drive bays, 1.5 terabytes of storage and the usual array of ports. Find them slicing through online retailers any minute now. PR after the break.Continue reading Acer releases Predator AG7750 and AG5900 gaming desktops into unsuspecting US homes
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Atmel confirms the Samsung Galaxy Tab uses its maXTouch touchscreen controller
We're guessing it hasn't kept too many folks up at night, but those curious about the multitouch brains behind the Samsung Galaxy Tab now finally have their answer: Atmel's maXTouch touchscreen controller. As you may recall, that was first announced over a year ago, and promised to bring a whole host of benefits to multitouch devices, including unlimited touch functionality, and faster, more precise input than competing devices. Interestingly, Atmel has also boasted that its controller is able to recognize touches even with gloves -- in addition to styli -- but it's not clear if the Galaxy Tab takes advantage of that particular ability. Full press release is after the break.Continue reading Atmel confirms the Samsung Galaxy Tab uses its maXTouch touchscreen controller
Atmel confirms the Samsung Galaxy Tab uses its maXTouch touchscreen controller originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 23:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Amazon launching its own Android app store? (update: tablet too?)
This sounds like madness to us, but take it for what you will: TechCrunch is reporting via some tipsters that Amazon is preparing to launch its own Android app store, of all things. Revenue split is rumored to be "the greater of 70 percent of the purchase price or 20 percent of the List Price as of the purchase date," which is pretty strange wording -- this "List Price" concept is apparently designed to prevent you from undercutting pricing with other services -- and there'll be a $99 fee to gain entry, which is pretty standard. Apps will be required to use Amazon DRM and could be featured on Amazon's site, which is potentially a pretty big upside considering the kind of traffic that bad boy gets. As TechCrunch notes, a particularly interesting blurb in the alleged terms states that "[Amazon has] sole discretion to determine all features and operations of [programs] and to set the retail price and other terms on which [they] sell Apps," implying that pricing is their call -- not yours -- and they've got some say in how your app's going to work and what it's going to do.

Clearly we're missing something here, since they're starting with zero market share, the Android Market is the obvious choice for consumers, and there are some really odd terms -- and Bezos isn't a dummy -- so we'll hold out and see where this goes. After all, with Google apparently actively reigning in devices by lording Market access over manufacturers' heads, there might actually be some room for third parties to get some traction here over the long term.

Update: TechCrunch is now throwing in a rumored Amazon tablet at no extra charge. Could launch beside the app store if its source is correct. If.
Amazon launching its own Android app store? (update: tablet too?) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Kno single-screen tablet textbook hands-on: all the power in half the size
If you've been following tech news today, you'll know two tablets are coming down the pike -- RIM's BlackBerry Playbook, and a single-screen version of the Kno textbook tablet from the artist formerly known as Kakai. Running across San Francisco to a Kno meet-up, we got to see the new unit for ourselves, and discovered this interesting little tidbit: it's got all the same hardware inside. How? Find out after the break.
Gallery: Kno single-screen tablet textbook, eyes-on
Continue reading Kno single-screen tablet textbook hands-on: all the power in half the size
Kno single-screen tablet textbook hands-on: all the power in half the size originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lumiotec's OLED lighting panel gets video reviewed, throws down vs a bright group of competitors
Those of you waiting for a hands-on evaluation of the Lumiotec OLED lighting development kit before cranking up the Bieber, throwing on some acid-washed overalls, and converting your bathroom into Club 54 can now rest easy. That's because the folks at OLED-info.com have thrown some light on the situation via a video review of the device, and even managed to cobble together a battle royal with other disco-worthy OLED options including the Philips Lumiblade and Osram Orbeos panel. Key points made in the review include that the 15 x 15 cm Lumiotec panel, "feels good to touch" and "is much brighter, [than the competitors] but you know it's a lot bigger". With such decisive words like those, there shouldn't be anything stopping you from snagging a few $934 kits in anticipation of your homebrew Mo' Money Mo' Problems video reenactment. If you're still not convinced by our paraphrasing however, feel free to illuminate yourself by watching the entire review after the break.Continue reading Lumiotec's OLED lighting panel gets video reviewed, throws down vs a bright group of competitors
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iPad vs. PlayBook... fight!
Okay, we've got a long way to go before we can do a fair, apples-to-berries comparison between these two titans of industry, but consider this your first sneak preview of the deathmatch to come. As we mentioned in the previous post, the PlayBook is hopelessly locked away in insanely thick Plexiglas -- and the iPad is unactivated, though that doesn't much matter for getting a sense of the size comparison between 'em. Needless to say, the PlayBook looks way easier to lug around... but we just won't know by how much until we've got one resting in our sweaty, eager palms. Hit up the gallery!
Gallery: iPad vs. PlayBook... fight!
iPad vs. PlayBook... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry PlayBook first eyes-on!
So RIM's got these PlayBooks locked in thick Plexiglas that seems specifically designed to prevent you from seeing the side, though we don't know why they'd want to do that considering it's a sexy 9.7mm thin. Anyhow, the screen seems pretty great -- we're not sure if it's IPS, but it's definitely high-res and should function really well for video and gaming. All told, it looks like it'll be about as easy to lug around as the Galaxy Tab, which makes sense considering we're looking at the same size display and roughly the same form factor. Peep the gallery!
Gallery: BlackBerry PlayBook first eyes-on!

Gallery: BlackBerry Playbook eyes-on, continued
Continue reading BlackBerry PlayBook first eyes-on!
BlackBerry PlayBook first eyes-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Amazon bringing Kindle app to BlackBerry PlayBook, loves making Kindle apps
One of the great original fears when Amazon built the Kindle was that they were after some iTunes / iPod-style walled garden ecosystem. And while, sure, Kindle is a walled garden ecosystem, those walls sure are extensive! Amazon just announced that it will be supporting the new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, in addition to the BlackBerry mobile app they've already got. There aren't any specific details about this app, but Amazon is all about the consistent user experience, with features like WhisperSync keeping your copy of Neal Stephenson perfectly synced across a myriad of devices, so there's nothing much to say we suppose. We are sure, however, that page turns will be blazing with that dual core processor.Continue reading Amazon bringing Kindle app to BlackBerry PlayBook, loves making Kindle apps
Amazon bringing Kindle app to BlackBerry PlayBook, loves making Kindle apps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HTC Merge for Verizon gets snapped: another Android phone with Bing
We're not sure exactly what Verizon is up to with these high-end Android phones that aren't Droids and feature Bing over Google, but it looks like the Fascinate is about to get a friend: BGR just got these snaps of the HTC ADR6325, which appears to be the Merge we've heard so much about, and the same dual-mode set we saw at the FCC. Nothing's confirmed specs-wise except a five megapixel camera, microSD slot, and SIM slot for global roaming, but we're still pretty sure this thing will basically be the CDMA version of the Desire Z / T-Mobile G2 and feature a Qualcomm MSM7630 processor with 4GB of onboard storage. And then there's that Bing logo on the homescreen -- we don't know how thoroughly it's integrated into Sense, but here's hoping it's better than what Samsung accomplished with TouchWiz on the Fascinate -- hardware this promising shouldn't be saddled with carrier-wrecked firmware.
HTC Merge for Verizon gets snapped: another Android phone with Bing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP's Bradley: HP isn't trying to be Apple, will sell 15 million webOS printers next year
It's no secret that HP's Todd Bradley is one of the leading candidates to succeed ousted CEO Mark Hurd, and it doesn't look like he was doing much to dissuade that notion at the now happening TechCrunch Disrupt conference. In addition to addressing a question about whether it's ethically wrong to charge so much for ink by responding "ask me next year, if I take the [CEO] position," Bradley also sounded more than a little like a CEO throughout, and made a fair bit of news in the process. That includes a confirmation that HP won't be licensing webOS to other companies, and the attention-grabber of a statement that "emulating Apple is not part of our strategy." As if that wasn't enough, Bradley also made the rather bold promise that HP will sell 15 million webOS-based printers next year alone, and he predicted that tablets will become a $40 billion market within the next few years -- a market that HP plans to enter in a "big way." Head on past the break for a video of the interview.Continue reading HP's Bradley: HP isn't trying to be Apple, will sell 15 million webOS printers next year
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RIM introduces PlayBook -- the BlackBerry tablet
Today at Research In Motion's annual BlackBerry Developer Conference, CEO Mike Lazaridis announced the company's new tablet -- the PlayBook. The tablet will utilize an OS created by the recently acquired QNX (just as we'd heard previous to the announcement) called the BlackBerry Tablet OS which will offer full OpenGL and POSIX support alongside web standards such as HTML5 (which is all tied into RIM's new WebWorks SDK). Lazaridis was joined on stage by the company's founder, Dan Dodge, who said that "QNX is going to enable things that you have never seen before," and added that the PlayBook would be "an incredible gaming platform for publishers and the players." RIM also touted the PlayBook's ability to handle Flash content via Flash 10.1, as well as Adobe AIR apps. The new slate -- which Lazaridis described as "the first professional tablet" -- will sport a 7-inch, 1024 x 600, capacitive multitouch display, a Cortex A9-based, dual-core 1GHz CPU (the company calls it the "fastest tablet ever"), 1GB of RAM, and a 3 megapixel front-facing camera along with a 5 megapixel rear lens (and yes, there will be video conferencing). There was no mention of onboard storage capacity during the keynote, though the devices we just spied in our eyes-on post are labeled 16GB and 32GB on their back panels. The PlayBook will be capable of 1080p HD video, and comes equipped with an HDMI port as well as a microUSB jack, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1. The device clocks in at a svelte 5.1- by 7.6-inches, is only 0.4-inches thick, and weighs just 400g (or about 0.9 pounds).

In terms of interface, the OS looks like a mashup of webOS and the BlackBerry OS, even allowing for multitasking via what amounts to a "card" view. Interestingly, RIM and QNX boasted of the PlayBook's multimedia and gaming functions, but Mike Lazaridis also described the tablet as "an amplified view of what's already on your BlackBerry." That's due largely in part to a function of the tablet which allows you to siphon data off of your BlackBerry handset via Bluetooth tethering and display it on your PlayBook (a la the ill-fated Palm Foleo). While the PlayBook doesn't seem to rely on phone content alone, the press release from the company says that users can "use their tablet and smartphone interchangeably without worrying about syncing or duplicating data." RIM didn't hand out any solid launch dates beyond "early 2011," and of course, there was no mention of retail price. We've got a slew of content after the break, including the PlayBook spec rundown, the company's press release, and a full video of the device (and UI) in action -- so take a look!
Gallery: BlackBerry PlayBook press shots

Gallery: RIM introduces PlayBook -- the BlackBerry tablet

Continue reading RIM introduces PlayBook -- the BlackBerry tablet
RIM introduces PlayBook -- the BlackBerry tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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RIM announces WebWorks development kit, in-app payments, ad platform, and BBM API
RIM's BlackBerry Developer Conference is going down this week in San Francisco, and as you might expect from a developer-focused event, there are a handful of newsy items that'll affect the development community first and consumers down the road. Here's a roundup of what's what:
  • WebWorks development platform. From what we've heard of this so far, it's basically a quick way for web devs to get into the BlackBerry app game by offering a tightly-integrated platform for HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript code with hooks to native BlackBerry OS functions and a packager for turning them into "real" BlackBerry apps.
  • BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform. RIM's historically held BBM very, very close to the chest, but it's starting to open up a tad with this particular announce. Don't look for BBM on other platforms (yes, we know that's what some of you were hoping to hear), but third-party app developers will now be able to tap into the system for sending and receiving messages, files, user profiles, and invitations. Interestingly, the company is pitching it as a platform for multiplayer gaming, using BBM as a conduit to move information between devices in real time.
  • BlackBerry Advertising Service. Google bought AdMob and Apple bought Quattro, but RIM's taking a more democratic approach to its advertising platform, allowing both "simple" and "rich media" ads to be served from a handful of providers "with only three lines of code." It'll be a 60 / 40 revenue split between devs and RIM.
  • BlackBerry Payment Service SDK. This one's launching in beta this week, bringing third-party in-app payments over credit card, PayPal, and carrier billing (available on AT&T right now, more carriers by the end of the year). It'll be out of beta before 2010's out.
Nothing on the so-called BlackPad so far, but at any rate, seems like this roundup is great news for anyone looking to slide some content into App World over the next few months.
RIM announces WebWorks development kit, in-app payments, ad platform, and BBM API originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Live from the BlackBerry Developer Conference 2010 keynote!
We're seated in the blogger pit (which bears no resemblance to a casino pit, sadly) at the General Session of RIM's BlackBerry Developer Conference; it's scheduled to run a mind-boggling two and a half hours, but co-CEO Mike Lazaridis is scheduled to speak, so things could get interesting. Tune on in!Continue reading Live from the BlackBerry Developer Conference 2010 keynote!
Live from the BlackBerry Developer Conference 2010 keynote! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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EVO 4G and Droid Incredible vie for title of best Android hotspot in informal test
Wireless tethering is rapidly becoming a desirable option in top-tier smartphones, but which device delivers the best? Laptop Magazine swore to find out, pitting six Android favorites (two HTC, two Motorola and two Samsung) against one another in a brutal data-sucking showdown in New York City. Unsurprisingly, the HTC EVO 4G came out on top, averaging 5.09 Mbit / sec downloads and a 3.65 second page load time when 4G connectivity was present, but intriguingly enough it's the freshly-upgraded Droid Incredible that pulled the best speeds on 3G. Lest you think Motorola was trounced in this little competition, the Droid 2 actually delivered websites the fastest at 4.425 seconds on average -- besting the Samsung Epic 4G on 4G -- and Droid X owners can find consolation in the fact their handset is really good at loading ESPN for some reason. Sadly, the study failed to include the most important item for comparison across the board: a dedicated MiFi or aircard.
EVO 4G and Droid Incredible vie for title of best Android hotspot in informal test originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Kno announces single-screen tablet textbook, plans to ship alongside dual-screen by end of 2010
Looks like Kno, whose dual-screen tablet textbook turned heads at D8 this year, is taking a cue from King Solomon himself. The company has announced a single-screen tablet textbook -- apparently the "world's first," if you don't consider the plethora of other tablets as educational in any way. Both devices are apparently on track for a late 2010 release, thanks in no small part, we suspect, to new funding. From the press pics, it really looks to be just one-half the original product: a single 14.1-inch capacitive IPS display with presumably 1440 x 900 resolution.

Kno's taken some pride in its two-screen design, so why introduce a more standard form factor? Looks like price might be the big motivator; it's something CEO Osman Rashid seems to at least tacitly acknowledge: "Even though the Kno pays for itself in 13 months, the smaller up front investment of the single screen version will allow more students to use our learning platform." That said, we still don't know the price of either product. Last we heard, the double-display model would be priced at "under $1,000," but there's no indication as to how far under that might be. We'll keep investigating; in the meantime, don't throw away your army of highlighters just yet. Press release after the break. Continue reading Kno announces single-screen tablet textbook, plans to ship alongside dual-screen by end of 2010
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Editorial: AMD's VP for product marketing probably shouldn't give dating advice
Last week, AMD's corporate vice president for product marketing, Leslie Sobon, published a piece entitled "Get a Geek in Five Easy Lessons." The how-to guide was published on AMD's blog, so I'll be the first one to admit that I was shocked from the moment I started reading it. The piece (which you can and should read right here) is one of the lamest, most confusing things I've read on the internet in a very long time, and believe me: I read a lot of terrible stuff. Contained within this blog is Sobon's "expert" advice on how a single and seemingly quite desperate lady (she assumes there are throngs of you) can snag a geek -- no easy task if you believe what she's got to say. Sobon's advice for grabbing up a nerd for your very own? Change everything about yourself, lie through your teeth, pretend to be interested in super boring stuff, and before you know it: nerd happiness.

Now, before you tell me I have no sense of humor, I'll admit freely that it's possible that Leslie Sobon has written what she considers to be a joke piece worthy of The Onion. So I say to you: if this is a joke, why is it not funny, and why is it on the AMD blog? Likewise, of course, if she's in any way serious... well, then why is it not funny and why is it on the AMD blog? Regardless, there are a lot of problems with Sobon's piece, as you'll see below. Read on if you care to travel to the depths of my cold, angry female mind.Continue reading Editorial: AMD's VP for product marketing probably shouldn't give dating advice
Editorial: AMD's VP for product marketing probably shouldn't give dating advice originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Study: we're keeping our mobiles longer, despite sinking prices
Had your current cellphone for the better part of the this century? Turns out you aren't the only one -- according to new research gathered by J.D. Power and Associates, Americans are holding onto their mobiles for longer than ever these days. In fact, the study found that the length of time customers keep their traditional wireless cell phone has increased by 17 percent from 2009, with the average customer holding onto their phone for around 20.5 months. That's the longest period since this study began tracking the data in 1999, when the average was 17.3 months. Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at the company, feels that the recent economic downturn has a lot to do with folks keeping their existing phones longer, while we're guessing that it has to do with existing phones simply being "good enough."

Furthermore, anyone who is even remotely tuned into the mobile world knows that widespread 4G is just around the bend, giving folks reason to hold off on renewing their contract until WiMAX / LTE comes to their carrier of choice. Curiously, phone prices are lower than ever before, which should mean that it's even less expensive to upgrade now than in the past. Of course, none of that matters if your existing phone contract isn't up (or you aren't due for a discounted renewal), and the savings on the hardware is likely being devoured by the extra fees we're paying for messaging and data. So, are you in the "run it till it dies" camp, or are you wondering who on Earth this survey (shown in full after the break) is referring to?Continue reading Study: we're keeping our mobiles longer, despite sinking prices
Study: we're keeping our mobiles longer, despite sinking prices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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First working Social Bicycles GPS-enabled bike lock pictured, looking chunky
First working Social Bicycles GPS-enabled bike lock pictured, looking chunky
It's been a little over a month since we last saw the Social Bicycles (or SoBi) bike lock concept, a simple thing that could revolutionize bicycle loaning worldwide. Now, here's the first working prototype, a GPS-enabled device that affixes to the rear wheel of a bike set to be offered up to others. Those others can call up a mobile app to locate available rides and retrieve the password necessary to unlock them. Once done pedaling they can just lock the thing up again and it's immediately added to the queue of available human-powered chariots. This version is currently being tested and, while we're still waiting for a formal release date, we're also hoping the devices get a dose of miniaturization before then -- they currently look more like briefcases than bike locks.
First working Social Bicycles GPS-enabled bike lock pictured, looking chunky originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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