Saturday, October 23, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 23/10/2010



The Engadget Show returns, tomorrow! With Windows Phone 7, Aaron Woodman, Google TV devices, and our first Halloween costume contest!
Attention all humans and empathetic robots: The Engadget Show is back in a big way tomorrow, October 23rd at 6:30pm! To get things started, Josh and the gang will be taking a first-hand look at a plethora of Windows Phone 7 devices with Microsoft's Aaron Woodman, then we'll be demoing Google TV, and Engadget's own Darren Murph will be joining Josh, Nilay, and Paul on stage, Guinness world record in hand. What's more, we're hosting our first ever Halloween costume contest! There will be giveaways at the show for the best costumes (as voted on by you, the audience), so get to work on your winning masterpiece now! We'll also have the usual random giveaways, but why leave it to chance when you could win stuff with a little creativity and a black turtleneck? There will also be music from Kris Keyser and visuals from noteNdo and plenty of other giveaways at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. We have a new ticketing policy, so if you're coming to the live show, be sure to read about it below. If you're geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just tune into the stream right here on Engadget.

The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know:
  • There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
  • The event is all ages
  • Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Saturday, October 23rd, doors will open for seating at 5:45PM, and the show begins at 6:30PM
  • We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets -- and the Sprint text-to-win winners (see below) -- will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat.
  • We still had plenty of tickets left over at the last taping, so just because it's 5:00pm and you finally finished Halo: Reach doesn't mean you won't get a seat at the show -- so get your butt up to the Times Center!
  • Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away
  • You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
  • Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full
  • The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break)
  • The show length is around an hour
If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

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Android 2.3 'next major release,' says anonymous Google engineer
Who knew a support thread on corporate WiFi login issues would lead to anything we'd care about? Cut to Google code's Android forums, where an anonymous Google engineer confirms that this problem will be patched in the "next major release" of Android, specifically version 2.3. So... does this mean Android 2.3 is the oft-discussed (and close on the horizon) Gingerbread? Not necessarily -- while possible, there isn't any indication to that effect, and logic doesn't arbitrarily equate the two. After all, recall that Eclair was both 2.0 and 2.1, so there would be some historical precedence to this 0.1 leap being nothing more than sprinkles on frozen yogurt.
Android 2.3 'next major release,' says anonymous Google engineer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Brief Mobile, Android Central  |  sourceGoogle Code  | Email this | Comments
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AT&T transitioning to LTE-friendly SIM cards
There's precisely zero doubt that AT&T will be supporting LTE waves in the not-too-distant future, but it looks as if "the future" may be drawing closer than anyone had ever imagined. Or else the carrier's just really, really proactive. Based on the leaked slide above, it looks as if AT&T is already beginning to transition its current crop of SIM cards to "those that will also support LTE devices." Naturally, the iPhone 4 is omitted from all of this due to it using a micro SIM, but it looks as if employees will need to keep a careful eye on the SKU (and front graphics) in order to make sure customers are well equipped for another blend of 4G. Now, how's about a rollout schedule, Ma Bell?
AT&T transitioning to LTE-friendly SIM cards originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceBoy Genius Report  | Email this | Comments
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Report: Twenty percent of peak downstream Internet used for Netflix?
If you're anything like us, you're both smart and incredibly good looking. Also, you're sarcastic. And in addition to all that, you spend much of your downtime enjoying streaming media on your computer, or your Internet-enabled TV, or perhaps even your fancy-pants cellphone. And it looks like, indeed, much of the country is "anything like us" -- at least according to Sandvine, Inc., of Waterloo, Ontario. The bandwidth manufacturer has released a report that concludes that over twenty percent of stateside peak time downstream Internet traffic is gobbled up by Netflix streams, with the heaviest use going down in the primetime hours between 8 to 10 pm. We're sure that this is no surprise to Netflix itself, whose CEO recently stated that the company is primarily a streaming company that just happens to mail out DVDs to some customers; but still, the figure is pretty staggering. You can draw your own conclusions, but we're just happy to no longer live in a place where the only thing to watch on a Thursday night is The World According To Jim.
Report: Twenty percent of peak downstream Internet used for Netflix? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Slashgear  |  sourceMultichannel News  | Email this | Comments
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LG Optimus 7 review
If last night's cameo showing off the official Twitter client for Windows Phone 7 wasn't enough of a hint, yes, we've gotten our hands on LG's Optimus 7. This 3.8-inch machine will serve as LG's international WP7 ambassador while Americans get to grips with its QWERTY keyboard-equipped Quantum brother. As you'll no doubt be aware by now, the internal equipment is standardized around Microsoft's chassis spec, meaning a WVGA screen resolution, a 1GHz Snapdragon inside, and a 5 megapixel camera shooting 720p video at 24fps. You'd think, therefore, that it'd be a nondescript, middle-of-the-road option, but the Optimus 7 left us extremely impressed after our first hands-on and we're eager to keep digging for more. Does it put up a righteous fight against the more ambitious HD7 from HTC and Omnia 7 from Samsung? Jump past the break to find out.

This review is primarily of the LG Optimus 7 hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS.Continue reading LG Optimus 7 review
LG Optimus 7 review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony pulls the plug on cassette Walkmans in Japan, makes epic mixtape
A cassette Walkman may now be nothing more than a puzzling artifact to some, but for those of a certain age it was the gadget of the day. Alas, it has long since been surpassed by other, more portable audio players that have replaced the fine art of the mixtape with "playlists," and it looks like even Sony has now accepted the inevitable. The company has reportedly ceased production of all cassette Walkmans and will stop selling them in Japan as soon as the current inventory runs out (expected to happen sometime in April). There will apparently still be Sony-branded Walkmans manufactured in China, however, although it's not clear how widely available they'll be. But let's not worry about that right now -- head on past the break for a brief look back at the Walkman in its heyday.Continue reading Sony pulls the plug on cassette Walkmans in Japan, makes epic mixtape
Sony pulls the plug on cassette Walkmans in Japan, makes epic mixtape originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceITmedia  | Email this | Comments
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Verizon adds fewer customers than AT&T in Q3, race for first place gets tight
By subscriber count, Verizon had vaulted into first place by a pretty comfortable margin following its Alltel acquisition, but AT&T added significantly more customers this last quarter than Big Red did -- and just like that, the battle for first place among the US national carriers is starting to get hot again. Verizon added 997,000 customers (excluding acquisitions) in the July through September period versus AT&T's beefy 2.6 million, meaning AT&T now stands at some 92.8 million -- just 400,000 or so fewer that Verizon's headcount. Nothing like an exclusive iPhone launch to give you a little boost, right? On the plus side, Verizon's postpaid churn in the quarter was low at 1.07 percent, and Verizon Communications as a whole earned 31 cents per share -- lower than its second quarter pre-adjustment EPS of 58 cents, but a heck of a lot higher than the 7 cent loss it actually posted in Q2.

Outside of wireless, the company added 226,000 and 204,000 FiOS internet and television customers, respectively, bringing the totals to 3.9 and 3.3 million; FiOS ARPU is up nearly 11 percent year over year, and the company claims that its FiOS business now represents about half of its consumer revenues -- pretty impressive. Follow the break for Verizon's full press release.Continue reading Verizon adds fewer customers than AT&T in Q3, race for first place gets tight
Verizon adds fewer customers than AT&T in Q3, race for first place gets tight originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple responds on missing Flash in new MacBook Airs, says get used to it
The other day, we reported on the fact that those tiny new MacBook Airs are shipping without a pre-installed version of Flash. Based on Apple's recent, vocal anti-Flash opinions, we took it as a sign that the company was putting even more distance between itself and Adobe, but according to a statement we've just received, that might not be the case. Apple spokesman Bill Evans just pinged us with the official word on the situation, claiming that it has more to do with making sure users have the most recent version of the software and less to do with politics. Here's the word from Apple:
We're happy to continue to support Flash on the Mac, and the best way for users to always have the most up to date and secure version is to download it directly from Adobe.
Interestingly, he also notes that this will be happening across all Macs in the future, though there may be some models still in the channel with Flash pre-installed. Obviously this makes some sense, but it's hard not to see it as a dig against Adobe -- there must be other solutions for ensuring users are up to date (like, oh, putting the plugin into your auto-updater). Also, it would be nice if those "missing plug-in" messages actually worked as links to the Adobe install page (because they don't, at least in Safari). Hey -- at least we know it wasn't a fluke!
Apple responds on missing Flash in new MacBook Airs, says get used to it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google to beta test 1Gbps fiber internet service at Stanford's Residential Subdivision
Right after having a giant Christmas tree as your mascot comes the next best reason to be a Cardinal: the chance to have 1Gbps internet from Google. If you'll recall, the Big G announced earlier this year that it was planning to rollout a 1Gbps fiber connection to between 50,000 and 500,000 homes in a given community, and while the search is still ongoing for the perfect fit (that's expected to be announced by the year's end), Google's using a sliver of Stanford's campus to trial things before heading public. The university's Residential Subdivision -- a group of approximately 850 faculty- and staff-owned homes on campus -- will be the testing grounds for the aforesaid internet service, and the current plan is to break ground on the initiative in early 2011. El Goog chose Stanford for a couple of reasons: first, it's bright enough to realize how awesome of a PR move this is, and second, this chunk of campus is spitting distance from Mountain View. Third, the Cardinal mascot was down with it -- and seriously, who is Google to question that thing?
Permalink Slashdot  |  sourceGoogle  | Email this | Comments
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Zotac introduces upgraded Zbox HD-ID40 nettop
Zotac just rolled out a couple of Zbox nettops last month, and a few more the month before that, but it's now back yet again with the new and slightly improved Zbox HD-ID40 model. No Blu-ray drive this time around, but you will get a dual-core Atom D525 processor, along with 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, a memory card reader, and NVIDIA Ion graphics -- if you prefer, you can also get a barebones rig and supply your own components and OS. No word on pricing jut yet, unfortunately, but it sounds like this one should soon be hitting retailers that carry Zotac products. Head on past the break for the complete release.

[Thanks, Matt R]
Continue reading Zotac introduces upgraded Zbox HD-ID40 nettop
Zotac introduces upgraded Zbox HD-ID40 nettop originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New androgynous International Docking System Standard Interface works both ways in space
New androgynous International Docking System Standard Interface works both ways in space
There's nothing more embarrassing than trying to dock with your cosmonaut compatriots only to find that his port was made in metric, yours was crafted with the finest in ye olde imperial units. Such faux pas can now be safely avoided in space thanks to the newly agreed upon International Docking System Standard, or IDSS. It's an androgynous system that allows for the same portal design to be used on both ships and docking stations, meaning craft can pair up with stations, ships with ships, and any other groovy coupling you can think of. The standard was finalized last month and just released to the world, but we've managed to find stunning footage of an early prototype from 1973. That's embedded below for your scientific edification.Continue reading New androgynous International Docking System Standard Interface works both ways in space
Permalink Geeks are Sexy  |  sourceInternational Docking Standard  | Email this | Comments
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Sony Google TV booted into recovery mode, are we days away from a root? (video)
Sony Google TV booted into recovery mode, are we days away from a root? (video)
If it's running Android it has a root, and if it has a root some modder will find it. The Sony Google TV is most certainly running a flavor of Google's little OS and so it too is just waiting to be cracked open. While that hasn't happened yet, Android Forums and xda-developers member Apeman has managed to get us one step closer. He's enabled the recovery mode on his device by holding the power button down while plugging it in, presenting a tantalizing "System Update with USB" menu option. What lovely things will this unlock? You'll have to wait to see -- just like us.Continue reading Sony Google TV booted into recovery mode, are we days away from a root? (video)
Sony Google TV booted into recovery mode, are we days away from a root? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Phandroid  |  sourceAndroid Forums  | Email this | Comments
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ASUS Eee PC 1015PN gets official, will do 1080p in a pinch
ASUS Eee PC 1015PN gets official, will do 1080p in a pinch
It was rumored back in August for a September release and, though it did miss that by a full month, we're definite believers of "Better late than never." The ASUS 1015PN is officially the newest entry in the Eee PC family with its 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600 LCD, a dual-core Atom N550 processor, 1GB of RAM, 250GB of platter-based storage, and, perhaps most importantly, NVIDIA Ion 2 graphics that won't put a hurting on your battery life thanks to Optimus switching tech. That means an estimated 9.5 hours of longevity on a charge so long as you don't spend your time pumping out reams of legally acquired full HD test footage. If all that sounds good you can order yours right now for around $429.
ASUS Eee PC 1015PN gets official, will do 1080p in a pinch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Notebook Review  |  sourceASUS  | Email this | Comments
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iMovie blocks studio names in new trailers
Perhaps its testament to the quality of the iMovie '11 trailers that Apple is blocking the use of big name studios in the titles. Ironic since Apple provides templates that ape the Paramount snow-capped mountain (pictured after the break) and familiar Universal Studios globe. Just don't try to enter those studio names into the title sequence -- the words "Paramount" and "Universal" will be replaced with hyphens. We suspect other studios are affected as well. Hard to say if this is Apple's doing or the studios as both are notoriously controlling. We'd laugh if only we could stop crying.Continue reading iMovie blocks studio names in new trailers
iMovie blocks studio names in new trailers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 07:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hulu Plus dropping to $4.95 per month? That's what she said.
It's only rumor for now, but Peter Kafka over at All Things D has sources telling him that the ABC/NBC/FOX-owned Hulu Plus video site is looking to cut its $9.95 per month subscription fee in halfish to $4.95, perhaps in a bid to increase subscriber count. If so that would drop it well below the $8.95 per month fee paid by Netflix subscribers. A price drop certainly wouldn't surprise us knowing that content owners are still experimenting with pricing in the brave new world we call the internet.
Hulu Plus dropping to $4.95 per month? That's what she said. originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 06:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft Games for Windows Marketplace relaunches in your browser on November 15
Microsoft just announced that its new Games for Windows Marketplace online PC games store will launch on November 15th. Think Steam, but not quite. The store offers online web access from anywhere and features fast purchase and download turnarounds to accelerate the time to game play; discounted games; and game search by title, genre or publisher. Games for Windows Marketplace is integrated with Microsoft's existing Xbox LIVE and Windows Live services and will launch with over 100 titles including "Fable: The Lost Chapters" and "Grand Theft Auto III." Anyone with a Windows Live ID can login. Check out the full press release after the break before heading over to Joystiq for more detailed coverage.Continue reading Microsoft Games for Windows Marketplace relaunches in your browser on November 15
Microsoft Games for Windows Marketplace relaunches in your browser on November 15 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 05:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple fixes FaceTime for Mac security flaw, not your Wolverine complex
That was quick. The FaceTime for Mac beta security flaw has been shutdown by Apple on the backend -- a flaw that allowed anyone with physical access to your machine to reset and grab your iTunes Store account password and security answers. So now, if some nefarious type were to click "View Account" within your FaceTime desktop app while you were chillin' in the Starbucks toilet or chatting away the day by the office water cooler, the would-be identify thief would simply be redirected back to the FaceTime Account Preferences pane. At which point he'd probably just slip your laptop into his backpack earning two thumbs up from that guy.
Apple fixes FaceTime for Mac security flaw, not your Wolverine complex originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry Bold 9780 starts leaking all over the place (update: video)
Pick your poison: Vodafone Netherlands? T-Mobile UK? A shop associated with Orange? Or heck, how about RIM itself? All of the above have started teasing the BlackBerry Bold 9780 recently, RIM's oft-leaked upcoming replacement for the Bold 9700 -- so it seems like this will be a pretty wide-scale deployment around the globe (as most of RIM's launches tend to be). We've yet to see any leaks via American carriers, but we'd say it's safe to argue that AT&T (and perhaps T-Mobile, too) will be signed up to take delivery of these things before too long. As a refresher, the 9780 is basically a 9700 with a better camera, more RAM, and BlackBerry 6 preloaded... so if you love your 9700, you're probably going to love the 9780 even more. Timing is unclear, but one carrier -- Vodafone Netherlands -- has proclaimed that it'll have 'em in early November.

Update: Video review with smooth dutch delivery (subtitled in english) posted after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]Continue reading BlackBerry Bold 9780 starts leaking all over the place (update: video)
BlackBerry Bold 9780 starts leaking all over the place (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink GSM Helpdesk, BGR  |  sourceStore-Orange, Vodafone NL, Electricpig.co.uk, Softpedia  | Email this | Comments
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Garmin-ASUS collaboration said to be ending in January
It was hinted at back in September, now the Chinese-language Economic Daily is reporting that the Garmin-ASUS joint venture will end in January after the two-year deal expires. We've heard this from our own sources as well. At that point, Asus will return to flooding the market with indistinguishable product iterations and Garmin will go back to watching GPS-enabled smartphones (and now tablets) eat away at the dedicated personal navigation device market. ASUS is expected to continue making GPS-enabled smartphones under the ASUS brand with Garmin providing navigation and mapping software.
Garmin-ASUS collaboration said to be ending in January originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 03:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceEconomic Daily [translated]  | Email this | Comments
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Nookcolor.com domain snapped up by Barnes & Noble, hints at Nook Color device
At some future point in time, when the technology finally allows it, all ebook reader displays will make the jump to color. Perhaps that's what Barnes and Noble is thinking by registering the nookcolor.com domain. Then again, "Nook Color" is the name rumored for B&N's new 7-inch color touchscreen device said to cost a mere $249. Or maybe it's just a collection of colorful snap-on bezels for its existing Nook. Whatever it is, we'll be treated with the truth on Tuesday when B&N hosts its very special event. Be there won't you, we will.

[Thanks, Matthew C.]
Nookcolor.com domain snapped up by Barnes & Noble, hints at Nook Color device originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 02:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sharp quits the PC business reminding us that Sharp still makes PCs
It's no secret that Japanese consumer electronics companies are having a tough time competing right now (damn Yen). Now Sharp becomes the latest casualty with the announcement that it will exit the cut-throat personal computer business to focus on market segments where it can be profitable. You know, like tablets, where Sharp hopes to have more success with its new Galapagos and related e-book, music, and video services.
Sharp quits the PC business reminding us that Sharp still makes PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 01:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Akihabara News  |  sourceTrading Markets  | Email this | Comments
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Official Kinect TV ads feature smiling actors, very large rooms, little else (video)
If you're a fan of videos featuring commercial actors mugging for the camera and jumping around in a semi-comical manner, you are seriously in luck. That's right, it looks like Ballmer and Co.'s $500 million marketing blitz has resulted in some totally spasmodic TV spots for the Kinect. As befits a technology that emphasizes movement over the controller itself, there is very little actual hardware shown -- but boy, do those kids look like they're having fun! See for yourself after the break.

[Thanks, David]
Continue reading Official Kinect TV ads feature smiling actors, very large rooms, little else (video)
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Droid X and Droid 2 gain overclocking app: painlessly push your CPU for just $1
Tired of wading through dissertations in hopes of grokking a hacked-up method of overclocking your Droid X and / or Droid 2? Clearly, you aren't alone. Unstable Apps has just released a $0.99 gem that enables one-tap overclocking on the aforementioned phones, with DX/D2 Overclocker giving users the option to run at low voltage, stock voltage or two higher-than-recommended voltages. Of course, given just how simple it is to potentially ruin your handset, we'd highly encourage using common sense and rational judgment when pushing the proverbial envelope. You know, the kind of judgment that convinces you to sing Bell Biv DeVoe's Poison in a karaoke bar full of your closest colleagues.
Droid X and Droid 2 gain overclocking app: painlessly push your CPU for just $1 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Android Community, Droid-Life  |  sourceApp Brain  | Email this | Comments
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Rock Band 3 Fender Mustang Pro guitar review
Next week's Rock Band 3 launch marks a giant step for the franchise, with the pro mode edging its gameplay closer to actual musicianship. The keyboards and drums are easier transitions to make, given what's essentially one-to-one mapping for notes and logical input solutions. But what about a guitar, arguably the genre's flagship instrument? We've seen and tried two solutions to the pro guitar input conundrum: the Squier Stratocaster, an actual guitar that's still not ready for primetime, and the Mad Catz Fender Mustang, a 102-button replica more reminiscent of peripheral than instrument. Still, with a mid-November release date, the latter's likely to be your only official option for pro guitar rocking this holiday. So, how does it fare? Read on to find out!

P.S. For all your other Rock Band 3 queries, check out Joystiq's exhaustive review! Continue reading Rock Band 3 Fender Mustang Pro guitar review
Rock Band 3 Fender Mustang Pro guitar review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ATI Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 reviewed, deemed worthy of the midrange
AMD's Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 graphics cards are here, but they might not be what you expect -- though alphanumerics suggest they'd succeed the lauded Radeon HD 5870 and 5850, these new "Bart" chips are actually a pair of solid plays for the PC gaming mainstream. $180 buys you a Radeon HD 6850 with 960 stream processors, a 775MHz core clock and 1GB of GDDR5 memory at a 1GHz effective rate, and $240 nets the HD 6870 with 1120 stream processors and 900MHz / 1,050 MHz clocks respectively. On paper that puts them a good bit behind the finest, but a collection of reviews show they can keep up with the pack, as the 6870 consistently manages to surpass the framerates possible with NVIDIA's $200 GeForce GTX 460, and even the cheaper 6850 can do the same in certain games. Some reports indicate they run a good bit hotter than their predecessors, however, so despite the bevy of ports they're probably not right for your next HTPC. Hit up the reviews below for some promising benchmarks, and if you aren't turned away by AMD's lipsticking of the pig, you'll find ten varieties already for sale at our source link. PR after the break.

Update: NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 460 768MB now sells for $170, so there's definitely still some mid-range muscle in the green camp.

Read - AnandTech
Read (1), (2) - Guru3D
Read - HardOCP
Read (1), (2) - Bit-tech
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Legit Reviews
Read - Techgage
Read (1), (2) - TweakTown
Read - Hexus
Read (1), (2) - TechPowerUp
Read - HotHardware
Read - TechSpotContinue reading ATI Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 reviewed, deemed worthy of the midrange
ATI Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 reviewed, deemed worthy of the midrange originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ask Engadget: best 30-inch LCD monitor out there?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Edward, who isn't afraid of making us all envious by asking for tips on a monstrous monitor. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
Hey, I run a small graphic design business in South Yorkshire, UK. Currently we use HP's LP2475w as our workstation monitors, and are looking for something newer. Since I hate to downgrade electrical stuff, the only logical step would be to 30-inch monitors. They need to have an HDMI input as well as DVI since we've a VAIO Z in the office whose only output is HDMI. The other important factors are accurate color (so I guess an IPS panel) without ridiculous pricing. I'm looking at £1,500 ($2,400) as the absolute maximum. Currently I'm looking at the HP ZR30W and the Dell 3008WFP, what would your readers recommend?
The 30-inch monitor space has become increasingly competitive over the past couple of years, and your options now are more numerous than ever. So, what 30-incher are you reading this right now on? Let 'em know in comments below!
Ask Engadget: best 30-inch LCD monitor out there? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Television networks block Google TV from accessing web-based content (update)
You may be able to watch The Office on your Google TV, but perhaps not on demand -- ABC, CBS and NBC are barring Sony and Logitech's web-infused TVs and set-top-boxes from accessing full episodes of streaming video content. The Wall Street Journal reports that all three networks have confirmed the ban, and that Fox hasn't yet reached a decision on whether it will ban Google TV as well. For its part, Google says that it's "ultimately the content owners' choice to restrict their fans from accessing their content on the platform," so don't expect the search company to pitch in, unless it can work out some premium arrangements for all parties involved. This is the part where we'd normally direct you to the simple browser tweak that made Hulu accessible when it pulled the very same stunt, but alas, we're finding Hulu too is once again blocked.

Update: Reuters reports that Google is "actively negotiating" with the three networks after all.
Television networks block Google TV from accessing web-based content (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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AngelBird's PCIe SSD solution brings breakneck speeds, achievable prices, 'incremental awesomeness'
Angelbird's PCIe SSD solution brings breakneck speeds, achievable prices, 'incremental awesomeness'
PCIe SSD solutions tend to be two things: stupidly fast and stupidly expensive. With read performance of up to 1GB/s and writes happening at up to 900MB/s the Angelbird Wings solution certainly has the speed. And, at a starting price of $239 for a 16GB model, the pricing isn't too bad -- for this sort of setup, anyway. What you're getting for that money is an expandable PCIe controller board with slots for up to four SSDs of 120GB in size, each offering SandForce 1200 controllers. With one board you'll get pedestrian read and write speeds of just under 300MB/s. But, with each new drive you basically multiply that, with the maximum figures quoted above coming with four. Interestingly, the controller comes with its own onboard Linux flavor called Virtue, a full UI that you can boot directly into and get all your RAID ducks in a row. Full cost for a fully kitted out system with four boards? $1399, which is hardly cheap for a mere 500GB or so of storage, but is a solid price for 1GB/s performance.
Permalink Tom's Hardware, gizmag  |  sourceAngelBird  | Email this | Comments
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Official Twitter app for Windows Phone 7 goes live (update: hands-on)
Surprise of surprises! On the day that Europeans finally got to dig into the Windows Phone 7 cake in earnest, Twitter's official app for the hot new platform has also gone live. We've downloaded it to our own WP7 device and are having a play around with it now. If you need a refresher as to what it looks like, check out the video after the break.

Update: Okay, we can neither log in nor get signed up at present, though others have clearly achieved the feat already. Twitter.com itself keeps alternating between its new and old versions, so we suspect there's quite a bit of work going on behind the scenes at present. To answer your queries, loading time from the live tile menu to the top tweets page above is approximately three seconds, while scrolling is basically identical to the perfection available on WP7's own apps. Swiping laterally gets you into Trends, Suggested, and Nearby categories which take a couple of moments to load up their tweets, but otherwise match the performance.

Exiting to the live tile menu throws you out of whatever you were doing and re-entering the app -- as is par for the Windows Phone 7 course right now -- means starting from scratch. The only way you can save you state is by locking the phone, which takes a second or two to resume when unlocked and returns you to the exact point you were at. Great, now let us in, Twitter!

Hold up, reader David Gordon points out that you can hit the live tile menu via the Windows/Start key and then return to Twitter through the Back button, yay, that works too.

Update 2: There are still errors being thrown up, but we finally got ourselves logged in. Well, it looks just like the vid promised it would and the app itself is working flawlessly, there are no processing delays that we can see. Oh, and there's a landscape mode. Our only bugbear is that there's no differentiation between your own tweets and those of your friends. Ah well, check out the gallery below.
Continue reading Official Twitter app for Windows Phone 7 goes live (update: hands-on)
Official Twitter app for Windows Phone 7 goes live (update: hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink @stuartmiles (Twitter)  |   | Email this | Comments
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Atheros Hybrid system merges WiFi with powerline networking in one tidy bundle
Atheros Hybrid system merges WiFi with powerline networking in one tidy bundle
Network routers are increasingly becoming our portals to the world, and the latest model from Atheros, the Hybrid Router, is making that doorway wider than ever. Naturally it supports 802.11 WiFi and Ethernet, just like any good bit of networking kit, but it also adds in HomePlug AV powerline networking. By just plugging the thing's AC adapter into the wall you're extending your network signal throughout your abode and, by plugging in one of the company's Ethernet or WiFi adapters, you can extend your access to places that even microwaves fear to tread. Atheros hasn't announced pricing for the Hybrid Router or either the wired or wireless powerline range extenders, but all are said to be shipping before the end of the year, so we'll all be finding out soon enough.Continue reading Atheros Hybrid system merges WiFi with powerline networking in one tidy bundle
Atheros Hybrid system merges WiFi with powerline networking in one tidy bundle originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP Slate 500 finally (finally!) official, rings up at $799
Nope, you're not dreaming, but feel free to pinch yourself, rub your eyes or take a cold shower! You've read right -- the HP Slate is finally official, and after all the teasing, back and forth, and (very recent) leaks, the Atom-powered, Windows 7 Slate will finally see the light of day -- though in a different way than originally intended. While the first videos released by HP may have made it seem like it would be for consumers, HP's tactfully changed its tune (don't forget it's got Palm / WebOS tablets on the way) and is now aiming the Slate at the enterprise and business market. Still, it will be available on HP's site for $799 to anyone who wishes to purchase one.

So, what does $800 of your hard earned cash buy you? Well, in addition to the dock and case, which are included in the box, the tablet packs pretty much everything we'd heard over the last year -- it's powered by a 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 processor, 2GB of RAM, 64GB SSD and packs Broadcom's Crystal HD accelerator for handling 1080p video. (The included dock has an HDMI-out port if you want to hook it up to the big screen.) Obviously, the 8.9-inch capacitive touch Slate runs Windows 7 Professional, but it's got a Wacom active digitizer for taking notes, which certainly sets it apart from the other Win 7 tablets we've seen over the last couple of weeks. Oh, and don't forget its front facing VGA cam and 3 megapixel camera on its back. We got a chance to finally grope the tablet earlier this week, so hit the break for our early impressions and a short video. Continue reading HP Slate 500 finally (finally!) official, rings up at $799
HP Slate 500 finally (finally!) official, rings up at $799 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceHP  | Email this | Comments
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Live from the Engadget reader meetup in NYC
We're having a party, where are you? If you happen to be in the NY area, feel free to drop by, we'll be here at Espace in Manhattan until 10:30PM. Thanks again to Sprint for sponsoring, and all the exhibitors, which include Sony PlayStation, Research In Motion, Palm, Sony VAIO, Bug Labs, Panasonic, Nokia, Sling, Roku, Sonos, Boxee, Peek, and many more. We'll be streaming live to Ustream with an EVO 4G, among other shenanigans, and we'll try to update this post with photos and text throughout the night. More details on how to get here and what to expect can be found at this hyperlink.

Update: Here's the Ustream, live from an EVO 4G courtesy of Sprint. We'll try to keep it live for as long as we can! The chat is here, if you want to hang out.

Update 2: It's over! Thanks for everyone who made it out, and to folks who wish we would have a reader meetup in their town, we share those sentiments entirely, and will be venturing outside of NY very soon.
Continue reading Live from the Engadget reader meetup in NYC
Live from the Engadget reader meetup in NYC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP Slate 500 unicorns its way into e-tailers with product code, leaked documents
We'd heard the HP Slate finally had a date with destiny (and corporate pocketbooks) sometime this fall, and it's looking like the device is nigh -- a number of boutique online retailers are taking orders for an HP Slate 500, which purportedly comes with an Intel Atom Z540 CPU, 8.9-inch WSVGA LED-backlit screen, 2GB of DDR2 memory, a 64GB solid state drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a webcam, a two-cell battery and Windows 7 Professional installed, all for somewhere around the vicinity of $800 to $900. What's more, CNET's just stumbled upon a document that apparently details the same, plus an HP Slate Digital Pen (no doubt for those who abhor sausages) and a rear-facing 3 megapixel camera. We'd chalk up the CNET leaks to old prototype documentation and the e-tailer product listings to wishful thinking if either appeared on their own, but together we have to imagine there's some sort of wind a' blowing.
HP Slate 500 unicorns its way into e-tailers with product code, leaked documents originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Shopping, CNET  | Email this | Comments
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Boeing installs 50Mbps eXConnect broadband on 737
Cathay Pacific has already promised that it would bring 50Mbps in-flight broadband to some of its fleet by 2012, but it looks like Boeing has beat it to the punch to become the first to actually take the service to the skies. The company has just announced the first certification and installation of Panasonic Avionics' eXConnect in-flight internet service in one of its Boeing Business Jet 737 aircraft, which will initially be used by Panasonic itself for ongoing testing and demonstrations. That's the same system that will be used by Cathay Pacific, and consists a fuselage-mounted antenna that communicates with a network of satellites to deliver speeds of up to 50Mbps, or about a hundred times faster than most competing in-flight WiFi. Unfortunately, there's still no word on any further expansion to commercial aircraft, so Cathay Pacific may well still wind up being the first in that respect. Full press release is after the break.Continue reading Boeing installs 50Mbps eXConnect broadband on 737
Boeing installs 50Mbps eXConnect broadband on 737 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry Style first hands-on!
Yes, folks, it's true: Engadget's capable of scooping itself at its own reader meetup, as evidenced by the BlackBerry Style we just checked out at RIM's booth here. The phone is pretty much what you'd expect from what you've seen in the shots so far, essentially a clamshell riff on the Curve line; to that end, we'd argue that it feels a little cheaper than your average Bold, but it still seems to be a marked improvement from the Pearl flips of days gone by -- and at $99 on contract, we think that's exactly the market they were likely going for. Interestingly, the keyboard looks more like a Bold component than a Curve one... and depending on the faction of BlackBerry users you fall into, that's either a very good or a very bad thing. Like the old Pearl flips, the Style's definitely large and in charge, boasting dimensions barely smaller than the Bold -- when closed! Check out the gallery below.
BlackBerry Style first hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PlayStation Move shipped one million units its first month in the Americas
We've got some hard numbers from Sony on how the PlayStation Move is doing in the US, and it's really not that bad. Sony says it's shipped more than one million units of Move (which particular configuration is unclear) in North and Latin America. If you add in the 1.5 million Sony said it had already sold in Europe a couple of weeks ago, and Sony's probably hovering close to the 3 million mark as of right now. Not bad for an add-on peripheral, and Sony itself says it sees the Move as more of a word-of-mouth grower, but we'll see how much momentum Kinect gets out of the gate: Microsoft certainly plans on pushing it.
PlayStation Move shipped one million units its first month in the Americas originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceJoystiq (Americas), Joystiq (Europe)  | Email this | Comments
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Exclusive: Mad Catz Cyborg Rat 9 review
In a world full of the shapely blobs we call computer mice, the Cyborg Rat stands out. It's skeletal, metallic, and almost completely asymetrical. Though most mice are one-size-fit-few, the Rat lets you transform the hardware itself to fit the shape of your hand. It's got two scroll wheels and a special button that lowers DPI while it's held -- and this new Rat 9, due out November, is completely wireless as well. Whereas Razer, Microsoft and Logitech all built their premium wireless gaming mice from scratch -- and with cord-based charging in mind -- the Rat 9 instead integrates a hot-swappable battery pack and a 2.4GHz radio into the same modular design. Is it a half-baked attempt at wireless bliss, or do we have a new king of mice? Find out after the break in our full review. Continue reading Exclusive: Mad Catz Cyborg Rat 9 review
Exclusive: Mad Catz Cyborg Rat 9 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New 11.6-inch MacBook Air ripped to pieces, exposing proprietary parts
The entire world saw the 13-inch MacBook Air exposed to the elements before it was announced on stage, but its 11.6-inch younger brother is just now getting the teardown treatment. iFixit tore the tiny machine asunder, and found even more miniature battery packs nestled in its 0.68-inch-thick frame. Like Apple's previous Air, the components here are proprietary, and the 2GB memory module's actually soldered to the board -- some tradeoffs had to be made for miniaturization, we suppose, and we can't deny the result is a beautiful machine inside and out. On the plus side, the Toshiba solid state drive seems to be modular, so there's some modest upgrade potential there if you can find a supplier of the mini-SATA boards. Still, kids -- don't try this at home.
New 11.6-inch MacBook Air ripped to pieces, exposing proprietary parts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceiFixit  | Email this | Comments
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Barnes & Noble prepping new Nook with full color touchscreen?
Yeah, the Nook already has one color screen, but its primary display is depressingly monochrome. Now there's word on the street, from a reliable source of CNET's, that Barnes & Noble will be bringing a full-color, Android-based, touchscreen Nook to its event next Tuesday. That sure sounds a whole lot like a full fledged Android tablet, which would be quite a departure for Barnes & Noble -- sure, the Nook is Android-based, but it hardly acts like it currently. Still, there's a smell of Android tablets in the air, and it wouldn't be horribly surprising to see B&N move in this direction. CNET's tipster says the device will be called the Nook Color, and retail for $249. That's pretty low for a 7-inch touchscreen LCD device, but perhaps (hopefully) B&N has its eye on an alternative tech like Mirasol or Pixel Qi? Either way, the existing Nook will apparently continue to be sold as a lower-end version, so e-ink aficionados have no need to throw their hands up in despair just yet. Stay tuned!
Barnes & Noble prepping new Nook with full color touchscreen? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceCNET  | Email this | Comments
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GE introduces 'hybrid' bulb with both halogen and CFL elements, instant-on meets efficiency
GE introduces 'hybrid' bulb with both halogen and CFL elements, instant-on meets efficiency
We're pretty okay with waiting the second or so it takes a typical CFL to light up, but sometimes, when we're checking for monsters in closets and other inconspicuous places, it'd be nice if things were a little more expedient. For those times (and for generally impatient people) GE is introducing its Hybrid Halogen-CFL bulb. It's basically a typical CFL unit, but look closely inside those coils and you'll spot a wee halogen bulb peeking out. It's like two bulbs in one, the halogen unit powering on almost instantaneously then fading off once the CFL element gets itself all riled up. We're wondering how well the output from the two elements match, whether you'd be able to notice the transition, but we're even more curious about the cost. GE says we'll have to wait a few months to learn that bit of info, and the same holds true if you're looking for a release date more specific than "2011." Hopefully it isn't too late in the year, as LED bulbs are getting cheaper by the minute.Continue reading GE introduces 'hybrid' bulb with both halogen and CFL elements, instant-on meets efficiency
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