Tuesday, February 15, 2011

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 14/02/2011




NXTBee enables long-distance wireless for Mindstorms NXT, funny little RC cars (video)
NXTBee enables long-distance wireless for Mindstorms NXT, funny little RC cars (video)
Lego Mindstorms NXT is robotic democratization, DIY designing for the everyman, but being stuck with only Bluetooth or IR wireless can put a bit of a damper on your egalitarian goals. No more. Dexter industries (who previously brought us solar-powered Mindstorms) has created the NXTBee, which uses the an Xbee radio to send data much further: 300 feet for the base $55 NXTBee, up to a mile if you opt for the $78 NXTBee-PRO. You'll probably need two of the things, though, so make sure you budget appropriately. There's definitely some lag evident in the video of a long-range RC car below, but we're not sure if that's the wireless or the machine itself. Regardless, that's surely a design challenge that won't stop you from having fun with this one. Continue reading NXTBee enables long-distance wireless for Mindstorms NXT, funny little RC cars (video)
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Sierra Wireless intros dual-carrier HSPA+ / LTE AirCard 753S and 754S, with 319U and 320U in tow
Thanks to Verizon's blowout at CES, we've already been treated to a couple of LTE-friendly mobile hotspots from the likes of Samsung and Novatel Wireless, but Sierra Wireless is joining the crowd here at Mobile World Congress. The outfit has just revealed its two newest mobile hotpots, the AirCard 754S and 753S. The former supports dual-carrier LTE, while the latter handles dual-carrier HSPA+, enabling up to five WiFi devices to surf on either of the fastest two mobile superhighways. We're told that the 753S can hit downlink rates as high as 42Mbps (and upload rates near 5.76Mbps) on a DC-HSPA+ network, while the 754S can reach 100Mbps (down) / 50Mbps (up) while operating on an LTE network. Both of these are right around the size of a deck of cards, and no software installation is required to get 'em working. There's also an integrated LCD that provides a look at WiFi access information, battery life, network signal strength, and the number of devices connected, with audible alerts and a web admin interface available as well. The duo is expected to ship at some point during 2011's second quarter, but there's no news yet on which (if any) carriers will be picking them up.

Moving right along, Canada's own Telus will be offering yet another new one from Sierra Wireless this March: the AirCard 319U USB modem, a device we recently spotted in the FCC's database. This one promises download speeds of up to 42Mbps and upload speeds approaching 5.76Mbps, with a swiveling design that allows the body of the modem to be tucked up against the side of the notebook and protects it from being damaged by accidental bumps. The LTE-friendly AirCard 320U is the USB version of the 754S hotspot shown above, with an articulating and pivoting hinge that works with the widest possible variety of USB port placements, and if all goes well, it'll ship during Q2 2011 for an undisclosed rate. Sierra plans on having Mac and PC support for the whole lot, and we'll be digging for details surrounding price and availability.
Gallery: Sierra Wireless AirCard 753S and 754S
Permalink   |  sourceSierra Wireless (1), (2), (3)  | Email this | Comments
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Humans had a good run: Watson to debut on Jeopardy tonight
Today, tomorrow, and the 16th are the fateful days: IBM's Watson supercomputer will go head to head with Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings in this silly, human-devised game we call Jeopardy. It promises to be some kickass TV, at the very least, and a historic event if Watson can prevail over his fleshy competition. The two matches, which are being spread over the three days, were pre-taped, so Ken, Brad, Alex and Watson already know the outcome, but they've done a pretty good job of keeping the secret so far. Hopefully they can keep mum until 7pm-ish this evening (check your local listings for a specific time). Need something to keep you occupied until then? Check out the great Esquire feature on Ken Jennings at the More Coverage link below. Oh, and don't miss our coverage of last month's preview match.
Humans had a good run: Watson to debut on Jeopardy tonight originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Advent Vega finally gets its Flash Player
Advent Vega finally gets its Flash PlayerThe Advent Vega tablet shipped late last year but quickly had its Flash Player pulled due to a little spat with Adobe about certifications. Now that's been fixed and this 10.1-inch, Android 2.2 and Tegra 2-powered slab can finally take off its mask and show us what it can do. If you're an owner, get yourself the 1.09 software update on the other end of the source link below.
Advent Vega finally gets its Flash Player originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sonim XP3300 Force claims insane ruggedness, longest talk time in the world
Sonim, purveyors of insanely overbuilt handsets that are virtually guaranteed to survive far longer than you, is back at it again at MWC this year with the XP3300 Force. Though it looks a lot like the models that have come before it, the Force has a unique claim: it alleges to offer the longest talk time of any cellphone in the world at 20 to 24 hours, which can be traded in for 20 to 24 hours of continuous GPS tracking, along with 800 hours of standby. Sonim hangs on to its ruggedness chops by casting the Force in a fiberglass shell with 1.5 millimeters of Gorilla Glass over the display, all adding up to an IP-68-rated device that can withstand a two-meter drop onto concrete, two meters of submersion in wastewater (yes, not water, but wastewater), and temperatures ranging from 20 below zero to 55 degrees Celsius (-4 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit). Pricing and availability are yet to be announced; follow the break for the full press release. Continue reading Sonim XP3300 Force claims insane ruggedness, longest talk time in the world
Sonim XP3300 Force claims insane ruggedness, longest talk time in the world originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer Iconia Smart hands-on (video)
Well, would you look at what finally powered on! Yep, Acer's brought its 4.8-inch phone / tablet to MWC, and not only is it finally ready to show off that beautiful 1024 x 480-resolution display but it also gave it a real name -- it's now the Iconia Smart. For those of you who aren't familiar with Acer's "100 percent phone, 100 percent tablet" that was introduced back in November, it packs a Snapdragon processor, Android 2.3, and is said to be coming to a US carrier sometime in April.

Now that we're all up to speed on the details, we're ready to tell you that the device is a pretty cool one. It's obviously going to be for those with big pockets -- it's one long phone -- but the high resolution 4.8-inch widescreen panel makes it incredibly unique and nice for viewing pictures and movies. The actual feel of the phone is quite good -- it's made primarily of plastic, but the border surrounding the display seemed to be made out of some sort of metal. As we note in the video, the four buttons look as if they are flush with the bezel, but they're actually fairly stiff physical buttons. So, how's the software? Naturally Acer's taken to skinning Gingerbread a bit here -- there's an assortment of Acer widgets as well as that retooled homescreen you're seeing in the picture above. That said, we actually like Acer's neat webpage and media carousel widget. Hit the break for a short hands-on video.
Gallery: Acer Iconia Smart hands-on

Gallery: Acer Iconia Smart hands-on (part deux)
Continue reading Acer Iconia Smart hands-on (video)
Acer Iconia Smart hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 preview (video)
Well, would you look at what we found chilling at Samsung's booth here at MWC? Yep, it's that Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 we heard about just the other day, and it's one interesting tablet / media player hybrid. We'd be inclined to call this thing a Streak 5 or Acer 4.8 Iconia competitor, but it doesn't have a trace of cellular or 3G connectivity. We were, however, able to confirm what it does have -- it packs a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, a 800 x 480-resolution display, a 5 megapixel camera with a flash, and a 2500mAH battery. On the software front, it runs Android 2.2 (although it will be upgradable to Gingerbread) and TouchWiz. Oh, and it has the full suite of Google applications (YouTube, Gmail, Google Chat, etc.) and access to the Market.

So, what's it like? Well, it looks like an enlarged Galaxy Player (or what is now known as the Galaxy S WiFi 4.0), which really means it looks like Galaxy S smartphone and the Galaxy Tab mashup. The white slippery back clearly looks like our Sprint Galaxy Tab, but the thinner design and rounded edges remind us of a Vibrant or Fascinate. It's really a very "Samsung" device, and we don't mean that in a bad way -- the plastic build feels pretty solid and the screen seemed very high quality. As for performance, it seemed fairly quick and a preloaded video played rather smoothly. We wish we had more information on when this one was going to land stateside, but a rep on hand would only tell us that it will be hitting Korea this month and other countries soon. Check the break for a short hands-on look at this guy and the galleries below for some close up shots.
Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 hands-on

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 hands-on
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 preview (video)
Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 preview (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft Rally Ball demo shows Windows Phone 7, Kinect, Xbox Live living in perfect harmony (video)
Though it's billed strictly as a technology demo -- not something we'll necessarily see in any imminent over-the-air update -- Microsoft showed off a pretty cool demo of how Windows Phone 7's Xbox Live integration could take advantage of Kinect down the road at Steve Ballmer's MWC keynote today. How, you ask? Using the Rally Ball game, a Windows Phone user was shown tossing balls to an on-screen character that's controlled by someone else on an Xbox using a Kinect. Simple, yes -- but perhaps as interesting as the Kinect aspect is the viability of real-time cross-platform gaming that Microsoft seems to be throwing its support behind. Seems like a good way to torture your friends into working out from thousands of miles away, doesn't it?

Update: We have a video of this in action after the break! Continue reading Microsoft Rally Ball demo shows Windows Phone 7, Kinect, Xbox Live living in perfect harmony (video)
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Windows Phone 7's multitasking uses zoomed-out cards to check on your apps
Want to know how the eventual, inevitable implementation of app multitasking on Windows Phone 7 will look? Wonder no longer: it's cards, which seems to be the way a lot of guys are going after webOS showed how to do it right a couple years back, and it looks hot. To see this in action on WP7, simply hold the back button and you'll get a card-like view of all running apps. Pick your app and you're back where you left off in that one. You can multitask even in games, have Slacker playing in the background, and if you press a volume button while on the home screen you'll get a quickie interface for changing track, pausing, and playing.

Microsoft indicated it didn't previously allow for third-party multitasking due to battery life concerns, but those concerns have been mitigated -- somehow. We're not sure of the API-level details that's letting all this magic happen, but we'll look for those later. All we know right know is that it looks great and we can't wait to try it out for ourselves.
Windows Phone 7's multitasking uses zoomed-out cards to check on your apps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 10:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft shows off WP7's future with multitasking, Twitter integration, and IE9, all coming this year
Microsoft shows off Windows Phone 7's future with multitasking, Twitter integration, and IE9, all coming this year
We've just barely begun to get ready with Steve Ballmer's keynote at MWC 2011, yet the company's Twitter and press feeds just scooped its main man. It's confirmed that Windows Phone 7 is getting multitasking for third-party apps and a suite of other updates, including Twitter integration and IE9 Mobile. We're still waiting on details on the multitasking, but the company has confirmed a "new wave of multitasking applications" in this next release, though hopefully that means open to all.

Twitter will be integrated into the People Hub, so you can get your real-time "what's for dinner" updates right there. And, of course, Microsoft confirmed IE9 is coming. It'll deliver a "dramatically enhanced web browser experience" thanks to graphics and hardware acceleration that'll make the most of what your handset has to offer. Sounds tasty to us. We're told to expect the update in "early March," which isn't that far away at all. Continue reading Microsoft shows off WP7's future with multitasking, Twitter integration, and IE9, all coming this year
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Windows Phone 7 update with copy and paste, CDMA support coming in 'early March'
Though he wouldn't give an exact date, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer whittled down the availability window for the company's first big update to Windows Phone 7 at his keynote address to the crowds gathered at Mobile World Congress today. The latest message is that it'll be available in "early March," which puts us precious few weeks away -- more or less on track with what we'd been anticipating -- bringing support for CDMA radios, copy and paste, and performance improvements. Hopefully that clears the way for the 7 Pro on Sprint, eh?
Windows Phone 7 update with copy and paste, CDMA support coming in 'early March' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Live from Steve Ballmer's MWC 2011 keynote!
Woo! Developers! Yeah! Synergy! Steve Ballmer is sure to bring his characteristic enthusiasm to another MWC keynote, though this one should be quite a bit different from the same presentation this time last year. Microsoft is no longer just talking about Windows Phone 7, it's shipping it all around the world, and now it has a major new partner in the form of the world's foremost smartphone seller, Nokia. Stephen Elop might still be around central Barcelona and drop by for a chat, but we suspect Microsoft will have some more goodies up its sleeve. Join us after the break as we liveblog every second of it.
Live from Steve Ballmer's MWC 2011 keynote! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer Liquid mt hands-on (video)
The Acer Liquid mt, everybody! Oh come on, don't be such snobs, so what if it only has an 800MHz CPU, a humble 3.6-inch screen and standard 800 x 480 resolution? It's a pocketable and delightfully rotund little device, and Acer's added a couple of tweaks that we actually found quite useful. The biggest is a part of Acer's skin atop Android 2.2, which is set to be upgraded to Gingerbread "soon," a boilerplate promise with any device not running Google's latest. The Liquid mt offers multiple lock screens, allowing you to do things like control media and check your messaging inbox without having to unlock the phone and enter an app. It's a pretty sweet implementation, as is the simulated page-turning unlocking animation. The handset's rear features a 5 megapixel autofocus camera and the stainless backplate that gives it its name (mt standing for "metal"), but its top is most intriguing -- it has multiple status lights integrated under the metallic surface, which light up to give you alerts for things like low battery status or unread messages. Check out more of this handset in the gallery below.

Update: Now with added video sauce.
Gallery: Acer Liquid mt hands-on
Continue reading Acer Liquid mt hands-on (video)
Acer Liquid mt hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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T-Mobile G-Slate hands-on: yep, it's an LG Optimus Pad
In case there was any lingering doubt in your mind, we can now definitely confirm -- having just played with it -- that the G-Slate that'll be going on sale shortly from T-Mobile in the States is a dead ringer for the Optimus Pad officially unveiled here at MWC this week. We just posted our impressions on that bad boy a few minutes ago, so let's go over the few differences: first off, there's a tastefully small T-Mobile logo silkscreened toward one side of the back (and thankfully, no logo whatsoever on front). As software goes, the only customizations include a utility to activate the tablet on T-Mobile's network along with the standard My Device app that users of T-Mobile's other Android hardware will be familiar with; the carrier tells us it'll be making some additional announcements revolving around media and content partnerships closer to launch (tablets are good for reading and watching things, don't you know), but they don't have anything ready to unveil just yet. That's literally it -- other than those minor details, customers on both sides of the pond are going to be enjoying the same 3D-capturing Honeycomb action with this one. See the full gallery below!
Gallery: T-Mobile G-Slate hands-on
T-Mobile G-Slate hands-on: yep, it's an LG Optimus Pad originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SmartQ announces Ten, an Android tablet packing IPS display with piezoelectric touchscreen
OK, before y'all haters state the obvious in the comments below, there's actually something noteworthy about this familiar-looking Chinese slate. What we have here is the SmartQ Ten (or T10, as referenced above), a forthcoming Froyo tablet that'll feature a juicy Cortex-A9 chip plus a Mali 400 GPU, as well as 512MB RAM and a 9.7-inch 1024 x 768 IPS display. This wouldn't be the first Android device to get the IPS goodness, though, as its predecessor R10 -- launched with Android 2.1 and a 720MHz processor back in December -- also has the same LCD panel within a seemingly identical form factor. In fact, we stumbled upon an R10 earlier today, and the prettiness of the screen did surprise us.

But what really sells the Ten is its piezoelectric touchscreen, which supports multitouch input even with non-conductive objects like the old school styli. This means said tablet can achieve light transmittance similar to its capacitive touchscreen counterparts but using cheaper parts, as well as having point-input precision similar to those with resistive touchscreens but with better screen clarity. Alas, no date or price has been announced for the Ten just yet, nor do we know if it'll get Honeycomb in the future, but price it right and it might still get some love.
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Qualcomm ships dual-mode Gobi3000 WWAN chip, intros LTE / HSPA+ chipsets galore
Qualcomm just refined the term "blowout" here at Mobile World Congress. It's obviously a critical show for the wireless supplier, and while the 2.5GHz Snapdragon CPU is the undisputed highlight, there's quite a bit of chipset action worth paying attention to if you'd prefer that your next handset / mobile hotspot be capable of handling the world's most advanced network technologies. First off, there's the Gobi3000 modules, which Qualcomm just announced were shipping en masse. Compared to the Gobi2000 that has been infiltrating laptops and MiFi devices for the past year, this one doubles the HSPA downlink speed and enhances the Gobi common application programming interface (API) functionality for enterprise applications. The design supports single-mode (UMTS) and multi-mode designs (CDMA / UMTS), and should be popping up soon in devices from Huawei, Novatel Wireless, Option, Sierra Wireless and ZTE.

Next up are the MDM9625 and MDM9225 chipsets, which are designed to support LTE data rates as high as 150Mbps within mobile broadband devices. These guys are fabricated using the 28nm technology node, and are backwards compatible with previous generations of LTE and other wireless broadband standards, giving consumers using USB modems powered by the MDM9625 or MDM9225 chipsets an uninterrupted broadband data connection on nearly any network around the world. These are being launched alongside the MDM9615 and MDM8215, which are similar chips designed to support multi-mode LTE and dual-carrier HSPA+, respectively. As for the MDM8225? That's being released today to support HSPA+ Release 9 (the latest version, obviously), which will support 84Mbps on the downslope (not to mention dual-carrier HSUPA operation) and should fit into at least a couple of T-Mobile USA devices by 2012. Finally, Qualcomm has nailed down a deal that'll enable all future Snapdragon-powered Android devices to "have access to instant streaming of TV shows and movies from Netflix." Just sounds like a pre-loaded installation to us, but hey, we'll take all the optimization we can get when it comes to streaming video on the mobile.
Qualcomm ships dual-mode Gobi3000 WWAN chip, intros LTE / HSPA+ chipsets galore originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceQualcomm (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)  | Email this | Comments
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LG Optimus Pad priced at €999 in Germany
LG Optimus Pad priced at €999 in Germany
Yikes. We just finished getting our fingerprints all over LG's Optimus Pad (aka the G-Slate), and now we're thinking we should have been wearing white gloves while doing so. The tablet is coming in March to the US, but we didn't know a price. Now we do -- in Germany, at least, and get ready to wince: €999. That's about $1,350 if you do a straight conversion, out-classing even the Xoom's eye-wateringly high $1,199 pre-order price, which we're still holding out hope is a misprint. Maybe the golden goo in Honeycomb really is gold.

Update: Roland wrote in to remind us that German prices include a 19 percent VAT, which would drop this price down to a mere $1,075 if you're into the conversion game. Well within pocket change territory.

[Thanks, Enzo]
LG Optimus Pad priced at €999 in Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Intel talks Medfield: will ship in a phone and have the longest usage time
We had a feeling we'd be hearing about Intel's Atom for smartphones here at Mobile World Congress, and Intel did in fact take the stage today to talk about its forthcoming Medfield processor. The company has announced that it's starting to sample or test its 32nm Medfield processor for mobile devices with its customers (obviously, it's not telling us which ones) and more importantly that it will ship in a phone. Yep, Intel's Senior Vice President Anand Chandrasekher spoke quite firmly about how the platform will in fact ship in smartphones and that it will also support Android. He pulled out the phone above just as a proof point, and while he didn't say who made it, we have a sneaking suspicion it's that Aava Mobile phone we've heard about.

Chandraskher also took direct aim at ARM (he even called out ARM's CEO Warren East), and hammered home Intel's focus on battery life. He didn't quote an exact run time, but he did say that "on active power we are the most efficient architecture on the planet." We actually believe he repeated that it will have the "longest usage time" at least three times -- we're thinking he's serious. What about standby? He was a bit more vague on that, but did say it would be competitive there as well. We'll be doing our best to track down that Medfield-powered handset up there, so stay tuned.

Update: Our friend Chippy from CarryPad caught a bit of Anand's talk on video. Hit the break for that.
Gallery: Intel at MWC - Medfield preview
Continue reading Intel talks Medfield: will ship in a phone and have the longest usage time
Intel talks Medfield: will ship in a phone and have the longest usage time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Huawei S7 tablet first hands-on
We just got a first hands-on with the Huawei S7, a 7-inch Android tablet which will be priced at $300. Huwaei was unable to provide us with any information beyond pricing, but here's what we've gathered. The 7-inch touch screen is capacitive, unlike the earlier version we played with before, and it was running a slightly customized skin on top of Android 2.2. Build quality is solid and the device is satisfyingly thin and light. There are cameras front and back and a microSD card slot and a docking port on the bottom edge. We spied a SIM slot underneath the battery, so it's likely that the model we used features 3G. We hope to have more details for you soon -- in the meantime, feast your eyes on the gallery below.
Gallery: Huawei S7 tablet first hands-on
Huawei S7 tablet first hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Intel shows off more of its MeeGo Tablet UI, still needs lots of work
You may remember back at Computex we caught a very quick look at Intel's MeeGo for tablets. Well, Intel's landed at MWC with that very same tablet user interface, except it has done a bit of work to the underlying software and it's finally ready to start letting the press play around with it. If you were to closely compare the design of the UI or what Intel is calling its "tablet user experience" to the one we saw back in June, you probably wouldn't notice much of a difference in terms of aesthetics, and that's because most of the work Intel's been doing has been to the code and framework -- it shifted it away from C++ and moved it over to QML, which is part of the Qt language. The brunt of the experience and the individual apps (we'll get to those, or the lack there of soon) are all built on QML, which Intel's Mike Richmond promises will enable lots of neat UI elements. So yes, Intel's done some important retooling on the technical and software end of things, but unfortunately, that doesn't mean the interface is anywhere close to done yet. We got a look at the software running on an Atom-powered ExoPC, so hit the break to find out just what we are talking about.
Gallery: New MeeGo Tablet User Experience hands-on at MWC 2011

Gallery: MeeGo Tablet User Experience screenshots
Continue reading Intel shows off more of its MeeGo Tablet UI, still needs lots of work
Intel shows off more of its MeeGo Tablet UI, still needs lots of work originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro hands-on
We promised to dig up ViewSonic's dual-booting Windows 7 and Android 2.2 ViewPad 10Pro tablet when we got to Barcelona, and here we are delivering on our word. We just got a chance to check out the 10.1-inch slate and we have to say hardware-wise, we're dealing with typical ViewSonic quality -- the 1024 x 600-resolution, capacitive screen isn't exactly high quality (horizontal viewing angles were pretty bad) and the build was mediocre at best. However, software-wise we have to say the 10Pro is pretty interesting -- the Intel Atom Oak Trail-powered slab boots Windows 7 Home Premium, but is running Android 2.2 on top. Unlike the first ViewPad 10, you don't have to reboot the device to switch between Android and Windows as the Google OS is running as a virtualization. No word on the pricing of this one, but it should be hitting the market this May. Hit the break for a quick look at the relatively-quick Android / Windows hand-off.
Gallery: ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro
Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro hands-on
ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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LG Optimus 3D hands-on
Glory be the LG Optimus 3D. Okay, we'll get right to it: the Optimus 3D is kinda kitschy, but at the same time fun, inevitable on a mobile device, and still a great conversation piece. The 4.3-inch glasses-free 3D display's effect in games, film, and even the UI is pretty convincing using the set's applied parallax barrier technology, which is otherwise unnoticeable while the effect is off. Best bit? You can film your own 3D videos using the dual cameras on the back then watch them on your 3D set via HDMI. The Optimus is by no means a tiny set, though, still pretty comfy when held. Material choices are top notch -- as we'd expect hope for in a high end device -- and as you'll see in the vid, it is plenty fast with no lag getting in the way of the little demo we had. So why not take a few minutes to admire the pics and videos (which unfortunately will be very flat for your eyes) won't you?
Gallery: LG Optimus 3D hands-on
Continue reading LG Optimus 3D hands-on
LG Optimus 3D hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video)
We've just gotten back from playing around with LG's 8.9-inch, 3D-friendly Optimus Pad (known as the G-Slate in the US). This Android Honeycomb tablets sports a dual-core CPU inside and a dual-camera array outside, giving you both the optical and processing capabilities to produce 3D video. Its screen cannot actually play back glasses-free 3D, but if you really have to have that third dimension on the move, you'll be able to buy a set of glasses to recreate the effect. The Optimus Pad is slim, though we couldn't get a great feel for its ergonomics with all the wiring attached to it, has nicely curved corners, a matte black back cover that's pleasant to the touch and seemingly durable, and an extremely glossy screen up front.

We likened the Pad to the Optimus 2X in an earlier post and it carries over a lot of industrial design elements from its smartphone sibling, including the metallic strip down the middle of its rear branded with a "with Google" logo. That's actually meaningful this time -- the Optimus 2X wasn't a stock Android installation, it was subjected to LG's (not entirely successful tweaks), however the Pad looks to be a straight Google Experience Device, in much the same vein as the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, its nearest and most direct competitors. That being said, the code on the device we handled still wasn't up to scratch on the software front, as evidenced by us managing to crash both the browser and Google Maps within a few minutes of putting down our first fingerprints on the tablet. The 3D camcorder also seems like a memory hog, we weren't able to get it started up initially because of the number of apps that were already open (which at the time was no more than four). Let's remain optimistic, though, this wasn't exactly a slate we snatched off a retail shelf and LG has time to optimize and spruce things up before shipping this thing out. We've got pictures for you below and a press release after the break. Video is incoming at the very fastest speed our wireless connection can carry it.

Update: Video is now in, get to the ogling!
Gallery: LG Optimus Pad first hands-on!
Continue reading LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video)
LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Motorola Xoom gets Q2 European launch, WiFi-only and silver models now extra official
Motorola just went official with its WiFi-only Xoom headed to Europe along side its 3G and WiFi cousin in the second quarter of 2011. Besides that little detail, it's still the original 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet built upon a dual-core 1GHz processor and 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display. Oh, and look at what we spotted here in Barcelona. Yup, a Xoom decked out in silver just for your viewing pleasure in the gallery below.
Gallery: Motorola Xoom in silver at MWC 2011
Continue reading Motorola Xoom gets Q2 European launch, WiFi-only and silver models now extra official
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Motorola updates Motoblur and Media Link client for Macs and PCs
A couple of changes for Motorola this morning. First up is a new version of Moto's Media Link iTunes sync software. Media Link version 1.5 is available now for Mac users or March for the beige box bunch. More importantly, perhaps, is a new version of Motoblur with enhanced location, messaging, music, and gallery features. The new Connected Music service features streaming lyrics and a social aspect that lets you follow the tracks your friends are listening to. Connected Gallery unites your photos and videos with your friends' online albums from sites like Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, and Picasa. Aloga, meanwhile, is a Motoblur-integrated location-triggered push platform that provides third-party publishers with information about your location, identity, and social relationships. The idea is to offer users non-intrusive information about places, events, or bargains for the "channels" they select. Look for the new Motoblur to arrive on "recently announced devices" like the Cliq 2 and Atrix 4G. Full detail in the press release after the break. Continue reading Motorola updates Motoblur and Media Link client for Macs and PCs
Motorola updates Motoblur and Media Link client for Macs and PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Qualcomm unveils next-gen Snapdragon family, including quad-core 2.5GHz CPU
Not one to let the name Snapdragon down, Qualcomm's gone and announced a much faster generation of the processor family, with speeds up to 2.5GHz per core. The multi-core (one, two, and four) 28nm chipsets, codenamed Krait, will feature WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and FM, support NFC and stereoscopic 3D video / photo (capture and playback), and also boast multi-mode LTE modem integration. Qualcomm claims a performance increase of 150 percent and a power consumption drop of 65 percent over current ARM-based CPU cores. Included is a new Adreno 320 GPU with support of up to four 3D cores. Samples for the dual-core MSM8960 will be avialable in second quarter this year, while single-core MSM8930 and quad-core APQ8063 (for "computing and entertainment devices" -- i.e. tablets) versions are coming early 2012. The power-crazed products housing these chipsets? You'll have to wait even longer to see those.
Qualcomm unveils next-gen Snapdragon family, including quad-core 2.5GHz CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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LG Optimus 3D features YouTube 3D app for multi-dimensional sharing
Now that the LG Optimus 3D is official, we know what you're wondering: why would I want 3D how can I share 3D video from my new dual-core cellphone? Easy, the YouTube 3D channel. LG's new twin-lens handset features a YouTube 3D video application that lets owners upload their 3D flicks in snap. So get ready to bust out the paper anaglyph glasses folks. Our future, as envisioned by a 1950s 3D-film audience, has arrived. Continue reading LG Optimus 3D features YouTube 3D app for multi-dimensional sharing
LG Optimus 3D features YouTube 3D app for multi-dimensional sharing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Motorola Pro: the Droid Pro takes a European vacation
You do realize that Mobile World Congress is underway in Barcelona, right? To celebrate, Motorola just announced a Eurofied Droid Pro under the more succinct Motorola Pro moniker. The portrait QWERTY candybar features Android 2.2 running on a 1GHz processor and 3.1-inch HGVA touchscreen display. But this pup's all business with the ability to remote wipe the device and SD card and integrated VPN, Quickoffice, and complex password support. See it in action after the break.
Continue reading Motorola Pro: the Droid Pro takes a European vacation
Motorola Pro: the Droid Pro takes a European vacation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet now in delicious LTE and HSPA+ flavors (updated)
Count 'em, because RIM has now announced four varieties of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. As of today, we've got the PlayBook with WiFi + LTE and WiFi + HSPA+ models joining the previously announced PlayBook with WiFi and PlayBook with WiFi + WiMax. As such, there's a pretty good chance that your carrier will have a 7-inch dual-core PlayBook with the QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS on offer at some point in the future, no matter how it chooses to define "4G." Unfortunately, RIM says that its LTE and HSPA+ models won't be coming until the second half of 2011.

Update: RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie was particularly chatty after the announcement of the new 4G PlayBook models. The takeaway is that RIM expects to price that BlackBerry tablet at less than $500 (WiFi-only model, presumably) -- much less with any carrier subsidies. He's also expecting to followup the Sprint deal in the US with similar signings of AT&T and Verizon Wireless. "All of our carrier partners want [PlayBook]," said Balsillie, referencing the 580 carrier partners that RIM enjoys in 165 countries. While Balsillie refused to comment on the PlayBook's rumored ability to run Android apps, he did confirm that RIM's new tablet was on track for a March or April release. Continue reading RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet now in delicious LTE and HSPA+ flavors (updated)
RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet now in delicious LTE and HSPA+ flavors (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 looks like a new Android PMP
What happened when Samsung's phone division gobbled up the media player team? We're pretty sure you're looking at it right now -- the YP-MB2 / Galaxy Player 50 is now formally known as the Galaxy S WiFi 4.0, and it's big bad brother the Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 is pictured immediately above. While we can't actually tell you much about the SIM-less smartphone other than hazard guesses at front-facing camera, HDMI port, microSD card slot and (given naming conventions) a 5-inch screen, we can tell you that the 4.0-inch version of the device is now sporting Samsung's Super Clear LCD. We're expecting the company to unveil these any hour now in Barcelona, so keep your eyes peeled for further coverage at MWC.

[Thanks, Kin-Yip]
Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 looks like a new Android PMP originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google's Androidify app lets you create your very own bot avatar (video)
While we're probably still years or decades away from getting our very own animatronic clones, Google's released the next best thing for the time being. Available on the Android Market is this Androidify app, which, as the name says for itself, lets us mere mortals craft our Android mascot lookalikes. Hell, you can even slap on some facial hair or a baby droid while you're at it. We'll say no more -- see the app in action after the break, if you're not already busy dishing out your new avatar across the web. Continue reading Google's Androidify app lets you create your very own bot avatar (video)
Google's Androidify app lets you create your very own bot avatar (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 02:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink @OOBE (Twitter)  |  sourceAndroidify  | Email this | Comments
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Adobe says Flash 10.2 coming to handsets soon, offers roundabout confirmation of Honeycomb for smartphones
Google's been notoriously tight-lipped about when Honeycomb will come to cellular handsets, but we may have gotten our answer at a recent Adobe event, as the company's Anup Murarka tells us Flash 10.2 will be coming to both tablets and smartphones "in the next few weeks." Come again? You see, Adobe Flash 10.2 uses fewer CPU cycles to play back web video, likely providing better battery life in Android devices (and BlackBerry tablets), but Adobe told us it can't support the function in earlier versions of the Android OS -- Google had to specifically add new capabilities in Honeycomb to let Flash 10.2 take full advantage of hardware. In short, if Flash 10.2 requires Android 3.0 and Flash 10.2 is headed to phones soon, the transitive property of equality suggests that Android 3.0 will soon appear on smartphones as well. Our algebra teacher would be so proud.

In related news, both Flash and Adobe AIR seem to be doing quite well in the mobile arena thus far, as Adobe reports that that AIR is presently in over 84 million smartphones and tablets -- with over 200 million such devices ready for the cross-platform apps by the end of the year -- and Flash has shipped on 20 million devices across 35 different models (twelve percent of all smartphones, says Adobe) with 50 new Flash-ready tablets scheduled to appear in 2011. PR after the break. Continue reading Adobe says Flash 10.2 coming to handsets soon, offers roundabout confirmation of Honeycomb for smartphones
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Leica M9 Titanium unboxed, handled with all the care a $32,000 camera deserves (video)
Even in its "standard" magnesium alloy body, the Leica M9 is an exclusive piece of kit that prices out all but the most fervent and deep-pocketed rangefinder lovers. Nonetheless, Leica has a habit of putting together even more limited editions of its shooters, one of which has recently been subjected to a thorough unboxing and video overview. Only 500 special edition Titanium M9s cameras have been produced, each one individually numbered and costing nearly £20,000 (or about $32,000) in a set with a Summilux-M 35mm F1.4 lens, also made from titanium. With a full frame 18 megapixel CCD sensor and dual image processors inside, it's a fully fleshed-out beast of a portable shooter, but you'd probably expect nothing less given the fact it costs more than most cars. Go past the break to ogle this special M9.

[Thanks, Aaron] Continue reading Leica M9 Titanium unboxed, handled with all the care a $32,000 camera deserves (video)
Permalink PetaPixel, Steve Huff Photo  |  sourceLYPTR (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
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Inhabitat's Week in Green: the dangers of LED lighting, self-healing nanotech, and spray-on solar power
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week Inhabitat shed light on the next generation of solar power as we showcased a spray-on film capable of generating 300% more energy than traditional photovoltaics and a new breed of nanotech cells that can heal themselves like plants. New biofuel projects also broke ground around the world as the US began construction on its first commercial biofuel plant and Canada upgraded a waste plant to be powered by soda and beer. And another farticle, er, article covers a project in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that takes the result of the results of those drinks (methane) and turns it into fuel.

We also interviewed energy efficiency expert David Johnston, who shared 5 tips that could cut your electricity bill by up to 50 percent. And on a more sour energy efficiency note, we were appalled to see this new study that found that LEDs, like CFLs, also contain unsafe levels of carcinogenic toxins. The big (or should we say B.I.G) architecture news of the week was the unveiling of Bjarke Ingels Group's sloping residential pyramid for midtown Manhattan.

In transportation news, Nissan revealed plans to roll out its Tesla-trouncing ESFLOW electric supercar at the Geneva Auto Show, while Chevrolet announced that the Volt will receive a $5,000 tax rebate in California. We also applauded the US government's $53 billion plan to jump start high speed rail, while republicans rallied against the movement towards more efficient infrastructure.

We also showcased several stylish examples of wearable eco tech - a set of bio sensors that improve physical and emotional health, and a pair of GPS-enabled snow goggles that are perfect for shredding through uncharted territory. Finally, we shared 10 green iPad cases that are perfect for protecting your e-reader from blustery winter weather.
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Engadget Podcast 232 - 02.13.2011
Who's ready for the special Grammys edition of the Engadget Podcast? When we said "Grammys," we meant "consumer electronics," and when we said "special," we meant "just like every other week, but still pretty special."

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Guest: Chris Ziegler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: March of the Pigs

00:02:45 - Nokia CEO Stephen Elop rallies troops in brutally honest 'burning platform' memo? (update: it's real!)
00:05:15 - Nokia and Microsoft enter strategic alliance on Windows Phone, Bing, Xbox Live and more
00:09:13 - RIP: Symbian
00:11:15 - Nokia: Symbian and MeeGo not dead yet, still shipping this year (updated)
00:18:41 - Nokia tells investors that 2011 and 2012 will be 'transition years'
00:32:50 - Exclusive: Nokia's Windows Phone 7 concept revealed!
00:39:34 - Live from HP / Palm's 'Think Beyond' webOS event!
00:41:15 - RIP, Palm: 1992 - 2011
00:42:07 - The Engadget Interview: Jon Rubinstein and Steven McArthur talk webOS on PCs, 'Music Synergy,' competition, and more
00:43:20 - HP's 9.7-inch TouchPad: webOS 3.0 tablet with 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon, coming this summer
00:45:07 - HP TouchPad first hands-on! (updated with video!)
00:48:00 - webOS Enyo framework free to developers today, brings pixel density agnostic apps to phones, tablets and PC (video)
00:48:22 - HP Pre 3: 1.4GHz Qualcomm CPU, 3.6-inch WVGA, coming this summer (video)
00:49:00 - HP Pre 3 first hands-on! (updated with video)
00:49:27 - HP Veer: smallest smartphone in the webOS stable, 2.6-inch display, coming this spring
00:50:45 - HP Veer, first hands-on! (updated with video!)
00:52:40 - HP's Touch to Share eyes-on, starring the TouchPad and HP Pre 3 (video)
01:11:52 - Palm Pre 2 vs. HP Pre 3: what's changed?
01:18:40 - Looking for our Motorola Atrix 4G review?
01:21:05 - We're live at Mobile World Congress 2011!


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Engadget Podcast 232 - 02.13.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP's 'Everybody On' ad goes to the Grammys, causes nationwide cringing

HP told us to watch for a special new campaign during the Grammys, so watch we did -- only to find this commercial and occasional on-stage pimping of the HP TouchPad. The latter is standard business practice, to be sure, but the former? Well, words (nearly) escape us. You really have to watch it for yourself, but just imagine a butchering of Lou Reed's classic (though far, far overused) "Walk On The Wild Side," where tales of doping and cross dressing have been replaced with tales of... Tweeting. And Digging. And other really trite stuff. The cinematography and general message of the commercial is actually spot on, but it all gets crushed under the weight of this bad musical decision. HP played this same video at the event on Wednesday, but little did we know it would be the kick-off of the company's marketing onslaught.

We're honestly taken aback by how off key (no pun intended) this ad is. You would think after all the bad press Palm got on its previous big ad campaign (and even after some not-so-gentle advice) the folks in charge would think twice about something this potentially polarizing. We won't lie -- we're disappointed. Both by HP / Palm, and Lou Reed. All of you guys... back to the drawing board.

Look on the bright side, though -- at least you've got about six months to wash this out of people's brains.
HP's 'Everybody On' ad goes to the Grammys, causes nationwide cringing originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Switched On: Iconic trends meet ironic ends
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

This week saw significant and contrasting twists for the legacies of two operating systems that had their roots in the heyday of the PDA. HP revealed that it is killing off the Palm brand, and Nokia announced that -- while it would continue to "harvest" less capable versions of the Symbian operating system on its basic handsets -- it would shift away from the operating system in its smartphones in favor of Windows Phone 7. In some ways, the demise of the Palm brand and the loss of Symbian's last major supporter at Microsoft's hands represent the end of an era. Continue reading Switched On: Iconic trends meet ironic ends
Switched On: Iconic trends meet ironic ends originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Powertrekk charges gadgets over USB, using one fuel cell and one Li-ion battery (video)
Portable fuel cell chargers have been around for years, but each seems to have lasered in on a single important quality thus far, such as a reasonable price, an easy refilling scheme, and a decent amount of power -- but never all of the above. Well, it doesn't look like MyFC's Powertrekk is the full package either, but it does have a pretty sweet looking case, which holds not only a disposable sodium silicide container to generate the hydrogen gas (which then gets recombined with oxygen in a proton exchange membrane to produce 1000mAh of usable electricity) but also a 1600mAh lithium-ion battery which can provide up to one amp of juice. This way, you've got a backup battery if you misplace your cans of fairy dust, and a buffer for the fuel cell too, allowing you to keep those volts in powder or electrochemical form instead of carting around combustable hydrogen -- which is always a nice bonus when you think about it. Shame there's no word on price quite yet, but you can see how it all works in a video after the break. Continue reading Powertrekk charges gadgets over USB, using one fuel cell and one Li-ion battery (video)
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WSJ corroborates the mini-iPhone, says Apple may make MobileMe free (update: 'edge-to-edge' screen)
The Wall Street Journal has weighed in on rumors of Apple's smaller iPhone, and citing "people familiar with the matter" the publication says that the rumors are likely true. One such familiar person reportedly saw a device half the size of the iPhone 4, bearing the codename "N97," and said that the handset will be only about half the size of the original, and at only around half the price too. Amazingly, those anonymous sources continued to divulge information, expressing the idea that Apple could finally make its MobileMe cloud service suite free, and that it just might be the platform from which Apple could finally launch a streaming music platform and lessen the need for all those gigabytes of flash storage in your pocket. We'll let you know if or when any of that happens, okay?

Update: The WSJ's source proved even more talkative after getting an eyeful of the Samsung and Sony announcements this morn; the publication's article has been updated to read that the device is "significantly lighter" than the iPhone 4, has an "edge-to-edge" touchscreen, and "voice-based navigation" of some sort.
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Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc preview (video)
Sony Ericsson's MWC presser today may have been all about its new Play, Pro and Neo members of the Xperia family, but the CES debutant we know and love as the Arc was out in force as well. So, we thought, why not throw together our thoughts on this phone and splice them with a gallery of delicious new images plus some video action to boot? The first thing to note is that the Xperia Arc will be shipping globally in March and Sony Ericsson is aiming for the broadest possible operator coverage. Focusing on the handset itself, we've been wildly impressed by its design since first laying eyes on it, there's something fundamentally attractive about the Arc's look, something less tangible than its ridiculously slim profile. Sony Ericsson has used a similar plasticky material on the back as it does in the Neo, which doesn't overwhelm us with any sensations of reassurance or quality, but seems to do the job. Guess some corners had to inevitably be cut along with the fat on this phone's body.

The 4.2-inch screen is bright and lucid, though we'd warn against expecting too much from the Bravia Reality Display marketing. As we've mentioned before, the display enhancements only kick in when you're consuming multimedia. Still, general performance looks more than satisfactory. Hard buttons around the body are well arranged and designed, a contrast from the fiddly keys we found on the Xperia Pro. What was consistent with the rest of Sony Ericsson's Xperia crew, however, was the Arc's inability to execute its pinch-to-zoom widget summary screen. It's an ambitious function -- gathering all your widgets from each screen into one cohesive overview -- but, basically, it's laggy as hell. Aside from that, general UI responsiveness could also stand some improvement, but we like where Sony Ericsson is going with the whole thing. If it keeps up its promise to repent from last year's sins with relation to Android updates, the company has a very good chance of striking it rich with the Xperia Arc. It's a phone that can truly get by on its looks alone. Video after the break!
Gallery: Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc MWC hands-on
Continue reading Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc preview (video)
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc preview (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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