Friday, February 18, 2011

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 17/02/2011




NEC busts out an Android Netbook, the LifeTouch Note
NEC has debuted its first Android netbook, the humbly-named LifeTouch Note, in Japan. Spec-wise, the Note runs Android 2.2, has an NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU, up to 8GB of memory, a 7-inch backlit (800 x 480 resolution) resistive touchscreen LCD, GPS, WiFi, SD and SDHC slots, and a 2 megapixel webcam. There will also be a 3G variety for a little extra cash, of course. Other than that, there's no word of when this will be available in Japan, but we do know that it start at around ¥45,000 (that's somewhere in the neighborhood of $540). Video demo is after the break, hit up the source for a huge, attractive gallery.Continue reading NEC busts out an Android Netbook, the LifeTouch Note
NEC busts out an Android Netbook, the LifeTouch Note originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAkihabara News  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
OCZ Vertex 3 Pro hits the test bench, sets the new single-drive speed benchmark at 550MBps
We're becoming somewhat repetitive in our writing about SSDs -- every next one is that extra little bit faster or better and the crown just keeps exchanging hands -- but we couldn't be happier for it. Solid state storage is still one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of modern technology, a fact evidenced perfectly by the recent introduction of OCZ's Vertex 3 Pro drive. It touts a mad 550MBps maximum read and 500MBps maximum write speeds, mostly thanks to the brand spanking new SandForce SF-2500 controller chip it has onboard. It's been put through the benchmarking wringer by a number of sites today and the resulting conclusion has been lucid and unequivocal: the Vertex 3 Pro is the new champion among standalone 2.5-inch SSDs. AnandTech goes so far as to say it's "the first drive that really needs a 6Gbps interface." The V3Pro isn't yet on sale and the hardware looked at it in these previews was not final, but the next generation of SSDs looks to be keeping the breakneck pace of development that's characterized the storage medium so far. Lovely!
Permalink   |  sourceAnandTech, Hot Hardware, Legit Reviews, PC Perspective  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Morpho's NFC / WiFi-enabled keyfob brings wireless payments, card management to the everyman (video)
Not interested in picking up an NFC-enabled smartphone? No matter -- Morpho's got you covered. The outfit was demonstrating a newly finished Simlink NFC keyfob here at Mobile World Congress, intended to provide contactless payment capability for those who lack it in their existing mobile. Rather than stopping at just payments, this dongle also supports frequent flier cards, membership accounts and pretty much any other members-only situation that may ever use NFC check-ins and registration. There's even a WiFi module here and an onboard web server, enabling any WiFi-enabled phone to immediately see your most recent transactions as well as what data / cards you have stored on the device. We're told that the onboard battery can last around a week if you don't use it continuously, and a simple micro-USB connector is responsible for charging. The only unfortunate part is the size -- it's hardly inconspicuous, but we're guessing revision two will lose quite a bit of weight. This particular model should go on sale by the end of Q4, with pricing to be determined. Head on past the break for a brief demonstration, you big spender, you.
Gallery: Morpho's NFC / WiFi-enabled keyfob enables wireless payments, card management at MWC 2011
Continue reading Morpho's NFC / WiFi-enabled keyfob brings wireless payments, card management to the everyman (video)
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
2012 Chevy Volt could be eligible for an extra $5,000 off in California
2012 Chevy Volt could be eligible for an extra $5,000 off in California
If you live in California you're blessed with a lot of things, including weather patterns that seem to get stuck in a rut an awful lot. Another treat you'll find is an additional $5,000 rebate on cars that are rated AT-PZEV -- that's Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle, those having very low emissions and hybrid-like technology. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt failed to score that rating because its batteries are not rated for 10 years and 150,000 miles, part of the AT-PZEV rules, but GM is apparently looking to fix that next year with a version of the Volt that will qualify. It's unclear whether all Volts will be upgraded or whether it'll be an option -- and if an option how much that will cost -- but a total of $12,500 in rebates on the Volt would certainly make that $41,000 MSRP a lot more palatable.
2012 Chevy Volt could be eligible for an extra $5,000 off in California originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Autoblog Green  |  sourcecare2  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Swann DVR4-2600 kit is 4 cameras and 500GB worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill
Swann DVR4-2600 kit is four cameras worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill
We've seen IP cams before, inexpensive ones like the DCS-930L from D-Link that get the job done with no frills, rather fancier ones like the Logitech Alert system that offer a premium feel -- at a premium cost. But nothing quite like this. It's the Swann DVR4-2600, a system that comes with four separate cameras, each offering a "high resolution" VGA that are about 10 years past a time when VGA could reasonably be called "high resolution." They do, at least, offer 65 feet worth of night vision and all-weather functionality. There's also a 500GB DVR included that can be connected directly to a TV or accessed remotely from a plethora of mobile apps covering everything from Android and iOS to Windows Mobile 6 and Symbian. You can get e-mails whenever your prisoners guests move and, the pièce de résistance, the kit includes four theft deterrent stickers. If those don't keep the crooks away, maybe the rottweiler* will. Full details in the PR below.
Gallery: Swann DVR4-2600 kit

*Rottweiler not included. Continue reading Swann DVR4-2600 kit is 4 cameras and 500GB worth of remotely-accessible home security overkill
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Motorola posts specs for GSM and WiFi-only Xoom, indentical to original save the radios
What's the difference between a WiFi-only Xoom tablet and one equipped with EV-DO Rev. A or HSPA bands? Just $200 and the radio chip within. Motorola just released the full spec sheets for its full lineup of Android Honeycomb tablets, and they're otherwise exactly the same inside. That goes for the Tegra 2 SOC, of course, but also surprisingly the GPS, which is often baked right into the cellular radio in mobile devices like these. Good on Motorola for keeping the functionality in!

[Thanks, David W.]
Permalink Motodev Forums  |  sourceMotorola  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Panasonic unveils a suite of camcorders of all shapes, sizes, and depths
Well now, leave it to Panasonic to dump a pile of camcorders at once, ensuring every domestic niche is covered. We have five separate models, so bear with us as we break out some bullets:
  • HM-TA20 - This is a Flip-style upright design with a lens on one side and, on the other, an LCD with a big red button beneath it. But, it's durable, offering three meters of waterproof protection and a durable, dust-proof case. It'll do 1080p footage, offers no optical zooming, but does have a night mode that drops it down to 15fps to help it perform well when the lights go out. It can be used as a webcam, too.
  • HM-TA2 - This is basically the TA20 minus the heavy-duty bits. Best to keep it dry. Comes with a tripod for self-portraits. Perfect for your new MySpace profile pic!
  • HX-WA10 - Another durable one, waterproof to three meters, dust and shockproof, captures 16 megapixel stills and records 1080p footage, too. It offers a pistol-style grip and a flip-out, three-inch touchscreen. It's pictured after the break.
  • HX-DC10 - This is basically a WA10 that doesn't like the water, or the dust, or being dropped.
  • HX-DC1 - Another step down the cost ladder, this one backing down to 14 megapixel stills and losing some of the high-tech trickery of the others. Its three-inch LCD isn't touchable.
Panasonic didn't grace us with prices for any of these, nor release dates. But, hey, who needs details like that?Continue reading Panasonic unveils a suite of camcorders of all shapes, sizes, and depths
Panasonic unveils a suite of camcorders of all shapes, sizes, and depths originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Digital Photography Review, CrunchGear  |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Sony Ericsson Xperia family portrait at MWC 2011
Sony Ericsson shook up MWC before it had even begun this year by introducing the Xperia Play -- the world's first PlayStation Certified phone -- alongside a pair of new members of its Xperia line of smartphones, the midrange Neo and QWERTY-sliding Pro. Taken together with the Xperia Arc that debuted at CES in January, this little bunch of Android Gingerbread runners will form SE's principal attack on the ever-fickle smartphone consumer's wallet this year. We can't yet tell you which of them might be the one for you, but we can certainly provide a gallery stuffed full of side-by-side pictures to help you visualize the differences, both big and small, between the four new Xperias. Enjoy!
Gallery: Sony Ericsson Xperia family portrait at MWC 2011
Sony Ericsson Xperia family portrait at MWC 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Baldness cure is no reason to quit a'stressin
If you think of baldness as a disease then you'll want to pay close attention to some research that's being conducted in collaboration with teams from UCLA, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and the Oregon Health and Sciences University. The group seems to have accidentally stumbled on the cure for baldness while researching the relationship between stress and the gastrointestinal tract. The teams were testing the effects of a peptide called "astressin-B" on mice genetically engineered to be hyper-stressed (and bald as a result). Miraculously, the bald mice regrew the lost hair and the respect of women who drive Minis. They even maintained the re-hair for up to four months after receiving just one dose a day for five consecutive days -- that's 20 percent of a mouse's two-year lifespan. Oh sure, the regrowth was on their backs but we're sure they'll sort out your preference for location by the time this begins human trials.
Baldness cure is no reason to quit a'stressin originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePopSci  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Sony Music Unlimited now streaming tracks to the US
Let's hope Sony's new streaming music service -- just launched today for the US, Australia, and New Zealand -- isn't as unwieldy to use as its "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" moniker suggests. The service features six million tracks from Sony Music Entertainment, Universal, EMI, and Warner and is available on Sony's own devices including the PS3, Blu-ray disc players, Bravia televisions, and VAIO PCs. It'll also be available on Android smartphones soon with an iOS app coming later this year, assuming Apple's new subscription debacle doesn't derail Sony's plans. A basic membership provides an interactive radio experience for $3.99 per month while a premium $9.99 per month service gives subscribers on-demand access to the Music Unlimited library with the ability to manage your music through playlists and the like. Sony also provides a useful service that scans your local library and playlists to "jump start" the organization of your Music Unlimited collection. Wonder how it'll work on the NGP and PlayStation tablet?Continue reading Sony Music Unlimited now streaming tracks to the US
Sony Music Unlimited now streaming tracks to the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink All Things Digital  |  sourceBloomberg  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
GSMA and Cloudmark cooking up an SMS spam reporting system
If you get just five spam text messages a day then consider yourselves lucky, as a Chinese mobile user could easily amass at least 30 messages daily, according to Cloudmark. Fortunately, said company has been working with GSMA and various network operators on building an SMS spam reporting system, which should help drastically reduce worldwide cellphone spam. The idea is rather simple: in a multi-country trial that ended last December, participants from AT&T, Bell Mobility, SFR, Sprint, Vodafone, Korea Telecom, and the Korean Internet & Security Agency forwarded suspect spam to "7726," which is short code for "spam." Cloudmark's cloud-based system would then be able to identify and block these messages in the future, be it scams, linkbaits, or just ads from perverse companies. While this sounds like a perfect solution, it's not entirely clear how much this service would cost the operators, but hey, it's never too early to start a petition if you need it that badly.
GSMA and Cloudmark cooking up an SMS spam reporting system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePC World  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Rinspeed BamBoo electric concept is world's largest HTC Flyer dock
Talk about your cross promotions. The Rinderknecht-built Rinspeed BamBoo concept electric car looks to be the stuff of a gadget nerd's dreams. Unfortunately, that dream resembles a dystopian nightmare envisioned by a Neal Stephenson novel whereby everything we own is sponsored, trivial, and slathered in corporate logos. But hey, it's just a concept, and production vehicles never look like the original idea so anything goes... and we mean anything. To start with, the breadbox-inspired dash features a Siemens VDO display with a docking station in the glovebox for the new HTC Flyer tablet. The BamBoo dash is flanked by flowery JBL GreenEdge speakers and the starter key is styled after a Swiss army knife. And if we're not mistaken, there's a webcam extended off a stalk from the center of the dash. An interesting piece of work right on down to the cluster of old school throw switches for the wipers, lights, hazards, etc. But that's just the cockpit.

The radiator grill has been replaced by an internet-connected "identiface," developed by Daimler subsidiary MBtech, whereby the occupant can display any number of messages to onlookers from Facebook or Twitter, for example, or even the radio station preset you're currently jamming. The inflatable rear seats are removable as is the inflatable waterproof roof developed by Tecnotex that doubles as a beach blanket. The whole kit is powered by a 54 kW electric motor capable of a 120km/h top speed and battery capable of pushing the sporty golf cart some 105 kilometers before requiring a recharge from an RWE intelligent charging station. Look for it to make its big reveal at the Geneva Motor Show. Until then, head over to Autoblog to feast on their gallery of images with a few choice shots added below.
Gallery: Rinspeed Bamboo


[Thanks, Tim]Continue reading Rinspeed BamBoo electric concept is world's largest HTC Flyer dock
Rinspeed BamBoo electric concept is world's largest HTC Flyer dock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAutoblog  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Sony announces 17-inch and 25-inch Trimaster EL professional OLED monitors
The last we heard of a reasonably sized Sony OLED display was way back in June, even though it was just the panel itself rather than a full package like the XEL-1 OLED TV. But yesterday, Sony unveiled a couple of new OLED monitors for its Trimaster EL professional range: on the left we have the BVM-E250 25-incher, accompanied by the BVM-E170 17-inch sibling on the right. The "Super Top Emission OLED" panels on both models boast an RGB 10-bit driver, 100 cd/m2 standard luminance, 1920 x 1080 resolution, plus an impressive 178-degree viewing angle both vertically and laterally. We'll save the rest of the technical details for you video nuts in the press release (along with a video) after the break, but let us warn you that these don't come cheap: the E250 will be available in mid-April for around ¥2.4 million ($28,910), and the E170 in June for around ¥1.3 million ($15,710).Continue reading Sony announces 17-inch and 25-inch Trimaster EL professional OLED monitors
Sony announces 17-inch and 25-inch Trimaster EL professional OLED monitors originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink AV Watch, MacWorld, OLED-Display  |  sourceSony  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Redbox is planning a Netflix-like subscription streaming movie service, could partner with Amazon or Walmart
According to Company Town, Redbox prez Mitch Lowe informed analysts yesterday that its upcoming online movie service would be subscription-based like Netflix and Hulu Plus instead of charging per-movie like iTunes, Zune or Amazon VOD (we can guess why.) Users would pay the monthly fee to stream to various devices (perhaps to the new iPhone and Android apps) and access discs at the kiosks. Lowe mentioned Redbox would have a partner in the service and while previous rumors pointed to CinemaNow, the Seattle Times suggests Walmart / Vudu and Amazon -- rumored to be launching a subscription service of its own this month -- as possibilities. Meanwhile, in its existing disc based business, word is Disney has decided to raise the amount it charges Netflix and Redbox for each DVD to the full wholesale price, although they'll still be available the same day the DVDs go on sale.
Permalink The Hollywood Reporter  |  sourceCompany Town (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Kno says some tablets will ship within 60 days, doesn't explain pre-order delay
We were somewhat taken aback when Kno confirmed its textbook tablet had been delayed without a word on when production would resume, but the company now says pre-orders will experience up to two months' delay before they ship out, and not all of them will. eBookNewser and CrunchGear report that shipments could be delayed until as late as April 14th, and that the first shipment will be restricted "to a limited number of students and teachers." Kno still hasn't provided a reason for the delay, but we think that the newly closed-off website says a lot. "You now need an invitation to get a Kno," it reads, "There aren't enough to go around."
Kno says some tablets will ship within 60 days, doesn't explain pre-order delay originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink CrunchGear  |  sourceeBookNewser  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Conan kills Watson, evening the score (video)
Sure, IBM's Watson is able to beat humans to the buzzer on some lousy television game show. But how does the smarmy supercomputer hold up to the business end of a baseball bat wielded by a jealous husband with opposable thumbs? Click through the break for a taste of sweet, carbon-based revenge.Continue reading Conan kills Watson, evening the score (video)
Conan kills Watson, evening the score (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink CNET  |  sourceTBS  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Toyota to show off iQ EV prototype, put it into production next year
Toyota has been showing off an electric vehicle concept based on its iQ ultra-compact for a couple of years now, but it looks like it's finally worked up enough confidence to actually put it into production. The first step down that road will occur at the Geneva Motor Show next month, where Toyota will show off a "near-production" prototype of its iQ EV (not necessarily the actual name), which is apparently much like its FT-EV concept, but with an improved lithium-ion battery pack that promises a range of 105 kilometers (or 65 miles) on a single charge. Assuming all goes as planned, the car will then be put into production following some additional testing later this year, and Toyota will reportedly begin leasing it to consumers at some point in 2012 -- Europe seems to be first in line for the car, but it will apparently be headed to North America as well.
Toyota to show off iQ EV prototype, put it into production next year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 02:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Gas 2.0  |  sourcePhysOrg  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Apple creating touch panel shortages for tablet competition?
Things tend to get messy for the competition when Apple decides to direct its vast cash reserves on "very strategic" components. Especially when Cupertino starts waving around stacks of dough in the range of $3.9 billion to $7.8 billion. For reference, just look at what Apple did to NAND supplies as the flash-based iPod rose to dominance. Today DigiTimes is reporting that Apple is occupying close to 60 percent of the global touch panel production capacity from the likes of Wintek and TPK resulting in "tight supply" for the competition. The impact on consumers, according DigiTimes' sources at upstream component makers, is that tablet PC makers are unable to ship enough product to match orders due to component shortages. The issue is especially troublesome for second-tier tablet hopefuls who must compete with the likes of HP, RIM, Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, Dell (everyone but Sony) for the scraps. As a result, Apple should be able to more easily meet iPad demand in 2011, according to DigiTimes, while its competitors struggle to keep up.
Apple creating touch panel shortages for tablet competition? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDigiTimes  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Batman, Robin, Joker and Catwoman shrunken down to USB collectables
Do you like Batman? Robin? What about USB sticks? Well, thanks to Mimoco, you can have both in one awesome package. We spotted these newly released jump-drives at the International Toy Fair and we gotta say -- they're actually quite detailed in design. The flash drives will cost you a pretty penny if you want more storage -- a 2GB dongle is $20 while the 16GB version is $60. If you're a DC Comics junkie and think that the company has sold out, ask yourself this: why so serious?
Gallery: Visualized: Batman, Robin, Joker and Catwoman shrunken down to USB collectables
Batman, Robin, Joker and Catwoman shrunken down to USB collectables originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceMimoco  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Motorola's Sanjay Jha on Xoom: 'Our ability to deliver 4G justifies the $799 price point'
Motorola's Xoom will cost a tad more than the competition, but company co-CEO Sanjay Jha has an explanation for why that might be: he told reporters that the Android Honeycomb tablet's price is justified by the promise of speedy 4G internet. Of course, the $800 Xoom doesn't actually come with 4G connectivity out of the gate, but Jha told reporters that the Xoom's LTE upgrade will be free, and that wonder of wonders, the tablet will be capable of pulling down 50 megabit per second speeds. Someone might want to check Sanjay's math -- sure, in the midst of a Verizon fog at CES 2011, we were able to manage 33Mbps, but we typically get less than half that speed on a day-to-day basis.
Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

A visual recap of the day's articles
Feb 16th 2011 | 57 Articles
5:42 pm
15 Comments
Siemens creating portable sensor to warn about asthma attacks, breathe deeply until it ships
2:55 pm
57 Comments
Desk Pets TankBot hands-on (video)
4:25 pm
84 Comments
New York City turns to sewers for energy solutions
2:11 am
57 Comments
Kinect hack turns controlling the TV into light aerobic exercise (video)
1:01 am
51 Comments
Fuel cells get stronger, potentially cheaper with graphene, ITO
3:07 am
55 Comments
Vodafone announces Webbox, gives internet access to the developing world
3:44 pm
25 Comments
Recon 6.0 Programmable Rover hopes to make coding appeal to the younger set (hands-on)
8:59 am
267 Comments
Exclusive: Sony 'S1' brings Qriocity to 9.4-inch Honeycomb tablet
4:12 pm
85 Comments
Android tablets bring touchscreen connectivity to Indian bus riders -- still no $35 slates in sight (video)
4:12 am
43 Comments
RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World
3:58 pm
111 Comments
Gemalto puts Facebook on a SIM chip, Zuckerberg's plan for world domination coming along nicely
3:25 am
131 Comments
Dell employees arrested for poor decision making skills
12:22 pm
653 Comments
Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets
8:33 am
301 Comments
The stylus isn't dead: more pen-based tablets and apps coming this year
6:55 am
178 Comments
Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac OS goes gold, hits the App Store
5:51 am
192 Comments
Motorola Droid X 2 leaks, more details emerge
5:02 am
774 Comments
Nokia shareholders and unions fight back against Microkia
4:37 pm
324 Comments
Windows Phone 7 camera settings keep going to default, Microsoft says it was 'a decision by the team'
6:19 am
Comments
HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight!
8:13 am
26 Comments
NEC uses active noise cancellation for quieter zooming into your future memories
10:56 am
54 Comments
Toshiba Satellite R830, R840, and R850 laptops unveiled at MWC
7:39 am
64 Comments
Game Gripper going Bluetooth, just needs a little funding (video)
7:32 pm
39 Comments
Keyport Slide can now store your files, open your beers
8:01 pm
74 Comments
Samsung's Tango Stealth robo-vacuum is a quiet intruder
9:03 pm
63 Comments
Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video)
7:56 am
258 Comments
HTC Flyer tablet hits Amazon.de for 669 euros
10:58 pm
57 Comments
Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video)
9:55 am
232 Comments
The Engadget Interview: Microsoft's Aaron Woodman talks Windows Phone 7 and Nokia
10:17 am
147 Comments
LG Revolution dumps Tegra 2, chooses 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 instead
6:55 pm
28 Comments
Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video)
7:17 pm
24 Comments
Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech demoed at MWC (video)
11:14 am
51 Comments
LG starts shipping new 'flicker free' 3D TVs with passive glasses
10:36 am
316 Comments
Samsung Captivate on AT&T gets Android 2.2, all that Froyo hasn't melted yet
1:38 pm
58 Comments
Huawei IDEOS S7 Pro tablet sneaks out, coming this spring
12:59 pm
75 Comments
Plex Media Center App comes to Android, Windows server on the way
11:27 am
530 Comments
Microsoft Zune is dying, long live Microsoft Zune?
11:41 am
1387 Comments
Motorola Xoom price official: $799 unsubsidized on Verizon, $600 for WiFi-only
11:58 am
72 Comments
Skype happy to offer jobs to any Finns who might be in need
11:39 am
195 Comments
Google announces One Pass payment system for online content (video)
12:44 pm
285 Comments
Visualized: Google's perpetual conveyor belt of Android
8:32 pm
292 Comments
Nokia says it can customize the heck out of Windows Phone, won't do anything that would delay updates
2:11 pm
641 Comments
Sony releases statement on PS3 hacking, surprisingly comes out against it
1:18 pm
199 Comments
Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft
9:52 pm
75 Comments
VoIP Inc. sues Google: alleges theft of trade secrets for click-to-call ads
2:33 pm
146 Comments
Confirmed: Samsung will launch an 11.6-inch 9 Series laptop
1:47 pm
131 Comments
Borders files for bankruptcy, plans to keep operating but close 30 percent of its stores
3:11 pm
188 Comments
Nokia Plan B was just a hoax all along
6:04 pm
78 Comments
Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception
7:45 pm
11 Comments
The Engadget Show returns tomorrow with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more!
5:21 pm
66 Comments
Capcom denies rift with Apple over Smurfs' Village in-app purchases
6:14 pm
174 Comments
Apple details call-related differences between CDMA and GSM iPhones
5:00 pm
91 Comments
Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event!
4:53 pm
311 Comments
Google details some of the Honeycomb features coming to Ice Cream: action bar, 'hologram' visual style
5:44 pm
195 Comments
Dell's 2011 smartphone and tablet lineup leaked: Android Ice Cream, WP7 sliders, and a slate running Windows 8
6:33 pm
27 Comments
LightSquared says it has signed up five companies for its wholesale LTE service
9:20 pm
203 Comments
Motorola pushes up Atrix 4G launch to Feb. 22, shoves Xoom pre-sales back to Feb. 20th?
10:22 pm
133 Comments
Watson wins it all, humans still can do some other cool things

Top stories on Engadget
Be (original) at MWC 2011
Other news of import
Don't you dare miss
The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
RixRover is the cheap RC car controlled by a rather more expensive Arduino and netbook combo (video)
RixRover is the cheap RC car controlled by a rather more expensive Arduino and netbook combo (video)
Driving RC cars never gets old, but driving them over the internet is truly something magical. Welcome to the RixRover, the creation of Quebecer Pierric Gimmig. It's a cheap RC truck fitted with big knobby tires that's had its ABS body removed, replaced by an Arduino board and a netbook. The car itself cost about $45, the Arduino about $30, and Eee PC 1005-series netbook about $200. But the result, being able to drive the car over remotely via streaming video, why that's quite simply priceless. Video after the break and, if you want to try your hand at this, there's some source code on the other end of the source link.Continue reading RixRover is the cheap RC car controlled by a rather more expensive Arduino and netbook combo (video)
Permalink   |  sourceRixRover  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video)
Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade
Windows Phone 7 is getting a lot of extensions this year and, while we wouldn't say Kinect interoperability is anywhere near as important as third-party multitasking, it could be fun. Still, we haven't seen proper Kinect interop, the sort that would see you controlling WP7 games with a Kinect -- the sort that is apparently possible on Android. YouTuber HirotakaSter has managed to hook a Kinect up to Android hardware, what looks to be an Armadillo 500 FX development platform, and get everything to play nice. He's using openFrameworks and, while at this point the software isn't doing much other than showing a video stream from the camera, the possibilities from here are quite simply infinite.

[Thanks, Muhammad Ali]Continue reading Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video)
Developer gets Kinect working on Android, rains on Microsoft's WP7 parade (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Geekword  |  sourceKirotakaSter (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Watson wins it all, humans still can do some other cool things
In case you missed it, Watson won again tonight. He even got the Final Jeopardy question correct this time, a multi-layered reference to Bram Stroker that he bet $10k on. His final score over the two rounds ended up at $77,147 (Watson has this thing for betting strange amounts that usually end in a 7), while Ken Jennings got $24,000 and Brad Rutter did $21,600 -- both humans saving a bit of face after last round's stunning defeat. Watson will be giving his $1,000,000 winnings to charity.

So, a few things:
  1. We're totally surprised, in a larger theoretical sense, that a computer could win at Jeopardy.
  2. We're totally not surprised that Watson, the system built by IBM over the past few years at the expense of millions of dollars, actually succeeded at winning at Jeopardy.
  3. Computers have better reflexes than humans, as it turns out.
  4. Deal with it.
If you can't tell, we're having a little trouble processing all the emotions brought on by a Jeopardy win from IBM's Watson supercomputer. It's obvious that IBM's DeepQA research program has developed some of the most sophisticated natural language AI known to man. At the same time, Jeopardy questions aren't really that hard. As evidenced by watching these Watson-dominated matches, all three contestants knew the answer most of the time, but Watson was just quicker on the draw. Of course, it's no surprise that computers have quicker reflexes (even with the "handicap" of having to mechanically press the same style of clicker as Meatbag 001 and Meatbag 002), so why shouldn't Watson get to use his inbuilt advantage to the utmost? It seems like a fair fight to us.

The question of "who is better at Jeopardy" aside (trust us, it's Watson), the larger implications for the human race and our computer sidekicks are still unclear. Watson can currently answer simple trivia questions, sometimes couched in puns or minor riddles, with a decent level of accuracy. The answers themselves are no more than a high school student with Wikipedia access could pull off, and Watson has no way of knowing for sure when he's right. He lacks a solid, computer-readable database of "facts" like a Wolfram Alpha, or the incredible reasoning abilities of a human, instead relying on statistical analysis of vast amounts of text. When it comes to Jeopardy, it turns out to be Good Enough, which is actually a pretty incredible achievement in the world of AI, and we're sure we'll be finding out soon what other applications IBM thinks Watson is Good Enough at -- they're thinking everything from healthcare to the financial industry. Still, we're sure some of us clicker-speed-nit-pickers will remain unimpressed. Make sure to check out the Engadget Show tomorrow, where we'll be chatting up the creators of Watson about all this, but for now... 01000011 01101111 01101110 01100111 01110010 01100001 01110100 01110011 00100001
Watson wins it all, humans still can do some other cool things originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
VoIP Inc. sues Google: alleges theft of trade secrets for click-to-call ads
Google's no stranger to the courtroom, and while their litigation with Oracle and Viacom has gotten all the publicity of late, VoIP Inc. -- perhaps in a move to help pay off its bankruptcy creditors -- has joined in the litigious fun by suing the search giant for stealing trade secrets. VoIP alleges Google entered a license agreement with one of its subsidiaries in 2005 for technology that allows users to click online ads to call the advertiser directly over the internet -- because, you know, the unwashed masses are just dying to chat with the makers of PajamaJeans. Google later said that VoIP violated its nondisclosure agreement by talking about the deal and killed the relationship, but VoIP claims the boys and girls in Mountain View used its tech to create click-to-call ads in a 2006 deal with eBay and Skype. The litigation is just getting started, so we've yet to see the complaint or Google's response, but we feel certain VoIP has asked for a princely sum as punishment for these transgressions. Time will tell if Google decides to cut a check, so stay tuned.
VoIP Inc. sues Google: alleges theft of trade secrets for click-to-call ads originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Electronista  |  sourceReuters  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Motorola pushes up Atrix 4G launch to Feb. 22, shoves Xoom pre-sales back to Feb. 20th?
The best laid plans of Motorola may be in disarray, as we hear the device manufacturer is shuffling release dates for its hottest new Android devices. Supposedly, AT&T customer service reps are getting the above message in their inbox, which suggests the modular Atrix 4G smartphone may arrive more than a week earlier than planned, while a Best Buy memo (image after the break) pegs Xoom tablet pre-sales for February 20th, three days after the date originally communicated. Still, we haven't heard anything to suggest that the Xoom won't be 100 percent ready for purchase on February 24th, so you should be just fine saving your eight Benjamins for then.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Continue reading Motorola pushes up Atrix 4G launch to Feb. 22, shoves Xoom pre-sales back to Feb. 20th?
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video)
Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video)
The details are few with this one but really it's the highlights that matter here: Bookeen has managed to get smooth full-motion video to play on an E Ink Pearl display. Yes, the same sort that delivers agonizingly slow refreshes on the latest Kindles and such. It's a simple H.264-encoded clip (the same one with the chubby rabbit you've probably seen a dozen times before) played on a TI OMAP3621 processor. Power consumption in this mode is said to be no more than a non-backlit LCD, which is quite frugal indeed. No word on which actual readers this will debuting in, but according to E-Ink-Info.com it will be "available on the next-gen e-readers to appear soon." Check out the demo embedded below.Continue reading Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video)
Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceE-Ink-Info.com  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Nokia says it can customize the heck out of Windows Phone, won't do anything that would delay updates
In an interview with Nokia VP Niklas Savander at Mobile World Congress, Phone Scoop probed a bit more on the company's plans to rework the Windows Phone user experience -- a user experience that's been essentially closed to OEMs thus far apart from the occasional tile here or added menu item there. As we already heard from Stephen Elop, Nokia's essentially being granted carte blanche for deep customization of the platform, though Savander says that it's likely only to do that by pushing changes back to Microsoft for inclusion in future releases that would be available to every manufacturer, not just Nokia. What's the logic in that? Well, he says that they don't want to do anything to the software that would put the company at risk of getting delayed updates -- not unlike what's been happening with skinned UIs in the Android world for the past year and a half. Good call, Niklas. Meanwhile, more rapidly-deployed customizations would be relatively superficial, probably along the lines of HTC Hub if we had to guess. All told, it seems like the strategy is going to put even more pressure on Nokia to deliver differentiation and innovation on the hardware side -- and to be fair, they've risen to that challenge plenty of times in the last decade, so let's keep our fingers crossed.
Permalink   |  sourcePhone Scoop  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Samsung's Tango Stealth robo-vacuum is a quiet intruder
Samsung's Tango Stealth robo-vacuum is a quiet intruder
Special forces can leave no trace and make no sound, but Samsung's Tango Stealth vacuum does them one better: not only is it quiet but it picks up the traces others have left. It's the latest in a long line of robo-vacs from the company and it's the quietest, making just 50db of noise while dutifully looking for targets of opportunity on your hardwood. It'll start shipping in Korea soon at a price of 750,000 Won -- about $670. Special faces do cost more than normal ones.
Samsung's Tango Stealth robo-vacuum is a quiet intruder originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAkihabara News  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
The Engadget Show returns Thursday with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more!
Clear your calendars everybody, because tomorrow, February 17th at 7:00pm, the Engadget Show is back in a big way! GM's head engineer Micky Bly (the man responsible for the Volt) will be on hand for some frank conversation about the future of cars and a bunch of mind-blowing demos to go with it. Oh, and GM says they have a big announcement that they will be making exclusively on the Engadget Show, so be a part of tech history and come join us, won't you? Engadget auto editor Tim Stevens will be joining the fun and we'll also have a very special guest from IBM's Watson team, fresh off the game-show-playing supercomputer's three-day run on Jeopardy. It will be a night to remember, with some incredible chiptunes music by Note! with visuals from Batsly Adams. As usual, we'll be streaming live at 7:00PM from SIR's Stage 37 (a new venue!) and we've got around 350 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis if you want to join us in person. Also, trust me when I say that the giveaways for this taping are going to absolutely blow. your. mind.

REMINDER: The Show will be taking place in a lovely new venue, the SIR Stage37 (ie. not the TimesCenter or Cooper Union), located in Manhattan at 508 West 37th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.

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! Also, because of the nature of the space, we won't be able to do assigned seats so the seats will be first-come, first-served as well (we know, just after you got used to assigned seating!). 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 SIR Stage37 at 5:00PM on Thursday, February 17th, doors will open for seating at 6:15PM, and the show begins at 7:00PM
  • We can't do assigned seating in this venue, so remember that your ticket guarantees you entry into the show, but where you sit is up to you.
  • You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
  • Seating capacity is limited (we've got room for approximately 350), and once we're full, we're full
  • The venue is located at 508 West 37th St, between 10th and 11th Avenues. (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.


Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.Continue reading The Engadget Show returns Thursday with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more!
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Keyport Slide can now store your files, open your beers
Keyport Slide can now store your files, open your beers
Sometimes it's hard getting drunk and downloading files when you have a pocket full of keys. The Keyport Slide is finally ready to manage those inebriated backups, with the USB key version we've been waiting for now up for order, letting you streamline your keychain and your thumb drive too. There's also a new slide-out bottle opener available. A 4GB key insert will cost you $18.99, $28.99 if you want 8GB, and a Keyport with five blades and USB starts at $89. Cheap? No, but just how much longer were you going to tote around that cacophonous mass of metal in your pocket?Continue reading Keyport Slide can now store your files, open your beers
Keyport Slide can now store your files, open your beers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Gears of Biz  |  sourceKeyport  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech demoed at MWC (video)
Taken a look at our AllJoyn hands-on here at Mobile World Congress? You should, and then pick up here. Back? Good. Qualcomm's FlashLinq is a quasi-extension of AllJoyn, but unlike the latter, this is a proprietary solution that actually requires Qualcomm hardware to run (for now anyway; licensing deals could be in the works). Basically, this wireless technology allows FlashLinq-enabled devices to sense up to 4,000 other FlashLinq devices within a radius of up to 1km, which puts things like WiFi and Bluetooth to shame. Of course, that's under "ideal" circumstances, but even in subpar situations, the range should still beat out existing short-range alternatives. Why develop a solution like this? For one, businesses will be all over it; imagine a Yelp! instance that specifically hones in on businesses that have a FlashLinq-enabled device in their store, which is advertising deals for those who stop in and mention that FlashLinq sent 'em. Secondly, social networking / Latitude addicts will be head over heels for something like this. Once a connection is made, there's a steady 15Mbps beam available between the users -- that's more than enough for videochats, media streaming and multiplayer gaming.

The major difference between this and WiFi (aside from the range) is that unlike WiFi -- which operates in unlicensed spectrum -- FlashLinq requires licensed 5MHz TDD spectrum. That enables control over interference, which in turns boosts range and device density. Moreover, this system uses dramatically less power than BT or WiFi to sense other devices -- you're only using power for discovery two percent of the time, we're told. Beyond that, a lot remains up in the air. The company is still hammering out which chips will ship with FlashLinq support, and it'll be waiting for results from its SK Telecom trial (which starts in April) before committing to a commercialization date. Sadly, none of this can be retrofitted into older devices, but the good news is that it's hardly limited to mobiles. FlashLinq-enabled televisions, laptops, in-car infotainment systems, etc. could all be used to create a discoverable network of interactive goodness, but of course, it's hard to say how much success Qualcomm will have in a world already loaded down with connectivity options. The technology itself is fairly fascinating, though, as is the social networking demonstration that's embedded just past the break. Hop on down and mash play, won't you?
Gallery: Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech at MWC 2011
Continue reading Qualcomm's FlashLinq long-range peer-to-peer communications tech demoed at MWC (video)
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video)
It's simple, but highly complex. You dig? Qualcomm's AllJoyn demonstration here at MWC was quite the eye-opener, but it's hard to say how much traction it'll gain in a world already inundated with short-range transfer protocols. Bluetooth, Infrared, Wi-Fi Direct... the list goes on and on (and on). Essentially, AllJoyn is an open-source software system that doesn't actually have to run atop Qualcomm hardware; if implemented in a particular app, it can enable peer-to-peer sharing with others based on location. If you're standing near someone who also has an AllJoyn-enabled application, you two (or more) can interact -- if you're both using Bluetooth, the range will be around 30 feet, but if you're both using Wi-Fi, it'll obviously be greater. Qualcomm's hoping to entwine its homegrown FlashLinq (more on that in a separate article) in order to let people use this while being up to 1km away from one another.

The company describes AllJoyn as a software framework for developers that enables easy P2P access; rather than an app developer having to write this functionality in from scratch, they can simply grab Qualcomm's code and integrate it. Currently, the spec only supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but Wi-Fi Direct and FlashLinq support it in the works, and those will hopefully be added by the end of the year. We're told that the company's also working to create a constant link between devices, which could one day (soon) enable streaming support. There's C++, Java and Javascript models available, with Qualcomm's goal being to have developers port this all over the place. The demo (embedded after the break) involved a foursome of phones sharing photographs with one another, while a nearby laptop was shown engaging in a multiplayer game with two smartphones. We were told that the company's currently in talks with a number of large gaming firms to get this ingrained in future titles, but no specifics were available. Another application would be within a social network, enabling AllJoyn apps to alert users when a friend is nearby. A huge boon there is that this doesn't require data, so international groups who'd like to keep tabs on one another's location will be able to do so without roaming on a foreign network. So, any app developers considering bundling this in with your next update?
Gallery: Qualcomm's AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology at MWC 2011
Continue reading Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video)
Qualcomm demos AllJoyn peer-to-peer sharing / gaming technology (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceQualcomm  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
LightSquared says it has signed up five companies for its wholesale LTE service
LightSquared has faced something of an uphill battle in getting its wholesale 4G LTE network off the ground -- even including accusations that it's a threat to national security -- but it looks like it's having fairly good luck attracting some customers. According to Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben, LightSquared has signed agreements with five companies so far, including two carriers, one website, a national retailer, and a device manufacturer -- none of which it's able to name, of course. Boulben also revealed that the company, which plans to compete with the likes of Verizon, AT&T and Clearwire, is finished raising money for the "short term," and that it plans to begin trials later this year in Las Vegas, Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix once it finishes its lab testing in Dallas.
LightSquared says it has signed up five companies for its wholesale LTE service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceBusinessWeek  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Apple details call-related differences between CDMA and GSM iPhones
The only thing conspicuously missing here are the differences that actually count.
Apple details call-related differences between CDMA and GSM iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 9to5Mac, iLounge  |  sourceApple  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception
Online rentals and purchases of movies are still just a tiny fraction of the home video pie, but Warner's latest effort to expand that is similar to Paramount's recent efforts on Windows Phone 7 (Thanks SteveyAyo), offering its highest profile flicks as apps for iPhones and iPads. The Dark Knight and Inception are the first two releases out of the gate, offering free apps with some bonus content and the first five minutes of the movie, then charging $9.99 and $11.99, respectively to unlock the rest. According to Warner, it offers a different experience than simply purchasing the flick over iTunes because of the extras which include Twitter and Facebook integration among the extras, plus the ability to offer the digital version in countries where iTunes doesn't sell movies yet, like China, Brazil and the Netherlands. There's a video demo and press release after the break, but the downside of being locked to portable devices is keeping us from clicking the buy button for now, but if you could sprinkle some Ultraviolet on it, we might change our tune.
Gallery: Warner iOS movie apps
Continue reading Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception
Warner packages movies as iOS apps, starting with The Dark Knight and Inception originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceInception, The Dark Knight  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Dell's 2011 smartphone and tablet lineup leaked: Android Ice Cream, WP7 sliders, and a slate running Windows 8
Wrigley, Hancock, Millennium, Gallo, Sterling, Rosemount, Silver Oak, Peju and Opus One. What are we rattling off? Oh, just the list of codenames from one of the largest leaks we've ever seen out of Dell. WPCentral and Android Central got their hands on alleged smartphone and tablet roadmaps for the entire year, detailing the company's plans for devices running operating systems that have yet to be formally announced, including Android Ice Cream (yes, Ice Cream!) and Windows 8 as well as the tablet-friendly Honeycomb. Here's the full rundown.

Smartphones:
  • Things look pretty boring (and by boring, we mean beautifully curvy) until approximately mid-April of this year, when the Venue Pro gets some "additional features and enhancements" which we're pretty sure we can name.
  • Then, Q3 brings the Wrigley, what looks like a vertical QWERTY slider identifying itself as "Windows Phone 7 Next Gen," and sporting a 1GHz CPU, 4-inch 800 x 480 screen, and a 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording. Nothing out of the ordinary, as far as we know.
  • By September, things should get very interesting as Android Ice Cream will apparently be out, and Dell's Hancock will scoop it onto a 4-inch qHD screen with dual cameras, dual-core processing and 1080p recording.
  • Starting Q4, would-be Hancock buyers will have a dual-core multimedia slate alternative, as the Millennium drops the keyboard for a larger 4.3-inch screen and DLNA support (though the front-facing camera is limited to VGA resolution.)
Tablets:
  • Dell's Streak 10 won't keep us waiting for long: come April, the Gallo will reportedly be chomping away at some tasty Honeycomb. But that's not all -- Dell lists a handwriting update for the Gallo in October or thereabouts. There's also a Streak 7 update scheduled for July -- we imagine that's the point when Dell believes it can shoehorn Android 3.0 onto its older brother.
  • Meanwhile, Dell's 10-inch Windows 7 slate, internally known as Rosemount, is slated for June, with a 1366 x 768 resolution that should allow for native playback of 720p video.
  • We can't tell you what the Sterling is, but it's likely a mid-sized one, as it's slated to take over the Streak 7's duties in or about October with Android Honeycomb on board.
  • Finally, come CES 2012 in January, we now expect Dell to drop three new tablets at once: the Opus One and Silver Oak running Android Honeycomb, and the Peju with Windows 8. (The Streak 10 / Gallo will apparently soldier on.) Numbers on the left of the charge suggest that the Opus will be small, the Silver Oak mid-sized, and the Peju large.
As noted at the head of the slide, all details here are subject to change, but we're sure as heck a lot more confident that Dell plans to do something with all those tacky mockups. One more chart after the break!Continue reading Dell's 2011 smartphone and tablet lineup leaked: Android Ice Cream, WP7 sliders, and a slate running Windows 8
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Central (1), (2), WPCentral  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Siemens creating portable sensor to warn about asthma attacks, breathe deeply until it ships
Siemens creating portable sensor to warn about asthma attacks, try to breathe deeply until it ships
We all wheeze a little from time to time, at least we do when we've fallen off the fitness wagon and are trying desperately to climb back on. For some it's a little more serious than that, and for those prone to dangerous bouts of asthma Siemens AG has a bit of hope. It's developed a portable sensor that can detect minute increases of nitric oxide in a patient's breath, particles that serve as a sign of an impending asthma attack. The user can then use that information to ingest the correct amount of anti-inflammatory meds. The device is said to be about the size of a cellphone, though unfortunately Siemens didn't specify a model. Like, are we talking a Veer here or a king-sized Nexus S? Inquiring minds want to know.Continue reading Siemens creating portable sensor to warn about asthma attacks, breathe deeply until it ships
Permalink medGadget  |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Capcom denies rift with Apple over Smurfs' Village in-app purchases
Did Apple take Capcom to task over the in-app purchase fiasco in the company's Smurfs' Village game for iOS? That was the rumor going around earlier today, after Pocket Gamer reported that it had heard from a "well placed source" who said that Apple had some "strong words" for the game maker. Capcom has now come out and denied any such rift, however, saying in a statement that "we are in frequent communication with Apple, and at no point have they expressed any displeasure to any representatives of Capcom Mobile in regards to our handling of in-app purchases within Smurfs' Village." Interestingly, Pocket Gamer's original report also claimed that Apple was considering a change to its current 15 minute password window to reduce inadvertent in-app purchases, and Capcom says that it would welcome such a move -- although it's not aware of any impending change.
Capcom denies rift with Apple over Smurfs' Village in-app purchases originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePocket Gamer (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event!
That's right human beings -- it's happening again! The Engadget crew is getting together their best party outfits and shipping out west for another installment of our fabulous reader meetups. Our last event in NYC drew loads of people and was an all around blast, and the San Francisco installment is sure to be just as explosive (or maybe more? c'mon... show us what you've got). This time around we're partnering with Sprint, as well as Sony PlayStation, HP, Roku, Samsung, VUDU, RIM, Sling, Sonos, HTC, Corning, Sphero, and loads of other players in our industry (we're still adding to the list!) to bring you a night of gadget geeking, giveaways, delicious foodstuffs, and some awesome music (provided by none other than our podcast producer, Trent Wolbe). Also, a whole mess of the Engadget editors will be on hand and entertain and inform, so if you have any pressing questions -- jot them down!

The all ages shindig will take place at City View at The Metreon, which is located conveniently in downtown SF. If you're a nerd in the city, you most likely already know what we're talking about. The doors will open at 6:30PM, and capacity is limited to 1200 people -- so if you want to get inside, get there early!

Hate standing in lines? Enter the Engadget Reader Meetup Sweepstakes for your chance to win an all expense paid trip for 2 to the meetup in San Francisco on February 25th! Click here to enter now! (rules apply, read them after the break)

We're going to be flooding the interwaves with more information soon, but for now, mark the date on your calendars, and get ready to party.Continue reading Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event!
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
مرسلة بواسطة Abdalrhman Albayyat
في 4:00 AM
التسميات: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)