Thursday, April 14, 2011

IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 14/04/2011





Guitar Hero said to not be dead yet, will continue to rock from beyond the grave
Guitar Hero said to not be dead yet, will continue to rock from beyond the grave
It was with heavy heart that we reported in February the Guitar Hero franchise was dead, done in by an addiction to half-baked sequels and a growing tolerance of commercialization. It felt like the series being put out to pasture was for the best, but maybe this old rocker still has some life in its leopard-print pants yet. Dan Winters at Activision sat down with gamesindustry.biz and clarified that the "the brand won't go away," that the company just isn't going to release a new one this year. You know what that means: next year you'd better be ready to dust off those flimsy guitars and rock once again like it's 2009.
Guitar Hero said to not be dead yet, will continue to rock from beyond the grave originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink CNET  |  sourcegamesindustry.biz  | Email this | Comments

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Velve OLED lighting panels cover a broader spectrum (video)






The University of Michigan may boast the best blue, but Mitsubishi subsidiary Verbatim is showing off OLED lighting of a different color; several of them, actually. Demonstrated this week at the Fuori Salone show in Milan, these 14 x 14 cm Velve-branded lighting panels are amongst the first color tunable OLED light panels, giving off what Verbatim calls "colourful lighting with a luxurious feel; as smooth and as rich as velvet." Velve. Velvet. See what they did there? Sample Kits will be available in Japan later this month for ¥90,000 ($1,063), and Verbatim hopes to see the technology put to use in consumer products by the end of the year. Suddenly white light OLEDs look positively old hat -- here's hoping the price comes down before we burn through our incandescent stockpile.
Velve OLED lighting panels cover a broader spectrum (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink OLED-info.com  |  sourceYouTube (Verbatim)  | Email this | Comments

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Addonics SATA adapter turns six CF / CFast cards into one SSD
This isn't the first time we've seen a CF-to-SATA hard drive adapter, but Addonics' CF / CFast Drive is definitely the biggest. The thing sports six separate slots, which means you can use it to turn your memory cards into six different drives, or combine them in a RAID configuration to form a high capacity SSD. What's more, the whole thing fits comfortably in a standard 5.25-inch drive bay. If you've got a stack of CF cards collecting dust somewhere, you can get your hands on one of these bad boys starting at $135 at the source link below. Full PR after the break.
Continue reading Addonics SATA adapter turns six CF / CFast cards into one SSD
Addonics SATA adapter turns six CF / CFast cards into one SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAddonics  | Email this | Comments

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iRobot agrees to provide US Navy with bomb disposal and recon bots in a deal worth up to $230 million
iRobot may still be best known as the creator of the homely Roomba vacuum-cleaning drone, but savvy readers will know the company's endeavors span a pretty broad range of robot-related activities. One of those has now borne fruit in the shape of a multiyear agreement with the US Navy for the provision of "portable robotic systems" that can identify and dispose of explosives while also performing a bit of reconnaissance work in their spare time. The announcement doesn't tell us the particular model(s) or number of bots that will be provided, but there is clarification to say that iRobot will be responsible for providing spares, repairs, training, and accessories along with the hardware, with the total revenue for the company potentially swelling to $230 million over the full course of the contract, which lasts through 2015. Our guess is that the "throwable" robot shown off a couple of weeks back would be a good candidate for this task, though we doubt it'll be thanking us for endorsing it for such perilous work.
Permalink Forbes  |  sourceReuters  | Email this | Comments

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External batteries benchmarked, the portable juice is loose
A lot of portable PC power cells last for only four or five hours, after which you'll find yourself chained to a wall socket. Good thing there are external batteries to keep us in current when a plug's nowhere to be found, and Tom's Hardware has done some benchmarking on a slew of such devices so you'll know which one's suited for you. A Dell Vostro 3300 and an Inspiron Mini 10 running Windows 7 were used to put packs from Amstron, Brunton, Digipower, Electrovaya, Energizer, Lenmar, PowerTraveller and Tekkeon through some real-world paces -- we're talking word processing and web surfing, not fragging and film editing. So if you're in the market for a mobile power unit, hit the source link and get the down and dirty on which external battery's best.
External batteries benchmarked, the portable juice is loose originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceTom's Hardware  | Email this | Comments

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HP rolls out EliteBook 8460w, 8560w and 8760w laptops for the business-minded
It's still not saying anything about the lightweight EliteBook 2560p and 2760p models that leaked out last month, but HP has now gotten official with three new slightly less portable laptops: the 14-inch EliteBook 8460w, 15.6-inch 8560w and 17.3-inch 8760w. The latter is expectedly on the top end when it comes to specs, with it boasting your choice of Sandy Bridge processors up to a Core i7-2920XM, either AMD FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro graphics with up to 4GB of memory, and up to three hard drives with RAID 5 support. The other two EliteBooks each dial things down a bit across the board, but you can still get up to a Core i7-2820QM on each of them, and there's not even an option for integrated graphics. Look for all three to be available next month with base prices starting at $1,299, $1,349 and $1,899 -- full press release is after the break.
Continue reading HP rolls out EliteBook 8460w, 8560w and 8760w laptops for the business-minded
HP rolls out EliteBook 8460w, 8560w and 8760w laptops for the business-minded originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink HP Fansite  |  sourceHP (1), (2), (3)  | Email this | Comments

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Lenovo hoping to launch 23-inch tablet this year, your lap may never be the same
Lenovo hoping to launch 23-inch tablet this year, your lap may never be the same
Dual 14-inch touchscreens not big enough? 21-inches of touch sensitivity still failing to sate your fingers' need to roam wild and free? Maybe the 23-inch behemoth of a tablet that Lenovo is planning on unleashing this year will make those digits dance with delight. The plan is, apparently, to take one of the company's Windows-powered all-in-one machines, delete the stand, put it on a crash diet, slap a big 'ol battery on there, and then watch the eyes of pixel junkies around the world light up with glee. William Cai from Lenovo said "It's obviously not for full mobility use, but it could be moved from room to room in the house... you could lay it on a table top and use it for family games." Never mind that -- with the addition of just a few legs this 23-inch slab could be a table.
Lenovo hoping to launch 23-inch tablet this year, your lap may never be the same originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink BGR  |  sourceTechRadar  | Email this | Comments

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Sony Ericsson sets up its own channel in Android Market, relegates 'My apps' link to a menu item
Open up Android Market on your Android device today and (most of) you will see a familiar set of three headings -- Apps, Games and My apps -- bidding you welcome. Do the same on your Sony Ericsson Android phone, however, and the last item in that list might no longer be there. That's because SE has decided to introduce its own "channel" to the Market, wherein you'll find a load of Xperia handset-specific junk software and other specially curated bits that your smartphone is adjudged to be in need of. The change means you'll need to open up your menu to get at your own apps, but that shouldn't be an entirely unfamiliar activity for Android users. Sony Ericsson may be the first manufacturer to pull this switcheroo, but it's following in the well-worn footsteps of Verizon and T-Mobile in the US. And speaking of carriers, Sony Ericsson says this change is operator-dependent, so if you're nice and lucky, your operator won't bother to roll this out. Sadly, our Xperia Arc has already been infected.
Permalink   |  sourceSony Ericsson Product Blog  | Email this | Comments

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Beta 1 for webOS 3.0 leaks, lets you touch the TouchPad a little early (video)
Beta 1 for webOS 3.0 leaks, lets you touch the TouchPad a little early (video)
You don't have to be a coder to appreciate the wonders that a software development kit can contain, especially when there's a nice emulator tucked in there to give an early taste of things to come. That's exactly what can be found within the webOS 3.0 SDK, and that SDK is exactly what's been leaked to the world, giving anyone who wants it the ability to play with the OS that'll make the HP TouchPad tick. PreCentral.net took the emulator within for a heck of a test drive, providing a lengthy textual overview of everything from keyboards to calendars, along with the video that's embedded below. Sure, clicking and dragging in an early emulator isn't nearly as much fun as tapping and swiping on some beautiful hardware, but it sure does cut down on the smudgy fingerprints. It's cheaper, too.
Continue reading Beta 1 for webOS 3.0 leaks, lets you touch the TouchPad a little early (video)
Beta 1 for webOS 3.0 leaks, lets you touch the TouchPad a little early (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePreCentral.net  | Email this | Comments

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Windows 8 leaked, caught looking a lot like Windows 7
Windows 8 leaked, caught looking a lot like Windows 7
You had to know it was a matter of time before Windows 8 showed up on these great internets for all to download -- illegitimately. An early version (6.1.7850) has been making the rounds at manufacturers and it's finally escaped the confines of beta labs. We haven't braved the torrent sites ourselves to download this, and we certainly wouldn't recommend that you do, but the screenshots we've seen definitely peg this particular revision as a slight evolution of Windows 7, seemingly not including all the revolutionary tweaks to come. It's still early days, remember. Plenty of time left for the magic to happen.



[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Windows 8 leaked, caught looking a lot like Windows 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Redmond Pie, Neowin  |  sourceBetaArchive  | Email this | Comments

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Motorola Xoom sees MicroSD card support enabled in latest version of Tiamat kernel
Aside from shipping without Adobe Flash Player preloaded, the Motorola Xoom also has the ignoble distinction of having a non-functioning MicroSD card slot. We're assured by the company's reps that the update to make storage expansion work is imminent, but if you have to have it right this very minute, there's now a kernel for you. It goes by the name of Tiamat, originating on xda-developers (as most good things do), and has recently stepped up to support MicroSD card storage. You'll find download links and instructions for Tiamat at the source link, plus a few happy reports of it working as advertised.



[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Motorola Xoom sees MicroSD card support enabled in latest version of Tiamat kernel originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 06:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Android Central  |  sourcexda-developers  | Email this | Comments

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Razer Switchblade headed to China with help from Intel and Tencent
Remember the Razer Switchblade? It's that 7-inch multitouch gaming device with a fully tactile and adaptive keyboard. It first stole our attention as a Windows 7 concept on the way to wowing us with a hands-on in January. Well, we've now got the first official launch country: China, with the help of Tencent Holdings, China's largest internet service portal. Unfortunately, we still don't have final specs on the Oak Trail clamshell, a price, or even a date. Fear not rest of world -- China's just the first market announced in what appears to be an attempt to highlight a new partnership between Intel and Tencent. Today the two companies announced plans to staff a new research center with 60 engineers (expected to grow to 200, eventually) who'll work together on products and services for tablets and gaming in the Chinese market. Good luck guys, we hear the Chintendo Vii is fiercely competitive.
Razer Switchblade headed to China with help from Intel and Tencent originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Netbook News  |  sourceTencent, Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

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Fujitsu to build 1Gbps fiber optic broadband network in the UK, but needs BT to play fair first
Good news for anyone feeling left behind by the broadband revolution just because of their post code: Fujitsu has just announced a joint venture to deliver fiber optic connectivity to neglected rural homes in the UK. Built on hardware provided by Cisco and supported by Virgin Media and TalkTalk, this network will focus on channeling fiber directly to the home, which is said to provide symmetrical 1Gbps bandwidth with up to 10Gbps speeds considered possible down the line. Best news of all, perhaps, is that the cabling will be available on a wholesale basis to all ISPs, not just the ones involved in the project, so the UK may finally get a decent taste of what competition in the internet service space feels like. Alas, there's a key line in the press release that notes the new venture is dependent on BT providing "access to its underground ducts and telegraph poles on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms," which it apparently isn't doing at the moment. Ah well, we're sure they'll sort things out like the mature professionals that they are. Full PR after the break.
Continue reading Fujitsu to build 1Gbps fiber optic broadband network in the UK, but needs BT to play fair first
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Intel Thunderbolt dev kits coming this quarter, hopefully ushering in more 10Gbps-capable devices
Intel has just announced it will soon be making development kits available for its new Thunderbolt interconnect. The cable that can carry 10Gbps (in both directions!) has so far only seen itself installed in Apple's MacBook Pro computers, but storage and other peripheral manufacturers are starting to unveil their lightning-scorched offerings this week at NAB and this announcement is sure to give Thunderbolt an extra spur of momentum. What's going to be intriguing going forward is to see whether manufacturers take it up instead of USB 3.0 or install the DisplayPort lookalike alongside the latest and greatest from the USB camp. If you ask us, we can never have enough high-speed interconnects... how does SuperSpeed Thunderbolt sound?
Continue reading Intel Thunderbolt dev kits coming this quarter, hopefully ushering in more 10Gbps-capable devices
Permalink   |  sourceIDG News (PCWorld)  | Email this | Comments

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Four Grammy Awards renamed to include 'video games music,' underline its growing importance
Video games have never had a problem sitting alongside movie DVDs and music CDs (back when such things were distributed physically) in stores, so it's frankly overdue to see them pop up in a mainstream awards show like the Grammys. The US Recording Academy has finally deigned to address video games and their aural landscapes as a separate class of entertainment, and has now amended four of its awards to spell that out. What was formerly known as "Motion, Television, or Other Visual Media" is now reclassified as "Motion, Television, Video Games Music, or Other Visual Media," leading to there now being four awards that explicitly recognize excellence in video game music scores. Guess that was inevitable after Christopher Tin's Baba Yetu won a Grammy this February, ostensibly because of its inclusion as one of the marquee songs on Civilization 4, but in a category entirely unrelated to gaming. Skip past the break to hear it for yourself, along with a couple of other favorites of ours.
Continue reading Four Grammy Awards renamed to include 'video games music,' underline its growing importance
Permalink Joystiq, The Escapist  |  sourceIndustryGamers  | Email this | Comments

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Zoom H4n audio recorder goes mainstream, now available at Best Buy
Until now, Samson's Zoom H4n digital recorder has been a staple in niche music equipment stores like Sam Ash, Musician's Friend, and Sweetwater, but a no-show in more mainstream retailers. Now the two year-old handheld is on sale at Best Buy, making it much easier to walk into a brick-and-mortar store and handle the thing a bit before deciding to shell out $299. The H4n's undergone some minor upgrades since its debut, with the current model sporting built-in X/Y stereo condenser mics, a rubberized, shock-proof design, an improved UI, a new digitally controlled mic preamp, and the ability to use internal and external mics for four-channel recording. It comes with a 1GB SDHC card, but you can swap it for one as large as 32GB. Last but not least, there's a tripod mount, making it easier to pair the device with a DSLR that could use some oomph in the audio department -- you know, when you film your next My World 2.0 fan video next week.
Continue reading Zoom H4n audio recorder goes mainstream, now available at Best Buy
Zoom H4n audio recorder goes mainstream, now available at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 03:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hannspree SN10T1 tablet hits Europe, SN10T2 and SN10T3 to follow later this year
We haven't heard much about Hannspree's 10.1-inch HSG1164 tablet since it turned up at the FCC back in December, but a seemingly identical SN10T1 model has now surfaced in Italy, and it's apparently available right now for €399 (contrary to what the roadmap pictured above would have you believe). What's more, it looks like Hannspree will also be releasing two more tablets before the end of the year, including a cheaper 8GB model that will run just €299 (or about $430), and a Honeycomb-based model that packs a higher resolution 1280 x 600 display, 16GB of storage and a price tag of €449, or just under $650 -- look for those to be available sometime in the second and third quarter, respectively.



[Thanks, Laura]
Hannspree SN10T1 tablet hits Europe, SN10T2 and SN10T3 to follow later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNotebook Italia  | Email this | Comments

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PCTV's Broadway 2T streams TV to your iPad when you're outside the Old Country
We've seen apps that ensure you don't miss the next episode of Jersey Shore, but with the exception of Sling's, there aren't many that stream TV to a mobile device. PCTV's new Broadway 2T does that -- but with a boatload of caveats. The box's built-in Freeview tuner will let you watch your shows over WiFi or 3G from anywhere in the world, but it'll only pick up over-the-air broadcasts from regions using the DVB-T standard (read: not in the US). It also comes with composite cables, which are perfect for setting up a security camera rig, but a deal-breaker for the majority of geeks who own a high-def set. The 2T streams video through the browser, so it works over Wi-Fi and 3G with Mac, PC, and Apple's mobile Safari browser, with Android support coming sometime in the second quarter. No word yet on availability, though it's up for preorder on PCTV's site for €199 ($287.14) if you can't live without your EPL matches while traveling away from your European villa.
Continue reading PCTV's Broadway 2T streams TV to your iPad when you're outside the Old Country
PCTV's Broadway 2T streams TV to your iPad when you're outside the Old Country originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PCTV  |  sourceNotifyMDM  | Email this | Comments

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Visualized: the National Ignition Facility in a pannable, spherical panorama
Hopefully your brain has recouped from the explosion it endured when you first laid eyes on some glorious shots of the NIF out in Nor-Cal. Now, xRez Studio's imaging gurus have provided the common folk the ability to virtually stand in front of a 500-trillion watt laser experiment at ultra high resolution. Better yet, the interactive, detailed look at an attempt at nuclear fusion allows for zooming and a full, 360-degree pan-around experience. Since this might be closest in proximity you'll get to the NIF, hit the source link to truly get a feel for what we're yapping about, and -- if you're feeling audacious -- be sure to check out the BBC video tour after the break.
Continue reading Visualized: the National Ignition Facility in a pannable, spherical panorama
Visualized: the National Ignition Facility in a pannable, spherical panorama originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcexRez Studio  | Email this | Comments

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Kyocera Echo review
It's not exactly difficult to put into words what the Kyocera Echo is -- it's a dual-screened Android phone, after all -- but it's a wee bit more challenging to wrap your head around who exactly it's for. The hardcore gaming contingent already has Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, and those obsessed with screen real estate have options spanning the gamut -- everything from Dell's 5-inch Streak to a veritable cornucopia of choices in the 4- to 4.3-inch range. So, where exactly does this oddball fit in? Quite frankly, we get the impression that it's doing its darnedest to carve out a market of its own, a thought that's reinforced by Kyocera's dedicated app development space and two-faced Simul-Task mode. Early critics (read: us) railed on the fact that double the screens meant double the trouble in terms of battery life, and there's no question that a second cell was included with our test unit. But are the advantages of having a second 3.5-inch WVGA touchpanel enough to overshadow the obvious pitfalls? Join us as we do a little soul-searching in our full review, hosted up just past the break.

Gallery: Kyocera Echo review hands-on
Continue reading Kyocera Echo review
Kyocera Echo review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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DARPA's next-gen wearable display: augmented-reality, holographic sunglasses
The US military seems to adore the idea of wearable displays, hence its continued efforts to make them a reality. We know it seems like just yesterday that DARPA tapped Lockheed Martin to build low-power, lightweight augmented-reality eyewear, and it was actually four full years ago when the wild and wonderous dream was to craft HMDs as small and light as "high-fashion sunglasses." Well, that dream lives on, this time with holograms: the lenscrafters at Vuzix just received a cool million to develop goggles that holographically overlay battlefield data on the wearer's vision. It all sounds very Dead Space (or, you know, like a Top Secret version of Recon-Zeal's Transcend goggles), promising realtime analysis of anything within sight. The company believes the finished product will be no more than 3mm thick and completely transparent when turned off. If all goes well, expect this to trickle down to consumers in short order; soon you'll have full "situational awareness" -- including relationship status -- of that mysterious stranger you've been eyeballing from across the room.
DARPA's next-gen wearable display: augmented-reality, holographic sunglasses originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink DVICE  |  sourceWired  | Email this | Comments

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IBM touts new Power7 systems, still no mass market Watson
IBM's latest announcement probably won't get us any closer to securing our very own in-house version of Watson, but the firm is boasting a new line of Power7 products that includes an upgraded version of the supercomputer's server. First up are the BladeCenter PS703 and PS704, sporting 16 cores and 32 cores, respectively -- the PS704 touts a 60 percent increase in speed over its predecessors. The Power 750, the same system that gave Watson the stuff to slaughter those humans on Jeopardy!, is getting an upgrade that supports as many as 32 cores and can run up to 128 simultaneous threads, while the Power 755 offers up high-performance computing with 32 cores of its own. The cheapest version of the Power 750 Express rings in at about $30,000. So, no, we won't be battling Watson in a Jeopardy! Home Edition showdown anytime soon, but we're happy to see that our favorite supercomputer could be even smarter -- or at the very least, faster -- the next time it shows up on the boob tube. Full PR after the break.
Continue reading IBM touts new Power7 systems, still no mass market Watson
IBM touts new Power7 systems, still no mass market Watson originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple announces Final Cut Pro X, rebuilt from ground up with 64-bit support (update: $299 in June)
Apple's just announced Final Cut Pro X at NAB, and Chief Architect of Video Applications Randy Ubillos is demonstrating a beta release as we speak. The "rebuilt from ground up" video editing suite -- which now shares a similar look and feel with iMovie -- will be shipped with 64-bit support to finally make use of more than 4GB of RAM, as well as handling 4K clips on 8-core editing rigs (by way of the Grand Central Dispatch feature on OS X Snow Leopard). Most notably, though, is that this new FCP will always be rendering instantly in the background, meaning you can edit on the fly much like you do on iMovie! There's also a whole stash of other new features: editing before media ingest, magnetic timeline, people detection, instant color matching between clips, smart collection of media based on custom keywords and people, auto image stabilization on import, and many more. Itching to get your hands dirty with Cupertino's new video tool? You'll be able to download it from the Mac App Store in June for just $299.



Update: @robimbs has just posted a video of Randy Ubillos' wrap-up at the show. We've got it after the break.
Continue reading Apple announces Final Cut Pro X, rebuilt from ground up with 64-bit support (update: $299 in June)
Permalink   |  source@robimbs (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments

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Researchers use GPS, accelerometers to boost smartphone data rates
Well, this might be a good reason for The Powers That Be to know your exact whereabouts. According to a team of MIT researchers, speeding up data rates on mobile devices could be as easy as tapping the various motion sensors found in run-of-the-mill smartphones. The scientists believe our wireless infrastructure is at the root of bottlenecks, with a handful of weak transmitters clumsily "handing off" data to one another as you move out of range. The solution: use GPS radios, accelerometers, and even gyroscopes to infer where you're headed, and then choose an access point near where you're likely to end up. The difference, they report, is dramatic: a 50 percent boost in throughput, along with improved success in choosing the best bit rate. To boot, if a base station is armed with location-based info, it can better predict when the devices connected to it are on the verge of losing contact. That's all good news, but sadly we doubt any amount of promising science is enough to make the pink lady go away.
Researchers use GPS, accelerometers to boost smartphone data rates originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PhysOrg  |  sourceMIT  | Email this | Comments

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Nintendo cutting Wii price to $150 on May 15th?
Nintendo's miniature white monolith has sold like gangbusters for long enough that we're wary it'll ever get cheap, but a trusted source tells us a price cut is indeed headed our way -- and that the Nintendo Wii will cost just $150 starting May 15th. The timing would make some sense, given how Nintendo's profits have tanked for a while due to flagging hardware sales, and just last month Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime hinted that the Wii's price might be a potential variable to change that in an interview with Gamasutra. Still, we're not fully convinced that Nintendo would announce a price cut then, rather than, say, at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in June, and it's not like the company to let this sort of announcement leak out. Still, if you find a shiny new copy of Mario Kart Wii in a $150 console bundle this time next month, don't say we didn't warn you.
Nintendo cutting Wii price to $150 on May 15th? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Korg Wavedrum Mini makes music from your nervous tics (video)
Korg Wavedrum Mini
Can't stop banging out Rebecca Black's oh-so-infectious jams on your knickerbockers? Korg's Wavedrum Mini won't make Friday any less awful, but it could make your inexcusable actions a wee bit less annoying. The Q3-bound Mini crams the company's digital drum pad tech into a portable package with a built in speaker, and its myriad buttons let you choose from 100 different sounds including strings, synth tones, and a gaggle of percussion instruments. You'll also get 100 preset rhythms for those who prefer their instruments play themselves, but surely that's not you... right? Heck, there's even a loop function so you can build layer upon layer (upon layer!) of cacophonous noise. The best part, however, is the included sensor, which can be clipped to almost anything, turning your ceaseless toe tapping into bass hits. If you can't wait to see it in action, take a gander at the exceedingly long demo video after the break.
Continue reading Korg Wavedrum Mini makes music from your nervous tics (video)
Korg Wavedrum Mini makes music from your nervous tics (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Technabob  |  sourceKorg  | Email this | Comments

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iTable iPhone dock looks like a smartphone, acts like a stereo (video)
We've seen enough iPhone docking stations to last a lifetime -- we've even seen our fair share of tables that take style cues from the smartphone -- but we have to admit, Kyle Buckner's iTable is in a league of its own. This rather involved docking solution combines the aesthetics of the iPhone 4 with a little bachelor-pad-of-the-future flair, allowing its user to summon a set of eight recessed speakers with a simple swipe of the hand. It's also packing a set of four aluminum-trimmed cup holders, complete with LED lights to give your drinks a little mood lighting of their own. The thing's all hand-crafted, and while it was designed with the iPhone 4 in mind, it can be built to fit your smartphone of choice. If you're actually considering purchasing one of these things, may we also suggest a floating bed? Of course, you could always just hop on past the jump and check out a video of the table in action instead.
Continue reading iTable iPhone dock looks like a smartphone, acts like a stereo (video)
iTable iPhone dock looks like a smartphone, acts like a stereo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceKyle Buckner Design  | Email this | Comments

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Chumby 8 gets reviewed, dubbed 'best and biggest Chumby yet'
The Chumby has never exactly been a device for everyone, and that's not likely to change with the new Chumby 8 that's recently started shipping. Those that do want a Chumby, however, aren't likely to be disappointed by the new 8-inch model. According to CNET's review of the device, the Chumby 8 is simply the "best and biggest Chumby yet," with the larger display and additional USB ports making it better suited for use as a photo frame or media player, while the plethora of apps available make it as versatile as ever. Of course, it is still a Chumby, which CNET notes makes for an increasingly difficult sell in a world filled with tablets, smartphones, and widget-filled TVs. Hit up the source link below for the full review.
Chumby 8 gets reviewed, dubbed 'best and biggest Chumby yet' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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T-Mobile's new plans get official: starting at $60 for unlimited everything, throttling included

T-Mobile's just gone official with the new unlimited plans we caught wind of a few days ago, and while they are truly unlimited by numbers, they're not completely unlimited in functionality. The plans cost $79.99 for Even More customers (buy a subsidized device on contract) and $59.99 for Even More Plus subscribers (bring your own phone commitment-free). Either way this gets you unlimited data, domestic calling, and domestic messaging, with a $5 surcharge for BlackBerry users. Unlike Sprint's similar offering, once you pass the 2GB bandwidth mark, "data speeds will be reduced for the remainder of that bill cycle," essentially informing users that throttling will most certainly take place. In all, we're pleased to see the compromise T-Mo's put in place for data (whereas most other carriers are simply axing the unlimited option altogether), and we hope some of the competition takes heed. It does sound like a pretty sweet deal for those of you not grandfathered in on unlimited data plans. Still, for those of you interested, we suggest getting a jump on, as the (potentially leaked) press release reveals that these plans might only be available for a limited time.



Update: And now it's all official. Huzzah!
Continue reading T-Mobile's new plans get official: starting at $60 for unlimited everything, throttling included
Permalink   |  sourceT-Mo News  | Email this | Comments

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Iogear's USB-to-HDMI adapter brings a soundtrack to the DisplayLink party
DisplayLink adapters are a-dime-a-dozen these days, dutifully displaying our desktop environments on other displays not connected via traditional monitor interfaces. Pumping out video content to the big screen has been simplified, sure, but audio has always been the Achilles heel of the diminutive dongles. Enter Iogear, whose GUC2025H USB External HD A/V Adapter solves this exact problem -- without taking up any additional ports to boot. The 4.2- x .63- x 2.8-inch box supports a max resolution of 1920 x 1080, and will output via HDMI when connected via standard USB. At a nickel under $100, the price seems to be about right, though we wouldn't have complained if the company had thrown in an HDMI to DVI converter for good measure. Full PR after the break.
Continue reading Iogear's USB-to-HDMI adapter brings a soundtrack to the DisplayLink party
Iogear's USB-to-HDMI adapter brings a soundtrack to the DisplayLink party originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Andi-One universal remote runs Android 2.1, does more than change channels
Like many universal remote controls, the Andi-One boasts compatibility with thousands of devices; unlike most, however, it runs on Android 2.1. This 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen clicker can check email, browse the web, control your HTPC's mouse and keyboard, run over 100,000 Android apps, act as a VoIP phone, and even kick movies directly to your TV through an HDMI enabled charging cradle. It doesn't just control your entertainment devices -- it is one. For the first time ever, your remote control is giving you the choice between changing the channel, and playing Angry Birds -- if that's not innovation, we don't know what is. She's available now for $350 -- a bargain to some, but not exactly compelling for those who already own a smartphone.
Continue reading Andi-One universal remote runs Android 2.1, does more than change channels
Andi-One universal remote runs Android 2.1, does more than change channels originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceConspin  | Email this | Comments

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Pieceable Viewer lets devs share iOS apps, personal feelings through a browser
For developers not quite ready to offer their iOS creations in the App Store, a new service promises to suck the grunt work out of bouncing works-in-progress off others. Pieceable Viewer is the magical program in question, launching today to let devs publish a copy of their apps to a private website, whose link they can share with beta testers, clients, and fellow code monkeys. Viewer generates a single line of code for sharing and, irony of all ironies, uses Flash to simulate apps inside the browser. It could be compelling for freelancers working with clients who don't happen to own an iPhone, and, adds the company's CEO, it helps devs circumvent Apple's 100-device limit. All this from a company whose existing product enables people with no coding experience to build apps.



You can try it for free, with one person able to view one app, and a link that expires after an hour. Upgrade to a $30-a-month plan for three simultaneous views of up to five applications, and links that don't expire. (For unlimited apps, you'll have to spring for the $60 monthly plan, which lets up to ten people peep at once.) As for all you Android enthusiasts, your version is up next (surprise, surprise).
Pieceable Viewer lets devs share iOS apps, personal feelings through a browser originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourcePieceable  | Email this | Comments

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Intel Roadmap charts rollout dates for Ivy Bridge, Cedarview, Sandy Bridge E-series
What's that? You can't get enough of Intel? Well, it's your lucky day, because we just got our hands on the chip maker's roadmap for 2011 and 2012. According to the leaked slides, we can expect to see the Sandy Bridge E-series in Q4 of 2011. Alternately, the 22nm Ivy Bridge is slated for a somewhat less specific release in the first half of 2012. We're also likely to see the new Pentium and Celeron-based Sandy Bridge models in Q3 this year, and the Atom-equipped Cedarview in Q4. The roadmap's also giving us a rather vague look at pricing for the chipsets, and from what we gather, we can expect the E-series to sport a hefty price tag and Cedarview to bring the value. If that's not enough to sate that animal appetite for Intel news, you can hit the source link for more roadmap goodness.
Permalink   |  sourceWccftech  | Email this | Comments

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Adobe finds another 'critical' flaw in Flash, Steve Jobs smiles smugly
Flash is FlawedHey, guess what? Adobe has found yet another serious security flaw in Flash. We can already hear the iOS fanboys warming up their commenting fingers. The vulnerability affects all platforms, including Android, though only attacks on Windows have been seen in the wild so far. Just like last month's exploit, this one is spreading via malicious .swf files embedded in Office documents, only this time it's Word instead of Excel being targeted (a hacker's gotta keep it fresh, after all). Once again Reader and Acrobat are also vulnerable, but attacks can be thwarted using Reader's Protected Mode. When exactly Adobe plans on plugging this hole is anyone's guess, so when a deposed Nigerian prince tells you about the fabulous sum of money he'd like you to transfer, you'll have yet another reason not to open the Office attachments in his email.
Adobe finds another 'critical' flaw in Flash, Steve Jobs smiles smugly originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Inquirer  |  sourceAdobe  | Email this | Comments

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Sony keeps OLED hope alive with 'budget' monitor line (video)
Sony Trimaster EL PVM-1741
It was just two short months ago that Sony had us drooling over its latest OLED monitors. But, at the double-take-inspiring price of $16,000, its safe to assume the company isn't moving too many of these professional-level displays. For film and TV production companies turned off by the high-priced BVM line, Sony has announced the PVM-2541 and PVM-1741, which arrive at less than a third of the cost. The 25-inch and 17-inch screens (we're sure you can guess which is which) will retail for $7,400 and $4,900, respectively, while boasting the same 1080p, "Super Top Emission" panels (explained in the lengthy video after the break) and 10-bit drivers of their more expensive cousins. The one trade off is the significantly smaller, 89-degree viewing angle. Good thing movie editors are used to huddling uncomfortably close together.
Continue reading Sony keeps OLED hope alive with 'budget' monitor line (video)
Sony keeps OLED hope alive with 'budget' monitor line (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceCrunchGear  | Email this | Comments

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Intel teases 32nm Cloverview tablet processor, 22nm Ivy Bridge CPU
It hasn't even been a week since Intel rolled out Oak Trail, and it's already teasing us with yet another tablet-ready chip called Cloverview. What's more, we're also seeing unofficial details emerging for its next generation Ivy Bridge CPU. Starting from the top: PC World is reporting that Intel's Doug Davis introduced the Atom-based Cloverview at the firm's Developer Forum in Beijing Tuesday, touting its 32nm architecture and low power consumption. Meanwhile a set of rather convincing slides are showing off the 22nm stylings of Sandy Bridge's successor, Ivy Bridge. From the look of things, the CPU will support DirectX 11 graphics, USB 3.0, and 1600MHz DDR3 memory -- its desktop platform has been christened Maho Bay. Ivy Bridge is reportedly expected to arrive in the first half of 2012, but we're still waiting on Cloverview's ETA. Isn't silicon fun?
Intel teases 32nm Cloverview tablet processor, 22nm Ivy Bridge CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePCWorld, DonanimHaber  | Email this | Comments

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Opera 11.10 launched with company's 'most expensive ad ever'
Opera has always been the little browser that could, and the company is now embracing that spirit more than ever with its new ad campaign for the just-released Opera 11.10. To that end, it's launched a new ad campaign that it proudly boasts is its most expensive ever -- a record-setting $8,517.26, including a hefty $1,500 that they splurged on some "trendy Swedish clothes." Of course, the browser itself is the real story here and, while it's an incremental upgrade, it does boast a few fairly big new features, including support for Google's new WebP image format, a "SpeedDial" for your favorite websites, and a turbo mode that promises to compress and load web pages faster when you're on a slow connection. Just how does that work? We'll let Opera's Christen Krogh explain in the no-expenses-spared video after the break.
Continue reading Opera 11.10 launched with company's 'most expensive ad ever'
Opera 11.10 launched with company's 'most expensive ad ever' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Updated MeeGo interface gets shown off on Atom Z670-based reference tablet
Well, here's something of a surprise. Not only has Netbook News managed to get its hands on a reference tablet based on Intel's brand new Atom Z670 processor at IDF Beijing, but one running a new version of MeeGo with a spiffed-up UI. As you can see above and in the video after the break, it looks to be a marked improvement over the tablet interface that was just shown off at Mobile World Congress in February, with it offering both a more refined appearance and what appears to be a more intuitive navigation system. Like what you see? Then you'll likely be seeing even more of it shortly -- there's a "MeeGo Day" planned for April 14th.
Continue reading Updated MeeGo interface gets shown off on Atom Z670-based reference tablet
Updated MeeGo interface gets shown off on Atom Z670-based reference tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNetbook News  | Email this | Comments

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Alienware's M18x: a beautiful beast for the gamer on the go
A sneak peek from the Great White North showed us Alienware's new mobile gaming flagship, but now we've got the real specs and a whole gaggle of pretty pics for you to drool over. It turns out the M18x has a massive 18.4-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD display, an Intel Core i7 Extreme chip overclocked to a frag-tastic 4GHz, your choice of AMD CrossFireX or NVIDIA SLI graphics, up to 32GB of DDR3 RAM, a 3D-capable HDMI 1.4 port, WirelessHD for the cable-averse crowd, and five macro-programmable keys wrapped in a otherworldly anodized aluminum shell. We're still not sure when you'll be able to get your hands on one, but we do know it can't get here soon enough. Would-be alien abductees can catch a glimpse of their new overlord in the gallery below -- not to worry, no neuralizer's included.



[Thanks, Thatoe]

Gallery: Alienware M18x
Alienware's M18x: a beautiful beast for the gamer on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDell  | Email this | Comments

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Leaked BlackBerry PlayBook training manual appears online, Bill Belichick yells 'innocent!'
Twiddling your thumbs in anticipation now that you've placed your PlayBook preorder? Why not put yourself to good use by teaching that dusty cranium how to use it? At first glance, this guide for retail salespeople looks like it could have been thrown together by us, complete with a tour of the ports and a helpful reminder that you can use the touchscreen in both landscape and portrait mode. But it's in the sales simulation section that things really start to get interesting. For all the talk about how the PlayBook is an obvious companion for BlackBerry owners, it's clear RIM got the memo about making it palatable to consumers, too. For instance, the company would rather reps say it "offers stunning multimedia, true multitasking, and access to the whole internet -- no exceptions," than "[It] gives you the business tools you need to transform the way you work." Hit the source link to get acquainted and do pay attention -- like a third-grade spelling lesson or visit to the DMV, it comes with a quiz (or eight).



[Thanks, Velkcro]
Permalink N4BB, BerryReview  |  sourceRIM  | Email this | Comments

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