Friday, April 8, 2011

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 07/04/2011




BlackBerry Bold Touch prototype photographed, leaves a good impression
Are video tutorials and leaked presentations still not enough to convince you of the BlackBerry Bold Touch's existence? Well, if not, you can thank BGR for getting its real live hands on an honest-to-goodness prototype, which it says looks even better than the renders. The site also reports that the touchscreen is plenty responsive, which could help induce users to move their thumbs from the optical trackpad for navigation. It also reiterates a BlackBerry World launch, so if things stay on track we'll be getting our own hands on one in just about one month's time -- we know you can't wait.
BlackBerry Bold Touch prototype photographed, leaves a good impression originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceBGR | Email this | Comments
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B&N accepting Nook Color app submissions, because you can never have too many app stores
The upcoming firmware update for the Nook Color is shaping up to be a hefty one for the e-reader cum Android tablet. Barnes & Noble has now announced that it's officially opening up the device to developers, and will be taking app submissions through its developer site effective immediately. The Nook has long been one of the best bangs for your buck in the ever-expanding world of Android tablets, and all that's left now is Honeycomb -- and no, the hacked port doesn't count.
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Britain's oldest working television goes up for auction
What's 75 years old, made of wood, and largely the result of some secret military radar research? The Marconiphone 702 television pictured above, which is believed to be the oldest working television in Britain, and possibly the world. It was tracked down by a collector a few years ago, and is now set to go up for auction on April 19th at Bonhams in London, where it has an estimated sale price of £5,000 but is expected to sell for "much more." That will buy you a 12-inch screen that actually has its image reflected on a mirror in the lid, along with most of the original parts -- only about 30 percent have been replaced to get the set functional again. It can even receive digital channels with the aid of a Freeview box. Head on past the break for a glimpse of it in action.
Continue reading Britain's oldest working television goes up for auction
Britain's oldest working television goes up for auction originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink DVICE | sourceThe Telegraph | Email this | Comments
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Microsoft releases Bing search app tailored specifically to the iPad
Are you finding the Bing iOS app not quite as tablet-optimized as it could be? Microsoft seems to agree with you, as it's just released a new version of Bing designed to make the most of the iPad's more spacious dimensions. It works with both generations of the tablet, though iOS 4.2 is required, and brings an arsenal of goodies to tempt users into giving it a try. A trends area will serve up the top-searched items on Bing, a dedicated movie- and trailer-searching section will help make your matinee decisions that little bit easier, and multiple map views will enlighten you with turn-by-turn directions and real-time transit info. There are even weather updates for up to five cities via MSN Weather and, if for whatever reason you don't find the touch-centric interface to your liking, there's a Bing Voice Search option as well. All for free. On the iPad. Boy, that must bruise some egos up in the Redmond. Video after the break. Continue reading Microsoft releases Bing search app tailored specifically to the iPad
Microsoft releases Bing search app tailored specifically to the iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceiTunes | Email this | Comments
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Droid X2 reappears in the wild, still indistinguishable from Droid X
You've seen it before and now you're seeing it again. The Droid X2 that Motorola seems unwilling to announce has made another unsanctioned appearance in the wild. It's still rocking Android 2.2 and there's sadly no indication of any LTE goodness for it, but we suspect the changes that justify the 2 in its name will be happening under the hood. The 8 megapixel camera round the back comes with the same dual-LED flash array and HD Video label as the original Droid X, once again giving us no hint of what exactly Motorola's upgraded. Then again, what's the fun in knowing everything in advance?
Droid X2 reappears in the wild, still indistinguishable from Droid X originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Wireless Goodness | sourceAndroid Central | Email this | Comments
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ASUS refreshes Lamborghini VX7 with Sandy Bridge, mercifully offers a black option
Just in time for Spring, ASUS has refreshed its Lamborghini VX7, a staple in the company's line of notebooks (and fugly smartphones) inspired by the storied Italian car maker. Available in orange and a more staid black, this 8.4-pound beast packs a quad-core Sandy Bridge Intel Core i7 processor, Full HD 15.6-inch display, discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics with 3GB of video memory, up to 16GB of RAM, an 8-cell battery, one USB 3.0 port (along with three USB 2.0 ones), HDMI output, a 2 megapixel webcam, and hard drive space ranging from 500GB to 750GB with speeds of either 5,400RPM or 7,200RPM. Or, you can opt for an SSD as large as 1.25TB, with speeds rated at about 10,000RPM. No word yet on pricing or availability, though we're pretty sure Valentino Balboni won't be ponying up to type on one of these either way.
ASUS refreshes Lamborghini VX7 with Sandy Bridge, mercifully offers a black option originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink MobileTechReview | sourceSoftpedia | Email this | Comments
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Visualized: jousting on a Segway
Remember the olden days? When honor and valor were the only things that mattered and vast metallic armor suits were less of a laughing matter and more of a practical necessity? Neither do we, but that doesn't stop us from enjoying a good video gaming romp through such settings when we have the time for it. We don't know that we'd necessarily care to reenact medieval battle scenes physically, but that's exactly what a witty new marketing campaign for Washington's Lottery has done. It asks simply "what have you and your friends always wanted to do" and then answers its own query with the nutty answer of Segway jousting. See the resulting video, which was partially shot in Phantom slow-mo, after the break. Continue reading Visualized: jousting on a Segway
Visualized: jousting on a Segway originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Autoblog, CrunchGear | sourceCreativity-Onine | Email this | Comments
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Naked Florida man opens fire on SWAT bot with AK-47, no kidding
"Investigators say they've never dealt with a naked man attacking a robot before." So starts perhaps the most insane local news story we've ever heard. According to an ABC affiliate in Florida, a disgruntled man, sporting nothing more than his birthday suit and an AK-47, opened fire on a robot last week, after threatening to shoot himself and anyone who crossed the threshold of his home. The $65,000 SWAT bot was sent in to investigate, and captured every inch of the man on video before being pumped full of bullets. Deputies say the man eventually surrendered fully-clothed and was taken for a mental evaluation. No word yet on when or if the footage will be released in a Robo COPS: Disrobed and Dangerous Special Edition. For now, you can check out video at the source link below.
Naked Florida man opens fire on SWAT bot with AK-47, no kidding originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceWFTV | Email this | Comments
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US Homeland Security Department planning to use Facebook, Twitter for terrorism alerts
It looks like we finally know what the US Department of Homeland Security plans to use instead of the now infamous color-coded terrorism alert system. According to a draft document obtained by the Associated Press, the department's new system will simply have two levels of alerts -- "elevated" and "imminent" -- and it seems those warnings will even be published online using Facebook and Twitter "when appropriate." There's no word as to exactly how those alerts will be published, however, or any indication that the two companies have actually committed to aiding the department in any way, for that matter. We should know more soon enough, though -- the new system is expected to be in place by April 27th.
Permalink The Globe and Mail | sourceAssociated Press | Email this | Comments
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Bluetrek Carbon headset hits the FCC, proves hard to damage but easy to disassemble
Bluetrek Carbon headset hits the FCC, is hard to damage but easy to disassemble
We've seen Bluetrek's Bluetooth headsets be twistable, touchable, skinny, and smart. Now they're going light -- and fancy. The Bluetrek Carbon has hit the FCC, showing off a carbon fiber boom (pictured again after the break) and construction said to create an exceedingly light result. Looking at the FCC's teardown photos it's clear to see that the stalk there is actual carbon, not some lame appliquè and, with the body of the thing being barely wider than a micro-USB port, it shouldn't look to gaudy hanging out of your head. There's no mention of price or availability (the FCC doesn't trouble itself with such matters) but we're guessing you don't have much time left to get your ear ready for this kind of piercing sophistication. Continue reading Bluetrek Carbon headset hits the FCC, proves hard to damage but easy to disassemble
Permalink SlashGear | sourceFCC | Email this | Comments
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Atari's Greatest Hits collection brings 100 classic games to iOS devices
You still can't play them with an iCade cabinet just yet -- though that's coming, in June -- but Atari has now delivered quite a present to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners. The company has just released its Greatest Hits collection for iOS devices, which includes 18 classic arcade games and 82 Atari 2600 games -- those available either in 25 separate packs for $0.99 apiece, or in one massive time sink bundle for $14.99 (Pong comes free with the app itself). As you can see, you'll also get things like the original box art and arcade cabinets for each game, and some of the titles will even let you play head-to-head with a friend over Bluetooth. Ready to get started? You know where to find it.
Atari's Greatest Hits collection brings 100 classic games to iOS devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Ars Technica | sourceiTunes | Email this | Comments
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eFun's Nextbook Next5, Next6 now available, likely not the next big tablets
As you might recall, we weren't exactly head over heels for eFun's new line of tablets when we got our hands on the things at CES. Well, we've yet to see much of the sluggish Next4, but both the Next5 and Next6 have quietly made their way to market. Like we said before, the Next6 is more of an e-reader than a tablet, and the same goes for its sibling. Both sport Android 2.1, 7-inch LCD touchscreens, 800 x 480 displays, and WiFi connectivity -- the Next6 sports 4GB of memory, while the Next5 offers 2GB and a 600MHz dual-core processor, based on the ARM926EJ. We've said it once, and we'll say it again, the best thing about these slabs is probably the price: the Next5 rings in at $200 and the Next6 at $230. But feel free to judge for yourself -- both are currently in stock at the source link below.

[Thanks, Nathan]
eFun's Nextbook Next5, Next6 now available, likely not the next big tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The eBook Reader | sourceJR (1), (2) | Email this | Comments
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T-Mobile's 4G Mobile Hotspot going on sale April 13?
Well, well. Android Central got a hold of a leaked document revealing that T-Mobile's 4G Mobile Hotspot, the first of its kind for the carrier, is slated to go on sale April 13th. We're inclined to believe it, since T-Mo just confirmed that the LG G2X, also named in the doc, will indeed go on sale April 15th. Alas, if you've been waiting for more info about the pricey, Honeycomb-powered T-Mobile LG G-Slate, you can keep holding your breath: all we know is that it's coming "soon."
T-Mobile's 4G Mobile Hotspot going on sale April 13? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceAndroid Central | Email this | Comments
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Location-aware album gives Washington DC dynamically modified soundtrack
Musical duo Bluebrain has taken the guesswork out of listening to music -- their latest album dictates where you can listen to it, what songs it plays, and when it plays them. Take that, playlists! The album, titled The National Mall, will be available only as an iPhone app and the band is calling it the first location-aware album. The app... er, album, uses your phone's GPS to track one's proximity to hundreds of tagged zones spread throughout the landmarks of the Washington DC National Mall, dynamically tweaking the rhythm, melody, instrumentation, and pace of the music as you go.

Despite this fancy smartphone integration, Bluebrain stresses that this is still an album, not a toy or augmented reality application. The experience is strictly location specific, no user input necessary, or available. Want to hear a new melody or arrangement? Walk to a different monument. The project's location-specific nature means that fans outside of the DC area are out of luck for now. The band says two more GPS-powered albums are on the way -- one designed for Brooklyn's Prospect Park, and another spanning the entire length of California's Highway 1. Music, measured in miles -- neat, but Hwy. 1 manages just fine on its own, wouldn't you say?
Location-aware album gives Washington DC dynamically modified soundtrack originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Fast Company | sourceBluebrain | Email this | Comments
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T-Mobile G2X priced at $200, coming April 15th online and April 20th in stores (update: Sidekick 4G date)
The official word has been spoken with regard the T-Mobile G2X. LG's dual-core, pure Android handset will be hitting T-Mo's online outlet on April 15th for $200, and the same price will also apply in stores when it lands on April 20th. There's a pesky $50 mail-in rebate to negotiate your way around, but after that you're looking at one of the finest and smoothest Android experiences we've laid our hands on yet.

[Thanks, Kyle]

Update: The Sidekick 4G has also received its date with T-Mobile destiny: April 20th for $100 on contract. Continue reading T-Mobile G2X priced at $200, coming April 15th online and April 20th in stores (update: Sidekick 4G date)
Permalink | source@TMobile (Twitter) | Email this | Comments
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WatchESPN iOS app lets some people watch live sports wherever they want
WatchESPN App
Continuing the trend of tying streaming content to the ol' ball and chain that is your pricy cable subscription, ESPN announced the launch of the WatchESPN App for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, with an iPad optimized version slated for release in May. Said App can be downloaded now and will allow you to "stay connected to live sports and shows from ESPN, wherever and whenever you want them" -- assuming you're a Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks or Verizon FiOS TV customer that is. The ability to watch three of the most popular cable networks while on the go, or anywhere in your house, is certainly nothing to scoff at, but many sports fans' excitement will indeed be diminished until ESPN fulfills its promise to release apps for "other smartphones and tablets," and of course the other big service providers like Comcast, DirecTV and Dish Network get with the program. For now you can live vicariously through us by clicking through to the gallery or watching the western style WatchESPN App commercial available via the source link.

Continue reading WatchESPN iOS app lets some people watch live sports wherever they want
WatchESPN iOS app lets some people watch live sports wherever they want originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceESPN PR, iTunes | Email this | Comments
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Novell's Mono tools let devs create .NET apps for Android devices
If app developers have a pattern of going after the iPhone first and Android second, well, the same is apparently true of the folks who write software for the code monkeys. Novell just announced Mono for Android, the first set of tools that lets devs write .NET and C# apps for Android phones and tablets. Novell already lets developers do the same for Linux, iOS, and Mac OS X and, as always, lets coders continue to use Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 to write applications -- if that's the testing software they're used to. In addition to the Visual Studio plug-in, you get bindings for native Android APIs and the core Mono runtime. It's available now, starting at $99 for students (minus the ability to, you know, send finished apps to Android Market) and $399 for everybody else. Already developing for the iPhone? Prove that you own MonoTouch (essentially, the same Novell product for iOS devices) and get 50 percent off an Android tool kit. Continue reading Novell's Mono tools let devs create .NET apps for Android devices
Novell's Mono tools let devs create .NET apps for Android devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink ZDNet | sourceMono for Android | Email this | Comments
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Tobii PCEye brings hands-free control to any PC, can't see eye-to-eye with Macs (update)
Tobii PCEye brings eye control to any PC, can't see eye-to-eye with Macs
We were kind of shocked at just how well the Lenovo prototype laptop with Tobii eye tracking worked at CEBIT this year. It was, frankly, really good, and we're happy to say you no longer have to break into Lenovo HQ to try it for yourself. Tobii has released its PCEye, a USB device that uses a VESA mount to hang below LCDs sized between 15- to 20-inches. After a little calibration, it enables full eye control -- on Windows. Mac users will have to keep buying batteries for their Magic Mice because there's sadly no compatibility there. The main idea here is to help those who, due to stroke or other impairment, have lost some or all motor control, enabling them to compute just as well as anybody. However, we who are lucky enough to still have full control over all appendages can't wait to get one of these and play through every level in World of Goo without reaching for the mouse once. We will, however, have to reach for our wallets -- Tobii doesn't quote a price for the PCEye, which is rarely a good sign.

Update: We just heard back from the company, and the price of the PCEye itself is $6,900, "with packages available for software and monitors."
Gallery: Tobii PCEye
Continue reading Tobii PCEye brings hands-free control to any PC, can't see eye-to-eye with Macs (update)
Permalink | sourceTobii | Email this | Comments
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Google adding touchscreen-friendly tweaks to Chrome OS, still has tablets on its mind
When a tablet version of Chrome OS was teased back in February of last year, we found it a legitimately exciting proposition. Now that we have Android's Honeycomb iteration designed specifically for slates, however, we're having to wonder just why Google's still chasing that keyboard-less dream with its web-centric OS. CNET has been doing some snooping in and around the latest iterations of Chrome OS, where it's discovered numerous pieces of circumstantial evidence, such as a new onscreen keyboard, suggesting tablets are still very much on the menu. Chrome OS kicked off life on the development device known as Cr-48 and will resume availability this summer courtesy of Acer and Samsung, though we'd kind of assumed it would stick to notebooks now that Android's making a sincere effort on devices bigger than an EVO. Mountain View has responded to CNET's queries with a pretty inconclusive statement, saying only that "We are engaging in early open-source work for the tablet form factor, but we have nothing new to announce at this time." Check out last year's concept video after the break. Continue reading Google adding touchscreen-friendly tweaks to Chrome OS, still has tablets on its mind
Permalink | sourceCNET | Email this | Comments
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Polaris produces 9300xi Sport poolbot, does your underwater scum sucking for you
Has your cabana boy, Sergio, been shirking his aquatic responsibilities, sipping Mai Tais and tanning instead of skimming leaves? Well, pool possessors, it may be time to fire the laggard and replace him with the new Polaris 9300xi Sport. This newest Polaris poolbot can be programmed to perform its janitorial duties for up to six hours at a time of your choosing, and has a remote control for spot-specific scrubbing. Not only that, it combines water-jet propulsion with wheels that can climb walls and steps to spruce up every nook and cranny of your backyard basin in true Spiderman-style. Of course, such underwater robotic wizardry doesn't come cheap, as the 9300xi has an MSRP of $1499. That makes the iRobot Verro 500 and its $999 price look like a robot bargain by comparison, but it's still cheaper than Sergio, right?
Gallery: Polaris 9300xi Sport poolbot
Continue reading Polaris produces 9300xi Sport poolbot, does your underwater scum sucking for you
Polaris produces 9300xi Sport poolbot, does your underwater scum sucking for you originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourcePolaris | Email this | Comments
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Gartner: Android grabbing over 38 percent of smartphone market in 2011 on Symbian's demise
We like, ok, love poking fun at analysts' long term forecasts given the volatility of the smartphone market. Nobody, neither Gartner nor IDC, predicted the meteoric rise of Android and iOS, thus making their four-year projections (measured to a decimal point) laughable, to say the least. Shorten that timeline to the end of the year, however, and the accuracy of these forecasts tends to increase dramatically.

Gartner just released its smartphone projections that align very closely with the numbers released by IDC a few weeks ago. Both research firms see Nokia hemorrhaging its smartphone dominance in 2011 after announcing plans to adopt the Windows Phone platform. Gartner sees Symbian pulling in a remarkably low 19.2 percent (down from 37.6 percent in 2010 or an impressive 46.9 percent share held back in 2009) regardless of Nokia's insistence that it still has some 150 million Symbian handsets to ship -- IDC, as you'll recall, was a bit more gracious with a 20.9 percent projection for Symbian in 2011. Like IDC, Gartner sees Microsoft making a dramatic comeback just as soon as Nokia can flood its global channels with mid-tier handsets by the end of 2012 with the Windows Phone operating system ultimately rising to the number two spot in global marketshare (Gartner says 19.5 percent to IDC's 20.9 percent) by, eh hem, 2015. Gartner expects the iOS smartphone slice to peak with a 19.4 percent share (to IDC's 15.7 percent) in 2011 before dipping a bit under the strain of an Android juggernaut and Apple's reluctance to sacrifice margins (and profits) for market share. Gartner expects Android to increase the 22.7 market share it enjoyed in 2010 to 38.5 percent in 2011 (compared to the IDC's slightly more aggressive 39.5 percent share) on the way to dominating the competition with a 49.2 percent share in 2012. Bringing up the rear then is RIM with an estimated chunk of just 13.4 percent in 2011 (compared to 16 percent in 2010) with further declines through 2015 even after the BlackBerry maker migrates to QNX in 2012. Ouch.

As for WebOS: sorry HP, you're in the "other" category along with Bada. Continue reading Gartner: Android grabbing over 38 percent of smartphone market in 2011 on Symbian's demise
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Samsung refutes talk of Galaxy S II delays, promises April launch in at least some places
So yesterday we learned that Samsung's planning to speed up the dual-core Exynos processor inside its Galaxy S II to 1.2GHz, but there was also word that the handset may suffer a setback in terms of release date. Today, the company has tweeted out a two-part notice assuring us that that will not be the case and things are proceeding "as planned." April will see the first retail appearance of the 8.5mm-thick Android phone, though Samsung does advise that "it will be gradually rolled out in each market according to the local launch timetable." That sounds to us like whatever April availability we get will be in the highest priority markets and / or limited in quantity, but we'll take whatever we can get.

[Thanks, Erik] Continue reading Samsung refutes talk of Galaxy S II delays, promises April launch in at least some places
Permalink | source@samsungtomorrow (Twitter) (1), (2) | Email this | Comments
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Gingerbread update for Samsung Galaxy S to start rolling out in mid-April
Official word from Samsung's Finnish site informs us that local owners of its Galaxy S smartphone will be receiving their Gingerbread fix around the middle of this month. Less direct, but still pretty reliable, confirmation of this comes from UK carrier Three, who promises the same OS version will be arriving to its users of the handset "in a couple of weeks." Considering an Android 2.3.2 build for the Galaxy S already leaked out way back in February, few should be surprised at the timing of this release, but prior experience still urges us to be wary when it comes to Samsung and its software update schedules.

[Thanks, Juho]
Gingerbread update for Samsung Galaxy S to start rolling out in mid-April originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink ITProPortal | sourceSamsung, @ThreeUK (Twitter) | Email this | Comments
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Our annual data consumption estimated at 9.57 zettabytes or 9,570,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes
The internet is a mighty big place that's only growing larger each day. That makes it a perfectly unwieldy thing to measure, but the traffic it generates has nonetheless been subjected to a rigorous estimation project by a group of UC San Diego academics. Their findings, published online this month, reveal that in 2008 some 9.57 zettabytes made their way in and out of servers across the globe. Some data bits, such as an email passing through multiple servers, might be counted more than once in their accounting, but the overall result is still considered an under-estimation because it doesn't address privately built servers, such as those Google, Microsoft and others run in their backyards. On a per-worker basis (using a 3.18 billion human workforce number), all this data consumption amounts to 12GB daily or around 3TB per year. So it seems that while we might not have yet reached the bliss of the paperless office, we're guzzling down data as if we were. Check out the report below for fuller details on the study and its methodology.
Permalink PhysOrg | sourceUC San Diego (PDF) | Email this | Comments
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ZodTTD makes PSX4Droid 3.0 free, claims Google booted him from Android Market
It's been one week since Google pulled the PSX4Droid emulator from the Android Market without warning, and today its lead developer has decided to take a stand -- ZodTTD's made a new version of the app free of charge, and is hosting it at his personal website as a downloadable APK. He now claims that not only did Google pull his app, the company has frozen his developer accounts, effectively restricting his ability to publish to (and profit from) the Android Market until this gets sorted out. We can't confirm his story at this point -- and we hear things may not be quite as cut-and-dried as he claims -- but we can tell you that if you happen to have a legally-obtained PlayStation BIOS and ROMs sitting around, you're only a few clicks away from being able to use them on your Android phone. Not a bad deal, eh?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
ZodTTD makes PSX4Droid 3.0 free, claims Google booted him from Android Market originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceZodTTD | Email this | Comments
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Nexus S with AT&T bands available in white for $600, headed to Fido and Rogers
It's been a long time in coming, but it looks like Google and Samsung's love child, the Nexus S -- a favorite around these parts -- is finally available with AT&T's 850 and 1900 MHz 3G bands from online retailer Negri Electronics, for $600 in your choice of black or white. It's not the first time we've seen the elusive Samsung GT-I9020A in the wild: it's already appeared both in the hands of the FCC and on the Bluetooth SIG's website. We've also seen pictures of a Nexus S with a white battery cover before. And here's more: we already knew the AWS version of the Nexus S was coming to Canada via Mobilicity, but according to MobileSyrup, you'll soon be able to pick up the Nexus S on Fido and Rogers for C$500 contract-free or C$100 with a three-year commitment, and these two carriers use the same 3G frequencies as AT&T in the US. So, until we hear something official from Samsung or Google, hit up our plethora of source links below.
Nexus S with AT&T bands available in white for $600, headed to Fido and Rogers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Android Central | sourceNegri Electronics (white), (black), Samsung, MobileSyrup | Email this | Comments
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HTC's market capitalization reaches $33.8b, overshadows Nokia and RIM
Nokia once said that going with Android was like "peeing in your pants" for temporary warmth. Well, even if that warmth doesn't last forever, it has now helped one of its upstart competitors, HTC, to rise beyond Nokia in terms of market valuation. This is a somewhat beguiling metric to compare companies by -- market cap measures the value of a company's shares available on the market, and not every company has the same proportion of its overall value available in stocks -- but it illustrates well the diametrically opposite directions in which the two mobile phone makers are moving. Bloomberg informs us that HTC's stock has risen by 33 percent this year, while Nokia's has shrunk by 19 percent. Surpassing Nokia now means HTC is the world's third most valuable smartphone maker. Of course, neither Nokia nor RIM is sitting idly by and letting the Taiwanese whippersnapper have things its own way, however both companies' roadmaps for re-conquering the smartphone high-end seem to stretch far off into the 2012 distance. As for HTC, we expect it to launch another Sensation of a device on Tuesday.
HTC's market capitalization reaches $33.8b, overshadows Nokia and RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceBloomberg, All Things D | Email this | Comments
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PogoPlug Video and Buffalo CloudStor now shipping, streaming your stuff all over the place
Yes, you've seen these guys before, and now the latest PogoPlug offspring are ready to ship. Both PogoPlug Video and its storage-sporting cousin, the Buffalo CloudStor, put their own unique twist on the firm's remote access service. As you might recall, PogoPlug Video, which is now available exclusively from Best Buy for $200, allows you to hook up your external hard drives and share streaming video, music, and images to devices anywhere with internet access. Buffalo's CloudStor, on the other hand, provides the same cloud-based access, with a little something extra. It's the first PogoPlug branded gadget to sport integrated storage, and comes in three iterations, ringing in at $150 for 1TB, $210 for 2TB, and $250 for the 2TB Pro version. Now you can share all your favorite kitten clips, without ever uploading them to YouTube. Isn't that precious?
Permalink Slashgear | sourcePogoPlug | Email this | Comments
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Telus recruits Leonard Nimoy to help you improve your Facebook status
Sharp has George Takei to tell you about the fourth pixel it can't show you, and now Telus has hired none other than Leonard Nimoy to help out with another difficult task: improving your Facebook status messages. Using the WWLNS application -- that's What Would Leonard Nimoy Say? -- you can submit potential status messages to Mr. Nimoy and see what he thinks before you actually post them. Apparently, we've been writing in haiku without even realizing it. Of course, you will have to "Like" Telus in order to try it out yourself -- clever, Telus, very clever.... logical, even. More Nimoy after the break.
Continue reading Telus recruits Leonard Nimoy to help you improve your Facebook status
Telus recruits Leonard Nimoy to help you improve your Facebook status originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 01:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceTelus (Facebook) | Email this | Comments
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Toyota sells one million Prii in US alone
Thank you Toyota, for teaching us the plural of Prius, because somehow, "Toyota sells one million Priuples" just doesn't jive. That's right, the Japanese automaker announced Wednesday that it has officially sold its one millionth Prius on American soil. It's reportedly also reached a couple of other sales milestones in the last six months, with worldwide Prius sales reaching two million in October and overall Toyota hybrid sales exceeding three million in March. Now that's a whole lot of Prii. Full PR after the break. Continue reading Toyota sells one million Prii in US alone
Toyota sells one million Prii in US alone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Autoblog | sourceToyota | Email this | Comments
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Acer unveils svelte and spiffy Aspire Z5761 all-in-one, on sale in May
Yes, laptops and tablets are all the rage these days, but there's still quite a few of us who enjoy the expansive screen real estate of their sedentary computing brethren. That's why Acer's unleashed a sleek and svelte new all-in-one dubbed the Aspire Z5761. This latest AIO keeps the same fabulous form factor of its cousin, the AZ3750, but sports a larger 23-inch Full HD display, your choice of Sandy Bridge Core i5-2400s, Core i5-2500s, or Core i7-2600s CPUs, up to a 1.5TB SATA II HDD, a Blu-ray or SuperMulti drive, NVIDIA GeForce GT440, GT435M, or GT420 graphics, and a hybrid TV-tuner card so it can do double duty as your boob tube should you be so inclined. Connectivity comes courtesy of gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and eight USB 2.0 ports. In addition, the system's preloaded with the company's Clear.fi tech, so you can grab multimedia content residing on other Acer devices (assuming you have any) with the greatest of ease. Touching down for £799 ($1305 for those of us residing on the right side of the Atlantic), this desktop dandy is set to go on sale in early May -- we know, we can't wait either. Full scoop's in the press release after the break. Continue reading Acer unveils svelte and spiffy Aspire Z5761 all-in-one, on sale in May
Acer unveils svelte and spiffy Aspire Z5761 all-in-one, on sale in May originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Android chief Andy Rubin tackles open source qualms, says Honeycomb isn't 'one size fits all'
Google got a lot of flak for withholding the Android 3.0 source code, and plenty more when Businessweek sources claimed the company had set aside its open stance to dictate from a throne, but today the man who would allegedly sit atop the royal seat says it isn't so. Andy Rubin, the man in charge of Android, says that "there are no lock-downs or restrictions against customizing UIs" nor "any efforts to standardize the platform on any single chipset architecture" as have often been rumored before, and that when Honeycomb is finally ready for phones, Google will indeed release its source code. Overall, he claims that Android's position when it comes to open source hasn't changed since day one -- which is nice for those who would like to believe that Google's still sticking to its motto -- but that's not likely to appease companies cut out of the loop simply because they weren't part of the early adopter club. If Google's methods will reduce fragmentation, though, who are we to judge?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Permalink | sourceAndroid Developers Blog | Email this | Comments
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Google creating YouTube 'channels', spending $100 million on original content?
You can do quite a lot with a sufficiently large catalog of semi-popular footage, but original content is king, and today the Wall Street Journal is reporting that YouTube will sink $100 million into original programming. The idea, according to the usual anonymous sources, is that Google will reshape the home of Keyboard Cat into a television network of sorts -- with channels for different topics -- and a good number of them featuring "several hours of professionally produced original programming a week." That sounds like a drop in the bucket compared to the raft of footage that YouTube's amateurs put out, of course, and it wouldn't be the first time we've seen Google invest in original work, but we'd be lying if we said we wouldn't enjoy kicking back with even a smidgen of the pulse-pounding possibilities that some 4096-pixel-wide footage could offer. YouTube is reportedly attracting talent right now, say the WSJ's spooks, and intends to ease users into the idea of channel surfing starting later this year.
Google creating YouTube 'channels', spending $100 million on original content? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Geek.com | sourceWall Street Journal | Email this | Comments
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Commodore USA puts the new C64 up for pre-sales, unveils far-less-retrotastic VIC-Slim
Now that Commodore USA has sufficiently piqued your curiosity with a revamped Commodore 64 prototype, it's ready to capitalize on the idea. Quite literally, we might add. $595 buys you the basic basic model with an 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 chip, NVIDIA ION 2 graphics, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive -- which it promises to deliver by "early June" -- with hundred-dollar increments adding premium features like an additional 2GB of memory, a Blu-Ray drive, up to 1TB of storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth. However, if you're simply looking for a compact keyboard computer (rather than reliving 80's nostalgia) there's another option on tap -- a likely rebadged thin wedge of a machine that Commodore's calling the VIC-Slim. Even at just $395, though, something tells us it won't be the "wonder computer" of 2011. Continue reading Commodore USA puts the new C64 up for pre-sales, unveils far-less-retrotastic VIC-Slim
Permalink | sourceCommodore USA | Email this | Comments
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MSI spits out four more Sandy Bridge laptops, including tasteful-looking F Series gaming rigs
If it seems like MSI is dropping a lot of laptops this week, you're not imagining things. The company just announced the FX620DX and FX420 gaming rigs and two mainstream notebooks, the FR720 and FX720, some of which join the 16 laptops it unveiled at CES. The FR720 and FX720 are both beastly 17-inch desktop replacements, with prices ranging from $710 to $900 depending on whether you opt for an Intel Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 CPU, and whether you stick with integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics or spring for one with a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT520M card.

As for the gaming machines, we have to say they're pretty conservative-looking, with black lids made from a non-peeling, scratch- and smudge-resistant material, and a handful of chrome accents and blue LEDs thrown in for good measure. The 15.6-inch FX620DX packs either a quad-core Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M with 1GB of video memory, and a 720p webcam. The 14-inch FX420, meanwhile, comes with that same quad-core Core i5 CPU and AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics, also with 1GB of memory. The FX620DX also comes with either a 1920 x 1080 or 1366 x 768 display, while the more diminutive FX420 just offers the latter. Other than that, though, these machines share the same DNA, including an six shortcut buttons, HDMI and VGA port, 4 USB ports (two of 'em USB 3.0), six-cell batteries, and hard drives ranging from 500GB to 750GB with speeds of either 5,400 RPM or 7,200 RPM. MSI hasn't announced pricing or availability for the F Series, but hit the source link to peep these laptops' very discreet designs.
Permalink Electronista, TCMagazine | sourceMSI | Email this | Comments
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Disney World's Haunted Mansion gets interactive upgrade, digital spooks (video)
It may not be as scary as Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents, but the Florida theme park's Haunted Mansion just got a ghostly upgrade. The ride's grand finale, which previously positioned hitchhiking ghosts -- by way of half-silvered mirrors -- alongside unsuspecting visitors, is now reportedly using a series of digital mirrors and sensors to make things more interactive. As opposed to just popping up next to passengers, Disney's Ezra, Gus, and Phineas are now equipped to rip your head off, blow it up balloon-style, and send it flying. Sure it sounds scary, but this is Disney, the same company that didn't see the nightmare-inducing capabilities of a robotic Obama. For a peek at the new creepers, peep the video after break. Continue reading Disney World's Haunted Mansion gets interactive upgrade, digital spooks (video)
Disney World's Haunted Mansion gets interactive upgrade, digital spooks (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | sourceInside the Magic | Email this | Comments
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Geminoids meet their human doppelgangers for a photo op you'll never forget (video)
Three of the well-dressed individuals above are humans (at least they say they are). The other three are Geminoids -- lifelike robots created by professors Hiroshi Ishiguro and Henrik Scharfe in their image and that of one other willing assistant, all of whom got together for a little photo op last month. Creepy? You should see what else has come out of their lab. Video after the break.
Continue reading Geminoids meet their human doppelgangers for a photo op you'll never forget (video)
Permalink Plastic Pals | sourceGeminoidDK (YouTube) | Email this | Comments
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Sprint launches Novatel MiFi 3G / 4G mobile hotspot
This one's been floating around since way back in December, but Novatel's new 3G / 4G MiFi has is now finally available from Sprint -- albeit only via direct ship, Sprint retail channels will get it on April 17th. It will run you $79.99 on a two-year contract, and comes packing Novatel's rather novel MiFi OS, which is actually a stripped-down version of LInux that lets you take advantage of various widgets and applications. It's also GPS enabled, and has a microSD card slot that allows for up to 32GB of shared storage. Full press release is after the break, and you can check out a few early reviews of the device at the more coverage links below.
Continue reading Sprint launches Novatel MiFi 3G / 4G mobile hotspot
Sprint launches Novatel MiFi 3G / 4G mobile hotspot originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink SlashGear | | Email this | Comments
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Dell Streak 10 to launch mid-June with Honeycomb, possible name change in the works
Dell's Windows 7 Rosemount tablet may not make it to the beach with you this summer, but that doesn't mean the company won't have an Android alternative when it's time to start applying sunblock. According to Forbes, the 10-inch Android-powered slate we got an oh-so-quick glimpse of at CES should be ready to hit the market somewhere around mid-June, just a little bit later than we'd previously heard. The publication also hints that the tablet heretofore referred to as the Streak 10 may not retain that moniker when it's time to launch, but it will most definitely be running Honeycomb, though we're not sure if it'll keep the Stage UI. Either way, summer 2011 is shaping up to be the season of Honeycomb, and we're excited to see just what each manufacturer will do to differentiate themselves in the increasingly-crowded space.
Permalink | sourceForbes | Email this | Comments
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