Wednesday, December 7, 2011

IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 07/12/2011





Facebook for Android refresh, dedicated Places app on the way?
Now that the folks in Palo Alto have finally churned out that long-awaited iPad app, they'll be focusing on other things, we'd surmise. Apparently, high on to-do list is a refresh of Android's Facebook app. Code-named "Katana," the version 1.8 release candidate (see up top, or the gallery below) shows off updated navigation, menu and search functionality. There's a seemingly standalone "Nearby" application icon is present as well -- perhaps a Gowalla-esque Places app mirroring its recent Messenger offering? Keep in mind, nothing's final until ol' Zucks give his seal of approval, so what you see here is only what the app may look like when it hits the Marketplace. Until it drops, go ahead and pull back that curtain.

Gallery: Facebook for Android update




[Thanks, Anonymous]
Facebook for Android refresh, dedicated Places app on the way? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Lenovo's rugged ThinkPad X130e targets the education market, arrives December 20 for $469
When we first spotted leaked photos of Lenovo's ThinkPad X130e, we just kind of assumed it was the next-gen successor to the X120e, which we reviewed almost a year ago. Well, you know what happens when you A-S-S-U-M-E, right? Turns out, there is indeed an X130e, but it's intended specifically for classrooms. The company just made its official announcement, and explained that that rugged design we've been hearing about isn't meant to protect it from careless baggage handlers at the airport so much as freewheeling six year-olds. Though Lenovo's already had a hand in Intel's Classmate project, this is the first time it's released a classroom-ready laptop under the ThinkPad brand, red pointing stick and all.



Of all the kid-proof touches, the more obvious ones include a rubber bumper ringing the plastic chassis, along with a thicker bezel shielded by 1.2mm of plastic. It also has recessed, reinforced ports, an accelerometer to protect the hard drive and a hinge rated for 30,000 cycles. Of course, the result of all this ruggedizing is that the X130e is fairly heavy for an 11-incher, at 3.9 pounds (1.78kg). Otherwise, though, its specs are pretty much what you'd expect in an 11.6-inch laptop. For starters, it's offered with an Intel Core i3-2367M processor, as well as AMD Fusion E-300 and E-450 APUs. It comes with 2GB of RAM (upgradeable to 8GB), up to 500GB in storage, Bluetooth 3.0 and a 6-cell battery rated for 8.5 hours of battery life. Lenovo's also added its RapidBoot technology, promising a sub-20-second startup time. It also has three USB 2.0 sockets, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, a combined headphone / mic port and a 4-in-1 memory card reader. And, because Lenovo is selling these to schools and not individuals, it'll customize the laptops by tweaking the BIOS and tricking out the lid in assorted colors. It'll go on sale December 20th starting at $469, and in the meantime, we've got some press photos below -- after all, just because you personally can't buy one, doesn't mean you can't look, right?

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad X130e
Continue reading Lenovo's rugged ThinkPad X130e targets the education market, arrives December 20 for $469
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


ZTE V881 is Blade's successor, adds modest bumps in specs
We saw the ZTE Blade V880 make its official outing at MWC in February, and given how quickly sequels to other phones have been coming out this year we'd say it's ripe for a successor. Enter the ZTE V881, a device that essentially adds a +1 to a few of its parent's specs: a 3.8-inch touchscreen at WVGA (800 x 480) resolution, a Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU clocked at 1GHz, 512MB of RAM and a 5MP rear camera. There's no availability date as of yet, but it appears poised and ready to cost around 1000 yuan (around $160) when that time comes. Head over to our friends at Engadget Chinese for a couple more pics.
ZTE V881 is Blade's successor, adds modest bumps in specs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Engadget Chinese  |  sourceTenaa  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Crapgadget: holidon't edition
What's that? You weren't sufficiently inspired by our last Crapgadget guide to gift misgivings? Good news, with the holidays rapidly approaching, the Crapgadgets are coming fast and furious, and we've got some great selections for the frenemy or enefriend on your list, including a telephone shower head and, as always, plenty of cringe-inspiring smartphone cases.



Read - Borrowing from Steve Jobs's already-borrowed tagline was a nice sentiment, but doesn't change the fact that this knockoff Magna Doodle iPhone case is, perhaps fittingly, called the iFoolish.



Read - Not important enough to have your shower wiretapped? This giant red phone shower head is surely the next best thing.



Read - Apparently landline nostalgia is all the rage, and the unfortunately named Mofone can help you get on board, by removing all of that pesky portability from your smartphone.



Read - Remember that Dick Tracy strip where the yellow trench coated police detective traveled to a future where everything was kind of crummy? Us either, but if that ever happened, he was probably wearing one of these.
View Poll
Crapgadget: holidon't edition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Scanomat TopBrewer brings iPhone control, elegant design to single-cup coffee makers (video)
There's no question that we love our coffee, but we're often far less intrigued by the brewing process than we are the result. With its incredibly sleek design and simple iPhone or iPad control, Scanomat's faucet-like TopBrewer could easily become one of the few exceptions, however. This fully automatic coffee machine grinds your beans, measures out ingredients and foams milk, before dishing out the perfect cup. But iOS control is the keystone of this elegant solution, letting you make your beverage selection from a wireless device, leaving nothing but the stainless steel tap exposed. Craving a cappuccino? Simply toss your cup under the spigot and tap an icon. You can also dispense cold milk or water, hot chocolate and even carbonated water -- all from the same head. Scanomat has yet to hint at a release date or price, but if you have to ask... Jump past the break for a quick taste, courtesy of some lucky folks at a hospitality industry expo in Milan.



[Thanks, Fredrik]
Continue reading Scanomat TopBrewer brings iPhone control, elegant design to single-cup coffee makers (video)
Permalink   |  sourceScanomat  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Dual-core Meizu MX fully unveiled, launching on January 1st with HSPA+
After some teases and leaks, Meizu's finally unveiled its next flagship phone MX to keep China entertained for 2012. While the quad core flavor won't be here until next year, this dual core model will be available in mainland China starting from ¥2,999 ($470) on January 1st (like with the M9 last year), and Hong Kong is still expecting an early January release. The full spec list now includes a 4-inch 960 x 640 ASV display, 1.4GHz Samsung Exynos 4210 dual core chip, 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM, 16GB of storage (32GB version to launch later), 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, a secondary mic for noise cancellation and a 1,600mAh battery. Oh, that circular button at the bottom? It's just a physical home button instead of an optical trackpad as previously rumored.



Globetrotters will be pleased to know that the 10.3mm-thick MX will pack pentaband 3G with HSPA+, so all you need is a Micro SIM to get the phone working. As for software, it'll come with Meizu's heavily customized Android 2.3.5 initially but will eventually get the 4.0 update, as already promised by CEO Jack Wong. On the multimedia front you'll again find native support for FLAC audio plus various video formats like MKV, MP4 and AVI; along with a micro-USB port that supports S/PDIF digital output, USB host plus MHL; and an eight megapixel f/2.2 backside-illuminated camera (which does smile detection and panorama shot) with 1080p 30fps recording. Head on over to Meizu's website for the full lowdown -- it'll be a good way to practise your Chinese, too.



Update: Press release added after the break.

Gallery: Dual-core Meizu MX fully unveiled, launching on January 1st with HSPA+ and pentaband 3G
Continue reading Dual-core Meizu MX fully unveiled, launching on January 1st with HSPA+
Dual-core Meizu MX fully unveiled, launching on January 1st with HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceMeizu  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Chumby brings app network to LG Smart TV platform, more living rooms
Chumby's app ecosystem expanded to yet another platform last week, thanks to a new partnership with LG. Under the deal, owners of LG's Smart TV-enabled devices will now be able to access more than 1,000 applications available on the Chumby app network, including a variety of news-, entertainment- and music-based tools. The Smart TV crowd can access the ecosystem right now; everyone else, meanwhile, will have to wait a bit longer.
Continue reading Chumby brings app network to LG Smart TV platform, more living rooms
Chumby brings app network to LG Smart TV platform, more living rooms originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


DingleBerry jailbreak hits beta, frees PlayBooks until tomorrow
Been awaiting the release of a PlayBook jailbreak with bated breath? Well if you've got Canada's favorite tablet and are rocking Windows, you're in luck as DingleBerry has just gone live. While beta 0.2 of the tool won't re-enable web access to Hulu, the haxors responsible are adamant it'll come in due time, as will a Mac version. The team pushed up the release schedule as RIM informed them their exploit will be plugged in an update tomorrow -- so we'd skip that OS upgrade if you like being rooted. Want to break the biggest BlackBerry free from the clutches of QNX? Hit the source and let us know how it works out in the comments.
DingleBerry jailbreak hits beta, frees PlayBooks until tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDingleBerry  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Nissan Leaf to get inductive charging, lose its stem in 2013 (video)
Nissan has big plans for the still-budding Leaf. The Japanese automaker lit up its impressive Leaf-powered Smart House at the Tokyo Motor Show last week, but also demoed its wireless charging solution for a much smaller crowd at the company's Oppama factory. The device uses electromagnetic induction to transfer power between a charging pad and a receiver on the bottom of the car, with an efficiency level between 80 and 90 percent -- simply park your EV directly above the system to begin charging, and monitor progress on the ground transmission unit's control panel. The pad is expected to become available as soon as 2013, but will only be compatible with new vehicles, so you won't be able to use it with an older Leaf, unfortunately. There's a silent demo video waiting for you just past the break.
Continue reading Nissan Leaf to get inductive charging, lose its stem in 2013 (video)
Nissan Leaf to get inductive charging, lose its stem in 2013 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAutoblog  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Inhabitat's Week in Green: worlds largest LEGO Christmas tree, turbine powered LEDs and a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.


This week Inhabitat got into the spirit of the holiday season as we reported that a French firm wants to transform the Eiffel Tower into a gigantic tree, we brought you the world's largest LEGO Christmas tree, and we watched GE flip the switch on the new National Christmas Tree, which is decked out with high-tech LED lights. We also spotted a seriously sweet Star Wars AT-AT walker made entirely from gingerbread, and we shined the spotlight on the amazing life-size light-up ice palaces that rise each year at the Harbin snow festival in China.
Continue reading Inhabitat's Week in Green: worlds largest LEGO Christmas tree, turbine powered LEDs and a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Napster name will live on to irritate Lars Ulrich another day in UK, Germany
Those who declared the death of Napster have apparently underestimated the survival skills of the plucky headphone-wearing feline. The piracy-enabler-turned-legit-streaming-service will continue to live on under that moniker in the UK and Germany, in spite of its being swallowed up by the Rhapsody name here in the States, according to the company.
Napster name will live on to irritate Lars Ulrich another day in UK, Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceThe Register  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


ASUS Transformer Prime origami-style Smart Cover is ready for its closeup (video)
ASUS Taiwan's been busy updating its Facebook with pictures of all its BFFs, completing the 30-day music challenge and posting a video of the Transformer Prime's new origami-style smart cover. Slotting into two hook-holes on the side of the bezel, it folds into a cunning stand that props the tablet at a variety of angles -- disconnecting with a gentle pull (and a slightly sickening metallic scraping noise). After which, it probably posted a message about wanting an unlike button and played some Farmville. If you wanna see how easy the cover is to position, head on past the break to watch it in action in glorious high definition.


[Thanks, dy4me]
Continue reading ASUS Transformer Prime origami-style Smart Cover is ready for its closeup (video)
ASUS Transformer Prime origami-style Smart Cover is ready for its closeup (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceASUS Taiwan (Facebook)  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Retro gadget orchestra nails House of the Rising Sun, puts your garage band to shame (video)
Retro tech plays House of the Rising Sun
YouTube user BD594, also known as James Cochrane, is no stranger to pushing retro tech to its musical limits. Back in 2009 he coaxed a scanner, an Atari 800XL and a host of other antiquated gadgets to perform Bohemian Rhapsody. The results, while certainly enjoyable, were a tad tone deaf. Well, in the years since he's tweaking his "musicians" and his orchestra has just issued its second single -- a stunning rendition of House of the Rising Sun, in the style of the Animals. Seriously, this staple of '60s high school rockstar wannabes is absolutely nailed by the assortment of hard drives, oscilloscopes and the scanner. Cochrane isn't alone in his quest to turn obsolete tech into musical magic. Christopher Mitchell managed to hack a Ti graphing calculator and floppy-disk drive into a monophonic media player. While his accomplishment is impressive, he loses this round for wasting his skills on the saccharin stylings of Cold Play. Check out both videos after the break.
Continue reading Retro gadget orchestra nails House of the Rising Sun, puts your garage band to shame (video)
Permalink The Verge, Hack-A-Day  |  sourceCemetech, BD594 (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Cowon announces CE-based R7 media tablet, earns a few perplexed stares
Cowon R7
Cowon makes some pretty slick looking Android PMPs, as well as some more underwhelming devices running Windows CE. The latest in the latter category is the R7 -- a 7-inch media player that's being billed as "full HD" (a claim that makes Cowon full of something else). Despite being the size of a small tablet the R7 display is only 800 x 480, though, it will output 1080p over HDMI. While the low-res screen and aging CE 6.0 OS are nothing to get excited about, there are some positives: epic battery life and support for an absurd number of formats and codecs. And, since the R7 comes packing up to 64GB of internal storage and sports a microSD slot, you'll have plenty room to keep you swimming in both audio and video. Sure, Android probably would have made more sense and a WiFi connection for browsing the web would be greatly appreciated but, you've got to admire Cowon's stubborn insistence on doing things its own way... right?
Cowon announces CE-based R7 media tablet, earns a few perplexed stares originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Anything But iPod  |  sourceCowon  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Must See HDTV (December 5th - 11th)
All you have to do is look at the calendar to know we're suddenly going to be buried under a deluge of holiday-season-specific programming. Of course, it's not all Michael Buble's Christmas Special, with unlikely sources like Syfy channel tossing in their efforts. While cable shows like Sons of Anarchy, Boss, and Boardwalk Empire wrap their seasons up, we also have a few new entries in the form of Luck, Moonshiners, and Invention USA. Check below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listings of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.



Sons of Anarchy

It's been yet another explosive season for the boys of SAMCRO, and now it's coming to an end. As is standard for the show, main character Jax is finding himself caught between the law, rival gangs, and the loyalty to his mother, wife, and best friend, all pulling in different directions. We don't know if he will avenge his father's death in the season finale, or if the entire motorcycle club will end up in jail first, but you can bet we'll be watching to find out.

(December 6th, FX, 10PM)



Spike TV Videogame Awards 2011

We haven't been a big fan of the Spike Videogame Award's presentation in the past, but with the promise of a peek at BioWare's next project and an Advisory Council that again includes our good friend and Joystiq EIC Chris Grant voting on the winners, maybe this is the year things get turned around. Videogames and the people who make them deserve their due like any other industry, and Spike is at least making an effort to make sure that happens. One of the other tweaks for the 2011 show is a focus on augmented reality, so that's another thing to keep an eye out for during the broadcast.

(December 10th, Spike, 8PM)



Eureka / Warehouse 13 / Haven

For some people it takes see It's A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, or Peanuts to get in the holiday spirit, but if you're a fan science fiction shows then you'll want to know these are all checking in with special holiday episodes Tuesday night. As silly as Syfy's name change has been, these shows have at least maintained, if not increased, their level of quality and have dedicated audiences. The special episodes are dropping in sort of out of the blue so we don't know what to expect, but we'll give them a look -- check out a sneak peek embedded after the break.
Continue reading Must See HDTV (December 5th - 11th)
Must See HDTV (December 5th - 11th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Motorola Droid 4 with LTE, Xoom 2 Media Edition with AT&T bands hit FCC
Motorola's been on a FCC-approving rampage lately, and we have two more entries to add to the mix. The first is what appears to be the QWERTY-packing Droid 4: not only does it come with Verizon's LTE band 13 and CDMA / EVDO (with GSM / EDGE / WCDMA on the side, locked to all US carriers), the docs make mention of the Droid 4's rumored 1,785mAh battery and shows test results with "slider open" and "slider closed." Also passing through the governmental agency's doors is what appears to be a GSM 3G version of the Xoom 2 Media Edition with AT&T-compatible (850 / 1900) GSM / WCDMA bands. Unlike the Xyboard that made its way through the FCC a few days ago, this one lacks LTE or CDMA / EVDO. Check out the gallery below for a few images gleaned from the docs.

Gallery: Motorola Droid 4 and GSM Xoom 2 Media Edition in FCC
Motorola Droid 4 with LTE, Xoom 2 Media Edition with AT&T bands hit FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceFCC (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


WSJ: Verizon Galaxy Nexus to sell for $299.99 on two-year contract
It might not come as too much of a surprise given other recent high-end smartphones, but The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Verizon's version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will sell for $299.99 on the usual two-year contract. That word reportedly comes from people familiar with the matter, who unfortunately didn't get any more specific than "this month" when it came to a release date.



[Thanks, Spencer]
WSJ: Verizon Galaxy Nexus to sell for $299.99 on two-year contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Microsoft delays Windows Phone launch in China until next year
Next week will mark the one-year anniversary of Microsoft's declaration that Windows Phone 7 would come to China during the second half of 2011, but the company has officially stated that it's not going to make the December 31st deadline. Instead, phones with the OS are now expected to hit the nation sometime in the first half of 2012. Microsoft mentioned that the delay is at least in part due to trying to ensure that Chinese citizens will have a good experience using the platform (Nokia mentioned that localization is needed in certain aspects of its phones to keep in line with the government's media censorship policy); it wouldn't come as much of a surprise if we see the first batch of phones -- likely to be made by Nokia, Huawei and / or ZTE, at least -- come with a fresh install of Windows Phone Tango on them, but that's mere speculation for now.
Microsoft delays Windows Phone launch in China until next year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink WMPowerUser  |  sourceComputerWorld  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


European regulators set sights on Carrier IQ, rootkit scandal goes international
Carrier IQ
Most of the bruhaha over Carrier IQ and its activity-tracking rootkit has been contained to the US so far. That's about to change though, and the software company could find itself at the center of an international privacy scandal. The British Information Commissioner's Office and the European Consumers' Organization have both started looking into the diagnostics software, while the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection has specifically engaged with Apple over its inclusion of parts of Carrier IQ's suite in iOS. This, of course, comes only days after US lawmakers requested their own government open an investigation. So far, all of the major British providers have denied using the tool on their handsets but, the drama is still unfolding and there's plenty of time for others to get caught up in this mess.
European regulators set sights on Carrier IQ, rootkit scandal goes international originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePCWorld  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Verizon Galaxy Nexus purportedly pictured in retail packaging
We've already seen one Verizon Galaxy Nexus turn up at the Samsung Experience store in New York, and now some images of another unit have surfaced on the XDA forums showing the smartphone in what's purported to be retail packaging. This could well be another demo unit given the plain white box, but the red interior and other materials inside suggest that this could well be the real deal, and that a launch is presumably imminent. As for an official date? Verizon is still only saying "soon."



[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verizon Galaxy Nexus purportedly pictured in retail packaging originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcexda-developers  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


ComScore: Android continues to boom, RIM and Microsoft decline
Numbers, numbers, numbers. ComScore is back with a few more of them, this time covering the mobile market during a three-month average period ending in October. The results aren't going to shock you: Android not only continues to dominate the market, it's on the up-and-up. Out of 90 million smartphone users in the US, Android held strong at 46.3 percent (up from 41.9 between May and July). Apple bumped up a full percentage point, while RIM's BlackBerry OS took the largest fall from 21.7 to 17.2 percent. What about Windows Phone? Microsoft's mobile OS fell slightly from 5.7 to 5.4. Moving from mobile platforms to OEMs, Samsung was still the top vendor at 25.5 percent, though it didn't grow or diminish that number. Rounding out the top five was LG (20.6 percent), Motorola (13.6), Apple (10.8) and RIM (6.6). If more numbers are what you crave, check out the full press release -- as well as another chart -- after the break.
Continue reading ComScore: Android continues to boom, RIM and Microsoft decline
ComScore: Android continues to boom, RIM and Microsoft decline originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Android Community, Fierce Mobile  |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


HP and Box.net team up to offer some business customers some storage some of the time
Fact of the day: Hewlett Packard and Box.net's corporate headquarters are only one block away in Palo Alto, so Meg Whitman could have sealed this deal in a street corner branch of Starbucks. The two companies are teaming up to offer cloud-based collaboration and storage tools to select buyers (but only if they grab the gear via the Smart Buy program). Purchase a HP Compaq 6200 or 6005 Pro Series PC and you'll find 10GB free space waiting for you, plus discounted upgrades. Customers who go for the 8200 Elite Series PC instead, will find a year's free unlimited storage and sync on offer. If that all sounds so exciting that your palms are getting sweaty, head on past the break to find out more.
Continue reading HP and Box.net team up to offer some business customers some storage some of the time
Permalink   |  sourceHP  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Ainol launches the NOVO7, the world's first Android 4.0 tablet, for $100 plus shipping
Just as we were geeking out to the Jaguar 7's Ice Cream Sandwich demo and anxiously awaiting the Transformer Prime, Ingenic and MIPS completely took us by surprise by announcing the Ainol-branded NOVO7, the very first commercially available tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich officially loaded. To be specific, the device isn't brand new -- it's been previously available as a Honeycomb tablet and is now shipping with ICS pre-loaded. It's packing an Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor and 1GHz MIPS-based XBurst CPU, which means this Android 4.0 slab isn't going to be the toughest workhorse in the market. What more would you expect from a $99 tablet?



The Novo7 also comes with a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, a Vivante GC860 GPU clocked at 444MHz, 1080p video decoding, rear 2MP camera with VGA front-facing cam, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3, microSD slot and an endorsement from Andy Rubin himself. If temptation is just too much to overcome, you can head over to the More Coverage link to order one. However, if you'd rather wait a while to save a few bucks in shipping -- it's over half the cost of the tablet itself -- MIPS informed us that it'll be coming to the States and other parts of the world over "the next several months," and 8- and 9-inch versions of the NOVO are in the works as well. Head below for a video and press release. Oh, and existing NOVO7 customers may be wondering why their tablet hasn't received ICS yet; MIPS assured us that there's an upgrade path for those customers as well, though no announcements have been made.
Continue reading Ainol launches the NOVO7, the world's first Android 4.0 tablet, for $100 plus shipping
Permalink   |  sourceMIPS  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Verizon lights one candle for LTE, confirms Xyboard Droid tablet name, December launch
Today marks one full year after Verizon first flipped the switch on LTE, with 365 days of 4G speeds for customers in 39 markets. By the end of next week, Big Red will light up a few more cities, bringing the total number to 190, with access available to more than 200 million Americans. Buried below the PR cake, however, is an even juicer tidbit -- two "hot new Xyboard Droid tablets from Motorola coming out this month." And what might those be? Well, if this weekend's accessory leak is any indication, the Xoom 2 is headed to VZW -- before the year is out. And we're not surprised to see the Galaxy Nexus getting some love as well, though you'll have to make due with a "coming soon" release commitment for at least a short while longer. Jump past the break for the PR.
Continue reading Verizon lights one candle for LTE, confirms Xyboard Droid tablet name, December launch
Permalink   |  sourceVerizon Wireless  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Gowalla confirms move to Facebook, service to shut down in January
Reports of an acquisition first surfaced on CNN Money late last week, and now Gowalla has confirmed that it has indeed been acquired by Facebook. According to the company, the Gowalla service itself will be winding down at the end of January, and the team will instead focus all of their attention on developing Facebook features (namely, Timeline). Gowalla's Josh Williams also assures users that their personal information isn't a part of the acquisition, although the company will be providing users with a way to export their Passport data and other information. You can find his full post announcing the deal at the source link below.



[Thanks, Bram]
Gowalla confirms move to Facebook, service to shut down in January originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceGowalla  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Samsung SE-208BW Smart Media Hub packs DVD writer, we ask why then take it for a spin (video)
Is there any better way to ring in 2012 than to drop 129 bills on a shiny new wireless-enabled DVD burner? Absolutely. But if your New Year's resolution includes archiving smartphone pics to optical media and steaming DVD flicks over WiFi, Samsung is prepared to make those nostalgic dreams a reality, with its SE-208BW Smart Media Hub. The premise here is quite familiar -- little black box takes content from an attached storage device and streams it to connected devices over WiFi, or over the Web. Samsung's twist on the traditional model brings optical media into the equation, however, with a CD/DVD burner enabling music and movie playback, along with remote file archival. You'll need to wait until late January (or perhaps early February) before introducing Samsung's shiny streamer to your wired or wireless network, but we got an early look at the new DLNA-enabled gadget today.



If you've used an external DVD burner made in the last decade, you're already familiar with the form-factor employed here -- there's a slim disk tray up front, with full-size and mini USB connectors, Ethernet and a DC input on the rear. This is strictly a streaming device, so there's no HDMI or other AV connectivity -- you'll need to use an Android, iOS or smart TV app, along with Samsung AllShare or an FTP client to access content. We tried steaming 720p video and a few photos using the Android app and the AllShare application included with most recent Samsung devices, and everything worked as expected, with content loading quickly without any hiccups.



You can access files on a connected HDD or USB flash drive remotely from the built-in FTP server, but you'll need to use Samsung's apps to stream DVDs and music CDs from that built-in optical drive, or to burn smartphone pics or other remote files to a blank disc. You can view content directly on your smartphone or tablet, or on a connected TV, using the former device to control playback. The hub also serves as an internet bridge, so you won't lose web access when connected directly over WiFi. There's nothing groundbreaking here, unless the absence of an optical drive has been keeping you from adding such a device to your collection, but jump past the break to see it in action.
Gallery: Samsung Smart Media Hub hands-on
Continue reading Samsung SE-208BW Smart Media Hub packs DVD writer, we ask why then take it for a spin (video)
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


LG reveals X-Note Z330 Ultrabook, claims it cold boots in ten seconds
Not to be confused with the bulkier P330 13.3-incher we saw last month, the new X-Note Z330 looks to have toned up to gain membership to the mwah-mwah Ultrabook clique. It's a mere 14.7mm (0.58-inches) in thickness, 1.21kg (2.67 pounds) in weight and sports a solid state drive to help it boot up in under ten seconds. What's not so Ultrabookish, however, is the price: the Z330 has been announced in Korea starting at ₩1,700,000 ($1,500) for the Core i5 variant with 4GB RAM, a 120GB SSD and a fairly usual range of connectivity, including HDMI, USB 3.0 and Intel WiDi for streaming content wirelessly to your HDTV. Opting for a Core i7 and a 256GB SSD will add a hefty ₩900,000 ($800) on top of that. We've duly prepared a rant about value for money, but we're going to save it until there's official US price tag instead.
LG reveals X-Note Z330 Ultrabook, claims it cold boots in ten seconds originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAkihabara, Aving  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


OTA Honeycomb update rolling out to wealthy HTC Flyer owners
You see that? It's a screenshot from a 32GB 3G + WiFi model of HTC's 7-inch Flyer that's suddenly updated to Honeycomb 3.2 without so much as a note from its mother. A tipster to the French site HTC Hub has revealed that the update (version 3.55.405.1) weighs in at 210MB and updated over the air, but so far no-one with a cheaper 16GB WiFi-only edition has been able to replicate the experience. Either the company is staggering the roll out of Google's tablet-optimized software, or it's only interested in looking after the high-rollers.


Update: HTC just confirmed over on Facebook that the GSM 3G version of the Flyer gets the Honeycomb update today, the update for WiFi-only users is "coming soon."



[Thanks, Bruno]
OTA Honeycomb update rolling out to wealthy HTC Flyer owners originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceHTC Hub (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads
The list of pay-TV providers that don't have an app that turns your iPad into another TV screen has grown one shorter today, as Cox Communications announced its Cox TV Connect app. Like other apps from Cablevision, Time Warner, and DirecTV it's restricted to use within the home (and for jailbreakers, judging by error code 144 you may be restricted once again) while connected to Cox internet service. The description promises "over 35 " channels available, a glance at the listing on Cox's support site reveals a distinct lack of Viacom offerings (Spike is shown in the screenshots, but isn't on the list), which isn't surprising given the video giant's legal wrangling over other similar apps. We're not seeing any support for any kind of second screen interaction with what's on TV or remote control features, although the existing Mobile Connect apps have some of that covered. It does however support viewing on up to 5 tablets at once, so if your family is squeezed for screens this may be just the ticket, check after the break for a press release or hit the iTunes link below to download the free app.



[Thanks, Stephen]

Gallery: Cox TV Connect iPad app
Continue reading Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads
Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceiTunes, Cox  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Fujitsu Arrows ES IS12F coming to Japan next year: thick name, thin phone
KDDI's au network in Japan has revealed that it'll be stocking the slender Fujitsu Arrows ES IS12F starting January 2012. Fujitsu fans may recall seeing a very similar handset with the same (mostly) 6.7mm profile when NTT DoCoMo's version sashayed into those stuffy FCC offices. The phone runs on a single core processor, which is responsible for powering the image-stabilizing five megapixel camera and Gingerbread OS. The 4-inch, 480 x 800 AMOLED screen is cocooned in the same water resistant armor found on other Arrows devices, helping to protect those essential keitai functions like the One-Seg digital TV tuner and IR receiver. The skinny smartphone will go on sale in both black and red options for KIDDI, while NTT DoCoMo customers will have to settle for black.
Fujitsu Arrows ES IS12F coming to Japan next year: thick name, thin phone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Verge  |  sourceKDDI (translated), NTT DoCoMo  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Sony Ericsson to become Sony in mid-2012
Sony and Ericsson's decade-long partnership may have humbled Kim Kardashian, but dwindling market share and an over-reliance on feature phones signaled the end of the affair. Ericsson will have until "mid 2012" to clear its things from the spare room before the electronics giant begins a new solo venture. The revitalized enterprise will leverage its parent company's brand strength, R&D and content (since it owns a massive chunk of the entertainment industry) and in comments made to Times of India, company Vice President Kristian Tear said there would be a "fierce" advertising push to restore the company's reputation as a major player worldwide -- before taking a Pilates class to try and fit back into its bachelor pad.
Sony Ericsson to become Sony in mid-2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Mobileburn  |  sourceTimes of India  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Grand Central Apple Store opening December 9th, giving New Yorkers eight billionth way to buy an iPad
It's been a long time coming, but it looks like Apple's finally ready to take the wraps off its latest store. The company's latest New York City outpost is set to get its grand opening in landmark Grand Central Terminal on December 9th, leaving only a few weeks for some combative holiday shopping amidst tourists, fellow commuters and kids from the suburbs. According to an email sent to customers, the store will open its doors for the first time on Friday at 10AM, so you should probably start lining up in an hour or two -- after all, nothing beats claustrophobia, a little elbowing and that new Apple Store smell, right?



[Thanks, David]
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


New periodic table elements finally get names, will probably want to trade them in
Flerovium and livermorium. Prime names for really ugly babies -- or, equivalently, new elements on the periodic table. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry opted for the latter last week, baptizing elements 114 and 116 just about six months after they were first ratified. Back in June, as you may recall, Russia's Joint Institute for Nuclear Research proposed flerovium and muscovium as names for the two ultraheavy elements, while deferring to the IUPAC for final say on the matter. At the time, the organization said it would likely accept any name, as long as "it's not something too weird." Flerovium (Fl), named after Soviet nuclear physicist Georgiy Flerov, apparently passed that litmus test. Muscovium, sadly, did not. Instead, slot 116 will belong to livermorium (Lv), named after California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which collaborated on the discovery of the element, back in 2000.



Bill Goldstein, associate director of Lawrence Livermore National Labs' Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, heralded the decision as a celebration of his institute's collaborative contribution to chemistry: "Proposing these names for the elements honors not only the individual contributions of scientists from these laboratories to the fields of nuclear science, heavy-element research, and super-heavy-element research, but also the phenomenal cooperation and collaboration that has occurred between scientists at these two locations." The nomenclature isn't entirely set in stone, however, as the two names must first endure a five-month public comment period before appearing in chemistry textbooks.
New periodic table elements finally get names, will probably want to trade them in originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceLive Science  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Samsung teases flexible, transparent display in concept video
Samsung's flexible display technology isn't slated to hit the market until 2012, but the Korean manufacturer is already giving us a glimpse of how it may transform our lives, with a freshly released concept video. Yes, it's just a concept ad, and a relatively brief one at that, but it still paints a pretty mouth-watering portrait -- one full of transparent, flexible screens, smartphone-tablet hybrids, and augmented reality. Check it out for yourself, after the break.
Continue reading Samsung teases flexible, transparent display in concept video
Samsung teases flexible, transparent display in concept video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceOLED-Info  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Leaked Intel roadmap hints at Ivy Bridge's future
Considering how frequently Intel roadmaps leak out, you have to wonder which super-spy is smuggling all those diplomatic bags out of Santa Clara. The latest seems to contain detailed plans for 2012's Ivy Bridge desktop chips (and the sad news that the release has been pushed back to Q2). There are no big surprises in the documents, since the company just shrunk some Sandy Bridge CPUs in the wash. Going down from a 32nm to 22nm microarchitecture has managed to wring 19 percent better power usage, which enabled Chipzilla to concentrate on beefing up the range's integrated graphics performance, making it (reportedly) 60 percent faster than its bigger brother. The chipset will sit neatly atop your current Sandy Bridge motherboards, (You'll just need to flash your BIOS), which is good because we're stuck with the asthmatic, geriatric processor for at least another few months.
Leaked Intel roadmap hints at Ivy Bridge's future originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Anandtech  |  sourceXbit Labs  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


PingChat! becomes Touch, delivers real-time social collaboration to Android, BlackBerry and iOS (video)
13 million PingChat! users will soon find their cross-platform instant messaging companion taking on a more social and interactive life. Today, Enflick is announcing a new platform for communication known simply as Touch. In addition to being available as a separate download, existing PingChat! users will be presented with an upgrade that maintains their existing user names and contacts. Rather than working from predefined lists or blasting messages to all contacts, Touch allows users to determine specifically who to share a message or photo with, and also bring new friends and family members into the conversation on-the-fly. The program also shows when someone is typing, and the push-style system allows users to see exactly when messages have been read. The free app will launch today for Android, BlackBerry and iOS users. Sorry, Windows Phone fans, Enflick has no immediate plans for your platform, although it promises to continue to monitor demand. Be sure to check out the full gallery below, along with a quick video and the full PR after the break.

Gallery: Enflick Touch
Continue reading PingChat! becomes Touch, delivers real-time social collaboration to Android, BlackBerry and iOS (video)
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Motorola Xoom 2 review
Motorola's Xoom 2 arrives at a point where Apple's iPad (first- or second-generation...) still dominates the tablet market. The original Xoom was the first tablet to arrive with Android Honeycomb, an OS dedicated to the tablet form. In the months since we gave it a middling review, plenty more tablets arrived, faster, thinner, and more longevous (like the Galaxy Tab 10.1).



So what now? Well, Motorola has recast its Xoom: it's made it faster, slimmer and lighter.

They've beefed up the disappointing screen found on the original, it's now a Gorilla Glass-coated IPS screen that promises 178-degree viewing angles. But Motorola has also cut more corners than the four you see before you -- ones that it hopes customers won't miss.



However, with a certain quad-cored, ICS-imminent transforming tablet already stealing the hearts of many an Engadget reader (and editor), does this slimline sequel do enough to make up for its past mistakes? Is there now enough in the Android market to make Google-powered tablets a viable alternative to the iPad? Is £396 ($620) now too much to pay for a 16GB Android tablet that's merely dual-core? We'll be sure to try and answer all these right after the break.
Gallery: Motorola Xoom 2 review
Continue reading Motorola Xoom 2 review
Motorola Xoom 2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


Lenovo S10 and S10e fan noise gets user fix, involves minor surgery
It's admittedly been a while since we heard about some Lenovo S10 users' issues with heat dissipation and increasingly aggressive fan noise. Two years on, and one frustrated owner has taken it upon themselves to get inside the netbook and solve the issue. The result? The removal of a metallic-looking dust filter from within the left side vent, which is apparently enough to pacify the fan on this particular machine. We'd temper this solution with a warning: that cover was there for a reason, presumably a dust-related one. But, if a quieter machine is worth the price of a new netbook in the (not-so) long-run, it may be worth a try.



[Thanks Redcode sic]
Lenovo S10 and S10e fan noise gets user fix, involves minor surgery originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceLenovo community forums  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...


iFaith v1.4 allows downgrade to iOS 5.0, jailbreaker's dream come true


In the game of Apple versus the jailbreakers, Cupertino threw the community a curveball with iOS 5's newly restricted downgrade system which blocks devices from restoring to old 5.x firmware. With the help of his noble steed iFaith (a custom Windows tool), hacker iH8sn0w has found a way around the firmware block, making it possible for dumped iOS 5 signature hash blobs (SHSH blobs) to permit unsigned restores. Why all the fuss about downgrading to prohibited firmware? Prominent iOS hackers MuscleNerd and pod2g have stated that the first untethered jailbreak will arrive on iOS 5.0 and, as such, may require iFaith's downgrade process to facilitate user restores. While the jailbreak is still under construction, iFaith should assure disheartened users in the community that all is not lost. Want to learn about blobs, blobs, and more blobs? Continue past the break to view iH8sn0w's informative video.
Continue reading iFaith v1.4 allows downgrade to iOS 5.0, jailbreaker's dream come true
iFaith v1.4 allows downgrade to iOS 5.0, jailbreaker's dream come true originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink iH8sn0w  |  sourceiH8sn0w - Website, iH8sn0w (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

Read More ...




Available Tags:Facebook , Android , ZTE , iPhone , LG , TV , Nissan , ASUS , Motorola , Xoom , Galaxy , Windows Phone , Microsoft , Windows , HP , tablet , Samsung , HTC , Fujitsu , Sony Ericsson , Sony , Sony , Apple , iPad , Ivy Bridge , Intel , BlackBerry , iOS , Lenovo , iOS ,
مرسلة بواسطة Abdalrhman Albayyat
في 1:30 AM
التسميات: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)