Monday, April 9, 2012

IT News Head Lines (Engadget) 4/9/2012





Everything old is new again: NVIDIA rebrands Fermi-based GT 520 and 510 into 600-series
Everything new is old again: NVIDIA rebrands Fermi-based GT 520 and 510 into 600-series
NVIDIA may have trotted out a brand new beast, ripe with fresh Kepler architecture, but that doesn't mean it put Fermi to bed. Allow us to introduce you to the GT 520 and the GT 510, or as they now prefer to be called, the GeForce GT 620 and GeForce 605, respectively. These OEM GPUs have traded half of their memory and a few clock speed tweaks for OpenGL 4.2 support and a low-end position in the firm's new 600-series. Despite their very Kepler-esque numbering (and NVIDIA's website placing them in the same "product family" as the flagship GTX 680), Tom's Hardware says the firm's Bryan Del Rizzo confirmed the 605 and 620 are Fermi-based graphics cards. Then again, not all cousins share the same surname. File this under "extended family" and call it a day.
Permalink Electronista  |  sourceNVIDIA, Tom's Hardware  | Email this | Comments

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Max Payne to rampage on iOS April 12th, Android April 26th
Max Payne to rampage on iOS April 12th, Android April 26th
Are you a smartphone user with an itchy trigger finger? Listen up. Rockstar Games has announced that the one and only Max Payne will begin terrorizing your iOS and Android devices in the very near future. The wares will be available for Apple-branded gear (iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S, along with the iPod touch 4 and all iPad iterations) on April 12th, and Google's implements two weeks later on the 26th. Max Payne Mobile is promising to deliver HD graphics, high resolution textures and exclusive content via the company's Social Club service to your miniaturized screen. Rockstar did not elaborate on which Android sets would be supported, but promised to publish a full list "in the coming weeks." Limber up those thumbs, charge up that handset and get ready to lay waste to... pretty much anything that moves.
Max Payne to rampage on iOS April 12th, Android April 26th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 03:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceRockstar Games  | Email this | Comments

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Origin PC EON15-S and EON17-S gaming laptops available now, priced from $1,525
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In the market for a beastly portable gaming rig that won't break the bank? Origin PC today announced availability of its EON15-S and EON17-S gaming laptops, with pricing starting at $1,525 and $1,576, respectively. You'll of course still be able to hand over an arm and a leg depending on how you opt to build out your system, but considering that the base model is priced at nearly half the amount its predecessor was when it was announced this time last year, we imagine additions will wield a softer blow than they did in 2011. Both systems include Intel HM77 Ivy Bridge chipsets, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M, 670M or 675M graphics with Optimus power-conservation technology, and a 5.1 ONKYO surround sound system. Both cases offer unique designs, with black, red, silver or custom finishes, and a colorful backlit keyboard. What else could you possibly need? Perhaps a press release and a few more pictures -- and we've got both for you right here.
Gallery: Origin PC EON17-S

Gallery: Origin PC EON15-S
Continue reading Origin PC EON15-S and EON17-S gaming laptops available now, priced from $1,525
Origin PC EON15-S and EON17-S gaming laptops available now, priced from $1,525 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia takes over Times Square for Lumia 900 launch event (video)
Nokia takes over Times Square for Lumia 900 launch event
We're still not exactly sure what Nicki Minaj has to do with Nokia's new Lumia 900, but the company put her at the center of its promotional efforts in a launch event Friday night that took over Times Square. Oh, you missed it? For just the visual effect of what went on, including CGI dancers on massive LED displays and coordinated effects on the tourist destination's many existing video boards (been there, done that) you can check out our gallery of pics from the event, or look below for the video. If you're all about the phones, Nokia is pushing its Windows Phone 7 flagship with new "the smartphone beta test is over" ads -- there's also one of those embedded after the break. So, is anyone concerned Nokia might not be doing enough to promote this new phone?
Gallery: Nokia Lumia 900 in Times Square
Continue reading Nokia takes over Times Square for Lumia 900 launch event (video)
Nokia takes over Times Square for Lumia 900 launch event (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNokia (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

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Ask Engadget: best NYC wireless carrier?
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We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from is from Is from MigFig who's relocating to the five boroughs and is worried about his cellphone service. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"Hi guys, I'm moving to NYC next month and wanted to know if I should stick with Sprint or switch carriers. I'm aware Sprint's cheaper to AT&T and Verizon and I like unlimited plans. Thing is, coverage is spotty where I am right now, 3G is a joke (no 4G, either). Will this get better when I'm in the city or should I start shopping around for a new carrier? Thank you, Engadget!"
So, New York residing Engadgeteers, let's tear up the cellphone coverage maps and tell us which one you can really trust when you're wandering around mid-town. Chime in with your real-world experience down there in the comments section, where it's nice and warm.
Ask Engadget: best NYC wireless carrier? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mobile Miscellany: week of April 2nd, 2012
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 2nd, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, CyanogenMod gained a new logo, Google acquired a mobile payments company and we learned that the HTC EVO 4G LTE for Sprint will include an embedded SIM card. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 2nd, 2012.
Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of April 2nd, 2012
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 2nd, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Universal Studios' films now available on iCloud, Fox still grounded
itunes in the cloud
Back in early March, it became clear that content from Fox and Universal Studios would be held back from being available in the all-encompassing iCloud, presumably due to the HBO release window stranglehold impacting both libraries. Today, however, the tides of change are having an impact of their own. Mac Rumors is reporting that Universal titles no longer boast the unfortunate warning that they used to, allowing iTunes users to enjoy titles from iTunes in the Cloud. Regrettably, Fox titles still exhibit the hold back, but we're told that negotiations are ongoing to remedy that. So, movie plans back on for this evening?
Universal Studios' films now available on iCloud, Fox still grounded originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceMac Rumors  | Email this | Comments

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Nokia's free color 710 covers are amazing every day, during April at least
Nokia's free color 710 covers are amazing every day, during April at least
Nokia no doubt won over a few undecided minds last month when it ran a promotion gifting new members to the Lumia 710 owners club with a colorful cover of their choice. We assume it was successful, because it's back. Yes, for the month of April, US-based adopters -- both new and old -- of the mid-level Nokia phone can claim a free chromatic cover. All you have to do is visit the source link below and punch in a few details, Nokia will then ship it out free of charge. We're not trying to influence you, of course, but the Engadget blue one looks pretty good.
Nokia's free color 710 covers are amazing every day, during April at least originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNokia  | Email this | Comments

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Tweetbot for iOS updated with iCloud syncing of timelines and more across devices
Tweetbot for iOS updated with iCloud syncing of timelines and more across devices
Nearly a year after it debuted and caught our eye as an incredibly well structured Twitter client for the iPhone, Tweetbot's latest revision uses Apple's cloud servers to sync the experience instead of just content. Version 2.2's iCloud based syncing of account settings, timeline position, DMs and Mute filters lets those deep in the iLife go from iPhone to iPad or vice versa without missing a beat. The only possible fly in the ointment? The tablet and phone version are still separate apps that cost $2.99 each, but satisfied customers who have already ponied up can start enjoying their seamless transitions as soon as they've updated.
Tweetbot for iOS updated with iCloud syncing of timelines and more across devices originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink @tweetbot (Twitter)  |  sourceiTunes - iPhone, iTunes - iPad  | Email this | Comments

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Reported Tegra 4 roadmap hints at LTE, Q1 2013 release
Reported Tegra 4 roadmap hints at LTE, Q1 2013 release
Time to put on our "skepticles" as we pore over some reportedly leaked Tegra 4 details. NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang went on record saying that we could expect a new Tegra "every single year", so if anything, the fourth iteration of the series is slightly overdue. Chinese site VR-Zone, however, thinks it's got the inside skinny on how the next deployment might look. If its alleged roadmap leaks are to be believed, there will be four variants, three with a quad-core ARM Cortex A15 configuration, with clock speeds from 1.2 to 2.0GHz. What caught our eye a little more, though, was the "SP3X" flavor. Not because it favors the A9, but because it appears to bring LTE to the table right off the bat. That said, given that it's not that long since NVIDIA announced the same for Tegra 3, we can't help but wonder if something just got lost in translation.

[Thanks Rizwan]
Reported Tegra 4 roadmap hints at LTE, Q1 2013 release originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceVR-Zone (Chinese)  | Email this | Comments

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VisiJax turns you into one big bicycle warning system
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Anyone who's ever done any bike riding in a big city knows that it's one of the more harrowing experiences of modern society. So, why not protect yourself as much as humanly possible? The VisiJax electronic cycling jacket seems like a pretty solid start. The neon-colored waterproof windbreaker features some 23 LEDs worth of butt-saving protection, with white lights on the front and red on the rear. The iMASS active signaling system, meanwhile, detects when the cyclist lifts his or her arm and triggers the corresponding turn signal. The jacket runs on three AAA batteries, which should give you around 200 hours of use. You can pick one up now in the UK for £129 (or £149 after May 31st).
VisiJax turns you into one big bicycle warning system originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 11:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceVisiJax  | Email this | Comments

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Illuminated Kindle e-readers could arrive this year, also, might not
Illuminated Kindle e-readers could arrive this year, also might not
Rumors relating to a new Kindle, or three, land in our inbox with surprising frequency, but when they come from our brethren at TechCrunch, we'll definitely give it a listen. Devin Coldewey reports how he was lucky enough to snatch a glance at an in-development Kindle, which sports an illuminated screen. Amazon's purchase of Finnish firm Oy Modilis, which has a quiver of patents pertaining to lighting technology, adds credence to the idea that an e-reader with some form of lighting could be in the works, and Coldewey thinks he's seen it. He says tapping the screen reveals a slider that, when dragged to the right, "lit up evenly with a rather cool light." Importantly -- for eyes and batteries alike -- the light is said to be softer, and of a gentler blue-white color, compared to the harsh white common in LCDs. The loose-lipped wielder of this device claims that the industrial design isn't finished yet, but did hint at a 2012 release. We're not holding our breath, but the chance to do away with additional light accessories, is definitely enough to have us keep our fingers crossed.
Illuminated Kindle e-readers could arrive this year, also, might not originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceTechCrunch  | Email this | Comments

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No more Beats headphones with your HTC? Just what the Dr. ordered
No more Beats headphones with your HTC? Just what the Dr. ordered
Despite all the hype, opening up the API, and recently scooping up a music streaming service, we might have seen the end of Beats brand plugs being bundled in with HTC phones. Martin Fichter, a product executive for the phone manufacturer, told CNET that "If they want a Beats headphone, they'll buy it directly," suggesting that the lure of the in-the-box pair just wasn't strong enough for those with a penchant for bass. Perhaps this explains why the whole "Enable Beats" option embedded on the new One series no longer requires the brand's headphones to activate it? Still, if true, the move seems a surprisingly quick turn around on what was originally a much vaunted collaboration. That, or contractual obligations further up the food chain are drawing to a close.
No more Beats headphones with your HTC? Just what the Dr. ordered originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 07:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Flawed diamonds are perfect ingredients for quantum computing, just add time travel
Flawed diamonds are perfect ingredients for quantum computing, just add time travel
Ready to suspend your brain cells in a superposition of disbelief? Good, because the latest news published in Nature is that diamonds are a quantum computer's best friend -- particularly if they're flawed. An international team of scientists sought out sub-atomic impurities in a 1mm-thick fragment of over-priced carbon and used these as qubits to perform successful calculations. A "rogue" nitrogen nucleus provided one qubit, while a free electron became a second. Unlike previous attempts at solid-state quantum computing, this new effort used an extra technique to protect the system from decoherence errors: microwave pulses were fired at the electron qubit to "time-reverse" inconsistencies in its spinning motion. Don't fully get it? Us neither. In any case, it probably won't stop jewellers tut-tutting to themselves.
Permalink DVice  |  sourceUSC  | Email this | Comments

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Lenovo's ICS, 42-inch K71 smart TV going on sale by month's end in China
Lenovo's ICS, 42-inch K71 smart TV going on sale by month's end in China
Similar to that K91 TV we saw Lenovo tease back in January, its K71 brethren's also stuffed with Ice Cream Sandwich, and according to the outfit's online shop it's ready to hit Chinese shelves by the end of the month. Along with running a flavor of Android four-dot-oh, this 42-inch smart TV is also packing an undisclosed 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, WiFi and 3D capabilities, plus a gaming remote control (you know, to use while playing TurboFly 3D). The K71's said to be carrying a 6499 yuan (around $1,030) price tag once pre-orders go live on April 10th, while pricing and availability for the other expected models still remains unknown. Mum's the word on when, or if, these ICS, LED TVs will ever come to US shores, but we'll keep you in the loop if any news pops up.
Lenovo's ICS, 42-inch K71 smart TV going on sale by month's end in China originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 02:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PC World  |  sourceLenovo  | Email this | Comments

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TextSpresso machine brews caffeinated goodness via text messaging (video)
TextSpresso machine lets geeks remotely brew caffeinated goodness via text messages (video)
The folks at Zipwhip may have unwittingly discovered a new business model. While the company is primarily focused on cloud messaging services, it's recently created an espresso maker that allows employees to whip up custom brews from the comfort of their mobile phone. Known as TextSpresso, it's based on the Jura Impressa XS90, but unlike the retail model, the machine accepts orders via SMS. As if that weren't enough, it's part of a larger system that's capable of printing employee names onto the foam (using edible ink) and then placing the drink onto a warming tray. TextSpresso is very much a custom job, but if you'd like an inside peek of the system -- complete with servo motors, an Arduino microcontroller and a retro-fitted Canon printer -- be sure to hop the break and dream of what could be.
Continue reading TextSpresso machine brews caffeinated goodness via text messaging (video)
TextSpresso machine brews caffeinated goodness via text messaging (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceGeekWire  | Email this | Comments

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FCC Fridays: April 6, 2012
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We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!
Continue reading FCC Fridays: April 6, 2012
FCC Fridays: April 6, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google updates Gmail's 'people widget,' now includes previous images
Google updates Gmail's 'people widget,' now includes previous imagesWhen it comes to an ideal conduit for minor announcements, Google's found a home on its very own social network. And this time, it's telling the world about a small update to the people widget -- that bar currently occupying real estate on the right-hand side of gmail.com. Along with showing the pertinent contact information from an email chain's participants, the peep widge will now reveal the last three images sent to you by the displayed contacts. As one might expect, clicking on the pics will whisk you to its associated email, and provide a little extra context to that candid, landscape or Lolcat you're staring at. Not the most exciting of additions, we'll admit, but a little extra functionality never hurts. Right?
Google updates Gmail's 'people widget,' now includes previous images originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 9to5Google  |  sourceGoogle Plus  | Email this | Comments

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Instagram for Android update adds support for tablets, WiFi handsets and SD card installs
Instagram for Android update adds support for tablets, WiFi handsets and SD card installs
It's only been three days since Instagram launched on Android and the only thing that seems to match the influx of new users is the pace at which the company is pushing out updates to enhance support and tweak a few glitches. The latest one to hit today (1.0.3) promises expanded support for tablets and WiFi handsets, app installation on the SD card for storage-limited users and fixing an audio mute bug during capture. If you haven't delved into its photo sharing and filter features already, check out our hands-on to see how this highly anticipated app has made the transition to Android, or just hit the source link below and install it yourself.
Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Play, Instagram Help  | Email this | Comments

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'Leaked' Nokia Lumia PureView concept images brandish bright colors, chunky profile
'Leaked' Nokia Lumia PureView concept images brandish bright colors, chunky profile
Take the smartphone camera sensor that was the toast of MWC, add in the burgeoning Windows Phone platform and this might be what you might get. Although we hope -- and suspect -- that it isn't. Sneaking out from China with some judicious pixelation, the phones look pretty... dynamic. With a profile more often associated with those tough, rubberized feature phones, the color gamut of black, magenta and yellow is at least very new-generation Nokia. But, if the concept hardware wasn't incredulous enough, wait 'til you hear the specs. A neat paragraph on one slide explains that this Lumia PureView would feature a 4.3-inch curved high-definition touchscreen (a first for Windows Phone), a dual-core process with an Adreno 320 GPU (yet another first) and Nokia's intriguing 41-megapixel camera sensor peeping out from behind a Carl Zeiss lens. We're looking at these renders through some high-prescription skeptic goggles and reckon it's an unlikely new direction for Nokia's hardware design. However, that's not to say a tie-up between Nokia's PureView tech and Microsoft isn't somewhere along the pipeline...
Permalink WMPoweruser  |  sourceIT168  | Email this | Comments

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IMDb updates Android app, now lets you watch 720p trailers
IMDb updates Android app, now lets you watch 720p trailers
iOS friends still flaunting those HD movie previews from Cupertino's Trailers app? Well, looks like now you can come right back at them thanks to IMDb. The all things Hollywood site just gave its Android application a minor refresh, boosting the max resolution on teasers within the app from 480p to 720p -- which you can change to accommodate any data caps you may have. Aside from the higher-res trailers, there's not much to dig save for the fix of some "pesky bugs." You can snag the update straight from your handset, or hit the Play link below if you're an IMDb first-timer.
IMDb updates Android app, now lets you watch 720p trailers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Verge  |  sourceGoogle Play  | Email this | Comments

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Lenovo K800's initial benchmark scores look promising, but not ambitious
Lenovo K800's initial benchmark scores look promising, but not the ambitious kind
If Lenovo's sticking to its promise, it should only be another two months maximum before its Intel Medfield-powered K800 smartphone debuts in China. Until then, we won't know the full potential of the 1.6GHz Atom Z2460 powering Ice Cream Sandwich, but we do have the next best thing for now: what we've just obtained are some benchmark results from a K800 prototype with Android 2.3.7, and while the graphics performance wasn't top notch this time round, the general score performance came close to that of the Galaxy Note (powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos chipset).

However, the K800 did beat pretty much everyone -- including the brand-spanking-new One X and One S from HTC -- in the SunSpider 0.91 Javascript test, where it only took 1,270ms to complete! What remains to be seen is whether Medfield will really deliver a better battery performance than its competitors; so until we find the answer (along with improved scores) on a final unit, you'll just have to make do with our list of scores after the break.
Continue reading Lenovo K800's initial benchmark scores look promising, but not ambitious
Lenovo K800's initial benchmark scores look promising, but not ambitious originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Comcast confirms full HBO Go access on Xbox 360 coming next week
Just as the rumors indicated, Comcast has revealed its subscribers will be able to access the standard HBO Go app on the Xbox 360 starting "early next week." The only bad news? There's still no news on when / if those Comcast logins will ever give HBO Go streaming access through other connected TV platforms like Samsung's Smart TV apps or the Roku box, and Time Warner cable customers are still on the outside looking in altogether. That's the business for now, Comcast customers can check out the app's video preview after the break to see what they've been missing
Continue reading Comcast confirms full HBO Go access on Xbox 360 coming next week
Comcast confirms full HBO Go access on Xbox 360 coming next week originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceComcast Voices  | Email this | Comments

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Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1-inch) priced at $399, still unavailable for purchase
samsung galaxy tab 2 10.1 leak office depot
Office Depot probably isn't the first place you'd think to look for Samsung's incoming Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1), but it looks to be the first legitimate retailer to throw a price tag on the aforementioned slate. Just weeks after cruising through the FCC, the Tab 2 is now being shown with a $399.99 price. Granted, that's for the lowly 8GB model, but it's still a step in the right direction -- you know, towards folks who would like to pay less than $499 for a 10-inch tablet. As of now, it's still impossible to actually check out with one, but those feeling lucky can hit the source link and get 'er a go.

[Thanks, Dube]
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1-inch) priced at $399, still unavailable for purchase originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceOffice Depot  | Email this | Comments

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Delorean Electric travels back in time to the basement of the New York International Auto Show
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Yes we've seen it before but, with a cheeky license plate like that, we couldn't resist stopping by to ogle it again. It's the DMCev and, while it's been in the cards for quite some time now, it's finally getting close to production. Delorean Motor Company president Stephen Wynn was on-hand to demo the machine and give a few nuggets of information. DMC will be assembling the car in Houston, TX ahead of planned deliveries in 2013 with a cost of $95,000. For that you can get a 100 mile range, 0 - 60 time of 4.9 seconds and stainless steel body panels that almost, almost match the color of the plastic nose and tail sections. Sure, $95k may seem like a lot for an electric refresh of a 30-year-old car, but unlike other overpriced pieces of 1985 memorabilia this one actually works.
Gallery: Delorean Electric eyes-on
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RIM confirms departures of two top BlackBerry, BBM execs
Word of a big exec shakeup at RIM leaked out just ahead of the company's quarterly earnings late last month -- something that was then quickly confirmed in said earnings report. It looks like that wasn't the end of it though, as RIM has now also confirmed the departures of two more high-level executives. That includes Senior Vice President Alan Brenner, who will be leaving after an unspecified transition period, and Alistair Mitchell, a VP for RIM's BBM service who has already left the company. No word on any further departures to come (willing or otherwise), but given Thorsten Heins' talk of a "comprehensive review" it certainly doesn't seem like the most remote of possibilities.
RIM confirms departures of two top BlackBerry, BBM execs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink TechnoBuffalo  |  sourceBloomberg  | Email this | Comments

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MyWi gets friendlier with iOS 5, brings faster connection speeds and improved reliability
MyWi gets friendly with iOS 5, brings faster connection speeds and improved reliability
Why shell out cash for those extra tethering fees when you've got MyWi, right? Well, you'll be happy to know the $19.99 jailbreak app has gone through a major revamp. MyWi v5.5 brings along a "total rewrite" for folks on iOS 5, while also promising a speedier connection, faster hotspot load times as well as improved overall reliability. Additionally, the overhauled application adds a couple of new features, including an upgrade to MyWi On Demand, which now uses Bluetooth to trigger hotspot mode. MyWi version 5.5 is up for grabs now via the App Cydia store, though you may need to keep it a secret from your carrier.
Permalink Cult of Mac  |  sourceRedmond Pie  | Email this | Comments

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IRL: Blue Mics Yeti, Western Digital My Passport and Razer's Naga Hex gaming mouse
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

It's been a busy week for tech writers. Capping out a week populated by not one, not two, but three smartphone reviews, we're happy to take a breather and return our attention to life's littler pleasures. Like USB mics and portable 2TB hard drives. And also, gaming mice.
Continue reading IRL: Blue Mics Yeti, Western Digital My Passport and Razer's Naga Hex gaming mouse
IRL: Blue Mics Yeti, Western Digital My Passport and Razer's Naga Hex gaming mouse originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Keep Google Weird
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There's a sign that hangs in the windows of shops in downtown Santa Cruz, California. "Keep Santa Cruz Weird." It's not unique to that town, of course -- the best known implementation of the slogan is the one seen all over Austin, Texas. Localized versions have also been spotted on t-shirts and bumper stickers in places like Portland and Boulder -- any area where the undercurrent of independent thinking does daily battle with the threat of homogenized commerce. The Santa Cruz example sticks in my mind in particular, of course, due to the five years I spent in that town, whose weirdness never fully recovered from the '89 earthquake, a natural disaster that both wreaked havoc on the landscape and caused a shift in the local zeitgeist, opening crumbled and abandoned storefronts up for Starbucks and Taco Bells -- chain stores devoid of the character that makes the town so unique. So weird.

There are, naturally, growing pains with any company -- particularly one that has had so meteoric a rise as Google has experienced over the past decade and a half. Evil claims aside for the moment, the transformation from a dorm-based project to an international corporation nearly always risks the loss of the character and principles on which the project was initially founded. After taking the helm as CEO last April, co-founder Larry Page stressed the need for focusing the company's countless product lines, announcing during an earnings call that, "We've [...] done substantial internal work simplifying and streamlining our product lines."

It's easy to appreciate the sentiment. As Google grows at a tremendous rate, it risks losing focus, following in the footsteps of companies like Yahoo, which never did all that great a job subscribing to its own "Peanut Butter Manifesto," by pruning away its ever-growing list of redundancy. Surely no one can fault Google for opting to pump more resources into successful properties like Android -- brands with large user bases that require, arguably, even more attention than the company has been able to allot thus far.
Continue reading Keep Google Weird
Keep Google Weird originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Toray unveils new self-repairing film for devices, fixes scratches in under 10 seconds
Toray unveils new self-repairing film for devices, fixes scratches in under 10 seconds
Toray's advanced film department has finished its new self-cure coating and is set to start using it as a decorative layer on a series of as-yet unannounced notebooks. Fortunately, the company is already chasing down more pervasive uses on smartphones and touch-panels. The science involves a wet coating method that adds a special recovering layer to PET film. Alongside that mutant healing factor, the layer responsible also throws in some elastic and cushioning properties. During Toray's demonstration (what, no video?) scratches made with a metal brush apparently repaired themselves, resulting in the rehabilitated glossy surface you see above. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the ability to heal improves at lower temperatures, but room temperature is apparently enough to make scratches disappear in 10 seconds or less -- more than fast enough to differentiate Toray's offering from existing solutions. The film can repair itself around 20,000 times in succession, although if pierced beyond the layer, it's -- unsurprisingly -- unable to recover any damage done. The screen is also softer than the typical protective surfaces found to devices. Maybe Toray and Gorilla Glass should get together. GorillToray?
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AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th (update)
AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th
We've just received word of a spicy strategy change, to be enacted this Sunday, that's sure to please the AT&T iPhone-loving masses. On Easter, select Ma' Bell customers with iPhones -- those off-contract with accounts in good standing -- will be able to request a carrier unlock for their device. Once freed, any micro-SIM can be used -- provided its carrier's frequencies are supported -- by the smartphone. An AT&T spokesperson was able to confirm that "a policy change concerning iPhones" would indeed be rolled-out on Sunday, but declined to elaborate further. That sound you hear? International Love, being quietly spun from the corner office of Ralph de la Vega.

[Thanks, John Crawford]

Here's AT&T's official statement on the matter:
Beginning Sunday, April 8, we will offer qualifying customers the ability to unlock their AT&T iPhones. The only requirements are that a customer's account must be in good standing, their device cannot be associated with a current and active term commitment on an AT&T customer account, and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee.
AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones this Sunday, April 8th (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google offers Floor Plan Marker app to businesses so they can improve indoor mapping
Google offers Floor Plan Marker app to businesses so they can improve indoor mapping
Are folks still getting lost in the faux marble expanse of your airport or shopping mall, even after you've uploaded the floor plan to Google Maps? Then maybe it's time you went the extra mile and improved indoor mapping using the official Floor Plan Marker app. It instructs you to walk around the "entire surface" of your place of interest, while gathering position data from GPS, public WiFi signals and cell towers. Once added to Google's database, this extra info will allow the familiar blue dot to function on your customers' Android phones even when your actually-concrete building gets in the way of their satellite signal. The app's already available at Google Play, so go ahead -- make the schlep now so that others don't have to.
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American Idol gets Shazamed, Captain Marvel ashamed to be eliminated before the live finals
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Shazam has a-ha-ha-ha-nounced that the re-he-ma-hay-ning episodes of vowel-adding warble-fest American Idol will be tied into its music-identifying app. During each of the shows, it'll offer up the set list, behind the scenes videos and let you buy both the live cover versions and original editions of classic songs -- usually hewn from a simpler, gentler time before Mariah Carey was seen as someone worth em-hem-hem-ulating. In addition viewers will be able to get photos of their favorite contestants, but we won't be interested unless there's a generous dose of Jeff Winger Ryan Seacrest tucked in there too.
Continue reading American Idol gets Shazamed, Captain Marvel ashamed to be eliminated before the live finals
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