Friday, March 5, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 05/03/2010



Mad Catz Cyborg Rat: a guided tour (video)
We've talked up Mad Catz's Cyborg Rat before -- and even given it the hands-on treatment -- but even still, we thought it'd best to show you with the power of moving pictures all the crazy functions of this Franken-mouse (that's pronounced "Fronk-in-mouse," thank you very much). Check out the guided tour of the Rat 7 from the CeBIT show floor, and an explanation of the differences in each series iteration - after the break, care of global PR manager Alex Verrey.

Gallery: Mad Catz Cyborg Rat at CeBIT 2010

Continue reading Mad Catz Cyborg Rat: a guided tour (video)

Mad Catz Cyborg Rat: a guided tour (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained
While we weren't able to see the "wealth of cloud infotainment" touted in the official release, we did get a chance on the CeBIT show floor to see up close and personal ASUS' new O!Play HD2 media server. The design's a beaut and it's actually quite small in form factor. As for precisely what's running under its hood, the local ASUS rep was pretty mum -- what we do know is that it's HDMI 1.3 compliant and also boasts Composite / Component / Optical outputs and USB 2.0 / eSATA inputs, card readers for CF, SD, and Memory Stick, and that coveted USB 3.0 PC link. We'll try to dig deeper on a return trip, but in the meantime, check out our images and video below!

Gallery: ASUS O! Play HD2 hands-on

Continue reading ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained

ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cool Leaf input devices create the keyboard of the future circa 1982
Cool Leaf input devices create the keyboard of the future circa 1982 (video)
It's becoming startlingly apparent that in the future buttons will be obsolete. Their kind are being systematically eradicated by high-brow designers worldwide, most recent being Kazuo Kawasaki at Mineba, who has created Cool Leaf. It's basically a mirrored surface with backlit keys and a capacitive coating, creating a beautiful appearance that looks decidedly not-fun to use, particularly that keyboard (stylishly dubbed "Φ-QWERTY"). But, it is practical in some respects, thanks to the whole thing being waterproof and easily cleaned. So these might indeed be the keyboards of the future -- for doctors and nurses, anyway.

Gallery: Cool Leaf devices

Cool Leaf input devices create the keyboard of the future circa 1982 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo | sourceMineba | Email this | Comments
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Electric Green School motorcycle shows its rebel nature by running Linux
Electric Green School motorcycle shows its rebel nature by running Linux
Electric motorcycles are getting more and more common, and while we don't think they'll ever quite capture the rush of an internal-combustion engine threatening to fly into bits as it screams toward red-line, they are starting to offer their own... unique charms. This model is a Norwegian prototype, based on a Honda chassis that had its tail chopped and motor stripped, replaced by stacks of Nickel-Metal batteries, then wrapped in some custom bodywork. The bike sports a touchscreen dash powered by Ubuntu that offers both stats about the bike (speed, temperature, etc.) as well as GPS navigation and, presumably, on the go games of Tux Racer. It's a one-off built by Green School Motorcycles and Akershus University College, and there's plenty more information about it in a video at the source link below -- if you speak Norwegian.

[Thanks, dsbilling]

Electric Green School motorcycle shows its rebel nature by running Linux originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourcedigi.no | Email this | Comments
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New Potato's FLPR IR dongle gives your iPhone home automation capabilities
It's hard to say why we've seen a glut of these adapters hit all within the same week, but hey, the more the merrier! North Carolina's own New Potato Technologies (yes, we're serious) has followed up on ThinkFlood and Power A's efforts by introducing an Infrared iPhone / iPod touch dongle of its own. The difference? This one connects to the dock connector, and when used with the accompanying app, it can control lights, stereo systems, home cinemas and pretty much anything that allows dictation via IR. The best part just might be said app, as it allows users to search a database of over 14,000 device codes and just add the products they already own, which means that you'll probably only be stuck programming that LaserDisc player you refuse to give up. It'll start shipping today from the company's own website for $79.99, or you can consult the middleman (read: Best Buy) on starting on March 28th.

Continue reading New Potato's FLPR IR dongle gives your iPhone home automation capabilities

New Potato's FLPR IR dongle gives your iPhone home automation capabilities originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP EliteBook 8740w specs begin to take shape, ATI FirePro M7820 revealed
You've been wondering, we know, why the newly unveiled 2540p and 2740p EliteBooks from HP weren't accompanied by their heavyweight compadre, the 8740w, but as it turns out the latter might be taking a bit longer to launch due to its inclusion of ATI's as yet unannounced FirePro M7820 GPU. Joining up with the earlier leaked M5800, this is likely to form the backbone of ATI's pro graphics refresh, with its innards based on the successful HD 5870, meaning it offers DirectX 11 functionality, 1GB of GDDR5 memory, and probably the most graphical horsepower your lap has ever seen. This is aided by the low-voltage, but highly potent Core i7-720QM CPU and four DDR3 slots for up to 16GB of RAM on the 8740w. You have until the end of the month to figure out what to do with all that power, which is when the rumormongers expect this machine to be announced.

[Thanks, Reznov]

HP EliteBook 8740w specs begin to take shape, ATI FirePro M7820 revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceHP Fansite (1), (2) | Email this | Comments
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RealNetworks to stop selling RealDVD, your copyrights are safe -- for now
Remember when RealNetworks said it wasn't giving up on RealDVD, that it would fight the good fight and appeal the August ruling finding its DVD copying application wasn't quite legal. Well, a lot of things can change in five months and now it seems Real is caving in to the inevitable crush of the movie industry, setting the lawsuit filed by the MPAA for $4.5 million and instantly turning existing copies of RealDVD into collectors items. (Hope you kept those boxes in mint condition!) What's next for Real remains to be seen, as the company just spun off Rhapsody to be its own thing, but surely whatever it comes up with will not involve the copying of copyrighted things onto other things.

RealNetworks to stop selling RealDVD, your copyrights are safe -- for now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PhysOrg.com | sourceRealNetworks | Email this | Comments
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Nokia's Terminal Mode spotted in the wilds of the Geneva Motor Show
Those lovely people over at Nokia have furnished us with a few images of what their dashboard integration will look like, as well as the names of a few more partners for the Terminal Mode initiative. Intended to smarten up your car's hardware with the phone's capabilities -- whether that be to play back music, use Ovi Maps, browse the web, or whatver else -- this was announced in partnership with Alpine yesterday, but today we're hearing that Fiat, Harman Becker and Valmet Automotive are also getting in on the fun. The gallery below shows off a mockup from Valmet, which plops your Nokia into a cradle just under the Eva concept's "on" button, and then transfers all the important stuff onto an LCD integrated into the dashboard above. Nokia tells us that each OEM will have their own particular design, so this might not be how they'll all look, but as far as ease of use goes, we don't know how you can improve much on what's being shown already. Let's just hope the software is as effective as the presentation is handsome.

Gallery: Nokia Terminal Mode

Nokia's Terminal Mode spotted in the wilds of the Geneva Motor Show originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceNokia, Valmet, Fiat | Email this | Comments
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Tag: Microsoft's first Android app is it
Everybody loves a world's first. So we might as well mention that Microsoft just released its very first application written for Google's competitive Android smartphone platform: Microsoft Tag Reader. Tag, as you might recall, is Microsoft's pseudo QR code implementation that uses high capacity color "barcodes" to link back to content. Download the app from the Android Market, scan a Tag with any camera enabled Android phone, and the linked data will automatically load on your device, be it a web page, video, advertisement, coupon, etc. Of course, readers without tags are as useless as tags without a wide swath of people with devices to read them -- so really, Microsoft has no choice but develop its Tag apps (already available for WinMo, Symbian, Blackberry, and iPhone handsets) for as many platforms as possible. First!

Tag: Microsoft's first Android app is it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceBBC | Email this | Comments
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Corsair Force gives us another SandForce-controlled SSD speed demon
Seriously, if you're shopping for an SSD and don't know the name SandForce yet, you're not doing it right. The producer of what looks to be the consensus fastest controller on the market is spreading its wings today with a new drive announced by Corsair that offers its SF-1200 chip and capacities of either 100GB or 200GB. The Force follows swiftly in the wake of the Nova and Reactor series and represents Corsair's new flagship device in this space. It'll offer the generous consumer a sweet 280MBps read and 260MBps write speeds (yes, those are megabytes we're talking about), "class-leading random read/write performance," and the requisite Trim support to ensure it maintains that performance in the long run. A specific price is not yet known, but these are expected out within the next couple of weeks.

Corsair Force gives us another SandForce-controlled SSD speed demon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PC Perspective | sourceCorsair | Email this | Comments
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Tata Nano EV represents the feasible side of our electric future
Oh sure, this might not accelerate to ludicrous speed in 3 seconds flat, and it might not look like something Jules Verne brought back from the future, but it is the one electro-vehicular concept we can reliably expect to see hit retail in 2011. Indian carmaker Tata promised us an eco-friendly version of its ultra-affordable Nano, and what you see above is the corporeal fulfillment of that pledge. Our comrades at Autoblog report that the Nano EV will go into production alongside the Indica Vista EV and should be available to buy at some point next year. As far as we're concerned, when it comes to cars other people have to drive, this might be at the very top of our list. See more of it after the break.

Continue reading Tata Nano EV represents the feasible side of our electric future

Tata Nano EV represents the feasible side of our electric future originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceAutoblog Green | Email this | Comments
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Apple power adapter foot cozy, by Seymour Burns (video)
Hey, we love innovation and the gumption required to execute on an idea especially when knitting is involved. And the good lorf knows that our tootsies could use some warming up during the marathon sessions we spend at the computer. But while the idea of tucking one of those toasty, Apple laptop power adapters into a "foot cozy" might sound like an ingenious solution to our problem, we're also aware that those little white bricks must be ventilated to function properly. From Apple's own support site:
The power adapter may become very warm during normal use. Always put the power adapter directly into a power outlet or place it on the floor in a well-ventilated location. If you are using your MagSafe adapter in a poorly ventilated area, or if the MagSafe adapter is covered by a blanket or other form of insulation, it may turn itself off in order to prevent damage to the adapter.
Here's the best part: the inventor's name is Rachael Burns... why yes, she just might. Video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading Apple power adapter foot cozy, by Seymour Burns (video)

Apple power adapter foot cozy, by Seymour Burns (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's IdeaPad Y460 now on sale, and not a moment too soon
Lenovo may have introduced four billion new laptops at CES this year, but that's not keeping us from tracking the ship date of every last one. With Intel's mobile Core i5 still tough to find in shipping machines -- particularly ones that could substitute as your work rig -- we couldn't be happier to see the IdeaPad Y460 up for order at the outfit's webstore. The base unit gets going at $999 and includes a 2.13GHz Core i3-330M CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 14-inch LED-backlit display (1,366 x 768), a 320GB hard drive, 6-cell battery and a dual-layer DVD writer. The $1,199 model, though, is clearly where it's at, with a 2.4GHz Core i5-520M, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB) GPU and a 500GB HDD to make things interesting. Both units should ship within a fortnight, so the only question left to answer is why you're still dilly-dallying around.

[Thanks, OberCFS]

Lenovo's IdeaPad Y460 now on sale, and not a moment too soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceLenovo | Email this | Comments
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iPhone gets a stainless steel clamshell case, we'll wait for the titanium version
You know, for all the praise the iPhone has received in its time, we never thought it looked quite Matrix-y enough. Thankfully, that all-important deficiency has been remedied by a man named Ryan Glasgow up in Portland, who has just started selling the above case to all who care to have one. It's built out of stainless steel on the outside and silicone padding on the inside, with strategically located cutouts for wireless signals and heat emissions to get through. You can flip the front plate open, turning it into a rather outsized clamshell, or you can just talk with the lid closed, it's all up to you. Aluminum and engraving options (can we suggest "my other phone is a Vertu"?) are also available with each case costing a slightly spendy $95. See more of it in the gallery below.

Gallery: Solid steel iPhone case

iPhone gets a stainless steel clamshell case, we'll wait for the titanium version originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceLTD Tools | Email this | Comments
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Kingston trumpets ultra-low voltage HyperX DDR3 memory
It may not mean much to your grandmother, but performance hounds are sure to jump all over this one. Kingston has just rolled out a few new slices of DIMM deliciousness, and it's claiming that the new HyperX DDR3 modules are the world's fastest low-voltage memory sticks. The dual-channel kit ships with two XMP-ready profiles already baked in, with the 1.35 volts at 1866MHz being hailed as "a world's first for speed matching higher frequency with a lower voltage." All told, the company is debuting a trio of products in the LoVo line -- the dual-profile kit, a mainstream low voltage 1600MHz, 1.35 volt kit and an ultra-low voltage 1333MHz, 1.25 volt kit. -- and you can pick 'em up soon in 4GB bundles for between $154 to $203. These guys did, and they're stoked.

Kingston trumpets ultra-low voltage HyperX DDR3 memory originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Hot Hardware | sourcePR Newswire | Email this | Comments
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Sony Vaio M surfaces... unofficially
Well, what do we have here? It's the Sony Vaio M series netbook, as yet unannounced but sitting here getting detailed all the same. The 10.1-inch netbook, which looks, well, pretty much identical to the Sony Vaio W series, is apparently going to boast a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM, a 250GB hard drive, plus 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, and a built-in webcam. There's no pricing information or dates of availability for these bad boys yet, but there's one more shot after the break to gander at -- if you're so inclined.

Continue reading Sony Vaio M surfaces... unofficially

Sony Vaio M surfaces... unofficially originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Sony Insider | sourceNotebook Review Forum | Email this | Comments
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Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid
Alright, Droid owners, decent multitouch performance isn't the only thing you've got to brag about. As you likely know by now, 2.1's in the works for you -- and from the latest video we're seeing of an official test build running in the wild, we're cautiously optimistic that it's going to be a fantastic little update. As we'd reported some time back, the Nexus One's revamped app launcher is missing, but multitouch appears to work like butter in both the browser and revamped Gallery app and the new news and weather widgets have made the cut as well. Most notable, though, might simply be the fact that everything flies -- home screen switches, opening of the app drawer, zooming, it's all mega-fast. Granted, anyone with an Android device knows that the speed of the device depends on the number of apps you've got running, the moon phase, and the direction of the wind, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless. Now if only Moto would stop fumbling the launch, we'd be good to go; in the meantime, though, check some video of the update after the break.

Continue reading Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PhoneArena | sourcedroid-life | Email this | Comments
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HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition leaps off the runway and into our hands
Paging all butterfly-admiring netbook lovers! With spring upon us, HP's officially launching the Mini 210 Vivienne Tam edition that it previewed back at September's Fall Fashion Week, and, well, it sure is unique looking. We actually got to take a peek at it a few weeks ago, and while the butterfly adorned cover may only appeal to a certain sex type, the gold covered keyboard is what you'd expect kings and queens to type on. Okay so, the design wasn't really in line with our tastes, but at least we're comfortable with the internal specs which are identical to the Mini 210 we recently reviewed (sans the Broadcom Crystal HD). And apparently the Mini should sound as good as it looks -- HP's updated Vivienne's netbook with Beats by Dr. Dre audio software, which to date has only been found in the company's Envy line. Interesting move, but of course it's still very hard for us to understand why anyone would spend $600 on a netbook that's got an extremely frustrating touchpad and only a three-cell battery -- but we'd guess that it probably has to do with that whole 'beauty is pain' thing. The full press release is after the break.

Gallery: HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition hands-on


Gallery: HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition press shots

Continue reading HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition leaps off the runway and into our hands

HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition leaps off the runway and into our hands originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More BlackBerry slider pics appear -- is this the next Bold?
What looked like a drizzle last night seems to be turning into a full on downpour. The folks over at BlackBerry Leaks have gotten themselves even more facetime with that mysterious BlackBerry slider device -- and it looks a lot better than we thought. Right now the theories are flying about just exactly what kind of phone this is, with BBL suggesting it might be the next phone in the Storm family, while Kevin over at CrackBerry has it on good authority that this new handset will be part of the Bold line. Kevin also says that the rumors he's heard on this device call for a 360 x 480 touchscreen display (sans SurePress) and expectations for BlackBerry OS 6.0 to be onboard. The pictured phone apparently has a battery issue which is keeping it from powering up, but hopefully someone will find a way to spark this thing to life and we can get some more solid info. For now, check out one more pic after the break.

Continue reading More BlackBerry slider pics appear -- is this the next Bold?

More BlackBerry slider pics appear -- is this the next Bold? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CrackBerry | sourceBlackBerry Leaks | Email this | Comments
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USB 3.0 PCIe and ExpressCard adapters flow from Addonics and VPI
Belkin may have kicked things off nice and proper, but c'mon, surely you're smart enough to avoid paying such insane premiums for a major label, right? With the USB-IF recently certifying a full 50 SuperSpeed USB products, it looks as if the little guys are getting in on the upgrade game as well, with Video Products, Inc. and Addonics being the latest to offer up USB 3.0 PCIe and ExpressCard adapters. As you'd expect, the respective devices bring USB 3.0 support to products that were born without it, with VPI charging $45 for its 2-port PCIe host card, $52 to $65 for USB 3.0 HDD enclosures and an undisclosed amount for its forthcoming USB 3.0 switch. Addonics is offering your aged desktop USB 3.0 compatibility for the lowly rate of $35, while the ExpressCard will do the same for your laptop at $49.99. In related news, the company is also doling out PCIe / ExpressCard adapters for adding SATA 6Gbps support ($39.99 a pop), and if we were the betting type, we'd say the flood gates were just about to bust wide open.

USB 3.0 PCIe and ExpressCard adapters flow from Addonics and VPI originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceBusiness Wire, i-Newswire | Email this | Comments
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Pierre Cardin tablets won't keep your pants up
Well isn't this the most unlikely partnership of the year. Apparently world famous designer and maker of watches/belts Pierre Cardin thought the tablet selection in the world was lacking, and teamed up with a small Taiwanese OEM to bring some touchscreen devices to market. We checked out the line today, and though both the 7-inch PC729 and 8.9-inch PC819 tablets are rather thick the build quality is actually solid. The tablets pack resistive multitouch displays and include a stylus for navigating around Windows 7. Internally they're packing VIA's older C7-M processors which doesn't mean good things on the battery life front -- we can't imagine these things running for longer than two hours. All we know is that we're loving the attachable leather murse that opens up to reveal a rubbery physical keyboard. Whether you'd shell out $450 ($300 without Windows 7) for one of these really just depends on how much you love Pierre Cardin -- the man, not the tablet maker.

Gallery: Pierre Cardin tablet PC hands-on

Continue reading Pierre Cardin tablets won't keep your pants up

Pierre Cardin tablets won't keep your pants up originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update
After a disappointing initial effort, Palm has unleashed version 1.1.0 of its webOS Facebook app. Currently only available via the update function but not the standard App Catalog, users will find new and improved access to their inbox, all their friends' photo albums, profiles, direct photo uploading, friend search and a list view for upcoming events and birthdays. The first thing we noticed was the initial news feed now matches the notification preferences set on the standard webpage stopping the inevitable flood of Farmville updates we blocked so long ago. Features still missing include chat, video and the ability to respond to friend requests but with a distinctly faster and tighter experience, it's certainly surpassed the mobile webpage as the best way to access Facebook on the Pre. Can't reach the update button right now? Check our gallery for a few more images or this video demo from PreCentral embedded after the break.

[Thanks, @Isaac]

Gallery: webOS Facebook app 1.1.0

Continue reading Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update

Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourcePalm Developer Center Blog | Email this | Comments
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Nexus One's multitouch confused more easily than Droid's?
Thought all multitouch-capable displays were created equal? Think again -- Android and Me has posted a rather fascinating (if not somewhat depressing) video showing a demo multitouch app created by a game developer who'd grown suspicious after running into all sorts of trouble getting the feature to work the way he wanted on the Nexus One. First up, the Droid handles the demo with aplomb -- two thumbs are recognized smoothly and consistently. Next, though, the Nexus One gets confused after a while and starts registering presses at the wrong corners of the on-screen box formed by the placement of the thumbs. There's always hope that this could be fixed with a firmware bump, but that hope looks to be in jeopardy from language posted by a Google engineer in the official Android dev forums: "...this is how the touch screen hardware on the Nexus One works (which is essentially the same screen as on the G1 and myTouch). The Droid has a sensor from a different manufacturer, with different behavior. Other phones will likewise have different sensors." In other words, Google seems to think that HTC's just using a lower-quality sensor than Motorola is. That's good news for Droid owners, we suppose -- but with game development on Android still something of a non-starter, hardware issues like this keep fragmenting the user base and preventing big-name developers from jumping in and betting on the platform. Follow the break for video proof of the wackiness.

Continue reading Nexus One's multitouch confused more easily than Droid's?

Nexus One's multitouch confused more easily than Droid's? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Central | sourceAndroid and Me | Email this | Comments
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The Engadget app for BlackBerry gets updated to 1.0.1
Hey BlackBerry friends -- we've got some news for you. The Engadget application (which is also available for the iPhone / iPod touch and webOS devices) has gone and gotten itself a little update on RIM's platform. It's nothing crazy, but we've made some bug fixes, and more importantly, added support for 5.0 devices (Bold, Curve, and Tour)! The devs also thoughtfully included keyboard shortcuts (T, B, N, P, and the spacebar) in this version for your convenience. All you have to do to get your hands on this baby is point your phone's browser to our download page, or if you've already got the app installed, it should prompt you for an update automatically next time you open it. Storm users -- we are working on a version for you as well, and everyone who is curious about the Android app: you should see it released this month!

The Engadget app for BlackBerry gets updated to 1.0.1 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS CEO talks tablets, smartbooks and Windows Phone 7 Series phones
Ever wonder about the man behind the insane amount of ASUS products we cover? We do too, which is why we jumped at the chance to sit down with ASUS CEO Jerry Shen here at CeBIT. Our lengthy discussion covered just about everything you can imagine, but we've clipped some of the highlights together for you in the video below. We're particularly taken with his excitement over Windows Phone 7 and his disinterest in the smartbook category. As for that EeePad or future tablet? You'll have to watch to find out...

Continue reading ASUS CEO talks tablets, smartbooks and Windows Phone 7 Series phones

ASUS CEO talks tablets, smartbooks and Windows Phone 7 Series phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ideum unveils new and improved MT-50 multitouch table
Ideum's original MT2 multitouch table was certainly impressive enough for early 2009, but the company already followed it up with an updated MT-50 model in August of last year, and it's just now taken the wraps off some further, fairly significant improvements to that model. It's still a DLP projector-based system with a 50-inch screen, but the PC at the heart of the table has been upgraded to a quad-core rig with GeForce GTX 285 graphics and, just as importantly, the number of points-of-touch has been increased to sixty, making it an even more attractive option for places like museums. As before, the table also boasts a nigh indestructible tempered glass surface, which has definitely been put to the test. See for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading Ideum unveils new and improved MT-50 multitouch table

Ideum unveils new and improved MT-50 multitouch table originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink I4U News | sourceIdeum | Email this | Comments
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ComEd launches pilot solar energy program for 100 customers in Chicago
Chicago utility company ComEd announced earlier this week it will launch a pilot program for 100 of its customers to test out the power of the sun. The program will include the installation of solar panels into 100 homes, and further devices -- such as smarter thermostats which do things like lower during the day when no one's at home, and give out hourly pricing information -- in fifty of those homes. The meters will also have the ability to reward customers who generate excess solar power that can be pumped back into the grid -- because everybody loves being rewarded, right? ComEd will choose the pilot families by mail-in survey, and by factors such as their roofs, and the amount of shading trees there are in their yards.

ComEd launches pilot solar energy program for 100 customers in Chicago originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceChicago Sun Times | Email this | Comments
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Optoma adds HW536 and EX762 DLP projectors to the 3D party
If 3D monitors aren't doing it for you, here are a couple of larger display options -- our lucky pals over at Engadget Chinese witnessed the birth of Optoma's two new 3D projectors in Taiwan yesterday. Pictured on the left is the HW536 cinema DLP projector (NT$36,900 or about US$1,150), which has HDMI input and projects a 1,280 x 800 image at 2,800 lumens with a 3,000:1 contrast ratio. Next up is the EX762 business DLP projector (NT$79,900 or US$2,490) that also sports HDMI input and a network jack, while delivering a 1,024 x 768 resolution at 4,000 lumens and a 3,000:1 contrast ratio. Just to add a tad more burden to your overdraft, each pair of ZD101 shutter glasses -- not bundled with either projectors -- will cost you a further NT$4,000 (US$125), in return offering a wireless range of up to eight meters courtesy of Texas Instruments' non-directional DLP Link technology (so no need to position any external emitters). A couple of close-up photos after the break.

Continue reading Optoma adds HW536 and EX762 DLP projectors to the 3D party

Optoma adds HW536 and EX762 DLP projectors to the 3D party originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oops: TiVo Premiere won't have Comcast On Demand
This TiVo Premiere screenshot with a large Comcast On Demand logo on it certainly set a few hearts aflutter yesterday when it was released from the company, but our dreams have turned into bitter, bitter ashes: TiVo tells us this screenshot is actually just a mockup and not indicative of any actual partnership. And double-oops: that other interesting screenshot with "Friends Recommend" on the Browse screen is also a mockup, meaning our hopes for some social-media integration have also been dashed, at least for now. Oh well. Let's hope our forthcoming Premiere review units can somehow turn these frowns upside-down.

Continue reading Oops: TiVo Premiere won't have Comcast On Demand

Oops: TiVo Premiere won't have Comcast On Demand originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Latest round of LG, Panasonic and Samsung Blu-ray players begin retail invasion
We've already seen Sony's newest Blu-ray players turn up at retail, and it looks like they've now been joined by LG, Panasonic and Samsung's latest offerings. Those include the BD590, BD570 and BD550 from LG, the DMP-BD85 and DMP-BD65 from Panasonic, and a lone BD-C6500 from Samsung, although that's just the first of more to come from the company. No surprises with the prices or specs, but you can check out a slew of in-the-wild shots at the link below, or head down to your local Best Buy (or other retailer) to see if you're able to spot any of them first-hand yourself.

Latest round of LG, Panasonic and Samsung Blu-ray players begin retail invasion originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | sourceZatz Not Funny | Email this | Comments
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Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector
Why hello there, Acer. Not only does this K11 DLP pico projector look sexier than its predecessor, but it's also been given some nice internal enhancements. Starting with display performance: the K11's resolution remains about the same at 858 x 600, but it's twice as bright at 200 lumens (while maintaining the same 20,000-hour lamp life) and has twice as much contrast ratio at 2,000:1. As for connectivity this machine now packs an HDMI socket (along with the usual VGA and composite AV ports) as well as an SDHC card reader and a USB port for opening music, video and picture files. Even with all these extra goodies, the K11's only managed to gain 0.13 pounds (reaching 1.34 pounds) while sporting a smaller body. All we need now is a price, launch date, a few friends and a destination for our road trip. Oh, and some content.

Update: apparently an Acer representative hinted that the K11 will be available for about €500 ($685; translated page shows "$" instead of "€"). Yikes. Anyway, vielen Dank, Felix Fdot!

Continue reading Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector

Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CCLIX: X-Slim X340 KIRFed, MacBook Air empathizes
The secret to a great KIRF is that it represents not just a knock-off but an homage to a beloved product (at least, that's what we tell ourselves when we sit in our workshop, trying to build the first ever shanzhai Grippity). Recently spotted in the stalls of Shenzhen, the above device is reminiscent of the MacBook Air, yes, but more tellingly, the MSI X-Slim X340. This 13-inch (1366 x 768) bad boy features a 1.2GHz Intel ULV processor, 1GB of RAM, up to 250GB of HDD, WiFi and Bluetooth, an SD card slot, three (count 'em!) USB ports, and HDMI out. You can expect to spend about $350 if you ever manage to track 'er down -- or you can just say the hell with it and go back to reading Garfield Minus Garfield. Either way, we support you. Get a closer look after the break.

Continue reading Keepin' it real fake, part CCLIX: X-Slim X340 KIRFed, MacBook Air empathizes

Keepin' it real fake, part CCLIX: X-Slim X340 KIRFed, MacBook Air empathizes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceMIC Gadget | Email this | Comments
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Dell slips out OptiPlex 980 desktop, FX100 Zero Client
Dell may be branching out with exciting new products like the Mini 5, but it still has to keep its base of business users well stocked with nondescript desktops, and it now has a new pair for them in the form of the OptiPlex 980 and FX100 Zero Client. The latter of those is a barebones remote desktop that was previously only offered when bought with Dell's Precision R5400 rack workstation, but it's now available on its own and boasts some added support for VMware View 4.0 with PCoIP for a bit more flexibility. The OptiPlex 980, on the other hand, is a traditional desktop, and is available with Core i5 or i7 processors, optional SSD drives, an optional Dell EcoKit that promises to cut noise by 50%, and your choice of three different chassis options (minitower, desktop or small form factor). Look for it to be available in the "coming weeks," with prices starting at $807.

Dell slips out OptiPlex 980 desktop, FX100 Zero Client originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | sourceMarketWatch | Email this | Comments
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Engadget giveaway: win a huge box of stuff from Josh's office!
Hey, you love winning stuff, and we love giving it away. Joshua Topolsky recently spent part of the weekend cleaning out his office (always a fiasco), and as a result, we've got a huge amount of stuff to give away. So huge, in fact, that we're not even going to tell you what you could potentially win -- just that we've got three large and heavy boxes of stuff to give away to three lucky winners. We will tell you however, that there's some good stuff to be had in there! The usual rules apply (and you can find them after the break), so get commenting and good luck!

Continue reading Engadget giveaway: win a huge box of stuff from Josh's office!

Engadget giveaway: win a huge box of stuff from Josh's office! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear mX-L 15 multimedia laptop available now
It looks like Maingear's mXl-15, the long-awaited little brother to the eXl-15 gaming laptop has finally entered the building. This 15.6-inch laptop packs an Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, ATI Radeon Mobility 4570 512MB graphics, an LED backlit display (your choice of 1355 x 768 or 1600 x 900), up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, eSATA connection, and your choice of HDD or SSD storage, and a multitouch touchpad. Truth be told, the base price of $1,000 is rather fetching -- although "base price" has a way of fading into the distance as you start adding options. Ready to take the leap? Hit that source link to get started.

Continue reading Maingear mX-L 15 multimedia laptop available now

Maingear mX-L 15 multimedia laptop available now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TweakTown | sourceMaingear | Email this | Comments
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Murdoch confirms WSJ coming to iPad, device kept 'under padlock and key'
It only came at the tail end of an announcement of a new New York metro section for The Wall Street Journal, but Rupert Murdoch has finally confirmed that the paper will indeed be heading to the iPad. The really interesting bit, however, is that not only is the company now being allowed to work on an iPad, but that Murdoch says it's kept "under padlock and key," and that "the key is turned by Apple every night" -- a bit of hyperbole, maybe, but then again, maybe not. In other newspapers-going-digital news, Murdoch also said that the WSJ would be heading to half a dozen or more other devices within a year, although he didn't name any specific devices.

Murdoch confirms WSJ coming to iPad, device kept 'under padlock and key' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TUAW | sourceWall Street Journal | Email this | Comments
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HTC is hiring...
"In this position, you will join HTC America, Inc. at one of its most exciting phases."

Note: The job was posted on February 10th -- we just find the coincidence humorous.

HTC is hiring... originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | sourceHTC careers | Email this | Comments
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AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded
AMD has officially announced the successor to its 790GX chipset, and the kids at Hot Hardware have not only put it through its paces but have been kind enough to let us in on their results. Apparently the two 890GX they tested should at least perform "on par" with previous AMD platforms, although the integrated Radeon HD 4290 graphics (performing at a none-too-shabby 700MHz, according to the company) were found to be "superior to any other AMD IGP," even surpassing the performance of Intel's HD Graphics solution in a number of tests. If that ain't enough for you, the Radeon HD 4290 natively supports DirectX 10.1 -- but not DirectX 11. That's what we call "tough love." But that ain't the whole sordid tale, not by a longshot: check out the plethora of links below if you dare, or simply peep the PR after the break.

Continue reading AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded

AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Extreme Tech | sourceHot Hardware | Email this | Comments
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Super Talent debuts SuperCrypt thumbdrives with USB 3.0, 256-bit encryption
Hot on the heels of its USB 3.0 thumb drive the kids at Super Talent have announced the SuperCrypt line of secure portable storage. These devices are available in capacities up to 256GB and offers up to 240 MB/s transfer rates, with your choice of either 128-bit ECB (SuperCrypt) or 256-bit XTS (SuperCrypt Pro) encryption. As for the rest of us, this bad boy is fully backward compatible with USB 2.0, so you'll be able to access Grandma's famous top secret chicken recipe (why else would you own one of these?) on damn near any computer you need to. No word on a price or release date, but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled. In the meantime, feel free to check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Super Talent debuts SuperCrypt thumbdrives with USB 3.0, 256-bit encryption

Super Talent debuts SuperCrypt thumbdrives with USB 3.0, 256-bit encryption originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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مرسلة بواسطة Abdalrhman Albayyat
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