Wednesday, November 17, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 11/16/2010



Adobe CEO: Flash battery life depends on hardware acceleration, MacBook Air update in testing right now
Getting a little more oomph out of your MacBook Air after giving Flash the boot? Adobe's Shantanu Narayen stopped just short of saying that's Apple's fault for not handing Adobe a device ahead of time. We asked the CEO what the greater battery life sans flash in Apple's new laptop meant for the platform vis-a-vis HTML5 at the Web 2.0 Summit just a few minutes ago. and he said it's all about optimizing for silicon: "When we have access to hardware acceleration, we've proven that Flash has equal or better performance on every platform." You wouldn't be blamed for thinking that sentence a cop-out, but that's actually not the case -- the chief executive says they've presently got a Macbook Air in the labs and have an optimized beta of Flash for the device presently in testing.
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Mimo announces iMo eye9 USB touchscreen with built-in webcam
Mimo Monitors isn't exactly short on small USB monitors these days, but that hasn't stopped it from rolling out yet another new model: the 9-inch iMo eye9. As with some of the company's recent models, this one is a touchscreen monitor (resistive, as you might expect), but it takes things one step further than the rest by adding a less-than-discreet 1.3 megapixel webcam. Otherwise, you'll get a basic 1,024 x 600 resolution, plus full Mac and PC compatibility, a detachable base that allows for both portrait and landscape viewing, and a built-in stylus that will also double as a stand. Look for this one to start shipping on November 20th, and you can get youpre-order in now for $229.99.
Continue reading Mimo announces iMo eye9 USB touchscreen with built-in webcam
Mimo announces iMo eye9 USB touchscreen with built-in webcam originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPad on sale at some Sam's Club stores, stuffed in between the treehouses and turkeys
If you've never been to a Sam's Club, well you're missing out on a seriously authentic American experience. The sheer quantity of goods should -- and most likely will -- overwhelm you as you cram the largest box of cereal you've ever seen into your shopping cart. Well, the cornucopia of products on offer has apparently been increased by one lately. That's right, it looks like Sam's Club is now selling the Apple iPad, according to several tips sent into 9 to 5 Mac. The pricing doesn't look bad: $488 for a 16GB WiFi-only model and $609 for the 3G model. Hey, you had to pick up a mega pack of tinsel this weekend anyway, right?
Permalink   |  source9 to 5 Mac, Sam's Club  | Email this | Comments
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Viewsonic rolls out 3DV5 pocket camcorder, other gadgets of 2D and 3D varieties
Viewsonic has been touting a whole range of 3D gadgets since IFA this summer, and it's now finally brought a few of them to North America. That includes the $180 3DV5 pocket camcorder, which was already released in Europe and does 720p video along with 5 megapixel stills (in both 3D and 2D), and the also-$180 3DPF8 8-inch digital photo frame, which will let you view 3D videos and photos without the need for 3D glasses. Joining those are the $330 DVP5 pocket camcorder, which isn't 3D but does pack a built-in projector, and the $150 DPF8-CAM Digital Photo Copier, which is actually an 8-inch digital photo frame with a built-in scanner to let you easily convert your snapshots to digital copies. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and hit up the gallery below for a closer look at the whole lot.
Gallery: Viewsonic 3DV5, 3DPF8, DVP5, and DPF8-CAM
Continue reading Viewsonic rolls out 3DV5 pocket camcorder, other gadgets of 2D and 3D varieties
Viewsonic rolls out 3DV5 pocket camcorder, other gadgets of 2D and 3D varieties originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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NVIDIA brings the Fermi-packing Quadro 4000 to the Mac Pro
For most Mac users, upgradeable anything is starting to sound like a distant memory, but Mac Pro users bought that big ol' box for a reason: expandability. Now NVIDIA is here to make it worth their while, releasing the mid-range Quadro 4000 graphics card with that latest / greatest Fermi architecture. With 256 CUDA cores and 2GB of GDDR5 memory, the card should slice through just about anything a pro app (Photoshop, Maya, Snood) can send it, and probably wouldn't mind popping out a FPS session now and then just to stretch the legs. Of course, when we say "mid-range" we aren't talking cheap: NVIDIA's MSRP is $1,199, a good bit more than the card's $700-ish PC-compatible counterpart. It should be available this month.Continue reading NVIDIA brings the Fermi-packing Quadro 4000 to the Mac Pro
NVIDIA brings the Fermi-packing Quadro 4000 to the Mac Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mitsubishi MDT231WG monitor is 23-inches of 120hz gaming goodness and movie magic (video)
Mitsubishi MDT231WG monitor is 23-inches of 120hz gaming goodness and movie magic
Sometimes having a computer monitor and a separate HDTV are just too much for your feng shui to handle, and Mitsubishi is here to enhance your qi with its MDT231WG all-in-one monitor. No, not an all-in-one in that it has a PC built in there, but rather it's intended to serve double-duty as a computer monitor and an HDTV. Its 120hz refresh rate and 5.5ms response time mean it'll keep up with Call of Duty, while its 178-degree viewing angle, 5000:1 contrast ratio IPS panel, and integrated 2.1 channel sound system means it should do a decent job at movie playback. And, with a combined power output for all three speakers of 11 watts you won't even have to worry about waking the neighbors. Right now this is looking like it'll only be hitting the Japanese market and, while Mitsu hasn't announced a price yet, we found one for pre-order at ¥118,000 -- just over $1,400 and a small price to pay for finding your perfect spot.Continue reading Mitsubishi MDT231WG monitor is 23-inches of 120hz gaming goodness and movie magic (video)
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AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announce Isis national mobile commerce network
Just in time for the total economic collapse of Europe and the rise of the cyber-nomadic tribes, the kids at Discover, Barclaycard, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have a name for their mobile phone-based payment system: Isis. Essentially it remains what we heard from Bloomberg a few months back: a system for using an app on your phone to send payments to a POS system using NFC technology. The Isis team thinks it has "the scope and scale necessary to introduce mobile commerce on a broad basis," and we wish them the best. But we know how it all ends anyways: with the lucky among us dead, and the rest of us living in caves, hiding from death-dealing robots, and bartering for what we can't scrounge from the ruins of our once-great cities. PR after the break.
Continue reading AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announce Isis national mobile commerce network
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announce Isis national mobile commerce network originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung cuts Galaxy Tab prices in the UK, still more than AT&T
We've already shared some opinions on why Samsung's Galaxy Tab pricing makes sense stateside -- granted, that was before AT&T announced it would be charging $50 more than every other US carrier. After initially showing up for pre-order in the UK on Carphone Warehouse for £530 ($850) and for a Queen's ransom of £799 ($1280) on Amazon though, we're glad to find The Inquirer reporting that Tab prices on both Amazon and Dixons have dropped to £469 ($738) for a 16GB model with free delivery. Carphone Warehouse has also cut prices down to £489.99 ($784) for the 32GB version. Sure, that may still sound steep to us Yankees, but keep in mind it's now a good bit less than the basic 16GB 3G iPad which currently sells for £529 ($850). Whether these prices will slide even closer to Stateside levels is still obviously anyone's guess, but at this point we're sure those of you in the UK won't have an issue paying less for your tab.
Samsung cuts Galaxy Tab prices in the UK, still more than AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Inquirer  |  sourceAmazon UK, Dixons  | Email this | Comments
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The Beatles show up in iTunes
We're still holding out hope for a cloud-based subscription service to make that full-page teaser on Apple.com seem worthwhile, but it looks like today's unforgettable iTunes announcement will indeed just be the arrival of the Beatles to the store -- the Fab Four's page just went live, about 20 minutes before the official announcement. It looks like the entire catalog is available in a $149 box set complete with iTunes LP content, and there's also a few videos for your enjoyment. We're sure some of you are super-stoked about being able to buy this stuff in yet another format -- and we're glad Steve and Yoko worked it out -- but unless something else happens today we're feeling like we just witnessed a lot of empty hype.

Update: Yep, it's official -- the Beatles are on iTunes. No streaming announcement, no subscription service. Apple's given its entire front page over to a full-size shot of the boys, and as a bonus the "Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964" video will stream for free for the rest of the year. Ringo, can you sum this up for us?
"I am particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes," said Ringo Starr.
You were always our favorite, Rings. PR after the break, along with a screencap of Apple.com for posterity.Continue reading The Beatles show up in iTunes
The Beatles show up in iTunes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry PlayBook and iPad go head-to-head in a browsing showdown
We've only ever seen brief glimpses of the BlackBerry PlayBook in action so far, but a new video posted up by RIM comparing its tablet's web browsing performance to the iPad certainly has us hungry for more. Seriously -- PlayBook pretty much run laps around the iPad while loading pages, and even its Flash performance seems decent, which is a first for a mobile device in our experience. Of course, the video was made by RIM and we're sure the specific pages were picked to make the PlayBook look as good as possible, but that's fair enough -- now if we could just get our hands on one to verify these claims for ourselves, we'd be happy as clams. Video after the break.Continue reading BlackBerry PlayBook and iPad go head-to-head in a browsing showdown
BlackBerry PlayBook and iPad go head-to-head in a browsing showdown originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Evigroup Paddle tablet goes Pro, gets cursor-controlling, head-tracking webcam
Evigroup Paddle tablet goes Pro, gets cursor-controlling, head-tracking webcam
Some day, in the distant future, we'll be activating windows, clicking buttons, and playing Farmville with our minds. Our minds. There have been attempts to get us there, none fully comprehensive, though the Evigroup Paddle Pro tablet is taking an interesting alternative approach: using head tracking to control the cursor. Apparently its front-facing webcam detects your front-facing mug and as you look about the screen it moves the cursor appropriately. Staring rudely at any button or control for a half-second equates to a click and, while we don't yet know how you'll double-click, we'd like to think a spasmodic twitch will be required. Evigroup is also launching a curvy keyboard to go with the Paddle Pro and is promising the ability to play video and audio wirelessly courtesy of a "small station" that connects to your TV. The internals, meanwhile, are perfectly predictable: a netbook spec Atom N450 struggling with Windows 7 Home Premium. No word on price or availability.
Evigroup Paddle tablet goes Pro, gets cursor-controlling, head-tracking webcam originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Slashgear  |  sourceLe blog de Nichola Ruiz  | Email this | Comments
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Nook Color review
It's hard to believe we're already writing a review of the Nook Color, considering Barnes & Noble's first foray into the e-reader world was revealed just over a year ago. In that time, the company has gone from no presence in e-books to owning 20 percent of the marketshare, and now has moved from a somewhat sluggish hybrid E-Ink / LCD device to a full color, tablet-like product. The Nook Color is definitely a major step forward, boasting a completely revamped, Android-based OS, and a big push into the children's book and periodical market (particularly full color magazines). Both of these spaces have yet to be mined successfully by players like Apple and Amazon -- and it's clear Barnes & Noble is aware of the stakes. Beyond book reading, the Nook Color potentially offers a tablet alternative that can (or will be able to) do much of what is possible on an iPad or Galaxy Tab. In fact, the company plans to launch its own Android tablet app store in the first quarter of 2011, providing a consistent, compatible application experience that could get the jump on other Android tablet-makers' plans (hello Samsung). Of course, this is a fierce market, and with a $249 price tag, Barnes & Noble has to play to win on every front. So, is the Nook Color the next logical step in e-readers? Is it a healthy alternative to more expensive tablets? And can it cement the prominent bookseller's place in a hotly contested new space? Read on for all those answers in the full Engadget review!
Gallery: Nook Color review
Continue reading Nook Color review
Nook Color review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Data Robotics's Drobo S storage robot goes USB 3.0, starts at $800
Talk about maintaining a pace. Nearly a year to the day after the introduction of the original Drobo S comes this: the Drobo S. Er, the second generation Drobo S. As you could probably surmise from the title above, the only notable difference in Data Robotics' newest storage robot is the addition of USB 3.0, but the triple interface ensures that eSATA and FireWire 800 users are also taken care of. Of course, USB 2.0 backwards compatibility is inbuilt, and while no theoretical speed figures are given, we're sure it's far quicker than the (now) prior version. It'll be sold starting today directly from the company, but beginning on November 18th, it'll also be featured on HP Small Business Direct. The (empty) base model will go for $799, while $1,299 buys you a five pack of 1TB HDDs, $1,549 gets you five 1.5TB HDDs and $1,799 lands you with five 2TB HDDs. In related news, Drobo Sync is now shipping in order to provide offsite backup to Drobo FS units, and Billy Corgan still enjoys playing with Bluetooth speaker balls while on vacation. Crazy, right?
Data Robotics's Drobo S storage robot goes USB 3.0, starts at $800 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nook Color now shipping to early birds, limited retail
The $249 Nook Color has decided its November 19th shipping date wasn't soon enough so it's jumped ahead of it with pre-order deliveries starting today. Barnes and Noble's Nook-with-a-hook will be cheering those who reserved or pre-ordered it as shipping ramps up through this week, and there'll even be some "very limited" quantities that you'll be able to buy at retail locations like B&N, Best Buy, Walmart, and Books-A-Million stores. All of them should be getting live units for the curious to try out the Nook Color as well. As to the older, less chromatically able Nooks, B&N is promising a firmware update next week. Skip past the break for the full PR.Continue reading Nook Color now shipping to early birds, limited retail
Nook Color now shipping to early birds, limited retail originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung looks to get down with Google TV in 2011
Samsung looks to get down with Google TV in 2011
Sony was the first to shove a Google TV all up in a display with its Internet TV, and now indications are that Samsung will be the second. According to Bloomberg, Sammy is set to announce a new line of HDTVs that will offer integrated Google TV functionality, as was earlier rumored, and while we don't have any more details than that, the use of Intel (presumably Atom) processors is noted -- though that's hardly a shocker. The report indicates that the announcement will be made in January, which just so happens to be when a little electronics show will be taking place in Las Vegas. Coincidence? You make the call.
Samsung looks to get down with Google TV in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nexus S teaser by Eric Schmidt now available on video
Ah, the "unannounced product" that Eric Schmidt brought along for his latest interview -- you want to see more of it, don't you? We know you do, so we've naturally tracked down the full 44-minute marathon chat session between Eric and his Web 2.0 Summit hosts, which thankfully kicks off by delving right into the phone that we know and love under the Nexus S name. Notably, the Google chief never calls it that explicitly, though he takes a moment to stress that in the past he was quoted as saying there'd never be a Nexus Two, not that there'd never be a Nexus successor at all. See the whole thing unfold after the break.

[Thanks, Thomas]Continue reading Nexus S teaser by Eric Schmidt now available on video
Nexus S teaser by Eric Schmidt now available on video originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Mobiflip.de  |  sourceO'Reilly (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
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Exclusive: LG's 4-inch Android phone with dual-core Tegra 2 and 1080p video coming in early 2011
Wow. LG did say it'd bring some heat to its Android Optimus line and here's our first look at it, folks! An 8 megapixel camera-wearing, 1080p video-recording, dual-core superphone to appease all the spec fanatics out there. Aimed for release early next year, as the very first dual-core Android handset, this device will finally bring NVIDIA's Tegra 2 into the smartphone realm. Our tipster tells us it's codenamed Star internally, though that's certain to change in the final product nomenclature. You might think that massive Google logo on the back would imply stock Android and you'd be right -- we're told it'll be a nearly untouched representation of the Google OS, though it's still not clear which version it'll be. We've also spotted a front-facing camera on the front, while the innards include microSD memory expandability, microUSB connectivity, and a 1500mAh battery. Nexus who?
Gallery: Exclusive: LG's 4-inch Android phone with dual-core Tegra 2, 1080p video
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Walmart launches Black Friday barrage early, $69 Blu-ray player, $89 DS Lite
Walmart launches Black Friday barrage early, $69 Blu-ray player, $89 DS LiteSick of waiting outside in the cold on the wee hours of Black Friday, only to get trampled on the way in to the store when the doors open? Walmart has a better solution: they'll open the doors at midnight. Yes, the sales start at the first minute of Black Friday, and the full list is after the break, but to get the really good stuff you'll have to hang around until 5:00am. That's when a Magnavox Blu-ray player (presumably the oft-discounted NB500) will go for $69, with $10 in VUDU credits thrown in for good measure. Or, you can get yourself a Nintendo DS Lite for $89, which is a very solid deal. Sure, it doesn't do 3D, but who says games need depth?Continue reading Walmart launches Black Friday barrage early, $69 Blu-ray player, $89 DS Lite
Walmart launches Black Friday barrage early, $69 Blu-ray player, $89 DS Lite originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 05:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hitachi displays a capacitive screen capable of accepting stylus input (video)
Can someone ring up Lucifer and check that his heating's still working? Hitachi has achieved the unthinkable in bringing together the high precision and input flexibility of resistive touchscreens with the finger friendliness of capacitive panels. It's graced this year's FPD trade show with a new prototype that offers the capacitive functionality we're all used to by now, augmented with the ability to recognize input from a stylus or, perhaps more importantly, gloved hands. We're sure we can hear the sound of cheering coming from the chilly shores of Scandinavia right now. If all goes well, Hitachi should be able to bring them (and you, and the rest of the world) this finger-saving innovation at some point in late 2011, after production gets going in the second half of that year. Video demonstration after the break.Continue reading Hitachi displays a capacitive screen capable of accepting stylus input (video)
Hitachi displays a capacitive screen capable of accepting stylus input (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 05:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dell Inspiron Duo tablet could be with us next week
Alright, we know AMD's busy showing off its Atom killer, but there's still a little life left in Intel's netbook stalwart, which has been harnessed to its fullest in Dell's screen-flipping Duo tablet / netbook. And the good news is that we apparently won't have to wait too long to see that zany concoction out in the real world. Well placed sources have informed CNET that Dell intends to release the Inspiron Duo at some point next week, potentially on November 23rd, while pre-sale information should be dished out later this week, alongside Microsoft's announcement of a new store opening. Things are moving along nice and swiftly, it would seem.

Update: And just to fan those flames of desire a little more, the Duo has shown up in Microsoft's latest cloud computing advert. See it after the break.
Continue reading Dell Inspiron Duo tablet could be with us next week
Dell Inspiron Duo tablet could be with us next week originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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AMD's Bobcat APU benchmarked: the age of the Atom is at an end
So small, and yet potentially so disruptive. AMD's 1.6GHz Zacate chip, bearing a pair of Bobcat modules, has been taken off the leash today, resulting in a torrent of benchmarks pouring down onto the internet. While perusing the sources below, you might think to yourself that it's not exactly a world beater, sitting somewhere in the middle of the pack on most tests, but compare it to Intel's dual-core Atom D510 -- its most immediate competition in the target sub-$500 laptop price range -- and you'll find a thoroughgoing whooping in progress. The highlight of these new Fusion APUs is that they integrate graphics processing within the CPU chip, and Zacate didn't disappoint on that front either, with marked improvements over anything else available in its class. The resulting chips might still not have quite enough grunt to earn a place in your daily workhorse mobile computer, but their power efficiency and netbook-level pricing goals sure do look delightful. Or dangerous, if you're Intel.

Read - AnandTech
Read - Tech Report
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Hot Hardware
Read - Legit Reviews
AMD's Bobcat APU benchmarked: the age of the Atom is at an end originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 03:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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People of Lava launches Scandinavia Android TV, melts home theater hearts and wallets
After teasing us with its cool hardware and even cooler name last spring, Swedish TV maker People of Lava has now launched what it claims is the world's first Android-powered TV -- that is if you don't count Korea's Smartroi TV running Android 1.5. Its top-of-the-line 55-inch models cost a wallet-singeing 40,000 Swedish Krona (or roughly $5,820) and ship with Android 1.5 along with widgets for Google Chrome, Facebook, YouTube and Google Maps. They also have access to an app store which currently only includes 20 titles, but could grow to more than 1,000 by the end of the year -- since according to marketing director Martin Ljunggren, the store should import any app now in the Android Market that's scalable to a TV screen. That's a feat we're curious to see given Android's difficultly scaling apps even to tablet screens -- but hey, what do we know? In terms of sales, People of Lava hopes to move $29 million dollars worth of Scandinavia units in 2011, in both Sweden and niche US and UK markets. Overall that's great news for the tech savvy well-to-do, but considering Mountain Vew's focus on Google TV, we're not sure how long these Android TVs will be around.
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Olympus E-PL1S is a slightly improved PEN, world's lightest with interchangeable lenses
It's not much of an update, but how much could Olympus really throw at the 12.3 megapixel E-PL1 if it hoped to maintain the title of the world's lightest interchangeable lens camera? The new E-PL1S Micro Four Thirds shooter features an ISO bump from 3200 to ISO6400 and new BLS-5 battery that complies with a new rechargeable lithium-ion safety standard. Combined, the kit weighs just just 454 grams (342 grams for the body) when bundled with a 112 gram M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II lens -- a weight that includes the battery and SDCH memory card. Look for the two to flutter onto retail shelves in April in choice of red, white, or black (with silver lenses) for about ¥60,000 ($723) or ¥80,000 ($964) with a M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm F4-5.6 lens.
Gallery: Olympus E-PL1S is a slightly improved PEN, world's lightest with interchangeable lenses
Permalink Akihabara News  |  sourceImpress  | Email this | Comments
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Sprint's Palm Pre marked for End of Life?
We don't quite know how to break it to you, but if PreCentral sources are correct, Palm's hit a very interesting landmark: its comeback device, the Pre for Sprint, has reportedly reached End of Life (EOL). Warehouse quantities are said to be limited, and after that... well... have fun scouring eBay. Or better yet, maybe consider another carrier for the Plus model or even a full-blown sequel; we can't imagine the original Pixi's gonna cool your cravings. It's been a wild ride since that June 5th, 2009 launch, eh?
Sprint's Palm Pre marked for End of Life? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Altec Lansing's Octiv Stage iPad speaker dock is delightfully understated
Better late than never, right? That's the mantra that Altec Lansing is following with the introduction of the Octiv Stage. It's certainly not the first iPad-specific sound system on the market, but it's definitely one of the least invasive. Color us crazy, but we're thinking this subtle guy could actually sneak away in a rear corner of your home without drawing unnecessary amounts of attention to it, and we get the feeling that's exactly what Altec's after. Designed to operate in both portrait and landscape modes (courtesy of a rotating connection arm), this here dock can also tilt back and forward to give you lots of viewing angles. It's out today for a somewhat understandable $149.95, and just in case your long lost cousin busts out a Zune, the 3.5mm auxiliary jack will ensure that no one's made to feel ashamed. No promises on that last one, though.
Gallery: Altec Lansing Octiv Stage iPad speaker dock
Continue reading Altec Lansing's Octiv Stage iPad speaker dock is delightfully understated
Altec Lansing's Octiv Stage iPad speaker dock is delightfully understated originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GE buying 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, nearly half to be Chevy Volts
GE buying 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, half of those to be Chevy Volts
The General needs a new ride, and he doesn't roll light. GE has announced a plan to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles worldwide by 2015, starting with a grab of 12,000 Chevy Volts, the car we recently got very comfortable with. As we've learned that model is hardly an EV in a pure sense of the term, but it certainly offers the flexibility that a fleet like this will need while the infrastructure required to support your Leafs and the like is built up -- an infrastructure which, by the way, GE is pledging to help develop as well.Continue reading GE buying 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, nearly half to be Chevy Volts
GE buying 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, nearly half to be Chevy Volts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Confirmed: Intel Sandy Bridge or 'second generation Core processors' to be introduced at CES
We can't say this one is much of a surprise considering we've heard multiple times that Intel was planning to launch its next generation of Sandy Bridge processors in early 2011, but Chipzilla just confirmed that it will indeed be launching those "second generation Intel Core processors" at its CES press conference on January 5th. The details in the invite are few and far between, though apparently our favorite Intel exec Mooly Eden will take the stage to show off the "world's fastest processor" as well as technologies that "enhance visual life." Our guess is that we will also hear a number of Sandy Bridge system announcements from major laptop and desktop manufacturers at the show. Of course, we're also hoping to hear some solid Oak Trail / tablet news and more details about LightPeak at the presser, but there's one thing you can count on... us liveblogging our hearts out!
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Source London: network of 1,300 charging stations coming by end of 2013
London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced a plan to create a city-wide electric vehicle network dubbed Source London. It calls for 1,300 public-use charging stations to be installed by the end of 2013 - assuming the Mayan's weren't right about 2012. Any driver who registered for the network and paid an estimated annual membership fee of £100 (roughly $160 at the current exchange rate) could juice their EVs across all of the stations. For perspective, keep in mind that the city already has 250-plus stations with 16,729 electric vehicles and hybrids registered, of which only 2,100 draw power by being plugged in. That implies if the plan is completed, drivers would technically have better odds of finding a charging station than a gas pump in the city. Combined with Johnson's schemes to provide cell coverage in the tube and city-wide WiFi, it's also yet another example of how jolly old London is prepping for the future in between bites of scones and episodes of Top Gear. To learn more about the project, make sure to check out the source link below.
Source London: network of 1,300 charging stations coming by end of 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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CHIP-8 emulation comes to Half-Life 2, you can finally retire your Telmac 1800 (video)
We've seen quite a few programming projects lately, from CPUs built in the world of Minecraft to a full-blown Game Boy emulator in JavaScript. And now? Wiremod forum member Techni has taken the CHIP-8 virtual machine and got it up 'n running in the Garry's Mod sandbox for the Source game engine. Sure, CHIP-8 has been around since the 70s, and since it's small and easy to program it has a following that persists to this day -- but that said, we never expected to see it running Space Invaders from inside a game of Half-Life 2, in all its 8-bit glory. That's what we call progress! Or at least a satisfying hack. See it in action for yourself after the break.

[Thanks, Jason]Continue reading CHIP-8 emulation comes to Half-Life 2, you can finally retire your Telmac 1800 (video)
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RIM pulls Kik Messenger from App World, cites 'number of issues and customer concerns'
Kik Messenger -- the real-time mobile messaging service that's seemingly taken the world by storm over the past couple weeks -- has been pulled from RIM's App World, making it a bit trickier for BlackBerry users to get hold of the app. It's easy to formulate conspiracy theories here considering that Kik might provide the single most legitimate cross-platform threat to BBM at the moment, and frankly, RIM hasn't actually said much with its official statement on the matter:
"RIM became aware of a number of issues and customer concerns regarding the Kik app and service and, following discussions with Kik, the app was removed from BlackBerry App World. RIM is actively reviewing the issues and potential resolutions, and is also continuing its discussions with Kik."
To be fair, Kik's contact farming -- a big contributor to its exponential growth -- is a totally valid privacy concern and probably plays a big role in RIM's decision here... but for the moment, we're only left to wonder. The company says it'll let us know "when further information is available," so we'll be sure to pass it on.
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The Nexus S: a closer look
Google CEO Eric Schmidt showed the world the Nexus S from a distance just a little while ago, but we knew you'd want more, and so we managed to convince the man to show us the device in person just a few minutes ago. What should you know about the heir apparent to the Nexus One? Well, it's exceptionally thin -- we weren't able to compare, but we'd say it's at least comparable with an iPhone 4 if not slimmer still -- and it's thinner in the middle than at either end, giving it a mildly concave profile. There's a glossy plastic bezel up front housing an AMOLED screen, a pair of discrete volume buttons on the left side, and a black plastic back (textured similarly to the BlackBerry Bold, though patchier) which seemed too roughly manufactured to be anything but a prototype. We saw the handset for all of three seconds and weren't able to snap a single picture nor touch it for ourselves, but as Schmidt walked away he left us with one last lingering look at Gingerbread -- the screen shutting off. When he pressed the power button, the image winked out like an old CRT TV, an animation which you'll see a carbon copy of right after the break.
Gallery: Eric Schmidt shows off a Nexus S at the Web 2.0 summit
Continue reading The Nexus S: a closer look
The Nexus S: a closer look originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft sold one million Kinect sensors in 10 days, will be watching you sleep for a lifetime
Now that Microsoft's real motivations for building the Kinect are crystal clear, it's impossible not to find a sinister tone in Microsoft's latest press release: a proud proclamation of one million Kinects sold worldwide in 10 days. Microsoft says it's on pace to sell a previously projected five million sensors by year's end, but reading in between the lines we're positive they're implying some sort of nefarious partnership with the TSA to ruin your holiday travel plans. You heard it here first, folks. On the Kinect vs. Move front, comparisons are a little difficult because Sony's numbers (around 3 million worldwide as of last month) were of "shipped" units, not "sold." We'll see who the real winner is after the holidays are over and the dust settles, but for now we wish all three motion-sensing consoles the best of luck. You know, except for the two we don't own because they suck.Continue reading Microsoft sold one million Kinect sensors in 10 days, will be watching you sleep for a lifetime
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Eric Schmidt: Chrome OS aimed at keyboard based solutions, Android optimized for touch
We'll be the first to admit that we've been slightly confused about where Google's Chrome OS will fit in with Android becoming the OS of choice for tablet manufacturers, so naturally we took the opportunity to ask Google CEO Eric Schmidt about the two operating systems while he was on stage at the Web 2.0 summit. Schmidt confirmed that Chrome OS will officially be out in the next few months in Intel and ARM-powered netbooks while also adding that the OS was primarily "designed around something with a keyboard." Of course, that doesn't mean Chrome OS couldn't pop up on tablets -- he added that because it's open source anything can happen, but he definitely stressed that Chrome is meant for clamshell devices with keyboards and Android tailored for those with touchscreens. Sounds good to us Schmidt, now we'll just be needing the details on those Chrome-books...
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App Review: NetFront Life Browser for Android
This is no photoshop -- it really is an Android browser that lets you tilt web pages, but there's more than meets the eye. The folks at Access have just launched this free NetFront Life Browser, which packs a few interesting features that caught our attention. Let's hold hands and walk through them together. Upon launching the app for the first time, we were taken to a "unified navigation" landing page that consists of two sections: the top half displays live thumbnails of opened windows, and swiping left or right gives you a smooth 3D transition between them; whereas the bottom half shows you stacks of pages à la Apple Time Machine for history, bookmarks, and scrapbooks. Speaking of which, the scrapbook feature is also one of the main -- and probably the funnest -- highlights here: this is where you can store virtual cut-outs using the scissors tool at the bottom right of the browser, thus creating pictorial bookmarks. If you want to mark something specific on a page, then you can use the checkmarking tool -- located right next to the scissors -- to do so, but bear in mind that the marks will disappear if you close the page's window (so it's fine as long as you keep it in the background).
Gallery: App Review: NetFront Life Browser for Android
Continue reading App Review: NetFront Life Browser for Android
App Review: NetFront Life Browser for Android originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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WSJ: Apple bringing Beatles to iTunes after a seven year wait
It's not like The Beatles are lacking in legacy and cultural saturation, but we have to lament the generation of kids that have yet to hear the Fab Four in album form -- at least, in legally-obtained album form -- thanks to the group's conspicuous absence from the largest music retailer in the US . Now, a mere seven and a half years after Apple launched the iTunes store, with countless hopeful rumors in-between, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that The Beatles catalog is a lock for tomorrow's iTunes announcement. This is according to WSJ's "people familiar with the matter," and matches with what Billboard calls "the best bet" from what it's managed to scrounge up. Even with such an imminent announcement, WSJ's sources warn that plans could change at the last minute, and that the talks between Apple, Beatles reps, and EMI were taking place as recently as last week. Still, we just have to believe this is going to happen, cross our fingers, and wear our lucky socks tomorrow -- because really, who wants to wait another seven years?
WSJ: Apple bringing Beatles to iTunes after a seven year wait originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Eric Schmidt shows off a Nexus S at the Web 2.0 summit, says Gingerbread coming in 'next few weeks'
We had a feeling Eric Schmidt would be doing something surprising at the Web 2.0 summit, and the man didn't disappoint -- he just showed off the Nexus S running on T-Mobile, and revealed it has NFC features, a technology he thinks will eventually replace credit cards. Unfortunately, he also called it an "unannounced phone" from an "announced manufacturer," and the logo was taped over, so we're not any closer to a release date here.

Update: We've added some more pics to the gallery, including some close-ups that show the carrier is indeed T-Mo. We'll let you know if Schmidt drops any more details on this thing.

Update 2: Schmidt said Gingerbread would be out in the "next few weeks," so we're assuming this bad boy will come along with it.

Gallery: Eric Schmidt shows off a Nexus S at the Web 2.0 summit

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Android 2.2 update starts rolling out to unlocked Dell Streaks, includes Stage UI
We've pretty much been waiting on the Dell Streak's Android 2.2 update for as long as the 5-inch tablet / phone has been on the market, and it looks like the time has finally come... well, at least for owners of unlocked Streaks. Word is that Dell has started to push out its over-the-air Froyo update to unlocked Streaks; those that purchased devices locked to a carrier will see the update hit those 5-inch screens sometime in December. (Note: Streaksmart also reports that Dell will start selling an unlocked Streak in the US with Froyo preloaded in the next couple of weeks.) There are details on the entire upgrade process at the source link below, but just as we'd heard, the update includes Dell's new Stage UI, which we've been told will eventually be included as a software layer on all of Dell's consumer devices. We got a chance to see the interface a few weeks ago, and have to say the widget-based UI looks really slick. Those who prefer their Android untouched will be happy to know you can turn off the layer. We'll be doing an in-depth preview of the updated software once it hits our AT&T and O2 Streaks, but until then you can check out a few pictures of the new Froyo goodness below.
Gallery: Dell Streak with Android 2.2 / Stage UI
Android 2.2 update starts rolling out to unlocked Dell Streaks, includes Stage UI originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft accounting shuffling resulted in higher revenues for Windows division
Microsoft's Windows division has been on something of a roll recently, but a deeper look into the company's financials seems to indicate that the reported numbers might look better than reality. Information Week has done some deep digging into Microsoft's recent SEC filings and found that several bookkeeping changes resulted in significantly increased reportings of revenues in the company's Windows division. Revenues that had been assigned in previous quarters to other divisions within the company -- mostly the Entertainment and Devices unit which includes highly successful businesses such as Xbox -- were, in this past quarter, re-assigned to the Windows operating system division.

So just how much money was moved? Well, according to Information Week and the relevant SEC filings statements, about $259 million, or a boost of 6.5% in revenue to the division overall for a total of $4.24 billion rather than the $3.98 billion originally stated for Q1 2010. This also resulted in a 25% reduction in revenue for EDD, while the total -- $12.92 billion -- stayed exactly the same. Of course, all these bookkeeping maneuvers mean that Redmond's Windows division looked like it was making a decent amount more cash than it actually was, and when taking into account another complex move -- that of deferring $1.5 billion in upgrade revenues from Windows Vista machines sold in Q4 2009 to Windows 7 in Q1 2010 -- the resulting picture is a bit different than it would appear on the surface. Ultimately, it looks like Microsoft raked in an 11% increase in Windows revenue rather than the 66% reported, when removing both the bookkeeping changes from other units and the upgrade deferrals. Of course, this is all apparently technically on the up-and-up, in terms of financial reporting is concerned, but it does give some insight into the stunning profits recorded in the Windows division as of late.
Microsoft accounting shuffling resulted in higher revenues for Windows division originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ASUS Eee Tablet to be renamed, will head to market in early 2011
You remember that ASUS Eee Tablet that was unveiled back at Computex in June, right? Of course you do, it looked like a pretty great e-reader / note-taking gadget, but oddly we haven't heard a peep about it since. Obviously, the "tablet" with its 2,450 dpi touchscreen sensitivity and quick 0.1 second page turns missed its September release date, however, according to ASUS it's still kicking and is being renamed -- we hear Digital Note and Eee Note are potential choices. So, when will you finally be able to take notes on its 8-inch 1024 x 768 pixel panel? ASUS tells us that it will be demoed at CES and officially launched in the first quarter of 2011 -- although, it may be available in Europe slightly earlier depending on local content partnerships. No confirmation on that "under $599" price we had heard whispers of, but here's hoping we hear a bit more on this one before we touch down in Vegas.
ASUS Eee Tablet to be renamed, will head to market in early 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony Ericsson LiveView now available in Europe; if you had a LiveView, you'd know that already
Look, the future is in hyper-informed wrist accessories. If you don't know that by now, what do you know? Not that, assuredly. Sony Ericsson's Android-augmenting, Bluetooth-tethered LiveView accessory is now available in some European countries, including some fan faves like the UK, Germany, and France. Prices seem to vary from country to country, with a UK version going for £48.97 (about $79 US), France getting a €59 shot at it (about $80 US), and Germany swooping in with an über-low €42 tag (about $57 US). All three disparate prices seem a small amount to pay to place the future on your wrist / other clippable surface, but maybe that's just us.

[Thanks, Jason]
Permalink Unofficial Xperia X10 Blog  |  sourceEurodroid, FrAndroid  | Email this | Comments
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