Thursday, January 20, 2011

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 19/01/2011



Compulab fit-PC3 offers dual-core AMD power in a case less than an inch thick
Compulab fit-PC3 offers dual-core AMD power in a case less than an inch thick
Think tablets will kill off the nettop like they're doing with the netbook? Think again -- well, for now, at least. Compulab has released details of its latest little powerhouse, and this one's faster than ever despite being less than an inch thick and about six inches across. Maximum spec sees the insertion of an AMD G-series T56N processor, aka the Fusion Zacate, offering dual cores at 1.6GHz while pulling down 18W TDP, paired with a Radeon HD 6310, the two running cool enough to not need a single fan. (It's the same basic setup found in the HP Pavilion dm1z we recently reviewed.) There's up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, room for a 2.5-inch HDD, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors, a whopping six USB 2.0 ports, and even dual eSATA if you need external storage. No word on price just yet but it's said to be "competitive" compared to its predecessors, like the PC2, which currently costs between $300 and $700 depending on configuration.
Compulab fit-PC3 offers dual-core AMD power in a case less than an inch thick originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceThe Gadget Spot  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Wheego's so-called Whip LiFe delayed, supposedly still coming soon
Wheego
We'd thought the thing were on their way, scoring EPA certification back in December and, in theory, almost ready to roll. Turns out Department of Transportation approval is taking a little longer than anticipated, and so the $32,995, 65mph, 100 mile range cars still aren't fully road legal. The company has indicated it's received 500 orders for the things, orders which it hopes to start shipping by the end of this month. Given how many X's we have on our calendar this month that may prove to be optimistic as well, but still probably more realistic than your chances of getting a Leaf this year.
Wheego's so-called Whip LiFe delayed, supposedly still coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink AutoBlog Green  |  sourceAllCarsElectric  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Nanoscale ropes braid themselves, tiny sailors still needed to tie tiny knots
Nanoscale ropes braid themselves, tiny sailors needed to tie tiny knots
While perhaps not being quite as useful as towels, ropes are might handy things to have. With them you can attach things to other things and, well, that's really their primary use. But what if those things are small? Really small. You need nanoropes of the sort created at the Molecular Foundry, braids that measure just 600 nanometers in diameter. A sheet of paper? About 100,000 nanometers thick. Perhaps even more interesting than their scale is how they were constructed, formed of polypeptoids that self-assemble into the coiling double helix you see above. Possible uses? Right now this is a part of experiments to create more complex nanoscale structures, but we could totally see them being used to, you know, tie tiny things together.
Nanoscale ropes braid themselves, tiny sailors still needed to tie tiny knots originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePhysOrg  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
T-Mobile intros DriveSmart Plus service to block texting while driving, FamilyWhere to track down your kids
The texting-while-driving epidemic is starting to get a lot of carrier attention, and T-Mobile's taking it to the next level today by throwing its weight behind a new subscription-based upgrade to the DriveSmart app that's been available on the LG Optimus T since launch. DriveSmart Plus runs $4.99 a month for all lines on your account (provided the lines are attached to compatible devices) and upgrades the basic DriveSmart app by automatically detecting when your car's in motion -- no need to enable it by hand -- at which point incoming calls are automatically sent to voicemail and incoming text messages are met with an automatic response that the recipient is currently driving. Naturally, there's an emergency override built-in -- but to make sure young drivers aren't abusing it, DriveSmart offers parents the option of being contacted by text or email when it's overridden and can let them monitor overall phone usage through a web interface. The service is only available on the Optimus T initially, but more hardware support is "coming soon."

On a related note, T-Mobile is also introducing FamilyWhere, matching similar services already offered by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint by letting parents see where their young'uns are and set up customized alerts by location and time; it's apparently compatible with "nearly any type" of phone on the T-Mobile network, so you shouldn't need to equip the tykes with superphones just to get this action set up. It runs $9.99 a month and covers all the lines on your account; follow the break for both press releases.Continue reading T-Mobile intros DriveSmart Plus service to block texting while driving, FamilyWhere to track down your kids
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
HP / Palm tablet to feature Touchstone dock, cloud storage, Beats audio and Tap-to-Share smartphone integration
Now that the kitty's out of the gemstone bag, we're slowly starting to connect the dots that obscure the details of Palm's soon to be announced "Topaz" and "Opal" tablets. First up is information from one of our original trusted sources who claims that the Opal will measure 180 x 144 x 13mm (making it a bit shorter and wider than the 190.1 x 120.5 x 12-mm Galaxy Tab) and feature a 1,024 x 768 pixel TFT LCD display. We're told that the bigger Topaz tablet will ship about three months before Opal and measures in at 241 x 190 x 13mm (making it nearly identical to the 242.8 x 189.7 x 13.4-mm iPad) with a pixel resolution that could be the same as the Opal (our source wasn't 100 percent on this). We're also hearing that the "premium audio" we saw on that leaked marketing slide will indeed be powered by HP's Beats audio processing, and that the tablets will be provided with "tens of gigabytes" of cloud storage -- so much that it dwarfs the local storage on the devices. Good, because you're going to need it from the looks of some additional information we just received. Click through for the detail.Continue reading HP / Palm tablet to feature Touchstone dock, cloud storage, Beats audio and Tap-to-Share smartphone integration
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
App review: AirView
We just came across a neat little iOS app called AirView which, as you can probably tell from the name, transforms your iOS devices into AirPlay video receivers. And since iOS can also output video via AirPlay, this means you can use AirView to either grab AirPlay streams from your computer's iTunes, or you can stream videos from one iOS device to another (provided that they are both running iOS 4.2 and above, of course). Theoretically, little work is required to get the ball rolling -- just launch the app, then play your desired video clip from the source, and finally pick your client device using the AirPlay button.

We say theoretically, because it took us awhile to figure out that none of our purchased videos worked, even though AirPlay supports DRM content -- the assumption is that AirView lacks the component for receiving authorization key. Alas, we stuck with our, ahem, homemade videos which actually worked very well over both iTunes-to-iOS and iOS-to-iOS connections, although sometimes we had to relaunch AirView and the iPod app to start a new stream. Perhaps some folks will have better luck than us, so feel free to give this app a go -- it is free, after all. Video demo after the break.Continue reading App review: AirView
App review: AirView originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Wired  |  sourceiTunes  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Kinect support for Windows in the works, SDK release this summer?
WinRumors, citing anonymous sources, reports that the official software developers kit (SDK) for Kinect is currently in the works and will be released in beta some time in the next few months. Apparently, support for the device will become a part of Microsoft's XNA Game Studio and also be integrated into Windows 8 in a big way. These details come hot on the heels of CEO Steve Ballmer's statement at CES that the good folks in Redmond would eventually support the device's use on computers, but he set no timetable for the SDKs release. We can't confirm the story, but given the level of detail in the report and the author's confidence in the info, we won't be surprised if Microsoft gives all you Kinect hackers something to cheer about very soon.
Kinect support for Windows in the works, SDK release this summer? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceWinRumors  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Nintendo 3DS launches detailed, coming to US March 27 for $249.99, Europe on March 25
We've known about the 3DS for what seems like ages but now, finally, we have US launch details, courtesy of dueling press events in New York and Amsterdam. The price for Americans is $249.99 and the release date is March 27, while Europeans will get it a few days earlier, on March 25. European pricing, however, will be decided by retailers, which leaves us feeling a little bit unfulfilled.

Nintendo is promising "30+" games to be available in the US during the launch window, more than 25 in Europe, with that window spanning between the actual launches in March and E3 in June. Sadly we're still in the dark regarding which games exactly will be available when the system drops in March. Many games were discussed, including Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D, Dead or Alive Dimensions, Rabbids 3D, Resident Evil: Revelations, a new Paper Mario, and an obligatory Madden game too. There are plenty more mentioned in PR below. This is in addition to titles we already knew about, like Pilotwings Resort and Kid Icarus: Uprising. We're also told that remakes of classic GameBoy and GameBoy Color titles will be hitting the Virtual Console.

Meanwhile, European gamers are going to be getting a taste of exclusive 3D video content from a variety of partners, most notable being EuroSport, which will be serve up depth-enabled sports footage to portable consoles. We're also told episodes of Shaun the Sheep, a new series from Wallace & Gromit creators Aardman, will be available as well. For now these deals look Europe-only, but here's to hoping American folks will get something similar.

We have European and American press releases embedded below for your reading enjoyment.

Update: HMV has released its pricing in the UK: £229.99, which if you run it through a currency converter equates to over $100 more than an American unit. Of course, that includes VAT, but still... ouch!

Update 2: Courtesy of our chums at Joystiq we have another UK price -- well, it's the same UK price, this time at Game.co.uk. So, it looks like £229.99 is the going rate in the UK, while Europe is looking at €249.99.Continue reading Nintendo 3DS launches detailed, coming to US March 27 for $249.99, Europe on March 25
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Nintendo 3DS gets new friend code system, finds beauty in unification
Ever try to do multiplayer on a DS game? We're really sorry to hear that. It's a mess of lengthy friend codes that does more to discourage online play than enable it. That's going away with the 3DS. At Nintendo's 3DS press event in New York the company announced a new system where there's only a single code, assigned per-console and registered only once. You'll have a single group of friends and, when they pop online in a new game, you'll see them there. No need for multiple multiple lists and, we hope, less of a need for Tylenol.
Nintendo 3DS gets new friend code system, finds beauty in unification originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Live from Nintendo's 3DS preview with Reggie Fils-Aime
We're here live in NYC at Nintendo's 3DS press preview event, where Reggie Fils-Aime is scheduled to give a short presentation to kick things off. We're hoping to learn some pricing and availability details -- and possibly hear a word or two about 3D and the eyesight of younger gamers. After that, it's time to party, right? We'll find out.
Continue reading Live from Nintendo's 3DS preview with Reggie Fils-Aime
Live from Nintendo's 3DS preview with Reggie Fils-Aime originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Fisker Karma now set for production in March, deliveries this spring -- maybe
Fisker Karma now set for production in March, deliveries this spring -- maybe
Still hanging on to your Fisker Karma pre-order slip despite the decidedly sizeable boost in MSRP, up to $95,900? Well, we now have an idea of when you might actually have a chance of getting a car. The most recent estimates we heard indicated deliveries starting in late 2010, but that obviously didn't happen. Now Fisker is indicating that full production is set to begin in March, about two months from now, with people getting their rides "soon after." Initial examples of the car are to be produced in Europe, Finland to be exact, and they'll need the services of a fairly substantial boat to get across the Atlantic before they become available here. But, still, a potential release date just a few months away is a reasonably encouraging thing -- and you can't deny the car is still quite a looker.
Fisker Karma now set for production in March, deliveries this spring -- maybe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePluginCars.com  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
DIY 3D volumetric display / Kinect hack spices up the Fortress of Solitude's kitchenette
Here's another one for the "things we wish we had in our kitchen" file. Taha Bintahir has put together a homebrew 3D volumetric display that can -- you guessed it -- display 3D rendered images in all their free-floating glory. And if that wasn't enough, our man added gesture controls via the Kinect so he doesn't have to circle the object to view the whole thing. According to Hack A Day, Bintahir designed and built the prism itself, rendered the object he wanted to display (in this case the Superman logo) from four different camera angles, and projected the images on the four walls of the prism to create the 3D object in the center. Oh, and he distorted each of the images to match the angle of the prism's walls. Pretty insane, right? Hit the source link for more detail on the project -- but not before you see it in action after the break.
Continue reading DIY 3D volumetric display / Kinect hack spices up the Fortress of Solitude's kitchenette
Permalink Hack A Day  |  sourceInteractive IO and More  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
HP Slate orders still delayed, still blaming 'high volume of orders'
Oh sure, it looks like some glorious Palm / HP Web OS tablets are headed our way (even if we are hearing it won't be until late summer / early fall), but you know what has been supposedly headed our way for over two months now? The HP Slate 500. Yep, HP's seemingly-abandoned Windows 7 tablet is still suffering from major delays, and according to our sources and an HP customer support rep, a "material shortage" combined with a "high volume of orders" are causing these tablets to be held up. We don't have any real details on the numbers -- although, last month we had heard they received about 9,000 orders thus far -- but we do know that our very own HP Slate, which we ordered back on November 9th, still hasn't shipped and is now slated to ship out on January 22nd. And we're definitely not the only ones still patiently waiting -- a look through the TabletPC Review forums reveals that a number of irate customers are still longing for their 8.9-inch, Atom-powered tablets -- although, many of them were offered a $100 discount in exchange for not having their tablets in time for the holidays. We've reached out to HP for further comment on this, but in the meantime, we'll be refreshing our account page and hoping our Slate finally ships out before the end of the month or, you know, at least before HP starts announcing new ones in early February.
HP Slate orders still delayed, still blaming 'high volume of orders' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceTablet PC Review  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Sanyo PLC-WL2503 ultra-short-throw projector does built-in interactivity a tad cheaper
The Sanyo PLC-WL2503 isn't the first whiteboard-less whiteboard solution we've seen -- in fact multi-surface projector interaction dates back at least as far as 2007. As for a projector with built-in interactive capabilities, well, Epson's BrightLink 450Wi has been on the job since last year, albeit at a much higher price: the Epson projector costs $2,200 while this Sanyo comes in at about $500 less. Both tout short-range projection: the BrightLink provides 80-inch displays from two feet, while the PLC-WL2503 requires at least 34 inches to do the same. They pack identical WXGA 1280x800 resolution and 2500 lumens of brightness, and they both use IR pens to communicate with front-facing cameras built into the projector for multi-surface interactivity. Really, the only thing separating these two on paper is price. If the BrightLink is just too rich for your blood, and you can wait a little while longer, the Sanyo PLC-WL2503 can have you writing on walls by the end of January.
Permalink Oh Gizmo!  |  sourceSanyo, Epson  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
MegaReader brings true multitasking to the iPhone, lets you walk and read at the same time (video)
Galaxy S owners will already be familiar with the awesome power of overlaying text on a live view of their phone's camera feed, but now their iPhone counterparts get to join in the fun as well. MegaReader, an e-reading app that's survived the cutthroat App Store waters long enough to reach version 2.1, has just added a "Heads Up Display" feature to its list of attributes. Its function is to make your iPhone appear transparent, which is achieved by relaying camera images of what's behind the phone to its front. A real life saver, a mere gimmick, or a golden opportunity for a hilarious promo video? Why not all three?Continue reading MegaReader brings true multitasking to the iPhone, lets you walk and read at the same time (video)
Permalink   |  sourceMegaReader (iTunes)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
British man convicted for riding Segway on the sidewalk, can't ride on the street either
The United Kingdom's Department for Transportation passed regulations making Segways subject to road traffic laws four and a half years ago, which effectively banned their use on Britain's sidewalks. And now, after years of apparent non-enforcement, UK's Highway Act of 1835 has finally claimed its first Segway-riding victim. An unemployed factory worker was convicted of riding a motor vehicle on a "pavement", which apparently is another word for sidewalk in the Queen's English, and was ordered to pay a total of £340 ($540) when the court found that Segways qualify as motor vehicles under the 176 year-old law. Given that Segways don't meet the safety standards required to be legally used on UK roads, it looks like Brits who own Woz's preferred mode of transport are exclusively limited to tooling around on private property lest they risk similar governmental retribution.
Permalink   |  sourceThe Independent  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
ASUS Eee PC 1015PW 'Sirocco' was not worth the fuss (video)
Egads, ASUS, has it really come to this? The company synonymous with netbooks needs to seriously rethink its product strategy if it believes that its Eee PC "Sirocco" truly deserved a teaser and launch event -- two marketing ploys typically reserved for items of high consumer interest. Turns out that its "making waves" tag line was (as we feared) just a coat of texturized purple, gold, or pink paint applied to the company's otherwise bland 10.1-inch Eee PC 1015PEM netbook that runs Windows 7 Starter on a dual-core Atom N550 CPU. An embarrassing slab of meh in the age of Fusion. Even worse, we already saw the "new" Eee PC 1015PW announced in some official capacity back in October. Apparently, when you offer over 30 models of 10-inch Eee PCs this is the only way to get any attention. Click through for a quick video overview shot behind closed doors at CES by our friends over at NewGadgets. Otherwise hit up Mobile + Notebook who've been burdened with bringing you the live coverage of something that's already happened.Continue reading ASUS Eee PC 1015PW 'Sirocco' was not worth the fuss (video)
ASUS Eee PC 1015PW 'Sirocco' was not worth the fuss (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNewGadgets (YouTube), Mobile + Notebook, (2)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Starbucks lets you pay for that Trenta with the iPhone in your shaking, overcaffeinated hands
Expanding a trial that had already been underway in a few markets, Starbucks is now rolling out its Starbucks Card mobile app nationally with payment capability built-in, meaning you needn't reach into your wallet, pocketbook, or purse just because you're jonesing for that midday caffeine fix. Instead, you can fire up the app -- which supports the iPhone, iPod touch, and a number of BlackBerry models -- and hold up a barcode on the screen to a scanner in the store, at which point monies will be automagically deducted from your Starbucks Card account and transferred back to the mothership in exchange for high-octane brew. The circle of life, as it were. Follow the break for the full press release.Continue reading Starbucks lets you pay for that Trenta with the iPhone in your shaking, overcaffeinated hands
Permalink   |  sourceStarbucks (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
HP's first webOS tablet may start shipping in March, fulfill longstanding promise
Way back in August of last year, when temperatures were above zero and Honeycomb was still a great unknown, HP promised us the first webOS tablet will come "in early 2011." Just yesterday, however, our noteworthy exposure of the vanguard members of the webOS tablet family led us to believe that at least one of them, the Opal, would take until September to arrive. That may still be the case, but DigiTimes is bringing us back around to HP's original pledge, with word that Inventec has received instructions from HP to start producing and shipping a webOS slate (most probably the Topaz) in March. As usual, this comes from the (in)famous insider sources that tend to miss as often as they hit, but it does make sense for HP to follow up its February event with a relatively rapid product rollout.
HP's first webOS tablet may start shipping in March, fulfill longstanding promise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 04:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceDigiTimes  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Nokia puts E7 up for pre-order in Finland, planning on delivering in February
One of the most delicious phones the consumer world hasn't had a chance to taste yet is firming up plans to finally make its way out to retail. Nokia's Finnish store has put the E7 up for a €599 pre-order, which is expected to get the all-business device to your door some time in February. That matches the last word from Nokia on the subject of the E7's release and should reassure anyone who's made use of Amazon's early pre-orders for this handset that the wait won't last much longer.

[Thanks, Esko]
Nokia puts E7 up for pre-order in Finland, planning on delivering in February originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNokia  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Notion Ink Adam ships today
Well, what do you know: Notion Ink just announced that it will begin shipping its FCC and CE certified Adam tablet starting tomorrow today. If you pre-ordered, then you should see your delivery status update soon to the last week of January. That's a lot better than February and much, much better than never which is always the risk when David takes on the Goliaths. Now we'll see how it holds up to real-world usage -- here's hoping for some of that good JooJoo.

P.S. For what it's worth, we're still not seeing the shipping version of Adam -- product NI3421A01 with guarantee code Y2G -- in the FCC database. Anyone else?

[Thanks, Anthony]
Notion Ink Adam ships today originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNotion Ink  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Visualized: the fate of the most ambitious Soviet-era space exploration project
Project Buran was the USSR's answer to NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia. Unlike its highly decorated American counterpart, however, this child of the 1970s produced only one unmanned space flight during its operation and was ignominiously shut down by Russian authorities in 1993. The remains of this most ambitious (and expensive) effort are still around, however, and have now taken on a layer of rust, weeds and general decay that would make any post-apocalyptic set designer swoon with admiration. It's as beautiful as it is sad, this gallery of failed human endeavor, and you can see it in full at the link below.Continue reading Visualized: the fate of the most ambitious Soviet-era space exploration project
Visualized: the fate of the most ambitious Soviet-era space exploration project originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 02:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Reddit  |  sourceWorld Of Mysteries  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Playboy Magazine coming to iPad in its uncensored form in March, including full back catalog
From its very first issue in 1953 to its latest incarnation, the full catalog of Playboy Magazine is coming to the iPad this March. And not only that, it'll be faithful to its original form by arriving to your Apple slate uncensored. Such is the word direct from the man responsible for that first copy, one Mr. Hugh Hefner. Anyone who's followed Apple's App Store rulings and Steve Jobs' forthright comments on the subject of keeping adult material off mobile devices will surely find this a bemusing, if not entirely inconsistent, decision. The details of how this slice of software will be delivered to the iPad (and what restrictions it may come with) will be most intriguing indeed.
Permalink Apple Headlines  |  source@hughhefner (Twitter) (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Samsung's Galaxy S is set for an 'evolution' at MWC in February
That Samsung intends to bring a Galaxy S successor to MWC 2011 was already a known known, but now the company's turning up the hype machine with an update to its Samsung Unpacked website. There, for the pleasure of your eyes and the tickling of your imagination, Sammy has positioned its familiar super-selling Android smartphone alongside a not-too-cryptic message promising that "evolution is fate." We're smelling a cute play on words here, similar to what LG did with its Revolution handset, potentially implying that the next Galaxy flagship will have LTE (Long Term Evolution) connectivity built in. That, along with the promised dual-core chip within, should easily outshine the Infuse 4G (which has HSPA+ and a single-core Hummingbird inside) recently announced for AT&T in the States. We'll get the next dose of our teasing on February 1st, the site promises, before the full unveil in Barcelona on February 13th. Our hearts are all aflutter already.

[Thanks, Patrick]Continue reading Samsung's Galaxy S is set for an 'evolution' at MWC in February
Samsung's Galaxy S is set for an 'evolution' at MWC in February originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink BestBoyZ, Fone Arena, Android Central  |  sourceSamsung Unpacked  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
HTC ThunderBolt will support simultaneous voice and data in LTE areas
At CES, Verizon had mentioned that "some... but not all" of its first LTE handsets would support the simultaneous use of voice and data. That's not news for 3G customers on T-Mobile and AT&T, nor WiMAX customers on Sprint -- but for Verizon subscribers, this is a very novel concept, indeed. Well, we can chalk up the mighty ThunderBolt from HTC as one of the models that'll support it, if leaked training materials for the phone over on Android Central are to be believed. On a related note, the very existence of these materials gives us hope that we'll be seeing it on store shelves before too long; don't get us wrong, the two USB modems Big Red's launched for LTE service so far are all well and good, but we could really use some handsets on these airwaves.
HTC ThunderBolt will support simultaneous voice and data in LTE areas originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Central  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Bloomberg: Sony PSP2 to debut next week, PlayStation Phone at MWC
It's nothing that runs counter to the ongoing whispers we've heard so far, but according to Bloomberg and its pair of sources, Sony Computer Entertainment's Tokyo event on January 27th is indeed the platform from which it'll unveil the next PSP, and next month at Mobile World Congress will be where we finally meet -- officially, that is -- the PlayStation Phone. Next week's press conference will also reportedly "outline a strategy to use its networked entertainment services to share games, movies and music among handheld products, TVs and other devices." Not much else to say at this point, so just sit back, relax, and wait for the other guys to do their presentation, first.
Bloomberg: Sony PSP2 to debut next week, PlayStation Phone at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink @Lessien (Twitter)  |  sourceBloomberg  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Samsung Vibrant 4G for T-Mobile gets FCC clearance?
A new Sammy christened SGH-T959V just passed through the FCC, and we've got a good feeling this is the Vibrant 4G that we know is on its way to Big Magenta before too long. Why's that? Well, most notably, SGH-T959 is the model number for the original Vibrant -- and like the Vibrant, this device has support for AWS, which any T-Mobile 3G / 4G device would need. Furthermore, take one look at that outline up there -- certainly looks like a Galaxy S of some sort, doesn't it? More on this soon, we suspect.
Samsung Vibrant 4G for T-Mobile gets FCC clearance? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Samsung says it isn't charging carriers for Android updates, promises Galaxy S status report
Buying a Samsung Galaxy S sounded like a fantastic decision when Android 2.1 was hot stuff, but now that Gingerbread's out of the oven, Fascinate, Captivate, Vibrant and Epic 4G owners are starting to get a little tired of being stuck behind the curve. And while we can think of at least one fairly nasty reason why Samsung might be delaying, we've been hearing all sorts of conspiracy theories, ranging from holding back Froyo to sell more dedicated Gingerbread phones to making the cellular carriers foot the bill for Android updates for every handset sold or else not get the update at all.

Well, it seems that last rumor's gained a little traction, because Samsung's taken it upon itself to squash the story flat. The company gave Phone Scoop the following statement: "No. Samsung is not charging carriers for Froyo updates to Galaxy S. We hope to have more detail on status shortly. Promise!" At this rate, we're wondering if Samsung should just skip Froyo and just start rolling out some Gingerbread men instead.
Permalink   |  sourcePhone Scoop  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Microsoft releases OneNote app for iPhone, free for a 'limited time'
Well, here's something of a surprise -- Microsoft has just brought its OneNote app to the iPhone, and it's made it available as a free download "for a limited time" to boot. As with the Windows Phone 7 app (previously the only mobile version), the iPhone app will let you manage notes and shopping lists (and even add pictures taken with the iPhone's camera), and then sync those with Windows Live SkyDrive so you can access them in either the Windows desktop application or its web-based counterpart. As ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley notes, however, perhaps just as interesting as the app itself is the question of what else might follow -- a native OneNote app for iPad, perhaps, or even iOS versions of other Office applications? Microsoft unsurprisingly isn't commenting on those possibilities, but it did note that the OneNote app is the culmination of some 18 to 24 months of development from a team of Microsoft Mac Office and OneNote engineers, which is either a sign of some serious slacking or a fairly significant commitment on Microsoft's part. No word on when the "limited" free period will run out (so you'll probably want to grab it while you can), nor is there any world on a worldwide release -- it's currently only available to US users, unfortunately.

[Thanks, Pradeep]
Microsoft releases OneNote app for iPhone, free for a 'limited time' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink ZDNet  |  sourceMicrosoft  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
HTML5 gets a brave new logo for this brave new world
The lynchpin for all discussions of open web standards, HTML5, has been spruced up with a dedicated logo from its parent organization, the W3C. We'd wax poetic about it, but that job has already been done:
"It stands strong and true, resilient and universal as the markup you write. It shines as bright and as bold as the forward-thinking, dedicated web developers you are. It's the standard's standard, a pennant for progress. And it certainly doesn't use tables for layout."
[Thanks, Matt]Continue reading HTML5 gets a brave new logo for this brave new world
HTML5 gets a brave new logo for this brave new world originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceW3C  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Nintendo 3DS may have region-locked software, continue an unfortunate trend
Once upon a time, when handheld game systems were thicker and Nintendo was entirely without peer, the company deigned to allow us to import games without fear. On Game Boy of all shapes and sizes, as well as the Nintendo DS, a Japanese cartridge would let you experience portable wonders years before they hit Europe and the US. Starting in 2008, however, Nintendo made DSi-specific titles region-locked -- and that's the same fate that will likely befall games on Nintendo's new 3D handheld as well. "There is the possibility that Nintendo 3DS software sold in one region will not function properly when running on Nintendo 3DS hardware sold in another," a company statement reads, though it's important to note that region locks are typically a two-party affair -- if game publishers choose to make their stereoscopic software region-free, it might work on your handheld anyhow. So yes, you might still have a chance to get your date sim on.
Nintendo 3DS may have region-locked software, continue an unfortunate trend originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceVG247  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
The (geek) decision: Kinect developer Johnny Chung Lee leaves Microsoft for Google
After spending the last two and a half years helping Microsoft develop Kinect (and spending countless hours hacking Wiimotes before that), the illustrious Johnny Chung Lee has decided to take his talents to Mountain View and work for Google. Mr. Lee didn't say exactly what he'll be doing for Google, but we do know that he's joining a special projects team, and his title is "Rapid Evaluator." It's curious that Johnny has seemingly left his gaming roots to work for the search giant, but regardless we look forward to seeing what he's up to at El Goog and wish him the best in his new job. Here's hoping his new duties won't quell his penchant for at-home tinkering.
The (geek) decision: Kinect developer Johnny Chung Lee leaves Microsoft for Google originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Engadget Japanese  |  sourceProcrastineering  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Apple's invested in a 'very strategic' $3.9b component supply agreement, but what is it?
Here's an interesting little note from Apple's record-breaking Q1 2011 financial sales call: according to CFO Peter Oppenheimer and acting CEO / COO Tim Cook, the company's made a two-year, $3.9 billion deal with three suppliers to secure a "very strategic" component for its products. Cook wouldn't identify what the component was, citing competitive reasons, but he did say the arrangement was much like Apple's famous deals to source iPod flash memory that date back to 2005. According to Tim, "We think that was an absolutely fantastic use of Apple's cash, and we constantly look for more of these, and so in the past several quarters we've identified another area... these payments consist of both prepayments and capital for processes and tooling, and similar to the flash agreement, they're focused in an area that we think is very strategic."

Importantly, Apple paid out $650m under its agreements for this mystery part this past quarter, and it's planning to spend another $1.05b in payments next quarter, so this is already happening in a big way -- and frankly, we're dying to know what it is, since Apple has a long history of squeezing the market for components it wants. Our best guess? High-density displays for the iPhone and iPad -- we've heard some rumors of deals with Toshiba and Sharp, but that's just conjecture, and we don't know who the third vendor is. We're digging, but in the meantime listen to Peter and Tim in the clip after the break.Continue reading Apple's invested in a 'very strategic' $3.9b component supply agreement, but what is it?
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
HP calls us out, implies it's got even better scoops at February webOS event
Look, let's be real: our Palm tablet scoop today was awesome. For its part, though, HP wants to remind us all that it's got other news in the pipe for its event early next month, going so far as to tease invitees that they haven't seen the latest on Engadget.

Not to say that we won't be trying very, very hard to ensure that our readers do see the latest right here... but point taken, HP. See you in a couple weeks.
HP calls us out, implies it's got even better scoops at February webOS event originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Ocean Empire LSV is the self-sufficient superyacht for the super-rich
It looks like your luxury extra-national seafaring utopia just got one step closer to reality. The Ocean Empire Life Support Vessel is a 144-foot Catamaran Superyacht manufactured by Sauter Carbon Offset Design, and it features not only "all of the hotel amenities of a luxury global voyager" but two hydroponic farms and fishing facilities and three sustainable power sources: a 400 square meter 70kw solar array, an auxiliary 80 square meter (200kw) automated SkySail that drives the ship to 18+ knots and charges her battery systems, and a Motion Damping Regeneration (MDR) system developed with Maurer Sohnes Gmbh that can produce up to 50kw of electricity as it steadies the ship on rolling seas. How much will it cost you to take yourself, nine of your closest friends, and a crew of eight to the sea -- and remain there indefinitely? About $17 million. Hit the source link to order a couple for yourself. The vessel is built to order and you can have it ready to go in about eighteen months. At least it's cheaper than Saddam's yacht!
Ocean Empire LSV is the self-sufficient superyacht for the super-rich originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink AutoBlog  |  sourceSauter Carbon Offset Design  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Apple on iPad competition: Windows is 'big and heavy,' next-gen Android tablets are still vapor
Apple's COO (and current Steve Jobs stand-in) Tim Cook thinks "there's not much" competition to the company's iPad tablet. When queried about Apple's view on what the rest of the market offers, Cook was brutally candid in describing Windows-driven machines as generally being big, heavy and expensive, while current generations of Android-based slates are in his opinion merely "scaled-up smartphones." While we agree that Windows 7 isn't a terribly touch-friendly affair, we don't know that Cook's comments on Android are quite so pertinent now that Google's tablet-savvy Honeycomb iteration has been unveiled. Then again, he has something to say about the next generation of Android tablets as well, noting that the ones announced at CES lack pricing and release schedules, leading him to conclude that "today they're vapor." Ouch. As a parting shot, Tim took a moment to reaffirm Apple's belief that its integrated approach will always trump the fragmented nature of Android and its plurality of app stores. Hear his comments in full after the break.Continue reading Apple on iPad competition: Windows is 'big and heavy,' next-gen Android tablets are still vapor
Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
T-Mobile Netherlands starts offering free iPhone unlocks
We know exactly what Canada's Rogers is thinking right now: "c'mon, T-Mobile, you guys are leaving money on the table!" Though Rogers and its Fido subsidiary are charging CAD $50 to unlock an iPhone, T-Mobile's Dutch division is now willing to do it gratis, citing the fact that multiple Dutch carriers now offer the iPhone and they no longer feel the need to keep it SIM-locked. Refreshing attitude, isn't it? As of January 12th, newly-activated iPhones on T-Mobile Netherlands are unlocked automatically; existing customers can call into customer service to get an unlock now, or wait until February for a do-it-yourself method. Of course, the irony is that when a carrier treats you that well, you don't really want to leave -- but this'll be a great option for folks that do a lot of roaming and don't care to go the ultrasn0w route.

[Thanks, Gijs]
T-Mobile Netherlands starts offering free iPhone unlocks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink iPhoneclub  |  source@tmobile_webcare (Twitter) (1), (2), T-Mobile  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Silver Tesla Model S Alpha hits the road, carves some corners (video)
Silver Tesla Model S Alpha hits the road, carves some corners (video)
We've seen it inside and out. We've seen it naked. Now we're seeing it do its thing. Tesla has just released a tasty video of the Alpha version of the Model S carving some corners, and while this isn't the first time we've seen the car in motion this is the best taste of the Alpha we've yet been given. Check out the video after the break and, no, your speakers aren't broken, it is that quiet. Oh, and if you'd like to know more about what's going on under all that chrome and silver make sure you peruse our chat with Chief Engineer Peter Rawlinson.Continue reading Silver Tesla Model S Alpha hits the road, carves some corners (video)
Silver Tesla Model S Alpha hits the road, carves some corners (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceTesla Enthusiasts Blog  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
Apple turns in record Q1: $6b profit on $26.7b revenue, 16.2m iPhones sold
Apple's announcement of Steve Jobs' medical leave just one day before releasing its Q1 financial results struck us as well-planned yesterday, and here we are: if Cupertino's record $6 billion profit on a record $26.7 billion in revenue isn't enough to turn that frown -- and stock slide -- upside down, well, nothing else will. iPhone 4 sales were predictably strong through the holidays, clocking in at a record 16.2m units, or up 86 percent from last year, while Mac sales went up 23 percent to a record 4.13m and iPod sales were stronger than expected at 19.45m, a seven percent decline. As for the iPad, Apple's tablet had its second straight dominant quarter, with record sales of 7.33 million -- some 3 million more than the Mac. Apple's financial call with new acting CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer is scheduled to start at 5PM EST -- check after the break for our usual liveblog while you're listening live on Apple's site.
Continue reading Apple turns in record Q1: $6b profit on $26.7b revenue, 16.2m iPhones sold
Apple turns in record Q1: $6b profit on $26.7b revenue, 16.2m iPhones sold originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceApple earnings call, Apple results  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
White iPhone 4 purportedly turns up in Best Buy's inventory system, launching February 27th?
It's been a long time coming, but it's starting to look like things just might be starting to maybe, possibly line up for the white iPhone 4. We saw some inventory shots from Vodafone Germany ourselves yesterday, and now Mac Rumors has turned up a shot of it own that appears to show both 16GB and 32GB versions of the phone in Best Buy's inventory system in the US. What's more, these listings also show a specific in-stock date of February 27th and, for what it's worth, the model numbers match those that first turned up in Best Buy's system when it was originally taking pre-orders for the difficult-to-manufacture phone. Of course, we still won't be fully satisfied until we start seeing some actual boxes with white iPhones in them, but here's hoping we won't have to wait too much longer for that to happen -- Apple still hasn't pushed back that "spring 2011" date, after all.

[Thanks, Micah ]
Permalink   |  sourceMac Rumors  | Email this | Comments
Read More ...
مرسلة بواسطة Abdalrhman Albayyat
في 10:00 AM
التسميات: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)