The Daily tech news : iphone, ipad, itunes, usb, others April 19th 2010

Pleessages in the future. SlashGear The Daily tech news: April 19th 2010 April 19, 2010 at 11:51 PM Did you make 1t through your weekend all right? W3 certainly hope so, because we're glad you could make it here tonight for the newest Daily Slash. Tonight, in the Best of R3, we've got a Motorola flip phone that runs Android, the iPad's g0t two different ways to find out if you dunked it in water, and finally a phone that's become a reality. < > And then, in the dredge 'net, we have a chandelier made of OLED panels, a suspended transit train, and then presumably more bad news for Palm. The Best of R3 Media Motorola Gets a Handset Leaked, Too: The leaks just keep on coming, don't they? This time around, it comes in the guise of a Motorola handset running a version of the Android mobile Operating System. From the looks of it, it's running MOTOBLUR, that skin that the company created, and that's about it for the details. Other than that, we know that there's a plastic flip cover over the screen, which could have some touch-based technology in it. It's apparently still a prototype, so it might be awhile before we get to see this in an official capacity. [via Android Community] The iPad's Got Two LS Indicators: The Liquid Submersion Indicators have been in practice for some time. In fact, they're pretty much a mainstay when it comes to cell phones. A little dot, that if it turns pink, can pretty much ruin your chances of getting a phone replaced through warranty. Well, Apple deemed it necessary to implant two of the little buggers in their tablet device: one in the 3.5mm audio jack, and one next to the pins in the 30-pin dock connector. So, don't get your iPad anywhere near moisture, yeah? [via Everything iPad] Samsung Reality Gets Really Real: Not that it's been a long time coming, but the next American-based Samsung device is launching on Verizon Wireless on April 22nd. It's got a pretty cheap price tag, coming in at $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, but it's definitely a featurephone. It's got a landscape QWERTY keyboard that slides out, so it's got that going for it. Also, a 3.2-inch touchscreen for good measure. [via SlashPhone] The Dredge Net Chandelier Consists of 9 OLED Panels: You know you're in the future when something as ridiculous as a chandelier is changing. That's exactly what German designer Ingo Maurer has done here, as he introduces his Double-C Future OLED Chandelier. There isn't any other adorning features to this glorious piece of tech: just nine panels of OLED-goodness, that look remarkably like some kind of item from a science fiction picture. And, unfortunately, there's no price to go along with the image above, but we'll look forward to find out what it is eventually (we hope). [via DVICE] Electromagnet Suspended Train: There's something about going through your urban jungle in a floating train, isn't there? This time around, it's a train that runs on electromagnetic rails, and is crafted from transparent polycarbonate. This suspended train has all sorts of features (as a concept render should): wind turbines at the top of the towers to power traffic lights; solar powers on top of the train cars themselves; WiFi inside the cars; OLED panels; and information boards throughout. A perfect combination of technology, if you ask us. Now, let's make this happen, yes? [via Yanko Design] RadioShack Pulls the Sprint Pre and Pixi From Shelves: Despite our best wishes, the news about Palm's devices just doesn't get any better. However, there might be a glimmer of hope in this one. As it stands right now, it looks like RadioShack's a11 across the country have begun pulling the Sprint version of the Palm Pre and Pixi from their shelves. Now, according to RadioShack, this is just part of their natural progression of devices — and, yes, we believe them. However, the bad part is the fact that these are the only two Sprint, webOS devices Palm has. So . . . Well, that's just one more retailer not providing money to Palm. [via Phone Scoop] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Xbox 360 USB storage update arrives today AT&T Employees Blocked From Vacationing in June HTC EVO 4G Makes an Appearance in Sprint Inventory System SlashGear Guns N' Roses feud reportedly turns nasty HTC Hero Android 2.1 update from April 4th? Apple iPhone HD: How !t Leaked to the World April 19, 2010 at 9:06 PM There's no room for errors when you're working f0r a company — a giant, like Apple. We all understand that. It's been known for many years, and it's only grown 1n intensity since the launch of the iPhone in 2007. Apple keeps their secrets, their everything close to the vest, and they've got the protocols to make sure that what they're working on stays under lock and chain until they're ready to announce it to the world. But, leaks happen. Unfortunately, for one individual, they just so happen to be the source of the biggest leak in recent memory. It happened one month ago. March 18th, to be exact. One Apple employee was sitting in a bar called Gourmet Haus Staudt, which is located in Redwood City, California, enjoying his night out. Little to everyone in the bar's knowledge, this individual was actually giving a certain product real world testing. That particular device happened to be the iPhone HD, which made huge waves over this last weekend. Unfortunately for this Apple employee, who happens to be an Apple Software Engineer working on the iPhone's baseband software, it's too late to come back. Sure enough, as we reported earlier this morning, Gizmodo managed to get their hands on this brand new, never before seen next-generation iPhone. They subsequently played with it, and then ultimately disassembled it, before they finally came to the ultimate conclusion that the object they had was, indeed, the next iPhone. And now, the individual is one of the most widely spread names on the Internet, and there's plenty of speculation about what's going to happen to their career, in light of this little mishap. (And by little, we recognize that this is a huge ordeal for the Cupertino-based company.) There's still a few questions that need to be answered, and we're simply waiting for those to be addressed. As it stands right now, it seems that those at Gizmodo are working on returning the prototype they've come to attain to the "rightful owner," so we'll see what happens. Of course, there's only one "rightful owner," and we all know who that is. In the end, there's just one simple truth: mistakes happen. But, when it involves a major company like Apple, the ramifications are severe for not only those responsible, but for the company that has to deal with what comes next. [via Gizmodo] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Apple sends out final iPhone email before launch iPhone nano leaked by silicone case render? Apple iPhone HD Back Cover Supposedly Leaked Apple iPho! ne OS 4.0 Introduces Unified Inbox You'll only be able to get one iPhone from AT&T, but Apple will let you have two SlashGear Hits a iTunes App Store April 19, 2010 at 8:16 PM Today marks a glorious day for SlashGear. As 0f about 7PM Eastern, the official SlashGear application has been available for download to your favorite i-device, courtesy of Apple's iTunes App Store. It's a great way to stay abreast of all the up-to-the-minute updates, read the latest columns, and check out reviews of that next big purchase you're planning to make while you're staring at it in the store. The application itself measures in at 2.3MB, and right now (for the obvious reasons), it's currently at version 1.0.0. And you get all that goodness for free, of course. Other goodies include watching streaming videos of our latest reviews, unboxings, hands-on time, and press events. You can also bookmark articles for your offline perusal at a later date. The best part, though, is that everything is updated in real-time, which includes Features, Reviews s, and Columns. We're also happy to include intelligent caching, so that your new SlashGear application downloads only new and updated content, but we also threw in a refresh button just in case you can't wait (we understand wholeheartedly). But, just as a friendly reminder, you can't get all those goodies if you don't have a network connection/access, so keep that in mind. The application is compatible with the iPod Touch and iPhone, and it requires that your iPhone OS be 3.1 or later. So, go download! And remember, rating is caring. [via iTunes] Relevant Entries on SlashGear iTunes store is being updated! Apple hits 10 billion downloads with iTunes, still going strong iTunes 7 DRM Cracked iTunes WiFi Music Store Apple counting down to 1 Billion Apps, Win $10k iTunes card, other prizes Glass USB Drive Shows Y0ur Data in Lights April 19, 2010 at 4:37 PM One of the worst things about having all these USB drives, !s the fact that you can easily forget what's on one of them, thinking that it's on another. It's a terrible life to life, we tell you. So, what we want, is a USB drive that will tell us what's on the memory stick well before we put it into our computer. Yeah, that's the dream. And, thanks to Mac Funamizu, we've got a concept that works great for us. And yes, we can live vicariously through a concept. This concept, for example, is called USB Memory Stick #6, and we're in love with it. As the title of the article suggests, the USB drive is made of glass, and the whole idea revolves around colored lights that are housed inside the body of the drive. As you put items on your USB stick, the lights would activate to tell you what's on the drive. For example: blue lights for documents, pink lights for images, and green lights for movies. And, the more you put on your drive, the more the lights would populate through the glass body. As you can see from the rendered images, depending on how much stuff you've got saved on your USB Memory Stick #6, the thing can get pretty bright. Seeing as it's just a rendered concept right now, there's no word on what kind of sizes would be supported by the memory stick. And, we'd be willing to bet that if this ever did get to production, it'd be worth a pretty penny (or two, or three). [via Core 77] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Ted Lights made out of old teacups Rock Gear HexoLight adds extra geekiness to music games TwinMos Mobile Disk P1 – bright and shiny with blinking lights Spa Lights take over your bathroom Memlite – The first hybrid lighter/USB drive Apple iPhone HD to Use Custom Processor April 19, 2010 at 4:16 PM It's been hinted at before, and it's one 0f the least surprising things to be rumored so far, but it's still just a rumor right now, and it's about the iPhone HD. Sure enough, the rumors aren't going to slow down before that mysterious date in June, so you should probably buckle up. This time around, we've got word that Samsung has been ousted as the primary designer for the next generation iPhone's processor, with the Cupertino-based company focused on implementing their own designs. Which should sound familiar, as the A4 processor inside the iPad comes from these same origins. The rumor breaks ground from an anonymous executive speaking to the Korea Times. According to the contact, Samsung's designs will no longer be the focus of the new chips, as they have been in the iPhone 3GS and other previous models. Instead, Apple will focus on the design, while Samsung will continue to manufacture them. It's not necessarily a bold move, but one that's been expected. With Apple probably pushing for HD in their next version of the iPhone, the A4 is a dead-ringer. It already has the ability to playback 720p video, so implementing it into the new iPhone may not be all that difficult at all. So, Apple's keeping it in-house (relatively speaking). Considering the success of the iPad, and the power that many people are still talking about under the hood, there's honestly no shock here that Apple would want to follow the same path with their iPhone. There are rumors that the company would have to underclock the processor, though, and we're wondering how accurate those are. For that matter, would Apple even want to do that, as it would more than likely degrade the user experience, which Apple focuses on intently. The A4's chipset is a modified version of the system-on-a-chip design based on the ARM Cortex-A8 which is found in the iPhone 3GS, but the iPad features a more powerful PowerVR SGX graphics core. We're anticipating at least parts of this rumor to be substantiated in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. [via The Korea Times] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Apple to release iPhone 1.1.2 firmware Friday, it will brick your hacked phone Apple launch new iTunes complete with iPhone ringtone creator WWDC 2007: iPhone 3rd party apps to be Safari-based Fabrix Cases fit new and old iPhones You'll only be able to get one iPhone from AT&T, but Apple will let you have two HP Slate Breaks Cover: Verdict Isn't Good April 19, 2010 at 3:53 PM There's something to be said about a tablet with netbook internals. And, while we wish they were good things, it generally isn't. Take, f0r example, the HP Slate, which was just nabbed by the folks over at Connecti.ca. While they haven't had it long enough to actually get a full review up, they've got plenty of pictures of their hands-on time with the tablet, plus a mini-review to satiate anyone actually interested in the tablet from HP. What's their verdict? Meh. That's right: meh. But, that may be what happens when you only show off your tablet in crazy promotional rendered videos. First and foremost, let it be known that they are first and foremost comparing this tablet to the iPad. There's no way around that, we imagine, but we're kind of shocked at how explicitly they compare the two tablets. Secondly, the HP Slate just doesn't win. They do note that the Slate has some good points, such as USB ports, an HDMI dock, and it has a built-in camera. These are great features, but perhaps not when they're bundled with the HP Slate. Because they're quick to point out the bad, which, ironically, some say are the tablet's good parts. For example, you are getting a "full" Operating System in Windows 7, which means you get Flash Player, along with all the other cool things: like downloading other browsers, and whatever else you want. The trouble is, that means you have a "long and annoying load time Operating System." Ouch. Right after that, they go on to say that the HP Slate is simply not a competitor to the iPad. End of story. Their official verdict, again, is: meh. Check out the gallery below. [via Connecti.ca] Relevant Entries on SlashGear The fight isn't over yet, woman to appeal in case against the RIAA Hanvon Windows 7 multitouch slate spied [Video] Philips 21:9 52-inch LCD gets priced and dated in UK Wii Blaster isn't the Nintendo Zapper we've been waiting for HP Slate gets pricing and specs confirmed Kraken 3D Goggles Bring Steampunk Design to the Theaters April 19, 2010 at 3:29 PM Over the years, you've probably been able t0 discern that we have a natural fondness for steampunk. We just can't get enough of it. And, we especially love when designs take on the popular trends in tech. Like, for example, the growing need to see things in 3D. There's no stopping it, so we might as well embrace it. Which becomes increasingly easy when we see things like the Kraken Steampunk 3D goggles. We've got to give these the thumbs up simply because they're not glasses. They aren't the huge, Buddy Holly-looking things we've all come to expect when we go to the theater and see our next 3D flick. Nope. These are big, wrap-around goggles, and those are awesome. Better yet, the designer, Will Rockwell, used Real3D glasses, which means you can use them in theaters all you want. We can't imagine they weigh too much, but they're probably heavy enough to make it apparent you've got them on your head. As you can see from the model above, you'll look unique, if anything else, so don't be surprised if people are watching you, rather than the movie. You can go by them right now for a cool $200, and as of the time of this writing, there seemed to be only one in stock. So . . . You know, you might want to hurry. [via Etsy; thanks Will!] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Malaysian theaters are equipping staff with night vision The Steampunk Anglepoise Webcam Steampunk Space Helmet Video iPod Goggles – ! For those that watch way too much video on their iPods EyeClops Night Vision 2.0 Goggles ready for the holidays DIY AR headset is a home-made Vuzix WRAP 920AR April 19, 2010 at 1:04 PM Vuzix's WRAP 920AR, Kopin's Golden-i, even Apple l00ks to be considering getting in on the augmented reality bandwagon. If you can't be bothered waiting for an off-the-shelf system, then how about making your own headset that overlays digital graphics onto a real-world view? F00 at Tailor Made Toys took an Eye-Trek video headset and embedded a laptop webcam into the bridge, then hooked up an Eee PC fo! r running AR software. The Eye-Trek casing is big enough to take a laptop webcam assembly with little fettling, and that hooks up directly via USB to the netbook. F00 fitted a mini USB port so that he can switch out different lengths of USB cable; usually the Eee PC slips into his rucksack. As for what it can be used for, an app called Camspace allows you to control the netbook using hand gestures, and F00 plans to add GPS functionality showing on-screen coordinates in the top corner of the display. In fact the only problem is that you'll look vaguely ridiculous all the time, though you could always add some AR functionality that overlays happy expressions over their incredulous faces. [via Hack A Day] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Vuzix WRAP 920AR eyewear hands-on Vuzix WRAP 920AR augmented reality eyewear is geeky cool Vuzix announces new Wrap 310 widescreen video glasses Vuzix iWear VR920 3D virtual reality gaming headset gets update Vuzix iWear AV310 Widescreen Video Headset Panasonic LUMIX G2 and G10 priced, due May 2010 April 19, 2010 at 12:08 PM Panasonic have announced pricing for their r3cently-launched LUMIX G2 and G10 digital cameras. Revealed last month, we now know that the LUMIX G2 – available in red, blue and black – will come in at $799.95, while the LUMIX G10 – in black only – will land at $599.95. As with the Panasonic G1, the DMC-G2 is a Micro Four Thirds camera. However it's also the first such model to include a flip-out, articulated touchscreen preview display. The 3.0-inch 460,000-dot LCD can be used to set autofocus simply by tapping, as well as for other settings, while the camera itself can record 1280 x 720 HD videos in AVCHD Lite format. Meanwhile the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G10 is intended as an entry-level Micro Four Thirds shooter with 720p HD video recording and an iA (Intelligent Auto) mode – with dedicated button – that automatically adjusts the settings to suit the current conditions. Both the LUMIX G2 and LUMIX G10 will come equipped with the LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. lens, and each will go on sale in late May 2010. Press Release: Panasonic Announces Pricing For New LUMIX G Series Digital Single Lens Micro Four Thirds Cameras Panasonic LUMIX G2 and LUMIX G10 digital cameras available in late-May 2010 Panasonic today announces pricing for the Panasonic LUMIX G2 and LUMIX G10 – the latest additions to the company's award-winning LUMIX G Series Digital Singles Lens (DSL) Micro Four Thirds cameras. Both available in late-May 2010, the LUMIX G2, which will come in red, blue and black models, will have a suggested retail price (SRP) of $799.95, while the LUMIX G10 will have an SRP of $599.95. The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G2 is the world's first* digital interchangeable lens system camera with a movable LCD that allows for touch-control, and the successor to the award-winning and revolutionary LUMIX G1, which was the world's first DSL Micro Four Thirds digital camera. The intuitive touch-control shooting elevates the camera's operability, letting the user adjust auto focus (AF) simply by touching the subject on the large 3.0-inch 460,000-dot high-resolution LCD. The LUMIX G2 also shoots 720p High Definition video using the AVCHD Lite format. With the touch-screen operation, users can even snap a photo by touching the LUMIX G2's screen. Additionally, the touch-screen operation excels not only for shooting but also during playback. Users can touch one thumbnail viewed among many to quickly and easily see the full size of the desired photo. Also, to view images one-by-one, photos can be dragged across the screen to browse as though flipping the pages of a book. Once a user locks onto a subject, the LUMIX G2 enables AF Tracking and will track the subject as it moves within the frame. Then, with a touch on the screen, users can select the part and the size of AF area with the 1-area AF. The Multi-area AF sets a group of AF points according to the composition. With touch operation, menu settings can be changed quickly; cutting the time it takes to navigate using standard cursors. However, all setting changes can still be made using the control pad, if preferred. The LUMIX G2 records 1280 x 720 HD videos in the AVCHD Lite format, which increases recording capacity and is highly compatible with audio-visual equipment. With a dedicated video record button, users can easily start recording a video. To complement its high-quality video capabilities, the LUMIX G2 features advanced audio options, as sound is recorded with Dolby Digital Creator and an optional accessory stereo microphone can be attached. A Wind Cut function further enhances the sound as it helps reduce noise caused from background wind. For entry-level users wanting to step-up to a digital interchangeable lens camera, the LUMIX DMC-G10 is an affordable, high-performing and compact option. The LUMIX DMC-G10 is the world's lightest* digital interchangeable lens camera with a viewfinder, which packs a host of advanced digital camera functions designed to be easy-to-use for users new to system cameras. The new compact and portable LUMIX G10, can also record 720p HD video in JPEG, QVGA, VGA and WVGA formats. Users can enjoy recording HD videos while taking advantage of the high-quality lens and the flexibility to change to other lenses. The LUMIX G10, with its incredible compact body and portable design, uses a mirrorless structure as part the Micro Four Thirds System standard, eliminating a number of components that are found in a conventional interchangeable lens camera, including the mirror box and optical viewfinder unit. Also, Panasonic designed the LUMIX G10 to be easy to use and offers iA (Intelligent Auto) – an easy shooting mode with automatic optimization according to the scene in either photo and video recording. This feature is helpful to beginner users unfamiliar with an interchangeable lens system camera, as the settings engage automatically. With the new dedicated iA button, which illuminates in blue when engaged, activating this mode is even easier. Both the LUMIX G2 and LUMIX G10 will come equipped with the LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. lens. The new lens offers a versatile zoom range of 14-42mm (35mm camera equivalent: 28-84mm), making it suitable for shooting a wide-range of scenes, from dynamic landscape to portrait. Furthermore, both models are compatible with all LUMIX G-Series DSL Micro Four Thirds system lenses, allowing users even higher levels of performance in a digital interchangeable lens camera. In addition to LUMIX G lenses, the LUMIX DMC-G10 and LUMIX DMC-G2 DSL Micro Four Thirds digital cameras can use any interchangeable lens that complies with the Four Thirds standard via an optional mount adaptor DMW-MA1 and with the prestigious Leica M/R Lenses via DMW-MA2M or MA3R. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Panasonic DMC-FZ7 6.0 megapixel camera Panasonic Released New Firmware 1.1 for DMC-L 10 Panasonic new TZ series Lumix Gets 28mm wide angle with 10x Optical zoom range CES 2008 : Panasonic Teams up with T-mobile and Google's Picaso to offer free Wireless Image Service Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3K with custom 10.1MP CCD JOBO photoGPS gets upgraded: more memory, more POIs April 19, 2010 at 11:52 AM It's been a while since we've seen a new GPS geotagger from JOBO, & then along come two at once. The new JOBO photoGPS 2 and photoGPS 4 each slot into your digital camera's hot-shoe and grab GPS coordinates every time you take a sh0t. That way you can browse your photos by the location at which they were taken, using apps like iPhoto. Compared to the previous photoGPS model, there's twice the memory on the photoGPS 2 and four-times the amount on the photoGPS 4. That means enough space for up to 4,000 saved locations; when you then plug the unit into your computer the bundled software automatically converts raw latitude/longitude into country, city, street and nearest point of interest. A software update will see the original model get the same access to the boosted database of POIs, streets and other information. Accuracy is down to 12m, and JOBO reckon users will see two months of battery life from a single charge (assuming 100 shots per day). The photoGPS 2 and photoGPS 4 will go on sale by the end of April 2010, priced at $99 and $129 respectively. [via Photography Blog] Press Release JOBO introduces two new photoGPS models featuring "facelift" and software improvements New Geo-tagging models photoGPS 2 and photoGPS 4 for up to 4,000 locations – Plus Improvements in Reverse Geo-coding for all JOBO photoGPS models Gummersbach, Germany (April 12, 2010) – JOBO AG announces the addition of two new versions of the award-winning GPS receiver photoGPS. Both Geotagging models photoGPS 2 and photoGPS 4 feature a new "facelift" as well as bigger, internal memories in comparison to the previous version. The photoGPS 2 stores up to 2,000 locations on its internal memory, photoGPS 4 even up to 4,000. The JOBO photoGPS is a small GPS receiver attached to the hot-shoe of a digital camera that captures instantaneously and automatically geodata for photos on the spot. Due to the included software the geodata will be translated automatically in real address data when connected to a PC or notebook and all images will be tagged with these information. In addition to longitude and latitude the real address of where the image was taken such as country, city, street and nearest point of interest are written into the image file. According to these criteria tagged photos can be found, sorted and organized. JOBO offers improvements to the Reverse Geocoding Service for all photoGPS models in two categories. On the one hand the software features improved results specifically for Japan due to incorporation of additional data sources. The algorithms have been modified in order to generate results which better fit the expectations of Japanese users. On the other hand the photoGPS software features an improved coverage thanks to an extensive database by using the latest updates from Open Street Map. The coverage has been optimized by increasing the number of streets up 23%, of municipalities up 42% as well as increasing the number of nearest points of interest up 27%. Users do not need to do anything to take advantage of these improvements. The photoGPS software will automatically make use of the improved Reverse Geocoding Service. These new photoGPS models will be available prospectively end of April for MSRP € 99.00 (photoGPS 2) and € 129.00 (photoGPS 4). JOBO photoGPS 2 / photoGPS 4 Specifications Capture time: about 0.4 sec Storage capacity: up to 2,000 locations (photoGPS 2) / 4,000 locations (photoGPS 4) Accuracy: approx. 12 m Reverse geocoding providing the real address (country, city, street, POI) Interface to camera: standard hot-shoe (ISO 518:2006) File support: JPEG, RAW with XMP sidecar file Power source: internal rechargeable Li-Poly battery Typical battery life: 2 months (100 captures per day) Status information: via 2 LEDs PC connectivity: USB 2.0 Battery charging: via USB 2.0 Requirements for usage: computer with internet connection Operating systems: Windows XP, 7, Mac (Intel) Dimensions: 68 x 20 x 43 mm (without adapter) Weight: 80 g Package content: photoGPS main unit, USB cable, manual, CD-ROM including photoGPS matching software and various Software suggestions Relevant Entries on SlashGear Jobo 15″ Photo Frame Loaded with 1GB of Internal Memory Jobo's PhotoGPS Geo-tagging for DSLR is now Mac-friendly JOBO AG 7-Inch Photo frame only displays images Jobo announces GIGA Vu SONIC and GIGA one SONIC image storage devices, rebranded Hyperdrives OCZ unveils high-end DDR3 kits 64 Boy portable N64 mod is smallest yet [Video] April 19, 2010 at 11:25 AM We can't help it, we just love full-sized games consoles turned into compact portables. Bentomo has come up with a real doozy, too; the 64 Boy takes a Nintendo N64 and packs it into a 165 x 110 x 53mm casing with a 3.5-inch display, expansion pak and full controls, together with a battery apparently good for up to 4hrs runtime. B3st of all, it's up for sale. Video demo after the cut There's also a docking station, which adds four game controller ports together with S-video, analog video and L/R audio outputs. Rather endearingly the vent holes on the back have been drilled into the 64 Boy logo. No word on exactly how much – or, more accurately, little – he'll take for the 64 Boy, though hand over $1,000 and it's yours straight away. If you're not interested in buying the handheld, and just want to know how exactly he made it, the build log is here. [via CrunchGear] Relevant Entries on SlashGear MO-R803 "snake camera" is the world's smallest Russia's Smallest Submarine Smallest Bluetooth Adapter yet The Smallest LED Wristwatch in the World Sanyo Xacti DMX-HD1000 World's Smallest 1080p Camcorder iPad + Kleer = best party music system yet April 19, 2010 at 10:53 AM The iPad accessory market is on course t0 mimic the wildly successful iPhone ecosystem, but what are the must-haves? If you're anything like us you're a music fan and you want to use your iPad with an existing iPod speaker dock; we've just tried out the D&A RX1 iPod speaker dock receiver dongle we reviewed back in February, paired with a Kleer S5T transmitter, and – despite the iPad initially saying the accessory wasn't compatible – we're now enjoying our iTunes music (not to mention Spotify and other streaming services) in high quality and with no cords. Of course, the iPad already has integrated Bluetooth with A2DP support, but then you're dealing with limited audio quality and the trouble of finding an audio system with Bluetooth itself. Kleer, meanwhile, promises CD-quality audio and the ability to simultaneously pair one transmitter with up to four receivers; you could, for instance, have your Kleer-based headphones paired with the same transmitter, switching easily between private playback or routing audio through your speakers. What doesn't work is track control and menu navigation from the speaker dock's remote. We can adjust volume, but not navigate the iPad's music; still, since the tablet isn't actually docked you can simply carry it around and control it directly. It would make particular sense for a party or any sort of gathering, where you could pass the iPad around and everyone have a hand in creating a custom playlist. Range is listed as 10m in open space; we got smooth playback even with a couple of walls in-between. You can pick up the iFreeHifi kit – which consists of both the S5T transmitter and RX1 receiver – for £75 ($114); alternatively, they're sold separately for £42 ($64) and £35 ($53) respectively. There's also an iDock, for £15 ($23), which bridges your HiFi's auxiliary input and the S5T. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Kleer fully wire-free headphone reference design TDK TH-WR700 Kleer wireless headphones promise CD-quality DigiFi Digital Opera Kleer wireless earphones on sale in US CES 2008: Sennheiser MX W1 wireless earphones with Kleer technology D&A RX1 Kleer iPod speaker-dock receiver review iPhone HD gets caught, gets teardown, deemed legit April 19, 2010 at 10:23 AM Somebody over at Apple is going to have the even worse day than they were likely already having. After leaked photos over the weekend, the device now looking decidedly like the iPhone HD – aka Apple's fourth-gen iPhone – has shown up in the plastic, glass and metal over at Gizmodo. Among the hardware changes are an improved main camera with flash and an added front-facing camera, a higher resolution display and some serious reworking of the internal components to fit in a 16-percent larger battery. They're pretty convinced it's legitimate, too, since these aren't just photos – they've actually "acquired" the prototype and done a teardown. Although it doesn't boot (Apple have supposedly remotely wiped it, though the person "who found it" says it was originally running iPhone OS 4.0) it is recognized as an iPhone in Xcode, OS X's System Profiler and iTunes. It also has a microSIM slot, just like the WiFi+3G iPad, and is packed full of Apple-labeled components. The hardware is thinner than the iPhone 3GS it looks set to replace, feels "freaking amazing", sturdier and less plasticky. All the signs are lining up that this could actually be the real thing; check out Gizmodo's post for more details and video hands-on with the iPhone HD. Relevant Entries on SlashGear iPhone 3GS costs $178.96 to produce, claims iSuppli Apple iPhone 3G S on sale today iPod Touch – Stripped down to bare silicon Zune HD suffers indignity of teardown iPhone 3G S gets teardown Windows Phone 7 leak tips mandatory Live ID, limited OEM customization, m0re April 19, 2010 at 9:52 AM It looks like Microsoft have taken a leaf out of Google and Apple's linking of user accounts to individual devices, with a freshly leaked Windows Phone 7 architecture guide confirming that owners of smartphones running the upcoming platform will be required to register a Windows Live ID on first boot. Tweakers acquired a confidential internal document which confirms that not only will new owners have to sign up for Microsoft's ID system if they want to use contacts sync, any of Microsoft's other services, or even download apps from the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, the company have also taken steps to prevent the OS being run on unofficial hardware. According to the document, devices will come with a Genuine Windows Phone certificate; without that, the owner's Live ID won't be accepted and they potentially will be unable to get past the EULA. It's likely something which will be hacked around by the ROM merchants over at xda-developers, but it's a sign that Microsoft aren't entirely pleased with the prospect of devices like the HTC HD2 being unofficially upgraded to the newer platform. Other details include confirmation that Microsoft will be taking responsibility for OTA and tethered firmware updates for future iterations of Windows Phone 7, together with news that – as it stands – there's no support for Bluetooth 3.0. However OEMs will be responsible for Direct3D drivers, potentially leading to situations where certain handsets fall short of the graphics performance the basic hardware is capable of. Interestingly, carrier and OEM customization will be heavily limited, with a maximum of six apps taking up no more than 60MB permitted; they'll also be able to add their own live tiles on the homescreen, change the operator logo and switch the default search engine within Internet Explorer (though Bing will remain default everywhere else in the smartphone). [via WMPowerUser] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Microsoft Pure Pink phone caught in wild; firmware leak tips specs & more Microsoft makes Games for Windows Live a free service Windows Phone getting Xbox LIVE integration tips Microsoft job ad Windows Marketplace tips up a day early Windows Phone 7 build teased from emulator, but don't expect an HD2 ROM The Droid Incredible is, well, Incredible April 19, 2010 at 9:23 AM At the beginning of the year, Google called a gr0up of reporters and analysts to Google HQ to announce a new phone, the Nexus One. A joint effort of HTC and Google, the N1 was a slim device, running a speedy Snapdragon processor and an AMOLED display. Running the latest version of Android, 2.1, it was state of the art, at least for January. The biggest problem of the Nexus One, in my opinion, is that it runs stock Android and while 2.1 was nice, it lacked so many things that vendors like HTC had brought to the market with their Sense UI built on top of Android. T-Mobile's 3G network coverage also left much to be desired (there's now an AT&T version of the N1 for sale as well.) Wouldn't it be great if there were a version of the N1 that ran HTC Sense and perhaps was on the Verizon network as well. A super Droid if you will. Well, good things come to those who wait and over the last few days I've been testing the Droid Incredible by HTC, running on the Verizon network, and it delivers. Like the Nexus One, the Incredible is among the speediest Android device I've ever used. Even running HTC's Sense UI, there's no lag and the interface is as fast and fluid as it was meant to be. Switching from panel to panel is smooth. The overall coverage and speed of Verizon's network mean that information flows quickly as well so the screens are constantly updated in real time. Sense UI fixes many glaring issues of the Android platform, most notably Exchange integration. With full support of the ActiveSync protocol, it's easy to get your contacts, calendar and mail on the device. Why Google still doesn't offer real support for Exchange is a mystery to me but HTC deliv! ers with the best support of the platform making their devices my recommendation for users who need that functionality. Support for full social media integration with Facebook and a built-in Twitter client make the device all that much more useful to me. I still have issues overall with the Android platform. Applications are still limited to internal storage, which means there still are few, if any, Android games worth playing. Security remains an issue with no support for passwords or local encryption and there's still no native PC sync to get my content on the device beyond the cloud. That's disappointing and until these issues get resolved, it's hard for me to see how Android makes the leap from the enthusiast to the mass market, even with all the HTC enhancements. The good news is the platform is getting better and better over time; the bad news, it's not fast enough. Android is now a force to reckoned with in the mobile space and the Incredible is currently what the state of the art looks like. If you've been waiting for the Verizon version of the Nexus One, wait no more, the Incredible provides a better experience with all the hardware and Android 2.1 goodness but now with the powerful addition of Sense UI layered on for good measure. This is now the flagship device for Verizon users. Although Android still feels like an enthusiast platform the Incredible takes us one step closer to a true mass market and mainstream device. Looking for a second-opinion? Check out our comparison review of the Verizon Droid Incredible by HTC. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Verizon preorders for Droid Incredible by HTC begin Verizon confirm Droid Incredible by HTC preorders April 29th Droid Incredible by HTC gets official Verizon specs Verizon HTC Incredible launch in just two weeks time? Caught on film, either HTC Supersonic or Incredible? [Video] Sonic Emotional Pulse of Music concept exposes spinning disc April 19, 2010 at 9:06 AM I have seen a lot of home stereos that have a clear c0ver letting you see the CD or DVD spinning around inside it. This Sonic Emotional Pulse of Music concept takes that idea a bit further and exposes half the disk completely. I don't think that this would ever pass safety inspectors in the US, I can see some kid touching the spinning CD and being cut. Still, the design is cool and each of the EQ round dots is actually a small speaker. As the music plays the speakers and blue EQ line would move around with the music. The remote for the device is touch sensitive and touch controls are on the base of the player for controlling playback. I like the design; I just don't think it's practical. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sega describes the iPod as "flawless" for gaming Sonic Bed hides hifi under the duvet Universal Sonic Toothbrush The chair of the future, or past T-Mobile Pulse arrives on UK prepay from today Garmin unveils nuvi 3700 series PND April 19, 2010 at 8:57 AM Garmin makes a wealth of different GPS devices for all sorts of uses. Typically, most GPS devices have the same form factory with a square device made to be clipped to the windshield of the car. Garmin has unveiled its latest GPS device called the nuvi 3700 that take a new form factor that looks a lot like the iPhone. The device is 9mm thick making it the thinnest PND on the market. It offers navigation and data in portrait or landscape modes and has a touch screen with preloaded maps. The maps can be zoomed and controlled with gestures like pinch, press, and drag. The top-end model is the 3790T with 2D and 3D modes, screen lock, power button, and a pocketable form. The device uses a customizable wake up phrase to initiate voice-activated navigation. The device also supports traffic and my Trends and has a wealth of other features expected in a high-end PND. Pricing and availability are unknown. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Garmin introduces two new widescreen devices Garmin's new Nuvi Garmin Nuvi 510 weatherproof touchscreen GPS Garmin nuvi 1800-series PNDs leak; EDGE-p! acking 1690 confirmed for $500 Garmin nüvi 7×5 series with optional MSN Direct & A2DP Bluetooth AMD samples Llano CPU/GPU processor April 19, 2010 at 8:49 AM We have been hearing about CPU/GPU hybrids for a long time now. One of the parts that we have heard of before is the Llano from AMD. AMD has announced that it is set to start sampling the Llano to partners soon. The Llano was first added to AMD roadmaps for desktop and mobile machines last November and said at the time to be landing in 2011. AMD's CEO gave a clearer indication when the processor would be available during an earnings call recently. Dirk Meyer said that volume production would start in the last half of 2010 and that initial samples are already heading to select customers. One of those customers is said to be Apple opening the door for Mac's to possibly use AMD processors. Relevant Entries on SlashGear AMD Fusion CPU/GPU combo to fight Intel in notebooks Canon EOS 5D Mark II High ISO images samples Cellphone Microscope could ID diseased samples in developing world NVIDIA moving into mobile market with world's lowest power HD computer on a chip AMD CPU roadmap leaked WSJ goes inside billionaire's $300M yacht April 19, 2010 at 8:18 AM I am a thousandaire, which is a far cry from the billionaire. Thousandair's aspire to own a ski boat or a fishing boat while the billionaire drops more money than I will ever see in my life on a massive yacht worth $300 million. This yacht is owned by the Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko and measures 394-feet long. That length is hard to put in perspective, it's as long as a football field and a basketball court set end to end. Yeah, it's big. Inside the yacht is lots of mirrors and gaudy appointments proving rich doesn't mean you have taste. The ship is festooned with electronics and gadgets that are hidden and only come out when activated by a remote. The ship even has a hidden "nookie room" which is just what Tiger needed to keep himself out of trouble. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Onboard Earthrace Got a yacht? Can't be bothered going to the bridge? The Laptop Sail Bag from EcoCentric Wally live up to extravagant reputation: WallyIsland Yacht ! JBL Shows Off $300,000 Home Entertainment Set-Up, Project Everest DD66000 Speakers Samsung in production with new 20nm NAND flash for memory cards April 19, 2010 at 8:08 AM Samsung and other makers of NAND flash for st0rage devices are always looking to go to smaller build processes. The smaller the process the more memory they can produce and the lower prices can be. Samsung has announced that it is producing the first 20nm NAND flash memory in the industry. The new NAND uses MLC 32Gb tech and is built on the 20nm process. The NAND will be used in smartphones, memory cards, and other devices. Samsung claims the new 20nm NAND has 50% higher productivity than 30nm MLC NAND. The write performance of memory cards using the new NAND of 8GB and higher will be 30% faster than 30nm NAND memory cards with 20MB/s read and 10MB/s write. Samples of memory cards using the new NAND are shipping now and production will be expanded later this year. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Samsung in production with 30nm 3-bit MLC NAND Chips Samsung Begins Mass-Production of 8GB NAND Memory Samsung introduces 16Gb flash chips Sam! sung First To Release NAND Powered Notebooks Samsung unveils line of consumer memory cards in Taiwan 1000's of pics of students allegedly taken using webcams on laptops at Pa school April 19, 2010 at 7:54 AM In February, I mentioned that a sch00l district in Pa had been accused of remotely activating the webcams on school issued laptops and taking pictures of students in their homes without the student or parents knowing it. More details have now surfaced in the case. According to school board president David Ebby, "a substantial amount" of photos of students at the school have been recovered. According to the attorney for student Blake Robbins, school officials had taken over 400 hundred screen shots and images of him alone. The attorney alleges that thousands of images have been taken with the knowledge or consent of the students in the district or their parents. The attorney is seeking a court order to investigate Carol Cafiero's computer calling her a "voyeur" and believing that she has downloaded images of students to her computer. Cafiero is the district technology coordinator. Relevant Entries on SlashGear FBI probing Pa school accusing of spying on students with webcams School purportedly spies on own students via laptop webcams iPhone Giveaway! – attend a certain ! university and you get one for free Steve-us Christ will save you! The Bubble Head Web Camera – adds a bit of fun to webcams Apple announces this year's Back-to-School offer Eminent iTrio for Wireless HDTV breaks cover April 19, 2010 at 7:33 AM One of the biggest problems with home theaters for most of us is the gobs of wiring that is needed. The wires are especially challenging in large rooms or when you are wall mounting your HDTV. In these instances, the best way to connect your devices is via wireless tech. Eminent has unveiled a new system called the iTrio for wireless HDTV. The kit includes a wireless EM7100 iTrio HD sender that allows the user to place their Blu-ray player and wires away from the TV set and stream wirelessly. The system supports full 1080p resolution and has a pair of HDMI connectors allowing for two devices to be connected. That means you can connect your PS3 and HD cable box for instance. The system also has a SCART connector and includes the needed receiver that is placed near the TV. The system will ship on April 24 at an undisclosed price. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Eminent Subwoofer boasts unheard of 0 – 40Hz range Eminent EM7075-DTS network mediaplayer launches Philips Cinema 21:9 HDTV reviewed: "superb" Westinghouse unveils World First Integrated Wireless HDTV Philips NET TV breaks cover in UK Carl Zeiss unveils Compact Prime CP.2 and Lightweight Zoom LWZ.2 lenses April 19, 2010 at 7:24 AM When it comes to optics and lenses for cameras of all sorts Carl Zeiss is one of the most well known names in the industry. The company typically offers lenses and optics on cameras and video cameras and has unveiled a new range of lenses for DSLR cameras that shoot HD video. Carl Zeiss has unveiled a new compact Prime CP.2 lens system for HDDSLR cameras that are claimed to be the world's first cine lenses for the category. The lenses will work on high-end DSLRs for Canon and Nikon cameras like the 5D Mark II. The lenses have interchangeable mounts for current and future upgrades and will be offered in focal lengths from 18mm to 85mm. Zeiss also has unveiled new lightweight zoom lenses with interchangeable PL, EF, and F mounts that cover DSLRs from Nikon and Canon with HD recording capability. Pricing on the lenses is unknown, but they will not be cheap. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Say Hello to Carl Zeiss ZE lineup, EF bayonet for Canon cameras Gunnar Optiks and Carl Zeiss team for digital lens technology PMA 2009 : Sigma talks new zoom lenses Pre-PhotoKina teaser : Zeiss new ZE mount SLR lens for Canon? Carl Zeiss Projector is breathtaking, 2.5 million to 1 contrast Ping concept garments tell Facebook pals where you are April 19, 2010 at 7:13 AM Social networking can be a good thing and a bad thing. For some celebrities social networks like Twitter and Facebook are ways to communicate with fans. However, the networks are also a way for fans to ensure that the celebrities don't get any peace. There is another group of celebrities and want to be celebrities that want everyone to know where they are. For this type of person designer Jennifer Darmour has developed a concept garment called Ping that automatically updates groups on Facebook with your location. The garments would update the social networks when actions are done like putting the hood of the shirt up or down. The clothing uses Lilypad and Lilypad Xbee with custom software to interface with Facebook. [via Born Rich] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Ping Pong Door – Great for small places Will the TriPong be a hit? Ping Pong Webcam from Brando Facebook Lite Trims the Features Starting Today Nokia S40 Facebook app; new Facebook Connect for Mobile announced Drift Innovation X170 action camera unveiled April 19, 2010 at 7:04 AM If you frequent YouTube or other video sites online there is a plethora of videos out there that are from action sports fans that video themselves doing stunts and tricks. I like the ones where some cocky person tries a trick only to wipe out and catch it on video. A new camera for this type of video fan has turned up called the X170 Action Camera. The camera is a rugged device that comes with mounting options that will allow the user to attach it to a helmet, goggle strap, handlebars, and other locations. The camera can record full motion 30 fps video in 720 x 480 resolution. It can also capture 5MP still shots and has a wireless remote with a range of 5 meters. A small 1.5-inch LCD screen is built in for watching recorded video. Storage is 32MB and the camera gets power from a pair of AA batteries. A SD card slot is built-in for memory expansion. The lens can also be rotated 300-degress to align the best shot for the mounting location. Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashPhone touchy-feely with Frost White Helio Drift SlashPhone Video: Helio Drift's Google Maps & Buddy Beacon Helio Mysto replaces popular Drift cellphone Action! M25 DLP – World's smallest HD Projector JVC offers video enthusiasts a new full HD Everio GZ-HM400 camcorder HOTT MD500 & MD700 Android MIDs get new video demo April 19, 2010 at 6:55 AM We're getting a little tired of seeing Android tablets of which there's next to zero likelihood of a US or European launch, but HOTT's distribution agreements with big-name retailers like Fry's does at least leave us pondering a possible launch of their new slates. Shanzai caught up with two new Android engineering samples lately, one 5-inch and the other 7-inch, both running OS 1.6. In fact, they look a little like the newest versions of HOTT's MD500 and MD700 MIDs. Both are ARM based (the 5-incher has an ARM9 chipset, for instance) and the larger slate has an HDMI output too. HOTT expect the 5-inch MID to sell at around $92 to distributors, while the 7-inch MID will be between $130 and $150. Obviously there'd then be some mark-up on top of that, but we're still mildly hopeful for them to both come in considerably under $200. Relevant Entries on SlashGear HOTT MD500 super-budget Android MID taunts us on video HOTT MD700: the bargain MID we've waited for? [Video] Viliv P3 Android PMP gets video demo; more Viliv Android planned Intel and Google in talks for Android MIDs? Samsung I7500 Android phone in-depth video demo Adobe Flash & AIR betas for Android open April 19, 2010 at 6:09 AM Adobe have been taunting us with Flash Player and Adobe AIR for Android in various pre-release alphas – we even found one lurking, unadvertised, in the halls of Mobile World Congress back in February – for months now, so it's exciting to finally hear that the two technologies are finally hitting beta stage. For the moment, though, it's a private beta and Adobe are obviously being cautious about how many people they invite in; there are separate sign-up forms for AIR and for Flash. Unfortunately that means there's no public timescale for when developers might actually get their hands on one or both of the technologies, which could put a dampener on coding enthusiasm. We can't help but think this is short-sighted of Adobe, who are facing significant, ongoing criticism with regards the absence of Flash support on the iPad. While that omission isn't down to Adobe's choice in the matter, it has had the knock-on effect of prompting digital content providers to look to more Apple-friendly technologies such as HTML5. Adobe have been promoting a hybrid HTML5/Flash combination in recent months, but of course adoption of that depends on whether devices actually support both systems. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Dell Mini 9 to have Adobe Flash on Android platform? Flash on the iPhone – What Adobe should have said, was nothing Flash 10.1 may not kill Android battery life [Video] Adobe: No Flash 10.1 until Windows Phone 7 Flash 10.1 still ahead of HTML5 on desktop & mobile [Video] Toshiba tablets using Tegra 2, due end of 2010? April 19, 2010 at 5:45 AM After a Toshiba exec confirmed last week that the company had plans to launch at least two iPad rivals this year, new rumors out of Taipei have tipped Compal and NVIDIA as the manufacturing and hardware heavyweights behind the upcoming tablets. According to DigiTimes, NVIDIA's second-gen Tegra chipset – which is capable of Full HD 1080p video together with performance gaming – will be powering both Toshiba's Android and Windows slates. As for Compal Electronics, they're the OEM tipped to manufacture both products for Toshiba, with initial shipments expected to kick off in late 2010 or early 2010. DigiTimes also say that the dual-display model uses "Windows CE 7″, which we're presuming is a typo and should say Windows 7; there's speculation that Toshiba are developing hardware for Microsoft's Courier platform, which is supposedly based on a heavily customized Win7 build. As for the Android tablet, that's apparently a 10-inch slate targeted at the entry-level market. Relevant Entries on SlashGear NVIDIA Tegra 2 tablets and "other" devices headed to MWC 2010 ASUS Eee Pad Tegra 2 tablet tipped for Computex 2010; eReaders delayed? Tegra 2 "serious issues" delaying Notion Ink, ICD &! #038; Compal tablets [Updated] NVIDIA demo digital mag & Farmville on Tegra tablet NVIDIA Tegra 2 to go big time Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ update adds Netflix, YouTube & more April 19, 2010 at 5:37 AM Seagate have already dabbled their feet into the media distribution business recently, what with the FreeAgent Go HDD preloaded with Paramount content, but their streaming content ambitions continue with an incoming update to the FreeAgent Theater+ HD Media Player. Taking advantage of the set-top box's ethernet port, the new firmware will allow for Netflix streaming and YouTube access, along with vTune and Mediafly support. The Theater+ can already be used with the new FreeAgent Go, with docking the HDD into the media player allowing you to watch the preloaded movies on your big-screen TV. Timescales for the release of the firmware are unclear, but it will be preloaded on new Theater+ units. The media player itself is priced at $129.99. [via Venturebeat] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Seagate FreeAgent drives for Mac get upgrades Seagate 640GB FreeAgent Go revealed Seagate announces FreeAgent Go Drives in many colors Seagate's FreeAgent|Theater plays your media files on HDTV SlashGear Seagate FreeAgent Go HDD giveaway! NEC 3D all-in-one PC due by end of 2010 April 19, 2010 at 5:25 AM NEC Japan have announced their plans to have a 3D all-in-one desktop computer on the market by the end of the year. The unnamed PC – specifications of which are currently unknown – was announced alongside a range of slightly less exciting netbooks and notebooks with integrated digital TV tuners. We're guessing that NEC will use NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology, which requires a special set of shutter glasses – similar to those the excited model in the photo above is wearing – and an IR transmitter. Usually the latter comes as a USB-attached dongle, but hopefully NEC would integrate it into the bezel of the PC itself. Relevant Entries on SlashGear HTC Hero Android 2.1 update from April 4th? SlashGear at Mobile World Congress 2010 NASD Technology NS-2010 Mercedes themed PMP Toshiba All-in-One PC plans for Q2 2! 010 leaked CineVERSUM BlackWing Four MK 2010 1080p projector gets super-high contrast Sharp NetWalker PC-T1 drops QWERTY, gains handwriting recognition April 19, 2010 at 5:14 AM Sharp have outed a new, keyboard-free version of their NetWalker PC-Z1 MID, in the shape of the touchscreen-only NetWalker PC-T1. The Z1 was pretty much the epitome of a niche device, with its ultra-compact keyboard making it unsuitable for anything more than the occasional pecking out of emails; in its footsteps, the similarly 5-inch 1024 x 600 T1 gets an onscreen keyboard and handwriting recognition. Power is courtesy of Freescale's i.MX515 processor, as on the Z1, and there's both WiFi b/g and Bluetooth together with 8GB of onboard storage and a microSD card slot. OS is Ubuntu 9.04, and as well as the resistive touchscreen there's an optical joystick. Ports include audio in/out, USB and miniUSB, and there's also a mono speaker. Unfortunately battery life is only rated for up to 6hrs, which is on the low side for a daily companion device, and the price tag is likely to put many would-be buyers off too. Sharp expect the NetWalker PC-T1 to be priced at around 47,000 yen ($512) when it lands in Japan come May, when it will be available in both black and white. [via Engadget] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sharp NetWalker PC-Z1 lands for unboxing, MID comparison Sharp Netwalker PC-Z1 hands-on Sharp NetWalker PC-Z1 MID lands in Japan next month Sharp PC! -Z1 NetWalker MID gets video demo: Kohjinsha PM MID vs. Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker Pandora games console production models spied; Volcano interrupts shipping April 19, 2010 at 4:57 AM The open-source Pandora games handheld project continues, with the latest milestone on the way to actual, shipping products being two "mass production" units with painted cases. Posted by project member Craigix, while the first photo (there's another after the cut) might not make it completely clear, the Pandora on the left has been finished in black and the model on the right is in grey. The first batch of mass production units began back in February, and the initial run has all been sold out. The Pandora hardware is capable of running Quake at 60fps and will be compatible with USB 3G modems for mobile network gaming. It has a WVGA display and boasts over 10hrs of battery life, all in something a little larger than a Nintendo DS. Unfortunately, the delivery schedule for the first 1,000 Pandora handhelds has been impacted by the recent flight meltdown, caused by the Iceland volcano. There's no known timescale for their arrival. [via Twitter] Relevant Entries on SlashGear New Pandora console shows latest design refresh Pandora open-source console Quake 60fps video demo Pandora gaming handheld enters production Pandora open-source console gets first video demo Pandora open-source games console gets design refresh, 3G compatibility Verizon preorders for Droid Incredible by HTC begin April 19, 2010 at 4:38 AM So you've read our Droid Incredible by HTC review, you've checked out the dedicated coverage on our sister-site Android Community, and now you want to pick up the Android smartphone yourself. Verizon have kicked off preorders for the Incredible, with the smartphone priced at $199.99 after an online discount. Preorders will be shipped for delivery on April 29th, in keeping with the carrier's previous teaser. The phone has a 3.7-inch WVGA OLED touchscreen, 8-megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash, Android 2.1 and HTC's Sense UI enhancements, along with support for EVDO Rev.A, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. Plans, meanwhile, start from $39.99 per month for a basic voice package, but you'll also need to add a mandatory data package. That starts at $29.99 for unlimited personal email and web, but if you want to use Exchange email – and we really do rate HTC's Exchange integration – you'll need to step up to the $44.99 unlimited plan. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Droid Incredible by HTC gets official Verizon specs Verizon confirm Droid Incredible by HTC preorders April 29th Verizon Announces Droid Incredible by HTC Verizon HTC Incredible launch in just two weeks time? Verizon Droid Eris by HTC imminent; underwhelming specs WiFi + 3G iPad ships May 7th April 19, 2010 at 4:22 AM Apple has announced shipping dates for the WiFi + 3G iPad, and while we were originally expecting the WWAN-enabled slate to arrive later this month, it seems that's been pushed back to early May. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB 3G equipped iPads will begin shipping on May 7th, priced at $629, $729 and $829 respectively. That's a $130 premium over the standard WiFi only iPads, but it does mean you can use your tablet away from the nearest wireless hotspot. The 3G modems Apple have used are triband UMTS/HSDPA (850/1900/2100) and are supplied unlocked; that means – if you can find a microSIM to buy – you can use the iPad's connectivity while overseas. In the US, meanwhile, AT&T are offering two data packages: 250MB per month for $14.99, or unlimited data for $29.99. These are activated on the iPad itself, and are offered contract-free. The company recently announced that, due to surprisingly strong sales of the WiFi iPad in the US, and the upcoming launch of the WiFi + 3G model, international availability had been pushed back a month. Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but preorders will be taken from May 10th. [Thanks Andrew!] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Apple iPad accessory delays lengthening Boingo WiFi will support iPad from day one iPad "WiFi driven" suggests AT&T CEO, not expecting heavy 3G use 152,000 iPads pre-orders this weekend; 1m by mid-April? Apple iPad pre-orders from February 25th? This emklin, TN 37064