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AT&T's micro SIM card 1s the matryoshka doll of micro SIM cards
April 29, 2010 at 2:21 AM
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Alright, well played, AT&T: you've sort 0f managed 0 undo Apple's unfortunate move of eschewing nearly two decades' worth of deeply-entrenched SIM card standards in favor of a new one so literally nobody in the consumer cellphone world is using -- and for that, we thank you. We're being told that these new SIMs are now being sold in AT&T stores f0r $15 and will work both with the iPad 3G and... well, literally every other GSM device you've ever owned, thanks to a couple of well-placed perforations that can turn the standard SIM into a micro SIM,
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This is presumably a preemptive strike to support the next-gen iPhone, too, but otherwise, you can go ahead and use the big card without busting out the little one. Trust us.
[Thanks, anonymous tipster]AT&T's micro SIM card is the matryoshka doll of micro SIM cards originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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Cyanogen ports Android 2.1 to G1 and MyTouch 3G
April 29, 2010 at 1:10 AM
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 Droid, Milestone, Eris, Moment, Spica, even the Hero, all have had their Eclair, one way or another. G1 and myTouch 3G? N0t so much. But don't worry, Android early a! dopters, because Cyanogen's got your back. Most all the bells, whistles and hardware-accelerated graphics of Android 2.1 they coming to the HTC Dream, Magic and Sapphire in CyanogenMod 5.0.7, and you can see a video of a T-Mobile G1 running the new build after the break. Twitter buzz indicates the ROM will be out any minute now; the dev himself tweeted that it's ready to go and just needs G1-friendly bite size packaging.
[Thanks, Philosophics]Continue reading Cyanogen ports Android 2.1 to G1 and MyTouch 3G Cyanogen ports Android 2.1 to G1 and MyTouch 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  @cyanogen (Twitter) | Email this | Comments |
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Adobe's Flash Player 'Gala' OS X preview tested: results may vary
April 29, 2010 at 12:30 AM
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| 2.40GHz Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 256MB2 |
| Safari 4.0.5 | 95.4 - 152.8 | 74.2 - 123.5 |
| Firefox 3.6.4 | 83.5 - 148.4 | 89.4 - 130.5 |
| 2.66GHz Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 512MB2 |
| Safari 4.0.5 | 59 - 64 | 96 - 132 |
| Firefox 3.6.4 | 69 - 79 | 111 - 140 |
So we just put a few minutes aside to put Adobe's new "Gala" build of Flash 10.1 through its paces on our latest-generation Core i5 and i7 15-inch MacBook Pros here, and the results are a little confusing to say the least. On our i7 equipped with the high-res display and 512MB GeForce GT 330M, processor utilization playing a 1080p sample video on YouTube dropped by a third to a half on average -- not bad -- with Safari 4.0.5 besting Firefox 3.6.4 by a smidge. Our i5 saw strangely different numbers, though, with Gala actually increasing the load on the CPU by as much as about 20 percent. Adobe is quick to note that this is nothing more than a rough preview release; Apple just unlocked access to the necessary hardware a few days ago, after all, ! and we're sure the company still has plenty of optimization to do. Ultimately, if our i7 figures are realistic, it should make high-def Hulu a decidedly less drama-packed experience down the road.
Notes:
1 Performance measured by processor utilization (note that numbers greater than 100 are possible on multi-core machines).
2 15.4-inch high resolution display, 256GB SSD, 4GB RAMAdobe's Flash Player 'Gala' OS X preview tested: results may vary originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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8-bit arcade guitar sounds (and looks) like a little piece of nerd heaven
April 28, 2010 at 11:02 PM
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The hand built, 8-bit "arcade guitar" that you see above is the result of a DIY senior project, and it's a pretty cool accomplishment. There's not a ton of detail about how it was constructed, but we know that it's got an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) for logic and function, strings and a joystick for adjusting the pitch, and it also boasts selectable waves and save banks. Most importantly, however, the final product sounds really, really good -- and we'd advise you to check the video below. Continue reading 8-bit arcade guitar sounds (and looks) like a little piece of nerd heaven 8-bit arcade gu! itar sounds (and looks) like a little piece of nerd heaven originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Slashgear | YouTube, HackADay | Email this | Comments |
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Flash Player "Gala" brings hardware decoding support to Mac OS X
April 28, 2010 at 9:13 PM
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| Even amidst all their fighting, it appears Apple and Adobe can manage to lay down arms and work together every once in a while: Apple just enabled low-level access to NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 320M and GT 330M H.264 GPU hardware in Mac OS X 10.6.3, and Adobe's followed up six days later with a new preview version of Flash Player code-named "Gala" that takes advantage of it. That's good news for anyone who's ever heard their fans spin up while watching a YouTube video on a Mac (so, everyone) but we doubt it means there's any détente on larger issues between these two coming -- Apple remains committed to HTML5, while Adobe's pulled all investment from iPhone-related Flash development, and the company's relationship with Google seems to be heating up. We'll take what we can get, we suppose -- we'll hit you with some benchmarks just as soon as we get things installed. Flash Player "Gala" brings hardware decoding support to Mac OS X originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Adobe Labs |&nbs! p;Email this | Comments |
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Objects in Chinavasion's Video Glasses may be cheaper than they appear
April 28, 2010 at 9:02 PM
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Certainly, if we're going to live in a future where console jockeys and other cyberpunk-types run amok in virtual reality dreamscapes, we're going to have to start seeing more cut-rate video eyewear. For most cowboys, dropping $800 on something by Vuzix is just not an option. Luckily, the gang at Chinavasion have recently sourced some generic, relatively inexpensive "Video Eyeglasses." Priced at $135 (with the cost dropping when you buy at bulk) these bad boys feature a simulated display size of forty inches and QVGA (320 x 240) resolution. But that ain't all! It even ships with its own generic media player, sporting 2GB storage and support for the usual file formats (including DivX, XviD, MPEG2, AVI, MP3, and FLAC) as well as ROMs for NES and Sega. Seems pretty straight forward, right? The only question we have left is: if viewed through Video Glasses, will! The Girlfriend Experience have a plot? Because when we saw it on IFC, we're pretty sure it didn't. Get a closer look after the break. Continue reading Objects in Chinavasion's Video Glasses may be cheaper than they appear Objects in Chinavasion's Video Glasses may be cheaper than they appear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Chinavasion | Email this | Comments |
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Apple acquires virtual assistant search app maker Siri
April 28, 2010 at 8:07 PM
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Apple has acquired Siri, a company that makes a virtual assistant app. Siri was inspired by DARPA's CALO -- the Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes -- project. Originally designed to help streamline military personnel's activities, the consumer app focuses on helping you find things like restaurants, making use of speech recognition to boot. Essentially a smart search, there's plenty of speculation of course as to what this means about the direction that Apple might be taking... and that direction seems to lead towards Google-y territory. Now we don't want to speculate too much, but we'll be watching to see how this plays out over the next few weeks. The terms of the acquisition aren't known, meaning we have no idea how much Apple paid fo! r the small startup, but Business Insider guesses the deal could be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 to $200 million. Apple acquires virtual assistant search app maker Siri originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Business Insider |&nb! sp;Email this | Comments |
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iPhone tethering on AT&T still waiting on better network performance
April 28, 2010 at 7:24 PM
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AT&T's own Ralph de la Vega mentioned as early as November of 2008 that you'd be able to tether your iPhone to your computer and use it as a modem "soon," but here we are some ten months after the initial announcement of official tethering support in the platform and there's no sign of it. Considering that many iPhone carriers around the world deployed it as soon as Apple had it ready -- and many more came online over the months to follow -- it seems that AT&T's silence on the issue has spoken volumes. We reached out to the company today to get a statement on the feature's status, and here's what we got back (text bolded by us, not AT&T):
"We understand that there is great interest in tethering but cannot provide any details at this time. We know that iPhone users love their devices and mobile broadband, and that they're likely to embrace tethering just as they have other features and apps - by using it a lot. iPhone tethering has the potential to exponentially increase traffic, and we need to ensure that we're able to deliver excellent performance for the feature - over and above the increases in data traffic we're already seeing - before we will offer the feature."
Coincidentally, that's almost identical to a statement the company issued last September, but regardless, AT&T can't necessarily afford to meet its network "performance objectives" before acting -- Verizon's announcement that Palm's Mobile Hotspot app would become a free add-on with the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus was a serious shot across the bow of any other American carrier trying to woo business customers and road warriors. Think it'll go live before the next iPhone does?iPhone tethering ! on AT&T still waiting on better network performance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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HP: 'We're doubling down on webOS,' Palm: 'That was the whole point'
April 28, 2010 at 5:56 PM
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We just spoke with both Brian Humphries, HP's Senior VP of Strategy and Corporate Development, and Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein, and came away with a pretty positive picture for the future of Palm. The money quote is that HP plans to be "doubling down on webOS," and that was confirmed in speaking with Palm's honcho, who says that "that was the whole point." Not only that, but we've confirmed on both ends that Jon will be staying on with the company, along with much of the existing Palm hierarchy. There are plenty of transition details to work out, but Jon says there will be lots of time for all that during regulatory and shareholder approval. The word is that Palm's existing hardware roadmap is basically untouched at this point by this acquisition, but the good news on the HP end of things is that the company sees webOS as a "prized asset," and they intend to "scale it across multiple connected devices." That sounds like tablets to us, and HP didn't beat back that assumption. On ! the Palm hardware end, Jon is very fond of saying "scale," referring to the money and manufacturing resources at HP's disposal, but he also says that he sees Palm working hand in hand with HP on devices. One point that both companies were less clear on was the Palm branding itself -- you know, whether Palm will stay Palm. Both Brian and Jon said those kinds of details would be worked out as the acquisition went forward, but offered no concrete comment on it otherwise.
Money-wise we asked if Jon thought HP could provide the sort of "ammunition" to beat Apple, Google, and Microsoft at their own mobile game, and Jon says "I don't think HP would do this unless they were willing to make the kind of investment necessary to win." HP calls webOS a "compelling operating system," but that Palm didn't have the money to compete and "scale it across multiple form factors," and that it's exactly HP's financial wherewithal, brand, and corporate culture that it brings to the table. HP and Palm won't comment specifically on the forthcoming device roadmap, but HP did confirm that it had tested the platform "to make sure it scales." They keep saying "scale," but all we're hearing is "tablet."
Read more on this in our ongoing liveblog right now!HP: 'We're doubling down on webOS,' Palm: 'That was the whole point' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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HP buys Palm: the liveblog
April 28, 2010 at 5:55 PM
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| Well, we can't say we were expecting HP to step up and be the one to buy Palm, but here we are, getting ready to liveblog the conference call. The deal is worth some $1.2b, and we've heard that HP is "doubling down" on webOS, so we're eager to find out what's in store -- and, quite frankly, we're excited to repeatedly hear that it's really, really true. It's about to start at 5PM EST, keep it locked right here. Continue reading HP buys Palm: the liveblog HP buys Palm: the liveblog originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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HP: opportunities for webOS 'smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks'
April 28, 2010 at 5:55 PM
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 Color us excited. HP's Todd Bradley just made an interesting proposition on the conference call about its Palm acquisition. Specifically, Bradley said, "Between smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks, there are a lot of opportunities here." You read that right: slates and potentially netbooks. The tablet route is pretty obvious, but having the netbook / smartbook form factor is quite a twist. Think about it, a Foleo descendant you can be proud of -- whodathunkit? If you're worried HP has forgotten about other platforms, we need only point i! n the direction of the Android-fueled Airlife. Obviously nothing to announce at this point, but doesn't that just get us hopeful -- roadmap announcements are said to be forthcoming closer to the merger being finalized. The call is still ongoing, so stay tuned!HP: opportunities for webOS 'smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | |&n! bsp;Email this | Comments |
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HP buys Palm
April 28, 2010 at 5:06 PM
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HP has just announced that it's acquiring Palm to the tune of $1.2 billion, which works out to $5.70 per share of Palm common stock. The deal is expected to close by July 31. Current Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein is "expected to remain with the company," though it's not said in what capacity. Press release after the break. There'll be a call to discuss the acquisition in more detail (well, we hope in more detail) at 5PM ET, so we'll keep you abreast as we learn more.Continue reading HP buys Palm HP buys Palm originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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World's largest curved plasma display flows into Japan's Kansi airport
April 28, 2010 at 4:24 PM
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Sure, we've seen 125-inch and a 145-inch curved plasma displays, but there's a new size champ in town: the international departure area at Japan's Kansai Airport was just graced with this 200-inch waterfall of a curved plasma. That's right around 13 feet by 10 feet, which is relatively insane -- no word on whether Jerry Jones is going to show up and play Gears of War on it anytime soon.World's largest curved plasma display flows into Japan's Kansi airport originally appeared on Engadget on We! d, 28 Apr 2010 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Akihabara News | Email this | Comments |
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AT&T posts fast facts on iPad 3G data plans
April 28, 2010 at 3:58 PM
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| There's nothing groundbreaking in here, but AT&T has just thrown up a good one-page summary of how this whole WWAN thing is going to go down for new iPad 3G owners come this Friday. As we've already known, you'll be paying $14.99 for 250MB or $29.99 for unlimited (yes, truly unlimited with no 5GB cap) data in addition to free access to AT&T's comprehensive collection of WiFi hotspots -- perhaps the more interesting bits, though, have to do with plan management on the 250MB setup. Basically, you'll get a warning on your iPad when you get to 20 percent of your allowance remaining, then again at 10 percent, and finally when you run out; at each message, you'll have the chance to re-up (of course, if you find yourself blowing through 250MB on a regular basis, you probably want the unlimited plan anyhow). Plans ! renew automatically after every 30 days, and you can check your usage at your leisure from Settings on the device. Sure, you might be cursing the fact that you've found a legitimate reason to spend another $30 every month -- but at least you'll be able to set it up and manage it without a call to customer service. AT&T posts fast facts on iPad 3G data plans originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AT&T | Email this | Comments |
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Lexus shows off hybrid bicycle, won't sell you one
April 28, 2010 at 3:32 PM
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This Lexus bicycle has apparently been quietly making the rounds since the last year's Tokyo Motor Show, but the automaker has rolled it out again to coincide with the Great British Bike Ride, and it's taken the opportunity to dish some details on it. While it's still just a concept, it does exist in prototype form, and packs a 240-Watt electric motor that's powered by a 25.9-volt lithium battery pack, which promises to give you a little extra push when you're tired of pedaling. Being a Lexus, it also follows the "L-finesse" design language, and it relies on the same principles of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system found in the company's hybrid vehicles to recharge the battery through regenerative braking. Unfortunately, Lexus says it doesn't have any plans to put the bike into production -- but that may be for the best, we're pretty sure the future of transportation is one-wheeled anyway. Lexus shows off hybrid bicycle, won't sell you one originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Autoblog Green | Email this | Comments |
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Sprint halves its quarterly customer loss, increases revenue for the first time in ages
April 28, 2010 at 3:09 PM
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If you can find the silver linings, the news is finally getting a little better over at the number three largest carrier in the States after countless quarters of brutal numbers. Sprint still isn't turning a profit or earning net customer adds, but it's continuing to stem losses by posting its first sequential rise in revenue in almost three years, clocking just under $8.1 billion for the quarter; that's still less than the revenue it posted a year ago, but hey, at least it's an improvement over Q4 2009's roughly $7.8 billion. All told, that works out to a net loss of $865 million, which is also better than Q4's $980 million. Net wireless customers fell by 75,000 -- considerably better than Q4's 148,000 -- but net postpaid customers fell by a much larger 578,000, suggesting that Boost Mobile's aggressive marketing is probably working. That's all well ! and good, but it also likely means that ARPU is on a downward trend; Sprint claims it was flat sequentially and down a dollar from $56 to $55 year-over-year. All told, it seems the company's fortunes are improving by baby steps -- but is it fast enough? And how much is the EVO 4G going to mix things up?Sprint halves its quarterly customer loss, increases revenue for the first time in ages originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Sprint | Email this | Comments |
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Compaq Airlife 100 exclusively available to Telefónica customers for 229 euros in May
April 28, 2010 at 2:43 PM
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We just had a feeling that the Compaq Airlife 100 would be the first smartbook to ship when we caught wind of its official spec page last week, and now our Spanish counterparts are reporting that the Android-running clamshell will be exclusively available through Telefonica Movistar in mid-May. The carrier is also finally revealing a price -- the Snapdragon smartbook will set Spaniards back 229 euros and that doesn't even include the accompanying 48 euros a month Internet Maxi plan (insert iPad joke here). We are told there's also a 39 euro Internet Plus plan, but that requires you to shell out 299 euros for the little laptop. Seems to be a bit more expensive than we originally thought, considering you can get a more powerful netbook for less than 199 euros these days, but we! will see how this whole smartbook thing pans out soon enough. As for us Americans, HP recently told us there are no plans to bring the Airlife 100 stateside. Compaq Airlife 100 exclusively available to Telefónica customers for 229 euros in May originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Engadget Spanish | Email this | Comments |
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The Engadget Show: Inside the gadget markets of China, part two - Shenzhen
April 28, 2010 at 2:18 PM
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You may have already seen the large range of gadgets -- both old and new -- in Hong Kong, but the small presence of KIRFs there does make things a tad less exciting. Want more? Turns out all you need to do is grab a Chinese visa (or a border pass if you're a Hong Kong or Macau resident), take a train ride up north and you'll reach Shenzhen for all the KIRFs you've ever wanted. In this second part of our China tour series, we'll be showing you around the Luohu Commercial City and the Huaqiangbei gadget heaven -- don't worry, there are still many genuine products there for you little angels. Oh, and we also popped into a Meizu store for some hands-on time with the notorious M8. Enjoy.
Host: Richard Lai
Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm, Richard Lai
Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger
Filmed by: Alfred Yu, Richard Lai
Edited by: Richard Lai
Music by: Pieces of Eight, Sabrepulse
Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec
Download the Show: The Engadget Show - Segment 008 (HD) / The Engadget Show - Segment 008 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted)
Subscribe to the Show:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
Click through for the stream...Continue reading The Engadget Show: Inside the gadget markets of China, part two - Shenzhen The Engadget Show: Inside the gadget markets of China, part two - Shenzhen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Ema! il this | Comments |
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Vodafone launches its first, underwhelming Android handset (video)
April 28, 2010 at 1:59 PM
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If we know you at all (and we think we know you pretty well) you'll probably be amused and titillated to learn that Vodafone has announced that its first Android phone will be available this May. The Vodafone 845 -- which we first saw in an FCC filing a couple weeks ago -- certainly is, in the UK idiom, a "budget blower." Featuring Android 2.1, a 2.8-inch (240 x 320) touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera, 128MB RAM, and 512MB storage, there is nothing too terribly wild here, but you know what? Sometimes a company just needs to hit a comfortable, middle-of-the-road benchmark. The kids at the UK mobile website Fone Home have a handsome gallery for you to check out, so do hit that via to get rolling... but not before you peep the video after the break.
Continue reading Vodafone launches its first, underwhelming Android handset (video) Vodafone launches its first, underwhelming Android handset (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Fone Home | Vodafone | Email this | Comments |
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Rocket Racers are go: two aircraft put on a show in Tulsa
April 28, 2010 at 1:34 PM
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This isn't the first time that would-be competitors in the Rocket Racing League have taken to the skies, but the recent Tusla Air & Rocket Racing Show did mark the first time that two of the aircraft have flown together, giving spectators a taste of what an actual rocket race might be like. Those actually looking up are only seeing part of what makes the Rocket Racing League so unique, however, as a key component of it is an augmented reality system that not only lets the pilots and viewers alike see the virtual course, but promises to eventually let folks at home test their skills against real pilots. What's more, all of this may not be all that far off -- Rocket Racing League founder Peter Diamandis (of X-Prize fame) is hoping to kick off the first series of races sometime next year. Until then, you'll have to make do with the video after the break. Continue reading Rocket Racers are go: two aircraft put on a show in Tulsa Rocket Racers are go: two aircraft put on a show in Tulsa originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Wired Autopia, Rocket Racing League | Email this | Comments |
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Kin firmware torn apart, reveals provisioning for AT&T, T-Mobile, Fido?
April 28, 2010 at 1:08 PM
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| In public, Microsoft has been adamant about its relationship with Verizon in bringing the Kin to market, even saying that the research and development process involved regular trips to Big Red's New Jersey offices -- but how strong is that bond behind the scenes? Well-established WinMo hacker Conflipper seems to have stumbled across a Kin ROM in recent days, tearing it apart in search of interesting tidbits, and here's a doozy: the firmware appears to be ready for provisioning on a variety of North American, European, and Asian carriers, including T-Mobile and AT&T in the US, Fido (a Rogers subsidiary) in Canada, O2, 3, TeliaSonera, China Mobile, China Unicom, Bharti Airtel for India, and both NTT DoCoMo and SoftBank in Japan. Amusingly, launch partner Vodafone is misspelled as "Vodaphone" in the files, but seriously, we're wondering how close any of these deals are to actually going down. Fido would make a lot of sense sinc! e Microsoft has yet to announce a Canadian partner, but we've previously heard that Microsoft has no intention of taking the phone to Asia -- so this could be a completely meaningless list after all. Kin firmware torn apart, reveals provisioning for AT&T, T-Mobile, Fido? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PhoneArena, MobileCrunch | Via Twitter (@conflipper) | Email this | Comments |
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Great Wall GBook fills that 11-inch Windows 7 tablet hole in our hearts
April 28, 2010 at 12:43 PM
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| In case you hadn't noticed, there are just a few folks in China heck bent on building every conceivable tablet form factor, and your potential indifference, horror, or focus-on-the-software pleas can't stop them. Here's an interesting example: the GBook tablet from Great Wall. The 11-inch number runs a 1.2GHz Intel ULV SU2300 processor with integrated Intel graphics and 2GB of RAM. There will apparently be options for a 2.5-inch HDD or SSD for storage, but most refreshing is the 10-point multitouch panel Great Wall has on top of Windows 7 here. There's no word on price or when this will be hitting the market, but we're sure it will be out just in time and priced just appropriately to disappoint us completely and utterly. There's video after the break. Continue reading Great Wall GBook fills that 11-inch Windows 7 tablet hole in our hearts Great Wall GBook fills that 11-inch Windows 7 tablet hole in our hearts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Cloned In China | digi-163 | Email this | Comments |
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Mahru robot dances via telepresence, Kate Gosselin never had it so good (video)
April 28, 2010 at 12:09 PM
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We are such suckers for a cute robot. Take Mahru, for instance -- every time it does a jig or grabs a slice of toast we are charmed just a little bit more. And while the thing is impressive, it might be the manner with which they program the device that might be the most interesting part. Apparently, the gang at KIST have a system in place whereby an operator can wear a motion capture suit and send movements to the robot in real-time (well, mostly real-time -- there is still quite a bit of lag below the waist, so to speak). The video below shows said operator waving his arms and moving his torso, only to have the robot mirror his every move. Wild, huh? And if that ain't enough, the thing has learned a dance or two si! nce we last laid eyes on it. Talk about giving Asimo a run for his money! Peep for yourself after the break. Continue reading Mahru robot dances via telepresence, Kate Gosselin never had it so good (video) Mahru robot dances via telepresence, Kate Gosselin never had it so good (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink&nbs! p; ;| IEEE Spectrum | Email this | Comments |
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Ben-Q debuts E1260 HDR digicam with 12-megapixels, 720p video
April 28, 2010 at 11:42 AM
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Ben-Q might not be the most well-known name in the gadget game, but it does have a pretty solid track record when it comes to entry-level consumer electronics. The company's newest shooter might not come in the most eye-pleasing package, but the 12-megapixel E1260 HDR should do well enough in capturing those spontaneously heartwarming (or cloying) scenes with the family this summer: 720p video! 28mm 4x optical wide angle zoom lens! A 'passable' 2.7-inch LCD display! And how about that HDR image enhancement technology? Apparently, this bad boy's "high dynamic range" feature manages high contrast lighting to eliminate excessive backlight. Intrigued? This one should hit store shelves sometime next month. PR after the break. Continue reading Ben-Q debuts E1260 HDR digicam with 12-megapixels, 720! p video Ben-Q debuts E1260 HDR digicam with 12-megapixels, 720p video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Far East Gizmos | | Email this | Comments |
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Pentax Option M90 compact shows that VGA isn't dead
April 28, 2010 at 11:19 AM
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| Image sensors keep getting more and more pixels shoved onto their tiny surfaces, but still VGA video capture just won't die. The latest to extend its legacy is the Pentax Optio M90, a 12.1 megapixel compact that gathers light through a 5x (28-140mm equivalent) lens up front and records to SD/SDHC cards. It naturally sports all the fancy smile- and blink-detection modes you'd expect in a little shooter, plus a so-called Copy mode, which pledges to somehow make it act like a hand-held scanner. We're intrigued, but the lack of HD video capture is a definite bummer. Neither price nor specific availability have been announced, but we're going to guess cheapish and soon. Pentax Option M90 compact shows that VGA isn't dead originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:19:00 EST. Please! see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Engadget Spanish | Email this | Comments |
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Joby's Gorillapod Magnetic now sticking cameras in unexpected places worldwide
April 28, 2010 at 10:56 AM
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Did you finally run out of precarious places to suspend your camera using an original Gorillapod? We find that hard to believe (did you try the chandelier?) but just the same are happy to inform you that a world of new possibilities is now open with the Gorillapod Magnetic, which is shipping worldwide for $24.95. Sadly it still only manages to support a meager 11.5 ounces, so SLR-toting shooters will not want to rely on this lodestone-augmented franken-pod, but those of you rocking compacts should be receiving theirs soon. We look forward to see what new and exciting places people stick theirs too -- just note that the one wood has already been done, and so anyone looking to replicate that feat is a low-down, dirty copycat.
Continue reading Joby's Gorillapod Magnetic now sticking cameras in unexpected places worldwide Joby's Gorillapod Magnetic now sticking cameras in unexpected places worldwide originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments |
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Kaoiro emoticon stamp turns bureaucracy on its head
April 28, 2010 at 10:35 AM
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| It's a well established norm in civilized geek society that visual representations such as "=)" can and should be used to substitute for the laborious exercise of expressing emotions through words or actions. Taking that notion to its logical extreme, the Kaoiro emoticon stamp comes with 7 rows of symbols that the hardworking digi-linguist can convert into an almost limitless variety of text-based visualizations. Just look above should you need inspiration. You'll need to pull together $51 to buy one, plus $18 for shipping, but that's surely peanuts to pay for having the ultimate document tarnisher around. Kaoiro emoticon stamp turns bureaucracy on its head originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink OhGizmo! | Jap! an Trend Shop | Email this | Comments |
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Nokia E72 gets white paint option, firmware update
April 28, 2010 at 10:14 AM
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| You'd be hard-pressed to find a more direct competitor to the BlackBerry businessphone hegemony than Nokia's E7x series. It's therefore quite logical that only a day after RIM chief Mike Lazaridis made the white Bold official, Nokia is following up with its own pale-hued E72. Coming with a skinned UI to match the externals, the new handset is being announced alongside a firmware update (for E72s of all colors and creeds) that updates Ovi Maps, improves social networking integration, and allows location sharing through Facebook. You know, for when you wanna let your hair down after a hard day at the office. Internet radio of an unspe! cified variety has been included as well, along with general performance and stability improvements. Both the white handset and new firmware are available through Nokia today. Nokia E72 gets white paint option, firmware update originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Nokia Conversations &nb! sp;| Email this | Comments |
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Apple's WWDC kicks off on June 7th this year
April 28, 2010 at 9:48 AM
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| Sure, you might hear the words "Worldwide Developers Conference" and start to yawn, but in Apple parlance we're looking at a likely announcement of a new iPhone (the 3GS was shown at last year's event) and maybe a sneak peak at a new version of OS X. Whatever else Apple might have in store for all of us is anyone's guess, but suffice it to say that we expect to be bringing you the meat from the opening keynote just like always, though specifics on that keynote have yet to be announced. PR is after the break, full of non-revelatory software development topics that will be covered at the conference. Continue reading Apple's WWDC kicks off on June 7th this year Apple's WWDC kicks off on June 7th this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Apple | Email this | Comments |
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Boy Scouts introduce videogame badge, other badges ask 'Really?'
April 28, 2010 at 9:27 AM
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 Yes, really. The Boy Scouts of America have finally recognized that most important of modern children's pastimes with the creation of a "Video Games" belt loop and pin. However, our initial excitement on this momentous day is drastically lessened after reading how one goes about earning them. Here are the belt loop's three requirements:
- Explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age.
- With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule.
- Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher.
To go on and earn the pin, Scouts will need to teach adults how to play videogames, participate in a family gaming tournament, and learn how to comparison shop for prices. In other words, the Boy Scouts aren't interested in how many digits you have in your Gamerscore, don't care how stuffed your Trophy Room is, and shun your techniques for surviving the latest Trials HD expansion. We, however, are all ears.Boy Scouts introduce videogame badge, other badges ask 'Really?' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gamesindustry.biz | Boy Scouts of America | Email this | Comments |
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Unannounced Lenovo Ideapad Z460 shows up in China? Sure seems like it!
April 28, 2010 at 9:05 AM
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It looks like Lenovo's got some new Ideapads heading our way... if we're lucky. This photo was apparently taken at a recent company event in Beijing, and shows off a new model -- the 14-inch Z460 -- which reportedly boasts a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3 processor, ATI HD5145 graphics, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB SATA, and Windows 7 Home Basic operating system. That's about all the detail we have on this one, and there's no word yet on pricing or availability stateside. We'll keep our eyes peeled for you!
Unannounced Lenovo Ideapad Z460 shows up in China? Sure seems like it! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Cloned in China | Zol | Email this | Comments |
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Android goes Korean: Samsung debuts Galaxy A, LG intros LG-SU950
April 28, 2010 at 8:41 AM
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| As Google quietly continues to take over the smartphone space, along with just about every other crevice in the technology realm, a trio of handsets have popped up over in Asia with its Android operating system loaded on. LG has seen fit to make official a pair of Snapdragon-based handsets -- the LG-LU2300 that we spotted earlier in the month, as well as a newfangled LG-SU950 -- the latter of which will go by KU9500 on KT. Both of these will sport a 3.5-inch WVGA display, DivX playback, 3.5mm headphone jack, DMB mobile TV, multimedia playback and a May / June release on Korean soil. Over in Samsung's court, it has just announced its first Android-powered smartphone for the Korean market: the Galaxy A. Otherwise kno! wn as the SHW-M100S, this bad Larry will ship with Android 2.1, a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, 720MHz CPU, mobile TV onboard, DivX playback, a 5 megapixel camera, HD video recording, A-GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi, with availability on SK Telecom scheduled by the end of this month. Pricing seems to be absent for each of these, but plenty more details can be found in the links sitting just below. Continue reading Android goes Korean: Samsung debuts Galaxy A, LG intros LG-SU950 Android goes Korean: Samsung debuts Galaxy A, LG intros LG-SU950 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds! . Permalink Engadget Spanish, Akihabara News | LG (Korean), PhysOrg (Samsung) | Email this |&! nbsp;Comments |
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The future of US Army helicopters: pilots optional
April 28, 2010 at 8:13 AM
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| Five years ago, the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter got a digital cockpit and fly-by-wire controls. Starting in 2011, the US Army would like it to perform missions without a pilot at the helm. In a 140-page "Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap" released earlier this month, the Armed Forces reveal that the UH-60, AH-64, CH-47 and OH-58D whirlybirds will all be part of a new aircraft category called Optionally Piloted Vehicles (OPV) -- meaning in future, the flick of a switch will turn them into giant UAVs. If an unmanned Apache gunship makes your boots quake, you're not alone, but you won't truly ha! ve reason to fear until 2025. That's when the government estimates half of all Army aircraft will be OPV, and those bots will learn the more deadly behaviors, like swarming. Sikorsky says the unmanned UH-60M will fly later this year; read the full roadmap PDF at our more coverage link. The future of US Army helicopters: pilots optional originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 07:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  ArmyTimes, DefenseNews | Email this | Comments |
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Garmin-Asus A10 brings pedestrian-optimized GPS to European and Asian Android lovers
April 28, 2010 at 7:45 AM
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| You ain't nobody if you don't have an Android handset (or two) these days, and Garmin-Asus has just added the A10 to its own stable of devices. It's a pretty humble 3.2-inch HVGA communicator, but it has a healthy 1,500mAh battery, a multitouch-friendly WebKit browser, and an autofocusing 5 megapixel camera with automatic geotagging. Coming with preloaded Garmin Navigation maps and software, the A10 eliminates the need for a web connection when looking up your local topography, and similarly retains turn-by-turn voice instructions while used offline. It's not altogether clear what the pedestrian optimizations are, aside from the public transport-aware cityXplorer maps, but in-car navigation is also obviously ful! ly supported and encouraged. We're told to expect the A10 in mid-2010 for European and Asia-Pacific markets. Full PR after the break. Continue reading Garmin-Asus A10 brings pedestrian-optimized GPS to European and Asian Android lovers Garmin-Asus A10 brings pedestrian-optimized GPS to European and Asian Android lovers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | &n! bsp;| Email this | Comments |
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Nokia N8 fights back with heavenly HD video sample
April 28, 2010 at 7:07 AM
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Nokia is doing its best to recapture the negative spin placed on its flagship N8 after one of its children went missing. As part of the effort, it just published the first un-retouched 720p video captured by a pre-production N8's Carl Zeiss lens as followup to the first sample images released yesterday. We downloaded the H.264 video's .MP4 container to view natively (that's a 600 pixel wide screencap above) and sure enough came away impressed -- though we're curious to hear the original audio replaced by a dramatic soundtrack. Now, we're not saying it's better or worse than other similarly equipped smartphones shooting well-lit video -- without see! ing side-by-side video of the same footage it's difficult to tell. But Nokia, a company known for using decent optics, sensors, and flash units in its N-series devices, certainly won't be disappointing impromptu photogs making their first jump into Symbian ^3. Just imagine what Nokia hardware coupled with a killer user experience could do. Could do. Embedded video sample after the break. Continue reading Nokia N8 fights back with heavenly HD video sample Nokia N8 fights back with heavenly HD video sample originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Nokia Conversations | Email this | Comments |
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JooJoo now available in Europe and Canada, new firmware promised 'shortly'
April 28, 2010 at 6:35 AM
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| Who says down necessarily means out? Despite our qualms with the JooJoo tablet, it looks as if the startup is pushing forward with plans to expand availability beyond US borders, as the Fusion Garage order page now clearly states that orders are being accepted from those with addresses in Europe and the Great White North. There's no exact ship date listed for either of those nations (we're guessing it'll depart within 24 to 48 business hours), but pricing is pegged at $499 CAD with free shipping for our northerly neighbors, while those in Europe are being asked to pay €359 ($473) plus €13 ($17) in shipping fees. As to those user experience shortcomings, Chandra Rathakrishnan promises us a "robust software update" in short order that will apparently eliminate many of the widely reported problems with the device. You'll be justified in retai! ning your reservations, but some hope is better than none, we suppose. JooJoo now available in Europe and Canada, new firmware promised 'shortly' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Liliputing |  JooJoo (1), (2) | Email this | Comments |
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NASA's robot submarine achieves perpetual motion, of a sort
April 28, 2010 at 6:12 AM
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| The Sounding Oceanographic Lagrangrian Observer Thermal Recharging (SOLO-TREC) autonomous underwater vehicle is, well, quite a mouthful. It's also the first submarine that can run a sizable percentage of forever without requiring a charge. When the 183-pound buoy dives, cooler water temperature causes a liquid wax-like substance inside to solidify, squeezing out oil that drives a hydraulic generator; when it surfaces, the wax softens once again, ready for another round. Every dive produces 1.7 watt-hours of electricity, enough to power all the instruments, GPS and buoyancy-control pump on board. It's like a drinking bird that never runs out of water. Designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Scripps researchers, the thermal engine is envisioned as an oceanography tool... but since the US Navy also has a finger in the pie, don't be surprised if it plays ! a minor role in the coming robot apocalypse as well. NASA's robot submarine achieves perpetual motion, of a sort originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink NewScientist |  NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory | Email this | Comments |
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Firefox now available for Android 2.0 and above, still at pre-alpha stage
April 28, 2010 at 5:19 AM
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Fennec, Mozilla's codeword for mobile Firefox builds, has just made its pre-alpha debut on Android. The tastefully named Vladimir Vukićević informs us that it's pretty much a debug release, with unoptimized memory utilization and some quirks rebooting the app when it's started and when add-ons are installed, but it is at a stage where the devs felt they could get useful feedback from a broader user base. It's not yet available on the Android Market, so you'll be needing to download it from the link below, and remember that you'll have to have an Android 2.0 or higher device, with OpenGL ES 2.0 capabilities also being recommended. If you've got all those boxes ticked, get downloading and come back to tell us how that WeaveSync is working out for you. We've got video of an older build running on a Nexus one after the break,! just to whet some appetites.
[Thanks, Jonathon]Continue reading Firefox now available for Android 2.0 and above, still at pre-alpha stage Firefox now available for Android 2.0 and above, still at pre-alpha stage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Vlad1, Mozilla (download) | Email this | Comments |
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Microsoft says Android infringes on its patents, licenses HTC
April 28, 2010 at 4:51 AM
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The lawyers up in Redmond seem to have been woken from their slumber with the sudden realization that -- oh look! -- Google's Android OS infringes on Microsoft's boatload of software patents. How specifically it does so is not identified, but Microsoft believes that elements from both the user interface and the underlying operating system are in violation of its rights. This is very much in keeping with the Windows maker's crusade to assert patent claims over Linux, which in the past has garnished it with cross-licensing deals with Amazon and Xandros, as well as a settlement from TomTom. Lawsuits are not yet being discussed here, but lest you think this is a small-time disturbance, HTC has already decided to shorten its list of troubles by ponying up for a license from Microsoft for "running the Android mobile platform." Yes, that does sound ludicrous, but it's now an unfortunate fact that a major Android phone manufacturer is having to pay Microsoft royalties to use Google's operating system.
[Thanks, Jack]Microsoft says Android infringes on its patents, licenses HTC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | CNET, Microsoft | Email this | Comments |
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Sony teases VAIO Ultra Mobile, Clippy chuffed
April 28, 2010 at 4:21 AM
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| Interesting. Sony's teasing a new VAIO "Ultra Mobile" in Japan. No idea what this could be: refreshed VAIO X lappie, VAIO P netbook, or a new take on its venerable VAIO UX micro PC? With Intel's Moorestown just around the corner we're leaning towards the latter, hoping for it anyway -- Sony doesn't tease just any old product without good reason. Oh, wait. Sony teases VAIO Ultra Mobile, Clippy chuffed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:21:00 EST. Please see our t! erms for use of feeds. Permalink | SonyStyle | Email this | Comments |
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Hulu app for Android revealed by Google search
April 28, 2010 at 3:51 AM
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Dell's Android-loving Thunder already boomed about its future "integrated web video Hulu app," but now we're also getting confirmation, albeit an unintentional one, from Hulu itself that an Android app for the streaming service is in the works. A reader spotted the incriminating info above when searching for more info about just such a program -- as you can see, "Hulu App for Android devices" is specifically named in the blurb below the link to Hulu Labs. The actual Labs page has no new info, and our suspicion is it will stay that way until Android 2.2 brings integrated Flash support to the platform. We're also seeing a reference to an iPhone OS application, but since that bit of text trails off, it's a more equivocal implication -- though not an illogical one at all. Either way, this is the most concrete indication we've had yet that Hulu is going mobile, in what seems to be a pretty big way.
[Thanks, Zach S.]Hulu app for Android revealed by Google search originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google search | Email this | Comments |
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ASUS Eee PC 1015P netbook hits the FCC
April 28, 2010 at 3:16 AM
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We already managed to go hands-on with ASUS' Eee PC 1015P netbook at CeBIT back in March, but the company has been relatively quiet about it since then, and hasn't even offered so much as a hint of a release date. It looks like that could now be coming sooner rather than later, however, as the netbook has just passed through the FCC and left with its seal of approval. In case you missed it, the netbook itself is part of ASUS' Seashell line, and packs a 10.1-inch screen, an Atom N450 processor and, perhaps most notably, a promised 14 hours of battery life -- keyword "promised." ASUS Eee PC 1015P netbook hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Wireless Goodness | Email this | Comments |
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Well, it looks like T-Mobile has some good news and some bad news for customers using its 5GB webConnect data plan. The good news is that the carrier will no longer be charging its $0.20 per megabyte overage fee for any data used beyond the 5GB limit, thereby effectively making the 5GB plan an unlimited plan. The bad news is that in place of an overage charge, it will be implementing bandwidth throttling on any data used on top of the standard 5GB, although it's not saying exactly how much it will slow things down. Customers using T-Mobile's basic 200MB monthly plan aren't left out of the changes either -- while they won't see any bandwidth throttling, they will see their overage charges cut in half fro! m $0.20 to $0.10 per megabyte. Both changes are apparently effective immediately.
There's already been some rumors circulating that Intel would be rolling out a 1.33GHz Core i7 ULV processor this summer, and it now looks like that will be followed by an even faster low-voltage processor later in the Fall. That's when, according to Fudzilla, Intel will be launching a 1.46GHz Core i7 680UM processor, which reportedly has the same 18W TDP rating and 4MB of cache as its slower counterpart, and can clock all the way up to 2.53GHz in Turbo Boost mode. Unfortunately, there's not so much as a hint of pricing or any actual laptops that will use the processor, and Intel itself is of course keeping quiet on the matter for the time being.
