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| How would you change the TiVo Premiere?
April 23, 2010 at 11:04 PM
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| | TiVo loyalists have waited l0ng, the long time for this. The Premiere is marketed as the DVR to end all DVRs, and unlike those plain-jane boxes served up at your local pay-TV provider, there's actually a decent amount of ingenuity within TiVo's freshest set-top box. Unfortunately, those g00d intentions didn't really lead to a beautiful implementation, and we found quite a few bones to pick during our time with it. Make no mistake -- TiVo's still charging a small fortune for the privilege of using its user interface and hearing its bloops and beeps, and frankly, we expected more for the premium. Are you in the same boat? Couldn't disagree more? We're anxious to see how you'd retool the Premiere if given the opportunity, and what you'd do differently now that you've been relying on it for the past couple of mon! ths. Go on, c0mments are waiting for you.
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| The Engadget Show returns this Saturday, April 24th with roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, and much more!
April 23, 2010 at 9:30 PM
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| Well ladies and gentlemen, it's that time again -- the Engadget Show is back in a big way this Saturday, April 24th at 6pm! This time around, we'll have the world renowned roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong on hand for a stirring discussion on robotics -- as well as the progress on our future robot butlers. What's more, GDGT co-founder and Engadget editor emeritus Ryan Block will be joining the round table and our own investigative reporter Rick Karr will be back with a head-scratching report on the war in the music industry over net neutrality. You can also look forward to some fine, fine music from Neil Voss and mind-numbing visuals from NO CARRIER. We'll be streaming the whole thing di! rect to you via the internet, but we'll also be doing tons of giveaways at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. If you're geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just hit up the stream and tweet comments directly to the show!
If you're wondering about what kind of giveaways we've got in store, one lucky audience member will walk away from the show with this insane ATI Eyefinity rig. Yes. Seriously.
Note: The show time has been moved back an hour, so it will be starting at 6PM! See below for more details.
The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's all the info you need:
- There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 3:30PM on Saturday, doors will open for seating at 5:30PM, and the show begins at 6PM
- You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
- Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full
- The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break)
- The show length is around an hour
If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.
Subscribe to the Show:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
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[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.Continue reading The Engadget Show returns this Saturday, April 24th with roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, and much more! The Engadget Show returns this Saturday, April 24th with roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, and much more! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| Engadget Podcast 193 - 04.23.2010
April 23, 2010 at 8:36 PM
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| Check out the latest leak from Engadget HQ - the raw, uncut, full story behind this week's podcast! Embarrassing would-be edits included for your comedic enjoyment!
Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Telephone
Hear the podcast
00:01:50 - Apple's 4th-generation iPhone revealed
00:29:50 - Dell's Lightning, Thunder, Flash, Smoke and more: rounding up a storm of mobile leaks
00:47:10 - Dell Mini 5 gets FCC approval again, this time with T-Mobile flavoring
00:53:56 - Droid Incredible review
01:03:40 - BlackBerry OS 6.0 screenshots and details leak out
01:18:00 - The Engadget Show returns this Saturday, April 24th with roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, and much more!
Subscribe to the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).
[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
Download the podcast
LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)
Contact the podcast
Permalink | | Email this | Comments | Media Files
Engadget_Podcast_193.mp3 (MP3 Audio, 46.8 MB)
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| Android Market clears the 50,000 app mark, says AndroLib
April 23, 2010 at 8:31 PM
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| | Google has never been too inclined to give the world the straight dope on total app counts in the Android Market, but other companies -- notably AndroLib -- have been happy to try to pick up the slack. The app tracking site now reports a grand total of 50,031 approved binaries as of this writing, marking a pretty magical milestone in light of the Market's humble beginnings as a free-only cache of a handful of apps for the G1. To be fair, AndroLib is aggregating across all of the Market's regional sites -- you won't find 50,000 apps in any one Market alone -- but it's undoubtedly a solid sign for the platform. Now we just need a little Froyo to go with that, right? Android Market clears the 50,000 app mark, says AndroLib! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Android Police |  AndroLib | Email this! | Comments | | |
| Another Palm exec is out... and CEO Jon Rubinstein is next?
April 23, 2010 at 7:30 PM
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Things must be getting a little weird at Palm right now, as every day seems to add a new piece to an already confusing puzzle. In just two week's time the company has gone from a potential free agent, to a lone wolf, and then back to prospective purchase. Adding more noise to the proceedings, TechCrunch is now reporting that another senior staffer has hit the road, and this time it's Caitlin Spaan, Palm's VP of carrier marketing. Her name gets added to what looks like a growing list of recent Palm departures (not to mention that entire marketing department we hear h! as been canned). More troubling than that news, however, is a rumor which also appears on TC suggesting that CEO (and putative savior of the company) Jon Rubinstein may be on his way out as well. This report is pure hearsay at this point, but if true would be a major admission on Palm's part that its plans to kickstart the ailing company nearly two years ago are failing (or have just plain failed). Of course, we need to stress that this news just rumor at this stage -- the company offered no comment to Business Insider -- and until we get more solid word, it should be treated as such. As for us, we're hoping the company can pull something salvageable together from this mess and figure out a way to compete at a level of increasingly more difficult stakes.Another Palm exec is out... and CEO Jon Rubinstein is next? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TechCrunch, TechCrunch | Email this | Comments | | |
| Updated Windows Phone 7 videos show Office doing awesome things
April 23, 2010 at 6:48 PM
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| As much as Microsoft has revealed ab0ut Windows Phone 7 thus far in the past two months, one critical, differentiating element that it's going to be able to lord over its competitors -- true Office support -- has been a bit of a black box. We're starting to see a little bit more about the Office team's next-gen mobile product now, though, thanks to a pair of new videos that have been published this week. The first focuses on the email and calendar experience, but we do see one pretty awesome trick when the demo opens a PowerPoint file inline from the email client, edits it, and sends it back to the original sender. The second video dives deeper on the actual Office hub, where we get a quick look at the Word editor -- and as you might expect, it's squeaky-clean and nearly UI-free, just like pretty much everything else in the platform. Peep the videos after the break.
[Thanks, skipper]Continue reading Updated Windows Phone 7 videos show Office doing awesome things Updated Windows Phone 7 videos show Office doing awesome things originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Via MobilityDigest (YouTube) 1, 2 | Email this | Comments | | |
| Boeing X-37B autonomous space shuttle launched last night, due back 'whenevs'
April 23, 2010 at 6:14 PM
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|  Boeing's X-37B, the test craft that's been kicking around for the last decade or so, has finally made it into orbit. Formerly a NASA project, we've heard little about the thing since it passed into DARPA hands in 2004 -- and statements like those of the Air Force's Gary Payton don't help much: "in all honesty, we don't know when it's coming back for sure." How's that for autonomous? Also uncommented upon, yet tantalizing, are the military's intentions for the unmanned vehicle, which can remain in orbit 270 days at a time. Spy drone? Orbital weapons platform? Plaything for our future robot overlords? (Let's hope it's not the last one.) The success of the mission will depend on a couple things, namely: how the return trip goes (it should make it back to California's Vandenberg Air Force Base via autopilot... sometime) and whether the thing can be re-launched quickly enough. Ideally, the craft should be ready for another flight in fifteen days. Another test is planned for 2011.
[Thanks, One Love!]Boeing X-37B autonomous space shuttle launched last night, due back 'whenevs' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Wired | E! mail this | Comments | | |
| Samsung's ARM roadmap lays coordinates through 2013: Aquila, Venus, and Draco (oh my)
April 23, 2010 at 5:48 PM
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| | Ah, leaked company presentation slides, they have a clarity only Mr. Blurrycam would despise. EETimes' got a batch of from Samsung dated November 2009 making the rounds, but more important than revealing its equal love for both Roman and Greek mythology, we get a glimpse at its then-planned ARM chip roadmap (yeah, another one) through 2013. In a nutshell, for the Cortex A9 crowd we've got the 800MHz dual core "Orion" due for mass production in Q1 2011, a 1GHz single core "Pegasus" for Q4 2011, a 1GHz dual core "Hercules" for Q1 2012, and for sometime in 2012 / 2013, a 1.2GHz dual core "Draco" and quad core "Aquila." Fear not, Cortex A5 fanatics, you've got gifts as well, in the form of 600MHz single core "Mercury" and dual core "Venus" chips, slated for 2010 / 2011 and 2012 / 2013, respectively. We don't exp! ect the nomenclature to extend beyond internal usage, but frankly, who cares -- it's the devices that count, and unfortunately all we can do is doodle our future gadget hopes and dreams onto scraps of paper while we wait. Samsung's ARM roadmap lays coordinates through 2013: Aquila, Venus, and Draco (oh my) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink ! Slashgea r | EETimes | Email this | Comments | | |
| Panasonic prices, dates full 3D plasma lineup -- 65-inches for $4,299
April 23, 2010 at 5:12 PM
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| | Panasonic kicked off its 2010 3DTV run with an extremely limited, Best Buy only launch of the 50-inch VT20 package, but for those looking to upgrade -- especially in size -- with a new TV this year finally have some info to work off of. This year's sets have more than just the extra dimension to offer, with improved black levels (especially over time), plus upgraded VIERA Cast networked features with Skype. The general launch kicks off the week of May 3 with the 50-inch TC-P50VT25 for $2,599, and closes with the largest TC-P65VT25 mod! el in June for $4,299. Those MSRPs place them a couple of hundred bucks north of last year's models, but a rep for great 3D and 2D performance should help anyone struggling over the upgrade -- check for the rest of the prices in the press release after the break. Continue reading Panasonic prices, dates full 3D plasma lineup -- 65-inches for $4,299 Panasonic prices, dates full 3D plasma lineup -- 65-inches for $4,299 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 ! 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| Kakai developing a Linux-based e-book reader? Wouldn't you like to know!
April 23, 2010 at 4:57 PM
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|  It seems that Osman Rashid, the guy behind Chegg (an online textbook rental service, sort of like a boring Netflix) has decided that he's going to follow the likes of Kindle and iPad into the untested (well, somewhat tested -- and somewhat reviled) e-textbook space. Details are scant -- and it's this fact, really, that's captured the imagination of tech wonks on a slow news day like today. According to Kara Swisher of All Things Digital, Rashid's start-up, Kakai, is "in the deepest of stealth modes, despite a panoply of high-profile players involved." That's right -- despite having almost fifty employees and almost $10 million in ventu! re capital, no one is really sure what these guys are trying to do! No one, that is, except Swisher, who's apparently received reports of a demo video that targets potential investors, describing a Linux-based, dual-display, Courier-like device aimed at the educational market. Which sounds great, as far as that goes -- but we're waiting for some specs, or blurrycam pics, or for someone to leave one at a bar somewhere before we get too excited. Kakai developing a Linux-based e-book reader? Wouldn't you like to know! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink VentureBeat | All Things Digital | Email this | Comments | | |
| Barnes & Noble Nook gaming and web browsing impressions
April 23, 2010 at 4:13 PM
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| Playing some Sudoku and reading Engadget on our Nook? Yeah, we are! Obviously, after hearing about the Nook 1.3 firmware update this morning, us bookworms nabbed the latest software to check out the added features. The over-the-air update took about a total of ten minutes from start to finish, and when the e-reader had restarted the new Games, Wi-Fi, Audio, and Web shortcuts were more than obvious on the main menu. The browsing experience, which is clearly marked beta, is very similar to that on the Spring Design Alex -- you input the address on the touchscreen and an expanded view of whatever site you're visiting appears on the E-Ink display. You can use the LCD to navigate the page, though the physical page tu! rn buttons work as well, which is actually a nice trick. It isn't the fastest browsing experience, but it'll definitely be useful for quickly reading some news or checking the weather when you are near a WiFi network - we got a page not found message over 3G.
As for the Sudoku and chess games, it's all pretty standard -- the boards appear on the E-Ink screen and you use the touchscreen to input numbers or move pieces. We weren't near a Barnes & Noble to check out the borrow-a-book feature, but the navigation seems to have gotten even snappier since the 1.2 update, and the lower screen is refreshing noticeably faster. Our early verdict? Those Best Buy shoppers are getting a heck of a much better Nook than we did a few months ago. Barnes & Noble Nook gaming and web browsing impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| First wave of Ion 2 ASUS Eee PC 1201PNs lack NVIDIA Optimus
April 23, 2010 at 3:38 PM
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| | Well, this is sad. While we told you earlier this week that the Ion 2-powered ASUS Eee PC 1201PN wouldn't be arriving until late May, a number of European sites have gotten early review samples of the 12-inch "netbook" -- if you choose to call it that -- and have discovered that it doesn't use NVIDIA's Optimus automatic graphics switching technology. That's right, instead we're told by NVIDIA that the discrete GeForce 201M GPU runs continuously and Intel's integrated chip is never used -- a configuration which sounds like it'll absolutely kill the battery life on this machine. According to Hardware Zone, ASUS made this choice aim! ing to be the first to market with the next generation of Ion, but an Optimus version of the ASUS Eee PC 1201PN will be ready later this quarter. It also appears that an Eee PC 1215N with both Ion 2 and Optimus is floating around, but we haven't confirmed what's going on with that. We're sorry if we confused you even more, but we'll be keeping our eyes out for the early reviews of the 1201PN to see if our predicted two hours of battery life is on the mark. First wave of Ion 2 ASUS Eee PC 1201PNs lack NVIDIA Optimus originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink ! |& nbsp; Hardware Zone, Blogeee | Email this | Comments | | |
| Steam for Mac beta reveals possible Linux compatibility in the pipeline, penguins rejoice
April 23, 2010 at 3:03 PM
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Gaming on Linux? That's not something we hear every day just yet, but it looks like the good folks at Valve might be considering a penguin revolution. In one of the latest beta releases of Steam for Mac, Phoronix spotted a mention of the open-source platform in the launcher script, and we were also able to verify this code ourselves. Furthermore, the eagle-eyed Linux blog has previously seen a handful of evidence hinting Linux compatibility for Valve's Source gaming engine. We're probably still a ways off from any announcement (if ever) so for now, let's just leave the guys alone -- we don't want to distract them from bringing the Portal goodness to our Macs now, do we?Steam for Mac beta reveals possible Linux compatibility in the pipeline, penguins rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Never Know Tech | Phoronix | Email this | Comments | | |
| Android Eee Pad to debut in June, could ship as early as July
April 23, 2010 at 2:37 PM
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| | We have more details on that impending Eee Pad for y'inz. Interested? Of course you are! Speaking at a conference in Taiwan, Asustek Computer chairman Jerry Shen recently announced that the device will get its official introduction at Computex 2010, the first week of June. With any luck, the thing will hit retail channels the third quarter of this year -- possibly as early as July, a DigiTimes' source reports. Shen said that the device is meant to be all the things that the iPad is not: expect Google Android, USB, an integrated webcam, and Flash, for starters. The aforementioned source went on to state that, after wireless provider subsidies are taken into effect, the thing should cost around $15,000-16,000 TD (or about $480-510). Android Eee Pad to debut in June, could ship as early as July originally appeared on Engadge! t on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | DigiTimes | Email this | Comments | | |
| HD 101: 3D FAQ
April 23, 2010 at 1:59 PM
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While not everyone is sold on 3D at home yet -- or even in the theater -- most still have at least a few questions, and in the past year or so we've heard 'em all. So we figured we might as well share all the questions and the answers in one easy to read 3D FAQ. This is by no means comprehensive, but thanks to the wonders of the internet if we missed something it isn't too late to ask in the comments and watch in wonder as the post magically gets updated.Continue reading HD 101: 3D FAQ HD 101: 3D FAQ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| MSI's customizable GX640 gaming notebook now shipping
April 23, 2010 at 1:34 PM
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| | MSI's gaming laptops have looked the same for years, but we aren't going to judge. As Mother always told us, it's what's inside that counts, and the new GX640 -- now stateside after a two month vacation in Europe -- is quite the upgrade. That familiar red-and-black chassis now houses a 2.26GHz Core i5-540M alongside 4GB of DDR3 memory, and the 1680 x 1050 LCD display is driven by a Mobility Radeon HD 5850 for mondo graphical performance. 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a six-cell battery and a 500GB, 7200RPM HDD round out a value-packed $1100 Amazon.com package, but if you're looking for a little more juice (and prepared t! o squeeze), you'll find you can customize this mean, 5.8 pound machine with a Core i7 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, SSDs and a nine-cell Li-ion at XoticPC. MSI's customizable GX640 gaming notebook now shipping originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | MSI Mobile, Amazon.com, XoticPC | Email this | Comments | | |
| Game Gripper review
April 23, 2010 at 1:11 PM
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| We love an innovative fix to a problem, and so were immediately smitten by the Game Gripper when we saw it in action. It's a little keypad that slaps on over the keyboard of your Motorola Droid or Milestone, turning it into what looked like perhaps the most perfect blend of smartphone and portable gaming machine we'd ever seen. (Sorry, N-Gage.) Naturally we had to try it, and the Gripper's creator, Hyrum Fairbanks, was kind enough to send us one to test -- even customized to match the Engadget Mobile color scheme. Is it worth the measly $15 he's charging for the thing, and is it good enough to execute a hadouken? Read on through to find out.
Continue reading Game Gripper review Game Gripper review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| Switched On: The weighty issues of slates
April 23, 2010 at 12:30 PM
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| Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
Slates may seek to occupy a device class in between smartphones and notebooks, but they have their own dynamics. If the closest real-world counterpart for the PC was the desktop, the closest real-world counterpart for the slate may be the clipboard, a platform that aggregates and recalls important resources on the go but isn't something most people need access to all the time.
And with the change in usage comes different design priorities. Like a laptop, slates will be judged on factors such as speed, screen size, and battery life. But one spec that will take on new significance compared to other mobile devices is weight. This stems from the slate's unique hybrid of smartphone and notebook usage scenarios. The natural limits of the size of smartphones put a de facto upper limit on how heavy they can be. A few ounces isn't going to make a big difference in arm fatigue, even for most calls; there are Bluetooth headsets to alleviate longer ones. And the nature of smartphone apps also tends to favor short usage sessions. Continue reading Switched On: The weighty issues of slates Switched On: The weighty issues of slates originally appeared ! on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| NC State gurus create harder, better, faster, stronger 'smart sensors'
April 23, 2010 at 12:12 PM
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|  The year is 1974. Skywalker lives, and a tradition is born. The year is 1983. The odds are ridiculous. The final score leads to an unpremeditated running around the court that'll live forever in history. Fast forward to 2010, and NC State is hanging onto advancements in science while the blued neighbors in Durham and Chapel-Hill are celebrating back-to-back titles. Regardless of all that, we're still pretty proud of Dr. Jay Narayan and company, who have just uncovered a new "smart sensor" that will allow for "faster response times from military applications." Essentially, the team has taken a sensor material called vanadium oxide and! integrated it with a silicon chip, forcing the sensor to become a part of the computer chip itself. The new approach leads to intelligent sensors that can "sense, manipulate and respond to information" in a much faster manner than before, providing soldiers with weapons and analyzing tools that can react more hastily to incoming ammunition or other, um, pertinent information. It's no banner hanging ceremony, but we'll take what we can get.NC State gurus create harder, better, faster, stronger 'smart sensors' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | NC State University | Email this | Comments | | |
| YouTube rental selection expanded; sadly, most films still lack explosions
April 23, 2010 at 11:51 AM
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| | Are you looking for yet another way to stream Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired? Netflix and iTunes not doing it for you? Apparently YouTube's first, tentative step into on-demand rentals (some sort of Sundance Film Festival cross-promotion early this year) went well enough, and the company's started offering an extended range of movie and TV episodes for your viewing pleasure. Depending on the flick, anywhere between $.99 and $3.99 will get you 48 hours access, paid through Google Check-Out. Not too many Hollywood blockbusters are on tap, but if you're in the mood for a documentary, indie, or foreign film, hit up the source link to see for yourself. Personally, we're holding out until Die Hard With A Vengeance becomes available. YouTube rental selection expanded; sadly, most films still lack explosions originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Read Write Web | YouTube Store | Email thi! s&nb sp;| Comments | | |
| DC-MCNAS1 Movie Cowboy NAS will wrangle your torrents, herd your HDDs
April 23, 2010 at 11:26 AM
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| Having a box sitting on your network and offering up terabytes of storage is a lovely thing, but it's even lovelier when that box can kind of take care of a variety of other problems as well. Such is Digital Cowboy's DC-MCNAS1, a case with dual 3.5-inch SATA bays into which you can slot whatever volume of storage your budget allows. Once connected to your network (over gigabit Ethernet) it can serve up MySQL instances, accept files over FTP/SSH, manage your printers, and of course handle however many torrents you can throw at it. The box ships to Japanese buckaroos next week and, while there's no price set on this one yet, hopefully it won't break the bank.
DC-MCNAS1 Movie Cowboy NAS will wrangle your torrents, herd your HDDs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Akihabara News | Digital Cowboy | Email this | Comments | | |
| Japan plans mind-reading robots and brain interface devices 'by 2020'
April 23, 2010 at 11:04 AM
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Our grandparents did warn us that laziness would get us in trouble. The Japanese government and private sector are, according to the Nikkei, all set to begin work on a collaborative new project to develop thought-controlled gadgets, devices ... and robots. The aim is to produce brain-to-computer interfaces that would allow the ability to change channels or pump out texts just with your almighty brain power, while also facilitating artificial intelligence that would be capable of detecting when you're hungry, cold, or in need of as! sistance. Manufacturing giants Toyota, Honda and Hitachi get name-dropped as potential participants in this 10-year plan, though we wonder if any of them will have the sense to ask what happens when an ultra-precise and emotionless bot is given both intelligence and mind-reading powers. Would it really stick to dunking biscuits in our tea, or would it prefer something a little more exciting?Japa n plans mind-reading robots and brain interface devices 'by 2020' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Yahoo! News | Email this | Comments | | |
| AT&T Palm Pre Plus unboxed in glorious, orange detail
April 23, 2010 at 10:42 AM
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| We still don't have a firm date for when Palm's current wunderphone will be hitting AT&T's soothingly-colored retail establishments (the site still says "coming soon"), but we do now have confirmation that at least one handset has reached its destination. A tipster was kind enough to send us these photos of an AT&T Pre Plus escaping its creamsicle confines and powering on for the first time. This doesn't look like a retail unit, likely one of AT&T's "practice" Pre Plus models that were supposed to ship earlier this month or some other promo phone, but regardless we're guessing that we're not far from yet another group of subscribers being able to massage the keys on this slider.
[Thanks, gueriLLaPunK]AT&T Palm Pre Plus unboxed in glorious, orange detail originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | |
| Nook gets web browser, free in-store reading, and games in new firmware
April 23, 2010 at 10:15 AM
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| It's not in our nature to get all excited about firmware updates, but B&N sure seems to bringing the good stuff in release 1.3 of the Nook's software. The major new features include a Beta release of a "basic" web browser and a Read In Store feature that's reassuringly true to its name. You'll basically be allowed to browse and read the full versions of books while inside a Barnes and Noble outlet. That looks like a win-win to us, as it directly addresses the goal of using the Nook to get people in stores while affording consumers the opportunity to get a good idea about a book. The first Android apps on the device are also offered, in the form of games like chess and sudoku, both perfectly suited to the glacially refreshing monochome screen. Speaking of which, B&N claims it's also improved page turning and loading speeds. The update is available via manual download now or you can wait for the OTA stuff to hit your Nook within the next week.
[Thanks, Davorin]Nook gets web browser, free in-store reading, and games in new firmware originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Barnes and Noble | Email this | Comments | | |
| Panasonic's 3.1Ah batteries to be used in the Tesla Model S, have highest energy density yet
April 23, 2010 at 10:03 AM
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Encouraging news for all you EV enthusiasts out there: Tesla's Model S appears to still be on track for its planned 2012 launch and will be using battery technology offering the highest energy density "in the world." Built in Panasonic's new fab in Suminoe, Japan, these 3.1Ah cells (you can just about see one of them being held by the two corporate types above) will be manufactured at a rate of more than 300 million per year. Considering each car would require a few more than 6,000 of them for its full energy storage, that means Tesla would be able to churn out about 48,000 Model S sedans per year. Then again, the company has only sold about 1,000 units of its Roadster so far, so we doubt it'll be pushing Panasonic's! max production capacity any time soon. Still, good to know things are progressing in the right direction.Continue reading Panasonic's 3.1Ah batteries to be used in the Tesla Model S, have highest energy density yet Panasonic's 3.1Ah batteries to be used in the Tesla Model S, have highest energy density yet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Autoblog Green | Email this | Comments | | |
| Onda's Vi10 Android PMP sports Rockchip internals, 3G wireless
April 23, 2010 at 9:41 AM
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| We haven't seen much of Rockchip's 600MHz, RK2808 processor for mobile devices outside of China and, while we're not entirely confident that this particular implementation will ever grace our retail shelves, it is nice to see that this semi-working prototype exists... somewhere. It's the Vi10 from Onda and it sits somewhere between a PMP and a tablet, sporting the same body as the company's earlier VX575, giving it a five-inch screen, but inside has that Rockchip processor powering an Android install. Connectivity is said to come courtesy of WiFi or 3G and, well, that's about all we know at this point -- perhaps, all we're likely to ever know.
[Thanks, Shenoy]Onda's Vi10 Android PMP sports Rockchip internals, 3G wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | MP4Nation | Email this | Comments | | |
| Psyko Audio finally ships outre 5.1 surround sound headset
April 23, 2010 at 9:16 AM
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| | Psyko Audio, remember those guys? No? Can't say we blame ya -- after all, they first introduced these very headphones at CES in 2009, and we're just now seeing the first sets ship to consumers in North America. We're just as curious as you as to what caused a nearly 1.5 year delay, but hey, if you've been longing for 5.1 channels of audio in a package that requires nothing more than a source and your dome, we suspect you'll be in the "better late than never" camp. And yeah, the company is indeed charging a borderline insane $299.99 for these, but considering that said outlay buys you an "unfair advantage over the competition through precise 3D sound that drastically heightens awareness of your gaming surroundings," it's fairly easy to justify. Oh, and the public humiliation that'll come with wearing these outside of your basement is on the house. Huzzah! Continue reading Psyko Audio finally ships outre 5.1 surround sound headset Psyko Audio finally ships outre 5.1 surround sound headset originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Hot Hardware | |&nb! sp;Email this | Comments | | |
| VIA Nano E-Series CPUs offer native 64-bit support, guaranteed longevity, and extreme energy efficiency
April 23, 2010 at 8:49 AM
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| | Oh, look who it is. The company that was supposed to give the Atom a good run for its money is back at it today with the announcement of a new E-Series of processors, operating at speeds between 800MHz and 1.8GHz. Bringing native 64-bit software and virtualization support, as well as a 7-year guarantee, these will certainly appeal to business types, while their minimal idle power consumption (as low as 100mW) and multimedia-accelerating promises should garner some interest from consumers as well. VIA is promising "exceptional hardware acceleration of the most demanding HD video codecs and industry leading 3D graphics capabilities" when these CPUs get dropped into integrated chipsets like the VN1000. Them's fighting words indeed, and we should be able t! o gauge their veracity in due course with samples available for interested parties right now and mass production sure to swiftly follow. Go past the break for the full PR. Continue reading VIA Nano E-Series CPUs offer native 64-bit support, guaranteed longevity, and extreme energy efficiency VIA Nano E-Series CPUs offer native 64-bit support, guaranteed longevity, and extreme energy efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Engadget Spanish | VIA | Email this | Comments | | |
| PlayStation 3's 3D implementation explained, may require upscaling and reduction in detail to work
April 23, 2010 at 8:23 AM
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| It was only a couple of days ago that Sony flicked the switch on 3D compatibility for the PS3 -- albeit without retail games that can yet exploit it -- so what better time to dig into the nitty gritty details of the company's implementation of the third dimension? Digital Foundry have done just that, starting off with a discussion of how Sony translated WipEout HD from 2D into 3D. Noting that the original version ran at 1080p, Sony's senior development manager Simon Benson explains that notching resolution down to 720p opened up some pixel processing overhead (one 1080p stream requires nearly 2.1 million pixels, whereas a duo of 720p images is around 1.85 million in total), while reducing the refresh rate to 30Hz allowed the devs the breath! ing room to complete the extra geometric calculations required by 3D. That's certainly not the 1080p video at 100Hz per eye that we were hearing about at IDF last year, but at least it shows that games that haven't been coded for 3D can be translated, albeit at more demure settings.
In the case of Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, the game already ran at a 720p / 30fps clip, so the solution was to generate it at a lower resolution and to use hardware upscaling and a few optimizations to make 3D work. Lest you think the transition was all bad news on the graphical immersion front, the SCEE devs also mention that quite a few field-of-view and motion-illustrating effects could simply be disabled in 3D, as in that mode "you get [them] for free." Of course, we're still only talking about retrofitting 3D, and Sony's big hope is that developers will code for the new format right from the start, resulting in visually richer and technically more efficient implementations. Hit the source for more.PlayStation 3's 3D implementation explained,! may require upscaling and reduction in detail to work originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Slashdot | Digital Foundry | Email this | Comments | | |
| Fujifilm's Finepix HD Player HDP-L1 puts 3D W1 footage onto your new 3D HDTV
April 23, 2010 at 7:54 AM
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| | Still monkeying around with that Finepix Real 3D W1 camera, somewhat confused about what exactly you bought it for? Take heart, bandwagon jumper -- the bridge you've been searching for has just been constructed. Fujifilm has recently introduced a new card reader / HD player for use with its year-old 3D point-and-shoot, and judging by the topic of conversation at this year's CES, it sure seems like the timing is far better this go 'round. Put simply, the HDP-L1 (¥4,000; $43) accepts both 2D and 3D content stored on SD / SDHC cards from your W1, and the HDMI output pipes that content directly onto your shiny new 3D HDTV for at-home enjoyment. We're told that it'll also work with that antediluvian 2D content as well, but let's be honest -- you didn't buy a 3D camera just to shoot in 2D, now did you? On second thou! ght, don't answer that. Fujifilm's Finepix HD Player HDP-L1 puts 3D W1 footage onto your new 3D HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Akihabara News, Engadget Spanish | Fujifilm | Email this | Comments | | |
| Google, Broadcom close to enabling 802.11n on Nexus One?
April 23, 2010 at 7:22 AM
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|  We need a name for this whole drama -- we like "n-Gate," but it's a little too close to N-Gage for comfort. Anyhow, you might recall that Google briefly listed 802.11n support in the Nexus One around the time of its release, then wiped all mention of it only to have iFixit's teardown reveal on no uncertain terms that the Broadcom-sourced wireless chipset was definitely capable of rocking it. The word on the street is that Google and Broadcom have just pushed new drivers for the ch! ipset into the Android repository that enable the functionality, which likely means that future versions of the platform will support it -- Froyo, for instance -- including anything the Nexus One should happen to be graced with in the future. Faster wireless is always a good thing, as far as we're concerned... especially, you know, when Google closes the book on 3G issues. Follow the break for claimed video proof that this 11n business is all too real.Continue reading Google, Broadcom close to enabling 802.11n on Nexus One? Google! , Broadcom close to enabling 802.11n on Nexus One? origina! lly appe ared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Android and Me | Via persiansown (YouTube) | Email this | Comments | | |
| AlessiTAB Android touchscreen for fancy European kitchens announced for fall
April 23, 2010 at 6:40 AM
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| | Alessi, the Italian firm responsible for bringing the high-minded designs of folks like Philippe Starck to the kitchens of yuppies the world o'er, has recently announced the AlessiTAB, an all-in-one touchscreen device sportin' WiFi, a digital TV tuner, base station, up to six hours battery life, and of course that world famous Android OS. Designed by Stefano Giovannoni (you know the guy), this is made by Promelit, a prominent Italian device manufacturer. Of course, we live like hobos, blogging from crowded bus stations and beer halls, but maybe you live in an actual house -- in Europe? In that case, keep an eye out: it should make the scene this September for about €300 ($400). Video after the break. Continue reading AlessiTAB Android touchscreen for fancy European kitchens announced for fall AlessiTAB Android touchscreen for fancy European kitchens announced for fall originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SlashGear | ![source]() Infoserv.it | Email this | Comments | | |
| Master Chief's bullet-riddled Xbox 360 case mod auctioned off for charity
April 23, 2010 at 6:03 AM
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| | Sure, Kim Kardashian and Russell Crowe signed airbrushed Xbox 360s bearing their likeness for the David Peachy Foundation's "Konsoles for Kids" charity auction, but Weta Workshop co-founder Richard Taylor built his donation into a badass diorama. That's Halo's Master Chief venting the console with his trusty assault rifle, sending chunks of circuit board, capacitors and LEDs out the other side. According to its eBay seller, the PAL system's still fully functional, and ships with controller, cables and a full warranty. Auction lasts till April 24th; bidding is presently at $810 AUD. Master Chief's bullet-riddled Xbox 360 case mod auctioned off for charity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gizmodo | eBay | Email this&! nbsp;| Comments | | |
| Former News Corp president wants Xbox TV channel?
April 23, 2010 at 5:17 AM
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From its humble HD-DVD-playing beginnings, the Xbox 360 has grown into a full-fledged set-top box that pulls down HD content from Netflix, the Zune Store and Sky TV (for Ireland and the UK). Now, rumors indicate an Xbox TV channel might be next in line. Bloomberg writes that former News Corp. president Peter Chernin discussed the possibility of adding regular exclusive programming to the console at an April 12th meeting with Microsoft, and reportedly suggested a $1 to $2 increase in Xbox LIVE monthly fees to cover the additi! onal cost. However, since Microsoft apparently hasn't formally responded to the proposal, this may just be another pipe dream -- from the man who thought we'd pay $30 per movie for on-demand HD, no less. 'Course, with all this talk of Hulu going paid, we suppose just about anything is possible.Former News Corp president wants Xbox TV channel? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink &nb! sp;|&nbs p; Bloomberg | Email this | Comments | | |
| Cypress touchscreens track hovering fingers, make devices even more 'magical' (video)
April 23, 2010 at 4:22 AM
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| | If you're reading this from a Samsung i8910 or Palm Pre, you're already holding a Cypress-powered touchscreen, but chances are you've never given it a thought. That's going to change, because this week the company demoed a killer app: TrueTouch screens that can detect fingers hovering over glass, not merely on it, allowing compatible software to finally register mouseover input. In other words, you won't actually need to touch new touchscreens to zoom in on text or perform certain commands. Cypress expects to have the tech ready in Q2, but first it might have some explaining to do -- we're pretty sure Apple successfully patented this very idea in January. Plus, KIRF iPhone? Se! e it in action after the break. Continue reading Cypress touchscreens track hovering fingers, make devices even more 'magical' (video) Cypress touchscreens track hovering fingers, make devices even more 'magical' (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SlashGear | Cypress | Email this | Comments | | |
| HTC decides against bidding for Palm, kills our buzz
April 23, 2010 at 3:26 AM
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| Don't tell us we didn't try. In spite of all our pleading for HTC to acquire the troubled Palm Inc and produce a sparkling union of awesome, Reuters is this morning reporting that the Taiwanese hardware manufacturer has decided against the idea. According to its internal source, there "just weren't enough synergies to take the deal forward." Then again, this conclusion was reached after HTC reviewed Palm's numbers, so maybe that's just a nice way of saying that Palm's financials are worse than we might think. Either way, we're told that only Lenovo remains as a serious contender out of Asia, following the stalling of talks between Huawei and Palm.
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| Google Maps Navigation could come to iPhone, other platforms soon
April 23, 2010 at 3:14 AM
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|  Ooh, goodie! Try as we may, we've yet to really find a (good) free alternative to Google Maps Navigation on the iPhone, and while Navigon's MobileNavigator gets our highest recommendations in the paid GPS department, Google's own turn-by-turn option is just about enough to make any iPhone-toting traveler jump ship and snag an Android handset. Thankfully for us all, it seems as if this predicament won't be nearly as trying in the near future, with the company's own Steve Lee confirming! to TechRadar that Google Maps Navigation would be coming to "other platforms" in due time. MacUser specifically mentions the solution coming to iPhone OS, and frankly, we couldn't think of a better app to ship alongside version 4.0 than this. You're good at taking hints, right Goog?Google Maps Navigation could come to iPhone, other platforms soon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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