![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/mobilenavigator-screen.jpg\")
\nHey, software engineers of all shapes and sizes -- are you keeping an eye on this? Navigon is releasing yet another significant update for its continually improving MobileNavigator iPhone GPS app, and at this point, we reckon these guys and gals should get some sort of medal for pursuing innovation on an existing product rather than leaping to \"the next best thing.\" The latest refresh adds in three primary features: 3D terrain views, a 3D panorama view ($9.99 extra) and in-app connectivity with Facebook and Twitter. As you'd expect, the latter enables users to broadcast current position, destination and ETA to social media outlets, which should make existing Foursquare addicts overwhelmed with joy. Version 1.5.0 also throws in MyRoutes, which is said to analyze your driving habits, patterns, location and time / day in order to provide \"up to three routes clearly displayed in-map with ETA, distance and driving times for each.\" Best of all? It's just $69.99 ($20 less than normal) until February 15th, while the real-time traffic add-on is reduced $5 to $19.99 for the same duration.Navigon keeps MobileNavigator iPhone app fresh with 3D terrain views, Facebook / Twitter integration originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |![\"source\"/](\"http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/post_label_source.gif\")
Business Wire | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/brando-holster-02-08-2010.jpg\")
\nSay what you will about Brando, but you can always count on them to take a good idea and sell a cheaper (if not necessarily better) version of it. The latest example is the discount retailer's Camera Waist Belt Lock, which is basically a $14 version of the $110 Spider Camera Holster that we checked out first hand a few months back. Needless to say, we'd feel a bit more comfortable entrusting a $1,000+ DSLR to the weapon-like Spider, but those willing to take a chance to save a few bucks can grab the Brando alternative right now at the link below.
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Brando camera holster is cheap, might actually hold your camera originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Brando | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/9feb10moore0n7b46.jpg\")
Peter Moore, formerly the big cheese in charge of Xbox, is now the head of EA Sports, but he's lost none of the forthrightness that's made him a popular man to interview in the past. In his latest sitdown with CVG, Peter expressed his admiration for the nascent OnLive cloud gaming service, but also noted that he remains uncertain as to whether it will actually work when millions of people decide to play the same game at the same time -- a reservation we probably all share. He did point out that the sort of readily accessible gaming OnLive represents was in his company's plans, and would be expanded with more browser-based games. Finally, as someone who's seen the PlayStation 3 Arc controller in action Peter should be well qualified to assess it, and he describes it as a \"great complement to what's out there,\" claiming that it brings a substantially different experience to Nintendo's Wii Remote. Check out the source for the full interview.Peter Moore wants to be convinced by OnLive, already a fan of Arc controller originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink![\"\"/](\"http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/post_label_VIA.gif\")
Joystiq | CVG | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/9feb10radeon84nc73.jpg\")
\nATI seems to be so enamored with its 40nm DirectX 11 Evergreen chips that at this point it's bringing out new graphics cards just to remind us of how awesome its technology is. Slotting in between the $100 HD 5670 and $50 HD 5450, the new Radeon HD 5570 will predictably retail at around $75 to $80, with up to 1GB of onboard GDDR3, a 650MHz core clock speed, and a thrifty 43W power budget under full load. Reviewers were big fans of its performance relative to the HD 5450 -- nearly doubling it in some cases -- but still struggled to recommend this as a better value for gamers than the only marginally more expensive HD 5670. Then again, the low profile card, single-slot cooler, and minimal power requirements make the 5570 an absolute gem for HTPC or SFF setups, so whether you're in that particular market or just curious, we recommend you check out the full reviews below. \n
\nRead - HotHardware
\nRead - AnandTech
\nRead - HardOCP
\nRead - Legit Reviews
ATI Radeon HD 5570 fills the last remaining gap in DirectX 11 empire originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/gsmarenasuperamolediphone.jpg\")
\nBy now you're undoubtedly aware than Samsung has a new smartphone OS (Bada) and touchscreen technology (Super AMOLED) in the works. In this case, putting 2 and 2 together yields 14, a number that matches Samsung's February 14th press event at Mobile World Congress. How so? Well, first of all, Sammy is promoting the Samsung Unpacked teaser page from its Bada site. The ocean-themed teaser (\"bada\" means \"ocean\" in Korean) says, \"on 2.14 a new mobile from Samsung is born. See it first in Barcelona.\" A quick look at the teaser site's source reveals the keywords \"Bada,\" \"smartphone,\" and \"AMOLED.\" In other words, you can bet that Samsung will be unveiling a 3.3-inch, 800 x 480 pixel Super AMOLED (already rumored for a next week reveal) touchscreen Bada phone on February 14th.\n
\nP.S. The image above comes courtesy of GSM Arena. While the site won't say what the device is on the left it's clearly running Samsung's Bada UI and is likely AMOLED judging by those deep blacks. The display is also slightly smaller than the iPhone 3G's 3.5-inch display. Gee... what could it be?
Samsung's first Bada phone with Super AMOLED to be announced on February 14th? Sure. originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkSlashGear | Samsung Unpacked | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/09/well-be-back-soon-please-alert.jpg\")
\nSometimes it's nothing, but often, especially when it's a Tuesday and we're sitting on a stack of overdue rumors, an Apple Store outage is a tell that new products are due. Especially when the store goes down on a global basis as it has just now. So take a moment to reflect on the latest rumors and chime in with your predictions in the comments. Our guess? Refreshed MacBook Pros... or iPonies, either or. Then check back at 08:30 ET (as is the norm) to see who got it right.
\n
\n[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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\n[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Apple Store down globally, let the speculation begin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/myriad-logo-sm.jpg\"){kind=logo}
At the core of Anrdoid lies a little bundle of code known as the Dalvik virtual machine, a runtime environment for Java apps that's specifically optimized for hardware with limited memory and processor power -- you know, the kind of situation you find in your average smartphone. The relative success of the Android Market suggests that Dalvik's getting the job done on some level (as long as you're not looking for a texture-intense FPS), but the fact that Google bothered to create a separate native development kit to speed up intensive operations certainly serves as a damning counterpoint. Enter German firm Myriad -- a founding and code-contributing member of the OHA, coincidentally -- which is touting this week that it's crafted a much higher-performance replacement for Dalvik, appropriately known as \"Dalvik Turbo.\" Just how much higher-performance are we talking? Myriad claims apps run in Dalvik Turbo \"up to three times\" faster, all while reducing battery drain and giving devs the power they need to create graphically intense games. Even better, it apparently maintains complete compatibility with existing Android apps and is available for all the key mobile platforms -- ARM, Atom, and MIPS included -- and is virtually guaranteed to make you sob uncontrollably to learn that your Android 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, or 2.1-based device isn't using it. It'll be on display at MWC next week, so we're looking forward to finally seeing Gang Wars humming along at 60fps on a G1.German firm claims huge boost in Android app performance, battery life with new virtual machine originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkUnwired View | Myriad | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/cetake5xm1eme-450-high.jpg\")
\nIf you're a sucker for immaculate specs at a discount price then the Cube e-book reader might be the device for you. The Chinese outfit is said to be working on a 6-inch, E Ink reader built around the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system with baked-in WiFi (sorry, no mention of 3G data) for \"remote server synchronization.\" And as declared in the image above, the Cube e-reader features a capacitive touchscreen just \"like the iPhone.\" Apparently, it'll do more than just display e-books though, with a touted ability to make VoIP calls, browse the web, send and receive email, and download music and photos -- all this for just 999 Chinese Yuan or about $146. Sure, go ahead and build it Cube, but until we see a product render at least forgive us for being skeptical.Cube's 6-inch capacitive touchscreen e-reader is a Windows Mobile 6.5 fantasyland originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkGadgetMix | Zol | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/9feb10netgearoib35.jpg\")
Had enough of dealing with oligopolistic wired broadband suppliers? Well, with Netgear's brand spanking new MBRN3300E you can just ride off into the 3G sunset and say goodbye to those pesky wires. Like the majority of wireless routers today, it comes with 802.11n WiFi and a built-in firewall, but what sets it apart is the integrated 3G modem provided by Ericsson. With it, you can suckle down broadband straight from the ether and transport it throughout your home, whether you live in New York City or some remote part of Minnesota. Netgear is announcing it with immediate availability, and there will be optional car charger and battery pack accessories to maximize the mobility of the unit. Okay, it'll never be as small and portable as a MiFi router, but it's always good to have options, right? Full PR after the break.Continue reading Netgear partners with Ericsson for a 3G-receiving, WiFi-emanating router
Netgear partners with Ericsson for a 3G-receiving, WiFi-emanating router originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Netgear | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/9feb10ob249n.jpg\")
\nTo say that we've been waiting for AMD's Fusion CPU / GPU combo for a long time would be an understatement. In fact, while AMD was busy talking about it, Intel swept in with its own Arrandale and Clarkdale chips that pack graphical and computing processing into the same chip. Lest we were discouraged, then, AMD is making a return to form with news that its first Fusion APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) is about to start sampling to manufacturers, with a now definite 2011 launch window. Codenamed Llano, this will be a quad-core beastie with intended operating speeds of more than 3Ghz and graphics parts borrowed from ATI's successful line of Evergreen GPUs. That means DirectX 11, a feature Intel is unlikely to match, whereas AMD will have everything Intel currently does and more, with a 32nm production process, on-die integration (rather than just the same chip packaging), and power gating allowing for dynamic per-core overclocking a la Turbo Boost. It's been lonely without you AMD, now just fulfill this promise and all that absenteeism will be forgiven.AMD Fusion sampling soon, arriving in 2011 with Llano APU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkArs Technica | AnandTech | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/hdbt-990.jpg\")
\nLooking to get a Bluetooth earpiece without actually upping your tool factor by 40x or so? Good luck. Helium Digital's so-called alternative (that'd be the HDBT-990 Bluetooth wristband) was recently reviewed by our iPhone-lovin' pals in the Great White North, and while they found it to work well when it came to handling calls without actually using the speaker and microphone within the iPhone 3GS, everything else about it was ho hum at best. There's no inbuilt LCD for watching Caller ID streams, the mini-USB jack was \"flimsy,\" and there's still the issue of this unit being at least somewhat unsightly. It's also $90, which puts it just north of the all-important \"ah, who cares\" range for most of you price-conscience consumers. Hit the source link for their full impressions, but don't be shocked if you come away still in search of the aforementioned mystery device.Helium Digital HDBT-990 Bluetooth wristband gets reviewed, given 3.5 Jack Bauers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |iPhone In Canada | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/9feb10ou2b49.jpg\")
Nintendo's Miyamoto casually references new hardware, MotionPlus games originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkJoystiq | 4Gamer | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/9feb10penaoub53.jpg\")
\nFinally making the transition from the trade show floor to retail shelving are Panasonic's famed Viera 3D plasma HDTVs. The company has just announced it will be launching two 1080p panels on April 23 in Japan, priced at ¥530,000 ($5,932) for the 54-inch P54VT2 and ¥430,000 ($4,813) for its smaller sibling, the P50VT2 (pictured after the break). For your money, you'll be getting those deep, deep blacks that ensure a ridiculous 5,000,000:1 native contrast ratio, a plethora of inputs highlighted by four HDMI jacks, and of course a pair of those inescapable active shutter glasses. Don't worry though, the screens are capable of working at the necessary 120Hz to ensure smooth frame rates for each eye. Whether the premium paid for 3D is worth it, on the other hand, remains a question best left for each deep-pocketed consumer to make on his own.Continue reading Panasonic TH-P54VT2 takes plasma HDTVs into 3D territory
Panasonic TH-P54VT2 takes plasma HDTVs into 3D territory originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkImpress AV Watch | Panasonic | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/contacting-support---nexus-one-help-1.jpg\")
\nGoogle readily admits that its Nexus One customer support at launch was lacking. However, the Goog says that it's committed to improving the experience as it blazes a path into the world of consumer handset sales. Today, more than a month since the launch of the Nexus One, Google is offering owners access to a real live person via 888-48NEXUS (63987). The new support line is operational from 07:00am to 10:00pm PST and augments Google's support forums, FAQs and email support. Unfortunately, Google's live support line seems limited to status and shipping issues -- for live tech support you'll still have to call either HTC customer care number or T-Mobile depending upon the issue. And of course, the whole thing changes if you're an international user. As convoluted as it all sounds, an unamed Google spokesperson still claims that \"live phone support from Google, combined with an optimized on-line support experience, enables a superior Nexus One customer experience.\" Sure it does: the average consumer just loves looking through on-line forums and FAQs to solve issues before picking up the phone to complain.\n
\n[Thanks, Phil L.]
Google starts live phone support for Nexus One owners originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkCNET | Google | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/notioninkadamrenderfeb2010.jpg\")
\n\nBack at CES, we were pretty excited to get our hands on Notion Ink's far out, Pixel Qi display-boasting reader, Adam. Well, Notion Ink is on the move, and encouraging development for the Tegra-powered little devil is apparently a top priority. The company has unveiled plans to hold an App Competition with one million dollars in prize money for the development of Adam-compatible software. There are no final details about the contest yet, but we think we'll probably be hearing more about it next week at MWC. Slashgear's got some interesting renders Notion Ink sent over which give us an idea of what a final production model might look like -- and it's definitely different than the prototype we saw in Las Vegas. The company also told Slashgear that it's considering having two retail versions of the Adam -- but has only said that one might measure 12.9mm thick, and the other 11.6mm thick -- so we're not sure what other differences might be in tow. We'll let you know when we hear more details about that million dollar prize money, though.
Notion Ink to have competition to encourage development for Adam reader, might release two versions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |SlashGear | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/prepeat-printer-small-rm-eng.jpg\")
Inkless / tonerless printers aren't exactly new, but here's a more novel approach: inkless, tonerless, and completely reusable. The PrePeat rewritable printer is exactly that: using special paper made of PET plastic, you can make all the flowcharts and meeting notes you need, and when you want to start fresh, feed the paper back in to start fresh. Upfront cost is 500,000 yen (about $5,600 in US) for the printer and 300 yen for each sheet, in lots of 1,000 -- which we're taking to mean at least another 300,000 yen / $3,360 to get some use out of it. Each piece of paper is said to work about 1,000 times, but no word on how much (if any) history can be extracted from the materials -- just keep that in mind should sensitive information be your daily trade. Video demonstration after the break.Continue reading PrePeat rewritable printer lets you undo print jobs, no ink or toner used
PrePeat rewritable printer lets you undo print jobs, no ink or toner used originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkEngadget Spanish | Diginfo.tv | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/dopod-roadmap-02-08-2010.jpg\")
\nThe HTC Dragon may not be quite the same mythical beast it once was now that the Nexus One has stolen some of its thunder, but it is still an actual device and, according to a recently leaked Dopod roadmap, it's headed for China in the second quarter of this year. Details are otherwise a bit light, but it is apparently an Android device (as expected) and packs a 3.6-inch WVGA display. Joining it over the course of the year are the 3.4-inch, Android-based A6388, the 4.3-inch Huashan (apparently now a Windows Mobile device -- possibly an HD2 successor?), the 3.2-inch Tianshan, and the considerably smaller Songshan phone, both of which are also Android phones, and should be out in either Q3 or Q4. Still no indication of a release for any of them over here, unfortunately, but something's bound to give with that many HTCphones floating about.
HTC Dragon and friends turn up on Dopod roadmap originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkPhone Arena | Android Central | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/nokia-nuron5230-spot-rm-eng.jpg\")
\nDear Nokia fan clinging on to all hope that the 5230 and Nuron were two separate entities, whereby you'd have even more Espoo devices to look forward to: you're wrong. TmoNews has picked up what's purported to be another internal T-Mobile documentation for the 5230 Nuron. Like the previously-rumored leak, it's said to be going on sale on March 17 with a 3.2-inch touchscreen, on-screen keyboard, and Ovi Store. Oh, and just in case you weren't sure if you fit the target audience, see if you qualify as \"connected socializers, 20 to 40 years old, who are new to the touch screen category.\" That's gotta count for at least a few readers out there.\n
\n[Thanks, Alex]
Nokia Nuron spotted again, connection to 5230 cemented? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |TmoNews | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/macbook-pro-delete-rm-eng.jpg\")
\nWe'll admit to not being leading the field of study in Best Buy-ology, but here comes a new quiz for us care of a tipster who sent TUAW a screenshot of the inventory screen that shows what looks to be the current MacBook Pro SKU with status: deleted. What that means is no new orders can be made for that unit, at least for that particular store. Sign of impending MBP refresh? Intel certainly had us riled up last month with that Core i5-infused flier, but we won't get fooled again. Don't hold your breath for this one, but if more telltale signs start popping up, we'll be sure let ya know.\n
\nUpdate: Giving credit where due; the image originates from the MacRumors forums.
\n
\n[Thanks, Jose R]
Current MacBook Pro SKU given mark of death in Best Buy database? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkTUAW | MacRumors | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/jxd-v3-pmp.jpg\")
We won't front -- there's little chance we'd actually use JXD's V3 handheld, but it's not for lack of interest. This here PMP / game player hybrid isn't apt to leave the shores of Asia, but for those in that neck of the woods, this unit offers up emulators for a slew of game consoles, a 4.3-inch display, a 5 megapixel camera and plenty of file format support to handle your favorite music and video. Reportedly, the device even features an FM radio tuner, and in case you're curious as to why there are two D-pads on this thing, it's because you'll need 'em to get through certain Game Boy / NES titles. Or so they say. We can't say we're stoked about the $112 price tag, but in a way, we're kind of in love with the whole flip-top design.JXD V3 handheld is confused, confusing and altogether interesting originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkOhGizmo, The Gadget Site | v15i | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/1asus-xg.jpg\")
\nIt's not everyday that we can say there's external laptop GPU love in the air, but right on the heels the appearance of the Gigabyte M1405 with its GeForce GT220 dock, NVIDIA is expressing interest in external laptop GPUs as well. Manager of notebook GPUs Rene Haas told X-bit Labs that he thinks external graphics adapters for laptops are a \"big opportunity\" for NVIDIA, though he noted the drawback of their high price tags. We assume he is referring to AMD's ATI XGP box (or Fujitsu Siemens's Lasso) which is the only one available -- the ASUS XG station (pictured above) that seemed to vanish into thin air after its brief appearance at CES 2008. Either way, Haas very clearly states that the large market appeal of affordable external GPUs is just his opinion, though we're going to assume his opinion holds a bit of water in Santa Clara.
NVIDIA pursuing external graphics accelerators for laptops? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkElectronista | Xbitlabs | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/netflix-hd-streaming-20090316.jpg\")
\nNetflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 1080p and 5.1 surround sound later this year. No word on timing or any other details, but this could mean its moving to version 3 of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming platform with its additional tweaks for adaptive streaming and hardware graphics acceleration. Also unknown is how much bandwidth would be necessary, but considering Microsoft already uses very similar technology for its 1080p Instant On videos on Zune Marketplace through the Xbox 360 while only requiring 3 Mbps and VUDU HDX 1080p videos only state a minimum of 4500 Kbps, a massive jump in available bandwidth might not be necessary if you already get clear 720p video. The last big hurdle? How much content will be available that way, Gizmodo points out only about 6 percent of current offerings stream in HD we'll be watching carefully if the pace picks up going forward.\n
\nUpdate: Netflix pinged CNET to let them know that 1080p was mistakenly included on a roadmap of 2010 features, however if you can get over missing all those extra pixels, surround sound and closed captioning are definitely booked for an appearance later this year.
1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? Update: No, yes (and closed captioning) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkGizmodo | CNET | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/win7-battery-replace-1.jpg\")
After Microsoft stated a week ago that it would look into reports of Windows 7 causing premature battery degradation, we've been staying up late at night with our frazzled lithium ion cells, reading them stories about Battery Heaven and generally trying to keep an upbeat tone around the Engadget HQ. Well, it turns out not everything is rosy in batteryville, but Microsoft says Windows 7 isn't the one to blame. According to the company's testing, the new tool, which reports when a battery is down to 40% of its designed capacity and suggests replacement, hasn't reported a single false positive. Additionally, the tool uses read-only data from the battery, and is in fact incapable of tweaking the battery's life span or internal data -- it merely reports the data it receives, and stacks the theoretical design capacity up against the current full charge capacity. Microsoft attributes the reports of the tool dooming batteries to an early grave to the mere fact that many people might not have noticed the degradation already taking place in their batteries -- most batteries start to degrade noticeably within a year. Of course, not everybody's going to just take Microsoft's word for it, and Microsoft itself will continue to look into the issue, but for now this sounds like a bit of a non-issue. The part about Windows 7 being less conservative with power use is a whole 'nother issue, of course.Microsoft says Windows 7 battery 'issue' isn't one originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkZDNet | Engineering Windows 7 | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/12/android-201-manual.jpg\")
We knew Android 2.1 was coming for the Droid, but we'll confess -- we didn't expect it to come this soon. Motorola is now reporting via its official Facebook page that it's \"happy to relay the 2.1 upgrade to Droid will start to roll out this week,\" going on to tease that it \"will have more information to share on other device upgrades later.\" There's no detail on what the Droid update will entail or whether it'll roll out to every user this week (we doubt it), but by all indications, this is a promising sign that Moto's keeping the pedal to the metal, we'd say.\n
\n[Thanks, andrewcweaver]
Motorola: Droid update to Android 2.1 'will start to roll out this week' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Facebook (official Motorola account) | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/01/eng_nexus_one6_225x149.jpg\")
So the good news here is that Google appears to have heard the cries for help, having taken a chainsaw to its brutal $350 \"equipment recovery fee\" that had been lumped on top of T-Mobile's $200 ETF for subsidized Nexus One contracts canceled in the first 120 days. The bad news, though, is that it still exists at all -- a hairy precedent for an industry being watched with eagle eyes by the FCC right now. The company has knocked $200 off the fee, bringing it down to $150; in other words, if you break your contract, you'll pay the same ETF that Verizon now charges on its \"advanced devices.\" Whether that was a deliberate move to let 'em say that they're no more expensive than Verizon is unclear, but let's be honest: $350 is extreme, $550 was highway robbery. At least we're going in the right direction.Google's Nexus One 'equipment recovery fee' slashed to $150, still a pain originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkPhone Scoop, The Wall Street Journal | Google | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/diy-dslr-trigger.jpg\")
\nThere's just no two ways about it: the integrated self-timer is easily one of the most amazing technologies to ever be invented. Yeah, we said it. Unfortunately, beeping for ten seconds while a shooter races to get in position isn't always ideal or fun, and that's where isharq comes in. His Arduino-based mod is amongst the most flexible out there for DSLRs, enabling it to morph from a basic laser trigger hack to something that senses heat, movement or sound (just to name a few) and then makes your camera react accordingly. As it stands, his setup triggers his DSLR to snap a shot whenever a laser beam is broken, and if you're eager to see more, be sure to peek the in-action video just past the break. Oh, and the source link holds all the secrets to recreating something like this in your own laboratory.\n
\n[Thanks, Simon]
Continue reading DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping
DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Photocritic | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/zoomit-sd-card-iphone-1.jpg\")
\nSorry if we're the sort of folks to look a gift SD card reader in the mouth, but while we're oh-so-happy that Apple finally opened up application-enabled hardware development in iPhone OS 3.0, we really wish an accessory like this had been available for the iPhone right from the start. The new zoomIt SD card reader from zoomMediaPlus adds a bit of external, swappable memory to the iPhone and iPod touch at long last, giving you the ability to store your iPhone's pictures on the card, or pull stuff off it onto your handset using the free zoomIt app. Interestingly, this is coming to light just a couple weeks after we saw Apple's own similar solution for getting cameras into the iPad mix -- the SD and USB-adapting iPad Camera Connection Kit, which will be a mere $30. There's no word if Apple's adapter will work with the iPhone (we doubt it) or if the zoomIt will work with the iPad (perhaps), but the $60 pricetag on the zoomIt is a bit of a turn off. Also, it won't be shipping until April (though you can pre-order now for a $10 discount), so Apple may very well make up our minds for us by the time March rolls around.zoomMediaPlus' zoomIt is the iPhone's long overdue SD card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkiLounge | zoomIt | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/ni-kontrol-x1-hands-on-01-sm.jpg\")
\nWe don't typically do a lot of coverage of music gear here at Engadget because, by and large, it's an entire world unto itself -- a universe of specialty products that require unique knowledge (and often, talent) to use, let alone review -- and ultimately, we're only writing for a limited subset of our readership. There are, of course, countless exceptions to the rule; mixing gear in particular has really come into its own, technologically, over the past several years as a whole new generation of would-be DJ superstars come into the fold. A skill once dominated by turntables is... well, still dominated by turntables, but everything surrounding the spinning vinyl is changing: nowadays, you've got a PC that can serve as a virtually bottomless pit of tracks, state-of-the-art software for synchronizing and manipulating those tracks, and dedicated external controllers to help you control the software. Once an art form, modern DJing is now half art, half science. It's exciting, it's cool, and even if you don't know the difference between a crossfader and a high-pass filter, it's a lot of fun to see how this stuff works.\n
\nTo that end, today we're taking a quick look at Native Instrument's Kontrol X1 -- the first official, dedicated controller for its Traktor series of apps, one of the world's most widely-used DJ suites.
Continue reading Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions
Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/02-08-10appleipadprice.jpg\")
\nApple's $499 starting iPad price tag is already lower than many people -- and a few competitors -- expected, but apparently Steve and company have left themselves a little wiggle room: Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope says that Apple told him it'll remain \"nimble\" when it comes to iPad pricing, suggesting that the price could drop if sales don't meet targets. That's not a hugely surprising thing to say, considering Apple's trying to be the first to achieve real success with a 'tweener device and strong pressure from netbooks, laptops, and smartphones threatens to collapse the space entirely, but a lot of people are taking it to mean some kind of drop is a done deal -- particularly since Apple cut the price of the first-gen iPhone by $200 just a few months after it launched and saw already-solid sales triple. We're honestly not so sure, though: Apple always tells investors that it's confident in how its products are priced but responsive to market changes, and it's not like a smaller price cut boosted the Apple TV into hit product territory. We'll see what happens after the iPad actually goes on sale -- we doubt we'll see any changes for another few months at least.Analyst: Apple to be 'nimble' on iPad pricing, athletic on pommel horse originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkAll Things Digital | Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/wisair-macbook-02-08-2010.jpg\")
\nPC users have been able to take advantage of a range of Wisair-based wireless display adapters for quite a while now, and it looks like Mac users will soon be able to use them to cut a few cords as well. The first such device is a Mac-ready version of InFocus' wireless display adapter, which is designed specifically for use with InFocus' own DisplayLink-enabled projectors and should be available by the end of March. That looks to just be the beginning, however, as Wisair itself has also announced that no less than four other OEM vendors will be offering some Mac-ready, Wisair-based adapters of their own next month -- all of which, coincidentally, will be making their official debut at MacWorld 2010 this week.
Wisair-based wireless display adapters head to Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Wisair, InFocus | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/kindle-speech-1-small.jpg\")
So, we already assume Amazon's thinking touch for the Kindle, what with that recent Touchco acquisition and word of similar behind-the-screen touch tech being on PVI's roadmap. PVI owns E Ink, and is naturally bullish about its upcoming products, but what about E Ink in the new Kindle? If you're into reading the tea leaves of job postings, Amazon might be telegraphing its intentions. It's looking for a \"Hardware Display Manager\" who, among many other things, is supposed to have \"Significant exposure to high volume manufacturing environments; you will know the LCD business and key players in the market.\" That might have you thinking the next Kindle will go LCD, but the requirements also mention a \"deep knowledge of current display technology and potential future technologies,\" and nothing about the role seems exactly prescriptive of an LCD expertise -- more of a general focus on displays and product design, whatever tech might come. Pixel Qi or Mirasol, anybody? Amazon's also looking for all sorts of software expertise, including a \"Software Design Engineer\" who will be responsible for radio stacks \"including but not limited to\" 3G and WiFi. Again, these are requirements (among many) for a role, not necessarily implications of a Kindle 3 spec sheet, but there's one thing clear: Amazon's gearing up for something.Amazon job postings ask for display and wireless experts, hint at Kindle things to come? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkNew York Times Bits Blog | Lab126 | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/nexus-one-linux-1.jpg\")
\nLinux originator Linus Torvalds isn't really big on these \"phone\" things, but he's finally caved to his Nexus One lust. In a recent blog post he explains how the G1 never did it for him, despite his love of the \"concept\" of having a Linux-based phone. He finds phones in general irritating, and cellphones \"an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are,\" but the Nexus One's offer of car-friendly GPS navigation got him thinking he'd have a good excuse to bring it with him places, and the recent announcement of pinch-to-zoom capabilities somehow put him over the edge. He still says the phone part is \"kind of secondary,\" but we sure he'll eventually be won over to the dark side and be just as annoying as the rest of us phone talkers at restaurants.Linus Torvalds is now a happy Nexus One owner, pinch to zoom put him over the edge originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Linus' blog | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/exopcvideo01.jpg\")
\nTwenty four hours after exposing the 8.9-inch tablet's internals to the world, the guys at ExoPC decided that the Intel Atom-powered slate was ready for its video debut. You can watch the Win 7 Premium tablet in action after the break, but we do have to say that the \"low-pressure resistive\" touchscreen seems responsive enough for making selections and scrolling through your favorite technology website. And surprisingly, the viewing angles on the screen appear pretty decent. Still no sign of the touch-friendly software layer, but ExoPC assures us that will be shipping with the final units. Enough of the play-by-play from us -- hit the break and see it all for yourself.Continue reading ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video
ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |ExoPC | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/paratech-qtc-device.jpg\")
We've always heard to strike while the iron's hot, and that's exactly what Peratech seems to be doing. Just weeks after we heard that the company's pressure-sensitive touchscreen methodology was being seriously considered by the powers that be, along comes Samsung Electro-mechanics to take 'em up on their offer. For those unaware, Samsung EM provides components to loads of leading phone makers, which could mean that Peratech's pressure sensitive 5-way input device is on its way to your next mobile as we speak. These so-called Navikeys will supposedly provide a greater level of immersion when interacting with phones, and we get the feeling that those aging dome switches are feeling mighty frightened by all this encroachment. The best part? Paratech claims that a \"Navikey using QTC from Samsung EM is already being used in a Tier 1 mobile phone,\" so here's hoping that we find out exactly what phone that is in the near future.Peratech's QTC sensor technology headed to your next cellphone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Peratech | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/qisda-qcm-330-02-08-2010.jpg\")
\nThe iF Design Awards won't officially be handed out until the big ceremony at CeBIT next month, but some of the winners have now already been announced, and they include a few surprises. One of those is this new Qisda QCM-330 smartphone, which is said to be Android-based, and packs a 4-inch, 1,280 x 1,024 screen (supposedly, although the actual resolution will likely differ given the aspect ratio), WiFi and HSDPA connectivity, a 3 megapixel camera, and an accelerometer, among other, as yet unnamed specs. It's joined by the LG GD880 we previously spotted in the wild, along with a slew of phones headed for Vodafone, including the Compass slider, and the Krystal (pictured after the break), which apparently packs displays on both sides and some augmented reality-type features (like on the fly translation of newspapers). Rounding out the lot are the decidedly more ordinary Vodafone Sting, Shilpa, Quincy and, our personal favorite, the Larry. Hit up the link below for a closer look at those.
\nContinue reading Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards
Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkSlash Gear | Mobile-Review | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/02-08-10redease.jpg\")
\nFunny that this special red edition of the TomTom Ease is actually beating the regular version to market, but hey, it's Valentine's Day. Nothing new here apart from the case color -- you're still looking at a 3.5-inch QVGA display, 2GB of internal memory preloaded with Tele-Atlas maps, Map Share / IQ Routes, an integrated battery, and a built-in Fold & Go mount. Amazon has the limited-edition red exclusively for $119 now, if you're ready to commit -- or you can wait and just be friends with the boring gray model, which should be out any day now.TomTom Ease arrives in limited edition red for Valentine's Day originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Amazon, BusinessWire | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/locusui.jpg\")
\nWhile we're sitting around complaining about the lack of innovative user interfaces and experiences in modern consumer electronics, a man named Barton Smith is actually doing something about it. In 2008 the industrial designer hatched a concept for an OS called Locus which completely upends many of the use paradigms we're familiar with in current desktop or mobile operating environments. Besides looking absolutely beautiful, a major chunk of the Locus concept focuses around the idea of having separate, easily accessible workspaces for different settings, such as on a train, at home, while out with friends, etc. Each of those scenarios is stored in a set of \"panels\" which can change based on geolocation or by user choice, and has its own combination of desktop arrangement and application shortcuts. Locus also incorporates a Zune-like content browsing interface, and a project management UI based around real world interactions (something like BumpTop, but cleaner). The whole concept is slickly put together and well thought out... but it doesn't just end with the software. Smith envisions this platform running on another concept of his: a portable computer called Stream. Stream would be a small, modular tablet / mobile device which can be docked in a variety of components, thus changing its functionality (along with Locus). It's fascinating stuff, for sure, and doubly intriguing considering Barton began developing these concepts so long ago (though the video below is brand new). Now where is the super-rich partner this guy needs to make this thing a reality?\n
\nUpdate: As noted in comments, Microsoft branding is shown at the start of this video, but this is not a Microsoft product -- it seems Barton added the name and logo for effect.
Continue reading Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now
Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkSlashGear | Locus OS, Stream | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/02-08-10androidmind.jpg\")
\nUsing a cellphone to control a robot -- or a pretty sweet helicopter -- isn't exactly a new idea, but there's something about the combination of Android and Lego Mindstorms that promises to break the possibilities wide open. Swedish tech company Enea Linköping is one of the first we've seen to directly link an Android app to the Mindstorms brain over Bluetooth -- they're using an HTC Hero to control two simple rover bots. Unfortunately, since Android 1.5 doesn't support the Bluetooth serial profile, there's a hack involved: the phone actually sends out commands over WiFi,which are passed through a WiFi-Bluetooth tunneling app on laptop before hitting the bots. That means there's a little lag involved, but now that Android 2.1 has serial Bluetooth support we're hoping things get a little more streamlined in the future. Video after the break.Continue reading HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising
HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkRecombu | Enea | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/100208-nook-01.jpg\")
\nIf you're a book lover who wants to take your relationship to another level entirely, you're in luck! It looks like Barnes and Noble has finally kicked production of the Nook in high gear, just in time for Valentine's Day. And when you do take hold of your e-reader (which should start appearing in stores this week), the company has plenty for you in the way of its all new, exclusive \"More In Store\" content, including: A short story by Adriana Trigiani (who you love), a Valentine's Day recipe for red velvet cupcakes from Anne Byrn, the Cake Mix Doctor, and something called \"Read Between the Wines,\" a regular feature by renowned wine expert Kevin Zraly, a dude who tells you how to pair your favorite books with the perfect vintage. (Hint: if you're reading Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, you might want to pop open a vintage 2007 Dancing Bull.) You can either order online (shipping is free for the time being) or, if you prefer to pick one up in person, hit up the In-Store Locator beginning February 10th to see when they're in stock at your fave B&N location. PR after the break.
Continue reading Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content
Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Barnes and Noble, In-Store Locator | Email this | Comments]]>![\"\"](\"http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/02/legend-itw-5.jpg\")
\n Look familiar? Yep, this is precisely what we expected HTC's rumored Legend to look like based on the renders we'd seen so far. We don't have any information here other than the pictures themselves, but from what we can gather, it seems to carry over Sense as we know it today without a trace of that freshened look we've caught in recent months (not unlike its Incredible cousin). Maybe more importantly, the Legend looks like it might be kicking off a new styling direction for the company with a big, bold, chromed company logo around back and an aluminum shell that we suspect feels awesome in the hand -- particularly if it's pre-production aluminum. More on this one as we get it; in the meantime, check out a shot of the back after the break.\n
\n[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Continue reading HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool
HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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