|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We might be busy refilling our inkwells in preparation for CES 2011, but let's not forget that some of the CES 2010 exhibitors are still working feverishly on bringing their innovations to market. Copia is one such company, though in the time between its January debut and today it's had to abandon its plans for own-brand e-readers and has fully transitioned itself into a software offering -- with apps available for the desktop, iPad, Windows Phone 7 now, and Android and other touch devices following soon. Copia allows Facebook Connect logins, which should give you a hit at its premise -- it aims to meld an ebook store in with a vibrant and active online reading community, with a litany of social and sharing features making it perhaps more attractive than the somewhat more limited social skills on offer from the current ebook market leaders. Unannounced OEM partners have been engaged to deliver the Copia platform on upcoming e-reading devices, though whether the whole thing sinks or swims will be entirely up to you, the user. See a video demo of what Copia's about after the break. Continue reading Copia's 'social reading' platform goes live, abandons hardware plans Copia's 'social reading' platform goes live, abandons hardware plans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 04:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Wired |  Copia | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | First Bluetooth, then USB and now PCI Express. It's clearly the era of version 3.0, and given that the PCI Express specification has been humming along at 2.0 speeds for over two years now, we'd say an update was definitely due. Thankfully, the PCI-SIG has announced the availability of the PCIe Base 3.0 specification to its members today, and the highlights are certainly notable. There's a new 128b/130b encoding scheme and a data rate of 8 gigatransfers per second (GT/s), doubling the interconnect bandwidth over the PCIe 2.0 specification. And since we're sure you're fretting it, we'll go ahead and affirm that it maintains backward compatibility with previous PCIe architectures. We're also told that based on this data rate expansion, "it is possible for products designed to the PCIe 3.0 architecture to achieve bandwidth near 1 gigabyte per second (GB/s) in one direction on a single-lane (x1) configuration and scale to an aggregate approaching 32 GB/s on a sixteen-lane (x16) configuration." A lot of technobabble, sure, but one thing's for sure: your next graphics card is bound to murder your current one if paired with a PCIe 3.0 motherboard. Continue reading PCI Express makes the 3.0 leap, doubles bandwidth over PCIe 2.0 spec PCI Express makes the 3.0 leap, doubles bandwidth over PCIe 2.0 spec originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PCI-SIG | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's a precarious time to show off new tech at this point -- can't make it to stores in time for holidays, guaranteed to get more exposure if debuted at January's Consumer Electronics Show. Not that Marvell cares, since its expertise is semiconductors -- the stuff with which OEM's dreams are made.The company was on hand at Pepcom showing off some reference designs for HD tablets with Android 2.2: 10-inch, 1280 x 780 resolution, and an Armada 600 chip. Reportedly it can also output to two external monitors, but all we got to see was one hooked up mirroring our game of Angry Birds. Thin and light, if a bit flimsy in its prototype form. We've been told the reference design has been used for a handful of products that'll show up on the CES show floor. Also on hand were a couple of more education-targeted slates with Armada 100 chips and price points planned in the $100 range (Moby, OLPC, is that you?). Check out our hands-on pics below! Marvell prototypes a few good Android tablets, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Stephen, who frankly isn't interested in suffering from health issues due to insanely hot laptops baking his body. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"Real simple: what is the best laptop that doesn't burn you? That is to say, which is the most powerful mainstream laptop (14- or 15-inch) that runs cool when it's actually doing something. I'm running a Dell Studio 1537 and both palmrests are warm even though all I am doing is typing this email and streaming Slacker with the LCD brightness on it's lowest setting. Therefore the WiFi card is cooking and so apparently is the hard drive (even though the processor is only at 12 percent). Help!" Man, we can't wait to see the answers to this. No, seriously -- we're pretty sure everyone in the world wants in on this secret. Every 14- / 15-inch laptop that we've ever used here (Mac and PC, both) has eventually become uncomfortably warm after extended use, and we've personally resorted to keeping a stockpile of pillows around just to guard ourselves. Drop the world a better solution down below if you have one. And by "one," we mean "a laptop model."Ask Engadget: best laptop that won't burn your lap? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Magellan may not be the head honcho when it comes to standalone PNDs here in North America, but that's not stopping the outfit from keeping its iOS app up to snuff. With TomTom, Navigon and Garmin all introducing iOS 4-compatible apps over the past few months, Magellan has finally done likewise -- version 1.3 of the app now enables navigation to occur in the background, meaning that iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users will still hear turn-by-turn guidance while using another application. Better still, real-time traffic information is provided free of charge through NAVTEQ, alerting motorists to accidents, traffic flow and the nearest ice cream truck. If you've already sunk cash into this one, now's a solid time to check those updates -- otherwise, you can hit the source links for a trifecta of versions catering to various regions. Magellan RoadMate GPS app updated for iOS 4, includes real-time traffic and multitasking originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink iLounge | iTunes (1), (2), (3) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We were really digging this 10-inch Android tablet when we spotted it back in August, and now it's shipping for a totally palatable $300 pricetag. It's powerful enough to play 720p video, has a 1024 x 600 screen, HDMI out, 802.11n WiFi and even a front facing camera. Plus there's even the somewhat comforting notion that this isn't Archos' first time to the Android tablet rodeo. Of course, the big drawback is the lack of Android Market, but there are always hacks to solve that, and Archos preloads some good apps to get you started. The tablet is shipping with Android 2.1, but Archos pinky swears it'll be getting 2.2 by the end of the month. Can't handle 10 whole inches of Android? Try the 7-incher Archos 70 on for size. You can't say they aren't trying.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Archos 101 now shipping, Android tablet game really heating up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Archos | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Get it straight, vaquero -- this ain't your mum's flash drive. LaCie's newest diminutive slab of aluminum is a solid state drive for your keyring, boasting transfer rates as high as 260MB/sec, 30/60/120GB capacities, a rugged metal casing and a USB 3.0 interface. You'll also get AES 256-bit encryption and 4GB of online-accessible Wuala storage, but you best not lose it. LaCie will be dinging your credit card for $149.99, $249.99 or $479.99 from least capacious to most, so you may want to take out an insurance policy on this guy before taking it out into the wild. Safety first and all. Continue reading LaCie serves up SSD-based USB 3.0 FastKey, charges a pretty penny for it LaCie serves up SSD-based USB 3.0 FastKey, charges a pretty penny for it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | LaCie | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Yahoo! has been building its Connected TV widget platform up since debuting at CES 2009 and opening up its SDK in 2010, and it's already getting started on a new push for 2011 - paid apps. Right now the various TVs from Samsung, Sony, VIZIO, Toshiba and LG based on its platform only offer free widgets but the Connected TV Store is expected to launch in March, letting developers hawk their wares at the remote-wielding masses for anywhere from 99 cents to $99, with Yahoo! receiving a 30 percent cut for its trouble. Kadoo, PlayJam, Virtual Nerd, ScreenDreams, Accedo Broadband and Mycast weather are already testing the waters and the company promises a full demo at CES 2011. Since we figure it's only a matter of time until Apple works its app store into the Apple TV, Google has already announced its plans to add the Market to Google TV next year and everyone from Samsung to Boxee is actively courting developers in the living room, 2011 should be a very interesting year. Yahoo! Connected TV store will let developers start charging for apps in March 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Yahoo! Connected TV Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We know it seems like everyone and their mom is turning Apple's latest iPod nano into a watch, but the TikTok and LunaTik concepts by Scott Wilson of Minimal Studios are definitely the best looking "iWatch" accessories we've seen to date. We say concept, because technically the products are still pipe dreams flowing through the funding platform Kickstarter.com -- but seeing as it has already doubled its requested funding goal, there's a very good chance these concepts will actually ship out. The TikTok features a simple snap-in design for quick wrist-mounting and is tentatively priced at $35. The LunaTik, on the other hand, is marketed as a "premium conversion kit" that secures the Nano in a two-piece CNC-machined aluminum case held together with stainless steel bolts, and should ship for $70. As with many Kickstarter projects, pledging some funding to the cause can score you either model at a cheaper pre-order price. Now if only the iPod nano was actually a good watch... Video after the break. Continue reading TikTok and LunaTik iPod nano watch kits look awesome, despite Ke$ha naming convention TikTok and LunaTik iPod nano watch kits look awesome, despite Ke$ha naming convention originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Daring Fireball | Kickstarter | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  In the wild, wild world of film production it's sometimes tough to separate the consumers from the prosumers from the independent filmmakers from the big studios -- especially when more affordable technology makes it easier and easier for one class to imitate the other. Sony's latest 35mm CMOS imager video camera is an attempt to cover lost ground in the "indie" realm of requisite low-budget and desired high production value, a market dominated by the RED One, and to some extent Canon's 5D Mark II and 7D, for the past couple years. Sony's PMW-F3 -- shipping in February -- is a considerable step up from the earlier EX3. The most obvious change is the inclusion of the new Exmor Super 35 CMOS sensor and interchangeable lens mounts, facilitating shallow depth of field with a fairly impressive dynamic range. But at the price of a semester's worth of film school, will this offering hold its own in the field? Read on for our full impressions -- including all the gory details -- and video of our brief encounter with the new shooter. Continue reading Sony sees RED with PMW-F3 camera, we go hands-on with the $16k "indie" (video) Filed under: Sony, Camcorders Sony sees RED with PMW-F3 camera, we go hands-on with the $16k "indie" (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Never ends, does it? The top four carriers in the US love slinging mud, but the trask-talking between Verizon and AT&T is always particularly vicious -- and it's showing no signs of ebbing. As you might expect, Verizon intends to use its new LTE network as a weapon in the fight, and like both Sprint and T-Mobile, Verizon will be very loudly labeling it "4G" to the ITU's chagrin. The latest promotional posters compare maps of Verizon's combined 3G / LTE network with AT&T's 3G-only network, but considering how limited Big Red's initial LTE launch is, there really isn't much difference with what they've shown in the past. The posters also proudly proclaim Verizon as having "the fastest 4G network in America," which is false on at least one level -- LTE isn't really 4G, as we said -- and remains to be seen on another. At any rate, as always, it'll be interesting to see how AT&T responds. Nerd fight!
[Thanks, Kal]Verizon launching '4G' smack talk campaign against AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Feel like stretching the very definition of "phone" for the sake of functionality or sheer bravado? You get to be friends with us. We've always had a soft spot for ITG's bizarrely conceived xpPhone, which does indeed run Windows XP, albeit the Embedded version, and the monstrous thing is now on sale after almost two years of teasing. It's running for a mere $798 PayPal Bux in its 3G incarnation, $732 for 3G-free, and $666 (yes, that 666) for the 3G-less version with DOS instead of Windows. We could go on all day listing specs for this thing, so we recommend you hit up that source link and feast on them for yourselves -- just make sure to have your PayPal login handy for when the irresistible nerdery of this thing reaches out and grabs you and never ever lets go.
[Thanks, Eman Z]ITG xpPhone on sale at long last! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | xpPhone | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You'll find a common complaint throughout most of our Windows laptop / netbook reviews. Nope, it doesn't have to do with CPU performance, boot times, or graphics prowess; it revolves around touchpads, and notably those that have integrated buttons within the pad itself - what have come to be known as ClickPads. While we usually point fingers (oh yes, pun intended!) at the laptop manufacturers responsible for choosing the wonky pads (eh hem, HP and Dell), Synaptics - the maker of those ClickPads - is the one behind the technology. Aware of the finicky multitouch gestures and jumping cursors, Synaptics has been hard at work on its next generation ClickPad IS Series 3, which will be hitting laptops sometime early next year. So, will the new image sensing and ClickEQ technology that's been baked into the new pads finally solve all our complaints and let us put away the laptop mice? Hit the break to find out. Continue reading The Windows PC ClickPad finally improved? Synaptics ClickPad IS Series 3 preview The Windows PC ClickPad finally improved? Synaptics ClickPad IS Series 3 preview originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Seems Qualcomm wasn't kidding when it said selling off MediaFLO's spectrum was a possibility now that it's cutting off direct-to-consumer mobile TV services. BusinessWeek is reporting that the company has sat down recently with "several carriers" -- though only AT&T is being called out by name -- presumably with the goal of fleshing out just how much dinero it could land for offing the spectrum MediaFLO uses to deliver programming. Qualcomm paid close to $700 million for the spectrum over the course of the last decade, and it lies in the 700MHz block -- a block both AT&T and Verizon will be using extensively as they build out their next-gen networks -- so it stands to reason they'd both love to buy in, likely at a healthy premium over what Qualcomm originally paid. There was a time that we loved the idea of multicast mobile TV programming, but at this point, doesn't it seem like everything should be going to beef up wireless broadband? Qualcomm talking to AT&T, other carriers over MediaFLO spectrum sale? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink mocoNews | BusinessWeek | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sure, we know where you guys go when you're near a strip mall and have to pick up an irregularly sized Tommy Hilfiger shirt, or when you run out of Paco Rabanne cologne before a hot date, but we definitely did a double take when our tipster Aaron sent us these pics he took of a 16GB WiFi iPad that he found at a TJ Maxx in Vernon, NY -- and not just because they're going for a relatively reasonable $399. We made a couple phone calls and found some at stores in Ohio and New Jersey (including one who said they were holding their stock back for Black Friday) while we struck out in other parts of the country. Still, if you're looking to drop cash on one of these guys, we'd make a quick call to your local outlet before heading to the Apple Store. And when you're done, don't forget to swing by Half Price Books and pick up a remaindered copy of A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O'Reilly. Get a closer look after the break. [Thanks to Aaron and Jared] Continue reading $399 iPads, fondue sets appearing at TJ Maxx locations across the country $399 iPads, fondue sets appearing at TJ Maxx locations across the country originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Android landscape's certainly getting crowded, isn't it? We can still vividly remember the days when the T-Mobile G1 was the only game in town, and now here we are -- just two years later -- flush with options covering virtually every market segment from the ultra-high end to the ultra-low and everything in between. One niche market that's usually underserved, though, is the beat-the-crap-out-of-your-phone market. You know who you are: you work hard, you play hard, or you've just got an incurable case of butterfingers -- but whatever the case, you need a phone that you aren't breaking, bricking, melting, freezing, or otherwise destroying every few weeks.
It's not that rugged phones haven't existed, of course. Far from it: Nextel and Motorola practically invented (and thrived off of) the concept, and options like AT&T's Samsung Rugby and Verizon's Casio G'zOne series have been available for some time. By and large, though, it's been a field devoid of smartphones -- and these days, that's just not going to cut it. The kinds of people that need a phone that can take a few knocks don't necessarily want to buy them at the expense of power or capability anymore. On that note, Motorola's new Android-powered Defy for T-Mobile USA (and other carriers abroad) is one of the few to take a shot at elegantly combining environmental resistance with a no-compromise smartphone experience, featuring Blur atop Android 2.1 with a 5 megapixel autofocus cam, LED flash, 800MHz TI OMAP3610 core, and a 3.7-inch 854 x 480 display. In other words, on paper, it's no slouch -- but can it hang? Let's find out.
Continue reading Motorola Defy review Motorola Defy review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Attention humans: in case you forgot, the Engadget Show is back in a big way this Saturday, November 20th at 6:30pm! Join us in New York City, where we'll be interviewing Sprint's product chief Fared Adib as well as Google TV product manager Salahuddin Choudhary, plus we'll have the usual mix of raucous editor roundtable, insane giveaways (somebody is leaving with an EPIC 4G and more!), crazy segments, and mind-bending chiptunes music from exileFaker! You don't want to miss it! Remember, giveaways happen at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. We have a new ticketing policy, so if you're coming to the live show, be sure to read about it below. If you're geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just tune into the stream right here on Engadget.
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 the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know:
- There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Saturday, November 20th, doors will open for seating at 5:45PM, and the show begins at 6:30PM
- We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets -- and the Sprint text-to-win winners (see below) -- will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat.
- Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away
- 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.
Sprint is offering 50 guaranteed tickets to the Engadget Show taping to the first 50 entrants who text "ENGADGET" to 467467 or enter online! Standard text messaging rates apply. Click for the Official Rules and see how to enter online.
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 Saturday, November 20th with Sprint's product chief, Google TV's lead dev, and giveaways to really be thankful for! The Engadget Show returns Saturday, November 20th with Sprint's product chief, Google TV's lead dev, and giveaways to really be thankful for! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Some comments attributed to Steve Wozniak caused quite a kerfuffle this morning -- according to Dutch paper De Telegraaf, Woz said that "Android phones have more features," which would help Google's OS become the dominant smartphone platform. Obviously, a statement like that from Apple's co-founder rocketed around the web, and it's set off yet another round of furious Android-vs-iOS debate. There's just one problem, though: Woz never said anything like that. Turns out Woz is an Engadget commenter just like you, and when we saw that he'd left a clarification on the post, we called him up for a quick chat to sort everything out.
Woz says he gave the De Telegraaf reporter a lengthy demonstration of voice commands on iOS and Android, pointed out that Android offered the ability to say "Navigate to Joe's Diner," and suggested that Apple would catch up through its purchases of Siri and Poly9. According to Steve, that's about it -- he says he'd "never" say that Android was better than iOS, and that "Almost every app I have is better on the iPhone." Woz did say he lightly prognosticated that Android would become more popular "based on what I've read," but that he expects Android "to be a lot like Windows... I'm not trying to put Android down, but I'm not suggesting it's better than iOS by any stretch of the imagination. But it can get greater marketshare and still be crappy." He's not shy, that Woz -- listen to him say it all for yourself after the break.Continue reading Exclusive: Woz misquoted! 'Almost every app that I have is better on the iPhone' Exclusive: Woz misquoted! 'Almost every app that I have is better on the iPhone' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Looks like Samsung is hoping to tap into some of that magical magic that made Speidi and the Situation household names, and it's doing so by developing an app in partnership with MTV Networks International. Called Touch MTV, it will feature single episodes of various shows including The Hills and Jersey Shore, content from MTV Iggy, and regular updates that are sure to be of great interest to a certain "very lucrative and trend-setting audience." The app will be pre-installed on the Galaxy Tab, alongside games from Gameloft and more. Certainly not a bad idea, bulking up on the entertainment value of the device -- especially since there's at least one other tablet out there with a pretty big share of digital music and video sales. But we have one suggestion: someone, will you please bring back Ed Lover, Dr. Dre, and Fab 5 Freddy? PR after the break. Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab to ship with exclusive MTV content Samsung Galaxy Tab to ship with exclusive MTV content originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TG Daily | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Microsoft's Lync, the supposed "next generation of unified communications" (a.k.a. the rebranded Office Communicator) just made its official debut this week, and it looks like it's already racking up some pretty big hardware partners. Among the first is Jabra, which has just rolled out no less than six new headsets that each come paired with their own touchscreen. Those all fall under the Jabra Pro 9400 and Jabra Go 6400 series, which each pack similar base units but come with headsets of varying portability, from a full-size set of headphones to a standard Bluetooth headset that you can also use with your phone. And just for good measure, Jabra has also rolled out its new Jabra SPEAK 410, which is the company's first USB-powered speakerphone. Of course, they all also come with some decidedly business-minded prices (upwards of $500), but it looks like they're all available immediately. Continue reading Jabra debuts six touchscreen-paired headsets designed for Microsoft Lync Jabra debuts six touchscreen-paired headsets designed for Microsoft Lync originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Jabra | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | There's something deep down inside of us that makes us want to believe Apple has some sort of app plan for Apple TV, and by "deep down inside" we mean "jailbreaking." Fire Core, the people behind the aTV Flash software package for older Apple TVs, has just shown off its work on aTV Flash (black), a port of its hackery to the new Apple TV. Basically, aTV Flash converts your Apple TV into most of the interesting parts of the Boxee Box, and we're particularly interested in the "Couch Surfer" browser aspect -- at least as far as it can fend off encroaching jealousy for Boxee and Google TV. Unfortunately, the current version of aTV Flash costs $50, and while $50 + $100 is less than a Boxee Box, you don't have to hack the Boxee to make it work. Hopefully Fire Core will reconsider that price by the time it launches aTV Flash (black), and in the meantime maybe some white knight hacker will get something like this working on Apple TVs gratis. Check out a video of the browser and Last.fm in action after the break. Continue reading Jailbroken Apple TVs getting Last.fm and a browser, for a price Jailbroken Apple TVs getting Last.fm and a browser, for a price originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink DVICE, 9 to 5 Mac | Fire Core | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | That's right, just as we had heard, Dell is finally putting an end to the Inspiron Duo's mysterious marketing videos and officially spinning its screen for the world to see! You won't be able to hit the order button on the totally unique 10.1-inch tablet / netbook hybrid today, but according to Dell, it should go up for pre-order sometime soon and start shipping out the first week of December. As for pricing, the base model will start at $549 (£449), and will pack a dual-core Intel Atom N550 processor, 2GB of RAM, a Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator, 250GB of storage, and Windows 7 Home Premium. Naturally, you'll be able to configure it with a larger hard drive, and adding that JBL speaker dock will bring the price up to $649 (no word on what it will cost on its own). We're guessing those are the details you've been waiting on, but undoubtedly you've got to be dying to know what we think of that crazy-looking laptop. Well, we've got you covered there too -- hit the break for our impressions and a brief hands-on video. Continue reading Dell Inspiron Duo finally official, can be yours the first week of December for $549 Dell Inspiron Duo finally official, can be yours the first week of December for $549 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | iPod nano watchbands -- they're everywhere! Seriously, ever since Steve Jobs said that an unnamed Apple board member jokingly planned to wear the new nano as a watch, we've seen all shapes and sizes of wristbands designed to put the diminutive media player on your wrist, ranging from the super-basic to the super-silly to the super-amazing. But hold up -- yes, we thought the new nano was a great little media player when we first reviewed it, but why hasn't anyone talked about what it's like to wear one as your watch? Is replacing your current timepiece with the nano's 1.5-inch 240 x 240 multitouch display actually a good idea? We took the nerd-bullet for you and wore one for a week to find out -- read on!
Continue reading iPod nano review -- as a watch iPod nano review -- as a watch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Yeah, we're still hanging around playing Q*bert and waiting on folks to get those qubits a spinning. Meanwhile, researchers have found a new path to follow on the way to quantum enlightenment. A new, darker path, which entails the use of so-called dark excitons as quantum bits. While doubling as a great name for future robo-gigolos, a dark exciton is an electron-hole pair with parallel spins. The parallel spin, which makes this quasiparticle "dark," also enables it to be long-lasting and, critically, to be excited with an electrical charge to set its state, a state that can then be read by looking for an emitted photon. Fascinating? Absolutely. Coming to a desktop near you? Not likely -- not unless your desktop is kept at a temperature of 4.2 degrees K, anyway.
[Image credit: Smite-Meister]Dark excitons could light up your quantum computer, life originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink ars technica | Nature Physics | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We're pretty sure that Gingerbread is to be Android 2.3, but we're still missing the official Google confirmation, and beyond that still waiting to hear exactly what the heck this point release will entail. It's certainly looking like there's a new Android Market in the works, though, with Google adding new fields to the submission that accept higher resolution icons, a high-res "feature graphic" measuring 1024 x 500, and an optional link to a YouTube-hosted promotional video. Google has also confirmed that up to eight screenshots will be able to be submitted in the near future, with a maximum resolution of 480 x 800. This could all be to make things rather more friendly for higher-res displays, like one would find on a tablet or a TV, or it could simply be the web-based interface that the Market so desperately needs. We'll surely find out when Google dishes all the details on this next version, which should happen any day now. Any day now... Google's spicy new Android Market to display high-res images, videos, be more tablet-friendly? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 09:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Android Community | Android Police | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Well, lookie here, a couple of little firmware files have wandered into our midst. Panasonic gets credit for the most interesting with its 1.11 update for the DMC-G2, offering a "performance enhancement," an improved AE lock that holds even when using the touch shutter, and support for the new H-FT012 lens we recently played with -- the one that adds a third dimension to your otherwise 2D shooter. Pentax, meanwhile, has a 1.01 update for its K-5 that will let you capture 20 images in a burst, which a lot more than the eight it can grab currently. Then there's "improved stability for general performance such as exposure range on HyP mode," which sounds awful nice too. Both are available now, so mosey those SD cards on over and click on through. Panasonic and Pentax pack a pair of pickled firmware updates, DMC-G2 gets 3D, K-5 better bursting originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 09:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink dpreview.com | Panasonic, Pentax | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | To say the Grippity has been a long time in coming would be an understatement. The quirky keypad that stashes the buttons around back seemed to have all but vaporized into thin air after showing some early promise, but hey, it's back now! Back with a vengeance, which in this case means pre-order availability on its eponymous site at $60 a pop. Mind you, the earliest deliveries are scheduled for February, so we do hope you have enough to distract you while waiting through this holiday season. January should be nice and fun, though, as we're sure the Grippity guys will find a way to hit up our CES 2011 trailer for another hands-on opportunity with this trackball-equipped peripheral -- which is now billing itself as the ideal media center controller. We'll let you know how well the Grippity plays that role as soon as we can. Continue reading Grippity 1 back-typing keyboard finally up for pre-order, asks for $60 and your patience Grippity 1 back-typing keyboard finally up for pre-order, asks for $60 and your patience originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 08:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Grippity | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You know tablets have officially become a mainstream craze when even the reserved, serious types over at the Financial Times start splashing subsidies around to stimulate their ownership. We've just heard that a $480 purse of gold coins will be extended to any FT workers who decide to purchase an iPad or another tablet between now and the end of June 2011, reportedly in an effort to help the paper's staff become "expert and experienced in using them." We already knew the FT, which happens to have its own iPad and Galaxy Tab apps, saw slate devices as an important piece of the puzzle that is our future, and this move cements that attitude in place. Paper's dead, long live electronics-filled plastic. FT subsidizes employee iPads, wants them to keep up with the times originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 07:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink mocoNews | @Tim (Twitter) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Your Apple TVs and your Google TVs hold a lot of potential, but their limited access to content freely available to any 'ol PC and Mac is what you'd call a bit of a problem. The latest product from Orb fixes that by being a simple media streamer, relying on a computer elsewhere on the network to pull that content locally before turning around and pumping it back out to the company's new Orb TV coaster, which in turn displays it on your TV. Since the content is hitting the computer first (the "Orb Caster") Hulu is available on-tap, but somewhere along the way support for HD video quality goes out the window: this thing maxes out at VGA. Sure, you can already do this with your TVersity's and the like, but the Orb TV is a lot smaller than your average media extender hardware, has a very handy remote control app for the iPhone (Android coming soon), and kindly will support multiple Orb devices on the same network. Best of all? It's shipping right now, so make with the clicking and get your Gleek on. Orb TV is the $99 video streamer that will do Netflix and Hulu, but not HD originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 07:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Cnet | Orb | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, has never been one to mince words. Today's no different as demonstrated in an interview with the Dutch-language De Telegraaf newspaper in The Netherlands. The first revelation is an admission that Apple had collaborated with a well-known Japanese consumer electronics company in 2004 to develop a phone that was ahead of its time. Woz is quoted as saying that while Apple was content with the quality, it "wanted something that could amaze the world." Obviously, the phone was shelved until Apple announced the iPhone in January 2007.
Woz then moved on to the topic of Android saying that Android smartphones, not the iPhone, would become dominant, noting that the Google OS is likely to win the race similarly to the way that Windows ultimately dominated the PC world. Woz stressed that the iPhone, "Has very few weak points. There aren't any real complaints and problems. In terms of quality, the iPhone is leading." However, he then conceded that, "Android phones have more features," and offer more choice for more people. Eventually, he thinks that Android quality, consistency, and user satisfaction will match iOS.
Steve closed the interview with a jab at Nokia calling it, "the brand from a previous generation" suggesting that the boys from Finland should introduce a new brand for a young consumer. Hmm, so we guess he'll be in line for the launch of the MeeGo-based N9 then?
[Thanks, Nguyen T.]Steve Wozniak: Android will be the dominant smartphone platform originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink NieuweMobiel.nl | De Telegraaf [translated] | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Netbooks might no longer be the sexy must-have accessory they once were, but maybe having Jolicloud's custom Linux-based OS on board will sway people to give this one a second look. Yes, the Jolibook that we so recently saw for the first time is about to make its retail debut, with the UK getting the first opportunity to spill some cash on it. Netbook News reports the precise levy will be £279 ($443), while the Wall Street Journal has word that the whole shebang could start as early as tomorrow. That price is, as promised, competitive, but it's not quite cheap enough to attract buyers all by itself -- Jolicloud will have to hope its OS is as good in long-term use as it's looked in brief glimpses so far, in which case this 10.1-incher shouldn't have much trouble justifying its cost.Jolibook to cost £279 in the UK, could be with us tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Netbook News | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
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