8/14 Engadget

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. Engadget 'Sources' say no Apple tablet until 2010 August 13, 2009 at 9:36 pm And so it continues. It seems like just when rumorland is ready to claim this month or this season as the absolute certain sure time of the Apple tablet, those pesky "sources" get cold feed and bump the imaginary release date back a year or so. At least that's what the folks at The Loop are saying. They claim "very reliable sources" have called the September rumor "flat out wrong," and state that we won't see the tablet until the first half of next year sometime. Sigh. Don't give up internet, if we just wish hard enough we know that anything is possible. [Via Daring Fireball] Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video, Tablet PCs 'Sources' say no Apple tablet until 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Kaleidescape gets in line behind RealDVD for rough treatment August 13, 2009 at 8:56 pm When it rains it pours -- right on the heels of the punishing blow dealt to RealDVD, the money-laden Kaleidescape crowd suffered its own setback at the hands of the law. You just know that the DVD CCA (Copy Control Association) appealed the 2007 ruling that allowed Kaleidescape owners to rip DVDs to their media servers, and yesterday a California Appeals Court overturned that ruling. Next stop -- the Santa Clara Superior Court, which could place an injunction on Kaleidescape if the appeal is upheld. It's not over yet, but we're prepping the soundboard with ominous music, boos and noisy hand-wringing. Whatever (and whenever) the outcome, we can only hope that Blu-ray's Managed Copy comes to the scene sooner rather than later and settles this issue for our beloved HD content Filed under: Home Entertainment Kaleidescape gets in line behind RealDVD for rough treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Entelligence: Stains on the sleeve of my operating system August 13, 2009 at 7:45 pm Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. I originally started this column on my take on what an Apple tablet might be (I literally dreamed about it and started to write it down when I woke up). I was really into it, which explains why I didn't save it as I wrote. I think you can see where this is going. Like a cartoon character who notices that he's no longer standing on solid ground and suddenly begins to fall, I reached over to save, but was too late. My trusty XP install suddenly blue screened. Muttering just a few choice words, I rebooted, only to blue screen again. No problem, there's always "safe mode." Too bad safe mode blue screened as well. With little hope of getting anything recovered, I gave up, fired up my Mac and started from scratch. It's not the first time this has happened to me, where for some reason or another I've lost work on my computer. I suspect it's happened to a few of you out there too. But this latest bad experience changed my thought process from Apple tablets to what's wrong with the whole PC landscape and today's operating systems. Continue reading Entelligence: Stains on the sleeve of my operating system Filed under: Misc. Gadgets Entelligence: Stains on the sleeve of my operating system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Book scanning gets a 1,000 fps turbo mode August 13, 2009 at 6:46 pm No matter how fly or flashy modern scanners become, there's no getting away from their page-by-page assembly line style of operation. Or so we thought. The Ishikawa Komuro Lab at Tokyo University has demonstrated a prototype scanner capable of recording the contents of pages as they turn. Using a laser range projector to estimate page geometry, the camera adjusts for light and movement distortion as necessary and retains faithful copies of the original. At present it's more a proof of concept for the underlying vision processing unit than a commercial venture, but all it needs is one major manufacturer to pick it up and the paperless revolution can finally get started in earnest. [Via Plastic Pals] Filed under: Peripherals Book scanning gets a 1,000 fps turbo mode originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments CourseSmart releases eTextbook reader for iPhone August 13, 2009 at 6:01 pm We have no idea who would choose an iPhone app over a real, honest-to-goodness textbook, but if you really want to spend marathon cram sessions hunched over a 3.5-inch display, a company called CourseSmart has just made its entire catalog available for viewing with its eTextbooks app. Certainly, it seems that the company's selection is nothing to sneeze at -- electronic access to over 7,000 titles from 12 publishers -- so if you're already using the service, additional on-the-go access to the books (as well as the handy search, notes, and bookmarks) might prove quite worthwhile. Keep in mind that you're not actually downloading the books -- so your mileage will vary, depending on the quality of your Internet connection. Maybe this device is actually marketed to students who need a helping hand (or, in this case, handheld) during finals? Regardless, this is further evidence that the electronic textbook market is one to keep an eye on -- if only someone could figure out how to do it right. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'd like to get back to Knife Music. Video after the break. [Via PC World] Continue reading CourseSmart releases eTextbook reader for iPhone Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video CourseSmart releases eTextbook reader for iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Engadget Podcast -- live on USTREAM... right now! August 13, 2009 at 5:23 pm You know, we like to get a little crazy some time. Test the waters. Mix it up. You know, all that hyperbole. At any rate, if you'd like to mix it up with us... we're broadcasting live on USTREAM right now. Check out the embed after the break -- and wish us luck! Continue reading Engadget Podcast -- live on USTREAM... right now! Filed under: Announcements Engadget Podcast -- live on USTREAM... right now! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments RIM working on Bluetooth watch, other spellbinding accessories? August 13, 2009 at 5:16 pm We're not sure why we didn't hear more about this way back at RIM's WES conference way back in May, but it was apparently mentioned by VP Antoine Boucher at the time that they're working on a Bluetooth-enabled watch. Furthermore, it's said to be more advanced than the models Sony Ericsson has put forth so far, featuring streaming audio (3.5mm jack on the watch, perhaps?) and Twitter / Facebook updates in addition to the usual things like caller ID and text messages. Note that the image floating around today of this thing isn't real -- it's just a Sony Ericsson MBW-100 with a swapped logo -- so it remains to be seen what this magical wrist accessory will look like, assuming it's real and coming to retail. It seems Boucher also mentioned a high-end Bluetooth headset codenamed "Alpha 1" that'll allow you to stream music and get navigation directions through some sort of totally awesome silicone earpiece boasted to possibly be "the best solution on the market." It's pretty hard to pique a lot of interest these days with something as vanilla and ubiquitous as a headset, but at any rate, it's interesting to see the depth of RIM's apparent commitment to the accessory market right now. [Via techfresh.net] Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables RIM working on Bluetooth watch, other spellbinding accessories? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Apple might be planning keynote for week of September 7th, might have new products on offer August 13, 2009 at 4:53 pm We're hearing "multiple sources" are now reporting that Apple is most likely planning a keynote event -- possibly for the week of September 7th. There's also the requisite murmuring that one Steve Jobs may make an appearance -- though of course, there's also nothing more solid than wishes and fairy dust to back that one up. As far as possible product launches go, well, there have been significant whisperings about upcoming iPod / iTunes developments as of late, including the company's reported dealings with major record labels. This would fall in line with Apple's habit of releasing iPods every fall, and we've heard plenty about upcoming iPod touches which boast, among other things -- a camera and microphone. Daring Fireball has also reported that these bad boys will come in 16, 32 and 64GB varieties running $199, $299, and $399, respectively. In more salacious gossip, there's the possible Apple tablet we've been hearing about, but there's no solid word on any products for now. We'll be watching this one closely, we assure you. Read - Here it Comes. But what is it, exactly? Read - Daring Fireball on Zune HD and new iPod touch Filed under: Portable Audio, Tablet PCs Apple might be planning keynote for week of September 7th, might have new products on offer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Zune HD specs fill in the blanks on video format support, battery life and more - Update: now with more, better! August 13, 2009 at 4:28 pm Now that everything Zune HD is official and available for pre-order, Microsoft has seen fit to loose official specs, putting to rest -- at least until we can do a full hands on -- questions about what to expect from the OLED touchscreen packing device. From dimensions (52.7 mm x 102.1 mm x 8.9 mm, 2.6 oz) to battery life (24 hours for music with wireless off, up to 4 hours of video) and charge time (3 hours, 2 hours to 90%.) While the offical site (incorrectly) currently lists max video res at barely-better-than-DVD 720 x 480, we contacted Microsoft and received the official specs on video support, and if for some reason you needed to hear it again: the Tegra chip is a beast. Ready for HDTV playback when it's plugged into the AV dock, the Zune software supports up to 1280 x 720, 30 frames per second at a max 14 Mbps bitrate for WMV HD and h.264 sources. Confirmed still a bummer? No wireless video streaming from the Zune Video Marketplace, though the specs do indicate that purchases and rentals will work across all three screens, PC, Zune and Xbox 360. Check the corrected specs after the break, now all that's left is getting some alone time with one. Update: Microsoft has hit us with the corrected & updated spec list with a slight change to battery and charge specs: 33 hours of life playing music with no wireless, up to 8.5 hours of video. 3 hours to charge from PC, 2 hours via AC adapter. Hopefully that's long enough to cover your one man rave in the woods far away from A/C outlets. Check the PDF for yourself, but beware, as Microsoft has informed us one typo remains, as the Zune HD can hold up to 22 / 48 hours (16GB / 32GB) of video optimized for the device, no matter what the official sheet says. Continue reading Zune HD specs fill in the blanks on video format support, battery life and more - Update: now with more, better! Filed under: Handhelds, HDTV, Home Entertainment Zune HD specs fill in the blanks on video format support, battery life and more - Update: now with more, better! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Brando churns out new HDD dock, all is well with the world August 13, 2009 at 4:01 pm We've decided to start using Brando's tireless refreshes as a sort of economic barometer -- if an entire calendar month passes without a brand spanking new HDD dock, we'll know we are in trouble. Seemingly content with its high-end offering, Brando has gone back to basics with the SATA Dual HDD Docking Station, which has space for a pair of 2.5- or 3.5-inch drives, but eschews the usual multicard reader. You get an eSATA extension kit in the package for suckling power and data from your computer, but that's pretty much it. Is it convenient? Sure. But at $63 we'd expect a little bit more -- like maybe bundling the hard drives for free. Filed under: Peripherals, Storage Brando churns out new HDD dock, all is well with the world originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Ripple unleashes dashingly handsome LOOK on unsuspecting nettop crowd August 13, 2009 at 3:31 pm With its shapely curves and dramatic paintwork, the Ripple LOOK makes a wonderful first impression. Though not a candidate for being either the smallest or thinnest mini PC around, it's definitely one of the best looking nettops we've seen. Specs are par for the course -- dual core Atom 330, 2GB RAM, 320GB storage and Intel GMA950 graphics -- but you really don't buy devices like these for their power. Then again, we won't be buying this at all unless it does the unthinkable and finds a reseller outside Korea, where the lucky locals can have it for $321. A couple more glamor shots await after the break to soothe your heavy heart. Continue reading Ripple unleashes dashingly handsome LOOK on unsuspecting nettop crowd Filed under: Desktops Ripple unleashes dashingly handsome LOOK on unsuspecting nettop crowd originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Samsung Instinct S50 now reportedly the Instinct HD, 'HD' officially the new black August 13, 2009 at 3:11 pm It's already gone through more than its share of name changes, but it looks like Sprint's upcoming Samsung m850 Dash, most recently known as the Instinct S50, has now apparently found one that's stuck: the Instinct HD. No word if that means it'll actually handle HD video in one way or another, of course, nor is there any word on anything like a price or release date -- although with the FCC business out of the way, it seems like this one could be getting fully official sooner rather than later. Filed under: Cellphones Samsung Instinct S50 now reportedly the Instinct HD, 'HD' officially the new black originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments RED ONE mounted to UAV, flown around San Juan Island (Update: false alarm, it's a Panasonic) August 13, 2009 at 2:49 pm Never one to miss a chance to feature action-packed UAV footage on this space, here we have a behind-the-scenes look at the new Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band video for you. While it ain't exactly Hearts of Darkness or Burden of Dreams, sometimes there are more important things than pathos, obsession, and heartbeak -- in this case, up close and personal shots of AerialPan Imaging's custom-built remote control camera rig, complete with mounted RED ONE HD video camera. Not too many technical details for you, but there is enough remote controlled helicopter excitement to make you wish you were on location at San Juan Island with one of these bad boys. Check it out for yourself after the break. Update: As one of our colleagues (and a couple eagle-eyed readers) so graciously pointed out, the camera mounted to the helicopter has the tell-tale markings (peep the on-board mic) of a Panasonic HVX200. Thanks, kids! [Via CNET] Continue reading RED ONE mounted to UAV, flown around San Juan Island (Update: false alarm, it's a Panasonic) Filed under: Digital Cameras, Robots RED ONE mounted to UAV, flown around San Juan Island (Update: false alarm, it's a Panasonic) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Verizon announces AD3700 global modem from ZTE August 13, 2009 at 2:14 pm So here's some interesting insight into the wild, rough-and-tumble world of wireless product launches: Verizon announced ZTE's AD3700 USB modem today, a product that gained FCC approval over five months ago, which means it's probably been getting a trial by fire on Verizon's test labs since then. You've gotta figure that ZTE was working on the prototype for many months before FCC approval, so all told, this launch is probably a culmination of a solid year of work, cash, blood, sweat, and tears. Don't you feel obligated to buy it now? Anyhow, the modem runs $79.99 after a $50 rebate when it launches on the 14th, which is actually a really solid deal considering that it'll do EV-DO in the States and HSPA around the world for 3G service no matter where your job or your whimsical vacation travel habits might take you. Filed under: Wireless Verizon announces AD3700 global modem from ZTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Samsung's new compacts in person: front LCDs, GPS and WiFi don't go to waste August 13, 2009 at 1:42 pm We just got a quick look at Samsung's new trio, the TL220, TL225 and CL65, and outside of some pretty impressive specs, all three cameras offer a nice bit of innovation and looks in their own special ways. The TL220 and TL225 are the most interesting, with those snazzy front-facing LCDs. Luckily, that creepy clown picture from the press shots is just for entertaining children, and it's easy enough to switch it to a live view of our charming, MySpace-ready face. Meanwhile the CL65 offers WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 in a rather attractive package, and has a surprisingly usable WiFi upload interface for launching pictures and photos up to the wide blue internets. Check out a video of the TL225 (which bests the TL220 with a supercharged 3.5-inch LCD) after the break. Gallery: Samsung TL220 and TL225 hands-on Gallery: Samsung CL65 hands-on Continue reading Samsung's new compacts in person: front LCDs, GPS and WiFi don't go to waste Filed under: Digital Cameras Samsung's new compacts in person: front LCDs, GPS and WiFi don't go to waste originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Dell Mini 3i smartphone captured in pair of spy shots August 13, 2009 at 1:23 pm Well, it's looking increasingly like those very first shots of a rumored Dell smartphone that cropped up way back in June were indeed the real deal, as two separate sets of purported spy pics have now turned up showing an identical-looking phone. Better still, they also show the device powered on, offering us our first look at Dell and China Mobile's customized Android interface for the thing. The Boy Genius Report also goes one step further with a complete list of the phone's purported specs, which includes quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity, a 3.5-inch 640 x 360 display, a 3-megapixel camera with a flash (and support for 30 fps video), Bluetooth, A-GPS, and a microSD card slot for expansion, to name a few features. Head on past the break for one more, equally blurry shot, and dive into the links below for a few pics and details. Read - Cloned in China, "Dell Mini 3i spy shots" Read - Boy Genius Report, "Dell's smartphone pictured again, spec'd, other Android details" [Thanks, xleung] Continue reading Dell Mini 3i smartphone captured in pair of spy shots Filed under: Cellphones Dell Mini 3i smartphone captured in pair of spy shots originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Lenovo IdeaCentre C300 unboxing and hands-on August 13, 2009 at 12:57 pm Large screen nettops are somewhat of a mystery to us. Lenovo's latest, the all-in-one IdeaCentre C300, is certainly a looker on the outside, but the beauty of that screen real estate is hampered by a 1.6GHz Atom processor / integrated graphics unable to handle our internet streaming needs -- Hulu, Pandora, and Netflix were all but a wash. Still, it's pretty light and sturdy, and when powered on absolutely quiet and cool -- we watched four hours of a DVD with a minimum of stutter and little to no heat or machine noise. We're still putting it through the paces, but in the meantime, feel free to live vicariously through our unboxing in the gallery below! Gallery: Lenovo IdeaCentre C300 unboxing and hands-on Filed under: Desktops Lenovo IdeaCentre C300 unboxing and hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Lanyu LY-EB01 is world's cheapest laptop with built-in obsolescence August 13, 2009 at 12:32 pm Step aside, World's Cheapest Laptop, Lanyu of China just undercut you -- and the magical $100 barrier -- with the 666 Yuan ($98) LY-EB01. This marketing marvel might have a processor slower than most netbooks' FSB at 266MHz, and its 128MB of RAM might spontaneously combust if you even type the word Vista into it, but it is, technically, a laptop. And you can totally store, like, a few hundred Word files on the 2GB flash drive. Having played around with the previous champ of the 'cheap 'n useless' weight class, we must at least congratulate Lanyu on a solid looking construction, and hey, apparently there's a chance for a release outside China. Aren't you excited? [Via Cloned in China] Filed under: Laptops Lanyu LY-EB01 is world's cheapest laptop with built-in obsolescence originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Dell refutes high Linux netbook return rates, but not customer ignorance August 13, 2009 at 12:08 pm Microsoft is quite confident of its leadership status on the Netbook front, boasting earlier this year of 96 percent attach rate for Windows and making other, more recent claims of return rates on Linux netbooks that are "like four or five times higher" than their Windows equivalents. Dell's Senior Product Marketing Manager Todd Finch is refuting that last claim, saying "we don't see a significant difference between the return rate for Windows versus the rate for Linux." He does, however, continue to say that many people who return Linux netbooks simply bought the cheapest option they could find, expecting Windows and shipping the things back after being greeted by something other than a familiar UI upon startup. The panel at OpenSource World also tackled the topic of how to spur greater interest in Linux, and crushed the dreams of many attendees who believe in the Field of Dreams approach: get Linux machines into retailers and demand will come. The demand has to come first, says Finch, and given the general non-existence of open source marketing, that's going to take something of a Kevin Costner-scale miracle. Filed under: Laptops Dell refutes high Linux netbook return rates, but not customer ignorance originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Mysterious Android touchscreen MID pics surface, Charles Fort notified August 13, 2009 at 11:42 am It sure seems like the world is ready for an Android MID or, until it gets one, rumors and leaks to that effect. Tell us, what do you make of a slate-style device featuring the word "android" in the appropriate font, pics of the thing browsing the web (which, truth be told, look just as real as they could be 'shopped in), a couple perfunctory specs (Rockchip CPU, somewhere between a 4.3 to 5-inch display, 3G, MSN Messenger and GTalk, WiFi) and a source for the images that fails to cough up names / links to the "handful" of Chinese tech sites that are allegedly all a-buzz about this thing? Well, we don't know either -- but if you do get your hands on one of these guys, send it our way, will you? Thanks -- and in the meantime, hit that read link for the whole sordid tale (and a couple choice pics). Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs Mysterious Android touchscreen MID pics surface, Charles Fort notified originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Flash Zunes that disappeared from the Zune site reappear -- is someone toying with us? August 13, 2009 at 11:22 am Remember just a few days back, when the sadness and confusion surrounded us as every last flash Zune disappeared, leading us to ponder the meaning of life? Well, they're back! Huzzah! Our suggestion? Get them before they go for good -- unless you're holding out for the Zune HD. Filed under: Portable Audio Flash Zunes that disappeared from the Zune site reappear -- is someone toying with us? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Zune HD color options revealed in pre-order email August 13, 2009 at 11:02 am We already knew that the Zune HD would be available in five different colors, and a just sent out pre-order email has now given us our first (very small) glimpse of the options available. In addition to the standard black and silver (or platinum, as Microsoft calls it), it seems you'll also have your choice of blue, lime green, and a red / maroon color, each of which can also be adorned with your choice of 10 exclusive Zune Originals designs. From the looks of it, however, folks pre-ordering are limited to the two less colorful options. [Thanks, matthew] Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video Zune HD color options revealed in pre-order email originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot August 13, 2009 at 11:00 am If you're anything like us (and let's face it, you're exactly like us), you've been counting down the nanoseconds until Samsung finally revealed what its 'Tap and Take' campaign was all about. This, folks, is it. As many of you sharp folks surmised, Samsung is delving deep into the intelligent camera arena, equipping its luscious CL65 (no, not that CL65) with a 12.2 megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, 720p (30fps) movie mode, an HDMI output, and a 3.5-inch touchscreen that utilizes a Smart Gesture user interface. Furthermore, the camera can access certain features when simply tilted, and the built-in Bluetooth 2.0 module enables users to easily share images with other BT-equipped devices. Considering that you're probably still not impressed, how's about a little more on the cutting-edge front? The point-and-shoot also includes WiFi (much like Sony's disappointing DSC-G3 and Panny's Lumix DMC-TZ50), giving users the ability to upload directly to Facebook, Picasa and YouTube. Unfortunately, all photos uploaded via WiFi will be reduced to a resolution of two megapixels, and while we understand the reasoning, we figure an option for full / reduced res would've been a much better compromise. At any rate, the device also includes DLNA support for streaming to HDTVs and the like, while the integrated GPS chip handles the geotagging. The cam, which is admittedly bursting at the seams with features, will land next month in the US for $399.99. Full release is after the break. Gallery: Samsung CL65 digital camera Continue reading Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot Filed under: Digital Cameras Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Video: Samsung's TL220 and TL225 cameras add a LCD in front to help with your self-portraits August 13, 2009 at 11:00 am Cameras with projectors? That's old tricks by now. Samsung wants you to know the new, hip differentiator in the point and shoot market is two LCDs -- one in the back like usual, and a 1.5-inch LCD in the front, right next to the lens, such as what you see with the new TL220 and TL225 (also known as ST500 / ST550, respectively). That should be good for making sure your self-portraits are just right, or alternatively, it can play "cute animations to capture kids' attention." We also think it might also be useful for capturing the exact moment of horror from a coulrophobist. Both 12.2 megapixel cameras sport a 4.6x optical zoom, image stabilization, 720p video capabilities in H.264 format, and a touchscreen rear LCD with haptic feedback. The TL220 has a 3-inch display in the back, while the TL225 (pictured) features a 3.5-inch display that's also much, much sharper. Price is $299.90 / $349.99 for TL220 and TL225, respectively, and both are due out in September. Full presser -- and video -- after the break. Update: The video (after the break) is now live. Gallery: Samsung's TL220 and TL225 cameras add a LCD in front to help with your self-portraits Continue reading Video: Samsung's TL220 and TL225 cameras add a LCD in front to help with your self-portraits Filed under: Digital Cameras Video: Samsung's TL220 and TL225 cameras add a LCD in front to help with your self-portraits originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments T-Mobile's myTouch 3G gets rooted, Questlove unavailable for comment August 13, 2009 at 10:41 am Looking to run the latest and greatest homebrew wares on your myTouch? Just a week after release the Android handset has been set free of its corporate restrictions, the most private sections of its kernel unlocked for you to mess with. Full instructions (and we do mean full) are available at the read link, so proceed with caution -- and don't come crying to us if you wind up with a shiny merlot brick. [Thanks, Scott] Filed under: Cellphones T-Mobile's myTouch 3G gets rooted, Questlove unavailable for comment originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Hang your head, Sequoia e-voting machine; you've been hacked again August 13, 2009 at 10:19 am Oh, Princeton University, won't you leave the poor electronic voting machines alone? Haven't they suffered enough without you forming teams with researchers from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Michigan to spread their private moments even further asunder? That group of brainiacs came together to devise a new, even easier hack that allows someone with no special access to take complete control of a Sequoia AVC Advantage voting machine -- an example of which the team purchased legally at a government auction. The machine does not allow modifications to its ROM (because it has an O in the middle), but the team was able to use a technique called return-oriented programming to modify how the machine executes existing code, taking the bits they want and, ultimately, devising a way to re-program its behavior by simply inserting a cartridge into a slot -- presumably after blowing on it for good luck. The hack only works until the machine is powered off, but the attack even foils that, intercepting the switch signal and making the system only appear to power down. Today's top tip for electronic voting polling stations: unplug your boxes overnight. [Via Digg] Filed under: Misc. Gadgets Hang your head, Sequoia e-voting machine; you've been hacked again originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Modder hacks PSP for DualShock 2 control, proves kids aren't worthless August 13, 2009 at 9:56 am Okay, so there's at least a sliver of a chance French modder Flasheur got his inspiration from an eerily similar mod last year that involved Sony's PlayStation Portable and an original DualShock controller, but hey, progress is progress. This time around, we're looking at a rather dashing blue PSP and a DualShock 2, and while the actual modding process looks to have taken a different route (three connections on the rear versus one on the side), the end result is the same. Bliss. Pure bliss. Hop on past the break for an entirely-too-lengthy video demonstrating the hack in action, and hang tight for a DualShock 3 iteration to surface in 5, 4, 3... [Via Slashgear] Continue reading Modder hacks PSP for DualShock 2 control, proves kids aren't worthless Filed under: Gaming Modder hacks PSP for DualShock 2 control, proves kids aren't worthless originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Microsoft's Zune HD AV Dock and Power Pack up for pre-order August 13, 2009 at 9:24 am No need to hide your unabashed love for Microsoft -- we know you've already plopped down a few bills to pre-order your Zune HD, but did you bother sinking a few Jacksons on high-margin accessories? If not, we'll have you know that the Zune HD AV Dock (left) and Zune HD AV & Power Pack (right) can be pre-ordered right now from Microsoft's online store as well as through Amazon, and we suspect most every other respectable e-tailer will pick 'em up soonly. Both devices are expected to ship alongside the device itself on September 15th, with the former including a dock, three inserts, wireless remote, AC adapter, HDMI cable and AV output cable for $89.99. The latter is meant to pipe content from your docked Zune HD onto a TV, as it includes an AC adapter, HDMI cable and AC output cable for $49.99. [Thanks, Thomas] Read - Zune HD AV Dock Read - Zune HD AV & Power Pack Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video Microsoft's Zune HD AV Dock and Power Pack up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments BenQ grabs green card with LED-backlit V2200 / V2400 Eco monitors August 13, 2009 at 9:17 am We firmly believe that the all-too-popular 'green card' is flailed about far too haphazardly these days, but whatever the case, BenQ's sure doing its darnedest to explain just how much Ma Earth adores its latest duo of V Series monitors. The 24-inch V2400 Eco and 21.5-inch V2200 Eco are both outfitted with LED-backlit 1080p panels, comically inflated dynamic contrast ratios (5,000,000:1, if you can even believe that) and a shell constructed from 28 percent recycled plastic. Meanwhile, we're told these panels can suck down around 30 percent less power while in Eco mode, and overall, they consume approximately 36 percent less power than CCFL displays. If you're onboard with everything, look for these to land in your neck of the woods soon, with China getting 'em first in a week or so. [Via Far East Gizmos] Filed under: Displays BenQ grabs green card with LED-backlit V2200 / V2400 Eco monitors originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Clickfree Transformer for iPod / iPhone makes auto backups, music retrieval painless August 13, 2009 at 8:51 am Clickfree, the outfit responsible for breathing new life into the notion of automatic backups, has just introduced what may very well be its most interesting and useful product yet. The Transformer for iPod / iPhone is a dual-purpose device, giving users the ability to backup multimedia from their PCs onto any remaining space on their iPod or iPhone as well as providing an easy way to retrieve content from those devices should your PC's hard drive ever decide to call it a day life. Per usual, no software installation is required, and the adapter plays nice with Vista, XP and OS X 10.5 or later. In related news, the company is also introducing its Transformer SE next month, which will ship in a piano black finish and function with any external USB hard drive to deliver a fully automated backup. If you're willing to pay the price for peace of mind, you can get your order in today at $49.99 and $89.99, respectively. Continue reading Clickfree Transformer for iPod / iPhone makes auto backups, music retrieval painless Filed under: Peripherals, Storage Clickfree Transformer for iPod / iPhone makes auto backups, music retrieval painless originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sony takes Reader openness one step further, will offer EPUB titles only August 13, 2009 at 8:18 am Slowly but surely, the mega-corp who has historically clung tight to its own formats while the world opts for others is finally seeing the light. Just over a year after Sony pushed out an update that enabled its Reader to use purchased books in the open EPUB format, the outfit is now promising to sell digital books only in that format by the year's end. Moreover, Sony is aiming to nix its "proprietary anti-copying software in favor of technology from the software maker Adobe that restricts how often e-books can be shared or copied." Once the switchover takes place, books purchased in Sony's online store will be readable on any device that supports EPUB, one of which will be Plastic Logic's forthcoming e-reader. And to think -- if only this change of heart would've happened prior to the introduction of ATRAC... Filed under: Displays, Handhelds Sony takes Reader openness one step further, will offer EPUB titles only originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Walmart's $348 17-inch Toshiba Satellite L355 reviewed: surprisingly awesome August 13, 2009 at 7:51 am Looking for an ultra-cheap machine to take to school, are you? If you couldn't care less about extreme portability, Toshiba's shockingly inexpensive Satellite L355 (S7915) could be just the thing. $348 at Walmart nets you a 17-inch display (1,440 x 900), a 2.2GHz Celeron 900 CPU, Vista Basic, 3GB of RAM, a 250GB (5400RPM) hard drive, 8x DVD writer and GMA 4500M integrated graphics. The 7-pound machine was recently tested over at Laptop Mag, and critics were noticeably stunned at just how well the machine performed. The display was bright, the keyboard was more than adequate and the six-cell battery managed to hang on for over 2.5 hours in real-world testing. All in all, reviewers felt that the rig was perfectly suitable for handling schoolwork and other basic tasks, and save for the omission of a webcam, they couldn't find any huge beefs given the uncharacteristically low MSRP. 'Course, if you already snapped up that $298 Compaq, maybe you should just plug your ears here and pretend this whole thing never happened. Filed under: Laptops Walmart's $348 17-inch Toshiba Satellite L355 reviewed: surprisingly awesome originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments HTC reportedly moves a million Magic smartphones, boogies down at midnight August 13, 2009 at 7:07 am These days, the whole "I shipped a million!" claim is becoming more and more common, but it's still worth pointing out that HTC has managed to move a whole bundle of its Android-based myTouch 3G (or Magic, as it were) since debuting in April. Or, that's the story, anyway. According to a dangerously brief blurb over at Digitimes, the outfit's head honcho quipped that the Magic has "surpassed one million units," and he also noted that it would begin to focus more on the mid-range market as opposed to always dealing devices at the high-end. So, raise your glass high for this one folks, and let the countdown to a million Hero handsets begin while you're at it. [Via InformationWeek] Filed under: Cellphones HTC reportedly moves a million Magic smartphones, boogies down at midnight originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Infrared sensors hit 16 megapixels, can now spy on an entire hemisphere August 13, 2009 at 6:12 am Aerospace and defense manufacturer Raytheon wants everyone to know it has developed the world's first 16 megapixel infrared sensor, which is set for a life of orbiting the Earth and generally being a lot more useful than lesser models. With its higher resolution, the unit is able to cover an entire half of the planet without "blinking" to relocate its focus, and should be warmly received by meteorologists, astronomists and military types, all craving for a bit more real-time reconnaissance. We advise wide-brimmed tin foil hats to shield your body heat from these Sauron-like satellites while working on those plans for a global uprising of the proletariat. [Via TG Daily] Filed under: Science Infrared sensors hit 16 megapixels, can now spy on an entire hemisphere originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Guitar Hero 5 for Wii can stream downloaded songs directly from SD card August 13, 2009 at 5:19 am In what's hopefully indicative of future trends, the upcoming Guitar Hero 5 for Nintendo Wii has the ability to stream content -- in this case, extra songs -- directly from the SD card. Up until now, everything from the card had to be transferred to 512MB internal memory before use, meaning you'd be pretty limited if making that near-endless set list of premium downloaded tracks. With 32GB of space now at your disposal, it looks like the only limit is your bank account and your predilection to Eagles of Death Metal. So when are we gonna see this trick in other Wii titles, eh Nintendo? Filed under: Gaming Guitar Hero 5 for Wii can stream downloaded songs directly from SD card originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Zune HD lands September 15th, up for pre-order today August 13, 2009 at 4:01 am Do you want a Zune HD real bad? Well you're in luck, because the wait is nearly over. Microsoft announced today that the heavily hyped media player will be making its way into retail channels come September 15th, and will be up for pre-order at select spots (Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and the Microsoft Store) today. That's right... today. The Tegra-packing, HD Radio-playing, 720p-outputting device will come in a black, 16GB flavor for $219.99, or a beefier, "platinum" finish 32GB version clocking in at $289.99. If you're super impatient and in select markets (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis / St. Paul, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.) you can head into a Best Buy on August 22nd and 23rd to play with a device and drop $25 on a pre-order. Otherwise, you'll just have to sit tight till the ZHD makes its way into the wide world... which is actually pretty soon. Check out more info about the player at our Zune HD hub, and after the break you can enjoy a recent video we shot of the device in action. Continue reading Zune HD lands September 15th, up for pre-order today Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video Zune HD lands September 15th, up for pre-order today originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Texting makes kids dumb -- science fact! August 13, 2009 at 3:03 am Ready for your daily dose of wildly speculative extrapolation and unfounded fear-mongering? Predictive texting is the latest suspect in the ongoing war against things that make children dumb. A new study from Australia's Monash University has shown that predictive texters finish their exams faster and with more errors than others, because of course, when your mobile finishes your words in a text, you expect it to finish your sentences in a test. We jest, and there may be a sliver of truth to this contention, but let's be forthright here -- you could probably do more damage to your brain with a good night's alcohol intake than you can with a lifetime of texting. [Via Switched] Filed under: Cellphones Texting makes kids dumb -- science fact! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering August 13, 2009 at 2:01 am The biannual International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence has this year shed light on a new effort to standardize robot instructions around a common platform, so that designers won't have to "reinvent the wheel over and over" with every project. Presently, robot design is undertaken in an ad hoc fashion, with both hardware and software being built from scratch, but teams at Stanford, MIT and the Technical University of Munich are hoping to change that with the Robot Operating System, or ROS. This new OS would have to compete with Microsoft's robotics offering, but the general enthusiasm for it at the conference suggests a bright future, with some brave souls even envisioning a robot app store somewhere down the line. Video after the break. Continue reading ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering Filed under: Robots ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments AMD's 3.4GHz Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition review roundup: fast, but not Intel fast August 13, 2009 at 1:32 am Say what you will about AMD, but don't you dare call it lazy. Within a matter of weeks, the outfit has launched a 2GB FirePro for um, pros, a 785G integrated chip for laypeople and now a new Phenom II X4 for the gamers in attendance. The all new Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition is the "highest clocked quad-core processor for desktop PCs," checking in with a stock frequency of 3.4GHz and support for DDR3 and AMD OverDrive 3.0. Based on the Dragon platform, the chip is actually identical to the 955 it replaces at the top save for the clock speed, and during the collective web's testing, it easily outpaced every other AMD option out there. Unfortunately, it still couldn't put the hurt on a smattering of Intel chips, with the Core 2 Extreme QX9770 and Core i7 920 besting it in all but a few tests. All told, the chip was found to be an incremental (albeit fun) update, but given that it's currently priced between Intel's Core 2 Quad Q9550 ($219) and the aforesaid Core i7 920 ($279), it's not a clear-cut bargain at $245. Still, give it a lil' shelf time, let the MSRP sink and it just might be worth another look in due time. Read - HotHardware review Read - Tom's Hardware review Read - Anandtech's review Read - PC Perspective's review Read - Elite Bastards review Read - Neoseeker review Read - Overclocker's Club review Continue reading AMD's 3.4GHz Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition review roundup: fast, but not Intel fast Filed under: Desktops AMD's 3.4GHz Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition review roundup: fast, but not Intel fast originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments   This email was sent to topblogsofthenet@gmail.com.  Manage Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.