Posts from Engadget for 05/04/2010

Chinese iPhone approved with WAPI WiFi

May 04, 2010 04:51 am | Thomas Ricker

You might not be aware of this but the official Chinese iPhone offered by China Unicom since October 2009 doesn't include WiFi -- part of the reason for a continued Chinese grey market for iPhones sourced from neighboring countries. Now we're seeing a China-approved 3G / GSM / Bluetooth device from Apple capable of using China's homegrown WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure) protocol. The new device -- presumably a 4th generation iPhone -- will join Dell's Mini 3i as one of a few foreign handsets to feature the Chinese national standard for WLAN. See the 26 April approved regulatory filing after the break.

Continue reading Chinese iPhone approved with WAPI WiFi

Chinese iPhone approved with WAPI WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 03:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terminator 5: Revenge of the Microsoft Fanboy (video)

May 04, 2010 03:39 am | Thomas Ricker

We know things can get pretty hairy in the war between man and machine. Even in times of peace a foul-mouthed forum troll slagging off your favorite consumer electronics company can be too much to bear. But violence is never the answer. Yes, we're looking at you Mr. Down-on-his-luck series 800. Watch the Leon Wang created story unfold after the break.

Continue reading Terminator 5: Revenge of the Microsoft Fanboy (video)

Terminator 5: Revenge of the Microsoft Fanboy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's Android-powered S-Pad tablet with 7-inch Super AMOLED in August?

May 04, 2010 02:53 am | Thomas Ricker

Know what's hot like 2001? Tablet computers. Just like that a product category has been reborn and proven viable as a money making machine. Now the scramble is on to fill the void by companies big and small. Samsung, a big name in the UMPC debacle (that's the Q1 to the right) with its own confirmed tablet ambitions, looks prepped to deliver product this summer if Korean pub Etnews is to be believed. First up, the OS: Android. Samsung's so-called "S-Pad" (the tentative name spawned under its S-Project initiative) will display Google's smartphone OS on a supposed 7-inch Super AMOLED display with WiFi and 3G data connectivity -- the latter supplied by SK Telecom who will supposedly help distribute the device. It'll also bring an iPad-esque USB dock and content from Kyobo books (Korea's largest bookstore) and Samsung's own Samsung Apps application store. If true, we should expect to see Samsung's S-Pad launch in August. While no price has been given you can expect the cost to be exorbitant thanks to that extra large Super AMOLED display unless SK Telecom can push it down through ample subsidies.

[Thanks, JH Yee]

Samsung's Android-powered S-Pad tablet with 7-inch Super AMOLED in August? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LeapFrog teases future mystery device, inadvertently spills beans in the past

May 04, 2010 02:36 am | Sean Hollister

"There's like a billion things you can do with this! Play games, read books, download apps, make your own animation," the child actors cry. "When is it coming out?" All should be revealed June 7th, according to teaser trailer at LeapFrog's website -- that's when the company will unveil its new mystery device. You won't need to wait nearly that long, though, because CEO Jeffrey Katz has already been more than forthcoming with the company's investors.

The new device is called the Leapster Explorer, and it's a Linux-based ARM-powered touchscreen computer that doubles as a gaming platform and e-book reader, integrated into both the company's Learning Path parent monitoring system and LeapWorld virtual world. We hear tell it will have a content marketplace for app and video downloads... and there's a digital camera and video accessories planned for the kid-friendly gadget's future. To spite LeapFrog marketers further, the Explorer is already available for preorder -- spotted at J&R this afternoon -- and both the online retailer and a sweepstakes running at the LeapFrog website confirm the Explorer will retail for $69.99. But when is it actually coming out? Katz just told investors they'd "see it in stores around the first of July."

[Thanks, Dylan S.]

LeapFrog teases future mystery device, inadvertently spills beans in the past originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 01:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide official: Android 2.1, QWERTY, coming in June (we go hands-on)

May 04, 2010 01:01 am | Chris Ziegler

Hey, CLIQ, better check that rear-view mirror, because you've got an interesting competitor coming right up on your tail. T-Mobile is launching another midrange Android QWERTY slider -- some might argue the G1's true successor -- christened the myTouch 3G Slide (not quite the "myTouch Slide" we've been hearing for a few months) with a 3.4-inch HVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, and a pretty heavily-customized skin based on Android 2.1. How custom are we talking, exactly? Well, it's not quite like anything we've seen on a production Android device before, featuring a host of custom apps including the "Faves Gallery," a social aggregator for your most dearly beloved contacts; "myModes," a profile manager that can change the phone's themes and settings based on time or location; the Swype keyboard in place of Google's option; and the so-called "Genius Button," which seeks to extend Android's already decent voice command and text-to-speech systems by allowing you to do just about anything on the phone using your voice, hear messages read back to you, and so on. In the myTouch 3G tradition, the Slide will come in a selection of colors when it launches in June -- black, white, or red -- for a to-be-announced price. Check out T-Mobile's full press release along with our impressions of the device after the break

Gallery: T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide official: Android 2.1, available in June

Gallery: T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide hands-on

Continue reading T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide official: Android 2.1, QWERTY, coming in June (we go hands-on)

T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide official: Android 2.1, QWERTY, coming in June (we go hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ABC Player for iPad updated, 3G streaming is a go

May 04, 2010 12:11 am | Ross Miller

Well that was fast. That ABC Player for iPad update we heard about this morning has already made its way through Apple's approval process and is now available for download. Orientation lock is now, erm, on lock controls are more responsive, but most importantly, (lower bitrate) 3G streaming is now a go. With that settled, now no bus ride will ever get between you and an island chockfull of confusion and smoke monsters.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

ABC Player for iPad updated, 3G streaming is a go originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 23:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony selling 'PlayStation Protection Plan' warranty extension for PS3, PSP

May 03, 2010 10:27 pm | Sean Hollister

Sony makes some pretty resilient game consoles, and while you'll certainly hear about the occasional glitch, they aren't exactly plagued with RRoD. That said, there's always room for worry, and if you're willing to pay for peace of mind, Sony has a brand-new service agreement with your name on it. Dubbed the "PlayStation Protection Plan," it simply extends the full warranty on your PlayStation 3 or PSP for another year or two, and optionally covers your handheld's five-foot swan dive onto solid concrete for an additional fee. While replacement won't quite be no-questions-asked and the warranty explicitly fails to cover dead pixels, liquid damage and loss of data (among other things), we can still imagine some will pony up the $30 to $50 for extra insurance. Not us, though. Since you can only buy if you're still within the original warranty period, it won't help us replace our backwards-compatible 60GB PS3... and honestly, we think we've had enough of Sony's protection.

Sony selling 'PlayStation Protection Plan' warranty extension for PS3, PSP originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 21:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Internet Explorer market share falls below 60 percent for first time, according to NetApplications

May 03, 2010 08:50 pm | Laura June

NetApplications has just released its browser market share stats for the month of April, and there is something notable here: Internet Explorer has fallen to a "historic low" of 59.95 percent market share, losing about 0.69 points since last month. Google's Chrome continues its assault on Safari, reaching a 6.73 percent share (while Safari nabbed 4.72). Of course, Internet Explorer is still so far ahead of the rest of the pack it's hard to make these losses -- however significant -- into a tragedy of epic proportions story for Microsoft, so we're not going to do that. Keep in mind, as well, that NetApplications is not the only measurement of market share -- and StatCounter, by comparison, currently estimates IE's share at about 51.42 percent. Hit up the source link for the full battery of data.

Internet Explorer market share falls below 60 percent for first time, according to NetApplications originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A tale of two iPad cases: the Dodocase and M-Edge Trip Jacket

May 03, 2010 07:23 pm | Joshua Topolsky

If you're like us, one of the first things you wanted to do after getting your iPad was to find a great case for it. Right off the bat, we weren't really that into Apple's offering, which is strangely 90's in its design aesthetic, though it does have a number of decent features if you're looking for a do-it-all scenario and don't have strong feelings on looks. For us, however, the goal was finding something that kept a low profile, shielded the slate from unnecessary grime, and made it easier to deal with. Oh, and we wanted it to look like a book. After reviewing the options, we've come up with two choices that we think are your best bets for turning your iPad into something a little more familiar, so here's our quick take on M-Edge's Trip Jacket, and the stunning, hand-made Dodocase.

Gallery: Dodocase and M-Edge iPad Trip Jacket hands-on

Continue reading A tale of two iPad cases: the Dodocase and M-Edge Trip Jacket

A tale of two iPad cases: the Dodocase and M-Edge Trip Jacket originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WarMouse Meta review

May 03, 2010 06:25 pm | Joanna Stern

A mouse with eighteen buttons! Does the WarMouse Meta - or what used to be known as the OpenOffice Mouse - need any further introduction? We didn't think so, and ever since we laid eyes on this thing we've been dying to know how you'd even go about using the programmable point-and-clicker. There's no doubt that the $79.99 Meta with its 512K of memory is the most advanced mouse we've ever seen - each of its 18 buttons along with their double-click functions can be configured for different applications, and its analog joystick can be customized to perform eight different commands. Indeed, it's as overwhelming as it sounds, but have we always needed an extra sixteen buttons on our mouse? The answer may shock you. Or it may not. You'll never know unless you hit the break for our full review.

Gallery: Warmouse Meta hands-on

Continue reading WarMouse Meta review

WarMouse Meta review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Incredible's mysterious OTA update actually fixes Exchange bug

May 03, 2010 05:25 pm | Sean Hollister

Saturday afternoon, reports came in that Verizon's new Droid Incredible had already received its first OTA update. Nobody knew quite what it did and few even received it, but some figured it probably fixed the smattering of random reboots and radio bugs experienced by some early adopters. We reached out to Verizon on the matter, and we're afraid to say that's not the case -- the new 1.22.605.2 CL161494 software build merely fixes a bug in Microsoft Exchange support. As such, you'll only see the update if you've got a corporate handset, and those who do can expect their carbon-copy email fields (which would apparently fill with unintended addresses beforehand) to be fixed sometime around May 6th. On the off-chance that fix magically transforms your mobile world, feel free to let us know in comments. Full statement after the break.

Continue reading Droid Incredible's mysterious OTA update actually fixes Exchange bug

Droid Incredible's mysterious OTA update actually fixes Exchange bug originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fly Mouse takes to the air with QWERTY keyboard, gyro, USB wireless

May 03, 2010 04:42 pm | Joseph L. Flatley

You know that when we saw this ad we had to take a second look. The Fly Mouse (or, if you prefer Google Translate's version, "Air Flying Squirrel Lazy Mouse," is a wireless keyboard / mouse for HTPCs and the like. With its QWERTY keyboard, arrow keys, and a built in gyro, you'll be Googleing and YouTubeing up a storm, via the 2.4GHz wireless signal. Available for about $50, get a closer look after the break. And while you're at it, maybe you can explain the guy in the cowboy hat?

Continue reading Fly Mouse takes to the air with QWERTY keyboard, gyro, USB wireless

Fly Mouse takes to the air with QWERTY keyboard, gyro, USB wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ABC said to have 3G-compatible iPad app on the way

May 03, 2010 04:09 pm | Donald Melanson

We had a pretty clear indication that a 3G-compatible ABC iPad app could just be a matter of a relatively simple fix, and it looks like that is indeed the case -- Silicon Alley Insider is reporting that ABC has already submitted an updated app that adds 3G streaming to Apple for approval. Barring some unforeseen issues, that seems to be all but assured, and it will presumably function much like the Netflix app by knocking things down to a lower bitrate when you leave your WiFi comfort zone. Still no official word from ABC on this, but we'd suggest keeping a close eye on the app store if you've been craving some Dancing with the Stars on the go.

ABC said to have 3G-compatible iPad app on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AUO scores patent lawsuit decision over LG Display

May 03, 2010 03:37 pm | Richard Lawler

LG Display may want to be more careful where it aims those patent lawsuits next time, after a dispute it kicked off with AUO has lead to a finding by a U.S. District court that it actually violated AUO's patents and not the other way around. Say hello to patent Nos 6,778,160, 6,689,629, 7,125,157 and 7,090,506, covering "technologies help to improve response time, improve reliability of LCDs, solve the problem of defects in the displayed images, and provide a very compact structure useful for small handheld devices, respectively." So far AUO is indicating that it will seek an injunction preventing LG from shipping its potentially infringing HDTVs, monitors, notebooks and even phones to the U.S, plus some other legal tough talk for good measure. After LG's almost inevitable appeal this could drag out for years and/or be resolved in a sudden alliance of cross licensing so while there still may be time to grab that Chocolate Touch you've been eyeing, we'd keep a casual eye on LE9500 shipping dates in case of slippage.

Continue reading AUO scores patent lawsuit decision over LG Display

AUO scores patent lawsuit decision over LG Display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshots emerge of Steam Linux client, BeOS wonders if it's next

May 03, 2010 03:04 pm | Darren Murph

There's some old adage referring to smoke and fire meant to explain this phenomenon, but frankly, we're too focused on the promise of the future to go and look it up. Merely weeks after the Steam for Mac beta proved that Linux support may be in the works, along comes this: two glorious screenshots proving as much. 'Course, nothing much about this situation has changed, but having pictorial evidence that a Steam client exists in some stage for Linux is a boon for hopefuls. A Phoronix reader managed to snag a capture of the client working its magic early on, and while it's pretty obvious that it's not ready for primetime, we're just stoked to see that there's legitimate reason to believe such an app is on the way. Hang tight, Penguin Nation -- your Steam should be just about the bend.

Screenshots emerge of Steam Linux client, BeOS wonders if it's next originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG confirms Android-powered Ally, coming May 20th

May 03, 2010 02:33 pm | Donald Melanson

Well, this hasn't exactly followed the usual smartphone launch route, but LG has now officially confirmed the existence of its new Android-powered LG Ally handset, although it's still not doing much talking about the phone itself. It has, however, revealed that the phone will be available on May 20th (presumably on Verizon, though LG oddly doesn't mention a carrier in its press release), and that it will naturally feature plenty of Iron Man 2 tie-in content, including an augmented reality application of some sort. Otherwise, LG is only saying that the phone will have a touchscreen and a full QWERTY keypad, and it's pointing folks towards an Iron Man 2 tie-in site (linked below) that, last we checked, still says to check back on April 30th. We should be getting some more details on the phone soon enough, however, as LG is holding an event in New York on May 11th where it will be showing off the Ally and other "Stark-worthy" technology.

Continue reading LG confirms Android-powered Ally, coming May 20th

LG confirms Android-powered Ally, coming May 20th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Controller Demo brings your Wiimote and Android phone 2gether, 4ever

May 03, 2010 02:02 pm | Darren Murph

Ryan Frawley still has a fair bit of work ahead of him, but his Wii Controller Demo app for Android sure holds an awful lot of promise. Available now for no charge (though a $1 paid version is available for those who dig his work), this here software allows Android users to create a Bluetooth link between their Wii remote and handset, and then log input information on the mobile's display. As of now, there's not a whole lot of value outside of Wiimote troubleshooting, but it's a few lines of code away from being able to act as a controller for gaming. Just think -- a Wiimote, your Android phone, an emulator, an HDMI output and four other nerds surrounding your television. Needless to say, we'll be keeping a close eye out for updates coming to this one.

[Thanks, Jonathan]

Wii Controller Demo brings your Wiimote and Android phone 2gether, 4ever originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Bold 9650 granted FCC approval

May 03, 2010 01:31 pm | Chris Ziegler

What does RIM need to meet its May launch window for the Bold 9650? Well, a few things, actually: carrier approval, sufficient manufacturing capacity and launch stock, and -- oh yeah -- FCC certification. We can't speak to the first two, really, but we've now got confirmation that the third item is squared away now that the 9650's documents have flown into the FCC's filing system. There's not much to see here besides confirmation that it'll support EV-DO Rev. A and 850 / 1900MHz EDGE (although you'll never be using it stateside) , but at least you can rest a little easier tonight knowing that the feds won't be trying to stop RIM from turning this thing into reality later this month.

BlackBerry Bold 9650 granted FCC approval originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RoboCup Japan Open underway in Osaka, mechanical soccer still pretty boring (video)

May 03, 2010 01:04 pm | Joseph L. Flatley

They can be adapted to a wide range of human activities -- spying, killing, and assembling automobiles, to name but a few -- but as the various RoboCup competitions remind us time and again, our soccer fields are safe from robot encroachment for the time being. The above specimen, a joint venture by researchers at Osaka University and the Osaka Institute of Technology, is in the Adult Size Class, competing against robots between 130 and 160 centimeters (4.25 and 5.25 feet) tall. The goal of the RoboCup organization is to develop an autonomous soccer robot that will defeat a human team by 2050 -- and it sure looks like it will take forty years at least to reach that goal. See the robot take a slow, measured goal kick for yourself after the break.

Continue reading RoboCup Japan Open underway in Osaka, mechanical soccer still pretty boring (video)

RoboCup Japan Open underway in Osaka, mechanical soccer still pretty boring (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Talent's USB 3.0 SuperCrypt thumbdrive reviewed, Cryptkeeper approves

May 03, 2010 12:39 pm | Sean Hollister

Sure, USB 3.0 can make external hard drives pretty snappy, but who wants to lug around a rock? We want to know where the SuperSpeed port takes our tiny USB keys, and the fine folks at PC Perspective have the answer to that question. They found the Super Talent SuperCrypt not only a capable performer, but nearly as fast as a modern SSD, with average read and write speeds of 185MB / sec and 50MB / sec respectively. Given that the silver stick costs more than an SSD, too (from $119 for 16GB to $778 for 256GB), that's not so surprising... but the idea of transferring the full contents of a dual-layer DVD from this sucker in under a minute is positively jaw-dropping. Assuming that -- like Cryptkeeper -- you still have one to drop.

Super Talent's USB 3.0 SuperCrypt thumbdrive reviewed, Cryptkeeper approves originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 11:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple to face antitrust inquiry over iPhone coding restrictions?

May 03, 2010 12:16 pm | Nilay Patel

Apple's decision to block third-party toolkits and middleware -- particularly Flash -- from being used to develop iPhone and iPad apps has certainly prompted a fair amount of debate around the web, and now it sounds like Steve and the gang might face some even harsher scrutiny: a single-sourced piece in the New York Post reports that the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice are currently tussling over which agency should be tasked with a potential antitrust inquiry into the matter. That would certainly make some noise in the industry, but it doesn't mean much for those of us here in reality quite yet: assuming the report is true, an inquiry would still just be the very first step -- whichever agency is ultimately put in charge would then have to launch a formal investigation and then finally file and win a lawsuit for any changes to occur. That's a timeframe measured in months, if not years.

All that said, we can see why the feds are interested: Apple's slowly moving into an ever-more dominant position in the mobile market, and forcing developers to make a hard choice about which platforms to target certainly puts the squeeze on competitors. We'll be following this one closely -- stay tuned.

Apple to face antitrust inquiry over iPhone coding restrictions? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Finite Elemente's Hohrizontal 51 iPod / iPhone dock is its own shelf

May 03, 2010 12:07 pm | Darren Murph

The world needs another iPod / iPhone dock like it needs another billion gallons of oil floating around in the Atlantic, but there's something eerily seductive about Finite Elemente's latest piece. The Hohrizontal 51 is no average dock, and in our estimation, it's a design element first and Apple accessory second. Designed to be wall mounted and hold up to 55 pounds, this stunning shelf integrates an iPod / iPhone dock into itself, and the inbuilt speakers / video outputs make it even more functional. There's plenty of space for a bedroom-sized HDTV, and if you're careful, maybe even an iMac. Too bad the $660 MSRP all but eliminates the hope of you ever springing for one, but hey, if you ever needed encouragement to sharpen your carpentry skills, you needn't look further than the source link below.

Finite Elemente's Hohrizontal 51 iPod / iPhone dock is its own shelf originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake: next-gen iPhone has a bold, KIRF-y impertinence

May 03, 2010 11:44 am | Joseph L. Flatley

With all the hype surrounding the next-gen iPhone, we can understand if your "iPhome 3G" feels a little, well, old hat. That's why we were as excited as you must be to see this iPhone 4 KIRF. Featuring a relatively svelte form factor, stereo speakers, USB port, a removable battery, and dual SIM card slot, the only real let down is the 3.2-inch screen. That, and we're sure that the UI will have a general, KIRFish nature that will appeal to very few of us. Get a closer look after the break!

[Thanks, Corey]

Continue reading Keepin' it real fake: next-gen iPhone has a bold, KIRF-y impertinence

Keepin' it real fake: next-gen iPhone has a bold, KIRF-y impertinence originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon Palm Pre Plus drops to $30 on contract

May 03, 2010 11:19 am | Nilay Patel

Looks like Verizon is having a bit of a blowout on the Palm Pre Plus: it's fallen to just $30 on a two-year contract. That's the same price as Big Red's Pixi Plus and a pretty substantial discount over Sprint and AT&T, both of which will charge you $149 -- and man, AT&T hasn't even started selling the thing yet, so someone's going to look awful silly on launch day. No word on whether this cut-rate pricing will last or whether the Pixi Plus will fall to free, but if you're looking for a cheap way to get in on the future of HP, well, now's your chance.

Verizon Palm Pre Plus drops to $30 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SandForce makes SSDs cheaper, faster, more reliable -- just how IBM likes it

May 03, 2010 10:56 am | Tim Stevens

We've been covering the progression of SandForce for over a year now, creator of smart SSD processors that extend the life of flash storage by better spreading writes across them, boosting performance and reliability along the way. This, according to the company, makes them reliable enough for enterprise use, and IBM has added its vote of support, configuring a 9189 Power 780 server with 56 177GB SSDs (10.5TB in all) sitting behind SandForce's SF-1500 processor. That combination, when running the TPC-C benchmark, delivered a performance of 150,000 transactions per minute per CPU core. That's 50 percent higher (per-core) than other entries in the TPC-C benchmark -- and considerably cheaper, too. IBM's configuration is set to be available around October of this year, perhaps ushering in a new era of the platter-free enterprise.

SandForce makes SSDs cheaper, faster, more reliable -- just how IBM likes it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad 3G's non-WiFi video playback restrictions detailed

May 03, 2010 10:31 am | Tim Stevens

We could hear the echoing howls of discontent over the weekend as thousands finally received their very own iPad 3G and learned they couldn't watch Dancing With the Stars whilst on the go. Now we have the details on why, exactly, and the repercussions. As it turns out, it's simply a carry-over of an iPhone OS HTTP Live Streaming rule that states quite clearly:

You must include a low quality stream of no more than 64 Kbps for your app to resort to when network conditions demand it, along with the higher quality streams you want to deliver to your customers when the network can support it.

It seems the ABC Player devs chose to skip that option, so when you lose WiFi you also lose Tom Bergeron's charm and wit. Other apps, like Netflix and YouTube, do provide a lower bitrate fallback, but that of course results in nasty compression artifacts when on the go. In other words: there's a very good chance that 3G streaming will come in a future ABC Player release, but when it does it ain't gonna be pretty.

iPad 3G's non-WiFi video playback restrictions detailed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's 35-inch atracTable to be 'industrialized' in June, show Microsoft how it's done (video)

May 03, 2010 10:07 am | Vladislav Savov

Swiss company Atracsys swims in the same waters as Microsoft's mythical Surface beast -- namely, multitouch horizontal displays -- but where it might differ from its more lauded competitor is in actually bringing its hardware to wider markets. Having sold the tech knowhow to Sony, the company is today informing the world that its atracTable is ready for mass production and commercialization this June. We've been told that prototype designs are now "finished," leaving only the marketing, pricing and distribution details to be worked out. A high-contrast, Full HD screen is promised, which will be able to communicate with your mobile devices (naturally) or respond to motion input picked up by a pair of Sony's camcorders which come built in. Skip past the break for a couple of video demos from last year.

Continue reading Sony's 35-inch atracTable to be 'industrialized' in June, show Microsoft how it's done (video)

Sony's 35-inch atracTable to be 'industrialized' in June, show Microsoft how it's done (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 09:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple sells 1,000,000 iPads in revolution's first month

May 03, 2010 09:39 am | Vladislav Savov

Steve told us it'd be revolutionary, and if sales are the measure of a device's success, then the iPad seems to be well on track to validating its creator's bold claims. This past Friday, "just 28 days after its introduction," Apple sold its millionth iPad. 1.5 million ebooks have already been downloaded to the device, along with 12 million apps. Steve Jobs has also taken time from his busy essay-writing schedule to remind us that that's less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve the milestone with the original iPhone, and demand for the "magical" slate continues to outstrip supply. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Apple sells 1,000,000 iPads in revolution's first month

Apple sells 1,000,000 iPads in revolution's first month originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3D printer creates ice sculptures -- just add water

May 03, 2010 09:32 am | Sean Hollister

Paper-mache, candy, and human cells have all been seen flowing through 3D printers for custom fabrication work, but students and faculty at Canada's McGill University have a cheaper prototyping material: plain ol' H2O. They recently modified this Fab@Home Model 1 by replacing the soft goo extruders with a temperature-controlled water delivery system, and set about making decorative ice sculptures and a large beer mug for good measure. While the academic project is officially supposed to explore "economic alternatives to intricate 3D models of architectural objects," we're not sure architects will want much to do with prototypes that drip... but tourism might well get a boost from liquor sold in frosty custom containers. We're thirsty just looking at them.

3D printer creates ice sculptures -- just add water originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pure's stylish internet radio lineup ships to America on July 1st

May 03, 2010 09:00 am | Darren Murph

Pure has long since been a stranger to the US market, despite shipping some of the sexiest internet radios this planet has ever seen. The company announced back at CES that all of that would be changing in the near future, but it wasn't until now that we had specifics surrounding the whos, whats, wheres and whens. The Evoke Flow, Oasis Flow and Seista Flow will all be available for purchase in the United States of America on the first of July, with MSRPs set for $229, $249 and $139 in order of mention. Initially, they'll be available only through Pure's website, though we get the impression that brick-and-mortar distribution is only a moment or two away. Check the full press release after the break, and be sure to jot down this here date in your handy dandy date book, cool?

Continue reading Pure's stylish internet radio lineup ships to America on July 1st

Pure's stylish internet radio lineup ships to America on July 1st originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia launches Ovi App Wizard, will probably lead to Ovi-population problems

May 03, 2010 09:00 am | Joanna Stern

Nokia's Ovi Store may still be seriously losing in the app war to Apple and Google, but something tells us Espoo's betting on its new Ovi App Wizard to help it gain some ground. Putting mobile software creation in the hands of the code-illiterate, the auto-generated application wizard lets anyone -- and we mean anyone -- turn any RSS or Atom feed out there into an app, and publish it to the Ovi Store. Surprisingly, it really is that simple. While we could have made a personal app with our Twitter and Facebook feed, we went ahead and finally made an Ovi Engadget app by simply going to oviappwizard.com and going through the four step process -- we put in all three RSS feeds, uploaded our logos, tweaked the colors and hit publish. According to Nokia it should only take 24 hours for the app to be approved -- yes, there's some sort of approval process -- but we're still waiting for our app to show up in the storefront so we can download it on our N97. There's the ability to serve up third party ads, but you'll have to prove that you own the content you've placed in your app. Again, super simple, but we're a bit wary of the sorts of apps that will start to pop up, and not sure we need everyone's own personal feeds/sites overtaking the store. But we'll let you be the judge of that -- go on, hit the read link, create an app, and Ovi-populate.

Gallery: Ovi App Wizard hands-on

Nokia launches Ovi App Wizard, will probably lead to Ovi-population problems originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's 14-inch Z460 mentioned again overseas, this time with a Core i5 CPU

May 03, 2010 08:37 am | Darren Murph

Ready for the latest international laptop mystery? Good. Lenovo's 14-inch Z460, which has yet to be confirmed as real by the company, recently surfaced over in China with a decidedly average set of specifications. A Core i3 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB SATA hard drive and Windows 7 Home Basic were found onboard, though no further details were divulged. Fast forward to today, and this very same machine is seemingly available to order on contract from Singapore's own SingTel, complete with a Core i5-430M processor (2.26GHz), Windows 7 Home Premium, a 14-inch WXGA display, 500GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR3 memory. Naturally, a free integrated wireless modem is thrown in here, but now we're stuck wondering if a) this is the last of the configuration options and b) when exactly Lenovo plans to come forward and officially introduce this thing. Any day now, Junior...

[Thanks, Zhang Yi Jiang]

Lenovo's 14-inch Z460 mentioned again overseas, this time with a Core i5 CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo Wii goes ebony and ivory on May 9, includes Sports Resort and Motion Plus

May 03, 2010 08:08 am | Tim Stevens

Nintendo's Wii has been available in black overseas for quite some time now, and while there were ways to get one in North America, those ways weren't exactly cheap -- nor legitimate. Now Ninty is finally giving us a color option, releasing a black Wii to American consumers for $199.99 on May 9. In other news, you'll have a copy of Wii Sports Resort included and a MotionPlus adapter to match, along with the controller and nunchuck that were previously included. In fact that looks to be the standard bundle going forward on the white models as well, which equates to something of a soft price drop assuming new Wii owners were going to buy Wii Sports Resort. And of course they were, because who can resist bopping their friends over the head with pretend wooden swords?

Continue reading Nintendo Wii goes ebony and ivory on May 9, includes Sports Resort and Motion Plus

Nintendo Wii goes ebony and ivory on May 9, includes Sports Resort and Motion Plus originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 07:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N8 gets a 32GB model hint, nearly user-replaceable battery

May 03, 2010 07:38 am | Thomas Ricker

Nokia's N8 might not be for sale but it's certainly out in the internet wilds. A few, presumably pre-production, units have already made their way onto some Arabic sites for dissection and lustful right-to-left analysis. SaudiMac had the good fortune to see some early retail packaging with "N8-00 / 32GB" printed (and later Photoshopped out) directly on the box. While that could indicate the N8's support for 32GB microSD cards, we're guessing (hoping?) it's an unannounced model sporting 32GB of fixed internal flash memory to accompany the 16GB model already announced. We've also got a user from the ArabNokia forums demonstrating the removal of the N8's battery -- a simple operation requiring the removal of two screws to slide the battery out of the chassis' bottom similar to the HTC Legend. The whole procedure is so simple that we have to wonder why Nokia didn't take the industrial design a step further and make the standard 1,200mAh Nokia BL-4D battery (used in the N97 mini) user replaceable in the first place. Regardless, it's good to know that you can swap the Li-Ion battery in a pinch or whenever you finally hit the lifetime recharge cap -- you didn't need that warranty anyway, right?

[Thanks, Ali F.]

Nokia N8 gets a 32GB model hint, nearly user-replaceable battery originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 06:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wooden Level Eleven PC gets inspiration from Thermaltake Level 10 chassis

May 03, 2010 07:11 am | Darren Murph

Let's face it -- if you had a never-ending stack of cash and a computer room with no particular size constraints, you too would own a Thermaltake Level 10 enclosure. Regrettably, both financial and square footage constraints do indeed play major roles in most of our lives, including one Jeffrey Stephenson. This fine gentleman is quickly becoming the Ben Heck of wood-grained mods, this time cranking out a lovingly crafted iteration of the aforesaid chassis, but with that special wooden flair. The Level Eleven gets its inspiration from the gargantuan Level 10, but rather than taking things even bigger, Jeff decided to scale things down a notch; in fact, he constructed a fully functional PC within the handmade enclosure, all based around a VIA Pico-ITX mainboard and a 1.2GHz VIA Nano CPU. Thanks to the onboard VX855 media processor, this (comparatively) diminutive machine boasts an HDMI output and enough horsepower to pump out 1080p sans lag -- but it doesn't seem as if this bad boy is officially for sale. Not that he'd reject a five-figure offer or anything...

Wooden Level Eleven PC gets inspiration from Thermaltake Level 10 chassis originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 06:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swiss scientists create dark clouds with a laser lining (video)

May 03, 2010 06:34 am | Sean Hollister

Lasers can tell time, shoot down missiles and power one heck of a TV. Now, scientists claim they can create rain clouds, too. Turning a 5-terawatt infrared laser on the sky in short, 100-femtosecond bursts, researchers at the University of Geneva managed to strip electrons from the surrounding air, causing the formation of "hydroxlyl radicals" and growing water droplets in their wake. Though some scientific peers believe the idea could never be used to generate real, useful rain compared to existing cloud seeding techniques, Geneva scholars have now duplicated the effect in both the lab and in the skies over Berlin, and we're sure it's only a matter of time before some nefarious villain figures the frickin' weather control technology into a suitably evil plot. Video after the break.

Continue reading Swiss scientists create dark clouds with a laser lining (video)

Swiss scientists create dark clouds with a laser lining (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 05:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xperia X10 Mini coming to Vodafone soon?

May 03, 2010 05:52 am | Sean Hollister

Weight: 88 grams. Talk time: 4 hours. Pictures and video: right here. We told you everything there was to know about Sony Ericsson's diminutive Xperia X10 mini during Mobile World Congress, but we didn't know when and where it might arrive. According to the image at right, the answers are "soon" and "Vodafone," respectively; Cool Smartphone tells us the pic was plucked from Vodafone's May catalog. Assuming it's the real deal, expect Robyn to land on European branches this summer for an undisclosed price, and appear in teenybopper music videos next fall.

Xperia X10 Mini coming to Vodafone soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 04:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM converts BMW's iDrive into 'a remote control for your BlackBerry' (video)

May 03, 2010 05:11 am | Vladislav Savov

If there's one thing business types love more than their BlackBerry, it's their BMW -- or so we're told. It makes all sorts of sense, therefore, that the two companies would partner up to help the things they sell communicate with each other more effortlessly. Using Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile), BlackBerry devices can now beam emails and contacts over to BMW's iDrive dash system, where the driver can listen to his messages via a text-to-speech option or make calls using the car's speakerphone. The first supported handset is the newly minted Pearl 3G, and we're told this functionality will come as an integrated part of BlackBerry 6. To see how it works on a 335is, click past the break for the video.

[Thanks, Horatiu]

Continue reading RIM converts BMW's iDrive into 'a remote control for your BlackBerry' (video)

RIM converts BMW's iDrive into 'a remote control for your BlackBerry' (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aigo's surprisingly sexy 7-inch N700 tablet packs Android 2.1 and Tegra 2

May 03, 2010 04:26 am | Darren Murph

Go 'head Aigo! Get down with your bad self. Quite frankly, we never anticipated Aigo / Patriot to come through with a me-too tablet that actually made us take a second glance, but darn if this one isn't quite the looker. And that's before you've even had a moment to digest the specifications sheet. According to new details surfacing in China, this 7-inch machine will hum along on a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and feature NVIDIA's Tegra 2 graphics chipset. There's also 512MB of DDR2 memory, an 800 x 480 pixel multitouch display, 4/16/32GB of inbuilt storage, a USB socket, microSD slot, HDMI output, inbuilt WiFi, optional 3G WWAN, audio in / out and a 3,120mAh battery. Android 2.1 will be the OS of choice, but crucial details surrounding price and availability are sorely missing. Call us crazy, but we'll actually be keeping an eye out for specifics on both.

Update: Well, what do you know? Seems as if this here device may in fact be a Compal NAZ-10 in disguise, and if this YouTube video is to be believed, it'll boast 16 hours of HD video playback on a single charge and a $300 price tag. Can you say "tempting?" Thanks, Alain!

Aigo's surprisingly sexy 7-inch N700 tablet packs Android 2.1 and Tegra 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 03:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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