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1) How would you change HTC's HD2?
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/06/how-would-you-change-htcs-hd2/
From a pure specification standpoint, it's hard to knock HTC's HD2. Scratch that -- it's impossible to knock the HD2. A 1GHz Snapdragon CPU is just the tip of the iceberg, with the icing on the cake being the 800 x 480 resolution display, 5 megapixel camera, GPS and a downright stunning overall design. Unfortunately, phones are made or broken by the software that's loaded on, and Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't exactly the most nimble mobile OS on the market right now. That said, we're confident that more than a few of you have unloaded your savings accounts in order to posses one of the sexiest cellular telephones this world has ever seen, and now that the deed is done, we're eager to hear your opinions on how the phone really stacks up. Are you happy with the performance? Did you expect it to be snappier given the monstrous CPU? Would you have held out for WinMo 7 if Sir Patience would've [...]
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2) Sony Ericsson Aspen caught on video, loving life with WinMo 6.5.3
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/sony-ericsson-aspen-caught-on-video-loving-life-with-winmo-6-5/
Chances are we're missing something incredibly awesome being said in this foreign-language video, but we can probably guess what Mobile-review Sergey Kuzmin is saying: "I've got the Sony Ericsson Aspen and you don't. Life is grand." Okay, so maybe we're a little jealous, but at least he was kind enough to give us a brief look at the hardware out in the wild, showing off some of Windows Mobile 6.5.3's menus and sizing it up with some of Apple, Nokia, and RIM's offerings. Let's not waste any more time -- the video you seek is after the break.Continue reading Sony Ericsson Aspen caught on video, loving life with WinMo 6.5.3Sony Ericsson Aspen caught on video, loving life with WinMo 6.5.3 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Recombu | Email this | Comments
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3) Inhabitat's Week in Green: photovoltaics, footballs, and Greener Gadgets
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/inhabitats-week-in-green-photovoltaics-footballs-and-greener/
The Week in Green is a new item from our friends at Inhabitat, recapping the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us.
This week at Inhabitat we saw several hot advances in solar technology that stand to shape how our buildings are built and how we power the electronics in our lives. CASE in point: this beautiful glass photovoltaic system can be affixed to windows and actually magnifies the available sunlight inside into tiny solar chips to create electricity.
In other photovoltaic news, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania just unveiled the world's first solar-powered circuits. These tiny chips may one day be integrated directly within computer touch screens, essentially transforming them into multitasking solar panels.
We're also excited to see that the finalists of the 2010 Greener Gadgets Design Competition have been announced. Two of our [...]
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4) PlayStation 3 still a loss leader, 'six cents for every dollar' of hardware sold
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/playstation-3-still-a-loss-leader-six-cents-for-every-dollar/
Though Sony's overall bottom line is back in black, what held it back from an even bigger celebration cake was its core electronics brand, and no stranger to that sector is the PlayStation group. Both Joystiq and The Wall Street Journal took a more careful look at the numbers, and there's a few points worth noting. PS2 sales took a year-over-year dip, down from 2.5 million to 2.1 million. PSP took a larger hit, down to 4.2 million from 5.1 million. The PS3, however, is a mix of good and bad news. The good news: 6.5 million in unit sales, up from the 4.5 million prior. That said, it turns out Sony has yet to pull its home console away from "loss leader" status -- WSJ reports the company is still losing "about six cents for every dollar of PS3 hardware sales," i.e. if Sony were to sell the consoles to retailers for $300, it'd technically be taking a hit of $18 each time. That's nowhere [...]
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5) Dell Mini 5 earns FCC approval, AT&T 3G coverage assured
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/dell-mini-5-earns-fcc-approval-atandt-3g-coverage-assured/
Remember those rumors back in the day that Dell's Android-powered Streak MID -- the device that would later be revealed as the Mini 5 -- would be manufactured by Qisda? Well, we've got some pretty solid proof of that now that it's hit the FCC under Qisda's name. What you see on the left is the label submitted in today's filing for a device called the Qisda M01M; on the right, you have a shot from that pictorial of a device in Shenzhen of the same name. Look pretty much identical? Yeah, we've definitely got the Mini 5 here, and it's described in the RF test reports as a "mobile internet device" with support for WiFi plus full HSPA on WCDMA bands II and V (that's the coverage needed by AT&T, Rogers, Bell, and Telus, by the way) plus EDGE on the same frequencies. We're sure that this version's got a few more bands for user outside North America, too, but seeing how the FCC generally [...]
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6) RIM's BIS 3.0 email features apparently leaked, finally does Gmail justice
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/rims-bis-3-0-email-features-apparently-leaked-finally-does-gma/
For a platform billing itself as the business user's best friend, BlackBerry's list of unsupported protocols that have achieved ubiquity is actually astonishing: you can't do two-way read status sync with an IMAP email account, for example, and amazingly, you can't natively connect to an Exchange ActiveSync service without being routed through RIM's back-end software. In a shocking move that's straight out of 2002, it seems at least one of those niggles is going to get patched up soon thanks to a leaked list of email features in BlackBerry Internet Service 3.0, the software carriers deploy to marshal all data connectivity on the handsets they've deployed to customers. Yes, that's right: you'll be able to synchronize read status and sent items with your Gmail account, just as if you were using virtually any other phone produced in the last several years! It's hard to fathom that it's [...]
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7) The Engadget Podcast, live... now!
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/the-engadget-podcast-live-now/
Hey, it's been a killer week, and we're about to podcast live -- won't you join us?
Update: It's all over -- but don't worry, our regular podcast post will be up tomorrow!The Engadget Podcast, live... now! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
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8) Lenovo ThinkPad X201T convertible tablet hits the FCC, Australia
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/lenovo-thinkpad-x201t-convertible-tablet-hits-the-fcc-australia/
Well, we just saw a ThinkPad X201 Tablet turn up in a Lenovo roadmap earlier this week and, wouldn't you know it, something called the ThinkPad X201T has now also surfaced at the FCC. What's more, while the FCC isn't dishing out any details beyond the usual test reports, the convertible tablet has already turned up at Australian retailer TechBuy, which just so happens to have the complete specs for the device. Those include a 12.1-inch WXGA touchscreen, a Core i7-620LM processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a fingerprint scanner, and an 8-cell battery, to name a few features. A 12-inch, Core i7-based convertible ThinkPad? Yeah, that should turn a few heads. Still no indication of a release over here, unfortunately, but TechBuy is apparently taking orders right now for the local equivalent of $3,230.Lenovo ThinkPad X201T convertible tablet hits the FCC, Australia originally appeared [...]
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9) Hutchison Austria to offer discounted iPad with 2-year contract for i-Mo 3G modem
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/hutchison-austria-to-offer-discounted-ipad-with-2-year-contract/
Coveting an iPad, but not willing to pay full price? If you happen to live in Austria and don't mind committing to a two-year data contract, Hutchison's got you covered. The carrier's offering a 333 Euro (approximately US $455) discount if you sign up for a 29.90 Euro, 5GB monthly data contract. Sounds great, but frankly we still don't know how much it's gonna cost outside of the US -- the foreign sites still list American prices, as far as we can tell. The other catch is that instead of offering the integrated 3G version, you're getting a Huawei i-Mo 3G modem to create a personal WiFi cloud with the iPad. Elegant? Not really, but it's still quite the deal (short-term, at any rate). No indication when Apple's device will hit Austria, but we gotta imagine they wouldn't set up such an offer without a short-term plan.Hutchison Austria to offer discounted iPad with 2-year contract for i-Mo [...]
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10) Logitech Squeezebox Touch delayed, again
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/logitech-squeezebox-touch-delayed-again/
Logitech's Squeezebox Touch has had a somewhat troubled launch since being announced back in September alongside the Squeezebox Radio, and it looks like the road to availability just got a bit bumpier. While Logitech isn't saying anything officially itself just yet, a Slim Devices developer has now posted on the official Squeezebox forums that we're still looking at "a couple of months until release" -- which is well off Logitech's most recent promise of a February release date, and might even bump up against its future Android-based device.Logitech Squeezebox Touch delayed, again originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink SlashGear | Email this | Comments
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11) HTC HD2 extended battery gets its close-up, lower price
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/htc-hd2-extended-battery-gets-its-close-up-lower-price/
We've already seen a render of the kickstand-equipped HTC HD2 extended battery, but renders don't power cellphones, so we're particuarly glad that CoolSmartPhone has now come through and provided some actual pictures of the actual device. What's more, it looks like the price has now dropped to £35 excluding VAT (or about $55, down from $85 before), although the promised ship date has apparently been pushed back another month to March. Hit up the link below for a closer look, and a comparison shot with the standard battery.
HTC HD2 extended battery gets its close-up, lower price originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | CoolSmartPhone | Email this | Comments
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12) Kratos casemod can bring 'God of War' to your desktop... if you really want that
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/kratos-casemod-can-bring-god-of-war-to-your-desktop-if-you-r/
Well, this is disturbingly creative. Seriously, is there much more to say about this Kratos casemod? Well, Greek mythology and video game fanatics alike should be pleased yet horrified with this one. We certainly were. Video is after the break.Continue reading Kratos casemod can bring 'God of War' to your desktop... if you really want thatKratos casemod can bring 'God of War' to your desktop... if you really want that originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Joystiq | Email this | Comments
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13) X2 brings the Amtek iTablet back from the abyss, forgets that no one cared the first time
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/x2-brings-the-amtek-itablet-back-from-the-abyss-forgets-that-no/
Apple might have surprised everyone -- including us -- by naming its tablet the "iPad," but the UK's X2 isn't letting this opportunity pass it by: it's managed to drum up some cheap attention today by announcing an "iTablet" powered by a "1.6GHz Intel processor" and running whatever flavor of Windows from XP to 7 your heart desires. Of course, what X2 isn't telling anyone is that it's actually not doing anything more than simply reselling the Amtek iTablet, a product that's been out for ages and that we've covered in the past -- you might recognize this early post by one Mr. Joshua Topolsky in which he said the resistive touchscreen looked "quite frisky." How dramatically things change. Anyway, we don't have a detailed spec list right now, but the Amtek iTablet has a 1.6GHz Pentium M, not an Atom, so this thing could potentially be a serious dog. Feel like making with the goods, [...]
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14) Researchers say new material could let cars be powered by their bodywork
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/researchers-say-new-material-could-let-cars-be-powered-by-their/
It likely won't be ready for your next vehicle purchase, but some researchers from Imperial College London say that this rather modest-looking piece of material could eventually do nothing short of change of the way that cars are powered. The material itself is still a bit of a mystery, as you might expect, but it's apparently able to store and discharge electrical energy, and (here's the real kicker) is strong and light enough to be used for a car's bodywork -- essentially making the car itself one giant battery. That would obviously open up a whole host of possibilities, including being used to complement traditional batteries for even longer runtimes, or being used on its own to make smaller and lighter vehicles. The applications also wouldn't necessarily be limited to cars, and the researchers specifically mention cellphones as another area that could see smaller and lighter (or [...]
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15) Motorola Droid gets official multitouch support -- in Google Maps, anyway
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/motorola-droid-gets-official-multitouch-support-in-google-map/
When it rains, it pours, huh, Google? Not even a week after announcing the big multitouch update for its own Nexus One, Google has turned loose a new version of Google Maps that enables pinch-to-zoom support on the Droid. Of course, it was no secret that Android 2.0 had the framework in place to support this kind of stuff -- Moto enabled it all by its lonesome on the Euro-spec Milestone -- but it looks like this could be the watershed moment where multitouch finally becomes a must-have feature on Android devices across the board, as Moto CEO Sanjay Jha recently suggested would happen. The new version 3.4's available as a software update in the Market right now, so grab it if you've got your Droid handy.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Motorola Droid gets official multitouch support -- in Google Maps, anyway originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:43:00 EST. Please [...]
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16) Dell Precision M6500 gets upgraded with USB 3.0, Core i5 options
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/dell-precision-m6500-gets-upgraded-with-usb-3-0-core-i5-options/
Back in the beginning of December, when Dell outed its business-oriented, 17-inch Precision M6500 laptop, it boasted some pretty meaty specs: Core i7 CPU, up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, a choice of ATI FirePro M7740 or NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M graphics chips, plus support for up to three storage devices, and a 1920x1200 LED-backlit display. Well, it's added some new configuration options today, including USB 3.0 and a Core i5 processor, making this one bad boy all around. There's no word on the pricing yet, but the previously available Core i7 configuration runs around $2,700. We'll let you know when we find out what these new options will cost you.Dell Precision M6500 gets upgraded with USB 3.0, Core i5 options originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electronista | Email this | Comments
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17) Hachette Book Group also pulls away from Amazon
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/hachette-book-group-also-pulls-away-from-amazon/
| Email this | Comments
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18) Motorola Milestone looks set for February 18 launch on Telus; AT&Ters, get your unlocking pants on
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/motorola-milestone-looks-set-for-february-18-launch-on-telus-at/
Telus hasn't yet committed to a date for the release of its mighty Milestone, but no sweat -- Best Buy's happy to commit on their behalf, pegging February 18 as the date that Canadians will have access to their most powerful subsidized Android set yet. That's really awesome, don't get us wrong -- but the other side of this win-win is that it'll be the first time that a Milestone has been available with 850 / 1900MHz 3G, meaning this thing could become a boon for anyone willing to whisk a few across the border, assuming it's not a nightmare to unlock (we doubt it will be). So yes, it's true, if you really want to wait to get your Android-powered Motorola on through AT&T proper, you can hold out for the Backflip, but considering that the Milestone's a more juicily-spec'd piece to start, you might just want to swing this way -- assuming you've got a penchant for hacking and smuggling, of [...]
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19) AAXA intros L1 laser pico projector / media player
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/aaxa-intros-l1-laser-pico-projector-media-player/
It's claim on the title of "world's first laser pico projector" might be a tad dubious, but AAXA Technologies' new L1 projector may just be the first to hit the market, with it set to start shipping on February 12th. Like other laser-based models, this one promises to always stay in focus, and even project images (800 x 600, up to 50-inches) on curved surfaces with ease. Somewhat uniquely, you'll also get a built-in media player, along with the usual USB port, memory card slot, and composite and VGA inputs to actually pump media through the device. Just don't expect the same low, low price seen on some other pico projectors lately, as this one's set to run a hefty $599.
AAXA intros L1 laser pico projector / media player originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink PicoProjector-Info | Email this | Comments
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20) New lithium-ion battery could last 20 years, long after you've broken the devices they once powered
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/new-lithium-ion-battery-could-last-20-years-long-after-youve-b/
Modern gadgetry (you know, as opposed to "ancient gadgetry," such as the abacus and the hour glass) lives and dies by its batteries, so it's no surprise that lots of time and effort is spent researching both wacky alternatives to the tried and true power cell, as well as ways to make existing cells better. Among the latter, Nikkei is reporting that Eamex in Osaka, Japan, has developed a lithium-ion battery that will last some twenty years of regular use -- that's 10,000 charges! The secret to the long-lasting lithium-ion? In current designs, the tin that's used for the battery's negative electrode weakens through continual charging and recharging. The new design, however, calls for tin-coated resin that stabilizes the electrode and prevents deterioration. Why didn't we think of that? Look forward to seeing these exciting, new batteries debut in electric scooters sometime this year. [...]
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21) Sling says it didn't change iPhone SlingPlayer for AT&T (Updated)
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/sling-says-it-didnt-change-iphone-slingplayer-for-atandt/
AT&T certainly made a few of us happy yesterday when it announced that the iPhone SlingPlayer app would now be allowed to run over its 3G network, but the carrier apparently embellished the facts a little when it said Sling had optimized the app to be "more bandwidth sensitive" -- Sling's John Santoro told Ars Technica that it "didn't change anything," and that "AT&T never discussed specific requirements with us." So much for that happy narrative -- we thought AT&T's line sounded odd, given that SlingPlayer has always run just fine on AT&T Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and S60 devices. It's cool, though, Sling isn't sweating it: "Whatever the reason, we're just glad AT&T has approved it." Now it's just up to Apple to let it through the App Store -- any day now, guys.
Update: Sling just called us to clarify the above statements -- while it didn't make any specific changes to iPhone [...]
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22) Nokia's mid-tier 'Mystic' to be dubbed C6, will hit stores in May or June?
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/nokias-mid-tier-mystic-to-be-dubbed-c6-will-hit-stores-in-ma/
We can't say we were overwhelmed by the first leaked photos of what we've come to know as the Nokia Mystic, but there's something about this QWERTY candybar form factor that Nokia just does so well that we have to hang onto the benefit of the doubt. The latest news on this front is that the handset will be dubbed the Nokia C6, which makes a lot of sense as a counterpart to the numeric keypad-equipped but similarly styled Nokia C5 that was recently leaked. Word is that the C6 should retail for around 200 Euro (about $274 US), and that it should be released in May or June. It seems logical that we'll see both of these S60 3rd edition phones at MWC this month, but there's nothing solid on that front just yet.Nokia's mid-tier 'Mystic' to be dubbed C6, will hit stores in May or June? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of [...]
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23) Fujitsu's Lifebook MH380 hits retail for $449
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/fujitsus-lifebook-mh380-hits-retail-for-449/
Fujitsu's stylish little Lifebook MH380's just popped up over on the company's site for sale. The 10.1-inch, Pine Trail Atom N450-boasting netbook's specs include 2GB of RAM, a 250GB HDD, built-in Bluetooth, six-cell battery and a 1366x768 resolution screen. It also seems to be available in brown, white, black, and red -- though the only one that seems to be available to buy on Fujitsu's site as of now is the Glossy Red model. Let us know when that cute little brown number's up for grabs and we'll probably be back. Fujitsu's Lifebook MH380 hits retail for $449 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Fujitsu | Email this | Comments
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24) HDMI 1.4's 3D spec publicly released
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/hdmi-1-4s-3d-spec-publicly-released/
3D's happening whether you like it or not -- but the good news is that there won't be any format war to go with the adoption of the new tech. At least that's the sense we've been getting, as most manufacturers are adopting active shutter glasses, delivery will happen on cable, satellite, and Blu-ray, and now the HDMI Licensing group has opened up the 3D portion of the HDMI 1.4 spec so non-licensees can make their gear compatible. There'll be some changes coming down the pike in HDMI 1.4a, but that's also due for public release, so really we'll all be one big dorky family in 3D glasses when this is all over.HDMI 1.4's 3D spec publicly released originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | HDMI | Email this | Comments
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25) ASUS Eee PC 1008P (Seashell) review
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/asus-eee-pc-1008p-seashell-review/
What do you do if your netbooks are starting to look so last season? Well if you're ASUS, you hire a leading industrial designer like Karim Rashid to revamp it, of course. The Eee PC 1008P's snazzy new design and removable battery certainly caught our eye at CES, but now so is its $499 pricetag. Positioned as a designer netbook, the 1008P is a mixed bag of specs -- it has got the now-typical Intel Atom N450 processor, boasts 2GB of RAM and larger 320GB hard drive, as well as a disappointingly small three-cell battery. So, are the 1008P's slimmer body and eye-catching design enough to make you shell out $100 more than the typical netbook? And how does the the smaller capacity battery compare to the $380 Eee PC 1005PE's that lasts for eight hours on a charge? Follow on past the break for some answers.
Gallery: ASUS Eee PC 1008P reviewContinue reading ASUS Eee PC 1008P (Seashell) [...]
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26) USB Electronic Key Impressioner could help you be gone in 60 milliseconds
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/usb-electronic-key-impressioner-could-help-you-be-gone-in-60-mill/
If you're stealing a car these days, there's a good chance you're not bothering to actually pick the locks, but if you are, your job is about to get a little easier. A device called the Electronic Key Impressioner is inserted into a car door and scans the position of the tumblers inside. It feeds information back to a PC over USB which then, when told the car's model, can provide the necessary information to cut the perfect key on the first attempt. Right now it only works on Fords with simple metal keys (like, say, a 1967 Shelby GT500), but the hope is to expand the device to support other manufacturers and, possibly, electronic keys in the future. It will be available to locksmiths and authorized security professionals in 2010. Sorry, Nick, you'll have to find another way to get into Eleanor.Continue reading USB Electronic Key Impressioner could help you be gone in 60 millisecondsUSB [...]
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27) Hori Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX has a name to match its size, price
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/hori-real-arcade-pro-premium-vlx-has-a-name-to-match-its-size-p/
Shoulder buttons? Never heard of 'em. Give us all our buttons in a nice rainbow-shaped array and a big stick for our southpaw and leave us well enough alone. Hori, the company behind the most righteous Tekken 6 arcade controller, is back with a Street Fighter-inspired effort for the true enthusiasts out there. This new deck is a direct copy of the Sanwa arcade cabinets housing Street Fight IV, meaning you can finally take your epic fighting skills home without fearing the misshapen things other people call controllers. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX will be shipping by the end of March, and you can hit the Joystiq link below to find out how to import one for yourself.Hori Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX has a name to match its size, price originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of [...]
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28) Toshiba's Viamo is the tablet your doctor has been dreaming of
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/toshibas-viamo-is-the-tablet-your-doctor-has-been-dreaming-of/
Convertible tablets are a dime a dozen in the laptop space, but very, very few of them can save your life. Toshiba's Viamo is the one that could -- when used by someone who knows how to control it, that is. It's a portable ultrasound device that has some tactile knobs and buttons for the old-school practitioners, but can be entirely controlled by that touchscreen, which folds flat. Sure, it isn't as portable as other ultrasound machines we've seen before, but it certainly looks quite a bit more advanced, and this one mounts on a pole for easy wheeling around your busy ER -- important when helicopters crash into your roof, ambulances explode out front, and two doctors madly in love need to make a little room. Viamo is newly approved by the FDA and so is now available in the US at a cost that we wouldn't hazard to guess at.Toshiba's Viamo is the tablet your doctor has been dreaming of [...]
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29) Ancient DOS bug gets squashed
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/ancient-dos-bug-gets-squashed/
What can we say about you, DOS? You've rocked the personal computer world and changed the way we all feel about white on black console screens. Your retirement is a well deserved one and... wait, you're getting a patch? Amazingly, Microsoft is fixing a bug that has existed in the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) subsystem since it was added to Windows NT way back in the simple days of 1993, when flannels were everywhere and 32 bits were more than we knew what to do with. Google engineer Tavis Ormandy found the exploit a few weeks ago, which grants an attacker the ability to run code in kernel mode, and a critical update has been issued to fix this most aged of vulnerabilities. Perhaps now, DOS, your work is finally done.Ancient DOS bug gets squashed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | BBC | Email [...]
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30) Humax HD-FOX T2 is first Freeview HD box in the UK, garners positive review
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/humax-hd-fox-t2-is-first-freeview-hd-box-in-the-uk-garners-posi/
When you think back to the dark ages of the nineties -- just four terrestrial channels and the inevitable snowflakes on your screen if you were in a poor reception area -- it just wasn't a very good time for free television in the UK. Fast forward to today, and dirt-cheap Freeview boxes are getting their inevitable, in fact somewhat belated, upgrade to HD. The Humax HD-FOX T2 will cost a predictably hefty £170 ($270) at launch, but as its kind starts to infiltrate the market that price should suffer an equally appropriate precipitous fall. Offering decent media streamer capabilities via wired Ethernet, the T2 stands out with its attractive GUI and blisteringly fast channel scanning, while giving you pretty much exactly the performance you'd expect from a high-quality Freeview HD box. The UK HD rollout is set to start in earnest this March and you can learn more about it at the links [...]
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31) Germanium lasers offer ray of hope for optical computing
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/germanium-lasers-offer-ray-of-hope-for-optical-computing/
Bandwidth scarcity, is there any more pressing global issue that we're faced with today? We think not. Given the exponential growth in both computing power and software's exploitation and expectation of greater resources, it's no surprise that at some point we'll have to look beyond simple electrical currents as the transporters of our data. One bold step taken in that direction has been the demonstration of an operational germanium-on-silicon laser by researchers at MIT. By tweaking the electron count in germanium atoms with the help of some added phosphorous, they've been able to coax them into a photon-emitting state of being -- something nobody thought possible with indirect bandgap semiconductors. Perhaps the best part of this is that germanium can be integrated relatively easily into current manufacturing processes, meaning that light-based internal communication within our [...]
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32) ARM planning three new Cortex CPUs, Eagle headed for smartphones
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/arm-planning-three-new-cortex-cpus-eagle-headed-for-smartphones/
As if the Cortex-A9 isn't stirring up enough emotion all by itself, ARM revealed the roadmap for an even faster iteration of its Cortex-A series of chips during its earnings call a few days ago. Codenamed Eagle, the new processor is slated for a production run of 3 billion units annually, but alas this slide shares no more information on it beyond the intended market of smartphones, mobile computing, and digital TV products. (We've definitely heard that it'll be a 28nm multi-core part destined to ship around 2012, however.) There's also word of a pair of embedded chips, dubbed Heron and Merlin, which will find roles to perform in automotive and audio processing environments. Unsurprising that ARM isn't standing still, but we could've done with a little less mystery and a few more specs.
[Thanks, Kamal]ARM planning three new Cortex CPUs, Eagle headed for smartphones originally appeared [...]
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33) Kindle display maker PVI promises touchscreens, color and flexibility in 2010 models
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/kindle-display-maker-pvi-promises-touchscreens-color-and-flexib/
Love your Kindle? How about your Sony Reader? Good then lean in close because your electrophoretic display (EPD) maker wants to have a word. Prime View International (PVI) chairman Scott Liu says that his company (the owners of E Ink) will be introducing a wide variety of new e-reader displays this year including color, flexible, and touchscreen EPDs. PVI also says that response times have been improved enough to allow for animation support on products in 2010. Of course, flip books provide animation as well but we wouldn't want to use one for any considerable amount of time -- but let's wait and see what they have before coming to a conclusion.
Interestingly enough, PVI says that it's developing pressure touch sensors that sit behind the display rather than using conventional touch-panels that can obscure the display's brightness. Funny, that sounds a lot like the Touchco technology [...]
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34) Sensorly aims to keep coverage maps honest
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/sensorly-aims-to-keep-coverage-maps-honest/
Say you're planning that next camping trip and you need to know whether you're going to be able to incessantly check your work email every 10 minutes -- do you trust a carrier's coverage map of unknown age, origin, and honesty, or real-world experience? If French firm Sensorly has its way, you'll soon be able to answer the latter thanks to the deployment of an app for your phone that continuously measures cellular and WiFi signal strength at your location and silently reports it back to the company's servers where it's compiled into color-coded maps predicting your ability to connect. The concept's very similar to that being undertaken by another up-and-comer that's been getting a good deal of coverage lately, Root Wireless, but the key difference is that Root's system is still in private beta -- Sensorly's mobile app is available right now to anyone who'd like to download it and [...]
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35) Xbox v1 games, systems no longer Live; Microsoft's pulling the plug April 15
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/xbox-v1-games-systems-no-longer-live-microsofts-pulling-the-p/
It's been no secret that original Xbox games and systems have been the vestigial limb holding back much wanted XBL features including raising the limit on our friends list to over 100 or mobile tie-ins, and on April 15 Live access for all of them comes to an end. Even those Xbox Originals downloaded to the 360 or played via backwards compatibility will be cut off from online play, so we'd suggest getting those last few rounds of Halo 2 in now or at least look into an alternative solution like XBConnect. Affected users should keep an eye on their inbox, Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten has promised "details and opportunities" to come for you as partners in this process -- we're figuring a coupon or two or an extended XBL subscription as the lights are turned out is the least they can do. For the rest of us already living in the future? The timing of this announcement mere days before the X10 [...]
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36) N900 gains PS3 Sixaxis control over SNES gaming (video)
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/n900-gains-ps3-sixaxis-control-over-snes-gaming-video/
Even if the N900 isn't quite ready for mass market appeal, that doesn't mean that it's not the perfect device for many of the Engadget elite. With impressive power and out-of-the-box hackability, this QWERTY handset is a tinkerers dream. In fact, Tomasz Sterna has already recompiled the kernel to add joystick (and mouse) support. He then pieced together enough code to turn the N900 into a portable Sixaxis gaming console that brings SNES gaming to any TV. Fire up the N900's Bluetooth, then kick back and immerse yourself in a land of 16-bit dinosaurs and chubby Italian plumbers -- good times. See the finished product after the break.Continue reading N900 gains PS3 Sixaxis control over SNES gaming (video)N900 gains PS3 Sixaxis control over SNES gaming (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Gizmodo | Email [...]
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37) Nook firmware 1.2 ready for download now (Update: video!)
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/nook-firmware-1-2-coming-to-stores-this-week-current-owners-a/
Keeping up a fine tradition, Barnes & Noble has today let slip an internal memo that discusses a forthcoming version 1.2 firmware update for the Nook. There's not much in the way of info on fresh new features or optimizations, but we do know that B&N retail locations will be getting the update "this week" alongside new units shipping with v1.2 preloaded onto them. We're also told that the update would be an effortless side-loading affair via USB, but the bit about "prior to the software being released to customers" suggests that perhaps we won't all be riding the latest software by this weekend. Let's just be patient and do what we usually do: fantasize about what the future may hold.
Update: Turns out B&N will be rolling out an OTA update to customers in a few days, but the manual download is all ready for collection from right here. You'll find the full list of changes after the [...]
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38) Photovoltaic circuit makes solar-powered touchscreens possible, not yet plausible
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/photovoltaic-circuit-makes-solar-powered-touchscreens-possible/
What's cooler than the latest in technology? How about the latest in self-powering technology? University of Pennsylvania researchers have put together what seems like the world's first photovoltaic circuit, which is to say that the electronic parts of your devices will no longer have to just consume energy, they'll be able to harvest it directly from the sun. The most obvious application for this would be in smartphone touchscreens, which could recharge themselves while you sip your latte at the local sun-drenched coffee shop. Of course, such practical uses are still a fair distance away, as the team can generate only minuscule amounts of power at present, but the theory is in place and so is our attention. Don't let us down, Penn!Photovoltaic circuit makes solar-powered touchscreens possible, not yet plausible originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:07:00 EST. Please [...]
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39) Samsung's transparent OLED laptop could hit retail, IceTouch PMP will get the ball rolling
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/05/samsungs-transparent-oled-laptop-could-hit-retail-icetouch-pmp/
So um, remember this crazy 14-inch transparent OLED display Samsung was showing off perched atop a laptop at CES? Yea, that might be in the shops within the next 12 months. If that doesn't get you tingling with excitement, we don't know what will. Samsung will start its big push toward translucency with the IceTouch PMP, which we found to have a gorgeous 2-inch display in our earlier hands-on, but it's already working away in the labs on turning the prototype above into a concrete retail product. The IceTouch is slated to make its US arrival early in the first half of this year, priced at around $332. European availability is as yet unconfirmed, but the Korean's company is being very ambitious about its technology, suggesting that windscreen-mounted SatNav units could be next on the agenda and ruling nothing out as it strives to bring its transparent AMOLED displays into the [...]
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