Sep/100
Apple’s Ping gains a million users in first two days
We’re still trying to figure out exactly what Apple’s new Ping social network is good for, but apparently quite a few people are curious about it: it’s already racked up a million users in its first two days. That’s just a third of the people who’ve downloaded iTunes 10, so we’re sure the numbers are will grow even faster as more people snag iTunes and the network effect starts to kick in — and things will get really crazy if Apple and Facebook ever work out their little tiff. Just remember: it’s a social network… for music.
Apple’s Ping gains a million users in first two days originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Apple | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Galaxy Tab with WiMAX coming to Sprint this November?
The CDMA-equipped Samsung Galaxy Tab has so far been nothing more than a sticker in a random snapshot and some whispers about Verizon, but Boy Genius Report is saying that the Tab’s also bound for Sprint’s network this November, on both its 3G and 4G (i.e. WiMAX) network — à la the Galaxy S / Epic 4G. No word from Sammy HQ on this one, but it’s worth noting that in our briefing, a Samsung rep mentioned that an American carrier could put Qik on it and, well, that’s kind of Sprint’s thing. We don’t suppose anyone heard its preferred dessert choice in the process, hm?
Galaxy Tab with WiMAX coming to Sprint this November? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Boy Genius Report | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
iHome teases first AirPlay-compatible portable speaker dock
No surprise that iHome is first out of the gate with a speaker dock that’s compatible with Apple’s newly-open AirPlay music streaming system, but unfortunately the teaser page is maddeningly light on details — all we know is that it’ll have a rechargeable battery and be available for the holidays. We’re actually pretty stoked for AirPlay gear — the idea of setting up a quick mix-and-match whole-home audio system that can stream lossless audio straight from iTunes seems awfully hard to resist — so we’re eager to hear more about this thing, as well as the other third-party AirPlay devices like receivers and stereos that have been promised. We’ll keep digging for more, so stay tuned.
[Thanks, Fred]
iHome teases first AirPlay-compatible portable speaker dock originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
iHome | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Stealth’s rugged USB keyboard is extremely tough, extremely pricey
There are no hard and fast rules in the gadget game, but there is one bit of wisdom we generally stand by: everything benefits by being ruggedized. Sure, we know this speaks to a deep-seated need to smash things, drown things, run ‘em over in a truck or shoot them — and we’re not making any excuses. Housed in vandal resistant stainless steel, the Stealth KYBX-400-DT-BL-TB-USB keyboard feature an optical trackball mouse, and NVIS-compliant red adjustable backlighting (just the thing for when you dig out the night vision goggles). If that weren’t enough, the whole thing is environmentally sealed to NEMA 4, 4X, IP65 specifications (whatever that means). Yours now for $695! Get a closer look below.
Gallery: Stealth Desktop Industrial Keyboards
Stealth’s rugged USB keyboard is extremely tough, extremely pricey originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Stealth | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Lacie MosKeyto streamlines portable storage, invites bad puns
Lacie’s keeping up its eccentric branding strategy today with this pest-inspired new USB key. Measuring a mere 20mm in length and 10 grams in weight, the MosKeyto is ready to all but disappear once you plug it into your computer, and it’ll outdo its physical counterpart by not only sucking data down but pushing it back out should you want it. Basically, it’s yet another miniaturized USB drive and can be owned today, starting at $18 for the 4GB version. 8GB will set you back $28 and there’s a 16GB variant to come as well. Got all that? Good. Now buzz off.
Gallery: Lacie MosKeyTo press images
Continue reading Lacie MosKeyto streamlines portable storage, invites bad puns
Lacie MosKeyto streamlines portable storage, invites bad puns originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Lacie | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
SageTV puts $150 HD Theater 300 up for pre-order, breaks down the specifications
Whoa, welcome to the new decade SageTV! Nearly two full years after introducing the HD Theater HD200, the aforesaid company is hitting back with the HD Theater 300 — and frankly, the timing couldn’t possibly be worse. Last month, a $149.95 price tag on a no-name streamer may have looked attractive, but with the revised Apple TV and price-adjusted Roku line, we get the feeling this one will be a hard sell. At any rate, this new networked set-top box boasts a non-stackable design, a Toslink optical audio jack, HDMI 1.3 socket, a pair of USB jacks and an Ethernet connector. It also supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD/MA (which means you’re cleared to bitstream to your HDMI 1.3 receiver), but you’ll need to pony up an extra $29.95 for a WiFi dongle. Yeah, bummer. The outfit suggests that you turn this critter into a whole home DVR solution by running SageTV Media Center software alongside of it, but you should probably know that you’ll have some trouble if trying to shove DRM’d content through it. It’s available for pre-order down in the source link if you’re interested.
[Thanks, Tom]
Continue reading SageTV puts $150 HD Theater 300 up for pre-order, breaks down the specifications
SageTV puts $150 HD Theater 300 up for pre-order, breaks down the specifications originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
SageTV, Pre-order | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
iFixit continues its retro gaming rampage, reduces an innocent Atari 2600 to bare components
iFixit, is no device safe from the scars of your screwdriver? These eyes have been scarred, forced to witness the destruction of yet another childhood icon. Previously it was the RCA Studio II and the Magnavox Odyssey 100 before that. Now it’s the rather more memorable Atari 2600 going under the scalpel, four simple screws removed to reveal an eight-bit, 1.19MHz processor featuring 128 bytes of RAM (yes, a massive 1,024 bits) and a graphics adapter capable of 192 x 160 resolution with 128 colors — though only four could be used on any given line. Through these humble beginnings the cartridge-based console was born… and now here it rests.
iFixit continues its retro gaming rampage, reduces an innocent Atari 2600 to bare components originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
iFixit | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Roku XD and Netgear Roku XD Player hit the FCC
Well, well, what’s this? Looks like Roku has some bigger plans for hitting back at the $99 Apple TV than just price cuts of its own: a Roku XD and a Netgear Roku XD Player just hit the FCC. That’s right, Netgear — Roku’s expanding its platform to third parties. We don’t know if these two devices are standalones or designed to work together, but we’re guessing they’re standalones; the Netgear unit might blend in some of the Digital Entertainer line’s support for local playback and services like PlayOn, YouTube, and CinemaNow. Of course, the big question is going to be price, since if these are substantially more than the Apple TV’s $99 they’re going to have to offer some major features, but we should be finding out what’s up soon enough: the confidentiality on these docs lifts October 23.
Roku XD and Netgear Roku XD Player hit the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Wireless Goodness | 
Roku XD Player, Roku XD | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Toshiba issues recall for 41,000 T Series laptops because of burn hazard
Toshiba’s announced a worldwide, voluntary recall of about 41,000 T Series laptops because of a burn hazard. The laptops apparently carry the risk of overheating AC adapters which can then… burn you. Toshiba has reported that its received 129 complaints, including two minor burns, about the laptops, which include the Satellite T135, Satellite T135D and Satellite Pro T130, which were sold between August of 2009 through August of 2010. If you happened to buying one of these burn-prone babies, hit up the source to contact Toshiba for more information.
Toshiba issues recall for 41,000 T Series laptops because of burn hazard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
US Consumer Product Safety Commission | 
Toshiba | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
All Things D: Facebook blocked Apple’s Ping service for unauthorized use
We’d already heard whispers that Apple had to yank Facebook Connect integration from its new Ping music network because the connection was being denied by Facebook, and now Kara Swisher at All Things D is confirming it — and she’s saying Facebook shut down access on purpose after Apple used the find-your-friends API without permission. Juicy! Here’s the deal: Facebook’s friend-finding API is generally open access, but anyone that wants to hit it an extreme number of times has to sign a deal agreeing to protect Facebook user data and limit network impact. Given the sheer size of the iTunes customer base, it’s no surprise that Facebook wanted such a deal, but apparently negotiations broke down — possibly over what Steve Jobs referred to as “onerous terms” — and Apple decided to just go ahead and use the API anyway. (Which, truth be told, is pretty in character for Apple.) Facebook then blocked access, Apple had to scramble to clean up all the Facebook references, and here we are. Only possibly not for long: Swisher also says Apple and Facebook are still negotiating, and Facebook Connect might eventually reappear in Ping. There is no word when Ping might actually be useful or interesting, however.
All Things D: Facebook blocked Apple’s Ping service for unauthorized use originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
All Things D | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
iFixit tears apart the Nintendo Famicon
Do you remember the Nintendo Family Computer, or Famicon? Well, you might not — it came to earth in 1983 and was Japan’s version of the NES. Now, continuing its week of vintage teardowns, iFixit’s gotten its hands on one of these colorful gems and done what it does. The Famicon is pretty easily dismantled, and simple inside, as well. As you can see, there’s almost nothing going on in there! There’s one more photo below, but hit up the source link for the full set.
Continue reading iFixit tears apart the Nintendo Famicon
iFixit tears apart the Nintendo Famicon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
iFixit | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
The Samsung Galaxy Tab: more relief on the go
The Samsung Galaxy Tab certainly looks like it’s going to be a pretty sweet little tablet, but man — Samsung really needs to hire some better Korean-to-English translators. Hot on the heels of the charmingly obtuse T-Mobile Vibrant (”A Twitter approaches to synchronising data to allow access to your status”), Sammy’s new Galaxy Tab promo site is a virtual treasure trove of almost-but-not-quite English, starting with a launch animation that offers you “More relief on the go” straight through to a video call demo that suggests you and a co-worker share a “cosy time.” Uh, no thanks. Greatest hits in the gallery below.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab: more relief on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Samsung Galaxy Tab | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Skype updates Android app for Verizon users, lets you keep the WiFi on
Skype updates Android app for Verizon users, lets you keep the WiFi on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Android Central | 
Skype | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Buffalo serves up USB-powered portable 3D Blu-ray player in Japan
Stuck with an ODD-less netbook or laptop, but can’t quite shake the urge to watch a Blu-ray Disc on your next flight? If you call Japan home (or you know a good importer), Buffalo has just the solution. The BP3D-PI6U2-BK measures 137- × 147- × 20mm, and the operation is pretty simple. Just wrangle an XP / Vista / Windows 7-equipped PC, locate an open USB socket, blow out the dust (optional, but highly recommended) and plug this guy in. Best of all, the unit also supports the boatload of 3D Blu-ray titles that are bound to show up over the coming months, but the privileged of being prepared doesn’t come cheap — it’ll land later this month for ¥28,500 ($338).
Buffalo serves up USB-powered portable 3D Blu-ray player in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Buffalo | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Philips’ Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV finally takes the leap into 3D
It’s kind of hard to outdo yourself with only two dimensions when they read 21 and 9, respectively, so Philips has decided to do the only thing left for a trendy display maker: go 3D. Though we saw (and loved) a 3D prototype of the 56-inch variant at last year’s IFA, this new, 58-inch Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV looks set to bring the third dimension to actual retail. It’s got the Ambilight wall illumination that some people will like, LED backlighting with local dimming that most should love, and a slimmer, brushed matte bezel that will be appreciated by all. The 400Hz panel is capable of pumping out Full HD 3D and is expected to cost around €4,000 ($5,112) in Europe or £3,500 in the UK with a launch set for later this month. And if you want one in the US, well… things aren’t looking very Ambibright for you.
Philips’ Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV finally takes the leap into 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Tech Radar | 
Philips | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
New Apple TV hits the FCC with Bluetooth, dual-band WiFi
New Apple TV hits the FCC with Bluetooth, dual-band WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
FCC | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
FCC tears apart the new iPod touch, while iFixit wistfully looks on
We’re not quite sure when the Federal Communications Commission got into the habit of tearing devices limb from limb after testing their wireless radiation levels, but we have to say we’re loving the trend — and there’s quite nothing like peering into the juicy innards of a new Apple device. Here, the FCC got its greasy paws on the new Retina Display-packing iPod touch, aka “Apple A1367,” and in the gallery below you can see exactly where Cupertino keeps that A4 processor, 3.44 watt-hour battery, internal antenna, and 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz WiFi.
FCC tears apart the new iPod touch, while iFixit wistfully looks on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
FCC | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Epic’s spectacular Unreal Engine 3 tech demo free at iTunes App Store
Did you oooh and ahh at the fantastic gaming graphics that accompanied today’s Apple keynote? You won’t have to wait for next week’s iOS 4.1 to get a taste of those textures for yourself. Though the full-on gladiator dueling of Epic’s “Project Sword” may be a while off, you can get your hot little hands on “Epic Citadel” right now, a 82.2 megabyte download that explores a beautiful medieval castle town. Oh, and did we mention it’s free? Even id Software’s mindblowing 60FPS Rage demo must be quaking in its boots right about now.
Epic’s spectacular Unreal Engine 3 tech demo free at iTunes App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Touch Arcade | 
Epic Citadel (iTunes) | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
The Apple Store is down… move along
You noticed, we noticed, everybody noticed. The Apple Store is unsurprisingly down. Look for new stuff to hit it later, after our live coverage of Apple’s fall event is all over.
The Apple Store is down… move along originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Apple Store | Email this | Comments
Sep/100
Amazon streaming 99-cent ABC and Fox shows… right now (update: purchases, not rentals!)
Eager to get on the new Apple TV’s cheap 99-cent TV show rentals but not so pumped to wait four weeks for it to ship? No worries: Amazon’s also now offering 99-cent
rentalspurchases of various ABC and FOX shows, which means a whole host of Amazon VOD-compatible devices just got some cheaper streaming options as well — and hey, Roku just cut prices on its entire lineup of Amazon- and Netflix- compatible players, so you can get in the game for as little as $60. Of course, the Apple TV also features day-and-date movie rentals, local streaming, AirPlay, and that slick iPhone / iPod touch Remote app, but only your heart truly knows if those are worth an extra few bucks and a month of fevered desire.Update: As our astute commenters are pointing out, these are actually listed as 99-cent purchases, making this a far better deal entirely. We don’t know if that’s for real or just an error right now, though — we’re double checking and we’ll let you know.
Update 2: Yep, we’ve confirmed that these are 99-cent purchases, making this a much better deal than Apple’s rental model — although only you can decide whether you actually need permanent streaming access to Dollhouse Season 2.
[Thanks, Stephen]
Amazon streaming 99-cent ABC and Fox shows… right now (update: purchases, not rentals!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Amazon | Email this | Comments