Aug/100
ViewSonic ViewPad 7 official: Android 2.2 and ‘full’ phone functionality
We know you’re positively giddy with excitement to get at this OlivePad rebadge and ViewSonic is today fanning those flames of desire with a little bit of pre-IFA PR. Made official today, the 7-inch ViewPad 7 will try to lure in Android lovers with its tasty Froyo parfait, underpinned by hardware that includes front- and back-facing cameras, 3G for both phone and data transmissions, and a full-sized SIM slot. It doesn’t seem to have an earpiece so we’re unwilling to grant it the claim that it offers “full” phone functionality, but we’d be more worried about the unlisted internal specs on this thing — the OlivePad makes do with a 600MHz ARM CPU and an underwhelming 800 x 480 resolution, neither of which should be making the iPad quake in its well padded boots. Price is expected to be “no more than £350″ ($543) in the UK, though all we know about availability is that review units will start showing up in October. Ah well, the wait for a quality iPad alternative continues.
Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 7 official: Android 2.2 and ‘full’ phone functionality
ViewSonic ViewPad 7 official: Android 2.2 and ‘full’ phone functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
Samsung Galaxy S update to Froyo leaks
Far be it from us to use a screen shot as proof that Android 2.2 has been ported to a particular device — they’re impossibly easy to ’shop and hack, after all — but there’s a groundswell of information today that a legit build of Froyo is in the wild for the Samsung i9000, better known as the Galaxy S. Early indications are that the build and the update process aren’t without their issues, suggesting we might be looking at a beta release — but if you’ve got a European version of the phone and you have no desire to wait for Samsung or your carrier to give you a proper build with proper instructions, this is your best bet at the moment (and it seems that GPS performance is improved at least a little bit). Owners of Vibrants and Captivates in the US need not apply here since the model numbers differ, but we’re foolishly hopeful that Sammy can bust all of these updates out in rapid-fire fashion.
[Thanks, Frederik]
Samsung Galaxy S update to Froyo leaks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
Viking Modular’s SATADIMM jacks an SSD into your memory slot
Explaining the differences between DRAM and non-volatile storage is about to get that little bit harder, thanks to Viking Modular. The company’s decided to “borrow” the DIMM form factor for its latest enterprise SSD offering, equipping it with a 240-pin array to draw power from your spare memory slots. Of course, you’ll still need to hook up a SATA cable to get data flowing to this SSD — at a very respectable 260MBps for both read and write — but we must admit we’re in love with the very idea of it. This new design offers another option for consolidating storage right onto the motherboard and should help case modders yearning for ever-slimmer enclosures. Alas, the SATADIMM is only available to enterprise and OEM clients for now, but we can’t think of any reason why it won’t test the consumer waters as well — if not by Viking, maybe someone else?
[Thanks, David]
Continue reading Viking Modular’s SATADIMM jacks an SSD into your memory slot
Viking Modular’s SATADIMM jacks an SSD into your memory slot originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
Possible iPod touch LCD and digitizer assembly compared to older gen, iPhone 4 (video)
Look who’s back. The LCD plus digitizer combo that we first laid eyes on last month seems to have leaked out again, still claiming it’ll be part of Apple’s upcoming (unannounced, but popular knowledge anyway) iPod touch 4th generation refresh. It continues to insist it’ll have a front-facing camera, pointing to the rounded hole in its forehead as evidence, and we’re now inclined to trust it that little bit more given the leaking site’s prior record. A visual inspection reveals it to have the same fused design as on the iPhone 4, which naturally invites speculation that the retina display will be pulling some PMP duty as well. Skip past the break to see the new screen side-by-side with Apple’s latest phone display and third-gen iPod touch hardware.
Possible iPod touch LCD and digitizer assembly compared to older gen, iPhone 4 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
New Google Earth for Android lets users tour New Kelp City, Mermalair, other underwater locales
When you’re not spelling out Objectivist instructions or taking bicycle tours, Google Earth can be a little bit boring. Finally Android users have something new and fun to do: go for a dive. With the release of Google Earth for Android 1.1 (available to Android 2.1 and above devices), you can now zoom in below the surface of the waves and explore the majestic wonder of undersea trenches. The 1.1 release also brings in Flash support, so YouTube videos will play right within the app — if you’re running 2.2 and your device has been granted the appropriate plug-in. The new version is available now, and we have the big honkin’ QR code you need right after the break.New Google Earth for Android lets users tour New Kelp City, Mermalair, other underwater locales originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
Android’s new app licensing scheme apparently easy to break
Remember that new licensing service for third-party developers that Google started advertising last month? A new exposé on Android Police claims that it’s actually pretty easy to get around — easy enough so that the crack could probably be packaged into some sort of automated script that breaks protected apps en masse for distribution through pirate-friendly channels. Though that’s obviously bad news for developers, it’s just as bad for consumers on Android devices who’ve customarily had less support from top-tier software brands and game studios than Apple’s App Store has — not to say iPhone apps are uncrackable, of course, but considering how difficult it’s been in the past to turn a profit in the Android Market, every little bit helps. Let’s hope a renewed focus on gaming in Gingerbread helps the situation, eh? Follow the break for Android Police’s demo of the crack in action.
Continue reading Android’s new app licensing scheme apparently easy to break
Android’s new app licensing scheme apparently easy to break originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
HBO heading to iPad and mobile devices ‘in six months,’ still cold on Netflix
“There is value in exclusivity… [Consumers] are willing to pay a premium for high quality, exclusive content.” There is something to HBO Co-President Eric Kessler’s words that ring true with his company’s goals, and unfortunately for Netflix enthusiasts, that subscription service isn’t part and parcel with his philosophy. In an interview with Bloomberg, Kessler reportedly offered the previous statement as an explanation to why the two companies would likely not make a deal together, despite Netflix’s best efforts. That’s par for the course, so far, but what is new and exciting from the interview is an off-hand comment that in six month’s time, HBO Go would be available “through all major cable systems, on Apple Inc.’s iPad, on mobile devices and elsewhere,” free for those already signed up to HBO. We’ve seen the former option, but portable? Consider our interests very piqued. While far from official, we also think it’s worth listening to a co-president on his own company’s dealings — at least a little bit. Hey, we’re all for going the Hulu route if it’s implemented well enough, but it looks like we won’t be canceling our cable subscription in favor of going steady with Ol’ Red Envelopes anytime soon.
HBO heading to iPad and mobile devices ‘in six months,’ still cold on Netflix originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
Logitech announces Alert series of high-def security cameras, we go hands-on (updated with video!)
While it’s not too difficult to see what’s going on inside your DVR from anywhere in the world these days, keeping an eye on what’s happening inside your house is sadly a little bit more complicated. Sure, there are solutions, but few are entirely plug and play — and those that are tend to be far from affordable. Logitech’s new Alert system is certainly easy to set up and, at around $300, won’t exactly break the bank. Announced today and available later this month it’s a simple, albeit somewhat limited, solution for home security and remote monitoring of… well… anything you can point a camera at. And, with mobile apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android, you can do that monitoring from just about anywhere. Click on through for the full details, some early impressions, and a little sample video.
Logitech announces Alert series of high-def security cameras, we go hands-on (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
Logitech announces Alert series of high-def security cameras, we go hands-on
While it’s not too difficult to see what’s going on inside your DVR from anywhere in the world these days, keeping an eye on what’s happening inside your house is sadly a little bit more complicated. Sure, there are solutions, but few are entirely plug and play — and those that are tend to be far from affordable. Logitech’s new Alert system is certainly easy to setup and, at around $300, won’t exactly break the bank. Announced today and available later this month it’s a simple, albeit somewhat limited, solution for home security and remote monitoring of… well… anything you can point a camera at. And, with mobile apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android, you can do that monitoring from just about anywhere. Click on through for the full details and some early impressions.
Continue reading Logitech announces Alert series of high-def security cameras, we go hands-on
Logitech announces Alert series of high-def security cameras, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug/100
AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile team up to transform your smartphone into a credit card
Contactless payments made using your phone are hardly a new idea in themselves, but when the three biggest US carriers decide to unite behind it, the time might have come to start paying closer attention. Bloomberg reports that AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are about to test the NFC waters with pilot schemes in Atlanta and three other cities, potentially aided by partnerships with Discover Financial Services and British bankers Barclays Plc. This would require all-new readers for merchants and embedded NFC chips in phones, but we reckon plenty of people might be happy to pay a small premium to streamline their lives that little bit more and leave the plastic behind. Either way, Visa’s nascent attempts at conquering the mobile just got themselves a big old cabal-sized competitor.
AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile team up to transform your smartphone into a credit card originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
AmpliTube for iPad available, Yngwie Malmsteen en route to Apple Store
Continue reading AmpliTube for iPad available, Yngwie Malmsteen en route to Apple Store
AmpliTube for iPad available, Yngwie Malmsteen en route to Apple Store originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
Adobe FlashTime to bring peer-to-peer video calls to Android (video)
With tongue wedged firmly in cheek, Adobe has named its latest little bit of demo software FlashTime and given it a quick spin to whet our appetites. Built using the forthcoming Air 2.5, this peer-to-peer video chat client harnesses your smartphone’s camera to get some direct visual communication going with your fellow Android lovers. Okay, so Android users already have other options for doing just this very thing, but the point being made here is that you can do just about anything with Flash, and since it’s Flash it’ll be easy to port around to other platforms. Skip past the break to see the demo, which has a multipeer chat session with a desktop Mac thrown in for good measure.
[Thanks, Faheem]
Continue reading Adobe FlashTime to bring peer-to-peer video calls to Android (video)
Adobe FlashTime to bring peer-to-peer video calls to Android (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
Apple’s Magic Trackpad gets FCC approval?
We’re admittedly using our Jump To Conclusions Mat a little bit here, but we’re pretty sure Apple’s Magic Trackpad (or whatever they’ll end up calling it) just got FCC approval — and considering how tightly Apple usually manages its FCC dealings, this could mean it’ll be announced as early as this week. A device known only by its model number A1339 is the culprit here, described as a “Bluetooth Device” without any associated filings for WiFi or WWAN networks. The ultra-rough label location diagram is definitely the right shape for the accessory, and what’s interesting is that the test report was completed way back in October of 2009. Has Apple seriously been sitting on this thing for the better part of a year? Keep a close eye on the Apple Store for this one, folks.
Apple’s Magic Trackpad gets FCC approval? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
Coulomb gets in an Empire State of mind, switches on NYC’s first public EV charging station
Big Apple residents, get ready to rock the H to the O-V lane in your EV, because downtown recharging just got a little bit easier. Coulomb has dropped one of its ChargePoint stations in a parking lot near the Port Authority. It’s just the first of 100 hitting the city and 4,600 coming to other major metropolitan areas around the US by September of next year. And, unlike other NYC-based charging stations, you can use this one. Parking is even free for customers, amazingly, but you’ll need to sign up for an account to get access to that sweet 120 and 240V current. Even recharging won’t cost you a penny — but only for a month. After that the fees start. Sadly, even when saving the planet only the first one is free.
Coulomb gets in an Empire State of mind, switches on NYC’s first public EV charging station originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
AMD has record $1.65B second quarter, still loses a little money
First, the good news: AMD pulled in $1.65 billion in revenue — a record for the second quarter! Now, the bad news: the company still lost money. Just a (relatively) little bit, though, with a net loss of $43 million or $.06 per share. That’s five percent more revenue than the first quarter of 2010, and a massive 40 percent boost over the second quarter of 2009, in which it lost $330 million net. What changed? Sales of graphics hardware in particular, up eight percent over last quarter and a huge 87 percent from last year, driven by success of the Radeon HD 5000 series graphics cards. Likewise, sales of mobile processors were up 18 percent over last quarter. Net profitability? Keep this up, AMD, and it’s not far off.
AMD has record $1.65B second quarter, still loses a little money originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
Xbox 360 sales increase 88 percent in June, give it US console crown for the month
Proving once again that in this world it’s more important what you look like than what you do, the Xbox 360 has cruised to the title of best-selling console in June on the back of a sexy physical redesign. The latest numbers from NPD show that Microsoft shifted 451,700 units in the US, which ousts the Wii’s tally of 422,500 and comfortably dwarfs the PS3’s 304,800. Still, if Sony wants any consolation it need only look back to the results of its own console Slimmification last year — US sales were said to have tripled in the immediate aftermath of the new SKU’s release. So Microsoft might have a little bit of catching up to do yet, and let’s not forget that the king of all hardware sales remains the DS, which somehow managed to sell more than half a million devices in June, in spite of the whole world and its dog already owning one.
Xbox 360 sales increase 88 percent in June, give it US console crown for the month originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
Rex, the robotic exoskeleton, aims to make wheelchairs obsolete
New Zealand isn’t exactly known for being a hotbed of tech innovation, but this set of bionic legs might just realign that perception a little bit. The product of seven years of development work, the Rex exoskeleton is capable of supporting the full weight of a person — making it suitable for paraplegics — and moving him or her around in a familiar bipedal fashion. It’s operated using a joystick and control pad and is simple enough for handicapped users to self-transfer in and out of. The best news, perhaps, is that it’s about to go on sale in its home country this year, with an international launch following in 2011. The worst news? Probably the $150,000 (US) initial asking price, but then we’d hardly say we’re qualified to judge the value of being able to walk again. Video and full press release after the break.
[Thanks, Kurt and Simon]
Continue reading Rex, the robotic exoskeleton, aims to make wheelchairs obsolete
Rex, the robotic exoskeleton, aims to make wheelchairs obsolete originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/1025
Miley Cyrus-Robot lyrics (Full HQ Studio Version)
the pitch is a little bit different from the real version 
Jul/100
Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter cuts the cable, writes to memory cards
The act of scanning a photo generally entails something along the lines of placing the photo onto a device, loading some photo software, waiting while the scanner groans away, cropping the resulting image, and then shuffling the resulting bits off into a folder somewhere. Pandigital’s latest, the Personal Photo Scanner/Converter, helps to cut down on that process — a little bit, anyway. You can simply feed documents through it (up to 8.5 x 11 in size) and have them written straight to memory card (SD, Memory Stick, etc.) at 600dpi resolution, which could certainly speed up your workflow and let you run through reams of photos without lugging that dusty ‘ol album to your computer. (You can still connect it via miniUSB and do it the old fashioned way, if you like.) The one thing we’re not seeing in the specs is a battery, which would make this thing truly portable, but for $149.99 you can’t have everything. It is, at least, available now.
Update: We’ve updated the post to include a pic of the new model.
Continue reading Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter cuts the cable, writes to memory cards
Pandigital Personal Photo Scanner/Converter cuts the cable, writes to memory cards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jul/100
Sony thinks E Color is the new black, gives you a whole site’s worth to choose from
If your gear isn’t pushing the performance envelope, you typically have to resort to alternative means for attracting those precious customers. Sony’s newish VAIO E series is an exponent of just such a philosophy, with its lurid colorings and replaceable keyboard skins. The company’s decided to take things up a notch, however, by now offering a Color Combo site where we can combine the gnarliest hue mismatches this side of Colorware. The chromatic choices include the laptop’s case and keyboard as well as the additions of a wireless mouse and a reversible sleeve. Everything that isn’t bolted down to the computer will of course cost you extra, but will you really let a little bit of cash stand between you and that magenta dream machine?
Sony thinks E Color is the new black, gives you a whole site’s worth to choose from originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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