Alpha version of Intel's Moblin OS released for brave netbookers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/alpha-version-of-intels-moblin-os-released-for-brave-netbookers/

It's been nearly a year since we were first confused about what this whole Moblin thing was going to be, but now here it is released to the wild, roaming about in alpha form and looking to find a home for itself in your netbook. If you haven't been following along, Moblin is a custom flavor of Linux that Intel has been whipping up for installation on devices using its chips, particularly the Atom but Core 2 processors as well. It's based on Fedora and, as of this release, is confirmed to work on Acer's Aspire One and Dell's Mini, though Eee peeps can check it out too -- so long as they don't mind living without WiFi. Mind you, this is still a very early version and there's a ways to go before a final release, so feel free to sit this round out if you're not into the whole bleeding edge thing.

[Via Ars Technica]

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

Alpha version of Intel's Moblin OS released for brave netbookers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GigaPan Epic imager released, your party photos will never be the same

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/gigapan-epic-imager-released-your-party-photos-will-never-be-th/

You may have heard about that absolutely giant (1,474 megapixel) photo taken of the Inauguration using a Canon G10 and a GigaPan Imager. Well, today the company's launched the GigaPan Epic for commercial sale. It works with most point-and-shoots, and composes a single photograph from many (the inaugural photo was 220) shots. A robotic mount attached to the camera automates the process of taking all of those images, so you don't need to worry about missing any of the details. The GigaPan Epic is available now for $379, and a GigaPan Epic 100 for larger point-and-shoot models is expected "soon." Full PR after the break.

[Via Photography Blog]

Continue reading GigaPan Epic imager released, your party photos will never be the same

Filed under: Digital Cameras

GigaPan Epic imager released, your party photos will never be the same originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VAIO P spotted and unboxed in the American wild

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/vaio-p-spotted-and-unboxed-in-the-american-wild/

Sure, we were certainly rocking Sony's littlest VAIO in various locations across these United States, but the things have been taking their time in finding their way to the hands of our fellow gadget lovers. After finally starting shipping on Wednesday they're now starting to show up on the doorsteps of lucky folks around the country, with AdamW at HappyAssassin the first to give one the domestic unboxing treatment -- also performing a bonus little comparo with his friendly neighborhood Aspire One. Adam indicates that installing Linux is next on his to-do list, which sounds quite tasty to us.

Filed under: Laptops

VAIO P spotted and unboxed in the American wild originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's 4Gb chip promises 32GB DDR3 memory modules for PCs and laptops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/30/samsungs-4gb-chip-promises-32gb-ddr3-memory-modules-for-pcs-and/

Oh Samsung, you and your world's firsts. We like to tease but your latest breakthrough is truly notable: the world's first 4Gb (bit, not Byte) DDR3 DRAM PC memory chip based on relatively frugal 50-nm processes. Two things here: 1) the new chips consume 40% less power than previous DD3 memory modules, and 2) the chips pave the way for 32GB (Byte, not bit) DIMM modules. The first modules will come in capacities of 16GB (containing 32 of the new 4Gb chips) for servers, 8GB DDR3 DIMMs for desktops, and 8GB SO-DIMMs for laptops. When, is the question Samsung fails to answer. The question to you is this: you're not still buying full-spec'd DDR2-based laptops are you?

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Samsung's 4Gb chip promises 32GB DDR3 memory modules for PCs and laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Image of the Day: A Better Reality [Iotd]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jYcqXKXu0Cw/image-of-the-day-a-better-reality

This image by pyxelated on deviantart has been floating around for a little bit, but I think it captures one possible future scenario perfectly.

People walking around with headphones and MP3 players/cellphones already aurally isolate themselves from their surroundings, but if personal viewing glasses like the Myvu take off and get really immersive, will we find visual-tainment junkies in rooms like this? [Deviantart]

Gore-Tex's Evolution [Outdoors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ievfi9tWOhs/gore+texs-evolution

Gore-Tex is about to take another step forward in its dominance of artificial wet weather skin. Now, they can fuse together outer layers with foreign inner layers, to two great results.

Gore-Tex's most capable shell materials have always had to be stand alone, making them a little bit like wearing a crinkly sheet or garbage bag (without the sweat build up, of course). They're taking their 3 layer shells and bonding them to interesting inner liner materials in an extension of their "comfort mapping" tech. So, if the chest and back need insulated, they can attach a piece of fleece there; or padded armor on elbows and shoulders; or antimicrobial liners on armpits. The sub brand isn't new, but before, comfort mapping involved sewing, opening up the potential for unsightly seams and water leakage. Now they heat press the new layers in, so that there are no extra punctures in the outer layers, and things like pockets can be sewn now into the inner materials without causing punctures, either. The materials will be breathable, but not as breathable as the naked Gore-Tex layers we're used to now. But it would be nice to have a jacket while peeling off a few undergarments. (I'll take some pants with built in butt and knee padding, please.)

The other tech is called X-trafit. Most multi-layer gloves get some parts turned inside out when you take them off. Also, multi layer gore gloves have reduced mobility, grip and finger feel because of the slipping of each layer against another. X-trafit gloves fuse the inner and membrane together, while a grippy material between the inner liner and the outer shell makes the entire thing feel as if it's one piece of material. The only downside is that these gloves are not going to be as warm as those with many different components.

Dell Builds Prototype Android and Windows Mobile Phones, May Finally Sell Them [Dell]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7p72mgEvzRw/dell-builds-prototype-android-and-windows-mobile-phones-may-finally-sell-them

Stop me if you've heard this one: Dell might go into the smartphone business. OOOLLLDDD? But today the WSJ reports Dell's closer than ever, with prototypes built in two different styles and two competing platforms.

The two styles may seem familiar to you, as demonstrated by my totally fake images above. One, we'll call "iPhone," is described by the Wall Street Journal as "a touchscreen but no physical keyboard." The other, which we'll call "Pre," is a "slider-style phone with a keypad and that slides from beneath the screen." Dell is reportedly exploring both Windows Mobile and Android, and has both operating systems running on its prototypes. The WSJ cites those always helpful "people familiar with the matter," and says the formal move into the phone market could happen as early as February, perhaps just in time for the 3GSM global phone biz show in Barcelona on the 15th.

As I so subtly alluded, Dell has been in the smartphone business, or at least rumored to be, for some time. We heard about an impending smartphone in April 2007, then again in December 2007, solidifying last January before being quickly smashed down again.

Just two weeks ago, the rumors surfaced again, as analyst extraordin! aire Sha w Wu predicted Dell would do the Android secret handshake, publicly, at the upcoming 3GSM phone show in Barcelona. The Journal is confirming these rumors, with good reason. (Let's just hope the "people familiar with the matter" don't all turn out to be Shaw Wu wearing wigs and fake moustaches.)

As the Journal states, the most likely peg for this, and reason for the delay until now, is that Ron Garriques, former head of the cell business at Motorola, can finally build phones for Dell. He left the burning building in Schaumburg, IL for the greener pastures of Round Rock, TX under a noncompete clause that won't lift until...yep...next month. Garriques and his former Moto crony, John Thode—current head of netbooks and cheap PCs at Dell—are probably planning one heck of a comeback. If the combination of Dell and Motorola DNA doesn't render that completely impossible, that is. [WSJ]

Acer uncages AMD-powered Ferrari 1200 ultraportable

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/acer-uncages-amd-powered-ferrari-1200-ultraportable/

Wow, has it really been almost a year since Acer's Ferrari 1100 ultraportable was released from the garage? Believe it or not, the proper successor to the aforesaid machine is just now getting its inspection sticker, and it's apparently planning to hit the streets of Britain in the near future. The Ferrari 1200 arrives with an elegant LED-backlit 12.1-inch panel, a carbon fiber cover, a unique ventilation design that "echoes the exhaust pipes of F1 cars" and an "anodized-metal touchpad that resembles the brake and acceleration pedals of a Ferrari car." Corny? Sure, but it's good to know you aren't paying a premium for a logo and nothing more, right? At any rate, you'll also find a bundled BT wireless mouse, an optional Xpress VoIP phone, WiFi module, an AMD Turion X2 Ultra CPU, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a SATA HDD and a fingerprint reader for good measure. Mum's the word on pricing / availability, but we'd bank on "expensive" and "soon."

Filed under: Laptops

Acer uncages AMD-powered Ferrari 1200 ultraportable originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philips' 56-inch Cinema 21:9 HDTV gets showcased on video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/philips-56-inch-cinema-21-9-hdtv-gets-showcased-on-video/

Philips' groundbreaking Cinema 21:9 HDTV looked so curious when it launched a fortnight ago that we actually questioned its authenticity. Clearly, this beauty is for real. Pocket-lint was lucky enough to be on-hand for its unveiling in London, and it hosted up a nice video showing off the 56-inch beast in action. The black bars you've grown used to detesting were indeed gone, and while Philips wouldn't dole out any hard specifications, we are told that it boasts five HDMI sockets, a Spring release date and an estimated £3,000 ($4,276) price tag. Vid's after the break, per usual.

Continue reading Philips' 56-inch Cinema 21:9 HDTV gets showcased on video

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Philips' 56-inch Cinema 21:9 HDTV gets showcased on video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel said to be prepping eight-core Xeon for launch next month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/intel-said-to-be-prepping-eight-core-xeon-for-launch-next-month/

Nothing's official just yet, but Macworld is reporting that Intel will be rolling out an eight-core Xeon processor at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco next month, marking the company's first foray into octa-core processors, and paving the way for 16-core systems using two of the chips. Unfortunately, there aren't many more details than that, with the only other word being that it'll be a 16-thread processor, and be manufactured using a 45-nanometer process. As Macworld notes, however, it does seem likely that the processor in question is the Nehalem-EP seen on the roadmap above, which is based on the Tylersburg platform -- the first product of Intel's throw-a-dart-at-a-map naming scheme.

[Via 9 to 5 Mac]

Filed under: Desktops

Intel said to be prepping eight-core Xeon for launch next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer confirms plans for Linux, SSD-equipped 10-inch Aspire One netbooks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/acer-confirms-plans-for-linux-ssd-equipped-10-inch-aspire-one-n/

It wasn't making any promises on launch day, but Acer has reportedly now confirmed that it will indeed be offering both Linux and SSD options on its new 10-inch Aspire One netbook, though you won't be able to get either option right out of the gate. Expectedly, the Linux distribution on tap is Linpus Linux, and it looks like the only SSD option will be a 16GB drive -- no word on pricing for either, unfortunatly. There's also no firm word on a released date, though it'll apparently be some time after the mid-February roll out of the Windows XP-equipped model.

Filed under: Laptops

Acer confirms plans for Linux, SSD-equipped 10-inch Aspire One netbooks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey Sony, where's the 1.86GHz VAIO P for America?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/hey-sony-wheres-the-1-86ghz-vaio-p-for-america/

We already asked this question with "1.6GHz" in place of "1.86GHz," but seriously Sony, is there some sort of weird embargo on high-speed chips to America that we aren't aware of? While we Yanks have exactly one CPU option for the newly released VAIO P (that'd be the 1.3GHz Atom), those in Japan can order up the VGN-P90S with a 1.86GHz Atom Z540 processor. Of course, it's a ¥15,800 ($174) option over the baseline Z520, but an option nonetheless.

[Thanks, Erica]

Read - Sony's VGN-P90S page
Read - Order page

Filed under: Laptops

Hey Sony, where's the 1.86GHz VAIO P for America? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix Testing Saturday Shipping [NetFlix]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3eikr04Zqw8/netflix-testing-saturday-shipping

If you've been a Netflix customer, you know it can be a little frustrating to send back a disc Thursday/Friday only to wait until Monday for the replacement to ship. That's going to change.

The company is going to begin testing Saturday processing so that late week returns don't hose customers. (Good news for us, bad news for Netflix employees who like their weekends.) It's unclear as to how many of Netflix's 60 shipping centers will participate, but of course, it'll be a wash once the US Postal Service cuts down their delivery week to five days anyway. [Hacking Netflix via Zatz Not Funny]

Once the Ultimate Sign of Universal Mastery, Private Jets Are Now Totally Uncool [Financiapocalpyse]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iIChhCbPLmA/once-the-ultimate-sign-of-universal-mastery-private-jets-are-now-totally-uncool

Now is a really good time to pick up a second-hand Gulfstream. Why? In our bailout-ridden times, a private jet has become as stigmatic as those knockoff L.A. Lights you had on the playground.

Seasoned in their coverage of the many laments of being rich, the NYTimes talked to many current and former jet owners about what's happening. It's pretty much a given now that if you're taking bailout cash (and these days, who isn't?), the jets have to go. Making now totally the time to buy!

"A year ago, there would be 30 people looking for one airplane," said Jay Mesinger, a corporate jet broker, who said that prices had fallen 30 to 40 percent since late 2007. "Today there are 30 airplanes looking for one buyer."

Aside from the U.S. becoming one giant used jet lot for the young emirs and oligarchs of the world, something tells me that the hip-hop community will raise up and do its part to keep the Gulfstreams of the world in solvency. They've never really had a problem with blatant displays of excess, have they? [NYTimes]

BlackBerry Storm Is Pricier to Build Than iPhone 3G [Blackberry Storm]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/JFbeLhegY9k/blackberry-storm-is-pricier-to-build-than-iphone-3g

The Storm's wunderkind network chip, which plays on CDMA and GSM networks, and fancier 3.2MP camera is why it costs $203 to build, about $30 more than the iPhone 3G. [BW]

Grand HD Cinema Converts USB to HDMI [Hdmi]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/D7k3T2fVT9Q/grand-hd-cinema-converts-usb-to-hdmi

Before the Grand HD Cinema, I honestly didn't know that a USB to HDMI converter was possible. (Though in truth, it's still really only half possible.)

The Grand HD Cinema does indeed take USB video (along with audio) and upconvert the stream to a 720p HDMI signal that can drive six different HDMI devices. As a means to get clips from PMPs to TVs it certainly makes a lot of sense.

But what you'd consider an impossibly calculation-intensive process really is. The converter requires an XP or Vista rig with a 2.4GHz (or better) processor. So while the Grand HD Cinema is still a pretty interesting device, it's by no means some convenient little adapter that will play your iPod on your HDTV.

The Grand HD Cinema is available for $140 imported from Japan. [Lancerlink via Crunchgear]

New $3 Light Bulb 12 Times More Efficient, Lasts 60 Years [Led]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3C4TlApluNA/new-3-light-bulb-12-times-more-efficient-lasts-60-years

Cambridge University researchers have developed a $3 LED-based lightbulb that is 12 times more efficient than regular tungsten light bulbs, three times more than low energy ones. It lights up instantly, lasting for 100,000 hours,

The cheap lightbulb could cost the energy bill in any house by as much as three quarters. In fact, if everyone replaced their current light bulbs, the proportion of lighting in electricity consumption would go down from 20 to 5 percent worldwide.

They also avoid using any toxic materials, like lead: The new LEDs use gallium nitride, which until now was too expensive to obtain because it had to be grown on sapphire wafers, which brought the cost of the lightbulbs to $28 each.

The new method, developed by Cambridge University-based Centre for Gallium Nitride, uses silicon wafers, bringing the cost down to $3 each. And if you think this is a thing of the future, think again: Prototypes are already being produced and the light bulbs may reach the market in a mere two years. [Daily Mail]

Google launches Measurement Lab to monitor the tubes, expose meddling

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/google-launches-measurement-lab-to-monitor-the-tubes-expose-med/

There's not exactly a lack of internet measurement tools out there, but there's none quite as ambitious as the new Measurement Lab (or M-Lab) just launched by Google, along with a little help from the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute and the PlanetLab Consortium. While it's apparently just now getting up to speed, the tool will eventually let individuals and researchers of all sorts poke and prod the internet to their heart's content, measuring performance, and exposing attempts by telecoms to meddle with network traffic and clamp down on things like BitTorrent or Skype. Those efforts will be facilitated by 36 servers in 12 locations across the U.S. and Europe that Google will be opening up early this year, and all data collected using M-Lab will be made publicly available for other researchers to expand upon. Complete details are available at the link below, although Google seems to be having some bandwidth troubles of its own with the M-Lab site at the moment.

[Via InformationWeek]

Filed under: Networking

Google launches Measurement Lab to monitor the tubes, expose meddling originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer uncages AMD-powered Ferrari 1200 ultraportable

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/acer-uncages-amd-powered-ferrari-1200-ultraportable/

Wow, has it really been almost a year since Acer's Ferrari 1100 ultraportable was released from the garage? Believe it or not, the proper successor to the aforesaid machine is just now getting its inspection sticker, and it's apparently planning to hit the streets of Britain in the near future. The Ferrari 1200 arrives with an elegant LED-backlit 12.1-inch panel, a carbon fiber cover, a unique ventilation design that "echoes the exhaust pipes of F1 cars" and an "anodized-metal touchpad that resembles the brake and acceleration pedals of a Ferrari car." Corny? Sure, but it's good to know you aren't paying a premium for a logo and nothing more, right? At any rate, you'll also find a bundled BT wireless mouse, an optional Xpress VoIP phone, WiFi module, an AMD Turion X2 Ultra CPU, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a SATA HDD and a fingerprint reader for good measure. Mum's the word on pricing / availability, but we'd bank on "expensive" and "soon."

Filed under: Laptops

Acer uncages AMD-powered Ferrari 1200 ultraportable originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Propel Pro in the wild, caught on camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/samsung-propel-pro-in-the-wild-caught-on-camera/

More spy shots from the net, eh? This latest set shows what's purported to be the Propel Pro, an update to Samsung's QWERTY that launched last October. There's a more streamlined interface under the screen, including a new optical joystick that according to Boy Genius Report's source is "worthless." The Windows Mobile 6.1 device also sports 3G and a camera of unknown quality, although we expect to at least match its 1.3-megapixel predecessor. Mum's the word on price and availability.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Samsung Propel Pro in the wild, caught on camera originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Talent unloads 32GB / 64GB SSDs for ASUS Eee PC S101

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/super-talent-unloads-32gb-64gb-ssds-for-asus-eee-pc-s101/

If your prior budget forced you to select an ASUS Eee PC S101 with just 16GB of succulent SSD storage space, Super Talent has the cure. The outfit has just introduced three new solid state drives made specifically for the aforementioned netbook, all of which tout 90 MB/sec maximum sequential read speeds and up to 55 MB/sec write speeds. You can select from the FPM16RSE (16GB), FPM32RSE (32GB) or the FPM64RSE (64GB), though you'll have to guess on the prices of the first two. As for the big daddy? It'll run right around $169.

[Via HotHardware]

Filed under: Laptops, Storage

Super Talent unloads 32GB / 64GB SSDs for ASUS Eee PC S101 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras rumored for soonish release

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/two-olympus-micro-four-thirds-cameras-rumored-for-soonish-releas/

Usually, we'd just brush something such as this off and carry on about our day, but there are just too many stars aligning to ignore this one. Given that Olympus pledged its allegiance to Micro Four Thirds early on -- not to mention that we've already seen proof of prototypes -- we're really, really tempted to believe the latest rumors from Russia. As the story goes, Olympus is gearing up to launch a pair of MFT cameras, likely named the M-1 and M-100. Both units are apt to be about the size of a bulky point-and-shoot, with the former boasting a 3.2-inch LCD monitor and HD video capture. Oh, and did we mention that PMA is just over a month away? Sounds like a perfect spot to launch this duo into the mainstream.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Two Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras rumored for soonish release originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba readies three 1080p Camileo camcorders for Europe

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/toshiba-readies-three-1080p-camileo-camcorders-for-europe/

We can't say with any level of certainty why Toshiba chose to announce its new Camileo after CES and before CeBIT, but whatever the reason, we're sure it's a good one. Introduced today over in Germany are three new camcorders, all of which boast simple controls for the technologically challenged and easy uploading to YouTube. The whole lot captures in gorgeous 1080p, and they all feature a handy HDMI output for showing off clips as soon as you snag them. The higher-end Camileo P30 arrives with 128MB of internal storage, an SD card slot, a 3-inch LCD monitor and a 5x optical zoom; the H20 steps down to a 2.5-inch display, while the S10 remains mostly mysterious. As for the bits that matter most, the S10 and P30 will be available early next month for €149 ($197) / €199 ($263), respectively, while the H20 can be snapped up now for €249 ($329).

[Via Stuff]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Toshiba readies three 1080p Camileo camcorders for Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Days to 1 million: the smartphone wars

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/days-to-1-million-the-smartphone-wars/

In a fit of editorial sobriety, reader Noel just sent us this handy "1 million devices sold" graphic above. The image demonstrates the speed (in terms of days) at which each competing handset achieved the magic milestone. What it leaves out is the footprint at launch which of course, affects the total population able to purchase the device. For example, the iPhone 3G launched in 21 countries simultaneously whereas the G1 launched in the US only. It's also worth noting that the precision reflects that of the announcements made. For example, VZW announced that the Storm hit 1M "through January" which could be interpreted as January 31st or January 27th, the day of the announcement -- and that's just US sales. Still, the table is a valuable tool for the fanboy braggarts and budding marketeers amongst you. Data after the break.

[Thanks, Noel F.]

Continue reading Days to 1 million: the smartphone wars

Filed under: Cellphones

Days to 1 million: the smartphone wars originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung NC20 sees foreign review, universal appreciation

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/samsung-nc20-sees-foreign-review-universal-appreciation/

According to a remarkably lengthy review penned in Russian, the NC20 is a real stunner. Somehow, Samsung managed to stuff six hours of battery life into a machine with a 12.1-inch display, which ought to please anyone truly looking for ideal netbook functionality. Of course, it didn't fare so well under intense gaming pressure, and even the art of multitasking with three or more applications seemed to bog it down. That said, we are talking about a netbook (and not an ultraportable), and its ability to handle HD video was rather impressive in its own right. So far as we can tell, reviewers were pretty pleased with the overall package given the relatively low anticipated price (we're hearing $500 or so for the US market), but you can draw your own conclusions by giving the read link a visit.

[Via Slashgear, thanks Brian]

Filed under: Laptops

Samsung NC20 sees foreign review, universal appreciation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot Tour: Taking Android's "Cupcake" 1.5 Update For An Early Spin [Android]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/IpmtjZBeOGA/screenshot-tour-taking-androids-cupcake-15-update-for-an-early-spin

If you want to see what's next for Android in "Cupcake"—including that delicious on-screen keypad—you can grab the SDK and root around yourself before T-Mo pushes it to your G1. Or, check our gallery.

We've known how this Cupcake tastes for a few days now, and we're still most excited about the soft keypad, of course, which will come in handy in the many situations where you don't want to flip open the G1 just to type a few letters. There are also a few mysterious new apps, some of which look like dev tools but may be polished for eventual release, as well as hints of haptic feedback for the keyboard and a few more tidbits. Check out our captioned gallery for a tour:

My number one wish, though, would have to be improved battery life via smarter data connection management. The G1's hardware battery may be partly to blame, but one of the reasons the G1 usually can't make it through a whole day without re-juicing is that the data connection is constantly active for email and contacts sync as well as push updates and whatever else you may be doing. Sure you can turn most of the automatic data syncs off, but that kind of defeats the purpose of the phone. Hopefully cupcake will fix some of this.

If you want to load Cupcake on your computer via the Android SDK, grab the SDK here. Then, follow the instructions laid out by the folks at Nullwire (very easy) to replace your system image files with the new 1.5 Cupcake versions, then simply run the "emulator" app (a UNIX executable on OS X and Linux, and an .exe in Windows) inside the SDK's "tools" directory and you're in business. [Nullwire]

Datto's Box2Box Is Easy But Expensive Peer to Peer Offsite Backup [Offsite Backup]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/14Pqwu9OlN0/dattos-box2box-is-easy-but-expensive-peer-to-peer-offsite-backup

Offsite backup is the way to go if you want your data to survive a fire, but it usually requires costly monthly subscription fees and bandwidth usage. Datto's Box2Box does not.

Datto's previous boxes consisted of an on-site (in your home/office) NAS that uploads its contents onto a server for safekeeping. This Box2Box consists of two boxes, one at your place and one at your friend's, that synchronizes between each other. This way there's no subscription fee for online storage, but you still have to transfer the files between the two boxes—a time-intensive task the first time you do it over a cable modem connection.

Although there's no subscription fee, you still have to pay for the box itself, and prices are quite high.

Two 250GB boxes come at $620, two 500GB are $660 and two 1TB are $850. If you're somewhat familiar with Linux, you could build a cheap homebrew version yourself, but for small businesses that don't have much of an IT staff, it's not a bad choice. [Datto]

Video: Samsung Show W7900 projector phone gets specced, demoed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/video-samsung-show-w7900-projector-phone-gets-specced-demoed/

Samsung's Show (formally known as the W7900) made a brief but resonating appearance at CES this year, and now, the lucky kids over at PopSci have managed to acquire a few more juicy specifications as well as a few moments of coveted hands-on time. The forthcoming projector phone, which is apt to land in South Korea first, includes a 3.2-inch OLED display (400 x 240 resolution), quad-band GSM connectivity, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, a five megapixel camera, support for video calling and the obligatory ten lumen projector that shoots 480 x 320 images out at up to 50 inches. The entire device measures in at 4.4- x 2.2- x 0.7-inches, and it actually doesn't emit a half bad image when the lights are all down. Have a look for yourself just after the break.

Continue reading Video: Samsung Show W7900 projector phone gets specced, demoed

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays

Video: Samsung Show W7900 projector phone gets specced, demoed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 in tri-SLI reviewed: great performance, not so great price tag

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/nvidia-geforce-gtx-285-in-tri-sli-reviewed-great-performance-n/

The last time we talked about the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285, it was being hailed as the fastest single-GPU graphics cards on the market. The gang at TweakTown decided to take it two steps further and linked up a trio of them to test. So how synergistic is the tri-SLI set up? Probably not enough to pay well over a grand for everything. Aside from price, you're also gonna need a overclocked / top-of-the-line CPU to enjoy the triplets, and expect enough heat emanating from your rig to melt Alaska. If you've got the many Benjamins lying around and are looking for some serious performance, hit up the read link for a more thorough analysis.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 in tri-SLI reviewed: great performance, not so great price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baby steps: new solar cell efficiency record isn't awe-inspiring

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/baby-steps-new-solar-cell-efficiency-record-isnt-awe-inspiring/

Granted, we've no idea what it takes to really push the efficiency level of a solar cell, but we're getting pretty bored with these incremental improvements year after year. If you'll recall, the record for solar cell efficiency sat at 40.7 percent in 2006, and that was raised to an amazing 40.8 percent last August. Today, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems have announced an all new milestone: 41.1 percent efficiency. According to team head Frank Dimroth, the crew is simply "elated by this breakthrough." Meanwhile, the rest of planet Earth is suddenly depressed by the thought of perishing from old age before this data point ever breaks the big five-oh.

[Via Gizmag]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Baby steps: new solar cell efficiency record isn't awe-inspiring originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's 250GB Apex SSD reviewed, recommended

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/oczs-250gb-apex-ssd-reviewed-recommended/

We know what you're thinking -- "great, another SSD." Right though you may be, OCZ's Apex line is rather unique. It manages to combine the low cost of MLC technology with the high performance more commonly associated with SLC designs by instituting a dual-controller RAID-0 configuration. The 250GB version that was tested by PC Perspective managed to hold its own, and while it still didn't wow critics the way Intel's X25-M did, it seemed to notch a very solid second place. In fact, they couldn't help but recommend it (and the much, much cheaper 120GB sibling) for those scouting a speedy upgrade without completely decimating the bank account. We couldn't possibly run down the results from the litany of benchmarks this thing endured, so we'll just point you to the read link and suggest you slice out a solid half hour to really look this over.

Filed under: Storage

OCZ's 250GB Apex SSD reviewed, recommended originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic reveals new LUMIX bounty prior to PMA

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/panasonic-reveals-new-lumix-bounty-prior-to-pma/

Ah, the sweet smell of PMA. While the camera-filled trade show is still over a month away, Panasonic's not wasting any time in outing its new LUMIX lineup -- which we already saw with Euro model names earlier today. Up first is the ZS-series, which contains the 10.1 megapixel DMC-ZS3 ($399.95) and DMC-ZS1 ($299.95), both of which boast a 25mm ultra-wide angle lens and a 12x optical zoom. The ZS3 is marked as the planet's first digicam to feature HD video recording in AVCHD Lite (a subset of AVCHD restricted to 720p, yuck), and the twin CPU Venus Engine HD provides the power to handle it. Next is the DMC-FX580 ($399.95), a compact 12.1 megapixel shooter with a 5x optical zoom and a swank touchscreen on the rear. For the argonauts in attendance, there's the DMC-TS1 ($399.95), a rough and rugged 12.1 megapixeler with AVCHD Lite capturing abilities (guess it's numero dos?), a 4.6x optical zoom and a waterproof / shockproof chassis. Every last one will be available in April, and you can fill your mind with more knowledge on each in the read links below.

Read - ZS-Series (DMC-ZS3 and DMC-ZS1)
Read - DMC-FX580
Read - DMC-TS1

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Panasonic reveals new LUMIX bounty prior to PMA originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lightning Review: Autonet 3G In-Car Wi-Fi Router [Automotive]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ofcYMBb__Ds/lightning-review-autonet-3g-in+car-wi+fi-router

The Gadget: Autonet's in-car wi-fi router is the first to partner up with a major American car maker (Chrysler). It connects to EV-DO towers and lets you surf the internet without a USB dongle.

The Price: $500 (includes installation), plus $30/month for service (1 GB cap)

The Verdict: According to Autonet, the appeal to their service is that you're not limited to any single carrier's cell towers for a signal. Instead, they work as a middleman and allow you to connect to towers owned by Sprint, Verizon and Alltel. Their service is designed to seamlessly hop between towers and connect to the one offering the fastest speeds. Autonet says they also track fully your usage sessions, and as a result, will already have a solid idea of what the problem is if you call for support.

The device itself is about the same shape and size as Linksys' classic WRT54 router, except a bit slimmer and wider. It's intended to be bolted to the floor and connected to a car battery, though the freestanding model I tested came with adapters for the cigarette lighter and home outlets. There's also a mystery serial port, but none of the documentation makes any reference to it.

In areas with good EV-DO coverage, the router works pretty well. Once it's turned on an running, you connect to it like any WEP wi-fi network, and proceeds as expected. The router setup menu is pretty straightforward, allowing you to configure SSIDs, WEP keys, MAC filters, and a handful of radio/transmission settings.

Going back and forth between San Francisco and Fremont, I found speeds to be about ! what you 'd expect from an EV-DO connection. Fast enough to browse standard web pages with ease, and satisfactory enough to stream media, such as music and flash videos. But it will not magically conjure up a signal in areas where EV-DO isn't so prevalent, so you should definitely check EVDOmaps to make sure you live or travel in an area with good service.

Occasionally (about every 10-15 minutes), there would be a 5 second hiccup in service, presumably while the connection hopped to another tower. It generally wasn't a big deal, but it did interrupt my Pandora stream, which was going from my iPod touch connected to a car stereo,

Users have complained about Autonet's lack of features for power users, such as no WPA encryption and port forwarding. Not having WPA encryption is totally valid to bitch about, and I was surprised it wasn't at least an option. As far as port forwarding options go, I don't think this router is intended for that type of crowd and I don't think it's that kind of device.

This is really meant for you to be able to check email, look up a map, get the latest news, and maybe download a few songs. And seeing as Autonet is going for the minivan/car rental market, I think simplicity was a goal when determining what functionality it would have. I don't think you're supposed to be playing WoW or downloading 20 torrents with the router. And with a 1GB cap, which stops service after you exceed the limit, it would be hard to do that anyways.

The bottom line is this: I think soccer moms and road warriors alike will glean some value from the device, which will help appease bratty kids or feelings of disconnectedness while on the road. But at $500 plus $30/month, this is not really for someone who plans to use it in a casual manner, or would like to use it more places than the car. If you prefer portability, you may want to look at the Cradlepoint router, but then you still need the USB 3G dongle and you don't have the freedom to switch between carrier towers.

Netflix profit up 45% in Q4, nears 10 million total subscribers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/26/netflix-profit-up-45-in-q4-nears-10-million-total-subscribers/

Analysts were already anticipating a killer Q4 for Netflix, and unlike practically every other company on the face of the planet, it delivered. The movie rental firm somehow managed to see net income rise to $22.7 million in the quarter, up from $15.7 million in Q4 2007. Revenue was also up by 19 percent, and subscriber growth was pegged at an amazing 26 percent. All told, the firm ended the quarter with 9.4 million subscribers, decimating its own forecast of ending Q4 with 9.15 million customers. Of course, some (Netflix included) are quick to assert that the recession has actually boosted business, with many consumers opting to stay home and rent versus taking the family out for a pricey night at the cinema. Netflix is now projecting to end 2009 with anywhere between 10.6 million to 11.3 million customers, and given all the hardware deals it keeps landing, we don't see a reason why it won't get there. Way to buck the trend, Netflix -- we needed some bright news today.

[Via AP]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

N! etflix p rofit up 45% in Q4, nears 10 million total subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Emo Labs concocts its own invisible speaker technology

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/emo-labs-concocts-its-own-invisible-speaker-technology/

Emo Labs didn't stir up too much commotion while CES was going on, but apparently it did have a tiny presence in Vegas. The crew at Technologizer was able to listen to a sneak preview of the startup's Edge Motion technology, and if the demo is indicative of the end result, we could be onto something special. Much like NXT's SoundVu tech that seemed to fizzle out about as quickly as it hit the scene in 2005, this system creates a so-called invisible speaker by "using arrays of motors to wiggle the edges of a clear membrane." Gurus at the company are hoping to have it integrated into panels of TVs by the end of this year, though it'll be a bit longer before the same can happen on space-constrained laptops.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Emo Labs concocts its own invisible speaker technology originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shelby's amazing Aero EV: 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds, 10 minute recharge

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/shelbys-amazing-aero-ev-0-to-60-in-2-5-seconds-10-minute-rech/

Man juices in a boil? No shame, that's Shelby Super Cars' Aero EV in pursuit of the "world's fastest production electric car" title. SSC just came clean with the details behind its All-Electric Scalable Powertrain (AESP) producing 1,000 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque that rips the Aero EV through 0 to 60 in just 2.5 seconds at a 208mph top speed. Compare that to the Tesla Roadster's 0-60 in 3.9 seconds (or 3.7 for the 2009 sport model) and you'll understand all the hubbub, bub. Better yet, the 150-220 mile battery can be refilled in just 10 minutes (Tesla takes 3.5 hours) from a 220V service thanks to what SSC calls its "Charge on the Run" onboard charging system -- something that nearly eliminates (or at least minimizes) the need for a battery swapping infrastructure. The first full-scale, pre-production Ultimate Aero EV should be on the streets before June with production deliveries expected in the fourth quarter. Now we just need a price.

Gallery: Shelby's amazing Aero EV: 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds, 10 minute recharge

[Via inhabitat]

Shelby's amazing Aero EV: 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds, 10 minute recharge originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Western Digital's 2TB Caviar Green hard drive launches, gets previewed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/western-digitals-2tb-caviar-green-hard-drive-launches-gets-pre/

There's no veil of secrecy covering this one, but Western Digital has finally come clean with the industry's first 2TB internal hard drive. Launched today in the USA, the planet's highest capacity single HDD -- otherwise known as the 2TB Caviar Green ($299; available now) -- sits on a 3.5-inch platform, includes 32MB of cache and is based around WD's 500GB per platter technology (with 400Gb/in2 areal density). HotHardware was able to take a sneak peek at this here device (a pre-engineering sample, as it were), and was gracious enough to host up some juicy benchmark results for those eager to see how this capacious beast performed. Against the formidable Spinpoint F1 (Samsung) and Barracuda 7200.11 (Seagate), the WD managed to hold its own, which is saying a lot for a drive of this magnitude. Check the full release after the break.

Continue reading Western Digital's 2TB Caviar Green hard drive launches, gets previewed

Filed under: Storage

Western Digital's 2TB Caviar Green hard drive launches, gets previewed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP's six-cell battery for Mini 1000 offers twice the battery life, a fraction of the value

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/27/hps-six-cell-battery-for-mini-1000-offers-twice-the-battery-lif/

Mr. Blurrycam never lies, so when he caught sight of a six-cell battery for HP's Mini 1000 we knew one would be coming soon. Sure enough, three weeks later it's up for sale on HP's site selling for a bargain (gulp) price of $153.90. That's almost half the cost of an entire machine (which currently start at $350) and as of now you can't pay the difference to upgrade from the stock three-cell when customizing a new netbook. That's an awful lot of bank for twice the battery life, but don't let us rain on your parade if you're looking to do your part to help the economy.

Filed under: Laptops

HP's six-cell battery for Mini 1000 offers twice the battery life, a fraction of the value originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atom-powered MSI WindBOX nearly ready to ride your LCD

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/26/atom-powered-msi-windbox-nearly-ready-to-ride-your-lcd/

Finally, a nettop we can really support. Rather than forcing consumers to deal with yet another underpowered box on their desk, MSI is enabling Earthlings to totally conceal said underpowered box so long as they have an LCD monitor with a VESA-compatible mount. The WindBOX, which actually broke cover back in November, is now completely official, and within the slim slab will be a 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel's GMA 950 graphics set, 802.11b/g WiFi, audio in / out, three USB 2.0 sockets, a VGA port and a 3-in-1 multicard reader for good measure. There's no mention of a price, but it should start filtering out later this quarter. Better tell your LCD to start working out, don't you think?

Filed under: Desktops

Atom-powered MSI WindBOX nearly ready to ride your LCD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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