Enso whips up two smartphones and three new slates, but we wouldn't order any of 'em

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/31/enso-whips-up-two-smartphones-and-three-new-slates-but-we-would/

Oh, Enso -- must you really give us a reason to hope? After dealing with what felt like a case of the vaporwares, and then being epically disappointed with the zenPad (which is now out of stock, curiously) that you finally shipped, we just can't muster up the courage to look fondly upon the five new products that are gracing your webstore. That said, those that don't mind risk taking and actually enjoy the thought of fighting for a refund have three new MIDs / slates to ponder along with a pair of Android-based smartphones to consider. Let's break 'em down real quick, shall we?

• zenPad 2 ($219; shipping now): Here you have a 5-inch, Android 1.5-based MID with an 800 x 480 resolution resistive touchscreen, a bundled stylus, inbuilt 3G, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, microSD slot (8GB included), 128MB of RAM, 256MB NAND Flash, a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 Xscale CPU, integrated accelerometer, onboard GPS, micro-USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack and a battery good for 4.5 hours of use. We're told that an Android 2.1 update is "imminent," but we believe that about as much as we believe BP's promise to "make it right."
• zenPad 3 ($249; pre-order): This here tablet boasts the exact same specifications as the zenPad 2 (right down to the battery life and resolution), but it rocks a 7-inch design that'll aid those who can't squint hard enough to see fonts on the 5-inch sibling.
• zenPad 4 ($199; shipping now): We hate to state the obvious, but this is quite obviously an iPad KIRF -- right down to the Home button. You'll find a 10.2-inch resistive touchpanel with a 1,024 x 600 resolution (one that Enso swears up and down "has a fast response and works very well"), along with Android 2.1, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, 256MB of RAM, 2GB of storage, a microSD slot (8GB included), a 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, built-in accelerometer and a 2,400mAh battery that's good for 5 to 7 hours of life.
• zenPhone ($349; shipping now): So... it looks like a Nexus One KIRF, it's called a zenPhone, yet it says it's a MID. Oh, and it's not this ZenPhone. Whatever the case, it's got a 4.3-inch resistive touchscreen (800 x 480), 3G HSDPA radio, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, 256MB of NAND Flash, a microSD slot (8GB included), a 3.2 megapixel rear camera, 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, a 2,600mAh battery, onboard GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and -- wait for it -- Maemo 5 running the show. Yeah, seriously.
• zenDroid ($319; pre-order): In the market for a Droid KIRF, are you? You've come to the right place, with this one offering a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen (800 x 480), 3G HSDPA, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, an FM radio tuner, Android 2.1 ("upgradable to 2.2," we're told), a microSD slot (8GB bundled in), 512MB of NAND Flash, a 624MHz Marvell PXA935 processor, 5 megapixel rear camera, 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, a 1,500mAh battery, onboard GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and a micro-USB connector.

[Thanks, Neil]

Gallery: Enso zenDroid, zenPhone, zenPad 2, zenPad 3 and zenPad 4

Enso whips up two smartphones and three new slates, but we wouldn't order any of 'em originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ATI overtakes NVIDIA in discrete GPU shipments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/30/ati-overtakes-nvidia-in-discrete-gpu-shipments/

You'd think with ATI having the performance, value and power efficiency lead for so long -- at least since the Radeon HD 4000 series -- NVIDIA would be in all kinds of trouble, but it's only now that AMD's graphics division has finally taken the lead in quarterly shipments. This is according to Mercury Research, whose analysts place the split at 51 to 49 percent in favor of ATI -- still a tightly contested thing, but it compares very favorably to the Red Team's 41% share in the same quarter last year. This data is concerned with discrete GPU shipments only (laptops included), whereas on the integrated front Intel continues to reign supreme with 54 percent of the market shipping its cheap and cheerful IGP units. ATI has made forward strides there as well, however, with 24.5% ranking ahead of NVIDIA's 19.8%. If Apple shifting its iMac and Mac Pro lines away from the Green livery wasn't enough, perhaps these numbers will finally start ringing some alarm bells over at NV HQ.

[Thanks, Zubayer]

ATI overtakes NVIDIA in discrete GPU shipments originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: HTC rolling out Android 2.2, 720p video, iTunes sync to unlocked Euro Desires this weekend

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/30/official-htc-rolling-out-android-2-2-and-720p-video-capture-to/

We've just heard directly from HTC regarding that hotly anticipated upgrade to Android 2.2: it's happening this weekend for lucky Euroland owners of the Desire. Provided your Sense-laden 3.7-incher is not carrier-locked, you should be receiving your serving of Froyo by the end of the week, together with a new 720p video mode and iTunes sync for your music. HTC is also throwing in its App Share widget that it first introduced with the Wildfire, along with its smart Caller ID feature. Very nice, though it's quite a shame that operator-specific versions of the update are still stuck in testing and are expected "in several weeks' time." Ah well, guess that'll teach us to buy our gear unlocked.

Continue reading Official: HTC rolling out Android 2.2, 720p video, iTunes sync to unlocked Euro Desires this weekend

Official: HTC rolling out Android 2.2, 720p video, iTunes sync to unlocked Euro Desires this weekend originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Magic Trackpad: The Beginning of the End for Mac OS X [Apple]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5598828/apple-magic-trackpad-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-mac-os-x

The $69 Apple Magic Trackpad is nothing new. The Wacom Bamboo Touch has offered the same multi-touch functionality for almost a year. Its true relevance is in what it heralds: The end of Mac OS X as we know it.

You are probably thinking that I'm crazy, but before explaining why this is the beginning of the end of Apple's desktop operating system as we know it, here's the review:

The Apple Magic Trackpad review

The Apple Magic Trackpad is nice. It's not magical, and it won't convince laptop users looking for a desktop trackpad. But it will work as a mouse replacement for desktop users who are looking for a more comfortable alternative with multitouch support.

Installation is easy. After running the software—which you will have to download from Apple's support servers—and turning it on, the aluminum slab comes alive, a green light blinking through its metal surface as it connects to your computer via Bluetooth. All in a few seconds.

It's also easy to use and learn. In fact, if you have used a MacBook Pro or any laptop with a trackpad before this, there are not many secrets to discover. It's just a larger trackpad—5.11 x 4.33 inches vs the 4 x 3 inches of the latest MacBook Pro 15—that supports multitouch, with two, three and four finger gestures. That means that you can, for example, move two fingers to pan around a large picture or web page. Or drag four fingers down to bring up Exposé, my favorite gesture.

Also like the MacBook, it "clicks" when you click—an effect achieved thanks to its little bottom feet—and the gesture behaviors can be customized using the trackpad preference panel:

The Magic Trackpad is comfortable, but not if you are looking for the laptop experience. Comfort is perhaps its most important advantage in relation to the mouse. It felt better and more natural after a day of intense use. This is caused by two factors: One, you can put it in any position you want next to the keyboard; two, the surface is at a small angle in relation to the table.

However, that's its Achilles' Heel for people who wanted to place it below the keyboard, like in a notebook computer. There's a big advantage on this position: In a laptop, the trackpad is extremely easy and fast to access, requiring to sightly move the thumb or the hand. But this is not possible with the Magic Trackpad: If you try to put it below the keyboard, its height makes typing impossibly uncomfortable. Perhaps this may be possible with taller keyboards, but not with the low profile Apple keyboard.

But if you use on the side of the keyboard, the Apple Magic Trackpad feels natural and precise. It has quickly replaced my mouse with almost zero learning curve. For $69, however, its price may be too high to replace your current mouse. If you were looking to buy an expensive mouse—and you are not a gamer—it is certainly a possibility. Or perhaps you want to get the $49 Wacom Bamboo Touch instead, which is a little bit smaller (4.92 x 3.35 inches) and connects via USB, but supports the same multitouch gestures and includes some programmable side buttons (and for $30 more, Wacom has a pressure pen and multitouch Bamboo).

Verdict

If you don't mind the Apple's styling price premium over Wacom's plastic black slate, and don't care about where your trackpad is located, you will be happy with this one. But if you are looking for the laptop experience on your desktop computer, pass.

Precise and comfortable for use on the side

Good aesthetic design

Not useful for fast laptop-style use

Expensive

The beginning of the metamorphosis

So if Apple's Magic Trackpad is not really that good, why would does it mean the beginning of the end of Mac OS X as we know it? Because this is Steve and Co. way of telling us that the future is multitouch, and the mouse is death.

After the success of the iPhone, the iPod touch, and the iPad, Apple has realized that the consumer market is ready for a new user interface paradigm, centered around multitouch and the idea of modal operating system.

Apple wants to move everything to multitouch, iMacs, MacBooks, and Mac Pros. The problem is that they can't do it like they did with the iPad. Perhaps the MacBook will see a hybrid touchscreen/keyboard design, but on the desktop this would be impossible.

The problem is the hardware. It's too tiring to move your hands across a 24-inch or 27-inch display. The idea of a good swiveling stand that will allow the user to easily move the display down to a very low angle, so she can use it similarly to a Microsoft Surface, sounds good in a sci-fi kind of way. But at the end of a work day, your neck and arms will hurt. The angle will also limit readability and, in any case, you will obscure part of the screen with your arms.

One solution to this problem was proposed by the inventors of the 10/GUI operating system concept: A new desktop operating system that, while being fully multitouch based, doesn't require you to touch the screen. In 10/GUI, a large, flat, multitouch trackpad replaces the cursor/mouse. This video explains the cons and the pros of each system:

I can see Apple implementing a similar solution to this because it makes sense, and lines up with their current iOS strategy. There will be keyboards in the near future, and Apple's Magic Trackpad will merge with it, perhaps like this:

How will it happen?

But not only the keyboard and the trackpad will merge. Mac OS X and iOS—which is a customized subset of Apple's desktop operating system—will merge.

That doesn't mean that your iMac will run like today's iPad, but its interface will change completely. It will be a lot simpler, and multitouch based. Gone will be the Finder, gone will be the windows. The traditional computer desktop will be replaced into something streamlined, but not less powerful. Perhaps for some pro users, there will be a mosaic view to watch several apps at the same time, but eventually Apple will move everyone to a modal-based interface.

On the desktop, apps won't lose its power: A professional user will be able to run Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro. Like today, they will run at full screen, and users will switch using Exposé—which has been a success for power users and many consumers alike (and, I have no doubt, will come to the iPad version of iOS 4). Side by side, the desktop computers will also run the lightweight apps available for the iPhone and iPad (of course, no Photoshop on the iPad, but perhaps Photoshop Lite in iPad 3).

This won't happen in a day. It's a multistep process and the magic trackpad is the first step. Here's my prediction from now on:

• In a few months they will announce the Magic Trackpad as standard in the next iMac generation (optionally, people would be able to get the mouse).

• With multitouch everywhere, Apple will make possible to run iOS applications in Mac OS X 10.7. This is easy for them to do, since iOS is really a subset of Mac OS X. Those Apple users with Magic Trackpads will run to buy them.

• In a couple of years, after iPad 3 and iPhone 6 start to take over MacBook sales in the consumer space, Apple will make the jump, making Mac OS X 10.8 fully multitouch driven, and selling this

with every computer.

I can't wait for this future, which is already happening with the iPad at the low end. The desktop metaphor has had its run.

It's time for change, and that's why I welcome the Apple Magic Trackpad despite its failures.

ASUS U33Jc-A1 Bamboo series review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/29/asus-u33jc-a1-bamboo-review/

Pandas, East Asia, wood. Nope, "laptop" hasn't ever been on the list of words we typically associate with "bamboo," but ASUS sure has us willing to tack it on with the introduction of its U Bamboo Series. The company's newest 13-inch U33Jc is covered in one of the most durable and recyclable materials on earth, and its internals are made of equally strong parts. Sure, the laptop looks incredibly traditional, but the $999 machine actually packs an incredible amount of new technology, including a fresh Core i3 processor, NVIDIA Optimus enabled graphics, USB 3.0 and Intel's wireless display technology. It's truly one of the most impressive laptops we've heard about in the last few months, but a few gripes hold it back from being the killer laptop it could be. Intrigued? Bamboozled? Hit the break for our full review.

Gallery: ASUS Bamboo U33Jc review

Continue reading ASUS U33Jc-A1 Bamboo series review

ASUS U33Jc-A1 Bamboo series review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stanford Researchers Developing Rocket-Powered Sewage Treatment System

Source: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-07/stanford-researchers-using-rockets-treat-sewage

Rocket Sewage This nitrous oxide-powered rocket thruster designed at Stanford can also be used in a sewage treatment plant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Stanford University

In what sounds like the most over-engineered toilet tech ever, Stanford engineers are using rocket science to clean up sewage.

It's actually simpler than it sounds -- the scientists are developing a system that exploits sewage-loving bacteria to produce nitrous oxide, which can be used up by a rocket thruster. The nitrous-powered rocket's only byproduct is hot, pure air.

Stanford professor Brian Cantwell specializes in designing rocket thrusters that run on nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. He and some of his grad students wanted to use nitrous oxide as an emissions-free energy source. While nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, when it's burned as rocket fuel, the only byproducts are hot oxygen and nitrogen.

As a Stanford release explains, Cantwell teamed up with Craig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, who explained that wastewater sludge contains bacteria that naturally convert nitrogen wastes into nitrous oxide.

You have to remove some oxygen to do it, so that nitrous oxide-producing bacteria can thrive. The process also produces excess methane, and the researchers say that gas can be used to power wastewater treatment plants of the future.

Typically, wastewater treatment plants pump oxygen into a roiling mix of raw sewage, to encourage good bacteria to break down organic matter. Nitrogen is one of the byproducts.

But aerating sewage is expensive and difficult; using anaerobic bacteria is cheaper and simpler. The problem has been how to dispose of the nitrous oxide byproduct, which is far worse for the environment than nitrogen. Rocket science is apparently the answer.

Cantwell's rocket thruster, which was designed for use in spacecraft, can consume the excess nitrous oxide to produce heat. In a Stanford press release, Cantwell says the nitrous oxide can heat an engine to almost 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and expel nitrogen and oxygen at 5,000 feet per second.

The team says their rocket-sewage system could replace existing wastewater treatment facilities throughout the U.S. and introduce clean water to developing countries. They say it could also be used to recover nitrogen from groundwater beneath fertilized farm fields.

[PhysOrg]

1dl.us Is a Swiss Army Knife of Web Utilities [Webapps]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5599454/1dlus-is-a-swiss-army-knife-of-single+use-web-sites

Plenty of sites offer a quick IP address check, disposable email, URL shortening, image uploading, and quick text saving. 1dl.us offers all of them, on one page, for your bookmarking convenience.

1dl.us is fast-loading, bringing visitors to a page that's quickly filled with their IP address, a temporary email address for potentially spam-generating sign-ups, and a user agent checker. A minimalist tabbed view provides further access to image uploading, link shortening, and an online pastebin with optional password protection. There's also an instant password strength checker, but we're not always a fan of typing in your passwords anywhere where you don't know 100 percent of the rules and safety measures. But that's your call—the site doesn't seem to be sending your text anywhere—and five out of the six tabs here are very helpful for those who haven't already loaded their browser up with bookmarklets and add-ons to accomplish the same.

The services at 1dl.us are free to use, no sign-up required. Know of a better all-in-one web tool site? Share the love in the comments. Thanks for the tip Jackson!

1dl.us

How a Tiny Magnet Could Produce a Force Field Big Enough To Protect a Space Ship [Forcefields]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5598691/how-a-tiny-magnet-could-produce-a-force-field-big-enough-to-protect-a-space-ship

While many hurdles are keeping us stuck here on Earth, our solar system's deadly radiation is chief among them. But scientists now think that a thumb-sized magnet could produce a force field big enough to shield an entire spaceship.

The big fiery ball we call our Sun is constantly shooting high-energy particles out into the solar system, a solar wind that yields radiation some 1000 times more powerful than that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The Earth's magnetosphere, produced by our planet's molten iron core, deflects the solar wind from our rock and protects our bodies from that radiation.

Scientists once thought a prohibitively huge magnet would be necessary to produce a similar, spaceship-sized shield, but a British lab has found that a small magnet is sufficient to create a magnetic field powerful enough to deflect a significant amount of the charged particles. The phenomenon occurs because of a unique reaction between the solar wind and the magnet:

Because the solar wind is a plasma made up of charged particles, it too carries a magnetic field. When the solar wind's field meets the rocks' mini-magnetosphere, the two fields clash, exerting a force on each other. Something has to give. Because the solar wind's field is created by free-moving particles, it is the one that yields, altering its orientation to minimise conflict with the mini-magnetosphere's field.

Some parts of the solar wind shift more easily than others. The positively charged protons have nearly 2000 times the mass of the negatively charged electrons, so the latter are much more easily deflected. The electrons stay at the surface of the magnetic bubble, while the positive charges penetrate further in.

This separation of positive and negative charges generates intense electric fields up to a million times stronger than the magnetic fields that created them. Subsequent solar wind particles hit these electric fields and are strongly deflected. The result is a shielding effect far more powerful than the magnetic field alone might be expected to provide.

Skeptics worry that the higher-energy particles found in space would blast through such a shield, but the Rutherford Appleton Lab, which made the discovery, is already in confidential talks with NASA to determine the implications of their find. For more force field fodder, check out the full article at New Scientist. [New Scientist]

LG's Optimus Z Rears its Square Head, as Android Tablet is Referred to Again [Android]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5599405/lgs-optimus-z-rears-its-square-head-as-android-tablet-is-referred-to-again

That mysterious Optimus Z phone from the other week has been formally introduced by LG, but for now it's only getting a release in the land of kimchi and soju—Korea. A global release is expected later, however.

As LG points out in its press release (below), the Optimus Z is a bit of a departure from their usual design. They mention that "its unique "Z- style" design is more angular than previous LG smartphones," which is certainly true—and I like it. It looks almost Droid-like in appearance.

Anyway, the specs are probably going to be pretty similar to the Optimus One and Optimus Chic, which have already been unveiled for the western market, though that design is definitely a lot more premium than what the other two are offering.

For now, it's only for Korea, but LG says that it will "be introduced globally," and that "more Optimus devices are in the pipeline, including the launch of LG's Android tablet in the fourth quarter of 2010." This is only the second time that LG has publicly acknowledged the presence of their tablet, but we're still lacking details on what it's going to be like. You can probably take a guess based on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Tab range, however.

SEOUL, July 29, 2010 – LG Electronics (LG) today announced the Korean launch of its latest smartphone, LG Optimus Z (LG-SU950/KU9500). Offered through local tele-coms providers SK Telecom and KT, Part of LG's Optimus Series, Optimus Z boasts a singular, stylish design and latest version of Google's Android OS.

With the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon at its core, Optimus Z is being launched with Android OS 2.1 with the option to upgrade to Version 2.2 before the end of the year. Advanced multimedia options include 3.5 inch WVGA "Hyper" HD LCD (800 x 480 pixels), Korea-specific T-DMB mobile TV, 5 MP camera, Dolby Mobile and DivX compatibility. Optimus Z comes with two 1,350mAh batteries, good for hours and hours of talking or entertainment. And at only 11.05 mm thin, Optimus Z and its unique "Z- style" design is more angular than previous LG smartphones and its matte-finish metal gives the Optimus Z a solid, durable feel.

In a first for Korean smartphones, the LG Optimus Z offers On Screen Phone function that lets user display their phone interface on the screen of their PC. Using Bluetooth or a data cable, the interface will appear onscreen, letting users manage the phone's vari- ous functions – including applications and e-mail – on the computer. In addition, any documents, images or music files stored on the PC can be easily transferred to Optimus Z using this interface. Furthermore, Drag & Shake allows LG Optimus Z users to share files between smartphones with a simple shake of the handset, while LG Air Sync lets them constantly sync the phone with their PCs or other mobile digital devices.

The LG Optimus Z comes pre-equipped with more than 100 of the most popular appli- cations in Korea, along with 70 more that are not available in the Android Market. Additional applications may be downloaded through SK Telecom's and KT's respective application stores.

Optimus Z is the third device in LG's Optimus Series family to be introduced globally. More Optimus devices are in the pipeline, including the launch of LG's Android tablet in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Samsung unveils WiFi-enabled ST80 camera, swiveling-lens HMX-E10 pocket camcorder

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/samsung-unveils-wifi-enabled-st80-camera-swivel-friendly-e10-po/

Camera releases are somewhat a by-the-numbers thing with so many different variations being released by numerous companies throughout the year. Samsung's pair here does have some interesting standout features, but one at a time. The 14.2 megapixel ST80 point-and-shoot boasts WiFi capabilities for email / direct upload of images (DLNA supported, to boot). It's also got 3x optical zoom, a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, 720p 30fps H.264 video recording, and Sammy's "Smart Crop" feature for taking angled shots and "straightening them up" (i.e. a banner that is fixed to look straight on). This one's due out September 2010 for a penny under $250. Then there's the HMX-E10 pocket camcorder with an impressive 270-degree swiveling lens and 1920 x 1080 30p H.264 HD video recording. That touchscreen you see is a 2.7-inch LCD, the lens has 2x digital zoom, connectivity is HDMI and USB (also used for charging), and release details are September as well, for $199.99. You know the drill: product shots are below, press releases after the break.

Gallery: Samsung ST80 press shots

Gallery: Samsung HMX-E10 press shots

Continue reading Samsung unveils WiFi-enabled ST80 camera, swiveling-lens HMX-E10 pocket camcorder

Samsung unveils WiFi-enabled ST80 camera, swiveling-lens HMX-E10 pocket camcorder originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aircord Lab's N-3D concept turns an iPad into world's second least practical 3D display (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/aircord-labs-n-3d-concept-turns-an-ipad-into-worlds-second-lea/

Think giant active-shutter glasses are a roadblock to 3D adoption? Wait until you get a load of this, the N-3D from Aircord Labs, a glass pyramid with semi-reflective sides that allows you to peer through while reflecting the image of a screen above. In this case the screen is provided by an iPad which, as you can see in the video below, separately renders three sides of an object. Each slab of glass reflects a different rendering and, hey presto, changeable perspective as you move from side to side, reducing the usable screen real-estate on the iPad by at least a third and producing an effect slightly less compelling, but slightly more portable, than that Time Traveler arcade game that used to take four whole quarters to play. No word on whether there will ever be a take-home version, but get yourself a sheet of plexiglass and you could probably make your own.

Continue reading Aircord Lab's N-3D concept turns an iPad into world's second least practical 3D display (video)

Aircord Lab's N-3D concept turns an iPad into world's second least practical 3D display (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG aiming to ship 'a couple' of Windows Phone 7 devices by year-end

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/lg-aiming-to-ship-a-couple-of-windows-phone-7-devices-by-year/

The company's not committing to any US carriers just yet (ahem), but LG is already puffing up its chest and talking big about its impending Windows Phone 7 release plans. To date, all we've had to go on was Microsoft's vow of seeing WP7 devices on store shelves before this holiday season, but now Ken Hong, an LG representative in Seoul, has offered a wee bit more insight regarding his company in particular. To quote: "We have a deep relationship with Microsoft so expect to have a couple [of Windows Phone 7 handsets] by the end of this year." That aligns rather nicely with what we heard ourselves back in Feburary, and given that LG's mobile division has seen some rather unsightly losses in its most recent quarterly earnings, we're guessing the company's more than eager to push out the next big thing.

LG aiming to ship 'a couple' of Windows Phone 7 devices by year-end originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Purported myTouch HD leaks out alongside promise of T-Mobile's first HSPA+ smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/purported-mytouch-hd-leaks-out-alongside-promise-of-t-mobiles-f/

Someone should really tell T-Mobile USA it's got a rather large hole that needs plugged. Hot on the heels of the (presumably) T-Mob-bound G1 Blaze leak comes this duo, which includes a purported leak of the myTouch HD (or 3G HD) as well as a web portal that quite clearly prepares us for the launch of the carrier's first HSPA+ smartphone. Of course, there's no official confirmation that the handset you're peering at above is anything more than a fan render, but it certainly has a look of authenticity to it; sadly, there aren't any rumored specifications to tag alongside the JPG, but it's a pretty safe bet that this one will run some flavor of Android and rely heavily on screen presses for letter input. As for the promo page? Scrutineers have drawn a link between it and the Vanguard that we peeked a few weeks back, so feel free to let your imagination run a bit wild there. Looks like it's gearing up to be quite the second half for America's number two GSM operator.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Purported myTouch HD leaks out alongside promise of T-Mobile's first HSPA+ smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's refreshed Optimus interface sheds more light on what your GPU is doing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/nvidias-refreshed-optimus-interface-sheds-more-light-on-what-yo/

There's no question that NVIDIA's Optimus system -- which enables a discrete GPU to operate when a machine is taxed and a power-sipping IGP to function when you're involved in less strenuous tasks -- has changed the way the world looks at laptop graphics, but it hasn't been able to avoid a fair amount of criticism about the controlling interface. With the July release of the monthly Verde drivers, the company has just rolled out a revised UI that provides "even more visibility into how Optimus is working and allows you even more control over how Optimus operates." The newest Optimus control panel, as well as a brief demonstration of what's been tweaked, is available for viewing just after the break, but it's on you to hunt down drivers for whatever rig you call your own.

Continue reading NVIDIA's refreshed Optimus interface sheds more light on what your GPU is doing

NVIDIA's refreshed Optimus interface sheds more light on what your GPU is doing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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