LG 'B' Android phone caught in the wild, looking thin and ready to spank S-AMOLED (update: confirmed)

We're still coming down from that rush of adrenaline that accompanied the launch of the dual-core Optimus 2X last night, but we've had a hunch lately that LG is planning on taking Android very seriously in 2011 -- seriously enough to have something even sexier than the 2X up its sleeve. Looks like that sexiness could be delivered in the form of a device codenamed "B," shots of which have been delivered to Phandroid in a direct comparison with the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S -- two handsets we're sure LG would love to embarrass. As you can see up there, the screen's looking pretty insane, especially when you consider that those other two phones in the picture have arguably the best displays in the mobile business right now; it's claimed to offer 700 nits of brightness, a 40 percent improvement over the Galaxy S. Oh, and if that doesn't impress you, Phandroid's tipster has also sent in a shot of the edge that appears to make the 9.3mm iPhone 4 look downright chubby. No word on a release date for the B just yet.

Update: LG's decided to dispense with the mystery and has shot out a tweet confirming the B's existence and inviting us all to come check it out at CES 2011. We'll be sure to do just that.

Continue reading LG 'B' Android phone caught in the wild, looking thin and ready to spank S-AMOLED (update: confirmed)

LG 'B' Android phone caught in the wild, looking thin and ready to spank S-AMOLED (update: confirmed) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileCrunch  |  Phandroid  | Email this | Comments

Casio Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) camera review

Three months from introduction to on sale ain't too shabby in the camera world, and that's exactly what Casio has managed to accomplish with the intriguing new Exilim EX-H20G. We first spotted this point-and-shoot at Photokina in Germany, and now we've had a solid week to put it through its paces. Naturally, the inclusion of Hybrid GPS (read: engineered to find a location indoors as well as outdoors) is the standout feature and key differentiator, but the 14.1 megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom and 720p movie mode are all fine additions. It certainly isn't the slimmest compact on the market, nor the cheapest at $349.99, but do the unique aspects of this thing make the price easier to stand? Join us after the break for our thoughts.

Gallery: Casio Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) unboxing

Continue reading Casio Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) camera review

Casio Exilim EX-H20G (with Hybrid GPS) camera review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Amazon  | Email this | Comments

Synology introduces DiskStation DS211+, review finds the plus stands for performance

If you're not down with this whole "careless computing" craze you still need somewhere to stuff your files, and Synology has introduced a new high-performance and (relatively) low-cost option. It's the DS211+, a dual-bay, hot-swappable NAS with an integrated card reader and software providing easy security administration, remote access, and even surveillance storage duties. It's priced at "around $400" and, according to an early review at KitGuru, it's well worth the cost, delivering "stunning levels of bandwidth" and leading to various other hyperbolic conclusions that make us think you might want to wait for a second, less euphemistic opinion before clicking the buy button.

Gallery: Synology DiskStation DS211+

Continue reading Synology introduces DiskStation DS211+, review finds the plus stands for performance

Synology introduces DiskStation DS211+, review finds the plus stands for performance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Synology  | Email this | Comments

Hitachi's 7mm-thick hard drives grow to 500GB, keep slimline profile

If you can't beat SSDs (and you can't, we've checked), you might as well try and dress like them by squeezing into the unreasonably low profile of just 7mm. Such must be the reasoning behind Hitachi's svelte 7mm-thick HDD series, which today gets augmented with a new top-of-the-line drive boasting 500GB of storage room. This single-platter archivist measure 2.5 inches diagonally, but as its Z5K500 product name suggests, it only spins at the tame rate of 5400RPM. The less generously proportioned Z7K320 offers 7200RPM if you're after more oomph, but it's most likely that your first real contact with either of these drives will be when you see them built into whatever larger device you're buying. Like, say, an ultrathin netbook or a PMP that's eager to swallow your music collection whole.

Continue reading Hitachi's 7mm-thick hard drives grow to 500GB, keep slimline profile

Hitachi's 7mm-thick hard drives grow to 500GB, keep slimline profile originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 02:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Vizio's New 65-inch 3DTV Promises Flicker-Free Picture on a Huger Screen [3dTv]

The mammoth 65-inch XVT3D650SV is more than just super big. Vizio claims the set's 3D display, forgoing battery-powered, active shutter glasses, looks better and is nicer to eyeballs. They're also boasting less ghosting, a brighter image, and superior edge backlighting.

In addition to the picture improvements (always nice to see companies doing away with bulky glasses), the XVT3D650SV will pack a suite of internet apps (Amazon VoD, Facebook, Flickr, Netflix, Rhapsody, Pandora, and Twitter, most notably) via 802.11n Wi-Fi. Look for the sets to arrive at Costco and Sam's Club this month for $3500. All this being said, we've yet to actually lay eyes on a passive 3D set that hasn't looked terrible, so we're going to reserve judgment until we can see for ourselves at CES—though CNET's HDTV guru had a peek and says it fared well. [Vizio]

You Will Not Believe This Is Just a Powerpoint [Video]

"The most awesome 450 page presentation ever." That's how the authors call this slide show—and I agree. It is awesome. But knowing that it was made using only Google Docs and no extra software whatsoever, makes it truly unbelievable.

You can see part of the creation process—which took three days by three animators—in the complete YouTube Video. If you are really curious, you can access—and playback—the gigantic Google Doc that was submitted to Google's Demo Slam.

Android Skype update brings ability to run to SD, Galaxy S compatibility, but with a big catch

Sick of seeing that little hard disk with an exclamation point popping up on your Android handset? Yeah, us too. Thankfully we can now count Skype among the apps that can be moved to external storage. This new release also adds compatibility with the Samsung Galaxy S -- but there's a catch. Android 2.2 is required, which many Galaxy S owners may or may not actually have yet and, while some are said to be getting a dollop of FroYo this very month, we've certainly heard that before.

Android Skype update brings ability to run to SD, Galaxy S compatibility, but with a big catch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop  |  Skype  | Email this |&nbs! p;Comments

Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation

Google's never been afraid to "blow it out" with Google Maps, most famously with its inclusion of Navigation, which knocked the legs out from under a lot of the GPS device and navigation app market. Google Maps 5.0 for Android might seem similarly earth shattering, but it marks a significant change to the basic technology of Google Maps. Most importantly, Google is now using vector graphics for its maps, which are scalable and much lighter weight than the traditional stitched together images used in most Google Maps incarnations. The vectors also enable something else a whole lot sexier: a two finger swipe can "tilt" the map and now you've got a 3D view of the landscape. It's not quite as flashy as Google Earth, but it looks a whole lot more useful. The other thing these low-bandwidth vector maps enables is offline caching of maps, specifically your most frequently visited locations, and entire trips that have been routed in Navigation, including potential reroutes. Anybody with an Android 1.6 or higher device can download 5.0 right now for free, but the 3D and offline features are 2.0+ only.

Continue reading Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation

Google Maps 5.0 hits Android, includes new 3D map view and offline Navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Google Mobile Blog  | Email this | Comments

The Best Barcode Scanner Apps [Appbattle]

Nothing ruins a recent purchase quite like finding lower prices online as soon as you bring it home. With one of these barcode-scanning, price-crunching smartphone apps, that never has to happen again.

iOS

RedLaser

A quick, relatively accurate barcode scanner from the company that provides the basic scanning functionality for many other apps on this list, including Amazon's, eBay's and FoodScanner's. Independent of any particular retailer or price aggregator (though now owned by eBay), RedLaser is free to search a variety of online sources for the best prices, which, combined with its best-in-group scanning ability, makes for a hugely useful app on any post-3G iPhone. Free, iPhone.

ShopSavvy
A RedLaser alternative with a powerful price comparison engine, ShopSavvy is a good second line of defense against bum in-store deals, and occasionally finds a lower price than its competitor. Its only problem? It doesn't scan terribly well, especially on older iPhones. When it does work, though, it's quite fast. Free, iPhone.

FoodScanner

FoodScanner is blessed with good scanning technology, a great calorie-counting concept, and an interface that's sufficiently streamlined so as to make a otherwise tedious process—keeping a food diary—pretty bearable. It's also mindful of the shortcomings of barcode scanning for keeping track of all your food, providing a number of ways to document calories that aren't barcoded, or even branded. At $5, downloading FoodScanner is an expensive proposition, but looking back on even a few days of scanned food intake is likely to make you rethink your eating habits. $5, iPhone

OTHERS TESTED:
• Price Check by Amazon: Good for a quick barcode scan and ballpark price comparison, but the fact that it's limited to Amazon and its associated sellers limits utility.
• eBay: This is an eBay app with a scanner widget, not the other way around. Only really appropriate for existing eBay users.
• Pic2Shop: An early competitor to the likes of RedLaser and ShopSavvy, but lack of polish, unreliable scanning and a somewhat kludgy interface hold it back.
• NexTag Mobile: Essentially an iPhone client for the NexTag price comparison engine, which is a bit too friendly to unreliable no-name online retailers.

Android

Barcode Scanner

It's easy, as a good barcode scanner should be: fire up the Barcode Scanner, scan the barcode. It's a straight scanner, Barcode Scanner handles both UPC codes (which does a quick product search) and QR codes (which will give you options to add contact, show on map, download, etc) with ease and throws in a few extra features (like searching within a book you scan) as a bonus. Gives you an option to create your own QR codes too. Free, Android.

ShopSavvy

An original Android app that's still great after all these years. ShopSavvy continues to stands out by being excellent at finding products for price comparisons, offering local listings and price alerts. It works with QR codes too and when the app gets updated in the next version (ShopSavvy 4), it'll bring a new deals section, a new crowdsourced product database and a prettier interface. Free, Android.

Shopper

It's a cross between Google Goggles and a barcode scanner, so to judge it as just a barcode scanner (it's much more versatile than that) is sort of pigeon holing the great app. But still, because it's made by Google, the app does a really great job at finding products along with keeping a history, giving an option to star and sharing the stuff you find. Free, Android

OTHERS TESTED:
• Key Rings Reward Cards: Recreates your rewards card for brick and mortar stores onto your Android phone.
• Amazon.com: If you prefer shopping on Amazon (and who doesn't?), you can use its app to scan products to find it there.
• CNET Scan & Shop: Scan products to check it against CNET's reviews
• Barcode OI Plugin: Extension of OI Shopping List that let's you scan items to check off the stuff you've bought
• ScanLife Barcode Scanner: Another do-it-all barcode scaner
• The Coupons App: Uses barcode scanner to price match.

The Fury of Zeus Unleashed [Image Cache]

This photo was captured in Athens, at the parking lot of the Olympic Stadium, during a raging summer thunderstorm. It took 30 minutes and 42 shots to capture the 51 lightnings in this composite shot, using a Canon EOS 550D.

According to the author, that big lightning that seems to touch his head stroke just a "few hundred feet in front of me." [Greek Sky]

Printable Transistors? What Can't Makerbot Do? [DIY]

DIY'ers are losing their shit over these printable transistors. Why? Because they could make it that much easier to prototype intricate gadgets without having to send orders to a fabrication plant to have these components made.

The process for making these transistors was designed by Mr.Kim and John Sarik who used a Makerbot printer and ink made from silver (along with a few other, not-so-simple steps) to turn theory into reality. What this means for mad scientist who runs their R&D lab out of a garage is that production costs will go down, and prototypes can be built quicker. The full rundown on how these transistors were made can be found here. [Mr.Kim Robotics via Thingiverse]

How to Make a DIY Gorillapod [DIY]

If you're in need of a sturdy-yet-bendy mini-tripod and aren't willing to buy one, then this DIY Gorillapod project might be the ideal solution for you. The tripod is simple to make, looks good, and will do its job well.

You'll need some basic tools, Loc-Line modular hose, some connectors, and a little chunk of wood to complete the project and you can find the precise list of parts along with detailed project instructions over at Instructables.[Instructables via Unplggd via CrunchGear]

If You'd Like to Read More About This Choose Your Own Adventure Movie, Click Here [Film]

It's no secret that we here at Gizmodo love the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books. This is why we got excited when we heard about, Turbulence, an interactive, feature-length film designed for touchscreen devices, like tablets or smartphones.

Turbulence, which just won an award at the Berkeley Film Festival, is about three friends who cross paths in NYC after 20 years of not seeing one another. According to Gizmag, as the film progresses, you have the chance to affect its outcome. Specific items or people will glow on the screen when it's possible to choose their next action. If you touch it/them, they'll carry out an action. If you do nothing, they'll make another decision.

The movie runs 83 minutes if you let it play on its own. But when your finger gets involved and starts choosing what happens next in the plot, the film can run anywhere between 1-2 hours. And while it would technically work with devices using a mouse or remote, it's not what director Nitzan Ben Shaul had in mind. No mention was made about widespread release, but hopefully it sees the light of day soon. [Tel Aviv University via Gizmag]

Facebook Adding Facial Recognition to its List of Frightening Features [Facebook]

Facebook has announced its latest plans to assimilate our lives—facial recognition. In a few weeks, the social network will scan pics you upload and attempt to identify your friends—then tag them. It's OK, you can turn it off.

The feature will attempt to "suggest the name of the friend" in your photos if it can find a suitable match, or, if not, pop up a window so you can name and shame them manually. [Facebook blog]

The highway robbery gets worse - shame on you Facebook: 5 display ads per page (pics) - http://bit.ly/cXpcO3

LG Optimus 2X: first dual-core smartphone launches with Android, 4-inch display, 1080p video recording

That's right, it's official. Needless to say, that LG Star we recently got our paws on is very real, though it won't go by that name at retail -- just as LG's own release materials had suggested, this monster has picked up the Optimus 2X name as it morphs from a prototype into brutally fast, overpowered reality. At the phone's heart beats a dual-core Tegra 2 processor running at 1GHz, the first such configuration to be officially announced by any smartphone manufacturer (though we're expecting others any day now). In case you're wondering how such power might be used, well, for starters, you've got both full 1080p TV-out via HDMI and video capture through an 8 megapixel primary camera paired with a 1.3 megapixel cam up front for face-to-face calling.

A 4-inch WVGA display is along for the ride along with 8GB of on-board storage (expandable with up to 32GB of microSD) and a 1,500mAh battery -- no larger than most single-core smartphones these days, so it'll be interesting to see if the final retail units hold up through a day of typical use. Unfortunately, the Optimus 2X is launching out of the gate with Android 2.2, but LG's already committing to releasing Gingerbread updates "in due course." It hits first in LG's home market of Korea next month, followed by Europe and other Asian locales in the coming weeks; we're sure you can hardly wait, so why don't you check out some eye candy from our preview while you pass the time? Follow the break for the press release.

Gallery: LG Star hands-on

Continue reading LG Optimus 2X: first dual-core smartphone launches with Android, 4-inch display, 1080p video recording

LG Optimus 2X: first dual-core smartphone launches with Android, 4-inch display, 1080p video recording originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Emai! l this | Comments

Engadget for iPad now available!

Do you love Engadget? Do you love your iPad? Have you been longing for a day when the two would finally be together? Well guess what? That day has come. Yes, it's true, the Engadget iPad app is now live in the App Store and waiting for installation on every single iPad in existence. Like our previous iOS apps, you'll get a ton of the great features of the site formatted perfectly for mobile devices, but we think we've taken things a lot further on the Apple tablet, providing tons of new browsing, reading, and exploratory options which should keep you enraptured even if terrible things like a nuclear attack or zombie invasion start happening.

All of your news-reading, podcasting-listening, video-watching, comment-posting, Engadget-tipping fantasies are about to become reality, and the application supports sharing via Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and email, while also allowing you to save articles to the iPad (in-app), Instapaper, Read It Later, and Evernote. Quite frankly, it's awesome. The iOS 4-compatible app is available right now in the App Store, so don't wait one more second... go get it!

And before you ask -- yes, updates are coming for all of our other apps as well, including a new iPhone app with iOS 4 support, a BlackBerry update with OS 6 support, and for all you Windows Phone fans... a WP7 app for your new phone!

Engadget for iPad now available! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  App Store  | Email this | Comments

Google TV gets a major update with new Netflix, movable Dual View, Android remote app support

The first update for the Google TV platform since its release is now available on Logitech and Sony devices, and takes major strides towards addressing issues we pointed out in our review. The antiquated Netflix app is now sporting a new HTML5 based UI that resembles the one seen on the PlayStation 3, while Dual View has addressed one of our biggest complaints by allowing users to move and resize the video window at will. Another major upgrade is support for an Android remote app arriving today with iPhone version "coming soon." The last major update should be appreciated by Kevin Bacon stalkers enthusiasts with a new info page for movies that pulls in plenty of relevant information and availability online and from the listings all on one page. Our Sony Google TV had the 218 MB update downloaded and ready to install when we turned it on that also promised a few other updates on top of Google's as seen above. We'll check back in a moment to see how things are working -- no word from Google yet on any progress breaking down the walls networks have put up around their streaming content -- peep the updated Dual View and a video of the new remote control app after the break.

Continue reading Google TV gets a major update with new Netflix, movable Dual View, Android remote app support

Google TV gets a major update with new Netflix, movable Dual View, Android remote app support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The New TV Republic  |  Official Google TV Blog, BLogitech  | Email this | Comments

MetroPCS brings its LTE network to Boston, Sacramento, and New York City

Regional carrier MetroPCS is ticking three more checkboxes today as it keeps pushing its ongoing LTE network rollout, and they're big ones: on top of Sacramento, they've added Boston and none other than New York City. That makes the carrier second to launch LTE in the Big Apple -- Verizon's already there -- but you can't take away from the fact that MetroPCS beat the big guys with their first live commercial markets by several months. As for hardware, it's the same as usual: the Samsung Craft dumbphone is your only option, which means that if you're looking to blaze on your notebook with a next-gen USB stick, you're still going to have to head to Verizon anyway. Follow the break for the full press release.

Continue reading MetroPCS brings its LTE network to Boston, Sacramento, and New York City

MetroPCS brings its LTE network to Boston, Sacramento, and New York City originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Video: Shorts-Wearing Japanese Sprinter-Bot Runs Like a Human on Robotic Legs

The Japanese robot, named "Athlete," does not quite have the balance of a human yet

Japanese researcher Ryuma Niiyama's robot is quite literally making strides in the field of robotics. His running robot, named Athlete, can only make three to five steps before falling down, but the bipedal robot's gait is remarkably un-robotic, stemming from a musculoskeletal design that mimics human biology. With some further refinement, Niiyama may just create a robot sprinter that moves with agility and explosive speed of a human runner.

Athlete's legs each contain seven sets of artificial muscles with up to six pneumatic actuators each, each one designed as an analog to a muscle in the human leg. The lower legs are less complex though still scientifically sophisticated; each leg is fitted with the prosthetic sprinting "blades" worn by amputee runners. Completing his human mimicry, Athlete dons a pair of black running shorts.

An inertial measurement unit mounted on the torso helps Athlete keep its "body" oriented properly, while touch sensors on each foot give the 'bot a sensory feeling for where its feet are in a stride. Unlike traditional humanoids that run by changing the position of their joints, Athlete runs more like a human or animal, using its "muscles" and "tendons" to bounce off the ground and propel itself forward. Niiyama and colleagues are currently refining Athlete in the lab with hopes of moving their tests to an actual running track soon. So as you'll see in the video below Athlete is no Aimee Mullins, but it's taking steps in the right direction.

[IEEE Spectrum]

IBM's TriviaBot Watson to Take on Ken Jennings in Man Vs. Machine Episode of Jeopardy

Alex, I'll take "OMG So Excited!!!" for $2,000

Watson, an artificial intelligence program created by IBM (and named after Thomas J. Watson, IBM's founder, not Sherlock Holmes's roommate), is designed as a question-and-answer bot, able to interpret and respond to questions posed in normal human language patterns. The natural use for such a program is, of course, the greatest game show that ever was or ever will be: Jeopardy!. In February, Watson will be facing off against two of Jeopardy!'s toughest competitors ever: Ken Jennings, whose 74-day winning streak was the longest in the show's history, and Brad Rutter, whose $3.3 million winnings are the show's highest.

Creating an AI that can compete on Jeopardy! is an incredibly difficult task for any programmer. The venerable show poses questions not only as simple shows of trivia knowledge, but also puns, various forms of wordplay, trick questions, riddles, and other complex queries. It takes uniquely flexible and quick thinking to succeed at Jeopardy!, placing Watson on a pedestal with chess-playing robot (and IBM sibling) Deep Blue.

On February 14th, Watson will go head-to-head-to-head on a very special episode of Jeopardy!, playing against trivia legends Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. (In case you were wondering, Watson's spot at the challenger podium will be taken by an avatar--no word on what strained anecdote Trebek will coax out of him and then casually mock.) Watson has been prepping for the battle by sparring with other Tournament of Champions competitors, though neither IBM nor Jeopardy! has released the trivia-bot's record against human competitors. You can see in the video above that some wordings can trip him up, so nobody knows exactly how capable a competitor he'll be.

The winner will receive $1 million--if Watson wins, IBM will donate the money to charity, and both of the human competitors have pledged to donate half the prize if either wins.

[IBM via AP]