Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

HP's Obsidian becomes iPAQ Glisten, officially comes to AT&T

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/hps-obsidian-becomes-ipaq-glisten-officially-comes-to-atandt/

Wow, talk about digging deep in the memory bank. The same phone that we spotted way back in July (known then as the iPAQ K3 Obsidian) has finally emerged in official fashion on AT&T. Dubbed the iPAQ Glisten, this all-business smartphone boasts a vanilla coat of Windows Mobile 6.5, a 2.5-inch AMOLED display, 3.1 megapixel camera, 256MB of SDRAM, a microSD expansion slot, A-GPS, 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, a QWERTY keyboard, 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. 'Course, you'll still be dealing with a resistive screen and a dated OS, but if you're turned on in some weird way, it'll be "available in the coming weeks" for $179.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and 2-year agreement.

Gallery: HP's Obsidian becomes iPAQ Glisten, officially comes to AT&T

HP's Obsidian becomes iPAQ Glisten, officially comes to AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You'll go ga ga ga ga ga over Elecom's Like a Spoon mouse

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/youll-go-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-over-elecoms-spoon-mouse/

You'll go ga ga ga ga ga over Elcom's Spoon mouse

Travel mice don't tend to be fashionable things. Tiny? Yes. Lookers? No. Elecom's latest, the Like a Spoon mouse, bucks that trend, following in a long line of tidily designed gadgets from the company. In terms of buttons it's got nuffin' on the OpenOfficeMouse, but it looks to fall to hand much more comfortably, with a soft effects coating on top and a stainless steel rim 'round the edge. The price is set at a somewhat steep ￥8,000 in Japan, which equates to about about $90, though sadly we doubt this one will be making the transference to America.

Gallery: Elecom's 'Like a Spoon' mouse

You'll go ga ga ga ga ga over Elecom's Like a Spoon mouse originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI eagerly supports HD video on its MT-V887 PMP

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/msi-eagerly-supports-hd-video-on-its-mt-v887-pmp/

It's been a couple months since noticing that MSI had a renewed interest in PMPs, and now the outfit is back with yet another media player. The MT-V887 takes the sleek, understated styling of the MT-V656 and ramps the display to a none-too-shabby 4.3-inches (480 x 272). Based on the Rockchip RK2728B, this guy adds the H.264 codec and 720p support to an already insane helping of media formats. In addition to all of that, you can catch the KBBL Morning Zoo Crew on its FM receiver. No words on price or availability, but you'll know as soon as we do. Get a closer look after the break.

Continue reading MSI eagerly supports HD video on its MT-V887 PMP

MSI eagerly supports HD video on its MT-V887 PMP originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kindle firmware update promises 85 percent battery boost, native PDF reader

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/kindle-firmware-update-promises-85-battery-boost-native-pdf-re/

We're not quite sure what sort of black magic it's worked to make it happen, but it looks like Amazon is really taking the art of firmware updates to a new level with the latest upgrade for the Kindle. Not only does it finally add native PDF support (which would have gotten folks rightly excited on its own), but it promises to boost battery life by a full 85 percent. That translates to about seven days of use with the wireless on, and is apparently the result of a six month firmware improvement and testing program -- can we get these folks working on other devices? Naturally, the latest firmware will be shipping on all new Kindles right away (just not the DX, it seems), and it will be pushed as a free update to existing Kindle 2s via Whispernet, although there's no ETA on that just yet.

Kindle firmware update promises 85 percent battery boost, native PDF reader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's Monaco (IQ) spotted in Telus garb, rocking WinMo 6.5 and Snapdragon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/lgs-monaco-iq-spotted-in-telus-garb-rocking-winmo-6-5-and-sn/

It's been a hot minute since we've heard anything about LG's Monaco, but now it seems as if the wait for this to transition from presentation slide to reality is almost over. Unfortunately, Windows Mobile 7 won't be onboard as previously rumored, but prospective Telus customers can look forward to LG's S-Class interface sprucing things up somewhat. Other specs purportedly include a Snapdragon processor, WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, though nitty-gritty details beyond that are nil. Peep that read link if you're lusting for a few more angles, and don't kid yourself -- you are.

LG's Monaco (IQ) spotted in Telus garb, rocking WinMo 6.5 and Snapdragon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Survey: Droid advertising scaring men right into dutiful brand loyalty

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/survey-droid-advertising-scaring-men-right-into-dutiful-brand-l/

Glowing red cyborg eyes, bombs dropped from stealth fighters, emotionless calls of "DRRROOOIIID" every time you get a text message -- it's enough to scare yesterday's lunch out of anyone. Verizon's no-holds-barred advertising campaign for the Motorola Droid has been so ~~hellishly frightening~~ overwhelmingly successful, in fact, that it appears to be paying dividends either directly or indirectly against Moto's biggest rivals. YouGov's BrandIndex -- an ongoing survey measuring brand loyalty through some secret-sauce methodology that only analysts would fully comprehend -- shows a marked spike in Moto's score in the critical adult male category, while Apple and RIM have taken hits over the same period. These numbers look terribly volatile over a relative short span, so we're not going to be rushing to any conclusions -- but by any measure, it's pretty wild to see Moto go from a has-been to besting the bulletproof cult of iPhone in just a few short weeks. In the long term, it'll be interesting to see just how deeply Moto's and Apple's carrier relationships are factoring into public sentiment; after all, momentum's certainly on Verizon's side right now.

Survey: Droid advertising scaring men right into dutiful brand loyalty originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrome OS like lightning from a USB key: we could get used to this

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/24/chrome-os-like-lightning-from-a-usb-key-we-could-get-used-to-th/

We finally got around to prepping a USB key so we could boot to Chrome OS natively, and let us tell you: it's a world of difference. Of course, running something natively instead of virtualized is always going to be a treat, but what we're seeing with Chrome OS is actually on par performance-wise with our crazy expectations for a stripped-down OS. It boots in mere seconds and loads websites with the best of them. The build we're using, courtesy of @hexxeh on Twitter, who made all this possible with some great instructions and a masterfully-built chromiumos.img, was also able to log into the apps pane -- something we didn't pull off on our virtualized rig. We wouldn't call this our main Linux jam just yet, but even as we strut cockily back to our "big people computer," it's hard not to feel the love for something this simple and swift. If you want to do this with your own netbook, hit up Hexxeh's instructions at the read link below (we found the Windows how-to easiest to follow, for what it's worth), and if you want to be a mere voyeur you can hit up a video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading Chrome OS like lightning from a USB key: we could get used to this

Chrome OS like lightning from a USB key: we could get used to this originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Wikipedia's Brain Drain [Data]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/IMPiDaoQJ4M/wikipedias-brain-drain

The decay of time, bitter infighting, and the increasing scope and strength of regulations slowly strangle the life out of Wikipedia, with editors—its braintrust—fleeing in droves, even as traffic at the world's fifth most-popular website keeps growing. [WSJ]

iPhone and Android Are Taking Over the (Mobile) Internet [Smartphones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/im6PuNCoffQ/iphone-and-android-are-taking-over-the-mobile-internet

So, what does it take to snatch a combined 75% of US mobile internet traffic? Two operating systems, a handful of phones, and one great browser core.

That the iPhone is a massive source of online traffic isn't a surprise—that's been apparent since the week it launched. What's interesting here is Android's rise, which is dramatically quickening, already accounting for a fifth of mobile traffic in the US, when the real marketing push for the OS, starting with the MyTouch ads and the massive Droid launch, is only recently starting in earnest. What is a surprise, or at the very least a Sad Thing, is how poorly Palm is faring. Their tiny sliver of market share might seem understandable since they really only had one new phone for the duration of the survey, but this phone was supposed to be their savior; in the year since it was introduced, their mobile traffic actually fell.
Google and Apple's stark gain in the stats, collected by mobile advertising firm AdMob, is a little less spectacular worldwide, mainly because Symbian's established, but waning, 40% smartphone market share helps it snatch about 25% of mobile web traffic. Still though, two things are clear: Android and the iPhone are who mobile web developers are going to have to cater to, and WebKit, which Symbian uses in its browser too, is basically it.

Anyway, how about a bonus chart! Ever wondered how common the different Android handsets are, which i! s most p opular, and which don't register? Well hello, extra pie:

The G1 is the predictable star here, but the Droid is exploding. [AdMob via Techcrunch]

The iPhone Already Has Multitasking, And It's Awesome [Btw]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VudfSaILgmA/the-iphone-already-has-multitasking-and-its-awesome

In 2009, iPhone multitasking is a bit like apps were in the early jailbreak days. That is to say painfully, clearly possible, but simply not allowed. These jailbreak apps show how it could—and should—be done.

What you're seeing here is really the combination of two apps, standby jailbreak justifier and essential iPhone app Backgrounder, which lets your designate any app to run in the background, and new task switcher interface called Multifl0w. (There are other, more basic task switchers already, the most widespread being Kirikae) The new combo feels like magic: It's a little bit Android, a lotta bit Pre, and more importantly, an obvious improvement, at least on the speedier 3GS.

Granted, anyone who's used background knows that for the sake of your battery, you have to be careful how many apps you open, and how many you leave running. Honestly though? Every other smartphone manufacturer trusts their users to mind their own damn processes, which seems to work out pretty well. So, uh, when will we get this by default? OS 4.0? 5.0? Shut up, blogger?

You can give it a try now in jailbreak app manager Rock, and Cydia's on its way. Sadly, it's only free on a trial basis, after which it'll cost your five dollars. Backgrounder and Kirikae, though? They're still free, in all sense of the word. [MultiFl0w--Thanks, William!]

LG X120 netbook comes to the US with 2-year AT&T contract

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/23/lg-x120-netbook-comes-to-the-us-with-2-year-atandt-contract/

If you've been aching to get your hands on the 10.1-inch, matte white LG X120 netbook that's been thrilling the trendy Euro jet-set elite for the last 6 months or so, now is your chance! Available at RadioShack.com and select brick and mortar The Shack locations, it can be yours for $179.99 with a 2-year $60/month AT&T contract. We'll let you do the math -- but believe us, you're probably better off shelling out the cash for the Levis Special Edition. Available at some unspecified near future date. For more info, peep the PR after the break.

Continue reading LG X120 netbook comes to the US with 2-year AT&T contract

LG X120 netbook comes to the US with 2-year AT&T contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IBM PowerXCell-8i processor said to be last of its kind, but Cell will live on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/23/ibm-powerxcell-8i-processor-said-to-be-last-of-its-kind-but-cel/

IBM's Cell processor may have helped break a few records and find its way into everything from video game consoles to TVs at the same time, but it looks like things could be about to change in a fairly big way for Big Blue's groundbreaking chip. According to Heise Online, IBM Vice President of Deep Computing David Turek has confirmed that the company's current PowerXCell-8i processor will be the last of its kind, and that there will not be a successor with dual PowerPC processors and 32 SPEs as originally planned. Slightly less clear, however, is the future of the Cell program in general, which will apparently live on in "another form" -- to which Turek reportedly added, somewhat vaguely, "the future is hybrid," although we're fairly certain he's not talking about cars.

IBM PowerXCell-8i processor said to be last of its kind, but Cell will live on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Maps Navigation officially comes to Android 1.6

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/23/google-maps-navigation-officially-comes-to-android-1-6/

You might've thought that Google was positioning its industry-changing Google Maps Navigation as a value proposition for Android 2.0 and beyond, but yeah, not so much -- instead, they've gone ahead and backported it to 1.6 (alias "Donut") which means that T-Mobile's myTouch 3G and G1 plus other 1.6-equipped devices across the land can get in on the action. In the case of the memory-starved G1, that's especially surprising, and a heartening sign that the world's first retail Android device still has some fight left in it. It's available from the Android Market now, so go ahead -- try to get yourself lost. We dare you.

Google Maps Navigation officially comes to Android 1.6 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stats show Motorola Droid is the new elephant in the Android room

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/23/stats-show-motorola-droid-is-the-new-elephant-in-the-android-roo/

Remember back in the day when the West was still wild, the gold rush was still in full effect, you owned whatever land you could manage to fence off, and tycoons were being made and broken on a daily basis? No? Well, some of you whippersnappers might be too young to recall it, but trust us, it happened -- and it seems like that's the kind of frontier mentality we're getting again today in the nascent Android landscape. Just a couple weeks after launching, mobile ad clearinghouse AdMob reports that the Motorola Droid is already accounting for a whopping 24 percent of all its Android-based traffic -- no small feat, considering that the then-unreleased device didn't even move the needle in their October report (pictured in the left graph). The HTC Dream -- the world's first retail Android device, you might remember -- still reigns supreme at 36 percent, but it's amazing that the entire Android space is still volatile enough to register nearly a 25 percent shift with the launch of a single new device on a single carrier. For comparison, the CLIQ clocks in with a lowly 6 percent -- proof that Verizon's aggressive advertising has been working some magic. Question is, what'll be the next device to completely screw up this pie chart again?

Stats show Motorola Droid is the new elephant in the Android room originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Ericsson Kurara previewed way ahead of release

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/23/sony-ericsson-kurara-previewed-way-ahead-of-release/

We were promised a preview of Sony Ericsson's Symbian-sporting Satio sibling, and indeed here we are, looking at the machine-translated Kurara analysis courtesy of Eldar from Mobile Review. He pulls no punches in his introduction by noting that the new handset will offer little in terms of specs to trump the Samsung i8910 HD, and sketching out the tough market it'll have to compete in once the Nokia X6 comes out and starts grabbing market and mindshare alike. As to the phone itself, he describes the 8.1 megapixel camera as an "inexpensive" unit and lets the sample photos and 720p sample video shot with it speak for themselves. Battery life was found to be "lacking," though we congratulate SE on electing to use a 3.5mm headphone jack and MicroSD memory expansion over its own proprietary formats. Overall, the Kurara was "pleasant to use," but lacked the necessary wow factor and its fate, says Eldar, will depend on just how keenly Sony Ericsson wants to price it.

Sony Ericsson Kurara previewed way ahead of release originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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