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Friday, May 28, 2010

NEC's 3D Valuestar N all-in-one PC: orcas all up in your retinas

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/necs-3d-valuestar-n-all-in-one-pc-orcas-all-up-in-your-retinas/

Golly. We never thought to invest in a 20-inch all-in-one PC just to watch converted versions of Free Willy in 3D, but darn if we're not reconsidering now. NEC has today revealed its Valuestar N range, with the VN790/BS being the standout in the range. The machine offers up a native 1,600 x 900 resolution panel, integrated Blu-ray drive, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, WiFi, six USB 2.0 sockets, an undisclosed Intel Core 2010 CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), and of course, native 3D support. You'll need to spring for an optional (but not really) pair of glasses to fully enjoy the third dimension sans intense headache-inducing blur, but given that they aren't of the active variety, any ole set will probably get you through. Pricing looks locked at ¥220,000 ($2,422) for a June debut in Japan, with approximately none of that actually going to save the whales. A crying shame, we say.

NEC's 3D Valuestar N all-in-one PC: orcas all up in your retinas originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 16:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlingPlayer Mobile for Android teased on an EVO 4G

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/slingplayer-mobile-for-android-teased-on-an-evo-4g/

It looks like those private beta rumors earlier this month were legit, seeing how Sling Media is now officially showing off its latest SlingPlayer Mobile incarnation on HTC's lovely EVO 4G for Sprint. The company is boasting that the app has the fastest load time of any version of SlingPlayer Mobile to date -- and we can't imagine that WiMAX hurts, either -- so this should be the perfect accessory to your EVO 4G purchase when the phone launches early next month. It's not clear yet what other Android devices will be compatible with the software, but we imagine Sling will be saying more soon, so stay tuned.

Continue reading SlingPlayer Mobile for Android teased on an EVO 4G

SlingPlayer Mobile for Android teased on an EVO 4G originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iota Flex wants to be a MiFi for voice and text

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/iota-flex-wants-to-be-a-mifi-for-voice-and-text/

Would you believe us if we told you that that rubber bracelet-looking thing is actually going to have a built-in SIM card and bring voice / text capabilities to Android tablets, e-readers and netbooks via Bluetooth? Yeah, it sounds super crazy, but that's exactly what it'll eventually do. Convinced that 2G capabilities like talking and texting should be easier to add to MIDs, tablets and netbooks, Seattle-based startup Iota has come up with the Flex. It's definitely in the early stages of development, but in essence they see people clipping the bendable device to a bag, pairing it to an Android tablet, e-reader or MID, and then making calls from said devices.

We caught some time with Iota and the prototype at the Netbook Summit this week and were told that they plan to sell the Flex through retailers for under $100 -- it would be an extra $40 a month for unlimited calling and texting thanks to a partnership with Simple Mobile. Here's where we say we wouldn't hold your breath for this thing to hit the market -- though if they can pull it off, it'll certainty be an interesting solution for adding voice and text to those hoards of incoming Android tablets. After you're done wrapping your brain around this wearable voice and text accessory, check out the hands-on pics and hit the break for a hacked together demo of the dev kit they've been selling.

Gallery: Iota Flex prototype hands-on

Continue reading Iota Flex wants to be a MiFi for voice and text

Iota Flex wants to be a MiFi for voice and text originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 20:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/qik-charging-5-monthly-for-evo-4g-video-chat/

Last we thought, that mandatory $10 "premium data add-on" for Sprint's EVO 4G would additionally include YouTube and Qik video chat, and well, we may have been only half right. The gang at Android Guys have what's alleged to be a scan from Sprint's training materials, and according to one image, Qik's gonna cost you another $4.99 monthly via PayPal (not through the carrier) to use. We've reached out to see if we can confirm, but if true, it's a bit of a bummer to see the premiums continuing to add up. At least Fring's Skype video is still free, and as you can see in the video after the break, it works pretty well.

Update: We're now privy to the official May 26th edition of the Evo 4G launch guide and can confirm the $4.99 fee. While Sprint hasn't said anything publicly, it's looking like that fee will stick saving a last minute call from the governor.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated)

Qik charging $5 monthly for EVO 4G video chat (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 21:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi and LG tease HyDrive: an optical reader with loads of NAND (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/hitachi-and-lg-tease-hydrive-an-optical-reader-with-loads-of-na/

Want a speedy, drop-proof SSD in your laptop? In all but the largest of 'em, you've got just two choices: pay through the nose for a reasonable amount of storage, or settle for a cheaper boot drive at the expense of capacity. Hitachi and LG are pulling a Monty Hall by opening door number three -- an optical drive with a built-in 32GB or 64GB SSD. Dubbed the HyDrive and currently being showcased at mysterydrive.net, the product is presently being labeled a "concept," but a set of impressive demo videos already show the ODD / SSD combo booting, multitasking and error-correcting Keanu Reeves like a trained pro. We'll have more details at Computex, at which point we'll let you know whether to be hesitantly expectant or gravely disappointed. Personally, hybrid HDDs be damned -- we want one of these suckers yesterday. Videos after the break.

Continue reading Hitachi and LG tease HyDrive: an optical reader with loads of NAND (video)

Hitachi and LG tease HyDrive: an optical reader with loads of NAND (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 23:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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