Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Second-gen CherryPad rumored to feature better specs for a bigger price tag

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/19/second-gen-cherrypad-rumored-to-feature-better-specs-for-a-bigge/

After seeing Android tablets galore at CES, it seems strangely fitting that a device bearing the CherryPad moniker could top off this month's tablet news dog pile. Specifically, Mobile Magazine is sharing "unconfirmed details" about a new 7-inch Cherry-branded tablet that's said to run Android 2.2 "at a minimum" and feature a 1024x600 capacitive multi-touch display, front and rear three megapixel cameras, a 1GHz Cortex A8 cpu, and either 8 or 16GB of flash memory. Other goodies on the sequel's spec list include an integrated HDMI output, accelerometer, microSD slot and even an unlocked GSM antenna. Unfortunately, these enhancements won't be available at the old CherryPad's $200 price point -- which was pretty much the only thing the original had going for it. Instead, the new device is rumored to cost $300 to $400. The same source also reports that an official announcement is expected in just a few weeks, so in the meantime, we'll pass the hours debating whether it makes more sense to name tablets after fruits or rocks.

Second-gen CherryPad rumored to feature better specs for a bigger price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung buys Liquavista, dives headfirst into electrowetting displays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/19/samsung-buys-liquavista-preps-some-snappy-low-power-displays/

Liquavista displays get flexible, 'unbreakable,' still rather theoretical (video)

Samsung's got a reputation for building crazy awesome display technologies, and it just added another one to the stack -- with the buyout of Philips-spinoff Liquavista this December, it's gained quite the foothold in electrowetting. In case you're not familiar, electrowetting has been repeatedly pitched to us as pretty much the Holy Grail of displays: flexible, colorful, unbreakable, outdoor-readable e-paper screens with high refresh rates and low-power consumption that can be manufactured on existing assembly lines. We'll have to see if the theories equate to meaningful products, but we imagine ownership by Samsung can't hurt one bit, especially as the company says it will "expand its leadership in next generation display technologies by pioneering the application of electrowetting in e-Paper and transparent displays." Sounds like a commitment to us. PR after the break.

Update: Seems that The Digital Reader actually figured out about the deal yesterday -- read the original scoop at our more coverage link!

Continue reading Samsung buys Liquavista, dives headfirst into electrowetting displays

Samsung buys Liquavista, dives headfirst into electrowetting displays originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice now lets you port your own phone number (update: option disappears)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/19/google-voice-now-lets-you-port-your-own-phone-number/

We'd be lying if we said we hadn't been waiting on this feature since the service's debut. As one reader just notified us (and verified by a number of staffers), Google Voice now lets you port your own phone number into its system -- as in, that 10-digit hometown relic you've been holding onto as long as you've carried a handset can now live in the cloud and grant you freedom to start afresh / forward to your many on-hand devices. Check under phone setting to see if "change / port" is now an option. The cost of porting is $20 and, as you may guess, it'll terminate your current service plan and probably prompt the carrier in question to charge applicable early termination fees, but that's pittance for saving your old line for the indefinite future. You know, just in case your seventh grade crush gets the nerve to call and say, "sorry." Of course he / she will, just give it time.

Update: Google just pinged us to note this feature is still being tested and may not be available to everyone. "We're continually testing new features to enhance the user experience. For a limited amount of time, we're making the Google Voice number porting process available to users. We don't have any additional details to share at this time, but plan to offer this feature to all users in the near future."

Update 2: Ninja vanish! Looks like the option to port is gone -- for now, at least. Just keep an eye on your settings pane, it's bound to resurface sooner or later.

Google Voice now lets you port your own phone number (update: option disappears) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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@QQforU (Twitter) | source

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Next-gen iPad may come with proximity sensor, iOS 4.3 beta reveals

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/19/next-gen-ipad-may-come-with-proximity-sensor-ios-4-3-beta-revea/

Some careful digging in the iOS 4.3 beta has revealed an intriguing new string intended for the iPad's Settings menu. As you can see above, users will be able to toggle a new auto-unlocking feature on their iPad, which would respond to closing and opening of the slate's cover (or case, or sleeve, or whatever). Though the iPad already has an ambient light sensor, the one true way to make this functionality work is by employing a good old proximity sensor, so we can probably pencil that into our ever-expanding list of iPad 2 attributes. Who'd have thought there were so many ways to improve on a magical revolution, eh?

[Thanks, Mike]

Next-gen iPad may come with proximity sensor, iOS 4.3 beta reveals originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacStories | source

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Motorola Droid X gets 1.2GHz software overclock for China, we feel slighted too

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/20/motorola-droid-x-gets-1-2ghz-software-overclock-for-china-we-fe/

For years foreign nations have received better and faster cars than America but, finally, we thought we'd at least received smartphone parity. Not for Motorola, who is bringing its 4.3-inch Droid X slab to China with one major tweak: a processor running at 1.2GHz. That's a 20 percent boost over its cycles in domestic form despite having the same TI ticker humming away in there. Now, that's not to say there aren't ways to unofficially overclock your X to 1.2GHz -- and beyond -- but those of us who prefer staying stock are left to wonder why, and to hope for an equivalent update on these shores. Futile hopes, these.

Motorola Droid X gets 1.2GHz software overclock for China, we feel slighted too originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Life, electronista | source

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