Sony VAIO S Series get an updated design, Core i5-2410M CPU and Radeon HD 6470M graphics

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/22/sony-vaio-s-series-get-an-updated-design-core-i5-2410m-cpu-and/

Excuse us for a moment while we ponder Sony's product naming scheme. The company's VAIO S thin-and-light laptop range got upgraded specs at CES this January, which also happened to be the place and time that we first laid eyes on a set of "prototype" machines that seemed to target the same market segment. Lo and behold, after making some cameos at European online listings, the newly redesigned Sony 13-inchers are here, only they're still called... the VAIO S Series. For the trouble of figuring out which is which, you'll be rewarded with a 3.9-pound mobile computer with a 1366 x 768 screen, a 500GB hard drive, 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, 802.11n WiFi, optional VAIO "everywair" 3G, a Radeon HD 6470M GPU with up to 1GB of dedicated memory, and what will presumably be a selection of Core i5 CPUs from Intel (at present we're only seeing the i5-2410M listed). Windows 7 is the inevitable OS on board, though Sony's enhanced it with a Fast Boot sequence that's said to halve the usual bootup time. Launch is scheduled for the end of March and you'll find a full spec sheet and release after the break.

Gallery: Sony VAIO S February 2011 press shots

Continue reading Sony VAIO S Series get an updated design, Core i5-2410M CPU and Radeon HD 6470M graphics

Sony VAIO S Series get an updated design, Core i5-2410M CPU and Radeon HD 6470M graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung develops mobile DRAM capable of 12.8GB/sec data transfers, making all other memory jealous

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/22/samsung-develops-mobile-dram-capable-of-12-8gb-sec-data-transfer/

Much like clockwork, Samsung's memory labs are cranking out yet another innovation in the mobile DRAM sector, with the goal being to make the next (next) generation Galaxy Tab -- and any other mobile device relying on Samsung memory -- faster than ever. This go 'round, the crew has developed a 1Gb mobile DRAM module with a wide I/O interface for smartphones and tablets, enabling it to transmit data at 12.8GB/sec. For those keeping count, that's an eightfold increase in bandwidth compared to LPDDR2 DRAM chips, and the company has also managed to trim power consumption by 87 percent all the while. In order to boost the data transfer rate, Samsung's new wide I/O DRAM uses 512 pins for input and output, dwarfing the 32 pins used in the previous generation. Following this, Sammy's hoping to provide 20nm-class 4Gb wide I/O mobile DRAM sometime in 2013, but we're hoping to see this particular development sashay into tablets that hit the market long before then. Sadly, there's no specific word on when, but you know we'll be handing that information over just as soon as we get it.

Continue reading Samsung develops mobile DRAM capable of 12.8GB/sec data transfers, making all other memory jealous

Samsung develops mobile DRAM capable of 12.8GB/sec data transfers, making all other memory jealous originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon launches Prime Instant Video, unlimited streaming for Prime subscribers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/22/amazon-launches-prime-instant-videos-unlimited-streaming-for-pr/

We heard it was coming and now here it is. Amazon has flipped the switch on its "free" video streaming for Prime members, the service we've been hearing about for the past month or so. If you've already been taking advantage of subscription-based two-day shipping so that your impulse buys get to your door a little quicker you can now enjoy streaming of 5,000 pieces of "prime eligible" content, including some recent movies and a lot of TV shows, much of which will look awfully familiar if you're also a Netflix subscriber. However, on some foreign films (like The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest above) you have the choice of subtitles or dubbed, and much of this content is still available to "rent" or "buy" if you want to be able to download it to a mobile device. We're just checking out the service now and will be back with some impressions a little later.

Update: We're hearing that this is only for paid Prime subscribers, so if you're a college student or the like with a free membership you're sadly out of luck. Also it's US only at this point. Sorry!

Update 2: Check out our impressions!

[Thanks, Chris]

Continue reading Amazon launches Prime Instant Video, unlimited streaming for Prime subscribers

Amazon launches Prime Instant Video, unlimited streaming for Prime subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog drives the 2012 Fisker Karma, deems it 'best handling large premium car'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/22/autoblog-drives-the-2012-fisker-karma-deems-it-best-handling-l/

Karma, in a religious sense, is the sort of divine retribution or cause for your deeds or misdeeds. In an automotive sense it's a $95,900 plug-in luxury performance car that Fisker has been teasing since 2007. That machine is finally nearing production and Autoblog was lucky enough to take an early model for a spin around California Speedway, a brief test-drive that left the pilots concluding "the Fisker Karma is a rolling dream machine for anyone who wants something very different that works and drives exceptionally well." For the rest of the impressions on this $100k plug-in hybrid that offers a combined 657hp and 981lb-ft of torque from three motors and will go 50 miles on batteries alone you'll need to click on through the source link below. For the details on what's in store from your own karma you need only look inside yourself.

Autoblog drives the 2012 Fisker Karma, deems it 'best handling large premium car' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple holding iPad 2 event next week?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/22/apple-holding-ipad-2-event-next-week/

We're all hotly expecting new MacBook Pros on Thursday, but it sounds like Apple might have an even bigger announcement soon: Kara Swisher at All Things Digital says the iPad 2 will be revealed on March 2 in San Francisco. That lines up with some of the rumblings we've heard, but we haven't gotten an official invite yet, so things could change -- we'll let you know as soon as we hear anything definite.

Apple holding iPad 2 event next week? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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