Nokia X7 first hands-on! (updated with video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/nokia-x7-first-hands-on/

The Nokia X7, everybody! Like the E7, this is a 4-inch AMOLED handset with an 8 megapixel EDoF camera, though unlike its more buttoned-down business-oriented sibling, this is an entertainment handset through and through. Check it out in pictures below and we'll bring you more impressions of it and the new Symbian "Anna" UI very shortly. Video forthcoming too!

Update: Video now embedded after the break. We can't yet speak of the improvements Nokia has made on the browser front, but its long overdue inclusion of a virtual portrait QWERTY keyboard is much appreciated, as is the real-time home screen scrolling. It's still not as smooth as you'd see on other devices that have been doing it for a while, but it's preferable to what we had in the older Symbian iteration.

Physically, the X7 is a pleasure to hold and to handle, a hallmark of Nokia construction, but we must once again protest at the so-called nHD resolution of 640 x 360 on this device. It's justified by the need to keep consistency with the company's existing ecosystem, but it's a step behind the cutting edge. At least it's composed of the delectable AMOLED stuff that Nokia's been using lately, and colors and images look positively delicious, if a little pixel-light. Stereo speakers at the bottom and a generally svelte profile make it an appealing little pocket rocket for multimedia, but bear in mind it comes with a 680MHz processor, so it can record and play back 720p video, but may be challenged by more intensive tasks.

Gallery: Nokia X7 hands-on

Continue reading Nokia X7 first hands-on! (updated with video)

Nokia X7 first hands-on! (updated with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

HTC Sensation leaked by Vodafone: 4.3-inch qHD SLCD and 1.2GHz dual-core processor are go (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/htc-sensation-leaked-by-vodafone-4-3-inch-qhd-slcd-and-1-2ghz-d/

Would you look at that, HTC's latest worst kept secret is live on Vodafone UK's website. So here's the scoop: 4.3-inch qHD (540 x 960 pixel) SLCD display, 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera augmented by an 8 megapixel shooter with dual-LED flash around back, a 1.2GHz (dual-core) processor, and 4GB of internal flash memory with an extra 8GB supplied on memory card. Stick around, we'll have hands-on with the latest Android Sensation from the HTC launch event later in the day.

Update: Vodafone removed the pages but we've got a screenshot after the break. Better yet, we've also got a trio of videos uncovered by our friends over at Mobile Bulgaria showing updated elements of the Sense UI.

[Thanks, Chris H.]

Continue reading HTC Sensation leaked by Vodafone: 4.3-inch qHD SLCD and 1.2GHz dual-core processor are go (video)

HTC Sensation leaked by Vodafone: 4.3-inch qHD SLCD and 1.2GHz dual-core processor are go (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Vodafone  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Toshiba puts its business laptops on a diet, intros the Portege R830, Tecra R840, and Tecra R850

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/toshiba-puts-its-business-laptops-on-a-diet-intros-the-portege/

Toshiba's thin-but-full-powered Portege R700 was such a hit among business types that the company is now designing other machines in its svelte image. Tosh just unveiled the Tecra R840 and R850 -- both of which ape the R700's slim build -- along with the Portege R830, a refresh to the R700 itself. The R830 looks the same, though it has a strip on the edge of the lid that looks like it's made of magnesium alloy, but is actually plastic -- a material that's expected to improve the signals of the the various antennae housed underneath it. And -- surprise, surprise -- this refresh adds a USB 3.0 port and Intel Sandy Bridge processor, which the company says should bump the rated battery life to a max of 11 hours, up from eight. Not the corporate type? The company will also sell an $889 consumer version, the R835, that has a one-, not three-year, warranty, and loses enterprise-grade features -- namely, Intel's vPro technology, a docking connector, and an ExpressCard slot.

Meanwhile, the 14-inch R840 and 15.6-inch R850 are also getting Sandy Bridge CPUs, USB 3.0 ports, chiclet keyboards and all-around trimmer silhouettes. These laptops are now made with fiberglass-reinforced casing and the same Honeycomb rib structure that made last year's R700 sturdy enough to grab one-handed. Of the two, the R840's slim-down is more dramatic: it's 25 percent thinner than the last-generation Tecra M11, as you can see in the comparison shots past the break. That's largely thanks to Intel's Airflow Cooling technology, which rearranges all of the heat-generating components in a row and draws in cool air from outside the notebook, instead of within. And Tosh claims the battery can last up to ten hours on a charge (11 with an SSD) -- a vast improvement over the five and a half to six hours it promised the last time around. Moving up in size to the R850 will get you a number pad, but not that cooling technology. But it is about an inch thick at its thinnest, a point the PC maker is pleased as punch about. The R830, R840, and R850 start at $1,049, $899, and $879, respectively, and are available now on Toshiba's site, with the consumer-friendly R835 on sale at Best Buy and through the Microsoft Store.

Gallery: Toshiba Portege R830, Tecra R840 and R850

Gallery: Toshiba Portege R830, Tecra R840 and R850 hands-on!

Continue reading Toshiba puts its business laptops on a diet, intros the Portege R830, Tecra R840, and Tecra R850

Toshiba puts its business laptops on a diet, intros the Portege R830, Tecra R840, and Tecra R850 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | ! Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Motorola XOOM available soon at Sprint, shipping with WiMAX on-board?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/motorola-xoom-available-soon-at-sprint-shipping-with-wimax-on-b/

We received a tip earlier today that Sprint stores were finding boxes of Motorola Xoom accessories this morning, ahead of what would presumably be a launch of the tablet on that carrier. Now BGR has some pics of what is certainly a Xoom case along with an entry in the store's inventory system, strong indicators that the tablet will indeed be soon available there. Of course, we're all still waiting on the LTE wizardry Moto is said to be enabling on the Verizon flavor, but we would naturally expect Sprint's version to be packing some WiMAX whenever it ships. Word is the tablets themselves will be arriving in stores sometime before the end of the month, but let's just wait and see what Sprint has to say before we get too excited this Tuesday morning.

Motorola XOOM available soon at Sprint, shipping with WiMAX on-board? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  BGR  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

SoundTracking for iPhone [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5790972/soundtracking-for-iphone

Songs can sound different depending on when and where you hear them—I can only appreciate the subtle craftsmanship of Katy Perry, for example, when I'm at home with my headphones on. SoundTracking takes the "now playing"-style share to the next level by letting you announce what you're listening to as well as where you are and what you're doing while listening to it.

What is it?

SoundTracking, Free, iPhone. Firing up SoundTracking for the first time, the app makes you login to Facebook, Twitter, or FourSquare (or all three) to find fellow SoundTrackers and to determine where your soundtrack posts will go. From there, it's an Instagram-style single serving social network—you have a "feed" that shows you friends posts (which you can listen to iTunes snippets of, "like" for later perusal, etc) , a section for notifications, one for trending music, and more. The heart of the activity is the "SoundTrack" section, which lets you share what you've got on. You can use a music search to enter your song manually; use a Shazam-like music identifier to figure out what's got you tapping your toes, or just tap "On my iPod app" to cull the info from your ID3 tags. Then, if you so choose, you can attach a photo, pick the name of the place where you're listening, or just type in a short description of what you're doing.

Who's it good for?

People who routinely find themselves wanting to share what they're listening to with friends.

Why's it better than alternatives?

Adding photo and note attachments probably makes your "this is what I'm listening to right now" updates a little bit more compelling to your social media friends, and allowing users to report what they're listening to automatically via iPod, manually, or with song ID is pretty slick. The app itself is well designed and free, too.

How could it be even better?

It does what it sets out to do quite well, but who is really that keen on broadcasting their playlists anyway? And when there comes that occasional summer evening where I'm listening to some Panda Bear song just as the sun is setting and it seems like the sights and the sounds are ~*perfectly*~ in sync I can just attach a Twitpic, no? So it'd be nice to see the music discovery tools fleshed out a bit—maybe a location-based "trending" page instead of just a block of cover art.

SoundTracking for iPhone | iTunes

We're always looking for cool apps—for iOS, Android, Windows Phone or whatever else—to feature as App of the Day. If you come across one you think we should take a look at, please let us know.

For more apps, check out our weekly app roundups for iPhone, iPad, and Android

Video music: Kevin MacLeod

Read More...

Summary only...