Samsung Galaxy S II said to be Verizon-bound in July (update: just a miscommunication)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-said-to-be-verizon-bound-in-july/

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy S II, our tiny American hearts are getting rather sick of all the love we've been experiencing lately. Computerworld's latest rumor may be just what we need to stay sane for another month, though; it cites an unnamed Verizon spokesperson who mentioned this Fascinate follow-up, which will likely be known as the Function, will be coming in for a soft landing sometime in July, though no specifics were offered. The Galaxy S II is already being sold in Europe and Asia and blends a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, Gingerbread, dual-core 1.2GHz CPU, and many more top-of-the-line specs into one sleek and gorgeous package. If the July window is accurate, it means Verizon could be one of the first US carriers out of the gate with the phone. This is great news for the carrier that was, of the four national powers, dead last in getting its model of the Galaxy S to market. We're anxiously awaiting word from a Verizon spokesperson for additional comment and will keep you posted -- if our heart hasn't popped out of our chest by then.

Update: We just received word from a Verizon spokesperson that the reference to a July release was just a miscommunication and was actually in reference to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Yeah, we're bummed out, too.

Samsung Galaxy S II said to be Verizon-bound in July (update: just a miscommunication) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Real Racing 2 HD beats Wii U to the wireless, dual-screen gaming punch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/real-racing-2-hd-beats-wii-u-to-the-wireless-dual-screen-gaming/

Hey, guess what? That Real Racing 2 HD update that combined your iPad and TV for dual-screen gaming action will soon be able to ditch the wires and use AirPlay to beam every turn and crash to your flatscreen. You'll need an Apple TV or other Mac device hooked up to your set, and the feature won't be unlocked until iOS 5 hits, but it should satisfy your curiosity for what playing a Wii U might be like until the new Nintendo console lands next year. If you're set hardware-wise and your interest is piqued, you can download the game for $12.99 from the app store -- now you've just gotta hold tight for that OS update in the fall.

Real Racing 2 HD beats Wii U to the wireless, dual-screen gaming punch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DarbeeVision teams with Sunflex to launder your HDMI video, give your picture added depth and clarity

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/darbeevision-teams-with-sunflex-to-launder-your-hdmi-video-give/

DarbeeVision's Visual Presence technology has been sprucing up moving pictures for ages, but until now, its greater visual depth and detail could only be added in post-processing. However, there's a new version that works by scanning 165 million pixels per second and applies its visual voodoo in real-time. It's a firmware solution that can be put into any device with a processor and a screen, and the company is currently in talks with TV manufacturers to get its tech baked in. Darbee has also partnered up with Sunflex to construct a Snakebyte-branded module that does the Darbee deed externally as an HDMI pass-through. In its current form, the system's not ready for prime time, as it's comprised of three circuit boards screwed together in an unwieldy package. When it hits the market later this year, the company claims it'll be in a plastic case the size of a remote control.

We got to see the system in person at E3 2011 and found the results to be a mixed bag. Much like Belkin's RazorVision we saw years ago, Visual Presence promises to make your picture more lifelike and detailed. In the demo we saw, graphical meadows benefitted from the enhancement -- we could see individual blades of grass waving to and fro with much more clarity. However, castle walls and textured garments looked like someone cranked up the contrast to 11, which created too much visual noise for our liking. The good news is, the effect is adjustable, so you can dial in the level of detail to suit the situation and your individual taste. Sound good? Well, the device should ship by October and retail for around $150.

Gallery: DarbeeVision HDMI picture enhancement module

DarbeeVision teams with Sunflex to launder your HDMI video, give your picture added depth and clarity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect integration in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, hands-off (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/08/kinect-integration-in-ghost-recon-future-soldier-hands-off-vi/

Microsoft's E3 keynote may have exploded with deeper Kinect support, but nothing caught our eyes quite as sharply as Ghost Recon: Future Soldier's rifle-exploding Gunsmith demo. A Ubisoft representative showed us how it's done: separating your arms separates your deadly firearm into a gorgeous display of floating screws, components, and accessories, which can be effortlessly modified, swapped, and replaced with gesture and voice commands. Too picky to decide for yourself? Then don't: just tell Gunsmith what you're looking for. For instance, saying "Optimize for range" produces a weapon any sniper should be proud of -- even better, we found that commanding Gunsmith to "optimize for awesome" birthed a rifle (pictured above) sporting an underbarrel shotgun attachment. A gun attached to a gun? Yeah, that works. Weapons can be tested in Gunsmith's gesture-controlled firing range, an engaging shooting mode exclusive to the Gunsmith weapon editor and not usable in regular gameplay. Head past the break for a hands-on (figuratively speaking) video.

Continue reading Kinect integration in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, hands-off (video)

Kinect integration in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, hands-off (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 07:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IBM puts Watson's brains in Nintendo Wii U

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/07/ibm-puts-watsons-brains-in-nintendo-wii-u/

Nintendo's new console, the Wii U, was finally unveiled to the world today at E3 2011, and we got a glimpse of its graphical prowess at the company's keynote. Details were scarce about the IBM silicon Nintendo's new HD powerhouse was packing, but we did some digging to get a little more info. IBM tells us that within the Wii U there's a 45nm custom chip with "a lot" of embedded DRAM (shown above). It's a silicon on insulator design and packs the same processor technology found in Watson, the supercomputer that bested a couple of meatbags on Jeopardy awhile back. Unfortunately, IBM wouldn't give us the chip's clock speeds, but if it's good enough to smoke Ken Jennings on national TV, we imagine it'll do alright against its competition from Sony and Microsoft.

[Thanks, Sonny]

Continue reading IBM puts Watson's brains in Nintendo Wii U

IBM puts Watson's brains in Nintendo Wii U originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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