drag2share: Canalys: HTC nips Apple, Samsung to become top smartphone vendor in US for Q3 2011

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/31/canalys-htc-nips-apple-samsung-to-become-top-smartphone-vendor/

Boo! No, that's not your doorbell ringing again, that's HTC popping out of nowhere in order to toss a Nah-nah-nah-boo-boo in the direction of Samsung and Apple. Just days after Strategy Analytics published a global smartphone shipment report for Q3 2011, Canalys -- another formidable name in the sector -- has pushed out a report of its own. Not surprisingly, the global figures line up almost precisely with what we'd already heard, with Samsung's Q3 numbers rising above those from Apple, Nokia and the rest of the industry. The difference here, however, is the focal point on the US of A. Here in the States, Taiwan's own HTC is pulling rank; the aforesaid handset maker edged out Apple and Samsung by shipping 5.7 million smartphones.

All told, it owned "around a quarter of the market," with Samsung (4.9 million) claiming the second spot and Apple (4.6 million) pulling in for the bronze. Conspicuously absent from the leader board? RIM, which saw its volume decline 58 percent from a year ago and its US market share sink from 24 percent in Q3 2010 to just 9 percent this quarter. Our take? HTC (and Samsung, from a global perspective) best enjoy it while the quarter lasts -- as soon as the iPhone 4S and Nokia's spate of Windows Phone devices start figuring in, we're guessing that the top spots will be completely up for grabs all over again.

Continue reading Canalys: HTC nips Apple, Samsung to become top smartphone vendor in US for Q3 2011

Canalys: HTC nips Apple, Samsung to become top smartphone vendor in US for Q3 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Polaroid's Dua Flash Embraces Videographers and Photographers [Photography]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5854534/polaroids-dua-flash-embraces-videographers-and-photographers

Like skiers and snowboarders sharing the same powder, I envision some kind of uneasy truce between those using their DSLRs for still photography, and those using them for videography. I have no basis for the dirty looks and stink eye I imagine them giving each other, but it still warms my heart to see a company like Polaroid trying to bring those two sides together.

Given video recording is a standard feature on every new DSLR these days, their new Dua Flash makes a lot of sense. It's a fully automatic TTL shoe mount flash with bounce, zoom and a swivel head, that adds an extra LED light source on the front so you don't need to keep swapping equipment when you switch from taking photos to shooting video. It doesn't look like it has quite enough oomph to replace the dedicated lighting setups that a lot of professional videographers rely on, but it at least serves as a readily available backup without adding another piece of gear to your kit. And it's currently available in two different models for both Canon and Nikon cameras for $160 to $200. [Steve's Digicams via PetaPixel]

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drag2share: Switched On: The clamshell mystique

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/30/switched-on-the-clamshell-mystique/

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

In 2009, Switched On discussed the potential of Android on netbooks, finding an uneasy match between what was then high-flying hardware and still nascent software. More than two years later, though, the tables have turned in terms of momentum. As netbooks have settled into a relatively small part of the overall PC market, Android is leaping beyond the smartphone. In doing so, though, it is focused on tablets, not clamshells,

There are a few ways today to get Android on a diminutive notebook, but all have major flaws. On eBay, for example, you can buy cheaply made 7-inch Android netbooks for about $100. These are little more than novelties with poor ergonomics and battery life. Or one can download the Android x86 distribution and fire it up on an Asus Eee or other netbooks, but this is a hobbyist pursuit.

Continue reading Switched On: The clamshell mystique

Switched On: The clamshell mystique originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Not so ultimate Ultrabook: MacBook Air KIRF features mini-HDMI port, 3.5 hour battery life

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/29/not-so-ultimate-ultrabook-macbook-air-kirf-features-mini-hdmi-p/

Hey, who wiped the MacBook Air logo off? Nah, we're kidding -- it's a KIRF. Sure, Apple's svelte 13-incher may have a duo of USB ports and an SD card slot, but this rig adds in a 3-in-1 card reader and and an odd, combo RJ45 / VGA jack (which we assume needs an adapter). For good measure, you'll also find a mini-HDMI output, although, with 3.5 hours of battery life it may prove problematic for getting through a 1080p movie marathon without nearby power. The alloy-encased lappy has a 1.86GHz Intel Atom N2800 CPU with a GMA3600 integrated GPU, 2GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD and a 13.3-inch LED display sporting a ho-hum resolution (for a 13-incher) of 1366 x 768, just like the 11-inch MacBook Air. Amazingly, this knock-off weighs merely .01 kilograms more than its real counterpart at 1.36 kgs (about three pounds), while being only 0.1 cm thicker. Giz-China expects this Ultrabook-wannabe by Shenzen Technology Ltd to land on Chinese shelves sometime in November for about $471. Cue Apple's lawyers in 3... 2...

Not so ultimate Ultrabook: MacBook Air KIRF features mini-HDMI port, 3.5 hour battery life originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung to offer flexible displays in 2012, challenges Nokia to a twist contest

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/30/samsung-to-offer-flexible-displays-in-2012-challenges-nokia-to/

Flexible displays? Samsung's got 'em, too. A few days after Nokia showed off its Kinetic Device prototype under the blue lights of Nokia World, Samsung made mention of its own plans to unleash some bendy mobile devices on the world. A spokesperson for the company was scarce on details, but noted that the flexible displays are targeted for 2012. The technology, which was showcased at this year's CES, will initially be incorporated into handsets, with tablets following down the road.

Continue reading Samsung to offer flexible displays in 2012, challenges Nokia to a twist contest

Samsung to offer flexible displays in 2012, challenges Nokia to a twist contest originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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