The Engadget Show tapes today… snow be damned!
December 20, 2009
Can’t wait for another Engadget Show to roll around? Well you’re in luck, friend. It’s happening today.
The last show of the decade will be dedicated to just that: the decade. We’re going to be talking about the most important gadgets of the past 10 years — both good and bad — and we’ll be joined by the perfect guest. Peter Rojas, the founder of both Gizmodo and Engadget (and now gdgt!) will take the stage with Josh, Paul, and Nilay to discuss what has been arguably the most important 10 years in gadgetry.
We’ll also have a few surprises, as well as some giveaways including an Xbox 360, so don’t miss it — you’ll be sorry if you do!
The show takes place at the Tishman Auditorium at Parsons The New School for Design. As you may already know, we film live in front of an audience once a month — but if you can’t make it, don’t worry. We’re bringing the video back home to Engadget (and as a free download here, in the iTunes Store, or the Zune Marketplace) for your viewing pleasure.
The beautiful venue (which you can see in a photo after the break) is located at 66 W. 12th Street between 5th and 6th Aves. Seating is limited and tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis — which means if you want to join us in the audience for the show, you’ll have to arrive early and be prepared for a little wait.
Update: As you guys may have noticed, New York and the surrounding areas got hit with a little bit of snow last night. Never fear, because we’re still doing the show, but we’re going to make it easier for everyone to come out and enjoy it. If you want to see the taping today, don’t worry about showing up at 2PM or standing in line — if you come anytime before 4:30PM you will definitely get a seat! We don’t want anyone standing around in the snow, and it’s likely that not everyone who was going to come will be able to make it, so we should be able to accommodate everyone that does show up.
Here are the facts you need to know about the show:
- The show is graciously sponsored by Sprint, and hosted by Parsons The New School for Design
- The total show length will be around an hour
- Music will be provided by Bubblyfish, and visuals by Chris Jordan!
Here is what you need to know if you want to be part of the audience:
- There is no admission fee — tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- The venue seats just over 450 people
- Parsons students are welcomed, and we encourage them to come!
- Tickets will be available for pickup at the Tishman Auditorium at 2PM on the 20th, and we’re strongly encouraging people to get their tickets and not stand in line — if you have a ticket, you’ll have a seat!
- You’ll need to hold onto your ticket stub to be eligible for the giveaways
- You cannot pick up tickets for other people — if you want your friend to get a ticket, bring your friend!
- The show begins at 5PM, and doors will open at 4:30PM
If you’re a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget.com, and we’ll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget.com.
Continue reading The Engadget Show tapes today… snow be damned!
The Engadget Show tapes today… snow be damned! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Poor iPhone reception graduates to SNL ‘Weekend Update’ joke status
December 20, 2009
“It was reported this week that Google would soon launch its own cellphone as a challenge to the iPhone. Also a challenge to the iPhone? Making phone calls.”
Cue uproarious applause.
Update: Video after the break! Thanks Michael!
Continue reading Poor iPhone reception graduates to SNL ‘Weekend Update’ joke status
Poor iPhone reception graduates to SNL ‘Weekend Update’ joke status originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Finland unleashes Blobo, the squeezable, all-too-cheerful game controller, on an unsuspecting world
November 20, 2009
What’s a matter, guy? Wiimote seem “old hat?” Looks like a start-up in Finland has just what you need. Containing “industry-leading” sensors for keeping track of “movement, rotation, magnetic fields and pressure,” Blobo is a squeezable game controller roughly the size and shape of a golf ball that communicates with your PC or phone via Bluetooth. Currently available in a package with “six sporty fun and fit” games, it’ll keep tabs on you as you run, jump, dribble, or karate chop your lonely nights away — in the comfort of your own living room or wood panel rec room. In addition, the company has made a commercial which will, in the words of one Engadget editor, make you “want to stab myself.” Retails for €54.90 (around $80). Video after the break.
[Thanks, Visa]
Finland unleashes Blobo, the squeezable, all-too-cheerful game controller, on an unsuspecting world originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Engadget Show tapes this Sunday with HTC’s Drew Bamford and Chris Grant of Joystiq!
November 20, 2009
The Engadget Show is happening again, humans! This Sunday, November 22nd, we’ll be bringing that live magic back to the stage as we sit down with Drew Bamford (you can read a bit about him here), director of HTC’s Innovation Center (the place where things like the Sense UI are born). We’ll also be joined by Joystiq’s Editor-in-chief Chris Grant for a special roundtable discussion focused on gaming. As a bonus, we’ve got giveaways for everyone in the audience, plus one of the lucky attendees will walk away with that Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 bundle we just got our hands on!
The show takes place at the Tishman Auditorium at Parsons The New School for Design. As you may already know, we film live in front of an audience once a month — but if you can’t make it, don’t worry. We’re bringing the video back home to Engadget (and as a free download here, in the iTunes Store, or the Zune Marketplace) for your viewing pleasure.
The beautiful venue (which you can see in a photo after the break) is located at 66 W. 12th Street between 5th and 6th Aves. Seating is limited and tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis — which means if you want to join us in the audience for the show, you’ll have to arrive early and be prepared for a little wait.
Here are the facts you need to know about the show:
- The show is graciously sponsored by Nokia, and hosted by Parsons The New School for Design
- The total show length will be around an hour
- The amazing Glomag will be performing live along with visualist Dan Winckler!
Here is what you need to know if you want to be part of the audience:
- There is no admission fee — tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- The venue seats just over 450 people
- Parsons students are welcomed, and we encourage them to come!
- Tickets will be available for pickup at the Tishman Auditorium at 2PM on the 22nd, and we’re strongly encouraging people to get their tickets and not stand in line — if you have a ticket, you’ll have a seat!
- You’ll need to hold onto your ticket stub to be eligible for the giveaways
- You cannot pick up tickets for other people — if you want your friend to get a ticket, bring your friend!
- The show begins at 5PM, and doors will open at 4:30PM
If you’re a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget.com, and we’ll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget.com.
The Engadget Show tapes this Sunday with HTC’s Drew Bamford and Chris Grant of Joystiq! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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How-to: run Chrome OS as a virtual machine
November 20, 2009
Itching for some Chrome OS? Well, we all are, but you might be a bit disappointed at the fact that while Google has open-sourced its progress on the OS so far, the version that is currently available for download seems eons behind what Google showed off at its event yesterday. Still, if you just have to see it for yourself, the good news is that it’s a total breeze to get a virtual machine running. We used a VMWare image that was packaged up by the kind folks at gdgt, and set it up with VMWare Fusion running on a recent model MacBook Pro. Your mileage may vary depending on your particular setup (there’s also an image available for the free, cross-platform VirtualBox software), but the principles should remain the same. Check it out on video after the break.
Continue reading How-to: run Chrome OS as a virtual machine
How-to: run Chrome OS as a virtual machine originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Robots perform synchronized interpretive dance for the holidays, fill us with cheer
November 20, 2009
You know what we love? Dancing robots and Christmas tunes. So combining the two and throwing the video up on YouTube would be akin to heaven, right? Well, as you’ll see in the amazing video after the break: it doesn’t get much better than this. In fact, it might even be enough to clear the “bah humbug” out of us for good.
Continue reading Robots perform synchronized interpretive dance for the holidays, fill us with cheer
Robots perform synchronized interpretive dance for the holidays, fill us with cheer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia N900 drops to $480 on Amazon
November 20, 2009
The N900’s US retail price of $649 is a steep barrier to cross without the carrier subsidies negotiated in Europe. But what if we told you that Amazon has cut the price to $530 minus another $50 (after mail-in rebate) for a $480 take home price? Not bad for an unlocked ARM Cortex-A8 handset with excellent browser, 32GB of flash, 5 megapixel camera and an enthusiastic Maemo development community hellbent on making this the greatest device ever known to mankind. No, not by ship date (which is presumably any day now) but by 2012 if things go according to plan.
[Thanks, Samuel]
Nokia N900 drops to $480 on Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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This Google’s made from 100% Virgin pulp, not chrome
November 20, 2009
Hey, it may not be from California but at least this KIRF’s registered with the Vietnamese trademark office (right). Anywho, according to Google’s own machine translation, the subtext of this product reads, “Very long, soft, smooth. Of high vacuum, because you always!” Reflect on that while you pick up the simmering scraps of your mind — work can wait.
[Thanks, DMZ]
This Google’s made from 100% Virgin pulp, not chrome originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Homemade GPS puzzle box puts a modern spin on treasure hunts
October 20, 2009
We’ll readily admit that most Arduino mods tend to be exercises in creativity (and eccentricity) with little real world utility, which is why this one piqued our interest. A wedding present conceived of and built by Mikal Hart, the box you see above is set to only open in one particular geographic location, and the puzzle of it is to find out where that might be. You’re allowed 50 attempts at opening the box by hitting the button next to the LCD screen, which in turn gives you a distance from, but not direction to, your destination. What tickles us about this idea, aside from its ingenuity, is the potential to use it without the helpful hints in securing your own valuables. Check out the read link for a full shopping list of ingredients and the amusing reaction to the quirky gift.
[Via Slippery Brick]
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Homemade GPS puzzle box puts a modern spin on treasure hunts originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A video walkthrough of Apple’s newest additions (Unibody MacBook, iMac, Magic Mouse)
October 20, 2009
Sure, you’ve seen the hands-on posts and the PR, but have you really gotten a look at Apple’s new gear? Join us for a quick and spirited walkthrough of the goods. You won’t be disappointed. Or you might be. It really depends on how picky you are.
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Peripherals
A video walkthrough of Apple’s newest additions (Unibody MacBook, iMac, Magic Mouse) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HiPhone F320: ‘a rotary phone and an iPod nano walk into a bar…’
October 20, 2009
With a name like HiPhone, it has to be good, right? Totally. The outfit famous for knocking off RIM’s BlackBerry Storm in impressive fashion is back, this time with a psychedelic mishmash that could make even the most hardened soul chuckle once or twice. The F320 is — as you can so clearly see above — a terribly funny combination of iPod nano and rotary phone, and while we wouldn’t trust the specifications for a minute, we’re told that it’s a dual-band GSM handset with a built-in multimedia player, FM tuner, camera, 2.6-inch touchscreen and Bluetooth. There’s no mention of a price (unless you’re willing to commit to buying a few hundred), but trust us, it’s better that way.
[Via PMP Today]
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video
HiPhone F320: ‘a rotary phone and an iPod nano walk into a bar…’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Motorola ‘Calgary’ to bring BLUR to Verizon, Droid not looking worried
October 20, 2009
The Droid’s shaping up to be a beast of an Android phone — well played, Verizon — but Motorola’s banking much of its future on its MOTOBLUR platform, which the Droid curiously lacks (though Android 2.0 adds at least some of BLUR’s functionality back in). Don’t worry, though — Verizon hasn’t forgotten about BLUR altogether, and the rumored Calgary is looking to arrive as the carrier’s next Android phone from Moto featuring BLUR in all its social network-aggregating glory. It’s clearly positioned as a lower-end device than the Droid, stepping down to a 3 megapixel cam but still managing nifty features like an optical pad, 3.5mm jack, and naturally, a full QWERTY keyboard. Considering Rubin’s ties to Danger, you could think of this as the ill-fated Sidekick Slide all grow’d up. Word has it this might hit before the end of the year, so we’ll see just how much breathing room Verizon and Moto feel like giving the Droid before coming back for Round 2, eh?
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Motorola ‘Calgary’ to bring BLUR to Verizon, Droid not looking worried originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader leaks a bit early: $259, pre-orders are live (video)
October 20, 2009
Looks like all those whispers were true — the “Android-based” nook is alive and well, and it’s calling itself the planet’s “most advanced e-book reader.” Measuring 7.7- x 4.9- x 0.5-inches and weighing 11.2 ounces, the device includes a top e-ink display from Vizplex and a color touchscreen (3.5-inches) below, which supports one-touch control and swipe-to-browse books with full-color covers. The rechargeable battery takes 3.5 hours to go from zero to full if using a wall outlet, and B&N claims that it’ll last for up to ten days if you flick the wireless to “off.” Speaking of which, inbuilt WiFi (802.11b/g) and AT&T 3G is included, not to mention 2GB of internal storage, a microSD expansion slot, MP3 player, built-in mono speaker, 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, a micro USB port and support for EPUB, PDF and MP3. The nook also supports bookmarking, making notes, and highlighting passages, and the ‘LendMe’ feature allows users to lend books for up to a fortnight at a time to other e-readers, cellphones or computers.
B&N also tells us that you can pick up where you left off (with markings and highlights in tact) on your iPhone or BlackBerry using its free eReader software, which just so happens to be the same app that allows sharing to iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC or Mac. As expected, the company will also let you sample ebooks before you buy, and you’ll enjoy free WiFi each and every time you sashay into a Barnes & Noble retail location. It’s available to pre-order as we speak for $259, with initial shipments expected to happen at the end of November. Introductory video is after the break, along with a few highlights about accessories and features.
Update: Aw snap, B&N just yanked everything related to nook from its website. Thankfully for you, everything you’d ever need to know is right here.
Update 2: Looks like it’s back! Though, the landing page itself still seems down. Hurray for backdoors!
Update 3: Be sure to check out our live reveal coverage and our hands-on images / video!
Gallery: Barnes & Noble Nook in-depth
Gallery: Barnes & Noble nook’s first close-up
Continue reading Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader leaks a bit early: $259, pre-orders are live (video)
Filed under: Displays
Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader leaks a bit early: $259, pre-orders are live (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple’s new MacBook unboxing and hands-on!
October 20, 2009
We just took delivery of Apple’s new MacBook — it’s an interesting revision to the MacBook formula, built using the same unibody techniques as the Aluminum Pros but with white plastic. That means it feels much more solid than the previous plastic MacBooks: there’s zero flex when you pick it up by a corner, and the keyboard is nicely rigid. There’s a price for that heft, though — the battery is now sealed in, although we’re guessing it won’t be too hard to replace if you remove the soft-touch rubber bottom panel. Unlike the Pros, the screen is still set in by a plastic bezel instead of edge-to-edge glass, which means it’s a little less glossy overall — but make no mistake, it can still serve as a mirror in a pinch. Ports are looking pretty dismal — there’s no FireWire, no SD card slot, no dedicated line-in. Instead you get just two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, and a combo headphone / line-in jack. That’s pretty weak in a thousand-dollar machine. We’re going to spend some more time playing with this thing before we dish out a proper review, though — anything you want to know?
Gallery: New MacBook unboxing and hands-on!
Filed under: Laptops
Apple’s new MacBook unboxing and hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer neoTouch S200 reviewed, not recommended
October 20, 2009
After what seemed like a full lifetime of waiting, Acer’s recently-launched neoTouch S200 is finally making its way into some reviewing hands. The fine young cannibals over at Phone Arena have just given it the head to toe treatment, and we have to say, we’re glad they’ve done the dirty work for us. This WinMo 6.5 handset, according to their impressions, seems to be a not fully baked affair — sluggishness and random crashing are both reported, as is a rather serious sounding call quality issue. The battery also seems to be inadequate for a workday, coming in at around five hours. Overall, the phone suffers from software optimization problems more than hardware issues. The one ray of light in all this is of course that 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, which can multitask and handle several things at once without flinching — but it’s rather hard to get pumped about it in the face of all that sadness. Hit the read link for the full, exhaustive review.
Filed under: Cellphones
Acer neoTouch S200 reviewed, not recommended originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ion propulsion engine could take you to Mars in 39 days
October 20, 2009
Ready for some interplanetary exploration? We’ve had the force shields, currency, and refuel stations all sorted out for a while, and now here come the ion thrusters we’ve been missing to make manned trips to Mars really viable. Currently, a return journey to Mars can take up to two years, with crew members having to wait a full year for the planets to realign, but with ion propulsion — which uses electricity to accelerate ions and produce small but longevous thrust — ships can get there within a reasonably tight 39-day window. Ion propulsion rocket engines were first deployed successfully by NASA in the Deep Space 1 probe in 1998, and the latest iteration’s successful Earth-bound testing has led to plans for a flight to the moon and use on the International Space Station as test scenarios for the technology. It’s all still very much in the early stages, of course, but should all that testing, checking, and refinement bear fruit, we might finally have a whole new world to colonize and sell sneakers on.
[Thanks, Davis]
Filed under: Transportation, Science
Ion propulsion engine could take you to Mars in 39 days originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset brings extreme noise blocking, $130 price tag
October 20, 2009
Okay, so this thing is way more “traditional Bluetooth headset” than “a round object that looks nothing like a Bluetooth headset,” but we’ll give the marketing team credit — STONE sure got us looking. Jabra’s newest Bluetooth headset has just become official, bringing with it a behind-the-ear design, a wireless portable charger (which doubles as a carrying case) and Noise Blackout Extreme technology to keep things quiet when your yammering. There’s also a “nearly invisible touch-controlled volume pad” on the outside of the headset, a battery good for 8 hours of talk time (or 12 days in standby), dual BT pairing support and A2DP compatibility. Unfortunately, you’ll have to waltz into an AT&T retail store starting on November 8th to get one, and worse still, you’ll walk out $129.99 poorer. But hey, you’ll leave Stoned. (Sorry.)
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Wireless
Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset brings extreme noise blocking, $130 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sonos S5 ears-on review: a premium iPod speaker dock without the dock
October 20, 2009
We had the opportunity to hear a preview of the $399 Sonos S5 all-in-one speaker ahead of its 27 October US launch (November 10th in Europe). For comparison, we had it staged side-by-side with a pair of Sonos 100 speakers — a setup that costs $678 ($499 for an amplified Sonos ZonePlayer Z120 and another $179 for the separate loudspeakers). Unfair, perhaps, since Sonos is actually positioning its five speaker (two tweeters, two 3-inch mids, and a built-in 3.5-inch sub) S5 with five dedicated amps against premium iPod speaker docks like the $600 Bose SoundDock 10, $600 B&W Zeppelin, or legacy $349 Apple iPod Hi-Fi. So how did it sound? About what we expected, which in this case is a good thing. Click through to find out why.
Continue reading Sonos S5 ears-on review: a premium iPod speaker dock without the dock
Filed under: Portable Audio
Sonos S5 ears-on review: a premium iPod speaker dock without the dock originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung and Uni-Pixel team up for better, cheaper TMOS displays
October 19, 2009
[Via OLED-Info]
Filed under: Displays
Samsung and Uni-Pixel team up for better, cheaper TMOS displays originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New Android Market finds its way into latest Cyanogen ROM
September 20, 2009
Can wait to check out the new and improved Android Market slated for inclusion in the upcoming Android 1.6 release? Then it looks like you won’t have to wait for the official release after all. You will, however, need a rooted Android device, and the latest, less-than-official Cyanogen ROM. Among other updates and fixes, it includes what appears to be the very same Android Market revision that’s headlining Android 1.6 (a.k.a. Donut), and includes such enhancements as a bright new look, screenshots of apps, and a number of new browsing options to help you find what you’re looking for. All rooted and ready to go? Then hit up the link below to get started.
Filed under: Cellphones
New Android Market finds its way into latest Cyanogen ROM originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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