Dell creates communications division for push into handheld market

Turns out Mini 3i is only the beginning. Dell has announced plans to create a new Communications Group with a focus on mobile phones and similar portable devices. Current consumer division head and former Motorola exec Ron Garriques will take the helm. Not much else to say at this point, but make no mistake, Dell is now officially in the phone business for the long haul.

Dell creates communications division for push into handheld market originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caption contest: Ellen DeGeneres and her ?oou giveaway

Look, sometimes show hosts can get a bit too excited, especially when it comes to Christmas giveaway segments behind a massive pile of gadgets — most of which they’ve probably never heard of until ten minutes before the show. If you were Ellen DeGeneres here with the upside-down Nook e-reader, what could possibly be going through your head? Video after the break.

Ross: “.????? ??? u? ???q pu? dn ?? d1?? ?s??1d ‘?oou s??? p??? u?? no? ??”
Chris: “Everyone gets a (deafening applause, people fainting).”
Joanna: “Oh cute, Ellen pulling a Michael Jackson. Where is the closest balcony?”
Vlad: “And with your purchase of the androgynous android, you get an added value ebook reader — absolutely free!”
Don: “The good news? B&N has settled its dispute with Spring Design. The bad news? You have to hold it this way.”
Richard Lawler: “Read this way, Twilight has an entirely different double meaning.”
Paul: “I’m holding it upside down because it’s a non-working dummy unit and it doesn’t matter.”
Nilay: “God I wish this was a car.”
Richard Lai: “Look!! It’s got the same smile as me! It’s just like a magical mirror.”

Continue reading Caption contest: Ellen DeGeneres and her ?oou giveaway

Caption contest: Ellen DeGeneres and her ?oou giveaway originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC exec promises Hero successor in 2010, debut at Mobile World Congress

Yet another reason to love the Swedes: they give us juicy details. Former LG Sales Manager turned HTC Sweden exec Patrik Andersson has dropped word that a sequel to HTC Hero is coming next year. We know what you’re thinking: an upgrade to the company’s successful multi-carrier flagship Android device? You don’t say! The real interesting point here is when it’ll make its debut, and that’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this February. Happy Valentine’s, indeed, and if you get to the press conference early, save us a seat?

HTC exec promises Hero successor in 2010, debut at Mobile World Congress originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FTC moseys into Intel / NVIDIA dispute

FTC moseys into Intel / NVIDIA dispute originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola prepping ‘La Jolla’ low-end Android clamshell?

It’s a source code-palooza these days! Fresh off that huge HTC code name find, someone’s dug into the Motorola CLIQ’s source code and found references to a new Motorola device dubbed “La Jolla.” Meaning “The Jewel” in Spanish, La Jolla apparently means “low-end Android clamshell” in Motorola-ese, with mention of a WQVGA screen, 528MHz processor and what seems to be a QWERTY keyboard. (What such a phone might look like is pictured above. Thanks, LG). In fact, a QWERTY Android clamshell (the clamshell bit was extrapolated from the display driver by the folks at AndroidandMe, but sounds reasonable) seems to be the perfect cure for the recent rash of QWERTY featurephones we’ve been seeing lately, perfect for the SMS / email junky that doesn’t want to bother with high-powered apps or a big price tag or the resistive touchscreen-only typing of the HTC Tattoo. Now, if only could find some device source code that could solve our trigger shyness brought on by this steady stream of Android handsets — not that we’re complaining.

Motorola prepping ‘La Jolla’ low-end Android clamshell? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple adds 3.33GHz Xeon, 2TB hard drive options to Mac Pro

We know it can be tough scraping by with a measly 2.93GHz Xeon processor and 1TB hard drives in your Mac Pro, so you’ll no doubt be pleased to know that Apple has finally seen fit to add a bit of extra horsepower to its humble little desktop. That includes a new option for a speedy 3.33GHz Xeon processor, which will add a hefty $1,200 to the base price, and a new a 2TB SATA 3Gb/s 7,200rpm hard drive option (also now available on Apple’s Xserve server), which is a comparative bargain at just $350 — though you can, of course, add four of them. Unfortunately, anyone that’s thinking about doubling up on those 3.33GHz Xeon processors is still out of luck, as the 8-core rigs still top out at just 2.93Ghz.

Apple adds 3.33GHz Xeon, 2TB hard drive options to Mac Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Booklet 3G review

You might think MikroMikko is the name of some Asian fusion restaurant, but it was actually Nokia’s first computer line — and in 1987, the MikroMikko 3 was a state-of-the-art MS-DOS machine with 1MB of RAM and 20MB drive. It’s been about 25 years since Nokia’s made a computer bigger than an N900, but it’s back in the game with its first netbook, the Booklet 3G. Nokia’s pitching the Booklet as a top-of-the-line machine with an all-aluminum chassis, integrated connectivity and GPS apps, and at $599 it’s certainly priced that way — although inside it’s got a low-power Atom processor and 4,200rpm hard drive. The Booklet 3G is one of the best-looking netbooks out there, but is Nokia’s entry back into the market a winner? Click on to find out what we think of the entire system in our full review.

Continue reading Nokia Booklet 3G review

Nokia Booklet 3G review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nook ship date pushed back to January 15th for new pre-orders, no Nooks in stores before Christmas?

Last night, we got a tip telling us that this morning, Barnes and Noble’s ship date for the Nook would slip further — from the previously known date of January 11th to January 15th. And hey, what do you know? The BN website is now showing an expected ship date of January 15th — though it seems this would be the shipping date for new pre-orders, not for pre-existing ones. Disappointing for all of us who are expectantly awaiting our units, no doubt, but there’s the possibility of further bad news. The last time we checked in, the Nook was expected in some Barnes and Noble retail stores on the 7th of December. This tipster, who as we’ve just mentioned proved spot on with the expected shipping date (and whose name we know, though they’ve asked us not to print it), also says that no Barnes and Noble stores will have actual Nooks on hand until after Christmas. Of course, we have no way of knowing if this information will turn out to be correct, but at this point, we thought it seemed a decent enough piece of “possible” to pass on.

Update: We’ve just spoken with a Barnes & Noble rep, and they say they will have the Nook in select stores on Monday, December 7th, so we’re just going to have to be patient and see.

Update 2: If it was not clear enough, this new date of January 15th (as well as the previous date of January 11th) seems to pertain ONLY to new pre-orders of the device — not orders placed before the initial run sold out.

Update 3: And the in-store delay is official… Barnes & Noble is now confirming that the Nook will NOT be available in stores on Monday, as it’s “intent on fulfilling earlier preorders.”

[Thanks, unnamed]

Nook ship date pushed back to January 15th for new pre-orders, no Nooks in stores before Christmas? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen grabs: House, MD likes a little PSP Go between his high-risk medical procedures

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today’s movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

Continue reading Screen grabs: House, MD likes a little PSP Go between his high-risk medical procedures

Screen grabs: House, MD likes a little PSP Go between his high-risk medical procedures originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus E-600 reviewed, lives up to its billing as a top-notch entry-level DSLR

We were hoping for good things when the E-600 was announced back in August, and it looks like those expectations will be met. The camera is now shipping and has been put through its paces by Photography Blog, scoring very highly thanks to its great performance and a feature set only slightly cropped when compared to the already value-packing E-620, but at a price that makes it $100 more likely to fit in your budget. It’s a lot of camera for an MSRP of $599, but surely you’ll be finding it for a bit less than that soon enough.

Olympus E-600 reviewed, lives up to its billing as a top-notch entry-level DSLR originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bandai unleashes beauty tool to detect the condition, mood of your skin

This is the kind of gadget we’d assume was a joke — if we didn’t know that it wasn’t. Bandai — makers of such useful time wasters as the Tamagotchi and the little doohickey that helps women “understand” men — has just unveiled a new device which should make you feel even less comfortable inside your own skin. Partnering up with Japanese cosmetics company FANCL, Bandai’s Skin Expert is a tiny device which you apparently hold up to your face to receive detailed information on its ‘quality’ and health. Now, all of the information we can find about this little guy is in Japanese, so excuse us for our mystification on how the doodad works, but we’ll tell you this: we’re definitely buying it if it shows up on Sephora. The Bandai Skin Expert will be unleashed in Japan on November 30th for ¥3,750 (about $40). There’s one more super informative shot after the break.

[Via Hobby Blog]

Continue reading Bandai unleashes beauty tool to detect the condition, mood of your skin

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Bandai unleashes beauty tool to detect the condition, mood of your skin originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘Secret Knock’ Door Lock defends home from rhythmically-impaired perps (video)

Continue reading ‘Secret Knock’ Door Lock defends home from rhythmically-impaired perps (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

‘Secret Knock’ Door Lock defends home from rhythmically-impaired perps (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Latest Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta build brings back Atom support

Well, it looks like reports that Apple might be killing Atom support in the next Snow Leopard update may have been slightly overblown, as the latest developer build of OS X 10.6.2 (10C535) has apparently restored support for the processor and simultaneously brightened the spirits of hackintoshers the world over. What’s more, there doesn’t appear to be any explanation for the switch-a-roo from Apple which, as Electronista notes, could indicate that it was simply a bug or a temporary measure — although it does of course also mean that Apple can just as easily flip the switch again if it sees fit (which seems like at least a 50 / 50 shot).

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software

Latest Mac OS X 10.6.2 beta build brings back Atom support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EOps i24R3Portable speaker is mad, bad, and waterproof

Think of a soundbar rolled into a circular, battery-powered body and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what we’re looking at here. The product’s name — EOps i24R3Portable Wireless Waterproof Digital Speaker Platform — should tidy up any further queries you may have. Michael Young’s latest design for EOps, whose appearance only hints at its i24R3 heritage, is a fully sealed noisemaker that can communicate via wireless USB or Bluetooth, depending on the model. You should pick your poison with care as there are no options for wired hook-ups. With a Li-Pol battery pack and an array of flat panel speakers and passive radiators inside, this could well be the ultimate in portable weatherproof speaker design, but even if it isn’t, we’d still consider mounting it on a wall and worshipping it as our Sun God.

[Via Design Spotter]

Filed under: Home Entertainment

EOps i24R3Portable speaker is mad, bad, and waterproof originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus E-P2 leaks out again, brings along lofty price tag

We heard way back in August that an E-P2 could be on tap for a late 2009 release, and while it doesn’t appear that the actual ship date will happen before next year, we’d be shocked if Olympus didn’t come clean with its second Micro Four Thirds camera here soon. We’ve seen leak after leak after leak, and now we’re staring at what appears to be a few press images of the not-yet-released camera. Reportedly, the 12.1 megapixel shooter will feature AF tracking, an electronic viewfinder, a black color option, 3fps shooting and a 720p movie mode. Nothing earth-shattering, but an appreciated update nonetheless. We’re told that it’ll be available across the pond in January for the mildly stunning price of £849 ($1,406), but at least that sum includes a 14-42mm lens. Or so they say.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Olympus E-P2 leaks out again, brings along lofty price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera Mobile 10 features tabbed browsing, disses WinMo

Continue reading Opera Mobile 10 features tabbed browsing, disses WinMo

Filed under: Cellphones

Opera Mobile 10 features tabbed browsing, disses WinMo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

Continue reading Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Wearables

Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC’s HD2 has landed at Engadget (hands-on)

That’s right… the HD2 has landed. Actually, we took the phone over to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon the other day, but didn’t get a chance to show it off, so here we are. Sure, you’ve seen this guy in action in earlier videos… but it’s still nice to get a look at this monster up close. We’re still blown away by the fact that this is a Windows Mobile 6.5 device — the skinning job that HTC has done here is nothing short of a miracle. So far we’ve found the phone to be snappy and responsive, but we’re currently putting it through its paces. We’ll have a full review shortly, but for now, feast your eyes on the photos below — and start saving for that imminent US launch.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC’s HD2 has landed at Engadget (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Symbian Foundation teases augmented reality/social networking tool, says you’ll probably never get it (video)

What do you do when everyone’s talking about the competition’s exciting new take on navigation? Why, you come up with your exciting new angle that’s way cooler than theirs then sit back and guffaw while high-fiving your co-workers. That seems to be what Symbian Foundation is attempting here, with a teaser of a tool that would let you not only easily interact with Facebook events but also get real-time augmented reality navigation straight to them. It looks fancy enough, but there’s a big catch: the company has no current plans of making it a reality, saying it’s “not part of the Symbian UI Roadmap.” Carry on, then, nothing to see after the break but a mobile Web 2.0 pipe dream.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Symbian Foundation teases augmented reality/social networking tool, says you’ll probably never get it (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, CES

Symbian Foundation teases augmented reality/social networking tool, says you’ll probably never get it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon getting a little VAIO P to join its netbook offerings

Motorola’s DROID is just a few days away from dropping on Verizon, but why pay $299 (minus $100 rebate) for that when you could instead pay $299 (possibly also minus $100) for a fully-featured definitely non-netbook VAIO P? Yes, Sony’s littlest ultraportable looks to be coming to VZW, popping up on a test page in a configuration with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium. Seemingly (and curiously) no SSD versions will be on offer, possibly to keep down on costs, as the subsidized $299 price is quite a bit lower than the $800 or more you’d be looking to buy one new — not to mention a good bit more appealing than the other netbooks Verizon currently has on offer for the same price. Mind you, that two year wireless broadband contract won’t pay for itself…

[Via GadgetMix.com]

Filed under: Laptops

Verizon getting a little VAIO P to join its netbook offerings originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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