Indian mobile carriers scramble as illegal towers are shut down
February 3, 2010
Apparently the dizzying expansion of mobile coverage in India has proceeded a little quicker than the regulatory process there — Indian carriers are in a bit of a tizzy after authorities shut down 300 allegedly illegal towers in a suburb of New Delhi called Noida. The gub’mint says the towers are on private land that’s not approved for commercial use, but the carriers say the move is “arbitrary and uncalled for,” and even “inhuman” because the loss of service means people can’t make emergency calls. That’s a strong card to play — let’s hope this gets sorted out soon.
Indian mobile carriers scramble as illegal towers are shut down originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on
February 3, 2010
Of course, most folks will choose function over form when it comes to a keyboard, and in that respect the Arc Keyboard is a bit of a mixed bag.
Gallery: Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on
Continue reading Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on
Microsoft Arc Keyboard hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nanopool’s spray-on liquid glass could keep bacteria, water off of pretty much anything
February 2, 2010
You know, we’re beginning to wonder exactly what’s genuine anymore. Our foods are being built in laboratories, our glass panes are being unwillingly converted to touch panels, and now, exposed objects don’t even have to get grimy over the course of time. It’s a travesty, we say. All disappointing rants aside, we have to confess that we’re actually enthused about a newly developed spray-on silicon dioxide solution that promises to protect just about any surface from water, bacteria, dirt and UV radiation. The so-called “liquid glass” is said to be completely harmless to the environment, and creator Nanopool hopes that it can be used eventually on car coatings, clothing and even the nose cones of high-speed trains. Here’s hoping it comes in a spray can — our decade-old keyboard and mouse could probably use a coat of this.
[Thanks, Pierre]
Nanopool’s spray-on liquid glass could keep bacteria, water off of pretty much anything originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rupert Murdoch: Amazon now ‘willing to renegotiate’ e-book prices
February 2, 2010
You didn’t think the price hike would stop at Macmillan, did you? In today’s News Corp. earnings call, chairman Rupert Murdoch gave indication that his HarperCollins would also soon be changing its e-book prices with Amazon. As relayed by All Things D, the mogul has been unhappy with the $9.99 tier, that Apple’s iBookstore “does allow some flexibility and higher prices,” and here’s the kicker: “And now Amazon is willing to sit down with us again and renegotiate.” Nothing’s changed yet, but we gotta imagine it’s only a matter of time — not just with HarperCollins, but probably all “big six” publishers before too long.
Rupert Murdoch: Amazon now ‘willing to renegotiate’ e-book prices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TI’s OMAP4 prototype drives three independent displays without breaking a sweat
February 2, 2010
It’s been a long, long while since we’ve seen any life from the OMAP4 labs at Texas Instruments, but with the sudden resurgence of the tablet, now seems just about right for the company to start showcasing the platform’s prowess once more. TI is expected to have a mind-bending showcase at Mobile World Congress later this month, but Slashgear was able to get a sneak peek at what’s to come at the outfit’s Dallas office. The device you’re peering at above definitely piqued our interest, as it’s some sort of twin-screened handheld that can actually support a third independent display courtesy of an integrated pico projector module. We’re told that OMAP4 will bring along dual 1GHz ARM A9 cores, patently ridiculous battery life figures (145 hours of MP3 playback with a 1,000mAh battery) and support for 1080p output via HDMI. Naturally, TI has no intention of ever bringing this piece of hardware to market, but it’d certainly love if some other firm stepped in and did so. Here’s hoping we’re overrun by potential suitors in Barcelona — given that the show kicks off on Valentine’s Day, we’d say the timing would be just about perfect.
TI’s OMAP4 prototype drives three independent displays without breaking a sweat originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zune HD drops $30-$40 at Amazon, Newegg
February 2, 2010
[Thanks, Keith]
Zune HD drops $30-$40 at Amazon, Newegg originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)
February 2, 2010
The iPhone isn’t the only handset getting bumped today — Google’s just outed a very, very significant update to the Nexus One that includes Google Goggles on board and a re-upped version of Google Maps that includes suggestions and a dedicated night mode. Much more significantly, though, they’ve capitulated and enabled multitouch in Browser, Gallery, and Maps — great news and a big win for the Android community at large. Finally, there are some 3G improvements in there, but you might have to wait a bit — Google expects to have it rolled out to pretty much everyone toward the end of the week. Seriously though, now that we’ve gotten that whole multitouch spat cleared up, it’s time for Engadget to rally around something else: ridding the world of tiny ninjas, perhaps? Follow the break for a video of the new firmware — in all its multi-fingered glory — in action!
Continue reading Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)
Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Micro SIMs can probably be fashioned from shaved down traditional SIMs
February 2, 2010
We’ve finally found ourselves a solid, confirmed shot of a micro SIM in the wild, thanks to an FCC filing from Lok8u — the company that just inked a deal with T-Mobile — that shows the innards of its GPS watch torn asunder. Over on the right there is one of the micro SIMs in question, and as you can clearly make out, the contact pad is identical to the one you’d find on a traditional SIM (that shot of an AT&T unit that we’d posted earlier was actually a mockup by our own Sean Cooper, you see). In other words, if you were really hard up to get that iPad up and running on a network that isn’t providing micros, you could probably shoehorn a traditional SIM in there with a little elbow grease and handiwork, which happily matches up with information we’ve been hearing from several contacts of ours. Who knew Lok8u would be so important in this investigative process?
Update: The ETSI has also confirmed to CNET UK that micro SIMs are electrically identical to their older counterparts, so that’s a promising sign, and Boy Genius tells us that he used to shave down SIMs to micro SIM size back in the day for dual SIM adapters — in other words, you’re probably not going to damage the chip by trimming (and even if you do, it’s a simple replacement from your carrier). Thanks, Matthias!
Micro SIMs can probably be fashioned from shaved down traditional SIMs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Canon Rebel T2i rumored for next week
February 2, 2010
It’s all rumor for now, but Canon Rumors has word from a trusted source that a new Rebel is coming next week known as the T2i. According to its source, we can expect a new, higher resolution LCD, selectable FPS video, new LP-E8 battery and grip in the followup to the Rebel T1i. It also brings a new Rebel shape and build quality but lacks an articulating screen. And in case you’re wondering, the uptick in camera news is related to the runup to the big PMA 2010 photog show kicking off on February 19th — so get used to it.
Canon Rebel T2i rumored for next week originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung GT-S8500 is first with Bluetooth 3.0
February 2, 2010
Samsung GT-S8500 is first with Bluetooth 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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27-inch iMac gets another display firmware update, everyone else gets minor iTunes update
February 1, 2010
Still plagued by the annoying screen flicker on your precious 27-inch iMac, even after the previous update? Try this second attempt by Apple. While you’re at it, there’s also a minor update for iTunes which makes sure it actually “remember[s] password for purchases,” as well as fixing a few sync and performance issues. Good luck with both and let us know if your iMac nightmare is finally over.
27-inch iMac gets another display firmware update, everyone else gets minor iTunes update originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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MSI Wind Box DE220 displayed and detailed
February 1, 2010
In all the CES madness, we somehow missed MSI’s previously-teased Wind Box DE220. Fortunately, Liliputing didn’t; the site’s just now putting up impressions and along with it some specs of the novel-sized nettop. It’s packing Pinetrail for starters, in the form of a single-core Atom D410 or dual-core D510. Also included are an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330, up to 1TB HDD / 4GB memory, 802.11b/g/n, and Windows 7 home premium. Mum’s the word on price or release date, but from what we’ve seen, you can at least start decorating around its known color options: blue, red, and black.
MSI Wind Box DE220 displayed and detailed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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EROS tablet video is a lesson in why Windows 7 isn’t strictly meant for finger navigation
February 1, 2010
Last time we saw the 10-inch EROS tablet it was powered down and pouting about its two hours of battery life, but the tablet’s pulled itself together and powered up to show off its skills. he performance is pretty much what you would expect of a Intel Atom-powered Windows 7 Home Premium netbook with its keyboard chopped off, and from what we’ve been able to glean from the 11 minute video below the touchscreen seems responsive to writing with a stylus and to flicks of photos and pages in a comic book. You’ll notice, however the reviewer only uses his fingers a few times, though he’s actually quite good at typing on the on-screen keyboard. The rest of the time he uses the stylus to move through those far-from-finger-friendly Windows 7 menus. If you’re wondering why Windows 7 still needs additional software tweaks to work on a purely finger-driven tablet device, spend 10 minutes watching the video below. Or just listen to The Weepies’ awesome “Gotta Have You” — which perhaps not coincidentally ends when the tablet’s done booting.
EROS tablet video is a lesson in why Windows 7 isn’t strictly meant for finger navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft busts out SideWinder X4 anti-ghosting keyboard
February 1, 2010
Continue reading Microsoft busts out SideWinder X4 anti-ghosting keyboard
Microsoft busts out SideWinder X4 anti-ghosting keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ATI FirePro M5800 mobile graphics chipset listed, world awaits details with baited breath
February 1, 2010
ATI’s FirePro series of graphics accelerators has been showing us that CAD rendering is serious business on laptops and desktops for awhile now, and now HP fans will seemingly be getting first taste of a new entry in the line, the FirePro M5800. All we know is a name at this point, and that it’ll be an option in HP’s (formerly NVIDIA exclusive) EliteBook 8540w, but HP Fansite goes on to speculate that it’ll be based on the ATI Mobility Radeon 5800 series (the numbers certainly jive) and that it will have 1GB of memory. Think you can solve the puzzle and unearth more information? The whole sordid PDF is waiting for you at the source link below, with the wild and thrilling ATI support narrative beginning on page nine.
ATI FirePro M5800 mobile graphics chipset listed, world awaits details with baited breath originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: turbines, rubber circuits, and cola-powered cars
January 31, 2010
Sure, the iPad happened this week, but we also caught sight of several hot green gadgets and clean tech innovations this week that stand to shape the future of green consumer technology.
First off, design star Philippe Starck brought haute design to clean tech with two novel designs for home wind turbines. Starck’s high-profile products have made him a household name, so we’re interested to see if his latest creations kick off a trend towards “designer” wind power.
We were also impressed by researchers at Princeton University who recently found a way to integrate piezoelectric chips into flexible, durable rubber-based circuits. We’ve seen piezo power sources before, but applications for the new chips are sure to put bounce in your step: energy generating shoes, movement-powered microsurgical devices, and self-charging pacemakers are right around the corner.
Interest in green transportation is building as Florida rides high on the government’s recently announced grants for high speed rail — the sunshine state is set to blaze a trail with $1.25 billion in funding. And for those with a soda habit, Takara Tomy’s cola-powered RC car is one sweet ride. The biobattery-powered car can convert any sugary liquid to energy, so pour in some Jolt and you’re good to go.
Finally, love it or hate it — the launch of Apple’s iPad has dominated the newswires all week. While we appreciate the device’s e-book reading, toxin-free, recyclable construction and impressive battery life, but we have to ask: is it really green?
Inhabitat’s Week in Green: turbines, rubber circuits, and cola-powered cars originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Stephen Colbert has an iPad… (video)
January 31, 2010
…and he took it to the 52nd Annual Grammys. Nice product placement, Apple. Video of the whole thing after the break. Say, what kind of pocket did that come out of?
Continue reading Stephen Colbert has an iPad… (video)
Stephen Colbert has an iPad… (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Entelligence: Lessons from the iPad launch
January 31, 2010
It was quite the week for Apple, first with its best-ever earnings and then the launch of the iPad. While Apple didn’t create this category of device, it did answer the fundamental question of why this form factor needs to exist. The meta lesson is that the story told is as important as the hardware, software and services being sold — and while everyone may not be convinced, I do think Apple will win over the majority of a skeptical audience with high expectations. But there’s also four important lessons that Apple taught the market this week, as it enters a space that’s been mostly a failure.
1. Define what your product does. The first thing Apple did was answer that question immediately and then define what the product needed to do. Apple explained what capabilities need to be in the this class of device and then went on to show how each of those features not only worked but were optimized for the iPad. That’s something we’ve seen lacking in this category to date.
2. Leverage what you’ve done before. I believe the iPad is likely to do well with consumers as it leverages Apple’s previous successes with the iPod and the iPhone. At the base level, that’s compatibility and synchronization with iTunes as well as backward compatibility with existing applications. That’s important — as a user I can use my existing content library and my application collection. It also means that iPad has 140,000-plus applications at launch. But it’s more than that. Apple is not only leveraging its ecosystem of devices and software, it’s leveraging the lessons it spent a decade teaching consumers. Apple taught its market about MP3 players, digital music, smartphones, capacitive multitouch screens and mobile apps. It can now go directly to selling the form factor, as well as new features such as productivity and e-books.
Continue reading Entelligence: Lessons from the iPad launch
Entelligence: Lessons from the iPad launch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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CE-Oh no he didn’t? Part LXVII: Steve Jobs lashes out at Google, calls Adobe ‘lazy’
January 31, 2010
According to a report in Wired (and a source whom the publication says “could not be named”), Steve Jobs spoke to an audience of Apple employees at a town hall in Cupertino and… pulled zero punches. If you believe what you read, Jobs tackled a handful of major issues that have been buzzing the company lately, namely its run-ins with Google on a number of topics, and the lack of Flash support in its mobile devices (most notably in the upcoming iPad). On Google, Jobs had this to say: “We did not enter the search business. They entered the phone business. Make no mistake they want to kill the iPhone. We won’t let them.” According to the attendee, another topic was brought up but Steve wouldn’t let the Google issue go, stating his thoughts on the company’s famous ‘Don’t be evil’ line. In Steve’s words? “It’s bullshit.”
Furthermore Jobs had a handful of choice words for Adobe, calling the company “lazy” and claiming that “Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash. The world is moving to HTML5.” Of course, these amazing nuggets of wisdom come from a source which Engadget cannot verify, so it’s possible there are misquotes or items taken out of context, though from the sounds of things, this kind of talk falls right in line with what we’d expect from the man who said Microsoft “had no taste” and makes “really third-rate products.” We eagerly await Eric Schmidt’s response.
CE-Oh no he didn’t? Part LXVII: Steve Jobs lashes out at Google, calls Adobe ‘lazy’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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8.9-inch ExoPC Slate has iPad looks, netbook internals, Windows 7 soul
January 31, 2010
Yes, we realize that it’s hard to provide too much visual differentiation between tablet PCs with large, ebony bezels, but we can’t help but think that this 8.9-inch multitouch tablet looks a lot like another, recently announced 9.7-inch multitouch tablet. Nevertheless this one’s quite different on the inside, delivering “the web without compromise,” meaning full browser support with flash courtesy of Windows 7 on an Atom N270 at 1.6GHz, with 2GB of DDR2 memory and a 32GB SSD with SD expansion. Yeah, those specs are familiar too, and while we’re not thinking this will deliver the sort of snappy performance seen on the iPad, it will certainly be a lot more functional. Battery life is only four hours, but at last it user-replaceable, and a price of $599 matches the 32GB iPad. Likewise it will be available in March — or you can get a non-multitouch prototype for $780 right this very moment. If, that is, you speak enough French to manage the order page.
Gallery: ExoPC Slate tablet PC
[Thanks, Jean-Baptiste]
8.9-inch ExoPC Slate has iPad looks, netbook internals, Windows 7 soul originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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