|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's been about a year since YouTube took the beta tag off of its live video streams and to celebrate it's flipping the switch on a few new features. One major way to pull in better content is to allow its publishers to profit from it, and now they can either by charging viewers pay-per-view-style or through instream ads. On the backend they have improvements like a guided flow to follow before events go live and real time data breaking down their viewership by geography and format. Finally, Google is also provided Wirecast for YouTube Live free of charge, a bit of software that it says allows partners to do all the production (capture, switching between sources, live effects and overlays and more) necessary for "professional looking" live events. There's more information available after the break, but as long as this means we never have to see another jump cut vlog then we're all for it. YouTube gives live video streamers better production tools, ways to make money originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  CNET |  YouTube Creators Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Literary geeks rejoice! Wolfram Alpha has given you the tools to examine the works of William Shakespeare in ways you've never cared to imagined. Ever wondered how many words are in the second act of Othello? Or what the longest word is in A Midsummer Night's Dream? The answers to such (largely unasked) queries are now mere keystrokes away, and not just for the Bard's writings, either. That's right, folks, computational analysis of the works from such luminaries as Melville, Dickens, and Twain are on tap, too. The folks at Wolfram Alpha are also looking to increase the number of supported titles, so head on down to the source link and let them know which ones you want to see. Wolfram Alpha now does literary analysis, breaks down the Bard's work originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web | Wolfram Alpha Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Upon it's debut, one notable smartphone was curiously absent from Instagram's list of supported devices: the HTC One X. Thankfully, all of that worry is now behind filter lovers, as the latest update for this Android app has added support for HTC's premiere superphone and its stellar camera. In addition, the refresh is said to deliver better support for all devices based on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 platform, provide better support for tablet users and squash a nasty bug that'd caused Instagram photos to not appear in the gallery. With this issue behind us, we can now resume living our lives without worry or fear. That's right, folks: Instagram now supports HTC One X originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Play Store | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | After the Flashback / Flashfake Mac trojan was exposed by Russian site Dr. Web, Apple has finally responded by publishing a support page about the issue and promising a fix. If you haven't heard by now, the malware exploits a flaw in the Java Virtual Machine, which Oracle pushed a fix for back in February, but Apple didn't patch until a botnet consisting of as many as 650,000 Macs was identified on March 4th. Antivirus maker Kaspersky has confirmed the earlier findings, and released a free tool affected users can run to remove the trojan from their computers. Other than the update already delivered for computers running OS 10.6 and 10.7 Apple recommends users on 10.5 and earlier disable Java in their browser preferences. What isn't mentioned however, is when its fix is incoming or any timetable on its efforts with international ISPs to cut off the IP addresses used by the network. This is not the first time Macs have fallen prey to malware and as their market share grows will likely not be the last, so don't think just opting for OS X is automatically keeping you a step ahead security-wise. Check the links below for more information about what the malware does, and how to get rid of it. Apple publishes support page for Flashback malware, is working on a fix originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Apple Support | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Now through April 21st, any AT&T customer who purchases a Lumia 900 will receive a $100 rebate from Nokia -- effectively making the device free. The move is ostensibly a goodwill gesture from the Finnish manufacturer, which confirmed that a small number of early Lumia 900 handsets shipped from the factory with faulty software that caused memory management issues. It insists this problem is now fixed, and that come April 16th, all affected consumers may swap their device at any AT&T store or merely download the update. Previously, AT&T had announced a $100 mail-in rebate for new subscribers that'd purchased the Lumia 900, but thanks to Nokia, it's now effectively free for all. You might wanna jump on this one. Nokia makes Lumia 900 free to all AT&T customers, now through April 21st originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AllThingsD | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If our eyes don't deceive us, that's the Archos Child Pad that just arrived at the FCC. Now, we know what you're thinking: any proper test of this tablet would require someone gnawing on the corners and drooling on the screen, but c'mon -- this is the FCC we're talking about. Curiously, the test documents reveal support for 802.11n, which comes as a nice surprise, since we'd previously only known of support for 802.11b/g. As you might've expected, WiFi is the only radio in the Child Pad, which means the little one won't be pairing it with any Bluetooth devices or putting the hurt on your data plan any time soon. This rubbery, resistive touch, Ice Cream Sandwich-filled creation was previously announced for $129 with availability in late March. While the Archos folks may have missed that goal, with the FCC's stamp of approval, it appears your tike won't have long to coat the Child Pad in celebratory slobber. Archos Child Pad arrives at FCC, escapes drool-free originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | That purple-striped Roku HD seen skulking about the FCC last month has now been observed in the wild by our friend Dave Zatz. It's apparently on shelves now, with all the features of the box recently introduced as the Roku 2 HD, but without the 2. As he muses, Roku may be taking a "new iPad" style naming approach to its hardware going forward, a theory supported by the new box's listing on Roku's support site where it's already elbowed out the old Roku 2 HD. If you're worried about a difference in performance it appears to be the same with the exception of full size composite outputs around that should make it more friendly to HD-less environments. We still haven't heard anything from Roku and it's not listed on the official list of products, but that will likely change sooner rather than later. Refreshed Roku HD spotted in stores, drops the 2 but adds some purple flair originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Zatz Not Funny | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Everyone loves a happy ending, and it's with this in mind that we share the latest round of good news from the Kubuntu team. Starting with version 12.10, the popular KDE variant of Ubuntu will have sponsorship from Blue Systems. Previously, Canonical announced its intention to drop its sponsorship of Kubuntu after the 12.04 LTS, Precise Pangolin release, but later revealed a willingness to let the Kubuntu team seek other sponsors. Fortunately, it's found a good one. Blue Systems has a solid track record in the KDE community and similarly sponsors distributions such as Netrunner and the KDE variant of Linux Mint. Likewise, it's encouraged Kubuntu developers to stay close to their roots and follow the same successful formula as before. The future looks bright for Kubuntu, and it's full of Plasma. Kubuntu 12.10 gains Blue Systems as sponsor, Canonical waves farewell originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Kubuntu | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The only problem with mobile gizmos getting even more mobile? The cost of those bantam components squeezed within 'em. That said, at least we have the option to trim a few more millimeters from the chassis of our next-generation laptops, as Micron has announced a new mSATA solid state drive that's engineered specifically for the increasingly crowded Ultrabook market. The RealSSD C400 emanates realness, boasting a form factor that's around the size of a business card and arriving with capacities ranging from 32GB to 256GB with a SATA 6Gbps interface. Furthermore, Micron has tapped its 25 nanometer process technology to craft these things, with OEMs having access to the first lot; upgraders can look forward to a Crucial-branded version later this year, but who knows how much you'll have to pay. Continue reading Micron ships RealSSD C400 mSATA SSD into slender Ultrabooks Micron ships RealSSD C400 mSATA SSD into slender Ultrabooks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Micron | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Notion Ink has already revealed a few of the features its forthcoming Adam 2 tablet will have, and it's now also confirmed something it won't have: an HD (or higher res) screen like some of its competitors. In a post on the Designing Adam 2 blog, Notion Ink's Rohan Shravan explained that the company did have the option of a 10-inch 1920 x 1200 display, but that would come either with a significant hit to battery life or some other compromises the company wasn't willing to make (weight, size, charging time, etc). There's still no word on what resolution the Adam 2's screen will have. Shravan did add that a higher resolution screen is on the company's roadmap, but that will apparently have to wait for some battery improvements that don't also require a bigger battery. Notion Ink Adam 2 won't have HD screen due to battery constraints originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Notebook Italia | Designing Adam 2 | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You know the score. You've stepped away from your desktop, and then you think to yourself, "Damn. If only I could remember that website I'd just visited." Now, users of Google Chrome's latest beta will no longer have that worry. The latest incarnation of Google's web browser gives users immediate access to all of their tabs, across all devices, which can be found within the new tab window. Here, users will discover an "Other devices" menu that gives quick and easy access to all those sites you just visited -- yet for the life of you, can't seem to remember. According to Google, beta users will see this feature gradually roll out over the coming week. Not a moment too soon, either. Google Chrome 19 beta brings live tab synching to the fold originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google Chrome Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Still patiently waiting to find out when Sony's NXT child will hit Canadian shelves? According to the Japanese outfit, residents of the Great White North can finally expect the Xperia S to make a grand entrance on April 17th. The handset is set to be sold exclusively at Sony Stores around the country, but unfortunately, there's no word on how much it'll cost. That said, we do know that the 4.3-inch Gingerbread device will only be compatible with Rogers network, so Xperia lovers on Telus and Bell need not apply. So, not all Canadians can grab the new Sony slab, but at least some of you can before your neighbors down south. Continue reading Sony Xperia S heading to Canada on April 17th, exclusive to Sony Stores Sony Xperia S heading to Canada on April 17th, exclusive to Sony Stores originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink MobileSyrup | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Better late than never, right? D-Link has finally decided to join the likes of Roku and Apple at the media streaming party with its new MovieNite device. It offers 1080p video content from Vudu, Netflix and YouTube, plus music streaming from Pandora and access to Picasa as well. Connectivity comes courtesy of 802.11n WiFi and a 10/100 Ethernet port, and plugs into your TV via HDMI 1.4 or composite video connections. You can control the thing with the included remote or via your handset with the free MovieNite remote app for Android or iOS. At 4.8 x 4.6 x 1.1 inches in size, it's a bit bigger than the offerings from Apple and Roku, but its $59.99 list price provides a cheaper avenue to 1080p content than either. It's available now exclusively at Walmart, and is currently a bargain at $48 online, though your in-store mileage may vary. PR's after the break. Continue reading D-Link releases budget-priced MovieNite streaming media player D-Link releases budget-priced MovieNite streaming media player originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | D-Link, Walmart | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For years, you've been eager to dump that aging landline-tethered fax machine, but those occasional signature requirements have forced you to delay the disposal, time and time again. Well it might just finally be time to kick that beige beast to the curb. The latest version of Adobe Mobile Reader for Android and iOS effectively negates that need for scanning signatures, delivering that functionality through an in-app Ink Signature tool instead. You'll also want to take Note of the free-hand drawing option, text markup feature, sticky notes, EchoSign integration, intra-document link and form support, search tool and thumbnail navigation -- all available in Mobile Reader 10.2. There's also an update to the desktop app, Adobe Reader X (10.1.3), which includes the same Ink Signature Tool and EchoSign integration available in the mobile version. Click through to our source link for all the juicy deets. Continue reading Adobe Mobile Reader 10.2 adds signature, form support Adobe Mobile Reader 10.2 adds signature, form support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Adobe Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What if a company built a mixer for your BMX bike? What if said mixer could wirelessly control the music you're grooving to while riding? What if we had two videos to prove that such luxuries do, in fact, exist? Japan's own Cogoo has gone well above the call of duty with its latest concoction, the Turntable Rider. Put simply (or as simply as possible), it's a multi-part system that enables a bike to become a DJing machine; the more complex the tricks, the 'better' the mix. Reportedly, the bike's own wheels act as jog wheels, the brakes act as a beat pad and there's even a gyroscopic sensor that doubles as a fader pad. No word on a set price or ship date, but it'll be making the rounds at events starting with the 2012 Kaikoo Popwave Festival. Enough chatter -- head on past the break and mash play a couple of times. Go ahead and prepare those around you to cease working and do the same. Continue reading Cogoo's Turntable Rider puts the 'mix' in BMX, 'awesome' in these videos Cogoo's Turntable Rider puts the 'mix' in BMX, 'awesome' in these videos originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | COGOO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | They may not be the thinnest or most powerful machines Sony's ever introduced, but the new trio hopes to catch a few hearts here and there. A follow-up to those flashy VAIOs we saw a while back, these E Series models are each packing a 14-inch, 1366 x 768 display, an Intel Core i3 2550M CPU with 4GB of RAM and your choice of AMD Radeon HD 7670M or Intel HD Graphics 3000 -- all while promising up to seven hours of battery life. Run-of-the-mill specs aside, Sony's Gesture Control feature will allow you to swipe between pages and adjust bits like music playback -- though, at the moment it only works with Windows Media Player, IE9, PowerPoint and PowerDVD. The company's yet to reveal the 14P's price tag, but in the meantime you can decide which color best suits you by checking out the gallery below. Sony unveils E Series 14P laptops with gesture-based controls originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SlashGear | Sony (Europe) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Folks lucky enough to be in the nation's capital next week will have one final opportunity to gawk at Space Shuttle Discovery as the decommissioned spacecraft makes its way to its final resting place in Washington D.C. The shuttle is scheduled for a 1,500-foot flyover between 10 and 11 next Tuesday morning, passing over the National Mall and Reagan National Airport atop NASA's modified 747-100. The craft will then land at Dulles Airport before making a land-based journey to the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Center, where it will replace the Enterprise shuttle, which is destined for the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan. That prototype shuttle is scheduled to land in New York City a few days later on April 23rd, where it will touch down at JFK mounted to what's likely to be the same Shuttle Carrier Aircraft scheduled to make the Discover delivery in D.C., though there's sadly no word of a similar photo op in NYC. Space Shuttle Discovery to make final in-air appearance in 1,500-foot DC flyover originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gizmodo | The Hill | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The All Things D conference has a long history of wrangling an impressive speaker list, and this year's gala is no different. The outlet has just confirmed that Apple CEO Tim Cook will be the keynote speaker for D10's opening night, just two years after the late Steve Jobs last sat down on those very red chairs in a keynote interview of his own. In fact, Cook's sit-down will come three years after the historic Jobs + Gates discussion from D7, and we're told that this will be Cook's first onstage event that isn't run by Apple or for an investor group as the company's head honcho. As ever, we'll be on site liveblogging the back-and-forth, and we'll be hanging around to hear from NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, FCC chairman Jon Leibowitz and a whole host of others. Cook's appearance will kick things off on the evening of May 29th from Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Apple CEO Tim Cook to open D10 conference: yes, we'll be liveblogging originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | All Things D | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We have something of a history of Engadget editors writing books on tech-related topics, and our esteemed Managing Editor (and Guinness World Record-holder) Darren Murph is the latest to join the club. He's written a book in which he'll enlighten you on some of the inner workings of Apple's favorite tablet -- and he won't call you a Dummy in the process. Heck, the publisher was thoughtful enough to put the man's signature right there on the cover, so if you're not satisfied it'll make forging checks and cleaning out Darren's checking account that much easier. Buy this book: Darren Murph's 'iPad Secrets' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Amazon | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  File this under: "Wait, that didn't happen already?" Intel just announced the Studybook, that tablet you see up there, and believe it or not it's only the first slate to join the company's lineup of Classmate products for schools. That's sort of wild, given the popularity of tablets and also the fact that there are so many kid-proof models floating around. And yet, the closest Intel had come until now was with the Convertible Classmate PC, a device that was more of a netbook with a touchscreen. Like the rest of Intel's Classmate series, the Studybook is meant to find a home in schools here in the US and around the globe, including developing markets. And by most measures, this reference design is exactly the kind of product you would have expected Intel to cook up for such an audience. Starting with raw specs, you're looking at a 7-inch (1024 x 600), Atom-powered tablet that can be configured to run either Android or Windows 7, depending on the school district's needs. As you'd expect, it's been designed to take a beating from careless kids: the plastic, 525-gram (1.2-pound tablet) can withstand 70-centimeter (2.3-foot) drops and has a rubber band reinforcing the bezel to keep sand and other elements out. You'll also find rubber gasketing around the ports, which include USB 2.0, HDMI, a headphone jack and microSD / SIM slots. Though it comes standard with 1GB of RAM, the amount of built-in storage will vary from school to school: four to 32 gigs, or a 128GB SSD. Just as important as the specs is the software package, which includes Kno's e-reader app, as well as the LabCam suite, which lets you do things like attach a special lens (sold separately) to use that rear-facing 2-megapixel camera as a microscope. As for price, Intel is quick to emphasize it doesn't set the cost (that would be OEMs), but it believes manufacturers who use this design can sell the finished product for $200 or less. No word, then, on when this might show up in a classroom near you, but for now we've got hands-on photos below and a pair of walk-through videos just past the break. Continue reading Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As promised, Nokia and Microsoft have made the mobile versions of Word, PowerPoint and Excel available to select Symbian Belle handsets. Earlier this year, the duo heralded the release of OneNote, Document Connection, Lync and PowerPoint Broadcast. With this latest software add, the Office suite for Symbian is (seemingly) complete. Those of you rocking an E7, C7, C6-01, X7, Oro, 700, 701 or 603 can acquire the fresh bits by launching the Nokia Software Update utility. Not bad for a dead mobile operating system. Microsoft brings Word, PowerPoint, Excel to Symbian Belle handsets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PhoneScoop | Nokia Conversations | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Kingston's new HyperX 3K SSD has appeared, powered by a second-generation SandForce SF-2281 processor. Sizes ranging from 90GB to 480GB and are appropriately priced between $140 to $700 -- depending on your storage tastes. With a SATA 6Gb/s interface wrapped in a black and aluminum casing, the HyperX 3K looks ready to spar with Intel's similarly SandForce-powered SSDs. Kingston's 2.5-inch drives have also finished the review party circuit, picking up some pretty positive responses. According to Anandtech's testing, the HyperX 3K performs almost as well as its 5K predecessor, landing just behind it for light workload tests (309.4 MB/s on average) and a heavy workload performance (225.8 MB/s) that netted it second place. Overall, they reckon the HyperX 3K is a "no-brainer," offering great performance for less of those hard-earned dollars.
The relatively rugged design was the first thing that caught Storage Review's eye, due to Kingston's (presumably necessary) thermal armor. The site was suitably impressed by read rates, which were comparable to the original HyperX SSD. Write performance didn't hold up quite as well during tests and due to the reduced quality of the NAND memory used, you will see a drop on total write cycles possible -- something that mainstream users probably won't lose much sleep over. Storage Review maintains that when it comes to both performance and pricing, Kingston's latest "delivers on both fronts." You can take a closer look at what both reviews have to say -- and a whole load of tests -- at the sources below. Kingston HyperX 3K SSD review round-up: Cheaper than its predecessor and almost as good originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AnandTech, Storage Review, Kingston | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | From humble beginnings as a sales associate in 1985 with no college education Brian Dunn climbed the corporate ladder at Best Buy, eventually finding himself at the top of the food chain in 2009 when he took over as CEO. Unfortunately, for this rags-to-riches poster-boy, his reign has come to an end. Dunn and BBY announced today that the long-time employee will be stepping down from his position as chief executive and will be replaced in the interim by board member Mike Mikan. The big box retailer said in a statement that the agreement was mutual and the decision had nothing to do with any disagreements with Dunn regarding "operations, financial controls, policies or procedures." However, with the company struggling so mightily, it's hard to believe that rash of store closings and poor fiscal performance are unrelated to the decision that it's "time for new leadership." Full PR after the break. Continue reading Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn unexpectedly resigns, Mike Mikan takes over Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn unexpectedly resigns, Mike Mikan takes over originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | CNBC, Associated Press | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Amazon's Appstore has offered a typical application acquisition experience, save for one important detail: in-app purchasing. Beginning today, devs can now take advantage of the familiar revenue booster already available in the iOS App Store and Google Play, through the use of the Amazon Appstore In-App Purchasing API. The service will enable Android device and Kindle Fire users to pick up expansion packs, virtual gaming currency or manage subscriptions from within individual applications, with the same one-click purchase experience available in Amazon's online store. A handful of top devs like Disney and Conde Nast have already hopped on board, but those of you who haven't received an early nod from AMZN can now join in on the fun as well. Click past the break for a brief video intro from the e-tailer, along with a handful of testimonials in the full press release. Continue reading Amazon adds in-app purchasing to Appstore for Android devices, Kindle Fire Amazon adds in-app purchasing to Appstore for Android devices, Kindle Fire originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Amazon | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
Pretty, isn't it? You're looking at a regulatory block diagram of the NX20, which is still unannounced but is probably the successor to Sammy's NX11 mirrorless camera. We're not totally sure how it'll fit into the manufacturer's line-up, but an earlier leak pointed to an APS-C sensor akin to the NX200's, plus a 20.3-megapixel resolution, 12,800 ISO, and built-in WiFi -- that last spec being about the only thing we're able to confirm from the FCC test report. Samsung's WiFi-equipped NX20 camera gets FCC mugshot originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Not all design choices are blatantly obvious, which is why it's helpful to see fresh sections being added to Google's official design guide for Android devs. There's a whole new chapter on how to create a good Settings pane, including what settings to make controllable or fixed and how to describe options in plain English. There are also new tips in the Navigation section, such as how to take full advantage of Android's ability to let different apps activate each other. There's no color-matching advice, unfortunately, but if you stick to black and blue you ought to be fine. Access the tips via the Google Plus link below. Android Design guide updated with new tips for app developers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Roman Nurik (Google+) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ICQ, the resilient David Hasselhoff of instant messaging, is updating its app for Android and iOS, as well as its new Windows Phone version. The app already integrates with other platforms like Facebook, AIM and GTalk, but now it'll bring photo and location sharing too, as well as better offline functions so you can read or compose messages without a connection. There's also a new iPad version, although we're not yet sure if it's resolutionary -- either way, there's always room for another rockstar in this post-SMS world. Continue reading ICQ seeks comeback with mobile app update, new iPad version ICQ seeks comeback with mobile app update, new iPad version originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Toshiba was fairly late to the all-in-one party, only releasing its first US model last year. Less than twelve months later, though, the outfit's already revamping its design: the company just announced the LX815 and LX835, which will replace its current 21.5- and 23-inch offerings. Both models sport 1080p TN displays, and sport an overhauled chassis with matte surfaces and recessed ports. Spec-wise, expect "third-generation" Intel Core processors (read: Ivy Bridge), up to 3TB in HDD storage, a max of 16GB of RAM, dual USB 3.0 ports (plus four 2.0 sockets) and HDMI-in. At the high end, you'll also be able to scoop one up with a capacitive touchscreen. Look for these starting sometime in Q3 at which point the 21-incher will go for $600 while the 23-inch model will command northward of $880.
Continue reading Toshiba outs LX815 / LX835 all-in-ones with Ivy Bridge, overhauled design Toshiba outs LX815 / LX835 all-in-ones with Ivy Bridge, overhauled design originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  In case it wasn't clear, Toshiba's overhauling its entire consumer lineup for the back-to-school season, and that includes its lone gaming rig. The 17.3-inch Qosmio X875 replaces last year's X775, ushering in NVIDIA's spankin' new Kepler graphics and that same reined-in design we we've seen in recent photos. Though Toshiba's remaining fairly mum on specs (we bet this has something to do with not wanting to steal Intel's Ivy Bridge thunder), we can confirm it packs "third-generation" Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GTX 670M graphics with 3GB of video memory, dual hard drive bays, quad Harman Kardon speakers and four memory slots, with up to 16GB of RAM on board out of the box. The resolution can be either 1600 x 900 or 1080p, with that latter pixel count only available on the 3D model. As you can see in the photos, Toshiba's moved to a subtler aluminum aesthetic it's calling Black Widow, but what you can't tell from that vantage point is that this guy is 25 percent thinner than its predecessor. In case you needed more proof this is an Ivy Bridge machine, note the release date: this beastly fellow won't be available until June 24th. At that point, it'll start at $1,299, though the highest-end configuration will set you back a cool $2,499. That's more than two months away, of course, so for now you'll have to content yourselves with our teaser shots below. Continue reading Toshiba intros Qosmio X875 gaming laptop with Kepler GPU, fairly tame digs Toshiba intros Qosmio X875 gaming laptop with Kepler GPU, fairly tame digs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Chances are, college students are merely gearing up for finals, and the high school seniors among us are still months away from graduating. No matter to Toshiba. The company is getting ahead of the competition, showing off its back to school collection now. In addition to refreshing its entry-level C series, the outfit has redesigned its mainstream L and high-end P laptops. Look closely and you'll also see an entirely new line, the S series, which offers some of the same premium features as the P laptops, but with more of an emphasis on top-shelf specs than bells and whistles (because let's face it, bang-for-your-buck is likely to be a bigger priority for parents footing the bill). To keep things simple, we'll say this up front: each of these laptops is available in 14-, 15- and 17-inch sizes. Oh, and Toshiba isn't dishing too much on specs at the moment (Intel's Ivy Bridge processors still being shrouded in mystery and all.) Want the one-minute elevator pitch? You can jump straight to those pictures below. If you're curious about what makes each line distinct, follow past the break for the full breakdown.
Continue reading Toshiba announces fresh C, L, S and P series laptops for back-to-school season Toshiba announces fresh C, L, S and P series laptops for back-to-school season originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You complained, Toshiba listened. After its Thrive tablets were widely panned for their short battery life and chunky, cheap-feeling design, the outfit decided to put those models out to pasture and start anew. So bid goodbye to the Thrives, then, and say hello to the Excite 7.7, 10 and 13 (yes, 13). If you've been paying attention, these are the same tablets we first saw in prototype form at CES (and again at Mobile World Congress), complete with their slim builds and textured aluminum backs. Now, though we know that all three will pack NVIDIA's Tegra 3 SoC, and ship with unskinned Ice Cream Sandwich. The 7.7, in particular, sports the same AMOLED display inside the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, while the 13-incher steps up to 1600 x 900 resolution (as opposed to 1280 x 800). Oh, and for those of you who think you'll miss the 10-inch Thrive's full-sized SD slot, that feature carries over to the Excite 10 and 13. (As you can imagine, there was no room for the full-sized USB and HDMI ports on tablets this thin.)
Before we go any further, though, we're sure you want to hear more about that 13-incher in particular. First off, no, we're not joking. This is a 13-inch ARM-powered tablet. Not a 13-inch slate with Ultrabook specs; just a really big Android tablet. Why would you want such a thing, you ask? Well, Toshiba's banking on you using this indoors, particularly in the kitchen where you might want to glance at recipes or the weather forecast. In conversations about the product, company reps emphasized the tablet's tough Gorilla Glass display, though they seem oblivious to the fact that you could do all of the above with a $400 iPad 2, or any other mid-range tablet, for that matter. It's an important thing to consider, given that the Excite 13 will set you back a princely $650 for 32GB when it goes on sale June 10th.
In addition, the Excite 13 will be available with 64GB of storage for $750 (!). The Excite 7.7 is also coming June 10th, at which point it'll cost $500 for the 16GB flavor and $580 for the 32GB configuration. The 10-inch will beat them both to market, arriving May 6th starting at $500 for 16GB of built-in storage. There will also be a 32GB version for $530 and a 64GB number for $650. For now, we've got photos below, and you can check out our hands-on from CES if you prefer your gadget porn have some video.
Continue reading Toshiba announces Excite 10, 7.7 and 13 tablets, Thrive slates on their way out Toshiba announces Excite 10, 7.7 and 13 tablets, Thrive slates on their way out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.  Assuming you're not getting through the day with a bounty of fuel cell-powered gadgets, you've probably been in a situation where you needed power and it was nowhere to be found. The PowerPot isn't the most practical solution for every scenario, but it's likely to come in handy at least once. The power-generating pot uses thermoelectric modules to convert temperature differences into a 5-, 10- or 15-watt regulated power stream, sufficient for juicing up USB devices like smartphones, GPS devices and LED lamps. The most traditional method for creating this temperature difference is to put a pot of cold water over an open flame, but the device is adaptable to other configurations -- a pot of snow on a thermal spring, for example. Assuming you've taken the fire approach, you can also use the pot to boil water or cook food as you charge your gadgets.
The inventor has created a functional prototype that features fire-proof components and looks quite polished, but now the team is turning to Kickstarter to advance the project to production. Your pledge could net you any of a variety of PowerPots, ranging from a 5-watt portable V flavor for $125 to the 15-watt XV for $500. You can also pre-order a 10-watt PowerPot X for $199. If you're feeling generous, there's also an option to donate a PowerPot to folks in developing nations who may not have the cash to spare, but are in need of a cost-effective solution for power generation. Jump past the break to see the PowerPot V in action, and hit up the source link to scroll through the available configs before making your pledge. Continue reading Insert Coin: The PowerPot portable electric generator (video) Insert Coin: The PowerPot portable electric generator (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | The PowerPot (Kickstarter) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lenovo has revealed the pricing for its very flexible Ultrabook -- and it's about as pricey as you might suspect for a Windows 8 tablet-laptop. Lenovo UK has the basic IdeaPad Yoga pegged at £1,200 ($1,900), while a meatier Core i7 model will set you back £1,500 ($2,380). Neither device has been gifted a release date just yet, but it does cement the likelihood of the 0.67-inch hybrid launching beyond Beijing relatively soon. Alongside the IdeaPad Yoga, Lenovo's U series has pulled itself together following its recent disassembly at the FCC's hands, with both the U310 and U410 also UK-bound. Prices will start from £600 but Lenovo remains similarly mute on other launch details. We'd advise working on your bank balance's flexibility now. Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga gets priced in the UK, reveals a few more laptops on the side Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga gets priced in the UK, reveals a few more laptops on the side originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What would you do with six months of dedicated access to 261.3 teraflops of computational power? As you ponder that question, consider the case of GE Global Research, which has just announced its participation with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in an effort to design more powerful and efficient aircraft engines by way of computer simulation. Specifically, GE will partner with researchers from Arizona State University and Cornell University to study the unsteady spray phenomena that's thought to be ideal for fuel injectors. Through Large Eddy Simulation, GE hopes to discover an ideal spray pattern and fuel injector design, and reduce its number of lengthy, real-world optimization trials. While the research is initially aimed at aircraft engines, the knowledge gained from these experiments may work its way into GE's other products, such as locomotive engines and land-based gas turbines. For a glimpse into GE's current research, be sure to hop the break. Continue reading GE partners with Livermore Labs to explore efficient aircraft fuel injectors (video) GE partners with Livermore Labs to explore efficient aircraft fuel injectors (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | When we first laid our hands on LG's Optimus 4X at Mobile World Congress, we were left with mixed impressions, which was due in part to its pre-release software. While the phone tore through web pages and pinch-to-zoom actions with 1080p video, it struggled to keep pace with LG's own custom UI -- an unfortunate echo of our experience with the Optimus 2X. Now, LG's latest superphone has been put through the rigors of a few popular benchmark tests, which confirm there's plenty of quad-core, Tegra 3 potential inside this beast. While the Optimus 4X HD was easily surpassed by the One X in Quadrant tests, it actually bested HTC's premiere handset in the similar AnTuTu benchmark. Keep in mind, these aren't final scores, as we'll perform our own tests with a retail unit, but if you'd like to see how everything unfolded, just hop the break. Continue reading LG Optimus 4X HD holds its own against HTC One X in initial benchmarks LG Optimus 4X HD holds its own against HTC One X in initial benchmarks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Techblog.gr (translated) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | While we wait to hear Kaz Hirai's new plan for Sony, the news is getting worse before it gets better. The company just announced new projections that are more than double the net loss it predicted in February for the fiscal year 2011, to the tune of $6.4 billion. The reason? According to Reuters, it's additional tax expenses that are causing the pain, as Sony says it's "due to the establishment of valuation allowances against certain deferred tax assets, predominantly in the U.S." There is a silver lining to this cloud however, as the company is already projecting an operational profit of 180 billion yen ($2.2 billion US), compared to a loss of 95 billion yen ($1.16 billion US) last year. There's already predictions that Kaz will announce significant cuts in jobs and bonuses on the 12th, and from the numbers in the PDF linked below you can see why. Sony revises projections, sees $6.4 billion net loss for 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Reuters, Sony (PDF) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
