|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Withings Baby Monitor has already been available in the UK for sometime now and recently made a splash over at the FCC. Now the iOS accessory is finally for sale here in the good ol' US-of-A, for the rather staggering price of $299. That's right, this sensor-packed web cam probably costs more than your handset. Then again, that $20 set of audio-only monitors you picked up at Walmart can't keep you abreast of the temperature and humidity in your child's sleeping quarters or let you watch your newborn sleep with the aid of a night vision mode. You can get the associated WithBaby app for free in the iTunes App Store now. The only question is, whether or not you love your baby enough to spend $300 on an iPhone accessory. We won't judge you either way. Check out the PR after the break. Continue reading Withings Baby Monitor makes its official, expensive US debut Withings Baby Monitor makes its official, expensive US debut originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Withings | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
If you've been looking for an excuse to start using Chrome, Eric Schmidt is here to remind you, "it's free." Well, free, fast, secure and of course, on Android. After a quick demo of new Android Chrome app, Schmidt took the stage at Mobile World Congress to dream up a future of holographic projectors, driverless cars and a (Android powered) smartphone in every pocket. In short, Google's head honcho has technological expectations that make Back to the Future part II look modest. See the optimistic spiel for yourself up top, or hit the source link below to watch it on YouTube. Eric Schmidt yaks it up at MWC, talks about the future like it's 1955 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | YouTube | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | All sorts of Android manufacturers have had to answer for the locked bootloaders in their devices, and now we've gotten a bit of insight into Verizon's view of the subject. It seems Big Red has responded to a formal complaint one customer filed with the FCC for the carrier's policy of allowing handsets with locked bootloaders on its network. Apparently, open bootloaders would allow users to make changes to their phones and use software that "could negatively impact how the phone connects with the network" and "the wireless experience for other customers." So, there you have it folks, Verizon encourages OEMs to lock down handsets to provide you with a better experience and top-notch customer service. Head on down to the source link to get a gander at the letter, and feel free to sound off on Verizon's consumer-friendly stance in the comments below. Verizon lets loose its stance on locked bootloaders in letter to the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Droid Life | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's a couple of months since we spotted paperwork for a mysterious "PTK-450" device at the FCC and now Wacom has finally revealed the gadget that goes with the label. The Intuos5 tablet is available to purchase immediately in Small (4 x 6 inches), Medium (6 x 8) and Large (13 x 8) sizes, priced at £200, £330 and £430 respectively. We're still waiting on confirmation of US pricing, but it'll no doubt be less than what a straight currency conversion suggests (i.e. somewhere below $320, $525 and $680). There's actually a fourth variant to add to the trio, but it's not an XL -- Wacom is hoping to up-sell you to a Cintiq 21UX or Cintiq 24HD if you want something bigger. Instead, the fourth tablet is a version of the Medium that comes without touch sensitivity, bringing the price down to £270 if you're able to live with pen-only input. Opting for this particular model will remove one of the biggest upgrades in this three-year product cycle: the ability of the Intuos5 to sense up to 16 finger-touches simultaneously, rather than just the nib of the pen. But there have been other revisions since the Intuos4 aside from touch, and you only have to read on to discover what those are.
Continue reading Wacom announces Intuos5 graphics tablets, we go hands-on! (video) Wacom announces Intuos5 graphics tablets, we go hands-on! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What often gets lost amongst all the flying and painting and partying is that Mario, he's just a regular dude. He's a blue red collar plumber just looking to earn an honest days pay, hangout with his lady and occasionally deliver a racing kart to unsuspecting Tennesseans. When the artist formerly known as Jump Man rang the bell of Nathanial Stehley to drop off his West Coast Customs-built ride, we can only imagine what went through his mind -- probably something about not eating Toad's relatives.
Tim: "Honey, there's a plumber on the porch again."
Michael: "Wrong castle, buddy. All the 'word-up' posturing in the world won't get me to bring out Princess Peach."
Brian: "You called for a plumber?"
Jon: "Imma da new mailman. Yeah, M is for mailman."
Joe: "So, uh, you brought the mushrooms, right?"
Dan: "Yeah, the name's Cooper. King Cooper. You wanna see my girl? You'll have to go through me, pal."
Brad: "I'm sorry Mario, but your princess is in another condo."
Dante: "What do you mean you were expecting Xzibit?"
Terrence: "Hey Pauline, this guy says he knows you."
Zach Lutz: "In a desperate attempt to return to the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario swallows his pride and asks for directions."
James: "I told you before Mario, Princess doesn't want to see you, you have to stop calling like this."
Richard Lai: "Which part of 'stay 100 yards away from her' do you not understand?"
Darren: "All I do is win, win, win no matter what."Caption Contest: Mario stops by for a surprise visit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Business Wire | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Those of you that scurried to get an early spot in the pre-order cue for Lytro's upcoming camera, ought to carefully skim your inboxes for an email confirming shipment of your infinitely focusing shooter. Per a ton of tips from you, in addition to a blog post from the company's official blog, early orders of the unconventionally shaped camera that allows you to refocus after the fact are now en route to abodes stateside. When we played with it at its launch event, we came away impressed, yet ultimately longed for the underlying technology to be licensed to others -- something the company maintains it's actively exploring. No matter, with a unit in hand, look for our full review in the coming days.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Continue reading Lytro pre-orders start shipping, infinite focusing now within reach Lytro pre-orders start shipping, infinite focusing now within reach originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Lytro | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's that time of year when the hot stove league gives way to spring training, and people start talking less about things like El Hombre's move to LA and more about batting averages and home runs. Thus, MLB has unleashed the MLB At Bat 2012 app to keep you up to date on your favorite squads and stars, and unlike previous iOS iterations, this time it's free. That gratis version gives users limited info (scores, standings, news, and team content), but those willing to drop $14.99 get full access for the year, which includes audio game casts, live game video look-ins and the game of the day. Additionally, there's a $2.99 monthly subscription option if you find forking over for the full season distasteful. Unlike the iOS version, Android users currently only have the $14.99 option, though the same interface is present in both apps to provide a consistent UX. Subscribers of MLB.tv get all of what At Bat 2012 has to offer for free, with Android users gaining access through the existing At Bat Lite app. Sound good? Head on down to the source and get your download on. MLB at Bat 2012 app out for iDevices and Android, brings in-app monthly subscriptions to iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  The Next Web | MLB | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sharp's AQUOS SH-06D will most probably never leave the Land of The Rising Sun. That doesn't stop us, however, from lusting after its 4.5-inch. This 720p display also manages 3D, spread across a slinky 10mm frame that houses NTT DoCoMo's recently launched NOTTV streaming broadcast system. The device arrives in pink, white and blue options -- all provided with a matching dock and built-in aerial. Like several eastern phones with the ability to tune into live TV broadcasts, the AQUOS SH-06D has its own extendable antenna built into the side. The device, despite its largely plastic build felt solid in our hand, although the minuscule power and volume buttons proved difficult to manipulate at times. The screen technology is still a closely guarded secret, but it aims to bring both 3D functionality alongside a crisp HD display performance during two-dimensional antics. Viewing angles are great -- a welcome trend we've seen on plenty of handsets at this year's MWC -- but the heavily customized Android 2.3 skin took away some of that sheen. Applications are stowed away into several drop-down menus that took some getting used to -- regardless of any language barrier. Sharp hasn't revealed any plans to join its Japanese competitors in the frenzied global smartphone market, but some import options wouldn't go amiss. See why in our hands-on right after the break.
Sean Cooper contributed to this report
Continue reading Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan, we go hands-on (video) Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Really, Samsung? The Ace 2, Mini 2, S Advance and now, the Ace Plus? It's a wonder anyone at the company can still keep track. Unfortunately, this particular Android offshoot is a bit of a stinker, saddled with a pitiful 3.65-inch 480 x 320 display that does the opposite of the usual, saturated OLED-impress, offering no other spec distraction from its lower pixel density. Like its aforementioned cousins, the device runs a TouchWiz skin atop Android Gingerbread 2.3.6, powered by a single 1GHz processor that does an acceptable job moving things along without that essential dual-core briskness. And while Sammy's plastic builds are normally balanced out by superior software performance, here the chintzy look and feel of the unit and its overgrown silver trim further confirm its place as a budget entry. For now, the phone appears to be an overseas-only affair, as it's already hit global markets this past January. Follow on past the break for a video tour of this forgettable pint-sizer.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hands-on (video) Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's getting so you need a map to traverse Samsung's mobile Galaxy, but that's not stopping the outfit from cranking out handsets -- no matter how minuscule the tweaks. Announced back in January, the Galaxy S Advance falls solidly on the middle of the OEM's consumer scale, delivering a speedy 1GHz dual-core experience on a build of Android 2.3.6. Naturally, the device comes outfitted with TouchWiz, but that skin doesn't get in the way of the apparent snappy performance, as we noticed navigation, transitions and browsing all carried on without a hiccup. As you might've guessed, the saturated, 4-inch 800 x 480 display is of the Super AMOLED variety, so you won't have much difficulty viewing the screen from a variety of angles. And while the construction is a typical plastic enclosure with subtly textured back, the combination of its light weight and thin profile conspire to make this one attractive purchase. A mostly global roll out's already underway, though sadly, the US isn't included on that select list. Peep the gallery below for some additional shots and, while you're at it, check out the video after the break.
Mat Smith and Sean Cooper contributed to this post.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S Advance hands-on (video) Samsung Galaxy S Advance hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | That adage of "less is more" definitely doesn't apply to retailer return policies, so we have no complaints here. Best Buy is reportedly going to offer a more lenient 30-day window for device returns, up from the company's current 14-day policy. Naturally, this also covers price matches, and applies to all products, including those from Apple, where two weeks is the norm. You'll find the full details over at our sister site TUAW, when you hit up the source link just below. Best Buy boosts return window from 14 days to 30 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Best Buy | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Remember when we were in a tizzy about the Nikon D4, way back in January? We got to play with this tank of a DSLR a bit, but sadly weren't permitted to actually publish any of the photos or video that we shot with the thing. Sure, we've seen some samples of it in action, but it's not quite the same. Thankfully, the company made our late-February that much better, allowing us to take the D4 on a jaunt around the city, a couple of weeks ahead of its mid-March launch. We strolled around Washington Square Park and 6th avenue, with the beast of a camera in-hand, shooting tourists and scenery, before popping by a subway station to have a go with the camera's purported excellent low-light capabilities that we've been hearing so much about. Click on through to take a look at some sample video. Continue reading Nikon D4 hands-on with sample images, video Nikon D4 hands-on with sample images, video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | By now, we hope you're mighty familiar with FXI's Cotton Candy -- the much anticipated pocketable computer that just became available for pre-order. We've previously shown photos of the device running both Ice Cream Sandwich and Ubuntu, but now we're able to bring you a video demonstration that may help you better understand what this tiny beast is all about. At the core of the Cotton Candy system is the Exynos 4210 SoC, which capably pushes 1080p video without batting an eye. As such, FXI hopes the miniature computer will gain traction with consumers who want an unobtrusive (and silent) media center or gaming setup in their home. To this end, the company will include the Polkast app for easy access to content and will also bundle games with the system -- though it's not yet able to share specific titles. Those with a sweet tooth may taste the delights of Cotton Candy in March, which will sell for $199. Continue reading Hands-on with FXI's Cotton Candy, now available for pre-order (video) Hands-on with FXI's Cotton Candy, now available for pre-order (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Studios Fox and Warner Bros. have teamed up with SanDisk and Western Digital to create " Project Phenix." Beneath the orthographically offensive name, it's pitched as DRM that'll permit you to organize, move and watch high-definition content on more than one device. It's the brainchild of the Secure Content Storage Association (SCSA), which has ensured compatibility with UltraViolet, so that users will be able to download cloud-based media to compliant WD and SanDisk storage -- to play on any alliance-approved TVs, tablets and display devices. We'll see the technology available to license later in the year, which promises to render content ten times faster than streaming media on "over the top internet" (translation: streaming services). Yes, there's PR after the break, but we'd only suggest taking a look if you've got a good pair of waders. Continue reading Fox, Warner, SanDisk and Western Digital's Project Phenix: promotes DRM, misspelling Fox, Warner, SanDisk and Western Digital's Project Phenix: promotes DRM, misspelling originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Atari's legendary Pong has captured plenty of hearts and minds over the years. Now, to celebrate its fortieth birthday, the gaming stalwart is offering up $100,000 for you to re-invent it for iOS as part of its Indie Developer Challenge. To be in with a chance of winning the cash, developers are being asked to recreate the time-honored classic in a new and original way. Then, simply submit your idea, or playable demo and keep your paddles crossed. Those creations that make it to the final will get published under the Atari brand as an official release, and you get eternal bragging rights (and the cash). The competition is open now, and you've got until March 31st to be in the game. Feel like a winner? Then bat your eyes down to that source link for the full deets. Atari's Pong Indie Developer Challenge is a real coin opportunity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web | Atari | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Atari's legendary Pong has captured plenty of hearts and minds over the years. Now, to celebrate its fortieth birthday, the gaming stalwart is offering up $100,000 for you to re-invent it for iOS as part of its Indie Developer Challenge. To be in with a chance of winning the cash, developers are being asked to recreate the time-honored classic in a new and original way. Then, simply submit your idea, or playable demo and keep your paddles crossed. Those creations that make it to the final will get published under the Atari brand as an official release, and you get eternal bragging rights (and the cash). The competition is open now, and you've got until March 31st to be in the game. Feel like a winner? Then bat your eyes down to that source link for the full deets. Atari's Pong Indie Developer Challenge is a real coin opportunity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web | Atari | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Given the phone's name, you'd think the Acer Liquid Glow would be best shown off in an infomercial, but in reality it's the next in line for the long-running smartphone series. The Glow hasn't been quite as popular as the CloudMobile at this week's MWC, and for good reason -- its bigger brother won an award in product design, after all. But that doesn't mean it should have to suffer the anguish of living in the shadows. The Liquid Glow is quite a bit smaller, offering a 3.7 inch WVGA display, 5MP rear camera, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 CPU and 512MB of RAM. The device will run on its own customized ICS ROM at launch, but it was using stock Android ICS this week. The UI, we've been told, will be lightweight with a homegrown tweaks to the lock screen, status bar, messages and the phone dialpad.
The Liquid Glow is just a tad thick, but we enjoyed how it felt when holding it as a result of the phone's curves matching the contours of our hand. If you have large hands or just crave a device with a bigger screen, this will probably be a little too small for you. In fact, the handset feels like it's smaller than it really is -- for those who prefer tinier phones but still desire as big a display as possible, this may be a rather good compromise. Its overall design scheme actually reminds us a lot of the CloudMobile, especially given those curves and Acer's signature arcs found on the top and bottom of the device. There are some major differences in terms of overall design, such as the inclusion of capacitive navigation buttons on the Glow as well as the lack of a soft-grip textured back, but the family resemblance is certainly there. We didn't notice any lags in software performance, but we'll need to check back when production-quality firmware is available at its launch. All in all, we think the Liquid Glow will wind up being a worthy competitor as long as it's reasonably priced. No availability date has been set, but we should expect to see it in stores sometime this summer. Our video and image gallery will guide you through the radiant goodness below.
Continue reading Hands-on with the Acer Liquid Glow at MWC 2012 (video) Hands-on with the Acer Liquid Glow at MWC 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Option's XYFI (pronounced ex-WiFi) was announced earlier this week with little fanfare but piqued our interest with its claim to being the world's smallest personal hotspot. We had an opportunity to look and discuss it at a quiet table at MWC today, a nice change from a showy booth. Option has been out of the data connectivity game in any significant way -- for what seems like forever -- in a segment it once led with some 70% of market share. The XYFI is indeed small and at first glance looks like a simple USB modem and not an access point that can support up to 8 people's roaming internet needs via WiFi or 3G connectivity. The USB plug swivels open in switchblade-style -- we found that little button somehow so soothing -- and then pops into your desktop for a quick 4-step setup. As you've likely sussed, the XYFI doesn't have a battery of its own but rather relies on a beautiful 4000mAh xpal adapter the Option device plugs into -- and once connected we're told you can expect about 8 hours of battery life. Option's other accessories for the XYFI include a plug for the car and AC adapter. We'll admit that Option has a steep hill to climb in the mobile hotspot world, but we're sold already. Pricing should be sub $100 for the XYFI alone and we'll be back with details on the accessories and launch date as soon as can. Gallery of this really sharp looking device follows. Option XYFI is 'world's smallest' personal hotspot -- we go hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ZTE's been making some slow, but steady progress as it transitions from no name, white label manufacturer to more of a well-known brand. Aiding the company in that exact mission is one of its latest tablets, the PF 100, shown off by NVIDIA at this year's Mobile World Congress. The apparently stock Android 4.0.3 slate packs a Tegra 3 CPU inside and 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 display. The unit we saw is far from a finished production model, given the fact that it was literally bursting apart at the seams and appeared as if it'd been roughly handled. We imagine the final product will be a bit more hardy than the one we had in-hand, but that shoddiness aside, it's still a hulk of a tablet.
Indeed you won't find the design at all charming; it's rough, thick and inelegant with a chunky bezel on front and mix of hard, grooved rubber and plastic on back. All of the ports and hardware keys are relegated to the top edge of the device with slots for both SIM and microSD covered by a single flap. There's also a dual camera setup, as well as stereo speakers and a proprietary dock connection on the base. As you might expect, performance on the tablet was incredibly fast thanks to its 1.5GHz quad-core processor and the one game we demoed loaded quickly, showcasing responsive controls. No further details about pricing, markets or availability have been announced at this time, but we expect those important tidbits to be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. You can check out a hardware tour of the tablet in the gallery below and be sure to jump past the break for a full video walkthrough.
Continue reading ZTE PF 100 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video) ZTE PF 100 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The early days of Windows were inauspicious ones. Sitting on top of DOS, it was hardly a revolution in personal computing -- instead it felt like a disjointed platform perched uncomfortably atop a command prompt, ready to come crashing down at any moment. That's what it was, and often that's what it did. The early days of Windows required constant jumps from GUI to shell as users ran a wide assortment of apps, only some of which played nice inside a window.
It was over a decade later, after Windows 95, that the operating system would truly ditch its DOS underpinnings and feel like a totally integrated system. Why are we reminiscing? Because we're reaching that same point again. With the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, Microsoft is showing off the most complete version of the company's most modern operating system, yet in many ways it feels like 1985 all over again -- like there are two separate systems here struggling to co-exist. How well do they get along? Join us after the break to find out.
Continue reading Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview detailed impressions Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview detailed impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Don't say we didn't warn you. As anticipated, Leap Day is all about Microsoft in Barcelona, and Microsoft is all about you, the consumer. Redmond today officially unveiled the Consumer Preview of its forthcoming desktop operating system. Want to get an early look at the OS? Peep the source link below. Keep in mind: you'll need a 1GHz processor, either 1GB (32-bit) / 2 GB (64-bit) of RAM, 16GB (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit) available disk space, DirectX 9 graphics with WDDM 1.0 or higher and 1024 x 768 minimum screen resolution to run the new OS. Or, for the more faint of heart, check out our detailed preview and have a look at the press info after the break. The beta version of Windows Server "8" is available now as well for those who may be interested, via the TechNet link that follows.
[Thanks, all]Continue reading Windows 8 Consumer Preview now available for download Windows 8 Consumer Preview now available for download originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Microsoft, TechNet | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | First it was the AT200, then the Excite X10, and now it's the Excite 10 LE. But behind the onion-like layering of names sits a singular and rather beautiful slate, with a 10.1-inch LED backlit display, a 7.7mm (0.3-inch) chassis and a righteous 1280 x 800 resolution. Toshiba says it'll arrive at select US retailers on March 6th, which happens to coincide pretty closely with another possible technology incident. And since there could well be some tough buying dilemmas on the horizon, let's recount just a few more specs: The $530 version of the 10 LE has 16GB of storage, while 32GB can be had for $600. Both variants are WiFi-only and will run Android 3.2 out of the box, but they'll be upgradeable to ICS sometime in the spring. The 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor will whirr for up to eight hours on a charge; connectivity includes micro-USB, HDMI and microSD; the rear camera shoots 1080p video and 5-megapixel stills. There, does that make things any easier? No? Then there's a full press release after the break. Gosh, you're demanding.
Continue reading Toshiba Excite 10 LE gets March 6th launch date, confirmed $530 price, yet another name Toshiba Excite 10 LE gets March 6th launch date, confirmed $530 price, yet another name originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Today's the day! It's been months since we tested the Windows 8 Developer Preview, and now Microsoft is finally ready to let the general PC-using public give it a whirl. While we already have a feel for the overarching interface, which mashes together the traditional desktop and Metro-inspired tiles, we haven't yet had a glimpse of the native apps that will ship as part of the OS. And think of the untold number of tweaks Redmond must have made since the Developer Preview dropped! Will we get to poke around the Windows Store? Will switching between apps be any less jarring this go 'round? And what's the fate of the Start button? Stay tuned to find out what the OS will look like in its (almost) final form.
February 29, 2012 9:30 AM ESTLive from Microsoft's Windows 8 press event at Mobile World Congress 2012! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ever heard of Tianyu? You probably haven't, but that's why the Chinese manufacturer left most of the heavy PR lifting for its ICS-equipped, quad-core phone to NVIDIA at this year's Mobile World Congress 2012. Details on this Tegra 3-based Android handset are admittedly scarce for the time being, but from what we were able to glean, the 4.3-incher should be able to hold its own in the high-end smartphone market. Aside from an 8 megapixel shooter with single LED flash on its back and the aforementioned CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, there's not much else to divulge spec-wise.
In terms of build, the design is a mixed bag. From afar, the Treasure V8 appears sleek and even (dare we say it?) sexy, but once the unit's in hand, you'll notice the cheapness of the glossy, white plastic enclosure. A metal trim borders the device lending to the mix of high and low quality materials used in its construction, but actually makes the phone uncomfortable to hold. The screen also tapers in towards the edges, leaving a ridge to form that's unpleasant in the hand. It doesn't appear that this is the final build of the product and it could even wind up becoming sleeker as it approaches an indeterminate launch, so there's room for improvement. Of course, pricing and availability for China are also unknowns, but we have a feeling that could very well be resolved in the coming weeks. Check out the gallery below and head on past the break for a brief video tour.
Continue reading Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video) Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Don't recognize the name? If so, it's probably because Doro is a completely new player in the smartphone industry, as it doesn't necessarily quench the appetite of power users. The vendor primarily focuses on providing the elderly with simple handsets, which in the past equated to offering nothing but feature phones. Doro's got a few new tricks up its sleeve which may be the most ridiculously easy transition from old-school to new-school yet. Their creation, with a title nearly as simple as the device itself, is called the PhoneEasy 740. It's a phone running essentially a forked Android OS with an incredibly user-friendly launcher -- called the Doro Experience -- that consists of only a few major functions, such as phone, messages, email and pictures. As for the handset itself, you're looking at a meager spec sheet: 5MP rear camera, 3.2-inch HVGA shooter, four hours of continuous talk time, FM radio, 512MB of RAM and 4GB internal memory. The software itself isn't fully functional yet, so we were only able to scroll through the main menu. We're anticipating the device to be ready in time for a summer release in markets around the world.
Speaking of the Doro Experience, the UI's going to be available on tablets this spring as an optional Android launcher. Fortunately the software can be paired with a desktop-specific app -- the Doro Experience Manager -- that gives the user the ability to remotely customize and manage the device. This is actually quite ideal, due to the fact that it's not limited to a proprietary Doro-made tablet. We haven't heard details on pricing and availability, but we'll get that information as it comes in. For now, anyone intrigued by the idea should hightail it to our gallery below.
Continue reading Doro PhoneEasy 740 smartphone hands-on at MWC 2012 Doro PhoneEasy 740 smartphone hands-on at MWC 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | While Sony's newly-christened Xperia phones are a bit difficult to tell apart, there's nothing quite like getting the whole clan together to tell these statement slabs apart. It's largely about the size and build differences here -- while the 4.3-inch Xperia S readies itself for retail stores very soon, the middleweight Xperia P is showing off its aluminum unibody frame. The Xperia U then shyly rounds out the series with the smallest footprint of the bunch. Hopefully our gallery will help you decide exactly which Sony phone is the one for you. Sony's 2012 Xperia series gets together for awkward family portrait originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 07:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If a ship date pops up on Amazon for a date in the not-so-distant future, we're typically inclined to listen up -- after all, the world's largest e-tailer probably has a fairly good idea of when its products will first leave the warehouse. This time, it's the Olympus OM-D E-M5, which just appeared on the distributor's Japanese site with an estimated release date of March 31st. There's no mention of a date on the company's U.S. site, however, so it's still unclear whether or not the Micro Four Thirds cam will hit North American shores on the 31st as well. Still, unless a trip to Japan is in the cards for the end of Q1, your best bet for getting early access to the highly-anticipated mirrorless cam would probably be to get your pre-order on at our coverage link below.
Update: We're now seeing US retailers listing the device with an April 10th release date. Check the More Coverage links below.Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera to ship on March 31st? (update: now April) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 07:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | 4/3 Rumors | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | When the folks at Nokia took us aside and asked if we'd like a preview of the latest features slated for Nokia Drive, we knew something good was in store. Our intuition wasn't wrong. The next version of Nokia's navigation software will focus on commutes -- aiming to make the daily chore easier by learning driving habits, identifying regular trips and providing users with live tile updates that estimate journey times and traffic flow. Nokia Drive 3 will automatically query this data 30 minutes before an established commute is expected to begin, and will also provide drivers with suggested quicker routes to their destination. The traffic data is gathered both from traditional navigation sources and other Nokia Drive 3 users -- we're told this latter bit is completely optional and, while the privacy policy is quite explicit, the company insists it doesn't personally identify users.
Nokia tells us the software interface isn't finalized, so what you see in the Flash demonstration may change before Nokia Drive 3 arrives in the coming months. You'll find a demonstration of the new My Commute feature, from the creator himself, right after the break. Continue reading Nokia Drive 3 teased at MWC with commute alerts via live tiles (video) Nokia Drive 3 teased at MWC with commute alerts via live tiles (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's easy to get confused by the variety of 7-inchers coming out of Samsung's gate; you might even speculate that the category is getting a bit crowded. But with the arrival of the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), it appears the popular Android manufacturer has an ace in its sleeve. The slate leaps past its cousins with the latest build of Ice Cream Sandwich out of the gate, although it still reps the same 1024 x 600 PLS TFT display, 3MP rear camera, 4,000mAh battery and dual-core setup. We had a chance to get a real feel for the tablet, so join us after the break as we parse through our initial impressions.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) hands-on (video) Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As far as product launches go, the 10-inch Galaxy Tab 2's debut was relatively discreet. Announced with little fanfare, it's not even on display in Samsung's booth here at Mobile World Congress; you'll have to talk your way into a private room if you want a shot at getting hands-on.
And we can see why: with a 1280 x 800 display, 1GHz dual-core processor and 3-megapixel rear camera, its specs are nearly identical to what you'll find in last year's Galaxy Tab 10.1. Sure, it has a redesigned back cover and ships with Android 4.0, but otherwise, it's the same tablet. But with the new Galaxy Note tablet replacing the original 10.1 as Samsung's premier 10-inch tablet, the new 10.1 could be the budget-friendly option its predecessor wasn't. So does it hold promise as a mid-range tab? It'll be impossible to say until we know the price, but watch our hands-on video after the break and decide for yourselves just how much you'd pay for this thing.
Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on (video) Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
