|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Are all those ambassador games crowding your 3DS' home screen? Sit tight, Nintendo's got a fix. During the outfit's Nintendo Direct conference livestream, head honcho Satoru Iwata announced that folder organization is coming to the 3DS. Fastidiously organized gamers can expect the firmware update to land on April 25th, bringing with it the joy of creating directories, stuffing them with up to 60 items and ascribing them fitting names. Iwata also detailed a handful of upcoming titles, including New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Tobidase Dobutsu no Mor (or, "Leap out Animal Crossing") for the 3DS and a Kirby compilation for the Wii. Follow the source link below for a full playback of Iwata's spiel, or check out Joystiq's coverage of the event for more details. 3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Joystiq (1), (2) |  Nintendo Direct | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  To close out each week, the Android Developer Relations team hosts a Friday App Review video. This Friday, however, the focus is far from whatever apps are being showcased (psst... it's Handy Scanner); instead, all eyes are on the Share to 'Drive' option, seen just below the 'Bluetooth' logo in the screen capture above. It's shown at the 32:53 mark in the video just after the break, and while this certainly isn't confirmation that Goog's own cloud storage service will be hitting the masses soon, it's one of the more tangible pieces of evidence that Google Drive is at least a real initiative. Come to think of it, we've got a couple of passes to Google I/O 2012, which just so happens to get going in around two months. Anyone else feeling that tug of puzzle pieces coming together? Continue reading Google app review video shows Share to 'Drive' option Google app review video shows Share to 'Drive' option originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | Android Developers (YouTube) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The Grappa is a tote-style shopping bag that you can wear on your head (once it's empty) during a natural disaster. It's less insane than it sounds, because the base of the bag is made from the same EPS foam found in hard-hats, and is rated to cope with falling debris at least as well as similar emergency hoods already on the market. Constructed with the cheapest materials possible, each unit costs around 1,000 Yen ($12) with the hope that companies will buy them, slap a logo on the side and hand them out as a promotional tool that could save plenty of lives. Bet you feel guilty for laughing at the picture now, don't you? [Thanks, Don] Continue reading Visualized: Shopping bag crash helmet protects your head, not your image (video) Visualized: Shopping bag crash helmet protects your head, not your image (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | DigInfo | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  March 3rd is no doubt going to be a monumental day for Samsung, but April 20th has certainly turned out to be quite memorable for potential specs of what the Galaxy S III will bring. Not only did we happen to come across a purported leak of the device itself, which suggested the device would pack a 4.6-inch display and an 8 megapixel camera, but now a placeholder has popped up on Amazon's German site with a few contrasting specs -- most notably, a 4.7-inch screen and a 12 megapixel camera. We're still a bit skeptical, because after all, this is far from official, but the fact that the smartphone is shipped and sold by Amazon itself adds a wee bit of credence to the product listing. Only time will tell which set of specs -- if any -- are the correct ones, but the build-up to the Galaxy S III just got a whole lot more interesting. Developing... Amazon Germany weighs in on Samsung Galaxy S III with 4.7-inch screen and 12 megapixel camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | Amazon.de (translated) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It seems that Power Matt just got a bit more, er, powerful. The Wireless Power Consortium announced today that it's improved the Qi inductive-charging standard to "include longer range magnetic resonance wireless charging." Effectively, this means charging stations that are up to spec will be able to transmit up to 5 watts of power from distances of 40mm (up from 5mm, previously) to Qi-enabled devices. The WPC says it's ideal for pushing power through the likes tables and counter tops, and that it currently has 12 types of compatible transmitters ready for action. All in all, it certainly seems like a solid step for finally getting rid of all that cable clutter at your workstation -- especially if it'll rid users of those less-than-pretty looking charging bases. Maybe a last-minute add-on to your Uppleva, IKEA? Continue reading WPC updates Qi standard, increases inductive charging distance to 40mm WPC updates Qi standard, increases inductive charging distance to 40mm originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Confined to the imposing shadow of a certain filter-heavy Facebook purchase, 500px is another photo-sharing network making the eco-system leap to Android. 500px is built around collections of high-quality images that are automatically updated and streamed, with a full search option to seek out specific images. Alongside the ability to share photos on the likes of Twitter and Facebook, professionals can attempt to make their fortune by selling their images through the app and companion website. If you're just there for the sumptuous landscapes and close-ups, however, you can collate slideshows from photostreams and build up your own collection of favorite images. 500px has unleashed an update to its iPad version at the same time, cranking up the resolution to make the most of the new retina display and adding the ability to download full-size HD versions of your purchased photos. Anyone concerned with the little ones perusing some of the more risqué images can also breathe a sigh of relief -- 500px has added an improved NSFW filter. If you're overwhelmed with Instagram's new influx of enthusiastic patrons, you can try 500px's slightly different approach to photo sharing at the download links below. 500px launches Android app, adds iPad update on the side originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Cult of Android | Google Play, iTunes | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's springtime, and you know what that means for Google: out with the old and in with the new. Unfortunately, many BlackBerry fans might not like how Google's rearranging the furniture. During its routine tradition, the company announced that Google Sync for the BlackBerry will no longer be available for download as of June 1st. Put simply, the company identified its app as redundant, as RIM provides the same contact and calendar sync services to its customers with native software. Also in the spirit of spring cleaning, Google is encouraging users to uninstall the Sync app and properly configure their BlackBerry handsets to take advantage of these services. Fortunately, those content to keep with the status quo will be glad to know that Google Sync will continue to function properly -- so even if you're feeling lazy on this fine day, it's all good. Those with motivation, however, will find instructions of how to make the switch in the source below. [Spring cleaning photo via Shutterstock] Google Sync for BlackBerry swept away in spring cleaning originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Phone Scoop, Google Blog | Google Apps Help | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We just got our hands on a couple of new cases that HTC's making specifically for its One X flagship. The colorful accessories are made of a flexible PTFE-like (polytetrafluoroethylene) material and are designed to both protect and enhance the appearance of the device. Different patterns will be available, but we only got to see the one. Sadly, there's no info on pricing or availability at this time. Take a look at our gallery below. Hands-on with HTC's colorful One X cases originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We know Yanks using AT&T's network will be getting their own flavor of the HTC One X early next month, thus it's only appropriate for the neighbors up north to get a taste of the same smartphone medicine. Thanks to Rogers, those of you in Canada will be able to get your hands on this Sense 4, ICS-filled handset as soon as today. Rogers says HTC's One kin is coming as an exclusive to its shop, currently listing it for $169.99 on "select" three-year deals or $624.99 without any attachments. Keep in mind, this specific model's loaded with the Snapdragon S4 chip, which is slightly different than the One we reviewed a few weeks back. However, if all those cores don't make a difference to you, then all that's left to do is head to the source below and pull the trigger. [Thanks, Sean] Continue reading HTC One X available today on Rogers for $170 with a three-year contract HTC One X available today on Rogers for $170 with a three-year contract originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink MobileSyrup | Rogers | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  On the off chance your cell phone is of the decidedly dumb variety, Mountain View's engineers have worked out an alternative solution to keep your Google + circles intersecting. Initially available only for the U.S. and Indian markets at the time of the social service's launch, the search giant's expanding the reach of its SMS feature to over 41 additional countries, giving users the option to post updates, as well as receive and reply to notifications via text. The feature isn't standard, so if you want to opt-in, you'll have to enable it in the settings menu first, provided your carrier is supported. Luddites that like to have their online cake and eat it too, might want to make sure they're packing an appropriately capacious mobile plan before those thumbs get to banging away. Of course, the rest of you modernists are more than welcome to join the party, but why would you? Google+ expands SMS support to over 41 countries, lets you stay social over text originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TheNextWeb | Google India | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  They said it wouldn't last. And they -- pundits, analysts, bloggers, GSM fanatics -- were right. WiMAX, that flavor of 4G found in the 2500MHz band, has proven to be more of a hindrance then help during Sprint's transition from underdog to reinvigorated titan. Then there are the kerfuffles it's endured standing on the sidelines -- namely, watching one-time LTE partner LightSquared squander its regulatory good graces. Beleaguered would be putting it mildly; Sprint faces a treacherous climb uphill to the mobile Olympus where Verizon, AT&T and now-spectrum-rich T-Mobile sit -- after all, it's hard to change the tide of public perception, overcome the limitations of a dreadful 3G CDMA network and move away from weak third-party 4G signals. Yet, with all of those negatives working against it, a planned rollover to LTE technology might just be the panacea Sprint has so badly needed. Right now, at least, a wish and a hope are all Sprint can dole out to existing subscribers toying with the idea of switching carriers. Its nascent LTE network, currently in testing across six US cities, hasn't been cleared for launch, which makes its first 4G handset, the Viper 4G LTE, a dress rehearsal of sorts. And what a low-key affair it is: no cutting-edge aesthetics or kickstand here, just mid-range specs and a humble design made from recycled materials. But for anyone itching to surf those faster waves, LG's dual-core, NFC-enabled workhorse could be a tempting buy when it goes on sale Sunday for $100 (with a two-year contract). So will the dangling carrot of faster 4G persuade consumers to choose this over all those other mid-tier Android phones? Let's find out. Continue reading LG Viper 4G LTE review LG Viper 4G LTE review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The newly-available-on-Android live streaming feature of Time Warner Cable's TWC TV app (and TWCTV.com website) has just gotten a major content upgrade, adding many national and regional sports feeds. It looks like ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, MLB Network, NBA TV and NHL Network are available in most regions, along with the applicable Fox RSNs. The full lineup of areas and channels is in the press release after the break. Of course, if you'd like to keep telling your significant other sports channels haven't been added yet and they will need to watch their reality show on the tablet while you use the big HDTV, then we can all just pretend this never happened. Continue reading Time Warner Cable brings ESPN, Fox and Turner sports live streaming to apps, website Time Warner Cable brings ESPN, Fox and Turner sports live streaming to apps, website originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TW Cable Untangled | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Welcome back to IRL, and if we do say so ourselves, this week's edition is a doozy. On one end of the gadget-loving spectrum, Jason is still happily using his Canon Rebel XT, while Darren remains thoroughly unsatisfied with his $400 AirPlay speaker (it was easy to set up, at least -- he'll give it that). And, just for good measure, we threw in an Arduino fail. So, which piece of audio gear is on our "do not buy" list? Who needs to take a course in wiring-based coding? And does Jason have anything negative to say about his DSLR? Head past the break to find out. Continue reading IRL: Logitech UE Air Speaker, the Canon Rebel XT and an Arduino non-starter IRL: Logitech UE Air Speaker, the Canon Rebel XT and an Arduino non-starter originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  SanDisk's Q1 results revealed that the company made only $114 million in profit, compared to $224 million in the same period last year. It's also reduced the outlook for the second quarter, saying that revenue will fall from $1.30 billion to $1.05 billion for the second three months of the year. It's pointing to a "glut" of flash memory in the market; due to consumers tightening their purse strings and too many chips being made. However, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra was optimistic that as consumers clamor for new computers, smartphones and cameras toward the holiday season, demand will increase -- unless they just buy-up all the currently existing inventory on the cheap, that is. SanDisk profits declining thanks to a 'glut' of flash memory on the market originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Reuters | SanDisk | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  If the standard options on the Cadillac XTS or ATS sedan just aren't enough to get you to pull the trigger, perhaps this will. GM and some fellow researchers are road testing Super Cruise self-driving technology in hopes of making those grueling road trips a bit easier on the ol' chauffeur. Capable of auto steering, braking and lane centering on the open road "under certain optimal conditions," the system is meant for highway use in both free-flowing and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Super Cruise implements a mixture of radar, ultrasonic sensors, cameras and GPS info. However, when "reliable data" can't be gathered by the system, you'll have no choice but to take the wheel yourself. Although the basics of the new tech have already been implemented on the 2013 Cadillac XTS and ATS autos as a piece of the Driver Assist Package, the full rollout could happen by the middle of the decade. For a look at Super Cruise in action, hit the video just past the break. Continue reading Cadillac road tests self-driving Super Cruise tech, could hit highways by mid-decade Cadillac road tests self-driving Super Cruise tech, could hit highways by mid-decade originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | General Motors | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Slow news week? "No problemo," say the Engadget Podcasters, who turn earnings reports, spotty non-announcements, and nonexistent eyewear into an hour-plus extravaganza of gadgety greatness unparallelled by anything since Johnny Mnemonic came out. Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater, Dana Wollman
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Orbital - Never
00:01:00 - The Engadget Show returns Friday, April 20th -- get tickets to the taping!
00:02:00 - The Engadget Show is nominated for a Webby Award!
00:03:18 - Nokia's Q1 2012 financials: $9 billion in sales can't stop a $1.7 billion loss
00:18:34 - Samsung will unveil the next Galaxy phone May 3rd in London
00:22:30 - HTC One S for T-Mobile review
00:24:00 - HTC One S shows up on T-Mobile's site, reveals its $599 price (update: $200 on-contract at Best Buy)
00:25:14 - Verizon announces Global Data Plan, 100MB for $25 a month starting April 23rd
00:28:09 - Spotify: the iPad app is 'in the works'
00:30:50 - Spotify previews overhauled Android app
00:37:40 - RED 9-inch touchscreen, OLED EVF and Meizler Module eyes-on (video)
00:38:30 - Canon Cinema EOS C500 camera hands-on (video)
00:39:40 - Oakley cooking up its own smart glasses, hoping to trump Project Glass with improved style
00:46:00 - Listener questions
Hear the podcast
Subscribe to the podcast [ iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [ RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [ RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [ Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace. Filed under: Podcasts Engadget Podcast 290 - 04.20.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Black boxes aren't just for airplanes anymore, it seems. Though car companies have been installing the devices at their discretion since the early aughts, a new bill, ominously entitled Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, has just passed Senate approval containing a provision that would mandate the inclusion of these Event Data Recorders in all automobiles produced from 2015 and on. Privacy fans may already be reaching for those protesting pitchforks, but keep in mind this legislation still needs to pass the House of Representatives on its way to becoming law. And given its other, more controversial elements (i.e. revoking passports for unpaid back taxes), it could still head back to the recycle bin. If it does pass Congressional muster, you'll still have ownership of any collected data, so long as the court doesn't require you to hand it over. Regardless of the outcome, we wouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet -- your car might be snooping on you as we speak. Just check your owner's manual. Senate black box bill could see 2015 car models ship with data recorders originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PCWorld | InfoWars | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  This isn't the easiest time to be an AMD fan. The company's eight-core FX-8150 desktop chip was widely panned on the review circuit, and then NVIDIA's GTX 680 graphics card ran off with Radeon HD's thunder. Even when you look at notebook processors, where AMD has long excelled with its Fusion APUs, the hype wars currently favor Ultrabooks and Ivy Bridge. Affection for the gamers' brand and its ATI back-story may make this stuff uncomfortable, but the predicament is already starting to mess with AMD's balance sheet. Which raises the obvious question: what's to be done? Sasa Marinkovic, AMD's Head of Desktop and Software Product Marketing, bravely took up the challenge of providing his side of the story -- even after we warned him that we'd try to disrupt his flow with accusatory glances. In the end, we did get him to acknowledge some recent hard knocks, particularly with respect to the FX chips and their (lack of) single-threaded performance. But we also got some insight into the mind of a chap who remains genuinely and abundantly confident about his employer's future. Read on and see for yourself. Continue reading The Engadget Interview: AMD's Sasa Marinkovic The Engadget Interview: AMD's Sasa Marinkovic originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  That's right, we're back! Newly emboldened by our Webby nomination, we've got a heck of a show for you this month. We put our crew on a flight to Asia, where we'll talk to representatives from ASUS and Huawei and check out the markets of Taipei, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. As always, we'll be showing off the month's hottest gadgets, including the Nokia Lumia 900, a slew of HTC One handsets and some special surprises, including a whole lotta KIRFS. All that plus a performance by Brooklyn band, Suckers. And you, of course -- keep your browsers locked to this handy URL, and you can watch along live at 6PM ET. We'll see you tonight! The Engadget Show is live tonight! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sony's PlayMemories photo-editing suite has floated around the PlayStation Store for about a month but it will apparently soon be joined by a new photo-sharing service. PCWorld reports that Sony will launch the cloud-based PlayMemories Online with 5GB of free storage in Japan, US, UK, Canada, Germany and France on May 25. Apparently, you'll be able to access those digitized memories through Sony's proprietary software on both PC and Macs, while your photos can also be streamed to Bravia TVs and digital photo frames. The company's WiFi-capable cameras will also get to hook up with the online storage system, while its Android tablets and phones will get their very own app to upload on their own. In an effort to differentiate the service from existing ones like Dropbox, PlayMemories Online will even sync those precious photos with your PSP and PS Vita. Sony will thus ensure you'll never be without at least four screens to show off those shots of your precocious daughter, pug or beachside view. In case you forgot, we've embedded a video from a few months back that should give a better idea of how the system should work -- in a house filled entirely with Sony merchandise. Continue reading Sony to launch PlayMemories Online: 5GB cloud photo-sharing service coming next week (video) Sony to launch PlayMemories Online: 5GB cloud photo-sharing service coming next week (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PCWorld | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  They can hope and pray all that they want, but Google, Intel, Apple, Adobe, Intuit, Pixar and Lucasfilm will soon be facing some serious accusations in a courtroom under the Sherman Antitrust Act and California's Cartwright Act. After years of trying to dodge legal action over an "informal agreement" to not pinch each others employees, and an effort to have the case dismissed, the seven defendants will have to stand trial as ordered by District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California. In her decision Koh said, not only was there evidence that these agreements were made at the highest levels of the company but, that six such deals were struck in secret in such a short time frame "suggests that these agreements resulted from collusion." There's still time for yet another deal to be struck, however, this time between the defendants and the DOJ. Otherwise it looks like all seven will have to stand trial in June of 2013. Antitrust suit carries on against Intel, Apple, Google and others originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Slashgear | Reuters | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  A Hamburg court decision has ruled that YouTube is responsible for what its users upload to the site. This therefore could make the site liable for any copyright infringement associated with that. Furthermore, the court has asked the video sharing giant to put filters in place that detect clips that are protected by the German royalties agency Gema at the point of upload. Worst of all, this could saddle the website with a hefty tab, as although this particular case only pertains to 12 (and the ruling to seven of those,) if it sets a precedent, with each case costing up to €250,000 ($330,000) the royalties could mount up. YouTube maintained that it has no responsibility over what users upload, but that it did take action when notified about protected content. YouTube ordered to filter video uploads by German court, could face hefty fines originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge, BBC | DW Akademie | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Ahead of getting trigger happy with a fully-working D3200 -- rather than the pre-production unit from our hands-on -- we've been checking out some official 24-megapixel samples on Flickr. To our eyes, the images befit the smaller pixel size, namely sharp and high-res, but with a good dollop of noise on the side. Albeit completely unscientific, a blowup compared to an image from the similarly priced Sony NEX-5N looks grainier at the same 1600 ISO. On the plus side, the JPEGs show almost zero compression artifacts, so budget-minded shooters could easily print poster-sized images -- of course, providing they have enough light for a low ISO shot in the first place. Nikon D3200 pics appear on Flickr, make a slightly noisy entrance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink NikonRumors | Nikon France | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Amazon is now shipping preorders for its Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G in both the UK and Germany, a week ahead of schedule. While eager e-reader... readers in the likes of France Italy and Spain have to wait a little longer, Germans and Brits can expect their orders to arrive starting tomorrow, with stock also available in bricks-and-mortar options including John Lewis, Dixons, Argos, Carphone Warehouse, Currys, PC World and Tesco. Alas, there's still no news of a Eurozone arrival date for the Kindle Fire. We assume our European readers are still willing to wait, right? Continue reading Kindle Touch gets early release in UK and Germany Kindle Touch gets early release in UK and Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Chin up, friends. The week is coming to a close and a fresh issue of our tablet mag is hot off the e-presses. Front and center this week, Microsoft's Bill Buxton discusses the future of the Natural UI. We also feature the start of Reaction Time, a regular column from Joystiq's Editor-in-chief Ludwig Kietzmann. Here, he'll tackle the current state of gaming from week to week. Also new this time around, a look back at the hands-on opps that we've had over the past seven days and Switched On continues its look at smartphone growth. The HTC One V, Titan II and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) get put through their paces while Darren Murph offers some thoughts on Facebook's role as a digital scrapbook. IRL offers a regular peek into our gear habits, the Stat breaks down screen resolution, DigitalRev's Kai Man Wong runs through the Q&A gauntlet and Box Brown has the Last Word on Angry Birds Space. So what are you waiting for? Head on down to the link of your choice to begin your download. Distro Issue 37 PDF
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Follow Distro on Twitter Distro Issue 37 chats with Microsoft's Bill Buxton on the future of the natural UI originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | iTunes, Google Play | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  A llsting on Microsoft's job site reveals that it's looking develop Skype products for the Xbox. The company has kept pretty quiet on its plans for integrating its Skype purchase into its various hardware pockets. While a beta for Windows Phone continues to tick along, this is the first salient sign that Skype and Xbox are looking to team-up. According to the listing: "As a member of the Skype Xbox Engineering Team in London, you will have a strong technical background developing client and/or embedded software." On top of those recent vacancies for browser-based Skype engineers, it's no stretch to see Skype bringing its telephony skills and heavily integrating them into Xbox Live, also giving the internet phone group a huge inroad to people's living rooms. However, the job ad doesn't clarify whether the result will be a simple stand-alone Skype client or something with a little more spice. We'll have to wait for some successful applicants. Skype recruiting Xbox developers for 'next generation services' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gamesindustry | Microsoft Careers | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Any troglodytes out there who didn't know that AMD's next APU architecture is inbound? If so, we're gonna toast marshmallows outside your cave and give you a little pre-brief: Trinity will be a range of processors for "performance" notebooks and desktop PCs, which will continue in AMD's Fusion tradition of providing both the CPU and discrete-class graphics in a single-chip, power-efficient design. A potential rival to Ivy Bridge and the coming stampede of Ultrabooks? Yes indeed, although it's too early to say how closely matched these athletes will be, despite some early indications of 4GHz+ clock speeds. Judging from our recent look at a Trinity-packing Compal laptop, undercutting Ultrabooks on price will also be part of AMD's strategy -- along with throwing out Brazos 2.0 APUs to mop up the extreme low-power category. After all, Ivy Bridge probably won't offer truly discrete-class graphics until it's paired with an add-on GPU, which will inevitably bump up its price for gamers and multimedia types. If Trinity serves up great visuals and next-gen performance all in one go, AMD's accountants might be able to leave their subterranean hideouts too.
[Thanks, Tyler] AMD confirms Trinity and Brazos 2.0 shipping now, globally available 'soon' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AMD | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Granted, we hope to see a new Xbox before 2014, but if NVIDIA has its way, mobile devices will have enough graphical prowess to surpass the current generation of gaming consoles by that time. The company brought the smackdown today with a chart that combines both historical and projected data, and while we don't recall NVIDIA exiting the desktop market in 2010, it reinforces the idea that smartphones and tablets of the future may stand as thoroughly enviable gaming devices -- provided that developers are willing to create enough visuals to make these things sing. NVIDIA projects mobile SoC GPU performance to surpass Xbox 360 by 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AnandTech | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Competitive gamers are always looking for a way to sharpen their edge, but few solutions provide leverage like the N-Control Avenger, a controller attachment known for rigging gamepads with actual levers. This quirky clamshell impressed us last year with its customizable trigger pulleys and finger flickable appendages -- allowing us to command the controller's face buttons without taking our thumbs off of its analog sticks. Today the outfit silently unveiled the Avenger Elite, a familiar looking successor that promises to offer more of the same, albeit better. Company founder David Kotkin explained that the new unit features higher quality materials, a more sensitive hair-trigger system and a new "spring against spring" button depression to give its button levers some extra oomph. The new unit's arms are also stronger, says Kotkin, and shouldn't have to be adjusted between sessions. The Elite sells for the same steep $50 as the original unit, although N-Control is offering a discount on Ghost Recon: Future Soldier when bundled with the plastic peripheral, $75 nets you both. Kotkin was kind enough to send us a few shots of the unit ahead of its May 5th launch date, check them out in the gallery below, or click past the break for the official press release. Continue reading N-Control's Avenger goes Elite, keeps classic good looks N-Control's Avenger goes Elite, keeps classic good looks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We've been hearing about glasses that only display subtitles to those who need them for years (most recently with a trial run in the UK), but it looks like they're now finally about to enter the US market in a fairly big way. Regal Entertainment Group announced today that it's partnered with Sony Entertainment to bring the company's Access Glasses to "practically all" of its digital theaters in the US (that includes the vast majority of its 500+ theaters and more than 4,700 screens in all). Those glasses work with both 2D and 3D movies (the latter courtesy of a clip-on filter), and can provide closed-captioned text in up to six different languages for the hearing impaired, as well as descriptive audio for the visually impaired when they're paired with headphones. According to Regal, the glasses are already rolling out to some theaters this month, and it says they should be everywhere by the first quarter of 2013. Regal Entertainment Group teams up with Sony to bring subtitle glasses to US theaters originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Box Office Magazine | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
