6/12 Engadget

Engadget         Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more June 11, 2012 at 10:03 PM   Apple's fresh new hardware may have gotten the headlines thus far during Apple's 2012 WWDC keynote, but there's also some good news for browser aficionados, too. Safari has taken a page out of Chrome's book by offering unified search for the web, your history and bookmarks. Additionally, Safari now syncs your web-browsing info across all your devices. Called iCloud Tabs, the feature lets you see the tabs you have open on any device simultaneously. That means you can surf the web on your iPhone while you're out and about, and continue your web session seamlessly on that shiny new MacBook Pro when you get home by clicking the new handy dandy iCloud button. Not only that, Safari's picked up some new multitouch tricks, letting you swipe all the way out to tab view, then pinch on the page you want to dive back in. Safari's Mobile version has also gained the ability to upload images directly and it now has an Offline Reading List that downloads and caches anything you add. Furthermore, Safari can now provide a notification if there's an app for the website you're browsing. Tapping the notification brings you to the App Store, and once downloaded, the browser pushes the URL to the app so you can pick up the content right where you left off. Gallery: Apple unveils new features for Safari For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub! Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple slips out new AirPort Express with simultaneous dual-band WiFi June 11, 2012 at 10:03 PM   Tucked in amidst talk of new MacBook Air and conventional MacBook Pro updates, Apple has trotted out a new AirPort Express. The new pocket WiFi router has a reworked design as well as newfound support for simultaneous dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless -- good news if you want separate public and private hotspots when you're online at the hotel. The audio-out jack and USB 2.0 port are still there to share your sound or printing, and there's an extra Ethernet jack to feed wired devices. We're still waiting on more details, but the $99 asking price certainly hits a sweet spot. Apple slips out new AirPort Express with simultaneous dual-band WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple brings Dictation to the Mac, tells Siri to stay in the car June 11, 2012 at 9:55 PM   Apple has just announced that it's bringing new iPad-style dictation to Mountain Lion. In the same way that you can tap the button on the digital keyboard, hitting the microphone button will allow you to speak directly into native software, websites like Facebook and even third-party applications like Microsoft Word. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 Keynote, check out our liveblog! Apple brings Dictation to the Mac, tells Siri to stay in the car originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple: 26 million copies of Lion OS sold, 66 million Mac users June 11, 2012 at 9:48 PM   As we try to get to our feet after that tidal wave of hardware announcements, Apple's moved onto Mac OS, quoting with some impressive new figures. Over 26 million copies of OS X Lion have now been sold, making it Apple's "best-selling release ever." Meanwhile, Mac users now total over 66 million -- that's three times the number in 2007. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple: 26 million copies of Lion OS sold, 66 million Mac users originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Aperture, AutoCAD and more score Retina Display support June 11, 2012 at 9:36 PM   As we learned pretty quickly when the iPhone 4 introduced the Retina display to the world, all those pixels are pretty useless without apps that can truly take advantage. Thankfully, Apple wasn't about to leave the stage today without delivering the goods for it's next gen MacBook Pros. In addition to all the stock apps being updated, Final Cut Pro and Aperture have also gotten the appropriate boost in pixel density, allowing them to be all they can be on that 220ppi display. If that isn't good enough for you, Adobe is hard at work on Photoshop and Autodesk will be delivering an update to AutoCAD as well. And, in case you're worried that all work and no play makes Tim Cook a dull boy, Diablo 3 has also been update, instantly making the Mac our favorite platform to farm low level badies for gold on. Developing... For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Aperture, AutoCAD and more score Retina Display support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple announces first Retina display in a MacBook, 220ppi with 2880 x 1800 resolution June 11, 2012 at 9:30 PM   Apple just announced its next-generation MacBook Pro, and it comes equipped with a gorgeous 220 pixel-per-inch 2880 x 1800 display. That's quite a bit shy of the 326 ppi LCD on the iPhone 4S and the 264 ppi density of the new iPad's display, but it's still a massive improvement over the 1680 x 1050 pixels found on Apple's previous-generation clamshell. The new Retina is, as Apple marketing head Phil Shiller not-so-modestly pointed out during this morning's WWDC keynote, the "world's highest-resolution notebook display." It's also soon to be the highest-res LCD in any household, offering three million more pixels than your 1080p HDTV. Developing... For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple announces first Retina display in a MacBook, 220ppi with 2880 x 1800 resolution originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 June 11, 2012 at 9:28 PM   Apple announced some new MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros early in its WWDC keynote today, but it had another surprise in store for its big hardware announcement: the next-generation MacBook Pro. It packs a Retina display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution (or 220ppi), and a casing that measures just 0.71-inch thin and weighs 4.46 pounds. In addition to that high resolution, Apple is also promising higher contrast ratios, better viewing angles and reduced glare compared to other laptop displays, and it's updated all of its stock apps to take advantage of those extra pixels, as well as Aperture and Final Cut Pro -- "reading your mail is like reading fine print," according to Apple's Phil Schiller. As for the other specs, you'll get to 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA Kepler GT 650M graphics, up to a quad-core 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, a maximum 768GB of storage (SSD, naturally), and a promised seven hours of battery life with 30 days standby. One spec nowhere to be seen: an optical drive. Also on the outs are Ethernet and FireWire 800 ports, which you'll now need an optional Thunderbolt adapter to use. Making its debut on the laptop is a new, thinner MagSafe connector, as well as a new fan that's said to be "nearly imperceptible" to the user. Pricing starts at $2,199 for a 2.3GHz unit with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and it's shipping today. "It's without doubt the very best computer that we've ever built," says Schiller. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Gallery: Apple announces next generation MacBook Pro Continue reading Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 June 11, 2012 at 9:28 PM   Apple already announced some new MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros during its WWDC keynote today, but it had another surprise in store: the next-generation MacBook Pro. It packs a Retina display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution (or 220ppi), and a casing that measures just 0.71-inch thin and weighs 4.46 pounds. In addition to that high resolution, Apple is also promising higher contrast ratios, better viewing angles and reduced glare compared to other laptop displays, and it's updated all of its stock apps to take advantage of the new resolution, as well as Aperture and Final Cut Pro -- "reading your mail is like reading fine print," according to Apple's Phil Schiller. As for the other specs, you'll get to 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA Kepler GT 650M graphics, up to a quad-core 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, a maximum 768GB of storage (SSD, naturally), and a promised seven hours of battery life with 30 days standby. One spec nowhere to be seen: an optical drive. Also making its debut on the laptop is a new, thinner MagSafe connector, and a new fan that's said to be "nearly imperceptible" to the user. Pricing starts at $2,199 for a 2.3GHz unit with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and it's shipping today. Developing... For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple announces next-generation MacBook Pro: Retina display, 0.71-inches thin, shipping today for $2,199 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple unveils new MacBook Pro with Ivy Bridge at WWDC June 11, 2012 at 9:23 PM   Apple is certainly making WWDC a hardware conference this year -- it just unveiled a refresh of the existing MacBook Pro running Intel's newer Ivy Bridge processors on the San Francisco gathering's opening day. The 15-inch portables run up to 2.7GHz quad Core i7s (turbo up to 3.7GHz), carry up to 8GB of RAM and have GeForce GT 650M-based graphics 60 percent faster than the previous generation. Like the new MacBook Air, they tout USB 3.0 ports. If you're more comfortable with Apple's conventional MacBook Pro design than the new variety, Apple will ask $1,799 for the base 15-inch version, and $2,199 for an upgraded model, both of which are shipping today -- we're not seeing any mention of an updated 17-inch version, so it may have been cast aside. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple unveils new MacBook Pro with Ivy Bridge at WWDC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today June 11, 2012 at 9:20 PM   Apple's skinnier, lighter MacBook option checked in for another (irregular) hardware update at this year's WWDC. Just under a year since the last time the range was renovated, the move to Ivy Bridge processors wasn't the only thing that changed. First up, those processors will reach up to 2GHz Core i7, with Turbo Boost tipping these up to 3.2GHz. The FaceTime camera is now 720p, with the display on the 11-inch model now 1366 x 768 (and Intel's HD graphics 4000 doing the pushing). The 13-incher will house a 1440 x 900 screen and both will arrive with a pair of USB 3.0 ports and capacity for up to 8GB of RAM. Storage will now extend to 512GB, while prices will start at $999 for the most basic option, up to $1099 for the speediest offering. All of the new models look set to be $100 less than their comparable predecessor. The best part? They'll start shipping today. Gallery: Next Generation MacBook Air For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         App Store hits 650,000 apps, 30 billion downloads, $5 billion doled out to developers June 11, 2012 at 9:12 PM   One of the first pieces of news out of the gate at Apple's WWDC 2012 keynote is its success with mobile apps so far. The company has hit 650,000 apps in the App Store -- 225,000 of which are specific to the iPad. Customers have downloaded 30 billion of the apps since they became an option four years ago. Developers also have a good reason to salivate: there are now over 400 million iTunes accounts with credit cards, and they've been paid a total of $5 billion for all of their app sales. Whatever pressure exists to support other platforms, Apple wants its coders to know they're taken care of. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 keynote, head over to our liveblog! App Store hits 650,000 apps, 30 billion downloads, $5 billion doled out to developers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Apple WWDC 2012 liveblog! June 11, 2012 at 8:35 PM   Back in March, at the tail end of the new iPad's launch, Apple CEO Tim Cook did something atypical. He encouraged us to expect even more from his company in 2012. From an outfit that rarely sets lofty expectations, that's saying something. Here at WWDC 2012, we're on hand to find out what exactly Apple has in the hopper. A deep dive into iOS 6 is guaranteed, but beyond that, all we have are rumors, smoke signals and few underground whispers. New MacBook Air / Pro laptops with Retina graphics? New iMacs with more pixels that are calculable by mere mortals? A new iPhone? Join us here at 10AM PT (that's 1PM on the right coast; pre-breakfast over in Kauai) for the blow-by-blow coverage you've come to expect! June 11, 2012 1:00 PM EDT Apple WWDC 2012 liveblog! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Sprint stops being Clearwire's majority owner June 11, 2012 at 8:18 PM   Sprint has declared that it's no longer Clearwire's majority owner in a move designed to shield the carrier should the worst happen to its troubled bedfellow. While Big Yellow is planning to supplement its own LTE network with Clearwire's TD-LTE backbone, it's looked to distance itself on the business side from a company that finds it very hard to make money -- requiring handouts from Sprint just to stay afloat. Sprint stops being Clearwire's majority owner originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  Reuters  | Email this | Comments         ITC denies HTC chance to wield Google patents against Apple June 11, 2012 at 7:56 PM   HTC hasn't been having the best time bringing ITC disputes against Apple, and the situation just got a bit more glum. Administrative Law Judge Thomas Pender has ruled that HTC can't use the patents it borrowed from Google to challenge Apple's products, as the Taiwan phone maker hasn't properly acquired all the necessary rights. If the decision is upheld after the (possible) appeal, it cuts the amount of ammunition for HTC's second complaint by more than half: only three of the eight patents will hold up. The One X designer can still try to appeal or get Google involved, and Apple still can't rest easy knowing that just one patent infringement verdict would be bad news. Even so, the ruling does take a considerable amount of sting out of the ITC case as-is -- and at a time when Apple is ramping up its own complaints. ITC denies HTC chance to wield Google patents against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  FOSSpatents  | Email this | Comments         Twitter airs first TV spot during NASCAR, implores racing fans to discover the magic of hashtags June 11, 2012 at 7:34 PM   Given #thescope with which Twitter has #invadedpopularculture, it may come as a shock to realize that the company hasn't really ventured too far into the world of television advertising -- but then, it seems that it's been doing a pretty good job getting enough #freeadvertising as is. Clearly the folks at Twitter saw an untapped resource in the form of the #NASCAR audience, using the weekend's race to launch its first TV #adcampaign, revolving around fittingly pithy spots capped off with the TWITTER.COM/#NASCAR URL, which redirects to a landing page for the weekend's festivities. Relive the #thrilloftherace with a slew of Twitter ads #afterthebreak. Continue reading Twitter airs first TV spot during NASCAR, implores racing fans to discover the magic of hashtags Twitter airs first TV spot during NASCAR, implores racing fans to discover the magic of hashtags originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web, Business Insider  |  Twitter  | Email this | Comments         Google brokers a deal with French publishers to immortalize out-of-print books June 11, 2012 at 7:08 PM   Google has reached an agreement with France's publishers to scan thousands of out-of-print texts. From the terse explanation offered, it looks like Mountain View will digitize the books, but the publishers and authors will retain commercial use of them. It means those editions will presumably be sold over Google Play rather than being offered free -- but on the upside, will mean that you'll save plenty of time checking eBay for that copy of Fly Fishing by J.R. Hartley. Google brokers a deal with French publishers to immortalize out-of-print books originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web  |  Google  | Email this | Comments         Chameleon Android homescreen cancels Kickstarter funding due to account mix-up, new project coming soon June 11, 2012 at 6:41 PM   If you fell in love with Teknision's contextual Android skin, we've got some news that might break your heart. The Chameleon homescreen's Kickstarter project has been unceremoniously canceled, as its Amazon payments account-holder has left the company. With no easy way to transfer over $50,000 of earmarked money, the makers were left with no choice but to reboot the project. A new project is set to go live later this week, so hold on to those investment dollars. Anyone who pledged funds to the first project won't be charged, but they will have to restate their interest on the new project page. Chameleon Android homescreen cancels Kickstarter funding due to account mix-up, new project coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Android Police  |  Kickstarter  | Email this | Comments         Engadget's pre-WWDC live broadcast from San Francisco! June 11, 2012 at 6:11 PM   We wish you were here, we really do, but we understand -- you're busy. That trip out to San Francisco takes ages and besides, getting a ticket into Apple's developer conference can be a tricky proposition. So, then, please do us the honor of being our guest at what is shaping up to be a bombastic show. The WWDC liveblog happens here, but before then Darren Murph and Tim Stevens have a special live video broadcast just for you, where they'll break down what you can expect from this year's keynote presentation. Click on through to get streaming. Continue reading Engadget's pre-WWDC live broadcast from San Francisco! Engadget's pre-WWDC live broadcast from San Francisco! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Duracell Powermat announces 24-Hour Power System, we go hands-on (video) June 11, 2012 at 6:00 PM   Since Duracell and Powermat formed their wireless charging alliance late last year, we've seen the Powermat debut at CES and heard quite a bit about the company's vision for future battery tech. Today the company is unveiling a new charging system which, while not drastically different from the Powermat we've seen before, bundles a few useful products together. In addition to a Powermat for charging the iPhone or iPhone 4, the 24-Hour Power System includes a phone case (necessary for juicing a phone on the Powermat) and a portable backup battery with both microUSB and Apple connectors. The whole package will set you back $100, and it's available online and in NYC stores starting today. Though the system currently only supports the iPhone, the company says it will add compatibility with "an array of other leading smartphones" by this fall. Check out our hands-on demo with Duracell Powermat CEO Ron Rabinowitz below. Gallery: Duracell Powermat 24-Hour Power System (hands-on) Continue reading Duracell Powermat announces 24-Hour Power System, we go hands-on (video) Duracell Powermat announces 24-Hour Power System, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Intel's NUC mini-desktop said to cost around $400 June 11, 2012 at 5:34 PM   Intel's Next Unit of Computing mini-desktop is reportedly going to cost around $400 when it arrives in the third quarter of the year. Designed for kiosks and digital signage setups, the weeny box has attracted so much interest from solder-wielding modders that the company expects it to go on general sale. The initial unit will include a Sandy Bridge Core i3, 4GB RAM and a 40GB SSD, while on the outside it'll come with three USB 2.0 ports and dual HDMI outputs. That high price might dampen the spirits of those hoping for an Intel-powered Arduino / Raspberry Pi, but we still expect to see it crop up in plenty of brilliant mods next year. Intel's NUC mini-desktop said to cost around $400 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Slash Gear  |  The Tech Report  | Email this | Comments         The Apple store is down... here we go June 11, 2012 at 5:23 PM   Down goes the Apple store. Whatever the reason is, it'll be a few short hours until we know what new goodies have been added to Cupertino's boutique. Whatever happens, we'll be right there, detailing all the action in our liveblog -- in the meantime, you can check what we're hoping to see in iOS 6 right here. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] The Apple store is down... here we go originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  Apple Store  | Email this | Comments         Editorial: What we want to see in iOS 6 June 11, 2012 at 5:00 PM   We asked for third party apps, copy and paste, multitasking, wireless sync, data-only messaging and better notifications and year by year, they all arrived. iOS 5 may be one of the most mature, and popular mobile operating systems out there, but that doesn't mean Apple can take the day off. If you'd like to know what we're hoping Scott Forstall announces when he takes to the WWDC stage in a few short hours, head on past the break. Continue reading Editorial: What we want to see in iOS 6 Editorial: What we want to see in iOS 6 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments         Samsung announces GT-B9120 for Android flip phone fans in China June 11, 2012 at 4:32 PM   The emergence of Android, and the decline of the flip-phone form factor happened as such, that the two aren't all that well acquainted. Samsung, however, wants to firm-up that relationship, bringing the two together once more. The GT-B9120 is the result. A flip phone with Google's Gingerbread operating system from the Galaxy-maker, headed for the Chinese market. There's dual 3.5-inch 480 x 800 screens, and a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260 doing the business. A 5-megapixel camera will send photos off to the 16GB internal storage, and HSPA, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth make up the wireless options. Somewhere someone's dream has just been answered, we just hope that person is in China. Samsung announces GT-B9120 for Android flip phone fans in China originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Ubergizmo  |  Tenaa.cn (Chinese)  | Email this | Comments         Keio University democratizes facial recognition technology for Avatars everywhere (video) June 11, 2012 at 3:54 PM   If you liked the look of that facial recognition technology on its way to Everquest II, but aren't so sure on your Froglok allegiance, then a Keio University group may have you covered. A project led by Associate Professor Yasue Mitsukura has developed a similar technology using just an ordinary PC and webcam. The software uses an algorithm that updates in line with the motion of the face, which the makers claim make it very fast and precise. The researchers hope that this real-time, low hardware requirement, system could find its way into the hands of amateur CG animation creators, or -- like the SOEmote solution -- into game controls. So, expect a glut of pimped-out Numa Numa remakes in the not to distant future. Continue reading Keio University democratizes facial recognition technology for Avatars everywhere (video) Keio University democratizes facial recognition technology for Avatars everywhere (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 07:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  DigInfo.tv  | Email this | Comments         Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 with Verizon LTE hits the FCC June 11, 2012 at 3:28 PM   Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has mooched on through the FCC sporting a bundle of wireless radios that play nicely with Verizon's LTE. Given that it's the same Ice Cream Sandwich-running slate that has already passed through our own testing labs, there aren't any surprises to discover in the Government's report. Except to say that we can probably expect it to pop up at our local boutiques shortly. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 with Verizon LTE hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 07:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  FCC  | Email this | Comments         SmartKey TV HDMI dongle gives ICS brains to any boob tube (updated) June 11, 2012 at 2:55 PM   How many similar devices have to come to light, until a new category is born? Screentop? USBPC? We're going with "Pendroid." Whatever you want to call it, here's another one, this time up the SmartKey TV from Italian firm LiquidTv. Inside its tiny housing are a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor, Mali 400MP GPU, 512MB RAM and 4GB flash storage. There's a USB host port, and one for power, along with a microSD (up to 32GB) card slot, plus wireless in b, g and n flavors. Unlike other products that leave the input solution up to you, this little guy has accessories and a smartphone app purpose-built for that. If you want a slice, it'll cost you €99 (about $125,) or €119 ($150) with a motion sensor remote control. Tune your browser to the Italian video after the break to see it in action. Update: Some people are pointing out the similarities between this product and a Kickstarter project, and it looks like there are some issues between the two. LiquidTv has now removed its existing video demo -- and Infinitec (the company behind a very similar-looking Pendroid project) have been quick to state that the SmartKey TV isn't related to its Pocket TV. Continue reading SmartKey TV HDMI dongle gives ICS brains to any boob tube (updated) SmartKey TV HDMI dongle gives ICS brains to any boob tube (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 06:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  LiquidTv  | Email this | Comments         China planning manned mission to its own space station, didn't want to be on the ISS anyway June 11, 2012 at 2:27 PM   State news agency Xinhua is reporting that China is planning to launch a manned spacecraft later this month. A Shenzhou-9 capsule and rocket are already in place, and when it launches it'll manually dock with the nation's space station: Tiangong-1. The nation is moving quickly to capitalize on its successes last year, after learning how to dock two objects in high-speed orbit. Once both are linked up, the three astronauts on-board would move across to perform scientific experiments before returning to Earth in the craft, as you do. [Image Credit: China Daily] China planning manned mission to its own space station, didn't want to be on the ISS anyway originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 06:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Yahoo! News (AFP)  |  Xinhua, (2)  | Email this | Comments         Microsoft revives free Windows desktop development tools, didn't mean to make you cry June 11, 2012 at 1:49 PM   Microsoft has resuscitated Visual Studio Express for Windows Desktop, a few weeks after deciding to bump it off. The company had wanted to push developers onto the $400 professional edition of the software, but a volley of complaints forced the climbdown. When it arrives in the fall, it'll let hobbyists, beginners and open-source coders create desktop and command-line applications... for free! Microsoft revives free Windows desktop development tools, didn't mean to make you cry originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Ars Technica  |  Microsoft  | Email this | Comments         Noctua's noise-canceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels June 11, 2012 at 1:09 PM   Having trouble tuning out the hum of your PC fans? Maybe it's time you took another look at Noctua's NF-F12 integrated noise cancellation fan. According to the firm, the Computex prototype kept things about 20dB quieter by utilizing a patented RotoSub ANC technology to emit anti-noise directly from the fan's own blades. Noctura hopes to dampen the cooler's 2,500 RPM hum to the overall noise level of a slower 1,500 RPM fan. Builders looking to piece together a quieter machine can look for the noise reducing cooler an the latter half of 2013. Your old fan? Well, you could always use as a makeshift turntable. Hit the break for a peek at a more silent tomorrow. Continue reading Noctua's noise-canceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels Noctua's noise-canceling PC fan gets tested, drops twenty decibels originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Engadget Spanish  |  Noctua  | Email this | Comments         Nexus 7 tablet will arrive at end of June, says anonymous ASUS source June 11, 2012 at 12:32 PM   We reported the possibility of the ASUS building a 7-inch Nexus tablet earlier, but that rumor just jumped a notch with an unnamed rep confirming to Android Authority that it is indeed working with Google on a quad-core tab. Though the mole wasn't willing to divulge more specifics, previous speculation points to the Tegra-based MeMO 3270T with Jelly Bean, the next iteration of Android. The publicity-shy source also confirmed the device would be coming at the end of June -- putting it within reach of Google's upcoming big event. Nexus 7 tablet will arrive at end of June, says anonymous ASUS source originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 04:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Mobile Syrup  |  Android Authority  | Email this | Comments