Monday, February 16, 2009

Intel and LG partner up for some hot MID action

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/intel-and-lg-partner-up-for-some-hot-mid-action/


Intel's been talking up MIDs for a while now, and it looks like LG's ready to buy in -- the two companies just announced that they'll be cooperating on a series of devices running Intel's Moblin OS on the Moorestown platform. Interestingly, the release says the first product will deliver the "functionality of today's high-end smart phones," which seems to suggest that Intel's willing to shift some product definitions around. Still, we wouldn't expect a straight-up phone out of this one -- we're hoping for something more like Intel's crazy concept MID shown here. We'll see what these two come up with over the next year, it should definitely be interesting.

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Intel and LG partner up for some hot MID action originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Tegra to power $99 MIDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nvidias-tegra-to-power-99-mids/


NVIDIA's really promising the moon here, and if they even halfway deliver we could have a real "game changer" (as they say in the business) on our hands. What's on offer is a theoretical $99 slide-out keyboard MID, running a Tegra 600 chipset and Windows CE -- NVIDIA, as usual, offers the innards and the concept, but will leave it to manufacturers to create (and price) the actual units. The device could handle HD video playback, "days" between battery charges and always-on wireless connectivity. This form factor lands in between NVIDIA's Tegra APX chipset for smartphones and ION GeForce chipset for netbooks, and if it actually delivers it seems like it could actually make MIDs viable in the market. Of course, there's the question of what sort of Windows CE skin it'll take to make this fun to use for the target market -- perhaps the fact that Tegra is coming to Android in the near future is enough to make this all moot, but we're willing to give the $99 MID a fighting chance.

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NVIDIA's Tegra to power $99 MIDs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nvidias-tegra-jumps-on-the-android-bandwagon/

We've been hearing all kinds about NVIDIA's Tegra the last couple weeks, and have all been quietly wishing and hoping that we'd see Android getting some action -- and we will, and how! Apparently while the initial focus is Windows Mobile, NVIDIA sees Android surpassing Windows Mobile sales into 2012 and has decided to put some serious grunt into the new OS's development. The NVIDIA Tegra 2600 part is being developed with an optimized and accelerated Android release aimed squarely at OEM development and set for release sometime in Q2 this year. We've no idea how long it takes from reference to finished-in-our-hands-product, but the briefing hints at a couple mystereious sets, the "IAC S2" in Q3 and a "Yulong N8" by Q4. This guy is under glass over at NVIDIA's H.Q. here at MWC, so expect more once we stroll over for a look-see. Few more pics after the break.

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NVIDIA's Tegra jumps on the Android bandwagon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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S3 crams DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI onto $70 Chrome 540 GTX

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/s3-crams-displayport-hdmi-and-dvi-onto-70-chrome-540-gtx/


While the future seems bright for DisplayPort, it's still tough to find a GPU out there with a DisplayPort socket -- and the search becomes increasingly difficult when hunting one down that's affordable. Enter S3, who is expanding its Chrome 500 series with the Chrome 540 GTX. Hailed as the "world's most connected high-def card," this PCI Express card boasts 256MB of GDDR3 memory, compatibility with DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.0, support for Blu-ray playback and a trifecta of interfaces: DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort. The best part? It comes bundled with WinDVD 8 for BD playback and can be procured today for the low, low price of $69.95.

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S3 crams DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI onto $70 Chrome 540 GTX originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E75 QWERTY slider announced with Nokia Messaging built-in

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nokia-e75-qwerty-slider-announced-with-nokia-messaging-built-in/

Nokia's second phone of its MWC presentation is the E75, a full QWERTY side-slider that we've seen more than a few times in the past few months. It's the first phone to come equipped with Nokia Messaging built-in. It ships next month for 375 euros, and if you're eager, pre-orders are being accepted starting today on Nokia's site.

Update: Some more details from its fact sheet: The display is a 2.4-inch QVGA, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3.2 megapixel camera, built-in VPN, HSDA, 802.11 b/g, EGPRS, Bluetooth, and support for up to 16GB microSD card. Standby time is 11 days, and talk time is 5.4 hours on GSM, 4.2 hours on WCDMA, and yes, official colors are silver black, red and copper yellow.

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Nokia E75 QWERTY slider announced with Nokia Messaging built-in originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus PC 3D Viewer Kit: perfect for up-and-coming stereoscopic stars

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/olympus-pc-3d-viewer-kit-perfect-for-up-and-coming-stereoscopic/


Like it or not, 3D is back. Er, it's attempting to be back, though we'd argue the jury is still out on whether it'll stick around for any meaningful amount of time this go 'round. At any rate, those who are already sold on the mesmerizing powers of stereoscopics should probably give this one a look, Olympus' PC 3D Viewer Kit is one of the first consumer-level packages designed to give 3D content creators a look at their work on a standard LCD. The bundle will be comprised of a BenQ E2400HD 24-inch LCD (1,920 x 1,080 resolution), 3D media player software, 3D shutter glasses and a controller box -- just enough to get you proofing without having to rent out a visual effects studio. There's no word on a price for the currently Japan-only package, but really, you can't put an MSRP on the third-dimension.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

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Olympus PC 3D Viewer Kit: perfect for up-and-coming stereoscopic stars originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/tikitag-renamed-touchatag-adds-qr-codes-to-repertoire/

We haven't heard much from Tikitag since they showed up on the scene last September, sticking RFID tags to everything in sight. The Alcatel-Lucent Venture-backed company's popped up on the radar again, only this time it's taken on a more tactile-focused name, Touchatag, and is now touting 2D barcode support, including do-it-yourself tag creation system for adding some QR ciphers to your business cards or anything else you wish to lay claim. No word on the new pricing -- a Tikitag RFID set was supposed to cost $50 in October -- but if you're interested in testing the service out, there's a sign up to join the developer community on their main site.

Read - Press Release
Read - Touchatag Developer Network

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Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E75 hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nokia-e75-hands-on/


Here she be, up close and personal, Nokia's newly official E75 QWERTY slider. We're still not seeing much of the 9000 series heritage Nokia mentioned in its presser, but it's one sexy wide-QWERTY phone, any way you slice it. There's video after the break!

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Nokia E75 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First hands-on with the HTC Touch Pro2 (with video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/first-hands-on-with-the-htc-touch-pro2-with-video/


So this thing's definitely got some heft to it -- and honestly, especially for a business-centric device in this class, we don't think that's a bad thing. As with just about everything HTC churns out, the Touch Pro2 is exquisitely manufactured, feels rock-solid, and the WVGA is absolutely awesome -- we noticed that the gestures and animations are totally smooth and responsive, proving that WinMo is perfectly capable of handling this kind of UI dazzle. The Straight Talk functionality for seamlessly moving between different types of communication will be appreciated by anyone who spends half their business day on the phone and seems to work (and look) positively lovely -- and as for that speakerphone? We can totally picture ourselves slamming this thing upside down during a meeting in a fit of "our company just lost a $100M contract"-style rage with a satisfying, weighty "thud" and instantly bringing the whole room into the conversation. Follow the break for a couple videos of this thing in action (and sorry, no angry speakerphone fits).

Continue reading First hands-on with the HTC Touch Pro2 (with video!)

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First hands-on with the HTC Touch Pro2 (with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First hands-on with the HTC Touch Diamond2 (with video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/first-hands-on-with-the-htc-touch-diamond2-with-video/


While HTC's press didn't deliver on our Android dreams -- or electric sheep -- it did land us the new Touch Diamond2. First off, this set is a stunner, build quality and feel in your hand is really a quality affair. The material choices in both metal and plastics used here are really first rate -- we gush because we're rather impressed. The screen is bright, easy to read and the UI overhaul -- and new features underneath -- are much appreciated. One standout in the new improved UI has to be the start menu which, when clicked, pops you into a full screen shortcut list which is miles better to surf through with a finger. All in all? We're impressed with the Touch Diamond2 and though it's not a wildly new device, it is worth peeking at if you're lost in the decision making process for a new Windows Mobile phone. Follow on for some video action.

Continue reading First hands-on with the HTC Touch Diamond2 (with video!)

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First hands-on with the HTC Touch Diamond2 (with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E55 hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/nokia-e55-hands-on/


We sniffed out Nokia's new E55 not-a-QWERTY QWERTY candybar phone, which uses a SureType-esque predictive text mechanism with two letters per key, and looks pretty good doing it. Nokia's calling this the "world's thinnest smartphone," quite the feat if it's true, and it might just give Nokia's ultrapopular E71 a run for its money in the "fashionably smart" category. We played with the phone for a brief moment, and though it's running an alpha software build, we didn't have much trouble typing out a quick message. Unfortunately, while the keys are naturally larger, they aren't very "clicky" or distinct -- not horrible, but certainly not best-in-class. The prediction works well enough, learning new words after one entry, and letting you d-pad up and down through other options if it doesn't get it right the first try. Overall the phone feels on par with quality of the E71, though lighter and smaller, and is insanely pocketable. Video is after the break.

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Nokia E55 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG brings S-Class UI to Windows Mobile with GM730

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/lg-brings-s-class-ui-to-windows-mobile-with-gm730/


Turns out LG's fancy new feature phone UI -- S-Class, as it's called -- isn't just for feature phones. The GM730 brings the same 3D interface into the wide world of Windows Mobile, along with 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 2Mbps HSUPA, quadband EDGE, and Internet Explorer Mobile 6.0 into a package just 11.9mm thick. Sadly, LG's elected to do nothing but 900 / 2100MHz with the 3G here, so North Americans are left out of the equation at this point -- but much of the rest of the world can look into picking it up in the first half of the year.

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LG brings S-Class UI to Windows Mobile with GM730 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's GD900 previewed, features transparent keypad

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/lgs-gd900-previewed-features-transparent-keypad/


Most of its "advanced features" are being kept under wraps for the time being, but LG is showing off its strikingly-designed 13.4mm-thick GD900 this week with 7.2Mbps HSDPA in preparation for a launch later in the year. By and large, the design DNA here doesn't break rank with LG's sliders of the past year or two save for one very important exception: it features the world's first transparent keypad that softly glows when open -- and we've got to admit, this might be one of those rare instances where we're digging sheer beauty over functionality or usability. The company has also designed a dedicated Bluetooth headset to go along with its latest work of art -- but unfortunately, this image is about as close as you'll get to any of it until the planned second-half retail availability.

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LG's GD900 previewed, features transparent keypad originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: ZiiLABS demos Android in HD on ZMS-05 processor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/video-ziilabs-demos-android-in-hd-on-zms-05-processor/


ZiiLABS -- that same company that blew up the hype machine with its StemCell Computing initiative at CES -- is making good on its promise to demonstrate Android in HD on its ZMS-05 media-rich processor / development platform. There's not much here that can't be better explained via video than words, so hop on past the break for a look at the (admittedly silky smooth) demonstration.

[Thanks, Ruben]

Continue reading Video: ZiiLABS demos Android in HD on ZMS-05 processor

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Video: ZiiLABS demos Android in HD on ZMS-05 processor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, February 15, 2009

V12-designed dual-screen laptop going into production?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/15/v12-designed-dual-screen-laptop-going-into-production/

Sure, we were skeptical when we first saw V12 Design's dual LCD concept -- but it seems to be one step closer to production. Named the Canova, the Italian designed laptop boasts an LCD where the keyboard and trackpad traditionally are. We don't have any specifics about the construction or innards of this crazy-looking beast yet, but they've hooked up with an American company, Estari, to bring the laptop into reality. We also hear it's going to cost somewhere around $400 when it hits the streets sometime "soon." Check a few more photos after the break.

[Via Notebook Italia]

Continue reading V12-designed dual-screen laptop going into production?

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V12-designed dual-screen laptop going into production? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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