Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Archos' Android-based MID on track for July?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/26/archos-android-based-mid-on-track-for-july/

It hasn't been much of a secret that Archos has an Android-based tablet / MID in the works, but it looks like the company is now finally talking a bit more openly about it, and dropping a few choice details in its recent year-end results announcement. The key bit is that the company is apparently planning to release the device "at the start of Q3 2009," which is actually fairly specific as far as these announcements go, though no doubt still subject to change if Archos sees fit. Otherwise, the only word on the MID is that it will pack some telephony features and, of course, include all of Archos' usual multimedia applications.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Archos' Android-based MID on track for July? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Model S official shots unofficially unveiled

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/26/tesla-model-s-official-shots-unofficially-unveiled/

Kevin Rose has some Tesla Model S imagery up on his Flickr account, including the first unshrouded pictures of the car, along with a rather wild interior shot. The all-electric sedan is styled beautifully -- if rather predictably -- but things start to get weird on the inside. In what looks to be a concept car mockup of the interior, there appears to be a large touchscreen taking the place of the entire center console, wrapped irregularly by dashboard padding. The instruments panel also appears to be a screen, though it could just be a mockup at this stage. Concept cars typically have rather strange and unlikely interiors compared to their tame street-legal counterparts, but even so, if this indeed isn't some sort of cruel Photoshop trickery, we'd say Tesla really outdid itself here. Besides, who needs safe, tactile ways of adjusting climate and audio settings when you're living life this large?

[Via Autoblog Spanish]

Gallery: Tesla Model S official shots unofficially unveiled

Filed under: Displays, Transportation

Tesla Model S official shots unofficially unveiled originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear unloads BD / SSD-equipped mX-L 13.3-inch laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/26/maingear-unloads-bd-ssd-equipped-mx-l-13-3-inch-laptop/

Look out, world -- a relative no-name has just showed up with a new ultraportable, and it's darn tough to not pay attention with a specs sheet like this. The Maingear mX-L arrives with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit display (1,280 x 800), a Core 2 Duo CPU, GMA X4500HD graphics, 8GB of DDR2 RAM, 160GB Intel X25-M SSD (or a 500GB HDD for those without the cheddar), a dual-layer Blu-ray reader, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, VGA output, three USB 2.0 sockets and a custom etched top that's totally take-it-or-leave-it. The unit weighs in at 4.4 pounds and gets going at $1,099.99, but don't expect that measly four-cell Li-ion to last you through a whole transcontinental flight.

Gallery: Maingear unloads BD / SSD-equipped mX-L 13.3-inch laptop

Filed under: Laptops

Maingear unloads BD / SSD-equipped mX-L 13.3-inch laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band ticks off 40 million tracks sold, $1 billion in revenue

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/26/rock-band-ticks-off-40-million-tracks-sold-1-billion-in-revenu/

That's a lot of dollars. Also? A lot of Mötley Crüe. Seriously, people, calm down. As of right now Rock Band has 614 songs on offer, 269 different artists, 11 full albums, more revenue than any other game in 2008, $1 billion total in North American retail sales, 40 million tracks sold, and unhindered wallet access to countless deluded human beings who think they're rock stars.

Filed under: Gaming

Rock Band ticks off 40 million tracks sold, $1 billion in revenue originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype Now #1 International Call Carrier [Skype]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/CZsVK4oiPIY/skype-now-1-international-call-carrier

Skype has just overthrown AT&T as the number one long distance call handler. Unfortunately for Skype, they don't pull in that much profit from international calls; eBay said they only made $550 million in 2008. [Ars Technica]

Next Android Device (G2?) Gets Flash Support [Android]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8eh3iLMZ9fE/next-android-device-g2-gets-flash-support

BSQUARE just announced that it's going to port a version of Adobe Flash to Android for a "global Tier 1 carrier." This most likely means T-Mobile, if our guess is right.

We've no idea from the press release whether or not Flash will be usable on the G1 that's already available, but it seems like the next phone (the G2?) should almost certainly, definitely, probably, most likely have it. Maybe. [Bsquare via Engadget]

Samsung gets official with 8 megapixel SCH-W740

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/samsung-gets-official-with-8-megapixel-sch-w740/

We first caught wind of Samsung's SCH-W740 way back on Halloween of last year, and at long last the handset has gone official over in South Korea. Matching up with LG's Renoir, Nokia's N86 and a slew of other emerging 8 megapixel phones, the W740 packs a pretty stellar camera along with a 3.3-inch touchscreen, HSUPA, Bluetooth 2.0, an e-dictionary, T-DMB TV tuner and loads of haptic feedback. As for the camera itself, it features face detection, scene modes, a Xenon flash and a smile shutter for good measure. Word on the street has it surfacing soon for ₩900,000 ($660).

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung gets official with 8 megapixel SCH-W740 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wireless water meters on the loose in New York City

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/wireless-water-meters-on-the-loose-in-new-york-city/

On the environmental tip, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that New York City will install 826,000 wireless water meters by 2011. Under the new system, readings will be sent to a network of rooftop receivers throughout the city every six hours, enabling the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to bill property owners every month with exact water usage -- with the bill available online. Under the current system, water use is estimated and folks are billed every three months. The system will cost taxpayers $250 million, and installation (free for property owners) is already underway in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. When it is fully installed, New York will be the largest city in the world to use wireless water metering. According to the New York Times, it's estimated that a 5 to 10 percent reduction in water use could save the city up to $90 million annually.

[Via Vos Iz Neias; Thanks, Yossi]

Filed under: Wireless

Wireless water meters on the loose in New York City originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vuzix dips toes in augmented reality, makes video eyewear cool again

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/vuzix-dips-toes-in-augmented-reality-makes-video-eyewear-cool-a/

Nintendo ain't the only company making waves at the Game Developers Conference this year -- oh no, we've also got Vuzix gettin' down and dirty with a brand new addition to its video eyewear segment. Said outfit has teamed up with metaio in order to showcase a new Augmented Reality Accessory Kit for the VR920 head-mounted display. The bundle will include the CamAR -- a clip-on USB camera that is designed to accurately track objects and the user's position in three-dimensional space -- along with the PhasAR wireless augmented reality input controller. When these are used in unison, users are able to simultaneously see what's going on in the Matrix and in the display. For instance, imagine reading a book that's tied into a program on the VR920; as you read along, images can pop up and complement the text. Far out, right? The full release is after the break, and we've been told that the attachment should sell for around $100 on top of the $399 VR920 when it ships around mid-Summer.

Continue reading Vuzix dips toes in augmented reality, makes video eyewear cool again

Filed under: Displays, Wearables

Vuzix dips toes in augmented reality, makes video eyewear cool again originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai BLUE-WILL plug-in hybrid concept debuts in Seoul

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/hyundai-blue-will-plug-in-hybrid-concept-debuts-in-seoul/

Hyundai recently broke a few molds with its dolphin-inspired cellphone, and it now looks to be doing the same with its latest plug-in hybrid concept, which is set to make its public debut at the Seoul Motor Show next week. Of course, Hyundai isn't just letting the car, dubbed the BLUE-WILL, get by on those eye-catching lines alone, with it also cramming a direct-inject 1.6-liter gas engine with a CVT transmission and a 100kw electric motor under the hood, and taking a number of other measures to make the vehicle even more eco-minded. That includes some solar cells on the panoramic roof, which you can still see through, and some eco-friendly plastics throughout, including headlamp bezels made from recycled plastic bottles, and other plastics derived from plant extracts. No word about it actually going into production, of course, but you can get a bit of a closer look by hitting up the link below.

Filed under: Transportation

Hyundai BLUE-WILL plug-in hybrid concept debuts in Seoul originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia shows off song-inspired Bluetooth headset designs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/nokia-shows-off-song-inspired-bluetooth-headset-designs/

It didn't exactly cause that big a stir when it was first announced, but it looks like Nokia's Music Almighty headset design competition still managed to attract a respectable 6,000 entrants, and Nokia is now showing off the five winners that have been manufactured as fully-functional, one-off headsets. The hook of the contest is that all of the headsets had to be inspired by a song, which expectedly drew a whole range of designs from the stylish Daft Punk "Robot Rock" set above to feat of subtlety that is the R. Kelly "I Believe I Can Fly" headset after the break. Hit up the link below to check out the remaining winners, including not one but two Michael Jackson-inspired sets, and look for the whole lot to make their way to the Nokia Regent Street Flagship store in London next month.

[Via Core77]

Continue reading Nokia shows off song-inspired Bluetooth headset designs

Filed under: Portable Audio, Wearables

Nokia shows off song-inspired Bluetooth headset designs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flash coming to Android courtesy of BSQUARE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/flash-coming-to-android-courtesy-of-bsquare/

The fine folks at BSQUARE have announced that they'll be porting Adobe Flash to Google's Android on behalf of a "global Tier 1 carrier." Whether or not that implies this "global Tier 1 carrier" will have exclusive access to Flash out of the gate remains to be seen. Details are otherwise very scarce, and it's unclear how this relates to the demo of Flash Andy Rubin showed off at Adobe MAX last year. However, BSQUARE bought NEC's Adobe(R) Flash(R) Technology Consulting and Distribution business 12 months ago, and has done Android work for other customers, so the expertise should certainly be there -- and naturally we wouldn't expect them to go shouting about this if they didn't have Adobe and Google's blessing in one form or another.

[Thanks, Peter R.]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Flash coming to Android courtesy of BSQUARE originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's IdeaCentre A600 now available to order, should ship soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/lenovos-ideacentre-a600-now-available-to-order-should-ship-soo/

Lenovo's breaking some serious molds with the IdeaCentre A600, and if you've been waiting anxiously ever since we got up close and personal with one back at CES, the patience has (nearly) paid off. As of now (like, right this very moment in time), three varients of the all-black machine are up for ordering, with base prices sitting at $699.99, $799.99 and $999.99. They each show that shipping won't happen for another few weeks, but we'll bet Lenovo's just being conversative.

Filed under: Desktops

Lenovo's IdeaCentre A600 now available to order, should ship soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon Alias2 leaks out, features dynamically changing button layout

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/verizon-alias2-leaks-out-features-dynamically-changing-button-l/

Verizon's original Alias U740 dual-hinge phone may not have rocked any worlds, but it was a clever attempt to provide the best of both a QWERTY keypad and a standard clamshell number pad in a single device -- and it sounds like the Alias 2 we're seeing leaked here improves on that concept by using dynamically-changing button labels to hammer home the mode switches. It's not clear what tech is being used to switch layouts -- there are some whispers that it's an E-Ink display, since the labels apparently remain even without power -- but given this phone's expected price point, we'll say we're expecting more along the lines of one of those segmented LCDs found in cheap universal remotes. In other words, garbage. Hopefully we'll be proven wrong at CTIA, we'll let you know. Slightly bigger pic after the break.

Continue reading Verizon Alias2 leaks out, features dynamically changing button layout

Filed under: Cellphones

Verizon Alias2 leaks out, features dynamically changing button layout originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EcoDrain heat exchanger makes good use of warm waste water

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/26/ecodrain-heat-exchanger-makes-good-use-of-warm-waste-water/

File this one directly in the "why didn't I think of that?" folder. As the bathroom gets more and more eco-friendly, the EcoDrain is stepping in to take advantage of all the hot water that goes to waste each time you shower. Put simply, this user-installed heat exchanger transfers heat from hot shower waste water to cold incoming water, essentially cutting water heater usage by as much as 40 percent. Of course, we've never seen a plumbing job that was anything close to simple, but for savings like this, it may just be worth the trouble.

[Via Inhabitat]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

EcoDrain heat exchanger makes good use of warm waste water originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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