Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Razer CEO wants annual Blade laptop refreshes, isn't worried about price complaints

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/razer-ceo-interview-blade-2/

Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan is charismatic, clearly very smart and passionate -- not a bad combination considering he's the face and voice of a major international hardware manufacturer. Razer's latest, the second-generation Blade gaming laptop, launches this week for the whopping price of $2,500, and we spoke with Min-Liang about just that. "This," he said, referencing the second-generation Blade's slim power brick, "costs seven times this," he added, pointing to a competitor's power supply. "Do we have to do this? Probably not." And that's emblematic of Razer's whole approach to the Razer Blade, as a line of gaming computers. Expensive? Yes, very. But significantly nicer and more detailed that its less expensive competition? Also yes. Also very.

As our own Sean Buckley put it in our review of their latest gaming laptop, "the Blade is a gorgeous machine." It's true -- at just 0.88 inches tall and 6.6 pounds, the new Blade is remarkably thin and light for a 17-inch laptop with enough juice under the hood to sate even the most spec-obsessed of PC gamers. But are enough gamers out there willing to trade a lower price tag for a better-looking machine? Razer and its CEO certainly think so, and they've got numbers from the first, more expensive Blade to prove it. "The original Blade was at $2,799. Back then, it was pricey, but we've been surprised at the amount of demand for that. We thought we were gonna sell out in 30 days -- we had 30 days' stock. But we sold out in 30 minutes for the first batch," he said. And, as far as pre-order numbers go for the second version, Min-Liang's confident they mean good things for the future of the Blade! .

"We're getting hammered with the pre-orders for the new Razer Blade. Right now, we'll be able to ship most of the orders by September 30, fingers crossed. But we're trying to bring in as many units as possible," he excitedly explained. Min-Liang isn't too worried about offending first-gen buyers, either -- the first Razer Blade launched in early 2012 for just shy of $2,800. Less than 10 months later, the second-gen Blade is launching for $300 less with a significantly upgraded graphics card. Sure, first-gen adopters get a $500 discount on the new Blade, but the sting of early adoption is especially rough in such an instance.

Continue reading Razer CEO wants annual Blade laptop refreshes, isn't worried about price complaints

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Razer CEO wants annual Blade laptop refreshes, isn't worried about price complaints originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack built-in DVR with recommendation feature, we go eyes-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/toshiba-regza-j7-z7-hands-on/

Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack builtin DVR with recommendation feature, we go handson video

Toshiba had its new lineup of Regza HDTVs on hand at CEATEC today, showing sets from both the J7 Series and Z7 series. The J7 Series offers 32-, 40, 50- and 65-inch options, all of which boast 1080p resolutions save for the 32-incher. Pricing starts at ¥75,000 (about $961) and tops off at ¥370,000 for the largest model. The slightly higher-end Z7 Series includes 42-, 47- and 55-inch models, with pricing ranging from ¥180,000 to ¥370,000. The Z7 Series also boats Toshiba's "time-shift machine" feature, which automatically records up to 40 hours of content on primary channels and suggests programs based on your viewing habits.

We spent a few minutes staring into the high-def abyss at the company's rather dim booth, and all of the displays looked quite stunning. Unfortunately, we weren't able to test out the time-shift feature, so we'll have to take the company on its word there. The premium Z7 models include a thinner bezel and an overall sleeker look, while the J7 featured a more rounded design, with a beefier border around the panel. All of the TVs are expected to debut in time for the holiday season. For now, you can get a sneak peek from our hands-on video below.

Continue reading Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack built-in DVR with recommendation feature, we go eyes-on (video)

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Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack built-in DVR with recommendation feature, we go eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ViewSonic's new VX70Smh-LED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/viewsonics-vx70smh-led-ips-monitors/

ViewSonic's new VX70SmhLED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159

Only a couple of months have passed since ViewSonic announced its new pair of wallet-friendly VA12 monitors as well as that larger, energy-efficient 27-inch VX2703mh-LED. Fast forward to today, and the company's back with a trio of fresh VX70Smh-LED panels, including a lavish 27-incher in the VX2770Smh-LED, plus a couple of 22- and 23-inch monitors for those who prefer something a bit more conservative -- all of which are equipped with IPS technology, a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution (30,000,000:1 MEGA Dynamic Contrast Ratio) and SRS Premium Sound. ViewSonic has said both the 23- and 27-inch VX70Smh-LEDs will be available "early October" for $189 and $319, respectively, while the smaller 22-inch VX2270Smh-LED is expected to hit shelves around December with a $159 price tag.

Continue reading ViewSonic's new VX70Smh-LED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159

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ViewSonic's new VX70Smh-LED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC One X+ official: 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3, 64GB, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/htc-one-x-plus-tegra-3-android-jelly-bean-sense-4-plus/

HTC One X official 17GHz quadcore Tegra 3, 64GB, Android 41 with Sense 4

Remember HTC's early 2012 Android flagship? Well, it's back and plus-sized for the tech-savvy masses. Officially announced today, the One X+ is a minor refresh of the original that debuted at MWC this past spring, albeit with a faster 1.7GHz Tegra 3 CPU, larger 2,100mAh battery, expanded 64GB of storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+ onboard. As part of that upgraded custom skin, the 4.7-inch device can now tap to pair, or "Tap and Go" as the company calls it, with Beats-branded speakers, allowing users to easily connect and disconnect from their audio peripherals. Apart from that, the 8-megapixel rear module with f/2.0 lens and ImageChip-assist has stayed the same, but the camera software's been slightly tweaked with the addition of two new modes: Self Portrait for subtle retouching of front facing shots and Sightseeing which allows for quick launch of the camera app. Also debuting alongside this hardware update is HTC Get Started, a web-based service that lets users manage initial setup from the desktop for one-click installation on the phone itself. The One X+ is slated to launch globally this fall, hitting Europe and Northern Asia this October, with a November rollout in South Asia to follow. As for a US release, well, you'll just have to sit tight and see what news the day brings. Official PR after the break.

Gallery: HTC One X+

Continue reading HTC One X+ official: 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3, 64GB, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+

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HTC One X+ official: 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3, 64GB, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/toyotas-smart-insect-concept-ev-kinect/

Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition video

Toyota is showing off its new Smart Insect prototype at the company's CEATEC booth. The fully electric car charges via a standard 100-volt AC outlet, and it's decked out with gull-wing doors and motion detection courtesy of Microsoft's Kinect. The on-board motion sensors allow the car to recognize its owner based on face and body shape, and it predicts the owner's behavior by analyzing movement and determining when to open the door, for example. (It also allows for the front and rear displays to show a welcome message when the owner approaches the car.) There's also voice recognition for opening the car door and other functions, with a speaker on the hood of the car and dashboard-mounted "dialogue monitors" on the front and back.

The tech carries through to the Insect's interior, which sports a wireless charging pad, a dash-mounted monitor that connects to the driver's handset and a button for dialing up Toyota's virtual agent. As a connected car, the Insect naturally ties in with entertainment and navigation services (in this case, via Toyota's Smart Center). There's also integration with a home energy management system, which allows the owner to adjust air conditioning and lock the front door via a smartphone app. As this is a proof of concept -- and one we couldn't test out, at that -- it's unclear how well these features work, and it's unlikely that we'll ever see the prototype make it to market. Still, it's fun to dream, and you can do that by tuning into our hands-on video just past the break.

Continue reading Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

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Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vizio's 'extra-large' holiday HDTV lineup goes from 55- to 70-inches

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/vizios-extra-large-holiday-hdtv-lineup-goes-from-55-to-70-in/

Vizio's 'extralarge' holiday HDTV lineup goes from 55 to 70inches

While Vizio's summer has been all about PCs, set-top Google TV boxes and even the odd ultrawidescreen HDTV, it's getting back into its usual garb for the fall. As is its customs, it's rolling out a few new HDTV models ahead of the big shopping season, which range in size from 55- to 70-inches. Other than the 58-inch CinemaWide ultra widescreen model there are also three representatives from its M-Series, with a 55-inch model for $949, and a 65-inch model that's $1,699 with 3D and $1,499 without. The other two models are in its E-Series line, and are 2D only edge-lit LED sets that feature a new thin bezel / slim frame design. The 60-inch version is priced at $999, while the 70-inch goes for $1,999. They all include the Yahoo Widgets powered Vizio Internet Apps (Netflix, Vudu, Hulu, Amazon etc.) and WiFi built in and most are already popping up on store shelves near you (just ask Logitech and Sling how that works), check out a bit more information in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Vizio's 'extra-large' holiday HDTV lineup goes from 55- to 70-inches

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Vizio's 'extra-large' holiday HDTV lineup goes from 55- to 70-inches originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear welcomes AMD A-Series APUs to its F131 and X-Cube desktop PCs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/maingear-intros-amd-a-series/

Maingear welcomes AMD's ASeries to its desktop lineup

In a move to make its desktops more palatable to the masses, Maingear is bringing AMD's integrated A-Series APUs to its F131 tower and X-Cube desktop PCs. Upon learning the news, we took a peek at the manufacturer's website and found a customizable X-Cube available with a $649 starting price, which compares favorably to its $939 Intel counterpart. Unfortunately, the company has yet to update its website with AMD customization options for the F131. Regardless, we're told that shoppers can expect to find both standard and Black Edition options for AMD's chips, the latter which should appeal to overclockers. To scope out the company's latest gear, just hit up the source link below.

Continue reading Maingear welcomes AMD A-Series APUs to its F131 and X-Cube desktop PCs

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Maingear welcomes AMD A-Series APUs to its F131 and X-Cube desktop PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, October 01, 2012

HP's ElitePad Is the Awesome-Looking Tablet HP Should Sell to the Masses (But Won't) [Tablets]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5947760/hps-elitepad-is-the-awesome+looking-tablet-hp-should-sell-to-the-masses-but-wont

HP's ElitePad Is the Awesome-Looking Tablet HP Should Sell to the Masses (But Won't)Over the past few months, HP quietly teased a tablet in ads and marketing materials. It had the appearance of something sleek and premium. As it turns out, that tablet was the ElitePad: a 10-inch, aluminum-cased Windows 8 tablet that has all the makings of something desirable.

The ElitePad is everything you'd expect a Windows 8 tablet to be on paper. It can run in Metro or desktop mode. It feels solid when you pick it up, and the short time I spent fiddling around with it made it seem like a responsive device. And the design—its curved tapered sides, and squared off top, don't feel entirely derivative of Apple's design.

Built on top of Intel's Clover Trail platform, the 1280x800 display strikes a compromise between the mag-friendly-but-video-hostile 4:3 aspect ratio and the slightly too wide 16:9 tablet display. At 0.36 inches and 1.5 pounds, it's not the lightest or thinnest tablet around (the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD is thinner and the iPad is lighter), but it's still at the more impressive end of each spectrum. The two gigs of RAM is on par with other Clover Trail machines, and the option to include up to 64 gigabytes of internal storage is nice for a device that's pure tablet. Toss in the 1080p front cam and the 8-megapixel rear cam, and it sounds like a Windows 8 tablet people might actually want.

HP's ElitePad Is the Awesome-Looking Tablet HP Should Sell to the Masses (But Won't)

But here's the catch: HP isn't gearing the thing towards the iPad crowd. Instead, the company said it only plans to sell it through enterprise vendors.

Huh? Why?

It's understandable that HP doesn't think a Windows 8 tablet might not yet have a shot of competing against the iPads and Kindles and Nexuses, but to not make it available to consumers in some form seems foolish. Aside from a possibly expensive pricetag, the features and design of the ElitePad aren't anymore enterprise than they are consumer. And, more than the convertible tablet, this was the HP Win 8 device that excited me most.

HP's ElitePad Is the Awesome-Looking Tablet HP Should Sell to the Masses (But Won't)

Instead HP will be happy to package a series of enterprise-centric accessories—cases and sleeves that add ports and battery life and essentially turn the tablet into a laptop—to try and woo serious businessmen who do serious business on the road. If you are, in fact, some sort of salesman or executive, you might be able to get your hands on one early next year. The rest of us will not be so fortunate. [HP]

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What Doctors Don't Know About the Drugs They Prescribe [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5947782/what-doctors-dont-know-about-the-drugs-they-prescribe

TED talks have become a bit of a yawn-fest these days, with grand ideas that really amount to nothing. But here's one that's really important: Ben Goldacre talking about how the pharmaceutical industry skews published scientific research, and why that's really bad.

Often, the results from drug tests go unpublished if the findings are negative or inconclusive. The result is that doctors often don't know everything about the drugs's they're prescribing. In this talk, Ben explains why that's the case, exactly how dangerous it is, and what can be done about it. "Thought-provoking" doesn't quite do it justice. [TED]

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Sharp begins production of 1080p smartphone displays: 443 ppi crammed into a 5-inch LCD

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/sharp-lcd-panel-type-5/

Sharp begins production of 1080p smartphone displays: 443 ppi crammed into a 5-inch LCD

Layoffs and loans may be dominating our Sharp coverage at the moment, but that just makes this type of news all the sweeter. The company has announced its LCD panel type 5 -- a 5-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display packing a Retina-busting 443 ppi (just trumping LG's similar 440 ppi LCD). An outcome of its layer-reducing CG-Silicon technology, the smartphone-targeted screen goes into full-scale production this month and will be shown off at CEATEC Japan this very week. We'll try to give it eyes-on treatment at the show, but you can rub your hands together sinisterly in the meantime and just think about the glorious devices which will bear it.

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Sharp begins production of 1080p smartphone displays: 443 ppi crammed into a 5-inch LCD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 08:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix Just for Kids comes to iPad, keeps Dora exploring beyond the TV (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/netflix-just-for-kids-comes-to-ipad/

Netflix Just for Kids comes to iPad, keeps Dora exploring beyond the TV video

Netflix's Just for Kids portal may already be a parent's ticket to saving money on endless Dora the Explorer DVDs without keeping a constant watch on the screen, but it has so far been left to consoles and the web. That's not much help to movie-loving grownups who'd sometimes like to free the PC or TV for their own streaming sessions -- so it's likely a relief to many that the Just for Kids interface is now available on iPads. Like on bigger screens, the mobile app provides a safe zone for the under-12 set that organizes videos into sections that junior viewers will more likely appreciate, such as sing-alongs and talking animals. For now, Android tablet owners and those holding on to first-generation iPads will be left out. It still shouldn't be too long before more adults can be sure their mobile-savvy kids are watching Curious George instead of Chasing Amy.

Continue reading Netflix Just for Kids comes to iPad, keeps Dora exploring beyond the TV (video)

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Netflix Just for Kids comes to iPad, keeps Dora explorin! g beyond the TV (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RUMOR: Apple Will Announce The iPad Mini In Two Weeks (AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/rumor-apple-will-announce-the-ipad-mini-in-two-weeks-2012-10

ipad mini mockup

Apple could be announcing its next big product, the iPad Mini, in two and a half weeks.

Philip Elmer DeWitt at Fortune says a major Apple investor has heard from "multiple sources" that the company is going to send out press invites for the iPad Mini on October 10th. Apple usually sends those out a week before the event happens, so that would suggest Apple reveals the new iPad on October 17th.

We don't know if this specific timing is accurate, but Apple is widely expected to host an iPad Mini event at some point in October.

The iPad Mini will be 7.85-inches measured diagonally, compared to the normal iPad which is 9.7-inches. It is expected to be about the same size overall  as 7-inch tablets from Amazon, Samsung, and Google. Apple will have a bigger screen by giving the tablet smaller edges.

Apple has totally dominanted the tablet market, but it's left some room for rivals to come in with smaller tablets. The iPad Mini, if priced right could help Apple seal the market, just like it owned the MP3 player market with the iPod and the iPod Mini.

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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Scape, Brian Eno's new ambient music creation app is now available on the iPad (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/29/brian-eno-scope/

Scape, Brian Enos new ambient music creation app is now available on the iPad video

Music making apps for the iPad are ten-a-penny, but when it's the brainchild of a super-producer like Brian Eno, you have to take notice. Scape is the third of his collaborations with Peter Chilvers after Bloom and Trope, an app that lets you generate ambient music with Eno's own sounds on a colorful, conceptual interface. Unlike standard beats'n'loops setups, each sound is tied to a series of rules -- including the time of day -- that ensures the tunes you create never play the same way twice. It's available from iTunes for $5.99 / £3.99, and who knows, maybe in a few years time, Coldplay'll come calling for your professional expertise.

Continue reading Scape, Brian Eno's new ambient music creation app is now available on the iPad (video)

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Scape, Brian Eno's new ambient music creation app is now available on the iPad (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 05:11:00 EDT. Please se! e our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer Blade review (late 2012)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/30/razer-blade-review-late-2012/

Second-generation Razer Blade review

Razer has made a habit of catching us off guard -- breaking the mold as an accessory manufacturer by building laptops, prototype game handhelds and controller-toting tablets. Their Blade laptop cut through our expectations as well, featuring a beautiful aluminum shell and one of the thinnest profiles of any gaming rig on the market. It had some serious flaws, though: it was underpowered, had minor build issues and simply fell short in the audio department. Its maker, apparently, wasn't deterred: mere months after the original Blade's own debut, Razer is now introducing a successor.

Most of the changes are internal: this model swaps out the original's Sandy Bridge CPU and last-generation NVIDIA graphics for a newly announced 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-3632QM processor and a Kepler-based GeForce GTX 660M GPU. It caught our interest -- Razer had previously insisted its first laptop wasn't built just for power, but for a premium experience. Now, the firm seems to be focusing on both (now that's a premium experience we can get behind). So, is this upgrade enough to make up for the OG version's shortcomings? Read on to find out.

Continue reading Razer Blade review (late 2012)

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Razer Blade review (late 2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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