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Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Sony shows off 11.6-inch VAIO laptop with AMD Zacate goodness inside (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/sony-shows-off-11-6-inch-vaio-laptop-with-amd-zacate-goodness-in/

AMD's Fusion processors might finally be well and truly official, but all the hardware that will wrap around them hasn't yet filtered through into public knowledge. One such machine is the above, as yet unnamed, VAIO laptop from Sony. It's an 11.6-inch machine driven by an E-350 Zacate chip (meaning a dual-core APU running at 1.6GHz) and the particular unit we handled also came with 4GB of RAM, 500GB of HDD storage, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth and that utterly delectable pink lid. Construction felt solid enough, with little to no flex in the keyboard and a sturdy display hinge. This HDMI-equipped laptop also feels pretty light in the hand and is easy enough to hold and to adore with just one hand. The one thing that shocked and disappointed us was that once we unplugged it from the mains, the VAIO offered us a measly three hours and six minutes of autonomous runtime. Before you rush to accusing AMD of over-promising with its Fusion chips, do note that it was running an Internet Explorer-based graphical benchmark, which obviously isn't your typical usage scenario, as well as Sony's excessively frugal 3500mAh battery. This thing with a beefier power cell could be a pretty gorgeous lightweight mobile computer, in our opinion, let's see if Sony decides to give us such an option when it makes it official some time soon. The AMD rep informed us that this and all the other Zacate laptops should be making their way to market in the next six weeks.

Gallery: Sony shows off VAIO laptop with AMD Zacate goodness inside (hands-on)

Sony shows off 11.6-inch VAIO laptop with AMD Zacate goodness inside (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/amd-announces-speedy-new-quad-core-six-core-phenom-ii-processor/

AMD's already gotten official with its Atom-challenging Fusion processors that promise a whole host of benefits for mobile users -- namely 10+ hour battery life and significantly improved GPU performance -- but the chipmaker isn't about to leave its desktop CPUs behind here at CES. The company has also just announced its new 3.6GHz Phenom II X4 975 Black Edition and 2.9GHz Phenom II X6 1065T processors, the former of which is AMD's fastest quad-core processor to date, while the latter promises to combine high performance with a low 95W TDP (relatively speaking), and AMD's own Turbo CORE technology. What's more, unlike the Fusion processors, these are apparently both available immediately, and they've already garnered a few early reviews. Hit up the links below to check a few of those out, and head on past the break for the official press release.

Continue reading AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors

AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mac OS X gets installed on Sandy Bridge, instructions available for the willing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/mac-os-x-gets-installed-on-sandy-bridge-instructions-available/

Mac OS X getting installed on the latest Intel hardware before it's officially supported by Apple? Shocking, we know, but you can rest assured that some intrepid individuals have already taken the plunge and installed Snow Leopard on some brand new Sandy Bridge hardware, and they've thankfully provided some instructions so you can too. As you might expect, however, that's not quite a quick and easy process -- it involves a patched kernel and, according to the tonymacx86 Blog, it isn't recommended for long-term use. If that hasn't scared you off, you can find all the details you need at the link below.

Mac OS X gets installed on Sandy Bridge, instructions available for the willing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magic Mirror Kinect hack puts an x-ray spin on augmented reality

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/magic-mirror-kinect-hack-puts-an-x-ray-spin-on-augmented-reality/

That's right -- not even CES can stop the endless wave of Kinect hacks. The latest, and one of the more impressive to date, is the so-called "Magic Mirror" developed by Tobias Blum from the Technical University of Munich, which bridges augmented reality with x-ray vision (of sorts). Of course, the "of sorts" is that it doesn't actually peer through your body to reveal your skeleton (yet), but instead maps a random skeleton from a CT scan onto your frame to create a real-time freakout. As with most Kinect hacks, this one is best seen on video -- check it out after the break.

Continue reading Magic Mirror Kinect hack puts an x-ray spin on augmented reality

Magic Mirror Kinect hack puts an x-ray spin on augmented reality originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI fords the sands, announces sixteen laptops with Intel Core 2011 chips (update: all-in-ones, too)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/msi-fords-the-sands-announces-sixteen-laptops-with-intel-core-2/

We'd heard MSI was seriously considering a pair of Sandy Bridge all-in-one PCs, but when it comes to laptops the company's definitely going whole-hog -- it just announced no fewer than sixteen new laptops with those fancy new Intel second-generation Core processors. The chunky G-series will sport those new quad-core Core i7 chips, with the 17.3-inch GT780 and 15.6-inch GT680 delivering Dynaudio speakers, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 500 and 400-series graphics and dual SSDs, while the GR620 and GE620 are left to fend with lower specs of some sort. The F-series retains the Core i7 chips, but swaps in switchable NVIDIA GT 500-series graphics, excepting the 14-inch FX420 which makes do with Core i5 and loses the dedicated number pad. Finally, the C-series will shoot for eight hours of battery life. MSI's not dropping terribly detailed specs at this point (though you'll find a few in the gallery below) but if you're aiming high, you won't have long to wait for a rig -- that GT680's hitting later this month for $1,500, and the top-tier GT780 in Q2 of this year. PR after the break.

Update: Guess what we saw when the press conference ended, and we stood up to leave? Those Sandy Bridge all-in-one PCs. Find pictures (and specs!) in gallery number three.

Gallery: MSI's Sandy Bridge notebook lineup at CES 2011

Gallery: MSI's Sandy Bridge laptop lineup - press shots

Gallery: MSI AE2410 and AE2210 all-in-one PCs, eyes-on

Continue reading MSI fords the sands, announces sixteen laptops with Intel Core 2011 chips (update: all-in-ones, too)

MSI fords the sands, announces sixteen laptops with Intel Core 2011 chips (update: all-in-ones, too) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Toshiba's 4K glasses-free 3DTV prototype

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/hands-on-with-toshibas-4k-glasses-free-3dtv-prototype/

We normally skip parties at CES, but occasionally there is a hidden gem or two like the prototype 4k glassesless 3DTV at Toshiba's event this evening. The LCD panel looks about as far away from production as any we've seen with its billet aluminum enclosure and red rope restricting access. The set can only display 4K in 2D mode, which is a-ok with us, and the only demo content was a 3D render of Final Fantasy that was impressive from its three viewing positions. Of course three viewing positions isn't exactly what we'd call practical for our home theater, and the 3D quality wasn't on par with what we've seen from active shutter 3D but it does show solid evidence that Toshiba is making some advancements towards the inevitable. Now, we sit back and wait to find out if we can afford it.

Gallery: Hands-on with Toshiba 4k glasses-free 3DTV prototype

Hands-on with Toshiba's 4K glasses-free 3DTV prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujifilm's CES 2011 point-and-shoot lineup: Finepix Z90, AV200, AX300, JV200, JX and T series

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/fujifilms-ces-2011-point-and-shoot-lineup-finepix-z90-av200/

Fujifilm's rugged Finepix XP30 just a bit too rough around the edges for you? If so, we'd recommend grabbing a cup of joe and diving into the outfit's CES 2011 line of point-and-shoot cameras. The company's holding nothing back with this year's barrage of new shooters, so let's get to it, shall we?

The Finepix Z90 (shown above) is a sleek, svelte new compact with a three-inch resistive touchpanel, 14 megapixel CCD sensor, Fujinon 5x wide-angle optical zoom lens and automatic upload to both YouTube and Facebook. There's also a new 'Dual Direction GUI' (which splits the rear screen in various ways to view multiple images at once) digital image stabilization, face detection / red-eye removal, a 720p movie mode and a chassis that's just 17.5mm thick. It'll go on sale in around a fortnight for $169.95.
The Finepix AV200, AX300 and JV200 are aimed at the bargain consumer, with all three boasting a 720p movie mode, face detection and a relatively understated design. The AV200 and JV200 are outfitted witha 14 megapixel CCD sensor and a 3x optical zoom lens, while the AX300 steps up to a 5x optical zoomer. The trio packs a 2.7-inch rear LCD, digital image stabilization and automatic red-eye removal. The AV200 and AX300 get powered by a pair of AA batteries, whereas the JV200 is equipped with a rechargeable Li-ion. The whole lot will go on sale in the US next month, with pricing set at $89.95, $99.95 and $109.95 in order of mention.
For those looking to step up a bit, there's the new JX series. The JX300 and JX350 include 5x optical zoomers and a 720p movie mode, not to mention a 2.7-inch rear LCD, metal body and Li-ion rechargeable battery. The JX300 is blessed with a 14 megapicel CCD sensor , while the JX350 packs a 16 megapixel CCD sensor. Fuji plans to hawk the 300 in silver, whereas the 350 will be available in brushed metal or black. Other features include an easy YouTube / Facebook upload, smile / face detection and red-eye removal. The JX300 will go on sale next month for $129.95, with the JX350 coming in April for $159.95.
Wrapping things up, we've got the T200 and T300, both of which are equipped with 10x Fujinon optical zoom lenses (28mm to 280mm) and a 720p movie mode. These check in at just 18.5mm thick and include sensor shift image stabilization and a 14 megapixel CCD sensor. The T300 ups the ante with a 3-inch high-res display, while the T200 gets saddled with a 3.7-inch display. We're told that the T300 will be available in black, while the T200 gets wrapped in a gunmetal finish. The T300 will ship in April for $199.95, and the T200 will go on sale this March for $20 less.

Gallery: Fujifilm's CES 2011 point-and-shoot lineup: Finepix Z90, AV200, AX300, JV200, JX and T series

Continue reading Fujifilm's CES 2011 point-and-shoot lineup: Finepix Z90, AV200, AX300, JV200, JX and T series

Fujifilm's CES 2011 point-and-shoot lineup: Finepix Z90, AV200! , AX300, JV200, JX and T series originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Altec Lansing's inMotion Air speaker system streams from just about anywhere

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/altec-lansings-inmotion-air-speaker-system-streams-from-just-ab/

Too Anti-Apple to buy into AirPlay? We feel you, and so does Altec Lansing. Here at CES, the outfit has just unveiled its latest speaker solution, the inMotion Air. Rather than catering specifically to iDevice users, this one's universal in nature -- hook a bundled adapter into your PC, and you can stream tunes to this here speaker from up to 300 feet away. There's also support for Bluetooth streaming, an internal battery that'll keep the good times rollin' for seven straight hours and a line-out connector in case you'd like to hook up a more robust set of drivers. The whole thing weighs just over a pound, and you'll even find a handle on the back for easy toting. It'll ship next month in slate black and gunmetal grey, with a retail price set at $199.95.

Gallery: Altec Lansing's inMotion Air speaker system at CES 2011

Continue reading Altec Lansing's inMotion Air speaker system streams from just about anywhere

Altec Lansing's inMotion Air speaker system streams from just about anywhere originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC ThunderBolt for Verizon and Inspire 4G for AT&T break cover courtesy of Rolling Stone ad

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/htc-thunderbolt-for-verizon-and-inspire-4g-for-atandt-break-cover/

So yes, it's looking about as confirmed as can be: thanks to a full-page ad in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, we're finding out that the name of HTC's first LTE phone for Verizon -- and its first LTE phone regardless of carrier, actually -- will definitely be "ThunderBolt." This is the same phone that we've seen rumored and leaked over the last few months as the Mecha and the Droid Incredible HD, but we'll admit -- ThunderBolt seems like a pretty solid name for a phone that's sporting a 4.3-inch display and some of the fastest data around.

Behind and to the right of the ThunderBolt, though, is another leak: the Inspire 4G for AT&T, though it's unclear what "4G" means in this context exactly -- AT&T's in the same boat as T-Mobile right now where they're topping out with HSPA+ and don't have any LTE markets live, so it seems they might be borrowing a play from their smaller rival's playbook and labeling the HSPA+ airwaves as straight-up 4G. We're sad to see that trend start to snowball -- but we'll admit, T-Mobile kinda forced their hand on that one. At any rate, we're pretty confident both of these suckers are going to get official here at CES this week, so keep your ear to the ground.

HTC ThunderBolt for Verizon and Inspire 4G for AT&T break cover courtesy of Rolling Stone ad originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnStar partners with Verizon to bring LTE 4G to your rear view (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/onstar-partners-with-verizon-to-bring-lte-4g-to-your-rear-view/

We're lucky to be bathed in warm, refreshing 4G waves while reporting live from Vegas, Sprint and Clearwire taking care of that. Verizon's catching up in a big way with its LTE rollout and now OnStar is onboard -- conceptually, anyway. The company has outfitted a Buick LaCrosse with a 4G LTE modem for the purpose of experimenting with what can be done in a car with that kind of bandwidth. It wouldn't have been our choice of cars for such application, Buick not exactly screaming "hot new thing" at this point, but of course it's not really about the car, it's about the bandwidth.

What are they going to do with it? High-def streaming both ways, for one thing, including the ability to watch home security cameras from within the car or, alternatively, to look at cameras within the car when it's parked in the night, in an alley, somewhere you're having second thoughts about. OnStar wants real-time streaming of traffic cameras and even Skype video chat, which sounds like overkill to us, but don't let us rain on your crazy mobile video chat parade.

At this point we're not sure how much of this stuff will find its way into a proper car of the future (Buick or other), but you can get a bit of a taste in the video teaser below.

Gallery: OnStar and Verizon LTE