ASUS to launch 3G, WiMAX-equipped e-book readers by March, 2010?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/asus-to-launch-3g-wimax-equipped-e-book-readers-by-march-2010/

We've already heard some talk that ASUS might possibly be launching an e-book reader before the end of the year that may or may not be the world's cheapest, and it looks like some unnamed execs at the company have now dropped a few more details on the matter. While it's all still far from official, CENS reports that ASUS' e-book reader could hit both American and European carriers by March, 2010, and that it'll include both 3G and WiMAX versions (plus WiFi, naturally), but presumably not a version with both 3G and WiMAX. As previously rumored, the e-book reader is also said to have a larger than usual 9-inch screen, and those same unnamed execs reportedly say its price will be "competitive" with the Kindle and Sony's e-readers.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Handhelds

ASUS to launch 3G, WiMAX-equipped e-book readers by March, 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASRock readying three Ion-powered nettops, one with a BD drive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/asrock-readying-three-ion-powered-nettops-one-with-a-bd-drive/

The nettop might not be the most riveting piece of machinery out there, but ASRock's hoping to generate at least a small amount of buzz by outfitting its next trio with NVIDIA's Ion graphics technology. Reportedly, the Ion 330HT, Ion 330Pro and Ion 330HT-BD will all ship with a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 processor, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, 7.1 channel audio, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI / VGA outputs, six USB 2.0 sockets and a powered eSATA port. The 330HT and 330HT-BD are both bundled with MCE remotes, while the latter also gets its DVD burner swapped out with a Blu-ray drive. There's no mention of a price or release just yet, but we're figuring that both of those points should be clarified shortly.

Filed under: Desktops

ASRock readying three Ion-powered nettops, one with a BD drive originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digital camera inventor Steve Sasson collects honorary PhD, Economist award

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/digital-camera-inventor-steve-sasson-collects-honorary-phd-econ/

If there's one thing we know about geeks, it's that they hate having nothing to do. Bill Gates has filled his spare time collecting knighthoods and Harvard degrees, and Steve Sasson -- inventor of the first, and assuredly biggest, digital camera -- is now following in his distinguished footsteps. Sasson perfected a microwave oven-sized 0.01 megapixel prototype while working for Kodak way back in 1975, and has now been awarded an honorary PhD for his troubles from the University of Rochester. The man, the geek, and the legend (all the same person) will be in London later today receiving further recognition, in the form of The Economist's Innovation Award, which commends the "seismic disruption" his invention caused in the field of consumer photography. Funny, nobody gives us any awards for being disruptive.

Read - University of Rochester honorary doctorate
Read - The Economist Innovation Award

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Digital camera inventor Steve Sasson collects honorary PhD, Economist award originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung shows off color e-paper prototype, PVI might beat it to market in 2010

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/samsung-shows-off-color-e-paper-prototype-pvi-might-beat-it-to/

Now here's some yummy news to wrap our minds around. Samsung, a company with a manufacturing portfolio so wide that you wouldn't be surprised to see it selling toothbrushes and perfume, clearly also wants a slice of that growing ebook market and has now unveiled a 10.1-inch color display with that purpose in mind. It's still very early days, with a measly 10:1 contrast ratio and the ability to display only 7% of the NTSC color gamut, but baby steps are better than no steps, right? While Sammy is shooting at delivering this within two years, PVI -- the maker of displays for Kindles and Sony Readers -- is expected to ramp up production of its own color screens in the second half of 2010. Add these two heavyweights to the color e-readers already expected from Plastic Logic (spring 2010) and Bridgestone, and what you get is one hell of a thriving marketplace -- as long as Pixel Qi doesn't render them all useless when it launches later this year.

Read - Samsung Exhibits 10.1-inch Color E-paper
Read - PVI to ramp up flexible and color EPD in 2010

Filed under: Handhelds

Samsung shows off color e-paper prototype, PVI might beat it to market in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubuntu 9.10 'Karmic Koala' released, could decide your OS fate

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/ubuntu-9-10-karmic-koala-launching-today-could-decide-your-fu/

It's October 2009 which means something very special for Linux fans: a 9.10 release of Ubuntu. Today we see the launch of "Karmic Koala" featuring a faster graphical boot sequence (no more scary text scrolls), a revamped audio framework that improves sound control across multiple applications, and a new Software Center that visually simplifies the Add/Remove Applications tool. These are just a few of the user-centric improvements meant to have a "transformative effect" on the OS experience and help bring "the world of open source closer to the user." It's available in desktop, server, and netbook editions now so get to it, before you know it you'll be updating to Lucid Lynx.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Ubuntu 9.10 'Karmic Koala' released, could decide your OS fate originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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