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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

12-Inch Multitouch Tablet Convertible Dell Latitude XT2 Now Out [Dell Latitude XT2]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vZ4B7nkYXdM/12+inch-multitouch-tablet-convertible-dell-latitude-xt2-now-out

Looks like Dell's 12.1-inch Latitude XT2 has now been globally launched. The tablet convertible has got a multitouch screen, DDR3 memory and weighs just 3.8 pounds with a 6-cell 11-hour battery. Starting price: $2399

The DDR3 means that you can upgrade it to have 5GB of memory, pretty awesome for a notebook. It also comes with a 1.2 or 1.4 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, and 80/120 GB HDD or 64 GB SSD options. [Engadget and Dell Japan]

mCubed's Atom-powered RipNAS combines CD ripper with NAS drive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/mcubeds-atom-powered-ripnas-combines-cd-ripper-with-nas-drive/

Not that we haven't seen Atom-based NAS devices before, but we've yet to see one with an integrated optical drive. Looking to serve a unique niche that still hasn't transferred that CD collection to HDD, the RipNAS combines an audio CD ripper with oodles of network-accessible storage space, and as if that wasn't enough, there's also media streaming abilities baked in. The whole unit is fanless in nature and requires no external keyboard / PC in order to rip files to your favorite lossless format, retrieve all associated metadata and automatically re-rip tracks if errors are detected. Initially, the box is being served with 640GB of internal storage space along with a number of USB ports for external expansion. Sadly, such a specialized box won't run you cheap, with the sticker hovering around €1,095 ($1,415) right now in Europe.

Filed under: Storage

mCubed's Atom-powered RipNAS combines CD ripper with NAS drive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiny Miseal cube projector can dock with equally tiny speakers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/tiny-miseal-cube-projector-can-dock-with-equally-tiny-speakers/

It may not technically qualify as a pico projector, but this new so-called Miseal projector available from Thanko is certainly at least somewhat pico-ish, and fairly unique as far as tiny projectors go. The stand-out feature, as you can see above, is an included speaker dock (2W, if you must know), which also includes a headphone jack and a line-out port in case you're looking for a bit more wattage. As for the projector itself, you can expect to get an adequate SVGA resolution, plus a whopping 25 nits of brightness, a 100:1 contrast ratio, and an image up to 112 inches in size from a 16 foot distance. No word on a release 'round here, but those in Japan (or those willing to pay the necessary import-related costs) can grab one now for ¥39,800, or roughly $435.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Displays

Tiny Miseal cube projector can dock with equally tiny speakers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VUDU permanently cuts retail price of movie set-top-box in half

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/vudu-permanently-cuts-retail-price-of-movie-set-top-box-in-half/

We had a sinking feeling those promotional prices over the holidays wouldn't stick once Santa had done his duties, but rather than ratcheting price tags back up entirely, it has decided to permanently reduce the retail price on its standard VUDU movie set-top-box by half. As of now, prospective buyers can snag a box for $149 (down from $299), while the more capacious VUDU XL is dropping from $999 to $499 (and that'll include a gratis home theater connectivity software package). Also of note, the rack-mountable VUDU XL2 is stooping from $1,299 to $799 for those who prefer that form factor. So, these stickers low enough for you? Or are you really planning to wait 'til Christmas 2009 to score an even more special deal?

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

VUDU permanently cuts retail price of movie set-top-box in half originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hark! Dell Mini 12 kitted with an SSD

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/hark-dell-mini-12-kitted-with-an-ssd/

Like a proclamation from On High come the words: "Rejoice! No longer do you have to put up with a slow Dell Mini 12!" The kids over at Portable Monkey have taken a good look at Mtron's 1.8-inch SSD (the inelegantly named MSD-PATA3018032-ZIF2 is going for ¥26,800 -- about $294) and not surprisingly, the thing has far out-classed the Mini 12's default 4200rpm HDD in benchmarks. On the other hand, the drive does draw a considerable bit of power, so battery life may be an issue -- and at a height of 8 millimeters (as opposed to 5 millimeters for the standard drive) some folks have had a hard time installing the thing. Are you the type of person who gets giddy at the prospect of souping up your hardware? We thought so. Hit the read link for all the juicy deets.

Filed under: Laptops

Hark! Dell Mini 12 kitted with an SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire One D150 reviewed, AT&T 3G deal 'only the beginning'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/acer-aspire-one-d150-reviewed-atandt-3g-deal-only-the-beginning/

At last, after seeing it unboxed and fiddled with on camera last week, we've got out first in-depth review of the 10.1-inch Acer Aspire One D150, courtesy of Laptop. How does the Intel Atom N270-based machine fare? Excellent for its $350 price tag, although the keyboard and touchpad don't compare favorably with the pricier Eee PC 1000HE or Samsung NC10. As for battery life, the 5800mAh-rated 6-cell had a very impressive 7 hour and 57 minute runtime, which is 49 minutes longer than the 1000HE and 38 minutes over HP's Mini 2140. Of course, seeing as most consumers will end up with the 4400mAh batteries, a more likely estimate is 5 hours per charge. Additionally, the site had a Q&A session with Acer VP of Product Marketing Sumit Agnihotry, who said that $100 Aspire One with AT&T 3G deal is "only the beginning" and they're developing a plan to offer discounted laptops with an hourly-use program. There's also talk of incorporating NVIDIA's Ion platform into future computers. Hit up the read links below for the full review and more deets from Agnihotry.

Read - Review
Read - Q&A with Agnihotry

Filed under: Laptops

Acer Aspire One D150 reviewed, AT&T 3G deal 'only the beginning' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYT: Google's PowerMeter to let users track electricity usage

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/nyt-googles-powermeter-to-let-users-track-electricity-usage/

The New York Times is reporting Google will announce a free web service tomorrow called PowerMeter that'll let users track energy consumption in their homes or business, provided there's a means to upload the data. That part of the equation's gonna be up to other companies to create compatible devices, and while no manufacturing partners have been named, we'd suspect strange bedfellow GE will probably jump aboard pretty quickly. The service is expected to roll out in the next few months. Ready to give the boys in Menlo Park even more access to your life?

Update: The official site has launched. According to the FAQ, PowerMeter is currently in closed beta. There's also a video about the program, which you can peep after the break.

Continue reading NYT: Google's PowerMeter to let users track electricity usage

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

NYT: Google's PowerMeter to let users track electricity usage originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Latitude XT2 multi-touch tablet with 11-hour battery now official

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/10/dell-latitude-xt2-multi-touch-tablet-with-11-hour-battery-now-of/

The machine translation is pretty weak, but Dell's 12.1-inch (1,280 x 800 pixel) Latitude XT2 looks to have just made its first tentative steps in a global launch. The video posted after the break comes courtesy of Korean site, AVING, where the convertible tablet was apparently just released. Pinch to zoom and two-fingers swipes... yup, it's in there. 11-hours of battery (6-cell plus battery slice) and DDR3 memory (max of 5GB!) too in a chassis just 2.5-cm (0.98-inches) thick. Click through for the video while we track down the official specifications that already seem to be aligning with the unofficial specs leaked earlier.

Update: Official Dell Japan press release now out. We've got specs:

up to 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV SU9400 processor with Montevina chipset
Intel integrated GMA 4500MHD graphics
Windows Vista Ultimate on down
12.1-inch LED backlit capacitive touch-screen with EM Digitizer pen
up to 5GB of DDR3 1066MHz (1x1GB, 1x4GB DIMM)
up to 120GB 5400RPM SATA disk or 128GB SSD
802.11a/g/n WiFi and gigabit Ethernet
SATA ODD
3.78-pounds (1.72-kg) with 6-cell battery
eSATA, 2x USB 2.0, firewire, and ExpressCard 54 slot

Gallery: Dell XT2 features

[Via AVING]

Continue reading Dell Latitude XT2 multi-touch tablet with 11-hour battery now official

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Dell Latitude XT2 multi-touch tablet with 11-hour battery now official originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10-inch Acer Aspire One now official in the US

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/10/10-inch-acer-aspire-one-now-official-in-the-us/

You've read the specs, gawked at the pics, and pored over the reviews -- and now Acer will officially accept your hard-earned United States currency and ship you a 10-inch Acer Aspire One D150. Yep, it's here, and although we've more or less moved on to waiting for the next generation of netbooks based on Ion or at least the Atom N280 with the GN40 chipset, the D150 is more or less as good as the current crop of 1.6GHz Atom N270 machines gets for $350 -- just make sure you score the good battery. So, anyone gonna shell out, or are we all waiting for round two together?

[Via iTech News]

Filed under: Laptops

10-inch Acer Aspire One now official in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's 5630 XpressMusic is 12-mm slim, HSUPA fast, and S60 powerful

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/10/nokias-5630-xpressmusic-is-12-mm-slim-hsupa-fast-and-s60-powe/

Like Symbian candybars? Then try this surprising little number, the 5630 XpressMusic. Nokia's 5800-sib is an N-Gage ready, 12-mm slimster with a 4GB microSD card dropped in the box along side a standard 3.5-mm headphone jack to rock whatever buds, plugs, or cans you have an itch for. It's also packing a 3.2 megapixel, "4x zoom" camera with dual-LED flash and HSDPA/HSUPA data to move your pics and videos up to your favorite photo sharing site on a rocket. Dedicated audio keys and Nokia's "say and play" feature makes the 5630 a media all-rounder. Expected in Q2 for around €200 pre-tax, pre-subsidy.

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia's 5630 XpressMusic is 12-mm slim, HSUPA fast, and S60 powerful originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, February 09, 2009

Sizemodo: The Kindle 2 vs Its Predecessor [Amazon Kindle 2]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/BUyQX5o5Dds/sizemodo-the-kindle-2-vs-its-predecessor

How does the new Amazon Kindle stack up size-wise when compared to the original version? Well, the first Kindle measured 7.5" x 5.3" x 0.7" while Kindle 2 clocks in at 8" x 5.3" x 0.36".

Right off the bat, the second-gen Kindle is significantly thinner than the original. At only .36-inches, it is nearly half the size—and around 25% thinner than an iPhone. It's also half-an-inch taller (the screen is still 6") but it weighs in at 10.2 ounces—just a shade lighter than the 10.3 ounce original.

It may not have shed much weight, but 10.2 ounces is still comparable to a traditional paperback book—and it's still quite an accomplishment given the 7-fold increase in storage and 25% increase in battery life. [Amazon]

Hallelujah: The iPhone Gets AT&T MicroCell Support [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7htbuv1IWRY/hallelujah-the-iphone-gets-att-microcell-support

If there's any phone in the whole world coupled with any service in the whole world that could benefit from femtocell technology, it's the iPhone on AT&T. Luckily, the iPhone has received an update.

Through an iTunes "carrier update" last Friday, the iPhone has been made compatible with AT&T's upcoming MicroCell—well, a .png file was added to signal MicroCell connectivity. The MicroCell is essentially a mini 3G tower for your home (connecting through your internet connection) that boosts your reception like a Wi-Fi router. And like we said, as much as we love the iPhone, it's pretty much the poster child for femtocell technology. [The iPhone Blog]

Texas Instruments Spills the Beans, Archos Working on an Android MID/Smartphone [Android]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/XxApCzaARAs/texas-instruments-spills-the-beans-archos-working-on-an-android-midsmartphone

Android Community has learned that Archos is working on a Mobile Internet Device that will run Android, have phone functionality and use the TI OMAP 3 processor (same as the Palm Pre).

The device was revealed by Texas Instruments in a press release for the OMAP 3 chip, but revolved around fairly vague details. What is known is that the device will have a five-inch screen, support HD playback, have a 10mm thickness and support Flash.

What isn't clear is why the press release keeps making a distinctions between the phone and mobile internet tablet functionalities, instead of just calling it a smartphone. But until we know the specifics, we'll just have to go along with it. [Android Community]

$2 Million DiMora Natalia SLS 2 Features World's First MP3-Enabled Car Horn [Cars]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Sv6OjiaPUws/2-million-dimora-natalia-sls-2-features-worlds-first-mp3+enabled-car-horn

If you could play any audio clip over your horn, what would it be? Would you honk more just to hear your jam? These are good questions for any potential owner of a DiMora Natalia.

Granted, the DiMora Natalia SLS 2 sport luxury sedan concept has been floating around for years, so it is really bordering on vaporware. Nonetheless, the company has announced that customizable MP3 horn tones will be part of the standard package for any V16 Natalia SLS 2 produced. Apparently, the "Horntones" system will feature 256MB of flash memory that can be loaded up with a digital file of your choice via the dash. The 150-watt speaker can blare your audio with a 110dB sound pressure level—most likely causing more accidents that it would prevent.

There is stil no word on when the DiMora SLS 2 might actually see the light of day, but at $2 million apiece, its a safe bet to assume most of you couldn't afford one anyway. [DiMora via Autoblog via BornRich]

BlackBerry Gemini 9300: The Curve-y 3G BlackBerry We Really Want [Blackberry Gemini 9300]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/uvfW7KLOFzU/blackberry-gemini-9300-the-curve+y-3g-blackberry-we-really-want

A fresh dump from Boy Genius's RIM spy reveals this perfect-through-evolution BlackBerry: The Gemini 9300 is about the size of the svelte BlackBerry Curve 8900, but with 3G and a bigger, higher resolution screen. Want.

It, in other words, is all of the Bold's power—maybe even more power than the Bold, with a faster processor—in the more pocketable package of the 8900. The keyboard is rounder, too, even more like the Bold's (which I love more than any other QWERTY keyboard on any other device, bar none).

The sad news is that it's looking like a late 2009, early 2010 release—the beginning (end?) of RIM's transition to 3G in all of their phones. Something that should've happened this year, really. Ah well. [BGR]

Samsung melds slate, slider with Ultra Touch S8300

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/samsung-melds-slate-slider-with-ultra-touch-s8300/

If having your cake and eating it too is just how you roll, you're probably the kind of hard-to-please son of a gun that wants a numeric slider keypad to go along with your phone's AMOLED WQVGA touchscreen. Wait, let us guess: you also want an 8 megapixel camera, AGPS with geotagging, integrated FM radio, stereo Bluetooth, and microSD support up to 16GB. And naturally, you want it all somehow magically packed into a shell measuring no more than 12.7mm thick. Well, guess what, sweet pea? Samsung's gone and called your bluff with the rumored Ultra Touch S8300, earning itself an official announcement ahead of MWC -- and as long as a real smartphone OS isn't on your shopping list, this 7.2Mbps HSDPA monster should fit the bill. We don't have launch territories or pricing just yet, but see that little "Barcelona" on the weather widget there? Yeah, we suspect we'll be seeing plenty of this one on the Mobile World Congress show floor.

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung melds slate, slider with Ultra Touch S8300 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's TouchWiz UI getting a MWC makeover

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/samsungs-touchwiz-ui-getting-a-mwc-makeover/

With Mobile World Congress around the corner, Samsung is prepped to launch the latest version of its increasingly impressive, finger-friendly TouchWiz UI. Already spotted on the Ultra Touch S8300 slider, the interface has been fitted with new 3D-effects eye candy, enhanced haptic feedback, and new gesture and voice controls. A new widget dock allows you to more easily manage an increased variety of downloadable widgets while Samsung's new Photo Contact feature provides better integration of your photos and contacts with what appears to be face recognition technology. We'll know more after getting our hands on with the UI at WMC next week -- an event that's shaping up to be the biggest cellphone show in years.

[Via I4U]

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung's TouchWiz UI getting a MWC makeover originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung introduces Lapfit monitors in a fit of insanity

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/samsung-introduces-lapfit-monitors-in-a-fit-of-insanity/

Samsung's Lapfit monitors are here to solve a problem most laptop owners are familiar with: the secondary monitor offset. See, a laptop's integrated display typically sits just a few centimeters above the desktop. That can create an unnatural panning effect when trying to move the mouse or drag a window from your laptop's display to the higher secondary. Samsung's solution is to offer these new low-profile monitors that sit at the same height as your (desktop replacement-sized) laptop's display. The 19- (LD190G) and 22-inch (LD220G) UbiSync Lapfit monitors offer a 10-30 degree tilt, a 1,360 x 768 (16:9 aspect) pixel resolution, 4ms response, and a 20,000:1 dynamic contrast. Great, a physical solution to a problem solved long ago by laptop stands or by your laptop's OS -- way to go Sammy.

[Via I4U]

Filed under: Displays

Samsung introduces Lapfit monitors in a fit of insanity originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS's little netbooks go big-box; Eee PCs expected in Walmart by year's end

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/asuss-little-netbooks-go-big-box-eee-pcs-expected-in-walmart-b/

ASUS's little netbooks go big-box; Eee PCs expected in Walmarts by year's end

Last year upstart Acer stole the netbook crown from ASUS, a sales stat that might have been helped by the ability to buy an Aspire One at your local neighborhood Walmart. While you can already pick up an Eee at places like Target and Best Buy, from what we hear at wholesale mixers you're nothing until you go Supercenter, and that's just where the company that started the netbook craze wants to go, said to be planning its own push into the biggest of big-box retailers. If this report is correct, expect to be able to pick up a little Eee with your groceries (and shame) sometime in the latter half of this year.

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS's little netbooks go big-box; Eee PCs expected in Walmart by year's end originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel slide shows Atom N280 with 945GSE and GN40 chipsets

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/intel-slide-shows-atom-n280-with-945gse-and-gn40-chipsets/

It may be hard for you monogamists to understand, but in the world of CPUs, it's perfectly acceptable to play friends with multiple chipsets. To that end, the leaked Intel slide above sure explains a lot about what's going on with the newfangled 1.66GHz Atom N280. First spotted in the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE with Intel's older 945GSE chipset, many wondered why the supposed match-made-in-heaven GN40 chipset (and its 720p hardware-based video decoder) was left out. Apparently, it's all part of the plan. Both the N280 + 945GSE and N280 + GN40 are considered "off-roadmap" solutions meant to give companies a subtle differentiating factor until the "real" N270 successor hits the scene. So yeah, that 1000HE you've got on the brain isn't actually a hodgepodge of components, but a real, certifiably okay combination of CPU and chipset -- though it'd be so much more bodacious with that GN40. Confused yet?

[Via Fudzilla]

Filed under: Laptops

Intel slide shows Atom N280 with 945GSE and GN40 chipsets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD ushers in five new Phenom II CPUs, benchmarking ensues

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/amd-ushers-in-five-new-phenom-ii-cpus-benchmarking-ensues/

Just a month after AMD launched its Phenom II CPUs and Dragon desktop platform, the chip maker is hitting back with five new processors in the quickly expanding line. The newcomers include the planet's first 45nm triple-core CPU and three more quad-core siblings, all of which can operate in either AM2+ or AM3 sockets. As for performance? We hope your expectations haven't been set too high, as the chips were generally found to be just "a logical extension of [the company's] piecemeal upgrade plan and a fill in [the] gap to its lineup." Reviewers across the web were generally pleased but underwhelmed by test results, with HotHardware noting that "overall, Intel still has the performance edge clock-for-clock and core-for-core." In fairness, these chips were found to be good for overclocking, and for the right price, we could certainly see a few gamers giving them a go. For the full spill, dive on into the deep, intricate reviews below.

Read - Official AMD announcement
Read - HotHardware benchmarks
Read - PCPerspective benchmarks
Read - DesktopReview's review

Filed under: Desktops

AMD ushers in five new Phenom II CPUs, benchmarking ensues originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumored BlackBerry 9300 "Gemini" appears, Bold gulps

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/rumored-blackberry-9300-gemini-appears-bold-gulps/

After BlackBerry types lay eyes on the 8900, the same question immediately gets asked time and time again: "Why would I buy a Bold over this?" Indeed, it's hard to argue that the 8900 isn't the better looking handset, but for now, the Bold gets to lord its fancy-schmancy 3G radio over the 8900's technologically inferior head. That might just be where the rumored 9300 "Gemini" comes into play, though, which -- according to Boy Genius Report -- will feature a larger, higher-res screen than the 8900's already amazing display, a beefy processor, a slightly more "rounded" keyboard, and most importantly, quadband EDGE plus triband HSDPA. There isn't any solid information on a release window for this one yet (we'd doubt that even RIM has an answer for that one at this point), so if you had a Bold in mind, don't feel bad about pulling the trigger -- yet.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Rumored BlackBerry 9300 "Gemini" appears, Bold gulps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E75 outed by -- you guessed it -- Expansys

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/nokia-e75-outed-by-you-guessed-it-expansys/

We've been seeing the Nokia E75's face around for so long now that none of this is bound to be shocking. Still, the QWERTY slider's been formally outed by our trusty, leaky friends over at Expansys, confirming all we knew to be true about the device. Yep, it's got a 2.4-inch, 320 x 240 QVGA display, quad-band GSM / EDGE and dual-band HSDPA, WiFi, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and A-GPS. The E75 is expected to be on hand at MWC, and we're hearing it'll be available on or around March 13th for somewhere in the neighborhood of $580.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia E75 outed by -- you guessed it -- Expansys originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos to release Android phone / tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/archos-to-release-android-phone-tablet/

We're guessing we'll hear more about this at MWC, but TI just let loose a press release crowing about Archos's use of the OMAP3 processor in an upcoming "Internet Media Tablet" that runs on Android and also doubles as a phone. No pictures yet, but the spec sheet makes it sound like a hotrodded Archos 5: five-inch screen, up to a 500GB hard drive, a battery capable of 7 seven hours of video playback, and Flash support, all in a package just 10mm (.39 inches) thick. The underlying OS will be Android, but Archos plans to really beef up the media features -- there's even mention of HD video playback. That sounds seriously sweet -- if Archos ditches the current mushy resistive screen in the 5 for a capacitive unit, this could be a knockout Android device when it launches in the third quarter.

[Via Archos Lounge; thanks, Daphné]

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Archos to release Android phone / tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trident's Triton FSE SSD can handle military stresses

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/tridents-triton-fse-ssd-can-handle-military-stresses/

It's not often that we get the pleasure of speaking about Trident Space & Defense, but said outfit has just unveiled something that has little to do with the galaxy and much to do with your current / future laptop. You see, the company is gearing up to introduce its Triton FSE (Fast / Secure Erase) SSD at the Armed Forced Communications Electronics Association West 2009 conference, and it's designed to be a "direct drop-in replacement for conventional rotating hard disks that often fail in harsh environments with extreme temperatures, shock, vibration, dust, and moisture." Housed in a machined aluminum alloy case, the drive features industrial-grade SLC NAND Flash and will be available in sizes up to 128GB. Aside from brushing off bumps and bruises, it can also "purge your data and sanitize your information with agency defined algorithms allowing for complete media de-classification." If you're looking for Maxwell Smart's approval, we believe you've got it.

Filed under: Storage

Trident's Triton FSE SSD can handle military stresses originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asus Eee PC 1000HE review roundup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/asus-eee-pc-1000he-review-roundup/

Well, kids, it looks like the Asus Eee PC 1000HE has started making the rounds and so far the reviews have been rather favorable. PC Review was so taken by the machine, in fact, that they declared it the "best one yet... dethron[ing] the MSI Wind as the leader of the pack." Their enthusiasm is stoked by the fact that the machine's been designed around its new six-cell battery (making for something less bulky than, say, the 10-inch Aspire One or the NC10-14GB). Also in the win column are the obvious design improvements over its predecessor, and its hard to beat $400 street price. That said, it is a netbook: the new Intel Atom N280 processor offers "no real performance benefits" over the N270, the features are pretty standard for a machine of its class (160GB HDD, three USB ports, a webcam, VGA out, 4-in-1 card reader and the usual ethernet and WiFi connectivity) and testing failed to find "any performance differences between the 1000HE and systems like the Wind, the Aspire One (10-inch), and the HP 2140." Also according to the magazine, the new software-based overclocking feature is no great shakes. Laptop Magazine feels pretty much the same way, loving the new keyboard, the new battery, and the fact the easy-access panel (for HDD and RAM upgrades and the like) is still intact. On the other hand, they point out that the thing's a little heavy (3.2 pounds) -- but what do you expect from a machine that boasts over 7 hours battery life? Notebook Review singles the thing out for its design: "Build quality," it says "is very good with strong, durable plastics used throughout the body," and the new keyboard and gloss black paint "really adds another level of class and style to this netbook." But don't take our word for it -- hit the read links for the full reviews, and be sure to check out the gallery below.

Gallery: ASUS EeePC 1000HE review roundup

Read - PC Review
Read - Laptop Magazine
Read - Notebook Review

Filed under: Laptops

Asus Eee PC 1000HE review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba makes progress on FeRAM, still no tangible product in sight

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/toshiba-makes-progress-on-feram-still-no-tangible-product-in-si/

Phew. For a ~~moment~~ year or so there we reckoned that amazing FeRAM discovery had been pushed aside and forgotten entirely. Thankfully, Toshiba has picked up the ball and refined the original chainFeRAM architecture by creating a new architecture that prevents cell signal degradation -- which, as you may or may not know, is the usual tradeoff from chip scaling. In essence, this has allowed the company to design the world's highest bandwidth, highest density (128-megabit) non-volatile RAM. Unfortunately, this amazing device -- which should realize read / write speeds of 1.6 gigabytes a second and combine the fast operating characteristics of DRAM with flash memory's ability to retain data while powered off -- is still in prototype form, which probably means we're months (if not years) away from actually seeing a tangible end product hit store shelves.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Filed under: Storage

Toshiba makes progress on FeRAM, still no tangible product in sight originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Explay Colibri pico projector promises 70-inch images at SVGA resolution

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/explay-colibri-pico-projector-promises-70-inch-images-at-svga-re/

Explay has been one of the early proponents of pico projectors, and it looks like the company is not showing any signs of abandoning the form anytime soon, with it now set to officially introduce its new, even smaller Colibri model at Mobile World Congress next week. This one measures a mere 24 x 28.6 x 7mm, and can apparently pump out a 70-inch image at VGA, WVGA or SVGA resolution, all while drawing just 1.5W of power, which Explay says makes it the smallest, most efficient, and highest resolution pico projector on the market today. Unfortunately, the company doesn't seem have anything to say about the project actually finding its way into a phone or other device, though perhaps it's saving a little something for MWC.

Filed under: Displays

Explay Colibri pico projector promises 70-inch images at SVGA resolution originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie intros 8x d2 Blu-ray burner, LaCinema Black MAX media streamer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/09/lacie-intros-8x-d2-blu-ray-burner-lacinema-black-max-media-stre/

It was May of last year when LaCie last updated its external d2 Blu-ray burner, so it's about time we saw that 4x burn rate double to an entirely more palatable 8x. Available now for consumers in the US, the latest d2 Blu-ray Drive ($449.99) can toast both single- and dual-layer BD-Rs at 8x, and it can connect to one's machine via FireWire or USB 2.0. In related news, the outfit has also introduced a LaCinema Black MAX over in Europe, which acts to serve up all sorts of digital media (photos, video clips, music, etc.) on one's HDTV. You can order it with 500GB / 1TB of inbuilt storage, and the integrated Ethernet jack / WiFi module enables it to pull media (up to 1080p) from other locations on your network. We've nary a clue on pricing / availability for this one, but we'll leave it to those in Europe to hunt it down and brag to us Yanks.

Read - 8x d2 Blu-ray Drive
Read - LaCinema Black MAX [PDF; thanks Predator]

Gallery: LaCie's 8x d2 Blu-ray Drive

Gallery: LaCie's LaCinema Black MAX

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Storage

LaCie intros 8x d2 Blu-ray burner, LaCinema Black MAX media streamer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of fee! ds.< /p>

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Sunday, February 08, 2009

Beware: UNIX Time to Read 1234567890 On Friday the 13th [Unix Doom]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/UIus39olVEo/beware-unix-time-to-read-1234567890-on-friday-the-13th

Forget the Mayans and their silly 2012 doomsday scenario. The real end of the world will happen because of that most venerable of operating systems: UNIX.

That's because next Friday, UNIX time will read 1234567890. Scary! And, it just so happens that this event will coincide with one of the more superstitious days on our calendar, Friday the 13th. Scarier!

Well-known UNIX and Linux personality John Maddog Hall plans on celebrating the event in style:

While our friends at Bell Labs (er, ah, Lucent....O.K. "Alcatel-Lucent") strive to understand this phenomenon, I will be doing my civic duty by drinking fine beer, and maybe an Islay scotch. This is hard to do while you are holding your breath, but I will suffer through. Who knows, perhaps the U.S. government will give us a "bailout" to study this issue.

To see when this takes place in your time zone, run this little Perl script, which I promise won't end the world before next Friday:

perl -e 'print scalar localtime(1234567890),"\n";'

Shit just got real, folks. Say good-bye to loved ones. Make sure you start with your Windows machines, because UNIX is probably going to take them out first. Part of an agreement with Linux and Linus Torvalds, I've heard. [Linux Pro Magazine via Slashdot]

LG Arena (KM900) pops official, brings along 3D S-Class UI

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/08/lg-arena-km900-pops-official-brings-along-3d-s-class-ui/

Rather than waiting for the KM900 to get lost amongst hundreds of other handsets set to vie for attention at Mobile World Congress, LG has decided it best to go ahead and make its newest touchscreen handset official a few days early. The so-called Arena, which will take the crown as LG's "flagship phone for 2009," is hoping to wow onlookers with its dynamic 3D S-Class user interface. According to Dr. Skott Ahn, president and CEO of LG Mobile: "The direct, intuitive and dynamic S-Class UI will be unlike anything that has appeared on a mobile phone before." We're not quite sure we believe all that just yet, but there's little doubt this bugger will be keen on multimedia. Other specs include integrated Dolby / DivX technology, support for HSDPA 7.2Mbps, WiFi, Assisted GPS and "far more" amenities that should be uncovered in Barcelona. Excited yet?

[Via UnwiredView, thanks Staska]

Filed under: Cellphones

LG Arena (KM900) pops official, brings along 3D S-Class UI originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Special Edition Samsung NC10 gets 6-cell battery, larger touchpad

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/08/special-edition-samsung-nc10-gets-6-cell-battery-larger-touchpa/

Tired of waiting for that NC20, are you? Fret not, as Samsung has apparently hammered out a deal with Amazon to exclusively sell a special edition of the NC10. As we saw with MSI's upgrading of the Wind U100, the nicely refreshed NC10 checks in with most of the same specs -- a 10.2 WSVGA display, 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 160GB HDD, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR -- but it does add a few delectable extras for just $50 over the "other" NC10. Most notable is the 5,900mAh 6-cell high capacity battery, which extends the already respectable battery life to a staggering 9.4 hours. Furthermore, the enlarged touchpad should make mousing around a bit easier, and there's also an anti-reflection gloss coating display that may or may not float your boat. Obviously, there's no word on a ship date just yet, but we'd put our money on "sooner," not "later."

[Via PortableMonkey]

Filed under: Laptops

Special Edition Samsung NC10 gets 6-cell battery, larger touchpad originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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