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Monday, November 10, 2008

AT&T Quickfire hits shelves a few days early

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/08/atandt-quickfire-hits-shelves-a-few-days-early/

Filed under: Cellphones

We hear that some truly lucky humans have gotten their hands on the AT&T Quickfire (also known as the Knick), which is supposed to go on sale November 10th, so that means... yup about two days early. The asking price for the device was $149.99 (with a $50 mail in rebate) with a new 2 year contract. As for details, all we know is that it was purchased in an AT&T store by an unnamed mystery customer in a "small town." Sometimes it truly pays to live in the real America.

AT&T Quickfire hits shelves a few days early originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Media shows off stylish 50Mbps cable modem

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/08/virgin-media-shows-off-stylish-50mbps-cable-modem/

Filed under: Networking

This truly may be a world's first: a cable modem you don't feel incredibly pressured to relegate to the rear of your networking stash. Yes friends, that succulent device you see above is Virgin Media's shockingly stunning 50Mbps cable modem, which unsurprisingly relies on DOCSIS 3.0 technology in order to provide such 1337 speeds. It's still not as speedy as Ambit Broadband's channel bonding modem, nor can it hold a candle to whatever Sigbritt Löthberg had going on in Sweden, but 50Mbps isn't anything to sneeze at. No word on pricing just yet (don't worry, you'll pay it), but it should be available for UK-based speed freaks before the year's end.

[Via TrustedReviews]

Virgin Media shows off stylish 50Mbps cable modem originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mcor launches Matrix 3D printer, only asks for your paper and glue

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/09/mcor-launches-matrix-3d-printer-only-asks-for-your-paper-and-gl/

Filed under: Peripherals

We wouldn't go so far as to say that 3D printers are growing tired, but we are growing short on patience waiting for a commercial version that the average joe / jane can afford. Thankfully, Mcor is up to the challenge, recently delivering its Matrix to the UK and gearing up to bring it to other parts of the world in 2009. Put simply, this carving creature uses traditional A4 paper and PVA glue to create objects like the ones you see above. Throw in a nice, sharp blade and a little bit of computational prowess, and you've got yourself one wicked 3D printer with running costs "up to 40 times less" than competitors.

[Via SlashGear]

Mcor launches Matrix 3D printer, only asks for your paper and glue originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Purported Dell 23-inch SP2309 LCD monitor leaked, tasty specs and all

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/09/purported-dell-23-inch-sp2309-lcd-monitor-leaked-tasty-specs-an/

Filed under: Displays

We could tell from the past couple of Dell LCDs that the Round Rock powerhouse was moving in this direction in terms of design, but it's the specifications that have us most captivated on this one. We've received word that the above pictured SP2309 will boast a 23-inch 16:9 panel with a wicked 2,048 x 1,152 (QWXGA) native resolution, an 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 98% color gamut (NTSC, we presume), 2-millisecond response time, 2-megapixel camera (with microphone) and VGA / DVI / HDMI inputs. We're hearing that it should be available for purchase later this month, though pricing details remain a mystery.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Update: Looks like Canada will get it first (in "one to two weeks") for $419.99. Thanks, Alex!

Purported Dell 23-inch SP2309 LCD monitor leaked, tasty specs and all originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Mountain's Allio: 42-inch HDTV with built-in PC / Blu-ray player

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/silicon-mountains-allio-42-inch-hdtv-with-built-in-pc-blu-ra/

Filed under: Desktops, Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Talk about putting all of your eggs in one basket. Silicon Mountain has evidently taken a note from Lumenlab with its incredibly multifaceted Allio. For starters, the 42-inch set arrives with a full-blown PC within, including an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and Windows Vista Home Premium. You'll also find a smorgasbord of inputs, a number of USB ports, wired / wireless networking options and a 1080p panel; speaking of the TV itself, it features a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, 400 cd/m2 brightness and twin 12-watt speakers. On top of all that, the California-assembled unit even includes a slim-line Blu-ray player, theoretically beating both Sharp and Funai to the market with Blu-ray-infused HDTVs. As of now, six different configurations are available (including a 32-incher) starting at $1,599, and the company is planning on offering "low-cost" versions with Ubuntu in the near future. Head on past the break for the full release.

Continue reading Silicon Mountain's Allio: 42-inch HDTV with built-in PC / Blu-ray player

Silicon Mountain's Allio: 42-inch HDTV with built-in PC / Blu-ray player originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comprehensive Intel Health Guide seeks to provide in-home health monitoring

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/comprehensive-intel-health-guide-seeks-to-provide-in-home-health/

Filed under: Desktops, Misc. Gadgets

In-home medical monitoring systems are far from new, but everyone takes notice when a firm like Intel formally announces that it's diving in headfirst. According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Intel is gearing up to launch a series of trials with health-care organizations in order to "show whether the new tools bring improved results in treating conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease." More specifically, the Intel Health Guide -- which includes a "simplified computer and software system that are designed to help elderly people and other patients monitor and manage their conditions at home" -- will connect to medical equipment and then transmit that information with specified individuals (namely health professionals) over the 'net. Admittedly, the initiative is far from being implemented in non-trial form, but it should be good to go by the time you start forgetting things and kvetching about the taste of your tap water.

[Via PC World]

Comprehensive Intel Health Guide seeks to provide in-home health monitoring originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Quadro FX 5800 with 4GB graphics memory is 'the most powerful graphics card in history'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/nvidias-quadro-fx-5800-with-4gb-graphics-memory-is-the-most-po/

Filed under: Gaming

That's some serious boasting by NVIDIA, but this is some serious graphics horsepower. The Quadro FX 5800, already seen in NVIDIA's Quadro Plex D data cruncher, replaces the 5600 at the top of the NVIDIA heap with 240 CUDA-programmable parallel cores and the industries first card with 4GB of graphics memory. MSRP? Just $3,499 for you big spender -- pennies for the companies who can harness the power for the purposes of oil and gas exploration, 4D modeling, and graphics design.

NVIDIA's Quadro FX 5800 with 4GB graphics memory is 'the most powerful graphics card in history' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/iphone-3g-overtakes-the-razr-as-best-selling-domestic-handset/

Filed under: Cellphones

According to a report from NPD, sales of cellphones have shifted in a manner which should shock and stun even a casual observer. Apparently for the first time in years, Motorola's ubiquitous RAZR has been overtaken in consumer sales... by the iPhone 3G. This is a watershed moment for handset sales in the US, marking not only a shift away from the dominant market leader, but a turn towards more complex, full-featured devices. The news comes hot on the heels of NPD's previous findings, which still placed the RAZR in the top spot -- though with ever-decreasing numbers. In that same report, the iPhone found itself in second place, but it appears that flagging interest in the inescapable dumbphone coupled with the recent iPhone PR blitz have put Apple's moneymaker into the top position. The news is also buoyed by recent reports that Apple has overtaken RIM as the number two smartphone vendor, and a J.D. Power study which found affection for the device waxing in the extreme. Overall, however, handset sales fell 15 percent year-over-year, and LG managed to snag the top brand position, with two models in the top five. Still, if there already wasn't a clear indication of the market moving towards both smartphones and touchscreen devices, this should give everyone a clearer picture of both the public's wants, and the power of Cupertino's ad-men. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset

iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, November 07, 2008

Ericsson: 20 megapixel cellphones shooting Full HD video in 4 years

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/h6Fa-MKJ4e8/

Filed under: Cellphones

It's tough to predict the future, especially with cutbacks to R&D budgets in the face of a global economic slowdown. Still, it's always nice to see a forward-looking corporate-slide related to mobile handsets from the taller, blonder half of that Sony Ericsson partnership. LTE and fast CPUs are certainly no surprise, nor is that 1,024 x 768 XGA screen resolution that Japan's superphones are already bumping up against. The most compelling vision is that of the embedded camera sensors: 12-20 megapixels capable of recording Full HD video by 2012. Adding more fuel to firey speculation that handsets are about to find themselves embroiled in a megapixel war. Fine by us, just as long the optics and image processing are there to support such a resolution. Even though 12-20 megapixels seems high compared to the 5-8 megapixel cell phones we see today, those numbers are entirely within reason when you recall that Samsung hit 10 megapixels in Korea two years ago. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised in the least to find Ericsson's mythical device on the market well prior to 2012. Combined, these features certainly make for a tantalizing glimpse at the wireless handset future.

Ericsson: 20 megapixel cellphones shooting Full HD video in 4 years originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds! .

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Swann's MovieStick begs to be used for nefarious ends

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/1VEODzUSK2E/

Filed under: Digital Cameras

With all the layoffs we've been seeing lately, it looks like an increasing number of tech professionals will be going mercenary in order to pay the bills. Of course, Engadget does not condone industrial espionage in any way, shape or form -- but if you do happen to find yourself "in the cold," as Le Carré used to say, you might consider Swann's MovieStick. This thing is small enough to fit inside a packet of gum, includes a lithium-ion battery (rechargeable via USB) and can store up to 2.5 hours of video on a 2GB MicroSD card (not included). There is no word yet on release date, video quality or battery life, but we're sure that this $119.99 (retail) beauty is just the trick for all those patented industrial processes you plan on stealing. But don't steal them. For realz.

Swann's MovieStick begs to be used for nefarious ends originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JVC, Sensio team up on high-end consumer 3D projection system

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/mvUOwW41A40/

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Far from being the first (or second, or third) partnership aimed at getting 3D in the home, JVC and Sensio have jointly chosen EHX Fall 2008 to announce their loving new union. By joining forces, they're purporting to introduce the "very first high-end 3D solution available on the consumer market." Granted, this so-called solution won't be cheap nor simple, as it will require a pair of JVC's costly D-ILA projectors and a media server integrating Sensio's 3D decoding technology. At the show, the pair demonstrated the forthcoming system by utilizing two $9,000 (yes, each) DLA-RS2 beamers (pictured), though it's never stated whether or not any gaudy goggles are required for visualizing the third-dimension. At any rate, the kit won't be available until sometime in 2009, but it's quite possible we'll get a sneak peek at CES in January.

[Via Electronic House]

JVC, Sensio team up on high-end consumer 3D projection system originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dealzmodo Hack: Cooked Software Revives HTC Phones [Upgrade Your Smartphone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/T0ur6KcdoTw/dealzmodo-hack-cooked-software-revives-htc-phones

HTC has always known their biggest weakness: Windows Mobile. They've done their best to hide the aged interface in glossy costumes and bolster performance, but they can only do so much—the OS is slow, buggy and can drain battery life on certain hardware. Luckily, Windows Mobile responds well to per-device modification. A dedicated community of hackers called XDA has built a collection of streamlined, debugged, turbocharged OS builds (or ROMs) to resuscitate your flagging HTC phone, along with some less daunting smartphone tweaks for the weaker stomached.

Now, it bears mentioning that HTC is pretty diligent about updating their phones, releasing driver and software updates to improve performance when necessary. Problem is, these updates don't usually trickle down through the cellular providers, leaving most users stuck with the first (and only) generation of the phone's branded—and sometimes crippled— software. Thanks to XDA, most users can switch to an up-to-date OS, with a variety of extra tweaks added at the discretion of the community.

What do you stand to gain from upgrading your ROM?

Better battery life

Faster performance, especially in TouchFLO 3D

Stronger reception

Quicker, less laggy GPS locking and tracking

Bundles of useful software, included updated, faster Opera browser

Reenabling carrier-chopped features such as tethering, HDSPA

Popular phones best suited for upgrade:

Touch

Touch Dual

Touch Diamond

Touch Pro

Other variants

The prospect of upgrading your phone's entire OS might sound intimidating, but the XDA community has provided GUI tools for each step. The procedure is not risk-free, but the success rate polls highly among people who follow the directions closely. I flashed T-Mobile's branded Diamond, the MDA Compact IV, without incident.

Ready to give this a shot? XDA's detailed guides are available here:

Touch/Touch Dual

Touch Diamond/Touch Pro

Others can be found in the device subforums here.

If ROMs and bootloaders and radios all sound too scary (and I wouldn't blame you), XDA also has a hefty collection of simpler tweaks and mods for your HTC phones, including themes, games and apps that you might not find elsewhere.

Expect to hear a lot more about these guys in the coming months—they'll probably be the first ones to port Android to older HTC handsets. As of the 4th, they've got a severely gimped version of Android 0.8 (the G1 launched with 1.0) running on the Diamond, so an "Install A! ndroid o n Your HTC Phone" Dealzmodo Hack is inevitable, if still pretty far off. [XDA Developers and ModMyDiamond]

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

AT&T Boosts U-Verse Top Speed to 18Mbps [U-Verse]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zkeT_px5Vgw/att-boosts-u+verse-top-speed-to-18mbps

While AT&T U-Verse lags far, far behind Verizon FIOS in the insane bandwidth race, the boost to 18Mbps downstream for the top tier U-Verse package that starts Nov. 9 nearly doubles the relatively pokey 10Mbps they offered. To put it in perspective though, Verizon has an upstream package that still goes faster than that. And they don't have those pesky caps looming, either.

AT&T CUSTOMERS CONNECT FASTER WITH NEW 18 MBPS U-VERSE HIGH SPEED INTERNET SERVICE

AT&T Offers More Speed, More Choices With Its Fastest Broadband Service Ever

DALLAS, Nov. 6, 2008 — For millions of consumers with a need for more speed, the broadband choices just got better. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced it will launch AT&T U-verseSM High Speed Internet Max 18 on Nov. 9, offering speeds of up to 18 Mbps downstream. Exclusively available for AT&T U-verse TV customers, Max 18 is the fastest high speed Internet package available from the nation's leading provider of broadband services.

In addition to more speed, U-verse Internet customers have the freedom to enjoy their broadband connection in more places — all at no extra cost. All U-verse Internet customers receive access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi network with free connectivity at more than 17,000 AT&T Wi-FiSM hot spots. Wireless home networking is also included.

"With our new Max 18 service, customers get another way to stay connected faster," said Ralph de la Vega, chief executive officer of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet offers fast speeds, at home and on the go with! free Wi -Fi, and as part of an integrated quad-play bundle. Max 18 is another way we're using our U-verse network to provide customers with more choices and innovative services."

AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet Max 18 will be available to eligible residential customers for $65 a month as part of a bundle with AT&T U-verse TV. Professional installation is included for new U-verse TV customers, and eligible existing U-verse Internet customers can upgrade their package at any time without additional installation costs or appointments.

The introduction of Max 18 arrives at the perfect time for consumers who are going online for their holiday shopping, purchasing home services to accompany new electronics gifts and planning holiday travel.

AT&T's Internet Protocol (IP)-based network provides customers who bundle U-verse services with advanced, integrated capabilities. For example, U-verse TV and Internet customers have the ability to program their digital video recorder (DVR) while away from home using a PC or wireless device; personalize AT&T U-bar to display customized weather, sports and stock information on their U-verse TV screen; and browse their online photos on a personal U-verse TV channel. AT&T U-verse TV ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction in the North Central, South, and West Regions," according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction StudySM.

AT&T is the nation's largest provider of broadband service, with 14.8 million broadband lines in service as of the third quarter of 2008. AT&T U-verse services are available to millions of homes across 15 states.

For additional information on AT&T U-verse — or to find out if it's available in your area — visit http://uverse.att.com or call 800-ATT-2020.

JD Power Ranks the iPhone Highest in Business Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lDwo1xz--D8/jd-power-ranks-the-iphone-highest-in-business-wireless-smartphone-satisfaction

JD Power and Associates have awarded the iPhone the top spot in their annual survey measuring overall customer satisfaction among business wireless smartphone users. On a scale of 1000 (measured by five key factors in order of importance: ease of operation, operating system, physical design, handset features, and battery aspects) Apple's iPhone scored a 778, followed by BlackBerry-maker RIM with a 703 and Samsung with a 701. This is significant for two reasons: JD Power has a reputation for reliable research and the survey focuses on business users—an area traditionally dominated by last year's winner the BlackBerry.

"one-fourth of users report experiencing at least one software-related issue or problem with their current smartphone device. The software-related issues reported most often include the need to reboot the phone, application malfunction/freeze and issues related to touch screen malfunction. Among those owners who have experienced a software problem, 44 percent report having to reboot their device at least once on a weekly basis during the past 12 months, while 34 percent report experiencing either an application malfunction or application freeze at least once per week."

With regard to usage:

•Sixty-nine percent of business smartphone users own a hands-free headset, and 74 percent of those owners use a wireless headset device. Motorola owners report a higher incidence of using wireless headsets (86%), while only 60 percent of Apple iPhone owners report using a wireless headset device.
•Among smartphone users, 37 percent would like GPS (global positioning system) capabilities on their device, 25 percent would like Wi-Fi capabilities, 23 percent want touch screen and 15 percent would like to have voice recognition command for automatic diali! ng.
•The average reported purchase price of a smartphone device is $216, compared with an average reported purchase price of $261 in 2007. Apple owners report the highest average purchase price at $337, while Motorola owners report the lowest device pricing at $169.
•The top five reasons given for choosing a smartphone brand are: Internet capability (45%), ability to use e-mail account (41%), overall design/style (39%), Bluetooth capabilities (37%) and keyboard style (e.g., QWERTY) (37%).
•Thirty-four percent of smartphone owners say they download third-party software. Popular software downloads among business users include games (49%), business applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel (43%) and travel-related programs (36%).

The 2008 Business Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 1,388 business wireless customers who currently own a smartphone device. The study was fielded between August and September 2008.

[JD Power and Associates]

Claw Bike Storage From ABC's "American Inventor" Available For Pre-Order [Storage]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/t9Surzn8cz0/claw-bike-storage-from-abcs-american-inventor-available-for-pre+order

If you caught ABC's "American Inventor" last season you may remember "The Gladiator Claw" bicycle storage device as one of the finalists. Well, the folks behind the Claw have used the startup money earned from the show to turn their idea of a push-button catch and release storage hook into reality. Basically, it is a modest but clever upgrade to basic hook systems, but if you have a really nice bike it may be worth dropping an extra $60 on. Plus, I don't see why it could not be used for other items as well. The Claw is now available to pre-order for a November 15th release. [Amazon and The Claw via Crunchgear]

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