Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Sprint's big surprise to be unlimited mobile calling, data, text, and MMS for $70 (update: official)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/sprints-big-surprise-to-be-unlimited-calling-data-text-and-m/

We can't say we expected Sprint to actually surprise anyone with its "game changing" announcement tomorrow, and right on schedule, the details have come leaking out. Apparently Sprint's $70 rate plan going unlimited, meaning seven Hamiltons will get you endless mobile-to-mobile calling (to any network, not just Sprint), texts, data, and MMS -- stuff you could already get on the Simply Unlimited plan, but the big change at this price point is the unlimited mobile-to-mobile voice, up from 450 minutes in the current plan. Yeah, it's a good deal, but is it a revolutionary deal? We'd say that all depends on whether or not it comes with a free Palm Pixi.

Update: The Any Mobile, Anytime plan is now official.

Filed under: Cellphones

Sprint's big surprise to be unlimited mobile calling, data, text, and MMS for $70 (update: official) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MotionPower speed bump installed at NJ Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's feel slighted

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/motionpower-speed-bump-installed-at-nj-burger-king-mcdonalds-a/

We can't say we doubted that New Energy's MotionPower speed bump would actually be installed at a New Jersey Burger King, but it's always refreshing to see a plan morph into reality. As of now, those in Hillside heading to have it their way will cruise over the kinetic energy harvester before retrieving their grub, which has the potential to create around 2,000 watts of electricity from a car hitting it at five miles per hour. As of now, the hump is simply there to test storage potential, but New Energy is hoping that the next generation of the tech could be placed at a variety of fast foot eateries, parking lots, toll booth plazas and anywhere else where folks need a little assistance in maintaining a sensible speed. Check out the read link for a plethora of shots, and feel free to splurge on a #4 combo today if you're in the area -- Ma Earth will thank you.

Filed under: Transportation, Science

MotionPower speed bump installed at NJ Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's feel slighted originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rhapsody App approved by Apple: 8 million tracks streaming to the ether (update: video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/rhapsody-app-approved-by-apple-8-million-tracks-streaming-to-th/

We had a feeling this day was coming. After Spotify's subscription music app was approved, offline listening intact, there was every indication that Rhapsody was next for christening. Especially with the feds watching Apple's every move. The free download just went hot and requires a $15 per month Rhapsody To Go subscription -- you can try it for free for a week -- and streams 64kbps quality (ugh) music over WiFi or cellular data (only, no off-line access) from a catalog of about 8 million tracks offered by the MTV and RealNetwork tie-up. Now go 'n get it.

Update: Added video demo after the break.

[Via Komo News, thanks Bill Y.]

Read -- Rhapsody App [iTunes link]

Continue reading Rhapsody App approved by Apple: 8 million tracks streaming to the ether (update: video!)

Filed under: Software

Rhapsody App approved by Apple: 8 million tracks streaming to the ether (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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APSI 100 GPS packs removable PMP, can't be removed from South Korea

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/apsi-100-gps-packs-removable-pmp-cant-be-removed-from-south-ko/

GPS devices have been packing full PMP functionality for quite some time now, but few have come up with the bright idea of using an actual, removable PMP for the heart of the unit -- although Apple and TomTom are now doing their best attempt at a one-two punch. Korean manufacturer APSI now made its best attempt at a fully out-of-the-box solution with its new APSI 100 unit, however, which combines the simplicity of a touchscreen PMP with the in-car convenience of some old fashioned buttons and knobs. Unfortunately, the complete specs are a bit hard to decipher, but it looks like you will get some built-in DMB mobile TV (complete with an antenna jack on the base unit), along with some nifty 3D maps, and both AV inputs and outputs, among other standard fare. No word on a price, unfortunately, and it looks like this one is, and will likely remain, a Korean exclusive.

[Via OhGizmo!]

Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video

APSI 100 GPS packs removable PMP, can't be removed from South Korea originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS stuffs TV tuner into new T1 series of Full HD monitors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/asus-stuffs-tv-tuner-into-new-t1-series-of-full-hd-monitors/

We aren't trying to get all up in your business or anything, but if you've found yourself in the market for a TV tuning LCD of late, ASUS has a trio that just might serve your needs. The T1 is comprised of 22-, 24- and 27-inch displays, all of which boast 1080p panels, a pair of HDMI sockets, a hybrid TV tuner, twin seven watt speakers, a fairly unexciting black chassis and a 3-year warranty. We're told that these are available now across the pond starting at £279 ($461), though there's no indication that these will ever ship stateside (nor if they'll ever see a Designo makeover).

[Via Pocket-lint]

Filed under: Displays

ASUS stuffs TV tuner into new T1 series of Full HD monitors originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Tigris and Congo mobile platforms focus on multimedia, longer battery life

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/amd-tigris-and-congo-mobile-platforms-focus-on-multimedia-longe/

Stop the presses! AMD has kept to its roadmap. Alright, start the presses up again. The Tigris laptop platform, announced today, is all set to become AMD's "mainstream" weapon of choice, with the centrally touted features being full 1080p, DirectX 10.1 support and offloading video encoding to the Radeon HD 4200 GPU. Add in the new 45nm dual core Caspian CPUs, with speeds ranging up to 2.6GHz, and the result is a substantial 42 percent improvement in multimedia performance to go along with 25 percent longer battery life. Alas, that'll still only net you an hour and 55 minutes of "active use" and just under five hours in idle, according to AMD. The Congo, offering the same HD video and DX10.1 support, does a little better at two hours 26 minutes of utility, thanks to its HD 3200 and dual core Neo chips inside. That'll hardly trouble Intel's CULV range of marathon runners, but then Intel's processors don't pack quite as much grunt. AMD's own Pat Moorehead got to test drive laptops based on the two new platforms and was enraptured by their raw, snarling power. Of course, he would be. The majority of OEMs have signed up for this party, with models expected to arrive in time for the release of Windows 7.

[Via TG Daily]

Read - Tigris processors
Read - Pat Moorehead tests Tigris laptop
Read - Congo features
Read - Pat Moorehead tests Congo laptop

Filed under: Laptops

AMD Tigris and Congo mobile platforms focus on multimedia, longer battery life originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's 1.8-inch 160GB PATA disk is ready for KIRFers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/toshibas-1-8-inch-160gb-pata-disk-is-ready-for-kirfers/

Wonder what's inside the latest iPod classic besides suave marketing and Pixi-dust? In a not-so coincidental announcement following yesterday's classic capacity bump, Toshiba unleashed specs on its newest 160GB 1.8-inch single-platter spinner that just happens to come in 120GB versions too. The Parallel ATA interface holds-tight the 5-mm / 48-gram disk spinning at 4,200 RPM. Interestingly enough, Tosh claims that its hard disk holds 45,000 digital photos, 42,000 songs, or 130 videos thereby besting Apple's claims on all counts. So get to it KIRFers, the MKxx34GAL series is shipping now and your marketing bullets have already been written.

Filed under: Storage

Toshiba's 1.8-inch 160GB PATA disk is ready for KIRFers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sinchun's UMPC-501 5-inch tablet makes its grand entrance

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/sinchuns-umpc-501-5-inch-tablet-makes-its-grand-entrance/

You know, for all the buzz surrounding Android-powered MIDs -- most of which we'll probably never see -- it sure is nice to see an actual device that's ready to hit the shelves for a change. Case in point: the UMPC-501 A is a rather nondescript 5-inch (800 x 480) touchscreen device by Sinchun Electronic Co., a company located deep within the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Weighing a mere 350g and measuring 6.3 x 3.75 x .87 inches, this bad boy sports a 1.1GHz Atom Z510 processor, 1G RAM, SSD storage (size to be determined), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, 3G, a SiRF Star III GPS, a removable battery (so this is definitely not the Apple Tablet then?) and ships with Windows XP Home (yeah, guess not). Barring any unforeseen events, it should be available sometime this month for under 3000 Yuan ($441). Now if only someone would stick this thing to a fridge. Get a closer look after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Sinchun's UMPC-501 5-inch tablet makes its grand entrance

Filed under: Handhelds

Sinchun's UMPC-501 5-inch tablet makes its grand entrance originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Dallas Cowboys Stadium Continues Streak of Giant Screen Fails [Image Cache]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xY7M8EgqSC0/dallas-cowboys-stadium-continues-streak-of-giant-screen-fails

After their giant screen blocked a punt, you'd figure the owners of the Dallas Cowboys stadium would be extra careful with their massive displays—but it looks like somebody didn't shut down his computer properly. Whoops! [Thanks, Richard!]

HP Mini 311: An 11.6-inch Netbook with Nvidia ION LE Graphics? [Rumor]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/gP6c0S84HJ4/hp-mini-311-an-116+inch-netbook-with-nvidia-ion-le-graphics

Specs of several upcoming HP notebooks have been dug up by Web-sleuths, including info on a Mini 311 netbook. It looks like it may also have an Atom N270 processor, 1GB memory, 160GB hard disk, and a six-cell battery.

Various Mini 311 flavors are now listed on HP's support site, and the specs above are already listed on a Dutch shopping engine. Another Dutch retailer also lists HP's upcoming CULV-powered Pavilion dm3 (11.6-inch) and dm1 (13.3-inch) notebooks, along with the big 18.4-inch, mobile Core i7-equipped Pavilion dv8.

It's likely the batch willl arrive in the U.S. next to Windows 7 on October 22, but the possibly XP-powered Mini may even hit before then. I'm also interested to see h! ow the M ini 311 fares against the the Ion-powered Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (12.1-inch), and Samsung N150 (11.6-inch). Time will tell... [Netbooknews.de (translated) and Engadget]

Cheaper iPod Touch, Nano Prices Live on Apple Store [Apple]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xoQuSSkq2fs/cheaper-ipod-touch-nano-prices-live-on-apple-store

The 32GB touch is now $279 (down from $399), the 16GB is $249 (was $299), and the 8GB model is $189 instead of $229. Could a 64GB model arrive at Apple's event today? Meanwhile, the nano now starts at $129...

Update: As pointed out in the comments, the nano has also been slashed. It's now at $129 (8GB) and $149 (16GB), while the Classic is down to $229 (was $249). [Apple Store] Thanks Max, and @Galaxius.

Packard Bell debuts 15.6-inch EasyNote Butterfly m laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/08/packard-bell-debuts-15-6-inch-easynote-butterfly-m-laptop/

Well, we didn't get a chance to check it out first hand at IFA, but Packard Bell did make a showing of its own at the show, and took the opportunity to debut this new EasyNote Butterfly m laptop. As you can see above, this new model one-ups the smaller 13.4-inch EasyNote ButterFly with a slightly sleeker design (and a shiny silver exterior), but it keeps things mostly in check inside, with it packing an unspecified low-voltage processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics (which can be switched off to save power), a max 640GB hard drive, up to 4GB of RAM, and all the usual niceties like a multi-touch trackpad, Bluetooth 2.1, and 802.11n WiFi. Still no word on a release over here, but folks in Europe should be able to pick one up next month for a starting price of €599 (or just under $900).

[Via Notebook Italia]

Filed under: Laptops

Packard Bell debuts 15.6-inch EasyNote Butterfly m laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RAmos' Q25ihi touchscreen PMP hits Korea under MuMu Music brand

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/08/ramos-q25ihi-touchscreen-pmp-hits-korea-under-mumu-music-brand/

If there's one thing RAmos hasn't been fond of lately it's buttons, and it looks like it's not about to change its ways with this new Q25ihi player, which keeps things about as simple (and familiar) as can be. It doesn't look like the company is cutting too many corners with the parts this time around, however, as the player apparently sports a 3.1-inch capacitive display, along with a G-Sensor for screen rotation and "retro flexion functions," a built-in FM tuner and transmitter, support for all the usual audio / video formats, and capacities ranging from a mere 1GB to 16GB. No word on a price just yet, but it looks like the player should now be available in Korea under RAmos' MuMu Music brand, and will soon be available in China as the Q25L.

[Via iTech News Net]

Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

RAmos' Q25ihi touchscreen PMP hits Korea under MuMu Music brand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sherwood's 700W R-904N NetBoxx AV receiver dabbles in online media

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/sherwoods-700w-r-904n-netboxx-av-receiver-dabbles-in-online-med/

Not sure if you've noticed, but CEDIA has just kicked off down in the ATL. One of the first to introduce something genuinely fresh is Sherwood (of all companies), with its R-904N NetBoxx pulling double duty as a 7.1-channel AV receiver and an internet media portal. For starters, the compact set-top-box looks nothing like a typical AVR, but you'll still find 700 total watts of amplification, three HDMI 1.3 inputs, one Toslink input, a pair of coaxial audio inputs and support for Dolby Volume, Dolby TruHD and DTS-HD Master high-resolution audio formats. Once you're done hooking up your music makers, feel free to shove an Ethernet cable in there and witness its ability to pull down material from PlayOn (Hulu, Netflix, CBS, CNN, ESPN, Amazon, etc.), CinemaNow, YouTube and SHOUTcast. There's also a USB socket for loading up media locally, and at just 17- x 10- x 2.5-inches, it shouldn't take up too much room underneath your current HDTV. It'll set you back $649.95 when it ships later this month, and you can feel free to dig even deeper in the full release just past the break.

Continue reading Sherwood's 700W R-904N NetBoxx AV receiver dabbles in online media

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Sherwood's 700W R-904N NetBoxx AV receiver dabbles in online media originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Palm Pixi is official, headed to Sprint this holiday season -- we've got hands-on and video!

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/the-palm-pixi-is-official-headed-to-sprint-this-holiday-season/

The Palm Pixi has officially arrived, and if you're an avid reader of Engadget (you'd better be), this device should look a little bit familiar to you. We first broke specs and images of the phone -- codenamed Eos and the alternately-spelled "Pixie" -- back in April, when we nabbed what appeared to be a leak of a new, Centro-esque phone headed to AT&T. Today, Palm has announced that the Pixi -- a tiny, sleek webOS-based handset -- will be coming to Sprint this holiday season. The phone will hit shelves sans-WiFi (EV-DO Rev. A only here), with 8GB of storage onboard (a nice bump up from the rumored 4GB), 2 megapixel camera (with flash), a full QWERTY keyboard, and a minute, 2.63-inch, 320 x 400 capacitive display (guess they didn't get that HTC memo).

Along with the new handset, Palm will offer five artist-designed back covers in the "Palm Pixi Artist Series" -- similar to Zune Originals and Dell's Design Studio laptops -- which can be purchased separately... of course. Touchstone owners take heart: those backs, as well as a separate black backing that you'll also pay extra for, are all compatible with the accessory. In addition to the hardware, Palm will be introducing a native Facebook app when the Pixi hits, as well as new Yahoo! and LinkedIn integration for Synergy. Right now no date for launch has been set, though Palm says the phone will be ready in time for the holidays. The company is also mum on price, but coupled with the news that Sprint will be slimming the Pre's entry point down to $149.99, we have to assume it's going to be in the $99-or-less ballpark. We had ! a chance to play around with the new phone, so read on after the break for our initial, early impressions.

Gallery: Palm Pixi hands-on