Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Appirion's iDriver app lets iPhone control minivan (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/14/appirions-idriver-app-lets-iphone-control-minivan-video/


Believe it or not, a device-controlled car isn't exactly fresh. In fact, we've actually seen a PSP control a Civic before Barack Obama was even a glimmer in the media's eye. That said, we're always willing to give credit where it's due, and the iDriver app just might be the most impressive use of Apple's smartphone... well, ever. As the name implies, this here app is able to control a heavily wired vehicle seemingly with ease -- the accelerometer handles the steering, and two soft buttons on the screen handle braking and acceleration. We'd bother explaining more, but we know you've already clicked past the break to see the whole thing demonstrated on video. Right?

[Via Engadget German]

Continue reading Appirion's iDriver app lets iPhone control minivan (video)

Filed under: ,

Appirion's iDriver app lets iPhone control minivan (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Posted by Augustine at 8:43 PM

Acer Aspire One D250 Android netbook gets fondled and photographed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/14/acer-aspire-one-d250-android-netbook-gets-fondled-and-photograph/


Acer (a company that we always knew as ambitious... but not too ambitious) finally launched its Aspire One D250 dual boot Windows 7 / Android netbook today, and as you can imagine the ears of the gadget world have all perked up a little bit. According to Pocket-lint, the implementation of the open source OS on a touchscreen deficient PC is not without its issues. For instance, without any designated Android keys, one can find themselves going to the trackpad and ESC key a bit too often. Also worth noting is that this machine will only boot Android -- to access Windows you've got to select "Switch OS" from within Android itself and then wait for Microsoft to take over. According to Register Hardware, Acer VP Jim Wong explained that the company expects people to use Android for the majority of their computing while only hitting up Windows while looking to use software and tools specific to that OS. And sure, that's a decent rationalization -- but why not give us the choice? Either way, we know you're jonesin' to get at all the red hot hands-on action contained within the read links below. And what are you waiting for? Go on!

Read - PHOTOS: Acer Aspire One D250 with Android
Read - Hands on with Acer's dual-OS netbook

Filed under:

Acer Aspire One D250 Android netbook gets fondled and photographed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Posted by Augustine at 8:43 PM

Samsung rolls out Amazon, Blockbuster video store access across HDTVs, HTIBs and Blu-ray players everywhere

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/14/samsung-rolls-out-amazon-blockbuster-video-store-access-across/


Just as promised, the (still SD only) Blockbuster OnDemand service is now available on a slew of Samsung hardware via firmware update, while the Internet@TV lineup (LCD and Plasma HDTVs Series 650 and above and LED HDTVs Series 7000) has a brand new toy with the Amazon VOD Yahoo! widget (which does support HD.) Both services offer a slew of rental and/or purchase options for the digital delivery fanatic, though we still hunger for the audio and quality of VUDU plus the all you can eat goodness of Netflix Watch Instantly, of the millions of TVs out there, there's surely someone willing to sift through those menus for the ease of viewing Ghosts of Girlfriends Past without resorting to cable VOD -- or getting up from the couch. The "convenience" goes both ways, since they'll also be able to pick up compatible Samsung blu-ray players at Blockbuster stores, right next to the TiVo section -- check for exact model #s supported in the PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung rolls out Amazon, Blockbuster video store access across HDTVs, HTIBs and Blu-ray players everywhere

Filed under: , ,

Samsung rolls out Amazon, Blockbuster video store access across HDTVs, HTIBs and Blu-ray players everywhere originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Posted by Augustine at 8:43 PM

Switched On: Microsoft's touchy subjects

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/14/switched-on-microsofts-touchy-subjects/

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
As CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates would often talk about his dream of "information at your fingertips." The company he co-founded, though, is now taking literal steps toward that goal. By the end of the month, Microsoft will have released three new devices or platforms that embrace or extend touchscreen support -- but the impact touch will have on each varies significantly by their legacy, usage, and manufacturers.

Windows has long had touchscreen support. Such support, in fact, was the basis of the Tablet Edition of Windows XP, and Tablet PCs were proclaimed to be the future of notebooks. Early iterations were larger and thicker keyboard-lacking slates much like the new Archos 9pctablet. But this was before rampant Web browsing, streaming video, casual games and electronic books -- all of which now provide relevance for a new generation of touchscreen PCs as content-consumption devices.

Continue reading Switched On: Microsoft's touchy subjects

Filed under: , , , ,

Switched On: Microsoft's touchy subjects originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Posted by Augustine at 8:43 PM

Nokia N900 can ride the Google Wave

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/14/nokia-n900-can-ride-the-google-wave/

We're not talking about some mobile version here à la iPhone, no sir. MobileDeveloperTV has itself a Maemo-powered Nokia N900, and sure enough, it runs the full version of Google Wave. There looks to be some lag between the keyboard and text box, but if you're hankering to mash up Espoo's latest and greatest with the G man's latest and greatest, there's nothing standing in your way. See for yourself, victorious laughs and all, in the video after the break.

[Thanks, Welly]

Continue reading Nokia N900 can ride the Google Wave

Filed under: ,

Nokia N900 can ride the Google Wave originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Posted by Augustine at 8:43 PM

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)