Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, October 23, 2009

Verizon launching Storm2 on October 28 for $179.99?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/verizon-launching-storm2-on-october-28-for-179-99/

Say you're North America's largest wireless carrier -- how do you go about burying a product you're about to carry that you secretly wish didn't exist? One creative option would be to opt out of announcing it when its manufacturer does, then quietly launch it on the same day that you're announcing the phone you're calling the "must-have device of the year." Tricky, eh? Yeah, sure enough, by all appearances it seems that Verizon doesn't plan on celebrating the arrival of the Storm2 with the same fanfare it gave the Storm, despite the fact that the new device directly addresses the biggest complaints dogging the original model. It's a "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" sort of situation, we suppose. Anyhow, it looks like pricing should come in at $179.99 on contract, though $100 of that comes in the form of a mail-in rebate that you'll get on a prepaid debit card, so you'll actually be laying out close to $300 before taxes when you march into the store on October 28. Hey, look at it this way: at least you can keep refreshing Engadget on your old Storm to learn about the Droid while you're waiting in line for the Storm2, right?

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Filed under: Cellphones

Verizon launching Storm2 on October 28 for $179.99? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IREX 8.1-inch DR 800SG e-reader now listed at Best Buy for $449

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/irex-8-1-inch-dr-800sg-e-reader-now-listed-at-best-buy-for-449/

You know what happens when you realize your $399 price point can't compete with the International Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook at $259? You jack it up by $50 and hope people view it as an ultra-premium product, that's what. IREX's DR 800SG e-book reader, which admittedly comes with a salacious set of specs and features, has just landed on Best Buy's site as promised. The problem? It's $449, and not the $399 that we've been hearing for a little while now. 'Course, Best Buy has been known to inaccurately post MSRPs before the product actually hits the shelves (it's backordered for "one to two weeks" at the moment), so we suppose anything could happen. So, anyone snapping this up? Wait, who let the crickets out?

[Thanks, Tom]

Filed under: Displays, Handhelds

IREX 8.1-inch DR 800SG e-reader now listed at Best Buy for $449 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon rolls out HP Mini 311, Mini 110 netbooks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/verizon-rolls-out-hp-mini-311-mini-110-netbooks/

The cat may have gotten out of the bag ahead of the Windows 7 launch, but Verizon has just now gotten official with its latest subsidized netbook offerings, which include some unfortunately pricey 3G-equipped versions of HP's Mini 311 and Mini 110. As expected, the 311 is the first one out of the gate (available right now), and packs an 11.6-inch screen, an Atom N270 backed up by NVIDIA's ION chipset, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Windows 7 Home Premium and, last but not least, a price tag of $249.99 on contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. The Mini 110, on the other hand, kicks things back a whole generation to Windows XP and straight-up Intel internals, and will be available for $199.99 (on contract and after rebate again) sometime in mid-November -- in the meantime, you can still pick up the carrier's HP Mini 1151NR netbook while supplies last.

Filed under: Laptops

Verizon rolls out HP Mini 311, Mini 110 netbooks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid gets fully previewed, 'must-have' claims may not be far off

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/motorola-droid-gets-fully-previewed-must-have-claims-may-not/

Boy Genius Report has thrown up a full preview of the Motorola Droid -- or some prototype of it, anyhow -- and any way you slice it, it looks like Android fans, Verizon fans, phone fans, and red-blooded Americans alike should all be feeling pretty good that this thing is gonna kick some ass. As if feeling and looking like a rock-solid, metallic beast wasn't enough, Big Red's first Android outing is said to have killer battery life -- surprising, considering how mediocre the CLIQ's is -- and the seemingly flat keyboard apparently performs admirably, all things considered. Android 2.0 clips along at a nice pace thanks to an OMAP3 core, and obviously, there's not much to complain about visually when you're staring at a 3.7-inch capacitive display sporting roughly WVGA resolution. The icing on the cake, though, might be a magnetic sensor that detects an accessory dock that'll be sold at launch, turning the Droid into a desktop clock and weather station -- perfect for those rare moments when you're not out and about scaring little kids with the phone's robotic red eye. Needless to say, we're looking forward to the 28th.

Filed under: Cellphones

Motorola Droid gets fully previewed, 'must-have' claims may not be far off originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon's Droid is a series, not just a phone; Droid Eris coming from HTC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/verizons-droid-is-a-series-not-just-a-phone-droid-eris-coming/

We just got some wild information from a trusted source about Verizon's Android strategy, and let's just say this shakes things up a little bit. Here are the big takeaways:

Droid is the brand name being applied to Verizon's Android devices. It isn't a single phone.
The Sholes -- the phone we've been calling the Droid so far -- may simply be known as the Droid.
HTC's Desire will be coming to market as the "Droid Eris." (Allow us to save you the Wikipedia lookup -- Eris is the Greek goddess of strife.) Interestingly, it's already up on gdgt as such.
Droid Eris will be released -- not announced, actually released -- on November 6. In all likelihood, it will not be announced or shown at Verizon's October 28 event -- that will probably just be for the Sholes.

That's all we've got so far, but it's a heck of a change in plans, isn't it? It's interesting that Verizon will be applying a sub-brand to its Android line -- and a pretty solid sign that Big Red's got a serious commitment to the platform going forward.

Filed under: Cellphones

Verizon's Droid is a series, not just a phone; Droid Eris coming from HTC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaPad U150 is official in Japan, not very big

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/lenovo-ideapad-u150-is-official-in-japan-not-very-big/

Lenovo hasn't been driving quite as hard after the thin-and-light consumer game as some others (though that U350 is a sexy exception), but this upcoming ULV-powered, 11.6-inch IdeaPad U150 should put it right in the runnings. Unfortunately for us, Lenovo has only just announced the computer for Japan, with no word on when it might be coming Stateside. The specs are alright, with a brand new Intel Core 2 Duo SU4100 ULV processor, integrated graphics, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB HDD, multitouch trackpad and Windows 7. We still don't have a price to go on, but since the whole point of that new Intel proc is taking ULV chips to somewhere approaching Atom prices, we're hoping for good things.

[Via Netbooked]

Filed under: Laptops

Lenovo IdeaPad U150 is official in Japan, not very big originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone app developers needed for imm. client project with live video streaming - pls. DM me for more details @acfou

What Would Happen To Wallet Bulge If This All-In-One Credit Card Were Real? [Concept]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/sT5Igp-VrrA/what-would-happen-to-wallet-bulge-if-this-all+in+one-credit-card-were-real

Sure, some of that wallet bulge comes from old-fashioned cash, but let's face it, credit cards and receipts are the big contributors. With the One Card concept though, you'd have everything accessible by turning a nob on a single card.

Dreamed up by Kim Young Suk, the One Card is almost too great to ever actually become reality. It would come with a media card slot to add credit card information, a nob to select which card you want the magnetic strip to mimic, and a display which would show either the selected card or corresponding receipts.

Only trouble would be that you're kinda screwed if you manage to demagnetize the card somehow. [Yanko Design]

LG intros ultrathin Win7-powered X-Note T380

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/lg-intros-ultrathin-win7-powered-x-note-t380/

We're still struggling to figure out why every PC maker in the universe has decided to debut at least one or two new Windows 7 machines today, but while we spin our wheels in frustration, we'll point you in the direction of LG's latest. The X-Note T380 is a 13.3-inch ultraportable powered by a Core 2 Duo SU3700 and featuring 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a GMA 4500MHD graphics set, 500GB of hard drive space, 802.11a/g/n WiFi and Win7 Home Premium. In related news, the outfit also updated its X-Note P510 to include Microsoft's newest, shiniest operating system, though otherwise it's remaining exactly the same. Price and release for the little guy has yet to be determined, but judging by just how stoked that lady appears, we'd say it'll be worth whatever LG decides to charge.

Filed under: Laptops

LG intros ultrathin Win7-powered X-Note T380 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Adamo XPS opens up for Windows 7 festivities, but still not for sale

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/dell-adamo-xps-opens-up-for-windows-7-festivities-but-still-not/

So much for Business Week's "confirmed" October 22nd launch date from over the weekend, eh? We just spoke with Dell's PR who told us that the company has yet to confirm a launch date for its slender Adamo XPS, and still won't, except to say that it's not reaching the unwashed masses at any point today. That doesn't mean today was all bad for the vigilant in waiting, as we finally got our first public showing of the front of the laptop, proving once and for all that the most recent press photo isn't crooked. So there you have it, a chiclet keyboard and touchpad that likes to curl up close with the screen -- mystery's over, folks, now we play the waiting game.

Update: Laptop Mag notes a removable battery and what's likely to be an Intel ULV processor -- it's definitely not Atom.

Filed under: Laptops

Dell Adamo XPS opens up for Windows 7 festivities, but still not for sale originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epson adds tethering, remote shutter release to P-6000 and P-7000 photo viewers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/epson-adds-tethering-remote-shutter-release-to-p-6000-and-p-700/

Epson's P-6000 ($599.99) and P-7000 ($799.99) Multimedia Viewers were always a bit too rich for our blood, but those hemming and hawing might just have the final bit of motivation they need to pull the trigger. A forthcoming firmware update for the 80GB and 160GB (respectively) photo viewers brings along a hotly-anticipated new feature: tethering. Put simply, pro shooters (and novices, we guess) can now connect select Nikon and Canon DSLRs to their photo viewer via USB, and in real time shots will be simultaneously captured to the camera's memory card and the viewer's hard drive. Moreover, the update includes a remote shutter release function for added convenience, though we're sad to say that the retail pricing of these buggers hasn't budged. If you're a proud owner already, keep your eyes glued to Epson's support site -- the download should go live in "late-October."

[Via Slashgear]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Epson adds tethering, remote shutter release to P-6000 and P-7000 photo viewers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaf announces new Aptus-II 22 megapixel camera back

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/leaf-announces-new-aptus-ii-22-megapixel-camera-back/

Neither for the faint of heart nor the slight of credit, Leaf's newest -- the Aptus-II 5 digital back -- boasts a 0.9 fps capture rate, 22 megapixel sensor, 2.5-inch touchscreen display, a 12-stop dynamic range and a 25-400 ISO range. Sounds great, right? What if we told you it would run you €5,995 (about $9,000) for the back itself, or you could bundle it with the Phase One 645AF body and an 80mm lens for €7,995 (about $12,000)? Right, you'll take two. Pre-order now from your favorite Leaf Imaging retailer and you should get your new device in November. PR after the break.

[Via DP Review]

Continue reading Leaf announces new Aptus-II 22 megapixel camera back

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Leaf announces new Aptus-II 22 megapixel camera back originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple will officially support Windows 7 in Boot Camp before end of year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/apple-will-officially-support-windows-7-in-boot-camp-before-end/

Of course plenty of folks have Windows 7 running in Boot Camp just fine, but if you're one of those crazies that goes in for Apple's seal of approval you'll have to wait a little bit. The official support is coming "before the end of the year" to Snow Leopard and will obviously require an update to the Boot Camp software. Unfortunately, Apple's excluded a lot of its 2006 Intel-based computers from this forthcoming update, and we're getting the vibe that this is a Snow Leopard-only affair. Basically, par for the Apple course.

[Via Mac Rumors]

Filed under: Software

Apple will officially support Windows 7 in Boot Camp before end of year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon Kindle for PC available 'soonish'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/amazon-kindle-for-pc-available-soonish/

No, Amazon wasn't kidding when it said it would be moving the Kindle onto devices besides, well, the Kindle. Sure, the iPhone was a no-brainer (never mind the eye strain) but guess who's next? That's right -- your ever lovin' PC will be getting its own free reader app. How soon? You'll have to hit the read link and sign up as a beta tester to find out. Are you prepared to sync your digital e-book purchases to yet another device? View notes and highlights marked on your Kindle and Kindle DX? Zoom and pinch text and turn pages with the swipe of your finger (granted you are a Windows 7 touchscreen user)? Sure you are. Are you ready to skip the Kindle altogether and simply buy books on your lappie? Well, we're guessing that Amazon isn't too worried about that eventuality. That reminds us, we've been meaning to pick up a copy of Knife Music. We'll tell you if it lives up to the hype.

[Via CNET]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Amazon Kindle for PC available 'soonish' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid's website published a bit early, with specs galore (update: video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/motorola-droids-website-published-a-bit-early-with-specs-galor/

A 3.7-inch, 16:9 touch screen with 480 x 854 resolution. A 5 megapixel camera with 4x zoom, autofocus, and dual LED flash. A 1400 mAh Li-ion battery for up to 385 minutes of usage time and 270 hours standby. A 550MHz processor (marginally better). A pre-installed 16GB microSD card. GPS, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g WiFi, and a micro USB port. Six ounces of weight spread out over a 2.4 x 4.6 x 0.5-inch body. We know, you were wanting the Motorola Droid's price and release date, too, but that's the one detail not on this page, we're afraid.

Update: Guess Motorola realized the error of its ways, but not to fear, we've got the site and specs captured in the gallery below.

Update 2: Some kind soul inhabiting middle internet managed to snag video of the Droid in action. Check it after the break.

Gallery: Motorola Droid's website published a bit early, with specs galore

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Continue reading Motorola Droid's website published a bit early, with specs galore (update: video)

Filed under: Cellphones

Motorola Droid's website published a bit early, with specs galore (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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