Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Sony applies next-gen snowflake tech to boost VAIO W's appeal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/sony-applies-next-gen-snowflake-tech-to-boost-vaio-ws-appeal/

Sony applies next-gen snowflake tech to boost VAIO W's appeal
When Sony's VAIO W netbook was released, we said the company would "have to do better than put a pretty face on a vanilla set of innards to get our next five Benjamins." So what has the company done to raise the appeal of its little netbook? Boosted the processor? Added a big SSD? Lowered the price? Nah, it went ahead and painted some snowflakes on the lid. Pretty though they may be they still hide the same 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768 LCD, 1.6GHz Atom, and 1GB of RAM. There are some improvements: storage is upped a bit, a 250GB HDD instead of 160, and it now includes Windows 7 Starter instead of XP. And there are snowflakes. Still $499. Get yours before they melt!

[Via Sony Insider]

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Sony applies next-gen snowflake tech to boost VAIO W's appeal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Addonics Mini NAS: when RAID is too much to ask for

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/addonics-mini-nas-when-raid-is-too-much-to-ask-for/

If you're in the market for a single bay network drive, your options have certainly been piling up lately -- and now the kids at Addonics are premiering their aptly named Mini NAS. Billed as "the world's smallest," this guy is roughly the same size (and roughly as attractive) as a small hub, and it sports 10/100Mbps Ethernet, a 2.5-inch drive bay, a USB port for printer sharing, and support for SMB, Samba, and iTunes music sharing, FTP access (up to 8 simultaneous users), and a BitTorrent client. Yours now for $69. PR after the break.

Continue reading Addonics Mini NAS: when RAID is too much to ask for

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Addonics Mini NAS: when RAID is too much to ask for originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowers & Wilkins somehow makes PC speakers interesting with MM-1

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/bowers-and-wilkins-somehow-makes-pc-speakers-interesting-with-mm-1/

Outside of factory keyboards, there's hardly anything more boring than a set of PC speakers. They're typically unsightly, add to the rat's nest of wires behind your rig and force you into a life of dependency. And then there's Bowers & Wilkins, a company that excels at pumping out products with lust-worthy designs. Somehow or another, the outfit responsible for the dirigible-inspired iPod sound system has produced a set of standard computer speakers that are actually rather inspiring, as the Zeppelin MM-1 touts no extra subwoofer, a simple USB connection and an inbuilt headphone socket. There's nary a mention of price (trust us, it'll be up there), but we should hear more when they ship in January.

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Bowers & Wilkins somehow makes PC speakers interesting with MM-1 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon EOS 7D impressions for filmmaker wannabes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/canon-eos-7d-impressions-for-filmmaker-wannabes/

Chad Mumm is our video producer at Engadget, doing work on The Engadget Show and filming shorter-form stuff when we need it. He recently acquired the 7D for personal and work use, and we asked him to put together some thoughts on the camera in terms of using it primarily for video. You can check out our traditional review roundup for the 7D here.

These times are strange. Five years ago if you walked onto the set of a movie, TV show, or music video -- before you got kicked out by a strung out production assistant -- you'd have probably seen a bustling group of workers huddled around a giant camera changing out huge spools with Kodak or Fujifilm logos on them. The RED ONE camera shook up the industry when it was released two years ago and those cans of film were replaced with hard-drives and digital technicians. Now, we're in the midst of another monumental camera shift, and it's not the 3D revolution that everyone predicted. Nope, in 2009 we make our movies on DSLRs. Just how good are they? Well, the recently released Canon EOS 7D may just be the new Engadget workhorse. Read on for the inside scoop on our ridiculously cinematic new rig.

Continue reading Canon EOS 7D impressions for filmmaker wannabes

Canon EOS 7D impressions for filmmaker wannabes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PrimeDTV further saturates HD media streamer segment with PHD-HM5

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/17/primedtv-further-saturates-hd-media-streamer-segment-with-phd-hm/

Look, we're all for competition, but it's about time for some of these guys to stop copying and start innovating. As if your noggin' wasn't already spinning enough as you attempt to whittle down your laundry list of HD media streamers, in flies PrimeDTV with yet another hopeful. The PHD-HM5 looks to be fairly standard in terms of features, with HDMI / component outputs, a lengthy list of supported formats, an Ethernet socket and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. You won't find WiFi or any internal hard drive, and you'll have to live with the fact that this thing is akin to some lackluster AV component from the early 90s. Oh, and then there's the chore of actually finding one for sale (not to mention an MSRP), which should probably be just enough to push you towards Popcorn Hour.

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PrimeDTV further saturates HD media streamer segment with PHD-HM5 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadbury-Ferrero Is 'Credible Alternative' to Kraft, Nomura Says
Bloomberg
... maker of Rocher chocolate and Nutella spread, would boost Cadbury's presence in Germany, Italy and France, "where Cadbury's chocolate presence is ...
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We Like Chocolate and Beer. Cigarettes, Not That Much
BusinessWeek
Turns out candy is dandy, at least during recessions. Beer is pretty OK, too, but cigarettes are a vice that even smokers increasingly say they ain't worth ...
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Freeman of Speech: Farewell to Mayor Wonka and the Chocolate City
LSU The Reveille
... to see taxpayers' money going to something that will help New Orleans in its recovery efforts — namely, getting Mayor Wonka out of the Chocolate City. ...
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Seattle Post Intelligencer
Specialty foods avoid recession's bite
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Some things, such as high-end chocolate, are recession-proof. "I think it is sort of a comfort food, and on the scale of luxury items, it is on the lower ...
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Chocolate milk in school: a necessary evil?
Los Angeles Times
By John Keilman and Tara Malone Reporting from Chicago - The dairy industry recently rolled out an expensive media campaign in praise of chocolate milk, ...
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Chocolate decision 'common sense'
ABC Online
The Aboriginal Legal Service says it is a relief common sense has prevailed in the case of a 12-year-old boy charged with receiving a stolen chocolate. ...
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Palm Beach Post
Dark chocolate bliss: Take two candy bars and call me in the morning, cocoa ...
Palm Beach Post
by Stacey Singer When I'm stressed, I reach for chocolate, and new research suggests that might be a great idea. A study published last week in the Journal ...
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Digitaltrends.com
LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 Review
Digitaltrends.com
The LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 which we review has Dolby sound, one touch social media features and more. Hot on the heels of Motorola's Droid debut, ...
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Microsoft's Startup Whisperer enters

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies | my kitchen addiction
By Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction
You may remember that I mentioned the Chocolate Chunk Cookies from A Chica Bakes in my Friday Favorites a few weeks ago. The cookies were made with Scharffen Berger chocolate, and I was dying to give some a try. ...
my kitchen addiction - http://www.mykitchenaddiction.com/
Photos: The Brooklyn Chocolate Experiment | Own This City | Time ...
By Amy Plitt
Cocoa is king at the Brooklyn Chocolate Experiment.
Own This City - http://www3.timeoutny.com/newyork/tonyblog/
Plant Whatever Brings You Joy » Book Notes: Luscious Chocolate ...
By Kathryn
If there were ever an excuse needed to focus on chocolate the holidays do provide! This week I was nagged by a relentless urging to make brownies, knowing full well I did not have the optimal recipe. (Can someone please explain to me ...
Plant Whatever Brings You Joy - http://plantwhateverbringsyoujoy.com/
Boy, 12, locked up over chocolate | Stuff.co.nz
A 12-year-old Australian boy, who has faced a court over a stolen chocolate bar, has already spent hours imprisoned over the alleged crime.
Stuff.co.nz - Editors' Picks - http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/2284132/font-color-cc0000-Aussie-view-font-color-Manly-crumble-at-Brookvale
Chocolate Chip Cookie Championship: The Midtown (Ish) Edition ...
By Carey Jones
"The people have spoken. And City Bakery is no longer their cookie of choice." [Photos: Robyn Lee and Sophie Finkelstein] Moving Onto The Next Round: Max Brenner Pret a Manger (yes, really) The Uptown Edition >> The Mission >> Last...
Serious Eats: New York - http://newyork.seriouseats.com/


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Monday, November 16, 2009

Menq's $80 EasyPC E790 netbook runs Windows CE now, should run Android later (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/15/menqs-80-easypc-e790-netbook-runs-windows-ce-now-should-run-a/

Don't be fooled by that background: this Menq EasyPC E790 is only using Windows CE 5.0 for the sake of this hands-on. The successor to the $89 E760 we saw last year still sports a Samsung ARM processor, bumps the 7-inch display's resolution to 800 x 480, and at least as far as this Techvideoblog video hands-on shows, can do a decent (albeit not great) job of handling DivX files, Skype, and browsing. There's a promise from the manufacturer that Android is coming sometime in the next month, but honestly, given what we've seen before, we'd be happy to stick with Windows CE. Of course, the big selling point here is the price, and that claimed $80 is quite the looker. Video after the break.

[Via SlashGear and Linux for Devices]

Read - Hands-on
Read - Product page

Continue reading Menq's $80 EasyPC E790 netbook runs Windows CE now, should run Android later (video)

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Menq's $80 EasyPC E790 netbook runs Windows CE now, should run Android later (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung unveils Android-equipped Galaxy Spica i5700

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/15/samsung-unveils-android-equipped-galaxy-spica-i5700/

The long-rumored little brother to the Galaxy, the i5700, has finally been made official by Samsung -- and sure enough, it'll go by the trade name "Galaxy Spica." Sammy's latest Android-powered set clocks in at 13.2mm thick and comes equipped with a 3.5mm jack (which, frankly, every smartphone in the world should be including at this point), an 800MHz core (presumably the same as the Moment's), and an Android first: built-in DivX support. This one appears to be a no-frills Google Experience device considering the number of times that "Google" is mentioned in Samsung's press release, but for some Android connoisseurs, the purest, unskinned look and feel is preferred. Sammy says it's already out in Europe and the CIS and will be coming to the Middle East and Asia shortly.

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Samsung unveils Android-equipped Galaxy Spica i5700 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio stuffs backlit CMOS sensors in Exilim EX-FC150 and EX-FH25 superzoom

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/casio-stuffs-backlit-cmos-sensors-in-exilim-ex-fc150-and-ex-fh25/

Casio's usual Exilim fare might struggle to engender a second look from the weary-eyed camera cognoscenti, but a few of the company's models do feature an attention-grabbing 1,000fps shooting mode (albeit at a relatively useless 224 x 64 resolution). A pair of those speedy shooters, the EX-FC100 and EX-FH20, have today been ever so gently upgraded with a set of new name badges and mildly improved performance. The EX-FC150 ups the pixel count to ten million while adding a backlit CMOS sensor, but retains the 5x optical zoom, sensor-shift image stabilization, and general performance of the previous generation. The EX-FH25 20x superzoomer (pictured above) has a similar (if not identical) ten megapixel CMOS sensor, which upgrades the camera's 40fps burst mode from seven to nine megapixel stills, and retains the 720p video recording at 30fps, something the FC150 can also boast. Both are coming out on November 27, though prices have yet to be announced. Hit the read link for the full dish.

[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]

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Casio stuffs backlit CMOS sensors in Exilim EX-FC150 and EX-FH25 superzoom originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnLive demonstrates iPhone app, set to redefine mobile gaming?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/onlive-demonstrates-iphone-app-set-to-redefine-mobile-gaming/

OnLive demonstrates iPhone app, set to redefine mobile gaming?
Okay, we admit to still being a little bit unsure about OnLive's pledges for high-end, high-resolution, lag-free gaming on any 'ol device with bandwidth, but we want to believe, and so it's with skeptical optimism that we report on news of mobile implementations. The company has demonstrated an iPhone app in which users are able to play against gamers on a PC or on the company's MicroConsole -- despite not having a single button to press. It's interesting stuff but, according to OnLive's CEO Steve Perlman, it'll be awhile before we see this in the wild, as plans for initial mobile apps will be limited to checking game stats and watching live gameplay. However, we presume it'll be a small step from there to flip the switch and two-way communications, meaning that perhaps by the time Modern Warfare 3 hits the wires you can keep gaming even while you're commuting.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

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OnLive demonstrates iPhone app, set to redefine mobile gaming? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E72 in stores now, somewhere

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/nokia-e72-in-stores-now-somewhere/

Amazon's US pre-order site hasn't heard the news yet nor has Nokia USA's on-line store. Nevertheless, Nokia assures us that the E72 is "in stores now" and should cost €350 (as announced) before taxes and carrier subsidies are applied. Remember, this S60-powered followup to the much loved E71 sports a new 5 megapixel autofocus camera, 3.5-mm headphone jack, microSD slot (4GB included in the box), A-GPS and integrated compass, 10.2Mbps HSDPA, and new optical navigation pad right where a thumb would like it. The E72 also packs the latest version of Ovi Maps and Nokia Messaging with homescreen access to your IM accounts. Now scram buster and let us know if your pre-orders have been filled -- this baby's not going to unbox itself.

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Nokia E72 in stores now, somewhere originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaPad shown to possess Pineview CPU by FCC photo shoot

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/lenovo-ideapad-shown-to-possess-pineview-cpu-by-fcc-photo-shoot/

Remember that Pine Trail fast-tracking we were talking about? Yeah, it's for real. Intel's latest submission to the FCC reveals details of a new member of Lenovo's IdeaPad netbook range, and is the first confirmed sighting of the Pineview processor every netbook diehard has been waiting for. The documentation suggests an S10-3 moniker for the new 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 machine, which is likely to pair up that Atom N450 with 2GB of RAM and 250GB of storage. Click past the break to see the sticker with all the specs on it, and do make your voices heard in the comments below regarding that buttonless touchpad -- a Synaptics ClickPad, perchance?

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad shown to possess Pineview CPU by FCC photo shoot

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Lenovo IdeaPad shown to possess Pineview CPU by FCC photo shoot originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 quick hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/nokia-n900-quick-hands-on/

We've finally had a chance to play around at length with a very late pre-production version of Nokia's N900 (retail units are already shipping, but not to our neck of the woods just yet) and we wanted to scribble out a few notes for you before taking delivery of a final build for a full review hopefully in the next week or two. Here are some highlights we've noticed so far:
  • Processor, processor, processor. Oh, and did we mention the processor? The N900's Cortex A8-based core yields significant improvements in day-to-day usability over the N810's ARM11 unit.
  • Though it's still quite raw and feature-incomplete, Maemo 5 is by far the most user-friendly version of the platform to date, if for no other reason than the fact that it's very pretty. Screen transitions are smooth and look great, the home screen is as attractive and versatile as any widget-based home screen on the market today, and the Expose-style task switcher is a welcome addition.
  • The N900 may very well offer the best browsing experience of any smartphone on the market today (yes, including the iPhone). What little ground it gives up in user friendliness is more than countered by the fact that you have the closest thing you can get to a desktop-class browser in a device of this size and form factor; it's straight-up Mozilla, after all, and everything renders faithfully. Flash doesn't blaze, but at least the Cortex A8 makes it usable.
Follow the break for more impressions and a quick rundown on video!

Continue reading Nokia N900 quick hands-on

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Nokia N900 quick hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT convertible hits Australia, gets specs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/acer-aspire-timeline-1820pt-convertible-hits-australia-gets-spe/

Acer's Aspire Timeline 1820PT lit up our radar today after going official in Italy and arriving unheralded on the company's Australian site. Yet another 11.6-inch convertible notebook, this guy ships with Windows 7 Home Premium and features both multitouch display and touchpad, up to 1366 x 768 display resolution, an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 (1.2GHz) processor, GMA X4500MHD, up to 8GB RAM and 320GB storage, 3G, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. In addition to all that, this bad boy sports the usual ins 'n outs, including HDMI and a card reader, and boasts an eight hour battery life. Sounds like the company's 1820P, eh? We thought so too. No word yet on price or stateside availability, but you can get a closer look in the gallery below, and be sure to peep the specs after the break.

[Via Netbooked]

Continue reading Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT convertible hits Australia, gets specs

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Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT convertible hits Australia, gets specs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T adds Samsung Go to netbook lineup, dumbs it down with Windows 7 Starter

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/16/atandt-adds-samsung-go-to-netbook-lineup-dumbs-it-down-with-windo/

AT&T just added a pair of Windows 7 Starter netbooks to its stable, and while we've got nothing against the Samsung Go and the Acer Aspire One, we just can't help but feel preloading 7 Starter makes the already-dubious subsidized netbook value proposition even worse. Let's break it down: both the Go and the Aspire One will set you back $199 upfront (well, after mail-in rebate), and then you're on the hook for two-year data contract, which will cost you either $35 a month for a 200MB cap or $60 a month for a 5GB cap. Now, $35 a month for 200MB of data is basically worthless for a netbook -- that's what, a half-day of watching YouTube? -- so assuming you do what most people do and buy the $60 plan, you're out at least $1,639 over two years for last-gen netbook hardware running a gimped OS that doesn't even let you change the desktop wallpaper. Not exactly a screaming deal. We'd say you're much better off finding a netbook with XP on sale and just getting a regular free-on-contract USB data card, which you'll be able to use on multiple machines -- or, if you absolutely must have Windows 7, holding out for the coming flood of Pine Trail netbooks at CES, which we're hoping will come preloaded with 7 Home Premium.

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AT&T adds Samsung Go to netbook lineup, dumbs it down with Windows 7 Starter originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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