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Monday, February 15, 2010

iPhone 3GS pitted against Nexus One in 3D frame rate test (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/iphone-3gs-pitted-against-nexus-one-in-3d-frame-rate-test-video/

We'd already seen first hand what kind of GPU improvements Apple made with the iPhone 3GS (in comparison to the iPhone 3G, anyway), but if you've ever wondered how Cupertino's latest stacked up against Google's Nexus One in the graphical department, your answer is just a click away. The technical gurus over at Distinctive Developments set out to determine which handset was capable of pushing more frames per second when really taxed, and through a series of pinpoint tests, they discovered that the Nexus One (in general) lagged behind. The reason? Reportedly, Google's phone isn't using Neon floating-point optimization, but if it did, the scores you'll see just past the break could be quite different. Hey Mountain View, you getting all this?

Continue reading iPhone 3GS pitted against Nexus One in 3D frame rate test (video)

iPhone 3GS pitted against Nexus One in 3D frame rate test (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlingPlayer Mobile v1.2 enables 3G streaming on the iPhone, now ready for download

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/slingplayer-mobile-v1-2-enables-3g-streaming-on-the-iphone-now/

We knew this was coming, and sure enough, Sling hasn't kept us waiting for long. Our beloved readers have inundated our tip jar with the news that the 3G-enabled flavor of SlingPlayer Mobile is now live on the App Store, and from what we're hearing works very well. The placeshifting app will set you back just under $30, but will allow you to finally take your cable, satellite or PVR content on the move with you. We say finally, 3G streaming has been available on other phones for a while now, but good to see AT&T and company see sense and enable the goodness for the iPhone. Get downloading and commenting -- how does it compare to sliced bread?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

SlingPlayer Mobile v1.2 enables 3G streaming on the iPhone, now ready for download originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Beam (Halo) Android projector phone hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/samsung-beam-halo-hands-on/

Well here it is, Samsung's pico projector phone live and in the flesh here at Mobile World Congress. And surprise surprise it's running Android 2.1 with a TouchWiz 3.0 skin just as we heard. The only difference is the name: Halo is the codename, the official product name announced today is Beam. As a smartphone with integrated pico projector it's very impressive. However, as you can see from the pictures and video (it's coming), the 6 lumen brightness struggles even under the semi-controlled lighting demonstration set up here on the show floor in Barcelona. Samsung tells us that the TouchWiz implementation is nearly identical to what you'll find on Bada with "very small" differences. Unfortunately, the people we spoke with on the show floor weren't able to articulate exactly what those were. To us, having only used the two devices for a short period of time, they do look identical. Beam features a nice pass through trick that allows it to project the image seen by the 5 megapixel camera through the TI pico. Not sure how we'd use that in real life but it's a neat trick nonetheless. Now click into the gallery and prepare to be amazed at just how thin a smartphone with integrated projector can be while we wait for the summer launch.

Update: Video is now after the break.

Gallery: Samsung Beam hands-on

Continue reading Samsung Beam (Halo) Android projector phone hands-on

Samsung Beam (Halo) Android projector phone hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twenty-four telecom operators unite to form Wholesale Applications Community

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/twenty-four-telecom-operators-unite-to-form-wholesale-applicatio/

Big doings over in Barcelona today. Twenty-four telecom operators, with the support of the GSMA and three major hardware manufacturers, have formally announced they will come together to form the Wholesale Applications Community. Essentially, the goal of the alliance will be to create a viable, cohesive and open industry platform for mobile app developers. Members of the Community will include AT&T, China Mobile, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, TeliaSonera, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone among others, and they'll be supported in their endeavors by LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. The total customers of the group is about 3 billion, giving WAC (our name) some considerable -- albeit theoretical for the moment -- power. The group plans to work on coming up with a standard for working across platforms over the next twelve months. WAC's website just went live a bit ago -- there's a link to it below -- and the full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Twenty-four telecom operators unite to form Wholesale Applications Community

Twenty-four telecom operators unite to form Wholesale Applications Community originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/meego-nokia-and-intel-merge-maemo-and-moblin/

Well this one is a... doozy? Today Nokia announced a rather bizarre partnership with Intel. Namely, the two companies are merging their odd, half-finished, Linux-based OSs into one crazy little package called... MeeGo. No, really. Intel is mixing its peanut butter Moblin with Nokia's chocolatey Maemo to create a "software platform that will support multiple hardware architectures across the broadest range of device segments, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems." That broad enough for you? According to the company's press release, the new platform will begin baring fruit (AKA devices) later this year, though the specific types of devices weren't touched upon. Nokia's CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo claims that the union will "create an ecosystem that is second to none" through openness, though at this point it's largely bluster. Why the two monoliths have decided to pair up on these decidedly niche platforms rather than focusing energies on their front and center products is anyone's guess, but luckily you can attempt to decipher more detail in the PR, included for your convenience after the break!

Continue reading MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin

MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bug Labs intros BUG 2.0 platform with faster processor, Android support

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/bug-labs-intros-bug-2-0-platform-with-faster-processor-android/

Tired of your BUGBase lagging out while you're trying to set up that crazy homebrew alarm system? Hope is on the way in the form of BUG 2.0, Bug Labs' next-gen development platform that moves up to a Cortex A8-based OMAP3 core from the original BUGBase's ARM11. The processor bump isn't the only change, though: they're announcing full support for running BeagleBoard apps and -- get this -- Android. That means that you won't necessarily need to be locked into Bug's own development environment for doing your thing, and obviously, folks already familiar with Android development should have a much easier time making the transition. Even better, the base maintains backward compatibility with existing BUGmodules, so most of your current investment won't be for naught -- save the old base, of course. Price and availability are yet to be announced.

Continue reading Bug Labs intros BUG 2.0 platform with faster processor, Android support

Bug Labs intros BUG 2.0 platform with faster processor, Android support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Liquid e rolls with Android 2.1, underclocked 768MHz Snapdragon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/acer-liquid-e-rolls-with-with-android-2-1-underclocked-768mhz-s/

We knew good and well Acer was prepared to ship a few more Android phones in the new decade, and it's sure starting off on the right foot here in Barcelona. Just a few months after the original Liquid began to ship, along comes a minor upgrade in the Liquid e. The main improvements? For starters, Android 2.1 has supplanted Android 1.6 as the onboard operating system, but much to our displeasure, the Snapdragon in this bad boy is still underclocked to 768MHz. If you still have the will to care, you'll get to enjoy the 3.5-inch WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera (with AutoFocus), inbuilt GPS, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, 256MB of RAM, an accelerometer, 3.5mm headphone jack and support for 7.2Mbps HSDPA. Head on past the break for the full release, but don't expect to find any pricing or release details.

Continue reading Acer Liquid e rolls with Android 2.1, underclocked 768MHz Snapdragon

Acer Liquid e rolls with Android 2.1, underclocked 768MHz Snapdragon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ST-Ericsson's U8500 brings dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 to the Android world

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/st-ericssons-u8500-brings-dual-core-1-2ghz-arm-cortex-a9-to-the/

Can't get enough of hearing about implementations of ARM's Cortex-A9 MPCore processors? Good. ST-Ericsson's powerhouse U8500 system-on-chip has come a major step closer to appearing in mainstream devices with today's newly announced support for the Android operating system. Having optimized the OS to take advantage of Symmetric Multi Processing -- a method for extending battery life by sharing the load between the two processing cores and underclocking when necessary -- the partner company is now ready to start dropping these 1.2GHz dual-core beasts inside the next generation of smartphones. The claim is that you'll get all that additional power while sacrificing nothing, as devices based on the U8500 would maintain "the cost and power consumption characteristics of a traditional feature phone." We're promised built-in HDMI-out support, 1080p video recording, and 120 hours of audio playback or 12 hours of Full HD video off a 1,000mAh battery -- pledges we'd very much like to see fulfilled.

ST-Ericsson's U8500 brings dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 to the Android world originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro: Ultra-Thin HD Recording, Physical Keyboard Join Vivaz Line [Vivaz Pro]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fCPwbqn6G6M/sony-ericsson-vivaz-pro-ultra+thin-hd-recording-physical-keyboard-join-vivaz-line

Fresh from the Mobile World Congress, here's the latest on Sony Ericsson's brand new Vivaz Pro, including white hot rear shots!

The phone is an update on the Vivaz line, adding a QWERTY slide-out keypad, 720p video recording, and a 720Mhz processor. The 3.2-inch screen has touch, and the aforementioned video-capable cam boasts 8.2 megapixels.

SE says the phone, even with the keyboard, is "ultra-thin," with dimensions that are "almost" as thin as the original Vivaz handset. SE claims there's only 2mm's difference between the two.

Release date is a tentative Q2 2010. [SEMCBlog, Infosynch World]

Full release below:

Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro, announced today, adds a QWERTY keyboard to the touch screen offering, delivering a user experience optimised for messaging and entertainment. The full QWERTY keyboard allows consumers to communicate quickly and efficiently via email, SMS or social networking updates.

Just like flagship phone Sony Ericsson Vivaz™, announced in January, Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro allows consumers to produce and broadcast their best experiences in HD video. The open platform also allows users to personalise their entertainment experience by downloading great applications through PlayNow™ and the Symbian Developer Community.

"Having announced Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ in January we are now adding a sister phone that includes a QWERTY keyboard along with the touch screen for a superior messaging and entertainment experience," said Daniel Sandblom Marketing Business Manager, Sony Ericsson. "Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro meets the increased consumer demand for QWERTY devices without compromising on any entertainment features."

Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro features the new design philosophy 'human curvature', which will become a consistent feature of the Sony Ericsson portfolio going forward. Designed to mirror the shape of the human body, and at the same time delivering a precise and compelling way of interacting with the phone, Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro is instantly recognisable.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro
>> Full slide-out keyboard for faster typing
>> Stay in touch through email, Twitter™, Facebook™, blogging and chat
>> View everything on the 3.2" 16:9 wide touchscreen
>> Capture the action in HD resolution – upload to YouTube via Wi-Fi™
>> PlayNow – immediate online access to applications, games and music.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro supports UMTS HSPA 900/2100 and GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100 and GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colours Black and White.

Sony Ericsson is also unveiling the Hi-Fi Stereo Headset MH710. Enjoy best-in-class clear audio while on the move and handle music and calls with just one touch.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro

Camera
5.1 megapixel camera
4x digital zoom
Auto focus (photos)
Continuous auto focus (video)
Face detection (photos)
Geo tagging
Image stabiliser
Photo light
Send to web
Smile detection
Touch capture
Video light
Video recording (720p HD recording)

Music
Album art
Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
Media player
Music player
Music tones (MP3/AAC)
PlayNow™
TrackID™

Web
Bookmarks
Google™ search (from standby)
Web feeds
WebKit web browser

Voice
Speakerphone
Vibrating alert
Video calling (main camera)

Messaging
Conversations
Email
Handwriting recognition
Instant messaging
Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync®
Picture messaging (MMS)
Predictive text input
Sound recorder
Text messaging (SMS)

Design
Auto rotate
Full slide-out keyboard
Picture wallpaper
Symbian OS™
Touchscreen

Entertainment
3D games
Facebook™ application
FM radio
Java
Twitter™ application
Video streaming
Video viewing
YouTube™

Organiser
Alarm clock
Calculator
Calendar
Document readers
Flight mode
Notes
Phone book

Location-based services
A-GPS
Google Maps™
Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation

Connectivity
3.5 mm audio jack
Bluetooth™ technology
DLNA Certified™ (photos and audio)
Micro USB connector
Modem
PictBridge printing
Synchronisation
TV out (VGA resolution)
USB mass storage
USB support
Wi-Fi™

Preloaded applications
Facebook™ – social networking
Google Maps™ – navigation
QuickOffice – Microsoft® Office viewer (trial version)
PDF Viewer (trial version)
Road Sync – synchronisation
SMS Preview – messaging app
Twitter – social networking
YouTube™ – video sharing
Wisepilot™ – navigation
World Mate – clock and weather app
Quadrapop
Rally Master Pro

Screen
>> 16:9 nHD touchscreen (TFT)
>> 16,777,216 colour
>> 3.2 inches
>> 360 x 640 pixels
>> Scratch-resistant

Accessories
In-Box:
>> Sony Ericsson Vivaz™ pro
>> Battery
>> stereo portable handsfree
>> 8 GB microSD™ card
>> micro USB cable for charging and file transfer

Optional:
>> Hi-Fi Wireless Headset with FM Radio MW600
>> Hi-Fi Stereo Headset MH710

Facts 1)2)
Size: 109 x 52 x 15 mm
Weight: 117 grams

Phone memory: Up to 75 MB
Memory card support: SanDisk microSD™, up to 16 GB

Memory card included: 8 GB microSD™ card

Operating system: Symbian™ S60 5th edition
Processor: 720 MHz

Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 12 hrs 30 min
Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 430 hrs

Talk time UMTS: Up to 5 hrs 10 min
Standby time UMTS: Up to 440 hrs

Video call time: Up to 2 hrs 30 min

Availability and versions
Networks
UMTS HSPA 900/2100
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100
GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
Available in selected markets from Q2 2010

Colour
>> Black
>> White

Hubless Zigzain Bicycle Concept Powered by Simple Driveshaft [Bicycles]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ro9PSkbaNVo/hubless-zigzain-bicycle-concept-powered-by-simple-driveshaft

Would a drive shaft work in a bicycle? Possibly, and here's a BMX bike concept that takes the design and runs with it, sans hubs!

The hubless wheels are a cool touch, I'll admit, but I have my doubts about whether the tiny driveshaft will replace today's venerable chain configuration.

Whatever the case may be, you're going to have a hard time convincing me the BMX riders of the future will be using this design to shred the pipe at the Mountain Dew extreme to the MAXX 2020 X-Games. [Falling Pixel via Design Blog]

MIT Wireless Power Discovery Proves Two Is Better Than One [Wireless Power]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nWBX3OMPWoQ/mit-wireless-power-discovery-proves-two-is-better-than-one

Wireless power? Nothing new. It's been around for at least 100 years, although only recently has it reached the point where a completely wireless future was believed possible. Now, an update of sorts from MIT WiTricity means it's even closer.

Previously, an MIT WiTricity team, led by physicist Marin Soljacic, powered a 60-watt light bulb from across the room using a magnetic coil. That was 2007.

Today, that MIT team has shown it is possible to power two devices, wirelessly, when the are placed on either side of a single 1-sq. meter coil. The effective distance from coil to device was anywhere between 1.6 to 2.7 meters. Cooler still, the researchers discovered that by using two devices the power transfer was 10% more effective than using just one. Additionally, the researchers' models suggest that the efficiency would increase even more should they try and introduce more devices into the mix. The New Scientist article detailing the technology says this occurs because "more of the broadcasting coil's field falls on receptive receivers."

The end game is a wall or ceiling-mounted coil that would wirelessly power an entire room of gadgets. One remaining issue is distance: When the devices are moved outside the 1-2 meter range, the signal deteriorates rapidly, as would be expected. Fortunately for wireless power buffs, MIT is working on a specialized antenna to counter the weakening signal.

Note: Image is Intel's similar wireless tech. [New Scientist]

Intel's 'Huron River' 32nm laptop platform to pack WiMAX in 2011

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/intels-huron-river-32nm-laptop-platform-to-pack-wimax-in-2011/

It's not easy to be a buyer of computers with all these technology roadmaps flying about, but in case you're brave enough to peer into the future, Fudzilla has word on Intel's upcoming laptop chips. The "Huron River" platform will replace Calpella (the current crop of mobile chipsets), and continue Intel's fine work with WiMAX and WiFi integration, in addition to new Intel Bluetooth connectivity and that crowd-favored Intel Wireless Display. The platform will be powered by the new Sandy Bridge 32nm processor, a followup to Nehalem's Core i Series of chips. We should be seeing this in Q1 2011, which will probably be minutes after Apple finally decides to upgrade to Core i7.

Intel's 'Huron River' 32nm laptop platform to pack WiMAX in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TED Talks mischief: lasers killing mosquitoes by the hundreds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/ted-talks-mischief-lasers-killing-mosquitoes-by-the-hundreds/

Malaria is a huge problem worldwide, so it's no surprise to anyone that plenty of people spend lots of time trying to think of ways to rid the world of mosquitoes, prime movers of the disease. Nathan Myhrvold's company Intellectual Ventures Labs (and former chief technology officer at Microsoft) is focusing on just that. Using widely available and common electronics parts, Intellectual Ventures has made lasers which can kill mosquitoes mid-flight -- at a rate of about 50 to 100 per second. Myhrvold first publicly demonstrated this laser (which is made of parts of printers, digital cameras, and projectors) at the TED conference the other day, using hundreds of mosquitoes in a clear glass case to make his point. The laser's software determines the size and shape of the target before deciding whether or not to shoot, so, for instance -- it wouldn't take aim at a person or a bumblebee. The lasers could be used to protect hospitals and clinics in areas with high mosquito populations and in areas with a high rate of malaria infestation. Now, this is surprisingly not the first time we've seen such a trick -- though it is the first time we've seen video evidence of it working. There are some insanely informative (and murderous) videos at the source link. Be sure to check them out.

Update: Video is after the break.

Continue reading TED Talks mischief: lasers killing mosquitoes by the hundreds

TED Talks mischief: lasers killing mosquitoes by the hundreds originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's 15-inch OLED TV on track for mid-year US release

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/lgs-15-inch-oled-tv-on-track-for-mid-year-us-release/

It's a little sad when the world's largest production OLED television measures just 15-inches diagonally but that's the unfortunate state of the panel business at the moment. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of fans (including us) waiting for LG's EL9500 OLED television to ship outside of South Korea. According to OLED-Display, LG hopes to bring the flat-panel wonder to the US sometime in the middle of 2010. Of course, it'll still cost somewhere around $2,500 by the time it lands but hey, at least you'll have the option for local retail and support.

LG's 15-inch OLED TV on track for mid-year US release originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Ericsson launches Vivaz pro, now with more QWERTY

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/sony-ericsson-launches-vivaz-pro-now-with-more-qwerty/

Loved Sony Ericsson's Vivaz but not the ~~awkward name~~ form factor? No biggie, as SE's seen fit to launch a "pro" version of the set replete with QWERTY slide out keypad today at Mobile World Congress. The handset's other specs pretty much line up with what we saw launched in January: very usable 720p video capture, a 640 x 360 wide HVGA touchscreen display, S60 5th Edition (so says the press release, though an SE-tweaked Symbian^2 or Symbian^3 seems more likely), mountains of connectivity options, apps, gee-whiz camera functions, and will ship in both North American and global 3G variants with quad-band EDGE. Digging through the specs, we're a little concerned that somehow the Vivaz pro's megapixelry has slipped from a decidedly more pro-ish 8.1 in the original Vivaz to 5.1 in this venture -- so we're guessing the form factor has something to do with it. Of course there's no firm shipping date, but look for it in white or black sometime in the second quarter of this year.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson launches Vivaz pro, now with more QWERTY

Sony Ericsson launches Vivaz pro, now with more QWERTY originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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