Dealzmodo: T-Mobile's Samsung Vibrant For 1 Cent [Dealzmodo]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5617051/dealzmodo-t+mobiles-samsung-vibrant-for-1-cent

I'm sorry. If you jumped on the $100 T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant deal yesterday, you might want to look into canceling. Amazon is offering the same phone today for a penny. [Amazon via TechDealDigger]

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Nikon Coolpix S1100pj and S5100 hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/nikon-coolpix-s1100pj-and-s5100-hands-on/

Nikon's new projector-equipped camera has broken cover today and we've naturally had a little play around with it. Regrettably, the Japanese DSLR dominator had pretty early firmware on board and refused to let us take any sample pictures or video, but we were able to compile a few impressions anyhow. Firstly, as to the S1100pj's body, it's your typical compact affair -- feeling sturdy and light, it's basically fit for its intended purpose, but no more or less than that. We found accessing the compartment for the battery and memory card a pain, as it doesn't auto-lock when you close it, requiring an unnecessary bit of finger adroitness, and removing and replacing batteries can also be a fiddly affair. There's not much good to say about the built-in "tilt stand" at the bottom, either -- it only alters the angle of projection slightly and feels too plasticky -- but at least it gives you an extra option.

On the plus side of things, the battery is a generous 1,050 mAh unit, and there's a pleasingly instant access scheme for the camera's most regularly used functions. Video recording has a dedicated button, as does switching to projector mode. Both seem to work quite well too, with the 720p video looking smooth and buttery, but then on-camera playback can be deceiving. We got to check out those 14 lumens of projection power in a dimly lit room, and came away with a pair of impressions. Firstly, you should be able to squeeze out a decent-ish 40-inch image out of this shooter if you set the right mood with your lighting, and secondly, focusing is a relative cinch with the included controls on top. All in all, given that it's intended as a quickie display station at parties, we think the S1100pj does what it promises. We rarely praise compact camera software here, but we'd be remiss not to note the saturation adjustment tool on this touchscreen shooter. It was a particular highlight for us and something we could definitely see ourselves getting creative with.

We also spent some time with the S5100, which surprised us with its quick autofocus and generally snappy execution of instructions. Its 720p movie mode also looked competent, but bear in mind that it doesn't allow you to zoom while recording video. Ah well, such is the fate of budget shooters, we suppose. Hit up the galleries for the hands-on imagery.

Gallery: Nikon Coolpix S1100pj hands-on

Gallery: Nikon Coolpix S5100 hands-on

Nikon Coolpix S1100pj and S5100 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Droid Pro is the global version of the Droid 2, LG enV Touch 2 will be Android-powered

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/exclusive-droid-pro-is-the-global-version-of-the-droid-2-lg-en/

We've learned from a source close to the situation that the rumored global version of the Droid 2 with GSM and CDMA radios is actually the same phone as the also-rumored Droid Pro -- although Verizon apparently has a tendency to fiddle with branding right up until the last minute, so the retail name could still change. It's identical to the current Droid 2 in every way except for the fact that it houses a GSM / HSPA radio for global roaming, though we're not able to confirm previous rumors that it'll be available in a white version; presumably, you'll pay a bit more than the Droid 2's $200 on contract for the privilege of being able to take your buddy overseas. Barring any last-minute delays, we should see it launch within weeks.

If you're sick and tired of Motorolas, let's switch gears a bit and talk about the follow-up to LG's enV Touch. Interestingly, LG will be switching from a proprietary featurephone platform to Android for this one -- called the enV Touch 2 -- and will give it dual touchscreens: one on the outside, and another on the inside for when you flip open the clamshell. As you might expect for an enV-branded device, there's also a full QWERTY keyboard. It's currently running Android 2.1, though it's not clear whether that'll be upgraded to 2.2 by the time we see a release toward the holidays. It's said to be pretty big and heavy, which could be a disadvantage for some -- but on the flipside, it's apparently a global device, so that's a plus. enVs historically haven't been the most exciting things in Verizon's stable, but we'll admit, we're curious to see this one get fleshed out.

Exclusive: Droid Pro is the global version of the Droid 2, LG enV Touch 2 will be Android-powered originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When NOT to use Groupon (as an advertiser) - http://bit.ly/98xbKV

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31-Inch OLED TV Will Be Shown Off by LG [Oled]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5616825/31-oled-tv-will-be-shown-off-by-lg

Not content with having the largest production OLED model on the market today (pictured), LG is doubling its size in time for the IFA electronics show next month, where it'll show off a 31-inch panel.

A couple of years ago, Samsung showed off a 31-inch OLED at CES, which was just 4.3mm thick and could output 1080p. However, it never made it to the sale yards—so their South Korean rival is certainly in with a chance. [Electronista]

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I Want To Teach in a School of the Future With Sharp's 60-inch LCD Blackboard [Blackboards]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5616868/sharps-60-lcd-blackboard-makes-me-want-to-teach-in-a-school-of-the-future

Sharp's 60" PN-L601B Blackboard, announced today in Japan, ditches the SMART Board's projector in lieu of a 1,920×1,080, LED-backlit LCD display. It's almost awesome enough to make me want to draw sentence diagrams for Catcher In the Rye.

Teaching once seemed like a potentially-noble, probably-miserable future profession, before the allure of high tech blog world drew me in. But Sharp's new LCD Blackboard, a step beyond the SMART Boards of yesteryear, soups up the classroom enough to make me feel a faint yearning to instruct.

The PN-L601B, which will go on sale in Japan at the end of the month for $11,700, lets educators or businesspeople or whoever else write on top of scanned images with highly accurate handwriting recognition. All of the work done on the display, which can be erased at any time, is recorded on a PC via USB, so your classroom's painstaking diagramming and doodling will be preserved for posterity. [Crunchgear]

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LG talks up Optimus smartphone line: 10 devices by year end, NVIDIA's Tegra for high-end model, tablet will be 'productive'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/lg-talks-up-optimus-smartphone-line-10-devices-by-year-end-nvi/

LG's Ally might be scratching at the boring end of the Android landscape right now, but LG certainly isn't stopping with one smartphone on the market in 2010. LG stated on Wednesday that it's pouring some mega cash on R&D and marketing to play catch up, and it plans to release a whopping 10 smartphones by the end of the year, projecting sales of 5 million units in that time. The low-end Optimus One kicks things off in September with a whopping 120 carriers globally, but LG also said it has a dual-core Tegra based handset in the works for the performance minded. It's unclear if this is a replacement chip for the supposedly Snapdragon LU2300 Optimus Q (pictured) or the innards for another handset entirely, but 10 phones is a big quota to fill (at least for anyone who isn't LG or Samsung), so hopefully it's the latter. Finally, LG reiterated that it's working on a tablet for Q4. "It's going to be surprisingly productive," said LG's Chang Ma, attempting to set it apart from the iPad in that regard. So, LG's for-serious about Android, but is it too late? According to Mr. Ma, who may or may not have slowly donning a pair of really hip sunglasses at the moment, "The race hasn't started yet."

LG talks up Optimus smartphone line: 10 devices by year end, NVIDIA's Tegra for high-end model, tablet will be 'productive' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackPad to have its own OS, built by QNX?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/blackpad-to-have-its-own-os-built-by-qnx/

We did wonder why RIM was acquiring infotainment specialist QNX Software Systems back in April, and today, according to Bloomberg, much of that mystery has been dispelled. Three separate sources are cited in a report claiming that RIM intends to run software built by QNX on its virginal tablet effort, the BlackPad. It's curious that the company is opting against upscaling its BlackBerry 6 operating system into the tablet space, though one of the sources suggested that's due to legacy code hanging around in the still new OS, making it easier to just start afresh when building the slate's software package. It shall be very interesting indeed to see how well this $200 million investment works out for RIM; it'll certainly be the biggest departure from the BlackBerry maker's conservative norm.

BlackPad to have its own OS, built by QNX? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer and Motorola getting spicy Gingerbread for Android 3.0 tablets?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/acer-and-motorola-getting-spicy-gingerbread-for-android-3-0-tabl/

Remember those Acer Android tablets the company has been teasing since May? Rumor has it they're getting put on ice -- for a little while, at least. They were initially planned to launch this year with a heaping helping of Froyo, but now the company apparently wants something sweeter: Android 3.0. The Gingerbread build is supposed to, among other things, support higher-resolution screens that one might want in a tablet, something that has apparently also caught the eye of Motorola, also said yet again to be working on a tablet. This would be developed in close partnership with Google and fits right in with the earlier rumors and roadmaps we've heard and seen. Gingerbread is said to come out of the oven sometime before the end of this year, which would likely mean a 2011 launch for these slabs. Is that too late for impatient tableteers?

Acer and Motorola getting spicy Gingerbread for Android 3.0 tablets? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4 cuddles up against telescope, snaps impressive moon closeups

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/iphone-4-cuddles-up-against-telescope-snaps-impressive-moon-clo/

What's a boy to do when he desperately needs a portfolio full of galactic imagery of his own doing? In most cases, we'd suggest he grab up a telescope (or one of these), the biggest DSLR he can find and a planetary expert who knows a thing or two about exposure. But thanks to a mod that's becoming more and more common these days, it seems that you can replace the latter recommendations with an iPhone 4. Yep -- Apple's latest smartphone, when paired up with a miniature tripod mount and a telescope, can apparently take lovely shots of our dear moon, and if you're struggling to actually spot it, we hear that Planisphere app is pretty handy. Hit the source links if you're scouting some inspiration.

iPhone 4 cuddles up against telescope, snaps impressive moon closeups originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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