HTC Desire V makes its European debut with dual-SIM capabilities, keeps your affairs in order

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/htc-desire-v-dual-sim-smartphone/

Whether you travel a lot, have to deal with spotty coverage or straight up lead a double life, HTC has a new dual-SIM smartphone for you with the Desire V. The handset is a first of its kind from the company for its European audience, which is said to debut first in Ukraine at a cost of 3,800 грн (approx. $470). The Desire V is an Android 4.0 smartphone with Sense 4 and is based on the Qualcomm MSM7227A SoC. Its spec sheet is quite decent, which includes a 1GHz CPU, a 4-inch WVGA display and a 5-megapixel camera. You'll also find 512MB of RAM, and while the phone offers just 4GB of internal storage, it also includes a microSD card slot and 25GB of storage through Dropbox. Only one SIM will support data connections, however, as the latter is limited to GSM/GPRS connections -- still fine for voice, but keep that in mind. You'll see the Desire V hit the streets next month, which'll give you enough time to get your affairs in order (or disorder, as the case may be).

HTC Desire V makes its European debut with dual-SIM capabilities, keeps your affairs in order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 goes on sale melding quad-core Ivy Bridge and GeForce GTX 660M

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/08/lenovo-ideapad-y580-goes-on-sale/

The Y580 led the avalanche of Lenovo IdeaPads unveiled at CES; its dependence on both Intel Ivy Bridge processors and Kepler-based NVIDIA graphics kept it out of the spotlight for some time, but it's now ready to ship out. The finished 15.6-inch laptop skews very clearly to gamers and other performance mavens. The range starts off with a quad 2.3GHz Core i7, a GeForce GTX 660M and 8GB of RAM. Any heavier outlays of cash upgrade the display resolution, optical drive and storage to as much as a 1080p screen, a Blu-ray combo drive and a 1TB hard drive with a companion 32GB SSD for good measure. None of them will win a contest for sheer portability, but a tight official price spread between $1,299 and $1,549 ($1,039 and $1,239 on sale) guarantees that it won't be hard to get exactly the PC you need to play Spec Ops.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 goes on sale melding quad-core Ivy Bridge and GeForce GTX 660M originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 01:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google gives a sneak peek at Chrome for Windows 8's Metro UI, plans a test release soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/google-gives-a-sneak-peek-at-chrome-for-windows-8-metro-ui/

Google vowed that it would adapt Chrome to Metro back in March, and it's just now providing its first real look at the Windows 8 revamp. Don't expect a radical remake: it's Chrome, just in Metro. Even so, the very first test releases will support charms for sharing and other cross-OS features, and they will obey Snap View for tablet-friendly Windows 8 multitasking. Metro support will come in the next Dev channel release for those using the Windows 8 Release Preview. Those of us leery of running a pre-beta web browser on top of a beta OS will have to wait some months to see the finished result. That patience should be rewarded through better touchscreen support and refinements to the overall interface, so by the time the dissenting among us are ready to toss Internet Explorer 10 aside, Chrome will be waiting with open arms.

Google gives a sneak peek at Chrome for Windows 8's Metro UI, plans a test release soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydroponics Island Lets You Secretly Grow All Kinds of Herbs In Your Kitchen [Kitchen]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5916575/hydroponics-island-lets-you-secretly-grow-all-kinds-of-herbs-in-your-kitchen

There is nothing like cooking or 'baking' with fresh 'herbs', but if you live in an apartment perched high above the city, you probably don't have room for a garden. Unless you can find space for Peter Buley's kitchen island which hides a secret hydroponics garden.

Inside its lovely white-washed maple exterior you'll find a set of stand alone "ebb and flow" hydroponics systems accesible via a cedar drawer system. And since the sun don't shine inside, a pair of LED and a pair of high output CFL bulbs ensure the plants get plenty of light. There's no word on pricing, but Buley is happy to create a custom island upon request. For anyone who maybe wants to turn their small herb garden into a business of some sort.

[Analog Modern via Core77]

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Sierra Wireless outs thinnest-ever 4G LTE module, teases skinny AT&T-ready laptops and tablets

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/sierra-wireless-em7700-4g-lte-module/

One of the bigger challenges of spreading LTE has been size; going 4G has tended to put on a little weight. A new Sierra Wireless embedded modem, the AirPrime EM7700, could be just the ticket to shedding those pounds. It's reputedly the thinnest module ever made, at a tenth of an inch deep, and should slot into an Ultrabook or tablet without anyone making snide comments about the extra bulk. The EM7700 is still using the Qualcomm MDM9200 Gobi chipset that we spotted in the related MC7700 and Lumia 900, and won't have world 4G roaming -- in fact, it's explicitly tuned just to AT&T's LTE frequencies, so there's no question as to who gets first crack. Shipments are due to start in the last few weeks of spring and will make it entirely probable that AT&T's next wave of 4G mobile gear will have slimmed down a few belt notches.

Continue reading Sierra Wireless outs thinnest-ever 4G LTE module, teases skinny AT&T-ready laptops and tablets

Sierra Wireless outs thinnest-ever 4G LTE module, teases skinny AT&T-ready laptops and tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TomTom's Nike+Sportwatch gets revamped, adds NikeFuel, subtracts price (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/nike-sportwatch-revamp/

Nike and TomTom have updated the GPS-toting Sportwatch to include NikeFuel and maintain parity with its FuelBand active bracelet. NikeFuel is a universal standard that converts your exertions into a normalized score -- great for when you want to want to compare your exertions against friends with different hobbies. It's also heralding a revamped Nike Plus website where we hope it'll integrate with the recently announced Xbox edition. The Anthracite Blue Glow (or "Black and Blue") edition lacks a Nike+ shoe sensor so costs €150 ($190), while the other three colors will, pushing the price up to €170 ($215).

Continue reading TomTom's Nike+Sportwatch gets revamped, adds NikeFuel, subtracts price (video)

TomTom's Nike+Sportwatch gets revamped, adds NikeFuel, subtracts price (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 07:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Beautiful Device Turns Your iPhone and Android Into an Ultra-Thin Laptop [Gadgets]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5916337/this-beautiful-device-turns-your-iphone-and-android-into-an-ultra+thin-laptop

This is the ClamBook, a super-sleek, airier-that-Air thingamajig that has a 16:9 widescreen, a keyboard, and a battery. It will turn your iPhone or Android cell into a beautiful, ultra-thin laptop. Obviously, not as powerful as a real laptop, but as useful as many.

There are no many technical details about it yet, though. They claim it will be available for the holidays, but there's no price and no specs.

There is no description on how it works either. For Android I can see this happening system-wide, but for iPhone it will only really work with some applications, as the system itself can't be in landscape mode.

In any case, it's a beautiful concept that I hope turns into a real product. I like the idea of carrying this around for some trips, rather than a MacBook Air. The Verge

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RunCore rolls out Pro VI SSD for Ultrabooks in need of a jolt

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/06/runcore-rolls-out-pro-vi-ssd-for-ultrabooks/

Not to be left out of the Computex party, RunCore has just unveiled a 7mm-thick Pro VI solid-state drive to give new Ultrabooks a swift kick. The company is aiming squarely at the sunnier side of mid-range SSDs through a speedy JMicron controller that hits 550MB/s in reads, and a less aggressive but still brisk 380MB/s for writes. The SATA 6Gbps drive doesn't have any special tricks up its sleeves, but there's no doubt that it fits just about any ultrabook category: capacities swing from a very modest 32GB to a 512GB drive meant to take over from ho-hum spinning disks. While RunCore's customer list isn't public material, we wouldn't be surprised if a lot of extra-thin notebooks wending their way out of southeast Asia this year carry the Pro VI inside.

Continue reading RunCore rolls out Pro VI SSD for Ultrabooks in need of a jolt

RunCore rolls out Pro VI SSD for Ultrabooks in need of a jolt originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asus offers Thunderbolt upgrade card for some 7-series motherboards

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/06/asus-thunderbolt-upgrade-card-for-7-series-motherboard/

Want to have your mobo cake now and eat the Thunderbolt later? Asus is there for you with its new Thunderbolt EX Upgrade card -- as long as you buy, or have bought, certain of its 7-series motherboards. The supported models have a "unique system link connector" to cable to the upgrade card, which will gobble up one of your PCIe x4 slots and use a DisplayPort to serve up the 'bolt. So if you don't feel like laying the cash down now and don't mind giving up ports later, pass-through the break to see which models will work.

Continue reading Asus offers Thunderbolt upgrade card for some 7-series motherboards

Asus offers Thunderbolt upgrade card for some 7-series motherboards originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 20:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS shows off a docking monitor built for the PadFone, we go hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/asus-padfone-docking-monitor-hands-on/

Back when ASUS formally launched the PadFone, it trotted out a handful of accessories to go with it: a keyboard dock, tablet station and even a stylus that doubles as an earpiece. As it turns out, the outfit had even more goodies up its sleeve: we just spotted a PadFone docking monitor hanging out in the ASUS booth here at Computex. For starters, it is what it sounds like: a 27-inch 24-inch display with a cradle designed specifically to accommodate the PadFone's dimensions. There are also HDMI, VGA, DVI and four USB 3.0 ports in case you want to use it as a standalone monitor.

When you plug in the handset, the display turns into an all-in-one PC, with Ice Cream Sandwich as your desktop OS. Since the 1920 x 1200 screen isn't touch-enabled, you'll have to get used to interacting with Android using only a mouse and keyboard. We'll admit: we would have preferred to just tap the home button instead of click on it, especially when we were ready to switch apps, but nonetheless, Android makes for an intuitive-enough desktop operating system, what with the home screen full of shortcuts. Funnily enough, even, we felt more comfortable using Android in a desktop setting than we did with Google Chrome OS, which was actually designed with PC form factors in mind. Otherwise, we found ourselves craving a little more pixel density, but we did appreciate the matte finish, which offers wide viewing angles despite the fact that this isn't an IPS display.

Accor ding to an ASUS rep staffing the event, the Docking Monitor will eventually go on sale in the US, though he couldn't say when or for how much. In the meantime, check out our hands-on photos and quickie demo video.

Gallery: ASUS PadFone Docking Monitor hands-on

Continue reading ASUS shows off a docking monitor built for the PadFone, we go hands-on (video)

ASUS shows off a docking monitor built for the PadFone, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS shows off its first Thunderbolt monitor, along with 3D, WiDi and multitouch displays (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/asus-shows-off-its-first-thunderbolt-monitor-along-with-3d-and/

Take a stroll around ASUS' Computex booth, and you'll see a wall full of new displays -- and we're only half counting the one made for the PadFone. By our count, the company is getting ready to release four new monitors: one with multitouch, one with Wireless Display, one that does passive 3D and one with Thunderbolt (the company's first). Starting with the multitouch model, it has a folding hinge that allows the 23-inch screen to lie completely flat. As you'll see in the video below, it makes for a more ergonomic angle if you're playing simple games like Fruit Ninja, though we can also see it coming in handy for more social activities such as Scrabble or finger painting with kids. And as bizarre as the form factor might look, we also found the hinge mechanism easy to operate: it's reassuringly sturdy, without feeling too loose or rigid. On its own, the IPS, 1920 x 1080 display offers rich colors and wide viewing angles. As far as connectivity is concerned, there's a USB 3.0 socket, along with HDMI, VGA and a DisplayPort.

Moving on, that 27-inch, 1080p 3D monitor has an MHL port, allowing it to work with select tablets and phones. There's 2D-to-3D conversion built in, but we have to warn you the three-dimensional experience is fairly lackluster. To use this you'll need passive, not active 3D glasses, and like other monitors that rely on this technology, you'll have to work hard at finding just the right position where the 3D really pops. Even after you settle into that spot, the three-dimensional rendering isn't nearly as convincing as on some other displays we've seen. If you the 3D starts to make you nauseous, you might enjoy it as a standalone display, thanks to its low-glare IPS panel. Want to connec! t it to a PC? There are also built-in DVI and HDMI / HDMI.4 sockets.

Next up, ASUS is getting ready to ship its first Thunderbolt monitor, which has a 27-inch, 1080p screen, along with a DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Lastly, there's a 27-inch Wireless Display-compatible model with 1080p resolution, a DisplayPort and a pair of HDMI sockets. As far as all of these displays are concerned, we don't know pricing or availability, though ASUS was at least able to confirm that the Thunderbolt model is headed to the US. For now, check out our photos below and head past the break for a short video tour.

Gallery: ASUS shows off its first Thunderbolt monitor, along with 3D and multitouch displays (hands-on)

Continue reading ASUS shows off its first Thunderbolt monitor, along with 3D, WiDi and multitouch displays (video)

ASUS shows off its first Thunderbolt monitor, along with 3D, WiDi and multitouch displays (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 01:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/mk802-android-4-0-mini-pc-hands-on-impressions/

There must be something in the water in in hardware-designer land. Small is en vogue, it seems, and to say we've been intrigued about this latest twist on diminutive form factors would be an understatement. So far, Android has largely (though not exclusively) kept itself firmly in the palms of our hands. But, increasingly it is popping up in places we never even thought about. For the uninitiated, that thing above -- the Chinese-made MK802 -- is a complete "mini PC" that's about the size of a USB flash drive or card reader. It has a 1.5GHz Allwinner processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of onboard flash storage. You can get at these internals via two USB ports (which can also power the device,) and pump the result out to a display via HDMI. If that 4GB of memory isn't enough, you can expand it via a microSD slot. All good and well, but what would you do with such a thing? Plenty is the answer. This not only makes any HDMI display a PC, it also ushers in a new type of portability. Bring your Netflix over to a friend's house without needing your phone, or never worry about using public PCs again. All of these niche uses give the MK802, and its kind, lots of potential. But what is it like in real life? Shimmy past the break to find out.

Gallery: Android Mini PC MK802 hands on

Continue reading MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions

MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 01:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS G75VW is world's first notebook to sport Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi, we go hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/asus-g75vw-broadcom-80211ac/

In the back corner of ASUS' brightly lit Computex booth there's a simulated gamer's lair, complete with dim LED lighting, the sound of frequent gun fire and a small handful of nondescript gaming notebooks. The G75VW is one such device, but in addition to the Ivy Bridge Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GTX 670M and massive 17.3-inch LCD, this otherwise standard portable rig includes one very important distinction: it's the very first of its kind to pack 802.11ac WiFi. Approaching gigabit Ethernet speeds, this 5th-generation WiFi-equipped notebook supports up to 900Mbps of wireless throughput -- though we certainly wouldn't expect to see such speeds smack in the middle of a tech trade show exhibition hall. Instead, the device performed within the 200-400Mbps range, only jumping beyond that upper limit for a second or two during our demo.

You can't get 802.11ac without a properly equipped router, so we weren't surprised to see an ASUS RT-AC66U positioned an inch away from the lappy's rear. Computex may be an appropriate venue to launch the first 802.11ac-capable computer, but it's certainly not the best place to demo any flavor of wireless technology, so we look forward to putting the new spec through its paces in a slightly less saturated setting. For now, you can get a cl! oser loo k at the router and G75VW gaming system in our gallery below, followed by our hands-on video just after the break.

Gallery: ASUS G75VW with Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi hands-on

Continue reading ASUS G75VW is world's first notebook to sport Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi, we go hands-on (video)

ASUS G75VW is world's first notebook to sport Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 02:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung ready to invest in next-gen chip production: here comes 20nm and even 14nm

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/samsung-20nm-14nm-chip-production/

As things stand, the super-small and super-efficient 22 nanometer transistors in Intels' Ivy Bridge are about as cutting edge as mainstream chip production gets, which is why this promise from Samsung is rather impressive. As reported by Reuters, the Korean manufacturer is preparing to invest $1.9 billion in a new logic chip line that will make chips for smartphones and processors. These chips will use 20nm and 14nm fabrication processes, making them potentially faster and more efficient than Ivy Bridge -- and leaving the silicon currently found in Sammy's 32nm Exynos Quad and Qualcomm's 28nm Snapdragon S4 far behind. Of course, Intel is gearing up for 14nm production next year too, and even setting its sights on 5nm after 2015, so the coming battle for Moore's Law should be just as lively as it is today.

[Silicon wafer photo via Shutterstock]

Continue reading Samsung ready to invest in next-gen chip production: here comes 20nm and even 14nm

Samsung re! ady to i nvest in next-gen chip production: here comes 20nm and even 14nm originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 03:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/amd-livebox-hands-on/

Between the Raspberry Pi and the new Chromebox, we've been spending more time than usual lately talking about miniature desktops. Until now, though, AMD hasn't really entered the discussion; all of the models we've tested have featured either an ARM chip or Intel processor. So we were intrigued, then, when we found this mini PC hanging out at the company's Computex booth. It's called the LiveBox, and it runs one of AMD's X86-based Fusion chips. Before we get into specifics, though, have a gander at our hands-on photos and check out that funky design. In addition to being tiny, it has a two-pronged power connector attached, allowing you to plug it directly into an outlet. We're not sure individual consumers will prefer that cordless design, but we can see it translating well in businesses and schools -- precisely the sorts of places where AMD thinks these boxes might find a home.

Again, the LiveBox is based on a Fusion APU (a 1GHz C-60 chip, to be exact), complemented by 1GB of RAM and Radeon HD 6200 graphics. As for storage, the unit on display had a Samsung-made 64GB SSD. Take a tour around the edges and you'll find two USB 2.0 ports (no USB 3.0), a Gigabit Ethernet jack and an HDMI socket. There's also a memory card reader, a SIM slot for quad-band 3G (WCDMA) and Bluetooth 4.0, in case you want to pair it with any wireless peripherals. As you can see in the video below, those modest internals are enough to output smooth 1080p video, which means this setup should suffice for basic things like email, web surfing and YouTube. Unfortunately, the machine on display was running Windo! ws 7, no t 8, which is a bummer. We also wish we knew more about the target price: AMD won't say what brand will be selling this, or when it will be available. Until then, it's tough to say where the LiveBox fits in. But hey, hands-on photos and video can't hurt, right?

Gallery: AMD LiveBox hands-on

Continue reading AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video)

AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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