Raspberry Pi's $25 Model A enters production, could be in tinkerers' projects early next year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/30/raspberry-pi-model-a-enters-production/

Raspberry Pi's Model B computer will be no stranger to regular readers. We've seen it turn up in all sorts of projects, and generally stretched in various directions. If you were holding out for the cheaper, lower specced Model A however, your time is near. A recent post on the official Raspberry Pi site confirms that the first Model A samples are rolling off the production line. The main differences? Whereas Model B has two USB ports and 512 MB of RAM plus Ethernet, Model A sports only the one port, has half the RAM, and no Ethernet connection, making it more power economical as well as $10 cheaper. Price likely isn't the issue here, but if you were after the even more stripped back version, it's estimated they'll be ready to purchase online early next year.

Filed under: Desktops

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Source: Raspberry Pi

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New iMacs on sale now starting at $1,299, we unbox both of them

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/30/2012-imacs-on-sale-now-first-look/

This is more of a PSA than anything else: just like Apple said they'd be, the new iMacs are on sale today, with the 21.5-inch model available right away and the 27-inch version shipping in December. The smaller guy starts at $1,299, though there's also a more tricked-out $1,499 version; the 27-incher starts at $1,799 and goes up to $1,999. Whichever the model, a few key design principles apply. For staters, both measure just 5mm thick at the edges, and neither has a built-in optical drive. Both promise a 15 to 20 percent performance boost fueled partly by Ivy Bridge, and partly by Apple's new FusionDrive, which combines an HDD with a 128GB solid-state drive, with everything stored on the SSD by default until you run out of space. Finally, both promise 75 percent less screen glare, thanks to a manufacturing process that eliminates the gap between the LCD and the glass. (Apple and other OEMs already use a similar technique on smartphones; we've just never seen it done on a screen quite this large.)

So what separates the two, then, aside from screen size? Specs, mostly. And also, resolution. The 21-inch version has a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel count, while the 27-incher steps up to 2,560 x 1,440. (In other words, the same resolution as last year's offerings.) While both pack quad-core Core i5 processors, the 21.5-inch model starts with a 2.7GHz clock speed, compared with 2.9GHz for the bigger guy. As you might have guessed, the graphics are slightly better on the larger version: NVIDIA's GTX 660M is standard there, versus GT 640M on the 21-incher. Both offer 1TB of storage, but the smaller machine uses a 5,400RPM drive while the bigger one has a 7,200RPM disk. The 27-incher can also be configured with a 3TB drive or 768GB SSD. As for RAM, both come with eight gigs standard, but the 21.5-inch model goes up to 16GB, while the 27-inch version goes up to 32GB and has user-accessible memory slots.

As it happens, we have two new iMacs here in house (one in each size, natch) and you can expect a full review very soon. For now, though, we've got some unboxing shots and first impressions just past the break.

Continue reading New iMacs on sale now starting at $1,299, we unbox both of them

Filed under: Desktops, Apple

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Source: Apple

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Intel rumored moving to non-upgradable desktop CPUs with Broadwell

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/29/intel-rumored-moving-to-non-upgradable-desktop-cpus-with-broadwell/

For many, the very definition of the custom desktop PC is the ability to upgrade the processor, choosing a $300 retrofit instead of a $1,500 whole-system replacement. We might have to kiss that symbolism goodbye if sources at Impress Watch, SemiAccurate and ZDNet are genuinely in the know. They claim that desktop processors built on Intel's future, 14-nanometer Broadwell architecture will be switching from contacts based on a land grid array (LGA) to a ball grid array (BGA) that could dictate soldering the chips in laptop-style, rather than putting them in an upgrade-friendly socket. The exact reasons for the supposed switch aren't available, but there's speculation that it would be mutually beneficial for Intel and PC manufacturers: Intel would have more control over motherboard chipsets, while builders could save money on assembly and conveniently drive more outright PC sales. Intel hasn't confirmed any of the strategy, so we'd still be very cautious before making any presumptions. If real, though, the switch would be glum news for chipset makers, motherboard makers and most of all hobbyists; even though socket changes have made CPU upgrades tricky in the past, having the option removed altogether could put a damper on the do-it-yourself community.

Filed under: Desktops, Intel

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Source: Impress Watch, SemiAccurate, ZDNet

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Apple begins selling unlocked iPhone 5 in the US, starting from $649

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/29/apple-begins-selling-unlocked-iphone-5-in-the-us-from-649/

It's that special time of the year... that is, when Apple decides to unfetter the iPhone for US shoppers. The Cupertino crew has quietly started selling the iPhone 5 in an unlocked, off-contract form that will work on GSM, HSPA+ and (if you're in the right countries) LTE networks. There's few surprises versus what we've seen in years past, or in other regions: the unlocked iPhone 5 ships in the same capacities and colors as the carrier-bound model, and starts from $649. That's still expensive for those still used to buying on an agreement, and it won't represent as much bang-for-the-buck as a $350 Nexus 4. If you're yearning for the LTE the Nexus 4 lacks and don't mind living in an iOS universe, however, Apple is ready and waiting.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Via: AppleInsider

Source: Apple

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Samsung Galaxy Camera with Verizon LTE shows at the FCC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/30/samsung-galaxy-camera-with-verizon-lte-shows-at-the-fcc/

At least a few Americans have been disappointed that the current version of the Samsung Galaxy Camera goes without LTE; when the data connection is intended almost exclusively for uploading massive photos, HSPA+ can only go so far. To our relief, Samsung knows our impatience well enough to have sent a version of its connected point-and-shoot with American 4G through the FCC's approval gauntlet. This time, the camera goes under the EK-GC120 name (the HSPA+ model is the GC100) with LTE access on Verizon's slice of the 700MHz spectrum -- and that's it for cellular access, without even a trace of foreign wireless bands. As such, there's little doubt the GC120 is headed to Big Red and will have to resort to WiFi on any vacation outside of the US. Any uncertainty mostly rests around just when the Galaxy Camera arrives on Verizon's network, and whether or not the extra wireless speed will demand a premium.

Filed under: Cameras, Wireless, Samsung, Verizon

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Source: FCC

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