Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ review: a high-def 9-inch tablet at an entry-level price

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/12/nook-hd-plus-review/

DNPBarnes & Noble Nook HD review a highdef 9inch tablet at an entrylevel price

A couple of weeks back, we referred to the Nook HD as a "tablet with the heart of a reader." And given Barnes & Noble's roots in brick-and-mortar bookstores, the sentiment makes sense; the company has given the world a product that felt a bit like an LCD reader with some solid tricks up its sleeve. While it shares the same core operating system as the HD, the HD+ brings a bit more to the hardware party -- namely, a high-def, 9-inch HD display. The change shifts some of the product's focus toward multimedia, with a particular emphasis on the recently announced Nook Video service. That, coupled with a $269 price tag, makes for a pretty compelling combination. But is it enough to ensure that Barnes & Noble will have a winner on its hands for the holiday? Find out after the break.

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Posted by Augustine at 10:23 AM

This Dual LCD and E-Ink Phone Will Be Available in 2013

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5967746/this-dual-lcd-and-e+ink-phone-will-be-available-in-2013

This Dual LCD and E-Ink Phone Will Be Available in 2013Earlier this year, a prototype of a dual e-ink and LCD phone was floating around. Turns out it's much further down the development road than that, though—and in fact it should be available next year.

Manufactured by a Russian company called Yota Devices, this is an Android phone at heart. But unlike other phones, into its frame is crammed both a 4.3-inch 720 x 1,280 LCD display on the front and a 200 dpi e-ink display of the same size on the rear.

Elsewhere, Yota has released details of the guts that lurk inside, too: a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, at least 32GB of storage, LTE, a 12-megapixel rear camera, and a 720p front-facing camera. Despite having two screens, Yota claims it's less than 10mm thick. This things sounds none too shabby.

Yota also claims to be planning to make more use of the e-ink display than reading. It explains that it will route data to the second screen whenever it makes sense in an attempt to increase battery life—by up to 50 percent, or so it claims. How well that will work in practice—and how much users will appreciate it—is another question entirely.

Which brings us to a couple of major question marks. First, it's unclear who exactly would want a dual display phone like this: reading's a very specific application, after all, usually best done on a slightly-larger-than-phone-size screen. Second, Yota hardly has a track record in device manufacturing, so if it's selling a phone based on a dual-screen gimmick, it's not necessarily clear that the rest of device will be up to scratch.

But! Only time—and a play with the thing—will tell as far as that final point's concerned. Yota is aiming for a launch in the third quarter of 2013. [Engadget]

This Dual LCD and E-Ink Phone Will Be Available in 2013

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Posted by Augustine at 9:24 AM

Verizon and Redbox's Streaming Service Is Really Real and Only $6

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5967801/verizon-and-redboxs-streaming-service-is-really-real-and-only-6

Verizon and Redbox's Streaming Service Is Really Real and Only $6Verizon and Redbox are officially kicking off a streaming movie service. Sort of. Redbox Instant by Verizon goes into beta this month, and you have to have an invitation to get behind the velvet rope for now.

Later in 2013, however, will be the wider launch. For now, the details are that the Redbox Instant will give you streaming video and some mail-order DVDs, as well as the ability to buy online. It sounds like a pretty decent deal—$8/month gets you streaming plus four DVDs from Redbox kiosks and access to the online store. The same option with Blu-ray is $9/month. And if you don't give a hoot about DVDs, you'll pay just $6/month for streaming only. And now you have even more reason to never leave your apartment, ever. [Redbox Instant via AllThingsD]

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Posted by Augustine at 9:23 AM

Fuhu announces the $250 Nabi XD for tweens: 10.1-inch display, Jelly Bean on offer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/12/fuhu-announces-nabi-xd/

Fuhu announces the 101inch Nabi XD for tweens $250, Tegra internals, Jelly Bean, optional keyboard

Fuhu's latest attempt at a tablet for youngsters is the Nabi XD, this time promising to help keep your tween's hands off your shiny new slate and also eschew sibling rivalry. It's packing specs that match its grown-up approach -- a 10.1-inch, 1,366 x 768 IPS display, quad-core Tegra 3 innards, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, dual snappers, and NFC. The customizable wrapper atop the OS boasts a "gadget-based", rule-governed interface that changes depending on time and location. Concerned parents can take solace in its kid-friendly browsing, and fool themselves by springing for the optional silicone keyboard cover -- an accessory that should, in theory, assist with homework, but one that might just be relegated to the side in favor of the device's more enticing gaming capabilities. The tablet will set you back $249 for 16GB and $349 for the 32GB iterations when it lands late December, but ask yourselves first -- is this really what your kid wants?

Continue reading Fuhu announces the $250 Nabi XD for tweens: 10.1-inch display, Jelly Bean on offer

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Posted by Augustine at 9:22 AM

Insert Coin: PIPA Touch fingerprint reader lets phone owners authenticate most anything

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/12/insert-coin-pipa-touch-fingerprint-reader/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Insert Coin PIPA Touch fingerprint reader lets phone owners authenticate most anything

Mobile security beyond PIN codes and passwords is usually a tentative affair. There's fingerprint readers, but they're often specific to the device or the platform, and sometimes limited to just a handful of tasks. Team PIPA wants to raise funds for a more universal solution. Its PIPA Touch scanner can add biometric authentication to phones' lock screens, websites and other tasks through a developer kit, and a modular design lets it slip into cases for the Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices that should receive support. Security goes beyond most fingerprint readers, as well: while a basic swipe-and-done scan is an option, the truly cautious can require a multi-scan sequence that fends off just about any intruder.

Continue reading Insert Coin: PIPA Touch fingerprint reader lets phone owners authenticate most anything

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Source: PIPA Touch (Indiegogo)

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Posted by Augustine at 9:22 AM

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