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HP's TouchSmart tx2z multitouch convertible tablet starts at $1,149

Oh sure, you could select Dell's multitouch-enabled Latitude XT over HP's latest, but given the $1,829 starting price of the former, we'd say the TouchSmart tx2z is looking a lot more delectable these days. Hailed as the first multitouch "consumer" convertible tablet (a claim that's certainly open for debate), the 12.1-inch tx2 gets going at just $1,149.99, though HP's "recommended" configuration starts at $1,223.99. The baseline setup includes Vista Home Premium, a 2.1GHz AMD Turion X2, 3GB of DDR2 RAM, an ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics set, 250GB of HDD space and a built-in webcam. As of now, the estimated build date shows December 8th, so we'd get that order in five minutes ago if you're looking to ensure a holiday delivery.

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HP's TouchSmart tx2z multitouch convertible tablet starts at $1,149 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB 3.0 demonstrations dazzle: uncompressed 1080p transfer proves simple

You've been adequately teased with what all USB 3.0 (or SuperSpeed USB, as we tend to refer to it) can do, but a gaggle of companies took the chance in San Jose, California to really demonstrate just how quick the protocol is. Most notable was the demo by Synopsys, which prototyped an HDTV video transmission system based on USB 3.0 and showed to wide-mouthed onlookers that an uncompressed 1080p feed at 30 frames-per-second could be whisked along at around 450Mbps. Sure, USB 3.0 has wireless HD to watch out for, but given that said technology is currently on track for an August 2298 release, it could really do some tethered damage in the meanwhile.

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USB 3.0 demonstrations dazzle: uncompressed 1080p transfer proves simple originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bajca's emoticon keyboard / jewelry-making kit might be emotionally unstable
Be honest with yourself: you've always wanted a dedicated, 16-key emoticon keyboard with "keys" that pulled doubled duty as expressive jewelry, right? Well, you got it! Bajca's Smile Keypad aims to "make real the emoticon," and as far as we can tell, they've totally nailed it. The USB-friendly keyboard has classic smiley face-looking keys which pop out using some special tongs, then are popped into pieces of jewelry -- rings, bracelets, necklaces -- sky's the limit, apparently. It's not really crystal clear if all of these pieces are going to be included, or if they'll be sold separately, or if this is ever going to make it to the market. All we can do is hope. Check out a few more emotionally charged shots after the break.

[Thanks, Matilde]

Continue reading Bajca's emoticon keyboard / jewelry-making kit might be emotionally unstable

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Bajca's emoticon keyboard / jewelry-making kit might be emotionally unstable originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giant International's touchscreen Intouch IT7150 photo frame: disembodied hand not included

Not that we'd expect any reputable digital picture frame manufacturer to consort with a real, live hand model, but we've gotta hand it to Giant International for discovering this particularly unnatural, eerily glowing appendage to point vaguely at its new Intouch IT7150. Lucky for us, the device in question is not at all cheap and uninviting, featuring a 7-inch 800 x 480 LCD touchscreen, 802.11b/g WiFi, USB to PC connection cable and the standard complement of memory card slots. What makes this particularly fun is vTuner support, which allows for play back of 11,000 radio and TV stations (primarily public access and other undesirables on the TV side), in addition to the increasingly standard FrameChannel service for photo sharing and RSS subscriptions. There's also a built-in rechargeable battery for about 1.5 hours of portable use. At $349, you're certainly paying a pretty penny for all these good times, but if vTuner isn't your bag, you can drop that support and pick up the frame for $299.

[Via Digital Picture Frame Review]

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Giant International's touchscreen Intouch IT7150 photo frame: disembodied hand not included originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI trots out colorful VR220 YA Edition ultraportable

MSI's got a fever, and evidently the only cure is more notebook. With the novelty of the heralded Wind slowly fading, the outfit has stepped in with the altogether riveting VW220 YA Edition ultraportable -- and in four delightful hues, no less. Aside from sporting a Denim Blue, Coral Pink, Wasabi Green or Empire Black exterior, the 12.1-incher also includes a WXGA (1,280 x 800) panel, dual-core Pentium CPU, Intel's GMA 4500M graphics set, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, dual stereo speakers, gigabit Ethernet, an optional TV tuner, WiFi / Bluetooth, a 3-in-1 card reader, VGA output and three USB 2.0 ports. You'll also find a SuperMulti DVD drive, a capacious 250GB hard drive, a ho hum 1.3-megapixel webcam and an 8-cell battery. All told, the 4-pound rig looks pretty good on paper for just $699.99, and the full release is after the break for your perusal.

Continue reading MSI trots out colorful VR220 YA Edition ultraportable

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MSI trots out colorful VR220 YA Edition ultraportable originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia E71 finally coming to AT&T as E71x

We've been hearing for ages that there was a super-special version of the E71 with an AT&T ROM floating around somewhere in Nokia's skunkworks, but solid evidence of its existence has been scarce to say the least; some said it was canceled, some said it was just taking its sweet time going through the testing process, and some put a hand over our mouth and told us never to speak "AT&T" and "E71" in the same sentence again lest an agent overhear us. New in-the-wild shots give us -- and the North American S60-loving public -- newfound hope that the phone's gonna actually happen, but it'll emerge as the "E71x." That's a new suffix for Nokia, so we really have no idea what it might mean -- more internal memory would be cool, but we're not really counting on it. Word is that it'll be available for something in the $150 range when it finally hits, so if the 6650 isn't your cup o' tea, hang tight. (And by the way, guys, we're totally digging the black.)

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Nokia E71 finally coming to AT&T as E71x originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget HD catches the Media Center DirecTV HDPC-20 in action


The crew over at Engadget HD was part of a tour of the Microsoft eHome lab and was lucky enough to catch the un-announced DirecTV HDPC-20 in testing. Unfortunately Microsoft wasn't ready to announce any new products and even reminded everyone that things in the lab don't always make it to market. But despite this, we still have our hopes up that we'll one day soon be able to watch DirecTV HD on Windows Media Center.

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Engadget HD catches the Media Center DirecTV HDPC-20 in action originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ratchet & Clank headline another PSP-3000 bundle; you're simply thrilled

Look, we know how much you love Ratchet & Clank-oriented PSP SKUs, don't try and hide your desire. This latest PSP-3000 bundle to feature the respectively furry / mechanical duo includes a black PSP and Everyday Shooter in addition to Ratchet & Clank Size Matters, instead of the silver PSP and echochrome featured in that other bundle. These are all very important distinctions, we assure you. A 1GB Memory Stick Duo card and the ever-diserable National Treasure 2 are included as well. The new bundle hits on December 15 for the same old $199 pricetag. We're still waiting on that $169 standalone PSP-3000 with bated, Skype-ready breath.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

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Ratchet & Clank headline another PSP-3000 bundle; you're simply thrilled originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultimate Ears rolls out top-firing Super.Fi 5 earphones

It looks like those still on the hunt for that perfect pair of sub-$200 earphones now have a rather intriguing new option to consider from Ultimate Ears, which has just rolled out its new Super.Fi 5 and Super.Fi 5vi models that boast a top-fire-armature speaker design -- the first such buds on the market. In addition to that stand-out feature, both sets pack a frequency response range of 15 Hz to 15 kHz and a top sound pressure level of 115 dB, while the Super.Fi 5vi adds a mic to mix to let you use 'em with your phone of choice. You'll also get three interchangeable soft-silicone ear tips and two Comply foam ear tips with each to ensure just the right fit and, of course, a carrying case to keep 'em in pristine shape. If those sound like the buds you've been looking for, you can grab either the Super.Fi 5 or Super.Fi 5vi right now for $170 and $190, respectively.

[Via I4U News]

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Ultimate Ears rolls out top-firing Super.Fi 5 earphones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slacker radio added to Sony BRAVIA Internet Video Link

If you've found yourself dumbfoundedly staring at your Bravia Internet Video Link-equipped HDTV thinking "when am I going to see some Slacker radio up in this piece?" -- you're in luck. Sony announced today that it would be bringing the streaming service to users of the company's $300 hardware add-on free of charge, allowing music hounds to grab "millions" of songs on over "100 individually programmed genre music stations" in CD-quality audio. The service joins other streaming content like YouTube and Amazon, and will be available immediately. So... why are you still reading this?

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

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Slacker radio added to Sony BRAVIA Internet Video Link originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Konica Minolta prepping thumbdrive-sized projector
It was inevitable, really. With outfits like Dell and 3M taking projectors to a whole 'nother (tiny) level, it was just a matter of time before someone else came along and made those pico projectors look gigantic. Enter Konica Minolta, who is reportedly developing a projector that's just 1.6- x 0.79- x 0.3-inches, or slightly smaller than your average flash drive. The unit will supposedly use lasers, mirrors and black magic instead of light bulbs and lenses, and it'll still be capable of beaming out a 20-inch XGA color image from a distance of just under two feet. Sadly, this keychain-bound PJ won't be ready for pickup at your nearest grocery store checkout aisle until at least 2010, but you should probably start preparing yourself for its awesomeness right now. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

[Via ComputerWorld]

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Konica Minolta prepping thumbdrive-sized projector originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's fashionable Prada II (and watch) gets shown to the camera

Well, that didn't take long. Merely hours after LG's Prada II was treated to a dedicated microsite, along comes the hands-on photographs we've been expecting. CNET's UK branch was able to wrangle one in, and as predicted, the mobile didn't hesitate to pose for a few nice snapshots. Eagle-eyed readers will notice that it certainly put on a little heft since the first go 'round, but the slight downturn in attractivity is more than compensated by the inclusion of a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Have a peek at the read link for more hands-on goodness, including a look at the matching Bluetooth wristwatch.

[Thanks, T.I.]

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LG's fashionable Prada II (and watch) gets shown to the camera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neuros intros web video-playing Neuros LINK

It's just been a few short months since Neuros started shipping its OSD 2.0 set-top box, but it looks like the company is now already moving on to other devices that are equally boxy and open source-y. It's latest is the Neuros LINK, which promises to let you watch videos from Hulu, YouTube and other sites on your TV without a subscription courtesy of Neuros' own Neuros.TV service. Unlike the OSD, however, it doesn't look like the LINK has any internal storage of its own (at least beyond the bare necessity), but it does have a generous six USB ports to let you hook up some drives filled with music, photos or videos. Otherwise, you can expect both HDMI and optical S/PDIF outputs, as well as gigabit ethernet, 802.11b/g WiFi, and an included wireless "keymote" complete with a trackball. According to Neuros, while the device is available now for $300, it's still in a "gamma release," which means is primarily aimed at early adopters wiling to accept a few hiccups along the way.

[Thanks, Charles V, Zatz]

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Neuros intros web video-playing Neuros LINK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kanguru's new e-Flash thumbdrive marries eSATA and USB

It's been a while since we've seen anything truly interesting in the thumbdrive space, but this certainly qualifies. Kanguru has taken a regular-looking USB 2.0 flash drive and slapped an eSATA plug on the other end, finally breaking the performance barrier for thumbdrives. The eSATA is powered, and Kanguru tossed in a eSATA + Power bracket and eSATA + Power cable for whichever scenarios might present themselves. With an increasing number of laptops housing eSATA plugs these days -- not to mention all the other great scenarios that present themselves here -- we'd say the time is exactly right for this kind of mojo. Kanguru is shipping these now in 16GB ($85) and 32GB ($120) capacities, and will add a 64GB version in January of 2009.

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Kanguru's new e-Flash thumbdrive marries eSATA and USB originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Price confusion over Nokia 5800 XpressMusic mercifully ends (maybe)
It's probably fair to say that no one in Spain had a very good day on Friday when the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic showed up on Nokia.es for €429 (about $550), up from its earlier €279. Well it looks like the zaniness at least kind of has an explanation, though it's not one that's likely to cool any enraged heels. Apparently the base price of the phone was, and is €279, but "each country" can bundle it with whatever they choose, thereby upping the overall price. Sounds fun, right? So, in Spain, they've kindly bundled the 5800 with a €100 Nokia Music Store voucher and a 3-month subscription to Nokia Maps Navigation service. Presumably other countries can follow suit -- though these moves are apparently only valid through the holiday season, because the 5800, all by its lonesome, goes on sale in January for... you guessed it: €279.

[Via Unwired View]

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Price confusion over Nokia 5800 XpressMusic mercifully ends (maybe) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi Maxell intros noise canceling, battery draining iPod headphones

If short, intense sessions with your iPod are your bag, these new Maxell heaphones might just do the trick. Compatible with your fourth-gen iPod (or your first and second-gen iPod touch) the HP-NC20.IP earbuds offer active noise cancellation from 50-700Hz and noise suppression up to 20dB. Since they rely on the iPod dock for audio and power, you're stuck using the volume control on the headphones themselves, and battery life is significantly reduced -- anywhere from one half to two-thirds. If you're one of those people who never stops rocking, you might want to stick to something a little more passive, headphones-wise. But if you tend to "rock out" in concentrated amounts, these just might be the earbuds for you. Due to hit the streets of Japan on December 12 for a retail price of ¥8,000 (about $83).

[Via AV Watch]

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Hitachi Maxell intros noise canceling, battery draining iPod headphones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio's EX-FH20 reviewed: perfect for YouTube slow-mo junkies, nobody else
Casio's EX-FH20 reviewed: perfect for YouTube slow-mo junkies, nobody else
The key to any good pseudo-educational show featuring demonstrations that typically result in explosions (i.e. Mythbusters) is super-duper slow-mo sequences that expand those fleeting instants of incredibly expensive pyrotechnical glory into multiple minutes of time wasted between commercial breaks. If you're looking to record your own similar antics, amateur-style, Casio's time-stretching shooter the EX-FH20 is for you, delivering decent image quality and a bevy of burst and slow-mo modes that will capture 7 megapixel stills at 40 fps and 1000 fps video at 224 x 56. However, if that sounds rather gimmicky to you, according to PhotographyBLOG's full review there's really nothing noteworthy about the machine which, at $600, is out-paced and under-cut by other, similar SLR-lite options like Canon's PowerShot SX10. 'Nuff said.

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Casio's EX-FH20 reviewed: perfect for YouTube slow-mo junkies, nobody else originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVIII: Motorola Aura clone is everything we ever wanted in a knockoff

If there was ever a phone worth cutting down to size with a completely shoddy but not actually completely unattractive fake edition, it's the Motorola Aura. What we have here is the Wingtech D20, which shares the swivel form factor of the Aura, mocks the round LCD with a perfectly boring square one in a round hole, and boasts a surprisingly weak complement of features, even for a "fake" phone. Oh how you suffer for fashion, Motorola.

[Thanks, Chris]

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Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVIII: Motorola Aura clone is everything we ever wanted in a knockoff originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epson's Endeavor Na01 mini is a netbook

Not much to say here, just an Atom N270 1.6Ghz processor, 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 LCD, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD and a dash of Windows XP, doing what they always do. There's a nice complement of completely standard interfaces, like three USB 2.0 plugs, 802.11b/g WiFi, Ethernet, mini VGA out and a multicard reader, all stuffed into a slightly frumpy 1.5-inch thick enclosure, but let's not get off message: Epson's new Endeavor Na01 mini is all Microsoft-proscribed netbook and nothing more. The Japan-only computer is available today for the completely palatable price of 46,800 Yen (about $484).

[Via Impress Watch]

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Epson's Endeavor Na01 mini is a netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI unveils Neton all-in-one nettop models ranging from mild to somewhat less mild
MSI unveils Neton all-in-one nettop models ranging from mild to somewhat less mild
MSI and Asus, having apparently found the bottom in the netbook race, are now working hard to find that magic point on the desktop. Asus has its B202 and all-in-one Eee Top nettops, the latter of which MSI is now countering with the new, all-inclusive Neton series. The smallest is the M16, starting at $400 and featuring a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 screen -- exactly the same size as Asus's impending offering (coincidence, surely). Then there's the slightly larger but otherwise identically spec'd $500 18.5-inch M19, and finally the range-topping $800 22-inch M22, offering an HD-loving 1920 x 1080 display fed by an optional Blu-ray drive. As you can see in pics after the break the guts of the M16 have been placed into an unsightly, over-sized stand, while on the M19 and M22 everything is tucked neatly behind the monitor itself, making for easy wall mounting (more room for Coke cans and miscellaneous clutter). No word on memory or disk space, but each will offer touch-screens and will come with XP or Vista depending on whether you opt for a single- or dual-core Atom processor. The M19 ships first in January, the M16 next in Feb, and the M22 last in March.

Continue reading MSI unveils Neton all-in-one nettop models ranging from mild to somewhat less mild

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MSI unveils Neton all-in-one nettop models ranging from mild to somewhat less mild originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS 15.6-inch touchscreen Eee Tops launching tomorrow -- $499?

Can you feel it? That dull sense of ennui isn't the result of the diminished hours of daylight, oh no, it's the sensation of the Eee Top's imminent launch in Taipei. ASUS has a news conference scheduled for Thursday to out the ET1602 and ET1603 XP PCs into the wonderfully erect world of all-in-ones. Something we've been expecting since January of this year when we first heard about ASUS' Eee branding promiscuity. We're still looking at 15.6-inches of touchscreen LCD, a 160GB hard disk, 802.11n WiFi, a pair of 4-watt speakers, and 1.3 megapixel webcam all propped up by a tepid 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor -- a CPU that ASUS knows a thing or two about. The ET1603 packs a better ATI HD3450 graphics card and battery for 4.4-kilograms (9.7-pounds) of luggable PC. We'll have to wait for the pricing and country details but we can speculate that it'll arrive in the US pronto after seeing its wireless (EK-C2) keyboard slip through the FCC yesterday. Could be a holiday winner if it hits for the $499 price rumored way back when.

Read -- Eee Top launch tomorrow
Read -- Eee Top keyboard FCC

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ASUS 15.6-inch touchscreen Eee Tops launching tomorrow -- $499? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Power-sipping Funai Dynamic ECD display don't need no backlight
Got OLED on the brain? What about FED? Holograms suit your fancy? Regardless of how you feel about the world's latest and greatest up-and-coming display technologies, we've got one more that you should probably keep an eye on. Funai has just announced the development of a swank new panel that consumes just 0.16-milliwatts of electricity per square centimeter, or around 1% as much as traditional LCDs. The Dynamic ECD is made of a reflective display that uses color-changing dyes that light up and morph as electricity flows through. In other words, there's no need for a backlight, and it even boasts 80% reflectivity (compared with 50% on reflective LCDs) for easier viewing in broad daylight. The real kicker? It should cost around one-third as much as an LCD to manufacture. Expectations are to have 7- and 14-inch units out in 2009, though ultimately it hopes to completely dominate the mobile phone and e-book market.

[Via SlashGear]

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Power-sipping Funai Dynamic ECD display don't need no backlight originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego safe is made from robot parts, will guard your mint condish Robocop figurines just nicely

No, your eyes don't deceive: it's a Lego safe. Apparently Lego's computer-equipped Mindstorms NXT can be used for something more practical than launching robots into space (great as that was), and believe it or not, this box is actually kind of secure. Five double digit codes protect your valuables, and the dial goes both ways, so there's a left and right entry for each number -- hence, over 305 billion possible combinations. Moving the safe will trip motion sensors and set off an alarm, and bars inside strengthen the structure, so while master diamond thieves won't be deterred, surreptitious little siblings might. Video after the break, and check the right nav through the read link to dig up building instructions.

[Via Digg]

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Lego safe is made from robot parts, will guard your mint condish Robocop figurines just nicely originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's interplanetary Internet tests a success, Vint Cerf triumphs again

NASA is reporting the first successful tests of its Deep Space Network modeled after Earth's own Internet. Instead of using TCP/IP, however, the interplanetary communication network relies upon DTN (Disruption-Tolerant Networking) co-developed by none other than Google's Vinton Cerf. As such, NASA's network does not assume a continuous end-to-end connection -- if a link is lost due to solar storms or a planetary eclipse, the communication node will store the information until the connection is re-established. So, what's the big deal you rightly ask, after all, we've been (purposely) transmitting data to and from space for a half-century. As Leigh Torgerson, manager of NASA's DTN Experiment Operations Center explains it:
"In space today, an operations team must manually schedule each link and generate all the commands to specify which data to send, when to send it, and where to send it. With standardized DTN, this can all be done automatically."
Testing of the Deep Space Network began in October with twice-weekly communications between NASA's Epoxi spacecraft (on a mission to rendezvous with Comet Hartley 2) and nine ground-based nodes meant to simulate Mars landers, orbiters, and operation centers. The International Space Station is scheduled to join the testing next summer. Although the nature of the data transmitted wasn't specified, we can only presume that it was laced with Google ads for Mr. Lee's Greater Hong Kong.

NASA's interplanetary Internet tests a success, Vint Cerf triumphs again originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Rise and Shine alarm hack is sheers genius

Few devices receive as much attention to re-design as the mousetrap and alarm clock. Regarding the latter, Anupam Patahak, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Michigan, takes a natural light approach with his Rise and Shine Alarm Shades. At a predefined time, the modified alarm clock silently (or noisily) kicks off a servo to wind open the shades. Nothing like the deep, battleship gray skies of mid-western suburbia to rouse a young mind from sleep. Video after the break.

[Via Hack A Day]

Continue reading Video: Rise and Shine alarm hack is sheers genius

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Video: Rise and Shine alarm hack is sheers genius originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dospara doles out Atom-powered Prime Note Cartina UM netbook

It's been forever and a day since we heard from Dospara, but as it typically does, it's just hanging around and waiting to see what catches on before it dives in. Case in point: here we have the Prime Note Cartina UM, an 8.9-inch netbook that's hitting alongside the second and third iteration of everyone else's. You could likely guess the specifications in your sleep, but we'll humor you anyway; we've got a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 120GB hard drive, a 1,024 x 600 panel, 802.11b/g WiFi, a battery good for two hours and a mysterious Linux build pre-installed. You won't find an optical drive bundled in, but you will find a ¥39,980 ($413) price tag should you venture over to Japan.

[Via Liliputing]

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Dospara doles out Atom-powered Prime Note Cartina UM netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple: Snow Leopard release in Q1 2009

Oops. Jordan Hubbard, Director of Apple's Unix Technology Group, made a boo boo. The slide above was pulled from the deck presented last week at the LISA (Large Installation System Administration) conference. Up until now, Apple had only been willing to say that OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard would be ready "in about a year" -- that was back in early June at WWDC. You just know that this will have Steve fuming given Apple's tight control over information. One thing is perfectly clear: the race is on for both Redmond (rumored to be shooting for a mid-2009 Windows 7 launch) and Cupertino, nobody wants to be second with their next gen OS release.

[Via MacRumors]

Read -- Presentation [Warning: PDF]

Apple: Snow Leopard release in Q1 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MINI E 'unboxed' in LA to the delight of car nerds, your mom

That's not really a "your mom" joke, more of a statement that your mom is pretty neat and has good taste in electric cars -- like this here MINI E. BMW just unveiled the first production MINI E to roll out of its magical electricity-imbuing factory, the first in a limited series of 500 for lease in California and metro New York to people way better looking than you. The bad news is that the all-electric MINI is part of what BMW is calling "Project I," a test of sorts to see how well electrics hold up to real world abuse and to figure out usage patterns of real-life photogenic people -- there's little indication that the car in its current incarnation will be distributed any more widely than this 500 car run. Check out a plethora of sexy unveiling pictures at the read link to help offset the pain.

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MINI E 'unboxed' in LA to the delight of car nerds, your mom originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's 500GB laptop drive is ready for the Christmas ball
Oh hey, welcome to 500GB laptop drive announcement party Toshiba. Shame you had to come dressed in the same 9.5-mm slab, 2.5-inch 3Gbps SATA interface, 1.4 watt idle power draw, 5,400rpm spin, and 25dB hum as everyone else in the room. Pretty, but still embarrassing. No full-disk, hardware encryption but at least you can take comfort at besting some (but not all) of your competition by actually shipping your drive in December.

[Via Impress]

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Toshiba's 500GB laptop drive is ready for the Christmas ball originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP reveals multitouch TouchSmart tx2 convertible tablet

While HP mistakenly claims that its sparkly new (but previously rumored) TouchSmart tx2 is the world's first multitouch consumer notebook, we're still decidedly stoked about this here convertible tablet. Boasting a 12.1-inch swivel display (LED-backlit) that's just dying to have your prints all over it, the tx2 will come loaded with Windows Vista, a bezel-mounted fingerprint reader, integrated webcam with microphone, Bluetooth / WiFi, stereo speakers, a 5-in-1 multicard reader and a LightScribe SuperMulti DVD burner. HP's also delivering the oh-so-stylish Reaction Imprint exterior, an AMD Turion X2 dual-core processor, the firm's own MediaSmart 2.0 software, a VGA output, Ethernet and at least one USB port from the looks of things. You're supposed to be able to add one of these to your digital shopping cart right now via HP's own webstore or Amazon.com, but both links currently lead to sections of the intarwebz you don't ever, ever want to see. Hold tight -- we've a feeling HP will be getting really official with this one momentarily.

Read - TouchSmart tx2 microsite
Read - Hands-on with TouchSmart tx2

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HP reveals multitouch TouchSmart tx2 convertible tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reggie thinks third-parties don't 'get' the Wii: discuss

Alright, alright. There's a few things going on here. First off, Reggie Fils-Aime told Forbes "I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform, and with very few exceptions today, that's not the case." That's a pretty good conversation starter right there. He also lamented the absence of Grand Theft Auto and Spore on his platform, teased community features without spilling anything at all, and for kicks threw us this utterly hopeless word on a price cut: "At some point, it will be time to adjust the [price], but we're nowhere near that point now." We're pretty astonished that a console honcho like Reggie would so summarily insult his third-party partners, but we can't help but agree -- though peep Nintendo Wii Fanboy's via link down there for an alternate perspective on the matter. To us, the question really lies in the blame game: is Nintendo's Wii strategy and unique hardware approach to blame, or is everybody else out there too dense to cash in? But really, this is just too wild, too incendiary, too awesome for us to hog all the discussion. Hit up the vaguely-applicable poll option, and then let loose in the comments. We're all ears!

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

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Reggie thinks third-parties don't 'get' the Wii: discuss originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP 3000 finally, inevitably hacked by Datel's Lite Blue Tool
Hacking the PSP has long been a popular pastime, but the 3000 model has proven a tough nut to crack. Don't pop open the champagne just yet, though, Sony -- Datel has revealed a special battery peripheral called the Lite Blue Tool that boots the handheld console into service mode, where downgrades to earlier, cracked firmwares are possible. Of course, most older PSPs could be downgraded without any additional hardware and you only needed a battery like Pandora if you failed the idiot test and bricked your system, but be patient, pirates totally legit homebrew types -- Rome wasn't burnt in a day. Lite Blue is priced at an affordable $29.99, not bad for an interim solution if homebrew and "backups" are your thing.

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PSP 3000 finally, inevitably hacked by Datel's Lite Blue Tool originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Pictures celebrates NXE eve by... blocking Xbox 360 Netflix movie streaming

Just hours before the Xbox 360's newest dashboard update hits tomorrow morning (10:00 a.m. GMT), our friends at Joystiq noticed the list of movies available for Netflix Watch Instantly streaming has suddenly dropped. The culprit? Sony Pictures Home Entertainment subsidiary Columbia Pictures, flicking previously available titles like Superbad, Bad Boys, and We Own the Night over to "Not available on Xbox" status (curiously, SPHE movies are still available to all.) Word from the official Netflix blog cites "the ebb and flow" of what is available on license at any given time causing a few hundred titles to be "temporarily" unavailable on the console, while still open for streaming for other devices, with an eye towards licensing them for the Xbox 360 soon. There's no way to know what movies won't work until adding them to your queue, so when you find your Karate Kid trilogy watching time suddenly wide open for more Gears of War 2 or Left 4 Dead action, just remember you have Sony to thank.

[Via Joystiq & Multiplayer]

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Sony Pictures celebrates NXE eve by... blocking Xbox 360 Netflix movie streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel Core i7 desktop roundup: the rest of what's new

You likely don't need any reminders that the likes of Gateway and Dell (and Alienware) have released some new systems based around Intel's flagship Core i7 processor, but it's a whole other matter to sort out the multitude of options available from some of the smaller PC manufacturers out there, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to shed a bit light on some of those slightly lower profile contenders for the desktop throne. Ready to get started? Then check your bank account and head on past the break.

Continue reading Intel Core i7 desktop roundup: the rest of what's new

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Intel Core i7 desktop roundup: the rest of what's new originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peek email device: now with text messaging and image viewing capabilities

It's barely been two days since we heard that "Dan" at Peek had opened a suggestion box for would-be customers to recommend "minor" tweaks for their email only handheld, so we assume today's news is unrelated. Regardless, there was a pretty decent upgrade to the device last night, adding the ability to view image attachments, as well as text messaging capabilities. Texting works through an SMS email gateway, with users entering numbers in the "To:" field, but we're not going to start nitpicking about technicalities. Seriously though, if they add a way to make calls to this thing, we're totally sold.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

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Peek email device: now with text messaging and image viewing capabilities originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hori's Wii Classic Controller: if you're really into autofire


Fans of the old-timey GameCube will rest easier tonight knowing that Hori is now manufacturing its variation of the classic controller, creatively named the "Classic Controller." We've seen other gamepads in this style, but not many that get it as close to the original design as this -- plus it has those insane autofire switches. These bad boys are available in black, white, and blue on December 4th in Japan, and you can pre-order them now for $29.90 over at Play-Asia.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

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Hori's Wii Classic Controller: if you're really into autofire originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Psystar's antitrust claims against Apple dismissed


Well, we can't say we didn't see this coming -- Judge William Alsup in the federal Northern District of California today dismissed Psystar's antitrust counterclaims in Apple's copyright infringement lawsuit against the wannabe Mac cloner. According to the judge, Psystar's hotshot legal team failed to provide facts "plausibly supporting the counterintuitive claim that Apple's operating system is so unique that it suffers no actual or potential competitors." Not only that, but the judge also found that Psystar actually contradicted itself in pointing out that Apple has to advertise heavily to promote OS X against competing operating systems that perform the same tasks, and that Apple is "certainly entitled" to ask its customers to only use OS X on Apple machines. Yeah, that's a smackdown. Psystar has until December 18th to amend its complaint and try these arguments again, but we can't say we think it's got a shot in hell here -- and something tells us that that court-mandated alternative dispute resolution process isn't going to get very far in Psystar's favor either.

Disclaimer: Nilay's a lawyer and sells bootleg OSx86 machines out the back of his van, but he's not your lawyer and this isn't legal advice.

[Via Macrumors]

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Psystar's antitrust claims against Apple dismissed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG launches Prada II teaser site, matching Bluetooth watch

Not that it wasn't official already or anything, but nothing demonstrates dedication to a product like an exclusive home on the web. Yep, LG has just launched a standalone microsite for the altogether sexy Prada II, and while you already know about the specs -- HSDPA, WiFi, 5-megapixel camera, 3-inch 400 x 240 pixel capacitive multi-touch display and quad-band GSM connectivity -- you probably weren't aware of the matching Prada Link Bluetooth watch. As you'd expect, the timepiece syncs with your Prada II and shows your incoming calls / texts, and we'll go out on a limb and presume that it tells time, too. Sadly, the tidbits we're most interested in (a release date and pricing) aren't clearly available on the site, but we'll be refreshing like madmen hoping for that to change.

[Via UnwiredView]

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LG launches Prada II teaser site, matching Bluetooth watch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft ratchets down pricing on flash-based Zunes

If you were this close to snapping up a new Zune after Microsoft pushed out its 3.1 software update, boy, are you glad you held off. At least, if you've been eying a Zune of the flash-based variety. Beginning today, the US Zunes are coming a little more in line with their Canadian brethren by falling from $129 to $99 (4GB), $149 to $139 (8GB) and $199 to $179 (16GB). The Car Pack / Dock Pack are also seeing a $10 decrease while the Home / AV pack is being reduced $20. You already purchased two in the time it took to read this, didn't you?

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Microsoft ratchets down pricing on flash-based Zunes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMS-capabilities coming soon to a Swedish iPhone?
The oft-bemoaned lack of certain, um... capabilities of the the iPhone is forcing individual companies to take desperate measures, it seems. It's not entirely clear, but MacWorld says it's confirmed with Telia that the Swedish-Finnish carrier's developing an MMS-enabling app for the iPhone. MacWorld says the app will hit the market in the next two months, which is great news for everyone in Sweden. If you live anywhere else in the world, however, you'll just have to continue on, rueing the day you ever encountered Apple's MMS-spurning, copy and paste-hating handset.

Update: Though the source is Swedish, it's entirely reasonable to believe that this'll spread across all of Telia's markets (and the world?). Thanks, commenters!

[Thanks, Martin]

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MMS-capabilities coming soon to a Swedish iPhone? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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 Gizmodo The Gadgets Weblog
Finally, Lasers That Heal Wounds Rather Than Creating Them [Science]

Generally, when you think of a hot laser being pointed at your body, you'd expect it to create a hole rather than seal one up. And most of the time, you'd be right. But Abraham Katzir, a physicist at Tel Aviv University, has just begun human trials of healing lasers that promise less scarring, faster healing and less risk of infection when compared to traditional stiches.

As you can see from the photos to the left, the laser-healed cut on the bottom healed much better than the suture-sewn cut on top. So how do they keep the laser safe and prevent it from doing more damage than good?

To overcome this problem, Katzir and his colleagues developed a laser-based system with a feedback loop that prevents overheating. First, they had to determine the optimal temperature at which flesh melts but can still heal (about 65 degrees Celsius). Then the group created a pen-sized tool that incorporates optic fibers: one that channels a carbon dioxide-powered infrared laser to the wound with pinpoint precision, and another that leads from the pen to an infrared sensor, which measures the temperature and ensures that the heat remains within the ideal range, between 60 and 70 degrees. All a surgeon has to do is move the pen's tip along the cut, strengthening and sealing the weld with a solder of water-soluble protein.

Sounds awesome and scary. Bring on the laser sutures! [Technology Review]



Question of the Day: Do You Plan to Gadget Shop on Black Friday? [Question Of The Day]

To combat the economic crisis, many tech-retailers will have added incentive this year to offer deep discounts on their Black Friday merchandise. And, since most of us will probably be sticking to a strict budget, we have added incentive to fight the long lines to try and score a deal. Still, the thought of getting anywhere near a store on November 28th is daunting. So, my question is: are you one of the brave souls that plans to gadget shop on Black Friday?

Results from "Do You Prefer Interacting With People or Machines?"

People 21%
Machines 40%
Machines, but I prefer talking to people on the phone. 36%
Other 3%



Employees Not Getting Paid for Boot-Up Times, Sue Their Employers [Work Sucks]

For office drones at big companies such as AT&T, United Health Group and Cigna, booting up their computers at the start of the day and waiting for them to shut down takes some decent time. Like 20 minutes at the start and end of the day. And they sure don't like the fact that their weasely employers have decided to not pay them for that time. So, of course, they're suing.

All three of the above companies have been hit with lawsuits dealing with the issue, and lawyers who tackle it are making a decent buck off of it. One the one hand, the companies claim that people aren't working while their computers boot, instead chatting with coworkers or having a coffee. On the other hand, if you have to be in a cubicle, you're working, and it's not the employees fault that their crap computers take so long to get revved up.

But hey, this is America, so we'll leave it for the courts to decide. [TaxProf Blog via The Inquirer]



Casio EX-FH20 Budget Super Slow-Mo Camera Lightning Review [Reviews]

The Gadget: The Casio EX-FH20 camera, bargain brother to the popular EX-F1. It features 1000 fps slow-mo video, a 40 fps burst mode for still shooting and a 9.1-megapixel sensor, as well as good ol' 720p at regular speeds, all for just over half the price of the original slow-mo star.

The Price: $600

The Verdict: Casio did a great job of bringing the power of the EX-F1 down to a beginner's level for the EX-FH20. The functions on the new camera are more streamlined than its bulkier predecessor: missing are the dedicated shooting mode switch dial, the multi-use focus/zoom ring and separate buttons for video and still capture from the F1. But on the other hand, the FH20 bests the F1 in a couple places, with its 9.1M