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NVIDIA pursuing external graphics accelerators for laptops?

It's not everyday that we can say there's external laptop GPU love in the air, but right on the heels the appearance of the Gigabyte M1405 with its GeForce GT220 dock, NVIDIA is expressing interest in external laptop GPUs as well. Manager of notebook GPUs Rene Haas told X-bit Labs that he thinks external graphics adapters for laptops are a "big opportunity" for NVIDIA, though he noted the drawback of their high price tags. We assume he is referring to AMD's ATI XGP box (or Fujitsu Siemen's Lasso) which is the only one available -- the ASUS XG station (pictured above) that seemed to vanish into thin air after its brief appearance at CES 2008. Either way, Haas very clearly states that the large market appeal of affordable external GPUs is just his opinion, though we're going to assume his opinion holds a bit of water in Santa Clara.

NVIDIA pursuing external graphics accelerators for laptops? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electronista | source

Xbitlabs | Email this | Comments

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010?

Netflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 1080p and 5.1 surround sound later this year. No word on timing or any other details, but this could mean its moving to version 3 of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming platform with its additional tweaks for adaptive streaming and hardware graphics acceleration. Also unknown is how much bandwidth would be necessary, but considering Microsoft already uses very similar technology for its 1080p Instant On videos on Zune Marketplace through the Xbox 360 while only requiring 3 Mbps and VUDU HDX 1080p videos only state a minimum of 4500 Kbps, a massive jump in available bandwidth might not be necessary if you already get clear 720p video. The last big hurdle? How much content will be available that way, Gizmodo points out only about 6 percent of current offerings stream in HD we'll be watching carefully if the pace picks up going forward.

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gizmodo | source

CNET | Email this | Comments

Microsoft says Windows 7 battery 'issue' isn't one

After Microsoft stated a week ago that it would look into reports of Windows 7 causing premature battery degradation, we've been staying up late at night with our frazzled lithium ion cells, reading them stories about Battery Heaven and generally trying to keep an upbeat tone around the Engadget HQ. Well, it turns out not everything is rosy in batteryville, but Microsoft says Windows 7 isn't the one to blame. According to the company's testing, the new tool, which reports when a battery is down to 40% of its designed capacity and suggests replacement, hasn't reported a single false positive. Additionally, the tool uses read-only data from the battery, and is in fact incapable of tweaking the battery's life span or internal data -- it merely reports the data it receives, and stacks the theoretical design capacity up against the current full charge capacity. Microsoft attributes the reports of the tool dooming batteries to an early grave to the mere fact that many people might not have noticed the degradation already taking place in their batteries -- most batteries start to degrade noticeably within a year. Of course, not everybody's going to just take Microsoft's word for it, and Microsoft itself will continue to look into the issue, but for now this sounds like a bit of a non-issue. The part about Windows 7 being less conservative with power use is a whole 'nother issue, of course.

Microsoft says Windows 7 battery 'issue' isn't one originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZDNet |

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Motorola: Droid update to Android 2.1 'will start to roll out this week'

We knew Android 2.1 was coming for the Droid, but we'll confess -- we didn't expect it to come this soon. Motorola is now reporting via its official Facebook page that it's "happy to relay the 2.1 upgrade to Droid will start to roll out this week," going on to tease that it "will have more information to share on other device upgrades later." There's no detail on what the Droid update will entail or whether it'll roll out to every user this week (we doubt it), but by all indications, this is a promising sign that Moto's keeping the pedal to the metal, we'd say.

[Thanks, andrewcweaver]

Motorola: Droid update to Android 2.1 'will start to roll out this week' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Nexus One 'equipment recovery fee' slashed to $150, still a pain

So the good news here is that Google appears to have heard the cries for help, having taken a chainsaw to its brutal $350 "equipment recovery fee" that had been lumped on top of T-Mobile's $200 ETF for subsidized Nexus One contracts canceled in the first 120 days. The bad news, though, is that it still exists at all -- a hairy precedent for an industry being watched with eagle eyes by the FCC right now. The company has knocked $200 off the fee, bringing it down to $150; in other words, if you break your contract, you'll pay the same ETF that Verizon now charges on its "advanced devices." Whether that was a deliberate move to let 'em say that they're no more expensive than Verizon is unclear, but let's be honest: $350 is extreme, $550 was highway robbery. At least we're going in the right direction.

Google's Nexus One 'equipment recovery fee' slashed to $150, still a pain originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phone Scoop, The Wall Street Journal | source

Google | Email this | Comments

DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping

There's just no two ways about it: the integrated self-timer is easily one of the most amazing technologies to ever be invented. Yeah, we said it. Unfortunately, beeping for ten seconds while a shooter races to get in position isn't always ideal or fun, and that's where isharq comes in. His Arduino-based mod is amongst the most flexible out there for DSLRs, enabling it to morph from a basic laser trigger hack to something that senses heat, movement or sound (just to name a few) and then makes your camera react accordingly. As it stands, his setup triggers his DSLR to snap a shot whenever a laser beam is broken, and if you're eager to see more, be sure to peek the in-action video just past the break. Oh, and the source link holds all the secrets to recreating something like this in your own laboratory.

[Thanks, Simon]

Continue reading DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping

DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photocritic | Email this | Comments

zoomMediaPlus' zoomIt is the iPhone's long overdue SD card reader

Sorry if we're the sort of folks to look a gift SD card reader in the mouth, but while we're oh-so-happy that Apple finally opened up application-enabled hardware development in iPhone OS 3.0, we really wish an accessory like this had been available for the iPhone right from the start. The new zoomIt SD card reader from zoomMediaPlus adds a bit of external, swappable memory to the iPhone and iPod touch at long last, giving you the ability to store your iPhone's pictures on the card, or pull stuff off it onto your handset using the free zoomIt app. Interestingly, this is coming to light just a couple weeks after we saw Apple's own similar solution for getting cameras into the iPad mix -- the SD and USB-adapting iPad Camera Connection Kit, which will be a mere $30. There's no word if Apple's adapter will work with the iPhone (we doubt it) or if the zoomIt will work with the iPad (perhaps), but the $60 pricetag on the zoomIt is a bit of a turn off. Also, it won't be shipping until April (though you can pre-order now for a $10 discount), so Apple may very well make up our minds for us by the time March rolls around.

zoomMediaPlus' zoomIt is the iPhone's long overdue SD card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iLounge | source

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Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions

We don't typically do a lot of coverage of music gear here at Engadget because, by and large, it's an entire world unto itself -- a universe of specialty products that require unique knowledge (and often, talent) to use, let alone review -- and ultimately, we're only writing for a limited subset of our readership. There are, of course, countless exceptions to the rule; mixing gear in particular has really come into its own, technologically, over the past several years as a whole new generation of would-be DJ superstars come into the fold. A skill once dominated by turntables is... well, still dominated by turntables, but everything surrounding the spinning vinyl is changing: nowadays, you've got a PC that can serve as a virtually bottomless pit of tracks, state-of-the-art software for synchronizing and manipulating those tracks, and dedicated external controllers to help you control the software. Once an art form, modern DJing is now half art, half science. It's exciting, it's cool, and even if you don't know the difference between a crossfader and a high-pass filter, it's a lot of fun to see how this stuff works.

To that end, today we're taking a quick look at Native Instrument's Kontrol X1 -- the first official, dedicated controller for its Traktor series of apps, one of the world's most widely-used DJ suites.

Continue reading Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions

Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst: Apple to be 'nimble' on iPad pricing, athletic on pommel horse

Apple's $499 starting iPad price tag is already lower than many people -- and a few competitors -- expected, but apparently Steve and company have left themselves a little wiggle room: Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope says that Apple told him it'll remain "nimble" when it comes to iPad pricing, suggesting that the price could drop if sales don't meet targets. That's not a hugely surprising thing to say, considering Apple's trying to be the first to achieve real success with a 'tweener device and strong pressure from netbooks, laptops, and smartphones threatens to collapse the space entirely, but a lot of people are taking it to mean some kind of drop is a done deal -- particularly since Apple cut the price of the first-gen iPhone by $200 just a few months after it launched and saw already-solid sales triple. We're honestly not so sure, though: Apple always tells investors that it's confident in how its products are priced but responsive to market changes, and it's not like a smaller price cut boosted the Apple TV into hit product territory. We'll see what happens after the iPad actually goes on sale -- we doubt we'll see any changes for another few months at least.

Analyst: Apple to be 'nimble' on iPad pricing, athletic on pommel horse originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All Things Digital | source

Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments

Wisair-based wireless display adapters head to Macs

PC users have been able to take advantage of a range of Wisair-based wireless display adapters for quite a while now, and it looks like Mac users will soon be able to use them to cut a few cords as well. The first such device is a Mac-ready version of InFocus' wireless display adapter, which is designed specifically for use with InFocus' own DisplayLink-enabled projectors and should be available by the end of March. That looks to just be the beginning, however, as Wisair itself has also announced that no less than four other OEM vendors will be offering some Mac-ready, Wisair-based adapters of their own next month -- all of which, coincidentally, will be making their official debut at MacWorld 2010 this week.

Wisair-based wireless display adapters head to Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wisair, InFocus | Email this | Comments

Amazon job postings ask for display and wireless experts, hint at Kindle things to come?

So, we already assume Amazon's thinking touch for the Kindle, what with that recent Touchco aquisition and word of similar behind-the-screen touch tech being on PVI's roadmap. PVI owns E Ink, and is naturally bullish about its upcoming products, but what about E Ink in the new Kindle? If you're into reading the tea leaves of job postings, Amazon might be telegraphing its intentions. It's looking for a "Hardware Display Manager" who, among many other things, is supposed to have "Significant exposure to high volume manufacturing environments; you will know the LCD business and key players in the market." That might have you thinking the next Kindle will go LCD, but the requirements also mention a "deep knowledge of current display technology and potential future technologies," and nothing about the role seems exactly prescriptive of an LCD expertise -- more of a general focus on displays and product design, whatever tech might come. Pixel Qi or Mirasol, anybody? Amazon's also looking for all sorts of software expertise, including a "Software Design Engineer" who will be reponsible for radio stacks "including but not limited to" 3G and WiFi. Again, these are requirements (among many) for a role, not necessarily implications of a Kindle 3 spec sheet, but there's one thing clear: Amazon's gearing up for something.

Amazon job postings ask for display and wireless experts, hint at Kindle things to come? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Times Bits Blog | source

Lab126 | Email this | Comments

Linus Torvalds is now a happy Nexus One owner, pinch to zoom put him over the edge

Linux originator Linus Torvalds isn't really big on these "phone" things, but he's finally caved to his Nexus One lust. In a recent blog post he explains how the G1 never did it for him, despite his love of the "concept" of having a Linux-based phone. He finds phones in general irritating, and cellphones "an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are," but the Nexus One's offer of car-friendly GPS navigation got him thinking he'd have a good excuse to bring it with him places, and the recent announcement of pinch-to-zoom capabilities somehow put him over the edge. He still says the phone part is "kind of secondary," but we sure he'll eventually be won over to the dark side and be just as annoying as the rest of us phone talkers at restaurants.

Linus Torvalds is now a happy Nexus One owner, pinch to zoom put him over the edge originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video

Twenty four hours after exposing the 8.9-inch tablet's internals to the world, the guys at ExoPC decided that the Intel Atom-powered slate was ready for its video debut. You can watch the Win 7 Premium tablet in action after the break, but we do have to say that the "low-pressure resistive" touchscreen seems responsive enough for making selections and scrolling through your favorite technology website. And surprisingly, the viewing angles on the screen appear pretty decent. Still no sign of the touch-friendly software layer, but ExoPC assures us that will be shipping with the final units. Enough of the play-by-play from us -- hit the break and see it all for yourself.

Continue reading ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video

ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ExoPC | Email this | Comments

Peratech's QTC sensor technology headed to your next cellphone

We've always heard to strike while the iron's hot, and that's exactly what Peratech seems to be doing. Just weeks after we heard that the company's pressure-sensitive touchscreen methodology was being seriously considered by the powers that be, along comes Samsung Electro-mechanics to take 'em up on their offer. For those unaware, Samsung EM provides components to loads of leading phone makers, which could mean that Peratech's pressure sensitive 5-way input device is on its way to your next mobile as we speak. These so-called Navikeys will supposedly provide a greater level of immersion when interacting with phones, and we get the feeling that those aging dome switches are feeling mighty frightened by all this encroachment. The best part? Paratech claims that a "Navikey using QTC from Samsung EM is already being used in a Tier 1 mobile phone," so here's hoping that we find out exactly what phone that is in the near future.

Peratech's QTC sensor technology headed to your next cellphone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peratech | Email this | Comments

Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards

The iF Design Awards won't officially be handed out until the big ceremony at CeBIT next month, but some of the winners have now already been announced, and they include a few surprises. One of those is this new Qisda QCM-330 smartphone, which is said to be Android-based, and packs a 4-inch, 1,280 x 1,024 screen (supposedly, although the actual resolution will likely differ given the aspect ratio), WiFi and HSDPA connectivity, a 3 megapixel camera, and an accelerometer, among other, as yet unnamed specs. It's joined by the LG GD880 we previously spotted in the wild, along with a slew of phones headed for Vodafone, including the Compass slider, and the Krystal (pictured after the break), which apparently packs displays on both sides and some augmented reality-type features (like on the fly translation of newspapers). Rounding out the lot are the decidedly more ordinary Vodafone Sting, Shilpa, Quincy and, our personal favorite, the Larry. Hit up the link below for a closer look at those.

Continue reading Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards

Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slash Gear | source

Mobile-Review | Email this | Comments

TomTom Ease arrives in limited edition red for Valentine's Day

Funny that this special red edition of the TomTom Ease is actually beating the regular version to market, but hey, it's Valentine's Day. Nothing new here apart from the case color -- you're still looking at a 3.5-inch QVGA display, 2GB of internal memory preloaded with Tele-Atlas maps, Map Share / IQ Routes, an integrated battery, and a built-in Fold & Go mount. Amazon has the limited-edition red exclusively for $119 now, if you're ready to commit -- or you can wait and just be friends with the boring gray model, which should be out any day now.

TomTom Ease arrives in limited edition red for Valentine's Day originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon, BusinessWire | Email this | Comments

Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now

While we're sitting around complaining about the lack of innovative user interfaces and experiences in modern consumer electronics, a man named Barton Smith is actually doing something about it. In 2008 the industrial designer hatched a concept for an OS called Locus which completely upends many of the use paradigms we're familiar with in current desktop or mobile operating environments. Besides looking absolutely beautiful, a major chunk of the Locus concept focuses around the idea of having separate, easily accessible workspaces for different settings, such as on a train, at home, while out with friends, etc. Each of those scenarios is stored in a set of "panels" which can change based on geolocation or by user choice, and has its own combination of desktop arrangement and application shortcuts. Locus also incorporates a Zune-like content browsing interface, and a project management UI based around real world interactions (something like BumpTop, but cleaner). The whole concept is slickly put together and well thought out... but it doesn't just end with the software. Smith envisions this platform running on another concept of his: a portable computer called Stream. Stream would be a small, modular tablet / mobile device which can be docked in a variety of components, thus changing its functionality (along with Locus). It's fascinating stuff, for sure, and doubly intriguing considering Barton began developing these concepts so long ago (though the video below is brand new). Now where is the super-rich partner this guy needs to make this thing a reality?

Update: As noted in comments, Microsoft branding is shown at the start of this video, but this is not a Microsoft product -- it seems Barton added the name and logo for effect.

Continue reading Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now

Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlashGear | source

Locus OS, Stream | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising

Using a cellphone to control a robot -- or a pretty sweet helicopter -- isn't exactly a new idea, but there's something about the combination of Android and Lego Mindstorms that promises to break the possibilities wide open. Swedish tech company Enea Linköping is one of the first we've seen to directly link an Android app to the Mindstorms brain over Bluetooth -- they're using an HTC Hero to control two simple rover bots. Unfortunately, since Android 1.5 doesn't support the Bluetooth serial profile, there's a hack involved: the phone actually sends out commands over WiFi,which are passed through a WiFi-Bluetooth tunneling app on laptop before hitting the bots. That means there's a little lag involved, but now that Android 2.1 has serial Bluetooth support we're hoping things get a little more streamlined in the future. Video after the break.

Continue reading HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising

HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recombu | source

Enea | Email this | Comments

Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content

If you're a book lover who wants to take your relationship to another level entirely, you're in luck! It looks like Barnes and Noble has finally kicked production of the Nook in high gear, just in time for Valentine's Day. And when you do take hold of your e-reader (which should start appearing in stores this week), the company has plenty for you in the way of its all new, exclusive "More In Store" content, including: A short story by Adriana Trigiani (who you love), a Valentine's Day recipe for red velvet cupcakes from Anne Byrn, the Cake Mix Doctor, and something called "Read Between the Wines," a regular feature by renowned wine expert Kevin Zraly, a dude who tells you how to pair your favorite books with the perfect vintage. (Hint: if you're reading Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, you might want to pop open a vintage 2007 Dancing Bull.) You can either order online (shipping is free for the time being) or, if you prefer to pick one up in person, hit up the In-Store Locator beginning February 10th to see when they're in stock at your fave B&N location. PR after the break.

Continue reading Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content

Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes and Noble, In-Store Locator | Email this | Comments

HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool

Look familiar? Yep, this is precisely what we expected HTC's rumored Legend to look like based on the renders we'd seen so far. We don't have any information here other than the pictures themselves, but from what we can gather, it seems to carry over Sense as we know it today without a trace of that freshened look we've caught in recent months (not unlike its Incredible cousin). Maybe more importantly, the Legend looks like it might be kicking off a new styling direction for the company with a big, bold, chromed company logo around back and an aluminum shell that we suspect feels awesome in the hand -- particularly if it's pre-production aluminum. More on this one as we get it; in the meantime, check out a shot of the back after the break.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Continue reading HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool

HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inbrics' Android-based M1 slated to ship this year

We already caught a fair amount of play time with Inbrics' Android-based M1 at CES, but it looks as if the company is fixing to "officially" reveal it next week at Mobile World Congress. We're still debating whether or not this thing is a bona fide smartphone or yet another MID that'll have a tough time gaining acceptance in this cruel, cruel world, but either way, it's apparently on track for release later this year. According to details scooped up by Pocket-lint, the company is hoping that the M1 will double as a media controller for AV junkies, and if all goes well, Europeans could get their hands on it "in 2010 or early 2011." Just as long as it's prior to 2012, we're cool.

Inbrics' Android-based M1 slated to ship this year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket-lint | Email this | Comments

InPhase out of business, assets seized for back taxes

It's been something like five years that we've been eagerly waiting for InPhase to finally release that revolutionary holographic storage solution, and while there has been plenty of drama in the way of release dates promised and pushed back, and even some layoffs to keep things interesting, the company has been pretty, pretty quiet lately. As it turns out, this has been due to the fact that employees have been busy enough updating their resumes. "We were expecting it for a long time," said one employee, among the sixty or so who picked up their final paychecks last week. "So it wasn't a big surprise." To put a finer point on things, it's been announced that the Colorado Department of Revenue has seized the company's assets for non-payment of taxes. According to The Register, the state has changed the locks and announced that everything on the premises will be auctioned off, down to the fixtures and furniture. This is certainly an ignominious end to a once great idea, but as you know every cloud has a silver lining: If you're looking to get into the holographic storage business, drop us a line. We've heard that some equipment is becoming available soon -- and at a great price.

InPhase out of business, assets seized for back taxes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Register | source

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Google working on voice translator phone, redefining synergy

Okay, so Google has this expansive online translation service, which we all know, use, and sometimes even love. Google also has its own branded phone, with a voice recognition function that we frankly adore. So what's a brave new age company with bottomless pockets to do but try to splice the two together into some kind of omnilingual instant translator? Speech-to-speech translation -- long the exclusive plaything of fanciful sci-fi writers -- is said by Franz Och, Google's head of translation services, to be a viable possibility within a measly couple of years. The Mountain View approach to overcoming the inherent problems of variable pitch, tone and accents in speech will be to use each person's phone to accrue data on his or her linguistic idiosyncrasies, so that the more the phone's voice recognition is used, the more accurate it becomes. Sounds tres bien to us.

Google working on voice translator phone, redefining synergy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Times Online | Email this | Comments

Corsair readying Nova and Reactor 2.5-inch SSDs for release

Corsair has kept quiet on the SSD front here recently, but it looks as if it's about to ruffle a few feathers with two new laptop-centric drives. Fudzilla has dug up pricing information on two heretofore unreleased solid state drives from the company, with the 64GB / 128GB Nova and 60GB / 120GB Reactor both featuring the Indilinx Barefoot controller, MLC NAND and at least 64MB of cache. The Nova series is purportedly capable of hitting read speeds of up to 215MB/sec on both the V128 and V64, while write speeds are locked at 130MB/sec for the V64 and 195MB/sec for the V128. As for the Reactor range? Those feature 128MB of cache and a nice boost in transfer speeds, though the €151 ($206) starting tag doesn't do much for bargain shoppers. Hit the source link for more details, but don't get your hopes too high for a near-term release in the US.

Corsair readying Nova and Reactor 2.5-inch SSDs for release originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot Hardware | source

Fudzilla | Email this | Comments

Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams

Canon's just gone and busted out four new cameras in its point and shoot PowerShot line. Up first the PowerShot Sx210 IS boasts a 14.1 megapixel sensor, a 28mm wide-angle lens with 14x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD, and can shoot HD video. The SX210 IS will come in black, purple and gold. The PowerShot SD3500 IS also packs a 14.1 megapixel sensor, with a 24mm ultra wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD. The PowerShot SD3500 IS will come in black, silver and pink. The PowerShot SD1400 IS similarly has a 14.1 megapixel sensor, with 28mm lens and 4x optical zoom, but this little guy is less than an inch thick, and will be available in pink, orange, silver and black. Finally the PowerShot SD1300 IS has a 12.1 megapixel resolution, with a 28mm wide angle lens and 4x optical zoom, and a 2.7-inch LCD. It'll be available in silver, pink, green, blue and brown. The SX210 will be available in late March for $349.99, while the SD3500 IS, The SD1400 IS, and the SD1300 IS will arrive in late February (that's this month!) for $329.99, $249.99 and $199.99, respectively. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams

Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon's new Rebel T2i shoots 18 megapixel stills, ups the video options

We'd heard inklings, but Canon's brand new Rebel T2i (also known as the EOS 550D outside the US) is newly official and oh-so-desirable. The camera takes quite a few features from Canon's EOS 7D, including an almost identical sensor, the selectable frame rates, and the stereo mic jack. There's also a new widescreen LCD and button layout to differentiate it from its T1i sibling -- which will stick around on the market to pick up the poorer Canon lovers among us. The shooter can capture 18.7 megapixel stills at 3.7 fps, with better, 7D-style light metering and an expanded ISO range of 100 to 6400. Video is even more thrilling, with the addition of 30 / 25 / 24 fps 1080p (the T1i was limited to a silly 20 fps at that resolution), along with 720p at 50 / 60 fps and VGA at similar rates. The camera can also do an ultra-zoomed "movie crop" function that actually does the cropping on the CMOS sensor to provide about 7x of additional zoom without losing quality in SD. The T2i will hit retail in March for $800, with a EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens kit at $900. PR is after the break.

Gallery: Canon Rebel T2i press shots

Continue reading Canon's new Rebel T2i shoots 18 megapixel stills, ups the video options

Canon's new Rebel T2i shoots 18 megapixel stills, ups the video options originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid's next update to be Android 2.1, includes multitouch browser

We've just gotten the inside line on the next Droid update that's making the rounds through Verizon's testing department from one of our trusted sources, and overall, it looks like this should take users 95 percent of the way to curing pangs of Nexus One envy. Here's what we've got:

It's based on Android 2.1. The build currently being circulated is identified as 2.1 version 1, mirroring the update just pushed to the Nexus One last week.
Google Goggles is now pre-installed (no matter how unhelpful it may be).
The browser's now multitouch enabled, just like Google Maps 3.4. Huzzah! No Flash, but then again, we weren't really expecting that.
Interestingly, the home screen's still got the same look as 2.0.1, meaning it doesn't adopt the Nexus One's rotating 3D grid of app icons -- it's still got the pull-up drawer tab at the bottom.
No active wallpapers. Bummer!
The news and weather widgets introduced on the Nexus One are included. Maybe certain capabilities of 2.1 are going to be restricted to devices with minimum performance benchmarks?

There's no word on timing, and for all our source knows, this build could still very well fail testing -- goodness knows it's happened with plenty of pre-production firmwares in Verizon's past. We'll keep our ear to the ground and you do the same.

Motorola Droid's next update to be Android 2.1, includes multitouch browser originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG LU9400 Arena Max pictured hiding a 1GHz Snapdragon inside

Another day, another Snapdragon handset. It's kind of fun to consider a phone with a thousand megahertz processor common these days, isn't it? We already knew LG's Arena Max would have built-in WiFi, but now we can put a face to the name as well as a few other select specs. Wireless connectivity will be augmented with Bluetooth and GPS modules, which will be cozying up to a 5 megapixel camera unit at the back and a 3.5-inch touchscreen up front. The Cyon branding tells us Korea will be the inevitable first destination, though the rest of the world is expected to follow swiftly. More will surely be known at MWC in a week's time. A couple more images await after the break, including a side-by-side with the original Arena.

Continue reading LG LU9400 Arena Max pictured hiding a 1GHz Snapdragon inside

LG LU9400 Arena Max pictured hiding a 1GHz Snapdragon inside originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tech Digest | source

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Zenith 5-S-29 radio case mod explained in excellent, water-cooled detail

The trusty old desktop rarely gets the love it deserves these days. Losing gamers to consoles and casual users to laptops, it's left only with a loyal band of enthusiasts, but what a gorgeous bunch they are. Gary from the Bit-tech forums has put together the above case mod, inspired by the styles of early 20th century electronics, and reminded us all that big can be beautiful. He's managed to fit an entire water cooling setup inside, while leaving no detail undocumented in a thorough, pic-heavy walkthrough of the project. We'd have considered the stunning wooden case enough by itself, but Gary has taken care of the little touches as well, as exemplified by the spare PCI slot covers matching the external construction. Hit the source link for images of the build and the insides laid bare.

Zenith 5-S-29 radio case mod explained in excellent, water-cooled detail originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's first 'Super AMOLED' phone to debut next week?

Remember Samsung's new 3.3-inch AMOLED with embedded touch-controls? If not then you'd better go back and brush up on your display tech because the first Samsung phone using the new 800 x 480 pixel "Super AMOLED" display is said to be getting a reveal next week at the big Mobile World Congress show. The panel is claimed to be five times "clearer" and offer 20% better visibility when used outside -- the biggest weakness of existing AMOLED devices like the Zune HD and Nexus One. We're also going to guess that the new device will be running Samsung's new Bada OS at the time of the reveal -- but that's not exactly a stretch.

Samsung's first 'Super AMOLED' phone to debut next week? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OLED-Display | source

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PwnageTool for iPhone OS 3.1.3 released for the version obsessed

While the list of tweaks is absurdly small in the latest iPhone OS update, we know that some of you simply have to run the latest and greatest OS at all times regardless of risk. Fortunately for you, the Dev-Team has stepped to with a new version of PwnageTool (v3.1.5 for Mac OS X) that handles the update to iPhone OS 3.1.3 with aplomb while preserving your device's ultrasn0w unlock and jailbroken state. As usual, there's a litany of precautions depending upon the device you own so hit the source link and read the dev-team's words carefully before proceeding. With a little luck, patience, and undue stress, improved accuracy of your device's reported battery level can be yours -- Huzzah?

PwnageTool for iPhone OS 3.1.3 released for the version obsessed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp and Samsung settle LCD patent cases, end legal dispute

After three years of spent treasure, Sharp and Samsung have finally settled their LCD patent fight. Although the terms of the agreement won't be made public, a Sharp spokesman was caught boasting about conditions that "will be in favor of Sharp" -- the company that kicked off the battle back in 2007. As a recap, the disputed patents covered LCD TVs, monitors, and mobile phones in lawsuits filed in the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea. After a string of defeats in the US and Europe resulted in an import ban on its panels, Samsung, it seems, was left with little choice but to settle on Sharp's terms.

Sharp and Samsung settle LCD patent cases, end legal dispute originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BenQ V2220 claims 'world's slimmest' monitor title

BenQ is on the warpath today, updating its V series and crying from the mountaintops about unbeatable slimness and contrast ratios. We could care less about the supposedly class leading 10,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, but the 15mm thinness on the flagship V2220 certainly intrigues. It's claimed as the thinnest 21.5-inch monitor around and its junior sibling, the 18.5-inch V920, shaves another millimeter of thickness off while claiming the same title for its size class. Naturally, they're supplemented by slightly bulkier 23- and 24-inch varieties (V2320 and V2420, respectively) for those who need the extra room, with H variants offering HDMI and headphone connection options. You can expect 1920 x 1080 (1366 x 768 on the V920) resolution, 250 nits of brightness, 5ms response time and a good 1,000:1 real contrast ratio across the board, with the Taiwan launch set for the next couple of months followed by global availability in June.

BenQ V2220 claims 'world's slimmest' monitor title originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Far East Gizmos | source

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ASUS Eee Top ET1610PT with Atom D410 shows up in online support pages

While it doesn't seem to be available to order yet, ASUS' first Pine Trail-equipped nettop is close enough to release that the Taiwanese manufacturer has let some of its specs loose already. What we know so far is that it'll come with Intel's Atom D410 CPU, 802.11b/g/n wireless, six USB ports, a 5-in-1 card reader, and a webcam -- all while keeping Windows XP's dreams of immortality alive. The 1610 will be a 15.6-inch all-in-one, like its predecessor, with the T model offering optional touchscreen functionality. It's hard to argue that the new Atoms offer any great performance gains, but then ASUS is not expected to charge any premium relative to its older models, making this a desirable, albeit incremental, upgrade.

[Thanks, Sal]

ASUS Eee Top ET1610PT with Atom D410 shows up in online support pages originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte M1405 spied hauling around its external GPU

Happened upon the Taipei Game Show? No? Us neither, but Nicholas Khoo of 9eekonomics was, and we're glad he made it. Spotted at the event was Gigabyte's latest docking laptop, the M1405. On the go, there's a 14-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution TFT LED, Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300, up to 4GB memory and 500GB storage, DVD, Windows 7, and graphics provided by an Intel GMA 4500MHD -- attach that external GPU and you've got extra ports and GeForce GT220 with 1GB discrete memory. It's got a 6-cell battery, but you can add an addition 3-cell if you don't mind ditching the disc drive. No prices or release date, but expect an even grander unveil next month at CeBIT. More pictures via the source link, video after the break.

Continue reading Gigabyte M1405 spied hauling around its external GPU

Gigabyte M1405 spied hauling around its external GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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9eekonomics | source

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Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection

Before you get too excited about the bandwidth number, you should know that Sony's latest wireless innovation works at a range of up to 14 millimeters. So no, it won't be replacing your WiFi antenna anytime soon, but it may well be showing up in your next television set or other bit of Sony-branded gadgetry. Working in the 30GHz to 300GHz frequency range, this is designed to replace wired communication channels inside electronic devices, with Sony claiming it will deliver "advantages such as size and cost-reduction and enhanced reliability of the final product." Basically, erecting 1mm antennae that can beam information at each other at a rate of 11Gbps turns out to be simpler and more reliable than printing ever wider data lanes into the circuit board. Makes sense to us. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection

Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impress AV Watch | source

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2011 Chevy Volt pinned with a November 1st official production kickoff date?

Christmas isn't coming early, but at least you're getting a heads up. GM car dealers got their annual model guide, and what has our interests piqued here is the listing for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in hybrid electric car that seems to make our heart race in equal proportions to our wallets crying. According to the chart, the company will be accepting orders starting in September, with the official production date (or "Job 1 date" in automotive lingo) starting November 1st. There's a bit of a discrepancy, however, as the dealers won't know their final allocation until two weeks after the startup time -- notice how it's typically done weeks before with the other models -- but hey, maybe time paradoxes is just another bullet point on its list of features. It's about time Doc's DeLorean had some competition.

2011 Chevy Volt pinned with a November 1st official production kickoff date? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | source

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VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way

We weren't sure exactly what Beyonce, David Goes to the Dentist and Chocolate Rain all had in common, but VIZIO squeezed them all into its Super Bowl ad. Still striving to remake its reputation from being merely a cheap HDTV manufacturer to a premium one offering lots of features, the ad (embedded after the break) shows how it's bringing "the best of the internet" with VIZIO Internet Apps. We still need to see if its picture quality will measure up and whether the widget experience has gotten any better (read: faster) in 2010 to be truly convinced, but a slick ad never hurt.

Continue reading VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way

VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl

Just in case you missed the Devour's televised debut in the third quarter of the Super Bowl, Motorola and the internet at large have gone ahead and posted it online, along with some bonus footage (spoiler: no bonus Megan Fox scenes). Jury's still out on if it'll assuage any Motoblur disdain. Commercial after the break, extra scenes via the source link -- your move, Stephen.

Continue reading Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl

Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Mini 10 adds WiMAX, collects FCC certification

If you believe WiMAX is the future, but just can't deal with that USB appendage ruining the sleek looks of your netbook, fret not. Dell's Mini 10 has dropped by the FCC for a repeat visit, only this time it's sporting a built-in WiMAX module. From what we're told it's an otherwise unmodified version of Round Rock's latest and greatest 10-incher, so you'll probably be wanting to visit our recent review to see if it makes for a worthy mobile computer. We suspect Sprint might have some retail space for these units when they arrive, given that the wireless carrier already offers the 3G-equipped Mini 10 on a subsidized basis and will be keen to offer a similar product to its expanding WiMAX clientelle.

Dell Mini 10 adds WiMAX, collects FCC certification originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Liliputing | source

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Gizmodo The Gadgets Weblog
On Hoth, Every Day Is Valentine's Day [Valentine's Day]

Nothing says "I love you" quite like Star Wars frenemies walking hand in hand. Illustrator James Stowe appears to agree, having made a different Valentine's Day card for each episode. And not a Jar Jar in sight!

My favorite might be Gredo and Han, but they're all pretty terrific. And what a relief to not to see Luke and Leia sharing a card. Or Leia and Jabba, for that matter.

It doesn't look as though you can purchase these, but you can always print them out for that special someone. And if he or she's a real fan, you're almost guaranteed a little Wookiee.

[Art by Stowe via Neatorama]

Microsoft Blames Your Laptop—Not Windows 7—For Battery Issues [Microsoft]

After upgrading to Windows 7, some users saw a new warning message suggesting that they need to replace their laptops' batteries. Some screamed "bug," some shouted "conspiracy,' but Microsoft denies that anything's wrong.

In an entry on Microsoft's MSDN blog, Windows division President Steven Sinofsky explains that the warning message is a new feature in Windows 7 and that's why some users are seeing it for the first time on laptops which appeared to run just fine under a different OS:

To the very best of the collective ecosystem knowledge, Windows 7 is correctly warning batteries that are in fact failing and Windows 7 is neither incorrectly reporting on battery status nor in any way whatsoever causing batteries to reach this state. In every case we have been able to identify the battery being reported on was in fact in need of recommended replacement.

He continues to say that this has all the "appearance of Windows 7 'causing' the change in performance, but in reality all Windows 7 did was report what was already the case."

It's not their OS, it's your laptop's lousy battery. Or at least that's the story we're sticking with for now. [MSDN Blog via CNET]

Our Price of TV Loyalty: 20% Off the Top [Cable]

For a 20% savings, more than 50% cable and satellite subscribers are likely to jump ship to save money. But Telco TV (services like AT&T U-verse) have a much, much more loyal following. Anecdotally, would you agree? [Multiplayblog via engadgetHD]

China Brings Down 180,000-Member Hacker Training Site [China]

Black Hawk Safety Net, an online hacker training resource with 12,000 paying members and another 170,000 free members, was brought down recently by Chinese authorities.

Only three operators of the site were arrested, while the official site itself, 3800hk.com, was put out of commission when the company's 9 servers were seized. The site provided resources on hacking techniques and trojan software.

Black Hawk Safety net had been attributed with a 2007 attack on—wait for it—an internet cafe that put dozens—dozens—of poor souls out of internet access for 60 hours. [Yahoo via PopSci] [Image]

Remainders - The Things We Didn't Post: Tricky Tricky Edition [Remainders]

In today's Remainders: tricks of all sorts. Wisair cuts some cords with their wireless display adapters; Netflix warns the FCC of potential loopholes in the Comcast/NBC merger; the inimitable BrussPup plays with our heads (and ping pong balls); and more.

Air Ball
I'm all for eliminating cords and wires whenever possible, so I was excited to hear that Wisair's wireless display adapters were coming to Macs by the end of March in products from at least four OEMs. My excitement evaporated when I looked at InFocus's Wisair setup, which incorporates a display, speakers, mouse and keyboard into one unsightly package. If you're looking to get rid of wires for aesthetic reasons, like me, you'll share my hope that some of the other Wisair-based systems will be a little sleeker and a little more flexible. Because making me use your keyboard, mouse, display, and speakers isn't removing clutter from my desk, it's adding it. [Engadget]

Tech TV
It seems that with each passing year the Super Bowl's commercials get a little less exciting. Or maybe it's me getting a little more cynical. Either way—Parisian Love aside—seeing high profile, memorable tech commercials during football's big game is increasingly uncommon. Thankfully, Computer World offers a trip down memory lane, collecting the ten most memorable Super Bowl tech ads of all time, starting all the way back with Xerox's "Monks" spot from 1976 and continuing up through today. There's no sudsy Megan Fox, but maybe that's a good thing. [Computer World]

To Xfinity and Beyond
Netflix is understandably worried about the impending Comcast / NBC merger. In a recent FCC filing, they warned that if net neutrality policies aren't strengthened and enforced, Comcast could effectively use a loophole to promote NBC content on its own streaming services and keep that content off of others. And they have good reason to worry: as physical disc-dealing loses ground to streaming services, Netflix will have to keep up with companies who own the content and the means of providing it to stay in the game. [Washington Post]

Pup Pong
BrussPup, not content simply to blow our minds with his painters tape anamorphic illusions, posted "iBall" last night, a tech-trick of a slightly different variety. With some very careful timing, he plays a video of a ping pong ball back across four different displays, making look like he's dumping the ball from device to device. Pretty neat. Also, keep an eye out for pieces of the glowing Nintendo controller illusion that are still up in his hallway. That's dedication. Or maybe laziness. [BrussPup on YouTube]

BirdBox Wakes You Up With the Sound of Hungry Birds In Your iPhone [IPhone]

I love little birds. They are so cute. And they taste delicious and crunchy fried in beer batter. If you want them to wake you up, however, try BirdBox.

BirdBox is a $12.75 bedside bird home with a matching free application that turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a cuckoo alarm clock. You know, because nothing says good morning like "the sound and sight of nesting birds" eating regurgitated bugs and worms. [Luckybite via Boing Boing]

The RFID Record Player Is a Real World Cover Flow [DIY]

I like this idea by Matt Brown: He tags 45rpm vinyl records with RFID stickers to play songs in a turntable that doesn't turn at all.

Inside the fake player he placed an RFID reader, which gets the information from the RFID-tagged record. Once it detects it—and the user moves the tonearm into position—the record player starts reproducing a playlists. Matt wanted to be able to touch the songs, like people used to do back in the day, when people wore funny shirts and pants and watched Three Is Company in analog TV. If you want all the inconvenience of physical records combined all the inconveniences of cold digital music, you absolutely need this. I know I do. [Real Tomato]

AMD's Plan to Take Back Laptops: The Llano "APU" [Processors]

If you want a laptop with graphics and battery performance that isn't totally embarrassing, you're basically stuck with some combination of Intel and Nvidia gear. Now, finally, AMD's Llano, a CPU/GPU combo, or "APU", could give us a serious alternative.

AMD running with the "Application Processor Unit" name isn't as gimmicky as it sounds, because the Llano is genuinely unique: It's four processing cores and a DX11-capable GPU on a single processor die. In simpler terms, this means that AMD has created a tidy little system on a chip, aimed at a few portable markets. In the simplest terms, they've shrunk laptop graphics and processing into a single chip, which saves power and space.

So! Not much is known about the Llano right now, but we can pick out some broad themes. The chip's power regulation is novel, monitoring specific chip functions to gauge power draw rather than sensors. The graphics capabilities, though still generally a mystery, wouldn't have to be very good at all to trump Intel's lame integrated graphics. In other words, as Ars notes, this could be the first real baby of the still torrid AMD/ATI marriage, and the start of an ATI comeback, at least in laptops.

Or, given that we're not expected to see these processors in products until 2011, when everything could be completely different, it could be none of these things. [Ars Technica]

Android 2.1 Update for Droid Will Begin Rolling Out This Week [Android]

We knew that the Droid's Android 2.1 update is on its way, but apparently we won't be waiting long: According to Motorola's official Facebook page, it's "happy to relay the 2.1 upgrade to Droid will start to roll out this week." [Engadget]

Falling Down the Guggenheim Museum Hall [Architecture]

JDS Architects thought that this trampoline net spiral—which would allow people to bounce from the top floor to the bottom of the Guggenheim Museum rotunda—could be the funniest thing ever. I completely agree. And so do ambulance-chasing lawyers.

Unfortunately—or fortunately for the people who may have broken their necks—it is just a concept, part of the "Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum" exhibition. The exhibition explores different formulas to fill the open space inside the famous Frank Lloyd Wright's building. [DesignBoom]

Google Knocks $200 Off Nexus One "Equipment Recovery Fee" [Google]

It will no longer cost you more to cancel a Nexus One contract than it does to buy a Nexus One. But Google's still imposing a $150 "equipment recovery fee" on top of T-Mobile's $200 ETF.

The change comes on the heels of an FCC inquiry into out-of-control termination fees. Up until now, Nexus One owners were expected to pay $350 in the event of canceling or downgrading their T-Mobile contracts within 120 days. With the new Terms of Sale, however:

"You agree to pay Google an equipment subsidy recovery fee (the "Equipment Recovery Fee") in the event you cancel or downgrade your wireless plan within 120 days of activation of wireless service. If you activate a new line of service with T-Mobile, your Equipment Recovery Fee will be $150 USD if you cancel or downgrade your service plan within 120 days of activation."

Obviously, Google doesn't want folks selling phones under contract for profit, and they claim not to make any money off of equipment recovery. But while $150 extra is better than $350 extra, it's still a huge fine to impose on someone for changing their mind. [Google Terms of Sale via WSJ]

Netflix Streaming Getting a 1080p Upgrade [NetFlix]

Oh hey there, mixed messaging! As Netflix makes the case to Wii owners that they really aren't missing anything by not streaming HD, word from CNET is that Netflix instant streaming is making the jump to 1080p, with 5.1 audio.

CNET doesn't have any info on which devices will support the upgrade, how much of their video library will be encoded in 1080p (only about six percent of their current catalog stream at 720p), or when exactly the new content will be available, though they can offer a vague "later this year." What we do know is that Xbox already streams 1080p over Silverlight, the same tech that Netflix uses, though its Zune store, and that it looks pretty great.

One can only assume new content will work with the Xbox 360 and PS3, though it's not clear if some Blu-ray players and set-top boxes have the power to decode 1080p video. 1080p streaming on the Wii, and through many computers browsers, is completely out of the question. Netflix, by the way, is totally fine with that—as long as people are streaming something, Netflix is happy. [CNET Web Crawler]

Beautiful Planet Posters Are Space Geek Catnip [Space]

Ross Berens' gorgeous planetary posters feature incredible artwork and real-deal factoids on all eight of our planets, plus our old friend Pluto. Space aficionados, you'll want to check these out. [Cargo Collective via Kottke]

Apple's PA Semi Might Not've Designed the iPad's A4 Chip [Rumor]

A curious tidbit from VentureBeat: The A4 chip that Apple's pimping hardcore in iPad promos might not've been done by their PA Semi team (which Apple acquired for $278 million). Their source says it was designed by Apple's existing VLSI team, who made custom chips like northbridges for the old G5 Macs.

Sounds possible, since there likely isn't a whole lot "custom" going in the A4's actual design, which by all appearances is an ARM Cortex A9 wrapped up with a PowerVR graphics core and some other parts in a custom SoC. So, new question, if it's true: What's PA Semi, which Apple said would be working on chips for iPhones actually working on? A more customized chip would be interesting, since PA Semi's true talent was in designing chips with ridiculous power efficiencies. [VentureBeat]

Droid's Android 2.1 Update: Full of Multitouch (and Some Disappointment) [Droid]

Android 2.1 for the Droid is making its way through the Verizon test gauntlet, and apparently inside is multitouch for the browser (like Maps 3.4), Google Goggles, and fancy news and weather widgets. Not coming over from the Nexus One?

Live backgrounds—those swishy animated wallpapers—and that new 3D grid of app icons aren't part of the package. Instead, the same static backgrounds and the classic Android pop-up app shelf stick around.

Hate to say it, but this feels like even more Android fragmentation. Is anything—even the damn OS—ever gonna be the same between two phones again? Jeez. [Engadget]

Genie Effect Should be Renamed Ghost Trap Effect [Image Cache]

Who you gonna call? Steve Jobs, that's who. [Nerdist]

How Nerdy Is Your City, In Dollars? [Data]

How much do single mothers in Akron spend on electronics? What about married Chicagoans, without kids, on their phone service? Bachelors, on cable, in New York? If only there was an interactive web app to tell you this stuff!

Bundle, a strange joint venture between Microsoft, Citi and Morningstar, scrapes data from government sources, Citi customers' purchase history, and god knows where else. The important thing is, it's a ton of data, about a ton of subjects: namely, how much different demographics spend on a variety of stuff, from household wares and gadgets to travel and eating out, as well as where they do their spending.

Some of the conclusions—single dudes spend a shit-ton on cable!—are entirely predictable. Others—people who make between $50k and $75k seem to spend more on electronics than people who make from $75k to $100k—don't make much sense at all. I wish the data was a little more granular, because then the cheap jokes about indolent losers spending too much on premium cable TV and too little on, I don't know, "health", would come so much easier, and cut so much deeper.

Oh well! Lazy jokes about cities are among the top 20 best kinds of jokes, so we'll be fine. Fat people who talk on the phone a lot live in place x, and not place y! Now you go. [Bundle via Consumerist]

World's Tallest Building Burj Khalifa Gets Shut Down [Buildings]

Is the new world's tallest building going through some issues? While so far only the observation deck is open, it's been temporarily shut down due to "unexpected high traffic" and "electrical problems." Ruh roh!

Residential and commercial tenants are due to start moving in this month, but it's not clear just what the problems are with the building that's keeping it closed up. Will there be a delay? Will it turn into a big, empty symbol of overdevelopment? Or did something just get screwed up with the elevators that they're now fixing? I don't know, but it all makes me glad I live and work nice and close to the ground. [Houston Chronicle via Fast Company]

Gadget Deals of the Day [Dealzmodo]

We've stacked today's dealz a mile high with a great Dell Inspiron and a roundup of some superb 360 games. Set your alarm and get up early tomorrow for a free Grand Slam at America's top desperate singles locale, Denny's.

Top Deals:
• 15.6" Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop for $449 (normally $633).
• Left 4 Dead Game of the Year Edition (360) + Fallout 3 (360) + Halo 3 (360) for $55.98 plus free shipping (normally $100.88).
• Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast for $0 (normally $5).

Hobomodo:
• Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast for $0 (normally $5).
• LuckyBulb (iPhone) for $0 (normally $2.99).
• Farewell Dear Stranger by ENT (MP3) for $0 (download here).
• H&R Block At Home 2009 Deluxe Federal + State + eFile Tax Software for $24.99 plus free shipping (normally $49).
• World's Best Cat Litter for $0 (normally $13, use this form).
• Customized Disney Maps for $0 (use this form).
• Simpo PDF Merge & Split for $0 (use this form).
• Subscription to Ski Magazine for $0 (use this form).
• Beyond Seven Condoms for $0 (use this form).

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Dealzon, Logic Buy, GamerHotline, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

Gmail Is the New TwitFacePlurk [Gmail]

Facebook might be the new Gmail, but now Gmail is the new Facebook, bitches: They're rolling out an update that makes it "easier and faster to share media and status updates with friends," in a new module that shows a stream of status updates. And it'll integrate YouTube and Picasa, somehow. Say it with me now: FacemailGtwitbook. That is the future. [WSJ]

This Printer Doesn't Need Ink Or Paper To Print Out Your Resignation Letter [Printers]

If a printer doesn't need toner, ink or copy paper, is it still a printer? Well, I guess if a bear still shits in a forest, then yes. Using plastic paper, it's a very green (and pricey) way of printing.

The PrePeat RP-3100 paper is actually made from PET plastic, which means it can be reused up to 1,000—so once your printed document is no longer needed, it can be inserted back in the printer, where the line thermal head prints the ink-less words on again.

However eco-friendly it may be, there are some major downsides to the PrePeat RP-3100. It only prints in black and white, and costs a whopping $5,600—which each sheet of plastic paper costing a further $3.35. Each. I guess you don't need to buy ink for it, but that $3.35 price does sound astonishingly high. [Sanwa Newtec via Crunchgear]

How to Build Your Own 12-Game Mini Arcade Machine [DIY]

When I first saw this tiny arcade back in September, it was love at first byte. And now that there's an instructional video, I can build one of my very own. It looks so easy in fast forward!

The ingredients are easy enough to come by: a plug and play system mounted to a wooden case, a LCD screen lifted from a portable DVD player, and various assemblage tools. Of course, if you're fresh out of elbow grease, you can always bid on the model shown in the video on eBay. [Thanks, Zack!]

74 Phenomenal Panoramic Planets [Photography]

The point has grown cliche by now, but it's true. Every week your submissions to Shooting Challenges blow me away. And your polar panoramas just upped that ante on every challenge to come.

Honorable Mention (non-original photography)

Subject: Denali, Alaska
Built from 9 photos
Camera: Nikon D80
Lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 18mm (27mm /35mm equiv.)
Aperture: ƒ/8
Shutter Speed: 1/250
As you can obviously tell by climate, I broke rule 2 because I'm a college student and don't have time to go out and take photos, but I did want to test my hand at the challenge!
-Isaac Chambers

Second Runner Up

Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-W50
F-stop: f/5
Exposure time: 1/200 sec.
ISO Speed: ISO-80
Focal length: 16mm
Flash: None
I leave my office right around sunset everyday and park on the top of a garage in the middle of downtown Charleston, SC. I saw a particularly nice sunset and pulled out my basic point and shoot (Sony Cybershot DSC-W50) and took a series of 5 pictures to stitch into a panoramic. After creating the Polar Panorama, I merely adjusted the brightness so that the buildings would show more detail.
-David Crosby

First Runner Up

I shot these with a Nikon D60, 18-55mm kit lens. This was seven 20-second exposures at f5 of the quad at Oklahoma City University.
-Robert Rickner

Winner

Camera: Nikon D5000
Lens: Tamron 28-135
ISO: 500
Exposure: 1/250
Location: Seattle, WA
I had gone out shooting trying to emulate the look of old contrasty but yet washed out photos of boats I had seen all over the harbor and its various shops and thought it would make an interesting juxtaposition using a new technique with an old look. Taken in the Ballard Harbor.
-Tyler Yates

This was the hardest week to judge yet, and I don't know that anyone can really "win" at art. (So as always, praise our intrepid photographers in the comments.)

Also, for those of you saying "I wish this was in a wallpaper," just go here: [Gizmodo Flickr]

Rumored Spyshot: Will the Next iPhone Be Taller Than Its Predecessors? [Rumor]

An alleged leak of fourth-gen iPhone components claims to tell us two things about Apple's next creation. One, it's taller. Two, part of its surface is "reflective."

What iResQ claims to be the next iPhone case sits on the right in our lead shot, alongside the iPhone 3GS' front assembly.

It's 1/4 of an inch taller. Boom?
(iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, potential iPhone 4G)

Plus, the top lip of the case has a "reflective, mirror-like surface," which iResQ assumes is a rearrangement of the iPhone's proximity sensor (the component that notices when your face is near the phone).

No component leak is all that reliable unto itself, given that it's not very difficult to manufacture a knockoff plastic case...and stirring up publicity isn't exactly bad for an iPhone repair shop (the source of the leak). Still, the idea of a slightly taller iPhone? Fine with me, assuming the extra footprint is put to good use. (But even if it wasn't, would any of us notice this slight difference?) [iResQ via MacRumors]

The Nook Drought Has Ended [Nook]

Hey, that Nook reader thing? From Barnes & Noble? You can actually buy one now. At least, starting this week. Probably! You can check here starting Wed. to see if your local store's got it.

BTW, I do know for a fact they've shipped at least two, since that's how many I've seen in the wild.

Barnes & Noble Launches Exclusive In-Store Content and Promotions

Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world's largest bookseller, announced that its popular nook eBook reader — the ultimate gift for book lovers — is in stock online at nook.com and will be rolling out in the majority of Barnes & Noble stores beginning mid-week, just in time for Valentine's Day. While in-store, nook customers will enjoy exclusive holiday-themed online content, kicking off this month.

Barnes & Noble quickly sold out of nook stock online over the holidays due to unprecedented customer demand. Since then the company has ramped up production and is shipping stock to the majority of its stores, beginning this week. Customers can visit the Barnes & Noble nook In-Store Locator at www.bn.com/nook/instore, updated daily beginning February 10, to find local stores with devices in-stock.

Enhanced in-store connectivity allows nook customers to seamlessly access fast, free Wi-Fi in Barnes & Noble stores. There, they can browse the extensive library of more than a million eBooks, magazines and newspapers and enjoy exclusive "More In Store" content and promotional offers, officially launching in February, which include:

— A short story by bestselling favorite Adriana Trigiani featuring characters from her newest blockbuster, Brava, Valentine.

— A Valentine's Day recipe for red velvet cupcakes from Anne Byrn, the Cake Mix Doctor.

— "Read Between the Wines," a regular feature by renowned wine expert Kevin Zraly, guides readers and wine lovers through the mystery of pairing books with the perfect vintage.

"nook is the perfect Valentine's Day gift for anyone who loves reading. Demand for nook continues to be very high, and we're pleased our customers will be able to try and buy nook in our stores and online and enjoy it in time for the holiday," said William J. Lynch, President of Barnes & Noble.com. "In Barnes & Noble stores, nook owners will enjoy exciting nook-only content from their favorite authors and other valuable offers, along with fast and free in-store Wi-Fi, which nook customers have been accessing in droves over the last few weeks."

New Barnes & Noble in-store content will be updated weekly and available for a four-week period. nook users can stay apprised of upcoming exclusive More In Store content at www.bn.com/nook/moreinstore. Also in February, nook users in Barnes & Noble stores can enjoy 10 percent off any CD. nook customers need only show the special offer on their nook to the cashier to redeem.

Barnes & Noble has continued to optimize nook software for an improved reading experience with the newly updated nook v1.2. Automatic over the air (OTA) updates, which do not require any action from nook customers, are underway and will be conducted seamlessly through this week. nook customers currently using the previous version can also immediately download v1.2 at www.nook.com/support, where additional update and technical support information is available.

nook marries innovative technology and sleek minimalist design with access to the Barnes & Noble's digital store of over one million eBooks, newspapers and magazines. nook's color touch screen for navigation along with a best-in-class E Ink display offer an immersive, enjoyable e-reading experience. It offers both 3G wireless and Wi-Fi access and is the first to offer digital lending for a wide selection of eBooks through its LendMe(TM) technology.

To learn more and experience nook, visit www.nook.com. Follow our eBooks and other updates on www.bn.com/twitter. To learn more about the free Barnes & Noble eReader software and Barnes & Noble eBookstore apps, visit www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks.

[Barnes & Noble]

Read SD Cards on Your iPhone With ZoomIt [IPhone]

Remember all those clever iPhone peripherals that we were supposed to see with firmware 3.0? Well ZoomIt is among the first. It's an SD card reader for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Used in conjunction with the ZoomIt app, the dongle connects through the iPhone's dock connector to load photos, music and miscellaneous files (like PowerPoint, PDF and anything else supported by iPhone OS) from an SD card.

If nothing else, it's a handy way to extend your iPhone's storage in a pinch, or simply backup your photos on vacation without lugging around a laptop (which is my particular reason for excitement here). You can pre-order the ZoomIt for $50 now. It'll actually be available this April. [ZoomIt via iLounge]

Amazon's Working on a Full-Color Multitouch Kindle With Wi-Fi [Amazon]

After buying that little multitouch company Touchco last week and merging it with Lab126—their Kindle division—Amazon's now got job listings looking for a Hardware Display manager that knows LCDs, and a Wi-Fi specialist. You do the math.

Okay! I'll add some calculus of my own. Like Ammunition's Robert Brunner, who helped Barnes & Noble create the Nook, told Bits, I don't think it's crazy to expect Amazon to have two types of Kindles: An E-Ink and full-color multitouch version, since they can't abandon the E-Ink train, not yet.

If the Super Kindle grows into a sorta-computerish thing that runs apps, also not crazy, given what it's trying to compete against, I sorta kinda hope it doesn't use Android, 'cause it'd be too much like some other readers out there, and I hate sameness. [Lab126 via Bits]

HEY EVERYBODY QUICK DON'T BUY AN IPAD [Apple]

Well, well, well. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal today, Apple management is going to remain "nimble" in iPad pricing if sales start off slow. Hey, wait a minute—are you thinking what I'm thinking?

The scoop originates from a Credit Suisse analyst, who apparently met with Apple executives recently to discuss all things tablet. In addition to the execs pitching how the iPad wouldn't cannibalize Apple's other product lines, they outright stated that they'll adjust pricing if they have to:

"While it remains to be seen how much traction the iPad gets initially, management noted that it will remain nimble (pricing could change if the company is not attracting as many customers as anticipated)."

This actually isn't all that surprising, if you think back to the iPhone's launch in 2007 and the dramatic $200 price cut that followed just a few months later. That caused sales to surge 200% and garnered no small amount of publicity for the new device.

Bottom line: I don't exactly have $500 to $830 burning a hole in my pocket to spend on a first-gen device. So spread the word! And for goodness sake, stay strong and don't buy an iPad. Yet. [WSJ]

The Full Movie Theater iPhone Stand [IPhone]

Since not everyone has the space and pesos to build a full-size home theater, here's an option that only requires an iPhone and the space of a shoe box. Which—in New York—means half of your apartment. [Thanks Gary!]

HTC Legend Gets Outed With First Pics [Htc]

HTC's had some faulty plumbing lately: first pics of the Incredible leak over the weekend, and now we've got our first look at the HTC Legend in the wild—complete with an ooo-shiny aluminum back.

The design—particularly the aluminum casing and optical sensor trackpad—jives with what we'd heard recently, as does the apparent HTC Sense interface.

It's a different look for HTC, but I'd say not an unwelcome one. It's especially comforting to know we're not looking at a slew of brown-backed *cough* Incredible *cough* handsets. If the rest of the rumored specs—inclduing a 5.0-megapixel with LED flash, a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, and 512MB of internal memory—pan out, this looks like a nice step up from the Hero. Hopefully we'll find out for sure at the Mobile World Congress next week. [Engadget]

Gesundheit Radio Sneezes To Remove Dust From Microprocessors [Concepts]

Way back in '72, this Gesundheit Radio was created by an "experimental research group" at Texas Instruments. Or at least, that's what student James Chambers will tell you, who created the back-story for added "color" to his sneezing radio.

Yes, sneezing. As the questionable story goes, the radio is forced to sneeze every six months in order to protect the microprocessors from dust. Users can manually override the bi-annual sneeze, with a SNZ button being added for those days when you really don't have time to give the feather duster a work-out.

The radio is on display at the Work In Progress exhibition at the Royal Collage of Art in London, though if you can't get down there to check it out in person, hit up the video below to see the radio "sneezing," with the dust being expelled (visually) through the front. [James Chambers via We Make Money Not Art via Slashgear]

Gesundheit Radio from James Chambers on Vimeo.

InPhase Closes: Holographic Storage Wasn't That Exciting After All [Storage]

We love the idea of holographic storage. It's just so Star Trekish. But at $18,000 per drive, and $180 per 300GB disc, it's really not that exciting, which is probably why InPhase has folded. [The Register]

Amazon Charges 50% More for Downloadable Album Than CD [Amazon]

This seems... backwards. If you want to buy OAR's new album on Amazon, you're going to end up paying 50% more for a digital download than you would for a physical disc.

It makes some sense, maybe, since at this point a majority of people ordering from Amazon will just end up downloading that the content of the CD onto their computer anyway. They're paying more to save themselves that step, and to get their music right away. But $7 more? For the exact same content, minus actual physical resources?

Either this is the result of an inventory clean-out, a poorly conceived last-ditch effort to save CDs, or we've officially entered a Bizarro land where objects cost less than concepts. Which, hey, doesn't sound so bad after all. [Consumerist]

Why Netflix Doesn't Really Care About HD [NetFlix]

Only one in 12 Netflixers subscribe to the Blu-ray service, and at just 6% of their total streaming catalog, HD content is "underwhelming," according to Netflix. Two stories, one lesson: HD just isn't what matters right now to Netflix.

For all the marketing dollars thrown behind HD, Blu-ray is still a marginal technology when compared to DVD, the obsoleting of which is taking longer than many expected. That less than 10% of Netflix subscribers opt for the Blu-ray option isn't that surprising. In the larger context of Blu-ray adoption, this isn't too surprising.

What is surprising, though, is hearing Netflix actively downplaying the importance of HD content in this interview with The Wiire:

PS3 and Xbox users have 1 in 17 titles available in HD, and it's streamed in 720... it's not in 1080, and it's not in 5.1 surround sound or anything...So, the HD experience at Netflix Instant Watching isn't that overwhelming. It's a little bit underwhelming. So the Wii folks aren't going to miss that much.

Yep, that's Netflix Communications VP Steve Swasey. His job is specifically to make Netflix sound whelming, without the "under." And yet, in the context of the Wii, deflation. It's obvious why Nintendo would talk like that, but Netflix? Really?

Rest assured, there's a plan here. Netflix is wrestling with two inevitabilities: HD content will supplant SD content, and physical media for video will die. Netflix knows this, which is why they were willing to go along with Warner Brothers' irritating disc availability delays in the service of streaming deals.

By downplaying Netflix's HD content to help ease their Wii rollout, Netflix is rightly choosing customer expansion over video quality, which many customers wouldn't even notice. I mean honestly, it won't be long before recording movies to a disc, sending that disc in an envelope, inserting that disc into a DVD player and sending the disc back in the mail will sound like some kind of Rube Goldberg contrivance (when you put it that way, it sort of already does...), and when streaming video over IP will be the only way to watch movies, so if making 26 million Wii owners feel like their lack of HD support isn't a big deal is what it takes to convert them into subscribers in your eventual streaming mega-empire, Netflix, deflate all you want. [TheWiire, HomeMediaMagazine]

Sky Siege Augmented Reality Warfare Game Turns iPhone Into Deadly Portal to the Heavens [Augmented Reality]

Sky Siege ($3, available now) uses the iPhone 3GS' compass and accelerometers to turn the iPhone into a window rather than just a screen, resulting in startlingly immersive gameplay. Don't know what that means? Just watch this remarkable clip. [iTunes]

Dell Mini 10 with WiMAX Spotted at FCC [WiMax]

Dell appears to be prepping a WiMAX version of its Mini 10 netbook, one that will let you surf the web using a 4G wireless connection via Clear or Sprint.

The new model is essentially the same as the current crop of Mini 10s, with the exception of the wireless-N and WiMAX abilities combined on a single chipset. There's no word on when this guy will be released, but CTIA next month might be a good time for an announcement. [Unwired View via Electronista]

The Real Colors of a Dinosaur Revealed for the First Time [Image Cache]

Readers, meet Anchiornis huxleyi in its true colors. Anchiornis huxleyi, here are some readers. And no, you can't eat them, you oversized chicken, you.

The paleontologist team—who published the results of their study in last issue of Science—obtained 29 melanosome samples from all over the body of the Anchiornis, comparing them to the feathers of modern birds. The result was an accurate map of the animal's colors, the first true-to-life picture of a dinosaur.

Now, I only wonder how you taste like, Anchiornis, properly brined and cooked slowly in a thick pan, with some carrots, potatoes, and shallots. [National Geographic]

Historic Naval Gunship, Fully Cloaked [War]

After Japan decimated the Allied Fleet in WWII's Battle of the Java Sea, the Abraham Crijnssen, a minesweeper, was ordered to escape to Australia. To avoid detection, the 186-foot boat was simply covered in branches. [HNSA via MAKE via boingboing]

Even at 4-inches, The Qisda QCM-330 Dwarfs the iPad's Resolution [Smartphones]

You hear the 9.7-inch iPad has a screen resolution of 1024x768, and you think to yourself, that's not so bad! And it's not. But when you later hear that a new 4-inch smartphone will feature a resolution of 1280x1024, well...

...it's just tough to be floored by anything less.

(Those of you noting the discrepancy between the spec resolution and the general wideness of the screen: you're right to do so.)

The Qisda (you also know them as BenQ) QCM-330, expected to debut at the upcoming CeBIT tradeshow this March before being available through Vodafone, features a 4-inch, 1280x1024 screen that could be sharper than life itself, along with HSDPA and Wi-Fi. When compared to the Droid (480 x 854) and the HD2 (480 X 800), it's pretty amazing. But yes, again, that 1280x1024 is square, and this phone is long, so it's kind of confusing.

We don't know much else, other than that it will most likely run Android given the Home key (which makes the prospect of importing a phone for its hardware alone so much more appealing). But if you're one of those people who doesn't like to use the same phone as other people, the QCM-330 might be a decent handset to watch. [Unwired View via SlashGear]

From Wiiitis to Wii Fractures: A Guide to Nintendoid Medical Conditions [Medicine]

A British doctor was so kind as to write a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, handily summarizing what is known about Nintendo-related injuries. The gist: Your Wii wants you dead.

The point of the letter was to highlight a new case, in which a girl hurt her foot playing Wii Fit. But in the process, it provides a tidy little history of ways people have managed to injure themselves playing video games.

• Nintendinitis: This is the classic videogame injury, and one you've probably heard of before. This is a repetitive stress injury in the "extensor tendon of [the] thumb," which you can get from pretty much any game console.

• Wiiitis: Sounds like something a lot of people have probably just slept off:

A healthy 29-year-old medical resident awoke one Sunday morning with intense pain in the right shoulder. He did not recall any recent injuries or trauma and had not participated in any sports or physical exercise recently. He consulted a rheumatology colleague. The Patte's test was positive, consistent with acute tendonitis isolated to the right infraspinatus.

After just a day with the Wii, this kid was out of commission for a week. What does Nintendo have against healthy tendons?

• Traumatic Hemothorax: If this sounds terrifying, you probably did well in Latin class. Doctors have apparently documented the cavities around patients' lungs filling with blood after Wii-related falls. This can kill you.

• Dislocations: This one is the most predictable of the lot, since honestly, who hasn't gotten carried away trying to Happy-Gilmore-bowl their way through Wii Sports? And anyway, fake sport/real injury humor is universal.

• Head Injuries: Wiimote straps may save your HDTV, but they won't save your kid sister from getting clocked in the skull while you're playing Zelda.

• Wii Fracture: This is the new one:

In the United Kingdom, a healthy 14-year-old girl presented to the emergency department at Horton General Hospital in Banbury (near Oxford), having sustained an injury to her right foot with associated difficulty in mobilization. She had been playing on her Wii Fit balance board and had fallen off, sustaining an inversion injury.

Apparently, rolling your foot off the side of the balance board—which, really, anyone who's played Wii Fit has done multiple times—can be enough to crack a bone in your foot.

So basically your Wii is actively trying to maim you and your children, the end. [NEJM—Thanks, Michael from Medgadget!]




©2005 MARK HOASHI