Google search blocked in China, again; other services partially blocked

July 30, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

A conciliatory end? Looks like we spoke too soon. Yes, Google and China seem to be on a collision course yet again, with the company’s “Mainland China service availability page” showing that web search and ads have once again been fully blocked. Additionally, image and news search have been downgraded from “fully accessible” yesterday to “partially blocked” today. YouTube, Picasa, and other services already blocked remain as such. Looks like the saga continues.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Google search blocked in China, again; other services partially blocked originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Market Watch  |  sourceGoogle  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

EVO 4G’s Android 2.2 update starts trickling out tomorrow, loads of new features and fixes in store?

July 29, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

We’re not certain that this date is going to hold — things like this have an uncanny tendency to slip at the last possible moment — but we’re at least hopeful to see some internal Sprint communication that they’re trying to get the EVO 4G updated to Froyo as soon as tomorrow, July 30. It’d be the perfect way to kick off the weekend, wouldn’t it? Turns out this is no mere 2.2 upgrade, though — they’re making a bunch of changes, too, including a host of new preloaded widgets, a flashlight mode for the camera’s LED flash, light-assisted 720p video, and “improvement” to the quality of said video capture (something we specifically complained about in our review). Unfortunately, it looks like the hotspot hack might be sealed off with this update, but that really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. As we said, we’re hopefully the date sticks, because Sprint has identified it as a “high priority for competitive reasons” — in other words, these guys must be feeling the Droid heat — but the PR is apparently going to identify the week of August 1 as the first push, so the devices getting the OTA tomorrow might just be a very small, select group to ensure that nothing spectacularly bad happens. We’re pulling for you, EVO owners.

EVO 4G’s Android 2.2 update starts trickling out tomorrow, loads of new features and fixes in store? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Anybots QB telepresence robot: nag employees remotely for $15,000

July 29, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 
Anybots has a new telepresence robot, the QB — and while it certainly seems to be an advance on the QA, which we saw at CES 2009, we gotta admit that it’s not nearly as cute as its predecessor. Marketed towards CEO-types, this bad boy can be controlled via your PC (or eventually your Mac), and it features WiFi b/g connectivity, 5 megapixel camera, speaker, microphone, and a max speed of 3.5 MPH. To be honest, having your boss follow you around the office with a webcam-on-wheels sounds more like a NewsRadio plot than effective office management, but certainly there’s someone rich and crazy enough to drop $15,000 on one of these. The first hundred to put down ten percent get membership in the prestigious 100 Club! For reals! Which reminds us, it’s been awhile since we’ve listened to our Sex Pistols Live At The 100 Club CD. PR, video after the break.

Continue reading Anybots QB telepresence robot: nag employees remotely for $15,000

Anybots QB telepresence robot: nag employees remotely for $15,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceAnybots  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Nintendo issues a 3DS release date date

July 29, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

Find the headline confusing? Well, the explanation won’t help to assuage the muddle much. A Nintendo spokesman told Bloomberg Japan that Ninty plans to announce the Nintendo 3DS price and release date on September 29th. Thus far, we’ve only seen speculation about pricing (between $249 and $299) and release dates (between October and March, 2011). So yeah, we still don’t know when or for how much but at least we know when we’ll find out when and for how much. Make sense?

Nintendo issues a 3DS release date date originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink gi  |  sourceBoomberg Japan [translated]  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Grace Digital’s Tuner Wireless Radio & Media Player adds internet radio to existing stereos

July 29, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

So, we’ve two main issues here. One, who in their right mind would pay $219.99 for a device that still requires a dedicated stereo in order to play back the internet radio streams that Grace Digital’s Tuner Wireless Radio & Media Player delivers? And secondly, who would want to put up with Grace Digital’s thoroughly lackluster UI? If you can’t grok the grumbling, the aforementioned company now has a slender new component it’d love to stick on your shelf, with the device shown above able to stream WiFi radio content from 30,000 stations, Pandora, iheartradio, Sirius, Live365, MP3tunes and a smattering of other sources. It can be wired up via Ethernet or used over 802.11g, with composite, Toslink and coaxial digital audio outputs around back. There’s a 4-line backlit LCD for displaying not nearly enough metadata at once, and there’s even a remote thrown in for those looking to build out their collection. It’s available now if you’re feeling the itch, though we’d suggest you get that checked out before blindly indulging.

Continue reading Grace Digital’s Tuner Wireless Radio & Media Player adds internet radio to existing stereos

Grace Digital’s Tuner Wireless Radio & Media Player adds internet radio to existing stereos originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGrace Digital Audio  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Motorola takes another shot at the iPhone 4, says Droid X is ‘no jacket required’

July 29, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

Well this is getting good. Motorola was one of the first to take a subtle swipe at Apple’s iPhone 4 antenna dilemma with an ad saying you could hold the Droid X “any way you like,” Apple came right back with a video purportedly showing the Droid X suffering similar attenuation issues when held in the right hand, and now Moto’s responded with this cheeky ad that plays off Apple’s free iPhone case solution by saying the Droid X can make calls “without a bulky phone jacket.” Yeah, it’s pretty good — particularly because unlike most other phones, we haven’t been able to death grip the Droid X with any noticeable effect on 3G reception. (Although, truth be told, we can drop the WiFi signal by a few bars pretty easily.) Either way, we’re certainly enjoying this little slice of swagger from Moto — check a larger version after the break.

Continue reading Motorola takes another shot at the iPhone 4, says Droid X is ‘no jacket required’

Motorola takes another shot at the iPhone 4, says Droid X is ‘no jacket required’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDroid-Life  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

ZTE Peel for Sprint outed by FCC, another 3G-equipped iPod touch case

July 28, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

What is it about the word peel that screams “throw on the back of an iPod touch and grant it the power of mobile internet?” We spotted Yosion’s Apple Peel 520 just the morning bound for Chinese markets, and now the FCC has unveiled ZTE’s own Peel 3G router. Although the user manual and external photos don’t explicitly state it, one look at the (slightly enhanced) image above removes all doubt that this is made to fit snugly around a certain finger-friendly iDevice with a headset jack on the bottom right. Additionally, the user manual’s setup screens are all sketched out in what appears to be a more mobile Safari-friendly size. The Qualcomm-powered CDMA2000 case is brandishing Sprint logos on the front and back, which frankly wouldn’t be the first (or even second) time the carrier’s targeted the Apple faithful. Only this time, there’s no WiMAX — bummer. Crafty, wacky, zany? We’re sure Mr. Hesse is chortling, but perhaps he can catch a breath or two and disseminate out some proper release details post-haste.

[Thanks, The Kaiser]

ZTE Peel for Sprint outed by FCC, another 3G-equipped iPod touch case originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

LG aiming to ship ‘a couple’ of Windows Phone 7 devices by year-end

July 28, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

The company’s not committing to any US carriers just yet (ahem), but LG is already puffing up its chest and talking big about its impending Windows Phone 7 release plans. To date, all we’ve had to go on was Microsoft’s vow of seeing WP7 devices on store shelves before this holiday season, but now Ken Hong, an LG representative in Seoul, has offered a wee bit more insight regarding his company in particular. To quote: “We have a deep relationship with Microsoft so expect to have a couple [of Windows Phone 7 handsets] by the end of this year.” That aligns rather nicely with what we heard ourselves back in Feburary, and given that LG’s mobile division has seen some rather unsightly losses in its most recent quarterly earnings, we’re guessing the company’s more than eager to push out the next big thing.

LG aiming to ship ‘a couple’ of Windows Phone 7 devices by year-end originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePC World  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Modu’s T-Phone captured in the wild chilling with Android? (video)

July 28, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 
Modu's T-Phone captured in the wild chilling with Android?

Look everyone, it’s the littlest handset come to deliver Android cheer. Just about a month ago we got word that Modu was working on a touchscreen device dubbed the T-Phone, featuring full 3G and microSD expansion, also referred to as the Modu 2. Now we have video of what looks to be the same phone out in the wild, running an early version of Android (possibly 1.6) and looking rather fit next to an iPhone and an HTC G2. Curiously, this is said to be lacking 3G data entirely, only pulling data over WiFi, but we have to think that’s just an issue with this prototype and not something that will be a feature of the retail release. It also sports FM tuning and, curiously, a stylus — resistive ahoy? We’ll have to wait and see.

Continue reading Modu’s T-Phone captured in the wild chilling with Android? (video)

Modu’s T-Phone captured in the wild chilling with Android? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Toshiba’s latest Cell Regza LCDs are Slim, but don’t go calling them 2D

July 28, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

Ready to climb Mount Fuji and see what the next top Japanese TV will look like? Toshiba has just outed its trio of flag-bearing displays for this fall: the Cell Regza Slim 55XE2 and 46XE2 and the full-bloodied 55X2. Inch-based dimensions are already given in their model names, but you’ll also want to know they offer 240Hz refresh rates, 1,000 nits of brightness, 9,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios augmented with local backlight dimming, and a 2D-to-3D conversion technology that’ll translate your stale old 2D imagery into bodacious triple dimensionality. You’re also keeping the 3 terabytes of storage and the capability of time-shifting up to eight channels at a time from the older model, though you’re no longer limited to a hard cap of 26 hours per channel. Connectivity is also rich, with options for DLNA and/or up to eight HDDs, while jacking in a Blu-ray recorder will permit you to record straight to the optical media the same way you can do to the Regzas’ own storage. All these goodies won’t come cheap, though, as the flagship 55X2 will retail for a well-rounded million Yen ($11,430) in late October, to be preceded by its Slim siblings with prices of ¥700,000 ($8,000) for the 55-inch and ¥600,000 ($6,858) for the 46-inch earlier that month.

Continue reading Toshiba’s latest Cell Regza LCDs are Slim, but don’t go calling them 2D

Toshiba’s latest Cell Regza LCDs are Slim, but don’t go calling them 2D originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Japanese  |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Panasonic reveals HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder, is super proud of itself

July 28, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

Never mind the extensive leaks, Panasonic, you’ve got a right to be proud about the HDC-SDT750. After crowing about its end-to-end 3D experience, Panasonic has finally made its HDC-SDT750 camcorder official, which looks like it will be the first of its kind to hit the market. Sure, this is just a baby step: the 3D mode is enabled by snapping on an included 3D conversion lens that splits the image in twain to be recorded as right and left images by the standard 1080p sensor. That means each side will only be 960 x 1080, so you can’t quite shoot Avatar in your backyard just yet, but it should look fine on standard 3D televisions. Unfortunately, you can’t do much more with the 3D video right now other than pump it out over HDMI straight from the camera — at least with the 3D stills that you can snap you can load them onto an SD card and play them off of AVCHD-compatible Blu-ray players. Still, these are exciting times to be alive, and you can always shoot in 2D with the no-doubt great 3MOS camcorder underneath (which seems to be very similar to the HDC-HS700) while you wait for the rest of the planet to catch up. The SDT750 will be out in October for a hefty $1,399 asking price. PR is after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic reveals HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder, is super proud of itself

Panasonic reveals HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder, is super proud of itself originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Apple issues Magic Trackpad drivers for OS X and Windows, updates MacBooks with new gesture support

July 27, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

Right on schedule, Apple’s released new drivers for the Magic Trackpad, in both OS X and Windows flavors. The download is pretty amusingly huge at 75MB, since it includes videos of all the gestures in action, but at least you’ll know exactly how many fingers to use for that new three-finger drag gesture. The bad news? It requires OS X 10.6.4, so you’re out of luck if you’re still running Leopard and itching to get your swipe on with Apple’s latest peripheral.

The new software also updates the MacBook and MacBook Pro multitouch trackpads with inertial scrolling and three-finger drag, which is pretty nice — we’ve got it installed on a unibody MBP and it’s working as advertised. Hit up Software Update now, or check the source link to score your bits old-school.

Apple issues Magic Trackpad drivers for OS X and Windows, updates MacBooks with new gesture support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceApple  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Chevy Volt officially priced at $41,000, $350/month on a three-year lease

July 27, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 
It may not exactly be a huge surprise at this point, but GM has finally revealed that the official base price for its Chevrolet Volt will be $41,000 (including a $720 destination charge). That price is before the $7,500 federal tax credit, however, which will bring your eventual end cost down to a slightly more reasonable $33,500. Those looking to get on the road for even less up-front can also opt for a three-year lease, which will run you $350 a month after a $2,500 down payment. As Autoblog notes, you’ll also have an option to purchase the car at the end of the lease, so GM won’t be repeating its infamous EV1 scenario. Still too much for you? Then you might just want to wait a bit — GM says it will also be offering the Volt with less features and a lower price point “within a year or two.”

Chevy Volt officially priced at $41,000, $350/month on a three-year lease originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAutoblog  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Apple iMac line gets speedbumped, low-end gets a Core i3

July 27, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

It’s not as if we haven’t heard the rumors building over the last few months, but Apple’s long-standing iMac line is seeing its first real update since the Fall of last year on this fine morning. As predicted, the refreshed iMac line now contains Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processor options, not to mention new discrete ATI Radeon HD GPU options, IPS panels, an SD slot that understands the complexities of SDXC and an SSD option on the 27-inch machine. For whatever reason, Apple’s not throwing in its new Magic Trackpad with any iMac; instead, it’ll be a $69 accessory. Here’s a look at the available configurations:

  • The low-end $1,199 unit boasts a 21.5-inch display (1,920 x 1,080), a 3.06GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI’s Radeon HD 4670 GPU (256MB) and a 500GB hard drive. There’s also an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with dual-layer support, Mini DisplayPort, AirPort Extreme 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, iSight webcam, gigabit Ethernet, a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets, a single FireWire 800 port and a bundled wireless Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse.

Developing…

Continue reading Apple iMac line gets speedbumped, low-end gets a Core i3

Apple iMac line gets speedbumped, low-end gets a Core i3 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Rambus victorious in patent fight with NVIDIA, can expect neat wad of cash for its troubles

July 27, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

So what if Rambus doesn’t really produce anything tangible these days? We’re hearing the “innovation” business is going really well for the company that recently celebrated its 1,000th patent, and now there’s a nice big windfall in its near future as well. The US International Trade Commission has handed down a ruling agreeing with a previous judgment that NVIDIA infringed on three Rambus patents in the design of its memory controllers, with the ultimate outcome being a ban on importing such infringing goods into the country. Of course, that’s the one thing we’re sure won’t be happening, but NVIDIA will now have to sign up for a license to Rambus’ precious IP portfolio, which might be a tad bit costly given that GeForce, Quadro, nForce, Tesla and Tegra chips are named as being in violation — aside from Ion, that’s pretty much NVIDIA’s whole hardware business.

[Thanks, Marc]

Update: NVIDIA, unsurprisingly, has said it will appeal the ruling. [Thanks, Xero2]

Rambus victorious in patent fight with NVIDIA, can expect neat wad of cash for its troubles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Bloomberg  |  sourceInternational Trade Commission  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Source R&D ships Wisair-based Warpia Easy Dock wireless docking station

July 27, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

It took ‘em a few months, but Source R&D is finally ready to save your desktop replacement from those awful cables that are typically required when connecting a bona fide monitor, keyboard and mouse to a laptop. The Wisair-based Easy Dock works with Macs and PCs, with a single USB transceiver used to connect your mobile machine to (just) two hard-wired USB peripherals and a single DVI monitor (with a resolution cap of 1,400 x 1,050 or 1,440 x 900). She’s available now for $149.99 at the links below, but make sure you’re okay with the aforesaid limits before pulling the trigger.

Continue reading Source R&D ships Wisair-based Warpia Easy Dock wireless docking station

Source R&D ships Wisair-based Warpia Easy Dock wireless docking station originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWarpia, Amazon  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Crapgadget: you never thought you’d need this (and you were right) edition

July 26, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 
A great idea can change the world — and a bad idea? All too often, that becomes a crapgadget. Do you really need a pair of speakers for your MP3 player shaped like stuffed bears? Juicy Couture seems to think so. How about fluffy “cat ear” headphones? We wouldn’t recommend them unless you’re a 13-year old girl — or maybe getting ready for Anthrocon 2011. And don’t even get us started on Tuttuki Bako, the little green box that exists so you can put your finger in it and see a heavily pixelated, monochromatic rendering of you finger… in a green box! We also have a Bluetooth speakerphone unit for your wrist and an ultraviolet toothbrush sterilizer that gets power from glorious USB. No thank you.

Read – UVMini USB Toothbrush Sanitizer
Read – Tuttuki Bako green box toy
Read – Nekomimi Headphones for Cosplay aficionado, perverts
Read – Juicy Couture Mini Bear Speakers
Read – Atomic9 Bluetooth wristband speakerphone

View Poll

Crapgadget: you never thought you’d need this (and you were right) edition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

India’s desire to snoop on BlackBerry users continues unabated, UAE wants in on the act

July 26, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 
Governments have traditionally had a “love-hate” relationship with technology: they love using it to keep tabs on you and your cronies, but they hate the idea that you could be using it to protect your privacy. One clear example of this is the whole back’n'forth that’s been playing out between RIM and the nation of India over the last couple years. Remember way back in ’08 when the country demanded that the company give it access (one way or another) to encrypted BlackBerry Messenger traffic and email? Well, it looks like nothing’s been resolved after all: just last week the Indian telecommunications ministry gave RIM until the end of the month to provide said access, otherwise it could ban BBM altogether — much as it tried to do two years ago. Meanwhile, in the UAE, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has issued a statement claiming that “[c]ertain BlackBerry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions.” We’re not certain if things will go quite so far in Abu Dhabi as they seem to be in New Delhi, but the government assured everyone that it will find “a solution that safeguards our consumers and operates within the boundaries of UAE law.”

India’s desire to snoop on BlackBerry users continues unabated, UAE wants in on the act originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal, The National  | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Terra-Gen lands major funding, expects to complete America’s largest wind farm next year

July 26, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

And you thought that 1,000 megawatt wind farm planned for Lake Erie was going to be huge. Terra-Gen Power recently secured a staggering $1.2 billion in construction financing, which it fully intends to use on 3D projectors, PlayStation 3 consoles and parts necessary to build America’s largest wind farm. Granted, only one of those points is actually true, but we suspect you’re hanging with us. The latest round of cash will help build four wind power projects with a total of 570 megawatts of capacity at the company’s Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, California. But when you put that with projects already in motion, you’re left with a 3,000MW wind power initiative, which should be completed and operational “in the first and second quarters of 2011.” So, anyone feeling up to topping this?

Continue reading Terra-Gen lands major funding, expects to complete America’s largest wind farm next year

Terra-Gen lands major funding, expects to complete America’s largest wind farm next year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmag  |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

HTC makes Super LCD screens for Desire and Nexus One official

July 26, 2010 · Posted in Technology · Comment 

Welcome back to our “worst kept secrets” hour, where HTC has seen fit to release a PR blast informing the world of what it already knew: the Desire and Nexus One are getting Super (duper) LCD displays to fill demand that Samsung’s AMOLED division cannot. Interestingly, HTC’s statement says nothing of the Droid Incredible, a close sibling to these 3.7-inch devices, but the global Nexus One and Desire are getting hooked up “later this summer.” CEO Peter Chou has also helpfully explained that the visual experience on the new SLCD screens is “comparable” to AMOLED, but offers better battery performance. Color us curious to see and hear more.

Continue reading HTC makes Super LCD screens for Desire and Nexus One official

HTC makes Super LCD screens for Desire and Nexus One official originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments View full post on Engadget

Next Page »

Powered by Yahoo! Answers