Ubuntu may be the Linux distribution of choice for many these days, but it’s hardly the only game in town, and one of the other big players has now gotten an update that might just sway some folks back to its team. That comes in the form of the Red Hat sponsored Fedora 14, which is aimed specifically at “developers, system administrators and open source enthusiasts.” If that includes you, you can expect to get a slew of mostly behind-the-scenes updates, including a new software framework for Spice desktop virtualization, a range of new debugging features, an updated tech preview of the GNOME shell environment that will be part of the upcoming GNOME 3.0 release and, of particular note, some software from the MeeGo community that promises an “enhanced experience on netbooks and small devices.” As with previous Fedora releases, it’s also available in a number of different “spins” to suit your tastes and needs and it’s, of course, completely free. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and hit up the link below to download the OS. Continue reading Fedora 14 now available for download, complete with MeeGo trimmings Fedora 14 now available for download, complete with MeeGo trimmings originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HomePlug Powerline Alliance and Wi-Fi Alliance align, hope for wireless home nirvana
November 3, 2010 No Comment
Ah, now we’re talking. Over the years, HomePlug and wireless HD / HDMI haven’t exactly “taken off.” Routing internet signals over a home’s power network has been hampered by subpar transmission rates, and using wireless in the home for anything other than basic web duties has shown to be either too costly or too much hassle. Now, however, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance and the Wi-Fi Alliance have seen the light, and they’re joining hands in order to jointly push their technologies to homeowners. Focused primarily on ” facilitating interoperability of smart grid applications,” these organizations are fixing to enable SEP 2.0 applications to operate across a diverse mix of wireless and wired networks, and hopefully they’ll reach out to product manufacturers while they’re at it. Here’s hoping they’ll be able to nail it — the demand is certainly there, but the execution thus far has been downright depressing. Continue reading HomePlug Powerline Alliance and Wi-Fi Alliance align, hope for wireless home nirvana HomePlug Powerline Alliance and Wi-Fi Alliance align, hope for wireless home nirvana originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Another Intel processor platform that sounds like a campground? Of course it is! This one is pretty far out — like 2012 far out — but if Digitimes is to be believed Intel’s actually gearing up to reveal its Chief River laptop platform at CES in January. Said to be based on the 22nm Ivy Bridge processors and have native support for USB 3.0 ( finally !), the platform would follow Huron River / Sandy Bridge , which is set to start shipping in laptops in early 2011 . (Side note: Digitimes also mentions that we should start seeing Sandy Bridge laptops at this year’s CES, which lines up with what we’ve heard from our own sources.) The word from motherboard manufacturers is that Chief River wouldn’t actually go into mass production until September 2011 and start shipping in systems until January 2012, which makes quite a bit of sense given Intel’s annual timing on these things. Either way, we should be finding out more in a couple months in Vegas — heck, you never know, Intel may even tell us a bit about its 2013 laptop platform. Shall we give them a hand with potential names? Intel Chief River laptop platform to support USB 3.0, arrive in 2012? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple informs labels that iTunes song previews will be 90 seconds long, hopes they don’t mind?
November 3, 2010 No Comment
It’s all up there in black and white, but we’ll be happy to spell it out again here — it seems that Apple has decided to extend the length of iTunes song previews from 30 seconds to 90 seconds. Sounds just fine to us, but not to the recipients of this letter, who are told the change is happening whether they like it or not and it’s for their own good. “We believe that giving potential customers more time to listen to your music will lead to more purchases,” the document reads, but without giving the music labels any way to say no. We don’t actually know the origin of this particular document, so we’re not saying this is a done deal by any means, but if the letter’s legit this you’re looking at the world’s largest online music store telling the labels to put up and shut up — or else peddle their tunes somewhere else. Update: It’s worth noting that CNET reported that iTunes song previews might double in length about two months ago. Apple informs labels that iTunes song previews will be 90 seconds long, hopes they don’t mind? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Archos 70 Internet Tablet now shipping for $279 with 8GB storage, Android 2.2
November 3, 2010 No Comment
Archos wasn’t going to settle for shipping a single Android device out today, no sirree — the French PMP specialists are pumping out these 7-inch Archos 70 Internet Tablets effective immediately. $279 buys you a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 8GB of flash storage, and Android 2.2 running on an 800 x 480 capacitive multitouch screen, with an OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics accelerator, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth and a front-facing VGA camera in an 11oz, 0.43-inch thin package that screams to be held. Sadly, you still won’t find Android Market on here, though we’ll give Archos credit for ditching most of the proprietary connectors and ports, which should make sideloading your own apps somewhat less of a chore. (There’s also a microSDHC card slot.) Expect a 250GB hard-drive model to debut any day now for $350… along with our full review. [Thanks, androidboi] Archos 70 Internet Tablet now shipping for $279 with 8GB storage, Android 2.2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Midterm elections are upon us and of course CNN has new technology to deliver every result, after the holograms and multitouch display madness ( lampooned brilliantly by Saturday Night Live ) of 2008 , Wolf Blitzer and crew have gone to iPads and augmented reality. Check the video after the break to see how Ali Velshi uses his tablet to make non-diegetic stats and graphs appear right in the studio with him, Fringe / Panic Room style. We can’t imagine life without the yellow first down marker during football games, but watching anchors play hide-and-seek behind bar graphs is either taking things a step too far, or just the thing help us stay interested in politics a little longer. Continue reading CNN uses augmented reality, iPads to cover midterm election results CNN uses augmented reality, iPads to cover midterm election results originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …ASUS finally ships Lamborghini Eee PC VX6, but mind that gas guzzler tax
November 3, 2010 No Comment
It was introduced way back in June, but it looks as if ASUS has just now gotten its ducks in a row with regard to this speedster. The 12.1-inch Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is now shipping across the pond, offering an Intel Atom D525 processor, NVIDIA Optimus graphics and Bang & Olufsen audio. It’s available from a host of retailers for
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How does the as-yet-unannounced Samsung Continuum stack up against Verizon’s pack of Droids, not to mention its Galaxy S brethren? That’s what we’re finding out for the very first time in a set of allegedly leaked charts. Performance-wise we’re looking at a fairly familiar beast with a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 384MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM, plus 2GB of on-board flash storage and a preloaded 8GB microSD card. Where it gets interesting is that secondary display, which measures 1.8 inches with a 96 x 480 resolution, which will indeed act as a status update, RSS feed and weather report stock ticker that you activate (even when the handset is asleep!) by gripping the bottom of the phone. You’re also getting a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video recording, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and 3G mobile hotspot for up to five devices, but it’s not all peaches and cream — the whole shebang uses Bing for search, and runs on Android 2.1. Here’s hoping Samsung intends to provide us a Froyo rollout date when it finally announces this phone. Find the full spec sheets at our source links. Full Samsung Continuum specs leak out in Verizon comparison charts? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …T-Mobile moves up to 75 live HSPA+ markets, says it’s running the largest ’4G’ network in the US
November 3, 2010 No Comment
T-Mobile is announcing this evening that it’s now got 75 live HSPA+ markets online, with coverage for roughly 200 million Americans up and running by the end of 2010. That footprint will start off at a theoretical max downlink of 21Mbps, but the carrier will be looking to scale that to 42Mbps in 2011 with the capacity to upgrade to 84 and 168Mbps down the road — all without ever worrying about LTE . The veracity of T-Mobile’s insistence that this is a “4G” network remains debatable — particularly in light of the ITU’s ruling that only LTE-Advanced and WiMAX 2 qualify — but then again, that same ruling would mean that neither Sprint, Verizon, nor T-Mobile really have 4G up and running in the strictest of terms, and it’s hard to argue that these guys are pushing speeds that meet or exceed what either LTE or WiMAX can offer today. To that end, the carrier is kicking off a new television ad campaign today where it proudly boasts that it’s operating the nation’s largest 4G network, which is sure to ruffle some feathers and set the stage for some drama-filled mudslinging among the big boys as they ramp up their next-gen networks across the country. New markets include Chicago, Colorado Springs, Ft. Wayne, Louisville, Raleigh-Durham, and Wilmington, NC, and new devices include the myTouch 4G — officially launching tomorrow — and the Dell Mini 10 4G, which as you can probably guess is a garden-variety Mini 10 with HSPA+ compatibility on the AWS band. Follow the break for T-Mobile’s full press release. Continue reading T-Mobile moves up to 75 live HSPA+ markets, says it’s running the largest ’4G’ network in the US T-Mobile moves up to 75 live HSPA+ markets, says it’s running the largest ’4G’ network in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We still don’t know what Facebook has in store for us tomorrow — deep Android integration? Branded custom phone? 20-minute Zuckerberg guitar solo? — but we’ll be there live to give you the full scoop as it happens. Here’s the page to bookmark for all the action and the event times — see you then! P.S.- You guys know what’s cool , right? 07:30AM – Hawaii 10:30AM – Pacific 11:30AM – Mountain 12:30PM – Central 01:30PM – Eastern 05:30PM – London 06:30PM – Paris 09:30PM – Moscow 02:30AM – Tokyo (November 4th) Reminder: Facebook mobile event tomorrow, we’ll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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