Vodafone Australia creates giant Android mascot, sets it free on the streets of Sydney
October 26, 2010 No Comment
In the States it’s almost voting time and the posturing has certainly come to a fever pitch. If someone hasn’t come a knocking on your door yet, promising to fix whatever ails you, they surely soon will. So, it’s nice to see a representative going door-to-door without an ulterior motive… well, without a political one, anyway. Meet Andy, the full-scale Android mascot who can be found wandering the streets of Sydney in an attempt by Vodafone to get people more familiar with the little OS that could ( and is ). We’re thinking he’s more likely to scare small children than create converts out of competing smartphone users, but maybe our pollsters are reading this one wrong. [Thanks, Geoff] Vodafone Australia creates giant Android mascot, sets it free on the streets of Sydney originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nokia Siemens Networks sees 825Mbps over traditional copper, Phantom DSL claims ‘the future’
October 26, 2010 No Comment
Look, it’s not easy nor cheap to lay an entirely new network infrastructure — just ask Verizon . Regardless of how badly we all want a fiber optic cable ran directly into our closet, it’s probably in our best interest if companies like Nokia Siemens Networks continue to improve existing services. Since we’re on the topic, it’s probably prudent to point out a new discovery surrounding existing copper wires — one that involves data transmissions at up to 825Mbps. As the story goes, NSN is testing new technology (let’s call it Phantom DSL) that could dramatically increase capacity of conventional copper wires, with the aforesaid data point coming on a trial transfer across 400 meters of wire; when stretched to 500 meters, it still held steady at 750Mbps. We’re told that Phantom DSL promises a bandwidth increase of 50 to 75 percent over existing bonded copper lines, but mum’s the word on when ISPs will actually have access. Yesterday, please? Continue reading Nokia Siemens Networks sees 825Mbps over traditional copper, Phantom DSL claims ‘the future’ Nokia Siemens Networks sees 825Mbps over traditional copper, Phantom DSL claims ‘the future’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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So, you may or may not have noticed that this morning, Apple updated its own Apple Store app for the very first time, and version 1.1 has a little surprise. That’s right, in the ‘Reserve Products’ screen, the much delayed white iPhone 4 shows up as an option. Now, before you lose control of yourself, keep in mind that you can’t actually reserve one… yet. Of course, this could just be some sort of cruel glitch in the system, or it could be a tiny bit of evidence that the white iPhone is actually, finally on its way. At the very least, we know that Apple’s still thinking of it… just like us. White iPhone 4 evidence shows up in Apple Store app’s update? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Epson shoves a Core i7 processor in a chunky nettop, will build it to your specification
October 26, 2010 No Comment
Tiny desktops? Good. Wimpy processors? Bad. Epson ‘s Endeavor ST150E? Possibly the best of both worlds. Sure, it’s bigger than your average nettop , about twice as tall, but for that extra girth you get a selection of Intel processors ranging from a Celeron P4600 all the way up to a Core i7-640M. It also sports a DVD-R/W drive, up to 8GB of RAM, 640GB on platters or a 64GB SSD, mountability behind an LCD, and power consumption as low as 16 watts — though we’re guessing that’s with the Celeron. Indeed you can get this built however you want, with a starting price at 64,890 yen, or just under $800. But, get liberal with the options and you could be looking at a rather less frugal 190,000 yen. That’s about $2,300, and an awful, awful lot for a little machine. Epson shoves a Core i7 processor in a chunky nettop, will build it to your specification originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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WD’s no stranger to the media streaming game, but things apparently just got serious. Gone is the My Book-esque design that has been used on all of the units prior, and in is a sleeker, sexier box that’s quite clearly designed to slip right on top of your existing cable set-top. The WD TV Live Hub is easily Western Digital’s most feature-packed streamer yet, with a 1TB HDD within for storing who knows what locally. There’s also an Ethernet socket for pulling down content via the web or your local network, and a pair of USB ports allow for storage expansion or transfers. Naturally, it’ll handle Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Blockbuster on Demand and UPnP / DLNA streaming to your favorite game console, but the lack of inbuilt WiFi (it’s available via an optional adapter) puts a mild damper on an otherwise fantastic sounding product. It’s available immediately around the globe, with Americans able to snag one for $199.99 directly from WD or at Best Buy. Gallery: WD TV Live Hub media center Continue reading Western Digital stuffs 1TB HDD into Live Hub networked media streamer Western Digital stuffs 1TB HDD into Live Hub networked media streamer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …The Blaze Blink Now saves you from Computer Vision Syndrome, is always watching
October 26, 2010 No Comment
Big Brother is watching you, and you’d better remember. Forget for just a moment and you could find yourself committing thoughtcrime doupleplusquick. Enter the
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It may not exactly be one of the biggest “firsts” around, but Grace Digital Audio’s new GDI-IR2550p WiFi radio is apparently the first such radio to pack built-in Pandora controls on the radio itself — the company’s earlier Digital Allegro only had controls on the remote and accompanying iPhone app. Unfortunately, Grace has paired that somewhat unique feature with a radio that seems to have confused retro good looks with bland and dated — that same four-line LCD used on every other Grace radio doesn’t help things either. If that’s not your primary concern, however, you will get a decent range of features from the radio, including support for a slew of other internet content besides Pandora, streaming music from your Mac or PC, the aforementioned iPhone app, and all the usual alarm clock functionality you’d expect from a desktop radio. Look for this one to set you back $169.99. Update : Looks like this is just Grace’s first of the sort — this here Livio device did the same thing last year. For shame. Thanks, Brandon! Continue reading Grace debuts GDI-IR2550p WiFi radio with built-in Pandora controls Grace debuts GDI-IR2550p WiFi radio with built-in Pandora controls originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 07:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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26,000 people can’t be wrong, right? That’s the current tally of Leaf pre-orders that Nissan has collected from US and Japanese drivers excited by its all-electric hatchback. Yesterday, the car that’s built to plug into the same wall outlet as your toaster held its official pan-European launch party — with the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, and Portugal getting the first deliveries in early 2011 — and we were on site to grab a few closeup pictures and some precious time in the driver’s seat. American drivers should look out for a new set of keys in their mailbox this December, so there’s probably no better time than now to give them a preview of what they’re getting themselves into. Jump past the break for more on the Nissan Leaf. Gallery: Nissan Leaf press images Gallery: Nissan Leaf test drive Continue reading Nissan Leaf launches in Europe, takes us for a drive Nissan Leaf launches in Europe, takes us for a drive originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Quite frankly, you’ve probably got more mini keyboard options than you need, but given that Ality decided to throw backlighting into its latest, we’re giving it the edge over the other guys. The aptly named WeeBoard is an RF-based wireless keyboard that’s designed for use on the couch, likely in conjunction with your HTPC . There’s also an integrated optical trackpad for moving a mouse cursor, and there’s even a row of customizable media shortcut keys for launching specific applications and actions quickly. It’s expected to go on sale direct from Ality this December, with a retail price of $79.99 — hang tight if you’re looking for retail distribution partners. Gallery: Ality WeeBoard RF wireless keyboard Continue reading Ality’s backlit WeeBoard: yet another bantam RF HTPC keyboard Ality’s backlit WeeBoard: yet another bantam RF HTPC keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 06:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Yamaha PDX-31 iPod / iPhone speaker dock: too sexy for your 90s era living room
October 26, 2010 No Comment
Truth be told, there’s precisely no reason for the world to ever see yet another iPod sound system . If we haven’t found one to suffice at this point, we’re very clearly doing it wrong. That said, Yamaha has a knack for cranking out iPod / iPhone sound systems that look just as good (if not better) than they sound, and that’s remaining the case on the PDX-31. Aside from reminding us of the gorgeous Oregon shoreline, this here speaker dock handles iPods and iPhones with a 30-pin Dock Connector, ships in a trio of hues (dark red, black and light gray) and offers up an auxiliary input for those other media players. It also houses a pair of 3.25-inch speakers, dual wall construction and arrives with a bundled remote for good measure. It’ll carry an MSRP of $169.95, 80 percent of which is the premium for this thing looking so darn seductive. Continue reading Yamaha PDX-31 iPod / iPhone speaker dock: too sexy for your 90s era living room Yamaha PDX-31 iPod / iPhone speaker dock: too sexy for your 90s era living room originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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