Sony’s new Reader Wi-Fi is the world’s lightest 6-inch e-reader with multitouch screen
August 31, 2011 No Comment
Sony’s just been showing off its Reader Store for the Android-powered Tablet S and Tablet P , but it hasn’t forgotten its more eye-friendly options. Announced at IFA just now, the self-explanatory Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1) claims to be the world’s lightest 6-inch e-reader with an “enhanced” touchscreen — the “enhanced” bit referring to its “Clear Touch Infrared” technology that supports multitouch for pinch-to-zoom, though it’s also bundled with a stylus. At 168 grams (5.93 ounces) light and 8.9mm thin, this device packs a 600 x 800, 16-level gray scale E-Ink Pearl v220 display, along with 1.3 GB of usable internal storage plus microSD expansion of up to 32GB. The built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity also lets users wirelessly borrow eBooks from public libraries — a first for e-readers, apparently — in the UK, US, and Canada. As for battery life, a single battery charge will keep digital bookworms busy for up to three weeks with WiFi enabled, or up to a month without WiFi (based on a half-hour reading time per day). Expect this ePub-compatible Reader Wi-Fi to hit the US and Europe in October for around $149, and it’ll come in a color choice of either red, white or black. Press release after the break. Continue reading Sony’s new Reader Wi-Fi is the world’s lightest 6-inch e-reader with multitouch screen Sony’s new Reader Wi-Fi is the world’s lightest 6-inch e-reader with multitouch screen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You heard right. Bloomberg is reporting that the United States government (!) just filed court papers in Washington, D.C. to block the much ballyhooed tie-up between AT&T and T-Mobile USA . Oddly enough, T-Mobile and AT&T promised this morning that a total of 5,000 jobs would be hand delivered to the US if the two telcos were allowed to become one, but it’ll take a heck of a lot more convincing now. For what it’s worth, this doesn’t mean that the deal is or isn’t happening — it’s just another step in the process — but it most certainly doesn’t bode well for proponents. Nor for AT&T’s share price. According to the report, the Justice Department feels that the deal would “substantially lessen competition” in the wireless space. In fact, it boldly stated the following: “AT&T’s elimination of T-Mobile as an independent, low-priced rival would remove a significant competitive force from the market.” If things end up falling apart, it’s important to remember that AT&T would be forced to pay Deutsche Telekom $3 billion as a break-up fee , which ought to make Tiger Woods’ misfortunes look like an outright bargain. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] US government files to block proposed AT&T / T-Mobile merger originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You use your mobile device for pretty much everything these days, right? So why not the kitchen? That was part of Siemens’ pitch today at IFA — the ability to control your cooking and dish washing from afar. The company debuted homeConnect, a “networked kitchen,” which lets homeowners check on their energy consumption, shut down appliances remotely, receive notifications when the washing is done and view the contents of their fridges in real time — with the help of internal cameras trained at the food. By downloading recipes from the internet, users can also import temperature and cooking times. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen some kitchen-based connectivity, of course — LG debuted the similar smartphone-based Thinq line at CES earlier this year. Gallery: Siemens homeConnect Continue reading Siemens shows off iPad-controlled homeConnect appliances Siemens shows off iPad-controlled homeConnect appliances originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Guten tag, Berlin! We’ll be sending you live updates from the German capital all this week as we explore IFA , the country’s absolutely monstrous consumer electronics trade show. This year, 3D , smartphones and Android tablets are all the rage, and we’re expecting a generous spattering of product announcements in the days to come. So pack up the laptop, head over to your local biergarten and grab a brezel and brat as you sit back and enjoy the slew of hands-ons and liveblogs that’ll be hitting the site later this week. And you may want to cancel those weekend plans as well — we’ll be posting gadgets directly from the show floor all day Friday and Saturday. Danke sch
Continue reading …Acer’s Aspire 5749 MeeGo notebook gets a Sandy Bridge core, hails from Deutschland
August 31, 2011 No Comment
MeeGo running on an Acer notebook ? Hardly surprising stuff. Pairing that OS with a Sandy Bridge CPU, however, is something to take note of. Contradicting Acer’s past claims that the company would only issue the operating system on Atom-based netbooks , the Aspire 5749 has popped up on Amazon.de serving up a 2.1GHz Core i3 processor and 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 display. Weighing in at 2.6kg (about 6lbs) and measuring 34mm in thickness, the Taiwanese-made laptop will set you back 400 Euros (about $577), and comes packed with 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB of storage, Intel’s GMA 3000 graphics set, DVD burner, three USB 2.0 ports, a 2-in-1 card reader and, of course, WiFi. Itching to get your import on? Then skip past the break and head to the source below. Acer’s Aspire 5749 MeeGo notebook gets a Sandy Bridge core, hails from Deutschland originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Garmin launches StreetPilot onDemand iPhone app, offers transit schedules
August 31, 2011 No Comment
Garmin is best known for its in-car navigation systems , but today delved deeper into the realm of personal navigation with a brand new iPhone app for the eternally lost. For a dollar, you’ll get standard walking, driving and public transportation directions, but go premium for $2.99 a month or $29.99 for the year, and you’ll cop more add-ons designed to transform your iPhone into a full-fledged PND. Like the standard iPhone mapping system or HopStop, the subscription-based version of this app lets you integrate public transportation into your journey — but the added feature here is the ability to view public transit schedules like you can in the Google Maps app for Android. It also has spoken turn-by-turn directions, Garmin’s traffic routing and Google search, making it a handy alternative to a clunky navigation system. Check out the full PR after the break. Continue reading Garmin launches StreetPilot onDemand iPhone app, offers transit schedules Garmin launches StreetPilot onDemand iPhone app, offers transit schedules originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sony’s head-mounted 3D visor is real, HMZ-T1 arrives in Japan November 11th
August 31, 2011 No Comment
Remember that crazy wearable 3D display concept Sony was showing off at CES 2011? Turns out the company is actually going to make it, and the HMZ-T1 is scheduled to be released in Japan on November 11th. While the design has changed slightly since we first laid our eyes, and heads, on it, the specs appear to be the same, with two 1280×720 0.7-inch OLED panels mounted in front of each eye giving the wearer an experience similar to viewing a 750-inch screen from 20m away, as well as 5.1 surround sound from headphones integrated into the Head Mounted Display (HMD). You can see the helmet above, as well as the processor unit (complete with HDMI input and output, so you can take off the helmet and watch on TV) that it must remain tethered to. Pricing is expected to be 60,000 yen ($783 US). Check out the press release and our hands-on video from CES after the break and decide if living out a Geordi La Forge-style fantasy is worth it. Gallery: Sony’s 3D head-mounted display prototype face-on Continue reading Sony’s head-mounted 3D visor is real, HMZ-T1 arrives in Japan November 11th Sony’s head-mounted 3D visor is real, HMZ-T1 arrives in Japan November 11th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The MHL Consortium wants to banish HDMI ports from our phones in favor of its Mobile High-Definition Link connection, and the tech has found its way into handsets like the GSII and the EVO 3D . But until now, there were no TVs to connect to. Toshiba’s latest in the Regza line, the WL800A, is the lone set in its 2011 lineup to pack the 5-pin port that pulls 1080p from your mobile device and puts it up on a 46-inch or 55-inch edge-lit LED panel. Best part is, the MHL connection pushes power back into your phone at the same time video is streaming — so you don’t have to worry about your phone dying on you in the middle of your mobile movie marathon. Currently for sale in the land of Oz for $2,329 (46-inch) and $3,179 (55-inch) AUD, the WL800 won’t be coming to America. However, now that the GSII has landed stateside let’s hope some MHL-equipped TVs follow suit. Toshiba’s new Regza WL800A HDTV hooks up with your smartphone via MHL originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Scosche’s RDTX-PRO for iPhone and iPod touch detects radiation, funds charities
August 31, 2011 No Comment
Scoshe already offers a fairly impressive range of mobile accessories , but its now branched out into some uncharted territory with its latest offering. The company has just announced its new RDTX-PRO radiation detector and app for the iPhone and iPod touch, which launches in Japan next month. With no calibration needed, the device attaches to your iOS handheld via the dock connector and offers gamma radiation detection above 60keV within +/- 5% accuracy. If that wasn’t enough, the peripheral can also be used as a standalone alarm for radioactivity for up to 96 hours, and the aforementioned app will let you to share your findings via Facebook, Twitter or Google Maps. Still not convinced Scosche is fighting the good fight? Well, $10 from each $330 unit sold will benefit a group of charities dedicated to aiding those affected by the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. For an closer look at the UI, take a peek at the gallery below, or for the full rundown, hit the PR after the break. Gallery: Scosche RDTX-PRO Continue reading Scosche’s RDTX-PRO for iPhone and iPod touch detects radiation, funds charities Scosche’s RDTX-PRO for iPhone and iPod touch detects radiation, funds charities originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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According to ComScore, out of the 82.2 million people in the US with a smartphone (up ten percent from last quarter ), Android came in first as the biggest platform yet again, capturing a whopping 41.8 percent of the market like a boss. In a not-so-close second, Apple was able to snag 27 percent, followed by RIM in the third place spot with 21.7 percent — down 4 percentage points from last quarter. Pulling up the rear is Microsoft with 5.7 percent, and lastly Symbian with a grim 1.9 percent — both down when compared to the previous three months. As far as US hardware manufacturers goes, Samsung is still on top with 25.5 percent of the market, while LG got 20.9 percent and finally Motorola with 14.1 percent, down 1.5 percentage points from before. Apple was able to snag some standing in the OEM space with a 9.5 percent share, while BlackBerry-maker RIM only captured 7.6 percent. As the battle wages on, looks like Androids, iPhones, and BlackBerrys (oh my) are still on top — at least for this quarter. Check out the PR after the break for the full scorecard. Continue reading ComScore calls Android top dog, Apple pulls further ahead of RIM ComScore calls Android top dog, Apple pulls further ahead of RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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