Home » Archives by category » News » Tech (Page 125)
White Galaxy W surfaces, flashes its backside

Samsung’s already given us a few tidbits about its upcoming Galaxy W, but none pertaining to color. Lending credence to a bleached variant of the upcoming “Wonder” smartphone are a bevy of shots from Mai Nguyen , depicting the gizmo and its textured derriere in exquisite detail. Thus far, all that’s been confirmed are its 3.7-inch WVGA display, 1.4GHz CPU, 5 megapixel camera and that it’ll sling HSDPA packets at speeds of up to 14.4Mbps. We plan on finding out more at IFA next week, but in the meantime venture past the break for another snap, or hit the source for the full monty. Continue reading White Galaxy W surfaces, flashes its backside White Galaxy W surfaces, flashes its backside originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 21:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Acer Aspire 3951 photos leaked, new Ultrabooks to launch in September

We don’t mind eyeballing a few impossibly clean renders when we get wind of a new toy, but there’s nothing like the real McCoy. Today’s bones slipped out of a (now pulled) HDblog hands-on of the Acer Aspire 3951 Ultrabook, possibly leaked ahead of an IFA 2011 embargo. The genuine article looks nearly identical to its rendered counterpart, albeit a bit thicker and more plasticky. The unveiled 13.3-inch MacBook Air competitor reportedly sports a second generation Intel Core processor, boots from sleep in under two seconds, and is only 13mm thick. The price? While there is no official word on this exact model, Acer head-honcho JT Wang mentioned last week that the outfit was prepping to launch a new Ultrabook in September for about $800. Lines up nicely with the Acer 3951′s rumored $770-960 price range, doesn’t it? Acer Aspire 3951 photos leaked, new Ultrabooks to launch in September originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video)

In late 2008 filmmaker Rob Spence , caught our attention when he announced his plan to jam a video camera in his skull to replace an eye he lost to an unfortunate accident. Instead of connecting the camera to his brain, Spence sought to become a so-called “lifecaster,” recording the feed on an external device. Now his bionic eye is up and running, and he’s even partnered with a little company called Square Enix to create a documentary about state-of-the-art prosthetics and cybernetics. The short film, embedded after the break, was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Deus Ex: Human Revolution . But, this isn’t just some over-long commercial for a game, it’s a serious exploration of cutting edge leg, arm, and eye replacement technology. Check it out below, but be warned — there are a few image that might not sit well with weaker stomachs. Continue reading Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video) Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video)

In late 2008 filmmaker Rob Spence , caught our attention when he announced his plan to jam a video camera in his skull to replace an eye he lost to an unfortunate accident. Instead of connecting the camera to his brain, Spence sought to become a so-called “lifecaster,” recording the feed on an external device. Now his bionic eye is up and running, and he’s even partnered with a little company called Square Enix to create a documentary about state-of-the-art prosthetics and cybernetics. The short film, embedded after the break, was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Deus Ex: Human Revolution . But, this isn’t just some over-long commercial for a game, it’s a serious exploration of cutting edge leg, arm, and eye replacement technology. Check it out below, but be warned — there are a few image that might not sit well with weaker stomachs. Continue reading Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video) Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Switched On: The accidental handset company, Part 1

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On , a column about consumer technology. Tech company acquisitions often seek to reshape a company or even the entire industry. Buying Applied Semantics catalyzed Google’s rise to online advertising dominance. Apple’s purchase of NeXT transformed the former’s operating system’s roadmap. And HP’s merger with Compaq created a $40 billion powerhouse vendor of Windows PCs. That’s not the case for ” Googorola ,” a portmanteau that the world formerly knew only as an Italian blue cheese often crumbled into steak salads. Indeed, Google’s recent announcement of its intent to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion may turn out to be the highest profile acquisition aimed ever aimed at maintaining the status quo. Presaged by a blog post from Google’s chief legal officer and punctuated by lockstep statements by Motorola’s rival Android licensees praising legal protection, the blog post announcing the acquisition promised to “supercharge” Android. But the subsequent Google conference call regarding the merger reinforced that the “IP” Google seeks to acquire does not stand for “Incredible Phones.” Google seeks to invigorate Android simply by having the freedom to progress unencumbered along the successful path it already has largely staked out. Continue reading Switched On: The accidental handset company, Part 1 Switched On: The accidental handset company, Part 1 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
HTC HD2 keeps spry with Mango RTM and custom ROM, looks to clear final hurdle (video)

You likely know the HTC HD2 as the phone that just can’t be held in the past. While it started life with Windows Mobile 6.5, it’s since met better fortunes with Android, Meego, and most recently… NoDo . Now, after the leak of Windows Phone Mango RTM , things are about to heat up once again. First, we’ve come across a video that clearly shows the HD2 gobbling up version 7720 of this tropical fruit without missing a beat. Also, xda-developers members YukiXDA and xboxmod are preparing to release their own concept ROM based on this release. Both projects are currently held back by the OS’s inability to properly recognize the phone’s microSD card, but that seems to be the final step before a full scale release. If you’re interested, check the video after the break and make sure to bookmark the source link. Life is about to get a whole lot more interesting for your HD2. Continue reading HTC HD2 keeps spry with Mango RTM and custom ROM, looks to clear final hurdle (video) HTC HD2 keeps spry with Mango RTM and custom ROM, looks to clear final hurdle (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE announced, set to debut at IFA

Well, if you thought Samsung was done tweaking the Galaxy S II , you were very mistaken. The Korean company is getting ready to unveil the Galaxy S II LTE at IFA in Berlin this week, alongside an LTE version of it’s still elusive Galaxy Tab 8.9 — and we’ll be there to get some hands on time. Both devices are sporting an updated dual-core processor running at 1.5GHz, while the S II is also getting a size bump and moving up to a 4.5-inch screen. The Tab remains otherwise unchanged, rocking the same 1200 x 800 screen and super-svelte (8.6mm thick) design. Honestly, we’re not sure what else you need to know — 4G LTE and an over-the-top processor? OK, maybe price and availability would be nice, but you’ll just have to make do with some PR for now. Check it out after the break. Continue reading Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE announced, set to debut at IFA Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE announced, set to debut at IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Sony PRS-T1 e-reader spotted on Dutch retail site for 165 euros

It’s nigh on a month since we caught the WiFi-toting Sony PRS-T1 flitting its way through the FCC. Now the unannounced e-reader has popped up again — this time on a Dutch seller’s webpage with some pics, specs and a price of €165 (or $240 after a straight currency conversion). If accurate, most of the new features merit a nod rather than a yelp: a six-inch 800×600 e-ink screen that allows dual-touch gestures like pinch-to-zoom; a plastic body that brings the weight down to 168g (six ounces, versus the 7.6-ounce PRS-650 ); plus, the inclusion of Wikipedia and Google search. Speaking of which, don’t those look rather like Android buttons? Could it be that Sony is founding its latest Reader upon the omnipresent OS (as various rivals have done) and even permitting some of that green robot goodness to bubble to the surface? Perhaps it’s better to wait than to speculate — after all, recent rumors suggest that the official launch for this device is imminent. Sony PRS-T1 e-reader spotted on Dutch retail site for 165 euros originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Refresh Roundup: week of August 22, 2011

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android Updates Motorola’s Photon 4G was the recipient of a minor over-the-air firmware revamp that offers improvements to responsiveness and voice calls, and offers more bug fixes and other enhancements. [via PhoneArena ] Want another bug fix update? The HTC EVO 3D is the next contestant, rolling out its second OTA refresh in as many weeks. This time it appears that a new “Corporate 4G” widget and a new radio have been added. [via AndroidCentral ] Gingerbread 2.3.4 is now rolling out to Bell’s Motorola Atrix 4G OTA. [via MobileSyrup ] Now that its official Gingerbread support page has gone live, Verizon’s Motorola Droid 2 will likely be receiving Android 2.3 in the very near future. [via AndroidCentral ] Sasktel’s HTC Incredible S is now the beneficiary of Android 2.3.3 in an OTA install. [via MobileSyrup ] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery Remember that Gingerbread update the HTC Droid Incredible was supposed to get? The official version’s been leaked out and is awaiting your download. Just remember the follow the directions and back up your device before proceeding. [via AndroidPolice ] Speaking of leaked versions of Gingerbread, the Droid 2 Global has one now. More info can be found here . [via Droid-Life ] The Motorola Droid 3 ‘s been successfully rooted. As it turns out, there may be a couple different methods to do so, so check out the link to learn how to do it. [via XDA and AndroidCentral ] An official build of Android 2.3.4 for the Samsung Captivate has been leaked to XDA . [via Phandroid ] Other platforms The Nokia N8 was recently blessed with Symbian Anna , but a few camera-related upgrades were left out. No need to fear, as an “experimental” update is now being offered, which adds continuous auto-focus and tweaks the UI to allow for faster access to the camera — among other improvements. Due to a config error, a boost up to 30fps was accidentally left out, but a fix should be forthcoming. Check out the change log here . [via ZOMGitsCJ ] Given last week’s news about webOS, we were concerned the newly-launched Pre3 would be DOA, with no promise of future updates. HP’s proving this isn’t the case, however, as the device got a minor update that brought the phone’s help center live and fixed a few bugs along the way. [via PreCentral and PhoneArena ] Research in Motion released an upgrade to its Tablet OS for the BlackBerry PlayBook . Unfortunately, it’s not the 2.0 version we saw leaked screenshots of earlier this week, but it still brings a nice feature to the tablet: differential updates. This means that in future OS refreshes, only the affected sections will be changed. In addition, the new version, dubbed 1.0.7.2942, will improve WiFi connectivity via WEP and enhancements to BlackBerry Bridge. [via RIM ] WP7Mod showed a video of the HTC HD2 booting up with Windows Phone Mango’s RTM build installed. We’ve been told that it’s almost ready for any daring souls interested in a new challenge for their Windows Mobile device. [via WMPowerUser ] Refresh Roundup: week of August 22, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …
Droid Bionic pops up on Motorola site, looks set for September 8 release

Between the leaked ads , blurry photos and walkthrough videos , it seems that we’ve seen Motorola’s reworked Droid Bionic pretty much everywhere but in the hands of consumers. Looks like the company is ready to take one more baby step toward that eventuality, with what appears to be an official Bionic Twitter account (we’re working to get confirmation) indicating a September 8th release date, while a product page with some new shots of the device has also gone live. The page is still sadly lacking in-depth specs, but the handful of photos should keep eager customers happy at least until our friend in the leather blouse slices the head off another robot. Droid Bionic pops up on Motorola site, looks set for September 8 release originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 07:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Continue reading …