Motorola’s XT531 has gone through more name changes than a certain rapper-cum-vodka shilling mogul, and the trend might continue as it makes its way to the US. The budget-friendly handset, known as the Fire XT in Europe and the Spice XT in Latin America, has just surfaced at the FCC toting AT&T-compatible GSM bands, UMTS / HSDPA 850MHz / 1900MHz support, WiFi and Bluetooth. Based on Moto’s official PR for the handset’s Chinese release, we know this 3.5-incher also sports a front-facing VGA / 5 megapixel rear camera, and is set to launch with Android 2.3 onboard. With Google’s newest pal clearly chasing after heat-related naming conventions, we expect to see this one launch with an equally caliente moniker. Motorola’s XT531 hits the FCC, ready for its US crossover originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The Engadget Show is live again, tonight, starting at 6:00PM ET ! Not only will it be filmed live in New York City, it will be streaming live to you on these very internets. Lock your browser in to this address at that time and you’ll receive yourself a visual treat and an information smorgasbord. We’ll be looking at RIM’s latest smartphones and seeing how they fare, taking a trip to Italy to get a peek at what the Ferrari of 2030 might look like, chatting with Fusion Garage’s Chandra Rathakrishnan about the Grid 10 and Grid 4 (and why his company deserves a second chance), taking over Times Square , and chatting with the EFF to figure out just what the heck Google is going to do with all those patents . Again, it’ll be live here at 6:00PM ET. Hop past the break for times in your timezone. Continue reading The Engadget Show is live, here at 6:00PM ET! The Engadget Show is live, here at 6:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day — we dig deep into each topic’s history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com . The quality of a mobile phone’s display is arguably the most important factor to consider when you establish a relationship with a handset. It’s inescapable, really. Whether you’re playing a rousing game of Robot Unicorn Attack or (regrettably) drunk-dialing an ex, it’s the one interface element that you’re consistently interacting with. It’s your window to the world and your canvas for creation, and if it’s lousy, it’s going to negatively influence everything you see and do. Today, we’re delving into the world of mobile displays, where we’re aiming to entertain and edify, and hopefully save you from making regrettable decisions — when it comes to purchasing new phones, anyway. In this edition of Primed, we’ll be examining the different qualities and underlying technologies of several displays, starting with the ubiquitous TFT-LCD and moving through the nascent realm of glasses-free 3D and beyond. We’ll also be addressing the importance of resolution and pixel density. Finally, we’ll be scoping out a handful of upcoming technologies — while some are thoroughly intriguing, others are just plain wacky. Go ahead… buy the ticket, take the ride, and join us after the break. It’s Primed time. Continue reading Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause
August 19, 2011 No Comment
In Japan, a certain hallowed distinction has been garnered by all ephemera cute and pretty . So, it goes without saying that this pair of oblong flip phones, with their familiar animated sponsors, should have the Harajuku hordes rushing in with charm straps at the ready. For its particular crack at kawaii , Panasonic’s P-06C gets an understated splash of Snoopy cool, visible only through two available built-in themes. The clamshell entry comes with a 3-inch display, 5.1 megapixel camera and retails for about 28,560 yen (or $375). But, let’s face it folks, the real stunner of the two is the Softbank-designed model Ms. Kitty-chan adorns. The Antique Berry-shaded 007SH KT packs a 3.4-inch display, 6.1 megapixel camera and Android 2.3 into a 180 degree foldable handset, and can be yours when it goes on sale next month. Be sure to jump past the break for a double dose of this wireless adorability. Continue reading Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Well, it’s been less than two weeks , and Apple’s already pumping out another iOS 5 beta build. Those of you holding Apple developer credentials can now mosey on over to the source link below, and get your hands on iOS 5 beta 6. As you might expect, this slice of Apple pie brings with it new betas for iTunes, XCode, and Apple TV. As per usual, we’ll keep our eyes out for anything noteworthy, but if you’ve already got the new build going, give us a holler in the comments below. [Thanks, Michael] iOS 5 beta 6 fresh out of the oven for your downloading pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …‘Retweet,’ ‘sexting’ added to Oxford English Dictionary, alongside words that are actually words
August 19, 2011 No Comment
Every so often, Chuzzlewitt, Figglesworth and the rest of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary’s Council of Elders gather around a stone in Puddingshire, where they come up with ways to modernize the English language. New words are added, archaic ones are cut, goats are sacrificed. It’s all very messy — especially when internet lingo gets involved, as is so often the case. It’s no different this year, with the latest class of inductees including words like “retweet,” “sexting,” and “cyberbullying.” Also making the cut is “woot” (which is apparently spelled without zeroes) and “surveil,” which was added primarily as a reflection of today’s privacy-conscious society. In fact, the dictionary’s purveyors say they make their decisions based not on intuition or cage match results, but on cultural ubiquity, which they gauge using a database of more than two billion words culled from contemporary sites. So if you’re wondering why words like “jeggings” and “mankini” are now part of the English tome, you have only the internet to blame. ‘Retweet,’ ‘sexting’ added to Oxford English Dictionary, alongside words that are actually words originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Welcome to Engadget’s Back to School guide ! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we’re here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Since the weekend is finally upon us, we figured now’s as good a time as any to sit back, relax, and have some fun. Play along with our fun stuff picks — and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back — at the end of the month we’ll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides — and hit up the hub page right here ! It’s Friday, and that can only mean one thing: two days of parties, sleeping in, and seeing your campus transform from a vehicle of intense education to a spring break-like haven of drunken delight. We’ve rounded up a few toys to help you relax before you head back to class — a memory card reader that doubles as a pocket mirror, an Arduino-powered car that can stream video from the dorm hall, and an electric-powered sports car that can drive you and a friend far from campus for a pricey weekend getaway — so kick off the shoes and prepare to embrace these 48 hours of freedom. And when it’s time to get back to the books, we have the gear for that too — and we’re giving it away! Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2011: fun stuff! Engadget’s back to school guide 2011: fun stuff! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We haven’t had a chance to head on down to The Hague to have a look-see for ourselves, but Dutch tech site Webwereld spotted some more inconsistencies in Apple’s Samsung lawsuit filings. This time the culprit is a shrunken Galaxy S II , standing side-by-side with an identically tall iPhone 3G — when in reality the Samsung phone is seven millimeters taller than its Apple counterpart, and slightly wider as well. The image, filed in the Netherlands, is part of an intellectual property suit against Samsung, and came to light just days after accusations that Apple manipulated photos of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that it submitted to a German court. While misleading, this latest error isn’t nearly as concerning as last week’s shrunken Tab — which could easily be described as image manipulation, considering that the tablet included in that filing represented an incorrect 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Samsung device has a 16:10 display. [Thanks, Florian ] Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S II in Dutch lawsuit filing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …We haven’t had a chance to head on down to The Hague to have a look-see for ourselves, but Dutch tech site Webwereld spotted some more inconsistencies in Apple’s Samsung lawsuit filings. This time the culprit is a shrunken Galaxy S II , standing side-by-side with an identically tall iPhone 3G — when in reality the Samsung phone is seven millimeters taller than its Apple counterpart, and slightly wider as well. The image, filed in the Netherlands, is part of an intellectual property suit against Samsung, and came to light just days after accusations that Apple manipulated photos of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that it submitted to a German court. While misleading, this latest error isn’t nearly as concerning as last week’s shrunken Tab — which could easily be described as image manipulation, considering that the tablet included in that filing represented an incorrect 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Samsung device has a 16:10 display. [Thanks, Florian ] Did Apple shrink the Samsung Galaxy S II in Dutch lawsuit filing? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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What’s the difference between Sony’s PlayStation Vita and the PS3 ? About 256MB of RAM, apparently. In a recent interview with Eurogamer , Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida confirmed that the forthcoming handheld will boast a full 512MB of RAM (compared to the PS3′s 256MB), allowing the Vita to support cross-game voice chat via its Party feature. Yoshida’s confirmation effectively debunks earlier rumors that Sony would be halving the Vita’s RAM, in order to compete with the 3DS’ lower price, though the console does feature comparatively less V-RAM (just 128MB, versus the PS3′s 256MB). According to the executive, however, that disparity won’t make too much of a difference on the gaming experience, due to changes in the Vita’s display resolution. “The resolution on the PS Vita screen is much lower,” Yoshida said. “Even though it’s four times the resolution of PSP, compared to the console, the amount of data you have to push is much smaller.” The proof, of course, is in the pudding, but unfortunately, we probably won’t be tasting it for a while . PS Vita to pack 512MB of RAM, support cross-game voice chat originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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