ASUS’ Eee Pad Slider is fast becoming just as mythical as the flying horse the company’s named after. We’ve had several encounters with potential release windows for the slate, only to see it continually creep back into fall . Well, judging by a recent report from Notebook Italia and the tab’s new product page, it looks like we may actually see a September launch for the 10.1-incher — in Italy. Contrary to prior rumors, the company will be offering the Slider in two storage configurations — 16GB and 32GB at potential €479 ($400) and €599 ($550) price points, respectively. We’ve also got a slew of official specs for the Honeycomb-based device, which should ship with Android 3.1 installed, with a promised 3.2 upgrade to follow. The QWERTYfied tablet packs a 1280 x 800 WXGA display, dual-core 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of memory, 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, USB 2.0, mini-HDMI, microSD card reader, WiFi and Bluetooth. The company’s also thrown in one year of “unlimited ASUS Web Storage” for your cloud computing needs. Will the electronics maker finally commit to a concrete launch for the Slider? We’ll find out in a month’s time. ASUS Eee Pad Slider shows off its specs, may launch in September originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
What’s more frightening than a swarm of robots ? An award-winning swarm of robots trained to raid your library — that’s what. This SciFi-worthy outfit of mechanized literature swindlers, known as the “Swarmanoid,” landed themselves the Best Video Award at this week’s AAAI (Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence) conference in San Francisco. The video in question features the mixed bag of eye-bots, hand-bots and foot-bots in an Oceans 11 -style bookcase heist. Of course, there are probably easier ways to reach the top shelf (e.g. a ladder), but none that get us thinking about the end times quite like this. The full video awaits you after the break. Continue reading Swarm robots attack your bookshelf, win AAAI Oscar Swarm robots attack your bookshelf, win AAAI Oscar originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 09:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Orange UK’s official HP Pre 3 support page goes live, still not available to purchase
August 14, 2011 No Comment
If you haven’t been paying close enough attention to the matter, you’d think the HP Pre 3 had already been released. After all, it’s been myriad months since it was originally announced and the Veer and TouchPad were both pushed out to store shelves (arguably a little too early ). Sadly, it’s still sitting on deck, waiting to try its luck when the time is right. Orange’s UK branch, however, is wasting no time making sure it’s ready for the mystery launch date, as the Pre 3′s support page is live on the carrier’s site and awaiting your perusing eyes. The listed specs confirm that the smartphone’s running with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU (as opposed to its originally-announced 1.4GHz ) and using webOS 2.2 , as well as 512MB of RAM and a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 WVGA resolution display. Though we’re still waiting on word of the phone’s release from HP or Orange, sightings of a finalized page on the carrier’s site are awfully hard to ignore. Given the length of time it’s taken to hit the market, however, will it even feel fresh once daylight hits it for the first time? Orange UK’s official HP Pre 3 support page goes live, still not available to purchase originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …OEMs to spend more on semiconductors for wireless devices than computers in 2011
August 14, 2011 No Comment
Well, if you didn’t believe that we live in a post-PC world before, the latest report from IHS iSuppli should help persuade you. According to its research, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will have spent $55.4 billion on semiconductors for phones and tablets in 2011, as compared to just $53.1 billion on PC silicon. Of course, as the chart above shows, OEMs spent more money on wireless devices in 2008 and 2009. But, after an interlude of PC primacy in 2010, it looks like mobile’s where the money’s at for the foreseeable future — can’t say we didn’t warn you. Continue reading OEMs to spend more on semiconductors for wireless devices than computers in 2011 OEMs to spend more on semiconductors for wireless devices than computers in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Zynga has finally released The Pioneer Trail , the long promised sequel to FrontierVille on Facebook . Those familiar with The Oregon Trail will be right at home here but there’s no indication as yet that you can die of dysentery. The game abandons many of Zynga’s social gaming trademarks; rather than doing anything related to farming, players must instead journey across one of three maps. The creators claim that each one of these maps is five times larger than any of the outfit’s previous games. Significantly, you can only play the game with three friends, as each player is awarded specific skills necessary to reach “Fort Courage” at the finish. The company hopes that by forcing four players together it will create “intimate gaming” experiences (translation: you can’t give up if you get bored, friends are relying on you). Each map is said to take three weeks of hard pioneerin’ to complete and if that still leaves you cold, remember: there’s always that history textbook waiting in your app queue . Zynga’s Pioneer Trail is like The Oregon Trail without the typhoid originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 03:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Windows Phone Mango RTM leaks into the wild, offers tropical sweets for the daring
August 13, 2011 No Comment
For those who’ve longed for Twitter integration and multitasking capabilities on your Windows Phone, the folks at xda-developers have a weekend project you’re bound to flip over: the final version of Mango has leaked, and it’s available for download today. Internally, it’s known as build 7720, and it requires the post-NoDo update dubbed 7392. Alternately, users of Mango beta versions 7661 and 7712 may hop on board, too. If you’ve got a couple hours to spare, a full list of instructions — along with the operating system itself — is included in the source. So far, the software has been confirmed to work on the HD7, Mozart, Trophy, Focus, Arrive, Venue Pro and Optimus 7. As always, proceed at your own risk, and best wishes for your tropical getaway. [Thanks, Leonidas] Windows Phone Mango RTM leaks into the wild, offers tropical sweets for the daring originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Patrick, who can’t wait another day to start taking advantage of his newfangled blue USB port. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com . “I just got a new laptop with a USB 3.0 port. I currently have a USB 2.0 external hard drive, but I would like to upgrade. First of all, is the speed boost really worth the money? Is there a speed difference between those that need external power and those that are powered through the USB cable? Looking for one that’s 1TB to 2TB, and my price range is about $150, give or take. Thanks!” It’s certainly harder to come across a SuperSpeed bargain than a USB 2.0 bargain, but we’re sure there’s a few deals to be had. That said, reliability has to come into play here — any well-rounded suggestions for this fellow? Drop ‘em in comments below! Ask Engadget: best 1TB+ USB 3.0 external drive on a budget? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Vection Field controls traffic at SIGGRAPH, fictional cities from the future (video)
August 13, 2011 No Comment
So, let’s set the stage. You’re walking down a semi-busy street in a semi-foreign city. You’re curiously hanging close to the middle of the sidewalk. You bust out your smartphone and figure out that your so-called engagement just got “Complicated.” Your gait has an irregularity. You look up and spot what appears to be a local, eerily perturbed and somewhat flummoxed by your current position. You dodge left. So does he. You dodge right, knowing full well that it’ll only complicate matters when he follows suit. Before long, you’re tiptoeing around a stranger while a full-on traffic jam builds up behind you. You’ve just ruined the universe, and that’s not doing anyone any good. The solution? The University of Electro-Communications’s Vection Field, which hones in on large moving visual cues that “induce a sense of self-movement.” Funny enough, the lenticular lenses pathway here at SIGGRAPH actually worked — we never expected an optical illusion to solve such a monumental issue, but we’ll take it. Vid’s past the break, per usual. Continue reading Vection Field controls traffic at SIGGRAPH, fictional cities from the future (video) Vection Field controls traffic at SIGGRAPH, fictional cities from the future (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
No one was all that surprised when Samsung announced plans to fight the injunction granted by a German court that banned the sale of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe — what is perhaps surprising, however, is how quickly the wheels of justice are spinning on this one. The hearing, which was initially expected to take four weeks to get started, will be held on August 25th. A decision on overturning the ban is expected to arrive a few weeks after that date. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 European ban hearing to be held August 25th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
We’ve already caught a glimpse of Apple’s proposed science fiction museum new campus in Cupertino, but screen grabs just don’t do this behemoth justice. A recently released set of renderings of Apple Campus 2, as it’s known to the city of Cupertino, however, give it that proper otherworldly glow. According to the accompanying proposal, the building will take up a measly 2.8 million square feet, contain a 1,000-seat auditorium and research facilities totaling 300,000 square feet. Really? Is that all? If architectural renderings are your thing, hit the source link for some building-plan booty. Gallery: The Apple mothership Visualized: the Apple mothership originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …