What’s this? Some of HP’s unreleased WebOS devices? Well yes! Say hello to the white european TouchPad , the black TouchPad 4G for AT&T , the Pre 3 for AT&T , and our very own Veer 4G review unit , all gathered on a fine specimen of new century modern upholstery. We were able to unbox these devices and handle the hardware, but the software was off limits. The owner of the Pre 3 did activate it for us, but that’s as far as we were able to go. While still heavier and thicker than the competition, the white TouchPad — a 64GB model with the faster 1.5GHz CPU — is significantly more attractive than its black sibling, and less of a fingerprint magnet to boot. AT&T’s TouchPad 4G — with 32GB of storage and the same 1.5GHz processor — features a working SIM slot for the carrier’s faux-G network ( HSPA+ ), but is otherwise cosmetically identical to the existing WiFi version . The Pre 3 is is identical to the one we handled during HP’s announcement last February, save for the AT&T logo on the back. Check out our gallery below, and hit the break for our hands-on video. Gallery: HP WebOS unreleased devices hands-on Continue reading HP’s unreleased white TouchPad and Pre 3 for AT&T (hands-on video) HP’s unreleased white TouchPad and Pre 3 for AT&T (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Listen up, all you single ladies , err, people with style — HTC’s charm-dongled handset’s about to dash across the pond. Launching as an exclusive on UK carrier O2 , the 3.7-inch device’ll saunter its way into handbags throughout the British isles on October 17th, bringing with it that recently unveiled slew of accessories — headphones, dock, charm and leather pouch. If you were hoping for some mobile color options to match that endless wardrobe, you’re going to be sorely disappointed — the operator’s only offering this phone in its debut shade of plum. It’s not the worst hue to be stuck with, but you’ll still have to coordinate accordingly — a no-brainer for this target demo. Right, stylistas? HTC Rhyme clicks its heels, calls O2 its exclusive UK home originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The Samsung Epic 4G Touch is a triumph of engineering, jamming oh-so-very-much into an oh-so-little frame. What better way to celebrate its wonderous design, than to tear it all down to its constituent parts, and then reassemble it? Thank the guys at iFixit , because they’ve already done it — again . Interesting points include just a single EMI shield — unlike some competitors — which is great news for those looking to emulate a tear-down of their own Sprint-specific GSII . It could still prove to be a challenge, with both the glass panel and LCD apparently fused to the middle of the phone, meaning a replacement for that sumptuous 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen could prove costly. Click below for a pictorial blow-by-blow of the teardown, let’s keep the drooling to a minimum, shall we? Samsung Epic 4G Touch gets torn down, confirms its epic crendentials originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October
September 20, 2011 No Comment
It’s taken its sweet time, but folks who weren’t exactly keen on the Promise Pegasus finally have a compact option for putting their Thunderbolt port to good use. LaCie has just announced that it’s Little Big Disk Thunderbolt external drive — a first for the outfit — is available to purchase. For those keeping count, it’s only the second overall T-bolt drive to hit the scene, with this 1.4-pounder boasting a pair of 2.5-inch drives, support for JBOD / RAID 1 / RAID 0 and a typically metallic chassis that measures 1.6- x 5.5- x 3.3-inches. We’re promised speeds as high as 480MB/sec (for SSD arrangements) and 190MB/sec (for HDD models), and users can daisy chain several of ‘em to hit transfer rates of around 800MB/sec. These guys should be available starting today (though Apple’s online shop currently has a “one to two week” wait), with the 1TB 7200RPM edition retailing for $399, and the 2TB 5400RPM model listing for $499. We’re still awaiting word on the specifics surrounding the October-bound 240GB SSD variant, but those who’d rather press their luck for a free one can enter the ongoing contest in the More Coverage link below. Gallery: LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt press photos Continue reading LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Huawei gives October shipping date for MediaPad in Malaysia, US and China by year’s end
September 20, 2011 No Comment
Been wondering when you were gonna get a chance to smear fingerprints all over 7-inches of Android 3.2 , courtesy of Huawei’s MediaPad ? Well, if you happen to live in Malaysia, it should be by the middle of October. The rest of you shouldn’t fret though — the company plans to have it on shelves in the US, China, Hong Kong and Thailand before the end of the year. Meanwhile, folks in Singapore can already place pre-orders for $598 GSD, roughly $473 USD. It’s a bit later than the Q3 ship date we were originally told but, as they say, better late than never. Though, we’re more apt to cry “gimme, gimme, gimme.” Huawei gives October shipping date for MediaPad in Malaysia, US and China by year’s end originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …The Engadget Show is live tonight, with Jonathan Coulton, Maker Faire, Keepon, and more!
September 20, 2011 No Comment
We’re getting closer! We’re shooting tonight at 6PM ET, and if you’re lucky enough to be in NYC we have a few tickets left over. If you’d like to attend, e-mail jon dot turi at engadget dot com including your full name and confirmation that you can show up tonight. Do it quick enough and we’ll save you a seat. If, however, you’re not lucky enough to join in on the fun in person in NYC, you can follow from home right here . We have an interview with musician / internet sensation Jonathan Coulton , who will be discussing his viral rise to the top of the guitar-playing YouTube masses and treating us to a familiar song or two. We’ll also be traveling to Maker Faire in NYC to take a look at robots, racing turtle shells, fire breathing iron dragons, and a lot of 3D printers. And Make:Live co-hosts Matt Richardson and Becky Stern will be joining us live in the studio to discuss some of their favorite DIY projects. Then we’ll be paid a visit by the creators of the Keepon, to discuss the origins of their adorable little dancing ‘bot. Tim will take a trip through the mean streets of New York City on the Grace One electric bike and Brian will pop by Frog’s Manhattan location to take a look at the company’s latest industry-defining designs. Subscribe to the Show: [ iTunes ] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [ Zune ] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [ RSS M4V ] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. The Engadget Show is live tonight, with Jonathan Coulton, Maker Faire, Keepon, and more! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Xiaomi Phone to get vanilla Android 2.3.5 next month, Ice Cream Sandwich in January
September 20, 2011 No Comment
By now most of you may already know that the attractively priced Xiaomi Phone will support both MIUI and vanilla Android ROMs (though not simultaneously on its dual-partition system ); but earlier today, CEO Lei Jun confirmed that October will see the release of said device’s vanilla Android 2.3.5 ROM, meaning the keen beans won’t have to wait long after the Xiaomi Phone’s launch in the same month. More interestingly, Lei also announced that his Beijing-based chums will be rolling out a vanilla 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich build in January, which is about two or three months after Eric Schimdt’s expected launch date . Sounds about right if you look at previous releases, and we shall look forward to observing the epic 4.0 battle between the Xiaomi Phone, the ASUS Padfone and the rumored Nexus Prime . Xiaomi Phone to get vanilla Android 2.3.5 next month, Ice Cream Sandwich in January originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Google+ moves from field trial to beta, adds Hangouts on phones, search and more
September 20, 2011 No Comment
Well, it looks like the “field trial” is officially over. Google today announced that its Google+ social network has moved up to beta status and, as a result, it’s now open to everyone (no invitation required). It’s also rolled out a slew of new features for the occasion, including a number of improvements to the Hangouts video chat service. That includes Hangouts on your phone (Android 2.3+ only, for now), a new Hangouts On Air feature for public broadcasts, and a number of “extras” including screensharing, a sketchpad and shared Google Docs (not to mention Hangouts APIs). Google’s now also finally added search functionality across the site, and it’s renamed the Huddle group chat feature to Messenger (which also includes a number of new tweaks). Hit the links below for the complete rundown on what’s new. Google+ moves from field trial to beta, adds Hangouts on phones, search and more originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HTC Rhyme official: 3G, 3.7-inch display, single-core CPU, headed to Verizon for $199 on contract
September 20, 2011 No Comment
Well, well. Looks like those leaked press shots (and hands-on photos and video walk-through ) were on the money. HTC just officially announced the Rhyme — that womanly handset otherwise known as the Bliss. As it happens, HTC isn’t explicitly marketing this as a lady phone, though it bears all the markers of a device pandering toward those of us with XX chromosomes. Which is to say, it’s petite and purple with middling specs. What you’re looking at is a handset with a 3.7-inch WVGA display, a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm CPU, 4GB of internal storage space, a non-removable battery, microSD expansion slot, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS radios and dual 5MP / VGA cameras. The phone runs Android 2.3 with “next-generation” Sense (that would be version 3.5) layered on top. And, as rumored , you can pair it with an optional “Charm Indicator,” a bubble that glows purple when the phone is ringing so that you’ll never again miss a call because your phone is buried beneath nail files and fifty tubes of lipstick. Other accessories include a wireless dashboard speaker for the car and a workout armband. As that tell-tale FCC report revealed, the purple version you see up there will land on Verizon as a 3G device, with a silver version arriving in Asia and Europe next month. HTC has yet to confirm pricing or availability. If leaks are to be believed, though, those of you with small hands and deep murses should be able to pre-order yours any day now . Update : We’re told that it’ll sell for the typical $199 on a two-year contract (which includes all accessories), with pre-orders starting on the the 22nd and availability pegged for September 29th. A bit steep given the specifications, but hey — you’ll pay a premium for style, right? Right ? Update 2 : As for global aspirations, we heard from an HTC representative that it’ll soon be available on an unspecified amount of European carriers, where it’ll be hawked as the “Hourglass,” tinged in a “sand-like color.” All other specifications and accessories will remain the same, though. Gallery: HTC Rhyme Continue reading HTC Rhyme official: 3G, 3.7-inch display, single-core CPU, headed to Verizon for $199 on contract HTC Rhyme official: 3G, 3.7-inch display, single-core CPU, headed to Verizon for $199 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Layoffs underway at HP’s webOS division, hundreds of employees may be in jeopardy
September 20, 2011 No Comment
HP’s webOS-powered devices are riding off into the sunset and so too, apparently, are hundreds of jobs. Sources close to the company tell All Things Digital that upwards of 525 employees at HP’s Palm division are slated to lose their jobs in the near future, as part of a layoff process that began this week. In a statement, an HP spokesperson explained the decision thusly: “As communicated on August 18, HP will discontinue the development of webOs devices within the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011, which ends Oct 31 2011. As part of this decision, the webOS GBU is undergoing a reduction in workforce. Today’s actions are part of this initiative. During this time, we stand by our commitment to our webOS customers and will work to ensure that support and service for customers are not adversely affected.” The company went on to say that it’s still “exploring ways to leverage webOS software,” but declined to specify the exact number of hardware-related jobs that would be cut. Layoffs underway at HP’s webOS division, hundreds of employees may be in jeopardy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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