Computer Engineer Barbie now available, and her phone has been upgraded since we last saw her
December 1, 2010 No Comment
We were fairly impressed with Computer Engineer Barbie ‘s Linux laptop and cellphone when we last saw her at the Toy Fair in New York City. Well, the doll is available now, and her gear has gotten an upgrade for the retail version. The pink laptop now boasts some kind of custom Barbie operating system, and yes, she seems to be sporting an iPhone these days. We assume this is a tie in with Mattel’s Barbie ‘I Can Be’ iPhone app, but we also remember from our childhood that Barbie is an intense tech geek who always has to have the latest gear, so we can’t say that we’re surprised. Computer Engineer Barbie is available now for $12.99. A shot of the first Computer Engineer Barbie we met is after the break. Continue reading Computer Engineer Barbie now available, and her phone has been upgraded since we last saw her Computer Engineer Barbie now available, and her phone has been upgraded since we last saw her originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve been eagerly waiting for iPhone cases with built-in keyboards to hit ever since iOS 4 added Bluetooth keyboard support , but they simply haven’t materialized like we’d hoped — in fact, ThinkGeek’s TK-421 case is the first to hit the market, nearly eight months after iOS 4 was first announced . Now that it’s finally here, we’ve got to ask — is this thing the ultimate iPhone accessory? Does the iPhone actually need a keyboard? Does flipping open automatically make something awesome? Read on to find out. Gallery: ThinkGeek TK-421 iPhone keyboard case review Continue reading ThinkGeek TK-421 iPhone keyboard case review ThinkGeek TK-421 iPhone keyboard case review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Panasonic officially launches exclusive Avatar Blu-ray 3D pack-in, discs hit $400+ on eBay
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Panasonic has finally made official several pack-in deals already in effect at retailers both physical and online that add Blu-ray 3D players, glasses and most notably, an exclusive copy of Avatar on Blu-ray 3D (also available to existing owners via a mail-in offer, owners of the Extended Collectors Edition can preview a 3D Easter Egg there too.) Despite being the highest grossing 3D movie of all, it’s still not available at retail and is unlikely to show up there anytime soon, sending the price of those pack-in copies skyrocketing on eBay as owners of non-Panasonic 3D capable TVs try to get their hands on the ultimate demo material. Many current auctions are above the $200 mark, while the highest sold price we saw was $399 about a week ago, although considering a copy of Bee Movie went for $400 back in the day, we can’t say we’re too surprised. Check out the details about Panasonic’s current promotions on its highly rated HDTVs (and the demo tour that just started) in the press release after the break and bring your calculator, if Dances With Smurfs wasn’t your cup of tea anyway, we might have found the perfect way to finance your new home theater upgrade. Continue reading Panasonic officially launches exclusive Avatar Blu-ray 3D pack-in, discs hit $400+ on eBay Panasonic officially launches exclusive Avatar Blu-ray 3D pack-in, discs hit $400+ on eBay originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Laptop data plans: comparing LTE, WiMAX, and HSPA+ by speed, price, and value
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Now that Verizon’s gone official with its LTE pricing for an initial launch in some 38 markets this Sunday, we wanted to take a quick look at how it compares to the other players in the laptop data market — after all, how much you’re paying month to month can be just as big of a determining factor (if not a bigger one) in choosing a carrier than the speeds you’re seeing. So how do Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Clear, and Rover stack up? Let’s break it down. Continue reading Laptop data plans: comparing LTE, WiMAX, and HSPA+ by speed, price, and value Laptop data plans: comparing LTE, WiMAX, and HSPA+ by speed, price, and value originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve just gotten our hands on the less-insane version of Verizon’s LTE modems, the LG VL600. The company timed the shipment of these puppies to coincide with today’s announcement of the coming 4G onslaught, set to begin December 5th — which based on what we’ve seen thus far is going to be beyond awesome. Unless you’re on a Mac (more on that after the break). In case you haven’t seen the device in question, it’s a rather large (we mean seriously large) USB dongle, which thankfully comes with a clip and extra cable. Like all LTE devices, it uses a SIM which will look familiar to those in GSM devices, but is — again — almost comically large. Gallery: LG VL600 LTE modem We haven’t spent a load of time with the modem, but in the few short hours we’ve had to play with the device, the down- and upstream speeds we’re getting are nothing short of phenomenal. In Brooklyn, which we’re not even sure is really heavily covered by the LTE blanket (and was being battered by rain and wind at the time of testing), we saw consistent speeds which peaked at 7 Mbps down, and over 1 Mbps up. Overall, speeds held steady around 5 to 6 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up. By comparison, we saw around 4 Mbps down and less than 1 Mbps up when we did some testing with Sprint’s WiMAX Overdrive 4G, and roughly 6.5 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up with Clear’s iSpot . Overall, browsing on our computer felt nearly identical to our home broadband, and even HD video playback on YouTube was snappy and responsive over the network. And did we mention we were only getting two out of four bars on our connection? Continue reading Verizon LTE / 4G preview with the LG VL600 modem Verizon LTE / 4G preview with the LG VL600 modem originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Barnes & Noble’s successor to the Nook, the Nookcolor, is a huge improvement and the best dedicated e-reader on the market this holiday season. That’s according to AP Technology Writer Peter Svensson. (Dec. 1)
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This isn’t the first time that Sony Ericsson’s dabbled in the field of spy-like Bluetooth wrist accessories, but as we all know, extortionate prices and limited functionality meant these old timers never really took off. But now, things may be different: SE’s freshly baked LiveView promises to offer a generous set of features — alongside your Android 2.x device — while going a little easier on your wallet. It sure sounds tasty, but before you grab your virtual shopping cart, be double sure to read our full review first… right after the break. Gallery: Sony Ericsson LiveView review Continue reading Sony Ericsson LiveView review Sony Ericsson LiveView review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …GE forms new home energy management business aimed at bridging the ‘utility-consumer gap’
December 1, 2010 No Comment
GE has obviously been in the home energy management business for some time now , but it’s stepped up its game in a pretty big way this week. The company has just announced the official creation of its new Home Energy Management business (or HEM), which will fall under GE’s Appliances & Lighting division and will be led by Dave McCalpin (pictured above). According to GE, the new business will focus on helping both consumers and utility companies manage electricity consumption and costs, and it will oversee a whole range of GE products related to energy management, including things like the company’s GeoSpring hybrid hot water heater, various appliances, and its new Nucleus energy management system set to go on sale next year. Head on past the break for the complete press release. Continue reading GE forms new home energy management business aimed at bridging the ‘utility-consumer gap’ GE forms new home energy management business aimed at bridging the ‘utility-consumer gap’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Hidepon Works turbine train: small enough to be adorable, big enough to ride
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Well, don’t ever knock Japan for not considering absolutely everything . The home to some of the world’s biggest , cleanest and fastest trains is also home to one of the most minuscule, but unlike those toys you’ll unwrap during the holiday season, this bad boy actually serves a bona fide purpose. Designed and showcased by Hidepon Works, the contraption you see above is actually a gas turbine-powered model train, and while it’s small enough to bring a smile to your infant’s face, it’s large / powerful enough to actually get a conductor from one location to the next. Only problem? Paying for the railway infrastructure. Continue reading Hidepon Works turbine train: small enough to be adorable, big enough to ride Hidepon Works turbine train: small enough to be adorable, big enough to ride originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Things just got a little more heated in the RIM / Kik dispute: RIM’s now filed a Canadian patent infringement case against the company, just days after it pulled Kik Messenger from BlackBerry App World due to ” breached contractual obligations. ” We don’t have the complaint yet, so we’re not sure exactly what RIM’s patent covers, but it’s a fair bet to say it’s likely messaging-related — and it’s probably a safer bet to say that RIM doesn’t screw around when it comes to dealing with potential threats to BBM. You mess with the bull, you get the horns. Continue reading RIM sues Kik in Canada for patent infringement RIM sues Kik in Canada for patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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