Coby’s been selling an Android tablet on the Home Shopping Network for a couple of months now, but it’s just released another model that’s now available at retailers across the US. That comes in the form of the Kyros MID7015, which is just about exactly what you’d expect a $250 Android tablet from Coby to be. That means you’ll get a 7-inch resistive touchscreen, Android 2.1 (with apps from the AppsLib marketplace , not Android Market), 4GB of built-in memory, a microSD card slot for expansion and, somewhat notably, an HDMI port that promises to let you output full 1080p video. Hit up the source link below for the complete specs. Coby rolls out $250 Kyros MID7015 Android tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 10:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Sure, your N8 might take a great picture — but is it about to become a hotbed of legal wrangling between Espoo and one of the more prolific research universities in the States? We love us some heady courtroom drama, and Pasadena’s Caltech is now officially attempting to bring the smack down on Nokia , LG , Pantech , Toshiba, STMicroelectronics , and others over a total of nine patents related to sensor technology (as far as we can tell, lens optics aren’t involved). For its troubles, the university wants unspecified damages for infringing on the intellectual property… which, if it wins, we’re hoping we’ll be poured into its Jet Propulsion Laboratory. You know, because rockets are awesome. Caltech sues Nokia, LG, others over camera patents originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Yamaha’s TSX-140 iPod audio system wakes you gently, won’t rock you to sleep
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Yamaha’s been the go-to company when it comes to iPod docks that are a notch above average, and the outfit’s latest is no different. It’s a me-too world out there, and somehow the TSX-140 manages to set itself apart by offering an eye-pleasing motif alongside an IntelliAlarm feature. Put simply, the latter allow users to be awoken by music on their iPod, but rather than blasting firmly at 11 when the clock strikes way-too-early , it gradually ups the volume until your brain is alert enough to obliterate the snooze button. As expected, there’s an iPod docking port on the top as well as a USB port, and you’ll find a pair of 3.5-inch ported bass reflex speakers beneath the Earthy exterior. In addition to the illuminated buttons on the top panel, three front panel controls give access to source, volume, radio presets, alarm clock and equalizer functions, and while Yamaha claims that this guy provides “a gentle, stress-free feeling that makes waking up a pleasure,” we’re guessing it’ll still be a chore doing everything after. Continue reading Yamaha’s TSX-140 iPod audio system wakes you gently, won’t rock you to sleep Yamaha’s TSX-140 iPod audio system wakes you gently, won’t rock you to sleep originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …NRG and SunPower partner on 250-megawatt solar plant, plan to power 100,000 California homes
December 1, 2010 No Comment
NRG Solar ( get it? ) and SunPower — neither of which are strangers to extracting juice from that glowing ball of fire in our sky — have just linked up to build one of the world’s largest photovoltaic solar plants. The tandem will start construction in San Luis Obispo County next year, creating around 350 jobs in the process and helping California inch ever closer to realizing its 33 percent renewable portfolio standard. The 250-megawatt plant still pales in comparison to a few others (namely this guy in Arizona), but it dwarfs the vast majority of factories in operation today. The project is expected to stretch out for three or four years, but when all is said and done, around 100,000 homes (yeah, even the home of one Vincent Chase ) will be given sun-sourced energy thanks to this here installation. That said, the actual energy bills for Californians everywhere probably won’t sink — but hey, at least you’re throwing Ma Earth a well-deserved bone, right? Continue reading NRG and SunPower partner on 250-megawatt solar plant, plan to power 100,000 California homes NRG and SunPower partner on 250-megawatt solar plant, plan to power 100,000 California homes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Dell Venue Pro finally available to order: $99 on contract, shipping December 9th
December 1, 2010 No Comment
The much-delayed and much-desired Venue Pro is now finally ready for its proper launch. Dell has begun taking online orders for its first Windows Phone 7 device and prices are set at $99 for the 8GB handset or $149 for the 16GB version — both on two-year contracts with T-Mobile as your carrier — or, alternatively, you can snap them up for $449 or $499, respectively, if you just want the phone by itself. Shipping is promised for December 9th and there’s even free delivery if you have a couple of business days’ worth of patience. So, what are you waiting for? [Thanks, BeeMichael] Dell Venue Pro finally available to order: $99 on contract, shipping December 9th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung touts Super PLS display as the evolution of IPS on smartphones, plans production in early 2011
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Samsung, being the global leader in mobile displays that it is, was understandably a little unnerved by Apple’s IPS LCD-sporting iPhone 4, but now it’s back to the forefront with its brand spanking new Super PLS tech. PLS stands for Plane to Line Switching, which helps Samsung deliver some pretty spectacular viewing angles — even better than the already stellar ones you’ll find on IPS panels — while also improving screen brightness by a reported 10 percent. The target market for Super PLS displays will be smartphones and tablets, with a delicious WXGA resolution on offer for the top bidders. Mind you, Samsung also claims production costs are 15 percent lower than comparable IPS tech, meaning that the only thing standing between us and the next new hotness is time — Sammy expects to begin mass production early next year. Oh, and it’s working on securing a set of 30 patents relating to Super PLS, so don’t go holding out hope for direct competitors from LG or anyone else anytime soon. Continue reading Samsung touts Super PLS display as the evolution of IPS on smartphones, plans production in early 2011 Samsung touts Super PLS display as the evolution of IPS on smartphones, plans production in early 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU hikes frame rates, lowers ping times for $200
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Mama always said that one was never enough, and just five months after revealing its first NIC / GPU combo card to us at Computex, Bigfoot Networks has taken the wraps off of its second. This go ’round, the outfit is partnering with VisionTek to produce the VisionTek Killer HD 5770, a single PCIe card that combines an AMD Radeon HD 5770 GPU (with 1GB of GDDR5 memory) and a Killer E2100 networking card . All told, buyers are presented with two DVI ports, a single HDMI output and a gigabit Ethernet jack. The card is compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP, and put simply, it’s designed to both improve your frame rates (that’s AMD’s role) and lower your latency / jitter (hello, Bigfoot!). The NIC portion actually has a 400MHz onboard processor that helps minimize the impact of slight changes in your connection, and Bigfoot’s management software will be thrown in for good measure. The board is expected to hit North American retail shops within a fortnight or so, with the $199.99 asking price representing a ~$10 savings compared to buying an HD 5770 GPU and Killer 2100 separately. Oh, and you get a pretty sick dragon, too. Continue reading VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU hikes frame rates, lowers ping times for $200 VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU hikes frame rates, lowers ping times for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HP dropping Windows Home Server to focus on WebOS, won’t be hitting the slopes at Vail
December 1, 2010 No Comment
More bad news for fans of little Windows servers for home. HP , makers of the MediaSmart boxes that defined the first release of Windows Home Server , has confirmed that it is canceling plans to support the next major release of the OS, codenamed Vail . This comes hot on the heels of the removal of storage pooling from that release, an extremely unpopular move among the relatively few but ardent fans of WHS. HP is promising to continue support for its existing MediaSmart products but apparently has already redeployed development teams to focus on WebOS devices. For its part, Microsoft will be relying on Acer and Tranquil PC to hang the decorations for the Vail release party. Anyone still care to RSVP? HP dropping Windows Home Server to focus on WebOS, won’t be hitting the slopes at Vail originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Next iPad’s camera supplier outs itself in Taiwan Stock Exchange filing?
December 1, 2010 No Comment
At this point, is there anyone that doesn’t suspect the next iPad will sport a camera? We’ve heard as much, more or less , and now here’s more fodder for the suspicious out there: according to Digitimes , a Taiwan Stock Exchange filing from Largan Precision pegs itself as the “sole lens module supplier” for the impending second-generation iPad, with shipments (of the part or of the tablet, we’re not sure) due out in the first quarter of 2011. It’s worth noting that Largan is the camera parts supplier for the iPhone 4. We haven’t been able to check out the filing ourselves yet, and for its part Largan’s not saying a word, but we’ll let you know what we dig up. You can now return to the part of your iPad 2 dream where it’s rocking a glasses-free 3D ultra-retina display… on both sides… and it’s transparent… and foldable… and not real. Next iPad’s camera supplier outs itself in Taiwan Stock Exchange filing? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …LG and QD Vision unite for QLEDs: the quantum dot displays of our power-efficient future
December 1, 2010 No Comment
Seems like LG really has a thing for those quantum dot LEDs . After hooking up with Nanosys earlier this year, the Korean giant is now stretching out another of its tentacles — LG Display , to be specific — for a partnership with a competing QLED designer in QD Vision . What’s being promised by this joint venture falls right in line with your generic pipe dream — better color accuracy than OLEDs , up to twice the power efficiency at a given color purity, and a cheap and straightforward manufacturing process. In fact, because QLEDs do not require the same glass substrate as most current display technologies, they offer unmatched flexibility ( ol
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