Palm HP still hasn’t told us exactly when the TouchPad is going to be shipping, but that’s okay. We have a pretty good idea. We earlier had a tip from OfficeMax stating July 17th and, while this morning’s info pointed to a June 22nd release, Amazon seems pretty confident that the former date is correct. Go to Amazon.com, search for “hp touchpad” and enjoy the little advertisement that appears saying “HP will release the sleek and sophisticated webOS-empowered TouchPad on July 17, 2011.” That’s about as concrete as you can get, meaning you have just over a month to save up. [Thanks, Michael] Amazon ad confirms HP TouchPad release date? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung Spinpoint M8 puts 1TB drives on a diet, just in time for bathing suit season
June 8, 2011 No Comment
The trouble with high capacity hard drives is that they’re about the size and weight of a brick, and just as bad for throwing in glass houses or ultrathin laptops. Samsung is slimming up the beastliest of disks though, with the just announced Spinpoint M8. Inside this 1TB drive are a pair of 500GB storage platters, instead of the three 334MB ones found in most storage solutions of this size. By using AFT, Advanced format technology, Sammy was able to up the storage density and trim its latest Spinpoint to a svelte 9.5mm thick (your average 1TB drive is 12.5mm). As an added bonus, the increased density also boosts performance and power efficiency since the drives heads need to move less. If you want to slap one in your notebook you can pick one up for $129, and we’re sure a few of these will find a home those skinny ” ultrabooks ” that Intel has been talking up. Check out the PR after the break. Continue reading Samsung Spinpoint M8 puts 1TB drives on a diet, just in time for bathing suit season Samsung Spinpoint M8 puts 1TB drives on a diet, just in time for bathing suit season originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Aiken Labs brings 9-axis modular motion sensing to Android, we go hands-on (video)
June 8, 2011 No Comment
We already had a chance to try out Immersive Motion from Aiken Labs at CES , but now the nine-axis modular sensing system is making its way to Android and other mobile platforms, including iOS and Windows Phone . The more compact battery-powered server brings motion-controlled gaming to mobile environments, capturing position data from matchbox-size modular sensors that you can tape to a wooden sword or Viking helmet for live-action outdoor role-playing, or on you paws and dome during a virtual jam session with friends, for example. The mobile kit includes a pair of wireless sensors with a 50-foot range that you can attach to literally any accessory or appendage, and is expected to sell for about $300 when it ships later this year. You’ll also be able to connect up to two smaller wired sensors to each wireless sensor, for about $50 a pop. The kit’s price tag makes it cost-prohibitive for all but the most hardcore gamers and devs (there’s an SDK available as well), but Aiken hopes to make its flagship product more affordable if its able to sell the kits in high volume. The tool has applications in other industries as well, including research and Hollywood, where it could be used as a (relatively) low-cost outdoor motion-capture suit. The early version we saw at E3 today is definitely not ready to head to production, but we’re still months away from an actual release, giving Aiken some time to improve accuracy, and perhaps find a way to reduce that price. Jump past the break to see how it works. Gallery: Aiken Labs Immersive Motion for Mobile Hands-On Tim Stevens contributed to this report. Continue reading Aiken Labs brings 9-axis modular motion sensing to Android, we go hands-on (video) Aiken Labs brings 9-axis modular motion sensing to Android, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Exclusive: Dell’s prototype 7-inch tablet touts slide-out split QWERTY keyboard
June 8, 2011 No Comment
Whoa. Every so often, a giant in Round Rock pokes it head up above water long enough to put forth a truly mesmerizing design , and while it’s no Adamo , this is most definitely the freshest take we’ve seen on tablets in a very, very long time. The gallery below showcases a prototype that’s lounging around within Dell’s top secret labs, a 7-inch slate that’s adorned with a slide-out keyboard. Said keyboard, however, is hardly typical — it’s rocking a split-key design that’s not at all dissimilar to the virtual layouts recently showcased within iOS 5 and Windows 8 . So far as we can tell, the entire alphabet’s present and accounted for, and there’s a rear camera that’ll be more than happy to make your child’s next birthday party a bit more awkward. Outside of that, we’ve no other details to pore over, but it’s safe to say that we’ll be doing our darnedest to change that. Oh, and if you’re doubting that this thing has a future as a real-deal product, there’s a shot just south of these very words showcasing what looks to be a commercial / press render. Delicious. Gallery: Dell’s prototype 7-inch tablet with split-key keyboard Exclusive: Dell’s prototype 7-inch tablet touts slide-out split QWERTY keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Not ready to take the $250 plunge to snag a pair of Ear Force PX5s , but still want in on Turtle Beach’s preset-powered super hearing? The big boy’s baby brother, the Ear Force PX3 , just might scratch your itch. We heard these stereo gaming cans ditched surround sound and Bluetooth support to save buyers a Benjamin, but how does these super-saver specials hold up? We tried them on. Gallery: Turtle Beach Ear Force PX3 and XP500 hands-on Continue reading Turtle Beach XP500 and PX3 gaming headsets hands-on Turtle Beach XP500 and PX3 gaming headsets hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Nintendo’s Wii U controller is a gaming display, video conference device, and yes, a stylus-toting tablet, but no such tool has been announced for those other consoles, so PS3 and Xbox 360 owners who want to get their sketch on will have to turn to THQ’s new uDraw GameTablet instead. Tablets for both gaming systems were announced last month , and today we had a chance to paint on the big (HD) screen at E3. Though the drawing surface feels just as roomy as the Wii version , the tablets are noticeably smaller than last year’s counterpart, with the obvious absence of a Wiimote holder taking credit for the device’s reduced footprint. That Wiimote also made it difficult for lefties to tackle the tablet, but no such issues exist on the PS3 and Xbox versions. Other major design changes include shifting stylus storage from the rear to just above the resistive touch surface, and trimming some girth off the instrument itself. Both tablets will be coming in November for less than $100, though specific pricing has yet to be announced. For now, you’re limited to uDraw Studio and Pictionary on the game title front, which appear noticeably sharper in HD, though otherwise similar to the versions we used with the Wii. THQ has promised more games for future release, including Disney Animator , though reps weren’t able to confirm any other titles or dates. We had a chance to draw in both games, which respond to both the stylus and hardware buttons for brush selection and other functions, such as undo and navigation. A rep pointed out that the new versions are also more sensitive to stylus pressure, adjusting brush thickness based on how hard you press, for example, but we didn’t find that to be the case. After you’ve spent a few minutes concocting your next digital masterpiece, you can fire off your work of art via email, instead of just sending it to an SD card like on the Wii version. Overall, there’s nothing groundbreaking here, but if you’ve been looking to balance out your Halo and Resistance by sketching honeybees and rainbows (or making your console a bit more kid-friendly), then uDraw may be worth the investment. Gallery: uDraw for Xbox and PS3 Hands-On Tim Stevens contributed to this report. Continue reading THQ uDraw GameTablet goes HD, we go hands-on (video) THQ uDraw GameTablet goes HD, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …TriMount turns your Wii, Kinect, and PlayStation sensors into a video game Eye of Sauron
June 8, 2011 No Comment
All right, we get it. You love motion gaming. You fell so hard for your Wii that you had to run out and buy the Kinect and PlayStation Move the minute they hit stores. And now you’ve got a lot of sensors, but not much in the way of space atop your flatscreen. DreamGear understands your decidedly first world pain, and is offering up the TriMount, a shrine to gesture-based gaming that has slots for your Wii sensor bar, Kinect sensor, PlayStation Eye, and a clamp for attaching it to your set. The $30 setup ships August 15th, and is available now for pre-order. Until then, you’re going to have to manage the old fashioned way: making a younger sibling hold up the sensor while you play Dance Central . TriMount turns your Wii, Kinect, and PlayStation sensors into a video game Eye of Sauron originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …DarbeeVision teams with Sunflex to launder your HDMI video, give your picture added depth and clarity
June 8, 2011 No Comment
DarbeeVision’s Visual Presence technology has been sprucing up moving pictures for ages, but until now, its greater visual depth and detail could only be added in post-processing. However, there’s a new version that works by scanning 165 million pixels per second and applies its visual voodoo in real-time. It’s a firmware solution that can be put into any device with a processor and a screen, and the company is currently in talks with TV manufacturers to get its tech baked in. Darbee has also partnered up with Sunflex to construct a Snakebyte-branded module that does the Darbee deed externally as an HDMI pass-through. In its current form, the system’s not ready for prime time, as it’s comprised of three circuit boards screwed together in an unwieldy package. When it hits the market later this year, the company claims it’ll be in a plastic case the size of a remote control. We got to see the system in person at E3 2011 and found the results to be a mixed bag. Much like Belkin’s RazorVision we saw years ago, Visual Presence promises to make your picture more lifelike and detailed. In the demo we saw, graphical meadows benefitted from the enhancement — we could see individual blades of grass waving to and fro with much more clarity. However, castle walls and textured garments looked like someone cranked up the contrast to 11, which created too much visual noise for our liking. The good news is, the effect is adjustable, so you can dial in the level of detail to suit the situation and your individual taste. Sound good? Well, the device should ship by October and retail for around $150. Gallery: DarbeeVision HDMI picture enhancement module DarbeeVision teams with Sunflex to launder your HDMI video, give your picture added depth and clarity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung Series 5 3G Chromebook gets iFixit teardown, lays bare its telling internals
June 8, 2011 No Comment
It’s already made an early debut , just to sell out in a matter a hours, and now Samsung’s answer to the Chromebook, the Series 5 , is getting some attention of a more destructive sort. The folks over at iFixit have proven once again that ripping apart consumer electronics is not only therapeutic, but also enlightening, this time putting Google’s ultraportable under the knife. On top of the specs we already have, this Chromebook’s inner workings reveal 2GB of non-upgradable DDR3 RAM (the CR-48 apparently packed upgradable RAM), Intel NM10 graphics, a Qualcomm Gobi WWAN board, an Atheros AR9382 802.11n WiFi chip, and a 16GB SanDisk SSD. If you want even more intimate details (and have some cash to burn) you can wait to rip into the Chromebook yourself — or you could to do the practical thing, and click on the source link below. Samsung Series 5 3G Chromebook gets iFixit teardown, lays bare its telling internals originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Periodic Table welcomes two new, ultraheavy elements, jury still out on the names
June 8, 2011 No Comment
If you bump in to the Periodic Table of Elements today, be sure to give it a hearty Mazel Tov , because it’s just welcomed two new members to the family. Yesterday, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially recognized elements 114 and 116, crediting the discovery to scientists from Russia’s Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in California. Boasting atomic masses of 289 and 292, respectively, the new man-made additions are now the heaviest elements on record, seizing the belt from copernicium (285) and roentgenium (272). As with most heavyweights, however, both decay within less than a second, making it difficult for researchers to get a grasp of their chemical properties. Nevertheless, both apparently had enough credibility to survive IUPAC’s three-year review process, paving the way for the real fun to begin. At the moment, 114 and 116 are known, rather coldly, as ununquadium and ununhexium, respectively, though their names will eventually be jazzed up — sort of. The Russian team has already proposed flerovium for 114 (after Soviet nuclear physicist Georgy Flyorov), and, for 116, the Moscow-inspired moscovium, which sounds more like an after shave for particularly macho chemists. IUPAC will have the final say on the matter, though one committee member said any proposed names are likely to be approved, as long as “it’s not something too weird.” Head past the break for a full, and somewhat obtuse PR. Continue reading Periodic Table welcomes two new, ultraheavy elements, jury still out on the names Periodic Table welcomes two new, ultraheavy elements, jury still out on the names originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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