So-called Ultrabooks were all the rage at Computex 2011, and ASUS , LG and Compal weren’t the only ones to stake a claim — this Lenovo IdeaPad U300S is another contender in the ultra-thin, sub-$1,000 notebook game. Though we hear that Lenovo wasn’t disclosing exact specs or availability at the show, the company’s reportedly upgraded the slick IdeaPad U260 design with Sandy Bridge chips and a 13.3-inch screen, and put the already-trim unibody laptop on a diet to attain supermodel measurements. Here’s hoping the engineers also improved that three-hour battery life too, eh? [Thanks, Sam] Lenovo’s IdeaPad U300S flaunts its trim frame at Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’d already had some indication that AT&T would soon let Radio Shack offer an exclusive red version of the HTC Inspire 4G , and that’s now been made official (and available). As you can see above, you can snag the phone for $29.99 on a two-year AT&T contract (or $550 off-contract), which will buy you a 4.3-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8 megapixel camera with an LED flash, and Android 2.2 with Sense — there’s still no word on a Gingerbread upgrade for this one. Of course, Radio Shack will also sell you a black one for the same price, but we’re pretty sure the red one’s faster. [Thanks, James] Red HTC Inspire 4G now available exclusively at Radio Shack originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Just when we thought the Motorola Xoom had hit its stride at a blazing 1.504 billion operations per second , the trusty Tiamat kernel has strapped on an veritable afterburner capable of 1.7GHz. What happens when your shaking hands flip that switch and give that Tegra 2 all the jet fuel it can take? Well, anecdotal cases from the XDA-developers forums suggest it’ll probably just reboot anticlimactically. If you’re lucky enough to have the magic silicon, however, you’ll be treated to a benchmark-blitzing rig, reportedly capable of 70 MFLOPS in Linpack, 1480ms runs in SunSpider, and Quadrant scores approaching a smooth 5,000. See just how far that rainbow benchmark bar can stretch in a screencap after the break. Continue reading Motorola Xoom hits 1.7GHz, teeters on the edge of oblivion Motorola Xoom hits 1.7GHz, teeters on the edge of oblivion originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Dual-armed Teutonic robot plays pool, carefully learns to hustle foolish humans
June 5, 2011 No Comment
Sure, we’ve created interactive pool tables and digitally assisted billiards , but isn’t it time we completely outsourced our pool-playing to brutally efficient robots? The Germans obviously think so, using this year’s International Conference on Robotics and Automation to debut a dual-armed poolbot able to make “easier” shots about 80 percent of the time. Those misses sound a bit like hustling to us, and unlike Willow Garage’s friendly PR2 robot , the German version has a suitably intimidating, industrial look. It’s also a bit of a cheat, using an overhead camera to plan its shots. For the full lowdown on this shark, check the video after the break. Continue reading Dual-armed Teutonic robot plays pool, carefully learns to hustle foolish humans Dual-armed Teutonic robot plays pool, carefully learns to hustle foolish humans originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 05:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Newest Kinect hack: a grocery cart that loyally follows disabled shoppers (video)
June 5, 2011 No Comment
Microsoft’s Kinect is the gift that keeps on giving for hackers, spawning everything from glasses-free teleconferencing to Tesla coil manipulation to uh, well, Android dance parties . But Luis de Matos’s wi-Go project is one of the most socially conscious we’ve seen: it adds a laptop and (despite its name) a Kinect to a shopping cart, enabling the cart to follow a wheelchair user. Improving on the B.O.S.S. bot we saw a half-decade ago, the wi-Go could allow anyone — including the disabled or elderly — to shop independently, regardless of physical capability. De Matos doesn’t offer many technical details, but see the video above for a before-and-after demonstration. Newest Kinect hack: a grocery cart that loyally follows disabled shoppers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 02:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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If you work for Sony you might want go watch TV right now — there’s something on Discovery about ostriches and sand. Meanwhile, Microsoft just let us know that it’s sold 55 million Xbox 360s globally, which is very probably enough to maintain its lead over the PS3. Moreover, 360 sales in the US are still accelerating six years into its life-cycle, thanks largely to updates like Kinect — and Microsoft boasts that “no other console in history can make that claim.” Huzzah. Now, we’re not ones to snatch the pen from the victor’s hand, but remember: this claim is based on US stats, whereas the PS3 has generally been doing better in other regions. What’s more, neither the Wii nor the PS3 has yet reached its sixth birthday, so the story isn’t over. Nevertheless, the chart after the break does make Microsoft’s performance look damn impressive. Why is it that when you’re down , life just keeps on kicking? Continue reading Microsoft sells 55 million Xbox 360 consoles, claims that’s console history Microsoft sells 55 million Xbox 360 consoles, claims that’s console history originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mad Catz’ exclusive Xbox 360 wireless headphones revealed: integrated voice chat, 5.8GHz base station
June 4, 2011 No Comment
Remember how Mad Catz scored the exclusive rights to produce Xbox 360 wireless headphones? Here’s the deal: these cans don’t need to be tethered to your controller for voice chat or plugged into a wall to charge. According to IGN , the new Mad Catz Warhead 7.1 will get everything it needs from a base station connected to your console. String USB and optical cables directly from the Xbox 360 to that tiny tower above, and you’ll reportedly get enough 5.8GHz bandwidth to deliver virtual Dolby surround sound to four pairs of headphones at once — plus wireless Xbox LIVE audio chat thanks to some native support from Microsoft. What’s more, the USB base station will also give you an on-screen battery readout, and if the Warhead runs out of juice, you’ll find a second swappable battery pack sitting in the base station’s charger. If that sounds too rich for your blood, the Devastator will ditch the surround sound and rechargeable batteries while retaining the same connectivity and 50mm drivers of its premium brother. How much that’ll cost you is still to be determined, though Mad Catz told IGN they’ll all ring up under $300 this holiday. Mad Catz’ exclusive Xbox 360 wireless headphones revealed: integrated voice chat, 5.8GHz base station originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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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 Johan, who can’t seem to determine which size is sizable enough. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com . “I’m in the market for a tablet, mostly for content consumption but also for checking emails and being somewhat productive when I feel like it. I’ve never owned one before, so I’m wondering what size is best. I could get a 7-inch, 8.9-inch or 10-inch tablet — I’m more concerned with the size than the OS, frankly. I need it to be portable, yet still feel “bigger” than my Droid X. Any opinions from those that have used multiple sizes? Thanks!” A great question. There’s obviously pros and cons to each of those sizes, and your options are certainly constricted down at the 7-inch end. That said, the now-discounted Galaxy Tab and the still-growing BlackBerry PlayBook would fit the 7-inch bill, and the choices spread out significantly when creeping up to 10-inches. So, what say you? Ask Engadget: should I get a 7-, 8.9- or 10-inch tablet? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sony’s dual-screen S2 tablet hits the FCC, boasting AT&T-ready cellular frequencies
June 4, 2011 No Comment
Regardless of how you might feel about the potential potential dangers of electromagnetic radiation , it came in mighty handy today — identifying this brand-new Sony S2 tablet headed to the USA. The FCC recently got a glimpse at Sir Howard’s dual-screen Honeycomb clamshell, and thanks to the public portion of their reports, we’ve got some crucial specs: the Sony “SGPT211US” will sport 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, and most tellingly, 850MHz and 1900MHz 3G bands suggesting a launch on AT&T. Now, those frequencies are certainly also used by several prominent Canadian carriers, but it just so happens that this particular model tested is a US variant — with others designated for Canada and Japan — and this particular cellular module is the Ericsson F5521gw , which means we could even be looking at 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds. Before you start speculating, however, there’s one more crucial spec to share: the prototypes apparently have a removable 3080mAh lithium-ion battery pack. Swell. Continue reading Sony’s dual-screen S2 tablet hits the FCC, boasting AT&T-ready cellular frequencies Sony’s dual-screen S2 tablet hits the FCC, boasting AT&T-ready cellular frequencies originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Right on schedule , Sprint made Gingerbread available to any and all EVO 4G owners willing to check for the update manually (and if you’re a fan of this site, we suspect you are). As a PSA, you won’t just be getting Android 2.3, but also Gmail and SMS fixes, and a tweak for the phone’s power management software. We’ve been getting a flood of tips from delighted readers in various markets who report the upgrade went smoothly. Can’t be bothered to check for updates? You’ll likely get a prompt to download it on Monday. So, Froyo , good night and good luck, and to everyone else, happy Friday! Update: Many of you are reporting that the update rendered Netflix unusable. The company just tweeted that it’s aware of the incompatibility and is “investigating” the issue. No word on a fix just yet. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Happy EVO 4G owners get Gingerbread update, right on schedule (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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