We’d heard some rumors that Toshiba might be ditching its Windows 7 tablet plans to focus on Honeycomb , but it looks like that’s not the case — at least, not in Japan (and not for enterprise customers). The company has just officially announced its new Oak Trail -based WT310/C tablet for the country, which packs an 11.6-inch 1,366 x 768 display and runs Windows 7 Professional. In addition to that Atom Z670 processor, you can expect to get 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, an SD card slot for expansion, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera and a 3 megapixel ’round back, and an optional cradle that adds some extra ports. Still no word on a price, unfortunately, but this one should be available in Japan sometime next month. Toshiba announces Oak Trail-based WT310/C Windows tablet for Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’d had some indication that both the Motorola Droid 2 and Droid Pro would be getting upgraded to Gingerbread in the near future, but we can’t say we expected the Droid Pro to be the first of the pair to make the jump. As evidenced by the screenshot above, however, that’s now happened, with at least some lucky owners of the portrait QWERTY device receiving the OTA update — complete with an updated version of Blur, of course. Unfortunately, it’s not quite clear how widespread the rollout is just yet, but it seems you can rest assured that it’s not just a matter of time before it hits your device. Let us know in comments if you’ve already received it. [Thanks, K] Gingerbread update begins rolling out to Motorola Droid Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We got a hint of Sling’s desire to let users catch their video streams directly on TV without a box during CES 2010, and now there’s video of the company showing off its SlingPlayer for Connected Devices app on Google TV. We caught a a preview at CES earlier this year , but interested Slingbox owners (SOLO and PRO-HD boxes only, just like the mobile apps ) can sign up for the upcoming beta at the link below. The most interesting development however is that it appears to be a web app, likely running on Flash. That means Sling won’t have to wait for the Android Market to open up on Google TV to roll this out, and it could allow for easy porting to other embedded TV platforms with a browser that supports Flash like Samsung’s Smart Hub . Also not lost in the moment is the ability for the Google TV to show some potential, since it desperately needs for the list of things it actually can do to garner more attention than the list of things it’s blocked from doing . SlingPlayer for Google TV teased on video, beta program opens up soon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Lodsys hits devs with lawsuit, $1,000 offer, and 1,000 words of eloquent prose
May 31, 2011 No Comment
Are you sick of hearing from Lodsys ? We know devs are, but the rather outspoken patent troll is at it again, hitting the blog to defend its good name. Hidden among today’s posts is an announcement that the firm is taking the next steps with its accusations, filing a lawsuit against some of the developers it previously targeted and, get this, blaming Apple. It explains: “Lodsys chose to move its litigation timing to an earlier date than originally planned, in response to Apple’s threat, in order to preserve its legal options.” We’re not sure which developers are targeted by this suit, specifically, but the firm has promised a $1,000 payment to each dev, “if it turns out that the scope of Apple’s existing license rights apply to fully license you with respect to our claim relating to your App on Apple iOS.” Devs may be tempted to spend that promised gift on a well-deserved vacation (or a WWDC conference pass ), but with layers of LLCs protecting the man behind the curtain at Lodsys, we wouldn’t be surprised it the firm disappeared before anyone sees a cent (or 99) of payment. Unfortunately, it appears that the saga continues, so if you’ve had enough of the patent troll, feel free to enjoy the rest of our content, Lodsys free . [Thanks, Andrew] Lodsys hits devs with lawsuit, $1,000 offer, and 1,000 words of eloquent prose originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Kids, step away from the scalpels. In a win for animal rights activists, a California high school has become the first in the nation to stop dissections. Foregoing the formaldehyde-laced high school rite of passage, Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, California will swap real frogs for their virtual counterparts. In exchange for a
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At the turn of the millennium, three men formed Danger Incorporated, which went on to create a smartphone perfectly positioned for its time. Those men eventually wound up at Google … after one of them founded Android . But what became of the T-Mobile Sidekick, their stylish swiveling phone? After an illustrious life filled with fame , fortune and failure , the Hiptop met its end today. Today, Microsoft and T-Mobile will shut down the Danger servers for good , leaving existing handsets without the push email and cloud services that once made them indispensable to the teens, tweens and businesspeople who used them day in and day out — leaving the Android-powered Sidekick 4G to fan the remaining embers of the brand. Join us after the break for a brief video celebration of Danger’s pop culture phenomenon, and head on over to Geekwire for a brief history of the iconic device. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a little water in our eye. Continue reading Danger’s iconic Hiptop fades away / the Sidekick is here to stay Danger’s iconic Hiptop fades away / the Sidekick is here to stay originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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See that there? That’s a hope and a dream, both of which are seemingly situated in a nondescript box six feet beneath the surface of reality. Thanks to a bit of digging by the folks at Techie Buzz , a Microsoft patent was unearthed containing pictures and descriptions of a bantam media player, not unlike the sketches here. Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind is an iPod nano competitor, and one has to wonder when exactly the plug was pulled from such an initiative. The application itself was originally filed in April of 2009, and was just made public within the USPTO database today — the last Zune device to be produced was the HD (which landed in the fall of ’09), and given Redmond’s insistence on making Windows Phone 7 its next Zune , we’re guessing this little guy won’t ever see the light of day. Maybe in another life, though. For now, feel free to pour one out as you think of what could’ve been, and give that source link a poke if you’re good at holding back tears. Patent reveals Microsoft’s Zune Nano, reminds us of an ambitious past originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nova Media’s iCON 461 USB modem is unlocked for globe-trotting commitmentphobes
May 31, 2011 No Comment
Unlocked 3G modems aren’t something you see everyday. Sure, Zoom has been hawking the dongles for some time, but they’re primarily of the tri-band variety — Nova Media’s iCON 461 does those one better by going quad-band and throwing in GPS for good measure. The globe-trotting “3G surfstick” supports 7.2Mbps HSPA on the 850, 900,1900, and 2100 bands (that would include AT&T here in the ol’ US of A) and can handle EDGE at 850, 900, 1800, and 1900MHz (hello, T-Mo). In addition to a slot for your GSM SIM there’s also a place to stick a microSD card, in case you need someplace to store that leaked copy of David Comes to Life . The iCON 461 comes in two versions: Mac-compatible with launch2net Premium for €179 (about $248), and Windows-friendly with uCan Connect for €149 (roughly $215). Nova Media’s iCON 461 USB modem is unlocked for globe-trotting commitmentphobes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 15:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Pentagon says cyber attacks are acts of war: send us a worm, get a missle in return?
May 31, 2011 No Comment
Well, the Pentagon is finally fed up with hackers picking on its buddies and foreign intelligence taking shots at its computer systems , and has decided that such cyber attacks can constitute an act of war. Of course, the powers that be won’t be bombing you for simply sending them some spyware, but attempts to sabotage US infrastructure (power grids, public transit, and the like) may be met with heavy artillery. It’s unclear how our government will identify the origin of an attack or decide when it’s serious enough to start shooting, but Uncle Sam is looking to its allies to help create a consensus answer for those questions. The retaliatory revelation is a part of the Pentagon’s new cyber strategy that’ll be made public in June — so saboteurs beware, your next internet incursion might get you an ICBM in your backyard. Pentagon says cyber attacks are acts of war: send us a worm, get a missle in return? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Garmin announces redesigned line of eTrex GPS handhelds with enhanced geocaching
May 31, 2011 No Comment
Lost hikers and outdoorsmen will soon have yet another arrow to add to their navigational quivers, now that Garmin has decided to upgrade its eTrex line of GPS handhelds. The refresh, announced this morning, will bring three new models to the eTrex family during the third quarter of this year. First up is the eTrex 10 — a basic, $120 little guy that carries a global database of locations, as well as a monochrome display that can be read under the sun. The $200 eTrex 20, on the other hand, displays images in 65k color on a 2.2-inch screen and can support topographic, roadway and marine maps. At the high end of the spectrum is the eTrex 30 ($300), which offers all the features you’ll find on the eTrex 20, plus a tilt-compensated electronic compass, barometric altimeter and wireless data transfer capabilities. All three models allow users to download geocached information directly to their devices and boast a lengthy 25-hour battery life — giving you plenty of time to find your bearings before calling in the rescue squad. Full PR after the break. Continue reading Garmin announces redesigned line of eTrex GPS handhelds with enhanced geocaching Garmin announces redesigned line of eTrex GPS handhelds with enhanced geocaching originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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