Texas Instruments shows off minuscule nHD Pico projector chipset, USB-powered prototype
February 15, 2011 No Comment
Can’t say we really expected to see Texas Instruments’ DLP group here at Mobile World Congress, but it’s hard to deny just how mobile these things are becoming. In fact, the company came to Barcelona to (re)unveil its thinnest, smallest optical engine to date: the nHD Pico. It’s small enough to fit into just about anything — phones, slates, tiny projectors and the rear of your cranium should you choose to embed it there. As for specs? It’s sporting a 640 x 360 resolution, a contrast ratio greater than 1,000:1, a true RGB LED wide color gamut and reliance on a low-power Pico DPP2601 / 2607 ASIC / processor. TI was using a newly launched Acer device (the C20, if we’re being precise) to showcase the chip, and on-site representatives noted that other outfits are developing new kit with this guy in mind. In related news, another gem was on display that hasn’t quite made it to market yet. The palm-sized nugget you see above is a full-on pico projector, designed to be powered entirely via USB. There’s no built-in battery in this one, and no one would confess as to which company (or companies) were gearing up to ship a branded version of it later this year. That said, it’s most certainly on the way, and you can bet we’ll be keeping an eye out for it. Peruse the gallery’s below at your leisure, of course. Gallery: Texas Instruments USB-powered pico projector at MWC 2011 Gallery: Acer’s nHD-based pico projector at MWC 2011 Texas Instruments shows off minuscule nHD Pico projector chipset, USB-powered prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 06:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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HP closed its recent ” Think Beyond ” event with a remarkable announcement that webOS would be coming to PCs . How, exactly, the company planned on doing that has been a mystery. The Seattle Times just interviewed HP’s CTO, Phil McKinney , who helped put to rest some premature speculation that HP would be dumping Microsoft Windows in favor of webOS while adding some clarity (though not much) to its webOS on everything strategy. According to Phil, people still want an OS appropriate to PCs, tablets, and smartphones with webOS pulling it all together by “taking the existing operating systems and bringing WebOS onto those platforms and making it universal across all of our footprint.” That doesn’t mean that webOS will run as a virtualized instance within Windows. Phil says, “it’s not virtualization. It’s an integrated WebOS experience we’re looking to bring.” He then adds, “We’re working with Microsoft on the future of Windows and we’re very optimistic on what that future is, but what we think is we can bring an enhancement to that.” The goal is to create a large device footprint that makes webOS a very attractive platform to developers — “you can develop your WebOS app that’ll run on your phone, your slate and your PC,” according to McKinney. Hmm, apparently HP didn’t get the Elopcalypse memo about the ” three-horse race ” that considers HP’s and RIM’s ecosystems irrelevant. webOS on PCs will be an ‘integrated experience’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …He’s said it before: there will be no single Facebook phone . And now it’s clear that he’s right — Zuck’s strategy is to integrate Facebook into every phone telling us today at the HTC launch event in Barcelona that we’re only seeing the first wave of Facebook-enabled phones hitting the market, with dozens of phones featuring deep social integration coming this year. See Mark ( or is it ?) lay down the law after the break. Continue reading Zuckerberg: Expect ‘dozens’ of Facebook phones this year (video) Zuckerberg: Expect ‘dozens’ of Facebook phones this year (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Intel working with Symantec and Vasco for IPT, hardware-based security measures
February 15, 2011 No Comment
Phishers are getting so good and so numerous that even the most technically adept of online bankers should think twice before typing in that password. Even if it’s a legit site, databases can be infiltrated and passwords can be cracked. Time for something more, then. Intel is working on it, teaming up with Symantec and Vasco on what’s being broadly termed Identity Protection Technology, or IPT. This tech enables a computer to, in hardware, generate a one-time password (OTP) that a compatible site could accept. That computer would have been earlier paired with the site to ensure that only authorized machines sign on. It’s similar to the random generating key fobs you might need to sign on to VPN, but built in to Intel’s Core i3 , i5 , and i7 processors. Of course, that won’t help if you e-mail your credit card number to a supposed friend who’s supposedly stranded in some supposedly far away land, but it’s progress. Intel working with Symantec and Vasco for IPT, hardware-based security measures originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …iBuyPower’s Chimera XLC sports Core i7, 240mm liquid cooling system: FarmVille will never be the same
February 15, 2011 No Comment
iBuyPower’s ironic Chimera line is back with the Chimera XLC. First seen at CES , this bad boy features an extreme! flame motif on the outside of the box — in addition to the 240mm liquid cooling system in the box. That’s right: 240mm radiator, a 200mm fan, and five (count ‘em!) 120mm fans. This bad boy also packs an Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti GPU, and support for Level 3 Power Drive Overclocking service. Not bad for $1,599, eh? And it’s available now. PR after the break. Continue reading iBuyPower’s Chimera XLC sports Core i7, 240mm liquid cooling system: FarmVille will never be the same iBuyPower’s Chimera XLC sports Core i7, 240mm liquid cooling system: FarmVille will never be the same originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 03:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We reported yesterday that Vodafone customers would be the first to get their hands on the lightweight 10.1-inch tablet, and now we’re getting word via Twitter that Vodafone UK will carry the Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 exclusively in Britain, at least to start. Thus far, that’s all she wrote — Vodafone’s tweet ends with “More info Coming soon!” but they’ve yet to follow up. So there’s still no confirmation of a solid release date — we’ve heard March for Asia and Europe — or pricing, and Americans eagerly awaiting the tablet’s Stateside debut have been left out in the cold, but at least our British friends will know where to go when the slim slate makes it to market. [Thanks, Chris W.] Vodafone UK lands Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 exclusive launch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Boy oh boy, HTC is entering the tablet arena with quite a bang. The company has just taken the wraps off its brand new 7-inch Flyer Android tablet, which touts a 1.5GHz single-core CPU, 1GB of RAM plus 32GB of flash storage, an aluminum unibody construction, 1024 x 600 resolution, a tablet-optimized version of Sense, and… what’s this, a pressure-sensitive capacitive stylus ! The HTC Scribe trademark we saw floating around in legal waters turned out not to be the branding for a tablet, it’s actually the name HTC gives to the technology enabling what it calls a “groundbreaking pen experience.” Other details include a 5 megapixel camera on the back paired with a 1.3 megapixel imager up front, a 4000mAh battery rated to last for four hours of continuous video playback, and memory expandability via a microSD card. The Flyer will ship in Q2 2011 with Android Gingerbread 2. 4 on board. HTC says it’ll be indistinguishable from 2.3 as far the end user is concerned, though we all know it won’t be quite as good as the 3.0 stuff . We’re told not to worry, however, since the new version of Sense being introduced with the Flyer will be the focal point of the company’s software offering. As far as HTC is concerned, Sense matters more than the underlying platform, and the reason Honeycomb isn’t the shipping OS here was explicitly stated as HTC not having enough time with the latest Google code to customize it to the full requirements of Sense. Guess that settles that. There are a couple more software enhancements, both marking the introduction of the fruits of HTC’s recent deals: OnLive cloud gaming will be coming with the Flyer in the form of an app you open up to access the web-connected bored-relieving service, while that Saffron Digital acquisition has turned into an HTC Watch app for movie streaming and downloading. We spent a bit of quality time with a Flyer unit recently, although we weren’t allowed to turn it on, and our early impressions are rather mixed. On the one hand, we do appreciate the ruggedness and durability that’s afforded by the one-piece aluminum shell, but on the other, the Flyer is quite the chunky beast in your hands. We’d imagine strapping in such an extra-speedy processor is the main culprit for its extra girth, though the Flyer is, ironically enough, not terribly light either. We found it heavier and generally a lot less polished from a design perspective than Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. Anyhow, HTC should have functional units for us immediately following its MWC presser this morning, and we’ll be delving in deeper with this super-specced device. Hang tight! Continue reading HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Flyer into the tablet wars HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Flyer into the tablet wars originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Yes folks, the leaks were for real, HTC really is bringing out a pair of new handsets adorned with a dedicated, delicately illustrated Facebook key front and (almost) center. HTC is very careful not to call its Salsa — a 3.4-inch, 480 x 320 touchscreen device — and portrait QWERTY-sporting ChaCha “Facebook phones,” however Mark Z’s highly successful social network is indeed the focus around which both are built. The OS is Android 2.4 underneath, however the Sense customizations have taken on an extra few tweaks and functions to accommodate a Facebook-centric lifestyle. That royal blue button is context-aware, with a pulsating light surrounding it any time there’s an opportunity to share whatever you’re doing with the phone through Facebook. In terms of specs, you’re looking at a lot of common components between these two. There’s a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 — which didn’t seem to struggle unduly with basic functions during our quick play around with the Salsa — 512MB of both RAM and ROM, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, and a VGA front-facing cam. The resolution on the ChaCha is 480 x 320 as well, which should provide decent pixel density on that 2.6-inch screen. Both are expected to launch globally before the end of Q2 2011, at pricing points above the newly announced Wildfire S, but below the similarly fresh Desire S and Incredible S handsets. We’ll have more in-depth impressions and hands-on galleries for you as soon as we can get them, stay tuned! Gallery: HTC Salsa and Chacha official press images Continue reading HTC Salsa and Chacha bring the dedicated Facebook button to Android HTC Salsa and Chacha bring the dedicated Facebook button to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HTC refreshes Android lineup with Incredible S, Desire S and Wildfire S (update: hands-on)
February 15, 2011 No Comment
The buttonless wonder we once knew only as ” HTC’s upcoming flagship device ” has today been revealed to be the Incredible S. It’s a new 4-incher that emulates the Droid Incredible ‘s successful industrial design, but deviates in a lot of other ways, including the fact it’ll launch globally — at some point in early Q2, but with only Android 2.2 on board. We got to see one in person ahead of today’s unveiling and we have to say it feels like a very solidly and neatly built pocket machine. The capacitive buttons’ labels are not painted on and actually rotate with the screen, so that they can be either in landscape or portrait mode, whatever your wishes (and physical position). We found that ever so simple little feature added a greater sense of interaction with the phone, plus — let’s face it — it’s just a ton of fun to do. in terms of hard specs, the Incredible S comes with a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 backed by 768MB of RAM, a 720p HD video-capable 8 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash and autofocus, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing image taker, and a 1450mAh battery. Resolution is your standard-issue 800 x 480. That res is also shared by another in HTC’s newly launched handsets today, the 3.7-inch Desire S. It is essentially an HTC Desire inside a new aluminum unibody shell, making use of largely the same design language and specifications. The camera is still a 5 megapixel unit, and is joined by an MSM8255 powering things from within, a new front-facing camera (1.3MP), 768MB of RAM, and a 1450mAh battery. The big difference between it and the Incredible S it is launching alongside is that the Desire S will ship with Gingerbread (2.4) from the start, which should be some time in the middle of Q2 2011. Soon after its launch, we’ll all get to witness the debut of the Wildfire S, the new low-end offering from HTC, which cranks up resolution from QVGA to HVGA relative to its predecessor and adds yet more colors and vibrancy for the sake of that ephemeral youth appeal that all these phone makers are hunting for. A big point in the Wildfire S’ favor is that it’ll also come with Gingerbread preloaded. We’ll soon be grabbing more hands-on time, along with pictures and video, with all of these devices, so bear with us. Gallery: HTC Incredible S first hands-on Gallery: HTC Desire S first hands-on Gallery: HTC Wildfire S first hands-on Continue reading HTC refreshes Android lineup with Incredible S, Desire S and Wildfire S (update: hands-on) HTC refreshes Android lineup with Incredible S, Desire S and Wildfire S (update: hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …ZTE Skate coming near you later this year with Android 2.3, 4.3-inch goodness
February 15, 2011 No Comment
For most of us, ZTE’s only known for its budget Android devices in the cellphone market, but this ever-expanding company’s aiming to change its image with a slightly more powerful flagship device come May. Dubbed the Skate, this Android 2.3 smartphone sports a generous 4.3-inch display (although no screen type or resolution is specified here), and is powered by an unnamed 800MHz processor plus a soon-obsolete Adreno 200 GPU. There’s also a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash on the back, along with the usual Bluetooth, A-GPS, and WiFi bundle. Sadly, the listed cellular frequencies indicate that the Skate won’t be heading to the US any time soon, which is rather ironic given ZTE’s desire to make it big in the North American consumer market this year. On the flip side, maybe the Chinese giant’s got some surprises for us, and we like surprises. Press release after the break. Continue reading ZTE Skate coming near you later this year with Android 2.3, 4.3-inch goodness ZTE Skate coming near you later this year with Android 2.3, 4.3-inch goodness originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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