OverDrive, a digital media company that specializes in digital content distribution, has recently announced an update to its Media Console for iOS. As well as giving you access to audiobooks from something like 13,000 libraries and educational institutions the world o’er, the new app offers — wait for it — free e-book downloads! Free app, free e-books (as long as you have a library card, of course), and access to the world’s great literature: it doesn’t get much better than that, does it? Hit the source link to try it for yourself. We suggest that you start with Under The Volcano — we always thought you looked drank like a young Malcolm Lowry. OverDrive Media Console app for iOS now features free e-book downloads originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Fan of the early upgrade? Hope you’re not on Big Red, then. Android Central’s obtained what’s purported to be a slide from Verizon ‘s training material, one that says customers on a two-year contract “will no longer be able to upgrade in months 13 – 20 of their 24 month contract as a standard policy” after January 16th. As for the the New Every Two deal, pared down once already in February 2009, new customers won’t be enrolled if they activate or upgrade a line, also after the 16th. In other words, the program would be effectively dead in the water, but we don’t know if this slide is gospel or a cruel forgery, and we may not know for about another two weeks… you know, after the deluge of exciting phones that’ll be revealed at CES this week. Them’s the breaks. [Thanks, Mike] Verizon Wireless nixing early upgrades and New Every Two program? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Verizon’s Palm Pre 2 gets teased on Walmart’s site… in case someone still cares
January 4, 2011 No Comment
With the next big thing out of Sunnyvale just weeks away , it’s hard to believe anyone much cares about about the Pre 2 at this point — but for what it’s worth, Walmart’s now pimping the Verizon-flavored version of the phone on its LetsTalk-powered website for a release at some indeterminate point in the future. Interestingly, the news of a February webOS event hosted by HP ties in nicely with a recent rumor on PhoneArena that suggests Big Red’s Pre 2 will live a very short retail life starting later this month as HP transitions into “its own line of webOS handsets,” which could very well be what these guys want to show off next month. Might we have a Kin -style collectors’ item in the making? Verizon’s Palm Pre 2 gets teased on Walmart’s site… in case someone still cares originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sony poster at CES shows unannounced, extremely slim-looking phone (update: probably the Anzu)
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Sony’s CES banners have been unfurled around the Las Vegas Convention Center here and one of them has a particularly alluring, and particularly skinny, phone to show us. The above image of half a touchscreen handset (more closeup photography of which you’ll find in the gallery below) shows a Sony Ericsson brand and what looks like a 3.5mm headphone jack — the latter of which would suggest that this phone is no more than six or seven millimeters thick. Even more enticing is the promise of “more entertainment at the touch of a button,” suggesting some processing and graphics firepower contained within as well — could it be SE’s answer to the dual-core LG Optimus 2X ? We get the feeling we’ll love this thing whatever the hell’s inside it. Update: Closer investigation of the imagery has led us to believe this is probably the Anzu / X12 that we first saw back in November . That device’s claim to fame was a 4.3-inch display allied to a “very, very thin” profile. Gallery: Sony poster at CES shows off unannounced phone Sony poster at CES shows unannounced, extremely slim-looking phone (update: probably the Anzu) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Ford set to unveil Focus Electric at CES, which just so happens to be where we are
January 4, 2011 No Comment
The North American International Auto show is one week away, the place where many auto makers domestic and foreign will choose to unveil their next hot happening. Not Ford — at least, not this year. The company has had a significant presence here at CES for the past few years and, in 2011, it’s going to really ramp things up by announcing a whole new car. Or, at least, an electric version of an existing one. We don’t know the details yet (other than it having a silly glowing plug door), but there’s an all-electric Focus set to be unveiled at 11:00am local time (that’s 2:00 in the afternoon east coasters) on Friday. The conference will be livestreaming if you want to play along at home, but rest assured we’ll be there too. Ford set to unveil Focus Electric at CES, which just so happens to be where we are originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Oh boy — here we go. HP has just issued an invitation to the press for a webOS event in San Francisco on February 9th. The minimal email asks attendees to ‘Think Big. Think Small. Think Beyond.’ — and that definitely sounds like a multi-product launch to us. If we were betting types, we’d put money on a phone (perhaps rumors we’ve been hearing about the ‘world’s smallest’ smartphone will turn out to be true), a tablet , and lots of talk about the future of webOS. One thing missing? The name Palm. Looks like that brand could be on the way out. Regardless, we’ll be there live delivering the news in true Engadget fashion… so get ready! HP invites press to an ‘exciting webOS announcement’ on February 9th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Remember that Roadmate 9055 that popped up in the FCC’s database back in September? Looks like Magellan’s using CES to officially launch it. Listing for $299.99 here in the States, this monstrous 7-inch navigator packs a WVGA touchscreen, Bluetooth and a lifetime supply of free traffic updates. It’s preloaded with maps of the 50 US states, Canada and Puerto Rico, not to mention six million points-of-interest, loads of content from the AAA Tourbook Guide (including Diamond ratings and descriptions for US and Canada), and a roadside assistance feature that provides your precise location in case you need to tell it to some fine man or woman on the other end of an emergency call. If you’re more of an argonaut, the Explorist 310 handheld navigator is likely more your speed. This one’s retailing for $199.99, and it includes a 2.2-inch color display, a rugged, waterproof enclosure, a SiRFstar III GPS chipset and a slew of features catering to the outdoor navigation market — things like waypoint creation, a premium, preloaded World Edition map, active tracking, and track summary. There’s also 500MB of user-accessible memory (for adding extra maps), and we’re told that two AA batteries can power it for an astounding 18 hours. So, where’s life planning to take you? Magellan reveals Roadmate 9055 and Explorist 310 GPS units originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Firefox beats Internet Explorer in Europe, according to at least one Statcounter
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Measuring browser use is an inexact science, we all know that, but at least one traffic monitor is reporting that Firefox has managed to beat out Internet Explorer as the most popular browser in the fine continent that is Europe. StatCounter reports that during the month of December, FF afficionados accounted for 38.11 percent of all analyzed traffic, a few precious digits ahead of IE’s 37.52 percent. This marks the first time Microsoft’s browser has lost the crown in a major territory, though apparently the handover of the number one spot has been thanks to the third player in this contest, Google’s Chrome. StatCounter says it was Chrome’s consumption of IE’s market share that has led to the current situation, whereas Firefox’s big achievement is to merely maintain its position. Guess that EU-imposed browser ballot screen is having the desire effect after all, eh? [Thanks, Nickolas] Firefox beats Internet Explorer in Europe, according to at least one Statcounter originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nook Color Bluetooth chip shows signs of life — if you’ve already hacked it, of course
January 4, 2011 No Comment
You Nook owners just aren’t ever satisfied, are you? First, reading wasn’t enough so you went ahead and rooted to get your Angry Birds on. That was all fine and well, until that Froyo hack came along and ( maybe? ) nuked your device. If your confidence hasn’t yet been shattered, strap on your seatbelt for the latest chapter in the life of the Nook Color after e-reading. Apparently user occip over at the always-hacking xda-d evelopers found a way to enable the currently dormant Bluetooth radio tucked away in some undisclosed cranny of B&N’s colorful Nook. This one’s not for the faint of heart just yet — you have to be on Froyo already, and that’s a feat in and of itself. Still, it paves the way for things like Bluetooth GPS dongles as well as headsets for apps like Skype. We’ll see what happens when B&N releases 2.2 officially, which should be pretty much any day now… Nook Color Bluetooth chip shows signs of life — if you’ve already hacked it, of course originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Star Wars Blu-ray to get a ‘most impressive’ announcement at CES from Vader, Fox & Panasonic
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Seeing that Lucas & Co. already announced that the Star Wars series would be coming to Blu-ray we’re not exactly sure what will be announced on Thursday at Panasonic’s CES booth — please, please, please don’t say it’s another Avatar-style two year pack-in exclusive — but the invite promises it will be most impressive. Darth Vader and a number of Stormtroopers will be on hand and you know we’ll be ready to pass all information revealed onto you (given the parties involved we’re leaning towards some news about a home release of the 3D converted flicks ), even if it’s just that ol’ George has decided to release the prequels ahead of the original trilogy. Star Wars Blu-ray to get a ‘most impressive’ announcement at CES from Vader, Fox & Panasonic originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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