Isn’t it fun when you hit the right place at the right time? We just happened to be chillaxing in Hong Kong when Dell chose the city for the Venue’s global launch (and it’s actually hitting the shops slightly ahead of South Korea), so a quick hands-on is inevitable. As we’ve seen previously, this HK$3,999 (US$514) handset is essentially the Venue Pro’s Android 2.2 cousin sans, sporting the same curved (or “Shear Design”) vibrant AMOLED display at 4.1 inches and 800 x 480, but missing the slide-out keyboard. Under the hood lies a 1GHz Snapdragon with 1GB ROM and 512MB RAM, along with the usual microSD expansion, 1400mAh battery, 8 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, Bluetooth 2.3 EDR, WiFi and AGPS. There aren’t any surprises in terms of software — the Venue shares the same snappy Stage UI and Swype keyboard with the Streak, except for the lack of landscape orientation for the homescreen (and that’s with orientation enabled in system settings). As for hardware, the killer feature here is the screen, and we found its curved Gorilla Glass to be surprisingly nice for our thumbs while swiping across it. The AMOLED panel underneath is also vibrant with great viewing angles. Elsewhere, build quality is almost solid bar the squeaky battery door, but at least it provides some grip. That’s all we got for now — we’ll delve into more details in our forthcoming review, so stay tuned. Gallery: Dell Venue hands-on Continue reading Dell Venue launched in Hong Kong, we go hands-on Dell Venue launched in Hong Kong, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We already knew that it was coming to its home country of Korea in January. Now we know that LG’s Tegra 2 Optimus 2X will bring its 4-inch display and 1080p video recording capability to the Android loving shores of Europe in the first month of 2011. The detail was hidden in rather mundane press release touting the inclusion of 25 audio files (including 15 custom ringtones) from famed film composer Ennio Morricone, a man most recognizable for scoring those Sergio Leone “Spaghetti Westerns” starting Clint Eastwood. While we’re not sure how this oddball partnership materialized, we do know that there are two kinds of people in this world. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig? So we’re not going to push it. Continue reading LG Optimus 2X dual-core Android phone hits Europe in January LG Optimus 2X dual-core Android phone hits Europe in January originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We heard it was in development just two days ago and now we’ve got a first glimpse at Apple’s AirPlay media streamer working a Windows PC. The hack comes courtesy of the free AirMediaPlayer client for Windows client (currently at version 1.0.5) that leverages the Microsoft .NET framework 3.5 SP1, Quicktime, and Bonjour for Windows to enable AirPlay media streaming from any iOS device back a XP, Vista, or Windows 7 PC. Possibly good to news for those of you with PC-based media centers. Catch all the hot Apple on Microsoft video action after the break. Continue reading AirMediaPlayer gives Windows users a whiff of Apple AirPlay (video) AirMediaPlayer gives Windows users a whiff of Apple AirPlay (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 04:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Ambarella’s Cortex A9-based iOne is the smartphone processor of your dreams… but it’s for your camera
December 23, 2010 No Comment
You may not have heard of Ambarella factoring into the smartphone processor race alongside Qualcomm, TI, and Samsung, and there’s a good reason for that: they don’t do smartphone processors. Rather, these guys are in the business of making video and photographic processing chips, and their latest — the iOne — is a doozy. Starting with a dual-core Cortex-A9 at 1GHz, the iOne adds in an extra ARM11 core at 533MHz dedicated to handling camera functions and ensuring ready times of under one second. It’s capable of real-time encode and decode of H.264 1080p video content at 30fps and includes a GPU that can run OpenGL ES 2.0 for what we can only assume would be the wildest camera UI you’ve ever seen. What kind of beastly point-and-shoot is this, anyway? Well, Ambarella envisions cameras running Android before too long, and when you think about it, the hardware difference between a smartphone and a digital camera is getting smaller by the day — so it would make sense that this iOne sounds so much like something we’d like to have powering our handsets. We can dream, can’t we? Follow the break for the press release. Continue reading Ambarella’s Cortex A9-based iOne is the smartphone processor of your dreams… but it’s for your camera Ambarella’s Cortex A9-based iOne is the smartphone processor of your dreams… but it’s for your camera originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …iPad 2 features a thinner bezel, flat back, and chunky wide-range speaker?
December 23, 2010 No Comment
Nothing says truthiness quite like anonymous Chinese sources telling next generation iPad secrets to a Japanese blog lacking any notable successes on the professional rumor mongering circuit. Nevertheless, the Apple rumor sites have jumped all over the story like a Bay Area cop on prototype thief. So here’s the dirt, which certainly seems plausible in its specificity: a 3-mm reduction in bezel width, same 9.7-inch display size, and flattening of the back allowing it to rest wobble-free on a desktop. Mac Octakara also explains that there’s a “wide-range speaker” covered with “metal mesh” (that’s their render above) occupying the cut-out we saw at the bottom of those supposed next-generation iPad cases. The overall unit is said to measure 239 x 186 mm compared to the current iPad’s 242.8 x 189.7 mm footprint. Suspiciously, the site was unable to reliably confirm the existence of front of rear facing cameras but does claim that the new iPads will begin shipping from factories in January — timing that aligns nicely with previous rumors . After the break you’ll find another purported iPad 2 case with yet another render of the speaker grill design. Continue reading iPad 2 features a thinner bezel, flat back, and chunky wide-range speaker? iPad 2 features a thinner bezel, flat back, and chunky wide-range speaker? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’re still struggling to find the speakers on this thing, but Life Technologies’ new Ion Personal Genome Machine does at least have one big advantage over most other iPod docks: it’s… a personal genome machine . Curiously, the company itself isn’t doesn’t seem to be talking up the iPod dock at all, but MedGadget reports that it can be used to explore a genome and check on the status of given sequencing run with either an iPhone or iPod touch. As for the device itself, while it’s still only designed for research use and “not intended for animal or human therapeutic or diagnostic use,” the company does have some pretty grand designs for the future. According to Ion Torrent founder Dr. Jonathan M. Rothberg, the company hopes to eventually do nothing short of doing for DNA sequencing what digital cameras did for photography. Head on past the break for the complete press release. Continue reading Ion Personal Genome Machine: the DNA sequencer with an iPod dock Ion Personal Genome Machine: the DNA sequencer with an iPod dock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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So, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that $699 is $300 less than the purported $999 price tag we had originally heard would be affixed to the Indamixx 2 slate. The bad news? It’s just a rebadged iiView M1 Touch , which can be had for around $500. That said, those who fork out the premium will get a copy of Transmission 5.0 running atop MeeGo, not to mention a 1.66GHz Atom N450 processor, 2GB of RAM, a mini HDMI output and a 250GB hard drive. Those who’d prefer to snag a model that dual boots into Windows 7 can do so if they’re willing to part ways with $779, with both models including a mouse, free shipping and a gratis carrying case. Not exactly a bargain, but for those in desperate need of a music-centric tablet, it ain’t like you’ve got a ton of options. Indamixx 2 music tablet now on sale: $699 for beta hardware originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Just shy of a month after it launched on the PlayStation 3 , VUDU has begun delivering its newly revamped interface on the game console. It should be there once the app is opened, but just in case you’re not near a Sixaxis or the (now supported) Move controller check out our gallery for an idea of what the new layout look like. Oh, and if you’re getting your 1080p HDX streaming via a different box or smart TV widget then keep an eye out, the company’s support page say the PS3 and LG devices will be the only ones sporting the new look through January, with all the rest getting it later on. Gallery: VUDU hits PS3 on November 23rd, UI overhaul coming mid-December VUDU 2.0 interface is live on the PlayStation 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You’ve seen Jack Wong’s baby from every angle and taken a deep dive through the UI — now, feast your eyes on the juicy silicon insides. Forumgoers at gadget portal 163.com and Soomal cracked open the Retina Display-wielding device this week, and there’s a good bit to see. Sure enough, there’s the 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird we were promised , some TriQuint communication chips, and a lot of tiny covers on a fairly stacked little board. Check out our source and more coverage links for the full teardown; you’ll find plenty more pics where this one came from. Meizu M9 ripped apart, out flies a Hummingbird processor originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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