Archive for December, 2009
December 28, 2009
Well, well, it looks like Camangi’s WebStation is finally making good on its shipments. The first of Gear Diary’s two pre-orders arrived and the gang has been more than happy to put together quick unboxing video for us to enjoy. It’s a pretty standard box with equally customary assortment of packaged accessories, suction cup stand (pictured) notwithstanding. The 7-inch Android tablet looks pretty matched with the Nook in terms of overall size, but by design that lends itself to having a larger overall screen. Not much in the way of impressions at this point, but if you’re the type of person who can be satisfied with a video and a handful of product / comparison shots, hit up Gear Diary for the still frames and stay tuned after the break for the “moving pictures” version.
Continue reading Camangi WebStation lands in American hands, promptly unboxed on video
Camangi WebStation lands in American hands, promptly unboxed on video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
December 28, 2009
December 28, 2009
The tap that keeps on leaking has inadvertently let loose an internal “notebook index” document that corroborates earlier rumblings of a forthcoming Envy 14. Sourced from HP’s Korean site, this little ditty reveals Envy 14 and Envy 17 models, which both tick the ‘HP external USB DVD Drive’ category, bringing up the intriguing possibility of a 17-inch laptop without an integrated optical drive. The bigger machine is also listed alongside “new” 6- and 9-cell battery packs, but other internal specs remain unknown. In other news, successors to the Elitebook 2730p tablet, 2530p ultraportable and 8730w desktop replacement have been spotted, with 16:9 display ratios on the smaller machines and 16:10 on the 17-inch workstation. Hit the read link for more details, and keep it locked to the Engadget channel when CES hits in a few days’ time, when a lot of these sketchy leaks will be replaced by exhaustive spec sheets and full-color, in-the-metal photography.
[Thanks, Billy]
HP Envy 14, Envy 17, and new EliteBooks leak onto the scene originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Here’s a Sunday night conundrum for you: it’s no longer possible to purchase an iPhone from AT&T’s online store if you live in New York City, and as of right now, the carrier isn’t saying why. Making matters worse, some online customer service reps have apparently gone rogue in providing explanations to curious would-be customers and the occasional inquisitive blogger — the Consumerist was told that NYC wasn’t “ready for the iPhone,” and a few others (including us) were fed a line about credit card fraud causing a ban on online sales. The fraud explanation would actually make sense, considering NYC-area Apple and AT&T stores all have the phone in stock and are happily selling them, but Ma Bell still hasn’t put this story to bed with an official explanation — all we’ve heard so far is the charmingly generic “We periodically modify our promotions and distribution channels.” Way to quell a fire with the gasoline of ambiguity, friends. Anyway, if you want an iPhone in New York City right this instant, you should start walking to the 24-hour Fifth Avenue Apple Store, taking the opportunity to assess your priorities and fundamental sense of purpose along the way. The rest of us will continue spending a reasonable percentage of our income on housing.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
AT&T suspends online iPhone sales in New York City, reasons still unclear originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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December 27, 2009
It’s definitely shaping up to be the year of e-book readers: the Amazon Kindle is flying off (virtual) shelves, and we’d expect the Barnes & Noble Nook to start moving at a decent clip once the kinks get worked out. But any device with an always-on 3G connection to a central server raises some privacy questions, especially when it can broadcast granular, specific data about what you’re reading — data that’s subject to a wide spectrum of privacy laws and regulations when it comes to real books and libraries, but much less so in the digital realm. We’d say it’s going to take a while for all the privacy implications of e-books to be dealt with by formal policy, but in the meantime the best solution is to be informed — which is where this handy chart from our friends at the Electronic Frontier Foundation comes in. As you’d expect, the more reading you do online, the more you can be tracked — and Google Books, the Kindle, and the Nook all log a ton of data that can be shared with law enforcement and various other third parties if required. Of course, we doubt the cops are too interested in your Twilight reading habits, but honestly, we’d rather users weren’t tracked at all. Check the full chart and more at the read link.
[Thanks, Tom]
E-reader privacy policies compared: Big Kindle is watching you originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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December 27, 2009
We’d been itching for some video of the mysterious HTC Espresso’s updated Sense UI ever since we saw those intriguing screenshots last week, and here we go: a leaked version of the ROM has been hacked onto a Hero and given a run-through. Overall, things seem to be slightly cleaner all around, and that new launcher bar at the bottom looks quite handy, but we’re still not totally sold on those translucent app icon surrounds. CES is right around the corner (and MWC is right after that) so we’re hoping to find out more soon — check the video after the break for now.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Continue reading HTC Espresso’s updated Sense UI shown off on video
HTC Espresso’s updated Sense UI shown off on video originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
December 27, 2009
There’s really only two things you need to know about the iToos M6HD PMP, and at the risk of repeating the headline: it can output 1080i via HDMI and its price is pretty hard to argue with. As for the fine print, we’re looking at a 4.3-inch TFT screen with 1360 x 768 resolution, 4GB internal memory upgradeable via memory card, and the usual variety of codecs you’ve come to expect from Asian PMPs, including FLAC audio and H.264 video. According to Akihabara News, it technically retails for only $58.50, but for the moment the best we’ve seen is online retailer Ownta for pocket change under $87.
iToos M6HD PMP outputs 1080i without breaking anyone’s bank originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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December 27, 2009
We don’t know where this is coming from so take it with a grain of salt, but rumor has it from AndroidSPIN that the progenitor Android device, the T-Mobile G1, is destined to officially get an over-the-air update for an Eclair build, Android 2-point-something. It’s not specified which version — whether it’s 2.0 or the Nexus One-tastic 2.1 — will be coming out, but if we had our say, always shoot for the latest and greatest. Hey T-Mo, we know the holidays are pretty much over, but could you validate these whispers for us? Thanks!
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android 2.0 (or maybe 2.1) officially coming to T-Mobile G1? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
December 26, 2009
We know discussing things involving “arteries” and “coronary plaque” generally don’t do much for one’s appetite, but being the holidays and all, we honestly can’t think of a more fitting way to remind you not to pig out this evening. Up first is a MEMS-based sensor designed by downright enlightened researchers at the University of Southern California, which is used to “distinguish between stable and unstable atherosclerotic plaques in coronary arteries.” The idea here is to more easily determine whether a patient needs immediate surgery or simple lifestyle changes in order to remedy artery issues, though the process is still awaiting clinical approval before it can be used en masse. In related news, Pathway Medical has just received European clearance to sell its Jetstream G2 NXT coronary drill overseas (or “peripheral atherectomy catheter,” as it were), which does exactly what you’d expect it to: clear clogged blood vessels in the treatment of PAD. If you’re not already grossed out, feel free to tap the links below for more information on head past the break for a couple of video demonstrations. Mmm, honey ham!
Arterial tandem: coronary drill gets cleared for use, MEMS sensor distinguishes between kinds of plaque originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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December 26, 2009
You didn’t think the whole Nook saga was over, did you? After just succeeding in delivering devices to expectant pre-orderers in time for Christmas, Barnes and Noble is today cleaning up yet another mess courtesy of its ill-prepared content servers. Judging by customer feedback on its support forums, it appears a glut of download requests over gift-giving day jammed the B&N net pipes and left a great many disappointed Nook users. All attempts at downloading an ebook yesterday — even by those who got their Nook a little earlier in the month — were greeted with a “Queued: Will complete shortly” message, which apparently remained that way until early this morning when downloading finally resumed functioning. The biggest perceived failure here, though, is the book retailer’s silence on the issue, which illustrates the importance of communicating with your customers — most people seemed tolerant of the setback once they realised they didn’t have faulty hardware.
[Thanks to all who sent this in]
Nook fails to communicate, download purchased ebooks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
