Hotter Than Tech

HTC Edge may be the first quad-core smartphone to market

2011-11-08T04:18:00.001-08:00

By Brad Molen posted Nov 7th 2011 8:53PM

Color us skeptical on this one, but rumors are coming down the pipeline about an HTC phone called the Edge. It's supposedly going to be the first Tegra 3-powered smartphone. According to Pocketnow, the device will supposedly offer a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU, 4.7-inch 720p HD display, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera with f/2.2 lens and Beats Audio. Curiously, no LTE capability was mentioned specifically, though 21Mbps HSPA+ appears to be good to go, and there's a slight possibility of Sense 4.0 being included -- which given its proposed launch window of late Q1 / early Q2 2012, wouldn't be a huge surprise. We'd love to start seeing more quad-core goodness headed our way, so we're definitely keeping our fingers crossed to see a lot more of the above show up at CES and MWC.

Pocketnow

Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos

2011-11-08T04:17:00.001-08:00

Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos

By Zachary Lutz posted Nov 7th 2011 11:47PM

Remember those rumblings about Mozilla and its very own mobile OS known as Boot to Gecko? We now have further details to share, and unlike most operating systems -- which demand their own hardware -- this one is aiming to shack up with Android smartphones. Given the existing complexity of altering many of these devices, Mozilla's Boot to Gecko will likely find favor among geeks alone, but the project itself has much greater ambitions. First and foremost, the OS will be designed with web apps in mind, yet with functionality and device integration that's on par with native applications. The true boon here is the potential for other operating systems to integrate Mozilla's technologies into their own browsers, thus allowing true cross-platform application development and the possibility of bolstering platforms that struggle for developer interest. Right now, much of the project exists only in the minds of a few tenacious developers, but the group hopes to unveil a public demo early next year. As if this weren't wild enough, while Mozilla has no intention of creating its own Boot to Gecko device, the group has expressed a willingness to work with OEMs that share its dream of a web-based future. Go ahead and count us in.

Samsung Focus S hands-on

2011-11-04T06:51:00.001-07:00

By Terrence O'Brien posted Nov 4th 2011 8:00AM

Hands-On

The Focus S is just a few short days away from hitting shelves, so Samsung invited us over to get acquainted with the company's AT&T-bound Mango device. If you're not already familiar with the specs, under the hood is a 1.4GHz CPU that pushes all those delicious Metro-themed pixels to a 4.3-inchSuper AMOLED Plus display. Right above the screen is a 1.3-megapixel shooter and around back you'll find an 8MP cam also capable of capturing 720p video. It's all put together in an amazingly light, 8.55mm thin package that is (for better or worse) distinctively Samsung. While the all plastic construction doesn't exactly make it the most robust handset on the planet, it's not cheap feeling either. The lack of heft in the hand was somewhat shocking, especially given its size. In fact, the Focus S is lighter than its smaller and more budget-friendly sibling the Focus Flash. Thankfully, Sammy continued its recent trend of using textured, matte-finished backplates that sport a more premium feel than the glossy plastic of devices past.

Samsung Focus S hands-on

As you'd expect, Windows Phone 7.5 hums along beautifully, even if the Snapdragon inside is only single core. Then again, we didn't have a chance to load it up with a slew of apps and countless accounts. The star though, is clearly the screen. Even at only 480 x 800 the Super AMOLED Plus panel is gorgeous. It's not quite as sharp as the iPhone 4's, but it's plenty bright, pleasantly contrasty and puts our aging Droid X to shame. We're also big fans of the dedicated camera button -- a feature we think all phones should have. No matter where you are in the OS, press it down and up pops the WP7 camera app. The dual-stage button easily lets you focus and snap shots, but you can always tap to focus too. And the camera is speedy -- not quite as fast as the Galaxy Nexus, but there's definitely less of a lag between shots than there is with the iPhone and just about every other Android phone out there. You can get your own greasy mitts on one starting November 6th for $199 with a two-year contract. But, while you wait, check out the gallery for a sneak peak at the device.

Behind the Glass: a detailed tour inside the Samsung Galaxy Note

2011-10-29T09:32:00.001-07:00

By Brad Molen posted Oct 28th 2011 3:00PM

Feature

While the Samsung Galaxy Note might be a behemoth of a phone (or is it a phablet?), momma always taught us that it's what's on the inside that really counts. But first we need to get to know the device a little better. To do this, we once again recruited the knowledge and insight of Francois Simond(Supercurio) to dive into the circuitry, sensors, and other innards to find out what makes this Note tick. Follow on below to get the inside scoop.

Silicon

CPU: Exynos 4210 (same as Galaxy S II), running at 1.4GHz; 2786.91 BogoMIPS
GPU: ARM Mali-400 MP
WiFi / Bluetooth module: Broadcom BCM4330 (same as Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus)
Audio codec: Yamaha C1YMU823 / MC-1N2 (Same as Galaxy S II)
FM radio receiver: Si4709
HDMI: Silicon Image MHD Sil9234 transmitter over MHL (same as Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II)
USB switch: Fairchild Semiconductors FSA9480 (industry standard)
Battery charger: SUMMIT Microelectronics SMB136 / SMB328
NFC controller: NXP PN544
Power management: Maxim MAX8997

Sensors

Accelerometer: STMicroelectronics k3dh
Barometer / pressure sensor: STMicroelectronics LPS331AP
Gyroscope sensor: K3G (same as the Galaxy S II)
Compass: Chipworks AKM-AKM8975 Electronic Compass
Finger Touch sensor: Atmel MXT540E
Stylus: Wacom E-Pen G5SP sensor

Misc. internals

Device name: GT-N7000
Rear camera: Fujitsu M5MO LS 8MP
Front camera: Samsung S5K5BAF 2MP
Linux Kernel: 2.6.35.7
Android: 2.3.5, built October 8, 2011
LCD Density: 320dpi
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Image processor: Samsung mDNIe image converter (same as Galaxy S II)
Frequency scaler: Ondemand

[Thanks, Francois]

Sony to buy out Ericsson's stake in joint venture, call it quits after ten years

2011-10-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

By Amar Toor posted Oct 27th 2011 3:02AM

We all saw it coming and, sure enough, it's finally happened. After all the rumors and opaque comments, Sony has just bought out Ericsson's share of Sony Ericsson, effectively assuming ownership of the entire venture. Ericsson confirmed the buyout this morning, adding that it will receive a cash consideration of €1.05 billion in exchange for its 50 percent stake. Sony, meanwhile, will now have the chance to integrate smartphones more tightly within its arsenal of tablets, laptops and gaming devices. The agreement also gives Sony an IP cross-licensing agreement and ownership of "five essential patent families" pertaining to wireless tech, though the breadth of this coverage remains unclear. The separation won't be finalized, however, until January 2012, pending regulatory approval. Find more details in the full PR, after the break.

Update: Sony president and CEO Sir Howard Stringer has just addressed the media on the proposed buyout and confirmed that the company will indeed move away from feature phones, as previously stated. This effectively heralds the death of the Walkman line and the dawn of Sony's exclusively Android era, though Stringer's not ruling out the possibility of bringing another OS on board. When asked whether his firm would consider buying webOS, the exec said simply, "Never say never."

Source: Engadget

Nokia Lumia 800 hands-on (video)

2011-10-26T07:32:00.001-07:00

By Zach Honig posted Oct 26th 2011 5:57AM

Hands-On

Oh, Nokia. Earth mother and founding father of the mobile industry. At last, we have your newest creation nestled amidst our clammy palms: a 3.7-inch slab of polycarbonate Windows Phone wonderment, fronted by a ClearBlack AMOLED display. Has that sweet breeze off the Nokianvirta River worked its special magic? Or is this just another Windows Phone? Well, first impressions are that it... feels just like an N9. Read on for our detailed impressions.

Nokia Lumia 800 hands-on

Nokia is calling this device the "first real Windows Phone," a claim that we think other manufacturers are going to have a bit of a beef with, but we'd certainly say this is among the best we've yet had the opportunity to fondle. If you're familiar with the N9 you'll know the basics of the story here, a polycarbonate shell that feels very nice in the hand and, perhaps more importantly, won't show scratches as clearly as painted metal or plastic exteriors. That baby blue you see? It's that same color all the way through to the core -- there's no paint here to chip or scratch.

Up top, doors flip open to reveal the micro-USB charger port and the SIM slot, doors that fit so well you'd barely know they're there. A 3.5mm headphone jack is up on the top as well. That's really about all there are for ports. The right side of the phone is adorned with a volume rocker and power button, and the left is completely bare -- just super sleek, curved polycarbonate. There's a speaker right there on the bottom as well.

The front is covered by that 3.7-inch 800 x 480 ClearBlack AMOLED display, which rests under ever so slightly curved glass, giving a raised effect. This is Gorilla Glass, so hopefully it being exposed in this way won't danger its visual purity. Needless to say it looks as good as the display on the N9 -- it's quite simply gorgeous. There's the same eight megapixel camera as we saw on the N9, complete with f/2.2 aperture lens and 720p HD video with continuous autofocus. Overall the Lumia 800 looks quite incredible -- this is some impressive hardware -- but will Nokia's latest flagship help drive some serious Windows Mobile market share? We shouldn't have to wait long to find out.

Tim Stevens and Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Siri shows up on an iPod Touch, no longer plays favorites in the iOS family

2011-10-25T18:29:00.001-07:00

By Michael Gorman posted Oct 25th 2011 7:24PM

That Siri gal is certainly making the rounds these days. When she's not answering your questions on a 4S, she's showing up on iPads and elder iPhones. Not one to play favorites, Siri's now lending her considerable talents to an iPod touch. Two enterprising young hackers, euwars and rud0lf77, are the ones who put Siri on the iPod, and you can see the results of their labor in the video after the break. Of course, Apple's servers still aren't as friendly as the virtual voice assistant, so Siri's latest cameo remains a silent one -- but some Siri's better than none, right?

NICT, JVC Kenwood team up for wall-sized 3D HD display, lets in your face advertising get literal (video)

2011-10-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

By Joseph Volpe posted Oct 24th 2011 4:49PM

Been holding out hope for a real-life holodeck? Well, looks like Japan's got wall number one out of four already covered. We kid, we kid. That Trekkie tech future's still a ways off, but recent prototypes like this 200-inch auto-stereoscopic 3D screen are bringing that illusive reality one step closer to our living rooms. Exhibited during CEATEC 2011, this 1920 x 1080 full HD display plays images at 60fps using an array of 57 projectors, and offers up viewing angles of 13 degrees. What does all of that mean for you? Well, the setup gives viewers a limited ability to peer around projected objects, so long as they stay within a 1.3m (about 4ft) area. It's yet another fruit of the collaboration between the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and JVC Kenwood, except this one's headed for the realm of outdoor digital advertising. Home theater aficionados looking for a virtual entertainment solution can always opt for Sony's HMD, but that kind of defeats the glasses-free allure.

DigInfo TV

CEATEC (Translated)

Brand Table concept revolutionizes fast food, NFC still won't make it good for you (video)

2011-10-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

By Joseph Volpe posted Oct 22nd 2011 1:50PM

Jersey girls and boys can now tap and pay their way around, but for the Garden State's myriad of malls, cash'll still have to do. Not so for the Ozzies Down Under who may soon never have to leave the comfort of food court chairs -- if they're packing a Nexus S, that is. Designed as a concept by University of Sydney start-up SDigital, special coaster-like "brand stickers" affixed to eatery "brand tables" would relay fast-food menus to mobile phones via NFC. Hungry, hungry humans would then make their selections, order up and receive a vibrating notification when the food's ready. It's a contactless payment solution not unlike the QkR platform MasterCard demoed for us last month. And given our ever-increasing crawl towards the bleak adult baby form factor of our potential Wall-E futures, we'd say this tech's right around the public release corner. Head on past the break for a video demo of the tukkis-numbing, Foodcourtia tech.

TechCrunch

SDigital

Sony's 3D HMD goes exclusive for Harrods, leaves America waiting

2011-10-23T16:14:00.001-07:00

By James Trew posted Oct 23rd 2011 11:29AM

Sony's Personal 3D Viewer's finally found its way off the showroom floor and on to the shelves ofHarrods? That's right, the dual screen 1280 x 720 0.7-inch OLED sporting headset'll initially be a limited exclusive to the well-heeled UK retailer, with a general country-wide release set for later this month. US gamers will have to hold out just a few more days until its end of October launch, but if you're super impatient, there's always that import option. Think you can shell out for the £800 (about $1,276) price tag? Then plan to pick one up the next time you're in town to see the Queen.

Motorola Droid RAZR hands-on (video)

2011-10-19T17:44:00.001-07:00

By Brian Heater posted Oct 18th 2011 1:14PM

Breaking News

To everyone who rocked a Motorola RAZR in the '00s, it's time to get excited again. The line -- or at least the name -- has been reborn, and not without good reason. This is a thin device -- extremely thin. The Droid RAZR by Motorola is 7.1mm thin, in fact, and holding it up next to the iPhone 4 makes Apple's phone look downright beefy by comparison. At 127 grams, it's also incredibly light, a fact that's quite apparent the first time you hold thing -- we were honestly a bit surprised when it was first dropped in our hands. The company has clearly come a long way from the first generation Droid.

Of course, as noted, Motorola didn't skimp on the specs here. The RAZR's got a TI OMAP 4430 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB RAM inside, and it does zip through apps with ease. The handset is rocking Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread -- or at least was during our hands-on. No word on Ice Cream Sandwich -- though we'll no doubt be hearing more about that OS at tonight's event. The 4.3 inch qHD Super AMOLED display is quite bright, and should do wonders on those Netflix HD videos.

Also of note is the phone's relative ruggedness, thanks to its Kevlar backing, diamond cut aluminum and Gorilla Glass, but in spite of these facts, it really doesn't feel or particularly look like a rugged device in your hands, just a big, surprisingly light handset. It's a slick, fast, thin phone, that certainly seems worthy of the RAZR name we've all know and love.

Motorola Droid RAZR hands-on

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich hands-on (video)

2011-10-19T17:34:00.003-07:00

By Darren Murph posted Oct 18th 2011 11:41PM

Hands-On

Remember the Droid RAZR? That's so yesterday. Or, earlier today. Whatever. The point is, Samsung's just busted out the planet's first Ice Cream Sandwich-based smartphone here in Hong Kong, a few days late but hardly worse for the wear. The Galaxy Nexus (formerly referred to as the Nexus Prime) carries on the Nexus torch in spectacular fashion, and we've just spent a few quality moments with one here at the launch event. Design-wise, it's clear that the Nexus S DNA is here, though the rear reminds us most of the Galaxy S II. Those who abhor physical buttons will also be delighted, and while we'd gotten used to the whole Power + Home for a screenshot on the GSII, Power + Volume Down works just fine on this fellow.

The 1.2GHz dual-core processor was startlingly fast. It actually felt a wee bit quicker than our Galaxy S II, and given that Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus were apparently built for one another, we're assuming there's some deeply ingrained optimizations to thank. Swiping from pane to pane was faster than its ever been on Android, and the new Roboto font actually is super eye-pleasing. The touch response of the capacitive buttons -- much like those on the original Nexus One -- take a bit of getting used to, and we had to mash 'em just a touch harder than we anticipated to elicit a response. [Update: turns out our demo phone was a bit of an early build; we touched another model later in the day, and our response gripes were gone. Perfectly responsive. Hopefully that's the one that'll ship out.] Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing worth noting. We've built our impressions after the break, replete with a video. Enjoy!

Samsung Galaxy Nexus hands-on!

The overall phone feels adequately thin, and while the 4.65-inch display sounds gargantuan, the handset itself doesn't feel so massive to hold. Until, of course, you grab the comparatively minuscule Nexus One. Still, we've been clamoring for a 1,280 x 720 display on a smartphone for what feels like forever, and now that it's here on the Galaxy Nexus, we aren't about to kvetch. Indeed, the panel looks downright gorgeous, with unbeatable viewing angles, remarkably crisp text and graphics and a beautiful feel as one swipes across it. The fingerprint magnet that is a glossy overcoat is still here, but it's the only feel niggle we've found on the screen as a whole.

Having the 3.5mm headphone jack on the rear seems like a necessary design choice given the tapering at the top, and unlike that other phone, there's no mute switch here -- you'll just have to hold the Volume Down button for a few seconds. The rear cover pops off in similar fashion to the Galaxy S II, but the ridged plastic cover has a far softer touch than the aforesaid contemporary. The camera is also situated right in the center, with branding kept to a minimum. Oddly enough, we're being told by Samsung that two models will be available in terms of capacity -- a 16 gigger and a 32GB sibling -- but neither will have a microSD slot for adding your own expansion.

The lack of a physical Home button may be disorienting for Galaxy S II loyalists, but the Galaxy Nexus is truly the first smartphone that expresses Google's desire to make "one Android for all" -- a mantra we heard about at Google I/O, but haven't seen birthed into anything until today. Digging into theparticulars of Ice Cream Sandwich a bit, it's clear that folks who aren't elevated to Android 4.0 (we're still waiting on word of what phones will and won't make the leap) will be missing out on a fair bit. Face Unlock isn't particularly special in our estimation -- typical laptops have been using this forever, and we've never found 'em to be entirely intuitive. However, the bump-to-share functionality that was lost when webOS croaked will undoubtedly be cause for celebration. Also, just so it's known, the Galaxy Nexus we played with here was running Android 4.0.1.

The data usage manager is a total godsend in this nasty, depressing world of tiers, and while apps have done similar things for quite some time, tight integration like this is hugely appreciated. We found in our play time that ICS was amazingly responsive in every aspect. Swiping was a breeze. Gestures worked beautifully. The entire experience just felt polished. In a way, it's as if Android's growing a bit and maturing before our eyes, and it's obvious that Goog's focused on making its mobile OS as "enchanting" (Google's word, not ours) as iOS seems to be.

Overall, we're thrilled with how the first ICS handset has turned out. It's understated, sleek, beautiful and packs a display that's destined to drop jaws. Now, if only we knew how much, and what carriers...

Check out the rest of our Galaxy Nexus coverage right here!

RIM offers free apps to make up for that whole BlackBerry outage thing

2011-10-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

By Amar Toor posted Oct 17th 2011 4:46AM

RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis has already apologized for last week's widespread BlackBerry outage, but apparently, that wasn't enough. Today, the manufacturer announced that it's offering customers a full slate of "premium apps" for free, in the hopes of earning back some of the goodwill it lost following that mysterious blackout. In a statement, the company said the gesture is "an expression of appreciation" for the patience that many BlackBerry users demonstrated during the incident, with Lazaridis adding that his company remains "committed to providing the high standard of reliability" that consumers have come to expect. For now, the company's offering a total of 12 apps (collectively valued at around $100), including SIMS 3, iSpeech Translator Pro and Shazam Encore among others, though more will be added at a later date. The offer kicks off on Wednesday and will last for a month, so head past the break to see which goodies are up for grabs.

Click here to find out exactly what games are being released or go to http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=5214

Mycestro is one wearable 3D ring mouse to rule them all (video)

2011-10-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

By Brian Heater posted Oct 17th 2011 9:18AM

Sure, we've seen some wearable mice in the past (some more wearable than others), but this little one from Innovative Developments offers up some fairly diverse applications. The Mycestro's four buttons can be used for basic work functionality -- the wearer can also use gestures to perform these tasks, making an "M" in the air to open an email or a flicking motion to delete files. The mouse can manipulate 3D software as well, moving one's arm to zoom in and out. And heck, why not use it to navigate through in-car menus, rather than interacting with a touchscreen while driving? Controlling media content at home? Why yes, it does that too. There's not a lot of information available about the Mycestro, at the moment, but the company is offering up a few videos to show off it what the thing can do. You can check some of them out after the break.

Innovative Developments

Siri ported to an iPhone 4, old phone learns a new trick (Update: Better performance!)

2011-10-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

By Michael Gorman posted Oct 15th 2011 1:38AM

Apple's iPhone 4 may not have the fancy dual core CPU of its successor, but thanks to the efforts of developer Steven Troughton-Smith and the folks at 9to5 Mac, it may soon have Siri. The port of thesultry voice assistant was accomplished by using the 4S Siri and Springboard files, and some serious elbow grease, no doubt. As you can see in the video below, it's far from perfect, but it can recognize spoken commands without issue. Currently, the hack is missing an iPhone 4 GPU driver that keeps things running buttery smooth on the elder phone, and Cupertino won't authenticate Siri's commands coming from it either. So, it isn't quite ready for primetime, but it should only be a matter of time before all you iPhone 4 owners can tell Siri what to do, too.

Update: And in the space of just a few hours, Mr. Troughton-Smith has already managed to improve performance of the app on the iPhone 4 significantly, although Apple's servers are still unreachable. Check out a newer YouTube video showing off some seriously smooth scrolling action after the break. [Thanks, Ramzi]

Jailbreak Story

9to5 Mac, @stroughtonsmith, YouTube

CyanogenMod for TouchPad alpha released, is surprisingly functional (video)

2011-10-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

By Sean Buckley posted Oct 13th 2011 4:20AM

Tired of seeing TouchPad Android demos that you can't quite get your hands on? Buck up buttercup,CyanogenMod 7.1.0's unique flavor of Gingerbread has finally made its way to HP's disowned slate; but beware -- they're calling this one the "lower your expectations" edition for a reason. A new video and forum update belabors the point that the alpha is an early, buggy build that is not intended for the general public. However, if you're brave enough to install CyanogenMod anyway, you'll wind up with a neat assortment of usable features, including multiboot support, ten-point multitouch, functional WiFi, camera support for video chat, limited GPU acceleration and a ton of other features that are either working now, or are near completion. The team says there are too many nonfunctional features to properly list at the moment, but advise brave testers to expect app incompatibility and poorly optimized power consumption. Ready to throw caution to the wind? Hit the source link below, as it's chock full of cautionary tales, installation instructions, and download links.

Visit this site to find out how to put CM7 on your touchpad
http://rootzwiki.com/showthread.php?4011-Discussion-CyanogenMod-team-Touchpad-port

RootzWiki

3LM resurfaces, still wants to make Android secure enough for the IT guys

2011-10-11T07:11:00.001-07:00

By Daniel Cooper posted Oct 11th 2011 at 8:47AM

Remember when Motorola bought 3LM, a startup dedicated to offering enterprise-class device management to Android users? After eight months of silence, there's finally some news about the company and its handset-agnostic solutions. It's called, erm, 3LM and you (yes, you) can begin thescintillating process of installing it on your servers and company-issued smartphones later this week. Administrators will get the power to encrypt data and removable storage on Android devices like theMotorola ET1, remotely install / uninstall / blacklist applications, connect to the devices over VPN and behave like the killjoys we all know and love admins to be. There's no word on how much this shebang will cost, but you'll find most of the other important facts in the press release, tucked after the break.

PRNewswire

3LM

The iPad gets a Facebook app, finally

2011-10-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

Kind of like eating a peanut butter sandwich with no jelly, the most obvious app missing from the iPadhas been Facebook -- until today. The New York Times reports that the site has finally confirmed the app's availability just in time for eager social networkers to like, subscribe and stalk from their slates. According to software engineer Leon Dubinsky, the app will highlight the multitouch awesomeness of the iPad, something that's unavailable from the website alone even from a touchscreen device. The folks at FB also added that some of the newly released features will be integrated into the iPhone app as well, making it a win / win for iOS fanatics. Consider it liked. Check out the brief PR after the break.

The New York Times

Facebook

BlackBerry services offline for some in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Again.

2011-10-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Well, RIM, things really aren't looking good for you over in EMEA, are they now. We've received several reports of a second BlackBerry outage for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, and our friends over at T-Mobile UK and Vodafone Egypt have confirmed again on Twitter, just several hours after RIM tweeted that service had been restored. So, what's going on over there? We're reaching out to RIM for a statement, and like those of you affected, we can only hope that things get back up and running very quickly. Are you outraged? Experiencing perfect service (and in EMEA)? Jump past the break to tell us what's up in the comments.

Engadget Spanish (translated), Vodafone Egypt (Twitter), T-Mobile UK (Twitter), T-Mobile Support

New York Times' magic mirror helps you get dressed, puts the 'wall' in 'paywall' (video)

2011-09-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

By Amar Toor posted Sep 5th 2011 8:39PM

Forget crosswords and Krugman, because the New York Times has created a new bathroom companion that looks infinitely more entertaining than either of them. Like some of its Snow White-stylepredecessors, the Times' "magic mirror" prototype uses Microsoft Kinect to detect and follow your movements, while deploying voice recognition technology to execute your commands. With this omniscient slab affixed to your wall, you can surf the web, flip through your wardrobe and send reassuring e-mails to your teenage daughter, whom you should have driven to school a good 30 minutes ago. An RFID reader, meanwhile, can recognize tagged pharmaceuticals or other products, allowing you to instantly access information on your prescription meds by placing them in front of the reflective LCD. You could also use the mirror to browse through the Times' full slate of articles and video content, meaning you can read about extravagant weekend getaways and urban gentrification from the standing comfort of your sink. Unfortunately for all mankind, the magic mirror is still in the prototype phase and the NYT's Research & Development Group has yet to offer a timetable for its release -- but you can see it in action for yourself, after the break.

Extreme Tech

Nieman Journalism Lab Engadget.com

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S hands-on (video)

2011-08-31T15:56:00.001-07:00

By Brian Heater posted Aug 31st 2011 3:53PM

The only way you missed Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc S at today's IFA press conference, is if the slim handset happened to be turned sideways at the time. The 4.2-inch phone was the one of the bigger announcements at the event, sporting a 1.4GHz processor, an 8.1 megapixel camera, a Reality Display and the ability to convert 2D images into 3D. Like the new Walkman, however, Sony seemed largely interested in showing off the handset's ability to transfer content onto its line of Bravia displays. Check out a brief hands-on video with the new Arc after the break.

Source: Engadget.com

Movie Mount turns your iPad 2 into a serious video-making machine

2011-08-31T15:54:00.001-07:00

By Terrence O'Brien posted Aug 31st 2011 6:12PM

We're sure there's at least one person out there who has been itching to shoot boat-loads of video with their iPad 2. Perhaps even a short film or two. After we pointed out how crazy you are, we might suggest looking into a tripod-mountable case like Makayama's Movie Mount. This simple plastic frame adds a number of things that a budding iPad videographer might appreciate, including a pair of hot shoes for hooking up lights and mics, and a mount for lenses, just in case you prefer wide-angle or telephoto shots. You can even switch between the conversion lenses and the built-in one on the fly thanks to the sliding adapter. The Movie Mount is available to pre-order now for $69.95, with the first deliveries expected to ship in October. Before you go, check out the gallery below, as well as the video and PR after the break.

Source: Engadget.com