Phone Freaks

Sony PRS-600 Reader Touch Edition discontinued; PRS-650 imminent?

2010-08-23T12:05:00.002+03:00

Sony PRS-600 Reader Touch Edition discontinued; PRS-650 imminent?

via SlashGear by Chris Davies on 8/23/10

Sony's 6-inch touchscreen ereader, the PRS-600 Reader Touch Edition, has been discontinued, presumably ahead of the imminent launch of the PRS-650 expected to replace it. The news comes from retailer B&H, though the site still shows the PRS-300 as in stock; that model is expected to be replaced by the PRS-350 alongside the PRS-650.

The PRS-600 was launched back in August 2009, with a touchscreen layer for easier control but no wireless. In the meantime, Amazon has rolled out their third-generation Kindle – with both WiFi and 3G options.

The new Reader models, however, are expected to go some way in rectifying that, with both tipped to include Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. There's also some talk of the PRS-650 having 3G, with Sony bundling a no-charge data package for ebook downloads as with Amazon and B&N. No word on exact release dates for the PRS-650 and PRS-350, but if Sony are telling retailers at least one of their predecessors is now discontinued, we're guessing it can't be far off.

[via The Digital Reader]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Archos 32 Android PMP gets pictured & detailed at Amazon

2010-08-23T12:04:00.008+03:00

Archos 32 Android PMP gets pictured & detailed at Amazon

via SlashGear by Chris Davies on 8/23/10

Having made its debut at the FCC a few weeks back, the new Archos 32 Android PMP/MID is getting further pushed into the limelight with a new set of information added to the Amazon preorder page. From the spec list, we know the Archos 32 has 8GB of onboard storage, a 3.2-inch 400 x 240 resolution display, WiFi, Archos AppLib software download access, a web-browser supporting multitouch pinch-zoom, and an integrated camera for shooting photos and videos.

There's also broad audio codec support, with the new PMP content with MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, OGG, and FLAC formats for audio (together with optional AC3 5.1 support) and MPEG-4 HD, MPEG-4, H.264 HD, WMV9/ACP, and MJPG codecs with various extensions: AVI, MP4, MOV, 3GP, MPG, PS, TS, VOB, MKV, FLV, RM, RMVB, ASF, and WMV. Under the hood is an 800MHz Cortex A8 processor with DSP, and 3D OpenGL graphics acceleration.

The Archos 32 is currently listed at $147 though there's no indication of when Amazon expect the PMP/MID to begin shipping. We're still more than a little disappointed by the mere WQVGA resolution – cellphones with 3.2-inch screens have managed 480 x 320 – together with the absence of the full Android Market.

[Thanks gohn!]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Two universities adopt Wii Fit to monitor football concussions

2010-08-23T12:04:00.007+03:00

Two universities adopt Wii Fit to monitor football concussions

via Engadget by Sean Hollister on 8/23/10

As it turns out, there are quite a few uses for a $100 off-the-shelf computerized scale, above and beyond getting fit -- Nintendo's Wii Balance Board is now providing a mechanism by which college football teams at Ohio State University and the University of Maryland can cheaply determine whether players are suffering from concussions. Taking the place of force plate machines that can cost tens of thousands of dollars, the white plastic boards measure students' balance (using yoga poses) and coordination (in Table Tilt) before a game, to provide a frame of reference against which trainers can measure whether athletes are fit to keep playing. Though some scholars found Wii Fit didn't stack up favorably against the expensive force plates, the universities trialing the system called it "pretty decent," so the question is whether Nintendo's peripheral offers a reasonable enough benchmark for the price. We suppose the American Heart Association liked it well enough.

Two universities adopt Wii Fit to monitor football concussions originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Switched | Washington Post | Email this | Comments

Dell ships 10.1-inch Inspiron Mini 1018 to Europe, heading elsewhere soon

2010-08-23T12:04:00.006+03:00

Dell ships 10.1-inch Inspiron Mini 1018 to Europe, heading elsewhere soon

via Engadget by Darren Murph on 8/23/10

Looking for yet another Mini 10 netbook? How's about one with a curvaceous chassis modeled after the Inspiron R series? Dell's just pushed out the Inspiron Mini 1018 across the pond, offering a £279 ($434) starting price along with a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor, a 10.1-inch WSVGA (1,024 x 600) resolution display, Windows 7 Starter, 1GB of DDR3 memory, 802.11n WiFi, a 250GB hard drive, inbuilt webcam and a fresh coat of Obsidian Black paint. It's available now for those in the correct region, but the outfit has already stated that it'll be shipping to other lands "soon." Stoked, aren't ya?

[Thanks, iamnotjamesh]

Dell ships 10.1-inch Inspiron Mini 1018 to Europe, heading elsewhere soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Liliputing | Dell | Email this | Comments

Universal Translator is More Science-Fiction Than Reality

2010-08-23T09:27:00.002+03:00

Universal Translator is More Science-Fiction Than Reality

via SlashGear by Evan Selleck on 8/20/10

In most situations, when you look at a design concept, you're supposed to get the sense that some day, at some point in the (perhaps distant) future, you'll be able to get your hands on this. Just like we saw with Sony's design for their Eclipse media management device. This one, though. Well, we can safely say that it's really a concept. Not that it's not cool — because it's a great idea, but we're just wondering if the designer had one too many drinks while they were watching their favorite Sci-Fi flick.

As you look at the image above, you'll have to realize that that's the whole thing. There's no other peripherals hiding out of view. What you're looking at, is a thin slice of glass, that's meant to do a whole lot of things. For example, it's a universal translator. That's right. Somewhere in there, there's all the languages in the world, used on a daily basis we imagine, and all you have to do is hold it, and get instant translations. You could just take the universal translator, and throw yourself right into the middle of some unknown country and be all right. That's a relief, for sure.

It can also give you context-sensitive information about places, like gas stations and museums. So, you hold up that thin piece of glass to your eyes, look at something you're interested in, and then it will give you all the relevant and interesting pieces of information about it. Like we said, a bit more science-fiction than anything else, but there's nothing wrong with that. A little dreaming never hurt anyone.

[via Yanko Design]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Toshiba Libretto W100: build good, battery bad, geek-cred off the chart [Video]

2010-08-23T09:26:00.005+03:00

Toshiba Libretto W100: build good, battery bad, geek-cred off the chart [Video]

via SlashGear by Chris Davies on 8/20/10

Toshiba's Libretto W100 flew off Amazon's shelves when it went on sale earlier this week, with the retailer already confirming that its initial stock is exhausted. So, how exactly are the first customers liking the dual-touchscreen clamshell? Jenn over at Pocketables knows her stuff when it comes to ultraportables, and she seems pretty blown away by the W100 – that's despite only 4hrs runtime with the bloated extended battery, laggy screen rotation and an uncertain target market.

With the standard battery, meanwhile, Jenn's getting around two hours of runtime, and the top half of the notebook – which houses the mainboard, SSD and other components – gets toasty warm, too. Still, the W100 is still her new favorite: that's primarily down to the versatility of the two screens (which can be used to spread a single app across or showing things independently), great build quality and the sheer geek factor.

We're having a hard time getting past the short battery life, but the twin touchscreens of the W100 certainly spark off a certain amount of geek lust. So far there's no sign of the optional 3G that Toshiba told us would be available back at the W100′s launch, but the company has confirmed UK pricing – £765.11 excluding VAT ($1,187) – ahead of UK availability.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Apple iOS auto-lock iOS patent application could monitor iPhone jailbreak/un...

2010-08-23T09:26:00.004+03:00

Apple iOS auto-lock iOS patent application could monitor iPhone jailbreak/unlocking

via SlashGear by Chris Davies on 8/20/10

A new Apple patent application could see future devices from the company automatically lock themselves, alert their owners or even Apple should they be either used by an unauthorized person or modified in a non-permited way. Spotted by ArsTechnica, while the patent abstract describes a security-minded application – unauthorized use of the device, such as an iPhone, resulting in its rightful owner being notified via email, voicemail or other service – the full text also suggests that hacking, jailbreaking, unlocking, swapping SIMs or moving the device away from a preset area could also trigger either lock-downs or selective feature blocks. In addition to full or partial blocks of this sort, the device could also take a photo of the person using the handset.

In a worst-case scenario, it's suggested, Apple could use the system outlined in the patent to monitor iPhone jailbreaking and unlocking, automatically blocking the handsets by remote, and even taking photos of the person modifying the smartphone. The patent also describes various methods by which the Apple device could track an "authorized" user, including voice analysis, heartbeat sensors, cameras, accelerometers and preconfigured codes.

However, full blocking would not fit in with the recent DMCA ruling that jailbreaking is legal, though Apple has said that doing so will void the warranty of the device. This new system could therefore alert Apple that such a modification has been made. Of course, there are practical applications as well: it could automatically change features and even user profiles depending on the person holding the device, handy for those wanting to share a single iPad among multiple members of the household.

[via 9to5Mac]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Ricoh unveils new CX4 digital camera

2010-08-23T09:22:00.002+03:00

Ricoh unveils new CX4 digital camera

via SlashGear by Shane McGlaun on 8/20/10

Ricoh isn't a name known for cameras here in the US, but over in Japan the company has a digital camera set to launch on September 3 called the CX4. The camera is a point and shoot that will ship in black, silver champagne and purple colors.

Ricoh is mum on pricing at this time, but has offered up the details on the camera. The CX4 will have 10.7 times optical zoom lens that is equivalent to 28-300mm focal range. The camera also has a continuous automatic focus mode that will track a user and keep them in focus when moving.

The CMOS sensor in the camera has 10MP resolution and the camera has 11 different automatic scene shooting modes. The rear LCD of the camera is 3-inches and has an anti-scratch coating and an anti-reflective coating for better usability outdoors. Bursts can be shot at five frames per second continuously and the lens can shoot macro photos as close as 1cm from the subject.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Canon G12 leaks again

2010-08-23T09:21:00.002+03:00

Canon G12 leaks again

via SlashGear by Shane McGlaun on 8/20/10

The Canon G12 digital camera has leaked again for the second time in only a few days. This time around, the leaked info comes by way of CNET Asia and CrunchGear. The G12 is a compact camera with lots of manual features like the other G series cams Canon has already.

The G12 will have a 10MP CCD and a 5x optical zoom lens. The lens has an f/2.8-4.5 range and the rear LCD is a 2.8-inch unit that swivels and tilts. The camera also records digital video in 720p resolution.

Other features that we know about so far include a HDR mode when using bracketed exposures. For the rest of the specs will have to wait for the official announcement. The expectation is that the G12 will go official at the Canon expo coming up this month.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Switched On: Gluts and glory

2010-08-23T09:10:00.002+03:00

Switched On: Gluts and glory

via Engadget by Ross Rubin on 8/21/10

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Before the mass adoption of smartphones in the U.S., many fretted that the heavy subsidization model was feeding a free handset model that would keep Americans hopelessly addicted to basic voice plans and phones optimized for them. The price consumers paid in relation to the value of the handset, it was argued, was hopelessly out of whack. This year, a string of successful smartphones have shown that an increasing percentage of U.S. consumers are willing to pay $200 for a flagship device. On the other hand, there's still ample evidence that price and value can remain disconnected. And the carriers aren't making it much easier.

The smartphone surge has been driven in part by a desire to acquire the best and by a response to carrier advertising. However, a recent run-up in advanced smartphones have made it difficult to define a clear top of the line at many carriers, and carriers simply cannot promote them all with the same attention lavished on the iPhone or original Droid. Take the turn of events at Verizon, for example, which in the space of a few months has rolled out the Droid Incredible, Droid X and Droid 2, with the Samsung Fascinate in the wings. At least the first three have been all priced at $199, with strong precedent for the Fascinate coming in at that level. And while AT&T has been a bit more diverse in the operating systems of its recent spate of high-end contenders -- the iPhone 4, BlackBerry Torch and Samsung Captivate -- they too have all been priced at $199.

Continue reading Switched On: Gluts and glory

Switched On: Gluts and glory originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Confirmed: Galaxy S unlock codes are stored in your phone, Vibrant capable o...

2010-08-23T09:09:00.005+03:00

Confirmed: Galaxy S unlock codes are stored in your phone, Vibrant capable of AT&T 3G

via Engadget by Sean Hollister on 8/22/10

Sure, the Samsung Vibrant's a T-Mobile device and the Samsung Captivate belongs to AT&T, but there's no longer any reason you can't swap them around -- all you need is a simple script and a USB cable to completely unlock your phone. Dagentooboy of XDA-Developers discovered that Galaxy S unlock codes aren't kept in a secure remote server, but merely stored in a .BAK file on the device itself, which you find with a hex editor and key right in when inserting a new SIM card of your choice. We tested it out on both Vibrant and Captivate and were up and running in less than five minutes each time, and wonder of wonders, the Vibrant gave us a 3G data connection (with 2Mbps down) using an AT&T SIM. Sadly, we can't say the inverse for the Captivate, which pulled down standard EDGE speeds on T-Mobile, but this is already far more than the hacking community could have hoped for. The best part? None of this requires you to actually root the phone, and if you're worried about warranty you can re-lock the handset with the very same code.

[Thanks, Brad]

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Confirmed: Galaxy S unlock codes are stored in your phone, Vibrant capable of AT&T 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | XDA-Developers | Email this | Comments

Inhabitat's Week in Green: nanotech tea, pollution-sucking stones and the wo...

2010-08-23T09:09:00.004+03:00

Inhabitat's Week in Green: nanotech tea, pollution-sucking stones and the world's most efficient car

via Engadget by Inhabitat on 8/22/10

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week we saw the shattering of a new record as NYC's high-tech One Bryant Park skyscraper achieved LEED Platinum certification, making it the world's greenest office tower. We also turned over a new high-tech paving stone that can absorb airborne pollution and visited a hyper-efficient solar city in Germany that is able to produce four times the amount of energy that it consumes.

The world of efficient transportation is also heating up as four electric vehicles blazed a trail through Europe in a race to circle the globe in 80 days. We also watched a team of DeLaSalle students unveil the world's most efficient zero-emissions car and took a look at an incredible electrified Porsche. Finally, sun-powered transportation reached for the stars as NASA unveiled plans to launch its solar NanoSail into space this fall.

Nanotechnology is also changing lives here on earth as researchers revealed a nanotech tea bag that can purify a liter of drinking water for less than a penny. And speaking of liquid refreshment, this week we took a plunge in Manhattan's new recycled dumpster swimming pools -- and brought back tons of photos! But summer won't last forever, so if you're gearing up to head back to school next month be sure to check out our top picks for the best solar-powered book bags.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: nanotech tea, pollution-sucking stones and the world's most efficient car originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Kodak's Playtouch 1080P pocket camcorder and EasyShare M590 announced

2010-08-23T09:08:00.002+03:00

Kodak's Playtouch 1080P pocket camcorder and EasyShare M590 announced

via Engadget by Thomas Ricker on 8/22/10

Kodak just kicked out a pair of devices with its Playtouch pocket camcorder and EasyShare M590 point and shoot. Kodak's $229.95 Playtouch is capable of shooting image stabilized 1080P video with stereo audio to SDHC cards. A 3-inch capacitive touchscreen gives you plenty of room to edit your pics (or extract a still) on camera before flipping out the USB arm for a quick PC transfer. Otherwise, an HDMI jack lets you pump that digital keepsake right to the living room television without the PC assist. Rounding things out are an external microphone jack and Share button that makes it easy to push those memories to YouTube or FaceBook, or send via email if that's your preference. Kodak's rather mundane $199.99 EasyShare M590 is being billed as the world's slimmest digital camera with 5x optical zoom. Otherwise, things simmer down with a 2.7-inch LCD, some kind of image stabilization, face recognition, unspecified HD video capture, and microSD card support. And as you'd expect, the M590 also features a Share button that makes tagging and uploading photos and video to social media sites like Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube a snap. Image and PR after the break. Expect both cameras to ship sometime in the fall.

Continue reading Kodak's Playtouch 1080P pocket camcorder and EasyShare M590 announced

Kodak's Playtouch 1080P pocket camcorder and EasyShare M590 announced originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy S gets stock Android 2.1

2010-08-23T09:07:00.002+03:00

Samsung Galaxy S gets stock Android 2.1

via Boy Genius Report by Boy Genius on 8/21/10

For those Samsung Galaxy S-loving purists out there, you'll be pleased to know that there is an option around the corner. Stock Android 2.1 has been running just fine on the Galaxy S, though there are some issues at this early stage in the game, namely the camera application not functioning. Once all the bugs are worked out, how many of you would rather run stock Android than Samsung's TouchWiz interface? Video after the jump.

Read

Android 2.2 for Motorola DROID X leaked

2010-08-23T08:58:00.008+03:00

Android 2.2 for Motorola DROID X leaked

via Boy Genius Report by Andrew Munchbach on 8/20/10

If you're a Motorola DROID X owner with a hankering for tinkering, today is a good day for you. The DROID World forums have a leaked build of Android 2.2 ready to go for your beloved DX. The leaked OTA upgrade is in zip format, meaning all you have to do is drop it on your micro-SD card slot (you do have to completely erase your device) and run the update. We've put it on one of our DROID Xs and we have to say… so far we're impressed! The phone seems a bit snappier, there are some nice visual tweaks, and we're enjoying Google Voice Actions on the 4.3-inch screen. Given the polish on this leak, we're thinking Froyo for the DROID X has to be right around the corner. Hit the jump to see a quick little video we put together of the new goodies.

UPDATE: Adobe Flash 10.1 is pre-installed, it just isn't in the downloads section of the Market. It is listed in Preferences > Applications > Manage. Thanks, ThaBlackGuy.

Read

BlackBerry OS 6 for BlackBerry Bold 9700 video walkthrough

2010-08-23T08:58:00.007+03:00

BlackBerry OS 6 for BlackBerry Bold 9700 video walkthrough

via Boy Genius Report by Boy Genius on 8/20/10

We have been working this one for a while, and we finally got BlackBerry OS 6 for our BlackBerry 9700. Here's a short walkthrough video we put together. Comparing BlackBerry 6 on the 9700 to BlackBerry 6 on the 9800, we feel that the 9700 runs it better. It is less complicated to use, more functional (at least for us), and above all, faster. It even boots up in around a minute. For some reason, even though this build is not a final build, the phone feels snappy and doesn't seem to get bogged down like our BlackBerry Torch did. All the great features of BlackBerry 6 are obviously here — WebKit browser, Universal Search, and more — and it's nice to be able to pamper your beloved aging 9700 sometimes, isn't it?

Details on LG’s enV G and Windows Phone 7 slider

2010-08-23T08:58:00.006+03:00

Details on LG’s enV G and Windows Phone 7 slider

via Boy Genius Report by Andrew Munchbach on 8/20/10

A new connect has come forward and provided us with some details on LG's future phone plans that we thought we would share. According to our source, the LG enV Touch 2 that we heard about yesterday is actually to be called the enV G. Our source does confirm that the device has a hinged, dual touch-screen display and added that it will have a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor. Our tipster continues, and lets us know that LG will be releasing a mid-range, Android 2.1, all touch-screen device around the holidays that is being referred to internally as the "Thunder" (given recent events we're sure the name will change upon release). Our source claims that the Thunder will be released on Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, and MetroPCS. This would make the Thunder one phone with three different 3G radios (unless they drop a pentaband UMTS 3G radio in two of them). Finally, the last bit of information we were given indicates that LG's first Windows Phone 7 device will be a full-QWERTY slider and will be available right when WP7 goes live. There you have it. Think the enV G and this sliding WP7 device can give LG some momentum in the U.S. smartphone market? What do you think of LG hardware in general (the phones, not the washing machines)?

UPDATE: Our source clarified that there will be three Windows Phone 7 devices launching right when the OS is officially announced. One will be from Samsung, one will be from HTC, and one will be from LG. The LG device will be the only handset with a full slide-out QWERTY keypad.

UPDATE 2: It looks like Engadget has been sent in an image of the full-QWERTY slider device. Hit the break to check it out.

Google HTC Nexus One out of stock

2010-08-23T08:57:00.005+03:00

Google HTC Nexus One out of stock

via Boy Genius Report by Andrew Munchbach on 8/20/10

First Google killed the HTC Nexus One, then resurrected it for developers, and now the phone is just plain-old out of stock. In a quick blog post today, Google wrote:

A couple of weeks ago, we arranged that registered developers could buy an unlocked Nexus One via their publisher page in Android Market. We think it's a good development platform and a nice phone. Apparently, you agree. Somewhat too many of you, in fact; we blew through the (substantial) initial inventory in almost no time, and they're back-ordered from HTC, who are doing a pretty good job of managing runaway success amid a worldwide AMOLED shortage. Everyone appreciates that it's important to the platform to get phones in the hands of developers, so we're working hard on re-stocking the shelves; stand by.

If you have a Nexus One, hold it close. If you yearn for a Nexus One… absence makes the heart grow fonder. No?

Read

Dell Thunder prototype detailed

2010-08-23T08:57:00.004+03:00

Dell Thunder prototype detailed

via Boy Genius Report by Andrew Munchbach on 8/20/10

It seems as though the mobile phone stork delivered a set of twins to Engadget… smartphone twins that is. The blog was gifted with two Dell Thunder Android smartphone prototypes, and they've done the honor of shedding some light on just what we're looking at. The Thunder will pack a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor with Qualcomm Adreno graphics (think Nexus One), 4.1-inch touch-screen display, 512 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM, 8 megapixel camera with LED flash, and (possibly) a front-facing VGA camera. The two units were sporting different operating systems and screen resolutions. One unit was running a developer build of Android 1.6 while the other was running Android 2.1. As mentioned above, the screen resolutions on the two units are also not identical, one has a resolution of 800 x 600 and the other 1,280 x 768. The gang found evidence in the software of a CDMA test suite, indicating the potential for a Verizon or Sprint model, and one unit had AT&T's HSPA 3G bands while the other had T-Mobile's AWS 3G bands. Furthermore, the device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, 1,400 mAh battery, and micro-SD card slot. The Thunder's glass screen is also slightly beveled, which Engadget described as "as useless as it is cool." So if you like Dell hardware, and the Streak is too much phone for you, what do you think about the Thunder?

Read

360 images

2010-08-20T14:08:00.003+03:00

Historical archives of the Town of Modigliana in Italy

Ghost Town in california

Hamburg Alte Post - Neuer Wall - Alsterhaus in hamburg-germany

Mako Sica aka The Badlands in united-states-of-america

Cable Beach Camels in australia

Carpet of cherry blossoms in tokyo

Amedee Coral Reef New Caledonia in new-caledonia

Mountain rescue by Helicopter on Pineta in europe

Kinect: “No technological reason” stopping sign language support

2010-08-20T13:45:00.002+03:00

Kinect: “No technological reason” stopping sign language support

via SlashGear by Chris Davies on 8/20/10

Were we too quick to write off sign-language support in Microsoft's upcoming Kinect motion sensor add-on for the Xbox 360? According to Shannon Loftis, head of the Good Science Studio at Microsoft, that could be so; she told Pocket-lint that "sign language is very much within the realm of possibility," and that "there's no technological reason why sign language would not work."

Sign language was initially spotted in patent documentation Microsoft filed for Kinect, suggesting the peripheral's dual cameras could be used to track individual finger movements and translate them to on-screen text. However, Microsoft then said the first-generation Kinect wouldn't in fact support ASL (American Sign Language), at least in its first iteration. That fell in line with rumors that the company had downgraded the quality of the video cameras in the Kinect sensor bar, to models that were only capable of differentiating between arm movements, not fingers.

This new information would seemingly contradict that speculation, with Loftis saying that "this is just the launch of the product and development will continue throughout the entire life cycle of the Xbox 360." We'll have to wait until the first teardowns to see exactly what cameras Microsoft has fitted to Kinect, and of course even then there's no public timescale for sign language's inclusion.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Sweet BitFenix Colossus computer case unveiled

2010-08-20T13:44:00.005+03:00

Sweet BitFenix Colossus computer case unveiled

via SlashGear by Shane McGlaun on 8/20/10

I have never heard of a company called BitFenix but they tossed a cool new computer case onto the market yesterday that I really want. The case is called the Colossus and has a design that's not more of the same old stuff that we typically see when a new case hits the market.

The case can be had in black or white colors and has these lines that run around the sides and across the front that have lighting effects. The lights can be turned to red or blue and can be set to glow steadily, pulse, and can be turned off as well. The case is made from SECC and ABS and is an ATX full tower case measuring in at 245 x 558 x 582mm.

The case supports Mini ITX, mATX, ATX, and E-ATX mainboards and has five 5.25″ drive bays with one of those being an external bay. Internal 3.5″ drive bays total seven and those same bays can be used for 2.5″ HDDs as sell. The cooling system includes a 230mm front fan, an optional 140mm or 120mm spot in the rear for a fan, and a 230mm top fan. An additional 140mm fan can be used in the bottom of the case for more cooling. The front panel has a pair of USB 2.0 ports and a pair of USB 2.0 port along with eSATA and audio ports. The power supply goes in the bottom of the chassis. The Colossus will sell for $169.

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

LG: Optimus tablet “better than the iPad”; 10 new phones in 2H 2010

2010-08-20T13:44:00.004+03:00

LG: Optimus tablet “better than the iPad”; 10 new phones in 2H 2010

via SlashGear by Chris Davies on 8/20/10

Brave words from LG this week, with the company pledging not only to launch 10 new smartphone models by the end of 2010, but promising that its upcoming tablet will "be better than the iPad." Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, vice president of marketing for LG mobile devices Chang Ma revealed that an Optimus-branded tablet is planned for release in Q4 this year, with "high-end features and new benefits"; the unnamed slate will also have a focus on content creation rather than consumption, with support for document writing, video editing and even coding.

Ma describes it as "surprisingly productive" and points to the iPad's focus on content consumption as one of its key drawbacks. LG sees the US market as most important for the tablet, but will not confirm any wireless carrier involvement such as Apple has with AT&T.

The company has already committed to releasing a smartphone based on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 chipset in Q4 2010. That will be one of ten new devices by year's end, in LG's attempt to grab a 5m unit share of the market, followed by an LTE-capable device in early 2011.

[via GottaBeMobile]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

HP TouchSmart tm2 Adds Core i5 Processor to List of Features, Available Now

2010-08-20T13:43:00.008+03:00

HP TouchSmart tm2 Adds Core i5 Processor to List of Features, Available Now

via SlashGear by Evan Selleck on 7/21/10

Back in May, there was a pretty robust rumor making its way around the Internet, saying something to the extent that the HP TouchSmart tm2 convertible laptop would be getting a big improvement in the processor department. It launched "back in the day" with Intel's Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor, and the rumors suggested that Intel would be supplanting that with their own Core i5 CPU. And, sure enough, that's finally happened.

Coming after the launch of the Core i3 CPU variation just a few months back, the i5 is a welcomed addition to the line-up. It still features that same 12-inch multitouch touchscreen, but it can now be installed with a 1.2GHz Core i5-430UM CPU. You can then pair that with an integrated Intel graphics card, or if you're feeling rambunctious, you can choose the model installed with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5450. Both variations have 4GB of DDR3 RAM pre-installed.

Right now, the TouchSmart tm2 looks like it's going for about $800, give or take a few bucks, so if you're in the market for a new toy, this may be your next impulse purchase.

[via HP; thanks Dave]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

Plextor PX-B120U USB-Powered External Blu-ray Drive Costs Only $100

2010-08-20T13:43:00.007+03:00

Plextor PX-B120U USB-Powered External Blu-ray Drive Costs Only $100

via SlashGear by Evan Selleck on 7/21/10

Getting a Blu-ray player now-a-days isn't the hardest thing in the world, but it can still be one of the more expensive things you do. Sure, there are alternatives, but some times you just want to be able to get a Blu-ray player, and nothing else. Well, if you're in the market to get your laptop to play Blu-ray movies, then Plextor probably just made your day. They've introduced their brand new PX-B120U, and it's a completely USB-powered Blu-ray player.

Although the PX-B120U is only powered by its USB cable, that doesn't mean you won't get the full effect. The player is still perfectly capable of reading Blu-rays at 4X, and if you really want to watch other things, like an HD movie, you'll be happy to know that there's Cyberlink Power DVD software pre-installed, which means you can do just that. Furthermore, if you're favorite movie hasn't been released on Blu-ray yet, and you've only got it on a standard DVD, the external player will upscale it for you to a something-like HD quality.

The drive itself will read your Blu-ray from a top-load mechasnism. It only gets really interesting when you take a look at the price. For $100, you'll be able to connect this and go (hopefully), which should make watching your favorite high definition flicks pretty simple. And while we have a price, it doesn't look like the new model has been included on their site quite yet. So, hopefully that changes soon.

[via Electronista]

Relevant Entries on SlashGear