Consoles and Gadgets

HP Compaq AirLife 100 specs revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:16:00 +0800

HP hasn't exactly shrouded its Android-running Compaq AirLife 100 in mystery -- you know, considering we spent some quality time with it at MWC and it recently just cleared the FCC -- but the full specs of the company's first smartbook have now been confirmed on HP's website. Frankly, we're not all that surprised by what's going on inside the 10-inch clamshell device -- it's powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with WiFi / 3G connectivity, 512MB of RAM, and 16GB of flash storage. Just as we saw at CES and then again in Barcelona, in addition to a touchpad it's got a resistive touchscreen (no multitouch here) for navigating the mobile OS. We're still assuming it won't have access to the Android Marketplace, but HP is listing the preloaded apps, which interestingly includes a "data transfer counter" and NDrive GPS. The AirLife is set to launch soon in Latin America and in parts of Europe with carrier partners, but because it's popping up on HP's US site there's reason to believe it may be headed stateside. We're still awaiting HP's official word on that American AirLife so stay tuned.

via: engadget

Maingear rolls out updated eX-L 15 gaming laptop

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:14:00 +0800

Maingear's original eX-L 15 gaming laptop may have been something back in the heyday of August, 2009, but times have changed and, now, so has Maingear's eX-L 15 gaming laptop. Supposedly the "fastest 15-inch HD gaming notebook on the market," the updated ex-L 15 packs your choice of Core i5 or i7 processors, along with ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics, an LED-backlit 1,920 x 1,080 display, up to 8GB of RAM, and a whole range of different hard drive / SSD choices, among other standard gaming laptop options. As you might expect, however, the price can easily top $4,000 with just a couple of clicks, but those satisfied with the base-level offering can snag one for $1,599.

source: Maingear

BlackBerry 9670 flip spotted running OS 6.0, causes eyes to bleed, children to cry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:13:00 +0800

According to BGR, we're apparently looking at the first shots of a phone numbered 9670 in RIM's BlackBerry parlance, a true QWERTY flip running BlackBerry OS 6.0 on a 480 x 360 display with WiFi, a 5 megapixel camera, optical pad (as is the case with every new BlackBerry these days), microSD expansion, and a huge external display that's eerily reminiscent of Moto's RAZR 2. The device is said to be running CDMA, which almost certainly means it's being shopped around to Sprint and Verizon exclusively among major carriers -- the only other big potential takers would be Bell and Telus, and they're in the midst of migrating to HSPA -- so we'll just sit back, relax, and see if this thing materializes at WES next week. Granted, we've got to see it in person and gaze at a few non-blurrycam shots before passing final judgment, but we're admittedly a little worried about the merciless beating the ugly stick may have delivered up in Waterloo this time around.

source: BGR

Lenovo talks up LePhone, shows off app store ahead of May launch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:10:00 +0800

Lenovo's Android-based LePhone (not LePhono, sadly) may not be officially launching in China until next month, but the company did just hold a launch event of sorts in the country, in which it revealed a few new details and did a fair bit of boasting. According to The Wall Street Journal, Lenovo says that it's aiming to sell "millions" of the phones in the next five years, and "tens of millions" after that -- although not just involving this particular phone, obviously. Lenovo COO Rory Read also reportedly further added that the company is ready for a "tough fight" against Apple's iPhone, and that Lenovo will have a "better brand position" that RIM, which hasn't yet gained a significant foothold in China. That's certainly plenty ambitious for a company new to the cellphone space, and should no doubt only further fuel those rumors of a certain acquisition.

via: I4U News

Nintendo ships Wii Classic Controller Pro to sweaty-palmed Americans

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:07:00 +0800

Nothing like coming through on a promise, right? You bet. If you'll recall, the Big N assured us all back in January that the jumbo-sized Wii Classic Controller Pro would begin shipping to America in April, and sure enough, that's exactly what it has done. After giving the Japanese a few months head-start, both the white and black accessories are now shipping from none other than Amazon for the tidy sum of $19.99 apiece. And yes, gift wrapping is available for a nominal fee.

via: I4U News

Apple names April 30th, 5PM as date and time for 3G iPad retail launch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:05:00 +0800

There was a bit of confusion with Apple's online store update yesterday as to when the 3G version of its iPad will actually make its retail debut. Let that fog of ignorance be no more, as Cupertino has today named April 30th, a Friday, as the day the WiFi + 3G slate will arrive in stores. In American stores, that is, don't get all excited if you live outside the 50 states. That's also the date when early (read: before yesterday) pre-orders will be fulfilled. Deliveries for those were promised for "late April," though clearly this date has more of the late and less of the April to it.

via: engadget

Sharp's 46-inch Quattron LE821E HDTV and its integrated Freeview HD DVR make reviewers gush

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:58:00 +0800

Now this is more like it. Instead of chewing on another underwhelming 3D display, the Tech Radar crew have pulled in one of Sharp's hot new Quattron sets -- distinguishable, if you look really really closely, by the addition of yellow to the standard RGB colors in each pixel -- and their experience has certainly been something to write about. Describing the LE821E's color response as "utterly spectacular," they go on to praise the LCD's improved brightness thanks to the yellow sub-pixel's higher transparency, confident upscaling of standard def pictures to Full HD resolution, and "inspired onscreen menus." Counteracting the good stuff were mildly disappointing black levels and a £2,000 ($3,053) price for the 46-inch model. Sure it's steep, but with Freeview HD and an 8GB HDD built into the box, we can think of a few ways to justify the expense.

source: Tech Radar

Finally, a well designed docking station for Apple's MacBook line

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:28:00 +0800

We'd love to say that many have tried, but really, the bona fide docking station market dried up years ago in every sector save for enterprise, and while a few companies have served up "universal" alternatives, none of them were particularly well-designed. Out of nowhere, Henge Docks has emerged in order to provide a solution to your MacBook docking woes, and we've got to say -- for a first try, the products being offered up here look mighty fine. Designed to work with most modern MacBooks as well as 13/15/17-inch MacBook Pros, these all-white stands hold your machine vertical while providing seamless access to desk-strapped peripherals (a monitor, iPod dock, mouse, heated USB blanket, etc.) It also uses Apple's own MagSafe adapter, and your optical drive is still flipped out if you need to access it. The 13-inch MBP model is available now for $59.95 to $64.95, while every other flavor is available for pre-order; check out a video after the break if you're having issues pulling the trigger.

source: Henge Docks

Keepin' it real fake: iPad QWERTY slider edition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:25:00 +0800

We're not about to cover every iPad knockoff that emerges from parts unknown, but this particular device packs just enough KIRF innovation to get us to take notice. The biggest selling point, so to speak, is the tablet's sliding QWERTY keypad, which packs some MacBook-esque keys and a ThinkPad-style pointing stick. As if that wasn't enough, you'll also apparently get WIndows 7 for an OS, along with a 10-inch display of unspecified resolution, and an Atom N450 processor at the heart of rig. No indication of a price -- or even a name, for that matter.

source: Shanzhaiben

Apple's 4th-generation iPhone revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:18:00 +0800

Well, we told you so. The fourth-generation iPhone prototype that leaked its way out into the world over the weekend has found its way to Gizmodo, and they've examined it exhaustively enough to prove that it's the real thing. Not only does it show up in iTunes, Xcode, and System Profiler, but it has different product identifiers than the 3G or 3GS, and it's packed with Apple-labeled components inside. Unfortunately, they couldn't get it to boot out of recovery mode, but a number of new features and changes are evident just by holding it. Obviously, it's thinner than the 3GS, with smaller internal components and a larger battery inside the metal frame. There's also a front-facing camera, a larger and better camera with a flash on the back, a higher-res display that's slightly smaller than the current models, a second mic for noise cancellation, and that new back, which Giz seems a bit confused about but we're fairly sure is glass or ceramic. It's also three grams heavier than a 3GS, with a 16 percent larger battery and the same new MicroSIM slot used in the iPad.

We're also told the phone was found running iPhone OS 4.0 but that it was remotely killed before Giz could actually see it, and that they can't get it to boot because it requires a bespoke build of the OS. We're assuming Apple's hot on the trail of this thing, so hit the source link while you can and check a couple more pics after the break.

source: Gizmodo

NEC's 3D all-in-one PC set to polarize the market this year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:15:00 +0800

It seems that even the fully-integrated desktop is not immune to the wiles of 3D. NEC has demonstrated an all-in-one desktop PC that features a Blu-ray player and an LCD display that, when paired with some inexpensive polarized glasses, adds a little depth to movie content. That's all we know about it at this point, other than a release date that's been pegged as happening sometime in 2010, with Impress indicating that it could even be sometime in the first half of this year. The question is, of course: will anyone buy it?

source: Impress PC Watch

Toshiba's tablets said to offer Tegra 2 power, have we already seen the Android version?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:12:00 +0800

News continues to trickle out about Toshiba's upcoming tablets, which we learned just last week would come in both Windows and Android flavors and would be shipping before the year is through. Now it seems that both versions, despite offering different designs, will offer NVIDIA Tegra 2 internals. That both tablets will be manufactured by Compal makes us wonder if we weren't given a preview of the future Tosh model when playing with a 7-inch Android prototype at CES in January, pictured above. There's a video of that after the break to refresh your memory, a relic dating from the pre-G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra era. Simpler times, those.

via: engadget

Toshiba Announces Satellite A660, L670, L650, C650 Laptops

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:15:00 +0800

Toshiba new Satellite series laptops – the Satellite A660, L670, L650 and C650 has been announched today.

Toshiba A660 is a multimedia laptop that provides a choice of the Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, Nvidia’s dedicated graphics (512Mb or 1GB), up to 640GB of hard disk space, up to 8GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive or DVD writer, and a LED-backlit 720p display with 16 inch display. It also sports a web camera, four USB ports, one eSATA/USB connector, an HDMI output, and a 5-in-1 media card reader.

The 17.3-inch Satellite L670 and the 15.6-inch L650 mainstream notebooks are available with the Intel Core i3, Core i5 or the latest AMD processors, discrete AMD Radeon HD5145 512MB GPU, up to 500GB of storage space, and up to 4GB of RAM. The laptops include 802.11n WiFi, two USB ports, an eSATA port, HDMI output, and LED-backlit screens.

The affordable 15.6-inch Satellite C650, with expected price of around $540, includes the Intel Core i3, Intel Pentium or an AMD processor, up to 500GB HDD, up to 4GB of RAM, and a DVD writer. Graphics choices are the Intel HD or ATI integrated GPUs. It also sports 802.11n WiFi, two USB ports, and a multi-in-one media card reader.

All models feature thinner cases than the previous Satellite series. All new Toshiba Satellites run Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. There’s no info on availability, except for the Satellite A660 which will be available from June 2010.

via: internet

Toshiba's new REGZA record over LAN, convert 2D to 3D quite soon in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:23:00 +0800

Though Toshiba's flagship ZX900 Cell TV has yet to make its feature-packed US debut, the company is already planning fancy new toys for the motherland. This week, Toshiba announced a full fifteen new LCD HDTVs destined to spice up the sweltering Japanese summer -- each of them ready to pull double duty as DVR -- and Nikkei Electronics reports that the company's 3D-converting sets will debut around the same time. Meanwhile, Google Translate tells us a bit about the rest. While the low-end REGZA HE1 series have only a built-in 500GB hard drive and LED-backlit LCDs (as if that weren't enough), the RE1 can send footage to up to four external hard drives over USB in a system that gives each family member their own dedicated hard drive. But the Z1 series takes the cake -- it's got fleshed out DVR functionality that lets users record two programs at once (while watching a third) and jack into a LAN switch with eight drives for a veritable NAS of up to 4TB. It's little things like this that make us wish we lived in Japan.

via: Gizmodo

BenQ debuts GL series of LCDs with 12,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:22:00 +0800

Alright, so we all know (or should know) that a manufacturer's stated contrast ratio isn't the best way to judge the quality of an LCD, but we've got to hand it to BenQ with its new GL series of monitors, which boast a ridiculous 12,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. That, as you might have guessed, is apparently the industry's highest and, according to BenQ, helps to add "color depth and definition to darkened and complex visuals." Otherwise, the 18.5-inch GL930, 19-inch GL931, 20-inch GL2030, 21.5-inch GL2230 and 22-inch GL2231 models each look to pack some decidedly more standard specs, including a 5ms response time, LED backlighting, varying amounts of ports depending on the model, and a 1,600 x 900 resolution on the 20-incher (complete specs on all the models aren't available yet). That 20-inch GL2030 model is also the first of the lot to roll out (sometime this month), while the rest will be available in July.

via: Electronista

Compaq Presario CQ1-1020 all-in-one: Atom-equipped

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:18:00 +0800

Okay, okay -- so maybe Compaq's Presario CQ1-1020 is good for a little more than just browsing the world wide web and sending the occasional email, but there's no denying that this one's aimed at the "casual user." Outfitted with an Atom D410 processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory, Intel's GMA 3150 integrated graphics, a 160GB (7200rpm) hard drive and dual-layer DVD burner, the all-in-one isn't exactly cut out to handle Crysis. Furthermore, it ships with Windows XP Home Edition, though we are delighted to see that 802.11b/g/n WiFi was tossed in alongside the Ethernet jack. You'll also get inbuilt speakers, a 6-in-1 card reader, eight USB 2.0 sockets and enough bloatware to keep you busy with uninstallations for at least 10 to 12 minutes. It's listed for the low, low price of $429.99, but that little "check back soon" message means you can't order quite yet. Bummer, bro.

source: Computer Monger

PhoneGap framework fine for App Store development, sez Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:19:00 +0800

Now, we've all been concerned about recent updates to the iPhone dev agreement -- you haven't been sleeping and your parents are, quite frankly, worried for your sanity. And it's a heady subject: "what is the fate of PhoneGap in the wake of the iPhone OS 4 beta SDK?" Well, worry no more, little one -- it seems that Jesse Macfadyen, a contributor to the project, pinged Apple to make sure that users of the mobile development platform wouldn't find their apps rejected simply for using the tool. As you remember, the agreement states: "Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine" (and of course HTML and CSS are cool), so PhoneGap -- which indeed sticks to HTML, CSS and Javascript -- is totally safe. Now developers can get back to having their apps rejected for any number of other silly reasons.

via: Mac Stories

Feel-goodroid: Nexus One is in the black, 60K Android devices activated per day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:17:00 +0800

We'd heard a couple times that the Nexus One was selling at a mere trickle, but what we haven't heard is whether the phones that have sold are enough to generate a profit for Google -- and on its earnings call today, the company claimed for the first time that its superphone is indeed in the black. Speaking both of the Nexus One specifically and of the platform as a whole, the company said that "it is a profitable business for us... we are driving the business to be a profitable business," some of the strongest language we've heard that Google intends to fully convert Android from a hobby into an integral part of its financials going forward. On a related note, the company also boasted on the call that it's "seeing more than 60 thousand devices sold and activations daily," which -- by our rough math, anyhow -- would work out to close to 22 million Android activations annually, and they're now up to some 38,000 apps in the Market. Certainly seem like these guys have cemented their position as a mobile powerhouse, doesn't it?

via: engadget

Samsung, Microsoft work PlayReady DRM support into upcoming devices

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:16:00 +0800

The reality of PlayReady's ability to extend DRM'd media across devices still seems to be more theory than reality (just ask Nokia) but if/when protected content wants to stay that way, Samsung hardware will be ready. The first of the company's products with Microsoft's DRM scheme baked in are expected to ship this year, with an expected migration from the old Windows Media DRM wrapping up across all product lines by 2012. We're still dreaming about sliding content access from Zune to Galaxy S to Media Center PC to our remote and back, and will remain secure in our cryosleep chambers until it comes true...

via: Electronista

TVLogic debuts 56-inch LUM-560W 4K x 2K LCD a few years ahead of time

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:13:00 +0800

Oh sure, it's not that we've never seen a 4K x 2K display before, but few are both a) this small and b) this connected. Introduced over at NAB 2010, the LUM-560W is quite a different beast from the two OLED sets already shown by TVLogic. Boasting a 56-inch 10-bit panel, a native 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, 1,500:1 contrast ratio and support for the company's own color calibrator utility, the only major bummer is the totally corporate bezel that we're forced to deal with. There's also too many ports to count, but we'll try: four HDMI inputs, four DVI-D inputs, four 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs and four 3G/HD/SD-SDI outputs. There's nary a mention of price of availability, but you'll probably need a nice archive of raw RED footage before you genuinely care about either.

via: iTech News

Sony PlayTV getting Facebook, still no love for stateside PS3 owners

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:12:00 +0800

Sony PlayTV, the digital TV tuner / DVR for PS3 that is still painfully unavailable in the United States, is getting "great new features," according to the PlayStation Blog. What does that mean for you? Well, if you're in England (as well as the rest of the UK, wiseguy), Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, or the UAE, it means Facebook integration! What else does it mean? "Other great enhancements," the likes of which the company refuses to divulge at this point. That said, it looks like we'll know "later this year," at least according to James Thorpe, PlayStation Network Product Manager. We'll keep you posted.

via: eurogamer

Keepin' it real fake: Moonse iPad knockoff loses a few inches, runs Android

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:09:00 +0800

This is far from the first iPad knockoff to emerge from KIRF-land, but Moonse's new E-7001 tablet may just be the first to garner some serious interest -- if it ever actually turns up for sale, that is. Supposedly, the tablet will sell for as little as 900 Chinese yuan (or about $130), which will get you a 7-inch touchscreen, a 600MHz Rockchip RK2808 processor (which could possibly be upgraded to a Cortex-A8 before launch), Android 1.5 for an OS, an SD card slot for storage, built-in WiFi, and a promised five hours of battery life. What's more, while it is slightly thicker than an iPad, it apparently weighs just 0.7 pounds, or about half as much as the iPad, and it boasts a few advantages of its own, in a front-facing camera and a USB port. As you may have guessed, there's not even a hint on availability, but it does seem to at least exist in prototype form, and there's plenty more shots of it at the source link below.

source: Shanzaiben

Pantech's Sirius Sky smartphone does Android 2.1 on Snapdragon

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:08:00 +0800

One gigahertz is becoming the bar of entry in the world of Android, and the upcoming Sirius Sky from Pantech meets that with its Snapdragon processor. It's also helped along by an Android 2.1 install and a 3.7-inch 800 x 480 OLED screen that does look rather vivid in the above shot -- presumably taken indoors. 500MB of storage is offered internally by the phone while expandable memory bumps things up to 32GB, upon which pictures from the five megapixel camera can be stored for later mockery. The phone is said to be hitting Asian markets "pretty soon" and, while there are rumors of a US release, they're sounding a bit unsubstantiated at this point.

source: sourceLand of Android

Toshiba reveals more tablet details, confirms Windows and Android versions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:03:00 +0800

It wasn't that long ago that we heard confirmation from Toshiba America's Jeff Barney that there was a slate coming from the company in early 2011. Now Jeff has disclosed a bit more information to Reuters, including the presence of not one but at least two of the things, and he's saying they'll be out before the year is through. The first will be a premium model running Windows 7, roughly 10 inches in size and, interestingly, having not one but two screens. (Is this you, Courier?) The second will run Android and is said to come in at a lower price, though beyond that it's up to you to decide what kind of specs it should have. The prime intent for both is "media consumption" according to Barney, who sees the presence of slates as "expansive like netbooks." In other words: not stealing sales from the company's laptop business. Given he also took the time to talk up the 50-percent boost in Toshiba laptop and PC sales this year, he'd better hope that's the case.

via: electronista

Samsung NB30 netbook gains touchscreen, inflated price tag

noreply@blogger.com (Anewor) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:01:00 +0800

A touchscreen on a netbook may not be everyone's idea of a good time, but it looks like Samsung thinks there's a sizable enough market for them, as it's now introduced a touchscreen-equipped counterpart to its NB30 netbook. Dubbed the NB30 Touch, this version packs a 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600 touchscreen (matte, no less) and remains otherwise identical to the standard NB30, including an Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB or 250GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Starter Edition for an OS. Of course, the one other big change is the price, which comes in at €399 (or about $545) for the NB30 Touch, compared to just €279 (or $380) for the non-touchscreen version.

via: Electronista