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Engadget News

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• Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: E-readers
• OpenVizsla hopes to bring USB sniffing to the everyhacker
• AAXA debuts L1 v2: world's smallest 20 lumen pico projector
• Next iPad likely to get a new screen, front-facing camera; USB port... not so likely
• Hasselblad's Ferrari-branded H4D camera: now available for just €21,499
• Land Crawler exTreme robot carries 175 pounds of human
• Nendo's ceramic circuit board speaker gives the rest of the audio world body image issues
• NoMute reclaims iPad orientation lock in iOS 4.2, but only if you jailbreak
• Nokia X7-00 spotted feeding its Need for Speed in the wild (video)
• Hylas 1 satellite blasting off today, will rain down broadband from above
• Super Talent USB 3.0 RAIDDrive nabs an extra 55MB/sec via firmware update
• Luke, I am your smartphone (video)
• MeggyCade: it's what happens when Meggy Jr. meets arcade (video)
• Panasonic's Evolta robot finishes 500-kilometer trek ahead of schedule
• La Boite Concept LD120 is the hi-fi desk your laptop's been crying out for (video)
• 2011 Chevy Volt gets stickered: 93MPG on battery, 37MPG on gasoline
• Security experts unearth unpleasant flaws in webOS
• Ask Engadget: best Android tablet for under $200?
• Boxee Box owners can be thankful for their first firmware update
• Acer's 10.1-inch tablet reportedly uses AMD C-50 APU
• Apple's US Black Friday deals posted, exactly what you expected (update: now live)
• Infinitec Infinite USB Memory Drive review
• Nexus S in the wild gives us a blurry Gingerbread walkthrough

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: E-readers Posted: 26 Nov 2010 10:21 AM PST Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. E-readers have really started to come into their own in the past few years, and there are now a bevy of options ranging from the utilitarian to the multi-tasking. If you're thinking about getting a reader for a friend or loved one, look no further: we've got our best picks below. Stocking stuffers Nook (WiFi) Barnes and Noble's massive library of books remains hard to beat, as does its easy buying experience. The updated firmware means the e-Ink screen refreshes are faster than ever and you get syncing across multiple devices when using the Nook apps. Key specs: WiFi only, e-Ink screen, secondary color touchscreen Price: $149 Another option... Kobo e-reader - $129 This one is a bit bare bones, but it's light and comfortable in the hand, with apps for every platform. The newest version offers WiFi and a few color options, too. And another... Kindle (Wifi) - $139 Spec for spec this one is exactly the same as its cheaper, Wifi-only cousin, but with the added convenience of free 3G connectivity for grabbing books on the go. Oh, you shouldn't have Kindle (3G) Spec for spec this one is exactly the same as its cheaper, Wifi-only cousin, but with the added convenience of free 3G connectivity for grabbing books on the go. The 6-inch E Ink screen has the fastest refresh of any reader we've seen and it's extremely lightweight. Key specs: 6-inch E Ink screen, webkit browser, 3G, 8.7 ounces Price: $189 Another option... Sony Reader Touch Edition - $199 Sony's lineup of readers offer colorful options, and the Touch Edition boasts a 6-inch full touchscreens, crisp E Ink display and a capacity of up to 50,000 books. And another... Nook Color- $199 The first non-E Ink reader we're recommending boasts a full touchscreen LCD which makes reading magazines a pretty pleasurable experience. Barnes and Noble is also focusing on kids pretty heavily with this one, too. We can't afford the rent now, can we? Apple iPad While the iPad is not primarily a reader, plenty of users do plenty of reading on the tablet. Apple's iBooks store is not the largest, but it's growing every day, and the reading experience the company has developed is very elegant. Key specs: 9.7-inch LCD, WiFi only and 3G options, up to 64GB storage Price: from $499 Another option... Spring Design Alex - $399 The Alex is built on the Android operating system, and its dual screen approach makes it stand out from many other readers. The top boasts a 6-inch e Ink screen while the lower portion of the reader has a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD which you can use for things like web browsing on top of basic navigation. And another.... Kindle DX - $379 Amazon's jumbo Kindle is undoubtedly too large for some, but it's surprisingly light and the 9.7-inch E Ink display brings a pretty stellar reading experience with that size. Free 3G means you'll be able to grab books wherever, and the DX is just about one-third of an inch thick.

OpenVizsla hopes to bring USB sniffing to the everyhacker Posted: 26 Nov 2010 09:44 AM PST Remember that Kinect hack how-to? A key figure in the story was the use of a USB analyzer that was plugged in-between the Kinect and the Xbox to pick up on USB traffic and pull out a log that could be used for hacking. Well, there's a new 'OpenVizsla' project on KickStarter that's aiming to build open source hardware that can put this typically expensive tech ($1,400+) in the hands of more hackers, who use the hardware for anything from jailbreaking locked-down devices to building Linux drivers for hardware. The project was actually started by hackers "bushing" and "pytey," who have worked on hacking the Wii and the iPhone, respectively. They've already raised a good chunk of change for the project in pledges, with backing from folks like Stephen Fry and DVD Jon helping out the momentum, and hopefully we'll be seeing the next generation of hacks enabled by OpenVizsla and its brood before too long.

AAXA debuts L1 v2: world's smallest 20 lumen pico projector Posted: 26 Nov 2010 09:10 AM PST The pico projector may have peaked a year or so ago, but AAXA Technologies is hoping to ride the coattails of success with the L1 v2. Predictably, this is the second generation L1, and it's being hailed as the world's smallest 20 lumen pico projector at 4.2- x 2.1- x 1.2-inches. Other specs include a native 800 x 600 resolution, on-board gamma correction, an inbuilt media player capable of decoding a slew of file formats, an LCoS imager, a USB socket and an internal battery good for 1.5 hours of use. We're told that it can blast images up to 50-inches in size, and while the $449 MSRP still stings, those who pre-order now can get in for $399. Not exactly a Black Friday special, but hey... Show full PR text AAXA Introduces L1 v2 Laser Pico Projector November 24, 2010 AAXA Technologies is pleased to announce the release of the AAXA L1 v2 Laser Pico Projector, an updated version of the L1, the world's first laser powered pocket projector. The updated design improves the performance of L1 v2 by increasing the thermal efficiency of the PCOS laser light engine. The unique three-color laser light source enables the L1 v2 to produce images with amazing color saturation that are always in focus. Designed for mobile professionals and entertainment, the AAXA L1 v2 pocket projector combines a revolutionary laser light source, proprietary despeckling technology, and an LCoS imager to achieve a 20 lumen output at 800x600 resolution without the pixilation problems found in some laser projectors. The flexibility offered by the L1 v2 laser light source opens up a new world of possibilities in projection applications. The focus-free operation allows for rapid changes in projection size, simultaneous far and near surface projection, angled projection, and projection on curved and other non-flat surfaces. Its ultra-efficient optical engine enables the L1 v2 to produce rich images even in less-than-dark environments - and color-rich images up to 50" in dark environments. Combined with onboard 1.5 hour battery, the L1 v2 operates as a true hand-held laser projector without the need for any cables or external power source. Built-in features include VGA input supporting up to 800x600 resolutions for laptop connections and on-board gamma correction. Additional features include a powerful media player capable of decoding of video (AVI, ASF, WMV, MPG), audio (MP3, WAV, AAC), images (JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP), and popular document formats (DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF), onboard memory, and a USB port capable of reading files directly off a standard USB thumb drive. While the L1 v2 is slightly larger than the original L1, it still remains the world's smallest 20 lumen pico projector - no larger than a small cell phone, measuring only 4.2" x 2.1" x 1.2" and weighs in at 170 grams (including battery). The L1 v2 projector is much smaller than the traditional "pocket projector". It slips into a pocket or briefcase and comes with a stand, making it fully portable and configurable for maximum presentation flexibility. Additional accessories allow the L1 v2 to connect to Apple iPhone/iPod, Microsoft Zune, Sony Playstation Portable (PSP), and a wide range of cellphones from Nokia, LG, Samsung, and HTC. The AAXA L1 v2 is available for pre-order at www.aaxatech.com for $399 and begins shipping December 1, 2010 and will also be available through our fine retail partners.

Next iPad likely to get a new screen, front-facing camera; USB port... not so likely Posted: 26 Nov 2010 08:35 AM PST New rumors are swirling about the iPad 2, and they're a bit of a grab bag. The source is the same Economic Daily News paper that made one of the early calls on the first iPad, but also the one that reported in August that there was a 7-inch display being sourced for the iPad's sequel (which Steve Jobs seems to differ with). The new report says that the next iPad will be out in Q1 2011, will have dual cameras, a new display with new touch tech, and a USB port for working with third party devices. From our own information we know there were actually some last minute revisions on the first iPad that ended up killing the camera and nixing an extra dock connector, so the camera(s) seem a particularly natural "addition" for the iPad 2. We've also heard that a revised screen is happening, though it's unclear if this will be a "Retina Display" or something more minor. On the USB plug front, which could mark a sort of adolescent transition of the iPad into "computer," our source says it's, sadly, very unlikely. We're particularly interested in this mention of a new touchscreen technology from the EDN rumor (perhaps stylus support or pressure sensitivity?) but we don't have anything else to go on there. Overall, it's still hard to tell if the next iPad will be a small update or something more splashy, but it's certainly going to be something.

Hasselblad's Ferrari-branded H4D camera: now available for just €21,499 Posted: 26 Nov 2010 07:57 AM PST Now that you've wasted precious moments of your life saving $10 here, $8 there and $6.23 in your local Target, how's about a Black Friday deal that you'll never forget. Hasselblad's Ferrari-branded H4D medium format camera, which we saw unveiled earlier this year at Photokina, is now shipping to the affluent, the zany, and the select few that happen to be both. So far as we can tell, this is just an H4D with a Ferrari-approved design scheme, and neither point helps to make this thing anywhere near affordable. A grand total of 499 are being made available today, with each one to run €21,499 ($28,425) + tax. Who knew you'd be buying something today that's only purchasable via your Centurion card -- puts a whole new spin on Black Friday, huh? Show full PR text Hasselblad Announces Pricing and Shipping Date for the H4D Ferrari Limited Edition Camera 26/11/2010 First announced at photokina, and received with great enthusiasm from Hasselblad and Ferrari fans, the exclusive H4D Ferrari Edition camera is now available to purchase for 21,499 Euros (+tax). This brand new model is dedicated to the new generation of photographers looking for the ultimate image quality, and will be produced in 499 units. A winning combination, the Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Limited Edition camera will have appeal to Ferrari and Hasselblad fans who appreciate the innovation, quality and design that symbolize both brands. The H4D Ferrari Limited Edition is finished in Ferrari's unique color "rosso fuoco", and bears the legendary Racing Shield. The camera, which comes with an 80mm lens, is presented in an exclusively designed and engineered box with a glass top equally labeled with the distinctive Ferrari Racing Shield. Dual layers, one for the camera, with the lens and accessories housed in a separate lower level, are lined with a soft and rich material. This striking case is housed in a special handmade case and therefore is ideal for both storage and display. For more than 6 decades Ferrari as well as Hasselblad are renowned for technological innovative solutions, passion for excellence and an extraordinary sense of style. Based upon that mutual and absorbing passion, Ferrari and Hasselblad partner in the launch of this new generation of H4 cameras. For Ferrari enthusiasts striving to produce images at top speed, the new Phocus Quick software by Hasselblad that simply sidesteps any kind of complex postproduction will turn out to be the perfect tool to "strike home". For more information on the H4D Ferrari Limited Edition, please, visit the Hasselblad website at: www.hasselblad.com/promotions/h4d-40-ferrari-edition

Land Crawler exTreme robot carries 175 pounds of human Posted: 26 Nov 2010 07:05 AM PST Human-carrying (or human-assisting) robots come in all shapes and sizes, but we haven't seen anything quite like this so-called Land Crawler exTreme bot. Weighing in at just 27 pounds, the robot can apparently carry a person weighing up to 175 pounds (providing they have good balance), or it can simply amble around on its twelve legs all by itself. Practical? Maybe not. But it is quite a sight to behold -- see for yourself after the break.

Nendo's ceramic circuit board speaker gives the rest of the audio world body image issues Posted: 26 Nov 2010 06:19 AM PST We've seen slick hand-crafted ceramic speakers in the past, but this one millimeter-thick collaboration between potter Mitsuke Masagasu and design firm Nendo is in a different league. An entirely different league. The set is result of the so-called Revalue Nippon Project, created by Japanese footballer Nakata Hidetoshi to revive traditional Japanese art forms. Nakata selected five curators -- in this case the director of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazaw -- who were then tasked with pairing a ceramicist and designer to collaborate on a one of a kind form. Not satisfied with simply being 31 times thinner than the emaciated Mythos XTR series as a sole basis for artistic impact, the speaker's ravishing circuit design is also made without a human touch. Instead, a computer-controlled process cuts thin slices from a ceramic substrate slab, fixes them with mercury vapor, and then mounts them via a robotic arm. Amazingly, sound quality is still also touted as being top notch. There are no plans however for these speakers to ever be mass produced, so if you were hoping to snag one as the ultimate accessory for your über-modern flat... well, let yourself down easy, alright champ? Ceramic Speaker by Nendo

NoMute reclaims iPad orientation lock in iOS 4.2, but only if you jailbreak Posted: 26 Nov 2010 05:27 AM PST If you've yet to upgrade your iPad to iOS 4.2.1, and you're head-over-heels with your orientation lock, you've got two options: upgrade and lose that functionality altogether, or upgrade / jailbreak and get it back. Naturally, we'd recommend the latter. In what can only be described as "so typically Apple," the software engineers at Cupertino figured that they'd convert the perfectly acceptable orientation lock switch into a mute switch. We lamented this fact in our review of the update, but rather than Apple creating (non-fiddly) alternatives within its software, we're left to look for a solution in the jailbreaker's app store. NoMute has just emerged under the BigBoss repository in Cydia, promising to reclaim the switch you've already become accustomed to using. It's available now for absolutely nothing, but users are encouraged to cast a wicked glare in Steve's direction as the download ensues.

Nokia X7-00 spotted feeding its Need for Speed in the wild (video) Posted: 26 Nov 2010 04:41 AM PST Firstly, let's be absolutely clear that we don't know this is Nokia's X7, but given the polished, entertainment-centric design (it has four speakers, apparently), we're inclined to believe that it's the real deal. Its screen looks to be the same 4-inch affair as on Nokia's E7, it's running the latest Symbian OS (formerly known as Symbian^3), and pictures of its rear reveal an 8 megapixel camera. The last detail of import, naturally, is the reassurance that comes from knowing that this supposed X7 can crunch through Need for Speed quite nicely. Jump past the break to see it on video. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: The video's been thrown into private mode pretty quickly. Let us know if you find any copies of it floating about the interwebs. Update 2: Thanks to the lightning-fast gang at Mobile Bulgaria, we've got a new copy of the video up past the break. We've also spotted that this handset has four homescreens rather than the three available on currently released Symbian handsets. A newer version of the software? Might well be.

Hylas 1 satellite blasting off today, will rain down broadband from above Posted: 26 Nov 2010 04:30 AM PST Europe's about to catapult a new satellite up into orbit today, this one with the stated goal of providing broadband internet access to people in the areas hardest to reach by terrestrial connectivity means. UK startup Avanti Communications is the official name responsible for the Hylas 1, which is a funny mix of private and public investment: it's a commercial venture, yet the British state has contributed £40 million ($63m) to its development and European Space Agency tech will be used to get that 2.6-ton antenna up beyond the planet's atmosphere. Ultimately, though, the goal's a good one -- up to 10Mbps connections will be on offer, with plans for further satellites already on the books, which should serve to expand internet accessibility in parts of Africa and Asia as well. The next Hylas tin can will be leaving terra firma in 15 months, provided there no unknown unknowns pop up during that time to get in its way.

Super Talent USB 3.0 RAIDDrive nabs an extra 55MB/sec via firmware update Posted: 26 Nov 2010 03:58 AM PST How's this for post-purchase pleasantries? Super Talent has just revealed a new firmware update for the world's first USB 3.0 thumb drive (that would be the RAIDDrive), and it's one that takes full advantage of second generation USB 3.0 controller technology. The end result? An extra 55MB/sec on the benchmarking front, pushing its proven maximum speed to 370MB/sec. Head on past the break and mash play if you don't believe us, and feel free to start pressing your own storage boutique of choice for something similar for all those other SuperSpeed products. See more video at our hub! Show full PR text Super Talent USB 3.0 RAIDDrive TM over 370 MB/s San Jose, California - November 22, 2010 - Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced their USB 3.0 RAIDDriveTM is now even faster. When we introduced the USB 3.0 RAIDDrive, we knew that we had reached the limit of the USB 3.0 host controllers currently available. Now that 2nd generation USB 3.0 host controllers are beginning to emerge, this drive is able to show its true performance. Completely unchanged since its debut in January 2010, this drive now posts scores over 370MB/s; a full 55MB/s faster. "This product yet again underscores Super Talent's continued leadership in the USB 3.0 storage market. We now have five USB 3.0 flash drives: from the very fastest, RAIDDriveTM, to the ultra-affordable, Express DUOTM", said Super Talent COO, C.H. Lee. YouTubeTM Video-Benchmark: http://www.youtube.com/gosupertalent#p/u/12/ik5fFEsvTQg This drive was benchmarked using the new Fresco Logic FL-1009B, the fastest USB 3.0 solution we have tested to date. All our USB 3.0 drives are fully backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports, at USB 2.0 speeds. Both our USB 3.0 RAIDDriveTM and USB 3.0 Express DUOTM drive use SuperTalent patented technology and are protected under US Patent # 7457897. About Super Talent Technology Super Talent Technology Corporation based in San Jose, California, designs and manufactures a full range of DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 memory modules and Flash based storage devices for computers and consumer electronics. An ISO 9001 certified company, Super Talent utilizes its state-of-the-art factories and leading-edge components to produce award winning products with outstanding reliability. Super Talent is an active member of the JEDEC and ONFI standards bodies. With over 250 patents, the company was ranked 38th in the 2009 Wall Street Journal's Patent ScorecardTM for the IT industry.

Luke, I am your smartphone (video) Posted: 26 Nov 2010 03:04 AM PST NTT DoCoMo recently launched the Samsung Galaxy S in the Japanese market and now we've come to discover that it's chosen a very forceful personality to represent the product to its discerning audience. Darth "roundabound" Vader has been starring in the carrier's latest round of "always with you" ads, wherein he serves as a (sort of) human representation of the phone, thus lending some anthropomorphic qualities to the cold slab of technology awaiting you in the shops. This whole outlandish idea really shouldn't work, but somehow it does -- we want a little Vader in our lives too now. Video after the break.

MeggyCade: it's what happens when Meggy Jr. meets arcade (video) Posted: 26 Nov 2010 02:16 AM PST How much fun can you really have with an 8x8 pixel array? Quite a lot, as evidenced by this here arcade project. One Bomber Punk has managed to created a full-on arcade enclosure for a Meggy Jr. game console, and he even took the time to swap in coin-op buttons and a joystick for control. The whole thing took around a month to build (part-time, of course), and considering that he has managed to load up an absurdly pixelated version of Donkey Kong, we'd say it was definitely worthwhile. Head on past the break for a visual explanation. See more video at our hub!

Panasonic's Evolta robot finishes 500-kilometer trek ahead of schedule Posted: 26 Nov 2010 01:18 AM PST It may just be an elaborate stunt to promote batteries, but it's hard not to get a little caught up in Evolta's 500-kilometer trek from Tokyo to Kyoto, which finally came to an end this week after two months on the road -- ahead of schedule, no less. Aided by a team of "Evolta Sisters," the pint-sized robot hauled a dozen AA Evolta batteries in a cart the whole way, and guided itself by following an infrared signal from a device pushed in front of it -- a few other ground rules also allowed it to be carried up stairs, and the bot didn't walk at night or in the rain. Even still, 500 kilometers is 500 kilometers (or 317 miles, if you prefer), and that's a long way for any robot to walk. Head on past the break for a video recounting some of the journey.

La Boite Concept LD120 is the hi-fi desk your laptop's been crying out for (video) Posted: 26 Nov 2010 12:09 AM PST Why more people aren't doing this kind of thing, we don't know. La Boite Concept, a French design studio with a focus on electronic acoustics, has put together the above piece of laptop-loving music furniture, dubbed the LD120. It features a total of seven drivers, including a down-firing subwoofer and a stereo pair at the rear, the latter of which is intended to bounce sound off a wall and neatly into your ear canal. You'll still only be getting 2.1 audio output at the end of it, but when it emanates from a leather-trimmed desk equipped with its own USB sound card and a cable-tidying channel in one of its legs, we're kind of willing to overlook that little detail. We only wish we could be as blasé about the price, which at €980 ($1,300) places the LD120 strictly on our "hope someone buys us one" list. [Thanks, Samiksha] La Boite Concept LD120 laptop speaker desk

2011 Chevy Volt gets stickered: 93MPG on battery, 37MPG on gasoline Posted: 25 Nov 2010 10:50 PM PST The poster child for the electric car has just received its official EPA sticker, merely days after Nissan's Leaf received its own. The Volt has been found to have a 93MPG equivalent when running purely on batteries, while one could expect an average of 37MPG when using petrol alone. According to the EPA, the Volt will only be capable of cruising 35 miles on a full charge (here's hoping you've got a socket at your workplace, right?), but the overall range of 379 miles ain't too shabby for a car of this size. The good news here is that this sticker will enable General Motors to finally get these automobiles onto showroom floors, but the bad news is pretty obvious: 93 definitely isn't 230. Show full PR text Volt gets new fuel economy label to go with new drive system 2010-11-24 DETROIT – When the 2011 Volt begins arriving in Chevrolet showrooms over the next few weeks it will have an all-new fuel economy label to go with its unique propulsion system. With its ability to operate completely gasoline- and emissions-free for 25 to 50 miles and then continue indefinitely with its range- extending engine, the Volt's energy efficiency depends on how you use it. Because the Volt works like no other car before it, General Motors and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency collaborated to design a new label to help consumers understand what to expect when they drive the Volt. Before plug-in cars like the Volt, calculating fuel economy was simply a matter of filling the tank with fuel, driving the vehicle and dividing the distance by the amount of fuel consumed. Even though they have no tailpipe emissions, electric cars still use energy so the MPG equivalent (MPGe) is determined by measuring electricity use and converting it based on the energy content in a gallon of gasoline. This MPGe rating allows consumers to compare the Volt's efficiency to other cars in its segment. The Volt uses two energy sources, electricity from the grid, and gasoline from the pump, with the mix depending on how far you drive and how often you charge the battery. The Volt is a complex vehicle that is incredibly easy to use. And while the new fuel economy label also looks complex, it has more information than any EPA label before it.

Security experts unearth unpleasant flaws in webOS Posted: 25 Nov 2010 09:18 PM PST Researchers from security firm SecTheory have described a handful of flaws in webOS, saying that the platform -- by its very nature -- is more prone to these sorts of things than its major competitors because Palm puts web technologies like JavaScript closer to webOS' core where system functions are readily accessible. At least one of the flaws, involving a data field in the Contacts app that can be exploited to run arbitrary code, has already been fixed in webOS 2.0 -- but the others are apparently still open, including a cross-site scripting problem, some sort of floating-point overflow issue, and a denial-of-service vector. We imagine Palm will get these all patched up sooner or later, but as SecTheory's guys point out, how long is it until mobile malware becomes a PC-sized problem?

Ask Engadget: best Android tablet for under $200? Posted: 25 Nov 2010 06:48 PM PST We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Pavel, who seems to be primed and ready to splurge on a bargain-bin Android tablet during the impending Black Friday rush. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I've been looking into getting myself a tablet, but being a high school student, I don't have the money to go buy an iPad. I was wondering if there were any good Android tablets under $200. If there were any expectations, it would be a 7- or 10-inch screen and that the OS doesn't lag from basic tasks, because I've seen many of these tablets lag on the app drawer. Peace and love." Here's our advice: "good luck." Every sub-$200 Android tablet that we've touched lags somewhat, but it's definitely possible to find some units that are more snappy than others. You've got a number of low-rate options if you're cool with fighting the Black Friday crowds, but otherwise, have a listen at the readers below in comments. Keep things helpful, alright folks?

Boxee Box owners can be thankful for their first firmware update Posted: 25 Nov 2010 05:28 PM PST Just a couple of weeks after its debut, the Boxee Box is getting its first software update today. While it might not address all the concerns raised in our review, this edition does include fixes for notable issues like 1080i playback problems, WiFi connectivity and issues handling certain audio and video files. The Boxee Blog has the full (long) list of tweaks and additions, while CEO Avner Ronen promises the company plans to release screenshots and a list of usability/UI issues still to be addressed next week. Other upgrades before 2010 runs out of time should include the Netflix and VUDU apps, so when the question of "what are you thankful for?" comes up, just say "build #1.0.1.16319," which your Box should find automatically within 24 hours, though the impatient can prompt for an update manually.

Acer's 10.1-inch tablet reportedly uses AMD C-50 APU Posted: 25 Nov 2010 03:50 PM PST Acer's already confirmed that its forthcoming 10.1-inch Windows 7 tablet will be AMD-powered, but it unfortunately didn't get any more specific on the matter than that. If a new DigiTimes report is to be believed, however, it looks like the tablet will use AMD's dual-core C-50 Ontario APU (or accelerated processing unit), which itself consumes just 9W of power and packs a built-in Radeon HD 6250 graphics chip. What's more, DigiTimes is also reporting that Acer's 10.1-inch Android slate rocks Tegra 2 and will, in fact, support WiFi and 3G. Wait and see.

Apple's US Black Friday deals posted, exactly what you expected (update: now live) Posted: 25 Nov 2010 02:37 PM PST As Australia drops prices, so too must US prices fall. Apple's stateside store has finally posted the specials for tomorrow's Black Friday rush, and while there's nothing monumental, you're still getting $101 off various Mac computers and $41 off of an iPad -- plus lots of accessories and absolutely no iPhone deals. Take a gander if you so desire, and get ready for all the Black Friday fun starting tomorrow. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: All the slightly-less-expensive pricing is now live on Apple's online store.

Infinitec Infinite USB Memory Drive review Posted: 25 Nov 2010 01:16 PM PST The idea behind Infinitec's Infinite USB Memory Drive is actually quite straightforward, but we've found that when we tell friends and acquaintances about the unit, it often boggles their minds. So, we'll try to keep it real simple: This red plastic stick is a 802.11b/g/n WiFi radio disguised as a USB flash drive. And when we say "disguised", we're not just talking about the stick's size, but its functionality as well -- it lets you wirelessly transfer files direct from from your WiFi-equipped laptop's hard drive to just about anything with a USB port. Stick it into an Xbox 360 or set-top-box, for instance, and it pretends to be your average thumbdrive, but with access to theoretically anything you choose. Sounds like a fantastic idea, but does it really work? Find out after the break in our full review. Infinitec Infinite USB Memory Drive, hands-on Hardware There's never much to say about the outside of a USB thumbdrive, but the IUM could certainly be a conversation piece for some, given the way it sticks out of anything you insert it in like a... well, like a big sore thumb. The dongle is red and proud of it, with curves and vents no doubt designed to evoke a flashy Ferrari, but held back by the quality of its construction -- the USB board floats (and rattles slightly) in a hollow plastic shell that gives slightly when squeezed, albeit covered with a soft-touch rubber coating that makes it comfortable to hold. There's an three-color LED on top for reporting connection status, a lanyard (and cap storage) slot sticking out of the back, and a flimsy switch on the right side for swapping the IUM in-between "infinite" and pairing modes -- more on that in a sec. Setup Since the IUM itself is a 802.11b/g/n radio, you can stick it into practically anything with a USB port, whether it has WiFi or not, but you do have to pair the stick with a WiFi-ready host computer. That requires installing drivers and software, and that's where our frustrations with the IUM began, because the device's software is unbelievably convoluted, unresponsive and buggy for a product that's not clearly labeled "beta." There are several critical failure points during the supposedly automated install process that can make the drive fail to work, and no clear step-by-step guide to the setup procedure after that, so we'll walk you through them right here in case you feel the overwhelming urge to test software on Infinitec's behalf. First, you place the drive in pair mode, and connect it to your Windows PC, at which point it gives you access to the install files on the internal flash. After installing the software, you still need to actually pair the device with your PC, so you have to assign it an SSID, password, choose your WiFi encryption settings and pick an "upload" folder for any items you might have copy onto the drive. After syncing that information with the IUM, it's ready to be unplugged, but you can't use it quite yet, because you also have to choose how large the drive should appear to be to devices that you plug it into -- and the larger you choose, the longer the drive will take to connect. Once that's complete, you then have to click on a different tab, manually pick files and folders on your drive to share and process them for a little bit, because you have to create a virtual filesystem that you can beam over to the drive -- and we couldn't just say "process the entire hard drive" and be done with it, because the software choked on that request. Got your files lined up? Then you're ready to switch the IUM into infinite mode, plug it into your device of choice and wait a tedious couple of minutes for it to automatically connect... assuming that both you and the installer software did everything correctly. The installer is supposed to do a pair of fairly important things in the background without even letting you know -- create a pair of firewall exceptions for the IUM, and install Adobe AIR. Of course, if either of these things fail for any reason -- it did repeatedly with us -- you're going to have to do some troubleshooting yourself, and not the easy stuff. On all three of the host computers we tested the IUM with, it failed to play nice with our standard Windows Firewall (two out of three didn't work with AIR) and we ended up having to manually open ports on one machine and manually connect our WiFi to the IUM to get things paired. The third computer, inexplicably, wouldn't work with the IUM at all -- it kept complaining about firewall issues even with the firewall completely turned off. Performance Assuming you've still hair left on your head by this point and the IUM is lit up green, it's actually mildly impressive what the little stick can do. We clocked sequential speeds of up to 43 megabits per second through the drive, and got burst transfer rates of a little over 6MB / sec, which was quite sufficient to stream high-definition video over the air. Sadly, we're not out of caveats yet, and the steroid-packed elephant in the room is this: we only found those speeds possible with a host laptop sitting right next to the IUM, and they weren't reliable even then. At three feet out, we saw transfer speeds cut in half, and they seemed to be capped to 2 megabits per second at six feet away. When we crossed to the other side of a fifteen-foot room -- maintaining a direct line-of-sight between the computers the entire time -- the connection petered out completely, leaving the IUM paralyzed. Infinitec didn't have an explanation for this, saying the company would run some range tests soon, but as it stands you're not going to be transferring files across a house, and perhaps not even a sufficiently large room. As we alluded to above, the connection also wasn't completely reliable even up close, and displayed erratic behavior of various kinds -- sometimes it would drop speed suddenly to a few hundred kilobytes per second, only to shoot up to several megabytes per second and then back down again when transferring large files. It also occasionally disconnected completely in the middle of transfers or when browsing files, and when that happened there was no waiting it out -- the only solutions were to manually stop the IUM service, or unplug the drive. Last but not least, it's important to note that the IUM uses up your host computer's WiFi connection, so you're not getting any internet access from that computer while you're sharing files, and though there's a theoretically impressive "dual-WiFi" workaround for this particular issue which uses the IUM itself as a wireless bridge, it's subject to the same range problems as the IUM itself, and couldn't even see, let alone connect to an access point located only a couple of rooms away. Wrap-up Despite every issue we had with the Infinite USB Memory Drive, we still think the basic idea would make for a pretty potent peripheral if done well, but it needs to take a stab at being user friendly, it not entirely plug-and-play -- and Infintec's product is about as far as you can get. We could have transferred the same files with much less hassle using a flash drive or external hard drive instead, and you can get a wicked-quick USB 3.0 drive these days for the $129 Infintec is asking for theirs. We'd like to end on a positive note here, and that's to say that Infinitec's now aware of all these issues and pledged to make them right with updates later on. We'll be happy to test again then, but as it stands we can't recommend the IUM unless you're fond of pain.

Nexus S in the wild gives us a blurry Gingerbread walkthrough Posted: 25 Nov 2010 10:40 AM PST The old adage "when it rains, it pours" certainly applies with leaks -- and to that end, the Nexus S we saw a a few hours back is now turned on and ready to give us a frustratingly blurry preview of Android 2.3 (which you may know better as Gingerbread). Of course, Eric Schmidt himself did the same on stage at the Web 2.0 summit recently, but there's a difference: Schmidt wouldn't admit he was holding a Nexus S, wouldn't show us all of Gingerbread's UI tweaks, and wouldn't take a bunch of dark, low-quality shots and submit them to xda-developers. There's not a lot to see here, but you can make out some of the icons on the redesigned, blacked-out status bar, the redone phone keypad, and the About screen where we get confirmation that it really is a Nexus S running 2.3 (granted, this screen is incredibly easy to fake, but we'll allow it in light of all the other visual evidence we've got going on here). Unfortunately, it's still not at all clear when the Nexus S is actually launching... so for now, we'll take as many of these high-ISO galleries as we can get.

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