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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Engadget News

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Engadget News


Kin Studio closing January 31st, Verizon offers free phones to affected customers

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 09:51 AM PST

Though the final nail in the Microsoft Kin coffin has yet to be tapped into place, the software that made the pair of ill-fated handsets strangely compelling will soon get the axe. Come January 31st, Kin Studio will be no more, effectively neutering existing Kin phones by removing them from the cloud. They'll still be able to make calls, send SMS, email, browse the web and even stream music via Zune Pass, but their formerly live homescreens will become lifeless, stripped of social networking functionality -- and will actually remain stuck on their very last status update, much like a broken clock. Their online repository of pictures, videos and contacts will cease to exist, though you can back them up to a personal computer if you act now. Thankfully, Verizon seems to understands that not all Kin customers will be happy with a zombiephone, and has taken a drastic measure to help them out -- through March 31st, 2011, Kin owners can trade it in for a free 3G phone of their choice. How kind. Find full Verizon FAQs on the transition at our more coverage links, while you mourn the forlorn device.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

LG Star preview

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 07:30 AM PST

The LG Star. The dual-core beast from the east that was once a mere twinkle in our eye has managed to find its way to the Engadget mansions, having been lent to us by a very generous (and very anonymous) tipster. It's clearly a test device, as evidenced by its diagnostics menus and lack of a lockscreen, but there's no disguising the power that lies within it. We put the Star through a battery of common Android benchmarks and the results were, in a word, outstanding. Basically, Tegra 2 will give anything your current phone's running an inferiority complex. Join us after the break as we delve deeper into this upcoming powerhouse of a handset from LG. One thing's for sure: CES 2011 can't come soon enough.

Before we get to the raw power encased within the LG Star, it's requisite to discuss the phone's external hardware. This isn't a blade server, after all, and people are going to expect their smartphone to look the part too. Some perfectionists will be put off by the generous heaping of bezel at the bottom of the Star and the quirky spine-like column that spans its rear, but on the whole it's mostly an unadventurous and safe design, exuding the same uncomplicated slate aesthetic as most of its contemporaries. There's one device we're immediately reminded of when handling the Star and that's HTC's Droid Incredible -- albeit with the slight (major?) difference that LG's new handset offers a larger 4-inch display.

The 800 x 480 panel on this phone is rather gorgeous. We can tell from its imperfect blacks that it's not an AMOLED display, but it also exhibits viewing angles that are distinctly superior to your run-of-the-mill LCD. Whatever it is, it delivers a lucid and vibrant picture. The glass covering it is flat -- none of that fancy Nexus S stuff -- but slopes off at the sides to soften the edges and improve ergonomics slightly.


A pair of grilles at the bottom of the handset provides the sound output and, presumably, input -- there's only one loudspeaker sat behind one of the meshes, we're guessing the other's occupied by a mic (if that seems familiar, it's because Apple's been doing it for a good while now). We were pleasantly surprised by the loud and punchy sound the Star's solo speaker puts out, which, allied to the strong display, provides the basic competency required of a compelling multimedia phone.

The software on this bad boy is definitely not fully baked yet -- it didn't even have a lockscreen on our first boot yet suddenly discovered one on the second -- so we're leaving that stuff aside until LG itself decides to furnish us with a unit. If you simply must know what the company's slightly tweaked Android 2.2 experience is like, you might want to check out its LU3000 handset, which is about to launch over in South Korea in the coming days.

An additional note worth making here is that the initial Star leak came with the juicy implication that Gingerbread could be the Android version shipping with final units, so we'll have to just wait to find that out. The unknown maturity of the software should also be kept in mind when looking at our benchmark scores -- for all we know, LG could already be testing much better code than the stuff that's on our proto unit. Still, check out the video below for our performance test results, we doubt you'll be disappointed.


Those numbers were also borne out by our hands-on experience with the LG Star, which tracked our homescreen swipes without hesitation or perceivable lag. The unfinished software does chug down quite often, seemingly entranced in an existential contemplation as to where it's going and what it's doing with its life, but the hardware performance is unquestionably top-notch. Hell, it's punching out a new notch all for itself when it comes to raw CPU prowess. Sadly, the Star refused to play back any video clips we loaded onto it, irrespective of format, so we weren't able to verify our suspicion that it's capable of handling 1080p content. YouTube video in HQ mode and Flash clips embedded on webpages played without a hitch.

This is seriously shaping up to be one of next year's highlight devices (and if it isn't, it just means 2011 will be a spectacular year in smartphones). We'd almost call it a return to form for LG, but then the Korean company has never really had the sort of form the Star's exhibiting -- it's never led from the front in the way this handset promises to do. We'll be hoping to see a lot more of the Star at CES, perhaps with some Gingerbread firmware on board... how about it, LG?

Android Market update streamlines content, nukes tabs, dismantles 24-hour return policy to appease devs

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 07:29 AM PST

Updates have been coming fast and furious to Google's Android Market for a couple weeks now, but this is the biggest shift yet -- that rusty tab-based interface is out, replaced with a rotating carousel of downloadable content, and a single scrolling pane of info for each and every app. What's more, it seems that Mountain View has heard the cries of game companies in particular, as it's got a couple of very special changes largely targeted at them -- the size cap on individual apps has been upped to 50MB, and Android Market's famous 24-hour return policy is no more. You'll still have 15 minutes to decide whether you want a piece of software or prefer a refund, perhaps long enough to give it a basic test, but there's no longer enough time to finish a game in one sitting before slyly giving it a pass. There's also a number of behind-the-scenes changes that should help make sure you only see apps your device can actually run, based on screen size, pixel density and OpenGL support. Google's pushing the update to every Android 1.6-and-above device over the next couple of weeks, so you can expect your app purchasing world to turn upside-down in time for Christmas cheer.

Update: There are also two new categories being added: widgets and live wallpapers.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

iKit debuts touchscreen-equipped AutoCon FM transmitter

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 04:37 AM PST

FM transmitters may not usually be much to look at, but iKit has bucked that trend somewhat with its new AutoCon unit, which packs some illuminated touchscreen controls into a sleek, glossy black enclosure. You'll also naturally get a 3.5mm cable to accommodate the phone or MP3 player of your choice, along with a handsfree function, and a USB car charger to keep the device itself (or your other USB devices) powered at all times. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and look for this one to set you back $45.
Show full PR text
iKit® Debuts a Sleek FM Transmitter With an Innovative Fully Functional Touch Screen Display

The AutoCon™ is a handsfree FM transmitter that delivers maximum control of your MP3 player in your car

Santa Monica, Calif. (December 9, 2010) – iKit, a licensed Apple accessory brand and manufacturer of a wide range of innovative accessories, unleashes the AutoCon. The AutoCon features a 3.5mm Aux Cable and rapid auto scan technology to play music from your MP3 player through your car radio with crisp sound and no interference.

The AutoCon allows you to have full control of the play/pause, volume, track, and skip features of your MP3 player. This unique control also displays the current song and library selection, guaranteeing clear and simple use.

The AutoCon also integrates a handsfree wireless option to answer incoming calls on your iPhone while driving.

iKit's AutoCharge USB car charger is also bundled with the AutoCon to provide a powerful and rapid charge so your FM transmitter will never run out of juice.

The AutoCon FM Transmitter is now available at www.iKit.com in a bold black finish for $44.95.

About iKit

iKit.com Ltd. is a privately owned company with offices in Hong Kong, United States and United Kingdom.

In a short period of time they have become a licensed Apple accessory brand, with a wide range of products such as iPad, iPhone & iPod cases, chargers, earphones, speakers, docks and more.

iKit design and manufactures innovative accessories with a unique flair for apple products and digital media devices.

Our aim is to produce products at affordable prices without compromising our goal, which is bringing to the market products of practical use and unique style. www.iKit.com

HTC Legend finally updates to Android 2.2 in Europe

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 02:25 AM PST

Sure took a long while, but the Android 2.2 update is now available to all HTC Legends residing in Europe and... no, sorry, this isn't the just-announced Gingerbread. It's Froyo, the one before it -- trust us, this isn't a frozen dessert you won't mind in the midst of winter. And don't bother asking about 2.3 because HTC isn't giving specifics yet. Wildfire? That's "coming soon," according to the person behind the HTC UK Facebook curtain.

Patriot intros Supersonic USB 3.0 flash drive, milks 100MB / sec from a single chip

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 11:31 PM PST

At present, there seem to be three strategies to embracing the potential of USB 3.0 -- go all out with an external SSD, introduce a hulking RAID-on-a-stick, or settle for a single-chip USB key with ho-hum maximum read/write speeds of roughly around 80MB / sec and 60MB / sec. There are a number of these barely-better-than-USB-2.0 flash drives floating about, but Patriot decided not to settle for that -- its new Supersonic flash drive uses the mythical "quad channel" technology (and a native USB 3.0 controller) to eke out some extra speed. That allows Patriot to beat down the USB 2.0 straw man with 70MB / sec writes and 100MB / sec reads, and possibly justify a pricing premium if the company can't manufacture them on the cheap. If the Supersonic sounds like the best of all worlds for your portable data, you'll find it in 32GB and 64GB configurations starting Q1 2011. No word on price quite yet.

TimeCommand dock turns your iPad into a very pricey dimmer switch

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 09:02 PM PST

XtremeMac has been crankin' out iPod docks for years, and now former CEO Gary Bart has launched Stem Innovation, a company dedicated exclusively to iOS accessories. For its first trick, Bart and company have introduced TimeCommand which (as its name implies) goes beyond the whole dock thing and comes across as a control station for the bedroom. Among its many charms are iPhone / iPod / iPad compatibility, the ability to control your mood lighting (including a dimmer and a "wake by light" feature), battery backup (don't miss work, even if the power goes out), an app with Internet Radio playback, and something called Stem:Sonic iQ digital signal processing. Available now at the Apple store for $100.

How would you change the second-generation Apple TV?

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 06:36 PM PST

No one said that hobbies were easy to throw away, and it's pretty clear that the Apple TV still holds a dear piece of Cupertino's heart. In fact, we'd argue that the box's streaming abilities now tie into Apple's overall mission more than ever before, and with iOS 4.2.1 for the iPad (and the accompanying introduction of AirPlay), it's feeling less like an afterthought and more like a focal point. That said, we're curious to know if early adopters feel satisfied by their $99 box. Have you found it to function as-advertised? Still fuming over those output and / or color issues? If you were given the keys to the design kingdom, how would you turn the Apple TV into your perfect media streamer? Ditch the iTunes integration? Offer access to more content portals? Paint it pink and line it with LEDs? It only costs $0.02 to play, and the deposit slot's just below.

Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 mouse flaunts its hidden gamepad

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 05:35 PM PST

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you -- not one little bit. You're looking at a PC gamepad built into the bottom of a mouse, and not a drab one at that. It's called the Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1, and if you just fell in love, we're afraid there's no suggested price, shipping date or a way to buy it yet. What we do know are the promised specs, which include a 5-stage adjustable 1600dpi optical sensor with 125Hz polling rate -- which admittedly sounds last gen -- that connects to your Windows PC over a USB dongle sporting 2.4GHz wireless. There's 14 buttons on the bottom, 7 on the top, and the company's support page suggests the device has force feedback as well. We're not terribly bullish on the "sophisticed Norway Nordic Chip System" the controller apparently has, but considering there are three very legitimate looking pictures of the device in our gallery below, we're not going to write it off quite yet.

Nexus S review

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 03:58 PM PST

It can be difficult to review a phone like Google's Nexus S in a world already populated by so many outstanding Android devices. Not only does the manufacturer of this phone make a series of handsets that are all essentially the same (the Galaxy S line), but countless other OEMs are cranking away on hardware for the platform. Of course, the Nexus S is a decidedly different phone altogether. Picking up where the company's Nexus One left off, the S continues Google's legacy of creating standalone, "pure Android" phone experiences, seemingly aimed less at the mainstream and more towards developers. Unlike the failed experiment of the Nexus One, Google appears to be taking a more realistic approach to the S; the phone will be sold through Best Buy (and Carphone Warehouse across the pond), which suggests that the company has bigger plans for this device.

And what a device it is -- the Nexus S boasts a 1GHz Hummingbird CPU, 512MB of RAM, a 4-inch, 800 x 480 curved Super AMOLED display (dubbed the Contour Display), 16GB of storage, a 5 megapixel rear and VGA front-facing camera, and near field communication capabilities. But hardware is only half the story here -- the big news is that the Nexus S showcases the next major evolution of the Android OS, namely, Gingerbread (or version 2.3). The update comes with a slew of new features alongside some UI improvements that show Google isn't slowing down when it comes to pushing its mobile operating system forward. So is the Nexus S a real standout in the Android world, or is it more of the "me too" tech we've seen lately? Read on after the break for the full Engadget review to find out!

Hardware

As you can tell by the photos in the gallery, the Nexus S isn't a plain-Jane slab. Sure, it's got similar design leanings as the other devices in the Galaxy S line, but it's also slightly... freaky. For starters, the shape of the ultra-gloss, stipple-graphic black plastic housing curves and pops in all kinds of unusual ways, with a kind of reverse "chin" sprouting out of the lower half, and a very slight curvature to the front of the phone. You've probably heard the fuss over this, but yes, the screen and front glass of the device have a minor, concave curve which sits nicely when nuzzled against your face. It's not a dramatic difference, but it gives the phone a fairly unique look. In general, however, the design doesn't feel wildly different from other Galaxy S phones -- particularly when it comes to materials. Samsung seems focused on using light (and somewhat cheap feeling) plastic for its housings, though they deviated on the Captivate, which we felt was an improvement.

The front of the device is obviously all screen, save for the earpiece. You can see the proximity and light sensors peeking out from behind the glass, as well as that VGA camera. On the left side of the phone you've got a volume rocker, on the right is the power / sleep button, and along the the bottom is the Micro USB and headphone jack. The latter has been the cause of some concern amongst potential buyers, but we actually like having the headphone jack access down below. Overall, the design of the phone is sleek and frankly odd enough to make it stand out amongst contemporaries, but we wish that Samsung had utilized more inspiring materials on this model.

Internals

As we mentioned, the Nexus S packs in a formidable amount of tech into its small frame (2.48 inches by 4.87 inches, and 0.42 inches thick, in case you were wondering). Any device loaded up with a 1GHz Hummingbird CPU is sure to get our attention, and the performance we've been seeing with the S is nothing short of awesome. On a Neocore benchmark, we scored a terrific 55.6fps, and general use of the OS is lightning fast with nary a hiccup in sight. We also haven't run into any memory issues, and though having 16GB of storage onboard is nice, we would have liked to see a microSD option here as well. Still, the method which Gingerbread utilizes the installed flash memory is excellent, and for those of you who can live with a finite amount of space, this won't be an issue.

Besides the storage and CPU, the device sports a Super AMOLED display at 800 x 480 (235 ppi) which looks gorgeous (if slightly yellowish) to our eyes. The device also has it's fair share of wireless radios, including tri-band HSPA (900, 2100, and 1700MHz), and quad-band GSM / EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz), WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, A-GPS, and that NFC chip you've been hearing all about. There's also a gyroscope, accelerometer, and digital compass inside. We were a little disappointed to discover that Samsung didn't include a notification light on the device -- we like the reassuring blip telling us we've got an email waiting.

As far as that NFC chip is concerned (pictured above), right now there's not a lot to test it with, though Google is hoping that devs will find all kinds of uses for it. Right now it's read only, so you can't write to the device from a target -- that's a security measure right now. When we spoke to reps, they told us that there were three methods of using NFC: read, write, and exchange. Exchange sounds interesting, because it would (in theory) allow you to simply swipe your phone against or near another NFC device and swap contacts (or other info).

We did see some strange issues with the display -- while it does look handsome in most settings, we noticed some strange inconsistencies in the panel against certain colors or tones. It was particularly pronounced on solid gray backgrounds (as you can see above). We're not sure the cause of the problem (or if it was simply an issue with the device we had), but it was somewhat troubling. One other thing of note -- we noticed a few missed or latent presses on the touchscreen which occasionally led to stuttery behavior or an opened item that we didn't mean to tap. It's hard to say if this was a software or hardware issue (and we know that sometimes Android devices can be particularly finicky when syncing). It wasn't a deal-breaker by any means, but we saw the issue rear its head a handful of times, and felt it was worth mentioning.

Speakerphone / earpiece / call quality / network

The sound quality on the Nexus S is right up there with some of the best phones we've tested. Speakerphone calls and music came through loud and clear over the external speaker, and we were downright wowed with how loud and clear the earpiece sounded. Even when we were having a conversation in a crowded room, the Nexus S pumped out audio that was crystalline to our ears. Coupled with excellent service on T-Mobile's network, we were not only able to make calls where our iPhone failed, but the clarity and volume of those calls were superb.

Connections on T-Mobile's network were excellent in most places, allowing us to make calls where AT&T's network couldn't, though we did see EDGE data crop up on the Nexus S more than our AT&T devices -- and there's no HSPA+ to be found here (unlike T-Mobile's other flagship Android phones), just in case you were wondering. Still, speed certainly wasn't a major issue, and network throughput was decently strong (though not mind-blowing) when we were on T-Mobile's 3G. We averaged about 1.5 Mbps down and up on T-Mobile with the Nexus S, and a slightly higher 2 Mbps down and 1.5 up on AT&T devices in the wilds of Brooklyn.

Camera

We're impressed by the shooter on the Nexus S, but there is something in the quality of its photos that still feel very phone-like to us. In particular, we felt that images looked washed out and grainy even in well lit situations. It could be a fault of the auto white balance or ISO settings, but we certainly were able to produce better results with other phones in this class.

On the bright side, the Nexus S camera seems to excel at low-light images, pulling impressive detail in situations where we expected much less. In fact, we can't say that we've seen a smartphone recently with better low light performance. We're not sure what this is attributable to, but we're certainly happy about it.

Unfortunately for video, the Nexus S is still a slouch -- we're guessing this doesn't have to be the case, but there's no true HD option here. The highest quality video you can shoot is 720 x 480. Kind of a bummer.

As far as the front-facing camera goes, it's pretty standard VGA fare, which mean low-res, grainy, and artifacted. Maybe we're spoiled by all these high resolution shooters, but no matter how you slice it, 640 x 480 is tough to take. We really wish Google would include a native video chat feature with its phones -- we're all for third-party apps, but a dedicated, codified piece of software from the mothership would go a long way to making the presence of this camera more useful. Also, remember how you guys make Google Talk with video chat? It's pretty cool. Obviously this is coming in Honeycomb (Andy Rubin kind of let it slip during his Dive Into Mobile chat), but it would be great to have right now.


Battery life

The Nexus S' 1500mAh battery showed impressive signs of life in our short period of testing. In heavy use (though not tons of calling), we sustained about 20 hours of life before the phone was crying for its charger. We suspect that amount would be slightly lower if we'd spent a bit more time on calls, but it's still a solid showing considering the amount of downloading apps, screen testing, and general messing around we did with the device.

You'll certainly be able to make it through a day with the Nexus S, but if you're a heavy talker or plan on doing a lot of gaming, you may want to consider a second battery.

Software

The big story with the Nexus S isn't really about the hardware. While there are some notable upgrades and changes on the front, what the phone really represents is a gateway to the next stage of Android, version 2.3 -- otherwise known as Gingerbread. For those expecting a sea change in the OS, we'll tell you up front that you'll be disappointed. When we say evolution, we mean it. This is kind of the Snow Leopard of Android updates -- a lot of motion behind the scenes, but not a load of cosmetic and navigational changes. There isn't a ton here that's dramatically different than Froyo, but there are some notable additions that are worth taking a deeper look at.

User interface

Coming from Froyo, you won't see massive changes to the look and feel of Gingerbread, but there are nice tweaks and some cleanup that shows Google is moving in the right direction. For starters, the status bar icons, window shade, dialer, and some applications (and their icons) have gotten a fresh coat of paint. By the looks of things, Google is moving away from the colorful, almost cartoonish look of previous OSs, and dipping into a more somber a sophisticated palette, mostly featuring shaded grays and blacks with green highlights. The company has made some thoughtful choices in terms of user experience as well -- if you're synced with a Google account, your status bar icons go from white to green, and instead of obscuring menus on the camera app, there's now a row of contextual items at your disposal while shooting.

Other little updates include a new orange burst of color which happens when you reach the end of a long list, and added transparency in menus, giving the OS a glassy feel. Additionally, the battery use and task manager have new views to graphically depict usage on the phone. Speaking of task managers, Google has now seen fit to add a proper menu option to the task manager right from the home screen menu. We're guessing the popularity of third-party killers was enough to convince the company that confronting the issue head on wasn't such a bad thing after all. It's a welcome addition here, and we found ourselves reaching for it fairly often (not due to performance issues... just because we're fastidious when it comes to application management).

Google has also updated some of its live wallpapers (which look nice, but we're not that fond of). We will say that this time around, whether it's the new OS or that Hummingbird CPU, we didn't see the kind of performance issues when running the wallpapers that we saw on the Nexus One. Still, we prefer to use the phone with static backdrops.

The biggest change you'll notice, however, comes in the form of the new keyboard. Not only has the company cleaned up and refined the look of the onscreen QWERTY, but it's added new functionality for word suggestions, copy, paste, and selection. Additionally, the keyboard finally exhibits more expected multitouch behavior, thanks in part to new threading that the company has added. Those changes allow you to do things like tap the punctuation key and then slide your finger to the character you want. We'd be gushing about what a great addition that is, except Google forgot one important thing -- when you lift your finger off of your selected character, the keyboard should then flip back to the ABCs. It does not. Instead, you're left stranded in the punctuation menu, meaning you've got to tap the toggle again to get back to your QWERTY. What kind of sense does that make? The whole point of being able to slide your finger to another character is to save clicks and time -- but having to click back out defeats the purpose. The intention is good, but the way Apple has it working on the iPhone is a much better, smoother method. Another gripe we have about the keyboard is that Google seems to have shrunk the height of the keys, making the keyboard on the Nexus S's 4-inch display feel cramped. We're not sure of this, but it definitely seems like the company has reduced the keys in size.


On a slightly brighter note, there are big improvements in word suggestion and selection, including new markers which you can use to grab selections of text. Well, let's be clear -- Google still has major issues with text selection and editing on Android devices. The first striking problem is that there is not a consistent method of selecting text on the device. None. At all. In the browser, you long press on text to bring up your anchors, then drag and tap the center of your selection -- boom, copied text. In text editing fields, however, in order to select a word you must long press on the word, wait for a contextual menu to pop up, and then select "select word" -- a completely counterintuitive process. In the message app you can long press to select only the entire message, and in Google Reader? You can't select any text at all. Even worse, Gmail has a different method for selecting text from an email you're reading, and it's far more obnoxious than any of the others. There, selecting text goes from being mildly annoying to downright silly. Want to grab some text out of an email? Here's your process: hit the menu key, hit "more," hit "select text," and then finally drag your anchors out. Funnily enough, a little cursor appears when you start selecting -- a holdover from Linux? To have this many options and discrepancies over something as simple as copy and paste should be embarrassing to Google. What it mostly is, however, is a pain to the end user.

And that's kind of the crux of our problem with Android in its current state. We don't question the power of the OS, but the fit, finish, and ease of use simply is still not there. There is something disconcerting about an operating system that changes its rules from app to app -- for a mobile interface to work well, it has to be approached holistically and organically. There is something cohesive in OSs like webOS and iOS -- a language that you can easily learn to speak and feel confident about using to get what you want -- that just seems to be missing here.

New apps

There aren't a ton of new pieces inside 2.3, but there are a few notable new additions to the app lineup. The first one is Tags, which is an NFC app which records all of the links you've gathered using the new tech in one easy to locate bag. You can star and delete these links much like Google Reader or Gmail. The second app which is notable is Downloads. This collects anything you've pulled down from the browser in one easy to reach spot. It certainly makes identifying where specific apps or files came from much easier, though it doesn't offer a ton of day-to-day utility.

Under the hood

Besides all the front-end stuff you can see, there's a lot that's less obvious happening in Gingerbread. Firstly, Google has added integrated support for VoIP / SIP calling, which means you can plug in your favorite service and access it through the native menus in the OS. This won't appeal to everyone, but there's definitely a certain segment of users that will be stoked to see this feature.

What really gets our juices flowing, however, is the fact that Google seems to be going full tilt on making Android a gaming platform. The company has enriched the OS with a handful of new APIs and dev tools which improve native code support and set the stage for faster, better looking games (and other graphics-heavy applications as well). It will be exciting to finally see developers taking advantage of the formidable hardware inside a lot of these devices. We don't know if the Nexus S is already utilizing some of these new tools, but as we said before, the OS seems blazingly fast and silky smooth when it comes to animations and transitions.

Wrap-up

It seems like every couple of weeks we're saying something along the lines of "x is the best Android smartphone on the market right now." We'd like to tell you differently when it comes to the Nexus S, but the truth is, it really is the best Android device available right now. Sure, we'd prefer it was on Verizon, and yes, there are some issues with the phone and OS that detract from the good bits... but there are also a lot of good bits. We'd been longing for a Galaxy S device that wasn't burdened by Samsung's sometimes-clunky TouchWiz, and in joining forces with Google, the company has more than delivered.

There's no shortage of great phones available right now, and there's no question that 2011 will usher in a flood of devices that make 2010's offerings seem forgettable. Like we said earlier, this isn't a perfect device -- and in fact a lot of what's exciting about this phone is what's happening behind the scenes. It's as if the stage is set for the arrival of Honeycomb along with a slew of features. Still, when it comes to state of the art for Android right now, the buck stops here.

The Engadget Podcast, live at 7:30PM EST!

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:53 PM PST

We do our best to keep you on your toes, but it appears as if you're onto us: we're doing a podcast today, at 7:30PM. It might be a little late as we wrap some of our end-of-week projects (we're trying to build a really tall tower of paper cups in the Engadget HQ den, but Nilay keeps knocking it over), but we promise you it will happen. Today. Approximately. Check out the stream and chat after the break.

P.S. And don't forget that Ustream has Android and iPhone clients as well, if you're out and about and you can't join in on the Flash-based fun below.

Update: It's over, but if you missed it, the regular post will be up tomorrow!

Chrome Web Store, HTML5 and the iPad: symbiosis at its best

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 02:29 PM PST

It's all coming together, folks. It doesn't take much of a gander at the Chrome Web Store to notice a trend: some of the flashiest, most mature "apps" are actually just in-browser versions of iPad apps. And you know what else? Most of these "apps" actually run fine in Safari on the iPad. We're not sure how long Google gave developers to port their experiences over, but it seems like most of the best work had already been done in the form of HTML5 apps that were merely wrapped in app form for App Store delivery. Google's just taking things to the next logical step. Continue after the break as we expand this thesis paragraph into a number of supporting blocks of text, a few jazzy pictorial examples, and a stunning closer.

Interestingly, Google's move actually gives some teeth to statements from Apple about HTML5 being a fully supported "completely open, uncontrolled platform," a response to criticisms about the locked-down nature of the App Store. It also could end up vindicating RIM's "you don't need an app for the web" stance as well, although that theory leans on Flash a bit more heavily. Indeed, the fault line comes down to Flash once again: the main Chrome apps that don't work on the iPad are ones that use Flash or rely on a keyboard. This won't be a hurdle for the PlayBook, or a theoretical Chrome OS tablet or Android tablet,

Oh, and speaking of Android tablets: we tested out some of these more HTML5-intense Chrome web apps (like the finger-friendly New York Times viewer) on the Galaxy Tab and didn't have much luck. Google itself said it wasn't fully supporting all of this functionality in Android yet, or even on the Google TV's Chrome-lite browser, but hopefully that's only a temporary problem.

Here are a few examples of standout Chrome Web Apps and their stats:

Utilities

Amazon Windowshop
Underlying tech: Flash
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (app), Galaxy Tab (web)
Offline: No

Flixster
Underlying tech: HTML5
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (app, almost web), Galaxy Tab (phone app, almost web)
Offline: No
Notes: The iPad and Galaxy tab seemed to load Flixster's UI just fine, but none of the movies in the main content pane would show up when we selected them.

TweetDeck
Underlying tech: HTML5
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (app), Galaxy Tab (phone app)
Offline: No

Music

MOG
Underlying tech: HTML5, Flash
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (phone app), Galaxy Tab (phone app)
Offline: No

Grooveshark
Underlying tech: HTML5, Flash
Compatibility: Chrome, Galaxy Tab (web)
Offline: No
Notes: It's super slow on the Tab, but it works.

News

Huffington Post
Underlying tech: HTML5
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (different app, almost web), Galaxy Tab (phone app, almost web)
Offline: No
Notes: Similar to the Flixster problem, the page loads on the iPad and Galaxy Tab, but none of the content shows up.

Salon
Underlying tech: HTML5
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (almost web)
Offline: Yes
Notes: Everything looks great on the iPad, but you can't scroll the articles, so it's essentially useless.

NY Times
Underlying tech: HTML5
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (app, web), Galaxy Tab (phone app)
Offline: Yes

USA Today
Underlying tech: HTML5
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (app, web), Galaxy Tab (phone app)
Offline: Yes

NPR
Underlying tech: HTML5, Flash
Compatibility: Chrome, iPad (app, almost web), Galaxy Tab (phone app, full web)
Offline: No
Notes: The site loads perfectly on the iPad, but the audio doesn't work because it's Flash-based.

Right now one of the biggest problems we see with these apps, as opposed to their boring non-HTML5 website counterparts and native application competition, is the somewhat sluggish performance we've witnessed on the iPad, including in their actual App Store "native" app incarnations, and on the underpowered Cr-48 hardware. Hopefully this is something that WebKit engineers are hard at work at improving, and we have to say that a touch of hardware acceleration wouldn't hurt. And, of course, this doesn't even touch on the fact that the functionality on display so far doesn't quite match the power of many native iOS and Android applications.

It's also worth remembering that Apple actually tried and failed miserably to rely on web apps when it launched the iPhone initially, and while we've come a long way in browser power, UI innovation, and mobile chipsets, it's possible that tech still isn't mature to make web apps a compelling alternative to native apps -- or at least not mature enough to be an OS's primary crutch.

Over time we'll be curious to see how closely applications adhere to strict HTML5 and iPad-compatible, touch-capable UIs, or if the freedom of Flash and power of the keyboard / mouse tag team will make this rash of early synergy merely a beautiful anomaly. Is HTML5 the undisputed "future of the web"? Can it be the future of apps as well?

Modder creates robotic Level 10 case, intimidates fellow gamers in the process

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 01:56 PM PST

Thermaltake's Level 10 chassis is not only pretty bad-ass in its own right, it's also inspired Stephen "LeatherFace" Popa to do a little case moddin'. The outcome of all this, Rog-R, is described as a "remote operating gaming rig," and it features a remote control, motorized base, and robotic arm: just the thing for playing really, really dirty at your next LAN party. Hit up the source link to get a closer look.

FCC report finds 68 percent of US broadband connections aren't really broadband

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 01:15 PM PST

As the FCC itself has made abundantly clear, the definition of "broadband" is an ever-changing one, and its latest report has now revealed just how hard it is for the US to keep up with those changes. According to the report, a full 68 percent of "broadband" connections in the US can't really be considered broadband, as they fall below the agency's most recent minimum requirement of 4 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. Also notable, but somewhat buried in the report, are the FCC's findings on mobile broadband use. The agency found that mobile wireless service subscribers with mobile devices and "data plans for full internet access" grew a hefty 48% to 52 million in the second half of 2009, and that when you consider all connections over 200 kbps, mobile wireless is actually the leading technology at 39.4 percent, ahead of cable modems and ADSL at 32.4 and 23.3 percent, respectively. When it comes to connections over 3 Mbps, however, cable modems account for a huge 70 percent share. Looking for even more numbers? Hit up the link below for the complete report.

Razer Orochi crafted from oil and glycerin, scrubs your bod between frag sessions

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 12:32 PM PST

When we first got wind of Etsy seller Digitalsoaps in early 2009, she had but a humble NES gamepad and a couple of other controllers to her name -- fast forward to today, and you'll find the bubbly entrepreneur doing a brisk business in all sorts of wonderfully geeky soap shapes. This $10 Razer Orochi mouse is the latest, and as you can see it's close enough to the real thing to trick your buds at the next LAN party. Sadly, this particular soap is a limited-time offer -- and moving fast -- but the seller also deals in a painstakingly detailed Xbox 360 controller, caffeinated shampoo soda bottles, and sudsy replicas of any classic Nintendo cartridge you care to name.

T-Mobile says it'll launch '4G' tablets in 2011

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 12:01 PM PST

Oh, you too, T-Mobile? Without delving into details, T-Mobile USA has gone tit-for-tat with Sprint by dropping the knowledge that it'll be adding tablets (other than the Tab, of course) to its product portfolio in 2011 -- and as you might expect, they'll be using the network T-Mobile has taken to calling "4G." Though it doesn't meet any technical definition of 4G, the company's ever-expanding HSPA+ network is definitely hanging with the big boys running WiMAX and LTE right now, delivering downlink speeds of 10Mbps or more in some areas if you're lucky -- and that's just the kind of special sauce you're going to want when you've got a big touchscreen to consume content. No word on brand or platform, but we've no doubt some of that Honeycomb noise will be in the mix. Here's the full statement:
"T-Mobile is working closely with the majority of our OEM partners to deliver 4G products by integrating HSPA+ into roadmaps in 2011 as the dominant global standard. Consumers will continue to see HSPA+ fuel future innovation in a variety of mobile consumer electronics from smartphones and tablets to emerging devices. T-Mobile will continue to be at the forefront of wireless innovation, delivering an aggressive 4G product lineup in 2011, including 4G tablets."

Novatel sues ZTE and Franklin over MiFi-related patents

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 11:33 AM PST

Smartphones aren't the only mobile devices caught up in patent warfare, it seems: Novatel's just sued ZTE and Franklin over five patents related to the "key architecture and functionality" of its MiFi series of mobile hotspots. What's interesting is that Verizon carries the MiFi and ZTE-built Fivespot, while Sprint's MiFi lives alongside the ZTE Peel and carrier-branded Franklin modems, so we're curious to see if any of the carriers step in to mediate the dispute. We also took a quick skim of the complaint, and it looks like the five patents in question are broad enough to cover WiFi tethering from phones, so we've got a feeling this suit could affect more than ZTE and Franklin -- we'll see what happens.

Motorola's new logo: it's red

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 11:04 AM PST

Been wondering about what impact Motorola's January split into two distinct entities will have on your humble consumption of consumer electronics? Well, after attending Moto's big Christmas do in London, we seem to have uncovered one of the biggies: the Droid maker is switching to a crimson new brand identity from the start of the new year. They won't tell us much more than that, but we can only surmise that the slight chromatic deviation will be in an effort to distinguish between the Mobility arm, which will make all the pocketable things we know and love, and the Solutions group in charge of the less glamorous business hardware. We're sure there'll be some reshuffling of middle management and other structural reorganizations taking place, but we've got the big story right here: the stationery, it is a-changing.

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