| HTC Desire 2 picture leaked, also shows up in Vodafone's inventory Posted: 06 Feb 2011 09:49 AM PST Over the weekend, a surreptitious new photo of the new HTC Desire 2 hit the world wide web, and in addition to the image, the new handset has found its way into Vodafone Germany's inventory system ( along with several other goodies) -- meaning that the second coming of the Desire is likely imminent. Word on the street is that it has a Super AMOLED screen of unknown resolution and runs Android 2.3.1 (Gingerbread). Examination of the spy shot reveals that HTC swapped out the tactile buttons of the original Desire for the capacitive variety, added a front facing camera, and made it slightly smaller than its predecessor. It seems that HTC has failed on the 'quietly' part of its slogan, but at least it looks like the company didn't botch the 'brilliant' bit as well. Stay tuned to find out -- Mobile World Congress gets going in under a week, you know. [Thanks, William and Robert] |
| Sonos nabs streaming support for XM Radio, Lithium listeners start a minor mosh pit Posted: 06 Feb 2011 08:42 AM PST  Look, we get it. You sunk $87,342.12 into a Sonos whole-home streaming solution, and your buds won't stop pestering you about its inability to stream XM Radio. Thankfully, the stars have aligned just in time for your impending Super Bowl bash, and it's just about time for you to start fantasizing about what their faces will look like when they're ushered into your adobe by Heart-Shaped Box. Thanks to the eagle-eyed Dave Zatz, it looks as if some sort of final blending has gone down between Sirius and XM, with a merging of accounts (presumably) making it possible for Sonos to now stream XM Radio; if you'll recall, the system has had the ability to stream dedicated Sirius channels for a good while now, but particular XM stations have been left out of the mix prior to this weekend. Hit the source link to find out what password changes are needed to get things in sync, and be sure to try it all out before bragging to said buds -- wouldn't want to eat crow after taking all of that flack, now would you? |
| Best Buy opens up in-store pre-orders for HTC Thunderbolt: $50 to claim yours Posted: 06 Feb 2011 07:48 AM PST And with that, it's officially On Like Donkey Kong. A flood of tipsters have confirmed this morning that Best Buy stores around the nation are now accepting pre-orders for HTC's titillating Thunderbolt. We knew good and well this day was coming, but if you've got $50 socked away to put towards it, today's the day to get in line. We're hearing from numerous stores that the phone will be available for pickup on February 14th, so feel free to pre-order two -- you know, for that special someone in your life. Let us know how your experience goes in comments below. Update: We've got it on good authority that new and upgrade pricing for this here handset is set at $249.99 with a two-year contract. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Elaborate Arduino tutorial explains the nuts and bolts of communicating over GSM Posted: 06 Feb 2011 07:03 AM PST  If you're looking to make yourself somewhat more productive on this lazy weekend, and you've got an Arduino or two collecting dust, we've got just the thing to add line after line to your dwindling to-do list. Tronixstuff has a borderline insane tutorial series going, and as of now, 27 chapters have been published. It's essentially the Arduino Bible, but the two most recent additions in particular have piqued our interest. With the explosion in mobile broadband, even hackers are looking to get their creations online. If you've mastered the art of Arduino, but haven't yet been brave enough to toss in a bit of GSM communication, the how-to guides linked below definitely deserve your attention. Just be careful how you write that code -- one wrong line with a SIM card installed could lead to text overages that'll take two lifetimes to pay off. |
| 350Green plans EV charging network for apartment dwellers, Jimmy McMillan Posted: 06 Feb 2011 05:44 AM PST You think the rent's too high? Try buying a depressed property with a hope that it'll appreciate. As of today, the vast majority of EV chargers are being marketed towards those who have garages to install 'em in. While that's all fine and dandy for Mr. and Mrs. Suburbia, it's a bit of a stretch to ask the modern day apartment dweller to install one on the nearest street corner. In an effort to make electric vehicles more feasible for renters, 350Green is envisioning a vast network of chargers near places of work, and it's getting things going in the Bay Area. Thanks to a little financial help from the folks at Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the aforementioned company will be installing a range of fast chargers in six cities around the area: Albany, Menlo Park, Milbrae, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale. We're told that 100 percent of the plazas will be installed in the parking lots of select, high-traffic retail locations, at no cost to the host location, with specific locations to be named in the coming weeks. If all goes well, NorCal's gem will be hooked up by June of 2012, with additional markets around the US to be addressed following that. Jump on down and mash play to see how it'll work, and while we're on the topic, good luck securing one of those HOV stickers for your future EV. Ain't no lane like the fast lane, ya heard? Show full PR text 350Green Announces Plans for National Network of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Network Will Make EV Ownership Possible for Residents Who Don't Have Home Garage Charging, and More Convenient for Those Who Do
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - February 1, 2011) - 350Green (www.350green.com), announced its plans today for a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Starting with its first project in the San Francisco Bay Area, the company plans to install and operate stations across urban retail shopping centers and other places near where EV drivers live and work. This approach aims to address two of the most vexing challenges facing widespread adoption of EVs: range anxiety and access to a garage for overnight charging.
"Most of the early focus around EV infrastructure has been on putting charging stations in the home garages of customers, which is great if you have a garage. But since many residents in cities don't have access to a garage, this effectively limits the number of people who can participate in the EV revolution," said Mariana Gerzanych, 350Green's founder and CEO. "Because our public charging stations with fast chargers will be widely and conveniently located near where residents live and work, EV ownership will suddenly become an option for all, regardless of whether they have access to charging in a personal garage."
The Bay Area project is funded in part by a grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) as part of its "Spare the Air" program, which also aims to make owning an electric vehicle in the Bay Area a viable option for residents.
"As part of protecting the air quality in the Bay Area, we're committed to making electric vehicle technology available to all," said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Bay Area Air District. "Adding to our electric vehicle charging infrastructure will make it easier for Bay Area residents to Spare the Air every day by going electric."
350Green will build and operate fast charging station plazas in six cities around the area: Albany, Menlo Park, Milbrae, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale. All of the plazas will be installed in the parking lots of select, high-traffic retail locations, at no cost to the host location.
According to the BAAQMD, the transportation sector accounts for more than 50 percent of air pollution in the Bay Area. Significant emission reductions from the transportation sector will help the Bay Area attain and maintain state and national air quality standards.
Production numbers from EV automakers project approximately one million EVs on US roads by 2015, and possibly 27 million (or 10 percent of all vehicles in the US) by 2020. In the Bay Area, the percentages are even higher: there may be almost 400,000 EVs on the road in the Bay Area by 2020 -- or 12 percent of all the area's vehicles.
350Green will announce specific locations in the coming weeks, and construction, operation and management of its Bay Area network of direct-current (DC) fast chargers and Level 2 chargers will be complete by June 2012. Additional markets around the country in which 350Green will build networks will be determined in collaboration with the company's city and state partners, as well as stakeholders in the various communities.
350Green's innovative technology and strategic approach enables its municipal partners to meet the demand for regional EV charging by creating a private-public partnership. As a project developer, 350Green creates customized programs that feature best-of-class technology that meets the needs of each project.
About 350Green
350Green is a project developer that designs, builds and operates scalable networks of plug-in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the US. The company distributes its stations at select, high-traffic retail shopping centers and other places near where EV drivers live and work, to create the most expansive and convenient network of EV charging locations. More information on 350Green and its projects can be found at its website: www.350green.com. |
| Newfangled lab-on-a-chip technology gets more health data from less blood Posted: 06 Feb 2011 03:59 AM PST  It's a nightmare of epic proportions: the finger prick. Anyone who detests 'em completely understands, and they'll also be supremely appreciative of the work being done by Dr. Karan Kaler and co. at the University of Calgary. Kaler's team has created a new lab-on-a-chip technology, which uses a wireless microchip to analyze nanolitre-sized samples of blood. That's far less fluid than is currently needed to run a gauntlet of tests, and this fresh take is also far more efficient. We're told that it "involves creating a structure called a micro-emulsion, which is a droplet of fluid captured inside a layer of another substance." From there, the emulsions are positioned precisely on the chip, and after tests are ran, the results are piped wirelessly to a computer. The potential here is far more impressive than the existing iteration; the long-term vision is to "create handheld devices for patients to use at home for testing fluids, such as blood and urine," which would prevent extensive wait times and enable patients to get vital information faster. There's no telling how long it'll take to escape the lab and land in the hands of those who need it, but we're sure the folks involved are cranking just as hard as they can. |
| Screen Grabs: Tango supplants FaceTime for Big Bang Theory videocall Posted: 06 Feb 2011 02:24 AM PST Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com. It may not share the same level of name recognition as FaceTime (or heck, even Fring), but Tango's multi-platform videocalling app is still a very real alternative. So real, in fact, that it was just used in an episode of The Big Bang Theory as a highly fictional (and severely busted) character makes an outlandish videocall to a mythical group of friends. Or was it all just a dream? Hop on down to the source link (and fast-forward to the 13th minute) to find out. [Thanks, Sowmitra] |
| SRS Labs iWow for iDevices: now with 3D! Posted: 05 Feb 2011 11:58 PM PST  SRS Labs pushed out the iWow adapter a couple of years ago to give your iDevice more sonorous tones, and now is has released a new product: the iWow 3D, for your audial enjoyment. SRS's latest offering still promises to "effectively and naturally restore the audio cues that are buried" in your music -- which seems a bit like a Rumplestiltzkin proposition to us -- through an included dongle and the free iWow app. The company provides little information on how the attachment spins sound straw into aural gold, but the idea of better bass response and richer sound from Apple's iPod may be suitable enough for us. Plus, the device is just $49.99 ($30 less than the OG version), or you can step up to the iWow 3D Combo package that adds five colored faceplates and earbuds for $69.99. No word on when it will go on sale ( coming soon, according to SRS), so it looks as if you'll have to endure your drab, two dimensional music just a bit longer. |
| EPA's letter grade automobile stickers could bring QR codes to car windows in 2013 Posted: 05 Feb 2011 10:16 PM PST Ever wonder how the world would still turn after MPG stickers were updated to take hybrids and EVs into consideration? Wonder no more. Purportedly, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to decide by July's end whether it'll require "emissions grades" on all new vehicles. We're told that said stickers would resemble those shown above, complete with a QR code that could be scanned by any smartphone for more detailed information on how a grade was decided upon. As the story goes, cars would be graded from A through D, with a score of F presumably omitted for political correctness. If implemented, it wouldn't require automakers to slap these onto their rides until the 2013 model year, but as you'd expect, said car companies aren't exactly pumped about the idea. As of now, 40 percent of the vehicles on American roads would receive Cs or Ds, and Ohio's own Rep. Steven LaTourette had this to say about it: "Those who live in Planet Reality might need a minivan or SUV to haul around four kids in child and booster seats, and have room for luggage and a family dog. Thanks to the EPA, they'll be lucky to find a vehicle that gets a C." In truth, he's dead right, but there's always two sides to every story. To counter the obvious, automakers are instead backing "a more modest labeling redesign" that's not quite so jarring to consumers. Ah, the wonders of compromise. |
| Google's Eric Schmidt on the future of technology, his role change and Apple's turn toward consumers Posted: 05 Feb 2011 07:58 PM PST  Eric Schmidt only has a few more months to call himself CEO of Google, but contrary to some reports, he won't be stepping away when he hands said title over to Larry Page. Not even close, in fact. In a lengthy talk with The Telegraph at the World Economic Forum last week, the Google bigwig discussed everything from his own future to the future of technology, and just about everything in between. While we'd highly recommend peeking the source link for the full scoop, there are a few gems worth separating. He made crystal clear that he's not "semi-retiring," and there was absolutely no fear about competition from Facebook in the decision. In fact, he feels that increased interest in Facebook will inevitably lead to increased interest in Google. Speaking about the future of search and social, he noted that from now on, "you need never be lonely," carefully adding that location-based activities will be there to bolster one's digital experience so long as they wish to opt-in. He also threw the gents and gals at Cupertino quite the bone, despite the fact that Google and Apple have had their own differences over the years. According to Eric: "When I grew up it was basically about enterprises – IT. Today computer science is really about consumers and information. The rise of Google, the rise of Facebook, the rise of Apple, I think are proof that there is a place for computer science as something that solves problems that people face every day. There was only one company that saw that a decade before anybody else and that company is Apple. If you look even through the Nineties -- Sun, Microsoft, Novell, Cisco -- they were fundamentally infrastructure companies based around corporations. That is where the money was. There was almost no consumer use with the exception of Apple in people's daily lives. The big shift was over 10 - 15 years and it came with the development of the web." As we said, the whole interview is most certainly worth a read. [Image courtesy of Reuters / IB Times] |
| How would you change Logitech's Revue with Google TV? Posted: 05 Feb 2011 06:39 PM PST Remember Google TV? It's still kickin', but El Goog still has quite a few content distribution quibbles to solve before it can be taken seriously -- at least in our estimation. Logitech was one of the first outfits to buy into Google's scheme to take over the television, with the Revue first out of the gate to provide Google TV access to existing sets. We had our fair share of gripes with the box, and while it definitely enabled quite the unusual videocall in a prior episode of The Engadget Show, we were never convinced said fun was worth the price. Enough about us, though -- how's your Revue treating you? Has it revolutionized the way you consume television content? Anything you'd change about it? Tweak the user interface? Broaden compatibility? Change up the keyboard? Let us know in comments below -- something tells us Google's still listening up for input. |
| Greenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1 comes to Windows Posted: 05 Feb 2011 05:46 PM PST It's been a painful two days, hasn't it? If you're a Windows user looking for an untethered jailbreak for your iDevice, the answer is most certainly "yes." The Chronic Dev Team has just let loose the greenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1, but unlike the build released 48 hours ago, this one's meant for Wintel boxes. The team's site seems to be down at the moment (shocker!), but there's a download mirror linked below if you just can't wait to get going. As always, we'd caution you to back up your iPad, iPod touch or iPhone before doing the deed, and since it's the first of its kind (for this version of iOS, anyway), we'd be ready to see a few bugs along the way. Minor details, we know. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| XIM3 Xbox 360 keyboard / mouse / etc. adapter goes on sale... sort of Posted: 05 Feb 2011 05:17 PM PST Well, ain't that a shame. The XIM3 mega-adapter you've been waiting patiently for went on sale this week, and within 3.299 seconds, the company managed to blow through their entire stock. If you've been out of the loop, this here peripheral is designed to bring keyboards, mice and all sorts of other controlling devices to the average Xbox 360 owner, and it's obviously far more sophisticated than its predecessor. The good news is that it's only $149.99, but the bad news is that the source link currently directs you to a sign-up form to be notified of when stock is refreshed. It's pretty clear that the company's having trouble keeping 'em around, so we'd keep a pretty constant check on the site if you'd like to be a part of the first second wave. Oh, and don't be shocked to see your online skills mysteriously decline over the weekend -- something tells us a few folks will have an unfair advantage on the other side. Check out a Black: OPS example just after the break. Update: Looks as if the store may be up and down ( but mostly down) through Monday due to the crushing order load. A good problem to have, we suppose. Thanks, Tom! [Thanks, Richard] |
| 3DTV shocker! Toshiba's first glasses-free TVs selling slowly in Japan Posted: 05 Feb 2011 03:52 PM PST In truly surprising news, it appears that a combination of high prices, small sizes and a somewhat questionable viewing experience have caused Toshiba's new GL1 line of glasses-free 3DTVs to sell more slowly than the company expected. In their first month of availability the 20-inch set, priced at 240,000 yen ($2,940), sold around 500 units while its 12-inch cousin sold even less than that, despite projections both would sell at least 1,000 units. Don't think Toshiba's letting its hard work go the way of the old Sony XEL-1 OLED TVs just yet, as we saw at CES, it's still committed to bringing autostereoscopic 3D in larger screen sizes to the masses despite the potential technological hurdles like providing more viewing angles for the 3D effect. |
| HTC's flagship Android spotted again with 2.2.1 OS and unibody design Posted: 05 Feb 2011 02:23 PM PST Oh boy, looks like HTC's having some real trouble with leaks in its home town lately. Spotted again in Taiwan is this Android device that looks awfully familiar, and for the first time, we get to see a clear shot of its somewhat homely backside. The lucky phonespotter claims that this unibody phone -- codenamed Saga and running 2.2.1 -- belongs to a "client" of his, and from his brief hands-on he reckons it's about as thick as the 7 Mozart and the Legend. Well, that's pretty much all we've been told -- stay tuned in case we hear more in this remaining week before MWC. [Thanks, Sam] |
| HTC Desire 2, Flyer, Pyramid and LG Optimus 3D, Star Tab surface in Vodafone Germany inventory system Posted: 05 Feb 2011 12:56 PM PST There are leaks, and then there are leaks. As you can probably glean from the headline, this is most certainly a case of the latter. FoneArena has received shots of what appears to be a Vodafone Germany inventory system, and it's a system currently overflowing with both rumored and heretofore unheard of product names. HTC's Flyer and Pyramid are all but confirmed for a MWC unveiling, while the Desire 2 is popping up on our radar for the first time. We've also been told that LG's Optimus 3D will be fully revealed next week in Barcelona, but the Star Tab? Now that's a new one. Of course, it shouldn't come as any surprise to see a swath of new names pop up just days before the year's most gargantuan mobile show, but it definitely brings about a metric ton of questions. Is the Star Tab a phone? A slate? A unicorn-based gaming console? Will the Desire 2 simply be more desirable than the original, or will it utilize one of those new screen technologies HTC is feverishly working on? Hard to say from a simple list of names, but you can bet we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more as Mobile World Congress approaches. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Engadget Podcast 231 - 02.05.2011 Posted: 05 Feb 2011 11:55 AM PST This podcast is so disgusting that #1 Digitimes bestselling author Paul Miller wants to take a shower. JK, not disgusting at all! Lots of cool stuff, actually. Just look at that topics list! It's a real beauty, right? We're not sure we COULD fit any more platforms into a podcast if we tried. Hang out with it. It's the Engadget Podcast, just the way you like it, with especially special guest Chris Ziegler. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Guest: Chris Ziegler
Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Sexy Chick 00:08:24 - Live from Google's Android event! 00:08:37 - Android in-app purchases hands-on (video) 00:08:55 - Android Market gets a web store with OTA installations, in-app purchases coming soon 00:11:00 - Android Market web store hands-on 00:20:47 - Motorola Xoom first benchmark: 1823 in Quadrant 00:21:47 - Google shows off Fragments API for Android 3.0 00:25:00 - Motorola teases Xoom Super Bowl ad: '2011 looks a lot like 1984' 00:36:30 - Motorola's Atrix 4G coming to AT&T on March 6th for $200, bundled with Laptop Dock for $500 00:51:35 - Verizon iPhone review 00:52:23 - Verizon can now throttle top five percent of bandwidth hogs, downres multimedia transfers 00:53:12 - Verizon breaks first day sales record with iPhone 4 pre-orders -- in only two hours 01:01:43 - Nokia, Microsoft announcing partnership next week, possibly involving Windows Phone 7? 01:10:19 - Palm creating palmtop computer with detachable, dockable cellphone? 01:12:15 - HP CEO: New webOS products shipping weeks after February 9 reveal, another big announcement March 14 01:13:35 - Palm 'Think Beyond' teaser shows off glimpses of... something (updated with longer video) Hear the podcast
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Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @engadget @reckless @zpowerThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video) Posted: 05 Feb 2011 11:03 AM PST We knew good and well that Chevrolet was planning to integrate Facebook read-backs into its OnStar technology, and now it seems all but confirmed... at least on the Cruze. An early Super Bowl ad peek has revealed that the aforesaid automobile has the ability to read back statuses on command, giving you one less reason to keep your mind on the task at hand (read: driving) and one more reason to make The Zuck even richer. Go on and mash play below, but don't expect any details on how exactly this whole setup works. Something tells us it's tied to a BT-enabled smartphone, but hopefully we'll find out the nitty-gritty sooner rather than later. |
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