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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Engadget News

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Samsung Infuse 4G and HP Veer 4G now on sale at AT&T (update)

Posted: 15 May 2011 11:03 AM PDT

These two smartphones probably couldn't be any different if they tried -- on the left, we've got the tiny 2.6-inch HP Veer with webOS on board, and on the right is Samsung's Infuse 4G, a giant 4.5-inch Android that costs twice as much on contract. They do have two important things in common, however: they're both available on AT&T right now, and you can read our reviews of each before tossing any money down. Enjoy!

Update: The Veer 4G is actually free on contract at Best Buy right now. Needless to say, that's a much better deal.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

YikeBike unveils less-expensive folding electric bike, Jackie Chan dons celebratory tuxedo

Posted: 15 May 2011 09:12 AM PDT

Our main complaint with the folding electric YikeBike -- besides the not-quite-catchy name – was the $3,795 price tag. The company's trying to ease the price pain with the Fusion, a new model that'll cost you $1,995. The savings come from replacing the carbon fiber body with aluminum and composites, which does, unfortunately, add about 6.6 pounds, pushing the total weight over 30 pounds. But that shouldn't hamper portability, and you'll still get six miles of travel on a single charge (or 12 miles with an optional battery backpack). YikeBike will sell the cheaper model through a network of distributors, allowing it to expand its customer base beyond the 250 bikes sold so far, to, among others, Google and Jackie Chan. So if you previously couldn't afford to follow in the kung fu master's tracks, well, now you have one less excuse.

[Thanks, Dan]

Zen master Zimoun asks: what is the sound of 138 motorized cotton balls rolling on cardboard? (video)

Posted: 15 May 2011 07:09 AM PDT

Unlike most of us, Zimoun sees a pile of DC motors, cotton balls, and cardboard boxes and thinks "I can work with this." That, along with his mysterious single name, is what makes him an artist. We're all fans of gadget-centric art -- especially when it involves fire or seemingly worthless parts -- and the Swiss sculptor certainly loves the latter. His installations feature dozens of motorized cotton balls rolling across cardboard; the result sounds something like a heavy rainstorm. Or like the incessant, deadly chewing of the Langoliers, depending on your point of reference. Check the video after the break to decide for yourself.

Samsung's foldable AMOLED display: no creases, even after 100,000 tries

Posted: 15 May 2011 05:08 AM PDT

Samsung demoed some fascinating AMOLEDs at this year's CES, including 4.5-inch flexible and 19-inch transparent displays -- neither of which, sadly, will reach the market any time soon. But the innovation train keeps on rolling, and Sammy's Advanced Institute of Technology now has a prototype foldable display, which may or may not be the same reference design spotted at FPD 2008. Its two panels have a closing radius of only 1mm, meaning they practically touch when closed, yet show no visible crease when opened. In fact, the developers performed 100,000 folding-unfolding cycles to test the junction; the negligible 6% decrease in brightness was invisible to the human eye. They used commercially-available silicone rubber to achieve that seamless look, and the prototype featured a protective glass cover which could also function as a touchscreen. Obviously there's a market for touchscreens you can fold up and put in your pocket; here's hoping Samsung can make them available sooner rather than later.

Samsung updates Galaxy S II, speeds up Swype and fixes auto-brightness issue

Posted: 15 May 2011 02:05 AM PDT

Samsung's Galaxy S II superphone didn't have many issues to begin with, and we're hearing there's one fewer annoying quirk today -- Android Community reports that a new firmware update (available via Kies) addresses the overzealous auto-brightness setting that continually irked us during testing. The i9100XWKE2 revision also apparently increases the responsiveness of the Swype software keyboard -- which is always a plus -- so unless this update also fries handsets or something, it sounds like a desirable one.

[Thanks, Fayez]

Google I/O 2011 T-shirt puzzle solved, reveals the droid you've been looking for

Posted: 14 May 2011 08:58 PM PDT

If unsolved Google puzzles keep you up at night, you now have one less reason to go sleepless: the Google I/O T-shirt enigma has been unraveled. The picture above contains a series of dots and dashes, which our friends at MobileCrunch recognized as Morse code. Using the line breaks as spaces (new characters), the code then reads:

.... - - .--. --. --- --- .-.-.- --. .-.. .- ....- -.-. -.... ...-- ----.

That translates to a URL, which we've linked to below. We won't spoil where it leads, in case you're feeling noble enough to try decoding it for yourself.

How would you change Apple's Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro?

Posted: 14 May 2011 07:39 PM PDT

Same 'ole, same 'ole? There's no doubt that Apple's newest MacBook Pro looks awfully similar to the models that have come before it, but the engineers in Cupertino still managed to shake a few things up on the early 2011 model. Aside from throwing an AMD GPU under the hood, pairing that with Intel's integrated HD 3000 chipset and implementing Sandy Bridge, there's also an entirely new I/O port: Thunderbolt. But was that really enough? For those of you who couldn't escape the upgrade bug, we're curious to know if you've been satisfied with the upgrade. If you had control of things, what would you change? Add a few more USB ports? Insist that native USB 3.0 support be added? Throw in a Blu-ray drive? Maybe add a couple of palm rest stickers? Toss your ideas out in comments below -- but let's keep it civil down there, cool?

RIM recalls at least 900 faulty BlackBerry PlayBooks, here are the serial numbers

Posted: 14 May 2011 06:10 PM PDT

We found the BlackBerry PlayBook to be a pretty solid piece of hardware, but it seems there was a problem batch -- an inside source tells us that nearly 1,000 faulty tablets were shipped to Staples, and now they're being recalled. We're hoping that Staples (and any other affected retailers) will reach out to customers and inform them of the problem right away, but just in case that doesn't happen, we've compiled a searchable spreadsheet of all 935 alleged serial numbers for you to check against your own. Find it right after the break.

PlayStation 3 system update 3.61 available now, 'phased restoration' of PSN begins today (update)

Posted: 14 May 2011 04:34 PM PDT

Ladies and gentlemen, your PS3 may technically be able to connect to PlayStation Network now, but we're not through the woods yet -- today, Sony is issuing a mandatory System Update (v3.61) which will prepare your game machine for that magical day when the company actually throws the switch. In the meanwhile, Sony says the update will prompt you to change your PlayStation Network password, which will likely rank among the easiest decisions that you've ever made.

Update: Sony's just announced that a "phased restoration" of PlayStation Network and Qriocity is beginning today, and that online gaming, Music Unlimited, Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and MLB.TV should rolling out right now in Europe and North America. Watch cool cat Kaz Hirai deliver the good news in a video after the break.

Update 2: Sony's got a map of the US up, and will be lighting up individual states -- check out our more coverage link to get a rough idea of when you'll be able to play. The company also says it plans to have PlayStation Network fully functional by the end of May. PR after the break.

Update 3: The restoration is beginning now: we're seeing Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and California. And would you look at that, the southeast just got its due: Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina have PSN too... and as of 10:18PM PST, you can add Delaware, Pennsylvania, both Virginias, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan to that list.

Update 4: Annnnnd we should all be back. Sleep well, PSN users. By the way, Sony Online Entertainment (the MMO division) has a list of the free goodies you'll get for your inconvenience -- read it at the link below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]


Show full PR text
Restoration of PlayStation®Network and Qriocity Services Begins

Increased Security Measures Implemented Before Service Restoration; Consumer Data Protection a Full-Time, Company-Wide Commitment

TOKYO, May 14, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) announced that Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI, the company) will today begin a phased restoration by region of PlayStation®Network and Qriocity Services. The phased restoration will be on a country by country basis beginning in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Middle East.

The first phase of restored services for these countries and regions will include:

  • Sign-in for PlayStation®Network and Qriocity services, including the resetting of passwords
  • Restoration of online game-play across PS3 and PSP
  • Playback rental video content, if within rental period, of PlayStation Network Video Delivery Service on PS3, PSP and MediaGo
  • Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity, for current subscribers, on PS3 and PC
  • Access to 3rd party services such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and MLB.tv
  • 'Friends' category on PS3, including Friends List, Chat Functionality, Trophy Comparison, etc
  • PlayStation Home
  • Increased Security Measures
As the result of a criminal cyber attack on the company's data-center located in San Diego, California, U.S.A., SNEI shut down the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services on April 20, in order for the company to undergo an investigation and make enhancements to the overall security of the network infrastructure. Working closely with several respected outside security firms, the company has implemented new and additional security measures that strengthen safeguards against unauthorized activity, and provide consumers with greater protection of their personal information.

The company has made considerable enhancements to the data security, including updating and adding advanced security technologies, additional software monitoring and penetration and vulnerability testing, and increased levels of encryption and additional firewalls. The company also added a variety of other measures to the network infrastructure including an early-warning system for unusual activity patterns that could signal an attempt to compromise the network.

"I'd like to send my sincere regret for the inconvenience this incident has caused you, and want to thank you all for the kind patience you've shown as we worked through the restoration process," said Kazuo Hirai, Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation. "I can't thank you enough for your patience and support during this time. We know even the most loyal customers have been frustrated by this process and are anxious to use their Sony products and services again. We are taking aggressive action at all levels to address the concerns that were raised by this incident, and are making consumer data protection a full-time, company wide commitment."

"During the past 18 months, we've seen a dramatic rise in the volume of cyber attacks, their sophistication and their impact on businesses. Thwarting cyber-crime requires an evolutionary approach to security that is well integrated, reduces risk exposure and improves efficiencies," said Francis deSouza, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Security Group, Symantec. "Today's cyber crime attacks are proving to be more covert, more targeted and better organized than those we've seen in years past. In working with Sony on the move of their data-center, it's clear they're implementing measures to reduce security risks moving forward."

As an additional measure, Fumiaki Sakai, president of Sony Global Solutions Inc. (SGS), has been appointed acting Chief Information Security Officer of SNEI. In addition to his current role at SGS, Mr. Sakai, in his role at SNEI, will work to further reinforce overall information security across the company's network infrastructure. Mr. Sakai will lead the recruiting effort in finding a new and permanent CISO for SNEI. As CISO, Mr. Sakai will report to Tim Schaaff, president, SNEI, as well as to Mr. Shinji Hasejima, CIO, Sony Corporation.

"While we understand the importance of getting our services back online, we did not rush to do so at the expense of extensively and aggressively testing our enhanced security measures. Our consumers' safety remains our number one priority," Hirai continued. "We want to assure our customers that their personal information is being protected with some of the best security technologies available today, so that everyone can feel comfortable enjoying all that PlayStation Network and Qriocity services have to offer."

The restoration of the services across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Middle East are beginning, and consumers will be able to enjoy some of the online functionality provided by both the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services. Phased restoration in Japan and other Asian countries and regions will be announced in due course. The company expects to have the services fully restored by the end of May 2011.

The company will be offering customers a "Welcome Back" package of services and premium content to all registered PlayStation Network and Qriocity account services. The details of this program will be announced in each region shortly.

For more information about the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services intrusion and restoration, please visit http://blog.us.playstation.com or http://blog.eu.playstation.com/

Mopho DJ uses your iPhone to track turntable movement (instead of your movements)

Posted: 14 May 2011 04:09 PM PDT

We have to admit, we never thought of this one -- and it's pretty, pretty slick. Instead of using time-coded vinyl to interface your turntable with your computer as with Final Scratch Pro or Serato Scratch, Nicholas J. Bryan's Mopho DJ uses an iPhone. That's right, our man at Stanford University literally affixes his smartphones to his decks via a perspex disc and some sort of adhesive. The smartphones each run an app which sends accelerometer and gyroscope data to a computer, which then adjusts playback of your music accordingly. It's still a work-in-progress at the moment, but if you're in Oslo the first week in June make sure you check it out at the NIME (New Interfaces for Musical Expression) conference. This is definitely the kind of iOS location tracking we can get behind! Check it out on video after the break.

Clearwire ditches plans to produce phones, satisfied Sony Ericsson drops logo lawsuit

Posted: 14 May 2011 03:03 PM PDT

We thought Clearwire might have had a chance at legal victory against Sony Ericsson, but the wireless carrier has apparently dropped out of the ring. Clearwire told a federal court it no longer plans to produce a smartphone -- which basically nullified Sony Ericsson's worry that upcoming Clearwire handsets would oh-so-similar swirling orb logo. As a result, Sony Ericsson's reporting today that it's dropped the trademark infringement lawsuit, which sounds good for all involved, except it leaves Clearwire not producing much of anything now.

Solar Impulse completes first solar-powered international flight, Captain Piccard returns to earth

Posted: 14 May 2011 02:01 PM PDT


We're big fans of charming, ungainly Solar Impulse, and of Captain Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg's quest to circumnavigate the globe in a solar-powered plane. In case you missed the live stream: the Swiss flier just got a little closer to that goal by completing its first international flight, taking off near Berne, Switzerland and landing in Brussels, Belgium, just under 13 hours later. That's half the flight time of an earlier test, in which the craft's 200-foot wingspan, covered with 12,000 photovoltaic solar cells, kept it aloft for 26 hours. Of course, a controlled test flight is one thing -- making solar-powered flight commercially viable means proving your plane can successfully navigate busy airspace. To see Solar Impulse come in for a smooth landing, peep the video after the break.

Power Matt joins the Wireless Power Consortium, gains the power of Qi

Posted: 14 May 2011 01:06 PM PDT

Powermat's Power Matt proclaimed his cord-cutting capabilities to the people while bearing a striking resemblance to Superman. And now, just as the Kryptonian joined the Justice League, Power Matt has teamed up with the Wireless Power Consortium to benefit all mankind -- or at least get us closer to universal contactless chargers. With the pun-loving hero embracing the power of Qi, we're just a Touchstone away from induction charging nirvana... and the next great action flick, too.

Microsoft-approved tool fixes your 'walshed' Windows Phone, helps you get official updates once more

Posted: 14 May 2011 11:44 AM PDT

There are certainly advantages to rooting your Windows Phone 7 device, but there's a heck of a downside too -- Microsoft can't update your handset to the latest and greatest build if you've unofficially patched your phone. Good to know, but what if you've already done the deed? That's why you'll want the application above, a ChevronWP7-tested, Microsoft-approved program for pulling your phone out of Bizzaro World and setting things right. Find it at our source link, follow the instructions carefully, and don't fret if the official update doesn't immediately appear after you're done -- developer Chris Walsh says availability of the build depends on carrier approval.

[Thanks, Brianna]

FCC reveals Seagate GoFlex Satellite, a WiFi-capable battery-powered external hard drive

Posted: 14 May 2011 10:27 AM PDT

For a purportedly doomed manufacturer of magnetic storage, Seagate sure is spinning some interesting ideas these days -- last year, we got modular, upgradable cables, and now the company's testing external hard drives that don't need pesky wires to function. According to filings, the Seagate GoFlex Satellite not only plays the network-attached-storage card with built-in 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, it's also got a 3.7V battery inside its case... making the product's name somewhat apt, don't you think? According to a leaked description, Seagate's also planning a companion iOS app called "GoFlex Media" to let your iDevices stream content directly from the device. Mind you, none of that means you won't be able to dock with your Satellite the old-fashioned way -- FCC docs also mention a USB 3.0 cable that delivers data and power simultaneously.

HTC Thunderbolt inductive charging back hits FCC, makes life with LTE a little easier

Posted: 14 May 2011 08:57 AM PDT

HTC Thunderbold inductive charging backThat inductive-charging backplate for the HTC Thunderbolt just hit the FCC, which means keeping the battery-devouring device juiced is about to get a little less inconvenient. Instead of having to plug in three times a day just to keep that LTE radio happy you'll simply be able to rest it on a charging mat... three times a day. The part made a brief appearance in the Verizon shop for $39, but the rumored April release date came and went without so much as a peep from Big Red. While we still can't say for sure when it will land, at least we know it's coming sooner rather than later -- and we've got one less reason to reconsider that pocket-busting extended battery.

Caption Contest: you shall not interrupt Gandalf's 3D viewing session

Posted: 14 May 2011 07:33 AM PDT

Nobody likes being bothered while they're really getting into a movie, and as we all know you can't really get into a movie unless it's in 3D. Right? Sir Ian McKellen took things a step further, not only watching a screening of The Hobbit in the third dimension but doing it in character, and looking ever so slightly perturbed at having his viewing session interrupted by a rogue photographer. The guy in the back doesn't seem to mind, though.

Thomas: "Galadriel, is that new shampoo?"
Tim: "These glasses may be passive but I you may find me getting very aggressive if you use that flash one more time."
Brian: "I'll tell you what, you're making me Gandalf the Red right now."
Joe: "Would 'one standard to rule them all' be asking too much?"
Michael: "ZZ Top called, they want their roadie back"
Terrence: "Even Gandalf the Grey is powerless against the magic of these glasses which make any man look like a 90-year-old blind woman."
Richard Lai: "Ha, no 3D for that flaming cyclops in Mordor."
Darren: "One ring. Two Towers. 3Ds."
Christopher: "Sir Ian McKellen: the latest victim of Rick Rubin's Ambush Makeover."
Sean Buckley: "Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee. What have I told you about interrupting me during my stories?"
Josh Fruhlinger: "You know how they say 3D is bad for children? This dude is 14."
Myriam: "Yes, wizards get hangovers too. Are you happy now?"

HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner officially available for preorders for $249, six tuner version next week

Posted: 14 May 2011 06:40 AM PDT

After a false start when it passed certification earlier this month, SiliconDust's three CableCARD tuner HDHomeRun Prime is finally available for preorder from Newegg for $249. The release date is scheduled for June 29th but those interested in getting it hooked up to their HTPC as quickly as possible may want to wait until next week when the six-tuner 6CC version goes up for preorder, as those are expected to begin shipping first. There's no volume discount on the tuners at $499, but at $83 per tuner you might be able to justify it as a better value than the four-tuner and also network-sharable InfiniTV 4. Either way, if you just need a bit more information before purchasing, you'll find it on the sales page, on the linked PDF below or in the video trailer embedded after the break.

[Thanks Justin & @TheReal_PeterF]

Robot orchestra marries music and machines (video)

Posted: 14 May 2011 05:56 AM PDT

It may not be the first go-round for the Karmetik Machine Orchestra, but the automated musicians, fashioned by a group of students at the California Institute of the Arts, took the stage last night to prove that robots can rock. Among the mechanized musicians scheduled to perform at the Walt Disney Modular Theater were MahaDevibot, Glockenbot, BreakBot, and NotomotoN, described as a "duel-head drum with twelve beaters and a mallet orchestra." Each of the robots was built from salvaged parts and programmed by CalArts students, who control the machines from laptops during performances. A description of the show posted to the CalArts website touts music-producing robots suspended from the ceiling that trigger sound activated light shows and animation -- now that sounds like a way to spend a Thursday night. Check out a video of the players and their masters after the break.

MOPS Shadow T800 brings analog joystick, hearts & spades to Android

Posted: 14 May 2011 04:02 AM PDT

Sure, the Xperia Play may have that slick gamepad slider, shoulder buttons, and Sony Playstation's official blessing, but can it hold its own against the Shadow's analog pad? Probably, because despite the new contender's self described status of a "mobile Playstation," its lack of shoulder buttons won't help it play any of those Xperia-exclusive PSone games it can't download. Still, besides being known as the "Phantom of the Opera" phone (thanks, Google Translate), this MOPS Shadow T800 has a lot going for it. This analog Android packs a Froyo-powered 806MHz processor, 512MB of RAM, front and rear 5 megapixel and 0.3 megapixel cameras, respectively, a 3.5 inch 320 x 480 touchscreen, and a whole mess of standard GPS, Bluetooth, and 3G radios. Not enough? Okay, fine; the device also comes pre-loaded with a handful of emulators, as well as a legit copy of Assassin's Creed. Besides, who doesn't want a phone with card-suit face buttons? Bragging rights will set you back 2680 yuan ($410), assuming you're in China when this thing launches later this month.

Kinect hack enables psychedelic acupressure, far-out graphics (video)

Posted: 14 May 2011 02:13 AM PDT

We've seen the Kinect do some pretty wild stuff, but this "Kinected Massage" thing might just take the cake. Jason Stephens, massage therapist and grad student, has employed the ever-expanding power of Microsoft's Kinect in combination with a video projector to create "flow fields" that follow his hands on a client's body while he performs a massage. Stephens describes the process as a "technologically mediated healing modality," and while we're not sure that the Kinect actually contributes much to the relaxation process, it does make for some pretty trippy graphics. Hop on past the break and expand your mind, man.

LG Optimus Pad coming to Rogers May 17th

Posted: 14 May 2011 12:38 AM PDT

It's already made its rounds of the European continent, and now LG's Optimus Pad seems poised to make its North American retail debut via Rogers in Canada. A helpful tipster sent us the above screenshot that reveals Rogers will be the exclusive career of the Honeycomb tablet (known as the G-Slate in the US), with a $700 starting price. With a data plan, the price ranges from $450 for a three-year contract to $650 on a month-to-month contract. Users seeking a one-year deal will shell out $600, while a two-year contract comes with a $530 asking price. The 8.9-inch slab should land up north May 17th, so plan your life accordingly.

[Thanks, Anon]

Microsoft Research-backed e-reader prototype can't keep its text to itself (video)

Posted: 13 May 2011 10:55 PM PDT

We've seen plenty of dual-screen devices over the past couple of years, and they never fail to make us a little sentimental for Microsoft's stillborn Courier concept. That goes double for this reader device, which made an appearance at this week's CHI conference in Vancouver, seeing as how Microsoft Research apparently played a role in its development. But this gadget, presented by the University of Maryland's Nicholas Chen, is clearly its own beast -- and it's an awesome looking one at that. The reader actually only has one screen, but it can connect wirelessly with other units, letting the users do things like send links between devices. It will also clip magnetically to another unit, so you can look at two pages of the same document at the same time, just like one of those oldfangled book-type things. Fans of awkward intros, check out the video after the break.

[Thanks, Winston]

T-Mobile baking fresh prepaid plans May 22, adds more 4G data for flavor

Posted: 13 May 2011 09:53 PM PDT

Consumers are flocking to prepaid about as fast as children to an ice cream truck, and T-Mobile is welcoming them with open arms. Pushing out a competitive and timely response to Verizon's Unleashed plans is vital -- especially given T-Mobile's paltry first-quarter results -- and the company will be ready to match wits with the country's number-one carrier on May 22. The official site is already saying as much, proclaiming to its prepaid customers that their monthly packages will become even tastier at that time. What it's missing, though, is a name, and TmoNews has uncovered evidence suggesting 'T-Mobile Monthly 4G' will be the re-branded title. So what will these new enhancements bring to customers?

Monthly rates will stay exactly the same as before, with additional 4G data supplying an extra oomph to the offerings. The top-of-the-line plan goes for $70 and will offer unlimited minutes, text, and web (a jump up from the 2GB currently in use); the $50 choice is identical in minutes and text, but will only allow 100MB before data gets throttled. This idea of cutting down internet use is a definite upgrade to the current plan, since at present time it gives out the same 100MB but cuts data use completely off as soon as that point is reached. We're also noticing that international and BlackBerry services are available a la carte for an extra $10, as well as a noteworthy day pass that bestows 24 hours of unlimited 4G data for $1.49. Color us impressed; all of the latest revamps to T-Mobile's prepaid options are a refreshing contrast to its competitors mandating more and more restrictions to their monthly data plans.

Robot arm learns to use hammer, mocks pathetic human's attempt to fight back (video)

Posted: 13 May 2011 08:37 PM PDT

This guy had a pretty natural reaction upon discovering that the DLR Hand Arm System has learned to use a hammer: he took a bat to the thing. Rather than curbing the inevitable robotic uprising, however, the whole thing just demonstrates exactly how durable the mechanical appendage is, as it resumes normal functionality after the swift blow. The arm contains 52 motors and super strong synthetic tendons, and is the work of the German Aerospace Center, the electronic sadists who also recently took a hammer to one of their robot hands. Videos of the mayhem after the jump -- we're sure they'll be Skynet's Exhibit A.

[Thanks, Joseph]

Ask Engadget: best full-size laptop without an optical drive?

Posted: 13 May 2011 07:33 PM PDT

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 inquiry is coming to us from Garren, who isn't ashamed of being picky about his next laptop. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"I'm a college student looking for a new laptop, but almost all of my media I receive digitally. I'm looking for a laptop, not a netbook, without an optical drive, and budget sensitive. The optical drive will just be a waste of space, when I can have thinner laptop. What's out there?"
Any of you digital junkies care to chime in? If so, comments are welcoming one and all down below.

Logitech Revue price drops to $199 on Amazon

Posted: 13 May 2011 06:36 PM PDT

While we wait for the OTA update that will bring Android 3.1 to existing Google TV devices, Logitech's Revue -- check the official blog post linked below for some of the features being added -- has apparently already received its price cut and CrunchGear points out it is currently available for $199 on Amazon. As we noted a couple of weeks ago when the company announced weak sales and a plan to drop the price to $249, getting the price under two bills was probably as important as smoothing out the software experience. Of course, after Google I/O we wonder if anyone interested in Google TV is still jonesing for a launch device (even with the promise of updated software and Android Market access in the future) when something newer and better is likely on the way. After all, you can get Honeycomb on a T-Mobile G1 now, but that doesn't mean you would want to do it.

Google I/O 2011 keynotes available on YouTube (video)

Posted: 13 May 2011 05:25 PM PDT

Is there anything you don't know about Google's blowout I/O 2011 developer conference? If you've read our recap of happenings over in San Francisco this week, you should be well on your way to becoming the most knowledgeable Google geek in your local data cluster, but if you're looking for all the key info in a more digestible format like, say, video, Google's taking care of you as well. Both of the company's I/O keynotes have been posted to YouTube, where they can be consumed in up to 720p resolution, and we've done our bit too by embedding them for you after the break. So what are you waiting for, your Googlification awaits!



Android 3.1 on the Motorola Xoom: hands-on (video)

Posted: 13 May 2011 04:33 PM PDT

Android 3.1
That Android 3.1 update that Google announced during I/O is slowly rolling out to 3G Xoom owners as we speak. How'd we know such a thing? Why, it just landed on our in-house Xoom, of course! Most of the changes to Honeycomb are happening under the hood -- better HTML5 support, faster performance, and USB host functionality for connecting peripherals like game controllers and mice -- but there are some improvements that will be a lot more obvious to the user. Perhaps our favorite is the addition of resizable widgets. For the moment only the email and Gmail inbox, calendar and bookmarks widgets can be stretched or shrunk, but we're sure others will follow. We're particularly appreciative of the expandable calendar widget, which always felt a tad cramped. The task switcher also received a much requested upgrade and now lets you scroll through your last 18 launched apps, instead of just the five most recent. Lastly, the Android Market now offers movie rentals, alongside books and apps, which range in price from $1.99 to $4.99 for 24 hours of playback. There isn't a ton of revolutionary stuff going on here, but it's certainly a welcome and worthwhile update. Check out the video after the break to see Android 3.1 in action.

Screen Grabs: futuristic Nokia smartphone answers the product placement call in Real Steel

Posted: 13 May 2011 03:57 PM PDT

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.

In the futuristic world of the would-be summer blockbuster Real Steel, Rock 'em Sock 'em-esque robots have become participants in a very real sport and, it seems, Nokia is still going strong -- although you probably knew that if you've seen the latest Star Trek movie. In fact, this device bears more than a small resemblance to the one used by a young James T. Kirk, with it boasting the same translucent shell that encases what's still unmistakably a Nokia design. Head on past the break for the full trailer, and look for the phone to make an appearance around the 16 second mark -- although we wouldn't recommend taking this as a hint of what's to come for Windows Phone.


Lodsys warns iOS devs, alleges in-app purchases infringe its patent

Posted: 13 May 2011 03:14 PM PDT


A handful of iOS developers received letters this week from a patent holding firm claiming that their applications that offer in-app purchases infringe on the firm's intellectual property (IP). The letter threatens legal action if developers don't license the patent within 21 days. Lodsys, the firm in question, has apparently patented a system that collects usage data and facilitates feedback between a customer and vendor, though it doesn't address financial transactions specifically. The allegedly infringing applications use Apple's in-app purchase tool to encourage users to upgrade to a paid version after downloading a free app. Though it's possible that Lodsys has sent a similar warning to Apple, only individual developers confirmed receiving the document. This makes us wonder if the company is skipping the well-armed big target in favor of the little guys.

Several developers posted on Twitter after receiving the letters, including Patrick McCarron (Shanghai for iPad), James Thomson (PCalc), and Matt Braun (MASH). They're understandably unwilling to share too many details at this point -- even though Apple developed the framework, developers could still be liable. Lodsys appears to be in the business of launching suits referencing U.S. patent 7,222,078, having gone after Canon, HP, Samsung, and other giants earlier this year. As the developers that have come to light so far are independent, with limited budgets, some have reached out to Apple legal for assistance, and are awaiting response. We aren't seeing the connection between the patent and in-app purchases, though that's ultimately up to a federal court to determine, if the firm even files a lawsuit. Drama in its finest form, folks.

Dell teases lithe new laptop to stimulate our gadget senses (update: CEO says XPS 15z)

Posted: 13 May 2011 02:32 PM PDT

Mmmm, there's nothing like some shots of a slim new PC to get our gadget senses all tingly, and Dell's done just that via a new video. Posted on its Facebook page today, Round Rock's latest laptop -- which likely claims XPS lineage -- is looking lean and clean, with a couple of USB 3.0 ports and lattice-work speaker grilles. There's not much more to say, so we'll let the vid speak for itself. Enjoy.

Update: Michael Dell did it again! We just caught the CEO tweeting "Dell XPS 15z Coming soon!" and linking to the same video after the break. Looks like someone doesn't get the idea behind teasers. To be fair, though, you can actually see the moniker at about 8 seconds into the clip.

Samsung Infuse 4G review

Posted: 13 May 2011 01:30 PM PDT

We're just getting into the swing of spring, flowers blooming and skeeters biting, but already it's been a great year for Samsung -- if we ignore the whole lawsuit thing. Just a few weeks ago the company delivered to us our highest scoring Android phone yet, the Galaxy S II and, while that handset has not appeared on American shores, we were graced with the Droid Charge, which offers LTE speed, strong battery life, and an on-contract price that slightly exceeds its design.

Not so with the company's latest assault on American carriers. It's the Infuse 4G, it's $199 on-contract, and it has a decidedly high-end feel. It even looks a little like the S II -- if you squint. This is its own phone, though, a giant 4.5-inch screen setting it apart from its predecessors, and a giant battery inside giving it plenty of life. But is it really as good as it looks?
Samsung Infuse 4G

Hardware

We were about to pack up the Charge and ship it away when the Infuse 4G arrived in its little orange and white box. While these are very similar phones in a lot of ways they certainly don't feel at all related. The Charge has that pointy chin, cheeky physical buttons, and a little extra junk in the trunk that makes its thoroughly plastic construction feel a wee bit flimsy. The Infuse 4G definitely has a lot of the same DNA coursing through its chassis but in an exterior that's far more chiseled and free of excess anything. It's definitely been hitting the gym.


It's just 8.9mm (.35-inches) thin for the most part, swelling to 9.24mm (.36-inches) down at the bottom. This thinness helps to hide the phone's overall size, which is considerable. Its gorgeous 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display hasn't been saddled with much of a bezel, but a screen that large is only going to appear on a hunky phone, and that this is. Measuring 132mm tall and 71mm across (5.2 x 2.8-inches) it's a big, wide slice of Android, but at least at 131g (.29 pounds) it won't weigh your pants or purse down too heavily.

The phone is your typical, simple rectangle; bulge at the bottom the only bit of shapeliness not left behind on the stair-stepper. Otherwise the back is completely flat, livened up by some texturing that makes it a pleasure to hold. Yeah, it's just plastic, but it almost feels classy. Almost.

Stick a fingernail under it and that class peels away, containing a beefy 1,750mAh battery and a slot for a SIM card. Beneath the battery is a microSD card, a measly 2GB that certainly puts off any pretenses of this being a properly high-end device. But, that's not all the storage this has to offer. Internally the phone has a 2GB hunk for apps, a separate 13GB slice for... whatever, and then the microSD card as well, which gives you a grand total of right about 16GB in three partitions.

Infuse 4G vs. Droid Charge

Mount the phone to your computer and you'll see two shares, the larger internal bit of flash and your microSD card, meaning if you have a lot of tunes you'll likely have to split them manually. That's not the end of the world, and Google's Music app certainly doesn't care which share the files come from, but it's certainly not as clear as simply having a giant hunk of storage. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from throwing a 32GB card under the battery and using the internal flash memory just for your collection of Mystery Science Theater 3000 Gamera movies. Or, you know, whatever.

The speakerphone speaker is situated on the back, which is loud and clear, matching the overall call quality that we found to be quite good. Also on the back is the eight megapixel sensor paired with an LED flash, the same unit we've been getting quite familiar with lately in both the Charge and the Galaxy S II. Here it records video at a maximum of 720p and, like on the Charge, will auto-focus while recording. You can output that video over HDMI to your HDTV, but you'll need to rely on a dongle and the phone has to be plugged in to the wall while doing it. That's a bit of a bummer.

Display


Another smartphone from Samsung, another gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display. This one steps things up a couple tenths of an inch to 4.5, but maintains the 800 x 480 resolution of its predecessors. This means pixel density is down ever so slightly, but what stands out here is the amazing brightness and contrast of this display. It looks as good as the company's other offerings, with deep blacks, searing whites, and infinite viewing angles.

Again the colors are a bit off when the brightness is lowered, and unfortunately Samsung didn't include the color tweaking tool that's found on the Galaxy S II. But, as with the Charge, we found if we kept the brightness up the colors were accurate, the whites bright, and the blacks still inky. That contrast is certainly the beauty of gooey organic LED displays, though there is another important advantage: power consumption.

Performance and battery life


We were very impressed by the battery life on the Droid Charge and we have to say we've been even more enamored here. The Infuse has a slightly larger, 1,750mAh battery pack nestled inside and it easily powered us through a day of demanding use. When managed more casually (as a typical user might) it got us through most of a second.

Of course, every phone will struggle to stay alive when being used as a mobile hotspot, and the Infuse is no exception. It can spew connectivity to up to five devices over WiFi, but you'd best have it plugged in to something if you want to do it for more than a few hours at a time.

The Infuse 4G is of course AT&T's first 21Mbps HSPA+ smartphone, its fastest yet, and when all the stars aligned perfectly we did see some impressive speeds. With full bars in San Francisco we managed an impressive 8.5Mbps down, but that was definitely a rarity. Most tests were in the 2 - 3Mbps range, with uploads at or below 1Mbps. In New York City we saw similar uploads but never broke the 3Mbps barrier going the other way.

Note, though, that these speeds were all over the place, seemingly fluctuating with some unidentified meteorological index and never offering the kind of consistently quick speeds we've seen on LTE. And, while the device did generally clock faster speeds than the Atrix when both were showing maximum signal, in general the Infuse seemed to be struggling a bit for bars comparatively, on average sitting about a notch lower. GPS locks were reasonably solid, taking a few minutes to figure out what state it was in but, after that, lining up the satellites quickly.

In terms of speed on the device, again we're talking a single-core phone, but at 1.2GHz it's a bit faster than the Droid Charge. We didn't really notice that in average browsing behavior, but the benchmarks don't lie. Quadrant scored 1,103, Linpack ran in 5.03 seconds and scored 16.657Mflops, while the Sunspider benchmark completed in 5,054ms. That's all on the order of 10 - 20 percent faster than the Charge, which goes to show that sometimes CPU cycles do count.

Camera


We're pretty sure the eight megapixel sensor slapped on the back here is the same one we've already seen in the Charge and the Galaxy S II so we won't blather on too much here, except to say that it's still very, very good. Pictures look sharp, colors look bright, and the 720p footage here is quite good -- if occasionally a bit soft.

Infuse 4G sample shots

The camera will auto-focus while you're filming without you having to tap on the screen, and the ever so subtle mechanical noise we heard on the Charge isn't noticeable here. Check it out for yourself in the video below, but only click play if you like dogs.


Wrap-up


The Infuse 4G is another solid offering from Samsung that we think those of you with wide pockets and big hands are going to fall in love with. It doesn't quite reach the blistering processor speeds of the Atrix, doesn't have a fancy composite back, and is completely bereft of laptop pretenses. It does, however, have a stunning screen that's big and the kind of battery life that could finally put your charge anxiety to rest. Maybe, just maybe, you could leave that second battery at home.

Workaround brings Netflix to more (rooted) Android users

Posted: 13 May 2011 12:58 PM PDT

We've already had some success getting Netflix for Android up and running on an officially unsupported phone (a Droid X), but those not able to get it to work simply by transferring and installing the .APK now have another option. As some folks on XDA and Reddit have discovered, you can apparently just edit a few system settings to make your phone (or Nook Color, for that matter) think it's actually an HTC G2, which is apparently all it takes to satisfy the Netflix app. It doesn't work with every phone, of course, but quite a few seem to have had success with it. Unfortunately for some, you'll also need to first root your phone in order to make those changes, but the steps are fairly simple once you've done that. Hit up the links below for all the details, and let us know how it worked out for you in the comments below. Just remember: when in doubt, back up.

iMac frees you from the tyranny (and convenience) of servicing your own hard drives (update: not exactly a new problem)

Posted: 13 May 2011 12:38 PM PDT

iMac 2011
Letting Apple control most facets of your computing experience is just a fact of life for the Mac faithful, but if you want to swap out the hard drive for a bigger or faster one with the most recent iMac refresh, well, you have somewhat limited options. Rather than a 4-wire SATA configuration Apple uses a 7-wire configuration that keeps you from hooking up just any old hard drive, lest a temperature sensor go batty and your system refuse to cooperate. There are ways around it, but your warranty may not apply afterward...

Update: We've revised this post to clarify that this isn't exactly a new issue. The same problem existed in previous revisions, but the big issue now is that the separate thermal cable has been integrated into the SATA cable. It's similar to what was done before, just a little harder to get around now. But, you can get around it.

Update 2: Hardmac has a detailed analysis of the situation which we'd recommend you check out. It verifies OWC's findings, and recommends you short pins 2 and 7 to basically circumvent the issue. Why does Apple do this? The separate temperature monitor enables OS X to more regularly check the temperature of the system's drives without compromising overall bandwidth provided by SATA.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition not seen in Android File Transfer, Windows usability is spotty

Posted: 13 May 2011 12:10 PM PDT

You know what's cool? Handing out 5,000 Android tablets to your most loyal developers at Google I/O. You know what's not cool? Handing out 5,000 Android tablets that can't have files loaded onto them. Believe or not, that's exactly what happened at this week's I/O conference, where hordes of developers were handed a Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition that cannot currently interface with OS X, and has a whale of a time doing so with Windows 7. During our initial preview of Music Beta, we noticed that our MacBook Pro (OS X 10.6) wouldn't actually recognize the tablet, even after installing Android File Transfer. Given that we didn't actually need that functionality for the purpose of said article, we threw it on the backburner.

For those unaware, Android File Transfer is a small app that's required to transfer content between OS X and Android 3.0. Avid users of Froyo and Gingerbread may be appalled that any Honeycomb device they buy will require a piece of software to interface with it, but hey -- there it is. At any rate, it seems to us that the latest build of Android File Transfer doesn't include the device ID for Samsung's heretofore unreleased Tab 10.1; if you'll recall, the standard edition of this thing isn't slated to hit consumer hands until June 8th. Regardless of what tricks we tried (installing a Mac version of Kies Mini, for example), we couldn't get a single Apple in our stable to recognize the thing. In one instance, a Mac viewed the device as a "Samsung Modem" within the Networking pane -- that's as close as we could come to getting the two to mingle. AllThingsD's Ina Fried said her Tab 10.1 LE was merely recognized as a camera-like device within Aperture.

Over on the Windows side, things are only marginally less awful. We've had a couple of Wintel boxes outright refuse to play nice with this "mysterious USB device," while others required multiple reboots and driver searchers to finally mount it as an external storage device -- and only with USB Debugging disabled. The upside is that those with patience (and a Windows 7 rig) can look forward to a single method of transfer, but it's certainly less than ideal.

We're surmising that Google's cooking up a new version of Android File Transfer as we speak that'll take care of the compatibility issues, hopefully long before consumers start seeing these in early June. But for developers in the here and now? Stop wasting your afternoon trying to figure out why your Mac just won't cooperate, and give that Win7 system a little love.

Update: After a bit of additional digging, we noticed that it's possible to access the Tab's file system from a Mac or Windows PC by using the Android SDK, putting the tablet in USB debugging mode, and running ddms. It's not the most convenient solution if you want to quickly and conveniently transfer some content to / from the device, but it should work until AFT sees an update. Alternatively, we're hearing that XNJB -- an older open source project originally built for Creative Nomads -- enables files to be transferred whenever it's in a good mood.

Shapeways Glazed Ceramics make 3D printed objects you can eat off of

Posted: 13 May 2011 11:43 AM PDT

We've seen them spit out fancy glass vases and tiny white strandbeests, and now the 3D thingy makers are pumping out cutesy salt and pepper shakers. Those hyper-glossy white rabbits pictured above are some of the first spawns of Glazed Ceramics, the newly minted food-safe material available from Shapeways. Glazed Ceramics are fired in an oven or kiln like traditional ceramics and are then coated with a lead-free non-toxic gloss -- the result is food-safe, recyclable, and heat resistant up to 1000 degrees Celsius. The new material is now available to Shapeways designers and will be until August 12th, at which point the company will decide whether its worth keeping around. For now you can sate your appetite for 3D printed shiny white dishes by clicking the source link below.

Engadget app for iPhone and iPod touch updated to 2.2.0, get it now!

Posted: 13 May 2011 11:22 AM PDT

Hey there fellow iOS users, just thought we'd let you know that the Engadget app for iPhone and iPod touch has now been updated to version 2.2. What's new, you ask? Well, on top of a stash of performance tweaks, there's now a handy landscape viewing mode along with much improved sharing features; or if you prefer saving the goodies for yourself, then you'll also like our new "save for later" options for Evernote, Instapaper, and Read It Later. Head over to the App Store to nab the fresh update now.

Oh, don't worry, we haven't forgotten our buddies on the Windows Phone boat. We can assure you that our devs are hard at work at cooking up an Engadget app for Windows Phone 7 just as we speak, so stay tuned for an announcement soon.
at 11:38 AM

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