Sponsored

Engadget News

---

• iOS 5 beta 5 already ready for your downloading pleasure
• AT&T ramps up voicemail security, say hello to your new pin code
• World Wide Web turns 20, finally shakes that acne problem
• Rice University chemists bake graphene out of Girl Scout cookies, redefine low-carb diets (video)
• Dell's Latitude XT3 tablet PC gets a product page, spins around for your amusement
• Spyro peripheral goes on FCC adventure
• Cambridge researchers tout new location-based method to predict friends on social networks
• Android app tethers handsets to Canon cams, live view fanboys rejoice (video)
• RIM BlackBerry App World 3.0 beta adds home screen search, social media features
• Smart Modular's 1.6TB Optimus SSD reads up to 1GB/s, claims to be the largest and fastest
• Logitech Revue running Honeycomb caught on camera, looks pretty good
• Droid Bionic teaser page goes live at Verizon Wireless, really just wants your email
• Stanford schooling unwashed masses with free online Intro to Artificial Intelligence (video)
• Military lightning gun parts sold on eBay, probably built in someone's garage
• HoodCap Flower concept gives you one less piece of camera gear to lose
• Tesla Model X SUV to launch in December, will be gliding quietly down the highway by 2014
• Nabaztag successor Karotz cracked open by the FCC
• Black Hat hackers demo Square card skimmer, feed it stolen credit card numbers
• DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video)
• Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor
• RED EPIC scores a Canon EOS mount, Laforet gets some extraordinary footage (video)
• HTC Puccini screens leak, AT&T bloatware and number pad make an appearance
• Intel Ultrabooks to sell for under $1000, take a page from ASUS' design book?
• Growing Up Geek: Dana Wollman
• Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon?
• HTC posts record sales (again), getting itself something nice (Dashwire) to celebrate
• HP TouchPad now $200 off at Staples -- it's like Christmas in August
• Google Dictionary slams shut forever, world unsurprisingly at a loss for words
• Engadget's back to school guide 2011: printers
• Gmail's Preview Pane brings 'tablet-like' layout to your browser, but kills Multiple Inboxes
• Engadget Podcast 251 - 08.05.2011
• Sirius XM 2.0 launching later this year, bringing on-demand Howard Stern to your car in 2013
• Samsung Conquer 4G set to raid Sprint on August 21st for $100 on contract
• Nissan's Android app lets you charge your Leaf from afar, puts the 'ease' in EV
• Microsoft offers 'mad loot' Bluehat prize to entice security developers (video)
• Viatag NFC system pays parking lot fees with an RFID tag, saves lives
• NASA's solar-powered Juno mission heads to Jupiter today, Orbiter finds water on Mars? (video)
• Brando's USB optical mouse doubles as a digital scale, for when you really need it
• Pierre Cardin PC-7006 touts itself as UK's first 'designer tablet,' wears last season's Android
• Lenovo targets businesses with LS2221 and LS2421p monitors, ThinkCentre Edge 71

iOS 5 beta 5 already ready for your downloading pleasure Posted: 06 Aug 2011 11:05 AM PDT It's that time of the month again, over at Apple. You know, iOS 5 beta refresh time. Just over two weeks ago, the old Apple released it's latest build, and now iOS 5 beta 5 is ready for devs to download. We've yet to get the dirt on what this version will bring, but we're downloading it now, and will let you know if any juicy bits float to the top. If you've already got it going, let us know what you see in the comments below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

AT&T ramps up voicemail security, say hello to your new pin code Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:06 AM PDT Have anything sitting in your voicemail that you'd prefer the rest of the world didn't hear? When's the last time you went about checking it, anyway? AT&T is now on a mission to save its carefree customers from themselves, and beginning today, all new subscribers will be required to set a voicemail password or affirmatively disable the security measure. Ma Bell's new policy is a reaction to the current unauthorized intrusion hubbub in the media, combined with the very real threat of caller ID spoofing. Shockingly, its current customers won't receive similar treatment until early next year, and only when they upgrade their handsets. Of course, you can easily secure your voicemail within the settings, and if you prefer the convenience of retrieving your messages without hassle, you'll still have that option -- much to Rupert Murdoch's pleasure, that is.

World Wide Web turns 20, finally shakes that acne problem Posted: 06 Aug 2011 08:53 AM PDT Happy birthday, World Wide Web! Hard to believe you're turning 20 already. It seems like just yesterday we were hearing the pitter patter of little dial-up, delighting at the words "you got mail," and getting frustrated when calling our friends and receiving that dreaded busy signal. You're all grown up now, helping people learn how to farm and become overnight pop sensations. What, we wonder, will the next 20 years bring? At the very least, you'll eventually have to move out of your parents' basement, get a real job, and settle down. It's hard to pay attention to that kind of stuff, though, when you've got another year of sneaking beers ahead of you. So go ahead, World Wide Web, enjoy yourself tonight -- just make sure to be home by midnight.

Rice University chemists bake graphene out of Girl Scout cookies, redefine low-carb diets (video) Posted: 06 Aug 2011 07:51 AM PDT Would you like some cookies? Well, you're gonna have to buy them, and then get thee to a Rice University chem lab, stat! The Texas institution of higher learning recently played host to Girl Scouts Troop Beverly Hills 25080, turning their om nom carbohydrated delights into billion dollar graphene. Resident scientist James Tour gathered his gaggle of grad students for a hands-on demo, walking the future Phyllis Neflers through the transformative steps that convert carbon-based material (see: a box of Samoas), into $15 billion worth of scientific loot -- or as one astute troopster put it, "... a lot of cash." Indeed it is young lady, but something tells us your well-earned Science in Action badge won't go too well with those cookie-bought Louboutins. Skip past the break for the full video and a little "Cookie Time" nostalgia.

Dell's Latitude XT3 tablet PC gets a product page, spins around for your amusement Posted: 06 Aug 2011 07:06 AM PDT Well lookee here -- it's the snazzy new Dell tablet PC that we first spotted way back in February. The Latitude XT3 finally has a product page to call its own, yet another hint that it will be swiveling its way into the hands and hearts of buyers in the near future -- a notion further driven home by the convertible's recent cameo on the FCC. The 13.3-inch laptop sports an Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processor, Windows 7, and works with a finger or stylus -- remember those? Dell's Latitude XT3 tablet PC gets a product page

Spyro peripheral goes on FCC adventure Posted: 06 Aug 2011 05:33 AM PDT Spyro has seen a lot of action in his day, but few, if any, of his adventures have been quite so trying as his recent trip to the FCC. The commission took a close look at the Portal of Power peripheral for the upcoming Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure title. The circular device lets users store game information across platforms using plastic figures, so progress made on, say, the 3DS version of the game will transfer over when they boot up the PS3 version. The plucky dragon and his pie-like Portal of Power are due to arrive in October. Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure on the FCC

Cambridge researchers tout new location-based method to predict friends on social networks Posted: 06 Aug 2011 04:00 AM PDT Friend suggestions on social networks may already be a little too eerily accurate for some, but a team of researchers from Cambridge University now say they can do one better. They've devised a method that doesn't simply rely the usual friends-of-friends approach, but on where those people tend to hang out. According to researcher Salvatore Scellato, "it turns out that the properties of the places we interact can determine how likely we are to develop social ties," and that places like offices and gyms are better indications of potential friends than football stadiums or airports. That notion was borne out in their research (conducted over a period of four months using Gowalla), which found that "about 30 percent of all new social links appear among users that check-in to the same places." With the two prediction methods combined, the researchers say they're able to account for 66 percent of all new social ties. No word if they've moved onto predicting crimes next. [Image credit: Gowalla]

Android app tethers handsets to Canon cams, live view fanboys rejoice (video) Posted: 06 Aug 2011 01:43 AM PDT We're living in a post-pc world, folks. High time you got with the program and junked that heavy and outmoded relic called the computer. But how does one take tethered snaps from a Canon, sans EOS Utility? Meet DSLR Controller, an Android app from Chainfire that turns your little green robot into an external live view monitor, and gives you complete control over your shooter's finer sensibilities. It lets you tweak exposure, aperture, shutter, white balance and focus with sensuous swipes of your fingertip. To make the whole shindig work, you'll need an Android device packing a USB host port and an "on-the-go" USB cable -- which lets your handset wear the pants in the phone / DSLR relationship. We should also warn you that the $8.51 application is currently still in beta and thus streams video in live view mode at a less than optimal 15fps. Those and other foibles may be remedied by the final release, but if you're looking to practice your tethering voodoo immediately, hit the source below, and watch a vid of your photographic future after the break.

RIM BlackBerry App World 3.0 beta adds home screen search, social media features Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:51 PM PDT How better to celebrate your billionth download than with a brand new app store? RIM just rolled out App World 3.0 beta to its Beta Zone users, bringing with it a redesigned home screen created to "let you quickly find what BlackBerry app, game or theme you're looking for." Seems a bit overdue if you ask us, but better late than never, as the idiom goes. There are also new home screen icons for Games and BlackBerry Themes -- the store's two most popular categories. (Yes, Themes really is one of the two most popular categories... behind Games, we hope.) You can also flick between app summaries, screenshots, and reviews from one screen, and share links to your favorite apps over Twitter, Facebook, email, SMS, and BBM. You may find it difficult to get too excited about an app store update, but for those of us who use BlackBerrys despite the occasionally less-than-stellar app experience, anything RIM can do to streamline the procurement process is more than welcome.

Smart Modular's 1.6TB Optimus SSD reads up to 1GB/s, claims to be the largest and fastest Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:59 PM PDT We love us a good speed record and today's comes paired with another superlative: biggest and baddest. Smart Modular Technologies just announced the Optimus SSD, a drive with up to a record 1.6TB in storage that can also read up to a gigabyte of data per second. The 2.5-inch drive also promises write speeds of 500MB/s and will be available in smaller 200GB, 400GB, and 800GB capacities, in addition to that 1.6TB monster. No word on pricing except that Smart Modular insists they'll be "cost-effective." Then again, the company expects IT departments will snap these up for corporate use, so your guess is as good as ours as to how accessible these will be for run-of-the-mill hobbyists. Show full PR text SMART Modular Technologies Announces World's Fastest Multi-Level Cell and Highest Capacity SAS SSD Leveraging SMART's Innovative Guardian(TM) Technology, the New Optimus(TM) SAS SSD Delivers an Unprecedented Combination of Performance, Reliability, and Value NEWARK, CA, Aug 03, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. ("SMART" or the "Company") SMOD -1.50% , a leading independent manufacturer of solid-state storage products and memory modules, today announced the Optimus solid-state drive (SSD) for enterprise storage applications. Featuring a native Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 6Gb/s interface and up to 1.6TB usable capacity, Optimus is the industry's highest capacity and fastest(1) SAS multi-level cell (MLC) SSD. Delivering high performance, endurance, and reliability, the cost-effective Optimus SSD satisfies the demands of I/O intensive, web-facing, and cloud-based applications in today's IT infrastructure. Optimus was developed using SMART's extensive experience in flash technology, SAS firmware, and enterprise storage. SMART's world-class manufacturing and accomplished enterprise organization ensures that the Optimus SSD, as well as SMART's business and support processes, will meet the needs of the most demanding enterprise storage customers. Available in 200GB, 400GB, 800GB, and 1.6TB usable capacities, the new 2.5" SAS SSD features industry-leading(1) read/write speeds of 100K/50K random IOPS and 500/500MB/s sustained transfer rates. The Optimus SSD also includes support for wide-port SAS capability, providing up to 1GB/s sustained read performance in applications equipped to support this advanced feature. It is designed to deliver these impressive performance numbers consistently across any data type over the life of the product. "A product that combines enhanced endurance, high capacity, and high performance at a good value would cause a dramatic shift in how storage is deployed, and it would help to drive the adoption of SSDs in the enterprise," notes Joe Unsworth, Research Director, NAND Flash and SSD, Gartner. The new Optimus SSD incorporates Guardian technology, a comprehensive suite of innovative proprietary features comprised of FlashGuard(TM), DataGuard(TM), and EverGuard(TM) technologies. FlashGuard technology delivers industry-leading flash management capabilities, ensuring that the Optimus SSD can be used in mainstream, enterprise storage workloads throughout its warranted 5-year period. Incorporating Aggregated Flash Management and Advanced Signal Processing technologies, FlashGuard extracts higher endurance characteristics out of MLC flash, allowing SMART to offer Optimus SSDs with a comprehensive 5-year warranty at usage rates up to 10 full device-writes per day. DataGuard and EverGuard technologies ensure that data integrity and drive reliability are never compromised, satisfying the demanding requirements of Tier-1 enterprise storage applications. Additionally, Optimus features full T10 DIF support and TCG enterprise encryption, resulting in an optimal blend of endurance, performance, reliability, and value. "The Optimus SSD is a game changer. By leveraging MLC flash memory and SMART's unique IP, we provide the industry's highest performance and highest capacity enterprise-class MLC SSD at a value point that we expect will accelerate SSD adoption in the enterprise," said John Scaramuzzo, SMART's Senior Vice President and General Manager, Storage Business Unit. "Satisfying the needs of an enterprise storage customer takes more than just an industry-leading product, it also requires a seasoned team with experience in the enterprise storage business. SMART is perfectly positioned to satisfy all of these needs." The SMART Optimus SSD will be featured at the Flash Memory Summit, August 9 through 11, 2011 in Santa Clara, CA in booth #400. The new SSDs will begin sampling in September 2011. For additional information on SMART's new Optimus SSDs, visit www.smartm.com.

Logitech Revue running Honeycomb caught on camera, looks pretty good Posted: 05 Aug 2011 08:53 PM PDT Now that eager hackers have actually managed to shoehorn the latest flavor of Android onto Logitech Revue units, the question is what does it actually look like? We got a few screenshots at Google I/O but now there's pictures and videos popping up all over. One of our tipsters sent a few shots over, while the Channel Android folks on YouTube have posted a video walkthrough (embedded after the break). So far it looks good, with little remaining of the original Google TV UI, now replaced by widgets, box art-style listings of TV content and more. Thinking about dropping a Benjamin on one of these units and upgrading to Honeycomb yourself? Be warned -- it's very raw, so with no Netflix and not much app compatibility to speak of, remaining a voyeur is probably advisable for now. Logitech Revue running Google TV Honeycomb beta [Thanks, Michael]

Droid Bionic teaser page goes live at Verizon Wireless, really just wants your email Posted: 05 Aug 2011 07:44 PM PDT Been waiting long enough for the Droid Bionic? Same here, as you can imagine. Although we're looking to September 8th as the official launch date of the LTE-equipped wunderphone, Verizon's teaser page just went live, reminding us of the phone's impending arrival. Will we find 1GB of RAM and a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 under the hood, or did the company figure out how play nicely with the Tegra 2? Verizon's happy to take your email address and let you know the juicy details in due time, although we're certainly hoping to beat Big Red to the punch. [Thanks, Dan]

Stanford schooling unwashed masses with free online Intro to Artificial Intelligence (video) Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:47 PM PDT If you fancy yourself a Stanford (wo)man, but lack the requisite dollars to actually attend, now's your chance to collect those collegiate bragging rights. Starting October 10th, you can join Professor Sebastian Thrun and Google's Director of Research, Peter Norvig, in a free, online version of the school's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course. The class covers, "knowledge representation, inference, machine learning, planning and game playing, information retrieval, and computer vision and robotics," and ambitiously aims to be the largest online AI course ever taught. If you're feeling the ole red and white, you can register at the source link below, but if you're looking for the official Stanford stamp of approval, we're afraid you're barking up the wrong tree -- non-students will receive a certificate of completion from the instructors only. Still interested? Check out the video introduction after the break and hit the source for more details.

Military lightning gun parts sold on eBay, probably built in someone's garage Posted: 05 Aug 2011 05:34 PM PDT We're not sure where to start with this one. It's, in a word, unbelievable. Technologist Cody Oliver was digging through eBay for parts to build a robot car that Elon Musk could drive around Burning Man, when he came across surplus equipment from defense contractors Omnitech Robotics and Ionatron. The components were originally from the military's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Neutralizers, or JINs -- remote-controlled lightning guns designed to disable IEDs. But, the story quickly goes from interesting to terrifying. Oliver soon discovered the weapons were cobbled together largely from off-the-shelf parts, including a Linksys router with the serial numbers scraped off, and lacked even basic security. The now retired JINs were controlled over a standard 802.11 WiFi signal, with the encryption turned off -- leaving the multimillion dollar devices vulnerable to insurgents. Ultimately the parts were deemed unfit for even Musk's RC art car. You can read all of the horrifying details at the source link. [Thanks, Chris] [Image credit: Cody Oliver]

HoodCap Flower concept gives you one less piece of camera gear to lose Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:27 PM PDT We've seen our fair share of camera-related concepts that are decidedly out there, but there's also thankfully some that are considerably more practical -- and sometimes even eventually become actual products. Hopefully that ends up being the case with this so-called HoodCap Flower which, as you can probably surmise, combines a lens hood and a lens cap in one flower-inspired contraption. Just twist the dial to open it up and take some pictures, and close it when you want to protect your lens. Not quite as protective as a proper lens cap, to be sure, but we're guessing plenty of folks would take that trade-off.

Tesla Model X SUV to launch in December, will be gliding quietly down the highway by 2014 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 03:30 PM PDT Well, it's not often that we hear about products being ahead of schedule. Telsa CEO Elon Musk presented some forward-looking statements during his company's quarterly earnings call this week, revealing a mid-December time frame for the unveiling of its Model X prototype, which could hit streets as soon as 2014. There hasn't been any hint as to pricing for the all-electric SUV, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Tesla's X priced comparably to BMW's identically named X model hybrid SUV -- think sub-$100,000, not "affordable." With plans to produce only 15,000 per year beginning in 2013, a high price tag won't be the only thing keeping Tesla from fulfilling the dream of having an electric car in every driveway. Range has been another obstacle for electric car makers, but with new charging stations popping up on a regular basis, we may be able to make the 165-mile drive from New York City to Albany with slightly less anxiety by the time mid-decade rolls around.

Nabaztag successor Karotz cracked open by the FCC Posted: 05 Aug 2011 02:53 PM PDT We haven't seen anything this heart-wrenching since Pleo last made its way through the FCC. There's just something depressing about watching an adorable little animal robot get torn down in the commission's sterile government labs. Karotz, the successor to Nabaztag's friendly WiFi-enabled throne has followed Pleo down the FCC rabbit hole, getting poked, prodded, and pulled apart, to assure that it won't be shooting any harmful bunny death rays at you, the consumer. Also of note: the strangely ominous "Your New Life With Karotz" user manual cover. Karotz hits the FCC

Black Hat hackers demo Square card skimmer, feed it stolen credit card numbers Posted: 05 Aug 2011 02:17 PM PDT Here's some more fun out of Vegas, this time involving Jack Dorsey's Square and a little thing we like to call credit card fraud. Researchers from Aperture Labs (seriously) held two demonstrations at the Black Hat Conference. The first used a script, written by Adam Laurie, to convert stolen credit card data into a series of audio tones that were then fed to the Square app via the headphone jack on a phone -- removing the need to have a physical card. A second avenue of fraud, also using code authored by Laurie, turned the Square dongle into a skimmer. It intercepted incoming data, which is unencrypted, and spit out human readable numbers that could easily be used to clone a card. New hardware that encrypts information pulled from the magnetic strip is in the pipeline but, until then, it seems everyone's favorite smartphone-based payment service has some troublesome holes to fill.

DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:45 PM PDT Apple's iPhone 4 can serve as a great little camcorder when you're in a bind, but it's never been our go-to cam for video shoots. Not only is its small sensor not best suited for high-quality HD shooting, but the smartphone form factor can be awkward to hold, resulting in shakier than normal footage. A new app called DollyCam, which also supports iPad 2, helps soften the blow of the latter, letting you successfully stabilize videos -- with a few drawbacks. We took our iPhone 4 out to test a watermarked free version of the app in New York City, shooting a scene first with the phone's native app, and then with DollyCam. It won't replace a hardware solution like the Steadicam Smoothee, but it's significantly cheaper and more convenient. The only major issues we noticed were related to softened sound capture of all things (pay close attention in the video past the break), and the fact that the app can't process in real-time, so a minute-long video clip will need about five minutes to process. The app does crop your footage slightly, as can be expected. You'll also need to remain in the app as it's processing, though you can also stabilize videos later, after completing your shoot. Overall, it's an acceptable solution, especially considering the $2.99 price tag. Jump past the break to see original and stabilized clips, and browse through the gallery below for a quick look at the interface. DollyCam video stabilization for iPhone 4 hands-on [Thanks, Jon] Show full PR text Scientists release unique app for video enhancement "DollyCam is the best software for automagic video stabilization" August 3, Linkoping, Sweden. Scientists at Linkoping University in Sweden recently launched DollyCam for iPhone and iPad. The app is based on patent pending technology that automatically stabilizes video captured with CMOS video cameras, such as found in new mobile phones, and tablet devices. The result is astonishing and lets amateurs create professional movies without expensive equipment. Anyone who has tried to capture video with a mobile phone knows how easily the result becomes shaky and wobbly, with skewed objects and an overall amateurish feeling. The poor result is caused by the rolling-shutter technology used in low-end consumer cameras, and by the fact that you hold the camera in your hand. Professional filmmakers use global-shutter cameras, rails and dollys for smooth camera movements. DollyCam is based on leading research in computer vision. The unique algorithm uses three-dimensional data from the gyroscope and accelerometer sensors on the iOS device to correct tilted objects and remove wobble. A video stabilizer then adds smoothness and makes the movie stable. DollyCam is also adaptive and adjusts its parameters dynam- ically to the movie processed. The scientists have conducted a blind user study among students on campus. The study demonstrated that participants preferred DollyCam output to that of its competitors. "With this app you get a professional and smooth video from a cheap consumer camera", says Per-Erik Forss ́en, assistant professor at Linkoping University who presented the underlying algorithm at the international IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition in San Francisco 2010. The scientists recently founded the company FR Vision AB, with support from the Innovation Office at the University. DollyCam is their first product, but the company also intends to disseminate the technique as professional products for video editing pack- ages like Adobe After Effects and Apple Final Cut, as well as application programming interfaces that allow integration in other products. "Our vision is to integrate our technology in hardware from big players like Apple, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung, to let a bigger audience experience better movies", says Erik Ringaby, doctoral student at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Link ̈oping University. "We also hope service providers like Google and Facebook will be interested in licensing our technology."

Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:18 PM PDT Sure, you've seen cameras with interchangeable lenses -- you might even own one or two -- but a cam that lets you swap out the sensor with the lens? Now that's pretty unique. Ricoh's GXR has been around since 2009 and does exactly that, with four lens / sensor combos, including two zooms and a pair of fixed lenses. Now, the company has confirmed that its new Leica M-mount module will ship on September 9th, letting you use your existing Leica lenses with the GXR. The module includes a 12.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and has a 27.8mm Leica M bayonet mount, with support for RAW image capture and 720p video. It also has an "open" price, which means it's still anyone's guess as to how much you'll be shelling over. But if you own a collection of Leica glass and are interested in experimenting with such a unique sensor-swapping camera system, you're probably somewhat open to open pricing.

RED EPIC scores a Canon EOS mount, Laforet gets some extraordinary footage (video) Posted: 05 Aug 2011 12:43 PM PDT We've seen some mind-blowing footage from RED's EPIC, as one might expect from a $39,500 camera with a 5K sensor and up to 120 fps video capture (at 4K). But video shooter and all-around photo wiz Vincent Laforet got to take an exclusive early look at the company's new Canon EOS mount, which pairs the EPIC-M with Canon's enormous collection of top-quality glass, including the 600mm f/4 L lens Laforet used for his shoot at Mono Lake in California. That lens, used with a 2x Canon teleconverter and the RED's multiplication factor, yields a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 3400mm, which as you'll see in the video below, enabled some pretty incredible video captures. RED has yet to officially announce availability for the Canon EOS mount, but has shared that it will cost $2,000 (pennies compared to the EPIC's $58,000 kit price), and will be constructed of titanium -- tasked with the critical responsibility of reducing movement during those extended-lens shoots. Jump past the break for Laforet's sample video, or check out his blog post at the source link for the full rundown. RED EPIC-M Canon EOS Mount

HTC Puccini screens leak, AT&T bloatware and number pad make an appearance Posted: 05 Aug 2011 12:15 PM PDT HTC's 10-inch Puccini tab's been poking its head out from the speculative shadows and now we have a few leaked screens to further whet your LTE appetite. The bevy of shots over on Pocketnow show the AT&T-branded Honeycomb slate packing a serious amount of carrier-installed bloat, with AT&T's Code, Family, MyText and Navigation apps joining the likes of Amazon's Kindle app, Cordy, Let's Golf 2 and NFS Shift. The OEM also appears to have tacked on a number pad to its virtual keyboard solution -- a feature Sony's rumored to include in its own tablets -- taking full advantage of the purported 1280 x 800 display. And, lest we forget that last pic of stylus pairing, the slab's menu dock sports a "pen icon in the tray," confirming those notions of Scribe-functionality. Be sure to check the source for an extra peek at the orange-colored network's future must-have device.

Intel Ultrabooks to sell for under $1000, take a page from ASUS' design book? Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:46 AM PDT Back at Computex, Intel whipped out its magic 8-ball to predict a "you may rely on it" 40 percent share for the upcoming Ultrabooks market. While we can neither confirm, nor deny the company's powers of retail clairvoyance, we can point you to a purported bill of materials that would usher its line in at a sub-$1000 price. The report from Digitimes doesn't lay out the specific assembly costs, but pegs the chipmaker's 18mm and 21mm thick laptops at $493 - $710 and $475 - $650, respectively. Intel is also reportedly meeting with manufacturers in Taipei next week to figure out a way to deliver on the budget-friendly goal, aimed at producing 11 - 13-inch models for the thinner entries and girthier 14 - 17-inch models. If you're wondering what sort of form factor the company's after, take a glance at ASUS' UX21 and UX31 ultrabooks -- supposed reference designs for the svelte, Ivy Bridge-powered computers. We hope that's the only bit of strategy Intel cops, otherwise we're all in for a disappointingly priced ultraslim future.

Growing Up Geek: Dana Wollman Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT Until now, I had conveniently forgotten that I collected Magic Cards. Not just collected, mind you, but hoarded -- a feverish obsession harking back to an earlier yen for stickers, pogs, and Happy Meals. While some kids played Truth or Dare in the back of the bus to I.S. 228, I kept my collection at the ready, wrapped with care in a rubber band. I'm not sure who I intended to show them to, save for a handful of guys who used to stake out a row in the front, but if I happened to have something good, I wanted to brag a little. At thirteen, I challenged a certain boy to a game, thinking that was all the hint I needed to drop. He beat me handily, and I never admitted my crush. Let's just say I've evolved since then. I remember as little about mana as Peter Pan did about owning Rufio in a dissing contest. I seem to have kicked my shyness habit -- so much so that my coworkers have taken to calling me "Brass Knuckles." And while I haven't had to suffer dating for awhile, I like to think I've stepped up my game. But I'm still a daydreamer -- fantasy-prone and nostalgic. And that's what it means to be a geek, really -- I see now that all of the things I used to love were just ways for a tentative, meek kid like me to get lost in her thoughts. Back then, I wanted to be a Disney animator, and would try to keep up with The Little Mermaid while drawing flip books of underwater royalty. It didn't hurt that I also spent an awful lot of time in front of our PC -- a Tandy from Radio Shack, followed later by a Pentium and an eMachines tower from Costco. The idea was that I would play Reader Rabbit to nail three-letter words, but that led to taking quizzes in a typing tutorial (you know, the kind you installed off a floppy disk) and tinkering in DOS, writing choose-your-own-ending tales. My memory's dim here, but I'm pretty sure one of them starred Brian Austin Green of 90210 fame as a protagonist. In those early years, I got my kicks at an after-school course, where I practiced my two-handed typing and got to play Spellbound and Treasure Mountain when the skinny, tattooed teenager leading the group had decided we'd had enough. When we visited my uncle, the resident computer nerd in the family, I used to try my luck at Leisure Suit Larry (aka, the most appropriate game for a five year-old ever), but that got tiresome when I kept making poor Larry get hit by oncoming traffic. And don't get me started on Oregon Trail. I didn't own that one, so I had to wait until computer class at school, where we'd fight to be the one to write smart aleck things on people's tombstones when they died of cholera. With few exceptions, my favorite games all had either a historical bent or a futuristic one. I loved Pepper's Adventures in Time, a story about a tomboy and her dog Lockjaw traveling to Ben Franklin's Philadelphia. Then came Conquest of The New World, a game I read about in Computer Games magazine (yes, I had a subscription). It didn't exactly give me an accurate education about imperialism, but man, did I love traversing the coastlines, fleshing out a colorful landscape from what always began as a pitch-black screen. If you've played this game before, you know that naming mountain ranges (and, possibly, engaging in turn-based combat) was the best part. At some point during all of this, I got my first game console, SNES. Rather, my dad and I got Super NES. It was his idea, actually. I've never asked him why he got the sudden urge to upgrade consoles -- after all, he already owned an Atari, which by the early '90s had been unplugged and banished to the basement, where it's still collecting dust. Looking back, this was one of the few things we did together, just the two of us (the other was him escorting me to ice hockey practice where I moonlighted as a Brooklyn Blade). Together, we mastered Donkey Kong Country, with me picking up the slack when he was too impatient to wait until just the last second to press the jump button, sending Donkey and Diddy over broken tracks in a coal mine. We compared scores in Tetris for Gameboy, and he gave me tips for conquering The Simpsons and Zelda. But our biggest project was Super Mario World. Anyone who's played it knows there's a lot of levels to tackle -- and I only had so much time allotted on weekends and after dinner. I wasn't half bad, though with so many Koopas and only so few hours to spare, pushing through the game proved a labor of love. The thing is, I never actually beat the game. While I was away at summer camp, reluctantly learning lay-ups and hiding in the outfield, he slayed Bowser. I still give him crap for it. Sometimes, he made no bones about being my adversary. Though racing games like Super Mario Kart were never his thing, he couldn't resist squaring off in NBA Jam. Patrick Ewing was my player of choice, but when I was in the mood for a challenge, I chose John Stockton, a point guard my dad warned me was short (he was 6'1", according to Wikipedia). Sometimes I won, but usually, he did. Whatever my record, he always did a victory dance when he won, a slow jog around the dining room table, arms locked above his head. It was especially obnoxious if he beat me by a number with a long "i." As in, Fiiiiiiiiive! Niiiiiiiiiine! Looking back, I'm glad he didn't let me win. I gave up gaming a long time ago. I grew out of it, as did my dad and pretty much every girl I knew. Though I majored in English, my skill set has expanded to singing along to Edith Piaf in garbled French and speaking Monty Python as a second language. I spend a lot of time compiling a mental list of things to read and cities to visit. I imagine touring the pyramids, where I'll take thousands of photos with a camera I'm still lusting after. If you got me rolling, I could go on about why em dashes are my favorite punctuation tool. I grew up, though not into a reformed geek; just a more well-rounded one. Dana Wollman is Reviews Editor at Engadget. On Twitter she is @danawollman, where she's mostly an armchair movie critic.

Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon? Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:40 AM PDT Would demigods feel honored that smartphones are getting named after them? The Samsung Hercules, from what we can tell, seems to fit its given title appropriately; he was, after all, famous for his behemoth strength. Sadly, we've known more about him than his technological counterpart, though that may be soon changing. MobileSyrup found someone clutching onto the still-unannounced device at a VIP event and snapped a quick pic for the world to see. While they didn't get any hands-on time, they indicated that it was running on Telus, it appeared to have a 4.5-inch display (as rumored), and is a design mashup of the Galaxy S II, Nexus S, and the Infuse 4G. This still leaves us with nothing but spec rumors -- which include a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, Super AMOLED Plus display, 16GB of flash storage, 42Mbps HSPA+, and an eight megapixel camera -- but it's nice to have a face to go with the famous name. For somebody who likes to go the distance, its superphone namesake sure seems awfully close.

HTC posts record sales (again), getting itself something nice (Dashwire) to celebrate Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:20 AM PDT While the top three smartphone makers (Apple, Samsung, and Nokia) garner most of the press, HTC is quietly becoming a juggernaut. IDC's number five just posted yet another month of record sales, hitting $1.56 billion -- almost twice what the company moved in July of last year. To celebrate its continued meteoric rise, the Taiwanese manufacturer has announced it plans to acquire Dashwire, the cloud services company behind the awesome brilliant Awesome Drop, for $18.5 million. The only question is, how long HTC can keep this growth up? After all, common sense says what goes up, must come down -- just ask Nokia.

HP TouchPad now $200 off at Staples -- it's like Christmas in August Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:55 AM PDT If there's still not enough change in your couch to snatch up a $399.99 16GB HP Touchpad, today could be your lucky day -- that is, if you're in the market for a webOS slate in the first place. It looks like Staples is offering a $100 coupon for the slab, which should be applicable to the already discounted price, giving you webOS love for $299 for the 16GB model and $399.99 for 32GB. If that price gets any lower, the $35 tablet might just have to step up its game.

Google Dictionary slams shut forever, world unsurprisingly at a loss for words Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:32 AM PDT close    /v. kloÊŠz; adj., adv. kloÊŠs or, for 51, kloÊŠz; n. kloÊŠz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, kloÊŠs for 61, 62, 66/ Show Spelled [v. klohz; adj., adv. klohs or, for 51, klohz; n. klohz for 59, 60, 63–65, 67, 68, klohs for 61, 62, 66] Show IPA verb, closed, clos·ing, adjective, clos·er, clos·est, adverb, noun verb (used with object) to put (something) in a position to obstruct an entrance, opening, etc.; shut. to stop or obstruct (a gap, entrance, aperture, etc.): to close a hole in a wall with plaster. to block or hinder passage across or access to: to close a border to tourists; to close the woods to picnickers. to stop or obstruct the entrances, apertures, or gaps in: He closed the crate and tied it up. (of the mind) to make imperceptive or inaccessible: to close one's mind to the opposite opinion. Something you can no longer 'Google' and hope to find in Google Dictionary. [Thanks, Goog]

Engadget's back to school guide 2011: printers Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have printers on our minds and on our desks -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Sadly, most of your professors probably still expect assignments to be turned in on dried-up wood pulp. And, while that doesn't mean you'll have to remaster the fine art of writing in cursive, you will need a printer to put your (carefully proofread and thoroughly researched, of course) prose on paper. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details. Inkjet Espon Stylus 88+ Espon hits the sweet spot of price and performance with its Stylus 88+. At 23 pages-per-minute for text, it should spit out even your thesis right quick, and the four-color, border-free photo printing is perfect for decorating your dorm room with images of friends and family (and parties). The separate cartridges for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black also mean less wasted ink when one color starts to run low. Key specs: 23ppm monochrome, 14ppm color, borderless photo printing, four-color ink printing. Price: $88 on Amazon You might also like... Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II The Pro9000 isn't cheap but, for photography majors or hardcore hobbyists, it's an absolute bargain considering the professional quality prints it churns out. $350 on Amazon HP DeskJet 1000 This is about as bare-bones as a printer gets, but it does the job just fine. And, at only $20, you'll have plenty of cash left over for ramen and Pabst. $20 on Amazon Laser Brother HL-2270DW English majors and budding researchers couldn't care less about pretty colors and nothing churns out crisp, clear text quite like a laser printer. The 250-sheet tray, 27 page-per-minute speed, and automatic two-sided printing mean you'll be able to print up that novel you've been working on in no time. The HL2270DW scores bonus points for the integrated WiFi and Ethernet, which make it easy to share with a room or floor full of people -- for a small fee, of course. Key specs: 27ppm, 250 sheet tray, automatic duplex printing, 802.11g, Ethernet 10/100. Price: $113 on Amazon You might also like... HP LaserJet Pro 1120w You'll save a few bucks over the Brother and still get WiFi for networked printing. But you will sacrifice some speed -- the 1120w tops out at 19ppm. $102 on Amazon HP LaserJet Pro P1606dn Ethernet, WiFi, 26ppm, automatic duplex printing -- this HP printer has it all, including a slightly higher sticker price than the comparable Brother model. $147 on Amazon All-in-one Epson WorkForce 840 Fax, copy, print, this Epson does everything you need, quickly and with undeniable style. The company boasts the 840 can print double-sided documents faster than the rest, though it spits out single-sided documents at only 15ppm (black) or 9ppm (color). It also supports AirPrint over its 802.11n radio, packs an Ethernet jack, and keeps all its ink in separate cartridges. There's a five-in-one card reader for printing straight from your camera's storage medium of choice. And you can control this 500-sheet beast entirely from the 3.5-inch touchscreen up front. Key specs: five-in-one card reader, 500-sheet tray, 15ppm text, 3.5-inch touchscreen, WiFi, flatbed scanner. Price: $199 on Amazon You might also like... Brother MFC-J265w If you want to save yourself some cash (and space) without sacrificing too many features, this Brother is the way to go. Flatbed scanning, WiFi, it's all here, along with an unbelievable 33ppm rating. Sadly this is a one-sided affair. $99 on Amazon Canon imageCLASS MF4370dn This laser all-in-one is a bit bulky, but hits most of the right notes. The 23ppm monochrome printing is great, but the 250 sheet tray and lack of WiFi keep it from being top dog. $200 on Amazon Engadget's Back to School Giveaway Official Rules No Purchase Required to Enter or Win Eligibility: Engadget's Back to School Giveaway (the "Giveaway") is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of Weblogs Inc. LLC, AOL Inc., their advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All U.S., federal, state and local and Canadian federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations apply. Void in Quebec, Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Sponsor: The Giveaway is sponsored by Weblogs Inc. LLC, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. Giveaway Period: The Giveaway begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011 (the "Giveaway Period"). The Giveaway Period shall be divided into fifteen (15) separate Entry Periods: Entry Period 1 begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 2 begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 3 begins at 12PM ET on August 3, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 4 begins at 12PM ET on August 5, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 5 begins at 12PM ET on August 8, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 6 begins at 12PM ET on August 10, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 7 begins at 12PM ET on August 12, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 8 begins at 12PM ET on August 15, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 9 begins at 12PM ET on August 17, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 10 begins at 12PM ET on August 19, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 11 begins at 12PM ET on August 22, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 12 begins at 12PM ET on August 24, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 13 begins at 12PM ET on August 26, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 14 begins at 12PM ET on August 31, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry Period 15 begins at 12PM ET on September 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011. Entry: During the Giveaway Period, go to http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/engadgets-back-to-school-2011-sweepstakes-were-giving-away-3/ and add a comment to submit your entry. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person. Drawing: At the conclusion of the Giveaway Period, Sponsor will select the name of one (1) Grand Prize Winner from each of the fifteen (15) Entry Periods in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during each Entry Period. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the applicable Entry Period. Potential Winners will be contacted via email and asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Non-winning entries from one Entry Period do not carry over into subsequent Entry Periods. Requirements of the Potential Winners: Except where prohibited, the potential winners will be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") and IRS W-9 form within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release and W-9 form within the required time period, an alternate entrant may be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. In the event the potential winner of any prize is a Canadian resident, he/she will also be required to correctly answer a time-limited mathematical question to be administered by email, mail or phone to receive the prize. Limit one (1) prize per household. Prizes: Fifteen (15) Grand Prize Winners will each receive a Back to School Prize Pack containing the following items: HP Pavilion dm1z laptop, Sony NEX-C3 digital camera, Samsung 7" Galaxy Tab, Motorola Photon 4G (Sprint) smartphone, Altec Lansing Octiv 650 speaker doc, Bowers & Wilkins C5 headphones, Nook E-reader, Timbuk2 Command Messenger bag, Elgato HDHomeRun TV tuner, Kingston Wi-Drive, 1-year Premium Spotify subscription, Scosche: goBAT II, iMainGo: X, G-Form 11" Extreme Sleeve, Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite, 1-year Premium Skype subscription, Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock, Red Swingline Stapler, Toddy Smart Cloth and Pogo Sketch. Approximate Retail Value of each Prize Pack is $3,151. Subscriptions are subject to issuer's terms and conditions. Activation fees and monthly service fees not included with any smartphone/digital devices. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion of a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release, defend indemnify and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action, including without limitation, any third party claim, arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PRIZES AND ALL ELEMENTS THEREOF ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Some jurisdictions do not allow the disclaimer of implied warranties. In such jurisdictions, some of the foregoing disclaimers may not apply to you insofar as they relate to implied warranties. Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. Giveaway Results: To request the names of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Engadget Back to School Giveaway Winners, Zach Honig, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received by September 30, 2011. comments

Gmail's Preview Pane brings 'tablet-like' layout to your browser, but kills Multiple Inboxes Posted: 05 Aug 2011 08:32 AM PDT Google's still doing a fine job of ignoring Gcal's inability to routinely provide alerts and notifications to select users (nah, we're not bitter), but at least the Gmail team seems to be firing on all cylinders. Just this week, the outfit revealed its newest Labs feature -- Preview Pane. As you've probably gleaned from the title, it provides a "tablet-like" layout that's actually similar to standalone mail clients from yesteryear, and for those with more vertical space than horizontal, there's even an option to split the divider in that manner. In practice, we found it drop-dead simple to use, and it's largely an improvement over the stock Gmail layout. The only issue? It nukes Multiple Inboxes, so those accustomed to scrolling down and easily clicking into their Starred emails (for example) will likely be reverting back with dreams dashed. See if it's in your Settings pane and give it a go -- who knows, it might be love.

Engadget Podcast 251 - 08.05.2011 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 08:05 AM PDT Tim's hanging out on a boat somewhere this weekend, and we know that if he were here he'd try to get us to not make any "inmates running the asylum" jokes, but he's not, so here we go! We're going podCRAZY this week, waging patent warfare against the orderlies (happens more often than you'd think), taking all our medications in tablet form (that's right), and Skyping our bad influences from our iPads because we just don't care. It's the Engadget Podcast...unhinged (and italicized). Host: Brian Heater, Darren Murph Guests: Dana Wollman, Richard Lawler Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: You're My Best Friend 05:26 - Google slams Apple and Microsoft, claims 'hostile, organized campaign' against Android waged through 'bogus patents' (update: Microsoft responds!) 17:50 - Samsung reveals new Galaxy Tab 10.1 accessories: multimedia dock, HDTV adapter, case, and more 20:07 - Hands-on with TouchWiz UX for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 28:50 - Lenovo IdeaPad K1 review 38:30 - RIM launches BlackBerry Torch 9810, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900, we go hands-on! 52:26 - Westone 4 earphones review 53:53 - Skype for iPad is finally out (hands-on!) Hear the podcast Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) Contact the podcast Send your questions to @tim_stevens. Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005) E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot com Twitter: @bheater @danawollman @rjcc @darrenmurph This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Sirius XM 2.0 launching later this year, bringing on-demand Howard Stern to your car in 2013 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 07:41 AM PDT During its quarterly earnings call, Sirius finally gave the world some info about its upcoming Sirius XM Satellite 2.0 service. For those of you who can't get enough Underground Garage and Howard Stern, version 2.0 will pack more programing and you'll be able to pause and rewind broadcasts. Starting next year, the company will offer personalized music stations, similar to Pandora, and on-demand listening, in case you missed a particularly juvenile funny Opie & Anthony bit. The first two pieces of hardware will be landing before the end of the year, but don't expect to find a Sirius XM 2.0 option at your car dealership for a while -- vehicles won't be getting the upgraded hardware until 2013.

Samsung Conquer 4G set to raid Sprint on August 21st for $100 on contract Posted: 05 Aug 2011 07:26 AM PDT We've known about the Conquer 4G for a while now, in spite attempts to keep it under wraps. Sprint finally came clean on the existence of the handset today, announcing the milestone 25th 4G capable device for the its network -- the first in that category to hit the market at under $100. The Samsung-manufactured smartphone will hit the market on August 21st for $99.99 (plus a two-year year contract and after mail-in rebate, naturally). The Gingerbread handset packs a 1GHz processor, a 3.5-inch display, and front- and rear-facing cameras. Press after the break. Sprint Conquer 4G press photos Show full PR text Sprint Makes it More Affordable to Experience 4G with the Aug. 21 Availability of Samsung Conquer 4G OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and Dallas – Aug. 5, 2011 – As the first national wireless carrier to launch the groundbreaking data speeds of 4G, Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced with Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States1, Samsung Conquer™ 4G2. The launch of Samsung Conquer 4G, Sprint's 25th 4G-capable device, marks Sprint's first 4G smartphone to launch at less than $100 enabling Sprint customers to experience industry-leading features without breaking the bank. Samsung Conquer 4G will cost just $99.99 with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card3 (pricing excludes taxes). It will be available in all Sprint retail channels, including Web sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-Sprint1), beginning on Aug. 21. Visit Sprint Community for more information. "The price of Samsung Conquer 4G makes Sprint's 4G speeds accessible to more customers than ever," said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. "We are proud to deliver this dynamic device at a great value without sacrificing must-have technology. Our customers can really do more for less when this ultra-affordable 4G device is paired with the great value of our unlimited data calling plans." Samsung Conquer 4G is built on Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread, powered by a 1GHz processor and offers Sprint ID and the blazing-fast Sprint 4G speeds on America's Favorite 4G Network4. It features an enhanced 3.5-inch touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash and zoom and 1.3-megapixel front facing camera enabling video chat while on-the-go. Other key features include: Dual-Mode 3G/4G device – dependable 3G nationwide coverage and turbo-charged Sprint 4G speeds where available Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and GPS capable MicroSD card slot that supports up to a 32GB memory card (2GB card included) 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capable, supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G networks Stereo Bluetooth wireless technology Access to more than 250,000 apps through Android Market™ "Samsung Conquer 4G delivers the latest Android experience with best-in-class features, including a fast 1GHz processor, dual cameras for video chat and 4G network speeds, at an exceptional value," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. "Conquer 4G continues Samsung's commitment to delivering a quality smartphone experience at a variety of price points." Sprint ID delivers a variety of apps, widgets, shortcuts, ringtones and wallpapers designed to meet users' specific mobile needs and interests in just a few simple clicks. Sprint ID packs are free to download with an Everything Data plan and users can download five at once – including E! (keep up with your favorite celebrities), Green (tips to live a greener lifestyle), MTV Music ID (mobile music experience), and Socially Connected (keep connected with friends on-the-go). To see all Sprint ID packs, visit www.sprint.com/sprintid. Samsung Conquer 4G requires activation on one of the Sprint Everything Data plans plus a required $10 Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Sprint's Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 Premium Data add-on charge – a savings of $39.99 per month vs. Verizon's comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $9.99 per month vs. Verizon's 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web. The Mobile Hotspot option is available for an additional $29.99 per month supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously (pricing excludes taxes and surcharges).

Nissan's Android app lets you charge your Leaf from afar, puts the 'ease' in EV Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:49 AM PDT If you happen to be both a Nissan Leaf owner and an Android user, you're in luck today, because the automaker has just released an official app that could make your life a little easier. With Nissan's tool, you'll be able to monitor your electric vehicle's battery life and estimated driving range directly from your smartphone, which you can also use to remotely charge your Leaf, or start its air conditioning. It may not be the most groundbreaking app ever, but it definitely offers some welcomed convenience to Nissan's growing base of EV drivers. Yesterday, the company confirmed to Autoblog Green that Leaf sales "crossed the 10,000 mark a couple weeks ago." Exact figures are hard to come by, due to Japan's summer holiday, but Nissan says it's 100 percent certain that the milestone was crossed. Next up: world domination.

Microsoft offers 'mad loot' Bluehat prize to entice security developers (video) Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:22 AM PDT Mere numbers aren't enough to describe cash prizes for Microsoft, it seems. The firm's inaugural Bluehat security competition's introduction video opted for a clearer term: "mad loot, lots of it." The big M hopes the hefty first prize of $200,000 will inspire the creation of the next generation of defensive computer security technology. The most innovative "novel runtime mitigation technology designed to prevent the exploitation of memory safety vulnerabilities" (phew!) will take home the aforesaid mad loot, while second and third places will receive $50,000 and an MSDN Universal subscription, respectively. The winner won't be announced until Blackhat 2012, of course, and applicants have until April to submit their prototypes and technical descriptions. Hit the break for the official announcement video, complete with CG backgrounds and prize euphemisms. View this video as a WMV

Viatag NFC system pays parking lot fees with an RFID tag, saves lives Posted: 05 Aug 2011 05:53 AM PDT Paying for parking isn't exactly a fun experience, but Germany's Fraunhofer Institute is doing its best to make it slightly less painful, with Viatag -- an NFC system that allows you shell out your hard earned cash without even reaching for your wallet. The setup is relatively simple, consisting of a small RFID tag, compatible transceivers and a centralized database. Once attached to your car's windshield, the tag communicates with the transceivers installed within a given parking lot, alerting the system whenever your vehicle enters or leaves. An application running on the central server, meanwhile, keeps track of how much time you spend in the lot, and charges your debit card accordingly. Researchers have already installed Viatag at car parks in Essen, Duisburg and Munich, and are hoping to expand it to other locations. It might not be as sophisticated as some of the other automotive communications systems we've seen, but it could come in handy during those moments when you really don't feel like swearing at a parking meter. Cruise past the break for the full PR. Show full PR text Cashless parking Press Release August 2011 Vacant parking spaces in town are thin on the ground. Finding one is just as tiresome as making sure you have the right change for the parking machine. An adhesive microchip on the windshield will make things much easier by unlocking the door to cashless parking. The car moves slowly towards the car park exit, the barriers open automatically – without the driver having to wind down the window and insert a ticket. This is thanks to a small RFID chip on the inside of the windshield. Devices on the ceiling above the car park entrance and exit read the adhesive foil transponder measuring just 1.5 x 10 centimeters and register the parking time. The fees are charged by a direct debit from an online account. VIATAG is the name of the RFID system which the research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund have developed for Munich-based company motionID technologies. "Waiting at the parking machine, searching for change, losing your ticket – all that is a thing of the past. The car driver saves time and enjoys a more convenient service," states project manager Arnd Ciprina from the IML, listing the advantages of the system. And the car-park operators benefit too. The cost of recording and billing the parking time is reduced, but they can continue to use their existing systems in parallel to the new solution. VIATAG is a passive RFID solution, which means that the microchip does not need a battery. It draws its energy from the electromagnetic field of the reader device. The radio data are transmitted in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) range and the distance between the transponder and reader can be up to eight meters. Each chip has its own twelve-digit code, enabling every car to be identified when passing through the entrance and exit. The fees are charged in the background online. A database application running on a central server controls the payment transactions. The customer can maintain an overview of the amounts debited at all times on a web application, like online banking. A list of the parking time and charges can be printed out as a partial or complete account. The total amount owed is paid at the end of the month by direct debit. Data security is not a problem either. Ciprina: "No personal data is stored on the chip. The twelve-digit code is encrypted so that third parties cannot connect the identification number with a user." Nor is it worth stealing the foil transponder. If the sticker is removed from the windshield it self-destructs and cannot be used again. VIATAG successfully passed the initial practical tests, which lasted several weeks. The system has already been installed in public car parks in Essen, Duisburg and Munich. The research scientists at the IML and motionID technologies now hope that a lot more car-park operators will support the solution. Other sectors should also find the contactless and cashless payment system interesting. Automatic billing would be suitable for highway service plazas, gas stations, drive-in cinemas and eateries, car washes and car hire firms, adds Ciprina.

NASA's solar-powered Juno mission heads to Jupiter today, Orbiter finds water on Mars? (video) Posted: 05 Aug 2011 05:27 AM PDT NASA's Juno mission has been beset by delays for a while now, but the solar-powered excursion is finally scheduled to take off for Jupiter today, in the hopes of making history. Throughout the course of its five-year journey, the "armored tank" spacecraft will be powered exclusively by a trio of solar panels, each measuring nine feet wide and 30 feet long. Close to Earth, these panels will be able to generate 14 kilowatts of electricity, but as Juno ventures deeper into space, they'll crank out only 400 watts. Power, however, shouldn't be an issue, as NASA has outfitted the craft with energy efficient onboard computers, and has drawn out a route that will maximize its exposure to the sun. Juno should arrive at Jupiter by 2016 and, if all goes to plan, will ultimately travel farther than any solar-powered craft ever has. The agency expects their creation to set the record in April 2017, when it should be about 507 million miles away from the sun, eclipsing the 492 million mile mark likely to be set by Russia's sun-juiced Rosetta craft, in 2012. Meanwhile, closer to home, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has just delivered new imagery of the Red Planet's mountains, providing perhaps the strongest evidence that water still flows there. The images reveal long, finger-like tendrils that extend down steep slopes, including the rims of craters. They appear during the summer and fade away once winter arrives, suggesting the presence of a volatile material. Researchers failed to identify water above ground, but speculate that briny water may be flowing underground. Launch past the break to see the images, in all their eight seconds of glory.

Brando's USB optical mouse doubles as a digital scale, for when you really need it Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:50 AM PDT That shady character on the corner just sold you a plastic skull keychain with fiery orange eyes. He assured you it weighed 25 grams, but how do you know you're not being ripped off? Fortunately, Brando has come out with a USB optical mouse that has a built-in digital scale, designed, apparently, for this precise situation. Just lift up the cover, calibrate the reader and weigh away. Pencils, lint, small animals -- the list of measurable items is endless, as long as your goods don't exceed 500 grams. To get the good times rolling, hit the source link, where you can grab one for $22.

Pierre Cardin PC-7006 touts itself as UK's first 'designer tablet,' wears last season's Android Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:04 AM PDT It was bad enough when Pierre Cardin's first tablet waltzed into CeBIT 2010 flaunting an outdated processor, but now its little sister is hitting the scene wearing a démodé OS. Admittedly, running Froyo isn't exactly scandalous, but we'd expect a 7-inch slate bearing the name of a legendary designer to at least keep up with current trends. While Pierre's pad isn't hip to Honeycomb, it does sport a respectable 1GHz Samsung S5PV210 Cortex-A8 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB of internal storage, MicroSD support up to 16GB and built in WiFi. True to its fashonista roots, this tablet knows that it needs to accessorize to look its best; 3G is just a separately sold dongle away. The clout of fashion-label tablet computing can be yours for only £275, and when you're all ordered up and ready to go, come on back -- we've got a belt buckle that might interest you.

Lenovo targets businesses with LS2221 and LS2421p monitors, ThinkCentre Edge 71 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 03:21 AM PDT It's surprising how many small stores and offices take good care of their shopfront and interior decor, then spoil it by putting a bunch of dusty old PCs and monitors on show amid a jumble of cables. That's exactly the kind of business Lenovo hopes to entice with its latest range of kit. The 21.5-inch LS2221 and 23.6-inch LS2421p monitors cost $229 and $299 respectively, and come with LED-backlit panels, a claimed "10 million to one" dynamic contrast ratio, and power efficiency that exceeds Energy Star requirements. The larger model has generally better specs, with 300nits of brightness, HDMI out and an inbuilt four-port USB hub to reduce clutter. Meanwhile, the ThinkCentre Edge 71 desktop comes in both tower and SFF versions to suit different locations, and sacrifices "legacy ports" for a cleaner appearance. It should be available from October starting at $369, while the monitors are due this month. Further details in the PR after the break. Show full PR text Lenovo Launches New Monitor Series Tuned to Small Business Computing Lenovo "LS" Series Complements ThinkCentre Edge Desktops RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – August 2, 2011: HYPERLINK "http://www.lenovo.com/us/en/" Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced a new series of Lenovo monitors - the LS Series - to give small-to-medium (SMB) businesses a line of monitors crafted to their unique needs with large screens, bright and brilliant image presentation and touch-enabled navigational control. The 21.5-inch LS2221 wide and 23.6-inch LS2421p wide monitors are perfect deskside companions for Lenovo's series of ThinkCentre Edge desktops. Also today, Lenovo introduced the new ThinkCentre Edge 71 desktop, designed for mainstream SMB users with image-raising style, advanced performance and simple-to-use features without breaking the bank. "The new ThinkCentre Edge 71 and Lenovo LS Series monitors are designed from the ground up for small-to-medium businesses, giving them the style, features and functionality they need," said Tom Shell, vice president and general manager, Worldwide ThinkCentre Business Unit, Lenovo. "Our LS Series monitors include everything customers need: a large screen that displays eye-popping graphics, reliable technology that just works and convenient extras like touch-enabled buttons to easily adjust hardware settings." Lenovo LS Series Eyes Crystal Clear Computing When it comes to a visually rich multimedia LED display, the Lenovo LS monitors offer a visible difference with their 10 million to one dynamic contrast ratio. For such large screen real estate, the monitors are extremely energy efficient, exceeding the requirements for HYPERLINK "http://www.energystar.gov/" Energy Star and meeting HYPERLINK "http://www.tcodevelopment.com/pls/nvp/document.show?cid=4146&mid=455" TCO 5.0. The LS2221 wide comes with VGA and DVI connections for displaying digital video, while the LS2421p wide offers greater functionality with VGA and HDMI outputs, a four-USB port hub and up to 300 brightness level. Additionally, the monitors are equipped with capacitive touch buttons for a clean and minimalist appearance, tilt stand, modern, slim bezel design and the same three year warranty available on the premium HYPERLINK "http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:show-category-with-items?category-id=2FAF239B768947AD95895F826C34447E&menu-id=products¤t-catalog-id=12F0696583E04D86B9B79B0FEC01C087" ThinkVision monitors. Professional-Grade Image & Performance with ThinkCentre Edge 71 The glossy, polished front of the ThinkCentre Edge 71 in tower and small form factors gives business desktop computing a stylish flare. Additionally, there are no legacy ports, giving the desktop a cleaner appearance. For the total Edge computing experience, users can pair the desktop and monitor with an optional wireless Lenovo Ultra Slim Plus Wireless Keyboard and Mouse that reflects the clean and modern island-style keyboard used on HYPERLINK "http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:category.details?current-catalog-id=12F0696583E04D86B9B79B0FEC01C087¤t-category-id=9F4D9F1B85C24267B579D9A60A9BDD25&menu-id=products" ThinkPad Edge laptops. Without a doubt, the ThinkCentre Edge 71 desktop can double as an SMB's power-pounding, number-crunching productivity machine during the day and as a perfect entertainment device for watching movies/TV, listening to music and relaxing online off the clock. Equipped with up to Intel® Core™ i7 Quad Core processors (65 watts), users have tons of performance at their fingertips, and the desktop boots extremely fast, thanks to Lenovo's HYPERLINK "http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/special-offers.workflow:ShowPromo?LandingPage=/All/US/Sitelets/Enhanced%20Experience2" Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 71. Features include: Large storage capacity: up to 1 TB HD or optional SSD storage and up to 8 GB DDR3 memory Rich and robust graphics: integrated Intel graphics or choices of optional AMD discrete graphics up to Radeon Caicos with 1 GB of dedicated memory Range of productivity tools: DVD player/burner, Gigabit Ethernet, six USB ports, security via USB port disablement and HD password protection in BIOS The new desktop solves everyday computing hassles to make the experience more enjoyable and productive. Upgrading storage and memory requires no tools and only a few minutes. A hidden, rubber grip handle makes moving the desktop no big deal. With no expansion graphic card required, the ThinkCentre Edge 71 desktop offers an unbeatable value for users who need to work with two displays via VGA and DVI. The desktop comes equipped with Lenovo's suite of ThinkVantage Technologies, including Rescue and Recovery, Power Manager and System Update to restore, manage and update the PCs easily. For times when SMBs need IT support, they can turn to Lenovo's HYPERLINK "http://www.lenovo.com/services_warranty/us/en/thinkplus_priority_support.html" ThinkPlus Priority Support program that offers a variety of services from damage and accident protection to technical assistance to online data backup. Pricing and Availability3 Pricing for the Lenovo LS2221 wide is $229 and the LS2421p is $299.99. They will be available starting in August through business partners and HYPERLINK "http://www.lenovo.com" www.lenovo.com. Pricing for models of the ThinkCentre Edge 71 desktop starts at approximately $369. The desktop will be available starting in October through business partners. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US21 billion personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries, and the world's fourth-largest PC vendor. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo's business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see HYPERLINK "http://www.lenovo.com" www.lenovo.com.

You are subscribed to email updates from Engadget News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610