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Saturday, April 14, 2012

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Alleged ASUS teaser wants us to 'Experience the Infinity,' fails to explain how

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 11:07 AM PDT

This isn't the first time a mysterious bit of video has come our way with the promise of something new and fabulous from ASUS. The latest such clip comes from a third party, so take it with a hefty pinch of Morton's. It shows some slow motion footage of a drop of water falling into a bigger body of H2O, then a message emerges from the resulting concentric waves telling us to "Experience the Infinity." Whatever that means, it'll be "coming soon" -- next week, apparently, as the video finishes up touting Milano Design Week, which starts on April 17th. Is the video legit? Will some fabulous new device make its mark in Milan? We've no idea, but it certainly has a style similar to other teasers we've seen from the Taiwanese firm. You can make up your own mind once you've watched the vid after the break.

HTC Golf allegedly appears in press shot sporting ICS and Sense 4

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 09:51 AM PDT

The HTC Golf, as it's known by codename, has been rumored to be in the works for quite some time now, but today marks our first virtual encounter with the device. Thanks to a leaked press image acquired by PocketNow, we can finally get an idea of what HTC's alleged entry-level slab may look like. Aside from being coated with a fresh version of Sense, the 3.5-inch Golf is also said to be packing an underwhelming 480 x 320 display, a single-core CPU, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of onboard storage (expandable via microSD). Additionally, word on the web has the Golf as being an eventual member of the outfit's Wildfire family, though we'd hold off on giving it a different dub just yet. Either way, perhaps this one will be good enough to wave goodbye to that ChaCha of yours.

Japan's Resident Evil 6 bundle costs $1,300: nets you a leather jacket, doesn't make you cool

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 08:25 AM PDT

Engadget has seen plenty of limited edition items looking to lighten the wallets of oil barons and hedge fund managers alike. Now Capcom's readying its bundle for Resident Evil 6's Japan launch and it includes protagonist Leon's leather jacket -- available in sizes S, M, L and XL. A complete set of as-yet unrevealed "tablet cases", supposedly emblazoned with character designs will also arrive in the set, as those wealthy enough to afford the 104,000 yen ($1,300) set presumably have at least four devices to garnish with Resident Evil livery. Japanese one-percenters can hit up the preorder site -- with their choice of jacket size -- at the source below.

Apple issues Flashback removal tool for 10.7 Lion systems not running Java

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 06:53 AM PDT

The Flashback OS X trojan continues to cast a rainy shadow over Mac owners' sense of security, and even though a fix has been released, this was only for what Apple considered "the most common variants." Users of Lion, who don't have Java installed, weren't included in that initial run, but there is a new removal tool just for them. So, if you're running 10.7 and never installed Oracle's virtual machine, make sure you point your browser at the source link below.

Facebook for PS Vita adds photo uploading, support for all system languages

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 06:07 AM PDT

If you were disappointed with the Facebook app for the Vita due to not being able to share your Unit 13 high score screen grabs, then maybe it's time to reconsider. Version 1.01 just landed, and despite sounding like the tiniest incremental increase, there is, in fact, some decent new functionality. Not only can you finally upload images (and therefore those brags scores) to your news feed, you can also tag them, and enjoy any of the system languages of the device while you do so. Enough to win you back? Then point your Vita at the PS store for the goods.

PSA: Pottermore is no longer colloportus, open to muggles and magicians alike

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 04:42 AM PDT

It's been a waitus longissimus, but finally Pottermore has raised the portcullis to the rest of us muggles. You can sign up right now, after which you'll be allocated to your respective Hogwarts house, but it might take a few more days before you're fully initiated into the hallowed halls proper. Just don't tell Voldemort.

[Thanks Daniel]

Dolby Labs and Philips unveil Dolby 3D tech, want to deliver glasses-free 3D in HD

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 03:15 AM PDT

Dolby helped the 3D revolution happen in movie theaters years ago, and now it's teamed up with Philips to do the same for TVs, tablets, laptops and phones. The two companies have created a format and content delivery technology, dubbed Dolby 3D, to bring high definition 3D content to any and all devices with 3D displays, including those that don't require glasses. Its secret sauce automatically optimizes video for different screen sizes and also upgrades half-resolution 3D to full-res. The idea is to provide both broadcasters and OEMs with a way to deliver 3D HD content to customers buying Dolby 3D devices, while remaining compatible with existing 3D gadgets. All that's left is to actually build some hardware that'll let us see all those snazzy suits from Mad Men in high-def and the third dimension.
Show full PR text
Dolby, Philips unveil 3D HD format capable of bringing Full HD 3D to glasses-free 3D devices

April 13, 2012

Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and Royal Philips Electronics today unveiled Dolby 3D, a 3D HD format and suite of technologies designed to deliver full HD 3D content to 3D-enabled devices, including glasses-free displays. Dolby 3D is being demonstrated at the NAB Show (April 16–19, 2012) at booth SU1212.

The two leading companies have undertaken the joint project to improve the 3D viewing experience on displays of all sizes, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, and televisions. Dolby 3D is a complete system designed to work throughout the chain to deliver clear glasses-free 3D content that operates over existing distribution systems.

Ramzi Haidamus, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Dolby Laboratories, stated: "We believe that Dolby 3D can help drive the adoption of 3D-creating a comfortable, customizable, truly enjoyable glasses-free 3D viewing experience while enhancing 3D display performance. Armed with the innovative glasses-free 3D display technology from Philips, based on years of extensive research and development in the field, we plan to bring the same philosophy to 3D that Dolby has brought to the audio space-integrating our technologies and strengths throughout the entire content chain. Consumers will know that when they see Dolby 3D content on a 3D-enabled device, it will look its very best."

The focus of the project will be to work with original equipment manufacturers of display panels and entertainment devices to enhance the performance of 3D consumer devices to make viewing of 3D content just as convenient and appealing as viewing of 2D content on a high-quality screen is today. This project is uniquely positioned to enable the industry's adoption of 3D by working on standardization and licensing of the technology.

The Dolby 3D experience will seamlessly integrate into the use cases and viewing patterns of consumers on-the-go and in-the-home, making the use of 3D devices an enjoyable daily experience. Content owners and broadcast operators have the unique opportunity to differentiate their offerings by encoding 3D titles in Dolby 3D for maximum fidelity on Dolby 3D enabled devices while maintaining compatibility with existing 3D products. The system will enable a 3D HD format, including tools for 3D content creation and real-time 3D content conversion.

HTC launches trio of Dragons in China, Ice Cream Sandwich on all

Posted: 14 Apr 2012 12:27 AM PDT

HTC's been far from quiet since unveiling its One series to the masses, and today the company's continuing the trend by launching three new devices in China. This trio makes up HTC's Dragon lineup, which our partners at Engadget China first met at MWC. Leading the way is the 4-inch HTC VT T328t for China Mobile, featuring Sense 4, an S-LCD, WVGA screen, a 1GHz CPU alongside 512MB of RAM, the famed Beats Audio and of course, it's running a flavor of Android ICS. As for the VC T328d (Telecom) and V T328w (Unicom), they're both rocking similar specs as the VT model, with the exception of dual-SIM card slots on each. All three Dragons are expected to be available by month's end, but save for the T328w costing 1999 yuan (around $320), pricing remains a mystery.

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PSA: Watch Coachella on YouTube, Google devices for free this weekend

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 08:54 PM PDT

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Sure, Google's previous Coachella stream ran about as smoothly as Woodstock 1999's final hours, but that's no reason to abandon the idea. Mountain View has decided to give it another go, streaming 2012's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Youtube and to properly equipped devices. Looking to get your rock on? Hit the source link below.

Republic Wireless opening up reservation system next week in advance of summer beta program

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 08:04 PM PDT

We've already known that Republic Wireless was planning to reopen the beta program for its hybrid WiFi / cellular service this summer, and the company has now finally detailed exactly how that beta will take place. For starters, it'll only be open to those who have already signed up to the company's email list or tried to place an order when that option was available last November, but that's still not a guarantee to get in. Starting next week, those folks will receive an email with details on how to take part in the company's online reservation system, after which you'll then have a week to claim a spot in one of the beta waves that will be rolling out over the course of the summer. Still no word on that new handset that was also promised for April, but you can find all the details on the beta program at the link below.

[Thanks, Andy]

ASUS reportedly to release Transformer Pad 300 on April 22nd

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 07:25 PM PDT

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The ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is getting closer to bringing its watered-down Prime flavor to store shelves, as PC World reports a spokesperson confirmed it will begin shipping April 22nd. What they could not confirm was the price, although there are preorders out there for $399 already. In case you've forgotten, the 300 brings the same Tegra 3 processor as the Prime, but matches it with a standard IPS display, optional LTE and only 16GB of built-in storage, as well as 10 hours of battery life. We'll let you know when we hear more, but for now feel free to pencil in a note on your Earth Day calendar entries.

Sennheiser intros ritzy IE 800 headphones and HDVD 800 amp, your wallet screams

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:42 PM PDT

You thought Sennheiser had already done enough to appease audiophiles this year at CES? Think again. The company has announced yet another new set of headphones with an amp to keep it warm at night, but the high-end wares come at a high-end price. The ceramic IE 800 buds (€599 or $787) offer a broad 5 - 46,000 Hz audio range in spite of their mere 7mm drivers, while stainless steel vents on the back supposedly "improve bass and airflow." If you need some extra juice and don't mind forking over the premium €1,499 ($1,973), the HDVD 800 headphone amp's shell is rocking anodized aluminum and a glass window for peering at the bantam circuitry within -- way over the top, but also, pretty amazing. It supports 24-bit 192kHz sources and is engineered for ideal synergy with Senn's HD 800, HD 700, HD 650 and HD 600. Both should hit the shelves by summer of this year.

LG renames Optimus LTE to Optimus True HD LTE, disses Samsung's HD Super AMOLED

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:16 PM PDT

While the Optimus LTE's already made its way to South Korea, Japan and the US (in the guise of the Spectrum and the Nitro HD), LG's decided to give this dual-core handset a new name ahead of its Hong Kong launch at the end of this month. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Optimus True HD LTE. Alas, the "true HD" part here doesn't actually mean the phone's getting 1080p resolution on a 4.5-inch panel (which would be 490ppi; yet Toshiba's actually done it!); but we were told that 'tis really just a dig at Samsung's HD Super AMOLED technology -- you know, the magic behind that 4.65-inch screen on the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S II HD LTE.

Simply put, LG doesn't think that 1,280 x 720 on PenTile counts as HD due to the lower number of sub-pixels; and while it's at it, the company also criticized AMOLED's over-expressed colors and higher power consumption in "normal user environment" -- for the latter, LG showed that its AH-IPS has a more consistent power consumption across varying levels of overall whiteness. You can see the relevant slides after the break.

Of course, we've already expressed (twice) how much we like the HD Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy Nexus. The clearness issue now is much less noticeable when compared to the original Super AMOLED; but as for color accuracy, many of us are indeed deceived by the vibrancy that we naturally enjoy -- except when you need to inspect photos, of course. Regardless, we're pretty sure that it's only a matter of time before Samsung strikes back with a, ahem, "true HD" Super AMOLED (Plus) panel -- hopefully in time for the upcoming Galaxy S III.
LG renames Optimus LTE to Optimus True HD LTE, disses Samsung's HD Super AMOLED

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Valve employee spills the hardware beans: wearable computers, ahoy

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 05:44 PM PDT

When Michael Abrash started working for Valve, he expected the higher-ups to hand him a pile of work and tell him to hop to it. They didn't. Instead, he was told to figure out the most valuable thing he could do for the company, and then do it. So, Abrash wound up kicking off an in-house R&D project for wearable computers, and according to a recent blog post, is looking to expand his research team. More than me-too mice and gamepads, indeed. Abrash is quick to put a lid on rumors of "Steam glasses," however, and warns readers not to expect any big reveals at E3 -- this is just an "initial investigation into a very interesting and promising space," he says, and is more "research than development." Rearing to give Google's Project Glass a run for its money? Or maybe you're just itching for a detailed narrative of employee and employer? Either way, you'll find what you're looking at the source link below.

7digital music store offers Windows Phone users 18 million tracks for purchase

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 05:13 PM PDT

In news that can be filed under "better late than never," 7digital has finally brought its impressive music store to the Windows Phone platform. The company has previously promised a January arrival for its eponymous app, which now offers 18 million song tracks for sale. As you'd expect, it offers shoppers with 30 second previews of each track, and purchased music will automatically sync to one's mobile device. The Windows Phone version of 7digital now joins its Android, BlackBerry and iOS counterparts, but unique to this release is a Metro interface and support for Live Tiles -- which allows users to pin their favorite artists, tracks and albums to the home screen. Shoppers will discover a variable pricing scheme for the DRM-free music, where the majority of albums sell between $5 and $12. Inquiring minds will find the full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
7digital Brings MP3 Music to Windows Phone


7digital expands its mobile device reach with new Windows Phone mobile app

Windows Phone users can browse, preview and purchase high quality music from 7digital's 18 million strong MP3 music catalogue

Previously-purchased music can be downloaded and synced instantly with a user's Windows Phone.


London, UK, 13th April 2012 – 7digital today announced the launch of the new 7digital mobile application for Windows Phone devices . The new app brings 7digital's download store and music player to Windows Phones handsets, giving users access to 7digital's 18 million strong catalogue of high quality MP3 tracks.

Users can browse, preview, purchase and download music to their Windows Phone, anytime, anywhere. As with all 7digital's apps, previously purchased music can be synced from a user's personal 7digital cloud storage space to their Windows Phone and any other devices with a 7digital app installed.

The app takes advantage of the native Windows Phone OS, recommendations and featured content appear on a panorama style interface. Live Tiles have also been integrated to allow users to pin their favourite artists, tracks and albums to the start screen.

The Windows app joins 7digital's existing range of mobile applications for Android, iPhone/iOS and BlackBerry platforms. 7digital now has over 2 million active users on mobile devices, allowing users to download and sync their 7digital music collection across any device they own.

Ben Drury, CEO 7digital comments, "The 7digital mobile applications allow our customers to access their music however, whenever and through whichever device platform they choose.

"The new 7digital Windows Phone application adds to our philosophy of being a truly platform agnostic digital music service. With the addition of the Windows Phone app, we enable music fans to purchase music and access their entire music collection on all their devices, anytime, anywhere."

The 7digital Windows Phone application is available from the Windows Marketplace in a number of territories including UK, US, Canada, Germany, France, Spain Italy and Ireland. Further information on 7digital's mobile applications is available at 7digital.com/mobile.

HTC fixes rare One S chipping finish issue, swaps phones for free

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 04:55 PM PDT

The black HTC One S uses a process called micro arc oxidation (MAO) to harden its aluminum unibody and make it feel like ceramic. We've recently experienced some chipping on the finish of one of our review units, so we reached out to HTC to find out if this is a known problem. Turns out we're not the only ones to report the issue, and while rare, the company's gone ahead and tweaked its manufacturing process and is offering to swap affected phones for free for existing customers. Here's HTC's statement:
HTC is committed to delivering a high quality product and great experience for all our customers. There have been a few, isolated reports of this issue. The finish on the One S was laboratory tested as being at a hardness similar to ceramic. While that's hard, it doesn't mean it's impossible to damage. Regardless, HTC takes quality very seriously and are providing all customers with an immediate fix and we are implementing some small changes to ensure customers do not experience this issue in the future.

Canon firmware update for XF camcorders incoming, brings broadcast friendly format along

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 04:34 PM PDT

Still loving your XF video shooter from Canon, but lamenting the lack of 1440 x 1080, 35 mbps HD? Better sit down on your director's chair then, as it looks like a forthcoming firmware update for the series adds exactly this (at both 50i and 60i.) The format is popular with broadcast and news, and no doubt Canon is hoping to broaden the appeal of the XF line by bundling it in -- or smoothing the workflow of existing owners. The update will be available to all four cameras in the range (XF100, XF105, XF300, and XF305,) and you'll be able to start shooting with it from end of May.
Show full PR text
New Firmware Enhances Canon XF-Series Camcorders, Supporting Popular Broadcast Recording Format

New Firmware Enables 1440 x 1080 35mbps Recording at 60i or 50i for Canon's XF305, XF300, XF105, and XF100 Professional Camcorders

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced a new firmware update for all four models of the Company's XF-series professional camcorders, enabling a new 35mbps recording mode. The new firmware enables a highly utilized recording mode, popular with many major news broadcast corporations, capturing 1440 x 1080 HD video at 35mbps at 60i or 50i. This format is designed to help the camcorders seamlessly align with standard workflows used by many major news broadcast organizations. Once the firmware is installed, the recording mode will be accessed through the regular mode selection menu on the camcorder and the frame rate will be automatically selected, dependent on the camcorder's PAL or NTSC setting. All previously supported XF-series video resolutions and frame rates will remain available in addition to the newly supported recording format.

"We are happy to continually enhance the capabilities of our products and technologies to meet the needs of professionals in the marketplace. This new firmware will enhance our ability to satisfy the diverse technical needs of broadcast news organizations," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A.

The firmware is expected to be available for download at the end of May 2012 for all XF-series camcorders and will be available on the individual product pages through the Canon website.

Nokia Lumia 900 data connectivity fix available now, three days early

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 04:26 PM PDT

Good news came late today for all those Lumia 900 owners out there. It appears that Nokia has officially released the software update to resolve the handset's data connectivity issues -- a full three days early, in fact. Users may download the software through either Zune on the PC or Windows Phone 7 Connector on the Mac. For those who'd prefer to swap out their handset at an AT&T store, you have between now and April 21st to complete the exchange. Naturally, the limited-time offer remains in place for all those who purchase a Lumia 900 before April 21st to receive a $100 credit to their AT&T phone bill, courtesy of Nokia. Quite the graceful recovery, indeed.

Sprint will activate LTE on the 800MHz band in 2014

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 03:24 PM PDT

Sprint's Steve Elfman has said that the company's intending to activate an LTE service over its 800MHz spectrum by 2014. Big Yellow's already received 3GPP certification to turn Band 26 into super-fast mobile internet, the only remaining regulatory hurdle left to overcome is a thumbs-up from the FCC. The due date isn't set in stone, as it'll depend entirely on how quickly the company can force current iDEN users to migrate to its CDMA Direct Connect service. Meanwhile, LTE service in Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City and San Antonio will activate across next year, with the company confident that it'll be able to keep pace with AT&T and Verizon's services by offloading traffic onto Clearwire's TD-LTE Network which should go live by June 2013. We can only guess that after that the announcement was done, Mr. Elfman looked at a picture of Philip Falcone and had to step outside for a little cry.

Mozilla tests out opt-in system for plug-ins in latest Firefox nightly build

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT

Plug-ins bogging down your web browsing? Then it looks like you could soon have another option to cut through the clutter right in Firefox. The latest nightly build of the browser includes a new feature that lets users turn off all plug-ins by default and then click on each to enable them (something that, we should note, can already be done through third-party add-ons). While that functionality is still in the early stages, Mozilla's Jared Wein says that they're now working on adding the ability to remember plug-in settings on a per-site basis, and hope to have the feature ready for the release version of Firefox 14 (currently due out in July). In the meantime, you can get an early look at the feature in the latest nightly build available at the source link below.

Google named official social platform of 2012 Republican National Convention

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 02:48 PM PDT

It's no secret that Big G's tight with the federal government, whether it's White House staff hanging out on Google +, or the company giving us all a personal tour of Obama's abode. This time around, though, Larry Page & Co. have announced a partnership with the GOP which makes Mountain View the official social platform and livestream provider of the upcoming Republican National Convention. Essentially, this means Republicans at the gathering will use sites like YouTube and Google+ to stream live events and pop in at the occasional Hangout. That said, it wouldn't surprise us if attendees dabbled in that other social network, as it's no stranger to politics, either. Too bad Santorum's not around to try on those snorkeling goggles...

HTC One X gets unofficial power management fix, boosts battery life 10 to 20 percent

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 02:19 PM PDT

Somewhere along mike1986's development of Android Revolution HD, a custom ROM for the HTC One X, he found that something amiss with the smartphone's stock system -- its Tegra 3 power management software didn't function properly. According to the developer, an app known as NvCPLSvc.apk was misplaced in the /system/bin folder, rather than its proper destination of /system/app. Along with the custom ROM, mike1986 has released the fix as a separate bundle, which is detailed in the source below. To apply the patch, users must push the new APK to their handset via ADB, and then alter the file's permissions. Unless you're seriously hindered by your phone's battery life, however, it seems safe to wait for an official update from HTC. On the upside, users report an battery life increase in the neighborhood of 10 to 20 percent once with the fix in place, and we can only hope that all users will soon benefit from similar gains.

[Thanks, Nitin]

Facebook Offers starts rolling out, spamming your news feed with coupons (video)

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 01:49 PM PDT

When Facebook first announced Offers you we're probably wondering if there was even room for yet another coupon service. Between Google, Groupon, Yelp, Living Social and countless others we're not entirely sure there's a niche left untapped for Facebook, but that isn't going to stop Zuck and crew from trying. The service is officially rolling out as we speak, and offering its wares to any business with a Facebook page, regardless of size. The hope is that it'll catch on with smaller businesses in particular, which will now have an easy way to place deals directly into user's news feeds. Of course, after the failure of Facebook Deals, you'd be forgiven for assuming this experiment is doomed from moment one. Check out the video after the break and the source link for more details.

The Engadget Show returns Friday, April 20th!

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 01:26 PM PDT

IRL: oStylus Dot, Sansa Clip+ and SanDisk's Extreme Pro 128GB CompactFlash Card

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

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This week's IRL is a quirky mix of vintage and modern, with Billy getting comfy with a new iPad stylus and Jason clinging to the Sansa Clip+ player he's owned since 2009. Rounding things out, Darren's decided to put all his digital media in one proverbial basket: a 128GB CompactFlash card.

SanDisk ExtremePro 128GB CompactFlash card

ImageFor my Nikon D3S, there's nothing else I'd shove into its pair of CF slots than an Extreme Pro card from SanDisk, but even I was a little taken aback upon hearing that SanDisk was crafting one with one hundred and twenty-eight gigabytes of storage. My typical setup is a pair of 32GB cards, and I've had absolutely zero issue shooting nine frames per second in RAW while capturing my wife leaping off of a cliff in Kauai (good times, good times). But the 128GB version is actually slightly speedier (rated at 100MB/sec), and for pro shooters picking up the D4 instead, it suddenly makes a lot more sense than it did on Nikon's prior flagship.

The D4 only has a single CompactFlash slot; the other one is that snazzy new XQD format. On the D3S, you're better off buying a pair of 64GB ExtremePro cards, but if you're going to be doing an awful lot of 1080p shooting on the newer D4, being able to handle 128GB of content on a single card is a serious boon -- particularly for off-the-grid projects where it's just not convenient to dump your card after every day.

Make no mistake: the 128GB ExtremePro is by no means affordable. It's currently selling for just under $800, while a 64GB Extreme Pro can be easily had for $190. That said, it handles 11fps rapid shooting on the D4 with poise, and in fact, you'll be hard-pressed to find a device that accepts CF capable of overwhelming it. To be frank, this is hardly a consumer card, but pros who capture gigabytes on end in order to put food on the table will absolutely love it. (In a year or so, when it's half as costly.)
-- Darren Murph
Sansa Clip+

ImageAs someone who once rocked the waffle maker of portable music players -- the Sony Discman -- my iPod Video didn't look that big to me when I bought it in 2005. By 2009, though, I was on the hunt for a more compact player that would free up some pocket space. At the time, I decided not to get another "i" gadget -- the iPod nano was still a bit too big, while the iPod shuffle's user interface was just, well, I'm not gonna go there, okay? Instead, I opted for the Sansa Clip+, which offered a robust feature set and attractive price, too. For starters, I wanted something with a screen for browsing and selecting music. That, combined with the player's small size and clip made this guy an ideal companion for flights and the occasional venture into the great outdoors.

The sound quality is quite good and can be tweaked via several preset settings or the built-in custom equalizer. Getting music into the device is also a cinch -- I can just drag and drop stuff like I would with an external hard drive. Otherwise, I can use Windows Media Player to sync libraries or create custom playlists. Additional listening options include an FM radio and compatibility with subscription services like Rhapsody. It even comes with a voice recorder, which is always a nice backup to have in case my regular recorder fails when I have to do interviews for my reporting job. Built-in storage ranges from 2GB to 8GB and that can be further expanded via the built-in microSD card slot.

Unfortunately, a relative who shall remain nameless (you know who you are!) accidentally stepped on my defenseless little blue player sometime last year. Now, my Sansa Clip+ is sans clip, with reduced volume when I connect it to an external speaker. It still sounds good with headphones, though, so I've decided to stick with the little bugger. The only difference now is that it goes inside my pocket instead of clipping onto it.
-- Jason Hidalgo
oStylus Dot

ImageIf you've been reading Engadget long enough, you might recall that time we took the previous model of the oStylus for a spin. Now, the outfit's released a new model, the Dot, which naturally brings various improvements. I use it mostly just to scribble down notes and do some sketching on the iPad, though it also makes for a nice tool when combined with the Magic Trackpad -- especially useful for navigating alongside Photoshop brushes. You know, if a Wacom tablet just isn't in the cards. Overall, the oStylus feels great in the hand. It really is the perfect size for an accessory that's meant to be used like a pen or brush. With the latest effort, the company has made the head smaller, which makes navigation on mobile devices that much easier.

However, the open metal ring on the end is now a closed dot (hence the name), and it still isn't fully covered in that protective white material. This means that anywhere on the input end (edges) is off limits except for the coated bottom portion. More times than not, when sketching rough ideas for a logo project, I feel like I'm scratching the screen of my iPad. So far, there hasn't been any noticeable damage, but it feels like there is, and that always makes me a tad uneasy. Other than that, the oStylus works great. Input is a breeze and I never struggle to make the iPad and capacitive pen play nicely together. At around $35, it's priced on par with other styli but with a more unique experience. Hopefully you don't mind a little scratch anxiety from time to time.
-- Billy Steele

FCC Fridays: April 13, 2012

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 12:39 PM PDT

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!
PhonesTablets and Peripherals

Professors develop food-magnifying glasses, no need to super size

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 12:16 PM PDT

Big eyes, small stomach. We've all been there at some point, when we load our plate up with more than our tummies can handle. Now, a team of Professors at Tokyo University has created special glasses that magnify the food on your plate, to create the illusion of larger portions, and trick your brain into creating a sensation of fullness. Now this might just sound like "magnifying glasses" but to give it credit, it's a little smarter than that. The diet-specs house a camera that only expands your nosh (up to fifty percent,) and not your hands. The proof of concept has been backed up by a small group test of 12 people. The subjects consumed 9.3 percent less cookies when magnified, and ate 15 percent more when the treats were set to appear smaller. Certainly these are the wackiest glasses we've seen in, oh, over a week.

Engadget Podcast 289 - 04.13.2012

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 11:54 AM PDT

The Real Engadget Podcast: New York City: It's when bloggers stop being polite, and start getting real, which for these Engadget Podcasters means talking to their pets and talking to their beers, with a stiff dose of tech talk up top that can't be out-realed.

Host: Brian Heater
Guests: Michael Gorman, Terrence O'brien
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Orbital - Never

00:02:00 - The Engadget Show is nominated for a Webby Award!


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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, @numeson, @terrenceobrien

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