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- Google gives a sneak peek at Chrome for Windows 8's Metro UI, plans a test release soon
- Solar Impulse completes transcontinental flight, runs out of complimentary peanuts
- Snakebyte tablet gaming controller for Android and iOS hands-on
- Sky+ rolls out a new HD guide starting today, keeps live, DVR and VOD TV level (video)
- Engadget Giveaway: win one of five Biscottis!
- Tactus' morphing smartphone and tablet display hands-on
- MotoCzysz e-motorbike crackles past 100MPH at TT Zero for $15,000 prize
- Engadget Podcast 297: E3 Hotel Party Edition - 06.07.2012
- Foursquare 5.0 hands-on
- Samsung ChatON messaging app comes to Windows Phone, cross-platform party planned
- Toshiba Excite 10 review: a 10-inch ICS tablet that puts the Thrive to shame
- THD N2-A is a KIRF MacBook Air that runs Ice Cream Sandwich for $149, we go hands-on (video)
- Sierra Wireless outs thinnest-ever 4G LTE module, teases skinny AT&T-ready laptops and tablets
- Virgin confirms iPhone 4 and 4S coming June 29th, pricing revealed
- Netgear's NeoTV Pro adds WiDi, makes any TV smart
- Brain wave meter knows what you're thinking, so get your mind out of the gutter (video)
- Acer Aspire V5 notebooks get Ivy Bridge treatment, shipping by end of June for $630 and up
- Has RIM canceled the 16GB PlayBook? (Update: it has)
- TomTom's Nike+Sportwatch gets revamped, adds NikeFuel, subtracts price (video)
- Explicit consent becomes mandatory with latest 'do not track' proposal, backs Microsoft into the corner
- ASUS Computex keynote now on YouTube: relive the excitement, the yelling
- LG starts Optimus LTE Ice Cream Sandwich rollout on two Korean carriers
- Rumored next-generation iPhone casing gets handled, compared to predecessor (video)
- Virgin Media activates more tube WiFi hotspots, minds the gaps in its coverage
- Dropbox for Android adds support for Korean language, ICS-only video streaming UI
- Hands-on with the Honeywld Power Zest ICS set-top box at Computex 2012 (video)
- Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed comes to Android slates, keeps everyone happy
- NEC's Gaziru takes image recognition to the cloud, looks a lot like Goggles (video)
- 3M and Nanosys team-up to roll out quantum dot-enhanced LCDs
- Facebook smooths the way for carrier billing on in-app purchases
- Samsung appoints components boss Kwon Oh-hyun as new CEO
- Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video)
- Neon Genesis Evangelion SH-06D limited edition Android phone arrives June 29th (video)
- AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video)
- Vodafone and O2 to team up for UK 4G network
- Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller hands-on (video)
- Samsung ready to invest in next-gen chip production: here comes 20nm and even 14nm
- Consumer Cellular axes activation fees, retirees rejoice
- Jetway, maker of motherboards, is prepping its first smartphone, the Alfar 560
- ASUS G75VW is world's first notebook to sport Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi, we go hands-on (video)
| Google gives a sneak peek at Chrome for Windows 8's Metro UI, plans a test release soon Posted: 07 Jun 2012 10:54 AM PDT Google vowed that it would adapt Chrome to Metro back in March, and it's just now providing its first real look at the Windows 8 revamp. Don't expect a radical remake: it's Chrome, just in Metro. Even so, the very first test releases will support charms for sharing and other cross-OS features, and they will obey Snap View for tablet-friendly Windows 8 multitasking. Metro support will come in the next Dev channel release for those using the Windows 8 Release Preview. Those of us leery of running a pre-beta web browser on top of a beta OS will have to wait some months to see the finished result. That patience should be rewarded through better touchscreen support and refinements to the overall interface, so by the time the dissenting among us are ready to toss Internet Explorer 10 aside, Chrome will be waiting with open arms. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Solar Impulse completes transcontinental flight, runs out of complimentary peanuts Posted: 07 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT The Impulse solar-powered plane has successfully completed its first transcontinental journey. It took 19 hours to jet between Madrid and Morocco -- with the plane's 12,000 solar cells swallowing enough power to keep it going long into the night. Pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg can now look forward to planning their next voyage: a round the world cruise penciled in for 2014. HP Introduces Essential, Stylish Accessories Latest Additions Include Colorful Mice, Sporty Backpacks, Protective Cases and HD Webcams Just in Time for Father's Day and Back-to-School PALO ALTO, June 6, 2012 – HP today announced the availability of new accessories ideal for design conscious consumers. The line-up, which includes colorful mice, designer backpacks and cases, and compact high-definition (HD) webcams, has something for everyone. New stylized designs for an HP favorite Cradle and protect valuable technology The ideal kind of accessory for those on an ambitious path, the HP Signature Slim Brief and HP Authentic Top-Load notebook cases provide robust protection, comfortable cushioning and sophisticated style. Both cases feature water-resistant exteriors, detachable shoulder straps, cushioned handles, and up to nine multi-purpose pockets for easy organization. The HP Signature Slim Brief and HP Authentic Top-Load cases fit most 14-inch and 16-inch notebooks, respectively. Easily connect, share stunning HD video with ease | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Snakebyte tablet gaming controller for Android and iOS hands-on Posted: 07 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT If you're a mobile / tablet gaming enthusiast, you may get tired of swiping your fingers across the Retina display or using the on-screen controls. Snakebyte is looking to lend a hand with its upcoming game controller for Android slates and the iPad, so we went hands-on here at E3. The accessory plays nice with tablet PCs running Gingerbread or Ice Cream Sandwich and Apple's portable device outfitted with any iCade-compatible apps. Dressed in a soft-touch coating, the peripheral feels great in the hand and the base is much like a PS3 controller. The unit connects via Bluetooth and pairing it with your mobile gaming device of choice is a breeze. When performing said set-up, you can select from five different modes to suit your needs including gamepad / controller, keyboard and mouse, solo keyboard, solo mouse and iCade mode (iOS-only). You'll always know which setting you've chosen thanks to an LED indicator on the front side of the kit. Touting eight hours of battery life, the gaming accessory charges via USB and will include a simple stand for your slate. Interested? You'll be able to snag one for $40 at the end of July. For now, though, take a peek at the gallery below for a closer look. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sky+ rolls out a new HD guide starting today, keeps live, DVR and VOD TV level (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 09:34 AM PDT The last time we checked in on Sky+'s UI, the UK TV broadcaster was updating its set-top boxes around the time of the '08 Olympics and now it's starting to roll out a new look just in time for the 2012 Games. The new guide brings HD graphics with new colors and fonts, improved navigation by displaying listings for eight channels at once (up from six), the ability to sort DVR recordings by genre, and a new landing page that sorts content from various sources -- live, DVR or video on-demand -- by genre. More subtle changes include a now-translucent "search and scan" banner and retooled accessibility menu that puts audio options first. According to Sky the initial rollout will hit tens of thousands of Sky+HD boxes today and slowly grow to millions more by year-end. Check out a few screenshots in the gallery below or a video demo of the new features after the break for a first hand look, then let us know if they suit your viewing style. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget Giveaway: win one of five Biscottis! Posted: 07 Jun 2012 09:06 AM PDT No, we're not talking about giving away free cookies -- though nobody could really complain about that. Actually, we have five Biscotti TV phones up for grabs. This attachment hooks up to your TV and gives you the chance to make VoIP video calls via your HDTV. The other party can see you as well, courtesy of the built-in HD webcam. They're valued at $150 each, so it makes for a nice birthday present (or a solid addition to your own home, if you're the selfish type). You know the drill: read the rules, leave a comment and you're entered to win. Good luck! The rules:
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| Tactus' morphing smartphone and tablet display hands-on Posted: 07 Jun 2012 08:50 AM PDT Tactus Technology, a small start-up out of Fremont, CA, made a big splash at this year's Society for Information Display (SID) conference. The company, which came to Boston, MA toting a single product, showcased an early prototype of its morphing touchscreen display. The screen, which looks and acts like all other smartphone and tablet displays, has a very special and unique feature: it can dynamically create and remove tactile keys on demand. Tactus utilizes a specially designed window that sits directly on top of a display's touch sensor -- which we're told can be fitted to almost any touchscreen -- that has specially designed channels. A "proprietary oil" is, at the behest of the underlying operating system, forced in and out of these channels to raise the display surface and create a tactile interface for the end-user. It's a concept that, much to the delight of ardent smartphone and tablet keyboard lovers, can provide a physical input experience without sacrificing screen real estate. Have a look at our hands-on gallery then saunter past the break to see this tactile touchscreen in action and read our impressions. The buttons created by Tactus' screen have a very distinct feeling and resistance. The small plateaus that protrude from the screen almost look wet and, when pressed, require a fair amount of pressure to push all the way down to the touchscreen. Although you can push the buttons flush, it's not necessary to register input; just tapping the screen (as with all non-resistive panels) will register your choice. As you may be able to see from several of our photos, the screen does seem to add some thickness to the display panel. While the added size is irrelevant, it does seem to add a certain finish or sheen to the screen that we're not used to seeing; it almost looks like a mash-up of matte and glossy. The device we got to fondle was a 7-inch Android tablet, although -- as we mentioned above and can see in the company's promotional video -- the technology can be shoehorned onto a variety of display form-factors. We're not exactly sure how useful (if at all) raised keys would be on a smartphone-sized QWERTY, but it is something Tactus says is completely possible. Tactus' screen is truly impressive, but its main draw -- at this early prototype stage -- is its newness. Refinements will definitely have to be made before OEMs are clamoring for this window, but we, along with SID's organizers (who gave the company a "best of show" nod) agree: this is a great launchpad for a technology with a fair amount of promise.
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| MotoCzysz e-motorbike crackles past 100MPH at TT Zero for $15,000 prize Posted: 07 Jun 2012 08:20 AM PDT Jitters over wet track conditions didn't stop MotoCzysz's Michael Rutter from becoming the first electric motorcycle rider at the Isle of Man's TT Zero to hit 100MPH -- aka the fabled "ton". He also snapped up the £10,000 ($15,400) prize offered by the island's government for the achievement, although two other riders also managed to zap the milestone. Being the first to do it was all that counted, though, and after coming close last year, it looks like MotoCzysz's recent doubling up on horsepower seemed to do the trick. Thanks to the boost, Rutter easily cruised past the mark at 104.056MPH. At this rate, a day at the races could become a pretty serene experience. [Thanks, John] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget Podcast 297: E3 Hotel Party Edition - 06.07.2012 Posted: 07 Jun 2012 07:59 AM PDT  Live, on tape, from downtown Los Angeles, it's Wednesday Night!, from room 827 of the Luxe Hotel, directly across from the seventeenth annual Electronic Entertainment Expo and six floors above a raging gamer party. It's chock full of accessories, Guinness-record-smashing tablet gaming, and stale, if not uninformative Wayne's World references. You wouldn't have it any other way, would you? Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater, Michael Gorman, Billy Steele 00:06:15 - Engadget pre-event broadcast from E3 - Nintendo 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 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Jun 2012 07:40 AM PDT Foursquare just posted its promised mobile app overhaul this morning, and it's a doozy: virtually everything in 5.0 has been given a fresh look or, in some cases, a complete rethink. The changes are, ideally, to goad us into using Foursquare to find places to visit, not just to check in after we're already past the front door. But is Foursquare pushing too hard? Will mayors want to resign in protest? We're digging in to find out. Right away, you'll notice that the app is more visual. Go to your friends list and, instead of a plain list of your friends' most recent check-ins, there's a timeline with photos that automatically appear in-line. In terms of at-a-glance "where is everyone?" functionality, it's a step back. But for a real look at what's happening at this moment, it's a leap forward. While each check-in is 'fatter' than before, it's now very easy to comment on a check-in or otherwise do everything you'd want without having to tap more than once or twice. The real highlight, as you'd imagine, is the revised Explore tab. Foursquare really, really wants you to know what's interesting around you, and it's slickly executed. If you're just looking to try something new, the tab defaults to a set of top picks that go beyond just popularity: there's a strong emphasis on specials, of course, but it'll suggest breakfast in the morning, ideas for a quick snack later, or simply places that friends have visited. Each location gets a much nicer presentation than we saw in the past -- it's somewhat reminiscent of the recently defunct Oink -- and you can filter the recommendations by types, if you're only looking for a nightclub or a shopping trip. Tap the map once and it gets more interesting. The recommendations melt away and you're left with a full-screen map view that shows just the nearby points of interest based on your criteria. Each location shows its popularity and who might be checked in. Need to look for interesting places where you're going, not where you are? Find a place on the map, hit the search button at the bottom, and it will show the relevant hotspots. We'd really prefer that it show more actual info at a glance, but it's an intuitive way to find what you're looking for based on the geography, not the category, without having to type out keywords (as you do in a typical GPS app). There's not much fun in finding that the nearest sushi place is halfway across town; we'd prefer to see what's closest first and what our friends like next. Even your own profile page gets a sprucing up. It's a small boost, but it's much easier to check your badges (for bragging rights, natch) and tips. Our main reservation? Lists. They're still hanging around in your profile page and when you investigate locations, but they don't get a dedicated tab or otherwise as much prominence as they used to. We weren't heavy list users in the first place, but their use isn't going to grow with the redesign. As we hinted before, a lot of the 5.0 update's changes could be knocked for letting cosmetics occasionally trump raw functionality, although none of the changes are so grievous as to make us regret checking for an app update. We have yet to investigate the updated Android version of the app (which should be out shortly, if not by the time you read this), but from the time we've had to try the iOS version, we think Foursquare's on to something here. The timeline turns it into more of a social network that encourages more than just scoring a few points -- think of Path and how elegantly it mixes location, photos and status updates. And the new Explore tab manages to crack through a barrier we've often had with earlier Foursquare versions, Yelp or out-of-the-box mapping apps. These rivals often make discovering a new place (or a friend's favorite) a bit of a chore. In Foursquare 5.0, the presentation and interface make you want to try things out, to discover that there's a great Vietnamese place around the corner. We'd like to have more time to try Foursquare in day-to-day use, but when we can already see ourselves replacing two or more apps with one, that's a good sign. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung ChatON messaging app comes to Windows Phone, cross-platform party planned Posted: 07 Jun 2012 07:21 AM PDT Continuing to (perhaps unintentionally) kick SMS messaging to the curb, Samsung's taken another, admittedly smaller, chunk of the smartphone crowd, announcing its ChatON messaging app for Windows Phone. It has already claimed a place on Android, Bada, iOS, and BlackBerry devices, plus its own web-based client. Now the app's finally ready to embrace those long-suffering Samsung-made Windows Phones -- it's apparently available to download from the phone-based marketplace. Unfortunately, the link has gone inert on the web store, so you'll have to hit up the dedicated Samsung zone on your phone to grab the messaging service. Let's hope Victoria Justice is still looking to party. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toshiba Excite 10 review: a 10-inch ICS tablet that puts the Thrive to shame Posted: 07 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT More InfoIn the tablet market, big as it is, one notion generally holds true: thinner equals better. Toshiba, for example, surely tried to equate a svelte silhouette with a premium product in its super-slim Excite 10 LE. And indeed, its 1.18-pound body and solid Honeycomb experience add up to tablet that puts Toshiba's earlier Thrives to shame. That $530 model is definitely priced like a high-end tablet, but it's accompanied by a new, lower-priced Toshiba slate, the Excite 10. For $450, you get a tablet with a tad more meat on its bones, but that increase in weight and thickness comes with some more powerful specs: a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with 1GB of RAM -- not to mention Ice Cream Sandwich. While you can probably guess which of these slates makes a stronger contender (hint: the one without the "LE"), figuring out the Toshiba Excite 10's place in the grand hierarchy of tablets takes a little more exploration. Luckily, that's what we're here for, so join us past the break as we do our best to get through the review without a single "excite" pun. Hardware If you've ever had your hands on -- let alone glimpsed -- the Toshiba Thrive 10, the first thing that will strike you about the Excite 10 tablet is the slimmer silhouette. While the Thrive measures 0.6 inches (15.24mm) thick, the Excite is whittled down to 0.35 inches (8.89mm). Similarly, Toshiba has cut down on weight: the Excite 10 weighs 1.32 pounds (21.12 ounces) compared to 1.6 (25.6 ounces) for the Thrive 10. This, of course, makes it much more comfortable to hold for extended periods of time.
Toshiba clearly went back to the drawing board to improve upon the chintzy build quality of its Thrive slates. In addition to slimming down the design, the company opted for more premium materials. The Excite 10 ditches the Thrive's rubberized cover for a classier aluminum backing. It doesn't sacrifice a good grip, thanks to a dimpled texture. While the slate is comfortable to hold, it bears mentioning that the design doesn't feel very sturdy -- if you press on the back, you'll notice a bit of flex. The Excite 10 has the right idea when it comes to ports. The left side of the slate houses a headphone jack, micro-HDMI connection, micro-USB 2.0 and a full-size SD card slot that lets you add up to 128GB of external storage (and theoretically more). The left side sports the power button, a lever for locking screen orientation and a volume rocker, while the top has the 2-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear-facing shooter. Moving on to the display, we have a 10.1-inch Corning Gorilla Glass panel with a 1280 x 800 resolution. At 149ppi, that pixel density isn't anything out of the ordinary, but the screen at least delivers good viewing angles and accurate colors. One pitfall, though, is that the display exhibits some backlight bleeding. This is most noticeable when you're viewing darker screens, and while it doesn't make it impossible to enjoy movies and YouTube clips on the tablet, it does separate the Excite 10 from higher-end slates. Performance
With a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 1GB of RAM, the Excite 10 provides performance that's nothing to sniff at. In benchmarks such as Quadrant, it posted a high score of 4,016, which bests the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (2,602), the Acer Iconia Tab A510 (3,754) and the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 (3,695). Scrolling through web pages on the Excite is fluid, with only the occasional lag in registering swipes, but zooming in often causes white tiles to appear before the page reloads. Light gaming on the tablet is a pleasure -- we quickly rekindled our love for Angry Birds Space on this 10-inch touchscreen. We never experienced any glitches when streaming HD video from YouTube. Still, the tablet didn't handle everything seamlessly. When we took the Excite 10's camera for a test drive, the device got significantly warmer. Worse still, the camera app once crashed, and took us to a home screen plagued by errant blue pixels. Cold-booting into Ice Cream Sandwich takes about 30 seconds. Battery life
Though the Excite 10 is significantly thinner than the Thrive 10, it doesn't sacrifice endurance along with the heft. In fact, this tablet has respectable, if not stellar, endurance. On our video rundown test, the Excite lasted 9 hours and 24 minutes, which tops the Thrive 10's 6:25 run time. That time is about on par with the original iPad (9:33), though the Iconia Tab A510 has it bested by almost an hour (10:23), and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 blows it out of the water with a lasting time of 12:01.
SoftwareThe Excite 10 runs Ice Cream Sandwich (build 4.0.3, to be exact), and as with past tablets, Toshiba didn't tamper with Google's interface. Yep, it's pretty much stock Android here, and that's not a bad thing. Ice Cream Sandwich's streamlined interface shines on the 1280 x 800 display, and the tablet isn't bogged down by obtrusive bloatware. Toshiba pre-loaded the full host of Google apps -- including Calendar, Gmail, Play Market, Search, Voice and YouTube-- along with its own branded utilities. There's Media Player for playing music and watching videos, File Manager for keeping tabs on your media and News Place for, well, catching up on the headlines. The third-party apps are for the most part useful; you get Adobe Reader, Netflix, Quickoffice and the Zinio e-magazine reader. Sure, there are five games, including Backgammon and Solitaire, pre-installed, but these are pretty inoffensive. Camera Like most tablets, the Excite 10 is no point-and-shoot camera replacement, and the 5-megapixel shooter won't deliver any frame-worthy shots. In fact, the camera is downright bad -- images look fuzzy and lack detail, and zooming in only makes matters worse. Expect the washed-out colors that come standard on mid-range tablets' cameras. No vivid reds and blues here; pics we snapped on the street looked dull and overexposed. Moreover, images show pixelation and, even when we pinpointed our focus spot, not very sharp. The Excite 10 is capable of capturing 1080p video, though the muted hues and lack of image stabilization don't add up to great HD footage. Still, video is pretty fluid -- especially if you're not moving it around too much -- and the tablet does a good job at capturing ambient sound. Configuration options and the competitionFor $450, you can get an Excite 10 tablet with 16GB of storage. Stepping up to 32GB will cost you $530, while the top-of-the-line 64GB version goes for $650. It's not the most expensive tablet out there -- ergo, it falls short of the new iPad -- but it's priced along the lines of the Acer Iconia Tab A510 ($450) and the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 ($379). The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 may be $50 cheaper, but that slate trailed behind other similarly priced options when we ran it through our benchmark tests. Taking a closer look at those competitors, we have a strong contender in the Iconia Tab A510. Like the Excite 10, that slate starts at $450 and runs a Tegra 3 processor, and it offers excellent performance and long battery life (10:23 hours) in a slightly heftier package than the Excite 10 (1.5 pounds versus 1.3). Then there's the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 ($379), which offers solid performance of its own and stellar longevity when you add in the keyboard dock. And though the Android purists among you can skip past this sentence, it's worth mentioning that the iPad 2 is now priced more competitively than the Excite 10 ($400 versus $450). Wrap-up Toshiba hasn't exactly positioned the Excite 10 as a high-end tablet, and its $450 starting price is par for the course for a mid-range product. We'd choose the Excite 10 over the $530 Excite 10 LE in a heartbeat, as it offers much better performance and Ice Cream Sandwich in a package that's only slightly bulkier. And compared to Toshiba's earlier Thrive tablets, not to mention most other competitors, the Excite 10 has an attractive, streamlined design. As it becomes easier to find a good sub-$500 slate, it's also becoming more common to see quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processors on the spec list. That's all good news for you, dear readers, and the Toshiba Excite 10 has many of the makings of a great Android tablet. The thin and comfortable design, full-size SD card slot, clean build of Ice Cream Sandwich and Tegra 3 power all add up to a good user experience, but shortcomings like backlight bleeding and occasional performance glitches hold this tablet back from earning a glowing endorsement. While $450 is not chump change, the Excite 10 might be worth it if you have your heart set on a 10-incher running Android. However, for the same price, you can get Android tablets from Acer and ASUS that provide longer battery life and equal -- if not better -- performance. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| THD N2-A is a KIRF MacBook Air that runs Ice Cream Sandwich for $149, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 06:28 AM PDT It wouldn't be Computex without some KIRF Apple products. And what we have today isn't quite a MacBook Air. But it's amazingly close. The N2-A, as it's known in the OEM underground, is one of the most impressive MacBook Air lookalikes we've seen -- and one of the cheapest. $74,500 will net you 500 of these lovely 13.3-inch bundles of almost-Mac goodness, which comes out to just $149 apiece. The THD (Thread Technology Co.)-made clamshell comes complete with an LED-backlit 1366 x 768 LCD, 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 1 gig of DDR3 RAM and 8 gigs of SSD storage. There's also built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi (we're a bit devastated about the lack of 802.11ac), and the option to add a 3G dongle or Ethernet adapter via the pair of USB 2.0 ports. As you may have gathered from the image, there's a full-size QWERTY keyboard and a familiar, yet incredibly mediocre trackpad, along with a 2-cell 4200 mAh battery (rated to 8 hours), an SD card slot, a not-so-MagSafe 110-240-volt AC adapter, a headphone out, mic in and an HDMI port. In typical MacBook Air fashion, the N2-A is very thin and quite light (1.55 kilograms or 3.4 pounds) -- it's not as svelte as a top-of-the-line ICS tablet, but it's manageable for sure. While it may look perfectly fine on camera, the device's build quality certainly isn't up to Apple's standards -- but then again, it doesn't cost $1,000+. After a few busy trade show days, the trackpad was noticeably scratched up, with plenty of other blemishes around the silver case to boot, along with some warping here and there. The N2-A wasn't hideous by any stretch, even upon close inspection, but any Apple newbie would be able to recognize that this didn't come out of Cupertino, even before noticing the missing Apple logo and the added Windows key (it's there to support the nearly identical N2-C, which adds a dual-core Atom processor and Windows 7 support). ICS felt quite snappy, though without a touchscreen you're forced to use the unimpressive trackpad, which wasn't responsive enough for regular use. (You can always sacrifice portability and use a USB mouse instead.) Overall, the N2-A is a pretty slick device -- not to mention quite a bit of fun. Don't expect to see this KIRF in any stores in the US -- you'll need to order 500 units or more directly from THD to take advantage of that $149 price tag, though we may see the Android laptop make its way to the public through third-party channels, perhaps with a retail price of about $200. For now, you can take a closer look in our meaty gallery below, or in the hands-on video after the break.
Dana Wollman contributed to this report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sierra Wireless outs thinnest-ever 4G LTE module, teases skinny AT&T-ready laptops and tablets Posted: 07 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT One of the bigger challenges of spreading LTE has been size; going 4G has tended to put on a little weight. A new Sierra Wireless embedded modem, the AirPrime EM7700, could be just the ticket to shedding those pounds. It's reputedly the thinnest module ever made, at a tenth of an inch deep, and should slot into an Ultrabook or tablet without anyone making snide comments about the extra bulk. The EM7700 is still using the Qualcomm MDM9200 Gobi chipset that we spotted in the related MC7700 and Lumia 900, and won't have world 4G roaming -- in fact, it's explicitly tuned just to AT&T's LTE frequencies, so there's no question as to who gets first crack. Shipments are due to start in the last few weeks of spring and will make it entirely probable that AT&T's next wave of 4G mobile gear will have slimmed down a few belt notches. Sierra Wireless unveils the world's thinnest 4G LTE embedded module At only 2.5 mm thick, the new AirPrime™ EM7700 module is ideal for tablets and ultra-portable notebooks, offering the best in portability and connectivity Vancouver, Canada – June 7, 2012 – Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) (TSX: SW) today introduced the world's first thin form factor (TFF) embedded wireless module for 4G LTE networks. The AirPrime™ EM7700 embedded wireless module measures only a nominal 2.5 millimeters thick and is designed for use in ultraportable notebooks, tablets, and other devices where thinness is a critical design constraint. Shipments are expected to begin in the second quarter of this year. Made exclusively for connecting to the AT&T 4G LTE network, the AirPrime EM7700 is based on the AirPrime MC7700 module, which was certified by AT&T last year. Designed to support Windows 8, the AirPrime EM7700 utilizes Qualcomm's Gobi™ 4G LTE modem, the MDM9200™, and is compatible with Qualcomm's computing API and the USB-IF Mobile Broadband Interface Model (MBIM) for easy integration by PC OEMs. It offers a connectorized interface to enable build-to-order logistics, allowing manufacturers to offer it as an optional add-on to their devices. The AirPrime EM7700 also supports HSPA+ on the AT&T network for use in areas where LTE is not yet available. "Demand for smaller, thinner devices has continued to grow, and at the same time, we have become accustomed to being able to connect tohigh-speed networks from our gadgets anytime and anywhere," said Dan Schieler, Senior Vice President, Mobile Computing for Sierra Wireless. "The AirPrime EM7700 module offers an innovative, much-needed solution for OEMs building 4G connectivity into ultra-thin devices, and we look forward to working with our customers to bring it to market in exciting new products." "The Sierra Wireless AirPrime EM7700 module, powered by Qualcomm's Gobi 4G LTE modem, is a compelling solution for the new ultra-portable devices we are seeing on the market today," said Fram Akiki, senior director of product management at Qualcomm. "Consumers have become accustomed to using their portable devices like tablets and notebooks for bandwidth-intensive activities like streaming media, and Qualcomm's Gobi technology is designed to provide an uncompromised mobile connectivity experience to meet their needs." "Mobile broadband data usage is on the rise, driven in no small part by gadgets like tablets and other ultra-portable devices," said Glenn Lurie, President, Emerging Enterprises and Partnerships, AT&T Mobility. "As consumers look for devices they can carry with them and use anytime, anywhere to suit a variety of purposes, size, shape, and weight continue to be critical considerations in their buying decisions." Sierra Wireless is working with leading OEMs to integrate the AirPrime EM7700 embedded wireless module into a variety of devices, including tablets and ultra-portable devices expected to reach the market later this year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virgin confirms iPhone 4 and 4S coming June 29th, pricing revealed Posted: 07 Jun 2012 05:45 AM PDT First rumors, then fact. From Friday June 29th, Virgin Mobile customers in the US can have an iPhone to call their own. Both the iPhone 4 and 4S will be up for grabs on the Beyond Talk data and messaging plans from $35 per month or $30 when registering for automatic payments. The price you pay for not having a contract? That'll be $649 for the 16GB 4S or save $100 by going for the 8GB iPhone 4. Virgin Mobile USA to Offer iPhone on June 29 WARREN, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE), June 07, 2012 - Virgin Mobile USA announced today it will offer iPhone to its prepaid customers beginning Friday, June 29. Virgin Mobile will offer iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S with its Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans as low as $30 per-month on the Sprint® Nationwide Network2. iPhone will be available without a contract and with no fees for activation or roaming. New and existing customers can purchase iPhone at www.virginmobileusa.com, RadioShack, Best Buy and select local retailers. iPhone 4S is the most amazing iPhone yet, packed with incredible features including Apple's dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all-new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. iPhone 4S comes with iOS 5.1, the world's most advanced mobile operating system, and iCloud, a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices. Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans for iPhone start at $35 per month for access to Sprint's Nationwide Network, and customers can receive a $5 per-month plan discount when they register for automatic monthly payments with a credit card, debit card or PayPal account, making iPhone available for as low as $30 per month. Customers can also use their iPhone as a mobile hotspot through Virgin Mobile for an additional $15 per month.3 "This month marks Virgin Mobile USA's tenth birthday," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. "And what better way to thank our fans for ten years of loyalty than by giving them exactly what they want: the perfect plan for the perfect phone. That is the essence of 'A Higher Calling.'" Plan Plan 1 Plan 2 Plan 3 Unlimited | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Netgear's NeoTV Pro adds WiDi, makes any TV smart Posted: 07 Jun 2012 05:30 AM PDT Netgear is supercharging the Roku-troubling NeoTV 200 that arrived late last year. The NeoTV Pro adds Intel's WiDi tech to the tiny box, enabling you to wirelessly span your laptop's display onto the biggest screen in your house. It'll come with the same Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YouTube and Pandora offerings you know and love, controllable with the stock remote or your smartphone. The hardware remains otherwise unchanged, packing the same 300Mbps WiFi, Ethernet, optical out and HDMI -- specs that are doubtless powerful enough for you to catch all of those glorious episodes of The Engadget Show again and again. NETGEAR LAUNCHES NEOTV PRO HD STREAMING PLAYER WITH WIRELESS DISPLAY Wirelessly stream the London Olympics from your laptop to your TV using built in Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) or stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, Pandora and hundreds of other online channels with the new NeoTV Pro SAN JOSE, Calif. – June 7, 2012 – NETGEAR, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today announced the NETGEAR NeoTV TM Pro HD Streaming Player (NTV200S), the latest addition to the NETGEAR NeoTV streaming player family of products. NeoTV Pro offers high quality streaming content from a wide variety of online channels and is the world's first streaming player to offer wireless display capability using Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi). With the NeoTV Pro, users can choose from a large selection of streaming movies, TV shows and music from streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YouTube, Pandora and many others, and instantly stream it to their TVs in up to full 1080p HD and surround sound from the comfort of their living room. And now, for customers that are not satisfied with hundreds of streaming channels but want the worldwide web on the big screen, the NeoTV Pro enables consumers to wirelessly display virtually any type of content from an Intel WiDi laptop to a TV, including sport broadcasts that are only online, movies, music, photos and any Internet site. NETGEAR NeoTV Pro easily connects to the Internet via built-in high-speed 300 Mbps WiFi, which can deliver smooth streaming at 1080p HD video resolution, or wired through an Ethernet cable. Navigation is simple with the NeoTV Streaming Player remote control app, which turns an Apple® iPhone®, iPad®, iPod® Touch or Android® smartphone or tablet into a high-end touch screen remote control. Available free from Apple's App Store and Google® Play, the remote control app makes navigating movies, TV shows, songs and videos on NeoTV Pro simple and intuitive. For those without a smartphone, the NeoTV Pro Streaming Player comes with a regular remote control. NETGEAR also announced the addition of four new streaming channels available on all NeoTV streaming players starting in June. One of the new channels, SpiritClips, provides NeoTV users with a library of wholesome and engaging Hallmark Hall of Fame® feature films, available on demand. In addition to SpiritClips, examples of new content available through NeoTV include: And1 Basketball - And1 is an amazing alternative street basketball league that brings Formula Drift - Features some of the greatest races syndicated today. Formula Drift "All 32 events of the upcoming summer Olympics in London will be streamed live on Pricing and Availability | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brain wave meter knows what you're thinking, so get your mind out of the gutter (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 05:15 AM PDT A team from Keio University has built a brain scanner that knows when you're stressed, sleepy or interested. Resembling John McEnroe's headband, the device examines the frequency rather than the type of waves your noggin produces. That data, combined with the team's algorithm enables your thoughts and feelings to be examined in real time. Advertisers might want to use the tech to learn what holds our interests, but there's probably plenty of better uses we could think of -- you can come up with some yourself when you watch the footage after the break. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acer Aspire V5 notebooks get Ivy Bridge treatment, shipping by end of June for $630 and up Posted: 07 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT While many laptop makers held off on product refreshes -- not to mention new notebook lines -- till Intel's Ivy Bridge CPUs were ready, Acer went ahead and released its Aspire V5 series back in March. Still, that doesn't mean the company can't squeeze in some new models a few months later, and indeed it just trotted out two Ivy Bridge Aspire V5 notebooks. The 14-inch version measures 0.79 inches thick and weighs 4.6 pounds, while the 15-incher measures 0.83 inches and tips in at five pounds. Both laptops have optical drives and 500GB of storage, and like the V5s announced in March they feature Acer Instant Connect for finding and saving frequently used WiFi networks. Both machines have Intel HD Graphics 4000 and 500GB of storage space. You get your choice of Core i3 or Core i5 processors, with pricing starting at $630. Acer says the notebooks will be available by the end of June. As always, you can check out photos and the full press release below. Light in the Hand and Feature-Rich, New Full-Featured Notebooks Ideal for Editor's Summary: SAN JOSE, Calif., June 6, 2012 – Acer America today announced the Aspire V5 series, a new range of thin and light notebooks for students and budget-conscious consumers looking for impressive performance, style and full-featured mobility. The Aspire V5 Series are 30 percent slimmer than previous value-based notebooks, making them extremely easy to handle on the go. Available in two display sizes, the 14-inch Aspire V5 model is just .79 inches thin and weighs a mere 4.6 pounds, while the 15.6-inch version is .83 inches thin and weighs just 5 pounds. The notebook's chassis has a soft and smooth surface making it comfortable to carry, with an elegant slim design available in four colors including purple, blue, silver and black. "As we enter the back-to-school buying season, Acer's new Aspire V5 notebook series has the right combination of style, mobility and performance that students and consumers need," said Eric Ackerson, senior product marketing manager, Acer America. "This series is yet another example of Acer's commitment to delivering high-quality PCs with the latest mobile technology and enhanced industrial design at an excellent value." Outfitted with the latest 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i3 or Core i5 processors, the Aspire V5 notebooks deliver the performance that savvy consumers and students have come to expect for the most demanding tasks, whether running HD, 3D multimedia or multitasking. On Core i5 versions of the Aspire V5, Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 is built into the processor, improving the system's performance by increasing the notebook's CPU clock speed for demanding applications. This provides users with a better experience for enjoying movies, gaming and photo or video editing. The Aspire V5 notebooks also offer a DVD drive for backing up data and burning music CDs along with a generous 500GB hard disk drive for plenty of storage space for large files and applications. Enjoy HD Widescreen Entertainment Perfect for enjoying all forms of entertainment, the Aspire V5 Series notebooks offer cinematic display quality with HD CineCrystal™ widescreen LED-backlit displays. Featuring true 16:9 aspect ratio and integrated Intel® HD Graphics 4000, the V5 notebooks deliver crystal-clear images and brilliant color for digital entertainment. In addition, High-Definition audio support with Dolby® Advanced Audio® v2 delivers crisp and clear sound through the notebook's two built-in speakers or when connected to an external monitor, projector or TV using HDMI® for big-screen enjoyment. The Aspire V5 notebooks make it easy for users to enjoy their existing media library utilizing Acer clear.fi™, a simple digital entertainment solution to manage, store, share, and enjoy media among any clear.fi-enabled devices, in any room throughout the home. The Aspire V5 notebooks feature an advanced 1.3 megapixel HD webcam perfect for crystal-clear video chats with friends and family or to capture still photos. The high pixel density webcam delivers outstanding video image quality at 24 frames per second. The built-in digital microphone supports the webcam to convey excellent voice quality, while minimizing background noise and echoes. Connectivity is "Instant" with the Aspire V5 Easy to use on the go, the Aspire V5 notebooks feature Acer Instant Connect, which automatically scans and registers most-visited Wi-Fi access points, letting users connect to the Internet in just 2.5 seconds , which is four times faster than conventional methods. Bluetooth® 4.0+ HS technology also lets users wirelessly connect their notebook to other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as phones, printers and hand-held organizers. Featuring a USB 3.0 port, users can transfer files and movies with ease, including a 250GB movie in about 70 seconds. Users can charge external devices when the notebook is in sleep, hibernation or even when it's turned off. Transfer speeds will be up to 10 to 400 times faster than older generations of USB. The Aspire V5 notebooks are quiet and comfortable on the lap while in use. ENERGY STAR® certified, the Aspire V5 Series conserves power, provides up to five hours of battery life and is environmentally-friendly. Pricing and Availability | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Has RIM canceled the 16GB PlayBook? (Update: it has) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 04:53 AM PDT If you're an indecisive fan of the BlackBerry PlayBook, your purchasing decision might just have been made a little easier. We're hearing reports that customers have been advised only existing stocks of the 16GB variant remain, and the firm will be offering just the 32- and 64GB models going forward. The speculation is that this is down to the lower profit margins on the smallest memory version, however this is not confirmed. We've contacted RIM for the official word in the meantime, and will update accordingly. Update: RIM's PR has responded with the following statement:
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| TomTom's Nike+Sportwatch gets revamped, adds NikeFuel, subtracts price (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 04:43 AM PDT Nike and TomTom have updated the GPS-toting Sportwatch to include NikeFuel and maintain parity with its FuelBand active bracelet. NikeFuel is a universal standard that converts your exertions into a normalized score -- great for when you want to want to compare your exertions against friends with different hobbies. It's also heralding a revamped Nike Plus website where we hope it'll integrate with the recently announced Xbox edition. The Anthracite Blue Glow (or "Black and Blue") edition lacks a Nike+ shoe sensor so costs €150 ($190), while the other three colors will, pushing the price up to €170 ($215). TomTom and Nike launch a new range of the Nike+ Sportwatch AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TomTom and Nike today unveil a new range of the Nike+ Sportwatch, coinciding with the launch of a brand new Nike+ website www.nikeplus.com. The range includes several editions and colour combinations, and introduces a starter product for those new to running. "Our extended range of products will be very useful to those adding running into their exercise regime. And the new NikeFuel measurement brings added motivation, allowing people to share and compare their performance with friends in other sports" Whether they own an original or new edition, all Nike+ Sportwatch users can now access Nike's intelligent measure of athletic ability, NikeFuel. This converts a runner's mileage into universal units that measure movements in a wide variety of different sports. As a result, it's easy for people to compare their performance against that of athletes in other sports, and share their achievements with friends. "Our extended range of products will be very useful to those adding running into their exercise regime. And the new NikeFuel measurement brings added motivation, allowing people to share and compare their performance with friends in other sports," says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director, from TomTom. The new Nike+ Sportwatch colours have been chosen to match Nike's apparel and shoe ranges. They include classic black/anthracite, stylish anthracite/blue glow and high impact volt green. The anthracite/blue glow edition is available as a starter product, priced at just €149. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 07 Jun 2012 04:23 AM PDT Remember how Microsoft said it'd enable the "do not track" feature by default for all users of Internet Explorer 10? Well, it's not likely to happen -- at least from the looks of things. The move caused more than an uproar in the advertising industry, which had agreed to abide by these preferences only if users could, indeed, choose for themselves. With Microsoft's bullish decision to go forward and make this setting default, advertisers argued they'd be left with no choice but to bust the deal wide open and ignore these preferences. In attempt to make sure the whole "do not track" effort isn't derailed, the latest compromise proposal -- authored by the EFF, Mozilla and Jonathan Mayer of Stanford University -- now includes a specific provision that requires users to provide explicit consent before any tracking preferences can be transmitted. The same document acknowledges that the proposal has yet to be extensively discussed with stakeholders, but from the looks of things, "do not track" by default seems headed for a quick death. It's too bad we didn't have the time to get better acquainted with Microsoft's heavy lash against advertisers, but we've a feeling that you can decide this one for yourselves, right? [Image credit: Tomas Fano, Flickr] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASUS Computex keynote now on YouTube: relive the excitement, the yelling Posted: 07 Jun 2012 04:03 AM PDT You think it's easy up there on stage? Then just try shouting "ubiquitous cloud computing era" at the top of your lungs without sounding silly. It's virtually impossible, as ASUS chairman Jonney Shih discovered 45 seconds into the video after the break. Fortunately, he quickly moved onto his company's rather stellar array of Computex reveals, including the dual-booting Transformer AiO (which doubles up as the "world's biggest tablet"), a couple of Windows 8 hybrids and the Taichi swiveller -- not to mention some live performance art ten minutes before the end. If you're the "Home C.I.O." in your family, then it could be professionally negligent to miss this.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG starts Optimus LTE Ice Cream Sandwich rollout on two Korean carriers Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:41 AM PDT LG said it would start delivering Android 4.0 upgrades to its Optimus LTE (SU640) phones this month (as part of a wider upgrade plan) and now it has officially begun. Assuming you're a Korean customer on LG U+ or SKT obtaining the update should be a simple affair of downloading it from the site or via LG's support tool, however other regions and flavors have yet to be confirmed. There's also no word yet on the other Optimus phones but now that new UI 3.0 has started to flow their arrival shouldn't be far off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rumored next-generation iPhone casing gets handled, compared to predecessor (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:18 AM PDT
That purported new iPhone backing has decided to show off its taller, slimmer, self again -- this time in a full 360-degree video from parts reseller, ETradeSupply. It doesn't reveal much more than what we got to see in those initial photos: a relocated headphone socket, two-tone surface and a much smaller dock connector. While the narrator comments on what may be a smaller SIM slot on the shell, as 9to5Mac notes, that's based on the smaller SIM card holder piece, rather than the real estate found inside. You can cast your own skeptical eye over the five-minute walkthrough -- we've embedded it above. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virgin Media activates more tube WiFi hotspots, minds the gaps in its coverage Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:08 AM PDT Virgin Media has flicked the switch and coated Kings Cross and Warren Street tube stations in gloriously free WiFi. The pair will be joined tomorrow by Oxford Circus and Green Park, while Victoria and Euston will do the same on the 9th. In order to use the service, which is free during the Olympics, users need to hop onto the network and register their email address. Once the summer is over, Virgin Media customers will get preferential treatment on the network, with everyone else buying pay-as-you-go minutes so they can tweet about how long we're stuck at Edgware Road... again. WiFi now live at first Tube stations World's oldest underground network brings digital future to commuters London Tube journeys have taken a gigantic leap into the 21st century with the launch of Virgin Media's next generation WiFi service on London Underground. From today (7 June) passengers can get online and stay in touch with the world above at King's Cross and Warren Street Tube stations. Oxford Circus and Green Park Tube stations will go live from tomorrow (8 June), with Victoria and Euston going live on 9 June, meaning passengers on the Victoria line will be the first to benefit from WiFi. Up to 80 Tube stations across the capital will be connected by the end of July and 120 stations are expected to be live by the end of 2012. The capital is already home to more software and IT companies than any other European City; and the digital and hi-tech sector is expected to account for a third of the capital's growth over the next two decades. Ensuring London's digital connectivity is world class will be key to furthering this growth - helping existing tech start-ups to grow and attracting high tech global investment. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "We need to ensure London is able to cement its position as Europe's leading digital city. Our partnership with Virgin Media to make WiFi available on Tube platforms will be of tremendous benefit as building world class connectivity is critical to supporting new businesses and the jobs they create, especially in the high-tech and creative sectors." A comprehensive, free WiFi portal will allow millions of commuters and visitors to get online and find their way around London with up-to-the-minute TfL travel information, as well as discover great things to do in the capital with daily recommendations from Time Out, exclusive playlists from Spotify and the latest trailers and red carpet gossip from MyMovies.Net. Working in close partnership with Transport for London, Virgin Media is also offering free, full internet access to every online destination throughout the summer, so all Tube passengers will be able to share one of the most amazing summers London has ever seen. Gareth Powell, London Underground's Director of Strategy and Service Development, said: "Our new WiFi service is a fantastic deal for Londoners, with live travel updates, entertainment and news freely available to everyone while they are on the move across the capital. "WiFi at Tube stations will help us improve the journeys of the millions of people that use the Underground everyday at no cost to fare or tax payers." Neil Berkett, CEO, Virgin Media, said: "This is a truly historic moment as we connect millions of Tube passengers to the wonderful world of the internet for the first time ever. Our plans for getting London Underground online were very ambitious from the start and, in less than just three months, we've launched a major new service, making London one of the world's leading connected cities. By putting the power of Virgin Media's next generation fibre optic network in the hands of Londoners and visitors, we're able to showcase our great capital and celebrate a momentous summer." To use the new free WiFi service, London Underground passengers just need to connect to the service and register their email address. All Tube passengers will have permanent, free access to the new Virgin Media WiFi portal, with up-to-the-minute TfL travel news and great content from Virgin Media's WiFi partners Time Out, Spotify and MyMovies.net. After the summer, passengers wanting to hop onto the rest of the internet will be able to make the most of a range of options including full internet access for customers of Virgin Media and selected networks, as well as a Pay As You Go service perfect for visitors and regular London commuters. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dropbox for Android adds support for Korean language, ICS-only video streaming UI Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:04 AM PDT You can't deny Dropbox has been doing a pretty decent job of handing out constant updates to Android users since its beginnings on the platform, and, well, today's no exception. This time the cloud box application -- now in version 2.1.4 -- brings along a couple of fresh bits to powered-by-Google devices. To start with, the free app's finally adding support for Korean language (on its website, too), while Dropboxers running Ice Cream Sandwich will also see a new "custom-tailored" video streaming UI -- you know, to play nice with those fancy virtual buttons. Judging by recent reviews, most of the Android folk seem to be enjoying the minor changes, but in case you've yet to try it yourself, you can do so by grabbing the update from the Play link down there. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hands-on with the Honeywld Power Zest ICS set-top box at Computex 2012 (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:55 AM PDT Looking for an unwieldy product name for your next game of tech Scrabble? How about Honeywld Power Zest? Yes, don't adjust your television, there's no "i" in Honeywld. Speaking of TVs, this err... zesty little item we discovered here at Computex is a set-top box running Ice Cream Sandwich. Feel the power! To be clear, this is not a Google TV device -- it runs Android 4.0 with a heavily skinned, remote control-friendly UI. The box (available in blue, red, yellow and black) is built around a 1.2GHz dual-core Marvell SoC featuring Qdeo technology paired with 1GB of RAM. An embedded 2GB microSD card provides flash storage for the OS. In front you'll find a power LED and infrared receiver, while in back there's a power button, 3.5mm AV connector (for analog audio and composite video), optical audio output, HDMI socket, two USB 2.0 ports, an 100BaseT Ethernet jack and a 12V DC power input. There's no wireless support. We took the device for a spin using the supplied IR remote (which includes a mix of standard buttons plus the home, back, menu and search keys required for Android) and the experience was a bit of a mixed bag. It certainly worked as advertised but navigating Android with just a D-pad and four buttons was quite frustrating. Text entry was painful and buggy (an infrared keyboard will be offered as an extra accessory) -- then again, the box we used was still running early firmware. Honeywld plans to make the Power Zest available to Taiwanese retailers late July for somewhere between $95 to $120. Retail pricing will be a a little higher depending on markups. Until then, feast your eyes on the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.
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| Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed comes to Android slates, keeps everyone happy Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:49 AM PDT Shortly after launching its Win8 Metro Testbed on Cupertino's tablet, Splashtop's bringing the Microsoft OS simulator over to the Android side. The app is essentially identical to that of the iPad, meaning it'll give developers (or any other adventurers) a Windows 8 canvas to test out possible future applications on Redmond's novel platform. That said, you'll need to have a copy of the Release Preview installed on your PC, as well as a Google-certified slate sporting Android 3.1 or higher, with a "target" screen resolution of 1280 x 800 in order to kick things off. The Splashtop Win8 Metro Testbed will cost you $50, though the service has an ongoing promo which slashes half of the usual price. If you're curious enough to dive in, you can grab the application now via Google Play -- or, you could always check the video after the break while you're thinking it through.
Splashtop Launches Win8 Metro Testbed for Android Tablets Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed turns an Android tablet into a Windows 8 device with native Metro UI touch gestures for app developers and technology enthusiasts Splashtop Inc., the worldwide leader in cross-device computing, today announced the release of "Win8 Metro Testbed – powered by Splashtop," for Android, a remote desktop app that allows software developers and technology enthusiasts to simulate a Windows 8 environment on a tablet. Splashtop's Win 8 Metro Testbed for the iPad has been popular with developers and users alike. In the Apple App Store, Win8 Metro Testbed has been the #1 grossing iPad app overall in 4 countries, the #1 grossing iPad app in Utilities in 72 countries, including the US, Japan and China and the #33 top-grossing iPad app overall in the US. Now by popular demand, Splashtop is delivering a developers solution for Android tablets running Android 3.1 and up, with a target screen density of 600dpi (1280x800) and screen sizes of seven or ten inches. Using Splashtop's new Win8 Metro Testbed solution, developers can test native Metro UI touch gestures on an Android tablet to code and compile new apps on their Windows PC. "In response to the high demand from Splashtop fans and the developer community, we have provided a Windows 8 development platform for Android tablet owners," noted Mark Lee, Splashtop CEO and co-founder. "With Windows 8 Metro both iPad and Android developers can now turn their tablets into a development testbed to evaluate touch gestures and functionality of their app in a Windows 8 environment." With Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed for Android, Windows 8 app developers can use their existing Android tablets to test their apps and keep them current with new releases of Windows 8 Preview without having to purchase a costly Windows tablet. Swipe from the right to view the Charms menu View a short video of Win8 Metro Testbed on an Android tablet at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6DW7bIcMKw and on the iPad at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwIeWfvcZ_o Win8 Metro Testbed can be downloaded for a special launch promotion price of $24.99 USD (regular price of $49.99 USD) from Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.splashtop.remote.pad.win8 or for the iPad from the iTunes App Store at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/win8-metro-testbed-powered/id514878988?ls=1&mt=8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEC's Gaziru takes image recognition to the cloud, looks a lot like Goggles (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:32 AM PDT While Google's remained relatively quiet on the Goggles front, NEC's picking up where that image recognition left off with its own product, dubbed Gaziru. Showcased at Wireless Japan 2012, the company's angling its service, which aims to leverage both hardware- and cloud-based processing for smartphone queries, towards enterprise and consumer markets, highlighting its usefulness across a range of services from marketing to search. Much like the aforementioned Mountain View version, users would need only to snap a picture of an object with their phones to receive relevant search data, access product manuals or, in one scenario, car and real estate listings. Given its planned commercial launch this June, it won't be long before we'll get a chance to test this software en vivo. For now, content yourself with a translated video tour after the break.
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| 3M and Nanosys team-up to roll out quantum dot-enhanced LCDs Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:15 AM PDT Nanosys' eye-popping QDEF (Quantum Dot Enhancement Film) might be inching closer to a display near you. A new partnership with 3M aims to get the color-loving tech commercialized and into mainstream products. The film uses quantum dots to create an LCD with a wider color gamut -- apparently translating to up to 50 percent more color. The quantum dots are packed onto this film in their trillions (yes, trillions) which is then fitted within the backlight. As the new layer would replace the existing one within LCDs, Nanosys' solution aims to avoid the need for new equipment or processes. However, we're still waiting for high-color QDEF to become that "ecosystem changer" we were promised. Nanosys and 3M to Bring Amazing Color to Consumer Electronic Displays Palo Alto, Calif., and St. Paul, Minn., June 5, 2012 – Nanosys Inc. and the Optical Systems Division of 3M Company are joining technologies to provide wide color gamut technology for consumer electronic displays, allowing Liquid Crystal Displays ("LCDs") to display 50 percent more color. 3M and Nanosys will work together to commercialize Nanosys' Quantum Dot Enhancement Film™ ("QDEF") technology. QDEF is a drop-in film that LCD manufacturers can integrate with existing production processes. It utilizes the light emitting properties of quantum dots to create an ideal backlight for LCDs -- one of the most critical factors in the color and efficiency performance of LCDs. "Combining the world class-technology and materials expertise of Nanosys with the engineering, design and supply chain capabilities of 3M will unlock a powerful new color viewing experience for consumers," said Jim Bauman, Vice President of the Optical Systems Division at 3M. Over the years, 3M technologies have enabled better LCD performance. However, color performance of LCD's has gone largely unchanged. Current LCDs are limited to displaying 35 percent or less of the visible color spectrum. This means the viewing experience on an LCD is vastly different than what a person sees in the real world. Wide color gamut displays will allow consumers to enjoy more visceral, more immersive and truer to life color. "We are working together to improve an area of display performance that has been largely neglected for the last decade," said Jason Hartlove, President and CEO of Nanosys. "Improving color performance for LCDs with drop-in solutions will bring a stunning new visual experience to the consumer and a competitive advantage to the LCD manufacturer against new display technologies such as OLED. Working together with 3M and utilizing their outstanding design and supply chain capabilities will allow our QDEF technology to be widely deployed across all product segments and will ensure availability to all customers." A quantum dot, which is 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, can emit light at a very precise wavelength. The ability to control the spectral output of a quantum dot allows QDEF to create an ideal white backlight specifically designed for LCDs. Trillions of these quantum dots are packaged into a thin film that fits inside an LCD backlight unit. QDEF replaces a similar film already found inside LCD backlights, which means that adding QDEF to manufacturing processes requires no new equipment or process changes for the LCD manufacturer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook smooths the way for carrier billing on in-app purchases Posted: 07 Jun 2012 02:02 AM PDT Facebook has known for some time now that its app-monetization process was more SucksVille, than FarmVille. Now, it's just announced that it's rolling out the new silky-smooth two-step payment process. This means you can stock up on Farm cash sans typing, and forget about the real cost until your mobile bill turns up. Currently most US and UK networks are on board, but more international operators will be added as soon as they can. If you already have payments integrated in your app, you should be good to go, but if you don't, and you want a slice of the pie, there's an API and instructions via the source link. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung appoints components boss Kwon Oh-hyun as new CEO Posted: 07 Jun 2012 01:46 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 01:42 AM PDT Want a dual-SIM phone running Ice Cream Sandwich? You've come to the right place. Here at Computex in Taipei we uncovered three of the handsets Gigabyte announced yesterday -- the GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 -- and took two of them for a spin. First up is the G1362 which sports a 4.3-inch FWVGA (854x480) display, 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU, 512MB or RAM and 4GB of internal storage. Next is the G1242, featuring a 3.5-inch HVGA (480x320) LCD, 5 MP autofocus camera with flash, 800MHz single core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and a lowly 1GB of built-in flash. The Despite packing a Snapdragon S4, the G1362 looks and feels like a mid-range handset, with a less-than-stellar display (poor brightness and viewing angles). The UI was reasonably responsive, however, which is pretty much what you'd expect from a phone with such a powerful processor. As for the G1362, it's basically your standard fare low-end Android handset albeit with dual-SIM support and ICS. Build quality was in line with other prototypes we've handled -- that is to say a little rough around the edges. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that we played with pre-production units running non-final software. The G1362 should be available in July for less than $300 unsubsidized, the G1342 is shipping this month (June) for under $200 and the M1348 is expected later this summer at a sub $150 price point. Want to know more? There's a gallery below and a pair of hands-on videos after the break.
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| Neon Genesis Evangelion SH-06D limited edition Android phone arrives June 29th (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 01:27 AM PDT Sharp's heavily customized NERV Edition SH-06D phone finally has preorder and release date info on Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo, and Neon Genesis Evangelion fanboys will want to get there early. It appears there will only be 10,000 of the phones available, with 3,000 sold via NTT DoCoMo's online store starting June 29th over three days, with 1,000 of them going on sale each day at noon. The rest will be sold at other retailers with preorders kicking off June 16th and although there's no price specified, we're expecting it to be around 25,000 - 30,000 yen with a two year contract. As we saw when the phone was announced in March, it features a heavily customized case, hardware buttons and 3D Android 2.3 skin designed to reflect its heritage. Getting one may require some camping out either in front of a store or on the carrier's website (in Japan of course, we don't expect ot see any of these overseas), but at least it's got to be easier than life in Tokyo-3. Check out an in-universe video look at how NERV and NTT DoCoMo supposedly came together to develop the collectible's unique features after the break and our impressions of an unskinned SH-06D here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AMD shows off LiveBox mini desktop based on one of its Fusion chips (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 01:01 AM PDT Between the Raspberry Pi and the new Chromebox, we've been spending more time than usual lately talking about miniature desktops. Until now, though, AMD hasn't really entered the discussion; all of the models we've tested have featured either an ARM chip or Intel processor. So we were intrigued, then, when we found this mini PC hanging out at the company's Computex booth. It's called the LiveBox, and it runs one of AMD's X86-based Fusion chips. Before we get into specifics, though, have a gander at our hands-on photos and check out that funky design. In addition to being tiny, it has a two-pronged power connector attached, allowing you to plug it directly into an outlet. We're not sure individual consumers will prefer that cordless design, but we can see it translating well in businesses and schools -- precisely the sorts of places where AMD thinks these boxes might find a home. Again, the LiveBox is based on a Fusion APU (a 1GHz C-60 chip, to be exact), complemented by 1GB of RAM and Radeon HD 6200 graphics. As for storage, the unit on display had a Samsung-made 64GB SSD. Take a tour around the edges and you'll find two USB 2.0 ports (no USB 3.0), a Gigabit Ethernet jack and an HDMI socket. There's also a memory card reader, a SIM slot for quad-band 3G (WCDMA) and Bluetooth 4.0, in case you want to pair it with any wireless peripherals. As you can see in the video below, those modest internals are enough to output smooth 1080p video, which means this setup should suffice for basic things like email, web surfing and YouTube. Unfortunately, the machine on display was running Windows 7, not 8, which is a bummer. We also wish we knew more about the target price: AMD won't say what brand will be selling this, or when it will be available. Until then, it's tough to say where the LiveBox fits in. But hey, hands-on photos and video can't hurt, right? Zach Honig contributed to this report. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vodafone and O2 to team up for UK 4G network Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:49 AM PDT While Everything Everywhere patiently waits for approval on it's next-generation network, Vodafone and O2 have announced that they'll be forming an alliance to create a single shared grid in the UK. While the two carriers will still compete for customers, it'll pool the infrastructure needed to roll out 4G coverage. Both companies will run on separate spectrum and each will have access to around 18,500 masts, apparently boosting the number of sites by more than 40 percent for each operator. The duo will also cooperate on new masts in remote areas and intend to start later this year -- once Ofcom's had its say. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo Wii U Pro Controller hands-on (video) Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:28 AM PDT Although we managed to get our mitts on the Wii U and updated GamePad here at E3 following Nintendo's keynote, the recently unveiled Pro Controller turned out to be harder to find. We were thankfully able to visit the company's There's no getting around how similar the Pro Controller looks to Microsoft's Xbox 360 gamepad, aside from lacking a bulging battery on the rear and having its joysticks on an even horizontal plane. From what we can tell so far, however, the controller seems to be slightly wider and a bit shorter than the 360's. The unit's ergonomic shape and button layout proved very comfortable during our session, not least of which includes its fairly sturdy feeling build quality and light weight. From left to right under the joysticks, you'll find a D-pad and four action buttons, while the center plays host to a battery indicator, Wii U function buttons and controller assignment indicator lights. The top-rear of the controller there are bumper and trigger pairs on the left and right sides, along with a Mini-USB port in the middle for charging.
We really have little to complain about regarding the buttons, as each has a nice amount of play without being too stiff or loose. If we had to nitpick, we'd say that the action buttons could stand to have just a bit more bounce-back after each press. While we're complaining, we should also note that the glossy front plate is a fingerprint and grease magnet -- our controller was completely smudged after a few seconds of use -- so it's too bad the controller isn't finished in matte all the way around. The Joysticks roll about smoothly with a pleasing amount of tension, and they can be clicked down to act as L3/R3 buttons. The back of the controller lays claim to sync and reset buttons, and there's a screw down door for its battery. However, we weren't able to pry the bay open to find out what type of batts you'll specifically need to power it. During our Rayman session with a Nintendo rep, the tactile controls (which would normally have been accessed from the GamePad) were delegated to our Pro, while the GamePad's touchscreen display became their primary input method. Essentially, while we moved Rayman around the world with traditional controls, while touch gestures on the Pad (which displays exactly what's on the TV screen with added touch prompts) allowed our sidekick to manipulate various items within the level to help us get from point A to B. Surprisingly to us, both controllers felt equally natural for playing even though the gaming experience provided is clearly different for both. We'd be remiss not to mention that the Pro Controller didn't seem to be packing any vibration functionality, but overall we'd say it performs pretty well -- just plan to keep the microfiber cloth handy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung ready to invest in next-gen chip production: here comes 20nm and even 14nm Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:14 AM PDT Samsung Electronics Announces New 300mm Logic Line in Korea SEOUL--(Korea Newswire) June 7, 2012 -- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced plans to build a new fabrication line in Hwaseong, South Korea, to meet the growing demands for logic products. Samsung will invest 2.25 trillion Korean won in the new fabrication line, which will break ground this month with a target timeline for completion by the end of 2013. The new fabrication line will mainly produce highly advanced mobile application processors on 300mm wafers at 20nm and 14nm process nodes. Along with Lines 9 and 14, which have been converted to System LSI fabrication earlier this year, the new line will help supply to the expanding need for smart mobile solutions. With the new investments, as well as the addition of Line 16 in Hwaseong last September and plans to build a new NAND Flash plant in Xi'an, China, Samsung looks to balance its global semiconductor fabrication prowess. Mr. Stephen Woo, president of Samsung Electronics' System LSI Business, said, "With the construction of our new System LSI fabrication line, Samsung will be able to respond to the demand of the global IT industry and strengthen our ability to support our customers' requirements even further." According to market research firm Gartner, the demand for system semiconductor chips for use in smartphones and tablets will grow more than 20 percent on average from $23.4 billion in 2011 to $59.4 billion in 2016. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Cellular axes activation fees, retirees rejoice Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:07 AM PDT Now here's a trend we can really get behind. Consumer Cellular, the "exclusive wireless provider for AARP members" (and a company that caters to the 50+ crowd), has announce that it will no longer be Consumer Cellular Announces Free Activation for All Phones and SIM Cards New offering eliminates fee for service for both new and existing customers PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Consumer Cellular (www.consumercellular.com), the number one rated cell phone service provider and exclusive wireless provider for AARP members, will now activate its cell phones and SIM cards free of charge for consumers. Both new and current customers will benefit, as the free activation will apply to both new, replacement and upgrade phone purchases. All customers will also receive free shipping in addition to the free activation. The activation fee aligns with the company's philosophy of communicating to customers in a transparent and straightforward manner - clear, simple and an easy to understand policy. "We're continually looking for ways to serve our customers better," said Consumer Cellular CEO John Marick. "We think this new offer, along with our straightforward approach in communicating it, will help mitigate confusion when activating service to a new phone or adding another one, and build upon our strong relationships with our customers." The new pricing replaces Consumer Cellular's "free phone" offer, currently associated with the Motorola WX345. The net price for the consumer is the same whether they purchase at a retail location, via our website or our call centers. For more details, visit www.consumercellular.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jetway, maker of motherboards, is prepping its first smartphone, the Alfar 560 Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:36 PM PDT We'll be honest: we originally made our way over to Jetway's booth here at Computex because we had heard scuttlebutt that a KIRF Samsung Galaxy Note was on display. Turns out, that wasn't true -- this thing doesn't even support pen input! -- but as it happens, Jetway had an interesting story to tell nonetheless. Jetway, based in Taiwan, has until now been designing motherboards, but is now releasing its first phone. What you see there is the Alfar 560, a reference design that various OEMs can rebadge under their own names. Based on the specs, it's clear that whatever brand picks this up, it's going to be a low-to-mid-range device: vitals include a 650MHz MTK6575 CPU, a 5.1-inch (800 x 480) display, 512MB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.1, a pair of 0.3- and 5-megapixel cameras. Additionally, it's dual-SIM-capable, with support for both WCDMA and GSM. If all that sounds ho-hum, we'll remind you that we haven't seen that many low-end phones with screens this huge, and the design here is actually decent, aside from the fact that the phone is chunkier than whatever flagships HTC and Samsung have to offer. If you're reading this in the US, you probably won't ever get to see it in person, but you just might get to handle it if you live in Asia, the Middle East or South America -- Jetway says it expects the 560 to eventually arrive in those three regions. Wherever you are, feel free to rubberneck at the photos below, and check out our quickie video after the break. Zach Honig contributed to this report. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASUS G75VW is world's first notebook to sport Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:07 PM PDT In the back corner of ASUS' brightly lit Computex booth there's a simulated gamer's lair, complete with dim LED lighting, the sound of frequent gun fire and a small handful of nondescript gaming notebooks. The G75VW is one such device, but in addition to the Ivy Bridge Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GTX 670M and massive 17.3-inch LCD, this otherwise standard portable rig includes one very important distinction: it's the very first of its kind to pack 802.11ac WiFi. Approaching gigabit Ethernet speeds, this 5th-generation WiFi-equipped notebook supports up to 900Mbps of wireless throughput -- though we certainly wouldn't expect to see such speeds smack in the middle of a tech trade show exhibition hall. Instead, the device performed within the 200-400Mbps range, only jumping beyond that upper limit for a second or two during our demo. You can't get 802.11ac without a properly equipped router, so we weren't surprised to see an ASUS RT-AC66U positioned an inch away from the lappy's rear. Computex may be an appropriate venue to launch the first 802.11ac-capable computer, but it's certainly not the best place to demo any flavor of wireless technology, so we look forward to putting the new spec through its paces in a slightly less saturated setting. For now, you can get a closer look at the router and G75VW gaming system in our gallery below, followed by our hands-on video just after the break.
Myriam Joire contributed to this report. |
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