Archive for May 27th, 2009

Looks like Chris’ hatred wasn’t totally unfounded. We just got our hands on a Google Ion — which as you can tell is a spitting image of the HTC Magic — complete with 30 days’ worth of T-Mobile service on an included SIM card. It’s not a public release model, but seems fully capable. Yes, it’s got Cupcake, and while the portrait keyboard seems more cramped than the iPhone’s, we found it very comfortable to type in landscape mode. Form factor wise, this thing is as sexy as hardware gets — light, sleek, and thin. The only thing that exceeds our love for it right now is its own love for fingerprints — seriously, the entire body and screen attract them like flies to honey. Colorful similes aside, hit up the gallery below for all the pics you could ask for.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Google Ion hands-on and unboxing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got a Nike+iPod kit laying around but not doing much exercising with it? Then you might want to follow the lead of SparkFun‘s Nate, who took the device and turned it into a decidedly non-exercise minded wireless key fob — or iFob, as Nate has dubbed it. That, as you might expect, isn’t exactly a completely straightforward process, and also involves putting an Arduino Pro Mini into the mix, not to mention a bit of minor surgery to both your car and your car’s original key fob. If that doesn’t scare you off, however, you can find the complete instructions and plenty of helpful pics at the link below, although you’re on your own if you want to build something that actually starts your car.

[Via GadgetReview]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wireless

Nike+iPod gets repurposed as wireless key fob originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we’ve been getting a pretty good look at Moblin 2.0 as of late, we haven’t been hearing much about the end-user distributions that’ll actually be winding up on netbooks and nettops as the Linux-based OS moves out of beta. Linpus now looks set to change that, however, with it announcing that it’ll be showing off a Moblin version of its Linpus Linux Lite OS at Computex next week, which is apparently the first such end-user distribution to emerge. What’s more, while the initial batch of screenshots don’t exactly offer many surprises, Linpus says that it has indeed put its own touch on the interface, and that it’s version will boot in just 15 seconds and give users access to a live desktop that’ll let them quickly access a range of websites and applications. Not many more details beyond that, unfortunately, but we’re sure this is just beginning of Moblin talk that’ll emerge out of Computex.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Linpus set to debut first Moblin 2.0 distribution for end users originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In case you needed yet another reason to nerd out with Android developers for a couple days in scenic San Francisco, here’s a doozy: every attendee is getting hooked up with an unlocked HTC Magic in black plus 30 days of voice and 3G data service. While the carrier isn’t specified, we certainly wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up being T-Mobile, which would make this an AWS version of the phone — and a probable precursor to the presumed myTouch 3G release (or whatever they end up calling it) later this year. In the meantime, I/O attendees — and yes, that includes you, Ross Miller — we hate you out of sheer, raging envy.

Update: Confirmed — it’s a T-Mobile SIM, hence AWS 3G!

Update 2: It seems Google is calling this phone the “Ion,” but make no mistake, it’s an HTC Magic.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Google I/O attendees getting free unlocked HTC Magic with T-Mobile 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve heard in the past that the Palm Pre would be available at other carriers “next year” sometime after Sprint’s exclusivity period is up, and now we have a vague verbal confirmation from AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson that he “sees” AT&T grabbing hold of the Pre once it’s available. The remarks were made today at the D7 conference. If this pans out, it fits with rumblings we’ve heard of the Eos being AT&T’s low-end, Centro-style webOS device, with the Pre snapping up the higher end.

[Via Phone Scoop; image courtesy of PreCentral.net]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

AT&T expects to sell Palm Pre when Sprint’s exclusivity ends originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite a statement back in April from prez Satoru Iwata that the company would make a phone if it could avoid monthly subscription costs, it looks like Nintendo will not be getting into the cell biz any time soon. Reggie Fils-Aime, president and CFO of Nintendo of America just put the kibosh on all that with a statement to the New York Times, saying, “Telephony is not in our wheelhouse. It’s not something I anticipate us getting into.” So, you’re telling us that telephony is not in your wheelhouse? Hmm… okay. Thanks for clearing that up! The company is however, considering offering devices with always-on wireless connectivity — which would be way cooler the DSi‘s current, WiFi hotspot capabilities.

Filed under: Cellphones

Nintendo: we’re not making a phone, we swear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re still trying to get used to the overwhelming joy of having Cupcake installed on our G1s, but it’s full steam ahead over at Google where engineers are already slaving away on the Donut branch that’ll eventually come to be known as Android 2.0. Demoed today at the first I/O keynote were Donut’s universal search (known simply as “Android Search”), which will let you search both online and locally on the phone through contacts, calendars, music, and any app with the proper code, and a text-to-speech API, which should allow developers to integrate Google Voice Search-style awesomeness into the apps of their choice. We also got a brief glimpse of handwriting gestures used for searching through list — the live example was drawing the letter ‘e’ and going to that specific point in a list of songs. Nothing wildly different interface-wise — yet — but we know from the initial 1.0 release that the UI’s very much subject to change, not to mention the fact that HTC and others look poised to do some serious customization of their own. Check out the gallery for shots live from the I/O keynote!

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Android 2.0 “Donut” features demoed at Google I/O originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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mCubed’s RipNAS Statement may be unique, but it isn’t apt to be widely adopted — at least not with price points like this. Hailed as the first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device, the product is also available in a traditional HDD form, though both handle automatic ripping, NAS duties and media streaming. Within, you’ll find a dual-core Atom CPU, gigabit Ethernet, a TEAC DVD drive, four USB 2.0 sockets and a fanless design. The pain? €1,795 ($2,500) for the 3TB HDD version, or €3,295 ($4,590) for the 500GB SSD model. If you’re unfazed by sticker shock, you can pick yours up right now over in Europe.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

mCubed’s RipNAS Statement now available in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s hard to say if our harmless threats influenced the MSRP here, but either way, we’ll take it. MSI has finally (finally!) come clean with a set price on its succulent X-Slim X340, and while we heard through the grapevine awhile back that it would ship here for under a grand, we definitely had our doubts. Starting today, eager consumers can order one for the low, low price of $899.99, which buys you an Intel ULV SU3500 processor, Vista Home Premium, a 13.4-inch 1,366 x 768 resolution display, GMA 4500MHD graphics and 2GB of DDR2 RAM. There’s also a 320GB hard drive, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, 4-cell battery (an 8-cell is optional), 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, twin USB 2.0 sockets, VGA / HDMI outputs and an SD / MMC card reader. The 0.78-inches thick machine is shipping today in the US of A from a bevy of e-tailers, and you can peek the full release just after the break.

Update: Looks like some e-tailers even have it at $799. Nice!

Continue reading MSI’s X-Slim X340 now shipping in US for $899.99

Filed under: Laptops

MSI’s X-Slim X340 now shipping in US for $899.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At Mobile World Congress, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega had mentioned to us that AT&T was “better off” than Verizon thanks to 3GPP Release 7′s capabilities to extend existing HSPA infrastructure through to 21Mbps and beyond by using the wonders of HSPA+ before the company would need to bite the bullet and get moving on LTE. We’re not sure whether Big Red’s aggressive LTE plans have AT&T rethinking its strategy or if it just wants to save time, money, and energy by avoiding yet another interim rollout, but we’re now being told by a company spokesman that “it’s likely that timelines for LTE standards will lead us directly from 7.2 to LTE.” He mentions that HSPA+ is “still an option,” but at any rate, this is a markedly different tone than we’ve heard in the past — even as late as last month — and if this means we’re getting LTE even a single day sooner, we’re all for it.

Filed under: Wireless

So long, HSPA+: AT&T “likely” moving straight from 7.2Mbps to LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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