Archive for June 23rd, 2009

Sure VIZIO only just showed off new updates in its high end XVT series, but it’s already planning the next generation of LCDs with VIZIO Internet Apps included. Packing widget functionality, 802.11n wireless networking and slider QWERTY Bluetooth remote, the SV422XVT, SV472XVT and VF552XVT Connected HDTVs are coming home in November, October and December, respectively. Already on deck to serve up content for your widgets are Vudu, Revision3, Facebook, Twitter, Rhapsody, Blockbuster OnDemand, Showtime, Flickr and more. The biggest surprise? There’s apparently no price premium planned for these features, with the 55-inch clocking in at the same $2,199 price as the model it’s replacing, though the 47-inch jumps $200 over the previous edition to $1,699, while adding the local dimming LED backlit technology previously reserved for the 55-inch. The 42-inch will be the first and cheapest available at $1,199 (sans LED) — we’ll see if that bar is low enough to get viewers to jump into the internet-connected display future.

Read – VIZIO Announces High Performance XVT HDTV Line Up with 240Hz SPS(TM), TruLED(TM) and Smart Dimming(TM) Technology, VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA), and Slim Line(TM) 120Hz LCD HDTV Models
Read – VIZIO Unveils Rhapsody Digital Music Service for VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA(TM)) Connected HDTVs
Read – VIZIO Reveals Dynamic New Content Partners for VIZIO Internet Apps Connected HDTV Feature

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

VIZIO Internet App HDTVs launch later this year, for less than you might expect originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Augmented reality, or the blending of the real world with computer graphics on the fly, is one of the most exciting fields in tech right now. Unfortunately, there haven’t been many practical uses of the technology — we’ve seen some very impressive video game peripherals and a few Terminator-style phone overlays from companies like Layar, Sekai Camera, and Seer Android, but these still have a ways to go before they’ll hit the mainstream.

Zugara, an interactive marketing agency, has built something a bit more practical for the time being. It’s put together the Webcam Social Shopper, offering a way to help you try on clothes online from the comfort of your bedroom. At least, it lets you overlay a static image on top of your body and pretend you’re wearing it. Which is sort of a start.

If this OLED-laden keyboard looks a little familiar, it should, ’cause we saw the same one back at Computex when it was known as the United Keys OLED Display Keyboard (itself manufactured by Foxconn). Of course, with the OCZ name comes widespread US availability, although there’s unfortunately still no word of a price or release date just yet (the United Keys version runs $260). Otherwise, it looks like this new Sabre model has remain unchanged from its earlier counterpart, with it still packing the same nine user-programmable OLED keys, 128MB of on-board memory, blue LED “sidelighting,” limitless macro configurations, some “super tactile, low-noise” key feedback and, unfortunately, a lack of Mac compatibility.

Filed under: Peripherals

OCZ rolls out Sabre OLED gaming keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some of the most promising set of mobile apps being built today use a cell phone’s camera and GPS to overlay data onto the real world. In other words, instead of looking at a browser, you look through the camera lens at the real world around you and information is layered on top of the view projected on the small screen. (It’s not just a viewfinder, you know). Last year at TechCrunch 50, the Sekai Camera demo from Japan that does this blew away the audience. More recently, Layar showed us similar augmented reality apps for the Android phone. Now IBM has its own augmented reality mobile app for Wimbledon called Seer Android (see demo in the video above).

A lot of people complain about Gmail not having a native application on the iPhone. While it’s not clear if Apple will even allow that yet with the new iPhone 3.0 SDK, one thing that is becoming more clear: Soon it won’t need one.

The reason is that its iPhone-optimized mobile version continues to get some killer features. The latest is the ability to use the swipe gesture to archive messages — yes, within the browser. Users of the iPhone’s native mail app will recognize and appreciate this functionality (though in that app it’s used to delete messages, not archive them).

Remember those new Satellite’s Toshiba that dropped in Europe a week or two ago? Seems like they’re making the scene Stateside starting today, alongside several of their siblings. As previously noted, the A500 is a 16-inch multimedia machine (starting at $749.99), while the U500 ($849.99) is a 13.3-inch guy more suited to on-the-go computing. Newly announced are the M500/M505 (with 14-inch high-def LED display, starting at $699.99) and the P500/P505 (an 18.4-inch desktop replacement with slot-loading DVD drive, starting at $799.99). All the new Satellites include multimedia command keys, webcam, face recognition software, harmon/kardon speakers and, of course, the world renowned eSATA/USB combo port. And if you’re good, we have a couple pics for you. After the break, of course.

Continue reading New Toshiba Satellite laptops now available Stateside

Filed under: Laptops

New Toshiba Satellite laptops now available Stateside originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we got a quick look at the thing a few months ago, we were finally able to get our mitts all over Panasonic’s new DMP-B15 portable Blu-ray player. With its bigger-than-a-laptop size and wild pricetag (for a consumer device), it’s obviously a niche product, but that’s not to say there aren’t hints of consumer friendliness in here. Overall the hardware is light and strong, and while we felt a bit of heat venting out the sides, it’s not uncomfortable, and the disc operation is virtually silent. Startup time and disc load times are comparable to most dedicated home Blu-ray players — certainly not best in class, but passable — and we couldn’t get the player to skip despite our best efforts. The screen is really great, with a good amount of viewing angle and brightness for the category and plenty of resolution to differentiate HD content. We spotted a bit of pixel crunch in menus and stills, but once the motion started we could barely differentiate pixels. Sure, it’s hard to imagine a reason for most people to pick up a DMP-B15 over a cheapish Blu-ray playing laptop — the thing is monstrously thick, and can’t even handle a traditional laptop-style screen orientation, only everything but — but the hardware is reliable enough for kids to handle on the road, and the single-use makes it a good home Blu-ray player for plugging into that second HD-starved TV. Still, we’re guessing most will wait to see what next year’s (sure to be flush) crop has to offer.

Filed under: HDTV, Portable Video

Panasonic DMP-B15 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that everyone has had their say about the Palm Pre, I thought it wise to say a few words about the oft labeled “iPhone killer” that Sprint and Palm hope will bring each back from the edge of the dreaded deadpool. It seems as though every touch-screen device to launch since the first generation iPhone has faced an uphill battle and the Pre is no different. It’s unpolished, sure, but Palm’s webOS has managed to slip in right behind Apple’s iPhone OS, which is something the other smartphone operating systems have failed to do. But it’s not perfect and, let’s face it, nothing is ever perfect on launch day.

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he’ll explore where our industry is and where it’s going — on both micro and macro levels — with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

It’s one of the hottest selling items in the consumer electronics market today. At a time when vendors are struggling to sell PCs, it’s the one category that has been selling consistently in Amazon’s top ten list of technology purchases. Apple and Sony have both dismissed the category, even as other vendors bring more models to market. Yes, I’m talking about the phenomenon called the netbook. Here’s why I think it’s going to be pretty short lived as a category.

Continue reading Entelligence: Netbooks, R.I.P.

Filed under: Laptops

Entelligence: Netbooks, R.I.P. originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Things are still a little early with this one, but a sizable number of reports have cropped up today indicating that there’s some seriously wrong with Garmin’s 7×5 series GPS units, with a firmware update seemingly the likely culprit. Interestingly, it doesn’t look like the firmware update instantly bricked the units when it was installed, but rather caused them all to suddenly seize up at some point on June 22nd. While it’s not saying anything official just yet, a number of folks that have spoken with Garmin’s customer support say that the company is aware of the problem now that the calls are pouring in, although it’s unfortunately not offering much in the way of solutions to the problem just yet (though at least a few customers seem to have been offered a replacement unit). So, has your nuvi left you in the lurch? Let us know in comments.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Garmin is aware of the issue and is working to fix it. Full response is after the break.

Continue reading Garmin 7×5 series devices bricked by firmware update?

Filed under: GPS

Garmin 7×5 series devices bricked by firmware update? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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