Archive for August 20th, 2009

Filed under: Podcasts

The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:30pm EST! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, this one doesn’t exactly come out of left field, but it looks like gaming industry execs are starting to sing a decidedly different tune now that Sony has finally cut the price of the PS3. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft bigwig Yves Guillemot said that “it’s exceptional news, actually,” adding that “I think the machine is a great machine, with the Blu-ray.” EA Games president Frank Gibeau was also apparently more than happy to back up that praise, saying that, “I think it’s awesome,” and that “it’s an old line, but it still rings true for us: ‘We make the ammunition for the hardware wars.’ So the lowest priced hardware possible is a good thing for us.” Still noticeably mum on the matter, however, is Activision’s CEO, who once threatened to pick up his ball and go home if Sony didn’t drop its prices.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming

EA, Ubisoft execs applaud PS3 price cut, also like things that are good originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It may not be the first to come up with the bright idea of putting Android on a desk phone-esque device, but upstart Could Telecomputers may well be the most ambitious, with it boasting that its new Glass platform “makes the desk phone relevant again,” and is “smarter and more powerful than your ‘smart cell phone.’” To that end, the company has basically paired a full-fledged, 8-inch Android-based MID with a plain old corded phone, which will let you do things like dial numbers directly from your Outlook address book, pair up a cellphone via Bluetooth and, of course, take advantage of a whole range of Android apps that should put most other internet-connected desk phones to shame. As you probably picked up, however, this is still a platform and not an actual product just yet, but Cloud Telecomputers does have some pretty heavy backers behind it, and it “anticipates” that the first phones should be available sometime in the first quarter of 2010 for between $599 and $699.

[Via PR Newswire]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

Cloud Telecomputers announces Android-based Glass platform for desk phones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Okay, so we don’t think Horseman is marketing the $2,000 VCC Pro technical camera movement adapter to people like us who just want to make our DSLRs look fun and old-timey, but hey — in addition to giving photographers ultra-precise control over depth of field and perspective, it also makes your DSLR look fun and old-timey. Comes in Nikon and Canon versions, as you’d expect, and it’ll be available soon at pro photography shops. The rest of us will stick to wearing high-waisted pants and growing comical mustaches.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Horseman VCC Pro adds a bellows and large-format functionality to your DSLR originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Peripherals

Adesso rolls out compact WKB-4000UB wireless keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chumby announced that it’d be bringing its snuggly little widgets to other devices all the back in February, and it looks like we’re finally seeing some action — “powered by Chumby” gear should be on shelves by the end of the year. The first device out of the gate will be — surprise, surprise — a digital picture frame from an unnamed partner that will apparently integrate with Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter, and offer new feeds, internet radio, and weather. You know, Chumby stuff. We’re more interested in seeing the fruits of Chumby’s new partnership with Samsung — Sammy’s already doing widgets like crazy with TouchWiz on mobile and Yahoo’s Widget Engine in the living room, so we’re wondering where Chumby fits in. We’re also wondering what’ll happen to the Chumby hardware now that the company seems focused on becoming a software company — maybe we’ll finally place that order.

[Thanks, Craig; Photo is that sweet Chumby telephone mod]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Chumby widgets to appear on photo frame, other devices by year’s end originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s still hard to believe that Nokia’s already upstaging the N97 with the N97 mini just two months after the big guy shipped, but here we are, staring at the FCC documentation. There’s not much to go on here besides this label-location drawing, which is marked with a 1:1 scale — allowing us to set our regular N97 down next to it and show you just how little Nokia achieved with all that development money. Check it after the break, along with another pic of the mini the inimitable Eldar Murtazin just posted to his blog.

[Via Mobile Bulgaria; thanks, momchil]

Read – FCC
Read – Eldar Murtazin’s blog with additional pic of the mini

Continue reading Nokia N97 mini pops in the FCC, not so much mini-er than the N97

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia N97 mini pops in the FCC, not so much mini-er than the N97 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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C’mon Canon, this is getting just a wee bit ridiculous. Yesterday’s NYC event came and went without nary a mention of the just-has-to-be-real EOS 7D DSLR, though we did see the latest piece of mildly convincing evidence while canvassing those six new PowerShots. Today, we’re taking a look at what appears to be the top plate of the forthcoming (or so we hear) camera, though the fanboys over at DPReview can’t seem to say for sure if this is a fake or even a sensible design for such a beastly shooter. So, we’re asking you, dear readers — what do you make of this? Are you finally a believer that the almost mythical 7D is actually just around the bend? Or do you think we’re all crazy for being in said camp?

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Is this the top of a Canon EOS 7D, or are we just hopelessly optimistic? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As all you compulsive modders and gadget freaks know, there aren’t too many devices that a well-applied touchscreen kit won’t make even better. And while there’s nothing really earth shattering about a homebrew HP Mini 1000 tablet, we don’t see too many of them. As with many a similar hack, things are pretty straightforward: remove the keyboard, cram in some components (actually, the term this guy uses is “squeeze”) and then fit the shell back together. Oh yeah, he’ll need to cut a hole in the shell for the touchscreen itself, as soon as he gets the actual touchscreen in the mail. Did we mention that he’ll be laser cutting the window for the display, the webcam, and the speakers at his school? Regardless, he gets into all that (and more) at the myHPmini forums — be sure to hit the read link for some of that action. Who knows, maybe you’ll even be inspired to embark on a similar project yourself. But first, check the video after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading HP Mini 1000 hacked into touchscreen tablet

Filed under: Laptops

HP Mini 1000 hacked into touchscreen tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re fairly certain a lot of you out there have plenty of data that needs… securing. Apricorn’s just announced its Aegis Padlock Secure USB drive with keyboard for keeping your data safe via PIN. Sure, it’s not as good looking as Lenovo’s ThinkPad Portable hard drive, but it should get the job done, right? The drive comes in AES-128 or 256 bit hardware encryption flavors, and up to 500GB capacity. Prices start at $99 and $119 for the 250GB models in 128 and 256 bit, respectively, and they’re available right now. Go ahead — indulge yourself in the idea that someone is after your Mr T. JPEG collection.

Filed under: Storage

Apricorn launches Aegis Padlock Secure portable USB drive for paranoia on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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