Archive for September 23rd, 2009

C’mon, cut us some slack here. We’re suckers for teasers, and our intuition says that you are too. Jabra, who has definitely done a thing or two for the Bluetooth headset realm, is apparently looking to reveal a “new shape” on October 20th, though it’ll only be sold through AT&T (at least initially). Heck, there’s even a countdown timer over on the outfit’s teaser page for those who’d like to watch every second from now till then tick away, not to mention a brief video that tersely details the forthcoming excellence. So, got any bright ideas about what this thing could be? The second coming of the BT headset? Just another tchotchke?

[Via Electricpig]

Filed under: Peripherals

Jabra Stone to bring ‘new shape’ to Bluetooth headset field originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Although Intel made some waves yesterday with the announcement of the smartphone-capable Moblin 2.1 release, the reality here on the ground at IDF is pretty much status quo: phones and other connected devices based on the next-gen Moorestown mobile platform are nowhere to be found, and the actual products on the floor are the same chunky MIDs we’ve all come to know and ignore. But while the devices remain somewhat uninteresting, Moblin itself has some terrific potential from what we’ve seen — there’s deep location and social networking integration with a unified contacts list that works a lot like Palm’s Synergy, standard Linux apps can be easily ported over and run without any fuss, and manufacturers and developers can even ditch the standard UI and develop whatever they want on top. It’s definitely cool stuff — we just wish Intel had given us this demo on a compelling hardware instead of an older Menlow-based Compal MID, you know? Video after the break.

Continue reading Video: Moblin 2.1 for MIDs and phones, sort of in action

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Video: Moblin 2.1 for MIDs and phones, sort of in action originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UMID’s got a couple prototype M2s lying around IDF, and while they don’t seem like the most stable or production-ready things in the world — one of them booted straight to an all-white screen, while another had its logo stuck on by a doting booth attendant — it’s clear that this revision of the M1 will correct a few glaring flaws. The major fix is that there’s now a regular USB port on the side, instead of the M1′s goofy dongle, but we’re also glad to see a 3.5mm headphone jack and a (tiny) trackpad with two mouse buttons flanking the screen. Yeah, it’s still a quirky little MID, but hey, maybe that does it for you. We’re not here to judge what you do with the gallery below.

Filed under: Handhelds

UMID M2 hands-on at IDF originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/AT_T_slips_some_iPhone_MMS_rollout_details_for_Friday’; We’ve just heard from AT&T that new carrier settings for the iPhone 3G and 3GS will be available “late morning” Pacific Time (which would be early afternoon Eastern) this Friday, September 25, which will finally enable MMS support. Owners will have to tether up to iTunes to grab those settings, so fish out your cable (as if you don’t have it permanently attached to your machine already) and make sure you’ve got some solid time in front of the computer to check for the update over and over (and over) again, alright?

[Thanks, Frank]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

AT&T slips some iPhone MMS rollout details for Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Word is that Deutsche Telekom (the parent company of T-Mobile) is now actively engaged in talks with Clearwire and MetroPCS to expand its 4G network. This isn’t terribly shocking to hear, considering that most other providers (including AT&T, Verizon and Sprint) are already either heavy into negotiations or in the process of upgrading their infrastructure. Though the company hasn’t yet said anything about planned expansions, word is its looking for the most “cost-effective” way to build nationwide networks capable of higher speeds.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

T-Mobile negotiating to expand 4G service, Catherine Zeta-Jones going door-to-door originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We haven’t heard all that much from Toshiba on the Blu-ray front since it finally bit its tongue and went Blu at the beginning of this month, but it looks like its now starting to bring the rest of its products up to speed, like this newly-revised Qosmio X500 gaming laptop. As with its predecessors, this is one big and burly laptop, with it boasting an 18.4-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen, a 2.8GHz Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250MNV graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, dual 500GB hard drives, and not just a Blu-ray drive, but a Blu-ray burner as the standard optical drive. No word on a price just, if you need to ask, but it looks like this one should be available in the UK in late October.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

Toshiba debuts Qosmio X500 gaming laptop with Blu-ray, bitten bullet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Haven’t found a tablet or MID to your liking just yet? Then you may just want to wait another 24 hours, ’cause that’s about the rate they seem to be cropping up these days. This latest one comes from France’s eviGroup, and distinguishes itself somewhat by using Android for an OS, although there doesn’t appear to be any UI customizations to speak of. Otherwise, it looks like this “Wallet” will be able to more hold its own, if not completely stand out form the pack, with it packing a 5-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, 8GB of internal memory, a miniSD card slot for further expansion, an integrated digital camera, and the trifecta of built-in WiFi, GPS and 3G. Still no word on a release over here, but the folks at eviGroup are promising to launch it in Europe at the “beginning of 2010″ for €300 (or about $440), and they’ve kindly gone ahead and put together a thorough video overview that you can watch right now (after the break).

[Via Android France]

Continue reading eviGroup’s Android-based Wallet MID debuts in France (avec video)

Filed under: Handhelds

eviGroup’s Android-based Wallet MID debuts in France (avec video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tired of strapping muzzles on your youngsters whenever you have to make that eight hour trek to grandma’s pad? So were a couple of engineers at Audiovox. The VOD10PS2 claims to be the planet’s first fully integrated gaming system made for the car, with the overhead system not only packing a 10.2-inch display, but an honest-to-goodness PlayStation 2 console as well. Just so we’re clear — the $949.99 asking price nets you the box itself, a screen, a PS2, two wireless controllers, a built-in dome light, a pair of fold-flat IR wireless headphones and a copy of Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Hot Shots Golf 3. Heck, there’s even a remote and FM transmitter, not to mention a pair of trim rings that’ll obviously work with whatever drab interior color you selected for your minivan. So, willing to pay just under a grand to shut the little ones up forever? (Tempting, isn’t it?)

Filed under: Gaming, Transportation

Audiovox integrates PlayStation 2 into rear-seat entertainment system originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell just announced the first shipping Moblin netbook, a developer-edition Mini 10v that runs Canonical’s Moblin Netbook Remix. No pricing info yet, but it’ll go on sale tomorrow, September 24, on Dell.com. We’re told they have units on the show floor for us to play with, we’ll be back with way more details soon.

Update: Dell tells us the Moblin Mini 10v will be $299 to start and available with the usual customization options, but that they’re not really aiming it at consumers just yet — the idea is to give Moblin developers best-of-class hardware to work on. That said, nothing’s stopping you from snagging one tomorrow, since they won’t be requiring proof that you’re actually a dev. You sneaky Linux-loving dog, you.

Continue reading Dell announces Moblin Mini 10v at IDF (updated with pricing)

Filed under: Laptops

Dell announces Moblin Mini 10v at IDF (updated with pricing) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB 3.0 might be one of the big stories here at IDF, but Intel just showed off a glimpse of the future: Light Peak, an optical interconnect for mobile devices that can run as fast as 10Gbps. That’s fast enough to do everything from storage to displays to networking, and it can maintain those speeds over 100-meter runs, which is pretty astounding. Intel says the idea is to drastically reduce the number of connectors on mobile devices, which should allow them to get even smaller — but the demo was on a huge Frankenrig, so don’t expect to see Light Peak devices shipping any time soon.

Update: We just snapped a quick pic of the connector — it’s a connector, that’s for sure. Check it after the break.

Continue reading Intel unveils Light Peak 10Gbps optical interconnect for mobile devices

Filed under: Peripherals

Intel unveils Light Peak 10Gbps optical interconnect for mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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