Archive for December 7th, 2009

We’re not quite sure if this is an actual teaser ad or one that just slipped out ahead of the proper launch, but it looks like the brief commercial after the break is the first anyone has seen of Cowon’s new V5 HD PMP. Unfortunately, the ad doesn’t offer much in the way of actual details, although it does appear that the PMP boasts a reasonably large touchscreen, which may or may not actually be HD. Head on past the break to check all 18 seconds of it for yourself.

Continue reading Cowon V5 HD PMP turns up in ad ahead of launch

Cowon V5 HD PMP turns up in ad ahead of launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This one’s unsurprisingly been in the works for a little while now, but it looks like the US Army is getting a bit closer to actually deploying a new type of body armor that it hopes will protect soldiers against both known threats and so-called “X-threats.” While no one’s saying exactly what those threats might be, the key to guarding against them, it seems, is an “advanced generation” of X-Sapi armor plating, which is apparently built from the same materials as current E-Sapi plates but built differently for “additional capabilities.” That armor has been the subject of some criticism, however, since it actually adds some additional weight to the soldier’s already heavy load, but Lt. Col. Jon Rickey of the Army’s Soldier Protective Equipment program says there’s still plenty of room for improvement in that respect. It’s also, of course, also still looking at plenty of other alternatives, including BAE’s Ultra Lightweight Warrior program, which promises to cut the weight of helmets, vests and other equipment by twenty to thirty percent.

US Army developing body armor to protect against ‘X-threats’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fusion Garage has finally come clean with its side of the story in regards to the CrunchPad debacle, and just unveiled its new Arrington-free version of the device: the JooJoo. The device boots straight to a web browser, weighs about 2.4 pounds and features a 12.1-inch capacitive screen. Pre-orders start on December 11th, with a dream-shattering $499 pricetag bringing this thing back into the realm of reality. Developing…

Fusion Garage JooJoo tablet rises from the ashes of the CrunchPad originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re just getting settled in for Fusion Garage’s CrunchPad webcast — we’ve been promised CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan’s version of the 12-inch tablet’s bizarre saga, and we’ve certainly got quite a few questions of our own to ask. We’ll start updating just as soon as it starts, so make sure you’re up to speed on what went down over the weekend and get ready for some fireworks.

Continue reading Fusion Garage CrunchPad video conference liveblog

Fusion Garage CrunchPad video conference liveblog originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As you take a 30-second tour of your local AT&T store this month, the iPAQ Glisten from HP isn’t likely to catch your eye; it’s just another QWERTY smartphone without much curb appeal, after all. If you take a step back, though, this unassuming piece of gadgetry is actually quite interesting on a number of levels: it’s just the third device to launch on AT&T with Windows Mobile 6.5 out of the box (though the Jack has been upgraded since it hit the market), it’s got an AMOLED display, it features the exceedingly rare portrait-QWERTY-plus-touchscreen form factor, and — this is a big one — it apparently once again proves that HP hasn’t abandoned the handset market altogether. Sound like a winning formula to you? Read on for our quick take on the Glisten’s ups, downs, and… sideways-es.

Continue reading HP iPAQ Glisten unboxing and hands-on

HP iPAQ Glisten unboxing and hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For the seasoned DIYer, there’s hardly anything that can’t be done with a set of Chumby Guts. For a seasoned DIYer with a set of Chumby Guts, an old clock, a few brass horns and a Dremel tool, there’s absolutely nothing — save for spare time and determination — standing between him / her and a homegrown masterpiece such as the one you’re peering at above. Etsy member AbrahamBook’s latest creation is a WiFi-enabled widget monster that is shoved within a half vintage, half steampunk-styled enclosure. The Chumbophone doesn’t actually seem capable of making calls via the integrated horns, but we’d sure love to see a version that was. Not that we’re trying to force any ideas down your throat or anything…

Chumbophone proves that even Chumby can go retro (and like it) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Been fretting over the upcoming slew of USB 3.0 devices and your relatively new laptop’s inability to exploit their full speed? Well this isn’t going to help you much, but it’s a great example of why you should shop with a careful eye and preferably from reputable stores. British e-tailer StarTech.com (no, we haven’t heard of them before either) is now offering an ExpressCard-based USB 3.0 adapter for £39 (about $64), which seems a bargain considering the promised 5Gbps transfer speeds and general bragging rights associated with having SuperSpeed. But here’s the rub: while USB 3.0 certainly supports such speeds, the ExpressCard 1.0 device in question doesn’t. In fact, you’ll be limited to a tenth of the speed the 3.0 controller onboard is capable of, leaving us to question what the exact point of this device really is. Any ideas?

USB 3.0 ExpressCard adapter promises ten times more than it can deliver originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s a match made in heaven, really. A GPS-linked heads-up display system, and ski goggles. Together, at long last, forever. Recon Instruments is reportedly developing said technology right now, and if all goes well, a HUD-equipped set of alpine goggles will indeed be on sale to the general populace next fall for between $350 to $450. The device is expected to tap into your cellphone, and if said phone has a GPS chip within, you’ll be able to see where you’re at, where your fellow snow bunnies are and where you’re headed. It’ll also provide all sorts of other vital information, such as hang time off of the rail jump, altitude gain / loss, a stopwatch and temperature. There’s no word on whether it’ll alert you when too much powder starts building on that front-side edge, but here’s hoping these things are durable enough to survive the face-plant that’ll inevitably ensue when that scenario plays itself out.

Recon Instruments putting heads-up display, extra layer of ‘cool’ within ski goggles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you’re confused by the pronunciation of Pixel Qi (it’s Pixel chee, by the way). But really, does that matter? We’re just stoked to learn that its hybrid displays are hitting the assembly lines this month as the company ramps production in Q1. CEO, Mary Lou Jepsen, says that the first units will arrive in “specialized tablet devices with multi-touch,” the first of which will be on display at CES from what looks like multiple “customers.” They’ll also be available to DIYers sometime in the future. Jepsen, you’ll recall, was the original Chief Technology Officer on the OLPC project, but left to commercialize these 10-inch color 3Qi LCD displays that are readable in either direct tropical sunlight or no light at all thanks to a switchable backlight. As such, Pixel Qi is set to carve out a nice middle-ground between epaper displays and traditional LCDs that could see the advent of the 40-hour netbook / tablet. No, really.

Pixel Qi ramping production lines, multitouch (40-hour?) tablets at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD and CyberLink, which recently integrated SENSIO 3D technology into its PowerDVD player, are already touting a 2010 CES demo promising to show off their implementation of “the forthcoming Blu-ray stereoscopic 3D standard.” While the world continues to wait for an announcement on what the 3D Blu-ray standard will actually entail (backwards compatible 2D combo discs, and Full HD stereoscopic technology are definitely on the list) AMD is ready to leverage its position as a contributing member of the Blu-ray Disc Association and make sure that when discs hit the market — likely around the time Avatar is released at home — it has compatible software and hardware available. We’ve prepped and ready for the glasses-required trials that promise to be featured at many booths during next months Las Vegas experience, so a note to potential exhibitors: sports and videogames are the best bet for an impressive 3D showing, bring Space Harrier 3D for extra bonus points.

AMD readying a demo of the Blu-ray 3D standard, might not wait for it to exist first originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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