Archive for December 12th, 2009

Engadget Podcast 174 – 12.12.2009

December 12, 2009

INTERNET
You are on the internet, seeking entertainment. There is a grue here. Josh Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel are discussing the week in technology news, including the new Dell Vostro V13, the Barnes and Noble Nook, the CrunchPad / Joojoo, and the myth of the Apple Tablet.

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You are listening to the Engadget Podcast. You are fufilled.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Ghostface Kilobyte – Jeopardy

Hear the podcast

01:56 – Dell Vostro V13 hands-on impressions: ‘yes’
10:16 – Barnes & Noble Nook review
16:25 – Major media giants to form joint venture for digital future, says WSJ
23:19 – Analyst noise: Apple tablet in March for $1k, publishers on-board, Verizon iPhone coming too
29:30 – Fusion Garage CrunchPad video conference liveblog
30:00 – Fusion Garage Joojoo tablet rises from the ashes of the CrunchPad
30:17 – Engadget talks Joojoo, Arrington, 3G, and more with Fusion Garage’s Chandra Rathakrishnan
30:30 – Joojoo tablet hands-on (video)
43:23 – TechCrunch sues Fusion Garage over the Joojoo — we break it down
52:47 – Apple countersues Nokia for infringing 13 patents

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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

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Engadget Podcast 174 – 12.12.2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDI’s 100-inch, laser-driven 3D HDTV gets $10k to $15k price tag

December 12, 2009

Thought Mitsubishi’s LaserVue set was pricey? Hah. HDI, the California startup with dreams of producing a 100-inch 3D HDTV that’s driven by lasers, has just released the first hint of a price range, and as predicted, it ain’t cheap. The set — which has already been deemed a favorite by The Woz — has reportedly had its first batch manufactured over in China, and we’re told that a smattering of ‘em should be available by May. If all goes well, the HDTV should be in full-scale production mode by Christmas of next year, and we’ve learned that the whole thing will measure around 10-inches thick. Amazingly, it’ll also go relatively easy on the power meter, but the $10,000 to $15,000 price estimate is bound to shock some. Of course, Panasonic’s own 103-inch 3D HDTV is currently pegged at around $75,000, so when you think of it from that perspective, HDI’s offering is a bona fide bargain. And totally worth liquidating your future kid’s college fund for.

HDI’s 100-inch, laser-driven 3D HDTV gets $10k to $15k price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Show returns Sunday, December 20th!

December 12, 2009

Can’t wait for another Engadget Show to roll around? Well you’re in luck, friend. We’re going to be hitting the stage again come December 20th, and this one is set to be a killer.

The last show of the decade will be dedicated to just that: the decade. We’re going to be talking about the most important gadgets of the past 10 years — both good and bad — and we’ll be joined by the perfect guest. Peter Rojas, the founder of both Gizmodo and Engadget (and now gdgt!) will take the stage with Josh, Paul, and Nilay to discuss what has been arguably the most important 10 years in gadgetry.

We’ll also have a few surprises, as well as some giveaways, so don’t miss it — you’ll be sorry if you do!

The show takes place at the Tishman Auditorium at Parsons The New School for Design. As you may already know, we film live in front of an audience once a month — but if you can’t make it, don’t worry. We’re bringing the video back home to Engadget (and as a free download here, in the iTunes Store, or the Zune Marketplace) for your viewing pleasure.

The beautiful venue (which you can see in a photo after the break) is located at 66 W. 12th Street between 5th and 6th Aves. Seating is limited and tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis — which means if you want to join us in the audience for the show, you’ll have to arrive early and be prepared for a little wait.

Here are the facts you need to know about the show:

  • The show is graciously sponsored by Sprint, and hosted by Parsons The New School for Design
  • The total show length will be around an hour

Here is what you need to know if you want to be part of the audience:

  • There is no admission fee — tickets are completely free
  • The event is all ages
  • The venue seats just over 450 people
  • Parsons students are welcomed, and we encourage them to come!
  • Tickets will be available for pickup at the Tishman Auditorium at 2PM on the 20th, and we’re strongly encouraging people to get their tickets and not stand in line — if you have a ticket, you’ll have a seat!
  • You’ll need to hold onto your ticket stub to be eligible for the giveaways
  • You cannot pick up tickets for other people — if you want your friend to get a ticket, bring your friend!
  • The show begins at 5PM, and doors will open at 4:30PM

If you’re a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget.com, and we’ll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget.com.

Continue reading The Engadget Show returns Sunday, December 20th!

The Engadget Show returns Sunday, December 20th! originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joojoo tablet gets its first batch of press shots, $30 dock accesory

December 12, 2009

Up until now, the only official shot of the Joojoo tablet was that seductive snippet of the corner. ‘Course, you got a pretty good look of the thing if you bothered to watch our sit-down with Fusion Garage’s Chandra Rathakrishnan, but it’s still a pleasing sight to see the company push out a nice gallery of press shots to really tickle the senses. We aren’t exactly sure if these guys have Cameron’s approval to use Avatar screen shots to promote their product, but at this point, we wouldn’t put anything regarding the Joojoo beyond the realm of feasibility. Oh, and if you were wondering how you’d eventually use this thing as an at-home movie viewer, the $29.99 dock accessory pictured above is the answer. One word of caution, however: given all the drama surrounding this thing, use that pre-order button at your own risk.

P.S. – Our good pal Chippy is suggesting that the only possible CPU / GPU tandem that could result in the claimed 1080p support and 5 hours of battery life is the Atom Z530 and the GMA500, both from Intel. Hopefully we’ll hear something official in short order.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Joojoo tablet gets its first batch of press shots, $30 dock accesory originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google employees given HTC-made Google Phones, January launch imminent?

December 12, 2009

TechCrunch was certain that rumors of a pending honest-to-goodness Google Phone were the real deal, and now according to the site, Google employees are already tweeting with the devices in hand. If you believe what you see on Twitter, Google drones were given the HTC-designed handsets at an all-hands staff event, and the phone is quite a looker. One tweet reads “ZOMG we had fireworks and we all got the new Google phone. It’s beautiful.” while another says the phone is “Like an iPhone on beautifying steroids.” One other, non-Google user on Twitter who’s seen the device says that the device is a bit thinner than the iPhone, has a trackball (a la Hero), and has no physical keyboard… which sounds like the Bravo / Passion we’ve seen a lot of lately (and we hear is coming to the US soon). Apparently the device is running Android 2.1, is unlocked and AT&T-ready (no word on 3G status, but this could line up with our speculation about this being the carrier’s first Android phone), and will be due sometime in January. We’re guessing if that list bit is true, it will coincide with a CES announcement, but anything could happen at this point. If the device is out in the wild in such a big way, an end of the year press release wouldn’t shock us either. Check out one of the tweet-tears after the break, and stay tuned for more info!

Continue reading Google employees given HTC-made Google Phones, January launch imminent?

Google employees given HTC-made Google Phones, January launch imminent? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shuttle reportedly set to debut Pine Trail-based all-in-one at CES

December 12, 2009
It wouldn’t be Shuttle’s first all-in-one desktop (it debuted the X50 pictured above at last year’s CES), but it looks like the company does have another, new and improved model on track for a launch at CES 2010 next month. More specifically, Fudzilla reports that Shuttle will have a Pine Trail-based all-in-one desktop of some sort on hand at the show, which will apparently be joined by a new J Series model in the company’s XPC linuep. Unfortunately, details on either are still as light as can be, but Shuttle sure has raised expectations for itself this time around — we’ll just have to wait and see if it can live up to them.

Shuttle reportedly set to debut Pine Trail-based all-in-one at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tetra the micromouse needs no cheese, completes maze in new record time (video)

December 12, 2009
Lab rats beware — there’s a new turbo-charged robotic cousin of yours on the block. This little autonomous fellow, Tetra, has just wowed micromouse hobbyists with a 4.766-second finish time in a maze (which had to be mapped by the micromouse first) in a recent demonstration, beating the previous All Japan Micromouse contest record by a big margin of 1.6 seconds. Sadly, Tetra wasn’t the winner of this year’s contest as it failed to complete the final Expert Class event — probably something to do with the lighting conditions which affected its tracking. We can still admire Tetra’s awesomeness in the video after the break though, followed by some thoughts from a few micromouse experts.

Continue reading Tetra the micromouse needs no cheese, completes maze in new record time (video)

Tetra the micromouse needs no cheese, completes maze in new record time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DesignLine turbine hybrid buses take off in NYC, could multiply soon

December 12, 2009

Capstone’s CMT-380 has proven that turbines, batteries and an unconditional love for Ma Earth actually can get along within the confines of an automobile, and now it looks as if the same type of technology will be touching a lot more lives in and around New York City. DesignLine, a New Zealand-based company with an “experimental turbine hybrid” of the same name, is currently being used in three buses in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and unlike petrol-powered alternatives, these are said to be as “quiet as a tomb.” They’re also environmentally friendly, omitting internal combustion altogether and relying on spinning turbines to recharge a Li-ion battery that powers the wheels. If the trial goes over well, 87 more of the $559,000 buses could be ushered into operation, and you’ll know one’s coming due to the shocking absence of creaking, sputtering and black haze rounding the bend to your stop.

[Thanks, Yossi]

DesignLine turbine hybrid buses take off in NYC, could multiply soon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola’s Shop4apps online Android app store discovered

December 12, 2009

Leave it to the gung ho gang at Android and Me to do some clever Googling and discovering Motorola’s web based Android app store, Shop4apps. The store has since been removed / made hidden, but not before we got a good glimpse at the whole shebang. There’s a MyLocker section to check your download history, the ability to re-download and transfer aspps to a new phone, and a special MotoAppstore client for downloading and installing the apps (which unfortunately wasn’t working yet). Frankly, the images aren’t too flattering, so we’re hoping for some further tweaking before it’s official launch. In the meantime, hit up the source link for more pictures.

[Thanks, Taylor]

Motorola’s Shop4apps online Android app store discovered originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Apple’s unibody MacBook?

December 12, 2009

Quietly unveiled alongside the 27-inch iMac and the Magic Mouse was this: Apple’s attempt to force the unibody construction that we’ve already seen used on its MacBook Pro into the lowly MacBook line. This 13-incher didn’t revolutionize Apple’s low-end laptop line, but it did add a pinch of style and an integrated “7-hour” battery while keeping the price tag steady at $999. We certainly had our fair share of gripes when testing this scuff-magnet out, but now that you’ve had nearly two months to toy around with your own, we’re anxious to hear what you’d do different next time. Is the build quality up to your standards? Are you still weeping uncontrollably as you search in vain for a FireWire 400 port? Is the 9400M GPU potent enough for you? Did this honestly deserve to be priced at a few hundies less? Feel free to unleash hot fury in comments below — maybe ole Steve will feel the heat.

How would you change Apple’s unibody MacBook? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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