Archive for December 30th, 2009

Move over, MiFi — this Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot that just hit our inbox has taken over as our new object of broadband desire. Our tipster says internal training on the Sierra-built device has already begun, and that the unit itself features a microSD slot, support for location services, and has a 100-foot Wi-Fi range — but sadly we don’t have pricing or availability deets to share yet. We’re hoping we find out more at CES — and we’d bet that new dual-mode U301 WiMAX modem that leaked a couple weeks ago makes an appearance as well. Fingers crossed.

Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot leaks into the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee PC 1001P with Atom N450 appears on Amazon.de originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Occasionally, a phone exists simply because it can. Not because it’s powerful; not because it offers amazing bang for the buck; not because the manufacturer negotiated some lucrative exclusivity agreement with a major carrier, and certainly not because it’s introducing some groundbreaking new smartphone operating system. Yeah — not even Sony Ericsson is attempting to frame or formulate a legitimate business case for the sinfully hedonistic Xperia Pureness, because they don’t have to. One look at that wild transparent display and you’ll either be smitten or confused and dismayed by the $1,000 sticker price. It’s that simple.

Anyhow, we’ve just taken delivery of a Pureness today and have had a few fleeting moments to check it out. If it weren’t for the screen, you’d be looking at a $30 prepaid candybar here — you don’t have a camera, a high-res display, or any sexy metal or soft-touch bits to give the phone a premium feel. The UI is about the simplest possible incarnation of Sony Ericsson’s typical dumbphone platform, owing largely to the fact that the display’s just grayscale; you’ve got an FM radio (with a headset attached) and a basic music player and browser, but if you’re in North America, don’t expect any 3G.

That said, seriously, look at that shot we took up there: the display is insane. We can’t quite get over it — it’s the ultimate conversation piece. Motorola Aura owners looking for a fresh way to draw a crowd might look at this as their next purchase, but if you’re looking to do anything but talk (and occasionally browse an eerily translucent version of Engadget), make no mistake, this isn’t your phone. Did we mention we want one really, really badly?

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wiiwaa is a forthcoming Wii game which involves you cramming your Wiimote into the mouth of the bizarre stuffed animal you see… oh just watch the video after the break.

Continue reading Wiiwaa is the greatest Wii game ever made, we assume

Wiiwaa is the greatest Wii game ever made, we assume originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget: The Official Blog Partner of CES 2010! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Should you be the sort of person who doesn’t mind fiddling around with alpha level software, you’ll definitely want to know about the BlueMaemo Bluetooth emulator. Available via the Extras-Devel repository on your N900, this app allows the device to mimic other Bluetooth gadgets, such as keyboards, mice, and yes indeedy, gaming controllers. Its developer Valério Domingos humbly points out that the purpose of connecting up to a PS3 is purely for menu navigation and easier text input, though we’ve no doubt a few hardcore Nokia loyalists will try using this in an action game to prove the N900′s superiority. You may follow Valério and his ongoing refinement of the app in the Maemo.org link below, or you can jump past the break to see the full controller layout and an instructional video on how to hook things up — it’s in Italian, but you should be able to grasp what’s going on senza problemi.

[Thanks, shellshock]

Continue reading N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator

N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We tell ya — Ben Heck‘s apprentices are the best. One techknott has just finished up his latest creation, a WVI (wireless visual interface) for Sony’s PlayStation 3 console. The purpose? To transmit signals to and from the PS3 by way of this handy handheld. A 1.2GHz wireless transmitter is used to get the controller commands to the PS3, and the same is used in reverse to get the video signals from the console to the homegrown device. The device itself utilizes a 5-inch LCD, 4,500mAh Li-ion battery (complete with a LED capacity meter), an AV input, headphone jack, USB port and a button for every last DualShock command. Hop on past the break for a video, and head to the source if you’re interested in making an offer for it. Yeah, we said it — dude’s going to be selling this!

[Thanks, Aguiluz]

Continue reading Modder crafts handheld wireless visual interface for PS3, makes us want

Modder crafts handheld wireless visual interface for PS3, makes us want originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The hints were already pretty strong on this one, but now Microsoft has come right out and said it, albeit in a job posting — the Xbox Live gaming platform is extending beyond the console and specifically onto WinMo phones. Seeking a Principal Program Manager who would be responsible for bringing “Xbox Live enabled games to Windows Mobile,” Redmond is particularly interested in “avatar integration, social interaction, and multi-screen experiences.” That leaves an awful lot of room for imagination as to how the two modes of gaming will complement each other, but at least we now (sort of) know that it’s going to happen.

[Thanks, Jessy]

Windows Mobile and Xbox Live coming together, according to Microsoft job ad originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Care to get up close and personal with Niihau? How’s about an overview of Tuvalu? Surely you need a helicopter shot of Pakatoa Island to get your morning started right, yeah? If so, and you’re too lazy to hit up the World Wide Web, there’s a better-than-average chance that an older National Geographic magazine has exactly the elixir you’re searching for. Problem is, sifting through every single issue since 1888 takes a fair bit of time — time you’d rather be spending in an obnoxiously long security line as you await your flight to Ushuaia. Thanks to “modern technology” and “storage innovations,” said quandary can now be resolved quite simply. Nat Geo is offering every last piece of information it has ever published on a portable 160GB HDD, and amazingly 100GB is free for you to manually add to the collection. Too bad this $199.95 device wasn’t available before Christmas, but hey, at least you’ve now got something to blow those Santa Bucks on.

National Geographic shoves every morsel of its collection onto 160GB HDD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s true: there’s nothing particularly extraordinary about LG’s newest external hard drive, but it’s the design here that has managed to catch our eyes. Available in black or white and with 1TB, 1.5TB or 2TB of storage within, these stylish 3.5-inch USB drives are slated to ship next month in South Korea. There’s nary a mention of a stateside release nor of any USB 3.0 editions, but we’re sure that’ll come in due time. Patience leads to great things, or so we hear.

LG’s XG1 Chic external hard drive looks just dainty originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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