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Editorial: All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever

This year, all I really wanted for the holidays was the perfect smartphone. Not too much to ask for, right? You'd think, but all I ended up with was constant swapping between 3 (or more) devices, hoping to find some balance of features that worked for me. Instead of one "go to" phone, I juggled the iPhone 3G, T-Mobile G1, and BlackBerry Bold for the last few months, desperately wishing I could merge them into one perfect device. I shall now break down my hopes for the upcoming year, with a prayer in my little old heart that manufacturers are listening.
Continue reading Editorial: All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever
Filed under: Cellphones
Editorial: All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Gigabyte's M528 MID gets unboxed, photographed lots

We've already had the pleasure of checking out the Aigo Patriot in its natural habitat, and now we're finally being treated to the same with its Gigabyte-branded counterpart. The Atom-based MID has been unboxed all official-like over at UMPC Fever, and the photographer didn't even shy away from snapping a few with the lid off. Have a look yourself in the read link below, but don't get too attached -- so far as we can tell, it'll cost you a pretty penny to get it imported from a foreign land.

[Via SlashGear]
Filed under: Handhelds
Gigabyte's M528 MID gets unboxed, photographed lots originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Vertu Signature Dragon handset puts the 'ugh' in 'luxury'

It looks like Vertu isn't resting on its laurels -- a mere two years after snatching the "world's ugliest phone title" with its Signature Cobra, the company's back with the Signature Dragon. What can we say about this one? Not much, seeing as how the thing isn't even listed on the company's website. Even so, since the Cobra retailed for over a quarter of a million bucks we're guessing this new handset ain't gonna be cheap. Feel free to sneak a peek at the thing in the Vertu store in Las Vegas's Wynn Hotel when you hit the town for CES. As an aside, when researching this post we came across an erotic French novel titled Dragon de Vertu which is on sale for about $30. Even if you don't read French, we still think it'd be a better use of your hard earned cash -- and if you do read French, please underline the good parts before you pass it on to us.

Read: Vertu to display its luxury handset 'Vertu Signature Dragon'
Read: Dragon de Vertu by Francis Tigrone

Filed under: Cellphones
Vertu Signature Dragon handset puts the 'ugh' in 'luxury' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for enemy

Your enemy. Who do you hate more than them? No one. So who better to direct your holiday rage towards than that pitiful excuse for a human. Sure, it's a gift, but with the selections we've picked out, the target of your scorn will wish they'd gotten something as useful as a stocking full of coal. This is the moment to unleash that torrent of backed up anger from a season of crowded malls, annoying caroling, and an ever-shrinking bank statement. Let Engadget guide you through the valleys of dislike, and bore you up onto the mountain peaks of loathing and execration. And when you're done with this hate-bath, don't forget to check into our other, less nasty guides right here!
Continue reading Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for enemy
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for enemy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Taiwan's proposed DRAM industry bailout puts the word "global" in economic downturn
It looks like a $6.5 billion dollar bailout of Taiwan's DRAM industry is in the works, a move that is proving as controversial on the island as the auto bailout is Stateside. The DRAM market has been in decline a while now, as evidenced by the recent closure of the Hynix plant in Eugene, where some 1,100 souls once worked doggedly to topple the likes of Intel and AMD. Now, we don't really know all the particulars of this admittedly complex situation, but we sure hope that lawmakers over there are able to work something out -- after the recent debut of Phantom of the Opera peformed by robots at Taiwan's University of Science and Technology, we're sure that people there could use something to lift their spirits.

[Via TG Daily]
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
Taiwan's proposed DRAM industry bailout puts the word "global" in economic downturn originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Xbox 360 portablized, ruggedized and Ben Heckified into Pelican case

It seems that our man Benjamin Heckendorn has elevated the laptop Xbox mod into something of an art form. Remember the boxy white model that looked like a way outclassed Toshiba Portege (ca. 1995)? Or how about the sci-fi stylings of the Xbox 360 Elite laptop? If you're looking for something a little more rugged, the newest addition to the menagerie sees the console mounted in a Pelican case. The rest is the usual Ben Heck artistry: 17-inch widescreen LCD, speakers, top loading DVD-ROM, removable hard drive, USB and ethernet ports -- all set in brushed aluminum. And the best part? This isn't a consignment job, so if you're going to be working on an Alaskan pipeline or find yourself shipping out with the military, you might want to consider making an offer. Video after the break.

[Thanks, Stagueve]

Continue reading Xbox 360 portablized, ruggedized and Ben Heckified into Pelican case
Filed under: Gaming
Xbox 360 portablized, ruggedized and Ben Heckified into Pelican case originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iStation T3: an unremarkable PMP for stylish, powerful people

iStation, the Korean firm mostly known 'round here for handheld media devices and PCs with the number '43' in their names, is back on the scene with the imaginatively named T3, a 4.3-inch PMP sporting a 480 x 272 resolution, up to 32GB storage and an SDHC expansion slot. Also featured on this Windows CE 5 device is an FM tuner, voice recorder, dictionary, and an optional TV out. Are you excited? Not yet? What if we told you that this guy also features "style" and "power?" But don't take our word for it -- we have a stylish, powerful video for you after the break.

[Via Akihabara News]

Continue reading iStation T3: an unremarkable PMP for stylish, powerful people
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
iStation T3: an unremarkable PMP for stylish, powerful people originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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FSC Amilo Sa 3650 laptop and GraphicBooster tested, deemed flawed but synergistic
Having already seen it run Crysis, we've been itching to know if Fujitsu Siemens' AMILO Sa 3650 laptop and GraphicBooster had any other tricks up their sleeves. The Notebookcheck crew ran the dynamic duo through some tests and found it to be an impressive pairing, although the laptop itself takes a few jabs for shoddy case design, stiff touchpad keys and an underperforming AMD processor. By its lonesome, the integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 GPU is better than the usual Intel GMA fare, but the GraphicBooster and an external monitor puts this machine nearly on par with a decent desktop rig. Without that external monitor, however, the GraphicBooster only provides marginal improvements to the laptop's performance, due to limitations in the bandwidth connecting the add-on to the port. The second display is connected directly to the booster via DVI-I or HDMI. An asking price of 1300 Euros (US $1,810) seems a bit steep to us, but they say it's worth the premium, calling it an "unprecedented fusion of performance and mobility." Hit up the read link for a full analysis.

[Thanks, Jamil]
Filed under: Gaming, Laptops
FSC Amilo Sa 3650 laptop and GraphicBooster tested, deemed flawed but synergistic originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ultraportable ultrasound machine paves the way for wacky ultrasound pranks
It might look more like a Radio Shack project kit than a serious piece of medical equipment, but George K. Lewis -- a third year biomedical engineering PhD student -- has developed a pocket-sized ultrasound device that can be manufactured for about $100. Typically, a biomedical ultrasound unit can weigh 30 pounds and cost upwards of $20,000. The developer has high hopes for the device -- not only will an ultraportable ultrasound bring the technology to places where it might have been impractical before (such as combat units in the field and remote populations), hopefully the inexpensive contraption will spur innovative new uses for the device. So, what's stranger -- scoping your unborn child with a homebrew ultrasound, or using an incubator that once lived as a Toyota 4Runner? That's a tough call...

[Via Inventor Spot]
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Ultraportable ultrasound machine paves the way for wacky ultrasound pranks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dell's AC Adapter for "Adamo Thirteen" is 45 Watts of bland

You know what's sexy? Ultraportables. You know what usually isn't? Their power adapters. Dell's keeping things way on the conservative side here with this "Adamo Thirteen" 45W AC Adapter -- in fact, we'd say this is the exact same adapter we've gotten with every Dell laptop in the past few years or so, other than the miniscule wattage. The part popped up on Dell's site just recently, and while Dell seems to have pulled to Adamo reference, Google cache still remembers the good times. What is perhaps interesting here is the seeming confirmation of the product name that the laptop will have a 13-inch screen. Not hugely surprising given the competitive landscape here, but we're content to nibble on Adamo info for the time being.

[Thanks, Ryan]
Filed under: Laptops
Dell's AC Adapter for "Adamo Thirteen" is 45 Watts of bland originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HKC's Pearl rips a RIM name, an HTC design, and a pair of OSes

Goodness, we can already tell that China is going to be a frigging goldmine of weird and wild Android hardware for a long, long time to come. First we had the QiGi i6, which boasted compatibility both with Android and WinMo -- and it's looking like this might be a surprisingly common feature for some of these Chinese devices now that we have another doing the same thing. The HKC Pearl looks suspiciously like a first-gen HTC Touch -- and nothing like its namesake, may we add -- working with a 2.8-inch QVGA display, 256MB of ROM, 128MB of RAM, WiFi, and a 2-megapixel cam to back up its Google- and Microsoft-provided loads. As with the QiGi, the odds of seeing this one outside Asia are slim at best, but hey, at least our colleagues at Engadget Chinese have scored a hands-on to satisfy our collective curiosities.

Read - HKC Pearl announcement
Read - Android mode hands-on
Read - WinMo mode hands-on
Filed under: Cellphones, Household
HKC's Pearl rips a RIM name, an HTC design, and a pair of OSes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nintendo sold 1.7 million Wiis last week?
According to some not-quite-official but probably-relatively-accurate numbers from VG Chartz, Nintendo moved 1.7 million Wii units last week. That's a staggering number in its own right, and compared to the now-cheaper Xbox 360 (535,806) and the "hey guys, I'm still here, and I play Blu-ray discs" PlayStation 3 (239,576) it's a pretty commanding lead for Nintendo. The fact that most people in most areas can finally track down a Wii at a retail store for a non-inflated price probably isn't hurting things -- not to mention that really cool bowling game they've heard so much about. We're curious what console you might've picked up for a friend, loved one, family member, or that good looking person in the mirror this holiday season, so hit up the poll below. Then, after you've taken a particularly long sip of egg nog, hit up the video after the break and weep for humanity.

View Poll

Read - 1.7 million Wii units sold
Read - Wii resales no longer fetching above retail price
Read - 50 kids happy to get a Wii for Christmas
Continue reading Nintendo sold 1.7 million Wiis last week?
Filed under: Gaming
Nintendo sold 1.7 million Wiis last week? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Laptops outship desktops for the first time worldwide
Laptops have been out-shipping desktops in the US for years upon years (upon years), but it wasn't until now that such a scenario was true worldwide. According to iSuppli, global notebook computer shipments exceeded those of desktops for the first time ever in Q3 of this year, a "watershed event" according to it. More specifically, notebook PC shipments surged around 40% to 38.6 million units, while desktop shipments slipped 1.3% to 38.5 million. We'd say this is a marvelous day and a sign of what's to come, but haven't we all known that desktops were being reserved for hardcore gaming, computational science and games of chess for years now?
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
Laptops outship desktops for the first time worldwide originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details

Among the small clutch of green autos on view at the Detroit auto show early next year, Toyota will be debuting an as-yet-unnamed all electric car concept. This is meant to demonstrate the company's commitment to electric, a move which only makes sense, seeing as the whole "peak oil" thing is pretty much destined to make the gas guzzler obsolete. Still, the car arrives without much fanfare or details -- all we really know is that it's all electric and that it's smaller than a Prius. This comes after the Japanese automaker's push into electric fuel cell development and their stated intention to have an EV on the market alongside the next gen Prius hybrid in 2010. Of course, we all thought we'd have flying cars by 2010, but the industry's inability to produce a robust all-electric motor has certainly put the kibosh on that once great dream.

Update: When we initially posted this item, we ran it with a pic of Toyota's iQ (a perfectly reasonable move in lieu of the fact that Toyota has yet to release a picture of the car). After Engadget Spanish turned us on to a more suitable image, we moved the iQ car after the break.

[Via Wired]
Continue reading Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details
Filed under: Transportation
Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony VAIO Japanese teaser suggests something long, thin, and "coming soon"

Sony is continuing its drip drip of teasers on a new entry to its VAIO line with a Japanese placeholder sure to pique just the slightest bit of curiosity. When you venture over to the company's co.jp landing page, you're greeting with a quick Flash animation of a woman pulling a long, thin rectangle out of her clutch... which ends up being an envelope reading "VAIO New Mobile, Coming Soon." Your guess is as good as ours -- as long as you're guessing it's this thing.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Laptops
Sony VAIO Japanese teaser suggests something long, thin, and "coming soon" originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Focal's latest waterproof speaker cases play nice with newest iPod nanos

Focal's latest wares look a lot like similar units that we've seen from Atlantic, but we guess there are only so many ways you can design a waterproof iPod sound system. The battery-powered AquaTune nano 4G (shown after the jump) plays nice with Apple's freshest iPod nano and packs a pair of 1-watt speakers that can withstand all but the deepest puddles. The AquaTune v2 is compatible with a wider range of iPods, and the 3-watt x 2 power rating is sure to stir up a few waves whilst submerged. Both are ready to be placed under Japanese trees for ¥10,800 ($119) / ¥15,800 ($174), respectively.

[Via Impress]
Continue reading Focal's latest waterproof speaker cases play nice with newest iPod nanos
Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio
Focal's latest waterproof speaker cases play nice with newest iPod nanos originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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CP Dock, because your phone is way too cool to rest on a table or floor

While we sit here contemplating how we somehow didn't think of the CP Dock first, we might as well praise the innovative minds that managed to devise a "gadget" that accommodates a phone charger, serves as a cord wrap, and acts as a phone stand all at the same time. Of course, you could save the $12.95 and just resort to the antiquated method of placing your beloved phone on -- you know -- a surface, but feel free to carry out the conspicuous consumption if you're so inclined.
Filed under: Peripherals
CP Dock, because your phone is way too cool to rest on a table or floor originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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First partially-solar-powered cargo ship launches in Japan
We'd heard that Nippon Oil and Nippon Yusen were working on a million-dollar solar upgrade for a car freighter called the Auriga Leader back in August, and it looks like things have gone as planned -- the cargo ship launched today from Kobe, Japan. The $1.68m project involved the installation of 328 solar panels, which produce 40 kilowatts of power -- a measly 0.3 percent of the engine power required to move the 656-foot, 60,000-ton ship when fully loaded with 6,400 cars, but enough for seven percent of the juice required for lighting and other systems. That's a slow start, but we'll take what we can get, we suppose -- now let's bolt on some of those new record-high efficiency panels and see what happens.

[Thanks, Yossi]
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
First partially-solar-powered cargo ship launches in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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E-book barred from App Store due to obscene content

Gee, willickers. More App Store madness. In case you needed even more evidence that the whole approval process in Cupertino was in complete disarray, David Carnoy's "contemporary medical thriller" has been rejected from Apple's App Store twice now. The first time it was returned to sender due to a few bugs in the coding; the second time, it was rejected due to the inclusion of "obscene content." Despite all of this, certain apps like iFart and Pull My Finger are allowed to remain, though it stands to reason that those programs are just as "obscene" as a few dirty words and sexual innuendos. Alexandru Brie, a developer and one of the first publishers of e-books to the App Store, feels that "each of Apple's reviewers can interpret the obscene, pornographic or defamatory content clause in a different way." Clearly, he's right.
Filed under: Cellphones
E-book barred from App Store due to obscene content originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity, giant ASIMO to lead Rose Parade

For the first time ever (yes, ever!), this year's Rose Parade in Pasadena, California will be headed up by a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Honda's fuel cell-equipped FCX Clarity will lead the 120th parade, and the pace car will be followed by the Super Cub motorcycle -- the first model sold in the United States. As fancy as these two are, it's the ASIMO that'll undoubtedly steal the show, and yes, we're talking about the 49-foot iteration we spotted a few days back. Catch Honda's trio riding high on January 1 at 8:00AM PST; after that, it's time to place your bets between USC and Penn State.
Filed under: Robots, Transportation
Hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity, giant ASIMO to lead Rose Parade originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Genius bringing WiFi boombox, night vision IP camera concepts to CES 2009

You may be inclined to just associate Genius with corporate-level mice, ho hum speakers and the occasional pen tablet, but the outfit is looking to expand its horizons at CES next month. It'll be bringing along a pair of concepts that are evidently leaning towards release in the mysterious future, the first of which is a 2.4 GHz Wireless Stereo Speaker System. The three-piece package presumably contains two satellites and a subwoofer, with the knobs and ports maintaining a low profile. The wireless range reaches up to 100-feet and the inbuilt 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack ensures that practically any source will work. Moving on, we've got the IP Cam 350TR, which is constructed with "the most advanced night vision technology to secure any home or office efficiently." The integrated light sensor automatically fires up six infrared LEDs when in a dark / dim environment, and there's also a microphone tucked away to capture live audio. Pricing for both is listed as TBA, which isn't shocking given the "concept" status; full release is after the jump.
Continue reading Genius bringing WiFi boombox, night vision IP camera concepts to CES 2009
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Home Entertainment
Genius bringing WiFi boombox, night vision IP camera concepts to CES 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Snapture Flash adds crappy flash to crappy iPhone camera

The iPhone's camera may be thoroughly eclipsed by several of its competitors, but the insane popularity of Apple's baby means that we've seen tons of accessories aimed at making that 2.1 megapixel sensor somewhat more useful -- like the Snapture Flash here, which tucks a xenon flash with red-eye reduction into a sleeve-type case. Although it's powered by the phone, it's apparently quite low-power -- SnaptureLabs estimates that you'll take 1000 shots before going dry -- and there's some sort of "speaker amplification" built in as well, just in case you're super into enhancing mediocre parts of the iPhone experience. Bad news? You'll have to jailbreak your phone to get the Snapture app working -- hopefully that'll be remedied by the time this thing ships. Check out some sample shots at the read link.

[Via Engadget Spanish]
Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras
Snapture Flash adds crappy flash to crappy iPhone camera originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nine-year old girl is youngest person to become Microsoft Certified Professional
A nine year-old girl in India named M. Lavinashree has passed the Microsoft Certified Professional Exam, becoming the youngest person to ever pull it off (smashing the record previously held by a 10 year-old Pakistani girl). The youngster has a long history of making records in her short life -- including reciting all 1,300 couplets of a 2,000 year-old Tamil epic at the age of three -- and now she's now cramming for the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer Exam. We'll be honest, this really takes the zing out of our biggest accomplishment at the age of nine: figuring out where in the world Carmen Sandiego was. Hit the read link for a video.

[Thanks, Penny]
Continue reading Nine-year old girl is youngest person to become Microsoft Certified Professional
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Nine-year old girl is youngest person to become Microsoft Certified Professional originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pogo Sketch stylus turns your touchpad into a tablet

We never really knew anyone intrigued by Pogo's iPhone stylus, but the company's newest writin' stick puts that capacitive touch-compatible tech to a way more interesting use -- turning touchpads into large digitizer tablets. That'd be particularly useful for new MacBook owners who're rocking those gigantor buttonless trackpads, but we'll have to see this $15 accessory in action before we say Wacom's got anything to worry about.
Filed under: Peripherals
Pogo Sketch stylus turns your touchpad into a tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dell confirms shocking truth: Adamo to rival MacBook Air

In a confusing timeline of events that only Charlton Heston could love, Dell confirmed today that it already has touted its soon-to-be-unveiled "Adamo" as a rival to the MacBook Air in a blogvertisement that posed itself as a rumor that Adamo would do just that:
"Rumor has it that Dell is coming out with a computer called Adamo that will rival the MacBook Air. At press time, the company was keeping the product tightly under wraps, but PC users rejoice - word on the street is that something cool is coming your way."
The adblog appeared on a "luxury internet magazine," and was noticed by The New York Times Bits Blog, who bounced the copy off Dell, which confirmed it as an ad: "We did this to wake up the personal computing category and create some buzz." This further confirms (or perhaps pre-confirms) what we've heard about Adamo, but we're looking forward to the actual unveiling of this laptop and forming our own real, factual opinions on the thing.
Filed under: Laptops
Dell confirms shocking truth: Adamo to rival MacBook Air originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PS3 teardown: 30% fewer parts, $300 cheaper
When the gang at iSuppli first tore open a PlayStation 3 back in November 2006, they pegged the cost to build the $500 model was $805 in materials. Now they're back and looking inside the $400 version, which they estimate is $448.73 in parts -- still a loss leader for the company, but only by about one Ulysses S. Grant this time. The number of components has also dropped from 4,048 to just 2,820, and both the Cell processor and NVIDIA GPU have slimmed down from 90nm to 65nm. They suspect Sony might be able to lower costs and turn a profit sometime in 2009, but while you may be rooting for this generation's underdog, don't get your hopes up for a price drop any time soon.
Filed under: Gaming
PS3 teardown: 30% fewer parts, $300 cheaper originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Scientists research sex chip to stimulate pleasure in the brain
Would you implant a chip into your head to augment your sex drive? That's exactly what scientists are currently looking into: a device that sends tiny shocks to the part of your brain that is said to control the feelings of pleasure you get from both sex and eating. The neural stimulation is said to provoke physical stimulation, and according to Oxford Neurosurgery professor Tipu Aziz, such a device was successfully tried a few years ago, but removed when the subject complained about her constantly supercharged sex drive. He predicts future versions of the technology will let you turn the chip on and off when needed. Sure, sure -- but can you overclock it?

[Via Tech Digest, Switched]
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Scientists research sex chip to stimulate pleasure in the brain originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iZ3D bringing 26-inch prototype 3D LCD to CES 2009

In case you haven't noticed, iZ3D is riding the suddenly swelled wave of 3D enthusiasm all the way to the bank (and Vegas). Even though its existing 22-inch 3D LCD has been around since mid-2007, the firm has recently hacked down the price and pushed it into retail outlets in order to drum up interest. At CES, it's bringing even more firepower in the form of a 26-inch prototype (pictured) that should do everything the current 22-incher does, just 4-inches better. Additionally, it'll have on display the Immersion Series, which places a trio of the iZ3D monitors together in order to better simulate flights and races. In case that's not enough, we're also told to expect a 22-inch widescreen 3D LCD that's console-friendly, meaning that the only thing standing between you and 3D Xbox 360 enjoyment is a wonky set of glasses and compatible software. We'll see how it all looks in around a fortnight.
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment
iZ3D bringing 26-inch prototype 3D LCD to CES 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Researchers achieve new efficiency record of blue OLEDs
Ever since Sony's XEL-1 hit the market, pundits have pointed to the (comparatively) short-lived blue OLED material as its biggest hamstring. Researchers have been toiling around the clock in order to bring the blue lifepsan in line with its green and red siblings, and now it seems like a team of Gators are that much closer to the promise land. Reportedly, a gaggle of whiz-kids from the University of Florida have "achieved a new record in efficiency of blue organic light-emitting diodes, and because blue is essential to white light, the advance helps overcome a hurdle to lighting that is much more efficient than compact fluorescents." Franky So (pictured) and his diligent crew were able to reach a peak blue OLED efficiency of 50 lumens per watt, which is halfway to his goal of at least 100 lumens per watt. Hurry it up, folks -- CES is just around the corner.

[Via Physorg]
Filed under: Displays, HDTV
Researchers achieve new efficiency record of blue OLEDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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boxee alpha opens up on Mac, Ubuntu January 8; Windows invites to follow
Six months and 150,000 signups later, boxee is preparing to move from alpha to beta status, ready to drop any unsent invites on all interested parties by the 25th ahead of the open alpha period starting January 8, 2009. While OS X / Apple TV / Ubuntu have been the required attire so far, Windows users won't be out in the cold much longer, as CEO Avner Ronen revealed in comments on the boxee blog that the Windows alpha program will start "early 2009" with thousands of invites sent out every week. That enough to pique your interest in this media streaming set-top box software?

[Via A VC]
Filed under: Home Entertainment
boxee alpha opens up on Mac, Ubuntu January 8; Windows invites to follow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Verismo officially launches $99 VuNow PoD with YouTube support

Just in time to snag some of that cash you're sure to have showing up right about now via greeting cards from around the world, Verismo Networks is officially launching its diminutive VuNow PoD. We've seen the device evolve quite a bit since June, but with a smorgasbord of competitors already grabbing market share left and right, we're left to wonder if this one won't be sitting on the outside looking in. The internet TV streamer hooks directly to one's TV and internet connection in order to deliver web content (YouTube, of note) to the tele. While specifics are conveniently omitted, we're told that users will have access to "a broad choice of online video content -- from movies, global Live TV channels, to user-generated content and viral videos." It's available now for $99, but can you stand yet another set-top-box beneath your flat-panel?
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Verismo officially launches $99 VuNow PoD with YouTube support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for colleague

The colleague: one of the more difficult people in your life to buy a present for come holiday season. You might not know them as well as your family, but you likely spend an inordinate amount of time with them. Luckily that means you're more familiar with their work habits than most, so you're in a unique position to nab them a gift that not only expresses how you feel about your friendship, but is also something they can actually use. And that -- of course -- is where we come in. The Engadget Holiday Gift Guide is here to quell your fears of office discomfort, and lead you to the promised land of co-worker gift satisfaction. Read on for the full rundown, and don't forget to check out our other guides right here!
Continue reading Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for colleague
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for colleague originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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XRoad G-Map app brings bona fide navigation to the iPhone

At long last, iPhone users who have grown increasingly frustrated by using Google Maps as their primary navigational tool can find relief... sort of. Available right now in the App Store, XRoad's G-Map application requires no internet connection whatsoever in order to function; rather, it packs oodles of maps into a 932MB package that covers most of western America and a few sporadic locales on the east. We're a bit baffled (and angered) by the not-at-all-comprehensive coverage, but we suppose we can expect updates to patch the gaps in the near future. It provides most of the same amenities you're used to seeing on real-deal GPS units, including POI editing, memo capabilities, location searching, etc. A word of caution, though: early reviews don't seem too stoked about it, so you may want to gloss it over good before hitting your card for $19.99.

[Thanks, Karel]
Gallery: XRoad G-Map app brings bona fide navigation to the iPhone
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS
XRoad G-Map app brings bona fide navigation to the iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dell's XPS 730x H2C Core i7 gaming PC benchmarked and tested exhaustively

If you thought the original XPS 730 H2C was boss, get a load of this. The incredibly diligent benchmarkers over at HotHardware have taken the Core i7-powered XPS 730x H2C under their wings for a fortnight of testing, and they've got a baker's dozen worth of review pages to display their findings. We can't even begin to cover the array of graphs, bar charts and triple-digit FPS numbers here, but we can tell you that critics were duly impressed with how well the Core i7 performance compared to older Core 2-based offerings. Gaming performance was predictably "fantastic," and even the single GeForce GTX 280 that it was packin' held its own under pressure. All in all, this fanciful machine was deemed "a worthy update to what [reviewers] thought was the best XPS 700 series system to date," and if you've got the coin, you'll probably be incredibly pleased with what it delivers. Dive deep (and we mean deep) in the read link below.
Filed under: Desktops
Dell's XPS 730x H2C Core i7 gaming PC benchmarked and tested exhaustively originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Star of new movie is the cellphone equivalent of a psychotic K.I.T.T.

No, we're not talking about Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition or iPhone firmware 2.0, we're talking moderately more diabolical stuff here: explosions, international intrigue, fancy casinos where everyone wears suits and plays baccarat, the whole nine yards. Echelon Conspiracy is a movie about... well, who cares, really? Point is, there's an all-knowing phone that tells you what to do and brings you both great fortune and great tragedy, making for a modern King Midas tale that has Critic's Choice Award nomination written all over it. The flick probably would've made more sense back when phones actually looked evil, but yeah, sure, we'll add it to our Netflix queue in a few years -- somewhere between Death Race and The Transporter 3. Catch the spellbinding trailer after the break.

[Thanks, A. Razaq]
Continue reading Star of new movie is the cellphone equivalent of a psychotic K.I.T.T.
Filed under: Cellphones
Star of new movie is the cellphone equivalent of a psychotic K.I.T.T. originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iGo unveils green power supplies, drives stake through vampire power
The cats at iGo are making their first-ever CES appearance next month, and they're bringing a suitcase of new gadgets with them, including three devices -- a laptop charger, a surge protector, and a wall outlet -- they say will reduce the power used when attached devices are in standby or off mode with automatic shut-off and recovery. Additionally, iGo will introduce a not-as-green netbook charger that, like its wallMAX predecessor, lets you simultaneously charge your phone, PMP, camera or other device. Rounding out the showcase are various assorted accessories like a card reader, laptop cleaning kit, and international travel adapter. We know you're simply dying to check out that triumvirate of awesome.
Filed under: Household
iGo unveils green power supplies, drives stake through vampire power originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wii blamed for ridiculous increase in British hospital visits

Nintendo's Wii has been maiming careless gamers since the day it was launched, but an inexplicable uptick in Britain has professionals scratching their heads. According to Dr. Dev Mukerjee of Broomfield Hospital: "There has been a 100 percent increase in patients complaining of Wii-itis." Turns out, Wii-itis is their word for playing so much Wii that you injure yourself. Astonishingly, up to ten people per week are being "hospitalized with injuries caused by playing Nintendo Wii games," which has forced medical personnel to "issue warnings of the dangers associated with the video game system." Some of the most common injuries are Wii-knee (seriously) and tendon stretching / tearing, both of which could likely be avoided if gamers would bother to stretch before breaking a sweat. Sheesh -- what do folks even learn in Physical Education these days?
Filed under: Gaming
Wii blamed for ridiculous increase in British hospital visits originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

We always loved us that Voodoo-designed HP Blackbird 002, but it was certainly a behemoth. Now it looks like the duo are going for a more realistic size -- and hopefully pricepoint -- with the all-new HP Firebird PC 803 that just fell in our lap, a gaming tower which flips the disc drive and most other components on their sides to save on space. The resulting kit seems to have more in common with gaming consoles than desktop PCs in terms of design, with very little configurability or expansion available, but the leaked specs are still quite palatable to the modern PC gamer:
- NVIDIA nForce 760i SLI chipset
- Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz processor
- 4GB of RAM
- Dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S cards
- Two 320GB SATA drives
- Blu-ray
- 5-in-1 card reader
- 6 USB, 1 FireWire, 2 eSATA, 1 S/PDIF and 1 DVI dual-link
- Bluetooth
- 802.11n WiFi
To save on space (and heat), the Firebird actually uses an external power supply, but we suppose the included wireless keyboard and mouse should help to make up for that clutter. As you've probably gleaned from the specs, those small form factor 9800S cards aren't going to be putting away the frame rates quite like the cutting edge cards from NVIDIA and AMD, and the seeming lack of expandability makes the (theoretical) up-front cost savings seem a bit less exciting, but for a certain type of gamer the Firebird could be a welcome respite from monstrous, unrealistic and just-as-quickly-outmoded performance towers.

P.S.: Rahul's dubious rant about the boutique gaming industry -- which Voodoo still serves -- makes a lot more sense in this light. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Gallery: HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming
HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Video: HP Compaq Mini 700 unboxed

After it went on sale in Europe yesterday, we figured that it could only be a matter of minutes before someone got their hands on one of HP's Compaq Mini 700s. Netbook News has gotten the job done and they've kindly filmed the proceedings. In case you've forgotten, the £399 ($594) netbook is the same as the Mini 1000 sold Stateside, boasting 1.6GHz Atom CPU and a 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 panel. Take a peek at the exciting video after the break and hit the read links for further impressions and photos.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Read - Compac Mini 700 video unboxing
Read - Compaq Mini 700 review

Continue reading Video: HP Compaq Mini 700 unboxed
Filed under: Laptops
Video: HP Compaq Mini 700 unboxed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Viliv's Atom-powered S5 MID gets detailed and pictured

Viliv got us salivating when it introduced the S5 MID and S7 UMPC back at IDF, and now we've got a few tasty updates on both. Starting with the former, we've learned via an interview with parent company Yukyung that the S5 MID will come packing a 1.33GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 1.8-inch hard drive (1.3-inch when paired with a WiBro module in South Korea), a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 resolution touchscreen, integrated GPS / DMB and a primary battery good for up to six hours of use. The OS will be a home cooked system that's fairly attractive, though the outfit has made clear that WinXP versions will be available in the future. Speaking of the future, the currently unpriced S5 is expected to ship in South Korea this coming January or February, while the S7 is still on track for release sometime after that.

[Via Slashgear]
Filed under: Handhelds
Viliv's Atom-powered S5 MID gets detailed and pictured originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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