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Friday, April 17, 2009

Cowon releases 32GB S9 PMP in Korea

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 12:14PM


Cowon's done a commendable job in making the S9 a force to be reckoned with in the PMP arena, but the 16GB maximum has likely caused quite a few music aficionados to look elsewhere. At long last, the company is releasing a 32GB flavor over in South Korea, though it'll cost you a stiff ₩379,000 ($287) for the privilege of ownership. There's no word on a US release, but we'd wager that it'll be here within a month or two. Right, Cowon?

[Via PMPToday]

Gaze tracking system keeps an eye on CCTV operators as they keep an eye on you

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 11:53AM


In his analysis of control systems, William S. Burroughs once noted that as they become larger, so do the opportunities for evasion increase. Sure, you can have CCTV cameras at (nearly) every intersection in your sleepy village, but someone has to watch all those things. What do you do when the sheer number of displays becomes too much for our poor Big Brother? Researchers at the Gebze Institute of Technology in Turkey have developed a gaze tracking system that trains cameras on the irises of the CCTV operator -- noting which video sequences he or she views on the shift, and producing a summary of video sequences they've overlooked. If that weren't enough, the system uses an algorithm that discards frames with no people or moving vehicles in them, leaving only a few key frames for each scene of interest. According to New Scientist, this all runs on a standard PC and processes and catalogs images in real time. Now, if only there were a system that let us watch Two And A Half Men and Becker at the same time -- that would be sweet.

Nikon's D5000 DSLR gets hands-on treatment

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 11:32AM


Now that you've seen press shots, early previews, sample images and enough text surrounding the D5000 to make your eyes ache, why not feast those weary retinas on something a bit less stressful? PhotographyBLOG has a beautiful hands-on gallery up of Nikon's newest mid-range DSLR from the company's UK press event, and all the fun is tucked away in the read link below. Give it a visit, won't you?

Engadget turns 5!

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 11:00AM

A wise man once said: "Life moves pretty fast -- if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

At Engadget, that's more than true. We're usually so busy with our heads down -- fingers furiously tapping away on keyboards, news flying in at a breakneck pace -- that we barely have time to take measure of it all. We've been so busy, in fact, that we somehow managed to miss our own 5th birthday... by over a month! If you want to date check that, you can read our very first post right here.

Luckily, we happen to have the most amazing group of readers in the world, and one of them, rock99rock, shook us out of our news-trance and reminded us that we should probably spare a little time for reflection.

So, we don't want to make a huge deal of it, but we do want to thank everyone who visits the site everyday and keeps making it what it is. We'd be nothing without the eyes and minds of the obsessive, brilliant, and frankly handsome fans that are as voracious about reading tech news as we are about writing it. You're the soul of Engadget, and we thank you from the bottom of our cold, robotic hearts.

-Team Engadget

Bonus round: Stay tuned for a contest in celebration of the big event coming later today -- and have some cake for us!

Dell to launch smartphones in China by end of year

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 10:28AM


After having its prototypes rejected a few times over by carriers here in America, it seems that Michael Dell is taking his smartphone initiative overseas. 'Course, he'll need something mighty special to outshine Lenovo's OPhone over in China, but we digress. Hot on the heels of rumors galore, Reuters is reporting that Dell is indeed aiming to launch multiple smartphones in the Chinese market before the dawn of 2010. A pair of analysts have asserted that the firm is working with Chi Mei Communications -- an unlisted unit of Taiwan's Hon Hai -- on the hardware front, while China-based Red Office is engineering the operating system. Not surprisingly, spokespeople from these outfits are all remaining mum for the moment, but we are told that the US and Europe are on Dell's list of next-up launch markets assuming the China rollout goes well.

[Via MobileBurn]

Mobile data card growth slows dramatically in Q4 2008

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 10:02AM


Who woulda thunk it? A global recession leads to belt tightening, and belt tightening leads to fewer mobile data card sales. According to a new report from ComScore, that's exactly what happened at the tail end of last year, where WWAN card growth slowed to just 5 percent compared to 28 percent in Q4 2007. Still, carriers can't grumble too loudly -- after all, at least it grew. In fact, PC data card adoption rose 63 percent overall in 2008, and if any of these 4G services can see rollouts of significance, we suspect 2009 will show equally positive numbers. The reality is that mobile data is still priced far too high for the average Joe or Jane to stomach; most mobile broadband plans run upwards of $50 per month and require a two-year contract to get a free or cheap card, and unless one is planning to be on the road an awful lot, buying in just doesn't make sense when times are tough. In other words, cut us a break on these mobile data rates, operators -- it's what Uncle Sam would want.

[Via mocoNews]

Thanko's own necktie doubles as spy camera, naturally

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 9:36AM


A necktie from Thanko -- you could tell this thing was only fit for a double agent already, couldn't you? Freshly introduced and ready to draw attention to your poor taste, this here spy tie includes a built-in video recorder along with a minuscule handheld remote used to turn it on and off. The video camera itself is installed on a USB-equipped slab of flash memory (4GB, or about four hours of low resolution footage), making those tie-to-PC transfers extra snappy. And at ¥12,800 ($128), it comes off as a bona fide steal compared to less useful alternatives in Bloomingdale's. Our only lingering question? What's a brother got to do to get a clip on version?

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Nikon D5000 DSLR preview roundup

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 9:11AM


It's pretty remarkable the speed at which new DSLRs are emerging these days, so it's ever more important that you really know what's what when selecting your first (or next) shooter. Sites around the web have already begun to scrutinize the newest cam from Nikon, the mid-range D5000. DPReview has an outstanding chart that breaks down the features, similarities and differences between this one, the D90 and the D60. It seems the biggest differentiators between the D5000 and the pricier D90 is the complete lack of an in-body focus motor and the pentamirror viewfinder (versus pentaprism on the D90). Oh, and while that 2.7-inch articulating display is nice, it can't hold a candle to the D90 in terms of resolution. For folks hoping and praying for autofocus in movies, keep on kissing the ground; early reports suggest that the 720p footage looks eerily similar to that put out by the D90 -- no shock there. Needless to say, there are far too many nuances to cover here, so dig in below if the D5000 hopped on your short list earlier this morning.

Read - Imaging Resource preview
Read - LetsGoDigital preview
Read - DPReview preview
Read - DPReview sample images

Nintendo's $19.99 MotionPlus Wiimote add-on ships to US on June 8th

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 8:43AMBreaking News


Alright, so maybe the rumors weren't that far off, but the Big N just did us a solid by establishing US availability of its MotionPlus Wiimote accessory a few weeks ahead of when we were expecting. Granted, it's downright baffling that these things still aren't out on the market, but we're fully anticipating perfection from something that has been in the Crock-Pot® for so long. Shortly after E3 2009 concludes (June 8th, to be precise), Nintendo will ship its MotionPlus add-on stateside. The device itself will run you $19.99, though you could wait until July 26th to pick up the totally attractive Wii Sports Resort for $49.99, which naturally comes bundled with one of the accessories.

iriver, Speedo suit up for new Aquabeat underwater MP3 player

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 8:24AM


Another Spring, another opportunity for iriver Japan and Speedo to sell a few MP3 players designed for underwater use. Yes friends, the Aquabeat you've grown to know, love and disassociate with overly tight swim trunks has a successor, the Speedo LZR Racer. Design wise, you won't notice a lot of differentiation from the first, but this waterproof-to-three-meters device has twice the internal memory (2GB) and a built-in rechargeable battery good for around eight hours of continuous playback. It's said to be shipping now in Japan for ¥12,800 ($128), though we hear it won't be coming to America without first nailing down a Michael Phelps endorsement. Not that said task will be too tough or anything.

[Via Impress]

Gallery: iriver, Speedo suit up for new Aquabeat underwater MP3 player

Xbox 360's class-leading warranty extended again to cover E74 errors

by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 7:59AM

Xbox 360's class-leading warranty extended again to cover E74 errorsWhile long warranties are a strong selling point in the automotive world -- a sign of confidence from the manufacturer -- in gadget land bonus repair coverage usually comes along with some chronic problem. Most notable was the Xbox 360's iconic RRoD, and now a new failure is continuing that console's reliability black eye: the E74 message. It's said to be caused by a bogus AV connector or graphics chip, and while the message doesn't necessarily result in the same ring of crimson that caused Microsoft to extend the warranty the first time around, the company has announced it will cover E74-afflicted consoles for that same three year period, and will refund any money already spent by those fixing this issue. It's another classy move by Microsoft, but another worrying failure in an already disconcertingly fragile box.

[Via Gamezine.co.uk]

When netbook processors compete, everyone wins

by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 7:23AM

When netbook processors compete everyone wins
You know the drill: the Atom is the king of all netbooks, with a domain stretching as far as the eye can see. But, upstarts like the Via Nano and AMD's Athlon Neo are encroaching on Intel's domain, and Crave took the time to pit examples of the three against each other in a series of benchmarks to see which should rule the land. Rather sadly for us, each of the three tests had a different winner, with the Atom N280 excelling in multi-tasking, the Nano U2250 best for iTunes encoding, and the Neo MV-40 quickest under a Jalbum-based benchmark. So you know what that means: everyone gets a prize, nobody has to go home crying, and you should just go ahead and buy whichever netbook you like best already.

Update: It's actually unclear which proc won which test, as the table at the source shows one thing, but the text swaps the Neo and Nano around. But, again, there's not much between these three.

Are these the companies inside the next iPhone?

by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 6:48AM

Are these the companies inside the next iPhone?
With the Pre's launch date looming it's nearly time for Apple to launch its counter-attack, and today we have what appears to be further confirmation of component orders for the so-called iPhone 3.0. DigiTimes is claiming to have a nearly comprehensive rundown of component suppliers for Apple's next-gen hotness, again indicating Samsung will be providing the memory, but also saying that a CSR chip will continue to handle Bluetooth duties, a 3.2 megapixel OmniVision sensor will tackle image-capture duties, and going on to list over a dozen other suppliers you may or may not have heard of -- though sadly failing to identify a CPU maker. All these companies are supposedly ramping up to begin shipments in May for a mid-2009 release, with a target of 5 million units for launch. However, while many of these names line up with rumors we've heard already, with no sources named and none of these suppliers able to comment, you might want to hit up your local source of salt for a grain or two.

Ultimate Ears 700 noise-isolating earphones for your iPod, not Apple's

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 6:28AM


Logitech's high-end Ultimate Ears division just announced these new Ultimate Ears 700 in-ear headphones. Weighing in at 11.6-grams, the dual-armature layout separates the 10Hz to 16.5kHz frequency response into two high-fidelity channels per ear while offering passive noise-isolation of up to 26dB. While the press release touts iPod compatibility in the boisterous headline there doesn't seem to be anything about these -- like Apple's proprietary in-line remote control (and chip) for the new iPod shuffle -- that's unique to the iPod... other than the price. Available in the US and Europe for $230 sometime this month.

Toshiba's leaked product roadmap gets us hot, extra bothered by fuel-cell powered L01 MID

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 5:44AMBreaking News


If the roadmap posted after the break is to be believed (and we think it is) then Toshiba is set to capture a lot of attention with its Snapdragon-based handhelds over the coming year. Techblog.gr has what it claims to be the Toshiba Device Roadmap through 2010. They've shown us a PowerPoint sample off-line that seems to support the claim. Of course, this isn't the first time Tosh has leaked an entire product cycle and the named devices align nicely with some of the prototypes Toshiba was showing-off at CES in January (see gallery below). Toshiba was already off to a good start in 2009 with its incredibly thin 4.1-inch TG01 running atop Qualcomm's snapdragon platform. It just gets better from there. First we've got the TG02 (launching in Q4) update to the TG01 that adds IPX4 water resistance without changing the specs or the dimensions. The TG03 ups the ante again with the inclusion of a 3-channel speaker for a better video experience.

Also in Q4, Tosh looks ready to launch a 15-mm QWERTY slider version of the 9.9-mm TG01 with new capacitive (!) touchscreen called the K01. All other specs look unchanged including WinMo 6.5. Next is the K02 clamshell with primary 3.5-inch WVGA display and QWERTY on the inside coupled with a secondary LCD and 10-key on-screen keypad on the outside. The K02 features a resistive touchscreen, HSPA data, and same QSD8x50 chipset found in the TG01 (and all the other devices on this roadmap). Last, but by no means least, is the 7-inch L01 looking every bit the love-child of a Nokia N800 and HTC Advantage. The very same device that was shown powered by a DMFC (fuel cell) at CES in January. Interesting since Toshiba has promised a consumer device powered by a fuel cell before March of 2010. Unfortunately, it's limited to WinMo 6.5 (with a hint of a Windows Mobile 7 in 2010) and the same WVGA resolution seen on the smaller screens when it launches. Assuming the leak is true, of course.

Gallery: Toshiba's DMFC "internet viewer" prototypes are truly next-gen


Continue reading Toshiba's leaked product roadmap gets us hot, extra bothered by fuel-cell powered L01 MID

Samsung's tiny HMX-R10 Full HD camcorder lands in Korea, US next month

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 4:40AM


Samsung's impressively small HMX-R10 HD camcorder has finally been set free to dance upon Korean retail shelves. The mini cam is just 12.5-cm long and 4-cm wide (4.9 x 1.5-inches) and records 9 megapixel stills or 1,920 x 1,080 pixel video (courtesy of its 1/2.33-inch CMOS sensor) to SDHC memory cards up to 32GB in capacity. The cam also brings a 5x optical, electronically stabilized zoom lens angled at a unique 25-degrees which, according to Samsung, makes for a more natural shooting angle. The 2.7-inch touch-screen LCD features Samsung's Magic Touch UI that automatically focuses on any point that you touch. Sounds sweet but in practice this type of tech is a novelty requiring two handed operation that will just slow you down in the field. It'll also shoot super-slow-motion at 60, 300, or 600 fps at decreasing resolutions most assuredly (Sammy doesn't say). Fortunately, Amazon has this shooter listed at $500 for a May 15th release Stateside and beyond.

Apple reveals top 20 free / paid iPhone apps, iFart Mobile only ranks 16th

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 3:32AM

To think, it's only been three months since we talked about Apple's iTunes store crossing the 500 million download threshold, and now it looks like the gang in Cupertino are gearing up to celebrate their 1 billionth app. To celebrate, the company's released two lists showcasing the top 20 free and paid iPhone apps, respectively. Presuming these are in order (they're certainly not alphabetical), that puts Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D for paid apps and Facebook for free apps. Interestingly, Crash shares with Super Monkey Ball the dubious honor of being the only two apps on the list at $5.99, the highest price here. Eight of the paid apps cost $0.99 apiece, and the rest fall somewhere in between. Check out both lists after the break.

[Via i4u]

Continue reading Apple reveals top 20 free / paid iPhone apps, iFart Mobile only ranks 16th

OQO looking for buyer, Model 2+ future in limbo?

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 2:17AM

Oh no, OQO. According to some chatter on the OQOTALK forums, the company's in dire financial straits and is looking to sell, and that the Model 2+ may be the last OQO device made, if it ever gets released. More worrisome, European retailer eXpansys is reportedly canceling orders for the MID and removing all the company's products from the site, due to what it's telling customers is "uncertainties to stock availability." Ouch. Whatever's going on, right now it's not sounding too good -- guess that Model 2+ Lie to Me cameo wasn't enough to rile up overwhelming support.

Read - jkontherun
Read - OQOTALK forums

Sony's OLED Walkman coming April 25th to Japan, starts at $400 for 16GB

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 1:08AM

Forget about Amazon UK's variable estimations, Sony's gone ahead and given us official Japanese release details for its OLED-equipped NWZ-X1000 series Walkman -- known there without the "Z" but with an one-seg TV tuner. Street date is April 25 and the open price is 40,000 yen (US $400) for the 16GB NWZ-X1050 and 50,000 yen for the 32GB NWZ-X1060. Both models will be available in black or red. No word yet on US or Europe date, but we can't imagine those will be far behind.

[Via Impress Watch]

Sonos 2.8 adds Deezer Radio to multi-room systems in Europe, updates iPhone controller

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 14th 2009 at 1:00AM


After plunking down a grand for Sonos' impressive two-room bundle, it's always nice to see a freebie or two arrive via software updates. While not quite as big a release as version 2.7 was for Sonos' wireless (or wired) multi-room audio system, 2.8 does add free Deezer Radio service to Sonos users in 30 countries across Europe -- think Last.fm's artist smart lists with the ability to skip tracks only better dressed and with a knowledge of geography. Sonos is also updating its free iPhone / iPod touch controller application by extending native language support (Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish added to English) and granting access to the sleep timers and wake-to-music alarms you've setup using the Sonos software controller running on your desktop. This update brings the features of the iPhone Controller up to par with Sonos' own dedicated controller and thus makes the €399 price for the CR100 all the more ridiculous.

Fortunately, for a limited time (until May 31st) Sonos is heavily discounting its €399 Sonos Controller as long as you buy it bundled with a ZonePlayer -- a box required for adding new speaker zones. The ZP90 and Sonos Controller combo is available for €599 (a savings of €149) while the amplified ZP120 and Controller combo is available for €699 (a savings of €199). The offer seems bent on preventing you from purchasing a relatively fragile but multi-purpose €219 iPod touch with onscreen keyboard to control your whole-house audio instead of Sonos' rugged and water-resistant CR100 Controller with scroll-wheel QWERTY. Try harder Sonos, even Apple learned to ditch the scroll-wheel. A few more interface shots after the break.

Continue reading Sonos 2.8 adds Deezer Radio to multi-room systems in Europe, updates iPhone controller



Latest BenQ nScreen i91 all in one PC
[30 Mar 2009 | No Comment]
BenQ's all in one iMac like nScreen i91 was announced last month and has finally arrived in Asia (though we think its also available in Australia, please confirm if anyone knows!). Though we don't exactly know whether this iMac competitor may be arriving any other countries at the moment, the i91 does look to be a piece of cool gadget for websurfing and daily use. The i91 contains two key "Yukon" parts: the Sempron 210U processor and the M690E integrated chipset. The Sempron runs at 1.5GHz and is coupled with 1GB of 667MHz DDR 2 memory. The i91 can be picked up with either 4 to 16GB of solid-state storage, or 120 to 250GB hard drive capacity. On board is also 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, 10.100Mb/s Ethernet and a pair of USB 2.0 ports.

benq-i91

Click here to read on...

Digital Cameras, Gadgets »

USB gadgets: Canon 5D Mark II flash drive
[30 Mar 2009 | 4 Comments]
Ladies and gentleman, don't be fooled, this is not the real thing. A bit wacky to have a flash drive the shap of a camera in my view but who cares. This neat Canon 5D Mark II flash drive's camera lens can be taken apart to reveal its USB component, it sports 4GB of memory which isn't too bad for $95.

canon-5d-mark-ii-usb-drive

Click here to read on...

Cell Phones »

Video: Sony Ericsson Idou quick demo of landscape mode
[30 Mar 2009 | No Comment]
You will know doubt remember when Sony Ericsson announced the Idou about a month ago. Here's just a quick clip of the phone in landscape mode, compared to our previous video, this one is more close up so you can see that the Idou's 3.5-inch touchscreen is actually much more sharper than seen in photos.

Check out the video below...… Click here to read on...

Auto Tech »

Gallery: Land Rover LRX Concept
[30 Mar 2009 | No Comment]
Gallery: Land Rover LRX Concept A bit of car tech to start off the morning folks. This is the LRX concept from Land Rover. Its the car maker's bid to create a vehicle just as good as their existing hefty… Click here to read on...

Cell Phones »

Official: iPhone 3Gs now for sell without contract in the US
[27 Mar 2009 | No Comment]
The news comes as no surprise to those in the UK because we have had these from O2 on a pay as you go basis for some months. But for those in the US this is quite a deal. Its believed that this is an attempt to clear out the old inventory of iPhone 3Gs before June when Apple will have their WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) and we presume that this is when Apple will unveil their next generation of iPhone(s) running the brand spanking new firmware OS 3.0.

apple-wwdc

Click here to read on...

Cell Phones, Softwares and Tools »

Check out free Palringo IM app for Android
[27 Mar 2009 | No Comment]
palringoPalringo has launched its free multi-service IM application on the Android Market. Using Palringo, Android users can chat to their friends on Google Talk, MSN, Facebook, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, iChat, QQ and other popular messaging services and social networks. Palringo also enables Android owners to send photo messages to their friends in just two clicks (check out the video below). Android users can share their location with friends on Palringo: buddies can see each others’ location and proximity (distance away) alongside their status in the Palringo contact list. Users may also view a map showing the whereabouts of all of their contacts who have chosen to share their location. Using Palringo’s Group capability, people can chat with all of their friends at the same time. Groups also offer the opportunity to meet new people who share similar interests.… Click here to read on...

Robotics »

Transformers 2 Revenge of the Fallen trailer in HD
[27 Mar 2009 | No Comment]
Thanks Andy for getting in touch with us who asked whether we knew of a reliable source for watching the Transformers 2 movie trailer in HD. We've embedded the video trailer below in HD format (it seems you'll need to click the top right HD button) for you mate, we think TrailerAddict is a pretty good and reliable site for this sort of thing.
Click here to read on...

Digital Cameras, Technology »

Official: Latest Canon Rebel T1i DSLR takes HD videos!
[25 Mar 2009 | One Comment]
Canon have just gone official with their new Rebel T1i DSLR, the latest in the Rebel series of entry-level DSLR and the first to feature HD video capturing. Fans of DSLR will know straight away that this is a major blow in the head for the Nikon D90, lets see what Nikon will come up with next! From 1080p video capturing at 20 fps (and 720p at 30gps), to its 15 megapixel sensor for stills, and ISO speeds up to 3200 (with 6400 and 12800 "additional" settings). Everything about the new Canon Rebel Digital T1i just makes me want to just pull out $800 straight away (or $900 with an EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens) and pay for this badboy. Unfortunately, the T1i isn't going to be out until May!

canon-t1i-rebel-dslr-02

Click here to read on...
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