Slew Archive

  • Sony: World’s first TransferJet-compatible LSI for fast data exchange are ready

    Sony: World’s first TransferJet-compatible LSI for fast data exchange are ready

    TransferJet is a close-proximity wireless transfer technology that was introduced by Sony in 2008. Toshiba announced during IFA in Berlin this year they are planning to use the technology in their products soon. The idea is to let two electronic devices quickly exchange data, theoretically at up to 560 Mbps, just by bringing them close together (touch is possible, too). And today, Sony announced in Tokyo [press release in English] that the first LSIs supporting the standard will be shipped to manufacturers before December starts. The "CXD3267AGG" (pictured on the left) and the "CXD3268AGW" will cost $17.45 each. Sony says they managed to optimize the technology so that TransferJet can now be integrated into smaller electronic devices, too. The LSIs can be used by makers of cell phones, digital cameras, computers and HDDs.

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  • Palm Pre WebOS 1.3.1 update available now

    Palm Pre WebOS 1.3.1 update available now

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    webOS 1.3.1 was always destined to come alongside the launch of the Pixi, but it's surprised us by showing its face a day early. No app catalog bombshells here, but there are a slew of more minor fixes and updates that should make users experience a great deal smoother. Is this the update that finally unlocks access to the GPU and provides the speed boost Pre owners are waiting for / advances the iTunes chess match another step? We'll let you know once our unit reboots, for now here are a few highlights from Palm's list of changes:

    Update: Downloaded, applied and rebooted. iTunes still isn't spotting our Pre as a device to sync with, and at least for the moment there's no great speed increases to speak of, but we have noticed a few more key tweaks that owners are sure to like -- setting a specific ringtone for text messages is exactly what we've been looking for.
    • Yahoo! now appears as a Calendar/Contacts/instant messaging synchronization account.
    • You can forward a text or multimedia message by tapping the message > Forward.
    • A new option is available for restarting the phone: press and hold power > Power > Restart. The prior restart method (Device Info > Reset Options > Restart) is still available.
    • Widescreen videos (including YouTube) now display in widescreen mode on the phone by default, instead of being cropped.
    • If you tap to play a YouTube video embedded on a web page, the YouTube application launches and the video plays in the app.
    • You can select a unique ringtone for new message alerts: Open Messaging > application menu > Preferences & Accounts > Sound > Ringtone.
    • While listening to a song with album art displayed, you can tap the screen below the art to display a playback slider. Dragging the slider jumps forward or backward in the song.

    Palm Pre WebOS 1.3.1 update available now originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

    TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

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    TomTom's probably still dizzy from the hit that Google laid on it just a few days ago, but it has somehow managed to get its bearings long enough to announce that a slew of gratis updates are incoming for its highly-hyped iPhone navigation app. Following in Navigon's footsteps, the outfit has today stated that a free update has been submitted to Apple for approval, and when (er, if) it clears Cupertino's ambiguous review process, it'll deliver advanced lane guidance, text-to-speech, "Help Me," updated map / safety cameras (in select European nations) databases, customizable audio warnings and iPod player control. Not a bad list of additions for the grand total of $0.00, but we wouldn't expect anything less given the lofty admission price.

    Continue reading TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app

    TomTom to bring free lane guidance, text-to-speech, iPod control to iPhone GPS app originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Arris outs a 3-tuner Moxi HD DVR, drops prices across the board

    Arris outs a 3-tuner Moxi HD DVR, drops prices across the board

    The former Digeo has managed to stay busy despite going through an acquisition by Arris. The company just went live with a slew of updates that show the company is serious about the DVR game. First and foremost is a new HD DVR model. This boy is almost exactly like the current Moxi HD DVR [...]

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  • HTC You ad campaign unveiled

    HTC You ad campaign unveiled

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    HTC's definitely been a major name amonst the gadget cognoscenti for a while now, but it looks like the company's gearing up to go mainstream -- this is the first print ad from the new HTC You campaign that's launching today. Considering HTC's recent slew of high-profile handset launches like the Hero, HD2, and Tilt2 and equally-promising upcoming products like the Dragon and Droid Eris, we'd say this marketing push hasn't come a moment too soon. As for the ad itself, while it's not exactly a knockdown punch, it certainly suggests that HTC sees Sense UI as its ace in the hole -- we'll see how that plays out as Android 2.0 phones like the Motorola Droid come out and make stock Android sexy again.

    HTC You ad campaign unveiled originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 review

    Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 review

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    Had the device you're peering at above come out just a few months later, it would've taken two full years to go from introduction to on sale. Thankfully, the good folks over at Garmin and ASUS (and Garmin-Asus, as it were) were able to get the nüvifone G60 out to AT&T before the holiday shopping season of 2009, but were they still too late? There's no doubt that this very smartphone had a lot of folks drooling in early 2007, but to say a lot has happened in the mobile realm between then and now would be doing the truth a grave injustice. The iPhone 3G has fallen to $99, a slew of Android handsets have hit the market and dedicated PND (portable navigation devices) have found themselves in the bargain bin. Oh, and some pretty fantastic GPS software has managed to land within Apple's App Store and the Android Market. In other words, competition couldn't possibly be hotter, and considering that the specifications haven't been updated on this $299 device since it was originally announced, you're probably wondering if it even deserves a chance. Read on to find out the answer.

    Continue reading Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 review

    Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 review originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Qosmio G60: Toshiba unleashes new super-laptop

    Qosmio G60: Toshiba unleashes new super-laptop

    Toshiba Japan has announced a slew of new and updated notebooks today, and one of them [JP] is a monster of a notebook (more will be posted later). The Qosmio G60/97J is basically a high-end computer, digital TV and Blu-ray player rolled into one.

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  • And now, a plethora of new iPod cases from Belkin

    And now, a plethora of new iPod cases from Belkin

    The introduction of new iPod models means new iPod cases as far as the eye can see. One of the bigger players in the cutthroat game of portable device protection is Belkin and, true to form, the company’s announced about a skillion upcoming products for your perusal.

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  • A guide to Japan’s 32 best iPhone apps (all available in English)

    A guide to Japan’s 32 best iPhone apps (all available in English)

    It's not really a secret that Japan is absolutely crazy about cell phones. And even though domestic makers churn out more than 100 different handsets every year (some of which are simply amazing), the iPhone is selling over here. SoftBank Mobile, the country's exclusive iPhone provider, doesn't release official data, but estimates put sales in Japan at well over one million units so far - not bad at all in this hopelessly over-saturated market. In other words, Japan doesn't hate the iPhone, as some blogs suggested in the past. It never did. The local developer community has noticed and produced a slew of apps aimed at a global audience. What follows is my subjective selection of the "best" of these made-in-Japan apps, all of which are at least available in English. (I left out iPhone games released by big companies such as Capcom, Konami, Sega or Namco to focus on apps created by startups or individuals based in Japan instead.) My personal favorite is a free (and fantastic) GPS-based photo sharing app called Memory Tree (just like all the apps in the following list, it works worldwide). But here's a round-up of all the 32 apps I chose, grouped in six categories (games, productivity, tools, photography and art, music, and everything else).

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  • HTC Touch2 breaks cover, runs Windows Mobile 6.5

    HTC Touch2 breaks cover, runs Windows Mobile 6.5

    Today, HTC officially announced the Touch2 with Windows Mobile 6.5 that includes My Phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile. HTC was skimp on specs, but we do know that the Touch2 will have TouchFLO and a slew of Google products pre-installed. And the new IE Mobile supports Flash. If you’re into that sort of thing, which we suspect you are. The Touch2 launches on October 6 with availability spreading to the rest of Europe and Asia in Q4.

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  • HTC announces the WinMo 6.5 Touch2

    HTC announces the WinMo 6.5 Touch2

    Today, HTC officially announced the Touch2 with Windows Mobile 6.5 that includes My Phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile. HTC was skimp on specs, but we do know that the Touch2 will have TouchFLO and a slew of Google products pre-installed. And the new IE Mobile supports Flash. If you’re into that sort of thing, [...]

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  • Review: AKG K 340 in-canal headphones

    Review: AKG K 340 in-canal headphones

    Mid- and high-end headphones are everywhere these days. AKG, previously known for recording and broadcast equipment, just added to the bunch by outing a slew of headphones, including these totally acceptable $119 K 340 in-canal buds. I’ve spent some good listening time with them, and I have to say that they are solid performers once [...]

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  • Facebook 3.0 For iPhone Now Available On The App Store

    Facebook 3.0 For iPhone Now Available On The App Store

    Nearly two weeks after submitting the app to Apple, Facebook's totally revamped 3.0 application is finally live on the App Store, according to the app's developer Joe Hewitt. You can download it now here. The store currently shows that the app is version 2.5, but if you click the Download button anyway you'll get the new version. The new application brings a slew of new features, making it what may be the most useful app on the App Store (be sure to read this post) for our full review. Among the additions are Events, which have frustratingly been omitted from previous versions. Now you'll be able to look up where your Events are, and you can also respond to them and see which of your friends are attending (for anyone who has ever had to boot up the web version of the site just to look up an Event address, this is a big deal. You can also post video directly to the site if you have an iPhone 3GS — a feature that will likely see the number of videos on Facebook increase dramatically.

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  • Hands-on with the Zune HD

    Hands-on with the Zune HD

    Can Microsoft’s latest Zune, the Zune HD, take down the king? It depends on which king you’re talking about. As it stands, the iPod Touch is a whole different beast because of the App Store. What Microsoft has done with the Zune HD is nothing short of spectacular, but who is it really competing with? My BlackBerry can play videos and show me pictures taken on a recent trip. The HTC Hero and/or myTouch 3G can stream music from the likes of last.fm or Slacker. I can download MP3s from my iPhone. Everything the Zune HD does, I’ve been able to do with a slew of different devices that I already own. You see, the features that the Zune team has been touting don’t interest me much. I don’t really care to see an artist’s bio, their pictures or anything of that nature. Sure, the modified IE browser is nice and works great, but I want to know how deeply integrated the Zune HD is going to be with other Microsoft devices like the Xbox 360. I don’t need to fork over extra cash for an HD dock to stream 720p content onto my TV. I can already do that through my Xbox 360, FiOS and whatever content is stored on my NAS. Tell me what the plans are for the next six months. Tell me when the damn thing is actually going to launch.

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  • What are you doing this weekend?

    What are you doing this weekend?

    It’s pretty obvious that you guys have interests outside of tech and gadgets just like the crew at CG. Yes, we’re deeply in love with our gadgetry, but we like to nerd out over other things, too. Or maybe it’s just me. I, for one, will be playing a slew of videogames including Battlefield 1943 [...]

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