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Leaked PS3 XMB images hint at Facebook integration, new image layout

by Ross Miller posted Nov 11th 2009 at 6:42PM

Although we were too late to verify for ourselves, both Joystiq and Scrawl swear up and down that the above three images, each of whom unfortunately lack a higher-res version, all hail from the official Sony Computer Entertainment Europe website, and each showing a feature of the PlayStation 3's XMB we haven't seen before: some form of Facebook integration, the ability to change gamercard colors, and a new method of photo organization / perusal. None of these would be too surprising or earth-shattering, really, and the juiciest question of them all -- exactly when we might see these additions -- is still a mystery. Just in case the pics come back up, their respective URLs are just below.

[Via Joystiq and Scrawl]

Read - Image one
Read - Image two
Read - Image three

Celio REDFLY for BlackBerry tested: it's not the solution you weren't looking for anyway

by Ross Miller posted Nov 11th 2009 at 3:39AM

The lads at jkontherun took that new connection between BlackBerrys and the REDFLY for a spin. Prognosis? Not so good -- bad display rendering and trackpad controls, which are basically the two reasons you'd considering picking this up in the first place. Celio fans, a rather unpleasant read lies ahead should you choose to proceed past the link.

Samsung dropping Symbian for Bada in 2010, says senior VP

by Ross Miller posted Nov 11th 2009 at 1:14AM

Android is in, Windows Mobile is in (despite rumors to the contrary), and Bada is definitely in for next year, according to Samsung senior vice president Don Joo Lee. Not making the phone manufacturer's cut? Symbian. Digitimes has it from the exec that its new proprietary mobile OS will be taking the place of the Nokia-friendly platform. Hey, all the phones to end a legacy on, the Omnia HD certainly isn't a bad swan song.

HTC HD2 ripped to shreds, probably in the name of science

by Ross Miller posted Nov 10th 2009 at 11:08PM

Hello there, HD2. To be honest, it's a bit soon in our relationship to be seeing all your inner workings -- not that we mind. The folks on the xda-developers forums have done the duty of tearing down HTC's impressively skinned Windows Mobile 6.5 device. Not much to glean from the snapshots, but if you do harbor some strange technologically-inclined curiosity and would never consider ripping up the phone yourself, hit up the read link for more pictures.

[Via Pocketnow]

The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

by Ross Miller posted Nov 10th 2009 at 10:11PM

Nokia N900 is now shipping!
It won't be compatible with the new 3G SIM cards from 3 in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Austria until a software update hits sometime later this year. (See also: Nokia N900 ad suggests a history of mental illness)		 NVIDIA tablet mystery solved: an ODM Tegra prototype
Sorry, folks, no Apple involvement here -- although we're sure Jen-Hsun would enthusiastically embrace that possibility. (See also: CEO shows off mystery tablet)
HP Envy 15 unboxing and hands-on
For the most part this is just an Envy 13 bigged up, and that's nothing to complain about.
 Other news of import

HD DVD's Managed Copy was never necessarily free, was always Mandatory
Of course we'll never get to find out if it would've worked, but at least they did plan ahead a little, which is more than you can say for Blu-ray.		 Analyst estimates 100,000 DROID smartphones sold in first weekend
It's been a long, long while since we've been able to say this, but hey -- nice job, Motorola.

Xbox 360 Wireless N adapter is really real, out this week in US for $100

by Ross Miller posted Nov 10th 2009 at 5:24PM

Microsoft's releasing a Wireless N Networking Adapter for the Xbox 360? Get out of town! ... Oh, wait, we've seen it. Constantly. For the last two months. Ah well, let's just all be happy to see it finally appear on US store shelves, putting an end to this sordid saga and supporting 802.11a/b/g/n for a copper Lincoln under $100. As Joystiq reports, the old 802.11b/g model is slowly being shown the curb, with the current stock being discounted at $80 while supplies last.

[Via Joystiq]

Update: Check it -- GameStop has it listed right now in stock. Huzzah!

NVIDIA Fermi GT300 GPU delayed until 2010?

by Ross Miller posted Nov 10th 2009 at 2:52AM

We're so sorry, true NVIDIA believers, but that airbrushed "I love Fermi" shirt is just gonna have to wait a little longer to see the light of day, at least according to a report from our favorite chip-centric foreign news syndicate, Digitimes. Taiwanese industry sources say the release of its Fermi GT300 GPU has been delayed until Fiscal 2011, which for the company means not until at least late January 2010. That "NVIDIA New Year" fete you've been gloating about on Facebook? We really hope you can get the deposit back on the rented space.

Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December

by Ross Miller posted Nov 10th 2009 at 12:21AM

Because what the world needs now is yet another mobile operating system, Samsung has announced its foray into the field with Bada. Not much to reveal at this point other than some key PR speak: the name means "ocean" in Korean, the company's committed to "a variety of open platforms" in mobile industry and it plans this to be easy to integrate / customize based on carrier's experience. All real news should be coming sometime in December, when Sammy is saying it'll have a London launch event and reveal the SDK. Full presser after the break.

Continue reading Samsung announces Bada mobile OS, SDK sets sail in December

The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

by Ross Miller posted Nov 9th 2009 at 10:39PM

Google making Waves across all its Apps?
If true then this integrated"work in progress" also hints at the importance of Wave to the future of Google.		 Verizon takes another swing at AT&T, puts iPhone on the Island of Misfit Toys
Why not just sack up use a real iPhone, instead of this KIRF piece?
Switched On: Developing a sense of rumor
We're proud to congratulate Ross Rubin on five years of Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Check out the first-ever Switched On right here -- we're looking forward to five more years!		 Other news of import

Sony streaming Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs free to new customers, expensively to existing ones
$24.95?!		 Motorola Motus gets FCC approval, Sholes Tablet looking legit
Adding legitimacy to the leaked roadmap where we'd originally heard of it.

Mac OS X 10.6.2 update out on the prowl (update: Atom support is gone)

by Ross Miller posted Nov 9th 2009 at 8:33PM Breaking News

It's been awhile, but we've got ourselves a brand spanking new OS X update in the mix, 10.6.2 for Snow Leopard. So far the biggest change here seems to be fixing that nagging guest account deletion bug -- and thank goodness for that. As for whether or not it supports Intel Atom processors, last we heard this morning it wasn't going to be there, but we're gonna have wait and see now that it's officially hit the nets. Leopard users who haven't made the upgrade also get a gift today, in the form of a security update. 10.6.2 release notes after the break.

Update: We just installed it -- it took forever and a day on one of our machines, and sped by reasonably quick on another. Everything seems okay otherwise, how about you?

Update 2: We've gotten enough reports to call it -- Atom support is out. Sorry, hackintosh community.

[Via Mac Rumors, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Read - 10.6.2 notes
Read - Intel Atom still unsupported on Mac OS X 10.6.2 seeds

Continue reading Mac OS X 10.6.2 update out on the prowl (update: Atom support is gone)

Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go

by Ross Miller posted Nov 9th 2009 at 7:35PM

A little later than previously alluded to, but Navigon's finally rolling out live traffic update to its MobileNavigator iPhone app. Same prices as mentioned before, it'll regularly be $24.99, but for the next four weeks, it's only gonna ring up at $19.99 for lifetime use, no monthly fees. Not that TomTom needed anything else to think about, of course. Full presser after the break.

Continue reading Navigon updates US iPhone navigation app, live traffic updates are a go

The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

by Ross Miller posted Nov 6th 2009 at 11:37PM

Netflix instant streaming demoed on PlayStation 3
We've got to admit -- the whole thing looks exceptionally sleek, but given the PS3's multimedia prowess, we didn't really expect anything less		 HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video
Any way you lean it's a pretty good handset with some perhaps overly bulky software, a wonderful pricepoint and probably a limited time in the sun with upcoming Android 2.0 devices rolling on in.
DROID mania sweeps the nation, so to speak
And if riffraff like us can waltz into the store and get them, you should certainly be able to. Good luck being assimilated out there today.		 Other news of import

Microsoft emancipates Digital Cable Tuners with second Media Center update today
This half should enable all Windows 7 PCs to work with the CableCard tuners, sans-OEM requirement or inconvenient hacking.		 Verizon confirms DROID tethering cost, will ask subscribers to double-down on their data plan
$60 monthly for "unlimited" data, here meaning 5GB of data per, a total of 10GB split between the two $30 plans.

iPhone coming to The Shack: Dallas and NYC this month, nationwide in 2010?

by Ross Miller posted Nov 6th 2009 at 7:52PM

So we knew a select number of authorized resellers would start stocking iPhones soon, and thanks to a tipster, it looks like we might be getting a glimpse at a none-too-surprising recipient of the new order. As these pics from an anonymous tipster show, "big hug for your mobile life" retailer The Shack will be getting AT&T's flagship device soon, with a letter supposedly from EVP of store operations Bryan Bevin (found after the break) adding that the 3G and 3GS rollout will begin this month at some company-owned locations in the Dallas Forth Worth and New York City areas, with a nationwide rollout in 2010. Not that you necessarily needed more places to tempt you with the device, but it's always fun to have options.

Continue reading iPhone coming to The Shack: Dallas and NYC this month, nationwide in 2010?

The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

by Ross Miller posted Nov 5th 2009 at 11:01PM

Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)
Make no mistake, this is a quintessential aspirational product.		 Verizon's DROID ERIS by HTC does Android and keeps it cheap
Starting Friday for $99.99 on contract after a $100 mail-in rebate
(See also: hands-on and unboxing!)
Netflix shipping out PS3 instant streaming discs!
Looks like our friend Jonathan here has a Friday delivery in store for him, while the lazier ones among us hunker down for an XMB software update late next year to let us stream Netflix to the PS3 disc-free.		 Other news of import

VUDU brings Pandora, Picasa and Flickr to connected HDTVs, promises more apps soon
And you thought HDTVs were made for watching TV.		 iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)
For now just know that no amount of hoping, wishing, or booze is going to make the stock keyboard register more than one press at a time. (See also: DROID on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile)

Xbox 360 802.11n adapter rebirths on Costco site, ships November 10th for $88

by Ross Miller posted Nov 5th 2009 at 4:54PM

You can't keep a phoenix down and this Xbox 360 wireless n adapter seems to be a bird of similar feather. After discretely showing up on US retail sites and subsequently managing to drop off into internet obscurity, the 802.11n-compliant peripheral has returned to the scene via Costco's site, this time with a November 10th shipping date and a more attractive than before $88 price tag. With only five days until the 10th, will this finally be the price and date that stick? Who knows -- but at least this time we won't have to wait long to find out.

[Thanks, WeakSasco]

Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)

by Ross Miller posted Nov 5th 2009 at 12:01PM Featured Story

Dell's finally run its finger along the edge and unhinged the last bit of details for its enigmatic, 0.4-inch-thin Adamo XPS. As it turns out those leaked specs weren't entirely off. We're looking at a LED-backlit 13.4-inch, 720p widescreen display, 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor, GS45 integrated graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB thin-micro SSD, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. In terms of connectivity, there's 802.11a/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, location awareness, DisplayPort, two USB 2.0 ports (one on each side). The 20WHr Li-Ion battery can last up to 2 hours and 36 minutes, or you can get the optional 40WHr version instead for 5 hours and 17 minutes of claimed, lab-tested use. Other packaged goods include dongles for ethernet and VGA / HDMI, and for an added fee you can nab a DVD+/-RW drive, a Blu-ray drive, or an external hard drive measured at 250GB or 500GB in capacity.

At $1,799, the price isn't as bad as originally thought, but it's still far from great if performance takes any precedence for you over style. Earlier this week, we got to spend some time with the ultra-thin chez Dell's PR firm -- not enough to really get a feel for how it performs, but enough to admire the hardware and enjoy unboxing what we're told is the final retail packaging. We saw an expected launch date listed for this month, but a rep was quick to note the current line is officially "in time for the holidays" -- just in case the company misses Black Friday, of course. Read on for some more impressions and video unboxing / hands-on!

Gallery: Dell Adamo XPS unboxing


Gallery: Dell Adamo XPS hands-on

Continue reading Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)

T-Mobile 7.2Mbps HSPA rolling out now?

by Ross Miller posted Nov 4th 2009 at 11:27PM

Reports are coming in, by and large it seems via Android and Me, that T-Mobile's begun its rollout of its 7.2Mbps HSPA network for some extra speedy mobile browsing. We've done some testing in the listed cities, notably Chicago and New York, but so far are coming up with the usual, mundane speeds. It'd certainly make up for yesterday's snafu (almost), but at this point we're classifying as unconfirmed. Anyone else having better luck?

Read - 1MB mobile speed test
Read - Android and Me's report

The daily roundup: here's what you might've missed

by Ross Miller posted Nov 4th 2009 at 10:01PM

HTC's HD2 has landed at Engadget (hands-on)
We're still blown away by the fact that this is a Windows Mobile 6.5 device -- the skinning job that HTC has done here is nothing short of a miracle. (See also: HTC HD2 officially coming to US, out in Europe and Asia today!)		 Verizon looking to bump early termination fee to $350 on 'advanced' devices
You know what's worse than showing your Bitter Beer Face to the world after you passed on Apple's iPhone and let AT&T enjoy the spoils? This.
Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch
If Google was so fearful of patent litigation, we doubt Android 2.0 would have multitouch support built-in.		 Other news of import

Forget HDTV and 3D, when is Ultra HDTV / Super Hi-vision coming home?
Of course, if you must be first on the block with it, there's always JVC's $175k DLA-RS4000 available right now.
Imagine that: Bell offers video calling on the cheap
A feature standardized with UMTS and arbitrarily disabled both by T-Mobile and AT&T in the States

DROID tethering? It's coming early 2010, says Verizon

by Ross Miller posted Nov 4th 2009 at 2:57AM

When the Motorola DROID debuts in Verizon Wireless stores bright and early this Friday, one nice little feature that won't be making an appearance yet is tethering, for computing with your laptop on-the-go when that Android 2.0 interface just won't cut it. We're pretty sure that missing functionality won't be lessening the early adopter crowds too much, but if you are so inclined, Gearlog's confirmed with VZW that its "Broadband Access Connect" tethering plan is indeed coming to the device, but not until sometime early 2010. Now, how about muscling Motorola and / or Google for some of that double-finger pointing our fine European friends get to indulge in?

Leaked Walmart ad reveals Xbox 360 Arcade with $100 gift card, $300 HP G60 laptop

by Ross Miller posted Nov 4th 2009 at 12:29AM

It's not quite a $99 Xbox 360, but if this apparent Walmart scan via Kotaku is to be believed, that $199 Arcade version is getting a $100 gift card promotion going into effect this Saturday. In real terms, that boils down to a $234 Xbox 360 Pro for first-time buyers, seeing as you'll be needing that $135, 120GB hard drive, too. Also listed are a Sony Blu-ray player for $148 (we're guessing the currently-MSRP'd $199 BDP-S360), and a $298 HP G60-519WM, which touts a 2.2GHz Intel Celeron, 15.6-inch HD display, Windows 7 Home Premium, 3GB RAM, and a 250GB HDD -- not a bad followup at all for that Compaq CQ60. Some interesting spy shots from the Slick Deals forum seem to give credence to the scan, although we're still playing wait-and-see -- that $100 gift card with the Xbox 360 arcade is almost too good to be true, even if it is just a clever tactic to clear shelf space in the lead-up to Black Friday.

Update: Sure as the sun, an official ad has popped up on Yahoo's front page. Screenshot after the break.

[Thanks, just4onepost]

Read - G60-519WM spotted
Read - $199 Xbox 360 Arcade with $100 gift card?

Continue reading Leaked Walmart ad reveals Xbox 360 Arcade with $100 gift card, $300 HP G60 laptop

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