What, you didn't think those games appeared on Xbox Live through some act of magic, did you? No, they're the product of insanely small teams working insanely long hours, at the risk of their well-being, social lives and, in some cases, personal hygiene, in order to bring you a downloadable break from Call of Duty. Indie Game: The Movie is a beautifully shot, occasionally heartwarming and perpetually fascinating look at the intersection of art and technology currently being explored by indie game developers, focusing on the creators of Fez, Braid and Super Meat Boy.

We managed to get a sneak peak of the Sundance documentary, courtesy of filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot, who appeared on the most recent episode of the Engadget Show -- and now you can join in on the fun: the film is getting a worldwide web release on June 12th, by way of iTunes, Steam and the official movie site. If you can't wait until then, however, you can pre-order the movie now for $10 in the source link below.

Continue reading Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th

Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Some mornings you just don't want to get out of bed. We've all got our own methods for starting the day, but few are quite so...electric...as this this one spotted at Maker Faire over the weekend. No doubt even Tesla himself couldn't have concocted a better way to shake oneself loose from a bad case of the Mondays.

Richard Lai: "Starbucks now brewing Electric Latte. Espresso with steamed milk and a dash of lightning, finished with a sprinkle of copper dust."
Darren Murph: "Jump Start kind of undersells things, no?"
Jon Fingas: "The best part of waking up is 10,000 volts in your cup."
Billy Steele: "The folks at Jolt Cola are not going to be happy about this."
Tim Stevens: "No, it's pronounced 'coffeen' not 'caffeine'!"
Terrence O'Brien: "Bobby's decision to learn Conjure Refreshment really started to pay dividends when his mage reached level 64"
Zach Honig: "Would you mind nuking this for me?"
Brian Heater: "Just another McDonald's lawsuit waiting to happen."
James Trew: "Electrici-Tea."
Dan Cooper: "Van De-Caff Generator."

Caption Contest: Maker Faire's morning pick-me-up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We spotted the dudes behind the ZBoard at TechCrunch Disrupt earlier this week, but we weren't content to just ride the electric skateboard up and down the halls of Pier 94. We asked them to take a walk with us to Washington Square Park so we could take the board for a spin in a more realistic setting -- also, any excuse to skip out of work a bit earlier to go skating in the park on a sunny Friday afternoon is hard to turn down. We initially asked them to meet us at one of New York City's many skate parks, but they balked at the suggestion -- after all, it's more of a commuting board than anything else. It's big and fairly heavy, so attempting to go vert with the thing is pretty much out -- grinding and kickflips are likely off the table, too.

Co-creator Geoff Larson told us he managed to get the thing up on two wheels, but that's about the limit of trickery at the moment -- we're sure that'll change pretty quickly, as soon as more boards make their way into the hands of the public. In the meantime, the ZBoard is all about getting around, giving you about 10 miles on a single charge. Larson added that one skater said he planned to use his ZBoard to make the long trip to the skatepark and back, carrying his manual board along for the ride. Join us after the break for some sneakers-on impressions.

Gallery: ZBoard electric skateboard hands-on

Continue reading ZBoard electric skateboard sneakers-on (video)

ZBoard electric skateboard sneakers-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you're like Charles Mangin, you love your iPad or Android tablet, but wish it was a little more Wacom-esque. But why wait for hardware manufacturers to bring the styli to you? Mangin has concocted the PressurePen, a pressure-sensitive stylus that plugs into a tablet's audio jack. The peripheral sends a tone to the tablet based on how far the tip of the pen is pushed in. The tone affects the thickness of the pen stroke, helping you alternate the sizes of lines more naturally than on a standard tablet.

Mangin is shooting for $10,000 over on his Kickstarter page, with a little under a week and around $4,000 left to go. Those who pledge $60 or more will get a PressurePen to call their own. Mangin will also be open sourcing the plans for the pen, so those with access to a 3D printer will be able to make their own shell at home. Video of a PressurePen prototype in action after the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: PressurePen stylus lets you make all kinds of lines on your tablet

Insert Coin: PressurePen stylus lets you make all kinds of lines on your tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's unseasonably gray and rainy out there today in New York City -- all the more reason to come on inside and join in on the podcasting action. Find cover and follow along after the break.

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let's be honest -- the first time we saw the Microsoft Surface in action, we all dreamt of getting our grubby fingers on our very own unit. Five years later, we're no closer to the dream of a touchscreen coffee tablet in every living room. Templeman Automation, thankfully, shares that dream. Earlier this month, we caught word of the company's Playsurface, a Kickstarter project aimed at bringing low cost touchscreen computing to the tabletops of eager early adopters who just can't quite justify the $8,000 price tag on Microsoft's similarly named product.

We were excited at the prospect of finally getting to play with the product when TechCrunch opened up the gates to the hardware portion of its Disrupt conference. Unfortunately, as we quickly found out, things wouldn't be quite so easy -- the show was held at Pier 94, a space with overabundant natural light courtesy of rows and rows of skylights. As it turns out, the sun doesn't play too well with the infrared light that helps power Playsurface's touchscreen functionality. The table's creators were nice enough to pop by our offices to let us take the living room gadget for a test drive.

Gallery: Playsurface hands-on

Continue reading Playsurface touchscreen computing table hands-on (video)

Playsurface touchscreen computing table hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We already know the President has gone mobile -- and now he wants to take the rest of the government with him. President Obama has gone on the record ordering major federal agencies to jump on the mobile bandwagon, developing apps to increase public access to tax payer funded departments like education and healthcare. Said the President in a statement, "Americans deserve a government that works for them anytime, anywhere, and on any device." Obama has ordered the agencies to join the app revolution within the next 12 months.

Obama tells government agencies to embrace mobile apps within a year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 04:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When last saw the Social Bicycles (SoBi), there wasn't a heck of a lot to report on. The whole thing was little more than a concept, a Kickstarter page and an early prototype. Flash forward just under a year later, and it's beginning to look a lot like a real, consumer-facing product. The New York startup showed off its bike and a couple of apps today at TechCrunch Disrupt. The concept here is not too dissimilar from a Zipcar -- you locate a bike using the Android or iOS app, find it on the street, enter your PIN, pull out the lock and you're good to go.

If you're feeling particularly enterprising, you can can pick up bikes to rent up for $1,300 a piece, if you order less than 50 or $1,100 per, if you go for more. The wireless data, meanwhile, runs $15 per bike, per month. The company has both consumer and business-facing apps. On the administrative side of things, you can track the bikes and set boundaries for return. Incentive programs are set up, giving customers credits, should they do something like get a bike from outside a designated hub and return it to one.

Gallery: Sobi Social Bicycles hands-on

Continue reading Social Bicycles announces availability by end of summer, we go hands-on (video)

Social Bicycles announces availability by end of summer, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 11:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's plenty of cool stuff to see on the floor of this year's TechCrunch Disrupt, but nothing's likely quite so eye-catching as Incantor, a mobile game that utilizes your smartphone and, naturally, a magic wand, to bring fantasy-style action to the real world -- or as the game's creators put it, to "bring World of Warcraft to real life." The wand speaks to your handset via Bluetooth, detecting your gestures and generating "spells." Hold your phone in portrait, and you'll get personal information, including your character level, spell bag, etc. Flip it to landscape, and you'll get a Google Map overlay, showing you other players in your area.

There are 13 different game play modes in all, and you can play as a group or solo. Moveable Code was only showing off one wand at the show, but the company expects to make 10 available in all, representing different classes. Interested parties can find out more at the Kickstarter link in the source below. Beta testing will begin in early Q4, with widespread availability coming by year's end. The wand, which offers up feedback based on gameplay (including interactions with other players), should run you around $60 when it hits the market. You can play the game sans phone, but we're told its not quite as fun.

Either way, sparring, quests and games capture the flag should get people outside a bit more than PC-based MMORPGs. Sunscreen, however, is not included. Check out a video of Incantor's creators demonstrating the game after the break.

Gallery: Incantor hands-on

Continue reading Incantor brings World of Warcraft to real life (hands-on)

Incantor brings World of Warcraft to real life (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 09:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's time to surrender another afternoon to an interactive Google doodle. The search engine has outdone itself in celebration of the late-Bob Moog's birthday. The electronic music pioneer was born on May 23rd, 1934. Seeing as how the anniversary isn't until tomorrow, the doodle hasn't actually hit our Google front page. Thanks to the magic of timezones, however, you can check it out on some of the company's many international sites, as our colleagues at Engadget Japanese pointed out. Google's really outdone itself here, you can play the synth doodle by tapping on the keys with your cursor, or by hitting the numbers on your keyboard. Naturally, there are plenty of knobs to fiddle with, and you can also record your musical experiments for posterity. Get switched-on with the music awesomeness in the source link below.

Continue reading Google goes Moogle, celebrates Moog's birthday with interactive doodle

Google goes Moogle, celebrates Moog's birthday with interactive doodle originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Music fans in Australia and New Zealand are waking up some happy news this Tuesday morning. Spotify announced that it's bringing its streaming services to those markets, starting today, offering up access to some 16 million tracks via PC, smartphone and iPad, bringing Spotify's availability to a grand total of 15 countries. Each new country will also be getting Spotify apps to call their own: Triple J in Australia and NZ Top 40 in New Zealand, both of which offer up curated music access. More information on the launches -- including prices for premium accounts -- can be found in press releases after the break, and a playlist of some of our favorite local jams (and a locally-themed Kinks number) can be heard below.

Continue reading Spotify hits Australia and New Zealand, can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?

Spotify hits Australia and New Zealand, can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When we first caught word of the gTar, it was a bit of a mystery, with an online presence amounting to little more than a low-res press shot, an enigmatic YouTube teaser and assorted specs coming out of South By Southwest and various investor sites. This week, however, brings TechCrunch Disrupt to town -- and Incident Technologies has braved some unseasonable New York City storms to come along for the ride. We managed to snag some time with the iPhone-docking instrument ahead of its debut on stage this afternoon.

Details are still a little scarce -- but here's what we know: the company is looking for a summer release for the educational instrument. In the meantime, Incident has thrown up a Kickstarter page, so you can get in on the action. A limited number of investors can get their hands on a unit for the low, low donation price of $350, once it goes into production. That's $100 off the estimated $450 retail price point -- not cheap, sure, but there are a couple of things to note here. First, we played with the gTar for a bit and we can say, definitively, that this isn't just some cheap, plasticky toy -- this feels like a real, amateur-level electric guitar. Also, for whatever it's worth, that price also includes a backpack carrying case -- so that's something, right?

Follow along after the break to get some fingers-on impressions.

Gallery: gTar hands-on

Continue reading gTar iPhone guitar hands-on

gTar iPhone guitar hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The iCade Arcade Cabinet famously began life as an April Fool's joke, pulling the video game equivalent of Pinocchio by transforming in a real salable product. The $100 arcade machine-shaped iPad enclosure / controller hit the sweet spot between functionality and retro gaming nostalgia, proving successful enough that Ion found itself with a solid reason to expand the line. Notable amongst the new arrivals are the iCade Core, which offers up the same feature set as the original iCade in a more portable joystick form, and the iCade Mobile, a re-imagining of the product as an oversized iPhone case. The Core carries the same price tag as its predecessor, while the Mobile clocks in at $20 less. So, are these additions worthy of the iCade name? Or would the line have been better served as a one-off? Insert a coin and find out after the break.

Gallery: Ion iCade Mobile and iCade Core review

Update: Unfortunately, we were provided with incorrect information ahead of the review -- the iCade Core is actually priced at $80, same as the iCade Mobile.

Continue reading Ion iCade Mobile and iCade Core review

Ion iCade Mobile and iCade Core review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Man, what a show we've got for you this month. For starters, we popped by the Smithsonian, to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit. And while the awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger game didn't actually make it into those hallowed halls, we did take a close up look at the hacked arcade cabinet for the show. Speaking of video games (which we seem to be doing a lot these days), we'll also pay a visit to the newly reborn Chinatown Fair and speak to the directors of Indie Game: The Movie. All of that, plus a performance by musician Alex Winston and the month's latest and greatest gadgets. Keep your browsers locked to this spot!

Update: And we're done! Stay tuned for the full episode!

The Engadget Show is live, here at 6:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hey, we're back! And boy howdy do we have a fun show for you this month. You guys like video games, right? Great, because we'll be speaking with the directors of the award winning documentary, Indie Game: The Movie. We've also paid a visit to the Smithsonian to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit and took a look the insanely awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger arcade machine hack. We've also got a look at the newly reborn Chinatown Fair arcade in Manhattan and the month's latest and greatest gadgets -- not to mention an in-studio performance by indie singer-songwriter Alex Winston.

Want to join in on the fun? Of course you do. We'll be getting this streaming party started at 6PM ET, and you can watch us live at this here URL. See you tonight!

The Engadget Show is live tonight! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tim and Brian are back in the same makeshift studio as last week. What sorts of shenanigans can we expect? A new couch, perhaps? Only one way to find out!

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM ET!

The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What better place to announce Twitter's embrace of do not track policies than during a privacy panel at New York Internet Week? Federal Trade Commission CTO Ed Felten let the news slip today -- a fact later confirmed by Twitter and Mozilla. The service has been added to Firefox's Do Not Track feature, letting users opt-out of data-tracking cookies in the browser. More information on the feature can be found in the Mozilla source link below.

Twitter teams up with Mozilla to help you opt-out of tracking originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 15:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

That's right, the next episode of the Engadget Show is rapidly approaching, and if you love gaming as much as we do, you're in for a treat. For May's episode, we'll be speaking with the directors of the award winning documentary, Indie Game: The Movie.

We've also paid a visit to the Smithsonian to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit and took a look the insanely awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger arcade machine hack. We've also got a look at the newly reborn Chinatown Fair arcade in Manhattan and the month's latest and greatest gadgets -- not to mention an in-studio performance by indie singer-songwriter Alex Winston.

Best of all, we still have a few tickets left. If you're in New York City, you can be a part of the live show -- just fire off an email to engadgetshow [at] engadget.com. And if you can't make it in person, fear not, we'll be streaming live at 6PM on Friday. Just bookmark this here URL.

Here are the deets:
o. The event is all ages.
o. We'll open doors and begin seating at 5:15pm on May 18th, and the taping begins at 6:00PM. We'll be closing the doors at 5:50PM.
o. A limited number of tickets are available, first come first serve. We will also have a limited stand-by list available.
o. Please bring a photo ID with you to the taping.
o. The show length is around an hour.

If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

The Engadget Show returns Friday, May 18th -- get tickets to the taping! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

How much Olympics is too much Olympics? The BBC aims to find out at this year's London 2012 games, by offering up "the most comprehensive coverage ever," a list that includes 2,500 hours of coverage via the broadcaster's site and up to 24 live HD streams. Live coverage will be offered up for every sport and each sport, athlete, venue and country will have its own page on the site. The BBC will also be providing a free mobile app, a mobile browser site and apps for connected TVs -- 3D and Super Hi-Vision coverage is a bonus. Check out an explanatory video about the new video player after the break, as well as some scheduling information in the source link below. And maybe think about a training regimen to get ready to watch this summer's games.

Continue reading The BBC's coverage promises to make you sick of the Olympics by the time it's done

The BBC's coverage promises to make you sick of the Olympics by the time it's done originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 23:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You know the old saying: one man's trash is another man's oscillographic synthesizer. The de/Rastra project from Kyle Evans takes an old CRT set and turns it into an audio / visual work of art, courtesy of four force sensing resistors, an accelerometer and several switches. Evans's goal with the project was unlocking the "capabilities intrinsic to all CRT devices" in order to "[break] down the device's 'consumption only' nature." The result is a rather spectacular performance art video. You'll be able to join in on the fun as well, as Evans plans to offer up tutorials on his hacking methods. In the meantime, you can brush up on your dance moves by checking out the video after the break.

Continue reading The de/Rastra oscillographic synthesizer will make you wish you hadn't tossed out that old TV set

The de/Rastra oscillographic synthesizer will make you wish you hadn't tossed out that old TV set originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Will writing a sentence on the chalkboard 200 times ever be the same, once we switch over to interactive pen functionality? And how will such technologies affect the opening of The Simpsons? These are important questions we must ask as classrooms ready themselves to move over to boards like Panasonic's 65-inch TH-65PB1. The interactive plasma display can be oriented horizontally and vertically and utilizes a new electronic pen system that the company promises will deliver "high-speed drawing and smooth and highly accurate writing." The whiteboard killer will be hitting the US, Europe and Japan late next month. Panasonic has also promised to deliver 85- and 103-inch versions before year's end. More information on the death of chalk dust can be found in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic's interactive plasma display means never having to clean another eraser

Panasonic's interactive plasma display means never having to clean another eraser originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 18:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There are few things out there that can send you into a shame spiral of career despair quite as quickly as watching a group of people with arguably one of the funnest jobs in the world. People like the MakerBot 3D design team, who were tasked with assembling an army of cuddly robots a "petting zoo" for this weekend's Maker Faire in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now, granted, we're sure they all work hard, but we can't help but feel a little jealous at the opportunity to design kid-friendly 'bots using the company's Replicator 3D printer. Check out a video of the team in action after the break.

Continue reading MakerBot uncovers the miracle of 3D printed 'bot making (video)

MakerBot uncovers the miracle of 3D printed 'bot making (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We took Rdio through its redesigned paces a couple of months back, and now it looks like it's finally ready for prime time. The streaming music service announced today that the new version is now available to everyone, featuring a speedier, cleaner, more socially-minded interface. More info on the redesign can be found in the source link below-dio.

Rdio redesign goes live for one and all originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sure, you're having a grand old time in the cloud, but what fun is it, really, if you can't bring your pets along? Fujitsu today announced a new collar-mounted device designed to monitor your dog's activity level. This one does more than just filling up a Twitter stream, however, aimed at actually providing helpful health monitoring, including activity, external temperature and the like to a cloud-based health service set to launch later this year. According to Fujitsu, the device is small and lightweight, with minimal power consumption, assuring that your canine can wear it at all times, so you can monitor your pet's activity while you're away. Not much in the way of availability at present, but you can find a bit more info in the PR after the break.

Continue reading Fujitsu collar monitor proves that all dogs go to the cloud

Fujitsu collar monitor proves that all dogs go to the cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Certainly it's no great shocker that Amazon's got plans for a new e-reader and tablet later this year. Nor should anyone be particularly surprised at the prospect of a front-lit reader from the retail giant set to compete directly with the latest Nook offering. Reuters, however, claims to have some insight into both, courtesy of an anonymous source. Apparently the aforementioned reader is set for a July launch, arriving in the customary Wifi and 3G varieties. The tablet, meanwhile, is set for a release "closer to the holiday season," according to the source. Amazon, E Ink and the like naturally refused to comment on the matter.

Report: Amazon planning front-lit Kindle e-reader for July, new tablet later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 15:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yet more fallout in the case of Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn's sudden resignation last month. Some more light has been shed on those aforementioned "certain issues" we heard about, and now an internal investigation has led to the exit of the big box retailer's founder Richard Schulze as chairman of the board. Schulze will be replaced by Hatim Tyabji, who has served as the CEO of Bytemobile and as chairman of the Best Buy's audit committee. The transfer will occur after the company's annual meeting on June 21, 2012. Tyabji had the following to say about Schulze's tenure with the company,

Dick's leadership and vision changed the landscape of American retail, and he will forever be remembered as an iconic entrepreneur. We join Best Buy's 167,000 employees in thanking him.

More details on Schulze's exit can be found in an official Best Buy statement after the break.

Continue reading Best Buy founder / chairman steps down after investigation

Best Buy founder / chairman steps down after investigation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 12:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Macintosh is an impenetrable fortress of malware-free computing, right? In recent years, we've certainly seen that image eroded a bit, thanks to a number of nasty outbreaks. And if you listen to Nikolay Grebennikov, the CTO of security software maker Kaspersky, things have the potential to be much worse. The executive told British site Computing that the company was invited to improve Cupertino's security, only to discover that, "Mac OS is really vulnerable." Grebennikov also had some rather unfortunate news for all the iPad and iPhone owners out there, telling the site, "Our experience tells us that in the near future, perhaps in a year or so, we will see the first malware targeting iOS."

Update: So, this is turning into a whole "he said, they pubbed" situation. We reached out to Kaspersky earlier and just received a comment from the security company, which claims that the whole thing was simply taken out of context. Here's the statement. It's a doozy.

On Monday, April 14, computing.co.uk published an article titled "Apple OS 'really vulnerable' claims Kaspersky Lab CTO" that includes an inaccurate quote regarding Apple and Kaspersky Lab. The article reports that Kaspersky Lab had "begun the process of analyzing the Mac OS platform at Apple's request" to identify vulnerabilities. This statement was taken out of context by the magazine - Apple did not invite or solicit Kaspersky Lab's assistance in analyzing the Mac OS X platform. Kaspersky Lab has contacted computing.co.uk to correct its article.

Please refer to the statement below from Nikolay Grebennikov, Chief Technology Officer, Kaspersky Lab, which clarifies this misrepresentation:

"As Mac OS X market share continues to increase, we expect cyber-criminals to continue to develop new types of malware and attack methods. In order to meet these new threats, Kaspersky Lab has been conducting an in-depth analysis of Mac OS X vulnerabilities and new forms of malware.

This security analysis of Mac OS X was conducted independently of Apple; however, Apple is open to collaborating with us regarding new Mac OS X vulnerabilities and malware that we identify during our analysis. Kaspersky Lab is committed to providing the highest level of security for all of our customers, including Mac OS X, and we will continue to enhance our technologies in order to meet the ever-changing threat landscape. "

Kaspersky exec calls Mac OS 'really vulnerable' (update: clarification from Kaspersky) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've seen plenty of shots of the Nokia 808 PureView in action, but they've all been hampered by boring old terrestrial bounds. Thankfully, a team attached the handset to a giant balloon for a little more perspective. The photo is at the end of the six and half minute video after the break, but thankfully there are a lot of lovely shots of Iceland accompanying atmospheric music to keep you busy in the meantime.

[Thanks, Chad]

Continue reading Nokia nabs 808 PureView space shot of this big, blue 41-megapixel marble

Nokia nabs 808 PureView space shot of this big, blue 41-megapixel marble originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 18:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Why, it seems like only last month that we recorded our last Engadget Show. Time sure flies when you're tech blogging. Thankfully, we've been plenty busy prepping an awesome May episode for your senses. For starters, we popped by the Smithsonian, to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit. And while the awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger game didn't actually make it into those hallowed halls, we did take a close up look at the hacked arcade cabinet for the Show.

Speaking of video games (which we seem to be doing a lot these days), we'll also pay a visit to the newly reborn Chinatown Fair and speak to the directors of Indie Game: The Movie. All of that, plus a performance by musician Alex Winston and the month's latest and greatest gadgets.

Best of all, if you're in New York City, you can be a part of the live show -- just fire off an email to engadgetshow [at] engadget.com. And if you can't make it in person, fear not, we'll be streaming live at 6PM on Friday. Just bookmark this here URL.

Here are the deets:
o. The event is all ages.
o. We'll open doors and begin seating at 5:15pm on May 18th, and the taping begins at 6:00PM. We'll be closing the doors at 5:50PM.
o. A limited number of tickets are available, first come first serve. We will also have a limited stand-by list available.
o. Please bring a photo ID with you to the taping.
o. The show length is around an hour.

If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
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The Engadget Show returns Friday, May 18th -- get tickets to the taping! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Granted, Apple and Google aren't quite the bosom buddies they once were, but how far is Cupertino going to free itself from the Android-maker? Well, Apple's picked up a number of mapmakers and is now reportedly getting ready to unveil a Google map competitor for iOS. 9to5Mac is reporting that the mapping solution will be in-place for the next major version of the mobile operating system, combining technologies gathered with the acquisition of Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9. The star of the show is said to be the 3D mode with graphics nabbed from C3. All Things D has "independently confirmed" the forthcoming app reinvention, with sources adding, (hopefully a bit hyperbolically) that it will "blow your head off." According to rumors, we'll be finding out a lot more come WWDC next month.

Update: To add more fuel to this rumor, a TechCrunch source notes that the iOS 6's "Sundance" codename is aptly named after a resort, just as previous versions have. Hit up the more coverage link below for further insight.

Report: Apple dumping Google for own Maps app in iOS 6 (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 13:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For an upgrade with a fairly underwhelming number like 0.8.3 attached, the latest version of the Spotify desktop client brings the goods. First up is much requested the ability to create radio stations based on playlists or albums, with the click of a button (that would be the Start Playlist Radio or Start Album Radio button, for the record), generating a queue of similar music. A new boost to search brings up music in the main view when you hover over it in search results, while embeddable HTML codes have been added to right click functionality. The service has also added Tumblr posting to the game. The update is rolling out today for Windows and Mac users. More info in the source link below.

Spotify offers up playlist radio stations and more with latest upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 10:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tim's back in town -- the studio, on the other hand, is a different story. We'll be broadcasting from...somewhere this week. Find out at 5PM ET!

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You remember CineSkates, right? They're the camera tripod that looks like a Gorillapod that's just discovered the miracle of rollerblading. It's got a little sibling now -- the miniSkates Video Dolly, a rollable mount that works with phones and cameras that weigh up to 1.5 pounds. The minis are available for $150 as a complete set (Gorillapod included) or $95 for just the skates. Check out the smooth video after the break.

Continue reading CineSkates go mini, still harnessing the power of smooth

CineSkates go mini, still harnessing the power of smooth originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 17:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As if you didn't already have enough reason to be pumped for this week's Lightfair trade show in Vegas -- GE is talking up its new 27-watt Energy Smart LED bulb that can product enough power (1,600-plus lumens) to replace a standard 100-watt incandescent bulb. The bulb, which joins 13-watt and 9-watt LED bulbs (replacements for 60- and 40-watt incandescents, respectively) offers up 25,000 hours of life, which should give you roughly 22.8 years, assuming you use it about three hours a day. It'll be hitting the U.S. and Canada in the first half of next year for an undetermined price. Check the illuminating press release after the break.

Continue reading GE's 27-watt LED replacement for 100-watt incandescent bulbs set to light up our lives next year

GE's 27-watt LED replacement for 100-watt incandescent bulbs set to light up our lives next year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 17:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hey, Mac users: are you ready for an update? Because Apple is dropping its latest OS version on your heads. 10.7.4 just hit, and it brings with it a number of small fixes to help improve things like security, stability and compatibility for your system. The update promises to fix an issue with the "Reopen windows when logging back in" setting, compatibility with some third-party keyboards and the ability to copy files to SMB servers, among others. You can check out a more complete list of fixes just after the break.

Update: Looks as if that nasty FileVault security issue is also being addressed in the update.

Continue reading Apple releases OS X 10.7.4, FileVault bug gets addressed

Apple releases OS X 10.7.4, FileVault bug gets addressed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

All right, so Google Maps has gotten you safely to your destination. Now what?! Don't panic -- the company is rolling out indoor walking directions for the app's latest Android release. Version 6.7 also features 360-degree photo views of businesses, to help ensure that you really don't get lost once inside. Also new is nearby deals that can be accessed by clicking "Offers," so you can nab some sweet deals within arms' reach. The latest version is up for the download now via Google Play. If you're still lost, please consult the instructional video after the break.

Continue reading Google Maps for Android takes you inside with improved walking directions

Google Maps for Android takes you inside with improved walking directions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yeah, yeah, we all knew that Rovio was doing gangbusters with Angry Birds series, but here's a little number to put it all into perspective: one billion. That's how many times the slingshotting birds have been downloaded, when you add up all of the titles and all of the platforms. Naturally, the company made a video to celebrate the accomplishment. You can find it after the break.

[Image credit (McDonald's Sign): Alexis Bea / Flickr]

Continue reading Rovio marks one billion downloads, untold pig casualties across Angry Birds games

Rovio marks one billion downloads, untold pig casualties across Angry Birds games originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 12:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Nest Learning Thermostat just became a lot more available -- that is, if you happen to be around one of the 500+ Lowe's stores in the US that now carry the smart appliance. Lowe's insists that the product, designed by former Apple employees, is in line with the chain's do-it-yourself focus, seeing as home most buyers will likely install the product on their own. And everyone could stand to shed a some cost from their energy bills, right? More info can be found in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Nest Learning Thermostat on sale at Lowe's, thinks you should climate control it yourself

Nest Learning Thermostat on sale at Lowe's, thinks you should climate control it yourself originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 15:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looks like we're starting to get a little insight into Google's Project Glass testing process. Seems like the augmented reality glasses need to make their way onto every head on the Google staff, before the company feels confident moving ahead with them. First we caught sight of co-founder Sergey Brin, then it was Sebastian Thrun of Project X fame, and now social exec Vic Gundotra is getting a crack. He looks reasonably happy, so that's probably a good sign, right?

Update: Looks like Google employee Sebastian Thrun actually tried one on... and got a photo of what it looks like from the inside. Head on the past the break for a glimpse.

Continue reading Google's Vic Gundotra tries Project Glass on for size

Google's Vic Gundotra tries Project Glass on for size originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 14:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With iRobot cleaning up in the robotic vacuum game, it's only logical that some major manufacturers like LG and Samsung want a piece of the dirt sucking action. Sharp has gotten into the game as well -- though the company's 'bot goes the extra mile for cleanliness. Cocorobo TX-V100 has voice recognition functionality and will happily talk back, courtesy of its "voice communication," which includes phrases like the ominous "I understand." The little floor cleaning disk also has infrared sensors for avoiding obstacles and a built-in camera, so you can observe your sparking abode from a carpet view while you're out. Cocorobo will be invading Japanese households this June. Check out a video of the 'bot in action after the break.

Continue reading Sharp Cocorobo vacuum avoids obstacles, embraces small talk

Sharp Cocorobo vacuum avoids obstacles, embraces small talk originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 10:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.