Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[I'm Watch creator explains order fulfillment process, offers 15 percent discount for your patience]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/im-watch-order-fulfillment/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/im-watch-order-fulfillment/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/im-watch-order-fulfillment/#comments I'm Watch creator explains order fulfillment process, offers 15 percent discount for your patience

We all know that Android 1.6 isn't getting any newer, but it's now clear that customers pining for the I'm Watch will need to dig deeply and muster a final bit of tolerance. According to the Italian smartwatch creator, it's made a few changes to the device, primarily to allow for greater application compatibility -- hopefully this means something other than a stale Donut. As for delivery, the company will send out 300 I'm Watches by June 15th and will then use the next month to solicit feedback and conduct final tests. By July 15th, the company will resume delivery for its outstanding orders and expects to fulfill all current orders no later than September 15th. Customers who'd prefer to back out from the deal will have until July 15th to apply for a refund from the company, and as a goodwill gesture, it's offering a 15 percent discount for all those willing to endure the wait. For the complete details, just hop the break.

[Thanks, Darrell]

Continue reading I'm Watch creator explains order fulfillment process, offers 15 percent discount for your patience

I'm Watch creator explains order fulfillment process, offers 15 percent discount for your patience originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 04:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidandroid 1.6android watchAndroid1.6AndroidWatchEuropeIm WatchImWatchitalysmartwatchwatchThu, 17 May 2012 04:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Evernote 4.0 for Android sweeps in new home screen, list UI (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/evernote-4-0-for-android-sweeps-in-new-home-screen/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/evernote-4-0-for-android-sweeps-in-new-home-screen/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/evernote-4-0-for-android-sweeps-in-new-home-screen/#comments Image

'Tis the season for major Android app remakes, this time with Evernote going for a much appreciated adaptation to a more swipe-friendly universe. The 4.0 update of the note-taking app has a new home screen that lets you swipe out a hidden menu to get to your notes without having to always jump backwards -- one of our pet peeves. Much of the overall navigation now leans towards swipes over buttons, and the list views for notes and notebooks are a good deal simpler. Combined with new contextual action bars, the revamp puts the text, audio and photo recorder much more at home in the Android 4.0 era than earlier versions. It still requires just Android 1.6, so nearly anyone can take a look by visiting the Google Play link below.

Continue reading Evernote 4.0 for Android sweeps in new home screen, list UI (video)

Evernote 4.0 for Android sweeps in new home screen, list UI (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android 4.0android 4.0 ice cream sandwichAndroid1.6Android4.0Android4.0IceCreamSandwichappappsdonutEverNoteIce Cream SandwichIceCreamSandwichmobilepostcrossnote takingNoteTakingproductivitysmartphonesmartphonessoftwareWed, 16 May 2012 13:21:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: I'm Watch smartwatch series ready to ship, as soon as it confirms the destination]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/im-watch-smartwatch-series-ready-to-ship/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/im-watch-smartwatch-series-ready-to-ship/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/im-watch-smartwatch-series-ready-to-ship/#comments I'm Watch series ready to ship

All things I'm Watch went a bit quiet following the unveiling of its latest series of smartwatches at CES 2012 several months ago. Now there's finally been an update -- we've heard from a kindly reader that the Italian manufacturer is now ready to deliver on its preorders, requesting a final confirmation of delivery details before they leave the warehouse. Those willing to stump up the substantial amount -- prices start from €340 ($445) -- for these sapphire glass-coated timepieces will get to dabble with a watch-friendly version of Android 1.6. While this means the device will only be able to access a fraction of Google's app catalogue, at least there's a whole gamut of colors and material finishes to choose from -- with the requisite price difference, of course.

[Thanks Owen]

PSA: I'm Watch smartwatch series ready to ship, as soon as it confirms the destination originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidandroid 1.6android watchAndroid1.6AndroidWatchEuropeIm WatchImWatchitalyminipostsmartwatchwatchWed, 18 Apr 2012 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Friendcaster for Facebook gets shiny new 5.0 update on Android, rocks new UI]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/friendcaster-for-facebook-gets-5-0-update-on-android-devices/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/friendcaster-for-facebook-gets-5-0-update-on-android-devices/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/friendcaster-for-facebook-gets-5-0-update-on-android-devices/#comments Friendcaster for Facebook gets shiny new 5.0 update on AndroidWhen it comes to alternative Facebook apps, Friendcaster checks in as one of the more robust options for Android. Now the app is getting a major status update thanks to a 5.0 makeover. Highlights touted by the Friendcaster team include design improvements, real-time notifications, higher resolution news feed images, the ability to tag more than one friend at a time in a post, a new check-in interface and memory improvements. The update -- which is compatible with Android 1.6 and higher -- also kicks off with a suite of themes in six fresh colors, with more in the works. After all, if you're gonna ignore yet another Farmville and Texas Hold'em request, you may as well do it in style.

Friendcaster for Facebook gets shiny new 5.0 update on Android, rocks new UI originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6facebookfriendcasterfriendcaster 5.0friendcaster updateFriendcaster5.0mobilepostcrossmobilepostminisocial networkingSocialNetworkingFri, 06 Apr 2012 09:51:00 EST<![CDATA[I'm Watch brings old Android, new form factor to your wrist (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/13/im-watch-brings-old-android-new-form-factor-to-your-wrist-vid/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/13/im-watch-brings-old-android-new-form-factor-to-your-wrist-vid/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/13/im-watch-brings-old-android-new-form-factor-to-your-wrist-vid/#comments
Smartwatches are increasing their presence at this year's CES. Alongside Sony's latest efforts to marry notifications with a dash of apps, Italian company i'm SpA has decided to make the long trip over to Las Vegas and give us a showing of its own curiously named I'm Watch. The hardware includes a sapphire glass front -- a 1.55-inch color 240 x 240 display -- with an aluminum body that weighs around 70 grams. Power is provided through the headphone socket, and the 480mAh battery will afford around four hours of smartwatch entertainment. There were plenty of color options on the show floor with the standard style arriving in white, pink, light blue, red, yellow green and black. Several metallic options were also housed in a glass case and are set to arrive soon.

The watch packs in both a loudspeaker and microphone, with Bluetooth connectivity and 4GB of memory storage. Aside from color options, there are two different models available with 64 or 128 MB of RAM. The interface remains a capacitive touchscreen, with a button on the right side acting as both the screen unlock and back button. Four icons can be housed on each screen, and like any Android device, you can swipe between them. App compatibility is a little hit and miss, on the aging Android version, but for social network updates and music playback and from our limited time with the watch, it appears largely up to the task. The basic model is priced up at $330 dollars, and is available to order online now. Smartwatch fans can check the Android timepiece in our video right after the break.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Gallery: I'm Watch Android watch hands-on at CES 2012

Continue reading I'm Watch brings old Android, new form factor to your wrist (video)

I'm Watch brings old Android, new form factor to your wrist (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidandroid 1.6android watchAndroid1.6AndroidWatchCESCES 2012Ces2012Googleim spaIm WatchImSpaImWatchwatchFri, 13 Jan 2012 13:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Entourage shuts down Edge content store, devices reportedly discontinued]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/entourage-shuts-down-edge-content-store-devices-reportedly-disc/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/entourage-shuts-down-edge-content-store-devices-reportedly-disc/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/entourage-shuts-down-edge-content-store-devices-reportedly-disc/#comments It seems natural selection has finally caught up with the Entourage Edge. When we first reviewed the combination touchscreen/E Ink "dualbook," we wondered whether its neither-fish-nor-fowl design would catch on -- especially priced at $500. That price dropped substantially with its successor, the Pocket Edge, but neither device truly found its feet, in part because of a lack of applications and no updates beyond Android 1.6. And now comes word that the Edge store has officially closed, with customers having until May 27 to download any purchased content. It all points to RIP for the Edge family, and Good E-Reader claims to have recent confirmation from the company. In its goodbye message Entourage steers users toward the Amazon app store, where it notes "you will now have access to a lot of Android Apps that Google would never give us access to." Obvious bitterness aside, the team reportedly has a new device in the works, this time in the typical slate model.

[Thanks, Roy]

Entourage shuts down Edge content store, devices reportedly discontinued originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6android tabletAndroid1.6AndroidTabletDualbookDualScreenDualShock3e booke book readere bookse readere readerse-booke-book readerE-bookReadere-bookse-inkE-inkReadere-readere-readersEBookebook readeEbookReadeEBookReaderEntourageEntourage EdgeEntourageEdgeEReaderPocket EdgePocketEdgeMon, 23 May 2011 08:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/03/dual-booting-viewsonic-viewpad-10-gets-android-2-2-upgrade-pati/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/03/dual-booting-viewsonic-viewpad-10-gets-android-2-2-upgrade-pati/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/03/dual-booting-viewsonic-viewpad-10-gets-android-2-2-upgrade-pati/#comments Good things come to those who wait. If you bought the dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10, Android 1.6 be damned, we have some good news -- the tablet's getting an upgrade to Android 2.2. Just to refresh your memories, that leap from Donut to Froyo means ViewPad 10 owners will now get updated Gmail, Calendar, Google Maps, Gallery, and YouTube apps, a refined onscreen keyboard, compatabilty with newer applications, and a healthy dose of sorely needed eye candy. New customers can choose one that also runs Windows 7 Home Premium and has 16GB of flash storage ($599) or one with Win 7 Professional and 32GB of space ($679). As for those of you champing at the bit to upgrade, ViewSonic is keeping things interesting by compelling you to download Froyo onto a thumb drive, and then plug both it and a USB keyboard into the ViewPad to install the update. Then again, something tells us the kind of person who would opt for the ViewPad 10 over other ViewSonic tablets might actually enjoy the challenge.

Continue reading Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010

Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6android 2.2Android1.6Android2.2donutdual-bootdual-boot tabletDual-bootTabletfroyogoogleslateslatessoftware updatesoftware updatessoftware upgradesoftware upgradesSoftwareUpdateSoftwareUpdatesSoftwareUpgradeSoftwareUpgradesupdate-2updatesupgrade eligibilityUpgradeEligibilityupgradesViewPad 10Viewpad10ViewSonicViewSonic ViewPadViewSonic ViewPad 10ViewsonicViewpadViewsonicViewpad10Tue, 03 May 2011 19:41:00 EST<![CDATA[ViewSonic ViewPad 7 and 10 officially comin' to America]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/viewsonic-viewpad-7-and-10-officially-comin-to-america/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/viewsonic-viewpad-7-and-10-officially-comin-to-america/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/viewsonic-viewpad-7-and-10-officially-comin-to-america/#comments ViewSonic's heavy foray into the tablet market has been no secret, but we've been a bit uncertain as to where on the map its products would land. Until now that is. According to ViewSonic's American team, the company will be kicking off its US tablet invasion with the ViewPad 7 in November. Just as we'd heard, the 7-inch device packs an Snapdragon processor, Android 2.2, two cameras (a 3 megapixel cam on its rear and a VGA front facing one), 512MB of memory and 3G capabilities. Sure, it sounds a heck of a lot like the rest of the other Android tablets we've been seeing, but according to ViewSonic this one will most definitely have access to the Google Market and come preloaded with Google's apps. Well, that's a horse of a different color, though its $479 MSRP seems a bit high to us. What about the ViewSonic fans out there that have been eyeing the Android 1.6 / Win 7 dual-booting ViewPad 10, you ask? Well, they'll have to wait until the first quarter of 2011 to get their hands on that one, though at least that gives 'em time to save up the $629 that it's expected to retail for. We should note here, that the ViewPad 10 is identical in design to the Tega v2 we recently reviewed and similar in specs -- it has a 1.66GHz Atom processor, 16GB SSD, 1GB of RAM and Windows 7 Home Premium. We're still unsure where the 10-inch, Android 2.2 G-Tablet that was recently spotted in a Sears circular fits in, but we're definitely getting the hint that Viewsonic's in it to win it with tablets.

Gallery: Viewsonic Viewpad 7 and 10

Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 7 and 10 officially comin' to America

ViewSonic ViewPad 7 and 10 officially comin' to America originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6android 2.2Android1.6Android2.2froyotablettabletsviewpad 10Viewpad10ViewSonicviewsonic viewpadViewSonic viewpad 10viewsonic viewpad 7ViewsonicViewpadViewsonicViewpad10ViewsonicViewpad7windows 7Windows7Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 starts shipping its outdated self around the world]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/08/sony-ericsson-xperia-x8-starts-shipping-its-outdated-self-around/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/08/sony-ericsson-xperia-x8-starts-shipping-its-outdated-self-around/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/08/sony-ericsson-xperia-x8-starts-shipping-its-outdated-self-around/#comments We're not going to make any apologies. So long as Sony Ericsson continues to pretend like Android 2.x doesn't exist and keeps kicking out new devices running Android 1.6, we'll keep docking it points like the meanest of Russian judges. The 3-inch X8 is set to be Sony Ericsson's most affordable Android handset -- we were told it'll cost south of $300 unlocked -- to date, but then you get your money's worth with a 600MHz processing core and a 3.2 megapixel fixed focus camera. Oh, even better news is that the X8 will get updated to Android 2.1 "a little later" than SE's X10 line. If you want to avoid all this Android upgrade drama (and save a few more pennies), Sony Ericsson is also starting to ship out its no-frills Cedar candybar as well -- perfect if you just want your phone to act like a phone and little more.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 starts shipping its outdated self around the world

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 starts shipping its outdated self around the world originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3-inchandroidandroid 1.6Android1.6cedarnow shippingNowShippingretailshipmentshippingsony ericssonSonyEricssonvideox8xperiaxperia x8XperiaX8Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Sharp Lynx SH-10B is a MIDdling Android smartphone we could get behind (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/06/sharp-lynx-sh-10b-is-a-middling-android-smartphone-we-could-get/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/06/sharp-lynx-sh-10b-is-a-middling-android-smartphone-we-could-get/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/06/sharp-lynx-sh-10b-is-a-middling-android-smartphone-we-could-get/#comments Sharp's NTT DoCoMo-living / Android-loving Lynx SH-10B isn't brand new by any stretch -- it hit local markets in late July, and earlier this year was released on KDDI as the ISO1 -- but this week's CEATEC would be the first time we've had a chance to play around with, and given the dearth of comparable US form factors, we couldn't resist. The 5-inch 960 x 480 resolution MID / smartphone sports a pretty snappy and easy-to-use keyboard and a responsive touchscreen. Unless you've already prepared for the likes of Dell's Streak, the Lynx isn't exactly pocketable, and by our estimates, it's about twice the thickness o the iPhone 4 when closed up. The customized UI (running over what we presume is Android 1.6) is pretty unique in design, although functionally there was some minor lag in change panels and opening panes. You know the drill: pics below. Enjoy!

Gallery: Sharp Lynx SH-10B hands-on

Sharp Lynx SH-10B is a MIDdling Android smartphone we could get behind (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6ceatecceatec 2010Ceatec2010docomohands-onlynxlynx sh 10blynx sh-10bLynxSh-10bLynxSh10bmidnttntt docomoNttDocomosh 10bsh-10bSh10bsharpsharp lynx sh 10bsharp lynx sh-10bSharpLynxSh-10bSharpLynxSh10bWed, 06 Oct 2010 09:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak's pre-rooted Android 2.1 update quietly suspended, revision coming in two or three weeks]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/dell-streaks-pre-rooted-android-2-1-update-quietly-suspended-r/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/dell-streaks-pre-rooted-android-2-1-update-quietly-suspended-r/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/dell-streaks-pre-rooted-android-2-1-update-quietly-suspended-r/#comments Ruh roh. Looks like Dell's stepped onto its own toes real hard with the Streak's Android 2.1 update -- O2 just confirmed to us that due to some "feedback from users," it's decided to suspend said download while Dell gets cranking on a revised software release over the next two or three weeks. We weren't given the exact reasons behind this quiet withdrawal, but our friends over at MoDaCo might have had the answer for some time -- soon after the release, they discovered that the 2.1 firmware was in fact pre-rooted, thus leaving the Streak vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification (although handy for the seriously tech-minded). Yikes. On the bright side, such substantial time frame suggests that the upcoming fix should also address other bugs like incompatibility with the desktop suite, weird loading behavior in the browser, and missing WMV video playback functionality.

And here comes the inevitable question: what about Froyo? Well, neither Dell nor O2 could provide a date for the Streak's scoop of frozen dessert, but we'll bet you a white iPhone 4 that it won't be out in October.

Dell Streak's pre-rooted Android 2.1 update quietly suspended, revision coming in two or three weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.62.12.2androidandroid 1.6android 2.1android 2.2Android1.6Android2.1Android2.2bugcellphonedelldonuteclairfirmwarefirmware updateFirmwareUpdatefroyoissuemobilemobile phoneMobilePhoneo2phoneproblemrecallrollbackrootrootedrooted firmwareRootedFirmwaresecuritysecurity holeSecurityHolesmartphonestreaktabletphoneukupdatevulnerabilityMon, 20 Sep 2010 17:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak procures a hacked-up mini USB adapter, gets friendly with your dusty cables]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/24/dell-streak-procures-a-hacked-up-mini-usb-adapter-gets-friendly/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/24/dell-streak-procures-a-hacked-up-mini-usb-adapter-gets-friendly/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/24/dell-streak-procures-a-hacked-up-mini-usb-adapter-gets-friendly/#comments Even if you can look beyond the SIM lock and the aging Android 1.6 OS on the Dell Streak, there's still one irksome problem: the lack of a mini or micro-USB port (Dell clearly missed the USB party last summer). Dissatisfied with this state of affairs, John from Linux Slate decided to build an adapter for his tabletphone's dock connector, which he confirmed to be PDMI instead of a proprietary design. The procedure was simple: John cut up his Streak's cable plug, soldered a mini USB socket onto the board, and housed the new assembly within the Streak's cable clip. Voilà! Until third-party USB-to-PDMI cables start to show up in the stores, it's either this mod or cough up $20 for a spare cable from Dell. See the adapter in action after the break.

Continue reading Dell Streak procures a hacked-up mini USB adapter, gets friendly with your dusty cables

Dell Streak procures a hacked-up mini USB adapter, gets friendly with your dusty cables originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adapterandroidandroid 1.6android 2.1Android1.6Android2.1cabledelldell streakDellStreakdiyeclairhackhackinghomebrewhomemademini usbMiniUsbmodmoddingpdmiplugportsocketstreaktabletphoneusbvideoTue, 24 Aug 2010 09:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Android-booting Acer Aspire One D255 extensively demoed, yet far from loved on video]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/android-booting-acer-aspire-one-d255-extensively-demoed-yet-far/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/android-booting-acer-aspire-one-d255-extensively-demoed-yet-far/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/android-booting-acer-aspire-one-d255-extensively-demoed-yet-far/#comments Acer's just told us that it has "no imminent plans" to bring the dual-booting Android and Windows XP Aspire One D255 stateside, and after seeing an in-depth video (no, really it's 14 minutes long!) of the 10-inch netbook in action we can't say we're all that upset about the news. Yep, the NetbookNews team snatched up a light blue version of the new netbook in Taipei, and though they were impressed with the thin design and included case, they had less positive things to say on the software end. Not only is the Windows XP desktop ridden with crapware, but the Android implementation is still half baked. Similar to the first generation Acer Aspire One D250, the Android 2.1 interface is really only good for searching the web and checking e-mail since it doesn't have access to the Market. Of course, we urge you to sit back and watch the lengthy hands-on video after the break to make your own call on this $299 lappie, but ultimately, we're assuming you'll have the same question as us: Acer, how's that Chrome OS netbook coming along?

Continue reading Android-booting Acer Aspire One D255 extensively demoed, yet far from loved on video

Android-booting Acer Aspire One D255 extensively demoed, yet far from loved on video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aceracer aspire oneAcerAspireOneandroidandroid 1.6Android1.6aspire oneaspire one d255AspireOneAspireOneD255d255netbookvideowindows xpWindowsXpThu, 19 Aug 2010 19:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Augen's $99 GenBook smartbook preview]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/augens-99-genbook-smartbook-preview/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/augens-99-genbook-smartbook-preview/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/augens-99-genbook-smartbook-preview/#comments That's right, not only does Augen -- a company unbeknown to us before yesterday -- make an $150 Android 2.1 tablet, but the company is also stocking Kmart shelves with a $99 Android smartbook of sorts. How'd we find out about this one? Well, when we headed to our local Kmart in hopes of picking up the 7-inch tablet, one last, very lonely GenBook 74 was dwelling on the shelf. We aren't the kind of people that could just leave the little guy there all alone, so $100 later we were the proud owners of a 7-inch, Android 1.6 clamshell device. Is the little laptop really capable of surfing the web and downloading apps, or would your hard earned cash be better spent elsewhere? Find out after the break.

Gallery: Augen $99 GenBook preview

Continue reading Augen's $99 GenBook smartbook preview

Augen's $99 GenBook smartbook preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.6androidandroid 1.6Android1.6augenAugen GenbookAugenGenbookGenbookGenbook 74Genbook74impressionskmartnetbookpreviewsmartbookvideoTue, 27 Jul 2010 17:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini / Mini Pro review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-mini-pro-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-mini-pro-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-mini-pro-review/#comments In a smartphone market saturated with 3.5-inch and larger displays, Sony Ericsson reckons there's still a little place for petite packages. Enter the Xperia X10 Mini (E10i) and Mini Pro (U20i) -- both direct descendants of the beastly X10 Android 1.6 handset. Apart from the Pro's slide-out keyboard, removable battery, and positioning of various features, the two Minis are otherwise internally identical -- same processor, same camera, and same screen. So can these cute baby form factors offer more than just some palm-cuddling time? Can we get a decent smartphone performance out of them? Follow us after the break to find out.

Gallery: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini / Mini Pro review

Continue reading Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini / Mini Pro review

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini / Mini Pro review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6cellphonee10ifeaturedfeaturesmedia goMediaGomobile phoneMobilePhonemsm7227pc companionPcCompanionphoneplaynowreviewsmartphonesony ericssonsony ericsson pc companionsony ericsson syncSony Ericsson XperiaSonyEricssonSonyEricssonPcCompanionSonyEricssonSyncSonyEricssonXperiatimescapeu20ivideox10 minix10 mini proX10MiniX10MiniProxperiaxperia x10 miniXperia x10 mini proXperiaX10MiniXperiaX10MiniProThu, 08 Jul 2010 13:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak's supposed US packaging is gorgeous, unboxed with elegance]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/29/dell-streaks-supposed-us-packaging-is-gorgeous-unboxed-with-el/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/29/dell-streaks-supposed-us-packaging-is-gorgeous-unboxed-with-el/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/29/dell-streaks-supposed-us-packaging-is-gorgeous-unboxed-with-el/#comments Well, the Brits ain't gonna be happy when they see this in the AM. What we're looking at here is presumably the Dell Streak's final US packaging -- a far cry from the cardboard boxes that the Englishmen are given (and let's not forget the silly photoshop error on the top). If the features list is correct, this five-inch Android phone is definitely headed to AT&T's 850MHz 3G band for now (hang in there, T-Mobile fans). Other than that, the accessories and the phone itself look identical to what we've got in London, but we totally wouldn't mind getting hold of this sexy acrylic box -- it'd make a pretty cool cradle, don't you think? Head over to the source link to feed your eyes.

Update: Here's another found on eBay. [Thanks, Johnny S.]

Dell Streak's supposed US packaging is gorgeous, unboxed with elegance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6attcellphonecorningcorning gorilla glassCorningGorillaGlassdelldell streakDellStreakgorilla glassGorillaGlassmobile phoneMobilePhonephonesmartphonesnapdragonstreaktabletphoneunboxingunboxing picturesUnboxingPicturesUSTue, 29 Jun 2010 01:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak now available unlocked for £449]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/28/dell-streak-now-available-unlocked-for-449/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/28/dell-streak-now-available-unlocked-for-449/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/28/dell-streak-now-available-unlocked-for-449/#comments Not a fan of being tied down to a single network? Neither are we, so let's all hold hands and rejoice at the news that Dell's 5-inch Streak has today become available to purchase unlocked over in the UK. Freedom lovers will have to pay a hefty £50 extra for being unshackled from O2's chains, but the £449 ($676) price point remains significantly lower than the 16GB iPhone 4 and should prove mighty tempting. Then again, if you wait until next month, you might be able to import one from the good old US of A, where Dell will be selling the unlocked Streak at a thrifty $500. It all depends on what you have more of, money or patience.

[Thanks, Manuel B.]

Dell Streak now available unlocked for £449 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6availabilitydelldell streakDellStreakpricepricespricingstreakukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomunlockedMon, 28 Jun 2010 05:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung Behold II finally gets Android 1.6 update]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/samsung-behold-ii-finally-gets-android-1-6-update/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/samsung-behold-ii-finally-gets-android-1-6-update/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/samsung-behold-ii-finally-gets-android-1-6-update/#comments Yes, yes, we know you'd rather get Eclair or Froyo -- but sometimes you've got to be happy with what you've got, and this is one of those times. As far as we can tell, Samsung hasn't budged on its commitment to sunset the Behold II's upgrade path with Donut, but at least 1.6 is finally trickling into the hands of owners this week via a rolling over-the-air update that should wrap up on the 25th. There are a few bug fixes in the mix, too -- so unless you've got a rooted Behold II running 2.2 already, you probably want in on this action. Or... you know, dump this inadequately-supported piece for something running 2.1 out of the box.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Behold II finally gets Android 1.6 update originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6behold iiBeholdIidonutsamsungT-MobileupdateupgradeWed, 23 Jun 2010 19:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson's 3-inch Xperia X8 made official, coming in Q3 2010 for €259]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/sony-ericssons-3-inch-xperia-x8-made-official-coming-in-q3-201/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/sony-ericssons-3-inch-xperia-x8-made-official-coming-in-q3-201/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/sony-ericssons-3-inch-xperia-x8-made-official-coming-in-q3-201/#comments While the real Shakira may be busy gallivanting over in South Africa, Sony Ericsson's handset that bore the same (code)name has today been unveiled as the latest member of the Xperia line. Bridging the gap between the fully formed X10 and its Mini siblings, the 3-inch Xperia X8 will run Android 1.6 somewhere deep underneath a comprehensively customized skin. That means you get Sony Ericsson's social (Timescape) and media (Mediascape) aggregators whether you like them or not, and by the looks of the early hands-on pictures, it seems like a straight port of the UI available on the X10 Mini. A 3.2 megapixel camera is available around back, with WiFi, a 600MHz CPU, 1,200mAh battery, and interchangeable covers completing the value proposition. The X8 will cost around €259 ($318) when it launches in the third quarter of this year. Hit the sources for more pictures.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson's 3-inch Xperia X8 made official, coming in Q3 2010 for €259

Sony Ericsson's 3-inch Xperia X8 made official, coming in Q3 2010 for €259 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6android osAndroid1.6AndroidOshandsonmediascapeseshakirasony ericssonsony ericsson x8sony ericsson xperia x8SonyEricssonSonyEricssonX8SonyEricssonXperiaX8timescapex8xperiaxperia x8XperiaX8Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak gets rooted, now accepting superusers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/dell-streak-gets-rooted-now-accepting-superusers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/dell-streak-gets-rooted-now-accepting-superusers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/dell-streak-gets-rooted-now-accepting-superusers/#commentsDell Streak gets rooted, now accepting superusers Yes, we're still waiting on the official release of the Dell Streak over here in the colonies, but abroad it's already available, and MoDaCo's Paul O'Brien has taken his to the root. He's figured out how to make the Streak a more willing partner for your su exploits, and has kindly shared the details. The application process looks easy, just a few steps, and from what we can tell looks to be fully functional, with only the remount command requiring some extra finesse to get working. You can find the full details at the source link and have yours rooted in time for tea.

[Thanks, Rado]

Dell Streak gets rooted, now accepting superusers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6delldell streakDellStreakmidmobile internet deviceMobileInternetDevicerootrootedsmartphonestreaktabletMon, 07 Jun 2010 08:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/dell-streak-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/dell-streak-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/dell-streak-review/#comments Streak. It needs no introduction, as this slate's been gaining a lot of attention amongst gadget lovers around the world. Thanks to the UK launch last Friday, we were one of the first on this planet to procure Dell's finalized Android 1.6 phone from O2. Yep, you heard right -- Engadget's now in possession of two Streaks, with the older one still in its original and somewhat unstable prototype state. Our new toy sports a matte "carbon" finish instead of chrome (no word on future availability; the red version's coming in two weeks' time), and now 399MB of RAM instead of 405MB (according to Android System Info app; it's actually a 512MB chip). Anyhow, now that we have the real deal, there's plenty to go through, so join us after the break to see if the Streak's really going to start a new trend.

Gallery: Dell Streak review

Continue reading Dell Streak review

Dell Streak review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6arcsoftArcSoft Mobile Media GalleryArcsoftMobileMediaGalleryat tattcellphonedelldell streakDellStreakfeaturedfeaturesgorilla glassGorillaGlassmidmobile phoneMobilePhoneo2o2 ukO2Ukphonequalcommqualcomm snapdragonQualcommSnapdragonreviewslatesmartphonesnapdragonstreaktablettabletphoneukvideoSun, 06 Jun 2010 18:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Acer beTouch E130 kicks it BlackBerry-style, but runs Android 1.6 (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/acer-betouch-e130-kicks-it-blackberry-style-but-runs-android-1/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/acer-betouch-e130-kicks-it-blackberry-style-but-runs-android-1/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/acer-betouch-e130-kicks-it-blackberry-style-but-runs-android-1/#comments It's not everyday that we come across an Android phone with an exposed keyboard, so naturally Acer's beTouch E130 caught our eye here at Computex. The BlackBerry-esque phone is equipped with a 2.6-inch QVGA touchscreen display, a scroll ball and a full QWERTY keyboard. In hand the device felt really solid, and though the screen is smaller than most Android phones, the rough-feeling scroll ball is great for navigating the menus. The keyboard is probably our favorite part of the phone -- like Nokia's E71, it has a rubber-like coating giving the keys a nice bounce. But all of that good stuff came to a bit of a halt when we realized that the E130 is part of Acer's lower end BeTouch line -- it packs only a 416MHz ST-Ericsson CPU, 256MB of RAM, and 512MB of ROM. Additionally, it runs a now-dated Android 1.6 OS. We guess we can't expect every smartphone to boast a 1GHz Snapdragon and a beta version of Froyo, though. Vid's after the break, if that's what you're into.

Gallery: Acer BeTouch E130 hands-on

Continue reading Acer beTouch E130 kicks it BlackBerry-style, but runs Android 1.6 (video)

Acer beTouch E130 kicks it BlackBerry-style, but runs Android 1.6 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acerAcer betouchAcer BeTouch E130AcerBetouchAcerBetouchE130androidandroid 1.6Android1.6BeTouch E130BetouchE130cellphonecomputexcomputex 2010Computex2010impressionspreviewsmartphonevideoSun, 06 Jun 2010 10:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Sanxi Android iPad KIRF hands-on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/05/sanxi-android-ipad-kirf-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/05/sanxi-android-ipad-kirf-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/05/sanxi-android-ipad-kirf-hands-on/#comments Oh man, have we seen a ton of tablets this week here at Computex. And if you asked us to pick out the best we'd have a really hard time, but yet, somehow, this KIRF iPad we stumbled upon at Sanxi's booth has been one of the more unforgettable devices we've seen... maybe ever! Yep, we spotted this plastic Android 1.6-running iPad-replica behind glass, and as soon as we got someone to take it out we were pretty much beside ourselves -- the plastic body is the same exact shape as the iPad, and it has identical controls including the circular homescreen button and a non-functioning switch on the side. The entire thing is made of plastic, which if we had to guess makes it about one-third the weight of an actual aluminum iPad. The 10-inch, resistive screen was pretty much as unresponsive as they come -- no matter how we dragged our nail on it it didn't want to cooperate. Surprisingly, it did have a working accelerometer, so there's that. Mind you, we realize there are dozens of these sorts of devices out there dwelling in Shenzen, but us Engadget editor's rarely get to see these sorts of things up close and personal, so hit the break for a short hands-on video and the gallery below for some shots of this wannabe.

Gallery: Sanxi Android iPad KIRF hands-on

Continue reading Sanxi Android iPad KIRF hands-on

Sanxi Android iPad KIRF hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>android 1.6Android1.6computexcomputex 2010Computex2010impressionsiPad KIRFIpadKirfkirfpreviewSanxiSanxi Android iPadSanxi Android iPad KIRFSanxiAndroidIpadSanxiAndroidIpadKirftabletvideoSat, 05 Jun 2010 20:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Inventec's Dr. Eye puts Android in a pocket-sized laptop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/03/inventecs-dr-eye-puts-android-in-a-pocket-sized-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/03/inventecs-dr-eye-puts-android-in-a-pocket-sized-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/03/inventecs-dr-eye-puts-android-in-a-pocket-sized-laptop/#commentsInventec's Dr. Eye puts Android in a pocket-sized laptop It may sound like a mid-boss in some forgotten and poorly translated NES game, but Dr. Eye (aka the N18C) is actually a sort of keyboard-endowed MID from Inventec. This chubby clamshell sports a QWERTY keyboard, a 4.8-inch VGA touchscreen, 3G, WiFi, and a front-facing webcam. Power is said to come from a "Marvell 624," which we're guessing is a 624MHz PXA310 and, while it's currently running 1.6, word is that it'll be dipped in 2.1's creamy filling in the near future. When will delivery be? Inventec has been showing this guy off since last year, and while the person doing the demonstration indicates they'll be available "pretty soon" at a price point around $400, we found this guy for sale already at a price of 2688 yuan, or about $395. So, if you're eager to get computing and prefer donuts to eclairs, we wish you happy importing.

Continue reading Inventec's Dr. Eye puts Android in a pocket-sized laptop

Inventec's Dr. Eye puts Android in a pocket-sized laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6clamshellDr. EyeDr.Eyegooglegoogle android 1.6GoogleAndroid1.6inventecinventec Dr. Eyeinventec n18cInventecDr.EyeInventecN18cmidmobile internet deviceMobileInternetDevicen18cqwertyvgavideoThu, 03 Jun 2010 10:21:00 EST<![CDATA[VIA's WonderMedia decorates Computex with ARM 9-powered, Android 1.6 tablets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/vias-wondermedia-decorates-computex-with-arm-9-powered-android/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/vias-wondermedia-decorates-computex-with-arm-9-powered-android/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/vias-wondermedia-decorates-computex-with-arm-9-powered-android/#comments Don't let all of the Computex Wintel madness throw you off -- there are a plenty of ARM-based, Android tablets around these parts, too. We stopped by VIA's booth to check out some of its tablets, which we're told are bound to ring up in the $100 to $200 range. Virtually all of the devices on display had 7-inch resistive touch displays, and were running Android 1.6 on the company''s WonderMedia WM8505 ARM 9 based processor. It probably goes without saying that we found most of the plastic slates to be quite chintzy, but the slick Android skin and homescreen dock definitely caught our eye. Also, on display were two smartbook-like devices, which were based on a similar WM8605 chip, but running Android 2.1. That's all the specification details we have for now, but enjoy some of the pics we stole below as well as a short video after the break.

Gallery: VIA WonderMedia Android tablets hands-on

Continue reading VIA's WonderMedia decorates Computex with ARM 9-powered, Android 1.6 tablets

VIA's WonderMedia decorates Computex with ARM 9-powered, Android 1.6 tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidandroid 1.6android 2.1Android1.6Android2.1ARMcomputexcomputex 2010Computex2010hands-onimpressionspreviewtabletsviaVIA WM8505VIA WondermediaViaWm8505ViaWondermediavideoWondermediaTue, 01 Jun 2010 11:17:00 EST<![CDATA[LG Optimus Q launching with Android 1.6? (update: yep!)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/lg-optimus-q-launching-with-android-1-6/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/lg-optimus-q-launching-with-android-1-6/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/lg-optimus-q-launching-with-android-1-6/#comments You'd like to think that any Android device launching these days would come equipped with an absolute bare minimum of Eclair, but that's not the case; Dell's Streak, for example, will be coming out of the gate with Android 1.6 -- and seemingly so will LG's LU2300 Optimus Q. We were just handed this rather interesting spec sheet that says the phone's loaded with 1.6 on no uncertain terms, a stark change from LG's official (and someone unhelpful) line that it may or may not launch with 2.1. At the very least, we'd hope that an upgrade is in the works -- but hey, at least it comes with LG's trick Air Sync service, which is a pretty sweet deal.

[Thanks, Seth G.]

Update: LG's Korean-language press release from a few days ago matches up with the specs they're showing in South Korea right now (pictured), so it's confirmed -- 1.6 at launch, 2.1 later in the Summer. Thanks, Kunal G.!

LG Optimus Q launching with Android 1.6? (update: yep!) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6donutkorealglu2300mobileoptimus qOptimusQsouth koreaSouthKoreaFri, 28 May 2010 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung planning Android 1.6 update for Behold II -- but that's it]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/samsung-planning-android-1-6-update-for-behold-ii-but-thats/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/samsung-planning-android-1-6-update-for-behold-ii-but-thats/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/samsung-planning-android-1-6-update-for-behold-ii-but-thats/#comments Remember the good ol' days when companies were honest to their customers? Aw, who are we kidding -- those days never actually existed, so it's good to see Samsung carrying on the time-honored tradition of playing the CYA game by belting out a bald-faced lie or two. So the Behold II for T-Mobile USA has been the subject of some serious buzz the past few days as buyers have grown weary of the lack of new builds, all while the Android world has passed them by with not one, not two, not three, but four major updates. Samsung Mobile finally broke the silence today on a forum -- good on them -- saying that there's a Donut update in the works featuring "Swype, an improved Media Player, updated core Android applications and improved Bluetooth capabilities."

That's all well and good, but Samsung goes on to say that "the Behold II is not upgradeable beyond Android 1.6" -- and we've got a serious problem with that wording. We know (and Samsung knows) damn well that they could upgrade the Behold II beyond Android 1.6, considering that the community has managed to shoehorn even Froyo onto prehistoric devices like the Dream; rather, Samsung chooses not to upgrade it beyond Android 1.6. That's a business decision that Samsung has to make, and far be it from us to try to push Sammy into continuing to sink cash into a phone that didn't sell very well -- but the least these guys could do is be honest, face the music, and tell us that's what's going on rather than insulting our collective intelligence and insisting that there's some cosmic force preventing Eclair or Froyo from loading onto a phone that was just released a few months ago. Seriously though, Sammy -- thanks for the Donut, we guess.

Update: We've now received Samsung's official response independently and have it for you after the break.

Continue reading Samsung planning Android 1.6 update for Behold II -- but that's it

Samsung planning Android 1.6 update for Behold II -- but that's it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 01:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6behold iiBeholdIidonutgooglesamsungt-mobileupdateupgradeFri, 28 May 2010 01:55:00 EST<![CDATA[HP Compaq Airlife 100 review roundup: a little too dumb for a smartbook]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/hp-compaq-airlife-100-review-roundup-a-little-too-dumb-for-a-sm/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/hp-compaq-airlife-100-review-roundup-a-little-too-dumb-for-a-sm/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/hp-compaq-airlife-100-review-roundup-a-little-too-dumb-for-a-sm/#comments As of last month, there were still no solid plans to ever bring HP Compaq's Airlife 100 smartbook to US soil, and judging by the first reviews surfacing across the pond, the company should probably consider keeping it that way. In a land already saturated with increasingly powerful netbooks, highly capable smartphones and a blossoming selection of tablets, the actual need for a so-called smartbook is questionable at best. For those still interested in paying near-netbook prices for this (on contract with a carrier, no less), you should probably first take a gander at the reviews linked below. Put simply, the Airlife 100 just wasn't a contender, and it had issues handling basic tasks like playing back HD videos and loading the full Gmail experience. 'Course, Android 1.6 is looking severely dated right about now, so we can't say we're shocked to hear so much negativity. The design itself was universally praised, but when you can snag a Crystal HD-equipped netbook (sans a data plan agreement, to boot) for just a few Euros more, it's hard to justify locking yourself into something far less intelligent.

Continue reading HP Compaq Airlife 100 review roundup: a little too dumb for a smartbook

HP Compaq Airlife 100 review roundup: a little too dumb for a smartbook originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlifeairlife 100Airlife100androidandroid 1.6android netbookAndroid1.6AndroidNetbookcompaqgooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidhpHP CompaqHP Compaq airlife 100HpCompaqHpCompaqAirlife100netbookreview roundupReviewRoundupsmartbookvideoFri, 21 May 2010 17:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Android MID shocker! Eken M003 gets 8-inch display, $230 price tag (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/android-mid-shocker-eken-m003-gets-8-inch-display-230-price-t/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/android-mid-shocker-eken-m003-gets-8-inch-display-230-price-t/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/android-mid-shocker-eken-m003-gets-8-inch-display-230-price-t/#comments
Are you a fan of off-brand MIDs, the Android OS, and dangerous bezels? You're in luck! It looks like the M003, a slightly larger follow-up to Eken's very own M001 (which caught our attention a month or so ago, mostly on account of its price) has finally reached e-tailers at home and abroad, such as China Grabber who will sell you one for a not too shabby (yet not too awesome either) $230. Keeping the Android 1.6 OS, this bad boy has been bumped up to an 8-inch touchscreen while sporting a 600MHz VIA processor, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, 128MB RAM, and an SD card slot for up to 32GB storage. They're even throwing in a 2GB SD card because they're such good sports. Available in pink, white, or black. Hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Android MID shocker! Eken M003 gets 8-inch display, $230 price tag (video)

Android MID shocker! Eken M003 gets 8-inch display, $230 price tag (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidAndroid 1.6android tabletAndroid tabletsAndroid1.6AndroidTabletAndroidTabletsekenEken M003eken midEkenM003EkenMidM003MIDshockerslateVIAvideoFri, 21 May 2010 03:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Garmin-Asus Garminfone review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/18/garmin-asus-garminfone-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/18/garmin-asus-garminfone-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/18/garmin-asus-garminfone-review/#comments The holy matrimony between smartphone and personal navigation device just keeps getting stronger, scorning dedicated GPS units like forgotten flings and leaving navigation-free handsets wandering lost and alone. Garmin-Asus has been flirting with the perfect bond with its Nuvifone series for some time now, but rather tragically from a branding perspective its strongest attempt yet comes without the nuvi moniker. It's the T-Mobile Garminfone, and its Android underpinnings go a long way toward making the best mix of PND and smartphone to date.

Gallery: Garmin-Asus Garminfone

Continue reading Garmin-Asus Garminfone review

Garmin-Asus Garminfone review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6asusfeaturefeaturedfeaturesgarmingarmin-asusgarmin-asus garminfoneGarmin-asusGarminfonegarminfonegpsnavigationpndreviewsmartphonet-mobilet-mobile garminfoneT-mobileGarminfonevideoTue, 18 May 2010 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Sharp ships 1GHz IS01 developer's edition in Japan, minus all the goodies]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/14/sharp-ships-1ghz-is01-developers-edition-in-japan-minus-all-th/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/14/sharp-ships-1ghz-is01-developers-edition-in-japan-minus-all-th/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/14/sharp-ships-1ghz-is01-developers-edition-in-japan-minus-all-th/#comments Hoping to get your hot little hands on the tinker-friendly edition of Sharp's Snapdragon-powered IS01 Android MID? If you live in Japan, today's your lucky day -- assuming you're willing to overlook the possibility that the developer's version has been thoroughly neutered. According to a Japanese press release, JN-DK01 dev kits are now shipping, but apparently sans cellular modem (no phone calls, no 3G data) and without API support for FM and 1Seg connectivity. You'll still get to play around with that 960 x 480 multitouch LCD, experiment with IrDA and download Android Market apps over WiFi, but we're not quite seeing the point of working with a cheap-feeling Android 1.6 device stripped of its coolest toys.

Sharp ships 1GHz IS01 developer's edition in Japan, minus all the goodies originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1-seg1SegAndroidAndroid 1.6Android MIDAndroid1.6AndroidMidAPIdev kitdev kitsDevelopment kitDevelopment kitsDevelopmentKitDevelopmentKitsDevKitDevKitsFMGoogle AndroidGoogleAndroidIS01JN-DK01kddikddi auKDDI IS01KddiAuKddiIs01MIDMobile Internet Devicemobile internet devicesMobileInternetDeviceMobileInternetDevicesSharp IS01Sharp JN-DK01SharpIs01SharpJn-dk01Fri, 14 May 2010 02:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Archos 7 Home Tablet ships to Android lovers in June]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/06/archos-7-home-tablet-ships-to-android-lovers-in-june/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/06/archos-7-home-tablet-ships-to-android-lovers-in-june/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/06/archos-7-home-tablet-ships-to-android-lovers-in-june/#comments So you go and pre-order the Archos 7 Home Tablet, thinking it would ship by the end of April. Our deepest apologizes, but according to the official press release below, the 7-inch, Android 1.6 tablet won't be shipping in the US until early June -- though an Archos spokesperson told us that those who pre-ordered may get units before the end of May if they count their lucky stars. The rest of the release doesn't reveal much, but does confirms that the resistive touchscreen device won't have access to the Android Marketplace. Instead -- and as you can see in the unboxing pictures below -- it comes with Archos' AppsLib store and is preloaded with a few apps, including eBuddy and Aldiko's e-reader software. Still, we know the $199.99 tablet sounds tempting, but our review should be up in the next few days. In other words, you should probably hold off on sliding that credit card out -- after all, she ain't shipping 'til June.

Gallery: Archos 7 Home Tablet unboxing

Continue reading Archos 7 Home Tablet ships to Android lovers in June

Archos 7 Home Tablet ships to Android lovers in June originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6android tabletAndroid1.6AndroidTabletArchosarchos 7archos 7 home tabletarchos home tabletArchos7Archos7HomeTabletArchosHomeTabletshippingtablettablet pcTabletPctabletsunboxingususaThu, 06 May 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eken's $100 Android MID reviewed: you get what you pay for]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/26/ekens-100-android-mid-reviewed-you-get-what-you-pay-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/26/ekens-100-android-mid-reviewed-you-get-what-you-pay-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/26/ekens-100-android-mid-reviewed-you-get-what-you-pay-for/#comments When we first spotted the Eken M001 MID, we immediately liked its honest nature. The M001 didn't claim to be an iPad killer, or boast ridiculous specs and decades of battery life; it was simply cheap, and proud of it. Now, Shanzai.com has discovered the tablet is exactly what we expected. Running Android 1.6 with a VIA WM8505 processor, the device is pokey with terrible battery life, and the 7-inch, 800 x 480 resistive screen has noticeable lag. Still, the M001's moderately capable; think of it as a digital photo frame with tablet functionality -- like the HP Dreamscreen, but affordable and battery powered -- rather than the other way round. Were it readily available stateside, we could see a few souls actually picking it up for $680 RMB (about $100)... but definitely not the $200 Haleron asked for in February. Video after the break.

Continue reading Eken's $100 Android MID reviewed: you get what you pay for

Eken's $100 Android MID reviewed: you get what you pay for originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidAndroid 1.6android tabletAndroid tabletsAndroid1.6AndroidTabletAndroidTabletsekenEken M001eken midEkenM001EkenMidM001MIDVIAVIA 8505VIA WM8505Via8505ViaWm8505videoMon, 26 Apr 2010 21:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Archos 7 Home Tablet sized up by FCC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/archos-7-home-tablet-sized-up-by-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/archos-7-home-tablet-sized-up-by-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/archos-7-home-tablet-sized-up-by-fcc/#comments Now that everyone and their grandpappy's thoroughly caught up in tablet frenzy, it's time for some of the lesser beasts to start coming out of the woodwork. Next up? The Archos 7 Home Tablet, which just garnered the last bit of FCC approval it needs to see a late April release. With a comparatively slow 600 MHz Rockchip RK2808 inside, don't expect the Home Tablet to set speed records like its younger brother, but do look forward to a reasonably competitive price when the video-friendly Android device arrives stateside. See what it looks like with a paintjob (and sans "Ewe" logo) in our video from CeBIT after the break, or peek pics of an government-sponsored teardown at the source link.

Continue reading Archos 7 Home Tablet sized up by FCC

Archos 7 Home Tablet sized up by FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2808AndroidAndroid 1.6Android1.6ArchosArchos 7Archos 7 Home TabletArchos7Archos7HomeTabletFCCmidRK2808RockchipRockchip RK2808RockchipRk2808tablettablet PCTabletPcFri, 09 Apr 2010 05:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Sharp IS01 Snapdragon-powered 3G MID introduces AU to Android]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/sharp-is01-snapdragon-powered-3g-mid-introduces-au-to-android/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/sharp-is01-snapdragon-powered-3g-mid-introduces-au-to-android/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/sharp-is01-snapdragon-powered-3g-mid-introduces-au-to-android/#comments After Softbank announced the HTC Desire and DoCoMo began pushing its very first Android smartphone (Xperia X10), Japan had big hopes for AU's press event today. An EVO perhaps, or maybe something more from this once proud home of the original superphones? Unfortunately, Engadget Japanese let out a collective meh in response to a 5-inch IS01 handheld from Sharp running Android 1.6 on a Snapdragon processor and measuring 83 × 149 × 17.9mm and 227g. While it looks like the classic Japanese eDictionary, the IS01 is meant to be used as a general purpose MID with a 5-row QWERTY, Sharp-built "New Mobile ASV" multi-touch capacitive display pushing a 960 x 480 pixel resolution and a 5.27 megapixel auto focus camera on back with a 0.43 megapixel jobbie up front for video calls. Rounding out the specs are 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, microSD slot, 1Seg mobile TV tuner, IrDA, 4GB of internal storage, and Qualcomm 3G CDMA data. Look for it to ship in October while a developer friendly version (JN-DK01) should be available in May.

Sharp IS01 Snapdragon-powered 3G MID introduces AU to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6audonutgoogleirdaIS01japanJN-DK01kddimidnew mobile asvNewMobileAsvqualcommsharpsmartbooksnapdragonTue, 30 Mar 2010 03:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Archos 7 Home Tablet up for pre-order, could ship first week of April]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/29/archos-7-home-tablet-up-for-pre-order-could-ship-first-week-of/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/29/archos-7-home-tablet-up-for-pre-order-could-ship-first-week-of/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/29/archos-7-home-tablet-up-for-pre-order-could-ship-first-week-of/#comments
The first week of April is going to be a good one for prospective tablet owners. If a certain highly talked-about slate isn't to your liking, it seems that Archos 7 Home Tablet we spent some time with earlier this month will soon be making its debut as well. Both Redcoon.de ("usually ships in two weeks") and Amazon.de ("soon") have the 8GB model available for pre-order, for €180 and €200 (or about $240 and $270) respectively. Not the most stunning hardware, to be sure, but for less than $300 you can't really complain. Hit the source link to see for yourself.

Updated: We heard from Archos and it plans to launch the the 7 Home Tablet here in the US at the end of April.

Archos 7 Home Tablet up for pre-order, could ship first week of April originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6archosarchos 7archos 7 home tabletArchos7Archos7HomeTablettabletMon, 29 Mar 2010 21:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Kyocera Zio M6000 hands-on: you get what pay for]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/kyocera-zio-m6000-hands-on-you-get-what-pay-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/kyocera-zio-m6000-hands-on-you-get-what-pay-for/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/23/kyocera-zio-m6000-hands-on-you-get-what-pay-for/#comments It's totally unfair to Kyocera that we played with its new Zio M6000 mid-tier Android smartphone mere hours after our first look at the HTC EVO 4G, but while we were excited to see a cheaper phone with an 800 x 480 screen, the end result is pretty disappointing. The device crams that resolution into a 3.5-inch screen, which wouldn't be so bad if the capacitive touchscreen element wasn't so low-end. It seemed both unresponsive and lacking in accuracy -- at times we had trouble even dragging open the notification tray. We were told that we were looking at a prototype of the device, but the crumminess seemed pretty uniform across multiple Zios we tested. The device also seemed just generally sluggish -- we'd think the 600MHz Qualcomm processor could handle Android 1.6 just fine, but perhaps there's some optimization left to do. Kyocera told us that the phone is easily upgraded to 2.0 or 2.1, based on carrier wishes, and that they don't have any plans for skinning it. Ironically, running 1.6 on this high res display actually ends up looking worse than a regular low-res screen, due to the blurry icons and UI elements. The cheap looking capacitive touch buttons aren't much out of the norm for Android, but interesting the phone doesn't have any haptics to let you know if you've clicked one. Meanwhile, the haptic feedback for touchscreen typing is cranked to 11 and significantly unhelpful.

In one final negative note, the phone takes one of the worst pages out of the Palm book and put plastic doors over not only the USB plug but the microSD slot and side-mounted headphone jack as well. On the plus side: this is an incredibly thin and light phone, and we doubt the price (less than $200 or so unsubsidized) probably will be beat in the US for a while. Expect to see it on a low-end CDMA carrier (like Virgin Mobile or Cricket) near the middle of the year. Check out a video after the break!

Gallery: Kyocera Zio M6000 hands-on: you get what pay for

Continue reading Kyocera Zio M6000 hands-on: you get what pay for

Kyocera Zio M6000 hands-on: you get what pay for originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6hands-onkyocerakyocera zio m6000KyoceraZioM6000zioTue, 23 Mar 2010 21:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-review/#comments Of the world's largest phone manufacturers, perhaps none has taken a more twisted road to smartphone ubiquity than Sony Ericsson. It began its journey back in the pre-joint venture Ericsson days by throwing its weight behind Symbian, a smartphone platform that would ultimately become the world's most popular -- but it made a fatal error in supporting the doomed UIQ flavor that never saw even a fraction of the support its S60 cousin did. UIQ's untimely (but predicted) collapse last year left the company nearly rudderless and ill-equipped to deal with competitors like Nokia, HTC, and Apple, all of whom had long since embraced other platforms -- all with fighting chances of market dominance.

Left without a platform to champion, Sony Ericsson would ultimately continue supporting Symbian through its involvement with the Symbian Foundation and phones like the Satio and Vivaz... and it would ramp up support for Windows Mobile with the Xperia X1 and X2... and it would bring Android into the fold with the X10, all within a few months of each other. All told, Sony Ericsson enters 2010 actively supporting three unrelated smartphone platforms, and comments by CEO Bert Norberg at MWC in February lead us to believe that they'd be happy to take on a fourth (or more) if the opportunity presented itself. It's an odd strategy to be sure, particularly for a company that's struggling mightily and shrinking its workforce more than any other top-five manufacturer. How it intends to effectively compete on three different fronts without spreading itself hopelessly thin, well... that remains a huge question mark.

That said, the Xperia X10 is perhaps the most promising of Sony Ericsson's confusing crop of modern smartphones, combining attractive hardware with killer specs, Android, and an intriguing custom skin. Does it hold its own against modern competitors like HTC's Nexus One and Desire? And more importantly, can it keep Sony Ericsson from going over the brink? Read on to find out.

Note: Sony Ericsson contacted us shortly after the review was published to let us know that this particular X10 is running pre-production firmware, which may account for some of the issues we had with keyboard performance and occasional sluggishness. Let's hope!

Gallery: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review

Continue reading Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6Android1.6donutericssonreviewSONYsony ericssonSonyEricssontimescapex10xperiaXPERIA X10XperiaX10Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enso's zenPad is the cheap Android tablet you've always wanted, available now]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/ensos-zenpad-is-the-cheap-android-tablet-youve-always-wanted/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/ensos-zenpad-is-the-cheap-android-tablet-youve-always-wanted/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/ensos-zenpad-is-the-cheap-android-tablet-youve-always-wanted/#commentsEnso's zenPad is that cheap Android tablet you've always wanted, available now With so many concept Android tablets floating around lately we were inclined to just ignore this one -- until we learned two particularly interesting aspects: it starts at $155, and it's actually shipping now. It's the zenPad from Enso, a five-inch, 800 x 480 Android 1.6 tablet with 8GB of storage (on a replaceable microSD) that, for an additional $25, comes with GPS. It's powered by a 667MHz Samsung 6410 processor, pledges six hours of battery life, and has WiFi built-in while an external 3G adapter is just another $35. That means a fully max'd out unit with GPS and 3G would set you back $210 -- plus $25 for shipping. And yes, they are shipping now, as evidenced by a number of the things popping up on eBay. Sure, it doesn't look as fancy as the Dell Mini 5, but you won't have to fly to Shenzhen to get one. Video demonstration embedded after the break, but the footage was apparently encoded using some demo software, so beware nagging audio intrusions.

Update: We were guessing this was a rebrand of something, and thanks to commenter Raikus it looks like this is a Smit MID-650, which eviGroup's Wallet was also said to be based on -- at more than twice the price. Also, we (well, you really) seem to have taken down Enso's site thanks to traffic. Oops! Hit that eBay link if you're desperate to Buy It Now(R).

Update 2: The annoying demonstration video previously embedded, which Enso had provided, has been replaced by the original, nagware-free version courtesy of ARMdevices.net.

Update 3: Possible fraud alert! We got a tip from @PitchingAFit that there are some shady dealings afoot, including Enso not providing updates to those who have bought this thing. The eBay listings for the company have all disappeared and, well, some folks are getting worried. At this point we'd strongly advise against ordering one of these suckers until Enso clarifies the situation. There's a little more info on the current situation over at Multimediawerld.be.

Gallery: Enso zenPad tablet


[Thanks, Corey]

Continue reading Enso's zenPad is the cheap Android tablet you've always wanted, available now

Enso's zenPad is the cheap Android tablet you've always wanted, available now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gandroidandroid 1.6android tabletAndroid1.6AndroidTabletensoenso zenpadEnsoZenpadgpsnow shippingNowShippingshenzhentabletzenpadMon, 22 Mar 2010 09:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Entourage Edge review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/entourage-edge-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/entourage-edge-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/entourage-edge-review/#comments Is it an Android tablet? An e-reader? Just a sweet gadget with two screens? Truth is the Entourage Edge is a little bit of everything, and that's exactly why we've been so intrigued with the "dualbook" since we fondled it at CES. Finally ready to make its shipping debut, the $499 dual screen device is aimed at students, but really it's for anyone interested in a combination 9.7-inch E Ink reading / note-taking experience and a 10.1-inch Android web tablet. It's sounded very cool to us for quite a while, but there's always a difference between hype and reality. Does the Edge live up to its promise or attempt to do too much? The only place to find out is after the break in our full review.

Gallery: Entourage Edge review

Continue reading Entourage Edge review

Entourage Edge review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.6android tabletAndroid1.6AndroidTabletDualbookDualScreendualscreen e-raderDualscreenE-raderDualShock3e booke book readere readere-booke-book readerE-bookReadere-inkE-inkReadere-readerEBookebook readerEBookReaderEdgeentourageEntourage eDGeEntourageEdgeeReaderreviewtabletFri, 12 Mar 2010 15:19:00 EST