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The Engadget Show 47: Insert Coin - New Challengers
We got to hang with Spike Lee, LeVar Burton, Reggie Watts, Ayah Bdeir, David Gerrold, Bens Heck and Huh and Rachel Haot. We played around with Occulus Rift, some electric skateboards, a surgical robot and a few 3D scanners. Once again, however, our Insert Coin competition was arguably the highlight of the whole Expand event. Ten products competing for two big prizes, to help jumpstart their crowdfunding campaigns. Once again, the diversity of the projects was staggering -- a fact that no doubt made it all the more difficult for our panel of illustrious judges to pick just one winner. In this second of two Engadget Show Expand specials, we follow the journey of our top five finalists, MyBell, GrowCubes, Smart Power Strip, DiWire and Blink Scan. Huge congrats as always to all the semi-finalists and a big ole thanks to co-host Mark Frauenfelder and our four-judge panel.
Meet the judges for Expand NY's Insert Coin competition: Ryan Block, Ben Heck, Hilary Mason and Peter Rojas
There are but two days left (including today) for all you makers and would-be entrepreneurs to submit your projects for our Insert Coin competition for Expand NY. And, you may be wondering, who, exactly will be judging the worthiness of your work? Well, MAKE Magazine Editor-in-Chief Mark Frauenfelder will once again be helping present the five finalists on stage, and we've got quartet of tech industry insiders who will decide which project gets our $10,000 Judge's Choice prize. (There's also a $15,000 winner chosen by you, our dear readers.) Our judges are: Ryan Block, VP of Product, Aol; Editor Emeritus, Engadget Ben Heck, Master Modder on element14's, The Ben Heck Show Hilary Mason, Data Scientist in Residence, Accel Partners Peter Rojas, VP, Strategy, Aol Brand Group So, if you've got a bright idea, but haven't already signed up for the chance to put it in front of our judges panel, what are you waiting for? Head past the break for all the pertinent info, then fill out this form -- YOU could wind up winning!
Allow me to reintroduce myself
Hey Engadget, I've missed you. For those of you who don't remember me, my name is Ryan, and until 2008 I served here as the Editor-in-Chief. Well, like Peter, I'm back. But this time I'm doing something totally different. Let's catch up.
Aol acquires gdgt: get those engdgt puns out of your system today
Yes, the rumors are true! The gadget database and website launched by Engadget founder Peter Rojas and founding editor Ryan Block, gdgt, has been purchased by our parent company, Aol. On gdgt's blog, Block explains that the site will bring its community and core technologies to web properties like, erm, this one -- in addition to its comprehensive product database, which we've been embedding since 2011. It'll also team up with Engadget on live events throughout the year, which means more gadget-filled fests in cities like Austin, Boston and San Diego, along with the usual suspects, such as our inaugural Expand conference in March. We'll have plenty more details to fill you in on later today, but you can hit up the post at our source link to see what we're able to share right now. Let's give Peter, Ryan and the rest of the gdgt team a warm Engadget welcome!
Distro Issue 26: Smartwatch face-off, Ryan Block and more
Are you ready for a showdown? You're in luck! In the latest edition of our fine weekly, Myriam Joire tackles wrist-top computing, comparing the inPulse and WIMM One smartwatches. Also in this issue, Zachary Lutz takes the BlackBerry Curve 9360 for a spin; Dana Wollman puts HP's latest Envy 15 through the paces; and Joe Pollicino tries to keep Klipsch's Mode M40 headphones in place. If that wasn't enough to pique your interest, our former editor-in-chief, Ryan Block, returns to take on the Distro Q&A and Box Brown offers a comic look at becoming an iBooks Author. So go on and get to downloading!Distro Issue 26 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
The Engadget Show - 022: Gadgets get smashed, Rick Karr talks broadband, Peter Rojas and Ryan Block tell us what moved them
The Engadget Show is back! Last time it was gaming, this time we go for something with a bit more variety. The show starts with Tim and Brian taking a quick look over some of the month's biggest gadgets, like the Samsung Chromebook Series 5, the HTC EVO 3D, and a pair of new readers: the Barnes & Noble Nook WiFi and the Kobo eReader Touch Edition. After that it's sledgehammer time, where Brian and Terrence work through some pent-up frustrations by beating the silicon out of a series of durable gadgets, all captured in delicious slow motion. Some survived, some did not. Then, we all learn a lesson as Rick Karr stops by to talk about the (sorry) state of US broadband compared to the rest of the world. Next, we take it to the streets to ask you what your most important gadgets are before being joined in the studio by the Engadget founder Peter Rojas and Editor Emeritus Ryan Block, the duo behind gdgt, to talk about the gadgets that most affected them in their time at the site and beyond, also taking some questions from eager audience members about, well, gadgety things. Finally, we all get carried deep into the aural environment of Chrome Canyon. It's a tech-heavy, action-packed show this week that you won't want to miss. So what are you waiting for? Watch it now! The video stream is above, or download the show in HD below!%Gallery-127329% Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater Special guests: Terrence O'Brien, Rick Karr, Peter Rojas, Ryan Block Producer: Guy Streit Director: Michelle Stahl Executive Producers: Joshua Fruhlinger and Michael Rubens Broadband Segment Producers: Chad Mumm, Rick Karr, and Betsy Rate Broadband Segment Animation and Editing: Danny Madden Music and visuals by: Chrome Canyon Taped live at AOL Studios Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 022 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 022 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 022 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.
Engadget's post-WWDC keynote broadcast, live!
This morning we had a little fun prognosticating about what we'd see at today's WWDC keynote address. We'll, now we've seen it, so join us for some post-event analysis from just outside the event center. We'll be starting shortly, so click "Play" above when things go live. Update: We're done, and we didn't even break UStream this time. If you missed it, or want to relive the experience, however, we'll have a saved version of the video up shortly. Update 2: And it's up! Check out the video after the break.
The Engadget Show - 008: Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, Rick Karr, ATI Eyefinity, and more!
Greetings humans! The Engadget Show is back in a big way with this latest episode! Josh sits down with the brilliant roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong to chat about his supremely cool yet surprisingly terrifying 'bots, and then take a look at a few models which the professor brought along with him. Correspondent Rick Karr is back to give us the skinny on why the songwriting industry would like net neutrality to be a little less neutral, and Engadget editor emeritus and gdgt founder Ryan Block joins Josh, Paul, and Ross Miller on the roundtable to delve deep into all things newsworthy in tech. We also got to play with the ATI Eyefinity, one of the craziest gaming rigs you'll ever see... and then give it away to one lucky audience member! All that, and music from Neil Voss and visuals from NO CARRIER. Okay that's enough reading... time to watch! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Ross Miller Special guests: Dr. Dennis Hong, Rick Karr, Ryan Block Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Michael Slavens Music by: Neil Voss Visuals by: NO CARRIER Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 008 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 008 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) 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. %Gallery-91698%
The Engadget Show Live! With roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, Rick Karr, and more!
Keep your eyes tuned to this post -- because at 6:00 PM ET, we'll be starting The Engadget Show live, with roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong of the RoMeLa Lab at Virginia Tech, investigative correspondent Rick Karr, gdgt founder Ryan Block, our own Ross Miller and Paul Miller, plus music from Neil Voss and visuals from NO CARRIER and much, much, more! You seriously don't want to miss it! Can't make it? We forgive you, and there's a live video stream that can be found after the break. In the spirit of awesome, we've enabled tweeting directly to the live stream! To be a part of The Engadget Show broadcast, just include the hashtag "#engadgetshow" and watch for your tweet on the ticker at the bottom of the screen. One thing to note, The Engadget Show is a family program, so any single instance of swearing or trolling will force us to turn off the ticker... and it won't come back on. So, keep it clean and have fun! Update: Well that's another show done and thanks for joining us. Don't worry if you missed it -- we'll be delivering the edited video (without the echo from earlier; sorry about that) to you within a day or two, so keep an eye out on iTunes, Zune Marketplace, and our RSS feed. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
The Engadget Show returns this Saturday, April 24th with roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong, Ryan Block, and much more!
Well ladies and gentlemen, it's that time again -- the Engadget Show is back in a big way this Saturday, April 24th at 6pm! This time around, we'll have the world renowned roboticist Dr. Dennis Hong on hand for a stirring discussion on robotics -- as well as the progress on our future robot butlers. What's more, gdgt co-founder and Engadget editor emeritus Ryan Block will be joining the round table and our own investigative reporter Rick Karr will be back with a head-scratching report on the war in the music industry over net neutrality. You can also look forward to some fine, fine music from Neil Voss and mind-numbing visuals from NO CARRIER. We'll be streaming the whole thing direct to you via the internet, but we'll also be doing tons of giveaways at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. If you're geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just hit up the stream and tweet comments directly to the show! If you're wondering about what kind of giveaways we've got in store, one lucky audience member will walk away from the show with this insane ATI Eyefinity rig. Yes. Seriously. Note: The show time has been moved back an hour, so it will be starting at 6PM! See below for more details. The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's all the info you need: There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 3:30PM on Saturday, doors will open for seating at 5:30PM, and the show begins at 6PM You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break) 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.
Peter Rojas and Ryan Block launch gdgt -- the Swiss Army knife of tech sites
When Ryan Block (our former Editor-in-chief) and Peter Rojas (founder of Engadget, Gizmodo, and RCRD LBL) announced last year that they were embarking on a new project together, alarm bells went off across the interblogs. Following nearly 12 months of rampant speculation, the duo's hard work is finally revealed. Combining the best of social networking, forums, news aggregation, and wiki-based sites, gdgt presents a fairly awe-inspiring range of tools for the hardcore gadget lover.Imagine if Facebook, Wikipedia, your favorite forum, and Google Reader all got mashed into one gigantic, delicious smoothie, and you might begin to get the idea of gdgt. Instead of retreading territory in which they've already blazed a path, Ryan and Peter present a logical step forward for the gadget community -- a place where you can discuss, dissect, and grow your passion with other like minded individuals. It's an ambitious project with lots of really cool stuff to discover, like product comparison tools, the ability to track gadgets you own (or used to own, or want), news from top gadget sites (wink wink), and embeddable widgets.Look, we've found the best way in life to learn about something is to scuttle the user manual and dive right in -- we highly suggest you do the same and take gdgt out for a spin. We think you'll like what you find.Congrats Peter and Ryan!
Engadget Podcast 142 - 04.18.2009: 5th birthday edition
We don't really get too reflective here at Engadget -- usually we're too busy getting news up to think much about ourselves. Still, when you hit your 5th birthday, you tend to want to look back and review how far you've come. We thought there'd be no better way to celebrate the milestone than by having the site's founder Peter Rojas, and instrumental architect Ryan Block on the show to discuss the early days of Engadget. So without further ado -- sit back and enjoy our 5th birthday podcast! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Guests: Peter Rojas, Ryan Block Producer: Trent Wolbe Song: Glomag - Pocket Calculator 00:18:45 - Phantom Controller Rebranded Saitek 01:03:12 - Engadget 1985 01:07:00 - Would you sell your kidney(s) for a Hush? 01:10:38 - PSP vs. DS 01:12:13 - The Engadget Interview: Bill Gates, Part 1 Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.
A quick note about the Engadget Podcast this week
We just wanted to give you guys a heads-up and let you know that while you won't see a new Engadget Podcast today -- don't worry -- it's not going anywhere! We had to shuffle our schedules a little bit to have on some very special guests, namely, Peter Rojas and Ryan Block. We decided it would be fun to celebrate Engadget's 5th birthday with a chat about how the site got its start. So... you should see the new podcast pop up in your queue sometime tomorrow. Thanks for your patience!
Peter Rojas and Ryan Block introduce gdgt, gdgt weekly
If you've been wondering what former editor-in-chief (but current editor-at-large) Ryan Block has been up to since he left the site, wonder no more! He and Engadget founder Peter Rojas have just soft-launched their latest foray into the world of gadgets, fittingly (and simply) named... gdgt. Right now they're just getting off the ground, but they've got a new podcast up, and we expect some great content to follow. It should be noted that Peter and Ryan have reached out to various voices in the tech community (yours truly included, along with Gizmodo editor Brian Lam) to advise and input on the new property, which should provide for spirited mashups about all the technology you know (or don't know yet) and love. Hit the read link to check it all out!
The editor-in-chief giveaway: Win Ryan Block's swag
You know, when you're the editor-in-chief of a site like Engadget, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. Companies send you all kinds of interesting promotional materials, gadgets, swag, etc. It's great. Sometimes, though, you just let it pile up in your living room for years and years, then, when a new editor-in-chief takes over, you send all that stuff to him in about ten huge boxes. Luckily, we've got a way of dealing with this other than just throwing it in storage -- we're giving a ton of it away. That's right, you could be one of the lucky readers to win a massive stash of gear recently jettisoned toward New York by Mr. Ryan Block. Here's just a few things that are up for grabs in this (final) round:I Am Legend (DVD), Apple iPod shuffle Sport Case, set of Zune Originals art prints, Energizer cellphone charger, Super Mario Galaxy X-mas stocking and ornament, Lair fake Zippo lighter, Heavenly Sword letter opener, Hot Shots golf balls, Nokia beer cozy, stuffed TiVo toy, Pursuit Force glove and sunglasses, plus at least four backpacks / bags filled with all kinds of funky stuff!Interested? Here are the rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but a description of what percentage you plan to keep versus what you'll have to sell off, or any fond memory of a Ryan Block post is good too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get a massive amount of swag. Packages represent a brief history of Ryan Block's tenure as editor-in-chief. Approximate value is incalculable (but no more than $600). Entries can be submitted until Friday, August 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here. Don't like swag? You can still enter the drawing to win a bunch of Ryan's gadgets or some totally sweet video games.
The editor-in-chief giveaway: Win Ryan Block's video games
You know, when you're the editor-in-chief of a site like Engadget, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. Companies send you all kinds of interesting promotional materials, gadgets, swag, etc. It's great. Sometimes, though, you just let it pile up in your living room for years and years, then, when a new editor-in-chief takes over, you send all that stuff to him in about ten huge boxes. Luckily, we've got a way of dealing with this other than just throwing it in storage -- we're giving a ton of it away. That's right, you could be one of the lucky readers to win a massive stash of gear recently jettisoned toward New York by Mr. Ryan Block. Here's just a few things that are up for grabs in this round:Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock (Xbox 360), Eye of Judgment + PlayStation Eye (PS3), Microsoft Flight Simulator X (Windows), Project Sylpheed (Xbox 360), The Matrix Online (Windows), Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire (PS3), Singstar (PS3), MLB 08: The Show (PS3), Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (PS3), Twisted Metal Black (PS2), Socom (PSP), Pursuit Force (PSP), Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (PSP), Pokemon Pearl Vision (Nintendo DS), and more!Interested? Here are the rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but a description of what percentage you plan to keep versus what you'll have to sell off, or any fond memory of a Ryan Block post is good too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get a massive amount of video games. Packages represent a brief history of Ryan Block's tenure as editor-in-chief. Approximate value is incalculable (but no more than $600). Entries can be submitted until Friday, August 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here. Don't like video games? You can still enter the drawing to win a bunch of Ryan's gadgets.
The editor-in-chief giveaway: Win Ryan Block's gadgets
You know, when you're the editor-in-chief of a site like Engadget, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. Companies send you all kinds of interesting promotional materials, gadgets, swag, etc. It's great. Sometimes, though, you just let it pile up in your living room for years and years, then, when a new editor-in-chief takes over, you send all that stuff to him in about ten huge boxes. Luckily, we've got a way of dealing with this other than just throwing it in storage -- we're giving a ton of it away. That's right, you could be one of the lucky readers to win a massive stash of gear recently jettisoned toward New York by Mr. Ryan Block. Here's what's up for grabs in this round:Ooma VOIP box, Aliph Jawbone, Sansa e260 4GB PMP, Ramos RM550 1GB PMP, Enermax Caesar Aluminum Keyboard, SageTV Hauppauge Media Extender, Wowwee Butterfly, Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse 3000, Microsoft Lifecam VX-5000, PSP A/V cable, Nikon 1GB flash drive, Trendset USB WiFi card, and more!Interested? Here are the rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but a description of what percentage you plan to keep versus what you'll have to sell off, or any fond memory of a Ryan Block post is good too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. That winner will get a massive amount of gadget related goods. Packages represent a brief history of Ryan Block's tenure as editor-in-chief. Approximate value is incalculable (but no more than $600). Entries can be submitted until Friday, August 29th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Our own Ryan Block throws his hat in the Moto ring
Motorola's in desperate need of a fearless leader that can lead its handset business back from the brink, and our own dear leader thinks he might be the answer. Why's that? Head on over to Engadget to find out!
The missing iPhone e-mail feature
Ryan Block from Engadget shot us an e-mail about a blog post that he recently wrote on his personal blog. In his post, he reminisces about Macworld '07 where Steve Jobs first showed off the iPhone's e-mail application. He reminds us about the double-pane e-mail that was demoed -- and never made it into the final release. What gives Steve? Some people actually would like this view to quickly look through their e-mail. Many have said that the iPhone's e-mail client isn't the best feature out there, as it lacks smart folders, multiple message deletion, and the double-pane view. Not to mention the fact that there are multiple bugs that still remain, even with firmware version 1.1.3 (Ryan mentions the fact that the iPhone idles while parsing HTML messages for quite some time). Is iPhone's Mail worth your time, or a pain in the finger?
Ryan Block on why an Apple phone is so anticipated
For the sake of not trampling trademarks, I guess we can no longer refer to the feverishly-anticipated Apple phone as an 'iPhone.' Nevertheless, no matter what you want to call it, Ryan Block has written an interesting analysis of why everyone wants an Applephone so badly. I think it's a great look at the dynamics of the industry and what a phone from Apple could mean for it, in part because Ryan includes a down-to-earth list of realities about the device. The list includes things such as questionable battery life and how Apple's minimalist design philosophies might not yield a perfect phone that will be adored by all - that is, if the phone even exists in the first place. If you aren't quite tired of hearing about the Applephone just yet and you've been hoping for some more sensible insight into the possibilities of this much-rumored device, check out Ryan's post for a refreshing dose of speculative realism.
