Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[How would you change Windows Mobile 6.5?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/how-would-you-change-windows-mobile-6-5/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/how-would-you-change-windows-mobile-6-5/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/how-would-you-change-windows-mobile-6-5/#comments We know, today is totally Android 2.0's day to shine, but what would a Friday night be without a little diversity? Windows Mobile 6.5 officially landed on a gaggle of Windows Phones back in early October (a month ago to the day, in fact), but by and large, all of 'em have seemingly drifted off into some forgotten corner while Motorola's DROID has taken over the hype. Still, we've got a feeling at least a few of you loyalists went out and gave Sir Ballmer a few more of your nickles, and now we're eager to hear if you're loving or regretting that choice. Is 6.5 really a worthy update over 6.1? Are you waiting for WinMo 7 instead? What would you change about 6.5 in order to make 7 the best mobile OS of all time? Sound off in comments below!

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How would you change Windows Mobile 6.5? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresHow would you changeHowWouldYouChangeHWYCsmartphonesoftwarewindows mobileWindows Mobile 6.5WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.5winmowinmo 6.5Winmo6.5Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:59:00 EST<![CDATA[HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/06/htc-hero-eris-mega-faceoff-on-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/06/htc-hero-eris-mega-faceoff-on-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/06/htc-hero-eris-mega-faceoff-on-video/#comments Now that we've got the DROID Eris in the mix, we're up to our ears in HTC Hero-derivative devices. We decided to sit the whole crew (GSM, Sprint and Verizon editions) down for a little modeling session, and we're finding ourselves reticent to pick a favorite. There are really plusses and minuses to each of them, but any way you lean it's a pretty good handset with some perhaps overly bulky software, a wonderful pricepoint (on Verizon, anyway) and probably a limited time in the sun with upcoming Android 2.0 devices, faster processors and wild new screens rolling on in. Check the video out after the break and you can make up your own mind.

Continue reading HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video

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HTC Hero / Eris mega faceoff on video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroid erisDroidEriserisfeatureshands-onherohtchtc heroHtcHerosprintverizonFri, 06 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Engadget: Best wireless touchpad / trackpad?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/ask-engadget-best-wireless-touchpad-trackpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/ask-engadget-best-wireless-touchpad-trackpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/ask-engadget-best-wireless-touchpad-trackpad/#comments We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Matt, who badly, badly needs to give his digits something to do on a trackpad whilst enjoying media from the couch.
"I'm looking for a wireless trackpad to use with my older (2.5 or so years old) C2D MacBook that's perpetually docked to my home theater. Something sleek, thin, not too small, made of high quality materials. Ideally, it would natively support all of (Snow) Leopard's multitouch inputs, and even more ideally, it would have a charging dock / base. I'm not a fan of using a mouse on my sofa, and this would be just the thing I'm looking for. The only problem is that I'm not sure that such a thing even exists. Think you can throw me a bone?"
Alright, so does such a thing really exist? Where can you procure one? Did Matt just give you the best DIY idea of all time?

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Ask Engadget: Best wireless touchpad / trackpad? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>askAsk EngadgetAskEngadgetfeaturesmultitouchtouchpadtrackpadThu, 05 Nov 2009 22:07:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/iphone-vs-droid-multitouch-keyboard-showdown-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/iphone-vs-droid-multitouch-keyboard-showdown-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/iphone-vs-droid-multitouch-keyboard-showdown-video/#comments I just dashed off this quick video for my Twitter followers to demonstrate that the DROID doesn't have a multitouch soft keyboard, and pretty much instantly realized that I should probably share it with everyone else, since we've been getting a lot of questions about it. Long story short, while Android 2.0 and the DROID's hardware support multitouch, the device itself doesn't do multitouch out-of-the-box, and the soft keyboard suffers mightily for it. Why it's missing is certainly open for debate, but for now just know that no amount of hoping, wishing, or booze is going to make the stock keyboard register more than one press at a time. Don't despair, though -- while I'm not a fan, Chris Ziegler absolutely flies on this same keyboard on his DROID. Videos after the break.

Continue reading iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)

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iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0droidengadget videoEngadgetVideofeaturedfeaturesiphonekeyboardmultitouchmultitouch keyboardMultitouchKeyboardsoft keyboardSoftKeyboardvideoThu, 05 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST<![CDATA[TwitterPeek review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/twitterpeek-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/twitterpeek-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/twitterpeek-review/#comments Peek is a company with ideas -- but they like to tackle them one at a time. Last year, amid snickering and cries of uselessness from the gadget world, the tiny company launched an email-only handheld that's attempted to bring the idea of email on the go to the smartphone fearing crowd... and we do know at least one avid user. Now the company has turned around and tried it again, this time with a seemingly even less essential device, the TwitterPeek.

The TwitterPeek works in conjunction with Twitter, and only with Twitter. It's that simple. There's nothing else to figure out or set up, so presumably, the idea is that the device, like the original Peek, is intended for the dumbphone lover who just can't go without a constant stream of Tweets. So, fair enough -- those of us who are more than a little tech savvy may find reason to smile at this, but supposedly this will be attractive to someone. Right?

So how did the TwitterPeek fare when we got our mitts on it? Read on to find out.

Gallery: TwitterPeek hands-on

Continue reading TwitterPeek review

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TwitterPeek review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featurefeaturedfeatureshandheldhandheldshands-onpeekreviewreviewstwittertwitterpeekThu, 05 Nov 2009 15:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon's BlackBerry 8530 and LG Chocolate Touch go hands-on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/verizons-blackberry-8530-and-lg-chocolate-touch-go-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/verizons-blackberry-8530-and-lg-chocolate-touch-go-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/verizons-blackberry-8530-and-lg-chocolate-touch-go-hands-on/#comments Rounding out the flurry of interesting Verizon Wireless launches today are the BlackBerry Curve 8530 and LG Chocolate Touch (pictured). The 8530 is pretty much just the Verizon edition of T-Mobile's 8520, but the LG Chocolate Touch bears closer examination. Basically it's just a war on the eyeballs of anyone who's ever seen the BL40, with the front, back, materials and interface of the device all falling incredibly short of aesthetic pleasure. However, the $80 phone does have a relatively responsive and usable touchscreen interface for a "dumbphone," and we've used worse touchscreen keyboards on Windows Mobile. So it's not a complete tragedy, but we really feel sorry for someone who skips over the DROID ERIS for this just handset just to save $20.

Gallery: LG Chocolate Touch

Gallery: BlackBerry Curve 8530

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Verizon's BlackBerry 8530 and LG Chocolate Touch go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberry 8530blackberry curveBlackberry8530BlackberryCurvechocolatechocolate touchChocolateTouchcurvecurve 8530Curve8530featureshands-onlglg chocolatelg chocolate touchLgChocolateLgChocolateTouchverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessThu, 05 Nov 2009 12:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/dell-adamo-xps-coming-in-time-for-the-holidays-for-1799-unbo/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/dell-adamo-xps-coming-in-time-for-the-holidays-for-1799-unbo/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/dell-adamo-xps-coming-in-time-for-the-holidays-for-1799-unbo/#comments Dell's finally run its finger along the edge and unhinged the last bit of details for its enigmatic, 0.4-inch-thin Adamo XPS. As it turns out those leaked specs weren't entirely off. We're looking at a LED-backlit 13.4-inch, 720p widescreen display, 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor, GS45 integrated graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB thin-micro SSD, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. In terms of connectivity, there's 802.11a/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, location awareness, DisplayPort, two USB 2.0 ports (one on each side). The 20WHr Li-Ion battery can last up to 2 hours and 36 minutes, or you can get the optional 40WHr version instead for 5 hours and 17 minutes of claimed, lab-tested use. Other packaged goods include dongles for ethernet and VGA / HDMI, and for an added fee you can nab a DVD+/-RW drive, a Blu-ray drive, or an external hard drive measured at 250GB or 500GB in capacity.

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

Gallery: Dell Adamo XPS unboxing


Gallery: Dell Adamo XPS hands-on

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

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Dell Adamo XPS coming 'in time for the holidays' for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adamoadamo xpsAdamoXpsbreakingbreaking newsbreakingnewsdellfeaturedfeatureshands onhands-onHandsOnlaptopultraportableun boxun boxingUnBoxUnBoxingThu, 05 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[DROID ERIS hands-on and unboxing!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/droid-eris-hands-on-and-unboxing/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/droid-eris-hands-on-and-unboxing/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/droid-eris-hands-on-and-unboxing/#comments Hey look, it's a Hero! We've got the brand new DROID ERIS for Verizon in hand, and it's not hard to see which particular family of phones it hails from. Still, Verizon has its own twist on the form factor, almost scoring a compromise between the "shiny" Sprint Hero and the more angular, matte GSM Hero. Confusingly, the capacitive touch buttons along the bottom of the ERIS' screen are a haphazard twist on the DROID's arrangement (though it's really Motorola that's the non-standard one here), but the phones don't look completely unrelated. In all the rounded, black matte body of the ERIS sort of "fades away" and you're just left with a nice, bright LCD -- it's not making a statement, which is sort of the statement. There's also an iPhone-style face proximity sensor for turning off the display during calls, and HTC has multitouch pinch-to-zoom on here, something Motorola hasn't seemed to manage. Sure it can't stack up to the DROID for aggressiveness or sheer specs, but it's got it's own sort of budget-friendly charm that's not overshadowed by the DROID's bombastic ways, and two out of three Engadget editors agree that the HTC keyboard beats the pants off the stock Android keyboard.

Gallery: DROID ERIS hands-on and unboxing!

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DROID ERIS hands-on and unboxing! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroiddroid erisDroidErisfeaturesherohtcsensesense uiSenseUiverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessThu, 05 Nov 2009 10:03:00 EST<![CDATA[BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on and impressions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/blackberry-bold-9700-hands-on-and-impressions/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/blackberry-bold-9700-hands-on-and-impressions/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/blackberry-bold-9700-hands-on-and-impressions/#comments RIM's successor to the original Bold -- the BlackBerry Bold 9700 -- has finally landed on our doorsteps. The 9000 is in many ways a hard act to follow. Hardware-wise, it lived up to its name, going where most phones never went with its retro, leathery, nearly clunky looks in an age of rounded edges and shiny curves. Don't get us wrong -- we loved the 9000's aesthetics obsessively -- which is why we couldn't wait to get our hands on its newborn child. A few questions we had in mind: would the 9700 live up to its predecessor's notoriously uncompromising fashion sense? Would the new Bold feel as good to hold and use in the hand as its loving parent? How would it stack up against other, new devices from RIM? If these are the kind of questions you think you might want answers to, read on for our impressions.

Continue reading BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on and impressions

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BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on and impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9700blackberryblackberry osblackberry os 5.0blackberrybold9700BlackberryOsBlackberryOs5.0boldbold 9700Bold9700cellphonesfeaturefeaturedfeatureshands-onhandsetsimpressionsresearchinmotionreviewreviewsrimsmartphonesmartphonesThu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/some-more-perspective-on-the-droid-and-multitouch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/some-more-perspective-on-the-droid-and-multitouch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/some-more-perspective-on-the-droid-and-multitouch/#comments There's been a whirlwind of chatter about Apple's multitouch patents since the Motorola DROID was released to reviewers sans any built-in support for Android 2.0's multitouch APIs -- there's no pinch-to-zoom in the browser or maps app, and the soft keyboard is decidedly a single-touch affair. What's even more curious is that the DROID clearly supports multitouch, as several new apps have demonstrated, and the overseas UMTS variant of the handset, the MILESTONE, has been shown on video with pinch-to-zoom in the browser several times now. That's led to a ton of speculation that Apple's somehow blocking Google from using pinch-to-zoom in the US, so we thought we'd step in with a little refresher on the state of Apple's multitouch patents and some thoughts how they might be affecting the DROID. Read on!

Continue reading Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch

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Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0appledroidfeaturedfeaturesgesturesgooglelegalmilestonemotorola droidmotorola milestoneMotorolaDroidMotorolaMilestonemultitouchpatentpinch to zoompinch-to-zoomPinchToZoomtouch gesturesTouchGesturesverizonWed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/ears-on-with-sony-ericsson-mh907-motion-activated-headphones/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/ears-on-with-sony-ericsson-mh907-motion-activated-headphones/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/ears-on-with-sony-ericsson-mh907-motion-activated-headphones/#comments
What we have here today isn't just another pair of ordinary headphones: Sony Ericsson's MH907s are button-free, minimalistic headphones that activate upon the magical touch of your skin. Well, your ears to be precise. You must bear in mind that the MH907s are exclusive to Fast port-equipped Sony Ericsson phones thus excluding the forthcoming XPERIA X10 -- so chances are you're already not interested. That said, we shall see if Sony Ericsson is really going to change things forever with these gleaming buds featuring SE's SensMe Control technology, or by just stopping everyone from using their 3.5mm headphone jacks. Read on to find out how these €39 ($57) headphones fared.

Gallery: Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

Continue reading Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

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Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activatedaudiocapacitivecellphoneearphonesears-onfeatureshands onhands-onhandsfreehandsonheadphonesmh907mobilemotionmotion activatedMotionActivatedmusicmusicphonephonereviewsensmesensme controlsony ericssonsony ericsson mh907SonyEricssonSonyEricssonMh907touchwalkmanWed, 04 Nov 2009 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[HTC's HD2 has landed at Engadget (hands-on)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/htcs-hd2-has-landed-at-engadget/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/htcs-hd2-has-landed-at-engadget/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/htcs-hd2-has-landed-at-engadget/#comments That's right... the HD2 has landed. Actually, we took the phone over to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon the other day, but didn't get a chance to show it off, so here we are. Sure, you've seen this guy in action in earlier videos... but it's still nice to get a look at this monster up close. We're still blown away by the fact that this is a Windows Mobile 6.5 device -- the skinning job that HTC has done here is nothing short of a miracle. So far we've found the phone to be snappy and responsive, but we're currently putting it through its paces. We'll have a full review shortly, but for now, feast your eyes on the photos below -- and start saving for that imminent US launch.

Gallery: HD2 hands-on

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HTC's HD2 has landed at Engadget (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featureshands onhands-onHandsOnhd2htchtc hd2HtcHd2sensesense experiencesense uiSenseExperienceSenseUiwindows mobilewindows mobile 6.5WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.5wm 6.5Wm6.5Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announced, we go hands-on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-announced-we-go-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-announced-we-go-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-announced-we-go-hands-on/#comments The first Android device from Sony Ericsson may have undergone an upgrade in the naming department, jumping from X3 all the way to XPERIA X10 (probably to avoid confusion with Nokia's X3 handset), but what lies under the hood is reassuringly in line with what we've been hearing. That is to say, a 1GHz Snapdragon chip from Qualcomm, wide 4-inch capacitive touch display, 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash, and a thoroughly tricked out Android skin named Rachael. Sony Ericsson stressed to us the symbiotic importance of both the new flagship device and "open OS" UI -- the X10 was presented as the patriarch of a whole new family of handsets, which we can expect to see in the first half of 2010, all sporting the beauty of Rachael and perhaps helping to bridge the gap between featurephones and, well, more advanced featurephones. So don't be shy, come along past the break to see our uncensored first impressions of both, along with hands-on video and pictures.

Gallery: Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announced, we go hands on

Continue reading Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announced, we go hands-on

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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announced, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gandroidcapacitivecapacitive touchscreenCapacitiveTouchscreenface recognitionFaceRecognitionfeaturefeaturedfeatureshands onhands-onHandsOnlaunchmediascapemotoblurpicturesqualcommrachaelsnapdragonsonysony ericssonSonyEricssonsymbiantimescapetouchscreenuser experienceUserExperienceuxwifix10x3xperiaxperia x10xperia x3XperiaX10XperiaX3Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/01/entelligence-of-ebooks-and-suburban-moms/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/01/entelligence-of-ebooks-and-suburban-moms/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/01/entelligence-of-ebooks-and-suburban-moms/#commentsEntelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
There was a raging debate going on last week at Engadget HQ over the role of dedicated ebook readers that spilled over on to the Engadget Show. You can watch the show here, but essentially big boss Joshua Topolsky and Paul Miller feel that the new Barnes and Noble Nook is going to be a hit -- the one machine that gets suburban moms to buy. On the other hand, Nilay Patel, rationally (as he agrees with me) says it's not going to happen and there's no mass market for dedicated ebook readers. I'm going to weigh in and say Nilay is probably right.

Now don't get me wrong, this is not entirely an integration vs. convergence story. I believe there's a market for dedicated devices: cameras have not been displaced by music phones, media players have not been displaced by music phones and ebook readers could serve bibliophiles, especially those who travel a lot. However, mobile reader apps like those from Amazon and Barnes & Noble can easily tap into more casual markets, allowing users to leverage the investment in screens they already own instead of buying a dedicated device. That's one reason why I think it has been important for Amazon and B&N to get their ebook platform onto as many devices with screens as possible, and why Sony's making a mistake by ignoring the opportunity.

Continue reading Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms

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Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbarnes and nobleBarnesAndNoblecolumncolumnse-booke-readerebookentelligenceereaderfeaturefeatureskindlenookSun, 01 Nov 2009 18:10:00 EST<![CDATA[How-to: geek up your pumpkin]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/31/how-to-geek-up-your-pumpkin/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/31/how-to-geek-up-your-pumpkin/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/31/how-to-geek-up-your-pumpkin/#comments BOO! It's Halloween and it's also a Saturday, so let's not hear any pathetic excuses for not carving pumpkins. While we're no experts, we've got a few tips for making your jack-o'-lanterns better looking and more unique:
  • Always mark where you're carving first instead of freestyling, especially for the lid. Once the knife's in there's nothing you can do about it.
  • Want an accurate carving? Draw or print your pattern on paper first and then stick it on the pumpkin, so that you can use a pin to punch an outline.
  • Use a scalpel. Seriously, it's so much better than kitchen knives.
  • Be creative: consider using a variety of carving depths instead of just cutting out holes. It's best to start off with the darkest areas so that you know where the threshold is. If it's too shallow you can always scrape the trench.
  • Don't use candles -- they don't last and aren't safe for the kids and animals; many LED candles have a convincing flickering glow, so try those. Alternatively, why not convert a cheap solar garden light into a lid for your jack-o'-lantern? Or go Ben-Heck and try the Cylon mod?
  • Keep the seeds for roasting -- they make a good snack.
Feel free to refer to our gallery for the whole process. Enjoy and have a happy Halloween!

Gallery: How-to: geek up your pumpkin

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How-to: geek up your pumpkin originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carvecarvingfeaturesglowhalloweenjack-o-lanternlamplanternlightpumpkinSat, 31 Oct 2009 11:03:00 EST<![CDATA[How would you change Sony's PlayStation 3 Slim?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/how-would-you-change-sonys-playstation-3-slim/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/how-would-you-change-sonys-playstation-3-slim/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/how-would-you-change-sonys-playstation-3-slim/#comments For the most part, we'd say that Sony addressed the concerns of many when it introduced the PlayStation 3 Slim. The console was smaller, cheaper and easier on the eyes, and of course the 120GB hard drive didn't hurt matters either. That said, we know that the redesign didn't please everyone, and we've heard more than a few PS3 diehards complain about the new design. If it were you designing a newer, less expensive PlayStation 3, what would you have done differently? Kept PS2 backwards compatibility? Colored it white? Added HD DVD support? Don't be scared to get a little crazy -- besides, they call that "innovation" in the corporate world.

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How would you change Sony's PlayStation 3 Slim? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consolefeaturesgame consoleGameConsolehow would you changeHowWouldYouChangehwycplaystation 3playstation 3 slimPlaystation3Playstation3Slimps3ps3 slimPs3Slimsonysony playstation 3sony playstation 3 slimsony ps3sony ps3 slimSonyPlaystation3SonyPlaystation3SlimSonyPs3SonyPs3SlimFri, 30 Oct 2009 23:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-review/#comments It's hard to look at the DROID without looking at the company which brought the device to life. Motorola: for years the name has been synonymous with... well, disappointment. While the industry-stalwart made cellphones sexy with the RAZR, the days which followed have not been especially fruitful or compelling. Over the past year or so, we've seen Motorola beating its way back into the mainstream through a series of smart plays: first embracing Android as a platform, then shucking off the weight of Windows Mobile and finally bringing some desirable (and high profile) devices to market.

With the DROID, the company has perhaps created its most attractive and intriguing piece of technology yet. Forging an alliance with both Verizon and Google, Motorola has come up with a second compelling reason to count the phonemaker down, but certainly not out, while the other two giants have finally found a seemingly worthy device to position against the iPhone. So we must pose these questions: is this the phone which will catapult Android into the mainstream? Is it the device that will pull Motorola back from the brink? And -- most importantly -- is it the lynchpin Google and Verizon have needed to challenge the leader in mindshare in the smartphone market? After putting the device through its paces, we think we can give you the answers you seek -- so read on to find out!

Gallery: Motorola DROID review hands-on

Continue reading Motorola DROID review

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Motorola DROID review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0android osAndroid2.0AndroidOsdroidfeaturesgooglegpsmotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidreviewverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessFri, 30 Oct 2009 13:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Engadget: Which Android phone should I get?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/ask-engadget-which-android-phone-do-i-get/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/ask-engadget-which-android-phone-do-i-get/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/ask-engadget-which-android-phone-do-i-get/#comments We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Chris, who is deathly afraid that making the wrong choice on an Android phone will ruin his life completely.
"Listen, I am an obsessed gadget hound who needs some real help. I just switched to Sprint from Verizon about three months ago for the Pre. Mostly because they said that they weren't getting an Android anytime soon (ha!). Anyways, I like the Pre but Sprint in my area is spotty at best. I have been intrigued with Android and have had HTC in the past with some good success, so I went for the Hero about a week ago. Now, I miss my hardware keyboard and am thinking about switching to the Moment. After Chris's pithy review of the Moment it seems that may not be the correct choice either. So, I am still able to switch back to Verizon if I want and get the Droid when it arrives. Should I just trade up to the Moment when it comes out, see if I like it, and if not switch to the Droid? Or something else entirely? Help!"
Wow Chris, that's a pretty compelling story. Really engrossing. So much so, in fact, that we're sure you'll have no issue getting all sorts of helpful replies in comments below. Right, Android lovers? Right?

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Ask Engadget: Which Android phone should I get? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0askask engadgetAskEngadgetcellphonedroidfeaturesgooglemomentmotorolapresamsungsmartphonesprintverizonThu, 29 Oct 2009 21:02:00 EST<![CDATA[TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/tomtom-car-kit-for-iphone-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/tomtom-car-kit-for-iphone-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/tomtom-car-kit-for-iphone-review/#comments Boy, TomTom sure has chosen the worst possible time to release its Car Kit for iPhone, and to make matters worse, its decision to not include the iPhone app is now set in stone. That's right, the hardware alone will set you back the cost of a TomTom ONE nowadays, and the $99.95 app works on the iPhone 3G and 3GS without it. So here's the question: is the car kit worth the extra $119.95? To find out, we got hold of a review unit for a sunny road trip around London. Surprisingly, the car kit uses Bluetooth to connect the GPS receiver and the hands-free function to the iPhone, even though there's a dock connector for charging. Bluetooth connectivity does have its advantages: according to TomTom it can work as a generic Bluetooth GPS receiver for any satellite navigation app -- including Google Maps -- on the iPhone, or any smartphones at all for that matter. TomTom even confirmed that the car kit could potentially compensate for the first-generation iPhone's lack of built-in GPS, but since its app won't run on anything but a 3G or 3GS we'll have to wait and see if that's actually useful. Meanwhile, the company is cooking up a compatible app for the original iPhone and the iPod Touch, which could make the car kit more worthwhile. Read on for our hands-on impression and test videos.

[Thanks for being our driver, Sam]

Gallery: TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review

Continue reading TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review

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TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebluetoothcarcar kitCarKitcradlefeaturesgpshands onhands-onhandsoniphonemapnavigationnavigatorreviewsat navSatNavtesttom tomtomtomThu, 29 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/acer-aspire-one-aod250-impressions-android-gone-bad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/acer-aspire-one-aod250-impressions-android-gone-bad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/acer-aspire-one-aod250-impressions-android-gone-bad/#comments We admit, we were pretty stoked when we first saw the Acer Aspire One AOD250 running Android in dual-boot mode. What could possibly be bad about it? Fast start-up, Google apps... other good things that aren't coming to mind at the moment... what could go wrong? Turns out, just about everything. See, the Aspire One AOD250 has an unfortunate lack of Google blessing, so that means no Gmail, which is really Android's killer app, and no Marketplace either -- so no opportunity to track down a different killer app. You can use your Google account for hooking up with Gcal, Gtalk and Google Contacts, but your Gmail account gets set up as a webmail shortcut to the included Firefox app -- which does an alright, slightly hacked-on job of augmenting the standard Android browser, including support for Flash. Unfortunately, with connection woes over WiFi and Ethernet (as seen on the video), there wasn't much redeemable even there, and perhaps the best news about the device is that it can be fully booted to XP at any time by clicking on the corner of Android's home screen. We still think there's promise for Android on a netbook, but it's going to need some serious TLC (also, Gmail) before it's ready for prime time. Check out our video impressions after the break.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad

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Acer Aspire One AOD250 impressions: Android gone bad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aceracer aspire oneAcerAspireOneandroidaod250aspire oneAspireOnefeaturesnetbookThu, 29 Oct 2009 12:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/nokia-vs-apple-the-in-depth-analysis/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/nokia-vs-apple-the-in-depth-analysis/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/nokia-vs-apple-the-in-depth-analysis/#comments There's just something about Apple that makes people go crazy whenever the company's lawyers do even the simplest things -- whether it's filing routine trademark oppositions, getting patents granted, or, uh, defending allegations that the company is in league with the Mafia, Steve and friends just seem to inspire some strong reactions whenever they end up in the courtroom. So of course things got a little wild last Thursday when Nokia announced it was suing Apple over ten patents related to GSM, UMTS (what you know as 3G) and WiFi -- the pundit class immediately set upon the idea that the lawsuit was some sort of reaction to Nokia's diminishing cellphone marketshare and the perceived dominance of the iPhone, perhaps best exemplified by John Gruber's flippant "If you can't beat 'em, sue 'em." Nokia can't compete against Apple, so obviously it's abusing the hopelessly-broken patent system get a little payback, Espoo-style -- right?

Well, wrong. As usual, the race to hype this dispute as a bitter standoff between two tech giants desperate to destroy one another has all but ignored the reality of how patents -- especially wireless patents -- are licensed, what Nokia's actually asking for, and how it might go about getting it. And as you know, we just don't do things that way, so we've asked our old friend Mathew Gavronski, a patent attorney in the Chicago office of Michael Best & Friedrich, to help us sort things out and figure out what's really going on here -- read on for more.

Continue reading Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis

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Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g802.11appleetsifeaturedfeaturesgsmieeeiphonelawsuitlegalnokiapatentumtswcdmawifiThu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-navigation-video-hands-on-you-want-this/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-navigation-video-hands-on-you-want-this/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-navigation-video-hands-on-you-want-this/#comments We apologize for being fanish, but Google has pulled off something with its new Navigation elements in Google Maps (or is it Google Maps in a Navigation app? It's hard to tell) that has serious ramifications for a navigation device industry used to charging money for functionality. The introduction of satellite view, a tasteful touch of street view (peep a still of your next turn, or see your destination), and of course regular stuff like spoken directions and street names, and Google's voice recognition applied to search (anywhere on the device just tap voice search and start your phrase with "navigate to") make this a pretty astonishing offering for what's essentially a free app with the purchase of an Android 2.0 device. The biggest worry here is that if you lose signal you won't be able to pull maps, but while there's no whole-map caching, it does cache a route when you enter it in, so as long as you don't stray too far from the beaten path you should be fine with a dropped signal here or there. But enough of our blather, check out a video walkthrough after the break.

Gallery: Google Navigation hands-on

Continue reading Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this

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Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0droidfeaturesgooglegoogle mapsgoogle navigationGoogleMapsGoogleNavigationhands-onmapsvideo hands-onVideoHands-onWed, 28 Oct 2009 13:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID first hands-on! (update: video, impressions, more pics)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-first-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-first-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-first-hands-on/#comments We've got the DROID in our hands... and it is sweet. Moto claims that this is the thinnest full QWERTY slider on the market, and we're apt to believe it. The phone is incredibly slick and solid, and we're definitely looking forward to putting it through its paces. We'll have more photos, video, and a full review coming, so stay tuned!

Some quick observations on the phone:
  • That big screen is killer. Bright, crisp, and tons of room for your icons and widgets.
  • Speed is noticeably improved -- particularly when moving from app to app. We did notice that some of the home screen scrolling looked laggy.
  • Android 2.0 is definitely cleaned up -- but it's most definitely still Android
  • The browser seems significantly improved -- pages now load up in a fully zoomed-out mode, and the load times and scrolling are way snappier.
  • The keyboard takes some getting used to, and it suffers from a similar hand-position issue as the G1, but it's fairly usable. We think it'll be second nature once we spend some time with it.
  • Facebook is integrated into accounts, which means some of that BLUR functionality is here (though now it's part of Android 2.0 natively). The good news is that when you add a Facebook account you can choose to pull all Facebook info and contacts, or just info related to your existing contacts -- a real clutter buster.
Update: We've added a new gallery, and video is on the way!

Update 2: Video is up after the break! More coming too...

Update 3: And we've got a browser speed test to round things out.

Update 4: We've added another gallery of the car and home docks, which are pretty neat -- the phone detects the dock magnetically, and switches to the appropriate mode. We're told that there'll also be third-party docks, and that Google's the one behind the different interface modes, so this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

Gallery: Motorola DROID first hands-on


Gallery: Motorola DROID closer look


Gallery: Motorola DROID car and home docks hands-on

Continue reading Motorola DROID first hands-on! (update: video, impressions, more pics)

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Motorola DROID first hands-on! (update: video, impressions, more pics) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0droidfeatureshands onhands-onHandsOnmotomotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidTopFiveverizonWed, 28 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Droid unboxing!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-unboxing/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-unboxing/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-unboxing/#comments We just got a stack of Droid review units at Engadget HQ, and we're told that this is in fact the final packaging. The charger is just Micro USB, and that's really all you get in the box -- the docks will cost you extra. We're digging for pricing info on those, we'll let you know.

Gallery: Motorola Droid unboxing!

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Motorola Droid unboxing! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsBreakingNewsdroidfeaturedfeatureshands onhands-onHandsOnmotorolaunboxingverizonWed, 28 Oct 2009 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-adds-free-turn-by-turn-navigation-car-dock-ui-to-android/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-adds-free-turn-by-turn-navigation-car-dock-ui-to-android/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-adds-free-turn-by-turn-navigation-car-dock-ui-to-android/#comments Those nat service providers' fears were actually quite justified. Google today unveiled Maps Navigation (beta, of course), an extremely upgraded version of its current Maps software that'll be free and, from what we understand, available by default on all Android 2.0 devices. All the usual Maps features are present, including the ability to search by name of business and have it suggest the closest matches, both semantically and geographically, and traffic data. We're also now looking at turn-by-turn navigation, female robotic voice and all, and integration with satellite and street view, the latter of which will be able to show you what lane you need to be in when exiting the highway, for example. Instead of just searching nearby, it'll also now search along the route for when you're looking for upcoming gas stations or fast food joints that won't take you too far off your beaten path. Select addresses can be added to the Android home screen as their own icons, and given the limits of living in the cloud, trips and their respective visual feeds will be cached just in case you hit dead spots along the way. Still no multitouch, but as VP of Engineering Vic Gundotra noted at a press conference, there's nothing stopping a company like HTC from adding that feature à la Sense UI.

In addition to demonstrating the basic navigational functions, Gundotra also showcased a new user interface that appears when the device hooked up into a car dock, one that is intended for use "at an arm's length away." Essentially, it means much larger iconography and a convenient "voice search" option front and center. We later got confirmation from a Google product manager that car dock detection was definitively a hardware-based feature, which we take to mean Android devices currently on the market won't necessarily have the same convenience. If Android 2.0 takes off how Google (and Verizon!) hope it does, companies like TomTom and Garmin are going to seriously need to worry about their bottom line. Watch Gundotra demonstrate the app after the break.

Update: Navigation for the iPhone? Gundotra said the ball's in Apple's court, so no telling if / when that'll happen. Remember how well Latitude integrated?

Gallery: Google Maps Navigation beta press shots


Gallery: Google Maps Navigation beta / car dock presentation

Continue reading Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video)

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Google adds free turn-by-turn navigation, car dock UI to Android 2.0 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0betabreakingbreaking newsBreakingNewsdroidfeaturedfeaturesgooglegoogle mapsgoogle maps navigationGoogleMapsGoogleMapsNavigationgpsmapsmaps navigationMapsNavigationmotorola droidMotorolaDroidnavigationpndWed, 28 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[HP Pavilion dv3 with multitouch screen spotted in the wild, we go hands-on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/hp-pavilion-dv3-with-multitouch-screen-spotted-in-the-wild-we-g/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/hp-pavilion-dv3-with-multitouch-screen-spotted-in-the-wild-we-g/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/hp-pavilion-dv3-with-multitouch-screen-spotted-in-the-wild-we-g/#comments
Our curious British fingers managed to stumble upon a European HP Pavilion dv3 blessed with Windows 7 and multitouch on both the screen and the trackpad. The keyboard was great to type on with negligible flex, but the trackpad suffers from the same glossy issues on other recent HPs -- although it responded to our multitouch gestures better than the capacitive screen did. Our major annoyance came from the attempts to rotate pictures on the screen: we learned the hard way that the laptop (or Windows 7 itself) seemed to prefer more exaggerated rotation gestures than the MacBooks -- perhaps one would get used to it over time. The hinge is fairly solid, but we still preferred holding the screen while touching it. On a brighter note we totally dig the inclusion of an HDMI port and an eSATA port, plus you'll get up to seven hours of sweet battery juice from this 2.24kg (4.94 pounds) machine. Read on for our hands-on video and photo gallery.

Gallery: HP Pavilion dv3 with multitouch screen spotted in the wild, we go hands-on

Continue reading HP Pavilion dv3 with multitouch screen spotted in the wild, we go hands-on

HP Pavilion dv3 with multitouch screen spotted in the wild, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europeeuropeanfeatureshands onhands-onhandsonhewlett packardhplaptopmulti-touchmultitouchnotebookpaviliontouch screentouchscreenukwin 7win7windows 7Windows7Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:28:00 EST<![CDATA[How-to: recycle your old gadgets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/how-to-recycle-your-old-gadgets/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/how-to-recycle-your-old-gadgets/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/how-to-recycle-your-old-gadgets/#comments We see a lot of gadgets come in the door here at Engadget. In fact, getting them in the door is actually the easy part... it's getting them back out that's a bit confusing. Recycling -- something that most of us do on a day-to-day basis with our trash -- is a bit stickier when it comes to gadgets. In recent years, however, most major consumer electronics companies have stepped up their games a bit and begun "take back" recycling programs of their own. There are a lot of resources out there if you want to rid yourself of old gadgets in a responsible way, but it can be a pretty overwhelming prospect, especially if (like us) you have an actual pile of old cellphones which has been growing since 1998. We thought about that a lot, and decided to try to make sense of all the wild masses of information out there on the internet, and to provide our readers a central location to look for all that information. Read on and see what we've come up with!

Continue reading How-to: recycle your old gadgets

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How-to: recycle your old gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e-cyclinge-wasteecoeco-friendlyewastefeaturefeaturedfeaturesgreenguidehow tohow to recyclehow-toHowToHowToRecyclerecyclerecyclingrecycling guideRecyclingGuideTue, 27 Oct 2009 13:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Dyson DC25 Blueprint impressions: is the 'Ball' worth it?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/dyson-dc25-blueprint-impressions-is-the-ball-worth-it/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/dyson-dc25-blueprint-impressions-is-the-ball-worth-it/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/dyson-dc25-blueprint-impressions-is-the-ball-worth-it/#comments Dyson's DC25 Blueprint just started shipping en masse this month, and with an MSRP of $529.99, it's significantly more pricey that the "bargain-minded" DC23 Turbinehead that we had a peek at last month. The company's range of 'Ball' vacuum cleaners have been around for years now, but this is the first chance we've had to roll one over our own carpet. With a striking white finish, impeccable build quality and a design to make any gadget nerd blush, there's quite a bit here that you won't find on your average vac, but is the sphere really enough to warrant the lofty sticker? Read on for our two pennies.

Gallery: Dyson DC25 Blueprint - Limited Edition

Continue reading Dyson DC25 Blueprint impressions: is the 'Ball' worth it?

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Dyson DC25 Blueprint impressions: is the 'Ball' worth it? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balldc25dc25 blueprintDc25Blueprintdysondyson ballDysonBallfeatureshands-onhouseholdimpressionslimited editionLimitedEditionvacuumvacuum cleanerVacuumCleanerTue, 27 Oct 2009 10:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung Moment review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/samsung-moment-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/samsung-moment-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/samsung-moment-review/#comments In the world of Android, it's not yet clear who's going to come out victorious -- QWERTY sliders or their keyboardless brethren -- but does there really need to be a winner? We say there's room for just about everyone in this open-source party, and Sprint is starting to round out its Android offerings by introducing the keyboard-equipped Samsung Moment to saddle up alongside the HTC Hero that was released a few weeks ago. In the scheme of things, the platform is still extraordinarily young which means that virtually every new handset that's announced brings "firsts" to the table; in the Moment's case, it's both the first Android device with an 800MHz ARM11 core and the first Android QWERTY phone with an AMOLED display (you'd have to go back to another Sammy, the Galaxy, to find the first AMOLED Android phone regardless of input method).

Being able to stuff Android, AMOLED, QWERTY, and 800MHz all into one sentence certainly sounds like a winning combination, but does the Moment deliver? Let's find out.

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Samsung Moment review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidfeatureshands onhands-onHandsOnmomentqwertyreviewsamsungslidersprintMon, 26 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ready or not, the latest 3D technology is coming home]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/ready-or-not-the-latest-3d-technology-is-coming-home/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/ready-or-not-the-latest-3d-technology-is-coming-home/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/ready-or-not-the-latest-3d-technology-is-coming-home/#commentsPanasonic 3D camera Now wait one second before you start on the whole "I'm not wearing any stupid looking glasses," because no matter what you say, there are more people paying extra to go 3D movies than ever and the reason is simple; it's because this isn't like the crappy 3D you saw during the Super Bowl last year -- or that our parents grew up with. No, the 3D that Sony, Panasonic, and others are promising next year is like nothing you've seen. We've come a long way since the old anaglyph red and blue glasses that come in cereal boxes, so before you knock the new technology before it's even out, click through and read about the technologies that might bring us a real 3D revolution.

Continue reading Ready or not, the latest 3D technology is coming home

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Ready or not, the latest 3D technology is coming home originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>120hz3Dcircular polarizationCircularPolarizationfeaturedfeaturesPanasonicSamsungshutter glassesShutterGlassesSonyMon, 26 Oct 2009 11:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Engadget Podcast 168 - 10.25.2009: The Engadget Show 002 with Steve Ballmer]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/25/engadget-podcast-168-10-25-2009-the-engadget-show-002-with-st/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/25/engadget-podcast-168-10-25-2009-the-engadget-show-002-with-st/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/25/engadget-podcast-168-10-25-2009-the-engadget-show-002-with-st/#comments
For this week's installment of the Engadget Podcast, we present the audio stream from our recent Engadget Show, featuring a one-on-one with Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer! We encourage you to go and check out the actual show if you haven't seen it, but for those of you on the move who can't be looking at a screen, here's the next best thing. Of course, Josh, Paul, and Nilay still tear through the week in news (and what a week!), and as a bonus, you get to hear some tunes from the ever so talented Bit Shifter. So what are you waiting for? Sit back, crank the PMP, and prepare to enter nerd heaven.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Special guest: Steve Ballmer
Produced by: Chad Mumm
Directed by: Michael Slavens
Music by: Bit Shifter

Hear the podcast


00:01:22 - Steve Ballmer hasn't seen the Courier video, promises Zune integration in next WinMo release
00:38:40 - Bit Shifter
00:41:37 - Windows 7 Launches
00:46:45 - Apple's Magic Mouse: one button, multitouch gestures, Bluetooth, four-month battery life
00:47:50 - Unibody MacBook (late 2009) review
00:52:50 - iMac line updated with 16:9 displays, quad-core Core i5 / i7 model
00:52:48 - Barnes & Noble Nook dual-screen reader officially announced... for real
00:59:00 - Spring Design Alex: dual-screen Android-based e-reader (Update: not for Barnes & Noble)
01:00:05 - Motorola Droid

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Engadget Podcast 168 - 10.25.2009: The Engadget Show 002 with Steve Ballmer originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
This was a big week for Microsoft, as Steve Ballmer took the stage in New York and formally introduced Windows 7 to the world. It was almost a little anti-climactic: the OS has been finished and shipped to OEMs for months, while developers and pretty much any enthusiast who wanted a copy has one by now. Still, this is the week that Microsoft takes the message and OS to the mass market and the PC holiday sales system formally kicks off. I've held back from writing about the OS for the most part, but here's seven things about Windows 7 -- three features that I think are over-hyped and four things that make 7 something worth purchasing, either as an upgrade or as part of a new PC.

Continue reading Entelligence: Seven on 7

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Entelligence: Seven on 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsentelligencefeaturedfeaturesmicrosoftwindowswindows 7Windows7Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How would you change Sony's PSP Go?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/how-would-you-change-sonys-psp-go/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/how-would-you-change-sonys-psp-go/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/how-would-you-change-sonys-psp-go/#comments
Sony's PSP Go hasn't had the warmest reception of all time or anything, but does it really deserve all the negative vibes being flung its way? The UMD-less console leaked way earlier than Sony intended, but after a proper launch and you inevitably trekking out to snag one, we're curious to know whether or not you're enjoying things. Would you have kept UMD support? Would you have added more internal memory? Enlarged the screen? Offered it in neon yellow? Be sure to spill your thoughts in comments below, and you'll get a few bonus points if you're coming from the world of an original PSP. Promise!

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How would you change Sony's PSP Go? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresHow would you changeHowWouldYouChangeHWYCplaystationplaystation portablePlaystationPortablepsppsp goPspGosonyFri, 23 Oct 2009 23:36:00 EST<![CDATA[The Engadget Show - 002: Steve Ballmer, Droid, Nook, and new Macs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/the-engadget-show-002-steve-ballmer-droid-nook-and-new-mac/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/the-engadget-show-002-steve-ballmer-droid-nook-and-new-mac/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/the-engadget-show-002-steve-ballmer-droid-nook-and-new-mac/#comments

Do we really need to tell you what this is all about? Steve Ballmer. Windows 7 launch day. Pure magic. Sit back and enjoy a spirited conversation with the CEO of Microsoft -- then stick around to watch Josh, Paul, and Nilay get into it over the week's news!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Special guest: Steve Ballmer
Produced by: Chad Mumm
Directed by: Michael Slavens
Music by: Bit Shifter
Visuals by: Paris and outpt
Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 002 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 002 (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.

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The Engadget Show - 002: Steve Ballmer, Droid, Nook, and new Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ballmerengadget showEngadgetShowengadgetshowcastfeaturesmicrosoftmicrosoft windowsMicrosoftWindowssteve ballmerSteveBallmerthe engadget showTheEngadgetShowwindowswindows 7Windows7Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:47:00 EST<![CDATA[iGOG VelAUcity brings velocity-sensitive drums to your humble iPhone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/igog-velaucity-brings-velocity-sensitive-drums-to-your-humble-ip/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/igog-velaucity-brings-velocity-sensitive-drums-to-your-humble-ip/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/igog-velaucity-brings-velocity-sensitive-drums-to-your-humble-ip/#comments Mom / wife / building superintendent still won't let you get a drum set, huh? Well, you can show them, you can show them all with the new iGOG VelAUcity app, which for a mere $5 lets you do velocity-sensitive drumming on the iPhone. It works pretty great, too... to an extent. The technology appears to be based on the iPhone's built-in mic (VelAUcity doesn't work on an iPod touch), and the app recommends you use it with headphones, but not a headset with its own built-in mic, which would gum things up. In practice the drumming is really great, with multiple hit points on the drum pads and pretty good velocity sensitivity (for an iPhone app), but there are plenty of mic-introduced foibles like the potential for feedback or stray noises messing things up -- you basically would have trouble using this in a live application, though there are plenty of sliders so you can tweak things and give it a shot. Our favorite part perhaps is the mic trigger mode, which lets you do your fake drumming next to the iPhone, adding a whole new level of fake realness. Our least favorite part was the crashiness and the buginess -- part of which might've be blamed on our speed-strapped 3G. Don't say we didn't warn you. Video demonstrations are after the break.

[Via Create Digital Music]

Continue reading iGOG VelAUcity brings velocity-sensitive drums to your humble iPhone

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iGOG VelAUcity brings velocity-sensitive drums to your humble iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appdrumsfeaturesigogigog velaucityIgogVelaucityiphone appIphoneAppvelaucityFri, 23 Oct 2009 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/jabra-stone-bluetooth-headset-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/jabra-stone-bluetooth-headset-review/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/jabra-stone-bluetooth-headset-review/#comments Finally, the teaser's over. The latest delivery to Engadget's UK penthouse is the Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset due out in the US on 8th November, and we took no time to extract the pebble from the transparent cylinder. In front of us are the two parts of the STONE: an earpiece of a breakthrough form factor that instantly makes you pity its rivals, and behind it is the accompanying portable charging base which serves as an external battery. The latter is equipped with a micro-USB port and an LED indicator -- simply green or red -- to show whether there's enough battery juice for one full charge. It's a pretty neat idea as this is the only feasible way to fit eight hours of talk time (or twelve days of standby time) into such tiny package: two on the earpiece and an extra six from the surprisingly light battery base -- our scale reckons it is just under one ounce. We also dig the auto-off function when you dock the earpiece and vice versa. Docking and undocking are pretty straight forward too: just snap in for the former, and poke your thumb through the bottom hole of the base to push the earpiece out. The generic click button hidden under the Jabra badge is easy to access and responds well. Above that is the invisible vertical touch strip for volume control and similarly it responded nicely to our strokes. What's left on the earpiece are the two LED indicators on the underside for Bluetooth connectivity and battery. So far so good, but what really matters is the ear-on experience and the audio quality -- listen for yourself after the break.

Gallery: Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset review

Continue reading Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset review

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Jabra STONE Bluetooth headset review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attbluetoothbluetooth headsetBluetoothHeadsetcarphone warehouseCarphoneWarehouseearpiecefeaturesgn netcomGnNetcomheadsetjabrajabra stoneJabraStoneNoise BlackoutNoise Blackout extremeNoiseBlackoutNoiseBlackoutExtremestoneFri, 23 Oct 2009 11:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Engadget: a device to stream audio from one device to multiple sources?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/ask-engadget-a-device-to-stream-audio-from-one-device-to-multip/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/ask-engadget-a-device-to-stream-audio-from-one-device-to-multip/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/ask-engadget-a-device-to-stream-audio-from-one-device-to-multip/#comments We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Chris, who just needs a few more streams to make his life complete.
"I am looking for a device that will stream sound from one source to several recipients. For example, I want to stream sound from my TV or stereo to my phone or MP3 player that has radio and Bluetooth capabilities. I have been told that a Bluetooth device can only stream music to one device. I have looked into radio transmitters and they seem like a decent choice, but I can't find one that uses external power (USB or from the plug) and I would want one with a transmit range of around 50 meters. Thanks!"
We can't say for certain, but we're guessing Chris isn't along here. Any hardcore streamers out there figured out an optimal solution to get one source to multiple devices? Do tell in comments below.

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Ask Engadget: a device to stream audio from one device to multiple sources? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>askAsk EngadgetAskEngadgetaudiobluetoothbluetooth streamingBluetoothStreamingfeaturesmusicstreamstreamingThu, 22 Oct 2009 21:52:00 EST<![CDATA[The Engadget Show, live with Steve Ballmer!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/the-engadget-show-live-with-steve-ballmer/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/the-engadget-show-live-with-steve-ballmer/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/the-engadget-show-live-with-steve-ballmer/#comments Keep your eyes tuned to this post -- because at around 2:30PM ET (give or take), we'll be starting The Engadget Show live, with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as our guest! You don't want to miss it!

Update: And that's a wrap! Thanks to everyone who watched the stream, we'll have the full recording available tomorrow.

Continue reading The Engadget Show, live with Steve Ballmer!

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The Engadget Show, live with Steve Ballmer! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ballmerengadget showEngadgetShowfeaturessteve ballmerSteveBallmerthe engadget showTheEngadgetShowThu, 22 Oct 2009 15:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 7 launch day: what you need to know]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-day-what-you-need-to-know/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-day-what-you-need-to-know/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-day-what-you-need-to-know/#comments It's out! October 22nd is at last upon us, bringing with it Microsoft's latest generation of Windows, Windows 7. With preview editions released to the public, reviews galore to be found as early as August, and plenty of manufacturers already shipping product, it's probably not hard to find an opinion on the operating system or to try it out for yourself. Most folks will probably just end up getting a machine with it pre-installed, instead of going through the hassle of an upgrade, but if you want to know if it's worth the effort of a standalone buy, or even looking to buy a new all-new computer right-just-now to celebrate the OS, check out our helpful guides below:

Read the reviews (Windows 7 review | Windows 7 Media Center review)

What's clear from the review and our look at what's new in Media Center is that this is an enhanced version of Windows, but not some sort of revolution that will have Linux users repenting of their open source sins and Apple fans dropping their photorealistic icons. The articles should give you a good idea of what enhancements are in store and whether Windows 7 could truly make your old machine sing.

Pick a version (Windows 7 official pricing)

An age old confusion for Windows users has been slightly simplified here -- most users will end up with Windows 7 Home Premium when they buy a PC, but folks buying a copy outright have some more soul searching to do.

How to upgrade (How-To: Install Windows 7 and live to tell about it)

So you've got a copy, how are you gonna get it onto your Vista or XP box without causing the complete ruination of your digital lifestyle? Microsoft has provided some pretty good tools for this process, but we break it down and help out where we can.

Pick a computer (Launch day hardware spectacular)

Decided to skip the upgrade route and go straight for the sexy new hardware that's accompanying this release, huh? Well, you're in luck. We've rounded up some of the more notable releases, particularly some of the stuff that's packing newer processors, lower price points and a whole lot more touchscreen than last time around.

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Windows 7 launch day: what you need to know originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featureslaunchmicrosoftroundupwindows 7windows 7 launchWindows7Windows7LaunchThu, 22 Oct 2009 13:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows 7 launch day hardware spectacular]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-date-hardware-spectacular/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-date-hardware-spectacular/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/windows-7-launch-date-hardware-spectacular/#comments Were you able to successfully hold off buying a new computer until Windows 7 launched? Really? That's great, because starting today there's been a torrential downpour of brand new hardware unleashed alongside Microsoft's flagship OS revision. Need a quick refresher on what's now out there? We're glad you came to us; do sit down and enjoy yourself, just after the break.

Continue reading Windows 7 launch day hardware spectacular

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Windows 7 launch day hardware spectacular originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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