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First Google Chrome OS screenshots leaked? Update: it's a fake


It's not much, in fact, these screenshots are incredibly easy to fake. Still, a hastily constructed WordPress blog has been setup to host what are claimed to be the world's first screenshots of Google's new Chrome OS -- hailed as both a Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X killer or a Google FUD generator depending upon who you're listening to. As the story is told, a Google representative demonstrated a private beta build of the OS to an anonymous Acer parts supplier yesterday, presumably somewhere in Taiwan. The picture above was grabbed breathlessly while the Google rep was distracted. Highlights of the demonstration break down as follows:
  • The "elegant" install on the Acer Extensa 4620Z laptop took about 10 minutes and 1 restart
  • Reboots desktop-to-desktop in about 25 seconds
  • It was "amazingly fast" in its stripped-down beta form
  • The blue orb on the auto-hiding "Chrome Bar" along the bottom of the UI is essentially the start menu
  • Navigating the file system can be done in "exploration" (like Windows explorer) or "browser" (search based) modes
  • The Chrome Bar can also host a search bar if configured
  • Future Chrome OS netbooks will feature an iconified Chrome key on the keyboard similar to the Windows flag key
Of course, it's a long, long time before this OS appears on next generation ARM and x86 smartnetbooks -- second half of 2010 according to the Goog -- so who knows what the interface will look like by then. One more image after the break.

[Thanks, Matthew M.]

Update: We just got another set of shots of what is purportedly the boot screen. To be honest, any of these could be faked, but we thought we'd pass along -- hopefully we'll be seeing something a bit more concrete in the coming weeks. Gallery is below.


Update 2:
Mr. Chrome OS Leak himself has come forward and confirmed his "screenshots" to be fake. Thanks, buddy. No word on this other set of pics.

Palm Pre in cahoots with Dutch provider Hi?

The GSM version of Palm's Pre looks all set for a UK announcement next week on O2. Now we get this, a Pre spotted on the support site for Dutch carrier Hi in The Netherlands. Fine, but what you may not know is that O2 and Hi (part of KPN) are also deeply intertwined with Telefonica -- O2 being owned by Telefonica and KPN being an "integrated carrier" with a long history of Telefonica courtship rumors. So, putting two and two together might equal a September launch if that previous Telefonica rumor was true.

[Via Tweakers, thanks Harm H.]

Video: Nokia 6790 Surge / Mako gets a QIK onto the small screen


Having already given you the AT&T spec sheet and images on this new Nokia, the only things missing are launch date, price, and a bit of video. Well, a janky QIK video just made its way to YouTube claiming that Nokia's Mako is coming to AT&T in mid-July as the 6790 Surge. It should be "priced pretty well" but those details haven't been finalized. So if a quick messaging device running S60 beneath a 2.4-inch 240x320 pixel display with HSDPA data and 2 megapixel camera is enough motivation to prompt another mouse-click then by all means, click through for the video overview provided after the break. Stay cool, bye.

Nikon D3000, D300s images materialize

What's this? An as of yet unannounced Nikon D3000 camera has allegedly popped up in press photo format, flaunting itself as what appears to be a slimmed down entry level DSLR. The gang LensTip have analyzed the pic pretty thoroughly against the D5000 and have concluded it's got a smaller body, no HDMI connector, no microphone (so much for a movie mode), and likely no articulating display. Additionally, we've got from Nikon Rumors what's purported to be our first glimpse at the D300s body. Given the angle of the shot, the only difference we can spot is the inclusion of a microphone -- then again, it could just be some subtle image manipulation trickery from a rabid fan. See it and decide for yourself after the break.

[Via Electronista]

Read - Nikon D3000 is coming
Read - Another Nikon D300s picture

Palm's Mojo SDK beta for webOS leaks into the wild


Palm has done its darnedest to keep the riffraff away from webOS development while it finishes up its Mojo SDK for webOS development, but the floodgates have finally opened with an opportune leak of Mojo to Torrent-vill. Naturally, Palm will still be locking out unapproved developers from releasing their creations to the App Catalog for the time being, but this should hopefully give the everyman a chance to hone apps in anticipation of a day of approval -- and should really beef up the homebrew community in the meantime. The other good news is that Palm is actually adding developers to its "early access program" at a fairly rapid pace, announcing that it doubled its membership this week, and plans to double it again next week. It's all coming together.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: The original leak was strictly Windows-style, but PreThinking notes that it's available for Mac now as well.

HTC Hero running Android and Sense UI leaks from HTC's own website (updated, official, video)



As we prepare for HTC's official launch event today, we're starting to see some details appear on HTC's own website of the much rumored Hero. Through some URL trickery, we've managed to unearth several details that confirm the previous rumors. Hero includes the new HTC Sense widget-based interface that puts at-a-glance info right up front on the home screen where it belongs. A new Scenes profile feature lets you transform your phones focus from business to weekend mode. Viewing your contacts shows the usual data in addition to the interactions you've had through social networking status updates and photos from the likes of Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, and Twitter. A dedicated search button searches the phone as well as services like Twitter. In fact, like Palm's Pre, the HTC Hero seems ready to fully integrate your local data with all your subscribed social media sites. The biggest deal here, however, might just be that HTC is touting this as the first Android device to support Flash out of the box.

Inside you'll find Qualcomm's MSM7200A proc running Android at 528MHz, 512MB/288MB ROM/RAM, 3.2-inch TFT-LCD with 320 x 480 pixel rez, 900/2100MHz HSPA and Quad-band GSM, trackball, GPS, 802.11b/g WiFi, 3.5mm audio jack, G-sensor, compass, and 5 megapixel auto-focus cam with microSD expansion. It's all there baby. The White version of the device has an industry-first Teflon coating (right, just like your pans) to keep things clean and grime free. Multi-touch and anti-fingerprint coating too. Hero arrives in Europe in July with T-Mobile and Orange, Asia later in the summer, and North America even later in 2009. Stay tuned for a full hands-on, but for now, enjoy the press shots in the gallery below and the new video after the break!

Other HTC Hero coverage

Read - Adobe demos Flash on the Hero
Read - Hero hands-on and impressions

Read - Product page
Read - Official PR

Dell Vostro 1220 leaks out, looks as cool as it sounds


It's hard to hate on Dell's Vostro lineup: cheap is cheap, and there's nothing wrong with that. In truth, it could probably look a lot worse, but there's just something vaguely depressing about these unflattering leaked shots of what's apparently a crimson version of an upcoming 12-inch Vostro 1220 model -- in comparison with the fairly clean lines of the existing lineup, these new curves aren't doing the laptop any style favors, though it's at least an improvement over the existing 12-inch model. Specs are certainly alright, with a Core 2 Duo T6750 processor (remember back when every small, cheap computer wasn't running Atom?), 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, SD card slot, ExpressCard and even a fingerprint reader, and we're sure the price is even better. No word on a release date.

Leaked Lenovo roadmap shows Calpella laptops coming January 2010?

Our compatriots at Engadget Chinese have happened upon what looks to be a roadmap for Lenovo's upcoming laptops between now and March 2010. Recently in the wild T400s is on there, slated for mid-July or so, with a pair of new SL models following in August. More interesting than all that, however, is the sheer number of new X, T, W, SL, and SLc laptops listed for the beginning of 2010 that utilize Intel's upcoming Calpella platform. We're not gonna put too much stock into these pictures right now, but it definitely raises a few eyebrows. More slides after the break.

Leaked Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds compact has us hot, bothered (updated)

It's not scheduled to be announced until tomorrow, but it looks like Olympus' Micro Four Thirds tribute to the classic rangefinder has leaked out onto these here Internets looking every bit as handsome as the top-side leak seen earlier. Remember, we're talking about a DSLR-sized sensor stuffed inside that retro compact body. Judging by the pics of E-P1, we're looking at a stock, 17mm lens with an interchangeable 14-42mm (3x) zoom lens available at launch. One more day and we'll have prices, ship dates, and full spec-sheet to share -- can you wait? 3x lens and few more color variations in the gallery below.

Update: Possible specs accompanying authentic looking images have now entered the rumor mill. Said specs have the camera measuring in at 120 x 70 x 35mm (about the size of a Sigma DP2 or slightly larger than mainstream point-and-shoots) snapping 13 megapixel RAW images and 1280 x 720 pixel video to SD card, ISO 6400 sensitivity, 11-point AF, electronic anti-shake, and 3-inch LCD if we're reading the machine translated text correctly. It's expected to ship in July with prices starting at about $900 -- though it's unclear what you get at that price point.

[Via 43rumors]

Nokia E72 leaks out in promo video form


Looks like the E71 is about to be upstaged as Nokia's premier business-class smartphone -- someone in Espoo's just hit the corporate YouTube account with this promo video for an E72. Upgrades include a five megapixel camera, a relocated headphone jack, and what looks to be an optical mouse instead of a D-pad -- a welcome upgrade for click-happy S60. That's all we know for now, but we're digging for more -- check the video after the break.

Update: The YouTube video's been pulled, but luckily the guys from IntoMobile snagged it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Matching IDs suggest fake matte iPhones may not have been so fake


You'd think -- starting from the moment you saw the glossy sheen of the iPhone 3G S to the waning seconds of this year's WWDC keynote when you realized that there would be no magical second model announced -- that the near-constant drone of matte iPhone rumors leading up to this week's festivities were all fake. But were they really? It's been astutely noted by @cabel (yes, we just threw out a Twitter handle there) that the matte black backing seen last month has totally matching information -- model number and FCC ID alike -- with the actual device. We suppose it could just be an unfinished component, but as Daring Fireball notes, this could mean that Apple toyed with a matte finish early in the 3G S' design but ultimately abandoned it -- or even more intriguingly, it could've been a unique one-off trap designed to identify leakers who'd otherwise tried to hide their identities. It sounds like a pretty far-fetched conspiracy theory at first, yes -- but we're aware of at least one wireless carrier that actively puts out bogus information to achieve the same effect, and you might remember that Microsoft was rumored to have done the same thing with prototype Zunes back in the day. Either way, it's a crying shame, because that glossless finish has left an indelible mark on our hearts that won't soon heal.

[Via Daring Fireball, matte iPhone picture via MacRumors]

Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds shooter leaked?


No, you're not crazy. Er, you might be, but not solely because you just know that Olympus has already outed a camera with an E-P1 model name. Turns out, the camera outfit decided the shelve that codename and settle on the E-3, but evidently it's time to bust said moniker back out. If the above image is to be believed, the new E-P1 is a Micro Four Thirds shooter, complete with a 17mm f/2.8 lens. Only time will tell if this thing's really on the way out, but considering just how infatuated Olympus seems to be with MFT, we wouldn't be shocked to see it get the official seal of authenticity here soon.

Update: Seems Olympus is having some kind of Micro Four Thirds announcement on June 16th. Wonder what that could be for? Thanks, Howard!

Palm Pre stock levels at Best Buy for entire US now leaked in full?

We'll be straight with you, we have no idea if the linked document (that builds on the original) is authentic or not. Then again, why would someone go to the trouble of faking a 31 page PDF file showing Palm Pre inventories for every Best Buy in the US and Puerto Rico -- the internet just can't be so sad. Anyway, given the positive reviews received, we expected demand to outstrip the meager inventories on-hand at launch. As we figure it, anything that might help you sort out the mess on Saturday will be appreciated.

[Via Everything Pre, thanks John]

Read -- PDF share 1
Read -- PDF share 2

PSP Go box design lends more credibility to slim PS3 rumors


Remember when those slim PS3 shots came out and skeptics bemoaned the missing "spiderman font" as proof of mischief? Well, if you believe that the PSP Go is a lock, and really, at this point there's no reason to doubt it, then a side-by-side shot of the PSP Go and slim PS3 box art should be quite revealing... and it is. Note the similar font, horizontal band, and general placement of device specs like memory capacity. Pretty similar, thus giving the slim PS3 rumor that much more weight. If this is the new slim PS3 then the only question now is whether it'll be unveiled at E3 next week or not.

[Via Joystiq]

Video: HTC Hero with 'rosie' Android UI leaked?


After making a brief appearance on YouTube this morning, what seems to be a promotional video for the HTC Hero has been resurrected courtesy of Android Community. Not only do we see Hero in 7 different colors, but we get another glimpse at HTC's purported "rosie" Android UI already seen in that supposed tutorial video a few weeks back. So sit back and click on through, don't cost nothin' but 89 seconds that you were just going to dither away anyway.
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