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Huawei's MateBook is its spin on the Surface
Just how hot are convertible PCs these days? Enough for Huawei to make one its very first computer. Today the Chinese electronics giant announced the MateBook, a 12-inch hybrid Windows 10 tablet, at Mobile World Congress. Just like Microsoft's Surface line, it transforms into a functional Windows 10 laptop with the addition of a keyboard cover (which, thankfully, is included in the box). There's also a stylus accessory that looks very similar to the Surface Pen.
We hate Valve's Steam Controller because it's different
My stomach tied itself into a knot as I read the gaming community's first impressions of Valve's final Steam Controller. "It's cheap feeling," many of them said, "difficult and frustrating to use." Forum posts, tweets and reviews all bemoaned how different the touchpads felt compared to traditional analog sticks, accusing it of fixing something that wasn't broken.The general consensus seemed to be that the Steam Controller was a mistake: A drastic, unnecessary step away from the tried and true layout of the 16-button, dual-analog gamepad standard. I felt betrayed and even a little offended -- but it wasn't Valve's experimental gamepad that let me down (I love that little thing), it was the gaming community that decided to turn a cold shoulder to innovation.
HP is putting privacy screens in its laptops because people are nosy
If you find yourself working in crowded spaces like coffee shops, it can be tough to keep prying eyes from glancing at your screen. To combat that sort of snooping, HP is outfitting its stable of notebook PCs with privacy screens from 3M. The duo is working on new displays that integrate the security feature for "an on-demand electronic privacy solution." While details are scarce for now, it sounds like the screens in HP's future laptops will allow the feature to be turned off when you're working from the comforts of your home or office. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a bit to get your hands on a machine that houses the tech, as the first products are expected to arrive in mid-2016.
Lenovo sold 60 million PCs in a year, but probably won't again
Lenovo's basement full of accountants has released the company's financial report for the last 12 months, and it's all smiles and dollar signs. After all, it increased the cash coming in through the front door, spent big to buy buy Motorola and IBM's server business and still made a $100 million quarterly profit. Even better, the outfit has now been the world's largest PC maker for two straight years, selling 60 million computers in the last 12 months alone.
Verizon gets ready to shut down its 3G networks as LTE takes over
Verizon may not be releasing its first LTE-only phones until 2016, but it's already preparing for the day when its legacy CDMA and EV-DO networks ride into the sunset. Wireless tracker Milan Milanovic has discovered that the carrier is now using LTE data in Cleveland and Manhattan on 1,900MHz frequencies that were previously reserved for EV-DO (3G) service. Don't expect more bandwidth in your neck of the woods just yet, though. Verizon tells GigaOM that this is just a test -- it's not yet ready to make an official transition.
Samsung plans to stop selling laptops in Europe
Is the PC dead? Well, that depends on who you ask. Still, no one can deny that people's habits have changed drastically over the past few years, namely due to the rise of smartphones and tablets. Samsung, for example, has found huge success selling mobile devices worldwide, but it doesn't look like the company is having the same luck with laptops, at least not in Europe. PC Advisor first broke the news earlier that Samsung was planning to exit the laptop market (Chromebooks included) in The Old Continent, and the South Korean electronics giant has since corroborated this report. "We quickly adapt to market needs and demands," Samsung said in a statement. The Galaxy brand maker did say "this is specific to the region," adding that it isn't "necessarily reflective" of the state of its distribution strategy elsewhere. You can read Samsung's official comment in full after the break.
Albion Online offers a new gameplay trailer
Excited about Albion Online? Ambivalent about Albion Online? Never heard of Albion Online before this very moment whilst being extremely tired of this narrative device? Whichever category describes you, you can click on past the break to get a look at a new trailer for the game, showing just what players can expect once they load up the game. Albion Online boasts a variety of features including a player-driven economy, freeform progression, a lack of levels, and abilities defined by your choice of equipment. You can see some of it in action in the trailer; you can also support the game now to purchase alpha access and watch as the game moves through development. It's a cross-platform game designed for Windows, Macs, Android, Linux, and iOS devices.
VAIO launches its first laptops without Sony and they're very, very familiar
VAIO's back. It's no longer Sony's PC business, but it's own independent beast. Teasing its relaunch online, the company says that it's free and that things are going to change. The Japanese blurb says that's largely due to the fact that it's now a "small" PC maker -- and it's the same message the new company is trying to deliver at its launch event today in Tokyo. Unfortunately, its debut range is more than a little familiar, being identical to the Pro and Fit models its parent company launched almost exactly one year ago. Minus that old Sony branding, both go on sale today in Japan. However, VAIO currently has no plans to sell laptops outside of its homeland. A spokesperson said that it's focusing on success in Japan first.
The Daily Grind: Do you prefer games available on multiple platforms?
There's a certain glee in knowing that any time I want, I could buy a copy of Final Fantasy XIV for my PlayStation 3 and just play there instead of on the computer. I doubt I ever will, but I always have the option. And I've met more than a few people whom I enjoy playing alongside and who do play on the console, so it's certainly enriched my overall game experience. Most MMOs launch for the PC and that's it. A small number go on to develop a native Mac client, some are available on consoles or mobile decides, and so forth. You can argue that developing these extra clients takes time and resources away from improving the main game, but you can also argue that these extra clients allow people who would otherwise have never played the game to experience something awesome. So how do you feel? Do you prefer games available on multiple platforms, do you prefer development focused on just one, or do you not really care? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Nintendo to enable eShop game purchases via PCs and smartphones
Currently, if you want to buy that hot new Super Mario Bros game your coworkers have been talking about, you need to wait until you could get home, power up your Wii U, launch eShop and then purchase it. That long process could become much shorter, however, if Nintendo follows through on a recent report from NicoNico (translated by Siliconera) that it plans to open up eShop access to PCs and smartphones as well. Dan Adelman, Nintendo's Business Development Manager, confirmed with Joystiq that users would be able to log on to eShop remotely, buy the game, set it up for download and it'll be right there on their console when they get home. Hopefully this update arrives prior to October, so that Link fans among us can get a head start on downloading that new Zelda game before everyone else.
FCC to auction two pieces of 1,900MHz spectrum for mobile broadband
The FCC may be most concerned with portioning out lower frequencies to bandwidth-hungry carriers, but it's devoting some attention to higher bands today. The agency has voted in favor of auctioning off two slices of 1,900MHz spectrum, the lower H block (1,915MHz to 1,920MHz) and upper H block (1,995MHz to 2,000MHz), for the sake of mobile broadband. Both are relatively close to Sprint's PCS airwaves, but the provider reportedly has nothing to fear when rules are in place to minimize interference. If all goes well, an auction could take place in late 2013 or early 2014 -- just soon enough to deliver a quick capacity boost ahead of larger spectrum wars.
Cox TV Connect live TV streaming app now available on Windows, OS X
Cox already debuted its live TV streaming app on iOS and Android, and now it's ready for computers. Available as a downloadable app for Windows and OS X, it offers access to 90 cable TV channels, but still has the same restriction as the mobile version in that it only works when the user is at home. Also as usual, users will need the right mix of cable TV and internet packages for access, check for details after the break.
Sprint closes deal to buy US Cellular spectrum, adds 420,000 customers
Sprint was clearly hungry for capacity when it bought spectrum from US Cellular last fall, and it's at last getting its fill -- some of it, at least -- by closing the deal today. The carrier has officially taken possession of 20MHz in airwaves across Midwestern cities like Champaign, Chicago and South Bend, as well as 10MHz in St. Louis. The customer handover isn't quite as grandiose as was mentioned in November, however: Sprint is ultimately adopting 420,000 US Cellular customers, rather than the originally claimed 585,000. It should be a relatively bump-free transition, no matter who's included in the group. Sprint expects the switch to take several months, and it's keeping the US Cellular network active while customers go hunting for discounted phones.
US and Canada reach border spectrum sharing deals for broadband
Wireless use along the US-Canada border can be problematic: when there isn't direct interference, there's sometimes a fight over which devices get dibs on given frequencies. Don't worry that the countries will rekindle their old disputes, though -- instead, they've just struck interim deals to share more of their spectrum. Along with harmonizing 700MHz public safety networks, the pacts address AWS (1,700MHz and 2,100MHz), PCS (1,900MHz), 3.7GHz wireless broadband, mesh networks and even WiFi hotspots. When possible, both sides will use contention protocols to automatically resolve any conflicts. While the deals aren't yet final, they should be strong enough to maintain some semblance of peace on the northern airwaves. [Image credit: National Film Board of Canada. Photothèque / Library and Archives Canada]
Keepin' it real fake: China's Codoon SmartBand pays homage to Jawbone Up
Viewing it from afar, you could easily mistake this gadget for Jawbone's Up fitness band. What we have here is actually the SmartBand from Chinese fitness accessories maker Codoon, and it's almost a carbon copy of the Up in terms appearance and functionality. Bend this strip around your wrist to track your movement and sleeping patterns (with the ability to wake you up with vibration at the optimal sleeping cycle; just like the Up), and afterwards, plug the hidden 3.5mm headphone jack into either an iPhone or an Android device for analysis and sharing through Codoon's website. After we reached out to Baidu regarding the Baidu Cloud logo on the SmartBand, a spokesperson told us that it's the first wearable developed on top of Baidu's PCS (Personal Cloud Service) to sync and share data, and Codoon's upcoming Bluetooth fitness products will work on the same platform (likewise for the Baidu Eye project). Still, it's a real shame that the startup couldn't come up with its very own design for its first hero product. Expect this rip-off to hit the market in early June for an unknown price -- but you can already get an Up in China, anyway.
The Daily Roundup for 05.01.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
T-Mobile's LTE ambitions get real: network expansion, the BlackBerry Z10 and an OTA update for the Galaxy Note II
AT&T's failed acquisition was the best thing to ever happen to T-Mobile. As a consequence of the failed merger, the fourth place wireless carrier received AWS spectrum in over 100 markets, a cash payout in the billions and an extensive roaming agreement with Ma Bell. All of which pushed the last place carrier into a stronger competitive standing. Now, as it nears the completion of a merger of its own devising with MetroPCS, the operator's gearing up to make good on its LTE promise. Starting today, an over-the-air update will begin rolling out to existing Galaxy Note II handsets that enables the previously dormant LTE radio. Which, if you've been keeping close tabs on Magenta's LTE plans, falls right on schedule with its previously announced 2013 deployment timeline.
Acer unveils space-saving ME mini tower and XC desktops for (low) power users
The arrival of Windows 8 is a good excuse for the PC industry to flood the market with so much hardware, consumers will be blinded by so much choice. Acer's jabbing its digits into your eyes with its new lineup of low-end desktops for the casual user. The ME micro towers will take an Intel Core i5 or I7, 2TB HDDs and up to 16GB of RAM. If you don't have anywhere else to stash your smartphone, the chassis comes with a recess desk on top with a USB port for easy charging. Those looking for something a little less demanding can pick up an XC desktop, a space-saving unit that will take an Intel Core i3, a 1TB HDD and up to 6GB of RAM. Prices for the ME begin at $700, while the cheaper XCs will set you back a much more modest $400.
Steam Greenlight adds non-gaming category for your consideration
Indie game makers have been lobbing titles over Gabe Newell's fence for a short while, but now his company is inviting everyone else to join in as well. Valve has widened Steam Greenlight's crowdsourced approval process to include non-gaming software, with the community voting the most popular and useful apps onto Steam's virtual shelves. We're thinking of submitting a program ourselves, that calculates the time required for three quantities of a decaying substance to fall to half their value, just so we can see everyone's faces when Half-Life Three appears on the list.
Toshiba kicks off pre-orders for Windows 8 PCs, all due to ship October 26th
Not to be outdone by Korean rival Samsung, Toshiba has become the latest manufacturer to announce it's now accepting pre-orders for its loaded repertoire of Windows 8 PCs. Naturally, this contains an array of options for all different types of budgets and preferences, including the Japanese company's Satellite S, P and L laptops or the U series of Ultrabooks, the Qosmio X875 for gamers and, for those who enjoy a more desktop-friendly setup, the LX815 and LX835 all-in-ones are also there for the taking. As expected, Toshiba will be shipping online pre-orders on October 26th, while folks who decide to go the brick-and-mortar route should be able to physically pick one up on that very same day. There's still a lot more where this came from, but you'll have to head over to Toshiba's site to see what else the outfit has to offer -- link to the store is just down below.
