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Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video)

Anthony Verrecchio — Thu, 31 May 2012 00:39:00 EST

Many of us use gadgets that sport gleamingly refined, anodized aluminum or titanium cases -- but have you ever wondered exactly how the process works? Bill Hammack, at it again after explaining to us how the CCD, LCDs, and hard drives work, breaks it down (pun intended) for us -- in less than five minutes. He talks about, and even shows us how the surface of titanium is meticulously rusted using electro-chemicals to grow an oxide layer, changing the color based on its thickness. He follows that up with some commentary on how a similar reaction gobbles up and transforms aluminum, creating a much thicker, porous oxide layer that can be filled with any color dye. So, just to be clear: controlled corrosion is good for your Mac, border control -- maybe not so much. You can watch the video right after the break.

Continue reading Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video)

Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 00:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC One X gets teardown, battery unsurprisingly dominates

Mat Smith — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:58:00 EST

While some might deem the One X's combination of svelte unibody profile, quad-core power and 720p display to be downright witchcraft, we knew differently. Fortunately, there's now scientific proof to back us up, courtesy of PCOnline, which has performed a delicate autopsy on the Chinese variant of HTC's new flagship. To explore that polycarbonate shell, a narrow plastic tool to is eased in behind the screen and around the face of the device, with the majority of the phone's tightly packed innards -- including the Tegra 3 processor -- attached to the display half. Some contacts, however, were left on the inside of the unibody, including the NFC chip. Most of the quad-core thinking parts were clustered around the 8-megapixel sensor, while the battery dominated the center of HTC's big hitter. Anyone who gets their kicks from the gentle undoing of all that engineering hard work can watch it unravel in grisly detail at the source below.

HTC One X gets teardown, battery unsurprisingly dominates originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109 unveiled on YouTube, shows off 8.9mm-thick unibody shell

Richard Lai — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:14:00 EST

About a month after we spotted the IdeaTab S2109's FCC document, Lenovo's quietly launched a YouTube video for its 9.7-inch (1,024 x 768 IPS LCD) slate over the weekend. Why so shy? No idea, but what we do know is that on top of the deets we obtained last time, this Android 4.0 device comes in an 8.9mm-thick, gunmetal-finish unibody shell that packs a 1.3-megapixel front camera (yet no back camera), microSD slot, micro-HDMI, micro-USB and 10 hours worth of battery juice. Alas, there's no confirmation on the specific TI OMAP chipset used here, nor does the video indicate when or where we can get hold of this quad-SRS-speaker tablet; but at least it looks like we won't have to deal with any UI customization from Lenovo. For now, enjoy said video clip after the break.

Continue reading Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109 unveiled on YouTube, shows off 8.9mm-thick unibody shell

Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109 unveiled on YouTube, shows off 8.9mm-thick unibody shell originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ADzero Bamboo cellphone's aiming for the giant Panda market (video)

Daniel Cooper — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:31:00 EST

This is the ADzero, a smartphone with a four-year old, organically grown bamboo unibody shell. It was designed by British student Kieron-Scott Woodhouse, a final-year product design student at Middlesex University. After his concept designs were spotted online, the 23 year old was approached to help design a real device. The Android-powered phone is built with an eye on sustainability, but isn't scrimping on the technical: its packing a camera with a reportedly unique ring-flash that encircles the lens. It'll be released in China and the UK shortly, with a focus on getting it into the hands of design-focused consumers. After the break we've got a clip of Mr. Woodhouse as he looks to carry on the tradition of world-class British designers.

Continue reading ADzero Bamboo cellphone's aiming for the giant Panda market (video)

ADzero Bamboo cellphone's aiming for the giant Panda market (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Flyer touches down at T-Mobile, Scribe pen not included

Joseph Volpe — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:39:00 EST

US Cellular's got one and so does Sprint (albeit under a re-branded banner). So, where's the Magenta-friendly HTC Flyer we saw creep up at the FCC this June? Well, it appears T-Mobile's been offering it for some time to business customers only, but that exclusivity's come to a close. The 7-inch Gingerbread slate with AWS bands is curiously absent from the operator's own online site, but you can still snag it from HTC for $299 with a new mobile broadband plan or $454 with a contract extension. Sadly, neither party's tossing in the HTC Scribe pen gratis, so you'll have to make due with your own digits for navigating or just pick it up separately. If this is the Sense-laden variant you've been holding out for, now's the time to hit up the source and get to ordering.

HTC Flyer touches down at T-Mobile, Scribe pen not included originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 5 cases and realistic unibody dummy show off incredible slimness

Richard Lai — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:13:00 EST

While we're only five days away from finding out the true appearance of the next-generation iPhone, our good friends over at BENM.AT went ahead and crafted their very own unibody dummy using CAD drawings, CNC tools and a block of aluminum -- seriously, that's how they roll! Granted, this work's only based on various data and rumor gathered across the web, but it's still a pretty convincing presentation -- the ultra slim teardrop design and elongated home button from previous reports are taken into account, and the mute switch has been relocated from the top left to the top right. BENM.AT told us that this dummy fits nicely into the supposed iPhone 5 cases that they obtained. Speaking of which, we also found some of these cases too -- read on to find out what they're like.

Gallery: "iPhone 5" cases hands-on

Continue reading iPhone 5 cases and realistic unibody dummy show off incredible slimness

iPhone 5 cases and realistic unibody dummy show off incredible slimness originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei Vision hits the FCC, assaults the senses with a promo video

Brian Heater — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:49:00 EST

Huawei this morning offered the world a video sneak peak of the Vision, its "most stylish smartphone yet," and like clockwork, the thing has popped up -- albeit less flashily -- on the FCC's site. The admittedly slick-looking handset packs Gingerbread, a 1GHz processor, and a 3.7 inch capacitive touchscreen into a unibody frame that's 9.9 millimeters at its thinnest. As for that "3D interface" the company's been talking up, you can see that in action after the break.

Continue reading Huawei Vision hits the FCC, assaults the senses with a promo video

Huawei Vision hits the FCC, assaults the senses with a promo video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's IdeaPad U300S flaunts its trim frame at Computex

Sean Hollister — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:11:00 EST

So-called Ultrabooks were all the rage at Computex 2011, and ASUS, LG and Compal weren't the only ones to stake a claim -- this Lenovo IdeaPad U300S is another contender in the ultra-thin, sub-$1,000 notebook game. Though we hear that Lenovo wasn't disclosing exact specs or availability at the show, the company's reportedly upgraded the slick IdeaPad U260 design with Sandy Bridge chips and a 13.3-inch screen, and put the already-trim unibody laptop on a diet to attain supermodel measurements. Here's hoping the engineers also improved that three-hour battery life too, eh?

[Thanks, Sam]

Lenovo's IdeaPad U300S flaunts its trim frame at Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire S gets a candy apple makeover exclusively at Vodafone UK

Zachary Lutz — Wed, 25 May 2011 19:37:00 EST

Oh, the Desire S. It's attracted plenty of attention around these parts, and if a thorough review or family scuffle wasn't enough to draw your attention, we imagine this fire engine paint job will do just nicely. Vodafone is bringing this exclusive red-headed beaut to its UK network, where it's available free with all monthly plans £30 or more. So, if you're the type who loves aluminum unibody enclosures but detests the color of... well, aluminum... it seems that you're in luck. Just don't get too cocky around MacBook Pro fans -- they're likely to get jealous of your free paint job.

HTC Desire S gets a candy apple makeover exclusively at Vodafone UK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's MacBook Air duo to receive Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt upgrade in June or July?

Richard Lai — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:30:00 EST

We've already seen Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt reinvigorating the MacBook Pro line, so it's only logical for the MacBook Airs to eventually follow suit -- presumably they'll pick up Sandy Bridge's 17W mobile processors to match the current 10W and 17W Core 2 Duos. So when can we expect this to happen? Well, according to DigiTimes' sources within the supply chain, Apple may receive shipment of the refreshed Airs in late May ahead of a June or July launch -- this echoes earlier reports from Apple Insider and CNET that cited the same time frame. Additionally, DigiTimes says Quanta will continue to assemble Apple's ultra-portable laptops, with Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying the battery packs. As always, we shall remain open-minded about such rumors, but you'll know the real deal as soon as we do within the next couple of months or so.

Apple's MacBook Air duo to receive Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt upgrade in June or July? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Flyer review

Vlad Savov — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:00:00 EST

Over the past couple of years, HTC has rapidly built up an enviable reputation (and bank balance) in the smartphone space with a succession of feature-rich, smartly designed, and innovative handsets. The HD2 introduced us to the 4.3-inch form factor, the EVO 4G ushered in the era of 720p video recording, and the Legend wrapped itself inside a never-before-seen aluminum unibody enclosure.

Today, the company's Android assembly line is turning out yet another groundbreaking device, though this one's closer in size to the Athena than the Aria. Yes, we're talking about the 7-inch Flyer, the most unique of this year's Android tablet offerings, opting for a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a sturdy aluminum construction that doesn't even try to compete in the race for extreme thinness, and a Magic Pen to make you forget it's running Gingerbread and not Honeycomb (yet). Also set for release under the EVO View 4G moniker on Sprint in the US, this tablet is the sum of a set of bold choices on the part of HTC. To see how well those decisions have come off, click past the break for our full review.

Gallery: HTC Flyer review

Continue reading HTC Flyer review

HTC Flyer review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire S review

Vlad Savov — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST

This time last year, HTC had two Android smartphones for the mainstream: the 3.7-inch Desire, outfitted with the latest and greatest, and the 3.2-inch Legend, which was humbler in specs but offered the novelty of an aluminum unibody construction. After seeing that strategy pay off handsomely, the company's come back in 2011 with a similar proposition. The 4-inch Incredible S is now the higher-end device, while the 3.7-inch Desire S is the smaller, aluminum-shelled handset. What's curious this time, however, is that the Desire S has exactly the same 1GHz Snapdragon inside it, the same graphics, same WVGA resolution, and the same 768MB of RAM as the Incredible S. Throw in the fact it comes with Gingerbread preloaded and a few new tweaks to the Sense UI and you've got to wonder if this might not be the more, um, desirable of HTC's new Android duo. Only one way to find out, right? Full review after the break.

Gallery: HTC Desire S review

Gallery: HTC Desire S versus Desire and Incredible S

Continue reading HTC Desire S review

HTC Desire S review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Flyer parades its many unique qualities in latest video from the company

Vlad Savov — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:05:00 EST

Android tablets, everyone's got one, but none are quite like HTC's 7-inch Flyer. Built out of a single piece of aluminum and a great many chunks of silicon, it struts along at a 1.5GHz pace, carries a handy dandy capacitive stylus called Scribe, and offers up a tablet-ified version of HTC's Sense skin on a 1024 x 600 display. It's also the only portable of its kind (so far) to offer the OnLive cloud gaming service. So many features, you'd think someone would go to the effort of summarizing them, perhaps in the form of a stylish video, no? Well, HTC has done exactly that, and its latest product overview vid is embedded for you just after the break.

Continue reading HTC Flyer parades its many unique qualities in latest video from the company

HTC Flyer parades its many unique qualities in latest video from the company originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom and Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro get torn down

Vlad Savov — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:34:00 EST

The Xoom's big attraction may be the ethereal Honeycomb that oozes within it, but it's still a gadget made of metal, silicon and plastic, so we're as keen as anyone to see what its insides look like. iFixit has dutifully performed the task of tearing one down to its constituent components and found an Atmel touchscreen controller capable of picking up 15 inputs at a time, a Qualcomm MDM6600 chip capable of 14.4Mbps HSPA+ speeds, some Toshiba NAND flash memory, and of course, NVIDIA's beloved Tegra 2 dual-core SOC. The conclusion reached was that the Xoom is relatively easy to repair, though you should be aware there are no less than 57 screws holding the thing together, so free up a nice long afternoon if you intend to disassemble one yourself.

Aside from Moto's flagship tablet, iFixit has also gotten to grips with Apple's latest MacBook Pro, the one that can do Thunderbolt-fast transfers with as yet nonexistent peripherals, though discoveries there were predictably few and far between. The wireless card now has four antennas instead of three and there are some changes made to the cooling systems, but the real reason you'll want to see this is the quad-core Sandy Bridge CPU lurking within -- it's as big and imposing as the performance it promises to deliver.

Motorola Xoom and Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro get torn down originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight!

Vlad Savov — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:19:00 EST

In a world of 10-inch dual-core Androids, HTC has opted to tread its own path by cranking up processor speeds, sticking to a 7-inch form factor and eschewing the latest Honeycomb build for a Gingerbread version it could customize more comprehensively with Sense. All that's well and good, but sometimes all it comes down to is how these gadgets look and feel. So to help you wrap your mind around the Flyer's new aluminum body, we present a couple of comparison galleries with it set against two devices that need no introduction. Get clicking!

Gallery: Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab... fight!

Gallery: Flyer vs. iPad... fight!

HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Flyer into the tablet wars (update: hands-on video!)

Vlad Savov — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:31:00 EST

Boy oh boy, HTC is entering the tablet arena with quite a bang. The company has just taken the wraps off its brand new 7-inch Flyer Android tablet, which touts a 1.5GHz single-core CPU, 1GB of RAM plus 32GB of flash storage, an aluminum unibody construction, 1024 x 600 resolution, a tablet-optimized version of Sense, and... what's this, a pressure-sensitive stylus! The HTC Scribe trademark we saw floating around in legal waters turned out not to be the branding for a tablet, it's actually the name HTC gives to the technology enabling what it calls a "groundbreaking pen experience." Other details include a 5 megapixel camera on the back paired with a 1.3 megapixel imager up front, a 4000mAh battery rated to last for four hours of continuous video playback, and memory expandability via a microSD card.

The Flyer will ship in Q2 2011 with Android Gingerbread 2.4 on board. HTC says it'll be indistinguishable from 2.3 as far as the end user is concerned, though we all know it won't be quite as good as the 3.0 stuff. We're told not to worry, however, since the new version of Sense being introduced with the Flyer will be the focal point of the company's software offering. As far as HTC is concerned, Sense matters more than the underlying platform, and the reason Honeycomb isn't the shipping OS here was explicitly stated as HTC not having enough time with the latest Google code to customize it to the full requirements of Sense. Guess that settles that.

There are a couple more software enhancements, both marking the introduction of the fruits of HTC's recent deals: OnLive cloud gaming will be coming with the Flyer in the form of an app you open up to access the web-connected bored-relieving service, while that Saffron Digital acquisition has turned into an HTC Watch app for movie streaming and downloading.

We spent a bit of quality time with a Flyer unit recently, although we weren't allowed to turn it on, and our early impressions are rather mixed. On the one hand, we do appreciate the ruggedness and durability that's afforded by the one-piece aluminum shell, but on the other, the Flyer is quite the chunky beast in your hands. We'd imagine strapping in such an extra-speedy processor is the main culprit for its extra girth, though the Flyer is, ironically enough, not terribly light either. We found it heavier and generally a lot less polished from a design perspective than Samsung's Galaxy Tab. Anyhow, HTC should have functional units for us immediately following its MWC presser this morning, and we'll be delving in deeper with this super-specced device. Hang tight!

Update: Pictures of the Flyer can now be explored below and we have video awaiting your audience just past the break.

Update 2: HTC has tweeted that the Flyer will be updated to Honeycomb in Q2.

Gallery: HTC Flyer first hands-on

Continue reading HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Flyer into the tablet wars (update: hands-on video!)

HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Flyer into the tablet wars (update: hands-on video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC's flagship Android spotted again with 2.2.1 OS and unibody design

Richard Lai — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:23:00 EST

Oh boy, looks like HTC's having some real trouble with leaks in its home town lately. Spotted again in Taiwan is this Android device that looks awfully familiar, and for the first time, we get to see a clear shot of its somewhat homely backside. The lucky phonespotter claims that this unibody phone -- codenamed Saga and running 2.2.1 -- belongs to a "client" of his, and from his brief hands-on he reckons it's about as thick as the 7 Mozart and the Legend. Well, that's pretty much all we've been told -- stay tuned in case we hear more in this remaining week before MWC.

[Thanks, Sam]

HTC's flagship Android spotted again with 2.2.1 OS and unibody design originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire HD review

Vlad Savov — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST

Did you know that the word "jumbo" originated from the name of an African elephant famed for being the largest of his kind? HTC will be well familiar with that tag having already rattled off the HD2, EVO 4G, and HD7 in a smartphone-dwarfing 4.3-inch form factor. And while that may not be the largest screen you can have your Android confectionery on today, it's arguably the upper limit of what we might consider a pocketable device. The HTC Desire HD follows, and seeks to improve upon, its laudable predecessors with an aluminum unibody construction, WVGA (800 x 480) display, 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash plus 720p video, and a modern 1GHz CPU. That hardware is put at the service of Android's latest Froyo offering, complemented with an updated Sense that includes a web interface for controlling and discovering your phone remotely. It's a rich spec sheet, that much is unquestionable, but you're not just here for tenuous wildlife-related metaphors, you want to know if the whole is equal to, or perhaps even more than, the sum of its parts. Join us after the break for a deeper look at the Desire HD.

Gallery: HTC Desire HD review

Continue reading HTC Desire HD review

HTC Desire HD review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC 7 Mozart review

Richard Lai — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:21:00 EST

Out of all the Windows Phone 7 launch partners, HTC's obviously been the most hard-working kid in Mr. Ballmer's sculpture class. So here's the question: which of the five launch devices is the Taiwanese company's best work? Well, there's no such thing as a perfect phone, but we dare say the 7 Mozart's the most stylish out of the lot. Not convinced? Flip the phone around and you'll see its two main selling points: its aluminum unibody construction (as applied on the Nexus One and Legend), and its 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash (as opposed to 5 megapixels with LED flash on the other WP7 devices). Will these goodies suffice to win WP7 fanatics over? Join us after the break to find out.

This review is primarily of the HTC 7 Mozart hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS.

Gallery: HTC 7 Mozart with Windows Phone 7 review

Continue reading HTC 7 Mozart review

HTC 7 Mozart review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple introduces 11.6-inch MacBook Air, available today for $999

Vlad Savov — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:11:00 EST

Hoo boy, our tipster was spot on with this one, Apple's adding an 11.6-inch sibling to its newly redesigned 13.3-inch MacBook Air. It'll have a dual-core 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU (upgradeable to 1.6GHz on the more expensive model), 1366 x 768 resolution, and a $999 starting price for the 64GB SSD model, with the 128GB version setting you back $1,199. It carries over the aluminum unibody construction from the 13-incher, along with the same 2GB or 4GB DDR3 RAM options and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, but has to settle for a briefer 5-hour battery life. Full PR and Apple's first ad for this new hotness both await after the break.

Gallery: Apple's 11.6-inch MacBook Air

Update: We've got our very first hands-on pictures with the new machine. Enjoy!

Continue reading Apple introduces 11.6-inch MacBook Air, available today for $999

Apple introduces 11.6-inch MacBook Air, available today for $999 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC 7 Mozart first hands-on (update: video!)

Vlad Savov — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:58:00 EST

The first word that came to our mind when handling the HTC 7 Mozart was "classy." The aluminum unibody construction conveys a rare sense of rigidity and durability to this phone, while its overall curvature, 3.7-inch LCD screen, and ergonomics invoke memories of the company's Desire and Nexus One Android products. Which is no bad thing, particularly if you thought the Desire was a fine phone that could do with a more upmarket enclosure. We feel like this melting of the Legend's aluminum shell and the Desire's proportions is a match made in heaven, and Windows Phone 7's responsive ways have done little to dissuade us. The whole 7 Mozart package feels like a perfectly pitched (we had to!) ploy for the mainstream market, with its good looks, slick profile, and sharp-looking OS. The somewhat generic hardware on offer is a spectral presence hanging over all of HTC's phones at this launch, but we're too in love with the 7 Mozart's build quality to care right now. Enjoy the pictures below, video coming soon!

Update: The video's done! Check it out after the break.

Gallery: HTC 7 Mozart first hands-on!

Continue reading HTC 7 Mozart first hands-on (update: video!)

HTC 7 Mozart first hands-on (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC 7 Mozart and 7 Trophy set out to conquer the WP7 world, 7 Pro coming to Sprint next year

Vlad Savov — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST

HTC's kicking the Windows Phone 7 era off in style today with no less than three new phones scheduled to debut on October 21 in Europe: the HD7, the 7 Mozart, and the 7 Trophy. Both the Mozart and Trophy offer a WVGA LCD screen, a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8250 chipset, 576MB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, and 720p video recording. Where the 7 Mozart sets itself apart is in having an aluminum unibody construction wrapped around its 3.7-inch display, together with a more advanced 8 megapixel imager and a Xenon flash. The 7 Trophy makes do with an LED flash illuminating 5 megapixels' worth photons, but it does also come with HTC's promise to be the most aggressively priced WP7 handset from the company. It'll be a Vodafone exclusive across the big red network's global footprint, while the Mozart will be exclusive to Orange in the UK, France, Spain, and Switzerland, exclusive to Deutsche Telekom in Germany, and available on a choice of carriers elsewhere. No peep of an American release for either handset, however.

For the home crowd, Sprint is set to deliver a HTC 7 Pro with a QWERTY keyboard that slides out and tilts -- you can see it pictured in the gallery below -- at some point in the first half of 2011. It too goes with the same old 1GHz Snapdragon, 576MB of RAM, 5 megapixel cam plus 720p video, and WVGA display resolution (on a 3.6-inch screen), but it gets a bump in storage to 16GB. Full spec sheets for all three phones, along with HTC's big Windows Phone 7 announcement, await just past the break.

Gallery: HTC 7 Mozart, 7 Trophy and 7 Pro press images

Continue reading HTC 7 Mozart and 7 Trophy set out to conquer the WP7 world, 7 Pro coming to Sprint next year

HTC 7 Mozart and 7 Trophy set out to conquer the WP7 world, 7 Pro coming to Sprint next year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple snags Liquidmetal IP, may just revive the eMac with an amorphous metal chassis

Darren Murph — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:28:00 EST

Ah, who are we kidding -- we're guessing a true, bona fide headless iMac would hit the market before the eMac ever makes a triumphant return, but it's surely a novel thought, no? In a recent 8-K filing with the SEC, Apple made public that it had essentially acquired "substantially all of [Liquidmetal's] intellectual property assets," not to mention a "perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products in exchange for a license fee." In other words, Apple just bought up the rights to integrate Liquidmetal's amorphous metal alloys into its product line, which would allow the company to create metallic wares without sweating the typical structural or strength limitations found in conventional metals. There's no mention of dollars exchanged here, nor any details on what exactly Apple plans to do with its newfound IP (shown after the break), but we're guessing the procurement team didn't sign the dotted line for kicks and giggles.

Continue reading Apple snags Liquidmetal IP, may just revive the eMac with an amorphous metal chassis

Apple snags Liquidmetal IP, may just revive the eMac with an amorphous metal chassis originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Schubert: Windows Phone 7 gets an aluminum unibody handset to call home? (video)

Vlad Savov — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:58:00 EST

And the Windows Phone 7 leaks just keep on flowing. After that mysterious ASUS pre-production unit we saw late last week, today we're being treated to the first sighting of the HTC Schubert. Purportedly a device planned for "day one" of the WP7 revolution, the Schubert is said to have been built using a single piece of aluminum (just like the Legend) with plastic cutouts in the back allowing for that all-important wireless connectivity. Not much else is known for now -- hell, there's no way to even confirm this phone is who it says it is -- but the video's right after the break.

[Thanks, Peter]

Continue reading HTC Schubert: Windows Phone 7 gets an aluminum unibody handset to call home? (video)

HTC Schubert: Windows Phone 7 gets an aluminum unibody handset to call home? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unibody Mac mini meets iFixit, gets a delicate teardown exposé

Richard Lai — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:13:00 EST

Been wondering how Apple's managed to cram all that goodness into the new (and flatter) unibody Mac mini? Well, look no further, as our friends over at iFixit took no time to acquire said machine for another scrupulous teardown treatment. Just as we saw ourselves, it all begins with a simple twist on the bottom round plate, and with a bit of fiddling the guts can then easily slide out -- you'll see a wondrously dense logic board along with its now-internal power supply and the usual components. We've thrown in iFixit's list of highlights after the break, but as always, hit the source link for the finely detailed disassembly guide.

Continue reading Unibody Mac mini meets iFixit, gets a delicate teardown exposé

Unibody Mac mini meets iFixit, gets a delicate teardown exposé originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mac mini updated with HDMI, aluminum unibody, and SD card reader

Vlad Savov — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:01:00 EST

Would you look at that, some love for the seemingly abandoned desktop crowd. Apple has today unveiled a freshly redesigned Mac mini, which benefits from a unibody aluminum exterior and more grunt under the hood. Prices start rolling at $699, where you'll get a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. HDMI-out is finally included, along with an SD card reader, 802.11n wireless, a Mini DisplayPort jack, and what Apple claims is a doubling of graphics performance thanks to an NVIDIA GeForce 320M chip inside. Then again, when you double a little, you still end up with not much. The newly polished nettop is a minimalist 1.4 inches tall, but manages to fit all the power circuitry inside, which means (yay!) there'll be no power brick to spoil your hipster desk space.

Don't fret if you were looking to drop the optical drive, Apple retains the config option that allows you to add in a second HDD in lieu of its DVD burner. You can grab two 500GB plate spinners, Snow Leopard Server (we thought Apple only had one OS version?), 4GB of RAM, and a 2.66GHz Intel chip for $999. Finally, the new enclosures will come with user-accessible memory slots courtesy of a removable panel at the bottom of the case. Neat that the designers didn't take the unibody idea too literally.

Gallery: Apple Mac mini update

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Mac mini updated with HDMI, aluminum unibody, and SD card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Legend debuts on Virgin Mobile in Canada, glances furtively southwards

Vlad Savov — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:17:00 EST

The phone, the myth, the Legend has just become available over in Canada, giving North Americans their first taste of that aluminum unibody construction. It's looking highly likely that this is the same handset we saw gracing the FCC's pages not too long ago, indicating that Yanks should be getting in on the fun relatively soon as well. AT&T already let one HTC cat slip out of the bag today, guess this confirms the Liberty won't be feeling lonely in Ma Bell's Android cupboard whenever it does launch. And hey, Canadian friends, just think of the Legend as consolation for your teams not sniffing the Stanley Cup the past three years.

HTC Legend debuts on Virgin Mobile in Canada, glances furtively southwards originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Apple's Core i7 MacBook Pro?

Darren Murph — Sat, 29 May 2010 01:31:00 EST

Apple's secrets have been getting out a bit more than usual over the past couple of months, and few were shocked when Intel's newest slabs of silicon slithered beneath the unibody shells of the freshest MacBook Pros. The Core i7 rig in particular drew attention, as this was the first MBP to surface with components within capable of rivaling Wintel machines from half a year ago. One thing that struck us in our own review of the unit was the lack of change outside of the CPU; you're still dealing with the same underwhelming arrangement of ports, and unless you opt for the 17-incher, you're still wondering why Apple ganked your ExpressCard slot. Enough of our ranting -- we're here to hear what exactly you have to say about Apple's newest MacBook Pro. Would you have added in USB 3.0 ports? Finally caved and threw in a Blu-ray option? Added a "Flash-capable" sticker in the palm rest? Go on, get creative in comments below.

How would you change Apple's Core i7 MacBook Pro? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 May 2010 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10-hour MacBook delicately disassembled, battery transplanted into earlier model

Sean Hollister — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:57:00 EST

Not a single day passes since Apple refreshed the MacBook and already the fine folks at iFixit are on the job. For the most part, its full disassembly is business as usual, as only a few components -- CPU, GPU and battery -- have changed since the last go-round. That last is of special interest, however, because iFixit says the battery is exactly the same shape as its former -- all you have to do to get an extra 350 mAh for your existing plastic MacBook is to drop in a refreshed battery. Mind you, the new cells weigh more and it's likely the new silicon that's actually responsible for 10 hours of battery life, but should your Li-ion pack fail under warranty, your older MacBook might be returned with more juice than you'd bargained for. See the full teardown at our source link.

10-hour MacBook delicately disassembled, battery transplanted into earlier model originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 23:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP Envy 15 shipping for $950 after rebate

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:41:00 EST

We know that you really had your heart set on that 14-inch Envy, but until they finally arrive from Shangri-La, the "mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains" (the same place whose Apple Stores stock the iPhone nano, incidentally) might we offer you a cut-rate 15-inch model as a consolation prize? As brought to our attention by the savvy shoppers at I4U News, the company is currently offering a $450 rebate on your next HP Envy 15 Core i5 (2.26GHz) lappy. And what's more, your $950 sale price includes shipping -- and not on the back of a unicorn, either. Just head on over to the HP store (hit the coverage link), throw in a 640GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive (you have to do this part -- it'll bring your total up to $1,399 and make you eligible for the free shipping) and apply coupon code NBMY33241 at checkout.

HP Envy 15 shipping for $950 after rebate originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony VAIO Z with Quad SSD stripped down and explained by its project leader

Richard Lai — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:33:00 EST

For the average geek like us, there's nothing more satisfying than watching a gadget skillfully torn apart by its creator. That's why we're slightly envious of Engadget Chinese, who saw Sony VAIO Z Series project leader, Takamitsu Kasai, explaining the differences between the old and new VAIO Z literally part by part. Hightlights include Sony's proprietary Quad SSD (so not user-upgradable, sadly), a redesigned heatsink to accommodate the new chips' higher TDP (thermal design power), and various features of the "one-piece milled aluminum" and "hybrid carbon" chassis. Of course, all we really care about are photos of the naked VAIO Z, so go ahead and gorge yourselves after the jump.

Sony VAIO Z with Quad SSD stripped down and explained by its project leader originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Current MacBook Pro SKU given mark of death in Best Buy database?

Ross Miller — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:02:00 EST

We'll admit to not being leading the field of study in Best Buy-ology, but here comes a new quiz for us care of a tipster who sent TUAW a screenshot of the inventory screen that shows what looks to be the current MacBook Pro SKU with status: deleted. What that means is no new orders can be made for that unit, at least for that particular store. Sign of impending MBP refresh? Intel certainly had us riled up last month with that Core i5-infused flier, but we won't get fooled again. Don't hold your breath for this one, but if more telltale signs start popping up, we'll be sure let ya know.

Update: Giving credit where due; the image originates from the MacRumors forums.

Update II: Another tipster familiar with Best Buy's systems wrote in and noted that "Deleted only means that the that particular store is having it pulled from their planogramed assortment." Sorry to burst your bubble.

[Thanks, Jose R]

Current MacBook Pro SKU given mark of death in Best Buy database? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Border security guards kill -- literally kill -- a MacBook (update: video!)

Vlad Savov — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:25:00 EST

Young American woman travels over to Jerusalem to meet some friends, see the sights, live the life. Overzealous border security officers ask her a bunch of questions, take issue with her answers, and a few well-placed bullets later she is allowed entry into the country with a somewhat altered MacBook in tow. So what can we all learn from this incident? Firstly, back up all the data you consider important; B, Israeli policemen don't mess about; and 3, distressed laptops look gorgeous no matter how they got there -- just look at the way the glass trackpad has wrinkled up from the force of the bullet penetrating near it, it's a borderline work of art. The young lady in question has been promised compensation, but lest you think this is a one one-off you can see pictures of an equally dead Dell at the Flickr link below. We've got a couple more close-ups of the ravaged MacBook after the break.

[Thanks, Itai N.]

Update - We've tracked down a video interview with Lily herself, which shows off a few more angles of the former MacBook and current article of modern art -- check it after the break.

P.S. - As always, we encourage a discussion. A sensitive, intellectual, worldly discussion. If you can't infer what it is we're asking of our dear readers tempted to intone on this matter, then please skip commenting on this thread, mkay?

Continue reading Border security guards kill -- literally kill -- a MacBook (update: video!)

Border security guards kill -- literally kill -- a MacBook (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Apple's unibody MacBook?

Darren Murph — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:44:00 EST

Quietly unveiled alongside the 27-inch iMac and the Magic Mouse was this: Apple's attempt to force the unibody construction that we've already seen used on its MacBook Pro into the lowly MacBook line. This 13-incher didn't revolutionize Apple's low-end laptop line, but it did add a pinch of style and an integrated "7-hour" battery while keeping the price tag steady at $999. We certainly had our fair share of gripes when testing this scuff-magnet out, but now that you've had nearly two months to toy around with your own, we're anxious to hear what you'd do different next time. Is the build quality up to your standards? Are you still weeping uncontrollably as you search in vain for a FireWire 400 port? Is the 9400M GPU potent enough for you? Did this honestly deserve to be priced at a few hundies less? Feel free to unleash hot fury in comments below -- maybe ole Steve will feel the heat.

How would you change Apple's unibody MacBook? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New iMac and MacBook touchscreens debut, thanks to Troll Touch

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:04:00 EST

Troll Touch -- the fun little company with the unfortunate name -- have announced more of their award-winning analog resistive touch kits for 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs as well as unibody MacBooks. Prices for the iMac kits themselves start at $1099, or you can order new machines with the kits pre-installed starting at $2299. For laptop owners, your touchscreen kits start at $699. Not cheap at all, but you know what the song says: You've got to pay the troll's toll. Delivery slated to begin before December 1, 2009. If you've never seen a video of someone using a touchscreen, you're in for a treat -- we included one after the break. You're welcome.

Continue reading New iMac and MacBook touchscreens debut, thanks to Troll Touch

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

New iMac and MacBook touchscreens debut, thanks to Troll Touch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unibody MacBook (late 2009) review

Nilay Patel — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

We'll just come out and say it: we're totally underwhelmed by the new plastic MacBook. Hell, we were underwhelmed by the old plastic MacBook back in June, when we reviewed the refreshed unibody MacBook Pros -- we said we were "honestly left wondering" why the $999 plastic model continued to exist when the $1,199 13-inch Pro was obviously superior. So when we heard the first whispers that Apple was working on a total overhaul of its low-end MacBook, we naturally assumed that it would either gain in features or drop in price -- but neither one of those things happened. The new plastic MacBook remains priced at $999 in its only configuration, and while it's been updated with the same unibody construction as the Pros, it's also lost some features along the way. So... what's going on here? Did Apple just blow a huge opportunity to totally re-think its low-end formula, or is there more to the MacBook than the spec sheets and price tags say? Read on to find out.

Gallery: New MacBook unboxing and hands-on!

Continue reading Unibody MacBook (late 2009) review

Filed under: Laptops

Unibody MacBook (late 2009) review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacBook strips off its polycarbonate unibody shell for the expected teardown

Ross Miller — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:34:00 EST

That thumbs up means exactly what you think, and just like all the other new MacBook (Pro) models, that "non-removable" battery in the new polycarbonate unibody MacBook is more of a guideline than an actual set of rules. iFixit's currently doing its traditional teardown process -- so far, other than the battery and hard drive swapping places, the internal geography looks about like its predecessor. Letting your eyes venture into forbidden territories is just a mouse click away at the read link below.

Filed under: Laptops

MacBook strips off its polycarbonate unibody shell for the expected teardown originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A video walkthrough of Apple's newest additions (Unibody MacBook, iMac, Magic Mouse)

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:12:00 EST

Sure, you've seen the hands-on posts and the PR, but have you really gotten a look at Apple's new gear? Join us for a quick and spirited walkthrough of the goods. You won't be disappointed. Or you might be. It really depends on how picky you are.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Peripherals

A video walkthrough of Apple's newest additions (Unibody MacBook, iMac, Magic Mouse) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacBook goes unibody, available today

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:02:00 EST

Like a bat out of hell, Apple has just shuttled a new, unibody MacBook in the gadget world's direction. The new model -- which looks like an arctic, glossy version of the familiar 13-inch MacBook Pro line -- will be landing in stores today (yes, today), with a familiar price tag: $999. In terms of changes, besides the new, high-test plastic casing (built in the same fashion as the aluminum MacBook Pros) the 13-incher boasts a LED-backlit display, new glass multitouch trackpad, and a built-in, "7 hour" battery. Inside the single SKU will be a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM (upgradable to 4GB), an NVIDIA 9400M GPU, 250GB hard drive and the old standby SuperDrive. We had a chance to play around with the laptop, and it's pretty snazzy for a hunk of plastic. The surface is super slick (AKA super fingerprint friendly), though the base of the laptop utilizes a soft-touch, non-slip surface that's nice to handle. The display certainly is brighter and better looking than the previous model, though the one on the desk we saw was slightly dimmer than we would prefer -- in its defense it was sitting right next to a super bright iMac. As stated, the new model can be picked up right this very second at stores around the globe, and we'll have a much closer look very soon -- so stay tuned! A full spec breakdown is after the break.

Update: Check out our hands-on!

Gallery: New MacBook unboxing and hands-on!

Gallery: MacBook goes unibody

Continue reading MacBook goes unibody, available today

Filed under: Laptops

MacBook goes unibody, available today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telcast T56 PMP promises full 1080p output, unibody enclosure

Donald Melanson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:13:00 EST

Looking for a PMP that outputs full 1080p video? Then you've no doubt noticed that your options are pretty limited, even from PMPs (and phones, for that matter) bold enough to call themselves "HD." It looks like China's Telcast could be about to swoop in and beat some of the bigger players to the punch, however, at least if its new T56 PMP actually delivers as promised. While it's 5-inch screen doesn't make it as portable as some may like, it does indeed supposedly boast full 1080p output from its HDMI port, or a standard 800 x 600 resolution on the screen itself. No word on storage just yet, unfortunately, but the rest of the specs seem to be fairly high-end across the board, including built-in GPS, an FM tuner, a memory card slot, and an "all-metal stamping process" -- which appears to be an actual unibody-type enclosure. Of course, there's no word on a price or release date either, so we could end up waiting a good long while for this one.

[Via thegadgetsite]

Filed under: Portable Audio

Telcast T56 PMP promises full 1080p output, unibody enclosure originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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