Did you miss any of the magic that was the Nintendo pre-E3 press event? Great news: it's now online in pre-recorded form, so you can watch it to your heart's content. Using the Wii U controller as a TV remote? The Wii U Pro Controller? The unveiling of the Miiverse? It's all there, friends. Experience the magic after the break.

Continue reading Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference video is now available -- relive the magic again and again

Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference video is now available -- relive the magic again and again originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, you love you some EverQuest II, but how much of you is really in that Ogre character of yours? Sony Online Entertainment has unveiled a new way let players put a bit more of their own personal stamp on the game, in the form of the SOEmote. The new feature, unveiled a few days ahead of E3, uses a computer camera to track facial movements, bringing player expressions to the characters themselves. Also new are voice fonts, allowing players to tailor the timbre of their speech, so your character can sound a bit more like the killer in Scream, just as you've always imagined.

Continue reading SOEmote brings your facial expressions to EverQuest II, lets fellow gamers know when you stub your toe

SOEmote brings your facial expressions to EverQuest II, lets fellow gamers know when you stub your toe originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Aside from officially detailing tweaks to its Wii U Gamepad today, Nintendo has announced a secondary controller for those who'd prefer a more traditional control method. Dubbed as the Pro Controller, the wireless peripheral has a remarkably similar shape and button layout to what comes standard with the Xbox 360 -- albeit with a duo a of joysticks and Nintendo-focused function buttons. You'll also notice that it's the first Wii U accessory to be colored in black, rather the white we've become accustomed to. It doesn't stop there either. While showing more video of how the Gamepad functions, it and the Wii U were also shown in the murdered-out hue for the first time -- eye pleasing to say the least. There's not word on pricing for the Pro Controller or whether the system will be released in both black and white just yet, but we'll be sure to bring you more details from the show floor at E3 when we have them. Click past the break for a look at the console and Gamepad in their darker attire.

Update: Join us past the break to view the webstream for yourself!

Continue reading Nintendo teases Wii U Pro Controller, black Wii U hardware (update: video)

Nintendo teases Wii U Pro Controller, black Wii U hardware (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looks like Nintendo didn't want to wait for its proper E3 press conference to spill some Wii U details early -- it just used its preview event to show the finished version of the Wii U controller, called the Gamepad, as well as a TV remote app. The Gamepad is decidedly wider than what we saw a year ago, with comfort clearly the top priority in other areas: the analog sticks have been moved further outwards and made clickable, while the back grip has been tweaked in the process. There's also no doubt as to where to interact with NFC gadgets, either, as a dedicated spot below the directional pad will take all your device-to-device taps. As for the remote, it looks to be a straightforward number pad navigator with a programming guide, all steering your TV through infrared. Between this and the Wii U Pro Controller, though, it's clear Nintendo hasn't been sitting still in the past year, and has some home theater ambitions in the process. We're curious as to what Nintendo is saving up for its bigger gala on Tuesday.

Update: Join us past the break to view the webstream for yourself!

Continue reading Nintendo shows final Wii U Gamepad, TV remote app (update: video)

Nintendo shows final Wii U Gamepad, TV remote app (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Love your Linux games, but hate painful installs? Ubuntu maker Canonical understands, and has kicked the usual, less snappy, procedure to the curb creating a new approach for the Humble Indie Bundle. The company already expanded Linux gaming, recently adding EA titles to its Ubuntu Software Center, and now you can download the Humble quintet from there as a single file, and install it in one go. In true open source style, you can pick the price you'd like to pay at Humble's site and even juggle how that sum is distributed to the games' developers and charities. So with the install obstacle gone, trundle on past the break and see if the promo video seals the deal.

Continue reading Canonical tag teams with Humble, wraps up Indie Bundle installation with bow (video)

Canonical tag teams with Humble, wraps up Indie Bundle installation with bow (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As the middle child from Sony Mobile's NXT family, the Xperia P steps out from behind the Xperia S' shadow with its own 4-inch screen -- and a touch of WhiteMagic. Screen technology aside, the phone's design follows a path very similar to Sony's latest flagship and picks up a few quirks of its own on the way. The see-through button strip is actually touch-sensitive on Sony's 2012 middle-weight -- a curious oversight on the bigger model.

It packs Sony's 8-megapixel Exmor R camera sensor (likely to be the same one found in the Xperia Arc S), a dual-core 1GHz processor and just under 13GB of user-accessible storage. But there's one unfortunate Xperia trait here -- we're still playing with Android Gingerbread, even while its ancestors begin to dip their toes into Ice Cream Sandwich. Does anyone want an incrementally smaller Android phone from Sony? And what exactly is WhiteMagic and what does it mean for the battery life?

Continue reading Sony Xperia P review: a solid, middle-sized smartphone waiting for Android 4.0

Sony Xperia P review: a solid, middle-sized smartphone waiting for Android 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

HUBO has come so far from mastering the basics of mobility. The latest from KAIST is HUBO 2, a robot with flexible limbs that allow it to bend down and even do push-ups. The HUBO 2's hands are another big improvement, now allowing the humanoid to open car doors, operate a gear shift and hold up to 7 kg. KAIST used "individually actuated" fingers that adapt to the shape of whatever HUBO 2 is holding, a la Honda's new ASIMO. The robot can walk 2 km on a charge, and it looks like it's a little less of a slow poke now, too: KAIST increased its running speed to 4 kph from 3 kph. Check out the source link and video below to see the HUBO 2 in action -- if you're impressed, it can be yours for a cool $400,000.

Continue reading HUBO 2 has articulated hands, can walk 2 km on a charge: yours for $400k

HUBO 2 has articulated hands, can walk 2 km on a charge: yours for $400k originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Doesn't it just seem like yesterday when Grandma used to embroider your resistor charts for you? But now that you're grown up, Adafruit wants you to cross-stitch the Ohm Sweet Ohm color band guide yourself with their handy kit (dog not included). Spec-wise, it's loaded up with 16 skeins of floss, two size 24 tapestry needles, 15 x 18-inch 14-count aida cloth and a 6-inch "super grip lip" embroidery hoop, all for $29.95. You'll also get a full color printed pattern with instructions on making the project, then how to mount it on the wall or sew it onto Spot's favorite pillow. So if you can never remember whether yellow in the C-band is four significant figures or five, and want an Ohm-y reminder -- then check the video after the break for more info.

Continue reading Keep your bands straight with Adafruit's Ohm Sweet Ohm cross-stitch kit (video)

Keep your bands straight with Adafruit's Ohm Sweet Ohm cross-stitch kit (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony's PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset made a splash when it landed last year, but there were two inescapable quirks: a lack of bass and a lack of any wired fallback for your other devices. The brand-new Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition should solve both. Its earcups now carry a new trick, BassImpact, that reportedly delivers the headset's eponymous pulses and just that bit more punch at low frequencies. We also can't help but appreciate having a 3.5mm headphone jack (and cable) to plug in an Xperia S or, if you're daring, a device that goes without Sony's logo. The noise-cancelling microphones and the overall headset are considerably subtler as part of the remake, to boot. Gamers will have to go without the Pulse-upgraded headset until the fall -- not to mention pay a higher price, at $150 -- but they can get a video overview after the break to bide their time.

Continue reading Sony intros Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition, lets your non-PlayStation gear feel the bass (video)

Sony intros Pulse Wireless Stereo Headset Elite Edition, lets your non-PlayStation gear feel the bass (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Everyone! Check under your chairs! It's a...new book club from Oprah! Yep, the former queen of daytime TV is revamping her famed literary organization for the 21st century. Winfrey says she was so taken by Cheryl Strayed's Wild, that she absolutely had to get back on the book peddling bandwagon. The talk show icon will be launching digital editions of the book for the Kindle, Nook and iPad on Monday, featuring exclusive content like a reader's guide. Webisodes featuring Winfrey will go up each week and readers can submit questions via Twitter and Facebook. The whole thing leads up to a live streaming interview with the author on July 22nd. More info -- and a video of a woman who desperately needs someone to give her that talk show back -- after the break.

Continue reading Oprah launching 'Book Club 2.0,' your mom now knows what 'webisode' means

Oprah launching 'Book Club 2.0,' your mom now knows what 'webisode' means originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you left the theater after watching Marvel / Disney / Joss Whedon's The Avengers ready to buy the Blu-ray disc as soon as it hit then get your credit cards ready. As Blu-ray.com notes, Amazon has listings for both a 2-disc Blu-ray edition and a 4-disc Blu-ray 3D version, but the one that's caught our eye is the just updated listing for Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled. A 10 disc set, it has every movie in this chapter of Marvel flicks -- Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredible Hulk -- with 3D copies where applicable plus collectible packaging and a bonus "The Phase One Archives" disc. The only pic of the casing we have is the promo image shown above which hints at a replica of Nick Fury's Cosmic Cube suitcase from the movie, but more information is promised to be revealed July 15th. Until then you'll have to decide if $153 ($25~ per movie) is worth it for the set, or maybe take this time to finance it by selling off your existing copies on Craigslist. Your choice.

[Thanks, Victor]

Continue reading Avengers Blu-ray preorders listed, including massive 10-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe set

Avengers Blu-ray preorders listed, including massive 10-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe set originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The ITU has stayed busy, as we mentioned earlier it met to hammer out standards for UHDTV (Ultra High Definition TV), and also recently announced a new set of recommendations for 3DTV. On the 3D front it focused on standardization for delivering video in both 720 and 1080 line formats, digital interfaces used for studio production and methods to evaluate quality based on picture quality, depth and comfort levels. As far as UHDTV which is still quite a bit further off, the group has decided the term will cover both 4K and 8K (aka Super Hi-Vision) resolution video, as multiples of the existing 1080p standard. That means Quad Full HD (QFHD, or 3840x2160 resolution) and Digital Cinema 4K resolution (4096x2160) both fall under the umbrella of 4K (check the aspect ratios to see where the "missing" pixels went, or have a listen to this week's podcast. After the break we've got a video with Study Group Chairman Christoph Dosch discussing the future possibilities of both 3DTV and UHDTV, as well as press releases with a few extra details.

Continue reading ITU lays out recommendations on 3DTV, Ultra High Definition TV standards (video)

ITU lays out recommendations on 3DTV, Ultra High Definition TV standards (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Robonaut 2 is the International Space Station's friendly 300-pound killbot android assistant. It's there to assist the team with science experiments and probably capture alien life at the expense of the crew. After being fitted with more heat-sinks to enable its delicate machinery to work for longer, it was given the job of monitoring the on-board air velocity to ensure the humans didn't choke to death. Since it doesn't have legs (they're still being built on the ground), it was only able to monitor the air in the Destiny Laboratory, but the test proved so successful that NASA hopes future robots will take over the more dangerous or mundane elements of space work -- at least until they become self-aware and unionize.

Continue reading NASA's Robonaut 2 shown pushing buttons, firing lasers on the ISS (video)

NASA's Robonaut 2 shown pushing buttons, firing lasers on the ISS (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Drastic product strategy adjustments appear to be a hot trend for smartphone manufacturers in 2012, and Huawei is one such example of a company doing its best to hang out with the cool kids. It's hard to blame it, of course: the OEM's previous success has been in its ability to crank out budget-friendly smartphones, feature phones and USB sticks like nobody's business and pushing them out to emerging markets. The story's even more dire within the US, as most carriers have kept Huawei out of the spotlight by choosing very few of its devices, white-labeling each one and selling them as prepaid. In an effort to gain awareness and improve its market share, Huawei's turned to establishing brand recognition and improving device selection as its focal points for 2012.

Barely a week into the new year, Huawei took to the stage at the Consumer Electronics Show to showcase the Ascend P1 and P1 S. These two smartphones, nearly identical twins with the exception of the P1 S' thinner profile and (oddly enough) larger battery, represented the first phase in the company's new product strategy. The pair were to be powerful new devices with a classy, stylish look and feel. This was a welcome move since Huawei's best product prior to CES was the Honor, a 1.4GHz single-core device with a 4-inch FWVGA display.

Until Huawei launches its top-tier Diamond series of smartphones (including the ultra-powerful D Quad), the Ascend P1 -- which is expected to arrive in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia by the end of the month at an unknown price -- will be the company's best offering. Naturally, we were eager to take this Platinum series (second tier) device for a spin. Is the P1 truly a sign of Huawei turning a new leaf? Does it hold its own against similarly specced competition? Follow us past the break to find out.

Gallery: Huawei Ascend P1 overview

Continue reading Huawei Ascend P1 review

Huawei Ascend P1 review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google is announcing that it's going to place a flag on contentious search terms for users in mainland China. Mountain View's Alan Eustace euphemistically described how some searches break a connection to the service, leading to users being frozen out for around a minute each time. He theatrically added that the company has checked its servers several times and found no error, so whatever issue causes these outages must be external. Whenever a term is typed that is likely to cause an "outage," the error message in the picture above will appear, with a suggestion to search for something else, or use Pinyin to search for a term where contentious keywords appear inside otherwise natural searches.

Continue reading Google to flag 'censored' searches for Chinese users (video)

Google to flag 'censored' searches for Chinese users (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony made much ado of the PSP's position as one of the first online gaming consoles, but unless your idea of online play involves Skype calls, there hasn't been a lot to go on since 2004. Team PRO is addressing that deficit through Prometheus, a completely community-driven rival to PSN. The hack lets PSP games with support for ad hoc WiFi play go online by wrapping the normal local-only multiplayer in an emulator library that broadcasts to other Prometheus players. It requires a second-generation or newer PSP as well as a wireless router that can expose the PSP in DMZ mode, but there's a live who's-playing board and even an in-game chat mode to coordinate that round of Fat Princess as it happens. Of course, using a wholly separate gaming network outside of Sony's rubric involves a whole lot of warranty-voiding risk; if you're willing to live on the edge, though, Internet games of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker or Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 will let you put off that possible PlayStation Vita purchase for a little longer.

Continue reading PSP gets its own homebrew online gaming network, outweighs Sony's own efforts (video)

PSP gets its own homebrew online gaming network, outweighs Sony's own efforts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 04:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's time to give your pockets a rest. Take a cue from Parsons student Aisen Chacin and stick your MP3 player where it belongs: in your mouth. The catchily-named Play-a-Grill combines bone-conducting music playback with a classic bit of bling-based technology. This "attempt to provide an unusual display and interface in comparison to typical audio/visual stimulation and digit based control panel" utilizes an iPod Shuffle knockoff, which sits in the roof of the wearer's mouth for some good, old fashioned tongue control over music playback. At the moment, the player looks to be more art project than consumer product (complete with a Nelly-quoting paper), but perhaps this is the iPod killer everyone's been searching for all along.

Continue reading Mouth-based bling MP3 player puts your tunes on retainer

Mouth-based bling MP3 player puts your tunes on retainer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 04:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What is a DJ? Everyone who considers him or herself one can probably give you a unique answer. Is everyone with a music collection and a sense for good timing a DJ, or does their music collection have to exceed a certain number of gigabytes or slabs of vinyl to be in the club (no pun intended)? Audio playback devices are certainly getting more plentiful and powerful on a large scale; anyone who's played with an iOS DJ app can tell you that. In the deeper end of the DJ pool, things aren't expanding at such a frantic pace. But every once in a while a new toy crops up that adds depth and breadth to the way music nerds play back music. Native Instruments' just-released Traktor Kontrol F1 is a blinking slab of rainbow-tinged hardware with an intense devotion to manipulating samples. While boxes from Roland and Akai have been defining genres for decades, this 16-pad add-on takes the sampling game to a new arena. Will DJ's want it? We feel it's safe to say they will. At $279, should they buy it? That question's a little more complicated.

Continue reading Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 review

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol F1 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After the rather vague teaser from three days ago, ASUS is back with two new videos to highlight its surprises at Computex next week. The first one comes with the tag line "All-in-one is no longer in one," with the money shot being the Windows 8 logo and the Android mascot showing up on two water droplets after they separated. This dual-OS and possibly dual-body concept reminds us of the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid that never really materialized on the market (at the time of publishing this article, Lenovo's product page still embarrassingly says "This laptop is not available to purchase yet"), so we certainly hope ASUS won't fall into the same pit with its upcoming mysterious product.

The second teaser, titled "When two sides unite," features a suspended cardboard with "Tai" printed on the left of the white side, and "Chi" on the right of the black side. After a finger smears a dot of paint on the "i" on both sides, the cardboard starts spinning to show a flickering image of "Tai Chi." Our money's on a laptop with a dual-side touchscreen on the lid (the smearing being the hint for touch input), thus saving the need of extra mechanical parts to make a convertible device (and out goes the Eee Pad Slider). Ultimately it depends on whether the cost of such double-sided displays like LG's would be feasible for ASUS to realize this idea; or worse yet, this could be just a matter of slapping two display panels back to back à la Samsung SCH-W999, which might not make sense when you take both weight and cost into consideration. Well, we shall find out the truth in a few days. Check out the video clips after the break.

Continue reading ASUS throws up two more Computex teasers, hints at dual-OS and dual-side devices (video)

ASUS throws up two more Computex teasers, hints at dual-OS and dual-side devices (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just shy of a year ago, we reviewed the Sony NEX-C3, a mirrorless camera that quickly became our benchmark when it came to entry-level interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs). We praised its excellent image quality, generally consistent performance, overall solid design and, best of all, its $600 price tag -- including an 18-55mm kit lens. Since then, the landscape has shifted drastically for this particular type of compact shooter, with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 raising the bar for focusing performance, Nikon's cute J1 winning the hearts of many (likely due to a heavy marketing budget and adorable design) and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 pushing the envelope when it comes to price and body size. For its part, Sony also attracted plenty of attention with its flagship NEX-7, which appears to have been the inspiration for the company's brand new NEX-F3.

Sony NEX-F3 hands-on and sample shots

Sony NEX-C3 review

Sony NEX-7 review

Based on its price tag and release schedule, you might have assumed that the NEX-F3 is here to dethrone Sony's NEX-C3. That may or may not be the case (we're hoping for the latter) -- the F3 is much more a scaled-down version of the NEX-7 than an update to the C3. Sure, designs can change drastically from one year to the next, but we were quite fond of last year's model, and many of you were, too. From a specification perspective, the F3 has a new APS-C sensor (though resolution remains unchanged), with a higher top ISO setting of 16,000, a 3-inch LCD that can flip 180-degrees to face completely forward, a new NEX-7-esque pop-up flash and a bulkier design. But does bigger mean better in this case? Click past the break for our take.

Gallery: Sony NEX-F3 review

Continue reading Sony NEX-F3 review

Sony NEX-F3 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

UK carriers often like to elbow their way into the limelight when a rival's getting some attention. This time, Vodafone's cutting into Orange's Intel excitement with the Smart II; an update to its wallet-happy Android device from 2011. The UK carrier even let us get some hands-on time with the pebble-sized phone. While the specifications (800MHz processor, 3.2-inch screen) aren't going to wow, at £70 (around $109) it could reel in plenty of feature phone graduates. Check out a brief hands-on video and our own impressions right after the break.

Gallery: Vodafone Smart II hands-on

Continue reading Vodafone UK launches Smart II: Android Gingerbread for £70 (hands-on)

Vodafone UK launches Smart II: Android Gingerbread for £70 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 11:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft successfully departed the International Space Station at 4:07am ET and began its gentle descent into the atmosphere soon after. It's the home straight for the historic private spaceflight company as it concludes its first ever supply mission to the heavens. It's due to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of southern California at 11:44am ET. If you'd like to watch the craft being retrieved from its watery berth then head on past the break, with coverage set to begin from 10:15am ET.

Continue reading PSA: SpaceX's Dragon due to splash down at 11:44am ET (video)

PSA: SpaceX's Dragon due to splash down at 11:44am ET (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ever wondered what goes on inside a Formula 1 car? No, we're not talking about Jenson Button's delicate elbow movements, we mean inside the car. Well, it turns out that we're not the only ones, and fortuitously for us, some people with the actual means to find out -- the Sauber F1 team -- have done the noble thing, and cut one in half. Yes, a real F1 car. Cut in half. It took two years to achieve, but from tip to tail, it's all there on display. That precious steering wheel you see drivers carry with them? Halved. Clever layered fuel system for lower center of gravity? Carved open. They even bring a driver in, the only thing to remain intact. Race on past the pit stop break for the visuals.

Continue reading Visualized: Sauber F1 cutaway car is half the vehicle it used to be (video)

Visualized: Sauber F1 cutaway car is half the vehicle it used to be (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's Wes Anderson without the Kinks, Pulp Fiction without Dick Dale or Benny Hill without "Yakkity Sax?" Vimeo knows the power of a good soundtrack, so it's adding a couple of tools to its arsenal. The Enhancer lets users choose from some 50,000-plus tracks from the Vimeo Music Store, adding them directly to videos, adjusting audio levels and shifting the beginning and end of the song. A partnership with SmartSound, meanwhile, offers up access to 4,000 songs that can be customized by adjusting length, instrumental mix and musical arrangement. Tracks from the latter service will run $1.99 for non-commercial use and $20 for commercial licenses. Press release after the break.

Continue reading Vimeo provides the soundtrack of our lives with new tools

Vimeo provides the soundtrack of our lives with new tools originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

See-through displays may or may not be making a comeback, but NTT DoCoMo is at least trying to give them a different spin. Working with Fujitsu, it's added a Vita-style extra touch panel to the rear of the screen, which works with the transparency to let the user navigate Android without ever obscuring the UI with their fingers. It also allows new types of interaction based on "gripping" objects -- holding down a finger at the back to modify the effect of a swipe on the front. The prototype was actually announced a little while back, but DigInfo has a video (embedded after the break) that shows how it works in practice -- just don't expect to be enjoying Netflix on that washed-out QVGA display anytime soon.

Continue reading Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video)

Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Things haven't been looking so good for Chumby recently -- in April, the company stopped hardware sales, and that was pretty much its bread and butter. Though the device may be well past its prime, at least it has some worth to the hackers among us. Take Huan Troung, who decided to use the Chumby as the starting point for making a temperature logger. To be fair, he ended up using the Insignia Infocast, a rebranded Chumby, and while the device was a good fit for his project, he wanted more freedom than the Flash framework allowed him. So Huan decided to run WebKit on the gadget. The result is a more app-friendly interface with support for a wide range of coding languages. Check out the video below for a look at the device running the temperature app.

Continue reading Developer runs WebKit on Chumby to bypass Flash

Developer runs WebKit on Chumby to bypass Flash originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Orange took its time to decide, but now it's settled. The first European Intel-equipped smartphone is the San Diego, replacing the Santa Clara codename assigned to it since February's Mobile World Congress. It will launch on pay-as-you-go at £200, including £10 of credit -- although Orange tell us this will be an introductory price. On contract, prices will start at £15.50 per month for two years and Brits will be able to pick one up from June 6th. We're getting the full run-through from Orange UK and Intel, but we're itching to run our new benchmarks on the Medfield phone as soon as they let us at it. And that pesky Gingerbread OS? We've been told to expect Ice Cream Sandwich closer to the end of Q3. But with just the single carrier, we're hoping testing time could be shaved off significantly.

Gallery: Orange Santa Clara hands-on at MWC 2012

Continue reading Orange San Diego revealed: Intel-powered phone to reach UK on June 6th for £200

Orange San Diego revealed: Intel-powered phone to reach UK on June 6th for £200 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 04:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well hello there again, Gigabyte X11. Hot on the heels of yesterday's leak, Gigabyte's just made its 11.6-inch X11 laptop (or is that an Ultrabook?) official. At 975g (2.15 pounds) it claims the title of "lightest notebook on earth" -- and weighs even less on Mars. Design-wise, you're looking at a 16.5mm (0.65 inches) to 3mm (0.19 inches) thin Macbook Air-like body made of real carbon fiber (!) with an aluminum hinge. Under the hood you'll find unspecified third generation Intel Core processors (read Ivy Bridge), 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Mobile Intel HM77 Express chipset with Intel HD Graphics 4000, a 128GB SSD, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0.

Ports include power, USB 2.0 and mini DisplayPort on the left side plus microSD, combo audio and USB 3.0 on the right. While the specs also mention gigabit Ethernet, there's no sign of it anywhere in the press shots. The display is a 1366x768-pixel LED-backlit affair dotted with a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A chiclet keyboard, buttonless trackpad and 4730mAh 7.4V Li-ion polymer battery (likely sealed) complete the package. There's no word on availability, but prices will range from $999 to $1299 with Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional in tow. Expect more information when we get our hands on this sexy beast at Computex next week.

Update: Our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese just got to spend some time with this svelte black slab. Take a look at the gallery below and hit the break for the hands-on video.

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 hands-on

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 press shots

In addition, Gigabyte's announcing two 14-inch laptops -- the U2442 and U2440 -- which feature third generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics. Unfortunately, we're still busy drooling all over the X11 gallery, so we'll direct you to the full PR after the break for the complete details.

Andy Yang contributed to this report.

Continue reading Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Scientists will soon have a new tool at their disposal in their search for black holes and a greater understanding of what NASA describes as "the most energetic and exotic objects in space." The space agency announced today that it has begun preparing its Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array -- otherwise known as NuSTAR -- for launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, with a liftoff planned for no earlier than June 13th. The telescope is by far the most advanced of its type to date, boasting ten times the resolution and more than 100 times the sensitivity of its predecessors, as well as a new design that relies on a complex set of 133 ultra-thin nested mirrors -- a setup NASA compares to a Russian Doll. Those interested can get a brief overview of the mission in the video after the break

Continue reading NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month

NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 02:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We already got an early peek at the trailer, but Universal has finally issued a press release that breaks down everything that will be included in the E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 30th Anniversary Blu-ray. The disc will include only the 1982 theatrical version of the movie, a Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound audio track and two brand-new featurettes. Those include an interview with the director Steven Spielberg and a behind the scenes look in The E.T. Journals. There's also support for the pocket BLU remote app, Ultraviolet and standard Digital Copy, and more. It certainly seems to be a package befitting the fourth-highest performing movie of all time, check after the break for another look at the trailer and the full press release. It's already up for preorder on Amazon for $24.49, although we'll have to keep waiting for an exact release date.

Continue reading E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray full specs revealed, arrives in October

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray full specs revealed, arrives in October originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 01:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

E3 is rapidly approaching, but why wait until then for some hot video game action? We've got a veritable electronic entertainment expo of Engadget Show goodness coming at you this month, including an interview with the directors of the award winning documentary, Indie Game: The Movie. We've also paid a visit to the Smithsonian to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit and took a look the insanely awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger arcade machine hack.

We've also got a look at the newly reborn Chinatown Fair arcade in Manhattan and E3 predictions with with Joystiq's Ben Gilbert. And, as always, we'll have the month's latest and greatest gadgets, including the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Sprint, the HTC Evo 4G LTE, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 , the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 and two new iCade creations. Can you handle all of that? Good! Check out the video after the break.

Gallery: The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guests: James Swirsky, Lisanne Pajot, Ben Gilbert and Tyler DeAngelo
Producer: Rob Samala
Director: Michelle Stahl
Executive Producers: Brian Heater, Joshua Fruhlinger and Michael Rubens

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 033 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 033 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 033 (Small)

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4).
[RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.
[HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD.
[iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.

Continue reading The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game

The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PayPal's mobile payments have been on a whirlwind American tour this year, but they haven't had a chance to cross the border so far. Someone must have finally stamped the company's passport, since it's now an option for UK residents to pay using the InStore app for Android or iOS. A trio of fashion outlets -- Coast, Oasis and Warehouse -- can soon scan an on-screen barcode to take payment for that posh new shirt instead of requiring ye olde wallet. As it is in the US, there's no need for any NFC magic or even an Internet connection to clinch the deal, and there's still the same access to discounts and refunds as for paper- and plastic-wielding buyers. A total of 230 shops will take your PayPal credit starting May 31st, although they won't stop your potential fashion mistakes.

Continue reading PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)

PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

More Zagat goodness from our friends at Google today. The restaurant guide's scores, summaries, reviews and ratings have "made their way" onto the Android version of Google Maps. Clicking Local in the "latest version of the app" brings up a list of local restaurants, searchable by category. You can also "check out reviews" and scores from folks in your Google+ circles and leave your own reviews. The Zagat-enabled version of the app is available now for $0. Check out a video "after the break."

Continue reading Google Maps 'Android app' gets Zagat 'reviews and ratings'

Google Maps 'Android app' gets Zagat 'reviews and ratings' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Need a dozen or so extra reasons to pick up a new Samsung Chromebook? How's about 12 free in-flight WiFi sessions from GoGo? Granted, it's probably not enough reason alone to pick up the browser-based notebook, but it should help sweeten the deal a bit. The deal, which kicks in after May 31st, will have you flying the friendly web on some 1,500 Gogo-sporting planes.

Continue reading Google Chromebooks bring the cloud to the plane with 12 free Gogo sessions

Google Chromebooks bring the cloud to the plane with 12 free Gogo sessions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Remember Infinitec? Tricky question, no? The company came to us at CES 2010 with a product that had big -- nay, huge -- aspirations. It was a simple USB stick that promised to enable ad hoc streaming, claiming to bring "infinite storage" to PC users. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly seamless in operation, and the company's been radio silent ever since. Until today. The Dubai-based outfit is officially getting back in the consumer technology game starting right now, and as it seems that all the cool kids are doing these days, it's going the Kickstarter route in lieu of more conventional capital raising.

The new product is an Android-based HDMI dongle -- not entirely unlike a few others we've seen -- which is being dubbed Pocket TV. Just as Tim Cook stated last night at D10, the TV industry is an interesting one, and it's obvious that people want something different than they have today. Plug this guy into your television, and you'll be able to Skype from the big screen, show PowerPoint presentations without a laptop connection and tap into files you've got hosted on Dropbox (or any other cloud-based Android app). Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is onboard, and it'll ship with a gyro-equipped keyboard remote that allows control via one's hand motions. Thinking of giving these guys another shot? Hit that source link below and put your money ($99 or more) where your mouse is.

Gallery: Infinitec Pocket TV Android 4.0-based HDMI dongle

Infinitec returns with Android 4.0-based HDMI dongle, Kickstarts the Pocket TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We'd been wondering what Google would do following its acquisition of Zagat, and now we know: it's part of Google+ Local, a boost to Maps, general search, and Google+ itself. Zagat's point system now automatically shows up in search results for restaurants that have been given the extra scrutiny. Those of us who don't trust The Man for reviews will also now see Google+ friends' picks surface at the same time. The addition is considered important enough that Google is even adding a Local tab on Google+ just to show recommendations, so you won't have to abandon your constant updating (you're always posting on Google+, right?) to find a well-rated sushi place. Local should be live soon, if not now, and will make search plus Your World that much more omnipresent.

Continue reading Google+ Local sees reviews from friends, Zagat invade your restaurant hunts (video)

Google+ Local sees reviews from friends, Zagat invade your restaurant hunts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In a departure from its traditional sound cards, Creative has just unveiled a line of Bluetooth speakers with built-in mics, called the Sound BlasterAxx range. Yes, these are the pun-heavy ones we anticipated last week, but now we have a lot more detail. There are three different sizes of speaker, but only the larger two (the SBX-20 and SBX-10) are Bluetooth -- the smaller and cheaper SBX-8 must be tethered. All contain the new SBAxx-1 hardware processor, and even the SBX-20 can be powered over USB from a mobile device (with sufficient current output) or a power pack. The speakers are designed to bring Creative into the Internet Age with a number of voice-enhancing features for video chat apps like Skype. These include highly-focused directionality and noise reduction, to frame out peripheral sounds, and also Smart Volume, which automatically adjusts audio levels as you move closer to or further from the mic. This same processing technology is also claimed to assist with voice-recognition platforms like Siri when you use a Sound BlasterAxx speaker to communicate with your device instead of its regular microphone. There's also some quirky stuff like comic voice effects, just in case you're not embarrassed by how you sound on a mic already. The SBX-8 and SBX-10 will be available in the UK from early July for £80 and £130 respectively, while the flagship SBX-20 will arrive in August for £180.

Update: Now with added gallery and video after the break!

Gallery: Sound BlasterAxx hands-on

Continue reading Creative announces Sound BlasterAxx wireless speakers with mics (update: hands-on!)

Creative announces Sound BlasterAxx wireless speakers with mics (update: hands-on!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Using an iPad to control your music system? Been there, done that. Using an iPad to control a submersible that also records underwater video in 1080p? Oh, the possibilities. Aquabotix is giving Jacques Cousteau wannabes the ability to shoot the watery depths all the way down to 150 feet as its underwater doohickey -- the HydroView -- officially goes on sale. Measuring 14.6 x 19 x 7 inches and weighing nine pounds, the submersible comes with LED lights, a three-hour battery and a top-side box that connects with a cable tether. The box also allows users to communicate with the HydroView via an iPad, Mac or PC. Besides getting video proof of, say, which swimmers ate too many bean burritos for lunch, the submersible can also take pictures and gather data about water conditions. Top speed for the submersible is five knots -- one knot when going in reverse. Just make sure you don't channel your inner SpongeBob while remotely driving the thing. Although it's not in the same league as Rinspeed's submersible Elise, the HydroView still doesn't come cheap at $3,995 a pop. Check out the official PR and, uh, low-def video of the diminutive diver in action after the break.

Continue reading Remote-controlled Aquabotix HydroView takes underwater HD video, Mrs. Puff calls insurance agent

Remote-controlled Aquabotix HydroView takes underwater HD video, Mrs. Puff calls insurance agent originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 07:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sergey Brin has appeared on The Gavin Newsom Show on Current TV to drop a few more enticing hints about Project Glass. While showing the presenter a picture he'd taken with the AR glasses, he revealed that the prototype is controlled with a trackpad running down the right* arm. He also talked about the device's genesis in Goggle's X Lab, which he described as an "advanced skunkworks" where "far-out projects" are developed -- it's also the department that occupies most of his time. While the units he and his colleagues have been wearing are very rough prototypes, the Google co-founder shared his private hope that the tech will make its way to general release next year. You can catch the extract in full in the video after the break.

*Right for the wearer, left for the observer. It depends entirely on your perspective.

Continue reading Project Glass revealed to have physical trackpad along right arm (video)

Project Glass revealed to have physical trackpad along right arm (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 05:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.