Barb Dybwad

Engadget Editorial Policies

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In pursuit of our mission to provide accurate and ethical coverage, the Engadget editorial team consistently fact-checks and reviews site content to provide readers with an informative, entertaining, and engaging experience. Click here for more information on our editorial process.

Stories By Barb Dybwad

  • Expand and World Maker Faire: Two great events at one smart price!

    What's better than getting to attend a hands-on technology event with thousands of like-minded enthusiasts? How about attending two such shows for one low price?! We've teamed up with our good friends at MAKE Magazine to make that a reality: now for $50 you can pick up a bundle ticket that gets you into both World Maker Faire in New York City on September 21st and 22nd (choose your day pass when purchasing the bundle), plus our own Expand NY on November 9th and 10th. That's two amazing opportunities to see and interact with some of the most interesting projects and people in technology, from the next great inventors to the biggest names in consumer electronics. Don't miss it...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Don't miss LeVar Burton, Ben Heck, Adafruit and Planetary Resources at Expand NY!

    We're getting more and more excited watching the Expand NY agenda come together. We've already announced our first set of speakers (by which we mean people on stage, not those kind of speakers) including legendary game designer Peter Molyneux, Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky, io9 editor-in-chief Annalee Newitz and the man responsible for clogging the Internet's tubes with funny cats: Ben Huh. But wait, there's more! Joining us at Javits Center this November will be: LeVar Burton, Actor, Director, Educator, co-founder of RRKidz Chris Lewicki, President and Chief Engineer, Planetary Resources, Inc. Becky Stern, Director of Wearable Electronics, Adafruit Industries Ben Heck, Master Modder on element14's The Ben Heck Show

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  • Get inspired by these speakers at Expand in New York this November!

    We had an amazing time at Expand SF this past March (couldn't make it? see for yourself!), and we're super excited about making Expand NY an even bigger and more spectacular show this November 9th and 10th. The tech luminaries you'll be hearing from on stage are a big part of what makes the Expand experience one you won't want to miss, so let's start filling you in on who those folks are!

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Get $100 off MAKE's Hardware Innovation Workshop this May 14-15!

    We come bearing tidings of good savings from our friends at MAKE: get $100 off the regular price of the second annual two-day workshop designed for makers turning their projects into real businesses. The Hardware Innovation Workshop kicks off at the College of San Mateo just before Maker Faire Bay Area on May 18-19, and features big names in the world of making and innovation as well as startups you haven't heard about -- yet. The workshop will focus on innovative tools and technology, platforms and projects and devices and designs based on open hardware. Read on to find out who's speaking...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Want to work at Engadget? We're hiring a social media manager!

    Do you live and breathe social media tools and have a passion for metrics? Engadget is looking for you! We're searching for a very special social- and community-savvy individual to lead the charge setting social strategy for the top consumer tech blog on the planet. Your role would focus on bringing the Engadget voice to life on new channels, leveraging an arsenal of measurement and analysis tools to identify best practices and broadly develop new audiences while interacting more directly with our existing fanbase. You will need to be highly detail-oriented, unflaggingly personable, have a passion for technology and a deep understanding of how to leverage learnings from metrics to drive brand growth. Preference will be given to candidates in the San Francisco Bay area, but location is not a strict requirement and we are willing to work with the right person anywhere you live. Read on for requirements and how to apply!

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  • Expand is tomorrow! Here's what you need to know

    It's hard to believe, but Expand is now nigh upon us. We hope to see many of you in San Francisco this weekend! Please note: if you are planning to come to the show, and want to save yourself a few bucks on the ticket price, be sure to buy them in advance today before 5pm PT. We will be closing advanced sales at that time, and offering tickets at the door at $60 for a full pass, $40 for Saturday (includes the after-party) and $30 for just Sunday. Read on to get all the last-minute details you need to know...

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  • Come drive a Tesla, see a storm-chasing tank, watch DJ Spooky perform and more at Expand!

    We're only two days out from Expand (get your tickets here -- or at the door this weekend!) and the trucks are arriving as we speak to transform historic Fort Mason into a gadget lover's hall of wonders. By now you already know we have an agenda you won't want to miss, and an inaugural crowdfunded hardware competition putting 10 awesome projects head-to-head for $25,000 in prizes, but what about the smorgasboard of other cool things that will be going on at Expand? We're glad you asked...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Poll: Engadget Expand asks: What should robots be helping us with?

    We're just a few days away from Expand, and all of us are insanely excited about the agenda we have lined up. To get you pumped for our Sunday morning session with Chris Anderson (CEO, 3D Robotics and former editor-in-chief, Wired), Steve Cousins (CEO, Willow Garage) and Marc Raibert (President & Chief Robot Lover, Boston Dynamics) we have a little thought experiment for you. Read on to take our short and sweet robotics poll...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Giveaways Galore: Win a boatload of sweet stuff at Expand!

    We've already given you plenty of reasons to head on out to Expand this weekend in San Francisco, on top of a truly action-packed agenda. And anyone who has been to an Engadget event before knows we make it a habit of giving away beaucoup gadgets to attendees. But what exactly could you go home with from Expand? We're glad you asked! We've worked with our sponsors and partners to come up with a seriously healthy list of giveaway items you could walk away with as your very own. Read on to find out what you could win at Expand...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Last-chance Expand ticket giveaway and congrats to our Photo Contest winner!

    In celebration of Expand, our first enormous electronics extravaganza next weekend at San Francisco's Fort Mason, we're giving away 4 pairs of tickets to 4 lucky @EngadgetExpand followers. This will be your last chance to score a free pass before the big event, so be sure to join us for this one! Here's how to enter: mention @EngadgetExpand in a tweet that also includes which session in the now fully-unveiled agenda you are most looking forward to. That might not be the easiest task, since there will be a lot going on at the show: from DJ Spooky's live performance to Veronica Belmont's appearance on the Sci-Fi panel to Make Magazine's Mark Frauenfelder co-hosting the Insert Coin awards - and then some. To be eligible to enter, you must be 18 years of age and a U.S. resident (please peruse the full rules). Get your tweets in by midnight EST this Sunday night for your chance to win; we'll choose 4 entries at random to each receive a free pair of tickets. UPDATE: Our lucky winners are: Alan Tikwart Alden of South San Francisco, CA (@SeriesAPartners) Crystal Gomez of Colma, CA (@cryscrys7) Caitlin Petrakovitz of San Francisco, CA (@misscp) Kevin Lind of Walnut Creek, CA (@zedklind) Read on for our Samsung Galaxy Camera winner...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Come say hi at our first Engadget+gdgt Live event in Austin tomorrow night!

    As most of you know by now, we've recently welcomed some old friends back to the fold here at greater Aol Tech. We're thrilled to be working with the gdgt crew on our first event together, tomorrow night in Austin during SXSW. We'd love to have you join us for a night of fun gadgety action -- take a break from your intense schedule of panels and booze buses and come on out to mingle with gdgt and Engadget staff, check out the devices our sponsors are bringing in spades (plus win some!) and have a great time with like-minded technophiles. It's free to attend, and you don't even need a SXSW badge to get in. The one catch: you must be 21 or over to come to this party (upside: open bar!), although our future events will be all ages. When: Saturday, March 9th (7:00pm – 10:00pm CST) Where: The Hype Hotel, 301 Brazos Street Austin, TX How: RSVP hereSee you there!

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand agenda unveiled: Come see the full schedule for our big event!

    Over the past couple of months we've been letting you know about the awesome speaker lineup for Expand, our big event that's just around the corner at San Francisco's Fort Mason on March 16th and 17th. Now you can check out the full agenda of sessions and speakers who will be gracing our stage for two days full of in-depth discussions about the frontiers of technology. From 3D printing to crowdfunding, from robots to space (and undoubtedly some robots in space) and more, you're not going to want to miss the Expand experience. And if you're looking for even more reasons to attend Expand, how about 10 of them? Go on and pick yourself up a full pass for the weekend and get a free six month subscription to Make Magazine to boot. See you at Expand! And don't forget... We now offer day pass options for folks who can't make it out for the entire weekend Join us for Insert Coin winner voting on March 16-17! If you're a company that would like to work with us on an exhibition or sponsorship level, please drop us a line at sponsors at engadget dot com (DIYers and small startups, please ask us about our Indie Corner option!) If you're a member of the media interested in covering Expand, please contact engadget at shiftcomm.com for more information.

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand needs volunteers: Apply within!

    Pssst hey buddy: want to attend Expand for free and get a chance to go behind the scenes and help us actually put on the show? Read on! We're looking for a few good volunteers to help us out on site at Fort Mason in San Francisco this coming March 16th and 17th. In exchange for free tickets, we ask you to work with us for a half day for a six hour shift from the following options (all times are PST): Friday 1pm-7pm Saturday 7am-1pm Saturday 1pm-7pm Sunday 7am-1pm Sunday 1pm-7pmRead on to find out more about volunteering at Expand...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand speakers, Round Eight: Nine big reasons to join us March 16th and 17th

    If you've been following along with our speaker announcements for Expand, you know we've already got a lineup chock full of some of the most interesting technologists at the forefront of innovation. You'll also appreciate that this last batch is a bit of a doozy -- consider this the big reveal before the Big Reveal of the full agenda, coming very soon: Nate Mitchell: Vice President of Product, Oculus Rift Jason Parrish: Director, Lenovo ThinkPad Strategy & Planning Hod Lipson: Professor of Engineering, Cornell University Tamar Yehoshua: Director of Product Management, Google Ujesh Desai: Vice President of Product Marketing, NVIDIA Bob Heddle: Director, Kinect for Windows at Microsoft John Wilson: Vice President, Systems Product Group, Razer Corinna Proctor: Senior Research Manager, Lenovo User Research Center Jim Denney: Vice President of Product Marketing, TiVo Here's why else you need to be at Expand...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Giveaways: Expand Photo Contest Official Rules

    ENGADGET GIVEAWAYS OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN 1. ELIGIBILITY: Engadget Giveaways (the "Giveaways") are open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are 13 years of age or older. Employees, contractors and freelancers of AOL Inc., its advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All U.S., federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. 2. SPONSOR: The Giveaways are sponsored by AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 ("Sponsor"). 3. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 4. ENTRY PERIOD: The start and end dates/times of each Giveaway (the "Entry Period") will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. 5. ENTRY: To enter a Giveaway, follow the instructions on the Giveaway site. Submission will result in one (1) entry. The number of times you can enter the Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person. 6. WINNER SELECTION: At the conclusion of the Entry Period, Sponsor will select the name(s) of the potential winner(s) in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during the Entry Period (winner(s) may be selected by other methods as described on the Giveaway site). The number of winners to be selected in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. Potential winners will be contacted via email and will be asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period (alternate winner(s) may be selected by other methods as described on the Giveaway site). Limit one (1) prize per household per year. 7. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL WINNERS: Except where prohibited, the potential winners may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant will be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law 8. PRIZE(S): The prize(s) (including each prize's approximate retail value) available to be won in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the Giveaway site. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. The winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. 9. GENERAL CONDITIONS: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize(s) at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address 10. RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities and Facebook from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 11. SUBMISSION LICENSE GRANT: By submitting your entry to the Giveaways you irrevocably grant to Sponsor the following perpetual and royalty free rights: (i) to use, reproduce, edit, market, store, archive, distribute, have distributed, publicly and privately display, communicate, publicly and privately perform, transmit, have transmitted, create derivative works based upon and promote any or all of the entry (as such may be edited and modified by Sponsor in its sole discretion); (ii) to distribute and exploit the entry throughout the universe in any manner or means, through such products and services, including on third party sites, as Sponsor may designate, in any medium now known or hereafter devised, whether online or offline, and by any means of delivery; (iii) to exercise the rights granted to Sponsor for editorial, commercial, promotional and all other purposes. 12. OWNERSHIP OF ENTRY: While you retain ownership of all right, title and interest in the entry itself, you agree that Sponsor owns all right, title and interest in any compilation, collective work or other derivative work created by sponsor using or incorporating the entry as provided for above. 13. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES TO SPONSOR: You hereby represent and warrant that (i) the entry is your original work; (ii) the entry does not and shall not infringe on any copyright or any other third party right, nor violate any applicable law or regulation; (iii) you have obtained permission from all persons seen in your entry, including permission from the parents or guardian of any minor child not your own who is seen in your entry; (iv) the entry is not based on, nor does it contain or feature any third party content including but not limited to photographs, television or movie clips [whether edited in or seen in the background of the entry], music, game graphics or any other third party content for which you have not received written permission from the copyright owner granting you sufficient rights to include such third party content in your entry and to grant Sponsor the rights granted in these Official Rules; (v) upon written request from Sponsor (email to suffice) you agree to provide to Sponsor any and all such third party permissions for Sponsor's review. 14. DISPUTES: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsors in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. 15. GIVEAWAY RESULTS: To request the name(s) of the winner(s) of prizes valued over $25, send a self-addressed stamped envelope (listing the specific Engadget Giveaway you are requesting the winners for) to Engadget Winners, c/o Engadget, 410 Townsend St, Rm 1:A22, San Francisco, CA 94107. Requests must be received within thirty (30) days from the end date of the applicable Giveaway. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

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  • Expand Photo Contest: Win a Samsung Galaxy Camera!

    Our first ever Expand event is around the corner, this March 16-17 in San Francisco. In addition to oodles of interesting speakers, there'll be shiny sights to see: robots, retro games, of course gadgets galore and a few surprises we haven't even unveiled yet. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to record said sights with your own state-of-the art camera? Show us you can shoot an awesome photo of your favorite gadget, and you could win a Samsung Galaxy Camera! We described it thusly: "Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Camera is a bit of a wild card, marrying Google's Android Jelly Bean OS with a 16-megapixel camera - heck, it's even got a 4.8-inch 1,280 × 720-pixel (308 ppi) touchscreen display... the entire back consists of that 4.8-inch screen, edge-to-edge..." Check out our full review for all the details and specs. Want a chance at nabbing this bad boy for your very own? Step 1 is to Like the Expand Facebook page. Step 2 is to use the entry form on our Facebook page to submit a photo you've taken of your favorite gadget, title the photo and give a short description about why it's your chosen top device. Team Expand will judge entries based on creativity, style and skill. Show us why you deserve a new camera! Good luck, and may the best shot win -- you have until this coming Monday, March 4 at 5pm EST to get your entry in. To be eligible to enter, you must be 18 years of age and a U.S. resident (please peruse the full rules).

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand speakers, Round Seven: Moon, music, media and more!

    It's time for another round of additions to the speaker lineup for our big Expand event coming up in just a few weeks. You'll want to be sure to pick up your tickets so you don't miss out on these folks up on stage: Alexandra Hall: Senior Director, Google Lunar X PRIZE DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid: Artist Victor Agreda, Jr.: Editor-in-Chief, The Unofficial Apple Weblog Raghu Tarra: SVP & General Manger, Sling Media, Inc. In addition to joining us on stage, DJ Spooky will be playing a set at Expand on Sunday -- so you'll want to stick around with us all weekend at Fort Mason Center. If you can't be with us for 100% of the fun though, don't forget we also offer day passes for either Saturday or Sunday. Your Saturday pass also gets you into our Day 1 after-party, where we'll have upright cabinets and modern game consoles for retro and current-generation gamers alike to have a little friendly competition. Please join us! And don't forget... Insert Coin finalist voting is still open! Cast your vote by this Wednesday, February 27, at 3:30pm EST. If you're a company that would like to work with us on an exhibition or sponsorship level, please drop us a line at sponsors at engadget dot com (DIYers and small startups, please ask us about our new Indie Corner option!) If you're interested in speaking at the event, please contact expand at engadget dot com to inquire. If you're a member of the media interested in covering Expand, please contact engadget at shiftcomm.com for more information.

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • We're celebrating Insert Coin semifinalists with a giveaway makers will love

    On Wednesday, we opened voting so you can help us choose five finalists in our first Insert Coin: New Challengers competition. It was hard enough for Engadget editors to decide on 10 semifinalists out of the myriad awesome crowdfunded projects entered, including such futuristic fare as bipedal robots, high-tech puppetry and more. Now it's your turn to pick which final five entrants will also present on stage at Expand this March for the chance to win a total of $25,000: $5,000 for the Reader's Choice winner and a whopping $20,000 Grand Prize. Voting closes this coming Wednesday, February 27 at 12:30pm PST / 3:30pm EST, so get your vote in! To celebrate the DIY ingenuity and high tech innovation demonstrated by our intrepid entrants, we're running an Insert Coin Twitter Giveaway that gives a little something back to all the makers out there. We're giving away the following three kit prizes: Grand Prize is the Egg-Bot, an art robot that draws intricate designs on eggs or other round objects including ornaments, golf balls, and light bulbs; 2nd Prize is an Apple 1 Replica Kit designed with permission from the Apple I's original creator, Steve Wozniak; 3rd Prize is the Adafruit FLORA GPS Starter Pack including a Flora motherboard, a GPS module that can also perform location datalogging, eight ultra-bright chainable RGB pixels and more. To win, simply send a tweet naming which of the 10 semifinalists you want to win, in the following format: "I think [PROJECT NAME] should win $20,000 in the @EngadgetExpand Insert Coin Competition!" Of course while you're at it, don't forget to vote! To be eligible to enter, you must be 18 years of age and a U.S. resident (please peruse the full rules). Name your inventor of choice by 5pm EST on Monday, February 25 (one entry per person, please!). We'll choose three winners at random to win each kit prize and will notify them via Twitter. Plus, make sure to follow @EngadgetExpand for more chances to win tickets, prizes and other goodies. UPDATE: We have our lucky winners! Thanks for entering and keep looking out for more chances to play... Grand Prize Winner: Jerry Yuan 2nd Prize Winner: Jason Lee 3rd Prize Winner: Richard Espy

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  • Make Magazine offering free six month subscriptions to Expand attendees!

    By now you know we really, really want you to join us at Expand this March. And if you've been waiting for Just One More Reason to attend the event, how about a free 6-month subscription to Make Magazine? Our friends at Make share our enthusiasm about independent inventors, tinkerers, and makers of all stripes driving innovation in the technology world, and we're excited to welcome them as an official Expand media partner. They'll also be joining us at the show, so look out for more fun announcements around their participation in the coming weeks. We're also thrilled to be able to offer half a year's worth of Make goodness to all of our full weekend Expand attendees if purchased in advance. When buying your ticket there will be a form where you can input your home address. If you've already bought a full pass ticket from us, don't worry -- we've got you covered too. Look out for an email coming from Eventbrite (sent to the address you used to purchase your ticket) with instructions on how to provide us your mailing address and start receiving your free subscription. See you at Expand! And don't Forget... Insert Coin audience voting is open right now! Get your votes for the best of our 10 semi-finalists in by Wednesday, February 27 at 3:30pm EST If you're a company that would like to work with us on an exhibition or sponsorship level, please drop us a line at sponsors *at* engadget *dot* com (DIYers and small startups, please ask us about our new Indie Corner option!) If you're interested in speaking at the event, please contact expand *at* engadget *dot* com to inquire If you're a member of the media interested in covering Expand, please contact engadget *at* shiftcomm.com for more information.

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand speakers, Round Six: Nest, Sprint, MC10 and sci-fi up in lights

    We've already got quite a lineup unveiled so far, but the fun doesn't stop now, my friends -- if anything, we'll be ratcheting up the excitement as we get closer and closer to Expand in San Francisco this March 16 and 17th. We'll have full profiles of all 10 of our Insert Coin Semi-Finalists rolling over the next few days, and your audience vote will determine which top five will also get to demo on our stage -- and voting will kick off today at 12:30pm PST / 3:30pm EST! Stay tuned! But if you still need more reasons to attend Expand, how about 10 of 'em? Followed by four more inspiring speakers you'll get to see -- all for the low, low price of 50 bucks: Matt Rogers: Founder & VP of Engineering, Nest Dave Icke: CEO, MC10 Ryan Sullivan: Director of Product Delivery, Sprint John Scalzi: President, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Read on for the Engadget editors you most want to meet...

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  • Pssst, hey buddy: Want to win a free pair of Expand tickets?

    Last week, two lucky Tweeters each won a pair of tickets to Engadget Expand this March 16-17 in San Francisco by telling us which speaker they're most looking forward to seeing at the conference. Now we're giving away some more free tickets -- and this time, it's personal! We want to know which Engadget editor you're most looking forward to meeting. Shoot us a tweet to @EngadgetExpand, naming which of our elite cadre of technophiliac scribes you'd most want to meet face to face (and feel free to include his or her Twitter handle so they know you're stalking them a fan!). To be eligible to enter, you must be 18 years of age and a U.S. resident (and please peruse the full rules). Let your favorites flow from now until 4pm EST (one entry per person, please!). We'll choose two fortunate winners to each receive a pair of free tickets to Expand, and will notify them via Twitter. Plus, make sure to follow @EngadgetExpand -- we'll be running more ticket giveaways (and other surprises) at least once a week until the show. Good luck! UPDATE: Our two lucky ticket pair winners are: Ian Rosenfield of South San Francisco, CA (@orkchop) Stephen Colbert of Naperville, IL (@smcolbert)

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  • 10 reasons you really need to be at Expand this March

    In case you haven't noticed, we really, really want you at our inaugural Expand extravaganza this March 16-17! We wanted to take a moment and recap the highlights of the show we have planned so you have it all in one place (and because, let's be real, everyone loves a list): 1) Even more reasonable ticket prices! We want to make sure Expand is as accessible to as many of you as possible so we're knocking the ticket prices for all of the above back to $50 if you buy them in advance. We're also instituting day pass pricing for those of you unable to attend the show both days. A $35 ticket gets you into Saturday's show plus our after-party from 8 to midnight, and only $25 gets you in for Sunday. Parents, kids under 13 get in absolutely free so please bring the family for a day of hands-on technology fun! Of course, we know many of you have variable schedules and aren't sure if you'll be able to make the show ahead of time. We'll also be selling tickets at the door for $60 for the full weekend or $40 for just Saturday and $30 for just Sunday. And if you've already purchased Expand tickets, check the email you used to register for info about a refund (we won't leave you hanging!). If you didn't receive the email or have other questions about your tickets, please hit us up at tickets at engadget dot com and we'll help you out. Read on for nine more reasons...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand speakers, Round Five: Robots, bionics, da Vinci surgery and more!

    It's time for another unveil of the speaker lineup we've got brewing for Expand in San Francisco this March 16-17. We've got four more inspiring thinkers and doers who will be joining us on stage at Fort Mason Center: Marc Raibert: President & Chief Robot Lover, Boston Dynamics Catherine Mohr: Sr. Director of Research, Intuitive Surgical MG Siegler: General Partner, CrunchFund Russ Angold: Co-Founder and CTO, Ekso Bionics™ They're joining a whole host of other rad speakers including Chris Anderson (CEO, 3D Robotics and former editor-in-chief, Wired), Yancey Strickler (Co-founder and Head of Community, Kickstarter), Steve Cousins (CEO, Willow Garage), Julie Uhrman (Founder and CEO, OUYA) and many more. Stay tuned here and on our social channels (Twitter, Facebook and Google+) for more agenda reveals and other Expand news. Plus, find out who the attendees are most looking forward to seeing...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Win free Expand tickets: Here's how!

    So you've been wanting to come to Expand this March 16-17 in San Francisco, but you've been dragging your feet on actually buying those tickets (we know, life is busy). Good thing we have a chance for you to win a pair of free tickets right now! All you have to do is send us a tweet to @EngadgetExpand, telling us which speaker you're most excited to see at the show. Check out the full list of announcements we've made so far and let us know your favorite! You'll need to be 18 years of age and a U.S. resident to be eligible to enter (and be sure to check out the full rules). Keep the tweets rolling in from now until 5pm EST (one entry per person, please!). We'll pick two lucky winners to each receive a pair of free tickets to Expand, and notify them via Twitter. Plus, be sure you're following @EngadgetExpand - we'll be doing more ticket giveaways (and other surprises) over the coming weeks. Good luck! P.S. Don't forget, tomorrow is your last day to enter our Insert Coin competition! UPDATE: Our two lucky ticket pair winners are: Brian Daviadoff of Atlanta, GA (@BDaviadoff) Jonathan Rogers of Los Angeles, CA (@jonarogers) Thanks to all who participated, and be sure to follow @EngadgetExpand for more chances to win tickets and other goodies!

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  • Engadget Expand Giveaways: Official Rules

    ENGADGET GIVEAWAYS OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN 1. ELIGIBILITY Engadget Giveaways (the "Giveaways") are open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of AOL Inc., its advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited by law. 2. SPONSOR The Giveaways are sponsored by AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). 3. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 4. ENTRY PERIOD The start and end dates/times of each Giveaway (the "Entry Period") will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. 5. ENTRY To enter a Giveaway, follow the instructions on the Giveaway site. Submission will result in one (1) entry. The number of times you can enter the Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person. 6. DRAWING At the conclusion of the Entry Period, Sponsor will select the name(s) of the potential winner(s) in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during the Entry Period (winner(s) may be selected by other methods as described on the Giveaway site). The number of winners to be selected in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. Potential winners will be contacted via email and will be asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway. 7. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL WINNERS Except where prohibited, the potential winners may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") within a timeframe to be specified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant will be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent for Sponsor to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway. 8. PRIZE(S) The prize(s) (including each prize's approximate retail value) available to be won in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the Giveaway site. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. The winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. 9. GENERAL CONDITIONS In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize(s) at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. 10. RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 11. DISPUTES Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. 12. GIVEAWAY RESULTS To request the name of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope (stating the specific Giveaway you are requesting the winners for) to Engadget Winner's List, c/o AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, Rm 6B:D56, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received within thirty (30) days from the end date of the applicable Giveaway.

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Dear makers: You have 3 days left to submit your project for a chance to win $20,000!

    If you have a sweet pre-crowdfunding hardware project and haven't entered our Insert Coin: New Challengers contest yet, what are you waiting for? You only have until midnight EST this Friday, February 8th to get your entry in! Head on down to our submission form (and be sure to read the full legalese to make sure your project is eligible). You could win $20,000 at Expand, a review on Engadget and a nice promotional boost before you begin a crowdfunding campaign. One additional Reader's Choice Winner will receive $5,000 and an Engadget review. Ten semi-finalists will get exhibit space on our show floor and $1,000 to help them travel to San Francisco this March 16-17, and five finalists will also get a chance to demo their products live on stage to the in-person audience as well as the livestream viewers. If you don't qualify for our Insert Coin contest but still want to get your sweet product in front of the eyes of the Expand audience of early adopters and tech enthusiasts, we have very affordable sponsorship opportunities available. You can sign up for an Indie Corner table right here, and please give us a shout at sponsors [at] engadget [dot] com with any questions about participating in our exhibition hall. Read on for even more reasons to attend Expand...

    By Barb Dybwad Read More
  • Engadget Expand speakers, Round Four: Boxee, Samsung, Formlabs and LUNAR, oh my!

    Thanks for joining us as we continue our unveil of the speaker lineup for Expand in San Francisco this March 16-17. We've got four more brilliant folks who will be gracing our stage to share with you: Idan Cohen: Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Boxee Dennis Miloseski: Head of Design Studio, Samsung Design America Maxim Lobovsky: Co-founder, Formlabs Gerard Furbershaw: Co-founder and COO, LUNAR These smart speakers will be joining the action-packed roster we've announced so far: Chris Anderson: CEO, 3D Robotics and former editor-in-chief, Wired Yancey Strickler: Co-founder and Head of Community, Kickstarter Scott Croyle: Vice President of Design, HTC Tom Rivellini: Mars Science Laboratory Entry Descent and Landing Lead Mechanical Engineer at NASA/JPL Julie Uhrman: Founder and CEO, OUYA Ryan Block: Co-founder of gdgt Michael Laine: President, LiftPort Group Avi Reichental: President and CEO, 3D Systems Walter de Brouwer: CEO and Founder, Scanadu Veronica Belmont: Co-host, Tekzilla Gene Munster: Research Analyst – Devices & Internet, Piper Jaffray Steve Cousins: CEO, Willow Garage So what are you waiting for?! Go on with your bad self and get those tickets now! And don't forget... You have until this Friday, February 8 to submit your project for a chance to win $20,000 in our Insert Coin competition! If you're a company that would like to work with us on an exhibition or sponsorship level, please drop us a line at sponsors at engadget dot com (DIYers and small startups, please ask us about our new Indie Corner option!) If you're interested in speaking at the event, please contact expand at engadget dot com to inquire If you're a member of the media interested in covering Expand, please contact engadget at shiftcomm.com for more information.

    By Barb Dybwad Read More