Joshua Topolsky

News By Joshua Topolsky

The Engadget Podcast, live at 6:00PM ET!

Your eyes don't deceive you. The Engadget Podcast is back -- and for this next, greatest episode, Josh, Paul, and Nilay will be sitting down to weigh in on all issues technology related. That's right, we're getting the band back together and jamming through the news the only way we know how: haphazardly, and with lots of screaming. Won't you join us at 6:00PM ET for all the fun? Trust us, you won't want to miss this!

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News By Joshua Topolsky

Hello, I must be going

It's hard to believe that I'm currently writing the words I seem to be writing, though a casual stock-taking of my senses dictates that it must be true. Here I am, at my computer, typing letters one by one into a plain text document, rolling along through one of the strangest posts I've ever penned for this site. Okay, probably the strangest ever. After nearly four years at Engadget, it's time to make my exit. There are things I'm after and challenges I want to take on that just don't fit with my day-to-day schedule here, so off I go. I didn't make this decision lightly. The time I've spent here has been -- without question -- the most amazing, rewarding, and just insanely fun period of my life. And I like to think I've had some pretty good times. The Engadget staff is easily the greatest collection of human beings I've ever encountered, and they've made waking up and freaking out over tech news for 12 to 18 hours a day into basically a party. I've never worked so hard or had so much fun doing it. I don't use religious terms very often, but if there's such a thing as being blessed, I would say the opportunity I had to work with these people certainly made me feel that way. And it's not just the core team at Engadget; all the groups at Weblogs (and its director Brad Hill), have been tremendous friends, partners, and peers. Then there's you guys -- the readers. The hive mind. The Engadget fan-boys and -girls. It's hard to sum up my experiences with the readership of Engadget in one paragraph. It would probably be hard in a hundred. But I can say that you're simply the most informed, passionate, and excited group of people anywhere on the planet. Sure, you can get a little crazy sometimes -- but what an astounding group of super-geniuses you are as well. Writing and working for the throngs of people who visit this site every day has been a huge challenge, a learning experience, and just kind of awe-inspiring. But as I said, it's time for me to step away. I'm not leaving the industry or the news game -- in fact, I've got a few fantasy projects in mind that hopefully you'll be hearing about soon. Don't worry though, Engadget is going to keep doing what it does best: being awesome. We have an amazing staff of senior editors and writers that will keep the machine chugging along (and growing!) for years to come. My friend and our editorial director Josh Fruhlinger will be taking on a bigger role in our day-to-day during the transition, and I won't be completely disappearing from the site -- I'll stay on as editor-at-large, to advise and direct when necessary. I'll also be sticking around to host more episodes of the Engadget Show, so you can continue to get your fix (if you're into nerdy video shows about gadgets and technology, that is). And with that, I'm shuffling over towards the door, just underneath that dim exit sign that keeps blinking on and off, its fluorescent bulbs cracking with some syncopated rhythm all their own. It's just started to rain a little bit outside, but I've got my coat and umbrella. I'll be fine, and so will you. Till we meet again... (You can follow me on Twitter right here (@joshuatopolsky), or just check my personal blog too if you're feeling lonely)

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Reviews By Joshua Topolsky

iPad 2 review

To say Apple's iPad 2 is an easy tablet to review is somewhat of an understatement. The device, a follow up to last year's wildly successful (and currently market-defining) iPad, is nearly identical when it comes to software, and though improved, closely related on the hardware side as well. With a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display, the general size and shape of the device has remained the same, and though inside there's a new dual core A5 CPU, more memory, and a pair of new cameras, most of the iPad 2's changes are cosmetic. Still, the previous tablet soared far above most of its competitors when it came to the quality of both the hardware (if not its raw specs) and its software selection -- something Apple still stands head and shoulders over its adversaries on. So this new model, a thinner, sleeker, faster variant of the original may not be breaking lots of new ground, but it's already at the front of the pack. But is the iPad 2 worth an upgrade for those that took the plunge on the first generation? More importantly, does the device have what it takes to bring new owners into the fold? Those questions -- and more -- are all about to be answered in the full Engadget review, so read on!%Gallery-118761%

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Apple By Joshua Topolsky

Editorial: It's Apple's 'post-PC' world -- we're all just living in it

On Wednesday, Apple introduced the world to the iPad 2. A beautiful device, to be sure. Feature packed? You bet. Soon to be selling like hotcakes? Absolutely. But the introduction of an iteration on an already existing product wasn't the most notable piece of the event, nor was the surprise appearance of Steve Jobs. No, Wednesday's event was significant because it introduced the world to Apple's real vision for the foreseeable future, a theme the company has hinted at but never fully expressed. This week, Apple showed everyone where it was headed, challenged competitors on that direction, and made it clear that the company not only has staked a claim in that space, but is defining it. This week, Apple stepped into the "post-PC" era of computing -- and there's no looking back, at least not for the folks in Cupertino. By joining the company's ongoing vision of a "different" kind of computing with a soundbite friendly piece of marketing-speak, Apple has changed the rules of the game, and made the competition's efforts not just an uphill battle, but -- at least in the eyes of Steve Jobs and co. -- essentially moot. But what exactly is the "post-PC" world? And why is it significant? Let me explain.

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Reviews By Joshua Topolsky

iPad 2 first hands-on! (update: even more video!)

Well there you have it folks -- the absurdly thin new iPad 2. We just got our hands all over the next greatest tablet from Apple and it's... very much the same, save for that new body. There's no question that the industrial design is top notch, and we did notice some speedier behavior when jumping around -- but the core OS remains unchanged, so this won't be a major shock. We're spending more time with the device and getting impressions, but for now, feast your eyes on the galleries below.Update: Okay, we've had a chance to play around the with iPad 2 some more, and here are our big takeaways from the experience. This thing is insanely fast. We're not joking -- it's blazingly fast. Everything the iPad 2 does feels like it's on turbo. We're uploading a video of the some evidence of this, you'll be appropriately stunned. The design feels great in your hands. Sleek, super thin -- much nicer to hold than the previous version. Definitely has more of a magazine than book feel. Everything is tight and solid. It is pretty amazing how thin they've gotten the device. Even software made for the first generation device feels better here. Safari is definitely sped up. Games looked great on-screen, though obviously there are no updates to the resolution of screen technology here. This is an evolutionary step, but we definitely don't feel like it's lacking for features. People are going to gobble these up when they see the new apps.Update 2: We've got some video after the break!Update 3: More videos!%Gallery-118203%%Gallery-118206%

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Apple By Joshua Topolsky

Live from Apple's iPad 2 event (update: it's over!)

We're going to be liveblogging Apple's iPad 2 announcement (and whatever else they have in store). Check back at the times below, and get ready to make history together! 08:00AM - Hawaii 10:00AM - Pacific 11:00AM - Mountain 12:00PM - Central 01:00PM - Eastern 06:00PM - London 07:00PM - Paris 09:00PM - Moscow 11:30PM - Mumbai 03:00AM - Tokyo (March 3rd) 05:00AM - Sydney (March 3rd) Update: Phew! The event's just finished. Now here's a list of all our posts from this event: The iPad 2 iPad 2 first hands-on! iPad 2 vs. original iPad: what's changed? iPad 2 vs. Motorola Xoom vs. HP TouchPad vs. BlackBerry PlayBook: the tale of the tape iPad 2 gets a Smart Cover Apple's Digital AV Adapter also works with iPhone 4, fourth-gen iPod touch, and first-gen iPad Apple iOS 4.3 coming March 11 with iPad 2, includes new AirPlay features and FaceTime iMovie, GarageBand for iPad announced -- $4.99 on March 11th Apple ships 100 millionth iPhone, 15 million iPads sold in 2010 100 million books downloaded from iBooks, Random House titles added Apple slashes original iPad price to $399, iPad 2 not up for pre-order yet CE-Oh no he didn't!: Steve Jobs misquotes Samsung, asks what you're gonna do about it

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Technology

Technology By Joshua Topolsky

Trillian gets there first, brings Continuous Client features to latest build

Well this is rather awesome. Cerulean Studios may have just become the first company in the world to implement some of the ideas I hatched in an editorial I wrote about a little something called the Continuous Client. If you need a refresher you can read the article here, but the gist of my argument is that the work you're doing in applications on your phone, tablet, or PC should follow you around. You shouldn't have to restart each conversation or refocus your Twitter stream or re-open applications and load up files you were working on. Your devices (and their clients) should talk to each other so that you can placeshift your session from screen to screen. Well, believe it or not, someone took this to heart. The makers of the super-popular chat client Trillian have implemented Continuous Client features in the latest beta build for Windows (5.0 build 30). Amongst the new features added is the ability to share chats between devices "in realtime," allowing you to switch from PC to phone to iPad without losing the thread. Using "presence technology" the client can make logical guesses about when you're at (and not at) your PC or phone, and reroutes your notifications accordingly. The company has a blog post on all of the features of the new build, but of course, the best way to experience it is to download the software and try it out for yourself. We'd love to see your reactions and find out if it's making life easier, so sound off in the comments below.

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Apple By Joshua Topolsky

We're liveblogging from Apple's iPad 2 event tomorrow... be there!

There's really no telling what could happen tomorrow at Apple's little event. Sure, the company could talk about its success with iOS devices, how well the iPad has sold, and then introduce a brand new version of the wildly popular tablet... but maybe there'll be surprises too. We can't say for sure at this point, but that's okay, because come 10AM PST (1PM EST), we're going to be delivering all the news as it happens with the industry's best liveblog right here on Engadget. If you want to follow along with the action, tune into this URL right here at the times below tomorrow. Just make sure you've got the popcorn and sodas ready -- this is going to be a fun one. 08:00AM - Hawaii 10:00AM - Pacific 11:00AM - Mountain 12:00PM - Central 01:00PM - Eastern 06:00PM - London 07:00PM - Paris 09:00PM - Moscow 11:30PM - Mumbai 03:00AM - Tokyo (March 3rd) 05:00AM - Sydney (March 3rd)

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Tablets

Tablets By Joshua Topolsky

Sources: iPad 2 lands in thinner body with spec bump and cameras, SD slot and higher resolution display are out

The Apple rumors game can be a volatile thing. Just as we'd heard about last minute alterations to the Apple TV before it hit the market, we've gotten word from sources that the iPad 2 slated to be announced next Wednesday will be sans a few of the features we'd previously reported. Notably, that SD card slot and higher resolution display won't make it into the new model (the latter we'd been hearing rumblings about for a little while). What's the cause of the switch? Well our sources weren't crystal clear on the exact reasons, but the gist of what was explained to us centered around vague "engineering issues" which may have forced some changes at the eleventh hour. It's worth noting once again that these sources have been dead right on specific Apple plans and specifications for unannounced products in the past, and we have no reason to believe these changes are due to anything more than legitimate engineering decisions made close to launch. So what will we see on March 2nd? We're hearing it's most likely a thinner, spec-bumped variation of the original iPad with a screen size and resolution identical to the current model. More RAM (512MB) and a more powerful CPU (the A5) are expected as well. It's also a pretty safe bet the tablet will be sporting at least one camera up front -- though if some of those case mockups we've seen tell us anything, expect a shooter around back too. It's also almost guaranteed that we'll see the next version of iOS (number 5 in all likelihood, along with its SDK for devs), and an expansion of Apple's cloud services (that part is a little... foggy right now). Of course, that will perfectly set up Apple's announcement of the iPhone 5 in June, which is when iPad owners can likely expect to be using the new software. Regardless, we'll have the goods come next week, so stay tuned!

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Reviews By Joshua Topolsky

Motorola Xoom review

As we put rubber to road on our Motorola Xoom review, it's important to note that it was only a matter of time before the Android army delivered a proper iPad competitor. Moto's partnership with Google (and use of the 3.0 version of its mobile operating system, Honeycomb), has made that assumed inevitability a very serious reality. There can be little question that the Xoom is certainly a contender for the hearts and minds of potential tablet buyers in the market. Besides boasting that fancy new software (a completely redesigned experience masterminded by the man behind webOS, Matias Duarte), the Xoom is equipped with formidable hardware. The 1GHz, NVIDIA Tegra 2-based slate boasts a sizable 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 capacitive display, 3G connectivity (Verizon on our review unit), along with front and rear facing cameras, HD video capability, and loads of wireless options. Not only is the Xoom clearly competitive (and frankly, more stacked) than most of its competition, Motorola has attempted to futureproof the device by offering a free hardware upgrade down the road which will give the tablet access to Big Red's 4G LTE network. Of course, all this power comes with a cost... literally. With a list price off contract of $799, the Xoom is quite a pricey piece of technology to own. Still, with all that's packed inside -- and more importantly with what Google has done on the software side -- the Xoom could represent the next stage of tablet evolution. Is it time to take the plunge? Read on for our definitive answer in the full Engadget review! %Gallery-117477%

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Apple By Joshua Topolsky

Apple's holding an iPad 2 event on March 2nd... we'll be there live!

Hey look at that! The rumors were true. Apple will be holding a media event on March 2nd... and Engadget will be there live covering the whole thing. As you can tell by the image above (sent with the invite), this is going to be all about tablets -- iPads, to be exact.

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News By Joshua Topolsky

Engadget's next reader meetup is this Friday, February 25th in San Francisco!

That's right human beings -- it's happening again! The Engadget crew is getting together their best party outfits and shipping out west for another installment of our fabulous reader meetups. Our last event in NYC drew loads of people and was an all around blast, and the San Francisco installment is sure to be just as explosive (or maybe more? c'mon... show us what you've got). This time around we're partnering with Sprint, as well as Sony PlayStation, Motorola, HP, Roku, Samsung, VUDU, RIM, Sling, Sonos, HTC, Corning, Sphero, OnLive, Plantronics, Snapstick, and more to bring you a night of gadget geeking, giveaways, delicious foodstuffs, and some awesome music (provided by none other than our podcast producer, Trent Wolbe). Also, a whole mess of the Engadget editors will be on hand to entertain and inform, so if you have any pressing questions -- jot them down! The all ages shindig will take place at City View at The Metreon, which is located conveniently in downtown SF. If you're a nerd in the city, you most likely already know what we're talking about. The doors will open at 6:30PM, and capacity is limited to 1200 people -- so if you want to get inside, get there early! Update: Whoops! Looks like the previously mentioned sweepstakes have ended (a trip for two to the event). Congrats to the winners! Don't stress though, there should be plenty of room for everyone (provided it's no more than 1200 humans).

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Gaming

Gaming By Joshua Topolsky

Minecraft documentary gets a 20 minute preview, needs you to chip in for the finished product

Do you love Minecraft? Wait, don't answer. We know the answer. Well, we know how you feel -- and so do the folks at 2 Player Productions, the documentarians that brought you the extra-special chiptune film, Reformat the Planet. The scrappy team of filmmakers has once again gone back to work, this time focusing their attentions on the gaming phenomenon and its creator, Markus "Notch" Persson, in a project entitled Minecraft: The Story of Mojang. 2 Player has taken its project to the streets (and by streets we mean internet) by posting a 20 minute teaser of the forthcoming documentary, and asking for funding via Kickstarter. Just think, you could be your very own Hollywood mogul. There are all kinds of goodies for those who lay down the cash; for instance, if you pledge more than $2,500, you'll get an actual pick axe mounted on a stand signed by the Mojang team. And for $10,000? You get an Executive Producer credit and your own profile page on IMDB. The project is aiming for $150,000 of funding, and has already scored $22,048 (at the time this article was written) with 32 days to go. If you were serious about what you said earlier when it comes to Minecraft, you owe it to yourself to put your money where your virtual mouth is. You can also take a look at a teaser clip after the break -- and that won't cost you a dime.

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Sports

Sports By Joshua Topolsky

The Engadget Show returns Thursday with GM head engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products, and much more!

Clear your calendars everybody, because tomorrow, February 17th at 7:00pm, the Engadget Show is back in a big way! GM's head engineer Micky Bly (the man responsible for the Volt) will be on hand for some frank conversation about the future of cars and a bunch of mind-blowing demos to go with it. Oh, and GM says they have a big announcement that they will be making exclusively on the Engadget Show, so be a part of tech history and come join us, won't you? Engadget auto editor Tim Stevens will be joining the fun and we'll also have a very special guest from IBM's Watson team, fresh off the game-show-playing supercomputer's three-day run on Jeopardy. It will be a night to remember, with some incredible chiptunes music by Note! with visuals from Batsly Adams. As usual, we'll be streaming live at 7:00PM from SIR's Stage 37 (a new venue!) and we've got around 350 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis if you want to join us in person. Also, trust me when I say that the giveaways for this taping are going to absolutely blow. your. mind. REMINDER: The Show will be taking place in a lovely new venue, the SIR Stage37 (ie. not the TimesCenter or Cooper Union), located in Manhattan at 508 West 37th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Also, because of the nature of the space, we won't be able to do assigned seats so the seats will be first-come, first-served as well (we know, just after you got used to assigned seating!). Here's the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know: There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free The event is all ages Ticketing will begin at the SIR Stage37 at 5:00PM on Thursday, February 17th, doors will open for seating at 6:15PM, and the show begins at 7:00PM We can't do assigned seating in this venue, so remember that your ticket guarantees you entry into the show, but where you sit is up to you. You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket Seating capacity is limited (we've got room for approximately 350), and once we're full, we're full The venue is located at 508 West 37th St, between 10th and 11th Avenues. (map after the break) The show length is around an hour If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

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News By Joshua Topolsky

Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- enter to win a trip for 2 to the event!

That's right human beings -- it's happening again! The Engadget crew is getting together their best party outfits and shipping out west for another installment of our fabulous reader meetups. Our last event in NYC drew loads of people and was an all around blast, and the San Francisco installment is sure to be just as explosive (or maybe more? c'mon... show us what you've got). This time around we're partnering with Sprint, as well as Sony PlayStation, HP, Roku, Samsung, VUDU, RIM, Sling, Sonos, HTC, Corning, Sphero, and loads of other players in our industry (we're still adding to the list!) to bring you a night of gadget geeking, giveaways, delicious foodstuffs, and some awesome music (provided by none other than our podcast producer, Trent Wolbe). Also, a whole mess of the Engadget editors will be on hand and entertain and inform, so if you have any pressing questions -- jot them down! The all ages shindig will take place at City View at The Metreon, which is located conveniently in downtown SF. If you're a nerd in the city, you most likely already know what we're talking about. The doors will open at 6:30PM, and capacity is limited to 1200 people -- so if you want to get inside, get there early! Hate standing in lines? Enter the Engadget Reader Meetup Sweepstakes for your chance to win an all expense paid trip for 2 to the meetup in San Francisco on February 25th! Click here to enter now! (rules apply, read them after the break) We're going to be flooding the interwaves with more information soon, but for now, mark the date on your calendars, and get ready to party.

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News By Joshua Topolsky

Engadget's next reader meetup happens February 25th in San Francisco -- be there!

That's right human beings -- it's happening again! The Engadget crew is getting together their best party outfits and shipping out west for another installment of our fabulous reader meetups. Our last event in NYC drew loads of people and was an all around blast, and the San Francisco installment is sure to be just as explosive (or maybe more? c'mon... show us what you've got). This time around we're partnering with Sprint, as well as Sony PlayStation, HP, Roku, Samsung, VUDU, RIM, Sling, Sonos, HTC, and loads of other players in our industry (we're still adding to the list!) to bring you a night of gadget geeking, giveaways, delicious foodstuffs, and some awesome music (provided by none other than our podcast producer, Trent Wolbe). The all ages shindig will take place at City View at The Metreon, which is located conveniently in downtown SF. If you're a nerd in the city, you most likely already know what we're talking about. The doors will open at 6:30PM, and capacity is limited to 1200 people -- so if you want to get inside, get there early! We're going to be flooding the interwaves with more information soon, but for now, mark the date on your calendars, and get ready to party.

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Entertainment

Entertainment By Joshua Topolsky

HP's 'Everybody On' ad goes to the Grammys, causes nationwide cringing

HP told us to watch for a special new campaign during the Grammys, so watch we did -- only to find this commercial and occasional on-stage pimping of the HP TouchPad. The latter is standard business practice, to be sure, but the former? Well, words (nearly) escape us. You really have to watch it for yourself, but just imagine a butchering of Lou Reed's classic (though far, far overused) "Walk On The Wild Side," where tales of doping and cross dressing have been replaced with tales of... Tweeting. And Digging. And other really trite stuff. The cinematography and general message of the commercial is actually spot on, but it all gets crushed under the weight of this bad musical decision. HP played this same video at the event on Wednesday, but little did we know it would be the kick-off of the company's marketing onslaught. We're honestly taken aback by how off key (no pun intended) this ad is. You would think after all the bad press Palm got on its previous big ad campaign (and even after some not-so-gentle advice) the folks in charge would think twice about something this potentially polarizing. We won't lie -- we're disappointed. Both by HP / Palm, and Lou Reed. All of you guys... back to the drawing board. Look on the bright side, though -- at least you've got about six months to wash this out of people's brains.

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Smartphones

Smartphones By Joshua Topolsky

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro

Sony Ericsson has just announced the mammoth Xperia Pro Android phone -- a slider device with a full QWERTY keyboard. The device sports a 3.7-inch, 854 x 480 display (which uses the company's Bravia graphics engine technology), runs atop a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, and is sporting SE's customized build of Gingerbread (Android 2.3). The phone has an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash, 2 megapixel front facing camera, and will be available in silver, red, and black. We're working on getting more info as we type, so stay tuned! %Gallery-116430% Check out our Sony Ericsson liveblog and read the full press release and specs list after the break!

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Computing

Computing By Joshua Topolsky

The Engadget Interview: Jon Rubinstein and Steven McArthur talk webOS on PCs, 'Music Synergy,' competition, and more

We had a chance to sit down with HP's Jon Rubinstein and SVP of applications and services Steven McArthur just after the company's device-filled event yesterday, and the conversation was rather revealing. Besides being extremely upfront about some tough issues (timing, legacy support), both execs were more than willing to tackle questions about HP's current deficiencies in the consumer electronics space. We've put together a rough transcript of the chat below, and it touches on a lot of issues currently facing HP and its user base -- namely, developer support, future versions of webOS, where the company is headed with devices, and what the overarching strategy will be in the coming weeks and months. We highly suggest you take a look... after the break.

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Technology

Technology By Joshua Topolsky

Looking for our Motorola Atrix 4G review?

Hey there. Yes, you. If you're looking out for the Motorola Atrix 4G review, you can check it out right here!

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Apps

Apps By Joshua Topolsky

Live from HP / Palm's 'Think Beyond' webOS event!

We're inside and things are getting underway -- the event officially starts at the times below. Read along after the break to see what's happening right now! 07:00AM - Hawaii 10:00AM - Pacific 11:00AM - Mountain 12:00PM - Central 01:00PM - Eastern 06:00PM - London 07:00PM - Paris 09:00PM - Moscow 11:30PM - Mumbai 03:00AM - Tokyo (February 10th) 05:00AM - Sydney (February 10th)

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Reviews By Joshua Topolsky

Verizon iPhone review

The Verizon iPhone 4 is an interesting product for Engadget to review. Firstly, it's not exactly a new device (not in any outwardly noticeable way). From design, down to its CPU, RAM, and even cost, this iPhone is the same as the AT&T model... save for that one small but really important thing: it's got a CDMA radio inside. The device is also somewhat tricky to review based on its software, since we've all been using (and even took a deep look at) iOS 4.2 for quite some time. So for us the task is to make clear the differences between these two devices and their networks. Now that's a little easier, because we're sure you have the same questions as us. What are calls like? How are the data rates? Is service notably improved or different than AT&T's? Most importantly, if you're currently a frustrated iPhone 4 owner, does it make sense to make the switch? We're going to answer all those queries (and more), so read on for a full review of the Verizon iPhone 4! %Gallery-115613%

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TV & Movies

TV & Movies By Joshua Topolsky

Fred Armisen gets caught in a technology loop, discovers MiND-Fi

Sometimes our modern life can feel overwhelming. Sometimes it can feel like it's all too much -- like everything is happening at once, and you've got no control over anything. Sometimes, the gadgets we buy to make our lives simpler end up making them a lot more complicated. We suspect that similar sentiments drove the brains behind the new IFC sketch comedy show Portlandia (Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein) to come up with the bizarre, hilarious video in this post. Just a word of warning -- once you see it, you can never un-see it. Watch at your own risk... after the break.

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Apple By Joshua Topolsky

Exclusive: The future of the iPad 2, iPhone 5, and Apple TV, and why Apple is shifting its mobile line to Qualcomm chipsets

We've been hearing a ton of rumors about what direction Apple's next set of products will take and when they'll be available -- but now we've got some concrete information from reliable sources which should make the path a little clearer. And that includes info on the next iPad, the iPhone 5, the second iteration of the new Apple TV, and a big change coming for all of the company's mobile products. Want to know the scoop? Read along after the break to get the goods.

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News By Joshua Topolsky

New super-limited edition eBoy / Engadget shirts now available! (update: SOLD OUT!)

You asked, and we've delivered! Once again, Engadget has teamed up with the brilliant eBoy to bring you a super-duper limited edition T-shirt which will wow and delight family and friends alike. As you can see from the image above, the new shirt is based on our CES / reader meetup graphic that's been doing the rounds on the site, featuring nearly all of the Engadget crew toying with some real (and not-so-real) tech. The eBoy crew tells us this is their most color-heavy shirt ever produced (a 9+1 process), which is pretty nifty. We think it's a nice companion to our CES 2011 coverage, and makes a wonderful addition to any fashion plate's wardrobe. The shirts come in small, medium, large, and extra large, and can be had for $30US (plus $10 shipping) -- but really, can you put a price on looking good? If you'd like to order, follow along after the break and use our fancy PayPal e-commerce system. Also, we ship WORLDWIDE! Update: The last time we had shirts, they sold out in about 30 minutes. We have more this time, but still a very small quantity. If you want one, we suggest you get in fast. Update 2: Extra large is sold out! Update 3: We're sold out of everything! If you didn't find your size, there may still be some available on the eBoy site -- check it out HERE!

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