2010
Latest
iPhoto '11 brings huge updates to printing, full screen, Facebook sharing
Apple has announced a new version of iPhoto in iLife '11, and it brings a boatload of new features to the table, including: Full screen browsing of all Events, Albums, Maps, and pretty much everything else. "Smart" slideshows that use your location information from Places to create dynamic shows that use maps from places you've been. Floating menus that allow for operation of the entire app from the full screen mode. Deep Facebook and Flickr integration that syncs all of your photos both ways, regardless of whether or not they were added by iPhoto. A new email template feature that creates some stunning HTML email galleries of your photos. All of this is wrapped in a gorgeous iOS-styled interface (look at the bottom navigation bar)! More to come in the near future.
Steve Jobs drops knowledge on earnings call: calls out Google and RIM, says 7-inch tablets are 'DOA' (Update: complete Jobs audio!)
Steve Jobs hit today's earnings call with the power of words. In a tone that could be described as "righteous anger" or perhaps just "reppin," Steve launched into a five minute rant that hit hard against RIM's entire business model, Android sales numbers and software fragmentation, and the impending wave of Android tablets. With the iPhone surpassing RIM, Steve says that he "[doesn't] see them catching up in the foreseeable future." As for Android sales, Steve takes issues with the market share figures that are currently floating around, saying that 275k iOS devices were activated on average per day last month, compared to Android's most recent estimate of 250k per day -- though he does admit that Android outshipped iPhone in the June quarter, during the "transition" to iPhone 4. That wasn't Steve's only problem with Android, he takes major issue with the fragmentation and the onus he believes it puts on the user: "we believe integrated will trump fragmented every time." Oh, and 7-inch tablets? You're in for a bag of hurt. Steve pretty much outright killed any potential for 7-inch iPad rumors, saying that the software just isn't right for that size ("This size is useless unless you include sandpaper so users can sand their fingers down to a quarter of their size."), and that users have no need for a pocket sized tablet when they already have a smartphone. He called the iPad's upcoming competition in the space "DOA." After he calmed down a bit, the call entered a Q&A period, where Steve was happy to point out that the iPad has already surpassed Macintosh in sales, and that it's going to affect laptop computers: "it's not if, it's when." We'll get a copy of the audio and put it up as soon as possible... like most CEO outbursts, this is not one to be missed. Hit up our liveblog of the call for a bit more context, and you can try the source link for Apple's stream of the entire earnings shindig. Update: We just ripped the first part of the call, which featured Steve's prepared remarks -- we'll have an edited version of the Q&A session in just a bit. Update 2: And here's an edited version of the Q&A with just Jobs's answers -- hit the source link for Apple's archive of the whole thing with Peter and Tim's answers as well. Update 3: And just for the completists out there, here's an MP3 of both segments combined.
HTC grows profits in Q3 to $360 million, revenues rise to $2.45b
It's good to see that HTC's omnipresence in the smartphone market is paying off in nicely growing financial figures as well. Having reported $268 million in profit for Q2, the Taiwanese company is today touting a $360 million tally for the period between July and September 2010. Android is again fingered as the chief catalyst for this growth, which is best illustrated by comparing numbers to last year, when HTC managed to pull in $184 million during Q3, or almost exactly half of this year's haul. Total revenues were also appropriately inflated, up to $2.45 billion, and analysts seem in agreement that HTC's future is looking rosy. So long as the G2 hiccups remain an isolated incident, that should indeed be the case.
Android is number one OS among US phone buyers over the last six months
BlackBerry OS? Dead! iOS? Dead! Symbian? Never stood a chance. Android's exponential growth has today been illustrated by Nielsen's statisticians who present us with the above chart of recent US smartphone purchases. It shows that over the six months leading up to August 2010, 32 percent of American new phone buyers had grabbed themselves a device with Google's OS on board, which is comfortably ahead of RIM at 26 percent and Apple at 25 percent. These results corroborate NPD's figures on the matter -- which peg Android at 33 percent of new US purchases -- and reiterate the idea that Android is headed to a place whose name starts with D and ends with omination. One more chart showing total market share can be found after the break (hint: BlackBerry still reigns supreme overall).
BlizzCon ticket barcodes ideally emailing next week
Bashiok has confirmed that Blizzard is anticipating emailing out BlizzCon ticket barcodes next week. If you were lucky enough to have bought BlizzCon tickets, watch your email and make sure nothing gets lodged in the spam filter. Your BlizzCon ticket barcode is required, along with a photo ID, to get into the show and pick up your badge. It is important to print out the barcode before you leave for Anaheim and bring it with you for registration. Bashiok -- Re: Emailed Blizzcon Tickets None have gone out yet. We're anticipating them to begin going out early next week. source
Pentax K-5 brings 16.2MP sensor, 'much faster' AF, and enhanced HDR to midrange DSLR party
Photokina is just about getting started over in Germany today, and Pentax has grabbed the opportunity to unveil its next K-series shooter nice and early. The new K-5 looks exactly as a leak earlier this month suggested, meaning it's an almost identical brother to the weather-resistant K-7. Of course, the big changes are taking place within, with a new 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor -- said to be equivalent in performance to the one in the 645D -- a 100 to 12800 ISO range, 7fps burst mode, much-improved 11-point autofocus, and an overhauled HDR mode. ISO can also be jacked up to 51200 with a custom function, but we wouldn't expect to get the finest imagery out of that. Other specs include a 3-inch, 921k-dot LCD around the back, 100 percent viewfinder coverage, 1080/25p video, and (sadly) only SDHC memory card compatibility -- there'll be no SDXC action for the big spenders among us.%Gallery-102734%
Panasonic GH2 expected to have 16 megapixel sensor, maybe even 1080/60p video
It was almost exactly a year ago that we asked you how you'd change the Panasonic GH1, and the consensus response was that the camera's biggest flaw was its stratospheric price. Well, Panasonic's about to help you out there, as it seems a GH2 successor is all but assured to debut at this year's Photokina exhibition, which is sure to put a little downward pressure on GH1 levies. The new shooter is rumored to be making mostly evolutionary upgrades, with 16 rather than 12 effective megapixels squeezed into its sensor, expanded ISO range up to 12,800, faster autofocus performance with the kit 14-140mm lens, 5fps burst shooting, and 1080/60i video recording at 24Mbps. Where things get interesting is the suggestion that the GH2 will be capable of 1080/60p, but that the AVCHD recording format -- whose current spec doesn't include 60 frames of 1080p goodness -- is forcing it to store data in the 60i mode. That'd be a pretty sweet new addition if true and we're inclined to believe it given the additional rumor of three processing cores inside the GH2. We'll know how much of this is legit by the middle of next week, Photokina isn't a place famed for keeping secrets -- quite the opposite, actually.
Nokia's Plug and Touch turns your HDTV into a giant N8 (video)
What do you get when you combine the N8's HDMI output, its 12 megapixel camera, and your trusty old TV set? As Anssi Vanjoki might say, you get a big new smartphone. Nokia's research labs have thrown up a neat little "prototype" app called Plug and Touch, which enhances the N8's already famed HDTV friendliness with the ability to recognize touch input. This is done by positioning your aluminum-clad Nokia about five feet away from the display and letting its camera pick up your hand's gestures and touches, essentially resulting in a massively enlarged Symbian^3 handset device. Naturally, it's not terribly precise at this stage and there are no plans for an actual release, but it sure is a tantalizing glimpse of what may be coming down the pipe. Video after the break.
HTC launches the Desire HD: an EVO for the rest of world
The Desire HD is official, folks, finally bringing a 4.3-inch LCD to European Android fans. The handset is made from a solid block of aluminum and comes packing a 1GHz 8255 Snapdragon processor, 8 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash and 720p video recording, Dolby Mobile, and HSPA+ data with 802.11n WiFi when it lands in Europe and Asia sometime in October. It's also one of the first HTC devices to feature the enhanced HTC Sense experience with HTCsense.com services. %Gallery-102305%
HTC Desire Z is the QWERTY slider your Android's been waiting for
HTC has just announced the Desire Z, an Android-friendly QWERTY slider. Like the T-Mobile G2, the Desire Z features a "pop-out" (don't call it a slider) QWERTY keyboard with user assigned keys and system-wide shortcuts that let you quickly launch your favorite apps. Around back you've got a 5 megapixel camera with flash that's HD video capable while an 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230 processor pumps away efficiently inside with HSPA+ and 802.11n radios providing the data. Unlike the US G2, however, the Desire Z comes loaded with HTC's enhanced Sense UI and new HTCSense.com services. Look for it to land in major European and Asian markets in October before hitting North America sometime later in 2010.%Gallery-102283%
Live from HTC's London 2010 launch event
Guess where we are. Yes, the HTC event important enough to be crashed by Nokia's guerilla marketing crew is just about to get started and your favorite tech blog is here to bring you the moment-by-moment account. Join us past the break as we set out to discover what desirable new handsets HTC has on tap!
iPod nano (2010) splayed open in the name of miniature science
What, you didn't think iFixit would stop at just disassembling the new iPod touch, did you? The all-new nano has also been sat atop the workbench, handed a bottle of hard liquor, and told to close its eyes and count to 120 million. The 6th-gen device weighs in at 67 percent of the volume of its precursor, with a slightly thicker body and that integrated clip on its back. Its 240- x 240-pixel display offers a 220ppi density, which, within Apple's ranks, is bettered only by the Retina Display on the fourth generation iPhone and iPod touch devices. Regrettably, just as with those two machines, the 2010 nano has its front glass, LCD and touchscreen assembly fused together. One handy bit of news here is the battery size, which at 105mAh is what you might call paltry, but still doubles up the 2010 shuffle's 51mAh. All in all, the conclusion from this dissection is that the new device feels more like a shuffle with a screen than a miniaturized nano, which, when you look at the form factor, makes all sorts of sense. More at the source.
Engadget's back to school giveaway, part two: win a lot of awesome gear worth nearly $2,400!
Hey, there: it's that time of year again. You or your loved ones will soon be heading back to school (if you haven't already). We've been trying to help everybody out for the past month with our back to school guides -- which you can check out right here -- but we thought we'd take it a step further, and give you, our dear readers, a chance to win some of the gear featured in the guides this year. We'll be doing three total giveaways this week, and here's what we've got for you today. - Toshiba Portege R705 P25 laptop worth $799 - Grace Digital Audio Eco Extreme Rugged all terrain Speaker Case worth $49 - i4 Universal desktop charger woth $59 - Pentax Optio H90 digital camera worth $149 - Altec Lansing Mix IMT800 worth $300 - Sony ICF-CL75iP Clock Radio worth $149.95 - Sprint Samsung Intercept worth $99 -Amazon Kindle 3G (Graphite version) worth $189 -HP ePrint All-in-One printer with an HP 60 Photo Value Pack, HP 60 XL Cartridges, a $200 Staples Gift Certificate and a $50 Snapfish Gift Certificate (courtesy of HP -- click here for a behind-the-scenes look at HP's inkjet technology 'Inkology). Yes, that's nearly $2,400 of gear for one lucky winner. All you need to do to win is leave a comment below, and read the full rules after the break. Good luck!! Thanks to Toshiba, Grace Digital Audio, i4, Pentax, Altec Lansing, Sony, Sprint and HP for providing the gear! Special thanks to all the companies for providing us with the gear!
Engadget's back to school guide: Printers
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got printers in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides. Even if your textbooks, your movies, your music, and the photographic evidence of your quasi-legal sorority hazing exists purely in the digital domain, you'll have to print out things like term papers and court documents sooner or later. (Thought we forgot about that hazing, didn't you?) We know that's money tight, so we've found something to suit every budget. Now, on to the printers...
Xbox 360's transforming D-pad controller gets handled on video
Boy, we've gone from rumor to hands-on experience in just a couple of days with this thing. Microsoft's November 9-bound Xbox 360 controller refresh couldn't escape the clutches of Joystiq, who have put together a neat photo gallery and video overview. That chrometastic new D-pad is clearly the headliner here, and the early feedback is that it works well -- it takes a bit of effort to transform from a flat button to the elevated four-way navigator you see above, but that's apparently a good thing as it means you'll never flip modes by accident in the middle of a hot and heavy gaming session. The analog buttons have also been subjected to some nipping and tucking and there is of course a new desaturated color scheme to explore as well. You'll find a shot of the retail packaging after the break and a lot more at the source. Update: Video now embedded after the break.
Engadget's back to school giveaway, part one: win $1,500 worth of gear!
Hey, there: it's that time of year again. You or your loved ones will soon be heading back to school (if you haven't already). We've been trying to help everybody out for the past month with our back to school guides -- which you can check out right here -- but we thought we'd take it a step further, and give you, our dear readers, a chance to win some of the gear featured in the guides this year. We'll be doing three total giveaways this week, and here's what we've got for you today. - Toshiba Mini NB305 worth $380 - Booq Boa Squeeze backpack worth $99 - 8GB Echo Smartpen worth $199 - Mobile Life Studio Plus external hard drive worth $119 - Altec Lansing Octiv Mini worth $40 - Sprint Samsung Intercept worth $99 - T-Mobile Blackberry Curve worth $279 Yes, that's nearly $1,500 of gear for one lucky winner. All you need to do to win is leave a comment below, and read the full rules after the break. Good luck!! Special thanks to all the companies for providing us with the gear!
iPod touch (2010) first hands-on! (update: video!)
So we just got our hands on the new iPod touch... and boy is it small. As you would expect, the functionality of the device is identical to the iPhone 4, as well as the functions of the cameras. In essence, it's a much thinner iPhone 4, with no cell radio and a lower quality still camera. The design is relatively in keeping with previous touches, so no major surprises there, but the inclusion of that A4 chip, higher resolution screen, and front and back cameras makes it a far more versatile device. Take a look at the gallery below if you're wondering just how much of a sliver this is -- it makes the iPhone 4 look... fat. Update: It's worth noting that the back camera is clearly not the same 5 megapixel shooter present on the iPhone 4, as the specs on Apple's page for the touch list the still photo resolution at 960 x 720 -- a huge difference. %Gallery-100981%
Apple announces iTunes 10 with Ping social network
Not a huge surprise here, but Apple's just announced iTunes 10 alongside all those new iPods, complete with a brand new logo that finally ditches the CD. What is something of a surprise, however, is the standout feature of iTunes 10: Ping. That's Apple's take on a music-centered social network (think Last.fm), which will let you follow people (including artists), establish a "circle of friends," post comments, check out custom song and album charts, and even find over 17,000 concert listings (which you can of course let folks know your attending). What's more, Ping is also making the jump to the iPhone and iPod touch, and it's available with iTunes 10 today. Head on past the break for the full press release. %Gallery-100941% %Gallery-100972%
iPod touch gets revamped: retina display, FaceTime, HD video recording
Current iPod touch wasn't thin enough for you? Look no further than... well, the new iPod touch just announced today. Naturally, Apple has re-upped its "iPhone without the phone" to include the Retina Display from the iPhone 4, an Apple A4 core, 3-axis gyroscope, Game Center, and FaceTime support thanks to the addition of a front cam. Oh, and speaking of cams, it's also got a rear cam capable of HD video -- but you'll be paying a bit more than you will for that cute little nano: $229 for 8GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB (yep, 16GB and 128GB are both no-shows). Ships next week, pre-orders start today; follow the break for the full press release. Check out our full live coverage here! %Gallery-100936% %Gallery-100967%
Apple announces redesigned iPod shuffle, brings the buttons back
Apple's just announced a brand new, re-designed iPod shuffle. The button is back, and this model's got up to a 15 hour battery life, is available in five colors, and will run you $49. If you're in the mood, you can pre-order today, and it'll ship next week. Full press release is below. %Gallery-100933% %Gallery-100968% Check out our full coverage here!
