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BMW used virtual reality to bring its latest crossover SUV to CES
When you're in Las Vegas for CES and want to show off a brand-new car before its debut at the North American Auto Show, what do you do? Well, if you're BMW, you do it virtually. The German automaker "brought" its new X2 crossover SUV to the desert with virtual reality, in a first-of-its-kind (for BMW, at least) demo experience that lets potential customers get behind the wheel and poke around the vehicle's nooks and crannies. BMW sees this as a natural bridge between looking at pictures online and reading brochures, and for the automaker, the medium seems like a logical next step to updating the shopping experience for the future.
Comcast discontinues AnyPlay in-home IPTV device, preps cloud Xfinity TV apps
Back in 2012 Comcast rolled out AnyPlay, a headless (read: not connected directly to a TV) cable box that turned its live TV channels into internet streams users could watch on iOS or Android devices inside the home. Now in 2014 Comcast is discontinuing the AnyPlay service and nudging customers towards other options like Xfinity TV Go and other new features it will roll out later this year. Like a Slingbox that only worked within the house, compared to other cable TV apps AnyPlay had the advantage of directly supporting all the channels, but the downside of requiring additional hardware. It also looks like the leased Motorola Televation boxes that did the TV-to-IPTV magic will be going back soon, as the mobile apps will disappear from stores after March 31st. So what's in store for the future? Last week at an investors conference, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts showed off a new Xfinity TV app that brings full live TV, video on-demand and DVR access on phones and tablets. We showed you the app last year, which Roberts revealed is being tested in Boston this month and is scheduled to roll out across much of the country this year. It's all part of the new X1 / X2 TV platform which brings more apps to the TV and "turns mobile devices into virtual TV sets" -- hopefully without blanking them out nationwide. Multichannel News adds that Comcast is also testing out gateway devices from Arris that, like AnyPlay, don't connect to directly to a TV, but will push video throughout the home to TVs and mobile devices alike. Comcast also mentioned that at the end of last year, it added to its total number of TV customers for the first time in over six years. We'll see if these new features -- along with cheap internet combo packages -- can pull in more customers, or if people choose life with another provider, or no traditional TV service at all.
Daily Roundup: PlayStation Vita hands-on, HP SlateBook x2 review, iOS 7 lockscreen bug, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Comcast tests cloud DVR app for iOS, brings live TV and recordings to mobiles
Comcast announced plans for cloud based recordings with its upcoming X2 platform rollout, but FierceCable has spotted an iOS app in iTunes that's ready for the feature. Published by Comcast Interactive Media, the Comcast Labs DVR app promises access to user's cDVR service while behind their Comcast modem. What we can see of the UI is very basic, but the setup screens promise a "revolutionary new DVR that streams live TV and shares your recording to tablets, phones and all your TVs" and download recordings to mobile devices for viewing "on the go away from home - even offline." There's no hint as to when this will be available for more people, but the evidence is clear that it will take on competition including Sling, DirecTV's Nomad and TiVo's Stream.
Comcast's new X2 platform moves your DVR recordings from the box to the cloud
Crying because your DVR's hard drive can't hold an entire season of Antiques Roadshow? If you're a Comcast subscriber, there may be hope on the horizon. At The Cable Show in Washington, D.C., Comcast announced its next Xfinity-branded cloud solution: the X2 set-top box. Available later this year, the X2 will eschew hard drive saves in favor of storing recorded programs online. Additionally, both the forthcoming X2 and soon-to-be updated X1 are said to provide greater interface customization, smarter personalized recommendations, additional web content and enhanced multiplatform integration. If this news tickles your fancy, you can find more screenshots at the source link below or read the press release after the break.
HP intros the Split x2 Windows hybrid and the Android-based SlateBook x2 (hands-on)
The Envy x2 has never been our favorite Windows 8 tablet, but that hasn't stopped HP from selling loads of them. The device has been such a success, in fact, that the company is expanding the x2 series to make room for two follow-on products: the Split x2 (a Windows 8 hybrid) and the SlateBook x2 (an Android tablet). Starting with the Split (pictured above), this is the first time HP's made a laptop / tablet hybrid with a laptop processor inside, though Microsoft and others have of course done this already. In brief, it's a 13-inch slate with a 1,366 x 768 display and your choice of Core i3 or i5 CPU (these are Intel's Y-series Ivy Bridge chips we're talking about). As you'd expect, the keyboard dock packs a second battery, though it also makes room for an optional 500GB hard drive to complement the SSD inside the actual tablet. Other specs include two USB ports (one 2.0, one 3.0), HDMI, Beats Audio, WiDi and expansion slots for both microSD and full SD cards. The SlateBook (shown below) is a 10-inch tablet with a Tegra 4 chip -- one of the first to be announced by any company, in fact. Though it's a companion to the $169 Slate 7, it packs considerably higher-end specs. There's that Tegra 4 SoC, for one, as well as a 1,920 x 1,200, 400-nit IPS display and the latest version of Jelly Bean (4.2.2). As with other dockable tablets, its keyboard has a battery built in. Here, though, the keyboard also includes a shortcut for Google voice search. There's even a laptop-style trackpad supporting multitouch gestures -- a rarity on products like this. The hardware itself weighs about 2.8 pounds in total, with a spec list that includes two one USB socket, stereo speakers and SD / microSD readers. Both products will be available in August, with the Split x2 priced at $800 and the SlateBook x2 going for $480 (docks included). Now all we need are some battery life claims. In the meantime, check out our hands-on photos below. (Pssst: the Split unit we photographed was just a mockup.)
Leica X2 gets à la carte, Paul Smith editions to help you stand out from plebeian photographers (update: hands-on)
Let's say you've been considering a Leica X2 for the mix of a big APS-C sensor and retro styling, but a $1,995, fixed-range compact camera just isn't exclusive enough. Leica has you covered with two extra-rare editions that rise above the pack. Provided you don't mind someone else designing for you, the Edition Paul Smith spices things up with a mix of black, green and orange that reflects the UK fashion designer's love of stripes and wilder colors. Is the small 1,500-unit batch of Paul Smith cameras still too common? There's now an à la carte X2 option to limit the production run to exactly one. After picking from black, silver or new titanium colors for the main body, you can choose from a set of leather trim colors and get custom engraving to hedge against the unlikely event that anyone confuses your X2 with someone else's. Prices aren't immediately available for the October launches of both cameras. Not that it matters much -- if you're willing to even consider a special edition Leica, you already know that it's within your price range. %Gallery-165713% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
HP unveils Envy x2 laptop / tablet hybrid: 11-inch IPS screen, NFC and pen support, arriving later this year
You didn't think the world's top PC maker was going to sit out the laptop / tablet hybrid trend, now did you? HP, one of the last OEMs to share its Windows 8 plans, just announced the Envy x2, an 11-inch tablet that comes with a keyboard dock. And while that form factor may already seem tired, HP is dressing it up with some higher-end features, including an aluminum build, NFC, pen support, Beats Audio and a 400-nit, IPS display. (The resolution is 1,366 x 768, as is the case for many of these 11-inch Windows 8 hybrids.) The tablet itself measures about 8.5mm thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, while the dock weighs 1.6. Unlike competing products, the device combines magnets and a mechanical latch to keep the tablet from falling out of its dock (watch us manhandle the x2 in the video below to see what we're talking about). All told, we were impressed by how surprisingly light the tablet and dock feel -- given the metal armor encasing it all, it's easy to assume otherwise. Under the hood, the x2 runs an Atom-based Clover Trail processor. Though HP isn't ready to talk battery life, we've noticed that every other OEM releasing a Clover Trail device is promising between nine and 10 hours of runtime, so we expect the x2 to deliver comparable performance. What's more, the dock has a built-in battery of its own, so you'll definitely have some reserve power there. Poke around on the dock and you'll find two USB ports, HDMI output and a full-size SD slot. The tablet itself is home to an 8-megapixel rear camera and microSD slot, in case the 64GB of built-in storage isn't capacious enough. Right now, it's unknown how much the x2 will cost, or when, exactly, it will go on sale, except that it's expected to arrive in time for the holiday shopping season. For now, feel free to poke around our hands-on photo gallery, and avail yourselves of our walk-through, embedded just past the break. %Gallery-163587%
Leica boosts compact portfolio with V-Lux 40 point-and-shoot, APS-C-equipped X2
Leica has built a name for itself in the compact market over the years with a handful of Panasonic rebrands -- these Lumix models come equipped with a matte black housing, Leica lens and that famous red dot, with the inflated price tag to match. With this latest batch of cameras, the company appears to be taking a more respectable approach -- at least with its high-end X2. But first, let's tackle the V-Lux 40. On the Panasonic front, this camera looks strikingly similar to the Lumix DMC-ZS20 we saw emerge after CES. Both cameras include 14.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensors, a 20x, 24-480mm f/3.3-6.4 optical zoom lens and 1080p video capture. The housing has been modified slightly to include a recessed control panel, Panasonic branding has been removed and the Leica logo added. Such luxuries more than double the camera's price from $269 to $699. Ouch. You can pick up the V-Lux 40 beginning today, or you can grab two virtually identical ZS20s for the same amount, with significant cash to spare. You may remember the Leica X1, but you probably don't. This $2,000 shooter was determined to be overpriced when it launched way back in 2009, and now the APS-C-equipped series has returned for a refresh. Dubbed the X2, this year's flavor ups the ante with a 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor (boosted from 12.2) while retaining that beloved $2k sticker price. The compact all-in-one includes a fixed 24mm Leica Elmarit f/2.8 ASPH lens, which the company validates as a "classical focal length for photojournalism," and a 2.7-inch 230k-pixel LCD on the rear. There's also an option to add a Viso-Flex 1.4MP viewfinder with a 90-degree swivel function, along with a shoe-mounted mirror finder. The $1,995 camera's price tag may be tough to swallow -- but only until you discover the gratis copy of Adobe Lightroom in the box. Both the ZS20 V-Lux 40 and X2 are available now. Snap past the break for the pitch from Leica.
Refresh Roundup: week of August 1, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Verizon and Motorola have finally begun rolling out the Gingerbread update for the Motorola Droid X2. [via PCMag] Sticking with Verizon, the LG Revolution is in the process of receiving maintenance update VS910ZV6, which consists of a few new features and bug fixes. This is not a major refresh. [via AndroidCentral] The HTC Desire Z has been updated to Gingerbread in the UK. As of now, only those devices without carrier branding are seeing the OTA show up. [via PocketNow] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, Neo, and Arc should soon be added to the CyanogenMod repository. Once approved, we'll likely see nightlies appear in the near future. [via PocketNow] Did somebody say Xperia Play? Yes, we did. It looks like the phone's finally been rooted, and the bootloader's been cracked. [via Droid-Life] The Motorola Photon 4G came out last Sunday, but XDA was able to root it within a couple days. [via SprintFeed] XDA's also the provider of a Froyo update to the Samsung Continuum. [via XDA] Along with an official update for the Droid X2, an SBF is now available for download. [via Droid-Life] Other platforms The Dark Forces Team has released tools to enable custom ROMs to be used on your first-gen Windows Phone device. Currently, the supported phones are: the HTC Mozart, HTC Surround, HTC Trophy (excluding Verizon's version), and the HTC 7 Pro (excluding the HTC Arrive). [via Windows Phone Hacker] Shortly after this, the HTC HD7 also got its first custom ROM courtesy of XDA. The downloadable package consists of a ChevronWP7 unlock, a Mango Beta 2 update, and the ROM. Head over to XDA to grab it. [via Windows Phone Daily]
Motorola Droid X2 ready for May 26 launch?
The skeptics in us are not ready to call this one confirmed yet, but we are beginning to see information trickle in about a possible launch date for the Droid X2. Droid-Life uncovered possible promo materials discussing the entrance strategy for the X2, in conjunction with several of the phone's specs. These docs strongly indicate May 26 is the magic day for a full-scale assault, with early orders allowed as soon as May 19. We don't see any major surprises in specs -- there's a dual-core Tegra 2 1GHz processor, 4.3-inch qHD screen, 8MP rear camera, and 1080p HDMI-out video, to list off the highlights -- although we are excited to see Gingerbread may be in the mix here, indicated by the ever-so-subtle blue bar seen on the phone's screen. We hope you can understand our hesitation, though, since an unproven spec sheet from Pocketnow suggests we should only expect Froyo. No way of knowing who will win this little argument, but you know which one we're rooting for. Check out another leaked image after the break.
SanDisk and Toshiba announce world's smallest NAND flash memory chips for tinier gadgets
20 nanometer manufacturing processes, you say? We say pshaw, be gone luddite. Sandisk and Toshiba just announced the latest product from their joint venture: a 19nm 64Gb (8GB) X2 memory chip; aka, the smallest NAND flash memory chip in the world. At least it will be when it hits production in the second half of the year. They are, however, sampling the monolithic chip this quarter in case you're interested in stacking a batch of 16 into an ultra-high density 128GB SSD. Anyone?
Conceptual 'Fujitsu Lifebook X2' folds into quarters, makes regular notebooks look lame
Being that doomsday and the robot apocalypse are nearing quickly, now seems an appropriate time to gaze into the future of laptop design, right? Well, maybe those anomalies aren't actually around the corner, but you know us -- we always fancy a warm cup of concept tea. Designer Park Hyun Jin over at Yanko recently posted some renders of the Fujitsu Lifebook X2, a laptop-like invention of his fervent imagination that allows for two orientations thanks to its four folds. The design features a full QWERTY keyboard that can be used when the notebook is folded out in full, as well as a half-folded option with an onscreen keyboard. Naturally, we'd love for this concept design to become a reality, but we can't wrap our brains around the seam between the two screens. Well actually, we could probably get used to it. Update: We got a request from the designer to pull this prototype, which was submitted to a competition and leaked. To be nice, we're complying.
VIA says Eden X2 is world's most power-efficient dual-core processor
Following close behind the low-power Nano X2 comes the Eden X2, or what VIA is calling "the world's most power-efficient" fanless dual-core processor. While we've yet to see any official numbers, the original Eden did 500MHz on one watt of power, so we should see similarly thrifty specs here. Aside from that, the unit houses two 64-bit cores in a 21 x 21 millimeter package, is compatible with Windows CE and Linux operating systems, and was built using a 40-nanometer manufacturing process. The Eden X2 made its debut at the World Embedded conference this week, and should make it to the real world by the end of Q2. Full PR after the break.
T-Mobile launching Nokia X2 on February 16th?
Considering the rumors of the canceled Nuron 2 launch, it seemed like T-Mobile USA might be on less-than-rosy terms with Nokia -- but check this out: we've got shots here suggesting that the X2 will be hitting America's Number Four in just a few days' time. For the record, the X2 isn't a smartphone in the strictest sense of the word -- it's a portrait QWERTY handset running a recent incarnation of Series 40 -- but to its credit, Series 40 is one of the most capable feature phone platforms in the biz. Follow the break for a shot of the device in T-Mobile livery. [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Nokia C2-01 and X2-01 break cover: cheap to the max, launching soon
Symbian and MeeGo might be getting all the attention, but for Nokia, Series 40 is still very much a meat-and-potatoes part of the operation -- and to that end, they've announced a pair of new models today that go exceptionally easy on the pocketbook. First up, the C2-01 (pictured left) is claimed to be the cheapest 3G handset in Espoo's lineup, featuring a 3.2 megapixel camera, FM radio, Bluetooth, and memory expansion up to 16GB atop a 2-inch display; it'll be available in the first quarter of 2011 for around €70 ($95). Next up, the X2-01 certainly looks like a Symbian device from a distance -- but don't be fooled, it's still straight-up Series 40 with a full QWERTY portrait keyboard. It's got a dedicated music button (Nokia's quick to point out that the Xseries' focus is music, after all) along with a 2.4-inch QVGA display, VGA camera on back, and memory expansion to a relatively meager 8GB. Neither WiFi nor 3G are included, but at €80 ($109) subsidy-free, you wouldn't necessarily expect them. Look for it to hit shelves this quarter.
HTC Gold with Windows Phone 7 in November, and more from a rumored UK roadmap leak
O, to see what Omio sees. The outlet has obtained what it claims to be "a huge UK mobile phone release schedule for the rest of the year... [from] all the manufacturers" (emphasis its own). So, from where would such an all-encompassing roadmap hail? We don't know, nor can we corroborate any of this, but the details are numerous so let's go through it -- albeit with cautious optimism and a few grains of salt. The biggest phone we can see of this baker's dozen of a lineup is the HTC Gold (sound familiar?), due in November and loaded with Microsoft's mobile OS newcomer Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, that's all the information provided, but it's certainly enough to entice us. Also in November, we've got Samsung i8700 and Nokia E7 -- the latter being possibly a N8-esque QWERTY slider with AMOLED display and Symbian^3, and the former being a mystery (although Omio takes a gander that its aquatic Greek mythology might suggest a Bada-powered existence). Going up the list Memento style, October purportedly brings across the pond-ers HTC Vision, the virtually unknown HTC Ace, Nokia N8, and Sony Ericsson's Xperia X8 and Yendo. September's a bit of a yawner -- SE Hazel and a Nokia X2 candybar -- as is August with the X6 8GB and BlackBerry Curve 9300. And July? Nokia E5-00, Sony Ericsson W20, and Samsung i5500. As is usually the case, the more you can wait, the better your options. Now, let's see if this supposed roadmap stays on course.
X2 promises a clutch of elusive iTablets for Computex
We're gearing up for Computex, and so is X2, apparently. The iTablet (which has been announced and then failed to materialize in the past) will be making an appearance at the show with not one but five variants. Seems like they're throwing the kitchen sink at us to see what will stick, eh? According to JKK Mobile we can, look forward to no less than three Intel-sportin' devices (including the iTablet Lite, which features a 10.1-inch display and 1.6GHz Atom CPU and both the T23A and T23X tablets with Core 2 Duo 743 1.30GHz CPU and 12.1-inch display) as well as a pair of 10.1-inch bad boys including the iTablet Speed-Lite (Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz, 1GB RAM, 512MB NAND Flash storage) and the iTablet Ex-Lite II, which is pretty much the same but for the Freescale 800MHz CPU. The latter two will rock either Windows CE 6 or Android 2.0, apparently. We'll hold out for prices and actual product before passing judgement, but until then you can hit the source link -- you know, if you've never seen rendered images of vaporware tablets.
Nokia X2 follows X3's footsteps, welcomes Series 40 to the Xseries fold
A number of Series 40 devices were branded with Nokia's "XpressMusic" label back in the day, so why not Xseries, too? Well, Nokia must be on the same page, because it has just announced the X2 candybar without a trace of smartphone DNA to its name after the X3 kicked things off a few months ago. The relatively low-end phone clocks in with a 5 megapixel cam with flash, 2.2-inch QVGA display, Ovi Store and Facebook support, dual loudspeakers, integrated FM radio, dedicated music keys, and microSD expansion up to 16GB (32GB would've been nice, but considering the scarcity and overwhelming price of said cards, it really doesn't matter too much in practice). The 13mm-thick piece is due before the end of June for €85 ($113), which is a heck of a value by our rough math.
Sony Ericsson pushes major firmware update for Xperia X2, all three owners celebrate
Alright, X2 owners, you ready for this? Odds are you aren't, since virtually all of you are east of the Atlantic where it's getting close to bedtime and you're not likely reading this -- and for our New World friends, the North American version is still inexplicably missing in action. Be that as it may, though, Sony Ericsson hasn't given up on its critically panned Xperia X2, delivering a sizable new firmware update that offers a variety of goodies like FM radio support, video calling, sundry performance and stability improvements, and SlideView 2.0 featuring "better usability throughout with a fresh design." It's currently being rolled out market by market, but the company expects everyone to have access to it by the end of the week -- except North Americans, of course, unless SonyStyle decides to get its but in gear in the next day or two.