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BMW's visions for future mobility look as ridiculous as they are impractical
Turns out we were way off on this whole car of tomorrow business. According to BMW the car of tomorrow is a form-fitting suit with unflattering horizontal lines and ball-bearing shoes. Or, maybe it's a kind of bat winged jacket that attaches to a collapsible scooter... thing. That one's called Flymag, pictured above, which converts into a backpack and apparently makes you FOF when you sit on it. These concepts and more are courtesy of FDI, the International Design School in Barcelona, and are on display through the end of this month at Rambla de Catalunya. Go see them now before they're relegated to the annals of yesterday's crazy visions for tomorrow. %Gallery-115029%
Samsung's Galaxy S is set for an 'evolution' at MWC in February
That Samsung intends to bring a Galaxy S successor to MWC 2011 was already a known known, but now the company's turning up the hype machine with an update to its Samsung Unpacked website. There, for the pleasure of your eyes and the tickling of your imagination, Sammy has positioned its familiar super-selling Android smartphone alongside a not-too-cryptic message promising that "evolution is fate." We're smelling a cute play on words here, similar to what LG did with its Revolution handset, potentially implying that the next Galaxy flagship will have LTE (Long Term Evolution) connectivity built in. That, along with the promised dual-core chip within, should easily outshine the Infuse 4G (which has HSPA+ and a single-core Hummingbird inside) recently announced for AT&T in the States. We'll get the next dose of our teasing on February 1st, the site promises, before the full unveil in Barcelona on February 13th. Our hearts are all aflutter already. [Thanks, Patrick]
Lonely Planet giving away free iPhone guides in honor of Eyjafjallajökull messing with Europe
Did Eyjafjallajökull mess your week up? The answer is probably "no" if you're asking who Eyjafjallajökull is. For those of us who did have our week interrupted by that big exploding volcano in Iceland, Lonely Planet is offering thirteen of its City Guides for free in the App Store (and okay, they're free to all, no proof of volcano-interruption required). The aptly-named "Volcano Relief Sale" is being held in hopes of helping travelers stuck in unfamiliar places find "access to practical information as well as suggestions on what to do whilst stranded," according to Tom Hall, Lonely Planet Travel Editor. "That's why we're giving away iPhone city guides to major affected destinations." Those destinations include: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Copenhagen, Istanbul, London, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and Vienna. I've been to all but two of those destinations, and if you're stuck in any of them, you really should be thanking Eyjafjallajökull (and now, Lonely Planet). The thirteen City Guides are normally priced between $10 and $15, so this is quite a bargain. But act fast, the City Guides will only be available for free until April 22 -- hopefully a date which will also see many more planes back in the air. [via Macworld] [Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video]
Windows Mobile 7 interface and device leaked on MWC banners
The eagle-eyed folks of learnbemobile have come across this stupendous leak of Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Mobile 7 OS. It would appear that some last minute alterations were taking place under the covers in Barcelona, though apparently no one bothered to check if there were cameras around before lifting said covers. You can see what appears to be some kind of Xbox Live integration -- which was heavily rumored already -- taking up a corner of what's presumably a new home screen for the OS. There are also big, finger-loving notice icons for calls, text messages, and email, with sections for Facebook, Pictures and "Me" filling out the rest. We don't have any more info than these few shots, and the aforementioned site just has the images camped out on its Facebook page, but it definitely looks to be the real deal. If this is the new face of Windows Mobile, color us excited for today's event -- it looks like a radical departure (or at least a crazy skin). You can check out a few more shots in the gallery below. [Thanks, HJ Willems] Update: The official announcement has now been made and fully corroborates the visuals leaked here. Check out our hands-on experience with the fresh new software to learn more. %Gallery-85521%
Twenty-four telecom operators unite to form Wholesale Applications Community
Big doings over in Barcelona today. Twenty-four telecom operators, with the support of the GSMA and three major hardware manufacturers, have formally announced they will come together to form the Wholesale Applications Community. Essentially, the goal of the alliance will be to create a viable, cohesive and open industry platform for mobile app developers. Members of the Community will include AT&T, China Mobile, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, TeliaSonera, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone among others, and they'll be supported in their endeavors by LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. The total customers of the group is about 3 billion, giving WAC (our name) some considerable -- albeit theoretical for the moment -- power. The group plans to work on coming up with a standard for working across platforms over the next twelve months. WAC's website just went live a bit ago -- there's a link to it below -- and the full press release is after the break.
Microsoft's Windows Phone event at MWC kicks off tomorrow at 9AM ET
If you're both ready and set, then you'll be pleased to know that Microsoft has major Windows Mobile goings-on to discuss tomorrow at 9AM ET (3PM here in Spain). What does that really mean? Well based on the torrent of circumstantial (and actual) evidence we've seen, it looks like the big M is set to deliver its most important piece of mobile news in years: Windows Mobile 7. Or, Windows Phone 7 Series... or whatever it is they're calling it these days. Regardless, it looks like a new era for Redmond's smartphone platform, and we'll be there covering the whole thing minute-by-minute... as only Engadget can. If you're as curious as we are about Microsoft's plans, the event kicks off on Monday, February 15 at the times below. And here's the URL to park your browser at to see the action take place: 04:00AM - Hawaii 06:00AM - Pacific 07:00AM - Mountain 08:00AM - Central 09:00AM - Eastern 02:00PM - London 03:00PM - Paris 11:00PM - Tokyo
Microsoft's MWC digs come together, 'Ready, Set' is the theme (and Steve Ballmer's hosting)
The fine city of Barcelona is abuzz this week as final preparations for Mobile World Congress fall into place -- and as you probably know by now, we're all expecting Microsoft to pull out all of the stops to introduce Windows Mobile 7. Just like last year, Redmond is renting out the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel across the street from the convention center to help kick off its announcements in style, and reader Javier has been kind enough to send in some shots of the facility getting done up in Microsoft livery for the event. There aren't any spoilers here, sadly, but we can see that the company's "Windows Phone" branding figures prominently (we should hope as much) and they're using the catchphrase "Ready. Set." to get everyone fired up. You might say the "wow" starts now -- or, you know, you might not. Either way, be sure to keep it tuned right here throughout next week's festivities, because we'll be bringing you tons of coverage live! If you're as curious as we are about Microsoft's plans, here's when the event (which you can bet your bottom euro we'll be liveblogging) kicks off on Monday, February 15: 03:00AM - Hawaii 06:00AM - Pacific 07:00AM - Mountain 08:00AM - Central 09:00AM - Eastern 02:00PM - London 03:00PM - Paris 11:00PM - Tokyo [Thanks, Javier M.] Update: We've gotten email confirmation from Microsoft today that none other than the head honcho, Steve Ballmer, will be hosting the press conference -- which means we need roughly 20 percent less coffee before showing up than we would otherwise. %Gallery-85141%
HTC exec promises Hero successor in 2010, debut at Mobile World Congress
Yet another reason to love the Swedes: they give us juicy details. Former LG Sales Manager turned HTC Sweden exec Patrik Andersson has dropped word that a sequel to HTC Hero is coming next year. We know what you're thinking: an upgrade to the company's successful multi-carrier flagship Android device? You don't say! The real interesting point here is when it'll make its debut, and that's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this February. Happy Valentine's, indeed, and if you get to the press conference early, save us a seat?
Electromagnetic invisibility a precursor to the real thing?
This could either be that one giant leap, or just another in a long sequence of multidirectional small steps on the Quixotic quest for undetectability. So-called dc metamaterials are the chief culprit for inciting our interest anew, as researchers from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have found a way to use them to render metallic objects invisible to low frequency electromagnetic waves. Composed of irregular networks of superconductors, the metamaterials are capable of granting superpowers altering the magnetic field of materials, and in theory, this advance could aid magnetic imaging in medical settings and also help cloak military vessels from magnetic detection. Of course, there's still the whole "oh, now we need a working prototype" conundrum, but hey, at least we've got the gears turning in the right direction.[Via PhysOrg]
Thought controlled orchestra makes its debut in Prague
The Multimodal Brain Orchestra had its world premiere last week in Prague, a city known for its big thinkers (and its Velvet Revolution). As a guy in black tie-and-tails led the traditional players through their arpeggios and glissandos, an "emotional conductor" led four performers fitted with G-Tec caps as they controlled both visuals and the sounds, frequencies, and volumes of various instruments. The controls were based on two of the effects that EEGs measure, SSVEP (or steady-state evoked potential) and the P300 signal. While we're not sure if this will ever take off in the classical world, we do think that there are quite a few turntablists who could do some wild things with a thought controlled Kaoss Pad. Are you listening, Korg? Video after the break.[Via Make]
GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona: we're here!
If this last week's wide assortment of pre-show announcements and leaks was any indication, this is going to be one helluva MWC. Naturally, we're here, on the ground, scarfing down tapas and working ourselves into a mild frenzy. The excitement is due to begin at 5PM local time (11AM EST) with some pre-show events, and should carry well into the night as phones are unveiled, embargoes lift, and we get our hands on the latest and greatest. The show proper begins tomorrow, so rouse yourself a few hours early, pour a pot of coffee into your face, head on over to Engadget Mobile and get ready for phones, phones and more phones! Nuestro equipo de Engadget en español también está aquí, y realizará las coberturas en directo y en español!
Samsung to show off LTE chipset at MWC
We've known Samsung was working on an LTE chipset for quite a while now, but word's come down from on high that we'll get to see it on show at MWC (which is now just days away). There's no word on which handset we're going to see with the new chipset, but we hear that, among other things, Samsung's going to show its GPP LTE Rel-8 standard-based video-on-demand (VOD) and Internet telephony service using the aforementioned LTE chip-adapted phone and data card, plus it's set to unveil its Mobile WiMAX Ubicell, which uses femtocell connections for use at home or in the office. Barcelona, here we come![Via Samsung Central]
AMD's 45nm Shanghai enters production, next stops are Deneb, Istanbul
Let's not beat around the bush: AMD's oft-delayed Barcelona quad-core processor was a flop. It arrived late and buggy, an undesirable reception that helped to drive the company's $1.2 billion Q2 loss this year. AMD can't afford another flub like that and is hoping that processor's successor, Shanghai, finds more success in the server market. It's a 45nm quad-core chip with three times the cache (6MB) and HyperTransport 3, apparently equating to a 20 percent boost in speed and even thriftier power consumption. AMD is saying the chip is already under production and will be available for sale before the year is out, actually beating expectations for once. That should be shortly followed by the release of 45nm Deneb processors for desktops, then six-core Istanbul chips sometime late 2009. Meanwhile, Intel's six-core, 45nm server chips are now shipping.
AMD's Shanghai proffers 12 cores, HyperTransport 3.0
If your interest in processor speeds doesn't extend much beyond "is it fast?" then these juicy tidbits likely aren't for you. That said, AMD is certainly getting excited about its upcoming Barcelona successor: the 45nm Shanghai. The main points of interest out of the gate are HyperTransport 3.0, which was nixed late in the game on Barcelona, and six cores, which are meant to pit the chip up against Intel's upcoming six-core Dunnington chip. Where things get really exciting is a few months after Shanghai's late 2008 debut, when AMD plans do release a twin-die version, with 12 cores of happiness connected by HyperTransport 3.0. What does all that mean? Beats us, but we hope it's fast.
AMD's quad-core Opteron processor now available in select systems
Some seven months after AMD first tooted its horn about creating the "world's most advanced x86 CPU," the quad-core Opteron is finally shipping. Effective today, consumers eager to wrap their brains around all that purported power can find the chips residing in a variety of HP machines (read: servers) as well as in systems from other "distributors, system integrators and specialized OEMs." Unfortunately, little is said about the widespread availability of the CPU beyond that, but at least it's getting out the door in one way or another, right?[Via CNET]Read - Opteron heads to select partnersRead - Opteron now available in OEM platforms
Emergency Heroes to put out fires on Wii this May
Ubisoft has announced plans to race to the Wii scene this May with "an open world rescue driving game" called Emergency Heroes. While details remain sketchy, Ubisoft has confirmed that the game will feature two-player co-op and 16 different police, fire, and EMT vehicles to drive about while protecting the city of San Alto.Strapped into the driver's seat on this Wii-exclusive project are both Ubisoft Barcelona and Ubisoft Reflections, the latter of which has more than a few racing games to its credit. Even so, we remain unsure of how to feel about Emergency Heroes, as while Reflections struck gold in 1999 with Driver, since then the company has become better known for having driven the franchise off a cliff with all of the gusto of a man with a death wish. Gallery: Emergency Heroes
We're out, see you next year Mobile World Congress
It's been a pretty mad week at Mobile World Congress, with handset announcements coming faster than our sore legs, backs, and overused cameras could hope to keep up with. But in the end, it was all worth it as we peeped a few gems -- and a decent collection of crapgadget-worthy stuff as well. We were looking forward to Android news at this week's show and were rewarded with a goodly pile from various manufacturers. Standout handsets include Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1, modu -- we think this is really cool, here's hoping they can pull it off -- NVIDIA's APX 2500, and of course, Polymer Vision's Readius. Sadly we saw just about nothing from our friends at Motorola, and while the dirt hasn't filled the grave quite yet, it's looking like a close thing. We had a blast, hope to catch you again next year.%Gallery-16209%
AMD delays Barcelona (again), turns attention to Brisbane
Oh AMD, you just can't keep it together, can you? Advanced Micro Devices, a company known for its share of "issues," has once again delayed its much-hyped, energy efficient Barcelona CPU. Apparently, a technical irregularity has caused the company to push back the release date for widespread availability of the chip until sometime early next year. The glitch, which causes the chip to fail, is just another line of setbacks on the product's path to release (originally set for mid-2007). John Taylor, a company spokesman, says, "We're continuing to ship it but only to specific customers." The company is offering a workaround for the chips until the problems are solved, though users will see an impact on performance. In other heart-wrenching (though seemingly unrelated) AMD news, the chipmaker has decided to re-up its older K8 architecture, refocusing on "Brisbane"-based chips, and even adding a few new models to the line. Over the next two quarters, the company will release 11 new 65nm chips based on the older format, while just three new entries will be made in the "Phenom" -- or K10 -- line. Look, Hector, everyone is pulling for you (except maybe Intel) -- just get it together, man![Thanks, Gary J]Read - A.M.D. Delays Energy-Efficient Chip AgainRead - AMD Resurrects K8 Architecture for 2008 Roadmap
AMD updates roadmap: Barcelona "nearly here," all-new chips in 2010
AMD had itself a busy day today: not only did the European Commission file antitrust charges against Intel for interfering with AMD's business in Europe, the Sunnyvale company released an updated product roadmap at its annual analyst conference. With the quad-core Barcelona processor on track for an August launch, the company announced its next-gen mobile platform, "Puma," which will feature hybrid graphics support. Looking even farther ahead, AMD also announced some chips we won't see for a while yet: the all-new workstation- and server-oriented "Bulldozer" chip and mobile device "Bobcat" chip are scheduled to arrive sometime in 2010, and represent entirely new chip designs for the company. The hits didn't stop there, however: AMD's also announced its first Fusion integrated CPU / GPU chip, the "Falcon," which will use the Bulldozer core -- no word on what happened to Hawk or when we'll see this ship. Finally, the company answered speculation that it's looking to get out of the manufacturing game by saying that it's aiming for the "right balance" between in-house and outside fabrication, but that it's committed to its current existing mix through 2009. All in all, it looks like AMD has got some pretty ambitious plans for the future -- but will it be enough to hold off scrappy upstart Hynix? Tons more info, including all the slides, at the read link.[Thanks, Ryan]
AMD readies quad-core Barcelona for August shipment
Those eager to lay down for the "industry's first" native x86 quad-core processor have but a few months left to wait, as AMD just announced that its quad-core Opteron's would begin shipping in August. Codenamed Barcelona, these CPUs will be launching in both "standard and low power versions," hit frequencies of up to 2GHz, and should provide performance increases of up to "70-percent" over existing Opterons in select applications. Additionally, those who can hold off a bit can look forward to even speedier chips in Q4 of this year, and an elusive "Special Edition" version should also be just around the bend. Per usual, no hints on what kind of premium you'll pay for this wee piece of silicon come August, but AMD did note that the processors wouldn't hit mainstream systems until September.
