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Sony Dash given ability to stream TVs and movies from Netflix, new lease on life
We were filled with excitement the moment Sony took the wraps off of its Dash personal internet viewer back at CES, but after learning that this was less of a tablet and more a sophisticated widget machine for in-home use, our joviality was understandably squashed. Today, Sony has given the doubters a reason to perk back up and pay attention, as the April-bound device will ship with the ability to stream Watch Instantly content from Netflix. As if that wasn't enough, Demand Media will also be offering Dash-tailored portals to content from eHow, Golflink and Livestrong.com, and it'll have no issues streaming "online music videos, television, or film content on-demand" to the 7-inch touchpanel. Still not convinced that this thing is worth $199? It's just an external battery mod away from greatness, you know!
Sony catches tablet fever, wants to be an 'active player'
Sony has long said it would cautiously approach the tablet market while it built up its Reader e-book line, but it looks like things are picking up a little steam: CFO Nobuyuki Oneda said the company is "very interested" in the tablet market during his post-earnings report news conference. Oneda said that Sony's "confident we have the skills to create a product," and that "Time-wise we are a little behind the iPad but it's a space we would like to be an active player in." We could certainly see a Sony device about the size of the Reader Daily Edition making a splash, especially if it's tied in with Sony's new push at a unified online experience -- and dare we hope for tablet remix of the Dash Internet Viewer (pictured above) based on the Chumby OS? Time will tell.
MyFord Touch coming to 2011 Ford Focus
The 2010 Detroit Auto Show has just kicked off and Ford's plans for the 2011 Focus have been made official. While others might care more about the 155bhp or new six-speed dual-clutch transmission, we're best pleased by the inclusion of the MyFord touch control system. This setup was designed to drag the car dash into the modern touchscreen era, and our comprehensive hands-on revealed it to be a most impressive bit of tech. Two displays flank the analog speed gauge, but the pièce de résistance is an 8-inch, 800 x 480 optional screen landing in the center of the dash. Endued with a web browser, it'll connect via 3G or 4G modems and concurrently act as a WiFi hotspot. Add in a bunch of forthcoming apps and compatibility with any Bluetooth device, and you've got a tech lover's dream system. The next generation Focus should enter production near the end of 2010, giving us a full year to write a "vroom, vroom" app for our smartphones.
Sony Dash gets down with Chumby and Bravia Internet video (hands-on)
Don't call it a Chumby, this is Sony's Dash WiFi Internet Viewer. We took a brief moment to muss that 7-inch capacitive touchscreen served with 1,000s of Chumby applications and Sony's own integrated Bravia Internet video platform giving you access to YouTube, Pandora radio, and more. The device is powered by a Marvell processor (though Sony won't confirm that on camera) and felt pretty snappy on the prototype we handled. Seems practical as a bedroom internet appliance / alarm clock until you consider the $199 you'll pay when it launches in April. Check it in action after the break.
Sony introduces Dash Internet Viewer touchscreen tablet (Update: it runs Chumby OS!)
We've got another one, folks: Sony's doing a tablet. The Dash Internet Viewer is a touchscreen WiFi device which can be propped up like a digital photo frame or toted around the home like... a tablet. Still, a Chumby comparison might be more appropriate: the 7-inch device can run Chumby apps (there are over 1,000 free ones out there already), to which Sony will be adding its own Sony Music and Sony Pictures properties for movie trailers, music videos and so forth. The $199 unit can be stood on end or tilted quasi-flat for a variety of hands-free viewing angles, and works as an alarm clock, waking users up to the sweet sounds and visuals of internet videos. The Dash ships in April. Update: We just confirmed that this device runs Chumby OS and is not portable (as in, there's no built-in battery). Rest assured, this is no slate / tablet rival -- in fact, it's more like a sophisticated alarm clock. %Gallery-81802%
$10,000 worth of iPhones stolen from Lancaster, PA Apple Store
Apple Stores continue to be sizable targets for theft, it seems -- the local paper in Lancaster, PA reports that four young men stole 17 iPhones from the displays at an Apple Store recently, resulting in almost $10,000 worth of losses. The robbery took place during the day; at around 1:30pm, the young men just started grabbing, and walked out of the store with as many iPhones as they could carry. Not that it'll probably do anything but get them in trouble. All of the phones are already entered in a crime database, and they were removed from the store without SIM cards, so any attempt to officially activate them will probably raise flags somewhere. Of course, from my time in retail I know that most retailers just usually write losses like this off, as it's just cheaper to eat the loss than deal with going after whoever stole the units. But you never know -- the police apparently have video and everything, so if the kids are caught, maybe they will face the music. Moral of the story: don't leave your iPhone lying around an Apple Store? On the other hand, the warehouses aren't safe either, at least not in Belgium... [ via @esposimi]
Maingear, CyberPower and iBuyPower gaming desktops pick up ATI Radeon HD 5870
ATI's Radeon HD 5870 GPU has already taken its rightful place within a few of Alienware's newest desktops, but as with most every major GPU launch, a few of the smaller guys are also taking the opportunity to offer gamers the option to pick one up inside of a new rig. Maingear's Ephex, F131, Prelude, and Dash can all be ordered up right now with the staggeringly potent graphics card, and if none of those suit your fancy, CyberPower would be more than happy to have your business. In fact, it has squeezed the DirectX 11-friendly GPU into the Gamer Xtreme 4200 (starts at $999), Gamer Xtreme 5200 (starts at $1,393) and the AMD-based Gamer Dragon 9500 (starting at $927). Still on the hunt? iBuyPower has an eerily similar trio, though their lineup starts at just $819. Hit the read links below if you feel like putting together a system for kicks, but don't blame us when the order button presses itself.Read - Maingear rigsRead - CyberPower rigsRead - iBuyPower rigs
One Shots: We think Wright would approve
With the news today about a new digital expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, there's a lot of buzz in the community. That's why we couldn't resist bringing you this great scene of Hobbit home-building that was sent in to us by Dash. He writes in: I recently started playing Lord of the Rings Online again out of curiosity on how it has evolved since launch. While exploring the area a little while away from Bree I came across a little Hobbit town called Buckland that has to be one of my favourite areas in the game so far. Hobbits are pro at architecture. We know at least one famous architect who would definitely have agreed with you. If you've run across an area you absolutely love, we want to see it and hear a bit about why you think it's so great! Just email it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a brief description. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for snapping such a great screenshot.%Gallery-9798%
Samsung Instinct S50 now reportedly the Instinct HD, 'HD' officially the new black
It's already gone through more than its share of name changes, but it looks like Sprint's upcoming Samsung m850 Dash, most recently known as the Instinct S50, has now apparently found one that's stuck: the Instinct HD. No word if that means it'll actually handle HD video in one way or another, of course, nor is there any word on anything like a price or release date -- although with the FCC business out of the way, it seems like this one could be getting fully official sooner rather than later.
Sprint's Samsung m850 Dash in the wild with sweet, action-packed motion blur
We'd just seen the m850 Dash earn its FCC wings earlier today, and now here it is again -- this time in living color. Though we don't know whether it'll ultimately end up trading the Dash name we've heard so far for more familiar Instinct branding, it goes without saying that the new model is a spiritual member of the Instinct family, taking the curvy industrial design first seen in the s30 to another level. We'll admit, it's pretty -- but as we've said before, it remains to be seen how relevant a phone like this will ultimately be in the face of Android-powered models from Sammy on Sprint in the same price range. [Thanks, Matt]
Samsung m850 Dash for Sprint finds itself flush with FCC approval
That slick, shiny, Instinct-ish m850 Dash that first broke on invisibleSHIELD's site a few months back has been refreshed to the forefront of our memory today thanks to the good ol' boys and girls at the FCC. We can't really make anything of the filing beyond the fact that it'll have EV-DO, Bluetooth, and WiFi (nice), but we did find it interesting that the Samsung dude working to get the phone approved specifically says "We'd appreciated [sic] it if you would issue Grants ASAP," suggesting that someone -- say, Sprint, for instance -- is in a rush to get this puppy to market. With the s30 down below, the business case for the Dash (or whatever the go-to-market name ends up being) is a tricky one -- especially with an onslaught of Android gear on the way from these guys -- but we imagine they'll sell a few.
T-Mobile Dash 3G slips into availability on T-Mobile's website
Well, there wasn't exactly much mystery left around this one, but it looks like the HTC-made Dash 3G (or Maple, or S522, or Snap) has now finally rolled its way into availability on T-Mobile's website, just as expected. While its full suggested price is $349.99, T-Mobile will gladly let this one go for just $169.99 on a two-year contract, which'll of course get you a Windows Mobile 6.1-based device with a full QWERTY keyboard, and plenty of niceties like built-in WiFi, GPS, Exchange support, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, and some nifty red accents and refined touches that certainly make the original Dash look a bit dated in comparison.[Via Mobile Burn]
T-Mobile Dash 3G now officially official, makes speedy arrival in July
Exactly as we heard, T-Mobile's managed to nab itself the Dash 3G, who while on the lam went by the pseudonyms Maple, S522, and even the Sprint-bound HTC Snap. The much prettier replacement to T-Mo's Dash is decked out with Windows Mobile 6.1, 802.11b/g WIFI, GPS, and red accents on its glossy black exterior. Not a dollar sign or price in sight, but without a doubt we'll be filling in that blank before its now-confirmed July release date.
RIM buys Dash Navigation
Remember Dash? The upstart connected GPS maker who put out the much-loved Dash Express but didn't realize people didn't want to pay a monthly fee for GPS services and eventually folded in on itself? Well yeah -- they've just been snapped up by RIM, presumably meaning we'll see some nifty new online GPS action in future BlackBerrys. Terms of the deal aren't yet known, but we're eager to see how RIM plays with this with its carrier partners, most of whom charge extra fees for GPS features.[Via Phone Scoop]
Samsung m850 Dash shows up on accessory maker's site
The Instinct s30 is all well and good, but we've known for a while that this isn't the original Instinct's true successor; those honors are reserved for the m850 Dash. If you want to know exactly what the Dash will look like when it's released later this summer (hopefully), look no further than invisibleSHIELD's website where they're already advertising protection for the phone -- which no one presently has. We suppose the engineers up in Sprint's labs validating this thing might want to keep their prototype units safe, so for that noble service, invisibleSHIELD, we say "thank you." [Thanks, FKL]
T-Mobile Dash now available in black, ninjas swoon
Alright, you've got to really love Dashes and really love the color black to make this investment, because it's now confirmed: the black Dash for T-Mobile is the same thing as the original, just with a little less raw aluminum involved. No 3G, no awesome camera, and at this point, we can't even tell if they've bumped it to WinMo 6.1 as rumored (though we'd certainly hope they did). It's available now for a penny shy of a Benjamin on contract after rebates.[Thanks, aussiedog]Update: Commenter NocNocNoc tells us that it's still running 6.0, which makes this model just that much more anticlimactic. Bummer.
Refreshed T-Mobile Dash looks more real than ever
That new (well, "new" might be a stretch) Dash for T-Mobile has itself this unflattering official shot now, and we've got to say: the silver front worked just fine for us. If anything, the freshly-blackened handset just looks like it's had the aluminum highlights torn off, exposing a nightmarish landscape of raw, unfinished plastic bits never meant for the public eye. Okay, that's going a bit far, but do you see what we mean? In other news, the old Dash has disappeared from T-Mobile's retail site, suggesting that the launch of the new model is imminent, WinMo 6.1 and all. Honestly, guys, you could run it over a belt sander and change the keyboard layout to Dvorak -- just give us Android and 3G, and we're all in.[Thanks, Ellis D.]
New T-Mobile Dash spotted in the wild, nothing really new about it
Remember that wild, all-black Dash we peeped a couple days ago? We have no intention of scuttling your hopes and dreams, but aside from a few cosmetic differences (they removed the aluminum front piece, the keyboard has been spaced out a little bit, and the OS has been bumped up to Windows Mobile 6.1) it looks like the 'new' Dash isn't all that new after all. But who cares if there's nothing revolutionary here? Just take a look at the bright side -- maybe this means we'll be seeing a new Manhattan sometime soon.
T-Mobile Dash may not be getting an overhaul, may not be in stores now
Did we just blow your mind with this all-black T-Mobile Dash? Besides sporting a new look, this furtively shot handset seems to confirm details we received from a tipster over the weekend. According to the source, the new phones have been seen in a few T-Mob stores across the country, and they're sporting Windows 6.1 and a camera upgrade of some sort. We're light on details, like whether or not this bad boy is 3G, but then again there's no telling whether or not any of this is even for reals. But that is a picture, isn't it? We'll just have to wait and see.[Thanks, Scott K]
Engadget Podcast 117 - 11.07.2008: Zune giveaway edition
Yes -- it's happening again. Another installment of the beloved Engadget Podcast has made its way to the virtual airwaves of the ever-loving internet, and now you can listen in for personal enjoyment and edification. Today Josh, Paul, and Nilay get to the heart of our recent "preferred OS" poll, Apple's treatment of iPhone developers, Amazon's abandonment of painful packaging, and more. Included in this podcast is a first-ever (for Engadget at least) on-air unboxing. That's right, hear the sounds of a Gears of War 2 Zune getting ripped open. As a treat to our faithful listeners, we'll be giving away that very special edition 120GB Zune! Follow the instructions after the break to learn how to make it yours. Update: We've also included that Best Buy rap discussed in the podcast. Enjoy! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Smells Like Teen Spirit 01:43 - Poll: Which OS do you prefer? 12:38 - Apple adds OTA podcast downloads to iPhone firmware 2.2, continues to burn developers 27:14 - Amazon takes a stand to eliminate wasteful, hard-to-open gadget packaging 34:30 - Circuit City announces store closure plans, full list of locations revealed 45:51 - Dash cuts 50 employees, drastically changing business model 55:05 - Gears of War 2 canvasses special-edition Zune Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.
