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  • Distro Issue 33 takes on Apple's new iPad -- Now in HD!

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    03.23.2012

    Late last week, Apple unleashed its new iPad on the world, and in this issue of Distro we'll let our review of the high-res tablet loose on you. While the iPad may be out in front in terms of sales today, our Weekly Stat shows that the army of Android competitors may surpass it by 2016. We'll give one of those soldiers, the Acer Iconia Tab A200, the review treatment in this issue, as well as Wacom's latest tablet of another sort, the Intuos5 Touch, and Samsung's rugged handset, the Rugby Smart. Also on offer in our 33rd edition are a host of regular exclusives: Recommended Reading, Switched On, a Q&A with Tekzilla's Patrick Norton and the comic stylings of Box Brown. So grab the tablet of your choosing and hit the appropriate download link below, but make sure to update your app if you're sporting Apple's latest slate -- we've optimized Distro for high-res viewing.Distro Issue 33 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Play StoreDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Distro Issue 32: HP's glass-clad Envy 14 Spectre and the state of portable gaming

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    03.16.2012

    With the Ultrabook onslaught in full effect, manufacturers are doing their best to make their Air opponents stand out from the crowd. For its part, HP has outfitted its ultra offering, the Envy 14 Spectre, with a touch of glass and NFC baked-in. In this issue of Distro we'll find out if those two additions are enough to make it worth the $1,400 starting price. Also in this issue, Sean Buckley reports from GDC 2012 with a look at the portable gaming industry's "big three." In addition, we put HTC's Sense UI 3.6 and Sony's Xperia S to the test, Tango's Eric Setton takes on the Q&A and Box Brown draws a Last Word with the drinksman in mind. So grab yourself a beverage and get to downloading.Distro Issue 32 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Want to work for Engadget? We're hiring a copy editor!

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    03.15.2012

    Do you love gadgets? Do you hate typos? Do you have experience working as a copy editor or proofreader? Are you looking for work? Lucky you! We're looking for a dedicated freelancer to join our team and kill those dreadful dangling participles. Here's what we're looking for: A Copy Editor / Proofreader: Part-time (freelance) living in or around New York City or San Francisco with at least two years experience working at an established publication.Want to apply? Read on!

  • Distro Issue 31: Tales from the South Pacific, Apple's new iPad and the Woz

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    03.09.2012

    Let's just call Issue 31 the New Issue, shall we? That's what Apple did this week with the refresh of the iPad, and in this week's refresh of Distro, we'll bring you our first-hand impressions of Cupertino's latest slate. Also in this issue, Darren Murph takes a look at the challenges of bringing wireless to the disconnected, in "Internet Tales from the South Pacific," and Steve Wozniak tackles the Distro Q&A like only he can. We'll also bring you our reviews of Lytro's debut light field camera and Dell's XPS 13 Ultrabook. So go on and download the new issue.Distro Issue 31 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Distro Issue 30 brings you 'The Best of Mobile World Congress 2012'

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    03.02.2012

    While a handful of Engadget editors braved the show floor in Barcelona, we here at Distro HQ were busy trying to keep pace with the insane amount of news coming out of Mobile World Congress 2012. Fittingly, issue 30 of our fine weekly is packed to the rafters with the best and latest in mobile technology. Also in this issue, Tim Stevens gives us his detailed impressions of Microsoft's Windows 8 consumer preview; we pick apart the long-awaited refresh of BlackBerry PlayBook OS; and Dante Cesa dives into Razer's first gaming laptop, the Blade. Plus, we grill Mobile Burn founder Michael Oryl for the Distro Q&A; Donald Melanson offers his latest reading recommendations; we get real for IRL; and Box Brown reveals a handful of Siri Easter eggs for Last Word.Distro Issue 30 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Roll out the red carpet -- Distro Issue 29 presents the Engadget Awards

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    02.24.2012

    <div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/distro-issue-29-engadget-awards/"><img alt="Roll out the red carpet -- Distro Issue 29 presents the Engadget Awards" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/02/022412announce.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:4px;"/> </a></div>You won't see our nominees flashing smiles and diamonds on a step and repeat, but the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011readerschoice/">2011 Engadget Awards</a> are here and we've got all the winners in this week's issue of Distro. Alongside these champions of consumer electronics, we'll be scrutinizing Pantech's waterproof tablet, the Element, and its budget-friendly LTE handset, the Burst, as well as Sony's Walkman Z. We'll also give Apple's latest OS refresh a thorough once over in our in-depth preview of <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/apple-os-x-mountain-lion-10-8-in-depth-preview/">OS X Mountain Lion</a>. In addition, the Godfather of Nerdcore, MC Frontalot, answers our burning questions, we bring you our latest Recommended Reading and Box Brown takes Cupertino's big cats to task for Last Word. So, if you've been wondering who (or what) played second fiddle to Honda's ASIMO for robot of the year, there's only one way to find out: get to downloading!<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://stadium.weblogsinc.com/engadget/distro/022412_DISTRO_book.pdf"><em>Distro Issue 29 PDF</em></a></strong><br /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/distro/id459434195?mt=8"><em>Distro on the iTunes App Store</em></a><br /><a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.aol.mobile.engadget.weekly"><em>Distro in the Android Market</em></a><br /><em><a href="http://stadium.weblogsinc.com/engadget/files/Distro-1.0.13.1.apk">Distro APK (for sideloading)</a></em><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Engadget-Distro/224012260990317"><em>Like Distro on Facebook</em></a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/engadgetdistro"><em>Follow Distro on Twitter</em></a>

  • Distro Issue 28: A slew of device reviews and a look back at CP+ 2012

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    02.17.2012

    Apple's kitty cat-flavored OS refresh may have dominated the news this week, but it was a deluge of product reviews that kept the wheels spinning at Distro HQ. Issue 28 is one of our heftiest yet, featuring Sony's stateside PS Vita, Ainovo's $99 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet, Motorola's QWERTY kin, the Droid 4, the AT&T version of Samsung's ample Galaxy Note and LG's fashionable Prada Phone. Shaking things up a bit, Zach Honig travels to Yokohama, Japan to bring you the biggest breakouts from the 2012 CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show. And, to round it all out, we've got a healthy helping of content you won't see anywhere else, like Ross Rubin's Switched On, Donald Melanson's Recommended Reading, our Q&A with Netbooknews' Nicole Scott and a lesson on "How to Be Happy" by cartoonist Shannon Wheeler.Distro Issue 28 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Distro goes 'Beyond the Revolution' to explore tech in post-Mubarak Egypt

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    02.10.2012

    Nearly one year ago, dictator Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down after 18 consecutive days of protest by Egyptian citizens. Those demonstrations were organized largely through the use of social networking, cell phones and banned TV channels, a greater trend that permeated the revolutionary period now known as the Arab Spring. To mark the anniversary of Mubarak's ousting, Sharif Sakr traveled to Egypt to speak with five Egyptians about the role that technology plays in their lives today. This issue of Distro also features reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, Motorola's Droid RAZR Maxx, Sony's Alpha NEX-7 and a Q&A with the founder of the Ubuntu Project, Mark Shuttleworth. If you've been looking for a good reason to download an issue of Distro, look no further.Distro Issue 27 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Distro Issue 26: Smartwatch face-off, Ryan Block and more

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    02.03.2012

    Are you ready for a showdown? You're in luck! In the latest edition of our fine weekly, Myriam Joire tackles wrist-top computing, comparing the inPulse and WIMM One smartwatches. Also in this issue, Zachary Lutz takes the BlackBerry Curve 9360 for a spin; Dana Wollman puts HP's latest Envy 15 through the paces; and Joe Pollicino tries to keep Klipsch's Mode M40 headphones in place. If that wasn't enough to pique your interest, our former editor-in-chief, Ryan Block, returns to take on the Distro Q&A and Box Brown offers a comic look at becoming an iBooks Author. So go on and get to downloading!Distro Issue 26 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Distro Issue 25: Ultrabook overload, Snap Analysis and Gina Trapani

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    01.27.2012

    Distro is 25... weeks old, today! And to celebrate we're debuting a new page that puts you, our readers, front and center. We've been sending out questions over various social networking channels and collecting your answers for the inaugural run of Snap Analysis. Among other things, you weighed in on RIM's CEO switch up, as did our own Darren Murph in his editorial, "RIM's New CEO Isn't the Shakeup It Needed." We have more editorializing coming your way from the desk of Donald Melanson, who's taking the Ultrabook marketing hype to task. Also in this issue, we test drive the BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 and review the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 and Huawei's Honor. Lifehacker's Gina Trapani takes on the Distro Q&A, IRL goes back to CES and Ross Rubin explores Apple's education push. There's a lot to soak up in this issue, so hit the appropriate link below and get to reading!

  • Engadget Distro Issue 24: CES Roundup, OK Go's Andy Ross and SOPA comic relief

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    01.20.2012

    We've spent the past week recuperating and reflecting, and while we're ready to put CES 2012 behind us, we're bring you this special roundup edition to cover all of our consumer electronics bases. In this issue, we'll dive deep into product categories that were overlooked in our previous CES editions, like audio, and flesh out those categories that dominated this year's coverage. Also in this issue, OK Go's Andy Ross takes on the Distro Q&A, we bring you a visual breakdown of Engadget's CES Vital Stats and Box Brown takes a comic look at the SOPA / PIPA debate. So join us in grabbing a cold one and get to downloading.Update: And we're back! Let the downloads begin!Distro Issue 24 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Distro's CES Special Edition Part II is ready for download

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    01.13.2012

    The tips of our fingers are numb from typing, we're seeing 55-inch OLEDs in our sleep (when we can get it) and we haven't eaten a green vegetable in over a week, all in the interest of bringing you the biggest news from the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. If you haven't been glued here since Sunday afternoon, we've put a Distro-flavored bow on our coverage for you. Following up on our first CES special edition, issue 23 collects the biggest breakouts from days four and five, and pulls together a collection of our favorite photos of the robots, autos and crapgadgets we peeped on the floor. Also in this issue, Box Brown brings you a cautionary comic, Ross Rubin talks app stores and Don Melanson recaps the week's best writing from around the web. We're going to submerge ourselves in an isolation tank now, but we'd recommend you download this very special edition, published live from a parking lot at the LVCC.Distro Issue 23 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on TwitterUpdate: And... we're back up and running after some technical difficulties. Enjoy!

  • Live from Las Vegas, it's Engadget Distro's CES Special Edition

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    01.12.2012

    If you're reading this, you likely know that CES 2012 is in full swing. Since things kicked off this past Sunday, we've posted some 575 different previews, posts and hands-on and sucked down countless gallons of coffee to avoid the slumber we so fondly remember. Of course, it's all in the name of keeping you informed, and to that point this very special edition of Distro is all about the Consumer Electronics Show. Doing what we do best, we've filtered out all of the noise to bring you the biggest breakouts of this year's show in an easily digestible timeline. In addition, we've compiled CES-flavored versions of all the content you've come to expect week after week. But this isn't the last you'll see of Distro this week, as we have yet another special edition coming your way from our doublewide, right here in the Nevada desert. We'll sleep when we're dead, but in the meantime, hit the download link and enjoy.Distro Issue 22 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter

  • Engadget Distro Issue 21 asks: 'Will the revolution be portable?'

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    01.06.2012

    As the unstoppable avalanche of tech news that is CES comes rushing our way, we bring you Distro Issue 21, the very first of the year. This edition brings with it three reviews: Michael Gorman takes on Samsung's Series 7 Chronos laptop, Brad Molen explores what's in Pantech's rather bizarre Pocket and Mat Smith gets his game on with Sony's next-gen portable, the PlayStation Vita. Also in this issue, our supreme leader, Tim Stevens, recommends a way for the FAA to approve devices for in-flight use, Ross Rubin talks the "Three D's of CES TV" and Matt Lees of Official Xbox Magazine answers the Distro Q&A. And, as to our plans at CES, keep it locked here for not one, but two new issues of our fine weekly, packed full of the most important news to come out of this year's show. Distro Issue 21 PDF Distro on the iTunes App Store Distro in the Android Market Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter

  • Engadget Distro's 2011 Year In Review is here!

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    12.30.2011

    As yet another year of spectacular technological gains and enormous losses comes to a close, we present to you our best attempt at a comprehensive look back: Engadget Distro's Year In Review. In "Technology_In_2011.zip" we'll provide a compressed month-by-month timeline of just a few of the year's standout stories and announcements. We'll also bring you the year in corporate mudslinging with a collection of the most outrageous "CE-Oh No He Didn't" moments and present "The Top 10 Crappiest Crapgadgets of 2011," as selected by our readers. Looking ahead, we have our predictions of what's to come at CES 2012, TechnoBuffalo's Jon Rettinger gives us some insight into his distaste for OS wars in "Q&A" and Don Melanson offers up his list of the year's must-reads. So, in the interest of retrospection, hit that download link and let's reflect. Distro Issue 20 PDF Distro on the iTunes App Store Distro in the Android Market Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter Cover Illustration by Stephen Webster.

  • Distro Issue 19: Peter Rojas plays 20 questions and Zach Honig boards Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    12.23.2011

    If you caught our release of Distro for Android tablets, you know we're in the mood for giving. In keeping with that sentiment, issue 19 ushers in two new weekly (and exclusive) features: "Recommended Reading," a guide to the best writing happening outside of our fine publication(s), and "Q&A," our take on the Proust questionnaire, answered this week by Engadget founder Peter Rojas. Of course no issue of Distro would be complete without a generous collection of reviews, and this one's packed full: Zach Honig takes a ride on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, Richard Lai covers Meizu's MX, Dana Wollman puts Samsung's Series 7 Slate PC through its paces, Tim Stevens tackles the Motorola Xyboard 8.2 and last, but most definitely not least, we examine Verizon's LTE Galaxy Nexus. It may not be your own private Watson, but it might just give you something to do between swigs of eggnog. So hit the appropriate download link and enjoy. Distro Issue 19 PDF Distro on the iTunes App Store Distro in the Android Market Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter

  • Engadget Distro now available on Android Market and iOS Newsstand!

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    12.21.2011

    Since we first launched Engadget Distro on the iPad, we've received endless requests (seriously, we're still counting them) for three things: an Android version, iOS Newsstand integration and a fount from which infinite knowledge pours from. We've promised to work on two of the three, and it's time we delivered. We're pleased to announce that Distro is now available for most Android tablets; a list of minimum supported specifications is after the break, but if you're using Android 3.x or above, you should be golden. And for those of you iPad owners longing to see Distro on Apple's Newsstand, we're there too. So, follow the appropriate link below, and get your download on. And, while we can't guarantee you'll be seeing us on your TouchPad anytime soon, the developments don't stop here. On a personal note, we're super excited to be expanding Distro, and we can't wait to hear back from the folks who will be diving in now that it's in a few new places. Enjoy! Distro on the Android Market Distro APK (for sideloading) Distro on the iTunes App Store

  • Distro Issue 18 explores the life of Ron Wayne, Apple's lost founder

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    12.16.2011

    Some have pegged Ron Wayne as unlucky; not only did he lose big by backing out of one of the most successful companies in consumer electronics, but a set of documents he once sold for a reported $500 recently demanded $1.6 million at auction. Earlier this month, Brian Heater spent two days in the Nevada desert following Apple's third founder, a man known best for his proximity to two guys named Steve and notoriously unfortunate timing. In this issue of Distro, we'll get a glimpse inside Ron's world -- a place occupied by slot machines, antique firearms and collectible coins -- and discover what he really thinks about his onetime business partners. Also in this issue, we'll double your pleasure with a pair of LG smartphone reviews: the Nitro HD and DoublePlay. Dana Wollman will rip through Jawbone's troubled fitness device, the Up, and take Lenovo's IdeaPad U400 for a spin. Ross Rubin will serve up his opinion on "WebOS' Open Sores" and we'll explore the gadgets we can't let go of in IRL. So get to downloading!

  • Engadget Distro Issue 17 takes a bite out of Android Ice Cream Sandwich -- get your om nom on!

    by 
    Christopher Trout
    Christopher Trout
    12.09.2011

    No matter how you feel about Roboto, there's no denying the anticipation that's built up around the latest overhaul of the Android operating system. In this week's issue of Distro, Brad Molen gives you the sweet lowdown on Mountain View's Ice Cream Sandwich, while Zachary Lutz explores why Carrier IQ is leaving a sour taste in some user's mouths. We also have reviews of two Android tablets: Motorola's Xoom 2 and ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Zach Honig and Richard Lai take us inside Tokyo Motor Show 2011, Ross Rubin considers a trip with Siri and Box Brown tackles the cosmos and Facebook's "like" button in the Engadget comic. So hit that download button and feed your brain.

  • Engadget Distro Issue 16 examines the Galaxy Nexus, Audi's R18 prototype and Fanatec's sim-racing gear

    by 
    Billy Steele
    Billy Steele
    12.02.2011

    Finally pulled yourself out of last week's turkey coma? Awesome. You've managed to regain consciousness just in time for a freshly baked edition of Engadget Distro. In this installment we discuss the nearly perfect Samsung Galaxy Nexus, talk up terrible product names and take a Fanatec Forza gaming duo for a test drive. Speaking of cars, we also have an exclusive look at the Audi R18 prototype and it's tech savvy pit crew, Ross Rubin offers his take on Apple's TV in Switched On and you'll get a another peek into our messenger bags with IRL. Pretty sweet, eh? Go on, hit that download now because it's Friday, and you all deserve a little pre-weekend leisurely reading.