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Distro Issue 45: a brief history of Motorola and WWDC 2012's top stories
Still recovering from last week's barrage of fitness gadgetry? Yeah, we are too. This week, we take a less active approach to the latest issue of our tablet mag. Motorola's influence on the tech that we all know and love extends far beyond flip phones and pagers. Our own Brian Heater takes a look at the history of the company in the issue's editorial feature, offering a glimpse into the timeline that led up to Google's $12.5 billion purchase. The folks in Cupertino had an event a few days back that offered a handful of juicy tidbits -- to say the least. If you fear you might've missed something or just need a quick refresher, we run down WWDC's 10 most important talking points. Speaking of which, the "Hands-on" section this week is devoted entirely to the next-gen MacBook Pro with Retina display -- in case you've been napping and haven't had a look for yourself. In terms of device reviews, we offer our thoughts on both the Sony Xperia P and Xperia U for your weekend read. If you're still reminiscing about E3, "Reaction Time" looks at Ubisoft's new title in a week that chock-full of sequels while "Eyes-on" takes a gander at the Nest thermostat and "Time Machines" visits the roots of the TI-30X IIS. The download links are just a click away, so hit yours to get started. Distro Issue 45 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (For sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi / Bluetooth cards in Alienware gaming laptops eyes-on
Last month, Dell announced that its Alienware gaming laptops would be outfitted with Qualcomm Atheros' Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi cards. Aside from sporting low-latency capabilities, the add-on also sports some Bluetooth connectivity. Here at E3, we were able to spend some time with the tech to see just how the component and its accompanying software prioritizes your bandwidth and keeps your Call of Duty multi-player sessions in the #1 slot. The Killer application allows you to set different priority levels for anything that would claim a chunk of your internet connection. For example, if you keep your title of choice in the top spot, the tech will only download files or access websites whenever World of Warcraft isn't trying to send hi-pri info across the interwebs. By default the rankings are as follows from high to low: games, real-time chat (Skype), buffer-tolerant programs (Netflix and iTunes) and file transfer or low-level systems utilities. Until the end of June, you'll only be able to snag the tech in Dell's gaming laptops. We laid our peepers on the interface at the Alienware booth, so hit up the gallery below to take a look at what you can expect with the UI.
Distro Issue 43 has arrived with Thomas Dolby: TED talks, cellphone deals and the Floating City
What's that? You've already worked your requisite 40 hours this week and you're ready to throw in the towel? Well, we've got something far more enjoyable for your Friday afternoon relaxation. Hot off of the e-presses, this week's issue of Distro is packed with a week's worth of leisurely readings. The focus this time around is on Thomas Dolby and our own Brian Heater details the '80s pop star's journey back to the stage with TED, cellphones and his own virtual world. As far as reviews go, we spend some quality time getting to know the latest Chrome OS arsenal from Google, ASUS Zenbook Prime UX21A and the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S III. Our hands-on section is still a young Padawan, but this week we breakdown Nokia 808 PureView sample shots and the recently outted Facebook Camera app. Do you have gaming on the brain with E3 less than a week away? If so, Reaction Time should hold you over with new releases and a discussion of the aforementioned gaming expo. Stat takes a look at copyright and piracy claims, we go eyes-on with the Lumia lineage, BAROBO's Graham Ryland stops by for the Q&A, Switched On tackles Cisco, IRL let's you get cozy with our gear and Rehashed looks back at the week that was in 140 characters or less. The days are winding down until it'll be too hot to enjoy that hammock, so don't waste any more time. Hit your weekly download link and snag a copy of our tablet mag. Distro Issue 43 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (For sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Distro Issue 42 lands with the Engadget Summer Gear Guide, a handsome new look and more!
Get ready, folks. We've got quite the treat for you this week. Not only do we have a brand spanking new issue of our weekly for your peepers to consume this weekend, but we've redesigned said e-publication as well. Of course, the real star this week is the Summer Gear Guide. That's right, our editors have painstakingly selected their top choices in all of the major categories to keep you blazin' the balmy trail with the best gadget arsenal possible. To go along with the refined digs, we introduce some new pages this week, too. Time Machines will test your geek cred by removing the easily identifiable logos from a classic device for your trivia pleasure. We'll also go eyes-on each week with some quite dapper offerings to satisfy the design nerd inside us all. Speaking of recent additions, we break down our recent hands-on impressions while Reaction Time offers some thoughts on next-gen gaming and upcoming releases. Switched On chats about what's next for Facebook, the Stat tallies the rise of mobile apps in the last year, Fusion-io CEO and Chairman David Flynn admits his love of Flowbee in the Q&A and Sean Pryor returns for The Strip. So, what are you waiting for? Hit the download link below that you fancy the most and you'll have a copy of this week's e-magazine before you know it. Distro Issue 42 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (For sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Terrafugia Transition aircraft first hands-on (video)
People used to say that cars in the '50s and '60s had fins, giant wing-like protuberances that designers grafted on to capitalize on the fledgling concepts of aerodynamics. Your fist impression of the Terrafugia Transition is much the same as standing next to a 1959 Coupe de Ville -- it's huge, and the giant vertical stabilizers on the back have a distinctly Cadillac feel. This, however, is different. Sure, it too is made in the US, but it's crafted of carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum, costs $279,000 and seats only two. Oh, and did we mention it can fly? It's making its major auto show debut this week and we got a chance to check it out. Follow us after the break for some grounded impressions.
NEC Medias series makes the trip to MWC, we go eyes-on
While NEC had already unveiled some of its plans for 2012, a phone with a pair of 4.3-inch screens is bound to draw in even the most jaded MWC attendee. Alas, these are still empty prototypes -- the seed for whatever set of colors and complicated numerical naming conventions that Japanese carriers will place on the final models. The Medias W closes like a book -- or perhaps a certain Sony tablet -- and even over-extends beyond the hinge. No glimmer of technical detail on those screens, but we're promised the "latest OS" and from the sticker screen, that appears to be a lightly-skinned version of Ice Cream Sandwich. It's joined by the 4.3-inch Medias X (ultra slim and waterproof) and the Medias Z, the large-screened five-incher revealed in Japan last week. Its LTE tablet, the mobile wallet-capable Medias Tab N-06D was also available to gawp at -- just to round out the family. NEC's otherwise keeping it vague with the specs at the moment, so you're going to have to peruse our gallery with an extra critical eye for more hints on what's to come.
Toshiba 5.1-inch prototype tablet eyes-on
Those 13- and 7.7-inch Toshiba concepts were pretty sweet, but what if you're in the mood something in slightly odder aspect ratio? The company had another prototype, one that we couldn't convince them to take out of its glass case, that's not unlike the Intel MID that was floating around back in 2008 and 2009. It's sporting a 21:9 screen in a Galaxy Note-class 5.1-inch size. The bottom of the phablet is home to the microUSB and HDMI ports, while all the physical buttons are on the right side, though, they're oddly positioned near the bottom of the device. One of the three keys is clearly the volume rocker and one is presumably the lock/power, but we're not entirely sure what the other is for. Check out the gallery below and, if we can convince them to open up the case, we'll return with more hands-on impression. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Sony Vaio Hybrid and Slate tablet concepts showcase new form factors, flexible materials (video)
Black, bezeled and rectangular? That's pretty much the go-to design for tablets nowadays. But lately Sony's been straying from the pack and taking a different aesthetic tack, which it recently showcased with the Tablet S and P. On the showroom floor at CES, however, the company had two newer models secured behind glass to give consumers a sense of future form factors. These prototypes -- known prospectively as the Hybrid and Slate -- fall under the Vaio brand and clearly highlight an exciting direction for the Japanese electronics giant's impending offerings. The Hybrid's most distinctive feature is its marriage of laptop functionality with tablet portability. Sliding the unit up and locking it into place reveals a keyboard in front (shown with a dedicated Windows button) and an expansive speaker grill behind. The company wouldn't elaborate on the materials used in the enclosure, but that sparkly, copper color manages to toe the line between cheap and space age -- a definite contradiction, for sure. At the base of the 11-inch unit is a dock that fits an included stylus, as this tablet is being designed to support touch pen input, in addition to the typical capacitive touch. None of the ports on the device are final, but when and if it ever ships, you can expect the usual array. For a true glimpse into the next generation of tablet manufacturing, you need only look to Sony's tablet Slate -- the real stunner of this conceptual duo. With its use of a smart, soft touch flexible material -- the company refused to elaborate on just what -- that extends from the unit's back for easy table top mounting, it's easy to see a product like this setting consumers' interest on fire and nabbing that lust-worthy tech crown. Unfortunately, this particular scifi casing is more than likely a few years off, but it's good to see the company innovating and attempting to break free from the shackles of ordinary builds. The Slate is also designed to work with a wireless keyboard that shares the same intelligent material and appears to incorporate a touch interface. Click on through the galleries below for a tour of these two proof of concepts and make sure to click on past the break for a brief video tour.
Samsung 55-inch Super OLED TV eyes-on (video)
After our introduction yesterday, we've been itching to get a closer look at Samsung's 55-inch Super OLED television. While this isn't a final production model, it's still pretty darn amazing to behold. Razor thin, the colors are as good as you'd hope from a TV with pixel-to-pixel control. Keep in mind, this bad boy will feature a dual-core processor and full 3D support. You'll have to wait until later in 2012 to snag yours and we're sure it'll cost you quite a bit. Go ahead and peek at our shots below and jump past the break for a quick eyes-on.
Toyota Fun-Vii concept car envisions instantly customizable interior and exterior
Look, the reality is that you can't drive your car into a Pay 'n' Spray every 15 minutes or so à la Grand Theft Auto, but what if you can simply change the vehicle's skin at the tap of a button? Toyota certainly likes the sound of that and has thus come up with the funky-looking Fun-Vii concept car. What's more, even the interior can be changed as well, and similarly it can be used as a display space for navigation or even racing simulation (assuming the latter's disabled while actually driving, of course). This is all good and well, but unlike many other concept exhibits we've seen, Toyota's mockup couldn't seat people -- we suspect the "car" only used a back projection from within, so we couldn't get to see what it'd feel like to play a Tron-like game inside the "car." Nevertheless, we look forward to day when this idea becomes a reality -- here's looking at you, flexible OLED! Video after the break. %Gallery-140617%
Twitter.com for iPad eyes-on, now with 100 percent more HTML5
Even if you weren't waiting for it, it's finally here. Next time you grab your iPad and want to check Twitter sans official app, you'll be able to do it in tablet-optimized form. The San Franciscan company just outed a delectable HTML5 redux of its desktop equivalent, carrying over the animated two-pane design of its forebearer, while replicating niceties like pull-to-refresh and scroll bouncing from its native iOS app. Unfortunately, we couldn't get to the goodness from our Galaxy Tab 10.1, but given the open nature of the web, we're hoping an Android compatible version isn't far off. And if you're not seeing the refresh on your iPad yet, sit tight; the company's rolling out access throughout the week. In the meantime, feel free to ogle at the bevy of snaps we grabbed below. %Gallery-129892%
Nintendo Wii U console shown off in its bright, minimalistic entirety
Nintendo hasn't been too keen on letting us mere mortals stroke the Wii U, as no amount of coins could unlock the console's cabinet at E3. Surprisingly though, Inside Games managed to get up close and personal to this white box outside its little cave, and then came home alive with a few clear shots. Mind you, there's hardly anything exciting here: we're just gazing at some air vents on the side and back, plus a few ports -- including HDMI -- on the latter. As pointed out by our brethren over at Joystiq, only time will tell whether this curvy Wii U will come with an attachment to imitate its predecessor's vertical standing. Check out the backside after the break.
DarbeeVision teams with Sunflex to launder your HDMI video, give your picture added depth and clarity
DarbeeVision's Visual Presence technology has been sprucing up moving pictures for ages, but until now, its greater visual depth and detail could only be added in post-processing. However, there's a new version that works by scanning 165 million pixels per second and applies its visual voodoo in real-time. It's a firmware solution that can be put into any device with a processor and a screen, and the company is currently in talks with TV manufacturers to get its tech baked in. Darbee has also partnered up with Sunflex to construct a Snakebyte-branded module that does the Darbee deed externally as an HDMI pass-through. In its current form, the system's not ready for prime time, as it's comprised of three circuit boards screwed together in an unwieldy package. When it hits the market later this year, the company claims it'll be in a plastic case the size of a remote control. We got to see the system in person at E3 2011 and found the results to be a mixed bag. Much like Belkin's RazorVision we saw years ago, Visual Presence promises to make your picture more lifelike and detailed. In the demo we saw, graphical meadows benefitted from the enhancement -- we could see individual blades of grass waving to and fro with much more clarity. However, castle walls and textured garments looked like someone cranked up the contrast to 11, which created too much visual noise for our liking. The good news is, the effect is adjustable, so you can dial in the level of detail to suit the situation and your individual taste. Sound good? Well, the device should ship by October and retail for around $150. %Gallery-125715%
Mad Catz co-branded Xbox 360 / Tritton headsets: eyes-on, ears-off
You don't nab the exclusive rights to create Xbox 360 branded headphones and not put some theoretical hutzpah into it: at E3 this week, Mad Catz is showing off a trio of co-branded Tritton / Xbox 360 cans, or at least a trio of fragile plastic facsimiles. These three mock-ups the Catz crew showed us represent the physical design of the Warhead, Devastator, and Detonator models of the co-branded line of headsets -- sporting wireless Dobly 7.1 surround sound, wireless analog, and USB connectivity, respectively. While all three models promise a slew of special sound features, the two wireless models have an exclusive shine: Xbox 360 microphone support without tethering themselves to the console's controller or using a chat dongle. Not that we got to hear for ourselves; the mock-ups were non-functional, and fragile enough that show staff wasn't feeling our enthusiasm for an ears-on demo. Still, we could dig ditching headset-to-controller leashes. Check out the gallery below to see all the bells, whistles, and switches, or hit the break for some meaty PR. %Gallery-125710%
Nintendo Wii U console eyes-on
Sadly we weren't able to get our hands-on the new console that's going to come along with the Wii U controller. Every operational unit is clad in shimmering Lucite and locked away. But, from what we can see peering through the glass it's more or less a curvaceous Wii. It's a little bit chubbier, maybe a hint taller, but the design is much the same: glossy white and a big disc slot. Nintendo definitely isn't giving up on physical distribution for this round. All that we can see beyond that is a power button, a reset button, a red sync button, and a little flip-down door much like on the Wii. What's behind the door? Memory cards? More buttons? Magic? Feel free to speculate wildly in comments. %Gallery-125657% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard eyes-on
We're not normally all that stoked with motherboards, but Gigabyte's awkwardly named Z68XP-UD3-iSSD just about got our attention at Computex. The highlight here is the Intel 20GB SLC SSD latched onto the board's mSATA slot, which is right next to the LGA1155 CPU socket and the four DDR3 RAM slots (together supporting up to 32GB). Alas, Gigabyte says it won't be offering upgrade options for the SSD, though there are certainly alternatives out there in the wild if you dare to venture. But if none of this interests you, then there's always our multi-screen Angry Birds hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-125344%
Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on
Intel's already teased Compal's "Ultra Mobile" Ultrabook from afar, but when this Ivy Bridge laptop popped up on the show floor after the Computex keynote, we decided to give it a closer look. While this prototype isn't quite in the same league as ASUS' gorgeous UX21, do bear in mind that we're still looking at a relatively slim package for a 14- to 15-inch Core i7 rig. Also visible around the machine are a couple of USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI-out port, a LAN socket, and an SD card reader. Until we hear more about this Ultra Mobile, enjoy our eyes-on photos below. %Gallery-125292%
ASUS Mars II and Matrix GTX580 Platinum eyes-on
If you thought the original Mars graphics card from ASUS was a little bit ridiculous, get ready to see what a lot of ridiculous looks like. The company's Mars II that was recently teased alongside a fresh new Matrix GTX580 Platinum card, squeezes two GeForce GTX 580 chips on the same board and overclocks them for good measure. In order to achieve such great feats, the card requires no less than three 8-pin auxiliary power connectors and takes up the space of three (2.6, to be precise) PCI slots with its ginormous dual-fan cooler. Heatpipes are also employed to keep the raging fires within in check, and -- for situations where all else fails -- ASUS has installed a special red button that sends the fan into full speed when depressed. ASUS hasn't yet finalized how far above the default engine clock speeds the Mars II will reach, but it has a bit of time to figure that out as this extremely limited edition card is coming sometime in July. Buyers in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific region will have to be quick on their credit card trigger, as only 1,000 Mars IIs will ever be produced. Oh, and if you're wondering how much power a dual-GTX 580 graphics card might consume, the answer is 600W. All by itself. %Gallery-125006% Also making its debut at Computex this week is ASUS' latest offering for the truly overclock-mad PC gamer: the Matrix GTX580 Platinum. Frankly, it feels barren by comparison to its Martian sibling, coming with just one GTX 580 graphics processor, albeit an overclocked one, and the requirement for only two 8-pin connectors for added power. ASUS has thrown in a pair of physical "plus" and "minus" buttons, which permit voltage alterations on the fly, added the same fan override key as on the Mars II, and included a Safe Mode switch at the back in the event that you get carried away with your tweaking. Mashing that last button will reset all clock speeds, voltages and other settings to their default values, which should hopefully let you boot back up and try again. A final note of merit goes to the LED-infused Matrix logo atop the GTX580 Platinum. It's not there just for decorative purposes; its color changes in response to the load the GPU is under, so that blue and green will tell you there are no worries and orange and red will indicate you're cranking it close to its limits. The GTX580 Platinum should start selling worldwide next week, though pricing has yet to be announced. Check it out in closer detail in the gallery below. %Gallery-125008%
UDC shows off serpentine OLED lamp concept at SID 2011 (video)
We've seen flexible OLEDs and OLED lighting solutions before, but none of them conjured our sweaty club-hopping fantasies quite like this concept from Universal Display Corporation (UDC). The flexible OLED makers weren't particularly forthcoming on the specs for this color-changing apparatus, but we can tell you that it uncoils and recoils with the help of a motion sensor, and requires very little energy to power -- note that tiny wire supplying 100 percent of the required juice. UDC used this flashy lamp specifically to show off its own brand of low-energy flexible white OLED lighting, which means you won't see it popping up in B.E.D. anytime soon (if ever), but it certainly has us thinking of new ways to light up our nights. Gratuitous amounts of bouncing and beaming can be found after the break. %Gallery-123940%
Eyes on with the VT30, Panasonic's flagship 3D plasma
The latest and greatest (and largest) 3D plasmas from Panasonic are finally shipping, including the flagship, THX-certified Viera VT30 sets with their single sheet of glass panels and Infinite Black Pro2 filters. We first caught a glimpse of these bad boys back at CES and we've been impatiently waiting for a chance to blast our retinas with their PDP goodness in all three dimensions. The company was nice enough to invite us over recently to have a little TV powwow that featured an uncomfortable amount of Avatar on Bluray. Keep reading after the break for all the not-so-gory details. %Gallery-123262%
