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Wi-Fi Media lets your Nexus 7 play movies on any screen via HTC's Media Link HD (hands-on video)
We're rather big fans of the Nexus 7 here at Engadget HQ -- it's just hard not to like a $200 tablet with a Tegra 3 SoC and 7-inch glass-bonded IPS display running pure Jelly Bean. Of the few missing features, there's one we're bemoaning more than the lack of rear camera, and that's the absence of any kind of HDMI or MHL video output. So far, watching movies with the Nexus 7's been relegated to using a Nexus Q and streaming content from Google Play or YouTube. Enter Wi-Fi Media, an app available for free on Google Play that lets most Android devices like the Nexus 7 play movies, music and stills on any screen via any Cavium PureVu-compatible streamer, such as HTC's $90 Media Link HD. We tested Wi-Fi Media with our Nexus 7 and Media Link HD and found it to work pretty much as advertised except for some caveats. First the app doesn't mirror your screen -- you're limited to playing content stored on the tablet or on the network via DLNA, which means no YouTube, Netflix or games. Second, the app doesn't handle some common file types -- like AVI, for example. While it supports watching movies, listening to music and looking at pictures, keep in mind that Wi-Fi Media is not a particularly polished app. In addition to playing local and remote DLNA content, you're able to login to Facebook and Picasa and stream images directly from these accounts, but that's pretty much it in terms of functionality. There's also no way to configure the Media Link HD, so you'll need a sanctioned HTC handset to setup the multimedia streamer before using it with a Nexus 7. Want to know more? Peek at our screenshot gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-160849% Update: Since there's some confusion in the comments, we'd like to clarify that the Media Link HD is not a DLNA device. It normally only works with select HTC phones like the One X, One S and EVO 4G LTE. WiFi-Media's primary purpose is to connect with a Media Link HD -- the app also just happens to support DLNA. [Thanks, Matt]
Kontron preps first Tegra 3-based Mini-ITX board, homebrew gets an ARMful
Believe it or not, there's a potentially cheaper (and more customizable) way to get NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 into your life than to spring for a Nexus 7. Kontron is readying a rare Mini-ITX motherboard, the KTT30, that combines the ARM-based chip with expandable RAM and a trio of mini PCI Express slots for expansion like a micro SATA drive or a 3G modem. The external ports are more the kind you'd find on a do-it-yourself x86 PC, too: full-size HDMI, USB and even Ethernet make a show at the back. The only hurdles are an unusually throttled back 900MHz processor speed and, quite simply, the lack of release details. Kontron hasn't promised more than a release "coming soon" -- with much more complete Tegra 3 devices now hitting the $199 mark, though, we can't see the KTT30 putting much strain on any budding hobbyist's wallet.
VESA's Mobility DisplayPort standard links smartphones to PC displays, jabs MHL
If you own a modern Android smartphone, there's a reasonable chance you're familiar with MHL for video out to a TV. The format saves the trouble of adding an extra port, but it's really only intended for HDMI-based destinations and occasionally runs into compatibility issues. VESA is hoping to settle all that with its newly available Mobility DisplayPort standard, or MyDP. Existing micro-USB ports will still serve as the output, but you'll have the option of plugging into DVI or VGA displays with the right adapter, in addition to HDMI and full-size DisplayPort. Picture connecting to an older projector and you'll see why that might make sense. The new spec will charge up your device like with MHL, but it also has about 1Mbps of bandwidth for input, such as keyboards and trackpads in some future lapdock. Video still tops out at 1080p and 60Hz, so there's no hooking into a 4K display here. The real advantage, for many, is simply in having a broadly-adopted standard in the first place: VESA backing sees 180 companies tacitly endorsing the idea, producing a big improvement over the patchwork results that we've seen from MHL's much smaller alliance. The chief obstacle is the wait for the first smartphones, Ultrabooks and tablets with MyDP, which could be months or more away.
Asus Transformer Pad Infinity shows up at Best Buy, commands $600 price tag, 64GB of storage
You didn't think ASUS pushed its souped up Transformer slate through federal approval for the sake of its health, did you? No, if Best Buy's online store has anything to say about it, the Transformer Pad Infinity's FCC excursion was preparing it for sale. It's not quite ready yet, but when it is, Best Buy will apparently be handing the slab out for $599 and change, netting buyers 64GB of storage, NVIDIA's Tegra 3 processor and a 1,920 x 1,200 10.1-inch Super IPS+ display. The listing appears to be for the WiFi-only version of the tablet, with no mention of the Snapdragon S4-equipped LTE variant that ASUS announced earlier this year. According to the product page, the unreleased hardware is currently "sold out online," but at least you know how many pennies you'll need to pinch. Check it out at the source link below. [Thanks, Uly]
PSA: Sony Xperia Ion lands in US today, yours starting at $50 with two-years of commitment
You've likely read our review of Sony's Xperia Ion by now, so just consider this a reminder for those who've yet to peruse it. After nearly half a year from being christened at CES, the Ion can officially be purchased today in the US. Agreeing to a two-year commitment and laying out 100 smackers at AT&T -- or just 50 at Sony or Best Buy -- will net you this handset and its curious match-up of dated and up-to-date specs. On the one hand, this Xperia disappointingly runs Android Gingerbread (2.3.7) atop a dual-core 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S3 processor. However, it also packs a 4.6-inch HD Reality display (1280 x 720), 1,900mAh battery, 1GB of RAM, a 12MP (720p video) Exmor R sensor-loaded rear shooter, NFC and PlayStation certification. Hit up your local AT&T, Best Buy or Sony store to see if it feels better in your hand than it did in ours, or shop for it online at the source links below. [Thanks, Jason & Oliver]
Biscotti and telyHD set-top video chat both get Father's Day upgrades
Combine geek-dad gadget lust with the promise of an easier way to stay in touch with faraway family, and you can see how the latest generation of standalone video chat boxes might have a good sales story to tell for this Father's Day weekend. While Cisco's discontinued ūmi never caught on in a big way with consumers (possibly the introductory $600 price and $25 monthly fee had something to do with it), the idea of a slim HD camera pack that fits atop the living room TV, instantly connecting with similar hardware or distributed software chat apps, still seems promising. The two Mac and iOS-friendly set-top chat products making a move in the market now are the $149 Biscotti and the $249 telyHD. Both systems work in a straightforward way -- they connect to your TV via HDMI, capture an HD image with an onboard camera and tie into your home network to call friends and family. Neither unit requires a monthly subscription plan, thereby avoiding the Cisco problem. Of course, neither plays along with Apple's wasn't-it-supposed-to-be-open FaceTime protocol, so if you're looking for a portable video chatting device that works with Skype, Google Talk and FaceTime you might consider the $199 iPod touch. Both the telyHD and the Biscotti interoperate with a public video chat service (Google Talk for Biscotti, Skype for telyHD) so you aren't limited to chatting with the folks who have the same hardware. Both platforms also got software updates in the past few days, adding to their utility and (in the case of the telyHD) delivering tighter integration for iPhone and iPad users who want to share photos or control their chat settings from their mobile device. The Biscotti TV Phone system, shown above, is simpler and more no-frills than the telyHD. Biscotti can chat video or audio to Mac or PC users via the Google Talk web client; to chat with iPhone or iPad users, the free (and unofficial) Vtok app fills the client slot. It also provides high-quality chats between Biscotti units. The hardware is slim and graceful, about the size and shape of an Italian biscuit -- hence the name. A basic remote supports pan and zoom of the video camera, and the latest update gives you an automatic audio calibration routine to improve voice quality. The new software update also allows you to import your Google contacts for use on your Biscotti, but be warned that all your Google contacts will be loaded; the company's still working on a way to subset and manage those. The Biscotti may also try to auto-invite all those contacts to chat -- careful which button you click. Networking on the Biscotti is Wi-Fi only (and if anyone invents a way to quickly enter WEP passwords using a four-way remote, they'd make a bundle), but the unit has a clever HDMI trick; it includes both input and output ports, so your cable or satellite box can plug right in and the signal will pass through. The Biscotti interface will stay out of the way until you get a call or use the remote. In fact, for some TVs, the Biscotti can turn them on directly so you can answer. Maybe that's not an ideal bedroom feature; likewise the auto-answer setting for key contacts, which lets you turn the Biscotti into a video room monitor by having it pick up immediately when you try to connect, could get weird in the wrong circumstances. For Skype-centric families, the telyHD interoperates cleanly with the world's leading video and audio chat service, delivering 720p high definition video (note that Skype just updated its Mac client). Under the hood, the telyHD is an Android device; it's got more flexibility and possibilities than the Biscotti, with an app-centric development roadmap -- granted, you could get an iGoGo TV if you want to run Android apps on your HDTV, but that's some pretty scary stuff. Already you can do things with pairs of telyHDs that you can't do with other systems: share photos (from an SD card) and leave video mail for watching later on. The telyHD sports an Ethernet port along with Wi-Fi networking, but it lacks the Biscotti's passthrough HDMI approach; you'll need to switch sources on your TV to see it. This week's update to the telyHD platform, the Entertainment Suite, is unusual in that it's a paid (optional) add-on rather than a free version update; it's also targeted squarely at iPhone and iPad users. Entertainment Suite adds AirPlay mirroring for photos (TelyProjector), so iPhone users can simply mirror their images right into a video chat with Dad. The ES also includes access for remote-control apps (both iOS and Android), coming to the App Store and Google Play shortly; lastly, the upgrade includes a full web browser for the unit, giving owners access to websites and streaming video from all across the Internet. The Entertainment Suite pack can be trialed for 30 days before the one-time $49 licensing cost kicks in. The long history of video calling might be filled with false starts and closed, proprietary systems, but if your gift list for Dad includes "more face to face time with the grandkids" then one of these systems may be just what you're looking for.
Comparing Thunderbolt to HDMI, USB and PCIe Cable
Monday's announcement that the new 9 and MacBook Pros come equipped with USB 3.0 ports was welcome news to Mac users, but an indication of a broader question in the minds of those same users -- which input/output port technology is the best? CNET's Steven Shankland took a look at four I/O technologies -- Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB 3.0 and the new PCIe Cable -- to compare the pros and cons of each. Thunderbolt is Intel's design for a high-speed port technology, with Apple and Acer both adding Thunderbolt ports to most new personal computers. It hasn't been widely adopted, however, and peripherals that take advantage of the technology are slow in coming. PCIe Cable (PCI Express Cable) is being adopted by HP. The two technologies showing the greatest level of adoption are USB 3.0 and HDMI. Shankland's post notes that USB 3.0 is likely to really take off, with USB 2.0 all but disappearing by 2016. USB 3.0 has the advantage of being both backward-compatible and fairly ubiquitous. The technology could also get a boost from proposed designs that would offer power distribution in the same USB cable. HDMI is already the standard on HDTVs and set-top boxes, and Apple added HDMI output to the latest crop of MacBook Pros. Thunderbolt is expected to zoom from 10 to 100 Gbps per channel in the near future, and PCIe Cable will have data transfer rates up to 64 Gbps. But it all boils down to cost for inclusion by manufacturers and availability of peripherals for consumers. Be sure to visit the CNET post for a fascinating read on the bus wars.
HTC Media Link HD review
More Info HTC reveals Media Link HD at MWC 2012 HTC videos show off Media Link HD Media Link HD approved by the FCC As wireless technology becomes more advanced, the demand for more sophisticated options to stream media from your mobile device to your HDTV steadily increases. It's hard to keep track of the various solutions companies are using to deliver this feature to their customers. DLNA, the most popular standard, is compatible with an army of dozens -- if not hundreds -- of products, while giants like Apple and Samsung have chosen different routes. After an arguably unsuccessful attempt at offering the DLNA standard via the original Media Link, HTC has decided to fly solo with the Media Link HD in the hopes that the accessory will add value to the company's high-end One handsets. We have little doubt that HTC is trying to keep the Media Link HD small and simple: it's a credit-card-sized dongle that easily fits in the palm of your hand, and only takes a smooth, three-finger gesture to pair it up with your One X or One S. Once connected, it gives you the opportunity to stream movies to your television and perform other tasks on your phone at the same time. A solid concept, to be sure, but is it worth shelling out at least $90 for this little darling? Tune in below to find out.
Galaxy S III changes pin layout, incompatible with previous MHL adapters
If you've pre-ordered a Galaxy S III and can't wait to see its display mirrored to the silver screen, add one more thing to that pre-launch shopping list: a new MHL dongle. According to UK retailer Clove, a change in the phone's connector pins renders it incompatible with previous Samsung-made adapters. Sammy's new microUSB-powered connector supports 1080p output via HDMI -- though it reportedly doesn't play nicely with 720p displays -- and rings up at $40 on Amazon. Mosey past the break for a video unboxing of the dongle. Update: Turns out that Samsung's offering a basic 5-pin to 11-pin MHL adapter for only $9.99 to help ease those transition woes.
Hands-on with the Honeywld Power Zest ICS set-top box at Computex 2012 (video)
Looking for an unwieldy product name for your next game of tech Scrabble? How about Honeywld Power Zest? Yes, don't adjust your television, there's no "i" in Honeywld. Speaking of TVs, this err... zesty little item we discovered here at Computex is a set-top box running Ice Cream Sandwich. Feel the power! To be clear, this is not a Google TV device -- it runs Android 4.0 with a heavily skinned, remote control-friendly UI. The box (available in blue, red, yellow and black) is built around a 1.2GHz dual-core Marvell SoC featuring Qdeo technology paired with 1GB of RAM. An embedded 2GB microSD card provides flash storage for the OS. In front you'll find a power LED and infrared receiver, while in back there's a power button, 3.5mm AV connector (for analog audio and composite video), optical audio output, HDMI socket, two USB 2.0 ports, an 100BaseT Ethernet jack and a 12V DC power input. There's no wireless support. We took the device for a spin using the supplied IR remote (which includes a mix of standard buttons plus the home, back, menu and search keys required for Android) and the experience was a bit of a mixed bag. It certainly worked as advertised but navigating Android with just a D-pad and four buttons was quite frustrating. Text entry was painful and buggy (an infrared keyboard will be offered as an extra accessory) -- then again, the box we used was still running early firmware. Honeywld plans to make the Power Zest available to Taiwanese retailers late July for somewhere between $95 to $120. Retail pricing will be a a little higher depending on markups. Until then, feast your eyes on the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-157458%
Google Fiber GFHD100 'IP set-top box' breezes through the FCC, doesn't say where it's headed
The future of Google as a hardware manufacturer (beyond its purchase of Motorola) continues to be shrouded in rumor and mystery, but the GFHD100 box that just popped up in the FCC's database is very much a fact. As seen in the pictures, it's sporting a Google Fiber label which suggests it's a part of rolling out video services to the Kansas Cities, and also reveals it's being built for Google by Humax. The MAC address shown in the picture is registered to Google directly, while the test report calls it an IP-set top box, equipped with WiFi, IR, USB, Ethernet, HDMI input and output and an Ethernet / coax (we assume MoCA?) bridge, which sounds similar to the boxes favored by Verizon's FiOS. Unfortunately our only view of the device itself is from underneath so there's not much else to glean about its abilities or possible relation to the hardware Google has reportedly been testing around the country, but you can hit the source link below to dig through the documents yourself or check a close up of the label (we tried the QR code, it appears to be for registration but it didn't work) after the break.
GAEMS announces new Sentry Xbox 360 suitcase, teases Project Vanguard
How could we forget the GAEMS personal gaming environment? Looking something like a cross between a laptop from the eighties, and a bomb disposal unit, the all-in-one Xbox system was always going to make an impression. Well, with E3 just around the corner, it looks like there might be another model on the way. All we know at the moment is that it's called "Sentry," and will have more of a personal entertainment leaning. This being based on the fact that on top of the Xbox gaming, GAMES only went as far to tease that services like Netflix, HULU and YouTube will be increasingly central to it. The firm is also revealing a new device with the working title "Project Vanguard," about which it's even more secretive. Either way, better make more room on that luggage rack.
LG launches 'upgraded' SP820 Smart TV Upgrader box in June for about $170 US
Should you have the impulse to turn your dumb display into a full-fledged Smart TV, LG has revealed the second iteration of its Smart TV Upgrader box is ready to hit the marketplace. The original ST600 box was released last year, and this new SP820 was announced earlier this year at CES. It adds LG's Smart TV experience complete with Magic gesture and voice controlled remote to any HDTV with an HDMI input. There's access to both 2D and 3D streaming content from the internet, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct and any new apps LG rolls out for its platform. Similar to Apple's TV box and the Roku family, it's a palm sized device intended for easy installations. An even smaller, stripped down SP520 version that supports fewer apps is already on shelves with a $120 MSRP, although sale prices range from $80 to $99. The SP is shipping in June for 199,000 won ($169 US), while there's no word yet on a US release, we'll probably wait to see if LG can add enough apps to compete as a third party before jumping in.
Elgato announces Game Capture HD, shows off your deathmatch prowess in H.264
Elgato is releasing the Game Capture HD, a device that lets game-casters and YouTube walkthrough mavens shed low-resolution, over-the-shoulder smartphone footage once and for all. The sleek black box sits between console and display, enabling gamers to record their speed runs and kill records for the world to see. Xbox 360 users can daisy-chain the gear into their HDMI set-up, while PS3 users will have to use the bundled AV cable to circumvent Sony's stronger copy protection. The footage will then be compressed with the company's H.264 know-how and pushed to your PC or Mac for uploading. When it arrives at the start of June, it'll set you back $200 -- just giving you enough time to get practicing your soothing and confident narration voice.
Comcast switches on Skype on Xfinity in Boston and Seattle today, eight more metros this week
Now you can Skype on Xfinity, and beyond. Comcast's re-branded cable arm is touting a new trick beginning today, with customers in Boston and Seattle among the first to have access to the new Skype on Xfinity videoconferencing service (Atlanta, Augusta, Ga., Chicago, Detroit, Harrisburg, Pa., Indianapolis, Miami and Pittsburgh will be online by the end of the week). Interested parties can add a $9.95 monthly fee to their Triple Play service to take advantage, enabling "free" (read: $10-per-month) instant messaging and video chatting services. That monthly fee will presumably cover the requisite all-in-one kit, which includes an adaptor, a "high-quality" camera and a spiffy new Skype-enabled remote control with an IM-friendly keyboard on the rear. Naturally, your bud on the other end doesn't need any special equipment, unless of course they plan to chat through their HDMI-capable Comcast box as well. Eligible customers can hit up the source link past the break to sign up, and breeze through the attached PR for a bit more detail.
Bang & Olufsen caters to the iOS crowd with Apple TV-friendly BeoPlay V1 TV set, A3 iPad speaker dock (update)
If your gadget life centers equally on Apple devices and luxury Danish home theater, Bang & Olufsen now has you officially covered. The BeoPlay V1 TV, which we got a sneak peek at just over a week ago, has a slot to connect your Apple TV without wires spoiling the look of your upscale loft. Both 32- and 40-inch versions have relatively powerful speakers, too, with as many as three 32W amps in the 40-inch version being joined by discrete treble / mid speakers and a bass unit. Either of the 1080p TVs carries a 100Hz refresh rate, five HDMI inputs, and a USB port for your music and photos. Just as new is a BeoPlay A3 speaker dock for the iPad, which nestles your first- or second-generation iPad into what Bang & Olufsen calls a "stable wedge" that not only keeps the iPad comfy but adapts the speakers to get maximum output depending on its orientation. An eight-hour 10-hour battery keeps the speakers completely wireless, although it won't charge your iPad in the process. The company will have the V1 in British shops on May 3rd at a comparatively frugal £1,999 ($3,238) and £2,499 ($4,047) for the respective 32- and 40-inch sizes, while fans of Hamlet's homeland will have to wait until May 23rd to pay £449 ($727) for an A3 dock, a picture of which you can find after the break. Update: As it turns out, the A3 will priced at $550 with it hits the US later this month, not $727 as we previously reported.
Eyes-on Whiteman Technology's Delta DVR, plus more hardware details
Did the recent revelation of the Delta DVR, with its six tuners, AMD silicon running Windows Media Center embedded and 3TB HDD have you viewing your current DVR with disdain? Well, stop reading now, because we got to speak with the man who created the Delta DVR, Ryan Whiteman, and found there's even more to like about his potential TiVo killer. Read on after the break for the full scoop.
Hauppauge announces StreamEez to broadcast live HD video
Hauppauge, not satisfied with only bringing DVR-like functions to the Broadway this week -- has unleashed a new box called the StreamEez that links your HD video camera to your computer for live broadcasts. HDMI or component video hook it up on the cam side, USB on the computer side. It uses H.264 video compression and is compatible with sites like USTREAM that require the RTMP protocol. The box plus Windows software starts at $299. Everything but the price probably sounds pretty familiar since the incredibly similar Livestream Broadcaster is also just about on the scene, though, it'll run you about $195 more. Take a gander at the PR after the break.
REDray 4K cinema laser projector and player eyes-on (video)
There's no better way to control the visual experience from shoot to show than to create the camera and the projector. That's likely the thinking behind the REDray, the 4K laser cinema projector making an appearance at the company's NAB booth today. The device supports 2D and passive 3D (up to 120fps in 3D mode), with 4K projection for each eye and has a rated laser life of over 25,000 hours. While the device itself is likely to be hidden behind glass in an elevated projector room, the REDray has the same industrial look and feel of its Scarlet and Epic capturing counterparts, with a solid matte metal construction, heavy duty bolts and dedicated access panels for the lens filter, the laser phase adjustment oscillator and the angular refraction aberration indexer. There's also a T1.8 50mm lens mounted up front, sufficiently completing the beautifully monstrous package. Also on display was the tablet-controlled REDray Player, which includes four HDMI 1.4 video outputs with 7.1-channel audio output, the ability to move 4K video to the internal hard drive and an SD reader for ingesting content. You'll also find dual gigabit Ethernet ports, along with USB and eSATA connectors. The projector experience is much less about the hardware than it is the projections themselves, which certainly did a justice here -- especially considering the imaging device's mid-development status. During a screening of the 3D short Loom, which was shot with the RED Epic, images looked fantastic with accurate color and excellent dynamic range, allowing us to see every detail in a contrasty dark scene, where we were able to make out a very dimly lit female actress. The projection was incredibly sharp on the 24-inch foot screen, despite the film being displayed with 2K for each eye, rather than the maximum 4K. There will be two versions of the REDray projector, including a home theater flavor that supports screens up to 15 feet in size that'll ring in at under $10,000, and a professional model with support for larger venues. RED CEO Jim Jannard confirmed that the home-bound version will ship sometime this year, though he was unable to provide a more precise ship date. We weren't permitted to record video during the screening -- which is for the best, considering that there's really no way to do this thing justice -- but you can still flip through the gallery below for an early look at REDray.
Xtex's My Tablet gets you 7 inches of tasty ICS for just 150 bones (update)
Tablets are are great and all, but they sure can be expensive -- especially if you want one running a newer version of Android. Step in Xtex's $150 My Tablet, a 7-inch device loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3, a 16GB HDD (expandable to 48 GB via its TF card slot) and a 1.5Ghz CPU complimented by 1GB of RAM. That's not all, though, as the device also packs a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, an HDMI output and mini and standard USB ports. That low price does mean you'll be making do with a screen resolution of 800 x 480 and only WiFi connectivity, but you'll get to choose from its very neapolitan-esque black, white and pink colorways. Considering the My Tablet is nearly half the price of an Andy Pad Pro, it sure does looks appetizing on paper -- as long as you keep your expectations reasonable, that is. Satisfy your sweet tooth with more images in the gallery below and the press release after the break. Update: Apparently, this tablet isn't as new as it seems. As it would turn out, it looks to be a re-badge of the Zync Z990 that's sold in India. Update 2: Xtex has contacted us to clarify the My Tablet's relationship to the Zync Z990 stating "...although we do have the same outer shell (chose from an already created mold to cut down pricing to end consumer) all the parts and etc. are completely different from the Zync."
