hercules
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ARM says its next processors will outperform Intel laptop chips
ARM-based laptops have been pretty pokey to date, but you might have a different impression of them in a year or two. The company has offered a rare peek at the performance expectations for its future processor architectures, and the figures might make Intel nervous. While ARM already believes that its recently unveiled Cortex-A76 is competitive with Intel's 2.6GHz Core i5-7300U, it expects its 2019 "Deimos" and 2020 "Hercules" designs to clearly outperform that CPU. You would get "laptop-class" speed from a more efficient mobile chip, according to the company.
SMITE patch introduces Footballer skins and Hercules revamp
In honor of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, this week's SMITE patch will feature two new football- (soccer-) themed skins for X'balanque: the Jaguar Footballer and Football Star 2014. If you buy the Jaguar Footballer skin before July 12, you get the Football Star 2014 skin for free. In addition, a makeover is in store for Hercules, Champion of Rome. A new official video showcases Hercules' lore, abilities, and gameplay strategies. Check it out, along with one showing off the new X'balanque skins, just after the cut below. [Thanks to Soren for the tip!]
A star is born as Hercules makes his SMITE debut
Hi-Rez Studios' SMITE is going the distance with its newest playable god. Players can now go from zero to hero by slipping into the sandals of everyone's favorite super-strong demi-god, Hercules! Good ol' Herc fills the role of token berserker in SMITE with an ability that causes his attacks to gain strength as his health gets lower. Hercules's titanic strength also lends itself to a number of abilities that help him to gain control of the battlefield. He can drive enemies back with a ferocious charging strike or knock them into the air with a mighty earthquake. And if Hercules is his team's one last hope, he can use his ultimate attack to hurl a gargantuan boulder at his opponents. If you want to see the man who puts the "glad" in "gladiator" in action, head on past the cut for Herc's big reveal trailer. [Source: Hi-Rez Studios press release]
Kevin Sorbo, Sam Sorbo, Martin Olson star in Cloudberry Kingdom
Kevin Sorbo, the actor best known for portraying the heroic man of myth in the mid-90s television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, is taking on a new role: Bob, the hero of Cloudberry Kingdom. Kevin is acting alongside his wife, Sam Sorbo, who played Serena in Hercules and has since appeared in Chicago Hope and Andromeda. Sam is the voice of Cloudberry Kingdom's princess.Martin Olson, also known as the Lord of Evil in Adventure Time and renowned comedy writer, voices King Kobbler in Cloudberry Kingdom.Developer Pwnee Studios snatched up these stars through a series of fortunate networking events, after working with Tigar Hare Studios on the animations in Cloudberry Kingdom. Read all about Cloudberry Kingdom's trip to stardom and the Wii U in a feature hitting Joystiq soon. We promise you won't be disappointed.
4G Samsung Galaxy S II X coming to Telus, still as Herculean as ever
It looks like the Samsung Hercules name won't live on in mobile infamy, after all. Canadian carrier Telus is now the second (and last) company to shed the Greek God title in favor of the more traditional Galaxy S II moniker -- albeit with its own unique twist, of course. The company's got an official page up for its forthcoming flagship, dubbed the "4G Samsung Galaxy S II X." Talk about a mouthful, right? The device mirrors T-Mobile's version rather closely, improving upon the original model with a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, HSPA+ download speeds of up to 42Mbps and -- here's where it gets interesting -- a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU. We're still unsure of the chipmaker responsible for supporting the AWS 4G radio, but our money's on the Qualcomm APQ8060. The ever-frustrating "coming soon" is attached to the page, which seems to be fairly common practice with new phones lately; regardless, we imagine enough people will be willing to forgive and forget once their future toy decides to show up.
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE heads to Rogers for 4G fall debut
Our neighbors to the north just got a one-two punch of wireless awesome delivered courtesy of Rogers. The operator announced today that its variant of Samsung's heavily lusted after Galaxy S II will be launching with baked-in LTE functionality on its nascent 4G network. Most of the handset's specs have remained the same, aside from a newly beefed-up 1.5GHz dual-core processor, NFC functionality and Hercules-sized 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. If you're proud to call yourself Canadian and "download speeds of up to 100Mbps" get your blood pumping, then expect to snag Sammy's beast phone when it goes on sale before Autumn's end. Update: Interestingly, the Rogers site lists the Galaxy S II LTE as featuring a 1.2GHz CPU instead of the 1.5GHz slice of silicon that was announced only days ago. It may be a typo, or the Canadian carrier may have its version underclocked for a longer battery life. We've reached out for clarification and will update when we hear back. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung pushes Galaxy S II launch event back a day due to Hurricane Irene
It looks like you'll have to wait an extra day to learn what you already know: the Galaxy S II -- aka, the Attain, Hercules and Epic 4G Touch -- is about to launch on AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. Samsung's pushed Monday's New York press event back a day due to that little east coast storm you may have read something about. Fortunately, these handsets haven't exactly kept a low profile, so we weren't expecting too many surprises anyway. We'll be there covering it live, but in the meantime, stay safe and if you're a Verizon customer, you might want to find a dry place to continue your seething.
Samsung Galaxy S II variant sneaks into American promo video
If you don't pay close attention, you may not even notice it, but Samsung sneaked a preview of an American Galaxy S II variant into a promo video it released earlier today. For the entire clip you stare at the version we're all familiar with, which sports a large home button on the bottom. Then, at the very end, a slightly rounder handset with four capacitive buttons and no large home key pops up on the screen. It looks a bit like the T-Mobile-bound Hercules, but not quite as curvy around the edges. It could be Sprint's Epic 4G Touch or perhaps an as yet unseen model destined for AT&T or Verizon. Check out the full promo video after the break. [Thanks, Daniel]
Engadget Mobile Podcast 100 - 08.21.2011
We're 100. 100! If you're like us, you totally can't believe it's been more than two years since we first started Mobile Podcasting but you totally can believe it at the same time because that's just how we roll: dedicated. To celebrate we've brought along Engadget Chinese editor Richard Lai and Noah Kravitz of TechnoBuffalo to weigh in on stuff like the Xiaomi phone and Symbian Belle leaking its way into the world. And...a couple of other things. We're old. It's a mobile party. You just got your pentaband invite to click on the play or download links below. Don't sleep on it: before you know it we'll be 200.Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad MolenGuests: Richard Lai, Noah KravitzProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Daestro - Light Powered (Ghostly International)00:02:45 - HP will 'discontinue operations for webOS devices', may spin off Personal Systems Group00:21:55 - Google acquiring Motorola Mobility00:42:45 - Motorola's new Droid HD makes cameo alongside Droid Bionic01:04:30 - BlackBerry Bold 9930 review01:05:43 - AT&T streamlining individual messaging plans August 21st, leaving unlimited as the sole survivor01:15:00 - Xiaomi Phone hands-on (updated with video)01:25:40 - Symbian Anna now available for download on Nokia N8, E7, C7 and C6-0101:26:30 - Symbian Belle download leaked to N8 community, quickly pulled from site (update: Anna available on NaviFirm)01:30:57 - CNET: RIM in talks to squeeze out BlackBerry music service01:32:50 - Motorola Photon 4G review01:36:53 - Samsung Hercules, HTC Ruby available from T-Mobile on October 26th?01:38:56 - Samsung Hercules gets its Telus on in leaked glamour shots01:39:38 - HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound)01:45:55 - Why is LTE equipment being installed in an Apple Store?Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)Contact the podcastpodcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.Follow us on Twitter@tnkgrl @phonewisdom @engadgetmobile
Samsung Hercules gets its Telus on in leaked glamour shots
Looks like Sammy's Android 2.3 demi-god is just about ready to touch down on this side of planet Earth. Spotted out in the wilds of Canada once again, the much anticipated Hercules handset -- a confirmed Galaxy S II variant -- has been captured in not-quite-Mr. Blurrycam form over on MobileSyrup. The device, shown here running on Telus' network, is rumored to pack a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 42Mbps HSPA+ radio and a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor -- although that Quadrant score could very well indicate an Exynos chip. While we still lack any firm release dates for the phone's Northern American debut, we'd bet that leaked T-Mobile October launch is a good yardstick for soon.
Samsung Hercules, HTC Ruby available from T-Mobile on October 26th?
We knew that the Samsung Hercules and HTC Ruby were both making their way to T-Mobile, and now, it looks like they'll be doing so in tandem. The folks over at Tmo News have obtained a leaked back to school slideshow (pictured above) that pegs the release date for both devices as October 26th, despite earlier murmurs that the Ruby would be hitting shelves in September. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding the phones' specs and peculiarities, though Samsung's Galaxy S II variant is rumored to pack some pretty impressive horsepower -- including, perhaps, a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor. We'll have to wait and see whether it lives up to its expectations and whether this reported release date proves valid, but we'll let you know as soon as we do.
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE phone surfaces in Korea, codenamed Celox?
There's a new Samsung Galaxy S II rumor circulating the web today -- this time, it's emanating from South Korea, where specs and images of an LTE smartphone, reportedly codenamed "Celox," have just surfaced. According to its listing, the phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor, sports a 4.5-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display, and boasts 16GB of internal memory, with a microSD slot offering an extra 32GB. The phone also runs on Gingerbread, rocks a 1750mAh battery (compared to the smaller Galaxy S II's 1650mAH cell), offers 800MHz LTE support (at up to 50Mbps upstream, 100Mbps downstream) and features an 8MP rear-facing camera, along with a 2MP sensor up front. It all seems pretty similar to that Hercules handset we recently spotted, except for its noticeably different home button, protruding back, and LED flash. No word yet on if or when the handset will hit the market, but considering that both Verizon and AT&T support 700MHz LTE, this particular model may be destined for Europe's 800MHz networks, rather than the US. We'll be sure to bring you all the details as soon as they pour in. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Hercules confirmed as a T-Mobile Galaxy S II variant
The picture almost says it all: the Galaxy S II is coming to T-Mobile. Except it's slightly more complicated than that. According to TmoNews, you're actually looking at the back of the new Samsung Hercules -- a handset rumored to possess godly specs, which we already knew was heading to both T-Mo and Telus, and which is now confirmed as an honest-to-goodness Galaxy S II variant. It's similar to the original superphone in many respects, but it has a slightly larger 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen like the Infuse 4G, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor that's possibly a Qualcomm instead of Sammy's own Exynos, and a 42Mbps HSPA+ radio. The rounded corners of the back cover also look distinctly similar to the Within -- the GSII variant coming to Sprint. You'll find full-frontals after the break, which also recall the design of the Nexus S. The only thing missing is any mention of NFC, which featured in the initial rumors, but this is still a hotch-potch of the best Samsung phones around and we can't wait for it to arrive.
Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon?
Would demigods feel honored that smartphones are getting named after them? The Samsung Hercules, from what we can tell, seems to fit its given title appropriately; he was, after all, famous for his behemoth strength. Sadly, we've known more about him than his technological counterpart, though that may be soon changing. MobileSyrup found someone clutching onto the still-unannounced device at a VIP event and snapped a quick pic for the world to see. While they didn't get any hands-on time, they indicated that it was running on Telus, it appeared to have a 4.5-inch display (as rumored), and is a design mashup of the Galaxy S II, Nexus S, and the Infuse 4G. This still leaves us with nothing but spec rumors -- which include a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, Super AMOLED Plus display, 16GB of flash storage, 42Mbps HSPA+, and an eight megapixel camera -- but it's nice to have a face to go with the famous name. For somebody who likes to go the distance, its superphone namesake sure seems awfully close.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Hercules - Curse of the Hydra
Hercules - Curse of the Hydra isn't exactly the most polished game I've seen on the iPhone -- it's a little clumsy, in fact, with some awkwardly placed controls and graphics that aren't quite as smooth as they could be. But it's still an interesting title and a solid effort from an indie studio, and I like its ambitious nature. There are 16 different levels of platforming and 3D action to fight through here, and while the game is still a little rough, it's cool to see a small studio take on a full title like this on iOS. Unfortunately, there's no Game Center integration, but there's a nice progression scheme to explore, which should keep you charging through the action and the storyline. There's a free version of the game to try out (and I actually recommend you give it a shot before you buy the full game, just to see if it's your thing). The full version is US$3.99 on the App Store right now, and I think it's worth supporting this studio, called Smerc. There are a lot of little pick-up-and-play puzzle games out on the store, but I like to see someone trying to tackle an experience that's a little bigger than that.
T-Mobile 2011 roadmap leaks, lists loads of specific release dates?
Samsung's Hercules was the entree, but there's always room for dessert, and if you'd like to finish off your meal with juicy cellular rumors, This is my next has you covered. The publication now claims to have T-Mobile's entire 2011 device roadmap in their possession, replete with alleged release dates for a stable of phones and hotspots -- some of which we've never heard of before -- which should make for plenty of excitement in the months to come. Find all the highlights after the break.
Unannounced Samsung 'Hercules' headed to T-Mobile, bearing demigod-like specs?
The Samsung Infuse 4G is a beautiful 4.5-inch tabletphone, but it's not for the spec junkies of the world -- a single-core processor and Android 2.2 just don't impress such folk these days, regardless of actual performance. However, This is my next reports Samsung's cooking up a $350 handset that ticks all the boxes on the superphone list -- a beast of a smartphone it's tentatively calling the "Hercules." Mind you, we're still in rumor territory, but feast your inner speed demon on the possibility of these: a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor (the same as the HP TouchPad), a 42Mbps HSDPA radio, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of flash storage and Android 2.3, along with the same 4.5-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus display as the aforementioned Infuse 4G. The same whispers say it'll have a 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture, MHL support and NFC, and should play for T-Mobile... assuming the buyout doesn't succeed. Our existing smartphones are already preparing to seethe with jealousy.
Hercules re-invents the netbook again, launches 10-inch Linux- and A8-powered eCAFE
It's perhaps a little too early to be feeling all retro-nostalgic for the netbook, with much of the industry moving on up to your notbooks and your tablets and such, so we'll just say that Hercules is still kickin' it old school by launching its eCAFE netbooks. There are two models, the Slim HD and EX HD, the former tipping the scales at 1.9lbs and measuring only .8-inches thick, while the EX model is a bit heftier at 2.5lbs and 1.1-inches, managing 13 hours of "real use" battery life. Both are said to smoothly play 720p video on their 10-inch, 1024 x 600 displays or export it over HDMI, running a custom flavor of Linux and powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor. Hercules says this "sets a new standard" in netbooks, but 8 or 16GB of flash storage and 512MB of RAM sounds all too familiar to us, and if that cramped, recessed keyboard is the future we're quite happy to stick in the present, thanks. %Gallery-120076%
Samsung's ARM roadmap lays coordinates through 2013: Aquila, Venus, and Draco (oh my)
Ah, leaked company presentation slides, they have a clarity only Mr. Blurrycam would despise. EETimes got a batch of them from Samsung dated November 2009 making the rounds, but more important than revealing its equal love for both Roman and Greek mythology, we get a glimpse at its then-planned ARM chip roadmap (yeah, another one) through 2013. In a nutshell, for the Cortex A9 crowd we've got the 800MHz dual core "Orion" due for mass production in Q1 2011, a 1GHz single core "Pegasus" for Q4 2011, a 1GHz dual core "Hercules" for Q1 2012, and for sometime in 2012 / 2013, a 1.2GHz dual core "Draco" and quad core "Aquila." Fear not, Cortex A5 fanatics, you've got gifts as well, in the form of 600MHz single core "Mercury" and dual core "Venus" chips, slated for 2010 / 2011 and 2012 / 2013, respectively. We don't expect the nomenclature to extend beyond internal usage, but frankly, who cares -- it's the devices that count, and unfortunately all we can do is doodle our future gadget hopes and dreams onto scraps of paper while we wait.
Hercules supports diminutive scratchers with two-deck DJ Console Mk4 controller
We've certainly heard this "world's smallest" claim before in the world of DJ controllers, but as components shrink and plastics get thinner, we aren't shocked to see one company leap-frogging another. According to Hercules, its new DJ Console Mk4 is "the most portable and most compact 2-deck DJ controller with built-in audio for PC and Mac," checking in at 10.4- x 7.3-inches and weighing just 3.3 pounds. Making its musical debut at Musikmesse 2010, this controller boasts a pair of stereo outputs (one for mixing, one for previewing tracks), a duo of analog inputs, the ability to hum along on USB power alone and a bevy of knobs / faders for those who actually know what they're doing with a pair of platters spinning in front of them. It's slated to ship this June in the UK for £179.99 ($268), though no US availability seems planned at the moment. Update: Good news! Hercules pinged us to say that the unit will be out in America this June with an MSRP of $199. %Gallery-89119%
