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Toshiba lights up the streets with Satellite U500 Ducati
Ducati may have its roots firmly planted on the highway, but the high-end label certainly isn't scared of stepping out from time to time. After gifting firms like SanDisk and Sony Ericsson with the right to use its name on various gizmos, the motorcycle maker is now linking up with Toshiba on a special edition laptop. The Satellite U500 Ducati is a 13.3-inch ultraportable equipped with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 (512MB), an Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 and 4GB of RAM. Naturally, the primarily white device will boast its fair share of Ducati badging, but seemingly lacks the company's trademark desmodromic valve actuation. Precise pricing information wasn't made public, but you can bet only those with more money than sense will take interest when it ships later this month in Italy.
Toshiba's JournE touch to get VoIP and ebook functionality, dedicated e-reader planned for 2010
We've been trolling the Toshiba booth, and just got word on a couple upcoming JournE touch apps, a brief look at the app store, and word of an all-new ebook reader in the works at the company. Toshiba's planning to add VoIP and ebook apps to the JournE, along with a "fridge" app to allow home users to jot notes for each other on the device. The app store seems simple enough, peddling its wares alongside the video and music downloads the JournE can access -- though specific content distribution deals aren't hammered out just yet. Under the hood there's an ARM4 processor, but while the device seems pretty responsive in its basic interface, it was really brought to its knees by web browsing, and we'd say Toshiba has a looong way to go on its software before it makes Windows CE into something usable for touch at this size and resolution. Check out video of the device interfacing with the dock, along with a quick look at the app store, after the break.Perhaps more intriguing is confirmation that Toshiba is planning a new ebook device with similar inspiration as the JournE (Toshiba already makes the much different Biblio reader for Japan), but is holding off until a standard book format and distribution model is nailed down by the industry. Details on the device itself are slim, with e-ink only "one of the options" for screen technology. A touchscreen interface of some sort is likely, but even that's not locked down. For now Toshiba would prefer us to concentrate on the JournE, which is no surprise.
Samsung's ultraslim ST45 digital camera is sadly devoid of clowns
We'll be honest -- we were hoping that from now on Samsung would be including creepy clown displays on the front of all their 12.2 megapixel shooters. If for some strange reason you're not into that idea, however, the ST45 should be right up your alley. A pretty noteworthy 16mm thin, this guy features an ISO sensitivity up to 3200, a 2.7-inch LCD screen, and all the goodies you expect from Samsung: Smart Scene Recognition with 11 (count 'em!) picture settings (Portrait, Night portrait, Macro, etc.), Digital Image Stabilization, Self Portrait & Frame Guide (for all those double-chin masking MySpace one-handed self-pics), and the obligatory Face Detection. This bad boy will be available in the UK in red, black, blue, or grey, sometime late this month. PR after the break.
TomTom's new x50 user interface gets pictured
We'll be honest -- after seeing TomTom's best efforts on its flagship GO 740 LIVE, we couldn't be happier to witness a new user interface for the outfit's PNDs. After taking the wraps off of the GO 950, GO 750 and GO 550 yesterday at IFA, the good folks over at Mobility Minded were able to take a quick peek at some UI improvements that'll ship on the new trio. Aside from just looking entirely more modern, TomTom also added a "Live" tab that gives drivers quick access to upcoming traffic, the cheapest gas nearby and the location of fixed and mobile safety cameras. We'd still like to see a bit more overhauling in the future, but if you're interested in a closer look at what's changing in the immediate, give that read link some love.
PS3's new 3D mode captured on video, coming in 2010 to all existing games
You know what's absolutely useless? A video of Wipeout HD being played in 3D, with some schmuck wearing 3D glasses and babbling on about how much fun he's having. Well, that schmuck is this Engadget editor, the video can be found after the break, and we've gotta say: we loved it. Especially for something like Wipeout HD, whose neon-infused tracks make for an almost too convenient example of rapidly approaching vanishing points, we'd say 3D could really be a quasi-"killer app" for consoles going forward -- especially if those fancy new motion controllers don't catch on for Microsoft and Sony. In many ways, 3D just seems to make more sense in a video game than for a movie, and the whole problem of finding content to deliver in the format has already been solved: a software update for the PS3 sometime in 2010 will enable it to provide a 3D viewing experience to "all" existing games on the system. We're sure there will be some exceptions, but it sounds very promising. The console itself pumps out a quite regular signal over HDMI, which the TV syncs up with your 3D glasses. A 200Hz TV, for instance, alternates 1080p frames, with 100Hz for each eye. Of course, you'll need a brand new TV, but at least it won't be restricted to just Sony televisions. Start saving those pennies!
Video: Canon EOS 7D gatling gun shooting 8 FPS of awesome
We'll be back later with more impressions, but we figured you'd like to see Canon's new EOS 7D in a video quickie, live at IFA. It's short, just a minute, but enough time to show off the 7D's built-in digital level, 19-point autofocus, and a naked shutter blasting though 8 frames per second. Now man-up son, and hit that link.
Video hands-on: Sony's Walkman S-series is no Mickey Mouse audio player
If you're in the market for a dedicated, easy-to-pocket audio player that can handle the occasional video then it's hard to beat Sony's new Walkman S-series of players. The latest Walkmans, priced at $110 (8GB) or $130 (16GB), are the first from Sony with integrated speakers and include a plastic kickstand in the box. As usual, the sound was excellent but Sony cheated a bit at its IFA stand by equipping the demo units with high-end Sony over-the-skull cans. Hey, whatever it takes, right? Nevertheless, Sony always bundles good-quality earbuds (MDR-E804Y in this case) with their gear unlike some other manufacturers who shall not be named. Switching between the stereo-speakers and headphones is as simple as throwing the physical slider along the right-side of the unit -- speakers that sounded pretty decent as long as your expectations are set appropriate to the unit's physical size. Video playback was fine but it's hard to be enthusiastic about watching anything other than very-brief clips on the S-series' tiny 2.4-inch QVGA display. But in a pinch, no problem. Plenty of pics in the gallery and a quickie video walk-around after the break.
Video hands-on: Sony's Party-shot dock knows how to par-tay, unlike Paul
Know what's awesome? Parties... and parfaits. But if we had to choose, we'd rather have Sony's Party-shot dock on hand at our next soirèe instead of a delicate ensemble of whipped confectioneries. Just set your Partyshot-enabled Cybershot into Sony's automatically swiveling and panning $150 IPT-DS1 Party-shot dock and relive up to 11-hours of battery powered magic the next morning. Assuming it's still there, of course. See it in action with your 24 hour IFA party people after the break.
Philips gets stylish with BDP9500 and BDP7500 Blu-ray players
Philips has definitely shifted most of its consumer electronics efforts into continents not named North America, but given that IFA's taking place in Berlin, it makes sense to see so much new kit flowing from the company. The latest wares to make their debut on the show floor is the BDP9500 and BDP7500 Blu-ray players, both of which handle 7.1 audio with poise and offer up 1080p video playback for those with BD libraries. The flagship 9500 also includes a Qdeo video processor and a sleek aluminum shell, not to mention Burr-Brown analog-to-digital converters and DVD upscaling for those other movies. There's no mention of pricing and availability just yet, but with the holiday shopping season just around the bend, we'd guess the folks at Philips are working hard to get these out on the double [Warning: PDF read link]
Hama cases foreshadow 5G iPod nano, 3G iPod touch at IFA: hands-on
We know you don't really need any more evidence that Apple is gearing up to unveil at least two new iPod revisions at its forthcoming 'rock and roll' event, but are you seriously going to hit the ignore button on these? If you'll recall, last year's visit to Hama's IFA booth gave us early access to cases of Apple's then-upcoming round of iPod nanos, and this year the company seems to be disclosing all of Cupertino's secrets once more. On hand were cases for Apple's fifth-generation iPod nano and the third-generation iPod touch, both of which seem to make room for a built-in camera. Of course, these lovely peripherals could be nothing more than a complete waste of company resources, but we'd encourage you to browse the gallery below before jumping to that conclusion.
Samsung Blu-ray players adding YouTube, MKV support (Update: Right now!)
Samsung hasn't been shy about sliding streaming video into its Blu-ray players with Netflix and Blockbuster OnDemand already making an appearance, and it announced at IFA that YouTube will be joining them in Q4. Whether watching grainy webcam footage (or even possibly renting movies) is your thing, we're a bit more surprised but no less pleased to hear MKV container support is also making its way into new hardware, while owners of existing players (no word which ones) can add the functionality via upgrade.Update: Samsung's official PR states BD-P1600, BD-P3600 or BD-P4600 owners can get the YouTube update right now (as several commenters already have,) no word on the MKV support yet.
Eyes on LG's Color Pop monitors, just called Coke in the south
Hey princess, look over here -- daddy's got a pair of new LG W30 Color Pop monitors for you. These sticky-sweet parfaits of sugar-liquid crystal come all the way from South Korea. Do you know where that is? Sure you do, just below that little man with the bouffant hairdo and Elvis specs. These 37-mm slim monitors are available in your choice of Oreo Black, Jelly Pink, Blueberry Purple, Applemint Green, and Hawaiian Blue and ship with a glossy, two-tone frame to further unsettle your mother's sense of refinement. They come in medium (18.5-inch, 1366x768 pixels) and big (21.5-inch, 1920x1080) sizes and begin shipping in the US come September and worldwide later in the year. Just for you, 'cause you're worth it honey.
Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker hands-on: Ubuntu like you've never seen it before
We're having a hard time deciding whether Sharp's Ubuntu-running PC-Z1 NetWalker "smartbook" is a total tragedy or total triumph of technology. On one hand, it's running a full Ubuntu install at a relatively high resolution and a rather snappy pace. On the other hand it's nearly impossible to use, with a too small optical track pad and a too high pixel density -- combined they make hunting down just about everything in the OS a painful affair. The QWERTY keys are also astonishingly bad for their size, spongy and brittle all at the same time... but, somehow, we're still fond of this device. Perhaps it's just that unrequited Zaurus love rearing its long-repressed head. Video is after the break.
Philips debuts Soundbar with Blu-ray, Home Theaters galore
If there's one thing we've always maintained here at Engadget, it's that "HD people are good people." Hell, we have a whole website devoted to HD, home entertainment, and the whole "HD lifestyle," only because you warm our hearts so much. And the folks at Philips are obviously on the same tip -- as proven not only by all the wonderful products of theirs that grace these pages regularly, but by all the surround sound gear they've schlepped to IFA this year, including: a new SoundBar with Ambisound, featuring a Blu-ray disc player, optional iPod dock, 7.1 surround sound, and DoubleBASS. Available in black (HTS8160B) or white (HTS8161B). Just the thing for those of you who think that a single speaker could somehow replace seven (plus one) in the surround sound stakes. Also on hand for the less credulous, the company is unveiling a number of home theater systems with the now-mandatory Blu-ray playback, including: three separate 5.1 surround affairs for folks with on varying budgets, and a two speaker / one sub combo for those of you who want to try out "Dolby Virtual Speaker" technology after all. If all this appeals to you, you have two options -- check out the PR (after the break) or hit the read link to sift through a wild'n'wooly PDF.
Toshiba's JournE touch multimedia tablet (updated with hands-on video!)
Hey Apple, check this thing out! Toshiba just blazed into IFA on a 7-inch multimedia tablet, the JournE touch. It's dominated by the touchscreen display, but underneath there's support for a wide range of codecs (H.264, DivX, WMV), 802.11b/g WiFi, some online multimedia services like YouTube and Flickr, and some light internet duties thanks to Internet Explorer running on Windows CE 6.0 Pro. Despite the size and multimedia prowess (it can output sub-1080p video over an HDMI plug in the dock), the device measures a mere 14mm thick and weighs just under a pound. There's only 1GB of built-in storage, but that can be expanded via the SD slot, and the device can access external storage over USB. Word is it'll retail for 250 Euro in Q4 this year.The device feels pretty nice in hand, but there's still a bit of a prototype vibe about it -- maybe because it's still a prototype. It's clearly a resistive screen, and the device will include a stylus for non touch-optimized apps. Toshiba seemed to be having fun with the multitude of Apple comparisons, namely since there isn't an Apple device to compare it to yet. They also call the video output the tablet's killer app, and promise to show more once they can track down a WiFi signal. Sure, it's just a MID at the end of the day, but we'll be happy to humor them -- it's a pretty hot MID.Update: We've got some video hands-on of the JournE right after the break -- gaze upon its G-Force displaying prowess!Update 2: Added one more video after the break, just in case you didn't get enough the first go 'round.
Philips launches Wireless HDTV Link, gives airborne HDMI a fightin' chance
Still reeling over the death of FlyWire this summer? So were we, until we saw this beauty pop up in Berlin. Philips Wireless HDTV Link promises to set your TV free from the tyranny of cables with an HDMI transmitter / receiver pair that'll let you place all those A/V components of yours a whopping 20 meters from your set. The base station has two HDMI connections, two component connections and boasts transmission of full 1080i and 1080p / 30 HD video. Coming soon (hopefully) this bad boy is retailing for €599.99 (about $850). [Warning: PDF read link]
Eyes-on LG's 15-inch OLED TV makes us want to punch an LCD
What can we say -- it's a near final build of LG's 15-inch OLED TV that's set to go production in Korea before the baby New Year can suckle at the big one-oh. We could say it's beautiful, that even motion looked good pushing genuine blacks on this razor thin panel. But we wouldn't want to rub your noses in the fact that we're at IFA and you're not. Perhaps this will make you feel better: by the time it makes it Stateside in February or March it'll be carrying a price tag right around $2,500. Really, but it's Wireless TV-capable and that's gotta be worth something.Oh, and LG tells us that its 32- and 42-inch OLED panels are on schedule and due to be released sometime in 2010. Yes, 2010 contradicting what we've heard earlier. No word on price but it's going to be tres, tres expensive.
T-Mobile Pulse runs Android, headed for Europe
Not that our Stateside T-Mobile needs much help scoring Android handsets, but this phone looks strictly reserved for our European brethren. The T-Mobile Pulse is actually Huawei's U8220, which looks a little drab compared to its U8230 sibling, and works in what seems to be standard smartphone specs these days: 3.2 megapixel camera, 3.5-inch 320 x 480 screen, HSDPA, Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS. The 2GB SD card and mere 3.5 hours of talk time leave a bit to be desired, and the 13.5mm thickness is almost as beastly as Nokia's latest, but we're sure the Pulse means well. No word on a straight price, but in Germany with a two year agreement prices start at 5 Euro a month.[Via Engadget German]
Samsung X Series thin-and-lights sport dual-core CULV procs, 9 hour battery life
Samsung just debuted its new X Series line, a trio of fairly thin big brothers to the new netbooks Samsung is also launching today. The X420 (14-inch), X520 (14.6-inch) and X120 (11.6-inch, pictured) all hover around 0.95-inches thick, and range from 3 ounces to 4.4 pounds in weight. Samsung is touting its new design language for the laptops, though at a glance it doesn't seem too special -- the scratch-resistant UV coating for the glossy finish is a nice touch, though. Under the hood we're a little short on details, but an unannounced dual-core Intel CULV processor makes an appearance somewhere in there. Otherwise there's the fairly standard WiFi, Bluetooth, card reader, and HDMI plug. Samsung claims some special mojo to squeeze 9 hours of battery out of its 6 cell batteries (in the X420 and X520, the X120 does 4 cell), with 6 hours of movie playback also claimed -- we'll believe it when we see it, but we want to believe. Prices range from 699 to 899 Euro (about $1,000 to $1,286 US), and the line should ship this month in Europe and Asia.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 hands-on, with 720p test footage!
Hoo boy are we stoked on this one. Panasonic has really shown what micro four thirds is all about, with the retro good looks and strong performance of the new Lumix DMC-GF1. The camera is certainly a bit larger and heavier than it looks from a distance, but housed within the slightly oversized shell are some pretty good optics and some snappy performance. You can't replicate the satisfying "kerklunk" of a real DSLR shutter, but the GF1 is responsive and clicky enough to give off a much better vibe than the standard camera in this size range. The few shots we took on auto looked quite vibrant in a variety of lighting conditions, though the close-ups showed a disturbingly shallow depth of field -- though that could obviously be tweaked. Being the filthy non-purists that we are, we're most excited by the camera's 720p video mode, which offers decently fast autofocus with a half press of the shutter button, and zero jelly vision to worry about. The downsides of no line-in and a higher pricetag than the comparable E-P1 aren't insignificant, but the GF1 will certainly put up a fight. Stick around for some in-camera test footage later on, test stills are below and there's a hands-on video after the break.Update: Sample footage is now posted after the break! It was ripped from an AVCHD file to H.264, so there's been some generational quality loss, but you'll get an idea of the colors and the motion. We also just got word that the camera is up for pre-order at Amazon. [Thanks, Ron]
