magic
Latest
Sense UI update for HTC Magic makes the scene in Taiwan
If our ability to guesstimate Chinese website contents based on sketchy machine translation software is correct, it looks like HTC Magic owners in Taiwan are finally getting that Sense UI update they've been teased with since mid-August. Further blurring the lines between the aforementioned handset and the Hero, it is unknown whether or not the update will ever come to carriers besides Chunghwa Telecom, or how long that could even take. One thing we are fairly certain of, however, is that phones "with Google" will probably remain without this update, into perpetuity. Sorry, myTouch! If you're one of the lucky few, hit that read link to get started. [Via Unwired View]
SciPhone smells success with Android-powered clones, orders up an army
You know that N12 we were thrilling about back in June? After faking Android with the Dream G2+ as a skin over its regular OS, SciPhone decided to put real Android on the N12 much to our surprise. Now in the works are the N16 (a phone that looks so much like the Magic that SciPhone just stole the real Magic's press shot instead), the LG-styled N17, and a Storm-esque N19 (pictured). At least the N12 and N16 have 624MHz Marvell processors and 3G, while the N19 sounds to be a non-3G phone running a mere 400MHz chip and 128MB or RAM. The N12 is due this month wherever clones are sold, no word on when the rest will follow. [Via PMP Today]
The future of the ingame Darkmoon Faire
Larisa over at the Pink Pigtail Inn misunderstood the news we posted the other day about the Darkmoon Faire live event in France being canceled, and instead thought that the actual ingame event had been shut down for good. And that brought up an interesting question to her: so what if it was? The original Faire was an interesting idea, a way to bring the fun of a regular holiday (along with the usual quests, special items, and even a reputation to grind) around every month or so. But just like having Christmas every month would get old after a while, the Faire has sort of worn out its welcome -- players really only go there for following some arcane questline, and when they do get there, they're undoubtedly disappointed by how barren the place is.So what to do? Larisa suggests that the Cataclysm might just claim the whole thing -- Azeroth gets rocked, and no more Darkmoon Faire. I'd actually like to see the story go the other way: if there's a traveling group of performers with vast magical powers that's allowed to move at will between Horde and Alliance lands, wouldn't it be great if they were actually part of a secret society that had bigger interests rise to the top in a disaster situation? I'm sure Blizzard has more than enough on their plate for the next few content patches, but the Faire itself is due for an update, too, and it'd be nice to see it included in the larger storyline somehow.
Android Battle: CLIQ edition
CLIQ Galaxy Tattoo Hero Magic / MT3G Dream / G1 Carrier T-Mobile -- (GSM / HSDPA) -- (GSM / EDGE) Sprint T-Mobile T-Mobile Manuf. Motorola Samsung HTC HTC HTC HTC Price -- -- -- $179.99 $99.99 $149.99 Released -- July 2009 -- Oct 11, 2009 Aug 5, 2009 Oct 22, 2008 Keyboard Slide-out Virtual Virtual Virtual Virtual Slide-out Android MOTOBLUR Standard Sense UI Sense UI Standard Standard Processor 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz ARM11 528MHz MSM7225 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz MSM7201A Screen 3.1-inch (est.), 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 2.8-inch, 240 x 320 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 480 x 320 Headphone 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm ExtUSB ExtUSB Touchscreen Capacitive Capacitive Resistive Capacitive Capacitive Capacitive Still Camera 5MP with AF 5MP with Flash 3.2MP 5MP with AF 3.2MP with AF 3.2MP with AF Bluetooth 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 Exchange ActiveSync ActiveSync -- ActiveSync Depends on version Depends on version Storage 256MB, microSD 8GB, microSD 512MB, microSD 512MB, microSD 512MB, microSD 256MB, microSD Battery 1400mAh 1500mAh 1100mAh 1500 mAh 1340 mAh 1150 mAh Weight 163g 114g 113g 135g 116g 158g It's been over 11 months since the Android first hit the scene with HTC's T-Mobile G1, and in that time we've come to the conclusion that, despite having more or less a clean slate on industrial design choices and specs, little progress has been made in the way of variation. Stacked up side-to-side, Motorola CLIQ manages to stand out with a slide-out keyboard and MOTOBLUR skin, but under the hood, it's pretty much as uniform as a netbook. Peruse for yourself in the chart above.
Darkfall balances game in preparation for October expansion
The most recent patch deployed earlier this week in Darkfall lays the foundation for the PvP-centric MMO's October expansion. Darkfall's developer Aventurine has revamped the game's magic spells, with faster advancement in spell schools, reduced mana and ingredient costs, but reduced area of effect damage done with magic. They didn't stop there though. There's a shopping list of changes made to crafting, AI, and the user interface. The patch introduced a number of new weapons to the game, chiefly one-handed clubs and elemental bows. But the patch also sets the stage for Aventurine's future plans with naval combat. The changes seem aimed at making ships more vulnerable to damage while also making (most of) them cheaper to produce. Have a look at Darkfall's September 2nd patch notes for more on the changes Aventurine has made to the game.
HTC posts firmware update for Rogers' Magic and Dream
Have a Rogers-branded Magic or Dream lying around? Do you salivate at the mere thought of "several key enhancements"? Well, partner, mosey on over to HTC's website right this second where you'll find a link to a mysterious update that literally just popped up today. Let us know the gritty details of your experiences if you decide to take the plunge, alright? Update: We just spotted a changelog when you click through: Improves the overall device functionality and stability Enables correct SMS timestamp Enables Chinese character display for POP3 HTML Emails Corrects E-mail client exchange Issues We're digging the "Improves the overall device functionality and stability" part. Read - Dream Read - Magic
HTC to offer Sense upgrade for Magic in October, might be free? (update: free, only coming to Taiwan so far)
The spec gap between the Magic and the Hero is mighty small -- other than the entirely revamped Sense UI, the Hero's 5 megapixel camera is about the only thing the newer model has over the original, physical design notwithstanding. That gap is on the fast track to getting even smaller, too, now that HTC has issued a press release detailing a Sense upgrade for the Magic (assuming you haven't already nabbed it off xda-developers, that is). It looks like current owners will get hooked up some time in October for NT$1,500, which works out to about $46; what we don't know, though, is which Magics will be eligible for the upgrade. Just like HTC's WinMo wares, we're guessing that subsidized units are going to be at the mercy of their carriers, which means that T-Mobile, Rogers, and Vodafone customers (among others) should take a somewhat pessimistic view of this announcement until they've heard otherwise. Hey, we're just looking out for your mental health here. [Thanks, Steve G.] Update: Depending on how you interpret the press release, HTC could be saying that the upgrade is valued at NT$1,500, but will actually be free. We're working to get a clarification. Update 2: Alright, we've gotten the skinny on this straight from HTC. The update will be free -- thing is, it's only coming to Taiwan's Chunghwa so far. The fate of Magics on other carriers remains unknown, but we do know that so-called "with Google" versions will definitely be left out (that includes you, myTouch 3G).
HTC reportedly moves a million Magic smartphones, boogies down at midnight
These days, the whole "I shipped a million!" claim is becoming more and more common, but it's still worth pointing out that HTC has managed to move a whole bundle of its Android-based myTouch 3G (or Magic, as it were) since debuting in April. Or, that's the story, anyway. According to a dangerously brief blurb over at Digitimes, the outfit's head honcho quipped that the Magic has "surpassed one million units," and he also noted that it would begin to focus more on the mid-range market as opposed to always dealing devices at the high-end. So, raise your glass high for this one folks, and let the countdown to a million Hero handsets begin while you're at it.[Via InformationWeek]
Rogers now blowing out Dreams and Magics for $79.99 on contract
Hey, T-Mobile, allow us to hit you up with some knowledge, if you would. Take a quick gander up north of the border, where our dear friends on Rogers have reduced both the Dream (your G1) and the Magic (your myTouch 3G) to just $79.99 on a three-year deal -- and that's in Canadian dollars, which works out to $74 in greenbacks. Granted, yes, we understand that a three-year deal is a full 12 months longer than an old-fashioned American two-year deal, but still, you're going to have to forgive us if we start working on our visa applications. Coincidentally, we know there's a version of the Hero kicking around that'd work swimmingly on Rogers; we don't mean to start any rumors, but... oh heck, who are we kidding, of course we're trying to start rumors. [Thanks, Ilia]
Square Enix countdown reveals Final Fantasy/SaGa/Magic the Gathering crossover card RPG
The latest Square Enix teaser countdown displayed a big Roman numeral that counted down each day, causing a lot of excitement when it struck "VII." The countdown has elapsed, revealing that no, it's not the Final Fantasy VII remake, nor is it something remotely as exciting, though Lord of Vermilion II is at least interesting in its own right.Lord of Vermilion II is the sequel to Square Enix's popular arcade collectible card game, which uses real trading cards to summon monsters, allies, and such in-game. The sequel is particularly noteworthy because, as the new site reveals, it includes characters from Final Fantasy IV, Romancing SaGa II, and even creatures from Magic: The Gathering.Of course, since we don't really have card RPGs or arcades in North America, the chances of playing this ourselves are slim. Although, as Siliconera noted, Square Enix trademarked Lord of Arcana in the US. So, it's possible.
TeleNav GPS Navigator comes to T-Mobile's myTouch 3G
TeleNav has already launched its subscription turn-by-turn navigation service for the G1, so it stands to reason that official myTouch 3G support would be close behind -- and sure enough, the company has announced that its GPS Navigator app will be available for download to T-Mobile's second Android device starting tomorrow, August 5. The app features all of the goodies that TeleNav users have come to know and love, including traffic and incident monitoring with automatic rerouting, gas prices, business information, and a choice between 2D and 3D maps; additionally, you've got automatic day / night coloration, carpool lane and tollroad avoidance, and speech recognition for destination input -- a big plus when you're on the road and you need to keep distractions to a minimum. We've been playing with a cut of GPS Navigator on our myTouch recently, and it delivers a totally usable car navigation experience -- a perfect complement to the comprehensive pedestrian capabilities of Google Maps. Most of the warnings from our G1-based review of the application carry over here -- you need true GPS reception, not merely cellular triangulation, so your phone will need a view of the sky to have a shot at picking up satellites (this also means that getting a location lock is a more time-consuming process, though it typically didn't take longer than a few seconds to do its thing). We're not digging how the colored lines that convey traffic information on highways flash; we'd rather they just stayed a solid color, the way most GPS systems handle it. We also found that the menus are a little wonky -- bringing your finger in contact with a menu item and swiping up or down to scroll would occasionally trigger the first item you touched, which ends up being a fairly annoying bug in practice. All told, though, if you can justify the expense, your $10 a month is going to net you a genuinely reasonable way to consolidate all of your help-me-I'm-lost needs -- whether by foot or by car -- into a single device.
HTC Hero and Click coming to China under Dopod brand
HTC has been on a global Android-pimping mission with its Hero device, and it looks like Chinese subsidiary Dopod gets the honor of announcing three new handsets for the Middle Kingdom. Unlike others, the Hero retains its WiFi capabilities by playing nice with China's custom WLAN security protocol and is expected in late August on China Unicom for 5,600 Yuan ($820) along with the few-frills Click for 3,400 Yuan ($500). The carrier has opted to strip Google Maps from the Hero (though it's still downloadable), and to soften the blow it will likely offer a snazzy red version of the phone. China Mobile will have to settle for an as-yet unspecified TD-SCDMA handset and the already announced Magic, both of which will likely be sporting the OMS flavor of Android. We're not sure we'd classify the Hero's price tag as reasonable -- but really, can you put a dollar figure on being the first big-name Android release in the world's largest wireless market?
T-Mobile myTouch 3G preorders now shipping, arriving, being touched
If you've preordered one o' them fancy new myTouch 3Gs, check your mailbox, front porch, back door, administrative assistant, or dirty, thieving neighbor -- because it might be there. T-Mobile said that preorders would be shipping at the tail end of July, and sure enough, some folks are starting to get lucky; plebes without preorders will still need to wait until August 5, though, so, you know, either sit there and drool or shout nasty remarks about how you'd rather have a Hero in the meanwhile. [Thanks, sun]
Interview: Magic the Gathering -- Duels of the Planeswalkers
Duels of the Planeswalkers was released at the beginning of summer on Xbox Live Arcade, and it's a surprisingly competent take on the traditional Magic card game. The XBLA game is immediately familiar and also easy enough for first-timers to jump in and learn the ropes. There's a robust tutorial, all of the cards are real Magic cards, and the multiplayer features multiple modes of play, including four-on-four battles and "Two-Headed Giant," where a team of two faces off against another team of two. In short, it's addictive.We recently spoke with Worth Wollpert, senior business manager for Magic Online, and Mark Purvis, associate brand manager, both at Wizards of the Coast. The subject at hand was all things Duels of the Planeswalkers: there's some DLC on the way, and possibly other changes to the game -- but no deck customization (boo!). For now, the team is happy to let the game bring lapsed players back into the fold, and to introduce new players to the tapping and shuffling of Magic: The Gathering. Continue reading for the full interview.%Gallery-30916%
T-Mobile myTouch 3G unboxing
Our attention is still vaguely fixed on that Hero off in the distance, but let's focus for just a minute -- the myTouch 3G for T-Mobile is now in our well-guarded possession as it trudges toward a late July release for those lucky enough to pre-order. Other than a few silkscreened details, make no mistake -- the myTouch is literally an HTC Magic in basically all but name (we compare it with a Rogers-branded Magic in our gallery below so you can see what we mean), and all things considered, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like all of its Magic contemporaries, the phone feels small and well-balanced in the hand; one unique detail, though, is the crazy packaging which consists of a semi-soft zippered nylon case enclosed by a paper sleeve. It's cool, different, and unlike a regular box, it's something you'll probably want to hold on to.This is the first time we've seen it in that "merlot" shade, and in person, this is a great-looking color that could play well with anybody -- man or woman, business or casual. It's a touch of highlight without going overboard (unlike, say, the actual Highlight). Software-wise, this is looking like a bone-stock Android 1.5 build so far (notice the keyboard, for example), which plays with T-Mobile's prior statements that its software value-add with these sets would primarily come through Market downloads. Stay tuned for our full review, but in the meantime, enjoy some visuals!
The Daily Grind: Do you play the same class in every MMO?
They might sometimes have different names, but most MMOs share traits recognised as specific classes. Warriors, for example, are hardcore tanks able to take and deal a lot of damage. Priests are healers who can bring back the dead while Mages are squishy but able to devastate if you don't get in and down them fast. So, readers, I want to know if you stick to a certain class across many MMOs? If you don't, why not? Tell us in the usual way by dropping a comment in the box.Personally I usually play casters like Druids and Mages simply because my visual disability means I like to stand and pew pew to my heart's content rather than tanking or chasing mobs. Plus I really like the light show that goes with a really good incantation. However, during the last Aion Closed Beta Test, I rolled a Warrior just to see what it was like and had a heck of a lot of fun not dying for a change. I still prefer casters though, what about you?
Engadget Podcast 154 - 07.11.2009
The podcast is a little late this week, but for good reason -- special guest Michael Gartenberg joins Josh, Paul, and Nilay this week as they sort through the Google-dominated week in news. We've got Chrome OS, the myTouch 3G, some more HTC Hero hands-on time (as well as a Magic flashed with the Hero ROM), and the leaked Sony Ericsson Rachael on tap -- oh, and to top it all off, Sony backtracked huge and released its first true netbook, the VAIO W. It's a bit of a wild one, we won't lie -- buckle up. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Guest: Michael Gartenberg Producer: Trent Wolbe Song: No Rain Hear the podcast 00:01:22 - Google announces Chrome OS, coming to netbooks second half of 2010 00:26:37 - myTouch 3G hands-on (with video!) 00:39:35 - New HTC Hero ROM leaked, Flash 10 already chugging along on a few lucky G1s 00:56:25 - Sony Ericsson Rachael UI video leaks out, Kiki comes for the ride 01:04:55 - Android 1.5 gets official SDK for native development 01:12:58 - Sony announces VAIO W... netbook! Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
T-Mobile pushing apps hard with myTouch 3G; Sherpa pictured, detailed
Though the myTouch 3G is really just an HTC Magic at its core, T-Mobile seems to be doing everything it can to gussy it up with as much crapware bloatware value-add software that it can. All kidding aside, this really isn't crapware -- the carrier is apparently quite serious about calling out best-in-class apps in the Android Market, going so far as to create a separate "app pack" application that'll drill down stuff it wants to highlight. T-Mobile tells us this might even include T-Mobile's own visual voicemail application, which is currently in development, but whether that's available at launch or not, nothing in the app pack won't be findable in the regular Android Market, so there's no reason to worry.The crown jewel in the myTouch 3G's arsenal will be Sherpa, an entertainment discovery app that learns your preferences in food, stores, and attractions over time based on your ratings and bubbles them to the top so they're easier for you to find. Naturally, it's location-based so that you can find things around you; it'll be interesting to see how well this works in practice, but at a glance, we're excited to give it a shot so that we can finally stop eating In-N-Out seven nights a week (not to say there's anything wrong with that).
T-Mobile rolling out plethora of myTouch accessories
As much heat as the "myTouch" name has taken, we're starting to understand why T-Mobile went with it -- the myTouch 3G is a very customizable device. At device launch, we're counting no fewer than 17 trinkets to go along with your phone -- not including color variations -- ranging from the ultra-mundane (a USB cable in your choice of black or white, for example) to the awesome (a snap-on battery extender that'll add 50 percent more juice) to the crazy (a myTouch logo commuter mug). Buyers will also be able to get custom-designed shells through Skinit and have access to a fitness belt, meaning you now have absolutely no excuse not to get on the trail and run that ten miles with that trusty Magic firmly attached to your arm. Well, except the fact that The Hills is on. Right after The Hills, though, we swear.
myTouch 3G hands-on (with video!)
We just got a look at the myTouch 3G, and while it's great to see T-Mobile's next Android phone all official and everything, there are certainly few surprises for those of us already familiar with the HTC Magic / Google Ion. We found ourselves, despite the best knowledge otherwise, still looking fruitlessly for a 3.5mm headphone jack -- it was silly that the G1 didn't ship with it, but this year it's downright shameful. At least the included adapter is nice. Please, HTC Hero, come and save us from this madness. Fresh off our play time with the Hero, we found the stock Android 1.5 keyboard to be quite a bit of a step back. It's certainly usable, but we found ourselves missing the spacebar quite a lot, and the responsiveness just wasn't at HTC's level, though prediction was pretty good. The included zippered case is nice, though we don't know what we'd use it for, and the unboxing experience is generally pleasant and uneventful. In a lot of ways, the phone seems like a last generation product, but it's obviously the only one of its kind available in the States at the moment, so we suppose T-Mobile would beg to differ. Every single cover we've seen so far looks completely horrible, and while it's nice to have "options," we'd think twice before putting a pic of our dog on the back of one of these. Perhaps the best news making the rounds is that T-Mobile is thinking about putting a Visual Voicemail app in the forthcoming app pack, though it wasn't pre-loaded on any of the handset we checked out, and apparently the app pack is more of a curated Market than a single app combo download. Peep an enthralling video of the hardware after the break.
