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Two megapixel mini-camera measures in at under a cubic inch, weighs under an ounce
Remember that one-inch Chobi Cam One spotted in Japan earlier this year? Well, its tiny self has now reappeared on US shores, ready to be lost in a sofa or coat pocket near you. Unimaginatively titled "The World's Smallest Camera," it's priced at $99.95 and packs a petite, two megapixel autofocus sensor capable of recording VGA video. Resembling a Lego Man's DSLR, storage is done on a microSD card, though you're more likely to run out of battery juice than space -- the battery will give a maximum of 30 minutes use from one hour's charge. "The world's smallest" are words we hear a lot at Engadget, and we're inclined to agree with CNET that JTT's previous camera, the Chobi Cam, is actually smaller by volume. The Chobi Cam One arrived with extra detachable lenses, but there's no word yet on whether these add-ons will appear in Hammacher Schlemmer's online store -- not that we really want to be lugging around a whole bunch of tiny lenses with us.
HTC Sensation XE gets official, packing 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and Beats Audio
The rumors can be laid to rest, because HTC has officially announced its Sensation XE handset, replete with some upgraded specs and Beats Audio. Powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, this Android device features a 4.3-inch touchscreen with qHD (540 X 960) resolution and boasts a larger 1730mAh battery that promises prolonged run times. As the first smartphone produced under HTC's partnership with Beats Audio, this special edition Sensation also ships with a special pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, along with an 8GB or 16GB microSD card and remote control that allows users to flip through tracks of take calls without ever reaching inside their pockets. Once these headphones are plugged in, the phone will automatically activate a Beats-optimized sound profile that, according to HTC, will deliver fuller bass, sharper vocals and broader range. The Sensation XE is slated to launch in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East sometime this month, though price and a possible North America launch date remain unclear. Scurry past the break for more details in the full press release, along with an extra shot of Dre's in-ear headphones. Update: We've just been ears-on. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman Android phone gets busted open by the FCC
Somebody's not wasting anytime. Just last month we reported on the musically minded Android handset, and now what looks to be a decidedly darker version of Sony Ericsson's Live with Walkman has made its way through the FCC and come out the other end in pieces -- literally. Since the outfit didn't hold back much in its initial announcement, we won't be making any big discoveries here, but if you're into dismembered smartphones we've got a gallery of the shredded handset awaiting you below.%Gallery-133113%
Medion announces LifeTab P9514 tablet, mysterious Android smartphone at IFA
Medion enjoyed a pretty eventful weekend at this year's IFA in Berlin, where the German PC maker unveiled a new Android tablet and a rather obtuse Gingerbread smartphone. Known as the Lifetab P9514, the company's 32GB, 1.6-pound slate is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, runs Honeycomb 3.2 and features a capacitive multitouch display with 1280 x 800 resolution. The device also supports both quad-band 3G and WiFi connections, along with the usual smattering of HDMI, microUSB, and microSD ports. Medion's new phone, meanwhile, remains decidedly more mysterious. At this point, we know that the 4.3-inch handset rocks a five megapixel shooter and comes pre-loaded with the manufacturer's GoPal satnav app, but further details remain murky. Both devices are expected to ship within Europe during Q4 of this year at unconfirmed prices, though rumor has it that the LifeTab will run for €399 (about $564). No word yet on whether we can expect to see either product hit the US anytime soon, but you can catch a glimpse of the freshly unveiled smartphone, after the break.
Samsung announces three Wave handsets, dripping in Bada 2.0 and ChatON
It's shaping up to a be a busy IFA for Samsung. Barely 24 hours after announcing its new ChatON messaging client, the manufacturer is now gearing up to release a troika of new Bada 2.0-powered Wave handsets -- the Wave 3, Wave M and Wave Y -- set to make their debut this week in Berlin. Leading the pack is the Wave 3, which leaked earlier this week. Powered by a 1.4GHz processor, this little guy boasts a 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED display, 3GB of memory (along with a 32GB microSD slot) and a five megapixel, auto-focus-enabled shooter. The Wave M, meanwhile, packs slightly less juice, with a 832MHz processor, a 3.65-inch WVGA screen and 150MB of onboard storage (with a 2GB inbox and 32GB microSD slot). Rounding out the collection is the Wave Y, with its 3.2-inch HVGA display, 832MHz engine and two megapixel camera. All three feature your usual smattering of WiFi / Bluetooth 3.0 capabilities and will ship with ChatON and Samsung's Social Hub baked into their DNA. No word yet on pricing or availability, but you can find out more in the full press release, after the break.
SanDisk launches $50 Sansa Clip Zip MP3 player, makes for a cheap workout date
If you've been working out with help from tunes on your Sansa Clip MP3 player or Sansa Clip+, chances are you've gotten a bit trimmer -- and you're not the only one. SanDisk's launched a thinner and upgraded version of its song slinger, the Sansa Clip Zip MP3 player. The newest incarnation plays all standard major music formats, comes in red, blue, black, orange, white, grey and purple, and has 4GB or 8GB worth of storage with room for more via microSD. It's launching in Europe next month, but is currently available in both the US and Canada for $50 and $70 depending upon how many jams you want it to hold. Thanks to its massive 1.1-inch display, the Clip claims 15 hours of battery life, which should be just enough time to keep up with your daily workouts, right? Jog on over to the full PR after the break.
Sony Ericsson unveils Live with Walkman handset for music-loving Android users
Four months after unveiling the relatively bare bones W8, Sony Ericsson has now taken the wraps off yet another Walkman phone, known as the Live with Walkman. Powered by a 1GHz processor, this Android handset features a 3.2 inch, capacitive touchscreen (with somewhat disappointing HVGA resolution), a five megapixel AF shooter with 8x digital zoom, and a front-facing VGA camera capable of capturing HD video in 720p. The petite, Gingerbread-equipped device also packs a lackluster 320MB of RAM, provides up to 32GB of microSD storage, and offers either tri-band 3G support (HSPA+) at 850, 1900 and 2100MHZ, or dual-band 3G at 900 and 2100MHz, depending on the model. And, as you'd expect, Sony Ericsson has placed a special emphasis on the music phone's media capabilities, beefing it up with enhanced audio and Qriocity integration. The specs may not sound earth shattering, but we'll wait until we get pricing information before casting judgment. The Live with Walkman is slated to hit "selected markets" by Q4 of this year, but you can find more information in the full PR, after the break.
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]
Verizon announces Android 3.2 update for Motorola Xoom 3G, available today?
It looks like Motorola Xoom 3G owners will soon be able to reap the same benefits as their WiFi-only brethren, now that Verizon has published more details on a forthcoming Android 3.2 update. According to the company's support page, software update HTJ85 will bring essentially the same features we saw in last month's, exclusively Wi-Fi refresh -- microSD card support, movie rental improvements and, of course, that "zoom to fill screen" option for non-tablet optimized apps. Verizon hasn't announced an official release date for the 15.4MB Honeycomb update, though rumor has it that it could drop as early as today. For more details and installation instructions, check out the pair of PDFs below.
Pandigital's Nova Android tablet hits Best Buy, explodes for $170
Pandigital has added a new star to its growing galaxy of e-readers, with the Nova Digital Reader -- a seven-inch, Android 2.3-powered slate that looks awfully similar to that eight-inch Super Nova we recently spotted at the FCC. The tablet, which just popped up at Best Buy, is powered by an 800MHz processor, offers 4GB of internal storage, and features an ActiveTouch display with 800x600 resolution. Much like its forerunners, the Novel and the Planet, the Nova also connects directly to the Barnes and Noble bookstore, and sports a pair of front- and rear-facing cameras. Aside from that, you'll find the usual 802.11 b/g/n wireless capabilities, a built-in microSD card slot, and a micro HDMI port, all packed within a frame that's half-an-inch thick. Persuaded? Grab your 'scope and zoom in on the source link to purchase. [Thanks, Charlie]
Sony Cyber-shot TX55 packs 16.2-megapixel sensor, promises 'extremely low' noise in dim light
With point and shoot cameras apparently now up against a megapixel wall, manufacturers are focusing on adding quirky new features to keep you hooked on the upgrade cycle. Sony's new Cyber-shot TX55 includes several such additions, such as 'amazing' 3D image capture, 'extremely low' noise, and a new digital zoom technology called By Pixel Super Resolution, which promises to double the camera's 5x optical zoom range while still capturing 16.2-megapixel images at full quality. We're a bit skeptical about that last one, but if the $350 camera really can deliver on its promise, then we may just have a winner. Sony says there's also high-speed autofocus that can lock onto subjects in 0.1 seconds, optical image stabilization, a 3.3-inch OLED touch-screen, and 1080i AVCHD video. It also includes some features found on the higher-end NEX-C3, such as Picture Effects, and a 42.9-megapixel Sweep Panorama mode. Sony has yet to completely nix the Memory Stick slot, including one with the TX55, though there's also MicroSD support for those who prefer to take advantage of that more affordable memory card standard. We're not yet convinced that all of the point-and-shoot cam's new features perform as well as Sony suggests, but if they do, the TX55 may even be worth its $350 price tag when it hits stores in September.%Gallery-128983%
Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds
Go shopping online for a microSDHC card and you'll find that while manufacturers don't hide the speed specs, they're not exactly crowing about 'em either. Make no mistake, though: Samsung is mighty proud of its new 32GB number, which boasts a class 10 speed rating and read / write rates of 24MBps and 12MBps -- ideal numbers for those of you who plan on making good use of your phone's 1080p camera. If you're a storage buff, you know that class 10 is the highest speed category for SD cards at the moment, and that it sits above classes 4 and 6 -- the tiers covering many other microSDHCs on the market. No word just yet on pricing, but we think it's safe to say you'll be dishing out a premium.
Motorola Xoom gets Android 3.1 update that activates microSD card support outside the US
You know that microSD card slot that's been laying dormant in your Motorola Xoom? Provided you don't reside in the US, that'll be getting activated soon as part of the tablet's Android 3.1 update, which is starting to roll out now and should have all of Europe covered within the next few weeks. Motorola explicitly identifies this as a firmware update for "non-US" Xooms, so Canadians would be well advised to check their software update utility, though the big question is why didn't the American 3.1 update include microSD support as well? What tangled web of intrigue lies behind this selective activation? [Thanks, Alan]
Engadget Primed: What is NFC, and why do we care?
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. The introduction of Google Wallet felt a little too good to be true, didn't it? It's magical, like the tech equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. In reality, the tech behind mobile payments has been around since 2003 on a much smaller scale using near-field communications, more commonly known as NFC. The idea behind Wallet (amongst other services, like ISIS) is contactless pay -- using your phone as a credit card -- and is just one of the many ways NFC can be useful in our everyday lives. In fact, we're only scraping the surface of what's theoretically possible. Google is definitely not the first company to dabble in NFC, but it appears to be poised and ready to push the tech's adoption forward at a rapid pace with the advent of Wallet and Offers. Until now the coals have been hot; but if a fire's going to start, someone monolithic has to throw a few newspapers in as kindling -- and Google volunteered. But what good is NFC if it's just an acronym that causes our eyes to glaze over? Is El Goog the only instigator? After the break we'll focus on what NFC is capable of, and why we want it on our phones as soon as yesterday.
Netcom shows off microSD card with integrated NFC goodness (video)
Here's an interesting idea from a Chinese company called Netcom (not to be confused with the Norwegian operator): adding NFC capability to existing phones via microSD. That's right, rather than relying on external add-ons that occupy ports, Netcom decided to fit NFC chips plus their antennas onto ordinary microSD cards, yet still managing to cram in up to 8GB of NAND memory at the same time. This sure sounds convenient, but there are some caveats: the first rule is that neither the back cover nor the microSD card holder should be made out of metal; then secondly, we noticed that due to the tiny antenna coil, scanning could become tricky if the reader has a small sensing area -- you'd need to position your phone at just the right spot; and lastly, the phone needs a special background app to communicate with the NFC circuitry. The demo we saw used a Java app running on a Chinese dumbphone, and we were told that Android will be next in line to receive similar support. Alas, consumers won't be able to pick up one of these cards from the shops, though Netcom's already working with a "top ten" phone manufacturer on a compatible device due in three to six months, so stay tuned. Hands-on video after the break. Update: As pointed out by some readers, it turns out that DeviceFidelity beat Netcom to the market last year. %Gallery-125025%
Nova Media's iCON 461 USB modem is unlocked for globe-trotting commitmentphobes
Unlocked 3G modems aren't something you see everyday. Sure, Zoom has been hawking the dongles for some time, but they're primarily of the tri-band variety -- Nova Media's iCON 461 does those one better by going quad-band and throwing in GPS for good measure. The globe-trotting "3G surfstick" supports 7.2Mbps HSPA on the 850, 900,1900, and 2100 bands (that would include AT&T here in the ol' US of A) and can handle EDGE at 850, 900, 1800, and 1900MHz (hello, T-Mo). In addition to a slot for your GSM SIM there's also a place to stick a microSD card, in case you need someplace to store that leaked copy of David Comes to Life. The iCON 461 comes in two versions: Mac-compatible with launch2net Premium for €179 (about $248), and Windows-friendly with uCan Connect for €149 (roughly $215).
Verizon's HTC Trophy hides the microSD, forbids you from touching it
If having a Windows Phone is hip, carrying around a warranty with you is apparently for the unpopular crowd. That's what it seems, considering the vast majority of them come with a super-secret microSD card slot that voids your precious one-year manufacturer guarantee if it's been tampered with. The HTC Trophy, the latest WP7 phone to make its way to the US, is no exception to that rule. Indeed, the microSD slot is definitely in there -- but it's only accessible after disassembling a good portion of the back and peeling off tape that's not meant to be messed with. While we can't encourage you to swap microSD cards, make sure you get one that actually is proven to work in a Windows Phone device (a compiled list is found in More Coverage). The fact that the Trophy has a forbidden card slot ain't much of an eye-opener since its European namesake was the same way, but we can always dream, right? Just remember: venturing into the magic land of voided warranties can be exciting and adventurous, but it's not for everybody. If you're willing to throw caution to the wind and take the risk, head to the source link to get more information.
WiFi-only Motorola Xoom won't have Movies right away, Canadian Xooms getting SD support someday
If you're the proud owner of a Motorola Xoom, you will get Android 3.1, but we're afraid the timing and features included in that update may depend on where you reside and which one you bought. For instance, while both Verizon 3G and WiFi-only Xooms in the United States are seeing the latest Honeycomb slowly trickle in right now, Motorola says that the WiFi version won't have movie rentals available immediately after the update. What's more, though the new hotness doesn't seem to bring microSD card support to US devices, Motorola says that Canadian models will get that exact functionality "soon." What if you don't live in North America at all? We're afraid we can't tell you.
Modder miniaturizes 5.25-inch disk drive, brings microSD support to Atari 400
You aren't looking at a retro microSD card reader, you're looking at an Atari-compatible serial disk drive that just happens to use microSD in lieu of 5.25-inch floppies. In a Zork inspired fit of nostalgia (we've all been there), hardware modder Rossum paired up an Atari connector with a LPC1114 microcontroller, capable of emulating up to eight Atari drives, managed by a custom, auto-booting app. The whole package is neatly packed in to a tiny 3D printed replica of the original Atari 810 disk drive, and is available for sale never -- but don't let that stop you: Rossum's schematics are free for the taking. The word's biggest little Atari drive is just a DIY away. [Thanks, Francesco F.]
Droid Pro update gets rolling, features microSD encryption and improvements galore
Motorola is now pushing out another update for its business Droid, replete with enhancements for the corporate-types and average joes alike. Among the most significant changes are AES256 encryption for internal storage and microSD cards, plus additional ActiveSync policies and VPN enhancements -- all certain to make your IT admins smile. Improvements don't stop there, with Moto refining voice call quality, stability, performance, and updating the Google apps. Hungry yet? The company says it's rolling out the update in phases, so check your eligibility often, because you may just be among the lucky first wave. Hey, there's nothing like a firmware update to get your week started on a positive note. Follow the source link for a full list of the new goodies. [Thanks, Tim]
