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Dell Streak available for purchase 'in late July,' says US product page
It's funny to think, even after reviewing the device (thrice, at this point), that we still don't have a US release date for Dell's Streak. The company's been uncharacteristically coy, but the stateside product page does offer this tantalizing tidbit: "available for purchase in late July." That gives us a good 10-day window, so if you've been eyeballing that pre-sale button with intent to click, now might be the time jump on the list.
Motorola mini Droid slider caught by Mr. Blurrycam
Okay, this one's a complete and very welcome surprise -- some extremely blurry pictures and a quick video of what appears to be a smaller Motorola portrait QWERTY Android slider for Verizon just popped up on the Chinese Hiapk forums -- and yes, it's got the glowing red Droid eye. We're not sure if that means the Droid line is about to get a smaller midrange sibling or what, but Motorola's definitely pushing out some of the more interesting Android form factors lately, and this mini Droid certainly fits right in with the Flipout and the Charm. A couple more shots and the video after the break.
Swiftpoint's tiny mouse finally up for pre-order, shipping in August
It's been a long couple of years since we last heard from Swiftpoint, but the company is back with a (tiny) bang and introducing its eponymous ultraportable mouse. Touting a pen-like grip, tilt-scrolling, and a 30 to 40 percent better efficiency than your touchpad, this little thumb accessory wants to be seen as the solver of an eternal problem -- namely, getting all the utility of a desktop rodent without having to deal with its full size. Whether it lives up to that lofty goal will require some fingers-on time to determine, but the Swiftpoint does a very credible job on the battery front: it can turn a 30-second charge into an hour's use and can last 3 to 4 weeks on a fully juiced cell. It all sounds quite appealing, but be prepared for some sticker shock as the pre-order price is £67 in the UK or $70 in the USA... and that's with a 10 percent early bird discount included. We might just wait till these hit the sales before grabbing one. [Thanks, Patrick]
BMW supports iPod Out, fills your 2011 auto with 2001's finest user interface
If you wish the iPod support in your BMW or Mini was a little less Munich and a little more Cupertino, this latest development from Bavaria will make you a happy little infotainment meister. BMW is announcing that its in-car iPod compatibility will be boosted to support iOS 4's iPod Out feature, which does not enhance your gadget's Ryan Seacrest impression but instead allows it to output its interface to another device. So, the in-car dash will replicate the simple iPod UI, which could be a good or a bad thing depending on whether you prefer Apple's design cues to BMW's. No word on exactly which vehicles will get this support, but this is referred to as part of a "new offer," so it certainly sounds like future autos only. C'mon guys, haven't you heard of a firmware update? %Gallery-97136%
HP Mini 110 and 210 netbooks get Atom N455 and N475 accoutrement
Looking for a Mini that has a little more to offer in the processor department? HP has thoughtfully upgraded the Mini 110 and Mini 210 to offer your choice of Intel's N455 or N475 Atom processors. Those chips bring DDR3 memory compatibility to the table, which both netbooks now offer by default, while the optional N475 brings either one up to 1.88GHz -- though you'll have to pay an extra $25 as proof of your commitment to handle that sort of blazing performance. The default 110 with 1GB of memory starts at $280 right now, while a base 210 will set you back $330.
Opera Mini users increased 4.2 percent in a month (and other interesting tidbits), says Opera
Opera's just released its State of the Mobile Web report for May of 2010, and its touting its continued growth in the space, with Opera Mini usage increasing 4.2 percent over the previous month, and a 7.2 percent gain in overall page views. Good news for them, undoubtedly, but they also have interestingly found that the hours 8:00 pm and midnight are the biggest for browsing -- unless you live in the UK, where you're just as likely to browse in the earlier hours. Nerds. Hit up the source link for the full report.
Switched On: New Mac mini a mixed Apple TV alternative
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. As TVs and Blu-ray players increasingly feature internet connections, content partnerships, and now even open operating systems, they're turning up the pressure on of standalone devices such as Apple TV and the Roku player. Indeed, Steve Jobs has said the demanding existence between the rock of the connected television and the hard place of the closed cable system is what's relegated Apple TV to "hobby" status. In the Windows world, several companies in the netbook space such as Asus, Acer and Lenovo have popped Atom processors into slim desktop enclosures, dubbing them nettops. Dell has gone a somewhat different route, opting for more powerful desktop components in its chunky Inspiron Zino HD desktop/home theater hybrid. And now, the Mac mini has taken a step toward this role as Apple, which has been a strong backer of DisplayPort, has adorned its only display-free Mac with an HDMI port.
Pac-Man Championship Edition coming to PSP and PS3
The hypnotic charms of Pac-Man: Championship Edition are being packed into a downloadable Mini for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. According to a Namco representative, the Mini should become available sometime this fall. Barring a delay, it would arrive alongside the new game in the series, Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX, which is slated for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. We got a chance to play the PSP game at a Pac-Man 30th Anniversary event in Los Angeles and found it to be identical to the XBLA version, right down to the in-game trophies. The d-pad certainly gives this handheld version the edge, and the colorful visuals look great on the PSP's screen. It should be a perfect distraction during your dull train commute, provided you don't mind missing your stop. And the next one. And the next one. And just one more.
Mac mini (unibody) unboxing and hands-on
Well you've seen the press photos, but now you can focus on something a little more personal. Yep, we've got the new Mac mini over at Engadget HQ all primed and ready for a full review, but first we thought we'd give you a little taste of what the box actually looks like. We'll admit, while we like the unibody construction of other Apple products, there's something especially serious about this design that speaks to us. We've been expecting the company would move the mini line to the machined aluminum housing, and it's a welcome change for sure. The new iteration also does away with that bulky power supply (it's now built in), and surprisingly allows easy access to the memory via a crazy new twist off rubber base. Like we said, we'll see if this thing is really worth the extra $100 in our review, but for now, feast your eyes on the images below. %Gallery-95254%
Smallest Macs in short supply, mini update imminent?
If you're looking to pick up a Mac mini for Father's Day, you might want to consider a nice fishing rod instead. AppleInsider notes extremely constrained supplies of the diminutive white computer, and reports that several bulk purchasers and education buyers have had their orders pushed back to June 14, or been told to simply get the minimum number of units they need to get through the next couple of weeks. What might we see in a refreshed mini? The AI post suggests the possibility of an HDMI port added to the machine, which would certainly make things interesting for the seemingly soon-to-be-replaced 'classic' Apple TV. If you've tried and failed to buy a mini in the past week or two, let us know!
HP Mini 210 updated with trippy lids, Pavilion dm1 with new AMD processors
Aww, HP, so nice of you guys to think of the little guys amidst your massive unleash of mainstream laptops. While the Mini 210 was just released at CES, the 10-inch netbook will be available starting June 15th for a couple extra bucks -- $355 to be exact -- with some "fashionable" new lids. We definitely prefer the "crystal white" to "preppy pink" covering, but both use a pretty cool in-mold layering technique -- when you look closely at the lid and matching underside there's a 3D-like effect where some colors and shades appear above or below others. HP's also expanding its netbook line with the Mini 110, which at $280 buys you a six-cell battery and standard Atom parts. The netbooks don't get any internal updates -- nope, all the new performance parts go to the 11.6-inch Pavilion dm1. Though it still sports the same chassis as the Mini 311, the dm1 will grab AMD's newest Turion II Neo dual core and Athlon Neo processors, which promise improved performance and battery life over the previous generation. We're hoping that's the case, because our experience with those chips haven't exactly been peaches and cream. That's all we got for you, but if you are in a pink mood head on down below for some hands-on pics, or after the break for the sort of "Pretty in Pink" we don't mind rocking. %Gallery-92294% %Gallery-92295%
PlayStation Mini 'Hysteria Project' is an FMV adventure
I'm always asking myself, "Justin, full-motion videos are so great, why aren't they used in every game?" It's a fine question. There's huge, pent-up demand for games that use video of actual actors throughout my office, and it seems that someone's finally catering to it. It's just been announced that iPhone FMV horror adventure Hysteria Project is coming to PlayStation Minis courtesy of Sanuk Games. The news comes from the Euro PlayStation blog, so the question, of course, is whether or not this super-cool, super-scary release will be part of the North American update when it's unveiled later today. Here's hoping the high concentration of FMV fans in and around my office chair finally have their voices heard. [Update: Just heard back from Sanuk, Hysteria Project's coming to North America next week. The FMreVolution begins!]
Former Apple Store employee creates Iron Man's J.A.R.V.I.S. using a Mac mini
Okay, there's no HUD display like Tony Stark had and it isn't voiced by Paul Bettany, but former Apple Store employee Chad Barraford has created Project Jarvis, a digital assistant that greets him, Tweets for him, and can even tell his family when he has a headache and dim the lights of his apartment before he reaches home. Project Jarvis is based on the comic book character Edwin Jarvis, Tony Stark's human butler who became an AI construct after he was reinvisioned for a twenty-first century audience in the first Iron Man film. Chad's real life Jarvis may not help him fly an invisible suit of armor, but via RFID tags, webcams, and microphones, Barraford can communicate with Jarvis in a number of ways including tweeting, instant messaging, and speech recognition which allows him to control lights and appliances, notify him of breaking news, Facebook updates, Netflix queues, check stock quotes and weather, and even help assist him with cooking. Barraford calls Jarvis a digital life assistant (DLA) and runs it entirely from a four year-old Mac mini running custom AppleScript, he told us. Right now he has no plans to sell the AppleScript code, but is always happy to share ideas with other developers of DLAs. Click on over to The Boston Globe to see video of Jarvis in action.
LG Air Sync hands-on
We got a peek today at the new "3-way" synchronization service from LG that the company is calling Air Sync; it's only available on the GD880 Mini right now in the UK, but they're looking to expand it across Europe and Asia before too long and -- if we're lucky -- North America eventually. So what is it, exactly? Basically, it's a synchronization service for text clipping, photos, videos, contacts, and the like that integrates with your PC using a downloadable client. After it's installed, you get a few new context menu items that let you fast-track content to your phone via the cloud, and we were pretty amazed at just how quickly the transfers consistently happened -- within a few seconds, a dialog pops up on LG's demo Mini notifying you that the goods have been received. It sounds like LG will be looking at deploying this with a subscription model in most markets, so don't expect gratis awesomeness -- but if you transfer tons of pictures from your desktop to your mobile, this might be the way to go. Follow the break for video. %Gallery-89050%
Keepin' it real fake: HP Mini 5101 knockoff is almost as good, almost as expensive as the real thing
Coveting a beautiful new netbook but can't quite manage the $399 for a new HP Mini 5101/5102? Maybe this knock-off would fit your budget, looking more or less indistinguishable from the real thing. The ports have a slightly different layout (with some of them looking a wee bit askew) and the red hue here doesn't have quite the same lustre of the real thing -- but it is awfully close, right down to the chrome HP logo on the lid. How much would you pay for this piece of impressioned gadgetry? How about $337? Sure, the difference is enough to cover a copy of Heavy Rain, but could you live with yourself typing your e-mail every day on a lie? Beyond that, we have a suspicion this thing wouldn't last much longer than the Origami Killer's victims.
Rumor: Apple prepping HDMI Macs
The picture above comes from AppleInsider, who are claiming that Apple is about to release a Mac mini with an HDMI port in place of the current DVI connector. And that sound you just heard was hundreds of thousands of mini-based entertainment center owners everywhere crying out in excitement, as a mini equipped with HDMI would be helpful indeed -- not only would it be super easy to hook your mini (and any other Macs that were granted the compatibility) up to any HDMI-equipped TV, but you'd be able to send sound, too, in just one easy cable rather than trying to work out separate solutions for both video and audio. The rumor's a little far fetched (AppleInsider only cites "sources," and we all know how reliable those can be), but still, it would be nice. AI also claims that Apple is working on a proprietary adapter for DisplayPort-to-HDMI connections, since space is currently at a premium on other Macs and MacBooks. That would be a real shakeup -- it would eradicate the current market of third-party adapters at the very least. And they'd have to update the DisplayPort technology to include audio, so any HDMI adapter could run audio out as well. We'll see -- hold off on purchases for now, but know that Apple may be headed to HDMI-ville sooner rather than later.
Mini Countryman to be first production car with internet streaming radio?
BMW's Mini brand is getting a little bigger soon, with the Countryman bringing a taller stance and some AWD to the party, but that won't be the only exciting addition to the mix. The Countryman will be the first Mini to offer Mini Connected, an infotainment system of the likes of Sync or MyFord. This one naturally features iPhone/iPod integration and all that jazz, but most interesting is the so-called "web radio function" that will allow internet radio streams to be beamed right into the car. Stations must be selected from an "extensive" database, so it remains to be seen whether your favorite speed metal stream will be included, but more importantly Mini isn't saying just how those bits and bytes will get to the car. Will a USB modem be required? Will Mini charge a monthly service fee? Maybe you'll just need a really long Ethernet cable? We'll find out when it gets a full unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show next month.
LG Mini GD880 hands-on
Not to be outdone, LG chose MWC to show off its Mini GD880, a svelte piece built from brushed aluminum in both black and silver. Build quality is striking here -- jaw-droppingly so -- with fit and finish on all corners, seams, and around the various ports looking spot on. This device also has heft for its diminutive size -- sure, it's only 99g, but that feels like so much for a device of this size -- but it only adds character and, well, it feels like money for lack of a better word. Running LG's S-Class UI, the touchscreen sadly isn't really up to snuff, we had to really poke at the screen to get it to register a touch, and there was lag and delay between key press and action. Of course, this isn't shipping today, but rather launches in Europe in March -- for some unknown price -- and then on to other markets. So here's hoping there is still a tweak or two in the GD880's future, it'd be a shame to let something as glorious as it looks not deliver an experience to match. Short video and gallery are right below the break.%Gallery-85681%
HyperMac Micro, Mini, and Nano hands-on
They're light, they're colorful, and with the exception of the Mini, HyperMac's new kandy-kolored iPhone / iPod batteries are easily pocketable. It's a shame the new style hasn't found its way to the MacBook-charging lineup -- let's hope that's in the cards -- but on the plus side, given it charges any USB-powered device, we can see this coming in pretty handy on an universal level. Like gazing upon rainbow-colored batteries? We've got you covered in the gallery below. %Gallery-85276%
LG GD880 Mini briefly caught on video
So it turns out LG really wasn't messing around with the "Mini" name on its new GD880 full touchscreen set that's likely due to break out at its MWC open house next week, because our dear colleagues at Engadget Spanish have scored a quick video of the thing -- and goodness, it's small. F480 owners and fans are probably going to feel right at home with this thing, a phone that LG claims is the world's smallest with a 3.2-inch display. The phone's hard angles and odd material transitions are probably going to be an acquired taste for some, but hey, just how badly do you want a record-holding device (no matter how trivial that record may be) in your pocket?
