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Amazon Appstore for Android celebrates a year of life, deals for a week
Whatever Google can do, Amazon can do... too? Sure seems it, as the latter is celebrating a rather momentous occasion by giving back to the people that have brought it this far: you (and you, and you!). The Amazon Appstore for Android has officially been alive and kicking for 12 months, and Bezos and co. are slashing prices for a week instead of tossing one forgettable party. We're told to expect rock-bottom rates on iconic titles such as Fruit Ninja, Wolfram Alpha, Splashtop Remote Desktop, Dr. Seuss's The Shape of Me and Other Stuff, TuneIn Radio Pro, TETRIS, PAC-MAN, The Lost City, MONOPOLY, AccuWeather Platinum and more. Birthday deals start today with one of the top paid apps, Plants vs. Zombies, at 67 percent off, and you can expect to see more in the coming days. Crack open that dusty wallet and hit the source link, vaquero.
WiFi Kindle Touch gets its passport, now available internationally
Ever since Amazon unveiled its cheap-as-chips Kindle Touch, the thing's been selling like mad here in the US. However, our friends on other continents haven't been able to enjoy swiping and tapping its multitouch E Ink display -- until now, that is. Amazon failed to alert the masses with a press release, but a quick gander at the WiFi Touch's product page shows there's an option to ship one just about anywhere on the globe. Unfortunately, people in parts of the world with country-specific Amazon portals like Germany, France and the UK must still settle for the button-dependent Kindle 4. We're glad to see Bezos broadening his touchscreen e-reader's horizons, but let's not keep our friends across the pond Kindle Touch-free for much longer, OK?
Microsoft Kinect for Windows version 1.0 available today
Today is the day fine folks -- Kinect for Windows is here. The official, and commercial, version 1.0 of the SDK just hit the interwebs along with the accompanying hardware for a price of $250, or $150 for qualified educational customers. The tool has picked up a number of new features since the last beta, including support for up to four Kinects being used simultaneously and near mode for monitoring motion from just 40cm away. The sensor itself seems mostly the same, but may not be compatible with its console cousin -- the device's product page states that it will only operate with software developed for Kinect for Windows. For more info and a complete list of improvements hit up the source link.
Lenovo's 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU
Who knew a "p" packed so much punch? Just weeks after Lenovo cut loose with a boatload of new machines, the outfit has quietly slipped out an even newer model tailored for gamers. The 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p looks just about like the existing Y470, but swaps out the middling NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M for a far more potent Radeon HD 7690M. (For those wondering -- yep, that's the same chip in HP's new Envy 15.) There's also a 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, an optional 1TB HDD, JBL speakers and a native 1,366 x 768 screen resolution. The unit tips the scales at 4.85 pounds with a six-cell battery, which is supposedly good for up to four hours of usage (in presumably ideal conditions). Other specs include a Blu-ray Disc drive, a two-megapixel webcam, HDMI out and USB 3.0. For now, at least, it looks as if eager beavers can get one headed their way for as low as $799, but the more specced-out models are reaching well over $1,200.
Motorola starts selling WiFi Xyboards for $400 and up
What's that? You want an eight or ten inch WiFi tab, but failed to place your pre-order for one of Moto's latest earlier this month? Worry not, slate-seeking friend, for both the WiFi Xyboard 8.2 and 10.1 are officially on sale at Motorola's website, with free two-day shipping thrown in for good measure. As a quick refresher, the 8.2 comes in 16 and 32GB flavors for $400 and $500, respectively, while the same amount of memory in the 10-inch form factor will set you back $100 more. Sound good? Head on down to the source links below, credit card at the ready, and Moto will gladly send one your way.
PSA: T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 710 hits stores, $50 on contract
It's been a pretty busy week for Nokia. We now know that AT&T will be getting its own slice of the Lumia pie, and now its T-Mobile branded Lumia 710 has finally touched down on US soil. The middleweight Windows Phone is priced up at fifty bucks (after a mail-in rebate of the same amount) on a typical two-year contract, which should explain any queues forming outside your nearest T-Mob outlet. Or not.
Microsoft Kinect coming to Windows on February 1st, up for pre-order now!
Straight out of the horse's mouth: Kinect is oh-ficially coming to Windows starting on February 1st! We've seen Microsoft's PrimeSense-sourced motion sensing system used for just about everything outside of gaming, but proper Windows compatibility is bound to mean huge, huge things for its future. Wondering what's next for Kinect? So is Microsoft, and in just a few weeks, it'll make it even easier for you to answer that. Update: It's up for pre-order now! The $249.99 price tag ain't pretty (consider this -- the standard Kinect, with games, is but $120), but it'll probably be a premium that many hackers are willing to pay. Thanks, Mary Jo Foley!
AMD Radeon HD 7970 now shipping: $550 and up for unlimited* frames-per-second
It's the Radeon HD 7970. It's wildly fast. It's quite possibly the exact device needed to serve up your latest Steam purchases in pure 1080p glory. And it's on sale now from none other than NewEgg, as linked in the source below. *Unlimited may or may not actually refer to unlimited, but as the carriers have taught us, we don't truly have to be accurate here.
Tranquil PC ships MMC-12: a 1.5-inch thick, fanless HTPC
We haven't heard from Britain's own Tranquil PC in a hot minute, but the company's storming into the new year with a machine that's easy to overlook. In a good way. The MMC-12 Media Center measures just 1.5-inches thick, enabling it to be slid into (or under) just about any A/V rack. £649 (right around $1,000) nets you a Core i3 processor, 4GB of DDR3 memory (plus another open RAM slot), an admittedly paltry 80GB mSATA hard drive, CD / DVD burner, Windows 7 Home Premium and an HDMI port. You'll also get a pair of USB 3.0 ports, two underwhelming (and bound to be unloved) USB 2.0 sockets, a gigabit Ethernet jack, DVI socket and an aluminum enclosure. The company recommends that you connect a couple of your favorite USB TV tuners for maximum enjoyment, and in case you're wondering, Blu-ray drives and international shipping is available.
RIM puts BlackBerry Playbook on massive sale; Android Market shoehorned onto rooted units
Research in Motion may not have found itself in a coveted spot as 2011 ended, but if it's learned anything from HP, there's a surefire way to rid itself of remaining BlackBerry PlayBook inventory: sell 'em for a loss. After the unloved slate went on sale in its native land, Americans can now save up to $400 on a PlayBook through February 4th. RIM's official webstore is offering the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB model for $299, leaving us to wonder who would ever choose the smaller two if all three remain in stock. In related news, those who take the company up on the offer can now gain access to the Android Market with a few choice moves. The fine folks over at CrackBerry have detailed the process, which requires a rooted PlayBook, WinSCP, the latest version of Cyanogen Google apps and a fair amount of patience. Naturally, not all Android apps will actually work on the device, but it's a lovely hack for a sure-to-be-sluggish week in your workshop. Hit the links below to learn more.
HP TouchPad returns in TigerDirect bundle, if only for a moment
"We've got TouchPads!" That's the slogan, but even TigerDirect admits that it's expecting its latest batch of TouchPad slates to evaporate in a matter of minutes. Strangely enough, we've seen the zombie-like webOS tablet on sale in a variety of locations during the past few months, and if you're quick, you'll be able to buy yet another from yet another vendor at 2:30PM ET today. The company's not saying how many are in stock, but we're told to expect the entire batch to be claimed "by 2:32PM ET." The deal? $249.99 nets you a 32GB TouchPad, a 10.1-inch Belkin tablet case and Creative Labs' D80 Bluetooth speakers, while a $299.99 bundle replaces the speaker with a Photosmart printer. Oh, and don't even bother trying to order over the phone -- this one's online only, and it's one bundle per customer. We're telling you now so you've got time to memorize your credit card number. Feel free to talk about nerves, shaking limbs and tales of luck in comments below.[Thanks, Andrew]
Lucky shoppers pick up Verizon Galaxy Nexus early at Best Buy
Well, this is just a tease. It was bad enough when the original December 9th release date was pushed back to some undetermined point in time. And then our neighbors to the north got their own version. Now a few lucky shoppers have managed to their hands on the Verizon edition of the Galaxy Nexus and, chances are, you're not one of them. It looks like at least one Best Buy didn't get the memo that the Nexus debut had been postponed. Sean Bates was able to stroll in to the big box retailer and snag himself an little slice of Ice Cream Sandwich and offered a photo of the receipt as evidence. Another forum user, who goes by the name dubya.t also managed to get his mitts on one and posted his own pics showing some of the Big Red branded apps. Sadly, you probably won't be able go drop $300 on your own LTE-equipped Android 4.0 handset and we're not any closer to finding out exactly when it'll officially hit the market.
Galaxy Nexus shipping now in America: unlocked for $750 through Expansys
Pre-order, pre-schmorder. Americans more anxious to blow $750 on the planet's first Ice Cream Sandwich handset than anything on Black Friday can do so right now, as Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is shipping from the warehouses at Expansys. We've received independent confirmation that orders placed today are shipping out, with the aforesaid tally nabbing you an unlocked 16GB GSM (HSPA+) build that plays nice with T-Mobile and AT&T's 3G bands. What it won't nab you, however, is a pack of nabs. Can't win 'em all, right? [Thanks, Dan]
Walmart selling Limited Edition Blue Wii for $99.96 on Black Friday
No, you aren't "losing" that thing up top -- Walmart will indeed be bringing those limited edition blue Wiis to the US of A starting this Thursday, and better still, it'll be hawking 'em for just $99.96 apiece. If you'll recall, the powder blue variants of Nintendo's newest home console were previously reserved for other sections of the globe, but a new spot that just aired on CBS' broadcast of the Titans vs. Falcons has confirmed that it'll be on sale within a matter of days for those lucky enough to snag one. They'll be offered up starting at 10:00PM on November 24th (that's Thanksgiving day, you know) and should be completely sold out by 10:00:01PM on the same day. That tally will net you a console, a matching Wii Remote Plus and a Nunchuk. Good luck -- pack a helmet. P.S. - Black Thursday is the new Black Friday.
BlackBerry Playbook gets massive, temporary $300 price cut in Canada
So, PlayBooks haven't exactly been flying off the shelves... anywhere. Not even in RIM's native Canada. But that might actually change over the nex few days as BestBuy, Walmart, Staples and Future Shop have chopped $300 off the price of the QNX-based slate. The sale lasts from November 16th to the 22nd in Quebec, and the 18th to the 24th in the rest of Canada. Now, they're probably not going to eclipse the iPad in sales anytime soon, but a $200 16GB PlayBook is a much more compelling proposition than a $500 one. The WiFi only 32GB and 64GB models are also being discounted to $300 and $400 respectively which, in case you're not mathematically inclined, means the 64GB BlackBerry tablet will actually cost less than the 16GB version normally does. Obviously, though, you'll have to be quick -- we're sure this fire sale (tundra sale?) will have stocks running pretty low. [Thanks, Shawn]
Boxee Box Live TV dongle shipping for $49 in January 2012, pre-orders open today
No point in hiding in plain view, eh? Boxee has just affirmed that the leaked Live TV dongle is legit, and it'll be splashing down on North American shores in January. The Boxee Box Live TV dongle will allow North American users to connect an antenna to their Box to watch channels like ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in HD with no monthly fee -- assuming you're close enough to an OTA tower to receive said signals, of course. Once equipped, a Box will be able to fetch content from the major networks, Vudu, Netflix and Hulu, though you may want to spring for that bolstered internet connection. Boxee Live TV works with signals from HDTV antennas (using ATSC) or an unencrypted cable connection (using ClearQAM), and a portable antenna is included. Users who live out in the 'burbs may want to consider something a bit beefier, and if you're hoping to use this thing with something other than the Boxee Box... well, keep dreaming. In fact, Boxee has confirmed that even the forthcoming update of its Boxee software for Mac and PC won't support the device, so you'll be forced to pony up for D-Link's hardware if you're looking to party. There's also no DVR function in sight (sort of defeating the purpose, given just how many TVs have tuners already), but hey -- who knows what'll roll out at CES. Pre-orders are available down in the source link, with $49 claiming your spot in line. %Gallery-139570%
Nook Tablet comes off the shelves one day early for one lucky customer
Now, we can't promise you'll have the same luck as our fortunate tipster if you wander out to your local Barnes & Noble, but it does seem that at least one location is handing over Nook Tablets a little bit early. Not to be outdone by its bitter rival, the Kindle Fire, the slate with the brick-and-mortar bookstore roots also started moving 24-hours ahead of its scheduled November 16th release -- though, in slightly less official fashion than Amazon's device. If the image of the unboxed slab above isn't enough to convince you, check out the bonus receipt pic after the break.
eBoy Engadget t-shirts are now shipping, get yours right here!
Great news for people who wear clothes: eBoy's first full collection of Engadget t-shirts has started to ship all over the world. For those that pre-ordered between September 16th and yesterday, you should be receiving a shipment in the coming days. For everyone else? There's no better time to start stocking up on stocking stuffers, as the entire pack of new designs are in stock and ready to ship right now. We'd like to thank eBoy (read our introduction here) and the folks that pre-ordered for their awesomeness, and if you'd like to join the crowd, the two source links just below are waiting for your click. As a reminder, we'll be giving 50 percent of the proceeds received to Child's Play Charity, which provides games, books and cash for sick kids in children's hospitals across North America and the world.
Apple's US online store begins selling unlocked, contract-free iPhone 4S: $649 and up
You can't expect to see one for "one to two weeks," but those hellbent on holding out for an unlocked iPhone 4S here in the US of A can finally snag one without jetting off to Australia (among other places). Nearly five months to the day after Apple started selling the iPhone 4 in unlocked fashion in the States, the iPhone 4S is joining the club, with a 16GB model going for $649, a 32GB model for $749 and a 64GB variant for $849. Just so you're aware, the unlocked phone enables you to use any micro-SIM from any GSM carrier worldwide, but it won't play nice with CDMA carriers "such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint." And yes, both the black and white versions are up for order. Hit the source link to part ways with your chosen amount of cash.[Thanks, Hicham]
Columbia's line of electric Omni-Heat jackets, gloves and boots on sale, just in time for Old Man Winter
It took 'em a bit longer than expected, but Columbia's still pushing out its complete line of Omni-Heat electric (and in turn, heated) jackets before the holidays. In fact, a few more of these guys have cropped up since we reviewed the (admittedly excellent) Circuit Breaker back in March, including the Electro Amp, Wader Widgeon and Big Game Interchange. As you could probably glean from the titles, the latter two are camouflaged, making them both a) invisible to the human eye and b) totally fit for hunters. Those four are available for gentlemen with between $750 and $1,200 to spare, while the ladies can opt for the electric Hottie ($750) or Circuit Breaker softshell ($850). A full line of Omni-Heat gloves and boots are also shipping now, with the source links below pointing you directly to the shopping houses you're after. Have a look at what you're missing just after the break.
