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Engadget Podcast 146 - 05.15.2009
Josh Topolsky and Paul Miller walk into a bar, but the bar is a recording studio. The bartender, who is the recording engineer, asks, "Why the long faces?" "Sigh," Paul says, and looks down at his feet. "Nothing but a buncha crummy phone rumors and probably fake slim PS3 pictures this week." "It's hard to podcast when there's no exciting news to podcast about," says Josh, staring off into the distance. The door slams open: it's Nilay Patel. "I know what'll cheer you guys up!" he says as he slams three stiff drinks down on the table. "Trashing AT&T about the Slingplayer app!" Smiles creep over Josh and Paul's faces. They nod, the engineer hits the record button, and history is made: The Engadget Podcast, volume 146. Update: We added a video feed of your charming hosts from the recording studio after the break. It's definitely an experiment at this stage, so let us know what you think! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Producer: Trent Wolbe Song: Around the World 00:01:42 - Wild and slim PS3 redesign caught on camera? 00:17:20 - AT&T issues official statement on SlingPlayer's 3G blackout for iPhone 00:28:49 - Microsoft's latest ad: iTunes and the iPod are crazy expensive 00:37:26 - Microsoft "Pink" specs leak out: Tegra, Snapdragon, OMAP 3, oh my? 00:50:57 - Fuzzy math: Palm Pre to run about $470 full retail? 01:01:29 - Hold the phone: T-Mobile G1 v2 to really be the Samsung Bigfoot? 01:06:13 - Motorola's first Android phone to be the T-Mobile G1 v2? 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
Microsoft "Pink" specs leak out: Tegra, Snapdragon, OMAP 3, oh my?
Ready for some more delicious Zune / Windows Mobile rumors after today's June Zune letdown? Well buckle up -- the always-sharp Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet says she's got specs for Windows Mobile 7 Chassis 1, the heart of that rumored "Pink" smartphone, and they're pretty wild. According to the list, Chassis 1 phones will all have 3.5-inch or larger multitouch displays with ARM v6+ processors and OpenGL ES 2.0-compatible graphics hardware, 256MB or more of RAM and 1GB or more of storage, as well as at least a 3 megapixel camera, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, a compass, and accelerometer. Oh, and glory be -- a 3.5mm headphone jack is required. Here's the kicker, though: NVIDIA's Tegra platform is specifically listed as meeting the core CPU requirements, as well as TI's OMAP 3 platform and "Qualcomm 8k," which sounds to us like Snapdragon's QSD8xxx-series chips. If you've been following along, you know that all three of these (Tegra in particular) have been bandied about as potential Microsoft phone platforms, so it makes perfect sense to us that Microsoft's giving its hardware partners a choice of currently-available high-powered platforms for Chassis 1 -- especially since we've been hearing lots of whispers of hardware based on these chips in the works. Here's the thing, though: we've also always been told that "Pink" is the codename for Zune software and services on Windows Mobile, so something tells us that Chassis 1 phones running Windows Mobile 7 will feature a strong dose of Zune flavoring -- a plan Steve Ballmer's repeatedly confirmed in the past year. So how do we think this all fits together? Well, we'll slightly revise our previous totally crazy, off-the-wall prediction: we think "Pink" is the codename for a new consumer-focused version of Windows Mobile that integrates Zune services, running not only on a touchscreen Zune HD, but on several third-party phones. Are we crazy? Yes, absolutely -- but you've got to admit the pieces are coming together.
Microsoft denies Twitter-sourced Zune rumors
The future of the Zune continues to be awfully cloudy: although the Twitter account @officethemovie was directly linked from Microsoft's Office 2010 promo site earlier today, company spokesperson Brian Seitz just pinged us to say that those Zune rumors posted to the account weren't exactly on the up-and-up: That account is bunk. Not run by Microsoft so I would not put much stock in what they say. The real Office movie account is http://twitter.com/office2010movie. Of course, that's a denial focused on the source of the rumors, not their content, so we're guessing something more serious is going on -- we've got a feeling whoever was running that account spoke out of turn, especially since Brian himself promised new Zune hardware this year. Regardless, the lesson stands: people on Twitter will lie to you until you are penniless and alone, and then they will kill and eat you.Update: Yep, the account is a fake -- the person who created it has fessed up to pulling the hoax as a publicity stunt for some rambling iPhone piracy article he wrote, which is an excellent way to be ignored forever.
Microsoft: 'June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers... hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre' Update: It's a hoax
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/microsoft/Microsoft_June_important_for_Zune_don_t_buy_iPhone_or_Pre'; Microsoft has a new twitter account in support of its Office 2010 product launch. What's strange though, is that the people behind the account seem to care more about the future of the Zune than Office. Two tweets (of five) from this account have caught our attention. The first says,June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers.Then as a followup to the barrage of questions received, @officethemovie adds, New product launch, that's all I'm allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre. Naturally, we're expecting the launch of the Zune HD and/or the unveiling of project Pink. Whatever happens, the month of June is going to be historic with Apple's WWDC scheduled to kick off on June 8th and the Palm Pre rumored for release on June 5th or June 7th.Update: It's worth mentioning that the big E3 gaming expo kicks off on June 2nd (press events on the 1st) -- could be important if there's any truth to the new Zune HD supporting some form of Xbox game integration.Update 2: Sadly, it's all a hoax -- but it was fun while it lasted.[Via Neowin, thanks Anthony S.]
Engadget Podcast 144 - 05.01.2009
Bogged down and confused with the latest spate of wild mobile speculations? Relationship troubles clouding your judgment? Lonely? Well Josh, Nilay and Paul -- your jovial (yet often enraged) Engadget Podcast crew -- are back for another installment to help you sort all that out. In a week heavy on rumors (Palm Eos, Microsoft "Pink" and the not-so-nano "iPhone lite") and laden with opinion (Windows 7 RC1, TiVo's sad state of affairs), join the boys as they delve deep into the abyss that is gadgetry. Sure, there might never be a Zunephone, but remember: the beauty is in the journey... or something. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Producer: Trent Wolbe Song: All That She Wants 00:01:13 - Palm Eos: super-thin, 3G, and headed to AT&T? 00:27:20 - Microsoft's "Pink" smartphone could rival iPhone on Verizon 00:29:00 - Microsoft reiterates what we knew: no first-party handset, no Zunephone 00:36:40 - Apple prototyping "iPhone lite" and MacBook Mini / media pad for Verizon? 00:46:30 - Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android, dreams 00:57:42 - Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 impressions, insights, and expectations 01:10:05 - Ten years of TiVo: how far we haven't come 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
Guitar Hero World Tour May DLC lineup detailed
A recent Activision presser revealed Guitar Hero World Tour's downloadable offerings for next month, and boy, is it one eclectic hodge-podge of on-rails music. One of the packs is free, too! We love free hodge-podges.May 7: Ferret/Metal Blade Track Pack (Free!) "Dez Moines" - The Devil Wears Prada "On Broken Glass" - Chimaira "Grave of Opportunity" - Unearth May 14: Pop Rock Track Pack (440 / $5.49) "So What" - Pink (160 / $2) "Stop and Stare" - OneRepublic (160 / $2) "Everything's Magic" - Angels and Airwaves (160 / $2) May 21: European Track Pack No. 5 (440 / $5.49) "Disconnected" - In Flames (160 / $2) "Oh Yeah!" - Housse de Racket (160 / $2) "Look Good In Leather" - Cody ChesnuTT (160 / $2) Like always, these tunes can't be downloaded in packs on the Wii -- each song must be downloaded separately for 200 Wii Points (except for the free ones, which are, of course, free). We've got videos for the first three posted after the jump!
Microsoft's "Pink" smartphone could rival iPhone on Verizon
It's crazy, we know. Just hours after hearing shockingly believable whispers that Apple's white-hot iPhone 3G could be sashaying over to Verizon Wireless, in flies a Wall Street Journal report asserting that the suits in Redmond are (also?) in talks with America's largest carrier. 'Course, we've heard rumors that Microsoft was banging out a smartphone behind closed doors for centuries now, but much to our chagrin, there's no mention of "Zune" in "Project Pink." Instead, we're told that said handset is a touchscreen-based multimedia phone that will aim to extend the Windows Mobile OS while "adding new software capabilities." Not surprisingly, the article also mentions that Windows Marketplace would be front and center on the phone, and potentially most interesting is this tidbit: "a third-party is expected to make the device." Hey HTC -- seen any strange calls originating from the 425? [Via Boy Genius Report]
Zune rumors heat up, MS getting ready to launch Zune software on phones?
Yeah, something is definitely up in Zuneland. Not only did images of the Zune HD leak out late last week, today AdWeek says that Microsoft's auditioning three major ad agencies for the launch of a new mobile service called "Pink" -- which is the project codename for Zune software on mobile phones. No, this doesn't mean any of those Tegra-powered Zunephone rumors are coming true -- it's far more likely that Microsoft is finally gearing up to re-launch Zune as the preferred media software and service for Windows Mobile, a plan Steve Ballmer's been hinting at for ages now. Remember, Microsoft has to keep its large stable of Windows Mobile hardware manufacturers happy, and launching a hyped new phone of its own with a Zune-based OS would basically be perceived as stabbing a billion-dollar business in the back -- not something you want to do when most of your partners are also deep in the Android game. On the other hand, you don't audition three huge ad agencies just to launch a Zune app on busted ol' WinMo, so there could be something big cooking -- if you forced us to throw caution to the wind and just guess, what we'd want to see is that $500m Danger acquisition pay off in the form of a reskinned consumer-oriented edition of Windows Mobile that integrates Zune services, running not only on a touchscreen Zune HD, but a variety of phones from third-party partners. Wishful thinking? You bet -- probably even crazy thinking -- but it would certainly shake things up, and that's never a bad thing. We'll see how it plays out -- care to share your dream Zune strategy in the meantime?[Via CNET]
Sony's wraparound W Series Walkman on sale and in pink
Not much has been said of Sony's unique W Series Walkman since its unveiling at CES this year, but now the player is on sale and available in a vivacious pink hue for all the ladies in attendance. Or fashion-forward gentlemen, whichever. At any rate, said player -- which is more formally known as the NWZ-W202 -- is expected to start shipping out as early as tomorrow, bringing with it 2GB of inbuilt storage space, support for MP3, AAC and WMA files, a battery good for a dozen hours and a three minute "quick charge" feature that provides up to 90 minutes of playback. Catch it right now in black or the aforementioned pink for $69.99.[Via ChipChick]
Acer's custom Aspire One netbook: Heinous, exemplified
If the Acer Aspire One netbook above makes you feel uncomfortable, even angry, then you're probably not a Japanese school-girl. Hell, even if you are we hope you have the good sense not to paste stuffed animals, taffeta, and frills to your Atom-based netbook. That's what UMPCs are for.
Nintendo DSi now in 3 more colors you can't buy
Check it: three new colors of the Nintendo DSi just announced in Japan for the usual ¥18,900 starting March 20th. How's it feel to know that Nintendo is already working on secondary DSi colors when they've yet to launch outside of Japan? Not that it matters, Australia will be limited to the black and white DSi models starting April 2nd; Europe's will launch in choice of black or white starting April 3rd; and the US will get its DSi on April 5th in either black or blue injury to accompany the insult of ranking last.
Three new colors for DSi in Japan
Nintendo of Japan has announced plans to release the DSi console in three cheerful new colors: pink, lime green, and metallic blue. All three will be released on the same day, March 20, and will sell for 19,800 yen ($195), the same price as the currently available black and white DSi systems.Haters of the North American blue version will now be able to direct their ire toward these garish new colors, out of our reach though they may be. Fans of the blue may find themselves envious of these even more vivid colors. We're sorting out some rather complex emotions ourselves.%Gallery-33263%[Via Wii Everyday] Don't worry if you haven't been following the DSi for the last few months -- your crazy friends at Joystiq Nintendo have been all over it. Check out our unboxing of a Japanese system for a hands-on rundown of features, and have a look at the awesome DSiWare downloads that have come to Japan. Then torture yourself with the limited-edition FFCC: Echoes of Time DSi that probably won't make it here!
Dell Promise Pink laptops fight breast cancer
It slipped under the radar this past week, but Dell and Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced a partnership that'll see Dell donate $5 to the foundation for every new Promise Pink laptop it sells. Most of Dell's line is available in the new hue, including the various Inspiron Studios and Minis, the XPS m1330 and m1530 -- hell, even the Latitude E4200 for all you trendster suits out there. Dell's committed to raising at least $250,000 through the program, so it apparently thinks these are going to be quite popular -- we'll know for sure if this dude trades up to Promise from Flamingo.[Via Coolest-gadgets]
Samsung milks F480 a little longer with Rockstar and La Fleur models
Seriously Samsung -- you should know what happens when a company settles for churning out modified versions of the same thing for too long. If not, just ping whomever is left at Motorola's mobile division. Bad slams aside, the longstanding F480 is seeing yet another makeover (two, in fact), with the P!nk-inspired Rockstar version destined for Germany and the flora-inspired (and currently unpriced) La Fleur slated for a Russian release. As expected, nothing too great is changing except for the externals, though the Rockstar model does come loaded with P!nk tracks and a 1GB memory card. Oh, and considering the quoted €499 ($640) asking price for the Rockstar, we'd say P!nk better be seeing some serious royalties.
Forget chocolates, Samsung offers pink NC10 for Valentine gifting
If a pink MSI Wind isn't the way to your significant other's heart, Samsung has an alternative for you in the form of a rose-colored NC10. The similarly-spec'd 10.2-inch netbook sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, and Windows XP Home. Additionally, it's got a suspiciously-long 7-hour battery life and anti-germ keyboard. UK retailer dabs has it listed for £316 ($434) with VAT and a February 9 release date. Let's just hope she doesn't lament the color choice come March. [Via Portable Monkey]Read - Overclockers product pageRead - Dabs product page
MSI Wind U100 Valentine Edition: geek romance, exemplified
Oh sure, there's all manners of garb and chocolates that you could get your lover this Valentine's Day, but the true geek knows just how hard it is to pick up those all-too-clichéd items when it's a gadget you're really after. Enter MSI, who has just delivered the appropriately named Valentine Edition of its Wind U100 netbook just in time for that special holiday. If you'll recall, this isn't the first time MSI has outed a minuscule laptop oozing with romance, but this one boasts a limited edition label (figuratively, at least), a 6-cell battery, 160GB hard drive and a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor. You can purchase 2.6 pounds of lovey-dovey right now for $429.99, but you better act fast -- no lady worth having will accept the "my UPS guy didn't come through" excuse. The full release is after the break.
Pink Samsung Instinct now available on Sprint for $99.99
Best Buy jumped the gun by a few days, but the pink version of the Instinct is now totally official and totally ready to buy. Even better, Sprint is promoting a limited-time price drop to $99.99 on contract after rebates, making full touchscreen fashion just about as affordable as it's ever been. The Instinct's firmware has been getting pretty decent lately, so maybe it's worth a shot, eh?[Via phoneArena]
Mysterious pink iPhone 3G hits eBay, cue onslaught of rumors
Say wha'?! An iPhone in a hue other than black, white, or silver? While a red model has been rumored since before the 3G even launched, we've never thought about a pink one -- let alone one hitting eBay. The text on the back of the device convinces us that this isn't a simple ColorWare job, but there aren't any photos of the back of the packaging either. Our take? Some OEM in Asia whipping up custom colors. But hey, Macworld's just under a week away, so who knows? Update: Go ahead and put those horses back in the stables folks, folks: Cole commented to point us over to an eBay auction for a rather familiar looking and decidedly aftermarket pink back cover. So, don't go expecting a first-party pink iPhone at Macworld, but if you hurry up and bid now you can have yourself the most fabulous handset at the show.[Thanks, Gav]
Sprint's pink Instinct shows up on Best Buy's site for outrageous price
We'd pegged early January for the release of a pink Samsung Instinct on Sprint's airwaves, and Best Buy's doing everything it can to help us hold the line on that with a new "Coming Soon" page advertising just such a product. Unfortunately, they're asking a whopping $599.99 for the pleasure of being the first kid on your block with this thing, but the off-contract pricing in Best Buy's system is usually way out of whack -- we wouldn't worry about paying anything close to $200 on contract by the time you actually step into the store.[Thanks, Emilio]
Bury the Shovelware: Bratz Ponyz 2
After a few controversial picks, I've decided to take the edge off and pick on an easy target. After all, doesn't picking on the weak make us all feel a little better? So don't worry about today: we've got not one but TWO S's replaced with Z's! Pedigree Instead of talking about the developer and publisher, let's just take a long look at the title. It's in three parts. First: "Bratz," a franchise which has been criticized locally for allegedly attempting to sell sex to children. Abroad, things are even worse: "On December 21, 2006, the National Labor Committee announced that the factory workers in China, who make Bratz dolls, labor for 94.5 hours a week, while the factory pays only $0.515 an hour, $4.13 a day. The per doll amount is $0.17, much less than the Bratz dolls actually cost (from $20 to $40)." (Wikipedia). And most important of all, let's not forget the last letter of the first word, a disgusting trait also shared with the second word: "Ponyz." When did the letter "S" become uncool? Did he totally say ohmigod and she was all like "right?" Or did Z suddenly become incredibly popular? Did Z come skateboarding through space while wearing sunglasses and playing a hot pink electric guitar? That's still cool, right? Finally, we have the number 2 ... as if there were so many unanswered questions at the end of Bratz Ponyz 1.
