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SpaceX teases 'something big,' suggests we check back April 5th (video)
Okay, okay, so the last time a company teased "something big," they were exaggerating a tad, but this video here comes from SpaceX, maker of giant rockets. So when the only commercial organization that shot a hunk of burning metal into orbit and retreived it back on Earth tells us to look out for something with "five new engines" and "two new rockets" on 11:15AM ET on April 5th, you'd best believe we're going to have our tails firmly pressed into comfy chairs and popcorn at the ready to watch it. Spoiler alert: it's probably the Falcon Heavy. [Thanks, Doug]
HTC invites us to 'see what's next' on April 12th
Would you look at what dropped in our inbox this morning? Good old HTC is cooking up a little somethin' somethin' for an April 12th launch in London town, for an event kicking off at 1.30PM BST or 8.30AM EST. While consulting our solar calendars, we noticed that's when Microsoft's MIX 2011 developer gathering is also getting started, but we're sure it's just a coincidence and HTC isn't about to spring a battery of new Windows Phone 7 devices on us. In fact, if you stare at the invite's image long enough, you might just convince yourself you're looking at a bulging smartphone screen, which could indicate we're talking about the EVO 3D's European launch. You never know with these things. Whatever happens, we'd advise circling the date and making sure your popcorn supplies aren't running low.
NVIDIA's next flagship graphics card to be unveiled at 9AM on Thursday, bring your own popcorn
In NVIDIA's own words, this Thursday will bring us the company's "next generation, highest performance graphics card." If that has you thinking GeForce GTX 590, you're not alone. The dual-GPU solution was expected to arrive at the PAX East get-together this month but seemed to shyly dodge the limelight, though now there's no escaping its date with destiny. Just make sure to be up nice and early tomorrow, say around 9AM US Eastern Time, for the inevitable barrage of reviews. An unsatisfyingly brief teaser video, featuring Crysis 2 slyly running in the background, can be found after the break. Update: Whoa, Nelly! Looks like it may end up being the GeForce GTX 590, as evidenced by these leaked images here. [Thanks, Abdulmalik]
Latest Sprint teaser tweet all but confirms February 24th announcement is for Windows Phone 7
How many mobile platforms can you think of that integrate "with your home game console, like Xbox?" Unless we're completely spacing something out, the answer is one: Windows Phone 7. We'd already figured the Thursday announcement that Sprint has been teasing this week on Twitter -- and that little Arrive leak all but confirmed it anyhow -- but if you needed any more evidence that the phone formerly known as the HTC 7 Pro would be formally announced in CDMA guise this week, here you have it. We'll know more tomorrow, hopefully.
Intel promises, teases MeeGo smartphone and tablet for MWC
Lookie here. Intel may have been the jilted bride left at the altar by Nokia, but it's not giving up on MeeGo just yet. The above poster has been hung up here in Barcelona, in the area us humble journalists still aren't in allowed yet, and shows a smartphone and tablet running Intel's Linux variant as their OS. There are plenty of details to pore over, such as the multiplicity of home screen items on the tablet that includes Big Buck Bunny -- a favorite for testing HD video playback -- in its top right corner; the handset, meanwhile, could very well be that Aava Mobile device we've been hearing about lately. MWC is opening its doors tomorrow, so even if Intel doesn't announce these devices in full, we'll snoop its booth out and find out for ourselves.
Huawei IDEOS X3 and IDEOS S7 Slim tablet revealed en route to MWC launch
Huawei, the company whose name rhymes with the typical response of "who are they," has uploaded a few images to its Flickr page teasing new hardware bound for this year's Mobile World Congress. First up is the IDEOS X3, an Android handset seemingly set to provide a more budget-oriented family mate to the X5. It has two cameras, one on the front and one on the back, three Android buttons, and at least four different color options (red, blue, silver and black). The Barcelona event will see it joined by an IDEOS S7 Slim tablet, also running Google's mobile OS, though our knowledge about that device doesn't extend any further than noting it too has a front-facing camera. Check it out after the break.
LG Optimus 3D teased again, this time shows off its dual cameras (video)
We really should send a message to phone manufacturers and stop covering these tiny little leaks of controlled information, but when it's a phone with dual cameras and a 3D display we're talking about, we can't help it. Every minute detail must be digested and analyzed. There's a fast-moving video awaiting your Sherlockian wits after the break, or you can hit the source link for a gallery of screen captures that highlight the construction details of LG's upcoming Optimus 3D. Look for it to stop being a fancy render and become a corporeal entity at MWC early next week.
AMD Radeon HD 6990 shows up in its metallic flesh, looking larger than life
What does the next great superpower of desktop graphics look like? Well, it shares an unmistakable family resemblance to the current champ, but its dimensions have somehow been made even larger. Yes, we're talking about AMD's Radeon HD 6990 -- a dual-GPU monstrosity that's set to serve as the company's 2011 flagship -- which has just been shown off at an Asia Pacific Fusion Tech Day gathering. Aside from the crazy imagery (one more after the break and a gallery at the source), we've found a promise that this polygon deliverator will be available in late Q1 2011. Which gives us just enough time to rent out a room big enough to house it. Now, when's Crysis 2 coming out? [Thanks, Christopher]
Smedley tweets PlanetSide Galaxy transport image
Oh John Smedley, you coy devil! The enterprising Sony Online Entertainment bossman has dropped another PlanetSide Next tease bomb on the frothing faithful, this time in the form of a new concept model from the upcoming massively multiplayer shooter. Fans of the original PlanetSide will no doubt remember the Galaxy heavy troop transport, and an updated version of the model is now viewable along with the previously released image of what appears to be a New Conglomerate tank. The Galaxy ship was a gargantuan heavy hauler, capable of stuffing nine infantry and two MAX (Mechanized Armored Exo-Suit) units into its ample cargo hold. Fan website PlanetSide Universe notes that this is a preliminary model and not an in-game asset, and the site also managed to get a tiny bit of additional info from Smedley regarding the reveal. "The Galaxy plays an even more pivotal role in the new game," he told the website, while his Twitter announcement is a decidedly more cryptic "I love me some Galaxy!" [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Smedley entices us with the first image from PlanetSide Next
John Smedley, the President of Sony Online Entertainment, is a big tease. Players are clamoring for information about all the new games SOE is releasing this year: DC Universe Online just released, but fans already want to know more about the promised monthly updates. We're all looking forward to The Agency, which has been quiet for about nine months and is rumored to come out this year. Then there's PlanetSide Next, which seems to be on the tip of Smedley's tongue, too. His hints about beta testing suggest the game will launch this year as well. Imagine the speculation that erupted when Smedley tweeted, "NC ftw!" then a link to the picture above. What does it mean? We suspect "NC" stands for "New Conglomerate" from PlanetSide. Is that a New Conglomerate tank? It has to be; Rock, Paper, Shotgun agrees. Is Smedley teasing us with the idea that we can battle in tanks in PlanetSide Next? We can only hope so. It looks like SOE's got some exciting things planned for us in the coming year!
Samsung's Galaxy S is set for an 'evolution' at MWC in February
That Samsung intends to bring a Galaxy S successor to MWC 2011 was already a known known, but now the company's turning up the hype machine with an update to its Samsung Unpacked website. There, for the pleasure of your eyes and the tickling of your imagination, Sammy has positioned its familiar super-selling Android smartphone alongside a not-too-cryptic message promising that "evolution is fate." We're smelling a cute play on words here, similar to what LG did with its Revolution handset, potentially implying that the next Galaxy flagship will have LTE (Long Term Evolution) connectivity built in. That, along with the promised dual-core chip within, should easily outshine the Infuse 4G (which has HSPA+ and a single-core Hummingbird inside) recently announced for AT&T in the States. We'll get the next dose of our teasing on February 1st, the site promises, before the full unveil in Barcelona on February 13th. Our hearts are all aflutter already. [Thanks, Patrick]
Dell teases Streak 10 for literally five seconds, says we'll see it next year (update)
Dell just pulled out a 10-inch Android tablet on the CES 2011 stage. It looks like it's running Stage UI, and that tiny silver dot up top might be a front-facing camera. There's a docking port on the bottom and a headphone jack (and what looks like a volume rocker) on the left side. That's literally all we know for now. You're such a tease, Dell. Update: Dell says it's called the Streak 10. Makes sense, no? By the way, that's a non-functional unit that Dell's held up on stage -- just a backlit, static image on a device that's not yet ready for primetime. %Gallery-113041%
Sony poster at CES shows unannounced, extremely slim-looking phone (update: it's the Arc)
Sony's CES banners have been unfurled around the Las Vegas Convention Center here and one of them has a particularly alluring, and particularly skinny, phone to show us. The above image of half a touchscreen handset (more closeup photography of which you'll find in the gallery below) shows a Sony Ericsson brand and what looks like a 3.5mm headphone jack -- the latter of which would suggest that this phone is no more than six or seven millimeters thick. Even more enticing is the promise of "more entertainment at the touch of a button," suggesting some processing and graphics firepower contained within as well -- could it be SE's answer to the dual-core LG Optimus 2X? We get the feeling we'll love this thing whatever the hell's inside it. Update: Closer investigation of the imagery has led us to believe this is probably the Anzu / X12 that we first saw back in November. That device's claim to fame was a 4.3-inch display allied to a "very, very thin" profile. Update 2: The mysterious handset has now been revealed as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. %Gallery-112523%
Samsung's new 9 Series LED-backlit 3D monitor goes for asymmetric beauty with a Touch of Color
We might already be here at CES in Las Vegas, but that isn't stopping Samsung from doing some very last minute teasing. The Korean maker of everything electronic has released a few teaser images for its new flagship 9 Series LED-backlit 3DTV monitor. This new panel features a striking asymmetric design, with the stand offset to the far right, and a metallic construction accented with a (hopefully tasteful) Touch of Color. No further details or specs are available as of yet, but mysteries like that don't tend to hang around for too long in this city and at this time of the year. Update: Samsung's English-speaking PR got in touch with us to say that this is actually a monitor, not an HDTV.
Opera for tablets teased on video, bringing first public preview to CES (video)
As if building a top notch browser wasn't hard enough when having to develop for both desktop and mobile, here comes Opera with a third category: tablet-specific browsers. Opera for tablets has just been teased on video, exploiting a Galaxy Tab to show off slippery smooth pinch-to-zoom functionality plus a finger-friendly landing page for all your favorite websites when opening a new window. It's really not much to go on, but the Norwegian company is trying to hold the details until its proper public preview, which will be happening right here at CES very soon. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Vizio teases entry into the tablet fray with pizazz via Rose Bowl spot (video)
Teasing tablets ahead of the CES deluge is nothing new for manufacturers now, but we'll at least give Vizio a few style points for its expensive approach to the tactic. That's because what looks like a Vizio-branded tablet made a not-so-secret appearance during the Rose Bowl. Specifically, the device appeared about 15 seconds into the chairman's message in the hands of Vizio chief sales officer Randy Waynick. Just in case a mere sighting was too subtle, Waynick was also kind enough to mention Vizio's dedication to "entertainment freedom for all" and the ability to view content on "any of their great new products, from anywhere" -- wink wink, nudge nudge. Details on the gadget are obviously unknown, but we're confident the actual specs (if any) will emerge next week. We're also pretty positive it's not Vizio's 7-inch razor portable TV. If you weren't watching the game, check out a video of the device's brief cameo on national television after the break. Update: We originally speculated that this tablet was probably running Android based on the buttons. Some eagle-eyed readers have pointed out though that only three buttons are visible at the bottom of the Vizio screen -- which means WP 7 could also be a possibility. It's worth noting too that no traditional Android buttons were visible on the prototype Motorola Honeycomb Tablet. The bottom line is we can't make a ruling on the OS based solely on the buttons.
ASUS EP121, EP102, EP101, and EP71 tablets get diagramed in latest teaser
Haven't had enough CES titillation yet? Good. ASUS has apparently been up to some mischief overnight in uploading and then pulling a new version of its teaser video from a week ago, though this time it also included explicit product names attached to some quite informative diagrams. It looks to be the full family of upcoming CES tablets, with the EP121 touting stylus input and a wireless keyboard, the EP102 showing that there will indeed be a slider in ASUS' Pad family, and the EP101 looking like, well, a laptop. There's also a media-centric EP71, whose proportions make it seem likely to be a sort of oversized PMP. Skip past the break for a closer look at them all and don't forget to grace our comments with your theory as to why ASUS feels compelled to have such a segmented product offering.
MSI teases Killer NIC integration in Big Bang motherboards
You won't be coloring us surprised here -- when we spoke with Bigfoot Networks CEO Michael Howse back at Computex, he didn't hesitate to disclose his interest in embedding Bigfoot's networking technology into motherboards and GPUs of the future. And now, it seems that the future has arrived. Based on a sneaky, nondescript release posted after the break, it looks as if Bigfoot and MSI will be hooking up at CES next week to introduce a newfangled version of the Big Bang motherboard. The announcement doesn't come right out and say it, but considering that at least one MSI motherboard will be "blazing with Killer 2100 performance," we'd say it's fair to read between the lines. Howse is also quoted as saying that he's "pleased to be working with MSI," and up until now, there's been no public partnership between the two firms. According to him, the Killer 2100 gaming network card "is a perfect complement to the MSI Big Bang family of mainboard solutions," and you can bet we'll be on the hunt for a model name, price and release date just as soon as we hit Vegas.
Skype teases video recording and sharing 'as it happens,' inventing synonyms for 'video calls'
It's hardly a secret anymore that Skype will be making some manner of video-related announcement at CES, but now the company's stepping up the hype offensive with a series of teasing videos and tweets. The common thread between the vids is that they're all shot in remote locations or on the move, eliminating the current PC / Mac dependency for video chat and forcing our minds to consider mobile, perhaps smartphone-shaped, devices instead. What Skype's promising is that we'll be able to share our favorite moments "as they happen," which together with all this video recording stuff seems to point to only one thing: video calling on mobiles. Only mystery left now is which platforms will get it when.
LG's LW6500 Cinema 3D TV is certified flicker-free, launching at CES
Oh LG, you infernal tease. Instead of politely revealing its full set of plans for CES 2011, the Korean company keeps gently peeling away the layers of ignorance, with today marking its pre-announcement of a new Cinema 3D TV set. The LW6500 opts for passive 3D glasses, in place of the currently popular active shutter goggles, which has garnered it a couple of industry certifications to say that its 3D is guaranteed, definitely, totally flicker-free. Aside from that, you get a neat brightness booster to ensure that switching on the third dimension doesn't dim the picture unduly, while the rest of the specs and extras on this 200Hz panel seem mostly unremarkable. We'll be casting our eyeballs over it at CES next week, which will be followed, we're told, by a rollout in select markets shortly thereafter.
