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Motorola Atrix 2 hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)
Motorola and AT&T are at it again with their Android shenanigans, this time following up the Atrix 4G with something a tad more... Atrix-y. Indeed, we're referring to the sequel of February's smash hit, honorably called the Motorola Atrix 2, announced at this week's CTIA Enterprise & Applications. We had the opportunity to get some brief time with it, and it's a fair device worthy of the family name: the 4.3-inch device feels good in the hand, and closely resembles the Photon 4G, only without the cutout corners. The sequel swaps processors, trading the 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU for a TI OMAP model with the same clock speed, and offers a full gigabyte of RAM to go along with it. Fortunately, the qHD 960 x 540 display looks gorgeous without its predecessor's Pentile clothes. Also gone? The fingerprint sensor. Oh, and don't be fooled by the missing "4G" moniker in the title; this little ditty packs a 21Mbps HSPA+ radio, up from 14Mbps in the first version. All in all, we like what we see here -- we enjoyed the brief time we had with the sequel. It seems as though Motorola learned some important lessons from the original device, but we'll reserve total judgement until our forthcoming review. Check out the full gallery and hands-on video (complete with bonus psychedelic carpet!) below. %Gallery-136335% Myriam Joire contributed to this post.
Texas Instruments wraps up purchase of National Semiconductor
In April, Texas Instruments announced its intention to snatch up National Semiconductor for a cool $6.5 billion. Now, almost six months later, the acquisition is complete and TI can tack another few percentage points on to its already market-leading chunk of the analog chip market. At least for now, National will operate as a branch of TI's analog division, which now accounts for over 50-percent of the company's revenue, and keep its (reasonably) well known brand name alive. For a few more details on the deal, check out the PR after the break.
Motorola's Atrix 2 (Edison) flaunts qHD display, hands-on reveals no PenTile matrix
It seems that Motorola's successor to the original Atrix has emerged in the streets of Chicago prior to being officially unveiled by AT&T. The crew at The Verge recently scored some hands-on time with the device, and in the process, cleared up much of the speculation regarding Ma Bell's upcoming Atrix 2 -- also known as the Edison. First, we know the device will indeed have a qHD display, although unlike Moto's other 960 x 540 screens, this one discards the PenTile matrix and features properly proportioned sub-pixels, which delivers crisper text in the process. Additionally, there's now further evidence that the handset will not be a member of AT&T's LTE lineup, and thus will be limited to its HSPA+ network. Notably, this revision adds a shutter button along the right edge of the handset, although like the Photon, it's only a single-stage mechanism, which is quite a bummer. Similar to the Bionic, it features a dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP CPU and delivers comparable benchmarks in the process. Looks like it'll be a fine contender for battle with the biggies from Samsung and Apple, eh?
Christie offers 4K upgrade kit for 2K projector that you couldn't afford to begin with
For the eight millionaires who've been watching the pre-release of Killer Elite on their in-home Christie CP2230, we've got exemplary news for you: your already-amazing image quality is about to get even better. The same projector that was chosen to reside in the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in New York City -- and the same one that remains mysteriously devoid of an MSRP across the world wide web -- now has a similarly sticker-less upgrade kit to consider. The Christie 4K upgrade package includes an entire 4K light engine assembly (replete with a trio of 1.38-inch TI 4K DMDs), an integrator rod assembly and an upgrade label. Yeah, a label. It's like that. Hit the source links for the requisite phone numbers, or better yet, just forward the whole thing to your butler.
Droid Bionic review
Motorola Droid X2 official at $200 Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus runs impressive 4G LTE speed test on two bars (video) Gingerbread comes to T-Mobile G2x, users feel loved again It's been said that absence makes a heart grow fonder, so it was with very willing and eager hands this week that we received the Droid Bionic, Motorola's latest high-octane, robot-themed assault on Verizon Wireless subscribers. The phone was first announced at CES in the beginning of 2011 and we got to see it in the flesh just an hour later... but then the story took a tragic turn. The Bionic was attacked, killed and then reborn with all new internals. Phoenix-like, the thing is now available for purchase on Verizon Wireless, $300 for a supposedly top-shelf device that packs both LTE connectivity and a dual-core processor. That makes it a first for Verizon, and it also happens to be the thinnest LTE handset yet to cross that carrier's airwaves. Oh, and it has the biggest battery yet, too. Was it worth the wait, then? Maybe. %Gallery-132924%
Droid Bionic arrives at Verizon tomorrow, we go hands-on today (video)
It's been a very, very long time since Verizon and Motorola together announced the Droid Bionic -- the better part of a year, in fact. Since then the phone's gone into hiding, perhaps hitting the gym and training for this moment, it's final and formal unveiling. The frequently-spied device finally ships tomorrow, and we have the full details plus early impressions right here, after the break. %Gallery-132874%
LG Thrill 4G officially arrives at AT&T for $100, fairy tales can come true
C'mon, admit it -- you didn't really think the LG Thrill 4G would ever be released, did you? After several weeks of unexplained delays, the AT&T-branded Optimus 3D is truly, honestly available on the carrier's website for sale at a respectable $100. The device, announced at CTIA 2011 in March, isn't hiding anything we didn't already know: it's got a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4 CPU with 512MB of RAM, Froyo, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display, 1080p video capture and dual 5MP rear stereoscopic cameras to add the extra dimension. So if you've been waiting for this phone to get the green light, it's time to stop idling at the intersection.
Toshiba's rumored ultra-thin tablet plays peek-a-boo at IFA?
Well, would you look at that? It appears someone just can't manage to stay out of our field of vision. The shot you see above is apparently the same ultra-thin tablet we ran across two days ago in what appeared to be leaked renders. Now, it's reportedly peeking out of a booth at IFA. From what we (and now you) can see, it's running Android and sporting a front facing camera. Rumor has it, the slate will also carry a TI OMAP4460 dual-core 1.5GHz processor, micro-USB, micro HDMI and microSD slots. Of course, we'll just have to wait see if things shake out, but we'll be here at IFA trying our damndest to get this skinny sucker to come out of hiding.
Toshiba rumored to be announcing ultra-thin tablet at IFA after chunky Thrive did anything but
With a tablet market dominated by the svelte iPad 2, a device with a "chunky design" isn't bound to Thrive. According to Notebook Italia, Toshiba's expected to announce a new ultra-thin tablet at IFA this week, swapping full-size USB and HDMI ports for micro-USB, micro HDMI, and microSD slots in order to shave off a few millimeters from last year's model, leaving the new device with a sleeker, much more appealing design. The rumored slate is expected to ship with a TI OMAP4460 dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an edge-to-edge screen, and a brushed-metal housing. Other specs, including Android version and screen size are a bit thin at this point, but we should have only a few more days to wait before Toshiba's new tab makes its glorious IFA debut in Berlin. [Thanks, Marco]
Fossil's Meta Watch passes the FCC, your magic wristwatch fantasies are about to come true
Fossil's Meta Watch has been beset with delays and defective parts but finally there's good news -- the watches have passed the FCC. The two models (analog and digital) can sync with your Android smartphone or tablet via a Texas Instruments CC2560 Bluetooth controller and are being sold as a "development platform" until enough apps are built to take advantage of the technology. T.I.'s website lists the watches as being available since August 22nd, although we're not entirely sure what to make of that -- it still looks like a pre-order situation to us. In any case, the devices should hopefully start reaching app developers pretty soon. Hey, how about using the internal gyroscopes to bring some genuine wrist-flapping action to Angry Birds? Update: TI's website is now listing the watch with a September 29th availability date. [Thanks, Imdad]
Fossil's Meta Watch delayed once again, clearly has trouble keeping time
If you were planning on outfitting your arm with a new Meta Watch this month, you're out of luck, because Fossil has just announced that the wristpieces won't start shipping until September. The watches, which use Texas Instruments' CC2560 Bluetooth controller to sync with smartphones, tablets or desktops, were originally scheduled for a July launch, but that timeline was eventually pushed back to August, due to part delays. Now, manufacturers have discovered a new batch of issues with the devices' programming clips (used for micro USB connections) and the analog-digital version's steel case, meaning that the pair won't reach Hong Kong distributors until the beginning of next month, after which they may take another one to two weeks before shipping to consumers. The countdown clock continues to tick away, but you can still pre-order a Meta Watch for $200, at the links below. [Thanks, Glen]
Motorola Droid Bionic specs revealed: TI OMAP 4430 dual-core CPU, Android 2.3.4 on board (update: wrong model number)
Can't wait to get those mitts on a Droid Bionic, but still wondering what lies beneath? Seems as though the Motorola mobile of mystery can't hold its secrets forever, since the specs of the Bionic are now up for perusal on Motorola's developer site. Here's the skinny: it's got a TI OMAP 4430 1GHz dual-core CPU bundled with 1GB RAM (twice the amount in the Droid 3), a 4.3-inch qHD display with 960 x 540 resolution, HDMI 1.4, 8 megapixel rear camera accompanied by a VGA front-facing shooter and 1080p HD video capture, webtop capabilities, and the obvious LTE radio. Unfortunately, the specs confirm the Bionic's lack of GSM / EDGE -- essentially turning it into a fancy PMP when traveling abroad -- and doesn't bother mentioning battery size (or life, for that matter), the most confounding question still lingering aside from the release date. C'mon, Motorola, can we at least get a hint? Update: A keen-eyed tipster alerted us to one minor snafu in the above image: it shows the Motorola XT865 -- the original Droid Bionic unveiled at CES 2011 last January -- instead of the XT875, which belongs to the new and redesigned model. We can't be sure if this is an typo on the site or if it really is the old version. Either way, we'll keep a close eye on the story and update if we hear anything else.
LED coffee table busts a multicolored move (video)
It might look like something out of MJ's Billie Jean, but this colorful LED array won't be under moonwalking foot -- that is, unless the party gets crunk. This colorful grid is actually a table top, brought to you by way of TI's MSP430 microcontroller, and it knows how to get down. The table is made up of 128 frosted glass cubes, each apparently capable of emitting 16 million colors. Its creators also produced a special beat-detection software, that could very easily have your furniture outshining the bumpers and grinders at your next party. If you're looking for a little extra something from your coffee table, you can find full build instructions at the source link below.
Graphing calculator web browser lets you visit your favorite sine wave fan sites (video)
Graphing calculators: essential tools for math education or low-res Game Boys? The debate rages on. Advocates of non-mathematical applications for the devices have scored a major victory with the introduction of Gossamer, a new web browser for various TI graphing calculators, which lets users visit some very basic versions of webpages, using the CALCnet and globalCALCnet protocols. The 1.0 version can request, display, and scroll pages. Logging in will bring you to a portal with links -- the application's developer has promised to add the ability to directly enter URLs in a future version, however. There's a demo video after the break, though you may want to wait until after math class to check it out.
Lenovo's 7-inch IdeaPad caught by Mr. Blurrycam?
We spied a mystery FCC listing just the other day, filed under a no-name company but bearing some unmistakable Lenovo markings. Now we have another unidentified device bearing the same branding and, according to our friendly neighborhood tipster, this is the company's 7-inch IdeaPad, which might be (internally) dubbed the A1-07. It's said to be powered by a TI OMAP3621 processor (which also drives the Nook Color), features a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen, a Broadcom GPS unit, 3G wireless with a SIM slot, and room for a microSD card as well. A 3,700mAh battery supposedly keeps things juiced, both front- and rear-facing cameras are on offer, and it's all wrapped in a glossy plastic styling that makes it look a little like a TouchPad with some bare metal highlights. It also features three buttons up front that we're hoping don't mean it's been relegated to Android 2.x. Now, the image above (and the second one, below) have obviously been crudely modified to hide something, and we can't be sure of what we're looking at here, but it's interesting enough for us to pass these along. Have a gander and let us know what you think in comments. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Fossil won't ship the Meta Watch until August, Dick Tracy wannabes get antsy
Some of you with a James Bond complex might have been waiting on Fossil's Meta Watches, a duo of wristpieces that use Texas Instrument's CC2560 Bluetooth radio to pull in emails, Facebook updates, weather forecasts, and more -- depending on what else developers cook up for it, that is. On top of that, the SDK allows Android smartphones and tablets to register button presses and receive sensor data from the watches, and then respond by sending text or triggering the vibration motor. If you already set aside $200 when they went up for pre-order two months back, you're going to have to twiddle your thumbs a bit longer. In response to a tweet from a curious customer, Bill Geiser, vice president of Fossil Watch Technology, said that thanks to some part delays, the two are now on track to ship in August, not July. If this is all new to you, that means you've got some time to ponder whether you'd rather have the analog / digital version or the fully digital one with a larger memory-in-pixel LCD. Decisions, decisions, folks. [Thanks, Alex]
Netflix for Android gets first HD streaming certification, Texas Instruments accepts your applause
Texas Instruments just called First!... on Netflix, that is. The Watch Instantly app for Android has an HD streaming future coming soon to OMAP 4-equipped devices thanks to the SoC's inbuilt security measures. The announcement marks the first time any Netflix partner has received 'Netflix Silicon Reference Implementation certification,' a clumsily-titled, yet essential requirement for end-to-end protection of mobile streamed 1080p content. The chip's M-Shield security tech "runs on the OMAP processor [without the need for] a dedicated chip or extra CPU cycles," so you're free to multi-task that dual-core (we assume) to its breaking point. And because you can never be too safe, TI's also thrown in its onboard WiLink 7.0 solution -- an industry first -- that makes use of WEP, WPA and WPA2 to keep the unsecured funny business at bay. The only downside to all this joyous high-definition news: it only runs on Gingerbread, so current LG Optimus 3D owners are out of luck until things get up to speed. Hit the break for some densely-worded silicon accolades.
Archos intros 80 G9 and 101 G9 Android 3.1 tablets: 1.5GHz CPU, 250GB HDD, 3G-ready (hands-on)
Angling for a new Android 3.1 tablet, are ya? If so, Archos has a new pair emerging from Paris today, the 80 G9 and 101 G9. Predictably, the biggest differentiator between the two is the screen size, with the former offering an 8-inch panel with a 1024 x 768 screen resolution and the latter stepping up to a 10.1-incher (1280 x 800). Both of 'em are proudly using Seagate's 7mm Momentus Thin in order to scale to 250GB, but of course, only time will tell how a power-hungry HDD will do in tablet form factor. Under the hood, you'll find a dual-core OMAP 4 processor (1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9), support for Flash, access to the Android Market and a full-size USB port -- one that's good for accepting the outfit's new G9 3G WWAN stick ($49). You'll also get an HDMI output, support for 1080p playback and a pay-as-you-go option with the aforesaid 3G dongle. The duo is scheduled to go on sale at the end of September (you know, just a month or two before Ice Cream Sandwich makes Honeycomb look like old hat), with the 80 G9 going for $279 and the 101 G9 for $349. Don't ever say Archos' accountants didn't look out for you. Update: We snagged a gallery's worth of hands-on shots from Archos' reveal today in Paris. We're running back for more as we type, so hang tight! Update 2: A reader over at Engadget Spanish noticed that the ES specifications link for the new G9 tablets mentions a 16GB + microSD arrangement for those who aren't feeling a 250GB HDD. Interesting! %Gallery-127007% %Gallery-127026%
Amazon tablet with TI processor shipping as early as August?
For months now, DigiTimes has been fueling rumors of Amazon's first foray into the LCD tablet market. Today it ratchets up the specificity with sometimes contradictory claims that Quanta Computer will be responsible for assembling the tablet with a supposed TI (not NVIDIA) processor and Wintek (not EIH) touch panel among its components. According to DigiTimes, Amazon hopes to move some four million units in 2011 alone with plans to launch the new tablet as soon as August. Possible? Sure, likely even. But we'll wait for Bezos to sing before updating our holiday shopping lists.
LG's Optimus 3D officially launched, debuting in Europe with dual lens and dual core CPU
The long wait is finally over! Joining the likes of HTC EVO 3D and Sharp SH-12C is LG's very own Optimus 3D aka Thrill 4G for AT&T, which we first got our hands on back in February and again in March. The specs for this Android 2.2 device (yeah, we know) have remained untouched since we last checked: here we have a 4.3-inch glasses-less 3D LCD with 800 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz dual core TI OMAP4430 processor, 512MB of speedy dual channel RAM, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and a couple of 5 megapixel cameras on the back that can capture 3D 1080p video at 24fps, or 3D 720p at 30fps. Other tidbits include 14.4Mbps HSPA+ connection, an HDMI-out port, and a removable 1500mAh battery, all inside a 5.93 ounce package. Alas, no date's been mentioned for the phone's US launch, but the lucky Europeans will get to pick up this phone first, followed by the rest of the world "over the next several weeks." Stay tuned while we keep our eyes peeled open for further news.
