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Roboard puts an x86 PC in your little cyberguy's backpack
Most modern hobbyist robots (those that aren't giant beetles) are just collections of servos plumbed together, shipping with controllers accessed cloaked in proprietary programming environments. They make it easy to get up to speed, but for full control in a standardized dev environment like Visual Studio you want something like the £175.00 ($255) Roboard RB-100. It's built around a Vortex86DX system on a chip, capable of running various flavors of Windows (including XP and CE) or x86 Linux distros -- probably even OSX or Android -- and offering connections for 24 servos, USB, audio, a MicroSD reader, and even a Mini PCI slot. A few builders at the Robosavvy forums have been working with early boards for a few weeks now and one, ATebay, has found they mount easily to various bots, including his creation above that looks something like an armor-less Wolf Clan Mad Cat ready to conquer the Inner Sphere. Detail pic of the board and obligatory robot dancing video after the break.
Toshiba's WS206T notebook tablet gets handled ahead of Willcom release
Our own Engadget Japanese had an opportunity to play with Toshiba's odd little WS206T for Japanese carrier Willcom -- one of the concept devices demoed at CES, for particularly observant readers and rabid Toshiba fans -- and came away largely unimpressed. Shoving a thin, internet-enabled tablet into an old-school leather notebook sounds cool and all, but the problem is that the hardware's weak -- the screen's smaller than it could be, Willcom's PHS network tops out at just a few hundred kbps, there's no voice calling, and it runs some weird widget-based custom UI on top of Windows CE. What's more, it's a single-touch resistive display, and the UI's said to be annoyingly inconsistent. On the upside, it'll only run ¥2980 (about $30) a month for unlimited data, including the cost of the hardware itself, when it launches later this month -- just don't expect a product that's going to change your life and win you friends.
Special edition Mintpass goes dark, gets DMB
Tired of pale gadget offerings? Live in South Korea? If "yes" on both counts you may want to keep your eyes open for what looks to be a special edition of the tiny CE-powered Mintpad MID. It not only offers the rich, ebony exterior that its pasty predecessor could only dream of, but also adds DMB functionality for capturing all the digitally broadcasted media floating through the Asian aether. The announcement page for the Mintpad DMB was hastily pulled after fans picked up on it, but this tease proves to be true look for the dark device to sell for ₩239,000, about $180, or a $30 premium over the vanilla version -- of which we're still waiting on that promised domestic release.[Via Pocketables]
Switched On: Connecting mobile, mantle and metal objects (Part 1)
Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Given that venture capitalists generally are not as excited about young companies that sell atoms as opposed to bits, companies innovating in hardware are a rare species at DEMO, the long-running technology startup parade. At this year's spring conference, two companies introduced new devices. The plainly named Always Innovating introduced the Touch Book, a new entrant in the netbook category while the vowel diversity-challenged Avaak introduced the Vue personal video system designed for remote surveillance of a home. Both products cater to an increasingly mobile society that demands digital access on the go and share some similar characteristics, but the states of the market they address could make a major difference for them. Always Innovating's Touch Book is a lightweight touchscreen computing device that will sell for $299. It's two signature features are a detachable keyboard – enabling the netbook to transform from a traditional clamshell to a "pure" tablet – and exceptional battery life of 10 to 15 hours on a single charge. The versatility of the hardware make the design one of the most appealing consumer tablet computing devices to date although the need to put the battery and processing guts behind the screen results in a thicker top half than one would find on most notebooks of similar size. Still, one can use the device to casually surf the Web on the couch using the new mobile version of Firefox, show photos as a digital picture frame, or even attach it to a refrigerator using the magnetic backing that the company has put on the tablet. It's a fine collection of atoms, but there's one Atom you won't find inside the Touch Book.
VMware MVP weds Windows CE and Android in unholy matrimony on dual-boot N800
This is just too good. We knew VMware was working on this sort of thing, but watching it in action is almost too much magic for our fragile hearts to comprehend. VMware MVP lets you run multiple mobile operating systems on a mobile device as virtual machines. It works exactly as you might hope something like this to work -- you can switch between operating systems on the fly, with full graphics acceleration and touchscreen interaction. You can even view both operating systems running simultaneously (in this case Windows CE 6 and Android), with info on just how much power each OS is swiping from your poor little mobile CPU. Performance isn't perfect, of course, but as mobile hardware gets better and the desire for multiple mobile operating systems on the same device becomes unbearable, we see good things happening here. VMware expects to release the software in 2009, video is after the break.
NVIDIA's Tegra to power $99 MIDs
NVIDIA's really promising the moon here, and if they even halfway deliver we could have a real "game changer" (as they say in the business) on our hands. What's on offer is a theoretical $99 slide-out keyboard MID, running a Tegra 600 chipset and Windows CE -- NVIDIA, as usual, offers the innards and the concept, but will leave it to manufacturers to create (and price) the actual units. The device could handle HD video playback, "days" between battery charges and always-on wireless connectivity. This form factor lands in between NVIDIA's Tegra APX chipset for smartphones and ION GeForce chipset for netbooks, and if it actually delivers it seems like it could actually make MIDs viable in the market. Of course, there's the question of what sort of Windows CE skin it'll take to make this fun to use for the target market -- perhaps the fact that Tegra is coming to Android in the near future is enough to make this all moot, but we're willing to give the $99 MID a fighting chance.%Gallery-44795%
Meizu M8 gets English-language video review
The Meizu M8 has been caught on camera plenty of times before, but we can't recall seeing an English-language version until now. One tester at MP4 Nation has managed to get some hands-on time with the unabashed iPhone doppelganger, and calls the audio and video playback quality a disappointment, especially given the powerful Samsung ARM CPU inside. As he eloquently puts it, "cheap MP4 players can do a better job." Ouch. Video resizing also seems to be poorly implemented, cutting off the edges when it doesn't match the 3:2 aspect ratio. It's not all bad, though, as the photo viewer and phone book has been aptly copied from Apple's flagship mobile, including multi-touch zoom, and the Windows CE-masking GUI is fluid. More videos of the M8 are promised, but in the meantime, check out volume one after the break.
Surprise! No new Gizmondo for 2008
A mere two-plus months since we were let in on plans for a Gizmondo app store, our favorite (well, second favorite) character in this epic tale of doomed handheld game systems and fiery car wrecks is back with yet another chapter, this one in the form of a Socratic dialog between Carl Freer and journalist Hans Sandberg. Apparently, the global economic downturn has made otherwise cautious investors even more cautious, prompting Freer & Co. to comb the streets of Shenzhen's Special Economic Zone in search of a new manufacturer -- a move which further complicated things by necessitating a major hardware redesign. The goal? Nothing less than a truly renegade, "truly wireless pocket PC, one that also happens to have a gaming engine," with current plans calling for both a Windows CE and an Android version. The present status of this tragic farce? No new Gizmondos for 2008, we're afraid. But we're guessing that you weren't really holding your breath anyways.
Meizu M8 reviewed, worth the wait?
Can you believe it? It's been over two years since we first got wind of what would become Meizu's high-end iPhone clone, the M8. Okay, we admit to being somewhat dubious at first, and won't be entirely won over until we get one to play with, but just a few days away from its Chinese release the handset seems to live up to its promises according to IT168's full review. Other than a few faults, including an "ear-piercing" integrated speaker and issues running third-party Windows CE applications, things sound surprisingly good. The 480 x 720 3.4-inch screen received high marks, performance was rated as very speedy, and the integrated 3 megapixel camera looks to be able to take great looking pics -- assuming you turn a few lights on. It does sound like a solid device, but is it a proper iPhone competitor? In China, where the iPhone still isn't officially available, we wonder if it isn't the iPhone that's the underdog now (cue raised eyebrow).
Mio said to be prepping GPS-enabled 3.5G touchscreen handset for Q1 2009
Not that Mio hasn't pumped out a GPS phone or two before, but the rarely-heard-from handset maker is reportedly on its way to delivering its first 3.5G touchscreen-based GPS phone in Q1 2009. Undisclosed sources singled out at DigiTimes have it that the mobile will be powered by a 3.5G chipset from Qualcomm and will come loaded with Mitac's self-developed "Spirit" touch interface. Additionally, it'll pack a 3.2-megapixel camera and should launch ahead of Garmin's oft-delayed nüvifone. In related news, Mio is also scheduled to launch a GPS-packin' MID before Q1 2009 ends, though it's still unclear if it'll choose a 7- or 8-inch panel to accompany the 3G radio and Windows CE operating system. Riveting stuff, huh?[Via GPSTracklog]
Matrox Iris GT smart camera brings Windows CE to Atom-land
Matrox's new Iris GT "smart camera" doesn't mark the first time that the Atom processor and Windows CE have run into each other, but it's certainly one of the most interesting encounters, even if it's one that most folks likely won't see first hand. Apparently, the camera is intended to be used in various "machine vision" applications, like locating and reading barcodes or measuring the geometry of 2D objects, but we think you'll agree that it has one other, not quite official use written all over it: robot eye. The camera's specs certainly seem to make that a possibility, and include that ever-present 1.6GHz Atom processor, 256MB of RAM, 1GB of flash storage, a gigabit Ethernet port, and USB 2.0 and RS232 ports, not to mention accommodations for a number of interchangeable lenses -- it's even dust-proof and "washable." No word on a price just yet, but Matrox says it'll be available sometime in the first quarter of next year.[Via jkOnTheRun]
Seabright PC430 "micro PC" spurns keyboard, not coolness
Wow, where to begin? The Seabright PC430 is going to be a, uh... fantastic piece of machinery should it ever exist, though from the looks of it, it may have a bit of an identity crisis. The precious little 4.3-inch Windows CE 5.0 (the photo shows XP but whatever) clamshell's got a 533MHz Samsung 2442A CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, between 1GB and 4GB of flash memory, and a USB 2.0 port on top of a host of optional features (GPS, DVB-T digital TV, WiFi, the ability to tell you the future). The tiny super-computer also boasts an impressive array of mega-hot software like Word, Excel, a picture browser, an e-book reader, paint brush -- the list literally goes on and on. Oh, we almost forgot -- they've boosted out the keyboard in favor of a more useful D-pad and A, B, X, Y button formation -- which is, needless to say, awesome for playing awesome games. It's unclear if the PC430 will come loaded with said games, but if it doesn't, you can connect a keyboard up and... type stuff. We don't know when (if ever) you'll be able to buy this, nor how much it shall cost, though we have a feeling it's going to be "affordable."[Via Pocketables]
Windows CE-powered Cuol Book gives netbooks a bad name
Amazon's top 10 laptop sellers may be clogged with netbooks, but you can bet this one isn't in there. Paradoxically available from The Really Useful Store, the very useless Cuol Book shames itself with a Windows CE 5.0 operating system that should honestly be reserved for PDAs manufactured on or before January 1, 2004. For those who care, further specs include a 7-inch display, SD / MMC card slot, two USB ports, 1GB of RAM, a 533MHz Samsung ARM processor and a built-in speaker for good measure. Sure, the thing only weighs 1.5-pounds, but the almost insulting £159.99 ($298) price tag really pushes it over the edge. Thanks, but no thanks.[Via BoingBoing]
TCL's iOpen-081A: no lipstick on this pig
We simply can't get enough of cheap, nasty, and niche Windows CE devices -- which is why the iOpen-081A is like music to our ears. Awesome music. This garish pile of plastic does just about everything you'd want a portable device to do, unless you need to do a lot of data entry (or any, since it doesn't have a keyboard of any sort). Still, the iOpen features a 480 x 272 touchscreen display, an ARM926 CPU, 2GB of flash storage, 64MB of SDRAM, 802.11b/g, GPS, SD and MMC card support, as well as a USB port for hooking up something like a keyboard or flash drive. As a media player, it seems to support all of the familiar formats (MP3, MP4, WMA, AVI), and we wouldn't be surprised if there were a few emulators hanging around on this bad boy. Hey, if you've got 2300 yuan (about $336) to spare and absolutely no concerns about what your devices look like, you could do worse.[Via Pocketables]
Media Power CEO shows off new Android-based Gizmondo, looks just like old Gizmondo
The long-rumored resurrection of Gizmondo from the ashes of Stefan Eriksson's bisected Ferrari Enzo is near. Near, that is, if you believe Rich Jenkins, CEO of Media Power, the company behind this rebirth. Jenkins recently showed Swedish journalist Hans Sandberg a box full of pre-production gaming handhelds, all looking suspiciously like old, decidedly post-production units. According to Jenkins the changes are all internal, consisting of new graphics hardware from nVidia and an uprated battery (to be offered as a free upgrade to scorned owners of the original). Pricing is still undetermined but Android is confirmed; owners will have to choose either Google's new hotness or Microsoft's decidedly more tepid Windows CE, but can't have both -- unless they buy two. Release is still set for the end of this year via a "really cool website" hitting the intertubes next month.
Nurian Avatar F1 PMP wears a few other hats
It's a UMPC! It's a MID! It's a multifaceted PMP that relies on Windows CE 5.0! Whatever it is, the Nurian Avatar F1 comes touting a 5.8- x 3- x 1-inch chassis and isn't likely to stray too far from South Korea. The PMP conglomerate not only plays back MPEG1/2/4, DivX, XviD, WMV, OGG and MP3 files, it also defines words, tunes into mobile TV (DMB) broadcasts and outputs video via the component dongle. You'll also find a 4.3-inch WQVGA display, USB socket, a built-in equalizer and an integrated mic for good measure. Take a wild guess at the price, chances are you'll be in the neighborhood (minus the flight to Seoul).[Via Pocketables]
Microsoft launches Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 GPS operating system
Not content with dominating the PC and smartphone market in the realm of operating systems, Microsoft has apparently now set its sights on PNDs. Today the folks in Redmond announced a new OS aimed directly at GPS units, dubbed Windows Embedded NavReady 2009. The software is based on Windows Embedded CE, and combines navigation tools enriched with Live Search, MSN Direct, and Windows SideShow integration, coupled with an emphasis on Bluetooth connectivity. The company says that the system is shipping to OEMs and developers as we speak, which will yield consumer devices in time for the 2008 holiday season.[Image courtesy of Jim Clark]
Comfile intros rugged Windows CE-based touchscreen controller
It's definitely not for everyone, but if you fashion yourself an amateur MythBuster, you may do well to add Comfile's new rugged Windows CE-based CuWIN3500 touchscreen controller to your homebrew arsenal, which will let you control an array of sensors, motors or just about anything else you can plug into it. Up front and center on this one is a 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, which gets backed up by a 32bit ARM9 266MHz processor, 64MB of SDRAM, 64MB NAND Flash, built-in Ethernet, and an SD card slot for further expansion. If that sounds like the piece of kit you've been waiting for, you can get your hands on one of these right now for $600.[Via Zedomax]
Quad-band watch phone rolls on Windows CE 5.0
Ready for some honesty? We can think of a good handful of timepieces that we'd buy before we dropped $629.95 on this catastrophe, but for folks with pants too slim and hands too full to carry around a separate cellphone, we suppose it's a so-so alternative. The EGP-WP98 claims to be the first quad-band GSM watch phone to come with Windows CE 5.0 installed, and while it's supposed to tout a SIM card slot, water-resistance, a 266MHz CPU and a 1.45-inch display with handwriting recognition (for real?), that little line informing us that specifications are "subject to change without notice" makes us a touch leery. Nevertheless, you can also expect (though you may not get) a 1.3-megapixel camera, WiFi, a T-Flash expansion slot, multimedia player and built-in Bluetooth. According to one particular e-tailer, it'll be ready to ship on April 25th -- whether or not anyone's fat-fingered enough to push an order through, however, remains to be seen. [Via UnwiredView]
Cowon Q5W does SNES emulation with a PS1 controller
If you're an owner or prospective owner of the Cowon Q5W, you're probably impressed with its myriad audio and video playback capabilities -- but did you know it can handle emulation as well? Apparently, since the device is based on Windows CE, it's fairly easy to get game emulators up and running on the 5-inch PMP. In the video you can watch a setup of what appears to be an SNES imitator playing both Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario Kart (two favorites of our SNES fanboy, Paul Miller, we suspect). The games are controlled by a decidedly non-Nintendo accessory -- a PS1 controller connected via USB adapter. With that recent $50 price drop, this may be just the incentive you need to spring for a shiny new edition to your gadget library.
