Sony's Ultimate Weapon Gaming headsets are as macho as the name suggests According to Sony, your Ultimate Weapon when it comes to schooling fools on the FPS battlefield is a 3D surround sound headset. Just like its newly minted DR-GA500 above, what a coincidence! Coming with a separate box to process your computer's audio into a 7.1-channel surround sound environment, this mic-equipped set of cans is targeted squarely at gamers looking to optimize every last inch of their fragging experience. There's also a GA-200 model that makes do without the extra audio processing. Both variants share the super special "triple enfolding" padding design, which is intended to make the headgear comfortable for prolonged use. Prices and retail dates aren't yet available, but just to underline that gaming connection one extra time, Sony will be bundling a free copy of the latest Medal of Honor with these 'phones starting in mid-October.Continue reading Sony's Ultimate Weapon Gaming headsets are as macho as the name suggests Sony's Ultimate Weapon Gaming headsets are as macho as the name suggests originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
ASUS downgrades Eee PC shipment forecast, blames iPad Been waiting for evidence that the iPad will dent the netbook market? If you believe ASUS, that's already happened, with the Eee PC vendor reporting fewer sales in the second quarter relative to the first and downgrading expectations for the usual peak season of Q3. Apple's prodigious tablet is specifically named by ASUS CEO Jerry Shen as an invader that is "crowding out" netbook demand, though he remains firmly committed to the small and affordable laptop market. All the same, Shen does also point a finger to the horizon, where a trifecta of Eee Pads marches ever nearer with the intent to do battle with the iPad. So while netbooks aren't going away in a hurry, these latest numbers seem to suggest they're set to at least share the lower-end spotlight with touch-friendly slates, or rather Pads.ASUS downgrades Eee PC shipment forecast, blames iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Electronista | DigiTimes | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Qualcomm to ship 1.5GHz QSD8672 Snapdragon processor in Q4 And you thought a dual-core 1.2GHz chip was quick. If all goes to plan (that's a big "if," by the way), Qualcomm will one-up its Computex standout before the end of this year, with vice president of product management Mark Frankel affirming that his company is on track to ship a 1.5GHz dual-core QSD8672 chip prior to the dawn of 2011. He's quoted as saying that the blazing new Snapdragon could find a home in smartphones, low-cost laptops and tablet PCs, and while we're led to believe that the vast majority of said products won't actually greet consumers until early next year, a few aggressive partners may get wares out "by Christmas." For those unfamiliar, the fancy new 8672 is based on an ARM design and will be crafted using a 45nm process technology, and the individual voltage scaling will enable each core to be clocked independently of the other in order to maximize battery life and performance. Naturally, 1080p video playback will be supported, as will DDR2, DDR3 and HDMI interfaces. Oh, and don't sweat it -- you've still got plenty of time to get on Santa's 'good' list.Qualcomm to ship 1.5GHz QSD8672 Snapdragon processor in Q4 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Mobile Burn | Computer World | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Samsung Galaxy S GPS-gate: two problems, not one (and what to do about it) You may have noticed the update on our Epic 4G review from yesterday where we lauded the fact that Samsung seemed to have fixed the GPS problem plaguing every other Galaxy S flavor released thus far, but it turns out there are actually two distinct issues. One has a fix -- sort of -- while the other is hopefully what we're going to get next month. Here are the two failure modes, based on what we know so far: "Use wireless networks" is now turned off by default, but even with it on, the phone may be slow or unable to determine even a rough location. Originally, we'd believed this was the only problem. Samsung tells us that it's a new Google mandate that Android devices be shipped with the "use wireless networks" option disabled, which means you're relying on traditional GPS alone to determine your location -- a lost cause indoors, in urban canyons, or under dense tree cover. Indeed, we discovered it was turned off on our Captivate, Vibrant, and Epic 4G after fresh hard resets, and there's no indication to the user that it's probably in their best interest to enable it; we're accustomed to being presented with the option during account setup on other Android devices, but it doesn't happen here. After enabling it from settings, we found that both the Captivate and Epic 4G were able to get our location with 1,000 to 1,500-meter accuracy practically immediately in Google Maps, though the Vibrant still never came through; it had the weakest signal of the three, which may have accounted for that (though it never dropped the signal altogether). The regular GPS circuitry and software aren't doing their job. Cell tower triangulation and WiFi location database services like Skyhook only take you so far -- at the end of the day, you still need to tune in to the birds a few thousand miles up to figure out precisely where you are. All Galaxy S models seem to be having trouble turning GPS reception into coordinates, even when the phone is able to see four or more satellites in view (four is the minimum you normally need for a precise, three-dimensional lock). In some cases, resetting the phone apparently helps, but it ceases to work again after a day or two of use. To our knowledge, none of the homebrew fixes out there have been able to solve this part of the problem perfectly and permanently. The Captivate and Vibrant are both affected by this one; we're not sure on the Epic, but we're working to nail it down. What this means for you: for now, simply make sure you have "Use wireless networks" checked in your Galaxy S's settings under the "Location & security" menu. It won't get you the most reliable, precise location you should be entitled to, but it's a start -- and next month's round of firmware updates should hopefully take us the rest of the way. [Thanks, Carl]Samsung Galaxy S GPS-gate: two problems, not one (and what to do about it) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 launching on November 10 in Europe While Microsoft's new controller-free Kinect for Xbox 360 will be hitting US shores on November 4th, we've just learned that it'll officially land in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa on November 10th. Sure, that's a bit of a wait, but take heart in knowing that Microsoft's targeting an October launch of its Xbox Live lovin' Windows Phone 7 handsets in Europe compared to a November release in the US. Otherwise, we're looking at the same 15 exclusive Kinect game titles already announced at E3.Continue reading Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 launching on November 10 in Europe Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 launching on November 10 in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
BlackBerry Torch just $99.99 on contract, by way of Amazon's generous dealings Amazon's been known to have some killer deals, and well, here's another. The new BlackBerry Torch, arguably RIM's best smartphone to date (for what that's worth), is just $99.99 on contract. That's just about half off its usual entry fee with a two-year contract, so if you're in the market to upgrade your current Bold for something with a little more slide, now's your chance! [Thanks, Kramer]BlackBerry Torch just $99.99 on contract, by way of Amazon's generous dealings originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Amazon | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Fujifilm introduces Finepix Real 3D W3 camera, we go hands-on When reviewers call your product "the worst ____ ever made," do you give up and move on? Or do you build a second model and try to prove them wrong? After introducing the world's first consumer stereoscopic 3D shooter to dismal reviews, FujiFilm chose door number two, replacing the camera with a thinner, lighter, and easier-to-use version that addresses a host of complaints and costs $100 less to boot. The FujiFilm FinePix Real 3D W3 adds a larger 3.5-inch, 16:9 LCD screen, a 720p video recording mode, and HDMI 1.4 out for dropping images and videos right into your 3D-ready TV. Oh, and it actually feels like a real camera this time, our favorite feature by far. We got some hands-on time with the new cross-eyed shooter, read on for more! Gallery: Fujifilm's Real 3D W3 camera hands-on Continue reading Fujifilm introduces Finepix Real 3D W3 camera, we go hands-on Fujifilm introduces Finepix Real 3D W3 camera, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Nikon Coolpix S1100pj projector cam arrives with USB projection and touchscreen teles Looks like those German Coolpix leaks were right on the money -- Nikon's just announced the Coolpix S1100pj and the S5100. The S1100pj is a seriously hot update to the original quirky and lovable Nikon Coolpix S1000pj projector-cam: not only is it thinner and sleeker, but the projector is brighter at 14 lumens and can now beam images off a laptop over USB. The control scheme also looks to have been simplified, with a new three-inch 460,000-dot touchscreen taking over most duties and enabling a wild telestrator-style paint mode which lets you draw right on top of projected images in real-time. Camera-wise, it's an iterative bump over the previous model: 14 megapixel sensor with 720p movie mode and ISO 6400 sensitivity, 28-140mm 5x optical zoom with five-way stabilizer, and the ability to detect faces, smiles and blinks. Perhaps best of all, MSRP has dropped $100 to $349, which actually makes it a somewhat reasonable consideration if you're shopping higher-end cams. Yep, we definitely want to play with one -- it'll hit in a bunch of colors next month sometime. The Coolpix S5100 is a bit less interesting, slotting in between the S6000 and S4000. Nothing too complicated here, just a 12.1 megapixel sensor with ISO 3200 sensitivity and a 720p movie mode, 5x optical zoom with four-way stabilization, and a nifty tripod-detection function that automatically tweaks shutter speed and exposure to produce blur-free images when the camera is handheld. It'll be $179 in a bunch of colors when it hits in October -- check a shot after the break, along with the full PR for both cams. P.S.- That's both of the leaked Coolpix models -- we've got a feeling we'll be hearing about that D3100 DSLR rather soon as well. Gallery: Nikon Coolpix S1100pj projector cam arrives with USB projection and touchscreen telestrator capabilities Continue reading Nikon Coolpix S1100pj projector cam arrives with USB projection and touchscreen telestrator capabilities; S5100 arrives in tow Nikon Coolpix S1100pj projector cam arrives with USB projection and touchscreen telestrator capabilities; S5100 arrives in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Xbox Live launch titles for Windows Phone 7 finally revealed, we've got the full prev We've known that proper Xbox Live gaming (powered by XNA) was coming to Windows Phone 7 devices, but we'd yet to see any of that thumb-spraining goodness in action besides a brief demo and a few developer videos. Well, Microsoft has finally come clean with details about its launch strategy for the platform, and from where we sit, it's definitely looking pretty promising. First off, the company has announced a full list of launch titles for WP7 handsets, including some familiar names and franchises like Castlevania, Halo: Waypoint, Star Wars, Crackdown, and Guitar Hero, alongside a handful of newer properties like the ultra-cute ilomilo, produced in-house by Microsoft Game Studios. In total, the company will launch with over 60 game titles, with new offerings appearing every week in the Xbox Live Marketplace, just like its big brother console version. We've got all the details, a full list of the launch titles, and our hands-on preview after the break -- so read on to get the scoop! Gallery: Xbox Live for Windows Phone 7 hands-on Continue reading Xbox Live launch titles for Windows Phone 7 finally revealed, we've got the full preview Xbox Live launch titles for Windows Phone 7 finally revealed, we've got the full preview originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Verizon FiOS Simulcrypt rollout will break most CableCARD tuners There comes a time in any electronic gadget's life when it becomes useless and although it's inevitable, the length of the useful lifespan can vary greatly. In recent years firmware updates have really helped extend the life of devices, but when the manufacturer has no financial incentive to support older products, it can mean a premature end (at least from the customer's perspective). Well after three years that time has apparently come for FiOS TV subscribers who own ATI Digital Cable Tuners (and many other CableCARD devices). Now before you get too up in arms about this, it isn't really Verizon's fault, you see said company wants to be able to use Cisco and Motorola devices in the same area and this means it needs a tech called Simulcrypt. This is good for most customers as it will likely bring better prices and selection. And although this is a CableLabs certified technology, a firmware update is required to ensure the device handles the encryption properly. So while a company like Ceton or TiVo has already released updates for its devices, ATI and other TV manufactures have long since given up on the CableCARD market, and hence, supporting any legacy devices. The only good news is that you now have the perfect excuse to justify replacing your obsolete device. Don't like this option? Well you can get a FiOS DVR (with it's 2002 circa 160GB HDD) or just file a complaint to the FCC -- this won't do much, but might make you feel better. [Thanks, Scott!]Verizon FiOS Simulcrypt rollout will break most CableCARD tuners originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | The Green Button, DSL Reports | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
HTC Desire HD surfaces on Amazon UK, gets pulled in record time And this, folks, pretty much seals the deal. If HTC bothers to not ship the Desire HD, it'll come as quite the surprise. You know -- given that we've seen leaked specifications, an image from Mr. Blurrycam and even a behind-the-scenes video of it. Now, however, we've got a product listing on Amazon's UK branch to focus on, which prices the handset at £415 ($650). The only other detail gleaned from the page is the "Ace" codename, but given that the whole thing has since been yanked, it's impossible to know what else was hidden in the code. Still, we highly doubt HTC would bother passing on phone information to Amazon with no intention of ever officially introducing it, you know? Yeah, you know.HTC Desire HD surfaces on Amazon UK, gets pulled in record time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Electric Pig | Amazon UK | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Adobe AIR 2.5 coming to Android in Q4 2010, but only to capable phones When will Strong Bad and company become native Android applications? Anytime after Q4 2010 -- that's when Adobe says it wants to have Adobe AIR for Android runtimes publicly available in the Android Market, along with an initial batch of apps, and fairly exciting potential for more. The Android release will be part of AIR 2.5 and grant would-be developers access to your smartphone's camera, microphone, accelerometer and GPS as well as providing hardware GPU acceleration and multitouch input, which could make for some exciting PopCap games completely serious and not at all game related utilities down the road. Don't necessarily expect them to work on every Android phone, however, as there are some prerequisites for AIR, namely an ARMv7 processor or better with a vector co-processor, OpenGL ES 2.0 and Froyo, but Adobe says if your device handles Flash 10.1, it'll probably run AIR. On a related note, if you weren't yet sold on Google TV, a breath of fresh AIR might help -- Adobe told us it's presently pondering the correct time to add the cross-platform runtimes on Google's video streaming boxes as well.Adobe AIR 2.5 coming to Android in Q4 2010, but only to capable phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Robot sells ice cream, we love him for it Now, two of our favorite things in the world just so happen to be ice cream and robots. So combining the two could only lead to awesome things, right? Well, that's Yaskawa-kun is: a robot that vends ice cream. And yes, it's super fantastic. Currently working a Tokyo Summerland, Yaskawa-kun has a touchscreen ordering panel, and you can even watch him make your treat for you. While the video below is pretty impressive, this is one thing we just need to see for ourselves.Continue reading Robot sells ice cream, we love him for it Robot sells ice cream, we love him for it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CrunchGear | Robonoble | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Sprint Pre Plus hack detailed in step-by-step guide WebOS device hacking has reach some considerable heights recently with a mod to bring WiFi to a Sprint Palm Pixi, but it looks like even that's now been topped by this hack that finally brings the Pre Plus to Sprint. As you can probably guess, that involves a Sprint Palm Pre, a Pre Plus (from either AT&T or Verizon), a slew of software tweaking, and plenty of tricky hardware modding to get the Sprint Pre coms board into the Pre Plus. Will it actually work? We can't say we've gone so far as to try the mod ourselves, but PreCentral forum member livinofframen says his modded phone behaves perfectly, right down to the stock Sprint applications. Hit up the link below for the complete details to try it yourself -- at your own risk, of course. [Thanks, Ken M.]Sprint Pre Plus hack detailed in step-by-step guide originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PreCentral Forums | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...
Flobi robot head realistic enough to convey emotions, not realistic enough to give ch We've seen our fair share of robots meant to convey emotions, and they somehow never fail to creep us out on some level. At least Flobi, the handiwork of engineers at Bielefeld University in Germany, eschews "realism" for cartoon cuteness. But don't let it fool you, this is a complicated device: about the size of a human head, it features a number of actuators, microscopes, gyroscopes, and cameras, and has the ability to exhibit a wide range of facial expressions by moving its eyes, eyebrows and mouth. The thing can even blush via its cheek-mounted LEDs, and it can either take on the appearance of a male or female with swappable hair and facial features. And the cartoonish quality of the visage is deliberate. According to a paper submitted by the group to the ICRA 2010 conference, the head is "far enough from realistic not to trigger unwanted reactions, but close enough that we can take advantage of familiarity with human faces." Works for us! Video after the break. [Thanks, Simon]Continue reading Flobi robot head realistic enough to convey emotions, not realistic enough to give children nightmares (hopefully) Flobi robot head realistic enough to convey emotions, not realistic enough to give children nightmares (hopefully) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink IEEE Spectrum | Applied Informatics | Email this | Comments More info after the jump...