|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Turns out those leaked shots we saw of Sony's new VAIO Z laptop were right on the money as the company showed it off officially today for the European press. The specs reveal a 13.1-inch "ultramobile" notebook that comes in at under 1.2kg with a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, 1600x900 screen and sheet battery borrowed from the earlier VAIO S for up to 7 hours of computing. Onboard it features only Intel's HD Graphics 3000 solution, but the VAIO Z beats other ultralights with its Power Media Dock, which contributes the power of an AMD Radeon 6650M GPU with 1GB of dedicated memory connected via Light Peak when more polygons have to be pushed. The dock also features one USB 3.0 hookup plus additional USB, VGA and HDMI ports, and a slot for an optical drive. There's no word on price yet, but it is promised to ship by the end of July in Europe so if the full specs (included after the break) are appealing then you don't have much time to save up.
Continue reading Sony's ultra slim 13-inch VAIO Z laptop revealed in Europe, packs external GPU for power on demand Sony's ultra slim 13-inch VAIO Z laptop revealed in Europe, packs external GPU for power on demand originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Sony Europe | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dying to get your hands on HP's TouchPad before it's available on July 1st? According to Pre Central, a visit to either Best Buy or Walmart may afford you the opportunity. During the past few days, the stores have apparently begun quietly displaying demo-loaded versions of the slate. The device went up for pre-order about a week ago, but for webOS hopefuls still contemplating whether to take the Palm-rooted plunge, a pre-release impression may not be a bad grab between socks and motor oil. Don't feel like taking a trip to Wally World, you say? You'll find a video overview past the break; although the box to the left has us wondering if now's a good time for getting lucky... Continue reading HP TouchPad veers into stores early, flaunts its webOS moves (video) HP TouchPad veers into stores early, flaunts its webOS moves (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Palm Infocenter | rbrown530 (YouTube), PreCentral (1), (2) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We've already noted our slip into Bizarro World, a strange and topsy-turvy land where -- thanks to patent-infringement claims -- Microsoft strikes licensing deals with Android device makers. Redmond has used a carrot-and-stick strategy thus far, suing competing manufacturers (Barnes and Noble, Motorola) while reaching a protective royalty agreement with HTC, which, not coincidentally, also makes Windows Phones. Today, another company joins the licensee list: General Dynamics Itronix, known for its rugged computers, some of which do run Windows. Neither company offered much in the way of details, other than declaring that Itronix will pay royalties, but we've no reason to believe it's too different from HTC's arrangement. See the press release after the break for an excellent example of terse, unrevealing business-speak. Continue reading Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Itronix, causes more heads to explode Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Itronix, causes more heads to explode originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink WMPoweruser | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HP's Envy 14 is quite the looker of a laptop, with its etched aluminum skin beckoning you to explore the capabilities of the Sandy Bridge CPU that lies beneath. For those who prefer the murdered-out look, the HP Envy Beats Edition is the preferable PC, but until now it lacked the upgraded Intel innards of its showy stablemate. That's right, Amazon's offering a second-gen Intel Core i5-2410M chip clocked at 2.3 GHz to go with those dark Dr. Dre aesthetics you crave (oddly it's not yet for sale on HP's website). The inky Envy with the big red "B" is priced at $1,050, or half a hundred more than its equivalently-equipped cousin -- what, you thought the paint job was free? HP Envy 14 Beats Edition gets a slice of Sandy Bridge silicon, costs $1,050 at Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Amazon | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Not all wireless carriers are created equal, nor for that matter is all 4G -- anyone who's ever swapped networks or done any sort of traveling across the country can tell you that. And while it seems like we have fewer and fewer choices as the days go by, our increasing reliance on mobile devices makes the efficiency of our data delivery all the more important. PCMag invested some serious man / woman-hours for its annual "Fastest Mobile Networks" story, gathering mobile data in 21 cities -- running more than 140,000 tests in all. According to the results, Verizon's LTE rules supreme in pretty much every area tested, save for those "in-between" rural locations, where AT&T nabbed the top spot. Perhaps it's time to take old "Test Man" out of retirement for celebratory victory lap? Verizon dominates 'Fastest Mobile Networks' testing, considers calling AT&T to brag originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PCMag | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hate gridlock? We'd surmise you aren't alone, so pardon our excitement surrounding the latest addition to TomTom's longstanding iPhone app. New in version 1.8 is the addition of HD Traffic, which extends congestion data to both "major" and "secondary" US roads. Existing TomTom Traffic subscribers get the functionality gratis, with the rest of us dishing out $20 via an in-app purchase. Free for all who upgrade are multi-stop routes, allowing one to tweak excursions to your heart's content -- provided you can count those diversions on one hand. The updated app is already live in the App Store, but please, pull over before downloading -- cool? Show full PR text TomTom HD Traffic Service Now Available on the TomTom App for iPhone
~ More TomTom Drivers Gain Access to the Most Accurate, Comprehensive and Up-To-Date Traffic Information Available ~
CONCORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TomTom today announces that its newest update to the TomTom App for iPhone, version 1.8, now includes TomTom HD Traffic compatibility. TomTom HD Traffic enables drivers to get to their destination faster and is the most accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date traffic solution available.
TomTom HD Traffic provides the most accurate traffic solution by reporting and capturing more actual traffic jams than ever before to help drivers avoid delays and find the fastest routes. Only TomTom HD Traffic will recognize traffic conditions for both major and secondary roads within the U.S. road network to help re-route drivers clear of traffic. Additionally, with traffic updates every two minutes, TomTom HD Traffic will help reroute drivers around traffic more quickly and get them to their destination faster. TomTom HD Traffic is an optional service available via an in-App purchase.
Expanding the availability of TomTom HD Traffic is one of the commitments that TomTom has outlined in its Traffic Manifesto, which is the company's mission to reduce traffic congestion to everyone. Drivers using TomTom HD Traffic are helping reduce traffic congestion for themselves and every driver around them. For more information about TomTom's Traffic Manifesto, visit www.tomtom.com/trafficmanifesto.
Also new to the TomTom App is multi-stop routes. This innovative feature makes it easier for drivers to make multiple stops on a single route by letting the user add up to five stop-off points when they plan their journey. This new App release also gives users the latest map which includes recent changes to the roads.
Availability
The latest version of the TomTom App for iPhone is available on the App Store starting today.
The TomTom App for iPhone v1.8 is available for purchase via the App Store. Continental and regional versions of the TomTom App are available today for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPod touch users at www.tomtom.com/tomtom-app.
TomTom HD Traffic is available via an in-App purchase for $19.99. Current TomTom Traffic subscribers will be automatically upgraded to TomTom HD Traffic service for no additional charge. TomTom's iPhone App gets updated, brings HD traffic updates along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TomTom for iPhone (App Store) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Make no mistake, Microsoft isn't playing coy in the smartphone market any longer. The folks in Redmond are making a significant jump forward in the mobile arena, announcing that the upcoming version of Windows Phone, codenamed "Mango," will be heading to a device near you in time for the holidays. As its competitors have raised the bar of expectations to a much higher level, Microsoft followed suit by adding at least 500 features to its mobile investment, which the company hopes will plug all of the gaping holes the first two versions left open.
We received a Samsung Focus preloaded with the most recent developer build (read: not even close to the market release version) and we had a few good days to put it through its paces. It's still far from completion, as there were several key features that we couldn't test out; some weren't fully implemented, and others involved third-party apps that won't be updated until closer to launch. Yet we don't want to call this build half-baked -- in fact, it was surprisingly smooth for software that still has at least four months to go before it's available for public consumption.
At the risk of sounding ridiculously obvious, we're mighty interested in seeing the final result when all is said and done this holiday season. As a disclaimer, we can't guarantee that the stuff we cover here will actually look or act the same when it's ready to peek out and make its official introduction in Q4; as often happens, features and UI enhancements are subject to be changed by the Windows Phone team as Mango gets closer and closer to release. Let's get straight to brass tacks, since there's a lot of details to dive into. It'd be best to grab a large beverage (we'd recommend a Big Gulp, at least), find your most comfortable chair, and meet us after the break.Continue reading Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video) Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Samsung's beautiful-but-pricey Series 5 Chromebook too rich for your blood? Fear not, cloud-dwellers. Acer just announced that its Chromebook, dubbed the AC700, will go on sale in the states this month for $349.99, to be followed by a 3G-equipped version later this summer. If you're part of the niche market that would happily live in Chrome OS in exchange for instant-on access, be advised that it runs on an Atom N570 processor and 2GB of RAM, and has 16GB of flash storage, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, two USB 2.0 ports, and a 4-in-1 memory card reader. We'll be curious to see how the build quality compares to the Series 5's, though for some people, that $70 price gulf will render that a moot point. PR after the break.
Continue reading Acer's AC700 Chromebook coming to the US this month for $350, 3G model arriving later this summer Acer's AC700 Chromebook coming to the US this month for $350, 3G model arriving later this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Samsung's beautiful-but-pricey Series 5 chromebook too rich for your blood? Fear not, cloud-dwellers. Acer just announced that its chromebook, dubbed the AC700, will go on sale in the states this month for $349.99, to be followed by a 3G-equipped version later this summer. If you're part of the niche market that would happily live in Chrome OS in exchange for instant-on access, be advised that it runs on an Atom N570 processor and 2Gb of RAM, and has 16GB of flash storage, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, two USB 2.0 ports, and a 4-in-1 memory card reader. We'll be curious to see how the build quality compares to the Series 5's, though for some people, that $70 price gulf will render that a moot point. PR after the break. Continue reading Acer's AC700 Chromebook coming to the US this month for $350, 3G model arriving later this summer Acer's AC700 Chromebook coming to the US this month for $350, 3G model arriving later this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sprint seems to think its 4G tech would make an excellent replacement for the old-school T-1 lines many businesses have been relying on to keep them connected to the web since the 1970s. You may remember that WiMax was originally pitched as a "last mile" solution as well as the next generation of mobile broadband. Well, the wireless carrier rocking black and yellow is taking the plunge on fixed-access 802.16 and targeting enterprise customers. The speeds are the same that everyone toting an Evo is already accustomed to (3 to 6Mbps down and 2.5Mbps up), but with a guaranteed 99.95 percent availability. When compared to traditional wired business connections, WiMax is both both quicker to deploy and cheaper to operate, but Sprint will certainly face an uphill battle in trying to convince businesses to ditch the tried-and-true T-1. Check out the full PR after the break.Continue reading Sprint wants enterprise customers to consider WiMax, ditch the T-1 Sprint wants enterprise customers to consider WiMax, ditch the T-1 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Apple's fondness for anorexic handhelds knows no bounds, and if this alleged deal with the Asian foundry holds water, expect to see its waistband tighten further. Rumoured back before the iPad 2 launch, the house-that-Steve-built's reportedly been eyeing Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp to produce an 'A6' for its upcoming iPhone refresh. While it's easy to dismiss this purported move as a direct diss to Samsung, what's more likely is that Cupertino's engaging in a competitive bit of size does matter -- specifically, the A5's 45nm process. A transition to newer, lower power 28nm ARM chips would give Jonathan Ives' employer a distinct market advantage, dwarfing even TSMC's current 40nm in the process. While it's all still just speculation for now, only time and an iPhone 5 tear-down will tell for sure. Apple's A6 processor may come courtesy of TSMC, Samsung left to wonder why originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink This Is My Next | Ars Technica | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Let's face it kids, you weren't going to be a doctor. Time to give up on that dream. But what about the equally exciting and significantly less bloody world of droid repair? We all know that robots will soon have a major presence in our society, piloting our spaceships and mingling with our Wokiees (good luck getting into our cantinas, though), so it's probably best to get a jump on these job skills at an early age. With future job markets in mind (ones oddly similar to those experienced a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away), Hasbro is launching a new edition of the popular board game Operation, swapping out the red-nosed Cavity Sam for everyone's favorite rolling trashcan, R2-D2. The game can be pre-ordered now for $27, and it'll start shipping in September, so if you need an early-autumn kid birthday gift for under $30, this may be just the droid you're looking for. Star Wars Operation lets you get to the bottom of the R2-D2 booster rocket debate originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Chip Chick | Toy Wiz | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mitsubishi's new Real LCD-22BLR500 TV is hardly the first set packed with a built-in Blu-ray recorder and hard drive, but it's certainly one of the smaller ones we've seen. The 22-inch 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit display is probably too tiny for your average living room, but cramming the 500GB HDD and optical dive in the base helps it keep a thin profile and a stable footprint that could fit perfectly in a small bedroom or dorm. Around back are a bevy of inputs, including a USB jack, a pair of HDMI ports, an SD slot, Ethernet, and i.Link. Sadly, this compact all-in-one TV will be a Japan-only affair when it hits shelves on July 21st for around ¥110,00 (about $1,360). Mitsubishi's new all-in-one set crams 500GB HDD and Blu-ray recorder into tiny package originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CrunchGear | Mitsubishi | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | UK-based Andy Pad has been teasing its eponymously-titled Android tablet for a little while now, but it was just recently spotted in the wild for the first time at an apparently private launch event, where those in attendance were also apparently told that it will be available in two versions: an 8GB model for £129, and a 16GB for £169 (or roughly $200 and $270). What's more, while the basic Andy Pad keeps things cheap with a resistive touchscreen, the company's also now confirmed there will be an additional Andy Pad Pro model that packs a much more welcome capacitive display, plus both front and rear-facing cameras (among other "additional features"). Unfortunately, it's not clear if that aforementioned 16GB model and the Pro are, in fact, one in the same -- Andy Pad itself hasn't confirmed a price for the latter, and is only saying that it will be aimed at early adopters. We'll let you know more as we get it. Low-cost Andy Pad tablet spotted in the wild, Andy Pad Pro said to be following originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Eurodroid | @garyattfield (yfrog), Android Community | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | British mobile bandwidth hogs won't have to curb their data enthusiasm anytime soon if a scheduled 'super WiFi' trial minds it manners. Led by Microsoft and backed by the UK's biggest TV providers, this roided-up wireless network surfs along the spare 150MHz spectrum that terrestrial television avoids. Christened the 'white spaces,' networks abroad (and in the US) maintain these unused frequencies to prevent signal interference, but with MS' Dan Reed calling spectrum "...a finite natural resource," operators don't have much else to mine. Set for testing in Cambridge -- chosen for its dense cluster of buildings old and new -- this repurposed TV signal walks through walls its weaker mobile brethren smack into (at up to 16Mbps, no less!). With a similar British Telecom rollout already underway in Scotland, we'd say the tech has an imminent Anglo-future -- pity the US can't seem to unravel the red tape fast enough for a homegrown build-out.
[Image courtesy ZDNet UK]Microsoft-led consortium to trial super WiFi network across the pond originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Financial Times | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | LaCie, a company that's no stranger to employing aluminum and high profile designers on its external storage drives, is back at it today with the announcement of a pair of new HDDs. The P9220 Mobile and P9230 Desktop drives -- one's thin and portable, the other's chunkier and stores more data, guess which is which -- harness the creative minds at Porsche Design to deliver... well, some pretty tamely designed peripherals. We guess it's all about minimalism and letting the scratch-resistant aluminum casing speak for itself, but we still kinda feel like the Porsche guys did this on a Thursday lunch break. As simple as it is, the look of these drives still managed to impress the guys at CrunchGear, whose hands-on coverage can be read at the link provided below. If you want to get to grips with one yourself, the P9220 starts out at £89.90 ($105 in US) for 500GB and will also have a 1TB option soon, whereas the P9230 costs £99.90 / $120 for a terabyte or £129.90 / $160 for two -- all come with USB 3.0 connectivity and the pride-stroking knowledge that you own a legitimate Porsche. Continue reading LaCie introduces Porsche-designed, aluminum-framed USB 3.0 HDDs LaCie introduces Porsche-designed, aluminum-framed USB 3.0 HDDs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | LaCie (P9220), (P9230) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This is the upcoming tablet from Congolese company VMK -- or, rather, this is the back of the upcoming tablet. We received a note from the company's CEO explaining that, while the Gingerbread slate is making its internet debut, the front isn't quite ready for public consumption, seeing as how the company is a bit worried about getting poached by copycats as it attempts to register a few trademarks. The Android 2.3.3 tablet is apparently ramping up for a September release in its native Africa, though the company is still looking for more funding, seeing as how difficult it can be to launch a CE product in that part of the world. The device is targeted toward developing nations, and will likely have a price to match, for now, feel free to get acquainted with its rear in the gallery below.
African-designed VMK Gingerbread tablet eager to show its face, shipping in September originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | VMK | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
