1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010?
Netflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 1080p and 5.1 surround sound later this year. No word on timing or any other details, but this could mean its moving to version 3 of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming platform with its additional tweaks for adaptive streaming and hardware graphics acceleration. Also unknown is how much bandwidth would be necessary, but considering Microsoft already uses very similar technology for its 1080p Instant On videos on Zune Marketplace through the Xbox 360 while only requiring 3 Mbps and VUDU HDX 1080p videos only state a minimum of 4500 Kbps, a massive jump in available bandwidth might not be necessary if you already get clear 720p video. The last big hurdle? How much content will be available that way, Gizmodo points out only about 6 percent of current offerings stream in HD we'll be watching carefully if the pace picks up going forward.

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft says Windows 7 battery 'issue' isn't one
After Microsoft stated a week ago that it would look into reports of Windows 7 causing premature battery degradation, we've been staying up late at night with our frazzled lithium ion cells, reading them stories about Battery Heaven and generally trying to keep an upbeat tone around the Engadget HQ. Well, it turns out not everything is rosy in batteryville, but Microsoft says Windows 7 isn't the one to blame. According to the company's testing, the new tool, which reports when a battery is down to 40% of its designed capacity and suggests replacement, hasn't reported a single false positive. Additionally, the tool uses read-only data from the battery, and is in fact incapable of tweaking the battery's life span or internal data -- it merely reports the data it receives, and stacks the theoretical design capacity up against the current full charge capacity. Microsoft attributes the reports of the tool dooming batteries to an early grave to the mere fact that many people might not have noticed the degradation already taking place in their batteries -- most batteries start to degrade noticeably within a year. Of course, not everybody's going to just take Microsoft's word for it, and Microsoft itself will continue to look into the issue, but for now this sounds like a bit of a non-issue. The part about Windows 7 being less conservative with power use is a whole 'nother issue, of course.

Microsoft says Windows 7 battery 'issue' isn't one originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola: Droid update to Android 2.1 'will start to roll out this week'
We knew Android 2.1 was coming for the Droid, but we'll confess -- we didn't expect it to come this soon. Motorola is now reporting via its official Facebook page that it's "happy to relay the 2.1 upgrade to Droid will start to roll out this week," going on to tease that it "will have more information to share on other device upgrades later." There's no detail on what the Droid update will entail or whether it'll roll out to every user this week (we doubt it), but by all indications, this is a promising sign that Moto's keeping the pedal to the metal, we'd say.

[Thanks, andrewcweaver]

Motorola: Droid update to Android 2.1 'will start to roll out this week' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Nexus One 'equipment recovery fee' slashed to $150, still a pain
So the good news here is that Google appears to have heard the cries for help, having taken a chainsaw to its brutal $350 "equipment recovery fee" that had been lumped on top of T-Mobile's $200 ETF for subsidized Nexus One contracts canceled in the first 120 days. The bad news, though, is that it still exists at all -- a hairy precedent for an industry being watched with eagle eyes by the FCC right now. The company has knocked $200 off the fee, bringing it down to $150; in other words, if you break your contract, you'll pay the same ETF that Verizon now charges on its "advanced devices." Whether that was a deliberate move to let 'em say that they're no more expensive than Verizon is unclear, but let's be honest: $350 is extreme, $550 was highway robbery. At least we're going in the right direction.

Google's Nexus One 'equipment recovery fee' slashed to $150, still a pain originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping
There's just no two ways about it: the integrated self-timer is easily one of the most amazing technologies to ever be invented. Yeah, we said it. Unfortunately, beeping for ten seconds while a shooter races to get in position isn't always ideal or fun, and that's where isharq comes in. His Arduino-based mod is amongst the most flexible out there for DSLRs, enabling it to morph from a basic laser trigger hack to something that senses heat, movement or sound (just to name a few) and then makes your camera react accordingly. As it stands, his setup triggers his DSLR to snap a shot whenever a laser beam is broken, and if you're eager to see more, be sure to peek the in-action video just past the break. Oh, and the source link holds all the secrets to recreating something like this in your own laboratory.

[Thanks, Simon]

Continue reading DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping

DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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zoomMediaPlus' zoomIt is the iPhone's long overdue SD card reader
Sorry if we're the sort of folks to look a gift SD card reader in the mouth, but while we're oh-so-happy that Apple finally opened up application-enabled hardware development in iPhone OS 3.0, we really wish an accessory like this had been available for the iPhone right from the start. The new zoomIt SD card reader from zoomMediaPlus adds a bit of external, swappable memory to the iPhone and iPod touch at long last, giving you the ability to store your iPhone's pictures on the card, or pull stuff off it onto your handset using the free zoomIt app. Interestingly, this is coming to light just a couple weeks after we saw Apple's own similar solution for getting cameras into the iPad mix -- the SD and USB-adapting iPad Camera Connection Kit, which will be a mere $30. There's no word if Apple's adapter will work with the iPhone (we doubt it) or if the zoomIt will work with the iPad (perhaps), but the $60 pricetag on the zoomIt is a bit of a turn off. Also, it won't be shipping until April (though you can pre-order now for a $10 discount), so Apple may very well make up our minds for us by the time March rolls around.

zoomMediaPlus' zoomIt is the iPhone's long overdue SD card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions
We don't typically do a lot of coverage of music gear here at Engadget because, by and large, it's an entire world unto itself -- a universe of specialty products that require unique knowledge (and often, talent) to use, let alone review -- and ultimately, we're only writing for a limited subset of our readership. There are, of course, countless exceptions to the rule; mixing gear in particular has really come into its own, technologically, over the past several years as a whole new generation of would-be DJ superstars come into the fold. A skill once dominated by turntables is... well, still dominated by turntables, but everything surrounding the spinning vinyl is changing: nowadays, you've got a PC that can serve as a virtually bottomless pit of tracks, state-of-the-art software for synchronizing and manipulating those tracks, and dedicated external controllers to help you control the software. Once an art form, modern DJing is now half art, half science. It's exciting, it's cool, and even if you don't know the difference between a crossfader and a high-pass filter, it's a lot of fun to see how this stuff works.

To that end, today we're taking a quick look at Native Instrument's Kontrol X1 -- the first official, dedicated controller for its Traktor series of apps, one of the world's most widely-used DJ suites.

Continue reading Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions

Native Instruments Kontrol X1 impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst: Apple to be 'nimble' on iPad pricing, athletic on pommel horse
Apple's $499 starting iPad price tag is already lower than many people -- and a few competitors -- expected, but apparently Steve and company have left themselves a little wiggle room: Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope says that Apple told him it'll remain "nimble" when it comes to iPad pricing, suggesting that the price could drop if sales don't meet targets. That's not a hugely surprising thing to say, considering Apple's trying to be the first to achieve real success with a 'tweener device and strong pressure from netbooks, laptops, and smartphones threatens to collapse the space entirely, but a lot of people are taking it to mean some kind of drop is a done deal -- particularly since Apple cut the price of the first-gen iPhone by $200 just a few months after it launched and saw already-solid sales triple. We're honestly not so sure, though: Apple always tells investors that it's confident in how its products are priced but responsive to market changes, and it's not like a smaller price cut boosted the Apple TV into hit product territory. We'll see what happens after the iPad actually goes on sale -- we doubt we'll see any changes for another few months at least.

Analyst: Apple to be 'nimble' on iPad pricing, athletic on pommel horse originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wisair-based wireless display adapters head to Macs

Wisair-based wireless display adapters head to Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon job postings ask for display and wireless experts, hint at Kindle things to come?
So, we already assume Amazon's thinking touch for the Kindle, what with that recent Touchco aquisition and word of similar behind-the-screen touch tech being on PVI's roadmap. PVI owns E Ink, and is naturally bullish about its upcoming products, but what about E Ink in the new Kindle? If you're into reading the tea leaves of job postings, Amazon might be telegraphing its intentions. It's looking for a "Hardware Display Manager" who, among many other things, is supposed to have "Significant exposure to high volume manufacturing environments; you will know the LCD business and key players in the market." That might have you thinking the next Kindle will go LCD, but the requirements also mention a "deep knowledge of current display technology and potential future technologies," and nothing about the role seems exactly prescriptive of an LCD expertise -- more of a general focus on displays and product design, whatever tech might come. Pixel Qi or Mirasol, anybody? Amazon's also looking for all sorts of software expertise, including a "Software Design Engineer" who will be reponsible for radio stacks "including but not limited to" 3G and WiFi. Again, these are requirements (among many) for a role, not necessarily implications of a Kindle 3 spec sheet, but there's one thing clear: Amazon's gearing up for something.

Amazon job postings ask for display and wireless experts, hint at Kindle things to come? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Linus Torvalds is now a happy Nexus One owner, pinch to zoom put him over the edge
Linux originator Linus Torvalds isn't really big on these "phone" things, but he's finally caved to his Nexus One lust. In a recent blog post he explains how the G1 never did it for him, despite his love of the "concept" of having a Linux-based phone. He finds phones in general irritating, and cellphones "an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are," but the Nexus One's offer of car-friendly GPS navigation got him thinking he'd have a good excuse to bring it with him places, and the recent announcement of pinch-to-zoom capabilities somehow put him over the edge. He still says the phone part is "kind of secondary," but we sure he'll eventually be won over to the dark side and be just as annoying as the rest of us phone talkers at restaurants.

Linus Torvalds is now a happy Nexus One owner, pinch to zoom put him over the edge originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video
Twenty four hours after exposing the 8.9-inch tablet's internals to the world, the guys at ExoPC decided that the Intel Atom-powered slate was ready for its video debut. You can watch the Win 7 Premium tablet in action after the break, but we do have to say that the "low-pressure resistive" touchscreen seems responsive enough for making selections and scrolling through your favorite technology website. And surprisingly, the viewing angles on the screen appear pretty decent. Still no sign of the touch-friendly software layer, but ExoPC assures us that will be shipping with the final units. Enough of the play-by-play from us -- hit the break and see it all for yourself.

Continue reading ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video

ExoPC shows its touchscreen stuff on video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peratech's QTC sensor technology headed to your next cellphone
We've always heard to strike while the iron's hot, and that's exactly what Peratech seems to be doing. Just weeks after we heard that the company's pressure-sensitive touchscreen methodology was being seriously considered by the powers that be, along comes Samsung Electro-mechanics to take 'em up on their offer. For those unaware, Samsung EM provides components to loads of leading phone makers, which could mean that Peratech's pressure sensitive 5-way input device is on its way to your next mobile as we speak. These so-called Navikeys will supposedly provide a greater level of immersion when interacting with phones, and we get the feeling that those aging dome switches are feeling mighty frightened by all this encroachment. The best part? Paratech claims that a "Navikey using QTC from Samsung EM is already being used in a Tier 1 mobile phone," so here's hoping that we find out exactly what phone that is in the near future.

Peratech's QTC sensor technology headed to your next cellphone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards

Continue reading Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards

Qisda's ultra high-res QCM-330 smartphone and more surface ahead of iF awards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TomTom Ease arrives in limited edition red for Valentine's Day
Funny that this special red edition of the TomTom Ease is actually beating the regular version to market, but hey, it's Valentine's Day. Nothing new here apart from the case color -- you're still looking at a 3.5-inch QVGA display, 2GB of internal memory preloaded with Tele-Atlas maps, Map Share / IQ Routes, an integrated battery, and a built-in Fold & Go mount. Amazon has the limited-edition red exclusively for $119 now, if you're ready to commit -- or you can wait and just be friends with the boring gray model, which should be out any day now.

TomTom Ease arrives in limited edition red for Valentine's Day originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now
While we're sitting around complaining about the lack of innovative user interfaces and experiences in modern consumer electronics, a man named Barton Smith is actually doing something about it. In 2008 the industrial designer hatched a concept for an OS called Locus which completely upends many of the use paradigms we're familiar with in current desktop or mobile operating environments. Besides looking absolutely beautiful, a major chunk of the Locus concept focuses around the idea of having separate, easily accessible workspaces for different settings, such as on a train, at home, while out with friends, etc. Each of those scenarios is stored in a set of "panels" which can change based on geolocation or by user choice, and has its own combination of desktop arrangement and application shortcuts. Locus also incorporates a Zune-like content browsing interface, and a project management UI based around real world interactions (something like BumpTop, but cleaner). The whole concept is slickly put together and well thought out... but it doesn't just end with the software. Smith envisions this platform running on another concept of his: a portable computer called Stream. Stream would be a small, modular tablet / mobile device which can be docked in a variety of components, thus changing its functionality (along with Locus). It's fascinating stuff, for sure, and doubly intriguing considering Barton began developing these concepts so long ago (though the video below is brand new). Now where is the super-rich partner this guy needs to make this thing a reality?

Update: As noted in comments, Microsoft branding is shown at the start of this video, but this is not a Microsoft product -- it seems Barton added the name and logo for effect.

Continue reading Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now

Locus OS concept video shows the future of computing... right now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising
Using a cellphone to control a robot -- or a pretty sweet helicopter -- isn't exactly a new idea, but there's something about the combination of Android and Lego Mindstorms that promises to break the possibilities wide open. Swedish tech company Enea Linköping is one of the first we've seen to directly link an Android app to the Mindstorms brain over Bluetooth -- they're using an HTC Hero to control two simple rover bots. Unfortunately, since Android 1.5 doesn't support the Bluetooth serial profile, there's a hack involved: the phone actually sends out commands over WiFi,which are passed through a WiFi-Bluetooth tunneling app on laptop before hitting the bots. That means there's a little lag involved, but now that Android 2.1 has serial Bluetooth support we're hoping things get a little more streamlined in the future. Video after the break.

Continue reading HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising

HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content

Continue reading Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content

Nook now in stock online and in stores, with new 'More In Store' content originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool
Look familiar? Yep, this is precisely what we expected HTC's rumored Legend to look like based on the renders we'd seen so far. We don't have any information here other than the pictures themselves, but from what we can gather, it seems to carry over Sense as we know it today without a trace of that freshened look we've caught in recent months (not unlike its Incredible cousin). Maybe more importantly, the Legend looks like it might be kicking off a new styling direction for the company with a big, bold, chromed company logo around back and an aluminum shell that we suspect feels awesome in the hand -- particularly if it's pre-production aluminum. More on this one as we get it; in the meantime, check out a shot of the back after the break.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Continue reading HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool

HTC Legend spotted just hanging out, playing it cool originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inbrics' Android-based M1 slated to ship this year
We already caught a fair amount of play time with Inbrics' Android-based M1 at CES, but it looks as if the company is fixing to "officially" reveal it next week at Mobile World Congress. We're still debating whether or not this thing is a bona fide smartphone or yet another MID that'll have a tough time gaining acceptance in this cruel, cruel world, but either way, it's apparently on track for release later this year. According to details scooped up by Pocket-lint, the company is hoping that the M1 will double as a media controller for AV junkies, and if all goes well, Europeans could get their hands on it "in 2010 or early 2011." Just as long as it's prior to 2012, we're cool.

Inbrics' Android-based M1 slated to ship this year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InPhase out of business, assets seized for back taxes
It's been something like five years that we've been eagerly waiting for InPhase to finally release that revolutionary holographic storage solution, and while there has been plenty of drama in the way of release dates promised and pushed back, and even some layoffs to keep things interesting, the company has been pretty, pretty quiet lately. As it turns out, this has been due to the fact that employees have been busy enough updating their resumes. "We were expecting it for a long time," said one employee, among the sixty or so who picked up their final paychecks last week. "So it wasn't a big surprise." To put a finer point on things, it's been announced that the Colorado Department of Revenue has seized the company's assets for non-payment of taxes. According to The Register, the state has changed the locks and announced that everything on the premises will be auctioned off, down to the fixtures and furniture. This is certainly an ignominious end to a once great idea, but as you know every cloud has a silver lining: If you're looking to get into the holographic storage business, drop us a line. We've heard that some equipment is becoming available soon -- and at a great price.

InPhase out of business, assets seized for back taxes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google working on voice translator phone, redefining synergy
Okay, so Google has this expansive online translation service, which we all know, use, and sometimes even love. Google also has its own branded phone, with a voice recognition function that we frankly adore. So what's a brave new age company with bottomless pockets to do but try to splice the two together into some kind of omnilingual instant translator? Speech-to-speech translation -- long the exclusive plaything of fanciful sci-fi writers -- is said by Franz Och, Google's head of translation services, to be a viable possibility within a measly couple of years. The Mountain View approach to overcoming the inherent problems of variable pitch, tone and accents in speech will be to use each person's phone to accrue data on his or her linguistic idiosyncrasies, so that the more the phone's voice recognition is used, the more accurate it becomes. Sounds tres bien to us.

Google working on voice translator phone, redefining synergy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corsair readying Nova and Reactor 2.5-inch SSDs for release
Corsair has kept quiet on the SSD front here recently, but it looks as if it's about to ruffle a few feathers with two new laptop-centric drives. Fudzilla has dug up pricing information on two heretofore unreleased solid state drives from the company, with the 64GB / 128GB Nova and 60GB / 120GB Reactor both featuring the Indilinx Barefoot controller, MLC NAND and at least 64MB of cache. The Nova series is purportedly capable of hitting read speeds of up to 215MB/sec on both the V128 and V64, while write speeds are locked at 130MB/sec for the V64 and 195MB/sec for the V128. As for the Reactor range? Those feature 128MB of cache and a nice boost in transfer speeds, though the €151 ($206) starting tag doesn't do much for bargain shoppers. Hit the source link for more details, but don't get your hopes too high for a near-term release in the US.

Corsair readying Nova and Reactor 2.5-inch SSDs for release originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams
Canon's just gone and busted out four new cameras in its point and shoot PowerShot line. Up first the PowerShot Sx210 IS boasts a 14.1 megapixel sensor, a 28mm wide-angle lens with 14x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD, and can shoot HD video. The SX210 IS will come in black, purple and gold. The PowerShot SD3500 IS also packs a 14.1 megapixel sensor, with a 24mm ultra wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD. The PowerShot SD3500 IS will come in black, silver and pink. The PowerShot SD1400 IS similarly has a 14.1 megapixel sensor, with 28mm lens and 4x optical zoom, but this little guy is less than an inch thick, and will be available in pink, orange, silver and black. Finally the PowerShot SD1300 IS has a 12.1 megapixel resolution, with a 28mm wide angle lens and 4x optical zoom, and a 2.7-inch LCD. It'll be available in silver, pink, green, blue and brown. The SX210 will be available in late March for $349.99, while the SD3500 IS, The SD1400 IS, and the SD1300 IS will arrive in late February (that's this month!) for $329.99, $249.99 and $199.99, respectively. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams

Canon rolls out four new colorful PowerShot compact cams originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon's new Rebel T2i shoots 18 megapixel stills, ups the video options
We'd heard inklings, but Canon's brand new Rebel T2i (also known as the EOS 550D outside the US) is newly official and oh-so-desirable. The camera takes quite a few features from Canon's EOS 7D, including an almost identical sensor, the selectable frame rates, and the stereo mic jack. There's also a new widescreen LCD and button layout to differentiate it from its T1i sibling -- which will stick around on the market to pick up the poorer Canon lovers among us. The shooter can capture 18.7 megapixel stills at 3.7 fps, with better, 7D-style light metering and an expanded ISO range of 100 to 6400. Video is even more thrilling, with the addition of 30 / 25 / 24 fps 1080p (the T1i was limited to a silly 20 fps at that resolution), along with 720p at 50 / 60 fps and VGA at similar rates. The camera can also do an ultra-zoomed "movie crop" function that actually does the cropping on the CMOS sensor to provide about 7x of additional zoom without losing quality in SD. The T2i will hit retail in March for $800, with a EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens kit at $900. PR is after the break.

Continue reading Canon's new Rebel T2i shoots 18 megapixel stills, ups the video options

Canon's new Rebel T2i shoots 18 megapixel stills, ups the video options originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid's next update to be Android 2.1, includes multitouch browser
We've just gotten the inside line on the next Droid update that's making the rounds through Verizon's testing department from one of our trusted sources, and overall, it looks like this should take users 95 percent of the way to curing pangs of Nexus One envy. Here's what we've got:

• It's based on Android 2.1. The build currently being circulated is identified as 2.1 version 1, mirroring the update just pushed to the Nexus One last week.
• Google Goggles is now pre-installed (no matter how unhelpful it may be).
• The browser's now multitouch enabled, just like Google Maps 3.4. Huzzah! No Flash, but then again, we weren't really expecting that.
• Interestingly, the home screen's still got the same look as 2.0.1, meaning it doesn't adopt the Nexus One's rotating 3D grid of app icons -- it's still got the pull-up drawer tab at the bottom.
• No active wallpapers. Bummer!
• The news and weather widgets introduced on the Nexus One are included. Maybe certain capabilities of 2.1 are going to be restricted to devices with minimum performance benchmarks?

There's no word on timing, and for all our source knows, this build could still very well fail testing -- goodness knows it's happened with plenty of pre-production firmwares in Verizon's past. We'll keep our ear to the ground and you do the same.

Motorola Droid's next update to be Android 2.1, includes multitouch browser originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG LU9400 Arena Max pictured hiding a 1GHz Snapdragon inside
Another day, another Snapdragon handset. It's kind of fun to consider a phone with a thousand megahertz processor common these days, isn't it? We already knew LG's Arena Max would have built-in WiFi, but now we can put a face to the name as well as a few other select specs. Wireless connectivity will be augmented with Bluetooth and GPS modules, which will be cozying up to a 5 megapixel camera unit at the back and a 3.5-inch touchscreen up front. The Cyon branding tells us Korea will be the inevitable first destination, though the rest of the world is expected to follow swiftly. More will surely be known at MWC in a week's time. A couple more images await after the break, including a side-by-side with the original Arena.

Continue reading LG LU9400 Arena Max pictured hiding a 1GHz Snapdragon inside

LG LU9400 Arena Max pictured hiding a 1GHz Snapdragon inside originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zenith 5-S-29 radio case mod explained in excellent, water-cooled detail
The trusty old desktop rarely gets the love it deserves these days. Losing gamers to consoles and casual users to laptops, it's left only with a loyal band of enthusiasts, but what a gorgeous bunch they are. Gary from the Bit-tech forums has put together the above case mod, inspired by the styles of early 20th century electronics, and reminded us all that big can be beautiful. He's managed to fit an entire water cooling setup inside, while leaving no detail undocumented in a thorough, pic-heavy walkthrough of the project. We'd have considered the stunning wooden case enough by itself, but Gary has taken care of the little touches as well, as exemplified by the spare PCI slot covers matching the external construction. Hit the source link for images of the build and the insides laid bare.

Zenith 5-S-29 radio case mod explained in excellent, water-cooled detail originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's first 'Super AMOLED' phone to debut next week?
Remember Samsung's new 3.3-inch AMOLED with embedded touch-controls? If not then you'd better go back and brush up on your display tech because the first Samsung phone using the new 800 x 480 pixel "Super AMOLED" display is said to be getting a reveal next week at the big Mobile World Congress show. The panel is claimed to be five times "clearer" and offer 20% better visibility when used outside -- the biggest weakness of existing AMOLED devices like the Zune HD and Nexus One. We're also going to guess that the new device will be running Samsung's new Bada OS at the time of the reveal -- but that's not exactly a stretch.

Samsung's first 'Super AMOLED' phone to debut next week? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PwnageTool for iPhone OS 3.1.3 released for the version obsessed
While the list of tweaks is absurdly small in the latest iPhone OS update, we know that some of you simply have to run the latest and greatest OS at all times regardless of risk. Fortunately for you, the Dev-Team has stepped to with a new version of PwnageTool (v3.1.5 for Mac OS X) that handles the update to iPhone OS 3.1.3 with aplomb while preserving your device's ultrasn0w unlock and jailbroken state. As usual, there's a litany of precautions depending upon the device you own so hit the source link and read the dev-team's words carefully before proceeding. With a little luck, patience, and undue stress, improved accuracy of your device's reported battery level can be yours -- Huzzah?

PwnageTool for iPhone OS 3.1.3 released for the version obsessed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp and Samsung settle LCD patent cases, end legal dispute
After three years of spent treasure, Sharp and Samsung have finally settled their LCD patent fight. Although the terms of the agreement won't be made public, a Sharp spokesman was caught boasting about conditions that "will be in favor of Sharp" -- the company that kicked off the battle back in 2007. As a recap, the disputed patents covered LCD TVs, monitors, and mobile phones in lawsuits filed in the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea. After a string of defeats in the US and Europe resulted in an import ban on its panels, Samsung, it seems, was left with little choice but to settle on Sharp's terms.

Sharp and Samsung settle LCD patent cases, end legal dispute originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BenQ V2220 claims 'world's slimmest' monitor title
BenQ is on the warpath today, updating its V series and crying from the mountaintops about unbeatable slimness and contrast ratios. We could care less about the supposedly class leading 10,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, but the 15mm thinness on the flagship V2220 certainly intrigues. It's claimed as the thinnest 21.5-inch monitor around and its junior sibling, the 18.5-inch V920, shaves another millimeter of thickness off while claiming the same title for its size class. Naturally, they're supplemented by slightly bulkier 23- and 24-inch varieties (V2320 and V2420, respectively) for those who need the extra room, with H variants offering HDMI and headphone connection options. You can expect 1920 x 1080 (1366 x 768 on the V920) resolution, 250 nits of brightness, 5ms response time and a good 1,000:1 real contrast ratio across the board, with the Taiwan launch set for the next couple of months followed by global availability in June.

BenQ V2220 claims 'world's slimmest' monitor title originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee Top ET1610PT with Atom D410 shows up in online support pages
While it doesn't seem to be available to order yet, ASUS' first Pine Trail-equipped nettop is close enough to release that the Taiwanese manufacturer has let some of its specs loose already. What we know so far is that it'll come with Intel's Atom D410 CPU, 802.11b/g/n wireless, six USB ports, a 5-in-1 card reader, and a webcam -- all while keeping Windows XP's dreams of immortality alive. The 1610 will be a 15.6-inch all-in-one, like its predecessor, with the T model offering optional touchscreen functionality. It's hard to argue that the new Atoms offer any great performance gains, but then ASUS is not expected to charge any premium relative to its older models, making this a desirable, albeit incremental, upgrade.

[Thanks, Sal]

ASUS Eee Top ET1610PT with Atom D410 shows up in online support pages originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte M1405 spied hauling around its external GPU
Happened upon the Taipei Game Show? No? Us neither, but Nicholas Khoo of 9eekonomics was, and we're glad he made it. Spotted at the event was Gigabyte's latest docking laptop, the M1405. On the go, there's a 14-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution TFT LED, Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300, up to 4GB memory and 500GB storage, DVD, Windows 7, and graphics provided by an Intel GMA 4500MHD -- attach that external GPU and you've got extra ports and GeForce GT220 with 1GB discrete memory. It's got a 6-cell battery, but you can add an addition 3-cell if you don't mind ditching the disc drive. No prices or release date, but expect an even grander unveil next month at CeBIT. More pictures via the source link, video after the break.

Continue reading Gigabyte M1405 spied hauling around its external GPU

Gigabyte M1405 spied hauling around its external GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection
Before you get too excited about the bandwidth number, you should know that Sony's latest wireless innovation works at a range of up to 14 millimeters. So no, it won't be replacing your WiFi antenna anytime soon, but it may well be showing up in your next television set or other bit of Sony-branded gadgetry. Working in the 30GHz to 300GHz frequency range, this is designed to replace wired communication channels inside electronic devices, with Sony claiming it will deliver "advantages such as size and cost-reduction and enhanced reliability of the final product." Basically, erecting 1mm antennae that can beam information at each other at a rate of 11Gbps turns out to be simpler and more reliable than printing ever wider data lanes into the circuit board. Makes sense to us. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection

Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Chevy Volt pinned with a November 1st official production kickoff date?
Christmas isn't coming early, but at least you're getting a heads up. GM car dealers got their annual model guide, and what has our interests piqued here is the listing for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in hybrid electric car that seems to make our heart race in equal proportions to our wallets crying. According to the chart, the company will be accepting orders starting in September, with the official production date (or "Job 1 date" in automotive lingo) starting November 1st. There's a bit of a discrepancy, however, as the dealers won't know their final allocation until two weeks after the startup time -- notice how it's typically done weeks before with the other models -- but hey, maybe time paradoxes is just another bullet point on its list of features. It's about time Doc's DeLorean had some competition.

2011 Chevy Volt pinned with a November 1st official production kickoff date? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way
We weren't sure exactly what Beyonce, David Goes to the Dentist and Chocolate Rain all had in common, but VIZIO squeezed them all into its Super Bowl ad. Still striving to remake its reputation from being merely a cheap HDTV manufacturer to a premium one offering lots of features, the ad (embedded after the break) shows how it's bringing "the best of the internet" with VIZIO Internet Apps. We still need to see if its picture quality will measure up and whether the widget experience has gotten any better (read: faster) in 2010 to be truly convinced, but a slick ad never hurt.

Continue reading VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way

VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl
Just in case you missed the Devour's televised debut in the third quarter of the Super Bowl, Motorola and the internet at large have gone ahead and posted it online, along with some bonus footage (spoiler: no bonus Megan Fox scenes). Jury's still out on if it'll assuage any Motoblur disdain. Commercial after the break, extra scenes via the source link -- your move, Stephen.

Continue reading Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl

Motorola hops in the tub with Megan Fox during the Super Bowl originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Mini 10 adds WiMAX, collects FCC certification
If you believe WiMAX is the future, but just can't deal with that USB appendage ruining the sleek looks of your netbook, fret not. Dell's Mini 10 has dropped by the FCC for a repeat visit, only this time it's sporting a built-in WiMAX module. From what we're told it's an otherwise unmodified version of Round Rock's latest and greatest 10-incher, so you'll probably be wanting to visit our recent review to see if it makes for a worthy mobile computer. We suspect Sprint might have some retail space for these units when they arrive, given that the wireless carrier already offers the 3G-equipped Mini 10 on a subsidized basis and will be keen to offer a similar product to its expanding WiMAX clientelle.

Dell Mini 10 adds WiMAX, collects FCC certification originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Nexus One get built, then beaten mercilessly
This might be the best entry yet in Google's Nexus One video series. Today's double feature is marked by the testing and manufacturing of the device, and while the all-white facilities and assembly lines can be interesting in their own right, we love nothing more than seeing just how Google and HTC stress test its labor of love. Watch it dropped, slammed, bent, poked, and detonated -- okay, maybe not detonated, and we unfortunately don't get to see any phones crack, but it's still good fun. The big game's not on yet, so give yourself a few minutes and hit up the two short videos after the break.

Continue reading Watch Nexus One get built, then beaten mercilessly

Watch Nexus One get built, then beaten mercilessly originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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