Tech - Engadget

Samsung and Yahoo! promise the Best of the Web on select 2009 HDTV models, thanks to the Internet@TV widgets we snuck a look at a few weeks ago. Developers build Javascript and XML apps that then run directly on your Samsung HDTV, starting with USA Today, YouTube, eBay, Showtime and Yahoo properties like Flickr and Yahoo! News. Next up their sleeves? Video streaming and "other popular Internet services" running through the built-in Ethernet or optional Wi-Fi USB dongle. Also, unlike some others, the Internet@TV Content service isn't just a U.S. thing, headed to 12 other countries this year: Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Having the Internet no further away than the nearest remote was your biggest request for '09, right?

Filed under: CES, Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Networking

Samsung / Yahoo Internet@TV widgets revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just as Canon did last year, it has busted out a plethora of new high-def camcorders for our enjoyment over the course of 2009. Without further adieu, let's take a closer look at the outfit's five newest. Starting things off are the VIXIA HF S10 and VIXIA HF S100 flash models, which offer up to 32GB of internal storage along with an SDHC card slot. Both units tout the DIGIC DV III image processor, an 8.59-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, face detection, Auto Exposure system and the ability to snap 8-megapixel stills. Moving on, we've got the VIXIA HF20 and VIXIA HF200 models, both of which include a 3.59-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor and a 15x lens. Closing out the bunch is the HV40 HDV, which offers a 2.96-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, 10x zoom lens, native 24p support and a Custom Key Mode that filmmakers should adore. Sadly, the full release is curiously devoid of pricing and availability information.

Gallery: Canon comes clean with HD camcorder lineup at CES 2009

Filed under: CES, Digital Cameras

Canon comes clean with HD camcorder lineup at CES 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not content with letting the freelancers at Venture Beat hog the spotlight, some HP-loving Canadians decided to take their 2133 Mini-Note and add a dash of Google's Android OS -- the best thing to happen to netbooks since SSD. There isn't really much in terms of details right now, but if you're the kind of person who gets totally stoked by watching someone go through a preference pane and empty photo album -- without using a mouse, mind you -- we've got just the video for you after the break. Let's hope this Android-netbook lovefest doesn't stop anytime soon.

[Via Netbooknews.de]

Filed under: Laptops

Move over, Eee: Android now running on HP Mini-Note 2133 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While Microvision isn't new (per se) to the pico projector arena entirely, it certainly lacks the namesake of, say, Dell or Optoma. Of course, it's not letting that fact damper its excitement about the PicoP-based SHOW WX. The pre-production device is being unveiled today at Macworld, and it promises to boast a 25% package-size reduction over the company's own SHOW prototype. The diminutive beamer will eventually arrive with a WVGA native resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, a battery good for around two hours of usage and a chassis that measures just 4.6- x 2.4- x 0.6-inches. The outfit anticipates that commercial production will get going in Q2, with mass availability ready by 2H 2009; regrettably, pricing still remains a mystery.

Filed under: Displays

Microvision's PicoP-based SHOW WX pocket PJ makes debut originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku owners looking to go discless are one step closer, now that Amazon Video On Demand will be available on the box after a free software update in early 2009. Fulfilling the promise of more "big name" providers to come, flicks like The Dark Knight, Pineapple Express or any of Amazon's 40,000 other titles can be purchased and played back to the TV for a 24 hour window. The bad news? Max bitrate is an h.264 compressed 1200Kbps. Not bad if SD only is your bag, but we're even more eagerly awaiting another Amazon VOD HD rumor.

Filed under: CES, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Roku digital video player adding Amazon Video On Demand originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't forget kids, Apple (and our main man Phil Schiller) will be doing its final Macworld thing live and direct come Tuesday morning, and as usual, we'll be there doing what we do: liveblogging the hell out of it. Set your alarms, wake the neighbors, and settle in for the mind-blowingest keynote you done ever seen. Here's where you need to check in on Tuesday, January 6th:

Live from the Macworld 2009 keynote

At these times:

07:00AM - Hawaii
09:00AM - Pacific
10:00AM - Mountain
11:00AM - Central
12:00PM - Eastern
05:00PM - London
06:00PM - Paris
02:00AM - Tokyo (January 7th)

Filed under: Announcements

Apple's final Macworld keynote is Tuesday, and we'll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slowly but surely, the multimedia hard drive is becoming more and more relevant. At first, it was outlets like Mvix doing the honors, and then mainstays such as LaCie got in while the gettin' was good. Now, we've got ole Iomega trying its hand at the game, with the introduction of the Home Media Network Hard Drive at Macworld in San Francisco. The drive, which includes the firm's LifeLine software, enables users to easily backup their precious files and stream music, photos, videos and all manners of other multimedia between computers, networked TVs, gaming consoles, etc. For those curious, it'll function just fine as an iTunes server and play oh-so-nice with DLNA certified devices, and aside from the obligatory gigabit Ethernet jack, there's also a USB port for adding a shared network printer or extra capacity. It should be available early this month for $159.99 (500GB) / $229.99 (1TB).

Filed under: Storage, Networking

Iomega's Home Media Network Hard Drive backs up files, streams content originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Eye_Fi_functionality_comes_to_iPhone_via_new_application';We'd be fibbing just a wee bit if we said that Eye-Fi functionality for the iPhone has always been imminent, but now that it's real, we suppose we aren't too surprised. Announced today at Macworld, the Eye-Fi application will enable iPhone owners (that just so happen to also own an Eye-Fi card) to upload images taken on their handset to their computer and the web. Reportedly, the app will allow users to aggregate all of their photos from both the iPhone and a digital camera into "organized folders on a computer and to one of 25 online photo sharing and social networking websites." The app is also said to support geotagging just like the Eye-Fi Explore, though two crucial bits of info are sorely missing. First off, what happens with folks that don't own an Eye-Fi card? And second, when is this app even coming out?

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras

Eye-Fi functionality comes to iPhone via new application originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey, they don't call this thing the International Consumer Electronics Show for nothing, so it shouldn't come as any big surprise to see Nextar unveiling a trio of new navigators that are destined for routes in South America. PNDs for Argentina (M3-AR), Brazil (M3-BR), and Mexico (updated to the M3-MX1) are all scheduled to go on sale in early 2009, with each model packing its respective country maps as well as a multimedia player, 3.5-inch touchscreen, text-to-speech support, oodles of POIs, an integrated antenna, rechargeable Li-ion and a stylus for no good reason good measure. All three will sell for $249.99, and the full release is after the break.

Continue reading Nextar launching M3 navigator into South America

Filed under: CES, GPS

Nextar launching M3 navigator into South America originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just in case counting every last pico projector on or coming to the market was too easy for you, Nextar's hoping to boggle your hippocampus by adding one more to the furiously growing list. The outfit's LCoS-based Z10 is being launched alongside the equally portable PS-001 20-inch screen, and it'll check in weighing under 2.5-pounds and boasting a 640 x 480 resolution. As for additional specifications, you're looking at a brightness level between 7 and 12 lumens, a 360-degree lens shift capability with manual adjust and a 4:3 aspect ratio. To its credit, it will accept a litany of file formats and can be fed data via microSD / TF cards, a USB port and L/R audio ports. Both products are slated to hit retailers in the Spring for $299.99 and $39.99 in order of mention, and you can catch two more looks and the full release just after the break.

Continue reading Nextar hops on the bandwagon with Z10 LCoS micro projector

Filed under: CES, Displays, Home Entertainment

Nextar hops on the bandwagon with Z10 LCoS micro projector originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eee-branded tablets and UMPCs may be coming, but if you want one right now your only option is to do it yourself. You could go the duct tape DIY route, but those looking for a more aesthetically pleasing path should instead think about ordering up an Aeeeris conversion kit. It's basically a $60 reverse-facing replacement bezel for a 700-series netbook, providing indentations for the touch-screen LCD, its controller, and a pair of speakers (all sold separately). Supposedly the conversion is a "breeze," but after watching installation vids we're not so sure we'd agree with that -- nor the marketing spiel on the site that labels this as a low-cost solution for small businesses. Still, if you're looking for a tablet on the cheap, missed out on the $600 tx2500z last month, and don't have any qualms about dissecting your Eee, hit up the read link and order today.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Aeeeris kit turns Eee into UMPC, is later killed by Seeephiroth originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Steve_Jobs_says_a_hormone_imbalance_to_blame_for_weight_loss'; A mere day before the big shindig at the Moscone, Steve Jobs has come clean about his much-discussed weight loss in a open letter to the Apple community, saying that a hormone imbalance is to blame. "The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment," says Steve. Doctors expect it to take him until late Spring to regain the weight and body mass, and Steve will stay on as CEO during his recovery. Oh, and if you hadn't guessed, Steve isn't so big on the personal stuff: "So now I've said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this."

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Letter from Apple CEO Steve Jobs
Read - Statement by Apple's Board of Directors

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Steve Jobs is still alive, says a hormone imbalance to blame for his weight loss originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those with a whiteboard full of Apple rumors, you'll been keenly aware of the fact that the whole iPhone Air terminology has been tossed around before in a joking manner. This, however, is not a joke. In fact, it's a very real KIRF, and it's possibly one of the most awesome we've ever seen. We mean, who'd ever want an iPhone nano when one could have -- wait for it -- the iPhone Air. Aside from clean, beautiful, streamlined edges, those fortunate enough to procure one from China will also find dual SIM card slots, an FM radio, Bluetooth, a multimedia player and a built-in camera. The KIRF game just got stepped up good fashion, and we love it.

[Thanks, David]

Filed under: Cellphones

Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXVI: iPhone Air jockeys for "best ripoff ever" award originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We don't have a heck of a lot to go on here, but the above is apparently a new, 8.9-inch widescreen netbook from Exper called the Exper Style. It seems to boast standard netbook internals -- a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and an 8GB SSD-- and apparently runs Windows XP. It also costs about $470, and comes in a nearly endless range of super duper-looking colors. We're not sure about when this one will be available, but hit the read link for a video of this darling in all its glory.

Filed under: Laptops

Exper Style's colorful 8.9-inch netbook rolls out in Turkey originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yup, it's official. LG will be showcasing the world's first Netflix-enabled HDTVs at CES this week. The so-called Broadband HDTVs will arrive in plasma and LCD flavors, though exact screen sizes and model names have yet to be disclosed. They'll arrive with Netflix streaming software baked right in, meaning that no external set-top-box will be required to suck down Watch Instantly material. Best of all, it sounds like HD Netflix content will also be supported, and with the accompanying remote, viewers will be able to "read synopses, rate movies and fast-forward / rewind the video stream." No word on pricing, but the family of sets should be shipping this Spring. Hop on past the break for a look at the full release.

Continue reading LG gets official with Netflix-enabled Broadband HDTVs

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

LG gets official with Netflix-enabled Broadband HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you're not about to sell off your current stable of external USB hard drives just to experience the wonders of Clickfree backups, you're staring your solution right in the face. Clickfree has just introduced its new Transformer Cable, which is "the first and only USB cable that turns ordinary external hard drives into truly automatic Clickfree backup solutions." Put simply, users just connect their USB HDD to their PC via this here cable, and without any software installations or black magic, the external drive automatically begins to search through, organize and backup your data. The painfully simple cord should be available right now for the mildly reasonable price of $59.99; full release is after the break.

Continue reading Clickfree Transformer Cable gives any USB hard drive auto backup functionality

Filed under: CES, Storage

Clickfree Transformer Cable gives any USB hard drive auto backup functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that the holiday season is officially over (CES notwithstanding), there's officially no better time to get inebriated and wash away the sorrows of not having another government-recognized holiday for like, ever. After you've drug that dead tree out to the roadside and filled a few buckets with tears, why not try constructing your very Serv O'Beer in order to bring just a sliver of that joy back into your heart? Put simply, the project pictured above utilized Construx as the mechanical platform, a servo driving the action and ioBridge controlling the system; a so-called "perfect pour" was executed by linking an iPhone accelerometer to the system and turning it up. Have a look at the demonstration vid just past the break -- dollars to donuts it'll make you smile.

[Thanks, Hans]

Continue reading Serv O'Beer pours when iPhone accelerometer tells it to

Filed under: Cellphones, Household

Serv O'Beer pours when iPhone accelerometer tells it to originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stuff.tv has the heads up on two more members of LG's 2009 lineup, the LH5000 and LF7700. The LF7700 LCD should fit the bill for anyone needing an alternative to Panasonic's TX-37LZD81, with integrated FreeSat support, while a plasma version will follow later in the year. If 100Hz isn't enough and 480Hz is too much, the LH5000 drops 200Hz TruMotion tech on European heads later this year. No price or size info for either, but hopefully all this new kit will slightly make up for a Netflix-less existence suffered by our people across the Atlantic.

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

LG previews two new UK-bound LCDs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's been talking up the CE 3100 (née Canmore) processor for quite some time now, and with Adobe as its newest partner -- late again Yahoo? -- pushing HD Flash streams to Internet connected TV's and set-top boxes. Frankly, we've already gotten quite used to YouTube and other online video access in the living room, but with the first Flash Lite-enabled system-on-a-chip due by mid-2009 and everyone and their mom watching TV on Hulu this could be the push that takes online video to the TV mainstream. Still, Intel must know that only Flash support so 2008, we'll be expecting more widgets to come.

Filed under: CES, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Intel, Adobe plan a chicken in every pot, Flash on every HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're all for taking lemons and making lemonade, but at least clean up the mess before you showcase it to the world. All kidding aside (sort of...), Sir Bibin and Nick Lee found something better to do with their jacked up PowerBook G4 Titanium than fetch a few pennies on eBay. When the hinges finally cracked, they decided to just fold 'er on over, epoxy a pair of totally lackluster speakers on the side and add a wired Apple keyboard in to create a makeshift PowerMac (er, iMac, we suppose). Truthfully, we'd be way more into this if not for that very apparent spitball and the circa 1991 telephone cluttering up the masterpiece, but you know what they say about an artist and his / her studio.

[Thanks, Michael and Nick]

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

PowerBook G4 Titanium inelegantly modded into desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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