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Meebo becomes latest to develop iPhone App
2007-08-17 03:02:00
When the iPhone came out, people were wondering how they were going to chat with their friends since the iPhone did not support a IM client. In the beginning, people tried various methods including Meebo (a popular way to chat if you can’t download a client). At first, Meebo wasn’t working very well on the ...
More About: Cellphones , Apple , Iphone , Websites

FCC Chairman looking to kill ?free internet? plan?
2007-08-17 02:38:00
Filed under: WirelessIf you've got concerns about not getting your fair shake on the new 700MHz spectrum, don't worry, because a group known as M2Z (backed by Google , Amazon, Netscape, MySpace, and TiVO) has got you covered. The gang is looking for the FCC to break off 25MHz of the new spectrum to set up a "free" wireless internet stream for nearly 95 percent of Americans to go surfing on. There's only one problem: the FCC doesn't look like it's going to give it up. AIn a recent request to the federal agency, M2Z asks to be given bandwidth on the soon-to-be-abandoned airwaves, instead of following typical FCC procedure which requires an auction to be held. In the M2Z plan, the U.S. Treasury would get 5 percent kickbacks from any gross revenue the network derived, though it appears FCC chairman Kevin Martin is looking to put a kibosh on the plot. According to the Wall Street Journal, Martin has circulated a document to other FCC commissioners calling for them to decline the grou...
More About: Internet , Free , Chairman , Plan

Survive today with 1972 technology? Find out how?
2007-08-17 02:19:00
MOJO, the new high definition channel, intends to find out if we could. They took some folks from all walks of life and in the name of reality tv, threw them back in technology to random years to create the series, “Technology Jones”. Over the 8 half-hour shows, MOJO takes us all for ride back ...
More About: Video , Lifestyle , Other , Today

Contest: let Engadget trick out your home theater
2007-08-17 02:05:00
Filed under: Announcements We know not everybody has the home theater of their dreams. We know there are some of you out there that shop longingly at your local electronics retailer, dreaming of the day you can dump that crappy rig and get something the neighbors will be envious of -- or hear all the way down the block, anyway. That's where we -- and about five thousand dollars worth of gear -- come in. Let us trick out your home theater with a brand new LCD or plasma HDTV, Onkyo 7.1 surround system, TiVo HD DVR, Xbox 360 (with HD DVD), PlayStation 3, Harmony remote, Slingbox Pro, and more. Head over to Engadget HD to enter! Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Contest , Theater , Home , Home Theater , Trick

Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 breaks 200 miles-per-hour
2007-08-17 01:40:00
Filed under: Transportation Looks like minuscule RC cars aren't the only alternatively powered vehicles trying to break 200 miles-per-hour, as Ford just became the "world's first automaker to set a land speed record for a production-based fuel cell powered car." The whip used to set the bar, of course, is none other than the Fusion Hydrogen 999, and it reportedly reached over 207 miles-per-hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah without using a drop of gas. Apparently, Ford is hoping that this showcase of speed will somehow translate into advancements that will help us common folk get to work and back sans gasoline, and while we've no idea when a fuel cell propelled Cobra will roll off the line, it did note that a number of fuel cell propelled Focus vehicles were still burning down the roads as part of an ongoing study.[Via AutoblogGreen] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power ...
More About: Power , World , Ohio , Energy

Schedule tasks on your PC
2007-08-17 01:35:00
Have you ever been downloading something and then had to go somewhere for a long period of time? You didn’t want to leave your computer on for all that time, wasting away electricity, and sometimes you couldn’t complete those tasks because of this problem. Well now, there is an easy answer for these problems. Introducing WinOff. ...
More About: Software , Computers , Downloads , Schedule , Tasks

Samsung?s new AV-R720 receiver turns it up at IFA
2007-08-17 01:09:00
Filed under: Home EntertainmentSamsung 's delivering the perfect receiver coming to add some wattage to your volume-deprived home entertainment system: the AV-R720. Clocking in at a massive 850-watts, the home-theatre-ready box should add a little kick the next time you're watching Bad Boys II or Animal Planet. The receiver can rock 1080p video, features 7.1 surround sound, and has two HDMI ins and outs, plus component, composite, digital coaxial, and optical jacks. As of right now, the AV-R720 is only available in Germany (for around €659), but hopefully it will make its way Stateside.[Thanks, Tony C] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Receiver , Surround

Zink portable printing camera
2007-08-16 23:54:00
Hmm, a camera that can print its pictures when and wherever you want… interesting idea to say the least. How thick, and how is this camera going to work? Well we’re not sure, but what we do know is that it is scheduled to come out sometime in late 2007. It can print 2″ ...
More About: Camera , Portable , Digital Cameras , Imaging , Printing

PS3 becoming a little bit portable?
2007-08-16 23:09:00
No, the title isn’t misleading, Nevover plans to make the PlayStation 3 somewhat more portable. They plan to release a 7-inch LCD clip-on screen that can clip right onto your PS3 console. You would probably want to hook up your PS3 to your next favorite thing in the world, your Hi-Def TV, but I’m sure ...
More About: Gaming , Portable , Accessories , Console , Ming

Hands-On With The Sprint Palm Gandolf, HTC Touch and More!
2007-08-16 22:55:00
PC Magazine's Sascha Segan got to handle Palm 's new Treo "Gandolf", new smartphones and a new home cell site at a Sprint event today. Read more on gearlog.com.
More About: Hands , Touch , Hands On

Samsung announces F8 LCD lineup at IFA
2007-08-16 22:36:00
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment Among many other things, Samsung has unveiled its F8 series of oh-so-sexy LCDs at IFA in Berlin. Focusing on the LE46F86BD in particular, this display touts 100MHz Motion Plus technology to sharpen up those images, 1080p support, a baffling 25,000:1 contrast ratio, and a superCLEAR panel coating to boot. Furthermore, you'll find a USB 2.0 port, a trio of HDMI 1.3 sockets, an eight-millisecond response time, and CCFL backlighting. Notably, this set looks awfully similar to the 71 / 81-series that Sammy loosed last month, so the possibility of a name change to suit different markets could be the case here -- nevertheless, we'll keep an eye out for pricing and availability details.[Via PRAD, thanks Tony C.] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Full , Lineup , Anno

Winner of the super rare signed 300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite!
2007-08-16 22:16:00
Filed under: Announcements, Gaming We know you've been dying to find out who's taking home that super rare signed 300-Edition Xbox 360 Elite. Well, you can all officially bum rush Erik Burgardt, since he's the lucky sucker taking this thing home.Just for good measure, in addition to the signed Xbox and 300 HD DVD, Microsoft also hooked him up with a copy of Forza 2, Crackdown, a year's Xbox Live service, and 1600 Microsoft points. Congrats Erik, everyone -- including and especially us -- is incredibly jealous. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Super , Signed , Winner

Samsung files patent app for fertility measuring phone
2007-08-16 21:44:00
Filed under: CES Believe it or not, we've seen something like this before -- out of Japan, naturally -- so we're a bit surprised to see a patent app roll in from Samsung for a phone capable of tracking a woman's fertile periods. The idea is to keep the user updated on her "baby" and "no baby" times of the month when she places a call by measuring distance to the eardrum (using either ultrasonic or laser sensors) combined with infrared to get a temperature reading. This corresponds to a woman's basal body temperature cycle, which in turn maps to her menstrual cycle. In Japan, the concept was intended to boost birth rates by keeping couples in the know on exactly when they might have success -- but elsewhere we imagine the intent might be just the opposite. We'll leave it to our readers' active imaginations to decide just when and how the user should be kept abreast of said information.[Via Unwired View] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Fe...
More About: Phone , Files , Patent , Tent

Samsung gets official with YP-P2, YP-S5, YP-T10 DAPs
2007-08-16 21:12:00
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video We already caught sight of Samsung 's new touchscreen-equipped Yepp YP-P2 DAP, but it looks like the company has a bit more in store for its Yepp line that just that, with it today officially introducing it along with two other new models. While there's little about the YP-P2 that we didn't already know, Samsung has revealed that it'll also be available in white, although it looks like it and black will be your only two options. As for the two other new players, the YP-S5 and YP-T10 each boast integrated Bluetooth, with the former sporting a built-in speaker and a 1.8-inch 222 x 176 display and the latter boasting a slightly larger 2-inch screen and a promised 30 hours of battery life. Each of those will apparently be available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB varieties, with the YP-T10 also set to be available in purple, red, and lime in addition to the standard black and white options. No word on price, but it looks like the whole lot is headed f...
More About: Breaking , Official

Dell collaborating with software makers on virtual PCs
2007-08-16 20:49:00
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops Apparently, Dell is working with VMware (makers of Fusion) and SWsoft (the team behind Parallels) to develop new computers with virtualization features for a new line of the company's PCs. According to reports, Dell's chief technology officer Kevin Kettler confirmed the collaboration at the Linux world conference in San Francisco. The plans right now are for the systems to tackle virtual versions of Windows and Linux which could run in tandem on a user's machine, though when asked about support for Apple 's OS X on the virtual PCs, Kettler said "I can't speculate on that," but went on to say "virtualization is very powerful. It's an environment that would allow many different operating systems to coexist. You can interpret that however you would like." So -- at least as far as we can tell -- not an out-and-out "no."[Via Pocket-lint] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Pa...
More About: Software

Core 2 Duo Mac mini gets tested
2007-08-16 20:19:00
Filed under: Desktops Apple 's new Mac mini may not have gotten quite the overhaul that the iMac got last week, but PC World thinks there's still quite a bit to get excited about, largely due to the system's new Core 2 Duo processor. In its tests, PC World found that to give the mini a significant boost across the board including, for example, a 24-percent jump in Photoshop performance over the old 1.83GHz Mac mini (the new 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo mini showed a 19-percent increase). In other tests, the new top-end Mac mini managed to pump out 13-percent more frames per second in Unreal Tournament 2004 than the old top-end model, and it proved to be about even with the new 2GHz Core 2 Duo iMac in tests like Compressor and Cinema 4D, although the mini's slower 5,400 rpm hard drive caused it to drag in tasks like importing files into iPhoto. If you're itching for even more benchmarks, you can get your fix at the link below.  Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOf...
More About: Mini , Mac Mini

Yikes! Over 300 page iPhone bill
2007-08-16 20:02:00
Your brand new iPhone has taken a big chunk out of your wallet, and now it has destroyed a big chunk of trees. One iPhone user, Justine, has just received her iPhone bill from AT&T in her mailbox, it was a nice day. She was going out to get the daily mail, hoping to see ...
More About: Cellphones , Apple , Iphone , Page , Communications

UK juror won?t go to trial over hidden MP3 player
2007-08-16 19:50:00
Filed under: Portable AudioA juror on a murder trial in the UK who allegedly listened to music on an MP3 player while the court was in session will not have action taken against her, says the British Attorney General. According to reports, juror Ruhela Khanom was listening to a music player hidden underneath her hijab (or headscarf) while key evidence in the case was being delivered. Defense lawyers claim they caught a glimpse of a wire underneath the juror's headscarf, and the presiding judge says that he thought he had heard "tinny music" being played, but dismissed it as his imagination. Eventually, Khanom was discharged from duty as a juror for not paying attention, and although signs point to her having used a music player during the trial, it appears that the courts don't have enough evidence to bring charges against her. When reached for comment, Khanom said that she had been "unable to stop listening to music in court," due to the release of "the new Hillary Duff record."&...
More About: Player , Trial , Hidden , Layer

Facebook now formatted for the iPhone
2007-08-16 19:15:00
Ever since the iPhone was released, there have been a surplus of websites becoming iPhone accessible (thought Steve Jobs touted the iPhone as bringing the “whole web”). It seems that now Facebook has jumped onto the iPhone bandwagon and made a site specifically designed for the iPhone. Begin by navigating the Safari browser over to Facebook. ...
More About: Cellphones , Apple , Iphone , Websites

Happy 25th Birthday, compact disc!
2007-08-16 18:55:00
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio, Storage Has it really been a quarter-century since the first compact disc was pressed, finally freeing us from the infernal routine of rewinding our mix tapes? Well sure enough, Philips was kind enough to inform us that its very first CD rolled off the production lines on August 17th, 1982, which history will forever remember -- perhaps unfortunately -- as a copy of ABBA's The Visitors. Nonetheless, this first widely-produced optical disc format would end up changing our lives forever, ushering in the era of lossless copies, easy music sharing, and an unwanted little friend we've come to know as DRM. Now with some 200 billion discs having been sold worldwide -- and probably twice as many distributed gratis by AOL in its dial-up heyday -- it would seem that the original shiny little platter is unquestionably in its golden years, with more convenient or capacious formats replacing it on almost every front. So Philips, the readers and ...
More About: Happy , Birthday , Compact , Compa , Disc

B&O?s Beolab 3 - weird but wonderful
2007-08-16 18:32:00
A long time fan of B&O, renowned for their combination of design and quality, I was intrigued by the Beolab 3, not least because of the price $3,200. For anyone that knows their B&O this is not an extravagant price, until you realize that these speakers are only 6.4? x 5.2? x 8.8?and targeted at the ...
More About: Video , Weird , Accessories , Wonderful

We think you shouldn?t buy an iPod right now
2007-08-16 18:23:00
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video We've gotten a deluge of emails over the last week from readers and insiders speculating about the next iPod release; after all, it's been a couple months since Apple loosed the iPhone, the new iMac is official and living large, and current iPods have seen a price drop -- something that only comes strictly mandated by Apple HQ. What's more, sources at retailers are continuing to tell us that Apple is slowing down iPod shipments, strongly suggesting the company is running out its current stock to make room on shelves for new product.We can't speak to what specific technology Cupertino's got brewing behind the scenes (we know it's OS X-based, and hear it'll use more flash), but whatever it is, we'd wager it'll be released in September or October. And not just because Apple's has taken to launching at least some new iPods every year since 2003, or admitted that it considers its iPhone business its "third", separate from its dedicate...
More About: Ipod , Right Now

Nao robot replaces AIBO in RoboCup Standard Platform League
2007-08-16 17:51:00
Filed under: Robot s Aldebaran Robotics' Nao robot didn't exactly have all that many skills to show off at the recent RoboCup in Atlanta, but it apparently had enough to earn itself a place as the new de facto bot for the Stand ard Platform League (previously known as the Four-Legged League). Until now, that position had been held by Sony's AIBO, who will now apparently be relegated to cheering on its bipedal successor from the sidelines. The Standard Platform League, as the same suggests, requires all competitors to use the same robot, placing all the focus on software development instead of hardware tweaking. Unfortunately, it seems that you'll still have to wait a bit if you're thinking about competing as, last we heard, there was still no word on pricing or availability for the long-in-development Nao.[Via Robot Dreams]  Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Russian court acquits AllOfMP3.com owner
2007-08-16 16:22:00
A Russian court has found the former owner of AllOfMP3.com not guilty. Due to pressure from the EMI Group Plc, NBC Universal and Time Warner Inc. the Russian government put Denis Kvasov on trial for breaching copyright. “The prosecution did not succeed in presenting persuasive evidence of his involvement in infringing copyright law,” said judge Yekaterina ...
More About: Video , Downloads , Websites , Content

Keepon dancing robot featured in Spoon?s latest music video
2007-08-16 15:35:00
Filed under: Robot s Step off those treadmills OK GO, there's a new indie music video on YouTube ready to help us nerds locate our groove muscle. Spoon's "Don't You Evah" features the toxically cute Keepon dancing robot developed by Carnegie Mellon and Japan's National Institute of Communications Technology. Be sure to hang in 'til the end for the robot dance party which features Manoi, RB2000 and a Johnny Five wannabe getting tore-up from the floor-up in that mad servo style. Full vid after the break.Continue reading Keepon dancing robot featured in Spoon's latest music video Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Video , Dancing , Music , Music Video

External storage and ethernet enabled on select Dish Network receivers
2007-08-16 15:32:00
Dish Network has enabled support for external USB 2.0 hard drives and the Ethernet port on the ViP622 HD DVR. This news that has been rumored for long time is not as perfect as it initially sounds. It would be nice if you were able to just grab an extra USB drive and plug it ...
More About: Video , Storage , External

Accell?s UltraAV HDMI 1.3 High-Speed switch support 1440p
2007-08-16 15:06:00
Just when you thought you had a handle on HDMI 1.3, along comes a new sub-class of HDMI switches supporting (are you ready for it?) HDMI 1.3a Category 2, otherwise known as HDMI 1.3 High -Speed . Learn it, live it. Accell's UltraAV 2-port switch supports a 1440p (2560 x 1440) resolution and 10.2Gbps (340MHz) high-speed data transfer without the need of an external power supply. Sure, there aren't any 1440p sets out their yet, but they're coming, as are those 2160p Quad HD monsters. Sorry, no launch date specifics. We only know that it'll cost $99 and receive a proper unveiling in early September at the CEDIA Expo. Of course, you'll still have to find content and a source to pump that superior resolution but this is all about "future proofing" which often has little to do with rational thinking. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Support , Switch , High Speed

FUZE unveils whole-home media system
2007-08-16 14:36:00
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Media PCs If you thought HTIBs were convenient, the FUZE Media System should have you grinning from ear to ear. Similar to the uber-pricey ConnectedLife.Home in a box, this all-in-one solution brings together a FuzeBox HTPC with "multiple CableCARD tuners," FuzeMini HD Media Clients, the Fuze Whole-Home remote, a four-inch wall-mountable touchscreen interface, and a number of on-wall control switches to deliver complete multimedia integration throughout your domicile. According to FUZE, you'll find "all the necessary components for media storage and distribution: a primary media server, video clients, audio clients, and multiple interface options." Interestingly, it even notes that "DRM-friendly whole-home HD video" won't be a problem with this here equipment, and while the firm has yet to talk dollars and dates, we'll hopefully be getting a much closer look at what's involved when it sets up shop at CEDIA. Read | Permalink |...
More About: Multimedia , Management

Sony offering up Swarovski crystal-clad E010 DAPs
2007-08-16 14:02:00
Filed under: Portable Audio Just in case you've been out of the loop for some time, this DAP certainly won't go down as the first to come glazed in Swarovski crystals, but Sony has nevertheless teamed up with Abiste Corporation to craft the limited edition Walkman E010 lineup. The players will be available in pink, violet, black, blue, or gold colors, have removable caps adorned with Swarovski glass crystals, and won't arrive to your domicile for two solid months after you initially place an order. 'Course, those even remotely interested in one of these beauties should know that it won't come sans a premium, and while you can snag the lowly 1GB flavor for "just" ¥15,800 ($134), the 2GB rendition will run you ¥18,800 ($160) while the 4GB unit demands ¥24,800 ($210) -- while supplies last, mind you.[Via Luxist] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
More About: Crystal , Special

Top games for the new slim Sony PSP
2007-08-16 13:55:00
Sony's new slimmer PSP is the company's latest attempt to lure games away from the Nintendo DS, and there's actually a decent range of software to play on it these days...
More About: Games , Sony , Slim , Sony psp