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Samsung's BlackJack II fittingly launches on Black Friday for $150
2007-11-22 17:29:00
If you're already drafting a plan of what stores to hit in what order come Black Friday , and you've been craving Samsung's forthcoming BlackJack II, we've got yet another locale that you'll need to show yourself at. CNET has it that Sammie's SGH-i617 will be landing on AT&T tomorrow, and just in case you still weren't connecting the (dark) dots, it'll initially be available only in black. Reportedly, the red edition is slated to surface around December 12th, and both will demand $149.99 and your name on a two-year contract. Don't worry about showing up early, though -- the chances of this thing selling out before noon tomorrow (or ever, to be frank) are slim to none.[Via MobileBurn]
More About: Blackjack , Black Friday

OLPC Give One, Get One program extended -- averaging $2M sales per day
2007-11-22 17:28:00
Negroptone's OLPC Buy One, Give One program has been extended to 31 December, 2007 -- well beyond the initial two-weeks originally announced. The deal buys both yourself (or rather, your kid supposedly) and a tot from a developing nation new XOs for just $399. Already, the non-profit claims to be pulling in about $2 Million worth of "donations" each day. They've also opened up bulk buying to schools in quantities of 100-999 ($299 each), 1000-9999 ($249 each), or 10,000 and more ($199). Oh, and the program is now officially renamed "Give One, Get One" (GoGo) -- we presume BoGo'ing the kids sounded too icky.
More About: Sales , Program , Extended

Sony rekindles rumors of PSP phone
2007-11-22 17:27:00
It's been a hot minute since we've heard any marginally believable chatter surrounding the so-called PSP phone, but the idea of such a device has been given new life thanks to Sony Computer Entertainment co-chief operating officer Jim Ryan. Apparently, Mr. Ryan told the India Times that the "PlayStation is a proven success and so is Sony Ericsson," and that "convergence with the two arms working together is definitely plausible." Granted, he did note that it could be quite some time before such a device would see the market, and that if indeed it did, it would likely resemble a handheld gaming system with a phone blended in and not vice-versa. So yeah, we're not really any closer to knowing whether this thing truly is somewhere in the pipeline, but here's to hoping that we don't have to wait another year or so to find out more.[Via Stuff]
More About: Phone , Rumors

Another iriver teaser: the Clix Plus?
2007-11-22 12:45:00
Another iriver mystery courtesy of a marketing teaser campaign. This little guy appears to share the hinged, electronic dictionary stylings of iriver's other D-series offerings. However, another MIC-leak (think FCC for South Korea) tells us that iriver is working on a new Clix Plus model in 2/4/8GB capacities and a rumored 3-inch LCD. Could this be it? No one knows, but it's also apparently delicious with coffee.
More About: Teaser , Tech , Iriver

CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XI: Stringer's flip-flop edition
2007-11-22 12:43:00
Merely days after Sony's Howard Stringer was scrutinized for calling the format war a "stalemate," the exec has apparently decided to tweak his tone a bit. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stringer was quoted as saying that Blu-ray had "the momentum and the scale" it needed to eventually reign victorious over its rival. Additionally, he noted that Blu-ray was "just a better format," and he even went so far as to tout BD's excellent security features, which were effectively subverted just weeks ago after being hailed as practically impenetrable. Furthermore, he didn't seem worried over the new, lower prices associated with standalone HD DVD players, but who knows, maybe he'll be singing a different tune next week.[Via Electronista]
More About: Part , Flip , Edition , Tring , Flip Flop

Cowon's US-bound Q5W gets price, release date
2007-11-22 12:42:00
Good news for those not-so-patiently awaiting the launch of Cowon's totally hopped up Q5W (formerly known as the Q5) -- the US-bound uber-PMP is set to launch next week for slightly more jack than we heard earlier this year. Specs wise, we're looking at a 5-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, 128MB of DDR2 SDRAM, 64MB of Flash memory, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WinCE 5.0, a voice recorder, photo / text viewer, USB connectivity and support for more file formats than you can shake a flip-out antenna at. 'Course, such a well-spec'd unit won't come sans a premium, so don't be too shocked when you see that the 40GB version will run you $549.99 while the 60GB iteration demands an extra $50.
More About: Tech , Release , Price , Bound

Study links WiFi with childhood autism
2007-11-22 12:40:00
While there seems to be relatively few things that WiFi hasn't been linked to, it seems that a new study has managed to turn up yet another potential peril, in this case a link to childhood autism. According to the study published in the Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine, the electromagnetic radiation from WiFi devices supposedly causes metals to be trapped in individuals' brain cells, which the researchers say slows clearance and accelerates the onset of autism symptoms. As Computer Weekly points out, however, a number of health agencies, including the World Health Organization, have repeatedly examined the issue and found no danger from WiFi devices (or cellphones, for that matter) operating at levels below international guidelines. Still, we have a sneaking suspicion that this is far from the last study of this sort we'll see, at least until each WiFi router shipped comes bundled with a tinfoil bodysuit.
More About: Childhood , Study , Autism , Links , Wifi

How to sync an iPhone over WiFi without iTunes
2007-11-22 12:05:00
Now that the Zune has upped the ante by including WiFi syncing out of the box, it looks like owners of other devices are starting to rig up solutions of their own -- and the iPhone setup developed by eddanx seems to come closest to the ease of the Zune. The system relies on the WinAmp plugin ml_ipod, which supports syncing to shared folders, and requires a jailbroken iPhone and a little SSH / SFTP softshoe. Of course, by giving up iTunes, you give up contact, calendar, movie, and phone syncing as well, but who cares -- you're wireless now, baby. Check the read link for the full instructions.PS: We'd imagine this would also work on an iPod touch -- anyone care to try?
More About: Itunes , Iphone , Tech , Wifi , Sync

Ladybug-styled robot to clean restrooms, give travel tips
2007-11-22 12:00:00
Japan's no stranger to a wide variety of service-oriented robots, and it looks like it could soon become home to yet another mechanical being that does our dirty work. The Lady Bird prototype, which is set to hit production sometime in 2009, would scour the floors of public restrooms and keep things looking clean throughout the day. Reportedly, the bot stands about 1-meter in height and is equipped with amenities such as a water tank, brushes and a few other grime-busting tools to boot. Furthermore, it boasts obstacle detection sensors to avoid patrons while on the clock, and it even includes voice recognition software along with access to current traffic information in case someone has the urge to spark up a conversation. There's no word on what this thing will do should someone try to stuff it in their trunk for at-home use, but if all goes well, the creature is expected to sell for around ¥3.5 million ($31,713) when it goes commercial.
More About: Travel , Robot , Travel Tips , Tips , Clean

Hands-on with Optimus Maximus (at last!)
2007-11-22 12:00:00
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Hands _on_with_th e_Optimus _Maximus _Engadget'; The legendary Optimus Maximus is chilling out at the Wired Store in SoHo as of this week, so we dropped by to snap a few pictures. We've gotta say we're pretty impressed, the build seems as solid as a rock, the screens are crazy bright and all the glossy keys catch the light just right. We could even say that we're glad they took the time to get everything right, but it has been a painful decade, so we'll see. Everyone's tastes in keys are different, so we'll let you make up your own mind on the clickity clackity the next time in your NY -- or at least once our crack keyboard review team gets some quality time with a unit of our very own -- but color us impressed so far.
More About: Features , Hands On

Ad problems fixed -- game on!
2007-11-22 11:58:00
Good news for everyone who's been having issues with the experimental ad! The problem was officially dogpiled and it looks like we've managed to patch things up by pulling the Flash and replacing it with something much more browser friendly.Just a quick word to our readers: we're sorry for the trouble caused, but thanks and much love for being good sports. We got a ton of really interesting and useful feedback, and we know you wouldn't care if you didn't love Engadget and have high standards for our site. (Of course, we'd also like to give a shout out to everyone on the business side who jumped in to help out and fix this thing.) So, you know, feel free to disengage your ad blockers, the coast is clear.
More About: Game , Problems , Fixed

Hitachi's EMIEW 2 humanoid runs errands, could easily replace Michael Scott
2007-11-22 11:58:00
While we thoroughly enjoyed hearing of EMIEW's (presumably) short-lived career as a hotel clerk, it looks like Hitachi's EMIEW 2 has some seriously large aspirations. In a recent demonstration in Hitachinaka, the two-wheeled robot wowed onlookers as it received commands wirelessly and happily ran office errands without too much trouble. The creation, which stands some 31.5-inches tall and weighs 29-pounds, did crash into a desk and stand motionless momentarily while being previewed, but developers didn't hesitate to inform the crowd that kinks were still being ironed out. Nevertheless, it was able to avoid obstacles while rolling about, understand and respond to human speech and move around for an hour before needing a recharge. The company refused to spill details surrounding its eventual price and release date, but we're hearing there may soon be an open spot in Scranton that this fellow could certainly fill.
More About: Michael , Scott , Runs , Itachi

Microsoft begins new round of Xbox Live bans
2007-11-22 11:56:00
Heads up, Xbox 360 tinkerers -- it appears that Microsoft is bringing out the ban hammer once again. According to a thread on an Xbox-Scene forum, users are having their Live wrists slapped left, right, and center due to "bad discs" (i.e., non 1:1 copies of games). Initially, the problem seemed to be modified DVD firmware, but it now appears the cause is due to game data that isn't properly copied, or has been "touched" in some manner. Keep in mind, these are console bans, as opposed to Live account bans, which is a minor amount of good news. The forums are abuzz with profane indictments of Microsoft and calls for heads on platters (okay, it's not that bad) -- but mostly everyone is just waiting to see where the next hit will come from. You've been warned, folks.
More About: Xbox Live , Round

I-O Data reveals array of HDL-GS NAS drives
2007-11-22 11:55:00
I-O Data isn't just worried about the longevity of your pocketable storage -- oh no, it's quite concerned with availability of data in your domicile, too. In an effort to ensure that every computer on your network has fair and unbridled access to external storage, the firm has unveiled a line of HDL-GS NAS drives that include 250GB, 320GB, 500GB and 1TB editions. Each LANDISK drive plays nice with Windows and OS X-based systems, touts an integrated USB port and includes a gigabit Ethernet jack, too. Beyond that, this crew is pretty run-of-the-mill, but you can pick one up to suit your needs in mid-December for ¥24,360 ($221), ¥26,565 ($241), ¥31,080 ($282) or ¥74,655 ($676), respectively.
More About: Networking , Storage , Array

Wii Light Sword brings out the Skywalker in you
2007-11-22 11:53:00
We knew it was just a matter of time before something like this happened, particularly with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed headed to the Wii next Spring, but it's good to see a lightsaber attachment come early. Available to order now through Play.com, this third-party accessory sports a power up / down effect to get your saber a-glowin' (and dimmed back down), 22 ultra-bright LEDs and an on / off switch for good measure. The adornment relies on a trio of AA cells to stay lit, and while it isn't slated to ship until later this month, you can commence searching for an extra £14.99 ($31) right away.
More About: Light , Sword , Skywalker

GM reaffirms commitment to 2010 Volt launch
2007-11-22 11:52:00
Although we haven't noticed an atypical resurgence in doubters, General Motors' Bob Lutz apparently has. The exec has come forward and stated that the 2010 timeline for its much-anticipated Chevy Volt is still valid, despite the fact that employees working on the vehicle are "becoming increasingly nervous." While speaking at the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit, Lutz also noted that there was "a lot of skepticism within the company," but that those in leadership roles firmly believe that it "has to be done." More specifically, GM is hoping to "leapfrog anything that is done by any other competitor," and while we're delighted to hear that the commitment is still strong, three years offers up a lot of time for situations to change.
More About: Transportation , Launch , Commitment

I-O Data launches ultra-tough 16GB HDMC flash drive
2007-11-22 11:51:00
I-O Data is very worried about your data. Very. Worried. How concerned is the Japanese company about protecting your precious files? Well, they've gone and created a 16GB, freezable, droppable, completely water-proof USB flash drive just for your sake (and sweet Yen). You need only watch a few moments of the psychedelic mind-melter that is the promo video to realize you should... nay, must, purchase one of these puppies while the gettin's good -- as it were. Check out the technofied vision after the break, then be prepared to drop ¥25,300 (around $230) to own a piece of history.
More About: Flash , Flash Drive , Drive , Storage

United offers up LCDs, in-flight entertainment servers on recent flight
2007-11-22 11:50:00
It's not like adding in a few LCDs and a swank entertainment system is groundbreaking in the airline industry, but it's still far from commonplace. Earlier this week, United Airlines Flight 952 departed from Washington Dulles and treated its passengers to an impressive array of luxuries. Beyond the elaborate meals and lie-flat beds, fliers were able to kick back and enjoy over 150-hours of on-demand entertainment from a personal 15.4-inch LCD; additionally, economy class customers even had access to (presumably smaller) displays and a digital in-flight entertainment server. Gene Fowler, who spends more time on United flights than most of us would care to imagine, was able to capture the inaugural flight to Frankfurt with a bevy of snapshots, so be sure and hit the link below if you're curious to see what you missed.
More About: Entertainment , Gadgets , Servers , Transportation

MPIO's MG200 gets a price, ship date
2007-11-22 11:49:00
Last seen struttin' its stuff at IFA, MPIO's stylish MG200 is making waves again thanks to the price tag and release date it's now carrying along. Just to bring you back up to speed, this thing features a 128 x 128 resolution OLED display, FM tuner, a voice recorder, rechargeable Li-ion good for 18- / 4-hours or so (audio / video playback) and support for WMA, MP3, and MTV file formats. Now, on to the good stuff: 1GB and 2GB versions will both land on December 1st for ¥7,980 ($72) and ¥9,980 ($90), respectively, while the 4GB unit will arrive sometime before the year's end for ¥12,980 ($118).
More About: Tech , Price , Ship

Target trialing online sales of pre-owned electronics
2007-11-22 11:48:00
Although you may be accustomed to picking up your used wares from locales such as GameStop, Target is hoping that the scavengers of all things pre-owned will stop by its online electronics site, too. The retailer is currently testing online sales of used gizmos, including iPods, camcorders and HDTVs. Reportedly, the company made the call to start selling these goods after noticing that many returned items came back in "perfect working order," but it has yet to decide whether it will continue the business. We also heard that refurbished consoles would be up for grabs, but after running a quick search, we came up empty handed. Still, we'd be awfully careful before we ordered, say, a pre-owned iPod, from Target -- you really never know what you're gonna get.
More About: Electronics , Gadgets , Sales , Online , Owned

iriver teases again -- is this the W7 with WiFi and 8GB?
2007-11-22 11:47:00
When iriver teases, our gadget reflexes go all pointy. Mind you, we know absolutely nothing about it except for what you see in that picture. However, there's plenty of speculation on the iriverfans site suggesting that we're looking at the packaging surrounding a new flash player. In fact, South Korea's FCC-equivalent, the MIC, just certified a new W7 iriver player today. W, as in WiFi, with either 4GB or 8GB in tow. Please iriver, just a bit more info before we commit to our gift giving guide?
More About: Tech , Wifi , Iriver

Olympus creates 360-degree HD camera and projector
2007-11-22 11:45:00
Sure, regular HD is nice -- you really get a gander at an anchorman's makeup, and the stars' wrinkles are shocking -- but does it go far enough? Olympus doesn't think so. The camera company -- long known to bring the goods on the picture-takin' end -- has just created the first 360-degree, 1080i camera and projection solution. Utilizing a proprietary system based around an "axisymmetric free-form-surface lens," the camera can shoot video at horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 360-and-50-degrees, respectively; the images can then be projected in the same range by a separate unit. Obviously, you won't see this in the consumer sector any time soon, but it does open some pretty interesting opportunities for installations and security alike.
More About: Camera , Projector , Degree

T-Mobile responds to Vodafone iPhone injunction: $1,500 unlocked iPhones
2007-11-21 14:45:00
T-Mobile just issued a press release in response to Vodafone 's efforts to unravel the iPhone exclusive offering in Germany. In the statement, T-Mobile claims that they will appeal the ruling (they have two weeks to do so) and will continue selling the iPhone unabated. T-Mobile defends the locking strategy as good for consumers who receive preferential data rates and access to T-Mobile hotspots as a result. In addition, T-Mobile says that it will likely claim damages against Vodafone for the mess they're causing. Perhaps T-Mob hasn't noticed all the free press they (and Apple) are receiving? Update: Reuters confirms that T-Mobile will sell the iPhone in Germany unlocked -- that will be the first unlocked iPhone officially available. The catch: it's ?999! That's $1,478 at the current exchange rate for a phone which cost ?399 (with contract) just a few minutes ago. Hackers and unlockers, your services are still required.
More About: Iphone , T Mobile

Everex's $200 gPC back in stock at Wal-Mart
2007-11-21 14:44:00
You've watched, you've waited, you've sent lengthy, shameless requests to Santy Claus... and now your dreams have come true. The gPC, Everex's $200, Linux-based, Google-tinged-OS sportin' machine is once again available at your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart . If you'll recall, the desktop PC (known in good company has the TC2502) was quickly snapped up by shoppers hoping to avoid the wallet-burning prices of typical Windows-equipped offerings. The system, sold without a monitor, includes a 1.5GHz VIA processor, 512MB of RAM, a DVD-ROM / CD-RW optical drive, and an 80GB hard drive. Not to outdo themselves with all these exciting, open source vibes, Everex also offers a Vista-endowed version of the system for $298. Both are available now wherever you get your Chinese-made popcorn.
More About: Wal-Mart , Stock , Back , Wal Mart

Verizon ups its FiOS speeds to 50Mbps, sets the internet on fire
2007-11-21 14:42:00
Not content with blazing up your local connection at 20Mbps downstream and up, Verizon has once again bumped its already-painfully-fast FiOS broadband service into the realm of ridiculous. According to reports, the company is now offering a 30Mbps / 15 Mbps service at $89.95 a month, and the nerve-shattering 50 Mbps / 20 Mbps speed at $139.95. The telecom has also introduced symmetrical connections in all 16 states where it currently offers FiOS service, with a 20Mbps / 20Mbps on the up and down, starting at $64.99. Of course, it's all bleeps and buzzes in our particularly lonely corner of Brooklyn, where we'll have to suffer the indignation of a lowly 10Mbps connection until the big V blesses us with some real speed... you hearing us, dudes?
More About: Internet , Networking , Sets , Fire

Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV limited to 2000 units
2007-11-21 14:41:00
At this point, it's not clear if the interest around Sony's ultra-thin, XEL-1 OLED TV is plain ol' first-gen technology, gawker enthusiasm or valid consumer interest. As such, it's hard to say whether an initial production run of just 2,000 units spread across 700 stores in Japan is going to be a problem or not. However, if you're lucky enough to stumble across this storefront display you'd best not dawdle and dig deep for that ¥200,000 (about $1700 US) MSRP right then and there. As for the rest of us, the chances of that 1,000,000:1 contrast coming to the North America or Europe any time soon is just that, a million to one.
More About: Displays , Units , Limited , Unit

Police Rumbler grabs your attention, rattles your teeth
2007-11-21 14:39:00
Although the Rumbler, conceived and sold by Federal Signal, has been helping cops grab the attention of citizens for a few months, its shock waves are just now getting the publicity they demand. The setup is being installed on patrol cars in locales such as Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and New York, and it serves the purpose of moving crowds / vehicles out of the way when an officer is headed to an emergency. More specifically, Rumbler-equipped rides take advantage of the powerful woofers and amplifier to shake the ground beneath them and get people a-lookin' some 200-feet away. Reportedly, the gizmo is meant to be used "judiciously, in situations where motorists should pull over to make way for the police," and it can also be helpful in grabbing the eyes of deaf drivers who cannot hear the traditional siren. 'Course, you could just load up your ride with a few subs and pop in a low-frequency CD to achieve the same goal, but don't be shocked if your copycatting ways net you an ...
More About: Transportation , Police , Teeth , Attention

Research firm says planned internet capacity upgrades will fall 60% short b
2007-11-21 14:38:00
A new study published by the Nemertes Research Group indicates that demand for bandwidth will outstrip capacity by 2010 -- and that planned infrastructure upgrades will fall some 60-70 percent short of making up the difference. Using a model it claims anticipates the next bandwidth-consuming innovation, Nemertes says that carriers and other infrastructure providers will have to spend at least an additional $42B over the estimated $72B it estimates is currently budgeted to prevent the bandwidth crunch from taking place -- but we're a little unclear on where those numbers are coming from, so don't start running your cable modem on overdrive just yet. Either way, it looks like network scaling is something we'll all be affected by over the next few years -- unless the shame of watching people make fools of themselves on YouTube is finally too much and we move to the beach for good.[Via Physorg]
More About: Internet , Networking , Upgrades , Short