Hasta La Gadget!

Aiming for a larger share of the unemployed-slacker-wasting-time* market, Borders said it would partner with Verizon to allow customers of the 500 or so Borders bookstores free Wi-Fi.

The process is under way, and should be completed by mid-October, according to Borders.

“Re-engaging with customers as a serious bookseller is one of our
strategic priorities,” said Borders Group chief executive officer Ron
Marshall, in a statement. “By offering free Wi-Fi, we are extending the open atmosphere
of exploration that is at the core of every great bookstore experience
and furthering the sense of community we have always fostered at
Borders.”

The deal won’t require Borders customers to sign up for or already be a member of the Verizon network; according to a press release from the company, users will merely be offered a splash screen offering recommendations on new titles, special offers, and the ability to sign up for a Borders rewards card.

*Note: all slackers may not be unemployed.

Even the world's sexiest Prius is still just a Prius.

(Credit: Tommi Kaira)

Apparently, the 2010 Toyota Prius was feeling a bit frumpy and has decided to shake things up with a new look. So, the humble hybrid has gone under the knife of Japanese vehicle modifiers Tommi …

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

You might think you’re hot stuff for carrying around a new Vertu Constellation Ayxta, but this is America, bub — and your blinged-up Nokia has to kick it at the FCC just like everyone else. Of course, without that fancy always-on-call Concierge service and Vertu Select, all you’re really looking at here is a pretty anonymous featurephone wrapped up in high-end garb, but you’re not spending your $10,500 on features here — you’re spending it because you’re too lazy and rich to buy something good.

Filed under: Cellphones

Vertu Constellation Ayxta luxo-flip slums it at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to VholdR, a waterproof case should be available for the ContourHD before the holidays.

(Credit: VholdR)

It figures that the day after we decide to give the VholdR ContourHD wearable camcorder our coveted Editors’ Choice award, that VholdR would go and announce something better. This, dear readers, is what we like to call a “good problem.”

The cleverly named ContourHD1080p takes the standard ContourHD’s 720p HD resolution and bumps it up to–you guessed it–1080p. All of the features that we loved in the original will still be there in the new unit, including the rotating wide-angle lens assembly, the rechargeable lithium ion battery, and the dual frickin’ laser beams.

What’s new is a plethora of additional recording modes. In addition to the original 720p/30 frames per second HD and 480p/60fps SD modes, the ContourHD1080p adds:

• Full HD – 1080p (1,920×1,080 pixels) at 30fps
• Tall HD – 960p (1,280×960 pixels) at 30fps
• Action HD – 720p (1,280×720 pixels) at 60fps

Additionally, with the use of the included Easy Edit software, you can set the contrast (high, medium, or low), metering (center, average, or spot), and exposure (-4 to +4). Its microphone sensitivity can be adjusted as well, which should help to reduce some of the wind noise that we found when testing the standard ContourHD.

So, should you wait for this new model instead of picking up the current ContourHD?

Well, that depends. According to VholdR, the ContourHD1080p is aimed professional videographers, while the standard HD is for enthusiasts. Yet, the ContourHD1080p weighs in at an MSRP of $329.99, only $40 more than the 720p model. However, introducing more options for exposure and metering could confuse casual users and take away from the simple point and shoot nature that so endeared us to the standard ContourHD. We’ll wait and see how the controls pan out before making final judgment.

In the meantime, check out a video of the ContourHD1080p in action after the jump.

…

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

It’s looking more and more likely that Apple will release a 10-inch tablet computer in early 2010.

Even if you’re sick of Apple tablet rumors, we promise you’ll like this one. The latest update comes from a tipster with a solid track record, which reinforces previous reports that Apple will deliver a tablet in early 2010. The tipster also shares details on the rumored product’s specifications.

ILounge, an iPod and iPhone blog, cites a source who claims Apple plans to announce a tablet by Jan. 19, 2010. The tipster claims the tablet will measure 10.7 inches (diagonally) and will run the iPhone operating system.

The tablet will sport a higher resolution than the iPhone or iPod Touch screen: “Expect something like 5-6 times the resolution of an iPod Touch or iPhone screen (720p or thereabouts) and 7 times the touchable surface area,” writes iLounge.

Also, there will be one version equipped with 3G networking and one without. This would make the 3G model a bigger version of the iPhone, and the non-3G tablet a larger iPod Touch.

This particular report raises the likelihood of an Apple tablet landing in stores soon. ILounge says this is the same source who was spot on when leaking details on the fifth-generation iPod Nano prior to its Sept. 9 launch. That same source was also accurate with its description of the fourth-generation iPod Nano before its release.

ILounge’s source also said the tablet would specialize “as a slate-like replacement for books and magazines.” Wired.com in previous months has argued that an Apple tablet would pose a serious threat to the Amazon Kindle as well as the Amazon.com e-book store. We speculated that Apple could integrate an e-book section into the iTunes Store, giving it the potential to shake up the publishing industry.

Are you getting overwhelmed by the flurry of tablet news? We don’t blame you. Here are the rumors that have been echoed by several publications:

• Steve Jobs has had a heavy hand in the tablet’s development.
  Sources: Wall Street Journal, AppleInsider, Barron’s, iLounge
• The Apple tablet will launch in early 2010.
  Sources: AppleInsider, TheLoop, iLounge, Barron’s
• The tablet will look like a larger iPod Touch or iPhone, measuring approximately 10 inches.
  Sources: Gizmodo, AppleInsider, Barron’s, iLounge, InfoTimes
• The tablet will cost between $700 and $900, positioning it between the iPhone/iPod Touch and Apple’s notebooks.
  Sources: Gizmodo, InfoTimes, Barron’s
• The tablet will come in two versions. Gizmodo’s source claims one model will feature a webcam (perhaps for videoconferencing) while the other will focus on education. A camera-equipped tablet would make more sense on the 3G-equipped tablet described by iLounge’s source; likewise, a camera-less version of the tablet could be the non-3G tablet mentioned by iLounge’s source.
  Sources: Gizmodo, iLounge

Have any doubt left in an Apple tablet? We don’t. But there’s so much here that if the tablet turns out to be a media-fabricated illusion, even David Copperfield would be impressed.

See Also:

• Rumor: Apple Tablet Will Feature OLED Screen
• Rumor: $800 Apple Tablet Coming in October
• How an Apple Tablet Could Pit iTunes Against Amazon.com
• Analyst Predicts Apple Will Unleash Touchscreen Tablet Next Year …
• Gallery: Tablet Computing From 1888 to 2010
• Analyst Claims to Have Seen Apple Tablet
• Rumor: 10-Inch Apple Tablet Landing in Early 2010

Photo: Illustration of an imaginary Apple Tablet (vernhart/Flickr)