Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve just been told by a trusted source that Nokia will announce a new flagship device dubbed N8 in the middle of next month. That’s not around any major trade shows that we’re aware of, but it is just before the company’s Annual General Meeting in Helsinki — and naturally, it doesn’t hurt their relationship with major investors to have just introduced a killer new device. For what it’s worth, we just saw a leaked photo yesterday morning of a Symbian^3-based phone purporting to be the N8, so this lines up rather nicely, doesn’t it? Announcement certainly doesn’t equate to availability in Nokia’s world, so until we hear otherwise, we’ll assume that Eldar Murtazin’s claim of a September retail launch is likely accurate.

[Image via IT168]

Nokia N8 being announced mid-April originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK VHS sales more than double in 2009, Bill Cosby enjoys the attention originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As we get closer and closer to being run over by a wave of 3D televisions, Blu-ray players, and assorted peripherals, we can start to see more of the details of that oncoming rush. Most recently revealed is the battery life of Sony’s active shutter glasses. As we’ve reported before, Sony is diving face-first into 3D technology for the home and each face that wants to follow along will need a pair of $133 TDG-BR100 or TDG-BR50 glasses perched upon it. Both models will manage 100 hours of active viewing before running dry — less than half the 250 hours Panasonic is pledging for its peepers, but more than double the 40 hours for NVIDIA’s option. 100 hours sounds like a lot, sure, but coming hot on the heels of Nielsen’s 35 hours per week of television report, we’re thinking you’d better keep that recharger nearby.

Sony’s 3D glasses rated at 55 Alice in Wonderland viewings per charge originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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State-owned Telecom Egypt hasn’t been doing well lately, last week announcing 2009 voice call revenues dropped 13 percent from the year prior. It’s not hard to see cheap/free VoIP calling as a primary reason, and so what do you do if you’re a state-run commercial enterprise trying to make a profit? Why, you make the competition illegal of course. Egypt has specifically banned mobile international calls made through VoIP, immediately affecting the country’s three mobile carriers (Vodafone, Mobinil, and Etisalat). However, according to the AFP the law states that “all international calls must pass through state-owned Egypt Telecom,” meaning at-home Skypers would also be out of luck. For its part Skype believes that ” it should be up to consumers, not regulatory authorities, to choose the winners and losers in the communications space.” We’re guessing its customers would agree, but we’re still waiting for their response — damn lag.

Telecom Egypt loses revenue, government helps by banning international VoIP originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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