Hasta La Gadget!

Playing some Sudoku and reading Engadget on our Nook? Yeah, we are! Obviously, after hearing about the Nook 1.3 firmware update this morning, us bookworms nabbed the latest software to check out the added features. The over-the-air update took about a total of ten minutes from start to finish, and when the e-reader had restarted the new Games, Wi-Fi, Audio, and Web shortcuts were more than obvious on the main menu. The browsing experience, which is clearly marked beta, is very similar to that on the Spring Design Alex — you input the address on the touchscreen and an expanded view of whatever site you’re visiting appears on the E-Ink display. You can use the LCD to navigate the page, though the physical page turn buttons work as well, which is actually a nice trick. It isn’t the fastest browsing experience, but it’ll definitely be useful for quickly reading some news or checking the weather when you are near a WiFi network – we got a page not found message over 3G.

As for the Sudoku and chess games, it’s all pretty standard — the boards appear on the E-Ink screen and you use the touchscreen to input numbers or move pieces. We weren’t near a Barnes & Noble to check out the borrow-a-book feature, but the navigation seems to have gotten even snappier since the 1.2 update, and the lower screen is refreshing noticeably faster. Our early verdict? Those Best Buy shoppers are getting a heck of a much better Nook than we did a few months ago.

Barnes & Noble Nook gaming and web browsing impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While she doesn’t have legs like our old buddy Asimo, she rolls about on six wheels and can turn in any direction. Think of the possibilities. Roller disco, for a start.

Gaming on Linux? That’s not something we hear every day just yet, but it looks like the good folks at Valve might be considering a penguin revolution. In one of the latest beta releases of Steam for Mac, Phoronix spotted a mention of the open-source platform in the launcher script, and we were also able to verify this code ourselves. Furthermore, the eagle-eyed Linux blog has previously seen a handful of evidence hinting Linux compatibility for Valve’s Source gaming engine. We’re probably still a ways off from any announcement (if ever) so for now, let’s just leave the guys alone — we don’t want to distract them from bringing the Portal goodness to our Macs now, do we?

Steam for Mac beta reveals possible Linux compatibility in the pipeline, penguins rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acme Made of San Francisco has released two simple but elegant iPad cases, and the names seem to have been borrowed from 1950s gangsters. The Skinny is a sleeve made of StretchShell neoprene. It’s ultra-thin and sleek, the company says, and the material resists spills and stains. An interior screen guard keeps scratches off that precious touch screen. It comes in black or white and sells for $29.99.

The Slick has a bit more going on. It’s a zippered case that includes a compartment for your power cable and other small accessories. It’s also made of StretchShell neoprene (they must have gotten a good deal) and comes in black or white. This one lists for $39.99.

To promote the cases, Acme Made is giving you the chance to win an iPad (the 16GB WiFi-only model). You’ll have to sign up for its newsletter, become a fan on FaceBook, follow the company on Twitter, or spam your Twitter followers.  

Help CNET editors choose the next cell phone Prizefight. Who do you want to see go up against the HTC Droid Incredible? pOriginally posted at a href=”http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20003031-85.html” class=”origPostedBlog”Dialed In/a/p