The new Xbox 360 is here — we go head-to-head with the 360 Original, PS3 Slim, and Wii

Although we had a chance to play with the new Xbox 360 at E3, that was under Microsoft’s gentle supervision — now that the stealthbox is hitting stores and we’ve got a couple of our own to play with, we’re ready to dive deep and figure out what’s what. In person in the living room, the new 360 isn’t quite as small as you’d think — although it’s definitely thinner and narrower, Microsoft clearly had to jury-rig its big “lift off the old Xbox to reveal the new one” moment at E3, because the new unit is actually a bit deeper by about a half-inch. We’ll forgive them in interests of show business, but just know that you won’t be saving a ton of space with this new version. We also went head-to-head with the OG PS3 and the Slim, as well as the Wii — as you’d expect, the new Xbox 360 is much smaller than the original PS3, noticeably smaller than the Slim, and a hilariously gargantuan monster compared to the Wii. We just did a quick noise comparison video, and we’ve got some early notes, so check it out below!

P.S. Fun note: the older 360 pictured here RROD’d almost immediately after we unboxed the new unit. Karma!

We’re going to be continually updating this post throughout the day, so hit us up with questions and keep checking back!

Continue reading The new Xbox 360 is here — we go head-to-head with the 360 Original, PS3 Slim, and Wii

The new Xbox 360 is here — we go head-to-head with the 360 Original, PS3 Slim, and Wii originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2010: Gaems Makes the Xbox 360 Slightly More Portable

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A portable Xbox 360? Surely this is a job for Ben Heck. A company called Gaems (pronounced “Games”) is looking to get into that racket too–but without ripping out the console’s guts. The company has designed a brief case-like carrying case for Microsoft’s console. Open it up, and you’ve got a playable system, complete with built-in monitor.

The case is still unnamed; a representative from the company told me that it is running a contest to choose a name. The winner gets a final version of the box, complete with an Xbox 360. The product that in the booth was also, apparently, a prototype. I’m told the final version will look much cooler.

Gaems is also reportedly working on a new case for the slimmer version of the console. I’m betting the smaller Xbox will make the company’s life a lot easier, in terms of portability. And the company is looking to create a version with a built-in battery, making for true portability. I remarked that you can’t take this thing camping, but the rep insisted that you could, using the company’s car charger.

The unnamed full-size version is slotted for a fall release.

Nao robots get together to get down, put a ring on it (video)

We’ve seen evidence of the Nao robots’ dancing capabilities in the past, but this gigantic group of them cutting the rug together is off-the-charts impressive. Check out the video below, plus a very special video we made just for you. Because we love you.

[Thanks, Axel]

Continue reading Nao robots get together to get down, put a ring on it (video)

Nao robots get together to get down, put a ring on it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Freebie: Vlingo voice launcher for myTouch 3G Slide

Why is Vlingo giving away its $10 app for free? The company says it feels “sorry” for myTouch 3G Slide owners. Ouch. pOriginally posted at a href=”http://www.cnet.com/8301-19736_1-20008162-251.html” class=”origPostedBlog”Android Atlas/a/p

Phone-charging boots: Walk (a lot) to talk

Twelve hours of stomping in the Orange Power Wellies keeps your feet dry and gives you enough power to charge a phone for an hour.

HTC Aria slipping out early into AT&T stores

Good news, Android fans! HTC’s Aria — arguably the first Google-fied phone on AT&T worth caring about — is seemingly slipping onto carrier floors a few days early. As the story goes, the Sense-equipped, Android 2.1-powered handset was supposed to go on sale this Sunday, but based on these unboxing shots from a giddy tipster, it’s clearly ready to be procured early in some locations. Still unsure if it’s worth your $129.99 on contract? Have a peek at our review right here.

Update: We’re also hearing through the grapevine that these are in stock in certain Best Buy Mobile locations.

[Thanks, Travis]

HTC Aria slipping out early into AT&T stores originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIOlight Says Its Time to Clean Your Cell Phone

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If you’re a “Monkish” sort of person and compulsively clean everything around you, this may not be news. But the rest of us might be in for a big surprise. According to the good folks at VIOlight, the average mobile phone is literally covered in germs and is likely dirtier than any other surface in your home or office, including door knobs and toilet seats. That isn’t too surprising, considering that people carry and use their phones everywhere, including restaurants and even public restrooms.
Their proposed solution to the problem is the company’s new Cell Phone Sanitizer. Launching in October for $49.95, the unit is capable of cleaning mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, flat PDas, small MP3 players, and ear bud headphones in 3 minutes using UV light. The device is powered by three AA batteries and promises to kill 99 percent of germs and bacteria, including E. coli, listeria, salmonella, step, and the H1N1 flu virus.
Just in case this news has caused you to think about the other germ-ridden items you come into contact with every day, VIOlight also offers toothbrush, razor, retainer/denture sanitizers, and a UV wand designed to sanitize multiple surfaces such as computer keyboards and kitchen counters.

USA-Slovenia Stolen Match Proves Why Soccer Needs Tech [Rant]

I’m Spanish. I’ve been watching soccer—football—all my life, and I always wondered why the hell don’t they use technology to solve one of the biggest problems of this game: Referees making bad calls. Like in today’s USA-Slovenia game. More »

Orange begins HD Voice trial in Southern England, leaves out Buckingham Palace

Remember the good news that Orange brought to the UK on our alcohol-fueled New Year’s Eve? We thought so. Anyway, it looks like said fruit company’s still on course to “a new era for UK mobile communications” as it launches HD Voice trial in England today. Lucky participants across Bristol, Reading and Southampton will benefit from “crystal clear” voice calls, courtesy of the wider speech bandwidth — 50-7000 Hz as opposed to the current 300-3400 Hz. Sadly, Orange isn’t keen on dishing out deets about the special hardware, but our friends over at What Mobile had the chance to play with a modified Nokia X6 from yesterday’s demo — “It was like listening to AM radio and then switching over to listen to a CD.” If all goes well, we’ll meet the rest of the gang when HD Voice is rolled out “before the end of the summer.” Press release after the break.

Continue reading Orange begins HD Voice trial in Southern England, leaves out Buckingham Palace

Orange begins HD Voice trial in Southern England, leaves out Buckingham Palace originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst: iPhone Sales to Surpass 100 Million by 2011

Apple said during its iPhone 4 keynote last week that 100 million iOS devices have already been sold, and that includes the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. As if that’s not enough, the iPhone itself is expected to hit nine digits by the end of 2011, a Wall Street analyst estimates.

“We see the iPhone installed base rising from approximately 30 million subscribers at the end of 2009 to over 100 million by the end of 2011,” said Katy Huberty, a Morgan Stanley analyst.

Why the spike in sales? Upgrades, says Huberty. That’s plausible analysis, because Apple’s upcoming iOS 4 will only fully support Apple’s newer iOS devices. The original iPhone can’t run the OS at all, and the iPhone 3G won’t be able to use iOS 4’s highlight feature, multitasking. If you own the first iPhone, the major minus is not being able to use new apps made for iOS 4, so an upgrade almost seems necessary.

Plus, Apple’s iPhone 4 is the most compelling upgrade for the handset yet. With double the memory capacity of older iOS devices, a faster processor, a higher-resolution screen and a front-facing camera and a brandnew glass body, the iPhone 4 already makes last year’s iPhone 3GS look like an iThing of the past.

Via InformationWeek

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