Aug 31
Exuberant yellow Pokemon mascot brings its cheerful countenance to game systems.
Aug 31
Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today
Posted in: palm, sdk, Today's Chili, webos
Palm fans, get your party hats on. Today the company is announcing the beta release of its SDK for webOS 2.0, which means we’re getting dangerously close to a proper 2.0 release for devices. And who knows… maybe the phone-maker will decide to throw a new device our way to go along with the OS. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Starting tomorrow, a select (though rather wide, says Palm) group of developers will be able to start toying around with the latest and greatest SDK for the company’s mobile operating system, and it looks like the new software brings some tasty morsels to the table that you’re definitely going to want to chow down on. We got the scoop directly from Palm on just exactly what kind of changes you’ll be seeing in the first version of 2.0, and we’ve rounded them up in a neatly digestible form below, so read on after the break and get the full story.
Continue reading Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today
Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Aug 31
Palm WebOS 2.0: Now This Is Multitasking [Palm]
Posted in: HP, palm, palm pre, pre, Smartphones, Today's Chili, top, webos
Aug 31
Ever wonder if Staples is going to have to change its name at some point? Surely some time in the not-too-distant future, actual staples will be a relic of the way people published, once upon a time. Maybe a company-wide abbreviation will be in order. How about S-ples? Or Stapes? The latter, according to Wikipedia is “the stirrup-shaped small bone or ossicle in the middle ear.” You guys can work with that, right? Maybe build an ad campaign around it?
I bring all of this up because, for a company that makes as much as it does selling paper product and the like, Staples has always had an eye on technology. In fact, the office supply mega chain has just inked a deal with Amazon to begin stocking Kindles. The store is set to carry three models–the Wi-Fi-only, the 3G, and the Kindle DX.
Staples is the second major retailer to carry the eBook reader. Target began carrying the device earlier this year. Borders and Barnes & Noble, of course, are focused on their own readers, the Kobo and Nook, the latter of which is also available in Best Buy stores.
Aug 31
Sprint expands Common Cents service
Posted in: Today's ChiliSprint expands its low-cost Common Cents service to 500 more Wal-Mart Stores. pOriginally posted at a href=”http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20015194-85.html” class=”origPostedBlog”Dialed In/a/p
Aug 31
Any hot new tech trend is bound to receive its share of criticism, and 3D has gotten plenty from the perspectives of both content and execution. Chief among these complaints has to be the claimed necessity of glasses. Glasses get lost, get scratched, get broken.
Nintendo deservedly made waves with its unveiling of the 3DS at this year’s E3. The portable console offered a 3D effect without requiring glasses. It just made sense. After all, the more portable the device, the more of a nuisance glasses become. Leaving a few pairs in your living room is one thing, having to carry them on your person at all times is just ridiculous.
Korea-based gadget manufacturer i-Station isn’t going to let a little thing like basic convenience get in its way, however. The company has introduced the Z3D, a seven inch Android tablet features a 3D effect that can only viewed through glasses.
If that’s not enough to turn you off, however, you can pick one up for around $500. The device also features 1080p video support, Android 2.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and either 32- or 64GB of storage.
Aug 31
DARPA’s Transformer TX ‘flying Humvee’ project gets off the ground
Posted in: Today's Chili, Transportation, wargadget
Sometimes it feels like the Military-Industrial Complex only exists to keep us entertained with tales of laser weapons and robots that eat enemy combatants — not that we’d complain if it did! And for today’s fantastical wargadget, we have nothing less than a flying Humvee. The Transformer TX project calls for four-man vehicle that drives like a jeep and then takes off to avoid roadside bombs (or impress the ladies). While DARPA has yet to say who will be awarded with the contract for the conceptual design stage of the project, Popular Mechanics has done some digging and it looks like Lockheed Martin and AAI Corp are both on the short list. While the former has declined to talk about its offering, AAI’s incorporates something called “slowed-rotor / compound,” where a rotor provides lift on takeoff, and when it achieves a certain speed wings take over. We’ll be waiting for our review unit, but in the meantime you can get a closer look after the break.
Continue reading DARPA’s Transformer TX ‘flying Humvee’ project gets off the ground
DARPA’s Transformer TX ‘flying Humvee’ project gets off the ground originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug 31
New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9
Posted in: breaking news, BreakingNews, controller, Today's Chili, video, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360
Hey, what’s this? We just started hearing rumors this morning that Microsoft was planning a new Xbox 360 controller with an improved D-pad, and bang — Major Nelson just went live with a YouTube video detailing the new piece. The new D-pad is a trick new patented design that’s just as we heard from Joystiq: it’s a disc in the normal configuration, but a quick twist raises the crossbars about a quarter-inch, making it eminently more usable. (That sound you hear is joyous weeping.) The analog sticks have also been tweaked to be slightly more concave, and — wonder of wonders — the ABXY buttons are now translucent monochrome instead of colored. Wild. The new matte silver controller will only come bundled with the Play and Charge kit for $64.99 when it launches on November 9 in the States and replaces the existing wireless controller — it’ll hit Europe around February. Yep, it definitely seems like a major upgrade, but we’ve got a couple questions: when will it replace the packed-in controller? What about all the people who just bought new Stealthboxes and got the older controller? And, most importantly, when can we have one to try out? We’re pressing for answers and we’ll let you know — check the video after the break in the meantime.
[Thanks, Bill]
Continue reading New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9
New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aug 31
Little Death Ray, from Lady Clankington's Cabinet of Carnal Curiosities
It’s hard to know exactly what devices women used to get off by themselves before the Industrial Revolution. But it’s only right that we commemorate the inauguration of the electric age by returning to the Victorian era and making over our joybuzzers to match. Hence Lady Clankington’s Cabinet of Carnal Curiosities, a new steampunk-themed set of sex toys, just in time for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s forthcoming comedy Hysteria, about the invention of the modern vibrator.
Nothing on Lady Clankington’s site breaks character for a moment. (Except, just maybe, the FAQs.) It’s an experiment in genre-fiction-as-retail:
Due to her voracious desire for endless … adventure, her husband (an industrialist of some note) expired from exhaustion long ago. In a fit of frustration, Lady Clankington employed the genius of one Dr. Visbaun to create a cadre of strapping automatons that would finally grant her the only company able to keep up with her unending desire … for adventure…. Each design has been well tested by the lady, herself.
You can actually purchase these curiosities from the site, each of which comes with a “certificate of authenticity.” Each design will be limited to a run of 100 numbered pieces, the site says.
The testimonials are also a must-read. This one is from “Baron Pudgy Müdphlappes”:
The Baroness always felt terribly insecure during my long voyages to study the courting rituals of aboriginal tribes in various far-off lands. I thought she might feel safer with a little protection, so I ordered one of Lady Clankington’s Little Death Rays! Now she feels so safe and secure, she quite often sends me telegrams saying I needn’t bother coming home at all! Thank you Lady Clankington for freeing me up to do my life’s work!
I do have to complain, though, on behalf of us gents. Buying the vibrator and then walking away is sooooo vanilla. (Even if it is sooooo Victorian.) With real steampunk, everyone gets to play together.
Aug 31
Engadget’s back to school guide: Televisions
Posted in: hdtv, LCD, LED, Panasonic, plasma, samsung, Television, Today's Chili, Toshiba, vizio, wifiWelcome to Engadget’s Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we’re here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have HDTVs in our sights — and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month.
All those small screen devices in our back to school guide so far are nice, but lets face it, when it comes to watching TV or taking a quick Call of duty study break, you’re going to need something more sizable. Higher end features like 1080p resolution, 120Hz and LED lighting have trickled down to more affordable price ranges so there’s really no excuse for lugging a CRT as old as you are into any dorm room this fall. Whether you’re looking something that pulls double duty as a computer monitor for work and HDTV for play (at the same time) or just the biggest screen for the buck there’s plenty to choose from, so let’s select a few winners from the crowd.
Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide: Televisions
Engadget’s back to school guide: Televisions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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