Hasta La Gadget!

With there now being five (oh yes, five!) Archos Android Internet Tablets on the market, it’s understandably hard to keep ’em all straight, but in our minds the 32 is easy to separate from the rest – it, along with the 28, is more of an Android PMP than anything else. With 3.2 inches of resistive touchscreen, the 32 packs the specs of a typical media player: 8GB of storage, media player software with support for loads of audio and video formats, and a VGA camera. But unlike most, it runs Android 2.1 (2.2 will be a firmware update, we’re told), which adds quite a bit more functionality in terms of applications and web browsing. And it’s also got an accelerometer for playing games. At $150, it seems like a pretty good deal, especially when you consider that it’s cheaper than an iPod Touch or even a Zune HD (depending on where you’re shopping), but there are a few issues that may hold you back from forking over the cash. You’ll want to check out our full review after the break to find out just what those are.

Continue reading Archos 32 Internet Tablet review

Archos 32 Internet Tablet review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The suggestion has been made countless times that manufacturers who customize their devices’ builds of Android (that is to say, nearly all of them) should have the decency to offer users the option of reverting to a completely clean, stock version of the platform if they so choose. The concept came up at a press lunch featuring Google CEO Eric Schmidt last week, and the dude responded with an interesting explanation for why they don’t require that of their partners: “if we were to put those type of restrictions on an open source product, we’d be violating the principle of open source.”

Of course, “the principle of open source” is open to wild differences in interpretation, the source of well over 20 years worth of intense debate in the developer community and the reason why countless types and versions of open source licenses exist (GPL, BSD, MIT, and so on). We’d also argue that the fact that Google is allegedly placing a range of arbitrary restrictions on certified devices (that is, those that feature the Market and other Google apps) gives them the platform they need to impose one more… but hey, Schmidt’s an opinionated guy, and until Android stops growing by leaps and bounds, there’s probably not a great capitalism-inspired argument that can be made here. Peep the video of the luncheon after the break.

Continue reading Google’s Schmidt says requiring stock Android would violate ‘the principle of open source’

Google’s Schmidt says requiring stock Android would violate ‘the principle of open source’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The beloved Roomba: Star of basic cable infomercials. Mechanized vanquisher of dust bunnies. Tormentor and companion of domestic cats throughout the YouTube-iverse. And now, it takes on its most important role: that of beloved 1980s digital pizza pie, Pac-Man.

Despite the campy concept, Roomba Pac-Man is the product of some serious engineering. It utilizes military grade Unmanned Aerial System software to monitor ol’ 2Pac, Blinky, Inky, and the rest of the crew and to alter their behavior accordingly. Pac-Man searches throughout the maze sweeping-up paper “pellets” and is chased by his undead stalkers. When the ghosts get close enough they “chase” him according to a set of rules. Of course, when Pac swiffers up some of those special pellets, the tables are turned and the hunters become the hunted.

It’s actually pretty impressive. But I can’t help but imagine that we’d have a flying car and a cure for the common cold had these guys not spent all this time and dedication on Roomba Pac-Man.

Video after the jump.

Is blogging a right or a privilege? That all depends on where you live, I suppose. It seems that, in Saudi Arabia, the government will soon be regulating all blogging. Arabic language news site Media Note is reporting that the country will require all Web publishers to register their sites with the government–bloggers, forum owners, etc.

The message was related to the press by Abdul Rahman Al-Hazza, a spokesman for the country’s Information and Culture Ministry. According the Al-Hazza, the initiative isn’t an attempt to cut down of free speech in the country. Instead, the government is looking to cut down on “libel and defamation.”

As TechCrunch points out, Saudi Arabia has a history of arresting bloggers and shutting down Twitter accounts with view points that don’t match up with its leadership.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you. The Apple iPad is pinching and zooming its way onto Target shelves starting October 3rd, in both WiFi / 3G and WiFi-only options. Those with a Target credit card can get a five percent discount when the rollout for that special begins October 17th. Is this what you’ve been waiting for? Probably not, but at least you know what to expect on your next expedition to the red-clad retailer.

Update: Press release after the break.

Continue reading Apple iPad officially hits Target shelves October 3rd

Apple iPad officially hits Target shelves October 3rd originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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