Kindle for Windows Phone 7 goes live

We knew it was coming… and you know what happens to things you know are coming? They eventually come. Case in point: Amazon’s Kindle app for Windows Phone 7, first teased in October and now available to anyone with a WP7 device and a desire to read stuff. Grab it now, if you’re into that sort of thing.

[Thanks, Tiziano]

Kindle for Windows Phone 7 goes live originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charles in charge: Nav system knows how you feel

A Cambridge University professor is developing an emotionally intelligent navigation system that can read your emotions and respond accordingly. This could bode well for road rage.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors

AMD’s already gotten official with its Atom-challenging Fusion processors that promise a whole host of benefits for mobile users — namely 10+ hour battery life and significantly improved GPU performance — but the chipmaker isn’t about to leave its desktop CPUs behind here at CES. The company has also just announced its new 3.6GHz Phenom II X4 975 Black Edition and 2.9GHz Phenom II X6 1065T processors, the former of which is AMD’s fastest quad-core processor to date, while the latter promises to combine high performance with a low 95W TDP (relatively speaking), and AMD’s own Turbo CORE technology. What’s more, unlike the Fusion processors, these are apparently both available immediately, and they’ve already garnered a few early reviews. Hit up the links below to check a few of those out, and head on past the break for the official press release.

Continue reading AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors

AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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QR Code tourist maps revive old town

Out and about in Nippori/Yanaka recently I spotted these transparent QR codes over the top of the usual Tokyo area maps.

The whole sign was covered with a special film and certain key parts of the district were highlighted in squares with a transparent code, scanning which would send you to a site with a detailed route map highlighting how to get there. There were also other QR codes embedded in signs on the pavement near local attractions.

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It is part of a Taitoku scheme to promote Yanaka to sightseers, including foreign tourists. The project was just a month-long experiment and appears to be over for now, though of course it is laudable that the local authorities are trying to make it easier for visitors venturing out of Asakusa, Ginza et al into the labyrinthine warren that is the old streets of Yanaka. However, the codes only worked with NTT DoCoMo phones and surely foreign tourists would not be likely to have that kind of handset.

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A case of their heart being in the right place? Possibly. Certainly, the attitude is there but the results may not be much. The other main target for the scheme is apparently the elderly, who, though it would be patronizing and naive to exclude from projects involving technological tools, nonetheless arguably may not be the most appropriate group for utilizing the codes. In 2011 the organizers hope to expand the trial, so watch this space for more.

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Sony shows off 11.6-inch VAIO laptop with AMD Zacate goodness inside (hands-on)

AMD’s Fusion processors might finally be well and truly official, but all the hardware that will wrap around them hasn’t yet filtered through into public knowledge. One such machine is the above, as yet unnamed, VAIO laptop from Sony. It’s an 11.6-inch machine driven by an E-350 Zacate chip (meaning a dual-core APU running at 1.6GHz) and the particular unit we handled also came with 4GB of RAM, 500GB of HDD storage, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth and that utterly delectable pink lid. Construction felt solid enough, with little to no flex in the keyboard and a sturdy display hinge. This HDMI-equipped laptop also feels pretty light in the hand and is easy enough to hold and to adore with just one hand. The one thing that shocked and disappointed us was that once we unplugged it from the mains, the VAIO offered us a measly three hours and six minutes of autonomous runtime. Before you rush to accusing AMD of over-promising with its Fusion chips, do note that it was running an Internet Explorer-based graphical benchmark, which obviously isn’t your typical usage scenario, as well as Sony’s excessively frugal 3500mAh battery. This thing with a beefier power cell could be a pretty gorgeous lightweight mobile computer, in our opinion, let’s see if Sony decides to give us such an option when it makes it official some time soon. The AMD rep informed us that this and all the other Zacate laptops should be making their way to market in the next six weeks.

Sony shows off 11.6-inch VAIO laptop with AMD Zacate goodness inside (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leadtek AMOR8210 videophone makes US debut at CES

Even though we’re still not convinced we’d ever need a videophone, we’d be remiss if we neglected to tell you that the kids from Leadtek have announced the US launch of the AMOR8210. Already making a pretty big splash in Taiwan, this bad boy features a cordless handset, VoIP and plain ol’ telephone support (via respective RJ45 and RJ11 ports), widgets (including audio and video players) and integration with surveillance and health monitoring devices. Pretty, pretty, pretty good, if you ask us. Interested? PR after the break.

Continue reading Leadtek AMOR8210 videophone makes US debut at CES

Leadtek AMOR8210 videophone makes US debut at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with the Vizio VIA Tablet

Vizio’s Android-based tablet has a trick up its sleeve: an IR blaster that acts as a universal remote. Its 8-inch screen is unique among Android tablets, as well.

Originally posted at CES 2011

Eton Mobius, Soulra 2 and Road Torq hands-on

It seems that whole “solar panel” thing is working out pretty well for Eton, because the emergency radio company’s got a slew of new products that charge with the sun’s rays — not just the angular Raptor, but also a brand-new wireless iPod boombox and an iPhone 4 external battery pack that use the very same tech. The Eton Mobius crams a monocrystal solar panel and an 1800mAh battery into an package just about 20mm thick, which Eton claims not will not only doubles the iPhone 4’s battery life, but lets it run for nearly 20 minutes per hour of direct sunlight exposure. Meanwhile, the Soulra 2 boombox upgrades not only the power of its predecessor with a full eight speakers, but also the rate of charge, with a larger solar panel that lets it juice an internal 2000mAh pack in five hours, and pump out jams for up to eight. Both felt like pretty early prototypes when we gave them a heft, but the Soulra 2 gets fairly loud — enough to hear music over the din of the CES floor, at least. It’s also a heavy one, but comes with a carrying strap and handle.

If you’re bound and determined to have a hand crank on your emergency tool, though, you might want to give Eton’s American Red Cross devices a look — particularly this Road Torq stand-up beacon designed for car troubles. Flip out the combination flashlight / and red LED signal flare, pull out three reflector feet, and it stands up providing fifteen minutes of light for each minute you crank. PR after the break.

Continue reading Eton Mobius, Soulra 2 and Road Torq hands-on

Eton Mobius, Soulra 2 and Road Torq hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seagate reveals 9mm 2.5-inch GoFlex external HDD, third-party GoFlex certification process

CES is just kicking off in earnest tonight in Vegas, and Seagate’s wasting no time in dishing out a smattering of new releases. Up first is the outfit’s slimmest external drive yet: the new, ultrathin GoFlex HDD, which holds a 2.5-inch drive within, but measures just 9mm thick — that’s 38 percent slimmer than the existing GoFlex drive. At least initially, it’ll only be offered in a 320GB model, and the USB 3.0 port ensures that it’ll run laps around your older USB 2.0 model. Mum’s the word on pricing, but you can expect it to ship out this spring. Moving on, there’s a new raft of GoFlex for Mac external drives, which arrive HFS+ formatted and ready to play nice with Time Machine. Each one ships with FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 adapters, but allow for USB 3.0 or eSATA to be used with Windows PCs. The GoFlex for Mac houses a 2.5-inch HDD and will sell for $199.99 (1TB) / $249.99 (1.5TB), while the limited edition of that very product will only be available in a 1TB ($199.99) version. There’s also a GoFlex Pro for Mac, housing a 7200RPM 2.5-inch HDD and costing $149.99 (500GB) or $179.99 (750GB). Wrapping up this collection, there’s a GoFlex for Mac drive that’ll go for $219.99 (2TB) or $279.99 (2TB).

Lastly, and potentially more importantly, Seagate is finally opening up the GoFlex standard that it has been pushing so vigorously of late. As of now, the only products that support the GoFlex platform — which allows various connectors to be attached to your existing HDDs — are Seagate-branded. But today, Seagate’s revealing a Certified GoFlex Storage System that’ll enable third-party vendors to make wares that are also welcome in the family. Here at CES, the company is planning to showcase a line of prototype concept devices, and while we’ve yet to see what exactly those are, we are told that the certification also endorses the soon to be established SATA-IO Universal Storage Module (USM) specification. Better still, a number of other companies (Antec, GIEC, Hi-Sense, Ionics and Thermaltake) are planning to showcase GoFlex-approved gear here at the show, including a TV, a laptop, desktop PC, “plug computer,” DVR and docking station. Needless to say, the possibilities here are near-endless, and we’re definitely looking forward to see just how many odd places a GoFlex adapter ends up.

Update: We just got a look at what the SATA-IO USM modules slots might look built into the likes of a ThermalTake case — spot them immediately below!

Continue reading Seagate reveals 9mm 2.5-inch GoFlex external HDD, third-party GoFlex certification process

Seagate reveals 9mm 2.5-inch GoFlex external HDD, third-party GoFlex certification process originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Liquid Image Xtreme Sport Cam goggles hands-on

When you’re racing down the slopes, scuba-diving somewhere exotic, or zipping around on your motorcycle, the last thing you probably want to think about doing is shooting video. But if you’re the type who just has to capture every adrenaline-pumping moment, Liquid Image has you covered with its new line of camera-equipped goggles. The $349 Scuba camera mask supports depths up to 100 meters, and does stills and video in 720p. The $400 Impact series also does both still and video, but it bumps the resolution up to 1080p. All of these goggles have a microSD slot, as well as buttons along the side for switching between the respective modes. Beware, once you start recording, you’ll no longer be able to tell your friends you’re in the Black Diamond Club when you really just spend all day on the bunny slope. Press release is after the break.

Continue reading Liquid Image Xtreme Sport Cam goggles hands-on

Liquid Image Xtreme Sport Cam goggles hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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