Aug 08

Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard

Posted in: bluetooth, Panasonic, samsung, sony, Today's Chili

The lack of a universal standard for active shutter 3D glasses became painfully clear during our 3D TV shootout last year, and gave plenty of reasons for buyers to skip the pricey specs altogether. Nine months later we see that LG has jumped onto passive 3D and CEA is playing catch up on the IR glasses problem, but many of the new HDTVs for 2011 are using Bluetooth technology to keep their glasses in sync — again without any promise of cross-manufacturer compatibility. A day late and a few dollars short, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and universal glasses maker XpanD are announcing the “Full HD Glasses Initiative” which should lay down a standard for consumer active shutter glasses to communicate over Bluetooth or IR. The new glasses should be backwards compatible with this year’s TVs, although early adopters from 2010 have no such guarantee. The press release (included after the break) indicates we can expect the new models to arrive in 2012, assuming they haven’t lost more ground to the FPR army and can still convince buyers to even look at 3D by then.

Continue reading Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard

Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 08

Bike Mount for Foxl’s ‘Audiophile’ Portable Speaker

Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, bluetooth, speakers, Today's Chili

Foxl mounted on bike wide shot

I have tried mounting a speaker on my bike, but it never quite seems to work. The closest I cam to success was to tie the JawBone Jambox to my handlebar with a pair of toe-straps, but the Bluetooth connection is rather flaky and the tiny speaker’s sound isn’t up to the noise of city streets.

I am tempted by Foxl’s new Bike Kit Bundle, a bar-mount for the Foxl Hi-Fi speaker. We last saw this speaker — which claims audiophile status thanks to its “twofer” speakers that combine mid-range and tweeter into one unit, and its “bass battery,” which uses the rechargeable li-ion battery as the mass for the subwoofer — back in February.

Now, for an extra $50, you can buy a bar-bracket to put your music front and center in your bike’s “cockpit.” The Foxl-specific mount is supplied with the third-party GN032-AMPS handlebar clamp from Arkon. The product page suggests that the speaker can then be used for phone calls as well as music, although this seems like a terrible idea in terms of safety.

I’m still not sure if in-bike music makes me cool, or a complete dork. What I do know, though, is that I don’t really want yet another piece of plastic bolted to my bike, and neither do I want to wear headphones in city traffic. I guess the hunt will continue.

Foxl Bike Kit Bundle [SoundMatters]

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Aug 04

Nokia N9 countdown page goes live, 49 days to launch?

Posted in: bluetooth, breaking news, BreakingNews, launch, meego, mobile, nfc, nokia, smartphone, teaser, Today's Chili

Google’s powers of awkward PR translation may have been right on the MeeGo-money, judging by this countdown page for the N9. The Swedish site, which just went live today, has begun its 49 days and counting creep to the Gorilla Glass-clad handset’s eventual overseas debut. We’d previously heard whispers of an impending September 15th release pegged for the OEM’s backyard, but we’ll err on the side of Nokia’s official launch clock. Head to the source to watch this tantalizing tease of time ticking by.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Nokia N9 countdown page goes live, 49 days to launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 02

Bluetooth keyboard mod resurrects Morse code, offers a helping click to disabled (video)

Posted in: arduino, bluetooth, hacking, keyboard, mod, modding, Today's Chili, video

Morse code may have been pushed aside in the pursuit of higher-tech cryptography, but the old dits and dahs of yore are now finding a repurposed life helping the disabled. Modding outfit Zunkworks has cobbled together an Arduino hack that pairs a Bluetooth-based, dots and dashes approach with wallet-friendly parts. Using the keyboard’s two inbuilt push-buttons, users’ clicks are decoded by the integrated Arduino and then transmitted via Bluetooth to a nearby computer. And thanks to the mod’s HID profile support, you can also enjoy this access solution on smartphones and tablets — useful for those who can “send code at 25-50 words per minute.” Yeah, that’s definitely not us. Still, we applaud the group’s efforts to make 21st century tech accessible to the handicapped and geek alike. Jump past the break for a video demo of this on / off hackjob.

Continue reading Bluetooth keyboard mod resurrects Morse code, offers a helping click to disabled (video)

Bluetooth keyboard mod resurrects Morse code, offers a helping click to disabled (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 27

Sony officially outs new A, E, and S series Walkmans

Posted in: bluetooth, mp3 player, Mp3Player, sony, Today's Chili

When a company sends a boatload of media players through the FCC, specs and all, it kinds of takes the punch out any official announcement, ya know? Still, it’s nice to finally see Sony’s spate of new Walkman players that we’ve been reading so much about. The company just announced updates to its A, S, and E series of players, all of which have a karaoke mode, language learning function, voice recording, and Sony’s station-creating SensMe feature. At the high-end, you’ve got the stereo Bluetooth-enabled A860, whose 2.8-inch touchscreen has already been splashed across the internets. The more diminutive S760BT has a 2-inch display and also gets Bluetooth, though it claims longer battery life — up to 50 hours of audio playback and up to ten for videos. Rounding out the low end, there’s the E460, which has the same 2-inch screen, but lacks Bluetooth and instead comes in five colors. All three models will go on sale in September, with the A series fetching $179 or $219 for the 8GB and 16GB models, the 8GB S series costing $149, and the E series ranging in price from $79 to $109 for 8GB to 16GB. Full PR after the break.

Gallery: Sony Walkman A, S, and E series

Continue reading Sony officially outs new A, E, and S series Walkmans

Sony officially outs new A, E, and S series Walkmans originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 26

New Sony Walkman pops up on UK retail site

Posted in: bluetooth, leak, mp3 player, Mp3Player, Music, sony, streaming, Today's Chili

The portable cassette players once nearly universally identified as the Walkman may have seen better days, but their spirit is still alive, so far as Sony is concerned. The company is apparently set to release the latest entry in the line, the slick-looking NWZA865B, a 16GB portable media player with wireless file sharing and music streaming capabilities. CNET points out that the device likely won’t have built-in WiFi, due to evidence from the FCC, which does seem to limit the aforementioned streaming options. The 16GB model is also likely one of a number of capacities to be offered, ranging from 8GB to 64GB. The device is available for viewing on UK retailer Play.com with a £150 ($246) price tag and a July 31st release date.

New Sony Walkman pops up on UK retail site originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 26

The New, Awesomer Xbox 360 Headset Doubles As a Legit Bluetooth Headset (But Please Don’t Wear It in Public)

Posted in: accessories, bluetooth, Gadgets, gaming, Microsoft, remote, Today's Chili, top, xbox, xbox 360

The old Xbox 360 headset is gigantic and expensive, considering it only worked with the Xbox 360. The new Xbox 360 headset? Not only is it much, much better promises Senior Director of Xbox Accessories, Zulfi Alam, it’s a Bluetooth headset. More »

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Jul 25

Casio’s Bluetooth 4.0 G-Shock is water and shock-resistant, FCC-approved

Posted in: bluetooth, Today's Chili, watch

The latest G-Shock watch from Casio boasts the usual array of shock and water-resistant claims, and now it can add FCC acceptance to the list, having passed through that government agency’s approval process. So, why did this wristwatch hit the FCC in the first place? Well, the rugged little timekeeper is packing Bluetooth 4.0 in its bag of tricks, which lets the wearable gadget communicate with your smartphone. No word on a release date, but Casio did mention a fairly broad “some time in 2011” window when it was first announced back in March. Here’s hoping that its FCC debut will speed the shock-filled process along.

Casio’s Bluetooth 4.0 G-Shock is water and shock-resistant, FCC-approved originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 21

iFixit tears down new MacBook Air, beholds the miracle of backlighting

Posted in: Apple, bluetooth, keyboard, macbook, macbook air, MacbookAir, teardown, Today's Chili

Warranties be damned, iFixit got its hands on the newly announced MacBook Air and immediately did its thing, digging into the super-thin laptop like a kid at Christmas. Not all that much to see from the outside of the device, save for that new Thunderbolt port and some shiny new keyboard backlighting. Things are a bit different inside, however, including an Intel Core i5 processor, a Bluetooth 4.0 chip, and a general lack of thermal paste. As for putting the thing back together again — the Air scores a four out of ten for repairability, so maybe don’t try this at home.

iFixit tears down new MacBook Air, beholds the miracle of backlighting originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 19

Turtle Beach unveils limited edition Modern Warfare 3 headsets, Simon Riley would’ve approved

Posted in: bluetooth, earphones, game, headset, Today's Chili, Wireless, xbox live, XboxLive
Listen up, soldier. Engadget HQ was dismayed when lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley — along with his skull balaclava and mondo communications headset — saw an arguably unjust demise in Modern Warfare 2. That being said, if he could play the upcoming installment we’d bet it’d be with one of the four limited edition offerings from Turtle Beach and Activision. The headsets all sport the same night vision-esque design, but offer varying specialties. On the front line is the $300 Ear Force Delta; based on the XP500 programmable virtual 7.1 headset, it adds a custom travel-case and MW3 specific sound presets. Next up is the $150 Ear Force Bravo, a variant of the PX3, which offers the same presets as the former in wireless stereo. Following close in formation is the $130 Ear Force Charlie, a take on the PC oriented Z6A; it delivers discrete 5.1 with a grand total of eight drivers. Rounding out the reserves is the $100 Ear Force Foxtrot; a PX21 universal stereo headset that’s also just received a fresh coat of battle paint.

All of the gear will be available in October along with “bonus content,” which gives you time to set aside extra funds for the game’s November 8th release. You’ll find photo-based intel below and more details in the PR past the break. At ease, soldier.

Gallery: Turtle Beach Modern Warfare 3 gaming headsets

Continue reading Turtle Beach unveils limited edition Modern Warfare 3 headsets, Simon Riley would’ve approved

Turtle Beach unveils limited edition Modern Warfare 3 headsets, Simon Riley would’ve approved originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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