Hasta La Gadget!

Steve Jobs and co. showed off all kinds of cool new features during the debut of iOS 5 at WWDC earlier this month. We had the chance to take a few of them for a spin, when we tested the beta build of the mobile operating system, and now that more and more folks have tried their hand at iOS 5, more and more features are getting their turn to shine. Here’s a list of some of the cooler ones we’ve seen in the last few weeks.

• Apple has added the ability to make FaceTime calls over 3G — though rumor has it that this may be a beta-only feature, which carriers can choose to disable, over obvious data usage concerns.
• AirPlay Mirroring has been shown off. The feature lets users display video from an iPad 2 on an HDTV, by way of Apple TV, for those times when you just can’t keep your tablet content to yourself. (Read)
• The new software also offers up the ability to sync 1080p video to iOS 5 devices, opening the door to speculation that future iPads and iPhones may be able to play back content at full 1080p. (Read)
• Like to play your iTunes over your car stereo? Good news, iOS 5 will transfer audio information like album, track, and artist names over Bluetooth. (Read)

[Thanks to everyone who sent in tips]

More iOS 5 features get their moment in the beta testing sun originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Now that HP’s TouchPad has a confirmed July 1st release date, the company’s going to do its darnedest to make sure you’re excited for the slate, and the company’s starting off rather well if you ask us — instead of attempting to find a new anthem, it’s simply showing off what the dual-core tablet actually does. The nine YouTube videos after the break may not be the most exciting things you’ll watch all day, but they certainly do show off the multitasking magic of HP’s card-based operating system. If that’s not nearly enough TouchPad information, though, Geekazine also taped a 37-minute conversation with HP product manager Tim Pettitt, where he reveals that the final TouchPad won’t have a traditional gesture area, but it will recognize the traditional swipe up for opening and closing apps. By the by, all the TouchPad’s accessories have now been priced: you’ll drop $30 for a charger, $50 for the official folding case, $70 for the Bluetooth keyboard, and $80 for the new Touchstone dock. Pricey.

Continue reading HP rolls out the YouTube carpet for TouchPad slate, prices accessories (video)

HP rolls out the YouTube carpet for TouchPad slate, prices accessories (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 02:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink EverythingPre, PreCentral (1), (2)  |  hpcomputers (YouTube), Geekazine, HP  | Email this | Comments

Not ready to take the $250 plunge to snag a pair of Ear Force PX5s, but still want in on Turtle Beach’s preset-powered super hearing? The big boy’s baby brother, the Ear Force PX3, just might scratch your itch. We heard these stereo gaming cans ditched surround sound and Bluetooth support to save buyers a Benjamin, but how does these super-saver specials hold up? We tried them on.

Continue reading Turtle Beach XP500 and PX3 gaming headsets hands-on

Turtle Beach XP500 and PX3 gaming headsets hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Looxcie’s second-gen camera is no better than the first

Remember the Looxcie? It’s a low-resolution, wearable video camera that beams footage to your Android phone or iPhone. Now comes the Looxcie 2, a smaller, lighter version which also comes with a bunch of new attachment options, as well as compatibility with Apple iCloud.

The old Looxcie was ear-mounted, and looked like an oversized Bluetooth earpiece. Now you can also mount it on a bike, a helmet, or anywhere else you might like to record crappy VGA resolution video. The camera can capture up to 10 hours of video and has a two-hour battery life while recording.

But most interesting — and mostly unexplained — is the claim, reported by Slashgear, to be iCloud compatible. ICloud is Apple’s new push-syncing service that keeps app data, music and photos in sync across your iOS devices and computers. Third party developers will be able to use iCloud to push data around, but as far as yesterday’s Apple Keynote went, I remember hearing no mention of video-syncing, doubtless because files would be too big.

Perhaps Looxcie knows something we don’t, and is somehow using the companion iPhone app to sync across your home Wi-Fi network. If this is so, then we can look forward to a whole lot of devices hooking up with our iPhones and iPad in future, and that can only be a good thing.

The Looxcie 2 will be available in a week at $200 for the 8GB model and $180 for the 4GB.

Looxcie 2 press release [PR Newswire via Slashgear]

See Also:

• Looxcie, A Futuristic Wearable Bluetooth Camcorder
• Ear Mounted iPhone Camera Is Like Tivo for Your Life

Would a Droid X by any other name smell as sweet? When we reviewed that phone last year we found it to be a solid performer in a solid chassis. In short: a very good phone. Now it’s back with a new name, or a revised one at least, the Motorola Droid X2 offering the same basic design as its predecessor but packing a lot more heat on the inside — a dual-core dose of Tegra 2, to be specific. Will it tickle your olfactory sensors just like the first X?

Continue reading Droid X2 review

Droid X2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments