Hasta La Gadget!

Looks like retailers might be jumping the gun a bit on the about-to-be-announced BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. Twitter user @bandozer spotted one at a UK Phones4U retailer and managed to snap a pic (after the break), saying that “it looks and feels good,” while our own tipster forwarded us the above image that came from another store. Looks like the only thing that’ll stop the numerous leaks is when RIM finally announces the darned thing — sometime in the next hour or two.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, RIM

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Via: The Verge

Source: @Bandozer (Twitter)

Oh, Carphone Warehouse — it just can’t seem to keep what it knows about the LG / Google Nexus 4 under lock and key. Just days after briefly listing the phone on its website, purported in-store displays for the yet unannounced device have leaked out to Android Authority. While essentially of the details are the same as what we saw last (1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 SoC, 8MP cam, 12-hour talk time rating, etc.), the listing reveals that the “sim-free” phone itself will sell for £390 (about $504) — previously we’d only seen the per-month pricing at £31, which is also found here. There’s no mention of that October 30th sale date this time, and it would seem unlikely now given that Google’s had to indefinitely postpone its NYC-based Android event for the 29th due to hurricane Sandy. For now, you can get more details from the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, LG

Nexus 4 priced at £390 by purported Carphone Warehouse in-store display placard originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So you want the performance of a new-fangled SSD with the extra storage of a good ‘ole HDD? Apple has you covered with Fusion Drive for its new iMac. Unlike existing standalone hybrid drives the company is apparently “fusing” together a separate SSD and HDD with custom software in Mountain Lion. Better yet, the OS and all the pre-installed applications live on the SSD by default, while your documents and media reside on the HDD. This sounds similar to the software RAID functionality in OS X, but cranked to the next level. Stay tuned for details as we find out more.

For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!

Filed under: Desktops, Apple

Apple introduces ‘Fusion Drive’ as a build-to-order option for the new iMac originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well look at this! Our lucky buddies over at Engadget Chinese managed to get an early hands-on with the brand-spanking new PadFone 2 from ASUS. As we mentioned earlier, the bulkiness of the original model is totally gone and we’re still blown away by the combo’s new weight. But first, the phone: in our hands, it really just feels like an enlarged version of the original PadFone, especially with the ripple pattern on the back, as well as the plastic chin at the bottom along with the slightly tapered aluminum bezel. We do love the new and larger Super IPS+ screen, which is much sharper than the old PenTile Super AMOLED display, and it no doubt has better outdoor performance as well. Additionally, the Android soft keys are no longer virtual — you can access them below the screen at any time, and we dig that.

While docking the phone into or pulling it out of the PadFone Station is hardly a challenge, there’s some sort of magic that keeps the phone tucked into the bay no matter how hard our pals shook the tablet upside down (please don’t try this at home) — the geared rubber grip along the two sides of the bay are somehow responsible for this. The back of the PadFone Station has a rubbery texture that’s essentially identical to its predecessor’s, making it just as comfortable to hold, but only time will tell how durable the coating is. Software-wise it’s just as snappy on the tablet as it is on the phone, and we noticed the switch between phone mode and tablet mode is now a tad quicker as well. It’ll probably be easier to see once we have our English hands-on video, so stay tuned.

Update: We’ve finally managed to upload our hands-on video — it’s right after the break. Watch how we kept shaking the PadFone Station upside down and the phone still stayed inside its bay (again, don’t do this at home, kids!). Also, we have a demo of the phone’s Instant Dictionary feature. It’s very handy.

Update 2: We’ve just been informed that the magical grip mechanism in the docking bay took over two years to develop. Nice one, ASUS!

Continue reading ASUS PadFone 2 hands-on in Taipei (updated with video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, ASUS

ASUS PadFone 2 hands-on in Taipei (updated with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 04:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By now, you’re probably familiar with Apple’s latest earbuds. But are they an improvement over their arguably disposable predecessor, you ask? You bet. Still, they’re not going to win out over high-end or even mid-range audio options. That’s to be expected, though — the EarPods do sound better, and, well, they cost 29 bucks and ship with all of the devices Apple announced today. The attractive white ‘buds are packaged in a plastic case that’s quite similar to the enclosure that Apple introduced with its previous-gen step-up set. They’re very lightweight, not that you had any doubts, and appear to be durable enough. The “one size fits all” design worked well in our ears — it wasn’t a snug fit by any means, but we didn’t fear that they’d fall to the ground with the slightest movement.

You’ll net the best performance in quieter settings, considering that they don’t isolate sound like some other options on the market, and if you’re a frequent air traveler or often find yourself working in noisy environments, you’ll probably want to consider other options. That said, folks who don’t need the absolute best or want to save up for a better solution should find these to be sufficient — we didn’t have a chance to do any in-depth testing and analysis, but expect that to come after we’ve had a chance to digest all of today’s new gadgets. For now, you can take a closer look in the hands-on gallery just below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Wearables, Mobile

Apple EarPods hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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