Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re at the Shenzhen Metro station any time soon, you’ll unlikely happen across the beautiful, beautiful sight above. The station — which is in Shenzhen just north of Hong Kong — has installed some keyboard art that really speaks to the typist in our souls — we even type in our dreams occasionally. The keys function as seats to relax in while you wait for your train, though why they chose the keys they chose (Enter, M, <, L, P and 😉 is anybody’s guess.

[Via Engadget Chinese]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Giant keyboard art in Shenzhen metro station offers tech-friendly seating originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RAmos definitely isn’t the most respected name in PMPs here in the US, but as of late, it’s done a commendable job of staying relevant… at least on the design front, anyway. The firm’s latest concoction, which goes by RM990 iOne2, is a touchscreen-heavy media player that’s clearly not anorexic. Specs wise, we’re told that it features a 3-inch WQVGA touch panel, haptic feedback, a built-in accelerometer, 4GB of internal storage and support for a whole gaggle of file formats. Not bad for the low, low asking price of just 399 yuan (around $58), but it’s hardly worth a trip to Shanghai.

[Via PMPToday]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

RAmos RM990 iOne2 PMP looks surprisingly desirable originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After having its prototypes rejected a few times over by carriers here in America, it seems that Michael Dell is taking his smartphone initiative overseas. ‘Course, he’ll need something mighty special to outshine Lenovo’s OPhone over in China, but we digress. Hot on the heels of rumors galore, Reuters is reporting that Dell is indeed aiming to launch multiple smartphones in the Chinese market before the dawn of 2010. A pair of analysts have asserted that the firm is working with Chi Mei Communications — an unlisted unit of Taiwan’s Hon Hai — on the hardware front, while China-based Red Office is engineering the operating system. Not surprisingly, spokespeople from these outfits are all remaining mum for the moment, but we are told that the US and Europe are on Dell’s list of next-up launch markets assuming the China rollout goes well.

[Via MobileBurn]

Filed under: Cellphones

Dell to launch smartphones in China by end of year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Wall Street Journal has reported that the electricity grid in the United States has been infiltrated by “cyperspies,” in an attempt to map the infrastructure, leaving behind software that could pose potential threats in times of crisis. Quoting anonymous “current and former” national security officials, the report claims that the spies, hailing from China, Russia, and “other countries” have not attempted to do any damage, but that they could, and that these types of intrusions are on the rise. Officials are of course worried about the potential implications of such penetrations, noting that much of our infrastructure, including nuclear power plants and financial institutions, are at risk. Unfortunately for the WSJ and its Cold War-era headline, the article goes on to state that it’s not really possible to know whether a particular attack is “government sponsored,” or just the work of regular old hackers from those regions running amok in cyberspace. Additionally, spokespeople from the Russian and Chinese Embassies vehemently deny their respective governments involvement in any such work. The Wall Street Journal, of course, fails to point out the most obvious of explanations: it’s aliens.

Update: China has officially responded to the report. From a WSJ blog post:

“The intrusion doesn’t exist at all,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regular press conference. “We hope that the concerned media will prudently deal with some groundless remarks, especially those concerning accusations against China.”

“I have also noticed that the U.S. White House had denied the media reports,” she said.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

U.S. electrical grid penetrated by spies, hackers, or something unfathomably more terrible (update: China responds) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember how last week China Unicom brazenly threw up product images for the iPhone and a few other smartphones, implying that in the very near future it would be providing service to them? Well, funny story: turns out the company’s chairman, Chang Xiaobing, is now saying negotiations are actually still ongoing with Apple and that the two have a good bit of wheeling and dealing left to do. What could they possibly still be discussing? According to Barron’s, the debates focus on two primary issues: a Chinese law banning WiFi use in mobile phones; and Unicom’s insistence on installing its own software on the iPhone, including some sort of *gasp* non-iTunes media player. How long now until these issues are resolved? Barron’s is citing research firm Wedge Partners, who indicates it may not be until the end of the year. Better stick with those gray-market imports, folks.

Read — Negotiations still under way
Read — Barron’s

Filed under: Cellphones

China Unicom still not confirmed as Chinese iPhone provider originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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