Hasta La Gadget!

Remember how Microsoft unveiled that whole “Windows 8” thing earlier today? It’s back for more: here at Computex 2011 in Taipei, prototype ARM-based Windows 8 slates and smartbooks are coming out of the woodwork. Foxconn, Wistron and Quanta all unveiled early hardware for the new OS, with chips from Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and NVIDIA powering their live tiles — including NVIDIA’s upcoming Kal-El, which got both a tablet and a super-slim prototype notebook to call its own. Dell’s also got a XPS development station up on stage, which Microsoft used to demo the UI — it’s bulky and ugly as such things are, but it suggests that Dell’s also likely to have a portable Windows 8 machine at some point. For its part, Qualcomm is promising a chip that can instantly wake from sleep, and one of the devices showed that USB host support works fine and dandy. Unfortunately, none of these machines will make their way to market, but it’s nice to know that the OEMs care enough to show their solidarity here.

Update: Video now added after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft reveals ARM-powered Windows 8 prototypes (eyes-on)

Microsoft reveals ARM-powered Windows 8 prototypes (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here’s an interesting idea from a Chinese company called Netcom (not to be confused with the Norwegian operator): adding NFC capability to existing phones via microSD. That’s right, rather than relying on external add-ons that occupy ports, Netcom decided to fit NFC chips plus their antennas onto ordinary microSD cards, yet still managing to cram in up to 8GB of NAND memory at the same time. This sure sounds convenient, but there are some caveats: the first rule is that neither the back cover nor the microSD card holder should be made out of metal; then secondly, we noticed that due to the tiny antenna coil, scanning could become tricky if the reader has a small sensing area — you’d need to position your phone at just the right spot; and lastly, the phone needs a special background app to communicate with the NFC circuitry.

The demo we saw used a Java app running on a Chinese dumbphone, and we were told that Android will be next in line to receive similar support. Alas, consumers won’t be able to pick up one of these cards from the shops, though Netcom’s already working with a “top ten” phone manufacturer on a compatible device due in three to six months, so stay tuned. Hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Netcom shows off microSD card with integrated NFC goodness (video)

Netcom shows off microSD card with integrated NFC goodness (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The eye-catching P220 ultraportable isn’t the only system LG is showcasing at Computex — the Korean manufacturer is also gracing Intel’s booth with the V300, an all-in-one with a few tricks up its sleeve. Not only is that 23-inch display using a beautiful IPS panel (full HD), but it’s even 3D-capable and includes a touchscreen in some versions. Yes, this isn’t your father’s PC. A variety of processors are available including Intel’s Core i7 with room for up to 8 GB of DDR3 RAM. Some models are paired with AMD’s Radeon HD 6650M video card. Blu-ray is an option, and storage maxes out at 750GB. The computer takes some visual cues from Apple’s iMac (the stand), but still manages to have its own personality. The display is quite thin, and while the model we played with didn’t appear to offer the touchscreen option, it did feature a Core i5 CPU. Take a look at the gallery below, and hit the break for our hands-on video and LG’s press release.

Continue reading LG V300 all-in-one hands-on at Computex 2011 (video)

LG V300 all-in-one hands-on at Computex 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The HomePlug Powerline Alliance already wants to tether your entire household to the Internet, and it may soon extend its reach to your garage, as well. At Computex today, the company announced that Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Volkswagen have all agreed to support its HomePlug Green PHY (GP) technology as their EV charging interface of choice. The networking specification would allow electric car owners to link their plug-ins to the Smart Grid via the same ports used to charge their batteries, opening up new, Powerline-based possibilities. Once your EV hooks up to the network, it may be able to conduct system checks in real-time, for instance, or provide instant feedback on performance or the condition of your battery. The low power GP spec will also be interoperable with HomePlug’s forthcoming AV2 spec, though it’s still not clear when we can expect to see Germany’s automakers incorporate it into production. Zip past the break for the full PR.

Continue reading BMW, Porsche, others announce support for HomePlug’s EV networking spec

BMW, Porsche, others announce support for HomePlug’s EV networking spec originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’ll be a little while before Windows Phone 7 Mango phones pop up in the shops, but here at Computex, Acer decided to give us a little tease with a mockup of its upcoming W4 handset. Before you get all excited, though, the hardware specs are pretty yawn-inducing: there’s a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 display of unknown type, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 CPU, up to 8GB of storage, 5 megapixel auto-focus camera, and DLNA support. Hardly anything new here, which is a surprise given that we’re looking at a Mango device — a phone to be shipped with a major WP7 refresh.

Anyhow, you’ll also find the usual radios like 802.11 b/g/n plus Bluetooth 2.1 here, but interestingly enough, it looks like the W4 will be coming in two SKUs: one with HSPA 850 / 1900, and one with HSPA 900 / 2100 — obviously a potential problem for globetrotters. As for look and feel the W4’s well within the comfort zone of Acer’s smartphone ID, and the curved back felt nice and solid in our hands, but we shall save our final judgement for the real deal. When we hear a release date, you’ll know it as soon as we do.

Continue reading Acer W4 Windows Phone Mango handset eyes-on (video)

Acer W4 Windows Phone Mango handset eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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