Hasta La Gadget!

Indilinx, the company responsible for designing the Barefoot SSD controller, has today agreed to hand its future over to the capable lads and ladies of OCZ Technology in exchange for $32 million in common OCZ stock. The companies have announced a definitive agreement for the chipmaker’s acquisition, which OCZ is performing in order to gobble up a set of 20 yummy patents and patent applications while also expanding its presence in embedded, hybrid storage and industrial markets. Indilinx will continue its current operations, including providing controllers and firmware to other OEMs, and OCZ too will continue to use others’ wares, namedropping its long-term partner SandForce as among the outside companies that will be supplying it with SSD goodies. So it’s business as usual unless and until this partnership spawns some lightning-fast combination of software and hardware that forces us to hear that cursed “exclusive” word again. Ah well, best of luck of luck to them.

Continue reading OCZ buys Indilinx, probably has designs on building its own SSD controllers

OCZ buys Indilinx, probably has designs on building its own SSD controllers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re old enough to have spent any time in an arcade, surely at some point you splurged an extra couple of quarters to play a game in a seat that moved a bit, shook a bit, made some feeble attempt at making you feel like you’re really in the game. Kid’s play, that stuff (quite literally), but just like people don’t stop gaming as they get older so too such motion simulation tech doesn’t have to stay for kiddies. Enter Force Dynamics and enter the 401cr: a full-bore motion simulator that can not only generate over a G of acceleration but can spin you right ’round as many times as you like. We took it for a quite a few spins indeed, plus more than one crash, and we think you’ll want to check them out the video below.

Continue reading Force Dynamics 401cr test drive (video)

Force Dynamics 401cr test drive (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The last rendition we saw of the GAEMS console-carrying case looked more like a giant lunch box than a solution to your portable gaming needs. If you’re still interested in bringing your Xbox 360 on the road, the company has redesigned the case and it now supports the fat and slim versions of the 360 and even the PS3-skinny. What’s new in this compact carrying case is the fact there’s actually room to store the console, controllers and power brick. It comes bundled with a remote, HDMI cable and power supply to power the speakers and LED screen. If you’re road trippin’ any time soon and want this beast, you can save yourself 20 bones by pre-ordering before April 20th and you’ll receive the $300 case come June.

GAEMS Xbox 360 traveling case gets sleek redesign, still won’t help you spell correctly originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can exhale Sonos fans, it’s finally happening. The Sonos Controller for Android is official. After almost a year in development, the free WiFi music remote finally gives Sonos owners control over their whole-home audio system from any Android 2.1 and above device with a screen size of HVGA 320 x 480, WVGA 480 x 800 or WVGA 480 x 854. At least it will when it hits the Market at the end of March. Better yet, it trumps the Sonos iOS controller with music controls mapped directly to the buttons on your Android hardware. As such, you can control the volume of your Sonos system with the physical volume rocker on your Desire Z or use the search button on your Droid X to forage for that certain artist, track, or album. Oh, and the Sonos Controller for Android also supports voice search — take that iOS app. Sorry, Sonos isn’t announcing anything related to an Android tablet-equivalent of the Sonos controller for iPad today as the company is waiting to see how that market develops and which screen sizes and resolutions gain the most traction. Nevertheless, we’ll be getting our first hands-on opportunity of the handset controller at Mobile World Congress next week. So, until then, why not wipe the tears from your $349 Sonos CR200 controller and watch the video preview after the break.

Continue reading Sonos Controller for Android with voice search will blow you away (video)

Sonos Controller for Android with voice search will blow you away (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Great news, channel surfers — Samsung’s Smart Touch Android remote application is now finally available in the Android Marketplace as a free download nearly nine months after originally launching on iOS. If you dropped a hefty quantity of cheddar on a new model C Samsung Internet TV in 2010 (those with older models are out of luck) and can’t wait for your Android handset to assimilate yet another life-task, today could be momentous. We say ‘could’ simply because our CES hands-on with the software wasn’t exactly swell — but then again, a massive trade show floor isn’t exactly the best WiFi testing environment. Currently, the application has an average of four stars from 25 people, but it’s not completely free from a smattering of crash and error reports. Feel free to give it a whirl if you’ve got the necessary gear, and if that match made in couch-potato heaven feeling doesn’t come… well, don’t give up hope, because that dual-sided QWERTY remote could save the day soon.

Continue reading Samsung Smart Touch Android remote app is now available for download

Samsung Smart Touch Android remote app is now available for download originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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