Hasta La Gadget!

Hori is a company that’s no stranger to strapping LCDs to consoles and calling them portable, but for some reason we’re quite smitten with its latest monitor docking station. The HP3-87 doesn’t stray too far from the formula — it adds an 11.6-inch screen to a wraparound structure for your PS3, with stereo speakers, two headphone jacks, and composite or component input options. With a resolution of 1,366 x 768, it’s well suited to handling the 16:9 signal coming out of the do-everything console, although its 500:1 contrast ratio, 7ms response time, and 200 nits of brightness are perhaps a tiny step behind the times. On the other hand, it’s compatible with the Japan-only Torne DTV adapter and it’s officially licensed by Sony itself, so it can’t be too bad, right? All you Tokyo-ites will have until May 27 to decide, when the HP3-87 goes on sale for ¥26,040 ($276). International release plans are not yet disclosed, but if you really need the portability, you could always grab a PS3 laptop from your local online auction house. Which option will be more useful (less useless?) we leave up to you to decide.

PS3 meets Hori LCD dock, good things happen originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s pretty rare that Apple patent applications reveal much more than vague plans and ideas about future devices, but a newly-public filing out of Cupertino just comes right out and states the truth about gaming on touchscreen devices like the iPhone: it can be “somewhat awkward, particularly on a portable electronic device having a touchscreen” because the “user’s fingers block the action.” So what’s the solution? Buttons, dude-man. The patent describes a handheld gaming dock that fits around a “substantial portion” of an iPhone or iPod that has both physical input controls and secondary storage for game information like scores and save data. That’s certainly a nice idea, and one we’d love to see supported by Apple, but we’re also pretty certain this patent doesn’t have much of a chance as written, since we’ve been hearing about this concept since games first hit the App Store and similar products — including a keyboard — are on the market now. We’ll see — like so many of Apple’s patent applications, this one might well just linger on the vine forever.

Apple patent application shocker: games need buttons originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 08:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you’ve been waiting at the edge of your seat for that added codec support and SmartDJ for Zune HD, patient ever since its CES unveiling, and now we’re here to assure you that it’s coming with the next firmware update, version 4.5. We had a chance to preview both SmartDJ and Marketplace access via the AV dock connection this afternoon (video coming soon) — the former being very smooth and easy-to-use, the latter being convenient except for having to input text using the simple remote and an on-screen keyboard. According to Marketing Manager Michael Yaeger, there’s nothing in the cards right now for a new, more text input-friendly remote. While we had his attention, we also asked him about Mac support and international Zune HD releases — neither of which he could answer definitively, but it doesn’t sound hopeful in the near future. As for release date, we couldn’t get anything more specific than within the next few weeks, but at least it’s next on the docket. Press release after the break; so with that out of the way, how about some answers on that 64GB model, eh Microsoft?

Update: Now with a video demonstration, after the break.

Continue reading Zune HD v4.5 firmware ‘coming soon,’ adds SmartDJ, new codecs, and Marketplace access via AV dock (update: video!)

Zune HD v4.5 firmware ‘coming soon,’ adds SmartDJ, new codecs, and Marketplace access via AV dock (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iLuv’s iMM190 App Station dock rolls into availability originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wow, some nice gadget fairy has just made our wish come true! Soon after our Dell Mini 5 impressions post went live, eagle-eyed reader unclepain reported that the phone’s docking station has made a quiet appearance in T3 Greek Edition’s bizarre hands-on video (seriously, we get the “DELLICIOUS” joke, but does that poor bloke really have to stand like that throughout the video?). According to the tiny bit of English we heard, the dock will have HDMI output and a USB port (for connecting to the computer, we presume) on the back. You can also see the short transparent back support when the presenter undocks the phone. Now, bundle this with Mini 5 or throw it à la carte at a reasonable price and we’re sold. Eccentric footage after the break.

[Thanks, unclepain]

Continue reading Dell Mini 5 docking station with HDMI port spotted in bizarre Greek video

Dell Mini 5 docking station with HDMI port spotted in bizarre Greek video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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