Nikon D7000 DSLR hands-on

In case you haven’t heard this morning, Nikon’s just lifted the curtains on its 16.2 megapixel D7000 imager for the “social photographer” market, and naturally, we had to get our hands on it. This dual SDXC-wielding DSLR closely resembles the slightly lighter D90, but the little superficial tweaks didn’t escape our eyes: the first thing we noticed was that the continuous shooting option button — previously on right-hand side of the top screen — has been transformed into a secondary dial on the left. We found this to be slightly fiddly as we had to press on a tiny neighboring unlock button to rotate said dial. There’s also a new live view switch and video record button (à la D3100), which are more intuitive than the D90’s configuration. As for ergonomics, the D7000’s grip is also very comparable with the D90’s, except we prefer the latter’s for its longer piece of rubber grip to cover the full length of our right thumb. More after the break.

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Nikon D7000 DSLR hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s 1080p LifeCam Studio review

The 1080p webcam party is just getting started, Logitech kicking things off with the $99 C910 earlier this year, and now things are heating up with Microsoft making its appearance. Today the company is announcing the immediate availability of the $99 Lifecam Studio, an upgraded version of the LifeCam Cinema HD that’s pushing more pixels and a few other nice features, like a threaded receiver for tripod use. Overkill, or is this the webcam you want? Click on through to find out.

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Microsoft’s 1080p LifeCam Studio review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Contour announces 1080p ContourGPS helmetcam, lets friends locate your extreme exploits (video)

Contour announces 1080p ContourGPS helmetcam, lets friends locate your lid-mounted exploits

When it comes to the high-end helmetcam game, GoPro and Contour seem to have the market cornered. Contour was first to bring 1080p to your headgear of choice, and now it’s the first to add GPS in to the mix. (GoBandit started talking about doing the same back in February, but we’re still waiting on that to become a reality.) The $349 ContourGPS still offers the same video specs as the $279 ContourHD 1080p we reviewed this time last year, but now when sharing your videos you can also embed a real-time map view. Read on for more details, and a look at the UI.

Continue reading Contour announces 1080p ContourGPS helmetcam, lets friends locate your extreme exploits (video)

Contour announces 1080p ContourGPS helmetcam, lets friends locate your extreme exploits (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ReadySteady pocket camcorder stabilizer review

What is this strange pendulum hanging below the camcorder? An external battery? Some eccentric fashion accessory from the Far East? Actually, this is the ReadySteady: a camera stabilizer (and potentially a stand) designed for use with various pocket camcorders such as the Flip Mino, Sony Bloggie, Sanyo Xacti (like our HD1010 here) and Kodak PlayTouch. The device really is as simple as it looks — it consists of just a two-part 3.5-ounce aluminum disc and a flexible camera stand, the latter of which can be stored within the disc. Likewise, the instructions are pretty straightforward: simply poke the stand through the disc, screw it into your camcorder, put a grip near your camcorder’s bottom, and then apply some force onto the disc with your other hand (as pictured). Voilà! So, does this $29.99 device work? And is it worth it? Read on to find out — an extensive test video awaits you after the break.

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ReadySteady pocket camcorder stabilizer review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: Best e-reader for school use / PDF viewing?

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Noah, who needs a bit of assistance in making the transition from textbook to e-book. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I have a class that has gone paperless. All of our readings are posted online as PDF scans of books. I have become quite annoyed with having to read these on my computer. So I have thought about purchasing an e-reader. The best choice seems to be a Kindle, but would you recommend a Sony, Nook, or something else instead? My primary interest is great PDF support / viewing. Thanks.”

We know, you’re “too busy” with “classes” to really answer here, but everyone deserves a study break or three. Take a breather and help your fellow student out — it’s just the right thing to do.

Ask Engadget: Best e-reader for school use / PDF viewing? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nyko Wand+ review

Nyko Wand+ review

For demanding gamers, initial excitement upon procuring a Nintendo Wii was quickly dampened by disappointment: the durned Wiimote wasn’t nearly as precise as we’d all hoped it would be. It took a couple of years for Nintendo to step up and fix the issue, releasing the MotionPlus and finally making the Wiimote work for sword-fighting games and the like. But, that left us all stuck with a dongle hanging off the bottom, causing compatibility issues with many early peripherals. The Nyko Wand+ is the solution, putting the MotionPlus right inside a stock-size controller, as it should have been in the first place. In some ways, it’s better than first-party.

Gallery: Nyko Wand+

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Nyko Wand+ review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Motorola’s Droid X?

Last week we gave the Apple loyalists in attendance a chance to rip and rag the iPhone 4, and this time around we’re doing the same for Motorola’s best frienemies. The Droid X is without question the largest Droid in the family today, and calling it a showstopper on Verizon would probably be understating things. Now that it’s been on the market a few months, we’re curious to know how you early adopters like (or dislike) it. Did the massive screen end up being too large for comfort? Anything you’d tweak software-wise? How’s the VZW service been? Might your world change if Android 2.2 ever hits in official fashion? Go on and let us know how you’d alter this behemoth down in comments below — but give it some real thought first, cool? Cool.

How would you change Motorola’s Droid X? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: best screwdriver kit for DIY computer work?

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Calvin, who needs a replacement for his recently broken Switztool 6-piece screwdriver kit. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I’ve always used a Switztool 6-piece screwdriver for my computer work. I love how it retracts all the bits into the screwdriver. But it just bit the dust after a very heavy fall. Just want to know from other fellow readers: what’s the best screwdriver (or kit) out there for DIY computer work and electronics hacking?”

Quite an interesting question, indeed. We’d probably recommend a kit with a 00-sized Philips screwdriver for getting those laptop bolts out from the casing, but desktop-specific ones are certainly allowed. And… go!

Ask Engadget: best screwdriver kit for DIY computer work? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PhoneSuit Primo Battery Cube review

PhoneSuit Primo Battery Cube review

Smartphones are getting ever smarter and batteries ever better, but it seems that the poor things can just never catch up. It’s a thankless, tireless job powering your gadgets, and sometimes those cells need a little help. That’s where external batteries come in to lend a hand, giving your gadget those few precious extra hours of life — enough for you to find your way home after that impromptu third encore sing-along that seemed like it would never end. The $40 Primo Battery Cube from PhoneSuit is one of the latest, a 1,000mAh reserve tank for your thirsty mobile. But is it worth making room in your pocket for? Read on to find out.

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PhoneSuit Primo Battery Cube review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mophie and Intuit partner to create Complete Card Solution for iPhone, try to make Square look square

Mophie and Intuit partner to create Complete Card Solution for iPhone, try to make Square look square

Who knew that credit card processing would be the new hotness for smartphones? The Square mobile payment system has been making waves by letting small businesses receive credit card payment directly on their smartphones. Now, mophie and Intuit are looking to get in on the same action with their Complete Card Solution for iPhone. It’s a $179 package that includes both mophie’s card-swiping phone case and the 3.0 version of Intuit’s GoPayment app. After a quick application users are said to be approved (or, erm, declined) within 15 minutes and can immediately start accepting payments. Full details, including just how much users will be forking over in fees, after the break.

Continue reading Mophie and Intuit partner to create Complete Card Solution for iPhone, try to make Square look square

Mophie and Intuit partner to create Complete Card Solution for iPhone, try to make Square look square originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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