Hasta La Gadget!

Interested in what makes your new Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tick? The crew at iFixit certainly is. As is the repair shop’s custom, it just tore down Amazon’s new reader tablet to gauge its repairability as well as look for any surprises. In the case of the revamped Kindle Fire, the fixable design is the main surprise — despite being skinnier than its ancestor, the tablet is easy to open and its components (usually) easy to replace. We’re not as shocked by the choice of hardware makers, which include an LG Display LCD, the expected 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor and Samsung flash memory. Head on over to the source if you’d like to see the nitty gritty of Amazon’s Android slab and possibly save the trouble of a replacement unit down the road.

Filed under: Tablets

Amazon Kindle Fire HD torn down, proves an easy fix originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen a paradoxical trend among carriers determined to get users off their networks as often as possible — they’d rather grant access to sea of public Wi-Fi than push their 3G or 4G networks a step too far. US Cellular isn’t immune to peer pressure and has launched Wi-Fi Now, its own take on streamlining hotspot access. Android phones with the app lurking in the background will automatically latch on to the hotspots run by partners, no sign-in required, as well as factor in both the owner’s home network and other hotspot accounts. Provided you’re a customer, it’s an easy decision to start a download from the source link and alleviate US Cellular’s burden.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

US Cellular’s Wi-Fi Now for Android hops automatically to partner hotspots, saves cellular strain originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 01:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel was fast to promise a port of Jelly Bean to Atom-based smartphones. We were left in the dark as to when that port would be ready, but mobile group general manager Mike Bell has put that to rest for PCWorld with news that the Medfield-native Android 4.1 build is both complete and running on Intel workers’ devices — including his. Before dreaming of Google Now searches on an Orange San Diego, though, we’d warn that the usual delays apply. Bell notes that phone makers and the carriers still need go through the lengthy process of signing off on any upgrades. Existing owners will no doubt find it frustrating to be so close and yet so far, although the limbo at least proves that Intel-based hardware isn’t being held back relative to its competition; ARM-running phone manufacturers are in the same boat.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Intel wraps up Jelly Bean port for Atom smartphones, can’t say when devices get it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You might remember ViewSonic’s slightly strange VCD22 Smart Display from our journey to Computex. If the sight of that 22-inch, Android-based all-in-one desktop set your heart aflutter, you’ll be glad to know the finished version is coming to the US as the VSD220 by mid-to-late October. It’s decidedly less portable what we saw in Taipei this June and strips out the battery we suspect most buyers wouldn’t have used. For better or worse, though, most everything else is the same: while we didn’t expect a change to the TI OMAP 4 processor, the VSD220 will be clinging to Android 4.0 instead of upgrading to Android 4.1 for its trip across the Pacific. The micro-HDMI video input, 1.2-megapixel front camera, microSD slot, three USB ports and Ethernet (yes, Ethernet) do help justify a space on the desk, especially for those who want a secondary display for another mobile device or PC. The VSD220 faces a stiff fight from traditional all-in-ones that don’t always cost much more — but we’ll at least get a price drop to a more palatable $399 in return for our patience.

Continue reading ViewSonic VSD220 Smart Display with Android 4.0 comes to US in October, dips to $399

Filed under: Desktops, Displays

ViewSonic VSD220 Smart Display with Android 4.0 comes to US in October, dips to $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.

Going back to a physical medium isn’t just for vinyl lovers. The Impossible Project (TIP) wants to make our iPhone photos equally concrete through its extra-simple Impossible Instant Lab. Don’t worry about setting up AirPrint or otherwise jumping through software hoops: the Lab captures the screen and prints it to Polaroid-compatible instant film as a keepsake. The design is even collapsible and battery-powered in the event you’d like to hand out hard copies on the spot. It’s no hobbyist effort, either, with a Leica designer and a former Polaroid factory both involved in making the Lab a reality. TIP is planning to move beyond its initial iPhone 4 and 4S support to include future iPhones and, if all goes well, more commonplace Android hardware.

Investing in this Kickstarter project sidesteps novelties like t-shirts in favor of the real product — and provides a very strong incentive to buy early. Backers quick on the trigger can pay as little as $149 for a Lab with a voucher for free film, or about half the $299 retail price. Pay the full cost and you’ll get a special black version with an extra voucher, while $2,000 will provide both a gold edition and a trip to the ex-Polaroid factory in Enschede, The Netherlands. Cameras could be in retro photographers’ hands as soon as February, but only if TIP reaches its $250,000 funding goal by October 8th. If your parents would like a little more than a Facebook photo gallery as a souvenir, or Instagram just isn’t nostalgic enough, you can hit the source link to show support and make the Instant Lab real.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangible

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras

Insert Coin: Impossible Instant Lab makes iPhone photos tangible originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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