Hasta La Gadget!

Boosted Board isn’t the first powered skateboard to grace these pages, but it is the lightest. In its current prototype form, it weighs just 12 pounds, thanks to a high-end Loaded Vanguard longboard, 2,000W brushless electric motor, 100W/h Lithium polymer battery pack and regenerative braking and drivetrain bits. That hardware will move you along at up to 20mph, provide about six miles of range and tackle up to a 15 percent grade. The company is also evaluating different battery chemistries and cell sizes for folks looking for longer range. We were told that the board is capable of much higher speeds, but it’s been limited for safety reasons. However, that reservoir of power is put to good use when rolling uphill, as the Boosted Board’s got some custom firmware that aims to make cruising up inclines feel the same as riding on flats. Adjusting the speed is accomplished through a custom handheld, thumb-operated throttle that’s still in development.

We got to lay our hands (and feet) on one today in San Francisco, and we spoke with Boosted Board’s builders, too. The board’s lightweight design, with the battery pack and motor components nestled at either end, is quite different from other electric decks we’ve seen with a massive power pack centered underneath. This design is made possible by that power-dense brushless motor, and it allows the Boosted Board to maintain the flexible feel that regular longboarders know and love. For now, the drivetrain and components are left exposed (as you can see in our gallery) but a more integrated design will go to the Kickstarters who pledged the $1,200 needed to get one when they start shipping next May. Folks looking for more info can find it in the source below and the video after the break.

Continue reading Boosted Board electric longboard is lightweight enough to carry, powerful enough to haul riders uphill

Filed under: Transportation

Boosted Board electric longboard is lightweight enough to carry, powerful enough to haul riders uphill originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By now, you’re probably familiar with Apple’s latest earbuds. But are they an improvement over their arguably disposable predecessor, you ask? You bet. Still, they’re not going to win out over high-end or even mid-range audio options. That’s to be expected, though — the EarPods do sound better, and, well, they cost 29 bucks and ship with all of the devices Apple announced today. The attractive white ‘buds are packaged in a plastic case that’s quite similar to the enclosure that Apple introduced with its previous-gen step-up set. They’re very lightweight, not that you had any doubts, and appear to be durable enough. The “one size fits all” design worked well in our ears — it wasn’t a snug fit by any means, but we didn’t fear that they’d fall to the ground with the slightest movement.

You’ll net the best performance in quieter settings, considering that they don’t isolate sound like some other options on the market, and if you’re a frequent air traveler or often find yourself working in noisy environments, you’ll probably want to consider other options. That said, folks who don’t need the absolute best or want to save up for a better solution should find these to be sufficient — we didn’t have a chance to do any in-depth testing and analysis, but expect that to come after we’ve had a chance to digest all of today’s new gadgets. For now, you can take a closer look in the hands-on gallery just below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Wearables, Mobile

Apple EarPods hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s mid-range iPod, the iPod nano, has gone through the most varied evolutionary changes of all the Cupertino media devices. In its 7th-generation, its settled on a combination of the previous model’s touch and earlier versions’ bigger screens, throwing in some slick anodized aluminum and highly polished usability too. Read on for our first impressions!

It’s already shaping up to be our favorite iteration: the short, squat body nestles easily into the palm of the hand, and the touchscreen graphics – though not iOS – are oversized and easy to press with a thumb. We can imagine the nano remaining popular with joggers for that reason, while the integrated Nike+ and pedometer certainly won’t hurt there.

Apple isn’t talking internal specifications, so the exact processor is unclear, but it didn’t struggle with the pared-back interface. You don’t get web browsing or ebook reading, but the touchscreen is bright and the multitouch works with no issues. The Lightning connector and Bluetooth should mean getting media onto the player – and enjoying it off it – are equally problem-free.

The colors remain as eye-catching as ever, and tiny form-factor – while still larger than the clipped version before it – is altogether more useful for those who want to enjoy video. Look for it to drop in October, priced at $149 for the single 16GB option.

7th-gen iPod nano Hands-on is written by Vincent Nguyen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

In its fifth generation, the iPod touch gets even closer to the iPhone, while still carving out its own multimedia niche. Borrowing the new 4-inch Retina display but slotting it into a mere 88g, 6.1mm thick chassis, it’s clear that doing away with the cellular radio has (among other disparities) made for an altogether more comprehensive and capable device. Certainly not one to fall into the iPhone 5′s shadow; read on for our first impressions!

It’s hard to believe how thin Apple can make the iPod touch without also making it feel fragile, but the new matte-finish aluminum casing – in a welcome range of colors now – actually comes across as tougher than ever before. The display is as crisp, bright, and generally beautiful as on the iPhone 5, but if anything its widescreen dimensions are exaggerated and emphasized by the narrow iPod body.

Inside, the Apple A5 chipset is a welcome addition, and now the iPod touch no longer feels like a slumbering compromise. Siri acts as we’ve already seen it, piping up when you double-tap the home button, though you’ll need a WiFi connection because cellular data is reserved for the iPhone. Menus whip through and features like the newly-supported iMovie and iPhoto load with no delay; we were soon shifting around video clips and editing stills, just as we were used to doing on the iPhone 4S.

Those new apps work with the 5-megapixel camera, of course, another new addition. Apple hasn’t stinted on specs there, despite the lower resolution than in recent iPhones, and you get f/2.4, an LED flash, and sapphire crystal protection. The camera strap – which comes bundled, and color-matches the iPod touch itself – seems like a gimmick at first, but a few minutes play with the Panorama mode and you realize that, just as gamers replaced their PSP’s and DSi’s with a 4th-gen iPod touch, photographers are going to increasingly dump their point-and-shoots for the 5th-gen version.

Of course, the 5th-gen touch won’t go into battle alone: Apple will offer the existing, 4th-gen model alongside it still, satisfying a lower price point. But the extra features you get from the new version are, we already believe, definitely worth the extra money.

5th-gen iPod touch Hands-on is written by Vincent Nguyen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Not to be outdone by a refreshed iPod touch (and, let’s face it, a new iPhone), Apple also shot out a 5.4mm-thick iPod nano today — that’s 38 percent thinner than the one it replaces. We just got our hands on the newest, tiniest music player outside of Apple’s product launch today, replete with a 2.5-inch multitouch panel and a familiar Home button. As you’d expect, the enlarged display is hugely beneficial. While there’s no bona fide version of iOS on here, the stripped-down variant seems sufficient for handling media alone. As if the ability to watch widescreen video wasn’t enough, fitness gurus are also apt to take notice — inbuilt support for Nike+ gear, along with Bluetooth, make this one potent device.

The Lightning connector seems to make a lot of sense here, given the dearth of real estate along the bottom, but somehow the company squeezed a big enough battery in here to net some 30 reported hours of battery life. In playing with it, we found screen transitions to be adequately smooth, and video playback was surprisingly enjoyable to watch. The screen is most definitely less stunning than the one on the iPod touch, but at $149, you can bet quite a bit of these end up in stockings this holiday season.

Continue reading 7th-generation iPod nano hands-on!

Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio/Video

7th-generation iPod nano hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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