Hasta La Gadget!

Today we’ve got our hands on the HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE from Verizon, a device that’ll be out in stores on the fifth of this month. This device represents HTC’s efforts to bring most of the greatness from the HTC One series over to Verizon for their 4G LTE excellence in a relatively small form factor. You’ve got a 4-inch LCD qHD display – the same one as exists on the HTC One S, coupled with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor from Qualcomm and a price of $149.99 after $50 mail-in rebate – have a peek at it up close below.

This device works with Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and has HTC’s own newest user interface on top, that being Sense 4.0 as well. This device looks and feels rather similar to the HTC Rezound, aka the highest definition smartphone on the market, and comes with its own lovely egg-like shape as well. Have a peek at our full review of the HTC Rezound and come back for a much more compact version of said device here.

Above you’ll see our newest hands-on with the device, our first look having been back earlier this year at CTIA 2012 in New Orleans. Things having changed much since then, this device still looking the same on the inside and outside, with what appears to be no significant software modifications inside either. On another note, the only difference between this and an HTC One device – HTC One S, HTC EVO 4G LTE, HTC One X, is the HTC ImageSense chip.

What you’ve got here is the next in a line of rather successful “Incredible” devices from Verizon’s DROID lineup. With HTC’s addition of the fantastic Snapdragon S4 – the same processor also sitting in the rest of the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S III line, mind you, HTC and Verizon likely have another winner on their hands. Have a peek at the hands-on photos above and below and prepare for a full review this week!

DROID Incredible 4G LTE unboxing and hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s that time of the year when folks in the US of A tend to get a tad bit patriotic. Pretty soon, those of us in the States will be all about grilling and putting back a few hot dogs and / or hamburgers before rushing off to catch some fireworks. We’re looking to keep the spirit alive in our weekly, too. This time around, we offer up a Made in the USA edition with editorials that tackle Nevada’s solar-geothermal hybrid power plant and just how much coin it takes to offer internet in American Samoa — along with a few more stops in between. The Nexus 7 and Nexus Q were revealed at Google I/O and we offer some initial thoughts on the pair of gadgets from the folks in Mountain View. Find yourself jonesin’ for a closer look at that fancy Tesla S? You’re in luck. You’ll find some detail shots of the new $50,000 EV in “Eyes-On” this week. So what are you waiting for? There’s a monster truck on the cover for crying out loud! Dive right in to the latest issue via your download method of choice.

Distro Issue 47 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

Distro Issue 47: Made in the USA edition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did you enjoy our first look at the latest apps being showcased on Miselu‘s Neiro Android-powered synth here at Google I/O 2012? Want more? You’ve come to the right place. As promised here’s an exclusive hands-on with Yamaha’s Vocaloid app demoed by the man behind the technology himself — video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi. We got the chance to play with an early build of the software running on the same 3-octave prototype version of the synth that we last saw at SXSW. The verdict? It works pretty well considering the pre-alpha status of the code. The app features two modes of operation — edit and play — the former letting you type or speak text and map it to an existing melody and the latter allowing you to chose preset sentences and “sing” them with the keyboard. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so take a look at our gallery below and watch our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Yamaha Vocaloid on Miselu Neiro synth: exclusive hands-on at Google I/O 2012 (video)

Yamaha Vocaloid on Miselu Neiro synth: exclusive hands-on at Google I/O 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s an exciting time when two worlds collide, especially for iOS users that have an affection for Google services. The head honchos in Mountain View took to the stage at Moscone West today and announced two programs were going to be made available in the App Store by the end of day: Chrome and Drive. The latter pushed out first, so we decided to give the free app a closer look. Head below for some screenshots and our impressions of the service.

Continue reading Google Drive for iOS hands-on

Google Drive for iOS hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Replacing a house full of switches and dials with a single remote seems a desirable proposition, but less-than-intuitive setup processes and fees that run far into the thousands make a disconnected home the only option for some. Like other home automation system manufacturers, Control4 has a bounty of offerings that can run up pricing into that out-of-reach range, but if you’re looking to adjust audio and video in a single room, the new Starter Kit should get you going for just shy of a grand, including installation. That price includes a HC-250 Controller, which delivers IR control for up to eight components (via splitters connected to the four IR ports on the rear), serial control for up to two receivers or other systems and IP control for an unlimited number of devices. There’s also an SR-250 ZigBee remote in the box, which offers full control through a television interface (HDMI and component outputs can be found on the HC-250’s rear). You can also have full access through a variety of add-ons, including a $999 7-inch in-wall touchscreen with camera, a portable version for the same price, or any Android, iOS or Mac device — access licenses for smartphones, tablets and computers run $199 each, or $499 to cover the entire home.

The Starter Kit can enable control of a single room, which may be fine for some users — to add additional home theater setups you can bring on more HC-250s at $599 a pop. There’s also an option to add ZigBee lighting controls ($129 per switch), ZigBee door locks ($150 to $350) or a door intercom unit with camera ($799). All-in, outfitting a large home can be quite pricey, and the Starter Kit is designed to get folks in the door, rather than to deliver a complete solution. We tested the controller with a TV, audio system, a pair of lights on two zones, the door intercom and a deadbolt, and all performed seamlessly without an hiccups. We also took a look at the intuitive drag-and-drop PC-based interface, which owners can use to change macros and add media. Introducing new components to the rig will require a dealer service call (or remote access, if you’re just trying to loop in something like a NAS to serve up content). The Control4 Starter Kit is available through third-party dealers beginning today, including Magnolia Home Theater in select Best Buy stores (in that case, Geek Squad will handle the install). That sub-$1,000 figure factors in two hours of labor, and may climb a bit higher depending on dealer rates. Still, if you’re just looking to get your feet wet, this seems to be a solid solution. Thumb through the gallery below for a closer look at the components and interface.

Continue reading Control4 delivers home automation Starter Kit for under $1,000 including installation, we go hands-on

Control4 delivers home automation Starter Kit for under $1,000 including installation, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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