Hasta La Gadget!

Spend yesterday away from the internet? ASUS’ launch of the new PadFone 2 might have passed you by. Fortunately, we live in the internet age, where any action can be reviewed and examined to Zapruder-esque proportions. If you’d like to relive the press conference as if you were there with Jonney Shih in Milan, grab yourself an espresso and catch the footage we’ve tucked after the break.

Continue reading Watch ASUS’ PadFone 2 Milan press conference from the safety of your home (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, ASUS

Watch ASUS’ PadFone 2 Milan press conference from the safety of your home (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft today announced the official details on availability and pricing for their hotly-anticipated Surface tablet. The first model available is the Surface RT, which runs Windows RT, and will initially ship in three configurations.

The 1.5 pound Surface RT tablet comes with a large 10.6″ ClearType HD screen at a 1366×768 resolution, offering 5-point multitouch input. Under the hood is a speedy NVIDIA T30 CPU, with 2GB of RAM. Connectivity is provided via 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (with dual MIMO antennas) and Bluetooth 4.0. It’s got a pair of 720p cameras (front and rear-facing), as well as dual microphones, and stereo speakers. Ports include USB 2.0. a microSDXC card reader, a headphone jack and an HD video output port. Hardware also includes the requisite ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass.

All that’s all loaded into a sexy and durable VaporMG case in dark titanium color, and a built-in kickstand. The OS that comes installed is Windows RT, and it comes pre-loaded with plenty of useful apps, including Mail, Messaging, Word, Power Point, Excel, OneNote, Internet Explorer 10, and apps for media playback, including Xbox Music, Xbox Video, and Xbox Games. Keep in mind that the Office 2013 apps are still a Preview edition, but you’ll be able to download the final Office Home & Student edition down the road. Also, you should know that the big limitation to Windows RT is that you can ONLY install apps downloaded from the Windows Store. If you want to run all your existing Windows desktop apps, you’ll want to wait for the more powerful and expensive (and heavier) Windows 8 Pro Surface, due out “soon”.

The Surface with Windows RT is available in limited quantities for pre-order starting today over at the Microsoft Store, and is priced at $499(USD) for the 32GB version, $599 for a 32GB version with a black Touch Cover keyboard, and $599 for the 64GB version, also with a black Touch Cover. Optional Touch Covers are available in black, white, magenta, cyan or red for $119.99, as well as a $129.99 black version with moving keys for a more tactile feel.

The first Surface RT tablets are expected to start arriving in homes as early as October 26th, and will be available at all U.S. and Canada Microsoft Stores starting on that date as well. Online sales will be available at the same time in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.

When word first started trickling out that Samsung planned to make a mini version of the Galaxy S III, it had the air of plausibility — we’ve heard from many a person about the too-large size of that phone for their hands. Then, a press invitation confirmed that “something small” was in the works, and finally mobile chief JK Shin confirmed that a smartphone of that name would be announced today in Frankfurt, Germany.

Now Samsung’s spilled all the beans, and revealed the new Galaxy S III mini, a slightly paler version of its bigger brother in specs as well as screen size. Our own short time with the phone certainly revealed that its pushing all the same “inspired by nature” buttons of the original Galaxy S III (and the Galaxy Note II), with the same exact rounded pebble shape and layout. The German marketing rep we spoke to said his company’s research found that users wanted the same phone design as the 4.8-inch Galaxy S III, but in a smaller form factor — to more easily fit smaller hands and pockets. Samsung said those folks don’t necessarily need or want the most powerful phone they can get their hands on and are content to have mid-level specs — so the mini carries a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, a 4-inch, WVGA AMOLED screen and 32GB max of memory.

It remains to be seen if those specs will dilute the Galaxy S brand, but in any event, we found the phone certainly doesn’t cramp our regular-sized hands like its older brother can (let alone the Note II), and the comfortable shape of the original works even better in a mini size. The button placement is identical to the larger handset, and the phone will come out of the box with nearly identical Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean functionality — with the added Samsung TouchWiz twist, of course. That includes new niceties like the multi-screen option, and a brief play with the phone shows the same butter factor, even with the lesser dual-core processor. So might this mini-me Galaxy S III model sway you over to the Samsung Galaxy family if you disdain the giant screen of its predecessor? Check out the gallery below to see how the size compares with the rest of the family, and a hands-on video and interview with Samsung Germany rep Mario Winter, both after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III mini pops up, we go hands-on (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S III mini pops up, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can we call October the Month of Metro, even if Microsoft isn’t keen on the idea? Hot on the heels of its Windows 8 invitation, the company is asking us to head out a second time to see a street-inspired OS, inviting us to Windows Phone 8’s formal launch on October 29th in San Francisco. The teaser doesn’t say much about what Microsoft will show, although there’s a real chance we’ll get firmer launch schedules — not to mention more opportunities with the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC Windows Phone 8X than staring lovingly at their home screens. You can be sure that we’ll report back with the full details.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, HTC, Nokia, AT&T

Microsoft continues invitation spree, asks us to attend its Windows Phone 8 launch event on October 29th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, Korea might have beaten the UK to the punch, but England’s carriers are getting Samsung’s latest super-sized phone ahead of the US. As promised, the Galaxy Note II is hitting shelves today at Three UK, O2 and Vodafone. So far, only Three has made the launch official with a press release, but we’re sure O2 and Vodafone will follow in short order. The privilege of running the 5.5-inch monstrosity on Three will cost you €69 up front with either a €34 or €36 a month contract, while pay-as-you-go customers will have to fork over €499. If PR is your thing, it’s awaiting you after the break.

Continue reading Galaxy Note II available in the UK today!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Galaxy Note II available in the UK today! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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