Hasta La Gadget!

We’ll admit it: we’re jaded. There is so much bad, middling and just okay stuff floating around in the portable speaker universe that we’re tired of even thinking about it. We’ve had our distinct favorite — the Tivoli iPal — for almost 10 years now, and it takes a lot to knock it off its unglamorous, but distinctive, pedestal. And we predict that it will continue to stay there. But newcomer Beacon has a hot little number in a soft-touch red dress that we’re willing to put right next to it on a slightly more diminutive pedestal. The $99, baseball-sized, Bluetooth-packing Phoenix has gotten under our collective skins, and we’d like to tell you why.

Continue reading Beacon Audio Phoenix review: our new favorite portable speaker

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household, Wireless

Beacon Audio Phoenix review: our new favorite portable speaker originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP has been fleshing out its Ultrabook lineup as of late, most recently adding the metal-clad Envy Spectre XT to the mix, but the company is also addressing the lower end of the market with its Sleekbook line, announced back in May. Confusingly, these thin-and-light systems look exactly the same as the new Envy-branded Ultrabooks, except that the Sleekbooks are less expensive — namely because for one reason or another they don’t meet Intel’s Ultrabook guidelines. One such notebook, the Envy Sleekbook 6z, stands apart from the Ultrabook fold with an AMD Trinity APU — a spec that helps keep the starting price nice and low at $600.

That’s not to say that all of HP’s Sleekbooks ditch Intel processors, but given the choice between and AMD- and Intel-based model we quickly chose the former. After all, the 6z is the first Trinity-powered system we’ve had the chance to test, so we were naturally curious to see how it stacks up against recent Ivy Bridge machines — and we imagine you are, too. So without any further ado, let’s get to it.

Continue reading HP Envy Sleekbook 6z review: an inexpensive thin-and-light with AMD innards

HP Envy Sleekbook 6z review: an inexpensive thin-and-light with AMD innards originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tech companies are no strangers to the game of follow the leader — industry imitation is, after all, the sincerest sign of a successful product. In the case of the Galaxy Note, Samsung’s phablet wonder has been enjoying some unexpected popularity in markets abroad and even here in the US. But the company’s ownership of that once-niche category is about to be contested by a surge of copycats, spearheaded by the stylus-toting LG Optimus Vu ($866 unlocked). It should go without saying: this 5-inch not-a-smartphone, not-yet-a-tablet has a steep climb ahead if it wants to oust or even claim equal billing with its successful opponent.

Of course, the Vu isn’t launching an attack on all fronts yet as, right now it’s a Korea-only affair running Android Gingerbread. (It redeems itself somewhat with an LTE radio.) Though the competition is welcome, the duel is not an even one, given the Vu’s unusual mix of internals: a 1,024 x 768 HD-IPS LCD display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, 32GB of non-expandable storage, an ample 2,080mAh battery and a region-specific T-DMB TV tuner. But could that be enough to dethrone the current category king, or at least present a viable alternative? Join us after the break as we crack this rectangular nut and winnow out the marketing noise.

Continue reading LG Optimus Vu review: a 5-inch, pen-enabled phone to take on the Galaxy Note

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

LG Optimus Vu review: a 5-inch, pen-enabled phone to take on the Galaxy Note originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Until recently, Sony’s name has been conspicuously absent on the ever-growing list of Ultrabook makers. Sure, we’ve known about the VAIO T series since CES, when the company teased an unnamed notebook behind glass, but it didn’t get its official reveal until May, when it hit the European market — with last-generation Sandy Bridge processors. That’s no way to make a splash when Ivy Bridge CPUs are now de rigueur for Ultrabooks and mainstream laptops alike.

Luckily, Sony got things right on the US side, releasing the 13-inch VAIO T13 with Ivy Bridge processors in tow. Other than those new chips, the Ultrabook features identical specs to the European model, not to mention the same brushed silver aluminum design. And while the brand is in for a serious game of catchup as it enters an already-crowded market, its VAIO T is priced to compete at $770. Let’s welcome Sony to the Ultrabook game by giving the T13 the full review treatment.

Continue reading Sony VAIO T13 review: the company’s first Ultrabook targets the back-to-school set

Filed under: Laptops

Sony VAIO T13 review: the company’s first Ultrabook targets the back-to-school set originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your girlfriend might be three times a lady, but the Samsung Galaxy S III is four times a smartphone — at least when it comes to the US. Indeed, the manufacturer’s latest flagship device has managed to hit the cellular equivalent of a grand slam stateside, as each of the four national carriers are adding it to their respective smartphone lineups. For the first time since the original Galaxy S series made its debut two years ago, customers won’t have to bother switching carriers just for the privilege of using one of the best devices on the planet.

But there was a rather significant asterisk associated with the original Galaxy S’s reign on American soil: even though all four major networks offered it, none of the carrier-branded iterations used the same name or design as the original model that inspired them. Fast-forward two years to 2012, and it’s a completely different ballgame — the Galaxy S III on each mobile operator bears the same name and design. Hold an AT&T-branded model next to its T-Mobile counterpart, for instance, and you’ll have a rather difficult time telling the two apart. Same with Sprint and Verizon; aside from the logos on the back and a couple other tiny differences, you’re seeing the same exact phone across the board.

Not only has Verizon been waiting in the dugout for its time to step up to the plate, but an untold number of customers undoubtedly have been, too. Given its brand recognition and top-of-the-line features, the Galaxy S III has a shot at becoming the all-star in Big Red’s lineup. So how does Samsung’s new darling hold up on the country’s biggest network? Join us after the seventh inning stretch to find out.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III for Verizon Wireless review

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Samsung Galaxy S III for Verizon Wireless review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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