Hasta La Gadget!

Huawei was right on cue here at CES today, announcing the US version of its IDEOS X5 mid-range Android smartphone. This device uses the same formula as the original IDEOS (also known as the Comet for T-Mobile) and aims to provide a decent product at a competitive price. Although we already knew the specs, this was our chance to play with the IDEOS X5 and gather more information. The phone looks elegant and feels solidly built, with a 3.8-inch WVGA capacitive display behind glass in front and 1500mAh battery behind soft-touch plastics in back, all wrapped in an 11.4mm-thin body. Take a look at the gallery below, and hit the break for additional details and our hands-on video.

Continue reading Huawei IDEOS X5 hands-on (video)

Huawei IDEOS X5 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Memjet: ink-on with the world’s fastest printer

Memjet: ink-on with the world’s fastest printer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not even close to an AR.Drone, but the Orbotix Sphero should find a way to eat up your precious productivity when it hits shelves sometime “later this year.” This 4.3-inch LED-lit sphere connects to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch via Bluetooth, and allows you to remotely control it or change its color… and that’s about it. There are two different input modes — one that uses the built in accelerometers and another joystick mode that utilizes a large virtual circular joystick on-screen. The few minutes we spent with the sphere were mildly entertaining, but the lack of cameras or other sensors makes it kind of pointless. Still, we could see young kids going wild for this and refusing to give you back your iPhone to take a call. Orbotix detailed a game dubbed “QuizTug” in which multiple players connect to the same Sphero and try to “score” while the other player completes a math problem or some other type of question — an interesting idea for sure. Operation definitely took a little bit of getting used to, and we still didn’t have it quite down pat after about five or ten minutes but we’re sure with some practice we’d be shredding the half pipe like our demo dude was. The existence of an open API makes us optimistic for the future of this little guy, especially given the sub-$100 pricetag. Check it out in our hands-on gallery or in the video posted after the break, and let us know what you’d do with this thing in the comments.

Continue reading Orbotix Sphero iOS-controlled toy ball hands-on

Orbotix Sphero iOS-controlled toy ball hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amimon shows off at CES 2011 different solutions where WHDI wireless connectivity help enhance indoor media experience

Originally posted at CES 2011

iRobot’s first attempt at a telepresence robot, a modified Roomba, was a false start, but now they’re back with an all-new bot called AVA which should right all wrongs. The bot can adjust its own height from three feet to five feet tall to meet you at eye level, with a tablet perched on top (this is CES 2011, after all). Its base is an odd three-wheeled configuration for maneuverability, and the robot has DARPA Challenge-style environment mapping to avoid bumping into anything or anybody. For sensors the AVA is using dual Kinect-style PrimeSense sensors, along with laser rangefinders, scanning acoustic sensors, and bump sensors. There’s naturally a microphone and camera for the bot’s primary purpose: video telepresence. What’s more interesting, however, is that iRobot has an apps platform for this, which will allow developers to build new functionality. There’s no word on price or when this will go on sale, but we already know one thing: we want one. Check out some quality time that PC Magazine‘s Lance Ulanoff spent with AVA after the break.

Continue reading iRobot debuts AVA telepresence robot with tablet controls

iRobot debuts AVA telepresence robot with tablet controls originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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