Hasta La Gadget!

If you buy any of LG’s latest HDTVs, you’re pretty much assured it’ll have a big sticker saying “Smart TV” somewhere along its fascia assuring you of its internet connectivity and compatibility. But, if you’re still rocking some old school piece of visual tech that isn’t yet past its “watch by” date, you’ll be needing a set-top box of some kind to get on the web without leaving your couch. Naturally, LG would like to be the one to Smarten up your viewing habits there too, and so it’s just unveiled its new ST600 sidekick for older television sets. It adds DLNA connectivity for some wireless media transfer fun, grants access to a “vast range” of premium content as well as local programming, throws in a web browser, and finishes things off with LG’s TV Apps selection. Of course, this is the week of the pre-CES announcement, hence we’ve no pricing to share yet, but the way the company’s talking about it, the ST600 sounds like it might make an aggressive MSRP its standout feature. Sadly, that’s a bit of a distant hope for now as this Upgrader isn’t expected in shops until Q2 2011. Who knows if we’ll even be watching TV by that time?

Continue reading LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader brings DLNA, apps, and a web browser to formerly dumb displays

LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader brings DLNA, apps, and a web browser to formerly dumb displays originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 03:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re guessing we’ll see a more official announcement about these soon enough, but for now we’ll have to make do with some product pages that have quietly turned up on Gigabyte’s website for two new Atom N550-based netbooks: the M1005 and Q2005. As Netbook News notes, the latter of those (pictured above) looks to be remarkably similar to the Jolicloud Jolibook, also based on the same dual-core N550 processor, while the M1005 appears to be a relatively minor update to the company’s M1022 model, right down to the same docking station (check it out after the break). Still no indication of pricing or availability for either of them, but you can find the complete specs for each at the links below.

Continue reading Gigabyte slips out Atom N550-based M1005, Q2005 netbooks

Gigabyte slips out Atom N550-based M1005, Q2005 netbooks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 02:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All signs have been pointing to this release for a few days now, but we’ll admit: we expected Skype to wait until CES next week to pull the covers off what could become its crown jewel service over the coming months. Skype’s official iOS client has finally sprouted the ability to make video calls, allowing iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and fourth-generation iPod touch users to share real-time video amongst each other and users of Skype’s Windows, Mac, and Linux clients along with the ASUS Videophone (obviously, 3GS users won’t have the convenience of a front-facing camera, but they’ll still be able to broadcast video from the rear-facing one). Additionally, you’ll be able to receive video from others if you’re using an iPad or a third-generation iPod touch. The service is free and works over both WiFi and 3G — and considering Skype’s existing PC footprint, we’d argue this stands a very real chance of putting the hurt on FaceTime usage. No word on when Skype will be making video-capable clients available for Android or other mobile platforms, but Skype says that there’ll be “plenty more” announcements in Vegas next week, so we wouldn’t be surprised.

Update: So we just gave 3.0 a spin, calling iPhone-to-iPhone (both WiFi), iPhone-to-desktop (both WiFi), and again iPhone-to-iPhone (both 3G). The first two worked great, although the desktop camera produced better quality. As for the worst-case scenario, 3G-to-3G video calling, well… we wouldn’t recommend it unless absolutely necessary. Video after the break, and be sure to note the battery life — after about 10 minutes of use, we dropped from 66 percent to 61.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Skype video calling for iPhone is official, available now (update: hands-on)

Skype video calling for iPhone is official, available now (update: hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smartphone user? Regardless of platform you have no shortage of navigation options, and now Ford has added another way to get where you’re going — if you’re also an owner of a SYNC TDI-compatible car, anyway. Using the new SYNC Destinations app (available today for iOS and Android, with BlackBerry coming soon) you can more efficiently pre-plan your route. The app lets you pick a destination, view real-time traffic updates, even check out congestion predictions based on weather, time of day, and holidays. It’s a feature that would have been pretty handy last week when we were simultaneously dealing with a heck of a blizzard and a whole lot of people trying to flee their in-laws.

The app will even suggest what time you should leave to avoid the most headaches, a potential boon for those desperately seeking any excuse to hit the road a little early. It is, however, just for planning, sending your route to the car and then disabling the phone’s display when you cross the magic 5mph threshold. It’s safer that way, after all. Full details are in the PR below and if you’re on the lucky two supported platforms with a suitably compatible car you can download today for free.

Continue reading Ford launches SYNC Destinations, the free app for people who go places in cars

Ford launches SYNC Destinations, the free app for people who go places in cars originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did the world’s tech giants just discover they have lawyers on retainer? That’s certainly how it seems, as company after company has decided ’tis the season to target the competition with patent infringement allegations. Sony, the latest, is aiming squarely at LG, claiming that the Korean manufacturer’s violating eight patents with its mobile devices — including the LG Fathom, Xenon, Neon, Remarq, Rumor 2, Lotus Elite and VL600 LTE modem — claiming that these devices transmit variable-bandwidth audio streams, live-preview camera snapshots, hand off cellular calls and more in ways that infringe Sony’s intellectual property. Sony’s now filed both an ITC complaint in an attempt to ban new product shipments from the US, and a lawsuit in federal court that will no doubt seek monetary damages. Now, if recent history is any indication, LG will turn around and smack Sony with a patent stack of its own, and we’ll all go back to dreaming about LG devices we’d actually care to purchase.

Sony files ITC complaint about LG, adds another patent infringement lawsuit to the stack originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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