Concrete USB drive reports capacity in weight

Designer Shu-Chun Hsiao created a concrete version that weighs (in grams) exactly the same as the internal capacity.

Report: ATT to offer insurance for iPhones

One of the major complaints customers have with the iPhone and ATT could finally be addressed on June 6, according to The Boy Genius Report.

Artist creates Back to the Future hoverboard — that actually hovers (video)

Don’t expect to ride it on solid ground — much less water — but what you see above is indeed a hoverboard that floats. Using electromagnets embedded in the podium and a laser system to measure its position, artist Nils Guadagnin has managed to keep a familiar-looking pink plank aloft, a full five years and five months before the real deal supposedly sees common use. Give the man a pair of kicks, a car and a flux capacitor, and he’ll be all set. Video after the break.

Continue reading Artist creates Back to the Future hoverboard — that actually hovers (video)

Artist creates Back to the Future hoverboard — that actually hovers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 17:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PC World, Fubiz  |  sourceNils Guadagnin  | Email this | Comments

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:15PM EST!

It was a quiet week in tech news, but we popped the lid off some big things today, so we’ll have plenty to talk about on the podcast — won’t you join us? We’ll be live at 5:15PM EST, but the chat’s open below, so get comfy.

P.S.- And hey, don’t forget that Ustream has Android and iPhone apps if you’re out and about and can’t join in on the Flash-based fun below. Is that deeply ironic today? Yes, it is.

Update: It’s over, but don’t worry if you missed it — the regular podcast post will be up tomorrow.

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:15PM EST! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 16:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad: Yankees say no, minors team says yes

Although the New York Yankees won’t be allowing fans to bring their iPads to ballgames this year, one minor league team has decided to allow them at its ballpark. pOriginally posted at a href=”http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20006311-17.html” class=”origPostedBlog”The Digital Home/a/p

Lenovo kills Skylight OS in favor of Android, U1 Hybrid and Skylight smartbook being shelved

Lenovo’s been awfully quiet about the Skylight smartbook and U1 Hybrid tablet / laptop since it first showed them off at CES, and now we know why: following weeks of rumors that the custom Linux-based Skylight OS wasn’t up to snuff, the company is killing the project entirely in favor of Android. That makes a lot of sense, considering Lenny’s already shipping a Skylight-skinned version of Android on the Snapdragon-based LePhone, but it also means that the Skylight smartbook and U1 demoed to us at CES are done for as well — Lenovo’s statement says the “initial version of the Skylight” is being “shelved” and refers to the U1 as a “concept.”

We spoke to Lenovo for clarification and it sounds like things are in considerable flux at the moment: the company told us it wants to tap into Android’s apps and ecosystem, but it’s invested something like 18-24 months into building Skylight OS products and it’s going to rethink and retool while it transitions to Google’s OS — although the underlying ideas of the Skylight and U1 Hybrid will live on in future devices, neither will come to market as announced. We were also told that Lenovo is now targeting Q4 as a launch date for Android-based devices, so we’ll see what happens — it’ll be a sad day for the gadget world if the U1 fails to live on in some way.

Continue reading Lenovo kills Skylight OS in favor of Android, U1 Hybrid and Skylight smartbook being shelved

Lenovo kills Skylight OS in favor of Android, U1 Hybrid and Skylight smartbook being shelved originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceLaptop  | Email this | Comments

HTC planning an Android tablet for women, TV addicts?

So it seems pretty likely that HTC will give us an Android tablet at some point, although any hard and fast details continue to elude us. Speaking at the Open Mobile Summit, however, HTC’s VP of Europe, Dr. Florian Seiche, did give us a clue as to how things were headed: “Our study found women social networking while watching television was a likely use for tablets.” We have to wonder if this so-called “Facebook and Cougar Town” demographic were what Jobs & Co, had in mind when they decided to go ahead with the iPad. If so, they were wise to keep the information to themselves.

HTC planning an Android tablet for women, TV addicts? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 15:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  sourceThe Inquirer  | Email this | Comments

Which Logitech universal remote is right for you?

There are at least seven different universal remotes in Logitech’s updated line of Harmony models. What’s the difference among them, and which is best for you?

MSI X340 reborn as DIY carbon fiber tablet, watch it stream YouTube at 720p (video)

Tired of touchscreen tablets that lack speed, a usable UI, or support for a certain streaming video format that will go unnamed? As one of our favorite sayings goes, if you want it done right, do it yourself. One Engadget reader took that idea to heart in crafting the 13.4-inch carbon fiber contraption you see above, imbuing it with enough high-end netbook parts to run Windows 7 at a brisk pace and play 720p video on its large, resistive touchscreen. Starting with the guts of an MSI X320, adding an accelerometer and 40GB solid state drive and finally sandwiching a random Chinese digitizer on top, the whole 1.6GHz Atom Z530 machine cost him under $700 in parts. For that price, we’re sure many of you would be happy to follow in his footsteps, but if not, by all means continue complaining to your tablet manufacturer of choice. We have another favorite saying: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Video after the break; Q&A with the creator at our more coverage link.

Continue reading MSI X340 reborn as DIY carbon fiber tablet, watch it stream YouTube at 720p (video)

MSI X340 reborn as DIY carbon fiber tablet, watch it stream YouTube at 720p (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 15:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceCarbon Tablet  | Email this | Comments

MiLi Gives You Power to Go

MiLi.jpg

It’s a problem for our times: running out of juice for your portable devices while you’re away from home. Planning ahead is the only option. Grab yourself a MiLi Power Miracle or Power Crystal external power pack. They’re slender and lightweight, so you can toss one in a bag and forget about it. They’re also available in multiple colors.

The Power Crystal has an extended carabineer loop built into its casing, making it a key chain accessory. Both include a 2,000mAh lithium ion battery, good for doubling the battery life of most devices. Each comes with a multi-lead USB cord and six attachment tips. You can purchase either one for $44.95 from MiLi.