Aug 07

Verizon’s HTC Whitestone leaks out, along with the HTC Mega and Tachi

Posted in: HTC, leak, leaks, rumor, rumors, Today's Chili, verizon, Windows Mobile, windows mobile 6.5, WindowsMobile, WindowsMobile6.5, winmo

We’ve been hearing about Verizon’s upcoming HTC Whitestone for a while now, and it looks like a new pic and specs for the upcoming dual-mode CDMA / GSM Touch Diamond2 variant have leaked out. Seems like a mixed bag — the revised case with a larger 3.6-inch WVGA display is impressive, but inside you’re looking at Windows Mobile 6.1 running on a 528MHz Qualcomm processor with 256MB of RAM, so you’ve certainly lived through this experience before. That’s pretty much the same case with the HTC Mega, which also leaked today: although it’ll ship with WinMo 6.5 and that hot new version of TouchFLO 2D, it’s a lower-end device with a 2.8-inch QVGA display, a three megapixel camera and yet another 528MHz Qualcomm proc with 256MB of RAM running the show. Oh, and just to round things out, there’s a pic of the Dopod-branded HTC Tachi, which probably means this one’s headed for China. Always nice to put a face to a name, though isn’t it? Pics of the Mega and Tachi at the read link.

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Verizon’s HTC Whitestone leaks out, along with the HTC Mega and Tachi originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 07

Inventec Rainbow marries traditional good looks with a Tegra heart of gold

Posted in: in the wild, InTheWild, NVIDIA, tegra, Today's Chili

Unlike Mobinnova’s slightly “edgier” take on the “smartbook,” Inventec’s new Rainbow device is decidedly more netbook-ey in the looks department. Specs are nothing new, of course, with an NVIDIA Tegra 600 chip, 256MB of RAM, 256MB of flash memory, 10-inch 1024 x 576 screen and Windows CE 6.0 (which has been outfitted with Firefox for the occasion, along with other NVIDIA-prepped apps). We’re happy to see an edge to edge keyboard here, and despite the low-end specs, it’s still nice to know this little number will be capable of nabbing 3G data (HSPA or EV-DO), GPS and DTV. Rainbow can purportedly handle 6 hours of continuous 720p playback, stream video over 3G for 4 hours, and is rated at a rather silly 240 hours of “standby.” We’re not exactly sure when the Rainbow is supposed to start shipping, but if none of this is striking your fancy, there’s always Rainbow 2, which is supposed to hit in the first half of next year.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

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Inventec Rainbow marries traditional good looks with a Tegra heart of gold originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 07

Eee PCs rumored to ship with Moblin in October, Chrome OS on the horizon

Posted in: ASUS, chrome os, ChromeOs, Google, intel, Linux, netbook, operating system, OperatingSystem, Today's Chili, ultraportable

How about a minor spy story to kick-start your weekend? According to our man Sascha at netbooknews.de, a “safe source” who shall remain nameless but who most certainly has ties to Stasi (or, at the very least, owns a trench coat) has divulged some choice nuggets: The first Eee PC pre-installed with the open source OS will hit the market in October, and the company is currently considering the possibility of making this an option for all its notebooks at some point in the near future. And if that weren’t enough to stoke your dreams of an Operating System Renaissance, the company is also reportedly working “closely together” with Google to deploy the Chrome OS on its machines at some point in the not-too-distant future. All rumors and innuendo, sure, but interesting — and, as we’ve seen the company play with Moblin in the past, certainly not a shocker. As always, we’ll keep our ears to the ground, and we’ll keep you posted.

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Eee PCs rumored to ship with Moblin in October, Chrome OS on the horizon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 07

ChefStack automatic pancake machine — for all your pancake party needs

Posted in: Today's Chili

Remember the last time you made pancakes? No? Well, let us remind you: it ended in sadness and confusion because you simply couldn’t crank out the insane volume of pancakes you wanted / needed. Well, the ChefStack is here to help. It’s a giant, automated machine with internal rollers, and its entire purpose is to do nothing but make pancakes (roughly 200 per hour). Using pre-filled bags of batter, this dude does all the work while you site by, and apparently it’s also a breeze to clean too, though we find that a bit hard to believe. Now — do you need a machine that makes nothing but pancakes? Are the pancakes any good? Hard to say — but this device, which seems to be targeted at restaurants, will run you about $3,500 if you really want to get your hands on one.

[Via SlashGear]

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ChefStack automatic pancake machine — for all your pancake party needs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 07

Lenovo IdeaPad U350 review roundup

Posted in: lenovo, review, roundup, Today's Chili, ultraportable
Lenovo IdeaPad U350 review roundup
If you have laptop needs but only a netbook-sized cavity in your carry-on, you need one of the growing number of notebooks that slot in between the eee-clones and pricey ultraportables. Lenovo’s IdeaPad U350 is the latest, a svelte, 13.3-inch machine with a funky rubberized back and sophisticated design. It’s been hitting test benches at various places and is getting good but not quite great reviews. Laptop Magazine loved the design and the $679 starting price, but found battery life (3.5 hours) to be disappointing. Computer Shopper was a bit more positive, knocking its performance but calling the system “feather-light” and its 1,366 x 768 screen “gorgeous.” Finally, StarkSilverCreek‘s review is the least flattering, including concerns about excessive heat and a system fan that hardly ever turned off. Overall it seems like a decent choice if you don’t mind a warm lap and can’t quite swing a T400s, but if you’re looking for alternatives perhaps you’d be interested in a Timeline 8000 or the like.

Read – Laptop Magazine
Read – Computer Shopper
Read – StarkSilverCreek

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Lenovo IdeaPad U350 review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 07

Under Pressure: Microsofts Prototype Keyboard Re-thinks Typing

Posted in: keyboard, Today's Chili

I’m a keyboard slammer. When I’m typing, this poor QWERTY board gets no love. A new prototype keyboard from Microsoft is looking to take advantage of the kind of pressure we put out keyboards under. The device’s keys can register eight different levels of pressure.

Gaming is one of the clear applications for such a device, letting users better control their on-screen counterparts, with a push of a button. It can also help omit mistakes whilst typing.

No word on if–or when–such a device might come to market.

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Aug 07

Ford Trucks Offer GPS, In-Dash Computer, Web Access for $1,195

Posted in: bluetooth, Today's Chili

IMG_6478.JPG

 Say you manage a construction site and need a rugged laptop computer. Rather than spend $3,000-$5,000 for a ruggedized laptop computer and locking pedestal stand for your pickup truck, Ford offers an in-dash computer with Internet access and wireless keyboard for $1,195. “I bet it’s the first time you’ve ever seen Google running on the dashboard of a vehicle,” says Bill Frykman, Ford Work Solutions business development manager. The package also includes remote access, Bluetooth, and Garmin-developed navigation – in other words, a Happy Meal of Technology for less than the cost of integrated in-dash navigation alone. This Ford Work Solutions system is available on Ford F-Series pickups, E-Series (Econoline) vans, and the Ford Transit Connect mini delivery van. The only downsides are that you can’t have Ford Sync, the industry-leading music and Bluetooth system, and the screen seems small for doing serious work. Ford says the center-dash location precludes a bigger screen, at least for now.

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Aug 07

Its 5 OClock. Do You Know Where Your Tools Are?

Posted in: Today's Chili

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Ford trucks now keep a running tally of what construction tools are back on board and which may have been left on the job site. It’s part of Tool Link, a $1,120 RFID tag option for Ford trucks. That sounds like a lot until you leave a $1,000 sliding compound miter saw on the job site overnight and it’s not there in the morning. Ford developed Tool Link with DeWalt. You get a 50 ID tags (in DeWalt yellow, of course) that you apply to tools, an RFID scanner and software for creating a database, and two RFID antennas that go in the truck bed and monitor what’s onboard and what’s missing. You monitor the tool status via the Ford In-Dash Computer. One button press brings up a screen that shows what’s missing that you had on board earlier in the day.

While it’s meant for construction tools, there’s no reason it couldn’t be used, say photo or video equipment. A carbon fiber tripod can cost $500-$1,000, a pro’s digital camera or HD camcorder many times that. You don’t think anyone could be so stupid as to leave a digital camera on the work site, when you bring two or three, those things can happen.

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Aug 07

OpenChord allows actual guitars to play Guitar Hero, sound atrocious

Posted in: controller, guitar, hack, mod, Music, nintendo wii, NintendoWii, Today's Chili, wii

You’ve heard that saying “so close, yet so far away,” right? This, folks, is why that very quote exists. The obviously brilliant team over at OpenChord has designed a system that enables an honest-to-goodness guitar to sync up with Nintendo’s Wii in order to play Guitar Hero. You simply plug the Wiimote into the axe and use the bona fide strings and frets in place of those plastic buttons you’re so used to using. The only problem? Guitar Hero wasn’t designed for use with six strings and 22 to 24 frets, and man, does it show. Hop on past the break to have a listen, and yes, your dreams of actually taking advantage of this will be shattered. Bet on it.

[Via Joystiq]

Continue reading OpenChord allows actual guitars to play Guitar Hero, sound atrocious

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OpenChord allows actual guitars to play Guitar Hero, sound atrocious originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 07

New Windows Live Photo Gallery Includes Flickr Uploader

Posted in: Features, Freeware, Software, Today's Chili, Web Sites, Windows

This article was written on October 18, 2007 by CyberNet.

Windows Live Photo Gallery

Microsoft just launched Windows Live Photo Gallery Beta 2, and just like the previous version it is available for both Windows XP SP2 and Vista. In order to get the update you must have the first Beta already installed, and then you must perform a Windows Update with the Microsoft Updates enabled. In the available updates you should see a “Critical Update for Windows Live Photo Gallery (KB943550)” listed.

On my Vista machine the update process took about 3 minutes for it to download and install itself, and then I got all of the new features! Well, really there only appears to be one feature, but it is BIG. I think you better sit down for this one … Microsoft actually added support for uploading photos to the Yahoo!-owned Flickr photo service. Here’s how it works (click any thumbnail for a fullsize view):

  1. You highlight the photos that you want to upload in the Windows Live Photo Gallery, and then go to Publish -> More Services -> Publish on Flickr.
    WLPG Publish on Flickr
  2. You’ll have to give the program access to your Flickr account just like you would with any other Flickr uploader.
    WLPG Authorize Flickr
  3. Now you’ll be able to select the properties for all of the photos that you are about to upload. You can create a new set or choose an existing one, select the maximum photo size, and choose a privacy option.
    WLPG Flickr Upload
  4. Sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee while it finishes things up.
    WLPG Flickr Uploading

When you upload the photos it will grab the description and tags that you have given your photos on your computer, so you don’t have to worry about doing that on Flickr! Honestly, I have to admit that Microsoft really stepped up their game with the new Windows Live Photo Gallery by adding support for Flickr. And the “Publish on Flickr” option is located under the “More Services” menu, which seemingly implies that support for more services will be coming in the future. Or, at the very least, they will let users create plugins for other photo services.

One thing that really bothers me with the Windows Live Photo Gallery is that it has the blue-colored bar that stretches along the top. I’m not a big fan of that color, and in other “Live” programs such as Live Writer and Messenger I’m able to change it to any color I want. I have no idea why I can’t do that in Windows Live Photo Gallery, but I would like to get it back to the black color that ships with Vista.

And remember, this is available for both Windows XP SP2 and Vista. After you download and install Windows Live Photo Gallery you’ll just have to do a Windows Update to get the latest Beta.

[via LiveSide]

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