Ad impression report proves the Palm Pre is out there, somewhere

With just over a fortnight to go before Sprint starts selling Palm’s Pre, it stands to reason that a few of the units have made their way out into the wild. According to Millennial Media, that’s absolutely what has happened, with this month marking the first in which it recorded “initial Palm Pre [ad] impressions.” In other words, those lucky few Pre owners (or “testers,” if you will) are really just goofing off online rather than testing tactility and radiation output. Good to know.

[Via mocoNews]

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Ad impression report proves the Palm Pre is out there, somewhere originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 07:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 146 – 05.15.2009

Josh Topolsky and Paul Miller walk into a bar, but the bar is a recording studio.

The bartender, who is the recording engineer, asks, “Why the long faces?”

“Sigh,” Paul says, and looks down at his feet. “Nothing but a buncha crummy phone rumors and probably fake slim PS3 pictures this week.”

“It’s hard to podcast when there’s no exciting news to podcast about,” says Josh, staring off into the distance.

The door slams open: it’s Nilay Patel. “I know what’ll cheer you guys up!” he says as he slams three stiff drinks down on the table. “Trashing AT&T about the Slingplayer app!”

Smiles creep over Josh and Paul’s faces. They nod, the engineer hits the record button, and history is made: The Engadget Podcast, volume 146.

Update: We added a video feed of your charming hosts from the recording studio after the break. It’s definitely an experiment at this stage, so let us know what you think!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Around the World

00:01:42 – Wild and slim PS3 redesign caught on camera?
00:17:20 – AT&T issues official statement on SlingPlayer’s 3G blackout for iPhone
00:28:49 – Microsoft’s latest ad: iTunes and the iPod are crazy expensive
00:37:26 – Microsoft “Pink” specs leak out: Tegra, Snapdragon, OMAP 3, oh my?
00:50:57 – Fuzzy math: Palm Pre to run about $470 full retail?
01:01:29 – Hold the phone: T-Mobile G1 v2 to really be the Samsung Bigfoot?
01:06:13 – Motorola’s first Android phone to be the T-Mobile G1 v2?

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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

Continue reading Engadget Podcast 146 – 05.15.2009

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Engadget Podcast 146 – 05.15.2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Apple responds to Microsoft’s Laptop Hunters… with a Megan

According to Apple, there aren’t any PCs with fast processors and big screens that work without viruses, crashes or headaches. But folks, this isn’t reality, this is advertising. In fact, this is Apple’s first jab since Microsoft took off the gloves with its Laptop Hunters series of pokes against Apple. So grab a Coke (or Pepsi) and check the ad after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Video: Apple responds to Microsoft’s Laptop Hunters… with a Megan

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Video: Apple responds to Microsoft’s Laptop Hunters… with a Megan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 00:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s latest ad: iTunes and the iPod are crazy expensive

We’ve been wondering when we’d see the next Laptop Hunters ad from Microsoft, but it looks like the company’s throwing a change-up: its latest 30-second spot features Wes Moss, Certified Financial Planner, explaining that iTunes “costs a lot” while Zune Pass “costs a little.” The argument, of course, is that at a buck a song (or more), filling up your iPod costs way more than the $15 / month cost of the Zune subscription service, but we’ve got a feeling that Wes just won’t convince as many people as Lauren and Giampaulo — while we certainly think Zune Pass is a great deal, especially with the 10 free tracks a month now included, most people have plenty of music from all kinds of sources already, and an additional monthly bill in the current economy doesn’t seem all too appealing. Plus, well, this argument has never really worked for services like Yahoo and Rhapsody in the past, so we’re not sure it’s going to work now. But that’s just us — we’re sure you’ve got your own opinions, so check out the vid after the break and sound off.

P.S. If Wes looks familiar it’s because he was a contestant on Donald Trump’s The Apprentice. He was fired.

[Via Ars Technica; thanks Travis and Michael S.]

Continue reading Microsoft’s latest ad: iTunes and the iPod are crazy expensive

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Microsoft’s latest ad: iTunes and the iPod are crazy expensive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 May 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo’s Game Boy turns 20

In case you hadn’t heard, Nintendo’s trend-setting handheld, the Game Boy, just had its 20th birthday — and that’s no small thing for a game console. We won’t bore you with stories from our childhood about wasted time and missed opportunities spent chasing the dragon that was Tetris, but we will entertain the hell out of you with this vintage ad touting the system’s launch from way back in the totally excellent year of 1989. We know what you’re thinking: does the robot create the kid or just warp him there? And if he does create him, does that mean he’s some kind of metallic god? And does that mean that the kid kills god? And… why is the robot dancing? Hey — now you’re playing with power.

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Nintendo’s Game Boy turns 20 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Beckham bends it like a Terminator for Motorola’s Aura

Never before in the history of humankind has a company that’s been doing so badly had such an enormous amount of money to waste. Enter Motorola, and, consequently, their new Aura advertisement featuring megahunk David Beckham doing what he does best: absolutely nothing. There’s not much that we can say that the Terminator-inspired ad won’t say for us, so putter on after the break and catch the ad itself, plus Beckster beefcaking it up like a pro and sharing his innermost insights on Moto’s $2,000 phone.

[Thanks, ugotamesij]

Continue reading David Beckham bends it like a Terminator for Motorola’s Aura

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David Beckham bends it like a Terminator for Motorola’s Aura originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple bites back at Laptop Hunter ads, ‘agrees’ with Microsoft that Macs are cool

Looks like Apple finally has something to say to Lauren, Giampaulo, Lisa, Jackson, and any future laptop hunters showcased in Microsoft’s new commercial series. In a statement to Macworld, spokesperson Bill Evans goes through the usual list of touted Mac features — security, stability, design — before quipping, “a PC is no bargain when it doesn’t do what you want.” Ouch. He continues by “agreeing” with Microsoft that, yes, everyone does think its computers are cool. We don’t expect Redmond’s ready to end the ad campaign anytime, and as enjoyable as this statement is, our only hope is that the gang at Cupertino ups the ante and retaliates tit-for-tat by sending Hodgman on an filmed adventure through Best Buy.

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Apple bites back at Laptop Hunter ads, ‘agrees’ with Microsoft that Macs are cool originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda’s “Let it Shine” commercial turns a grid of Insights into giant LED display

ASIMO and his Earth-loving robot compadres pulling the strings at Honda have once again managed to find a way to save us humans from ourselves. All it took was an affordable hybrid, apparently, and Honda is showing off its new Insight by turning those LED headlights into one gigantic animated Lite-Brite in an upcoming commercial. The spot’s called “Let it Shine,” and the video’s after the break. Hit up the read link for the making of video and a detailed carbon footprint breakdown of the shoot — you know you want to.

Continue reading Honda’s “Let it Shine” commercial turns a grid of Insights into giant LED display

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Honda’s “Let it Shine” commercial turns a grid of Insights into giant LED display originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: LG’s LGenius presentation lays out totally fake, remarkable TV advancements

Not that we haven’t seen completely off-the-wall viral marketing ads before (including one from LG, in fact), but this one just takes the proverbial cake. In a perfectly staged LGenius presentation, we’re informed about a few astounding up and coming TV advancements. The first one intelligently replaces all swear words with baby laughter or eerie silence, while the “Happy Time” feature automatically detects when a program is too sad for one’s health and adds random images of cute puppies and kittens. Finally, the “Family Time” feature turns any sensual scene into one with cartoon characters, making even the steamiest bedroom romance seem perfectly acceptable for innocent eyes. Seriously, this one has to be seen to be believed — mash that play button and have a gander.

[Thanks, Kellen]

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Video: LG’s LGenius presentation lays out totally fake, remarkable TV advancements originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft’s new ad shows how people shop for computers in the real America

Microsoft’s latest ad — a companion-piece to its new “Laptop Hunters” website — stars “real person” Lauren. Lauren’s a little funky, a little folksy, and 100 percent real. She doesn’t have an agenda to push, she’s just out in the world, living in “reality” searching for a sweet laptop that’s under $1,000. She admits to herself she’s “not cool” enough for a Mac (though cool enough for a Volkswagen) and gets on with her life. She’s a real American — with an unpretentious, pragmatic life. The ad rather smartly puts the focus on our current economic climate, while expertly reinforcing that age old Apple-user-as-dick stereotype, pejoratively wielding the word “cool” as an underhanded insult — odd, since the Microsoft portal it wants you to visit helps “socialites” pick a laptop. All in all? It’s kind of a brilliantly mean piece of work — check it out after the break.

[Via BoingBoing]

Continue reading Microsoft’s new ad shows how people shop for computers in the real America

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Microsoft’s new ad shows how people shop for computers in the real America originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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