Hasta La Gadget!

HD Radio has been desperately trying for years to become important in a world where most Americans are perfectly fine with tinny, 96kbps MP3s, and by and large, it’s been unsuccessful. More vehicles today arrive with compatibility for a single shining portable media player (Apple’s iPod, if you had to ask) than HD Radio, and up until this month, there was no way to easily strap an HD Radio player on your arm when heading out to the gym. One could argue that getting the technology into this segment is crucial for being ubiquitous, and while we aren’t so sure we’re in that camp just yet, we’re still willing to give Insignia’s NS-HD01 a fighting chance. Head on past the break for our take, and feel free to peruse the gallery for an up close and personal look at the hardware.

Continue reading Insignia NS-HD01 portable HD radio hands-on and impressions

Filed under: Portable Audio

Insignia NS-HD01 portable HD radio hands-on and impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As Sony shoves one more PlayStation 3 bundle down our throats while we anxiously await the appearance of a slimmed-down version of the console, we have to admit that the game choices here are really top shelf. After catching wind of the Killzone 2 / Metal Gear Sold 4 PS3 bundle yesterday, we now have all the confirmation we need to believe that such a bundle is indeed filtering out to Best Buy stores. The image above shows an internal memo sent out to alert employees that the new package could start arriving as early as July 6th, with the official announcement coming in the July 12th ad. If you’re actually in the market for a non-discounted, thick PS3, we’d say a phone call or two is in order, no?

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Update: The $399.99 bundle is now live on Best Buy’s website and available for in-store pickup in select locations.

Continue reading Killzone 2 / Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 bundle hitting Best Buy now

Filed under: Gaming

Killzone 2 / Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 bundle hitting Best Buy now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We knew we’d see cheap / free subsidized netbooks eventually, and here we are: Best Buy and Sprint are offering up a Compaq-branded HP Mini 110c for just 99 cents when you sign a two-year data contract. Yeah, it looks good on paper, especially since AT&T and Verizon will ding you $199 for the same machine, but we just don’t think it’s worth it: at $60 a month for service, you’ll be spending $1,440 for two years of pain with that 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB of RAM and three-cell battery. We’d say you’re way better off grabbing a 3G USB stick you can use with multiple machines, or, if you’re feeling particularly baller, throwing down for a MiFi and kicking it mobile hotspot style — it’ll cost the same $60 a month from Sprint, but you’ll be able to get five machines online at once. But that’s just us — any of you particularly hot for this almost-free netbook?

[Via jkOnTheRun]

Filed under: Laptops

Sprint first to offer a 99-cent netbook, but is it worth it? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Little more than a month after getting our sweaty, gloveless mitts on the Zero Motorcycles Zero S we received an offer to ride yet another high-tech wunderbike: the Brammo Enertia. Naturally our first reaction was excitement — excitement only slightly dampened by news that we’d again be using the gridlocked NYC streets as our test track. But, we risked life, limb, and the ire of many a taxi driver to get some impressions of the latest electric motorcycle to hit the streets, and grabbed some video action of it all too. Read on for the lot.

Continue reading Engadget cruises with the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle (with video!)

Filed under: Transportation

Engadget cruises with the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle (with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ouch. We’re guessing this is one that the suits at Best Buy would like to have back. A leaked company memo detailing how the retailer will handle Windows 7 upgrades has accidentally given the world a tasty tidbit to opine upon. The note starts off as such:

“Microsoft is launching Windows 7 in mid-October 2009. This new operating system isn’t just a “Vista that works” program – it’s a new operating system with improved productivity, functionality and creativity that uses less computer resources.“

Never mind the fact that we never knew an OS could posses “improved productivity” — how about admitting that Vista, in effect, doesn’t “work.” Moving on, the note also makes clear that any PC sold with Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate between June 26th and the Windows 7 launch day (October 22nd) will be eligible for a free upgrade to Win7. Better still, the individual OSes also qualify for the update, and starting on June 26th, Best Buy will begin “pre-selling” the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade ($49.99) and the Windows 7 Professional Upgrade ($99.99). Have a look at the full letter below, and if you’ve come here for advice, here’s the best we’ve got: don’t buy a PC at Best Buy until June 26th.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Best Buy memo explains that Vista doesn’t work, details Windows 7 upgrade plans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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