Hasta La Gadget!

Alright, business customers, just wipe that smug grin off your faces, won’t you? The unwashed masses (read: us) have finally been given the green light to rush into T-Mobile stores (and online) to pick up the BlackBerry Curve 8900 for $199.99 on a two-year contract after rebates — not exactly the $149.99 we were hoping for, but we can always hope for Best Buy to get this sucker out the door for a few bucks less than T-Mobile proper.

[Via BlackBerryNews]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

BlackBerry Curve 8900 finally available to one and all on T-Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The machine translation is pretty weak, but Dell’s 12.1-inch (1,280 x 800 pixel) Latitude XT2 looks to have just made its first tentative steps in a global launch. The video posted after the break comes courtesy of Korean site, AVING, where the convertible tablet was apparently just released. Pinch to zoom and two-fingers swipes… yup, it’s in there. 11-hours of battery (6-cell plus battery slice) and DDR3 memory (max of 5GB!) too in a chassis just 2.5-cm (0.98-inches) thick. Click through for the video while we track down the official specifications that already seem to be aligning with the unofficial specs leaked earlier.

Update: Official Dell Japan press release now out. We’ve got specs:

• up to 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV SU9400 processor with Montevina chipset
• Intel integrated GMA 4500MHD graphics
• Windows Vista Ultimate on down
• 12.1-inch LED backlit capacitive touch-screen with EM Digitizer pen
• up to 5GB of DDR3 1066MHz (1x1GB, 1x4GB DIMM)
• up to 120GB 5400RPM SATA disk or 128GB SSD
• 802.11a/g/n WiFi and gigabit Ethernet
• SATA ODD
• 3.78-pounds (1.72-kg) with 6-cell battery
• eSATA, 2x USB 2.0, firewire, and ExpressCard 54 slot

Update 2: Just announced for US with prices starting at $2,399.

[Via AVING]

Continue reading Dell Latitude XT2 multi-touch tablet with 11-hour battery now official (starts at $2,399)

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Dell Latitude XT2 multi-touch tablet with 11-hour battery now official (starts at $2,399) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just as expected, Amazon announced the second-generation Kindle ebook reader with the exclusive Stephen King novel UR today — the page actually went live during the press event. The new version will still cost $359, but it’s much thinner than the angular original — in fact, it’s thinner than an iPhone at just .36 inches. Arguably the biggest new feature is Read to Me, which can read any content on the device back to you in a decent-sounding computerized voice, but there’s also seven times more storage, a sharper 16-level e-ink display that turns pages 20 percent faster, 25 percent longer battery life, and a new five-way joystick that improves navigation. Amazon’s Whispernet service is also getting a feature bump, adding in Whispersync bookmarking — if you start reading a book on one Kindle, you can pick up again on any other Kindle automatically. Sadly, it’s still only available in white — the pink Kindle here is just a one-off made to promote UR. Video after the break.

A few more informations:

• Amazon is still working on international release, but has nothing to announce at this time, and wouldn’t even confirm a launch this year.
• Battery is non-removable.
• There will be no Kindle 2-exclusive content, and some of the software improvements will be pushed to the original Kindle — Whispersync is a shoe-in, text-to-speech is a no.

We spent some time playing with the Kindle 2 hands-on — check it out right here!

Continue reading Amazon Kindle 2 announced: $359 on February 24

Filed under: Handhelds

Amazon Kindle 2 announced: $359 on February 24 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re not going to call it official yet, but a bunch of very real-looking Kindle 2 press images just hit the tubes, and we’ve got to say we’re pretty convinced. Although the device itself looks basically the same as in those previously-leaked shots we saw back in October, there are some surprises in store: it’s way thinner, the back is apparently made of metal and there are stereo speakers at the bottom. We’ll admit to missing the polarizing ultra-80s look of the original, but this thing looks pretty sweet — too bad it’s still going to set you back $359 when it arrives on February 24. We’ll find out what’s what for sure on Monday — in the meantime check couple more shots after the break and way more at the read link.

[Thanks, Alex]

Continue reading Official-looking Kindle 2 pictures and pricing leak out

Official-looking Kindle 2 pictures and pricing leak out originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been a little under the radar, but AT&T Mobility’s been in contract talks with the Communications Workers of America on behalf of some 20,000 unionized workers, and things haven’t been going so well — in fact, the CWA just voted to authorize a strike if upcoming negotiations don’t improve. The union’s current contract actually expires tonight at midnight, but the strike won’t take place until the union’s executive board approves and the CWA president sets a date. For its part, AT&T says it maintains a good relationship with its unions — it has more unionized workers than any other carrier — and that the vote is just another part of the process, but that it’s prepared for all contingencies, including a strike. We’ll see what happens, stay tuned.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Communications Workers of America authorizes strike of 20,000 AT&T workers, could happen soon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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