Hasta La Gadget!

Wow guys, we just spotted a new video of the PlayStation Phone, codenamed Zeus Z1, and this time we get a long, loving look at the entire device — a refreshing contrast to last time’s blurry tease. In addition to appreciating just how fat this phone is, and just how real it is, you can clearly see a “PlayStation” icon, which should hopefully put to rest any doubts that this phone will actually play PlayStation games. Check out a close-up of the icon after the break. Oh, and by the way, there’s no audio on the video, your computer is not broken.

[Thanks, Sha]

Update: There’s another video! Check out a brief look at the PlayStation app after the break…

Continue reading PlayStation Phone ‘Zeus Z1’ caught on video again, this time you can actually see it (update)

PlayStation Phone ‘Zeus Z1’ caught on video again, this time you can actually see it (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you were hoping NASA was going to announce the very first tweet from an extraterrestrial being, sorry to break your heart — it is astrobiological, but the findings are actually borne of this rock. Researchers in Mono Lake, California, have discovered a microorganism (pictured) that uses arsenic instead of phosphorous to thrive and reproduce. The latter, as far as terrestrial life is concerned, is a building block of life along with carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, all integral to our DNA and RNA. Arsenic, meanwhile, is generally considered poisonous — but “chemically it behaves similarly to phosphate,” apparently making for a good substitution. In other words, NASA’s proven that life can be made with components different than our current assumptions, both locally and beyond the stars. Seems entirely logical, if you ask us. (A silicon-based Horta, Mr. Spock?)

So, what about other atypical life-forming chemicals? NASA isn’t speculating. That sound you hear is a thousand light bulbs popping up as science fiction writers everywhere conjure up brand new super villains — and a thousand Chemistry professors writing new extra credit questions for their fall semester finals.

NASA reveals arsenic-bred organisms, search for life gets broader parameters originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And here we go: Verizon just announced its 4G LTE pricing and full list of coverage areas. Some 38 markets will go live when the switch is flipped on December 5, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and LA, and pricing starts at $50/month for 5GB of data, with an $80/month plan for 10GB. Overages run $10 per GB, which isn’t insane, and there’s also supplemental coverage in around 60 airports. Check the full PR after the break.

Update: Some highlights from today’s press conference:

• More modems will be coming out within “weeks” and are all backwards compatible with its EV-DO network.
• Verizon will talk about “consumer-oriented devices” (translation: phones) at CES.
• The modems are capable of 4G-to-3G handoff, but not 3G-to-4G — they’ll stay on 3G until you’re done transmitting data.
• The LTE and 3G plans might integrate, according to CTO Tony Melone, but probably not until 2012 or 2013.
• It sounds like the modems will only be available in stores on December 5th — no third-party retailers at first.

Continue reading Verizon LTE plans start at $50/month for 5GB of data (update)

Verizon LTE plans start at $50/month for 5GB of data (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The much-delayed and much-desired Venue Pro is now finally ready for its proper launch. Dell has begun taking online orders for its first Windows Phone 7 device and prices are set at $99 for the 8GB handset or $149 for the 16GB version — both on two-year contracts with T-Mobile as your carrier — or, alternatively, you can snap them up for $449 or $499, respectively, if you just want the phone by itself. Shipping is promised for December 9th and there’s even free delivery if you have a couple of business days’ worth of patience. So, what are you waiting for?

[Thanks, BeeMichael]

Dell Venue Pro finally available to order: $99 on contract, shipping December 9th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guess what people, Verizon’s LTE network launch is really for real and the carrier has now scheduled a news conference for tomorrow where it’ll discuss its December plans in more detail. Tony Melone, VZW’s chief tech officer, will be on hand to answer any questions beyond the already known plans for 38 metropolitan areas to get the 4G LTE treatment — accounting for a cool 110 million Americans who’ll be able to ride the lightning of faster internet speeds on the move. The event kicks off at 12PM and we’ll make sure to tune in, if only to find out what Tony’s answer is to the inevitable “what is 4G” question.

[Thanks, Henry]

Verizon hosting 4G LTE news conference tomorrow to discuss launch plans originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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