Hasta La Gadget!

They’re creepy, they’re kooky, they’re your favorite Frankengadgets and they’ve invaded the latest issue of Engadget Distro. But fear not, this edition of our fine weekly isn’t all about chopping and screwing the devices you love, we’ve got plenty of other real-life gadgets on hand as well. See that tiny silver sliver on the cover? That’s ASUS’ Zenbook UX31, perhaps the most viable candidate for the Ultrabook throne. It may not be as thin and light, but we’re also bringing you a review of Dell’s lightweight XPS 14z, an ergonomically sound laptop with a sizable asking price. On the mobile front, Myriam Joire says hello and goodbye to Nokia’s N9 MeeGo phone and Zach Honig gets his hands on its brother from another operating system, the Lumia 800. Nokia’s claiming its latest is the “first real Windows Phone,” but Sharif Sakr’s review of the HTC Titan might just prove otherwise. We’ll also bring you a look into Tech News Today host Iyaz Akhtar’s geeky upbringing, our latest installation of In Real Life and an exclusive comic from Ed Piskor. So what are you waiting for? Hop on that iPad or hit the PDF download link below, and soak up all that Distro goodness.

Distro Issue 10 PDF
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Engadget Distro Issue 10: It’s alive! And ready for download originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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They’re here! We gave Apple’s latest some face time in Distro’s first special edition and now it’s time for Google’s little green robot(s) to get the cover treatment. If Cupertino’s strength is in its concentration on a single device, then Android’s is in its diversity, and this week we’re bringing you our thoughts on not one, not two, not three, but four new smartphones sporting Mountain View’s OS. We’ll bring you all the dirty details on two hotly anticipated and recently released phones, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Motorola’s Droid RAZR, dive deep into Beats in our review of HTC’s Sensation XE, and find out if the Amaze 4G can live up to its name. We’ve also got a review of the first Ultrabook to make it to market, Acer’s Aspire S3, and a glimpse at how Tech News Today host, Tom Merritt became the Geek he is today. The Android Invasion is upon us, but don’t run for your life. Pick up that iPad or hit the PDF download link below and get your Distro on. (And for those of you diehard Android fans, we are indeed still working on a Honeycomb version — hang tight!)

Distro Issue 9 PDF
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Engadget Distro Issue 9: the Android Invasion is upon us! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We promised you some unexpected surprises, and it’s time that we delivered. Distro’s very first special edition is ready for download (and yes, it’s available on PDF too). This one’s all about a device that’s never failed to get folks talking. Yup! It’s the iPhone special issue. Love it or hate it, Apple’s flagship phone has had an undeniable impact on the mobile space. In this issue, we’ll dive deep into Cupertino’s latest with our iPhone 4S review and shed some light on the phones that came before with The Evolution of the iPhone. So hop on that iPad, or hit the link below, and download Distro’s very special new issue.

Distro Special Edition PDF
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Engadget Distro’s first special edition traces the origins of the iPhone 4S originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Say hello to Engadget Distro. At its most molecular level, it’s nothing more than a series of ones and zeros, cobbled together in a compiler and made to look like words and images on Apple’s iPad. But in reality, it’s something far greater — something that the entire Engadget staff couldn’t be more proud to have their names on. Distro is the week in technology news, distilled down and reformatted into a beautiful, offline view that can be enjoyed anywhere. You know, like one of those regional jets still awaiting their rightful Gogo injection. We’ve got a team of designers and editors toiling around the clock to assemble our best long-form feature content and reviews, re-wrapping it in a fashion that takes full advantage of a little thing called “multitouch.”

As of now, we’ve got plans to launch Distro on the iPad soon (as in, super soon!), but you can bet we’re already hammering away on versions for the other major tablet platforms. Rest assured, we’re as eager to finish them as anyone, and yes, they’ll all be absolutely free of charge. For those who find themselves a touch overwhelmed with the sheer torrent of news that occurs in this space each and every day, Distro offers a relaxing, peaceful alternative. Sort of like morphine, but available sans a prescription. We’ll be showing off a sneak peek during tonight’s live Engadget Show (tune in here!), and we’ll be sure to keep you abreast of our launch date as it draws closer. For now, have a look at what Distro will bring in the video after the break. We hope you enjoy.

Continue reading Introducing Engadget Distro!

Introducing Engadget Distro! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have our very own Contributing Editor, Billy Steele.

See that dapper young fellow right there? You’d never think someone dressed that goofily as a kid would grow up to be a tech blogger, now would you? It’s true — and I never thought so either — but, as I would come to find out, my unorthodox childhood would help shape my nerd sensibilities in more ways than one. It all starts with the fact that I was raised by my grandparents, which was awesome, but usually meant that I was at least a year behind on all the popular gadgetry. This also meant that I was forced to hold on to things a bit longer, so while my friends were sportin’ the N64, I was still rockin’ Contra on the NES (no shame).

Let me take a step back for a moment. My first exposure to technology of any substance was a high-mileage Atari at my mom’s place. She had an entire library of games, but the only two that I cared about were Frogger and Grand Prix. A couple of years later, when I obtained that coveted O.G. Nintendo, I survived on a constant diet of Excitebike, Bases Loaded and Tecmo Super Bowl. After playing until I couldn’t see straight — on several occasions as an elementary lad — I was able to string together a handful of undefeated seasons with America’s team the Dallas Cowboys. I’ve now taken on the plight of a Panthers’ fan, but I digress.

Continue reading Growing Up Geek: Billy Steele

Growing Up Geek: Billy Steele originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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