Hasta La Gadget!

We’re huddled up in an obscure corner of the New York Public Library, waiting for Sony to drop its new Reader news on us. There are numerous publishing people here, and for our money we’d say a wireless-equipped, “daily” news sort of device is about to descend upon us, but we’ll find out for sure when Sony gets on the makeshift stage and tells all.

10:30AM: The President and CEO of the New York Public Library is up front, and he says the digital content of the NYPL will be available to Sony Readers for free.

10:34AM: Steve Haber, president of Sony’s Digital Reading Business Division is up now, and he likens the transition from books to digital books to vinyl to CD and film to digital photo.

10:38AM: Launching 3.0 eBook Library software. Mac and PC compatible, notes made on the touch edition can be printed.

10:40AM: Library Finder. You can register for a library card, and then check out ebooks from the “library” over the internet. Content expires in the number of days specified by the library. No late fees!

10:43AM: Sony Reader Daily Edition! 3G, 7-inch touchscreen, $399. Picture is up top.

10:53AM: Check out some “hands-on” photos below. He didn’t let us touch it, and apparently this isn’t even a working prototype. Still, from our angle, it’s looking pretty slick!

Filed under: Handhelds

Sony’s ‘Daily Edition’ Reader launch event originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So you want a little more desktop real estate, eh? You could replace your existing screen with a bigger, higher resolution one, but sometimes a bigger monitor can just be, well, a little too big. You could always go with a secondary or tertiary monitor, but sometimes your desk is just too small. In that case a little USB auxiliary monitor is just right, and MIMO’s latest, the 710-S and 720-S, are slimmer, sexier, and far more portable than ever. We thought that would make them perfect for anyone with a Goldilocks complex and slinky laptop, but the truth is, sadly, a little more complicated.

Continue reading Nanovision MIMO 710-S and 720-S USB monitors hands-on

Filed under: Displays

Nanovision MIMO 710-S and 720-S USB monitors hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A few years ago, Microsoft launched a new initiative to create a set of connected, digital devices that could display information simply and in a highly glanceable format. The initiative was called SPOT (Smart Personal Object Technology) and the goal was to integrate core information and extend the function of everyday items like watches, pens and badges.

Sadly, the first SPOT watches from companies like Fossil and Suunto never really caught on and are no longer available, and although SPOT’s core connection technology still lives in some GPS devices as MSN Direct, it seems Microsoft has largely abandoned the effort. That’s a shame: even though the first implementations were less than stellar, there’s much Microsoft could have done to have ultimately made this a success.

Continue reading Entelligence: Whatever happened to SPOT?

Filed under: Wearables

Entelligence: Whatever happened to SPOT? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from a very concerned Mike, who is hoping to give his grandmother a way to properly interact with a laptop.

“I am trying to configure out a really dumbed down and intuitive PC for my grandmother. She recently had a stroke and while she is under my care I would like to repurpose a laptop for her to surf and email her children. Anyone have any experience with what input devices and UI’s are really understandable for the over 80 crowd?”

We know this is a bit “out there” for Ask Engadget, but we get the feeling Mike isn’t alone here. Anyone have any experience with unorthodox input devices and UIs designed for those with limited mobility and / or weakened vision? Spill the goods in comments below!

Filed under: Ask Engadget, Handhelds, Laptops

Ask Engadget: Good input device(s) and user interfaces for the ‘over 80 crowd?’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I’ve wanted a PlayStation 3 since forever. It plays Blu-ray movies, it has some great exclusive titles, and it looks like it could beat somebody up without breaking a sweat across its glossy matte brow. But it’s always seemed out of reach price-wise. As my desire grew stronger over recent months, I found myself unable to pull the trigger: I just didn’t want to pay $400 for a video game console that came out in 2006. The fact that I could get a lot more for my $400 than $500 would’ve gotten me at launch was hardly consolation, given that the PS3’s main competition, the Xbox 360, has been available in a “full fledged” edition for $300 for a while. Luckily, the PS3 Slim has come at last to save me from all this heartache. Follow along, as I journey from the mire of indecision to the glories of console love… but really, it’s all about the price drop.

Continue reading Editorial: A slimmer, cheaper, better PS3. Was that so hard?

Filed under: Gaming

Editorial: A slimmer, cheaper, better PS3. Was that so hard? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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