Hasta La Gadget!

If phones could make babies, then this HTC Wildfire would indubitably be the love child of the Desire and Nexus One. But of course, the humdrum reality is that ’tis just an Android 2.1 replacement for the entry-level Tattoo — same 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7225 processor, 3.2-inch 320 x 240 capacitive LCD touchscreen instead of 2.8-inch resistive, 384MB RAM instead of 256MB, and a 5-megapixel camera instead of 3.2 (although quality matters more, obviously). So can this affordable handset provide enough bang for the buck to satisfy Europeans and Asians? Can the aging processor keep Sense UI well oiled? All will be revealed after the break.

Continue reading HTC Wildfire review

HTC Wildfire review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorry, we couldn’t wait — having spent 11 hours on the streets waiting for the iPhone 4, it’s only natural to give our precious new toy some extra special care. With the help of iFixit’s teardown guide, we decided to take the plunge with our steaming hot Chinese delivery — a white front cover (with a shiny proximity sensor area above the earpiece), a white back cover (with “XXXXX” marked as the model number, ergo a prototype), and a Retina Display unit. Alas, there weren’t any white buttons in stock at the time, but let’s pretend this black-and-white combo is the new cool. Read on to find out how the surgery went.

P.S. — We’ve had many readers asking where we got the parts, but the link’s already in the post. Knowing some Chinese helps, too.

Continue reading White iPhone 4: early DIY edition, with a touch of black

White iPhone 4: early DIY edition, with a touch of black originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With its Ear Force line, Turtle Beach has turned the gaming headset from niche product into must-have accessory for many serious gamers — particularly those engaging in some warfare of a modern variety. The wireless, 7.1-channel X41 model sits on the high end, but Turtle Beach is now offering those on a bit of a budget a new option: the Ear Force Z2. At $69.95 it isn’t exactly cheap, but compared to the other products on the segment it is something of a bargain. Click on through for our impressions.

Continue reading Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 ears-on

Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flight sim aficionados tend to be a fanatical bunch. It isn’t good enough if it isn’t as realistic as humanly possible, and as technology improves more and more things get more and more possible. It’s now been 10 years since Thrustmaster released its iconic HOTAS Cougar, a near-perfect replica of the F-16’s Hands On Throttle and Stick, and now the company is following up with an even more realistic version for a very different sort of aircraft: the ground-pounding A-10C Warthog. It’s as close as you can get to the real thing without getting commissioned, and we took it for a test-flight. Click on through for our impressions and some impressive footage of the thing in action.

Continue reading Thrustmaster unveils its perfect replica HOTAS Warthog flight controller, we go hands-on (video)

Thrustmaster unveils its perfect replica HOTAS Warthog flight controller, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For the most part, standalone navigators have retained their same form factor for the better part of the last five years. Each one looked like the other, with the main differentiators being a fold-out or integrated antenna and a big or small display. With intense competition coming from the smartphone space (yeah, we’re looking at you, Google), the bigwigs at TomTom and Garmin are obviously thinking of ways to innovate and keep their consumer PNDs relevant. We aren’t exactly convinced that shaping said navigators like said smartphones is the best answer, but you won’t find us kvetching about the sleek lines and slim nature of the nüvi 3790T. Announced back in April alongside the 3760T and 3750 models, the king of the 3700 series packs a 4.3-inch WVGA multitouch display and a frame that’s just 9mm thick; what you’re left with is the most stunning personal NAV system on the planet, and we’ve had the opportunity to test one out before it hits US shelves in July. Care to see if this beaut is worth $449? Head on past the break for our two pennies (and a video overview, too!).

Continue reading Garmin nuvi 3790T review

Garmin nuvi 3790T review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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