Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve seen the new Android-based XPERIA X10 from Sony Ericsson at a fast pace and a snail’s pace, but have we ever seen it so stunningly middle of the road? We just got a chance to play with the phone in person for the second time, and from our random sampling of three or four different handsets, it seems that performance is very contingent upon how much content is loaded into the device and what particular thing it’s trying to perform. Sometimes we’d fly through the stacks of faces, while other times we’d sit there waiting for the simplest thumbnails to load up. The good news is that we have until next year to see this thing really come together, and the word is that the software is improving and at a rapid pace. The big change about this phone is the “Nexus” UX platform, which actually all takes place in two “apps” at the moment, Timescape and Mediascape. Timescape is an integrated view for social networking and messaging, with an “infinite view” to see all types of communications for a particular person, while Mediascape is a more tame media app with a modicum of internet and social integration. It all seems very logically placed, and we like the fact that SE hasn’t really sacrificed the Android experience — you can still do Gmail and the Android Market and so forth, with very familiar UIs — but it’s going to have to be a lot more bulletproof before it hits the market if Sony Ericsson really expects us to use this day to day. Oh, also: the soft keyboard is terrible. We hear they’re working on it, but boy does it need work.

Update: We’ve added the video below, go check it out!

Continue reading XPERIA X10 hands-on: lukewarm edition (now with video!)

Filed under: Cellphones

XPERIA X10 hands-on: lukewarm edition (now with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chad Mumm is our video producer at Engadget, doing work on The Engadget Show and filming shorter-form stuff when we need it. He recently acquired the 7D for personal and work use, and we asked him to put together some thoughts on the camera in terms of using it primarily for video. You can check out our traditional review roundup for the 7D here.

These times are strange. Five years ago if you walked onto the set of a movie, TV show, or music video — before you got kicked out by a strung out production assistant — you’d have probably seen a bustling group of workers huddled around a giant camera changing out huge spools with Kodak or Fujifilm logos on them. The RED ONE camera shook up the industry when it was released two years ago and those cans of film were replaced with hard-drives and digital technicians. Now, we’re in the midst of another monumental camera shift, and it’s not the 3D revolution that everyone predicted. Nope, in 2009 we make our movies on DSLRs. Just how good are they? Well, the recently released Canon EOS 7D may just be the new Engadget workhorse. Read on for the inside scoop on our ridiculously cinematic new rig.

Continue reading Canon EOS 7D impressions for filmmaker wannabes

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Canon EOS 7D impressions for filmmaker wannabes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We know that between the traffic jams, mall moms on a mission, kids who’d rather be elsewhere, and the sheer crush of holiday cheer, it can be hard to find a little time to get your head straight and find the gifts that really count. The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Every time the holidays roll around, we put together this list to make shopping for the tech lovers in your life a little simpler — it’s our way of helping out in these hectic months.

This year, we’re taking a new approach to the guide; in the past we’ve always done the selections by person (him, her, etc.), but we think there’s a better way. Starting this year, we’re breaking down the guide by product category (smartphones, laptops, TVs and the like), and grouping those picks into price ranges — so you can find something easily, no matter how much you have to spend. The HGG is a series of smaller guides, but the picks will be collected in a landing page which can be helpfully sorted by price and category (which will be up soon). We’ll publish a new guide every few days through Christmas (things are kicking off today with e-book readers), so you’ll have plenty of time to shop around online and in stores, and we do suggest you check out all the guides — especially since you never know when you’ll find something you want for yourself.

Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Filed under: Announcements

Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide, 2009! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading GoPro HD Hero review and helmet cam face-off

Filed under: Digital Cameras

GoPro HD Hero review and helmet cam face-off originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Show is happening again, humans! Next Sunday, November 22nd, we’ll be bringing that live magic back to the stage as we sit down with Drew Bamford (you can read a bit about him here), director of HTC’s Innovation Center (the place where things like the Sense UI are born). We’ll also be joined by Joystiq’s Editor-in-chief Chris Grant for a special roundtable discussion focused on gaming. As a bonus, we’ve got giveaways for everyone in the audience, plus one of the lucky attendees will walk away with that Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 bundle we just got our hands on!

The show takes place at the Tishman Auditorium at Parsons The New School for Design. As you may already know, we film live in front of an audience once a month — but if you can’t make it, don’t worry. We’re bringing the video back home to Engadget (and as a free download here, in the iTunes Store, or the Zune Marketplace) for your viewing pleasure.

The beautiful venue (which you can see in a photo after the break) is located at 66 W. 12th Street between 5th and 6th Aves. Seating is limited and tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis — which means if you want to join us in the audience for the show, you’ll have to arrive early and be prepared for a little wait.

Here are the facts you need to know about the show:

• The show is graciously sponsored by Nokia, and hosted by Parsons The New School for Design
  
• The total show length will be around an hour

Here is what you need to know if you want to be part of the audience:

• There is no admission fee — tickets are completely free
• The event is all ages
• The venue seats just over 450 people
• Parsons students are welcomed, and we encourage them to come!
• Tickets will be available for pickup at the Tishman Auditorium at 2PM on the 22nd, and we’re strongly encouraging people to get their tickets and not stand in line — if you have a ticket, you’ll have a seat!
• You’ll need to hold onto your ticket stub to be eligible for the giveaways
• You cannot pick up tickets for other people — if you want your friend to get a ticket, bring your friend!
• The show begins at 5PM, and doors will open at 4:30PM

If you’re a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget.com, and we’ll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget.com.

Continue reading The next Engadget Show tapes November 22nd with HTC’s Drew Bamford and Chris Grant of Joystiq

Filed under: Announcements

The next Engadget Show tapes November 22nd with HTC’s Drew Bamford and Chris Grant of Joystiq originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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