Sep 04

Apple wins German injunction against Samsung, Galaxy Tab 7.7 pulled from IFA

Posted in: android tablet, AndroidTablet, Apple, GalaxyTab, germany, Ifa2011, ipad 2, Ipad2, Law, lawsuit, legal, patent, sales, samsung, tablet, Today's Chili
Apple’s ongoing patent battle with Samsung has taken yet another twist, now that Cupertino has won an injunction blocking German sales of the recently unveiled Galaxy Tab 7.7. According to FOSS Patents, Samsung pulled its new Android tablet from both the IFA show floor and its German website on Saturday, in compliance with a Friday decision handed down by the same Düsseldorf Regional Court court that banned sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 last month. The 7.7-inch slate had previously been on display with a sticker that read “Not for sale in Germany,” but, as we noticed yesterday, all demo models, posters and other promotional materials have since been removed. Samsung spokesman James Chung told Bloomberg that the new injunction “severely limits consumer choice in Germany,” but confirmed that the Korean manufacturer “respects the court’s decision,” and vowed to do everything it could to defend its intellectual property. Details on the ruling remain hazy and Apple has yet to comment, but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear more.

Apple wins German injunction against Samsung, Galaxy Tab 7.7 pulled from IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 05:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBloomberg, FOSS Patents  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , , ,
Sep 03

Nokia 701 hands-on

Posted in: Ifa2011, mobilepostcross, symbian, Today's Chili
Living in the States, it’s easy to forget just how large a global presence Nokia has managed to maintain, in spite of some difficulties keeping up with the likes of iOS and Android. The company certainly had a presence at IFA this year, between its own booth and appearances in Vodafone’s show offerings. And despite what detractors might say about the Finnish hardware manufacturer, it’s hard to deny that the company has given us fine offerings on the hardware front.

The 701 doesn’t have the most exciting build we’ve seen from the Nokia, but it certainly has a lot going for it, including a bright 3.5-inch display, steel backing, an eight megapixel camera and built-in NFC. On the software side, we’re of course looking at Symbian Belle, with its customizable home screens, which is managed quite nicely with the smartphone’s 1GHz processor. Check out our hands-on photos below.

Gallery: Nokia 701 hands-on

Nokia 701 hands-on

Nokia 701 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Sep 03

Haier’s mind control TV prototype hits IFA, we go foreheads-on (video)

Posted in: hands-on, hdpostcross, Ifa2011, Today's Chili, video
The remote control revolutionized the way we watch television, doing away with the need for frequent trips to the set in order to change channels. One prototype in Haier’s portfolio makes the whole remote thing look like a back breaking chore by comparison. The Brain Wave (definitely not a final product name) television protoype showcased at IFA this week brings mind control into the picture, promising users a future where channels can be changed and volume controlled with mere thought.

The set is still in the early prototype stages at the moment, however, so we’re still a ways away from such life altering precision. At the moment, the only available demo involves blowing up an animated barrel with your mind. Naturally, we had to give the thing a spin. Check out the results after the break.

Gallery: Haier’s Brain Wave hands-on

Haier's Brain Wave hands-on

Continue reading Haier’s mind control TV prototype hits IFA, we go foreheads-on (video)

Haier’s mind control TV prototype hits IFA, we go foreheads-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 19:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Sep 03

XtremeMac showcases the Soma Stand, Soma Travel and more at IFA (video)

Posted in: Apple, Ifa2011, imac, ipad, iPhone, ipod, speaker, speakers, Today's Chili, video
There were lots of cool Apple-centric products to been seen around XtremeMac’s extremely orange booth at IFA this week, proving that there’s still interesting things to be done in the world of iPhone / iPad / iPod docks.

At the top of the list is the Soma Stand, a pyramid-shaped dock that folds up for portability. The accessory is mostly speaker, which faces outward, so sound isn’t blocked when you’ve got an iPad on the thing. The Soma Stand should be hitting shelves around October, running around €100 here in Europe.

The Soma Travel, meanwhile, works without the need batteries or wires, running directly off the power from your docked Apple device. XtremeMac claims that a docked iPhone 4 playing through the speakers will get about 34 hours of audio playback on a charge. As expected, the thing doesn’t get too loud, but it should do the trick for solo listening. The peripheral will run around €50 on its release.

The Tango Bar is a style-conscious sound bar with a silver grill that fits in quite nicely with the current generation iMac. The speaker pulls both audio and power from a single USB cable and outputs audio at ten watts. Like the Soma Stand, the Tango Bar will run around €100. Check out video of the Soma Stand after the break.

Gallery: XtremeMac IFA booth hands-on

XtremeMac IFA booth hands-on

Continue reading XtremeMac showcases the Soma Stand, Soma Travel and more at IFA (video)

XtremeMac showcases the Soma Stand, Soma Travel and more at IFA (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Sep 03

Pocketbook A10 hands-on (video)

Posted in: Android, gingerbread, hands-on, Ifa2011, Today's Chili, video
PocketBook, primarily known for its e-readers, introduced the A 10 this week at IFA — that’s “A” for Android and “10” for 10-inches (well, 10.1 inches). The Android in this case is Gingerbread, nothing particularly exciting on that front, in a world that has largely moved on to Honeycomb in all its iterations, but at the very least, the company is doing some cool stuff on the design front in a world of infringingly lookalike devices. The body was reportedly inspired by an airplane wing, encased in white plastic that forms a wedge on the rear. The tablet’s a bit on the chunky side, with a row of actual physical buttons located on the bottom of the bezel. On the rear is a white plastic around a soft, rubbery back.

The tablet is a bit less exciting on the inside, with 4GB of storage, a 1GHz TI OMAP 3621 processor, WiFi and optional 3G. Not surprisingly, given the company’s history, the device is reading-minded, with proprietary software built around the e-book experience and page buttons built in. The company is also looking to possibly position the device for the educational sector.

The A 10 should be hitting Europe around October, with a price tag of less that €300. The company is also planning on US availability for the tablet but isn’t offering much in the way of specifics on that front.

Gallery: Pocketbook A10 hands-on

Pocketbook A10 hands-on

Continue reading Pocketbook A10 hands-on (video)

Pocketbook A10 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 15:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Sep 03

Galaxy Tab 7.7 disappears from IFA floor, not a trace left behind

Posted in: Android, Apple, GalaxyTab, germany, honeycomb, Ifa2011, legal, samsung, samsung galaxy tab, SamsungGalaxyTab, Today's Chili
Galaxy Tab 7.7 vanishes

Just two days after Samsung unveiled its Honeycomb-sporting Galaxy Tab 7.7, the slate (along with all traces of its existence) has vanished from the IFA floor. All demo models have been yanked from Sammy’s booth, branding has disappeared, and even the large poster touting the slate has been covered up. The Korean company hasn’t been entirely forthcoming about the reason behind the removal, but a spokesperson did tell SlashGear that the move was voluntary. Given that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is already barred from sale in Germany (and some 7.7 units on display bore a sticker informing handlers it would also not make it to retail in Deutschland), speculation has led many to link the vanishing act to the ongoing legal battle with Apple. For now though, all we have to go on is Samsung’s confirmation that the tablet has been pulled, accompanied by a refusal to comment further.

Galaxy Tab 7.7 disappears from IFA floor, not a trace left behind originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSlashGear  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Sep 03

Fujifilm X10 hands-on (video)

Posted in: camera, digital camera, DigitalCamera, Ifa2011, point and shoot, PointAndShoot, Today's Chili


We really like Fujifilm’s X100 — it’s a solidly-built camera, with an APS-C sensor, f/2 lens, and a rather unique hybrid optical / electronic viewfinder. But the X100 carries a $1,400 sticker price, and that 23mm lens — as sharp as it may be — is permanently fixed to the mount. That’s why we were rather exited when Fuji announced its X10 earlier this week. Would this be a much more capable (and affordable) replacement for the X100? Turns out it’s not — well, not exactly — though this latest model is certainly a better fit for the consumer market. We had a chance to go hands-on with an early prototype on display at the company’s IFA booth, and while some features (notably the pop-up flash) weren’t yet functional, we’re told it’s a rather accurate representation of what we’ll see when the X10 hits stores in late October, priced within the €499-599 range (about $715-860).

The first thing you’ll notice with the X10 is that, well, there’s nary a power button in sight. Instead, you’ll rotate the 28-112mm f/2-2.8 manual zoom lens to fire it up. There’s also no aperture ring, unlike its more powerful sibling, and manual focus is handled electronically, instead of directly on the lens. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find that the X100’s slick hybrid viewfinder has been replaced with a strictly electronic one. And what about image quality? We weren’t able to take away any sample pics, but with a much smaller 2/3-inch sensor, we haven’t a doubt that images won’t look nearly as good as those shot with Fuji’s better-equipped model. To compensate for that, the camera’s EXR mode can bump the resolution down from 12 megapixels to six, in turn capturing higher quality images in low light. We’re looking forward to checking out a production version sometime this fall, but in the meantime, thumb through the images below, or jump past the break for a video overview.

Gallery: Fujifilm X10 hands-on

Continue reading Fujifilm X10 hands-on (video)

Fujifilm X10 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , ,
Sep 03

S-Walker Electric Transporter hands-on (video)

Posted in: electric, Ifa2011, Today's Chili, video


In an IFA galaxy far far away lives the China Pavilion. And on the far side of the outer ring of the China Pavilion, buried amongst a plethora of steamers, curling irons, and television mounts, you may stumble upon the S-Walker — though you’re just as likely to miss it. And what might an S-Walker be? Well, if we’re being precise, it’s a “Speed-Walker, Sky-Walker, whatever,” according to its German booth master. Luke would be proud. Lesser beings may recognize it as a KIRF Segway, designed in Germany and handmade in China, just a mere ten days ago. Its biggest strength lies in price — the thing is expected to retail for €2,500 (about $3,550) sometime in the middle of next year. We suppose this yet-to-be-released electric transporter is here to serve warehouse workers, couriers, and the millions of college students who every day dream of zooming across campus atop a pair of motorized wheels, but simply couldn’t justify spending an entire semester’s tuition on a Segway.

We spent a few minutes riding the world’s first (and only) functional S-Walker around the rather deserted International Hall, and while very much still a prototype, the battery powered contraption felt peppy enough and responded accurately to commands, moving forward as we leaned to the front, and backing up as we shifted weight to the rear. You control direction using a small handlebar-mounted joystick, rather than by leaning from side-to-side as you would on a Segway. The designers capped speed at 10 kilometers per hour for the IFA demo, but production models will be boosted to 30 km/h, and it’s theoretically capable of reaching 100 km/h (but that’ll likely require some potentially-illegal hacking on your part). Roll on past the break to see the S-Walker in action. And may the force be with you.

Gallery: S-Walker Electric Transporter hands-on

Continue reading S-Walker Electric Transporter hands-on (video)

S-Walker Electric Transporter hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 10:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Sep 02

Archos 80 G9 and 101 G9 hands-on (video)

Posted in: archos, honeycomb, Ifa2011, Today's Chili, video
So, so many tablets this week at IFA. Archos’s pair of Honeycomb slates may not have garnered the same sort of excitement as, say yesterday’s Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 or Toshiba AT200, but there are a lot of interesting things going on with the 80 G9 and 101 G9. From an aesthetic standpoint, these are pretty nice looking devices (the 80 and 101 look largely the same, save for the difference in footprint and screen size), though they’re not quite on-par with the two aforementioned tablets, in terms of build. Among other things, they’re a bit on the chunky side and have fairly considerable bezels.

Like those devices, the G9 tablets run Android 3.2, though a decidedly less skinned up version than Samsung’s device. And their 1.5GHz processor assures that they can handle the OS with ease. Archos’s tablets also have a few tricks up their collective sleeve. Flip the devices over, and you find a kickstand on one side and a slot on the other than opens up to reveal a USB port designed for the company’s proprietary 3G stick.

Also pretty awesome is the ability to configure their hard drives up to 250GB — a fairly staggering sum in the tablet world. We got to spend some hands-on time with both — check out a video after the break.

Gallery: Archos 8 G9 tablet hands-on

Archos 8 G9 tablet hands-on

Gallery: Archos 101 G9 tablet hands-on

Archos 101 G9 tablet hands-on

Continue reading Archos 80 G9 and 101 G9 hands-on (video)

Archos 80 G9 and 101 G9 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Sep 02

Creative Zen X-Fi3 hands-on (video)

Posted in: europe, galaxy, germany, Ifa2011, lte, samsung, samsung galaxy tab, SamsungGalaxyTab, t-mobile, Today's Chili, video
This tiny thing in our hands above is the latest PMP from Creative. Portability is clearly the thing here — the Zen X-Fi3 is extremely tiny and light. It has a little color screen on it, as well, but don’t get too excited on that front — unfortunately the player doesn’t sport a touchscreen, so you’ve got to use the controls on the bezel, which aren’t particularly responsive. The interface, fittingly, is also pretty barebones on that front, offering the basic sort of scroll-through menus that defined music players for years.

The highlight of the device — aside from its exceedingly small size — is its Bluetooth transfer capabilities. The X-Fi3 keeps with the company’s commitment to audio fidelity, thanks to the apt-X codec, which supposedly offers audio quality similar to a wired connection when streaming. On that front, the device also handles FLAC files.

The player will run €99 and €140 for the 8GB and 16GB versions, here in Germany. It should be going on sale in the middle of this month.

Gallery: Creative X-Fi3 hands-on

Creative X-Fi3 hands-on

Continue reading Creative Zen X-Fi3 hands-on (video)

Creative Zen X-Fi3 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: