Hasta La Gadget!

Remember the $200 smartbook reference design that we saw at CES this year? Well, it’s back, it’s holding on to that same price and 7-inch enclosure, but this time it’s also showing off an expanded OS compatibility. Adapting the open source Chromium OS and another Linux variant to the ARM architecture of the prototype device was apparently not much of a hurdle for Freescale, who has an Android option in the works as well and claims to be just optimizing and enhancing the user experience at this point. Presumably one of the enhancements will be the installation of a capacitive touchscreen as the present demonstration requires either a mouse and keyboard or a resistive torture test to operate, but we’ll accept the company’s explanation that this is just a proof of concept and not the final product. Slide past the break to see some HTML5 video running on this bargain bin tablet, and hope that your friendly neighborhood OEM picks these designs up for some retail action.

Continue reading Freescale’s 7-inch tablet runs Android, Chromium OS or Linux, costs $200 (video)

Freescale’s 7-inch tablet runs Android, Chromium OS or Linux, costs $200 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British firm Pelikon was showing off its MorphPad technology at MWC this month, undoubtedly hoping to score some interest from representatives of handset manufacturers who just happened to be wandering the show floor — but this isn’t just any old morphing keyboard, you see. Not only can the board be dynamically reconfigured by backlighting different portions of the keys — the entire surface of the thing doubles as a touchpad, which you can probably imagine has virtually limitless utility in a mobile device where the space for a true touchpad simply doesn’t exist. Pelikon already works with Toshiba on its domestic-market Biblio, but we’d love to see it hit devices around the world — in fact, we wouldn’t really mind if they just released this prototype they’re showing as a Bluetooth accessory. diNovo Mini competitor, anyone? Follow the break for video of the touch-enabled MorphPad in action.

Continue reading Pelikon’s MorphPad demoed, combines touchpad, morphing keyboard into one awesome rectangle

Pelikon’s MorphPad demoed, combines touchpad, morphing keyboard into one awesome rectangle originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This one slipped the net during the excitement that was MWC this year, but it’s such a promising development that we have to give it its due attention. ARM and Globalfoundries have announced plans to start building new systems-on-chip using the latter’s ultramodern 28nm high-k metal gate production process, with the resultant chips offering up to 40 percent greater computational power, 30 percent greater power efficiency, and a terrific 100 percent improvement in battery longevity relative to their current-gen siblings. Mass production of these Cortex-A9-based units is expected in the second half of 2010, which means they should be among the very first chips off Globalfoundries’ 28nm assembly line. The good news, though, is that the technology is described as “ready for high-volume implementation,” so there should be no shortages when things finally get rolling. Let the wild-eyed anticipation begin.

ARM and Globalfoundries partner up for 28nm Cortex-A9 SOCs, invite great expectations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG has told the press at MWC that it will not be developing its own smartphone platform “at least for the next two to three years.” We think companies should focus on what they do well, and given our ambivalence toward the S-Class UI, it’s probably a good thing that LG will narrow its operation down to churning out delectable slabs of electronics and leaving the software side to the geeks over at Google and Microsoft. The head of the company’s handset unit, Skott Ahn, has indicated that the future of LG smartphones will be shared between Android and Windows Phone 7 (sorry, Symbian lovers). It will have taken plenty of restraint to not respond to local nemesis Samsung — who has just introduced its first Bada handset — but LG appears to be of the opinion (which we share) that the smartphone OS sector is already overcrowded, and its expectation is that over the next couple of years the market will distill itself down to just three predominant operating systems.

LG not interested in proprietary smartphone OS, likes Android and Windows Phone 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For the industry, the press, and phone geeks alike, the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress in the lovely Catalonian capital of Barcelona is the biggest event of the year — and apart from a few unplanned power outages at Engadget’s home base, an average nightly rest hovering around three hours, and unseasonably cold weather, 2010’s gathering didn’t disappoint. Let’s take a quick look back at some of the highlights:

Windows Phone 7 Series coverage
Windows Phone 7 Series: that’s the name
Live from Microsoft’s Windows Phone press event at MWC 2010
Windows Phone 7 Series hands-on and impressions (updated with video)
Editorial: Engadget on Windows Phone 7 Series
Windows Phone 7 Series: everything you ever wanted to know

Liveblogs
Live from Samsung’s 2010 MWC press event
Live from Sony Ericsson’s MWC 2010 press conference
Live from Nokia’s (and Intel’s) MWC 2010 press event
Live from Microsoft’s Windows Phone press event at MWC 2010
Live from HTC’s MWC 2010 press event
Live from Eric Schmidt’s keynote at MWC 2010

Hands-ons
Aava Mobile’s Intel Moorestown prototype hands-on
Acer Liquid e, beTouch E110 / E400, and neoTouch P300 / P400 hands-on
Alcatel OT-980 with Android hands-on, we feel frugal just looking at it
Bug Labs’ BUGbase 2.0 prototype hands-on
Chumby prototype with Marvell innards spotted at MWC 2010
Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M10 and A50 hands-on
General Mobile’s Touch Stone: how can something so wrong be so right?
Hands-on with TAT’s dual-screen phone concept and augmented reality app
HTC Desire first hands-on (updated with video)
HTC HD mini hands-on
HTC Legend hands-on (updated with video)
iWonder why the logo is upside down
LG Mini GD880 hands-on
Motorola MOTOROI hands-on with video
Motorola MT710 quick hands-on
Motorola Quench hands-on with video
Myriad Dalvik Turbo hands-on: Android apps just got fast
Notion Ink Adam hands-on (with video) at MWC 2010
Puma Phone hands-on
Sagen Orga shows off pricey SIMfi prototype at MWC
Samsung Wave first hands-on: Bada-packed and super fast (video!)
SK Telecom shoves Android onto a SIM, we check it out
Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro hands-on
Sony Ericsson X10 mini and X10 mini pro hands-on with video
Toshiba K01 hands-on
Toshiba TG02 hands-on
Windows Phone 7 Series hands-on and impressions (updated with video)
ZTE and OKWAP team with Intivation to deliver next generation solar devices

On-site podcasts
Engadget Mobile Podcast 035: MWC Day 1 – 02.16.2010
Engadget Mobile Podcast 036: MWC Day 2 – 02.17.2010

As fantastical as it might sound, mobile trade show season isn’t over just yet — CTIA Wireless and Microsoft’s MIX are on deck for next month, so stay tuned for the kind coverage of those shindigs that only Engadget can offer. See you next year, Espanya!

Adéu, Barcelona: MWC 2010 draws to a close originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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