Hasta La Gadget!

What has a 1/1.63-inch CCD sensor capable of 10.1 megapixel stills, a 3.75x DC Vario-Summicron lens, and 720p AVCHD Lite video? The Panasonic LX5? Why yes, it does, and so does this carbon copy that Leica just unveiled, the D-Lux 5. Much as with the identikit LX3 and D-Lux 4 before them, the new 5 models share pretty much everything apart from brand name, accessories bundled in the box, and that all-important price tag. If you opt for the red circular logo above, you’ll have to dish up £630 ($983), whereas the LX5 — which was criticized for being pricey at launch — can now be had for around £355 ($554). Feel free to peruse our gallery of D-Lux 5 shots below while pondering the “value” on offer here.

Continue reading Leica slaps D-Lux 5 badge on Panasonic LX5, hitches up the price

Leica slaps D-Lux 5 badge on Panasonic LX5, hitches up the price originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 06:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you don’t want to hate your current camera, look away now. Nikon’s 16 megapixel D7000 has landed into the world of officialdom with a bang, bringing with it an almighty 39-point autofocus system, 100 percent viewfinder coverage, 1080/24p and 720/30p video options, dual SD card slots, 6fps burst mode for up to 100 shots, and magnesium alloy top and back covers for that extra bit of metalized durability. The continuous video autofocus that debuted in the D3100 is here too, though bear in mind there’s a 20 minute cap on uninterrupted recordings. Video nuts might not like that, but at least there’s a stereo mic input and an added control dial for adjusting shooting modes. It’s looking like a thorough upgrade from the D90, but remember that Canon’s direct competitor — the 60D — costs a Benjamin less than the D7000’s $1,200 body-only asking price (or $1,500 with an 18-105 kit lens) , so take the time until this becomes available in mid-October to weigh up your options well. Oh, and the outfit’s also throwing out two new pieces of high-end glass alongside a new flash: an AF-S 200mm f/2G ED VR II for $5,999.95, an AF-S 35mm f/1.4G for $1,799.95, and an SB-700 Speedlight for $329.95.

Continue reading Nikon D7000 brings 39-point AF, 1080p video, and magnesium alloy construction to $1,200 price point

Nikon D7000 brings 39-point AF, 1080p video, and magnesium alloy construction to $1,200 price point originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The wait for a legitimate mass market Windows 7 tablet continues, but at least MSI is showing signs of progress. The WindPad 100, which we saw at Computex in prototype form, has now reached design maturity and the concordant gallery of pictures has been distributed to the world. There’s no word of any spec changes, meaning we’re still looking at a 1.66GHz Atom Z530 CPU, 32GB SSD, 2GB RAM, Wind Touch UI overlay, and HDMI plus 2x USB ports on the stat sheet. The 100 has been joined by a new dock in these latest images, which will throw in the typical expanded connectivity options. We can probably expect to see both reappearing at IFA in Berlin in about a month’s time.

MSI’s 10-inch WindPad 100 advances past prototype stage, gets pictured with a dock originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s long been the case that if you wanted a HTC handset over in the world’s most populous nation, you’d have had to look for its rebadged variant under the Dopod brand. But, as of today, that is no more. The prolific Taiwanese phone maker has decided that its name is now recognizable and valuable enough in China to be put on its own hardware and is kicking off a campaign with four own-branded phones. The Wildfire and Desire we’re all familiar with already, while the Tianxi looks like a mildly tweaked HD2 and the Tianyi is a mix-and-match of design elements from the rest of HTC’s portfolio. The company’s also announcing a partnership with China Mobile to bring these puppies to market, so it’s looking like smooth sailing ahead. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading HTC starts selling phones in China under its own name

HTC starts selling phones in China under its own name originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve been reading about it for what seems like ages, looking over images of the FCC prototype with a magnifying glass, and now Nintendo is showing it off at its E3 press conference. The company that Mario built is trumping up how superior its glasses-free technology is better than others, “a solution that lets you take 3D gaming along with you wherever you go” according to Reggie. The upper screen is surprisingly only 3.5-inches, not the wider that we’d expected. There is a slider on the side that lets you tweak the 3D effect, seemingly enabling you to adjust its depth based on your distance from the screen — or turn it off entirely. As with the current DS, the bottom is a touchscreen, and is not 3D.

That’s what looks to be an analog stick on the side there, as well, that Nintendo is calling a “Slide Pad.” There is a gyro, motion sensor, it’s compatible with DSi games, and has two cameras enabling 3D photos. Nintendo is also talking up partnerships including Disney, games that are said to be playable today, at the show, with one of the highlights being a new Kid Icarus game which looks quite action-packed to say the least — and has better graphics than most of the Wii titles Nintendo has shown thus far. Nintendo has mentioned the 3DS will have the “biggest launch support ever” from third party devs, and a 3D Nintendogs should be a huge seller — if only because it has cats too. Other games include Madden, Ninja Gaiden, Resident Evil, a Batman title, Splinter Cell, and, finally, a Metal Gear Solid entry.

Nintendo is also talking about how the system will seek out WiFi hotspots or other 3DS systems “without you knowing,” which sounds a bit ominous, to be honest. Systems can communicate regardless of which games are being played. It can even pull in new DLC directly from other consoles, all without a monthly fee.

Still no release date or price, but Nintendo is showing off two colors, red and blue, and they’re said to be playable on the show floor. You can be sure we’ll be running there right now.

Update: Complete press release and full list of launch games after the break, including some biggies, like Metal Gear Solid “The Naked Sample,” Madden, FIFA, and more!

Continue reading Nintendo 3DS gets official, includes 3D camera

Nintendo 3DS gets official, includes 3D camera originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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