Hasta La Gadget!

When AMD came clean with its Fusion A-Series platform, the outfit was quick to admit that some manufacturers have already started slipping these hybrid CPU / GPU chips into their spankin’ new PCs. Still, at this early stage we still haven’t spotted many of ’em — if anything, we have a better idea what’s on tap for later this summer. But here we have the Toshiba Satellite L750D-ST4N01, the first available Llano-packing notebook we’ve seen since the A-Series’ launch. At $699, this 15.6-incher might seem like a forgettable system with its 4GB of RAM, 640GB 5400RPM hard drive, 1366 x 768 panel, and three USB 2.0 ports. Heck, Toshiba barely even gave the L series lip service when it announced a slew of laptops last week. But, what makes this seemingly ho-hum machine special is that it packs AMD’s mid-range quad-core A6-3400M chip and an AMD Radeon HD 6520G graphics core — a combination that adds just $10 to the cost over a similarly configured Satellite L755-S5258 with a dual-core Core i5-2410M processor and integrated Intel graphics. The L750D isn’t for you? The deluge of A-Series systems hasn’t even begun yet, friends. And while the jury’s still out on real-world battery performance, this should make it crystal clear that if nothing else, AMD is taking no prisoners when it comes to pricing.

[Thanks, Eric]

Toshiba’s quad-core Satellite L750D goes on sale for $699 as one of the first available Llano laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not only do American military satellites have to put up with the constant threat of ultrasonic space droppings, now they must also suffer the prying lenses of a couple of Frenchmen. Thierry Legault and Emmanuel Rietsch have spent the past two years turning consumer-grade components into a system that can keep up with the zippy and supposedly secret movements of craft like the X-37B space plane and the NROL-49 low-Earth orbit spy sat. Hit the source link and you’ll see videos of the International Space Station, which they also managed to capture with steady-ish focus as it hurtled through space-time. Looks like nothing will thwart these guys, except maybe nano-satellites.

Spy satellites become reluctant space celebs, get their own paparazzi originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 07:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Until Delorme’s inReach two-way GPS Communicator, sending text messages over satellite signals was mostly a one-way affair. This 4.78 by 2.85 by 1.73-inch battery-powered minibeast pairs with either the company’s PN-60w or an Android OS device to send and receive 160-character text messages and real-time GPS data to those tracking you. It can also beam an SOS message at timed intervals then receive confirmation that help is on the way when you ultimately realize that being at home with a fast connection is really all the adventure you needed anyway. Delorme tells us that the inReach will be available in October for $250 and monthly plans start at $9.95 with a one-year contract.

Delorme’s inReach two-way GPS Communicator receives txts on mountains, teenage hikers rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Europe’s already extensive broadband coverage may be expanding even further, now that Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat satellite has officially gone into service. The new craft, which launched from Kazakhstan in late December, uses spotbeam technology to generate areas of connectivity that are about 250 kilometers wide, with each beam carrying a total capacity of 900Mbps. Unlike the Hylas 1, its reach will extend far across the continent, providing Tooway’s high-bandwidth services to 13 million households in remote locations. Subscribers will have download speeds of up to 10Mbps and upload rates of 4Mbps, though they’ll still have to put up with latency on the order of 250ms, making life even more difficult for Eastern European OnLive gamers. Of course, this access won’t come for free, but Ka-Sat’s 82-beam network structure significantly lowers its operating costs, allowing Eutelsat to offer prices that are on par with market rates. According to company CEO Michel de Rosen, customers should expect to pay around €30 for basic service, in addition to €250 they’d have to spend on a 77cm satellite dish. That’s not necessarily a small amount of cash for low-income families to fork over, but at least they’ll have an option that didn’t exist before. Head past the break for a video about Tooway’s Ka-Sat services, along with a full PR.

Continue reading Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat satellite goes into service, provides broadband to 13 million homes across Europe

Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat satellite goes into service, provides broadband to 13 million homes across Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dr Sarah Parcak thinks that “excavating a pyramid is the dream of every archaeologist” but that Indiana Jones is “old school”. Well, she must know. After all, she has discovered 17 pyramids and 1000 tombs. From space. More »