Lenovo still planning to sell SUSE Linux laptops

Filed under: Laptops

We're not sure why Lenovo (and anyone else) is making such a big stink about the fact that it's going to be selling laptops bundled with SUSE Linux on there -- they did announce this deal almost a year ago. Still, actually snagging a Linux ThinkPad is easier said than done (namely because the machines apparently weren't made available to consumers and businesses), so put your tuxes on, the pre-loaded Linux party starts Q4 for anyone with enough cash to snag one.

 

[via] Engadget

First third-party "game" app appears for iPhone

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming

It would seem that the first-ever iPhone game has been written and is available to download to your Jail-broken device, and true to the natural form of the Microsoft vs. Apple debate, it's all based around blowing up Zunes. Jason Merchant, a clever (and possibly very bored) iPhone hacker has coded a small game app for the phone wherein you target floating Zunes with your onscreen mini-iPhone, and then blast away with missiles. The Microsoft-fanboy-incensing shooter was written in objective C, and obviously requires that your device has had Jailbreak run on it to allow for the install. The creator says he's working on an aquarium app which will allow you to drop fish-food to an underwater iPhone, which pretty much makes no sense at all.

[Via Hackint0sh, thanks Boy Genius]

 

[via] Engadget

NEC and Hitachi roll out water-cooled hard drives

Filed under: Storage

Modders, you'd better watch your backs, because NEC and Hitachi are creeping up from the backside with some funky-fresh new hard drive cooling technology that will make you feel embarrassed and / or insignificant. The two Japanese powerhouses have developed a technology which knocks down the temperature of standard hard drives using a water-cooled plating, and also reduces noise levels of the storage devices to five decibels quieter than a whisper. The new technique employs noise absorbing, heat conducting plates which surround the drive, and a low-speed radiator fan to keep air moving. The companies say that the material used for the housing is the most efficient ever for conduction of heat, and that the drives are cooled more quickly and with less power. PCs will soon be made available with the drives (at least in Japan) for around ¥20,000 more than standard models -- no word on when or if this technology is coming Stateside. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

[Via Ars Technica]

 

[via] Engadget

$599 80GB PlayStation 3 on sale online

Filed under: Gaming

Yep, it's August, that means the 80GB PlayStation 3 is due to go on sale. Sony didn't previously give us a date or anything, but it looks like GameStop / EB Games is stocking the $599 80GB console (bundled with MotorStorm), and claims shipment in 24 hours. Granted, we're now officially back to square one with a lower end PS3 priced at $499 and a higher end PS3 priced at $599 (and no option to compete directly with the Xbox 360 Premium's $399 $350 price tag), but if you're thinking about upgrading that PS2, at least your options are better than they were a couple months ago.

[Thanks, Steve and vidGuy]

[via] Engadget

iPhone software: the community hacks, Apple improves

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

It's been a heckuva few weeks for iPhone devs, has it not? We've gone all the way from the crushing depression of knowing we'd have to play within the web sandbox, to the first hints of compiled goodness, to this -- the first true, native 3rd party app with useful functionality. As the name implies, MobileTerminal is a terminal emulator (and yes, it does actually install a new icon on the home screen) that should let the more 1337 among us execute arbitrary commands to their portable bundles of Mac OS X joy; as the Google Code page astutely notes, it's not a telnet or ssh client, though an ssh client can be fired up from the terminal. The code is open and development seems to be going fast and furious, so keep an eye out for updates, like, hourly!

But wait, there's more: it turns out Apple covertly sneaked in some goodies of its own when it rolled out the nebulously-described 1.01 firmware earlier this week. Uncle Walt himself discovered that the Phone app's Favorites tab has been upped from 20 entries to a more usable 50, the option to BCC yourself when sending email has been added, and a number of external audio devices with iPod docks that the iPhone previously rejected are now miraculously working, it seems. So much for "bug fixes" only, eh, Apple?

[Thanks, Tom K.]

[via] Engadget

Zero Motorcycles cranks out whisper quiet electric bike

Filed under: Transportation

Can't scrape together enough coin to pick up an electric whip? Fret not, as your options in the not-gasoline-powered motorcycle realm are quickly expanding. Enter Zero Motorcycles, which already offers a Zero X dirt bike for a mere $6,900, and hopes to unleash a street-legal commuter motorcycle soon that will be "slightly larger and more powerful than the Zero X" and will sport the obligatory lights and turn signals necessary for street riding. Currently, the off-road flavor will cruise 40 miles on a single charge, can be recharged in just two hours, can be shipped in a cardboard box, and reportedly accelerates beyond 30mph in "just a few seconds." And if you're just now daydreaming about how splendid it would be to take one of these out for a spin, be sure and visit the read link below to live vicariously through a few lucky CNET employees.

[Via UberReview]

 

[via] Engadget

Dell explains XPS m1330 delays, discontinues Pearl White models

Filed under: Laptops

Dell looked to have a sure winner on its hands with the sexy XPS m1330 laptop, but customers have been complaining of shipping delays ever since the machines were made available to order. A new post on the official Direct2Dell blog tries to explain some of the issues causing the delays and provide some insight into why some orders have shipped and others have been severely postponed -- although no time frame was given for clearing out the queue and getting back on track. While supply of those oh-so-hot LED backlit displays is definitely affecting production, the major problem appears to be the m1330's colors -- Dell says that painting these lids is much more difficult than anticipated, and that only Tuxedo Black units are coming off the line with acceptable results. As a result of these difficulties, the company is discontinuing Pearl White as an available choice -- customers who've already ordered Pearl White units will still receive them, but that'll be it. While we're not certain how an issue like that slipped through during development, we're definitely wondering why no one at Dell has just called up Colorware and asked them how they do it.

 

[via] Engadget

CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XL: AT&T CEO says no one wants $10 DSL

Filed under: Networking

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson apparently subscribes to a different school of marketing and demand than most others -- speaking with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the telecom boss flatly denied that AT&T's $10 DSL plan is hidden on the company's website, and went on to say that "customers haven't been clamoring for it," and that since the 768Kbps "user experience is not what I would consider really state of the art," he doesn't really want to sell it to anyone. Of course, customers don't usually clamor for a product that barely anyone knows is available and that requires absurd hoop-jumping just to get set up, but don't let them pesky facts get in your way, Randy.

[Via Techdirt]

 

[via] Engadget

Sony kinda denies rumble coming to the PS3

Filed under: Gaming

Man, Sony must really love teasing us: just a couple days after we got word that rumble-enabled SIXAXIS controllers were leaking out to developers, Sony's director of corporate communications Dave Karraker told GamePro that the company has "not added rumble [to PS3], and have no announcements regarding this feature." That's a non-denial denial, if you ask us -- way to be sly, Sony. Karraker also confirmed that updated SIXAXIS controllers with refined motion-sensing features were shipping out, but characterized that as "part of the normal development and evolution of controllers." Here's hoping the SIXAXIS evolves itself a rumble unit sooner rather than later.

[Via PC World]

 

[via] Engadget

QNAP intros well-spec'd TS-209 NAS server

Filed under: Storage

Following up on the firm's TS-109, the all new two-bay, hot-swappable TS-209 NAS server ratchets things up a notch for SMB and SOHO. QNAP's latest Pro Turbo Station hopes to catch the eye of the almighty suits, and packs a fairly potent 500MHz processor, gigabit Ethernet port, and 128MB of DDR2 RAM within to "significantly boost file sharing speed." Moreover, ingrained server features such as automatic syncing / backup, SSH remote login, and cross-platform sharing for Windows, Mac, Linux, and UNIX machines are included, and the device can be equipped with up to 2TB of storage in a RAID 1 mirroring array. Look for this one to land next month for a currently undisclosed price.

[Thanks, Ivan H.]

 

[via] Engadget

Enthusiasts bring 3rd party apps to the Helio Ocean, too

Filed under: Cellphones

The iPhone isn't the only handset whose software innards are getting lovingly torn apart in the name of science this week. It turns out some intrepid users of the Helio Ocean (a device occasionally compared to the iPhone, coincidentally) have been slaving away on a method for adding extra applications outside of the carrier's walled garden. Their first success is a doozy, too: Opera Mini 3, one of the most prized jewels in the world of mobile software. The developers aren't claiming it's bug-free -- landscape mode and the QWERTY keyboard don't work, for example -- but it's a huge step in the right direction and they're continuing to work out the kinks. More custom apps are said to be on the way, and don't worry, Drift and Heat users -- support's said to be on the way for you guys, too.

 

[via] Engadget

Mod chip raid victim details the experience

Filed under: Gaming

While US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement are remaining tight-lipped about what exactly they have seized thus far, a certain modder has come forward to depict his story and explain the experience of getting raided by the fuzz. After agents woke up his grandmother and perused her domicile with a warrant in hand, they confiscated a number of consoles and spare parts around the house before heading out to find the man behind FallsInc. Once locating him at his girlfriend's dwelling, they persuaded him to hand over everything even remotely related to modding, and he was left with "nothing of worth" outside of a computer monitor and his vehicle. Unsurprisingly, the culprit (or victim, depending on perspective) feels that his "life was taken away by a ludicrous interpretation of the DCMA" as the "little guy" was taken down while mass piraters remain at large. To read his whole account, be sure and tag the read link.

 

[via] Engadget

Samsung resumes chip production, minifies losses

Filed under: Storage

Merely hours after Samsung was staring at "at least" $54 million in losses from an unexpected power outage at its Giheung complex, the firm is now reporting that the half dozen production lines are "fully operational." Moreover, the outfit is now projecting losses to peak at around $43 million, which actually doesn't sound too horrific compared to prior estimates. It was noted, however, that the disruption could extend a shortage of NAND flash memory through "at least the first half of August," and reports are already claiming that prices of select NAND chips have risen "6.3-percent to a record $19.02."

 

[via] Engadget

Crate ships USB-equipped Profiler 5 mini guitar amplifier

Filed under: Portable Audio

While a USB keyboard may do the ivory-ticklers in the crowd some good, Crate is looking out for the six-string warriors by shipping its USB-equipped Profiler 5 mini amplifier. This five-watt combo guitar amp measures in at less than eight-inches tall and weighs just six-pounds, and aside from giving users the option of powering it via an AC adapter or six AA cells, there's also an auxiliary input for rocking along with your DAP. More important, however, is the rear-mounted USB port (shown after the jump), which enables guitarists to easily record their shredding without any external breakout boxes. So if you think you can give the twin four-inch speakers in Crate's latest all they can handle, the Profiler 5 is available now for $159.99.

Continue reading Crate ships USB-equipped Profiler 5 mini guitar amplifier

 

[via] Engadget

How-to repurpose your inevitably-broken Aiwa bookshelf system

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Aiwa, single-handedly justifying overpriced extended warranty plans since 1951.

[Thanks, Lucian]

 

[via] Engadget

Universal Remote intros versatile MX-980

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals

Hot on the heels of Universal Remote's MX-810 comes the oh-so-versatile MX-980, which aims to allow "professional installers to more quickly and efficiently customize and automate" sophisticated home theaters and entire home AV systems. The wand-style device sports a 320 x 240 resolution display, RF capability, an open programming architecture, and the ability to be programmed by any Windows-based machine with a USB port. Other subtle niceties include a motion sensor that automatically turns on the display when the remote is picked up, blue backlighting for all the buttons, a small integrated speaker, rechargeable Li-ion, and built-in compatibility with the firm's MSC-400 Master System Controller. If you hadn't already recognized, URC is clearly aiming for the high-end crowd with this one, and it's safe to say the $599 pricetag further substantiates that very point.

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[via] Engadget

Ugobe defines its own Three Laws, dooms us all to future of robot oppression

Filed under: Robots

You know, as anxious as we all are about our prospective (nay, inevitable) collective future as meatbags oppressed by some human-created supreme artificial intelligence, at least Isaac Asimov's (and to a lesser extent, Isaac Hayesimov's) Three Laws helped us sleep at night. So thanks a lot, Ugobe, for throwing those comforting laws right out the window and defining your own Three Laws of Ugobe Life Forms (as follows).

• A (robot) life form must feel and convey emotions
• A (robot) life form must be aware of itself and its environment
• A (robot) life form must learn, develop, evolve over time

Great, wonderful, you basically just gave robots a blueprint for the foundation of the enslavement of the human race. While you're at it, why don't you guys just build up a trojan horse to get things going? We're thinking some cutesy, totally harmless looking character-bot every kid in the world absolutely must have, because if we wanted to overthrow civilization, that's totally the -- oh, wait.

[Via Robots Rule]

 

[via] Engadget

Nintendo adding locking clasp to Wiimote wrist straps?

Filed under: Gaming

We've already seen the Wiimote straps survive one revision, but now it seems that the oft criticized bands that keep your Wiimote from delving into your television screen (or window) could be seeing yet another improvement. Judging by an image showcasing what appears to be a brand new Wiimote wrist strap, Nintendo has added locking clasps in order to keep the controller snug around your wrist. Currently, there's been no word on whether existing Wii owners will be receiving any free upgrades, but considering how few Wiinjury reports we've seen of late, hopefully this precaution is at least somewhat unwarranted.

P.S. -Any new Wii owners out there seeing this same surprise upon unboxing?

[Via Joystiq]

 

[via] Engadget

Navy gears up for unmanned combat aircraft

While the idea of an autonomous flying military bot is far from new, the US Navy has taken a first step toward "developing an unmanned combat aircraft that some advocates say could compete with Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighter." Northrop Grumman was awarded a $636 million contract to design, build, and fly an Unmanned Combat Air System "that would operate from the decks of the Navy's giant nuclear-powered aircraft carriers," and if things goes as planned, we could see the gunners join our forces "within 10 to 15 years." And considering that we're already deploying land-based mechanical soldiers to fire our weapons, we'd say the full-fledged robotic army is certainly closing in.

[Image courtesy of DefenseTech, thanks Jason]

 

[via] Engadget

Senator pushes for expansion of "V-chip" video censorship technology

Filed under: Displays

The Democratic Senator for Arkansas -- Mark Pryor is his name -- wants to expand on the "V-chip" video content blocking program, and create a tracking system that could enable parents to censor content on platforms including TV, DVD, and the internet. A new bill proposed by Senator Pryor calls for the FCC to look into ways of blocking "indecent and objectionable programming, as determined by the parent" on basically all platforms capable of displaying images. As always, the devil is in the details: how exactly the FCC is going to figure out a method for precisely tracking obscenities on a "platform blind" basis remains to be seen, and the issue of classification of content is always sure to cause controversy. What politicos like Pryor always seem to miss is the fact that parental filters are already in place, albeit in messy meatspace form.

 

[via] Engadget

Check out your Xbox 360's heatsink without voiding warranty

Filed under: Gaming

Leave it to Ben Heck -- warranty thrasher and modder extraordinaire -- to point out an incredibly simple (and warranty-friendly) method of checking out your Xbox 360's heatsink. Put simply, you invert your console, snap a photo (or three for good measure) through the mesh, and compare your image with the above picture in order to determine if your box is rockin' the beefed up heatsink we've been hearing about. Go on, give it a go yourself, and make sure you report back with details of your findings (and photos for extra street cred).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

 

[via] Engadget

Dell XPS M1730 spotted in the wild?

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

It looks like Dell is finally readying a followup to its M1710 speedster with the XPS M1730. The 17-inch laptop will of course be packing some Santa Rosa muscle, but according to rumors Dell's also going to provide that new Core 2 Extreme X7800 chip for the real speed demons / big spenders out there. For graphics the base models will be getting an NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GS card with 256MB of memory, with a 512MB GeForce 8700M GT waiting in the wings. Other rumored specs include 4GB max of RAM and a 512MB or 1GB Intel Turbo Memory option, Bluetooth 2.0, Blu-ray and that welcome numeric keypad addition. The word is this one will go on sale August 27th, and while the paint job is bordering on "crime against humanity," hopefully Dell will have a few more acceptable options to decorate this gaming beast whenever it does hit the market.

[Thanks, Matthias]

Continue reading Dell XPS M1730 spotted in the wild?

 

[via] Engadget

Lanner rolls out four-bay NS04-3100 NAS server

Filed under: Storage, Networking

While there's not a great deal to distinguish it from the multitude of other NAS servers out there, Lanner's new NS04-3100 looks like it should easily satisfy those with hefty storage appetites, offering four bays for some SATA drives of your choosing. Otherwise, you'll get just about all the features you'd expect from a high-end NAS, including built-in WiFi, UPnP AV media server capabilities, iTunes server and DLNA support, and support for RAID 0, 1, 5 and JBOD configurations. Lanner is also promising "ultra-quiet operation" and minimal power draw from the server's Marvel 88F5281 processor. No word on price, but it's apparently available immediately for "sampling."

[Via Akihabara News]

 

[via] Engadget

Line6 releases the Pocket POD for tone on the go

While we're not crazy about modeled solid-state guitar tone, sometimes firing up that 800-watt tube amp just isn't feasible -- which is where Line6's new Pocket POD comes in. Essentially a miniature version of the company's popular POD amp modelers, the Pocket POD features 300 presets based on vintage and modern amps and cabs developed in conjunction with several popular guitarists, a host of effects including delay and compression, 1/8-inch input for jamming along to an iPod, headphone jack, and USB connectivity to Line6's Vyzex software to tweak and tune your presets any way you like. If this thing sounds half as convincing as other Line6 modelers, it'll be quite a steal at $129 -- but deep down you'll know it's not the same.

[Via Macworld]

 

[via] Engadget

HD surgery provides gruesome level of detail

Filed under: HDTV

High-definition capture and monitoring equipment has long been available for medical uses, but for whatever reason, widespread use has yet to catch on. Now, however, you people will be able to um, partake, in viewing the "first HDTV surgery ever broadcast" as National Geographic HD airs a special presentation of the 1080p system in action. According to a doctor that actually got to experience the technology first-hand, the KSEA HDTV Surgical System provides a widescreen, Full HD look at what's going on within, employs a 3CCD camera with an acquisition resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, and outputs an image that is progressively scanned and displayed at 60 full frames-per-second. We'd recommend you tune in to the aforementioned show on September 16th if the channel is available in your neck of the woods, but you may want to click on and see a few stills of the KSEA in action before subjecting yourself (read: your weak stomach) to the real deal.

[Thanks, Dr. Steven P.]

Continue reading HD surgery provides gruesome level of detail

 

[via] Engadget

Unreal Tournament 3 for PS3 to bring keyboard and mouse support

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Sure, you can already mouse around on your Linux-booting or web-browsing PS3 system to your heart's content, but Epic wanted to level the FPS playing field just a bit, and is bringing keyboard and mouse support to its PS3 version of Unreal Tournament 3. Epic VP Mark Rein was concerned that having multiple control methods would give some players an unfair advantage, but apparently those problems have been worked out. In addition to bringing a potential end to those endless mouse vs. dual stick debates (unlikely), this also might mean we'll be seeing some PC-to-PS3 compatibility for online play, for the ultimate test of fanboy forum smack.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

 

[via] Engadget

Four-armed surgical robot joins Edmonton hospital staff

While dexterous robots have been helping surgeons in America for some time, Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital is finally getting with the program. Beginning in September, a four-armed surgical robot will be used in procedures to treat prostate cancer, and should provide a much improved in-depth view of the body as well as boosting overall agility while operating. One of the diminutive arms will grasp a camera while the others wield the tools, and trained surgeons will be controlling the action from a three-dimensional screen positioned at a nearby base. Notably, one of the primary reasons Canada has been slower to adopt this type of technology is the price, and while it did cost some $4 million to purchase and retrofit the system into the OR, the shorter recovery time and improved precision whilst operating will certainly prove worthwhile to the average patient.

 

[via] Engadget

Dospara intros MSI-branded Prime Note Galleria

Filed under: Laptops

Japan's Dospara doesn't look to be trying too hard to conceal the source of its latest laptop, with the MSI logo prominently displayed on the lid of its new Prime Note Galleria, and just barely visible below the screen above. Cross-branding issues aside, the laptop certainly looks like it'll get the job done, boasting a 17-inch 1680 x 1050 display, Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and, perhaps most notably, GeForce 8600 GT graphics. Of course, all that comes at the expense of an eight pound carrying weight, but if that's not too off-putting, you can grab one now for just under ¥200,000 (or roughly $1,700).

 

[via] Engadget

Debunk: punk kid tries to dupe gadget blogs with phony Apple rumor

Filed under: Desktops

We're sure there's a broad swath of our readers who think every Apple-related rumor is patently untrue (which, let's be fair, isn't the case by a long shot), and an even larger number of people who think the mere act of writing them up is idiocy. Well, we suppose this one goes out to all of you.

So as it turns out, a convincing (if suspicious) sounding tip written by none other than Google Product Manager Tom Oliveri made its way to number of select high profile gadget blogs this morning, promising the following inside information about Tuesday's announcements:

"Macbooks - no cosmetic changes will be getting santa rosa chips
mac mini [sic] will receive a stock 120gb HDD total form change, all brushed aluminum 15% smaller
and the iMacs will be, as rumored brushed aluminum
new ipods will be rolling around mid September," as well as this little nugget: "I will update you on our phone later this month ( one week prior to announcement )"

Just one problem though. Those who published the rumor obviously weren't in touch with Google's Tom Oliveri, else they might have realized they were getting their information from a 16 year old Australian kid who shares Oliveri's name (and obviously not his Google-genius-like sense of grammar). Woops. Full email published after the break.

Continue reading Debunk: punk kid tries to dupe gadget blogs with phony Apple rumor

 

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[via] Engadget

More blurry pictures of the Palm Gandolf -- the Treo 800 series?

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Man, this thing just gets uglier every time we see it. This here is apparently the very latest, piping hot batch of blurry shots of the Palm Gandolf, the multifaceted new platform that Palm appears to be readying in both Garnet and Windows Mobile flavors with the carrier's choice of either GSM or CDMA under the hood. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be getting any prettier as it gets closer to an official debut -- quite the opposite, actually, and the keyboard is said to be a good deal smaller than its predecessors', eliminating one of Palm's few remaining talking points for the Treo line. The device is now rumored to be taking on the "800" moniker, a move which appears to call this out as being the Treo line's new king of the hill. Anyone else think this abomination of industrial design looks more like a "500" at best?

[Via Slashphone]

 

[via] Engadget

California official gives ok to voting systems that failed security audit

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Yeah, remember those white hats that took out three separate systems with ease in a California e-voting system security audit? Well what do you know, the eminently wise and honorable California Secretary of State Debra Bowen up and decided Friday that those severely vulnerable Diebold, Hart, and Sequoia voting terminals would still be cleared for takeoff, provided the companies in question supply their machines with updated firmware, disabled access to unused ports, kill the wireless connections, and so on. So basically, the companies that deny up and down their voting systems are even vulnerable are now directly responsible for making them less vulnerable per seemingly vague security-hardening guidelines. As usual, we suggest preempt these fools' garbage tech entirely and go low-fi on it: if you suspect your district is or will be using e-voting machines, send your votes by mail.

[Thanks, Daniel]

 

[via] Engadget

Tesla announces its first dealership; no, you still can't have one.

Filed under: Transportation

We knew Tesla had plans to open up dealerships in some of the, how should we say, more affluent markets in the US, and according to the company its first dealership and service center will be opened in one of the richest neighborhoods in the States, Menlo Park (just an electric hop, skip, and jump away from its San Carlos-based HQ).

[Via AutoblogGreen]

 

[via] Engadget

Our pal Fake Steve revealed - Daniel Lyons of Forbes

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Looks like the New York Times found out who our pal Fake Steve is: Daniel Lyons, a senior editor at Forbes. Wow, how anticlimactic. It's ok Dan, they may have found you but they can't kill the idea of FSJ, disappointing though it may be that the mystery's been solved.

[Thanks, Randall]

[via] Engadget

Microsoft launches US Xbox 360 service website

Filed under: Gaming

Amidst all of this not-exactly-forthright price cutting going on with the Xbox 360, it looks like Microsoft has finally launched a more organized method of detailing and tracking the process of sending your faulty US-based Xbox 360 back in for repair. Reportedly, the new web portal allows American console owners to register their machine, attach a Windows Live ID, schedule a repair, and track the status of said mending. Additionally, users who register will supposedly receive a five dollar credit towards out-of-warranty repair service should they need it, but considering that the warranty was just extended to three full years, you should be covered for a good while yet.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

 

[via] Engadget

Wibrain's B1 UMPC: hideous, yet strangely appealing

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Ok, it's ugly as sin (and pretty thick, to boot), but we have to give props to Wibrain's new B1 UMPC. Besides coming equipped with a Via C7m CPU up to 1.6GHz, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, a VGA camera, HSDPA, and a full QWERTY keyboard and trackpad, the thing's going to sell for a mere 600 or 700k Korean Won (about $650 - $760 US) when it's launched overseas this October.

 

[via] Engadget

Windows users get iPhone file browser

Filed under: Cellphones

Windows iPhone users, just a quick bit for you: it's called iPhoneBrowser, and its the latest file browser software for iPhone. Still looks a little primitive, but you'll have to lets us know how well you fare working with it.

 

[via] Engadget

Samsung to receive insurance payout for power outage damage

Filed under: Storage

Merely hours after a substantial blackout halted six chip production lines in a complex operated by the world's largest flash memory producer, Samsung is now expected to "get insurance payments from a local insurer for the damage received during Friday's power outage." Reportedly, the firm's contract with Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance will cover the damage, which is currently estimated to be somewhere near $40 million. Of note, the exact cause of the outage is still unknown, and it was stated that it would take "considerable amounts of time" to look into before the losses are finally calculated. Furthermore, some analysts have speculated that it "would take weeks for the plants to reach full capacity," and if this does indeed prove true, supplies to electronic-product makers "will likely remain constrained and prices will stay high."

[via] Engadget

Lindy's Mini NAS enclosure hearts your Mac mini

Filed under: Storage

If you've managed to resist stacking your Mac mini atop, say, six or seven Mac mini-friendly external devices, consider yourself fortunate. If you have, however, it's likely that you'll be ratcheting things up even higher once you see Lindy's Mini NAS, which unsurprisingly fits comfortably beneath your wee Mac and dishes out data over your network. The chassis is compatible with standard 3.5-inch ATA hard drives, sports a built-in FTP server and support for Samba, but only touts a 10 / 100 Ethernet connection. Moreover, users can connect it directly to a computer via USB in a pinch, and while there's no word on this thing arriving on American soil anytime soon, those in England can snag one now for £64.99 ($132).

[Via PCWorld]

 

[via] Engadget

Laser printer particle researcher fires back at HP

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

After Australian researchers delivered a damning report claiming that HP's printers were at the top of the heap for expelling dangerous, potentially cancer-causing, ultra-fine particles, the company responded with a lengthy press release which essentially "debunked" the study's findings -- and now the researchers have fired back to the Australian press. The printer-maker claimed that the study of ultra-fine particles was a "new" science, to which Lidia Morawska, head of the project, says simply isn't true. According to her, the European Commission has added a particle number limit to its emissions standards for light vehicles, which Morawska claims is a normally "lengthy" process. Additionally, she says that there is "considerable toxicological evidence of potential detrimental effects of ultra-fine particles on human health," based on the current World Health Organization's Air Quality Guidelines. The scientist further refutes HP's claims that the particles "cannot be accurately characterised by analytical technology," by stating that the study found plenty of printer models which carried no dangerous emissions at all, suggesting clear differences in the variety of particle output. Obviously this debate is just getting started, though we'll be avoiding superfluous laser printing while the jury is out... just to be safe.

 

[via] Engadget

San Francisco pulls the plug on Google / Earthlink's citywide WiFi... for now

Filed under: Networking

It looks like the people of San Francisco are going to have to wait a little bit longer before they can spam their friends with memes while sitting in the middle of Golden Gate Park. The WiFi blanket deal which would see Google and Earthlink teaming up to deliver a citywide network to the Bay-area has ground to a halt after a round of somewhat "unfriendly" statements from Earthlink concerning the plans. David Noyola, speaking on behalf of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (which has been overseeing the project) said that the network's rollout has stalled "in the shadow of comments," made last week by Rolla Huff, the internet provider's CEO, who expressed reservations over municipal wireless deals. Breaking points in particular seem to be the city's request for changes in data speed and privacy controls, and its desire to downsize Earthlink's contract on the network from 16 years to eight (significantly reducing the company's time to earn a profit). The internet provider now claims that they are doing a "detailed review," of their business model regarding the project, which the company says will not provide "an acceptable return." Obviously a lose-lose situation for the laptop-toting citizens of the City by the Bay.

 

[via] Engadget

Nokia adds Microsoft's PlayReady DRM to upcoming devices

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia appears to be making some interesting moves as of late. Following rumors that the company will hazard a foray into the world of digital music sales, the Finnish mobile manufacturer has signed a deal with Microsoft to utilize its PlayReady DRM scheme. The technology, which is file-format-independent, is specifically targeted for use with mobile devices, and is intended to strengthen "security" on a wide variety of content such as music, videos, games, ringtones, and images. The DRM is backwards compatible with the existing Windows Media 10 file management, and will be implemented on upcoming S60 and Series 40 Nokia devices beginning in 2008. It seems at least somewhat possible that this arrangement could be related to the recent whisperings of Nokia's iTunes-esque plans, as DRM has already been hinted at for the supposed forthcoming service. Perhaps on August 29th all will be revealed -- but only Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo knows for sure.

 

[via] Engadget

Garmin intros Nuvi 260 with text-to-speech

Filed under: GPS

It looks like Garmin hasn't yet run out of digits in its 200-series of GPS devices, with the company today introducing the Nuvi 260 model, the first of the series to boast text-to-speech capabilities. That notable feature will let you keep your eyes on the road while the device calls out street names and directions. Otherwise, the device appears to be pretty much identical to others in the series, boasting a 3.5-inch touchscreen, pre-loaded maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, six million points of interest, and an SD card slot for expansion, among other standard fare. Look for this one to land sometime this month with an MSRP of $499.99.

 

[via] Engadget

Toshiba's HD-A3x third generation HD DVD players get official

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Looks like we won't have to wait 'til CEDIA to learn more about Toshiba's next generation HD DVD players. Amazon had the model numbers and prices right, which are in-line with the last generation of players, with the exception of the top of the line HD-A35 it has an MSRP of $499 compared to the HD-XA2's $799. The entry level HD-A3 has pretty much the same features set as the last time around, but its bigger brothers include a few extras including 24p support, (HD-A20 and HD-XA2 are expected to get an firmware update in September to enable 24p) and CE-Link. Both of these features are a must-have if your TV supports them and should help Toshiba move a few more units this time around -- though those new looks won't hurt either.

Expected Pricing and Expected Availability:
HD-A3 ($299.99, October 2007)
HD-A30 ($399.99, September 2007)
HD-A35 ($499.99, October 2007)

 

[via] Engadget