Google's Android OS early look SDK now available

Filed under: Cellphones

Just like the good folks promised, the early look software development kit for Google's soon-to-be huge phone OS has hit the streets... er, internet. From what we can tell, the OS is as comfortable on larger, VGA devices as it is on more traditional smartphone layouts. Oh yeah... and it plays Quake. Here's what we know the software will support out of the box:

• Touchscreen
• 3G
• Webkit-based browser
• Threaded text messaging
• MPEG-4, h.264, MP3, and AAC file formats
• Accelerated 3D graphics

Below you can see an alternate fullscreen version of the phone (a hardware reference model, not a device you can expect to buy anytime soon) up and running its browser app. If you really want to get serious, pedal your steam-engine over to the Open Handset Alliance site where you can download the SDK for a variety of platforms. Otherwise, check out the gallery and view some videos after the break to see and hear more info than you can shake a stick at on the new platform.

Gallery: Google's Android OS early look SDK now available

Continue reading Google's Android OS early look SDK now available

 

[via] Engadget

Asus intros F8P "Christmas Edition" laptop

Filed under: Laptops

While a Christmas Edition laptop probably won't strike many folks as the best of ideas, Asus looks to have avoided most of the obvious pitfalls with its new F8P model, which opts for a subdued snow white look that should look just as good year round. Further adding to the laptop's special edition status are some leather accents, including a leather palm rest and, of course, a matching bag to complete the package. Otherwise, the laptop looks to be a decent if somewhat unremarkable system, with it boasting a 14.1-inch WXGA display, a T7500 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD2400 graphics, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and a dual layer DVD burner, among other standard issue specs. If that's enough to put you in the holiday cheer, you'll be able to snag one later this month for €1,339 (or just under $2,000).

[Thanks, Michele]

 

[via] Engadget

Gibson gets official with the self-tuning Robot Guitar

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

For all you rockers out there who are too lazy or too busy to tune your own strings, Gibson has just made your day. The self-tuning Les Paul we told you about back at the beginning of October has just gotten its official release date and a brand-spanking-new name: The Gibson Robot Guitar. Sure, it won't fix you breakfast, watch the children, or make a logical decision to wipe out all human life on the planet, but on December 12th, it will tune the hell out of your Ernie Balls. Check the video after the break to see the guitar in action.

Continue reading Gibson gets official with the self-tuning Robot Guitar

 

[via] Engadget

Ultra-portable Apple laptop rumored to be landing at Macworld Expo

Filed under: Laptops

We've certainly heard this rumor before but, according to the folks AppleInsider, it looks like we could now be fast approaching an actual debut of the oft-discussed ultra-portable Apple laptop. If they're right, the system (which is said to be a 13-incher) will be introduced at the Macworld Expo in January and, as previously speculated, it apparently won't boast an internal optical disc drive. That, along with some desirable NAND flash storage, will supposedly make the system about 50 percent lighter han Apple's current 15-inch MacBook Pro, not to mention "strikingly slimmer". As AppleInisder points out, those changes should also help to make the system considerably more power-efficient, with an LED-backlit display also helping on that front. Of course, this is all still up in the air for the time being, but at least this rumor has a definitive expiry date we can look forward to.

 

[via] Engadget

Alienware's Area-51 ALX CF the first to use 45nm processors

Filed under: Desktops

Well, that didn't take long -- just a few hours after Intel confirmed that those hot new 45nm Penryn processors are shipping, Alienware blasted out a press release announcing the Area-51 ALX CF, the first machine to use the new chips. The QX9650-equipped machines can be ordered overclocked up to 4.0GHz, and Alienware also bumped the graphics to dual CrossFire ATI Radeon HD 3870 cards. All that power won't come cheap, though -- the CF line starts at $5499.

 

[via] Engadget

Apple posts firmware v1.1.2 -- goodbye jailbreak!

Filed under: Cellphones

Looks like Apple just published firmware v1.1.2 for the iPhone; hit the download link to grab it yourself because iTunes hasn't yet gotten wise to the fact that it's out. Details to follow, but don't expect jailbreak or the unactivated Safari workaround hack to still be functional, ok? (... aaaand we're watching our download speed drop as our readers are grabbing the file. Rockin'.) Update: TIFF jailbreak exploit is dead. Sorry people. More below.

Update: Ok, We're "sacrificing" an iPhone for you people. We'll let you know what we find.

• Extracting software... restarting... iTunes successfully upgraded to 1.1.2.
• The "slide for emergency" slider flashed through different languages while it was waiting to be plugged in again.
• It's activated, pulled the backup data, and restarted -- success! Officially on 1.1.2.
• Testing jailbreakme.com... looks like they broke jailbreak! Yep, it's broken alright.
• Not really finding any new features -- certainly no new icons, no voice memos, nothing obvious about disk mode. Anyone else finding anything?
• Looks like international keyboards are finally enabled! Score one for everyone overseas who can't use their now-relocked iPhone.
• A few reports are coming in that their iPhone is "much faster now" (not that we remember ours being slow at all before). Maybe Apple made some performance tweaks this update.
• Can anyone confirm whether TurboSIM is working with this update?

To those scouring the internets searching for a changelog or support sheet on Apple's site, don't keep it to yourself, ok?

[Thanks, Brett]

Download - iPhone1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw, 160MB

 

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[via] Engadget

Apple posts iPod touch 1.1.2 update -- already hacked

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

As you'd expect, Apple has released version 1.1.2 of the iPod touch firmware hot on the jailbreak-breaking heels of its iPhone update. Early reports on MacRumors indicate a new "Add Event" functionality in the Calendar -- something that should have been included in v 1.0. Anyone else getting dirty with the firmware who wants to share changes? We'll keep you updated of course as this and the iPhone 1.1.2 status develops.

Update: Whoa, TUAW's in-house hacker -- Erica Sadun -- is reporting that v1.1.2 is already hacked on the iPod touch. That bodes well for opening up your new UK and German iPhone, eh readers? Oh, and that's a screenshot up there -- proof of the deed since that functionality is only available from your friendly third party development community.

Download - iPod1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw, 158MB

 

[via] Engadget