Lenovo LePhone K2 to arrive with 4.3-inch IPS display, 1.5GHz dual-core chip

Lenovo LePhone K2 to arrive with 4.3-inch IPS display, 1.5GHz dual-core chip:

Frankly speaking, the phones that Lenovo have announced so far this week haven't been all that exciting (unless, of course, you're somehow aroused by its 5-inch tabletphone), but it turned out the folks had a little surprise for us: the LePhone K2. What we got here is a 4.3-inch IPS display (resolution of which not yet announced), a powerful dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8260 chip, 1GB RAM, 1GB ROM and an eight megapixel 1080p camera. Sadly, like the S2 and the S760, this crouching tiger also packs Android 2.3.5 instead of Ice Cream Sandwich, but without a price or a release date, perhaps there's still a small chance that we'll see it eventually launching with the newer OS. Anyhow, that's just our wishful thinking. Chinese hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Lenovo LePhone K2 to arrive with 4.3-inch IPS display, 1.5GHz dual-core chip

Continue reading Lenovo LePhone K2 to arrive with 4.3-inch IPS display, 1.5GHz dual-core chip

Lenovo LePhone K2 to arrive with 4.3-inch IPS display, 1.5GHz dual-core chip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That rarest of creatures, the white Nokia N9, should appear before Christmas

That rarest of creatures, the white Nokia N9, should appear before Christmas:

A poet would say it's like a piece of ivory: both beautiful and sad. Meanwhile, Nokia's official blog says the white N9 is coming to the UK before the end of the year with a rarefied 64GB of on-board storage. We have no idea as to the price, but we suspect dedicated MeeGo memento hunters will hardly care.



Update: Oh hell, sorry Britannia. We actually meant to say it's coming to all those (not very many) countries where the N9 is already available. Nokia confirmed to us today that it's on target to supply white N9s to those markets in December. Everyone else will have to get it via a price-inflated import. Apologies for the bad geography.

Continue reading That rarest of creatures, the white Nokia N9, should appear before Christmas

That rarest of creatures, the white Nokia N9, should appear before Christmas originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Samsung chip has two of everything: two cores, 2GHz, 2560 x 1600 graphics

New Samsung chip has two of everything: two cores, 2GHz, 2560 x 1600 graphics:

Sammy's current Cortex A9-based chips are hardly slackers -- the Galaxy Note already proved that to any lingering doubters. Nevertheless, the next-gen Exynos 5250 SoC promises to double that sort of performance, by harnessing two Cortex-A15 chips clocked at 2GHz each, along with a GPU that can output resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA). It's like big.LITTLE computing, except without the LITTLE. Samsung reckons it'll start mass producing the 5250 for use in high-end tablets by the second quarter of next year, which should be just in time to stop NVIDIA from getting too cocky.

New Samsung chip has two of everything: two cores, 2GHz, 2560 x 1600 graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo unveils the LePad S2007 and LePad S2010, both with Honeycomb and 1.5GHz dual-core chip

Lenovo unveils the LePad S2007 and LePad S2010, both with Honeycomb and 1.5GHz dual-core chip:

Oh no, it isn't just about the 5-inch tabletphone today. Announced at the same event in Beijing just now are a couple of larger tablets from Lenovo: the LePad S2007 and the LePad S2010. Interestingly, the latter 10.1-inch device isn't quite the same as what we saw in our exclusive scoop from two weeks ago: it's 1.5GHz Qualcomm dual-core rather than 1.6GHz NVIDIA quad-core, 1GB RAM instead of 2GB, no funky fingerprint scanner on the back, and it's launching with Android 3.2 instead of Ice Cream Sandwich. But fret not, as we've been informed that its international counterpart -- aka the IdeaTab K2 in our scoop -- will launch with the latest Android OS; so we're just waiting for a release date.



Both of these Honeycomb tablets share many similarities: Qualcomm's dual-core 1.5GHz chip, 1GB RAM, 1,280 x 800 IPS display (pretty nice on a 7-inch form factor, with 216ppi density), eight megapixel main camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, dual-mode 3G (China Telecom's EV-DO plus China Unicom's WCDMA) for data plus voice calls, and plans to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich in the future. Aside from the obvious physical differences, these tablets also come with different battery capacities: the 360g-heavy, 9.7mm-thick S2007 comes with 3,780mAh that can last up to eight hours on WiFi; whereas the 670g-heavy (almost the same as the original WiFi iPad, uh-oh), 9.9mm-thick S2010 has a generous 7,560mAh that can push it to 11 hours. Like the S2005 tabletphone, both tablets will be available in China next month; so for now, stay tuned for some hands-on photos from our folks over at Engadget Chinese.



Update: It turns out that there was a slight misunderstanding regarding the voice call feature -- the Chinese press release meant using Skype-like software to enable this. Pah.

Lenovo unveils the LePad S2007 and LePad S2010, both with Honeycomb and 1.5GHz dual-core chip originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Samsung giving up on netbooks next year?

Is Samsung giving up on netbooks next year?:

An email sent by Samsung to its trading partners appears to shut down any prospect of the manufacturer producing new netbooks after the first quarter of 2012. The email is quoted by French site Blogeee and says that Samsung will switch its focus to 11.6- and 12-inch ultraportables as well as Intel Ultrabooks. The quote does not preclude some of those ultraportables running cheaper processors such as Cedar Trail, which would effectively make them slightly larger next-gen netbooks, but it does specifically mention the abandonment of the 10.1-inch form factor. Here's our translation:

"Following the introduction of our new strategy in 2012, we will discontinue our 10.1-inch (netbook) product range in Q1 2012, in favor of ultraportables (11.6 and 12 inches) and ultrabooks to be launched in 2012."

Is Samsung giving up on netbooks next year? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cisco, Telia to activate 'world's fastest internet connection' at 120Gbps, sounds pretty Swede

Cisco, Telia to activate 'world's fastest internet connection' at 120Gbps, sounds pretty Swede:

If the Swedes can dry a load of laundry on a 40Gbps internet connection, just imagine what they could do with 120Gbps. Melt polar caps? Solve the debt crisis? Dry three loads of laundry? The possibilities may be limitless, but we'll all find out soon enough, because Cisco and Telia are aiming to break the 120Gbps barrier by the end of this weekend. It's all part of this week's DreamHack, a Swedish digital festival that the Guinness Book recognizes as the "world's largest LAN party." This year, the two companies will attempt to set up a 300 kilometer-long connection from Jönköping to Stockholm, serving an estimated 750,000 people at blazing speeds. The project has been in the works since last summer, with Telia constructing the fiber network, and Cisco handling hardware duties with a pair of power-packed CRS-3 routers that boast a transmission capacity of 322 bits per second. The companies say that the connection, if successful, would set a record for network "capacity utilization," allowing all 750K users to stream music simultaneously and to download an entire movie in just .047 seconds. It'll take us a lot longer to pick up our jaws from the ground.

Cisco, Telia to activate 'world's fastest internet connection' at 120Gbps, sounds pretty Swede originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom 3 source code available now, gory customizations welcomed

Doom 3 source code available now, gory customizations welcomed:

Doom for everyone. It's not a particularly festive message, but as promised earlier this week, the Doom 3 source code is now out on a general public license. Programming types can meddle with the game's inner workings as wintery temperatures force them to huddle close to the warm hum of excessive gaming rigs. Doom dad John Carmack announced the release to his horde of Twitter followers, while doffing his cap to Timothee Besset, who helped sidestep some shadow rendering license issues that had dogged an earlier release. Peer into the source code at the link below, and know the true face of despair Doom.

Doom 3 source code available now, gory customizations welcomed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video)

Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video):

Look, not every Arduino accessory has to be useful. Heck, some of them don't have to do anything at all except, perhaps, make you smile. And that's all the Googly Eye Arduino Shield promises to provide -- a little cheer and personality to add to your latest hack or project. The $7 shield is simply a platform with stacking headers, so you put another shield on top if you like, that sports a pair of googly eyes. Best of all, it's completely customizable. The kit comes with two pairs of different sized peepers which you can place wherever you want. Add all four if you like! The blank white slate leaves you plenty of room to doodle, add a smile, eyelashes or, if you simply must ruin it by adding functionality, a mini breadboard. You can see the Evil Mad Scientist-made shield in action after the break but, honestly, if you're not sold yet you never will be (also, you probably don't have a soul).

Gallery: Googly Eye Shield for Arduino

Continue reading Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video)

Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kyobo, Qualcomm make Mirasol color displays a reality, with the Kyobo eReader

Kyobo, Qualcomm make Mirasol color displays a reality, with the Kyobo eReader:

Don't look now, but Mirasol has just arisen from the dead. Today, Korea's Kyobo Book Centre and Qualcomm jointly unveiled the world's first Mirasol-coated e-reader, just a few months after CEO Paul Jacobs heralded the demise of his company's color e-paper format. The device, known as the Kyobo eReader, sports a 5.7-inch, 1024 x 768 color display with 223ppi and touchscreen capabilities, runs Android 2.3 and is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 CPU. Kyobo says you'll be able to use the WiFi-enabled slate for "weeks" on a single charge, as long as you do so at decreased brightness, and for a total of 30 minutes per day. The eReader is available now for around $310, but only in South Korea. There's no indication that it'll be making its way to other markets anytime soon, but in the meantime, sate yourself with a portion of PR, after the break.

Continue reading Kyobo, Qualcomm make Mirasol color displays a reality, with the Kyobo eReader

Kyobo, Qualcomm make Mirasol color displays a reality, with the Kyobo eReader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Micromouse robot completes maze in under four seconds (video)

Micromouse robot completes maze in under four seconds (video):

It may not look all that mouse-like, but this so-called micromouse robot can navigate a maze unlike any other -- robot or otherwise. Built by Ng Beng Kiat, the Min7.1 bot has a top speed of 12 kilometers per hour, and it recently set a new record in the Japan Micromouse Robot Competition with a time of 3.921 seconds. For those not up on their robot maze-racing stats, that's a full second under the previous record holder. Of course, it didn't just blaze through on its first attempt. The bots are first allowed an autonomous exploration phase, but even it is fairly impressive to watch. Check out it and the record-setting run after the break.

Continue reading Micromouse robot completes maze in under four seconds (video)

Micromouse robot completes maze in under four seconds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Sony's Tablet S?

How would you change Sony's Tablet S?:

As far as tablets go, Sony's Tablet S is about as innovative and unorthodox as it got in 2011. The Honeycomb-based device shipped with Android 3.1, and while there's no word yet on an Ice Cream Sandwich update, you can bet that Sony's pushing for one. As is, it's still in possession of quite the edge given the PlayStation Suite inclusion, which makes it the first tablet capable of playing PlayStation and PSP games via the included emulator. We found plenty of pros and cons during our time with the device, but now that it's out and about in plenty of nations worldwide, we're offering you -- the early adopter -- a chance to speak about your gripes and praises. Would you change up the wedge design? Throw a different display on here? Swap one thing for another? Go on and shout your advice below. But try speaking, first. Shouting is pretty rude.

How would you change Sony's Tablet S? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doh uses RFID and Arduino to help you remember your wallet, continues search for the 'Any Key'

Doh uses RFID and Arduino to help you remember your wallet, continues search for the 'Any Key':

If you can dream it, Arduino can help you build it -- perhaps with a dash of MakerBot thrown in for good measure. The latest homebrew project to hit the ol' inbox sounds an alarm whenever you leave a room without a registered item. Doh (named in Homer Simpson's honor, we presume), uses a trio of devices to track items that you usually travel with, like your keys or a cellphone. After you've assembled the rather complex contraption, you affix color-coded RFID tags to your gadgets, before registering them with the Arduino-based host. If you leave the room without all of the items that you've registered as a "grouping," a door handle-mounted display will indicate what's missing by flashing its color and sounding an alarm. If you've forgotten multiple items, the display will cycle through the associated colors. There's also a two-way "buzzing tag" that beeps until it's found, if you wish to add that to your collection. It's not a turnkey solution by any means, but unlike Homer, at least you're not being tasked with preventing nuclear meltdown. And if you're looking for a time-proven alternative, a pen and a pad of stickies should do. Jump past the break for a demo video, banjo-equipped soundtrack and all.

Continue reading Doh uses RFID and Arduino to help you remember your wallet, continues search for the 'Any Key'

Doh uses RFID and Arduino to help you remember your wallet, continues search for the 'Any Key' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MediaTek-powered ZTE MT73 packs TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM, dual SIM and magic dust

MediaTek-powered ZTE MT73 packs TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM, dual SIM and magic dust:

Here's a funny one we spotted at China Mobile's booth at Mobile Asia Congress: a ZTE Android phone powered by a MediaTek chipset that supports TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM and dual SIM! Of course, given that China Mobile is currently the exclusive carrier to the TD-SCDMA technology, we're not expecting this peculiar device to pop up anywhere beyond the Great Wall any time soon; but knowing that there's a dual-SIM LTE phone somewhere on this planet still makes our day.



Spec-wise this MT73 prototype features Android 2.3.4, an 800MHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 4.1-inch 854 x 480 LCD with capacitive touchscreen, a five megapixel main camera, a VGA front-facing camera and a 1,100mAh battery. As per usual ZTE build quality, there's an inevitable cheap feel upon laying our hands on this phone, but we'll give ZTE the benefit of the doubt and wait for the final version. As for a launch date, the folks at China Mobile said it'll depend on when will the government issue a commercial license for TD-LTE. To keep you occupied for the time being, we have a hands-on video right after the break.

Continue reading MediaTek-powered ZTE MT73 packs TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM, dual SIM and magic dust

MediaTek-powered ZTE MT73 packs TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM, dual SIM and magic dust originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS' Origami-like Transformer Prime Smart Cover hits Amazon, sporting luxurious folds

ASUS' Origami-like Transformer Prime Smart Cover hits Amazon, sporting luxurious folds:

The Eee Pad Transformer Prime has yet to start shipping, but when it does, you'll be able to wrap it up in this specialized Smart Cover, from ASUS. Spotted on Amazon's German site, this Origami-like accessory will prop up your Prime in either a vertical or horizontal lying position, much like some of those other "intelligent" covers we've seen. The folds look decidedly ornate, but we'll have to wait a little longer before trying it out for ourselves. It's available now for €39 (about $53), though at the time of this writing, it's also out of stock.

Gallery: ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime Smart Cover

ASUS' Origami-like Transformer Prime Smart Cover hits Amazon, sporting luxurious folds originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navigon 2.0 arrives for iPhone with new name, lets users download maps by state (video)

Navigon 2.0 arrives for iPhone with new name, lets users download maps by state (video):

Navigation junkies have been pining for Navigon's latest MobileNavigator application ever since our sneak preview at CTIA, but that wait is now over -- at least for iPhone constituents. To mark its arrival, the app was re-branded as Navigon 2.0, and yes, it's a free upgrade for current users. Most notably, the software now enables individuals to selectively load maps into their iPhone on a state-by-state basis -- thereby creating extra headroom for more important uses. Additionally, Navigon fans will also discover a completely re-designed user interface along with an in-app purchase function that delivers quarterly map updates. Now through November 30th, new users may purchase Navigon 2.0 for $20 off the normal price of $49.99 for the United States or Canada, and $59.99 for all of North America. Curious to see it in action? We've included a demo video and the full PR just beyond the break.

Continue reading Navigon 2.0 arrives for iPhone with new name, lets users download maps by state (video)

Navigon 2.0 arrives for iPhone with new name, lets users download maps by state (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM: 'We're committed to the keyboard'

RIM: 'We're committed to the keyboard':

With all the gossip about BBX screens becoming more tablet-like and the rumored BlackBerry 'London' being QWERTY-less, lovers of the physical keyboard can be forgiven for getting antsy. Hey, we feel it too -- after all, a BB's thumb pad is as quintessential as Québécois poutine. So, we put the question straight to one of our buddies at RIM. His unhesitating (yet not totally unambiguous) reply? That RIM will "maintain choice within its product portfolio" and is "absolutely committed to building more great keyboard-based smartphones." There you have it. Now, did someone mention cheesy fries?

RIM: 'We're committed to the keyboard' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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