Engadget

Super cheap Archos 1 Vision DMP set for release this month

by Laura June posted Nov 6th 2009 at 2:02PM

Archos has been on a real PMP tear as of late, releasing the Archos 2 Vision, 3 Vision, and the Clipper all in one pop back in August. The company's now launched yet another Vision model, the entry-level 1 Vision. This tiny little 4GB dude has a 1.5-inch LCD and supposedly gets about 20 hours of battery life per charge. No video support in this puppy, but the €30 (somewhere in the realm of $45) pricetag should temper some of your crushing disappointment over its lack of features. The Archos 1 Vision should be available in Europe by the end of November.

[Via PMP Today]

Blinged out Michael Jackson phone is fashionably late

by Laura June posted Nov 6th 2009 at 12:25PM

Michael Jackson may never take the stage again, but that doesn't mean you can't commemorate him in your pocket, right? This special, "limited edition" mobile phone appears to have been dipped in gold and diamonds, and, if we're not mistaken... it's basically a Vertu KIRF that's dressed like a headless MJ? We're pretty light on specs and pricing information here, but rest assured that unless you live in China, you'll probably never be able to get your be-gloved hand on one of these. Nothing like cashing in on the dead.

[Via Shanzhai]

LG to announce Snapdragon-boasting Android phone, Korea-bound in 2010

by Laura June posted Nov 6th 2009 at 11:58AM

It's looking like LG will be offering an Android phone boasting Qualcomm's hot Snapdragon chip -- which has recently squeezed its way into handsets such as the Xperia X10 and Acer's Liquid. The new LG mobile phone is expected for the Korean market in the second quarter of 2010. While the device is still unnamed and specs are still a mystery, LG is promising that the device will be "more mature" than the GW620 Eve, an Android device announced earlier this week for Rogers in Canada. There's no solid word on what availability of the device will be like, though LG says its considering possibilities outside of Korea.

[Via Slashgear]

TwitterPeek review

by Laura June posted Nov 5th 2009 at 3:19PM

Peek is a company with ideas -- but they like to tackle them one at a time. Last year, amid snickering and cries of uselessness from the gadget world, the tiny company launched an email-only handheld that's attempted to bring the idea of email on the go to the smartphone fearing crowd... and we do know at least one avid user. Now the company has turned around and tried it again, this time with a seemingly even less essential device, the TwitterPeek.

The TwitterPeek works in conjunction with Twitter, and only with Twitter. It's that simple. There's nothing else to figure out or set up, so presumably, the idea is that the device, like the original Peek, is intended for the dumbphone lover who just can't go without a constant stream of Tweets. So, fair enough -- those of us who are more than a little tech savvy may find reason to smile at this, but supposedly this will be attractive to someone. Right?

So how did the TwitterPeek fare when we got our mitts on it? Read on to find out.

Gallery: TwitterPeek hands-on

Continue reading TwitterPeek review

BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on and impressions

by Laura June posted Nov 5th 2009 at 12:00AM

RIM's successor to the original Bold -- the BlackBerry Bold 9700 -- has finally landed on our doorsteps. The 9000 is in many ways a hard act to follow. Hardware-wise, it lived up to its name, going where most phones never went with its retro, leathery, nearly clunky looks in an age of rounded edges and shiny curves. Don't get us wrong -- we loved the 9000's aesthetics obsessively -- which is why we couldn't wait to get our hands on its newborn child. A few questions we had in mind: would the 9700 live up to its predecessor's notoriously uncompromising fashion sense? Would the new Bold feel as good to hold and use in the hand as its loving parent? How would it stack up against other, new devices from RIM? If these are the kind of questions you think you might want answers to, read on for our impressions.

Continue reading BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on and impressions

Bandai unleashes beauty tool to detect the condition, mood of your skin

by Laura June posted Nov 4th 2009 at 9:02PM

This is the kind of gadget we'd assume was a joke -- if we didn't know that it wasn't. Bandai -- makers of such useful time wasters as the Tamagotchi and the little doohickey that helps women "understand" men -- has just unveiled a new device which should make you feel even less comfortable inside your own skin. Partnering up with Japanese cosmetics company FANCL, Bandai's Skin Expert is a tiny device which you apparently hold up to your face to receive detailed information on its 'quality' and health. Now, all of the information we can find about this little guy is in Japanese, so excuse us for our mystification on how the doodad works, but we'll tell you this: we're definitely buying it if it shows up on Sephora. The Bandai Skin Expert will be unleashed in Japan on November 30th for ¥3,750 (about $40). There's one more super informative shot after the break.

[Via Hobby Blog]

Continue reading Bandai unleashes beauty tool to detect the condition, mood of your skin

European Space Agency launches flood-predicting, earth monitoring satellite

by Laura June posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 12:01PM

On Sunday (the first of November) the European Space Agency launched a new satellite from a Russian rocket. This one, named the European Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite has a few very important jobs to do. For the next 3-5 years, the satellite will gather data about the circulation patterns in Earth's oceans and the moisture in its soil. The collected information will hopefully be used to forecast weather patterns such as droughts and flood risks. Check out the video after the break for a detailed explanation and a peek at the satellite of love itself.

[Via Inhabitat]

Continue reading European Space Agency launches flood-predicting, earth monitoring satellite

Japanese team takes top prize at World Solar Challenge

by Laura June posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 10:51AM

A Japanese team from Tokai University has taken the top spot at the World Solar Challenge, which was held at the end of last week in Australia. The team beat out the Delft University team which won four consecutive previous Challenges, and this year took second place, with the third seat going to the University of Michigan. The race course travels from southern to northern Australia over 3,000 km (about 1864 miles), and the winning team's car, Tokai Challenger, completed the race in just under 30 hours, averaging 62 miles per hour. Other notable participants included the MIT-built Eleanor.

[Via Wired]

Dog buys 5,000 Microsoft points, says he just wanted to check out the Abbey Road DLC

by Laura June posted Nov 1st 2009 at 7:57PM

Say what you will about dogs being man's best friend -- they sure can get into a lot of trouble. While our dogs have been limited to eating shoes and shedding on our furniture, Greg Strope of Richmond, Virginia has reason to believe his furry friend has gone the extra mile. While he lay in bed sleeping, his dog Oscar, he believes, purchased 5,000 Microsoft points. The only possible culprit, Oscar left some telltale signs (drool and scratches) on the Xbox controller, leading Greg to blame the $63 purchase on him. We have to admit the dog's actions rather impress us, though it also makes us nervous about all those times we left our laptop open and unattended around our own tiny beast. Video featuring damning photographic evidence is after the break.

Continue reading Dog buys 5,000 Microsoft points, says he just wanted to check out the Abbey Road DLC

Black Wii gets unboxed just in time for the darkest holiday

by Laura June posted Oct 30th 2009 at 6:39PM

Those lucky enough to live in Europe will soon (as in November 6th soon) be able to purchase a special edition of that black Nintendo Wii some of us have been drooling over for the past few months. Sure, it's just a regular Wii... but it's black, which is so much cooler. Well someone's finally gotten their hands on it and done an unboxing, and we have to say that it looks even better than it did in the press shots. The limited edition Black Wii bundle with Wii Sports Resort and a Motion Plus controller will run you around £164.99 in the UK, and those of us in the US? Well, we'll just have to make due with the black controller and nunchuk. There are a few more shots after the break. Hit the read link for the full unboxing and video.

[Thanks, Emilia]

Continue reading Black Wii gets unboxed just in time for the darkest holiday

Family awarded $16.5 million for wrongful death in 'Hold Your Wee for a Wii' contest

by Laura June posted Oct 30th 2009 at 2:29PM

Way back in January of 2007, we reported on the Strange family, who were suing Sacramento radio station KDND-FM for the wrongful death of Jennifer Strange, who was found dead in her home after competing in a contest to try to win a Nintendo Wii. The contest -- "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" -- involved seeing who could drink the most water without urinating, and Jennifer, who did not win, left the studio and later died. Her autopsy later showed signs of water intoxication. Yesterday, a California jury ruled a wrongful death in the case, and ordered Entercom Sacramento LLC, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp., to pay $16.5 million dollars to her family as a result of the actions of the radio station's employees.

Nokia announces the end of its N-Gage gaming service

by Laura June posted Oct 30th 2009 at 1:31PM

Nokia has officially announced that it will put an end to its problem-plagued N-Gage gaming service, integrating it into its Ovi Store. The move isn't really a shocker, and while Nokia has confirmed that no further games will be published, it's also said that it will continue to sell currently available games in the Ovi Store (as of today) until the end of September 2010. The N-Gage website, which holds the Arena and community boards, will also continue until that time. Nokia says that any already purchased games will continue to run on the mobile device, but that any connected community features will be non-functional come 2010.

[Via Pocket Lint]

Jibbigo iPhone app translates from English to Spanish and back again

by Laura June posted Oct 30th 2009 at 10:37AM

Jibbigo is a recently released iPhone app which promises to help you out the next time you're desperately trying to make yourself understood by your Spanish-speaking compadres. The app is capable of recording a sentence and translating it -- essentially in real time -- back to you. As you can see in the screencap above, you can speak either Spanish or English, and the translator will do its work, displaying both your original and a translation into the other language. The dictionary contains about 40,000 words, and the app is aimed at travelers. Jibbigo also requires the iPhone 3GS to make use of the bi-directional translation tools, and the app also reportedly functions a heck of a lot slower on anything other than the 3GS. The app is available now for $24.99.

[Via, iPodnn]

Fuji Heavy Industries outs friendless, autonomous farming robot

by Laura June posted Oct 29th 2009 at 1:17PM

Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan has announced what it's calling 'the first' autonomous farming robot. This bot, which is about six and a half feet long and runs on gas, sends and receives laser signals to orient itself by way of reflective plates placed every 30 feet, using them to judge distances. This bad boy can grow fruits and veggies all by its lonesome, and can even operate in a greenhouse. The farming robot -- which is expected early next year -- will run about $100,000, but we'd suggest you buy two so he can have a buddy.

Qooq recipe and cooking tablet launched for French speakers only

by Laura June posted Oct 29th 2009 at 10:28AM

Cooking tablets and recipe readers have been pretty limited (and not very good) in the past -- but this one looks extremely promising. Called the Qooq, the 10.2-incher boasts -- in addition to a bunch of recipes, of course -- complete meal prep videos, instructions and advice on choosing ingredients, shopping lists, meal planners -- all which can be updated monthly via a subscription service. Specwise, we're looking at a glass touchscreen, Ethernet and USB ports, an SD slot, WiFi, and a built-in stand. The custom UI looks pretty attractive, but there are some drawbacks. The Qooq does not have a browser (though it's got built-in weather, digital photo viewing, and internet radio apps), and it's only available for French language speakers for now. If you do speak the language of love, you can get one of these puppies for €349 (about $513), with the subscription service running an additional €12.95a month (about $19).

[Via Red Ferret]

Ghostwire augmented reality game coming to your creepy motel room, DSi in 2010

by Laura June posted Oct 28th 2009 at 1:45PM

Majesco's just announced an augmented reality game for the DSi, Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal. While the Ghostwire title had been previously unveiled, Majesco has apparently just signed on to publish it. The game makes use of the DSi's camera and microphone so the player can hunt for ghosts in their surrounding, actual environment. Once the ghosts are detected, the player will have to track down objects to bribe them into peacefulness. Ghostwire is expected sometime in 2010, but until then, we'll just keep walking with our own ghosts.

Lullabelly prenatal music belt rocks the cradle of love

by Laura June posted Oct 28th 2009 at 9:58AM

Hey, you want to start annoying your kids with your crummy taste in tunes before they've even been born? Fine, go for it. The Lullabelly prenatal music belt -- which is like a giant, soft cummerbund with a speaker stuffed into it -- is here to help. Just plug your fave PMP into it and you'll be all set to turn the womb into a super musical fun fest. The speaker has an output of about 60 to 80 decibels, and you can jack in with your earbuds to jam along. Just remember: you're the one with the volume control, and no matter how good the Tran-Siberian Orchestra sounds to you at 11 am, some people would rather listen to Megadeth. This bad boy comes in two slightly different packages, one which will run you $49.99, the other is $59.99

[Via Switched]

How-to: recycle your old gadgets

by Laura June posted Oct 27th 2009 at 1:56PM

We see a lot of gadgets come in the door here at Engadget. In fact, getting them in the door is actually the easy part... it's getting them back out that's a bit confusing. Recycling -- something that most of us do on a day-to-day basis with our trash -- is a bit stickier when it comes to gadgets. In recent years, however, most major consumer electronics companies have stepped up their games a bit and begun "take back" recycling programs of their own. There are a lot of resources out there if you want to rid yourself of old gadgets in a responsible way, but it can be a pretty overwhelming prospect, especially if (like us) you have an actual pile of old cellphones which has been growing since 1998. We thought about that a lot, and decided to try to make sense of all the wild masses of information out there on the internet, and to provide our readers a central location to look for all that information. Read on and see what we've come up with!

Continue reading How-to: recycle your old gadgets

Prosthetic, robotic 'Smart Hand' has feelings, too

by Laura June posted Oct 24th 2009 at 12:42PM

Researchers in Italy and Sweden have spent the last ten years developing what they call the "Smart Hand," a prosthetic hand which enables feeling in its fingertips. The hand -- which was recently wired up to a test patient through a surgical procedure -- has four motors and forty sensors which are linked directly to the brain. In the surgery, the nerve endings of the patient were linked up to receptors in the hand, which allows for feeling in the fingertips of the hand, even though the hand is not really a part of his body. In the video after the break, you can see the greater precision and dexterity this hand allows for. Though the research still needs to be refined before practical use, it looks pretty far along -- and pretty awesome -- to us.

Continue reading Prosthetic, robotic 'Smart Hand' has feelings, too

Sega lighters: smoking will never be cool again

by Laura June posted Oct 24th 2009 at 5:27AM

Lighters are more often than not outside the scope of our coverage here at Engadget, and while we don't condone smoking or lighting anything on fire... well, these are just awesome. Banpresto's launched a pre-order of these two beautiful Zippo-style lighters, a Sega Mega Drive and a Sega Saturn which runs through November 6th, with a shipping date sometime in December. Each lighter runs ¥10,500 (around $115). We'll definitely keep our eyes peeled for more of these smokers.

[Via Joystiq]

Gallery: TwitterPeek hands-on

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