Call it karma or something else, the interesting relationship between Microsoft and Gizmodo continues to yield exclusive looks at the leaked tablet.  Microsoft’s Courier was shown by the site in a video and now that video has been sliced to show how users interact with the Courier.

The user interface highlights different fingerswipes, tablet functionality such as geotagging and timestamping, camera focusing and cropping, handwriting recognition, ereader capabilities and more.  The main purpose of this device looks to be “life” as the product seems to touch on many aspects.  Clearly, this tablet is built for more than just surfing the web or playing some games.

Gizmodo shows off several images with user options and actions on each page.  It is interested, but if you saw the video then you might have expected much of this.  The pages look like little more than still images from the video, giving us no indication how far from reality this is.

Read: [Gizmodo]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

We have been hearing stories of the CrunchPad for a while now, but for those of you who may be unfamiliar, the CrunchPad is a web tablet that is being developed by Michael Arrington of TechCrunch.

Just to give a brief history, the CrunchPad news first hit with a promise of a tablet that was designed solely for web browsing, and on top of that it was a tablet that was expected, or at least hoped to be priced at $200.

That was back in the middle of 2008. Of course, moving forward that $200 price tag turned into $300 sometime around April of 2009. Still, not a bad price, that is assuming it was made with some quality. At that time, there were even some prototypes around. But still nothing firm in terms of when the CrunchPad would be released.

Flash forward to today, November 2009 and Silicon Alley Insider is reporting that the CrunchPad may be out of business due to higher than expected development costs.

One story we heard from a few people on a recent trip to California is that the CrunchPad is supposedly being delayed—perhaps indefinitely—by increasing expenses.

Of course, there was that one rumor that suggested the CrunchPad would be released in November for around $400, and hey, November is not yet over so maybe we will see it hit the market after all.

Bottom line, it does not seem to be looking good. That said, I still want one.

Read [Silicon Alley Insider]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Yesterday, Dell announced that its new Latitude XT2 XFR tablet laptop is shipping.  Claiming to be world’s thinnest for a 12.1” screen at a narrow 1.5”, the laptop/tablet comes ruggedized and ready for battle.  Designed for the rigors of first responders in the field, the price tag is a sharp $3599 for the base model.

Here we are just a week after the Windows 7 launch and Dell’s new tablet says it runs Vista with XP Tablet installed in the buy information, but the Tech Specs say Windows 7.  Trying to customize the device in Dell’s packages only lead to Windows Vista options.  Windows 7 doesn’t seem to have propagated to this release.  Odd for a new release huh?

The 12.1” LED screen is impact resistant, capacitive, sunlight viewable, and is mulit-touch enabled.  A resistive screen is an option as well.  Dell will have accessories that are hot-swappable such as GPS and webcam in the coming weeks.

“The Latitude XT2 XFR is more than a laptop, it’s a key part of our mobile command and data-center solutions for field service, defense and first-responder customers,” said Paul Bell, president, Dell Global Public-Sector Business. “These unique solutions, coupled with our service model, make those communities more effective, enabling them to focus on their core missions instead of managing technology.”

The announcement does not include a shipping date as it uses future-tense for its verbs.  Know a good lawyer?

Product Page: [Dell] Press release: [Dell]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

If you’ve been issued a laptop from your company, thoughts of how to turn this quasi-mobile device into a passable workstation immediately springs to mind.  Logitech answers the call with their MK605 Notebook Kit.  The kit includes some smart parts to make your in the office time a bit more bearable.

The Logitech kit includes a wireless keyboard, wireless mouse and notebook riser.  The wireless keyboard features a number pad for banging through spreadsheets, the mouse is classic M505 and the riser helps put the laptop or keyboard at angle more suitable.  The kit costs a manager-agreeable $99 and is available now.

Product page: [Logitech] via [Uncrate]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Anyone who may have been holding out hope of actually having their hands on the Nokia N900 are going to have a little while longer to wait. That said, this news while annoying may have a nice outcome in the long run.

First off, the bad—Nokia has confirmed that the N900 will not begin shipping to those in the U.S. until sometime in November, which for those keeping track is about a month of a delay. Of course, that may not be all that bad considering the $649 price tag, that way those looking to make a purchase will have a little longer to save their pennies.

Thankfully that last little bit was not the real good news, instead, the good news comes in the form of what should really be considered a rumor. Anyway, for those that have been following the N900—it comes with support for T-Mobile 3G. With that, this initial delay may in turn end up being positive for those that purchase the N900 because T-Mobile is currently in the process of rolling out some new plans.

Read [Reuters] Product [Nokia]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

With the Nokia N900 just recently available overseas and not even expected to begin shipping here in the US until October, it hardly seems like an appropriate time to begin hearing rumors and seeing images of the follow up device.  That said, it does not seem to have stopped the rumor mill from churning and turning out this image along with a few details of what appears to be the Nokia N920.

So far what we have is just this one image (pictured to the right), as well as a few scant details.  Unfortunately those details may not make everyone, especially those that prefer a hardware keyboard all that happy.  According to the rumored details, the N920 will ditch the hardware QWERTY in favor of the virtual keyboard.  Other features include a 4.13-inch capacitive multi-touch enabled display and that it will be running Maemo 6.

Unfortunately that is it for now, the only other bit we have is that the N920 should be on the market sometime in mid to late 2010.  In other words we still have a while to wait.

Via [pocketables]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The details on the Nokia Booklet 3G have finally dropped and they are interesting to say the least.  The Intel Atom powered laptop will cost $299 if you get it with a two year contract from AT&T.  It will run Windows 7, has GPS, Nokia Ovi store access, Wi-Fi, and, as the name says, 3G.  Buying the computer outright will cost $599.  Even with its 16-cell battery (and 12 hour battery life), computers with better stats can be had. 

Randall Bennett, Clayton Morris, and I talked over the Nokia Booklet 3G.  Who exactly is this for and is this a good idea at all?

Read: [InformationWeek]
Watch More: [TechVi.com] http://techvi.com

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP is looking to give IT employees powerful laptops, yet portable and easy to bring around.  To do so, they have launched two new notebooks within their ProBook lineup each powerful enough to act like a desktop machine, yet are compact enough to bring around the office or to travel with.  No information on pricing or availability have been released at this time for either the 6445b or 6545b. 

The HP ProBook 6445b

The 5.3lb 14-inch 6445b notebook operates on the Windows Vista platform as well as the Windows 7 platform and can be upgraded to Windows 7 when Microsoft releases the OS later this month.  It can run on a powerful 2.4GHz AMD processor or a 2.0GHz AMD processor.  In terms of RAM, it allows for as little as 1GB or it can expand to fit 8GB of RAM, allowing it to be a simple machine or a very powerful one.  Remember 8GB of RAM is only powerful if the OS is the 64-bit version.  In terms of hard disk space, it can go from 160GB to a large 500GB.  The screen comes with an LED backlight, anti-glare technology, and a resolution of 1366 x 768.  For security, it comes with a fingerprint sensor among other measures, comes with a 2MP webcam for video conferencing, and a full-sized QWERTY keyboard.

The HP ProBook 6545b

One of the main differences between this model and the previous notebook is its larger screen, measuring in at 15.6-inches.  Since it has a larger screen, it weighs slightly more - 5.9 pounds.  Both models allow for the optional HP Mobile Gobi powered broadband access, but feature WLAN, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth for connectivity; it also uses HP’s native Connection Manager.  Again, it has the same support for operating systems (both variants of Windows 7 and Windows Vista) as well as support for the same AMD processors.  The dual channel DDR2 SDRAM RAM remains the same, it can go from 1GB to 8GB.  Hard drive storage is still 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, or 500GB at 7200RPM.  If the 1366 x 768 resolution 15.6-inch screen does not fit your needs, you can purchase the notebook with 1600 x 900 resolution, allowing for more screen real estate.  Furthermore, the machine houses a 2MP webcam and a full QWERTY keyboard. 

Unfortunately, there is no word on pricing or availability at this time.  Expect the HP ProBook 6545b to cost more than the ProBook 6445b. 

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP is taking advantage of Windows 7’s built-in multi-touch support with its new TouchSmart tx2-1377nr tablet PC.  Here’s the rundown: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, fingerprint reader, it has a capacitive 12.1-inch touch screen that can take inputs from fingers and the included stylus and the screen can turn up to 180 degrees or be folded flat.  Inside, you’ll find an AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-75, 320GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics card and 4GB of RAM.  Like many new HP machines, the TouchSmart tx2 comes with a fancy pattern that HP calls the “HP Reaction Imprint finish.”  It weighs 4.65 pounds and starts at $799.99.

Company Site: [HP.com]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Wireless charging is finally a reality.  At CTIA, PureEnergy is showing off wireless charging of popular netbooks from HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Dell.  Their product is a charging mat, much like the Powermat Iyaz reviewed on Gadgetell.  The PureEnergy product will charge up to 2 netbooks and five mobile phone simultaneously.

Typically, wireless charging involves an adapter or jacket for your gadget so it can receive the wireless power and PureEnergy offers several of these to fit popular phones as well as jackets for phones to remove a step for users.  Adding netbooks to the list of gadgets that can be charged wirelessly is a handy move.

It looks like PureEnergy’s strategy is to hook up with a carrier and provide their goods rebranded with the carrier’s name.  That could be a tough sell as carriers are very leery to add significant cost and without products designed specifically for wireless charging, like the Palm Pre, the benefit of simple wireless charging starts to fade into the background.

From Iyaz’s review of a similar product, “If you a person who carries multiple electronics or live in a house with more than one cell phone, the Powermat is pretty much a no-brainer.”

Press release: [PureEnergy]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

New rumored details emerged today about tablets from two competitors: Apple and Microsoft.  iLounge says they have 10 new pieces of info on Apple’s tablet while Gizmodo seems to have received yet another exclusive video detailing what Microsoft is thinking.  The two are at opposite ends of the tablet spectrum but overall, I am sensing they both miss the mark.

Apple iPad (like they’ll actually pull one out)

iLounge says Apple has been playing around with three different tablets that run iPhone OS.  That makes good sense as Apple would be foolish not to leverage the 85,000 and growing far too fast, applications currently residing in the Apple App Store.  Word is the tablet isn’t meant to compete with netbooks, rather it is more a big iPod touch with and without a 3G radio; think “light communication device”.

Windows Courier (it doesn’t run Vista, yay!)

Meanwhile, over at Gizmodo, the new video shows off how much Microsoft loves Nike.  Or at least how much the Courier team wants to design shoes.  The Courier uses a combination of inputs to move data around: finger swiping and the infamous stylus for text entry.  The double screen is right at home as a journal-like companion.  The thing looks gorgeous.

And I’m done with tablets

Here’s the rub, neither machine solves a problem.  The Apple is an extension of the iPod, the MS is trying to create another device to lug around.  Neither says, “hey you, stop carrying that [insert favorite device name here], use this instead.”  Neither makes me smack my head and say, “Hot damn, I need that.”

Yes, all the sneaker designers want the Courier and the geek in me would love to play with these gadgets, but at the end of the day, if neither product solves a problem, they’ll spend their lives behind glass.  Neither makes a compelling argument to get me to buy them.

The bigger problem is between my smartphone and PC, I don’t need a third screen.  Or at least, these incarnations don’t make it clear why I need that third screen.  Yes, it is totally unfair to judge these before even their manufacturers will confirm them, but really: why?  For surfing I don’t feel like doing on my phone, the PC is usually there.  A mid-range screen seems a bit gluttonous now, doesn’t it?

Think tablets are the next pet rocks?  Let us know if you’ll be sleeping in the street to get a hold of these, if, you know, they actually make it to market.

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Welcome back to InterrupTech where we catch you up on the most important tech stories.  This week there’s plenty to cover:

• Microsoft’s new booklet computer, the Courier, leaked.
• The mythical Microsoft Pink phone is actually two phones?
• Netflix plans to be on every electronic device possible.
• Lots of announcements out of the Intel Developer Forum.

The best part about the show?  Topics move quickly, but if you don’t like a topic, just skip it.  Keep an eye on that timer to help you along.  Enjoy the show.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The world of tech is filled of business decisions that could only be fueled by some kind of drug-induced lunacy.  This is the column that calls out the companies that might need to hit rehab.  Today, we’re looking at you, Palm, Microsoft, Verizon, and Intel.

Celebrities to move Pixis?

A lot of us in the tech community have a soft spot for Palm.  Their PDAs were an excellent execution of simplicity in technology.  Somewhere they got lost in the shuffle as smartphones came in to eat Palm’s lunch when Palm clearly had their lunch labeled with a black marker on a brown bag at the fridge of the company kitchen.  Then in a sink or swim situation back in January 2009, Palm introduced the Palm Pre with its webOS.  Many people were thrilled that Palm was on its way back.

Recently, the second webOS phone was announced, the Palm Pixi.  To promote their product, they ran a series of teaser trailers and got the phone in the hands of reviewers and the public right away.  No, wait, that did not happen.  Palm did get a bunch of celebrities to hold the Pixi.  Then Palm took pictures of the event so people will know that Palm products are da bomb, dog.  Is this going to move products?  How about landing deals with as many carriers as you can instead of wasting time that you do not have on photo ops?

Microsoft Secrecy

Pictures of the Microsoft booklet computer, the Courier, and the rumored Pink phone were floating around the web this week.  Why?  Because Microsoft is apparently the anti-Apple when it comes to security this week.  Maybe their people in charge of secrecy were sniffing glue in the corner when someone came in to swipe a PowerPoint presentation. 

Also, the Pink and the Courier crushed the spirits of the Associate Editor of Gadgetell, JG Mason, to the point where he was unable to write this column.  He is sitting in the corner mumbling about styli on the Courier and the overall cheap look of the supposed Pink phones.  Why would you need a stylus to use a computer these days?  Aren’t we living in the future with flying cars, wireless power, and monkey butlers? 

Verizon: We hate you, Palm Pre.

Way back in July 2009, Verizon was touting that they would have the Pre.  Now, it looks like it just won’t happen.

Verizon, that company with an awesome network without a superphone, thinks the Pre is not good enough for them. Why would Vz say no to the Pre?  The Pre just doesn’t sell enough.  Crazy idea, Verizon.  Maybe people do not want to buy the Pre right now because they were waiting for it to come out on another carrier.  You see, perhaps a Verizon Palm Pre would be the answer to those sales woes. 

We know that the head of Verizon is reading this - maybe you want to rethink denying the Pre. 

Intel’s Moblin

You can tell netbooks are here to stay when operating systems are tailored to them.  Microsoft Windows 7 is built to work on these underpowered machines.  Then there is Intel’s Moblin.  The initial version of this mobile Linux operating system was the exact opposite of a smash hit.  Over at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel brought out its new version of Moblin - and get this - Dell will have a netbook running Moblin soon.  Why is Intel in the software biz?  Perhaps they are just trying to tick off Microsoft to the point where Microsoft builds its own hardware using Tegra processors and ditches Intel altogether.  Wait a second.  Didn’t that happen with the Zune HD?  Would Microsoft even contemplate building machines without packing an Intel processor?  Wait, they did that with the Xbox 360. 

For those of you who think Gadgetell is on crack for doing this column without JG, he’ll be back next week. 

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Maybe you are a person who uses their laptop a lot but would like desktop comforts like a full-sized keyboard, a mouse, and a nice big monitor.  Kensington’s new docking station may be of interest to you.  Here’s how this works: attach you DVI monitor, Ethernet, speakers, headset, and USB devices to the docking station.  Then attach a USB cable from the docking station to your WIndows laptop and you are good to go (Mac users will have to buy a different model that does not do networking). 

In the bad old days, we had to get proprietary docks for our laptops and if you ever switched brands, you were out of luck.  This device can display a resolution of up to 2048 x 1152, so you can easily watch a 1080p movie from one of those new Tegra devices on a big screen.  If you want to plug this into your television, you will need an optional HDMI adapter.  $149.99 gets you the Kensington Notebook Docking Station with VGA/DVI and Ethernet (model number K33926US).  The Mac compatible Universal Notebook Docking Station with VGA/DVI (model number K33930US) costs $129.99 - this device also works with Windows machine, but again does not have Ethernet.  Both devices can put out a display of 2048 x 1152.

Product Page: [Docking station with Ethernet]
Product Page: [Docking station without Ethernet]
Read: [Everything USB]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Right after the Microsoft Courier hoopla comes another tablet that is not from Apple.  Archos, makers of very cool devices that very few normal people know about, just introduced its Archos 9, a 9-inch, 1024 x 600 resistive touch screen tablet.  There is also an optical trackpad if you want to mouse around.  The device runs Windows 7 (which has built-in multi-touch support), has 4 hours of battery life, and a 60GB hard drive.  The only problem?  The price tag is $499, which will probably keep it a niche product. 

Yes, it would be very cool to look up things on IMDB on this while watching a movie or even make it a home automation control center.  However for $499 you could get a netbook with similar stats with a keyboard.  On the other hand, this is not that much more expensive than HP’s line of digital picture frames, but has a lot more functionality. 

There’s a great video below from UMPC Portal.  It is definitely worth a watch.

Product Page: [Archos 9]
Read: [CrunchGear]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The Intel Developer Forum looks to be an excuse for Intel to show off all the cool stuff they’ve been cooking up and let PC makers show off some of their products.  Of course there’s a multitude of technical sessions each day, though those probably won’t interest many people outside developers and engineers.  Today we have two new announcements from Intel: a formal announcement of new processors and a new optical cable technology as well as an interesting syncing technology.

Why the Core i7 Mobile is a big deal

The first announcement comes in form of the official announcement of the Intel Core i7 Mobile Processor.  We’ve already seen laptops that use the Core i7 Mobile and now Intel is showing it off.  According to Intel, the Core i7 Mobile will bring the power of a desktop PC to a laptop, allowing for much more complex tasks like audio mixing, multiple camera video editing, and high-end gaming.  Having seen the difference a Core i7 in a desktop can make, Intel’s claims should be more or less true.  Now all we need is for more companies to put these into laptops, a MacBook Pro with a Core i7 Mobile would be fantastic.

Light Peak to replace wires

The second announcement is Intel’s new Light Peak, a new way of connecting devices.  Those devices can include anything from peripherals, computer, hard drives, displays, and docking stations among others.  It’s all done through optical wires about the width of a human hair, which can replace any sort of wire and can even connect through current connections like USB.  Light Peak can transfer data at 10Gb/s when it will be released in 2010 and will be scalable to 100Gb/s over the next decade, which should be able to handle just about any size file with amazing speeds.

Sync computers regardless of OS

In terms of non-Intel announcements, we have Syncables which is showing off its cross-platform syncing application.  Syncables Desktop is truly cross-platform, working on Linux as well as Windows and Mac, and allows you to fully sync multiple machines.  This includes media, bookmarks, email and any other documents you want to sync.  The application also has Facebook and YouTube integration for easy uploading of media.  The company is showcasing NetworkSync at IDF, which allows for easy collaboration and streaming through any network.

Read [Intel Core i7 Mobile Processor]
Read [Intel Light Peak]
Read [Syncables]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Maybe you missed it, but there’s a big hubub over a new Microsoft tablet/booklet computer, the Courier.  We got together with Randall Bennett and Gary Krakow on TechVi to talk about what Microsoft has to do to have a winner on its hands.  By crafting their own hardware to go along with their software, will Microsoft be able to succeed?  If Microsoft pairs the Courier with some of its other properties they may have a fighting chance before that Cupertino company inevitably releases its own tablet. 

Watch more episodes: [TechVi]
More with Gary Krakow: [BuyMeGetMe.com]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

According to Gizmodo, Microsoft has been secretly working on the development of a tablet PC with the code name Courier.  The site had videos and photos of the device, which showed a dual screen flat tablet.  It has full color touchscreen capabilities and works with the use of a stylus-like pen as well as finger navigation.  It opens and closes like a book for easy portability.  A megapixel camera is embedded into the cover of the tablet PC.

The tablet computer is not a new concept and rumors have been swirling for awhile that Apple may also be working on a prototype as well for the Mac OS.  Microsoft has no official word on this tablet PC and the prototype photographed is apparently one of many new devices that are being worked on.  Executive J. Allard is supposedly leading a team to develop new projects for the company, including the tablet PC.  This type of project would be a surprising release from the company since Microsoft is primarily a software and service company.  If they are indeed planning to release a tablet PC, it would most likely be in conjunction with a hardware manufacturer.

Read: [Gizmodo]

Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The New York Office of the Attorney General has announced Dell will pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit the AG filed against it back in 2007.  The suit accused Dell of misleading customers by making false promises of cheap financing and refusing to honor rebates and warranties.  In May of last year, the New York State Supreme Court found the company guilty of fraud, false advertising, abusive debt collection practices, and deceptive business practices.

Along with the settlement, Dell is required to disclose detailed information about the level of service their customers will receive and the percentage of customers that qualify for low cost financing.

“Today’s announcement is the final step in ensuring New Yorkers harmed by Dell’s deceptive and illegal business practices are fully compensated,” said Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo said in a statement announcing the settlement.

If you are a New York resident you can go online to the AG’s website and file an application for restitution.

Read [PCWorld]

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

While Microsoft is busy releasing the Zune HD today, Archos also pushed out its Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet on Amazon.com.  It might not be the redemption of a formerly flailing brand, though it is possibly a bit more interesting that the Zune HD.  While the Zune HD is being pushed as a major iPod competitor, the Archos 5 is being pushed as an Internet tablet that also has a wide range of media capabilities.

The Archos 5 is an interesting device in that it packs GPS and 3.5G HSDPA support into what could be used predominantly as a media player of Internet tablet.  It runs on Android, though it can only use a small number of Android apps - that list does include popular apps such as Twidroid, Craigsphone, and eBuddy.  What really shines on the Archos 5, however, is the sheer number of codecs supported.  Unless you have a media file that’s wrapped in DRM from Apple, Microsoft, or other places that at one point used DRM, chances are it will work on the Archos 5.  It can play back H.264 HD, MPEG-4 HD, MPEG-47, Flac, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, MP3, and numerous others.  With the DVR Station the Archos 5 can record your favorite shows, output HD video to your HDTV, or even stream content to your PC.

The Archos 5, with all its features, despite being a bit larger than the Zune HD and iPod touch looks to outdo both devices easily.  It can handle many more codecs, and is not restricted to proprietary software of any kind.  It comes with either flash memory or hard-drive based options ranging from 8 GB to 500 GB (with the flash versions supporting microSD cards for expanded storage).  Heck, it even has a stand built in for when you want to set it down and watch the video.  With a price starting at $249.99, it could hopefully be the media player of choice for some.  It’s a great example of just what Android can do, and looks to be a great device.

Read [Archos]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Today’s iPod refresh tipped Apple’s concerns over cannibalizing iPhone sales via the iPod touch.  Leaving the camera off the touch surprised many and even angered some.  The backside of this move presents this questions to consumers: Do you want a video camera or do you want all the fun you’ve been hearing about the App Store?

The iPod Nano got the video camera while the touch didn’t.  The nano looks like a great little device, but the iPod touch now looks a bit like the forgotten product: no new form factor, no new must have feature (yes, the high-end is 50% faster with more space, but is that must have?).  Customers in the market for an iPod now have to choose which feature is more important to them: Video or App Store.

Putting myself in the customer’s shoes, the choice isn’t an easy one.  Apple has advertised the heck out to the App Store so much that buying a device that can’t use it seems silly.  But the new Nano looks fantastic and having a video camera that small is bound to be interesting.

In theory, if video is the desired feature, iPod touch sales will suffer as demand is shifted to the Nano.  Is Apple saying we don’t want video that much or are they saying want it all? 

Apple’s theme for the event was “it’s only rock and roll but I like it” but should have been perhaps: impossible choices.  Interesting move, Apple.  What is your take, did Apple make an error in not giving the touch a camera?

Read [Appletell]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Netbooks are so 2008.  Get ready for the new wave of must-have devices dubbed “smartbooks.”  These smartbooks are small netbook sized devices running on ARM microprocessors used in smartphones.  Why would you build such a beast?  They’re cheap.

According to PC World, Foxconn is developing less than five different models of these inexpensive devices that aim to be in the $100- $200 range.  Young Liu, special assistant to the CEO at Foxconn was quoted by the magazine as saying, “that’s a lot lower than a netbook,” he said. “There will be a lot of demand for a sub-$200 device.”

The assistant said demand was coming out of China and other places where these cost-sensitive devices might have the biggest impact.  Users can expect basic functionality, WiFi, and slower processing speeds.  The screen size would be in the 7-10 inch range.

Others have shown plans for similar smartbooks at last June’s Computex.  Largely, these are built for other manufacturers and will be rebranded.  Foxconn is the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer.

Read: [PC World]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

HP looks to be the first manufacturer to use the new Intel Mobile Core i7 CPU.  In a pair of leaks from the company, we now know that not only is HP looking at the core i7, but is also working on a Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) laptop, a new Compaq netbook, and finally a new Voodoo laptop.

The biggest laptop of the leaks is the HP Pavilion dv8, which will come equipped with the mobile Core i7.  The 18.1-inch laptop will serve as a desktop replacement, and have the CPU clocked at 1.6 GHz when using all 4 cores, or 2.8 GHz when using only 2 cores.  It’s expected that the laptop will come with 4 GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive, and 640 GB of storage.  It would make sense for the dv8 to have more available storage and RAM, but just having the mobile Core i7 makes it impressive.

For the CULV laptops, there appears to be the dm2 and dm3 (pictured), both of which will feature 11.6-inch screens and 1.2 GHz processors.  They’ll likely come with prices and specs that place them just above netbooks.  The new Compaq netbook looks to stand at 11.6 inches for the screen, with nearly standard netbook specs with the added bonus of NVIDIA’s Ion LE netbook graphics chip.  Not much is known about the new Voodoo laptop, the Envy 15, but it will most likely be similar to the Envy 133, have better specs, a 15-inch screen, and probably still drool-worthy.

Keep in mind that these leaks are always subject to change.  That doesn’t make them any less interesting, but it’s possible that these machines could change between now and the time they’re released.  Hopefully by then HP will make a mobile Core i7 laptop that isn’t ginormous.

Read [Electronista]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Yesterday, Sony launched their new marketing slogan: Make. Believe.  The idea is whatever you can think up, Sony can make.  The products the company showed off yesterday show some of this idea while some were classic old Sony.

Xperia 2: Miss

Sony launched the Xperia 2.  You’ll remember the oohs and aahs from the Xperia one that took forever to launch and then finally did to little fanfare.  The 2 will run at $1000 unsubsidized and runs Windows Mobile 6.5 (so we won’t see it before October 6th for sure).  The phone features a familiar slide out keyboard 480x800 touchscreen and 8.1mp camera with autofocus.  All the right answers but nothing outstanding.

Vaio X: Hit

At IFA, Sony showed off a few interesting things, chief among them was the ultra slim Sony Vaio X.  Adorned with sexy carbon fiber, the Vaio X weighs in at under 1.5 lbs and is expected to be powered by an Atom chip and have unprecedented battery life (Sony says, “all day and all night battery life”).  There are very few specs on this, other than it looks hot, but the price is sure to be the buzzkill.

TX1 Cybershot: meh

Sony also showed off their latest TX1 Cybershot camera.  The TX1 features a one-touch automatic panorama mode as well as low-light sensitivity.  This one was announced last month and was waved about on stage showing off how proud Sony is of the panorama mode.

Thankfully Sir Stringer, Sony CEO spoke about 3D and fulfilled the expectation that Sony is getting more than knee deep in the game.  You can read all about it here.

Stay tuned to Gadgetell for more IFA coverage.

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A few details on the once rumored Android based Internet tablet from Archos have recently been leaked courtesy of online retailer B&H.  What we have so far are details in regards to storage capacity and pricing.  It looks like the prices will be pretty competetive, and of course are dependent on the type and amount of storage that you choose.

According to the B&H listings, we can expect to pay $294 or $370 for a unit with either a 16GB or 32GB SSD respectively.  In addition, the Archos 5 will also be available in a 160GB or 500GB model that will sell for $320 or $420 respectively.

Other features of the Archos 5 include a 4.8-inch display and there are also rumors of it supporting 720p video output.  As of now, it still looks like an official announcement will be coming on September 15.

Read [Forums.ArchosFans.com] Via [Pocketables]

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Most anyone who uses a cell phone knows what Bluetooth is; Bluetooth headsets and dongles sell like hot cakes.  Everyone loves the wireless technology that allows them to talk on the their phones without having to hold them and also send data to and from the phone quickly, easily, and wirelessly. 

In many overseas countries Bluetooth is even more popular.  Some have special kiosks you can connect to and get a free game or ringtone sent to your phone.  However the fun and convenience do not come without risks.  Here’s a look at the most common Bluetooth security issues.

Bluejacking

This attack targets any Bluetooth enabled device.  It happens when a hacker finds a Bluetooth device in discoverable mode and sends an unsolicited message or photo to it.  The attack can be harmless and meant to shock or amuse— it can also be malicious.  For example, a hacker could send a message to someone over Bluetooth with something enticing that makes them respond and/or add them to their address book.  This sets up the recipient for everything from spam to phishing attacks.  In a simpler form of Bluejacking, the messages themselves can be spam or otherwise unpleasant in nature.

Bluesnarfing

This type of attack, while quite harmful, is targeted mostly at older Bluetooth devices.  Hackers exploit a firmware flaw in those devices that forces a BT connection and allows them to access the device’s data and even the device’s IMEI which could actually let them reroute calls from the victim’s device to theirs.

Bluebugging

This type of attack is also targeted at old devices.  By exploiting a firmware flaw, a hacker can access the phone without the user’s knowledge and access data, listen in on phone calls, send messages, and more.

Car Whisperer

This attack targets hands free car kits.  By using a software tool, a hacker can exploit a flaw in them that allows them to send or receive audio from the car kit.  They can eavesdrop on calls made from it and transmit audio to the car’s speakers.

Shields Up!

How can you protect yourself?  The first thing to do is always make sure your device’s firmware is up to date and that any hotfixes or patches issued for it are installed.  Once you’ve done that the most important step you can take is to not leave your device in discoverable mode and to disable Bluetooth when you’re not using it.

When you leave your device in discoverable mode it is open and visible to other devices, much like an unsecured Wi-Fi network is.  That makes it easy for a hacker to connect to it.  Even when in undiscoverable mode it’s technically possible for a determined hacker to find your phone and connect to it, so it’s a good idea to change your pin from the manufacturer’s default to something more complex.  Finally, check your device’s list of paired devices regularly and if there is any unknown device on the list delete it immediately.

Have any thoughts, questions or comments?  Let us know!

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According to an exclusive retrieved by Shanzai.com from a “reliable” unnamed source, Acer and Lenovo plan to release a new operating system installed on a new form factor while running on a new platform.  The rumor is that the manufacturers plan to release Nvidia’s Tegra based devices running Google’s Chrome operating system.  It is expected that the targeted date of release could be as soon as the next couple of months. 

Nvidia’s Tegra platform utilizes a low power ARM processor along with a high performance graphics chip.  Google’s Chrome operating system was just announced this summer and Google indicated that it would not be ready for install on devices until sometime next year, but may be pre-released as early as the fall. 

Although the story has yet to be officially confirmed by either Lenovo or Acer, it looks like the devices would likely get categorized as smartbooks.  Smartbooks are a fairly new category of devices that fall somewhere between a smartphone and netbook.   

Read: [Shanzai.com]

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Keeping your gadgets charged up while you are on the go always seems to be a constant struggle, but thanks to a little gadget from LaptopBatteryExpress your notebook or netbook (or just about any other gadget) will be able to keep a charge a little longer.

The gadget is simply called the “Universal External Laptop Battery” and is noted as being able to offer you up to an additional four hours of battery life.  The external battery ships with a variety of seven adapter tips that should work for most notebooks (except Apple).  In terms of specs, the battery is 6600mAh, measures in at 9 x 4.9 x 0.59-inches and weighs 1.7-pounds.  Also in addition to the seven included adapter tips the battery also has a USB port that will let you plug in (and charge) smaller gadgets such as a Zune, iPod, or iPhone.

All things considered this could be a nice item for any road warrior to keep in their gear bag.  Of course, this power does come with a price tag and it is not cheap—$179.99.  But on the flip side, I suppose paying $179.99 for this battery would be cheaper than buying multiple external batteries for multiple devices.

Product [Laptop Battery Express]  Via [SlashGear]

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As Blu-ray gains in market share, it appears we’re in sort of a race to put out products that use the format the same way we use DVDs.  We’ve already seen HDTVs with Blu-ray drives built-in and even a portable Blu-ray player.  There are a select few computers that have been using Blu-ray drives for quite some time even.  Now it looks like we have the first portable Blu-ray drive that uses eSATA and USB 2.0 from Addonics.
 
The drive is small, making it easy to pack in with any laptop bag for watching Blu-ray discs just about anywhere.  The device can work with Windows, Mac, and Linux, presumably as long as you have software and codecs capable of playing back Blu-ray discs.  It’s also capable of reading and burning CDs and DVDs, so even if your computer can’t handle Blu-ray you can still use other media with the drive.

With the drive retailing at $235, however, it just seems like a bit too much.  While it is portable, it’s a lot easier to just carry around data on flash drives rather than carrying around every disc you might possibly want or need.  Heck, for just $65 more you can pick up a PS3 Slim for a home Blu-Ray drive.  It might be useful to some with netbooks, but again, just having the files on the hard drive or flash drive just seems to make more sense.  It would be nice to play with an eSATA Blu-ray drive, but it’s just a bit too late and about $100 too expensive to really make much of a difference.

Read [Virtual Press Office]

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Ever since its release on cell phones, Android has been rumored to show up on other machines and has been hacked many times to do so.  Of the major products that come to market all have been cell phones.  We have yet to see the mythical Android netbook reach market, nor the Android-based media player.  It looks like we’re about to see the next real device that will ship with Android.

That new device is a MID.  Shenzen-based Eston Technology recently sent one of their latest MIDs to the Chinese gadget site Shanzhaiben.  MIDs are usually not a huge deal, then again MIDs also tend to ship with Windows CE, making them incredibly boring.  One particular new MID from Eston Technology was preloaded with Google’s Android, which should prove to be an interesting new market for the OS.  Shanzhaiben tested the web browsing and “general user experience” of the device, finding it more than acceptable and much better than Windows CE.

While MIDs seem to be a very niche market, putting Android on such a device could make it a hacker’s dream device.  Hacking Android and putting in custom versions of the OS is fairly popular.  However, since all Android devices we have at the moment are phones, there’s always the risk of bricking your phone and having to pay up for a new one.  Granted, MIDs are still expensive hardware, replacing a MID if bricked wouldn’t be the same as replacing a phone.

Even without the hacking, this is an interesting idea.  Android is more than capable as an OS and adding a physical keyboard to a 4.3” screen will surely help that.  With a battery life of about 4 hours this Android MID would be nice to see stateside, or any Android MID for that matter.

Read [Shenzai]

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Everyone loves to get something with a nice discount, and one of the latest offers from Dell will allow you to get a Dell Mini 10v netbook for $99.  Just as an FYI, the Mini 10v normally retails for $299, which means you are going to save $200.  Of course, as you would expect there is a catch.

In order to get that price you need to purchase either an XPS notebook or XPS desktop.  The systems you can choose from include the Studio XPS 13 and XPS 16 notebooks as well as the Studio XPS desktop and are priced from $1,037, $1,094 and $854 respectively.

All things considered, this would not convince me to run out and purchase a computer that I was not shopping for.  However if I was in the market already, this would certainly be enough to convince me to purchase (or at least consider) a Dell.  This offer is available for a limited time and will expire on August 13, 2009.

Read [Dell]  Via [Twitter @DellHomeOffers]

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Coming courtesy of the Mobile Bulgaria blog, we have a nice (and surprisingly) clear set of leaked images of the yet-to-be-released Nokia RX51/Rover Internet Tablet.

The images are showing what is labeled as a “RX-51 Prototype” although the device is looking to be a finished product.  That said, aside from the images, which you can see below we also have a nice set of rumored specs.

• 3.5-inch 800×480 (WVGA) touchscreen display
• OMAP3430 500/600 Mhz processor
• 1GB total virtual runtime memory
• Wi-Fi, HSPA, GPS
• Accelerometer
• 5-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera with dual-LED flash, autofocus and a sliding cover
• Linux based operating system

Sadly as with most leaked images we are still missing the key details such as when we can expect this to become available and how much it is going to retail for.  Overall, it looks like it will be a nice unit, but is still seems a little behind in terms of other competition such as the recent offerings from Viliv.

Read [MobileBulgaria]  Via [IntoMobile]

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A new Sony Vaio P has recently made its way through the FCC.  Of course, as with FCC reveals, we were not given any information as to when we can expect to see this new model become available, however it does confirm some earlier rumors surrounding a new Vaio P.

What we can tell you about the new Vaio P is that it is carrying a model number of PCG-1RSL and is going to be the same size as the current Vaio P.  In other words, this will be another small notebook that is not a netbook.

Other features that can be confirmed by way of the FCC listing include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n support.  Otherwise, it looks like the confidentiality agreement for this listing expires in October, which means at the latest, that is when more details will be available, that is, if the Vaio is not released before then.

Additionally and although this is just rumor and speculation, some are calling for the new Vaio P to include a speed bump and use a 2GHz processor, which would be up from the current 1.86GHz model.

Read [Sony Insider]  Via [Engadget]

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The world of tech moves fast.  If you don’t slow down, you might miss it.  This week, plenty of stories:

• The Palm Pre is all over the place.
• Blip.TV partners with TiVo, Roku, and plenty more.
• The official Google Voice app rejected by Apple’s App Store.
• iTablet rumors picking up steam.
• Kodak’s Zi8
• Firefox 4.0
• New Sony ebook readers coming.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

For computer manufacturers, going green has been a big issue for a number of years.  Most computers include a number of dangerous compounds such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics.  Many manufacturers have committed themselves to phasing out the amount of these chemicals in their computers, even if they have yet to cut them out completely.

HP originally promised to phase out these compounds back in 2007, with full compliance due by 2009.  HP has since delayed those efforts, expecting full compliance by 2011.  Not happy with their commitment, Greenpeace has decided to respond to HP by climbing onto the roof of HP’s global headquarters and writing “Hazardous Products” in bold letters made of non-toxic children’s finger paint.  HP employees can also see Greanpeace’s displeasure through the automated phone calls from William Shatner today asking them to phase out dangerous chemicals.

Greenpeace is asking HP to be more like Apple, which has virtually eliminated BFRs and PVC from all of its computers.  Even other top manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and Acer has reduced the amount of dangerous chemicals in their computers, some of them even as green as Apple’s.  There’s really no excuse for HP to not follow through with its promises if all those other companies are doing so.  As HP should know with its recycling program, e-waste is very dangerous and accumulates tons of old computers yearly.  It would be nice to see the manufacturing giant, whose products most likely amount to a large percentage of e-waste take steps to help out through more means than just recycling programs.

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Although Steve Jobs once dismissed the idea of an Apple e-reader by proclaiming people don’t read, the rumors that Apple plans to release an internet tablet later this year has many believing it’s the company’s answer to Amazon’s wildly successful Kindle.  Sure, you probably could read books on it but it is really no threat to the Kindle at all.  Why?  Let’s look at some reasons.

Size

Part of what attracts avid readers to the Kindle is that it allows them to carry their entire library anywhere.  The new Apple tablet is said to have a 10 inch screen.  That’s even larger than the new Kindle DX.  The weight may also be a factor why people would stick to Amazon over Apple.

Screen

 
The Apple tablet is also said to have the same type of multitouch screen as the iPhone and iPod Touch.  A touch screen isn’t necessary for an e-reader and only adds to the fragility of the device.  The backlighting is another drawback.  Backlit displays cause eyestrain and fatigue, neither of which is conducive to long periods of reading.

Multifunction

From the description I’ve read, this new tablet is actually just a giant iPod Touch.  People who own e-readers like the fact that it does just one thing, display books for reading, and those displays do it well.  Okay, yes the Kindle has a very basic web browser built in, but its function is purely as an e-reader.

Price

The tablet is supposed to retail for $800.  The Kindle is $299 and the DX $489.  Enough said.

Frankly, I don’t see how this new tablet will even make a dent in the netbook market, never mind the e-reader one.  I don’t think Apple gave it near enough thought.  An actual MacBook netbook edition would have been a much better device to introduce!

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Anyone looking for a low price on a laptop may want to check out Walmart because they are currently offering a Compaq Presario (model # CQ60-419WM) for just $298.  In terms of specs, this particular model comes with a 15.4-inch display, a 2.10GHz AMD Sempron SI-42 processor, a 160GB hard drive, 3GB of RAM, a CD/DVD drive and will be running Windows Vista. 

All-in-all this would make a nice addition for someone going back to school, or even to just have a new (or second) notebook in the house.  This offer is currently available, and will remain that way “while supplies last.”  In other words, if this is something you may want to pick up, I would suggest heading to Walmart a little sooner as opposed to later. 

Product [Walmart] Read [PR Newswire]

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Sure, Dell has already officially killed off the Mini 9, but that does not seem to be stopping them from bringing it back for a short encore.  Basically, the Mini 9 will be available for just four days, which means if you have been wishing you hit the buy button before it went away last time you need to react quickly.

Anyway, the Mini 9 is back and priced from $199.  Of course, that is the lower end model and will be available in either Alpine White or Obsidian Black.  Other features included in the $199 price tag includes an 8.9-inch (1024 x 600) display, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB SSD, a built-in 0.3-megapixel webcam, a 4-cell battery and Ubuntu 8.04.1 as the operating system.  Additionally, the hard drive can be upgraded to either an 8GB SSD (for $35) or a 16GB SSD (for $75).

If Ubuntu is not your thing, Dell is also offering the Mini 9 with Windows XP, however that model is starting at $269.

Product [Dell] Read [Direct2Dell]

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Without making much in terms of an announcement, Dell has lowered the pricing on their Adamo ultraportable notebook lineup.  The price is now $500 lower and has the low-end Adamo coming in at the same pricing as the MacBook Air.

Now for $1,499 you can get a Dell Adamo that features a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD.  Of course, on the high-end, the Dell Adamo will still set you back $2,299 for a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD.  Additionally, the high-end model also comes with built-in 3G.

Other features of the Dell Adamo ultraportable include a 13.4-inch display, a full-size keyboard, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, Display Port, three USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi 80.211n as well as up to 5 hours of battery from a single charge.

As I mentioned earlier, Dell has lowered this pricing without any real announcement, so no clear reason was given, but it seems to be fair to say that they have been listening to the (in this case) potential customers because as the Adamo pricing stood before it was just a little to expensive.

Product [Dell]  Via [electronista]

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HP has recently added to their ultraportable lineup with the introduction of the 13.3-inch ProBook 4310.  In terms of pricing, the ProBook 4310 starts at $779, however depending on the options, that price could be increased.  To begin with, the standard specs include a 13.3-inch display (matte or glossy) with a 1366 x 768 resolution, a 2.10GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/draft n, a 2-megapixel webcam and is running Windows Vista Business.

All things considered the price seems pretty reasonable for the above offering.  That said, the ProBook 4310 will also allow you to add other items such as an optical Blu-ray drive, up to 8GB of RAM as well as built-in mobile broadband.  In terms of battery life the ProBook 4310 is said to offer up to 5 hours and 15 minutes.  Other standard features include three USB 2.0 ports, an ExpressCard slot, gigabit ethernet, a SD/MMC card slot as well as both HDMI and VGA outputs.

Product [HP]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »