| DIY Cellphone has the footprint of an ice cream sandwich, definitely doesn't run ICS (hands-on) Apr 25th 2012, 16:22  Building your own wireless communications device isn't for the faint of heart, or the law-abiding -- the FCC tends to prefer placing its own stamp of approval on devices that utilize US airwaves, making a homegrown mobile phone an unlikely proposition. That didn't stop a team at the MIT Media Lab from creating such a DIY kit, however. Meet the Do-It-Yourself Cellphone. This wood-based mobile rig, while it's currently in the prototype phase (where it may indefinitely remain), would eventually ship with a circuit board, control pad, a fairly beefy antenna and a monochrome LCD. Sounds like it'd be right at home at some kid's garage workshop in the early '80s, not showcased at an MIT open house. The argument here is that people spend more time with their phone than with any other device, so naturally they'd want to build one to their liking. Nowadays, folks expect their pocketable handset to enable them to not only place and receive phone calls, but also store phone numbers, offer a rechargeable battery, and, well, in some cases even send and receive email, and surf the web -- none of which are available with such a kit. The prototype we saw was fully functional. It could place calls. It could receive calls. There was even Caller ID! The phone does indeed feel homemade, with its laser-cut plywood case and a design that lacks some of the most basic gadget essentials, like a rechargeable battery (or at very least some provisions for replacing the 9-volt inside without unscrewing the case). Audio quality sounded fine, and calls went out and came in without a hitch -- there's a SIM card slot inside, letting you bring the nondescript phone to the carrier of your choice. Does it work? Yes. Is it worth dropping $100-150 in parts to build a jumbo-sized phone with a microscopic feature set? No, there's definitely nothing smart about the DIY Cellphone. If you want to throw together your own handset, however, and not risk anyone questioning the legitimacy of your homemade claim, you might want to keep an eye out for this to come to market. The rest of you will find everything you need in the video just past the break. We're just happy to have walked away without any splinters. Continue reading DIY Cellphone has the footprint of an ice cream sandwich, definitely doesn't run ICS (hands-on) DIY Cellphone has the footprint of an ice cream sandwich, definitely doesn't run ICS (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | The Engadget Show 32: ASUS, Huawei and a trip to Asia's gadget markets Apr 25th 2012, 16:00 Yep, we went way out for April's Engadget Show, taking our film crew to Asia this time out, to check out the markets of Taipei, Hong Kong and Shenzhen with our very own Richard Lai. We also scored interviews with Huawei's Chief of Design, Hagen Fendler and Michelle Hsiao of the ASUS Design Center. We'll be checking out the month's latest and greatest gadgets, including the HTC One X, S and V, Nokia Lumia 900 and the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, as well as a big ole pile of KIRFs -- some more convincing than others. We've also got a couple of performances by Brooklyn indie rockers Suckers and a whole bunch more. Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guests: Hagen Fendler (Huawei), Michelle Hsiao (ASUS), Richard Lai, Guy Streit
Producer: Guy Streit
Director: Michelle Stahl
Executive Producers: Brian Heater, Joshua Fruhlinger and Michael Rubens
Music by: Suckers Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 032 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 032 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 032 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4).
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[iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format. The Engadget Show 32: ASUS, Huawei and a trip to Asia's gadget markets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | HP Envy 4 shows up for pre-order on HP's China site, priced as low as 5,499 yuan Apr 25th 2012, 15:39  A few days ago, HP accidentally listed the unannounced Envy 4 and 6 on a support page within its American website. Fast forward to today, and the company's Chinese site is following in similar footsteps -- though, this time around exposing a couple more details. HP's online shop in China shows a total of six different Envy 4 models, starting with the 1005tx / 1019tx, followed by the mid-level 1004tx / 1021tx and ending with what appears to be the higher-end Ultrabooks: Envy 4-1006tx and 1021tx, which are both priced at 6,299 yuan (around $1,000). As expected, the pair sitting at the bottom of the pile is the lesser-specced of the bunch, revealing an Intel Core i3-2367M CPU, while the top-shelf machine (1021tx) is listed as sporting a Core i5-2467M. Taking into consideration all the recent leaks, it's now only a matter of time before Meg Whitman & Co. make these 14-inch skinny laptops an "official" reality. Until then, those living in China can try and pre-order one of these by pointing your browser toward the source link below. HP Envy 4 shows up for pre-order on HP's China site, priced as low as 5,499 yuan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  HP China (Translated) | Email this | Comments | | Samsung's 17-inch Series 7 Chronos dances over the Ivy Bridge Apr 25th 2012, 15:02  Since Ivy Bridge finally trotted down the yellow brick road, there's been a growing number of tin-men waiting for their hearts. Samsung's 17-inch Series 7 Chronos, it seems, was also a member of that club. We first saw the desktop replacement back at CES, and that "next-gen" processor we reported is confirmed as a 2.3GHz i7 3615QM, while the suspected ATI GPU seems to have been switched out for an NVIDIA GeForce 650M. Memory and storage are taken care of by 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB SATA HDD respectively. For your human inputs, that 17.3-inch (1920 x 1080) non-reflective screen will fill your eyes, while JBL speakers take care of your ears. As for the computer's, there's HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, a pair of standard USB ports and a memory card slot, not forgetting the Blu-ray drive too -- if you like things optical. If this is enough to make you put your desktop to sleep, then get ready to lay down the (to be determined) asking price once it's set free from the Witch's castle factory (at some point in the near future). Continue reading Samsung's 17-inch Series 7 Chronos dances over the Ivy Bridge Samsung's 17-inch Series 7 Chronos dances over the Ivy Bridge originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Koss intros Striva headphone systems, lets you stream music over WiFi straight to your ears Apr 25th 2012, 14:41  Koss may be known for its budget-minded offerings in the headphone space, but today it's announced something to shake things up a bit. Falling under the Striva moniker, Koss has created what it claims to be the first lineup of headphones to use "WiFi technology that receives music directly from the Internet without wires." To start, there's the over-ear Pro model, loaded with gesture controls for volume and channel adjustments, while an in-ear set, dubbed Tap, is also available for extra portability. Interestingly, the Taps don't use a connecting wire -- instead, "microprocessors" inside of of each earpiece consistently ensure that the stereo signal is staying in sync. To elaborate, both models feature Koss' Core, which the company describes as battery-powered microprocessors coupled with WiFi components. Utilizing the company's new MyKoss server, you'll be able to pull content from a variety of free audio streams, and customize your own listening experience with the included music management software. Lastly, if you don't have a WiFi connection -- in cases such as using your cellphone -- each unit comes with a "matchbook-sized" Content Access Point, which lets you easily create a WiFi hub of sorts to enable wireless listening wherever you are. If these headphones have piqued your interest, get ready for the kicker: the Taps are priced at $500, while the Pros are set at a slightly cheaper $450. Both models are available from Koss today, and you'll find more info in the press release and video just after the break. Continue reading Koss intros Striva headphone systems, lets you stream music over WiFi straight to your ears Koss intros Striva headphone systems, lets you stream music over WiFi straight to your ears originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Koss | Email this | Comments | |
