| Fort Atlantic releases new album on modded NES cartridge, no chiptunes in sight Apr 24th 2012, 20:04  It's getting tough for bands to out retro each other these days (what with even cassettes making something of a comeback), but Birmingham, Alabama's own Fort Atlantic has managed to come up with something that's likely to break through the nostalgia-filled haze. While you'll soon be able to buy the band's self-titled debut album in all the usual formats, you can now pre-order a limited edition version that ships a week before the proper release date and comes in the form of an NES cartridge modded to hold a USB drive ($25 and apparently limited to just 50). That includes the full album in both lossless and MP3 formats, along with an added EP, videos and other bonuses. Unlike past NES album releases, though, there's no chiptunes to be found here -- you can listen to one song from the album courtesy of the Paste Magazine link below, and see frontman Jon Black explain the cartridge decision in the video after the break. Continue reading Fort Atlantic releases new album on modded NES cartridge, no chiptunes in sight Fort Atlantic releases new album on modded NES cartridge, no chiptunes in sight originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Fort Alantic, Paste Magazine | Email this | Comments | | Meizu plans ICS update for MX and M9 this June, slaps it with a Flyme OS skin Apr 24th 2012, 19:51  Back in November, Meizu's CEO Jack Wong casually mentioned an update to Ice Cream Sandwich would be making its way to MX and M9 handsets, he just didn't specify when exactly. Well, that all important tidbit's been cleared up today with official news pegging a software upgrade to Android 4.0 for sometime this June. Owners of either device won't necessarily be getting a pure injection of Google's latest dessert when that OTA hits, but rather a skinned version known as Flyme OS 1.0 that purportedly brings with it a host of improvements. Among that list of supposed refinements are a more logical interface, ability to backup and sync data, in addition to cloud storage. So when summer finally rolls around and the rest of the Googlefied smartphone universe is still kicking it with Gingerbread, feel free to sit back and gloat. Official presser in all its hyperbolic wonder after the break. Continue reading Meizu plans ICS update for MX and M9 this June, slaps it with a Flyme OS skin Meizu plans ICS update for MX and M9 this June, slaps it with a Flyme OS skin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Android 4.0.4 factory images hit the web for GSM Galaxy Nexus Apr 24th 2012, 19:42  Sure, pushing builds of Android 4.0.4 out over the air is great, but what if you want to keep that unblemished piece of Ice Cream Sandwich for posterity? You could download the AOSP files, but you'd be missing some vital ingredients from the the official factory images. Thankfully, build IMM76I of Google's mobile OS is available to download in a simple archived format. With this release Big G is also introducing a second version of its software. In addition to the standard "yakju," there's now "takju," which includes Google Wallet and the necessary support files. If you're a safety first kind of guy or gal and like to keep a simple factory reset kit handy (you know, just in case that latest CM9 nightly doesn't work out so well), head on over to the source link to download the untainted Android images. Android 4.0.4 factory images hit the web for GSM Galaxy Nexus originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Android Central | Google Developers | Email this | Comments | | Spotted: HP's special edition Pavilion dm1 by Alexandre Herchcovitch Apr 24th 2012, 19:25  Sometimes we tech writers are little more than laptop pornographers, aren't we? After smiling for Bond Blog's cameras earlier this month, this special edition HP Pavilion dm1 surfaced at a media event here in the states, and naturally we couldn't resist snapping a few in-the-wild shots of our own. Decked out by Brazilian designer Alexandre Herchcovitch, it features all the specs you'd expect from a dm1z (AMD Fusion APU, 11.6-inch display, etc.) except it's been gussied-up to resemble that gold frock pictured below. What might interest you even more than the couture, though, is that this is the first time HP's let one of its guest laptop designers have at the interior as well. In this case, that means even the keycaps have a rough, almost snakeskin-like texture, just like the lid and underbelly. HP also took the opportunity to clarify that this will retail for $630 exclusively through QVC. That's not exactly cheap -- the unadorned dm1z starts at just $400 with the same specs -- though that's hardly the $1,800 price we were expecting. And, the laptop comes bundled with a matching mouse and faux leather sleeve -- for whatever that little bit of color coordination is worth. Continue reading Spotted: HP's special edition Pavilion dm1 by Alexandre Herchcovitch Spotted: HP's special edition Pavilion dm1 by Alexandre Herchcovitch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Droplet and StackAR bring physical interface to virtual experiences, communicate through light (hands-on) Apr 24th 2012, 19:03  Light-based communication seems to wind throughout the MIT Media Lab -- it is a universal language, after all, since many devices output light, be it with a dedicated LED or a standard LCD, and have the capacity to view and interpret it. One such device, coined Droplet, essentially redirects light from one source to another, while also serving as a physical interface for tablet-based tasks. Rob Hemsley, a research assistant at the Media Lab, was on hand to demonstrate two of his projects. Droplet is a compact self-contained module with an integrated RGB LED, a photodiode and a CR1216 lithium coin battery -- which provides roughly one day of power in the gadget's current early prototype status. Today's demo used a computer-connected HDTV and a capacitive-touch-enabled tablet. Using the TV to pull up a custom Google Calendar module, Hemsley held the Droplet up to a defined area on the display, which then output a series of colors, transmitting data to the module. Then, that data was pushed to a tablet after placing the Droplet on the display, pulling up the same calendar appointment and providing a physical interface for adjusting the date and time, which is retained in the cloud and the module itself, which also outputs pulsing light as it counts down to the appointment time. StackAR, the second project, functions in much the same way, but instead of outputting a countdown indicator, it displays schematics for a LilyPad Arduino when placed on the tablet, identifying connectors based on a pre-selected program. The capacitive display can recognize orientation, letting you drop the controller in any position throughout the surface, then outputting a map to match. Like the Droplet, StackAR can also recognize light input, even letting you program the Arduino directly from the tablet by outputting light, effectively simplifying the interface creation process even further. You can also add software control to the board, which will work in conjunction with the hardware, bringing universal control interfaces to the otherwise space-limited Arduino. Both projects appear to have incredible potential, but they're clearly not ready for production just yet. For now, you can get a better feel for Droplet and StackAR in our hands-on video just past the break. Continue reading Droplet and StackAR bring physical interface to virtual experiences, communicate through light (hands-on) Droplet and StackAR bring physical interface to virtual experiences, communicate through light (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Motorola RAZR HD running ICS spotted in the wild, 720p display in tow Apr 24th 2012, 18:41  Last week, a Motorola engineer's Picasa album all but confirmed the existence of the Motorola Droid RAZR HD. And while we can't say his job has a future, it looks like this handset does. The latest leak includes some newly discovered blurry cam photos from China showing Motorola model MT887 running ICS. This matches the EXIF data posted by that errant engineer, which listed the RAZR HD's build as 4.0.3. According to the latest images, the RAZR HD sports a 4.3-inch display -- with an upgraded resolution of 720p -- though the other specs appear to match the current batch of RAZRs. As Android Community points out, that relatively bulky body could mean there's a 3,300mAH battery inside. That's all well and good -- unless Motorola also has a Droid HD RAZR Maxx set to launch a month after this guy. Then again, who would be so cruel as to pit your hopes for a higher-res RAZR against your dreams of an even longer-lasting smartphone? Motorola RAZR HD running ICS spotted in the wild, 720p display in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Android Community | juggly.cn | Email this | Comments | |
