| Windows Phone Free-Time Machine draws curious New Yorkers, one Kourtney Kardashian (video) Apr 9th 2012, 16:42 Oh the thrill of seeing a familiar face. No, not the Nokia Lumia 900, which made an appearance in several forms at the Windows Phone event in New York City's Bryant Park today, but Kourtney Kardashian, who drew crowds to the Free-Time Machine -- that fled just as quickly as they arrived. The reality TV star far overshadowed the Windows Phone experience, which is on display in several cities across the US today. New Yorkers can visit Bryant or Madison Square Parks for a chance to flick through some Metro tiles on a Lumia 900, and play to win gift certificates and other prizes -- and in the case of one ecstatic youngster, a day with the above-mentioned celebrity and a $5,000 gift certificate. There were also a few smartphone giveaways on order, along with some "free time" prizes, like a dog walker gift certificate or a chance to skip the line (saving "60 minutes") at the city's Shake Shack burger joint. This isn't the first time we've seen an oversized Windows Phone drop by Manhattan, and it's probably not the last. Jump past the break for a peek at the phone, and the Kardashian. Continue reading Windows Phone Free-Time Machine draws curious New Yorkers, one Kourtney Kardashian (video) Windows Phone Free-Time Machine draws curious New Yorkers, one Kourtney Kardashian (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Contour+ vs. GoPro HD Hero 2: through the desert and into the skies Apr 9th 2012, 16:00  Engadget Show segments come about in any number of ways. Sometimes it's a no brainer, with some awesome new gadget just aching for some air time. Other times it's a matter of our wanting to do something cool, like, say, flying a plane. The GoPro / Contour segment from the last Engadget Show was a little bit of both. The ultra-rugged camcorders were a perfect fit for our desire to take on some extreme activities in the Nevada desert. We started out by taking Polaris RZR for a spin on some sand dunes around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And while we didn't really anticipate that it would be windy enough that day to ground planes at nearby McCarren Airport, the 50MPH sandstorms certainly did their part in testing the mettle of the devices -- and our camera crew, for that matter. We strapped both to the roll bar of the all-terrain vehicle and took off into the desert. Things were thankfully a bit calmer when we took to the sky the following day with help from the folks at Sky Combat Ace. The camcorders joined us in our respective cockpits, proving that they could take the punishment of a several G ride -- even if we didn't hold up so well. So, which of the two camcorders fared better? Tim and Brian hash it out after the break. Continue reading Contour+ vs. GoPro HD Hero 2: through the desert and into the skies Contour+ vs. GoPro HD Hero 2: through the desert and into the skies originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | NYC phone booths to get second lives as slate stalls Apr 9th 2012, 15:29  Believe it or not, but there are still hundreds, nay, thousands of phone booths out there on the streets of New York City. Obviously, in the age of the ubiquitous smartphone, most of them go untouched -- though, usually that has more to do with some mysterious substance covering the handset. The city is preparing to update this urban staple by replacing the touch tone quarter eaters with 32-inch touchscreens. The giant slates will offer a quick connection to 311 for requesting info and filing complaints, as well as interactive guides to the neighborhood. Instead of being a place to prank call 1-800 numbers, the phone booth will now become your one stop shop for restaurant suggestions and local landmark locations. 250 of the devices are being provided free of charge by City24x7 for a pilot program and, if all goes well, the company and the city will split revenue generate from ad sales following an expanded roll out. You can bet we'll be some of the first people on the street to put these through their paces when they make their expected debut in May.
[Payphone image via Shutterstock]
NYC phone booths to get second lives as slate stalls originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  New York Post | Email this | Comments | |
