| LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video) Aug 30th 2012, 13:07  Though LG didn't have any more to add to the L-Style series to offer the world? Behold the L9. Announced yesterday, the device made an appearance on the IFA show room floor this week, boasting a big and bright 4.7-inch IPS display that makes the its brethren looking downright shrimpy by comparison. In spite of the display size, the phone feels light, with a 8.9-millimeter profile. It's important to note here that, in spite of being the king of the L-Series, it's still part of a budget lineup, and as such, the phone's body feels a bit plastickey, and the textured rear had a bit of trouble staying snapped in place in the two models (black and white) that we played with. Specwise, we're talking a 1GHz dual-core processor,1GB of RAM inside, 4GB of storage (expandable via a microSD slot and a 2,150mAh battery. The handset's rocking Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.4, to be precise). The handset's got a fairly nice bezel, with the front-facing camera on the top and a home button on the bottom, flanked by illuminating back and menu touch buttons. A larger, 5MP camera is located on the rear of the device, above the flash. Vodafone has the handset priced at €50.90 subsidized and €340 unsubsidized. Peep a video of the handset, after the break. Continue reading LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video) Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Sifteo Cubes go next-generation, square gaming gets more portable Aug 30th 2012, 13:00  It's hard to believe, but Sifteo's interactive gaming Cubes first went on sale just over a year ago. Fast forward to the present, and the company has unveiled version two of the the MIT-born blocks. If you'll recall, the 1.7-inch squares let you play interactive table-top games, each featuring a 1.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, motion sensing and wireless connectivity. With this next-gen variant, Sifteo' increased the screen resolution of each unit and doubled the amount of Cubes that can interact at once to 12. The V2 Cubes also come packed with a dedicated, AAA-powered, wireless base station / speaker that stores your titles, sparing the need for a computer to play as was the case with the originals -- an onboard USB allows downloaded files to be transferred from your computers. Developers looking to create content for the device will also pleased to know that Sifteo's releasing its next SDK on October 1st. Ready for some tangibly-cute Cube gameplay? Pre-orders begin today at Sifteo's website, priced at $130 for 3 Cubes with a base station and five games, and $30 for each additional cube. They're set to ship in November, so in the meantime you'll find details in the video demo and press release after the break. Continue reading Sifteo Cubes go next-generation, square gaming gets more portable Filed under: Misc, Gaming Sifteo Cubes go next-generation, square gaming gets more portable originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Sifteo | Email this | Comments | | Panasonic's 103-inch glasses-less 3D plasma panel arrives at IFA (eyes-on) Aug 30th 2012, 12:01  While it might not be as huge as the Super Hi Vision panel lingering in the same darkened theater, Panasonic's new 103-inch demonstration display has the ability to offer up a 3D view to five different viewers -- as long as they're in the right visual sweet spot. The effect is subtle, natural, although colors felt little bit muted compared to the 145-inch prototype, with the demo videos drawing us in to its demo reel, rather than pushing out an image. The plasma display panel prototype is also glasses-free, with the 4K2K screen able to push out enough pixels to offer these multiple viewing angles. Again, there's no substitute for being there yourself. Filed under: Displays, HD Panasonic's 103-inch glasses-less 3D plasma panel arrives at IFA (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Western Digital MyBook VelociRaptor Duo: Thunderbolt, 2TB capacity, and a whopping $900 price tag Aug 30th 2012, 12:00  If you fancy Western Digital's MyBook Tunderbolt Duo, the outfit has just announced a new external storage offering that also sports the aforementioned connection. The MyBook VelociRaptor Duo packs two 1TB 10,000 RPM WD drives that carry the same prehistoric moniker -- as the name suggests (in both cases). These dual heavy-hitters create a 2TB repository for HD video, 3D rendering and the like while boasting SSD-like speeds of up to 400MB/sec and both RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. Of course, if one of these drives isn't taxing enough on your savings account, you can daisy chain a few for a more robust storage setup. Time Machine compatibility? You betcha. The unit works with Apple's backup system immediately and is user serviceable should the need arise. For those ready splurge on a couple of VelociRaptors of their very own, the Duo is on sale now. If you're not quite ready to commit your funds, consult the full PR below for the nitty gritty. Continue reading Western Digital MyBook VelociRaptor Duo: Thunderbolt, 2TB capacity, and a whopping $900 price tag Filed under: Storage Western Digital MyBook VelociRaptor Duo: Thunderbolt, 2TB capacity, and a whopping $900 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 makes official debut at IFA 2012: a 10-inch hybrid Android 4.0 slate Aug 30th 2012, 11:50  There may not be much mystery left surrounding the IdeaTab S2110, but Lenovo's making it official at IFA anyhow. The hybrid slate, first shown off at this past CES as the IdeaTab S2, now has a new name, but aside from that not much has changed since we saw it creep onto the company's site. The 10.1-inch convertible, outfitted with a 1280 x 800 IPS display capable of 420 nits of brightness, runs a skinned version of Android 4.0 atop Qualcomm's dual-core 8060A CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and packs a dual 1.3-megapixel front facing / 5-megapixel rear camera setup, as well as support for WCDMA / EVDO, Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi. It'll be offered in two configurations -- 16GB and 32GB -- but alas, there's no option for expansion via microSD. For users dead set on expanding that capacity, an optional keyboard dock will be made available that not only augments the S2110's storage via full SD slot, but also extends battery life by an extra 10 hours. The tab's already on sale, so if you've got $399 to burn for the base model, or $499 for the dock-enhanced model, head on over to the source below and get your credit card at the ready. Filed under: Tablets Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 makes official debut at IFA 2012: a 10-inch hybrid Android 4.0 slate originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Lenovo | Email this | Comments | | Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up Aug 30th 2012, 11:48  Lenovo is expanding its IdeaPad line to include some new S Series ultraportables. Today the company announced the 13.3-inch S300, the 14-inch S400 and the (also 14-inch) S405. These models sport a metallic finish, with color options including crimson red, silver grey and cotton-candy pink. All three models measure 0.86 inches (21.9mm) and weigh 3.97 pounds (1.8kg), and, aside from screen size, the main difference between them is processor type. The S300 and S400 will be available with Core i3 or Core i5 CPUs, while the S405 will ship with an AMD chip (up to a quad-core A8 processor). Storage options include a 500GB, 750GB or 1TB hard drive, and the S400 and S405 are configurable with a 32GB SSD. Lenovo says you can expect up to five hours of battery life from these machines. They'll go on sale in August (aka now) for $499 and up. Though all models will ship with Windows 7, they'll be eligible for an upgrade to Windows 8. Check out our hands-on below. Zach Honig contributed to this report. Continue reading Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up Filed under: Laptops Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Lenovo IdeaTab A2109 gets official outing at IFA 2012: 9-inch 1280 x 800 display, Tegra 3, Android 4.0 (hands-on video) Aug 30th 2012, 11:46  Lenovo hasn't taken much care to enshroud its trio of newly announced Android slates in any kind of secrecy. The tabs have been teased on the company's site for some time, but that's not holding the Chinese outfit back from making an official announcement at IFA 2012. Taking a slight step down in size from the S2110, the 9-inch IdeaTab A2109 ups the internal ante of its more premium stablemate with a 1.2GHz quad-core Tegra 3 buffered by 1GB DDR3 RAM, while also packing in a 1280 x 800 LED display, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing / 3-megapixel rear cameras, SRS sound, ports for a 3.5mm headphone jack, micro-USB and micro-HDMI. And for users more accustomed to quality builds, the slate shouldn't disappointed as its rear encasement is of the all aluminum variety and lending to its 1.3 pounds (570g) of bulk. Storage for this Android 4.0 slate is not as robust as its larger counterpart, but the 16GB allotted is expandable via microSD. The tab's already available online and at BestBuy, so if you want to call this your own, prepare to part with $299. Continue reading Lenovo IdeaTab A2109 gets official outing at IFA 2012: 9-inch 1280 x 800 display, Tegra 3, Android 4.0 (hands-on video) Filed under: Tablets Lenovo IdeaTab A2109 gets official outing at IFA 2012: 9-inch 1280 x 800 display, Tegra 3, Android 4.0 (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | NASA completes successful parachute drop simulation for Orion spacecraft Aug 30th 2012, 11:45  NASA has always used the desert as its own personal playground, and we'd imagine that its team had a blast in Arizona yesterday, as a mock parachute compartment of the Orion spacecraft was dropped from 25,000 feet above Earth. The dart-shaped object experienced free fall for 5,000 feet, at which point, drogue chutes were deployed at 20,000 feet. This was then followed by pilot chutes, which then activated the main chutes. As you'd imagine, these things are monsters: the main parachutes -- three in all -- each measure 116 feet wide and weigh more than 300 pounds. Better yet, the mission was successful. Naturally, all of this is in preparation for Orion's first test flight -- currently scheduled for 2014 -- where the unmanned craft will travel 15 times further than the ISS and jam through space at 20,000 mph before returning to Earth. Yesterday's outing is merely one in a series of drop tests, and yes, it's important to remove any unknowns from the situation: eventually, humans will be along for the ride. Filed under: Science, Alt NASA completes successful parachute drop simulation for Orion spacecraft originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | NASA | Email this | Comments | | Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 gets formal unveiling at IFA 2012: a ruggedized, 7-inch Android 4.0 slate (hands-on photos) Aug 30th 2012, 11:44  Lenovo just announced its IdeaTab A2107 at IFA here today. The ruggedized Android 4.0 slate, powered by a dual-core MTK Cortex A9 CPU clocked at 1GHz, adds a buffer of protection to its 7-inch expanse with a soft matte, roll cage enclosure -- perfect for the accident-prone or the outdoorsy demo it's being marketed toward. The entry-level tab's 1024 x 600 display is no screamer, putting it on par with the very 2011 Kindle Fire, but the company has loaded it up with radios for WCDMA / GSM, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and FM radio via built-in antenna. As far as storage goes, users will be able to choose among WiFi-only or 3G models in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB configurations, all expandable via microSD. No pricing or release information has been made available, aside from a vague September 2012 window, so if you're keen on this modest tablet, sate your appetite with the gallery below. Filed under: Tablets Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 gets formal unveiling at IFA 2012: a ruggedized, 7-inch Android 4.0 slate (hands-on photos) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Samsung 22-inch Transparent Showcase Panel eyes-on at IFA 2012 Aug 30th 2012, 11:40  What's the future of advertising? If Samsung has any say so, it's going to be transparent showcase displays. Here at IFA 2012, the company demoed one such 22-inch, fishbowl-like case outfitted with a see-through front panel capable of transmitting video imagery, in addition to hosting a physical product within. The glass enclosure's no mere dummy unit, as it's also outfitted with speakers, a built-in PC, LED strip and offers the option to include a touch screen. To highlight just what this kit's capable of, a looped Gucci ad played on its front screen, transitioning from near solid to completely transparent. It's really something that needs to be seen IRL, but take a tour of the gallery below to get a glimpse of what's to come. Filed under: Displays Samsung 22-inch Transparent Showcase Panel eyes-on at IFA 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
