You probably weren't expecting yet another luxury model of Nokia's long-lived
8800 fashionphone, right? Well, the company continues to prove its dedication to the crazily expensive slider with its newest model, the Gold Arte. This precious puppy is dipped in 18-carat gold
and has white leather on the front and back -- just in case the gold wasn't enough to prove its owners are living on the edge of
obnoxious ostentation. Other than its looks, you can expect the newest 8800 to be pretty much identical to its
Carbon Arte predecessor, with 3G, 4GB of flash memory, an OLED display and a 3.2 megapixel camera. We don't know exactly when it's slated for release in Europe, but we expect it to carry a pretty "impressive" price tag.
[Via
Phone Arena]
Filed under: Cellphones
Nokia Gold Arte 8800 says "gold is not enough" originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments So Garmin's coming out swinging in response to that
Digitimes piece this morning suggesting that Android-based devices are on the way -- sort of. The company says that "the story contains a number of inaccuracies in both sales figures and product rollout schedules," and while it
does say it has "
an Android-based phone under development," it also reminds us that
Nuvifone won't be it; instead, Garmin's first modern entry into the world of telephony will be based on a proprietary build of Linux, as was originally planned. We have to question the wisdom of this two-pronged approach since it almost obsoletes the Nuvifone before it's even released, but then again, maybe they're just pushing to get
something out the door -- we've been waiting for this puppy for a year now, after all. See the full statement after the break.
Continue reading Garmin says Nuvifone isn't Android-based, but Android stuff is on the way
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Garmin says Nuvifone isn't Android-based, but Android stuff is on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
You know, we were hoping for a
Nokia knock-off to poke fun at this morning, but what we got instead was a comprehensive five page review of a vaguely N810-ish, Linux-based handheld called the MID-2008. The 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 touchscreen phone / media player features a 628MHz processor, 128MB RAM and supports a 16GB expansion card, WiFi and Bluetooth. A host of apps are bundled in with the thing, such as Firefox, document readers for MS Office and PDF files, a YouTube app, the Pocket Oxford Concise English-Chinese dictionary and several games, including our personal fave, "Crazy Parking!" Unfortunately, the phone was disabled on the demo unit so there's no telling how the thing works as a handset, but as a media player the device was praised effusively. Of course, that could be saying more about the "new hope" that "Chinese-made phones" bring to the reviewer than the device itself. At any rate, we don't have a manufacturer or a price on this one yet but we'll keep you posted.
Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Video
N810-ish, Linux-based MID pops up overseas, brings hope to at least one reviewer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
As if
Fujitsu's U820 wasn't interesting enough already, news that it can now be customized and purchased with AT&T BroadbandConnect should be enough to convince you that it's... uh interesting. Fujitsu's site gives you two options for packing your U820 with integrated HSDPA -- a Vista Home Premium version for $1199, and one with Vista Business for $1499. It looks you'll be forced to go with the 120GB hard drive if you want the 3G, since neither the 60GB hard drive nor the 64GB SSD are available with the configuration. These little dudes appear to be shipping now: try to contain yourselves.
[Via
Pocketables]
Filed under: Laptops
Fujitsu Lifebook with AT&T BroadbandConnect appears, several people really excited originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
Are you looking for a full-featured tablet but, thanks to current economic conditions, find yourself stuck with a netbook budget? Check out HP's tx2500z 12.1-inch portable, available now through the company's online store for just $599.99 shipped -- if you can wade through the mildly convoluted customization process that's detailed at the read link. Select all the right options and free upgrades (including 3GB of RAM and a 250GB HDD) and you'll get yourself a 2GHz touch-screen device plus a D1560 inkjet printer for under $600 after a $400-off coupon and $70 mail-in rebate -- just a little bit of hassle to get a stellar deal on a sweet tablet.
Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs
Crazy HP offers $400 off on tx2500z tablet, throws in printer, will not be undersold originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
Man, Microsoft just can't bring itself to kill Windows XP dead -- it just extended the final OEM and reseller delivery date for the venerable OS to May 30, 2009. Vendors will still have to place their orders before the official cutoff date of January 31, but they won't have to take delivery (or pay, we'd imagine) until May. All of this is supposed to alleviate the problem of vendors stockpiling copies of XP -- it wouldn't be good for Microsoft if manufacturers start charging a demand-related premium for XP licenses after Redmond goes Vista-only. Of course, Microsoft also recently extended the Vista "downgrade" deadline for OEMs to July 31 and netbooks will still be able to kick it old-school until at least June 2010, so chances are you'll be able to get XP one way or another until Windows 7 ships -- let's just hope all this waffling on XP means that 7's going to be as good as we think it is.
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
Microsoft extends Windows XP deliveries to May 30, 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
According to reports today, Palm has managed to snag another $100 million from Elevation Partners (the private equity team co-owned by Bono). The new figure gets tacked onto Palm's existing $325 million buy-in from the firm. The previous sum was put towards the struggling handset / software-maker's "strategic recapitalization," and we can only assume this latest infusion is being used for the home stretch into that New OS and those New devices we're expecting see come CES. It's not completely surprising you'd want to juice your previous large investment, but if Palm's numbers keep shifting downward, it seems unlikely this will be anything other than a Hail Mary. Even if Bono loses $100m in his couch cushions, it doesn't mean Elevation Partners is in for the long haul.
Filed under: Cellphones
Palm nabs another $100m from Elevation Partners, takes it to the bridge originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments The unmanned lawnmower is nothing new, but we still think there's something downright
iffy about arming a
Roomba with sharp metal blades. That said, if you've been dying to get in on the action, SmartMow might be worth checking out. Set to hit the stores in Spring '09 for $749 (much cheaper than some
other robo-mowers), the thing weighs 17 pounds, features three cutting blades, will cut around a sixth of an acre on a single charge (about 2-3 hours), and is auto-docking. As far as knowing where to mow, SmartMow eschews sci-fi grass detection algorithms and rudimentary artificial intelligence in favor of the tried but true method of marking off your mowable yard with an edge wire. The best thing about the bot, however, may be its educational value -- not only will it teach your kids about robotics, it will also show them how people with money can buy their way out of doing chores. Video after the break.
[Via
Robot Stock News]
Continue reading SmartMow mows the lawn but won't accept a glass of lemonade
Filed under: Household
SmartMow mows the lawn but won't accept a glass of lemonade originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments Not merely content with the noise-reducing
XB01 Xbox 360 chassis, Swedish modder
Janne Ström decided to throw in a pair of heavy-duty Noctua NH-U9DO coolers (usually intended for AMD Dual Opteron server processors) to see if he could even further eradicate the console's aural annoyances -- and indeed, it sounds (or rather, doesn't) like it worked. For those not following
the scene, the XB01 is a voluminous case made by Lian-Li you can put your Xbox 360's guts into for a decidedly less noisy experience, so think of this as a mod-within-a-mod. It won't make disc drive any quieter, but with the
New Xbox Experience's disc installation option, that noise can be avoided. The extra fans also doesn't make the case any easier on the eyes, of course, but anyone interested in the XB01 probably isn't putting style points high on their list of priorities. Go ahead and listen, very closely, to the results in the video after the break.
Continue reading Modded XB01 case quiets your Xbox like a RROD (without all the failing)
Filed under: Gaming
Modded XB01 case quiets your Xbox like a RROD (without all the failing) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments Some interesting news is coming out of the Garmin camp this fine morning, including word that the company somehow managed to buck all manner of economic trends and boost its holiday sales by 50 percent over 2007. (Apparently peoples' 401(k) valuations weren't the only things getting lost this year.) The company also confirmed that its
Nuvifone, which is getting a bit long in the tooth despite being unavailable, is indeed still coming -- but won't be hitting Taiwan at least until Q2 of next year, and there's no indication of whether we'll be seeing it a
little earlier 'round these parts. Finally, and most intriguingly, is confirmation of what the company plans to do first with that freshly laminated
Open Handset Alliance membership card: multiple new Android phones are said to be in the works, due for release sometime in the second half of 2009. No further information is available, and while the smart thing might be for Garmin to focus on getting its first handset out the door before drafting a successor, we think any excuse for a new costume on our favorite green Android is a good one.
[Via
GPS Tracklog]
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS
Garmin planning Android-powered handsets for late 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments To our knowledge, neither HP nor Compaq (nor HP Compaq, for the record) have uttered a single word about the clearly real
Mini 700. After going a few months without hearing an update, we now have reports that it is widely available overseas. According to
NotebookItalia, said netbook will boast a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, GMA950 integrated graphics, 10.2-inch display (1,204 x 600), 1GB of DDR2 RAM, webcam / microphone, an integrated card reader, audio in / out, Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports and a pair of Altec Lansing speakers. Additionally, the Italian version (at least) includes a 3-cell battery and Windows XP Home while providing optional WiFi, Bluetooth and HSDPA. Curiously, the quoted price for the now-shipping unit is up one hundred quid to £399 ($594), though it's difficult to tell if that's a baseline rig or a fully loaded machine. Anyone across the pond care to chime in?
Filed under: Laptops
HP Compaq's Mini 700 now on sale in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments It's been just about
six months now since we've seen a solid video of two incredibly sophisticated robots beating the ever-living daylights out of one another, and quite frankly, that's about 5.5 months too long. The unashamed fanatics of unbridled robot violence at
Impress have assembled a killer compilation video showing some of the greatest slams, smashes, hits and fan chops from the Japanese robo fighting circuit, and it's waiting for your attention in the read link below. Warning: copious amounts of blood, PCB, gears and actuators are seen flying in all directions.
Filed under: Robots
Video: Robo-One-style greatest "hits" compilation makes us wince continuously originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments It was short and mildly sweet, but Virgin Galactic has a lot to be relieved about. The outfit -- which is vigorously attempting to make
space tourism a reality for the affluent -- saw its long-awaited WhiteKnightTwo craft complete an hour long maiden flight above its Mojave headquarters. If you'll recall, we were expecting the craft to take flight
in September, though we can't say that a three month delay is all that unforgivable given the nature of the task. We suspect Buzz Lightyear would have an excellent closer for this one, so we'll just let you all imagine what quip he'd share.
[Via
Slashdot]
Update: Video
just surfaced of the WhiteKnightTwo up to its chivalrous antics, including landing and takeoff. No loop de loops or interstellar travel, sadly.
[Thanks, Disco Stu]
Continue reading Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo successfully completes brief maiden flight
Filed under: Transportation
Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo successfully completes brief maiden flight originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments USC researchers have demonstrated a low-temperature (and therefore relatively inexpensive, apparently) process for printing
transparent TFTs on flexible material able to bend up to 120 degrees which allows for embedding LED to build see-through displays. The prototype disc shown above is 5 inches in diameter and contains around 20,000 nanotube transistors. The researchers suggest the technology could be used for e-paper, smart tags, and artificial skin, as well as an affordable heads-up display that could be put into car windshields. Our suggestion? Couple it with transparent playing cards for the ultimate poker-cheating experience.
[Via
OLED-Display]
Filed under: Displays
USC develops flexible, transparent TFT prototype for high-tech temporary tattoos originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments There's no shortage of wacky
speakers out there, but the custom built SPECIMEN XL Horn Speakers are probably among the most radical that we've had the pleasure of seeing. Designed specifically for musician Andrew Bird, these guys stand eight feet tall and are reportedly "extraordinarily efficient with an alarming bass response." Oddly enough, the phonograph-styled drivers are said to be "ideal for PA applications," and judging by the video hosted up after the break, they've been used quite delightfully in concert. Too bad these weren't around for our senior proms.
[Thanks, Adhemar]
Continue reading 8-foot XL Horn Speakers pay homage to phonographs everywhere
Filed under: Home Entertainment
8-foot XL Horn Speakers pay homage to phonographs everywhere originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments The only information we had on LG's heretofore elusive KB770 was a not-at-all detailed
FCC report. Now, however, we're getting our first good glimpse courtesy of a thorough review and hands-on extravaganza originating in the Czech Republic. LG has clearly designed this one with mobile TV and multimedia in mind, and that huge retractable antenna should make for easy reception for those in DVB-T territories. The overall design isn't a great departure from other like-minded handsets (read: the
Vu), though critics did find the UI impressively simple to navigate and use. Sadly, the actual quality of the mobile TV -- which, again, is the main selling point here -- left a bit to be desired. All in all, the KB770 just didn't seem to execute as well as it should given the 8,900CZK ($471) price tag, but if you're still interested in seeing what it looks like from every angle imaginable (yes, even
that one), the read link should be the next place your browser points to.
[Thanks, Daniel]
Filed under: Cellphones
LG's KB770 reviewed in a foreign tongue, unboxed in the universal language originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments The modding world is severely overran with me-too
steampunk hack jobs, a fact that we find particularly disheartening. But every so often, we stumble upon a diamond in the rough such as this: a masterpiece of steampunk theater that truly exhibits dedication to the craft. Australia's own Mad Uncle Cliff set aside a copious amount of time over a number of weeks in order to construct this beauty, which includes a full-fledged PC, speakers and LCD (obviously). Check the read link for the build saga, and don't forget to pay your respects before leaving.
[Via
Slashgear]
Filed under: Displays
Steampunk monitor mod is almost too pretty to use originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments We already
found that the
Cupcake branch of Android made available a software keyboard on Nokia's line of Internet Tablets, and now that very functionality is being showcased on a bona fide T-Mobile G1. We can't say how stoked we are to see a real deal on-screen keyboard on the handset, and we're even more jazzed about the eventual release of these caloric goodies to the masses. Have a look yourself at the vid just after the break.
[Thanks, TareX]
Continue reading Cupcake's on-screen keyboard shown on T-Mobile G1
Filed under: Cellphones
Cupcake's on-screen keyboard shown on T-Mobile G1 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments Oh,
HTC. Why do you tease us? For the legions of phone fanatics not located in Russia, the images hosted up in the read link are about as close as you all will ever get to Yota's
HTC MAX 4G. The world's first
GSM + WiMAX handset has been acquired by an evidently affluent individual who reportedly threw down around $1,300 in greenbacks in exchange for this gem. Those familiar with the HTC Touch HD won't find too many dissimilarities, but we'll stop bothering you with these "words" and allow you to give the images some careful attention.
[Via
wmpoweruser, thanks Daniel]
Filed under: Cellphones
HTC MAX 4G gets a proper unboxing in Russia originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments 
We've gotten a
few decent looks at the LG
Prada II in weeks past, but the
Daily Mobile Forum has happened upon a veritable treasure chest of views of the device in glorious detail -- which, if you didn't already know -- is
now on sale in Europe. Lucky devils. We've included a few of our favorites after the break, but hit the read link for all 17 (Yes, seventeen!).
[Thanks, Daniel]
Continue reading LG Prada II shows up in exhaustive photo spread
Filed under: Cellphones
LG Prada II shows up in exhaustive photo spread originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read |
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments You received this email because you are subscribed to the real_time feed for http://www.engadget.com/rss.xml. To change your subscription settings, please log into RSSFWD.
