iRig Mix ships to iDevice-carrying DJs, Android app compatibility looks unlikely

If virtual DJs aren't your thing, you might be pleased to hear that the iRig Mix mobile music mixer is now shipping. You can forgo hefty price tags and still mix your own tunes for $99.99 with up to two iDevices at a time, audio from guitars, MP3 players, CD players and the like. In addition to physical controls for volume, gain, treble and bass, the mixer is accompanied by a roster of free apps to help with production, performing and recording. For Android fans wondering where their own version of these apps are, IK Multimedia thinks the Android audio engine has too much latency (check the comments section) to handle its real-time processing, but consoles you with the fact that the hardware is compatible with most devices. Hit the jump for the press release. Wiki wiki, y'all.
Continue reading iRig Mix ships to iDevice-carrying DJs, Android app compatibility looks unlikely

iRig Mix ships to iDevice-carrying DJs, Android app compatibility looks unlikely originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 07:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

If you're an Android tablet owner, you're likely very familiar with the drill: after you unlock the device, you're presented with a static home screen full of apps and widgets, which may or may not be relevant to your current need. The creators of Chameleon, a home screen replacement for Android 3.2 / 4.0 tablets, would like to change all that with a dynamic environment that'll adapt to your current GPS location, WiFi network or the time of day. Users may design and customize their ideal layouts, which may include news and social feeds in the morning, a calendar and tasks for the work environment and an assortment of entertainment options for the evening at home. Switching between these layouts isn't a problem, either, as you'll be able to flick between home screens just as you would with the standard Android interface.
Like a good rug, the interface is attractive and really pulls everything together. Chameleon is currently a Kickstarter project, and its creators intend to unleash the creation into the Google Play Store this September. Those who donate $5 or more can expect early delivery of the app, which is currently slated for August. It never hurts to be early in line, and Chameleon might just rekindle your love for Android tablets. For a quick peek of what's in store, check the video after the break.

[Thanks, Greg]
Continue reading Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets

Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 08:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

K-Touch joins China Mobile with Marvell-powered T660, waves a $160 price tag

Last we heard, Chinese manufacturer K-Touch was quite busy showing off its Treasure V8 at this year's Mobile World Congress. Now, the company's taken the wraps off of its budget-friendly, TD-SCDMA T660 smartphone, marking its first intelligent handset on China Mobile. The device itself features a 4-inch, IPS display alongside a 5-megapixel rear shooter and a 1GHz, Marvell PXA920H CPU (the same one found on the ZTE U880E and Lenovo A668T). Specs aside, however, this is K-Touch's first crack at the TD-SCDMA market and it's doing so on the cheap, pricing the Gingerbread-loaded T660 at a mere 1,000 RMB (around $160) without any contracts attached. Not a bad way to kick things off, right?
Continue reading K-Touch joins China Mobile with Marvell-powered T660, waves a $160 price tag

K-Touch joins China Mobile with Marvell-powered T660, waves a $160 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

HTC Desire C hands-on (video)

HTC gave us a quick session to play around with its latest handset, the Desire C. No, it's not part of the consolidated One series, nor is the company revealing precisely what that "C" stands for -- heaven forfend it's "cheap." While a humble 320 x 480 touchscreen and 600MHz processor might not set many smartphone obsessives' hearts a' racing, it still manages to eke out a HTC Sense-skinned Android 4.0 UI -- no mere feat, in our opinion. A 5-megapixel camera and expandable microSD slot are some other welcome specifications and it's all wrapped up in an attractive matte finish -- you can take your pick form black and white in the UK. Catch our quick video run-through of the sub-$300 handset right after the break.

Gallery: HTC Desire C hands-on

Continue reading HTC Desire C hands-on (video)

HTC Desire C hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 10:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft encourages students to buy a PC, gives them a free Xbox 360 in return

Students. PCs. Free Xbox 360. The Redmond team's at it yet again. Similar to last year's deal, Microsoft's hooking students up with a 4GB Xbox 360 if they drop some cash on one of its Windows machines. It's simple: shell out over $699 on a PC, or $599 if you're in Canada, and you'll be walking out with a shiny new console free of charge -- naturally, you'll have to do so at participating shops such as Best Buy, Fry's, Newegg, Staples, The Source and, of course, Microsoft's own stores. The promo is set to kick off here in the States on May 20th, while those living in the True North can take advantage of it starting today. And before you ask -- yes, you will need to show your scholar credentials to get in on the bargain.

Microsoft encourages students to buy a PC, gives them a free Xbox 360 in return originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

$74 MK802 PC-on-a-stick beats Cotton Candy to market, has ICS on board

Unless you're lucky enough to live in Scandinavia, you'll have to wait till the end of summer to get your Cotton Candy fix. Aching to nab yourself a computer-on-a-stick before then? If you're willing to step down in specs, the Chinese-made MK802 could be the PC in your pocket. For $74 (versus $199 for the Cotton Candy), this 7-ounce device gives you a 1.5-GHz Allwinner A10 CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage and, like the Cotton Candy, Android 4.0. FXI's version, on the other hand, packs a dual-core 1.2-GHz Samsung Exynos processor, and while the MK802 offers an HDMI port, the Cotton Candy includes an HDMI connector. The MK802 is slightly bulkier than its sweetly named competitor (3.5 inches vs. 3.1), but that Android logo on the front does wonders for its design cred. AliExpress.com is currently selling the MK802 with free shipping to the US -- click the source link for a gander.

$74 MK802 PC-on-a-stick beats Cotton Candy to market, has ICS on board originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony NEX-F3 and A37 cameras hands-on and sample shots

Sony's newest NEX and DSLR have already graced these pages -- albeit in decidedly unofficial fashion -- but the time has come for this duo of shooters to be revealed to the world with the blessing of their maker. In case you didn't catch the earlier leaks, the NEX-F3 is the replacement for the much-beloved NEX-C3 as the entry-level ILC from Sony, while the A37 slots in the same place in the company's Alpha DSLR lineup. Sony's also rolling out fresh glass for each this July, in the form of an E-mount 18-200mm, F3.5-6.3 zoom lens for $850, and an 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 A-mount telephoto unit that'll set you back $500. Both the NEX-F3 and A37 will come with kit 18-55mm lenses and cost $600 when they go on sale in June, which makes them quite competitively priced as compared to their competition. An enviable pricing position, to be sure, but can they deliver the imaging goods? Well, we spent time with each on a tour of San Francisco recently, so join us after the break for our impressions and some sample photos.

Gallery: Sony NEX-F3 press shots

Gallery: Sony Alpha A37 DSLR press shots

Continue reading Sony NEX-F3 and A37 cameras hands-on and sample shots

Sony NEX-F3 and A37 cameras hands-on and sample shots originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4

There's been quite a bit of brouhaha over at xda-developers lately about changes HTC's made to the way multitasking behaves on the One X compared to stock Ice Cream Sandwich. We're not just talking about obvious UI tweaks here -- Sense 4's horizontal, card-like arrangement vs. Android 4.0's default vertical list -- but actual differences in memory and task management. While we're not running into any problems with our One X review unit, some users have noticed that background app are getting terminated too aggressively, so we reached out to HTC for comment. Here's what the company said:

HTC is aware of some questions in the enthusiast community about how the HTC One X handles multitasking and memory management for background apps. We value the community's input and are always looking for ways to enhance customers' experience with our devices. That said, multitasking is operating normally according to our custom memory management specifications which balance core ICS features with a consistent HTC Sense experience.

There you have it. HTC's definitely implemented some multitasking tweaks on handsets running Sense 4. Perhaps this is why battery life is so impressive on AT&T's One X? While we don't believe this is going to be an issue for most users, there's always the option of installing custom ROMs now that the phone's been rooted.

HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 02:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct

Hand firmly grasping hat? Good. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on quite the bombshell today, noting that Google is about to cause its carrier partners in the States all sorts of grief -- indirectly, of course. Just weeks after placing its heralded Galaxy Nexus on sale for $399 unlocked, the report states that said move is only the beginning of a new initiative. Likely to be formally revealed at Google I/O, the mega-corp is planning to partner with a variety of OEMs (rather than just one at a time) in order to have up to five Pure Google (read: Nexus) devices available at once. Better still, the whole stable will ship with Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) and will be sold directly from Google in unlocked form to consumers in America, Europe and Asia.
The move is significant in a myriad ways. For one, more unlocked Nexus devices means more choice when it comes to carrier selection. Furthermore, the move is likely to quell fears that certain partners may have about Google making Motorola Mobility its favorite after a $12 billion acquisition. Not surprisingly, Google's not commenting on the matter, but sources "close" to the situation say that the company's hoping to have the 5.0 cadre on sale by Thanksgiving -- you know, just in time for Black Friday and the looming holiday shopping season. We're all guessing that this will address the growing "app situation" head-on; by making a push to eliminate carrier-infused bloatware (while also providing early Android OS access to more partners), we're hoping that the whole "skinning" dilemma is addressed, too.

Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A day in the life of a Gmail email

Electronic mail, or email to those in the know, has become so ubiquitous and transparent that many take for granted the effort and engineering required to make this near-instant communication medium a reality. In an effort to remind the general public about this digital miracle, Google (a company that knows a thing or two about the subject) has launched a new mini-site dubbed The Story of Send. The web novella leverages animations and videos to explain what happens to a Gmail dispatch once it's jettisoned from your mail client of choice. Message transmission, data security and green computing initiatives are just a few of the topics on the menu. Saunter past the break, have a peek at the video primer then make sure to check out the full Story of Send site.
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A day in the life of a Gmail email originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 17:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video)

The Etch-a-Sketch. A standard bearer for childhood, and one that most of us never really mastered. While Yelizaveta Lokshina can't help you create awe-inspiring portraits from aluminum powder, she has managed to update the toy for the digital age. Using an Arduino, a few buttons and a pressure sensor crammed inside a hollowed-out Etch-a-Sketch, the 3.0 version of the doodler is able to draw in old school gray, as well as vibrant colors created by blending an RGB palette. While holding down the red, green or blue button you squeeze the pressure sensor to add more or less of individual hues. The same sensor is used to change brush width when you hold down the black button. There's even a secret mode that automatically cycles through colors and thicknesses for creating vibrant, almost hallucinatory patterns.
At the moment, the dual doodle knobs need to be physically connected to a computer so that a Processing script can work its magic and render the virtual Etch-a-Sketch. But, future versions may include wireless for sketching out images from the comfort of a couch and an accelerometer for the replicating the satisfying sensation of shaking the red fram to erase your creation. Basically, it's still a work in progress. Drawing with the Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 is just as satisfying, in a tactile sense, as the original, though we struggled slightly to get the hang of the pressure sensitive selector. One thing's for sure, though, the kids love it even more than the 1960 creation. Check out the video after the break to see it in action on the floor of the ITP Spring Show.

Gallery: Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on

Continue reading Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video)

Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love

Toshiba's Canvio external drives have just gotten a hefty boost, most of all for data swappers that play both the Mac and PC sides of the computing fence. Both the regular Canvio 3.0 and the Canvio Basics 3.0 have made the jump from 1TB to 1.5TB of capacity to hold that much more in the way of backups and videos. If you spring for the top-end 1.5TB Canvio 3.0, though, you'll also get a new NTFS driver for the Mac that lets you take the USB 3.0 disk between a Mac and a Windows PC without having to either load a special reader app or wipe the drive clean. Living in that technology utopia will cost you $200 when it's ready in early June, but the Mac- or Windows-only among us can pay as little as $120 to get a 500GB Canvio while still getting backup software and one of six glossy colors. More frugal travelers can pay $10 less at the capacity for one of the software-free Basics drives.
Continue reading Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love

Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 22:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Galaxy S III will launch a day early -- for some UK pre-orders

Be still your beating heart, Samsung has announced that several customers who have already fallen for its incoming flagship's charms will get their pre-orders honored a day early. Unfortunately, it will be limited to those that ordered through its own brand store in Westfield Stratford City in London, but those lucky few will get their very own Galaxy S III at 6pm on May 29th -- half a day before the rest of the UK. We're planning to get our hands on a review model before then, so expect to see our fully-fleshed musings before the end of May.
Continue reading Galaxy S III will launch a day early -- for some UK pre-orders

Galaxy S III will launch a day early -- for some UK pre-orders originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet

Hyundai Sonata and Veloster owners have had some level of remote access for a year now, but the latest version of the Blue Link app does even more. Along with remote start, door lock / unlock and control of the horn and lights, you can now run vehicle diagnostics, send POIs across from your phone for later in-dash navigation, and even locate and manage multiple Blue Link-equipped cars. Sound complicated? Not if you run a cab firm, or if you check out the twelve new instructional videos on Hyundai's YouTube channel below.
Continue reading Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet

Updated Hyundai app brings remote control to your Blue Link fleet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ROCCAT Savu hybrid mouse ready to assault PC gamers' senses for $60

If ever there were a prime candidate for Pimp my Mouse, ROCCAT's Savu would be it. The R.A.D. peripheral (no, really, that's the acronym) incorporates a category-first: an achievements application that rewards players for "a wide range of gaming feats, such as mouse movement, button clicks, scroll steps, etc." The tricked-out mouse also features an adjustable 4000 DPI optical sensor and Easy-Shift+ tech to let gamers program up to two dedicated functions per button. But, wait, there's more superfluousness to endure. In the event you feel the need to take this whole affair to 11, the company's also tossed in a customizable rear light bar that can be preset to one of 16.8 million colors. If you're a fan of over-the-top desktop accessories, you can snag this posterboy peripheral now for £38 at the virtual (or brick-and-mortar) retailer of your choice. Need more convincing? Then click on past the break for the hyperbolic presser from this extra-ordinary PC gaming kit.

Continue reading ROCCAT Savu hybrid mouse ready to assault PC gamers' senses for $60

ROCCAT Savu hybrid mouse ready to assault PC gamers' senses for $60 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 06:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Harsh Naagar's Aashiqui 2 Audition

Samsung Galaxy S III C-Pen stylus gets leaked with more accessory press shots

Samsung wasn't done with the accessories when it announced a whole stack of 'em alongside the incoming Galaxy S III last week. A few more have now started to appear on pre-order, including, yes, another stylus. This is the C-Pen and it's different from both the S-Pen and the stylus we used with Samsung's sketch-friendly tablet. Aside from these press shots courtesy of Mobile Fun, specifics remain a little light -- we're not even sure what the C stands for, but we'd hazard a guess at "creative", possibly "chrome"? It's joined by a substantial £80 (or around $128) WiFi display hub, a battery-charging holster for the phone (£35, around £56) and the previously seen Galaxy S III flip cover (£30, around $48). The stylus is up for pre-order at £20 (about $32) for the British Isles, but a release date for the whole collection still eludes us.

Samsung Galaxy S III C-Pen stylus gets leaked with more accessory press shots originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 07:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Artificial Space Shuttle Explorer readies for launch at sea, journey to Houston

Were you asleep at mission control during Endeavor's final flight? Did you forget to look to the New York City skyline for the Enterprise's last adventure? Buck up buttercup, there's still one Space Shuttle launch you haven't missed -- a faux Space Shuttle, named Explorer, is prepping itself to ride a barge to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The full-size shuttle mockup was shuffled out of the Kennedy Space Center Complex to make way for an actual spacecraft last year, and will now embark on a ten day journey by sea to its new home in Texas. "NASA's Space Shuttle changed the way we think about space, making it more accessible, understandable and useful," stated Space Center Houston President, Richard Allen. "It is our intent to continue that legacy with this exciting new attraction." The replica shuttle will be getting a few upgrades, including a new cockpit that more closely resembles the interior of space shuttle Atlantis, and will be housed in a new education facility that is being built around the mock spacecraft. Sure, it's not as exciting as a legitimate shuttle launch, but we're still happy to give the old bird one final send off.

Artificial Space Shuttle Explorer readies for launch at sea, journey to Houston originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 12:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone

We're no stranger to e-bikes here, but most of the examples we've seen so far have very much been meant for A-to-B rides. Audi's aiming to fix that with its e-bike Wörthersee prototype. The carbon fiber transport not only has a strong 2.3kW motor -- the most powerful ever in a bike, so says Audi -- but can use that power for tricks. You can flick the Wörthersee into a wheelie mode and either shift your weight around or leave it fully automatic, depending on the fierceness of your stunt skills. Not that it'll be a timid ride if you prefer to keep both wheels on the ground, as a motor-assisted pedaling mode will take you up to 50MPH, and you can still ride at 31MPH if you're not keen on using your legs. That's faster than the already speedy Grace One City we tried, folks. The vorsprung durch technik also comes through a smartphone tie-in, although in a much more stunt-savvy way than the app- and tuning-focused Ford E-Bike Concept: it tracks video and trick runs, both for its own game system and for bragging rights on Facebook.
With a very light 3.5-pound carbon fiber frame and a quick 2.5-hour charge-up time, the e-bike Wörthersee sounds like a wild ride that will charge quickly enough for a spin on your lunch break, but we wouldn't rush to put down a deposit. Audi is calling the prototype a "show bike," which is a sign than the design as-is won't show up at the local sports store. We'll let you know if the Wörthersee or a more pragmatic descendant makes the leap to a dealer.
Continue reading Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone

Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 19:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping

Thunderbolt's 10-gigabit interface is only just making its way to Windows after spending more than a year as a Mac-only feature, so it's not surprising that a lot of questions surround how well the Apple- and Intel-developed connection works for those of a Microsoft persuasion. A thorough test at AnandTech of one of the first motherboards to support the spec on Windows PCs, an Ivy Bridge-ready board from MSI, has shown some positive signs along with a few flies in the high-speed ointment. The good news? Most general storage devices will work as expected with a minimum of fuss, and you can even get some features of Apple's Thunderbolt Display working if you're willing to accept a lack of pre-supplied software brightness controls and USB support. The bad news comes mostly in the absence of true hot-plugging like on the Mac: if a device isn't plugged into the Thunderbolt port on boot, Windows won't see it. Professionals who need everything to be just perfect will want to wait, then, but bandwidth lovers will still find something to like if they're willing to build Thunderbolt-equipped PCs themselves.

Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 01:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PSA: Nokia Lumia 900 available from Phones4U in the UK from today!

Remember when Nokia said that overwhelming demand had postponed the UK launch of the Lumia 900? Forget it, Phones4U let us know that it received an early shipment of the Finnish flagship and will offer them to customers today instead of next Monday. It's available on Vodafone, Orange and O2 and will set you back between £20 and £40 each month depending on your plan, either in both Black or White, the latter exclusive to the independent seller.

PSA: Nokia Lumia 900 available from Phones4U in the UK from today! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 05:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fujitsu outs new Lifebook laptops and an Ivy Bridge-packing Ultrabook

Fujitsu started announcing its new summer lineup yesterday, unveiling two new Lifebook LH series laptops with Ivy Bridge under the hood. The company is back today with more Intel third-gen goodness and a new super-light notebook, all of which will start shipping in Japan on May 17th. Up first is the Lifebook UH75H, which we glimpsed at CeBIT back in March, and Fujitsu has wasted no time in giving it the "world's thinnest Ultrabook" distinction. The UH75H has a 14-inch display, measures a super-thin 15.6mm at its thickest point and weighs 3.2 pounds (1.44 kg). Its little brother, the UH55H, packs a smaller 13.3-inch screen, and both will be available in red or silver.
There's also a new ultraportable, the Lifebook SH76H, which weighs just 1.34 kg (2.95 pounds) and is 16.6mm at its thinnest, though that sleek profile doesn't prevent it from offering an integrated optical drive. Fujitsu says this Lifebook will last almost 14 hours on a charge, about an hour longer than previous models. Like all SH machines, the SH76H has a 128GB SSD.
Next on the announcement agenda are three new media-centric all-in-ones from the ESPRIMO FH family: the FH56, FH77HD and FH98M. All include a new "Quick TV" feature for launching the built-in TV viewer with the press of a button. Finally, there's the new 15.6-inch Lifebook AH78HA, the first notebook to include "nanoe" air purification for minimizing "fungi, smells, mold and allergens." That's making some pretty big assumptions about the cleanliness of your living space, but can't hurt, right?
To accompany those new systems, Fujitsu is offering a new "My Cloud" feature that works with the company's FlashAir SD cards to wirelessly transfer media from a camera to a PC. My Cloud will also incorporate voice recognition to organize albums in My Photo Museum. Get all that? Good. Check out the presser below the break for the full lowdown.
Continue reading Fujitsu outs new Lifebook laptops and an Ivy Bridge-packing Ultrabook

Fujitsu outs new Lifebook laptops and an Ivy Bridge-packing Ultrabook originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung shuns point-and-shoot cameras, switches factory to pricier mirrorless types

Samsung's main camera plant in China is being converted to produce high-end mirrorless cameras instead of cheaper compacts. That's a steel-and-concrete sign that the manufacturer is trying to boost digital imaging profits by focusing on cameras with higher margins, and it implies a level adaptability that other companies can only dream of. Sammy's latest NX range of interchangeable-lens (ILC) mirrorless models start at around $700, which is at least twice the going rate for a decent point-and-shoot. While that higher price point may seem off-putting, demand for mirrorless cameras is actually expected to explode by 60 percent this year, according to IDC projections -- while sales of compacts are retreating in the face of ever more powerful smartphone snappers. Ultimately, Samsung's business plan could be good news for us end-users too, if a newly expanded NX range brings the entry point for ILCs down by $200 or so -- although that could just be wishful thinking on our part.

Samsung shuns point-and-shoot cameras, switches factory to pricier mirrorless types originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 08:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Eurocom Racer 2.0 laptop receives Ivy Bridge, offers Radeon HD 7970M graphics

Eurocom calls its Racer 2.0 a small form factor mobile workstation -- by which it means it's a rather sizable laptop, but with plenty of power and decent aesthetics. Known for designing its rigs to be upgradable, the Racer 2.0 is such a recipient, which now offers the Intel HM77 Express chipset and support for both Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge CPUs. It offers a 15.6-inch, 1080p display (in both glossy and matte configurations), which is powered by a 1.5GB GeForce GTX 660M GPU as the basic option. Those desiring even more oomph may opt for the 2GB Radeon HD 7970M, and even those in need of true workstation graphics may select from a lineup of NVIDIA's Quadro GPUs. The four SO-DIMM slots will accommodate up to 32GB of RAM, and it'll even accept two hard drives (in addition to an mSATA SSD), so long as you're willing to fill the optical drive's slot. Naturally, all the upgrades can make the price soar in a hurry, but the base configuration starts at reasonably palatable $1283. Ready to be sold a new laptop? You'll find the PR after the break.

Gallery: Eurocom Racer 2.0

Continue reading Eurocom Racer 2.0 laptop receives Ivy Bridge, offers Radeon HD 7970M graphics

Eurocom Racer 2.0 laptop receives Ivy Bridge, offers Radeon HD 7970M graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung Galaxy S III preview: hands-on with the next Android superphone (video)

You remember that Galaxy S II? A phone so good they launched it, well, a whole load of times. But after seeing phablet cousins and LTE variants, the true handset sequel is finally here. The Galaxy S III is moments away from being outed in front of journalists and Sammy's business partners in London, but in advance of the big reveal we were given a few hours to acquaint ourselves with the new star away from the crush of the show floor.
And what did we make of it? In short, Samsung's tried to bring its Galaxy S series in line with (and in some ways, further ahead of) what its team-up with Google accomplished. It's added some new quad-core Exynos processing juice, a 4.8-inch, HD Super AMOLED screen and a handful of Galaxy S III-only features in an earnest bid to maintain its place at the top of the Android pile. You'll find our detailed impressions and a hands-on video just after the break.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S III preview

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III preview: hands-on with the next Android superphone (video)

Samsung Galaxy S III preview: hands-on with the next Android superphone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.