Drool

T-Mobile invites us to play with HTC HD2 —

We’re already seeing the HTC HD2 in the wild and we’ll be getting a much closer look at the handset during a T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) event March 16. We’ll know a lot more come next Tuesday, but the stars are aligning for a March 24 release for about $199 with a new, two-year contract.

With a 1Ghz Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) Snapdragon processor, high-resolution 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, a microSD slot, and Blockbuster On Demand integration, the HD2 would have been positively drool-worthy a few months ago. Unfortunately, this handset will only run Windows Mobile 6.5 and it likely won’t ever be able to upgrade to the intriguing Windows Phone 7 Series.

Putting aside the negativities, this is going to be a beast of a smartphone and definitely one of the most powerful you can get from a T-Mobile store. It’ll come preloaded with the Transformers movies (if that’s your thing), and Windows Mobile is still a more-than-capable operating system. Besides, at least you’ll be able to make your HD2 look like WP7S with cool themes.

Related News from IntoMobile:

• More Nokia Transformers Edition phones
• Windows Phone 7 Series not coming to Windows Mobile phones, not even HTC HD2(?)
• HTC HD2 gets spec upgrade en route to T-Mobile USA
• Bluetooth SIG hints at Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade for HTC Snap!
• T-Mobile HTC HD2 spotted in the wild

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Dell Adamo XPS Reviewed: Expensive, Stylish, and No Longer Available at Dell.com —

Act now! Get it while supplies last! As we (and others) noted in our review of the Dell Adamo XPS ($1,905.02), the world’s thinnest notebook is no longer available for sale on Dell’s Web site; consumers with deep pockets can only purchase this ultra-thin system on Best Buy and Amazon’s Web sites.

This thin and stylish notebook, which debuted this past fall, was only going to be made in limited numbers, according to a press representative for Dell, which is why the Adamo XPS is slowly fading from the scene.

If you’re still interested in picking up this system, its price has dropped about $100, to $1,905. For that, you get an Intel U9400 processor, a 128GB SSD, 3 hours and 46 minutes of battery life, and a design that’ll make others drool. If you’re more interested in spending your two grand wisely, the Sony Vaio Z ($2,099) offers two SSDs, about three times the performance, and scads more endurance. But, it’s not as thin, and that’s what you’re getting the Adamo XPS for, anyway.

VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy — Sure, the PSP is still a mighty attractive piece of hardware. "Handsome," you might say, but that heart-pounding allure is all but gone these days. While we wait a few more years for Sony to rectify that with a PSP 2, we can drool over another mod by "f00 f00." This time he's managed to squeeze a working VU Meter onto the back of the ever-moddable machine. Sure, it's not a revolution in the world of PSP hacking, but it's impressive and somehow comforting in its own we-guess-the-PSP-is-still-pretty-cool sort of way. Video is after the break.

Continue reading VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy

VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile HD2 Walks The Red Carpet —

With a little more than two weeks remaining until the highly anticipated HD2 hits T-Mobile, we’ve got some more exclusive T-Mobile HTC HD2 pics for our readers to drool over.  There’s really not much to say here other than wow! Without further ado, I shall leave you to foam drool uncontrollably.  Hit the jump for some more HD quality snapshots of the HD2!

Thanks Deaconclgi!

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• T-Mobile HTC HD2 Comparison
• More Launch News For The Dell Mini 10, webConnect Rocket & Dark Project
• HTC HD2, Nuron And Cliq XT Pricing Cometh

A new version of Foursquare for the iPhone is on the way and it will feature a revamped interface, a brand new user tab, and a new checkin history view.

This version of the app – v1.6 – should be heading to the App Store soon. Nick Starr shared screenshots of it with us and we’ve included a few below so that you can see some of the new features.

Looking at the images from Foursquare 1.6, the first thing you’ll notice is that the interface has been totally revamped. The colors, icons and menu layout are all completely restyled and rearranged in a much more appealing manner.

For instance, check out the new Shout and User Profile pages. They look almost indistinguishable from their current iPhone counterparts:

There are also a few new features. For instance, users have a profile screen that contains checkin history and friends that is accessible directly from the menu at the bottom of the app.

Friends’ Checkins also now have a pull-down to refresh mechanism, that harkens back to Tweetie 2.0 for the iPhone.

Friends info pages have also been completely redesigned and friend-by-friend ping control is much more attractive.

All in all, just looking at the screenshots is making us drool. We’re not sure when this release will actually hit the App Store, but we wouldn’t bet against a SXSW release.

What do you think of the new look? Let us know!

Tags: foursquare, foursquare 1.6, iphone, iphone apps

More Microsoft Courier details, renderings and video get leaked —

Today, Engadget got their hands on some more mock-ups and some new videos of Microsoft's "Courier," that project lead by J Allard (MS's Chief Experience Officer). If it comes to fruition, it looks as groundbreaking as Project Natal. The new videos are noted for showing real-life situations on how useful the Courier could be for professionals. But honestly, the device tells its own story, making it very drool-worthy.

The sophisticated and intuitive e-Journal is much smaller than previously thought, coming in under 1 inch thick, weighing in a little over one pound and not much bigger than a 5 x 7 photo when closed. Names like "Infinite Journal" and "Page Stream" are tossed around as is the necessity of the Courier Pen, making this centered around hand-writing recognition (something we've seen mentioned earlier in regards to WP7).

The device is said to be developed on CE6, the same as Windows Phone 7 Series, which seems to be Microsoft's new toy to be used on everything. The big question we have is will this in any way interact or sync with Windows Phone 7? It would seem a no brainer to have something like that on board between the two platforms, but until we hear more...

Either way, 2010 is looking very good for Microsoft: Windows 7, Windows Phone 7 Series, Project Natal, Zune and now Courier. Anyone else getting excited?

Anyone else shocked we didn't take a chance to poke fun at the iPad in this post? Feel free to take up the torch for us in comments ;-)

Read more at Engadget and Gizmodo

NEC A4-sized UXGA e-paper revealed —

Someone needs to get hold of NEC, shake them liberally, and tell them not to bother putting their excellent A4-sized e-paper panels in rubbish ad campaign boards but into huge ebook readers instead.  The company have unveiled their latest e-paper prototype, and the 8.27 x 11.69 inch panel – which has a whopping 1600 x 1200 resolution – is making us drool.

To be fair, the desktop-bound device is pretty cool in its own way.  Intended to sit on the desks of financial wizards, the tablet uses a wireless connection to receive updates such as adverts and currency news.  It’s also removable, so you can pick it up for easier reading.

So far there are only six prototypes in the world, but we’re guessing NEC won’t be satisfied with that.  The e-paper has a 3 second refresh rate, and will hopefully be winging its way to ereaders soon; IREX already have a 10.2-inch (diagonal) ereader, the DR1000S, but that only runs at 1024 x 1280 resolution.

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• The Go Green next-gen paper shredder
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An Apology To Camper And 2 Questions For Readers —

Geneva 2010: Bugatti Grand Sport bares its carbon fiber —

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bugatti

Over the past few years Bugatti has released numerous versions of its Veyron supercar, but the Grand Sport model hasn't been out enough to get too many variations. Bugatti released the Sang Bleu version this past summer in Monterey, but that's about it. In addition to the the pair of Grand Sports we drove, those are the only color combinations we've seen for the drop-top Bugatti.

That is, of course, until we hit the show floor here in Geneva. Bugatti has brought out a brand new Grand Sport finished in carbon fiber covered in clearcoat and polished aluminum. Other than the wheels, which we're not huge fans of, the car is completely stunning to look at. If we somehow had the cash to buy and maintain a Bugatti, the carbon fiber finish would be the first option we would check off. You can see all of our live photos of the car in the high-res gallery below. And try to keep the drool from puddling on your keyboard.



Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Geneva 2010: Bugatti Grand Sport bares its carbon fiber originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM dev webinar hints at BlackBerry OS of the future? — See that Storm-esque device there? You may have noticed that the home screen looks positively nothing like the experience you're used to -- and that's because it's not. Shown off as part of a slide deck in RIM's "Super Apps" webinar for developers last week, the company's official explanation is that this is a pure, off-the-cuff mockup, not indicative of anything they're working on for future devices or releases of BlackBerry OS. To be fair, when you take the shot in context with the bullet points and the fact that this presentation was geared squarely at devs, we can imagine that they really were just using it to get folks' creative juices flowing -- but it makes you wonder, doesn't it? There's enough active and location-aware content here to make even a heavily-widgeted Android home screen drool, so seriously, why not do this in 6.0, RIM?

RIM dev webinar hints at BlackBerry OS of the future? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM dev webinar hints at BlackBerry OS of the future? — See that Storm-esque device there? You may have noticed that the home screen looks positively nothing like the experience you're used to -- and that's because it's not. Shown off as part of a slide deck in RIM's "Super Apps" webinar for developers last week, the company's official explanation is that this is a pure, off-the-cuff mockup, not indicative of anything they're working on for future devices or releases of BlackBerry OS. To be fair, when you take the shot in context with the bullet points and the fact that this presentation was geared squarely at devs, we can imagine that they really were just using it to get folks' creative juices flowing -- but it makes you wonder, doesn't it? There's enough active and location-aware content here to make even a heavily-widgeted Android home screen drool, so seriously, why not do this in 6.0, RIM?

RIM dev webinar hints at BlackBerry OS of the future? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asus Eee PC 1201PN Hits CeBIT 2010 —

Asus just unveiled a new product at CeBIT 2010. The Eee PC 1201PN was shown off for the first time today. This high-end graphics-oriented notebook has several seriously drool-worthy features. It sports an Atom N450 processor and Nvidia's ION 2 graphics. It...

Your iPhone TV Dinner Case Has Been Served —

Gorgeous women and their incredible ‘Ink’ [10 Pics] —

To be right up front I am not a big fan of tattoos – on male or female – especially when it gets to the full body stage. That said though these fantastic images from photographer Warwick Saint definitely display the sexy look that beautiful done tattoos can add to a woman’s appearance.

Enjoy but try not to drool too much.

Murphy's Law: Steam, Meet Facebook... and it's New Best Friend, Open Source —

Life, it seems, is never fair for any developer. Just ask the gurus behind Valve's Steam service. For the past many years, Steam has existed as the dominant digital-download platform of choice for gamers worldwide. While a few improvements have been built into the actual application one uses to access the Steam service, the program in question has remained relatively unchanged in its design for a good chunk of its recent existence. Which, in itself, is a polite way to say that it's been ages since an actual upgrade brought a new look, feel, and functionality to the Steam client.

Ask, and one receives: Valve's finally uploaded a beta of the latest user interface upgrades to Steam. And while that's all well and good from a "progress is awesome" perspective, it's still left some of the more thoughtful critics in the gaming community scratching their heads. And these heads are connected to their mouths, which seem to have a straight-shot down to their fingers: "It's ugly!" cry some. "I wish it could do [feature!]" scream others. "Loud Noises!"

As I think of the many different "platforms" on the Internet, I'm reminded of just how closed-off the Steam application is for conventional tweaking. Some of this is mandatory--there's only so much Valve wants you to be able to access for fear of somehow disrupting Steam's security techniques and gaining access to the vault of unlocked, free-to-download titles. Take a moment to wipe the drool off your keyboard; I'll wait.

What's stopping Valve from incorporating other open architectures into its service, however?  What about Web-wide login protocols?  Authentication for third-party services that could offer spin-offs of Steam's built-in stats-tracking?  Heck, what about some customized user interface support? 

Some might say Steam is too big to be able to successfully navigate open-source and open frameworks. To that, I say hogwash: If Facebook can do it, so can Valve!

 

 

As CNET's Caroline McCarthy writes, Facebook has been taking a decent amount of flak for its lack of a desire to participate in the open Web--a platform where information is freely exchanged through the use of common protocols for access; where no wall separates one platform from another and generalization, not specificity, is the driver of future innovation and success. And although Facebook has balked its way into the process, the company has nevertheless made significant strides to participate more in the universal Web, not just the Facebook Network.

While much of its development has been centered on real-time strategies, brought forth by projects like the open-source Tornado Web server and the open PubSubHubBub standard for real-time information authoring, Facebook's increased devotion to open-source has also been a matter of necessity. Simply put, open-source solutions allow the site to scale better (and more rapidly) than commercial solutions. That's kind of a big deal when the company's serving in upwards of 400 billion page views on a monthly basis.

So, obviously, there's a case to be made that Steam--a lesser service in scale--could very easily tap into the power of the open Web to further the development of its platform. Just imagine the possibilities: add-ons and tweaks that build additional functionality into the client, transforming it from a hub for launching video games into a high-priority source of information of all kinds. Or, better yet, open authentication protocols that you can use to accentuate your Steam statistics through normal browsing or online game playing. At the very least, this could be a way to interact with your Steam friends and groups via third-party services.

In short, it's not about the service--it's about the expandability. The more Facebook weaves its tendrils throughout the Web, the more users far and wide become tied into its platforms and protocols. For a platform that's one-half downloads, one-half community... Steam doesn't really have that kind of an effect on the greater Web. Open-source is the key to its expansion but, more importantly, a great ticket for users to finally be able to customize the service to their liking.

Don't force changes on the community; let them dictate how and when they use your service--including its "ugly" interface.

David Murphy (@ Acererak) is a technology journalist and former Maximum PC editor. He writes weekly columns about the wide world of open-source as well as weekly roundups of awesome, freebie software. 

 

Flashback: Commandant's House, Brooklyn —

The latest Scouting NY post, where he comes upon a privately owned mansion in Vinegar Hill that used to be part of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, is simply drool-worthy and envy-inducing. The home has received press here and there throughout the years, but as the Scout points out, "the fact that I was unaware of it means there’s gotta be one or two readers out there who will be as taken aback by it as I was."

Located at Evans and Little Street in Brooklyn, just past they mysterious Harrison Alley, the home was built in 1805. According to Forgotten-NY it was designed by Boston's Charles Bulfinch, who also designed the U.S. Capitol Building as well as Faneuil Hall in Boston. It was the residence of Matthew Perry when he was commanding officer of the shipyard in the 1840s. Since 1964 it's been privately owned, and while the Scout says the owner is unknown, we hear a doctor has lived there for around 30 years.

Three stories high, balconies, a sprawling lawn, vintage automobiles, views of the East River... sigh. Read more at the NY Times, which profiled the home in 2006... but didn't get to see the inside either.

Kipping at your desk is highly productive, say boffins —

'The hippocampus is like an email inbox'

Splendid news for those among us who occasionally wake up with a snort at our desks, hastily wiping drool off our chins and looking around guiltily. Boffins have annouced that a brief zizz during the day enhances performance and makes people more efficient and productive.…

What is your recession sales strategy?

Sony intros Alpha DSLR concepts, Micro Four Thirds model included — PMA is just kicking off in earnest down in Anaheim, and it looks like Sony has arrived in a big way. Looking to make a splash in a DSLR world dominated by Canon and Nikon, the outfit has brought a few of its best and brightest concepts to SoCal. Up first is an ultra-compact "interchangeable lens" concept, which is no doubt Sony's attempt to get in on the fledgling Micro Four Thirds game before it blows up big. Few details on the device are available, but we'll be doing our best to pry whatever specifications we can from the booth representatives in short order. Moving on, there's a conceptual model of the Alpha A700 replacement, complete with an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor that promises full AVCHD video capabilities. There's also a prototype of a Super Telephone Lens (500mm F4 G) as well as a prototype Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM, which ought to make wide angle junkies drool profusely. The company's also dishing out a raft of accessories, including underwater housing devices, HD lenses and output cables, tripods / accessory packs and a Compact PictureStation photo printing kiosk. Stay tuned for some hands-on action from the show floor.

Sony intros Alpha DSLR concepts, Micro Four Thirds model included originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While I am sure that most folks won’t think all that much of these workspaces there is probably a lot who will start drooling after the first one and not stop until the last. As a confirmed dual monitor user who would never go back to a single monitor setup I can tell you that I had some serious monitor envy as I selected my favorite workspace images found over at Work Design Ledger.

Enjoy the view but I seriously recommend getting a drool towel handy before starting.

This first one was not so much for the desk workspace but rather the incredible workspace environment. Just a beautiful and relaxing place to be able to work I would think.

Now that the aesthetics are out of the way let’s get down to the serious hardware porn.

15 awesome workspaces to make you drool —

While I am sure that most folks won’t think all that much of these workspaces there is probably a lot who will start drooling after the first one and not stop until the last. As a confirmed dual monitor user who would never go back to a single monitor setup I can tell you that I had some serious monitor envy as I selected my favorite workspace images found over at Work Design Ledger.

Enjoy the view but I seriously recommend getting a drool towel handy before starting.

This first one was not so much for the desk workspace but rather the incredible workspace environment. Just a beautiful and relaxing place to be able to work I would think.

Now that the aesthetics are out of the way let’s get down to the serious hardware porn.

Burqa Babes App to Make Epic iPhone Debut —