Filed under: Cellphones

When we hear “hands-on,” we generally expect a smattering of images detailing the highlights — you know, about as many as a fidgety PR person will allow, or about as many as one can take before they succumb to self-indulgence. In this “first look” of Motorola’s ridiculously luxurious $2,000 AURA, however, the author not only took the time to detail his first impressions, but to also upload dozens of snapshots to show you exactly what this here handset looks like in just about every possible light. And that’s a good thing too, because the chances of any of us simpletons actually seeing one in the flesh is slim to none.

[Thanks, Drei Drei]

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Filed under: Transportation

We knew good and well it was on the way, but now we’re bubbling over with excitement. The forthcoming Model S — an all-electric, five passenger sports sedan that will ride on a platform developed entirely by Tesla — has apparently been revealed. Of course, there’s still a real possibility that the image you’re drooling on above isn’t a finalized look, but Road & Track has a pretty good record to fall back on. We’re also hearing that the 2010-bound whip will get around 240 miles per charge while still doing the zero to sixty in under six ticks, and the $60,000 base price just makes it all the more appealing. For those with a thing for rear bumpers, check out Autoblog’s link below for a sneak peek of the fanny.

Read - Road & Track writeup
Read - Sneak peek of the rear

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Filed under: Laptops

Oh sure, you’ve seen a brief glimpse of Toshiba’s NB100 (a pre-production unit, at least) at the company’s own Mobility Conference, but things just feel a little different when the spotting goes down in the wild. The LXF Team was lucky enough to get their camera on Tosh’s UK-bound rig, and while nothing was tremendously shocking, it was called out for boasting a “boxy, but sturdy construction that looks like a shrunk-down ’serious’ laptop.” Check out a finalized unit beside an equally cute Aspire One in the read link below.

[Thanks, Mike]

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Filed under: Cellphones

Given that both the iPAQ Data Messenger and Voice Messenger were spotted on HP’s website last night, we didn’t exactly need a press release to affirm their ascent into officialdom, but hey, we’ll take it. The two WinMo 6.1-powered handsets will soon be loosed on Vodafone in Europe, and starting next month, prospective consumers can buy in for £399 ($677) / £333 ($565) off-contract; as for the subsidized rates, you’ll have to hold your horses for those. If you’re just interested in the hands-on video, however, you can mosey on beyond the break and mash play.

Continue reading HP’s iPAQ Data Messenger / Voice Messenger get official on Vodafone, hands-on treatment

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Filed under: Laptops

No telling if we North Americans will ever see this thing without the help of a dutiful importer, but if nothing else, it’s fun to gawk at. Shown off in Korea at KES 2008, LG’s 12.1-inch S-210 was said to be packing a 2.43GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, eSATA / USB ports, VGA out, Ethernet, an NVIDIA graphics set, audio in / out, HDMI and Windows Vista. Pricing and release information wasn’t even available for folks in Seoul, but we’ll try extra hard not to forget about this completely forgettable machine amidst all the other metoos in the crowd.

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Filed under: Desktops

Averatec’s latest 18.4-inch PC somehow manages to stand out in the wide world of all-in-ones, and yeah, the $549.99 price point helps in that regard. Laptop Mag managed to get ahold of one of these unique beasts, and they really seemed to dig it. The polarizing design was appreciated, the display was smiled upon and the hardware was decent enough for the most basic of tasks. But we know it’s the images and videos you’re really after, so head on down to the read link for all of that.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We could tell by the press shots that Cowon wasn’t taking the extravagant route with its O2 PMP, and these hands-on images really prove it. The touchscreen-heavy media player can digest enough formats to make your head spin, and considering that there aren’t any front panel buttons to catch your attention, it’s a good thing the screen quality was deemed “excellent.” Thirsty for more? Head on down to the read link, and tell ‘em Joe the Plumber sent ya.

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Filed under: Laptops

Late last month, we found that Toshiba’s Satellite NB100 netbook was making a beeline to the UK, and while a press shot is well, fine and good, there’s just nothing like a little hands-on action to get you salivating. The crew over at TrustedReviews made it over to Zurich for Tosh’s first ever Mobility Conference, and the star of the show wasn’t one of those new Portégé machines or the Tecra R10; rather, it was the 2.29-pound NB100. Of note, the unit shown was a pre-production rig that shouldn’t change much before it’s loosed on the public, and contrary to earlier reports, it will boast three USB sockets to bring it in line with most of its closest competitors. Unfortunately, early impressions were that the keyboard was lacking, and the glare-filled display wasn’t exactly smiled upon. Check the read link for additional shots and a few more blurbs.

[Thanks, Patrice]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

We’re still retaining a slight bit of disbelief here, but the long teased BeoSound 5 controller could be awfully close to a formal release. Judging by scads of cryptic (and probably diluted) hints and just two images (one above, one after the break), we’re led to believe that this here device will sit atop one’s table and enable users to flip through multimedia and play back tunes through their Bang & Olufsen gear. The sell, obviously, is the design. Truth be told, this thing looks like something a few years ahead of its time at first glance, but considering just how ridiculous (that’s a compliment, we’ll have you know) the BeoCenter 2 looked over four years ago, we’d say this is just par for the course with B&O. Here’s hoping some more concrete information flows forth shortly.

[Thanks, JK]

Continue reading Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound 5 controller in the wild?

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Filed under: Cellphones

Here on the right coast of the US of A, it’s not quite October 14th. That factoid aside, someone has still managed to acquire one of Motorola’s peculiar (in a good way) Krave ZN4s from Verizon a few days in advance of its official release date. The touchscreen-heavy flip phone looks mighty impressive in the enviable photos waiting in the read link, and early impressions from the lucky owner assert that call quality is “very good,” texting on it is a breeze and the touch response in general is quite satisfactory. For those of you passing this off as a gimmick before, see if you’re still feeling the same way after having a look at the in the wild shots.

[Via phoneArena]

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Filed under: Laptops

Ah, how convenient! Just hours after finding out that Samsung’s NC10 netbook would one day be at home here in the United States of America, along comes a host of unboxing / in the wild photos and even a few benchmarks to get you ready for its arrival. Granted, the writeup is in translated German, but fortunately for us the photographs do most of the talking. For what it’s worth, the 10-inch NC10 seemed to edge out the Eee PC 901 in most tests, but not by any wide margin. Also of note, the keyboard was praised for having keys that weren’t bite-sized, though the trackpad beneath it was a touch on the small side. For a few more impressions and JPEGs penned in the universal language, give that read link a visit.

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Filed under: Laptops

It’s hard to say what we’ve come across here, but if our retinas aren’t deceiving us too badly, this looks to be an in the wild shot (sans blur, amazingly) of Dell’s forthcoming E Slim. If you’ll recall, we caught a glimpse of said device way back in June, and the two look at least marginally similar using the oh-so-scientific eyeball test. But look, even if this thing isn’t the E Slim (though we’re guessing it is until proven otherwise), we’ve been told on numerous occasions that Dell is mulling the idea of pumping out a netbook with a 10- to 12-inch display. An accompanying screenshot of the unit’s internals was also provided, and while the model may say Optiplex1210, we’re guessing that’s just there for prototyping purposes; besides, the listed CPU matches up quite nicely with the aforementioned E Slim specs that slipped out this summer. So Round Rock — when are you going to come out and get official with your 12.1-incher? Before or after this coming Tuesday?

[Thanks, Anonymous]

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

We’ll be frank — Mitsubishi’s 65-inch LaserVue L65-A90 was one of the most stunning things we saw at CEDIA 2008, so we’re not surprised to hear that one of the very first production units impressed the lucky folks over at TheTechLounge. Said individuals were able to take a first-hand look at Mitsu’s forthcoming beast, and while the situation was obviously optimal for viewing, they couldn’t help but praise the TV. The demonstration included two LaserVue sets, one of which was displaying 3D 1080p content from an HTPC and another that was setup beside LCDs for comparison. When staring at the aforesaid comparison setup, critics noted that “color performance on the LaserVue was noticeably more impressive.” There’s lots more reaction and images where this came from, so delve on into the read if this here set is on your wish list.

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Filed under: Laptops

Considering that MSI’s Wind U120 is on track for release this quarter, it follows logic that we’d see a few press shots as the run-up to launch continues. Once again, we’re told that this bugger will sport a 120GB HDD (or a 20GB / 40GB SSD), 802.11n WiFi and built-in 3.5G WWAN. As you can easily see, the U120 isn’t too much different (style wise) from the U100, and unfortunately, it’s not a whole lot thinner either. Still, the unit does look a bit more edgy, and hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more (read: in the wild) shots as December comes closer. Speaking of, check the read link for a whole load of press images.

[Thanks, TheLostSwede]

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Filed under: Laptops, Peripherals

We could tell from the press shot that this here laptop bag was far and away the most beautiful of the TSA-approved bunch, and a recent review over at Gadling confirms it. Put simply, the Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer is “fantastic,” and even the reviewer found himself startled at just how much he dug it. The build quality was remarkable, the ease of use was commendable and the design itself was obviously worthy of praise. The only real rub is the bloated sticker; the price of admission is a stiff $220, and that’s before you add in any useful straps or extra packing cubes. Unfortunately, the critic didn’t actually attempt to clear security at an airport with the bag, though we don’t suspect you’ll have any too many difficulties. Check the full writeup and a hands-on gallery in the read link.

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Filed under: Laptops

You’ve already seen just how sexy ASUS’ Eee PC S101 is in person (save for that heinous brown motif), but now you can take a peek at just how luscious this slim slab of computing prowess looks in the eyes of a press photographer. And if you’re worried about real-world use, an early review puts those fears completely to bed. Critics found the machine to be absolutely stunning (a real shock, we know), and on the performance end, they were generally pleased. Of note, it did long for integrated WWAN and a tinier price tag, but we suppose you can’t have everything. Speaking of which, we’re seeing a probable €599 ($816) price tag for the European model, which clearly includes a premium for the aforementioned overall hotness.

Read - Press shots
Read - Review

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Filed under: Cellphones

There’s really no denying it — T-Mobile’s G1 and Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X1 are two of the hottest mobiles around right now, and as predicted, all sorts of sparks flew when the two sat down for a side-by-side photo session. In a Dutch comparison of the two handsets, reviewers pointed out that the G1 was “significantly larger” than the SE counterpart, and while it’s completely subjective, they also asserted that the X1 was a “true piece of art in comparison to the dusty look of the G1 [nice one, Google Translator].” Do yourself a favor and check out the whole thing in the read link.

[Via CoolSmartphone]

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Filed under: Displays, Peripherals

We know this here device is real, but excuse us while we share our skepticism of ASUS’ ability to deliver — after all, we’re still waiting patiently for that ROG XG Station to actually find a price and release date. That aside, this here motherboard companion was recently demonstrated by ASUS, and apparently, it gives users the ability to monitor their PC internals, overclock devices in real time and check out widgets on the side. The OC Palm is one of the very few devices we’ve seen of late to actually take advantage of SideShow-like functionality, though it’s only compatible with the high(er)-end P6T DELUXE mobo right now. ASUS has yet to disclose a sticker / launch date, but it’s not like you didn’t see that coming, right? Check the read link for lots more hands-on shots.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Here she is — the world’s first DSLR to capture 720p HD movie footage. But let’s be honest, the high-def action is just a cherry on top of Nikon’s D90 ($1,299 kit; $999 body only), as the expansive Live View LCD, high ISO options and heralded image quality are the real draws. You’ve already heard what the experts in the field had to say, but if you’re just lookin’ for some old fashioned gadget glamour shots to get your weekend started right, take all the time you need in the gallery below.

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Filed under: Cellphones

Ah yes, the natural progression of a release. First comes the hands-on at the introduction, then comes the leaked user manual, then comes the pre-order fiasco — now, it’s time for those always titillating in the wild shots. The box and handset are nothing out of the ordinary / surprising (respectively), but at least you now know that bona fide unboxing images are just around the bend.

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