October 16th, 2008 by
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio
If you’re not in the UK, chances are that you haven’t really paid attention to the teeny, tiny fact that Nokia’s long-awaited Comes With Music download service launched today. Regardless of your ignorance to the facts, the all-you-can-eat music service has been activated for users across the pond who forked over the poundage for a CwM-equipped 5310 XpressMusic. Early impressions are actually pretty great, with critics finding themselves pleasantly surprised with just how intuitive the navigation was. MusicAlly did point out that these “free” tunes weren’t transferable to blank CDs — when they tried, they got a message notifying them of epic failure. At any rate, the reviews are sure looking good for Nokia right out of the gate, though only time will tell if people will take notice and buy into yet another music service.
[Via CNET]
Read - MusicAlly impressions
Read - NetworkWorld impressions
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Posted in nokia, review, reviewed, roundup, uk, unlimited, impressions, comes with music, ComesWithMusic, digital downloads, DigitalDownloads | No Comments »
October 15th, 2008 by
Filed under: Laptops
There were few surprises from Apple yesterday — MacBooks were in the cards, and MacBooks are what we got — and the jury’s still out on whether these new laptops are exactly what the market needs right now, but there’s no denying that Apple’s pretty proud of its new all-aluminum lineup. We’ll have a full review of the laptops shortly, but in case you missed anything, here’s a look back at the mayhem.
The liveblog
Live from Apple’s “spotlight turns to notebooks” event
First impressions
New MacBook / MacBook Pro unboxing and first impressions
Hands-on coverage
MacBook Pro first hands-on!
Apple MacBook aluminum and glass super-shiny hands-on
Apple 24-inch Cinema Display hands-on
Product announcements
Apple finally refreshes Cinema Display: 24-inch, LED backlit, $899
MacBook Air gets NVIDIA graphics, storage bump
Apple’s MacBook gets a fresh face, NVIDIA graphics, original drops to $999
Apple’s all-new MacBook Pro packs new NVIDIA GPUs, glass trackpad
In-depth / details
NVIDIA GeForce 9400 M, 9600M GT get official in new MacBooks
Apple’s Steve Jobs calls Blu-ray “a bag of hurt”
MacBook Pro requires logout to switch graphics modes
Intel: MacBook Air sheds custom CPU for 45-nm Penryn “S”
Multi-finger MacBook trackpad gestures demonstrated on video
New MacBook Pro running HybridSLI?
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Posted in Apple, event, liveblog, roundup, macbook, macbook pro, MacbookPro, features | No Comments »
September 24th, 2008 by
Filed under: Cellphones
Sure, our front page got stacked with news on the launch of the world’s first Android phone — the G1 — but if you missed any of the action (and there was quite a bit), we’ve put together this helpful roundup. Below you’ll find an easy-to-use guide to all the goings-on about the T-Mobile device, complete with galleries and videos that will delight and enthrall any healthy viewer. Keep an eye on this post as we’ll be updating with a few other bits and pieces today that you’ll most definitely want a look at.
Update: We’ve added a link to our initial impressions, a more detailed look at the device and software.
The liveblog:
Live from T-Mobile’s Android event in New York City
Hands-on coverage:
T-Mobile G1 first hands-on (updated)
Video: Android walkthrough on T-Mobile G1
Product announcement:
The T-Mobile G1
In-depth / details:
T-Mobile’s CTO on G1 unlocking and tethering — plus a few details you might have missed
T-Mobile soft capping 3G data at 1GB per month
Confirmed: T-Mobile G1 has no 3.5mm headphone jack
T-Mobile G1 site goes live for real, first ad appears
T-Mobile G1 has push Gmail with Google Talk presence
T-Mobile G1 impressions: what we love, what we don’t
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Posted in Google, t-mobile, android, roundup, google phone, GooglePhone, gphone, tmobile, dream, t mobile, features, g1, g1 launch, G1Launch, launch day, LaunchDay | No Comments »
September 22nd, 2008 by
Filed under: Cellphones
When the N95 was released, it was all but universally adored. Even today, nearly two full years after it was first revealed, it’s still one of the most respected in Nokia’s lineup. From the get-go, we knew the N96 was more evolutionary and less revolutionary; after all, the two handsets even look alike. The general consensus this time around is about what we expected: the N96 is a fine phone, and a worthy successor, but probably not worth the high price it’s currently demanding. Oh sure, the call quality was stupendous, battery life was satisfactory and the multimedia playback was superb, but some critics were a bit displeased with the fit and finish given the premium price tag. All in all, don’t go into the links below expecting any huge surprises — the N96 is a nicely revamped, high-priced N95, and if that’s what you’re looking for, there doesn’t seem to be any underlying issues that should hold you back from indulging.
Read - PhoneArena (”Nokia seems to have taken more of a lateral step than pushing forward with innovation.”)
Read - MobileArsenal (”…doesn’t have anything we didn’t see before…”)
Read - LordPercy (”…an improved, quality phone…”)
Read - Mobile88 (4 out of 5 stars)
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Posted in nokia, review, reviewed, review roundup, ReviewRoundup, roundup, n96 | No Comments »
September 13th, 2008 by
Filed under: Storage
If you’ll recall, a slew of prohibitively expensive SSDs were pit against one another last summer in a battle royale of pricey HDD replacements. Fast forward a year and change, and the barrier to entry for one of these heralded devices has dropped significantly. That being the case, we’ve a feeling HotHardware’s latest shootout will be a whole lot more relevant for the average joe / jane. The aforementioned test simultaneously reviews the OCZ Core Series 64GB MLC, OCZ 64GB Standard SLC, Super Talent MasterDrive MX 64GB MLC and the Mtron MSP 7500 32GB SLC. Interestingly, the writeup didn’t conclude with a medal ceremony, but rather, it elaborated on the merits of each and where it would likely fit best. You know what that means — time to bust out the spectacles and get to readin’. Chop chop!
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Posted in hard drive, HardDrive, solid state disc, SolidStateDisc, ssd, roundup, storage, mtron, ocz, Super Talent, shootout | No Comments »
September 9th, 2008 by
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
We know it’s been a long day of Apple news, what with all those colorful new nanos, the thin-as-all-get-out touch, a fresh version of iTunes, and that forthcoming iPhone / touch update (and don’t forget about those new shuffle colors). It’s all a lot to take in, but as usual, we’re presenting it to you in one delicious, easy to digest roundup. Enjoy!
The liveblog:
Live from Apple’s ‘Let’s Rock’ event in San Francisco
Hands-on coverage:
iPod nano 4G hands-on
iPod touch 2G - first hands-on
Product announcements:
iPod classic refreshed, only comes in 120GB flavor now
Official: iPod nano reaches 4G, looks tall for its age
iPod touch updated — same screen, new case, Nike+ integration
Apple introduces $79 in-ear headphones
One more thing: New iPod shuffle colors
iTunes / iPhone / touch updates:
Apple launches iTunes 8, NBC comes back, TV shows at $1.99, Genius in the house
iPhone 2.1 software update announced (update: $10 for some iPod touch owners)
iPod touch 2.1 firmware update now available
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Posted in Apple, Steve Jobs, event, ipod, touch, roundup, nano, itunes, 4g, SteveJobs, nano 4g, Nano4g, lets rock, LetsRock, itunes 8, Itunes8, phil schiller, PhilSchiller, touch 2g, Touch2g | No Comments »
July 15th, 2008 by
Filed under: Cellphones
Even though the dust ought to have settled three and a half days later, people all over the country (and world?) are still spending hours in line for an iPhone 3G. It’s a tall order for a phone, but clearly people are ravenous — so here’s all the news you need to catch yourself up on the goings on of the past few days.
P.S. -Sick of the iPhone news? Don’t sweat it, we’ll be live from the Sony and Nintendo E3 keynotes tomorrow!
Review!
Hands-on coverage
Activation fiasco
News and roundups
More after the break.
Continue reading iPhone 3G launch coverage roundup
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Posted in iPhone, Apple, roundup, iphone 3g, Iphone3g | No Comments »
May 23rd, 2008 by
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
This was the first time The Cable Show was back in the Big Easy since Katrina, and the first we’ve attended, too. For those unfamiliar, it’s the cable industry’s biggest event, and we certainly left with a new perspective on Big Cable. In case you missed what’s coming down the coax in the next year, here’s a rundown of our coverage.
Hands-on and on location
Announcements
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Posted in roundup, cable, features, Cable Show, Cable TV, CableShow, The Cable Show, The Cable Show 2008, TheCableShow, TheCableShow2008 | No Comments »
May 10th, 2008 by
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
The Samsung Glyde was one of the most hyped phones on an American carrier in recent memory leading up to its launch, and there’s one small problem with that: it’s hard to live up to the fanfare, no matter how good (or bad) the phone might be. A common early complaint coming out of the gate seems to be the lack of support for Verizon’s MediaFLO-based VCAST TV service, a service that the Glyde’s main competition, the Voyager, supports. The UI’s also getting panned for being a little more confusing that it needs to be; compounding matters is the fact that Phone Scoop describes it as a “push UI” on account of a fiddly touchscreen. For what it’s worth, it seems that the keyboard is at least quite good — so if you can put up with the negatives, the Glyde might still have a place in your pocket. Otherwise, the Voyager’s still looking awfully good, isn’t it?
Read - LAPTOP Magazine (2.5 / 5 stars, “…limited by a poor UI and unreliable performance”)
Read - Phone Scoop (”The Glyde pairs a few of the best things from the physical and touch worlds”)
Read - PHONE Magazine (”The Verizon Glyde isn’t a bad cellphone, but it’s outshone by its rivals”)
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Posted in cellphone, phone, samsung, verizon, vzw, verizon wireless, VerizonWireless, review roundup, ReviewRoundup, roundup, glyde | No Comments »
February 26th, 2008 by
Filed under: Laptops
Just in case you feared that Walt Mossberg was out on some sort of limb when he proclaimed that the X300 would satisfy road warriors everywhere, we’ve sourced some other reviews from across the intarwebz to ease your mind. Lenovo’s über-stealthy ultraportable, which officially went on sale today, managed to impress one critic after another, with the biggest complaints coming from the high starting price tag, omission of a DVI port and somewhat sluggish performance — which are pretty much expected given the form factor. Outside of that, everyone was practically in love, with praises addressing the delightful keyboard, integrated WWAN and overall usability of such a minuscule machine. But hey, don’t take our word for it — check out the reviews below in full before you cough up your $2,500 (or more), cool?
Read - PCPro (5 out of 6 shiny stars)
Read - CNET (8.5 out of 10 golden trinkets)
Read - Notebook Review (”big thumbs up”)
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Posted in ultraportable, review, reviewed, review roundup, ReviewRoundup, roundup, lenovo, ThinkPad, x300 | No Comments »
January 4th, 2008 by
Filed under: Displays
The 3008WFP widescreen LCD, everyone’s favorite, 30-inch, DisplayPort-rocking Dell monitor is up for review, and we’ve got a roundup to prove it. If you’ll recall, the behemoth is the first Dell monitor to sport the emerging DisplayPort technology, and it also offers a fairly impressive set of other connectivity options, including dual DVI ports, HDMI, VGA, S-Video, component, and composite. The folks at Hot Hardware weren’t totally stoked on the setup process, but loved the screen’s performance and flexibility. The cats at Computer Shopper seemed pleased as well, though not head-over-heels in love, particularly with the high price tag and color / grayscale “weakness.” CNET Australia had similarly high marks, praising the number of inputs, super-high resolution, and sheer size, though they took issue with the screen’s reflectiveness, the need for a high-end graphics card, and gradient handling. Still, it none of the minuses stopped them (and Hot Hardware) from bestowing their “Editor’s Choice” award on the monitor. Don’t take our word for it, though — hit the links and see for yourself.
Read - Hot Hardware (Editor’s Choice)
Read - Computer Shopper (8.0 out of 10)
Read - CNET Australia (8.9 out of 10)
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Posted in dell, review, monitor, review roundup, ReviewRoundup, roundup, 3008wfp, widescreen | No Comments »
January 3rd, 2008 by
Filed under: CES, GPS
Whoa, Nelly! Garmin just did the deed and loosed a swarm of details on its jam-packed CES 2008 lineup, and sure enough, there aren’t too many surprises. We’ll let the new nüvi lineup get us started. First up, we figured you Americans should know that the previously Euro-only pink nüvi 200 is headed your way in Q1 for $249.99. Next up is the currently unpriced nüvi 260W, which looks to boast the exact same features as the nüvi 260 save for that luscious 4.3-inch touchscreen that this one is rockin’. Right on cue, it’s the nüvi 5000 ($799.99), which you can catch more on — along with the now official nüvi 780 / 880 (pictured above) — right over here. Hungry for more? Head on past the break.
Continue reading Yup, here’s Garmin’s CES lineup
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Posted in navi, navigation, garmin, roundup, nav, 200, nuvi, 400t, nuvi 200, Nuvi200, ces 2008, Ces2008, colorado, colorado 300, Colorado300, 260w, 400c, 400i, 5000, Garmin Mobile PC, GarminMobilePc, gps 20x, Gps20x, nuvi 5000, nuvi 780, nuvi 880, Nuvi5000, Nuvi780, Nuvi880 | No Comments »
October 31st, 2007 by
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
Two and a half years of waiting, and two million plus copies later, Leopard has made its way into many a Mac — but are all its users completely satisfied? Probably not, but there’s still a lot to love. Apple really did a spot-cleaning on OS X this time, and virtually every nook and cranny of the system has been tweaked, tuned, modified — and in almost all cases improved. You don’t need a lengthy review from the likes of us: if you’re an Engadget reader and a Mac user, Leopard is a must-have. If you haven’t already snagged it (or just wanted to read over some of the news you may have missed) check out our coverage roundup below.
Leopard: impressions, features, hardware, questions, and the BSOD icon
All about Leopard: gallery, apps, impressions
Leopard vs. Vista: feature chart showdown
Mini How-To: Remove the Windows BSOD icon in Leopard, make OS X a little less smug
We’ve got Leopard, what do you want to know?
Leopard on an 8 year old G4 Power Mac — can it be done?
Sad Mac
RIP, Classic Mac OS: 1984 - 2007
Getting Leopard’s BSOD? Try uninstalling APE.
Apple halts Boot Camp downloads ahead of Leopard’s release
Everything else
Apple: 2 million copies of Leopard sold
Leopard reviews coming in, usual suspects agree: it’s all gravy
Leopard hacked for Intel PC consumption
Leopard: final features and further upgrade details
Poll: How do you want us to cover Leopard?
Rumble on
Poll: OS war, 2007
Nostalgia
Post-Tiger wishlist from way back in 2005 — we actually got some of the things we wanted!
Tiger Direct sues Apple over Tiger (and then calls it off)
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Posted in Apple, os x, OsX, roundup, leopard | No Comments »
October 1st, 2007 by
Filed under: Digital Cameras
You’ve had a moment to ponder over that SD870 purchase, so how’s about yet another option, cool? On the docket today is Canon’s SD950 IS (IXUS 960 IS elsewhere in the world), which packs an awful lot of megapixels into a pocket-friendly shell. As expected from Canon’s SD lineup, this one fared pretty well throughout, garnering praise for its sleek design, superb image quality, effective optical image stabilization / face detection and sturdy feel. The only real knocks came from the less-than-perfect noise performance, slower than expected startup / image capture and the admittedly lofty pricetag. Granted, this one should be close to ideal for poster printers needing a camera minuscule enough to reside in a rear pocket, but for the rest of us, one of Canon’s “lower” models should fit the bill (and our budgets) a bit better.
Read - CNET (7.8 out of 10)
Read - PhotographyBLOG (4 out of 5; Recommended)
Read - Good Gear Guide (4.25 out of 5)
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Posted in review, canon, reviewed, point and shoot, PointAndShoot, ixus 960, Ixus960, point-and-shoot, review roundup, ReviewRoundup, roundup, sd950, sd950 is, Sd950Is | No Comments »
