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It's no accident that Koobe's Jin Yong Reader bears a striking resemblance to Kyobo's eReader and Shanda's Bambook which we toyed with back at CES. But while those e-readers brought Mirasol to their respective South Korean and Chinese markets, Koobe's entrant will do the same for Taiwan. As for the trio's striking resemblance, know that they're all based on the same Qualcomm-heavy reference hardware, which pairs a 1GHz Snapdragon S2 with a 5.7-inch 1024 x 728 XGA Mirasol display. For those unaware, the addition of the latter part means the e-readers boast limited color on their non-backlit displays, all while retaining an E Ink-like low power draw. The trinity also feature a highly customized layer atop Gingerbread, and in Koobe's case, come pre-loaded with 15 novels by, you guessed it, Jin Yong. Naturally, pricing and exact availability have yet to be announced, but we're told they'll be available "soon." PR for those interested awaits after the break.

Continue reading Koobe's Jin Yong Reader gets Mirasol, brings color to Taiwanese hearts

Koobe's Jin Yong Reader gets Mirasol, brings color to Taiwanese hearts originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Most of the times the Gmail ads particularly the new experimental image ads are the most irritating but to get rid of them you don’t want to go and install something as a solution to it like AdBlock Plus but not to work about it anymore as we are providing you some ways that would [...]

Last year around this time Google search result was receiving a lot of criticism that was quiet atypical. The discussion on to content farm was going full-throttle and afterwards finally in February Google launched Panda update in order to increase the quality of search result. Whether or not this actually worked has been extensively deliberated. [...]

The Sony Walkman B170 series is the latest mp3 player introduced by Sony. The device is available in 2 or 4GB capacities and you might be delighted with its lightlessness that it weighs just 28 grams which is quiet inspiring. One more astonishing feature of Sony Walkman B170 is that it can give you 90 [...]

Pentax Optio VS20 is the latest camera along with 20x optical zoom bearing the most unique feature that is the presence of two shutter buttons. From the two buttons, one is intended for vertical-oriented shots. Furthermore it also features 720p video recording, and a photo effect filterand last but not the least its 3-inch rear [...]

Yesterday, Google launched its new Public Alerts page, which provides emergency information and warnings related to floods, tornadoes, winter storms, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. The information for this innovative project is provided by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Weather Service, and the US Geological Survey (USGS). A user that [...]

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Some people would like you to think blogging as we know it is over. They share the eye-popping numbers for Tumblr’s growth, for example: 355 million unique visitors per month, and 400 million pageviews per day. And it’s true that Twitter and Facebook have lead many people away from blogging. But publishing content on a [...]

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What's that? You want an eight or ten inch WiFi tab, but failed to place your pre-order for one of Moto's latest earlier this month? Worry not, slate-seeking friend, for both the WiFi Xyboard 8.2 and 10.1 are officially on sale at Motorola's website, with free two-day shipping thrown in for good measure. As a quick refresher, the 8.2 comes in 16 and 32GB flavors for $400 and $500, respectively, while the same amount of memory in the 10-inch form factor will set you back $100 more. Sound good? Head on down to the source links below, credit card at the ready, and Moto will gladly send one your way.

Motorola starts selling WiFi Xyboards for $400 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've seen all kinds of medical implants over the years, but none that had a musical preference -- until now. Researchers at Purdue University have created a pressure sensitive microelectromechanical system (MEMS) that uses sound waves as an energy source. The proof-of-concept has a vibrating cantilever that's receptive to sound -- or music -- in the 200 - 500Hz frequency spectrum, which is towards the bottom end of the audible range. The subcutaneous implant converts the low-frequency vibrations into energy, and then stores it in a capacitor. Once the cantilever stops vibrating, it sends an electrical charge to a sensor and takes a pressure reading, the result is then transmitted out via radio waves for monitoring purposes. The immediate real world applications include diagnosing and treating incontinence, but we're already wondering if that self-powering mp3 player implant could finally become a reality?

Purdue University creates 'bass' powered medical implant, knows where it hertz originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who knew a "p" packed so much punch? Just weeks after Lenovo cut loose with a boatload of new machines, the outfit has quietly slipped out an even newer model tailored for gamers. The 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p looks just about like the existing Y470, but swaps out the middling NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M for a far more potent Radeon HD 7690M. (For those wondering -- yep, that's the same chip in HP's new Envy 15.) There's also a 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, an optional 1TB HDD, JBL speakers and a native 1,366 x 768 screen resolution. The unit tips the scales at 4.85 pounds with a six-cell battery, which is supposedly good for up to four hours of usage (in presumably ideal conditions). Other specs include a Blu-ray Disc drive, a two-megapixel webcam, HDMI out and USB 3.0. For now, at least, it looks as if eager beavers can get one headed their way for as low as $799, but the more specced-out models are reaching well over $1,200.

Continue reading Lenovo's 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU

Lenovo's 14-inch IdeaPad Y470p launches with Radeon HD 7690M GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of January 23, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of January 23, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While most of us play games purely for their entertainment value, an elite few get their game on while calling themselves "professionals." These superstars of simulated battle make the rounds in various tournaments, including, most notably, Major League Gaming Pro Circuit championships. Now those digital athletes, as well as the masses of seasoned "amateurs," can compete with professional (or at least officially licensed) equipment -- we're talking about gear like Mad Catz' Major League Gaming Pro Circuit Controller for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This Major League gamepad promises to give competitive gamers a professional, customizable edge over their opponents with swappable "ProModule" thumbsticks and d-pads -- invoking the customizable spirit of Mad Catz' transforming RAT mouse. We gave the PlayStation 3 edition a chance to make its rodent cousin proud. Read on to see if it lives up to its professional branding.

Continue reading Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit controller review (PS3)

Mad Catz MLG Pro Circuit controller review (PS3) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia already came clean about the Lumia 800 battery bug, but evidently that just wasn't enough to appease the masses. A community manager in the outfit's own forums has just responded to pages upon pages of comments regarding the most recent update, partly to (re)set the record straight regarding the battery, and partly to address more fixes that are just around the bend. The latest update (1600.2483.8106.11500) was meant to "enhance standby time as well as to bring an improvement to the issue reported by some customers in December," and according to Nokia, said update does indeed address those problems. However, folks that still have concerns regarding audio and camera settings aren't being ignored; those quirks will be worked out in "a series of future updates." Eager to learn more? The full reply is embedded just after the break.

Continue reading Nokia clarifies battery update on Lumia 800, promises audio / camera fixes soon

Nokia clarifies battery update on Lumia 800, promises audio / camera fixes soon originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If a BlackBerry falls from the bush in the forest, but there are no bloggers to blog about it, does it make a sound? The Engadget Mobile Podcasters answer this question at length with the help of the one and only CrackBerry Kevin.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Guests: Kevin Michaluk, Sean Cooper
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:04:24 - Editorial: RIM's new CEO isn't the shakeup it needed






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Engadget Mobile Podcast 123 - 01.29.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After releasing a revised financial forecast for FY 2011 that predicts an annual $1.3 billion loss, its third in the last four years, NEC announced it will cut around 10,000 jobs. Bloomberg Businessweek reports President Nobuhiro Endo announced the cuts, revealing most of the cuts will come from the company's mobile-phone handset business, with 7,000 of them expected to be in Japan. The company reportedly had 115,840 employees as of March so there should be a few folks left around to keep the lights on and maintain ventures like its new JV with NTT Docomo, Panasonic, Samsung and Fujitsu, the NEC Lenovo PC alliance, and its recently announced work on the Hayabusa 2 asteroid explorer. Still, we'll have to wait and see how the cuts affect upcoming cellphones, like any potential successors to its super-slim MEDIAS N-04C seen above.

Continue reading NEC will cut 10,000 jobs after forecasting $1.3 billion annual loss, mostly in mobile phone biz

NEC will cut 10,000 jobs after forecasting $1.3 billion annual loss, mostly in mobile phone biz originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got your wire-rimmed spectacles on? Had a full night's rest? Eager to get those synapses firing? Here's hoping, because Marc Cheneau and co. are doing everything they can to stretch the sheer meaning of quantum understanding. The aforesaid scientists recently published an article that details a method for measuring quantum particle interaction in a way that has previously been considered impossible. Put simply (or, as simply as possible), the famed Lieb-Robinson bound was "quantified experimentally for the first time, using a real quantum gas." The techobabble rolls on quite severely from there, but the key here is realize just how much of an impact this has on the study of quantum entanglement, and in turn, quantum computing. For those interested in seeing what lives in a world beyond silicon, dig into the links below. You may never escape, though -- just sayin'.

Quantum speed limits within reach, present moves ever closer to future originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Apple rose to dominate sales of digital music by more or less mirroring the way consumers acquired music in the physical world -- that is, purchasing songs, but providing a greater degree of granularity. This worked well for music and has also held true for apps and best-selling books, but hasn't been as in step with consumer media acquisition habits for other content.

For example, before Apple brought sales of video material to iTunes, most consumers did not generally own TV shows except for perhaps a few cherished series on DVD. They either watched them as they aired as part of a cable-like subscription or paid a flat monthly fee for the privilege of recording them on a DVR to be viewed after they aired. Furthermore, both Blockbuster physical stores and later Netflix's DVD by mail feature relied on a system of one-time consumption via rental or subscription that eschewed ownership of movies. And today, Vevo.com offers free streaming of many music videos that Apple still seeks to sell.

Continue reading Switched On: You tell me it's the institution

Switched On: You tell me it's the institution originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While which chip ends up in a particular device will significantly affect its performance and access to future upgrades, it's not often that we get to peek behind the curtain and find out why those decisions were made. A post on Notion Ink's new Adam II development blog adds some transparency to the process, discussing the switch from an NVIDIA Tegra chip in its first Adam slate to a TI OMAP solution in the just announced tablet. According to the blog, while theoretical performance marks are nice, the company decided its expertise and that of available programmers would let it squeeze the most out of a Texas Instruments chip, as opposed to its first effort that didn't "fully utilize" the power of Tegra. Hit the source link for more details and a breakdown of some of the tech packed into the OMAP4 CPU, and keep an eye on the blog for more details in the run up to the Adam II's release.

Notion Ink explains OMAP over Tegra decision for the Adam II originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tidal energy made waves around the world this week as Inhabitat reported that Verdant Power was awarded the first license for an East River power project in NYC, while across the pond the UK announced plans for a gigantic 27 gigawatt Marine Energy Park and a new SeaRaser tidal power plant that could be the world's cheapest method of producing electricity. We also watched President Obama set forth a green blueprint for America in his State of the Union Address, despite going on to support oil and gas drilling in his following speech on Thursday. Meanwhile, Scotland made headlines as a new company launched with plans to turn whisky into biofuel, and Google Earth revealed an alarming patch of glowing green sea near a nuclear power plant.

It was also a big week for solar-powered architecture as Deutsche Bank completed the world's tallest roof-mounted solar array and the U.S. Department of Energy announced that the 2013 Solar Decathlon will be taking place in sunny Southern California. We also took a peek inside a crazy solar-powered billboard house, and we showcased plans for a super efficient Equinox house that tracks the sun. We also brought you the world's first 1.4 billion Euro home made from shredded bills, and we rounded up the 6 most energy-efficient skyscrapers in New York City.

In other news, this week Apple CEO Tim Cook responded in outrage to New York Times accusations that Apple abuses workers' rights in Chinese factories, and green transportation blasted off as auto manufacturers unveiled a trio of high-performance vehicles - theTS030 hybrid race car, Toyota's solar-powered 2000GT, and the sexy Lotus-based PG Elektrus. We also saw researchers developed the world's smallest train from a strand of DNA, while Mitsubishi developed a way to make ships more efficient by blowing tiny air bubbles. Finally, we brought you the hottest news in high-tech fashion as the U.S. military developed a pair of high-tech undies to monitor soldiers' vitals and Chanel built a life-size airplane plane for its spring 2012 Paris Couture Week show.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Inhabitat's Week in Green: glowing green sea, an equinox house and energy-efficient skyscrapers originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Promises. You can either let technicalities get in your way of fulfilling them, or you can just find a way to keep them. Motorola, it seems, wants to do the latter. Sorta. In a new blog post, the outfit announced the Motorola RAZR Developer Edition, a fully unlockable version of the handset destined for European shores. The announcement didn't come with a release date, but pointed towards a (currently non-functional) pre-order page for the CM7 hungry. Don't fret, America -- Motorola's thinking of you as well, mentioning that a similar developer device will be available in the United States through MOTODEV, the firm's developer network. Ready to furiously refresh the pre-order page until it goes live? Check out the links below.

[Thanks, Michael]

Motorola announces RAZR Developer Edition with unlocked bootloader for Europe, US variant on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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