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You might remember Le Pan's tablets from CES this year, of which only one was truly ready at the time. The company is now ready to hit the US in earnest, but you'll have to forget the company name along with the earlier designs: it's now Matsunichi, and it's planning to kick off its US-ready makeover through the MarquisPad MP977. The tablet shares the 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display of the Le Pan II, but it's now running a slightly speedier dual-core, 1.2GHz TI chip (likely the same OMAP 4430 as in the Droid Xyboard), ships with Android 4.0 out of the gate and comes in a sleeker -- not to mention browner -- shell. Storage is being cut in half over the Le Pan II to just 4GB between the internal memory and a bundled microSD card, though, and the battery is good for a very modest five hours. Nonetheless, the $249 sticker and a May release will put the MP977 in the running with the slower but more capacious Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

Matsunichi also teased us with a roadmap for a pair of future tablets in the process. The 10.1-inch MP1010 will keep the resolution, but it'll run on a quicker 1.5GHz TI processor and carry a total of 10GB of space when it appears sometime between June and August. If those 0.4 inches of extra glass are just too much to bear, an MP979 will bring all the extra storage and speed of the MP1010 to a 9.7-inch screen sometime between August and September.

Matsunichi's MarquisPad MP977 tablet tempts us with $249, dual-core Android 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 12:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Big Dropbox fan are you? Got plans for the weekend? Cancel 'em. Dropquest 2012 begins right now. If you're unfamiliar -- it's the storage company's internet scavenger hunt that involves a series of puzzles, challenges and, erm, origami. If you complete the game, you'll get 1GB of extra space for free, but if you come in first place, you'll get 100GB free for your entire life, while 10 second-placers get 20GB for life and so on. You're not allowed to ask for help on the company's support forum (you'll get disqualified) and you're competing against at least half a million other fans of the service, but if that hasn't daunted you then head on down to the source link and get puzzling!

PSA: Dropbox Dropquest begins right now! originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While earnings calls are rarely the veritable dial-in party, sometimes they do toss up a juicy gambit or disappointing revelation. While NVIDIA was dishing out projections for Q1 2013, it pretty much quashed any hopes of seeing an in-house LTE Tegra chip in 2012. While we were assured that Tegra 3 LTE phones would come this year -- based on those partnerships announced back in February -- it was also stated that the thoroughbred Tegra LTE chip wouldn't be a reality until 2013. So, this pretty much ties in with what we had heard, but this time, from the horse's mouth.

NVIDIA confirms no 'Project Grey' until 2013, Tegra 3 LTE later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 15:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Remember Apple's new iPad WiFi + 4G? Well, forget that moniker, as this variant of the company's latest slate has been quietly re-dubbed as the iPad WiFi + Cellular. As noticed by 9to5Mac, the change occurred within the last "24-48 hours" across many of Apple's region-specific webstores (update: and retail locations), including (but not limited to) those for the US, UK, Australia, Canada and various countries in Asia. If you'll recall, in many regions the best you'll get out of the slate is HSPA-connectivity, even though it's also equipped for LTE -- something that Apple itself had considered good enough to market it as 4G despite offering refunds to customers in Australia who (like many others) couldn't officially partake in its LTE. Interestingly, 9to5Mac also notes that a similar change hasn't made its way over to the iPad 2, which still has its cellular-equipped variant named, iPad 2 WiFi + 3G. We've reached out to Apple for comment, but the meantime, feel free to hit up the source links below for more insight.

Apple's iPad WiFi + 4G renamed 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' across many of its stores originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MIPS has only had a slight amount of traction in smartphones and tablets given that its best friend is Ainovo. It might get a better footing in an ARM-dominated world with a new range of processors in the Aptiv line. The highest-end chip of the bunch, the ProAptiv, is reportedly much smaller than its ARM opponents across the aisle while managing the same speed, goosing the floating-point math, memory addressing and multi-core support to where it's as much as 75 percent faster over the previous generation. That's good news for mobile devices and set-top boxes where space is tight. MIPS isn't leaving embedded gear like 4G LTE modems alone, either, as the mid-size InterAptiv and tiny MicroAptiv are getting similar improvements. If you're eager to get cracking on a processor of your own, you can license MIPS' new work right away -- and us plebeians who simply buy the devices can expect Aptiv to be ready for gadget use by the middle of the year.

Continue reading MIPS unveils new Aptiv mobile chip design, vows more speed in a tiny space

MIPS unveils new Aptiv mobile chip design, vows more speed in a tiny space originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 19:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Sprint reassured us with optimism for Windows Phone 8, and T-Mobile's CEO found a new partner to continue the fight against Verizon's AWS acquisition. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 7th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 7th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 7th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 20:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from is from Daniel (no relation), who wants to upgrade his parents cellphones. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"My parents (aged 52 and 57) are long-time Nokia (dumbphone) users who aren't savvy at all. I told them about how me and my girlfriend's Android phones automatically sync calendars and they want something similar. My father's eyes aren't the best and he's a carpenter, so I thought about a dust-proof handset like the Lumia 800 or the Galaxy Xcover, but I'm worried Android's too technical for them. We're in Europe, so carriers are no problem, but any help you can give would be great. Thanks!"

We're all getting older, so let's try to work out a great handset for those who need a little help. We speak from personal experience when we say it's probably not going to be the Samsung Galaxy Y -- trust us. If you think you've got a better idea, throw it down in the comments below.

Ask Engadget: best smartphone for the over fifties? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 22:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Things have gotten interesting in the world of CS updates. Recently, Computerworld reported that Adobe had informed folks using an older version of its famed Creative Suite -- CS5 and CS5.5, to be exact -- they'd have to shell out the CS6 upgrade fee in order to get a fix for some recently discovered bugs. Apparently, Adobe took notice to its customers' dissatisfaction and updated its initial blog post with a changed tune, stating, "We are in the process of resolving these vulnerabilities in Adobe Photoshop CS5.x, and will update this Security Bulletin once the patch is available." The same is true for both Illustrator and Flash. This kerfuffle started after Adobe handed out warnings for eight "critical" vulnerabilities found in certain versions of the three applications -- some of which are said to be exploitable and could potentially be used to "take control of the affected system." We'll see how it all plays out over the upcoming days, but in the meantime hit the links below to see if you need to take any action.

James Trew and Joe Pollicino contributed to this post.

Adobe changes tune on CS5 updates, won't seek paid CS6 upgrade to patch vulnerabilities originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 23:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Anyone that bought Nintendo's 3D portable early on may have laid their hands on an endangered species. The original Aqua Blue model will cease production soon, according to Nintendo Japan's official site. In a full list of the 3DS's ever-increasing color options, the original has been tagged (above, top left), stating that it'll no longer be made, although there's no official date for the literal end of the line. Its turquoise coat didn't cost all that much, right?

Nintendo prepares to kill off Aqua Blue 3DS, dump it in a watery grave originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 12:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's movie time, folks. The bad news is that you have to bring your own popcorn. The good news, on the other hand, is that the feature film and the TV are on us! Thanks to the folks at Universal Studios Home Entertainment, there's a 40-inch 1080p HDTV up for grabs. The occasion is the studio's release of The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, on Blu-ray this coming Tuesday May 15th. If you're the lucky winner, however, you won't even have to venture out to stores to pick up a copy of your own -- one will come included with the TV! Unfortunately, there's one additional restriction this time around: only US residents are able to enter. But if you qualify, head below and leave a comment, and good luck!

Continue reading Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony 40-inch 1080p HDTV, courtesy of The Grey on Blu-ray and DVD

Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony 40-inch 1080p HDTV, courtesy of The Grey on Blu-ray and DVD originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's been 15 years since IBM's Deep Blue recorded its famous May 11th 1997 victory over world champion chess player Garry Kasparov -- a landmark in artificial intelligence. Designed by Big Blue as a way of understanding high-power parallel processing, the "brute force" system could examine 200 million chess positions every second, beating the grandmaster 3.5-2.5 after losing 4-2 the previous year. It went on to help develop drug treatments, analyze risk and aid data miners before being replaced with Blue Gene and, more recently, Watson -- which recorded a famous series of victories on Jeopardy! in 2011. If you'd like to know more, we've got a video with one of the computer's fathers: Dr. Murray Campbell and a comparison on how the three supercomputers stack up after the break.

As for Garry Kasparov? The loss didn't ruin his career, he went on to win every single Chess trophy conceived, retired, wrote some books and went into politics. As you do.

Continue reading IBM celebrates the 15th anniversary of Deep Blue beating Garry Kasparov (video)

IBM celebrates the 15th anniversary of Deep Blue beating Garry Kasparov (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 13:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Granted, Apple and Google aren't quite the bosom buddies they once were, but how far is Cupertino going to free itself from the Android-maker? Well, Apple's picked up a number of mapmakers and is now reportedly getting ready to unveil a Google map competitor for iOS. 9to5Mac is reporting that the mapping solution will be in-place for the next major version of the mobile operating system, combining technologies gathered with the acquisition of Placebase, C3 Technologies and Poly9. The star of the show is said to be the 3D mode with graphics nabbed from C3. All Things D has "independently confirmed" the forthcoming app reinvention, with sources adding, (hopefully a bit hyperbolically) that it will "blow your head off." According to rumors, we'll be finding out a lot more come WWDC next month.

Report: Apple dumping Google for own Maps app in iOS 6 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 13:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook's had some privacy foibles in the not-so-distant past, and has been working to improve its policies to better inform Facebook users how their info is exploited. Last year, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner's Office did an audit of Facebook's data usage approach, and determined that, while Facebook's doing a decent job, further details should be provided to us all. Well, the social network's recently responded by creating a Terms and Policies Hub to make its myriad policies easy to find. Additionally, it's adding new examples and explanations to its Data Use Policy about how the 'book employs cookies on its site, while also shedding some light on how our info's used for advertising and improving site operations. There's also a detailed description of the Activity Log tool that lets you see every bit of info you've entrusted to Mr. Zuckerberg, so you can better manage your pictures and wall posts. These changes aren't yet set in stone, however, because Facebook wants to know what you think before doing so. Just head on over to Facebook's Site Governance page to peruse the changes and provide feedback at your leisure, or tune into a live Q&A session with Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan next Monday (May 14th) at noon ET to tell her face-to-digital-face.

Facebook proposes more transparent privacy policy, wants to know what you think of it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 14:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looks like Apple's going to add more than just banner notifications to iCloud.com in the near future: a randomly available beta.icloud.com page has shown Notes and Reminders alongside familiar iCloud fixtures like email and Find My iPhone. If that wasn't enough, some skulking about in the HTML code of the beta page showed for a time that access to the new features requires signing in to the "iOS 6 beta," a fairly strong indicator that a web refresh will go hand-in-hand with a new mobile platform at this year's WWDC. What else is in store will likely have to wait until the developer event next month, but we at least know now that our iPhone's grocery lists will survive on the web.

[Thanks, Tommy]

iCloud.com slip-up shows Notes and Reminders, iOS 6 references originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 14:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nokia's major focal points within the US market may currently be its Lumia 900 and Windows Phone, but that doesn't mean it's planning to leave its other notable offerings outside of Uncle Sam's borders. Speaking with PC Mag, Nokia executive Chris Weber explained that the company aims to offer its current imaging- / Symbian Belle flagship-handset, the 41-megapixel Pureview 808, north of Mexico in the "next couple of months" -- unsurprising, considering it recently passed through the underground testing-chambers of the FCC. Unlike the Lumia, however, this mega-phone will only be sold unlocked, naturally sporting AT&T bands (possibly others, too. See the update below.) for connectivity. While we're still eager to find out more detailed availability information, you can now rest assured that you'll soon be able to capture highly detailed photos of your freedom fries to post on Tumblr.

Update: PC Mag's Sascha Segan wrote in the comments below to clarify this device's likely connectivity options:

Weber said he was sure the phone would support AT&T. He didn't refer specifically to any frequency bands or say the phone wouldn't support any other carrier. I presume it's going to be the international model, so it'll be any carrier the international model supports.

Nokia confirms intent to bring unlocked Pureview 808 handset to US (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 15:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Why, it seems like only last month that we recorded our last Engadget Show. Time sure flies when you're tech blogging. Thankfully, we've been plenty busy prepping an awesome May episode for your senses. For starters, we popped by the Smithsonian, to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit. And while the awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger game didn't actually make it into those hallowed halls, we did take a close up look at the hacked arcade cabinet for the Show.

Speaking of video games (which we seem to be doing a lot these days), we'll also pay a visit to the newly reborn Chinatown Fair and speak to the directors of Indie Game: The Movie. All of that, plus a performance by musician Alex Winston and the month's latest and greatest gadgets.

Best of all, if you're in New York City, you can be a part of the live show -- just fire off an email to engadgetshow [at] engadget.com. And if you can't make it in person, fear not, we'll be streaming live at 6PM on Friday. Just bookmark this here URL.

Here are the deets:
o. The event is all ages.
o. We'll open doors and begin seating at 5:15pm on May 18th, and the taping begins at 6:00PM. We'll be closing the doors at 5:50PM.
o. A limited number of tickets are available, first come first serve. We will also have a limited stand-by list available.
o. Please bring a photo ID with you to the taping.
o. The show length is around an hour.

If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

The Engadget Show returns Friday, May 18th -- get tickets to the taping! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

HP's TouchSmart sub-brand and its other AIOs should be no stranger to many PC advocates, but in case you've never come across one before, the company's laid all of them out on one side of its Global Influencer Summit in Shanghai. Models range from the TouchSmart IQ770 launched back in 2007, all the way to the recently shipped Z1 workstation and even the just-announced t410 Smart Zero Client; but the real gem of the booth is that little beige HP 150 right in the middle -- it's one of the first-ever touchscreen PCs, dating back to 1983, powered by an 8MHz Intel 8088 chip, ran MS-DOS and cost a mere $3,995.

Whilst on the topic, HP's Vice President of Industrial Design Stacy Wolff shared some interesting stats: his team found that much like laptops, there are very different screen size preferences across different regions, with the US showing strong interest in 20-inch and 23-inch HP AIOs, whereas China much prefers 20-inch over 21.5-inch and 23-inch. With the big jump in AIO market penetration in each region between 2008 to 2012 (almost doubled in Japan and the US; and an even bigger leap for other markets), HP predicts that these machines will continue to steadily increase market penetration across more price points -- this was illustrated with what it conveniently calls the "AIO wedge" on a chart. Feel free to take a gander at our gallery for more tidbits.

Gallery: Visualized: HP's all-in-one PCs over the years, one from 1983

Visualized: HP's all-in-one PCs over the years, one from 1983 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 16:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Take an e-ink smartwatch that's got plenty of willing customers, throw in a WiFi-connected sensor box and well, imagine the possibilities. The founders behind Pebble and Twine hope you are, because they have announced that the pair will be connectable through the latter's web-based interface. This means you'll be able to setup text notifications to your wrist when your laundry's done, when someone's at your door and plenty more mundane real-world tasks. A brief video explains how it should all go down, but try not to get too excited -- pre-orders are sadly sold out.

Continue reading Pebble ties itself up in Twine: sounds so rustic, couldn't be any less (video)

Pebble ties itself up in Twine: sounds so rustic, couldn't be any less (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 16:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With e-books and digital subscription of magazines and newspapers becoming the new hot, many are sending off the message that print is gradually losing or has even already lost to its digital counterpart, while others argue that print is far from dead. Needless to say, being one of the leading manufacturers of printers, HP took the "print is dead" claim quite personally -- and perhaps too literally. How so? Well, the company commissioned a project that got participants in the US, India and Singapore to live without printed materials -- including newspapers, books, labels, packaging, ID cards and even some clothes -- for two days. Needless to say, those folks struggled really badly, but HP certainly proved that "the role of print is vastly underestimated" and that "true print deprivation was impossible."

If you think that's an overkill, just you wait: HP and renowned photographer Chase Jarvis even went as far as getting a Wisconsin town called Spring Green to undergo a similar experiment, but for a duration of seven days. The entire project will be presented in a video documentary called 7 Days Without Print, and ahead of its premiere at Guggenheim Museum in New York on June 14, we were shown an exclusive trailer for said movie at HP's Global Influencer Summit in Shanghai. For the sake of those poor participants, do check out the clip right after the break.

Update: Sorry folks, but we've been asked to remove the trailer as it's not ready for public viewing yet, but we'll put up the official version once it's out.

Gallery: HP takes print away from town for seven days, laughs at 'print is dead' claim

HP takes print away from town for seven days, laughs at 'print is dead' claim (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The last we heard, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 was in pre-order limbo at Office Depot. Now we have official word that the slate will launch at that outlet -- and also at Amazon, Best Buy, Tiger Direct and others -- on May 13th. As expected, the 16GB WiFi version will go for $400, and if you've followed our coverage, you'll know it's a solid dual-core slate that nonetheless doesn't make huge spec improvements over the original Tab 10.1 (barring that Ice Cream Sandwich OS, of course). The Galaxy Player 4.2 will also make its debut this Sunday, for an asking price of $200. Android-loving moms: rejoice.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.