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HTC Scorpion with 1.5GHz Snapdragon, WiMAX tipped in build file of dubious provenance

Sure, this next item might be a little bit of a stretch, but why the hell not: according to MobileCrunch, there's a build file from an-as-yet unknown device called the HTC Scorpion making the rounds. If the tea leaves are being read correctly (and, more to the point, if they're real tea leaves and not some sort of bogus tea leaf substitute) we're looking at a 1.5GHz Snapdragon device with WiMAX support, which means it could potentially be HTC's long-rumored Android smartbook, or at least a spiritual successor to the Shift. We're also told that the mysterious device is codenamed Olympian, and that it could sport a new version of Android (build ID FRE65C -- being billed as Android 2.2). Since you're adults, and we feel that we can trust you, we're placing the alleged file after the break, so you can make up your own mind -- handset, smartbook, or nothing at all? Just remember, it was a leaked HTC that broke the news of Android 2.1's existence.
Continue reading HTC Scorpion with 1.5GHz Snapdragon, WiMAX tipped in build file of dubious provenance
HTC Scorpion with 1.5GHz Snapdragon, WiMAX tipped in build file of dubious provenance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Adobe: Flash 10.1 will require 'some enhancements to existing versions of Android'

As you may have noticed, there were a few reports making the rounds earlier today that suggested Flash 10.1 for Android would be limited to phones running Android 2.1. Adobe itself didn't seem to be saying much about the matter, however, so we inquired with them and received a statement that raises about as many questions as it answers. According to Adrian Ludwig, group product marketing manager for Flash Platform:

Adobe, Google, and other members of the Open Screen Project are working together to make ensure the full Web experience can be delivered on largest possible number of devices. Support for full Flash Player 10.1 requires some enhancements to existing versions of Android. These enhancements are expected to be available as an upgrade to existing devices and for new devices starting in Q2 2010.

The key detail there, obviously, is that support for the full Flash Player 10.1 will indeed require "some enhancements" to current versions of Android, meaning that one way or another you'll have to update, and that an update for every Android phone isn't necessarily guaranteed. What the statement doesn't confirm, however, is whether those "enhancements" are, in fact, Android 2.1, or an update of some sort that will follow Android 2.1 -- we'll let you know if we get any further clarification on that.
Adobe: Flash 10.1 will require 'some enhancements to existing versions of Android' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

Last week, the New York Times ran an op-ed piece by former Microsoft executive Dick Brass, in which he took the company to task on many issues. Brass was a VP at Microsoft who left in 2004, and prior to his departure he worked on various projects from e-books and ClearType to the Tablet PC. I've met Dick through the years and he's a super smart guy, but I'm not sure I agree with everything he wrote in his op-ed. Dick argues that internal politics and unwillingness to do "risky" hardware have led Microsoft away from innovation. Clearly, Dick has a much better view regarding Microsoft's internal politics than I do, but some of the examples that he uses to bolster his argument are a little off base, at least in my opinion.

Dick cites Clear Type, Tablet and Mobile as examples of innovative products that Microsoft managed to somehow bungle due to internal politics, and says that Xbox is at "at best an equal contender in the game console business." Let's examine those claims.
Continue reading Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction
Entelligence: Another view of Microsoft's creative destruction originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google Maps 4.0 with Buzz support now available in Android Market

Looks like Android's getting in on the new Google Buzz party in more ways than one today -- in addition to support in the browser, Maps 4.0 is now in the Android Market and it's all Buzz-ed up and ready to go. We've heard from both Droid and G1 owners that it works on their devices, so we're guessing every other Android set out there running 1.6 or higher will work as well -- let us know if you find anything else cool, won't you? Same goes for you S60 and WinMo kids out there.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Google Maps 4.0 with Buzz support now available in Android Market originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HTC Legend makes an encore appearance, this time with specs

The race is on to see how many angles of HTC's upcoming Legend can be snapped before the phone's official debut, so here's our next submission. As you can see, the hard-edged aluminum theme continues to wrap its way around the side with a touch of black plastic along the bottom, presumably to give the antenna some room to breathe. We've got a list of specs this time, too, most of which match up with what we've already heard:
- 3.2-inch HVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
- 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor (the same class of core used by the Pixi and Devour)
- 5 megapixel camera with LED flash
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
- WiFi
- Quadband GSM / EDGE plus dualband HSPA
- Magnetic compass
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- 1300mAh battery
It's no Nexus One or Bravo, but that's the beauty of the way HTC's love affair with Android is turning out -- there's a little something for everyone.
[Thanks, Dion]
HTC Legend makes an encore appearance, this time with specs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 2 busts loose
You've got to be one of the cool kids that shelled out a Benjamin to get into the iPhone Developer Program to get access, but if you're already a card-carrying member, it looks like you've now got a green light to download beta 2 of the iPhone SDK for OS 3.2. We don't know what's new, changed, or removed, but presumably, most of the updates would center around the sundry changes Apple has made to support the iPad in the latest version of its mobile platform -- so drop us a line and let us know what you find, alright?
iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 2 busts loose originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 pegged for mid-March
We've known for ages that HTC's been working on yanking its custom-skinned Hero off of Cupcake's rusty frame, but so far, the only way to drop Android 2.0 or 2.1 on your phone has been to cheat, root, and load a custom or leaked ROM in place of the official first-party firmware. If you're too straightedge for that, though, keep the faith -- your binary isn't too far off. PR released today indicates that we can expect the Hero to get an Android 2.1 update with Sense in "mid March" according to HTC's Benelux team, and it'll feature a new Friend Stream widget that aggregates user updates across services (presumably a nod to Blur), tweaked Exchange support, and a handful of other goodies. This isn't necessarily indicative of when Hero versions in other regions (Sprint's version, for instance) will pick it up, but it's a solid start.

[Image via EnglishRussia]
HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 pegged for mid-March originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GeeksPhone One lands in France for a hands-on

Plenty of other Android phones have come and gone since the GeeksPhone One was announced way back in July of last year, but the phone is now finally available in Europe, and the folks at Android France have managed to get their hands on what seems to be one of the first ones. Unfortunately, the device is looking a tad less polished than some of the earlier shots we've seen suggested, and the device's specs don't seem to have seen any upgrades during its prolonged launch (definitely no Snapdragon here). There's also not much in the way of actual impressions of the phone just yet (Android France is promising a full review), but there are plenty of pictures to keep you busy in the meantime at the link below.
GeeksPhone One lands in France for a hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lenovo unleashes cut-rate ThinkStation E20 workstation on an unsuspecting public

Kids, are you a corporate buyer of CAD and DCC (digital content creation, duh!) systems looking to save a few pennies in a difficult economic environment? Well, you're in luck: we've dug up yet another demure, innocuous Lenovo with an oversized novelty handle for you, the ThinkStation E20. Shipping with your choice of an Intel Core i3, i5, Pentium, or Xeon 3400 Series processor and either Intel Core HD or NVIDIA Quadro graphics, this guy supports DDR3 memory and carries certifications from Autodesk, Siemens, Dassault Systemes, among others. If that weren't enough, the company is really pushing the green thing, with more than half of the plastic here coming from post-consumer recycled materials. Available sometime mid-month at prices starting at $599, so start save those pennies! You didn't really want that Tesla GPU anyways, did you? PR after the break.
Continue reading Lenovo unleashes cut-rate ThinkStation E20 workstation on an unsuspecting public
Lenovo unleashes cut-rate ThinkStation E20 workstation on an unsuspecting public originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Openmoko brings improved keypad / scrolling and math equations to WikiReader

It sort of blows our mind that OpenMoko has managed to sell more than a smattering of its $99 WikiReaders (you know, considering just how limited in scope this thing is), but evidently there's a huge demand out there for improvements. The company has just rolled out its Spring 2010 update, which adds math equations, fluid scrolling, and enhanced navigation. Reportedly, the latter comes in the form of an improved touchscreen keypad, which is said to make "finding Wikipedia entries easier and faster and makes enjoying one of the largest reference archives known to mankind even better." We won't bother pointing out the gross exaggerations in that there comment, but at any rate, existing users can download the update today free of charge. Don't all hurry over at once and crash the servers, okay?
Openmoko brings improved keypad / scrolling and math equations to WikiReader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Warner CEO: iTunes price increase led to lower sales, recession might also factor in

Don't pat yourself on the back too much for calling this one, but Warner CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. has now confirmed what many have suspected: higher iTunes pricing has led to slightly slower sales. Specifically, he says that while the variable pricing introduced early last year has been a "net positive" for the company, revenue growth on iTunes slowed to just eight percent in the last quarter, compared to a hefty 20 percent a year earlier. He is also quick to point out, however, that raising prices 30 percent during a recession may not have been the best idea in hindsight. Interestingly, Bronfman seems to think that e-books actually stand a better chance at holding to up to price increases than music, noting that the "book publishing industry, on the iPad, has much more flexibility than the music industry had."
Warner CEO: iTunes price increase led to lower sales, recession might also factor in originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dog-e-Minder keeps tabs on your dog's vitals so you don't have to (video)

You're already weighing down the massive head of your Frenchton with some sort of bark collar and GPS-enabled location tracker, so what's another pendant around the neck, anyway? Dog-e-Minder, which is cleverly being marketed to the "As Seen On TV!" crowd, is a battery-powered device that records the last time your pup (or cat, or iguana, or anything else that rocks a leash) ate, walked or took his / her medications. Essentially, owners simply mash the corresponding button after an event has occurred, and an internal timer keeps track of how long it has been since said event has happened. It also doubles as a dog identification tag (displaying the owner's contact information and the pet's name) whenever it's idle, and it's even available in a foursome of hues to match your canine's personality. The pain? $19.95, and the second one is thrown in absolutely free. Obligatory TV spot is after the break, and remember, "If you own a dog, this product will change your life." Change your life.
Continue reading Dog-e-Minder keeps tabs on your dog's vitals so you don't have to (video)
Dog-e-Minder keeps tabs on your dog's vitals so you don't have to (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 exhaustively previewed, screenshotted to death

While we patiently wait for the X10 to make its way into retail channels (or, you know, give up and buy something else instead), mobile-review's Eldar Murtazin has come through once again with one of his world-famous eleventy billion page previews rife with thousands of screenshots, which should take you long enough to skim through so that the phone's available by the time you're done. Thing is, you may not want it anymore: Eldar's concerned by the phone's cheap plastic shell, which is particularly alarming in light of the direction competitors are going, and the screen could apparently be better. Add in the fact that it'll be launching with Android 1.6 and there's no question Sony Ericsson's first Android effort is going to face an uphill battle -- let's just hope they learn from the complaints and get an updated Android build rolled out on the double.

[Thanks, Alex]
Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 exhaustively previewed, screenshotted to death originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level

Google just announced that it's bringing some serious location-based integration to its services, all centered around the new Buzz social networking tool built into Gmail. Google's going to do location better than the usual latitude / longitude coordinates -- it's able to snap those to actual place names and then take context-aware actions depending on where you are. The new location services is integrated into the main mobile Google.com search page and the new buzz.google.com page for the iPhone and Android, and into maps for Android, S60, and Windows Mobile. Buzz is rolling out starting today, and it should hit everyone within "the next few days."
Continue reading Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level
Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes

There's something deliciously futuristic about the fact that Microsoft and Google are patrolling our roads, documenting their every nook and cranny with large multidirectional cameras strapped to SUVs. But what about the unpaved wilderness? Well, Google's after that too now, with its new Street View snowmobile it's unveiled just in time for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Sure, it's a bit of a gimmick, but also it's surprisingly thrilling to chase down the various slopes in use for the Olympics, and Google Earth even has most everything mapped out in 3D for your aerial viewing pleasure. Check out a video of the snowmobile in action after the break, or hit up that source link to "hit the slopes." If something gets in your way, turn.
Continue reading Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes
Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Handheld US rolls out rugged Algiz 7 tablet

It's been quite a while since an Algiz tablet last popped up on our radar, but Handheld US is now back with another model: the Algiz 7. In addition to a fresh new white enclosure, this one packs a 7-inch touchscreen display, along with a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, and Windows 7 Professional for an OS. To help you out in the field, you'll get a hot-swappable 2400 mAh dual battery pack, built-in GPS, and optional 3G -- not to mention ruggedization to MIL-STD-810G standards. No word on a price just yet, but this one will apparently start shipping next month.

[Thanks, Mark S]

Handheld US rolls out rugged Algiz 7 tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Screen Grabs: DJ Roomba mixes business with pleasure on Parks and Recreation
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

An automated vacuum cleaner that pumps out rap while tidying your mess? Call us crazy, but this very well may be the most intelligent thing the United States government has ever done.
Continue reading Screen Grabs: DJ Roomba mixes business with pleasure on Parks and Recreation
Screen Grabs: DJ Roomba mixes business with pleasure on Parks and Recreation originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Raiding the Android pantry: after Froyo comes 'Gingerbread'

Anyone who's been following Google's codename saga for Android builds is probably 15 pounds heavier just from hearing the names themselves -- Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, you get the idea. Delectable dessert names aren't the only common theme here, though: they're going in alphabetical order, so we need a "G" sweet next. Well, Google's Brian Swetland -- who works on Android's Linux-based kernel in Mountain View -- has dropped that knowledge in passing while discussing kernel versions on LWN.net. Ready for this? "Gingerbread." Sounds good to us, but naturally, we're more concerned about what's in the build than what it's named, and we don't have those details yet other than Swetland's belief that they'll "likely be on [Linux kernel 2.6.].33 or .34" by the time it hits. Time to start thinking about the "H" treat -- any ideas?
Raiding the Android pantry: after Froyo comes 'Gingerbread' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Displax multitouch film actually developed by Visual Planet, frowny faces all around

Ready for another dustup in multitouch land? Turns out that cool Displax multitouch film we saw a few days ago is actually called ViP Interactive Foil, and was developed in 2004 by a company called Visual Planet -- Displax was just showing it off to promote their new touch controller, but didn't tell anyone about the source of the film when that's where all the interest was. Naturally that's got Visual Planet in a bit of a tizzy, especially since it's developing a touch controller of its own for release down the line; the two companies have been partners in the past but there's no agreement now. Displax says it's looking at several suppliers for the film as it rolls towards that promised July ship date -- we'll see if any of this gets sorted out by then.
Displax multitouch film actually developed by Visual Planet, frowny faces all around originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Panasonic announces new 3D Blu-ray recorders, players

Looks like Panasonic's push to lead the 3D pack continues unabated. It's been just over a week since the company announced the opening of its first Blu-ray 3D authoring facility and now word's coming out of Tokyo's Yurakucho District that the world will soon be getting not one but four devices, including the DMP-BDT900-K, a pretty straight forward player that features the latest Advanced AVC encoding engine and a generous helping of ports (including two USB, Ethernet, two HDMI outs, one component out, and an SDXC compatible memory card port). If playback alone doesn't float your boat (and we don't blame you), three of the new models include 3D Blu-ray recorders, including the DMR-BWT3000 (2TB), DMR-BWT2000 (1TB), and DMR-BWT1000 (750GB). All the aforementioned recorders sport 2Digital BS / 110°CS TV tuner, 1 Analog TV tuner, i.Link, SDXC memory card slot, Ethernet, VIERA Link, VOD Services, and BD-Live. Both the 2TB and 1TB models come with a pair of HDMI ports, while 750GB model owners will have to make do with one. All three are pegged to burn BD-RE discs at 1x, BD-R at 6x, and BD-R LTH, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and DVD-R DL formats. Akihabara is reporting a street date of April 23rd, 2010.

Panasonic announces new 3D Blu-ray recorders, players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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