T-Mobile already has a very diverse lineup of smartphones, but the tail end of March will see “Magenta” (as some people lamely call it) release a trio of smartphones that appeal to the low, mid and high end markets. We’ve been saying it for the longest time and now it’s as official as can be without a full-blown press release: the HTC HD2 will be available from T-Mobile on Wednesday, March 24th. Going for $199.99 on a 2-year or $449.99 outright, the HD2 will easily be the best handset ever offered by T-Mobile in terms of sheer brawn. Of course now that we’re 100% certain it won’t be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7 Series, we have to wonder if a bit of the luster has prematurely worn off, but it’s not like those put off don’t have more than half a year to save pennies for the next greatest Windows Phone. On the same day, Nokia will also have a handset debut on T-Mobile. This is of course the Nuron and it will go for $69.99 / $179.99, a price that is quite mind blowing when you consider the fact it’s running S60 5th Edition. Last but not least in today’s T-Mobile update is the CLIQ XT. We’ve known for quite some time it is going to be available in time to drown in a pitcher of green beer, but now we’re hearing it will be $99.99 on contract as opposed to $129.99 (no contract pricing is presumed to still be set at $329.99).

Good job, T-Mobile.

Read [CLIQ XT] Read [HD2] Read [Nuron]

Is it an Android tablet? An e-reader? Just a sweet gadget with two screens? Truth is the Entourage Edge is a little bit of everything, and that's exactly why we've been so intrigued with the "dualbook" since we fondled it at CES. Finally ready to make its shipping debut, the $499 dual screen device is aimed at students, but really it's for anyone interested in a combination 9.7-inch E Ink reading / note-taking experience and a 10.1-inch Android web tablet. It's sounded very cool to us for quite a while, but there's always a difference between hype and reality. Does the Edge live up to its promise or attempt to do too much? The only place to find out is after the break in our full review.

Continue reading Entourage Edge review

Entourage Edge review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last night was easily the best night of the year for the celebrity-crazed paparazzi. It also turned out to be a pretty darn good night for the smartphone paparazzi as well for two upcoming T-Mobile handsets were given the star treatment on their very own red carpet. First up was the HTC HD2, the infinitely lovable Windows Phone with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and gargantuan 4.3″ WVGA display, which looked as stylish as ever in Sense UI by HTC. Never one to miss an opportunity to show support for those in need, the HD2 took a moment to show off its Blockbuster app which will allow proud owners to download movies on demand. Immediately following the HD2 was the Nokia Nuron. Although the general consensus was that it was dressed more for the Kids Choice Awards than the Academy Awards, the Nuron made a bit of a stir when it shrieked at the top of its lungs how it had seen the light, converted to Buddhism and was now on a mission to convince everyone that less is more and that all other smartphones cannot possibly be as happy as it is living with S60, an OS that is on its way out. When will us ordinary folk get a chance to meet these stars? The Nuron is still a mystery, but we’re still very confident on a March 24th debut for the HD2.

Read [HD2] Read [Nuron]

Starting today, AT&T customers with a penchant for Android can point their browser to AT&T’s website or hoof it to their local AT&T store to snag the Motorola BACKFLIP. Now available for a mere $99 after rebate and a two year agreement, the BACKFLIP features quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), tri-band 7.2Mbps HSPA 3G (850/1900/2100 MHz), a 3.1″ HVGA touch-screen display, Android OS 1.5 (upgradeable to 2.1), 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, aGPS, 3.5 mm headphone jack, microSD slot (up to 32GB), fully QWERTY “back flippingâ€� keyboard, and Motorola’s MOTOBLUR UI. So AT&T Android fans, will you grab the BACKFLIP or will you exercise some patience and wait for one of the other four Android handsets to make their debut?

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Skype users that own a Symbian-powered Nokia handset will have to go the extra mile to install Skype on their handset. As noticed following Wednesday’s debut of Skype in the Ovi store, Skype is reportedly not available for Nokia owners in the US. In response to an email from Venture Beat, Sravanthi Agrawal, a member of Skpye’s corporate communications team, said the following:

“Skype has made a decision in the United States to not promote the Skype for Symbian app through the Ovi Store. We did this so that we could drive more attention to the recently announced Skype and Verizon Wireless agreement. This was a marketing decision — plain and simple.

“Skype users in the U.S can still download Symbian by going directly to Skype.com.�

The supposed reason behind this removal is not surprising considering the controversy over the removal of the Windows Mobile version of Skype from Skype’s website, the removal of Skype from the Android Market, and the rumored delay of the 3G-enabled version of Skype for the iPhone. Unless this policy changes or is revealed to be incorrect, anyone unduly affected will have to search a little harder to find a version of Skype to install on their handset or sign up with Verizon Wireless.

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We're still not happy with NVIDIA's failure to publish anything on its site alerting users about the doom that may befall them if they switched to the 196.75 drivers, but the company's making an effort to get back into our good books with the first official video of its forthcoming GeForce GTX 480 and even a benchmark run against ATI's flagship single-GPU card, the HD 5870. It looks like you'll need to jack in a pair of auxiliary power connectors -- one 8-pin and one 6-pin -- to power the first Fermi card, as well as plenty of clearance in your case to accommodate its full length (stop giggling!). NVIDIA's benchmarking stressed the GTX 480's superior tesselation performance over the HD 5870, but it was level pegging between the two cards during the more conventional moments. It's all well and good being able to handle extreme amounts of tesselation, but it'll only matter to the end user if game designers use it as extensively as this benchmark did. As ever, wait for the real benchmarks (i.e. games) before deciding who wins, but we're slightly disappointed that NVIDIA's latest and greatest didn't just blow ATI's six-month old right out of the water. Benchmarking result awaits after the break, along with video of the new graphics card and a quick look at NVIDIA's 3D Vision Surround setup. Go fill your eyes.

Continue reading NVIDIA GTX 480 makes benchmarking debut, matches ATI HD 5870 performance (video)

NVIDIA GTX 480 makes benchmarking debut, matches ATI HD 5870 performance (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fresh out of Google Labs is yet another application that Google can add to its growing Android library and embed on future phones. This time we have Google Shopper, a shopping application that utilizes Google’s online shopping data and allows Android users to search this vast repository using text, voice, barcodes, and photo scans of book and media cover art. Once your product of interest has been identified, detailed, and priced, it can be saved to your history, added to your favorites, and shared with your friends using the obligatory social networking integration. Android owners can snag the application from the Android market for free and use it as an excuse to go to the mall and spend some hard earned cash. Though we’re not exactly sure why this wasn’t just incorporated into Google’s Goggles application — seems pretty redundant to us.

[Via Android and Me]

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It's been a good run, XEL-1, but you knew this day would come. After wowing just about everyone with your 3mm thickness and stunning base back in late 2007, we suspect that most normal humans decided to pass right on by after the drooling process was complete. After all, it's not like too many Earthlings have nearly $2,000 to drop on an 11-inch set. Since the display's debut, few other OLED TVs have made it to the commercial market in any size, and there's no question that cost is largely to blame. Today, Sony announced that it was pulling the plug on XEL-1 sales and production in Japan, citing "sluggish demand" as the cause. For now, the outfit will continue to hawk the miniaturized wonder in other nations, but we get the feeling that's only to dry up remaining inventory. Oh, and if you're one of those "collector" types, snapping one up right now might not be the worst idea.

[Thanks, Trevor]

Update: It's worth pointing out that a Japanese report from AV Watch notes that the discontinuation is going down for another reason. Reportedly, Japan is forcing TV makers to integrate a "youth control filter" into their wares, presumably in an effort to shield those precious eyes from the evils of the content world. Sony's obviously not interested in complying, but this could just be a great excuse to nix a product that's already collecting too must dust on retail shelves.

Sony kills XEL-1 OLED TV production in Japan, cites 'sluggish demand' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola DROID users as a whole are a pretty happy bunch, but after finally getting their first taste of official multi-touch, we can’t help but blame them for wanting a whole lot more. The good news on this front is that Android 2.1 for the DROID will be made available next week, according to Motorola’s Facebook page. Motorola has not detailed what the update will encompass, but here’s what Engadget has been told:

• The current test build is Android 2.1 version 1
• The browser will have multi-touch
• Google Googles is pre-installed
• No visual changes to the homescreen or app drawer
• Active wallpapers aren’t included, but the fancy widgets that made their debut with the Nexus One are

Most of us probably agree that things like multi-touch in the browser are big news, but we can’t help but eagerly wait to see what all the Negative Nancy’s out there have to say about some of the nifty features that will allegedly be left behind. Regardless, we’ll be sure to give you all a shout as soon as the update starts trickling out.

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It has been a little over two months since the Barnes and Noble Nook first went on sale and the popular e-reader is finally ready to make its nationwide in-store debut. With Amazon and its Kindle under assault by the book publishers over e-book pricing and the news media for its Macmillan book pulling stunt, the timing could not be more apropos with the Nook expected to be available for purchase in stores within the next few days. Folks looking to score a Nook before the Valentines Day holiday can use the online Nook locator to see which local stores have one in stock starting February 10th. Anyone looking to buy or hoping to get a Nook come Sunday?

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Before the Nexus One and the HD2, there was the Toshiba TG01, sprinting along with a 1GHz Snapdragon in its belly and a 4.1-inch front end. Alas, that phone was hamstrung by a resistive touchscreen and a poorly thought-out skin atop an even worse OS (WinMo 6.1), but even by today's standards its hardware spec is top notch. Color us intrigued, then, to find its successor finally making its FCC debut -- with Bluetooth, GPS and WiFi (802.11b/g) connectivity in tow and a case outline suggesting some earlier leaked shots might still be accurate. It's a quad-bands GSM handset, and from the tests we've seen it appears to lack 3G frequencies for the US. The marketing name has also been confirmed as the TG02 and with MWC 2010 fast approaching, who's to say we're not going to have a brand new Toshiba handset to fawn over? Go past the break for more.

Continue reading Toshiba TG02 lives, drops by the FCC

Toshiba TG02 lives, drops by the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A few weeks ago, we saw the HTC A9292 makes its debut on a leaked Sprint inventory list. Dubbed a WiMAX candybar, the A9292 is rumored to be the HTC Supersonic, an Android-powered beast with specs worthy of its codename. The Supersonic was tipped to include a 4.3-inch LCD display, Android 2.1 with Sense UI, WiMAX connectivity, a kickstand on the back like the Verizon Wireless Imagio, and, though Snapdragon is not confirmed, it is reportedly Snapdragon fast. The Supersonic’s software is reportedly still buggy so a launch date is assumed to be a little ways off. Though it’s a time frame that fits nicely with Clear’s projected  2H 2010 launch window for the first 4G-enabled smartphones to hit.

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Good news for Verizon Wireless BlackBerry customers that passed on the Storm 2 and the Curve 8530 in order to wait for the Tour2. The much-awaited BlackBerry 9650 was spotted by a Verizon Wireless employee while browsing through Cellebrite, a system used for transferring contacts from one phone to another. There is no confirmed time frame from when a phone appears in Cellebrtie to when it is launched but, in general, a phone’s appearance in Cellebrite is a good indication that a launch is somewhat imminent, though this isn’t a science and is not foolproof. While you wait for this beautiful BlackBerry to hit the shelves, you can drool over the pictures in our hands-on gallery.

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Pure's WiFi-enabled radios are making their US debut here at CES, and we've gotten to grips with the top trio on offer. The Oasis (pictured above) is a weatherproofed, rubber-rich unit, which can resist splashes of water and go on for between 10 and 15 hours on a single charge. We agree it looks like a durable machine, but -- while it can reach some pretty high volumes -- the sound itself was predictably lacking at the furthest ends of bass and treble. Moving up in the world to the Sensia delivers a snazzier touchscreen interface with built-in Facebook and Twitter integration, but we clashed with some deal-breaking lag while using it. Finally, the top tier Sirocco 550 offers a more conventional styling to go along with a CD player (those still exist?) and an iPod / iPhone dock. Priced at $249, $349 and $449, respectively, these should all find American shelves to sing from by the middle of this year.

Pure Oasis, Sensia and Sirocco 550 internet radios hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speedy SSDs might still be a pipe dream for most of us, but at least picking a top brand isn't a challenge. OCZ would no doubt be a popular choice, and SandForce has just made it easier with its debut SSD controller, SF-1500, to be featured on the forthcoming Vertex 2 Pro SSD. Our friends at AnandTech managed to harvest some jaw-dropping results out of their 100GB prototype -- most notably, the drive topped the charts with 2MB sequential performances at around 260MB/s (which is "virtually bound by 3Gbps SATA"), as well as a 50.9MB/s 4KB random write rate. SandForce dubs the magic behind these results DuraWrite, which is likened to real-time compression on the drive thus saving a significant number of write cycles. No prices announced yet, but hey, do we even care any more?

OCZ Vertex 2 Pro SSD previewed: awesome, and could do with some 6Gbps SATA love originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And just like that, every major Canadian wireless carrier offers at least one Android smartphone as Bell has launched the Samsung Galaxy. Currently going for $99.95 on a 3-year contract and $449.95 without, the Galaxy might prove to be a bit of a tough sell for Bell considering all three of Android handsets offered by Rogers — the HTC Dream, Magic and LG Eve — are $79.99 and under while TELUS has the ever popular HTC Hero at $99.99 with the Motorola MILESTONE all set for an early 2010 debut. Having said all of that, the Galaxy does appear to have a trump card — order now and you’ll get a free Vancouver 2010 decal. We can just hear the flood of calls to telesales now.

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Yet another reason to love the Swedes: they give us juicy details. Former LG Sales Manager turned HTC Sweden exec Patrik Andersson has dropped word that a sequel to HTC Hero is coming next year. We know what you're thinking: an upgrade to the company's successful multi-carrier flagship Android device? You don't say! The real interesting point here is when it'll make its debut, and that's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this February. Happy Valentine's, indeed, and if you get to the press conference early, save us a seat?

HTC exec promises Hero successor in 2010, debut at Mobile World Congress originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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