Since Courier's now a mystery unearthed -- and subsequently sent six feet under -- it looks like we need new secret Microsoft projects to pique our curiosity. Enter the ever-connected Mary Jo Foley with some investigative notes into "Menlo," which seems to be a future replacement of Windows CE "with Windows NT inside of mobile devices." The associated graphics platform would be "Experiment 19" (not quite as interesting a codename, we agree).
Presumably heading up Menlo is Galen Hunt, a researcher from the Singular project, joined by other Microsoft brains Ruben Olinsky and (at least at some point) Kerry Hammil. It's always surprising how much info we can glean from LinkedIn, but we digress: Hunt's associated profile says Menlo "[combines] OS, UX, and applications research to explore the future of computing when mobiles becomes users primary PCs." Some bigger picture conjecture seems to center around Menlo having a Silverlight-based UI and boasting improved compatibility between itself and Windows desktop apps. Lots of food for thought, and if you're interested in what might come out of Redmond many, many years down the line, head on past the read link for all the juicy tech gossip.
|
We've witnessed Panasonic update its Toughbook C1 and H1 Field earlier in the year, but two of the line's long-standing stalwarts have been hobbling along on last year's latest and greatest for far too long. Today, all that changes. Panny announced that the Toughbook CF-52 and business-minded Toughbook CF-T8 were both seeing long-overdue refreshes today, with the former being equipped with a 2.53GHz Core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM on the baseline model and up to a 250GB shock-mounted hard drive with quick release.
It's also packing WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, internal 3G (from Gobi, so it rolls both ways) and a magnesium alloy case that's immune to basic bumps, bruises, shocks and splatters. As for the 12.1-inch CF-T8? That one's getting served a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 CPU, Windows 7 Professional, Bluetooth 2.1 and a battery good for some eight hours of use. Both machines are available now across the pond, with special bundles including your own personal David Hasslehoff knockoff to parade around with for the day.
|
While we can't honestly imagine an iDevice user going about their life without connecting to the iTunes App Store at least once in a blue moon -- if not on a semi-permanent basis -- the statistically-significant NPD Group decided to look into the matter regardless. Sure enough, the org reports that a full three-quarters of iPhone and iPod touch users in the US do indeed download apps and entertainment content from the internet.
In case you're wondering, that figure beats the pants off those connecting from their video game consoles (19 percent) or Blu-ray players (17 percent), but both of those are obviously biased towards physical, disc-based media. Before you dismiss these findings as obvious, however, let's read between the lines -- if 75 percent of Apple's touchscreen devices are pulling content from the web, that means the other one-quarter have gone without. If not apps, what the heck are those devices being used for?
|
The Xperia X10, one of the big mindshare-grabbing devices of the smartphone world, made us wait a cool six months between its November announcement and wide retail availability in April. One of the secret hopes while all that waiting was going on was that perhaps SE would surprise us and upgrade the dusty old Android 1.6 base installation to a fresh and creamy Eclair (2.1) or even a frosty Froyo (2.2) treat shortly after launch.
Time to lay those dreams to rest, dear friends, as Sony Ericsson has come with an official schedule for upgrading the firmware on the Xperia X10 and its X10 mini and X10 mini pro siblings, which places the Android 2.1 delivery in the fourth quarter of 2010 -- and knowing the company that probably means closer to Christmas than Halloween. All we can say is you'd better really like that UX platform a great deal, because it'll be the only thing you'll be seeing for quite a while on Sony Ericsson's Googlephones.
|
With all this talk of the Droid Incredible ousting the Nexus One from Verizon Wireless, having a better multitouch implementation, and just being newer and shinier, you might think this comparison of cameras is just mercilessly piling on the pain for the original Googlephone. After all, the Nexus One and its 5 megapixel sensor came out a good few months ahead of the 8 megapixel Droid Incredible, so surely this battle would be over before it's even begun? Not so fast, says Android and Me, whose diligent testers have put the two HTC handsets through a side-by-side shootout.
As it turns out, the Nexus One rather swept the contest in both naturally and flash-lit shots, while the Incredible habitually exhibited a blue hue in less than perfectly lit photos. Both cameras were adept at taking excellent daylight photos, as is to be expected, but the devil is as usual in the details -- and you can find all of them at the source link below.
|
Now here's an innovative concept -- instead of doing separate videos for an unboxing and a disassembly of the Droid Incredible, why not combine them into one? And while you're at it, turn that into a stop-motion animation and include well timed sound effects for comedic relief. Make sure to include intimate closeups of the Incredible's spectacularly red innards, then finish off with a sped-up reconstruction and reboot of the handsome Nexus One killer. Got all that? Good, now drop the video after the break and let the people enjoy it.
|
Razer just rolled out its basic Abyssus gaming mouse in November of last year, but it's now already back with a followup: the Abyssus Mirror Special Edition. This one packs the same 3.5G 3500dpi infrared sensor and other internals as before, but adds a new black chrome mirror finish to the exterior of the mouse that Razer says "adds a certain stylistic sensibility to the desktop." It also hangs on to the same $50 price tag as the standard Abyssus, and it's available in the US directly from Razer right now -- a worldwide release is promised "soon." Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.
|
|
