Cool New Gadgets - More Mango features uncovered: in-browser audio streams, Xbox Live voice chats, and more

That WP7 will be getting improved HTML5 support is nothing new but, that it will specifically support in-browser audio and continue to stream even if you navigate away from the browser or lock the screen, is music (literally) to our ears. Snippets discovered in a recent Mango dump have also turned up mentions of Xbox Live Voice chat, parties, multiplayer gaming, and tighter integration with the 360 for pushing Live content to your big screen. If you hit the WPSauce source link you’ll find a whole host of other fascinating things in the WP7 code, and some details about just how deeply Facebook will be tied to the ...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

Cool New Gadgets - HP tempts webOS early adopters to buy a TouchPad with $50 rebate

 HP’s TouchPad launch is a few days away, and the company’s seeking to entice loyalists with a $50 mail-in-rebate on the new slate in the US and Canada. You’ve got until July 31st to make good on the deal, and all it’ll take is proof that you own one of the aforesaid phones. Still need help deciding? We’ve heard that a visit to Walmart might score you some hands-on time while you’re stocking up on bulk toilet paper. Hit that source link below for the full details straight from Ruby and ...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets - iRiver’s MX100 Android tablet spotted in China?

  its first Android tablet. A blogger in Korea recently spotted the slate, believed to be the seven-inch MX100, during an iRiver event in China. According to the source, it’s powered by a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird core, runs on Android 2.2 Froyo and is equipped with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi — not exactly cutting-edge stuff, but at least it’s not Bubble Yum-flavored. There’s been no official confirmation from iRiver yet, nor do we have any details on pricing or availability, but you can head past the break to see a semi-recent commercial from LG U+, in which the MX100 makes a brief cameo around the 0:15 ma...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets - Fujifilm X100 gets firmware update, 22 tweaks make the best even better

just as you often find in extremely beautiful humans, the camera’s brains were slightly haywire: in particular, it tended to forget or confusingly alter crucial ISO, dynamic range, macro and drive settings when shifting between shooting modes. Fortunately though, many of these niggles can now be nuked by downloading firmware update v1.10 at the source link. FinePix X100 Firmware Update Ver.1.10Applicable model: FinePix X100• Detail of the updateThe firmware update Ver.1.10 incorporates the following issues.The contents of the owner’s manual will be partly changed along with this update.Please check them in detail.1. The following functions can be rocked during shooting by holding down [MENU / OK] button over 3 sec. DRIVE / Flash / White...

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Posted in: cameras

FunSpyGadgets - Skype for iPad leaked in promo video

 Earlier today, someone over at Skype unintentionally (we assume) posted what looks like an ad for a real-deal app for the iOS slab. Of course, the evidence has since been pulled, but you can check out a ripped version (sans audio) after the break. It looks like the days of blowing up ye ole iPhone Skype are numbered. Update: The folks over at TUAW had a chat with Skype’s Rick Osterloh about the iPad app, and he says you can expect most of the functionality to carry over from the iPhone. There are, unfortunately, a few desktop features, like file sharing, that won’t make an appearance. Sadly, Osterloh didn’t spill the release-date bea...

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Posted in: Software

Cool New Gadgets - Fujitsu delays TH40/D release, puts slide-out tablet dreams on hold

 Fujitsu’s just announced that it will postpone the release of the convertible TH40/D tablet — the Windows 7 slide-out was originally slated for a late June debut in Japan. Unfortunately, the outfit’s being rather tight-lipped when it comes to details, saying simply that the holdup is due to “development delays.” Of course, we’ll keep you posted with details if / when Fujitsu decides to open ...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets - Wireless Back-Up Camera for the Magellan RoadMate checks your six

The waterproof and dustproof camera fixes to your license plate and connects to a transmitter in your trunk, which then beams the feed to a receiver attached to your GPS. The system activates automatically when you go into reverse and boasts a 120-degree field of view, 45-degrees of vertical angle adjustment and a 45-foot range. Magellan GPS today announced the launch of a Back-Up Camera companion product for its RoadMate® safety series car navigation units that will help drivers reverse and park more safely. Combining this camera with a Safety Series GPS navigator expands Magellan’s focus on safety and security to the full time you are in your car. It starts when the Back-Up Camera helps you safely reverse out of your driveway,...

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Posted in: cameras,gps

Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000, Easy on the Eyes, Easy on the Hands

The resulting injury often leads to inflammation, muscle strain, and even tissue damage. RSIs are common work-related injuries and are often experienced by those who spend a lot of time using computer keyboards or those who spend too much time playing computer games. A more specific form of RSI is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which occurs when the median nerved is compressed at the wrist, causing radiating pain, muscle weakness, or numbness. Not a pretty picture. The good news is that RSIs and carpal tunnel syndrome can be easily prevented with good posture and ergonomics. Simply switching to a more ergonomic keyboard like the new Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 goes a long way in helping prevent RSI and increase task execution efficiency.The...

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Posted in: usb

Cool New Gadgets - Apple sues Samsung again for copying the iPhone’s design, this time in South Korea

 Apple just filed a suit against Samsung Electronics in Seoul Central District Court, with Cupertino alleging that the Samsung Galaxy S copies the third-generation iPhone, according to a report from the online news site, MoneyToday. That closely matches the claims Apple made when it it sued  Samsung back in April for “slavishly” copying the iPhone and iPad. Since then, Apple’s expanded its case to include additional Samsung devices, including the Droid Charge, Infuse 4G, Nexus S 4G, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy S II, and a handful of others. Meanwhile, Samsung has attempted  (in vain) to subpoena prototypes of Apple’s next-gen iPhone and iPad. We wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung abandoned its efforts to peek Apple’s forthcoming...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

Cool New Gadgets - Zinio brings Tegra hardware acceleration to Honeycomb tablets

The company’s latest app improves upon both critical elements, however, taking advantage of the Nvidia Tegra chip in your Mototola Xoom or Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to smooth out page transitions and pinch-to-zoom. Nvidia posted a side-by-side comparison video demonstrating the improvements on a pair of Xooms, and there’s clearly a noticeable difference. Zinio today announced that its newsstand for Android 3.0 and 3.1 tablet devices just got a whole lot faster.Through close collaboration with NVIDIA, Zinio has brought advanced hardware acceleration capabilities to its Zinio for Android app, for all Android 3.0 and 3.1 tablets with the NVIDIA® TegraT 2 super chip. The hardware accelerated version of the Zinio for Android app is now...

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Posted in: Software,Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets - EVO 3D and EVO View 4G now available to the non-Premier masses

 HTC EVO 3D, America’s first glasses-free 3D phone will cost $199.99 and HTC EVO View 4G, the first 4G-enabled tablet in the United States, will cost $399.99. Both prices exclude applicable taxes, and the devices require a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade.“When it comes to gaming on the HTC EVO 3D, I am impressed.”Sprint Stores nationwide will open at 8 a.m. local time. HTC EVO 3D and HTC EVO View 4G will also be available through Sprint Business Direct Sales, www.sprint.com and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1), as well as RadioShack and Best Buy stores.“HTC EVO 3D brings to life a visual experience that comes alive in front of the viewers’ eyes and offers crisp, clear pictures on the large display that showcases yet...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

Cool New Gadgets - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will launch in the UK on August 4th

The 3G variant will also include a 21Mbps-capable HSPA+ radio, which would be called 4G if it were in the hands of overzealous American carriers. The TouchWiz UI will be large and in charge on the British Tab 10.1, augmented with Samsung’s Social, Readers, and Music Hubs, as well as access to NVIDIA’s Tegra Zone.Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd today announced the latest in its Galaxy Tab range, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, will be available in the UK on 4th August 2011.The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes in both 3G and WiFi only versions and launches with latest version of Android, Honeycomb 3.1, which is designed specifically for tablet devices.The latest addition to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab range features a 10.1 inch crystal clear WXGA TFT LCD screen,...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets - Hacker pleads guilty to AT&T iPad breach

 Nearly six months after his arrest, one hacker pleaded guilty to charges that he exposed the email addresses of over 100,000 AT&T iPad 3G users. It’s been a year  since Daniel Spitler and his compatriot, Andrew Auernheimer, coaxed Ma-Bell servers into delivering the goods, with a brute force script they lovingly named the iPad 3G Account Slurp...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets - Card.io SDK takes swipe at competition with camera-enabled mobile payments

Can you hear that? That’s the sound of our chubby thumbs breathing a sigh of relief. The Card.io SDK for iOS is now available at the source link below, and an Android version should be close behind.In an attempt to edge its way into the crowded mobile payments market, a new credit card scanning system is saying “ah, hell no!” to typing and swiping. Card.io is billed as an SDK that takes advantage of smartphone cameras to let devs accept credit, because, as its creators point out, “typing on mobile phones is slow, and most consumers don’t have a separate hardware attachment.” When it’s time to pull out the plastic, Card.io gets your phone’s camera going, and up pops a little green rectangle, in which you frame your card and snap a...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

Cool New Gadgets - Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM connects to WiFi, plans your Great American vacation

Eerily similar to its Garmin rival, this slab boasts a full WVGA display, WiFi (you know, for that inbuilt web browser) and AAA travel planning. Purportedly, those fine, fine amenities will enable you to “go from the car to the boardroom to the hotel,” and maybe even on that cross-country trip, too. Judging by its built-in tour guide functionality and heavy emphasis on the suit-and-tie demo, we’d say Magellan’s aiming this one at the fifty and over set. This shortlist of features doesn’t come cheap, either — with a $299.99 price tag, we’d understand if your wallet was eyeing greener pastures. Whether on the road for business or pleasure this summer, travelers seeking the most current local information can rely on the first Magellan...

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Posted in: gps,Wireless

Cool New Gadgets - Voltaic Spark Tablet Case powers your pad with the Sun’s rays

In addition to directly charging your iPad in about 10 hours, it can also bank the Sun’s rays in a universal battery pack, for use when those fluffy things in the sky don’t cooperate with your outdoor computing schedule. Optionally, the included V39 USB Battery can be charged (as you may have guessed) via USB, for extra insurance. The Spark is available now for $299 and extra battery packs can be had for $99. Voltaic Systems today opened up opportunities for grid-free computing with the availability of its iPad solar charger, the Spark Solar Tablet Case.Perfect for mobile workers and global travelers, the Spark provides an hour of iPad video playback for every hour in direct sunlight. In addition, it will charge the Blackberry...

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Posted in: Peripherals,Tablet PCs

Cool New Gadgets -Panasonic ToughBook C1 gets upgraded with faster processor, better battery life

That starts off with a new Intel Core i5-2520M vPro processor (2.5GHz, Turbo Boost-able to 3.2GHz), along with a standard 320GB 7,200 rpm hard drive (up from 250GB before), and some improved battery life — Panasonic says you can expect twelve hours from a pair of hot-swappable batteries, or six hours with one. It also says its various improvements contribute to a start-up time that’s 30 percent faster than the previous model, although that will obviously vary in real world use. Somewhat unfortunately, the convertible’s base price tag has also seen a slight upgrade — it’ll now start at $2,599 instead of $2,499 when the new model rolls out next month. Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and...

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Posted in: Laptops

Cool New Gadgets - Microsoft details the new Games Hub for Windows Phone Mango

 The Hub also boasts a new Collection view that promises to let you more easily manage your installed Windows Phone games, and it’s literally been brightened up a bit across the board. Still not clear on what your gaming options will be like with Windows Phone Mango? Then Microsoft’s now got you covered with a fairly extensive overview of its new Games Hub, which has actually been tweaked a bit further from earlier previews it’s offer...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

Cool New Gadgets - Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T ratted out by its own HDMI dock

Samsung’s Singapore division has a series of professional shots of planned accessories, including this “Samsung Galaxy S II Desktop Dock,” a handsome pyramid stand sporting HDMI and 3.5mm stereo-out jacks — and of course, an AT&T logo on its comfortably cradled smartphone. We’re still not quite  sure when Samsung’s flagship will hit the US,  but it had better get a move on — we’re slated to see a Galaxy S III by this time next year, after all. Update: We should probably note it looks like the Galaxy S II’s seen a bit of a makeover for AT&T, gaining the four familiar capacitive touch buttons and generally appearing more like the Infuse ...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

funspygadgets - Bing Mobile updated, news and maps get minor facelifts

If the update had a highlight reel to show off the newest features, here’s what would be on it: a carousel-like interface in the news section that lets you swipe your finger left or right to switch to other categories; maps that show directions together in split-screen format; a search history complete with trending topics; and the ability to share images and links on Facebook. The new enhancements are now available to iOS, Android, and BlackBerry, so it’s an easy jaunt over to your browser to check it out. Or, if you’re reading this on your phone, give the ol’ More Coverage link a quick tap. How can you “be what’s next” without having what’s next on your phone? Bing is here to help you fulfill its tagline by updating its mobile site...

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Posted in: Software

Cool New Gadgets - MOTOBLUR name phased out due to public feedback

Asked what precisely is going on with the interface, a Motorola spokesperson confirmed CEO Sanjay Jha’s earlier comments that the handset manufacturer is moving away from the name, adding that the decision was due in part to public feedback. Pieces of the UI’s social functionality will remain present on devices, however, combined with more enterprise-focused features delivered as part of the company’s purchase of 3LM. Of course, all of this not talking about MOTOBLUR certainly hasn’t stopped the company from singing its praises.  The first rule of MOTOBLUR  is do not talk about MOTOBLUR. Not in public at least. We got a bit of a mixed message on the matter, while discussing the newly announced Motorola Photon 4G with the...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

Cool New Gadgets - Virgin Mobile welcomes 4.1-inch Motorola Triumph, brings Froyo to the prepaid side

Virgin Mobile’s first-ever Motorola handset has 2GB of built-in storage, 512MB of RAM, a five megapixel camera, WVGA display, 1400mAh battery, A-GPS, WiFi, a Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU and HDMI output. It also comes pre-loaded with Virgin Live 2.0, a musical social networking feature that gives users access to exclusive musical content — not quite the stuff victory laps are made out of, but it’s certainly a welcome addition to the prepaid market.Tech savvy customers will appreciate the feature-rich Motorola TRIUMPH, exclusive to Virgin Mobile USA,as one of the hottest phones with the added flexibility of a no contract plan.Motorola TRIUMPH boasts a vibrant 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen, dual-facing cameras, a super slim designat less than 0.4...

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Posted in: Cell Phones

funspygadgets - Dell Streak 10 Pro tablet to launch in China this summer, US may get it next year

The 10-inch Android tablet that we saw at CES and suspected could be with us this month will indeed be making its debut in the summer, according to Thode, but its launch market will be China, not the US. He points to a number of “inhibitors and barriers to success” in Dell’s homeland — such as mobile carriers dictating pricing models that stifle the adoption of tablets and users being unaware of “what exactly Android is bringing” — as the causes for Round Rock’s atypical decision. The Streak 10 Pro, as it’ll officially be known, comes with a Honeycomb-standard 1280 x 800 resolution screen, an edge-to-edge glass surface, two cameras (one of them reaching a 5 megapixel res), an SD card slot, a thickness of 12mm, and 1080p video playback...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

funspygadgets - Rooted Nook WiFi loaded with Angry Birds, soars then stalls

YouTuber JFreke has posted the results of loading a custom ROM on the Android 2.1 e-book reader, and it isn’t exactly glamorous (read: playable) as-is. The refresh rate on the device may be quick for page turns, but the mid-sling freezing doesn’t quite make a case for after school utility. Still, it probably won’t stop some users from wanting to join in on this Android exploiting pastime; if you dare, J says the code will be released shortly, but for now you’ll find the footage by breezing past the break. That was fast. The Nook WiFi just hit the streets and already it’s been rooted for less reading and more gaming — with Angry Birds, no le...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

funspygadgets - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on sale at NYC Best Buy today, pre-orders now open

Best Buy today (eventually, the pre-order button doesn’t currently work) and widespread US availability is still expected on June 17th. Pricing isn’t explicitly listed on Best Buy’s landing page, but we presume it’s the same as we’ve been told earlier: $499 for the 16GB or $599 for the 32GB WiFi-only versions. If you can’t live without some LTE goodness in your mobile life, Verizon’s also promised pre-orders for the 4G-capable Galaxy Tab 10.1 today, though that costs a far less palatable $530 (16GB) and $630 (32GB) on top of a two-year data contract.The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is finally among us. At noon Eastern Time today, Best Buy’s New York City store at Union Square will start selling Samsung’s extra-slim 10-inch Tegra 2 tablet, with...

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Posted in: Tablet PCs

funspygadgets - Samsung shows affection to CyanogenMod, gives its devs a free Galaxy S II

From the looks of it, Samsung sent the phone to a select number of devs intent on building an official release of CM7  for the GSII. Unlocking bootloaders has already become the new fancy with manufacturers like HTC, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson jumping on the bandwagon, but this is the first time we’ve heard of a company doling out free devices to the custom ROM community. Does this mean that, instead of enforcing TouchWiz with an iron fist, Samsung is looking at how this practice could actually benefit consumers? We doubt this will be the case for all of the company’s future Android phones, but wouldn’t you love to live in a world where it was?  Let’s see if we’re grokking this: Samsung is not only telling the dev community...

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Posted in: Software

funspygadgets - OnLive Player app for iPad and Android tablets meets the public at E3

We already got a chance to try out OnLive on the HTC Flyer early but now the company has made its plans official at E3, announcing a Player app will bring internet-streamed gaming to the iPad and Android tablets this autumn.We just got our hands on an early build of the tablet app on a Motorola Xoom, and we have to say it looks fairly promising — OnLive added a basic touchscreen overlay that could make sense for games that don’t require dual-analog support. Of course, you’ll want that fancy new universal wireless controller if you plan to take a hardcore FPS (like Homefront) on the go. Sadly, the tablet-as-TV-controller functionality wasn’t ready for prime time, but we did get a peek at a game designed specifically for the touchscreen...

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Posted in: gaming,Tablet PCs