U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal an American perspective on Canada’s ‘inferiority complex’ when it comes to its powerhouse neighbour.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition review
It may be a bit difficult to pay attention to the spate of Honeycomb tablets that seem to be popping up left, right and center — you know, now that Ice Cream Sandwich has been officially promised — but what’s not easy to overlook is an 8.6mm slate. Checking in at a sliver of a pinch thinner than the illustrious iPad 2, Samsung’s rethought-out, redesigned and definitely-not-renamed Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the first Android tablet to date that seriously goes toe-to-toe with Apple in both specifications and design. Granted, the consumer models aren’t slated to ship out until June 8th, but given that Google handed us one last week during its annual I/O conference, we figured we’d spend the following weekend wisely. You know, photographing, benchmarking and testing this thing to the hilt. (Of note, the unit tested here was the Limited Edition model, devoid of TouchWiz, 3G and a microSD card slot, but is otherwise identical to shipping units aside from the design on the rear.)
The Tab 10.1 — not to be confused with the older, since-relabeled Tab 10.1v — weighs just 1.31 pounds (marginally besting the iPad 2’s 1.33 pound chassis), and if looks could kill, few people would’ve made it out of Moscone West with all organs functional. But as you well know, style only gets you in the door — it’s the guts, the software, and the marriage of it all that makes or breaks the tablet experience. Hop on past the jump to find out why we think Samsung truly delivered on the promise of a Google-powered tablet, and why you should all seriously consider socking away funds as early June approaches.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition review
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sask. offers fire aid to stricken Alta.
Saskatchewan’s forest fire season has begun with 27 fires burning, including one covering more than 800 hectares.
Breaking: Lisa Edelstein Leaving ‘House’
Filed under: TV News, The Show Girl
Huddy fans, you better have a seat: Lisa Edelstein will not return to ‘House’ for the show’s eighth (and probably final) season.
According to Deadline, Edelstein and costars Omar Epps and Robert Sean Leonard were not under contract for the eighth season. However, Epps and Leonard signed new deals and Edelstein was expected to … until she decided not to.
“After much consideration, I am moving onward with a combination of disappointment at leaving behind a character I have loved playing for seven years and excitement of the new opportunities in acting and producing that lie ahead,” Edelstein said in a statement.
As part of the new deal that was being negotiated, the actress had been asked to cut her per episode salary.
Fukushima Was Ruined by Quake Even before the Tsunami [Japan]
We’ve long assumed that the double decker disaster scenario of a massive earthquake and tsunami caused the Fukushima meltdown. Turns out, all it took was the former, which knocked out Fukushima’s cooling in less than 10 minutes. More »
MoonPlayer Streams Video Playlists of Your Favorite Music [Streaming Video]
Moonplayer is a free streaming video site that endlessly plays music by your favorite artists using YouTube content. The service takes a Pandora-like approach to playlists, as it only allows the user to choose the artists, not the songs. Unlike Pandora, however, MoonPlayer only plays music by artists you add to the playlist—and it never stops playing unless you pause it. More »
Acer postpones Iconia Tab A100 launch to second half of the year
Looks like Acer’s 7-inch Iconia Tab A100 has opted for a fashionably late entrance. We’ve just been informed by the company that its Honeycomb-sporting, Tegra 2-powered slate will not be arriving, as had been expected, right around now, but will in fact make its debut in the second half of 2011. No reasons have been given for the move, other than to say that the device has been postponed. The thing that prompted us to query Acer’s PR team was a report out of Poland suggesting the A100 had been cancelled. Acer’s UK reps are adamant that’s not been the case, but anyone who was looking forward to grabbing one soon will be disappointed either way.
Acer postpones Iconia Tab A100 launch to second half of the year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 06:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Researchers find simple unpatentable cancer cure
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 review
For weeks now, Lenovo aficionados have been salivating. Thanks to a series of leaks, more than a few of you have been awaiting the ThinkPad X1, the skinny, girlfriend-proof follow-up to the company’s vaunted X series. One problem: it didn’t officially exist. Well, the jig is up, and the X1 is at last a real, whirring product, on sale tomorrow with a starting price of $1,349. As expected, it marries that iconic red nub and rock-solid construction with some flourishes you haven’t yet seen on a ThinkPad, including a 13.3-inch Gorilla Glass display, integrated, fast-charging battery, and a buttonless trackpad. And, as you may have gathered from those leaked shots, it’s the slimmest ThinkPad yet, measuring just 16.5mm (0.65 inches) at its thinnest point.
Throw in Intel Core 2011 processor options and you’ll see Lenovo has made one lofty promise: a svelte system that performs like a heavyweight and whose design is modern, but not too much of a departure from the classic ThinkPad uniform. So how close does the X1 come to living up to these towering claims? Let’s find out.
Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 review
Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad X1 review
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP x2301 Micro Thin monitor makes other displays feel bloated, insecure
Those new desktops HP unveiled today are little more than humming foot rests without a monitor, so the company also trotted out the x2301 Micro Thin — a 23-inch, LED-backlit, 1080p display that’s an absolutely anorexic 9.8mm (0.39 inches) thick. Most of the important internals have been shoved into the blue-tinted base to keep the brushed aluminum and glossy black screen as thin as possible. It’s not exactly a high-end model, but the 3ms response time and 8,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio are nothing to sniff at. The x2301 is expected to ship on June 10th for $280, just after its slightly cheaper (and chubbier) cousin, the Elite L2201x. Fashionistas, the line starts right around the bend.
Gallery: HP x2301 Micro Thin Monitor
HP x2301 Micro Thin monitor makes other displays feel bloated, insecure originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 16:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Microsoft outlines new enterprise features coming to Windows Phone ‘Mango’
When Microsoft takes the stage May 24th to preview the next release of Windows Phone, will there be any surprises left for the peanut gallery? In the last week we’ve seen numerous features announced or leaked, an awfully big coincidence given the timing of next week’s event. More cats were let out of their bags today at Microsoft’s annual TechEd conference keynote, as several enterprise-related capabilities were shown off that both companies and consumers have sorely missed on their phones.
First up are pinnable email folders, giving users the opportunity to pin a specific folder of higher priority — such as emails from your boss or wife — to your start screen. Toss in email threads complete with conversation view, and now Mango is looking even more drool-worthy. But there’s more, folks: Exchange users frustrated by online having access to recent correspondence can look forward to server search — a new function that’ll enable you to sift through your entire email collection if need be. Rounding out the grocery list of new updates is Lync support, complex alpha-numeric passcodes for higher security, Information Rights Management support, and — hallelujah — the ability to connect to hidden WiFi networks natively. About time, right? Take a peek at the full breakdown of the new features at the source link.
Update: Now with video, after the break!
Continue reading Microsoft outlines new enterprise features coming to Windows Phone ‘Mango’
Microsoft outlines new enterprise features coming to Windows Phone ‘Mango’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 14:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Canadian copyright group pushes for levy on memory cards
As even non-Canadians may recall, there was a big issue in the country a few years back over a so-called “iPod tax” (something that cropped up again in the recent election) and, while it still hasn’t come to pass, the Canadian Private Copying Collective is now pushing for a music tax of another sort. While there’s no iPods in danger of being taxed this time, the CPCC is asking for a new levy to be placed on memory cards (presumably all types, although that hasn’t been specified). That levy would vary depending on the capacity of the card, with those less than 1GB facing a $0.50 tax, while cards between 1GB and 8GB would have an additional dollar tacked on, and those over 8GB would cost a full $3 more. Needless to say, that would be a fairly sizable percentage of the price in most cases given the way memory card prices are dropping — and it would cast a fairly broad brush, as those memory cards obviously aren’t just used for music. Of course, it is also still just a proposal but, as the Excess Copyright blog notes, the peculiarities of the Canadian Copyright Board may well give the CPCC a leg up in this case. Head on past the break for its official announcement.
Continue reading Canadian copyright group pushes for levy on memory cards
Canadian copyright group pushes for levy on memory cards originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 13:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft Office 2010 SP1 coming this June
Microsoft Office is a product that is used around the world by millions of individuals every day. The product is Microsoft’s crown jewel of productivity software and Office 2010 is about to receive its first major update.
Microsoft announced today that the first service pack (SP1) for Office 2010 and SharePoint…
Why the U.S. Might Want to Invade Canada
Shared by Terren
In March, This or That published an article called The Top 5 Countries the U.S. Should Invade Next. Guess who was at the top of the list? Canada, of course. Canada is the perfect choice! Who else is geographically close to America, lacks military power, has the largest supply of fresh water in the world, has free healthcare and cheap pharmaceuticals? Yep, Canada is the perfect country to invade.
This Is What Happens When You Mix Floods and Railroads [Video]
Mayhem, that’s what will always happen if you build a railroad or any other structure in the middle of a water stream without the proper support. This video, taken in Stackpool, Ontario, it’s a good demonstration of that simple principle. More »
‘The Flintstones’ Getting a Reboot by Seth MacFarlane
Filed under: TV News
Yabba Dabba Wha? Seth MacFarlane has closed a deal to reboot ‘The Flintstones’ via new TV and film projects.
First reported by Deadline, MacFarlane and his legal team have cleared the necessary hurdles to get the project started. Fox confirmed the news at their 2011 Upfronts.
MacFarlane is known for his Fox cartoon sitcoms ‘Family Guy,’ ‘American Dad’ and ‘The Cleveland Show,’ and that type of humor reportedly put some ‘Flintstones’ shareholders on edge.
The classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon aired from 1960-1966 on ABC. The series aired several spinoffs and animated specials throughout the years, with the most recent, ‘The Flintstones: On The Rocks’ airing in 2001.
It was reinterpreted for the big screen starring John Goodman and Rosie O’Donnell in 1994 with a prequel, ‘The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas,’ hitting theaters in 2000.
Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video)
NASA’s Endeavour shuttle marked its final launch today, lifting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, a fortnight after an initial takeoff was scrubbed over concerns surrounding an auxiliary power unit heater. A six-member crew lead by commander Mark Kelly and some tiny satellites are on-board for the STS-134 mission, which involves the delivery of the massive cosmic ray-collecting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and some spare parts to the International Space Station. NASA’s 134th flight is the penultimate mission for the current fleet of shuttle — Atlantis will liftoff for a final time in July. Video of the smoke-filled majesty after the break.
Continue reading Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video)
Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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This is why you don’t drive on a blown-out tire [LOLCars]
A woman in a Honda had a tire blow out and, rather than putting on a spare like a normal person, she drove the car all the way to the dealership. Who wants to bet she complained about having to buy a new wheel? More »
Samsung’s 11.6-inch Series 9 now shipping in the US, priced at $1,160
It’s been about a month since Samsung’s 11.6-inch Series 9 laptop first surfaced for pre-order on Amazon, and now it’s finally available for shipping. Touting a $1,160 price tag, this duralumin-enclosed little beast packs an Intel Core i3-380UM processor, 2GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD. The 2.3-pounder also ships with 802.11b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 3.0 and WIMAX 4G capabilities, along with a 1.3-megapixel HD webcam and a 1366 x 768 display with 340 nits of brightness. The newest addition to the Series 9 family is available on Amazon, Circuit City and Tiger Direct, but if they don’t suit your fancy, you can check with Samsung to find a full list of retailers, below.
Samsung’s 11.6-inch Series 9 now shipping in the US, priced at $1,160 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WESTON: Canada offered to aid Iraq invasion: WikiLeaks
As then prime minister Jean Chrétien announced in 2003 that Canada wouldn’t join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Canadian diplomats were secretly telling their U.S. counterparts something entirely different, a secret document reveals.