.::REALITYRECALL::.

Looks like Samsung’s 3D Blu-ray players aren’t the only ones coming in cheaper versions, as it’s unveiled the new 680 Series and 490 Series plasma HDTVs. Both were shown off in Korea yesterday, though the US website only features a product page for the 50-inch PN50C680 so far, showing off its 1080p specs and DLNA access. You will give up a few features from higher end plasmas, which add picture-in-picture, widgets, a higher contrast ratio and slimmer designs to the mix. The PN50C490’s situation is a bit murkier, but FlatpanelsHD reports it will be the first 720p 3DTV of the current generation. With current series 4 plasmas retailing for around $720, it could also be the first flat 3D set to crack (or at least approach) the $1,000 barrier — if you’re willing to miss out on the extra pixels.

Update: A listing on ABC Warehouse shows the PN50C490 with a few specs plus $1,099 MSRP, but already up for preorder for just $989. Perfect for some PS3 gaming or ESPN3D watching, right? Of course, as a few commenters have mentioned, you can get a 60-inch 1080p projection 3D capable HDTV from Mitsubishi for even less, so that’s hardly your only cheap 3D option. [Thanks, John Doe]

Continue reading Samsung’s new plasmas will do 3D for much cheaper – Update: $989 for 50-inch 720p

Samsung’s new plasmas will do 3D for much cheaper – Update: $989 for 50-inch 720p originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Google signs 20-year deal to power data centers with wind energy

Google signs 20-year deal to power data centers with wind energy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At a press conference celebrating 25 years of laptop-making, Mark Whittard, Managing Director of Toshiba Australia, concluded by showed off a prototype for the Toshiba SmartPad, a tablet he said would hit sometime around October of this year. More »

Repetitive stress injury (RSI) and eye strain are common ailments among computer users, and there’s no silver bullet for avoiding them beyond taking regular breaks to relax. Following his doctor’s advice, tech blogger Amit Agarwal suggests a simple 20-20-20 rule. More »

Women’s breasts are larger than ever – and it’s not due to implants. As stars like Christina Hendricks flaunt their curves, Erika Woods investigates a phenomenon of va-va-voom proportions.

Today, Google’s launching what they’re saying is the most radical redesign of Google Image Search since 2001. The new, Bing-esque results page is just pictures, naked of text, and they load dynamically so you can scroll for-ev-er. More »

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Today, Microsoft has released the next version of Microsoft Security Essentials in beta. The free anti-malware service was first debuted in 2009 after Microsoft discontinued Windows Live OneCare.

The beta, available on Microsoft Connect today, includes a number of new features: a new protection engine and network inspection system, integration with Windows Firewall, and integration with Internet Explorer for web-based malware protection.

This is a limited beta, available in English in the US and Israel, and is available to genuine Windows users on a first-come first-serve basis until it reaches the maximum number of participants. To download the beta, visit Microsoft Connect, and fill out the beta registration info.

Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010















Microsoft Security Essentials – Microsoft – Windows Live OneCare – Malware – Internet Explorer

Amazon Germany just couldn’t keep a secret. Microsoft’s just announced that a shiny new Xbox 360 Arcade replacement — with 4GB internal flash memory, a matte finish, and built-in 802.11n WiFi — will be shipping August 3rd for $199.99. A stark difference in capacity to the current 250GB model, but at least it’s cheaper. Looking ahead to November, the standalone Kinect, it’s coming for (yeah, you guessed it) $149.99 with Kinect Adventures. Act surprised, Microsoft would really like you to. As for the pièce de résistance — that'd be the 4GB console, Kinect sensor, and game — that's due out "this holiday" for $299.99. Press release after the break, pretty pictures just below.

Update: Looks like the Britons will be paying £129.99 for Kinect.

Continue reading New Xbox 360 4GB ships August 3rd for $199, Kinect standalone priced at $149, bundle coming this holiday for $299

New Xbox 360 4GB ships August 3rd for $199, Kinect standalone priced at $149, bundle coming this holiday for $299 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda says will it start selling an electric vehicle as well as a plug-in hybrid in 2012 in the U.S. and Japan.

The lesser of ASUS’ two Eee Pad tablets announced at Computex this year, the EP101TC, is getting itself a software rejig ahead of its planned early 2011 launch. Originally slated to run on Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Compact 7 — a wordy OS, if nothing else — the Pad will now entrust its operational infrastructure to Google’s Android. ASUS is currently working on prototypes with Froyo on board, but Gingerbread (or Android 3.0) has not been ruled out as a possible final OS choice. We’re told to expect the first public demos at CES 2011, with retail units likely following on from there at a relatively brisk pace.

ASUS Eee Pad EP101TC opts for Android, dumps Windows Embedded Compact 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Liu Jun, Senior VP and President of Lenovo’s Consumer Business Group, has revealed his company’s intention to deliver an Android tablet by the end of this year. To be known as LePad, this apparent resurrection of the Skylight / U1 Hybrid R&D effort seems destined to follow LePhone in seeking its fortunes in China first before expanding out to the rest of the world. Lenovo’s chairman did recently note that Apple’s relative inaction toward mainland China creates opportunities for others, so this may well represent the IdeaPad maker’s play for that burgeoning market. Of course, we’d love to be wrong and see a simultaneous release around the world — it’s about time the iPad got some legitimate competition in the slate realm.

Lenovo promises LePad Android tablet for the end of the year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nobody can resist Waldo. Especially Saskatchewan Roughriders fans of the Canadian Football League. If you feel as if nobody talks to you in life, just dress

Windows: It’s all too easy to brush your laptop’s touchpad while typing and inject what should be at the end of the current sentence into a previous one. TouchpadPal disables the touchpad while you type for fewer cursor-created errors. More »

Two-thirds of iPhone owners are holding off upgrading to the iPhone 4 because of the device’s antenna problems.

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The body of an 84-year-old man from Yorkton, Sask. was recovered from the Whitesand River Saturday afternoon, RCMP said.

Verizon told CNET the company had “done everything possible” to ensure adequate supply of the Droid X, but there’s apparently no anticipating the demand for a top-tier smartphone — like the Droid Incredible before it, the giant 1GHz Motorola handset is already out of stock, both online (today’s orders suffer a ten-day delay) and in many brick and mortar stores. Verizon confirmed the shortages in a communique to Android Central, saying the company was pleased with initial sales, and that though they were “successful at keeping up with early demand” supplies are presently “low or out.” Tomorrow’s just not going to work out, our anti-gravitational friend — can we take a July 27th raincheck?

[Thanks, Haitham]

Droid X sold out online and scarce at retail originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Canadian government says it plans to spend $9 billion to purchase a new generation of fighter jets, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

There is a problem with the iPhone 4. It is not something that somebody just made up. So even though Apple has reversed its very strict policies on no free bumper cases and no restocking fee waiver, somehow Steve Jobs was still able to present himself as superior to everyone else and that any problems anyone had weren’t his fault.

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In case it wasn’t obvious enough from Apple‘s agitated response to our question during today’s iPhone 4 Q&A session in Cupertino, there’s no software fix in the pipeline for the antenna issues that are plaguing users today. A prior report in the New York Times seemed fairly confident that the troubles could (and would) be solved in the near term by a simple software update, but the company’s own Scott Forstall called said report “patently false.” So, there you have it — the only thing that’ll be fixed via software is how big your smallest bar of signal is. Beyond that, you’ll need to grab some Duct tape, a free case or a white glove if you’re looking to avoid attenuation entirely.

Apple affirms: no software fix for iPhone 4 antenna issue originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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