Handhelds -- Engadget

Sungale's 7-inch Cyberus ID700WTA is neither a PMP nor an ereader, really

by Darren Murph posted Nov 5th 2009 at 9:21AM

Sungale isn't exactly the biggest, most well-known name in consumer electronics, but it's sure trying to make a run with the big boys. A few months after introducing its own WiFi digiframe, the company is hitting back with a hybrid ereader / PMP device that just seems to be caught somewhere in the middle. Boasting a 7-inch color LCD display (800 x 480), the Cyberus ID700WTA can handle most popular multimedia and ebook formats -- from PDF to DivX, it's (pretty much) all covered. It also touts integrated WiFi, support for streaming media from a home network and a built-in clock / calender. There's also the ability to fetch "online news, weather reports, stock prices and charts, maps and traffic routes, YouTube clips, internet radio, Picasa and Gmail," so we're going out on a limb here and suggesting that some sort of web browser or cadre of inbuilt apps are also included. It's available now around the web for $279, and yes, that snazzy leather case is bundled in.

Continue reading Sungale's 7-inch Cyberus ID700WTA is neither a PMP nor an ereader, really

Michael Arrington's CrunchPad still not available, maybe never will be?

by Tim Stevens posted Nov 5th 2009 at 6:48AM

Here's a report mixed with a cold hard fact and some wild speculation. We'll start with the factual bit: despite promises of an August unveil and November availability, and despite lots of leaks over the summertime, Michael Arrington's CrunchPad MID tablet thing still isn't upon us, and on top of that we haven't heard a thing about it in months. The wild speculation relates to the question of why, with Silicon Alley Insider conveying a string of possibilities ranging from the likely (wildly escalating hardware costs making the product unprofitable) to the somewhat less likely (it's waiting for Chrome OS). We wouldn't be the least surprised if the promised sub-$300 price-point just isn't feasible, but neither would it be a shock to learn that it's simply on hold until this whole economy thing finally picks up some steam. Or maybe it's the Illuminati; you never know just what they're up to.

Hyper Gear ereader encrypts files, keeps documents safe from prying eyes

by Darren Murph posted Nov 5th 2009 at 3:28AM

Haipagia's ¥39,800 ($437) Hyper Gear ereader may just be a rebadge on the surface, but the all-too-familiar exterior conceals a rather unique software package underneath. Boasting a 6-inch display with an 800 x 600 resolution, the reader includes an encryption function that can wrap your files in DRM and password protect whatever you like. If the device gets stolen, you can then rest easy knowing that files won't disclose themselves to evil eyes even if ripped from the unit's internal memory. Admittedly, something like this is well suited for enterprise and academic environments, but we're guessing the paranoid in attendance are also taking notice.

[Via Best Tablet Review]

Microsoft Courier interface explained in more detail

by Nilay Patel posted Nov 4th 2009 at 1:51PM

Steve Ballmer might have no idea what's going on with the Microsoft Courier tablet, but a new set of documents leaked to Gizmodo certainly suggests the product is more than just a couple videos the boss-man hasn't seen. The images detail the Courier's unique user interface, which draws on everything from multitouch gestures to pen-based handwriting recognition. The heart of the interface appears to be the Smart Agenda, pictured above, which pulls together all your disparate content like calendar entries, emails, and to-dos into one unified starting place, described as "Cliff Notes" to the Pagestream "novel." The journal itself appears to be searchable by all kinds of data, including time, location, and tags, and it's all accessed by a special multi-button pen. There's also a camera and an offhand mention of "boos and subscriptions," so it sounds like whoever was dreaming this all up considered using the Courier as an ebook reader as well -- which would be totally sweet, given the types of annotations you could do. Of course, none of this is real yet, but we're hoping against hope -- please, Mr. Steve, make our holiday dreams come true?

Apple tablet rumor roundup: future of media edition

by Nilay Patel posted Nov 4th 2009 at 1:33AM

The sketchy Apple tablet rumors have continued apace in the past few days, and rather than hit you with each bit of fluff as it comes in, we're going to be rounding them up from now on. Today's edition builds on earlier reports that Apple's trying to drag print media kicking and screaming into the future, with whispers that Apple execs recently met with Australian media execs to pitch them on new ways to distribute their content on a device "small enough to carry in a handbag but too big to fit in a pocket." Apparently the deal involves a 70/30 revenue split, just like the iPhone App Store -- and unlike the insane 30/70 split Amazon demands on the Kindle, which Apple executives called an "unattractive industry structure" during an investor event a few days later. Of course, Apple tends to say it's not interested in something right before it enters the market, so read that as you will. And finally, China OnTrade today posted up an "Apple iPhone 4 Generation Midboard," which would be a totally boring piece of plastic with no connection to anything... except these guys managed to score some iPhone 3GS parts way early as well. Is this just junk, or is it is really a new iPhone leaking months and months early? Or maybe just leftovers from a camera-equipped iPod touch that never was? Or... is this also some random part of a new tablet? No one really knows -- which is why we're sticking it all in this post and moving on with our lives.

Read - Apple pitches to Australian media
Read - Apple execs call online print media "unattractive"
Read - China OnTrade iPhone 4 Generation midboard

Spring Design Alex comes out to play and show off Marvell's Armada chip

by Ross Miller posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 9:47PM

You'd think a pending lawsuit and a grainy official video would be enough exposure for one little dual-screen e-book reader, but Marvell's decided to bring out Spring Design's Alex as a way of showing off their new Armada chip, which claims a faster three frames per second refresh rate along with the usual assorted reductions in cost and power consumption. Maximum PC got the opportunity to see the Alex first-hand at the meeting, and note that while it's definitely thicker than the kindle (blame goes to the larger battery and second screen, naturally), it's a smart little device. Hit up the read link for more pics.

Read - Alex hands-on
Read - Marvells Armada: custom designed ARM SoCs break 1GHz

Spring Design vs. Barnes & Noble: all the nooks and crannies

by Nilay Patel posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 6:35PM

So we followed up with Spring Design to figure out what exactly its relationship with Barnes & Noble had been during the development of the Nook and why the company was suing, and, well, it's looking like B&N played some dirty pool here. You're looking at the actual NDA signed by Barnes & Noble and Spring Design, wherein each party agreed to keep their secrets... secret. After signing the agreement, Spring Design showed the Alex dual-screen ebook reader and associated marketing materials to B&N execs all the way up B&N CFO Kevin Frain and B&N.com president William Lynch, who said he was "looking forward" to a partnership. Soon after that, Spring implies that all contact stopped until Barnes & Noble announced the Nook. Lawsuit time!

Here's where it gets tricky, though -- the NDA contains pretty standard language specifically allowing both B&N and Spring Design to walk away from each other and develop competing products, so long as they don't use any of the confidential information they learned under NDA. Without knowing exactly what Spring Design showed to B&N and how much of that influenced or is included in the Nook (which Barnes & Noble currently won't let anyone touch), we can't say much about how this one's going to play out, but for right now we're looking at a huge corporation bringing out an Android-based ebook reader with dual electronic paper and touchscreen LCD displays just months after being shown the same concept by a three-year-old startup, and that's not exactly a warm and fuzzy bedtime story. We'll see what happens next -- Barnes & Noble, you have anything to say?

Gallery: Spring Design vs. Barnes & Noble complaint

Gallery: Spring Design vs. Barnes & Noble NDA and exhibits

Archos 9 up for pre-order in America for $50 more than anticipated

by Darren Murph posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 1:33PM

Uh, Archos? You do remember telling us that your Archos 9 media tablet would ship on October 22nd for $499 back in late September, right? 'Cause if our eyes are being truthful to us, that's not at all what's happening here. The outfit's official web store has the 8.9-inch device listed (complete with Windows 7 Starter, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera) for $549.99, and worse still, it's only up for "pre-order." You know what happens after the second strike, right guys?

[Thanks, Trini]

Marvell teams with E Ink for turnkey ereader processor

by Darren Murph posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 11:17AM

And so it begins. If you had any doubts whatsoever that the ereader battle was in full effect, let this introduction take all of that worry away. Marvell and E Ink have tag-teamed in order to announce a "highly integrated" ereader processor that'll be made available in "turnkey platforms" aimed at the booming ebook reader market. The ARMADA package includes a 166E application processor, WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G modem, and more broadly, the two have agreed to cross license epaper "timing controllers and system platforms," which may or may not be the cutest, sweetest thing we've ever heard. The goods are expected to be ready for readers in 2010, which means that buying a Kindle or Nook today is guaranteed to cause you all sorts of pain when the next best thing ships within twelve months.

[Via Internet News]

Eston's 7-inch Android MID believes it's an N97, can play full HD

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 5:46AM

We'll go out on a limb here and suggest that Nokia probably doesn't care about Shenzhen Eston's N97-branded device, but what really matters is whether you should care about it. Positioned slap bang in the middle between smartphones and netbooks, this Android-driven MID offers 7 inches of viewing real estate and 4 hours of battery, as well as integrated WiFi, 3G, Flash player, web browser, and ebook reader, plus the purported ability to play back full HD content. Don't ask us how anyone can squeeze that kind of processing power out of a Marvell PXA303 chip, but if you want to know more, the read link is your ever-loyal best friend.

[Via Cloned in China]

Josh reveals TwitterPeek on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Qlorigan** (video)

by Thomas Ricker posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 2:02AM

Only on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon could the TwitterPeek overshadow Verizon's DROID. Fact of the matter is, it's easier to grasp the idea of a dedicated tweeting device than a Verizon phone touting "open development" as one of its main features. TwitterPeek is available now for $200, a price that includes lifetime service, or $100 for a 6 month subscription. Hit the read link below for details or mosey on through to the other side of the break for the Late Night buffoonery.

** Qlorigan is a trademark of Fallon Corp.

Continue reading Josh reveals TwitterPeek on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Qlorigan** (video)

Spring Design sues Barnes & Noble over the Nook

by Nilay Patel posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 10:59PM

http://www.engadget.com/media/2009/11/nook-and-alex-rm-eng.jpg

We knew something was up with the Spring Design Alex dual-screen ebook reader the instant we saw its hastily-prepared web site published the night before Barnes & Noble's Nook launch, and it appears that our hunch was right: Spring Design just filed a trade secret lawsuit against B&N, alleging that their designers showed the Alex to the bookseller's execs before the Nook was developed. According to Spring Design, the two companies had been in contact with each other over ereader designs since the beginning of the year, with various executives exchanging calls, meetings and product details under NDA -- which would certainly explain why there are suddenly two Android-based ereaders on the market with dual electronic ink and capacitive LCD touchscreen displays. Definitely suspicious, but we'd also note that the Nook and Alex actually work quite differently: users browse the web on the Alex's touchscreen and then "print" the content they want to read to the electronic ink display, while the Nook doesn't have a browser and the touchscreen is only used for navigation, not content. We're digging for as much info as we can, and we'll hit you with more info as soon as we get it -- stay tuned.

Soyea's MID Z5 features an Atom CPU, 3G, and a significant price tag

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 1:01PM

Sure, there are some of us who like to play around -- and a first-generation Android MID might be lots of fun to those folks -- but how about the peeps out there that need a portable Internet device with serious muscle? Soyea's Z5 features a 5-inch (800 x 480) resistive touchscreen, 1.2GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, WiFi, 3G (from China Telecom) and Bluetooth 2.0. A dual boot device, this bad boy eschews the cell phone OS du jour for both Windows XP and Linux -- and since you're liable to fall in love with this thing (and quickly max out the storage) the included microSD slot should take the sting out of the mere 8GB SSD. But that ain't all! It also rocks stereo speakers, a webcam, a VGA port, and mini USB. Of course, a device this serious has a serious price to match -- expect to pay 5,999 Chinese yuan (roughly $879) from Amazon China. Available in black and white, we have one more pic for you after the break.

[Via Electronista]

Continue reading Soyea's MID Z5 features an Atom CPU, 3G, and a significant price tag

Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms

by Michael Gartenberg posted Nov 1st 2009 at 6:10PM

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

There was a raging debate going on last week at Engadget HQ over the role of dedicated ebook readers that spilled over on to the Engadget Show. You can watch the show here, but essentially big boss Joshua Topolsky and Paul Miller feel that the new Barnes and Noble Nook is going to be a hit -- the one machine that gets suburban moms to buy. On the other hand, Nilay Patel, rationally (as he agrees with me) says it's not going to happen and there's no mass market for dedicated ebook readers. I'm going to weigh in and say Nilay is probably right.

Now don't get me wrong, this is not entirely an integration vs. convergence story. I believe there's a market for dedicated devices: cameras have not been displaced by music phones, media players have not been displaced by music phones and ebook readers could serve bibliophiles, especially those who travel a lot. However, mobile reader apps like those from Amazon and Barnes & Noble can easily tap into more casual markets, allowing users to leverage the investment in screens they already own instead of buying a dedicated device. That's one reason why I think it has been important for Amazon and B&N to get their ebook platform onto as many devices with screens as possible, and why Sony's making a mistake by ignoring the opportunity.

Continue reading Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms

Zii MediaBook UI video explains very little

by Paul Miller posted Nov 1st 2009 at 2:22PM

Somebody apparently managed to get a camera up during Creative's presentation of its upcoming Zii Mediabook e-reader, but unfortunately the UI mockup that was demonstrated on screen is hardly standard (no hints of Android, for instance), and it's hard to separate proposed UI elements from flashy video transitions. If there's anything to take away, it seems that the device has an edge to edge screen, and is heavily touch and gesture based on a very custom-seeming GUI. One thing that happens repeatedly in the video is that a bit of text is highlighted, and then when it's "flicked" up it shoots out as a web page or a video or what have you -- seems like an odd way to go about things, but it at least demonstrates that Creative isn't just working on any old e-book reader here. Hit up the read link for the vid.