Developages - Development and Technology Blog

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/T_Mobile_G1_The_Engadget_Review′; It’s hard to believe, but rumors of a “Googlephone” have been floating around since 2006. To put it in perspective, the first Gphone post on Engadget was written by Peter Rojas. Needless to say, it’s been a long, slow ride to get to Android, the Open Handset Alliance, and ultimately the T-Mobile G1. If we said expectations were high for the introduction of this device, we’d be understating it. It’s not every day that a company with the stature of Google announces it’s getting into the phone game, and it’s certainly not every day that an honest-to-goodness innovator comes along. That last time the team at Engadget got this stoked for a device, it was a little something called the iPhone — and you know how that turned out. Will Android and G1 live up to the hype? Is this the first coming of a serious new contender in the mobile space, or has the triple threat of Google, HTC, and T-Mobile not delivered on their promises? We’ve put both the device and the software through its paces to bring you the definitive review of the T-Mobile G1 and Android, so read on to get your answers.

As we’ve really gone to great lengths to dissect the phone and OS, we’re splitting the review into two, easy to digest parts. Enjoy!

Part 1: Hardware
Part 2: Software and wrap-up

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

TiVo on the PC just sounds good, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, the in-house testing proved otherwise… at least with the $99 per year price tag tacked on for no good reason. Head on over to Engadget HD for the full spill, and don′t be afraid to wear your TiVo pride on your sleeve.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops

Late last month, we found that Toshiba’s Satellite NB100 netbook was making a beeline to the UK, and while a press shot is well, fine and good, there’s just nothing like a little hands-on action to get you salivating. The crew over at TrustedReviews made it over to Zurich for Tosh’s first ever Mobility Conference, and the star of the show wasn’t one of those new Portégé machines or the Tecra R10; rather, it was the 2.29-pound NB100. Of note, the unit shown was a pre-production rig that shouldn’t change much before it’s loosed on the public, and contrary to earlier reports, it will boast three USB sockets to bring it in line with most of its closest competitors. Unfortunately, early impressions were that the keyboard was lacking, and the glare-filled display wasn’t exactly smiled upon. Check the read link for additional shots and a few more blurbs.

[Thanks, Patrice]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones

We had a feeling we’d get a mixed bag of reviews as soon as we first saw the Motorola Krave Z̐ — it’s one of those love it or hate it type things, you know? In some cases, reviewers chose to focus on the positives, noting that it was cute, unique, a good music player and a phone that would last and last without a recharge. Another batch of critics couldn’t hold back the whip, pointing out that it lacked WiFi, packed a lackluster browser, included yawn-worthy software and offered a keyboard that was “straight-up awkward.” As expected, overall ratings hovered between just below average to just above average, and it seems this phone will be exactly what you make it out to be. Moto fans will likely have plenty to cheer about, but those without a dog in the fight may want to give the writeups below a more thorough glance before dropping $149.99 and agreeing to a super-sized 2-year commitment.

Read - PC Magazine
Read - PhoneScoop
Read - Laptop Mag
Read - DigitalTrends
Read - CNET

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: GPS

Hmm, maybe Jeep should stick to scaling mountains and whatnot. To be totally frank, we had all but forgotten that a Jeep-branded navigator was even in the works, let alone closing in on release — of course, maybe that’s because we last heard of this thing in December of 2007. At any rate, the ruggedized RT-300 has finally found its way to the review bench, and unfortunately for those holding out for this critter, it didn′t fare too well. At all. For starters, $249.99 is a lot of scratch for a lowly 320 x 240 resolution screen, and the fact that it’s not even waterproof didn′t help matters either. Worst of all, testers had issues with route calculation (read: its main function), with a certain Cincy-to-Jersey query causing a total freeze three times in a row (and even on a second unit). Bottom line? Steer clear of this one, hard though that may be for the Jeep faithful.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Robots

It’s beginning to sound like a broken record, but WowWee has hit yet another homer with Mr. Personality. The latest from the firm to jockey for your hard earned dollars includes an LCD face and enough jokes / stories to keep you engrossed for hours. Max and Simon — this creature’s very own Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — kept critics guessing, and each character was said to be “well developed and play off each other perfectly.” Continuing on, reviewers noted that the omnidirectional wheels were “incredible,” the remote was “simple and intuitive” and the sensor array was equally impressive. ‘Tis a shame — we bet you were really looking forward to holding onto that $300 of yours…

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Digital Cameras

If you skipped over the EOS 40D in anticipation for the next best thing, and you don′t feel like liquidating your kid’s college fund in order to procure the EOS 5D Mark II, the EOS 50D has likely been blinking fiercely on your radar. The intarwebz as a whole had a chance to sit down and scrutinize the decidedly mid-range DSLR, and overall, impressions were pretty positive. For starters, just about everyone felt that it was more than a worthy addition to Canon’s line, citing “a significant number of refinements to a proven design,” a fantastic VGA LCD monitor and expectedly great image quality. Critics also found an improved interface, improved white balance and an ISO setting that was perfectly acceptable up to 3,200 (and 6,400 in a pinch). For DSLR newcomers, the 50D is a pretty safe bet; the only question comes in when trying to decide whether to upgrade from the 40D. Our take? Save the loot and spend it on some decent glass.

Read - PhotographyBLOG
Read - TechRadar
Read - PhotoReview
Read - CNET

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

A couple of months back, we saw what was to come with DISH Network’s 1080p video-on-demand service. Now, the cats and kittens over at Sound & Vision have a definitive writeup explaining the value of the aforementioned offering. At the time of review, Speed Racer was DISH’s 1080p VOD movie of the month, so critics fired it up via the satcaster’s set-top-box while comparing it to the version on Blu-ray. Obviously, DISH’s 1080p isn’t the same quality 1080p as what you’ll find on a BD-50, but the results were pretty astounding, regardless. In fact, critics had a tough time deciphering between the two from a normal viewing distance, and while they were fully expecting to be underwhelmed by DISH Network’s 1080p material, they were actually stunned by just how impressive it looked. Of course, the dearth of titles available at any given time means that this won’t sway potential customers in and of itself, but you can rest assured DISH is looking to beef up its 1080p HD VOD lineup as quickly as possible.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Robots

The characters over at RobotsRule managed to snag one of the rare review units of the new Elmo Live!, and according to them, the standard order they placed last week has already been canceled by Toys R Us. In other words, this hands-on video review really may be as close as you get to this intelligent ball of fur without forking out wads of cash. Based on the four minutes we get to share with Fisher-Price’s latest cash, um, cow, it’s easy to see how crazy awesome this thing will seem to your youngster. He recognizes when he has fallen over and begs for help, he goes bonkers when you squeeze his nose and he tells stories and jokes while moving in a fashion that’s more “lifelike” than ever. Heck, it even puts itself to sleep to save batteries should your youngin’ get called away for chores. All that aside, the best part is Elmo’s attempt to bust rhymes, scat and get your kid jumpin’ — seriously, check it out at the 1:15 mark after the break.

[Via RobotsRule]

Continue reading Elmo Live! gets hands-on video review, which is as close as you’ll get without eBay

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones

Oh sure, you’ve already read over our (and Ryan Block’s) brief one-day impressions of T-Mobile′s G1, but one lucky (lucky!) user over at AndroidCommunity has been able to handle one for more than just a few hours. As a precious gift to the world, he’s penned a nice list of pros and cons along with a Q&A, and it seems that the “review” is actually growing with time. Right from the top, he notes that the G1 is lke a “SideKick on massive steriods,” albeit one with a minty fresh OS. Speaking of, he also states that the handset “doesn’t run as smoothly as you would think,” asserting that some of the applications “suttered” upon opening. We′re also told that it requires a reboot from time to time just to keep things humming along, but we′re hoping all of these quirks are just part of the Rev. A rigamarole. It’s glaringly obvious that the user adores Android (and the phone, too), but we can′t help but hope these niggles he speaks of are addressed in short order.

[Thanks, Oscar]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops

It’s not too often we get to toy around with a $4,449.99 laptop, but that’s precisely what we were able to do when Sony’s packed-to-the-hilt VAIO TT (VGN-T𔣦U to be precise) arrived on our doorstop. The model we received included dual 128GB SSDs, a Blu-ray writer, 11.1-inch LED-backlit display, HDMI output, built-in MOTION EYE webcam, 802.11n WiFi, a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo S󑴈 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Bluetooth and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. The 2.87-pound unit is essentially a huge thumb of the nose to netbooks everywhere, boasting a frame that’s in the same ballpark (in terms of size) with innards and a price tag that contrast sharply. For those just interested in seeing what south of five large can buy you these days, head on down to the gallery below; if you’re actually considering one of these puppies, hop on the past the break for a few impressions.

Continue reading Sony VAIO TT: unboxing, hands-on and impressions

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones

Given that most of the world won’t see Nokia’s 5800 XpressMusic until 2009, you may be better off just forcing yourself to overlook this here review until you can snag one without importing. If you’re just too impatient for all that, however, you should know that an early critique of the affectionately dubbed Tube deemed it mighty impressive. Call quality was solid, the OS was stable in most areas, and the display was a joy to look at and interact with. In fact, reviewers had a difficult time finding anything exceptionally negative to say, noting that this is the handset for anyone after a “well-rounded, do-it-all solution.” It was also made clear that this phone and the iPhone were really two different animals not worth comparing, but that didn’t stop critics from confessing that the 5800 packs an “unparalleled price / quality ratio that changes the rules for all phone makers out there, including Nokia itself.”

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Digital Cameras

With a zoom this long, it has to be good, right? Evidently that’s absolutely correct, as the critics over at PhotographyBLOG adored what the FinePix 󋈀HD was packin’. The camera wasn’t the sharpest nor most evenly exposed megazoom they’d ever seen, but given the respectable asking price ($269), it was still deemed a winner. More specifically, reviewers found the image quality to be “perfectly acceptable given the build and asking price,” and while the video wasn’t true HD, it still trumped that of most rivals. In the end, the relatively compact 10-megapixel cam was seen as a perfect option for those not ready to splurge on a DSLR and a decent zoom lens, notching a very admirable 4 out of 5 overall rating.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Desktops

Sony’s VAIO VGC-J𔓶J (you know, the little fellow of the bunch) managed to snag itself a pretty great review late last month, so it’s no shock at all to see the bigger, sleeker and all-around better VGC-RT150Y land similar sentiments. The 25.5-inch unit was rolled out as part of a trio at CEDIA, and besides packing quite a bit of horsepower, this thing actually looks shockingly like a svelte LCD. Reviewers instantly fell in love with the expansive panel, beautiful array of ports, inbuilt HDTV tuner and Blu-ray burner, though reality began to set in when refocusing on the $3,999 list price. Sure, multimedia performance was above par, and it can easily be hung on a wall, but unless you′ve just got oodles of cash to burn (and have something against making donations), this one probably deserves a skip.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Laptops, Peripherals

We could tell from the press shot that this here laptop bag was far and away the most beautiful of the TSA-approved bunch, and a recent review over at Gadling confirms it. Put simply, the Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer is “fantastic,” and even the reviewer found himself startled at just how much he dug it. The build quality was remarkable, the ease of use was commendable and the design itself was obviously worthy of praise. The only real rub is the bloated sticker; the price of admission is a stiff $220, and that’s before you add in any useful straps or extra packing cubes. Unfortunately, the critic didn’t actually attempt to clear security at an airport with the bag, though we don’t suspect you’ll have any too many difficulties. Check the full writeup and a hands-on gallery in the read link.

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Original post by Darren Murph