Leopard O.S.

You can find flashier PCs than Dell's $1,299 Studio XPS, but few have as much power where it counts. We don't recommend its small, pared-down case for upgraders, but this PC will satisfy anyone who needs a loaded, powerful PC for gaming and consumer-level digital media editing.

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Microsoft’s new Xbox Experience dashboard doesn’t officially launch until Wednesday the 19th. But if you signed up for the preview (and who didn’t?) with a valid console ID then it’s available now according to Major Nelson. What’s more, Netflix has confirmed its Xbox 360 launch details: more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes and 300 streaming HD titles. Remember, streaming is free for Netflix members who are also Xbox Live Gold members. The HD video streams will be limited to SD audio, however — multi-channel audio is in the works as are additional HD titles. Now get outta here kid, NXE awaits.

[Via Joystiq]

Read — Major Nelson
Read — Netflix

Xbox Experience now available to all who signed up, Netflix HD streams too originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Storage

After a flurry of leaks and announcements caught our attention last year, we’ve heard nary a peep from Toshiba about its multi-faceted device since. Suffice to say that’s it’s out in parts of Europe and countries with a penchant for the backward “R” and “N.” Great, but what is it and how well does it do what it does; that’s the convoluted question. Fortunately, IntoMobile went hands on with the USB memory stick / alarm clock with snooze / MP3 player / 7.2Mbps HSDPA USB modem / tri-band GSM cellphone and came away with the opinion that “the device is excellent.” It pulled a respectable 2.7Mbps off O2’s UK network and performed reasonably well as a “backup phone.” The 160MB of storage for MP3 / AAC music playback was disappointing but it served its purpose in a pinch. Still, that’s a lot of device for £140.

[Via IntoMobile]

Toshiba’s unusual G450 cellphone / MP3 player / HSDPA USB modem reviewed, liked originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Handhelds

We’ve heard some rumors that were pretty far out in left field, but this one is far out. In fact, the only reason we’re giving it even an ounce of credence is that it’s a perfect market opportunity — we mean, who isn’t dreadfully sick of the plain jane digital photo frames that are impossible to distinguish from one another? At any rate, whispers have it that HP is working up a frame that will double as a slate PC of sorts, giving users a full blown web browser, e-mail client, RSS reader and access to other “widgets and lightweight applications.” Predictably, the mythical unit will be marketed as a companion internet device, and we’re told that it may even boast an Intel Atom CPU alongside a 10-inch panel and a WiFi radio. We’ll find out if you’ll really be burning $400 on this so-called conglomerate before the year’s end.

HP rumored to be concocting digiframe / slate PC hybrid device originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

Let’s get one thing straight right from the get-go: the e-Volve Gadget Shoulder Holster could definitely be considered the ultimate woman purse too, but that would first require you to actually find a female who would agree to said statement with a straight face. Following in the oh-so-daring footsteps of the nearly legendary Remote Wrangler is this piece: a mishmash that’s half C.O.P.S., half Brenthaven and 100% gnarly. Aside from providing the perfect cover for carrying your essentials underneath a suit, it offers up plenty of space for a smartphone, a backup mobile, a writing utensil, a few earbuds and, if positioned correctly, a Chrome 45. That’s a lot of badassery for just $69.95.

[Via I4U News]

e-Volve Gadget Shoulder Holster: the ultimate man purse originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Owners of iPhones will likely always miss out on a large chunk of the internet, because Apple doesn’t want the handset to support Adobe Flash.

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Don’t talk to strangers — scan them instead. That’s the idea behind the so-called ShotCodes on clothing by W-41, a Netherlands-based online apparel company. If you spot one of these unique logos in the wild (bar, club, methadone clinic, DMV), you surreptitiously snap a photo of it with your phonecam and a tiny app directs you to the wearer’s LinkedIn, Facebook, or MySpace profile. You can then decide whether a “Hello” is in order. To get in on the action, simply visit W-41.com, download a free mobile app, select a ShotCode, and purchase gear from the online store ($50 to $57 a pop). Owners can connect their symbol to any Web site. Beats having to dust off lines like “If you were a phaser, you’d be set on ’stunning.’”*

*Other pickup line options: “Later, when my Facebook page asks me what I’m doing, can I write ‘You’?” “You’re as curvy as a toroid.” “If I said you had top-specced hardware, would you interface with me?”

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While it’s no jack-of-all-trades, the LG 3G phone masters one: It takes surprisingly sharp photos at up to 1,600 x 1,200 pixels, even in dimly lit conditions.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras

Mark it down as a coincidence if you’d like, but a flurry of lawsuits revolving around the same companies just became public knowledge. For starters, Eastman Kodak has decided to sue Samsung and LG, alleging infringement of digital camera patents relating to image capture, compression and data storage; the suit is asking for “unspecified damages, and both cases seek injunctions prohibiting Samsung and LG from further imports and sales of the products.” Just hours later, Samsung hit back with this response: “Samsung plans to respond actively to these litigations and will remain committed to serving our customers by ensuring that accurate and reliable delivery of our products is not compromised in any way.” Got all that? Good. Moving on, we’ve also got chipmaker Spansion tossing a suit in Samsung’s direction, which is asking for “billions” in damages for patent infringement presumably related to flash memory. Who says it’s a slow period in the courtroom?

Read - Kodak sues Samsung / LG
Read - Samsung’s reply to lawsuits
Read - Spansion sues Samsung

Lawsuit whirligig: Spansion and Kodak sue Samsung, LG sued only by Kodak originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Owners of iPhones will likely always miss out on a large chunk of the internet, because Apple doesn’t want the handset to support Adobe Flash.

More: continued here