CastMedium » Engadget Podcast

Engadget Podcast 206 – 07.24.2010

Jon Cole — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:26:50 +0000

Panasonic’s new line of Lumix cameras stirs up the micro four thirds conversation once again and Josh puts out the general view on them, namely that they don’t nearly offer the results of a DSLR but the portability makes them well worth their use. The guys also talk about the strange point-and-shoot megapixel arms race that still seems to go on, especially with Panasonic’s inexplicable offering of $500 consumer P&S’s with 14.1 megapixel lenses with poor sensors.

After briefly hitting on the announcement of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect bundle and Arcade unit, the guys get into what HP is up to these days. HP simultaneously filed a claim over the name “PalmPad” and announced that the HP Slate would live as an enterprise device, which seems to suggest that they don’t have much faith in Windows 7 as a viable consumer tablet operating system.

The rest of the show is quite mobile-centric, first covering a slew of new Android devices as well as the end of the Nexus One’s sales. Next up is Apple, which has started refunding customers who have bought a bumper as well as breaking Paul Miller’s heart by further delaying the white iPhone 4. The podcast wraps up with Windows Phone 7 news, namely that all their employees get WP7 phones and are encouraged to program apps for them in their ‘spare time’.

00:02:33 – Panasonic’s new Lumix lineup: LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700, and TS10 all official
00:06:52 – Canon developing smaller DSLRs to compete with mirrorless cameras?
00:07:00 – Nikon planning “new concept” mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras with enhanced video modes
00:21:12 – New Xbox 360 4GB ships August 3rd for $199, Kinect standalone priced at $149, bundle coming this holiday for $299
00:30:48 – webOS 2.0 coming ‘later this year,’ says HP’s Rubinstein
00:30:58 – HP Slate no longer a consumer product, will arrive for enterprise this fall
00:31:24 – HP files for ‘PalmPad’ trademark — a webOS tablet, perhaps?
00:31:35 – HP Slate 500 with Windows 7 surfaces on HP’s site
00:31:54 – HP confirms that Slate is still kicking, ‘next steps’ being determined
00:41:52 – HP CEO: Palm could end up a ‘sub-brand’ of the company
00:46:41 – Samsung Galaxy S review shootout: Captivate for AT&T and Vibrant for T-Mobile
00:48:14 – Dell Streak review redux: thoughts from the New World
00:48:41 – Nexus One is sold out in Google’s store — forever
00:56:32 – Motorola mini Droid slider caught by Mr. Blurrycam
00:59:07 – Droid 2 being prepared for launch, set to arrive August 23rd?
01:00:29 – Apple posts record $3.25b profit in first full quarter of iPad sales, says more ‘amazing products’ coming this year
01:00:48 – Apple begins iPhone 4 Case Program: apply for your free case or Bumper now
01:01:26 – Apple delays white iPhone a second time, won’t ship until ‘later this year’
01:03:08 – Apple starts refunding Bumper purchases automagically
01:07:45 – AT&T announces 26 percent earnings growth for Q2, $4b profit
01:16:28 – Droid X users gobbling up 5x the data of other Verizon smartphones
01:18:00 – Microsoft reports $4.5b in profit, a record $16.04b in revenue
01:18:30 – Steve Ballmer feeling pressure at Microsoft for stagnating share price?
01:18:48 – Kin listed as at least $240 million writeoff in Microsoft earnings report
01:21:44 – Microsoft to employees: ‘everybody gets a Windows Phone 7!’
01:21:50 – Microsoft wants employees to code Windows Phone 7 apps ‘in their spare time’

Runtime – 1:25:54

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 204: Q&A Bonanza – 07.09.2010

Jon Cole — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 03:18:08 +0000

This week’s Engadget Podcast is a Q&A focused episode, so many of the topics are touched on fairly briefly. To keep up with all of them, see the short list at the end of this post.

One of the bigger questions broadly asks what the guys are looking most forward to for the rest of the year. Josh starts things off with a primarily mobile-centric list, highlighting the possibilities of HP/Palm and Windows Phone 7. Nilay’s anticipating Google’s possibly catalog, which might bring Chrome OS to relevance or put a wholehearted foot into the door of the tablet space. Paul comes from a completely different angle, hoping that the Kindle 4 might have something to offer over what earlier models have thus far.

The failure of the Microsoft Kin has been big tech news for the last week or so and the Engadget crew welcomes Michael Gartenburg back onto the show to defend an opinion he declared on an earlier episode. Michael has a lot to defend and bases a lot of his argument on how more vertical markets are going to be vital to companies like Microsoft when companies like Apple can hook onto such mainstream targets. The guys then go on to talk about how the mistakes of Kin might teach some lessons about how Windows Phone 7 should be executed.

Covered technology and topics: Fring on iPhone 4, most anticipated tech late 2010, Windows Phone 7 – does it fit somewhere between Apple and Google?, Microsoft Kin, iPhone 4 on Verizon, why does Engadget <3 Macs, why hasn’t anyone made a MacBook Pro competitor in terms of build quality

Find out what happens when consumer electronics news stops being polite and starts getting real: the Engadget Podcasters take your questions. Find out the real story behind Kin‘s failure (hint: it was Josh’s fault), why the Engadget staff is Mac-based (hint: it has to do with nested stock options), and why Paul Miller is still playing Chrono Trigger.

Runtime – 1:27:24

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 203 – 07.02.2010

Jon Cole — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 02:58:39 +0000

After several weeks of mobile-centric podcasts, Chris Ziegler finally joins the podcast for yet another phone show. Starting things off is the Droid X, which got a 7 on the new Engadget scorecard scale. From a hardware perspective, Chris was clearly blown away with the performance of the processor and the quality of the camera, though not really impressed by the industrial design. In other Android handset news, Samsung has recently announced their suite of Galaxy S phones on all carriers, which are practically the same phone reskinned several times.

The death of the Kin was probably the biggest and arguably the most predictable mobile news of the week, leading the Engadget crew to contemplate why the whole thing happened. Paul brings up the excellent point that the Zune has been coasting along for years of mediocre sales without much of a bother, which contextually makes the abrupt halt to the Kin project kind of puzzling. After harshly criticizing the poor social implementation, Josh tries to bring the conversation to a head by putting market research on a stake as a huge mistake that disallowed objectivity from Microsoft.

After the first two big topics of the week, the guys rush a little to get through the last few topics so Paul can see Twilight on time. Hulu Plus, HP/Palm, and MeeGo close out the show.

00:02:58 – Motorola Droid X review
00:04:40 – Introducing review scorecards!
00:18:48 – Droid X ad pokes fun at iPhone 4 antenna troubles
00:26:15 – Samsung’s American Galaxy S phones pose for family portrait
00:26:48 – Samsung Vibrant is official on T-Mobile, coming July 21 for $200
00:26:53 – Verizon ropes in Samsung Fascinate, US Cellular gets a Galaxy S too
00:26:55 – Samsung T-Mobile Vibrant and Verizon Fascinate preview
00:27:00 – Samsung’s Epic 4G for Sprint seems to live up to its name
00:30:10 – Samsung Epic 4G preview
00:42:41 – Microsoft says Kin software update is scheduled for mid-summer
00:42:45 – Kin One drops to $29, Two drops to $49, data plans remain silly expensive
00:42:50 – Microsoft Kin is dead
00:42:55 – T-Mobile kills off current Sidekicks, Kin says ‘welcome to the club’
00:47:00 – What killed the Kin?
01:11:05 – Hulu Plus announced with support for iPad, iPhone, PS3, Xbox Live, and more (update)
01:15:15 – Hands-on with Hulu Plus via Samsung HDTV, iPhone and iPad
01:15:45 – Hulu Plus preview arrives in iTunes App Store, Flash be damned
01:16:00 – Hulu CEO: we’re ‘complementary’ to cable
01:16:23 – HP / Palm buyout officially complete — get ready for webOS printers
01:19:35 – MeeGo for handsets makes its first appearance

Runtime – 1:29:03

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 202 – 06.26.2010

Jon Cole — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:00:07 +0000

In the wake of the latest Engadget Show, the Engadget Podcast remains surprisingly dense with tech talk. The iPhone 4 continues to be the biggest news in the industry, but the technical issues with the antenna and screen have kicked up a little bit of dust. Not to be forgotten, some of the more positive points of the phone are discussed as well, with Nilay heaping praise on the “future of mobile gaming” with the device’s gyroscope.

The Droid X fills out a mobile-heavy week of news, delivering a phone that just about everyone likes more than the EVO 4G. Furthermore, the software keyboard earns the title as best Android keyboard with just a tiny bit of argument from Josh. Motoblur makes a reemergence in this handset, which impressed Nilay overall but disappointed Josh and Paul in terms of the visual appeal (or lack thereof).

00:01:38 - The Engadget Show – 010: Jimmy Fallon, Kudo Tsunoda, Microsoft Kinect, iPhone 4, Samsung Captivate, Droid X
00:04:00 - iPhone 4 review
00:04:25 - First iPhone 4 units being delivered
00:04:35 - iPhone 4 launch day line watch (update: Woz in action)
00:04:50 - Poll: is your iPhone 4 retina display seeing yellow spots? (update: losing bars in the hand?)
00:05:08 - iPhone 4′s yellow spot issue goes away with a bit of time?
00:06:07 - Some iPhone 4 models dropping calls when held left-handed, including ours (Update: Apple responds)
00:08:10 - The Jimmy Fallon Test: is the iPhone 4 dropping fewer calls?
00:11:00 - iPhone 4 antenna woes contextualized by dude in the know
00:15:42 - Apple responds to iPhone 4 reception issues: you’re holding the phone the wrong way
00:20:00 - Apple: white iPhone 4 not available until second half of July, ‘more challenging to manufacture than expected’
00:27:20 - Hey Apple, you’re holding it wrong
00:30:00 - Okay, you’ve got an iPhone 4 — now what?
00:35:29 - Gyroscope gunning on the iPhone 4 with Eliminate: Gun Range (video)
00:45:00 - iOS 4 apps: the best of what’s new and updated (live updates!)
00:48:25 - Motorola Droid X for Verizon official: July 15 for $200
00:49:40 - Live from Verizon’s Motorola Droid X event!
00:52:55 - Motorola Droid X first (official) hands-on and unboxing! Update: video!
00:55:00 - Droid X vs. iPhone 4… hang out!
01:02:05 - Android 2.2 coming to Droid in ‘late July,’ Droid X in ‘late August?’
01:02:25 - Android 2.2 Froyo source code available today

Runtime – 1:18:55

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 201 – 06.19.2010

Jon Cole — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:44:09 +0000

The Engadget Podcast opens up with… you guessed it, E3 talk. The guys don’t really try particularly hard to stick to the tech side of things, so you might feel a fair amount of retread if you listen to several video game podcasts a week.

Things get back to normal around the one hour mark, inviting Joanna Stern on to talk about the Droid X. She thought the device ran pretty quickly, despite not having the proliferated Snapdragon and instead having a 1GHz OMAP chip. Josh tends to be the keyboard stickler and asks Joanna about the multitouch, swipe keyboard, which she found very usable.

The iPhone preorder debacle comes up briefly and Nilay can’t help but ponder how many phones would have been sold if only all of the requests could go through. Josh postulates that the iPhone 4 leak might have actually stopped up the works of potential iPhone buyers who would never have thought a new model would be coming out soon. Mac Mini unibody discussion closes out the show.

Trent left town, so we had to produce this podcast with our own feeble hands. If you don’t like it, blame Trent Wolbe.

Runtime – 1:45:04

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 198 – 05.29.2010

Jon Cole — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:08:30 +0000

Microsoft has been big in tech news this week with two major stories. The first is Robbie Bach and J Allard’s simultaneous departures from the company, under the notion that Steve Ballmer is going to take the their management reigns. This double departure may be slightly due to the fact that Apple has just passed the big M in market cap, meaning their outstanding shares have a greater cumulative value. Both pieces of news hopefully center around a new push to straighten up a couple struggling spokes of Microsoft’s big wheel of products.

Google Android comes in a close second as far as news is concerned, with Palm’s Matias Duarte leaving to be User Experience Director for Android and Lenovo’s announcement pushing Android as their primary OS for tablet development. Everyone agrees that both are huge boons to Google’s mobile division, especially with Josh’s mention Android’s largest stumbling block – a lack of aesthetic polish that both WebOS and iPhone OS both tout.

The most emotionally resonant story of the week is clearly the increasingly dire situation over at Foxconn, with a total of 16 suicide attempts at the Chinese manufacturing plant of the Taiwanese company. It ultimately leads to an interesting debate about the commodification of fair labor and the potential for big companies like Apple and Dell to demand particular working conditions at their OEMs.

How many executives does it take to screw in a light bulb? Fewer than you would think! How many screens do you need to coordinate your digital life with the cloud? Less than 3, contrary to popular belief. How many Engadget Podcasteers need be present to convey the week’s news to you in a succinct 90-minute audio package? Less than five. How many Foxconn employees should consider suicide to bring you a $99 iPhone? That’s right, zero. This week, it’s all about reductionism on the Engadget Podcast. Let’s go on a trip together – to the clean, compact future.

00:04:15 - WSJ: Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division getting a ‘shakeup,’ J Allard expected to leave
00:04:35 - Microsoft’s Robbie Bach and J Allard leaving as part of broader shakeup; Xbox and Windows Phone teams now reporting directly to Ballmer
00:06:00 - Robbie Bach: Project Natal a ‘midlife kicker’ for Xbox 360, ‘absolutely confident’ Courier innovations will appear elsewhere
00:08:32 - Apple and Microsoft now neck and neck in market capitalization
00:08:55 - Ballmer downplays Microsoft’s shift in market value, says it’s a ‘long game’
00:30:23 - Windows Phone 7 pops up on a Samsung prototype device, plays Twin Blades
00:32:12 - webOS design mastermind Matias Duarte leaves Palm… and could be headed to Google
00:32:22 - Confirmed: Palm’s Matias Duarte joins Google as User Experience Director for Android
00:42:07 - Lenovo kills Skylight OS in favor of Android, U1 Hybrid and Skylight smartbook being shelved
00:51:32 - The next Apple TV revealed: cloud storage and iPhone OS on tap… and a $99 price tag
01:04:00 - Confirmed: Apple’s next iPhone will have video chat, feature to be shown in ads directed by Sam Mendes
01:09:53 - Foxconn raising wages, relocating 20 percent of Shenzhen workers closer to home (updated)
00:20:00 - Apple, Dell, and HP comment on suicides as Foxconn CEO shows off the pool
01:29:49 - Introducing Engadget Alt

Runtime – 1:35:44

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 197 – 05.22.2010

Jon Cole — Sun, 23 May 2010 01:03:52 +0000

This week’s big topic is clearly Google, as the Engadget crew is quick to establish on their latest podcast. Before diving into news from Google I/O, Chris Ziegler joins the normal cast of wacky characters to throw in his two cents on the Sprint HTC EVO 4G. It’s made obvious that Chris is romantically involved with the latest Android phone, labeling it the best Android phone on the market, though not leaps and bounds better than the HTC Incredible.

After two fantastic segues, Nilay sets the stage for the focus of Google’s developer conference, saying that every minute of the presentation was spent taking shots at Apple. For instance, the new mobile hotspot feature was showcased with a wifi iPad, the speed of the device was compared against Apple mobile devices, and the over-the-air (OTA) app installation trounced all over Apple’s wired syncing. These features and several others (tethering, browser speed, Flash 10.1) definitely sound great and are sure to give Jobs a run for his money.

The other big news at Google’s conference was Google TV, which is a little more questionable than Froyo as far as potential is concerned. Nilay makes the cogent point that this device won’t have a tuner from the start, which just about everyone agrees will be a big challenge as far as interface and content is concerned. Engadget HD’s Ben Drawbaugh also talks about the poor performance of IR for multi-device macros, though he does say the device may have more potential if Google’s partners use alternate control mechanisms.

Google may not rule the universe quite yet, but it certainly rules the hearts and minds of the Engadget Podcasteers this week, in one way or another. Featuring the world debut of the dramatic musical theater segment Nilay’s Niggles.

00:18:46 – Android 2.2 Froyo: everything you ever wanted to know
00:19:22 – Google I/O recap: more web than you can shake a frozen dessert at
00:20:30 – Live from the Google I/O 2010 day 2 keynote!
00:20:40 – Google adding over-the-air app installation and iTunes streaming to Android
00:21:08 – Google claims Froyo has the world’s fastest mobile browser
00:23:10 – Flash 10.1 for Android beta unveiled: Hulu a no-show, Froyo now a minimum requirement
00:38:38 – Google TV: everything you ever wanted to know
00:39:30 – Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel
00:40:09 – Logitech’s Google TV companion box includes smartphone apps, we go eyes-on (updated: video!)
00:40:30 – Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride
01:00:45 – Sad Violin
01:16:08 – The Engadget Show returns, this Saturday, May 22nd with Sprint’s Evo 4G, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch, and an Engadget editors Q&A!

00:02:35 – HTC EVO 4G review

Runtime – 1:19:11

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 196 – 05.14.2010

Jon Cole — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:17:14 +0000

Android news essentially dominates the first half of this week’s Engadget show, for several good reasons. Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ details have slowly leaked out through sites like TechCrunch, revealing both tethering and wi-fi hotspot features. These features sound great, but their true implementation may not be as peachy as expected, with Sprint saying they’ll charge extra for similar features on their upcoming HTC EVO 4G. Nilay insists that these price hikes don’t spell well for the EVO, while Josh and Paul argue that Sprint’s fairly priced phone plans easily cushion such monthly charge boosts.

Joanna Stern joins the podcast to talk about a lot of notebook computer news, starting things off with a shot to the arm for AMD’s CPU offering. They promise that the Neo line of processors is everything they’ve promised in the past, though Nilay doubts their performance given shoddy matchups with graphics chips. Due to the increased performance of both these chips and the ones offered by Intel, Joanna does say that the price paradigm for laptops is changing, with a $1000 price tag really being unnecessary for a solid piece of hardware.

What’s up, yo? Oh, sorry, we meant, what’s up, FroYo? The Engadget Podcasteers dig deep on the new version of the Android Cellular Telephone And Other Connected Devices Operating System as the line between telephone and computer becomes less and less important. And Joanna Stern, Supreme Laptop Knowledge Warrior Princess, becomes the first and last female to ever be on a technology podcast in the Great Tech Journalist Civil Rights Movement of May 14-15th, 2010.

02:57 – Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ and Flash run like butter on Nexus One (update)
07:22 – Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality
10:28 – Sprint selling HTC EVO 4G on June 4 for $199
11:35 – Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G put through its bandwidth-sucking paces
21:55 – NPD: Android ousts iPhone OS for second place in US smartphone market
28:45 – HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod
29:22 – HTC’s complaint against Apple examined
38:00 – AMD promises better battery life and thermals with new Neo CPUs, more power with Phenom II platform
42:15 – Lenovo officially rolls out new IdeaPad Z Series
43:14 – HP unleashes seven new ProBooks, cuddles up with AMD
44:10 – HP Envy 14 and 17 officially official, Envy 13 slowly waves goodbye
46:25 – Sony VAIO P Series gets an accelerometer, touchpad (Updated: starts at $799)
49:45 – Archos 7 Home Tablet review

Runtime – 57:05

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 195 – 05.07.2010

Jon Cole — Sat, 08 May 2010 21:59:37 +0000

Michael Gartenberg joins the Engadget podcast once again, stepping in for the usually present Paul Miller. As the primary contributer to the “Entelligence” column on Engadget and father of a couple teenagers, Michael is able to offer a little bit of insight into the Kin One and Kin Two phones that were recently released by Microsoft. Michael ultimately ends up offering a defense of the device, forgiving some of the smaller details in favor of the broad concept of the phone. Josh and Nilay won’t have it, though, criticizing the “gen 1″ nature of the Kin and questioning some of the finer decisions that Microsoft made in the interface.

The Kin was clearly the biggest topic of the week, though the guys begrudgingly hit on RIM’s adoption of two-way Gmail sync in their BlackBerries, a long-desired feature. Next up is Intel’s strategy for Atom processors, which puzzles every single person on the podcast. Closing out the show is Apple’s possible antitrust troubles concerning their stance on Adobe, which many would argue are draconian and arbitrary.

You’d think that Michael Gartenberg would bring a tone of civility to the Engadget Podcast, but his practical approach to tech thought simply causes rage in the hyper-inflated egos of Josh and Nilay, who both live in a world where teenagers simply do not exist. Don’t miss it.

NOTE: We had a few recording issues, please bear with us. They won’t kill you. But if they do, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

00:01:30 – Microsoft Kin One and Two review
00:05:00 – Kin available online starting tomorrow, in Verizon stores on May 13
00:30:00 – Survey says: most teens don’t have a data plan, almost all send texts
00:40:00 – Confirmed: BlackBerry two-way sync for Gmail is now live
00:48:05 – Intel’s Atom Z6xx series isn’t targeting Windows Phone 7, but ‘full Windows experience’ still an Atom priority
00:53:00 – Intel reaches for the ‘smartphone zone’ with Moorestown-based Atom Z6, comes up shorthanded
00:58:25 – Apple under preliminary antitrust investigation over iPhone, triggered by complaint from Adobe
01:15:40 – Engadget wins the People’s Voice Webby in Consumer Electronics, and you can win a Droid Incredible!

Runtime – 1:19:16

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 181 – 01.29.2010

Jonathan Downin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:22:38 +0000

Apple announced their foray in the burgeoning tablet market on Wednesday with the iPad. After years of speculation it is safe to say that the Engadget guys are a little underwhelmed and somewhat skeptical. Their biggest point here is that the use case for this kind of device has still not been made.

The lack of multitasking is the biggest miss discussed here. They ague that with the iPad positioned as a productivity computing device, it simply fails without the ability to multitask, which Joshua points out as the cornerstone to productivity. The inexplicable lack of features also makes the guys feel like their may be more to the iPad with the introduction of iPhone OS 4.0, and that we may see this before the device even launches. The lack of Flash, among other things, is huge sticking point as well.

While the bulk of the discussion falls on the critical side, things end with some hopeful comments. The iPad is an easy choice for someone thinking about getting a kindle, it destroys the viability of something like the JooJoo and has amazing potential in its hardware.

The editors and producers of the Engadget Podcast cash in on their single biggest source of income: payoffs from Apple. Strap yourself in for 1.5 hours of iPad madness [a.k.a. iPadness] from the only three people in the blogosphere with matching iPad tattoos on their lower backs.

00:01:00 - The Apple iPad: starting at $499
00:03:00 - Live from the Apple ‘latest creation’ event
00:07:00 - iPad can run all iPhone apps unmodified, new iPhone SDK out today lets developers tweak apps for iPad use
00:08:00 - Apple iPad launch day roundup: everything you need to know
00:10:00 - Apple iPad 3G service plans on AT&T, $30 for unlimited data
00:21:05 - The Apple Tablet: a complete history, supposedly
00:21:20 - Is this the Apple tablet? (update: new images)
00:24:20 - Editorial: Engadget on the Apple iPad
00:33:30 - Apple’s iPad keyboard dock, case and other accessories get the hands-on treatment
00:48:30 - Adobe on Flash and the iPad: ‘Apple is continuing to impose restrictions on their devices’
01:00:00 - iPad or Kindle: will our wallets decide?
01:26:20 - HP Slate teases us with another video appearance

Runtime – 1:34:41

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 174 – 12.12.2009

Jonathan Downin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:12:29 +0000

This week’s discussion starts with talk of Dell’s Adamo inspired Vostro V13. It takes most of the style of the Adamo and brings into a palatable price range. Joshua’s Nook review is up, and he liked it, but the consensus here is that e-ink just has too many limitations and won’t be around long.

There are more rumors flying around about a potential Apple tablet, but the source is dubious at best. The guys have gotten their hands on a Joojoo and Joshua is fairly positive on it. The hardware is solid, and the software seems to be on its way to offering a smooth experience. Legal matters aside, it looks like an interesting device that will be completely devastated if an Apple tablet is due for release within the next couple quarters. Legal talk revolving around Apple and Nokia closes-out the show.

You are on the internet, seeking entertainment. There is a grue here. Josh Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel are discussing the week in technology news, including the new Dell Vostro V13, the Barnes and Noble Nook, the CrunchPad / Joojoo, and the myth of the Apple Tablet.

01:56 – Dell Vostro V13 hands-on impressions: ‘yes’
10:16 – Barnes & Noble Nook review
16:25 – Major media giants to form joint venture for digital future, says WSJ
23:19 – Analyst noise: Apple tablet in March for $1k, publishers on-board, Verizon iPhone coming too
29:30 – Fusion Garage CrunchPad video conference liveblog
30:00 – Fusion Garage Joojoo tablet rises from the ashes of the CrunchPad
30:17 – Engadget talks Joojoo, Arrington, 3G, and more with Fusion Garage’s Chandra Rathakrishnan
30:30 – Joojoo tablet hands-on (video)
43:23 – TechCrunch sues Fusion Garage over the Joojoo — we break it down
52:47 – Apple countersues Nokia for infringing 13 patents

Runtime – 1:02:10

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 172 – 11.23.2009

Jonathan Downin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:13:58 +0000

The reveal of Google’s Chrome OS has been the biggest thing to happen in the tech world in a long while. The guys are talking about Google’s approach of reducing the computer experience down to a browser. Paul is the most positive, as usual, but even he is not sold on an OS that is based around a model that caters to consumption, with very few concessions made for any substantial creation. He wrote an editorial and has a video walkthrough of the early open source Chromium release that gives a feel for what the OS will be like.

AT&T is not happy about Verizon’s latest push against them in the ad space, but they have not had too much success in fighting them legally. So they have released a new ad starring Luke Wilson, and it is a little hard to not feel bad for bath Luke and AT&T here.

The whole final segment is spent talking about the recent redesign of Engdget.com. The aesthetic experience has been revamped, and there is a larger focus on making it easier to know what is new and notable on the site. If you ask us, it is a nice update that brings Engadget into 2010. We may just takes some cues from them if we ever get around to doing a full redesign.

It’s been a crazy weekend, and we’ll have the latest episode of The Engadget Show up to prove it soon enough, but for now we thought you might still be interested in the podcast we did live on Friday from within the hazy mist of show prep and Chrome OS assessment. Sure, you might not be used to getting a new podcast on a Monday morning, but we’ve heard that a technology podcast replete with bizarre exchanges with live audience members via chat and many vitamins and minerals can be a vital part of a healthy, well-balanced breakfast.

01:38 – Google’s Chrome OS revealed
26:52 – AT&T loses request for injunction against Verizon’s Map for That ads
30:28 – AT&T ‘hits’ back at Verizon’s Map for That campaign with an ‘ad’ of its own
34:20 – Welcome to the next Engadget

Runtime – 53:15

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 171 – 11.13.2009

Jonathan Downin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:38:11 +0000

The Zune HD just gets better and better. Microsoft has loaded the Zune Marketplace with a few free 3D games, including indie classic Audiosurf and a version of Project Gotham Racing. The games perform well and in the case of PGR, have graphics that rival those found in PSP games. The only thing missing is a workable control scheme which has been a constant problem for iPhone games.

The Palm Pixi is now available and the verdict is that if it can be had cheap, it is totally worth it. Walmart currently has a deal that will get you a Pixi for $30, and at that price who can say no?

The mystery of the Nvidia tablet has been solved, and it is not as exciting as anyone had hoped. If anything, it seems like the push for a workable tablet is heating up though, so Apple is on a timeline. Psystar continues its efforts to unintelligently fight Apple, and Hackintoshing is no longer easy with the release of OS X 10.6.2.

Hey there, web surfer. What’s cracking? Us? Oh, not much, just listening to this side-splitting episode of the Engadget Podcast on our portable listening device. Yeah, it’s the episode where Josh, Nilay and Paul find a purse on the sidewalk with $500 in it and debate whether or not to take it to the police or spend the money on pizza and arcade games. Or maybe they talk about gadgets. You should check it out! Alright, later on cool dude.

00:04:00 – Zune HD Marketplace now loaded with free 3D games
00:05:18 – Zune HD 3D games video hands-on
00:23:22 – Dell’s Inspiron Zino HD on sale now in America: starts at $229, doubles as an HTPC
00:30:46 – Palm Pixi review
00:35:08 – Walmart’s $30 deal vaults Pixi from ‘meh’ to ‘sure, I’ll take three’
00:46:44 – Ricoh GXR camera system swaps out the sensor along with the lens
00:47:17 – NVIDIA tablet mystery solved: an ODM Tegra prototype
00:52:10 – Psystar founders claim they cracked OS X, hackintosh scene is ‘all wrong’
00:59:00 – Mac OS X 10.6.2 update out on the prowl (update: Atom support is gone)
01:04:43 – Listener questions

Runtime – 1:14:43

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 170 – 11.08.2009

Jonathan Downin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:25:21 +0000

According to the Engadget guys, the DROID is one of the first phones since the iPhone to gain some awareness among the general public. Josh offers an anecdote about the make-up people at Jimmy Fallon asking about the device. Maybe that iDon’t campaign isn’t so bad after all. Nilay also takes some time to lay down the law about the unequivocal absence of multitouch in the DROID. The DROID Eris is a decent phone, but is still just a Hero.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 is not coming off too well. Despite its Snapdragon 1Ghz processor, it is sluggish and doesn’t cater to media well. Joshua has had some time with the HTC HD2 as well, and although its Windows Mobile 6.5 core comes through at points, the overall impressions are good.

The new Dell Adamo XPS is very thin and has an interesting design, but the conversation boils down to concerns over the performance of the notebook. Nvidia and Intel are still feuding, and Spring Design is suing Barnes & Nobel of the design of their Nook e-book reader. There may be some weight to their claims, and Nilay goes into the details here.

A bit of a wild podcast this week, as we recorded live on DROID launch day — and not just Motorola’s handset, but also the HTC DROID Eris. That’s not all that went down, though — the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 also launched this week, the Dell Adamo XPS got official, and everyone else sued each other. Yep, it’s action packed — get downloading!

00:00:35 – DROID mania sweeps the nation, so to speak
00:07:35 – Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch
00:09:00 – iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)
00:15:05 – DROID ERIS hands-on and unboxing!
00:19:45 – Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announced, we go hands-on
00:23:43 – HTC’s HD2 has landed at Engadget (hands-on)
00:29:45 – Josh reveals TwitterPeek on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Qlorigan** (video)
00:32:48 – Dell Adamo XPS coming ‘in time for the holidays’ for $1799 (unboxing and hands-on video!)
00:36:32 – Unused Adamo XPS prototypes reveal touchscreen trackpads, key-less keyboard
00:41:04 – NVIDIA takes its feud with Intel to cartoonish new levels
00:50:19 – AT&T sues Verizon over ‘there’s a map for that’ ads
01:01:24 – Spring Design sues Barnes & Noble over the Nook
01:02:50 – Spring Design vs. Barnes & Noble: all the nooks and crannies

Runtime – 1:13:07

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts:

Engadget Podcast 169 – 10.31.2009

Jonathan Downin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:05:41 +0000

The DROID is taking over. Glancing at the time break-down of the show, you may think that the main DROID talk takes in the first 20 minutes, but it actually runs through the first 40 minutes. There is a lot to say (see the review) about the new handset, and the guys generally agree that this is a huge release, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the introduction of the iPhone. The handset, Android 2.0 and Google turn-by-turn GPS come together to form the Voltron of the smartphone world.

RIM’s Storm2 is now available, but many may have missed it with all of the DROID press. It’s okay, there’s nothing much to note about this new iteration anyway. Much as the gdgt guys did a few weeks ago, the Blackberry OS is dismissed here as not being in the same league and OSX mobile, Android or Windows Mobile.

The guys touch on the recently confirmed DSi XL, and are as baffled as anyone as to if Nintendo is trying to do anything more here than cater to an older demographic. Netflix on PS3 has them wondering why a disc is required, and the new Apple TV 3.0 software update insights some discussion about the state of he product. Josh closes out the show by mentioning that he will be appearing on Jimmy Fallon again sometime between November 6 – 9 to show off some hot new gadgets.

Tired of all the DROID talk? Well, tough cookies, mister. Nilay, Paul and Josh have a lot to say on the subject, and you’re just going to have to sit there and take it. Or you could skip the first 40 minutes of this week’s podcast, but that’s just a recipe for regret. If you do stick it out you’ll be treated to some unusually candid discussion of Josh’s facial hair and other more pertinent questions picked from the USTREAM discussion that will almost certainly frighten you straight.

00:01:28 – Motorola DROID review
00:19:08 – HTC confirmed to be cooking up Android 2.0 update for Hero, other devices unclear
00:19:19 – Android 2.0 ported to original T-Mobile G1 (video)
00:19:29 – HTC Droid Eris peeks its head out once more, shows off 5MP camera
00:30:48 – Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this
00:32:25 – The game has changed
00:37:18 – How-to: hack your own DROID dock with magnets and cardboard
00:41:20 – Storm2 now available from Verizon for those who waited
00:49:25 – Nintendo DSi LL goes large in Japan on November 21 (update: DSi XL in Europe Q1)
00:53:41 – Netflix for PlayStation 3 requires a disc, software solution coming late 2010
00:57:28 – Apple TV 3.0 software update is out, with iTunes Extras, LP & Genius in tow
01:06:23 – Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis
01:06:40 – How-to: recycle your old gadgets

Runtime – 1:19:31

Links → | web | mp3 | iTunes | Zune | rss |

[See post to listen to audio]

Related posts: