Lenovo teased a potential sweet spot in its convertible laptop line when it revealed the IdeaPad Yoga 11S, blending the portability of the Yoga 11 with the raw performance of the Yoga 13. As of now, we can do more than just imagine how well that balance works: the Yoga 11S is at last available to order. Those who plunk down at least $800 can buy the bendy Windows 8 PC online from either Best Buy or Lenovo, although shoppers will want to think carefully before jumping in with both feet. While both outlets equip their Yogas with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive at that price, Best Buy lists a 1.5GHz Core i5 where Lenovo starts with a more modest 1.4GHz Core i3. No matter which outlet beckons, would-be owners will have to bide their time. Lenovo is quoting a four-week wait for new shipments, and Best Buy will only see the Yoga 11S grace its retail stores on June 23rd.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Lenovo

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Source: Lenovo, Best Buy

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TiVo, the company that made its fortune by making you forget about live television, is now attempting to revamp the traditional TV guide with a new content-discovery feature for its iPad app. The feature, called “What to Watch Now,” is similar in concept to TiVo’s existing Discovery Bar, though the layout is different. Here, you get seven columns of tiles showing what’s currently airing or what you’ve previously recorded. So whether you’re in the mood for sports, prime time, movies, kids programming or whatever happens to be playing on your favorite channel, you’re a tap away from watching it on your TV — or directly on the iPad if you have a TiVo Stream. And of course you don’t have to watch it right now; you can just as easily schedule a recording or season pass and watch it later.

The new feature does seem handy, but configurable options are minimal. Basically, you’re limited to rearranging the columns into a different order and filtering out specific sports you have little interest in — no, you can’t remove sports completely. Speaking of sports, thanks to TiVo’s partnership with Thuuz, some sporting event tiles have a number between zero and a 100 assigned to them to help draw your attention to the most exciting matches currently in play. The new feature is available immediately via the App Store as an update to the existing TiVo application.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Google expanded its chat / video conferencing offerings in a big way with its new Google+ Hangouts platform, and it looks like its intent on making it even more all-purpose in the future. Responding to a question on her Google+ page, the company’s community manager for Hangouts and Chat, Dori Storbeck, confirmed that SMS integration is “coming soon,” noting that it’s been one of the most requested features. Storbeck further added that future versions of Hangouts will also support outgoing calls and other Google Voice features, but specifics remain light beyond that for the time being.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

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Via: Droid Life, The Next Web

Source: Dori Storbeck (Google+)

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Google Play Music is about to reveal its saddest song… for owners of the Nexus Q that is. In fact, some might guess it’s the funeral march. Phandroid and Android Police both report having received confirmation that the latest update of Google’s Play Music service — that we saw outed yesterday — doesn’t support the firm’s own music streamer. A statement given to the websites confirms the fact, with little to suggest it’ll get any better for the little black ball going forward. Does this signify the final nail in the coffin? Potentially. But, given that it was erased from view on the Play store some time ago, and orders never charged, you might have already gathered that the outlook was no so good for some time.

Filed under: Peripherals, Google

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Source: Phandroid, Android Police

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eBay has trotted out an update to its iPhone app that sports a slew of notable changes. First, the app is draped in a redesigned UI that enables users to checkout multiple items at the same time, view larger photos and touts improved last-minute bidding for those hot commodities. The software also tacks on driver’s license scanning via the handset’s camera for quick registration on the go — but only in certain states in the US, for now. If you’re looking to give it a whirl, you’ll need a device that wields iOS 5 or higher in order to get in on the action.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

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Via: 9to5Mac

Source: iTunes

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Tablet users eager to hop on the BBM bandwagon with BlackBerry’s standalone app will have to tamper down their enthusiasm. Vivek Bhardwaj, head of the BlackBerry Software Portfolio, told TrustedReviews that the company will focus exclusively on smartphones running iOS 6 and Android 4.0 or above for this summer’s launch. “Smartphone is our real focus and again it comes back to what BBM is. If you look [at] BBM and the engagement and the activity, it’s because it is mobile, because people are on the go,” Bhardwaj said. Meaning, iPad owners will be bereft of a tablet-supported BBM app until BlackBerry sees fit to develop one. There might still be hope for BBM on larger screens at some point, though. Perhaps hinting at BlackBerry’s plans for the future, Bhardwaj said, “I think when you look at things like Smart TVs and desktops, those are definitely areas for exploration.”

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile, Blackberry

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Via: SlashGear

Source: TrustedReviews

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It was only a couple of weeks ago that we saw an early peek of T-Mobile’s Xperia Z thanks to the FCC, but it appears as if the feds weren’t quite done poking at some of Sony’s handsets. Codenamed “Gaga,” today it’s turn for the Xperia UL to expose itself ahead of an eventual official launch, giving us an early look at its 5-inch body — which, design-wise, obviously takes a cue from other members of the family. What’s more, the UL is allegedly sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 chip, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a 2,300mAh battery and waterproof / dustproof attributes (these being common Japanese standards). Word on the internet is the Xperia UL will be launching in the Land of the Rising Sun as a KDDI exclusive, though we’ll have to wait for something more concrete to see if that’s indeed the case. Until then, you can peruse the gallery after the break to get a slight idea of what to expect.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Via: UnwiredView

Source: Ameblo

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Google I/O 2013 is entering day two in San Francisco and a Google Glass developer session is happening right now. The focus is on the current Mirror API, which allows for online, web services-based apps that push simple content to the headset. This enables current apps like the New York Times. But, the Mirror API is quite limited, allowing only online apps and not providing any direct access to the Glass hardware. That’s changing, though, with Google announcing the Glass Developer Kit, or GDK. This will allow for Android apps that run directly on the Glass hardware, providing much greater functionality and offline access. When is it coming? “Sometime in the future” is the best we’re able to get.

Filed under: Wearables, Google

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Source: Google “Developing for Glass” session

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The I/O news faucet hasn’t quite dried up yet. During the San Francisco conference today, Google chatted up some new Glass apps. The new applications will come packaged as “Glassware,” delivering CNN breaking news alerts, Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook posts, Evernote reminders and articles from Elle Magazine. The New York Times and Path were the only two apps previously available to Explorers, making this new suite of products a very welcome addition indeed. More apps are no-doubt on the way — hundreds of developers are working to produce their own software for the Google-branded headgear, which is set to launch for consumers sometime next year.

Filed under: Wearables, Software, Google

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Source: The New York Times

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Cutting through all the Google I/O news is this update from Apple: today, Cupertino released iTunes version 11.0.3. This isn’t just an incremental refresh, as several new features are on board, including an improved Songs View and the ability to view multi-disc albums as a single album. The update also brings enhancements to the MiniPlayer, such as a new album artwork view and a progress bar. Of course, those changes are accompanied by the usual performance improvements and bug fixes. You can get iTunes 11.0.3 now through Software Update.

Filed under: Software, Apple

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Via: 9to5Mac

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Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire.

This week’s edition of our regular session on inquiry chats with the nation’s first Chief Digital Officer, Rachel Haot. NYC’s CDO discusses navigating the five boroughs with Google Maps and her filtered photo obsession. Head on past the jump for the full set of responses.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: Distro Issue 91

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The urge to record video at a concert can be distracting for fans and musicians alike — enough so that some bands now forbid it altogether. Soundhalo’s new media service and Android beta might just keep both sides happy, as long as they’ve got the money to spend. The platform lets a backstage team make audio and video available for purchase from the app, as soon as a song is done; theoretically, you can start a replay before you’ve left the front row. Downloadable copies are DRM-free, and concert-goers can always grab tracks again from the app or the web. Soundhalo is still working on an iOS release, but Android users who’ve been to Alt-J’s recent Brixton shows (or just missed out) can already relive the memories at about $1.50 a pop.

Filed under: Internet, Mobile

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Via: The Guardian

Source: Soundhalo

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What you’re looking at above is a demo board carrying a next-gen Wolfson WM5110 audio chip for smartphones. This bit of silicon isn’t in any market-ready handsets just yet, hence the DIY setup, but given Wolfson’s well-cemented partnership with Samsung there’s every chance this’ll be the audio hub in the next Galaxy S, as well as potentially in other manufacturers’ phones coming out in 2014.

One of the WM5110′s headline features is the ability to handle high sample rate music tracks at 24-bit and 192KHz, aka “studio master” or “better than CD quality” sound. Such skills are generally reserved for pricey standalone DACs like iRiver’s AK100, which allows Wolfson to claim that this is the first implementation for inside a smartphone. We have an ears-on video for you after the break, but it’s not much use for judging audio quality — the event was too noisy even for us to attempt that, so we’ll just wait to do another audio round-up in more controlled conditions — but at least there’s some proof of principle. On the other hand, if you’re unconvinced as to whether 192KHz is even a worthwhile spec to have in smartphone, then read on to learn about some of the WM5110′s other abilities, which have a more practical bent.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Mobile

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HP today announced its record-breaking, long-run production of personalized labels on HP Indigo WS6000 series Digital Presses for Coca-Cola’s biggest-ever personalized brand campaign. The campaign, Share a Coca-Cola, was launched across Europe on May 1.The campaign is designed to help Coca-Cola engage directly with its consumers in 32 countries. It substitutes the iconic Coca-Cola logo on bottles of Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola light and Coca-Cola Zero with 150 of the most popular first names, nicknames and terms of affection in each country.


Supported by a fully integrated marketing program to connect consumers online, the campaign reinforces Coca-Cola’s position as an innovator within the consumer retail space. The project combined conventional printing technology with HP Indigo Digital Printing to create 800 million high-quality personalized labels.

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Cooler Master Power Fort 6000 mAh is a portable battery charger that can charge nearly any mobile device with a USB port. It provides up to 17 hours of extra power to mobile phones, gaming devices, tablets, bluetooth devices, mp3 players and more. Over charge and over current protection ensures that your device can be safely charged. The Power Fort is small and can easily fit in a purse or bag so you can charge your device anywhere.


The Power Fort 6000 mAh has 3 times the storage capacity of the iPhone 4S. That means you’ll get up to 17 hours of extra power. The Power Fort 6000 mAh is made from high-quality materials that are tough to scratch. Throw it in a purse or back pack without a second thought. Cooler Master Power Fort 6000 mAh battery pack doubles as a LED flashlight. Just double press the button to turn it on and off. The battery pack holds a charge for extended periods of time even without use.

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Tamron today announces a prototype LWIR (Long-Wave Infrared) 3X zoom lens, 35-105mm F/1.6 (Model #SC001) designed for VGA resolution FPA (Focal Plane Array) with 17㎛ pixel pitch in a compact and lightweight lens design. The lens covers a versatile focal length range of 35-105mm, equivalent to approximately 110-330mm in 35mm film format, with a constant maximum aperture of F/1.6 throughout the entire range. The lens provides excellent illumination characteristics from center to corner and incident angle to FPA optimally designed to minimize any adverse influence on shading to make the most of the 640 x 480 or 640 x 512 pixel arrays.

This is the third LWIR zoom lens from Tamron following the currently available 15-45mm F/1.4 and 35-105mm F/1.0 lenses that featured VC (Vibration Compensation), and is positioned to expand the horizon of indoor and outdoor surveillance applications for the security industry. The lens comes with two types of coating on the front of the housing coupled with IP67-compliant construction; and the other with AR coating for indoor applications. The new 3X is scheduled to be in production toward the end of 2013.

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Corning today announced the commercial launch of Corning Lotus XT Glass, a second-generation glass substrate specially formulated for high-performance displays. Lotus XT Glass features best-in-class total pitch variation, which is integral to efficient panel manufacturing. Essentially, total pitch – usually measured in microns or parts per million (ppm) – is the distance features move during panel processing.

The Corning Lotus Glass platform enables organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays and liquid crystal displays (LCD) that use either low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) or oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) backplanes. The result is an energy-efficient, immersive display device that features high resolution, fast response times, and bright picture quality.

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The Tascam TM-PC1 Condenser Microphone houses complete electronic circuit control and a 25mm pure gold large diaphragm capsule. Perfect cardioid polar pickup pattern, high sensitivity output, low noise and wide dynamic range make the TM-PC1 ideal for instrument and vocal recording. Thanks to the low frequency and sensitivity attenuation switches, the mic can effectively reduce environment noise and impact from high input sound sources. The unique design of the integrative metal pop filter and shock mount will reduce “pop” effectively and the high-grade shockproof mount will alleviate any surprise interferences.


TM-PC1 can be used for all professional and home recording needs. Tascam TM-PC1 measures 120g and weighs 120g.

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Bang & Olufsen today announced the launch of an all-new surround sound speaker system that combines compact aesthetics and outstanding acoustic innovation to deliver the thrill of high-end surround performance without filling up the home with boxy black speakers. Small in size but big in sound, BeoLab 14 builds on Bang & Olufsen acoustic engineers’ on-going achievements in packing stunning performance into surprisingly small volumes. The satellite speakers are diminutive circles of anodized aluminum with exchangeable fabric covers in a selection of colours, and integrate easily into even the most stringent interior design schemes.


The sculptural subwoofer contains separate amplifiers for all speakers in the system, and delivers bone-bouncing bass from a beguilingly slender footprint. And with a full array of placement options that includes wall and ceiling mounts as well as floor and shelf stands, BeoLab 14 is ready to fit in visually as it stands out acoustically. BeoLab 14 connects seamlessly to all Bang & Olufsen televisions, but is also just one plug away from lifting any other TV or AV receiver into a new level of sound performance.

The BeoLab 14 surround speaker system proves that you really can have the best of both worlds. With its refined design, endlessly flexible placement options and acoustic pedigree, it’s never been easier to enjoy home cinema in full aural splendour – without compromising your interior décor. The new BeoLab 14 surround sound speaker system is available at Bang & Olufsen stores worldwide for approximately €2995 ($3852).

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Transcend today announced the release of its SATA II 3Gb/s MSM610 mSATA mini solid state drive (SSD). Fully compliant with the SATA II 3Gb/s specification and built with industry-leading toggle-mode MLC NAND flash chips, the MSM610 mSATA mini SSD boasts blazing fast sequential read and write speeds up to 245 and 48 MB/s respectively. This outstanding performance translates into reduced boot up and data transfer times, superior application launch speed, and enhanced overall system responsiveness; especially useful for dual-drive notebooks and Ultrabooks taking advantage of both the high-speed MSM610 mSATA mini SSD and a high capacity hard disk drive.

Transcend’s MSM610 mSATA mini SSD measures just 26.8mm × 29.85mm × 3.85mm and offers excellent design flexibility to manufacturers of space-restricted embedded applications, including tablets, smartphones, Ultrabooks, eBook readers, navigation systems, set-top boxes, hand held scanners, mini PCs, and other compact devices. Despite its extra-small dimensions, the MSM610 comes equipped with advanced features such as TRIM and NCQ support, built-in ECC and wear leveling, intelligent block management, support for enhanced S.M.A.R.T. commands, and excellent shock resistance, providing exceptional reliability and data protection.

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