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He just had to beat Rupert Murdoch, didn't he? Project, Richard Branson's iPad magazine, is now available in the iTunes store -- at least in Italy and the United Kingdom, since it's past midnight there. App is free, cost per issue is $2.99 for "a full month's worth of updating content." We suspect it'll hit US, too, the next few hours, but for now, those across the pond can read up on Jeff Bridges (audio and video interview), Earth 2.0, and a "well-informed Godzilla." Take that, yet-to-be-released The Daily.

Richard Branson's 'Project' iPad magazine now hitting European iTunes stores originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to networking company Level 3 Communications, Comcast just couldn't wait for its NBC deal to go through before getting all jerky with the access to online video, telling Level 3 on November 19th that it would need to pay a fee to deliver video to Comcast customers. Level 3 delivers videos from many companies over its networks, but the timing is particularly notable since on November 11th it signed up bandwidth-chewing Netflix as a major customer. While this sounds like exactly the kind of anti-net neutrality nonsense that makes us want to crank some OK Go, Comcast has responded saying it's doing no such thing, and it's actually Level 3 seeking a competitive advantage by suddenly sending far more information onto Comcast's network than it accepts. The cable company goes on to claim this situation is no different than its existing deals with Level 3's competitors, and that as long as traffic remains in balance it is willing to allow access settlement free, but if they want to push their growth (read: Netflix) onto Comcast's pipes, they'll have to pay up. We'll wait and see if this is all just a simple negotiating ploy or a true strike in the battle over net neutrality, but you may still want to get a refresher course on exactly what net neutrality is all about from our friend Tim Wu just in case.

Continue reading Comcast, Level 3 Communications square off over video streaming, network neutrality principles

Comcast, Level 3 Communications square off over video streaming, network neutrality principles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Points for style, Microsoft, crossing the 2.5 million Kinect sensors sold mark a convenient 25 days into your global sales of that ever-so-hackable / sometimes-cool-for-gaming item. This number factors in Black Friday sales from this past weekend, and has us really curious as to how well Sony has been doing of late -- Sony's been mum on Move numbers since it announced 1 million units shipped about a month ago. Microsoft says it's on pace to sell 5 million Kinect units through this holiday, which leads us to wonder: what sort of 3D video extravaganza could we pull off with 5 million Kinects in tandem?

Microsoft announces 2.5 million Kinects sold in first 25 days originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rest easy, folks: we know it's pointy at the bottom, but we've been assured this isn't the BlackBerry 7100's true successor. Instead, the so-called Empathy is the bizarre outcome of of a RIM-sponsored design project at the Art Center College of Design that touts its ability to detect the emotions of its user and his or her contacts. It's not exactly clear how it'd do that, but one crucial element is the biometric feedback ring that communicates your frustration at the phone's inability to properly sync IMAP accounts in real time. All of this anger and joy is displayed on a social map -- colored rings indicate your contacts' previous and current emotional states -- which is presented on a full touchscreen that can become transparent when the phone's not in use. Prefer the Bold to the Storm, do you? Turn the phone around, and boom, you've got one of the scariest looking portrait QWERTY keyboards the world has ever seen. We don't really anticipate seeing this chiseled slab of bleeding-heart technology in RIM's lineup any time soon... but we can definitely see the benefit to knowing when your BBM contacts are ready to put a fist through a wall. Follow the break for video.

Continue reading BlackBerry Empathy design concept feels bad that you're stuck using a BlackBerry

BlackBerry Empathy design concept feels bad that you're stuck using a BlackBerry originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Neato XV-11 robot vacuum gets its very own open source LIDAR hack

Neato XV-11 robot vacuum gets its very own open source LIDAR hack originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zalman's making an SSD? You betcha, and it's embedding a SandForce SF-1222 controller in its N Series line. That controller has proven to be the go-to one for loads of solid state drives, but Zalman's joining the party a touch late. Unfortunately for it, the MSRPs affixed to the 64GB ($169) and 128GB ($289) versions aren't exactly class-leading, but the benchmarking gurus over at Legit Reviews took it upon themselves to test a 128GB model anyway. After running the gauntlet, the conclusions drawn were fairly predictable: scores were right in line with every other SandForce drive they had tested in recent months, with words like "speedy, resilient, and reliable" detailing the drive. Reviewers did point out that the pricing situation would likely hinder adoption rates, and it's still unclear if a company more closely associated with cooling accessories and cases can stake a claim in the storage realm. Hit the source link for the full skinny if you're edging closer to pulling the trigger.

Zalman's SandForce-based N Series SSD drive gets reviewed, patted on the back originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's what we know about the HTC Merge: it's also been known as the Lexicon, it's a dual-mode phone with GSM and CDMA heading to Verizon, it's got a slide-out QWERTY, an 800MHz processor, Bing and Bing Maps (a popular trend these days), and now we know, too, that it has a Body Glove snap on cover available to protect its metallic exterior. Here's what we don't know: why no one's yet to officially acknowledged this phone.

HTC Merge accessories in the wild -- nope, still not official yet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hello, multipurpose! Seagate's Pogoplug-based FreeAgent DockStar -- at least at a glance -- isn't much good to those who aren't buying up DockStar HDDs. But if you dig a little deeper, you'll realize that this minuscule adapter packs a 1.2GHz Marvell processor, 128MB of RAM and 256MB of ROM. There's also a smattering of USB ports and an Ethernet socket; add that all up, and you've got a hacker's playground. One Hunter Davis decided to see just how much he could squeeze out of this here peripheral, which can be widely found for as little as $25 nowadays. Thanks to a copy of Debian Linux, a good bit of programming know-how, a DisplayLink USB-to-VGA adapter and a USB sound adapter, he was able to concoct a homegrown emulation console that could handle nearly everything he threw at it. 'Course, you'll have to spring for those other parts if you don't have a house full of random doodads, but once he figures out how to install a battery and make the entire setup portable... look out! Head on past the break for an in-action video.

Continue reading Dockstar FreeAgent hacked into inexpensive emulation masterpiece (video)

Dockstar FreeAgent hacked into inexpensive emulation masterpiece (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Excited for Tegra 2 to finally take the Android smartphone world by storm? Recent leaks out of LG and Motorola certainly suggest that NVIDIA's finally going to make some inroads with its silicon somewhere around the Gingerbread or Honeycomb time frame -- and that might happen sooner rather than later if a posting on Facebook is to be believed. Remember that shiny black Olympus (pictured above) that leaked last week? Someone in the captain's chair of one of AT&T's official Facebook accounts responded to a question about availability of the phone earlier today, matter-of-factly reporting that "the Motorola Olympus should be available in December or January." We would've been willing to chalk it up to confusion on an employee's part, but the post was later removed without a trace, and a follow-up with AT&T elicited a standard "we don't have any information to share about upcoming devices" response. The company claims the posting was made "erroneously," and we'll agree with them on at least one level: neither AT&T nor Motorola intended for that information to slip out today.

Motorola Olympus hitting AT&T in 'December or January,' says now-deleted Facebook post originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still holding tight to the "Sharing is Caring!" mantra? Not afraid in the least of handing out a few kilobytes to lost tourists down below? If so, you're a prime candidate to own a Fon router; for those unaware, Fon's goal is to equip the world with its 802.11n routers, and then distribute WiFi through them for all to enjoy. The device creates two WiFi signals (SSIDs), one private and one public, and for anyone who knows the pain of being desperate for just a single open hotspot, it's a product (and mission) worth supporting. The Fonera SIMPL was introduced way back at Mobile World Congress, and while the company said it had an order for 400,000 then, that figure has risen rather significantly since. Today, it's revealing that two million of these guys have been sold to telecommunication companies around the globe, with British Telecom, MTS-Comstar Russia, SFR France, SoftBank Japan and ZON Cable Portugal named in particular. The general idea is to provide these to customers in order to lighten the overall load for everyone else, but those looking to buy in sans help can finally do so -- the SIMPL's going for $49 / €39 right now directly through the outfit's website and we're confident that you'll do the right thing.

Continue reading Fonera SIMPL router now on sale for $49, moving quickly to telcos

Fonera SIMPL router now on sale for $49, moving quickly to telcos originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An iPad for zilch on contract? Yessir... but only if you pack up and move to the Land of the Rising Sun. Softbank Mobile has just announced a new pricing plan that makes Apple's 16GB iPad WiFi + 3G model totally free with a two-year data agreement in Japan, and for those who recall it being "free" before, this situation is a bit different. You see, there's no built-in monthly surcharge for this one; rather than paying off your iPad over 24 months, you're actually getting it for nothing as long as you're kosher with forking out ¥4,725 ($56) per month for that 3G goodness. The deal starts on December 3rd, and we've got a strange, strange feeling that it'll do quite well if marketed correctly. And by "correctly," we mean "at all."

[Thanks, Ken]

Softbank makes 16GB iPad WiFi + 3G free with two-year contract originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Sectra virtual autopsy table available now, Stan Brakhage nonplussed

Sectra virtual autopsy table available now, Stan Brakhage nonplussed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Meka, UT Austin researchers show off 'sociable' Dreamer robot head

Meka, UT Austin researchers show off 'sociable' Dreamer robot head originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been quite a few months since we've seen any major developments in Microsoft's patent battle with Toronto-based i4i Inc over Microsoft Word, but it looks like things are now about to change in a big way. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the US Supreme Court has today agreed to hear Mircosoft's appeal in the case that dealt it $290 million in damages and prevented it from selling versions of Word that contained the allegedly infringing technology. That could not only have some pretty big ramifications for Microsoft in this particular case, but for patent law in general, as it gets to the very heart of the legal standard for determining the validity of a patent. Needless to say, we'll be watching this one very closely -- the court is expected to hear the case sometime next year.

US Supreme Court agrees to hear Microsoft appeal in Word patent case originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Sit back, relax, grab a controller, and enjoy some obsessive-compulsive button mashing while you work in that body-sized groove into the couch... that's not the M.O. for the console makers this year. You don't have to embrace the jumping, hand-waving, and other methods of physical exertion, but it's definitely the "it" gaming hardware of this holiday season. Be sure to triple-check just what box your loved ones play on, and click on through for our gaming gift suggestions.

Continue reading Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Gaming

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember when Oliver Kreylos impressed and shocked us by showing that a single Microsoft Kinect could create some remarkably stout 3D video? He's back at it again, this time blowing minds and demonstrating that two Kinects can be paired and their output meshed -- one basically filling in the gaps of the other. He found that the two do create some interference, the dotted IR pattern of one causing some holes and blotches in the other, but when the two are combined they basically help each other out and the results are quite impressive. As you can see in the video after the break, Oliver is able to rotate the camera perspective and basically film himself from a new camera angle that exists somewhere in between the position of the two Kinects, and do-so in real-time. Sure, the quality leaves a lot to be desired, but still. Wow.

[Thanks, Mohammad]

Continue reading Two Kinects join forces to create better 3D video, blow our minds (video)

Two Kinects join forces to create better 3D video, blow our minds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Had your morning cup of Haterade? Get ready to have it flushed out. A team of bicyclists / engineers have assembled what might be the best thing to happen to the bicycle since Lance Armstrong, with the (currently unnamed) pole-climbing bike lock created for Germany's own Conrad. There's no word on if (or when) this fancy contraption will go on sale, but we know at least one Dutch inhabitant that'll be parting ways with as many Euros as necessary in order to take one home. In short, this device straps around a nearby light pole and then carries your bike high into the air (and thus, faraway from the hands of thieves) via a remote control. The only problems? For one, it's huge, and should prove worrisome to carry around. Secondly, you'll be in a whole heap of trouble should some other prankster decide to hike his / her bike up the same pole beneath yours. Anywho, the video after the break is definitely worth a watch.

Continue reading Bicycle lock climbs poles, encourages would-be thieves to look elsewhere (video)

Bicycle lock climbs poles, encourages would-be thieves to look elsewhere (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just days after Sony's Qriocity video-on-demand service went live across Europe, in flies this -- news that the aforesaid service will be spreading its wings and touching the PSP in short order. Word on the street has it that the next PlayStation Portable update (v6.35) will bring along Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity, described as a "new, cloud-based, digital music service from Sony that will give music lovers access to millions of songs stored and synchronized through the cloud." Post-update, users will notice a new icon in the PSP's XrossMediaBar under the 'Music' category, and moreover, the Media Go application for managing PSP downloadable content on your PC will be updated "with enhancements to the user interface and advanced photo editing tools." Sony's remaining mum on a launch date, but the internet is already abuzz about what this may mean for the impending PlayStation Phone. Will Sony finally have a leg-up over iOS with an ingrained unlimited music client? A boy can dream, can't he?

Update: Tipster Isaac spotted the screen above and the one after the break on his PSPgo today. Looks like the launch may be sooner than we'd imagined, eh?

Continue reading Sony PSP to gain unlimited music via cloud-based Qriocity service

Sony PSP to gain unlimited music via cloud-based Qriocity service originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Touchscreens are selfish lovers, taking your gentle caresses and impatient taps without offering a hint of feedback to you. We've seen attempts to change that, like prototypes from Toshiba and Senseg that add a bit of texture to a touchable surface, but now Microsoft might be looking to bring such dynamic tactility to the one of the biggest touchable surfaces: Surface. A recent patent application entitled "Light-induced Shape-memory Polymer Display Screen" describes a technique for a display that uses infra-red light to detect touch, but also to "selectively change a topography of the topography-changing layer." In other words: to make it bumpy or smooth. Certain wavelengths of light projected on the screen can cause areas of that topography layer expand or contract, which could finally mean all our cries for attention might finally be responded to in kind.

MS applies for patent on 'light-induced shape-memory,' a touchscreen that could touch back originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, you can finally throw out that trunk in your grandfather's garage. Hugh Heffner's legacy has taken a cue from National Geographic -- in an arguably non-horrifying way -- and partnered with publisher Bondi Digital to release a (presumably Seagate-branded) 250GB external hard drive packed with every issue of Playboy released since 1953. Its $300 asking price is roughly four times what you'd pay for a fresh G-rated 250GB drive today, but compared to a 57-year subscription, the digital vault is certainly a bargain. In contrast to their trail blazin' efforts with the iBod though, thanks to the prominent placement of the brand's iconic bow tie-wearing bunny and name, there's no chance of using this device for practical tasks such as backing up TPS reports at the office. Like the decision to phase out DVDs in favor of VOD however, the move does prove the magazine isn't afraid of staying abreast of today's content consumption trends. Next stop, Nook Color?

Playboy releases not-so-discreet 250GB 'cover to cover' hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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