IBLOG SPACE

Is it seriously time for the Rogue to be replaced already? Not necessarily, because the rumored Reality for Verizon is now official for a launch later this week -- and it lacks some of the older model's visual pop. To be specific, the landscape QWERTY slider features a 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen LCD, a marked downgrade from the Rogue's 3.1-inch WVGA AMOLED, though the two basically go toe-to-toe with the camera (3.2 megapixels versus 3) and -- naturally -- both offer TouchWiz user experiences. Look for the Reality to hit on the 22nd of the month for $79.99 on contract after rebate in your choice of "Piano Black" or "City Red" (we would've liked "Reality Red," but maybe that's why we're bloggers and not marketers).

In Europe, it was a good year for cellphone GPS -- ComScore, an organization that tracks painful sounding concepts like penetration and market share, just reported that an estimated 21 million Europeans stopped to ask their phone for directions last year. That's up 68 percent from the 12.5 million who did so in 2008. With two-thirds of mobile map users saying they accessed their phone GPS in a moving vehicle, ComScore thinks the stats suggest phones might replace standard PNDs as well. Too soon to tell, perhaps, but judging by recent events, we expect 2010's numbers will be stellar nonetheless. Haven't tried smartphone GPS yourself? Direct yourself to our comparison guides and see what you've been missing.

Bad news if you’ve set your heart on a Viliv S10 Blade, with word coming from importer Dynamism that the convertible touchscreen netbook has been delayed from its original April 22nd ship date. The retailer is now showing various estimates, ranging from April 27th for the Atom Z530 models with the 64GB SSD, through to May 10th for the Atom Z550 variants. The 32GB SSD models, which have an Atom Z530 CPU, are delayed until May 5th, while the entry-level machine – with a 60GB hard-drive and Windows XP rather than Windows 7 as found on the other S10 versions – is due May 7th. No word on the exact cause of the schedule change beyond that the S10 Blade has been “delayed by the factory”, according to an email sent to a preorder customer.

Apple has announced shipping dates for the WiFi + 3G iPad, and while we were originally expecting the WWAN-enabled slate to arrive later this month, it seems that’s been pushed back to early May. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB 3G equipped iPads will begin shipping on May 7th, priced at $629, $729 and $829 respectively. That’s a $130 premium over the standard WiFi only iPads, but it does mean you can use your tablet away from the nearest wireless hotspot. The 3G modems Apple have used are triband UMTS/HSDPA (850/1900/2100) and are supplied unlocked; that means – if you can find a microSIM to buy – you can use the iPad’s connectivity while overseas. In the US, meanwhile, AT&T are offering two data packages: 250MB per month for $14.99, or unlimited data for $29.99. These are activated on the iPad itself, and are offered contract-free. The company recently announced that, due to surprisingly strong sales of the WiFi iPad in the US, and the upcoming launch of the WiFi + 3G model, internati

The Barnes and Noble nook has been available (mostly) for a few months now, so why shouldn’t the rumors about what’s coming next start up? Seems perfectly natural to us. And, after we reviewed the original and gave it a few high praises, we’re just as interested as anyone else to hear about whatever it is that Barnes and Noble may be cooking up in the technological ovens. According to a tipster, Gizmodo is reporting that there will actually be two “new” nooks arriving in the near future. The first is going to be the nook Lite, which is just a 3G-slimmed version of the original. Meaning, you’re only going to be rocking WiFi on your Lite version. However, on a good note, that also means you’ll be knocking off some of the price. According to the tip, the new nook Lite will go for $199 when it goes on sale at the end of the second quarter. Now, for the nook 2. No details to give you. Except that it’s supposedly coming out this year as well (perhaps by Christmas this time, B&N?), ther

It’s taken Apple nine long months to update their MacBook Pro range, and most people would agree that the Intel Core i5 and Core i7 refresh has arrived not a moment too soon. Intel’s latest processors bring with them a new, intelligent graphics system and a slightly higher price of entry – $1,799 rather than $1,699 – along with the promise of greater battery life and better performance. Hyperbole or must-have? Check out the full SlashGear review to find out. Outwardly, there’s nothing to differentiate this mid-2010 MacBook Pro from the Core 2 Duo model it replaces. To be fair to Apple that’s no great hardship; the MacBook Pro range remains one of the more striking designs on the market, even with its unibody structure a few years old now, and built quality remains high. As before, ports line the left-hand side of the notebook, and you still get an SD card slot, audio in/out, Mini DisplayPort, two closely situated USB 2.0, FireWire 800, gigabit Ethernet and a MagSafe power connector. On

One of the more talked about features of Apple tablet, was not so much a feature, as an entire industry that people believed the iPad would become a part of. And, sure enough, even before the iPad became officially available for consumers, Seton Hill University made it known that they were going to start providing iPads to their Fall, full-time students. As good as that is, apparently some other universities don’t see the iPad as such a great device for security purposes. According to The Wall Street Journal , it seems that three separate universities: Cornell, George Washington, and Princeton University are all restricting access of the Apple iPad. Stating wireless Internet security reasons, Princeton has logged an astonishing 20% of blocked iPads from its network. According to engineers, they realized malfunctions could result in a total breakdown in the school’s computer system. As for George Washington University, it seems that that school has permanently blocked the iPod Touch, iP

One of the best parts of having your own PC, is making it your own. You get to pick the parts that go into your tower, along with every other piece of accessory. If that’s your thing, you can do pretty much whatever you want with your PC. The only trouble is, usually, the price. For example, when the Intel X25-M 80GB broke cover a little over two years ago, it had a price tag of $595. Luckily it took a price cut last July, getting it down to $225. But now it’s even less, even if it’s just for a limited time. Thanks to the site DealzOn , working with another site, SuperBiiz , both of these SSDs are getting a quick price cut right off the bat, but then get an extra boost from a coupon the site is issuing for these two memory units until this Sunday, or April 18th. For the Intel X25-M 80GB SSD, you’re looking at a total savings of $76.80. With a list price of $276.79, you’re instant savings are $51.80, and the additional coupon strikes off $25.00, giving you a total of $199.99. As for the

Apparently, Sprint wants you to know that the iPad works with their 3G/4G Overdrive mobile hotspot. And, why should they stop at the iPhone, right? And, while commercials are all well and good, the next logical step is obviously creating an accessory for your Overdrive mobile hotspot, and Apple’s iPad. We’re wondering if AT&T, the carrier that’s supporting the 3G iPad, is going to start showing this kind of support for the tablet, or if Sprint will continue to lead the way. Sprint has made official the 4G Case, which is obviously designed for the Apple iPad. And, their product placement page goes as far as to actually show the iPad turned on and in the case proper. But, most importantly, it’s got a nice little pocket right there on the front face, with that WiFi symbol embroidered for good measure, where your Overdrive tucks perfectly into place. You can actually get the case for free with the purchase of an Overdrive right now, from a participating Best Buy. That list includes 1

Looks like someone inside Dell is just desperate for the company’s tablet plans to escape. After one exec confirmed that the Dell Mini 5 (aka Streak 5) was just the first of “a family of tablets“, a shot of two new Dell Streak models – one with a seven inch touchscreen, the other ten inches – has landed on Engadget’s desk, with the smaller expected to arrive late this year and the latter to make its debut early in 2011. Meanwhile the image was accompanied by some internal launch documentation that apparently tips release dates for the Dell Aero on AT&T and for the Dell Mini 5. The AT&T Android smartphone will apparently make its debut in June 2010, while the Mini 5 – as the Streak 5 – will drop later in the summer. Specifications and OSes for the new Streak 7 and Streak 10 tablets are unknown, but we’re assuming they’ll run Android like their Streak 5 counterpart, with a custom Dell UI on top. The company has previously said that it was looking into data packages similar to

We all know that lurking inside the Zune HD is NVIDIA’s potent first-gen Tegra chipset, but what isn’t so well publicised is that Microsoft’s XNA development platform for the PMP doesn’t allow access to the hardware’s full capabilities. In fact, it means no 3D, no internet access and performance apparently an order of magnitude less than what the Zune HD is capable of. That wasn’t good enough for the ZuneBoards team, and so they’ve come up with OpenZDK, an alternative development platform to XNA. With OpenZDK, developers can create Zune HD apps – as well as apps for the original Zune models – that take advantage of the Tegra APX2600 chipset, including using custom vertex and fragment shaders with OpenGL ES 2.0 and programming in C++. The resulting apps run on top of the regular Zune firmware, and shouldn’t impact your Microsoft warranty at all. The end result is the ability to make games that match up to Microsoft’s own titles, such as PGR: Ferrari Edition and Audiosurf Tilt , rathe

The Camangi WebStation was announced back when Android-based tablets were still a novelty; since then we’ve seen the iPad launch, various other tablets attempt to grab our attention, and read a few pretty dire reviewsof the company’s first-gen offering. On the SlashGear test bench today, then, is the “new upgraded version”of the WebStation; at $275 it’s around half the price of Apple’s tablet, but is it double the value? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. In terms of hardware, the WebStation is a 7.87 x 4.72 x 0.57 inch slate weighing 13.75 oz and dominated by a 7-inch WVGA 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen. Three buttons – Home, Menu and Back – run along the right side of the display bezel, while there are volume controls on the left edge and a power button on the top. Our review unit is white, though Camangi also offer black and pink versions. Connectivity includes a full-sized USB 2.0 port, mini USB, 3.5mm headphone jack and WiFi b/g, together with a microSD slot. As w

ASUS are busy planning a follow-up to their first 3D gaming notebook, the G51J-3D, according to the latest mumblings from market sources in Taipei. DigiTimes reckons CMI, Samsung Electronics and LG Display are all competing to provide ASUS with a 17-inch 3D-capable LCD display for the so-far unnamed machine, which they reckon is due to arrive later on this year. Other hardware for the machine is uncertain, including the 3D system it will use. The G51J-3D used NVIDIA’s 3D Vision system, which requires a special pair of shutter glasses and a plug-in emitter to control them, paired with a Core i7 processor; however it only had a 15.6-inch display. The new ASUS 3D notebook is expected to arrive in Q3 2010, price as yet unknown.

Saving power is a good thing but when you can combine tech that saves power and offers better performance it’s a great thing. Such is the case with LED backlit displays for computers. We first saw LED displays in the notebook market where the power savings meant longer battery life. LED displays are now becoming more common in the desktop market as well. BenQ has unveiled a couple new LED backlit LCDs called the GL2030M and the GL2030AM. The LEDs and Eco mode promises to save 39.3% more power than a normal LCD would. The screens boast a contrast ratio of 12M:1 dynamic and have 5ms response times. Both screens are 20-inches wide and have 1600 x 900 resolutions. Brightness for both is 250cd/m2 and the standard contrast ratio is 1000:1. The only difference between the two appears to be in connectivity and HDCP. The AM version has D-Sub, headphone jack, and a line in with no HDCP support. The M version adds a DVI-D port and support for HDCP.

There is certainly no shortage of aftermarket headphones for devices like the iPod and other PMPs. Upgrading headphones is often one of the first things that a person does after buying a new music device or mobile phone. A company called Jays has offered up a new line of in-ear headphones called t-Jays. The headphones are developed for comfort and high performance playback. The headphones have a slimline design that has an angled sound tube for increased comfort. The drivers inside the headphones are 10mm units and the design lets the cable be worn over the ear for stability or in front of the ear for normal wear. Three models are in the t-Jays series including the One, Two, and Three. The One series has 18- 20,000Hz range and ships with silicon sleeves in multiple sizes and an extension cable. The Two line has a 17 – 22,000Hz range and includes multiple sleeves, extension cable, stereo splitter, and a flight adapter. The Three has a frequency response of 15 – 25,000Hz and ships with s

Many iPhone users out there like the handset, but aren’t big fans of being locked to one network or limited to using only approved software. For this type of user jailbreaking, their device is often one of the first things done. The catch is that with each update the jailbreak crowd has to find another way around the lockdowns Apple puts into effect. With iPhone OS 4.0, coming soon jailbreak artist MuscleNerd is already at work on jailbreaking the new OS. MuscleNerd has succeeded already with some specific stipulations. First, the jailbreak only works on the iPhone 3G. The second is that the jailbreak software is only for developers. The third caveat is that reports are the jailbreak is unstable now with reports of wireless connectivity issues. Still, this is certainly a start and we can expect things to get better.

When it comes to losing weight, many folks like to stand on the scale and use the readings to track their weight loss goals. Normal scales mean you have to write down your weight and track it manually. A new breed of scales like the Withings scale tracks your weight automatically and can even Tweet your weight if you want. That cool Withings scale isn’t the only scale that can track and upload your data automatically with the introduction of the BodyTrace scale. The Withings scale uses WiFi, but the BodyTrace uses GSM technology and doesn’t need any software or hardware on the user end to operate. That means if there is no WiFi network or if the WiFi network isn’t available the BodyTrace can still do its thing. The scale sends weights to the BodyTrace website where you can track weight lost and progress towards goals. The scale can be purchased for right under $10. The catch is that there is a $9.99 monthly fee and a year contract for that plan. The much better option is to buy the sca

Princeton University reckon they’ve discovered the root cause of the iPad’s intermittent WiFi connection problems, and rather than a hardware fault – as many early-adopters feared – they believe it’s down to how iPhone OS 3.2 handles DHCP leases. They found that in certain circumstances the iPad doesn’t renew its DHCP lease, attempting to continue using the same IP address despite whichever router assigned it no longer seeing it as valid (and, potentially, already having assigned it to a different user). “We’ve found that we can reliably reproduce the problem by allowing the iPad to lock its screen before DHCP lease renewal time, and then allowing it remain in that state (powered on with its screen locked) until the DHCP lease has expired, assuming the iPad experiences no 802.11 wireless disconnect/reconnect events during that time.” Princeton University Princeton’s IT team noticed the issue arise as soon as the first iPads tried to connect to their WiFi network, and so far 22 of the

The will-they, won’t-they rumors surrounding HTC’s tipped tabletproject are now officially more convoluted than Ross and Rachel from Friends , and just as we’d got used to the idea that it had all been an experiment subsequently abandoned there’s now conflicting word from HTC in South Africa. At the recent launch of the Legend, Desire and Smart there, local MD Quinton Leigh apparently toldPhoneReport that the company was working on an Android-based tablet. Bizarrely, Leigh went on to say that the Android tablet “might not be an actual tablet”, though there was no explanation of exactly what that means; potentially HTC could be positioning whatever the device turns out to be as a supersized smartphone instead. Specifications are similarly unknown, though the device is expected to have a large range of wireless connectivity options. Leigh also suggested that HTC were planning to add 1080p Full HD video recording to their phones, potentially by Q2 2011, while Yamaha 5.1 surround sound c

Bad news if you were hoping to milk Sony for a few bucks after hearing they gave at least one person a partial PS3 refund over the “Other OS” debacle. The company has denied that removing the ability to install alternative OSes to the original PS3 hardware contravenes the Sale of Goods Act, describing it as “first and foremost a games console” and insisting that “our marketing materials for the console reflect this.” If retailers – like Amazon in the initial case – want to issue a partial refund, the company reckons, that’s up to them, but they shouldn’t expect any help from the Sony purse. “The console packaging and the in-box manual for the console do not refer to the use of Linux on the console. Rather, the console packaging states that the product’s design and specifications are subject to change without notice and that the system software within the console is subject to a limited licence between SCE and the consumer, and this licence permits SCE to update the system software an

Like any new Apple product, the MacBook Pro has to go through the rite of passage that is an iFixit teardown. The company have unleashed their usual screwdrivers, spudgers and tickling sticks and whipped open the 15-inch notebook’s unibody aluminum case to reveal – in this particular model – the Intel Core i5 processor lurking inside. While the headline changes are the CPU and GPU, iFixit found a few more modifications that are less obvious. They include an extra wireless antenna fixed to the optical drive opening, so as to hopefully boost range despite the metal chassis, together with separate speaker/subwoofer enclosures. Apple have also modified the standard Intel HM55 Express chipset – presumably to work with their AGS automatic graphics switching system – and it doesn’t get its own heat sink, either. There’s also a bigger battery than on the last-gen models, up from 73 Wh to 77.5 Wh, though that alone isn’t sufficient to add in the extra 2hrs of battery life Apple claim you’ll

Toshiba’s last new products this week are a pair of external hard-drives, in the shape of the new StorE Art 3 series. The two drives hook up via USB 2.0 and pack 750GB or 1TB using a 2.5-inch HDD with an internal shock protection sensor and rubber edging for bump-resistance. The company are also pretty proud of their new design, too, though as far as we could tell it consisted of a blue (750GB) or black (1TB) casing with a few squares sprinkled across the top. Still, we don’t ask for too much from our external storage, beyond gobs of gigabytes of course, so everything will depend on how Toshiba price the two StorE Art 3 HDDs when they go on sale in May 2010.

T oshiba have announced a refresh to their Satellite notebook range, including four new models each with a multimedia bent. Top end is the Toshiba Satellite A660, with a choice of Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, a 16-inch LED-backlit 1366 x 768 display and up to 640GB HDD/8GB RAM. However there are also Satellite L670, L650 and C650 models which offer more affordable computing. The Satellite L670 and L650 have 17.3-inch and 15.6-inch displays respectively, and get a choice of Core i3, Core i5 or AMD processors paired with up to 4GB of RAM and up to 500GB HDD. Some models also have discrete AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5145 512MB graphics. Connectivity includes HDMI, WiFi b/g/n and eSATA. Right down at the budget end is the 15.6-inch Satellite C650, expected to hit UK shelves priced at £350 or thereabouts ($541). That gets a Core i3, Pentium or AMD processor, up to 4GB of RAM and up to 500GB HDD; graphics are either courtesy of an Intel HD or ATI shared GPU. There’s also WiFi b/g/n, USB a

Toshiba have announced a pair of new, Full HD camcorders, the Camileo SX500 and SX900, each recording in 1920 x 1080 30p/60i to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards up to 64GB in size. The barrel-format cameras – which can also grab 10- and 14-megapixel stills respectively – each have electronic image stabilization together with face and color tracking. The SX500 gets a 5x optical zoom (12x digital) while the SX900 bumps that up to a 9x optical zoom (12x digital); they’re also capable of shooting in 4 lux and 3 lux lighting, respectively. We grabbed some hands-on time with the two new models this week, and while we’d have liked to have seen some extra onboard storage – there’s just 118MB internally, and that’s locked off as soon as you slot in a memory card – they’re light, have menu systems that are reasonably straightforward to navigate, and decent-sized 2.7-inch LCD preview displays. The Camileo SX900 and SX500 will go on sale come July 2010, priced at £250 ($387) and £200 ($309) respectivel

Toshiba have unveiled the new Portégé M780 convertible tablet PC, the replacement to the Portégé M750. Based around a twisting 12.1-inch dual-mode touchscreen, the M780 has an Intel Core i3 processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory and a 250GB hard-drive; the display can be used either with fingertips or with a special active stylus for more precise control. Elsewhere there’s WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, three USB 2.0 ports (one of which is a USB/eSATA combo) and a 5-in-1 memory card reader, together with gigabit ethernet, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a battery good for up to 5.5hrs runtime. Toshiba have clad the M780 in a magnesium alloy chassis, and they reckon it’s capable of surviving a 70cm drop without sustaining damage. When we grabbed some hands-on time with the tablet PC, it certainly felt reasonably responsive, with the touchscreen reacting quickly and even capable of handwriting recognition when using your finger rather than the stylus. Toshiba’s screen locking system – which has a c

When we were in school, there were the traditional, painfully loud and annoying blackboards and chalk. Sure, they made awesome chalk clouds, but other than that, the boards were more of a nuisance than anything else. And then came the whiteboard, which was quickly adopted in schools all over the world. Dry-erase markers were the thing of the future! Well, it looks like the future is changing, because Samsung wants students to look at giant LCD screens now, and we can’t blame them. But that’s only because we love looking at giant LCD screens, too. Samsung has introduced the 650TS Electronic Blackboard (eBoard?) to 300 elementary schools in the Netherlands, and an additional 100 units have been sent out to be deployed within England’s school district. There are more orders waiting, and Samsung has made it clear that further orders will be met by the end of May. And, while Samsung has the Electronic Blackboard focused at the education department, they’re happy with the amount of orders th

RED knows how to make really, really expensive cameras. But, they can get away with it because those really, really expensive cameras do more than what’s probably necessary (even for that price tag). And, even if we know we’d never have a reason to own one of the RED cameras, we can’t help but stare at them. Especially pieces of tech like the RED EPIC. RED keeps their promises, too. Promised earlier in the year that they would be showing off a functioning RED EPIC at NAB 2010, they’ve done just that. The professional camera took 13 seconds to actually boot up, but as soon as it did, the crazy goodness began. Meaning, it was perfectly capable of shooting at its 5K resolution, even if it wasn’t given a full test run at the showing. That shouldn’t be a big deal for most, as RED has shown in the past that the RED EPIC’s upgraded sensor is fully capable of besting previous 4K camera’s –the RED ONE– light sensitivity. You can preorder the EPIC right now, if you’re an existing owner of a RED

Let’s just say that we’re looking at these images with one eyebrow raised. Not only are we entirely way too skeptical of these images for our own good, they just don’t look like the iPhone HD (or 4G, or whatever you want to call it) we’d expect from Apple. Yes, the Cupertino-based company has a love affair with aluminum, but that throws up questions in of itself, considering if you actually want to make a phone call, aluminum is going to make that next to impossible (and it’s not like AT&T needs any more reasons to question their network). There’s three images in total, and they showed up over at MacRumors , and they’re just as skeptical as we are. They point out that within the meta data of the images, Photoshop made a quick pass through at least a couple times. And, if you look hard enough, you can indeed see that the FCC ID has been blurred. But, that could be to save someone’s identity, if these are indeed the real deal. Also, the Apple logo is awfully small, but furthermore, i

We’ll never pass up any kind of gadget getting leaked ahead of a scheduled announcement date. Even if that leak is just one picture, and a few tid-bits of information short of a full press release. And while the information about the Leica V-Lux has been known for at least a little while around the Internet, this is the first image that’s graced the large scene. It’s a 12.1MP monster, with an additional assortment of features that may remind you of another camera. Along with that megapixel count, you’ll also get 720p video recording, and that oh so important feature: geo-tagging with built-in GPS. You also get a 3.0-inch LCD screen on the back, and a 25-300mm zoom range. If you’re a camera hound, and you keep tabs of all the details, then you’re probably thinking this sounds a lot like a Panasonic ZS7. And, you’d be right. Because, it is a Panasonic ZS7, with some aesthetic tweaks to the body (which, we admit, makes it look a whole lot better), the software inside running the show, an

It’s been a long time coming, with all sorts of leaks, documents, and blurry cam images to make any Android fanatic out there ache in the knees to get some kind of official announcement by Verizon Wireless about the existence of the handset. Well, for all of you out there who were waiting to see what all the fuss was about, here you are. The Droid Incredible by HTC has gone on the record as being the latest member of the Droid army for the nation’s largest wireless carrier. And it’s as every bit as good as we had heard rumored. The Droid Incredible by HTC is an Android-based device, running the latest (Android 2.1) version, but upgraded with the latest version of HTC’s Sense User Interface (as we’ve seen on the Desire). It’s got a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED capacitive display, optical joystick, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8GB of on board storage, and an 8MP camera on the back of the handset. As for availability, Verizon Wireless will begin taking preorders on April 19th, and it will officia

Having officially unveiled their SA7 in-ear monitors this week, Sleek Audio are slowly pushing out more shots and information about the upcoming high-end earphones. Set to slot into the company’s range above the existingSA6’s, but for those audiophiles not interested in the Sleek Audio CT6 Customs, the SA7’s are expected to launch within the next few months. As these new images show, the earphones use a similar ear-nozzle arrangement to the SA1’s, though unlike Sleek’s entry-level set they also have the full VQ sound adjustment control. This consists of various bass and treble ports and plugs, which can be used to emphasise different aspects of the audio depending on the type of music you prefer listening to. We chatted to Sleek Audio yesterday, and they told us that in comparison to the SA6 earphones, the new SA7’s extend the treble range by a full octave, together with heaping on extra bass. Prices are expected to come in at around $350 to $400.

At this point, the HTC Incredible should seem like pretty familiar territory to our readers. We first caught wind of the device in a ROM leak back in December of 2009, and shortly thereafter saw lots of little snippets on the phone that made it clear it was headed our way. Of course, it's a potent combination that's been put together here -- an HTC-made, Verizon-locked device sporting a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 8GB of internal storage, 748MB of ROM, a microSD slot (with support for up to 32GB cards), an 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and autofocus, 480 x 800 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, and most importantly, Android 2.1 with HTC's Sense UI on-board. The combo of America's largest (and some say best) 3G network with a super-fast, Sense-equipped Android phone is a match made in nerd heaven. We've seen a near-exact device in the HTC Desire -- basically the Incredible for the European market -- and the internals and screen technology are almost identical to the Ne

Well, we told you so. The fourth-generation iPhone prototype that leaked its way out into the world over the weekend has found its way to Gizmodo , and they've examined it exhaustively, erasing any doubt that it's real. Not only does it show up in iTunes, Xcode, and System Profiler, but it has different product identifiers than the 3G or 3GS, and it's packed with Apple-labeled components inside. Unfortunately, they couldn't get it to boot out of recovery mode, but a number of new features and changes are evident just by holding it. Obviously, it's thinner than the 3GS, with smaller internal components and a larger battery inside the metal frame. There's also a front-facing camera, a larger and better camera with a flash on the back, a higher-res display that's slightly smaller than the current models, a second mic for noise cancellation, and that new back, which Giz seems a bit confused about but we're fairly sure is glass or ceramic. It's also thre

America has spoken (at least the TV-addicted, iPhone owning segment) and the cry is being heard: they want to control their DVRs from their handset! The Verizon FiOS DVR Manager sounds pretty straightforward: set your DVR! Set parental controls! Bookmark, browse, search TV programming, and more! And all from your iPhone. (Of course, plenty of Android users have been doing this for a while now.) Kind of makes that old iTunes-basedmedia management system seem a little weak sauce, doesn't it? Of course, if you're out at dinner or in a meeting and you're being driven to distraction trying to remember if Ninja Assassin is a video-on-demand selection this month, you probably have much bigger problems than on-the-road DVR management. But that's none of our business. Compatible with your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad sportin' OS 3.0 or later.

Users of webOS and HTC Sense can skip ahead, you're already familiar with tight social networking integration on your handsets. Now Apple appears ready to join the social, so to speak. New evidence of low-level Facebook event and contacts integration has been revealed in iPhone OS 4 hinting at the possibility of unified Calendar and Contacts apps from Apple when the OS launches this summer on, um, this device. Web site Website Gunning for Safety says that Apple appears to have created a "separate type of contact" just for Facebook. On its own, the claim is suspect if only because the site's focus is related to nail gun safety. But we've grabbed copies of the associated .plist files from a jailbroken iPhone running OS 4 that seemingly back the claim. There's even mention of a generic "SocialKitInternal.framework" opening the door for integration with services like Twitter -- though we found no evidence for that. All this aligns nicely with a "L

Hey -- there it is! The Droid Incredible can be yours right now! Well, you can pre-order it on Verizon's site, anyway, and they're listing April 29th as the delivery date. The phone is $199 on contract, so if you can't wait to get ahold of this 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED, 1GHz Snapdragon-boasting beauty, well, hit up the source link.

Earlier this month, an unknown manufacturer had the dubious distinction of making our KIRF list, for buildingwhat appeared to be a Nexus One running iPhone OS. Mr. Blurrycam couldn't tell for sure... but today the KIRFtastic handset has been unveiled in all its infringing glory. Dubbed the "TEG W3000," the device is billed as a quad-band GSM worldphone with an accelerometer, WiFi and Bluetooth, front and back-facing 2 megapixel cameras, FM and analog TV tuners and Java support. While the iPhoney OS doesn't seem to have a App Store hackjob, the phone certainly has apps; in an interface pic, we spotted eBuddy, Facebook and Skype alongside Maps and the Opera web browser. Hands-down the most exciting ripoff in recent memory. Now cautiously whistle a happy tune, and move along.

If you're itching to put a webOS device on your AT&T account and don't mind having half the now-standard RAM, the developers at jictechnology have released what they're claiming is an official, permanent SIM unlock for the original Palm Pre. A few bugs to get through, but it's apparently legitimate enough (we haven't tried, but the happy customers in the forums seem to suggest success) for the group to charge around £25. Great news all around, but if you're the sort whose fixation on Palm hasn't been so grand that you resisted switching to Sprint or Verizon, you can probably wait for the AT&T's Plus-sized model.

When it is Mani Ratnam, actors tend to go out of their way to impress the ace helmer. Not just that, in fact they have the gust to perform their acts to T when the project is as promising as ‘Raavan’. Here’s what our birdies picked from the pages of ‘Raavan’ shooting. The scene involved Govinda, who plays Hanuman in the film, doing some action stunts. The shooting was then going on in the chilling locales of Ooty. The shoots were said to be very taxing as the team used to start at 8pm and end at 6am the next day. Now the stunts had been quite difficult, where Govinda had to climb trees and then swing from one branch to another. Mani had insisted Govinda to use a body double to do the scenes, however being a game for it the actor brushed off the idea. Still, out of the 12-15 scenes for only two scenes the body doubles were said to be used. Hmm, but going by the heavy built of the actor one can imagine how tough it was for him to do the stunts. Nevertheless, Govinda surpr

Asin had to be hospitalised on Thursday after a gas leak inside her caravan induced attack of breathlessness. Reports said the incident happened in Thirumayam near Karaikkal where the actress was shooting for Tamil film ‘Kaavalkaran’. Asin was in her vanity van getting ready for her shot. She was with her make-up dada and hair stylist. It all started when a stench emanated in the van. The trio ignored it until the smell became unbearable and the make-up man fainted suffocating. Asin who by then sensed uneasiness immediately ran out of the van. Sources revealed that it was a gas leak, and there was a dead insect stuck which choked the pipe and gave out the stench. All three of them were quickly taken to a hospital. Unfortunately they were shooting on the outskirts of Kairaikudi and only found a hospital 15kms away. Asin was out of breath, but was constantly inquiring about the makeup man who fainted. All the three are said to be doing fine now.

Earlier we had mentioned an amusing incident wherein director Farah Khan made a serious effort to feature her triplets in her ‘Tees Maar Khan’. But here’s yet another lady filmmaker who tried the formula and succeeded in it. ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ director Gurinder Chadha roped in her twin - son Ronak and daughter Kumiko – to play small parts in her new film ‘It’s A Wonderful Afterlife’. The film had held a special screening at London's Leicester Square. Here, the proud mother had also brought in her kids, including them in the cast list at the premiere. When asked about them, Gurinder excitedly quipped that her twins have debuted in acting with her film, not once but twice. And both the times they steal the show. About their involvement, she further explained that they first appear in a sequence in a park with her husband Paul and then later in a wedding scene throwing flowers at the bride and the groom. Besides, the twins have earned a place in the end-titles as

If a piece of cinema ever had its heart in the place, this is it. Don't let the sluggish pace, the absence of stylish shots and flamboyant frames fool you into believing that this is a film with no style. The style behind Paathshaala is in its inner conviction. The obvious artlessness of presentation with the students and teachers of an imaginary school behaving with a bluntness that replicates the dialect of television talk- shows rather than the realism of cinema, must not come in the way of our wholeheartedly accepting the film for what it is. An unconditionally sincere effort to understand why the country's educational system pressurizes children into performance anxiety. While Basha Lal's cinematography is free of poetic flourishes the Ae Khuda track just sweeps you off your feet. That is not the effect this grounded and sensible film and its unhurried pace strive to achieve otherwise. The storytelling is suffused with sensitive pockets. To cite some

"Bollywood's new Sex Siren" is how the tinsel town hails the newcomer Neeru Singh. And she has every single reason to be called so for she is someone who can rightly be 'held responsible' for the fiery B.O. collections that her debut film Prince is witnessing now, in which she is paired opposite the heart throb Vivek Oberoi. It's in this issue; the charming PYT goes on record to say, "My only concern was that I didn't want to look like a fat ass in the bikini. I would be strutting around in a bikini at any given time. I have no apprehensions of wearing it at all." Talking about her exit from TV, she explains, "I wasn't happy and I wasn't growing on TV so I decided to leave it. The money maybe good, but I never ran after that. I was the only fool who left TV when I had just started making money." Talking about her love for films, Neeru adds, "I have been in love with films for as long as I remember. I practi

In one of his multitudinous interviews to promote this intended shiver giver Ram Gopal Varma said the scariest film he had seen in recent times was Karan Johar's Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna . Now that's a scary thought. Because Johar's film didn't belong to the horror genre. Phoonk 2 does. And it is definitely NOT the scariest film we've seen. Varma's terror theme has clearly run its course. What we see here is the remnants of another Friday. And definitely not Friday The 13th . Perched somewhere between crowing ( ahem ahem ) about the supernatural and crying over the nerve-wracking disruption of domestic harmony by a ghost which just won't go away Phoonk 2 is like that promised rollercoaster ride which gets aborted in the first lap because of a short circuit. It's not really Varma or his director Milind Gadkar's fault. It's the nature of the material. Ram Gopal Varma's love for horror has never extended beyond the there's-

As a part of the promotions of his latest film Paathshaala (which releases today), Shahid Kapoor took a trip down memory lane and visited his own 'Paathshaala' in Delhi. Dressed in a black jacket and sporting the much talked about bearded look, Shahid visited his old school- Gyan Bharti Public School- in Delhi, wherein he studied till the 4th grade. He met up with the students and the entire faculty of the school who welcomed him and took him on a short tour of the school. The star also had an opportunity to visit his old classroom which brought back memories of the days when he used to just be a carefree kid who enjoyed his school days. Shahid also got to meet two of his teachers who reminded him of his school days when he was a naughty but lovable child. The kids from the school went crazy on seeing Shahid and were screaming for autographs and photographs with their favorite star. The school children had also organized a special programme for Shahid and the a