Engadget

Engadget Japan meetup wrap-up and farewell Japan!

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 15th 2009 at 11:41PM

So there are ways to wrap up trips and there are ways to wrap... up... trips. After four weeks of Engadget souls roaming the trains of Tokyo for TGS and CEATEC, we finally closed things out with a massive reader meetup with Engadget Japan. About 500 rabid (but very friendly) Engadget Japan fans lined up in Roppongi to meet the editors and see some mind-boggling, sometimes hysterical, and always interesting presentations. Thanks to Maywa Denki for his artistic impressions of Engadget readers (and the amazing Otamatone musical...thing). Also big ups to Samo Dengi (composer of music for Tekken), Cerevo, Acer, Microsoft, and Sony. But most of all, thanks to our amazing readers world-round, and thank you Japan! We are humbled, honored, and oh, so tired. See you next year! Rainen mata oaishimashooo! Video of the event after the break (taken on a 3G Android device, btw!).

Gallery: Engadget Japan meetup 2009

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ROHM shows off flexible organic EL light tech in shiny bracelet form

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 6th 2009 at 5:29AM

ROHM, the Kyoto-based semiconductor company that has been promising us tiny, thin OLED lights of joy for years, has finally delivered what we've all been waiting for: a shiny, pulsating, light-up bracelet. During a construction-laden sneak peak of the CEATEC show floor, ROHM was nice enough to show us this organic EL bracelet that sports their new flexible Japanese paper-based lighting technology. This particular bracelet is powered by a wafer-thin lithium battery and is sure to go quite nicely with your little silver dress. No word on availability or pricing, but this thing is for real, and you can see as much for yourself in a fun little video after the break.

Gallery: ROHM shows off flexible organic EL light tech in shiny bracelet form

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Gateway P-7808u FX gaming laptop unboxing and hands-on

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Mar 11th 2009 at 6:14PM

The nice folks at Gateway were good enough to send over a fresh-out-of-the-oven P-7808u FX, their newest entry into a now-long lineage of gaming laptops. This $1699 machine replaces the similarly-priced P7811FX that we took a look at a few months ago and, like its older brother, packs some serious gaming-for-your-buck. Who are we to keep you from some delicious unboxing and hands-on dirtiness?

The latest FX sits in the same case as the P-7811 FX, including the gaudy black and orange effects that remind us of an 80s Chevy Monte Carlo (look it up, you'll see what we mean). We're ready for Gateway to leave this design behind -- the FX deserves a new dress, because, really, she has a great personality. Gateway has kept the 5-in-1 multicard reader, HDMI port, triple USB 2.0 plugs, and handy eSATA port while adding a 9-cell battery that provides longer portable gaming time of around four hours. Don't expect to throw this giant into a backpack any time soon, as the P-7808u FX weighs in at a bag-busting 9 pounds while a 17-inch widescreen monitor sits above a full-size keyboard complete with numpad.

Gallery: Gateway P7808uFX Unboxing

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Light Gun Zero Plus wireless light gun demo unit spotted at TGS

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 9th 2008 at 10:09AM

We spotted this demo light gun on the floor of TGS2008. The cagey booth attendant wouldn't tell us if it will ever hit retail shelves, but the frankensteined (see the external batteries?) device was certainly working with a PS3 and projector here in Tokyo. We're all for some wireless light gun action, so bring it on, Light Gun Zero. That is, if you can. Oh, and if you can get rid of that unusual battery pack. Okay, thanks.

Gallery: Light Gun Plus Wireless

Eyes-on with Vuzix's iWear AV310 Widescreen wearable display

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 9th 2008 at 9:03AM

Vuzix will have you wearing your display if it's the last thing you do. We spotted the headset maker's new AV310 Widescreen wearable headset at TGS, and were pleased with the improvement over the company's previous entries into the head-mounted display market. First, the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio is a major bonus for, oh, any game that's come out in the past two years. Second, the headphones hang on cables rather than in fixed locations, promising what we felt was a much more comfortable fit. Picture quality was acceptable at such a short distance, but we're still not completely sold on the goggle look just yet. Hit the break for a couple more shots.

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Brains-on with NeuroSky and Square Enix's Judecca mind-control game

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 9th 2008 at 8:41AM

We already know that NeuroSky is bringing us the mind-reading Mindset for your gaming pleasures, but we got a first-hand look at the device here at TGS. At first glance, the headset may appear to be just another white set of over-the-ear headphones, but a little boom that gets all cuddly with your forehead measures how well you are concentrating on in-game objects. While this may sound like a bunch of hoopla, keep in mind that mega-developer Square Enix is already on board with "Judecca," a zombie thriller that forces you to concentrate your way into seeing your enemies. After holding up your hand, you then concentrate on a glyph that glows in direct relation to your ability to concentrate, opening up what's called your Devil's Eye. Once you're in a zen-like state, you can see Judecca's zombies and unleash some kill. You can also show your concentration skills enough to walk through walls, naturally. In our limited time trying the tech with Judecca, we were indeed able to induce some sort of concentrative state, even with the distractions of a giant Japanese gaming convention. As for how long we'd want to play something like this before switching to something involving, say, just pushing buttons and killing enemies, we're not so sure. NeuroSky promises the device in Spring 2009 for a price somewhere between $50 and $80. Hit the break for a couple shots of the device and a very tense gamer.

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Panasonic's EZ Touch multitouch remote control concept hands-on and video

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 1st 2008 at 7:32AM

Panasonic is looking to reinvent the remote control with its EZ Touch Remote prototype that it is showing off here at CEATEC. Rather than rely on a touch-screen interface that forces one to look down at a remote (and away from the object of one's entertainment), the concept puts the visual feedback where it belongs: on the screen. The remote can sense left- or right-handed users and adjust the interface appropriately, moving important triggers around based on where one's thumb may (or may not) be. Dual touch pads allow for multitouch data entry and zoom manipulation, while gestures allow for quick scrolls, making this one of the most intuitive and drool-worthy remote controls we've seen in a while, or ever. We're so into it that we've provided a full gallery and three videos after the break.

Gallery: Panasonic EZTouch multi-touch remote

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DoCoMo's separated phone hands-on and video from CEATEC

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 1st 2008 at 2:20AM

We got all down and dirty with DoCoMo and Fujitsu's prototype "Separated phone" today at CEATEC, and we can confirm that the device does, in fact do what they say it does. As reported earlier, the device uses Bluetooth to communicate between the phone's two magnetized halves, enabling configurations in everything from standard clamshell to gaming landscape formats. Perhaps the most compelling configuration is one that allows the phone to be held to the ear while one accesses data on the another half, complete with neck cramps. The touchscreen, Symbian S60-based UI was easy enough to use (albeit in Japanese) and features a hearty media playback element, but we were unable to squeeze any commitment to a launch date, price, or probability of seeing the unit on the market. That all said, the demo units were very much operational as you can see for yourself in the video after the break.

Gallery: DoCoMo Separated Phone

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KDDI au concept phones explained and pictured

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Oct 1st 2008 at 12:06AM

We got the low-down (well, at much of a low-down as one can get from thematic designers) on KDDI's latest au concept phones here at CEATEC, and the themes are -- are you sitting down? -- space and soup atomic elements. No, we didn't make that up. If you're still with us, hit the break for some pictures and explanations.

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JVC Everio concept HD camcorder up close at CEATEC

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 30th 2008 at 11:31PM

While JVC Victor hasn't promised us a review unit just yet (cmon, we're still begging here), we did get a chance to get up close with its SDHC concept camcorder today at CEATEC. Designed for the more sophisticated user (as opposed to family users, they tell us), the camera will shoot both high-quality HD video and stills, something they say has yet to be done in a device. The upcoming Everio is slated for release in the first half of 2009 at an undisclosed price, but JVC promises the unit is, indeed, coming. In the meantime, we'll have to make do with these new shots in the gallery below.

Gallery: Everio HD Camcorder concept

Sharp's tegakichat concept phone brings the purikura booth to girls' pockets

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 30th 2008 at 11:49AM

Japan is drenched in arcades with female-only purikura (photo booth for you gaijin) corners in which aflutter girls take pictures, bless them with sparkly decorations, and print them to book cover friendly stickers for all to see, for better or worse, to the horror of their moms, to the delight of their potential boyfriends. Let's say Sharp was to take the purikura phenomenon and fuse it with to the teenage girl's number one obsession: the cell phone (keitai for our Japanese readers). That's exactly what it did with this concept phone and software, complete with a shared art space that can be collectively decorated over wireless networks. Scary? Perhaps. Cool enough to snap some video in awesome disbelief? Most definitely.

Gallery: Sharp tegakichat

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Sony's 0.3mm OLED gets all bent at CEATEC

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 30th 2008 at 4:10AM

The last time we saw Sony's 0.3mm OLED prototype, it was encased in lasers and protected by deathbots in an underground prison of doom. This time around, Sony is showing off the razor-thin display for all at CEATEC to see, and they went all bendy on us. The new prototype has a curve to it, perhaps foretelling some curious plans for the technology in its expensive years ahead. Despite the curve, the picture remains as sharp and contrast-heavy as one would expect from OLED. Pictures and proof of the curved madness below.

Gallery: Sony 0.3mm curved OLED

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 coming in November at $799 according to booth rep

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 30th 2008 at 3:39AM

Last we heard from Panasonic, the DMC-G1 super-light was tentatively priced at $799 for US markets. Turns out this is fact, at least if the officials at Panasonic's booth here at CEATEC are to be believed. What's more, they say the G1 will hit stateside shores in November, so if you're in the market for a new camera, start saving now. In related news, we got our hands on the G1 again, this time in red (the camera, not our hands). The digital viewfinder is still a bit disorienting, but the proximity sensor that turns off the big display when you're up close is a nice little trick. Pics and what-not below.

Gallery: Panasonic DMC-G1 in Red

Sharp LC-65XS1U-S and LC-52XS1U-S X-Series AQUOS LCD HDTVs eyes-on

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 29th 2008 at 10:44PM

While we knew these new Sharp Aquos HDTVs were coming, we had no idea how thin and bright they were in person. Today at CEATEC 2008 Sharp officially announced its LC-65XS1U-S (65-inch) and LC-52XS1U-S (52-inch) AQUOS LCD HDTVs right at CEATEC Japan's opening bell. The displays' 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 1080P panel are nice and all, but we now know they measure in at a super gaunt 2.28-cm (0.9-inch) depth and are outfitted with a 2.1-channel, three-way five-speaker system that Sharp jointly developed with Pioneer. Meanwhile, Sharp boasts some serious energy savings with the new displays, promising a 26% reduction in power consumption. Expect them to hit stores in Japan October 15 in limited numbers for an undisclosed (read: 'spensive) price. Check the emaciated photos in the gallery if you're so inclined.

Gallery: Sharp Aquos XS1

CEATEC Japan: konnichiwa, we're here

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 29th 2008 at 9:54PM

So there's this place called Japan where they have all sorts of electronics, gadgets, televisions, arcades, izakayas, and a mega conference called CEATEC 2008. We're here, on the other side of the date line, inhaling coffee, and you had best stay tuned for the latest from the land of the rising sun.

iTunes 8 kills AirTunes, iPod touch causing BSOD

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 10th 2008 at 9:48AM

We were all excited to stream Genius-generated playlists from iTunes 8 to our Airport Express last night when -- poof -- "-3256 Unknown Error Occurred." This cryptic error, along with another under the equally descriptive name "-15000," has been keeping iTunes 8 upgraders from using their Airtunes on remote speakers. Turns out the issue is one of Firewalls and Firmware. The solutions come from users at Apple's discussion boards. Basically, you need to either turn off your Firewall and / or allow iTunes to accept incoming requests or update your Airport Express to the latest (7.3.2 as of this post) firmware version via AirPort Utility 6.3. Meanwhile, Windows-based iPod touch users are seeing Blue Screens of Death when plugging in their players due to some other undocumented problem. The solution there looks to be a reboot with the touch plugged in to force the system to recognize the device, run a sync, and turn off photo syncing (not the most elegant solution, clearly). Let's hope Apple at least updates this with something more descriptive than "-3256" in the future. Customer service reps at Apple say they're aware of the problems and are working on a fix.

Read - iTunes 8 & Airtunes/Airport Express
Read - blue screen comes up when plugging in ipod

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Apple launches iTunes 8, NBC comes back, TV shows at $1.99, Genius in the house

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 9th 2008 at 12:05PM

Just in time for couch season, Apple has busted out iTunes 8 with a slew of new features, like the Genius sidebar. Also, NBC is back on board with its lineup of TV shows. According to Jobs, "The Office is coming back, Monk, Battlestar Galactica, 30 Rock... and they're coming back in HD." HD versions of shows will run you $2.99 while SD versions run a reasonable $1.99 (when compared to, say, a full month's cable access). Meanwhile, "Genius" is a new feature that Apple says will change the way you browse your media. "Old browsing wasn't efficient," said Jobs. "in iTunes 8 you can look by album cover, and this new bar at the top let's you look at anything graphically in little tiles." Basically, Genius is a contextual iTunes store recommendation tool that will, in essence, make it easier for you to spend money. It also makes custom playlists on the fly based on your habits, and shares them (anonymously, they promise) with other users. So what's missing so far? None of the rumored subscription services, for one, and any mention of new hardware or iPhone functions, like, say disk mode. We'll keep wishing. Apple says it is making iTunes 8 available immediately (which, to them, may mean "some time later"), so let the download races begin!

Update: We've got a gallery of iTunes 8 -- check it out below.

Gallery: iTunes 8 hands-on

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Dean Takahashi completes chronicles of Xbox 360 red ring of death

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 8th 2008 at 10:26AM

By now we have all heard of (or experienced) the infamous Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, and we also pretty much know what causes it. Heck, we've even seen ways to avoid it by spending more money on fixes instead of going through Microsoft's replace / refurbish / replace process. In what he calls his final chapter on an extensive bit of investigative journalism, Dean Takahashi uncovers the early quality control-absent rush to market that resulted in a massive number of Xbox 360s being sent to market despite known design flaws. Dean goes on to propose that all this has kept Microsoft from winning this round of the console wars, as costs to keep the consoles working crippled Microsoft from aggressive marketing measures such as price cuts. In the end, he concludes (via an anonymous quote) that Microsoft treated the Xbox 360's launch like a software company would, as if some future patch would cover up the inherent problems with the console's design.

Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display creates haptic 3D objects you can poke

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Sep 3rd 2008 at 9:08AM

Sure, you may have your fancy vibrating controllers and liquid-injecting touch screens, but Takayuki Iwamoto wants you to play with the air. Iwamoto and some of his buddies at the University of Tokyo have come up with a way to use focused ultrasound to create manipulable virtual objects in space. Using multiple transducers, the "Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display" creates an acoustic radiation pressure field. Holding your hand in the field allows you to "feel" the object, manipulate it, and feel response. Right now, the system only creates a vertical field, but you had better bet that Iwamoto is working on that. As for suitable applications, interest has already been shown from both industrial and gaming developers. No word on the hentai industry taking note, but that can't be too far away. Check the video after the break to see this tech in action.

[Via BBC News]

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Immersion to pay Microsoft $21 million, Sony groans

by Joshua Fruhlinger posted Aug 27th 2008 at 10:33AM

Immersion, the company that owns virtually every vibration and haptic tech on earth, is getting a taste of its own medicine now that it owes Microsoft $21 million. You may remember back in 2003 when Microsoft floated an unknown sum of cash in the direction of Immersion in order to include patented vibration technology in its Xbox 360 controllers. Around the same time, Sony told us all that we don't need no stinkin' vibration and passed on paying up. Last year, though, Sony bowed to customer pressure and paid Immersion $121 million in order to unleash the Dual Shock 3. Immersion was supposed to share some of that Sony booty with Microsoft -- and they didn't. So there we have it: we all got a piece of Sony and we have the DualShock 3. Everyone happy now?