Sonim's rugged XP3300 Force does not blend

Our old friend Tom Dickinson is back with a brand new edition of Will It Blend?, but it seems his ultra-destructive Blendtec blender has met its match -- the equally rugged Sonim XP3300 Force we tested at MWC. Now, Sonim doesn't have a perfect track record, and Tom definitely let the smoke out here, but apparently the leftover wreckage was still functional. Better luck next time, blender!

Sonim's rugged XP3300 Force does not blend originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Creative Live! inPerson HD webcam does onboard processing, doesn't milk your CPU

When Logitech and Microsoft released a bunch of HD webcams last year, Skype refused to certify them for use with its HD video calling service. (That's not to say these webcams won't work with Skype HD -- it's that Skype won't guarantee that they'll work well.) And why this resounding slap in the face? Because Skype will only certify HD webcams that come with onboard video processing and therefore run even on tardy old machines. And that is precisely why Creative has followed the lead of other manufacturers like FaceVsion and Freetalk in including a built-in H.264 encoder with its latest offering, maintaining judder-free video and a chill-axed CPU. The webcam also has more flexible autofocus and a 'quad mic' system, which together should allow users to sit as far as 10 feet away and still be seen and heard clearly. The only problem? A $150 price tag that's significantly more than the competition and only slightly easier to face than your cousin's acne condition at 720p. If you're still keen though, check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Creative Live! inPerson HD webcam does onboard processing, doesn't milk your CPU

Creative Live! inPerson HD webcam does onboard processing, doesn't milk your CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from Microsoft's Windows 8 preview event at Computex 2011!

Microsoft finally debuted the next version of its Windows operating system, codenamed Windows 8, at D9 earlier today, and now it's hitting up Computex over in Taipei with a partner preview event. We don't know quite what will be revealed here, but the new Win 8 UI has a touch-friendly look designed specifically to make tablet users feel more at home, so a peek at new slate hardware might not be completely out of the question. Join us after the break for all the live updates from the event.

Continue reading Live from Microsoft's Windows 8 preview event at Computex 2011!

Live from Microsoft's Windows 8 preview event at Computex 2011! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft reveals ARM-powered Windows 8 prototypes (eyes-on)

Remember how Microsoft unveiled that whole 'Windows 8' thing earlier today? It's back for more: here at Computex 2011 in Taipei, prototype ARM-based Windows 8 slates and smartbooks are coming out of the woodwork. Foxconn, Wistron and Quanta all unveiled early hardware for the new OS, with chips from Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and NVIDIA powering their live tiles -- including NVIDIA's upcoming Kal-El, which got both a tablet and a super-slim prototype notebook to call its own. Dell's also got a XPS development station up on stage, which Microsoft used to demo the UI -- it's bulky and ugly as such things are, but it suggests that Dell's also likely to have a portable Windows 8 machine at some point. For its part, Qualcomm is promising a chip that can instantly wake from sleep, and one of the devices showed that USB host support works fine and dandy. Unfortunately, none of these machines will make their way to market, but it's nice to know that the OEMs care enough to show their solidarity here.

Update: Video now added after the break.

Gallery: Windows 8 devices at Computex 2011

Gallery: Windows 8 ARM development devices from Qualcomm, TI and NVIDIA

Continue reading Microsoft reveals ARM-powered Windows 8 prototypes (eyes-on)

Microsoft reveals ARM-powered Windows 8 prototypes (eyes-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MTM Snap project lets you build your own CNC machine so you can build more stuff

It may not be quite capable enough to let you build your own Weighted Companion Cube, but those looking to try their hand at a DIY CNC milling machine won't likely find many more straightforward options than the MTM Snap. Built by Jonathan Ward of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, the machine itself is constructed from some high-density polyethylene parts milled on a ShopBot (which simply snap together as the name suggests), and it's controlled by an Arduino board that lets you operate it from any Mac, Windows or Linux computer. Unfortunately, you can't simply buy a kit and piece it all together, but Jonathan's made all of the plans for building your own available, and says it shouldn't cost you any more than $700 from start to finish. Head on past the break for a video of the finished product in action.

Continue reading MTM Snap project lets you build your own CNC machine so you can build more stuff

MTM Snap project lets you build your own CNC machine so you can build more stuff originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 09:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer TravelMate 8481 series laptop shown off with super thin bezel, or so you think

Remember the rumor about an upcoming Acer laptop housing a super thin LG Shuriken display? Well, here it is at Computex. Thanks to the crazy thin bezel, we noticed this TravelMate 8481 series laptop quietly chilling out in a corner at Acer's booth, though upon closer inspection it turned out that the bezel is slightly deceptive. What's really happening here is that while the screen module (which includes the 1.3 megapixel webcam) really is eating away the bezel, the actual LCD (14.1 inches at 1,366 x 768) isn't really touching the edge. Still, it's one helluva slim display thanks to LG's display technology and Acer's carbon fiber chassis.

Other highlights include Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GT520M, up to 320GB of hard drive space, up to 13 hours of battery life, USB 3.0 with power-off charging, fingerprint reader, HDMI, and Bluetooth 3.0. Oh, and like some of the ThinkPads, the mouse buttons use the same mechanism as the keyboard keys for better clicking experience, though it might not be everyone's cup of tea. No prices announced just yet, but keep an eye out for a global launch around mid-June. Video after the break.

Gallery: Acer TravelMate 8481 series laptop shown off with super thin bezel, or so you think

Continue reading Acer TravelMate 8481 series laptop shown off with super thin bezel, or so you think

Acer TravelMate 8481 series laptop shown off with super thin bezel, or so you think originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 10:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eGenius electric plane takes flight with Airbus backing

It's been mere months since we introduced you to Deutschland's PC-Aero Elektra One, and now the Germans are at it again with the maiden flight of a new electric flying machine: eGenius. The aircraft successfully completed a 20-minute flight on May 26th, followed by a two-and-a-half hour trip on Sunday. Where the Elektra one boasted cruising speeds of 160 km/h (about 99 MPH), eGenius is capable of hitting 235 km/h (146 MPH) for up to 400 kilometers (248.5 miles). It sports a 60-kilowatt motor, weighs 850 kilograms (1,874 pounds), and has some big backing from the likes of Airbus. Considering its relatively limited range and equally limited capacity -- it fits two humans with a combined weight of 397 pounds -- we have a feeling it'll be a bit before we're popping pretzels on one of these bad boys.

eGenius electric plane takes flight with Airbus backing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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