Alienware’s new gaming laptops get matching Ivy Bridge processors
Dell's Enhanced Alienware Portfolio Delivers Exceptional Mobile Gaming Experience
M14x, M17x, M18x Offer Powerful Performance Options for Mobile Gamers
M14x and M18x Are Most Powerful 14-inch and 18-inch Laptops in the Universe
Collaboration with EA for an Enhanced PC Gaming Experience
Alienware, Dell's high performance PC gaming brand, is taking the mobile gaming experience to a new level with its enhanced gaming laptop portfolio that lets gamers choose a system that best fits their mobile lifestyle. The enhanced systems include: the M14x, the most powerful 14-inch laptop in the universe, for the gamer who requires a balance between mobility and performance; the 3D-capable M17x for an immersive high-definition, surround-sound sensory experience, and the M18x – also the most powerful 18-inch laptop in the universe – for gamers whose priority is performance above all else but who also require the option to occasionally 'go mobile.'
The Alienware M14x, M17x, and M18x laptops deliver immersive sensory experiences, with each offering the latest NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon HD graphics cards and the Creative Sound Blaster audio chipset with THX 7.1 digital surround sound and Klipsch-branded speakers.
High-Performance Mobile Gaming
A perfect balance of performance and mobility, the Alienware M14x allows gamers on-the-go to experience uncompromising gaming performance. The M14x features optional dual drive configurations, up to 16GB of memory for extreme multitasking, a Blu-ray combo optical drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics engine with GDDR5 graphics memory[ii] – the most advanced GPU in a 14-inch form factor and the first time Alienware is offering GDDR5 graphics on a laptop of this size.
The Alienware M17x immerses the customer in the game with every dimension, pixel and sound, for a bigger, richer gaming experience. The M17x delivers the latest NVIDIA and AMD graphics card options, up to 32GB of memory[ii], optional 17.3-inch 120Hz WideFHD WLED 3D display, and THX 3D surround sound. It is one of the first laptops to offer the AMD Radeon HD 7970M graphics card and the latest GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M and 675M graphics solutions[ii].
Alienware's flagship gaming laptop, the Alienware M18x, is equipped with technology capable of matching high-performance gaming desktops. The M18x delivers up to 200w of mobile graphics power when configured with the optional Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M graphics enabling an NVIDIA SLI experience and up to 4GB of GDDR5 graphics memoryii. A configuration featuring dual AMD Radeon HD 7970m with CrossFire will be available in the coming weeks. An 18.4-inch Full HD 1080p WLED backlit LCD, up to 750GB 7200RPM SATA hard drives , support for a triple solid state drive option – 768GB SSD (3 x 256GB SSD), and a stylish, anodized aluminum shell all combine to make the M18x a gaming and entertainment powerhouse like no other.
All three laptops feature Intel's 3rd Generation processors and Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technologies, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.0 for fast data transfer, Bluetooth 4.0, optional 3D HD gaming capabilityi, optional Blu-ray disc drive and exceptional surround-sound quality from Klipsch speakers. In addition, the Alienware laptops feature AlienAdrenaline, which enables users to create shortcuts associated with games, or applications capable of triggering a chain of commands meant to improve system performance or to customize the experience.
"Our customers want the most immersive gaming experience possible, and we've taken the all-powerful M14x, M17x, and M18x laptops and made them even better, delivering the latest technologies for almost every need," said Frank Azor, General Manager, Alienware. "We've always offered the latest technology for the best gaming experience possible, and our enhanced lineup will let you pwn any competitor and provide the sensory experience that we know you crave."
AlienFX Implementation in EA's Battlefield 3™
Dell is also announcing its ongoing collaboration with EA to implement an AlienFX software and lighting control system as well as an exclusive Alienware Arena dog tag in Battlefield 3. Customers can experience these AlienFX implementations while playing Battlefield 3 today, which will provide gamers with a more personal experience by adjusting lighting colors and effects settings. Gamers will see unique loading and menu and player health lighting effects that will change throughout their Battlefield 3 gameplay experience.
Availability and Pricing:
Alienware M14x, M17x and M18x are available now on Dell.com and Alienware.com with standard configurations starting at $1099 for the M14x, $1499 for the M17x, and $1999 for the M18x.
Detailed Information:
Alienware M14x
· 2nd and 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 Processor Options
o Intel Core i5-2450M 2.5GHz (3.1GHz w/Turbo Boost, 3MB Cache) (Standard)
o Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
o Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHz (3.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
o Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz (3.7GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
· Powerful NVIDIA Graphics Card Options
o 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M using NVIDIA Optimus technology[ii] (Standard)
o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M using NVIDIA Optimus technology[ii]
· 14-inch WLED HD display (1366X768) (Standard) or optional 14-inch WLED HD+ display (1600X900)
· Configure with up to 16GB of DDR3 Memory[ii] (6GB Standard); 2x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM Slots
· Configure with up to 750GB 7200RPM drive[iii] (500GB standard) or up to 512GB Solid State Drive[iii]
o RAID 1 and 0, and Dual Drive options available
o mSATA Boot and Caching Drive Options available
· Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate available
· 1.3MP HD Camera with dual digital microphones
· Slot-Loading DVD drive (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader
· Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard) or 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Audio Powered by Klipsch; 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port
· Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated Wireless-N with Bluetooth 4.0 (standard); optional WiMax configuration available
· USB 3.0 (2); USB 2.0; Mini-Display Port; HDMI 1.4 Output; VGA Port; 9-in-1 Media Card Reader; Audio/Microphone In; Audio Out; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet
Alienware M17x
· 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 Processor Options
o Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) (Standard)
o Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHz (3.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
o Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz (3.7GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
· Powerful NVIDIA and AMD Graphics Card Options
o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M[ii] (Standard)
o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 675M[ii]
o 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 7970M[ii]
· 17.3" WideHD+ (1600 x 900 ) WLED LCD (Standard); optional: 17.3" WideFHD (1920 x 1080) WLED LCD or 17.3" 120Hz WideFHD (1920 x 1080) WLED LCD w/3D Bundle
· Configure with up to 32GB of DDR3 Memory[ii] (6GB 1600MHz Standard); 4x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM Slots
· Configure with up to 1TB (2x 500GB) RAID0 7200RPM drive[iii](500GB standard) or up to 512GB Solid State Drive[iii]
o RAID 1 and 0, and Dual Drive options available
o mSATA Boot and Caching Drive Options available
· Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate available
· 2.1MP FullHD Camera with dual digital microphones
· Slot-Loading DVD drive (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader
· Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard) or 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Audio Powered by Klipsch; 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port
· Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated Wireless-N with Bluetooth 4.0 (standard); optional WiMax configuration available
· USB 3.0 (4); USB 2.0 and eSATA combo port; Auto-sensing jacks for Line-out (3); Microphone In; Mini-Display Port; HDMI 1.4 Output; HDMI 1.3 Input; VGA Port; 9-in-1 Media Card Reader; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet
Alienware M18x
· 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 Processor Options
o Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz (3.3GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache) (Standard)
o Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.6GHz (3.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 6MB Cache)
o Intel Core i7-3820QM 2.7GHz (3.7GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
o Intel Core i7-3920XM 2.9GHz (3.8GHz w/Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
o Intel Core i7-3920XM Overclocked Turbo Boost (8MB Cache)
· Powerful NVIDIA and AMD Graphics Card Options
o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 660M[ii] (Standard)
o 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 675M[ii]
o Dual 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 7970M - AMD CrossFireX[ii] (coming soon)
o Dual 2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M - NVIDIA SLI[ii]
· 18.4 inch WLED WideFHD display (1920 X 1080)
· Configure with up to 32GB of DDR3 Memoryii or 8GB 1866MHz (4GB 1600MHz Standard); 4x 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM Slots
· Configure with up to 750GB 7200RPM SATA drive[iii] (500GB standard)
o RAID 1 and 0, Dual and Triple Drive options available
o mSATA Boot and Caching Drive Options available
· Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate available
· 2.1MP FullHD Camera with dual digital microphones
· Slot-Loading DVD drive (Standard) or optional Blu-ray Disc Reader
· Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard) or 2.1 Speaker configuration with Subwoofer Audio Powered by Klipsch; 7.1 Digital Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port
· Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC and Integrated Wireless-N with Bluetooth 4.0 (standard)
· USB 3.0 (4); USB 2.0 and eSATA combo port; Auto Out Ports (2); Microphone In; Mini-Display Port; HDMI 1.4 Output; HDMI 1.3 Input; VGA Port; 9-in-1 Media Card Reader; RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet; Combo S/PDIF Optical output / Analog Headphone Line Out
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/alienware-ivy-bridge/
Acer Iconia Tab A510 review
We'll stop just short of quoting Top Gun here, but if it's speed you crave, these next thousands of words could have you emptying your wallet. How's that for an opening line? To be honest, it's been quite some time since any of us Engadget editors booted up a brand new device and immediately let loose a stream of expletives -- all expressing unbridled delight, of course. Such was the beginning of our meet-cute with Acer's Iconia Tab A510, the company's first Tegra 3 slate, and the second to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich.
Apart from that 1280 x 800 TFT LCD display, this 10-incher looks, feels and performs nothing like its predecessor, the A500. Turbocharged with that quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM, this Android 4.0 tablet joins a crowded category with a generous 32GB in built-in storage and a reasonable $450 price tag to match. So, does that excellence lose its luster with more extensive use? Is your money better spent on any of the other umpteen tablets running ICS? Will the lack of a higher-quality display prove too much of a con for your exquisite tech tastes? Follow on as we probe the A510 for answers.
Hardware
Tablet design is unoriginal -- a complaint we've issued before and one we'll steer clear of in this review. So, consider this: when a manufacturer excises any emphasis on how something looks, the only thing left to focus on is how it feels. Though the A510 is flush with silicon at 1.5 pounds (680 grams), we're inclined to forgive that extra heft, since we get some jaw-dropping runtime in return (spoiler alert!). Besides, overweight or no, it manages to feel reassuringly grippy in-hand, at 10.2 x 6.9 x 0.43 inches (260 x 175 x 10.95mm). Sure, if you hold it in landscape mode the sharp edges feel a wee bit too sharp, but even so, it feels rigid, formidable. Much like the A200 before it, the tab's smooth back is made of a soft, matte plastic and studded with bumpy dots that should eliminate any worries you might have about dropping it. Curiously, the company's also slapped the Olympic logo next to its own, smack dab in the center of the back cover, underneath which lies that hearty 9,800mAh battery. Clearly, it's a case of pimping out public awareness of its London 2012 partnership, but here it just seems awkward and unnecessary; a scarlet letter of sponsorship instantly dating this debut.
The Olympic branding here seems awkward and unnecessary; a scarlet letter of sponsorship instantly dating this debut.
Above that collision of corporate branding is a 5-megapixel rear camera -- the same one used on the A500, only this time it's lacking an LED flash. On the opposite end there's a logo for the Dolby Digital Plus audio compression powering the dual speakers tucked into the tablet's bottom edge. Hardware keys and ports are sprinkled around the perimeter of the A510, leaving no side untouched. A micro-USB socket and recessed reset button take up residence on the lower edge, a power button and 3.5mm headphone jack lie on the left, a volume rocker and orientation lock up top and, finally, HDMI-out and a covered microSD slot sit on the right. Acer isn't throwing in any external storage to complement the tab's built-in 32GB, so if you plan on heavy media consumption you'll want to supply your own card.
The A510's front face is the usual mix of bezel, branding and camera, although in this instance Acer's downgraded that module from the 2 megapixels found on the A500 to a measly 1 megapixel. We don't have to spell out for you what that means in terms of imaging performance, so take care to check your disappointment before we continue on to the camera section below. Once you've powered on the device and completed the initial setup process, the A510's speed becomes readily apparent, as does the relative excellence of the screen. Yes, the 1280 x 800 TFT LCD display has remain unchanged in this hardware refresh, bringing with it fairly good viewing angles that are, more often than not, occluded by its propensity for incredible amounts of glare. Wake the tablet from a dead sleep and you'll see the cold boot time hovers in the 30-second range. Even a year ago we were seeing tablets that could best this, but otherwise, the rest of the user experience here is surprisingly nimble and fast-paced.
Software
What more can be said about Ice Cream Sandwich at this point, especially when that Android UI's dressed up in Acer's familiar UX? Yes, the interface here has been altered to include the same uninstallable ring launcher we previously saw on the A200. Nothing has changed in the jump from that lower-end slate to this one: you can still pull up that circular shortcut menu from the bottom of the homescreen, as well as access the gallery, browser, settings, bookmarked tabs or snap screenshots. We did notice, however, that while performance is generally zippy, this one particular enhancement suffers from uneven performance, waffling between an immediate and somewhat delayed response time. The lockscreen also features the company's subtle modifications, adding the ability to set shortcuts for specific apps.
As you might've come to expect, navigation throughout the five homescreens is carried out with a refreshing briskness that blessedly spills over into the app drawer, as well as the various menus peppered throughout Android 4.0. Browsing takes on the same rapid pace, with page load times ranging between 15 and 30 seconds for full desktop sites. Pinch to zoom also feels amazingly responsive, though we did notice some tiling and blank gray spaces as we waited for pages to scale.
You want an Android slate, you get some bloat. So, when you boot up the A510 and are greeted by a dozen-plus apps filling up its drawer, try to feign surprise and righteous indignation. It's all rather rote at this point. Acer's shoveled only a couple of its own applications onto the internal storage, along with various third-party offerings like Amazon's Kindle, MP3 and Appstore trio; Netflix; Polaris Office; Evernote; SoundHound; HW Solitaire; and TegraZone. Thankfully, at least, purists can easily uninstall all of these in the settings menu.
Performance and battery life
Acer Iconia Tab A510 ($450)ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 ($379)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 ($250) Acer Iconia Tab A200 ($350) Quadrant (v2) 3,754 3,695 2,840 2,053 Linpack single-thread (MFLOPS) 47.8 41.70 37.1 37.2 Linpack multi-thread (MFLOPS) 120.5 89.83 61.3 60.4 NenaMark 1 (fps) 62.8 60.3 57.6 45.6 NenaMark 2 (fps) 55.8 46.9 30.4 20.4 Vellamo 1,500 1,320 978 1,290 SunSpider 9.1 (ms, lower numbers are better) 1,850 2,120 2,239 2,251
Benchmarks are hardly the be-all and end-all in predicting a device's performance: their quantifiable results don't necessarily reflect a product's real-world experience. With the Iconia Tab A510, though, you can sweep away all of that uncertainty. Pitted against the Transformer Pad TF300, another recently released Tegra 3 slate, as well as dual-core contenders like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and the lower-end A200, this girthy tablet absolutely dominates. There's no doubt about the massive processing power of its 1.3GHz SoC and 1GB of RAM. In nearly every category, the A510 leapt ahead with decisive, crushing victories -- a string of wins that repeated themselves over and over in everyday use.
Its dominance may be unchallenged, but don't confuse the A510's top-dog ranking with consistently fluid performance. A quad-core CPU is not some magic wand an OEM gets to wave over its offspring to eradicate performance hiccups. As we saw with Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) at MWC and the ASUS Transformer Pad we've just finished reviewing, there will be moments, fleeting though they may be, when the OS hesitates to execute an action. It's ever-so slight, but you will notice and wonder why, with all that horsepower under the hood, this forward-facing combination of Tegra 3 and ICS should stumble at all.
Tablet Battery Life Acer Iconia Tab A510 10:23 Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 12:01 Apple iPad 2 10:26 ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime 10:17 / 16:34 (keyboard dock) Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 9:55 Apple iPad (2012) 9:52 (HSPA) /9:37 (LTE) Apple iPad 9:33 Pantech Element 9:00 Motorola Xoom 2 8:57 HP TouchPad 8:33 ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 8:29 / 12:04 (keyboard dock) Barnes Noble Nook Tablet 8:20 Acer Iconia Tab A200 8:16 Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus 8:09 Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 8:00 Amazon Kindle Fire 7:42 Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 7:38 RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 7:01 Acer Iconia Tab A500 6:55 T-Mobile Springboard (Huawei MediaPad) 6:34 Toshiba Thrive 6:25 Motorola Xyboard 8.2 5:25 Acer Iconia Tab A100 4:54
By no means will you be disappointed with the juicepack Acer's included in the Iconia Tab A510. Rated for 12 hours of video playback, the 9,800mAh battery should get you through bouts of heavy use with a charge to spare and then some. The lightest of users will probably wonder when they ever actually have to plug the tablet back in, given that it only fell to half capacity after three days of infrequent browsing. Put through the paces of our formal rundown tst, the A510 fell a couple of hours short of the company's claim, but still kept a smile firmly planted on our faces as it racked up an impressive total of 10 hours and 23 minutes, putting it on par with Apple's iPad 2 and the Transformer Prime. Mind you, that's with brightness set to medium, Twitter syncing at 15 minute intervals, one push email account activated and WiFi enabled.
Camera
Taking photos with tablets not only looks silly, but it feels ridiculous. We throw that caveat out there because camera quality on Android slates is one of those areas best met by lowered expectations. To say the module on the Iconia Tab A510 is serviceable would be far too generous. Its 5-megapixel shooter takes decent shots with an acceptable level of detail that diminishes as soon as you start to zoom in. Colors -- reds in particular -- are rendered in an oversaturated, unnatural way, while other parts of the image appear dull in comparison. As for Acer's custom camera app, it delivers an uneven experience that demands a fair amount of juggling while you attempt to access the various options scattered about the screen. And you can forget the robust array of scene modes offered in other slates: the feature set here is plain and straightforward, almost as if it's acknowledging how useless it really is.
The A510 is also capable of 1080p video, but the finished product doesn't necessarily translate into the full HD experience you'd expect. Given the camera's lack of image stabilization, the shaky quality makes the video almost unwatchable, with the occasional crisp frame when the slate was being held still. What did blow away our expectations was the phenomenal power of its Dolby Digital Plus compression technology. As you'll hear in the sample video, the sounds of a far-off saxophone make a distinct cameo, as do pieces of various off-camera conversations. The downside to this stellar feature is the inconsistency with which it renders your intended audio -- namely, your own voice. We shot several sample videos and noted occasional elements of distortion as the tablet attempted to parse all that background noise.
The competition
So you're ready to take the plunge into the wild world of tablets, but where to start? No doubt, lots of first-timers are going to end up taking their credit cards and flinging them in Apple's direction. $500 for a 16GB iPad may be a steep price tag to swallow for some, but the simplicity of iOS make for a wise new purchase. You could also buck any pressure to have the next best thing and fork over four Benjamins for a 16GB iPad 2, though we've gone on record saying newcomers are better off splurging on that high-res Retina display.
But maybe you're not exactly a post-PC virgin, or you simply prefer Android to iOS. Luckily for you, you've got a plethora of options to choose from. For the sake of helping all the overwhelmed shoppers out there trying to make sense of the market, we'll narrow the field down to similarly priced 10-inch tablets running Android 4.0. For $400, the Transformer Pad TF300 is, in many ways, the A510's direct competition, loaded up with unskinned ICS, a Tegra 3 SoC and 32GB, though this, of course, is offered with an optional keyboard dock. The only downside preventing us from steering you directly to the Transformer is battery life. Though it managed eight-plus hours on a charge (12, if you count the $150 docking station), it's no match for the A510's ten-plus hours of runtime.
Meanwhile, if you cut the built-in storage to 16GB, lower the number of cores from four to two and keep the Android 4.0 software there's Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1). It costs $400, the same as the 32GB Transformer Pad TF300, and twenty dollars more than the Transformer with 16GB of storage. Cast in that light, it's not quite as compelling a purchase, is it?
Spec for spec, you're really left with only two contenders: the A510, which costs $50 more, or Transformer Pad TF300. Shoppers hell-bent on heavy multimedia consumption should probably stick with what Acer's selling, if only for the phenomenal performance of that 9,800mAh battery. Android purists and folks intrigued by the idea of a laptop replacement, on the other hand, might want to jump on ASUS' bandwagon.
Wrap-up
We can still hear the echoes of NVIDIA's CEO teasing the prospect of $300 Tegra 3 tablets, but while the promise of that affordable future isn't quite a reality yet, impatient consumers eyeing quad-core performance have a readily available option: the Iconia Tab A510. Acer's succeeded in building a superb Android 4.0 tablet, and it's one consumers with a penchant for media consumption might want to consider. Alright, so it isn't the immaculate Tegra 3 conception Acer (or NVIDIA) might've wanted it to be, prone as it is to brief software fits, though we'll confess we've noticed similar bumps on the similarly priced ASUS Transformer Pad TF300, as well as the dual-core Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. So should those stifled hiccups enough to put you off the A510's Olympic-branded trail? They shouldn't. With its bleeding-edge quad-core performance, exceptional battery life and all the benefits of Ice Cream Sandwich, this is a 10-incher worth its slightly heavier weight. For those of you intrigued by the idea of a tablet that can also double as a netbook replacement, we still heartily recommend the well-performing, reasonably priced Transformer TF300. But if you're willing to invest in a dependable tablet and it's exceptional battery life that you're after, those $450 bucks stop here.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/acer-iconia-tab-a510-review/
Cyanogenmod 9 struts its stuff on HTC’s One X
So you've procured yourself HTC's new super slim, 4.7-inch halo phone: the One X. By now, you probably have the device set up just the way you like it: applications configured, widgets in place and Adele ringtone set. But there's just something else left to do, isn't there? If (like some of us) you're a smartphone user who just can't leave well enough alone, you'll be excited to learn that a build of Cyanogenmod 9 for the Uno Equis has been made available via the MoDaCo forums. The ROM will deliver that stock Android experience, and all those CM9 accoutrements, to those that don't fancy the panache of Sense 4.0. The forum post does caution that the One's camera, and hotspot functionality, aren't currently working, so interested parties best proceed with caution. If all that doesn't phase you, grab a cup of coffee, get the Android SDK all warmed up and take this ROM for a spin!
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/cyanogenmod-9-struts-its-stuff-on-htcs-one-x/
Logitech introduces spill resistant keyboards for the feds, prevents Bauer flip-out
Logitech Introduces TAA-Compliant Keyboard and Mice For U.S. Federal Agencies
Federal IT Buyers Now Have Access to Products from a Global Leader in Computer Peripherals
NEWARK, Calif. - April 30, 2012 - Logitech today introduced its first TAA-compliant products – a keyboard, two mice and a keyboard/mouse combo – for U.S. federal agencies covered by the Trade Agreements Act.
The Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (TAA) requires federal agencies to purchase products, including computer peripherals, that are made in the United States or other designated countries.
Logitech, a world leader in computer peripherals, is now meeting the needs of federal IT buyers with four TAA-compliant products manufactured in Taiwan: The Logitech Keyboard K120-TAA, with a spill-resistant corded USB design, for $19.99; The Logitech Mouse B100-TAA, with high-definition optical tracking and a corded USB connector, for $14.99;The Logitech Mouse B120-TAA, which adds a corded PS/2 connector in addition to USB, for $19.99; and The Logitech Desktop MK120-TAA, a combo of the Logitech Keyboard K120-TAA and the Logitech Mouse B100-TAA, for $34.99.
"Federal IT buyers and resellers who serve the federal market have been telling us for some time they want access to high-quality TAA-compliant computer peripherals from a brand name they trust," said Vince Alvarado, director of Americas B2B sales and marketing at Logitech. "What's more, Logitech's deep manufacturing experience means we can quickly and reliably fill even the biggest orders for TAA-compliant products."
Pricing and Availability
Logitech's TAA-compliant products are expected to be available in June 2012 at the prices listed above from resellers who specialize in the business-to-business market. The products will not be offered by consumer electronics retailers. For more information, please visit www.logitech.com/business.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/logitech-federal-keyboards/
V.me by Visa coming to the Europe this autumn, cash starts begging for another chance
Visa Europe confirms launch date for V.me digital wallet
WorldPay announced as key UK development partner
London, 30 April 2012 - Visa Europe today confirms that its new digital wallet service, V.me by Visa, will launch to an initial group of consumers in the UK, Spain and France in autumn 2012.
Today also sees the announcement of payments processor WorldPay as a key development partner in the delivery of the V.me service in the UK. Further development and launch partners in each market, including banks and retailers, will be announced soon.
The service will be made available through Visa's member banks and will initially be accessed through the internet browser on a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Consumers will be able to put multiple cards into the wallet.
For retailers, it offers the opportunity to streamline the customer checkout process, driving up conversion rates and shopper satisfaction.
Mariano Dima, Executive Vice President of Product and Marketing Solutions at Visa Europe, said: "V.me sits at the heart of Visa's future of payments. For the first time, consumers and retailers will have a streamlined online checkout experience through an acceptance mark that offers industry-leading security and, when a Visa card is used in a V.me wallet, the same protection and rights that come with any Visa card transaction.
"Our intention is that V.me will ultimately be able to incorporate any or all of our new payment technologies, allowing our members to deliver the best possible payments experience whether face-to-face, online or in a mobile environment. This comprehensive service suite, delivered under the V.me umbrella, will offer an easy way to benefit from the scale, security and reliability of Visa."
WorldPay is providing commercial and propositional insights to ensure that V.me is designed with a focus on meeting retailer needs and expectations.
Phillip McGriskin, Chief Product Officer at WorldPay, adds: "Shoppers are driving the demand for more convenient, secure and safe ways to pay online. V.me is being developed specifically to address those needs. WorldPay has partnered with Visa Europe to ensure the proposition matches merchant requirements and is an attractive and practical digital wallet solution in what is fast becoming a crowded marketplace."
E-commerce currently represents 22% of Visa Europe's transactions and grew 44% between 2009 and 2011. The V.me digital wallet service is the natural next step in the development of Visa's e-commerce strategy.
V.me plays a key part in Visa Europe's future of payments strategy, reflecting the company's continued commitment to payments innovation and to bringing new services to market that benefit its members and retailers.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/v-me-visa-autumn/
PSA: Space X streaming test-firing of Falcon 9 at 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT
SPACEX TO WEBCAST STATIC FIRE FOR UPCOMING MISSION ON MONDAY
Mission Would Make SpaceX the First Commercial Company to Attempt to Send a Spacecraft to the International Space Station
Hawthorne, CA – On Monday, April 30, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket's nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company's upcoming launch.
The webcast, available at spacex.com, is set to begin at 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT, with the actual static fire targeted for 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT.
The 9 engine test will take place at the company's Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as part of a full launch dress rehearsal leading up to the second Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) launch. During the rehearsal, SpaceX engineers will run through all countdown processes as though it were launch day. The exercise will end with all nine engines firing at full power for two seconds.
After the test, SpaceX will conduct a thorough review of all data as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch, currently targeted for May 7. SpaceX plans to launch its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket. During the mission, Dragon's sensors and flight systems will be subject to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station. If NASA decides Dragon is ready, the vehicle will attach to the station and astronauts will open Dragon's hatch and unload the cargo onboard.
This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again. It is also the second demonstration flight under NASA's program to develop commercial supply services to the International Space Station. The first SpaceX COTS flight, in December 2010, made SpaceX the first commercial company in history to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth. Once SpaceX demonstrates the ability to carry cargo to the space station, it will begin to fulfill its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract for NASA for at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the space station. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft were designed to one day carry astronauts; both the COTS and CRS missions will yield valuable flight experience toward this goal.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/space-x-test-fire-psa/
UK High Court rules ISPs to block Pirate Bay, forgets it ain’t the boss anymore
The High Court has ruled that British ISPs must block web-browsing citizens from accessing the infamous Pirate Bay. The controversial ruling comes just six months after the European Court of Justice (a superior court) declared that companies like Sky and TalkTalk were protected against injunctions to block, filter or monitor internet traffic for that purpose. Virgin Media told the BBC that it would comply, before sensibly adding that censorship measures like this are ineffective in the long term.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/UK-isps-block-pirate-bay/
Nintendo 3DS turning purple on May 20th, takes a bruising from the ugly stick
Nintendo 3DS Gets a Royal New Color on May 20: Midnight Purple
April 30, 2012
Just as lilacs and hyacinth bloom throughout the spring, so too a new color is blooming for the Nintendo 3DS system. Midnight Purple gives the hand-held a royal new look. The new color will launch May 20, the same day Mario Tennis Open becomes available.
The Midnight Purple Nintendo 3DS, offered at a suggested retail price of $169.99 in the United States, becomes the fifth color in the always-stylish Nintendo 3DS color palette, joining Cosmo Black, Aqua Blue, Flame Red and Pearl Pink. Now fans have another option to customize the look of their systems to suit their individual styles and personalities.
Nintendo 3DS lets users enjoy games and videos in 3D without the use of special glasses. Mario Tennis Open adds to the strong library of Nintendo 3DS games, which also includes Super Mario 3D Land, Kid Icarus: Uprising and Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir. Fans also can check out 3D videos on Nintendo Video and access new and classic downloadable games in the Nintendo eShop.
Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/nintendo-3ds-turning-purple-on-may-20th/
Triggertrap: nine ways to activate your DSLR with an iOS device, choose one
When we first heard about the Kickstarter-funded Triggertrap, it was a nice but nichey lab instrument of a device that could fire your DSLR with diverse stimuli, like lights or ringing phones. It wasn't the first photo-tripping idea we'd seen, but at least it could be had for a fair sum ($75.00) and be used out of the box. But now, by connecting that tech to an app and charging $19.98 for both the software and hardware, Triggertrap might open up remote snapping to a lot more folks.
Running off any iPhone, iPad or iPod using iOS 5, the app uses a dongle which can be connected by cable or infrared to most DSLRs or advanced compacts. From there, you'll be able to use all of your iDevice's sensors as triggers, from motion through to facial recognition and even GPS. The app doesn't just fire the shutter, either -- it also gives you control over the focus and flash. And if you don't have a separate camera, the iPhone's built-in cam can be used instead -- which would save you from buying the $9.99 dongle, if you have the necessary accoutrements. So if you've been wondering how to get those hard-to-shoot images, or have more nefarious ideas, check the videos after the break.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/triggertrap-remote-activated-dslr-iOS-app/
Velocity Micro unveils three Ivy Bridge desktops, starting at $849
Velocity Micro Announces the Immediate Availability of Desktop PCs Powered by 3rd Generation Intel® Core® Processors
Refreshed desktops include select Home Office, Workstation, and Gaming systems along with the multi-award winning Edge™ Z40
Richmond, VA - April 29, 2012 -Velocity Micro®, the premier builder of award winning enthusiast desktops, laptops, peripherals, and the remarkable line of Cruz™ tablets announces the immediate availability of 3rd generation Intel® Core® processors on select Gaming, Home Office, and Workstation systems, starting at just $849. By pairing an expert level of engineering with Intel's latest processor generation, Velocity Micro continues to make some of the fastest, most efficient, most reliable PCs in the world.
"Intel's 3rd Generation Core Processors are a perfect fit to Velocity Micro's enthusiast mentality as we continue to strive to build the best finely crafted desktops, tablets, and peripherals on the market," said Randy Copeland, President and CEO of Velocity Micro. "The speed and power efficiency of these new processors will be a huge hit with our customers."
Key features of 3rd Generation Intel Core Processors include:
· Built-in visuals which include a suite of visual enhancements that provide everything you need to enjoy a smooth, seamless, stunning experience on your PC
· Improved energy efficiency, allowing for innovative system designs and enabling more energy-efficient platforms that can meet ENERGY STAR requirements
· Unlocked 3rd gen Intel Core processors feature top-of-the-line speed, especially when overclocking
"Velocity Micro has always had a cutting edge product lineup, frequently offering Intel's latest processors to their enthusiast customers on launch day," said CJ Bruno, Intel VP, GM Intel Americas. "We're excited that Velocity Micro has continued that tradition by making the 3rd Gen Intel Core processors available in their industry-leading performance desktop offerings."
Velocity Micro systems now powered by 3rd Generation Intel Core Processors include the Raptor™ Z90, Vector™ Z20, and the Edge™ Z40, an Editors' Choice selection from both CNET and PC Magazine. For more information on these systems, to custom configure a Velocity Micro desktop, or learn more about Velocity Micro's complete line of consumer electronic solutions, visit www.velocitymicro.com.
Article source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/velocity-micro-ivy-bridge-desktops/