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Posts Tagged ‘Trackball’

How would you change Google’s Nexus One?

It hasn’t quite been out (in public hands, anyway) for two months, but Google’s Nexus One has managed to grab the world’s attention and focus it squarely on Android. Specs wise, it’s not the superphone that many had expected, but it’s certainly delightful in its own right. For those who have sprung for one, we’re bubbling over in anticipation to hear how you’d change it. Would you have snuck an overclocked processor in there? Would you have ditched the trackball for a sensor pad? Do you wish it were available on more carriers? Is the call quality up to snuff? Look — there’s a better-than-decent chance that you threw down some serious bills on this, so don’t hold back. The Nexus Two just won’t be the same without your pair of pennies.

How would you change Google’s Nexus One? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Curve 8910 in the wild?

If you thought RIM had completely run out of ways to mildly remix its existing portrait QWERTY formula, think again — the transition from trackball to optical pad has opened up a whole new world of exciting opportunities, and it looks like the venerable Curve 8900 might be the next model to get the refresh. BerryReview appears to have scored a shot of the alleged 8910 in its most natural environment — a desk calendar — preserving the Curve series’ typical broken-up keyboard style (as opposed to the connected keys you see in the Bold line). Otherwise we don’t really know much, but naturally, the new model is said to be running BlackBerry OS 5.0 under the hood (in other words, it’ll look pretty much like every other BlackBerry you’ve used in recent memory). More on this puppy as we get it.

Update: Unwired View points out that there’s a Bluetooth SIG certification for an 8910, so this is all lining up pretty nicely, isn’t it?

BlackBerry Curve 8910 in the wild? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Essex sighted with Sprint branding (update: probably not)

Well, we’ve been seeing the BlackBerry Essex out in the wild for quite a while now, but this is the first time we’ve seen it with some Sprint branding, which we’re sure is enough to get at least some folks plenty excited (or regretful as the case may be). As most BlackBerry fans are no doubt well aware, the Essex is a Tour refresh that, among other things, adds some much needed WiFi capabilities to the phone, and ditches the Tour’s trackball in favor of a trackpad. Of course, this still isn’t a done deal just yet, especially considering that the branding seen is only in the OS and not on the device itself — not to mention the fact that the phone seems to have a curiously crooked trackpad. Hit up the link for a closer look.

Update: As we’d mentioned, the trackpad looks vaguely weird — and on closer examination, it looks downright uncool when you’re zoomed in. We’re thinking this probably nothing more than a Tour with a Bold 9700 pad ’shopped on; have to admit, though, the dude did a decent job. Thanks, Boy Genius!

BlackBerry Essex sighted with Sprint branding (update: probably not) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GlideTV Navigator gets a thorough hands-on and critiquing

If you’re not down with snapping up an HTPC-centric keyboard with an integrated trackpad or trackball, controlling the likes of Hulu, Boxee and ZeeVee’s Zinc TV viewer can be a real chore. Dave Zatz was able to wrap his paws around the problem-solving GlideTV Navigator, and while he deemed the actual remote trackpad “the best he’d ever used,” he couldn’t unequivocally say that this beauty was worth a buck-fifty. He also found that the remote could be used one-handed with a bit of practice, and he expressed understandable concern about this thing’s ability to stay functional as the software around it evolves. If you’ve been waffling on pulling the trigger here, you owe it to yourself to give the read link a look.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals

GlideTV Navigator gets a thorough hands-on and critiquing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Apple Store Online is back, so what’s different?

Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals, Retail, iMac, Apple, Mac mini, MacBook

Today, as is frequently the case, the Apple Store Online was taken down and modified to feature new goodies from our favorite fruit-flavored technology company. Now that the store is back up and ready for your ordering pleasure, what’s changed?

Well, Apple introduced a whole slew of new and updated products today. Here’s the highlights of what’s new and different at the store:

New iMac – Revamped to include, among other new features, LED-Backlit screens, dual core and quad core processors and up to 16GB of memory.

New MacBook – Entry level MacBook redesigned to feature unibody enclosure, built-in battery and LED-Backlit screen.

New Mac mini – Revised to include more memory, larger hard drives and with a special “Server” version featuring dual 500GB hard drives and Snow Leopard Server.

New “Magic” Mouse – Gone is the trackball, replaced by a seamless top-shell design that acts as one button or two, It also features a Multi-Touch surface with gesture support.

New Apple Remote – Not as exciting as new Macs but still, kinda cool if you like to control your Macs, um, remotely.

Other items of note reflected in the new products today include the removal of Firewire 400 from all Macs and the removal of the last Mac with a replaceable battery. End of an era folks, end of an era.

Be sure to keep it right here at TUAW all day for in-depth reports on all of today’s Apple announcements.

TUAWThe Apple Store Online is back, so what’s different? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite renamed Spica, spied and specced in Italy

At long last, some apparently definitive details on Samsung’s i5700, the handset formerly known as Galaxy Lite and now reportedly called the Spica. Italian site Cellularmania has a pretty exhaustive hands-on gallery and a much-coveted list of specs for the lime green HSDPA Android vessel. We’re looking at a 3-inch AMOLED screen with 384 x 240 resolution, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, 1500 mAh battery, accelerometer, GPS, FM radio… and yes, sad but unsurprising, it’s soft-rocking a 528MHz Qualcomm processor. Unlike our last glimpse, there now seems to be that requisite Android home bottom on the right side of the lower panel, but no such luck for any trackball. We’re also lacking price or release date details for any region, but at least for US enthusiasts, we’re pretty confident that you shouldn’t get your hopes up, given how the i7500 has been relegated stateside.

[Via Slashgear]

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite renamed Spica, spied and specced in Italy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Hero for Sprint hands-on and impressions

When we first caught wind of HTC’s Hero coming to Sprint, we were more than a little hopeful that the issues we experienced with the European version would be alleviated. If you’ll recall, we had a bit of a love-hate affair going on with the chinny, wine-drinking iteration of the Android-powered phone due to a seeming lack of horsepower required to push HTC’s totally amazing Sense UI. In the last few weeks, we’ve heard lots of chatter about the forthcoming Hero update and the wonders it would do for the speed of this phone… but unfortunately there’s no such luck in the US, CDMA version of this device.

So, the point here is we were planning on doing a whole new review to showcase the differences between the old and new version of the Hero, but there really aren’t any besides the obvious physical changes. Sprint has added some great new apps, like its visual voicemail, which works like a charm (oh by the way Coleen, you got that job — maybe you should give them your new number too), and Sprint Navigation, though it’s also muddied up the mix by including the yawn-maker NASCAR app. Of course, this phone provides a full-on 3G experience, unlike the European version (for obvious reasons), and Sprint’s network seems as snappy as ever — general web browsing was a noticeably more enjoyable experience, for instance.

Here is what we can say about the phone: the industrial design of this version versus the older model is a marked improvement, chucking that awkward chin shape for a proper bottom half, and rearranging the hard buttons so that you’re not constantly getting your hands cramped up. We also have to mention the trackball, which is the most comfortable we’ve ever used. While the performance is still not where we think it should be, the Hero is an awesome addition to Sprint’s growing line of serious contenders in the smartphone game. If that new update is all it’s supposed to be (and if Sprint is expedient in bringing it to market), many of our complaints should be quelled — and this will be the killer device we know it can be.

Gallery: HTC Hero for Sprint hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Hero for Sprint hands-on and impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOGEAR unveils new HDMI Control Center for well-heeled A/V fiends

Sure, for some folks a simple 4-port HDMI extender is all that’s needed, but you’re not playing around, are you? If “overkill” is the only way that you roll, check out IOGEAR’s latest: the HDMI Control Center includes a wireless keyboard with built-in laser trackball, supports 1080p (1920 x 1200) and HDMI 1.3, is HDCP compliant, rocks Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Support, and ships for the princely sum of $499.95. Definitely not for the weak-willed. PR after the break.

Continue reading IOGEAR unveils new HDMI Control Center for well-heeled A/V fiends

Filed under: Home Entertainment

IOGEAR unveils new HDMI Control Center for well-heeled A/V fiends originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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