Category Archives: News

Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris out now on Verizon Wireless

We already know all about the Droid by Motorola.  Now you can pick it up (or order it online) for $199.99, after a $100 rebate and under the obligatory two-year commitment.  Verizon has stated that tethering (connecting your phone to your computer to gain Internet access) will be made available for Droid customers in 2010 and will add an addtional $30 to the data plan.

If that price is too steep for you VZ is giving you the option to select a similar handset with the Droid Eris by HTC.  Basically it’s a rebranded Sprint Hero (also by HTC) with a few aesthetic and UI changes.  Compared to its older and more sophisicated brother, the Droid Eris runs Android 1.5 (not 2.0), it does not have a physical keyboard, it packs a slower processor (528MHz Qualcomm), and its screen size and resolution is lowered.  It does, however, feature a 3.2-inch capacitive display, 5 megapixel camera, WiFi, 3.5mm headphone jack, 8GB microSDHC card (with expansion up to 16GB).  It will be the first Verizon phone to run HTC’s personalized user interface called HTC Sense on top of Android 1.5.  You can also pick up the Droid Eris now (or order it online) for $99.99, after a $100 rebate and under a two-year agreement.  Take a look at the Droid Eris in the gallery below and peek after the break for the full press release.

Here’s the bottom line: The Droid by Motorola is the next best phone on the market after the iPhone.  If you are in the market for a new cell phone and you are a Verizon Wireless customer, getting the Droid is a no-brainer.  If the Droid’s price and fierce looks are too much for you, saving one hundred dollars and purchasing the Droid Eris by HTC is a worthy sacrifice that can be made.  All in all, the new family of Droid phones is a win for all Verizon customers and finally brings some worthy competition to the current king of smartphones, the iPhone.

[Via Engadget, here & here; Gizmodo, here & here]

Continue reading Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris out now on Verizon Wireless

LG Chocolate Touch is no BL40

I have some bitter news for you.  Remember those delectable images and videos of the awesomely unique looking LG BL40 phone?  Well apparently that design was scrapped in favor of what you see above (left) because certain “focus groups” did not like the style of the original BL40 (right).  Though it has been released in Europe/Asia, LG has no plans of letting it loose in the States.  Gizmodo has the latest info on the new and no longer desired LG Chocolate Touch:

The LG Chocolate Touch is the latest iteration of the Chocolate line, and brings with it some new music features: FM radio, dedicated key for favorites, Dolby Mobile sound enhancements, and an unexpected and downright weird “Join the Band” feature. Join the Band features a virtual drum kit and scrolling 88-key keyboard so you can tap along with your music. Of course, it also offers Twitter, Facebook and MySpace integration, a 3.2MP camera and one-touch uploading. It’s not a super exciting phone like the BL40, but at least it’s odd enough to be sort of interesting.

The LG Chocolate Touch (VX8575) is available today on Verizon Wireless for $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate.

[Via Gizmodo; Phone Arena]

The impossibly thin Dell Adamo XPS gets official

Dell Adamo XPS.

The specs: LED-backlit 13.4-inch 720p widescreen display, 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ultra-low voltage processor, GS45 integrated graphics, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 128GB SSD, 20WHr Li-Ion battery, Windows 7.  Connectivity: 802.11a/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, location awareness, DisplayPort, two USB 2.0 ports.  It features a touch-sensitive lid and a unique hinge design.

Measures 13.39 x 10.71 inches and weighs just over 3 pounds.  And it can proudly claim to be the world’s thinnest laptop at 0.4-inches thin.

It will be available to purchase “in time for the holidays” for $1799.  And FYI–this is a computer to purchase for its looks, not for its power (or lack thereof at this price-point).

Check out this beauty of a laptop in the gallery below.  Engadget and Gizmodo got some hands-on time with it, so take a look!

P.S. – The second gallery is pictures of some prototype versions of the Adamo XPS.  The protptypes included far-fetched ideas like a touchscreen trackpad and a full touch-capacitive keyboard.

[Via Engadget, here & here; Gizmodo]

 

Continue reading The impossibly thin Dell Adamo XPS gets official

V premieres with flying colors (and UFOs)

The series premiere of V captured the attention of 14 million viewers on Tuesday night.  Though CBS’s NCIS: LA debut drew in the largest audience with 18.7 million viewers, V wears the crown having the night’s highest adult 18-49 performance.  In fact, V had the highest rated 8:00pm drama debut on ABC since–you guessed it–Lost.

If you missed the spectacular premiere of V, watch it on Hulu (this Saturday) or download it in HD on iTunes.  In my opinion, the debut of V was one of the most exciting and well written narritives packed in a one-hour package I have in some time.

[Via EW; IGN]

Music video: Shakira “does it again;” Kid Cudi to be featured

“Did It Again” is the next single off Shakira’s forthcoming album.  If you enjoyed Shakira’s routine in “She Wolf” wait until you see how she moves in bed.  The album She Wolf releases November 27.

In much related news, newly-famed rapper Kid Cudi will be featured on the remix to “Did It Again.”  Go ahead and look forward to that.  Also, keep in mind that this track plus five others are produced by Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes.  Another track is produced by Wyclef Jean.

[Via DatNewCudi]

Ryan Leslie releases second studio album with Transition

Ryan Leslie is an extremely talented producer-turned-musician.  Check out his second album Transition on iTunes.  The entire album is written, arranged, produced, and engineered by Leslie.

R.Les is a master of the keyboard and creates genius beats.  If you like what you hear, make sure you also take a listen to his self-titled first studio album.  Very good stuff.

[Via Wiki]

Verizon set to increase its early termination fee (booo!)

Come November 15 Verizon Wireless customers will be forced to pay $350 to terminate their cell phone contracts if they wish to change phones or leave VZW before the end of their two-year agreement.  The early termination fee increases from an already exorbitant $175.  Every month that passes, though, the fee decreases by $10.  VZ made it clear that this new termination fee only applies to “advanced devices;” it is safe to assume this means all smartphones, including the upcoming Droid by Motorola.  Blargh…ETFs were always garbage, but now they are stinky, rotten garbage.

[Via BGR]

New Intel Atom chip to up the ante

Those of you in the market to purchase a netbook, listen up!

So we already know that that netbooks are no longer being forced to ship with Windows 7 Starter Edition; new netbooks give customers the option to have it shipped with Home Premium or above.  That said, now there is a different restriction being lifted on netbooks: Intel will allow netbook manufacturers to ship their systems with more than 1GB of RAM.  This will allow for much faster and efficient netbooks.  The 1.83GHz N470 Intel Atom “Pine Trail” chip will give a boost to netbooks ’round the world come this March.

The lifing of the 1GB RAM restrcition continues to blur the distinction between netbooks and small laptops or ultraportables.

[Via Engadget]

Fall TV season pickups galore

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Oh how much I love it when networks decide to give great TV shows a deserved chance at prolonged success.  And oh do I hate it when they stab us in the back (read: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Pushing Daisies).  Here’s a roundup of some of the great shows that were given “the back nine” and will complete their first seasons with 20+ episodes. (Note: Full season pickups are usually granted to new series; it is assumed that third+ year series will be given full seasons prior to the shows premieres.)

ABC:  FlashForward, Modern Family, Castle

FOX: Glee, The Cleveland Show (it’s also been picked up for a second season)

NBC: Community, Parks & Recreation

All shows were granted a full 22 episode season.  FlashForward, interestingly, was granted an above-average 25 episodes.  Music to my ears if you ask me.

Others I don’t care much for: ABC’s Cougar Town, The Middle; CBS’s Accidentally on Purpose, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Good Wife.

What got cancelled? NBC’s Trauma.  I don’t think the man in the helicoptor loves his job anymore.

I will update this space as the remainder of fall TV series are renewed and/or cancelled.

For now, celebrate by krumping along with Community’s Abed and Troy after the break!

[Via EW, here, here, here, & here]

Continue reading Fall TV season pickups galore

Gleeks: Madonna, Adam Lambert, Van Halen, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and more

Ready for the lastest Glee news?  Well here we go…

Madonna has given Glee the rights to her entire catelog of songs and a Madonna-centric episode is slated to air later this year.  Ryan Murphy (co-creator) plans on approaching American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert to guest star in a future episode.  (Come January Glee will be paired with American Idol on Wednesday nights, so this makes perfect sense.)

Upcoming episodes will include performances set to Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary, ” Van Halen’s “Jump,” John Lennon’s “Imagine” (which the glee club performs with a rival deaf choir (Ryan Murphy: “Everyone who sees it sheds a tear.”)), Paul Anka’s “You’re Having My Baby,” and Barbara Streisand’s “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

On integrating Springsteen songs into the show Ryan Murphy has said: “I think Bruce is our next holy grail.”  “My musical tastes begin and end with him basically” said Brad Falchuk (co-creator).

Glee returns with all new episodes November 11 at 9PM on FOX.

[Via EW, here, here, and here]

Rihanna’s “Rated R” cover art, track list, a music video

Rihanna’s next album titled Rated R is gaining tons of buzz as its release is soon upon us.  Rihanna plans on making a big comeback after her public battle with former boyfriend Chris Brown (who is also releasing a new album soon).  Yesterday the full track list was unveiled.  Featured artists include Young Jeezy, Slash (!), and will.i.am.  Look after the break for the full track listing.  If you preorder the album on iTunes you will instantly receive a free download of her first single “Russian Roulette,” a song written by fellow R&B artist Ne-Yo.  Today Rihanna is giving her fans a taste of what’s to come with the new music video for “Wait Your Turn.”  The album drops November 23.

[Via RollingStone; KanyeBlog]

Continue reading Rihanna’s “Rated R” cover art, track list, a music video