Tech News Updates

Well look at that — Adobe’s now officially serving up Flash Player 10.1 on its download pages. If you’re anything like us, you’ve been running 10.1 since it hit Release Candidate status a couple months ago, but if you’ve held off the upgrade brings some much-needed hardware acceleration to the mix, as well as other assorted performance enhancements and improvements. We’re curious to see if the various issues with Broadcom Crystal HD netbooks have been resolved in this final version, and Mac users will have to wait for the “Gala” update to see any hardware-powered boost on their systems, but it’s nice to finally see Adobe ship this thing. Let us know how it goes in comments, yeah? [Thanks, Neal and Sam] Adobe Flash Player 10.1 now officially available for download originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

The method ain’t new — it’s the same jictechnology developers offering the same code over at NextGenServer — but it will yield different results when used on the latest and greatest webOS device. Yep, that Palm Pre unlock that enabled international GSM Pre units to work on AT&T, Telus and T-Mobile is now officially certified for use on AT&T’s own Palm Pre Plus. That means your shiny new smartphone can now hop onto T-Mobile and Telus networks with a functioning SIM card from either carrier, but unlike other unlocks, this one will cost you $35.79. Or, you know, you could pick up Verizon’s Pre Plus , nab a free mobile hotspot along the way, and pocket an old Nokia candybar for those overseas jaunts — your call, broseph. SIM unlock now available for AT&T Palm Pre Plus originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 14:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like the wait for OnLive is finally coming to an end: the service is now officially slated to launch on June 17 in the 48 contiguous states. The game streaming service will run users $14.95 a month, though buying or renting games is an additional cost (it’s unclear exactly what that cost might be). Luckily there will be lower prices available for multi-month buys, and the first 25,000 people to sign up will get their first three months free. Service includes free instant-play demos, multiplayer and an “instant video-based social network,” whatever that means. At the outset the service will run on Mac and PC as a browser plugin, but the MicroConsole TV adapter will be released later this year, with other devices to be added “over time.” Initially the service will run at 720p, but 1080p / 60 fps will be added once the bandwidth becomes available. Out of the gate there will be somewhere between 12 and 25 titles available, including Mass Effect 2 , Borderlands , Assassin’s Creed II , Dragon Age Origins , and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands . There are five different data centers set up to serve up the games, strategically placed to reduce lag… let’s hope they work ! OnLive Game Service to launch on June 17 in the US for $15 a month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Chuck Thacker may not be quite the same household name as some other computing pioneers, but it’s pretty hard to overstate the influence he’s had on the industry, a feat for which he’s now be honored with the A.M. Turing Award — widely considered to be the “Nobel prize of computing.” While Thacker is now a “Technical Fellow” at Microsoft, he first made a name for himself at Xerox PARC, where he not only helped design and realize the very first modern computer, the Alto, but co-invented Ethernet, and contributed to a range of other projects that have had a lasting impact on computing to this day. Later, while at Microsoft Reseach, Thacker oversaw the design of the very first Tablet PC prototypes, and he continues to lead up a computer-architecture group at the company and be involved with various research efforts. Of course, that’s only scratching the surface — hit up the links below for a more complete background of the man’s work, and head on past the break for a short video put together for the occasion by Microsoft. Continue reading Computing pioneer Chuck Thacker wins Turing Award Computing pioneer Chuck Thacker wins Turing Award originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

That certainly was a timely review , wasn’t it? Dutch site Tweakers.net is reporting through a number of its forum members that previously ordered HTC Legends are being scheduled for delivery as early as today, beating the phone’s announced early second quarter availability by a solid three weeks. That’s great news for anyone comfortable sticking with a lower-res display and a middle-of-the-road processor in exchange for one of the slickest, most metallic shells on the market today — but for those hoping for something a little more… ahem, Desire -able , the wait continues. And yes, we’d like to apologize profusely for that pun. HTC Legend already trickling into customers’ waiting hands? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

And what do we have here? HTC’s Russian contingent has been rather forthcoming with its Windows Mobile 7 plans this morning, which will please HD2 owners but disappoint many others. The good news is that HTC’s flagship WinMo handset is assured of getting Microsoft’s finest when it comes out, but the bad news is that the rest of the line will remain stuck at version 6.5 or below. Here’s the tweet in the Queen’s own tongue: For Diamond 2 firmware is not planned. Of the existing communicators on the market, only the HD2 firmware to get WM7. Keep in mind it’s still possible, though not altogether probable, that this statement refers only to the Russian market. In either case, if you were holding out hope for your Touch Pro 2 or Snap to keep updating all the way to 7, it seems the odds are now officially stacked against you. HTC Russia says HD2 will get Windows Mobile 7 upgrade, but other ‘communicators’ won’t originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Wiiwaa is a forthcoming Wii game which involves you cramming your Wiimote into the mouth of the bizarre stuffed animal you see… oh just watch the video after the break. Continue reading Wiiwaa is the greatest Wii game ever made, we assume Wiiwaa is the greatest Wii game ever made, we assume originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Xbox 360’s resident spokesman Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb wants you to know that the Xbox Live update preview program is now officially a go, with the first wave of registered participants getting automatically prompted to update upon sign-in (you should also receive an email, but apparently they’re behind on the notifications). More people are said to be getting the update “in the coming days,” so don’t lose hope yet — not that waiting for Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm integration, and 1080p instant-on streaming should cause ultimate despair, but we digress. The only thing you don’t get is the Halo Waypoint preview, which doesn’t join the preview fun until next week. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] Filed under: Gaming Xbox Live update preview program now rolling out originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Chris, who just needs a few more streams to make his life complete. “I am looking for a device that will stream sound from one source to several recipients. For example, I want to stream sound from my TV or stereo to my phone or MP3 player that has radio and Bluetooth capabilities. I have been told that a Bluetooth device can only stream music to one device. I have looked into radio transmitters and they seem like a decent choice, but I can’t find one that uses external power (USB or from the plug) and I would want one with a transmit range of around 50 meters. Thanks!” We can’t say for certain, but we’re guessing Chris isn’t along here. Any hardcore streamers out there figured out an optimal solution to get one source to multiple devices? Do tell in comments below. Filed under: Ask Engadget , Home Entertainment , Portable Audio Ask Engadget: a device to stream audio from one device to multiple sources? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink